None

This report contains additions and changes to the original report. Most of the changes relate to improvements in the programs. In addition to the changes, Section VII of the original report, Program AUTOFIT, is reproduced in its entirety. (RWR)

None

Laboratory tests have demonstrated that plutonium metal, as well as aluminum, stainless steel, Hastelloy C, and other alloys, can be electrolytically dissolved in nitric acid using the ''solution contact'' approach. Two sources of plutonium metal were evaluated, weapons' grade and a special reactor grade (42% /sup 240/Pu, 12% /sup 241/Pu) from Savannah River, both yielding a dissolution rate of approximately one gram per ampere-hour. A current flow of 150 amperes was attained at 12 volts (limit of the power supply) and higher current should be possible at increased voltage. Since no fluoride was used in the actual dissolution, glass and 304 stainless steel components provided satisfactory performance. Preliminary investigations on the sludge formed (less than 1%) during electrolysis showed it to be soluble in a low fluoride-high nitric wash. The proposed electrolytic dissolver is recommended to replace the present metal dissolution process for the following reasons: (1) eliminates button sectioning--entire buttons are dissolved; (2) eliminates metal burning; (3) eliminates powder handling; (4) eliminates PuO/sub 2/ dissolution; (5) reduces solids going to the recovery columns; (6) simple to operate; (7) relatively independent of plutonium metal source; (8) reduces operator time resulting in decreased cost and operator exposure; and (9) will directly …

Fifty-watt, triply encapsulated radiation sources, supplied by the Division of Isotopes Development, AEC, and consisting of about 125 g of {sup 238}PuO{sub 2}{sup 16} (87.8 g of {sup 238}Pu in 110.2 g of Pu mixture, total activity 1500 Ci), are to be used in studies of the biologic effects of heat and radiation in support of the artificial heart program, under sponsorship of the Division of Biology and Medicine, AEC. A review of the circumstances which could lead to a loss of control of this moterial while in the Biology Laboratories (331 Building, 300 Area) has been made and steps taken to minimize the likelihood of such an occurrence. Significant external dose and criticality accidents are not judged to be credible. Credibility of an internal exposure accident is marginal to insignificant. An internal exposure accident is postulated; however, it is concluded that loss of control is unlikely and the studies would not result in significant risk to the public.

The development of a double-ended full-core-length external-fuel converter, a prototypical fuel module for a 200- to 300-ekw thermionic reactor, is described. The converter design is based on a revolver-shaped tungsten emitter body, with six peripheral fuel chambers loaded with enriched UO2 pellets. The columbium collector is water-cooled through a sub-atmospheric adjustable-pressure helium gap. The converter employs graded metal-ceramic seals, and its double-ended construction is made possible by bellows to compensate for differential axial expansion. Fission gases are vented from the fuel chambers and collected in an accumulator designed for continuous monitoring of the pressure buildup. Component fabrication, assembly sequence, and joining methods are described; also the test procedures, and the converter load control. All tests are performed in vacuum. During inpile testing, the fuel is triply contained, with thermal insulation between the secondary and tertiary containers. Before insertion inpile, the fully fueled converter is qualification-tested by rf-induction heating using a specially developed high vacuum rf-feedthrough.

This report describes progress in the USAEC-sponsored Interlaboratory LMFBR Reaction Rate (ILRR) program. This program has been established by RDT to develop a capability to accurately measure neutron-induced reaction rates for LMFBR fuels and materials development programs. The initial goal for the principal fission reactions, {sup 235}U, {sup 238}U, and {sup 239}Pu, is an accuracy to within {+-} 5 at the 95% confidence level. Accurate measurement of other fission and non-fission reactions will be required, but to a lesser accuracy, between {+-} 5 to 10% at the 95% confidence level. A secondary program objective is improvement in knowledge of the nuclear parameters involved in fuels and materials dosimetry measurements of neutron flux, spectra, fluence, and burnup. The accuracy goals of the ILRR program are severe; measurements of fast-neutron-induced reaction rates have not been rapidly moving toward this level of precision. Using a number of techniques in well established neutron environments of current interest for fast reactor development and critically evaluating the results will help establish existing levels of accuracy and indicate the scale of effort required for improvement. To accomplish the objectives of this program, reliable and accepted experimental values of reaction rates and ratios will be determined for various …

The contact compatibility (in the absence of sodium) between (U,Pu)C with equivalent carbon contents of 4.83, 5.25, and 6.75 wt % and iron-, nickel- and vanadium-base alloys was studied at 700-1100{deg}C for 168-4000 hr. Austenitic iron-base alloys, containing 25 wt % or less nickel and tested at 800{deg}C for up to 4000 hr, showed little or no evidence of carbon transfer from stoichiometric or hyperstoichiometric (U{sub 0.8}Pu{sub 0.2})C that contained up to 20 vol % (U,Pu){sub 2}C{sub 3}. Three austenitic alloys containing more than 30 wt % nickel reacted with stoichiometric and hyperstoichiometric (U{sub 0.8}Pu{sub 0.2})C to form intermetallic compounds at the fuel-cladding interface and precipitates in the cladding at 700 and 800{deg}C. Vanadium-base alloys containing 15-20 wt % titanium were carburized by (U{sub 0.8}Pu{sub 0.2})C and reduced (U,Pu)P{sub 2}C{sub 3} to (U,Pu)C at 800{deg}C. However, alloys containing 5 wt % or less titanium or other relatively strong carbide formers were only slightly affected by hyperstoichiometric (U,Pu)C at 800{deg}C for up to 4000 hr.

None

None

None

None

None

None

None

None

None

None

The discharge of cooling water, in the amount of 1 to 1.2 billion gallons per year for a period of three years, from the 242-S Evaporator- Crystallizer to the groundwater system will have a measurable effect on the altitude of the water table beneath and directly adjacent to the 200 West Area of the Hanford Reservation. The probability is high that the water levels in well 299-W23-4 and well 699-35-75 adjacent to the 216-U-10 pond will rise from their present altitude of 478 feet to a minimum altitude of 500 feet, a water-table rise of 22 feet. Furthermore, a maximum water-table altitude of 510 to 515 feet may be realized in the above-mertioned wells because the sediments above a general altitude of 500 feet become finer textured and, therefore, possess a lower water transmitting capability. This resultant water-table rise is of a local nature when considered in relation to the physical boundaries of the regional groundwater system beneath the Hanford Reservation. Based on an average pore volume of 25 percent, total infiltration of three billion gallons and an average rise in the water table of one foot, the area affected would be described by a 4.3 mile radius circle; if …

None

None

None

None

For the past 10 years polyurethane polymers have been one of the fastest growing segments of the plastics industry. Over 900 million pounds of polyurethanes were used in 1970. Approximately 30% of this amount was consumed in the form of rigid urethane foam products. This study undertakes a comparison of the properties of rigid urethane foams based on both a polyester polyol and polyether polyol of the same hydroxyl number prepared from alpha methylglucoside. This comparison of ester and ether polyols in urethane foams is closer than in previous studies because: (1) both types of polyols are based on alpha methylglucoside; (2) they both have the same hydroxyl number and functionality; and (3) the rigid foams in which they are used have been formulated to have essentially the same crosslink density. Several physical and thermal properties of the foam systems were determined. A discussion of test results as they relate to the presence of the ester and ether linkages in the polyols is presented.