Five continuous coatings were produced on zirconium coupons using an anodizing technique. These layers appear to be quite adherent and not subject to visible or audible failure caused by flaxion of the basis metal, Their abrasion resistance, though not investigated thoroughly, appears to be moderately good.

The results of this investigation indicate that maximum electric power generation can be obtained by selecting the turbine steam temperature within a range of plus/minus 30 degrees C. from an "idealized" steam temperature. This "idealized" steam temperature is shown to depend primarily on the maximum permissible uranium temperature. The minimum available condenser temperature and the temperature rise of the coolant in the pile effect the selection of the turbine steam temperature to lesser extent.

In connection with different seals for C & D equipment it appears advantageous that many parts could be made of rubber or other elastic polymers. However, data on the deterioration rate of these materials under irradiation are somewhat scant in the available literature. It appears that for neutrons and pure gamma radiation that a good grade of natural rubber stands up best in all the test reported and because the results of the neutron irradiation are so closely correlated with results from gamma it has been proposed that the principal source of damage is caused by secondary irradiation generated within the rubber by the neutrons.

Laboratory studies have shown that the double salt, CaF2-PuF4, can be precipitated by rapid addition of hydro-fluoric acid to solutions containing 25 to 75 g Pu/1, caleium equimolar to plutonium, and 1 to 10 M HNO3. The precipitate, which is subsequently washed with water and dried to 300 degrees C in dehumidified, deoxygenated argon, can be reduced thermally by calcium to give high yields of plutonium metal.

The conventional volumetric micro-determination of phosphate depends upon the precipitation of phosphomolybdate, filtration and washing of the precipitate, and titration with standard base. The method is slow and tedious, subject to many interferences, and is not applicable to samples containing less than 1-2 mg of phosphate. Other weak acid anions, such as carbonate or acetate, interfere in the method. Strong acid anions, such as nitrate, sulfate, and chloride do not interfere.

The hydrogen contents of several types of fabricated uranium have been determined by a vacuum method and expressed in terms of ccH2/ccU. The data indicate that alpha-rolled metal contains about 0.25 ccH2(STP)/ccU whereas beta heat-treated uranium yielded values between 0.30 and 0.37 cc per cc. Restricted efforts were made to determine where in the heat treatment the 5 to 10 cc of hydrogen per slug were taken up. It appears that no one operation is wholly responsible for this additional gas, although reactions between beta heat treated surfaces containing microscopic defects, and nitric acid may possibly play a large role. In general it may be said that slug produced by powder metallurgical techniques contain less hydrogen than pieces produced by rolling and heat treatment.

Observations on sheep representing flocks in Utah adjacent to the Nevada Proving Ground were compared with findings made on experimental sheep exposed to various amounts of radioiodine. The Utah sheep showed no evidence of the radiation damage observed in experimentally treated sheep. Estimations of amounts of radioiodine on vegetation required to cause serious thyroid damage following a contamination event are included.

Thirty gram patches of plutonium dioxide can be readily chlorinated by reaction with phosgene or carbon tetrachloride at temperatures of 350 and 450 C respectively. Plutonium trichloride prepared by either method can be reduced to the metal in a hermetically sealed bomb by reaction with calcium. On a twenty gram scale yields of approximately 97 per cent are obtained when a calcium-iodine booster is employed. It has been demonstrated that a method for reduction of plutonium trichloride to the metal without the use of a booster can be development.

Foils of plutonium 239 and uranium 235 have been mounted back to back in a dual ionization fission chamber in the diffracted beam of the Hanford neutron crystal spectrometer. A quantity proportional to the ration of fission cross sections of Pu239 to U235 has been measured as a function of neutron energy from 0.020 to 1.0 electron volts. The results of this investigation are presented graphically in the text.

Unanticipated radioactive contamination of the 200 Areas environs was discovered in the latter part of 1947, about 2.5 years after the startup of the Bismuth Phosphate Separation Plants. It was subsequently established that this contamination was due to radioactive particles emanating from the Separation Plants' stacks, and the need for exhaust ventilation air filtration equipment was recognized. Sand filters were installed in the fall of 1948 in the ventilation systems of the B and T Bismuth Phosphate Plants. These filter units essentially eliminated this contamination problem and have performed satisfactorily to the present time.

