Technical report covering the functions of the Oak Ridge reactor, difficulties encountered with cartridge failures in the Oak Ridge reactor, and possible solutions including the incorporation of leak detection systems into the design of the reactor.

One-region buckling measurements that were made on a series of D/sub 2/O- moderated lattices of heavy uranium metal tubes in the Process Development Pile at Savannah River Laboratory are presented. The purposes of these measurements are to provide normalization points for lattice bucklings and to extend the study of natural uranium- D/sub 2/O systems. The dependence of buckiing on the moderator-to-fuel ratio is studied for two types of lattices.

Abstract: New experimental data and literature data are utilized to determine the upper temperature of usefulness of zirconium alloys. Three basic engineering assumptions are used; (1) service life requirements are on the order of four years; (2) tubular fuel cladding for rod-type fuel is considered with a maximum wall thickness of 1.27 cm; and (3) heat fluxes are above 157 watts/cm. The inter-relation of three basic factors, corrosion rate, corrosion embrittlement by hydrogen and oxygen, and strength are considered. An upper limit for an acceptable corrosion rate for long-term service of 1 mg/dm/day is set primarily by the effect of heat-transfer on corrosion. For the best alloys anticipated, this requirement (even without considering transient conditions) limits cladding surface temperatures to less than 540 degree C. Oxygen embrittlement of the alloy substrate by oxide film dissolution is not expected to be a limiting factor. Corrosion hydrogen embrittlement was studied in detail and found to limit acceptable service to cladding surface temperatures of less than 525 degree C for established experimental alloys. Hydrogen embrittlement may not be a limiting factor if alloys corrosion resistant enough to be acceptable above 600 degree C could be developed. Zirconium alloys designed for high strength to …

At the Chemonuclear Workshop held at Brookhaven National laboratory in November 1962 it was pointed out that the production of ozone from oxygen by a liquid phase fission fragment chemonuclear process appears to have reasonable economic potential. The maximum theoretical reaction yield for the formation of ozone from oxygen is a "G" value of 68 molecules for 100 ev based on heat of reaction data. The authors felt a "G" value of 15 to be reasonable for this study. the reactor system chosen has liquid oxygen as its moderator and the operating pressure and temperature were selected so as to allow boiling of the oxygen-ozone mixture. The total plant investment cost is estimated to be in the range of $100,000,000. Other system designs will be considered in the future.

Early effects obtained with monoenergetic fast neutrons in mice have been described elsewhere. Emphasis in this report will be placed on the late effects of lens opacification (cataractogenesis), particularly during the period soon after irradiation with low or fractionated doses of neutrons at two energy levels, or X-rays. Considerations will also be given to the influence of age at time of irradiation upon the induction of lens opacities. Both studies are continuing, with periodic slit-lamp microscope examinations, but findings to date warrant this initial report at this conference.

The increasing complexity of the data of nuclear physics has led to widespread interest in the possibility of utilizing a digital computer for on-line data collection. Through the combined efforts of the Instrumentation Division and the Neutron Physics group at Brookhaven such a system has been placed into operation. Several features of this system are believed to be unique and of interest to research groups centered about a major facility like a reactor or an accelerator.

The Brookhaven Bubble Chamber Group is developing a Hough-Powell fast analysis system (HPD)1 for bubble chamber photographs. High precision measurements are made with a computer controlled flying spot digitizer. We are currently testing the track selection programs for the system. We have just completed a study of a method for automatic bubble density measurements.

The influence of the Doppler effect in the core disassembly process following a meltdown accident is examined with a Bethe-Tait type model in which the Doppler effect, as well as core disassembly, is considered in the reactor shutdown process. It is shown that a strong negative Doppler effect can radically reduce the explosive energy release in such an accident. (auth)

The recently developed "n" on "p" type silicon solar cell has been evaluated for application as a high-level gamma radiation dose rate meter. The solar cell ionization current was found to be a linear function of dose rate in a range 10 2 to 10 7 rads per hour. A degradation rate of approximately one per cent per megarad was measured after stabilization with twenty megarads of cobalt-60 gamma radiation. The system has proven to be stable over long periods of time. Temperature dependence corrections have been found to be .0 per cent per degree centigrade between 0 and 60 degree centigrade.

