July 5, 1950 letter from J. H. Lampe to Colonel J. W. Harrelson, with enclosure

%DONRplans070550; ]> July 5, 1950 letter from J. H. Lampe to Colonel J. W. Harrelson, with enclosure Machine readable transcription Lampe, John Harold Creation of machine-readable version: James M. Jackson Sanborn Creation of digital images: James M. Jackson Sanborn Conversion to TEI.2-conformant markup: James M. Jackson Sanborn ca. 12 kilobytes NCSU Libraries Raleigh, NC DONRplans070550

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07-26-00

Images of the document pages have been included. Proposed Plans for the Design of the Nuclear Reactor Lampe, John Harold

4 pp. Manuscript copy consulted UA105.1

Nuclear Reactor

Prepared for the North Carolina State University Science and Technology Electronic Text Center

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Library of Congress Subject Headings July 5, 1950 letter from J. H. Lampe to Colonel J. W. Harrelson, with enclosure

July 5, 1950 Colonel J. W. Harrelson Chancellor North Carolina State College Campus Dear Colonel Harrelson:

While, at the ASEE meeting in Seattle, Washington, and in visits with many engi- neering deans as well as members of the Atomic Energy Commision, much interest was shown on our Nuclear Engineering Program and our plans for a nuclear reac- tor. Congratulations and encouragement were extended on the progressive program that we are developing here in the School of Engineering at North Carolina State College.

Among other things on my desk when I returned from Seattle was a letter to you written by Dr. Beck under date of June 24, 1950, dealing with the sketch and floor plans, as well as the external appearance of a building specifically de- signed to house a nuclear reactor. I appreciate very much Professor J. D. Paul- son's preparing this tentative sketch for the Physics Radiation Laboratory of the School of Engineering.

There are several locations on the State College campus which would be most suitable for this Radiation Laboratory, and Dr. Beck and I hope that in the near future we may review these various locations and make a written report to you and a request for approval from the Building Committee of the Board of Trustees. I have heard unofficially, and which I hope is correct, that there is a strong possibility that $150,000 of State funds have been obtained for the construction of the nuclear reactor and that there is strong hope of obtaining matching funds from private sources so that a total of $350,000 will be available to provide the building to house the Reactor and to build the Reactor and its associated equip- ment.

I believe the development of Nuclear Engineering training here in the School of Engineering at North Carolina State College is one of the biggest advances which has been made in this generation. We have effective national leadership in this program for the development of experimental work and for graduate and under- graduate instruction. The Atomic Energy Commission is most sympathetic to our suggestions and is strongly supporting our designed program. We are now at the most critical stage of bringing the reactor program to fruition, and that is the obtaining of the necessary funds to construct the building as well as the reactor. Dr. Beck and I discussed this whole program yesterday and lock for- ward to hearing from you officially as to the status of our financial support for this reactor development.

With continued high appreciation of your help and support with the developments and programs of the Engineering School, I am

Sincerely yours, J. H. Lampe Dean of Engineering JHL:p cc: Mr. J. G. Vann Dr. Clifford Beck

North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering of the University of North Carolina Raleigh Physics Department June 24. 1950 Col. J. W. Harrelson, Chancellor North Carolina State College Raleigh, North Caroline Dear Colonel:

As you requested, Mr. Paulson and I have prepared a tentative sketch of the floor plan and external appearance of a building specifically designed to house the Nuclear Reactor State College intends to build. The details are not completely thought out, but the four essential features of the eventual instal- lation (sketch 1, left above) are inlcuded. They are, in order of importance

1. The Reactor Room, with the nuclear reactor, a huge octagonal block of concrete 17 feet across and 11 feet high (largely underground and partly below floor level), in the center of the room. Around the reactor must be space for experimental equipment. Opposite each opening in the concrete block, from which a collimated beam of radiation may emerge, a narrow opening in the building wall leading to an underground radiation trap, must be provided. Head room above the reactor is needed for large ventilation blowers, and for lifting crane. 2. The Research Wing, or more correctly, the pre-and post-exposure sample pre- paration, handling and counting laboratories. These facilities for specimen manipulation immediately adjacent to the Reactor Room will more then double the types and importance of research projects which can be undertaken. This wing must be equipped for the handling of highly radioactive materials. 3. The Student Wing. With the press of research problems certain to be scheduled for the Reactor, and the high level of radioactivity, it will be virtually impossible to have students in the Research Wing for nuclear technology training. Yet instruction and education is one of the fundamental objectives for which the Reactor is being established. Hence a space adjacent to the Reactor suitable for laboratory and student research activities is highly desirable. 4. The Control-Observation-Calculation-Records Area. If necessary, the control console can be located in one of the laboratory wings, adjacent to the Reactor Room. It is almost imperative however, that there be a sizable area near the Reactor which is completely free of radiations or radioactive materials. Cal- culations, records, observation facilities for visitors (of which there are certain to be many because this will be the first reactor in the entire country-- the world, perhaps, accessible to the public), etc. must be located outside "work" areas.

On first sight, this whole building appears rather a large one. I have sketched the entire plan as it most desirably should be built. If funds are not available however, the entire laboratory, though desirable, would not be initially essential to reactor operation. Quite effective work could be done with only the central portion and one wing, or even with the central portion alone (with reassignment of space functions). One wing, or both, could be added later. It is possible also that each dimension of the building (except perhaps those of the Reactor Room) could be reduced somewhat, if necessary.

I hope this information and these sketches will be adequate for your purposes. If there is anything further we can provide you, please command us.

Perhaps I should add for your information our reactor design, if anything is ahead of schedule. If events ocour as we now anticipate, complete approval of our project should be obtained and the construction phase should begin on or before September 1 of this year.

I remain, Sincerely yours, Clifford K. Beck, Head Department of Physics encls. CKB lvm