Pakistan Atomic Research Reactor | |
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The PARR-I is similar to North Carolina State University's Pulstar Nuclear Reactor
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Operating Institution | Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) |
Location | Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan |
Coordinates | 33°39′13″N 73°15′30″E / 33.65361°N 73.25833°ECoordinates: 33°39′13″N 73°15′30″E / 33.65361°N 73.25833°E |
Type |
Pool-type reactor Materials Test Reactor Miniature neutron source reactor (MNSR) SLOWPOKE reactor |
Power | 10 MW (PARR-I) 30 Kw (PARR-II) |
Construction and Upkeep | |
Construction Cost | Unknown |
Construction Began | 8 July 1965 |
Time to Construct | 5 months |
First Criticality | 21 December 1965 |
Shutdown date | N/A |
Decommission date | N/A |
Staff | Classified |
Operators | Classified |
Refuel Frequency | N/A |
Technical Specifications | |
Max Thermal Flux | 1.05E+13 n/cm^2-s |
Max Fast Flux | 1.70E+14 n/cm^2-s |
Cooling | light water |
Neutron Moderator | light water |
Neutron Reflector | heavy water, graphite, beryllium |
Control Rods | 8 Rods |
Cladding Material | Aluminium Alloy |
The Pakistan Atomic Research Reactor or (PARR) are two nuclear research reactors and two other experimental neutron sources located in the PINSTECH Laboratory, Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan.
In addition a reprocessing facility referred to as New Labs also exists for nuclear weapons research and production.
The first nuclear reactor was supplied and financially constructed by the Government of United States of America in the mid 1960s. The other reactor and reprocessing facility are built and supplied by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) in the 1970s and 1980s, respectively. Supervised by the United States and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the first two reactors are subject to IAEA safeguards and its inspections.
The PARR-I Reactor was supplied by the United States government in 1965 under the Atoms for Peace program. The PINSTECH institute was designed by American architect Edward Durrell Stone, when noted Pakistani scientists, Abdus Salam and Ishrat Hussain Usmani travelled to the United States of America in the early 1960s. The first reactor was supplied by the American Machine and Foundry as its contractors, and the first reactor was built by the American nuclear engineer Peter Karter.
In the first stage, reactor building and ancillary facilities were completed with the reactor becoming critical on 21 December 1965. The second stage, consisting of various laboratories, workshop, library and auditorium, became operational in 1974. The facility was last upgraded by PAEC chairman and noted nuclear scientist, Mr. Munir Ahmad Khan in 1989.