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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

Government Support: Official Help in the Sales Department

February 1, 1996 By Rod Adams

General Electric and Westinghouse received a significant contribution from the U.S. government in their early efforts to establish light water reactors as the world standard in nuclear technology. The support included low interest loans, direct state-to-state pressure, and government contracts that paid for basic materials development. This government support came for several reasons. Not only […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Feb 1996, Gas Cooled Reactors

Letter from the Editor: The Market Battle Begins

February 1, 1996 By Rod Adams

The history of nuclear power technology is often as much a political study as it is a technical study. Perhaps no other technological development has ever been so tied to the actions and interests of government bodies and foreign affairs. In this issue of AEI we will focus on the early market struggle between the […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Feb 1996, Gas Cooled Reactors

Water vs. Gas Cooled Reactors: Round 1

February 1, 1996 By Rod Adams

In the period from 1966 to 1964, there were two basic reactor choices being offered for commercial electric power production. American companies were offering reactors that used ordinary water under pressure as the reactor coolant. British and French companies were offering reactors using pressurized CO2 gas as the reactor coolant. There were substantial technical differences […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Feb 1996, Economics, Gas Cooled Reactors, Technical History Stories

Fuel Element Designs: Unique Selection Criteria

January 1, 1996 By Rod Adams

After making the coolant and moderator choices, certain other details moved higher on the priority list. Core engineers needed to choose a cladding material, fuel material composition, and fuel element configurations. The choices designers made for the first reactors played an important role in the long term competitiveness of the early gas cooled reactor designs. […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Jan 1996, Gas Cooled Reactors

Pressure Vessel Construction: Lower Pressure Makes it Easier

January 1, 1996 By Rod Adams

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 […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Jan 1996, Gas Cooled Reactors

Letter from the Editor: First Nuclear Power Stations

January 1, 1996 By Rod Adams

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 […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Jan 1996, Gas Cooled Reactors

CO2: First Choice for Power Reactors

January 1, 1996 By Rod Adams

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 […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Jan 1996, Gas Cooled Reactors, Graphite Moderated Reactors, Technical History Stories

In the news: December 1995

December 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

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 […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Dec 1995

Protection for Fuel Elements: Ensuring Saftey

December 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

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 […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Dec 1995, Water Cooled Reactors

Controlling Power: Temperature and Rods

December 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

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 […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Dec 1995, Water Cooled Reactors

Technical Hurdles: One Step at a Time

December 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

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. […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Dec 1995, Water Cooled Reactors

Letter from the Editor: A History of Success

December 1, 1995 By Rod Adams

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 […]

Filed Under: Atomic Insights Dec 1995

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