a

v Spite of the rarity of uran-
vag in the earth’s crust, the

€rves of energy available
70m it are thousands of times
Steater than can be generated
at burning all the coal and
~~ Geposits on earth.

he reserves of energy at
disposal in what has come
stil] known as hydrogen are
8reater.
mae atomic nucleus of this
€nce contains an addition-
White cle, called a neutron,
3 is not contained in or-
e hydrogen — this is why
duce “aa The energy pro-
sae 1M combining nuclei of
Cee Ae hydrogen greatly ex-
S even the atomic energy
Uranium, :

Our

dinar
a

Wide. hydrogen is fairly
Spread in nature. It is
© found in ordinary water.

he oY ten tons of water

Poung IS approximately half a

of heavy hydrogen.

the om this it is apparent what

at Peaceful application of

jie energy to industry and
ean Fae development can
© the world. _ a
tia first Soviet atomie-elec-

Power station — first in the

Wo
50090 — has a capacity of
Bie Kilowatts, The expendi-

ig ou “atomic fuel” for this
than emely sma — not more
By ounds a r. The
fount ae p yea :
‘a pe Same output would be
aa a 15,000 tons.
inty mie energy will inject life
Which ese parts of the earth to
dinar it is difficult to bring or-
; fuels in large quanti-
Of he Arctic, the deserts
deg, tral Asia, the western
& in areas of China will flow-
s e Trays of atomic energy.
Q a ® simple matter to shift
to Pounds of “atomic: fuel”
fey Y remote area. But these
to ‘tpacunds are quite enough
Ry. form whole territories.
Power Sreater is the nuclear
Stance Contained in such sub-
ese as heavy hydrogen.
beg Substances have not yet
astered for peaceful pur-
ib *Periments with hydro-
™mbs, however, demon-
at gigantic energy can

oil or coal required.

- +. Raising of gigantic dams, building of vast reservoirs—all could be m,

Sy

explosion.” ;

ade easier by a powerful direct hydrogen
At ic

A Soviet scientist, Prof. G.I. Pokrovsky, discusses the

be drawn from them. As yet
it has only been possible to re-
lease this energy in the form
ef powerful explosions. :

The politicians of imperial-
ism, the bellicose, belligerent
‘U.S. generals who dream of
destroying entire nations, have
seen in heavy hydrogen only a
means of devastation and
death. But the Soviet Union
is working to direct these
mighty forces for the triumph
of life. ; ‘

Even the hydrogen explosion
itself could be used for the
good of mankind. Creation of
huge open cast workings for
mining coal, ore and other min-
erals, construction of canals,
railway cuttings, raising of gi-
gantic dams, building of vast
reservoirs —-all could be made
easier by. a powerful direct ex-
plosion.

In the spring of 1948, rapidly ¢

melting snow started vast
floods in the mountains of: So-
viet Uzbekistan. A huge area
was threatened with inundation
by swollen streams , tearing
down into the valleys.

The. disaster was averted by
blasting Powerful blasts sent
the shattered rock tumbling
into the mountain ravines to
form a dam.

This job called for great cour-
age on the part of the blasters.
Huge charges of ammonite had
to -be laid’ in five different
places. Deep pits had to

‘be dug quickly. Had an atomic

blast been used it would all

have been much simpler, be-
cause atomic charges can be
placed in ordinary drill holes.

It is to be anticipated that
means will be found of using
the energy of heavy hydrogen
not only in the form of explos-
ions but also in more manage-
able forms. Atomic boilers op-
erated by hydrogen fuel will
appear, producing inconceivab-
ly vast quantities of heat and
electric power.

Some visionaries have been
fond of asking what would hap-
pen if the Sun suddenly ceased
to shine. Hitherto there has
has been only one answer to
this — all life on earth would
perish. In the atomic energy
age the answer has been chang-
ed. The reserves of this energy
are so immense that were the
need to arise they would be
ample to replace the sun’s' rays,
to light and heat our earth for
millions of years.

