The RBT-6 and RBT-10/2 reactors are pool-type reactors of similar design. The RBT-6 operates with 56 fuel elements at a power of 6 MW, whereas RBT-10/2 operates with 78 fuel elements at a power of 10 MW. Both reactors have neutron flux densities of about 1 x 1014 n/cm2-s. The fuel for both reactors is UO2 dispersed in a copper-beryllium matrix en­riched to 90 percent.

Although these reactors operate at full power most of the time, their experimental channels (up to 8 for RBT-6, slightly more channels for RBT- 10/2) only have about 50 percent utilization. There is interest in increas­ing the usage of these reactors. Possible additional experimental activities include silicon doping, isotope production (including molybdenum-99 pro­duction), testing of industrial materials, and neutron capture therapy. Some of these activities would require redesign of the experimental channels.

BOR-60

BOR-60 is a 60 MW sodium-cooled fast reactor that can produce up to 12 MW of electricity. It is fueled with UO2 or UO2-PuO2 fuel with uranium-235 enrichments of 45-90 percent and plutonium content of 70 percent. It has a maximum neutron flux density of 3.7 x 1015 n/cm2-s.

This reactor is currently used for test irradiations of reactor fuels and materials, including new fuels, cladding, and structural materials for fast reactors, water cooled reactors, and fusion reactors. It is also being used for transmutation research, other fuel cycle research, and isotope produc­tion. The experimental applications could be expanded to include advanced reactor and fuel cycle research.