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Vinča Nuclear Institute

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Vinča Nuclear Institute
Serbian: Институт за нуклеарне науке Винча
TypPublic
Established1948
Standort
Belgrade
,
Serbien
Campusp.fah 522, 11001 Beograd
Website[1]

Vinča Nuclear Institute is a nuclear physics research institution near Belgrade, in Serbia.[1] The scholarly institute is part of the University of Belgrade.[2]

History

The Institute was originally established in 1948 as the Institute for Physics. In 1953 it was renamed in favour of Boris Kidrič. Several different research groups started in the 1950s, and two research reactors were built.[3]

The institute had two reactors; RA[4] and RB.[5] The institute operated two research reactors, which were supplied by the USSR. The larger of the two reactors was rated at 6.5 MW and used Soviet-supplied 80% enriched uranium fuel.[6]

In October 1958, there was a criticality accident at one of the research reactors. Six workers received large doses of radiation; one died shortly afterwards.[7] The other five received the first ever bone marrow transplants in Europe.[8][9]

Removal of waste

In 2009, it was reported that the nuclear fuel storage pool, containing large quantities of nuclear waste, was in poor condition.[10]

In November-December 2010, 2.5 tonnes of nuclear waste, including 13kg of 80% enriched uranium, were transported from Vinca to a reprocessing facility at Mayak in Russia by trucks, trains, ships, and planes.[11] This was the IAEA's largest ever technical cooperation project, and thousands of police protected the convoys.[12][13]

Removal of the nuclear waste allows decommissioning of Vinca's remaining reactor to be completed.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Vinca Special Weapons Facilities - Serbia". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  2. ^ "Members of the University of Belgrade - Vinča Institute of Nuclear Science". Retrieved 2011-04-19.
  3. ^ "Vinca Special Weapons Facilities - Serbia". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  4. ^ "Former Yugoslavia: Research Reactor Details - RA". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  5. ^ "Former Yugoslavia: Research Reactor Details - RB". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  6. ^ "Q&A: Fuel Repatriation Project from Vinca Institute". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  7. ^ "1958-01-01". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  8. ^ Vinca reactor accident, 1958, compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
  9. ^ Nuove esplosioni a Fukushima: danni al nocciolo. Ue: “In Giappone l’apocalisse”, 14 marzo 2011
  10. ^ Vasovic, Aleksandar (2009-06-23). "Serbs send nuclear fuel to Russia, citing security". Retrieved 2011-01-02. {{cite news}}: Text "Reuters" ignored (help)
  11. ^ "NTI Commits $5 Million To Help Secure Vulnerable Nuclear Weapons Material" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  12. ^ "Serbia gets rid of dangerous nuclear material (SETimes.com)". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  13. ^ "Massive Operation Safely Secures Serbian Nuclear Fuel in Russia". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  14. ^ "B92 - News - Nuclear decommissioning of Vinča this year". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
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