The High Flux Australian Reactor (HIFAR) was Australia's first
nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction or nuclear fusion reactions. Nuclear reactors are used at nuclear power plants for electricity generation and in nuclear marine propulsion. Heat from nu ...
. It was built at the
Australian Atomic Energy Commission
The Australian Atomic Energy Commission (AAEC) was a statutory body of the Australian government.
It was established in 1952, replacing the Atomic Energy Policy Committee. In 1981 parts of the Commission were split off to become part of CSIRO, t ...
(later
ANSTO
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is a statutory body of the Australian government, formed in 1987 to replace the Australian Atomic Energy Commission. Its head office and main facilities are in southern outs ...
) Research Establishment at ,
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
. The reactor was in operation between 1958 and 2007, when it was superseded by the
Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor
The Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor (OPAL) is a 20 megawatt (MW) swimming pool nuclear research reactor. Officially opened in April 2007, it replaced the High Flux Australian Reactor as Australia's only nuclear reactor, and is locat ...
, also in Lucas Heights.
Background and operation
Based on the
DIDO reactor at
Harwell Harwell may refer to:
People
* Harwell (surname)
* Harwell Hamilton Harris (1903–1990), American architect
Places
* Harwell, Nottinghamshire, England, a hamlet
*Harwell, Oxfordshire, England, a village
**RAF Harwell, a World War II RAF airfield, ...
in the UK, HIFAR was cooled and moderated by
heavy water (
D2O), and the fuel was
enriched uranium
Enriched uranium is a type of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 (written 235U) has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Naturally occurring uranium is composed of three major isotopes: uranium-238 (238 ...
. There was also a graphite neutron reflector surrounding the core. Like DIDO, its original purpose was nuclear materials testing, using its high neutron flux to give materials intended for use in
nuclear power reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction or nuclear fusion reactions. Nuclear reactors are used at nuclear power plants for electricity generation and in nuclear marine propulsion. Heat from ...
s their entire expected lifetime neutron exposure in a relatively short period.
HIFAR was used for research, particularly
neutron diffraction
Neutron diffraction or elastic neutron scattering is the application of neutron scattering to the determination of the atomic and/or magnetic structure of a material. A sample to be examined is placed in a beam of thermal or cold neutrons to o ...
experiments, production of neutron transmutation doped (NTD) silicon, and for production of medical and industrial
radioisotope
A radionuclide (radioactive nuclide, radioisotope or radioactive isotope) is a nuclide that has excess nuclear energy, making it unstable. This excess energy can be used in one of three ways: emitted from the nucleus as gamma radiation; transferr ...
s.
HIFAR went critical at 11:15 pm local time on 26 January 1958,
and was first run at full power of 10 MW (thermal) in 1960. The initial fuel was highly enriched uranium, but over the years the enrichment level of new fuel was steadily reduced, in line with international trends designed to reduce the danger of diversion of research reactor fuel for weapons programs. HIFAR completed conversion to low enriched uranium fuel (LEU) in 2006.
Of the six DIDO class reactors built including DIDO itself, HIFAR was the last to cease operation. Permanent decommissioning of HIFAR commenced on 30 January 2007 and is expected to be completed by 2025.
On 12 August 2006
Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor
The Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor (OPAL) is a 20 megawatt (MW) swimming pool nuclear research reactor. Officially opened in April 2007, it replaced the High Flux Australian Reactor as Australia's only nuclear reactor, and is locat ...
(OPAL), the 20 MW replacement reactor located on an adjacent site, went critical. OPAL is served by the same complex of research, isotope production and remote handling laboratories. The two reactors ran in parallel for six months while OPAL was being tested. HIFAR was then permanently shut down and OPAL took over HIFAR's role of Australia's only operating nuclear reactor.
Engineering heritage award
The reactor is listed as a National Engineering Landmark by
Engineers Australia
Engineers Australia (EA) is an Australian professional body and not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to advance the science and practice of engineering for the benefit of the community. Engineers Australia is Australia's recognized org ...
as part of its
Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.
See also
*
Nuclear power in Australia
The prospect of nuclear power in Australia has been a topic of public debate since the 1950s. Australia has one nuclear plant in Lucas Heights, Sydney, but is not used to produce nuclear power, but instead is used to produce medical radioisoto ...
*
Nuclear medicine
Nuclear medicine or nucleology is a medical specialty involving the application of radioactive substances in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Nuclear imaging, in a sense, is "radiology done inside out" because it records radiation emitting ...
*
Research reactor
Research reactors are nuclear fission-based nuclear reactors that serve primarily as a neutron source. They are also called non-power reactors, in contrast to power reactors that are used for electricity production, heat generation, or maritim ...
s
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
HIFARpage at
ANSTO
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is a statutory body of the Australian government, formed in 1987 to replace the Australian Atomic Energy Commission. Its head office and main facilities are in southern outs ...
.
OPALpage at
ANSTO
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is a statutory body of the Australian government, formed in 1987 to replace the Australian Atomic Energy Commission. Its head office and main facilities are in southern outs ...
.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hifar
Heavy water reactors
Neutron facilities
Nuclear research institutes
Nuclear research reactors
Science and technology in Australia
Nuclear power in Australia
Defunct nuclear reactors
Lucas Heights, New South Wales
1958 establishments in Australia
2007 disestablishments in Australia
Recipients of Engineers Australia engineering heritage markers