Chicago Pile 5
Encyclopedia
Chicago Pile 5 was the last of the line of Chicago Pile research reactors
which started with CP-1 in 1943. The first reactor built on the Argonne National Laboratory
-East site, it operated from 1954-1979.
CP-5 was a thermal-neutron reactor using enriched uranium
as fuel and heavy water
as coolant and as a neutron moderator. It produced neutrons for use in research. The reactor had an output rating of 5 megawatts.
Cleanup and decommissioning of the site of CP-5 was started in 1991 completed in 2000. The cleanup process included removal of all contaminated equipment and spent fuel, decomtamination of the reactor vessel and associated plumbing, and removal of the spent fuel pool, reactor internals and the hot cell liner. The accessible areas of the structure have been certified as having radiation levels equivalent to background radiation.
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
which started with CP-1 in 1943. The first reactor built on the Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory is the first science and engineering research national laboratory in the United States, receiving this designation on July 1, 1946. It is the largest national laboratory by size and scope in the Midwest...
-East site, it operated from 1954-1979.
CP-5 was a thermal-neutron reactor using enriched uranium
Enriched uranium
Enriched uranium is a kind of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Natural uranium is 99.284% 238U isotope, with 235U only constituting about 0.711% of its weight...
as fuel and heavy water
Heavy water
Heavy water is water highly enriched in the hydrogen isotope deuterium; e.g., heavy water used in CANDU reactors is 99.75% enriched by hydrogen atom-fraction...
as coolant and as a neutron moderator. It produced neutrons for use in research. The reactor had an output rating of 5 megawatts.
Cleanup and decommissioning of the site of CP-5 was started in 1991 completed in 2000. The cleanup process included removal of all contaminated equipment and spent fuel, decomtamination of the reactor vessel and associated plumbing, and removal of the spent fuel pool, reactor internals and the hot cell liner. The accessible areas of the structure have been certified as having radiation levels equivalent to background radiation.