Pinellas Plant facts. [Products, processes, laboratory facilities]

Technical Report · Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6419842· OSTI ID:6419842

This plant was built in 1956 in response to a need for the manufacture of neutron generators, a principal component in nuclear weapons. The neutron generators consist of a miniaturized linear ion accelerator assembled with the pulsed electrical power supplies required for its operation. The ion accelerator, or neutron tube, requires ultra clean, high vacuum technology: hermetic seals between glass, ceramic, glass-ceramic, and metal materials: plus high voltage generation and measurement technology. The existence of these capabilities at the Pinellas Plant has led directly to the assignment of the lightning arrester connector, specialty capacitor, vacuum switch, and crystal resonator. Active and reserve batteries and the radioisotopically-powered thermoelectric generator draw on the materials measurement and controls technologies which are required to ensure neutron generator life. A product development and production capability in alumina ceramics, cermet (electrical) feedthroughs, and glass ceramics has become a specialty of the plant; the laboratories monitor the materials and processes used by the plant's commercial suppliers of ferroelectric ceramics. In addition to the manufacturing facility, a production development capability is maintained at the Pinellas Plant.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., St. Petersburg, FL (USA). Neutron Devices Dept.
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00656
• OSTI ID: 6419842
• Report Number(s): GEPP-CB-986; ON: DE87013100
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES
NEUTRON SOURCES
PRODUCTION
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PINELLAS PLANT
ACCELERATORS
ACCELEROMETERS
CAPACITORS
CERAMICS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ENCAPSULATION
FABRICATION
IONS
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
LIGHTNING ARRESTERS
METALLURGY
NEUTRON DETECTORS
RADIOISOTOPE BATTERIES
RESONATORS
THERMAL BATTERIES
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PARTICLE SOURCES
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION SOURCES
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WEAPONS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
450202* - Explosions & Explosives- Nuclear- Weaponry- (-1989)
070201 - Radiation Sources- Design
Fabrication & Operation