N e w s of F o r e i g n S c i e n c e and T e c h n o l o g y

C O N S T R U C T I O N OF THE F I R S T A T O M I C POWER S T A T I O N IN ENGLAND

Construction of the first English atomic power station, consisting of two uranium-graphite reactors with gas cooling, was commenced in May, 1953 at Calder Hall, Cumberland. The prospective power output of the station is 92 megawatts. The first reactor should begin to operate at the end of 1956, and by the end of 1957 he atomic power station will begin to produce electricity for general consumption [1,,2, 5].

I I

r

. - - . - - - - .

2 i

I

'\ i ~

8

g

: . . . : . , - ; ' : , J : . : ' . . o - ' . - : . * ' " , , . . . . : : : ; .~;

Figure 1. Schematic drawing of reactor [3]. 1) Pipe for cooling air; 2) bridge crane; 3) channels for fuel elements and control rods; 4) hot gas; 5) charging tubes; 6) high pressure steam; 7) low pressure steam; 8) high pressure steam drum; 9) steam to turbogenerator assembly; 10)control rods; 11) hot gas outlet; 12) reversing and control unit; 13) control rod; 14) uranium rods 1,5) graphite moderator; 16) heat shield; .17) hermetically sealed reactor casing; 18) cold gas inlet; 19) biological shield 20) heat exchanger; 21) cold gas; 22) high pressure steam drum; 23) forced air circulatory cooling system with electric blower; 9.4.) motor-generator.

1 0 9 �9

Figure 2. General view of atomic powei station,

In the foreground- second reactor, orl the l e f t - first reactor. The administration buildings can be seen between the two reactors, Two cooling towers are visible behind the first reactor: the farther one fully com- pleted, the nearer under construction [5].

Figure 3, The building housing the first reactor. The heat exchanger is in the center, and the cooling tower~ to the left.

110

Figure 4. One of the four heat exchan- gers (the heat exchanger is hidden by boards, pipes and stairs) consisting of a steol cylinder 24.4 m high, 5.5 m in diameter, weighing 200 tons. The heat exchanger was transported to Calder Hall, disassembled (9 sections), and welded on the spot [5]. The heat exchanger pipes are supplied with fins. Water and steam flow through the pipes; hot carbon di- oxide gas is in contact with the outside of the clusters of pipes.

Figure 5. Construction of one of the two reactors. In the foreground is a complefed hermetically sealed reactor casing which will be set up in the reactor building to a height of 36.6 m [2].

111

Figure 6. Bottom of the hermetically sealed reactor casing. On the left is the pipe through wMch carbon

dioxide is returned from the heat exchanger to the reactor [2].

Figure:,~, Two cooling towers. Construction of tower No. 2 on the left, completed tower NO. 1 on the right. Two towers 88.4 m high and 61 m in diameter (at the base) are provided for each reactor. Each tower can

cool 13,500 m 3 of water an hour [5].

112

The act ive zone of the reactor is composed of several thousand graphite blocks, which serve as moderator,

and is enclosed in a he rmet ica l ly sealed s tee l casing 12.2 m in d iameter and 18.3 m high, welded together from s tee lp la tes 60 mm thick. In the graphite there is a large number of ver t ical channels for fuel e lements

and control rods.

Natural uranimn rods with me ta l l i c cladding are used for fuel. Control and safety rods consist of stainless steel tubes f i l led with boron steel blocks.

The core is surrounded by a concrete b io logica l shield. To reduce heat ing of the concrete, the inner surface of the concrete is l ined with steel sheets 100 mm thick.

Extraction of heat from the reactor is accomplished by carbon dioxide gas at seven atmospheres pressure, which circulates through the core and four heat exchangers located at; the corners of the reactor building. More than 20 tons of carbon dioxide is required to fil l the entire system. In the secondary loop of the heat exchanger is formed the steam which feeds four turbogenerators [3], [4].

The first Calder Hall unit wil l be included in the e lec t r ic power system in October, 1956. The second reactor is scheduled to commence operation six months after the first; i . e . , in April , 1957.

Of six reactors of the Calder Hall type, two will be built at Calder Hall and four near Annan (Dumphries county). [6]. 1/

v . v .

L I T E R A T U R E C I T E D

i l ] Engineering 180, No. ,4674, 265 (1955).

[2] Iridustfial Cherhist 31, No~ 371, 599-601 (1955).

[3] A Programme of Nuclear Power, Her Majesty 's Stationary Office, London, 1955.

[4] C. Hinton, The Graphite- moderated; Gas- cooled Pile and its P lace in Power ;Production, Report No. 406 at the Internat ional Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy.

[5] Sphere 223, No. 2911, 378-379(1955).

[6] Engineering 181, No. 4698, 143 (1956).

113