With the purpose of using effectively nuclear energy and further improving the safety and operating effectiveness of the Da Lat Nuclear Reactor, a research project focusing on the safe operation of the reactor received a National Science and Technology Award.
In the context of power shortages, researching the use of nuclear energy for electricity generation has become a key issue. In addition, nuclear energy can be used in other industries, such as agriculture, health and natural resources and environment. However, solutions to ensure the safe application of this energy are sorely needed.
In order to apply nuclear energy, the Da Lat Nuclear Reactor had been upgraded since 1980 from a TRIGA Mark-2 model with output capacity of 250kW. After the restoration and upgrading, the reactor was loaded with new VVR-M2 fuel rods from the Soviet Union and reached a critical point for the first time in 1983. On the March 20, 1984, the reactor was officially put into operation with a nominal heat output of 500kW, a two-fold increase compared to the TRIGA Mark-2 in order to serve specialized nuclear research, socioeconomic development and human resource training. Safety requirements have been always prioritized at the Da Lat Nuclear Reactor. Research on 15 state level projects, 27 Ministry of Science and Technology projects and 38 Vietnam Atomic Energy Research Institute projects were carried out during the 1981-2007 period.
According to the awards council, results from theoretical calculations and experimental measurements helped to clarify and develop a more thorough knowledge of the physics, hydroelectricity and technological characteristics of the Da Lat Nuclear Reactor ensured the operation and maintenance and nearly 35,000 hours operation during the past 27 years. These results improved confidence in the safety of the nuclear reactor and the indispensability of development investment in nuclear energy and the nuclear power industry. In addition, 30 radioactive isotopes used in health, industry, agriculture and other technical industries have been studied and manufactured successfully. Moreover, a research project also built and perfected the analysis methods used to analyze samples for geology, petroleum, biology, agriculture and environment. In addition, a research project on nuclear physics, neutron physics and applied research on the neutron diversion channel of the Da Lat Nuclear Reactor was also conducted.
A research project brings not only greater efficiency in terms of science and technology but also has a huge impact on social and economic efficiency. In particular, it helped to produce many types radioactive isotopes such as I-131, Tc-99m and P-32 to provide periodically for over 25 nuclear medicine faculties in the country, serving diagnosis and treatment to more than 300,000 patients per year. The production of radioactive isotopes such as Sc-46, Ir-192 and Au-198 also served technology in the petroleum exploration and exploitation and hydroelectric projects. Over 60,000 samples of various kinds with an average of 4,000 samples per year for the geology, petroleum, biology, agriculture and environment were also analyzed, playing an important part in resource surveys, environmental protection and agricultural products export. Total revenue from service deployment sectors reached about VND5 billion per year.
Together with the economic, scientific and technological effectiveness, during the deployment progress of topics in a research project, many technological scientists specialized nuclear energy have been trained. Scientists have been evaluated as having knowledge to participate in technical consultancy, design selection for the new research reactor of the Nuclear Science and Technology Center and technical assistance to ensure the safe operation of the first nuclear power plants in the future./.
