Facilities

Table of Contents - Introduction - Graduate Degrees - Academic Policies - Administrative Policies - NucE Faculty - Course Descriptions - Facilities - Radiation Science & Eng. Center

Radiation Science & Engineering Center
TRIGA Reactor
Neutron Radiography Laboratory
Cobalt-60 Laboratory
Perturbed Angular Correlation Laboratory
Nuclear Materials Laboratory
Hot Cells
Subcritical Reactor
Radionuclear Applications Lab
Intelligent Distributed Control Research Laboratory
Low Pressure Integral Test Facility
Simulator Design Laboratory
Student Computer Laboratory

The Radiation Science & Engineering Center (RSEC) is one of the most complete and modern university reactor facilities in the country. The laboratory complex contains a TRIGA Mark III reactor, the Cobalt-60 Radiation Facility, two hot cells, a radio-chemistry laboratory, a radio-nuclear applications laboratory, a natural uranium graphite subcritical reactor, a neutron radiography laboratory, a microprocessor and microcomputer laboratory, an electronics shop, a machine shop, an extensive array of radiation sources and counting equipment, and student classrooms.

TRIGA Reactor - The TRIGA reactor system at the RSEC is a most versatile and useful university research reactor.  It can operate in the steady-state mode at a power level of 1 megawatt with a maximum thermal neutron flux of 2.7 x 1013 neutrons/cm2-sec and can be pulsed to a peak power of 2000 megawatts with a maximum integrated output of 6 x 1016 neutrons/cm2. The reactor core, suspended from a movable bridge, can be positioned in the "swimming pool" to provide the most effective experimental setup. Special equipment directly associated with the reactor includes a D2O thermal column, pneumatic "rabbit" tubes, several beam ports, and a traversing experimental ridge. The reactor normally operates one shift per day, five days a week.

Neutron Radiography Laboratory - Otherwise known as the RSEC Beam Hole Laboratory, this facility passes a well-collimated beam of neutrons from the reactor, thermalized by a D2O thermal column, into the Center for use in nondestructive testing and evaluation. The major work now being done is utilizing a real time neutron image intensifier for real time radiography. This includes simulation of boron mixing in nuclear power plants using gadolinium and florinert. The beam is also being used for static neutron radiography and neutron attenuation studies. Equipment is available to digitize the real time radiography images for image processing.

Cobalt-60 - In 1966, the University placed into operation a 3,200 square foot laboratory extension to its reactor facility. This two-level, gamma-ray laboratory houses about 5,000 curies of cobalt-60 in a 15,000-gallon pool of water. The radioactive cobalt-60, in the form of cobalt metal slugs contained in 150 stainless steel tubes, can be arranged in various configurations to meet the needs of the experimenter. Exposure rates up to 5 x 105 roentgens per hour are available and irradiation conditions such as controlled temperature, and instrumentation for experiments are possible. This facility is in around-the-clock use for a variety of radiation effects studies conducted by faculty members and students throughout the University.

Perturbed Angular Correlation Laboratory - Perturbed angular correlations spectroscopy is a type of a hyperfine measurement used to determine a change of state in a variety of materials, such as superconductors, ceramics and metals, as a function of experimental parameters. The apparatus in this laboratory is instrumented to detect hyperfine interactions that occur in the electric field in the region of the nucleus.

Nuclear Materials Laboratory - Located at the RSEC, this laboratory includes a positron annihilation lifetime spectrometer which is being used to monitor damage to pressure vessel steels. Facilities for sample preparation for electron microscopy are available, including electropolishing and arc melting. The laboratory also includes a Charpy impact tester and full hot cell facilities.

Hot Cells - To aid materials research and provide safe handling of many highly radioactive sources, the University has constructed two well-equipped hot cells at the RSEC. Each of these cells is capable of handling the equivalent of 100 curies of cobalt-60. Special shielding arrangements make possible experiments at an even higher level. Direct viewing of experiments through lead glass windows, remote manipulators, air cleaning equipment, utilities, and special control of waste materials all add to the capabilities of these hot cells.

Subcritical Reactor - A graphite, natural uranium subcritical reactor is used for student instruction. Five different lattice spacings can be set up with this subcritical reactor, allowing studies of heterogeneous arrays. Its unique construction permits all of the usual experiments associated with graphite reactor physics. Replacement of the fuel with graphite stringers provides a 6 x 6 x 9 foot graphite region for neutron slowing down and diffusion studies.

