SCK CEN Annual Report 2019 Is Out

2019 was a year characterised by many milestones for SCK CEN & its partners.

Just to list some of them, SCK CEN has decided to increase the number of operating days for the BR2 research reactor from 160 to 210 per year, guaranteeing an increased supply of medical radioisotopes.

Moreover, new technology has been developed in partnership with six international partners,in order to calculate radiation doses more precisely without a dosimeter, but using a camera and specialised software.

SCK CEN also inaugurated the first production of terbium-161, defined “a new emerging talent among therapeutic radioisotopes”.

Important achievements have been reported for the MYRRHA project too.

Engineers at SCK CEN have built ISOL@ MYRRHA’s target container – a type of oven that can reach 2400°C. In this “oven”, SCK CEN will produce radioisotopes for medical applications and basic research from 2027 onwards. The research centre has already successfully completed its first integrity test.

Finally, SCK CEN scientists conducted a largescale corrosion experiment. The MYRRHA’s stainless steel shell, that will hold the fuel, spent over 20,000 hours in the hot lead-bismuth at 400°C, a new world record.

Many other highlights are reported here: SCK CEN Annual Report 2019.