DOCSLIB.ORG

Nuclear Proliferation Technology Trends Analysis

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Nuclear Proliferation Technology Trends Analysis PNNL-14480 Nuclear Proliferation Technology Trends Analysis M.D. Zentner G.L. Coles R.J. Talbert September 2005 Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC05-76RL01830 DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor Battelle Memorial Institute, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or Battelle Memorial Institute. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONAL LABORATORY operated by BATTELLE for the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY under Contract DE-AC05-76RL01830 Printed in the United States of America Available to DOE and DOE contractors from the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, P.O. Box 62, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-0062; ph: (865) 576-8401 fax: (865) 576-5728 email: [email protected] Available to the public from the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161 ph: (800) 553-6847 fax: (703) 605-6900 email: [email protected] online ordering: http://www.ntis.gov/ordering.htm This document was printed on recycled paper. (9/2003) PNNL-14480 NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION TECHNOLOGY TRENDS ANALYSIS September 2005 M.D. Zentner G.L. Coles R.J. Talbert PNNL-14480 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................... i TABLE OF FIGURES........................................................................................................ ii TABLE OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... ii 1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1 2.0 TECHNOLOGY TRENDS ANALYSIS APPROACH ............................................... 1 3.0 ENRICHMENT TECHNOLOGY................................................................................ 3 3.1 GASEOUS DIFFUSION ENRICHMENT TECHNOLOGY HISTORY ................ 3 3.1.1 Technology Description..................................................................................... 3 3.1.2 Technology Development.................................................................................. 4 3.1.3 Countries that have used/attempted to use technology...................................... 7 3.1.4 Technological Information Acquisition/Development .................................... 11 3.1.5 Required Concurrent Technologies ................................................................. 12 3.2 CENTRIFUGE ENRICHMENT TECHNOLOGY HISTORY.............................. 12 3.2.1 Technology Description................................................................................... 12 3.2.2 Technology Development................................................................................ 15 3.2.3 Countries that have used/attempted to use technology.................................... 19 3.2.4 Technological Information Acquisition/Development .................................... 31 3.2.5 Required Concurrent Technologies ................................................................. 33 3.3 ELECTROMAGENTIC ISOTOPE SEPARTION TECHNOLOGY HISTORY .. 34 3.3.1 Technology Description................................................................................... 34 3.3.2 Technology Development................................................................................ 37 3.3.3 Countries that have used/attempted to use technology.................................... 38 3.3.4 Technological Information Acquisition/Development .................................... 40 3.3.5 Required Concurrent Technologies ................................................................. 41 3.4 CHEMICAL AND ION EXCHANGE ENRICHMENT TECHNOLOGY HISTORY ..................................................................................................................... 41 3.4.1 Technology Description................................................................................... 41 3.4.2 Technology Development................................................................................ 43 reductions in energy use, improved catalysts, and improved regeneration techniques must occur before the technology can compete with other enrichment processes. .. 45 3.4.3 Countries that have used/attempted to use technology.................................... 45 3.4.4 Technological Information Acquisition/Development .................................... 47 3.4.5 Required Concurrent Technologies ................................................................. 47 3.5 AERODYNAMIC ISOTOPE SEPARATION TECHNOLOGY HISTORY......... 47 3.5.1 Technology Description................................................................................... 47 3.5.2 Technology Development................................................................................ 52 3.5.4 Technological Information Acquisition/Development .................................... 54 3.5.5 Required Concurrent Technologies ................................................................. 55 3.6 LASER ENRICHMENT TECHNOLOGY HISTORY.......................................... 55 3.6.1 Technology Description................................................................................... 55 3.6.2 Technology Development................................................................................ 