Introduction: This is a final report on the evaluation of Kanigen electroless nickel plating for surfaces in contact with water and steam i a sodium heated AISI Type 316 stainless steel steam generator. The purpose of the coasting was to afford protection from stress corrosion cracking originating on the water-steam side of the unit. It has been concluded that the kanigen coating does not afford adequate protection for the services condition intended. This work was performed as part of the research and development program for the United States Atomic Energy Commission sodium Components Design Project.

A review of the theories of electron paramagnetic resonance in biology is presented, including a discussion of the nature of the physical observation, followed by examples of materials of biological interest. Iq discussing these examples, information is presented in terms of the nature of the starting material under observation rather than the nature of the magnetic entities observed. The examples proceed from the simpler molecules of biological interest (metabolites, vitamins, cofactors) into the more complex materials (polymers, proteins, nucleic acids) toward cellular organelles (mitochondria, chloroplasts) and, finally, to whole cells, organisms and organs. The observation of photoinduced unpaired electrons in photosynthetic material is described and the various parameters controlling it are discussed. The basic observation is interpreted in terms of a primary photophysical act of quantum conversion.

Abstract: The acid hydrolysis of [Pt(NH3)3Cl] has been shown to occur to a measurable extent. for this reaction: [APt(NH3)cCl]+ + H2O [chemical equilibrium symbol with rate constant k-1 above and k1 below] [Pt(NH3)c(H2O)]++ + Cl-, the equilibrium quotient was measured at 25 degree C and 35 degree C. At 25 degree C this quotient was 8.4 x 10-5 at [Mu] (ionic strength) = 0 and 25 x 10-5 at [mu] = .318 M. This variation is consistent with the expected changes in activity coefficients. [Delta]H for the reaction was found to be approximately 0. The rate constant, k1 was 2.3 x 10-5 sec.-1 at 25 degree C and it was nearly independent of ionic strength. The acid hydrolysis provides a mechanism for the exchange of the chloride ligand and Cl-. Exchange experiments with Cl36 showed that in addition to the acid hydrolysis, a process, first order in both, [Pt(NH3)3Cl] and Cl- with a rate constant of 6. 10-5 sec.-1M.-1 contributes to the exchange. The behavior of the entire series of chloro-ammines of platinum(II) toward acid hydrolysis and chloride exchange has been summarized, and a likely mechanism for the process has been discussed.

The projection welded brazed closure is being studied as a possible alternate method of closing coextruded Zircaloy-2 clad uranium fuel elements for the NPR. This closure consists essentially of projection welding the Zircaloy-2 cap to the element cladding followed by a fast resistance heating of the cap and exposed uranium face under pressure to braze the cap to the uranium face. The work to date has been entirely on 0.593 inch OD rods and 1.050 inch OD by 0.500 inch ID tubular elements. This closure has the advantage that the entire closure is completed in less than 5 seconds on one machine and consequently the element is at a temperature which would be detrimental to the Zircaloy-2 cladding and uranium bond for a very short time. The amount of uranium removed for this closure is reduced by a factor of 10 over conventional braze closure methods with a substantial savings in uranium and acid milling time. A braze material which is not toxic can be used to bond the cap to the uranium.

Programming a computer that optimizes the beam in the Brookhaven AGS is discussed. Layout, method, and routines are given particular attention, and representative data cards are shown. (D.C.W.)

Description of a computer program which optimizes the locations and strengths of magnets for experimental beams at the Brookhaven AGS written for the IBM 7090 computer. Layout, method, and routines are given particular attention, and representative data cards are shown.

Abstract: An investigation of the metallurgical aspects of the SRE fuel element episode, that occurred July 26, 1959, has been completed.

A graphical compilation is presented of atomic and molecular cross sections of interest to controlled thermonuclear research. The cross sections are shown, as a function of energy, for collision processes involving molecular ion dissociation, charge exchange, excitation, ionization, photoionization, scattering, energy loss, and recombination. Pertinent nuclear cross sections are also included. A bibliography is given covering the literature since 1950. (auth)

Results are summarized for a survey of methods for predicting fuel element and coolant behavior in sodiumcooled fast reactors under abnormal operating conditions. Circumstances prior to, during, and after meltdown are considered, and the behavior of fuel and coolant during transients is discussed. Reactor excursions, theory of fuel element thermal transients, reactor coolant transients in single and two-phase flows, and specific topics such as two-phase flow patterns, two-phase pressure drop, and transient voids in boiling coolant reactors are also treated. Some applicable mathematical treatments are given along with an annotated bibliography. (D.L.C.)

