One of the key stages of the SM reactor refurbishment has been successfully completed

RIAR JSC continues refurbishing the SM reactor. The most important part of this work – removal of the reactor core and its transportation in a special container for long-term storage to the RW&SNF Handling Department - was successfully completed last Saturday. The necessary equipment for removing and transporting the reactor core, which has been operated for more than 25 years, was developed by RIAR’s specialists from the Design and Construction Department and manufactured at RIAR as well.

“The work was done by the specialists of Research Reactors Complex, Transport Service and RW&SNF Handling Department under the supervision of Radiation Safety & Environmental Protection Department,” said Alexander Tuzov, Director of RIAR JSC. “A successful completion of complicated technological operation has once again shown that RIAR offers unique competencies.”

According to the refurbishment project schedule, a new core will be installed into the reactor vessel by the end of this year; by March 2020, the reactor is to be ready for experiments to determine the neutronic characteristics of a new core.

“SM-3 is the very first and, it would seem, the oldest RIAR’s reactor. But at the same time, it is the youngest reactor since it is constantly upgraded. We are the developers of a unique technology for replacing obsolete reactor internals. Earlier, the reactor core was already replaced three times” says Alexey Petelin, Head of RIAR’s Research Reactors Complex, summing up one of the most important key tasks of SM-3 reactor refurbishment.

For your information only:

SM is a high-flux vessel-type water-cooled research reactor with a neutron trap. The specific reactor design, neutron trap, several dozens of experimental channels and loop facilities provide the opportunity for a variety of studies, accumulation of transuranium elements and radionuclides with high specific activity.