Production of Pu nitrate from separations plants exceeded commitments. Two Np recovery runs were made, a routine one at Purex and a demonstration run at Redox. Total Np recovered in CY 1959 was 5.7 kg. The UO{sub 3} plant production and shipments also met commitments. Production of unfabricated Pu metal continued. Process studies are being conducted in Purex to resolve the problems in the Np recovery effort. A new solvent (hexone) condensate decanter was operated in Redox. Reprocessing of nonproduction reactor fuels is being reviewed. (DLC)

The objective of this document is to authorize large-scale irradiations of alloyed, low hydrogen, dingot uranium fuel elements in order to evaluate their suitability as a reactor fuel. Although purer than standard ingot uranium, the dingot uranium produced in the past by Mallinckrodt Chemical Plant has demonstrated inferior dimensional stability during irradiation. This instability has been manifest as warp and as swelling at the center of the fuel elements. To reduce this instability 150 ppM iron and 100 ppM silicon haze been added to refine the grain structure of the uranium. Destructive examination of grain structure and nondestructive examination of apparent core quality have indicated that this material is equivalent or superior to ingot material. In light of forecasted metal requirements, the Mallinckrodt Chemical Plant must be brought on stream as rapidly as possible. This PITA schedule will meet the programmed metal delivery requirements with a minimum of risk potential while accelerating the evaluation of dingot uranium as to its suitability as a reactor fuel. Completed irradiation performance data from small scale testing will not be available before dingot material is charged under this PITA. Therefore, the possibility exists that unforeseen dingot uranium properties will result in poor performance. Low …

Production Pu nitrate and unfabricated Pu metal during Feb. was below forecast; however FY output is above forecast. Production of UO{sub 3} exceeded commitments; shipments met schedule. Decontamination performance of Purex solvent extraction system was subnormal. Pu nitrate solutions were concentrated. A fire occurred in Purex N Cell during conversion of ion exchange prototype to production facility.

The effects of the maximum credible accident relative to the design of the containment shell are discussed. The maximum credible accident is defined. The thermal and hydraulic effects of the maximum credible accident on the reactor system were analyzed. The extent to which fuelrod cladding will melt was estimated. The amount of energy released from the reactor system by the escaping steam and water and by a possible chemical reaction was calculated along with the corresponding pressure rise inside the containment shell. The kinds, amounts, and total radioactivity of fission products released to the atmosphere of the containment shell after the core melts were predicted. (M.C.G.)

The temperature field in an outer rod of the Experimental Gas Cooled Reactor fuel assembly is presented. The numerical analysis has taken account of the three dimenhas considered the four resons involved. that is. fuel pellets, ceramic disc, steel end caps. and cladding. The convective heat transfer coefficient and fluid temperature were considered constant over the 2.185 in. of rod length studied. (auth)

Data have recently been obtained on a number of C-Reactor process tubes. These data make is possible to reassess the current conditions of the tubes in the C-Reactor and hence to re-evaluate the probable data when retubing of the reactor will have to be started. The results of this reassessment are presented below.

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This document details activities of the chemical processing department as compiled by the operation managers during the month of March, 1960.

plate and to calculate its critical dimensions. Calculations were made which show that the plate and positioning keys meet the design requirements. Work sheets pertaining to the evaluation are included along with references to drawings. (J.R.D.)

This document details activities of the Irradiation Processing Department during the month of March, 1960. A general summary is included at the start of the report, after which the report is divided into the following sections: Research and Engineering Operations; Production and Reactor Operations; Facilities Engineering Operation; Employee Relations Operation; and Financial Operation.

Tests were performed on a thoria slurry flowing in a pipe to determine the magnitude of the possible error involved in the sampling process. Evidence indicates that a correct sample is obtained by withdrawing the sample isokinetically (i.e., by facing the sampler into the flow and adjusting the sampler velocity to match the ambient velocity) provided that the sampler is larger than some minimura diameter that is dependent on the mean eddy length and/ or the mean particle size. (auth)

The purpose of this memorandum is to transmit revisions to the goal exposure plans for C-II-N, C-II-E, K-III-N, K-III-E, O-II-N and O-II-E material. Inherent in these plans is an assumption that the only restraint on metal usage is that imposed by the economics of the plutonium production process and associated uranium cycle. In the case when metal throughput is limited, by ex-reactor physical capabilities, to a level lower than the unrestrained reactor requirements, exposures higher than those recommended in this document would be indicated.

The objective of the production test detailed in this report is to evaluate Zr-5 w/o Be brazed end closures on enriched tube-and-tube elements irradiated in high temperature coolant in the KER Loops.

