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

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One of the striking features of Dirac's theory of the electron was the appearance of solutions to his equations which required the existence of an antiparticle, later identified as the positron.

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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 September 1956.

This report discusses current plans of the Irradiation Processing Department which call for the inauguration of an E-metal (0.94% U-235) replacement program for the C-metal columns now in reactor use. Other reactor planning is considering the use of E-metal for E-N (lithium) nd E-Co (cobalt) loadings, compensation for reactor biological shields, and for the improved production reactor (IPR). Activation of any of these plans will be dependent on results of the test programs and A.E.C. policy decisions. The quantity of E-metal that might require separation processing is estimated and an economic analysis is provided

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for filtration of plutonium oxalate slurries. A scalpel produces a slit in the filter precoat, leading to increased filtration in this slit, and the oxalate is removed by a doctor knife; this technique results in prolonged blowback cycles and more uniform delivery of filtered oxalate to subsequent processing steps. Several types of filter media were tested, and rigid porous aluminum oxide was found to be the best one. (D.L.C.)

Two coextruded, Zr-2 clad, natural uranium, seven rod cluster fuel elements were irradiated to a calculated exposure of 1250 MWD/T in the KER Facility and discharged 1-16-59. The fuel elements were NPR candidate fuel and examination was requested to determine the behavior of coextruded, Zr-2 clad, natural uranium irradiated at core temperatures of approximtely 425{degree}C. The elements were transferred to the Radiometallurgy Laboratory 2-25-59. The elements demonstrated excellent in reactor performance with no significant changes in either the fuel or the hardware. Detailed examination of the central rod and two peripheral rods from one of the clusters showed no microcracks in the uranium. Moderate growth was observed in the fuel at the unrestricted rod ends.

The objective of this Supplement described in this report to Pt-IP-250-A is to d enriched tube-and-tube elements will develop pitting corrosion on the Zircaloy-2 jackets when irradiated in pH 10 water. The measurement of dimensional changes in the fuel elements and the observation of the effect of irradiation on the uranium and bond area are also objectives of the test, but secondary in importance to identifying a pitting corrosion problem in NPR quality water, if one exists.

The objectives of this study were to demonstrate that the pump speed control system will respond as defined in the equipment specifications and to determine optimum values of controlling variables that will minimize the oscillations that occur in the Na flow rate when transient signals are imposed on the pump speed control system. (W.L.H.)

The failure of defected Zircaloy-2-clad uranium and uranium -2 wt.% zircorium fuel specimens in high-purity high-pressure water at 200 to 345 deg C was observed in a windowed antcclave. Time-lapse color motion pictures were taken to provide a record of the progressive changes ending in the complete disintegration of the core material in the specimens. Continuous measurement of the pressure increase caused by accumulation of hydrogen served to monitor the progress of the reaction when clouding of the water by corrosion products made visual observation impossible. The nature of the attack of all specimens was similar, although the time at which different stages occurred varied. Following an induction period, the first evidence of attack was the slow formation of a blister in the cladding area surrounding the defect. Eventually, a copions evolution of hydrogen occurried at the base of the swollen area. In general, a crack could be seen in the cladding at this stage. Catastrophic failure of the specimen followed swiftly. The time required for each phase of the reaction was reduced as the temperature was raised. Initial swelling occurred after about 24 min at 345 deg C but only after 8 hr at 200 deg C. Diffusion-treated uranium2 …

The development of several metallic fuei element systems for air-cooled reactors is reviewed, and the hightemperature properties of Type 310 stainless steel and Nichrome V clad fuel elements are discussed. Early work on cladding of Mo is reviewed, and recent developments in ferrous-base alloys and Cr-base alloys as hightemperature cladding materials are presented. (auth)

The use of self-supported fuel elements in ribless Zircaloy-2 tubes at C-Reactor requires some inlet nozzle modification to allow charging of the larger overall diameter fuel pieces. A new nozzle assembly has been developed (by Equipment Development Operation -- IPD) which will allow use of the new fuel pieces and at the same time increase the reliability of the header-to-tube piping and reduce pumping power losses. Flow test data were requested for the new assembly and the results of these tests are presented herein. This report also presents a comparison of the header to tube energy losses for the various reactor inlet nozzle assemblies which are currently used on the Hanford production reactors.

The synthesis of relatively complex organic molecules by ionizing and radical mechanisms (induced by high energy radiations, ultraviolet and electric discharge) from methane, ammonia, water, and hydrogen is described, both theoretically and experimentally. It is shown that the molecules which tend to be formed under such random conditions are the very ones which today are the common building blocks in the biological reconstruction of organic material. Such molecules are the amino acids, the simple carboxylic and hydroxy acids, purines, pyrimidines, etc. The appearance of order among such random molecules is induced by two forces, namely, autocatalysis and crystallization. The latter is particularly important in the appearance of highly efficient macromolecular structures and arrangements which are so characteristic of present-day living organisms. Points of contact of these theories with experiment are indicated, and where confirmation has been obtained it is described, and the areas of ignorance, requiring further experimentation, are defined. A first step in a possible test of these prebiotic organic syntheses on other astral bodies has been made by examining the organic material found in meteorites. The nature of the structures appearing therein is indicated.

The objective of this production test is to evaluate the behavior during irradiation of nominally 1.739 inch OD., 1.074 inch ID., Zircaloy-2 jacketed single tube fuel elements with brazed end closures at operating conditions somewhat more severe than those expected for N Reactor fuel element outer tubes. Enriched single tube elements with brazed end closures and modified fuel element supports are authorized for irradiation in the KEG loops to an exposure no higher than 4000 MWD/T. A typical loading and set of operating conditions are given; these may be modified, however, by obtaining appropriate approvals.

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Neptunium distribution coefficients from acid nitrate, chloride, and sulfate solutions by several organic nitiogen and phosphorus compounds were measured as functions of several extraction variables, including neptunium valence, acid and salt concentration, and reagent concentration. Extractability by all the reagents varied in the order Np(IV)> Np(VI)>> Np(V). Except for primary amines, all reagents extracted Np(IV) much more strongly from nitrate than sulfate solutions. Among organonitrogen compounds the order of extractability of Np(IV) was: quaternary> tertiary> primary and secondary from nitrate solutions but primary>> secondary> tertiary from sulfate solutions. Neptunium(IV) nitrate extractions with the different extractants passed through maxima at widely different acid concentrations. In most cases, extraction increased when nitric acid was replaced by nitrate salt. Extraction was usually approximately proportional to the square of the reagent concentration. (auth)