Data are presented on the results of acid and carbonate leaching studies on samples of ore from the LaBajada Mine of the Lone Star Mining Company, Santa Fe County, New Mexico. (auth)

A 2 M NaOH solution is a satisfactory scrubber for the Darex off-gas if sufficient nitrite is present to reduce all hypochlorite to chloride. If there is not enough nitrite produced in the scrubber solution by the reaction of nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen sesquioxide with sodium hydroxide, more reducing agent must be added. Both nitrite and sulfite rapidly reduce hypochlorite in basic solution. The scnubber solution can be used as long as it remains basic. (auth)

A procedure has been developed for the determination of silver, cadmium, indium, and tin in an alloy composed of these metals. The sample sample is dissolved in a mixture of nitric and fluoboric acids, after which the silver is determined gravimetrically as the chloride. The cadmium and indium are then determined polarographically in a potassium iodide solution, and the tin is determined polargraphically in an ammonium chloride - hydrochloric acid supporting medium.

This document details activities of the Fuels Preparation Department during the month of December 1957.

This report describes the operation of the fuels preparation department for the month of June 1958. Manufacturing, employee relations, process development, plant improvements, and financial operations are described.

This report describes the operation of the fuels preparation department for the month of May, 1958. Manufacturing employee relations, process development, plant improvements, and financial operations are discussed.

The design of a general purpose hot laboratory that embodies the maximum permissible safety for operating personnel handling source material containing air-borne alpha-gamma emitters is described. Laboratory components such as thc cell bank and supporting facilities are discussed. Floor plans are included. (J.R.D.)

A knowledge of the effect of reactor irradiation on the properties of UO{sub 2} is relevant to the design and evaluation of UO{sub 2} fuel elements for the PRTR. Of particular interest is the effect of reactor irradiation on the thermal conductivity of sintered UO{sub 2} and the type, mechanism, and extent of radiation damage in sintered UO{sub 2}. In the latter case the study of fractured surfaces of irradiated UO{sub 2} specimens is a method of determining the extent of radiation damage. It is the purpose of this report to propose an irradiation test of a number of capsules containing UO{sub 2} thermal conductivity and fractography specimens.

This document consists of water shutoff data for the K-pile. Included are apparent graphite diffusivity, apparent gas gap at the surrounding tubes, graphite bore radius, apparent gas gap at the test tube, maximum graphite temperature, water shutoff time, overall resistance slug to graphite, and resistance of bore gas annulus to heat transfer.

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The equipment necessary for a nuclear engineering laboratory wtth a point neutron source is discussed. Some general references on neutron work are listed. Experiments are outiined which use a neutron howitzer, a tank of water, a sigma pile, and a natural U and graphite exponential pile. (M.H.R.)

>lium reflector of the MTR to burn-up values of 20, 40, 60, and 80% of the U/sup 235/ atoms is described. The fuel

The results of tests to determine the actual coolant flow through various core channels in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor are plotted, tabulated, and discussed. (M.H.R.)

The Process Specifications for Operational Control of the Purex Plant(l) have been revised to define the operational control changes as a result of (a) converting the Purex Plant from three to two cycles, and (b) the use of the Plutonium Anion Exchange Unit (N-Cell) for routine plutonium concentration in place of the L-Cell Concentration Package. The flowsheets specified in Figures I-1, -2, and -3, and Table I fulfill the requirements for nuclear and chemical safety within the process as defined in Purex Process Specifications. The flowsheet also provides adequate recovery and decontamination to meet the product purity requirements itemized in Section 3.04. To clarify the two-cycle flowsheet and to simplify its use, the specifications are listed on graphic flow diagrams with the notation that process control allows a deviation of plus or minus five percent on all specifications except TBP concentration in solvent.

This report provides recommended tube flow limitations for B and D Pile downcomers.

