Army Nuclear Power Program

The Army Nuclear Power Program ( ANPP; German " nuclear energy program of the U.S. Army " ) was a program should provide the United States Army to develop small nuclear power plants, the secluded and relatively inaccessible places with electricity and district heating. It was led by the U.S. Army Engineer Reactors Group and had his headquarters at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

The program could produce some remarkable achievements, ultimately, but it was seen as a " solution to a nonexistent problem." A total of eight nuclear power plants, including those in Alaska, Greenland and Antarctica, built and operated. The program ran from 1954 to 1977, when the last nuclear reactor was taken out of service.

History

As early as 1952 there were in the United States interested in the possible application of nuclear energy for land-based military purposes. A memo of the Secretary of Defense from February 10, 1954 said the United States Army the responsibility to "develop nuclear power plants, the secluded and relatively inaccessible military installations with heat and electricity supply ." The Department of the Army thereupon sent an the Army Nuclear Power Program and pointed it to the Corps of Engineers to.

The Atomic Energy Act of 1946 had the Atomic Energy Commission responsible for research and development in the field of nuclear energy, so that the program was a joint inter-agency activity of the Department of the Army and the Atomic Energy Commission. When the Atomic Energy Act was revised in 1954, authorized Section 91b the Department of Defense, special nuclear material to use to acquire defenses. On 9 April 1954, the head of the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Engineer Reactors Group set up that should perform the orders of the Department of the Army. The focus of the Army Nuclear Power Program was on energy production plants, while the parallel conducted Naval Reactors Program has focused on the nuclear-powered submarines and ships.

The Atomic Energy Commission, however, came after a few years to the conclusion that the probability that the program's goals could be achieved in a time manner and at a reasonable cost, is not high enough to finance the project on. Cuts in the military budget for long- term research and development work due to the Vietnam War, prompted in 1966 the Atomic Energy Commission to phase out its support of the program. The cost of development and production of compact nuclear power plants were ultimately so high that they would only be justified if the reactors would have had unique skills and clearly defined with one, would have been provided by the Department of Defense supported target. As a result, the participation of the United States Army in the research and development of nuclear power plants has been steadily reduced and ultimately stopped.

The last nuclear reactor was shut down in 1977, but it was still work continued until the closure or safe containment of the plants.

Tasks and objectives

In essence, the duties of the Army Nuclear Power Programs were:

• Carry out research and development in the field of nuclear power plants in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission;
• The nuclear power plants of the Corps of Engineers to operate;
• Training to perform the operation of these nuclear power plants;
• Other agencies, as needed, to provide technical assistance and
• Programs on the use of nuclear reactors for developing military applications.

In one approved by the Department of the Army target agreement for the development of nuclear power plants of 7 January 1965, the objectives of the program were:

• The reduction or elimination of dependence on fossil fuels;
• The reduction or elimination of the logistical burdens the operation of conventional nuclear power plants;
• Reliable operation;
• A rarely necessary fuel bills and maintenance;
• A reduced workforce with the ultimate goal of unattended operation;
• Transport, mobility and response times that are compatible with the supported mission or equipment and
• Improved cost efficiency.

Nuclear power plants

In the Army Nuclear Power Program a total of eight nuclear reactors and nuclear power plants were built. The thermal efficiency of power plants is typically in the range of 30-40%, wherein the ANPP reactors for various reasons it was only about 20%. The available electrical energy outside the system was limited in some plants by the removal of water vapor and heat supply in all plants by the need to supply the nuclear power plant itself.

The need for a small size used all the reactors except for the MH -1A to 93 % enriched uranium. The MH -1A had more space and weight capacity available and could therefore low enriched uranium (4-7 %) work. For a short time this reactor is used in Vietnam was planned, but the idea was quickly rejected by the U.S. State Department.

The plants are listed in order of first criticality.

Name key:

• First letter: S - stationary (stationary), M - mobile (portable), P - portable ( portable )
• Second letter: H - high power (high power ), M - medium power ( average power ), L - low power (low power)
• Number: serial number
• Third letter: A means -site installation

Achievements

The Army Nuclear Power Program can have the following achievements:

• Detailed designs for pressurized water, boiling water, gas cooled and liquid metal reactors
• First nuclear power plant with a containment (SM -1)
• First use of stainless steel for fuel element sleeves ( SM-1 )
• First nuclear power plant in the United States, the power delivered to a commercial network (SM -1)
• First nuclear district heating source in the United States (SM -1a)
• First substitution of a steam generator in the United States (SM -1a)
• First containment pressure suppression (SM -1A )
• First operational nuclear power plant with boiling water reactor ( SL -1)
• The first portable, prefabricated, modular nuclear power plant, which was built, operated and dismantled again (PM -2A )
• First use of nuclear energy for seawater desalination (PM- 3A)
• First mobile, transportable cottages nuclear power plant (ML -1)
• First nuclear-powered gas turbine having a closed Brayton cycle (ML -1)
• First floating ( on a ship ) nuclear power plant (MH -1A )

Training

In Fort Belvoir a training program for workers in a nuclear power plant ( Nuclear Power Plant Operator Course, NPPOC ) was performed. Candidates for the program were convened men who had committed at least two years of service after completion of training. The prerequisite for admission to the program included screening test results that were at least as demanding as for officer candidates.

The NPPOC was an intense, challenging and one year continuous course. The training was held to four months in the three phases theory, operation and specialty. The theory of phase consisted of eight hours of instruction in electrical, mechanical and reactor technology. The operational phase took place on SM-1 and consisted of shift work both as a machinist at the plant itself, as well as operator in the control room. The specialization phase consisted either of the area of ​​mechanical, electrical, instrumentation or health or chemistry.

Over 1000 nuclear power plant employees received their final 1958-1977. All nuclear power plants of the Army Nuclear Power Programs were operated by personnel who have been trained in their respective fields.

As from 18 June 1965, military insignia in the four classes Basic ( badge ) awarded Second Class (second class), First Class (first class) and Shift Supervisor ( Shift Supervisor ). The basic badge were graduates of NPPOC, while the higher classes required the completion of a certain number of layers, as well as any other written exams. The badges were worn on service dress uniforms and above the ribbons above the left pocket flap. 1991 badges have been classified as obsolete by the Army Regulation 672-5-1, the regulation allows, however, still wearing a badge when it was previously awarded.