This document describes required laboratory space and lists major equipment items necessary for a routine water quality laboratory in the P. R. T. R. Building. During discussions with R. D. Widrig and V. L. Rooney about the analytical sample program for the Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor, the author was asked to summarize equipment and space needs for a water control laboratory to provide routine analytical coverage on some of the water systems. Based upon 1706-KE-KER experience, some operating personnel may be used to provide analytical coverage on those routine analyses that are needed on around-the-clock basis with a savings of both time and money.

Report documenting the Halogen Collector Test program, which was undertaken to provide "methods of removing trace quantities of radioactive iodine from an air stream" (p. 1). The report includes designs of the program and the test facility, test results, analysis of these results, and encountered problems. Appendices begin on page 38.

Early in the U.S. gas-cooled reactor program, it was recognized that a considerable research and development effort would be needed to utilize the full potential of gas cooling. Hanford Laboratories contribution to this program began in August, 1958 when a graphite studies program was initiated. The primary objectives of the Hanford program are: (1) to secure improved knowledge of the reaction of gas coolants with protected and unprotected graphites over a range of conditions of practical interest for gas cooled power reactors with tolerable damage to the graphite moderator.

This document presents the bases for those PRTR Process Specifications involving considerations of heat transfer and fluid flow. It will be noted that some of the bases incorporate information gained from laboratory experiments with electrically heated test sections simulating PRTR fuel elements. These experiments are described in some detail elsewhere.

The purpose of this program is to determine the effects of neutron radiation and reactor gaseous atmospheres on the structural integrity of candidate materials for the PRTR gas-cooled loop. An exploratory investigation is being conducted to select a high temperature resistant alloy for the fabrication of tubes and supporting appliances for the PRTR gas-cooled loop. In addition to a low neutron cross section, the material must be able to withstand the operating conditions outlined in Table 1.

The surfaces of cold rolled, half hard, nitric acid treated, autoclave etched, 2S aluminum coupons were studied by optical and electronoscopic methods, before and after exposure to hot water alone and hot water and neutron bombardment. The non-exposed aluminum surfaces have a characteristic pattern which is absent in the exposed coupons. All of the exposed coupons were corroded. In general the coupons exposed to the higher flux intensities of irradiation were more severely corroded than those exposed to the lower flux intensities of irradiation or to the hot water alone. Representative photo-and electron micrographs illustrate the various types of surface structure observed on the control and experimental coupons.

Several improvements have been made in the gamma scintillation counter (GSC). The Model V gamma scintillation counter uses a canned thallium activated sodium iodide crystal as a detector. Although the electronic components remain unchanged, a modification of the sample support has been made to improve reproducibility of geometry. To assure comparable results between various counters, they must be operated at the same energy threshold and counting yield. Methods have been developed to assure operation at a preferred energy threshold of 0.1 Mev and an arbitrarily fixed counting yield of 3.36% for Cs-Ba-137. Partial pulse height discrimination against U 237 is also accomplished.

The region in which Hanford's chemical processing plant areas (separation areas) are located in the central portion of the Hanford Works area on a plateau, shaped like a giant bar, of glaciofluviatile materials. The general locations of these areas is shown in Figure 1. The region studied rises from 200 to 300 feet above the surrounding area and encompasses approximately 40 square miles or somewhat less than 8% of the Hanford reservation (Figure 2). Within the region are located the chemical separation plants and most of the major waste disposal sites.

In solvent extraction purification processes such as are used at Hanford, the fuel elements or "slugs" from the reactor containing uranium, plutonium, and fission products are dissolved in nitric acid, adjusted to the required feed composition, and pumped to the solvent extraction columns. Figure 1 in a schematic diagram of such a solvent extraction process. In the A column, the uranium and the plutonium are extracted into an organic phase while the bulk of the fission products remain in the aqueous phase and leave as waste with the column raffinate.

In HAPO solvent extraction processes there are two independent aspects of nitrous acid chemistry. One concern the decomposition of the solvent through nitration reactions and the attendant problems. These reactions are autocatalytic in the presence of nitric acid and have threshold values for both temperature and nitric acid concentration for a given solvent below which nitrous acid disappears and above which it is generated with continuous destruction of the solvent. These reactions are identical to those found in the prior study of the hexone system.

This report discusses studies regarding the distribution and other properties of uranyl nitrate, nitric acid, plutonium (IV) and plutonium (VI) as part of the Redox Process that separates plutonium, uranium, and fission products.