Abstract: Zircaloy-2 weld metal, obtained by inert gas non-consumable-electrode welding, was subjected to tensile, strain fatigue, and creep-rupture testing.

Report issued by the APDA over a design study "of a facility for testing sodium-cooled thermal reactor fuel assemblies in the Advanced Test Reactor" (p. 5). The results are presented and discussed. This report includes tables, and illustrations.

A dissolver design was demonstrated on a laboratory scale for the electrolytic dissolution of nuclear fuels. Simplified electrodes are used which need not touch the fuel pieces, thus avoiding the usual problems of achieving adequate electrical contact between the fuel and the anode basket. Because a series of electrolytic cells are formed along the length of the dissolver, current efficiency is enormously increased; this technique allows for the use of higher voltage and much lower current than is presently considered essential in plant-scale electrolytic dissolution. (auth)

ICPP Operations. Changes made in processing equipment are described, and the use of continuous steam stripping to free waste solvent of Pu is described. Agueous Processing Studies. Studies were made of methods for separating Zr from dissolver solutions of U-Zr alloys. Recovery of U from BeO/ sub 2/-UO/sub 2/ ceramic fuels by grinding-leaching technique using boiling HNO/ sub 3/ reached 75 to 80%. Waste Calcination. Test results of feed spray nozzles for use in the Demonstrational Waste Calcining Facility are given. Studies were made on the calcination of aluminum nitrate and zirconium fluoride waste solutions. Waste Treatment. Removal of Cs and Sr from wastes by adsorption was investigated. The conditions for optimum separation of Fe, Ni, and Cr by Hg cathode electrolysis from waste solutions resulting from processing of stainless steel reactor fuels were determined. Electrolytic Dissolution Systems. The electrolytic dissolution of type 304 stainless steel was studied in the transpassive region as a function of electrode potential and HNO/sub 3/ concentration. An analog simulation study of an electrolytic dissolver is described. A niobium cathode in an electrolytic dissolver dissolving stainless steel in boiling HNO/sub 3/ did not absorb H/sub 2/. The corrosion resistance of several container materials to 1 …

High-purity uranium monocarbide reacted with water at 80 deg C to produce a finely divided, brown U(IV) compound, and 92 nfl (STP) of gas per gram consisting of 11 vol% hydrogen, 86 vol% methane, 2 vol% ethame, and 0.6 vol% propane. At 90 deg C, the products were the same, but the reaction rate was higher. Reaction with 5.6 M HCl was slower than with water, but the gaseous products were essentially the same. In preliminary experiments at 80 deg C with UC-UC/sub 2/ mixtures containing less than 2 wt.% free carbon, the volume of gas evolved per gram of sample hydrolyzed decreased from 92 to 32 ml (STP) and the methane concentration from 86 to 14 vol% as the UC/sub 2/ concentration in the mixture increased from 0 to about 63 wt.%. An attendant increase in the hydrogen and ethane concentrations to 23 and 38 vol%, respectively, also occurred. (anth)

This report describes the preprocessing stage to be added to the present ORACLE-Algol translator which will enable it to translate programs containing procedures. The Algol 60 procedure is an extremely flexible tool, and its full implementation presents a number of difficulties. Since it is undesirable to undertake major revisions of the existing parts of the translator and impossible to solve all of these difficulties in a processing stage, it was necessary to impose certain restrictions on the use of procedures. The result, however, retains the more basic features of the Algol 60 procedure concept. Most of the algorithms published in the Communications of the Association for Computing Machinery can be handled by the preprocessor with few minor or no changes.

