This quarterly report discusses ongoing research and experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Metallurgy Division. This report discusses water cooled reactors, liquid metal cooled reactors, reactor development metallurgy, basic metallurgy, applied metallurgy, and aqueous corrosion.

This quarterly report discusses ongoing research and experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Metallurgy Division. This report discusses water cooled reactors, liquid metal cooled reactors, reactor development metallurgy, basic metallurgy, applied metallurgy, and aqueous corrosion.

Methods of producing extremely clean surfaces on rolled Zircaloy-2 strip have been investigated. It has been found that the finer abrasives, 400 mesh or finer, are more effective than coarse types because of their ability to penetrate pits and crevices more readily. Two such cleanings, with an intermediate 35 v/o HNO3-5 v/o HF pickle, resulted in a microscopically clean surface. Ultrasonic inspection of the EBWR fuel plates has been completed during this quarter. Approximately 95% of the plates were found acceptable. All subassemblies manufactured from the EBWR plates met dimensional specifications and passed 9-day corrosion tests at 290°C (550°F). All thoria-urania pellets for the loading of Borax-IV have been pressed, loaded into tube plates, and fabricated into subassemblies. The total number of subassemblies made was 82, of which 72 were fuel plates and 10 were blanket plates, more than sufficient for the loading. The reactor has gone critical using this loading.

Report issued by the Argonne National Laboratory discussing progress made on reactor development. Progress made on the core, pressure vessel and shield, and the power plant are presented. This report includes tables, and illustrations.

The Helium Leak Detector Test provides a method for detecting the presence of minute holes, cracks, fissures, etc. in the aluminum jackets of Hanford and Savannah River reactor fuel slugs which would allow moisture to penetrate to the uranium during reactor operation.

This quarterly progress report discusses ongoing research and experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Metallurgy Division. This report discusses (1) water-cooled reactors, (2) liquid metal-cooled reactors, (3) reactor development - fuel metallurgy, (4) reactor development - component metallurgy, (5) basic metallurgy, (6) basic ceramics, (7) aqueous corrosion, and (8) applied metallurgy.