The Nuclear Science and Technology Research Center project being implemented in Dong Nai will promote the application of nuclear engineering and radiation technology in life, creating a breakthrough in socio-economic development.
The Ministry of Science and Technology is coordinating with Russian partners to implement a project to build a Nuclear Science and Technology Research Center in Dong Nai with the main component being a 10 MW nuclear reactor to produce radioactive isotopes for medical and industrial purposes; irradiate doped silicon with neutrons to produce semiconductors, etc.
This is good news for fields and sectors that are using many nuclear products such as medicine, industry, agriculture, etc. because the demand for these products is increasing to meet the increasingly strict requirements of export markets as well as the urgent needs of people in many fields of nuclear applications.
Difficult to meet demand
Hanoi Irradiation Center, a unit under the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, the first radiation facility in Vietnam, is providing food irradiation services, sterilization/sterilization to kill insects, microorganisms, reduce losses and extend the preservation time of raw materials and products of Southeast Asian medicine, agricultural products and other non-food products...
Currently, the Center has upgraded equipment and invested in cold storage to be allowed to irradiate 3 types of fruit (lychee, mango and longan) for export to Australia.
According to Mr. Phan Viet Cuong, Director of the Hanoi Irradiation Center, to meet the quality standards of imported goods to developed countries such as the United States and Australia, agricultural products must be quarantined by irradiation.
During the lychee season, the irradiation system at the Center is capable of processing about 30 tons of lychees per day. For northern fruits such as lychees, longans, mangoes, etc., if the irradiation process is implemented effectively, it will open a big door to many demanding markets in the world.
However, many businesses exporting agricultural products to the US market are having to transport goods to the South for irradiation due to difficulties in requiring appraisal by US technical experts at high costs, from 75-100 thousand USD/expert appraisal within 2 months (or 350,000 USD within 1 year).
If this bottleneck is removed, export enterprises in the Northern region will save significantly due to shortened time and reduced transportation costs.
Hanoi Irradiation Center is looking for partners to cooperate in this field in the direction of socialization; at the same time, calling for support from relevant ministries, branches and agencies in the process of implementing licensing procedures related to food irradiation to speed up progress, promptly respond to the 2025 lychee season, contributing to increasing value, bringing high income to farmers, agricultural product exporting enterprises...
In the medical field, the Hanoi Radiation Center and a few hospitals across the country have accelerators that produce radioactive pharmaceuticals with short half-lives (within 2 hours) for cancer diagnosis.
However, according to Dr. Phan Viet Cuong, the amount of radioactive pharmaceuticals produced by the Center is not enough to meet the demand in the Hanoi area.
Besides, many products from radioactive isotopes are also being researched by Hanoi Irradiation Center but have not had positive results due to lack of resources from human resources to infrastructure, funding...
Nuclear engineering applications
According to Dr. Tran Chi Thanh, Director of the Institute of Atomic Energy, the applications of atomic energy in life are very diverse, the needs of industries, fields, people and businesses are very large. However, limitations and difficulties from resources have led to a shortage of nuclear-related products.
The Nuclear Science and Technology Research Center project being implemented has the main component of a 10 MW nuclear reactor, using low-enriched fuel manufactured by Russia, built on an area of 100 hectares in Long Khanh city (Dong Nai).
The main objective of this project is to produce radioactive isotopes for medical and industrial purposes, irradiate doped silicon with neutrons to produce semiconductors, etc. From there, promote the application of nuclear engineering and radiation technology in social life, with special attention to development in the field of nuclear medicine, aiming at a national and regional center for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
This project is implemented under the Vietnam-Russia Intergovernmental Agreement signed in 2011 and the Vietnamese Government approved the investment policy in 2018.
Experts have surveyed and made a preliminary assessment of the nuclear reactor construction site, showing that this is a favorable location as it is about 10km from Long Khanh center and located on the Dau Giay-Phan Thiet highway connecting to Ho Chi Minh City.
To support the examination and appraisal of the Feasibility Study Report, Safety Analysis Report and design documents, the Ministry of Science and Technology previously requested experts from the Russian Federation Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) to facilitate a number of Vietnamese officials to participate in the implementation of the reactor's basic design and accompanying safety calculations and analyses.
Rosatom also helps Vietnam in training research reactor operators.
After having basic design data, functional units will simulate calculations and prepare safety analysis reports, presenting all possible incident scenarios for calculation and analysis.
According to current regulations, even in the worst case scenario, the design must ensure that it does not affect people and the surrounding environment.
The assessment and safety analysis calculations will be carried out in early 2025. After completing the feasibility study report and site profile, the competent authorities will appraise and approve. Then, the design contract will be developed and negotiated; materials and equipment procurement; construction of the project will be carried out, expected in the period of 2027-2028.
Dr. Tran Chi Thanh said that the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute is building specialized groups in reactor physics, horizontal channel design, radioactive isotope production on research reactors, materials research, silicon irradiation for semiconductors, activation analysis research, environmental protection, nuclear safety, etc.
Developing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, associated with socio-economic development, is the consistent viewpoint of our Party and State.
Nuclear energy is increasingly widely and effectively applied in medicine, agriculture, import and export of goods, etc. Therefore, developing research and application of nuclear science and technology is an inevitable step towards rapid and sustainable socio-economic development.
Vietnamplus.vn
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/lam-chu-cong-nghe-hat-nhan-tao-but-pha-trong-phat-trien-kinh-te-xa-hoi-post980656.vnp
Comment (0)