The following report describes the high pressure and temperature homogeneous reactor experiment which has been started at Los Alamos, as well as the hazards and safety aspects for the experiments.

Abstract: "Stainless steel-clad fuel sheet 0.020 in. thick with a 0.008-in. core of stainless steel plus UO2 was produced by roll cladding a powder metal compact. The effects of processing variables, core-matrix composition, quantity of oxide, and oxide particle size on the properties of the sheet were investigated. The strength and ductility of the core decreased sharply as the quantity of oxide in the core increased from 20 to 40 w/o. Over the range of matrix compositions investigated the particle size of the oxide had little affect on the core strength. In cores containing 21 w/o of oxide. 18 w/o chromium, 82 w/o iron matrix prepared from the elemental metal powders had the highest strength and ductility, but this matrix was susceptible to cracking during thermal cycling. As elemental 18 w/o chromium, 9 w/o nickel, 73 w/o iron matrix was the most satisfactory from the standpoint of fabrication and over-all characteristics of the resulting sheet."

From introduction: "This report describes research on the development of compositions and techniques for porcelain enameling uranium fuel slugs used in Hanford production reactors."

Introduction: "Knowledge of the mechanical properties of uranium at elevated temperature is essential in order to understand and predict the fabrication characteristics and pile behavior of this metal. This report presents the experimental data obtained from beta heat-treated specimens which were originally machined from one production, alpha-rolled uranium rod."

Thesis presenting data taken on experimental nuclear magnetic moments for beta spectra of the mirror nuclei with A-19 to 39.

Introduction: "Prior analyses of a plasma in a magnetic field have been limited, as far as the writer is aware, to cases in which the relative change in field over the orbital distance and the relative change in ion concentration are both small, or in which the relations have been viewed in a purely hydrodynamical way. The first approach excludes cases which can be of considerable interests, for it fails near a plasma edge. The second loses all sight of the structure imposed by the orbital motions."

From abstract: "This progress report describes four IBM 704 codes developed and used by UCRL, Livermore, to investigate the motion of any object in the force fields of the sun and any or all of the planets and their satellites."

This report follows work that is meant to determine the settling rate and viscosity of Hanford Waste metal slurry as a function of prolonged agitation and shear, and to repeat these determinations on a synthetic incubated material similar to that used in the acidification studies, HW-18367, and to make a direct comparison between the genuine and simulated wastes.

By using a large central fuel and blanket reprocessing facility, slurry-fueled aqueous homogeneous reactors can attain an estimated minimum fuel cycle cost of 1.4-1.6 mills/kwh; with solution-fueled two-region reactors, a doubling time of 14 years may be obtained at a fuel cycle cost of 2.0 mills/kwh. On-site processing appears desirable only for large power stations made up of reactors designed for short doubling times. For instance, a solution-fueled two-region reactor can attain a 12-year doubling time at an estimated fuel cycle cost of 1.5 mills/kwh at a 2000 Mw electricity station with an on-site processing plant.

The 300A and loop were operated for 2862 hr with thorium oxide slurry at 1500 psi and 280ºC to determine the effects vane inlet and exit geometries on impeller wear, the wear rate of aluminum oxide bearings in this size pump, and the operating characteristics of the loop. The thoris, a 1600*C-fired oxide, had a mean particle size of approximately 2 u. Average circulating slurry concentration was approximately 450 grams of thorium per kilogram of water and average flow rate was approximately 300 gpm.

A method was developed for the spectrophotometric determination of 30 to 100 ug of osmium as OSO4 is extracted with CHCl3 and diphenylcarbazide is then added to the organic extract. A blue-violet reaction product is formed, the absorbancy of which is measured at 560 mu. A suitable reagent concentration is from 3 to 5 ml of 0.2% diphenylcarbazide in a volume of 25 ml and the preferred solvent for the reagent is ethanol. Beer's law is followed over a range of 8 to 130 ug of osmium with a coefficient of variation of about 4%. After a 2-hour color-development period the molar absorbancy in less than 2 hours were unsuccessful. A study was made of the effects of foreign elements and only Ru(VIII) was found to interfere.

The following document focuses on the study of the absorption spectra of americium chloride. Large samples and a spectrograph of great dispersion were used.

