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VOL. 1 NO. 2 ATOMICS INTERNATIONAL a division of North American Aviation, Inc . SEPTEMBER 1958 Dr. Starr Of Atomics International New Head Of American Nuclear Societ y Group Includes Members From 29 Countries Devoted To Ad- vancement Of Nuclear Scienc e At the annual meeting in June of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) . Dr. Chauncey Starr, general manager of Atomics International and vice president of North American Aviation, Inc., was elected president of the society to succeed Dr . Leland J . Haworth . Direc- tor of the Brookhaven National Laboratory . The American Nuclear Society was formed in 1955 to advance nuclear science and engineering . to encour- age research . establish scholarships. and to disseminate technical information . Membership of 3,000 Includes 29 Countries The organization's membership of 3 .000 includes about 140 members from 29 countries outside the United States representing many branches of science and technology . Members are associated with educa. tional , governmental, and research institutions, and with government contractors and industrial companies. First Student Award Establishe d In keeping with one of the objectives of the society, the first annual graduate student award has been estab- lished for the most outstanding graduate student work- ing in the nuclear sciences . NEW ANS OFFICERS-At the recent meeting of the URER ; Dr. Chauncey Starr, general manager of Atomics The award is the first of its kind by the society and American Nuclear Societe , new officers elected are : (felt International and vice-president of North American Avia- to right) John A . Swartnut, deputy director of Oak Ridge tion, Inc. PRESIDENT ; and Octave J. DuTemple, full was established in memory of Dr . Mark Mills who was National Laboratory. VICE-PRESIDENT ; M. A . Schulz, time EXECUTIVE SECRETARY of the society. killed in a helicopter crash on April 7, 1958, at the project manager of Westinghouse . Pittsburg , TREAS- Eniwetok Proving Grounds in the Pacific, Dr . Mills was a theoretical physicist and an authority in jet propulsion Ground- Breaking For Power Plant and atomic energy . Dr. Starr's Backgroun d Dr. Starr obtained his electrical engineering degree Brings Wire From U . S. Presiden t in 1932 and followed this with a Ph . D in Physics in , 1935, both from Renselaer Polytechnic Institute. Fol- Under a separate contract with the U-S- Atomic 75,000-kw Nuclear Plant To Produce lowing this he became a Research Fellow in Physics at Energy Commission, electricity will be fed into the Harvard University . Electricity For Consumers commercial distribution lines of Consumers Public From 1938 to 1911 . Dr . Starr was research associate Power District of Nebraska, and the utility company at 'Massachusetts Institute of Technology . At the begin- Public Power District At Halla m will operate the completed plant. The nuclear power ning of World War II, he conducted research for the plant is scheduled for completion in late 1961 . Navy Department's Bureau of Ships . Ground-breaking ceremonies on June 28 for the SGR Potential In 1942. he became associated with the Manhattan Atomics International designed sodium graphite reactor Atomics International's Sodium Graphite Reactor District, working with the Radiation Laboratory of the nuclear power plant to be built for the Consumers Pub- University of California at Berkeley, the Tennessee East- lic Power District at Hallam, Nebraska, brought a iSGR) concept is significant because it has the poten- tial of producing steam conditions which are typical man Corp ., Oak Ridge . and the Clinton Laboratories, congratulatory telegram from President Dwight D . Oak Ridge. In 1945. he was appointed to the Man- Eisenhower. of modern conventional steam plants . Current develop- ment work and the designs which are evolving indicate hattan District Technical Committee on Inspection and The President's message read in part . " . .The United the future possibility of SGR nuclear steam power Control of Atomic Energy . States is determined to advance civilization through the plants utilizing 1400 psig . 1000°F (98.3 ata . 538°C) . constructive application of atomic energy . The benefits The plant at Hallam will use 800 psig, 825°F (56 .2 to be derived from harnessing the peaceful power of the ata. 440°Cl . Suited to Larger Power Plant s atom are almost beyond the imagination of mankind . The economics of the sodium graphite reactor show Congratulations and best wishes . to all engaged in The reactor will use uranium dioxide as fuel, graph- . and sodium as the heat transfer that these reactors are potentially attractive for power this most promising enterprise ." ite as the moderator fluid. The plant will operate with higher reactor coolant plants with ratings from 1110 .0011 electrical kilowatts Will Produce Commercial Electricity temperatures . higher fuel element surface temperatures, and larger . where the relatively large investment costs The nuclear power plant will be powered by sodium . and higher steam pressure and temperature than any associated with a physically large