[en] Description of the organization of the Reactor Area at the Instituto de Asuntos Nucleares de Colombia, with objectives and activities in neutronic physics, thermal hydraulic, reactor instrumentation, reactor chemistry, radiological and physical as well as information on the installation equipment and services. The article presents a form of operational reactor facility

[en] The ''Instituto de Asuntos Nucleares'' of Colombia is responsible for IAN-R1 reactor operation, a 20 Kw. nuclear power machine, which became critical the first time on January 20th, 1965. The introduction of nuclear energy in Colombia has allowed to carry out many peaceful applications, where the reactor has played a significant role in support of these programmes. At this time, the main activities are: Educational and training activities; nuclear research; neutron activation analysis; delayed neutron analysis and radioisotopes production for using in agriculture, industry, hydrology and engineering. A description is made of the reactor aspects that have contributed to scientific and technological improvements

[en] From the thermal-hydraulics point of view, the nuclear reactor IAN-R1 was analyzed, with special attention to its power upgrade capabilities. In a first calorimetric evaluation, the nominal power was also calibrated as a consequence of a theoretical and experimental matching results

[en] The present work describes the procedure carried out for the preliminary determination of neutron flux parameters for the nuclear research reactor IAN-R1 (RNI IAN-R1) through the not covered triple monitor method in the nucleus peripheral irradiation position. Using this method, the thermal flux value (φ_th), the epithermal neutron flux symmetry factor (α) and the ratio between thermal neutron fluxes with respect to the epithermal neutron flux (f) were estimated. Those parameters were obtained by irradiating zirconium (Zr) monitors and a gold-aluminum alloy monitors (Au-Al 0.1% Au), which were irradiated at the G3 and G4 irradiation positions of the RNI IAN-R1. The following values were found for the parameters estimated at an operating power of 30 kW, φ_th= 2,1 * 10¹¹ cm² s^-1 (variance CV 4%), α = 0,02 (CV 83 %), and f =67 (CV 8 %). The high variance in α could be explained if we consider that the method only uses 3 capture reactions to describe the epithermal neutron spectrum. The variance could be improved by application of multimonitor methods for neutron flux characterization.

No abstract available

[en] This paper describes the thermal power calibration and neutron flux measurement performed in order to have an approach to the IAN-R1 reactor core characterization in the framework of the recently acquired operating license for five years. (author)

[en] A distribution was obtained for the thermal neutron flux in the MTR-type fuel elements of the IAN-R1 research nuclear reactor. The flux mapping was carried out with the detector activation technique with the use of Au-197 leaves. The power generated by each fuel element and by the nucleus was determined. Similarly, using the same procedure, the thermal neutron flux was found in the location of the neutron detectors for the control and safety instrumentation used for the operation of the nuclear reactor. This measurement allowed us to diagnose the operating performance of this equipment

[en] The associated Instrumentation & Control of the Research Nuclear Reactor IAN-R1, located in Colombia, was updated on the year 2012, as a direct result of the initiative by the Colombian Government represented by the Colombian Geological Survey (Servicio Geológico Colombiano). The result of the conversion from Highly-enriched MTR Nuclear fuel into Low-enrichment TRIGA Nuclear fuel guarantees a nuclear reactor that can be operated for several years. The present document presents the Current Technical Status (status of available infrastructure and utilization capabilities, including staff) of the reactor, its success stories, major achievements, and future prospects. (author)

[en] The program to modernize IAN-R1 research reactor control and safety instrumentation has been carried out considering two main aspects: updating safety philosophy requirements and acquiring the newest reactor control instrumentation controlled by computer, following the present criteria internationally recognized, for safety and reliable reactor operations and the latest developments of nuclear electronic technology. The new IAN-R1 reactor instrumentation consist of two wide range neutron monitoring channels, commanded by microprocessor a data acquisition system and reactor control, (controlled by computers). The reactor control desk is providing through two displays; all safety and control signals to the reactor operators; furthermore some signals like reactor power, safety and period signals are also showed on digital bar graphics, which are hard wired directly from the neutron monitoring channels

[en] For some time the resins of ionic exchange were used for the chemical purification of water. Resins that have double function, are of special interest. They contain a cartridge, ionic channel and cationic channel. Cartridges with mixed channel resins for ionic exchange are used for purification of water in the IAN-R-1 reactor pool. After some time, cartridges lose their ionic exchange capacity and they must be replaced. This investigation is dealing with synthetic resins for ionic exchange, and focuses on standardisation of a method for separation of mixed channels. Favourable conditions were determined for the separation method and recovery of worn-out cartridges of resins for ionic exchange of mixed channel 'Barnstead supercartridges' for water purification