Atomics International
Encyclopedia
Atomics International was a division of the North American Aviation
company
(later acquired by the Rockwell International
company) which engaged principally in the early development of nuclear technology
and nuclear reactors for both commercial and government applications. Atomics International was responsible for a number of accomplishments relating to nuclear energy
: design, construction and operation of the first nuclear reactor in California (1952), the first nuclear reactor to produce power for a commercial power grid in the United States (1957) and the first nuclear reactor launched into outer space by the United States (1965).
Atomics International undertook the development of nuclear reactors soon after being established: a series of commercial nuclear power reactors beginning with the Sodium Reactor Experiment
(SRE) and a range of compact nuclear reactors culminating with the Systems for Auxiliary Nuclear Power SNAP-10A
system. Both efforts were successful, despite nuclear accidents at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory
, but overall interest in nuclear power steadily declined. The division transitioned to non-nuclear energy-related projects such as coal gasification and gradually ceased designing and testing nuclear reactors. Atomics International was eventually merged with another division of the same parent company. As of 2010, All of the Atomics International facilities, except for the few remaining facilities located in the Area IV test area at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL), have been demolished, cleaned and reused, or awaiting final cleanup.
captured the interest of the United States Government and the general public. In 1948, North American Aviation
created an internal organization called the Atomic Energy Research Department to manage its government and commercial nuclear research and development activities. The Atomic Energy Research Department designed, constructed and operated a 5 watt thermal aqueous homogeneous reactor
at Downey, California, which on April 21, 1952 became the first nuclear reactor to operate in the State of California. In 1955, the AERD was renamed the Atomics International division of North American Aviation.
The Sodium Reactor Experiment
was the result of Atomics International initially focusing on developing and commercializing reactor technology by undertaking the design of a nuclear power reactor capable of producing electricity on a commercial basis. Atomics International decided sodium
was a more appropriate nuclear reactor coolant
than water. Sodium was chosen because it has excellent heat transfer properties, has a low operating pressure at typical reactor temperatures and it has a relatively low melting point. When used as a coolant for a nuclear reactor, water requires heavy piping since at the high reactor temperatures, water is kept under pressure. In the event of an accident, the sudden breach of the high temperature water system (among other things) necessitates a special containment vessel to capture the released pressure.
Experience gained from conducting basic nuclear technology development provided Atomics International with the experience and practical knowledge necessary for the design, construction and operation of the Sodium Reactor Experiment
nuclear reactor. On July 12, 1957 the Sodium Reactor Experiment became the first nuclear reactor in the United States to produce electrical power for a commercial power grid by powering the nearby city of Moorpark. In July 1959 an incident accidentally occurred and was resolved. The company subsequently designed and developed a concept demonstration sodium cooled nuclear power unit for the Hallam Nuclear Generating Station
in Nebraska and a concept demonstration organic (Santowax) cooled nuclear power unit for the Piqua Nuclear Generating Station
, in Ohio as experimental demonstration projects for the Atomic Energy Commission
. The Piqua reactor was a 45.5 MWe organically moderated and cooled reactor
while Hallam was a liquid metal cooled reactor
using metallic sodium with graphite as the moderator. Both Hallam and Piqua were beset by technical problems and operated only a few years before being permanently shut down.
(SNAP) program largely coincided with Atomic International’s Sodium Reactor Experiment effort. In the mid-1950s, Atomics International was chosen as the prime contractor to the U.S. Government for the development of the compact SNAP nuclear reactor. The number of specialized facilities located at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory rapidly increased. Following the successful 1965 launch of the SNAP 10A reactor, the U.S. Government canceled the program leaving a number of government–owned facilities at the site. In 1966, the Liquid Metal Information Center (later renamed the Energy Technology Engineering Center
) was established by the U. S. Department of Energy as their center of liquid metal-related research. The ETEC reused many of the buildings formerly used in the SNAP program.
process using molten salt technology.
As time passed, nuclear research and development activities steadily declined. As a result of this decline, Atomics International was organizationally combined with other Rockwell International operations to become the Energy Systems Group in 1978. Atomics International ceased as an autonomous business division, however, their remaining business activities were performed as the Atomics International division of Energy Systems Group, Rockwell International.
