AVR reactor

AVR reactor is a type of nuclear reactor that was developed in Germany. It is a pebble bed reactor, which is a type of gas-cooled reactor that uses graphite as a neutron moderator and helium as a coolant. The AVR reactor was in operation from 1967 to 1988 and was used for research and development purposes.

History

The AVR reactor was built by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Versuchsreaktor (AVR), a consortium of German industrial companies. The construction of the reactor started in 1960 and it went critical for the first time in 1966. The reactor was officially commissioned in 1967 and it was in operation for 21 years until it was shut down in 1988.

Design

The AVR reactor was a 15 megawatt (thermal) pebble bed reactor. The reactor core was filled with approximately 100,000 fuel pebbles, each of which was about the size of a tennis ball. The fuel pebbles were made of uranium and thorium fuel particles embedded in a graphite matrix. The reactor was cooled by helium gas, which was circulated through the reactor core by a gas turbine.

Operation

During its operation, the AVR reactor demonstrated the feasibility of the pebble bed reactor concept. The reactor operated at high temperatures, up to 950 degrees Celsius, which is significantly higher than the operating temperatures of most other types of nuclear reactors. The high operating temperatures allowed for a high thermal efficiency and the potential for process heat applications.

Decommissioning

The decommissioning of the AVR reactor started in 1995 and is still ongoing. The decommissioning process involves the removal of the fuel pebbles from the reactor core, the dismantling of the reactor structure, and the decontamination of the reactor site.

Legacy

The AVR reactor has had a significant impact on the development of the pebble bed reactor technology. The experience gained from the operation and decommissioning of the AVR reactor has been used in the design of new pebble bed reactors, such as the HTR-10 in China and the PBMR in South Africa.

See also

• Nuclear power in Germany
• List of nuclear reactors
• Nuclear decommissioning

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