reactor and the shield- tooled . graphite-moderated reactor designed and to be other reactor currently authorized in the Ii-S . Atomic ing for a highly active coolant are compensated by high built by Atomics International and will generate heat Energy Commission's Demonstration Power Reactor thermal efficiency and the ability to use modern steam for 75 .000 kilowatts of electricity . Program . equipment. BNA08750436 HDMSt00017460 PAGE TWO NUCLEAR NEWS / ATOMICS INTERNATIONAL Basis For Contract Reached On Highly Successful Operation Of OMRE 12,500- Kilowatt Organic Reactor Draws Editorial Praise In `Nucleonics ' Power Plant For Piqua, Ohi o A basis for contractual arrangements for a demon- "The Organic Moderated Reactor Experiment in Reactor to the forefront as one of today's most rapidly stration Organic Reactor nuclear power plant was Idaho is going quite well with no noticeable gumming developing nuclear systems, Today, only a few years recently reached with the U .S. Atomic Energy Commis- of the system by the decomposition products from the after the first experimental work . the OMRE is produc. sion, Atomics International. and the City of Piqua, fluid. It's a delight to see the `casualness' of the plant .. ." ing convincing evidence of the technical and economical Ohio, This editorial comment in the July 1958 issue of feasibility of organic reactors . The agreement with Atomics International would "Nucleonics" further calls attention to the safety and cover the research, development, fabrication, and con- reliability of the Organic Reactor system . First Commercial OMR Power Plan t struction of a 12,500 electrical kilowatt nuclear reactor, The 12,500-kilowatt Organic Reactor power plant moderated and cooled by a high-boiling point hydro- Over 4200 Hours Continuous Operation which is scheduled for operation for the Municipal carbon and fueled by slightly enriched uranium . Com- Up to the end of June 1958 . the OMRE had logged Power System of the City of Piqua, Ohio, in late 1961, pletion of the reactor is expected by July 1961 . over 4200 hours of nearly continuous operation . Radia- will be the first commercial demonstration plant to Site to be Provided tion damage to the organic has been well within pre- utilize the Organic Reactor system . dicted limits and for power reactors, the indicated The city of Piqua, under a separate agreement with However . conceptual designs have been completed the U coolant replacement-rate is less than 0 .006 pounds per .S. Atomic Energy Commission, would provide for much larger power plants of 100.000-150,000 kilo- the site near its existing steam plant on the Great electrical kilowatt hour . This is equivalent to an energy watts in response to the active interest of countries such cost under one mill . Activity levels in the primary heat Miami River and also provide the conventional turbo. as Italy . Germany and Japan . transfer system have proved to be much lower than generating and relating facilities. anticipated, permitting contact maintenance of pumps Under the Commission's authority, the city of Piqua Other Applications of OM R and process equipment at all times . Mechanical prob- would also operate the entire plant for five years as part lems have been relatively few, with refinery-type com- A design study has also been completed by Atomics of its electrical power and industrial steam system and ponents performing very well . International for the U.S. Maritime Commission and purchase steam produced by the reactor from the the L.S. Atomic Energy Commission, on the application Commission. Second Year of Operatio n of this reactor system to the propulsion of supertankers. The OMRE is now entering its second year of opera- Interest is also being created on the application tion at the National Reactor Test Station in Idaho . Its of the Organic Reactor system to process-steam and very successful experience has brought the Organic process-heat plants . ARTIST'S CONCEPTION-of a 12,500- kilowatt OMR nuclear power plant . Supervised Installation of Reactor Components Atomics International 's Research Reactor Components for the West Berlin reactor were installe d and placed in operation under the supervision of tech- Goes Into Operation In West Berli n nical personnel from Atomics International . Supervisory assistance during installation of the major reactor com- U .S . `ATOMS - FOR-PEACE ' FUEL STARTS 50,000 - WATT REACTO R ponents was given by R . Stewart, installation engineer A 50.000-watt nuclear research reactor . built by and industrial research. including the production and at Atomics International . The checkout and calibration Atomics International and installed at the Institute for study of isotopes . radiation effects on materials, and of electrical equipment and instructions in reactor Nuclear Research in West Berlin . was placed in opera . reactor operation and maintenance practices. operational procedures were directed by Oren J . Foust, tion on July 24 . 1958. while the pre-operating tests and fuel loading methods Fourth Reactor in Operation Abroa d were supervised by B .

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