Abstract: "Discussion is directed toward eventual optimization of the largest diffusion-pump systems. Less than 100 diffusion pump fluid molecules per cm 2/sec are possible to detect using an accumulation method. Optimization discussed demands highest possible system speed compatible with the above contamination rate. Bakeable oil diffusion pump systems, with equal orifice valve-tap units, without conventional baffling, permit theoretical through-put speeds up to 0.3 of the system orifice. The average backstreaming rate of oil in two unconventionally baffled commercial pumps of 6-in. and 10-in. size is reduced to < 3 x 10-(-4) g/cm-2/24 hr, including heating and cooling the pump boiler. A Ho factor of >0.4 is maintained. Results on trapping with activated alumina, retained by a wire mesh, at both liquid-nitrogen and room temperature are included. A variety of pumping speed measurements and bakeable combination valve-trap units are discussed."

Six structural materials (aluminum 2S, aluminum 72S, copper, iron, steel, lead and bismuth) were irradiated for about 100 kilowatt hours in the center of the Argonne pile. The alpha and gamma decays were then followed for 130 days on Geiger counters and are presented here graphically as number of rays per minute per gram per kilowatt hour vs. time of decay. A quantitative interpretation of the gamma-ray decay curves gave fair agreement with the chemical analysis of impurities found in the materials.

Report discussing equipment that can be used to perform chemical and mechanical operations involving radioactive materials safely. Illustrations of the equipment are provided.

Abstract: "The definitions of the fundamental measures of calutron operation including enhancement, current ratio, and process efficiency are set forth with derivations of the relationships between them. An analysis of the plant process is carried out for both the tanks limited and the charge limited case. Equations are derived for plant X output and plant X utilization efficiency. Effective production is defined and the value of increment to a mass of product material in terms of effective production is determined. An equation giving the X concentration below which product material should be reprocessed is derived."

The following memorandum is a selective bibliography of books, periodical articles, and technical reports relating to tritium with special reference to urine analysis of tritium and metabolic experiments.

Abstract: "A fast, linear air-ionization chamber has been developed for integrating and monitoring external heavy-particle beams. It consists of a thin-windowed air chamber in which the beam ionization light is viewed by a photomultiplier whose output is fed directly to a standard electrometer."

Report discussing details of curium's chemical properties, including gamma radiation, solubility, and absorption. A procedure for separating curium from americium and the preparation of terbium tetrafluoride, which lead to its discovery, is also included.

Abstract: "Observations on the metabolism of chyle cholesterol in the rat show that exogenous cholesterol entering the systemic circulation in chyle exists in lipoproteins of low density (including chylomicrons) migrating with a high Sf rate (i.e.>400) in the ultracentrifuge. Following entry into the systemic circulation these molecules are rapidly removed from the plasma. This "clearing" of serum chyle cholesterol is a tissue phenomenon, the liver being the predominant site. Within the liver the chyle cholesterol esters are at least partially hydrolyzed; hydrolysis apparently does not occur in the plasma to any appreciable extent. After its entry into the liver exogenous cholesterol, if normally metabolized, presumably mixes with and becomes indistinguishable from cholesterol produced by endogenous synthesis."

This report analyzes the stability and feasibility of a reflector-control system for a boiling heterogeneous reactor.

Report discussing studies regarding active atmospheric particles in several United States cities. Experimental data of particles collected in filters is given.

Basis: "It is desired to test the effect of neutron flux on the creep rate of zirconium. These data will greatly add to the metallurgical information needed for design specifications of reactor components utilizing this metal."

Report describing "the effects of variable graphite conductivity and of the gas layers in the lattice" under the assumptions that "graphice conductivity varies as a power of the distance from the center of each cell" and "uniform distribution of heat sources" - from abstract.

The heat generated by reactor fuel elements create thermal gradiants which cause thermal stresses of considerable magnitude. An elastic solution for these thermal stresses can be calculated with the equations given in Timoshenko's and Goodier's book (1) on elasticity if the fuel element is assumed infinite in length. An exact elastic solution for a finite cylindrical fuel element is given in this report in order to evaluate the effects of fuel element length on the thermal stresses and the effects of having the free end material distorting the end closure.

Data on the crystal structures of the common modifications of the elements at zero pressure.

This technical report is intended as a brief description of the free convection problem existing in the various annuli of the SIR Mark A rotating plugs. It is by no means a complete report of the plug "hot tests", but merely records some of the more significant experimental observations and presents a few of the theories and calculations made to explain the observed free convection phenomenon. The general discussion which follows is chronological. Details of analyses are relegated to the Appendix.

"Absorption measurements have been made in a large body of water to evaluate the contribution to the radiation intensity produced by the degradation of radiation without absorption. Radiation intensities three times those expected from a simple exponential absorption were found. Scattering from the air of gamma radiation has been measured and has been found to agree satisfactorily with theoretical predictions. The penetration of radiation through curved pipes in shielding has been measured and been found to be a flat topped function. A 2" pipe bent in the arc of a circle of 7' chord and a 10' radius gives a reduction intensity over the intensity in air at the same distance of 2.5X10⁴."

This document describes a method in determining solid solubilities using strain-aging techniques, explaining a non-uniform yielding of the alloy in question.

Abstract: "The spectrum of plutonium has been observed over the temperature range of 2000 to 2600 C and a wavelength coverage of 3476 to 6888 A. The spectrum was excited in a modified King furnace."

Report discussing the design, construction, and testing of a pilot plant for the fluidization of uranium trioxide to create uranium tetrachloride. The plant yielded 97.0% "immediately available as product."

Report discussing tests that were carried out to determine if a few parts per million of boron can be removed directly from beryllium oxide powder without chemically changing the BeO during the process.

Abstract: "A gravimetric procedure is described for the analysis of indium-plutonium solutions. This procedure consists of a preliminary separation of the plutonium as the peroxide, followed by the quantitative precipitation of indium diethyl dithio carbamate from a slightly acid solution. The precipitate is dried at 105 C and weighed. Recoveries of 99.4 - 100.5% with an average precision of 2.3/100 were obtained on known Pu-In solutions containing 5 - 50 mg of indium per sample."

The following report describes the design and construction of the reactor building wing, designed to attach to the reactor building for the Argonne National Laboratory.

Report discussing assaying techniques used in the Department of Metallurgy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as the equipment used for the techniques.

This report discusses the process of zirconium purification, providing an alternate method for converting ZrCl4 solution to the oxide in order to free it from small amounts of hafnium impurity that are naturally present.