The remaining Atomics International business operations were merged into the Rocketdyne division of Rockwell International
in 1984 when the Energy Systems Group was ended. Nuclear research programs and operations ceased in 1989 and all non-nuclear research ended in 1998. Rockwell International sold the Rocketdyne division to The Boeing Company in 1996. In 2005, Boeing sold Rocketdyne to United Technologies Corporation
who combined it with an existing division and renamed them Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
. Boeing retained ownership of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory
property, including Area IV, with its environmental cleanup responsibilities. The Hamilton Sundstrand
division of United Technologies Corporation became the recipient of the remaining technical knowledge from the Atomics International nuclear-related activities.
in Canoga Park
. Since all of the Atomics International facilities involved radioactive materials to some extent, documentation is available regarding the historical operations at each site.
. They performed basic research and constructed at least one aqueous homogeneous reactor
named the Water Boiler Neutron Source. The four watt reactor was shut down and moved to the Santa Susana Field Laboratory
in December 1955. The reactor-related facilities were examined and determined to be free of residual radioactivity and reused as general office space. The Downey facility was transferred to the City of Downey and the buildings subsequently demolished and replaced with a variety of commercial buildings.
, adjacent to the Rocketdyne
Canoga facility. Principal work performed at the Vanowen facility included fuel development for the SNAP program, and radiochemistry The site also supported the design, development and operation of two small aqueous homogeneous reactor
s, the 5 watt L-47 reactor and the ten watt L-77 reactor. By 1960, both reactors were closed and the radioactive materials removed from the site. Atomics International moved to their new DeSoto Avenue headquarters and Rocketdyne assumed the control of the Vanowen building. The Vannowen building was demolished in 2007.
, California. The De Soto facility hosted the operation of a ten watt L-77 aqueous homogeneous reactor
, nuclear reactor fuel fabrication, a gamma irradiation facility, and a radiochemistry laboratory. All of the operations involving radioactive materials were removed by the mid 1990’s. The site is now owned and operated by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
.
in 1965, for nuclear research projects. It was located at Fallbrook Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard in Canoga Park (present day West Hills
).
Simi Hills
at Santa Susana Field Laboratory
(SSFL) Area IV: Development and testing of nuclear reactors, Nuclear support operations, and non-nuclear energy research and development at the Energy Technology Engineering Center
The Advanced Epithermal Thorium Reactor was built for the Southwest Atomic Power Association at Building 100 in 1960. The AETR was used to test twenty different reactor core configurations by using an apparatus which supported a range of geometries. The AETR program was terminated in 1972.
Atomics International designed and built a range of low power (5 to 50,000 watts thermal) nuclear reactors for research, training and isotope production purposes. These aqueous homogeneous reactor
type of low power nuclear reactors used an 93% enriched uranyl sulphate solution held in a critical configuration in a spherical vessel. Reactivity was controlled using an arrangement of control rods within tubes penetrating the reactor vessel. The solution did not boil; rather, neutron and gamma flux caused radiolytic decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen in the form of tiny bubbles that gave the impression of boiling.
One reactor model, the L-54, was purchased and installed by a number of United States universities and foreign research institutions, including Japan. The Japanese Atomic Research Institute renamed theirs Japan Research Reactor-1 (JRR-1) and the government of Japan issued a commemorative postage stamp noting the establishment of Japan’s first nuclear reactor in 1957. The reactor was decommissioned in 1970 and is now maintained as a a museum exhibit with a Japanese-language website at Tokaimura, Japan
The Sodium Reactor Experiment (SRE) was an experimental nuclear reactor which operated from 1957 to 1964. On July 12, 1957, its electrical generating system produced the first electricity generated from a nuclear power system to supply a commercial power grid in the United States by powering homes in the nearby city of Moorpark
. In July 1959, the narrow internal cooling channels within the reactor fuel rod assemblies became obstructed by an unintended byproduct produced organic contaminant causing 13 of 43 reactor fuel elements to partially melt in an incident. Atomics International personnel repaired the reactor which was restarted in September, 1960 and operated with minor incidents until 1964. The environmental cleanup of any remaining radionuclides will be handled by Boeing and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), with California Department of Toxic Substances Control
(DTSC) direction.
