Word: aec
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...atomics as copper is to the electrical industry." What Scientist Benedict was talking about last week was a huge new program by the Atomic Energy Commission to use almost pure zirconium as a construction material for nuclear reactors. To three companies-National Research, Carborundum Co. and National Distillers Corp. -AEC handed out contracts to buy $70 million of the metal over the next five years. From a trickle, zirconium production will soar to 2,200,000 Ibs. annually. Price: around $6.50 a lb., less than half previous costs...
...have been better timed to supply the zirconium, which is needed not only for submarine and military reactors but for commercial power plants. Last week New York's Consolidated Edison Co. and Chicago's Commonwealth Edison Co. (TIME, April 18, 1955) got a final green light from AEC to build two big nuclear power plants to generate a total 416,000 kw. of electricity. Their reactors alone will require an estimated 50,000 Ibs. of zirconium...
...postwar years, National Lead Co., Union Carbide & Carbon Corp. and others learned to produce commercial-grade zirconium as a hardening material for steel (1,500,000 Ibs. at $10 a Ib. was shipped in 1955). But in 1948, with the start of the atomic power plant program, the AEC found it needed almost pure zirconium. Since it does not become radioactive, it is an ideal construction material for light, compact, thermal-type reactors such as those on the submarines Nautilus and Sea Wolf. A Bureau of Mines pilot plant and, later, Carborundum Co. developed processes to refine 99.5% pure zirconium...
...AEC will expand production nearly tenfold. Using a sodium-based process, National Distillers will turn out 1,000,000 Ibs. annually for the AEC, build a multimillion dollar plant at Ashtabula, Ohio. By modifying the "Kroll Process" for refining titanium, Carborundum Co. will boost production from 325,000 Ibs. to 825,000 Ibs. annually. Using its own process, National Research Corp. will produce 700,000 Ibs. annually for five years, collect $22.7 million. It will build a $6,000,000 plant at Pensacola, Fla. to start production by early 1957 from beach sand...
...first of its kind among the U.S.'s operating reactors. Atomic-minded industrialists, who need to know all there is to know about the safety of the large power reactors before they build their own, were told nothing. A few weeks ago, rumors began to circulate, and the AEC was forced to issue a brief release. But the authorities at Arco would not allow outsiders to see the damaged reactor, and AEChairman Lewis Strauss denied that even the rumors had reached...