50 tons 

Weight the bridge crane

in REDC's high bay

can handle

2015

Plutonium-238 

produced at REDC,

marking first stateside

production in nearly

30 years

15

Number of hot cells in 

REDC, ORNL’s largest 

nuclear facility

24/7

ORNL’s hot cells are staffed

around the clock to meet

research and isotope

customer demands

Radiochemical Engineering 

Development Center and Hot Cells

OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is home to unique state-of-the-art facilities designed to help 

deliver on our missions to produce isotopes, nuclear fuels, and other materials. The Radiochemical 

Engineering Development Center (REDC), the largest of those facilities, is a key resource for the Office 

of Science Isotope Program and other US Department of Energy (DOE) and National Nuclear Security 

Administration programs. ORNL has hot cells in various facilities capable of performing beta, gamma, 

and alpha radiation work. These heavily shielded cells, outfitted with specialized equipment and 

controlled with manipulator arms, are used for a variety of purposes, including chemical separations, 

materials testing, measurements, and spectroscopy. ORNL’s highly trained workers operate and 

maintain these facilities, keeping science happening around the clock. Without these support 

systems, the world-changing research performed by ORNL and its collaborators would be impossible.

Research Thrusts

• Isotope production for applications in research, national security, medicine, and industry

• Nuclear nonproliferation science to keep our nation safe

• Targeted alpha therapy cancer treatments

• Producing transcurium elements for industrial and research applications

• Supplying heavy actinide isotopes for the discovery of superheavy elements

World-Class Capabilities

REDC provides world-class capabilities in isotope production, research and development, source

fabrication, and the distribution of various unique isotopes. REDC pioneered many radiochemical 

separation processes and continues to drive innovation for the production, recovery, and purification 

of radioisotopes for shipment worldwide. Current primary mission areas include producing 

plutonium-238 for NASA’s radioisotope power systems; isotopes for targeted alpha therapy cancer 

treatments; transcurium elements (californium, berkelium, einsteinium, fermium) for industrial and 

research applications; and isotopes such as californium-252, selenium-75, and nickel-63. for industry, 

national security, and nuclear nonproliferation. 

"The material produced here is very pure. Customers really

appreciate the quality of material that we give to them."

 —Radiochemist Shelley VanCleve
CONTACT:

Allen Smith

Interim Director 

Nonreactor Nuclear

Facilities Division

smithaw@ornl.gov

865-576-7953

One Bethel Valley Road

Oak Ridge, TN 37831

www.ornl.gov

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed by UT-Battelle LLC for the US Department of Energy January 2023

Other Hot Cells

The Irradiated Material Examination and Testing Facility (IMET) contains six heavily shielded hot cells for testing the physical and 

mechanical properties of materials and examining materials that have undergone irradiation. 

The Radioisotope Development Laboratory (RDL) houses four high-level hot cells specifically for beta–gamma radiation and one hot cell 

for alpha radiation. The lab is used to produce actinium-227 for DOE’s Isotope Program. 

The Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory (IFEL) contains 3 main hot cell banks with 13 workstations and 15 pairs of manipulators. "IFEL 

has several purposes, including packaging, shipping, receiving, and handling irradiated materials in shielded casks; examining materials after 

irradiation; evaluating physical and mechanical properties of samples; and testing and repackaging spent nuclear fuel."

• Manipulator arms with remote controls 

• High-density concrete surround

• Protective viewing window

• In-cell crane

• Chemical/electrical equipment racks

• Integrated connector ports

• Furnace

• Conveyor belt

• Fixed and moveable lights

• Hot plate

• Vial caddy

Hot Cell Features

Hot cells at ORNL allow researchers and technicians to safely work with radioactive and other materials. Different hot cells may contain 

different equipment, "depending on the materials and activities they're designed to handle" to "depending on their intended materials and 

activities. Some features include:

This illustration 

shows the interior 

of a hot cell. A 

technician working 

with a hot cell uses 

remote manipulator 

arms and looks 

through a shielded 

viewing window.