Developers: | St. Petersburg institute of nuclear physics of B.P. Konstantinov (PIYaF) Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre |
Date of the premiere of the system: | February, 2021 |
Branches: | Science and education |
2021: Start of the most powerful PIK neutron reactor in world
On February 8, 2021 the Russian President Vladimir Putin disposed to perform start of the most powerful in the world of the neutron reactor — PIK — at the St. Petersburg Institute of Nuclear Physics (SPINP) of B.P. Konstantinov which is a part of the national research center "Kurchatov Institute".
I ask to bring the PIK reactor to a power operation mode — the head of state told, having contacted participants of a ceremony of start in the video conferencing mode (the quote by TASS). |
The PIK reactor is a high-line source of neutrons which by a number of the parameters is considered world-best installation for studying of substance at the level of nanoscales. It enters one of six projects which the Government of the Russian Federation included in the program of creation of installations of the class "megasayens" in the territory of Russia.
The PEAK represents the reactor of water-to-water type where normal water is used for heat extraction, and "heavy" water — a deuterium — for deceleration of nuclear reaction. The bunches of neutrons which are taking off from a zone of nuclear reaction are displaid to special canals of a different configuration, each of which — the certain research station. They differ with a set of the equipment and tasks. Five stations by February, 2021 already function, the others 20 will construct till 2024.
It is expected that PIK will use for researches in the field of physics, chemistry, biology, geology and medicine. Besides, it should become a basis of the international scientific neutron center.
Russia will be able to meet the global demand in neutron researches to the middle of the 20th years, the head of Rosatom Alexey Likhachev said during power start-up. He reminded that in many respects when implementing the project the normal technologies connected with start of a power object were applied. Likhachev noted that nearby there is the Leningrad nuclear power plant — but all the same it was other work.[1]