Abstract: "Experiments were performed to characterize the types of nitro compounds that might be formed by reaction of Shell Spray Base with nitric acid, to determine the extent of their formation, if any, and their path under conditions of nitric acid recovery in the Purex Process. It is concluded that the instability of Shell Spray Base to nitration, under conditions to prevail in the plant, presents neither a disposal problem nor a safety problem."

Abstract. Successive approximations ae obtained from transport theory for the neutron distribution around a black sphere surrounded by a spherical gap and a non-absorbing medium extending to infinity. Six cases are calculated numerically to show the difference between this treatment and simple diffusion theory. The extrapolation distance and a quantity that is essentially the thermal utilization are calculated in different approximations. It is found that the neutron density in the gap, instead of being a constant as predicted by the simple theory, may vary by a factor of one-third in cases of practical interest.

The following report analyzes various experiments made to discover factors that may affect properties of extruded compacts of crystal bar zirconium.

The following report discusses special shielded containers, called coffins, that are used for removing beam hole plugs from the reactor, transporting them to plug storage and inserting them therein. This report focuses on the handling of dummy and experimental beam hole plugs.

The following report is a quarterly report for first quarter in 1954 for the Phillips Petroleum Company. During the first quarter of 1954 considerable progress was made on the design, construction and testing required to initiate work on new programs. The result of this is the beginning construction and design on the Reactivity Measurement Facility.

Four naturally occurring materials, namely, vermiculite, variscite, Tennessee rock phosphate, and Florida pebble phosphate, were studied to determine the feasibility of their use in columns for the sorption of strontium from high pH, intermediate-level wastes produced at ORNL. Excepting vermiculite, all materials were found to be effective in strontium removal.

An estimate was made of the beam hole currents to be expected from both the radial and tangential beam holes in the present HFIR design. The angular fluxes required for these calculation were determined by an 18-group, S8 transport calculation (SNG reactor code). Both type beam holes produced thermal neutron currents of 7.5 x 10^10 neutrons/cm^2 sec. at a power level of 100 Mw. The nonthermal component of the beam current was 7.0 x 10^10 and 4.5 x 10^10 neutrons/cm^2 -sec for the radial and tangential holes, respectively.

The raw materials and fabrication procedures employed in preparing thirty two zirconium alloy compositions for evaluation as described in GEAP-3979 are reported. Considerations involved in the extension of reported laboratory procedures to larger scale production are discussed.