North Carolina State University Reactor Program - Current Reactor Operations

Current Reactor Operations

The PULSTAR reactor is situated along Engineering Row in the main campus, surrounded by Mann Hall, Daniels, Polk hall, and a park. The reactor has a dedicated building and uses one cooling tower which can be seen releasing water vapor when the reactor is at high power. This building is not a Containment building but maintains a negative pressure so that should there be a release of radioactive material, it would not seep out of the reactor building. The reactor can be operated up to a power of 100 kW on natural circulation, or 1 Megawatt (MW) with the use of pumps.

The reactor enriches the department curricula by providing hands on experience as well as training for students. Department enrollment was 72 total undergraduate students, 15 masters students, and 22 PhD students in 2002, all of whom directly benefit from use of the reactor. Additionally, 34 researches outside of Nuclear Engineering use the reactor and associated facilities.

The primary research purpose of the reactor is to provide a neutron source for activities such as Neutron activation analysis. For example, Cobalt-60 irradiators are used by a number of departments to sterilize biological samples. It is also used for professional training for nuclear utility operators and engineers, DOE Interns, and State and local radiation protection personnel.

This reactor is particularly well suited for duplicating the fuel performance of power reactors. The core consists of low enriched Uranium pins that are intended to be very similar to what is used in commercial nuclear power plants. This reactor was one of only two Pulstar reactors ever built.

There are five beam ports adjacent to the core of the reactor. This reactor is also well suited for experiments requiring a large neutron flux because peaking occurs around the edge of the core due to under moderation.

The PULSTAR reactor is a public facility and gives frequent tours with advance notice and clearance.

In September 2007, students, faculty and staff produced the most intense operating positron beam anywhere in the world, according to a story written by NC State's Dave Pond, which can be viewed at http://ncsu.edu/featured-stories/innovation-discovery/oct-2007/antimatter-nuclear/index.php.

In November 2010, the PULSTAR reactor was linked to the nuclear engineering department of Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), forming the first internet reactor laboratory in Jordan, and becoming the first U.S research nuclear reactor to be used for educational purposes outside the United States. The new laboratory will enable JUST nuclear engineering students to use the PULSTAR reactor and observe the reactor's behavior under certain conditions via a virtual control panel. The project was set up in cooperation with the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, U.S Department of State, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.