57 3.6.3 Countries that have used/attempted to use technology.................................... 57 3.6.4 Technological Information Acquisition/Development .................................... 58 3.6.5 Required Concurrent Technologies ................................................................. 59 4.0 REACTOR BASED TECHNOLOGY ....................................................................... 60 i PNNL-14480 4.1 GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTOR TECHNOLOGY HISTORY ................ 61 4.1.1 Technology Description................................................................................... 61 4.1.2 Technology Development................................................................................ 62 4.1.3 Countries that have used/attempted to use the technology .............................. 63 4.1.4 Technological Information Acquisition/Development .................................... 67 4.1.5 Required Concurrent Technologies ................................................................. 70 4.2 HEAVY WATER MODERATED REACTOR TECHNOLOGY HISTORY....... 70 4.2.1 Technology Description................................................................................... 70 4.2.2 Technology Development................................................................................ 72 4.2.3 Countries that have used/attempted to use the technology .............................. 72 4.2.4 Technological Information Acquisition/Development .................................... 74 4.2.5 Required Concurrent Technologies ................................................................. 77 4.3 RESEARCH REACTOR TECHNOLOGY HISTORY ......................................... 77 4.3.1 Technology Description................................................................................... 77 4.3.2 Technology Development................................................................................ 78 4.3.3 Countries that have use/attempted to use research reactors............................. 78 4.3.4 Technological Information Acquisition/Development .................................... 81 4.3.5 Required Concurrent Technologies ................................................................. 83 4.4 REPROCESSING TECHNOLOGY HISTORY .................................................... 83 4.4.1 Technology Description................................................................................... 83 4.4.2 Technology Development................................................................................ 88 4.4.3 Countries that have used/attempted to use the technology .............................. 92 4.4.4 Technological Information Acquisition/Development .................................. 100 4.4.5 Required Concurrent Technologies ............................................................... 102 5.0 INSIGHTS AND CONCLUSIONS.......................................................................... 102 5.1 ENRICHMENT TECHNOLOGY SUMMARY .................................................. 102 5.2 PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY SUMMARY .......................... 103 Appendix A – Glossary................................................................................................... 104 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1 Stage Arrangement and components in a U.S gaseous diffusion plant............... 4 Figure 2 Sub-critical gas centrifuge components.............................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Study Into the Localized Corrosion of Magnesium Alloy Magnox Al-80
    A Study into the Localized Corrosion of Magnesium Alloy Magnox Al-80 Ronald N. Clark‡*, James Humpage**, Robert Burrows*, Hugh Godfrey***, Mustufa Sagir****, Geraint Williams** ‡Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. *National Nuclear Laboratory, Unit 102B, Sperry Way, National Nuclear Laboratory, Stonehouse, GL10 3UT, UK **Swansea University, Materials Research Centre, Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea, SA1 8EN, Wales, UK ***National Nuclear Laboratory, Workington Laboratory, Havelock Road, Derwent Howe, Workington, Cumbria, CA14 3YQ, UK ****Sellafield Limited, Hinton House, Birchwood Park Avenue, Risley, Warrington, Cheshire, WA3 6 GR, UK [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ABSTRACT Magnesium (Mg) non-oxidizing alloy, known as Magnox, was historically used as a fuel cladding material for the first-generation of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas-cooled nuclear reactors in the UK. Waste Magnox is currently stored in cooling ponds, pending final disposal. The corrosion resistance of Mg and its alloys is relatively poor, compared to modern cladding materials such as zirconium (Zr) alloys, so it is important to have a knowledge of the chloride concentration/pH dependence on breakdown and localized corrosion characteristics prior to waste retrievals taking place. Our results show that Magnox exhibits passivity in high pH solutions, with charge transfer resistance and passive film thicknesses showing an increase with immersion time. When chloride is added to the system the higher pH maintains Magnox passivity, as shown through a combination of potentiodynamic and time-lapse/post corrosion imaging experiments. Potentiodynamic polarization of Magnox reveals a -229 mV-decade linear dependence of breakdown potential with chloride ion concentration.
