An experiment was designed utilizing a charge-exchange reaction to study the decay and interactions of the neutral K mesons produced. The experiment produced no events that could be interpreted as either the decay or interaction of neutral K mesons. The nature of the experiment and the possible explanations of this unexpected result are presented in this paper.

The following report provides information conducted with the purpose of ascertaining the effect of oxygen on activated charcoal at approximately one atmosphere by measuring the amount of CO2 formed over a known length of time.

Abstract: The experimentally determined exponential dependence of spontaneous fission rate on Z^2/A has been used to derive an expression for the dependence of the fission activation energy on Z^2/A. This expression has been used to calculate the activation energy for slow neutron induced fission and photofission. The correlation with the experimental data on these types of fission seems to be quite good.

After shutdown heating rates have been calculated for the target, control plates, and the beryllium reflector of the HFIR. Hilvety previously calculated the after shutdown heating rates in the element and his results are reported in ORNL CP-60-4-110. Decay times of 1.0 10, 10^2, 10^3, 10^4, and 10^5 seconds have been considered, and heat fluxes have been computed for all of the mentioned components. The greatest heat fluxes were found to be at the surfaces of the control plates and the permanent beryllium reflector.

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.

Abstract: This discussion concerns the operation, construction, and servicing of an alpha rate meter of medium sensitivity (30,000 alpha particles full scale per minute) and good stability. The instrument is equipped with an oscillator which increases both in frequency and loudness as the alpha activity is increased. The oscillator circuit includes an anticipator which causes a change in frequency depending directly upon the rate of change of alpha activity. Maximum sensitivity is approximately 100 millivolts full scale. Grid current varies from 1 to 5 x 10^-14 amperes. A general discussion of time constants and accuracy is included. Tables of stopping power, ionization and alpha activity are appended.

From introduction: This report covers an investigation of solid-state bonding as a technique for aluminum cladding uranium plates of 3 by 0.180-in. cross section in lengths up to 14 ft.

From introduction: The present report is a summary of the experimental work on a laboratory scale to date involving the ammonia reduction and the one step TF4 processes.

Water corrosion tests on mechanically jacketed and pinholed thorium slugs show that these slugs fail in a manner similar to that observed for mechanically jacketed and tested uranium slugs. The proposed mechanism for the water corrosion of these jacketed slugs is analogous to the water corrosion mechanism of jacketed uranium slugs presented in the project lecture. A bare thorium slug appeared to be more resistant to corrosion by water than a mechanically jacketed slug during the first half of the autoclave test. After approximately 90 hours of testing both the bare and the mechanically jacketed thorium slugs were severely corroded by water.

"The purposes of the program being conducted under the present contract are: 1) To determine the feasibility of cladding zirconium on uranium by a direct casting process. 2) To investigate the diffusion of liquid metals in the fusion zone."

Catalysts for use in recombining the gases produced by the radiolytic decomposition of water in thorium oxide slurries under neutron irradiation were investigated in out-of-pile tests using stoichiometric mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen. Most favorable results were obtained with a molybdenum oxide catalyst. Satisfactory rate also were attained with palladium and silver oxides. Copper, nickel, vanadium and chromium compounds were less effective.

The recovery of plutonium has been demonstrated in a laboratory countercurrent horizontal extractor using the TTA process. Using three extractive stages and two washing stages in each step, a recovery of 91 percent has been obtained in the chelation step and a recovery of 99.9+ percent in the de-chelation step. With five extractive stages, recoveries of 94-98 percent have been found for the chelation step.

A promising scheme for the chemical processing of a thorium breeder reactor of the two-region aqueous homogeneous type consists of the following operations: concentration of insoluble fission and corrosion products from the core system into a small volume of fuel solution, combining this slurry with irradiated thorium oxide slurry taken from the blanket, recovery of D2O by evaporation, dissolution of the thorium and uranium in HNO3, and, after a suitable cooling period, recovery of the uranium and thorium by solvent extraction for return to the reactor. The use of a hydroclone and underflow container arrangement for concentrating insoluble fission and corrosion products under simulated reactor conditions has been successfully demonstrated on dynamic loops. Solids concentration factors greater than 103 were demonstrated, and equilibrium solids concentration in the circulating solution less than 1 ppm was attained in these tests. Present data indicate that proper design and operation will minimize solids deposition in the reactor system and that the insoluble impurities can be effectively removed by the hydroclone. An alternate method of processing the slurry removed from the core system by the hydroclone consists of removing the room temperature insolubles by centrifugation, recovering the uranium from the supernatant by peroxide precipitation, thermal …

Attached hereto are copies 1 through 4 of a classified secret report titled "Purex - A Hanford Separations Plant." We are also sending under separate cover a classified confidential report No. HW-36496 titled "Photographs of Purex - A Hanford Separations Plant," which is a counterpart of the above report. These documents are submitted for publication and should be incorporated as a single article.

