historical comments

[Paul William Shafer <paulwilliam_s@YAHOO.COM>]

There is absolutely no way that anyone could have said

this three days after Pearl Harbor except in

speculation.  "The first experimental lattice

structure of U and graphite was erected about July

1941 at Columbia University by Fermi.  In 1939, Perrin

in France and Flugge in Germany had attempted to

calculate the critical size for a chain reacting

system but the results were of little value because of

lack of data.  This first experimental lattice

structure of U and graphite would provide the data

which would make reliable calculations possible.  A

second structure was built at Columbia in September,

1941 which gave a k value of 0.87.  In experiments

carried out at RL Berkeley, during 1941, expectations

of k values for Pu were confirmed.  In July, 1941,

E.O. Lawrence wrote 'new possiblility has been opened

the exploitation of the chain reaction with

unseparated isotopes of uranium...It appears that the

chain reaction...is achieved, it may be allowed to

proceed...for a period of time for the express purpose

of manufacturing element 94.....In large amounts (5

kg) were available it is likely that a chain reaction

with fast neutrons could be produced.  In such a

reaction the energy would be released at an explosive

rate which might be described as a "super bomb."' The

original Chicago pile

(CP-1) was not suited for producing Pu, so a 1000 kW

air-cooled plant was built at Oak Ridge in 1942.  By

1943, the first graphite moderated single pass water

cooled Pu production reactor (A) was in operation at

Hanford, WA to produce Pu for the first atomic bomb."



Paul Shafer

--- Ted Rockwell <tedrock@CPCUG.ORG> wrote:

> > ...three days after Pearl Harbor wrote a report

> concluding that

> > the fission products formed in only a single day

> of operating a nuclear

> reactor

> >at a power of 100,000 kilowatts might be enough to

> render a large area

> >uninhabitable.

> 

> I figured someone else would comment on this, but if

> no one else will, let

> me note that "three days after Pearl Harbor" there

> was no such thing as a

> nuclear reactor.  Fermi did not demonstrate the

> first nuclear chain reaction

> until a year later.  Is the PH reference correct?

> 

> I realize people speculated about atomic energy

> before that.  Maybe that is

> what was going on.

> 

> Can someone enlighten me?

> 

> Thanks,

> 

> Ted Rockwell

> 

> 

>

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