Facilities

• Thermal power100 mW
• Flux density of thermal neutrons (maximum)5*10¹⁵cm^-2*c^-1
• Flux density of thermal neutrons in the reflector1,5*10¹⁵cm^-2*c^-1
• Energy release in the reactor core (average)2,0 MW/L
• Energy release in the reactor core (maximum)6,6 MW/L
• Coolantlight water
• Reflectorheavy water
• Number of horizontal experimental channels10
• Number of inclined experimental channels6
• Number of vertical experimental channels6
• Number of cold neutron sources3
• Number of hot neutron sources1
• Number of experimental stations50

The high-flux research nuclear reactor PIK at PNPI reached its first criticality on 28 February 2011 as a part of the start-up complex №1.

Increased neutron fluxes in the reflector, the presence of a neutron trap with a very high flow and the potential for exposure of materials in the active zone is what makes the PIK reactor different from most similar foreign projects. The maximum density of the unperturbed thermal neutron flux is close to the value of 5×1015cm-2×s-1 and corresponds to the record values obtained in reactors of continuous action.

After its power start-up, the reactor complex will include: the neutron source (thermal power of 100 MW, the neutron flux of more than 1015 n/cm2s) and several dozens of experimental stations.

The PIK reactor will become a basis for the world-class International Center for Neutron Research (ICNR).