Report discussing change in absorptivity of some rare earth elements over time.

This report follows a manuscript report made in January 11, 1952, and provides results of a survey that gives corrections as well as suggestions for new and local sources of aggregate material in comparison to the original report. These reports were made in response to a heavy desire of improvement in reactor design and shielding.

Report discussing changes in parameters regarding Sutton's diffusion hypothesis, which is used in calculations of plant stacks' atmospheric pollutant distribution. An explanation of the computation and results are given.

Abstract: "This is the preliminary report of a radiological-ecological survey of the invertebrate fauna that inhabit the Columbia River within the confines of Hanford Works and downstream to the site of McNary Dam. The survey was carried out during the period of October, 1948 through February, 1950. Materials and methods are discussed and the results of extensive radioassays, qualitative and quantitative biological determinations, and hydrographic studies are given and analyzed. Twelve figures and twenty-three tables are included. All aquatic invertebrates were found to be concentrating radioactivity from the river water. A maximum activity density of 4.4-10-(-3) μc/g wet weight was found in the larvae of midges (Hydrobaeninae) collected near Hanford during September, 1949. Radioactive wastes were not found to be causing any apparent deleterious effects to the natural invertebrate fauna. Existing population variations are caused by biological and hydrographic conditions."

The desirability of employing leakproof process pumps for handling the corrosive and radioactive process solutions in the H.A.P.O. separations plants has led to the establishment of a program for the development and testing of packless pumps with particular emphasis on evaluation of commercially available units. One such pump, its operating characteristics and behavior, are described in this report.

This report summarizes the research and development work carried out during December, 1959, and January and February, 1960, for Budget Activity 2790 - Separations Development for Non-Production Reactors. The major effort on Activity 2790 has been completed. Current efforts on the remaining problem areas will enable Hanford to begin reprocessing fuel elements from power reactors which employ depleted or slightly enriched uranium fuels in July, 1962.

One of the problems encountered in the design of the EGCR has been the possibility of bowing in the outer six rods of the seven rod cluster. The power distribution in an outer rod is asymmetrical with respect to the center of the rod. This causes a variation in the cladding temperature, and might result in unven thermal expansion, or bowing.

The purpose of this document is to review the stud situation at Purex and make such recommendations as possible for use in any future canyon installations.

The Non-Production Fuel Reprocessing Program involves the chemical processing of valuable reactor fuels received from privately owned power reactors. It is necessary therefore, to accurately measure the fuel material received in order to insure proper payment to reactor operator and to provide the Atomic Energy Commission with appropriate accountability data. The volume measurement study described herein was conducted in order to determine the limits of accuracy that could be obtained in measuring relatively large volumes of solution under plant processing conditions.

Presently rotary drum filters are being used for plutonium oxalate slurry filtration in the 234-5 Building. Changing of the filter cloth used on a rotary drum is a time consuming operation which involves ever increasing radiation exposure to maintenance personnel. Consequently, studies were conducted in the 321 Building on a disk type filter which could be adapted for simple and quick ("one-nut") replacement of the filter medium.

Pursuant to Dr. Kingdon's request for specific information concerning the donut pictured on pages 26-29 of WAPD-64, a close examination of this defect on Failure No. 14 was made. The slug was examined through 10 inches of Pb-glass and photographs were made. A clay impression of the surface area containing the donut was obtained, and using this impression, an Armstrong's Adhesive replica of this can wall surface area was cast.

Several failures have occurred in reduction bombs used in metal production operations. A test program is being initiated to evaluate new metals for the construction of the bomb. In the test program, a tensile specimen is cycled through temperatures simulating operating temperatures, and the time to rupture is recorded in order to estimate the life in operation of a reduction bomb made with the candidate metal. In order to find the worst stress condition, the compressive, hoop, and bending stresses must be considered.

The conventional volumetric micro-determination of phosphate depends upon the precipitation of phosphomolybdate, filtration and washing of the precipitate, and titration with standard base. The method is slow and tedious, subject to many interferences, and is not applicable to samples containing less than 1-2 mg of phosphate. Other weak acid anions, such as carbonate or acetate, interfere in the method. Strong acid anions, such as nitrate, sulfate, and chloride do not interfere.

Description of Purex plant process for irradiated uranium for the separation and decontamination of plutonium and uranium from each other and from fission products.

Report describing a series of tests performed to review the safety procedures and systems of Hanford Laboratories' N-Reactor.

Data has been previously presented to show that aluminum corrosion in high temperature water may proceed with either a parabolic or a linear dependence on time. The rate of the parabolic process is an Arrhenius function of temperature and essentially independent of alloy composition. More recently several aluminum melts have been tested which corrode by a logarithmic rate process.

The transfer or circulation of raw dissolver solutions containing gross particulate matter presents many problems not easily overcome by standard pumping equipment. In April of 1956 the HAPO concept of a modified Archimedes screw pump was developed. Two basic models, externally powered and driven through extended shafts, were constructed and tested. Operation of these preliminary models was so satisfactory that a third unit, integrally formed into drive motor, was built and placed in extended life test. This report describes construction and testing of the third and final model.

The final percentage of xenon created by fission in uranium and plutonium is a function of the neutron flux intensity. The flux dependence results because axenon 133 and 135 can be converted to a a stable xenon isotope by neutron capture instead of decaying into cesium.

A study of the fabrication failures for zirconium and zircaloy-2 process tubes was made. In the tube reducing operation, a non-uniform reduction in area for the cross section was found to be a major cause of failure. In annealing studies, a cycle of 2 hours at 820 deg C in vacuum followed by furnace cooling produced the greatest ductility of extruded zircaloy-2 for the annealing treatments studied. The ductility of cold worked and annealed zircaloy-2 was found to be superior to that of extruded and annealed material. The strain rate of a cold working process was found to affect the ductility of zircaloy-2.

For greater understanding of possible explosion hazards knowledge is needed of the volume of hydrogen evolved in the calcium and magnesium-nitric acid reactions. Measurements of evolved hydrogen are presented in this project.

This paper discusses a remotely operated system developed to transport (raise and lower) a 1/2 gram radium gamma radiation source for calibration of the HAPO film badges and finger rings. The system employs the rotometer principle for positioning the source for operating purposes. An accurate timer is utilized to assure the desired exposure time.

Ultrasonic cleaning uses high-frequency sound waves to induce cavitation within a cleaning, medium. During cavitation, millions of small bubbles form and collapse, resulting in agitation proportional to the energy put into the solution. The making and breaking of these bubbles produce the scrubbing action associated with ultrasonic cleaning.

The tendency for Austenitic Stainless Steels to develop cracks may be considered to be a function of several variables. Chemical composition of the electrode and base metal, are variables which have been reported to greatly influence the final behavior of the weld. Two types of electrodes, Type 308L and Type 347, were compared with respect to their respective crack sensitivities. Also, comparative results were desired between the 308L-15 (DC) and 308L-15 (AC-DC) type electrodes. At present, no standard test has been designed that will yield quantitative results as to the crack-resistant properties of a weld. With this in mind, the "Arcos Segmented Circular-Groove Notch Sensitivity Test" was chosen as the test to be used, since other investigations have employed the test and some comparison of results could be made.

Cluster fuel elements meet many of the requirements of high temperature recirculating water reactors and have several advantages over solid fuel elements. Operation at higher specific power levels for a given temperature limit are attainable because of the larger heat transfer surface. Failure of a single rod in cluster does not restrict coolant flow as severely as failure of a solid fuel element, hence the number and severity of stuck charges can be reduced.