The automatic polarograph is ideally suited for the analysis of waste streams for uranium in the Metal Recovery Process, and with modification, it is applicable to other processes, pilot plants, and even to laboratory set ups. The instrument is simple, dependable, and relatively trouble free in operation. It provides an immediate record of the uranium in the waste and, through better control of the process, lower processing costs.

Many procedures for the chemical isolation of the microscopic angular inclusions in rolled uranium have been investigated. Four were selected as most satisfactory for this work and will be described in detail. The procedures are: (1) the copper displacement of the uranium, (2) the electrolytic displacement of the uranium, (3) the chemical dissolution of the uranium in an anhydrous solution of hydrogen chloride in methanol, and (4) the chemical dissolution of the uranium in an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride and hydrogen peroxide.

Supervision and coordination of shutdown work are often made difficult by lack of visual contact between the front face, rear face and control room. Examples of such conditions are: Removal of process tubes, where close co-separation between front and rear elevator crews is required; Locating freshly discharged slugs accidently lodged on discharge face obstructions where radiation levels are high and optical viewing equipment inadequate; Monitoring of the transfer of hot samples from a process tube into a cask, where permissible exposure time is short and oral briefing of personnel who must perform subsequent operations is inadequate.

Various non-linear calculations for heat conduction in an istropic, homogeneous medium are presented.

This document is a sequel to HW-30226, "Steady State Temperature Distribution in a Solid Slug." A primary feature of the present as well as the former paper is a treatment of the stand heat flow equation in a manner which accounts accurately for the dependence of the thermal conductivity, K, on temperature, v.

In view of the increasing number of methods for determining plutonium in terms of weight rather than radioactivity, a need has arisen for a plutonium compound that can be used as a gravimetric standard. An easily prepared compound that dissolves readily in nitric acid is desirable. The present study was made to determine the feasibility of using plutonium triflouride as a plutonium standard. The preparation, composition, stability, and ignition of the compound are discuss, as are certain properties of the plutonium dioxide resulting from ignition of the trifluoride.

The very strong flux gradient in the MTR reflector might be thought to be some cause of worry. However, this gradient will be minimized by the presence of the large block of aluminum, which, because of its small effect on neutrons, will tend to flatten the neutron flux in its vicinity. Advantage should be taken of the shape of the test facility by placing the water hole corner closest to the MTR core. This placement should take best advantage of the flattening potentialities of the slowing-down flux from the test slugs, by placing the nearest (beryllium) moderator on the low flux side of the assembly.

Abstract: The extent of the reduction of U(VI) by Fe(II) in phosphoric acid solution has been measured as a function of the phosphoric acid concentration (1.9-7.7M) and as a function of the Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio. Kinetic measurements of the slow redox equilibrium involved conform to a first order rate law. The introduction of fluoride ion into these solutions considerably increases both the reaction rate and the extent of the reduction. The formal electrode potential of the U(IV)/(VI) couple, E'U₄,₆ has been estimated in the range 1.85-4.8M H₃PO₄, from measured E'Fe₂,₃ values in combination with the redox equilibrium data.

Thesis discussing experiments to separate azeotropes into pure components testing eleven minimum boiling point azeotropic systems: (1) acetone-methanol, (2) carbon tetrachloride-ethyl acetate, (3) cyclohexane-ethanol, (4) benzene-isopropanol, (5) benzene-n-propanol, (6) benzene-cyclohexane, (7) benzene-methanol, (8) benzene-ethanol, (9) acetone-carbon, (10) isopropoanol-water, and (11) ethanol-water.

Information on experimental facilities and reactors.

Derivation and basic formulas the physicist or nuclear engineer needs to do the necessary nuclear calculation for a reactor design.

From abstract: "The design of a scintillation counter for measuring radioactive contamination of hands and feet is described."

Gamma scintillation monitor Model 3 is designed to continuously monitor and record the gamma activity of a process solution.

From introduction: "Report describing the study of radiation damage in boron carbide with an integrated thermal neutron flux of 3x10^20 neutrons/cm² in the Materials Testing Reactor (MTR)."