A 50-year-young testbed for the atomic future: Inside the PULSTAR research reactor

[Marlin]

A 50-year-young testbed for the atomic future: Inside the PULSTAR research reactor

https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/a-50-year-young-testbed-for-the-atomic-future-inside-the-pulstar-research-reactor/74568/

[Core Content]

The North Carolina State University PULSTAR research reactor continues to support advanced nuclear materials testing and reactor innovation after operating for over fifty years. The one-megawatt open pool facility provides specialized neutron and positron beams to evaluate structural components, fuels, and sensors under extreme radiation conditions.

Academic and commercial researchers use the facility to bypass the high costs and regulatory hurdles of testing inside active power stations. Capabilities include measuring fission gas release and evaluating molten salt behaviors for next-generation reactor designs. These testing platforms help developers qualify novel materials and instrumentation safely before commercial deployment.

Discover how NC State's PULSTAR research reactor continues to drive 21st-century nuclear innovation and advanced materials testing

When the PULSTAR reactor in North Carolina State University (NC State) first went critical on 9 September 1972, the world's first pocket-sized calculator was just released, making the slide rule obsolete overnight. Over five decades later, this 1-megawatt workhorse remains at the forefront of nuclear innovation, witnessing experiments that are 21st-century from advanced fuels, sensors, to novel materials for tomorrow's next-generation reactors.

Read the full article at Innovation News Network:
https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/a-50-year-young-testbed-for-the-atomic-future-inside-the-pulstar-research-reactor/74568/