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IAEA Training Resources - Research Reactors

Research Reactors Safety Section develops and implements programmes and activities for the safety enhancement of research reactors and fuel cycle facilities. It provides for monitoring and enhancing research reactors subject to project and supply agreements and helps Member States fulfil their safety obligations.

To enhance the safety research reactors in Member States, the Research Reactor Safety Section covers a wide range of topics, ranging from the siting, design, construction and commissioning of reactors to their operation and utilization and, eventually, their decommissioning. Among others, it develops safety standards for research reactors and promotes their application by Member States; gives assistance in applying the Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors; promotes information exchange on operational experience through the Incident Reporting System for Research Reactors; and conducts Integrated Safety Assessment of Research Reactors (INSARR) missions and other safety review services on the request of Member States. The Section also conducts technical meetings and training activities to support Member States to build their capacity for safety.

The Section also works on enhancing the safety of nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Member States. Similarly to its work on the safety of research reactors, it develops specific safety standards for these facilities, promotes the operational safety of such facilities through regular safety review missions and the exchange of operational experience, organizes technical meetings and training activities on various safety areas are also conducted by the Section.

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Operational Radiation Protection and Radioactive Waste Management (Training Course series 62)

TCS 62 is aimed at supporting research reactor operating organizations to conduct their own training on operational radiation protection and waste management programmes in the context of their own research reactor facilities. It provides information on the learning objectives, a training syllabus and a schedule. In addition, it contains detailed training material that systematically develops the knowledge of the trainees to meet the learning objectives.

Objectives:

  • Develop and implement an Operational Radiation Protection Programme (ORPP) at their research reactor facilities; and
  • Develop and implement an Operational Radioactive Waste Management Programme (ORWMP) at their research reactor facilities.

Safety of Research Reactors (Training course series 64)

The training material TCS 64 is intended to be used for that purpose on the basis of the IAEA Safety Requirements for research reactors (SSR-3), IAEA Safety Guides such as NS-G-4.1 to 4.6, SSG-10, -20, -22, -24 and other publications that support the Requirements. TCS 64 is aimed at supporting research reactor operating organizations to conduct their own training on research reactor safety, as far as possible in the context of their own research reactor facilities. It provides information on the learning objectives, a training syllabus and a schedule, and follows through with detailed training material that systematically develops the knowledge of the trainees to meet the learning objectives.

Objectives:

  • Understand the bases for safety and safety assessment established by the relevant series of IAEA Safety Standards to all stages in the lifetime of their particular research reactor;
  • Understand the framework of regulatory control, the management of safety, site evaluation, design, operation and decommissioning in the context of their research reactor;
  • Understand the technical and administrative provisions for the safety of their research reactor established in accordance with the IAEA and their Member State requirements;
  • Gain hands-on experience in the operation and control of their research reactor;
  • Gain hands-on experience in the safety assessment of their research reactor and in selected monitoring and safety activities.

​Operational Radiation Protection & Radioactive Waste Management for Research Reactors

The objective of this training course is to provide trainees with the knowledge and understanding to develop and implement the operational radiation protection and radioactive waste management for a research reactor facility. The material contains:

  • IAEA safety standards for radiation protection and waste management for research reactors;
  • Radiation Pprotection principles: Justification of facilities and activities; optimization of safety and protection; and dose limitation;
  • Provision of controls satisfying the basic principles: Source controls; physical controls;and administrative controls at research reactors;
  • Development and implementation of an effective monitoring system;
  • Practical aspects of radiation protection during emergencies;
  • Development and implementation of an effective operational radioactive waste management programme at research reactors.

Practical and table-top exercises on operational radiation protection activities are also provided.

Block 1: Overview of the IAEA Safety Standards for research reactors

This part of the training course provides an overview of the IAEA Safety Standards for research reactors, and feedback from the IAEA safety review missions at research reactors.

Block 2: Safety principles and General design safety requirements for research reactors   

The objective of this module is to learn and to understand the safety principles and the general requirements for the design of research reactors. It contains:

  • Basic Safety objectives
  • Safety functions
  • Defence in depth concept and its application to design
  • General safety requirements
  • Design requirements for safety systems
  • Safety analysis
  • Acceptance criteria
  • Safety analysis report
  • Operational limits and conditions

Block 3: Safety in operation of research reactors

The objective of this module is to learn and understand the basic principles of safe operation of a research reactor. It contains:

  • Organization structure for reactor operation
  • Training and qualification
  • Conduct of operations
  •  Operating procedures
  • Core management and fuel handling
  • Safety of experiments and modifications
  • Maintenance, periodic testing and inspections
  • Ageing management
  • Operational radiation protection programme
  • Records and reports in reactor operation
  • Interface between operators and reactor users groups

Block 3: Safety in operation of research reactors

The objective of this module is to learn and understand the basic principles of safe operation of a research reactor. It contains:

  • Organization structure for reactor operation
  • Training and qualification
  • Conduct of operations
  •  Operating procedures
  • Core management and fuel handling
  • Safety of experiments and modifications
  • Maintenance, periodic testing and inspections
  • Ageing management
  • Operational radiation protection programme
  • Records and reports in reactor operation
  • Interface between operators and reactor users groups

Block 4: Incidents and research reactors and other facilities

The objective of this module is to learn and to understand the importance of operating feedback experience to safety of research reactors. It contains description of the root causes and lessons learned from events at research reactors and other nuclear installations. The IAEA Incident Reporting System for Research Reactors (IRSRR) and feedback from events reported to the system is also included.

Block 5: Routine operation activities and measurements at research reactors

The objective of this module is to learn and to understand the generic procedures and methods used to perform important routine activities and measurements during operation of research reactors. It contains approach to criticality, control rod calibration, reactivity feedback measurements, reactivity worth measurement, neutron flux measurement, and thermal power measurement.

Block 6 (Part I): Practical and table-top Exercises

This module includes table-top exercises on safe operation of research reactors and covers: Operational limits and conditions (safety limits, safety system settings, and limiting conditions for safe operations), operational aspects on safety of experiments, procedures for core management and fuel handling, safety aspects of upgrading and refurbishment of research reactors.

Block 6 (Part II): Practical and table-top Exercises

This module includes table-top exercises that covers several operation modes and conditions at research reactor operation including: Approach to criticality by control rod (reactor start up), switching from natural convection to forced convection operation mode, reactivity check