This report is applicable to the eight operating production reactors, B, C, D, DR, F, H, KE, and KW. It covers the following: operating parameter limitations; reactivity limitations; control and safety systems; reactor fuel loading; coolant requirements with irradiated fuel in reactor; reactor confinement; test facilities; code compliance; safety instrumentation and set points; and control criteria. Also discussed are administrative procedures for process control, training, audits and inspection, and reports and records.

Reduction of the reactor process water pH from 6.9 to 6.6 at 100-B, D, DR, KF, and H currently is proposed in order to reduce the aluminum corrosion rate and the resultant outage time for water leaks, fuel ruptures, and process tube replacement. This document reviews the current knowledge of the effect of reducing the pH to 6.6 on aluminum corrosion. An estimate of the expected costs and benefits is included.

The detailed description includes flow measuring methods, flow rate calculations, operating pressure constants, crossheader number, header elevation corrections, and header pressures for the reactor record. The unit records include: tube number, header number, flow zone, trip dial readings, effective range, taps, corrosion index, rib type, rear fitting type, Panellit pressure, date, calculation methods, tube flow rate, tube class, load type, charge date, and header pressures. The reactor operating limits include: tube number and class, tube flow rate, Panellit pressure, boiling limits, base pressure, adjustment date, limit codes, load type, and flow factors.

The development status and incentives for the hot the sizing process for reactor production fuels is reviewed and updated and economic justification for the process for four different case studies presented. Based on whether the end bonding step can be eliminated, payout periods of 1.2 to 1.7 years can be realized if the present AlSi process (two-shift, five-day week) is converted to hot die sizing for all reactors. For K-Reactor operation only, Payouts of 1.5 to 2.2 years can be realized by converting to hot the sizing. Should incentives exist for the present six-inch and eight-inch length fuel to longer models (10, 12 inch), costs would be increased in the AlSi process, which-would not be incurred in hot the sizing. This provides additional incentives for hot the sizing and reduces all payout periods by about 0.2 years.

The PITA`s (process improvement transition authorizations) present the specific requirements necessary to accomplish the outage work and to control the use of this increased flow capability. The procedures and methods to accomplish the programmed modifications are contained in the approve design changes or in supplemental procedures.

Studies were initiated at Hanford in 1961 and 1962 toward the development of an alternate assembly process for the production of I&E fuel elements for the eight existing Hanford reactors. Of the processes considered, hot die sizing, a diffusion bonding process, offered the greatest incentives in terms of improved quality and potentially cheaper unit cost of fuel elements compared to the currently used AlSi braze process. This interim report presents the results of initial process variables tests designed to establish optimum process parameters for producing good diffusion bonds on the lateral external and internal surfaces of I&E fuel elements during the sizing step of the hot die size process. In a subsequent step, the end bonds are formed. Optimization studies for producing good end bonds will be reported in future interim reports.

It is necessary to modify existing I&E fuel element components to produce the requested target elements by early April 1963. Normally, a minimum of eighteen weeks is required to produce components of a new design. Therefore, the finished target elements will not be of the optimum designed dimensions. The proposed minor deviations have been approved by Reactor Engineering for the demonstration load. It is anticipated that only these test quantities will be fabricated to these dimensions. These provisional process specifications are established on this basis and are subject to change as the fabrication techniques are developed.

This report for November 1963, from the Chemical Processing Department at HAPO discusses the following: Production operation; Purex and Redox operation; Finished products operation; maintenance; Financial operations; facilities engineering; research; employee relations; weapons manufacturing; and power and crafts operation.

A half-plant low pH test began at D Reactor on March 19, 1963. The purpose of the test was to provide quantitative data on the reduction in aluminium corrosion obtained by lowering reactor coolant pH from 7.0 to 6.6. The benefits of lower pH will be monitored by ex-reactor tube examinations) in-reactor wall thickness measurements, coupons, and visual examination pleas weight loss measurements of fuel elements. This report presents the results of the visual examination and weight loss measurements on 18 columns of fuel elements irradiated during the test

Hot die sizing is one of three solid state diffusion bonding (SSDB) processes that has been proposed as an alternate manufacturing process for fabricating HAPO metallic uranium, aluminum-clad fuel elements. This document establishes the provisional process specifications for the assembly of fuel elements by the hot die sizing process. These specifications were developed for the CDB2N model fuel element (CSN equivalent AlSi model) and do not necessarily apply to any other model.

Heat transfer calculations were performed with the aid of the IBM 7090 to determine whether or not feasible graphite channel coring patterns could be adopted at the five older Hanford Reactors. The purpose of front and rear process channel coring is to significantly reduce or eliminate net expansion of the fringe graphite by raising the operating temperature above the annealing temperature of 300{degree}C. The results of the study show that such coring patterns are possible. Also, it was found to be possible, and indeed desirable, to standardize the patterns into one front face coring pattern and one rear face coring pattern for all five of the reactors: B, D, F, DR, and H. The resulting coring patterns are presented. These coring patterns will significantly reduce the net rate of expansion in the filler blocks and consequently reduce the inlet and outlet humps in the process channels. This will allow standard 8-inch fuel elements to be charged in all tubes. The afore-mentioned coring patterns will limit the pile gas atmosphere to a range of between 90% He - 10% CO{sub 2} and 100% He. If a greater percentage of CO{sub 2} were used following the adoption of the coring patterns, the …

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The purpose of this test was to determine the amount of deflection which could occur into the graphite cavity with a .032" thick sheet of 2219-T31 aluminum alloy.