Introduction. As stated in Report KAPL 116, one of the objectives of the KAPL reactor is "to provide a prototype demonstration of the practical general of electrical power from Nuclear energy using molten sodium as the primary coolant. The reactor will generate steam at a temperature of 550 degrees F and 465 psia, including 90 degree superheat potentially capable of an efficiency of twenty-eight per cent in electrical output." The work reported here is intended to increase the scope and supply an independent check on the heat transfer system analysis that has previously been done. The purpose of these analyses is to investigate the effects on load rating and top reactor temperature.

Either system appears to be fairly satisfactory from a containment standpoint. Current results indicate probable over-all rates of about 0.2mils/mo for titanium vs. 1.5-3.0 mils/mo for Ni-o-nel. Tests are not 100% comparable due to changes made in flowsheet conditions, but have been of sufficient variation and length as to allow good predictions to be made. Both metals show some tendency toward local attack in Thorex solutions. These tendencies are increased by poor welding techniques.

When it was discovered that two HRT flange bolts of a lot of 16 spares contained serious cracks, a program was launched to (1) determine the cause for the cracking, and (2) find methods for non-destructive testing the remainder of the 672 bolts shipment, a large portion of which had been installed in the HRT. Concurrently, inspection of 8 ferrules removed from an HRT flange revealed hairline cracking in 4 of them. Magnaglo, a magnetic particle inspection method using a fluorescent dye, proved to be the only definitive method for inspecting the bolts. The evidence gathered on the bolts pointed to quench cracking as the cause for the defects. Nothing abnormal was disclosed in regard to the bolt material. The alloy and heat treatment at present prescribed for the HRT bolts and ferrules are considered suitable. However, recommendations are made for plating with zinc, instead of formerly prescribed cadmium, to a thickness of 0.0002 inch, followed by a hydrogen relief treatment and a final bichromate chemical dip.

From abstract: "The probability for a fission neutron to escape fast leakage from bare, hydrogen moderated reactors is calculated by a method utilizing only the microscopic cross section of the materials. These results can be employed to determine the effectiveness of other substances in preventing fast neutron leakage. These calculations are carried out for aluminum and iron."

From introduction: "As a part of this program, this report presents the results of a study of an interacting system in which the conditions for criticality are given in terms of the concentration of fissionable material and the geometry of the system."

"This bibliography lists selected articles on beryllium which have appeared in journals received in the library of the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, Livermore, California and articles, reports, and books which have appeared in the following abstracting services between January, 1958 and August 1959."

The Atomic Energy Commission has assigned the Hanford Atomic Products Operation the responsibility of providing the technology and facilities for the interim reprocessing of slightly enriched uranium fuels discharged from power and propulsion reactors. The fuel from the various reactors vary greatly in physical dimensions and in the composition of the core and cladding. For the purposes of chemical reprocessing, the fuels may be divided into the three main categories of aluminum, Zircaloy or stainless steel clad elements. The fuels may be sub-divided by the nature of the core material; e.g. metallic uranium, uranium dioxide, uranium-molybdenum alloys uranium-aluminum alloys, etc.

The following report discusses the presentation of preliminary density and viscosity data which may explain whether higher viscosities of the Deo Base-TBP systems, and a change in density differences between the two phases will lead to unsatisfactory column operation.

From objectives: "The objectives of this investigation were to evaluate the hydraulic forces in the pulse column, and determine their effects on pulse column design."

Abstract: This technical report presents design criteria to prevent the brittle fracture of ferritic reactor vessels that cold occur as a result of the rise in NDT caused by fast neutron irradiation. The criteria require that maximum principal stress in the vessel does not exceed 18 percent of yield stress at temperatures below NDT + 60 degree F. Under certain conditions the allowable stress may be based on the irradiated yield stress. A discussion of brittle fracture and an explanation of the criteria are included.