Free Xenon! @ Free Xenon

I have recently been asked about the screen name/user name/handle thingy that I most commonly use on the internet which is ‘Free Xenon‘ or ‘FreeXenon‘. I wrote my reply so I thought I may as well repeat it here for all to know. There is more there that you would probably ever want to know, so…

040614-N-0119G-020 Atlantic Ocean (June 14, 2004) -- The nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) surges through the water of the Atlantic Ocean. Enterprise is one of seven aircraft carriers involved in Summer Pulse 2004. Summer Pulse 2004 is the simultaneous deployment of seven aircraft carrier strike groups (CSGs), demonstrating the ability of the Navy to provide credible combat power across the globe, in five theaters with other U.S., allied, and coalition military forces. Summer Pulse is the Navy's first deployment under its new Fleet Readiness Plan (FRP). The strike group will conduct a scheduled training exercise followed by overseas Pulse operations. Official US Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Rob Gaston. Image released by LT K.R. Stephens, PAO CVN 65. — 040614-N-0119G-020 Atlantic Ocean (June 14, 2004) — The nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) surges through the water of the Atlantic Ocean. Enterprise is one of seven aircraft carriers involved in Summer Pulse 2004. Summer Pulse 2004 is the simultaneous deployment of seven aircraft carrier strike groups (CSGs), demonstrating the ability of the Navy to provide credible combat power across the globe, in five theaters with other U.S., allied, and coalition military forces. Summer Pulse is the Navy’s first deployment under its new Fleet Readiness Plan (FRP). The strike group will conduct a scheduled training exercise followed by overseas Pulse operations. Official US Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Rob Gaston. Image released by LT K.R. Stephens, PAO CVN 65.

Free Xenon comes from my days in the military. I was a part of Reactor Controls Division 22 (RC-22) who were a bunch of bitter and jaded sailors on board the USS Enterprise. The USS Enterprise (decommissioned in 2012) was the first nuclear carrier and bears 8 nuclear reactors in 4 groups, and was the only ship in the US fleet with this many reactors. Pretty much all others have only two reactors. If you can imagine the types of things that are talked about and imagined by a bunch of embittered sailors while at sea with a bunch of guys for 6 months then perhaps you can already see where this is going to go….

Xenon 135 is byproduct of fission which is also a poison which means it inhibits the fission process, slowing it down and lowering the temperature in steady state

Xenon 135 is a fission byproduct that builds up to an equilibrium concentration during prolonged periods of reactor operation (>70 hours). Xenon is call a poison – meaning that its presence in the reactor core inhibits the fission process by absorbing neutrons. While our reactors are operating we will see coolant temperature go down a degree or two and then we will have to pull out the rods to bring the temperature to its median normal range. This a normal occurrence during our reactors operations.

So, our embittered and lonely sailors are sitting tiredly on their 10-2 (22:00 to 02:00 or 10:00pm until 2:00am) watch and as the plethora of gauges and meters sit unmoving, they start to envision Xenon as this little gnome or other spritely thing trapped in the malign reactor vessel as its prisoner. So, my shipmates started to crusade for the freeing of faerie Xenon from the evil Reactor Vessel. They created signs and set their desktop screen savers to say ‘Free Xenon! Free Xenon!‘. One day our division had a cake to celebrate something they arranged for one that was black and had a skull and crossbones on it which said ‘Free Xenon!!’ on it. At least that is how I remember it. =)

Free Xenon is just something that stuck with from my time in the Navy.

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