b'C H A P T E R 6N E U T R O N S : F AS T F LU X , H I G H F LU X ,A N D R I C KO V E RS F LU Xbegan with careful monitoring and mea- liant. At the time, no one understoodsuring of various radiation sources while just how corrosive hot water could be The Mail Goes Thro u g hthe reactor operated at low power. T h e n on the metal cladding surrounding thefull-power operation allowed for mea- fuel. In dealing with the problem,suring the levels outside the hull shield- Westinghouse discovered that pure zir- T he dedication of those Idaho peo-ing. By this method, the sea tank helped conium resisted such corrosion. No one ple was amazing. Once, we need-N a u t i l u sengineers design the shielding supplied the material, so Westinghouse ed to get some data to Pittsburgh and arrangement of equipment that built its own facility to produce it. The by the next morning. Remember,would best protect the crew. 2 3 pure metal formed the cladding for the this was before fax machines. T he fuel elements in the Idaho prototype last plane for Salt Lake City hadIn the cramped quarters of a submarine, reactor. Later, Westinghouse developed already left Idaho Falls, so we sentshielding should occupy just enough a zirconium alloy that improved its the data to Salt Lake City by a dri-precious space, but not a square foot performance further. 25 ve, who could still make the con-rtoo much. Most shieldingand human nection with the midnight plane foractivityaboard submarines is fore and The rectangular buildings at the Navys Pi tts bur gh. Unfortunately he ran out aft the reactor, not along the sides. prototype complex and at all the other of gas while still in Idaho. But heYears later, the Navys orientation reactor sites at the NRTS were represen- was undaunted.handbook for sailors, The Bluejackets tations of the low bid and had no kin-Manual, would say, Heavy shielding ship with aesthetics or high-style The state police came by, and he per-protects the crew so that they receive architecture. Buildings were basic shells suaded them to drive him to the stateless radiation than they would from nat- of reinforced concrete, pumice block, line and to radio ahead for the Utahural sources ashore. 24 wood, or metal. Excitement and value state police to meet him and takeresided entirely inside, in reactor rooms, him on to the airport. He reached theNot surprisingly, using pressurized laboratories, and operating corridors. airport just in time and found thewater as the coolant handed another set These places were full of the best, the Westinghouse courier. The ponyof engineers opportunities to be bril- newest, the first, and the only. It fit the express had nothing on these guys.John Simpson 26times, for as so many people would laterrecall, Everything we did was new. The testing station was about to go intobusiness. Argonne would operate thebreeder; Bettis, the Nautilusprototypereactor. For the MTR, the AEC intend-ed to select the company that employedthe best industrial research manager inthe nation.Naval personnel operating S1W equipment.INEEL 56-27435 3'