The AGN-201M Nuclear Reactor Laboratory operates a 5 W AGN-201M nuclear reactor which teaches fundamentals of nuclear reactor operations and interactions of neutrons with matter and lets students conduct experiments on basic reactor physics parameters. The AGN is used primarily to support education programs rather than research.
Texas A&M University purchased the AGN reactor in 1957 to be used for the newly forming Department of Nuclear Engineering. Originally located in Thompson Hall, the reactor was moved to the Zachry Engineering Center in 1972, and was moved again in 2016 to the Nuclear Science Center. The reactor is currently being refurbished in its new location to facilitate undergraduate and graduate learning for the next generation of students.
The AGN reactor has a thermal power rating of 5W. The reactor utilizes a homogeneously mixed polyethylene and UO2 plate type fuel. The fuel is surrounded by graphite and is contained within a pressure tight vessel fabricated from aluminum. Natural convection maintains the core temperature relatively stable by removing heat that is generated being lost to the water surrounding the core. The reactor is controlled by four fueled control rods that are inserted into the core to maintain control of the nuclear reaction.
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Lab Features:
- 5 W AGN-201M nuclear reactor