The fuel element to be used in the Savannah River reactors is a natural uranium slug 1.00 in. in diameter and 8 in. long, encased in a 2S aluminum can 1.080 in. O.D. having a wall thickness of 0.035 in. The slug is bonded to the can with an aluminum silicon alloy, using the Hanford Al-Si process.

Corrosion rates of present reactor grade uranium were measured in boiling distilled water and were found to have higher values almost by a factor of two then previously reported corrosion rates of uranium. Mallinckrodt biscuit metal showed corrosion rates in the same medium somewhat lower than reactor grade uranium, and high purity metal prepared at Argonne National Laboratory corroded considerably less rapidly than the biscuit metal.

The growth of alpha-rolled uranium rods on thermal cycling has been shown to depend on both preferred orientation and grain size. Preferred orientation appears to be a necessary condition for growth to occur; the extent of the growth depends upon the sharpness and type of texture developed and on the grain size. The highest growth rates occur in specimens with highly developed textures coupled with small grain sizes. The growth rates increase with cycling level, particularly in specimens of large grain size.

This technical report describes work done on the electrolytic refining of natural uranium in fused salt baths composed of various eutectics of alkali metal chlorides in which were dissolved UF, or UCl3.

Report issued by the Argonne National Laboratory discussing the thermodynamics and electronic distribution of high temperatures. As stated in the introduction, "in the present paper, a model for computing is described which takes into account in detail the interactions between bound electrons and the average interaction of the bound electrons with the free ones" (p. 4). This report includes tables, and illustrations.

Report describing the Argonaut Reactor located at the Argonne National Laboratory. Photographs and descriptive drawings of the reactor are included.

Report describing a pilot plant constructed at Argonne National Laboratory for studying two major process steps for the recovery of uranium and plutonium from spent nuclear fuels of power reactors. A major objective is the demonstration of optimum process conditions for the two steps for synthetic reactor fuel compositions, including those containing mixtures of inactive fission products.

Report issued by the Argonne National Laboratory discussing engineering properties of diphenyl. As stated in the abstract, "data collected from the literature on the vapor pressure, enthalpy, liquid density, and vapor density of pure diphenyl are presented. A Mollier diagram, a temperature entropy diagram, and data on viscosity of diphenyl as a function of temperature are also presented" (p. 5). This report includes tables, and illustrations.

Report documenting experiments in order to determine the "behavior of a partially confined liquid in contact with a rapidly heated surface" (p. 7). These liquids include water, methanol, ethylene bromide, and acetone.

The production of cross-type control rods having a span of 4-7/8 in., and an arm thickness of 1/8 in., was studied. Extrusion techniques were developed for producing cross-type control rods from each of two alloys; one containing 75% silver-25% cadmium, and the other containing 67% silver-30% cadmium-3% copper. Fabrication of the extruded crosses into clad control rods for the Mark I naval reactor was attempted. A set of unclad control rods for the Zero Power Reactor was produced. The effect of copper, nickel, aluminum, palladium, and indium, singly and in various combinations, on the physical and mechanical properties of silver cadmium was studied. Data are given on the work hardening and annealing of binary silver-cadmium alloys, and on the precipitation hardening of certain complex silver cadmium alloys. A materials specification and suggested fabrication procedure were established for nickel-clad extruded silver-cadmium control rods.

A helix constructed of plutonium was made to test the Doppler temperature effect in ZPR-III. The helix, 1 inch in diameter and 6-1/4 inches long, contained 240 grams of delta-phase plutonium alloy encapsulated in titanium tubing. Four plutonium rods were extruded, joined together, and pushed into a titanium tube. This tube was swaged tightly over the plutonium rod, and the assembly was wound into a coil. Electrical leads to the coil were made by swaging copper tubing over the ends of the coil. The helix was tested by cycling about 500 times between 50°C and 190°C. The coil was heated with a current of 130 amperes and cooled with a blast of chilled helium. (1) Several helices of uranium(2) were cycled during the same tests. Despite the severity of the thermal cycles, the helices were undamaged.

