1960s see innovation in SRP's reactors

Web posted Sunday, November 12, 2000

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1960:

Savannah River Plant began to play an increasing role in reprocessing uranium used as fuel in reactors at other sites.

The most serious of the 10 most significant reactor incidents occurred in L Reactor in January. It caused no harm to people, release of radioactivity to the environment or damage to equipment, according to a group of 11 reactor supervisors, engineers and physicists assigned by Du Pont management to analyze incidents that had occurred at the plant.

After the Atomic Energy Commission Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards' review of SRP reactors, major steps were taken to ensure against accidental release of radioactive materials to the environment by way of the reactor ventilating systems.

1963-64:

Reactor powers were increased by 100 to 200 megawatts by increasing the pressure within the reactor tank by 5 pounds per square inch. R Reactor was shut down in 1964 and placed in standby status because of lack of demand for its production.

1964:

The first of many improvements in reactor instrumentation was taken with the trial in K Area of a process surveillance computer that would replace much of the original temperature- and flow-recording instruments. Similar computers were installed in the four operating reactors by the end of 1966.

1965-70:

Reactor products proliferated at SRP. Ten nuclides were produced, including tritium and californium-252.

1967:

SRP reactors met the overall intent of the Atomic Energy Commission's 70 criteria for licensed commercial reactors.

1968:

C Reactor developed leaks in the curved section that joins its flat bottom to the cylindrical tank wall. The reactor was shut down, and the leaks were repaired.

1969:

A study of the vulnerability of SRP to earthquakes was commissioned.

Source: History of Du Pont at the Savannah River Plant, by William P. Bebbington, published by E.I. Du Pont De Nemours and Co.

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