Petten nuclear reactor

The Petten nuclear reactors are nuclear research reactors in Petten, Netherlands. There are two reactors on the premises of the Petten research centre: a high flux reactor and a low flux reactor.

Apart from its function as a research centre, Petten is also a large producer of radioactive material for the purpose of medical diagnosis and the treatment of cancer and contrast agents (Radiopharmaceuticals). The nuclear facilities at Petten supply 60% of the European demand for medical isotopes. Also at the high flux reactor, one of the neutron beam channels, which was originally installed for performing fundamental research, has been specially modified for the direct irradiation of patients. This allows use of neutrons for the treatment of tumors after saturation of these tumors with a pharmaceutical containing boron. When hit by a weak neutron beam, boron will locally emit radiation that will destroy the tumor. This technique is mainly suitable for the treatment of brain tumors.

As of 2006^[update], only low-enriched uranium fuel was used at the facilities in Petten. As a result of political pressure from the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), research reactors are no longer allowed to use highly enriched uranium fuel because of its potential use for the production of nuclear weapons. [2] However, the reactor continues to use highly enriched uranium targets for the production of medical isotopes.

The high flux reactor in Petten has been in use since 1961. The first criticality was obtained on November 9, 1961. The reactor was furnished by Allis-Chalmers.

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