The D Pile was down five times for scheduled shutdowns. The fifth shutdown was of short duration for the purpose of discharging temporary ``P`` columns. Details of the shutdowns are given. Three new bismuth columns were established, Special Requests were charged into seven tubes and three Special Requests were discharged. Three tubes were charged with four-inch slugs. The power level of the F Pile has been corrected for the discrepancy noted last month. Material for irradiation under the Special Request program was charged into six tubes and the B experimental hole during the month. The effect of poison columns and rods on the temperature distribution of the pile was checked for the overall content of the pile. The F Pile gained two in hours in cold, clean reactivity during the month if allowance is made for xenon poison values corresponding to 190 MW for the beginning of the month and 200 MW at the end of the month. The graphite stringer removed from the ``D`` test hole of the D Pile on 3-12-46 was studied physical radiation effects.

This memo discusses the effects of advancing to higher power levels of the 105 Piles (D-Pile). It is concluded that there is no technical reason against a cautious advance to higher powers; the units can be run at higher levels than their rating of 250 MW, or the additional reactivity that they will gain with time may be taken entirely in the form of lower peak temperatures and radiation levels. The decision as to what course to follow between these extremes involves such issues as the best use of uranium and the most effective separation of adequate amounts of product of proper quality.

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This is a reference made to a memorandum about the cooperation between the Hanford Site and the US Geological Survey. The US Geological Survey was at the site to work with Hanford on geological problems the site was having. They worked together to locate the water supply wells of the site which would be coordinated with the drilling program. They also worked together on the possible contamination to the 300 and 3000 area wells. (MB)

The magnitude and distribution of the fission rate per unit area produced by three energy groups of moderated neutrons reflected from a water tamper into one side of an infinite slab of active material is calculated approximately in section II. This rate is directly proportional to the current density of fast neutrons from the active material incident on the water tamper. The critical slab thickness is obtained in section III by solving an inhomogeneous transport integral equation for the fast-neutron current density into the tamper. Extensive use is made of the formulae derived in The Mathematical Development of the End-Point Method by Frankel and Goldberg. In section IV slight alterations in the theory outlined in sections II and III were made so that one could approximately compute the critical radius of a water-tamper sphere of active material. The derived formulae were applied to calculate the critical dimensions of water-tamped slabs and spheres of solid UF{sub 6} leaving various (25) isotope enrichment fractions.

As work on the Columbia Basin irrigation project on the Columbia River is in the initial stages, the question of the effect of this project of the mineral content of the Columbia River has been raised. As an increase in dissolved mineral matter would seem to be likely, it was felt that quantitative estimate of the magnitude of this increase would be important, specifically with reference to the retaining of the demineralization plant at 100-D Area. Accordingly, a study has been made of the probable effect of the irrigation project on the chemical characteristics of the Columbia River.

Long-time tests have been made on the effect of various types of radiation on the corrosion of 2S aluminum in simulated W water. In no case was any acceleration of corrosion by the radiation observed; the effect of radiation, if any, appeared to be a protective one. Deuteron irradiation did accelerate the corrosion of mild steel at low flow rates in hot water of pH 6 to 7, but no appreciable effect was observed with copper, stainless steel, or tuballoy. The general theory of the effect of radiation on corrosion is discussed, with the conclusion that no acceleration of corrosion by radiation is to be expected in most cases of practical interest. (auth)

This report details events of importance reported by the Hanford Operations Office for the week ending May 4, 1949.

This document is a letter sent on September 6, 1944. The topic of discussion is the chemical composition of the water in the Columbia River. Tests show the amount of metals, dissolved solids, hardness and turbidity of the water before and after laboratory filtration.

The attached material balance flowsheet for the proposed Redox Production plant is based on the two chemical flowsheets submitted by R.B. Richards of the Technical Division in HW 13,320 (INDC-3130) and HW 13,452 (INDC 3176). Production rates for the plant have been assumed as 2.5 short tone U per day (including a maximum of 0.75 short tons of U from stored Bi PO{sub 4} waste) and 19 kg. Pu per month (633 gms/day) as established by the Redox Committee. The flowsheets for preparation of solvent extraction feed from Bi PO{sub 4} waste, as well as the waste treatment systems will be covered in a future document.

It was proposed to prepare a volatile polonium compound which could be used alone or with another gaseous compound as a neutron source. The objective was to obtain a neutron source which would give off few neutrons in the expanded state, but when condensed would act substantially as a thick target and emit perhaps ten times as many neutrons. Originally, polonium hexafluoride was suggested; with such compound the fluorine atoms would constitute the target. the predicted boiling point of polonium hexafluoride is about -40 {degrees}C. There was reason to believe, however, that lower relatively non-volatile fluorides would be formed rather than the hexafluoride. Polonium alkyls were therefore proposed as alternatives. The predicted boiling point of Po(CH{sub 3}){sub 2} is about 110 {degrees}C. This compound in itself would probably not be suitable as a target material but it could be mixed with other gases such as carbon tetrafluoride, boron trifluoride, etc., as targets. As a longer range possibility, Po(CF{sub 3}){sub 2} was also suggested. This compound would act as its own target and would moreover have the same F/Po ratio as PoF{sub 6}; its boiling point could be expected to be 30{degrees} - 60 {degrees} lower than that of polonium dimethyl. …

This progress report discusses the activities of the P Division for the month of September, 1949. The B and F piles operated at 275 megawatts (MW) and the D pile at 305 MW throughout the month except for cutages listed under Area Activities. A total of 60.22 tons of metal, at an average concentration of 396 megawatt days/ton (MWD/ton) was discharged from the piles during the month. The 105-H Building was accepted from the Construction Division on September 28 with certain exceptions noted under the Operating Experience section of this report. At month end P Division operating personnel are making preparations for activation of the H pile. On September 28 the operation of the 300 Area oxide burning process was reduced from a two shift to a one shift five day operation. This change in schedule was possible as a result of working off the backlog of uranium oxide. The shipment of 200 tons of canned slugs to Building 105-DR for storage was completed on September 9 and the shipment of 250 tons of canned slugs to Building 105-H for the initial loading charge was completed on September 26.

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This document provides the analytical reports on the aluminum-silicon alloy, tin and copper analytical reports are also provided.

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