The expected maximum contamination of the HNPF cold traps and primary sodium pumps was determined along with the maximum dose rates from these components during removal and shipping. Suitable shielding for casks to be used in the removal operation and for shipping these components away from the reactor site is specified. Access to an unshielded cold trap is limited by high dose rates, i.e., 100 mr/hr at 120 ft, after 180 days decay time. A handling cask providing a radial shield of 3 in. of lead will provide adequate personnel protection for the removal operation, if 180 days decay time is allowed before the trap is removed. An additional 2.4 in. of lead is required for offsite shipment of the cask. This additional shielding can be added after the trap is removed from the reactor building. Dose rates from the cold trap after the shield plug is removed from the access hole are shown. If direct line-ofsight exposure is avoided, dose rates to personnel will be below 100 mr/hr at any position, and below 10 mr/hr at distances greater than 20 ft from the access hole. Dose rates from the cask during its travel away from the hole, will be …

Early work on the antiproton, particularly that part which led to the first paper on the subject, is described. Conclusions that can be drawn purely from the existence of the antiproton are discussed. (W.D.M.)

This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, November 1959. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.

Two designs of sodium cold traps for the HNPF have been subjected to full scale tests, Performance features that were investigated include oxide removal efficiency, oxide capacity, pressure drop characteristics, economizer effectiveness, and temperature profiles, Results indicate that both designs should perform satisfactorily in the Hallam plant, (auth)

Revised HRT flowsheets are presented. These revisions cover such items as relocation of freezer units on the lines, corrections to the numbering of lines, valves or instruments, and the addition of a few lines in the service areas. The waste and vent system flowsheet was redrawn as two sheets. (C.J.G.)

The general prospects of several radioisotopes are reviewed; the special properties of U/sup 232/ and Th/sup 228/ are poi nted out; and ionium (Th/sup 230/ ) and protactinium target materials are discussed from the sthndpoint of availability and chemical separations processes required for the preparation of U/ sup 232/ and Th/sup 228/. Outlines are given for potential schem es for the separation of U/sup 232/ and Th/sup 228/ from uranium milling pr ocess waste streams and from the irradiation products of Th/sup 230/--Th/sup 232/ mixtures. The high heat generating rates of these potent alpha emitters make them especially suitable for primary consideration as heat sources for small thermoelectric generators. The exceptionally high alpha activity suggests their use in special neutron sources as Ra-Be sources, and they may have sufficiently high neutron generating rates to be in contention with some of the smaller research reactors and experimental neutron producers. (B.O.G.)

Weight increases during the oxidation of irradiated foils of pure copper were greater than for unirraaiated specimens. Enhanced reactivity appeared to be strongest in the thin-film region up to about 5 mu g/cm/sub 2/. Oxide film (Cu/ sub 2/O) thickness for both irradiated and unirradiated specimens was approximately 1200 A. Radiation did not affect the reduction of Cu/sub 2/O during the induction period (period in which the reduction proceeds very slowly or not at all). In later stages of the reduction process, a serious lack of reproducibility was observed. Radiation effects on films of Cu/sub 2/O formed by prior oxidation of the copper substrate decreased the kinetics of secondary oxidation. The secondary oxidation curve exhibited a large gap at the point of interrnption for irradiation. The development of an automatic recording microbalance of high sensitivity and a furnace for studies in reactor radiation fields is reported. Measurements were made of the electrode potentials of irradiated (5.5 x 10/sup 19/ neutrons cm/sup -2/) copper, aluminum, magnesium, and zirconium. Cell potentials were found to be dominated by the oxide films formed on the electrode surfaces. The results indicate that radiation does affect the local anode reaction potential. No significant difference between the …

The casting of shapes of uranium--molybdenum metal of varying sizes and thicknesses from a molten charge has been successfally accomplished with specificially designed graphite distributors and molds. Solid cylinders, hollow cylinders, and flat plate shapes were cast in gang molds. As many as 35 solid cylinders have been cast simultaneously. All castings had smooth surfaces, and solid shapes were cast to 0.006-in. tolerance on all dimensions except length. (auth)

Physics scoping studies of a 300-Mw(e) PuO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/-fueled fast- breeder reactor are reported. Physics design parameters that effect fuel costs, full conservation, and reactor safety were evaluated for use in the selection of parameters for a reference design. The total breeding ratio varied from 1.1 to 1.5 in the range of parameters corsidered. Plutonium core loading ranged from 500 to 1500 kg. Doubling time was found to be reduced by high-density fuel and low steel content. A compromise figure on fuel-rod range of sizes (about 100 mils) yields a 5 operating reactivity and a small, negative sodium temperature coefficient. (J.R.D.)

Tests were made to determine the head loss coefficient through the inlet plenum of the Pathfinder reactor and to determine the now distribution among the fuel element nozzles for various operating conditions--with all three pumps operating at the same flow rate and with any combination of only two pumps operating at the same flow rate. A quarter-scale wooden model was used for the tests. Air was used as the fluld. The loss coefficient was determined to be 1.8 plus or minus 0.3. The velocities of flow through the fuel element nozzles were determined to be within plus or minus 5 per cent of average flow when all pumps are operating and within plus or minus 10 per cent of average flow when only two pumps are operating. (auth)

Tests are described to determine the amount of entrained moisture occurring in the steam of the Pathfinder Power Plant as design parameters were varied. It was found that the height of the moisture separator and the velocity of the steam should be adjusted so that the permissible steam velocity for the particular height is not exceeded. If this is done, the amount of moisture entering the separator should be less than 1%, an amount of moisture that should not be difficult to remove with moisture separators. (J.R.D.)

