Argonne's rich heritage in the development of nuclear reactors began with CP-1, the world's first nuclear reactor brought to life by Enrico Fermi and his team on December 2, 1942, under the West stands at Stagg Field on the campus of the University of Chicago.
Dr. Walter H. Zinn, one of Fermi's close colleagues working on CP-1, became Argonne National Laboratory's first director in July 1946. In 1948, the United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) transferred the major portion of the nation's nuclear reactor development program to Argonne. Under Dr. Zinn's vision and leadership, Argonne established a vigorous and far-reaching program to develop nuclear reactors of virtually all types. Reactors were developed to produce electric power, nuclear materials for military purposes, isotopes, and for many research purposes. No other program in the world can match this record. None has been as productive and diverse as the Argonne program.
The many "firsts" and accomplishments of the Argonne nuclear reactor program illustrate the scope and diversity of the Argonne program. Reactor systems worked on by Argonne which demonstrate the depth and scope of the Argonne reactor program include:
- Pressurized water reactors
- Production reactors
- Research reactors
- Boiling water reactors
- Fast reactors
Continuing in its best tradition, Argonne is currently developing technology which holds considerable promise in helping to solve problems of disposal of spent fuel stored throughout the country. The process under development at Argonne is called the "electrometallurgical process."
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