The high-flux isotope reactor (basically a neutron gun) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is one of the best in the world. It’s used in cutting-edge physics, chemistry, engineering and biology experiments. The only thing is it was built in 1969. Many of the parts needed replacing, but were so outdated they weren’t being made anymore. Oak Ridge engineers were scratching their heads to find a way to keep the important reactor—and the research—alive.
Abdiel Quetz, an Andrews graduate, looked at the original designs of the reactor’s system and found that it was entirely controlled by a mathematical equation. He worked out the equation and then programmed it into a computer. Now the computer runs and digitally monitors the reactor. This way, engineers can monitor temperature and pressure levels without having to read a million gauges.
“The difference in technology between 1969 and 2008 was incredible,” says Quetz. His system is still being reviewed: “The Nuclear Regulation Commission has strict regulations about changing from analog to digital,” says Quetz. If the system is approved, it could be installed in nuclear plants across the United States.
