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Liquid metal sodium coolant has been completely drained from the reactor vessel of Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) at Argonne-West, marking a major milestone in demonstrating safe shutdown of a sodium-cooled nuclear reactor.
EBR-II was turned off in September 1994, and Argonne has been working to place the reactor permanently in a "radiologically and industrially safe condition" as required by Congress. Draining the sodium makes it technically impossible to restart the reactor in the future.
"This has been a complicated process that no one ever has done before," said Paul Henslee (ET-AW), the project director. "Other sodium-cooled reactors in the world have been shut down, but none has been done with this level of care and preparation for the future. We not only have assured that this site will be safe, but we have learned a great deal that we can carry forward to other work."
The sodium coolant is being chemically reacted with moisture in a controlled environment at a special facility constructed at Argonne-West for that purpose. The resulting sodium hydroxide is a common compound that will be disposed of in a standard low-level radioactive waste disposal site. Argonne is ahead of schedule for completing EBR-II sodium treatment by April.
"I'm very proud of our people and the work they have done on this project," said John Sackett, deputy associate laboratory director for Argonne-West. "They have done a great job under challenging circumstances."
EBR-II operated successfully from 1964 until the 1994 decision to suspend advanced reactor research in the United States. It was in prime operational condition at the time of its shut down.
Operation of EBR-II resulted in several significant scientific contributions. These include demonstration that nuclear reactors can be designed to use the natural properties of materials rather than engineered systems to prevent overheating and meltdown; that there exists an almost inexhaustible supply of fuel for reactors of this type and that operation of such reactors would have a negligible effect on the environment. Also, during its 30 years of operation as a test reactor, EBR-II reliably produced 20 megawatts of electricity, enough to power a city of 10, 000 people, about the size of Blackfoot, Idaho.
Argonne and the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory are the lead laboratories for the Department of Energy's nuclear reactor research program. As DOE lead laboratories, Argonne and the INEEL are currently building on the experience and heritage of EBR-II, its predecessor EBR-I, which produced the first usable electricity from nuclear power, and several other significant nuclear reactor achievements to develop the framework for the next generation of nuclear power plant: the Generation IV reactor.
A one-hour seminar on effective interviewing and hiring will be held at Argonne-West for everyone involved in hiring or interviewing prospective employees.
The seminar will be held in the Laboratory and Office Building Conference Room beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30. It will be repeated at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31.
Topics will include the hiring process at Argonne-West, how to avoid legal problems when interviewing and hiring, how to select the most qualified candidate for the job, the effective use of questions and how to elicit the information needed from a job candidate.
The seminar is presented by the Human Resources Department. For more information, call Ryan Tew (RPS) at ext. 3-7563.
Temporary housing is needed for Argonne-West summer students.
Each summer between May and September, Argonne-West offers students training opportunities and introduces them to the intellectual and physical resources at the site. Employees who have the space can help by renting housing to a summer student for 10 weeks.
For more information, contact Terry Brooks (RPS) at terry.brooks@ anl.gov or call ext. 3-7144.
Argonne's longest-serving employees will be honored with a luncheon and a dinner at Argonne-East.
The luncheon recognizing employees who have reached 20 years of service will be held Friday, Feb. 16, at the Guest House Restaurant. Invitations have been mailed.
A dinner for employees with 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years of service will be held Friday, March 30, at the Building 213 Cafeteria. Invitations will be mailed in the near future.
The Payroll Department has mailed W-2 forms and earnings summaries for 2000 to the home addresses indicated on employees' payroll check stubs.
Employees who do not receive their W-2s by Jan. 31 can request a duplicate copy by completing the form "Request for IRS Form W-2," available at the Payroll Department. Requests for this form may be made by e-mail to kvana@anl.gov, or by fax to ext. 2-1441.
Payroll will process these forms each Wednesday beginning Feb. 7, and mail duplicate W-2 forms to the address indicated on the form.
"Preventing Recreational Sports Injuries" will be the topic of a short seminar at Argonne-West Tuesday, Feb. 6, in the Building 710 Conference Room. The half-hour presentation will be begin at 1 p.m. and be repeated at 2:15 p.m.
Presenter Brad Snedden will examine the pitfalls associated with common recreational activities, and discuss shoes and walking and running styles.
Argonne-East employees with security clearances must complete required DOE refresher briefings by Wednesday, Jan. 31.
The 2001 briefing is available online.
For more information, call Sylvia Aguilar (OSS-SSP) at ext. 2-5734.
Nominations are needed by Monday, Feb. 5, for the 2001 University of Chicago Awards for Distinguished Performance at Argonne.