    [Show full text]
  • WATTS 04-2013 P1 PARC Management Team / Bestuurspan Aug
    04-2013 WATTS Year 83 + 4m Monthly newsletter of the Pretoria Amateur Radio Club Maandelikse nuusbrief van die Pretoria Amateur Radio Klub. PARC, PO Box 73696, Lynnwood Ridge 0040, RSA web http://www.parc.org.za mail: [email protected] Bulletins: 145,725 MHz 08:45 Sundays/Sondae Relays: 1.840, 3.700, 7.066, 10.135, 14.235, 51.400, 438.825, 1297 MHz ZR6FD logo Activated frequencies are announced prior to bulletins Papier / Paper Drukwerk ZS6RH Swapshop: 2m and 7.066 MHz Live on-air after bulletins ZS6RH Bulletin repeats Mondays | herhalings : Maandae 2m 19:45 Another glimpse of the extensive facility operated by Iain-ZS5IE (more photos on QRZ.com) In this issue In hierdie uitgawe Next club events Fleamarkets at PMC Member news and activities Lede-nuus en Aktiwiteite Wed 1 May (public holiday) Sat 10 Aug Sat 7 Dec Technical Rig reviews Tegnies Club social at U.P. G7FEK limited space antenna Thursday 4 Apr 7pm Aluminium alloys Club committee meeting ● Page eight -- Bladsy agt Thursday 18 Apr 7pm WATTS 04-2013 p1 PARC Management team / Bestuurspan Aug. 2012 – Aug. 2013 Committee members Chairman, Contests Pierre Holtzhausen ZS6PJH [email protected] 012-655-0726 082-575-5799 Vice Chairman, SARL liason Fritz Sutherland ZS6SF [email protected] 012-811-3875 083-304-0028 Secretary, Clubs, Strategy Jean de Villiers ZS6ARA [email protected] 012-663-6554 083-627-2506 Treasurer, SARS Andre van Tonder ZS6BRC [email protected] 361-3292 082-467-0287 Rallies, Social Johan de Bruyn ZS6JHB [email protected] 012-803-7385 079-333-4107 Webmaster Graham Reid ZR6GJR [email protected] 083-701-0511 RAE, Bulletin co-ordinator Vincent Harrison ZS6BTY [email protected] 012-998-8165 083-754-0115 Repeaters, Technical Craig Symington ZS6RH [email protected] 081-334-6817 Technical, Kits.
    [Show full text]
  • Maec.19 70 (University of London) London
    COMPLEX & INCREMENTAL STRESS CREEP OF A HIGH STRENGTH ALUMINIUM ALLOY AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES (ALLOY: HIDUMINIUM RR58 SPECIFICATION DTD 731) by SURINDAR BAHADUR MATHUR Thesis presented in the Department of Mechanical Engineering for the Award of the Doctor of Philosphy in Mechanical Engineering of the University of London. Mechanical Engineering Department Imperial College of Science and Technology mAec.19 70 (University of London) London. ABSTRACT A theory for creep rates under complex and incremental stresses is deduced from experimental data concerning complex creep at elevated temperatures for the test material HIDUMINIUM RR 58 - Specification DID 731. The most important results are for tubular specimens tested at 150°C and 250°C under incremental loads. The analysis of results relates to steady state creep only. Modified relationships in stress equivalence and strain equivalence are proposed to account for thermal softening, polygonization, recrystallization and the resulting exaggerated flow in the direction of the applied shear. (The original equations are based on the hypothesis of Von Mises). A further relationship is suggested between the immediate total energy of distortion and the subsequent creep work rate. Results of the static tests and the results of the tests for creep behaviour under complex loading are presented and compared with the results of static torsion and simple incremental torsion creep tests on the basis of the proposed equations. An appendix describes the complex creep testing machine, furnace, extensometers
    [Show full text]
  • Evaluation of Covert Plutonium Production from Unconventional Uranium Sources
    International Journal of Nuclear Security Volume 2 Number 3 Article 7 12-31-2016 Evaluation Of Covert Plutonium Production From Unconventional Uranium Sources Ondrej Chvala University of Tennessee Steven Skutnik University of Tennessee Tyrone Christopher Harris University of Tennessee Emily Anne Frame University of Tennessee Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/ijns Part of the Defense and Security Studies Commons, Engineering Education Commons, International Relations Commons, National Security Law Commons, Nuclear Commons, Nuclear Engineering Commons, Radiochemistry Commons, and the Training and Development Commons Recommended Citation Chvala, Ondrej; Skutnik, Steven; Harris, Tyrone Christopher; and Frame, Emily Anne (2016) "Evaluation Of Covert Plutonium Production From Unconventional Uranium Sources," International Journal of Nuclear Security: Vol. 2: No. 3, Article 7. https://doi.org/10.7290/v7rb72j5 Available at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/ijns/vol2/iss3/7 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Volunteer, Open Access, Library Journals (VOL Journals), published in partnership with The University of Tennessee (UT) University Libraries. This article has been accepted for inclusion in International Journal of Nuclear Security by an authorized editor. For more information, please visit https://trace.tennessee.edu/ijns. Chvala et al.: Evaluation Of Covert Plutonium Production From Unconventional Uranium Sources International Journal of Nuclear Security, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2016 Evaluation of Covert Plutonium Production from Unconventional Uranium Sources Tyrone Harris, Ondrej Chvala, Steven E. Skutnik, and Emily Frame University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Nuclear Engineering, USA Abstract The potential for a relatively non-advanced nation to covertly acquire a significant quantity of weapons- grade plutonium using a gas-cooled, natural uranium-fueled reactor based on relatively primitive early published designs is evaluated in this article.
