SAFARI-1
Encyclopedia
SAFARI-1 is a 20 MW research reactor
, initially used for high level nuclear physics
research programmes and was commissioned in 1965.
The reactor is owned and operated by NECSA
at their facility in Pelindaba
, South Africa
.
The reactor is a tank in pool type reactor and is designed to run on enriched uranium
. Currently the fuel in use is the remains of the decommissioned South African nuclear weapons
.
program run by the US DOE in the 1950s and '60s.
Planning started in 1960 and construction occurred between 1961 and 1965. In March 1965 the reactor was commissioned and initially operated at 6.75 MW, a limitation imposed by the capacity of the secondary cooling circuit.
Output was increased to 20 MW in 1968 after the secondary cooling circuit was upgraded.
Initially the reactor was fueled with HEU
supplied by the United States, but in 1975 exports of HEU from the USA to South Africa was suspended in protest of South Africa's nuclear weapons program
and the construction of the Valindaba
Y-plant. In order to conserve the available fuel supply, reactor output was reduced to 5 MW and operating hours were dramatically reduced
In 1979 the Valindaba
Y-plant started producing 45% HEU
and in 1981 the first fuel assemblies from Valindaba
were made available to fuel SAFARI-1. Operating hours were increased, but power was kept at 5 MW until 1993 when it was increased to 10 MW and eventually 20 MW due to the commercialisation of NECSA
operations.
The reactor was shut down for repairs in 1988 after a water leak was detected in the pool.
In 2005 it was announced that the reactor is to be converted from using High Enriched uranium
to Low Enriched uranium
as fuel.
use in nuclear medicine
, specifically the production of molybdenum-99.
Radio isotopes are distributed through NTP Radioisotopes, a subsidiary company of NECSA
Research reactor
Research reactors are nuclear reactors that serve primarily as a neutron source. They are also called non-power reactors, in contrast to power reactors that are used for electricity production, heat generation, or maritime propulsion.-Purpose:...
, initially used for high level nuclear physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
research programmes and was commissioned in 1965.
The reactor is owned and operated by NECSA
NECSA
The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation was established as a public company by the Republic of South Africa Nuclear Energy Act in 1999 and is wholly owned by the State...
at their facility in Pelindaba
Pelindaba
Pelindaba is South Africa's main Nuclear Research Centre, run by The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, and was the location where South Africa's atomic bombs of the 1970s were developed, constructed and subsequently stored...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
The reactor is a tank in pool type reactor and is designed to run on 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...
. Currently the fuel in use is the remains of the decommissioned South African nuclear weapons
South Africa and weapons of mass destruction
From the 1960s to the 1980s, South Africa pursued research into weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. Six nuclear weapons were assembled...
.
History
The reactor was built in cooperation with the Atoms for PeaceAtoms for Peace
"Atoms for Peace" was the title of a speech delivered by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the UN General Assembly in New York City on December 8, 1953....
program run by the US DOE in the 1950s and '60s.
Planning started in 1960 and construction occurred between 1961 and 1965. In March 1965 the reactor was commissioned and initially operated at 6.75 MW, a limitation imposed by the capacity of the secondary cooling circuit.
Output was increased to 20 MW in 1968 after the secondary cooling circuit was upgraded.
Initially the reactor was fueled with HEU
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...
supplied by the United States, but in 1975 exports of HEU from the USA to South Africa was suspended in protest of South Africa's nuclear weapons program
South Africa and weapons of mass destruction
From the 1960s to the 1980s, South Africa pursued research into weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. Six nuclear weapons were assembled...
and the construction of the Valindaba
Valindaba
The Valindaba site, also known as Pelindaba East or Y-plant, is an experimental uranium enrichment plant, located 35 km west of Pretoria, Gauteng province, South Africa.- History :...
Y-plant. In order to conserve the available fuel supply, reactor output was reduced to 5 MW and operating hours were dramatically reduced
In 1979 the Valindaba
Valindaba
The Valindaba site, also known as Pelindaba East or Y-plant, is an experimental uranium enrichment plant, located 35 km west of Pretoria, Gauteng province, South Africa.- History :...
Y-plant started producing 45% HEU
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...
and in 1981 the first fuel assemblies from Valindaba
Valindaba
The Valindaba site, also known as Pelindaba East or Y-plant, is an experimental uranium enrichment plant, located 35 km west of Pretoria, Gauteng province, South Africa.- History :...
were made available to fuel SAFARI-1. Operating hours were increased, but power was kept at 5 MW until 1993 when it was increased to 10 MW and eventually 20 MW due to the commercialisation of NECSA
NECSA
The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation was established as a public company by the Republic of South Africa Nuclear Energy Act in 1999 and is wholly owned by the State...
operations.
The reactor was shut down for repairs in 1988 after a water leak was detected in the pool.
In 2005 it was announced that the reactor is to be converted from using High 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...
to Low 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.
Use
One of Safari-1s primary uses is the production of radio isotopes for radiopharmacologyRadiopharmacology
Radiopharmacology is the study and preparation of radiopharmaceuticals, which are radioactive pharmaceuticals. Radiopharmaceuticals are used in the field of nuclear medicine as tracers in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. Many radiopharmaceuticals use technetium-99m which has many...
use in nuclear medicine
Nuclear medicine
In nuclear medicine procedures, elemental radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs...
, specifically the production of molybdenum-99.
Radio isotopes are distributed through NTP Radioisotopes, a subsidiary company of NECSA
External links
- SAFARI-1 at the Nuclear Threat Initiative
- NTP Radioisotopes
- Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors Program