The descriptive parameters of a waveguide with smooth or periodic structure are most easily measured in a waveguide section of suitable length which is transformed into a resonant cavity by placing short circuits at both ends. Measurements of dispersion diagram, phase velocity, group velocity, voltage attenuation coefficient, shunt impedance, field configuration, etc. all involve some form of perturbation technique. The introduction of a perturbing object in a resonant cavity changes the stored electric energy We and magnetic energy Wm by Δwe and ΔWm' resulting in a frequency shift Δf of the resonant frequency f, which is given by the perturbation formula of J. Muller.

The radiolysis of several polyaromatic compounds which might be used as coolant material in a reactor was investigated using both gamma and reactor radiation. The compounds selected were naphthalene, anthracene, naphthacene, pyrene, phenanthrene, 1, 2 benzanthracene, chrysene, triphenylene, 9, 10 dihydrophenanthrene, phenazine, 7, 8, benzoquinoline and m-phenanthroline, in addition to the uncondensed ring compounds, biphenyl, ortho, meta and para terphenyl and bibenzyl. Gas yields, percentage decomposition, percentage "high boiler" and number average molecular weights were determined. A correlation was found between radiation stability and electron affinity and singlet triplet excitation energies. The most stable compounds were the condensed ring compounds, naphthalene, pyrene, chrysene, phenanthrene and triphenylene.

The transient aerothermodynamic processes in a gas-cooled reactor are described in a simplified manner to illustrate some of the fundamental physical phenomena involved, to provide some approximate but useful methods of analysis, and to aid in the understanding and use of more complex computer solutions. The transient heat balance equation for an element of a single reactor channel is derived in terms of aerothermodynamic time constants, and typical analytic solutions for transients are presented. This equation is used in generating the time-dependent equation for the channel exhaust gas temperature. The single-channel analysis is extended to multiple channels. A method for determining the approximate transient temperature envelopes for various reactor components is presented. The effects of aerodynamic and thermal coupling between different reactor channels are illustrated. Some of the simplifying assumptions are investigated with respect to the conditions under which they are valid.

Introduction: The literature reflects ever expansive studies of radiation chemistry over the past twenty years However, in the application of radiation processing to chemical reactions, in general and excepting a few isolated cases, the yield of useful products have been so low as to preclude practical utilization. Thus, for many reactions,radiation alone at ambient conditions is not a sufficient agent for economical production. Hence, we are led to the investigation of radiation effects on reactions at elevated temperatures and pressures where the thermodynamics favor more extensive reactions that may be induced by radiation. the probability of developing a successful practical radiation process is increased when applying radiation at rigorous conditions. To have a commercial advantage, a radiation process usually must replace an expensive catalyst system, generate a reaction at somewhat less rigorous conditions than is usually employed or yield a better or unique product of high value. In our investigations, we have examined only the potential of radiation as a replacement for contact catalyst. Results: We have worked with coal extract rather than coal because it can be melted or dissolved to facilitate pumping into the processing unit and, in general, permits easier handling than a solid. From numerous radiation …

From introduction: "This is the seventeenth in a series of quarterly reports which cover the progress and results from the conceptual designs, economic evaluations and research and development work performed by the General Electric Company as part of Contract AT(01-3)-189, Project Agreement No. 13."

Technical report describing that as part of the AEC Fuel Cycle Program, tests are being conducted to evaluate the significance of current fuel design limitations that do not permit the maximum fuel temperature to exceed the melting point of UO2. The reliability of prediction of the fuel rod operating conditions that will cause melting of the UO2 was evaluated by means of a calibration test conducted in the Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor. Conclusions: (a) The central portion of the 3.15-cm diameter uranium dioxide fuel column melted. It appears that the UO2 was molten to a radius of 1.22 cm in the peak power region. The maximum extent of melting probably occurred during the peak power run when the kdT in this region of the rod reached 171 watts cm. The estimated radius of melting from metallographic examination indicates the kdT for sintered UO2 is 89 watts/cm. This supports a calculated estimate for sintered UO2 thermal conductivity published by D. R. deHalas and G. R. Horn. The results of the previous calibration run and subsequent experimental data by Lyons are also consistent with the value. This conclusion is contingent on the interpretation of the post-irradiation crystal structure of the UO2. Insufficient …

Investigations on the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of densely ionizing radiations (with high LET, rate of linear energy transfer) are of importance in both fundamental and applied radiobiology. In the latter, they serve as a basis in setting permissible exposure levels for types of radiation about which little long range experience is available. Some of the best RBE studies have been done on chromosomal aberrations. The difficulty is determining RBE on the basis of chromosomal exchanges or 2-break aberrations is that the dose-response curves differ for radiations of different LET and dose rate. The dose-squared term tends to predominate with radiations of low LET (such as γ rays and most X rays) and high doses or dose rates; the linear term dominates with high LET tracks in general and at low doses or dose rates. The shape of the curves is thought to reflect the existence of two classes of mechanisms by which chromosome exchanges are produced; exchanges caused by the passage of a single ionizing particle account for the linear component of the dose-response curve, exchanges due to the interaction of effects of two independent ionizing particles are responsible for the dose-squared component. This model has been amply confirmed …