    [Show full text]
  • Monica Mwanje on How Inclusion and Diversity Will Shape the Future of the Industry
    www.nuclearinst.com The professional journal of the Nuclear Institute Vol. 16 #6 u November/December 2020 u ISSN 1745 2058 Monica Mwanje on how inclusion and diversity will shape the future of the industry BRANCH The latest updates from your region ROBOT WARS The future of contamination testing YGN Staying connected in a virtual world FOCUS ANALYSIS NET ZERO Why glossy marketing won’t New capabilities in radioactive Could nuclear-produced fix the gender diversity materials research hydrogen be the answer problem to climate change? u Network u Learn u Contribute u CNL oers exciting opportunities in the burgeoning nuclear and environmental clean-up eld. CNL’s Chalk River campus is undergoing a major transformation that requires highly skilled engineers, scientists and technologists making a dierence in the protection of our environment and safe management of wastes. PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE 4 Gwen Parry-Jones on building a new normal NEWS, COLUMNS & INSIGHT 6-7 News 23 8-9 Branch news 10-11 BIG PICTURE: Robot Wars 12 Letters to the Editor 13 BY THE NUMBERS: Russia’s nuclear plans 14-15 MEMBER VALUE: Supporting diversity 18 News 19 Supply chains in the nuclear industry FEATURES 20-22 FOCUS: Fixing the gender diversity problem – by Jill Partington of Assystem 23-25 ANALYSIS: New capabilities in radioactive material research - by Malcolm J Joyce, Chris Grovenor and Francis Livens 26-27 NUCLEAR FOR NET ZERO: Could nuclear-produced hydrogen solve climate issues? - by Eric Ingersoll and Kirsty Gogan of LucidCatalyst 20 YOUNG GENERATION NETWORK
    [Show full text]
  • Endless Trouble: Britain's Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
    Endless Trouble Britain’s Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) Martin Forwood, Gordon MacKerron and William Walker Research Report No. 19 International Panel on Fissile Materials Endless Trouble: Britain’s Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) © 2019 International Panel on Fissile Materials This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial License To view a copy of this license, visit ww.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0 On the cover: the world map shows in highlight the United Kingdom, site of THORP Dedication For Martin Forwood (1940–2019) Distinguished colleague and dear friend Table of Contents About the IPFM 1 Introduction 2 THORP: An Operational History 4 THORP: A Political History 11 THORP: A Chronology 1974 to 2018 21 Endnotes 26 About the authors 29 About the IPFM The International Panel on Fissile Materials (IPFM) was founded in January 2006 and is an independent group of arms control and nonproliferation experts from both nuclear- weapon and non-nuclear-weapon states. The mission of the IPFM is to analyze the technical basis for practical and achievable pol- icy initiatives to secure, consolidate, and reduce stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and plutonium. These fissile materials are the key ingredients in nuclear weapons, and their control is critical to achieving nuclear disarmament, to halting the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and to ensuring that terrorists do not acquire nuclear weapons. Both military and civilian stocks of fissile materials have to be addressed. The nuclear- weapon states still have enough fissile materials in their weapon stockpiles for tens of thousands of nuclear weapons. On the civilian side, enough plutonium has been sepa- rated to make a similarly large number of weapons.
    [Show full text]
  • Microstructual Characteristics of Magnesium Metal Matrix Composites
    University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2012 Microstructual Characteristics Of Magnesium Metal Matrix Composites Dongho Shin University of Central Florida Part of the Materials Science and Engineering Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Masters Thesis (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Shin, Dongho, "Microstructual Characteristics Of Magnesium Metal Matrix Composites" (2012). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 2244. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/2244 MICROSTRUCTUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MAGNESIUM METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES by DONGHO SHIN B.S. Korea Military Academy, 2006 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Summer Term 2012 Major Professor: Yongho Sohn 1 © 2012 Dongho Shin ii ABSTRACT Magnesium (Mg) Metal matrix composites (MMCs) reinforced by ceramic reinforcements are being developed for a variety of applications in automotive and aerospace because of their strength-to-weight ratio. Reinforcement being considered includes SiC, Al2O3, Carbon fiber and B4C in order to improve the mechanical properties of MMCs. Microstructural and interfacial characteristics of MMCs can play a critical role in controlling the MMCs’ mechanical properties. This study was carried out to understand the microstructural and interfacial development between Mg-9wt.Al-1wt.Zn (AZ91) alloy matrix and several reinforcements including SiC, Al2O3, Carbon fibers and B4C.
