The Chinese built Miniature Neutron Source reactor (MNSR) is a small and compact research reactor modeled on the Canadian HEU SLOWPOKE-2 design.
The MNSR is tank-in-pool type, with highly enriched fuel (~ 90% U235). The tank is immersed in a large pool, and the core is, in turn, immersed in the tank. The maximum nominal power is ~ 30 kW, the power being removed by natural convection. The central core is formed of about 347 fuel rods, with 4 tie rods and 3 dummy elements distributed on a total of ten circles, each consisting of a number of fuel rods ranging between 6 and 62. A thick beryllium reflector (~ 10 cm) surrounds the core radially.
China operates three MNSRs and has supplied Ghana, Iran, Pakistan, Nigeria and Syria with reactors of this type as well as the highly enriched uranium (HEU) to fuel them. Since 1978, various national and international activities have been underway to convert research and test reactors from the use of HEU to LEU fuel.[1]
Research centers that operate or have previously operated an MNSR:
| Reactor Name | Country | City | Institution | Status | Enrichment | Operation Date | Closure Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MNSR IAE | China | Beijing | China Institute of Atomic Energy | Operational | 12.5%, LEU | 1984 | Converted to LEU in 2016.[2] | ||
| In-Hospital Neutron Irradiator-Mark 1 (IHNI-1) | China | Beijing | BeijingCapture Technology Co. Ltd (BCTC) | Operational | 12.5%, LEU[3] | 2009 | |||
| MNSR-SD | China | Jinan | Shandong University of Science and Technology | Permanent Shutdown | 90%, HEU | 1988 | 2010 | ||
| MNSR-SH | China | Shanghai | Shanghai Institute of Measurement And Testing Technology | Permanent Shutdown | 90%, HEU | 1991 | 2008 | ||
| MNSR-SZ | China | Shenzhen | Shenzhen University | Operational | 90%, HEU[4] | 1988 | |||
| Ghana Research Reactor-1 (GHARR-1) | Ghana | Accra | Ghana Atomic Energy Commission | Operational | 13%, LEU[5] | 1994 | Converted to LEU in 2017.[6] | ||
| ENTC MNSR | Iran | Isfahan | Isfahan Nuclear Technology/Research Center | Operational | 90%, HEU | 1994 | |||
| Nigeria research reactor-1 (NIRR-1) | Nigeria | Zaria | Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT) | Operational | 13%, LEU[7] | 2004 | Converted to LEU in 2018.[8] | ||
| Pakistan Atomic Research Reactor-2 (PARR-2) | Pakistan | Islamabad | Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology | Operational | 90.2%, HEU[9] | 1989 | |||
| SRR-1 | Syria | Damascus | Atomic Energy Commission of Syria (AECS) | Operational | 90%, HEU | 1998 |