Report documenting a geologic study of the San Rafael River Desert Mining District, including background describing the stratigraphy and geologic history, and the economic geology study containing more extensive descriptions of the area's mineralogy and uranium ores, including a description of mining and impacts.

The Dumbo space propulsion reactor design concept is described, and the theoretical principles upon which the design is based are developed.

None

This report addresses the summary report of the Chemical Engineering Division.

None

None

Record highs were set for Pu output in separations plants and for amount of U processed in Purex. UO{sub 3} production and shipments exceeded schedules. Fabrication of 200 and 250 Model assemblies is reported. Unfabricated Pu production was 8.5% short. Nitric acid recovery in Purex and Redox is reported. Prototype anion exchange system for Pu was tested in Purex. Hinged agitator arms with shear pin feature was installed in UO{sub 3} plant H calciner. Operation of continuous type Task I, II facility improved. DBBP is considered for Recuplex. Methods for Pu in product solutions agreed to within 0. 10%. Purex recycle dock shelter is complete. Other projects are reported.

None

None

Two new production records were set during April, for processed U and Pu production. 0.9 tons sheared NRX fuel were dissolved in Redox. Discrepancies in Pu yield are being studied. Alternate methods of recovering Np are being evaluated. The Purex prototype facility will be converted to the anion exchange process. Alternate designs for a Purex miniature service dissolver were reviewed. The Purex HA column will be replaced.

None

None

Purex and Redox plants operated satisfactorily. Pu production exceeded commitments. The continuous calciners in UO{sub 3} plant experienced difficulty, but the monthly commitment was exceeded. Capital costs for conversion of B plant to recover Cs and Ce have increased. For future processing of E metal, several 3-ton batches were dissolved in Redox. The continuous Task I prototype is being tested for startup of production facilities. Redox product solutions generally have higher waste losses than these from Purex material. The continuous anion exchange prototype will also be tested. Engineering studies were completed of two facets of Purex Phase II expansion, plant conversion to two cycles, and expansion to a rate of 25.8 tons U/day. A proposal requests authority to expand Purex to capacity factor 3.2 along with the two-cycle conversion. The Pu trifluoride process review indicated that conversion to the PuF3 process is not likely. Separations plant dissolver capacity potential for the next 5 yr was studied. (DLC)

This report presents the results of initial experiments concerning the protection afforded by the Panellit system against hazards associated with the inadvertent plugging of a process tube.

None

This document presents a summary of work and progress at the Hanford Engineer Works for July, 1957. The report is divided into sections by department. A plant wide general summary is included at the beginning of the report, after which the departmental summaries begin. The manufacturing Department reports plant statistics, and summaries for the Metal Preparation, Reactor and separation sections. The Engineering Department`s section summarizes work for the Technical, Design, and Project sections. Costs for the various departments are presented in the Financial Department`s summary. The Medical, Radiological Sciences, Utilities and General Services, Employee and Public Relations, and Community Real Estate and Services Departments have sections presenting their monthly statistics, work, progress, and summaries.

This document is a HAPO report dated September 20, 1957. At the time of this report, there had been many different methods suggested for improving the Purex organic recovery system. Some of these suggestions been tried in the plant and others had not. Information concerning this system and, particularly, methods for improving it were wide spread. At the time of this report was no immediate source of information available on the proposed and investigated methods for improving the Purex solvent recovery system.

The scope of projects CG-558 and CG-600, a discussion of reactor hazards, a technical summary of pertinent aspects of reactor control and reactor cooling, and a discussion of development programs designed to increase efficiency of operation and further decrease the hazards are included in this document Volume 1 of this report.

None

This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, September 1957. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.

None

This letter dated March 8, 1957 summarizes the results of preliminary studies on the stepwise expansion of Purex facilities to the ultimate rate of 4.0 capacity factor, using a two-cycle flow-sheet. Briefly, it was suggested that Purex be expanded to the intermediate capacity of 3.5 capacity factor using available FY-1958 funds insofar as possible; decision to expand Purex to 4.0 capacity factor, could have been deferred for subsequent budgetary consideration.

A continuous process for the dissolution of irradiated fuel elements is a potential means of solving criticality limitations in the dissolution of enriched uranium slugs and of achieving higher dissolver capacity in the Redox and Purex Plants. This report summarizes development studies aimed at determination of dissolution rates, effluent compositions, and effects of changes in operating conditions on mercury-catalyzed dissolution in a tower-type unit.

This report concerns the continuing problem of providing waste tank designs which will insure safe storage of radioactive waste over long periods of time. These tanks must withstand severe stresses imposed by earth loading, by hydrostatic pressure and by temperature gradients. The temperature gradients are caused by contained in the waste. The waste entering the tank is relatively cold, but the temperature rises rather rapidly to the boiling point as filling proceeds and then the temperature continues to rise as self-concentration increases the boiling point of the waste. The temperature gradients are therefore transient in character and they may be calculated only by rather tedious and complex methods; however, the gradients must be established in order to provide design data for structural design purposes. This report describes the methods used to calculate the temperature gradients and presents the calculated results for a particular tank design used under various operating conditions.