If one injects into an animal H3-thymidine, 50% of it is incorporated into deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), within approximately 30 to 45 minutes, while the rest is catabolized. A storage of H3-thymidine for later incorporation into DNA does not occur, on the basis of available evidence. Once incorporated, the label remains bound to DNA until cell death and no unequivocal evidence has as yet been presented to indicate metabolic renewal or intracellular turnover of the DNA molecule. The loss of labeled DNA from the bone marrow is therefore directly influenced by the rate of proliferation of the various cell types with release of mature cells into the peripheral blood.

In brief, these facilities consist of a 250 KvP X-ray generator; two areas of a research reactor, one a well thermalized unit of moderate capacity and a larger area with a mixed thermal and fast neutron distribution, all of which are used for brief, acute exposure. A 10 acre field, currently with almost 4000 curies of cobalt 60, serves to irradiate entire plants for either short or long periods of time. Recently, the flux density of the thermal column was increased by a factor of 5 over the original density. This was accomplished by lowering the thermal column 12 inches deeper into the reactor shield. Fast neutrons at this higher flux density are also available to the cooperator. An additional facility available to the program is the array of kilocurie gamma sources in the Nuclear Engineering Department of Brookhaven National Laboratory.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a few of the suggested advanced concepts for fast breeder reactors and to compare these with the standard approach as to their potential advantage. I have attempted to estimate the economic effect of full technical success with each of the proposed concepts. The proposed concepts include: (1) single sodium system, (2) steam-cooled core concept, (3) direct cycle reactor using potassium as reactor coolant and working fluid, (4) molten plutonium-fuel alloy circulated and cooled by a jet of sodium, (5) settled-bed core, (6) molten salt concept, and (7) paste-fuel system.

Abstract: A core design study of a 10 Mwe fast ceramic reactor is presented. Local reactivity coefficients, safety criteria, accident analyses, and economics are considered. An attempt is made to find a new balance of characteristics by purely geometric devices, i.e., by exploring the sodium : fuel ratio and varying the height : diameter ratio of the core. The use of BeO in the core was also investigated.

Technical report describing the statistically designed empirical approach being used to choose a candidate Zr alloy optimum with respect to corrosion and hydriding rates in steam and having acceptable mechanical properties. The statistical techniques used and the reasons for their use are discussed in detail, with emphasis on the estimation of corrosion rates. Estimation of response surfaces is also considered.

We undertook the present diffraction study of the bifluoride ion in sodium acid fluoride and the present refinement of the earlier data on potassium acid fluoride with the hope of obtaining more accurate information not only on the position of the hydrogen atom, but also on the vibrations of the ion. We felt that it would be through the combination of information on the motions of the system from diffraction and spectroscopic studies that the question of the symmetry of the ion could be settled. In this paper we summarize briefly the results of our diffraction study and show that these data, in combination with the spectroscopic data, provide new, and we feel convincing, evidence that the F-H-F ion is linear and symmetric.

A pool of material in steady-state turnover is a collection of identical molecules from which deletions are made at a constant rate, along with simultaneous addition of new identical molecules at the same rate, the total pool size remaining unchanged. It is of interest to consider what may be expected in the way of such pools among the various chemical species which can be isolated from biological systems. It is clear what the model requires, i.e. any molecule belonging to the pool must have as much chance as any other pool molecule to make its exit. This situation is approximated by molecules in solution in a well mixed volume of fluid, hence the choice of the word "pool." The mixing brings pool molecules into proximity with the exit mechanism in a random way.

Abstract: A stainless steel clad 9-rod assembly fabricated by The Babcock & Wilcox Company was irradiated in a boiling water loop of the General Electric Test Reactor. A post-irradiation examination revealed no significant dimensional changes on the fuel rods. the results of mass spectrometric analysis made of the pelletized UO2 fuel indicated a maximum burnup of 11,500 MWD/tonne was attained by Rod B-4 during the exposure.An x-ray diffraction examination of an unirradiated fuel sample revealed the presence of UN2 and U2N3 phases. Metallographic examination of the irradiated microstructures revealed similar second-phase particles.