The objective of the SNAP
program undertaken in 1955 by the United States was the development of compact, lightweight, reliable atomic electric devices for space, land and sea. The Atomic Energy Commission
(predecessor to the U.S. Department of Energy), was the procurement agency for the U.S. Department of Defense and National Aeronautics and Space Administration requirements. The AEC was responsible for developing technologies that would allow the requirement to be fulfilled and for carrying out the initial phases of operational tests. From the period 1955 to 1973 when the program was terminated, approximately $850 million then-year dollars were spent by the United States to develop the SNAP nuclear reactors. Atomics International was the prime contractor to the AEC for the development of the SNAP reactors. In the late 1950s to the early 1960s, Atomics International established a number of government-owned facilities to support the SNAP program at Area IV. The SNAP-10A
was the only nuclear reactor
launched and flight tested by the United States. The City of Los Angeles issued a proclamation to recognize the accomplishment. The facilities included underground test facilities to test the compact SNAP nuclear reactors, non-nuclear test and support buildings and administrative offices. Atomics International developed and tested five different SNAP reactors under the Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power Program.
The Energy Technology Engineering Center
(ETEC) specialized in the non-nuclear testing of components which were primarily designed to transfer heat from a nuclear reactor using liquid metals instead of water or gas. Atomics International operated the ETEC as a separate division at SSFL under contract to the U.S. Department of Energy. The ETEC operated from 1966 to 1998.
North American Aviation
North American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
(later acquired by the Rockwell International
Rockwell International
Rockwell International was a major American manufacturing conglomerate in the latter half of the 20th century, involved in aircraft, the space industry, both defense-oriented and commercial electronics, automotive and truck components, printing presses, valves and meters, and industrial automation....
company) which engaged principally in the early development of nuclear technology
Nuclear technology
Nuclear technology is technology that involves the reactions of atomic nuclei. Among the notable nuclear technologies are nuclear power, nuclear medicine, and nuclear weapons...
and nuclear reactors for both commercial and government applications. Atomics International was responsible for a number of accomplishments relating to nuclear energy
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
: design, construction and operation of the first nuclear reactor in California (1952), the first nuclear reactor to produce power for a commercial power grid in the United States (1957) and the first nuclear reactor launched into outer space by the United States (1965).
Atomics International undertook the development of nuclear reactors soon after being established: a series of commercial nuclear power reactors beginning with the Sodium Reactor Experiment
Sodium Reactor Experiment
The Sodium Reactor Experiment was a pioneering nuclear power plant built by Atomics International at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, nearby Simi Valley, California. The reactor operated from 1957 to 1964...
(SRE) and a range of compact nuclear reactors culminating with the Systems for Auxiliary Nuclear Power SNAP-10A
SNAP-10A
SNAP-10A was the first and so far only known launch of a U.S. nuclear reactor into space . The Systems Nuclear Auxiliary Power Program reactor was developed under the SNAPSHOT program overseen by the U.S...
system. Both efforts were successful, despite nuclear accidents at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory
Santa Susana Field Laboratory
The Santa Susana Field Laboratory is a complex of industrial research and development facilities located on a 2,668 acre portion of the Southern California Simi Hills in Simi Valley, California, used mainly for the testing and development of Liquid-propellant rocket engines for the United States...
, but overall interest in nuclear power steadily declined. The division transitioned to non-nuclear energy-related projects such as coal gasification and gradually ceased designing and testing nuclear reactors. Atomics International was eventually merged with another division of the same parent company. As of 2010, All of the Atomics International facilities, except for the few remaining facilities located in the Area IV test area at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL), have been demolished, cleaned and reused, or awaiting final cleanup.
Company history
Following World War II, the potential of nuclear powerNuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
captured the interest of the United States Government and the general public. In 1948, North American Aviation
North American Aviation
North American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
created an internal organization called the Atomic Energy Research Department to manage its government and commercial nuclear research and development activities. The Atomic Energy Research Department designed, constructed and operated a 5 watt thermal aqueous homogeneous reactor
Aqueous homogeneous reactor
Aqueous homogeneous reactors are a type of nuclear reactor in which soluble nuclear salts have been dissolved in water. The fuel is mixed with the coolant and the moderator, thus the name "homogeneous" The water can be either heavy water or light water, both which need to be very pure...
at Downey, California, which on April 21, 1952 became the first nuclear reactor to operate in the State of California. In 1955, the AERD was renamed the Atomics International division of North American Aviation.
