HMS 'Vulcan'

 military, nuclear reactor, nuclear research centre

Naval Reactor Test Establishment
The Royal Navy's nuclear reactor development site, run by Rolls-Royce. Currently houses the Shore Test Facility, a PWR2 model reactor. Previously housed the Dounreay Submarine Prototype 1, a PWR1 model reactor.

The Vulcan Naval Reactor Test Establishment (NRTE) is a Ministry of Defence (MoD) establishment housing the prototype nuclear propulsion plants of the type operated by the Royal Navy in its submarine fleet. For over 40 years Vulcan has been the cornerstone of the Royal Navy's nuclear propulsion program, testing and proving the operation of four generations of reactor core and currently testing its fifth. Its reactors have significantly led the operational submarine plants in terms of operation hours, proving systems, procedures and safety.

Rolls-Royce, who design and procure all the reactor plants for the Royal Navy from their Derby headquarters, operate Vulcan on the behalf of the MoD and employ around 280 staff there, led by a small team of staff from the Royal Navy. Reactors developed include the PWR1 and PWR2. The establishment is responsible for testing the prototype nuclear reactors to be used in Royal Navy submarines, and the original prototype reactor developed for use in Trident submarines remains there. The VTOM (Vulcan Trials, Operation and Maintenance) contract ensures that Vulcan will be central to the Navy’s submarine programme until at least 2014.

Each reactor type is sent to Vulcan for test prior to deployment at sea, in order to detect any problems that may exist in any design while the reactor is accessible, rather than built into an operational submarine. The age of the reactor under test is always at least two years in advance of the operational units at sea, this allows data to be gathered and fed back for prediction of actual operation, and to assist the design and development of new reactors.

While the primary business of Vulcan is the testing of submarine reactors, it also ensures that all operating procedures are current and are maintained with the tight safety parameters which apply to the operation of such equipment. The STF allows operating procedures to be trialled in the same way as the reactors, to ensure changes and updates have been correctly incorporated.The facility also dismantles and examines the burnt out reactor cores, checking them against predicted operating parameters and providing feedback to the engineers and designers working on the next generation of reactors.

Vulcan NRTE, Dounreay, Thurso, Caithness KW14 7TY

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