When uranium is purified by the ether extraction method, black oxide is dissolved in nitric acid and ether is added; an ether layer containing uranium and an aqueous layer containing uranium and impurities are obtained. The distribution of some impurities between the two phases and the effect of such impurities on the extraction process were studied. the processing required in the preparation of pure uranyl nitrate might be decreased if, instead of uranosic oxide, sodium diuranate was used as a source of uranium. If it is assumed that uranosic oxide contains the same amounts of impurities as sodium diuranate, with the exception of soda, the extraction of soda by the wash of an ether solution of nitrate prepared from diuranate would be the criterion of suitability of sodium diuranate. The distribution and effect of sodium in the extraction process was therefore investigated, and the results are described in this report. For various of the impurities, the distribution in the process and the effect on uranium holdup in the insoluble cake was investigated. Particular attention was given to the behavior of boron, vanadium, chromium, and molybdenum.

None

This is a progress report of the production reactors on the Hanford Reservation for the month of December 1950. This report takes each division (e.g., manufacturing, medical, accounting, occupational safety, security, reactor operations, etc.) of the site and summarizes its accomplishments and employee relations for that month.

Uncontrolled boiling of the water in a process tube might result in serious damage to a pile. Consequently, it is desirable to maintain header pressure generally sufficient to sweep out any steam which might be formed. Since the header pressure required to remove the steam depends upon the power output of the tube, the power level of a tube or pile is limited by the pressure available. In the past, tube power limitations have been specified and interpretations thereof. Recently a through study, both theoratical and experimental, has been made to determine the validity of these limitations. The purpose of this report is to present the results of the study must make recommendations for future operations. The limits presented herein are based on tube power levels.

Tests indicate that of the various alloys tssted for corrosion resistance when exposed 10 an HF-HP atmosphere at 1070 F, the Cr-Ni alloys, as a group, give the best corrosion resistance where strength at high temperature is desired. Other alloys have given excellent results but the lack of strength at the higher temperatures or cost, is against their use in production equipment. (auth)

This is a progress report of the production reactors on the Hanford Reservation for the month of December 1951. This report takes each division (e.g., manufacturing, medical, accounting, occupational safety, security, reactor operations, etc.) of the site and summarizes its accomplishments and employee relations for that month.

In accordance with the request of last week, the authors have made a review of the basis for the proposed water plant and pile modifications for the DR and H piles. The engineering review was made and comments are attached. As a result of this review, the author is submitting the following comments: (1) An average power level slightly above that obtainable from the proposed modification may be obtained by the substitution of enlarged pigtails. This latter modification could be accomplished for about 1/3 the capital cost and will permit operation with a header pressure approximately 100 psi lower, thus reducing power consumption. (2) The shutdown period required for installation of the ball third system may allow sufficient time for both the installation of enlarged pigtails and water plant modifications. (3) It is their understanding that the enlarged fitting were not included within the scope because cost, time, and corrosion limitations would not allow power increases. Shutdown schedules were based on the assumption that only one crossheader could be removed at one time. They do not believe this is realistic. (4) In general, they feel that a sound basis has not been demonstrated for the course of action proposed. This …

This document presents a summary of work and progress at the Hanford Engineer Works for December 1953. The report is divided into sections by department. A plant wide general summary is included at the beginning of the report, after which the departmental summaries begin. The Manufacturing Department reports plant statistics, and summaries for the Metal Preparation, Reactor and Separation sections. The Engineering Department`s section summaries work for the Technical, Design, and Project Sections. Costs for the various departments are presented in the Financial Department`s summary. The Medical, Radiological Sciences, Utilities and General Services, Employee and Public Relations, and Community Real Estate and Services departments have sections presenting their monthly statistics, work, progress, and summaries.

