Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
1999 International RERTR Meeting

Reduction of fuel enrichment of the WWR-K research reactor
(Kazakhstan)

Zh.R.Zhobataev, V.K.Petukhov, F.M.Arinkin, Sh.Kh.Gizatulin
Institute of Atomic Energy, Kazakhstan National Nuclear Center.

A.V.Vatulin, Yu.A.Stetskiy, I.V.Dobrikova
Russian State Scientific Center “VNIINM”.

E.P.Ryazantsev, P.M.Egorenkov, V.A.Nasonov
Russian Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”.

Introduction

The WWR-K research reactor (rated power up to 10 MW) was put in operation at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of Kazakh Academy of Sciences in November, 1967. Great number of the vertical experimental channels for material irradiation and radioisotope production disposed both in the reactor core and in the reactor tank, as well as five horizontal radial channels and the single tangent one, allowed to solve a lot of scientific or industrial tasks.

The reactor operated till October 1988; when, by decision of the regulatory body of the former USSR, the reactor was shut down from the necessity of performing a number of improvements to its safety because of high seismicity of the reactor site (more than 9 on the MK scale).

Beginning with 1989, the stuff of the Kazakhstan National Nuclear Center fulfilled the works on enhancement of the reactor safety at the conditions of high seismicity. Essential assistance in these activities has been provided by IAEA and International Scientific Technical Center.

As the result of these efforts (after estimation of the efficiency of the seismic safety up-grading reactor systems fulfilled by experts from Kazakhstan, Russia and IAEA), the decision permitting re-start of the reactor operation was taken by the regulatory body of the Kazakhstan – the Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Agency. It was stipulated reduction of the reactor power to 6 MW and creation more compact core configuration. The reactor was put in operation again in March 1998, and now at the reactor some research and irradiation works are being fulfilled.

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