NORWAY BUILDS ATOM PILE

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26639, 26 January 1952, Page 3

NORWAY BUILDS ATOM PILE

PEACEFUL USES FOR ENERGY INSTITUTE ESTABLISHED AT KJELLER (From a Reuttr Comspondtnt.) OSLO. Determined not to be left behind in the scientific race of this atomic age, Norway is the first of toe small nations to b.iild an atomic pile and establish a nuclear energy research station. But her atom institute is to be devoted exclusively to toe peaceful uses of atomic energy. The atom pile, which was opened officially by King Haakon on November 28, in the presence of an impressive assembly of toe world's atomic brains, is the result of five years of hard work, faith, optimism and care, and, in the final year, cooperation with Holland. It is the first atom pile to be built—apart from those in Russia—without scientists who worked at the United States atom plants during the war. Last year. Dutch scientists joined up with toe Norwegians and a joint commission was set up which has been described as “a unique atomic marriage." Was this really necessary, some Norwegians asked themselves, pointing to the fact that the atom pile at Kjeller. about 40 miles north-east of Oslo, was practically completed last year when the Dutch joined up. But toe Dutch scientists brought with them, not only scientific brains and experience from their cyclotron in Amsterdam, but also three tons of refined uranium ready for use in toe pile. Norway had been working on ore deposits at Evje in South Norway where it was hoped that uranuim could be extracted. But this wm an extremely long-term project and involved considerable expense. The Joint Establishment for Nuclear Energy Resarch is toe name given to the institute at Kjeller. “Our joint enterprise at Kjeller is still mainly Norway’s achievement, said Dr. F. J. TH.Rutten, the Dutch Minister of Education, at the dinner given by the Norwegian Academy of Science after the inauguration ceremony. "Even though Holland has been cble to deliver the uranium for the atom pile, this does not by any means outbalance toe tremendous efforts and expenses made by our Norwegian friends.” Institute Well Guarded The institute at Kjeller iu well guarded. Armed guards stand at the gates and no one is permitted to enter without authority. But the plant is devoted purely to peaceful scientific research in the fields of medicine, industry, agriculture, and shipping. Press reporters-who attended the Inauguration ceremony were given full access to toe pile, to photograph, film and ask questions. During the ceremony there was a demonstration of the pile in operation, with comments and explanations by one of the resident Dutch scientists. The pile itself is built Into the middle of a big, concrete, windowless hall. It looks like a large boiler, made of concrete and painted with aluminium paint. Steps lead up to the top where there are tanks containing seven tons of heavy water valued at 10,060,000 kroner (£500.000). . More steps lead down to a cellar, for there is nearly as much of the pile below

the main hall by a glass partition is the control room, where innumerable instruments and knobs measure, record and control the various processes. If there is one matter on which Kjeller will certainly maintain great secrecy it is the problem of applying nuclear energy to ship propulsion, this is a field in which both Norway and Holland as big shipping nations are especially interested. Speaking to a gathering of scientists and engineers in Oslo the day after the inauguration, the British Nobel physics prize-winner. Sir John Cockroft, said: “We may assume that mobile uranium reactors are feasible for ship propulsion." but he admitted that they would .be expensive power units. For the present the practical uses of the Kjeller atom pile will be devoted to the production of various isotopes for medical use, for tile investigation of metals and other- materials used in industry and agriculture, and for research in the sphere of nuclear physics.