The following report describes the developmental process of the determination of free nitric acid in solutions containing uranyl nitrate, aluminum nitrate and sodium dichromate.

Property changes to common graphites resulting from reactor irradiation depends strongly on the temperature of exposure. Radiation affects at 30 C and 400 to 500 C are quite well known; however, at intermediate temperatures, results are not well known although a large volume of graphite in most reactors operate in this range. Production test, IP-22A, was reactivated, after a dormant period of many months, to study radiation damage between 30 and 400 C. This report concerns mainly the experimental details and evaluation of the equipment necessary for the controlled temperature irradiation.

The Atomic Energy Commission has assigned Hanford Atomic Products Operation the responsibility of reprocessing some of the slightly enriched uranium fuel elements from nuclear power reactors. Some stainless steel clad fuel elements contain sodium or a sodium-potassium alloy as a heat transfer medium between metallic core and outer sheath. The nature of the reaction between water and sodium is well known; however, the reaction between sodium and an oxidizing acid is more energetic and not so well known. The unknown factor of interest is the pressure generated by the reaction between the next transfer medium and the acid used for fuel dissolution prior to solvent extraction. The scouting studies discussed in this report were made to determine hydraulic pressures developed when sodium is exposed to cold concentrated nitric acid beneath the liquid surface.