SRE - Sodium Reactor Experiment
Sodium Reactor Experiment
The Sodium Reactor Experiment was a pioneering nuclear power plant built by Atomics International at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, nearby Simi Valley, California. The reactor operated from 1957 to 1964...
was the result of Atomics International initially focusing on developing and commercializing reactor technology by undertaking the design of a nuclear power reactor capable of producing electricity on a commercial basis. Atomics International decided sodium
Sodium
Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal and is a member of the alkali metals; its only stable isotope is 23Na. It is an abundant element that exists in numerous minerals, most commonly as sodium chloride...
was a more appropriate nuclear reactor coolant
Nuclear reactor coolant
A nuclear reactor coolant is a coolant in a nuclear reactor used to remove heat from the nuclear reactor core and transfer it to electrical generators and the environment....
than water. Sodium was chosen because it has excellent heat transfer properties, has a low operating pressure at typical reactor temperatures and it has a relatively low melting point. When used as a coolant for a nuclear reactor, water requires heavy piping since at the high reactor temperatures, water is kept under pressure. In the event of an accident, the sudden breach of the high temperature water system (among other things) necessitates a special containment vessel to capture the released pressure.
Experience gained from conducting basic nuclear technology development provided Atomics International with the experience and practical knowledge necessary for the design, construction and operation of the Sodium Reactor Experiment
Sodium Reactor Experiment
The Sodium Reactor Experiment was a pioneering nuclear power plant built by Atomics International at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, nearby Simi Valley, California. The reactor operated from 1957 to 1964...
nuclear reactor. On July 12, 1957 the Sodium Reactor Experiment became the first nuclear reactor in the United States to produce electrical power for a commercial power grid by powering the nearby city of Moorpark. In July 1959 an incident accidentally occurred and was resolved. The company subsequently designed and developed a concept demonstration sodium cooled nuclear power unit for the Hallam Nuclear Generating Station
Hallam Nuclear Generating Station
The Hallam Nuclear Generating Station in Nebraska was the site of an experimental graphite-moderated sodium cooled reactor. It was located near Hallam, about 25 miles southwest of Lincoln. The graphite moderator was clad in stainless steel. There were issues with the cladding, corrosion and...
in Nebraska and a concept demonstration organic (Santowax) cooled nuclear power unit for the Piqua Nuclear Generating Station
Piqua Nuclear Generating Station
The Piqua Nuclear Power Facility was a nuclear power plant which operated just outside the southern city limits of Piqua, Ohio in the United States. The plant contained a 45.5-megawatt organically cooled and moderated nuclear reactor...
, in Ohio as experimental demonstration projects for the Atomic Energy Commission
United States Atomic Energy Commission
The United States Atomic Energy Commission was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by Congress to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S...
. The Piqua reactor was a 45.5 MWe organically moderated and cooled reactor
Organically moderated and cooled reactor
The organic moderated and cooled reactor was an early power reactor concept studied in the formative years of nuclear power by the United States Atomic Energy Commission and others around the world...
while Hallam was a liquid metal cooled reactor
Liquid metal cooled reactor
A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor, liquid metal fast reactor or LMFR is an advanced type of nuclear reactor where the primary coolant is a liquid metal. Liquid metal cooled reactors were first adapted for nuclear submarine use but have also been extensively studied for power generation...
using metallic sodium with graphite as the moderator. Both Hallam and Piqua were beset by technical problems and operated only a few years before being permanently shut down.
SNAP - Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power
Development of a compact nuclear reactor for the Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary PowerSNAP-10A
SNAP-10A was the first and so far only known launch of a U.S. nuclear reactor into space . The Systems Nuclear Auxiliary Power Program reactor was developed under the SNAPSHOT program overseen by the U.S...
