This document discusses high radiation levels which are being encountered in the reactor discharge areas during outages. Rear face dosage rates in B, D, F, DR and H Reactors now average 100 mr per hour. These high radiation rates seriously jeopardize desirable projects which require extensive work on the rear face of these reactors. Evidence has been obtained which indicates that a large source of the radiation is on the interior of the rear face piping and can be removed by chemical solutions. Reference one presents data which indicates that up to 85 per cent of the gamma activity is caused by the contaminated film deposited inside the rear face piping. Reference two discusses the results of chromic acid removal of process tube corrosion products. Reference three more fully describes the possible advantages of purging a reactor with chromic acid and concludes a chromic acid purge should remove the film without adverse effects on reactor structural materials or process tube loadings.

Two important problems in the investigation of reactor hazards are the chemical reactivity of various materials employed in reactor construction and the chracteristics of heat transfer under transient conditions, specifically heat transfer when driven by an exponentially increasing heat source (exp t/T). Although these problems are independent of each other, when studied in relation to reactor hazards they may occur in a closely coupled sequence. For example the onset of a dangerous chemical reactor may be due to structural failure of various reactor components under an exponentially rising heat source originating with a runaway nuclear reactor. For this reason, these two problems should eventually be studied together after an exploratory experimental survey has been made in which they are considered separately.

The detonation of shot one at Bikini Atoll on March 1, 1954, produced a fallout of radioactive ash upon Rongelap Atoll, Marshall Islands. The distribution of the radioactive ash on the islands and in the plants and animals of the area has been studied and evaluated. During the first expedition to Rongelap Atoll on March 26, 1954, biological samples were collected and measurements made of the radiation contamination. On three additional expeditions extensive collections of material were made for this study, the last on January 25-30, 1955. The decline in radioactivity was measured in 1499 samples of fish, invertebrates, land plants, algae, birds, plankton, soil, and water from the Rongelap area. During this study particular emphasis was placed upon evaluation of the radioactivity in food used by the natives. Coconut milk collected on March 26, 1954, contained 1.03 microcuries per kilogram of wet tissue while the coconut meat had 1.16 mu c/kg. By January 25-30, 1955, the level in coconut milk had declined to 0.041 mu c/kg and the meat to 0.036 mu c/ kg. Fish muscle on March 26, 1954, averaged 2.74 mu c/kg and fish liver 204.0 mu c/kg. The decline to January 25-30 was 0.10 mu c/kg …

The loading on the primary transformers which step down the 230 kv transmission voltage to a distribution voltage of 13.8 kv, at 100-B-C, 100-D-DR, 100-F, and 100-H Areas will be increased by the synchronous motors now being installed in those areas under Project CG-558. This report summarizes: The changes in electric loads (both kv and power factor) which will result when the new motors are placed in service and certain older motors are withdrawn from service. Electric loads are tabulated in section 4.0 for each area for present conditions, the planned changes and the post-CG-558 conditions. The reduction of distribution voltage during the starting of individual 4500 hp synchronous motors. Since the synchronous motors will be started across the line as induction motors, the starting current will be high, and at a low power factor. Voltage drops are calculated for the starting of a synchronous motor, with one and then with two transformer banks paralleled. The current-interrupting capacity of switchgear vs. the maximum short-circuit current which could occur with separate transformers and with two primary transformers in parallel.

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