Report discussing a performance evaluation of the Thermal Test Unit, a piece of test equipment fabricated to "aid the Hanford Works in experimentally determining heat transfer characteristics for a particular application."

This report provides fundamental equations and maps to calculate neutron behavior in a spherical cavity.

The following report analyzes several reported incidents of uranium-rich zirconium-uranium explosions. This report offers notes designed to describe conditions sufficient to cause an explosion with an 80% wt. uranium alloy.

The following report is meant to record the premises upon which the site plan for the NTR is already established.

This report covers an investigation meant to find the feasibility of producing corrosion resistant zirconium from sponge by special melting techniques. The zirconium metal has certain required specifications, such as: the metal must be free from bafnium, and it must be free from other impurities of undesirable neutron cross section.

The following report discusses neutron sources in reactors, discussing general conditions of the study using a flux reactor.

Abstract: The rate of reaction of oxygen with arc-melted and rolled iodide thorium has been found to obey the parabolic rate law in the temperature range of 850 to 1415 C at 1 atmosphere pressure. The rate constant can be expressed as k = 6 x 10⁷ x e⁻⁶³³⁰⁰/RT cm²/sec. The energy of activation, 63,300 cal/mole, has a probable error of 2,100 cal/mole.

"A series of shock tube studies demonstrate that two types of pressure gauges respond to dust carried with shock waves by indicating an increase in dynamic pressure. This contribution to the dynamic pressure is approximately the product of the dust density and the square of the dust velocity under the experimental conditions. Besides this information studies give insight into the interaction of a square shock wave with dust when that dust is placed in a plane before and parallel to the shock front. It is found that the shape of the pressure wave is little changed except for a rounding of the front. The dust, after accelerating, is carried as a pulse with the mass flow velocity of the air."

Report discussing the effects of thermal diffusion length and certain details in the design of light water moderated reactors and their effect on reactivity.

The following report is a collection of data and results from studies of zirconium alloy corrosion.

This report provides a table that summarizes the data taken from investigations of gamma radiation of the Bulk Shielding Reactor in an iron-water mixture. The results are plotted on a graph also provided in this document.

Report discussing the progress made on various research projects at North American Aviation during the quarter from January to March 1954.

Due to some lack of knowledge of the energy per fission, there has been some uncertainty over the absolute power of the Bulk Shielding Reactor. This report analyzes measurements to state the absolute power of the BSR within a few percent.

Abstract: "Steady states decomposition product partial pressures of water exposed to an epithermal neutron flux of about 2 x 10-11, at 235F, were 0.4 to 0.65 psi. Recombination studies were made by adding hydrogen and oxygen gases to water under irradiation at different temperature and flux levels. The data show a significant effect of temperature on the rate of pressure drop of the added hydrogen and oxygen. In operating at two flux levels, 1.2 x 10-11 and 2.0 x 10-11, no difference in the rate of pressure drop with flux could be detected with the instrumentation on the test apparatus."

Report discussing the effects of xenon-135 and samarium-149 on the reactivity of nuclear reactors. The findings are presented in a "general manner, so as to be applicable to both the Converter and PuP Reactors."

Report discussing progress made in metallurgy by the Ames Laboratory during the the term from October 1, 1950 to March 31, 1951.

"These notes are intended to serve as a summary of the current knowledge of properties of materials. In the future some need may exist for related information on methods od testing, design and fabrication. This issue presents information on thorium with subdivisions..."

Report discussing the progress made on various chemistry research projects at Ames Laboratory during the period from October 1, 1950 to March 31, 1951.

Introduction: "This report is an extension of NAA-SR-Memo-178. The results show the number of control rods as a function of the amount of reactivity to be controlled. Numerical solutions are given for a typical example and are readily obtainable for other cases."

The following report provides data describing the total electron beam current as a function of A-12 beam radius. The beam is investigated using the provided equations.

Gradual corrosion and mechanical wear of equipment over a period of years has affected the seals and gasketing of the electric pot calcining equipment in the 224-U Building Cell E to such an extent that the desirable vacuum cannot be maintained in the pots. Air contamination has been gradually increasing, and this, together with a lowering of the mask working limits, has made it necessary to require personnel to wear assault masks continuously. Indications are that, with the increased production now required, the level of air contamination will continue to rise unless measures are taken to prevent it. The Manufacturing Department has requested that a project be established to reduce the contamination level. Several items of improvement are listed for consideration including, in general, the electric pot agitation and sealing, semi-automatic pot unloaders, cell ventilation and air locks, and the nitric acid off-gas system and stacks. Because of the urgency of improving the conditions, the project, at first, is to provide for immediate improvements for the electrical pot agitation, the pot cover leakage, and the nitric acid off-gas system and stack. Additional study will be required to determine the extent of the ventilation and semi-automatic unloading improvements required.

The Redox process uses or produces only a very few materials that are hazardous for reasons other than radioactivity. The conditions under which these materials become hazardous were carefully taken into consideration in the development of the process and design of the equipment. A considerable about of information on the hazardous properties of the process materials was obtained so that the pertinent material could be incorporated into the process specifications. Providing the equipment is operating properly and the process is being carried out within specification limits, no hazardous conditions can be created by the process. The purpose of this report is to assemble in a single, readily available document all of the information on the normal concentration limits and safe handling procedures needed to adequately control the use and storage of these materials. This report should be helpful in preparing safety bulletins and provide guidance in case of unusual incidents, malfunctioning of equipment, or contemplated changes in either the process or equipment. It is important to remember that a maximum allowable concentration (MAC) is only a limit on the concentration of a toxic material which cannot be exceeded in the air to which workers are constantly exposed to every working …

It was shown that without further major development the detectors proposed for the Body Monitor can be expected to detect 0.02 microcurie of plutonium at the center of the chest cavity. This is the permissible body burden of insoluble forms of plutonium. The detection level can be decreased by decreasing the background counting rate. Decreases in the background can reasonably be expected; it should be possible to detect a small fraction of the permissible body burden. If it can be shown, as suggested by other work, that americium will remain with plutonium, then within at least a few months after entry into the body it should be possible to measure the plutonium by detection of rays from Am²⁴¹.

Average coefficients of thermal expansion of the temperature range 25 C to approximately 425 C are reported for numerous types of graphite. The dependence of thermal expansion on crystal orientation and crystallite size and the effects of oxidation and cold test hole irradiation are discussed. An empirical relationship between thermal expansion and the initial rate of physical expansion under cold test hole irradiation is formulated.