Abstract: "A rapid yet safe method for the dissolution of sodium-potassium alloys prior to chemical or instrumental analysis has been devised. The alloy is submerged beneath the surface of an inert organic reagent and dissolved at a controlled rate by adding methanol drop-by-drop. A blanket of inert gas is maintained over the reaction flask. The procedure has been successfully used to dissolve samples of NaK in the range of 0.05 to 25 grams."

This report studies the reactions between gaseous uranium hexafluoride and several gaseous reagents for possible analytical application that has been underway while using a buggy designed for gaseous titration studies. This study primarily focuses on methods to analyze gases containing uranium hexafluoride and physically absorbed uranium hexafluoride.

From introduction: "A simplified calculation has been carried out in order to gain some insight into the flux distribution, peak to average power density, efficiency of a catching blanket and the effect of a reflector in the proposed converter reactor."

This report analyzes experiments on the production of zirconium tetrafluoride and discusses the reactivity data taken after various methods.

The ORIC (Oak Ridge Relativistic Isochronous Cyclotron) radiofrequency system for which Model III represents the resonator is the third system which has received enough consideration to warrant construction of a model. The purpose of the model is to check the calculations for the frequency range and excitation power of the resonator. After an introductory description of the r-f system and model, the detailed calculations of the properties of the model will be given followed by the data from measurements of the model characteristics.

The feasibility of using electroless nickel, a chemical deposit containing about 10 wt% phosphorous in nickel, as the brazing alloy for assembling tubular stainless steel fuel elements of the type specified in Core I of the N. S. Savannah was investigated. This material was nelected primarily because of the case of braze-metal preplacement by chemical deposition of the alloy on type 304 stainless steel ferrule spacers, prior to fuel-bundle assembly. Brazed joints produced by this method were generally characterized by a relatively ductile solid-solution region at the thinnest portions of the fillet. This ductile zone should minimize the possibility of complete propagation of hairline cracks, which form in the brittle, eutectic regions of fillet.

The first series tests in the KER-REP-1 loop proved that a fisssion product contaminated loop could be decontaminated to a safe level for contact maintenance. The second series of tests ere scheduled for a more thorough evaluation of these processes includes specific decontamination factors, process corrosion rates, loop activity reduction factors (loop decontamination factors), and any preferential decontamination which may be present.

A report about elevated-temperature tensile properties of dilute uranium alloys. Alloys up to 2 a/o aluminum and 4 a/o zirconium have been fabricated to rod and are being tested at temperatures up to 500 C.

A report about the mechanical properties of dilute uranium alloys which might be crucial to developing high strength alloys for possible use as fuel.

An evaluation of the relative health hazards of radioisotopes produced in nuclear reactors is reported. The most important hazards were indicated to be I131, the Sr90 - Y90 chain, the Ce144 -Pr144 chain, Sr 89, the Ba140-La40 chain, Y91, the Zr95-Nb95 chain, Pr143, La140 , and Pa233. The most critical body organs affected by air-borne contamination are the thyroid gland, the bone marrow, the lungs, and the gastrointestinal tract. Where possible, continuous daily removal of gaseous and solid fission products from the reactor environment can be shown to permit very significant reductions in the total hazards. Homogeneous reactors, such as the Thermal Breeder Reactor and the Homogeneous Plutonium Producer Reactor, specifically studied in this report, are designed with daily removal cycles and may be considered potentially safer than heterogeneous reactors.

The desirability of operating many of the Purex columns at elevated temperatures, ca. 50-70 C, has made it necessary to obtain data on the stability of the solvent at these higher temperatures. Since the present diluent, Shell Spray Base, will not be entirely safe at the upper temperature limit, a number of diluents with higher flash point have been investigated concurrently with Shell Spray Base. This report presents data covering the first phases of this investigation, namely, the effect of nitric and nitrous acid on the solvent at 71 C. or higher temperatures.

From July through December, a total of 1750 hr of computer time was used by programmers in "debugging" and in running problems. With the acquisition of a second operator, the evening shift was initiated. A night-shift operator is presently being trained, and third-shifts operations will probably begin after completion of the magnetic-tape memory. / Engineering time is regularly scheduled for 4 hr each morning and 1/2 hr late in the afternoon. An electronic technician is on duty during evening-shift operations. / Installations of the magnetic-tape memory units is complete, and the units are expected to go into operation in the near future. Work is continuing on the new input-output system.