This is the second quarterly report on the work done under Contract AT(04-3)-189, Project Agreement No. 27. The results reported here have to do primarily with the loss in a rectangular (1/2" x 1-3/4") channel in the horizontal orientation, without contraction-expansion inserts.

Human iron metabolism has been extensively studied in the past twenty-five years with the radioisotopes iron⁵⁵ and iron⁵⁹. Before the availability of the whole body counter, however, iron absorption studies were performed by the indirect methods of fecal assay of unabsorbed radioiron, and estimation of red cell incorporation of absorbed tracer. The few long-term excretion studies performed required numerous assumptions, since human iron excretion was less well understood. Whole body counting provides a simple and accurate method of measuring the total body retention of administrative tracer iron⁵⁹, thus making absorption and subsequent excretion determinations possible with a single radioiron study. The energetic gamma emissions of iron⁵⁹ permit ready external detection with small quantities of isotope, Normal radioiron distribution is uniform throughout the circulating red cell mass and thus minimize geometry influences on the counting efficiency, 0nly the 45.1 day half-life of iron⁵⁹ limits long term iron turnover studies. Measurements of iron⁵⁹ absorption and long-term body turnover have been under way at Brookhaven National Laboratory for over two years. The present paper outlines some of the results of these studies, and discusses some implications of the method.

Iron containing approximately 0.01 wt. % carbon was quenched from 700°C and irradiated in the BNL reactor at 57°C for various lengths of time. The rate of decay of the Snoek internal friction peak was observed at 57°C after irradiation. After a 4-hour irradiation the rate of decay of the peak was one order of magnitude faster than the rate of decay in an unirradiated specimen. Longer irradiation times up to 48 hours caused no further acceleration of the decay rate. This observation implies that in the irradiated specimens there are ten times more precipitation nuclei than in the unirradiated specimens. This is confirmed by electron microscope studies which also show a factor of ten greater concentration of precipitate particles in specimens irradiated for 5 hours at 57°C as compared to an equivalent unirradiated specimen. Electron microscope studies also show that longer irradiation times do not increase further this number of precipitates. Although these experiments clearly demonstrate the enhancement of nucleation by neutron irradiation, it is not known why the incipient nuclei created by irradiation times of longer than 5 hours do not form observable precipitate particles.

The alternating-gradient proton synchrotrons at CERN and Brookhaven are very similar in size, design and in their experimental use. For this reason, collaboration between the groups at CERN and Brookhaven has been close throughout the history of these two machines. For the most part this has taken the form of exchanges of visits of individual machine designers and of high-energy physicists. By 1962, however, it appeared that the reciprocal flow of information was not adequate and a more formal meeting was arranged. This meeting took place at Brookhaven during the week of September 10, 1962. CERN sent a representative group of machine physicists and high-energy physicists. The meeting was attended also by observers from several American high-energy installations. The discussion covered a wide range of topics, from operating characteristics of the machines themselves to future trends in design of experimental equipment. Plans for beam ejection were presented, techniques were described for better use of secondary beams from internal targets, progress was summarized on dc and rf particle separators. and future trends in neutrino experimentation were predicted.

During a visit to Professor H.G. Harb at the University of Wisconsin, it was apparent that he had succeeded in obtaining fresh, clean chemisorptive layers of titanium by sublimation and chat that this could be adapted into an effective high vacuum pump. Two previous techniques of obtaining a chemisorptive layer of titanium, namely catholic sputtering and evaporation from the liquid droplet, have been extensively investigated and reported. Each of these seem to have inherent difficulties in stability and continuity of operation that appear to be eliminated or effectively reduced by the sublimation procedure. A development program was started at Brookhaven National Laboratory to investigate the possibilities of each sublimation of titanium as opposed to evaporation from the liquid.

"Uranium and zirconium were bonded by melting the two metals in contact with one another in a bimetallic casting process. Tensile tests of specimens containing the original zone of interface between the two metals showed that all failures were at locations other than the interface. The coefficients obtained for diffusion between molten uranium and molten zirconium varied from 2.13 cm squared per day at 3,380 degrees F. to 9.17 cm squared per day at 3,510 degrees F. the activation energy for the diffusion process was calculated to be 182,000 calories per gram mole."

