Project news from the Harwell site
July 26, 2010
Work has commenced on the final decommissioning of B401.4, just by the new Eastern Entrance. Building 401.4 was constructed during 1954, was ready for occupation by January 1955 and was referred to as the Critical Assembly Building which described the type of installations to be constructed in the building.
During 1955 a low power assembly called Zeus was constructed. Zeus measured 60cm across and was used to study the design for the core of the Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR). The enriched U235 used in Zeus was ultimately used in the DFR.
A further reactor system that was housed in H401.4 for a short period was NERO. NERO was a zero energy reactor designed to enable experiments to be carried out on a wide variety of reactor types.
Subsequently B401.4 was used for non nuclear purposes. The current work has confirmed the building as radiologically clean and is dealing with the substantial asbestos legacy prior to demolition.
Project Manager Dave Wilkins remarked "B401.4 seems to be made of little else other than asbestos! To date we have constructed approaching 20 containments to complete the first phase of internal stripping works."
For more information please contact Angela Vincent, RSRL Communications Manager, Harwell