(SNAP) program largely coincided with Atomic International’s Sodium Reactor Experiment effort. In the mid-1950s, Atomics International was chosen as the prime contractor to the U.S. Government for the development of the compact SNAP nuclear reactor. The number of specialized facilities located at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory rapidly increased. Following the successful 1965 launch of the SNAP 10A reactor, the U.S. Government canceled the program leaving a number of government–owned facilities at the site. In 1966, the Liquid Metal Information Center (later renamed the Energy Technology Engineering Center
Energy Technology Engineering Center
The Energy Technology Engineering Center , was a government-owned, contractor-operated complex of industrial facilities located within the Santa Susana Field Laboratory , Ventura County, California. The ETEC specialized in non-nuclear testing of components which were designed to transfer heat...
) was established by the U. S. Department of Energy as their center of liquid metal-related research. The ETEC reused many of the buildings formerly used in the SNAP program.
Other nuclear energy projects
Atomics International also engaged in a number of commercial projects. Atomics International built and operated the Atomics International Hot Lab (later renamed the Rockwell International Hot Lab) at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. This facility performed the disassembly of fuel rods to support the on-site research and development of the SNAP reactors and for the decladding of nuclear fuel rods from off-site commercial nuclear reactors. Atomics International also developed a coal gasificationCoal gasification
Coal gasification is the process of producing coal gas, a type of syngas–a mixture of carbon monoxide , hydrogen , carbon dioxide and water vapour –from coal...
process using molten salt technology.
As time passed, nuclear research and development activities steadily declined. As a result of this decline, Atomics International was organizationally combined with other Rockwell International operations to become the Energy Systems Group in 1978. Atomics International ceased as an autonomous business division, however, their remaining business activities were performed as the Atomics International division of Energy Systems Group, Rockwell International.
The remaining Atomics International business operations were merged into the Rocketdyne division of Rockwell International
Rockwell International
Rockwell International was a major American manufacturing conglomerate in the latter half of the 20th century, involved in aircraft, the space industry, both defense-oriented and commercial electronics, automotive and truck components, printing presses, valves and meters, and industrial automation....
in 1984 when the Energy Systems Group was ended. Nuclear research programs and operations ceased in 1989 and all non-nuclear research ended in 1998. Rockwell International sold the Rocketdyne division to The Boeing Company in 1996. In 2005, Boeing sold Rocketdyne to United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut...
who combined it with an existing division and renamed them Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United States company that designs and produces rocket engines that use liquid propellants. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, headquartered in Canoga Park, California, is a division of Pratt & Whitney, itself a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation...
. Boeing retained ownership of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory
Santa Susana Field Laboratory
The Santa Susana Field Laboratory is a complex of industrial research and development facilities located on a 2,668 acre portion of the Southern California Simi Hills in Simi Valley, California, used mainly for the testing and development of Liquid-propellant rocket engines for the United States...
property, including Area IV, with its environmental cleanup responsibilities. The Hamilton Sundstrand
Hamilton Sundstrand
Hamilton Sundstrand, is a global corporation that manufactures and supports aerospace and industrial products for worldwide markets. It was formed from the merger of Hamilton Standard and Sundstrand Corporation in 1999. A subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation, HS is headquartered in Windsor...
division of United Technologies Corporation became the recipient of the remaining technical knowledge from the Atomics International nuclear-related activities.
Facilities and Operations
Atomics International has its beginnings in Downey then moved to several locations in the western end of California’s San Fernando ValleySan Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
in Canoga Park
Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California
Canoga Park is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States about 25 miles northwest of Downtown Los Angeles....
. Since all of the Atomics International facilities involved radioactive materials to some extent, documentation is available regarding the historical operations at each site.
Downey Facility
The Atomic Energy Research Development Group began operations in the North American Aviation plant located on Lakewood Drive in Downey, CaliforniaDowney, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
. They performed basic research and constructed at least one aqueous homogeneous reactor
Aqueous homogeneous reactor
Aqueous homogeneous reactors are a type of nuclear reactor in which soluble nuclear salts have been dissolved in water. The fuel is mixed with the coolant and the moderator, thus the name "homogeneous" The water can be either heavy water or light water, both which need to be very pure...
named the Water Boiler Neutron Source. The four watt reactor was shut down and moved to the Santa Susana Field Laboratory
Santa Susana Field Laboratory
The Santa Susana Field Laboratory is a complex of industrial research and development facilities located on a 2,668 acre portion of the Southern California Simi Hills in Simi Valley, California, used mainly for the testing and development of Liquid-propellant rocket engines for the United States...
in December 1955. The reactor-related facilities were examined and determined to be free of residual radioactivity and reused as general office space. The Downey facility was transferred to the City of Downey and the buildings subsequently demolished and replaced with a variety of commercial buildings.
