Highlights

Argonne, China sign agreement to develop Zero Power Test Facility

A moment of the signing ceremony. R. Martello (Argonne) shaking hands with the CIAE representative. In the picture also: NE's J. Morman (first, left) and J. Roglans-Ribas (second, left). Click on photo to view a larger image.

Oct. 27, 2010
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) have signed an agreement to develop a Zero Power Test Facility (ZPTF) at the CIAE that will be used in the ongoing Global Threat Reduction Initiative – Conversion Program, GTRI-Conversion (formerly known as the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors - RERTR program.)

At a formal ceremony in Beijing, China on September 17, 2010, representatives from Argonne and the CIAE signed the multi-year agreement that will lead to construction and operation of the ZPTF and fabrication of the first low enriched uranium (LEU) core for conversion of Miniature Neutron Source Reactors (MNSRs) from operation with highly enriched uranium (HEU). 

MNSRs are small, low-power research reactors that were developed in China. Three HEU-fueled MNSRs are currently in operation in China along with five others located in Ghana, Nigeria, Syria, Pakistan and Iran. The ZPTF will be used to assemble and test LEU cores to replace the HEU cores currently operating in the MNSRs.  The GTRI – foreign Reactor Conversion Program is sponsored by the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Global Threat Reduction and under the technical direction of Argonne’s Nuclear Engineering Division.

The Nuclear Engineering Division -playing a key role in the project- was represented at the ceremony by Jordi Roglans-Ribas, NE's Deputy Division Director and RERTR Program manager, and Jim Morman, technical manager of the MNSR conversion project. Argonne was also represented by Richard Martello.

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