About the OPAL Reactor
OPAL is a state-of-the-art 20 megawatt pool reactor which uses low enriched uranium fuel and is cooled by water. It is one of the most performance-efficient research reactors in the world.
Research reactor
OPAL is not a power reactor: it is for research, and it is one of a new breed of research reactors.
An average nuclear power reactor runs at around 3 000 megawatts (MW) and uses about 100 000 kg of uranium, whereas OPAL produces just 20 MW with 30 kg of uranium (about 6 kg of Uranium-235)
Its small size poses no measurable radiation-induced health threat to residents in surrounding areas.
The reactor building is made from reinforced concrete, which protects the reactor from all external events and also provides the structural basis for reactor containment. It is also seismically qualified and is surmounted by a metal grill for protection from a light aircraft collision.
The reactor's security design was developed in accordance with current international best practice and will be integrated into the overall ANSTO site system, which includes protection by the Australian Federal Police.
Multipurpose
It is a multi-purpose facility for radioisotope production, irradiation services and neutron beam research. All three play key roles in a wide range of applications, from next-generation medicine and nutrition to designing tomorrow's safer, smarter materials.
The reactor has twice the power of its predecessor (HIFAR), between four and 10 times the irradiation capability, far superior neutron scattering abilities, and will house some of the most sophisticated measuring instruments in the world.
The specially designed compact core (about the size of a two-door filing cabinet) means it can achieve high performance when producing neutrons; in many ways it is a "neutron factory". It will offer more advanced neutron scattering capabilities, allowing researchers to understand atomic structures at a scale of detail not previously available in Australia.
This is the first time Australia has been able to offer industry and researchers the benefits of neutron-radiography in material stress analysis, strain scanning and other relevant applications on a large scale.