- S1C reactor
The S1C reactor was a
prototype naval reactor designed for theUnited States Navy to provideelectricity generation and propulsion onwarship s. The S1C designation stands for:* S =
Submarine platform
* 1 = First generation core designed by the contractor
* C =Combustion Engineering (C-E) was the contracted designerThis
nuclear reactor was built inWindsor Locks, Connecticut as a prototype for the experimental USS "Tullibee" (SSN-597) submarine, though that boat was in fact powered by aS2C reactor . The propulsion plant was unusual in that it iselectric drive, rather thansteam turbine . The USS Tullibee was an early advanced-design, fast-attack submarine constructed byElectric Boat and commissioned in1960 .Throughout the
Cold War , the S1C Prototype nuclear submarine propulsion plant at the Windsor Site supported the submarines and surface ships of the Navy’s nuclear fleet by testing new equipment and training Naval propulsion plant operators. S1C was the prototype for the USS Tullibee. The S1C Prototype was operated at the Windsor Site from1959 until1993 . During that time, over 14,000 Naval operators were trained there, includingAdmiral Kirkland H. Donald early in his career.Full clean up of the S1C site was recently declared to be complete by the Connecticut
Department of Environmental Protection in2006 . Remediation of the site was undertaken byKnolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL), based out ofSchenectady, New York . KAPL had taken over operation of the S1C site in the 1960's after expiration of the Navy's original contract with C-E. [ [http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2712&Q=329036 DOE Reactor Site Returns To Green Field Conditions - First Unrestricted Release Of A Nuclear Power Site] ]The reactor was situated on land and known as the S1C Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU). Except for its size and electric drive, the system layout was very similar to the
S5W reactor in use by mostnuclear-power edsubmarine s at the time.References
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