EBR-1

The nuclear reactor tour was very interesting.  The atomic motors for the airforce bomber program were very cool.

 Nuclear/Atomic engines for bomber aircraft

 Nuclear/atomic train engine

 EBR control room

 What SCRAM stands for. Very interesting!

 Looking down into the reactor. The glass is 4 feet thick to protect from residual radiation

 The names of the men who were there when the first nuclear reactor produced electricity

 The generator

 This is where the liquid metal that went through the reactor transferred it's heat to the secondary system to heat the water into steam.

 A different style of reactor, where the to plates move closer together to get the critical mass instead of lowering or raising the rods.

 This was used to transfer the spent fuel rods to storage.

 Fuel rods inside the vault.  Before they were put into the reactor they are safe to handle.  Afterward, not so much!

 The vault door

 Where the spent rods were stored.  Called the rod farm.

 The hot cell.  34 layers of glass 39 inches thick. These are the first ever remote manipulator arms.

 Door to access radioactive areas.

 Looking into the core and the mechanism for raising and lowering the rods.

 Reflector repair room.  The reflector is made of bricks of uranium 238 surrounding the core.  The atoms from the reaction penetrate the U-238 and become plutonium 239. This can then be used for more fuel.  The reactor produces more fuel then it uses.

 Notice the wall thickness

 Here is where the operator looked into the reflector room and could remove and replace bricks as needed with manipulator arms

 Another part of the heat transfer area from the liquid metal coolant

 The control rods

 Behind these plates are ports into the reactor.  Maybe for maintenance?