Idaho National Laboratory Cultural Resource Management Plan

BORAX-V, the final experiment in the BORAX series, operated from 1962 to 1964. Although
BORAX-V was housed in the same reactor building as the earlier experiments, the structure and the
reactor both were modified. The original reactor vessel was buried in place, covered with a deep layer of
sand, and capped with concrete. A new reactor vessel was placed in a new addition to the reactor
building.
The purpose of BORAX-V was to demonstrate the feasibility of producing integral superheated steam
in a reactor facility. “Integral” means that the boiling water and the superheated (“dry”) steam are
produced in the same core. It was thought that superheated steam would prove more efficient and
economical than a simple boiling water reactor system. BORAX-V went critical on February 9, 1962, and
produced its first superheated steam on October 1963. During the course of experiments, BORAX-V
tested the safety and effectiveness of superheated steam. The tests also examined safety problems related
to damaged or corrupted fuel elements. At the end of a number of successful runs, BORAX-V was placed
on standby in late 1964. 57
The BORAX experiments helped persuade the AEC that the deliberate inducement of power
excursions and the deliberate withdrawal of coolant to a reactor could be tested under controlled
conditions without disaster. Many more followed BORAX. Such tests yielded valuable safety
information, at a time when the modeling capability of computers was long into the future and could be
acquired no other way. They established for the NRTS a unique and primary role in the development of
safe nuclear power reactors. BORAX proved the principle enabling pressurized water reactors to be
further developed. 58
The Argonne-West Facility Grows: 1955–1965. In addition to the landmark event of BORAX-III
lighting the town of Arco, the year 1955 also brought a milestone of another sort to Argonne’s Idaho
Division. 59 In November, EBR-I experienced an unintentional core meltdown—the first such accident in a
nuclear reactor. Walter Zinn viewed the accident as a source of important information about fuel rod
configuration and operating procedures, but the AEC’s failure to publicize the accident gave rise to
questions about reactor safety and the credibility of the AEC. 60
Nevertheless, Argonne expanded its facilities at the NRTS. A second breeder reactor, EBR-II, was
proposed by Walter Zinn and approved by the AEC in 1954. Based on experimental results and operating
experience with EBR-I, EBR-II would be an intermediate-sized reactor, capable of producing twenty
megawatts of electricity. Design of EBR-II began in 1955 and construction began late in 1957.
Zinn located the new complex at “Site 16,” on the eastern edge of the NRTS site, a location nearest to
Idaho Falls. It soon was known as Argonne National Laboratory-West or ANL-W (now MFC). Argonne
planned to operate EBR-II for several years and knew that there would be frequent visits from scientists
based in Chicago. Time saved in driving to and from Idaho Falls, after flying in from Chicago, was the
most important factor in the site selection. 61
Although Argonne was poised to lead the nuclear industry in the development of breeder reactors,
differences of opinion between AEC and Argonne somewhat stunted Argonne’s role in the development
of major test reactors. In 1965, the AEC canceled Argonne’s Fast Reactor Test Facility that had been
57. Rodman, p. 2; Loftness, Nuclear Power Plants, p. 217-218.
58. Stacy, Proving the Principle, p. 132.
59. The name “ANL-West” did not come into usage until later. According to Richard Lindsay, ANL-West Public Information
officer, “Idaho Division” and “Idaho Branch Administration” were used to describe different activities, and the similarity of
the names caused confusion. He believes that ANL-West was used unofficially to describe all of the operations and may
have been made an official name when the headquarters lab was reorganized.
60. Stacy, Proving the Principle, p. 135-136.
61. Richard Lindsay, public information officer, ANL-West, Personal communication with Elizabeth Jacox, Sept. 2, 1997.
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