Vanowen Boulevard Facility
Atomics International occupied a building at the corner of Owensmouth Avenue and Vanowen Boulevard in Canoga Park, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, adjacent to the Rocketdyne
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United States company that designs and produces rocket engines that use liquid propellants. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, headquartered in Canoga Park, California, is a division of Pratt & Whitney, itself a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation...
Canoga facility. Principal work performed at the Vanowen facility included fuel development for the SNAP program, and radiochemistry The site also supported the design, development and operation of two small aqueous homogeneous reactor
Aqueous homogeneous reactor
Aqueous homogeneous reactors are a type of nuclear reactor in which soluble nuclear salts have been dissolved in water. The fuel is mixed with the coolant and the moderator, thus the name "homogeneous" The water can be either heavy water or light water, both which need to be very pure...
s, the 5 watt L-47 reactor and the ten watt L-77 reactor. By 1960, both reactors were closed and the radioactive materials removed from the site. Atomics International moved to their new DeSoto Avenue headquarters and Rocketdyne assumed the control of the Vanowen building. The Vannowen building was demolished in 2007.
De Soto Avenue Facility
In 1959, Atomics International established their headquarters at a complex of buildings located along De Soto Avenue in Canoga ParkCanoga Park, Los Angeles, California
Canoga Park is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States about 25 miles northwest of Downtown Los Angeles....
, California. The De Soto facility hosted the operation of a ten watt L-77 aqueous homogeneous reactor
Aqueous homogeneous reactor
Aqueous homogeneous reactors are a type of nuclear reactor in which soluble nuclear salts have been dissolved in water. The fuel is mixed with the coolant and the moderator, thus the name "homogeneous" The water can be either heavy water or light water, both which need to be very pure...
, nuclear reactor fuel fabrication, a gamma irradiation facility, and a radiochemistry laboratory. All of the operations involving radioactive materials were removed by the mid 1990’s. The site is now owned and operated by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United States company that designs and produces rocket engines that use liquid propellants. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, headquartered in Canoga Park, California, is a division of Pratt & Whitney, itself a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation...
.
Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge Facility
Space was leased from Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge Inc, renamed TRWTRW
TRW Inc. was an American corporation involved in a variety of businesses, mainly aerospace, automotive, and credit reporting. It was a pioneer in multiple fields including electronic components, integrated circuits, computers, software and systems engineering. TRW built many spacecraft,...
in 1965, for nuclear research projects. It was located at Fallbrook Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard in Canoga Park (present day West Hills
West Hills, Los Angeles, California
West Hills is an affluent community and district in the western San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States.West Hills is bordered by Chatsworth and the Chatsworth Reservoir to the north, Canoga Park to the east, Woodland Hills to the south, Hidden Hills to the southwest,...
).
Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL), Area IV Facility
From the period of 1953 to 1989, three primary types of operations were conducted in the Ventura CountyVentura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
Simi Hills
Simi Hills
The Simi Hills are a low rocky mountain range of the Transverse Ranges, located in eastern Ventura County and western Los Angeles County, of southern California, United States.-Geography:...
at Santa Susana Field Laboratory
Santa Susana Field Laboratory
The Santa Susana Field Laboratory is a complex of industrial research and development facilities located on a 2,668 acre portion of the Southern California Simi Hills in Simi Valley, California, used mainly for the testing and development of Liquid-propellant rocket engines for the United States...
(SSFL) Area IV: Development and testing of nuclear reactors, Nuclear support operations, and non-nuclear energy research and development at the Energy Technology Engineering Center
Development and Testing of Nuclear Reactors
- Between 1954 and 1980 at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory several nuclear reactors were built, tested and operated in Area IV. These included both nuclear reactors and critical test assemblies. A critical test assembly is a very low-power reactor that does not require an active cooling system and frequently requires a separate neutron source to maintain critical neutron flux.