The purpose of this program was to develop techniques and methods for producing fuel elements for the Experimental Boiling Water and Experimental Breeder Reactors. Methods for fabricating large tubes, flat plates, and small pins were investigated. The tube and plates contained U-5 w/o Zr-1.5 w/o Nb alloy and were designed for the EBWR. The pins contained U-2 w/o Zr alloy and were designed for the EBR. Cladding and end seal material of Zircaloy-2 was required for the water-cooled EBWR elements. Unalloyed zirconium was specified for cladding on the sodium-cooled EBR elements.

Deposits of corrosion products form on heat transfer surfaces and in radiation flux zones at temperatures around 500F in stainless steel systems operating with circulating water. The report considers the possible harmful effects of such deposits on heat transfer and fluid flow, as well as factors involved in the origin of these corrosion products and in the mechanisms of deposition. The prevention of deposition by chemical, mechanical, and electrostatic methods is discussed.

The general program established at Argonne National Laboratory in connection with the Fast Power Breeder Reactor (PBR) includes performance of exponential experiments on assemblies having compositions which may exist in the reactor core. This report deals with that phase of the program known as the Fast Exponential Experiment which may be described very briefly as follows. An assembly of fissile (U-235) and fertile material (too small to be self-critical) intermixed with poisons (such as are encountered in the mechanical structure and coolant system of a self-sustaining reactor) is fed with neutrons from an auxiliary source. By measurements of the neutron flux within the assembly, important parameters can be calculated which are necessary to the proport design of an actual critical reactor of the same composition.

Two-phase flow-regime transitions at elevated pressures for a single-component, trichloromonofluoromethane, were investigated for forced-circulation, upward flow in a vertical, rectangular conduit with internal dimensions of 0.380 by 1.050 inches.

This effort is being directed toward support studies for the national endeavor on in situ coal gasification. This task involves the investigation of reaction-controlling variables and product distributions for the gasification of both coals and chars utilizing steam and oxygen. Included in this task is the investigation of the effects of using brackish water as the water supply. The high-pressure char gasification system has been received from the manufacturer and is currently undergoing testing. The types of experiments that would be most useful in their studies have been discussed with two of the three laboratories carrying out field tests of in-situ gasification.

Report issued by the Argonne National Laboratory discussing the PACER-65 computer program. As stated in the summary, the program "has been developed and utilized for flow sheet calculations and process-data reduction. PACER-65 is an executive program in which material- and energy-balance equations, conversion factors, etc., for each processing step are described by separate subroutines" (p. 5). This report includes tables, and illustrations.

The thermal cycling growth and the accompanying metallographic changes were studied in 300 [degree] C rolled uranium rods up to 3000 cycles. The growth rate was found to decrease at the higher cycling levels. Project-grade material developed substantial porosity during cycling; high purity material showed no evidence of porosity.

This report describes the first estimation of the beta half-life of Pu241 and was made by determining the beta activity associated with plutonium formed by (d,xn) reactions on U258.

Report issued by the Argonne National Laboratory discussing the heat generation of irradiated uranium. Methods of heat production in uranium are presented. This report includes tables, and illustrations.

From Abstract: Report discussing "the effects of developing two-phase flow regimes in a constant-pressure drop system are shown in recorded traces from a fast-response flow transducer: the mass velocity decreases and transfer-surface superheat increases with increasing steam quality."

The Helium Leak Detector Test provides a method for detecting the presence of minute holes, cracks, fissures, etc. in the aluminum jackets of Hanford and Savannah River reactor fuel slugs which would allow moisture to penetrate to the uranium during reactor operation.

Report issued by the Argonne National Laboratory discussing a computer program used for fast reactor safety experiments. As stated in the summary, "this report gives a detailed description of a hybrid-computer program for calculating temperatures in a multi-region, axisymmetric, cylindrical configuration consisting of solid materials bounded by flowing coolant. Included is an explanation of the mathematical methods, together with a discussion of special features, input-output descriptions, and several sample problems" (p. 7). This report includes tables, and illustrations.

An improved continuous ether extractor is described. The modifications include a means of safely disposing of the active raffinate and a means of positivity checking the raffinate for completeness of uranium extraction. The results obtained on synthetic samples and on dissolver solutions are given. This work was undertaken because of a need for the determination of uranium in dissolver solutions with an accuracy of 0.1 per cent. After a review of available methods it was decided that a gravimetric determination would meet the requirements of precision and accuracy.