The awards recognize outstanding technical or scientific achievement or a distinguished record of achievements.
Statements of 250 words or less citing the nominee's achievement or record should be submitted to the laboratory director. Fifteen copies are required.
The laboratory director will notify nominators of the acceptance of the nominations for submission to the University of Chicago, and additional support materials will be requested.
Electronics and Computing Technologies will offer a variety of computer software training classes at Argonne-East in January, February and March.
Full class descriptions and schedules are available online. For more information about enrollment procedures, contact Diane Cavazos (ECT) at ext. 2-7153 or dkcavazos@anl.gov.
Unless otherwise specified, classes will be held in Building 221, Room A142, cost $195 and are limited to 10 participants.
Intermediate Word 2000 (ECT374) -- Monday, Feb. 12, 8:30 a.m.
_ 4:30 p.m. Prerequisites: Introduction Word 2000.
Intermediate Excel 2000 (ECT375) -- Tuesday, Feb. 13, 8:30 a.m.
_ 4:30 p.m. Prerequisite: Introduction Excel 2000.
Intermediate Access Version 2000 (ECT376) --
Wednesday, Feb. 14, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Class size limited
to eight. Prerequisite: Introduction to Access 2000.
Microsoft Outlook 2000 (ECT377) -- Thursday, Feb. 15, 8:30 a.m.
- 4:30 p.m.
Beginning Unix (ECT564) -- This class consists of two
three-hour sessions for a total of six hours. First
session: Tuesday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m. noon. Second
session: Thursday, Feb. 22, 9 a.m. - noon.
Cost: $245.
Service Awards for January include:
Gian P. Felcher (MSD).
Michael Krumpelt (CMT).
John J. Benkert (PFS), John D. Colister (PFS), Barry S. Finkel (ECT), Donald R. Henley (TD), Paul H. Roeder (ECT).
Roald A. Wigeland (RAE), Robert B. Wiringa (PHY).
Alice M. Birmingham (CMT), Jeffrey E. Franklin (ET), Sheila Johnson (PFS), Darwin L. Mecham (ENT), Mary Jo Thompson (IPD).
Carolyn E. Adams (PFS), Jonathan M. Anthony (FAC), Elizabeth A. Bonczalski (OCF), Christian Browning (RPS), Warren L. Butler (FAC), Kelly J. Christiansen (RPS), Mary L. Elson (ESH), Tanya L. Flemons (ES), Jerry Gogol (TD), Donald W. Grosse (FAC), Clarence E. Hammond (FAC), Robert L. Johnson (EA), Judith P. Knox (HR), Michelle L. Leighton (AOD), Mary D. McDermott (ENT), Richard G. Rauba (ASD), Rebecca L. Ristrem (ENT), Fred G. Salev (TD), Rudolph M. Schletter, Jr. (PFS), Craig E. Winder (FAC).
Jorge S. Alvarado (ER), Henry Belch (IPNS), Randy J. Flood (AOD), Martha E. Miller (IPNS), Ron S. Moore (PFS), Timothy J. Nephew (HEP), Rogelio P. Santos (PFS), Steven R. Stanger (ENT).
Elvis Bigham, a retired lineman senior with 23 years of service in the Plant Facilities and Services Division, died Nov. 22. His wife, Mary, survives him.
Helen S. Brown, a retired administrative assistant with 16 years of service in the Office of the Director, died Aug. 21. Her children, David Brown, Gayle Trask and Barbara Tourek, survive her.
Robert D. Burkheimer, a retired plant operations foreman with 12 years of service in the Plant Operations Division, died Dec. 8. His friend Joyce Wills, survives him.
Lee S. Busch, a retired chemical engineer with seven years of service in the Environmental Impact Assessment Division, died Oct. 28. His daughter, Penny Baslare, survives him.
Harry S. Cern, a retired designer with 38 years of service in the Engineering Physics Division, died Dec. 15. His wife, Lorraine, survives him.
Robert J. Emmett, a retired driver with 50 years of service in the Plant Facilities and Services Division, died Oct. 10. His wife, Marie, survives him.
Helen B. Harman, a retired employee publications editor with 23 years of service in the Office of Public Affairs, died Dec. 24. Harman was editor of Argonne News from 1956-1975. Her daughters, Barbara Garvey and Catherine Sherman, survive her.
Aloysius Jamrog, a retired engineering specialist with 31 years of service in the Engineering Division, died Oct. 18. His wife, Irene, survives him.
Richard F. Lee, a retired laborer with 12 years of service in the Plant Operations Division, died Nov. 3. His wife, Violet, survives him.