This technical report provides a design criteria for a technical support facility for the Lithium Cooled Reactor Experiment (LCRE) and SNAP-50-DR-1 Test Facilities. The support facility is adjacent to the LCRE Test Facility and is located completely within the existing Building 629 structure at the former ANP area of the National Reactor Testing Station (NRTS) near Idaho Falls, Idaho. The information and specifications presented establish the basis for the design of laboratories, shops and engineering areas required to support the installation, operation, maintenance and disassembly of the LCRE and SNAP-50 tests. The construction and modification required to adapt the building to reactor test support operations are described in detail in the following report.

This technical report provides design criteria for reactor test facilities utilizing existing structures at the former ANP area of the National Reactor Testing Station (NRTS) near Idaho Falls, Idaho. The information and specifications presented establish the basis for the design of facilities providing the capability for installation, extended nuclear testing and remote disassembly of the 10mw Lithium-Cooled Reactor Experiment (LCRE). Facility structural and process design has been developed to the extent required to assure the safety and technical feasibility of the proposed facilities for reactor operation.

Details are given of an apparatus used to dissolve irradiated ceramic, metallic, and carbide fuel specimens, to dilute the dissolver solutions accurate to a known volume, and to take aliquots with a specially adapted automatic burette. Procedures for its use are given.

Methods are described for the determination of traces of Be, Th, and U in concentrated sulfuric-phosphoric acid mixtures. When the Be concentration is sufficiently high, the chrome azurol S spectrophotometric method may be applied directly, and a small correction made for phosphate interference. At lower concentrations Be should be first separated by an acetylacetone extraction. Th must be separated from sulfate and phosphate before the thoronol spectrophotometric method can be used. This is achieved by precipitating Th as the fluoride, using Y carrier. U may be determined spectrophotometrically with arsonazo after separating Be, Th, suIfate, phosphate, and other impurities by anion-exchange from hydrochloric acid solution. In an alternative procedure, U is reduced to the tetravalent state and precipitated with Th as the fluoride, again using Y carrier. The determination is then completed by a-c polarography.

The dissolution of dense beryllia was studied in a variety of reagents. The dissolution rates were too slow to be of practical importance except those for hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, and mixtures of sulfuric and phosphoric acids. The reaction with hydrofluoric acid was studied in more detail in an attempt to throw some light on the dissolution process. The initial dissolution rate appeared to be proportional to the square of the acid concentration between 0 and 20M. An apparent activation energy of 12 Kcal/mole BeO was obtained from the temperature coefficient of the dissolution.

The 25% Cr, 20% Ni type stainless steel has been proposed for use in the Australian High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor in core structures, and in hot gas ducting. Thus a knowledge of the compatibility of this steel with high pressure carbon dioxide was required. Rates and mechanisms of corrosion were investigated for machined, vapour blasted, and etched pretreated samples of this steel, exposed to carbon dioxide up to 3,000 hours in the temperature range 650 degrees C at gas pressures from 3 p.s.i.g. to 280 p.s.i.g. Oxide film flaking as apparent at all temperatures investigated but was only severe for pre-ground samples at 710 degrees C and above, and for pre-vapour blasted samples at 760 degrees C and above. However, severe intergranular penetration was observed in pre-etched samples on exposure to carbon dioxide at 650 degrees C and above. Pressure of the gas appeared to have no systematic effect on the corrosion rate, at least in the temperature range investigated. The maximum useful temperature for which the steel could be used would be limited by the amount of oxide flaking permissible. In reactor gas circuits where a small amount of scale flaking could be tolerated, the steel is satisfactory …

Technical report. From Abstract : "The MBr3 + M phase diagrams for lanthanum, cerium, and praseodymium are presented. Lanthanum and cerium exhibit simple solutions of metal, with 14 and 12 mole % dissolved at eutectic temperatures of 728 and 687°, respectively. The compound PrBr2.38 is found, melting incongruently to a solution of 16% Pr in PRBr3 and Pr(s) at 601°. For praseodymium the cryoscopic behavior of dilute solutions of metal is consistent with the primary formation of the Pr2+ solute. But with lanthanum and cerium the results are anomalous, as the cryoscopic analyses indicate 1.6-1.7 and 2.0 new particles (cation basis) per metal dissolved instead of ~3."