The effects of strain rate on the stress-strain characteristics of copper and lead were studied by measuring both stress and strain as functions of time using short cylindrical specimens supported at one end on a modified Hopkinson pressure bar and impacted at the other end by a steel projectile. Corresponding stresses and strains were computed according to an elementary nonstrain-rate theory (sometimes referred to as the von Karman theory) in which the dynamic stress-strain curve is assumed to be the same as the static stress- strain curve. Stresses and strains were also computed according to an elementary strain-rate theory (sometimes referred to as the Malvern theory) in which the dynamic stress may exceed the static stress for a given strain by an amount which depends upon the strain rate. It was found that the predictions of the nonstrain- rate theory agreed with measured values only for low impact velocities and for points at least two diameters from the impact end of the specimen. By proper choice of the flow or relaxation constant in the elementary strain-rate theory, measured and computed values of strain, or of stress, but not both simultaneously, could be brought into agreement. In the more general exponentialtype, …

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This report for June 1960, from the Chemical Processing Department at HAPO, discusses the following: Production operation; Purex and Redox operation; Finished products operation; maintenance: Financial operations; facilities engineering; research; and employee relations.

It has been thoroughly documented in previous Bridgeport Brass Company reports that a problem exists in the production of HAPO I and E ``O`` size slugs via the extrusion route due to an excessive number of rejects for I.D. seams. As a result of a previous short-run experiments, it was suggested that smaller I.D. billets be employed, thus reducing the reduction ratio on the I.D. It was thought that this factor may contribute to the seam formation in the extreme flow demanded of the metal. It was also thought that the long billets, half of an ingot, could contribute to this defect. Therefore in this extrusion, some short billets, one-third of an ingot, were employed. Other methods or techniques for reducing the incidence of this I.D. defect will be studied later. It was intended to limit the present experiment to a study of the potential reduction involved in the above; namely, billet length and billet I.D., in an extrusion experiment with sufficiently large quantity of billets to give a fairly large number of slugs. By proper design, other contributors to the defect were held constant or randomized. This experiment proved definitely that a reduction in I.D. rejects due to seams …

The results of examinations of UC compounds having nominal compositions of uranium-4.6, -4.8, and 5.0 wt. % carbon after irradiation to burnups of from 400 to 15,000 Mwd/t of uranium are given. Density changes were small. varying from a minimum of 0.3% to a maximum of about 2.5%. Cracking occurred in all specimens; however. it can probably be largely attributed to thermal stresses and to oxidation. after decapsulation. of NaK entrapped in microcracks. Depletion of carbon appears to be occurring in the specimens having the nominal uranium-5 wt.% carbon composition. Metallographic examination shows that the UC/sub 2/ phase disappears at high temperature and high burnup. The fission-gas-retention properties of the compounds appear quite good. In all cases. the amount of fission gas released was comparable with the calculated amount released by recoil. (auth)

The mechanisms and kinetics of uranium corrosion and fuel element ruptures were investigated in water and steam at 170 to 500 deg C and at 100 to 2800 psig. The fuel element samples were coextruded Zircaloy-clad uranium-core rods and tubes which were defected prior to exposure. Uranium corrosion was found to be the sum of two processes; direct oxidation by water, and oxidation of uranium hydride intermediate. Fuel element ruptures occur in two stages; an initial induction period followed by an accelerating corrosion of the core causing the cladding to blister, swell, and fracture. Uranium corrosion and fuel element ruptures were examined with respect to temperature, pressure, steam versus liquid water, heat treatment, carbon content of uranium, zirconium content of uranium, cladding thickness, fuel geometry, annular spacings, defect geometry and size, coolant flow, hydriding of Zircaloy components, and irradiation effects. (auth)

This report, for August 1960 from the Chemical Processing Department at HAPO, discusses the following: Production operation: Purex and Redox operation; finished products operation; maintenance; Financial operation; facilities engineering; research; employee relations; and special separation processing and auxiliaries operation.

A mass flow measurement technique is described which has the capability of measuring homogeneous flow, slurries, highly corrosive fluids, and multiphase fluids. The device features ruggedness and reliability and has the ability to measure external to the flow. In the proposed system, the fluid is made to pass through a U-shaped tube wherein measurements of the augular momentum and density yield mass flow directly. As the fluid traverses the 180 deg bend, a radial force is generated, which can be measured with a force transducer. Density is determined by measurement of the radiation absorption in the fluid. (W.D.M.)

The turbulent mixing of a cold liquid jet with a stream of vapor bubbles and saturated liquid is analyzed for a single axial liquid jet. The cases where the issuing jet velocity is very much greater than and nearly equal to the free stream velocity are considered. Transport of axial momentum and of scalar quantities in the stream are calculated and the results applied to the transport of enthalpy in a bubbly mixture. (D.L.C.)

Results of torsion tests to determine the shear properties of plutonium are presented. Data on torsion properties are tabulated. (J.R.D.)

This report, from the Chemical Processing Department at HAPO for October 1960, discusses the following: Production operation; Purex and Redox operation; Finished products operation; maintenance; Financial operations, facilities engineering; research; employee relations; and special separation processing and auxiliaries operation.