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REACTOR DEVELOPMENT
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coolant system. A decrease in heat transfer capabillty of the organic coolant wasnoted when
the concentration of polymerized organic material approached 40 percent.
Liquid metal type.
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) was selected as the site for
the Liquid Metal Fuel Reactor Experiment No. 1 (LMFRE-1) subject to a hazards evaluation
approval. Work on the test loop was in progress at BNL. Babcock & Wilcox prepared to perform critical experiments for the LMFRE-1 at their Lynchburgfacility,
Over-all design of the Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor (PRTR) at Hanford was 99 percent
complete. Erection of the containment vessel was started. The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards is to consider the preliminary hazards report in October. Invitations to bid on
the remaining major {tems were solicited during September. The scope of the project was
revised to include a facility for examining fuel elements, with no increase in the total estimated
cost of the project. The over-all design of the Plutonium Fabrication Laboratory associated
with the PRTR at Hanford was 62 percent complete.
Excavation and foundation work were in progress for the Fuels Technology Center at
Argonne National Laboratory. A fixed-price contract was awarded to the Malan Construction
Company in September for the construction of the building superstructure, complete with
mechanical and electrical services, The center will be the first facility to be devoted primarily to research on solid plutonium fuels.
Heavy water type. Tentative selection of a site was made for the Heavy Water Components
Test Reactor (HWCTR)at Savannah River. Safety aspects of the site were to be reviewed by the
Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards. The design and development program for the reactor was approved in August. The HWCTRis to be used to test fuel elements and other components for the prototype heavy-water-moderated power reactor.
Gas-cooled type. Preliminary design work was continued by Kaiser Engineers and ACF
Industries on a prototype Gas Cooled Power Reactor (GCPR) of 30,000 electrical kilowatts
capacity fueled with partially enriched uranium. Since helium has shown significant advantages
over carbon dioxide as a coolant, Oak Ridge carried on tests to study the behavior in a helium
atmosphere of graphite and various metals useful in fuel cladding. Stainless steel, niobium,
and molybdenum were virtually unaffected by exposures to static helium for a period of 1,000
hours at 1,400 d=grees Fahrenheit in the presence of graphite.
Reactor Studies
nium fuel. A selection board was reviewing the 15 proposals submitted before the deadline of
September 29,
Individual lezters of invitation and a press release were issued on September 15 inviting
‘proposals to uncertake separate studies on two large-scale power reactors and one internediatesized prototype power reactor. The studies are to be on boiling-water, pressurized-water, and
Organic-cooled nuclear power plants and are to be performed in accordance with engineering
reguirements esz2blished by the AEC. The proposals are to be submitted by October 15, 1958.*
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Individua] lezters and a public announcement were issued August 29, 1958, inviting proposals to undertake design studies, in accordance with engineering requirements established
by the AEC, of 2 heavy-water-moderated power reactor capable of operating on natural ura-
*Twenty-nineEropesale were received by October 15 on the boiling-water, 26 on the pressurizedwater, and 30 on the organic-cooled reactor typea.
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DOE ARCHIVES