NRU, AECL’s crown jewel, keeps shining

The National Research Universal

At 6:10 a.m. on November 3, 1957, the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor reached criticality for the first time. With that landmark achievement, Canadian science and technology stepped up onto the world stage.

At 200 million watts of power, it was a quantum leap forward from its predecessor, the National Research Experimental (NRX), and once again showcased Canada's Chalk River Laboratories as a world leader.

“NRU is a unique and powerful world class science facility in Canada,” said Brian McGee, Chief Nuclear Officer. “This reactor stands as a shining example of a true Canadian success story. It is a pioneer in nuclear medicine and the foundation in the development of the nuclear industry in this country.”

A research tool, NRU provides knowledge that helps AECL build safer and more efficient nuclear power plants. It has also been the birthplace of many scientific achievements.

NRU has the honour of being the workplace of Canadian physicist Bertram Brockhouse, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his influential work at NRX, then later NRU, using neutron scattering to explore materials.

NRU produces neutrons used by the National Research Council’s Canadian Neutron Beam Centre to investigate and non-destructively study all types of industrial and biological materials.

The National Research Council commissioned Canada’s first neutron reflectometer on June 15, 2007. This instrument is the newest addition to the suite of tools in the Canadian Neutron Beam Centre housed in NRU.

Foundation group for the National Research Universal (1957).

Each year more than 200 professors, students and industrial researchers come to the Centre to make use of this national resource. Because neutrons can probe any kind of material, they can be applied to research in metals, alloys, polymers, biomaterials, glass, ceramics, thin films, cement and minerals. This work is leading to advances in medical, industrial and scientific fields to the benefit of all Canadians.

As one of the world’s most versatile research reactors, NRU also produced the fundamental knowledge required to develop, maintain and evolve Canada's fleet of CANDU power stations. While NRU doesn’t produce electricity, it is Canada’s only major materials and fuel testing reactor used to support and advance the CANDU design.

NRU contains testing equipment that allows scientists and engineers to replicate a power reactor’s working conditions. This allows them to apply that knowledge to building safer and more efficient CANDU technology for use in Canada and abroad.

Life-saving Technology

A pioneer in nuclear medicine, NRU continues to produce the majority of the world’s medical isotopes used in both the diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening diseases. Isotopes from NRU benefit more than 76,000 people each day, more than 20 million people internationally each year – an amazing contribution to world health.

“The NRU reactor's most important contribution to health is without a doubt the cobalt 60 it produces,” said Alastair McIvor, Strategic Planning and Marketing, National Research Council. “NRU produces a range of radioisotopes that are used to cure disease or produce images of millions of patients every year. Cobalt 60 accounts for 16 million cancer therapy treatments.”

Cobalt 60 was the original innovation of the NRX reactor through which Canada launched the modern field of nuclear medicine. The first cancer treatments using cobalt 60 were delivered at hospitals in Ontario and Saskatchewan in 1951. Today, cobalt 60 from NRU treats cancer patients in 80 countries every year.

The NRU reactor continues to be a workhorse for the medical community. It routinely produces more than 50 per cent of the worldwide molybdenum-99 requirements, and is capable of safely ramping up production to address short-term shortfalls in the world supply.

Brian said, “With credit to the original design and the many dedicated staff who have been a part of NRU’s daily operation over time, this reactor’s history is something for which we are all proud. There is still a lot of life left in NRU, and I am certain that it will continue to benefit all Canadians well into the future.”

At 50 years young, NRU continues its mandate of research and development and remains one of Canada’s most versatile science facilities.