Radionuclear Applications Lab - Located at the RSEC, this laboratory is equipped with the latest in radiation detection equipment, including pulse height analyzers, GPGe, and Nal(Ti) radiation detectors. Personnel of this laboratory conduct research and offer other services to the University research community in the areas of neutron activation analysis, gamma-ray spectroscopy, tracer techniques, radiography, isotope gaging, and other applications of radiation and radioisotope technology.

Intelligent Distributed Control Research Laboratory (IDCRL) - The Penn State IDCRL was established in 1989. The original funding supplied the initial Bailey Control System. Equipment added later includes seven UNIX workstations, simulation and controls software, additional Bailey controller equipment and a modern state-of-the-art UNIX network compatible microprocessor-based control system. The equipment is used for advanced intelligent control research for fossil and nuclear power plants. This research includes validation using distributed real-time simulation of plant-wide power plant systems including boiler, feedwater turbine and generator subsystems and validation using the Penn State TRIGA research reactor. This laboratory is jointly used by faculty and students from the Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department and the Electrical Engineering Department that are conducting applied controls research involving implementation in a Bailey microprocessor-based distributed control system. The main part of the equipment is housed in 104 Electrical Engineering East Building. A portion of the equipment is also maintained at the Penn State Breazeale Reactor for those students conducting tests of advanced concepts on the reactor.

Low Pressure Integral Test Facility (LPITF) - The Penn State Nuclear Engineering Low Pressure Integral Test Facility (LPITF) is a unique, multipurpose, thermal hydraulic test loop. This test facility is made of two separate components with two separate objectives. These two components are the test loop and the boiling regime pipe. The test loop is designed to be an integral effects test facility, while the boiling regime pipe is a separate effects facility.

The study of natural circulation in a reactor system is a primary facility objective. This includes system behavior during startup, normal operation, and during accident scenarios. To this end, the test loop is a scaled version of the General Electric Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (SBWR). In addition to the modeling of the reactor core, chimney, and down comer, the test loop also models the emergency core cooling systems (ECCS) allowing for an integral effects study. Another design purpose is the study of boiling. The boiling regime pipe (BRP) is developed specifically for this purpose. This test facility can produce all boiling regimes in a vertical channel under carefully monitored conditions. This allows various boiling correlations to be thoroughly examined, tested, and new correlations to be developed. The test loop provides an opportunity to benchmark and develop thermal hydraulic codes such as TRAC, RELAP, and RETRAN. Computer models may be developed for phenomena of interest and tested against results obtained from the loop. The system also presents an opportunity to interface digital signal gathering and digital control with a model operating system. The test loop instrumentation can be coupled with a computer and related software to allow for digital signal acquisition and control of various valves, heaters, and pumps. The LPITF is currently under construction within the Radiation Science and Engineering Center Cobalt Bay.

Simulator Design Laboratory - The laboratory was initiated in 1998 with the receipt of a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) basic-principles simulator donated by General Public Utilities The simulator was used at GPU from the mid 1980s to train engineers on the operation and dynamic characteristics of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The simulator includes a control-board with mimic panel and three computer graphics terminals. Upon receipt at Penn State in 1998, the control board is stimulated by a SEL computer system which is typical of early NPP simulators. The old computer system will be replaced in an ongoing multi-year simulator design course, NucE 497E. The new computer system will use Windows-NT computer technology which has been used to upgrade computer systems of utility full-scope simulators used in operator training. A dual-processor 400 MHZ computer with 256 MB memory has been acquired to initiate the software conversion. The Framatome Modular Modeling System and Simulator Development Tools are available to implement a high-fidelity simulator on a Windows-NT network. After successful replacement of the original computer system, use of the simulator can be expanded to include research in advanced control, human-machine interface design, and application of real-time three-dimensional coupled neutronic and thermal-hydraulic real-time simulations to support operator and engineering decision making. The Framatome modeling and simulator design tools are also well-suited for fossil-power plant simulators and represent current state-of-the-art for implementing commercial-grade power-plant training simulators. The simulator laboratory is currently located in 116 Academic Projects Building near the Penn State Breazeale Reactor facility.

Student Computer Laboratory - In addition to the many student computer laboratories available throughout the University, there is a lab, located in 222 Reber, specifically designed for the Nuclear Engineering students. Access to the laboratory is by your Penn State ID. Contact Matthew Lindenburg, in Room 204 Reber, to be put on the list of those able to access this lab.