Maciej Lipka

• Master of Engineering
• Chief Nuclear Officer at Nuclear PL

This report presents the results of a numerical simulation of thermal hydraulics processes in a liquid metal cooled fast reactor core, combined with simple neutron population computing for an infinite pin cell lattice. Two types of coolant were studied: liquid sodium and liquid lead, with all requirements regarding safety conditions observed. Tempe...

Nuclear research reactors in contrast to nuclear power plants are used mainly as the neutrons source for research and do not produce electricity or heat that would be practically used. However, the reactor core must be continuously cooled in order to maintain operational safety limits and this process generates certain amounts of low-temperature wa...

Nuclear power plants can produce not only carbon-free electricity, but also large amounts of carbon-free heat for district heating and cooling systems. This potential has been conclusively demonstrated in several countries, and is still being utilised, although to a very limited extent. This creates a major, mostly untapped potential for satisfying...

Poland, like other countries, must carry out an energy transformation in the coming years. Its goal is to participate in global efforts to stop climate catastrophe by reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions to achieve net zero emissions. Energy transformation, meaning departure from fossil fuels, requires using the full spectrum of low-emis...

Przeprowadzenie udanej transformacji energetycznej, która umożliwi całkowite odejście od paliw kopalnych przy jednoczesnym zapewnieniu bezpieczeństwa energetycznego, rozumianego także jako pewność zasilania energią o przewidywalnej cenie, wymaga wykorzystania pełnego spektrum źródeł niskoemisyjnych: energetyki jądrowej, wiatrowej, słonecznej oraz m...

One of the most significant challenges for the Polish energy industry in the coming decades will be the need to educate a significant number of top-class specialists capable of ensuring the implementation of nuclear power projects and then operating and maintaining the constructed facilities. An essential element of the education of specialists at...

Poland, like other countries, must carry out an energy transition in the coming years. Its goal is to participate in global efforts to stop climate catastrophe by reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions to achieve net-zero emissions. Energy transition, meaning departure from fossil fuels, mainly hard coal, lignite and fossil gas, requires u...

Research reactors are nuclear reactors used for radiopharmaceuticals production, basic and fundamental research, development of nuclear power technologies, education and training. They have usually low-temperature and low-pressure design with light water as the cooling medium. Since they serve as a neutron-producing machine for various medical, sci...

One of the key parameters characterizing the research reactor is the neutron flux. It correlates with the thermal power of the core, which means its increase demands the increase of thermal power of the reactor. This paper presents the results of the thermal-hydraulic calculation of the fuel channel in the steady state. The limits in means of the O...

The invention concerns a method of fabricating an uranium target for producing molybdenum-99 from a material irradiated a reactor, a process of producing molybdenum comprising irradiation of a uranium target in a reactor, and an uranium target for producing molybdenum-99. A method of fabricating a target with predetermined mass and volume from low...

Studies of high-temperature materials behaviour irradiated by neutrons are required to develop advanced fission and fusion power technologies. A novel irradiation device, ISHTAR, has been developed in the MARIA Research Reactor's Nuclear Facilities Operations Department in response to scientific interest. The irradiation conditions in the device re...

MARIA is a channels-in-pool type research reactor. Fuel elements are located inside pressurised fuel channels. For over forty years of operation, MARIA has been using fuel elements in the shape of concentric tubes. Their performance is entirely satisfactory; however, implementing plate-type fuel elements is tempting with the development of high-den...

Net Zero Poland 2049. Optimal and achievable energy mix calculated with Monte Carlo, and mechanistic electricity supply and demand model. youtube link: https://youtu.be/3H33jYktlAw

The MARIA research reactor is designed and operated as a multipurpose nuclear installation, combining material testing, neutron beam experiments, and medical and industrial radionuclide production, including molybdenum-99 (⁹⁹Mo). Recently, after fuel conversion to LEU and rejuvenation of the staff while maintaining their experience, MARIA has been...

The Irradiation System for High-Temperature Reactors (ISHTAR) thermostatic rig will be used to irradiate advanced core material samples in conditions corresponding to those prevailing in the high-temperature reactors (HTRs): these conditions include a stable temperature extending up to 1000°C in the helium atmosphere. Computational and experimenta...

New Nuclear technologies require testing under conditions that are as close to real-life as possible. Usually, those are high temperature, specific atmosphere, and the high neutron flux. The research reactor can provide the latter, but the previous two require appropriate thermostatic equipment. Two such devices: ISHTAR and MAKARONI have been desig...

The MARIA research reactor located near Warsaw is the only operating research reactor in Poland today. This unique 30 MW pool type reactor is moderated by light water and beryllium with an aluminum canned graphite reflector. While it was originally designed to use fuel enriched to 80%, the reactor was fully converted to low-enriched uranium (< 20%)...

Materials and core components for the next generation power reactors technologies require testing that can be performed in existing research reactors. Such experiments employ devices dedicated to reflect the relevant thermal and neutron parameters simulating conditions present in, for example, but not limited to, HTGR reactors. A novel thermostatic...

Małe reaktory modułowe (SMR) są często przedstawiane jako przyszłość branży jądrowej, rozwiązanie, które radykalnie skróci czas budowy elektrowni jądrowych, jednocześnie obniżając ich koszty. Niestety w rzeczywistości, z dziesiątek istniejących na papierze projektów, realizowane są na świecie w tej chwili dwa i oba mają znaczne opóźnienia, a ich ko...

A simple model, for the estimation of changes in the nuclear fuel element cladding temperature as well as the conditions of the formation of the onset of nucleate boiling, is proposed. The results of this estimation are sufficient to assess the effect of the transient with the peak of the reactor's power on the device's safety, without the need for...

Source term is the amount of radionuclide activity, measured in Becquerels, released to the atmosphere from a nuclear reactor, together with the plume composition, over a specifi c period. It is the basis of radioprotection-related calculation. Usually, such computations are done using commercial codes; however, they are challenging to be used in t...

The paper introduces an innovative conceptual model of a trigeneration system based on implementation of sorption devices in cascade configuration: absorption heat pumps and adsorption chillers connected with thermal energy storage, for recovering useless heat from secondary cooling circuit of a research nuclear reactor. Proposed trigeneration sour...

MARIA research reactor was designed as an MTR with individually cooled fuel channels moderated by water and surrounding beryllium blocks. That design gives her excellent irradiation capabilities in thermal neutron spectrum with flux up to 3∙1014 n/cm2/s, but fast neutrons flux is limited to 3∙1013 n/cm2/s. To increase MARIA irradiation capabilities...

The paper is investigating the possible impact of seismic events on the change of reactivity and Power of the MARIA research reactor in Poland, caused by potentially occurring vertical oscillations of control rods. Using the measurements of the actual vibrations of the reactor, a calculation model was developed and was used to determine the scale o...

Podczas wieloletniej eksploatacji reaktorów elektrowni jądrowej powstają odpady promieniotwórcze, które mogą mieć szkodliwy wpływ na ludzi oraz środowisko naturalne. Zgodnie z polskim Prawem Atomowym są to „materiały stałe, ciekłe lub gazowe, zawierające substancje promieniotwórcze lub skażone tymi substancjami, których wykorzystanie jest niecelowe...