History and facts of HIAR
- The green light to build Australia’s first nuclear reactor for research purposes was given following the Atomic Energy Act of 1953.
- The first chain reaction was produced by HIFAR at 11.15pm on Australia Day 1958 (49 years ago).
- HIFAR was officially opened by Prime Minister Robert Menzies on 18 April 1958 (49 years ago).
- HIFAR is Australia’s first nuclear reactor and has operated safely and reliable for nearly 50 years.
- HIFAR is a 10 Megawatt reactor, and will be replaced by OPAL which will run at 20 Megawatts with the capacity to produce more neutrons for scientific use, nuclear medicine and irradiation of silicon for the semiconductor industry.
- HIFAR was originally built to test materials for use in future power reactors. This changed when the Australian Government in 1972, under William McMahon, decided not to pursue the nuclear power program. Gradually HIFAR’s use changed over the years, especially after the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) was created on 27 April 1987 to succeed the Australian Atomic Energy Commission.
- There have been no major incidents that have significantly affected staff or public safety during HIFAR’s life.
- Good operations have relied on excellent professional and technical plant knowledge by the staff, adherence to nuclear safety practices, excellent chemical control of the water, and generally high-level engineering skill in operations, maintenance and utilisation.
- HIFAR produces neutrons to conduct cutting-edge neutron beam science, produce nuclear medicines, and irradiate silicon for the international semiconductor industry.
- HIFAR uses fission – the splitting of a large atom such as uranium into smaller atoms – to produce these neutrons.
- An estimated 1665 fuel elements have been used by HIFAR during its lifetime.
- Market research conducted by ANSTO in 2003 shows that 88 per cent of Australians believe that Australia needs nuclear science and technology capabilities. HIFAR contribution to nuclear science has therefore been recognised.
- HIFAR is being decommissioned and its radioactive parts will be removed and safely stored in the Commonwealth’s national waste facility currently being commissioned.
- Decommissioning will commence following the shutdown. This means ancillary buildings, equipment and eventually the reactor itself will be dismantled. This process will take about 10 years to complete.
Achievements
- Over the years HIFAR has produced millions of patient nuclear medicine doses (approx half a million a year) for the diagnosis and treatment of major diseases such as cancer and heart disease. These have been supplied to Australia, New Zealand and other countries in the Asia- Pacific region
- Neutron beam science at ANSTO has involved working with research and industry partners to study many different types of materials. For example, ANSTO scientists have used HIFAR neutrons to determine the shape of polymer molecules in injection-moulded polypropylene products, such as margarine tubs and car parts, and to understand how this shape can affect the mechanical properties of such products.
- In the 1970s HIFAR neutrons were also used in the development of a new breed of lightweight nickel-hydride batteries and the results helped improve the efficiency of these batteries which are still used today.
- Improvements to the properties and cost of cement have been achieved following structural studies using neutron scattering science at HIFAR.
- HIFAR has produced radioisotopes for use in industry. For example, radioisotopes are used in gamma radiography to check pipelines, welds and the wings and engines of aeroplanes for structural defects. Radioisotopes can also be used as tracers to monitor the flow of molten iron through a refinery or waste through sewage treatment plants.
- Silicon irradiation for the international semiconductor industry has grown with HIFAR since 1985. It is now an important business for ANSTO and this will grow considerably once the OPAL reactor is in full production.
- In all, 740 refereed publications and over 200 theses on neutron scattering research at HIFAR have been produced.
HIFAR decommissioning
Decommissioning is the process of dismantling the reactor and ancillary equipment. This process will occur over a period of ten years, with each step being carefully planned and approved by ANSTO’s regulator, ARPANSA. The total cost of the process is estimated to be around $50 million.
The decommissioning project will be in four stages:
Stage 1: Shutdown, removal of fuel and draining of fluids from the facility.
Stage 2: Care and maintenance. The reactor will be kept in a safe state whilst decay of shortlived radioactive materials within the reactor takes place.
Stage 3: Dismantling of the reactor, including the removal of all radioactive and other wastes.
Stage 4: Post-decommissioning site use. This is the final stage and refers to when the site is permitted to return to a green field site or used for other purposes as determined by ANSTO.
The decommissioning of the DIDO reactor in Harwell UK, of which HIFAR is practically a carbon copy, started in 1990 and is due to be completed in 2016, which is the same time HIFAR decommissioning is scheduled for completion. The HIFAR decommissioning process will therefore take less time than its UK counterpart. The UK team’s expertise will be utilised during the HIFAR decommissioning process.
Published: 30/01/2007