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UNCLASSIFIED
REACTOR DEVELOPMENT
Preparations were in progress to invite industry to submit proposals for performance of
research and development work and a conceptual design for a fast breeder reactor using plutonium oxide-uranium oxide fuel cycle.” This concept offers the promise of reducing fuel costs.
Advanced Design Studies
-
The preliminary evaluation of the pebble bed reactor design concept was completed by
Sanderson and Porter who were continuingtheanalysis of the reactor fuel cycle and heat
transfer problems, In thts concept fuel is in the form of small spheres of graphite impregnated
with uranium or thorium. The core also contains graphite structure to divide the core into regions and to serve as a moderator. Helium is used as the coolant, Fuel element irradiation
work was under way at Battelle Memorial Institute and physics calculations were being performed by Alco Products,Inc.
The fluidized bed reactor concept was being evaluated by The Martin Company. In this
concept water flows up through a bed of unclad uranium dioxide fuel particles to remove heat
and to serve as a moderator. The Martin Company study is to include corrosion and erosion
tests, an analysis of various methods of control, study of nuclear and heat transfer parameters,
and selection of optimum reactor design conditions,
A procedure was formalized for reviewing proposals from industry requesting support for
development of new reactor concepts. Such proposals will be evaluated semiannually on a com-
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petitive basis.
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Power Demonstration Program
AEC Research and Development Assistance
AEC assistance for the existing 10 projects in the Power Demonstration Reactor Program
varies according to the requirements of each project. No financial support is given to plant
construction except to 4 projects of cooperative or publicly owned agencies. The ‘AEC provides
ali the funds for reactor construction for the 3 projects of the Rural Cooperative Power Association, the City of Piqua, and the Chugach Electric Association. The AEC is to own these
reactors ard sell steam to the utilities. In the case of the Consumers Public Power District,
the AEC is to provide the major portion of the funds for the reactor construction and will retain title to those portions of the plant constructed with AEC funds. In no case are AEC funds
used to meet the construction costs of the turbogenerator and other nonnuclear portions of the
proposed neclear plants.
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Frecozstruction assistance from the AEC may include support for specific research and
development work by the proposer, and for the performance of certain research and development work in AEC facilities. Postconstruction assistance by the AEC may consist of research
and development work insuch areas of reactor operation as the extension of fuel element
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operating life, and the development of techniques to deal with unusual maintenance problems
posed by nuclear operation. In addition the AEC offers the waiver of normal charges for the
use of fissionable materials and heavy water jor specified periods of time.
Uncer Public Law 85-590 enacted August 4, 1958, future cooperative arrangements must
be based upon proposals submitted in response to public announcements by the Commission of
particular reactor projects considered technically desirable for construction.
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*Public announcement of the invitation was made October 3.
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