CROCUS

CROCUS is a research reactor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, a research institute and university in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The uranium nuclear reactor core is in an aluminium container that measures 130 cm across with 1.2 cm-thick walls. The aluminum vessel is filled with demineralized light water to serve as both a neutron moderator and a neutron reflector.

Power output is controlled either by adjusting the water level in the reactor—with a ±0.1 mm level of control, or with the adjustment of two boron carbide (B$100 W$C) control rods—with a ±1 mm level of finesse. The reactor has six separate safety systems: two cadmium shields and four storage tanks, any of which can shut down the reaction in less than a second.

CROCUS has a license to produce 100 W or a neutron flux of ~2.5 × 10$7.5 cm-2s-1$ cm$1.75 cm-2s-1$s$4$ at the core's center.