Status of Research Reactor Utilization in Brazil

Brazil has four research reactors in operation: the IEA-R1, a pool type research reactor of 5 MW; the IPR-R1, a TRIGA Mark I type research reactor of 100 kW; the ARGONAUTA, an Argonaut type research reactor of 500 W; and the IPEN/MB-01 a critical facility of 100 W. Research reactor utilization has more than fifty years in Brazil. The first three reactors, constructed in the late 50's and early 60's at university campus in Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro, had their utilization for training, teaching and nuclear research. The IPEN/MB-01, designed and constructed in IPEN in the late 80's, is utilized for the development and qualification of reactor physics calculation for PWR core application. The IEA-R1 has had its application and utilization increased through the years and it is presently used for radioisotope production, neutron beam application, neutrongraphy, neutron activation analysis, and limited fuel and material irradiation tests, besides the regular use for training and teaching. The low power of the reactor and the lack of hot cells for post irradiation analysis limits its technical application for the nuclear fuel industry. Brazil has two nuclear power plants in operation, one unit starting construction and four more units planned for the next two decades. Brazil has significant quantities of uranium ore and has expertise in all the fuel cycle steps, including uranium enrichment, and produces the fuel assemblies for the nuclear power plants. These industrial activities demand the need of material and fuel irradiation tests. IPEN produces radiopharmaceutical kits for the treatment of more than three million patients each year. The majority of the radiopharmaceutical kits is produced from imported radioisotopes. The increasing price and shortage of world supply of 99mTc leads also to the need of increasing the radioisotope production in Brazil. Due to these new demands, the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission is analyzing the costs and benefits of developing and constructing a new Research Reactor in Brazil, which besides radioisotope production and material testing can be a new tool for neutron beam application to the scientific community as well. This paper presents the actual research reactor utilization in Brazil, and the perspectives of developing and constructing a new multipurpose research reactor. (author)