Milford chronicle., 1958-01-31
Expanded Science
Course At u. OF d,
Continued from page one)

Continued from page one)
given to the strength of the physics
and mathematics faculties in the
institutions where the reactors are
located.
According to Dean Hagerty, grad
yates of the university who sue
cessfully complete courses of in
struction related to the reactor will
be qualified to accept positions at
such Acc installations as the Ar
gonne National Laboratory, Chica-
go, Brookhaven National Labora-
tory, or the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory, Tenn. Until very re-
Gently. all atomic scientists have
received their training at govern
ment operated laboratories.
"This training reactor will per-
nit us to offer special courses to
all mechanical, electrical and chem
ical engineering students" Dean
Hagerty said. 1T will also be used
by some civil engineers and ply
sizes, biological science, and agri-
culture students. 1t is an important
addition to the university's facili-
department or solely to the school
of engineering, but is of interest
and value to many students and
faculty members"
Among the courses to be offered
beginning September, 1858, are re-
actor technology, atomic physics,
and reactor and Instrumentation
control. A series of courses will be
offered comparatively by the facul-
the chemical and electrical engin-
eering departments, Dean Hagerty
said.
Because of it's significance a uni
versity committee has been formed
to supervise the use of the reactor
and plan instructioHa1 and research
programs for its use. The commit
tee is composed of DR.. Carl j. Rees,
provost; DR.. Fred Somers, asso-
ciate dean of the school of agricul-
ture; Dr. Bruce c.. Lutz, associate
professor of electrical engineering;
DR.. John H. McClendon, assistant
professor of agricultural chemis-
try; DR.. Gordon Keppel, university
physician, and Dean Hagerty.
DR.. Lutz is the university's lie
ensed operator. He received his
license after completing an instruc-
tional course offered by the Aero
jet-Nucleonics Company, San Ra-
mon, Calf, builder of the reactor.
The University of Delaware has
also been approved by the Acc
xxyifh r6 IN n6 To- fir1cr
approved administrative and or
ganization control, and adequate
safety procedures. A permit to set.
up the reactor is expected to be
granted within the next two
months.
AS the university's representative
since proposals for the reactor
were submitted to the Acc in 1855,
DR.. Lutz is largely responsible for
the selection of Delaware as a re-
actor site. He also will be respon-
sible for the supervision of the
training program.
The reactor to be installed at
the university is small-scale pro-
ductiOn of reactors of the type used
to produce power, Dean Hagerty
said, but possesses all the features
of larger models. AS a training re-
actor designed primarily for in
structional purposes it has ample
safety factors.
The reactor itself is nine and a
half feet. high and more than six
feet in diameter with a control
console for the operator. The active
portion of the reactor is approxi-
mately 10 inches high and 10 inch
es in diameter, with most of the
remaining bulk provided by shield
ing consisting mainly of water and
some lead. The total weight of the
reactor is 10000 pounds.
The active ingredient is uranium
oxide distributed in fine particles
through specially treated poly
ethlene core. Control of the reac-
ton is accomplished by motor con-
trolls. There are four such rods in
all, including two for safety, one
for coarse adjustment and one for
fine adjustment. The reactor is
equipped with three independent
detection channels for reading the
level of operation, any one of
which will shut down the process if
the reaction is too high or too low
or if the rate of change becomes
too rapid.