Slowpoke   Reactor Specifications   Irradiation Parameters

SLOWPOKE

SLOWPOKE, which stands for Safe LOW POwer Kritical Experiment, is a 20 kW research nuclear reactor with a neutron flux of 1x10¹².

 The main use of the reactor at ICENS is for Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA). The reactor tanked in-pool, and features a small critical mass which produces a very useful neutron flux with minimum heat production and a very small fission product inventory. Due to its unique design the SLOWPOKE II reactor is inherently safe and as such does not require a complex SCRAM system or twenty-four hour staffing.

SLOWPOKE'S technical features include excellent flux stability and reproducibility. Each site in a set has identical flux characteristics, as the reactor is completely symmetrical about its vertical axis.

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Reactor Specifications

Type

Pool and Tank

Licensed limit

20 kW

Excess reactivity

+ 4.0 mK

Fuel

Extruded Uranium/aluminum alloy

Moderator

Light water

Cooling

Convection/conduction

Core diameter

22cm

Core height

22.1

Critical mass ²³⁵U

816.664g

Fuel life                 

6.4 x 10¹⁹ nvt (at small inner sites)

Number of Sites

Inner Sites

Outer Sites

4 (5 max)

1 (5 max)

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Irradiation Parameters

Parameter

Inner Sites

Outer Sites

Thermal flux

1 x 10¹²

0.5 x 10¹²

Cadmium ratio

3.8

8

Flux uniformity
Vertical
Horizontal

+ 0.7%/cm
< 1.0%/cm

+ 0.5%/cm
~ 1.0%/cm