Methods for analyzing chemical impurities in sodium metal samples are presented. Chemical analysis was used to determine impurities in calcium, carbon, chromium, iron, lithium, nickel, oxygen, potassium, and zirconium. Spectrographic analysis was used to determine other impurities. Sodium samples obtained from experimental apparatus were analyzed by these methods. (auth)

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The effect of fuel programming, i.e., the scheme used for changing fuel in a core, on the reactivity and specific power of a sodium graphite reactor is discussed Fuel programs considered Include replacing fuel a core-load at a time or a radial zone at a time, replacing fuel to manutain the same average exposure of fuel elements throughout the core, and replacing and transferring fuel elements to maintain more highly exposed fuel in the center or at the periphery of the core. Flux and criticality calculations show the degree of power flattening and the concurrent decrease in effective multiplication which results from maintaining more exposed fuel toward the core center. Corverse effects are shown for the case of maintaining more exposed fuel near the core periphery. The excess reactivity which must be controlled in the various programs is considered. Illustrative schedules for implementing each of these programs in an SGR are presented. (auth)

The present quarterly report is the continuation of a series issued by the new Fuels Development Operation. Reports in this series combine portions of the quarterly reports by the former Metallurgy Research and Fuel Technology Sub-Sections. Work reported includes research conducted by the Physical Metallurgy Operation, and research and development conducted by Fuel Design, Fuels Fabrication Development and Ceramic Fuels Development Operations.

An experimental program was initiated io determine the extent of fast neutron and gamma ray streaming through the SRL Mark II control and safety rods and to evaluate the adequacy of the shielding provided in these control and safety rods. The methods and procedures used to evaluate these problems are routine and proven for determining gamma-ray and fast neutron dosages using radiation sensitive films and gold foils. The final experimental results indicated that no excessive streaming of either gamma rays or fast neutrons is present above or around the SHE Mark II control and safety rods. The analytical attenuation methods used to calculate the fast neutron and gamma-ray streaming dose rates gave results that compared favorably with the experimental data. Even ihough the agreement was favorable, it cannot be concluded that these analyical methods would be equally valid for other annular geometries. Additional experimental work will be necessary in order to establish the validity for performing similar analysis, but the favorable agreement encourages the use of such methods until other methods are determined. (auth)

This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, October 1959. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.

The prompt neutron lifetime of the SRE was measured by both the oscillation and random noise techniques. Measurement by use of the oscillation technique gave a prompt neutron lifetime of (5 25 plus or minus 0 35) x 10/sup - 4/ sec for a calculated beta of 7 x 10/sup -3/. The measured noise response indicated a lifetime of (5.25 plus or minus 0.7) x 10/sup -4/ sec. Both measured values are in agreement with the calculated value of 5 x 10/sup -4/ sec. Four experiments utilizing the noise analysis technique were performed to determine the prompt neutron lifetime of the KEWB. All four experiments gave results which agreed within 3%, For an estimated beta of 8 x 10/sup -3/, the measured value obtained was (7.8 plus or minus 0.3) x 10/sup -5/ sec. This is in reasonable agreement with both the energy independert calculated value of 6.6 x 10/sup -5/ see and the value of 6.2 x 10/sup -5/ sec obtained from the experimental inhour equation The oscillation technique has been found to be better suited for lifetime determinations in reactors where the prompt neutron break frequency is less than 5 cps. Reactor noise analysis is more suitable for …

In the third quarter of research on organic coolant reclamation, reaction conditions which show promise as reclamation prccedures were found in two major areas of investigation. In the study of hydrocracking of polyphenyls, ten catalysts show activity. One of these, a platinum on alumina, gives a very clean reaction with high conversions per pass and high yields in the model systems under study. The redistribution reaction in the model case of benzene and p-terphenyl gave reproducible results with high enough conversion to be of interest for reclamation. ( For preceding period see AECU-4268.) (auth)

The solid solubility limits of the miscibility gap in the U-Nb phase diagram were determined between 800 and 1000 deg C by analysis of diffusion couples using an electron microbeam probe technique. The feasibility of using xray-diffraction methods to measure residual stresses in U and Zr (Zircaloy-2) was investigated. The magnetic properties of hematite ( alpha -Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ ) were investigated. The crystal structures of Y/sub 5/Si/sub 3/ and Y/sub 5/Ge/ sub 3 are being investigated. The structural relationships in the pseudo binary system ZrFe/sub 2/ -ZrC r/sub 2/ were studied. (W.L.H.)

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An experiment was conducted io determine the feasibility of using the breaking of a siphon as a quick-acting means for stopping sodium fiow following a loss of pump power. A 2-in. pipe system with a high-speed free-surface centrifugal pump was used in this investigation. Runs were made with sodium at 500 and 940 deg F, cover gas at various pressures up to 10 psig, and Reynolds numbers up to approximately 360,000. The siphon-break was established as an effective method for rapid flow stoppage; however, a brief reversal of flow follows the initial flow stoppage. An expression for the flow transient following the breaking of the siphon was derived which agreed reasonably well with experimental results. (auth)

ABS>A program was set up to develop and evaluate suitable fuels for Sodium Graphite Reactors. The method being ased is to irradiate various fuel materials in fullsize element designs, in the SRE, under measured temperatures and known reactor conditions. To date, uranium, dilute uranium alloys, thorium- uraniam alloys, and U0/sub 2/ were fabricated, assembled into fuel elements, and loaded into the SRE. A schedule was established for these fuels to be evaluated in the SRE hot cell after irradiation. New fuel materials are being investigated and will be tested in a similar manner. (auth)

A compilation of 290 references on gas bearings is presented. In most cases an English resume' of each reference is included a translation being made when required. The references are arranged alphabetically by first author. Indexes included are the year of origin corporate author, subject, patent number, and country of origin. (J.R.D.)