ETRR-1

Last updated
Experimental Training Research Reactor No. 1
Operating Institution Nuclear Research Center
Location Inshas, Egypt
Type Light water tank WWR
Power2 MW (thermal)
Construction and Upkeep
Construction BeganMarch 1, 1958 (1958-03-01)
First CriticalityFebruary 8, 1961 (1961-02-08)
Staff18
Operators7
Refuel FrequencyHad never been refueled since the initial fuel load
Technical Specifications
Max Thermal Flux 1.5E13
Max Fast Flux 3.6E13
Fuel Type10% enriched U235 EK-10 [1] [2]
Cooling Light water
Neutron Moderator Light water
Neutron Reflector H2O
Control RodsBC, SS
16 per element
Cladding MaterialAluminum alloy
Source(s): [3] [4] [5] [6]
Website
www.eaea.org.eg

ETRR-1 or ET-RR-1 (Experimental Training Research Reactor Number one, and sometimes called Egypt Test and Research Reactor Number one [7] ), is the first nuclear reactor in Egypt [8] supplied by the USSR in 1958. [9] The reactor is owned and operated by Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) at the Nuclear Research Center in Inshas, 40–60 kilometres (25–37 mi) northeast of Cairo. [10] [11]

Contents

ETRR-1 is the second oldest research reactor in the Middle East, after the Israeli IRR-1 reactor. [12]

Overview

The reactor is a Light Water tank type WWR 2 MW research reactor [6] with an initial fuel load of 3.2 kilograms (7.1 lb) 10% enriched uranium U235 (EK-10) [1] imported from Russia, since then the reactor had never been refueled. [4] [13]

In the 1980s, ETRR-1 reactor was shut down to modernize and extend the reactor's operability by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). [4] [8]

Unreported nuclear experiments

In March 2001 and July 2002, the IAEA was investigating on the environmental samples which was taken from the ETRR-1's hot cells that revealed traces of actinides and fission products, which was explained by Egypt in July 2003, that the presence of the particles was attributed by a damaged nuclear fuel cladding resulted in contamination of the reactor water that penetrated the hot cells from irradiated sample cans. [14] [15]

In 2004–2005, an investigation by IAEA discovered that between 1999 and 2003, Egypt conducted about 12 unreported experiments, performed using a total of 1.15g of natural uranium compounds and 9 thorium samples had been irradiated and conducted at the ETRR-1 to test the production of fission product isotopes for medical purposes. The irradiated compounds had been dissolved in three laboratories, located in the Nuclear Chemistry Building with no plutonium or U-233 being separated during these experiments. [13] [14] [16]

Egypt justified its reporting failures, as the government and the IAEA had “differing interpretations” of Egypt's safeguards obligations and emphasizing that the country's “nuclear activities are strictly for peaceful purposes” [15] Accordingly, Egypt maintained full cooperation during the 2004–2005 investigation, and had taken corrective actions by submitting inventory change reports (ICRs) and providing a modified design information for the ETRR-1 reactor. [13] [14] [16]

In 2009, The IAEA's Safeguards Implementation Report (SIR) for 2008, concludes that earlier issues of undeclared nuclear activities and material reported to the Board of Governors in February 2005, are no longer outstanding, as the IAEA found no discrepancies between what have been declared during the investigation, and IAEA's findings and no evidences of extraction of plutonium or enrichment of uranium. [13] [14]

Accidents

Reactor specifications

Data from [3] [4] [5] [6]

General data

Technical data

Experimental facilities

Fuel data

Utilization

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "Experience of Shipping Russian-origin Research Reactor Spent Fuel to the Russian Federation" (PDF). pub.iaea.org. International Atomic Energy Agency . Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Shaat, M.K. "Report on, National Situation for Decommissioning Activities in Egypt" (PDF). iaea.org. International Atomic Energy Agency . Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Research Reactor Details - ETRR-1". iaea.org. International Atomic Energy Agency. Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "ETRR-1". Nuclear Threat Initiative . James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  5. 1 2 Global Research Nuclear Reactors Handbook: Strategic Information and Nuclear Reactors in Selected Countries (Algeria, Germany). [S.l.]: Intl Business Pubns Usa. 2013. pp. 161–163. ISBN   978-1577514503 . Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 Shaat, M.K. "Utilization of ETRR-2 and Collaboration" (PDF). pub.iaea.org. International Atomic Energy Agency . Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  7. ↑ Sullivan, Denis Joseph; Jones, Kimberly (2008). Global Security Watch--Egypt: A Reference Handbook. ABC-CLIO. pp. 29–31. ISBN   9780275994822 . Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Research Reactors in Africa" (PDF). iaea.org. International Atomic Energy Agency . Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  9. ↑ Zahlan, A. B. (2012-07-03). Science, Development, and Sovereignty in the Arab World. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 82. ISBN   9781137020987 . Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  10. ↑ Ofek, Rafael (2 November 2013). "Egypt's Nuclear Dreams". IsraelDefense Magazine. No. 16th. Arrowmedia Israel Ltd. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  11. ↑ "Nuclear Research Center (NRC) Hot Laboratory and Waste Management Center (HLWMC) Inshas". Federation of American Scientists . Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  12. ↑ Technology transfer to the Middle East. Washington: U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. September 1984. p. 355. ISBN   9781428923836 . Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Fitzpatrick, Mark (July 2011). "Nuclear capabilities in the Middle East" (PDF). nonproliferation.eu. EU Non-Proliferation Consortium. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Arab Republic of Egypt" (PDF). globalsecurity.org. International Atomic Energy Agency. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  15. 1 2 Kerr, Paul (1 March 2005). "IAEA: Egypt's Reporting Failures 'Matter of Concern'". Arms Control Association . Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  16. 1 2 Nartker, Mike (14 February 2005). "Egypt Failed to Report "A Number" of Nuclear Materials, Activities, Facilities, IAEA Says". Nuclear Threat Initiative . Global Security Newswire. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  17. ↑ Elbahnsawy, Adel (7 September 2010). "Q&A: Head of Egypt's Atomic Energy Authority". Egypt Independent. Al-Masry Al-Youm . Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Abdel-Baky, Mohamed (16–22 June 2011). "At risk?". Al-Ahram Weekly Online. No. 1052. Al-Ahram Weekly Online. Al-Ahram . Retrieved 19 May 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  19. ↑ "An explosion in the reactor Anshas and Egypt survive a nuclear disaster". CNN iReport . CNN iReport. CNN. June 4, 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  20. ↑ "Egypt council of ministers denies Inshas radiation leak". Ahram Online. Ahram Online. Al-Ahram. 8 Jun 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  21. ↑ "No radiation leakage in Anshas nuclear facility". State Information Service. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  22. ↑ Abdel Halim, Hisham Omar (9 June 2011). "Atomic Energy Authority admits leak at Anshas reactor". Egypt Independent. Egypt Independent. Al-Masry Al-Youm . Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  23. ↑ "Report: Egyptian reactor leaked radioactive liquid". worldtribune.com. East West Services, Inc. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  24. ↑ Y.G., Dragunov. "Types, Problems and Conversion Potential of Reactors Produced in Russia" (PDF). National Academy of Sciences. Russian-American symposium on Conversion of the Research Reactors to LEU Fuel. Retrieved 20 July 2014.

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