Like the American pressurized water reactor systems, gas cooled reactors operate at elevated pressures. Unlike water, however, which is kept under extreme pressure in a reactor to prevent it from changing phase, carbon dioxide is kept under pressure in a reactor to improve its ability to remove heat by increasing its density. The actual pressure […]
Letter from the Editor: First Nuclear Power Stations
In the December 1995 issue we focused on the design decisions made by the U. S. Navy submarine reactor designers. As most people involved in the nuclear industry know, the technical direction taken by Rickover and his people had a major influence in the development of the commercial nuclear power industry. Interestingly enough, the first […]
CO2: First Choice for Power Reactors
During the period from 1946 until 1954, the single most important constraint governing the development of peaceful uses of atomic power was the Atomic Energy Act of 1946. This American law – passed after a failed attempt to establish an international control regime for nuclear materials – made it illegal to trade in nuclear knowledge […]
In the news: December 1995
Watts Bar Receives Low Power Licence (November 11, 1995) TVA’s Watts Bar nuclear power plant has been under construction for more than 23 years. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has just approved a permit that will allow the Tennessee Valley Authority to begin loading it with fuel for low-power testing. The fuel has been stored in […]
Protection for Fuel Elements: Ensuring Saftey
Once Rickover’s team selected water as their primary reactor coolant, other material criteria became readily apparent. Though pure water at room temperature is a relatively benign environment, water at high temperatures is quite corrosive. Because radioactive fission products can be dangerous to human health, prudent reactor designers must devise methods to ensure that the fission […]
Controlling Power: Temperature and Rods
Pressurized water reactors turned out to be extremely stable power producers. Because of the fact that water is used to moderate the energy level of neutrons, making them more effective in causing fission, the concentration of water in the core is an important part of determining the reactivity of the core. Temperature control An increase […]
Technical Hurdles: One Step at a Time
Though water was chosen partially because it was a familiar fluid for power engineers, the choice almost doomed the nuclear submarine program. Laboratory testing of the pumps, bearings, valves, and piping demonstrated to Rickover’s team that the simple, familiar fluid was not so simple at high temperatures and pressures, particularly when exposed to neutron radiation. […]
Letter from the Editor: A History of Success
The United States Navy submarine reactor program has a record of achievement and respect dating back to the early 1950s. In a field full of failed projects begun with high expectations, the Naval Reactors program is worthy of admiration and study. In this issue of AEI, we will focus on several early technical decisions that […]
Pressurized Water: Best Choice for the 1950s Subs
When Rickover first began studying nuclear technology, he found a program in severe disarray. The Army’s Manhattan Project had accomplished its mission of completing a workable bomb before the end of the war. Many of the key scientists and engineers had left the program, eager to leave the security restrictions and poor working conditions behind. […]
In the news: November 1995
Russian Delegation Visits Cuba (October 10, 1995) Russian scientists and businessmen visited Cuba to discuss the future of the VVER-440 pressurized water reactor at Juragua. According to an official at Cuba’s National Center for Nuclear Security, construction was halted when the reactor was 90 percent complete. Cuba’s government is investigating the possibility of completing the […]
Prefab Reactors For Off-Grid Users
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 […]
Army Nuclear Power Plants
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 […]
