Stichting Laka

Publicatie Laka-bibliotheek:
Annual Report 1997. Operation of the High Flux Reactor

Auteur	Joint Research Centre Petten
	1-01-8-51-09.pdf
Datum	1998
Classificatie	1.01.8.51/09 (OLP - HFR PETTEN)
Voorkant

FOREWORD

The year 1997 was the second year of HFR operation under Its new structure and with its
new programme. Due to the strong reduction in staff numbers in 1996 the more co-ordinated
new structure involved a re-organisation of JRC and ECN staff, producing a team.

The new programme has continued to increase the medical orientation of the reactor, with
respect to "Medical Valley", unique in Europe. The HFR reactor Is the leader In Europe for
radioisotope production and about 5 million European citizens are annually treated using
medical radioisotopes produced by the HFR.

The main event of 1997 has been the start of the clinical trial of BNCT, with the first patient
receiving treatment in October. After many years of experimentation and juridical work, we
have arrived at a very Interesting junction with promising research for treatment of an illness,
which annually kills about 15,000 European citizens.

This very important event, described in various newspapers and shown by several European
TV-stations, should be seen as just one of the many other good results including:
282 days of operation,
the successful completion of another ultrasonic test of the vessel,
a problem-free operation of the plant,
maintenance and upgrading work,
8 1 % occupation of the plant by a variety of experiments in various fields,
upgrading of neutron beams, etc...

Indeed our society is increasingly faced with new challenges and opportunities, many of them
are driven by scientific and technological developments, and our reactor has in Europe an
important role to play In this field. Furthermore, the prevailing world of economics is also
effective in our work and we will continue more and more, our world-marketing strategy and
our continuous adaptation to market forces and the needs of the European citizens.

J.GUIDEZ
HFR UNIT Head

INTRODUCTION

The High Flux Reactor (HFR) Petten, belonging to the Institute for Advanced Materials (1AM)
of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, is one of the most powerful
multi-purpose materials testing reactors in the world.
The HFR is of the tank-in-pool type, light water cooled and moderated and operated at 45
MW. In operation since 1962, and following complete refurbishment in recent years, the HFR
still has a technical life beyond the year 2015.
The reactor provides a variety of irradiation facilities and possibilities [1,2]: in the reactor core,
in the reflector region, in the poolslde. Horizontal beam tubes are available for research with
neutrons. Gamma irradiation facilities are also available. Excellently equipped hot cell
laboratories, on the Petten site, can virtually provide all envisaged post-irradiation
examinations.
The close co-operation between the Joint Research Centre and the Netherlands Energy
Research Foundation (ECN) on all aspects of nuclear research and technology is essential to
maintain the key position of the HFR amongst research reactors world-wide. This cooperation has lead to a unique HFR structure, in which both organisations are involved with
the aim to adopt a more market oriented approach and offer their long standing and
recognised competence In exploiting a powerful, reliable set of nuclear facilities to world-wide
interested parties [3].
HFR is also in the core of the Medical Valley association. This association between IAM,
ECN, Malllnckrodt and hospitals leads to a medical structure unique In the world.