Annual Workshop

Overview

In April 2007, the Department of Energy designated the Advanced Test Reactor as a National Scientific User Facility to enhance U.S. leadership in nuclear science and technology. By making ATR more easily accessible to users - including universities, laboratories and industry - the Department is expanding its support of basic and applied nuclear research and development to advance the nation's energy security needs.

Idaho National Laboratory will host the first Annual User Workshop for the Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility (ATR NSUF) September 13-14 in Idaho Falls. The workshop is an excellent opportunity to learn about the new role that the Department of Energy has identified for the ATR, one of the world's most versatile and best designed test reactors, and ways that your program may benefit from using its research capabilities.

The workshop will include a tour of the ATR NSUF at the INL desert Site on Thursday, September 13, as well as the following in Idaho Falls:

• Acquaint prospective users with the research capabilities of the ATR and post-irradiation examination facilities through tours and presentations
• Provide breakout sessions on the research proposal process and obtain feedback on the university experiments that could be supported in FY 2008
• Provide information about using the ATR NSUF for irradiation experiments with a broad range of materials and components
• Present plans for a nuclear fuels and materials summer school, which will be open to faculty, students, and industry
• Introduce concept of shared industry research program
• Showcase important research challenges that are currently being addressed by these facilities and investments made by DOE and INL operations contractor to enhance user facility capabilities.

Tour of ATR NSUF at the INL Site

Attendees will be able to tour both the Reactor Technology Center and the Materials and Fuels Complex.

Reactor Technology Complex and the ATR

Located on the INL desert Site, about 50 miles west of Idaho Falls, the ATR is a pressurized light water reactor with a maximum thermal power rating of 250 MW and a maximum unperturbed thermal neutron flux rating of 1.0 × 1015 n/cm₂-s. With the ATR's extremely high neutron flux, experimenters can subject materials to the equivalent of years of radiation exposure in a short time. Because of the ATR core design, many experiments can run concurrently, with each experiment receiving a different and carefully controlled level of neutron radiation. Originally commissioned to evaluate fuels and materials performance for the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program, the ATR is now available for external customers to use for irradiation experiments with a broad range of materials and components.

Materials and Fuels Complex

Also west of Idaho Falls on the INL desert Site is the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), an integral part of the ATR NSUF, located at the Materials and Fuels Complex. A large, heavily-shielded, alpha-gamma facility designed for remote characterization of highly irradiated fuel and structural materials, the HFEF enables experimenters to conduct post-irradiation examination on nuclear fuel. Characterization options include neutron and X-ray radiography, analytical chemistry for composition and phase structure, transmission electron microscopy, and determination of physical properties.

Workshop in Idaho Falls

Activities will take place at the Engineering Research Office Building (EROB), Room 159, in Idaho Falls.

Registration

The registration form is available at http://secure.inl.gov/atruserfacilityws07/. The deadline is Aug. 10, 2007. Each registrant will receive a packet including a local map, security requirements and detailed meeting and hotel information. For more information on registration, contact Crystal Adolfson at crystal.adolfson@inl.gov, or Mary Catherine Thelen at mary.thelen@inl.gov. For technical questions, contact Frances Marshall at frances.marshall@inl.gov.

Transportation: Air and Ground

Airport

• Idaho Falls Airport (208) 612-8221

Airlines

• Allegiant Air (702) 505-8888
• Delta Airlines (800) 221-1212
• Horizon Air (800) 547-9308
• Northwest Airlines (800) 225-2525
• United Airlines (800) 864-8331

Car Rentals

• Avis Car Rental (208) 522-4225
• Budget Car Rental (208) 522-8800
• National Car Rental (208) 522-5276
• Thrifty Car Rental (208) 277-0444

INL is coordinating the workshop with the Global 2007 nuclear energy systems and fuel cycles conference in Boise, Idaho, September 9-13, to enable interested individuals to attend both events. INL will provide Global 2007 participants transportation from Boise to Idaho Falls.

Lodging

A block of rooms is reserved at the Ameritel Inn in Idaho Falls. You may reserve a room online at http://www.ameritelinns.com or by telephone at 208-523-1400.

Area Information

The Idaho National Laboratory visitor information pages provide links to area attractions and parks located close to Idaho Falls.

Weather

Average temperatures in September range from a low of 38 F to a high of 80 F. Use the AccuWeather.com Web site to check for weather conditions in Idaho Falls.