On December 20, 1951, the EBR-I nuclear reactor in Arco, Idaho, USA, began operation, marking the first successful use of nuclear energy to generate electricity. This historical event occurred at a critical moment in the research of nuclear technology in the United States, and has a far-reaching impact on the application and development of nuclear energy.
Experimental breeding reactor No. 1.
Experimental Breeding Reactor One (EBR-I), located in Arco, Idaho, was the world's first breeder reactor and was first commissioned at 1:50 p.m. on December 20, 1951. At this historic moment, EBR-I generated enough electricity to light four 200-watt light bulbs, making it one of the world's first nuclear power plants. The construction and operation of this reactor marks the first successful use of nuclear reactions to generate electricity, laying the foundation for the development of nuclear energy applications.
EBR-I is located.
The construction of EBR-I began at the end of 1949 as part of the State Reactor Test Station. The reactor was designed and built on-site in Arco, Idaho, by a team led by nuclear physicist Walter Zinn at Argonne National Laboratory. In its early stages, the reactor was known as the "Chicago No. 4 furnace" and the "Hell furnace of Zinn". In early 1951, EBR-I assembled the reactor core, becoming Idaho's first reactor, and began operation on August 24 of the same year. 100 help plan
EBR-I's National Historic Landmark nameplate.
EBR-I is not designed to generate electricity, but to verify the viability of breeder reactors. In the experiments carried out at the reactor, it was confirmed in 1953 that the reactor produced additional fuel during the nuclear process, validating this theory of nuclear physics. However, during the coolant flow test on November 29, 1955, a partial meltdown occurred in the reactor core of EBR-I, marking an important challenge in its operation.
The first usable nuclear power production took place on December 20, 1951, when the electricity generated by the EBR-I reactor lit up four light bulbs.
Despite some achievements in generating electricity, the nearby Borax-III experimental boiling water reactor plant has been connected to an external grid since 1955 to power the city of Aco, becoming the first city in the world to be powered entirely by nuclear energy. In addition to generating electricity, EBR-I is the world's first breeder reactor to use plutonium fuel to generate electricity, validating the principle that a nuclear reactor produces more fuel atoms than it consumes.
Aerial view of EBR-I with the reactor core in the center of the building;The two structures in the lower left are the reactors of the aircraft's nuclear power program.
EBR-I was decommissioned and decommissioned in 1964 and was replaced by Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II). However, its historic status was fully recognized, and in 1965 it was designated a National Historic Landmark, and a National Historic Landmark Designation Ceremony was held on August 25, 1966.
View of the EBR-I building from the parking lot.
In 2004, EBR-I was listed as an IEEE milestone, becoming one of the important milestones in the history of mankind's use of nuclear energy to generate electricity. Its contribution is not only to provide valuable experience for nuclear technology research, but also to lay the foundation for the development of nuclear energy applications in the future, and has a far-reaching impact on promoting human society to the era of nuclear energy.
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