Editing ML-1 (section)

==Design and fabrication==

The design of ML-1 was driven by the requirements of the customer, i.e., the Army, which wanted a turbine transportable by aircraft (having a low weight and being a cargo container in size) which led the engineers of [[Aerojet|Aerojet-General]] Nucleonics, the principal contractor, to make unusual design choices.

Extensive shielding was omitted in favor of a personnel exclusion zone of {{convert|500|ft}} while in operation; efficiency enhancing devices such as recuperators were incorporated; insulation was specified to keep thermal values within optimum limits; a complex control system and a complex core were implemented; a completely new gas turbine was designed for the application; and the working fluid - nitrogen - was compressed to {{convert|9|atm}}.

The design specification achieved its goals; the plant worked (on paper); and was transportable to Army requirements.

The ML-1 was fabricated as specified, though it was discovered later that materials not to specification were present (the specified [[stainless steel]] alloy for some of the piping, grade [[Stainless steel#Grades|316L]] had insufficient [[chromium]] in its composition in several locations, making it susceptible to corrosion) though this was not immediately evident in the delivered product.