The High flux reactor
The high Flux Reactor (HFR) was built as a research reactor and not, as is the case for nuclear power plants, to produce electricity. The reactor took its name from its ability to generate a high density (‘flux’) of neutrons. These neutrons are used for irradiation purposes.
One of the objectives of the HFR was research into the effects of such irradiation. As conditions in the HFR mimicked those in the reactor core of a nuclear power plant, the HFR was used extensively to study the behaviour of substances in and around reactor cores. Does steel remain rigid under a high neutron flux? Does graphite swell and how can this effect be controlled?
In addition to this application of the HFR, the production of special materials, often for medical purposes, was introduced over the years. Materials become radioactive when bombarded with neutrons. They can then be used in a variety of medical treatments, for example as markers to make specific organs show up better on scans, or used directly to irradiate and fight cancer cells.
In 1998, the ECN’s nuclear research division branched off and merged with its counterpart at KEMA (Testing, Research and Engineering Consultants to the Electric Power Industry) to form a separate subsidiary of ECN and KEMA: NRG (Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group). Today, the HFR is operated by NRG.
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