- Advanced Epithermal Thorium Reactor
The Advanced Epithermal Thorium Reactor was built for the Southwest Atomic Power Association at Building 100 in 1960. The AETR was used to test twenty different reactor core configurations by using an apparatus which supported a range of geometries. The AETR program was terminated in 1972.
- Homogeneous Water Boiler-type Reactors
Atomics International designed and built a range of low power (5 to 50,000 watts thermal) nuclear reactors for research, training and isotope production purposes. These aqueous homogeneous reactor
Aqueous homogeneous reactor
Aqueous homogeneous reactors are a type of nuclear reactor in which soluble nuclear salts have been dissolved in water. The fuel is mixed with the coolant and the moderator, thus the name "homogeneous" The water can be either heavy water or light water, both which need to be very pure...
type of low power nuclear reactors used an 93% enriched uranyl sulphate solution held in a critical configuration in a spherical vessel. Reactivity was controlled using an arrangement of control rods within tubes penetrating the reactor vessel. The solution did not boil; rather, neutron and gamma flux caused radiolytic decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen in the form of tiny bubbles that gave the impression of boiling.
One reactor model, the L-54, was purchased and installed by a number of United States universities and foreign research institutions, including Japan. The Japanese Atomic Research Institute renamed theirs Japan Research Reactor-1 (JRR-1) and the government of Japan issued a commemorative postage stamp noting the establishment of Japan’s first nuclear reactor in 1957. The reactor was decommissioned in 1970 and is now maintained as a a museum exhibit with a Japanese-language website at Tokaimura, Japan
- Sodium Reactor Experiment (SRE) Program
The Sodium Reactor Experiment (SRE) was an experimental nuclear reactor which operated from 1957 to 1964. On July 12, 1957, its electrical generating system produced the first electricity generated from a nuclear power system to supply a commercial power grid in the United States by powering homes in the nearby city of Moorpark
Moorpark, California
Moorpark is a city in Southern California. It was founded in 1900 by Robert Poindexter, presumably named after the moorpark apricots that grew in the area. The city has experienced a great amount of growth since the late 1970s...
. In July 1959, the narrow internal cooling channels within the reactor fuel rod assemblies became obstructed by an unintended byproduct produced organic contaminant causing 13 of 43 reactor fuel elements to partially melt in an incident. Atomics International personnel repaired the reactor which was restarted in September, 1960 and operated with minor incidents until 1964. The environmental cleanup of any remaining radionuclides will be handled by Boeing and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), with California Department of Toxic Substances Control
California Department of Toxic Substances Control
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control is an agency of the government of the state of California. The Mission of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control is to provide the highest level of safety, and to protect public health and the environment from toxic harm...
(DTSC) direction.
- Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP) Program
The objective of the SNAP
SNAP-10A
SNAP-10A was the first and so far only known launch of a U.S. nuclear reactor into space . The Systems Nuclear Auxiliary Power Program reactor was developed under the SNAPSHOT program overseen by the U.S...
program undertaken in 1955 by the United States was the development of compact, lightweight, reliable atomic electric devices for space, land and sea. The Atomic Energy Commission
Atomic Energy Commission
Many countries have or have had an Atomic Energy Commission. These include:* Australian Atomic Energy Commission * Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission * Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique...
(predecessor to the U.S. Department of Energy), was the procurement agency for the U.S. Department of Defense and National Aeronautics and Space Administration requirements. The AEC was responsible for developing technologies that would allow the requirement to be fulfilled and for carrying out the initial phases of operational tests. From the period 1955 to 1973 when the program was terminated, approximately $850 million then-year dollars were spent by the United States to develop the SNAP nuclear reactors. Atomics International was the prime contractor to the AEC for the development of the SNAP reactors. In the late 1950s to the early 1960s, Atomics International established a number of government-owned facilities to support the SNAP program at Area IV. The SNAP-10A
SNAP-10A
SNAP-10A was the first and so far only known launch of a U.S. nuclear reactor into space . The Systems Nuclear Auxiliary Power Program reactor was developed under the SNAPSHOT program overseen by the U.S...
