Department of Nuclear Reactors operates VR-1 training reactor and several laboratories. Both reactor and laboratories are used for research application and education and training.
Reactor VR-1
The VR-1 reactor is a pool-type light water reactor with low-enriched uranium fuel, which has a power of 100 W with the possibility of a short-term increase to 500 W (max. 70 hours per year). The neutron moderator is demineralized water, which also serves as a reflector, biological shielding and coolant. Heat removal from the core is carried out by natural convection. The pool arrangement of the reactor allows for simple and fast access to the core, easy installation and removal of various experimental samples and detectors, simple and safe handling of fuel, etc. A detailed description of the VR-1 reactor is given here.
Reactor VR-2
The subcritical VR-2 reactor, i.e. a reactor that requires an external neutron source to maintain a fission chain reaction, is the second fission nuclear reactor at the Czech Technical University. The VR-2 reactor was put into operation in June 2023. The design of the VR-2 light water reactor with low-enriched uranium fuel allows for changes in the geometry and spacing of fuel rods in the core, the use of various external neutron sources (e.g. a D-D generator or an Am-Be neutron source) and also changes in the level and temperature of the moderator. In the reactor, the effective multiplication factor can reach a value of up to 0.97. A description of the VR-2 reactor is available here.
Neutron Activation Analysis Laboratory
The laboratory is intended for conducting research and teaching experiments using instrumental neutron activation analysis. The laboratory is equipped with three stationary gamma-spectrometric systems with semiconductor detectors of the HPGe type and one portable gamma-spectrometric system. The laboratory is used for research in various nuclear disciplines, as well as in multidisciplinary research in cooperation with experts from natural sciences, social sciences and humanities.
Neutron Interaction Laboratory (neutron laboratory)
The laboratory is intended for conducting research and teaching activities in the field of detection of nuclear materials and sources of ionizing radiation. The laboratory is equipped with routes for detecting all types of ionizing radiation, their evaluation and interpretation of measurement results. The detectors are located in low-background cells, allowing the identification of trace activities. The laboratory also uses, among other things, two neutron generators (one of type D-D and the other of type D-T) as a precisely defined source of neutrons for calibration of the detectors.
Laboratory of Physical Security of Nuclear Facilities
The Laboratory of Neutron Interactions (neutron laboratory) is intended for teaching and research in the field of physical protection of nuclear facilities. The laboratory is equipped with various types of detection and delay elements including control panels, a camera system and several types of input and output identification systems of persons including biometrics. In addition to the hardware components of the physical protection system, the laboratory is also equipped with specialized software equipment HYPO, which allows for the design of physical protection systems for a hypothetical nuclear facility and the evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of these designs.
Internet Reactor Laboratory (IRL laboratory)
The Internet Reactor Laboratory (IRL laboratory) enables remote (on-line) experimental teaching and research from the VR-1 hub. The basis of the IRL laboratory is a system that was developed in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency for the transmission of experimental teaching from the VR-1 reactor to European and African universities whose students do not have the opportunity to come to Prague and complete experimental teaching directly at the reactor. During the Covid-19 pandemic (2020-2021), the laboratory was expanded to include broadcasting of teaching from other parts of the research center. After that, the laboratory was also used for the first time in research and development, during the development of a neutron imaging device at the VR-1 reactor. Currently, the IRL laboratory enables remote experimental teaching and research from most experimental parts of the research infrastructure.
Radiation Protection and Dosimetry Laboratory
The Radiation Protection and Dosimetry Laboratory is focused primarily on chemical and thermoluminescent detectors designed to characterize ionizing radiation fields and for radiation monitoring of people. The X-ray spectroscopic laboratory specializes in non-destructive analysis of materials based on the study of the emission and detection of characteristic X-ray radiation, while the existing instrumentation is also capable of identifying some nuclear materials. The Radiation Detection Laboratory focuses on the development, testing and practical use of detectors and detection systems for various types of ionizing radiation. The laboratory is operated by the Department of Dosimetry and Application of Ionizing Radiation and is located in the FJFI building in the Old Town.
Nuclear Reactor Control Systems Laboratory (I&C Laboratory)
The Nuclear Reactor Control Systems Laboratory (I&C Laboratory) is designed for the development and testing of various components of nuclear reactor control systems. The laboratory is equipped with computer systems for various types of diagnostics and hardware and software tests, e.g. signal and pulse generators, power supplies, very sensitive multimeters and oscilloscopes.
External neutron sources and neutron detectors
The VR-1 Nuclear Experimental Center allows open access users to use a wide range of neutron sources in their research work, which are usable in various experimental components of the center. The following neutron sources and neutron detectors are currently available:
- D-D type neutron generator
Thermo-Fisher Scientific's P385 portable neutron generator, which produces fast neutrons with an energy of 2.4 MeV with a yield of 7×106 n/s - D-T type neutron generator
Thermo-Fisher Scientific's MP320 portable neutron generator, which produces fast neutrons with an energy of 14 MeV with a yield of 1×108 n/s - California neutron source
Eckert & Zieg|er's 252 Cf neutron source Cesium, which produces fast neutrons with an energy of 2.14 MeV with a yield of 4×107 n/s (as of 07/2019) - Americium neutron source
Three Am-Be neutron sources, which produce fast neutrons with a yield of 2×105 to 1×107 n/s - Neutron detectors
Users have more than 70 different neutron detectors of various types are available, e.g. boron detectors B-10 and BF-3, helium detectors He-3 or fission chambers