The ETRR-2 design and construction features ensure an effective protection for the reactor personnel, the general public and the environment against radiological hazards.

The reactor incorporates inherent safety features, that rely only on intrinsic physical principles, and do not require actuation of any equipment. The most important feature of the design is that the reactor's core reactivity feedback coefficients are negative.

General Safety Features

The plant construction is very sturdy and its safely margins are ample. The plant complies with all Safety Standards and Guides of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Research Reactors Safety.

The defense in depth and ALARA principles have been applied in the design of the ETRR-2. Several levels of protection and multiple physical barriers are provided to prevent radioactive releases.

The RPS (Reactor Protection Systems) monitors safety variables and triggers the protection systems automatically if predefined limits are reached. When needed. the fission chain can be promptly terminated by the action of two diverse, redundant and independent shutdown systems.

Description

The Safety Systems and the RPS have "fail-safe" features. In case of anomalies these systems will take the reactor to a safe condition

Reactor Shutdown
The First Shutdown System quickly inserts six neutron absorbing blades into the core. The Second Shutdown System injects a neutron absorbing solution into four thin tanks placed in each face of the core

Core Cooling
Primary cooling pumps have flywheels to provide cooling during coast down. No flow inversion is required to remove the decay heat by natural convection. A large heat sink is provided by the water in the reactor tank. A gravity driven water injection system together with the core chimney will keep the core cooled in case of a Pool Loss of Coolant Accident.

Confinement
The reactor hall is a dynamic confinement. Exhaust air is permanently monitored and controlled. Under emergency conditions the air flow is diverted to recirculation into the confinement and filtered, to protect the environment.