    [Show full text]
  • Aluminium Alloys Chemical Composition Pdf
    Aluminium alloys chemical composition pdf Continue Alloy in which aluminum is the predominant lye frame of aluminum welded aluminium alloy, manufactured in 1990. Aluminum alloys (or aluminium alloys; see spelling differences) are alloys in which aluminium (Al) is the predominant metal. Typical alloy elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, tin and zinc. There are two main classifications, namely casting alloys and forged alloys, both further subdivided into heat-treatable and heat-free categories. Approximately 85% of aluminium is used for forged products, e.g. laminated plates, foils and extrusions. Aluminum cast alloys produce cost-effective products due to their low melting point, although they generally have lower tensile strength than forged alloys. The most important cast aluminium alloy system is Al–Si, where high silicon levels (4.0–13%) contributes to giving good casting features. Aluminum alloys are widely used in engineering structures and components where a low weight or corrosion resistance is required. [1] Alloys composed mostly of aluminium have been very important in aerospace production since the introduction of metal leather aircraft. Aluminum-magnesium alloys are both lighter than other aluminium alloys and much less flammable than other alloys containing a very high percentage of magnesium. [2] Aluminum alloy surfaces will develop a white layer, protective of aluminum oxide, if not protected by proper anodization and/or dyeing procedures. In a wet environment, galvanic corrosion can occur when an aluminum alloy is placed in electrical contact with other metals with a more positive corrosion potential than aluminum, and an electrolyte is present that allows the exchange of ions.
    [Show full text]
  • Magnox Corrosion
    Department Of Materials Science & Engineering From Magnox to Chernobyl: A report on clearing-up problematic nuclear wastes Sean T. Barlow BSc (Hons) AMInstP Department of Materials Science & Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK IOP Nuclear Industry Group, September 28 | Warrington, Cheshire, UK Department Of Materials Science & Engineering About me… 2010-2013: Graduated from University of Salford - BSc Physics (Hons) Department Of Materials Science & Engineering About me… 2013-2018: Started on Nuclear Fission Research Science and Technology (FiRST) at the University of Sheffield Member of the Immobilisation Science Laboratory (ISL) group • Wasteforms cement, glass & ceramic • Characterisation of materials (Trinitite/Chernobylite) • Corrosion science (steels) Department Of Materials Science & Engineering Department Of Materials Science & Engineering Fully funded project based PhD with possibility to go on secondment • 3-4 month taught course at Manchester • 2 mini-projects in Sheffield • 3 years for PhD + 1 year write up • Funding available for conferences and training • Lots of outreach work • Site visits to Sellafield reprocessing facility, Heysham nuclear power station & Atomic Weapons Authority Department Of Materials Science & Engineering Fully funded project based PhD with possibility to go on secondment • 3-4 month taught course at Manchester • 2 mini-projects in Sheffield • 3 years for PhD + 1 year write up • Funding available for conferences and training • Lots of outreach work • Site visits to Sellafield reprocessing facility, Heysham nuclear power station & Atomic Weapons Authority Department Of Materials Science & Engineering Department Of Materials Science & Engineering 2017: Junior Project Manager at DavyMarkham Department Of Materials Science & Engineering PhD projects… 4 main projects 1. Magnox waste immobilisation in glass 2.