was the only nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
launched and flight tested by the United States. The City of Los Angeles issued a proclamation to recognize the accomplishment. The facilities included underground test facilities to test the compact SNAP nuclear reactors, non-nuclear test and support buildings and administrative offices. Atomics International developed and tested five different SNAP reactors under the Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power Program.
| Designation | Name | Date | Power (kWth) | SSFL Building Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SER | SNAP Experimental Reactor | Sep 59 – Dec 60 | 50 | 010 |
| SDR a.k.a S2DR | SNAP (2) Developmental Reactor | Apr 61 – Dec 62 | 65 | 024 |
| S8ER | SNAP 8 Experimental Reactor | May 63 – Apr 65 | 600 | 010 |
| SNAP 10A FS-3 | Duplicate of launched SNAP 10A FS-4 | Jan 65 – Mar 66 | 38 | 024 |
| S8DR | SNAP 8 Developmental Reactor | Jun 68 –Dec 69 | 600/1000 | 059 |
Nuclear Support Operations
At the Santa Susana Field Laboratory approximately twenty facilities were designed and built in Area IV to handle or manage radioactive materials in support of the nuclear reactor programs. These operations included fuel fabrication, storage and reprocessing, radioactive measurement and calibration and radioactive waste management and disposal preparation. As of January 2010, only the Radioactive Materials Handling Facility remains in operation in support of the DOE’s cleanup effort.ETEC - Energy Technology Engineering Center
The Energy Technology Engineering Center
Energy Technology Engineering Center
The Energy Technology Engineering Center , was a government-owned, contractor-operated complex of industrial facilities located within the Santa Susana Field Laboratory , Ventura County, California. The ETEC specialized in non-nuclear testing of components which were designed to transfer heat...
(ETEC) specialized in the non-nuclear testing of components which were primarily designed to transfer heat from a nuclear reactor using liquid metals instead of water or gas. Atomics International operated the ETEC as a separate division at SSFL under contract to the U.S. Department of Energy. The ETEC operated from 1966 to 1998.
Ownership and Licensing
Atomics International was a division of a private company which engaged in the commercial enterprise of selling products and services to other companies, Universities and foreign governments. Atomics International also conducted research and development for the United States Government. Operating as a both a contractor the U.S. Government and as a commercial company, Atomics International maintained authorizations allowing for the use of radioactive materials in either situation. Activities using radioactive materials owned by the Department of Energy were supervised by that government agency and no licensing was required. For facilities such as the DeSoto, Vannowen operated under a permit to operated granted and monitored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or the California State Department of Health Services, Radiological Health Branch. Four buildings at SSFL were licensed by the NRC: Rockwell International Hot Lab (4020), The L-85 reactor building (4093), Nuclear Materials Development Facility (4055), and the Fast Critical Experiment Laboratory (4100). Personnel radiation exposure limitations were generally lower for those working in facilities licensed by the NRC as opposed to sites overseen by the DOE and operating personnel frequently rotated between the facilities.See also
- Santa Susana Field LaboratorySanta Susana Field LaboratoryThe Santa Susana Field Laboratory is a complex of industrial research and development facilities located on a 2,668 acre portion of the Southern California Simi Hills in Simi Valley, California, used mainly for the testing and development of Liquid-propellant rocket engines for the United States...
(SSFL) - California Department of Toxic Substances ControlCalifornia Department of Toxic Substances ControlThe California Department of Toxic Substances Control is an agency of the government of the state of California. The Mission of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control is to provide the highest level of safety, and to protect public health and the environment from toxic harm...
(DTSC)
Additional information
- The DOE’s former Energy Technology Engineering Center Project website provides extensive historical and current site cleanup information.
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- as does;
- The Department of Toxic Substances Control-SSFL cleanup project info: DTSC Site Investigation and Cleanup.
- Nuclear-related activities conducted in SSLF Area IV can be accessed using an interactive graphic.
- as does;
- A general operational history and detailed individual histories for each SSFL Area IV building can be found in the 2005 Historical Site Assessment document.
External links
- ACME - Aerospace Cancer Museum of Education - A.I. and SSFL information resources.
- Boeing website provides information regarding the cleanup of SSFL, including Area IV.
- The Rocketdyne Information Society SSFL cleanup forum.
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control-SSFL official State DTSC - SSFL website