MIT is home to a Nuclear Reactor Laboratory (NRL) on campus, which conducts important research for the MIT community as well as outside companies. Examples of this research include the testing of new materials in nuclear fuel cells, and boron neutron capture therapy for cancer treatment.[1] The importance of this facility warrants concern regarding the potential impacts on the reactor in the event of a storm surge or flooding. However, the MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory has been operating since 1956 with a very good safety history. The reactor was built with many safety features, including isolation of the core within two concentric tanks, anti-siphon valves, sensors that will shut off the reactor if the water, used for cooling the reactor, is at a higher temperature than it should be, and a “scram” system that will automatically shut down the reactor if anything isn’t running normally.[1] These safety features mean that in the event of a severe storm surge or flooding, the reactor would safely shut down.
Source: MIT Nuclear Reactor[2]
Source: MIT Nuclear Reactor[2]
In preparation of a storm surge or major flood threat, the nuclear reactor could be turned off prior to the storm and would be completely cooled and safe, requiring no power during the storm. However, if the nuclear reactor has to be suddenly turned off during a storm surge or flooding, it must be properly cooled down before it is entirely safe. Flooding of the nuclear reactor itself would not be problematic, as the reactor uses water to cool itself. However, flooding would be a problem if the power went out and water damaged the backup power generator. The backup power generator is used to monitor the system, which would indicate any irregularities and problems that must be attended to to make the NRL safe, as well as the backup pump for heat removal. The backup pump cycles the cool water so the reactor doesn’t overheat, which is critical for keeping the reactor safe. Currently, the reactor has a battery backup system comprised of 60 lead acid batteries which is designed to produce power for 8 hours, even though government regulations only require backup power for 1 hour.[3] These batteries power a DC/AC converter that runs the water cycling system when the main power source isn’t present.
Looking more closely at safety precautions to ensure there will not be a power outage or damage to the backup generator, the facility is adequately prepared. The facility was designed to be about 3-5 feet above street level and the railroad tracks behind the facility. The room the batteries are stored in is not waterproof, however, the batteries are on a shelf 2 feet off the floor. In the event of a flood, the batteries are 5-7 feet above ground level and water would have to flood the facility first.[3] The NRL is planning on upgrading its system to a solid state inverter (to convert DC to AC current) and is upgrading the room the batteries are stored in to be at least 2 feet above the floor level of the room.[3]
With regards to radioactive contamination during flooding, there is very little risk of this as the amount of nuclear waste, in the form of spent fuel, in the facility is very small and well contained in a safe storage unit under 20 feet of water as it cools.[3] The government supplies the nuclear fuel and when it is spent, the government collects the fuel – about 1-2 times a year.[3] If the facility were to flood, the spent fuel would not be disrupted as it is underwater already. This means there is very little nuclear waste in the facility, diminishing the risk of disaster during a storm surge of flood.
By Geneva Casalegno
References
- MIT. (n.d.). MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory. Retrieved November 23, 2017, from https://nrl.mit.edu/about/faq
- MIT Nuclear Reactor. (2014, April 4). Retrieved November 29, 2017, from https://sites.suffolk.edu/agarciadelis/2014/04/04/mit-nuclear-research-reactor/
- Lau, Assistant Director of the Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, E. (2017, November 21). An Overview of the NRL [Personal interview].