 |
| flickr.com \ Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
The time when the experimental nuclear reactor High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) recharges resembles a science fiction scene. When refueling and put up a blinding blue phosphorescent light emerges. The following images show precisely this amazing process.
The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR, for its acronym in English) is an experimental research facility located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Tennessee, USA) which is in operation since 1966. The HFIR is a powerful reactor only 85 megawatts of its kind: it does not generate energy but produces special radioisotopes and high thermal neutron fluxes.
The change of the reactor fuel is a long and complicated process: for about 26 days scientists extract the fuel rods and replaced with new ones.
 | ||||
| flickr.com \ Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
The glowing blue light is produced by radiation of electromagnetic type, also known as Cherenkov radiation generated by the passage in a given environment at speeds exceeding the speed of light in that medium of electrically charged particles emitted by the fuel.
Cherenkov radiation is similar to a shockwave when the speed of sound is exceeded.
Cherenvok radiation is glowing blue because our eyes are sensitive to the length of this wave, but also generates ultraviolet light in large quantities can cause severe skin burns.
 |
| flickr.com \ Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
 |
| flickr.com \ Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
Post a Comment