A Description of the Canadian Irradiation-Research Facility Proposed to Replace the NRU Reactor

Abstract

To replace the aging NRU reactor, A ECL has developed the concept for a dual-purpose national Irradiation Research Facility (IRF) that tests fuel and materials for CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactors and performs materials research using extracted neutron beams. The IRF includes a MAPLE reactor in a containment building, experimental facilities, and support facilities. At a nominal reactor power of 40 MW, the IRF will generate powers up to 1 MW in natural-uranium CANDU bundles, fast-neutron fluxes up to 1.4 x 10^18 n-m^-2-s-^1 in Zr-alloy specimens, and thermal-neutron fluxes matching those available to the NRU beam tubes.