Report on the operation in 1973 of the FR 2 research reactor

Also in 1973, the heavy-water moderated research and testing reactor FR 2 was operated to schedule at 44 MW nominal power. Again, the availability of the plant was slightly improved. Experimental utilization through instrumented irradiation capsules strongly increased as compared to the previous year. Up to 16 capsule test rigs at a time were inserted in the reactor. As to the beam tube experiments, up to 13 experiments covering a total of 18 test rigs were conducted simultaneously at the 12 reasonably usable beam holes. At the beginning of the year all of the positions available were occupied by 5 loop experiments. Isotope production reached its highest value with a total of 2,372 irradiated capsules (1.3% more than the year before). Some remarkable figures characterized the year 1973: On August 16, 1973 ten years of full power operation at a nominal power of 12 and 44 MW, respectively, had been reached. On July 24, 1973 the 50,000th isotope irradiation was performed in the reactor and on December 26, 1973 a total energy release of 100,000 MWd was recorded. Moreover, the 125,000th visitor of the reactor was welcomed on December 6, 1973. (orig./UA)