64 



miles northeast of Honolulu) to attempt to pene- 

 trate the mantle proper. The subsequent program 

 will depend upon scientific findings during these 

 first phases. 



ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION 



FY 1965-$2,237,000 

 FY 1966-$7,325,000 

 FY 1967-18,840,000 



The objective of the Atomic Energy Commis- 

 sion's oceanographic nuclear power program is 

 the development of isotopic and reactor power 

 sources to meet the power needs of the National 

 Oceanographic Program, as well as the needs of 

 low power terrestrial applications. 



Each application carries an almost imique set 

 of requirements. Since it is clearly not economical 

 to de\'elop a power supply for every individual 

 application, the following discrete power level 

 ranges have been chosen as representing areas 

 of greatest potential applicability at this time. 



a. Isotopic power generators in the following 

 electrical power ranges: 



(1) 100 to 600 milliwatts 



(2) 10 to 200 watts (ad\anced de\elopment 

 work underway) 



(3) 1 to 5 kilowatts 



b. Nuclear reactor power sotnces: 



(1) 100 KWe* to 2 MWe* for auxiliary power 

 and/or vehicle propulsion 



(2) 2 MWe and above primaril)- for \ehicle 

 propulsion 



The exact power level interface between 

 isotopic generators and reactors is difficult to de- 

 fine and will be heavily dependent on the cost and 

 availability of the desired isotope. On the basis 

 of current isotopic production rates, foreseeable 

 power requirements, present unit costs ($/cinie), 

 and the best projected production rates and costs 

 after the large scale fission product recovery 

 plant becomes available in 1968. it is planned to 

 develop isotopic power generators up to power 

 levels of approximately 5 KWe in the next five 

 years. Power levels for isotopic systems in suc- 

 ceeding years will be determined from studies 

 starting in FY 1967. Reactor systems can be de- 



*KWe — electrical kilowatts; MWe — electrical megawatts. 



signed for a wide range in power le\el; therefore, 

 there will be a range where both radioisotope and 

 reactors must be considered. The choice between 

 them will be made on the basis of both the re- 

 quirements for the applications and the economics 

 inxolved. Thus, while the direction of the cmrent 

 isotopic program is to de\elop advanced units in 

 a power range of milliwatts to 5 kilowatts, the 

 reactor program will concentrate on the develop- 

 ment of auxiliary power and propulsion systems in 

 the kilowatt to megawatt range. 



The initial efforts for the higher powered 

 (1-5 KWe) isotopic imits and the nuclear reactor 

 power sources (above 100 KWe) will be directed 

 toward the de^■elopment of technology that would 

 make possible the cleli\ery of power systems within 

 wide envelopes of operating parameters and 

 design characteristics. The plan is to develop 

 this technology by investigating those areas of 

 isotopic heat soinces, nuclear reactors, and power 

 con\ersion equipment with design uncertainties. 

 This approach will em))hasize the development of 

 the materials and components that will be required 

 for specific systems to meet precise specifications. 



It is believed necessary to do some integrated 

 component testing prior to development of a 

 definite system to gain experience and data on 

 o\erall plant engineering and component inter- 

 action. This program, therefore, will include the 

 operation of a proof-of-princi]3le reactor experi- 

 ment or a prototype plant to demonstrate that a 

 practical oceanographic power system can be 

 built based on the technology de\eloped in this 

 and other piograms. 



The design, de\elopment, and testing work in 

 support of this program will be performed by 

 industrial contractors, with support as necessary 

 from AEC^ laboratories and selected agencies. 

 The testing phase will include performance and 

 o]3erational checks conducted under conditions 

 which will simulate as closely as practical those 

 experienced in actual operation. An en\iron- 

 mental test facility will be constructed and 

 o]3erated as part of this program to evaluate and 

 demonstrate the adeciuacy of all designs. 



Proposed FY 1967 Program 



1. Isotopic Power Sources -$4,800, 000 



Isotopic imits have been imder de\elo]jment for 

 oceanographic, terrestrial, and space applications 