Mathematical relations are presented for estimating the release fractions of gaseous fission products from coated fuel particles and fuel elements containing them. The relations are based on simplified models of the release process, with particular emphasis on the following mechanisms: recoil, diffusion from fuel, diffusion through particle coating, and diffusion through fuel element matrix. The characteristics of fission-gas release by these mechanisms, acting singly and in combination, are considered, and the application of the theoretical relations to experiment planning and interpretation is discussed. Special attention is given to methods for analysis of data from continuous, in-pile (sweep capsule) release experiments and neutron-activation release experiments. (auth)

Additional data from the 3.2-msec-period destructive test were analyzed. Recovery and cleanup operations in the Spert I area were completed. Each of the 270 highly enriched, aluminum-clad fuel plates in the core was found to have experienced melting to some degree. The available data on the nature of the pressure pulse and on the condition of the core fuel plates at the time of the pulse are consistent with the hypothesis that the observed destructive effects were produced by a self-propagating steam explosion resulting from the dispersal of molten fuel plates into the water throughout the core. A series of tests was initiated to determine the response of the Spert IV plate-type core to step- inputs of reactivity at ambient temperature, for various initial system conditions of hydrostatic head above the core, and forced coolant circulation rate. Power excursion tests with initial reactor periods in the range from 1 sec to 8.5 msec were performed with an 18-ft hydrostatic head above the core and no forced coolant circulation. Tests with periods of 20, 12, and 8.5 msec were also performed with a 2-ft head. No significant change was observed in the peak power, power burst shape, energy release, or transient …

Tests were made on butterfly vaives similar to those used in the discharge leg of each of the three external recirculation loops of the Pathfinder reactor in order to determine the critical values of a dimensionless cavitation number ( /occurred in pu ) used to specify the limits of operation for reactor valves, at incipient cavitation. The experimentally determined values of the cavitation number were used to determine the cavitation-free control range of the Pathfinder valves. The tests showed that both the undissolved and dissolved air content of the water caused cavitation to occur at higher values of sigma. It appeared that cavitation first occurred in the vortices downstream of the valve disk. A limiting cavitation condition was defined for the reactor butterfly valves. (M.C.G.)

Selective hydrocracking of total coolant was found to be an efficient and economic method for reconstitution of high boiler in the coolant to usable product. Such a process could eliminate the expense of vacuum distillation and disposal of high boilers produced in a nuclear reactor power plant. The selective conversion was possible since polyphenyls were found to be more susceptible towards hydrocracking as the phenyl chain length increased. Both cobalt molybdate on alumina and nickel oxide on alumina (50 to 80 square meters per gram) were found to be efficient catalysts at conditions of 900 deg F and 1000 psig with the latter giving more selective conversion to terphenyls. Continuous flow hydrocracking tests on OMRE Core II cool ant (containing 23% high boiler) resulted in 90 to 100% conversion of high boiler at product recoveries of 85 to 95 wt%. Average molecular weights of the products (biphenyl and heavier) were in the range 205 to 225 compared to 270 for Core II coolant. High boiler in Core III-A coolant which contained mainly first-generation polymers (hexaphenyls) was slightly more refractory toward hydrocracking than Core II high boiler, and conversion decreased slightly with increasing on-stream time. However, at optimum condition for processing …

Statements are presented concerning project objectives, major accomplishments in FY 1962, progress during the report period, evaluation of effort to date, and next report period activities. The subject material covers reactor separation and fuel element ejection, reactor transient and excursion tests, reactor end-of-life shutdown devices, fission product release studies, critical configuration tests, mechanical and thermochemical effects, and fuel element burnup and fission products dispersal. Major emphasis for the period was concentrated on the design of the SNAPTRAN 2/10A-1 and -2 machines and the models for the Reentry Flight Demonstration (RFD-1). Planning of the SNAPTRAN experimental program was undertaken. Analytical effort was concentrated on developing the several computer codes required for interpreting and understanding the data acquired or to be acquired from the experiments. The majority of the Phase I mechanical and thermochemical effects test program was completed. A few fission product releases were conducted at the NRTS. Necessary test apparatus for the water immersion critical experiment was designed and fabricated. (auth)

Progress in chemical technology is reported under 24 topics. Separate abstracts were prepared for each topic. (M.C.G.)

Evidence of bowing was observed in an MTR beryllium shim rod section during the Cycle 184 shutdown. Inspection and measurements of this and other selected beryllium lattice pieces confirmed this observation. Preliminary measurements were made along a vertical transverse between the north and south reflector walls with some bowing again noted. An inspection of the north wall revealed cracking and spalling of the beryllium sections, primarily in the vicinity of the HB-2 thimble. (auth)

Declassified 5 Sep 1973. Information is presented concerning LCRE specifications, reactor kinetics, fuel elements, primary coolant circuit, secondary coolant circuit, materials development, and fabrication; and SNAP50-DR- 1 specifications, primary pump, and materials development. (DCC)

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