Philippine Research Reactor-1
The Philippine Research Reactor-1 (PRR-1) is a research reactor that is owned and maintained by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) in Quezon City, Philippines. The PRR-1 is the first nuclear reactor and the only nuclear facility that has been operated in the Philippines. It has been in extended shutdown for more than 30 years since 1988. Currently, a subcritical reactor is being established that will utilize the existing PRR-1 fuel.[1][2]
| Philippine Research Reactor-1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Operating Institution | Philippine Nuclear Research Institute |
| Location | University of the Philippines - Diliman, Quezon City |
| Coordinates | 14°39′37″N 121°3′21″E |
| Type | Research reactor |
| Power | 3 MW |
| First Criticality | August 26, 1963 |
| Shutdown date | 1988 |
History
The Philippine Research Reactor-1 was built under the Atoms for Peace nuclear research exchange program of the United States.[3] The reactor which had its first criticality on August 26, 1963,[4] was built by U.S. firm General Atomics and was originally a 1 MW MTR-type open pool general-purpose reactor.[3] It was successfully operated from 1964 to 1984 and was utilized for training and research in nuclear science as well as for isotope production.
In 1984, the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC; then name of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) decided to convert and upgrade the reactor into a 3 MW TRIGA Mark III reactor. The converted reactor achieved criticality in April 1988.[4] The converted PRR-1 TRIGA reactor used low-enriched uranium instead of highly enriched uranium. After its conversion, technical and administrative problems rendered the facility inoperable, which resulted in its extended shutdown. In 2005, it was initially decided that the reactor would be decommissioned.[3]
Considering the availability of fuel and the need to augment nuclear expertise in the country, PNRI has decided in 2016 to reuse the PRR-1 TRIGA fuel in a Subcritical Assembly for Training, Education, and Research (SATER) to build capacity in nuclear science and technology.[1]
See also
References
- Asuncion-Astronomo, Alvie; Olivares, Ryan; Romallosa, K; Marquez, J (2019-11-29). "Utilizing the Philippine Research Reactor-1 TRIGA Fuel in a Subcritical Assembly". Cite journal requires
|journal=(help) - "Header Information - RRDB - IAEA". nucleus.iaea.org. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
- Santoro, David (July 2013). "ASEAN's Nuclear Landscape – Part 1" (PDF). Issues & Insights. Center for Strategic & International Studies. 13 (10): 1–6. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- "Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Conduct of Feasibility Study (F/S) for the Establishment of a Nucleart Reactor" (PDF). National Economic and Development Authority. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 14 December 2016.