The factors responsible for the advances of 100-X compared with the older areas are: Simplification of the process, such as elimination of separate process water clearwells, by having the filtered water reservoirs perform that function. Combination of separate buildings into one building, such as combining filter pump house and process pump house. Use of electric standby. Use of higher capacity pumps and filter basins, and so fewer number of units. Centralization of control and operation. More compact arrangement of plant components. Use of waste heat for space heating, recovered from reactor effluent, backed up by steam plant.

Attention is now being drawn to the refractory properties of the pure dioxide of uranium, which make it suitable for special applications, such as the melting of pure uranium. Properties of uranium dioxide are described as they relate to fabrication. Forming of UO{sub 2} refractories by pressing and slip casting is discussed, as well as the firing of urania refractories and the properties of fired ware. Health hazards pertaining to UO{sub 2} are briefly described.

None

The experimentally determined exponential dependence of spontaneous fission rate on Z{sup 2}/A has been used to derive an expression for the dependence of the fission activation energy on Z{sup 2}/A. This expression has been used to calculate the activation energy for slow neutron induced fission and photofission. The correlation with the experimental data on these types of fission seems to be quite good.

Final approval of a flow-pressure characteristic curve and orifice pattern for C Pile is desired as soon as possible to allow the completion of orifice assemblies and parallit instrumentation. The presentation of a recommended flow-pressure curve and an orifice pattern has been delayed by a lack of experimental flow data on the C Pile flow system. Discussion with members of the C-431-B working committee and Pile Technology Unit personnel indicated that the use of flows higher than those recommended by the Reactor Unit, in HDC-2327, was desirable on the basis that the costs of supplying more water to C Pile than required by present outlet temperature limits will be small compared to the probable saving that can be made in reduction of corrosion and slug rupture frequency. Using this agreement as well as previous data and the assumption of low enrichment as a basis, a preliminary recommendation of a higher flow curve is presented.