The effect of polarizing mngnetic field intensity on the nuclear resonant absorption was studied by varying the field strength at a 1-mc Co/sup 57/ source from 0 to 1000 gauss while keeping the absorber between the poles of a magnet having a fixed field of 800 gauss. The rates of resonance absorption change with field intensity were greatest in the region of 300 to 1000 gauss, and the% nuclear resonant absorption for 1000-gauss fields was 8.5 and 26% for perpendicular and parallel fields, respectively, as compared with 15% for no fields. Other absorption measurements for Co/sup 57/ sources are also reported. Calculations on the use of nuclear resonant absorption to measure gravitational fields and altitudes were made which indicates that this application is not promising. (D.L.C.)

One source of the parent materials which are converted into the radioisotopes in reactor effluent is the impurity content of Columbia River water. It has been demonstrated that as the efficiency of removal of the radioisotope parent materials increases, the amount of radioisotopes in the reactor effluent decreases. An example of this is the activity reduction which results from the use of high alum feed. In order to determine whether effluent activity would be influenced by the length of filter run, a half-plant test was initiated at DR Reactor on September 28, 1964, under the authorization of Production Test IP-719. This report presents the results of the test. The water treatment plant at DR Reactor was operated for a three-month period with half the filters on a seven-hour filter cycle and the other half on a 5.25 hour filter cycle. The shorter filter cycle did not significantly reduce either the filtered water turbidity or the P{sup 32} and As{sup 76} concentration in the reactor effluent. It can be concluded that in the range investigated effluent activity is not influenced by the length of filter cycle as long as breakthrough is avoided.

This report details activities of the Chemical Processing Department during the month of January 1965.

This report discusses a radiation exposure accident of personnel at the Hanford production reactor facilities.

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The reactor scrams are summarized in a table which identifies the component.that opens the safety circuit and the reason or cause for the safety circuit trip. Caution should be exercised in the use of the summary for specific analysis of reactor scram causes. In a high percentage of cases, the component that opens the safety circuit is not at fault. A description of the reason or cause for a particular scram is given in the body of the report. The actual outage time charged to the cause of the reactor scram is given with the exception of scrams caused by tube leaks or fuel failures.

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The thermal and total epithermal neutron flux distributions in the EGCR from the center of the core through the biological shield were calculated. The maximum values of the flux distribution are presented in graph form. Ordinary concrete was found to permit a thermal flux buildup, similar to that found in the graphite reflector. In heavy concrete there was no such buildup seen, since the thermal flux is attenuated through the complete shield. A Val Prod code using multigroup diffusion theory was used to calculate the neutron flux distributions. Calculations are shown. (M.C.G.)

As part of the coolant-core evaluation studies in an early phase of the Maritime Gas-Cooled Reactor program, nickel. K-Monel, niobium-1 wt.% zirconium, and graphite were irradiated in a convective flow of helium. A capsule of novel design was used to study the corrosion of the metals at 1500 and 960 ction prod- F in a 243-hr BRR experiment. Four heliumfilled quartz tori, containing the specimens, were encapsulated in a stainless steel capsule. A convective flow of helium was maintained in the closed tori by heating one leg of each torus to 1500 and the other at 960-F. Zirconium foilwas placed in two of the tori to getter gaseous impurities. No attack of the nickel and niobium-1 wt.% zirconium was observed at either temperature. Metallographic examination did show a 1 to 2.5- mil attack of the K-Monel at 1500 ction prod- F in a torus containing no getter. (auth)

Pilot unit Zirflex dissolutions were carried out on near prototypical tube-in-tube type elements clad in oxidized Zircaloy. The runs were made with the elements horizontal and at simulated large scale operating conditions. No significant difference was noted between the actual decladding achieved in these experiments and that which was predicted from prior studies on similarly oxidized elements with somewhat different geometries. No gas blanketing nor diffusion effects were observed. Initially, preferential attack was noted on areas where oxide film had been scratched or handled. However, near the end of a run a random distribution of undissolved cladding existed; 90% of the cladding was removed in 6.5 hours. (auth)