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Welding is used to fabricate titanium and titanium-alloy components for air-frames, Jet engines, missiles, and chemical equipment. Annong the most important considerations in adapting titanium and its alloys to welded components is to use proper welding procedures and to select alloys that have the required weld-joint properties. The chemical and metallurgical characteristics that affect the selection of welding processes and alloys are discussed. Also, information is presented on surface preparation, welding procedures, and quality control. In addition, detailed data on the mechanical properties of welded joints in the commercial grades of titanium and titanium alloys and how these properties are affected by heat treatment and elevated temperatures are presented. (auth)

The cloud chamber is a means of observing the path of ionizing radiation. It does not reveal the radiation directly, but gives a visible trail of the path along which the radiation has traveled. The trail is formed by vapor condensing upon pairs of ions remaining after an ionizing particle has passed through the medium. The mutual interaction among rays, atoms, nuclei, and particles, can be studied and measured with the aid of vapor trails. Measurements of changes in direction and range as recorded on the photographs may be interpreted in terms of changes in momentum and energy of the particles in these reactions. To obtain a precision measurement is difficult with a cloud chamber. The dependence of the apparatus upon a sudden gas expansion is certain to create distortions resulting from turbulence. Furthermore, since any radiation is subject to variations, precision measurements can be obtained only be the collection of numerous observations for statistical analysis. This document details the design, operation, and limitations of cloud chambers.

A first approximation of the gas required to cool control rods for Pile Area G is presented in the following report. Since the results are based on a number of assumptions and approximations, they should be considered only as a first approximation and subject to revision. A gadolinium-stainless steel control rod can probably be readily cooled by gas. A boron-stainless steel control rod would be difficult to cool with gas and would probably require about 1,000 lbs./hr. of helium per rod. Carbon dioxide has a slight advantage over helium as a cooling agent for control rods. This advantage is so small that the problems of gas cooling control rods should not influence the decision whether to use helium or carbon dioxide in the pile.

Though the product of P-10 is T{sub 2}, the chief hazard is the tritium oxides, and tritium in water vapor might exchange with the hdyrogen in the water. If a catalyst is present, essentially all of the tritium would be exchanged. Because we do not know what catalyzers may exist at P-10 or in the lungs of a person breathing tritium, a ready answer cannot be given to the question of the importance of the exchange reactions. The HT + H{sub 2}O {r_reversible} HTO + H{sub 2} is also considered. The same conclusion holds, most of the tritium will be exchanged; however the equilibrium constant is needed. 1 fig.

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This is a progress report of the production reactors on the Hanford Reservation for the month of February 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.

The following modifications are planned to facilitate greater usefulness of available target space in the west tangent tank: (1) A 3/32-inch x 6-inch x 106-inch aluminum window is to be added to the outer radius tank wall. (2) One 12-inch x 6-inch air lock is to be added on the inside centerline of the reentrant section on the west tangent tank. (3) Two 24-inch x 30-inch openings are to be cut on the beam centerline in the top of the west tangent tank, one at each end. These openings will accommodate photographic plate wells of various kinds and also a large air lock that is being designed. It is suggested that any other modifications to the target area be presented to E. Lofgren as soon as possible so that the modifications can be programmed with respect to operations. The same general policy holds for target location, viz: (a) Small targets - allocations in west tangent tank; and (b) Large targets - allocations in south tangent tank. The design of two general purpose magnets is in the final stages. Copper for the coils will be ordered soon. The characteristics of these magnets are given. Results of magnetic field measurements on the …

This report and three appendixes were issued separately, but are cataloged as a unit. The necessity for treatment of hot laundry and decontamination room wastes prior to disposal at the out, and means for accomplishing this are discussed. A feasible procedure suggested consists of an adsorptionflocculation treatment with supernate disposal by dilution, pass through an evaporator, transfer to surge and decay tanks, with final sludge concentration in drums for retention and burial at sea. (T.R.H.)

Adoption of a two-cycle solvent extraction process at Purex, in place of the present three-cycle process, offers great potentialities for reduction of manufacturing costs, improved product and by product recovery and increased capacity. This report deals with the engineering feasibility of converting Purex for two-cycle operation.

