The ZEEP (Zero Energy Experimental Pile) reactor was a nuclear reactor built at the Chalk River Laboratories near Chalk River, Ontario, Canada (which superseded the Montreal Laboratory for nuclear research in Canada). ZEEP first went critical at 15:45 on September 5, 1945. ZEEP was the first operational nuclear reactor outside the United States.[1]
NRX and Zeep buildings, Chalk River Laboratories, 1945. The Ottawa River is behind the reactor buildings.
The reactor was designed by Canadian, British and French scientists as a part of an effort to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons during World War II.[2] It was developed while the Montreal Laboratory and Chalk River Laboratories research facility were under the supervision of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). ZEEP was instrumental in the development of the NRX and NRU reactors, which led to the development of the successful CANDU reactor.[1][3][4][5][6] ZEEP was used to test reactivity effects and other physics parameters needed for reactor development at Chalk River Laboratories, including fuel lattices for the NRU reactor situated next door.
ZEEP was one of the world's first heavy water reactors, and it was also designed to use natural (unenriched) uranium; a feature carried through to the CANDU design. Uranium enrichment is a complex and expensive process; thus, the ability to use unenriched uranium gave ZEEP and its descendants a number of distinct advantages.
ZEEP continued to be used for basic research until 1970.[1] It was decommissioned in 1973 and dismantled in 1997. In 1966 ZEEP was designated a historic site by Ontario, and commemorated with a historic plaque. Both this plaque and ZEEP itself are now on display at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, Canada.
^ abc. Canada Science and Technology Museum. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014.
^"Canada's Historical Role in Developing Nuclear Weapons", Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
^"History of Engineering", The Canadian Encyclopedia
^"Canada's Nuclear Achievement: Technical and Economic Perspectives", IEEE Canada
^"Canadian Engineering Achievements"[permanent dead link], University of Waterloo
^"Candu: The Canadian Nuclear Reactor", CBC Digital Archives
External linksedit
NRC Archives Photographs - Physics- Atomic Energy Project collection 2014-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
ZEEP: The Little Reactor that Could (1995)
AECL Public Affairs brochure on ZEEP (1992)
The Canadian Nuclear FAQ
The Society for the Preservation of Canada's Nuclear Heritage, Inc.
April 11, 2024
zeep, zero, energy, experimental, pile, reactor, nuclear, reactor, built, chalk, river, laboratories, near, chalk, river, ontario, canada, which, superseded, montreal, laboratory, nuclear, research, canada, first, went, critical, september, 1945, first, operat. The ZEEP Zero Energy Experimental Pile reactor was a nuclear reactor built at the Chalk River Laboratories near Chalk River Ontario Canada which superseded the Montreal Laboratory for nuclear research in Canada ZEEP first went critical at 15 45 on September 5 1945 ZEEP was the first operational nuclear reactor outside the United States 1 NRX and Zeep buildings Chalk River Laboratories 1945 The Ottawa River is behind the reactor buildings The reactor was designed by Canadian British and French scientists as a part of an effort to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons during World War II 2 It was developed while the Montreal Laboratory and Chalk River Laboratories research facility were under the supervision of the National Research Council of Canada NRC ZEEP was instrumental in the development of the NRX and NRU reactors which led to the development of the successful CANDU reactor 1 3 4 5 6 ZEEP was used to test reactivity effects and other physics parameters needed for reactor development at Chalk River Laboratories including fuel lattices for the NRU reactor situated next door ZEEP was one of the world s first heavy water reactors and it was also designed to use natural unenriched uranium a feature carried through to the CANDU design Uranium enrichment is a complex and expensive process thus the ability to use unenriched uranium gave ZEEP and its descendants a number of distinct advantages ZEEP continued to be used for basic research until 1970 1 It was decommissioned in 1973 and dismantled in 1997 In 1966 ZEEP was designated a historic site by Ontario and commemorated with a historic plaque Both this plaque and ZEEP itself are now on display at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa Canada See also editScience and technology in Canada CANDU reactor Heavy water reactor AECL List of nuclear reactorsReferences edit a b c ZEEP Canada s First Nuclear Reactor Canada Science and Technology Museum Archived from the original on 6 March 2014 Canada s Historical Role in Developing Nuclear Weapons Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission History of Engineering The Canadian Encyclopedia Canada s Nuclear Achievement Technical and Economic Perspectives IEEE Canada Canadian Engineering Achievements permanent dead link University of Waterloo Candu The Canadian Nuclear Reactor CBC Digital ArchivesExternal links editNRC Archives Photographs Physics Atomic Energy Project collection Archived 2014 03 03 at the Wayback Machine Atomic Energy of Canada Limited ZEEP The Little Reactor that Could 1995 AECL Public Affairs brochure on ZEEP 1992 The Canadian Nuclear FAQ The Society for the Preservation of Canada s Nuclear Heritage Inc Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title ZEEP amp oldid 1210247379, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
