1. IRRADIATION FACILITIES at SCKCEN Nuclear Belgian Research Center Boeretang, 200 2400 Mol Belgium
Benoît Brichard
Instrumentation Department
Tel:
Secr:
Fax:
Ooms Hans
Instrumentation Department Tel:
Secr:
Fax:

2. Quick overview Neutron Facilities Gamma Facilities I. Cobalt-60 I. BR1
KIRSTEN 80 kGy/h
BRIGITTE 25 kGy/h
CMFA1 20 kGy/h
CMFA2 20 kGy/h
RITA 2 kGy/h
CAL Gy/h
II. Spent Fuels
GEUSE II 0.5 kGy/h
Neutron Facilities
I. BR1
Maximum Thermal flux
3x1011 n/cm2s
II. BR2
1x1015 n/cm2s
Maximum Fast Flux
7x1014 n/cm2s
Installations
Air cooled design
Vacuum design

3. The irradiation facilities of SCKCEN cover a wide range of radiation processing and nuclear applications

4. Low Gamma Dose Rate Irradiation Facilities
GEUSE II
RITA

5. Large irradiation volume with moderate dose-rate
RITA
0.5 => 1.5 kGy/h
Dose Rate
 Energy (MeV)
Relative Intensity
60Co - spectrum
Under water facility
380 mm
600 mm
Temperature up to 150 °C
Inert gas or air
On-line instrumentation facilities

6. CRISTALES: In-pile section for photonics assessment
Standard on line instrumentation
3 thermocouples type K
Heating element
Signal cables
Rinsing of the chamber
Extra on line instrumentation
Fibers
Coax, extra thermocouples
Power cables
Instrumentation on demand

7. Large irradiation volume with moderate dose-rate
GEUSE II
Large irradiation volume with moderate dose-rate
Dose Rate
10 => 500 Gy/h
137Cs - spectrum
Under water view
Relative Intensity
900 mm
380 mm
 Energy (MeV)
Temperature up to 200 °C
Inert gas or air
On-line instrumentation facilities

8. Vacuum System Module for RITA and GEUSE II
VSM
Design for polymer irradiation
Active low-vacuum
Pressure (mbar)
Time (h)
10-6 mbar
200 mm
600 mm

9. High Gamma Dose Rate Irradiation Facilities
CMF A2
CMF A1 A2 A1 B
BRIGITTE C3
KIRSTEN
The four irradiation positions are located in the BR2 containment building

10. Large irradiation volume
at high dose-rate
BRIGITTE
0.5 => 25 kGy/h
Dose Rate
 Energy (MeV)
Relative Intensity
60Co - spectrum
Side view
Container open
900 mm
220 mm
Temperature up to 200 °C
Inert gas or air
On-line instrumentation facilities

11. Polymer irradiation Testing in Brigitte

12. Open Capsule with heater
Medium irradiation volume
at high dose-rate
CMF-A1
CMF-A2
Open Capsule with heater
0.5 => 20 kGy/h
Dose Rate
 Energy (MeV)
Relative Intensity
60Co - spectrum
Capsule
900 mm
80 mm
Temperature up to 200 °C
Inert gas or air
On-line instrumentation facilities

13. Small irradiation volume
at high dose-rate
KIRSTEN
Dose Rate
80 kGy/h
(57 MGy/Month)
 Energy (MeV)
Relative Intensity
60Co - spectrum
200 mm
35 mm
No control of environmental parameters
Uniform dose rate over 100 mm
Only temperature monitoring

14. Climate Chamber for ageing tests
CLARA
Climate Chamber for ageing tests
Available Volume
2 m3
Temperature control
-36 to 180 °C
Humidity control
10 to 98 %
Convenient Facility for pos-irradiation temperature testing

15. Low dose-rate irradiation facility
CAL
Low dose-rate irradiation facility
Bunker Inside View
Output Source View
Room temperature control at 21°C
Atmosphere and humidity control
Max Dose Rate: 1 Gy/h

16. Material Testing Reactor – BR2

17. Moving Irradiation Rig
BR2: Material Testing Reactor – 56 MW Neutronic Performances in n/cm2s and Gamma Heating W/g[Al]
Thermal Flux
2.8x1014
Gamma
Heating
Core
Reflector
7x1014
Fast Flux
(En > 0.1 MeV)
200 mm
< 50 mm
84 mm
50 mm
10-15 W/g
7x1013
1.4x1014
7x1012
2.4x1014
1-4 W/g
SIDONIE
Moving Irradiation Rig
1x1014
5 x 1013
~ 3 W/g
6x1013

18. BR1: Gas Cooled reactor – 700 kW to 1MW
Standard value at 700 kW
BR1, operated on day by day basis
Graphite moderator
Typical temperature: 40 °C -70 °C
Neutron and gamma standard fields
Thermal flux : 3.5x1011n/cm2s
Fast Flux : 2 x 1010 n/cm2s
FUNIN – Fast neutron boost module
Fast Neutron in Y6 channel
~ 1011 n/cm2 s
U-235 fission spectrum
Volume 80 mm2
External Cavity – 1 m diameter
load with uranium sphere
Fast Flux 2-4 x 108 n/cm2
possibility for Gamma Converter