A simplified model for solids deposition in the pot calcination of waste was analyzed, and numerical calculations were made. In long calcination pots of 10 to 12 in. diameter, calcination times should not exceed 24 hours and might be as low as three hours if the pot is kept full. If the pots are fed at a constant rate, the cake might form with a steady state V'' when viewed in vertical section which would progress from bottom to top. Cake deposition rates appear to be independent of pot radius. Several advantages to using larger diameter pots are discussed. (auth)

The casting procedures, mechanical working characteristics, composite fuel plate fabrication, and fuel element assembly methods for a nominal 48 wt.% U- 3 wt.% Si -AP alloy are examined. It was found that localized clad thinning, resulting from dogboning'' of the fuel alloy, is essentially eliminated in composite Plates when this alloy is used in combination with 5154 Al frames and 1100 Al covers. However, fuel component dimensions are difficult to maintain within commonly accepted tolersnces in the brazing prccess because of the marked differences in the thermal expansion of the fuel alloy and the containment materials. The mechanical properties, irradiation studies, corrosfon testing, pneumatic pressure testing, and chemical reprocessing of the Si-modified alloy are also discussed. (auth)

Significant production gains could be made by improving metal rupture performance. A means of achieving this is by depeaking the axial flux distribution, thus reducing the maximum specific power for a given tube-power. The flux traverse program has provided some knowledge of front-to-rear flux, and was instrumental in prompting a change in the equilibrium HCR pattern during February, 1958. A ``before and after`` comparison of in-pile flux conditions is presented, and suggestions for further improvement are given.

The reaction of dispersed Uo/sub 2/ in an aluminum matrix in pressed compacts and fuel plates was studied at 500 to 600 deg C. Correlation of reaction with the accompanying volume increases was rmde and a growth mechanism proposed. Reaction rates and preducts are given as functions of UO/sub 2/ concentration temperature, and time. (W.D.M.)

Experiments were carried out on a Cs/sup 137/ plaque source of 40 x 40 x 1/2 inches. Measurements were made of dose distributions in water and of photon spectral distributions in paraffin. For 9-inch-thick water siab absorbers without air gaps, it was found from the preliminary experiments that the depth dose uniformity can be varied over the range 1.10 to 1.40. The absolute dose rates found were in general agreement with design predictions which indicate irradiator efficiencies in the region of 50% and dose rates in the region of 1 Megarad/hour for high-level indicators. (W.D.M.)

A nontechnical description of the mechanisms of local and world-wide fall-out from nuclear explosions is given. The relative importance of local fall-out in a nuclear war is discussed. The effects upon man of world-wide fall-out from past nuclear testing is discussed. It is pointed out that doses to man frcm testing are quite small when compared to the natural radiation background. (auth)

The purpose of this report is to establish the scope of a project to provide a system which will quickly and accurately identify the sources of all reactor scrams.

The criteria and methods for test evaluation of electromagnetic clutch characteristics are discussed. An evaluation of the relative merits of two commercial clutches, both of the multiple disk friction type, is presented with test results. One of these clutches was incorporated in the clutch assembly design for the Array Reactor (SM-2). (auth)

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This document discusses a proposal that certain presently installed reactor process water outlet temperature data logging equipment in subject reactors to be replaced with new functionally simplified equipment of a more adequate design. The primary purpose of the proposed installation is to replace existing equipment which is obsolete and in three reactors is worn out to the point where the equipment is out of service frequently for periods of time up to 8 hours or more. The new equipment will provide reliable process tube temperature information for use in the functions of reactor control and product accountability. Based upon anticipated incremental production gains resulting from use of the new equipment, the amortization period for the project is calculated at 2.7 years.

Several safety parameters are calculated for a large, fast, Na-cooled, oxide-fueled reactor. The Doppler coefficient is studied as regards its effect on the reactivity during a power excursion, and its dependence on the neutron spectrum, on the concentrations of U/sup 238/, Pu /sup 239/ , a nd Pu/sup 240/, on spatial temperature and power distributions, and on temperature. Other parameters studied include the Na temperature coefficient of reactivity, and the reactivity insertion caused by total Na loss; reactivity coefficients caused by thermal expansion of fuel and steel cladding; the excess operating reactivity; and the reactivity caused by a fuel slump. The effects of a Be reflector on neutron lifetimes are determined. The safety aspects are balanced against economic considerations. (T.F.H.)

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Overbore fuel for charging under the proposed Plant Improvement Program is fabricated according to the standard ``F`` process with a few exceptions. Due to the size and weight of individual components and cores, it was necessary to modify the process and change several of the process times to produce a fuel of equal or better quality than standard production. The additions and modifications to the standard lead-dip fuel element manufacturing process are required for production of Model CVIN fuel elements and are discussed in this report.