Studies in the 321 Building dissolver during December 1953 and January 1954, were successful in developing a laboratory-proved mercury-catalyzed dissolving flowsheet into a suitable plant procedure. However, this flowsheet was not adapted for Redox plant operation because of uncertainty about the possible presence of hydrogen above the lower explosive limit in the off-gases. Subsequent laboratory work has resulted in a better understanding of the hydrogen evolution, and has resulted in developing low hydrogen evolution flowsheets. When one of these flowsheets is selected for further work, it will be tested in the 321 Building dissolver with non-irradiated slugs to provide information for scaling-up the single-slug laboratory data to a plant-scale operation. It is the purpose of this memorandum to outline the factors considered to be pertinent to the 321 Building investigation, to be used as a guide in making preparations for the runs to be performed.

The report is divided into: Fissionable materials (2000 program): studies related to production reactors, studies related to separations plants; reactor development (4000 program): Studies related to plutonium recycle program.

In the development of fuel elements for the NPR, one potentially serious fuel element problem -- high temperature uranium swelling -- has not been experimentally investigated. A series of experiments has been proposed in which uranium fuel rod with different amounts of Zircaloy-2 cladding will be irradiated to high exposure at temperatures equivalent to those expected in an NPR. These experiments should show the importance of high temperature uranium swelling as a limiting factor in NPR fuel element behavior. To obtain sample rod temperature of 250 to 300{degree}C on the surface and 500 to 650{degree}C at the center, the rods will be irradiated in aluminum capsules loaded in standard reactor process tubes. The high temperatures will be obtained by restricting the heat flow from the uranium sample to the coolant. The purpose of this test is to determine the validity of the heat transfer calculations used in predicting the temperature drops within the capsule by irradiating one capsule at known flux conditions and measuring the temperature attained by the uranium rod sample. The data obtained from this test will be used in determining the irradiation conditions required for the full scale uranium swelling tests.

The present liquid third safety is considered undesirable for the piles at their present power levels. Any increase in power level and graphite temperature makes the need for an alternative third safety increasingly imperative. The use of the third safety is envisioned under conditions where the supply of cooling water to an operating pile is interrupted and concurrently the safety rods full to enter the pile because of slight shifting of the top shield or larger shifting of the winches, relative to the pile proper. Under these conditions, undesirable properties of a liquid third safety are present and are discussed in this memorandum.

This report gives results of a study of the effect of changes in axial power distribution on rupture potential. Possible interrelationships between this effect and the effects of other reactor variables were investigated.

Preliminary observations on tritium production fro extracted Z slugs in the H-10 load indicated yields which were lower than those calculated by approximately twenty percent. The calculated conversion efficiency for loading is 0.835. Results of a measurement of the conversion efficiency for three separate tubes are reported and found to be lower than 0.835 by approximately twenty percent, or very nearly the same as the discrepancy in tritium production. The values measured are 0.67, 0.61, and 0.60 for the three tubes respectively. Details of 25 burnup calculations are also presented with a measured depletion factor of 0.584 grams of 25 destroyed. Reasons for the large discrepancy in conversion efficiency are not known at the present time. However, some possibilities are discussed.

A discussion is presented of the elements, or at least most of the elements, that are usually thought of as required and characteristic of living materials. A continuous evolutionary process is conceived, beginning with a bare earth and leading to the random formation of more or less complex molecules from simple ones, and gradually, by the processes of random variation, autocatalysis, and selection, to more complex systems and the ordered array of desoxynucleic acid molecules which are the units that carry the continuity and order of present-day living systems.

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Fabrication techniques for making metal-ceramic fuel elements containing 80 to 90 vol. f UN or UO/sub 2/ in a Type 302B stainless steel matrix were investigated. A hot press-forging procedure was most successful for of theoretical or better. This procedure consisted of sealing the cold-p;ressed core compacts in stainless steel picuture-frame packs, heating to 1900 deg F, and pressing to a total reduction in thickness of 35%. A pressure approximately 50 tsi was used specimens produced by this method were evaluated on the basis of their microstructure, modulas of rupture, electrical conduuctivity, and resistance to thermal shock. Microscopic and macrcscopic examination showed the presence of a continuous metal skeleton even in specimens containing 90 vol. a fuel. The modulus cf rupture at rcom amperature varied from 22,500 psi for a specimen containing; 63 vol. % UO/sub 2/ to 9,200 psi for a specimen containing 87 vol.% UO/sub 2/. Both the electrical conductivity and resistance to thermal shock of UO/sub 2/ were improved by the addition of a small volume of metal. Gaspressure-bonding techniques appear promising for cladding these cores into composite elements. (auth)

Temperatures are given at which two liquid phases form in a synthetic homogeneous reactor fuel solution and its concentrates. The data show a two- liquid-phase boundary temperature of 332 deg C for the particular HRT fuel composition and a flat minimum temperature of 305 deg C for the initial solution concentrated between 6 and 16 times. Experiments on solid-liquid equilibria between 300 and 329 deg C are presented to indicatc sclution stability in this temperature region. Some related comments on current HRT operation are given. (auth)

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Recent literature concerning uranyl salt complex chemistry and ion exchange was reviewed in an effort to develop the present state of understanding of the equilibria and kinetic mechanisms involved. In the light of this, a development program is discussed which hopefully would lead to further enlightenment. Various kinetic mechanisms of sorption and elution are proposed and a comprehensive mathematical development is given for one such sorption mechanism. (auth)

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An electrical readout, decade counter employing a magnetron beam switching tube with transitor drive is described. Double pulse resolution is one microsecond. The unit will accept a variety of transitor types and will tolerate supply voltage variation of plus or minus 20% at ambient temperatures up to 60 deg C. A neon indicator is driven without the use of additional transitors. A readout circuit for printer on punched paper tape is presented. (auth)

Physical data are presented for transverse CSF samples with capsule exposures of 568, 1049, and 1617 MD/CT. The higher exposures indicate a sharper damage gradient toward the front of the pile. Additional casings of various types of graphite were loaded into test holes during this month. Average values of the thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity for several types of virgin graphites are presented. Data of this nature will be a regular portion of this report henceforth. Process tube channel 2677-H was mined and traversed for bore diameter. Although several of the tube block junctions were obscured, the channel was quite uniform. Examination of all previously mined graphite powder samples for aluminum oxide corrosion product has been completed and the results are reported.

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