MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory Trip

       

The MIT Nuclear Laboratory (MIT-NRL) is the second largest university research reactor in the United States and the only university research facility in the United States where students have the ability to get hands on experience with the development and implementation of nuclear engineering experimental programs. The MIT-NRL is responsible for educational training and cutting-edge research of nuclear fission engineering, material science, radiation effects in biology and medicine, neutron physics, geochemistry, and environmental studies. The NRL has been operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since 1958 and has been upgraded in 1975 and makes minor upgrades as needed.

During our trip to the MIT-NRL on October 18, 2013, we started by listening to a presentation made one of the directors of operations of the laboratory. During the presentation, we were briefed on the history of MIT and the reactor, the responsibilities of the employees and the reactor, and the processes that occur in the reactor.

Before we were allowed to enter the MIT-NRL we were all assigned a dosimeter that is about the size of a pen and attached them to our clothing. This meter allowed us to know how much exposure we experienced. This was intimidating due to the fact that I had the slightest idea of what I was going to walk into.

Unlike other nuclear reactors, the MIT Research Reactor does not produce electricity and is primarily responsible for the production of neutrons therefore the director of operations explained the fission process to us using a diagram (similar to the one shown below). The power level of the reactor is 6 MW, which is much smaller compared to 3000 MW for a large electric power reactor.

The NRL has contributed valuable information to many research projects during the years of operation such as closed-loop digital control of spacecraft and terrestrial reactors; boron neutron capture therapy for the treatment of cancer; material studies for the next generation of reactors; neutron activation analysis used for the study of autism; and the investigation of nanofluids for nuclear applications.

During our tour we were able to visit the medical room where the boron neutron capture therapy for the treatment of cancer took place. Our tour guide explained that doctors would use a beam to send boron into the brain to attack and destroy malicious tumors. This experiment had successful variables to it as well as unsuccessful as the doctors struggled with managing the speed of the neutrons.

An interesting piece of information that I took away from this tour was that we get more radiation in an airplane during a flight from New York City to LA than the radiation you would encounter while inside of the reactor.

My after thoughts of the MIT-NRL brought me to the Fukushima reactor, and I initially feared that this reactor could wipe out Boston similar to the disaster in Japan. Although with research, lessons learned from Fukushima have been incorporated in new safety features in nuclear reactors in several countries. The MIT-NRL has also been operating safely for over 50 years and due to the small size and low power level, it poses a much smaller threat than other reactors.

MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory: Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. <http://web.mit.edu/nrl/www/index.html>.