Technical report. From Abstract : "Reaction of NbBr5 and niobium metal in a sealed tube under a temperature gradient from 410° to 350° gave NbBr4 in good yields. However, an increase in the higher temperature from 410° to 450° was sufficient to eliminate NbBr4 as a product and cause deposition of a lower bromide."

Technical report. From Abstract : "The necessary conditions for preparation of TaBr4 and TaI4 by reduction of the pentahalides with tantalum or aluminum metal in a sealed tube under a controlled temperature gradient have been demonstrated."

Technical report outlining the element calcium as well as its occurrences, physical properties, chemical properties, methods of manufacture, economic aspects, and uses.

Technical report. From Abstract : "Accurate measurements on boiling points and surface tensions of mixtures of benzyl acetate with dioxan, aniline and meta-cresol over the entire range of concentration are reported. The results have been analysed in terms of quasi-crystalline model which is partially successful in representing the composition dependence of heats of mixing, boiling points and surface tension except for composition dependence of boiling points of benzyl acetate and meta-cresol."

Technical report. From Abstract : "The term 'rare earths' is the classic name given to the group of elements with atomic numbers 57 to 71. The element yttrium is usually included in this group. The chemical properties of these elements are so strikingly similar that they always occur together in nature and their separation from each other is a singularly difficult task. With but few exceptions, mixtures of these elements have also defied analysis by classical methods of analytical chemistry. Consequently for the analysis of ores, minerals, and mixtures obtained from fractionation processes, and for the assessment of the purity of isolated elements, it has been necessary to resort to measurements on physical properties. Of these properties, emission and absorption spectra of these elements have found the widest application."

Technical report. From Abstract : "Paramagnetic susceptibilities of samarium structure alloys in the systems La-Gd, Nd-Y, Nd-Tm, and Ce-Y were measured from 4.2 - 300°K to determine what effect the formation of this structure has on the magnetic properties of the alloys. Susceptibility maxima were observed in the Nd-Y and Nd-Tm alloys, at 34.5 and 28.5°K, respectively. Slope changes were observed in the curve of 1/x versus T for the La-Gd alloy at 155 and 130°K, and the susceptibility of this alloy remained temperature-independent from 130-7°K. A rather poorly defined region of constant susceptibility was also observed or the Ce-Y alloy, from 26-37°K. Above these transition temperatures, the alloys obeyed the Curie-Weiss law, the susceptibilities of the La-Gd and Ce-Y samples indicating the possibility of electron transfer occurring in these cases."

Abstract: "The energy absorption spectrum of cosmic ray mu mesons at sea level was inferred from the omnidirectional momentum, the latter being obtained from the directional intensities of muons in various energy intervals at zenith angles of 0, 30, 60, and 68 degrees. ...From the energy absorption spectrum, a sea level muon dose rate of 2.23 microrads per hour was determined. This is consistent with measurements of the total cosmic dose rate."

The designer's concept of a test program for the 30-Mw prototype intermediate heat exchanger and steam generator designed and fabricated as part of the Sodium Components Development Program is presented. The performance data will serve to verify the thermal design, or allow application of improved techniques to future designs, give an improved basis for stress analysis in design of future units, and demonstrate the capability and limitations of the units in relation to the performance specifications for which they were designed. Welding techniques for type 316 stainless steel are described. The specifications and operating conditions of the units are given along with instrumentation drawings showing test equipment design and arrangement.

Technical report. From Abstract : "A study was made of the kinetics and stoichiometry of the formation of hydrazoic acid in nitric acid solutions containing hydrazine and ferrous sulfamate. The data were used to establish safe limits for the use of hydrazine in process solutions."

Technical report. From Abstract : "An existing ion exchange method was adapted for use in a shielded facility to separate Np237 from highly radioactive solutions. The subsequent determination of neptunium was made by alpha counting and alpha pulse height analysis. The coefficient of variation was $.8% (n=10) for a synthetic sample and 5.9% (n=23) for plant samples."

Technical report. From Abstract : "An analytical method was developed for the determination of Np237 in solutions that contain plutonium and fission products. Np (IV) was extracted into tri-n-octylamine. A quantitative recovery of a Np237 standard was obtained with a coefficient of variation of 1.0% (n=10). A coefficient of variation of 3% was obtained for seven analyses of a process sample."