*

Atomic energy manifests it-
self in the form of movement
of the tiniest particles of mat-
ter flying at terrific speeds.
These result from mighty ex-
plosions taking place in the
depth of the atom, in its nu-
cleus. The nuclear fragments
bring into similar extraord-
inarily rapid movements the
molecules and atoms of all sur-
rounding bodies,

The movement of molecules,
however, is heat. So atomic
energy is converted into thermal
energy of extremely high con-

possibilities and problems of harnessing the atom

centration. The temperature in
an atomic explosion reaches, at

‘the beginning, several tens of

millions of degrees.

In no other» way except by
nuclear reaction is it possible
to attain such “heating.” Ar-
guing theoretically, the whole
of this energy could be con-
verted from one form into an-
other practically without loss.
This possibility, however, has
to be renounced for the present.
What machine or plant could
withstand temperatures of mil-
lions of degrees? Any material
would melt instantaneously,
evaporate, burn up. _ .

For this reason the release
of energy in atomic plants has
to be artificially held back.
The. heat has to be separated
slowly. In present-day uranium
boilers we get temperatures of
only hundreds of degrees. At
such temperatures the efficien-
cy factor cannot exceed 20 to
30 percent.

Although the first Soviet
atomic power station develops a
capacity of 5,000 kilowatts, the
capacity of the reactor, which
heats the steam boilers there,
is equal to about 20,000 kilo-
‘watts. Why? Because atomic
energy has first to be converted
into heat. Heat is used to evap-
orate the water in the boilers.
The steam is used in a turbine.
And the turbine turns the gen-
erator producing the electric
current. A familiar, classic
scheme.

But this scheme means that
15,000 kilowatts are lost, nearly

. difficulties.

all in the condenser. The pres-
ent atomic boilers are far from
perfected plants. Inevitably
they reduce the high quality
of atomic energy to an extreme-
ly low level.

Establishment of the world’s
first atom - powered electric
station is an achievement of
great significance, which will
have a Wecisive effect on the
development of energetics
everywhere. But scientists must
look farther ahead and visulize
the new paths which are being
opened. The classic scheme of
energetics: “heat — steam —
work” must be replaced by a
new scheme, more in keeping
with the atomic age that has
set in.

To join an atomic boiler with
the ordinary steam-power plant
is tantamount to harnessing a

_ high-speed automobile to an

old cart. The speed: that such
a car can develop has to be cut
to a tiny fraction — or else
the old cart will collapse! Now
we are able to produce vast
quantities of atomic energy it
is necessary to see about mak-
ing use also of its high quality.

*

The picture we get of the fu-
ture shows a new type of atomic
plant. The “fuel” in it ejects
particles of matter that move at
immense speeds and also carry
various electrical charges.

The atom centains both nega-
tive ana positive protons, as
well as neutrons. It is this fact
that makes it possible to draw
an atom station of the future.

The particles strike against
a stable substance, which inter-
cepts part of them. The rest,
the stronger, break . through
the obstacles and fly on to be
intercepted by another barrier.
Particles with the same elec- .
tric chargé would accumulate
at the first barrier, and particles
with the opposite charge at, the
second. One barrier would be-
come the negative pole and the
other the positive.

What is this but a gigantic
battery? It contains no mech-
anism, subject to friction and
wear. The high quality of
atomic energy would be pres-
erved here. And the difference
in electric .potentials in such a
battery would reach millions of
volts.

It is not yet possible to de-
vise such an atomic battery.
However completely atomic en-
ergy turns into electric energy,
some slight losses of atomic
energy must oecur. These
slight losses in themselves are
not important, but what is im-
portant is that the energy - lost
turns into heat.

Heat!. We have avoided this
as an intermediary, but it will
nevertheless appear. to a certain
extent.. Even though there will
be considerably less heat than
if the whole of atomic energy
were converted into heat, nev-
ertheless even this amount. -is
very dangerous; it would be
capable of melting, evaporating
and. burning up the entire plant:

'< There are still great practical
Time is still re-
quired for constructive research
and work before finding the
correct solution. _For instance,
very small electrical batteries
have already. been created,
where small, electric currents
are obtained by the breakdown
of radioactive isotopes obtain-
ed in an atomic boiler. These
batteries are as yet far from
perfect, and their efficiency
factor is -very small.

But one thing is beyond doubt.
The period of discovery of vast
amounts of atomic energy will
be followed by a period of bat-
tling for its most efficient use.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — SEPTEMBER 16, 1955 — PAGE 9