View source for Physics:High Flux Australian Reactor

{{Short description|Australia's first nuclear reactor}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox nuclear reactor
| name        = High Flux Australian Reactor
| image       = Nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights.jpg
| image_size  =
| caption     = HIFAR at Lucas Heights, 1958
| location    = {{NSWcity|Lucas Heights}}, [[Place:Sydney|Sydney]]
| coordinates = {{nowrap|{{coord|34|03|06|S|150|58|50|E|type:landmark_region:AU|display=inline,title}}}}
| concept     = Heavy-water
| generation  =
| reactor_line=
| type_label  =
| type        = 
| status      = {{unbulleted list|Commissioned, 1958|{{nowrap|Decommissioned, 2007}}}}
| fuel_type   = U235
| fuel_state  = Solid
| spectrum    = Thermal
| control     = 
| coolant     = Liquid (heavy water, D<sub>2</sub>O)
| moderator   = Heavy water
| electric    =
| thermal     = 10MW<sub>thermal</sub>
| use         = [[Physics:Neutron diffraction|Neutron diffraction]]; Radioisotope production
| website     = {{URL|http://www.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/history_of_ansto/hifarl|www.ansto.gov.au}}
}}
The '''High Flux Australian Reactor''' ('''HIFAR''') was Australia's first [[Physics:Nuclear reactor|nuclear reactor]]. It was built at the [[Organization:Australian Atomic Energy Commission|Australian Atomic Energy Commission]] (later [[Organization:Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation|ANSTO]]) Research Establishment at {{NSWcity|Lucas Heights}}, [[Place:Sydney|Sydney]]. The reactor was in operation between 1958 and 2007, when it was superseded by the [[Physics:Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor|Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor]], also in Lucas Heights.

==Background and operation==
Based on the [[Physics:DIDO (nuclear reactor)|DIDO reactor]] at [[Organization:Atomic Energy Research Establishment|Harwell]] in the UK, HIFAR was cooled and moderated by [[Chemistry:Heavy water|heavy water]] (D<sub>2</sub>O), and the fuel was [[Physics:Enriched uranium|enriched uranium]]. There was also a graphite neutron reflector surrounding the core. Like DIDO, its original purpose was nuclear materials testing, using its high neutron flux to give materials intended for use in nuclear power reactors their entire expected lifetime neutron exposure in a relatively short period.

HIFAR was used for research, particularly [[Physics:Neutron diffraction|neutron diffraction]] experiments,<ref name="Neutron Scattering at HIFAR—Glimpses of the Past">
{{cite journal |last1=Elcombe |first1=Margaret |date= 19 April 2017 |title= Neutron Scattering at HIFAR — Glimpses of the Past|journal=Quantum Beam Science |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=5 |doi=10.3390/qubs1010005 |bibcode=2017QBS.....1....5E |doi-access=free }}}</ref> production of neutron transmutation doped (NTD) silicon, and for production of medical and industrial radioisotopes.

HIFAR went critical at 11:15 pm local time on 26 January 1958,<ref name="hifar_background">{{cite press release |title=HIFAR Media Backgrounder |url=http://www.ansto.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/6449/HIFAR_Media_Backgrounder.pdf |publisher=Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation |date=30 January 2007 |accessdate=30 January 2007}}</ref> and was first run at full power of 10 MW (thermal) in 1960. The initial fuel was highly enriched uranium, but over the years the enrichment level of new fuel was steadily reduced, in line with international trends designed to reduce the danger of diversion of research reactor fuel for weapons programs. HIFAR completed conversion to low enriched uranium fuel (LEU) in 2006.
Of the six DIDO class reactors built including DIDO itself, HIFAR was the last to cease operation.  Permanent decommissioning of HIFAR commenced on 30 January 2007<ref>{{cite news |title=Science Minister turns off nuclear reactor |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200701/s1836243.htm |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=30 January 2007 |accessdate=30 January 2007}}</ref> and is expected to be completed by 2025.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/history_of_ansto/hifar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505144252/http://www2.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/history_of_ansto/hifar |title=Australia's first reactor |publisher=Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation|archive-date=5 May 2013 |accessdate=20 January 2016}}</ref>

On 12 August 2006 [[Physics:Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor|Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor]] (OPAL), the 20 MW replacement reactor located on an adjacent site, went critical.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/anstos_research_reactor/development_of_opal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516162011/http://www2.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/anstos_research_reactor/development_of_opal |title=Development of OPAL |publisher=Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation |archive-date=16 May 2013 |accessdate=20 January 2016}}</ref> OPAL is served by the same complex of research, isotope production and remote handling laboratories.  The two reactors ran in parallel for six months while OPAL was being tested. HIFAR was then permanently shut down and OPAL took over HIFAR's role of Australia's only operating nuclear reactor.<ref name="hifar_background" />

== Engineering heritage award ==
The reactor is listed as a National Engineering Landmark by Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://portal.engineersaustralia.org.au/heritage/high-flux-australian-reactor-1958 |title=High Flux Australian Reactor, 1958- |publisher=Engineers Australia |access-date=2020-04-29}}</ref>

== See also ==
* Nuclear power in Australia
* [[Medicine:Nuclear medicine|Nuclear medicine]]
* [[Physics:Research reactor|Research reactor]]s

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite thesis |author=Green, Jim |date=1997 |title=Reactors, Radioisotopes & the HIFAR Controversy |type=PhD thesis |publisher=Department of Science & Technology Studies, University of Wollongong |location=Australia}}
*{{cite book |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |date=2004 |url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/3b435d05dca2a3acca256e3d00178f7c/$FILE/JSC%20Nuclear%20Waste%20Report.pdf |title=Report on the Transportation and Storage of Nuclear Waste |format=Report No. 53/01 |isbn=0-7347-6888-5}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/history_of_ansto/hifarl HIFAR]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} page at ANSTO.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130516162011/http://www2.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/anstos_research_reactor/development_of_opal OPAL] page at ANSTO.


{{DEFAULTSORT:Hifar}}
[[Category:Heavy water reactors]]
[[Category:Neutron facilities]]
[[Category:Nuclear research institutes]]
[[Category:Nuclear research reactors]]
[[Category:Defunct nuclear reactors]]

{{Sourceattribution|High Flux Australian Reactor}}