Training Reactor of the Budapest University of
Technology and Economics

OVERVIEW

The training reactor of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics is a swimming pool type reactor located at the university campus.

The training reactor was designed and built between 1969 and 1971, by Hungarian nuclear and technical experts. It first went critical on May 20, 1971. The maximum power was originally 10 kW. After upgrading, which involved modifications of the control system and insertion of one more fuel assembly into the core, the power was increased to 100 kW in 1980.

The main purpose of the reactor is to support education in nuclear engineering and physics; however, extensive research work is carried out as well. Neutron irradiation can be performed using 20 vertical irradiation channels, 5 horizontal beam tubes, two pneumatic rabbit systems and a large irradiation tunnel.

The reactor core is made up of 24 EK-10 type fuel assemblies, which altogether contain 369 fuel rods. The fuel is 10%-enriched uranium dioxide in magnesium matrix. The pellets are filled into aluminium cladding at a length of 50 cm. The total mass of uranium in the core is approximately 29.5 kg. The horizontal reflector is made of graphite and water, while in vertical direction water plays the role of reflector. The highest thermal neutron flux is 2.7×10¹² n/cm²s, measured in one of the vertical channels.

Seven measuring chains are applied for reactivity control and power regulation. The detectors are ex-core ionization chambers, two of which operate in pulse mode in the startup range, four operate in current mode and one is a wide range detector. In all power ranges doubling time and level signals can invoke automatic scram operations.