Hallam Nuclear Power Facility - the Sodium Graphite Reactor in Nebraska (1963)

This film shows the setting and location of the reactor built jointly by USAEC and the Consumers' Public Power District of Nebraska. An explanation of this type of reactor, using a liquid metal coolant, is given, stressing its advantages. The working of the plant is shown in animation. Live footage shows construction of the reactor containment vessel, its transportation from Philadelphia to Hallam, moderator fabrication and installation, installation and operation of safety rods, use of an intermediate heat exchanger, installation of steam piping and the installation of the turbine and generator. Also shown is fuel handling, cleaning and storage cells, fuel fabrication, and testing.

20 minutes, color. Produced by USAEC's Chicago Operations Office.

Huge thanks to the Nebraska Public Power District for funding the digitization of this gem!

Digitized from 16 mm film. Coordinated by Nick Touran of whatisnuclear.com. More info here: https://whatisnuclear.com/news/2023-0...

Courtesy of the National Archive

00:00 Film noise
00:23 Introduction
01:45 Intro credits
02:12 Description of buildings
03:00 Construction
04:00 Other liquid metal reactors
04:27 Sodium Reactor Experiment
04:55 Contracting, siting, groundbreaking
05:18 Description of nuclear
05:40 Integration of coal and nuclear sides
06:37 Animations of core and plant
07:55 More construction
09:20 Vessel support and transport
11:16 Containment and piping
12:10 Core internals, graphite moderators
13:49 Top shield head
14:18 Fuel elements
15:36 QA testing and control systems
16:33 Intermediate loop and steam generators
18:20 Turbine-generator and substation
19:01 Fuel handling
21:44 Test program and criticality
23:00 Outro