Vinča Nuclear Institute
The Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences is a nuclear physics research institution near Belgrade, Serbia.[1] Since its founding, the institute has also conducted research in the fields in physics, chemistry and biology. The scholarly institute is part of the University of Belgrade.[2]
History[edit]
The institute was established in 1948 as the Institute for Physics. Several different research groups started in the 1950s, and two research reactors were built.[3]
The institute operates two research reactors; RA[4] and RB.[5] The research reactors 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]
On October 15, 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]
The nuclear research programme ended in 1968, while the reactors were switched off in 1984.
Removal of radioactive waste[edit]
In 2009, it was reported that the nuclear fuel storage pool, containing large quantities of radioactive waste, was in poor condition.[10]
In 2010, 2.5 tonnes of waste, including 13 kg of 80% enriched uranium, were transported from Vinča to a reprocessing facility at Mayak, Russia.[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 Vinča's remaining reactor to be completed.[14]
References[edit]
- ^ "Vinca Special Weapons Facilities - Serbia". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ "Members of the University of Belgrade - Vinča Institute of Nuclear Science". Retrieved 2011-04-19.
- ^ "Vinca Special Weapons Facilities - Serbia". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ "Former Yugoslavia: Research Reactor Details - RA". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ "Former Yugoslavia: Research Reactor Details - RB". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ "Q&A: Fuel Repatriation Project from Vinca Institute". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ "1958-01-01". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ Vinca reactor accident, 1958, compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
- ^ Nuove esplosioni a Fukushima: danni al nocciolo. Ue: “In Giappone l’apocalisse”, 14 marzo 2011
- ^ Vasovic, Aleksandar (2009-06-23). "Serbs send nuclear fuel to Russia, citing security". Reuters. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ "NTI Commits $5 Million To Help Secure Vulnerable Nuclear Weapons Material" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ "Serbia gets rid of dangerous nuclear material (SETimes.com)". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ "Massive Operation Safely Secures Serbian Nuclear Fuel in Russia". Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ "Nuclear decommissioning of Vinča this year". Archived from the original on 2012-11-04. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