Introduction: "The need for a method of acid determination which could be used for small samples and easily adapted to remote control led to the investigation of the use of electrolytically generated base for the titration of acid in certain solutions. The use of electrolytically generated base for the titration of acetic acid in the presence of nitric acid has been reported (1)."

The approaches to the solution of the problem of removing or nullifying the effect of the hydrolysis of uranyl ion on acid titrations were: 1) use of a complexing agent and titration technique suitable for micro samples; 2) addition of a reagent that reacts with uranium to release 1 or 2 equivalents of acid per mole of uranium present (this permits correcting the titration value for the acid contributed by the uranium, or conversely permits an alkimetric titration of uranium); 3) separation of the uranium and acid with subsequent titration of the acid; and 4) direct titration of the sample with base. All these approaches yielded at least one method suitable for titrating acid in micro samples of uranium nitrate solutions.

Objective: "The laboratory equilibrium study RC-E-1 described in this report was carried out to obtain uranium equilibrium curves at various concentrations of nitric acid and of TBP."

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

Report that presents and interprets data taken from previous tests involving gas-lift circulators and then correlates the data for the purpose of design and operational improvements.

This report is being submitted to provide information and data on the planning and installation of a new mechanized drawing system which utilizes a new drawing index system and a 35mm microfilm image in a standard IBM card. The communication of engineering information to date has been primarily the full size contact print produced by exposing and developing light sensitive material. This method produces legible copies; but, it has the following disadvantages : (a) the original drawings are fragile, and become dirty and worn through excessive use and handling; (b) the sensitized paper has a limited shelf life; (c) the reproduction cycle is slow because it requires hand feeding and adjustment of the reproduction machine to the condition of the original; (d) the prints are large and unwieldy to handle as working documents; and (e) the filling of originals and copies is slow and expensive. In addition, providing reference prints which are accessible to engineering personnel in the widely separated areas from a central file and reproduction facility is slow, expensive and time consuming.

An experiment designed to evaluate the in-pile performance of the U-Mg fuel material when irradiated to high burnups has been completed. Twelve specimens of the fuel material which contained uranium particles that packed 50 volume per cent, (91.5 weight per cent), uranium in a magnesium matrix were canned in Zircaloy cans and irradiated in the Materials Testing Reactor to 0.1 (1000 MWD/T), 0.3 (5000 MWD/T), 1.0 (10000 MWD/T) and 2.0 20000 MWD/T) per cent burnup of the total uranium atoms; more exactly, 1 MWD/T = 1.16 x 10⁻⁴ per cent burnup of the total uranium atoms. Irradiation of the twelve capsules began on August 1, 1954. The burnup figures used in this report are calculated values assuming a conversion ratio for the capsules of 1.0. Because of the lack of confirmed experimental burnup data for exposures of this magnitude, there is a possible error in the calculated values of about 20 per cent at 2.0 per cent burnup. However, recent results based on chemical analysis for cesium indicate that the calculated values of burnup agree quite closely for the higher exposures. Burnup estimates based on the results of the chemical analysis will be published when they become available. Six of …

A design study has been made of a graphite superheating reactor, a graphite moderated reactor with a heat rating of 305 Mw which produces superheated steam. It is designed for the production of plutonium and electrical power or for the production of electrical power only. The fuel elements for dual- purpose operation are U metal, while for single purpose action, they are uranium oxide. The fuel elements are cooled by a 7-pass system in which preheated water enters the bottom of the first pass and is discharged as superheated steam at the top of the seventh pass. The reactor control consists of shim control by the gas system, vertical gas-cooled control rods, vertical safety rods, and a ball safety system. Rough cost estimates indicate that the capital cost of the reactor should be comparable to other reactors of similar heat output.

"The following is an alphabetical listing of terms and units in common usage at Hanford Atomic Products Operation. Other terms and definitions may be added as the need becomes apparent or as revisions or additional terms are issued by the NCRP and ICRP."

A preliminary evaluation of the autoclave corrosion behavior of a series of U-low C alloys and a series of U-low Zr alloys prepared by Fuels Fabrication Development Operation has been made. The corrosion testing was conducted by Coatings and Corrosion Operation by the experimental methods and procedure outlined in HW-61378.

A report intended to correlate the RA and RC Column uranium equilibrium data presented in the reports cited in the introduction.

Report discussing the properties of plutonium and plutonium's distribution between hexone and aqueous phases, which relates to the function of Redox plants

From introduction: "This report provides background information regarding the study results presented in the first volume of this report and provides information resulting from the studies made on the gas cooled reactor concept."