Present methods for monitoring Ru{sup 103}, Ru{sup 106}, and I{sup 131} in stack gases involve sampling by filtration and scrubbing and analysis by chemical separation and counting or by gamma spectrometry. Filtered samples, which are ordinarily collected over a complete day, are analyzed for total ruthenium and iodine by gamma spectrometry and for the individual isotopes by chemical separation and counting. The present scrubber monitors the sampler gas for total activity. As an aid to Radiological Sciences evaluation of stack gas hazards and to operations control of radioactive gas emission, Methods and Instrument Development collaborated on the planning of a continuous monitoring system. This memorandum has the purpose of outlining the plan, reviewing progress since conception in October, 1953, and reporting work still to be done.

This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, physics and instrumentation, reactor technology, chemistry, separation processes, biology, financial activities, employee relations, laboratories auxiliaries, radiation protection, operation research, inventions, visits, and personnel status are discussed. This report is for December 1956.

None

This document contains information on special filter samples of Hanford Process Effluent Gases. The filters are identified by code numbers only. Included in this paper are tables explaining the sample code numbers, sampling locations, and process conditions during sampling. Also included, is a copy of the monthly and quarterly average results for Regional Monitoring's routine stack program for the fourth quarter of 1956.

The "ORACLE", Oak Ridge Automatic Computer and Logical Engine, was installed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory :in 1953 and.has been in operation since that time. This manual describes the machine's design, the number systems it uses, and its basic operations.

None

By carefully controlling the agitation, temperature, concentrations, and reagent addition rate, it was possible to produce a thorium oxide product within 0.3 mu of any selected size between 2.0 and 3.0 mu . The rate of addition of oxalic acid to a thorium nitrate solution was the variable used in the current series of tests. (auth)

This document details activities of the irradiation processing department during the month of December, 1959. 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.

This study proposes improvements in the process water piping adjacent to the front and rear faces of these reactors. This report covers the external piping of the reactors from the incoming valve pit to the inlets of the outgoing retention basins.

The objectives of this production test detailed in this report is to evaluate the behavior during irradiation of tubular fuel elements with hot-headed end closures. With natural uranium twenty-inch tube- and-tube elements will be irradiated to a goal of 2500 MWD/T in the KER loops. The inner tubes will be closed by the hot-heading technique and the outer tubes will have normal welded closures.

Current information relative to the pyrophoricity of uranium is reviewed and aspects of this troublesome phenomenon which can support further investigation are considered. Information on metallic uranium fuel element fires, up to the present, provide an inadequate base for extrapolation to future operations because of existing uncertainty with respect to causative mechanisms and fire control techniques. Experience at Hanford reactors indicates conditions which tend to reduce the fuel element fire hazard. These include minimizing of the in-core residence time of a fuel element with a cladding defect which permits uranium corrosion, employment of removal and discharge techniques which do not contribute to the deterioration of the fuel element, and minimizing of the time interval between discharge and entry into the retention basin. (J.R.D.)

On the 0000-0800 shift, October 15, 1959, the delayed neutron monitor on KER Loop 2 gave a high coolant activity signal indicating a possible fuel element failure in this loop. KE reactor was shutdown immediately thereafter. This report is being written to summarize the events pertinent to this KE reactor scram and to discuss the results and significance of data from analyses on coolant and coupon samples taken from KER Loop 2.

Maintenance of poiarization of polarized protons in a linear accelerator is known to be feasible. Circular accelerators present a different problem, and the investigation of the interaction of orbit dynamics and particle polarization in general is undertaken. The equation of motion of the spin vector of a charged particle in a magnetic field as formulated by Bargman, Michel, and Telegdi is utilized in the study of depolarization for several accelerators. High values of depoiarization are obtained, and means for avoiding such depolarization are suggested. (D.C.W.)

This report, 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.

This document describes the development and test of a short nozzle-mounted venturi. The development`s purpose was to permit the elimination of cavitation collapse in a reactor inlet pigtail during flush discharge.

The objectives of the test described in this report was to determine the inventory of radionuclides in the films on standard production reactor fuel elements and the corrosion of these fuel elements as a function of position in the reactor.