Abstract: "A method is described for the identification and quantitative determination of trace amounts of rare earths in graphite by measurement of the energies and decays of the activities induced by neutron irradiation. The specific rare earth elements identified are europium and samarium. During the development of this method, the half-lives of Eu-152 and Sm-153 were determined. These are reported as 9.32 +/- 0.04 hours and 46.34 +/- 0.23 respectively."

This report is a document summarizing all information available on life aspects of various measures proposed to reduce or eliminate corrosion of Van Stone flanger.

From introduction: "The present investigation of the properties of boron stainless steel is an outgrowth of a project started in 1947. The problem is to replace the present steel used for drop rods in the Hanford piles with a material much less subject to corrosive attack from the humid atmosphere existing at the location of the rods."

Summary: "The laboratory data collected during the metallurgical evaluation of these rods indicate that lower rolling temperatures increased the ultimate and yield strength, the amount of cold work, and the degree of preferred orientation existing in these uranium rods."

Abstract: "A batch of slugs is being prepared for which the U-235 content will be 1.75 per cent, and it is of interest to calculate the minimum number of such slugs required for a critical assembly in water. Using Handbook (CL-697) methods, a critical assembly of these slugs arranged in a lattice with a spacing of 5.5 cm."

The purpose of the test used to make this report was to determine if anodizing could become a part of the canning operation prior to autoclaving, other factors permitting, or if it must follow autoclaving.

From introduction: "This paper employs a multigroup method similar to that of J. S. Story, AERE-TR-177 to calculate, for cylindrical geometry, that heat energy source density in graphite due to absorption and Compton scattering of those gammas produced by neutron capture in a water filled cadmium control rod."

Report discussing waste line methods for separation plants at Hanford Works. A discussion of existing and proposed methods, including methods of protection for lines are included.

Report discussing several reactions that occur during the Redox process and involve hexone. Discussion of each reaction and experimental data is included.

This report investigates multiple scavengings using Super Filtrol as a scavenging agent for removing zirconium and niobium from Hanford dissolver solution.

This report describes an improved infrared absorption method to analyze aqueous samples and TBP after extraction. The method described in the following pages is the carbon tetrachloride extraction method.

A flexible foil data processing program is described. Raw data on foil radioactivity are the basic input information required. Output may consists of relative activities, saturated activities, and/or cadmium ratio and flux spectrum data. A statistical analysis of the data is executed with the direct calculation, and errors estimated for the output data.

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.

At the request of the Hanford Operations Office of the Atomic Energy Commission, a criticality instrumentation meeting was held at Hanford on August 17 and 18, 1959. The purposes of the meeting were: (a) to review types of criticality control and/or alarm instrumentation at each site, their problems, shortcomings and potential obsolescence; (b) to discuss instrumentation in the area if approaching criticality; and (c) to consider for material balance purposes, the feasibility of devising instruments to detect the buildup of plutonium and enriched uranium bearing residues in process systems.

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.

Soil chemistry studies have been carried on at Hanford for a number of years in support of the disposal of low and intermediate level liquid wastes to the ground. Equilibrium type experiments were carried out to investigate the mechanisms of the reactions of Sr, Cs, and rare earth ions with soils (1, 3, 4, 5). Experiments were also conducted with simulated and actual wastes in soil columns and an empirical method was developed for prediction of radionuclide breakthrough from ground disposal facilities into ground water on the basis of short, laboratory soil columns and equilibrium experiments (6,7). In this method it is assumed that the shape and position of the breakthrough curve is the same under laboratory conditions as in the larger scale field case. It is also assumed that the "column volume" or amount of soil effectively used for fission product sorption is that directly under a disposal facility without considering any spreading of waste solutions. These assumptions are known to be on the conservative side, but the degree of conservativeness is not known.

Extremely radioactive particles result from the abrasive wheel cutting of irradiated fuel elements in the cut-off cell located in the 327 Building. Due to the use of water during the cutting operation these particles are in suspension and must be removed before the liquid can be discharged to the liquid waste tanks in the 340 building. The filters presently employed in the cell total activity discharged to the 340 Building tanks is attributed to the particles which pass these filters. With the start-up of a new, larger cut-off cell the cutting is expected to increase considerably, thereby increasing the amount of radioactive cuttings requiring disposal. The installation of equipment which would more efficiently remove the suspended particles would (1) reduce the activity level of wastes disposed to ground, (2) reduce the radiation exposure level to drivers who truck the wastes to the 200 Area, and (3) prevent the forming of localized high radiation zones due to the deposition of particles in the waste line in the 327 Building.

Disposal of liquid radioactive wastes to ground requires knowledge of the area ground-water hydrology. Information is desired on direction and velocity of ground-water flow. Direction of flow can be determined from maps showing contours on the water table surface, such contours being derived from well water elevations. Ground-water velocity is more difficult to ascertain.

Through the years, considerable effort has been expended in studies of the explosive reactions sometimes observed in the dissolution of uranium-zirconium alloys in nitric acid. It has been shown (1) that such reactions result from the rapid oxidation of finely dived solids released by the preferential dissolution of the metallic matrix. The explosive portion of such solids has been identifies (1) as an intermetallic compound with the approximate composition UZr2. This compound, referred to as the epsilon phase in previous work, has more recently (2) been termed the delta phase. The latter designation will be employed here.

One of the UO2 fuel element designs proposed for use in the PTRT is the nested tubular concepts. This configuration compromises a central fuel todo surrounded by two concentric tubes of fuel (see sketch, appenx I.) . These UO2 shapes are to be jacketed in the Zircaloy and must be separated from each other and the procuresses tyvm vt annular spaces for the passage of coolant. The annuli are established and and maintained by the longitudinal ribs on the outer surface of all three jacketed fuel elements.

The attached survey information comprises a cross section of Air and Gas Cleaning Operations as used in the Chemical Processing Department at the Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Washington. Most of the information as requested by J. T. Fitsgerald, Harvard University, is included in these surveys, certain cost information was difficult to isolate in the manner requested and may, therefore, be only roughly approximate. The numerical significance of the data will indicate this in most instances.

Very little information and data are available on the various physical properties of Zircaloy tubing, especially the high temperature- high pressure failure aspects. As greater use is being made of the low cross-sectional properties of this material in the design and development of reactor components, it was considered desirable to determine the type of failure that would be experienced under conditions of a localized over-heating. This hot-spot could be caused by "cocked" or warped fuel elements coming in direct contact with the process tube, thereby preventing adequate cooling media at the particular location.

The Zircaloy-a clad, swaged UOa, 19-rod cluster fuel element for the PRTR was designed to use Zircaloy-a wire spirally wrapped around the fuel rods as spacing members. Such use of unbonded, Zircaloy-a spacers introduced the possibility of fretting corrosion. This paper reports preliminary irradiation tests conducted to determine whether or not such corrosions occurs in this fuel element design.

Sinterability studies on mixtures of UO2 and PuO2 powders have been continued. All of the censities from previous sintering experiments have been recalculated utilizing a somewhat different water immersion technique. Since densities of pellete obtained by physical dimensions are inaccurate due to chipping, and water immersion does not account for the open porosity, the pellets were coated with clear krylon before being immersed in water. This effectively sealed the open pores. Plots of density versus composition still indicate a drastic reduction in UO2 sinterability with even the slightest additions of PuO2 and a rapid increase with PuO2 contents greater than 20 weight percent. The following table compares densities of pure UO2 and PuO2 after an eight hour soak time: