To scientists ’ relief, key research reactor to restart 2 years after accident

More than 2 years after an accident that caused a small and fleeting release of radiation, a research reactor that serves as a key source of neutrons for studying materials should soon be back online. On 9 March, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) authorized officials at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to restart the 54-year-old reactor in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which prior to the accident supported nearly half of all neutron-scattering research in the United States. The tiny reactor will come on slowly over the next few months, NIST officials say. “It’s fantastic news,” says Claire White, a materials scientist at Princeton University and chair of the executive committee of the users group for the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR). “It was unfortunate what happened, but it’s really good to see that they’ve been able to work through the situation.” Robert Dimeo, director of NCNR, says, “We faced many challenges during this time, so all the NIST staff are excited to restart operations.” The accident occurred on 3 February 2021, as operators were restarting the reactor after a routine shutdown for refueling. One of the reactor’s 30 rodlike, uranium-filled fuel elements was not properly latched into place, according to an investigation . So, as the reactor’s cooling water began to circulate, the rod popped out of place, overheated, and partially melted. The mishap exposed 10 workers t...
Source: ScienceNOW - Category: Science Source Type: news