Editing High Flux Australian Reactor

{{Short description|Australia's first nuclear reactor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox nuclear reactor
| name        = High Flux Australian Reactor
| image       = Nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights.jpg
| image_size  =
| caption     = HIFAR at Lucas Heights, 1958
| location    = {{NSWcity|Lucas Heights}}, [[Sydney]]
| coordinates = {{nowrap|{{coord|34|03|06|S|150|58|50|E|type:landmark_region:AU|display=inline,title}}}}
| concept     = [[Heavy-water reactor|Heavy-water]]
| generation  =
| reactor_line=
| type_label  =
| type        = 
| status      = {{unbulleted list|Commissioned, 1958|{{nowrap|Decommissioned, 2007}}}}
| fuel_type   = U235
| fuel_state  = Solid
| spectrum    = Thermal
| control     = 
| coolant     = Liquid (heavy water, [[deuterium oxide|D<sub>2</sub>O]])
| moderator   = Heavy water
| electric    =
| thermal     = 10MW<sub>thermal</sub>
| use         = [[Neutron diffraction]]; [[Radioisotope]] production
| website     = {{URL|http://www.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/history_of_ansto/hifarl|www.ansto.gov.au}}
}}
The '''High Flux Australian Reactor''' ('''HIFAR''') was Australia's first [[Research reactor|nuclear research reactor]]. It was built at the [[Australian Atomic Energy Commission]] (AAEC) research establishment at {{NSWcity|Lucas Heights}}, [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]]. The reactor was in operation between 1958 and 2007, when it was decommissioned and replaced with the multi-purpose [[Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor]] (OPAL), also in Lucas Heights. Both HIFAR and its successor OPAL have been known simply as the '''Lucas Heights reactor'''.

==Background and operation==
[[File:Cross_section_of_HIFAR_reactor_building.jpg|thumb|right|Structure of the HIFAR reactor and building]]
Based on the [[DIDO (nuclear reactor)|DIDO reactor]] at [[Atomic Energy Research Establishment|Harwell]] in the UK, HIFAR was cooled and moderated by [[heavy water]] ([[deuterium oxide|D<sub>2</sub>O]]), and the fuel was [[enriched uranium]]. There was also a graphite neutron reflector surrounding the core. Like DIDO, its original purpose was nuclear materials testing, using its high neutron flux to give materials intended for use in [[nuclear power reactor]]s their entire expected lifetime neutron exposure in a relatively short period.

HIFAR was used for research, particularly [[neutron diffraction]] experiments,<ref name="Neutron Scattering at HIFAR—Glimpses of the Past">
{{cite journal |last1=Elcombe |first1=Margaret |date= 19 April 2017 |title= Neutron Scattering at HIFAR — Glimpses of the Past|journal=Quantum Beam Science |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=5 |doi=10.3390/qubs1010005 |bibcode=2017QBS.....1....5E |doi-access=free }}</ref> production of neutron transmutation doped (NTD) silicon, and for production of medical and industrial [[radioisotope]]s.

HIFAR went critical at 11:15 pm local time on 26 January 1958,<ref name="hifar_background">{{cite press release |title=HIFAR Media Backgrounder |url=http://www.ansto.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/6449/HIFAR_Media_Backgrounder.pdf |publisher=Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation |date=30 January 2007 |accessdate=30 January 2007}}</ref> and was first run at full power of 10 MW (thermal) in 1960. The initial fuel was highly enriched uranium, but over the years the enrichment level of new fuel was steadily reduced, in line with international trends designed to reduce the danger of diversion of research reactor fuel for weapons programs. HIFAR completed conversion to low enriched uranium fuel (LEU) in 2006.
Of the six DIDO class reactors built including DIDO itself, HIFAR was the last to cease operation.  Permanent decommissioning of HIFAR commenced on 30 January 2007<ref>{{cite news |title=Science Minister turns off nuclear reactor |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200701/s1836243.htm |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=30 January 2007 |accessdate=30 January 2007}}</ref> and was expected to be completed by 2025.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/history_of_ansto/hifar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505144252/http://www2.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/history_of_ansto/hifar |title=Australia's first reactor |publisher=Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation|archive-date=5 May 2013 |accessdate=20 January 2016}}</ref>

