Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-14
Peace Session
Gets Detailed
Atom Report

GENEVA, Aug. 10 (PJ.-Two
American scientists gave the
atoms-for-peace conference de-
tailed reports today on newly
designed atomic power plants
which they claim can produce
electricity eventually on pay
ling basis.
Neither of the projects has yet
gone beyond the planning stage
but the designers of both eX-
pressed confidence that. once in
operation, they will be able toI
complete with the price of coal
produced power in some areas.
Clarke Williams Of Brookhaven
National Laboratory. N. Y, de-
scribed plans for what is tech
nically known as a Liquid metal
fuel reactor' designed to produce
100000 kilowatts of electricity.
He estimated this plant would be
able to turn out electricity at
cost Of 7.8 mills per kilowatt hour.
Distance Fixes Cost
The cost of conventional power
in the United States averages
from four to seven mills a kilo-
watt. depending on distance from
the source of fuel. In many parts
of the world. power production
costs considerably more.
No atomic power station now
in operation comes anywhere
near the level mentioned by Mr..
Williams. All, however, are
much smaller, and are expert
mental models.
The conference also heard a
report from P. F. Cast. of the
engineering department Of Gen.
eral Electric's Hanford. Wash,
atomic production operation,
who read a paper giving full de-
tails Of a proposed graphite
moderated nuclear power plant.
This also is a large-scale
project, designed to produce
223.000 kilowatt hours of elec-
tricity. Mr.. Cast called it a plant
"of broad potential application"
and said it is capable of pro-
ducing electrical power at an
economically competitive level
in many parts of the world"
Russians Comment
He estimated 1t could turn out
electricity that could sell forI
less than seven mills a khowattl
hour and still make a profit.
Russian scientists, after listen
ing to the reports, said some
Soviet designs were remarkably |
similar in design to the General
electric plant.
Others were particularly in
terested in the high conversionI
rate-the percentage of electricI
power obtained from the heat
generated by the reactor-which
Mr.. Williams claimed for the
Brookhayen plant. According to
his paper, the plant will produce
100000 kilowatts of electricity
with 100000 kilowatts of heat.
This is at a rate of approx
mately AZ per cent.
Prof. Karl Writ of Germany l
vice chairman OF the special
panel on reactors. said This is
the highest rate I ever heard of"
There also was a considerable
amount Of interest in a new type
reactor described by a Dutch SCI
enlist. J. j. Went. This uses
uranium fuel in the form of
Tight dust or sand" instead of
In liquid or solid form as present
reactors use. One of the advan-
tages Of this type reactor is that
1t could burn natural uranium
the cheapest kind Of atomic fuel.
Most other reactors require en-
riched uranium.
Dutch Design Lauded
A Russian scientist, partici-
Ipating in the discussions, said
the new Dutch design consti-
tuted one Of the most useful
potential ways of approaching
the quest for large-scale eco
Inomic power production.
In other panels:
Experts exchanged notes on
chemical damage done to vari-
GUS parts Of reactors by the ra-
Idiation which takes place during
the flssion process. one of the
big problems in connection with
atomic development is to find
new metals. alloys and other
material that will stand up under
the radiation.