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Sanderson and Perter, under contract to the AEC, prepared a design feasibility study for a pebble-bed reactor steam power plant of 125-Mw(e) capacity. The design problems, economic considerations, and required research and development programs were reviewed by ORNL. It is concluded that the design shows promise of being economically competitive if the following conditions are met: (1) U/sup 233/ could be made available for use as a burner rather than as a breeder; (2) the contamination problems within the reactor can be successfully handled in a manner which would permit direct maintenancc on the equipment external to the core; and (3) the anticipated lifetime of the fuei ls snrffncneutly long to justify the cost assumptions of the Sanderson and Perter design. (L.T.W.)

This progress report by the Atomic Energy Division of the Savannah River Plant covers: Reactor Technology; Separation Technology; Engineering Assistance; Health Physics; and General Laboratory Work. (JT)

A rough survey of the nuclear charactenistics of graphite-moderated molten-salt reactors utilizing an initial complement of low enrichment uranium fuel has been made. Reactors can be constructed with initial enrichinents as low as 1.25% U-235; initial conversion ratios of as high as 0.8 can be obtained with enrichinent of less than 2%. Highly enriched uraninm would be added as make-up fuel, and such reactors could probably be operated for bunnups as high as 60,000 Mwd/ton before buildup of fission preducts wpuld make replacement of the fuel desirable. A typical circulating fuel reactor of this class might contain an initial inventory of 3600 tons of 1.8% enriched uranium, operated at 640 Mw (thermal), and generate a net of 260 Mw (electrical). The total fuel cycle cost would be approximately 1.3 mills/kwhr, of which 1.0 mill is bunnup of enniched U- 235. (auth)

Recent correlations of slug rupture data have indicated that the failure rate increases markedly with specific slug power. After the fact flux traverses have shown that a large share of the ruptures have occurred in conjunction with flux peaks significantly higher than normally expected. If more complete in-core flux information were available, it is expected that a major portion of the ruptures could be shown as having been caused by abnormally high flux peaks. However, at present.there is neither means for continuously monitoring flux distribution nor an operating control system which can be used for effectively controlling the flux distribution in the longitudinal as well as the radial direction. It appears feasible to undertake a program at this time having the specific objective of controlling and lowering the maximum to average slug power in the Hanford Reactors. There is every reason to believe that a marked decrease in the rupture rate would result from such a course of action. The purpose of this document is to systematically examine the justification for longitudinal flux control, the apparent obstacles and limitations to efficient control, and a feasible course of action designed to fulfill the desired flux distribution objectives.

The transformation kinetics of alpha and beta plutoniunn were determined by using a fluid displacement technique. The rate of formation of the alpha phase from the beta phase was determined after beta heat treating and allowing the sample to transform isothermally in the alpha range. Isothermal reaction curves were obtained from --78 to +90 d C. A time- temperaturetransformation curve showed the maximum rate of transformation to be approximately --20 d C. The beta phase did not transform completely to the alpha when the transformation was allowed to take place isothermally. A relationship between the fraction untransformed beta and the transformation temperature has been established. Isothermal reaction curves and a time- temperature-transformation curve of the alpha at 200 deg C an - BETA transformation were obtained. Portions of the timetransformation curves of the BETA at 200 deg C an alpha transformation of four purities were plotted. The effects of beta heat treating times and temperatures were studied. Photomicrographs of a specimen having transformed from the beta to the alpha phase at different rates of transformation are presented. (auth)

Full-scale water flow tests were performed to determine the feasibility of a variable resistance orificing scheme for PWR Core 2. A low temperature, low pressure loop was used, and three, two, and one multi-hole and multi-slot orifice plates in series were tested. For the three and two plates in series, thc range in flow repenetrations were aligned to the condition of maximum misaligament. Flow characteristics of a single multihole and multi-slut plate were also studied. Tests performed on the multi-hole and multi- slut orifices in series showed that a considerable renge of flow resisttions is varied. For the area ratio, which gave the 6 in the case of three multi-hole plates and about 1 to 4 for three multislot plates. Fur the multi-hole geometry tested, the incrcase in flow resistance with angular misalignment was very high and occurred over an angular rotation of the center plate of 15 deg . Employing angular slots allowed greater freedom in the choice of the range of angular rotation to go from the minimum to the maximum flow resistance conditions. For this reason the angular slot configuration will be considered for further study for application in PWR Core 2. (auth)