In the second half of 2023, a licence application for HIFAR Phase A decommissioning was considered by [[ARPANSA]]. Phase A decommissioning means decommissioning of the peripheral plant and equipment associated with the reactor. The Phase B decommissioning, licence to which is to be considered at a later time, means demolition of the reactor containment structure and reactor building, rendering the reactor site a green-field site. The full Phase B decommissioning was expected to be completed by about year 2030.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://consult.arpansa.gov.au/hub/hifar-phase-a-decommissioning/ | title=HIFAR Decommissioning Phase a licence application - ARPANSA - Citizen Space }}</ref>

On 12 August 2006 [[Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor]] (OPAL), the 20 MW replacement reactor located on an adjacent site, went critical.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/anstos_research_reactor/development_of_opal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516162011/http://www2.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/anstos_research_reactor/development_of_opal |title=Development of OPAL |publisher=Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation |archive-date=16 May 2013 |accessdate=20 January 2016}}</ref> OPAL is served by the same complex of research, isotope production and remote handling laboratories.  The two reactors ran in parallel for six months while OPAL was being tested. HIFAR was then permanently shut down and OPAL took over HIFAR's role of Australia's only operating nuclear reactor.<ref name="hifar_background" />

== Engineering heritage award ==
The reactor is listed as a National Engineering Landmark by [[Engineers Australia]] as part of its [[Engineers Australia#Engineering Heritage Recognition Program|Engineering Heritage Recognition Program]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://portal.engineersaustralia.org.au/heritage/high-flux-australian-reactor-1958 |title=High Flux Australian Reactor, 1958- |publisher=Engineers Australia |access-date=2020-04-29}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{stack|{{portal|Australia|Science}}}}
* [[Nuclear power in Australia]]
* [[Nuclear medicine]]
* [[Research reactor]]s

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite thesis |author-link=Jim Green (activist) |author=Green, Jim |date=1997 |title=Reactors, Radioisotopes & the HIFAR Controversy |type=PhD thesis |publisher=Department of Science & Technology Studies, [[University of Wollongong]] |location=Australia}}
*{{cite book |publisher=[[Parliament of New South Wales]] |date=2004 |url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/3b435d05dca2a3acca256e3d00178f7c/$FILE/JSC%20Nuclear%20Waste%20Report.pdf |title=Report on the Transportation and Storage of Nuclear Waste |format=Report No. 53/01 |isbn=0-7347-6888-5 |access-date=18 June 2008 |archive-date=19 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060919094844/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/3b435d05dca2a3acca256e3d00178f7c/$FILE/JSC%20Nuclear%20Waste%20Report.pdf |url-status=dead }}

== External links ==
*[http://www.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/history_of_ansto/hifarl HIFAR]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} page at [[ANSTO]].
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130516162011/http://www2.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/anstos_research_reactor/development_of_opal OPAL] page at [[ANSTO]].
*[http://alderspace.pbworks.com/w/page/159760170/HIFAR HIFAR] page at the private website of a former worker at the site, showing a higher resolution version of the widely distributed diagram

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hifar}}
[[Category:Heavy-water reactors]]
[[Category:Neutron facilities]]
[[Category:Nuclear research institutes]]
[[Category:Nuclear research reactors]]
[[Category:Science and technology in Australia]]
[[Category:Nuclear power in Australia]]
[[Category:Defunct nuclear reactors]]
[[Category:Lucas Heights, New South Wales]]
[[Category:1958 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:2007 disestablishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Recipients of Engineers Australia engineering heritage markers]]