Reactor Experiment Design Tips

  • Explosive materials or potentially explosive materials in quantities greater than 25 mg TNT or its equivalent may not be irradiated in the reactor. 
  • Experiments with limited amounts of fissile materials are possible. 
  • Neutron flux measurements are based on measurements with activation foils. For the most accurate neutron fluence measurements, witness activation foils can be placed on the experiment to measure the fluence it receives for an additional cost.
  • Experiments that require power or instrumentation should have cables at least 50’ long if they are to be irradiated in the Rabbit tube or 30’ long if they are to be irradiated in the Beam Ports or Through Tube.
  • For longer irradiations it may be necessary to bring several sets of cables so they may be replaced as the insulation will degrade.
  • Cadmium is available for shielding experiments from thermal neutrons. However, large amounts of cadmium may make the reactivity worth of experiments too large.
  • Materials made from C, H, O, and N have minimal activation.
  • Use aluminum when possible due to its low cross section, short half-life, strength, and light weight. Alloy 6061 is the best widely-available alloy of aluminum to use for reactor experiments.
  • Avoid using PVC or PTFE in experiments. These have the potential to degrade and release hazardous gasses. 
  • If a high-temperature material is needed, titanium is a better choice than other metals. It will activate significantly more than aluminum, but less than metals such as iron, nickel and chrome.
  • Use insulators made from alumina and silica.
  • Avoid Fe, Ni, Cr, Co, and steel.