Here's an interesting read for nuclear power history buffs. We used to show the SL-1 video to the students the day of the comp to fill up time while the comp was graded. Warning: it's a huge file.
http://www.inl.gov/proving-the-principle/chapter_15.pdf
The recent threads on historical reactors had me searching the Internet for a few moments today. In addition to Derek's PDF posting here awhile ago, I found this 40 minute streaming video on SL-1, which I had never seen.
http://www.archive.org/details/gov.ntis.A13886VNB1For the people considering a career in nuclear power, this is a good starting point for understanding "why we do the things we do"...sometimes in an unforgiving, aggressive manner. If we have to choose between hurting someone's feelings, but preventing SL-1 (or TMI, Chernobyl) then sorry, you're going to have to toughen up.
First, this reactor accident happened as a 3 MW design reactor went from
0 to 20 Gigawatts in 4 milliseconds. Good luck getting your brain to comprehend that rate of energy change. For the rest of us, we don't need a calculator to figure out they went "prompt critical".
As you go through the video, at 9:45 point they talk about surveying their way into the accident area, but had to stop when they found 200 R/HR. In comparison, all of us get about 20 millirem/month from natural background sources. Then in 20+ years of nuclear work, I've received (only) about 1000 mrem (1 R) in additional "occupational exposure". So, perhaps one of these recent HS graduates that self-proclaims to have done poorly in math, but is ready to be a nuke now can calculate how long it would have taken Co60Slr to receive his lifetime exposure had he been the one holding that survey meter? Or, how long would it take for someone to receive their federal exposure limit under those circumstances? (Hint: 10CFR20)
Here's another subtle one that doesn't get too much press today, so I'll post for interest. In 1999, a "nukeworker" brother in Japan tried/tested his version of "critical geometry" while processing a drum of uranium. Note to the new nukeworkers: if you can see the flash of light from the critical reaction, you just received a LOT of radiation.
http://www.wise-uranium.org/eftokc.html. To convert Sieverts into REM, you can play with this website:
http://hptech.org/nuclear/convert/sievert.htmlSo, in reference to other threads...no, I don't believe "they" were smarter than we are collectively in 2010. They learned the hard way sometimes, which means they deserve our respect for teaching us lessons that still apply today. Why do we have so many rules, procedures, and regulators watching us? Because we can't afford any more mistakes. It only takes 4ms.
Be good...we're all on the same team...Navy, Commercial, DOE, etc.
Co60