Machining was completed on the s-tube flow element, and a spring, for use at a constant known temperature, was constructed for the flow element. Calculations for geometry factor, detector efficiency, and effective absorption along the useful radiation path were completed for the reed densitometer. The flow rate control was calibrated and performed satisfactorily. Response to step transient changes occurred with a damping constant of about 0.6 and an effective response time of 10 sec. Sources of error in the s-tube flow rate measurements are discussed. (M.C.G.)

This document reports progress during the month of February, 1961, recording investigations and studies of a flow rate using a curved pipe or S-tube and documenting measurements of mass flow, tube design and construction.

This report details activities of the Fuels Development Operation for the months of April, May, and June 1961.

The original charge for the E-N core load at H reactor, consisting of five different types of charges, each group of five containing 199 .947 per cent enriched uranium E-pieces of six inch nominal length and 16 Li-Al I&E (N) pieces of four inch nominal length plus mixers, was intended to provide enough excess reactivity to operate the reactor at all times with reasonable but not excessive flexibility. During actual operation the excess reactivity observed has been somewhat greater than conservatively planned. In addition, a very slight long-term gain rather than the expected loss has been observed up to this time (73 MWD/column average exposure). On this basis, a modification of the original charge makeup has been determined which will permit increased conversion and operating efficiency.

The mechanisms and kinetics of the loss of boron during heating at 1135 deg C under various dynamic environments were determined from powder compacts of 5 wt% elemental boron dispersed in matrices of Fe, Cr, Ni, Si, Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/, Cr/sub 2/O/sub 3/, NiO, and SiO/sub 2/, compacts of austenitic stainless steel alloy powder containing 0.25 wt% boron, and wrought specimens of 0.13 wt% boron-- stainless steel alloy. The compacts containing 5 wt% boron were heat treated in vacuum, highpurity argon, wet helium, and hydrogen. With the exception of those heat treated in hydrogen, significant boron losses occurred only when a supply of oxygen, either from the sample itself or as a deliberate addition to the heat- treating environment, was available. Correspondingly, the loss mechanism is postulated to be the oxidation of boron to boron sesquioxide and its volatilization from the sample. The loss rate is controlled by the volatilization rate of the oxide which is directly influenced by structure of the compact and sintering environment. Independent of the chemical nature of the matrix, boron losses were incurred during heat treatment in hydrogen. Variations of the water content of the hydrogen from 7 to 460 ppm did not significantly influence …

Changes in neutron multiplication caused by voids in the island of the HFlR were calculated and measured experimentally. The results indicated that with only water initially in the island the maximum change in neutron multiplication ( DELTA k/sub max) associated with island voids is 0.032 with a corresponding void fraction of 70%. With a simulated 300 g Pu target in the island DELTA k/sub max/ was 0.0l6, and the corresponding void fraction was 42%. In view of these large changes in neutron multiplication, calculations were made to determine what additional materials could be used in the island to reduce DELTA k/sub max/ and what the associated decrease in peak thermal flux wouId be. The results indicated that of the materials considered the use of beryllium in the water island resulted in the smallest decrease in flux for a specified DELTA k/sub max/. To reduce DELTA k/sub max/ to 0.01 required 26% by volume of beryllium in the island; the corresponding reduction in thermal flux, as compared to an all-water island, was about 10%. In order to reduce DELTA k/sub max/ to 0.0l with a 300 g Pu target in the island, the aIuminum-to-water ratio of the target had to be …

Both in magnetohydrodynamic shocks and in accelerated partially ionized gas flow across a magnetic field, space charge separation occurs that establishes very large electric fields in the direction of motion. The width of the current layers associated with the acceleration is never less than the electron Larmor radius with no collisions and is broadened by electron collisions to a width solely determined by the effective resistivity. The electrons gain an energy regardless of collisions equal to the electric potential difference across the layer. This potential corresponds to the change in kinetic energy of mass motion per ion. For slightly ionized gases, the additional stress of neutral ion collisions within the layer can make the electric potential and hence gain in electron energy very large for only modest changes in mass velocity. Hence ionization may occur when the change in kinetic energy of the ions is small compared to the ionization potential.

None

Abstract: The means to prevent the recurrence of tetralin leakage into the SRE sodium systems are discussed. Included is a description of the redesign of system components to utilize alternate coolants such as nitrogen, air, and NaK.