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Atomic Insights

Atomic energy technology, politics, and perceptions from a nuclear energy insider who served as a US nuclear submarine engineer officer

Reactors

Prefab Reactors For Off-Grid Users

November 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

The Army Nuclear Power Program was established as part of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1954. It was charged with the responsibility of developing reactors suitable for providing electrical power to remote bases and outposts. Some of the people associated with the Army Nuclear Power Program saw essentially unlimited potential for small, transportable reactors. Most […]

Filed Under: Army Nuclear Program, Atomic Insights Nov 1995, Small Nuclear Power Plants

Army Nuclear Power Plants

November 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

Designation Description of Reactors SM-1 This stationary military reactor was the Army’s prototype and training facility. It began operation in April 1957 at Fort Belvoir, VA, several months before the Shippingport reactor. SM-1 has the distinction of having been the first nuclear power plant to be hooked to an electrical grid. 2,000 kw. SM-1A Built […]

Filed Under: Army Nuclear Program, Atomic Insights Nov 1995, Small Nuclear Power Plants

Letter from the Editor: Portable Nuclear Reactors

November 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

The United States Army ran an innovative nuclear power program for more than 20 years. The men involved operated a series of small, nuclear heated generating plants in some of the world’s least hospitable environments. The story of what those diligent heros did has been all but lost. Though the Army was the lead service […]

Filed Under: Army Nuclear Program, Atomic Insights Nov 1995, Small Nuclear Power Plants

Letter from the Editor: Breeding Better Reactors

October 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

Conventional wisdom holds that a breeder reactor produces more fuel than it uses. This idea is fascinating to some, but confusing to a whole group of rational people. It sounds too much like science fiction or Madison Avenue hype. Actually, a breeder reactor is not magic, but it is a marketing exaggeration to state that […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Oct 1995, Breeder Reactors

Plutonium Fuel Cycle: Under Attack

October 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

AEI would prefer to concentrate its efforts on discussing the incredible technical potential of nuclear energy while leaving the discussion of politics and personality to others. When trying to understand nuclear energy technical decisions, however, it is essential to understand some of the political issues involved. For the last 20 years, there has been an […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Oct 1995, Breeder Reactors

Liquid Metal Fast Breeder: Right Answer, Wrong Question

October 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

Soon after the development of the first nuclear reactors, scientists and engineers began to discuss the possibility of a nuclear fuel shortage. As far as these nuclear pioneers knew, there was a rather limited supply of uranium that was concentrated in certain areas of Africa and Eastern Europe. The situation was considered even more critical […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Oct 1995, Breeder Reactors, Liquid Metal Cooled Reactors

Light Water Breeder Reactor: Adapting A Proven System

October 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

At 12:30 am, on August 26, 1977, the operators at the Shippingport Atomic Power Station began lifting the central modules of the experimental breeder reactor core into the blanket section. At 04:38 am, the reactor reached criticality. During the next five years, the core produced more than 10 billion kilowatt-hours of thermal power – equivalent […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Oct 1995, Breeder Reactors, Technical History Stories

Nuclear Research Ship: Japanese Learn Nuclear Techniques at Sea

July 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

The Japanese nuclear ship Mutsu is designed not for show, but for research. She is currently being used by the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) as a test bed to validate computer models of the behavior of pressurized water reactors in an ocean environment. The Mutsu has a 10,000 shaft horsepower nuclear engine. The […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights July 1995, Nuclear Ships, Water Cooled Reactors

Common Myths: Is Nuclear Waste a Huge Problem?

April 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

One of the main reasons for publishing this letter is to add a healthy dose of reality to the mythology that has surrounded the atomic energy field. There are so many of these myths that this column will be a regular feature of the Atomic Energy Insights. One of the most prevalent myths is that […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights April 1995, Graphite Moderated Reactors, Nuclear Waste

Really Cool Stuff: Batteries That Last for Decades

April 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

Atomic energy provides an amazing source of concentrated power. The potential applications that have been proposed are widely varied. There is room for unlimited innovation and creativity. Imagine what it would be like to have a battery that could provide power for several decades without recharging. Sounds almost like science fiction. Fact, in this case, […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights April 1995, Nuclear Batteries

In the beginning: A 1942 Experiment Shows the World It Can Be Done

April 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

On December 2, 1942, Enrico Fermi and a small band of scientists and engineers demonstrated that a simple construction of graphite bricks and uranium lumps could produce controlled heat. Let’s look back to see how simple that first reactor was. Behind the Scenes The space chosen for the reactor was a squash court under the […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights April 1995, Graphite Moderated Reactors, Technical History Stories

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