The high-Beam Reactor PIK (Gatchina) | nuclear reactor, scientific research institute / centre, nuclear research centre

 nuclear reactor, scientific research institute / centre, nuclear research centre

The high-Beam Reactor PIK ("Sheaf Research Complex") - Russia's only really advanced in the implementation of the project of modern neutron source of constant action.

The high-Beam Reactor PIC (an abbreviation of the names of the developers of the project Petrova and Konopleva) - an advanced neutron source is continuous, which in its parameters to the best in the world of research reactors, and for some (the maximum neutron flux with the flow "n/sm2Chs 1015, the number of positions on the beams), even surpasses them. Experimental possibilities PIK reactor is unique, and in coming years anywhere in the world such reactors would not be created.

Construction of the PIK reactor was started in 1978 in Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI) of Konstantinov.
The decision to create PICA was adopted in 1975. Soviet science has sought to seize the leadership in the field of neutron research. These considerations were largely dictated by and the arms race.
In 1986, the project was nearly stopped. Then, in the 90's, there were attempts to resuscitation, but these works do not actually funded. If Adamov funding PIKA again briefly opened - 50 per cent invested in its creation Minatom and more on 25 - Ministry of Science and Academy of Sciences. But this financial wave subsided. In 2007, physicists again struck the financing, you will be available to the Government, and with it the task - until the end of 2009 to pass first research reactor. In 2008, the general contract for construction and delivery of "turnkey" PIK reactor was transferred to the holding company "TITAN-2". Today, FDI is almost ready for work.

The complex is enclosed area, which is heavily guarded by internal forces. Complex itself consists of building, which hosted the reactor, and several buildings adjacent to it like rays. At a depth of 2 levels - ksperimentalny hall horizontal channels in the heart - the body of a reactor. The circumference of the reactor - 10 outputs. From two of them in the next room neytronovodny nearly 100 meters stretch neutron.

PIC - a platform for research into the processes at the neutron level. The advantages of neutron radiation, at least to the same X-ray, are essential. The energy of neutrons due to the existence of a mass considerably less than the energy of X-ray or gamma-rays at the same wavelength. This makes it possible to study not only the average static atomic structure of matter, but also occurring in it dynamic processes. In addition, the neutron has a magnetic moment and allows us to consider the magnetic structure, which is important for understanding the nature of processes, such as in high-temperature superconductors. Plus c neutrons available to study the isotopic composition of substances, and yet they are electrically neutral, and their interaction with nuclei is weak, which allows particles to penetrate deeply into the matter - that they, perhaps the most important advantage over X-rays and gamma rays, and beams other charged elementary particles. These characteristics of neutron radiation make it a versatile tool for research on the peak in the interest of physics, chemistry, biology, geology, materials science, medicine.