Activities and cooperation opportunities at Çekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center

Proceedings o f the Third Eurasian Conference “Nuclear Science and its Application”, October 5 - 8, 2004.

ACTIVITIES AND COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES

AT ÇEKMECE NUCLEAR RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTER

Nuclear Research and Training Center, Istanbul, Turkey

INTRODUCTION

Turkey's familiarization with nuclear energy began in July 1955, when it signed a bilateral agreement with the USA to cooperate in the "peaceful uses of nuclear energy". In 1956, the Turkish Atomic Energy Commission was created. The Commission started the establishment of the first Turkish Research Reactor, TR-1 (1 MW) at Istanbul in 1959. The reactor commissioned on 27-May- 1962 and together with this occasion the establishment of the Çekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center (ÇNAEM) completed.

Strong collaborations with national and international organizations have been achieved for the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and its applications in Turkey. The structure and the name of the Turkish Atomic Energy Commission transformed to the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK) to adopt itself to new

administrative, scientific and technological developments in 1982. The TR-2 reactor (5 MW) was commissioned in 1984 (replacing TR-1 reactor) in order to meet the increasing demand of radioisotopes.

Çekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center is located beside the Küçükçekmece lake and covers an area of 2.5-million m2. The total number of personnel currently employed at ÇNAEM is 226; including 45 Ph.D.’s, 69 MS/BS’s, 45 technicians and 67 administrative support staff.

TR-2 Reactor Pool

A view o f a building at ÇNAEM A view o f ÇNAEM site and Lake

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Proceedings o f the Third Eurasian Conference “Nuclear Science and its Application”, October 5 - 8, 2004.

ACTIVITIES

TAEK as a government agency is responsible for regulating, developing, promoting, executing and coordinating the nuclear activities in whole country. ÇNAEM as a subsidiary of TAEK is charged to perform R&D activities on whole area of nuclear science and technology, such as research reactor, nuclear safety, nuclear fuel technology and fuel analysis codes, nuclear materials, NDT, nuclear electronics, accelerator, radiobiology, cytogenetics (biodosimetry), radioecology, marine radioactivity, radiation safety, dosimetry, radioactive waste management, calibration of nuclear instruments, environmental monitoring.

R&D ON NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY

• Research, design and development of model research reactors to gain experience in nuclear technology transfer.

• Study of the technological and economic aspects of power reactors and nuclear fuel cycle. • Safety analysis of research and power reactors.

• Experimental studies on thermalhydraulics of reactor channel.

• Development of the technological capability required for the production of power reactor fuel, UO2 and (U,Th)O2 based fuels.

• Process Development for thorium recovery from domestic complex ores. • Design, construction and development of the nuclear fuel pilot plant. • Fuel design, and performance analysis.

R&D ON NUCLEAR TECHNIQUE APPLICATIONS

• Development of sensitive analysis methods based on nuclear techniques and principles. • Radioactivity measurement in different

matrix (environment, human body, water, air, etc).

• Development and construction of detectors for use in the Network of Radiation Early Warning System (RESA).

Smart probes for RESA

RADIATION PROTECTION

• Radiation monitoring in and around of ÇNAEM.

• Personnel dosimetry of radiation workers (approx. 7,000) in western side of Turkey. • Calibration of radiation instruments (SSDL unique in Turkey).

• Radiation Inspection for licensing and custom clearance in and around İstanbul.

• Processing and storage of radioactive waste from hospitals and the industry (unique in Turkey). • Indoor radon measurements.

PRODUCTION

• Ir-192 for use in industrial quality control. • Tc-99m for use in medical diagnosis.

• Radiopharmaceutical kits (MDP for bone, DTPA for kidney)

• Radiation measurement devices (survey meters, lab monitors, and radiation early warning system).

Plenary Reports

Proceedings o f the Third Eurasian Conference “Nuclear Science and its Application”, October 5 - 8, 2004.

ANALYSIS

• Analysis of all kind of uranium and thorium. • Radioactivity analysis of food products.

• Radioactivity analysis of environmental samples (water, sediment, soil, and biota).

• Chemical analysis of environmental, and industrial samples.

• Metallurgical analysis of metal, powder and ceramic materials.

• Quality control of ingot, weld, and concrete by NDT techniques.

Mass Spectrometer TRAINING AND INFORMATION

• Training on radiation protection (staff and public).

• Training on processing and storage of low level waste (IAEA regional training courses).

• Training and certification industrial workers who use non-destructive testing devices.

• Internships for university and/or vocational high school students.

• Public information regarding nuclear energy. • International cources, fellowships and scientific

visits.

• Conferences and seminars, reports, publications.

PROJECTS

Practice at NDT Training Course

The projects implemented in ÇNAEM, mainly use funds provided by the national budget and the IAEA funds. IAEA supports are provided thru TC-project funds and research contracts. Recently EU-JRC funds are also available for some projects.

POSSIBLE COOPERATION FIELDS BETWEEN ÇNAEM AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS

• Measurements of radioactivity in the environment (water, sediment, soil, and biota), • Indoor radon measurements,

• Radiation cytogenetics (biodosimetry),

• Development and construction of radiation measurement instrument, • Development and production of radiopharmaceuticals,

• Production of UO2 and (U,Th)O2 based fuel material, • Analysis of uranium and thorium,

• Training in NDT,

• Training on processing and storage of low level radioactive waste.

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