No 1 Storage Block

Provenance

Camera: NIKON D850
Lens: 14.0-24.0 mm f/2.8
Settings: 14mm · f/7.1 · 1.6s · ISO 64
Paper: Ilford Galerie Smooth Cotton Rag 310 gsm

No. 1 Storage Block at HIFAR, Lucas Heights. Spent fuel elements from the reactor's four-week program cycles were transferred here to decay in water-cooled storage before removal. After shutdown in January 2007, all spent fuel was removed and reprocessed within 12 months.

Edition

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Signed, numbered, with COA. Made to order in 10 to 20 business days (framed). Shipped in protective packaging with edition certificate, paper-stock reference and a printed care guide.

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In situ

01 PROVENANCE

Print datasheet

Title: No 1 Storage Block
Series: ANSTO HIFAR
Catalogue: AHF-021
Process: Giclée
Captured: 7 October 2022
Camera: NIKON D850
Lens: 14.0-24.0 mm f/2.8
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter: 1.6s s
ISO: 64
Focal length: 14 mm
Paper: Ilford Galerie Smooth Cotton Rag 310 gsm
Paper size: 290 × 200 mm
Location: Lucas Heights, New South Wales, Australia
Authenticity: C2PA verified provenance →
Recognised by: National Trust of Australia (NSW), 2016 Heritage Award, Multimedia

02 LOCATION

Lucas Heights, New South Wales, Australia

Map · Mapbox · OpenStreetMap

03 THE STORY

About this print

The No. 1 Storage Block at HIFAR sits within the reactor building at Lucas Heights. The block is a heavily shielded concrete structure with internal water-cooled racks for spent fuel elements. Access ports in the upper face align with the polar crane above for fuel transfer. The walls of the block are thicker than the body of an adult. The water surface inside the racks has been drained.

Spent fuel elements from HIFAR's four-week program cycles were transferred to the No. 1 Storage Block to decay in water-cooled storage before removal from site. HIFAR ran a maximum core load of 25 fuel elements, with about 30 consumed per year over the reactor's operational life. After permanent shutdown on 30 January 2007, all spent fuel was unloaded from the reactor and the storage blocks and reprocessed within 12 months.

04 FROM THE FIELD NOTES

Dozens of circular plugs are set into the reactor's charge face, each stamped "FUEL ELEMENT PLUG ONLY" or "PLAIN PLUG." Green and black centre caps distinguish active channels from sealed ones. The concrete surface is scuffed and oil-stained. Yellow safety railing borders the platform. A red bin marked "ACTIVE WASTE" sits to one side. Lead bricks are stacked at the edge. Overhead, cable runs and corrugated cladding close the space in.

Brett Patman

The series

ANSTO HIFAR

2022 · 49 photographs

HIFAR, the High Flux Australian Reactor, was Australia's first nuclear reactor. It went critical at 11:15 pm on Sunday 26 January 1958 and ran for forty-nine years and four days before being permanently shut down on 30 January 2007. The reactor was the last of six DIDO-class research reactors built worldwide to cease operation.

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05 SIZE GUIDE

Print sizes

The anatomy view shows what this finish is as a physical object: paper margin, mat band, frame depth, acrylic profile. The comparison strip shows how each size sits relative to the others at true scale. Click a size or a finish to update both.