training, research, and isotope-production reactors-General Atomic
Quick Summary
The TRIGA (Training, Research, and Isotope-production Reactors-General Atomic) system is a type of research nuclear reactor. These reactors are water-cooled and utilize a unique fuel element composed of uranium and zirconium hydrides. A key safety feature of TRIGA reactors is their large negative power-reactivity coefficient, which allows them to automatically shut down after a rapid power surge, known as a pulse. This pulsing capability is valuable for experiments requiring short, intense bursts of neutrons.1
Production reactors, on the other hand, were initially built to create plutonium for nuclear weapons. Today, they primarily produce tritium, a fuel for hydrogen bombs, due to its shorter half-life compared to plutonium.2
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