Miniature neutron source reactor

The Chinese built Miniature Neutron Source reactor (MNSR) is a small and compact research reactor modeled on the Canadian HEU SLOWPOKE-2 design.

The MNSR is tank-in-pool type, with highly enriched fuel (~ 90% U235 ). The tank is immersed in a large pool, and the core is, in turn, immersed in the tank. The maximum nominal power is ~ 30 kW, the power being removed by natural convection. The central core is formed of about 347 fuel rods, with 4 tie rods and 3 dummy elements distributed on a total of ten circles, each consisting of a number of fuel rods ranging between 6 and 62. A thick beryllium reflector (~ 10 cm) surrounds the core radially.

China operates three MNSRs and has supplied Ghana, Iran, Pakistan, Nigeria and Syria with reactors of this type as well as the highly enriched uranium (HEU) to fuel them. Since 1978, various national and international activities have been underway to convert research and test reactors from the use of HEU to LEU fuel.[1]

## List of all MNSR reactors built around the world

Research centers that operate or have previously operated an MNSR:

Reactor Name  | Country  | City  | Institution  | Status  | Enrichment  | Operation Date  | Closure Date  | Notes

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MNSR IAE  | China  | Beijing | China Institute of Atomic Energy | Operational  | 12.5%, LEU  | 1984  |  | Converted to LEU in 2016.[2]
In-Hospital Neutron Irradiator-Mark 1 (IHNI-1)  | China  | Beijing | Beijing

Capture Technology Co. Ltd (BCTC)

| Operational  | 12.5%, LEU[3] | 2009  |  |
MNSR-SD  | China  | Jinan  | Shandong University of Science and Technology  | Permanent Shutdown  | 90%, HEU  | 1988  | 2010  |
MNSR-SH  | China  | Shanghai | Shanghai Institute of Measurement And Testing Technology  | Permanent Shutdown  | 90%, HEU  | 1991  | 2008  |
MNSR-SZ  | China  | Shenzhen  | Shenzhen University  | Operational  | 90%, HEU[4] | 1988  |  |
Ghana Research Reactor-1 (GHARR-1)  | Ghana | Accra | Ghana Atomic Energy Commission | Operational  | 13%, LEU[5] | 1994  |  | Converted to LEU in 2017.[6]
ENTC MNSR  | Iran | Isfahan | Isfahan Nuclear Technology/Research Center  | Operational  | 90%, HEU[4] | 1994  |  |
Nigeria research reactor-1 (NIRR-1)  | Nigeria  | Zaria  | Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT)  | Operational  | 13%, LEU[7] | 2004  |  | Converted to LEU in 2018.[8]
Pakistan Atomic Research Reactor-2 (PARR-2)  | Pakistan  | Islamabad | Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology | Operational  | 90.2%, HEU[9] | 1989  |  |
SRR-1  | Syria | Damascus | Atomic Energy Commission of Syria (AECS)  | Operational  | 90%, HEU[4] | 1998  |  |

## References

1. ↑ "CRP on Conversion of Miniature Neutron Source Research Reactors (MNSR) to Low Enriched Uranium (LEU)". International Atomic Energy Agency. 13 January 2014. https://www.iaea.org/projects/crp/t12020.
2. ↑ "One of China's MNSR reactors converted to LEU" (in en-us). 2016-03-29. https://fissilematerials.org/blog/2016/03/one_of_chinas_mnsr_reacto.html.
3. ↑ Zhang, Zizhu; Liu, Tong (2018-10-30). "A review of the development of In-Hospital Neutron Irradiator-1 and boron neutron capture therapy clinical research on malignant melanoma" (in en). Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology 2: 49. doi:10.21037/tro.2018.10.03. ISSN 2616-2768. https://tro.amegroups.org/article/view/4648.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 (in en) Read "Reducing the Use of Highly Enriched Uranium in Civilian Research Reactors" at NAP.edu. 2016. doi:10.17226/21818. ISBN 978-0-309-37918-2. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/21818/chapter/4.
5. ↑ Odoi, H. C.; Abrefah, R. G.; Aboh, I. J. K.; Gbadago, J. K.; Birikorang, S. A.; Amponsh-Abu, E. O. (October 2015). "Implementation of Reactor Core Conversion Program of GHARR-1". 36th International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (Seoul, South Korea). https://www.rertr.anl.gov/RERTR36/pdfs/S2P1_Odoi_Paper.pdf.
6. ↑ "Ghanaian research reactor now set to run on LEU - World Nuclear News". 20 July 2017. https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Ghanaian-research-reactor-now-set-to-run-on-LEU.
7. ↑ Simon, J.; Ibrahim, Y. V.; Adeyemo, D. J.; Garba, N. N.; Asuku, A. (2021-11-01). "Comparative analysis of core life-time for the NIRR-1 HEU and LEU cores". Progress in Nuclear Energy 141. doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2021.103970. ISSN 0149-1970. Bibcode: 2021PNuE..14103970S. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149197021003309.
8. ↑ "Nigeria Converts its Research Reactor from HEU to LEU Fuel" (in en). 2018-12-20. https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/nigeria-converts-its-research-reactor-from-heu-to-leu-fuel.
9. ↑ Bokhari, Ishtiaq Hussain; Pervez, Showket (2010-01-01). "Safety analysis for core conversion (from HEU to LEU) of Pakistan research reactor-2 (PARR-2)". Nuclear Engineering and Design 240 (1): 123–128. doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2009.10.009. ISSN 0029-5493. Bibcode: 2010NuEnD.240..123B. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0029549309005032.

## See also

* Swimming pool reactor
* Nuclear reactor
* Nuclear power
* Nuclear fission
* Nuclear power plant
* Research reactor
* Nuclear proliferation

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