    [Show full text]
  • England's Atomic Age. Securing Its Architectural and Technological Legacy
    77 England’s Atomic Age. Securing its Architectural and Technological Legacy Wayne D. Cocroft Introduction Wales where a pilot uranium isotope separation plant was constructed.3 The building has been listed by Cadw. This paper presents a brief overview of places in England For many reasons, including cost, the threat from aerial that have been associated with atomic research, including the bombing and concerns that vital resources would be drawn early nuclear weapons programme, and especially those plac- away from more pressing tasks British knowledge and sci- es that have been afforded statutory protection. It describes entists were transferred to the US atomic bomb project – the the infrastructure of the civil nuclear power industry and how Manhattan Project. But, after the passing of the McMahon this legacy is being remediated to release land for new us- Act in 1946 the UK was denied access to US atomic work es. It concludes with a discussion of how Historic England‘s and embarked on its own nuclear weapons programme. Dur- strategy for the documentation of post-war coal and oil-fired ing this period the weapons and civil research programmes power stations that might be applied to the nuclear sector. often worked closely together drawing on a relatively small pool of scientific experts. Early history The development of the British atomic bomb From the late 19th century scientists in the United King- dom were part of an international community of pioneers The early research facilities allocated to the project were working to understand the structure of the atom. Important modest and included a small section of the Royal Arsenal, centres included the physics building at the University of Woolwich, and a redundant 19th century fortification, Fort Manchester, built in1900, where Ernest Rutherford, a New Halstead, Kent.
    [Show full text]
  • Nuclear Arms Race
    WINDSCALE AND THE POST-WAR NUCLEAR ARMS RACE Windscale, 1956, with the impressive James Chadwick works with Major General Leslie Groves And so, Attlee decided to independently pursue Piles on the right. as part of the Manhattan Project. the research of nuclear science and creation of an atomic bomb. In 1945, he created the Gen The special relationship Churchill had so carefully 75 Committee, also known as the Atomic Bomb cultivated began to fracture after the war ended. Committee, which established the government’s Considering the new technology and information uncovered nuclear policy. He knew he would need some of during the Manhattan Project to be a joint discovery, Britain’s sharpest minds to successfully develop Britain had expected that the sharing of advancements Britain’s nuclear technology and brought some of in the nuclear field would continue in peacetime. But the the country’s most prominent scientists on board, death of Roosevelt in 1945 would mark the end of wartime fresh from their time working on the Manhattan collaboration between the two countries, as President Project. Although these scientists had gained key Truman brought to a conclusion the agreements previously experience in the States and returned home with reached with Britain and Canada, going so far as to valuable knowledge, none of them had a complete introduce the Atomic Energy Act in 1946 which classified picture of how their research came together to US atomic secrets. With this act, it became a federal create a nuclear weapon, having been limited in their offence to reveal such nuclear secrets, deeming it a matter roles.
    [Show full text]
  • October 3 2011 the Rise and Fall of the Fast
    Fall 08 October 3 2011 The rise and fall of the fast breeder reactor technology in the UK: between engineering “dreams” and economic “realities”? Markku Lehtonen Jenny Lieu 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction 6 II. The inception of the nuclear power programme (from 1940) 9 2.1 Military ambitions 10 2.1.1 The early pioneers (early 1940s) 10 2.1.2 The Atomic Project (mid-1940s) 11 2.1.3 Windscale reactors (from late 1940s to 1950s) 16 2.2 The civil nuclear power programme 17 2.2.1 Motivations for the nuclear programme and the creation of the AEA (1950s) 17 2.2.2 British reactor technologies (1950s to 1980s) 18 2.2.3 Plan to privatise the electricity industry... 21 2.2.4 ...and the withdrawal of nuclear from privatisation 23 2.3 Summary of the evolution of the UK nuclear sector 27 III. The fast breeder reactor dream: expectations for the future 29 3.1 FBR as the long term goal 30 3.1.1 Dounreay Experimental Fast Reactor, DFR (1950s to mid-1960s) 31 3.1.2 Prototype Fast Reactor, PFR (mid-1960s to 1970s) 33 IV. The long decline 38 4.1 AEA split-up and the erosion of institutional support for fast breeders? (1970s) 38 4.2 Towards a commercial fast breeder reactor (CFR) and international collaboration (1970s) 39 4.3 RCEP’s 6th report – the “Flowers Report” (1970s) 41 4.4 Reprocessing, proliferation concerns and the Windscale Inquiry (late 1970s) 43 4.4.1 The institution of public inquiry and the run-up to Windscale Inquiry 44 4.4.2 Reprocessing, FBRs and proliferation fears 46 4.4.3 The outcome of the Inquiry: landmark of participatory decision-making or a symbol of opposition against the ‘nuclear complex’? 47 4.5 CFR – an experimental or commercial reactor? (late 1970s) 49 4.6 "Thatcher the scientist" takes office: an interlude of optimism in the fast reactor community (late 1970s) 50 4.7 International collaboration - preparations for the 'fallback option' begin (late 1970s to 1980s) 51 V.
    [Show full text]