This document presents a summary of work and progress at the Hanford Engineer Works for September 1955. The report is divided into sections by department. A plant wide general summary is included at the beginning of the report, after which the departmental summaries begin. The Manufacturing Department reports plant statistics, and summaries for the Metal Preparation, Reactor and Separation sections. The Engineering Department`s section summarizes work for the Technical, Design, and Project Sections. Costs for the various departments are presented in the Financial Department`s summary. The Medical, Radiological Sciences, Utilities and General Services, Employee and Public Relations, and Community Real Estate and Services departments have sections presenting their monthly statistics, work, progress, and summaries.

None

The preparation, purification, and chemical properties of THP have been reviewed with emphasis on the hydrolytic reactions. TBP is chemically a very stable compound as evidenced by its thermal stability and resistance to oxidation. The most important reactions are hydrolytic which cleave the butyl or butoxy group and normally produce butyl alcohol together with dibutyl and monobutyl phosphate (DBP and MBP, respectively), and eventually H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/. Hydrolysis occurs in either the organic phase or the aqueous phase and is first order with respect to the ester. Although the rate in the aqueous phase is much faster than in the organic phase, the solubility is so low in aqueous solutions that the organic phase reactions become more important. Acid hydrolysis depends on both the nature of the acid and the concentration. The order with respect to acid concentration is close to one but often less than one. Hydrolysis is catalyzed by both acids and bases. In the latter case, the reaction occurs only in the aqueous phase and normally stops with the formation of dibutyl phosphate. The hydrolysis rate increases greatly as the temperature is raised and an activation energy of the order of 20 kcal is often found. The …

The capital and direct and indirect operating costs were estimated for erecting and operating mills of 220 and 440 tons of ore per day capacity. The ores considered contained 0.15 or 0.30% uranium. The processes considered included crushing, grinding, acid or carbonate leaching, and final recovery of the U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ in a Higgins ion exchange contuctor with a 5 M NaCl, 1 M NaCl, 1 M NH/sub 4/NC/sub 3/, or 1 M cost estimate have been given due and careful consideration with reference to requirements for a mill of this type. Further detailed information with reference to the construction and operation characteristics of the Higgins ion exchange contactor are given in ORNL reports 1907 and 1918. (auth)