Experimental results are presented of pile oscillator measurements of cross sections of irradiated samples of seventeen elements. Mass spectrometer analysis of some samples was performed. Quantitative theory-experiment correlation yielded thermal absorption cross section information and also established the reliability of control rod lifetime calculations for each element investigated. Application of the results to calculation of the nuclear lifetime of reactor control rods is discussed. (auth)

The April 7, 1962 criticality accident involving human exposures was the first to have occurred in any production facility at Hanford. The accidental nuclear excursion did not result in any mechanical damage or spread of contamination. Three employees received over-exposure to gamma and neutron radiation. None were fatally exposed and in each case the over-exposure was recognized promptly. Following an initial period of medical observation and testing, the men were released to work. They continued to be followed clinically. Clinical studies performed were hematological procedures including leukocyte chromosome aberrations, morphologically aberrant blood cells, bone marrow evaluations, blood chemistry determinations, amino acid excretion studies, seminal fluid, urinary gonadotropins and estrogen excretion studies, testicular biopsies and crystalline lens examinations. These studies, along with a brief description of the accident and of the dosimetry, are summarized in this report by those participating in the studies. In view of the dose ranges received in these cases, both the negative and positive findings are considered to be of unusual interest due to the lack of knowledge of effects following human exposures at these levels.

The report includes a summary of the results of computations to data on post-test dose rules from activated materials comprising system components and support structure.

The adsorption of ethane, ethylene, and acetylene on clean iridium in a field emission microscope was found to cause characteristic changes in the work function of the iridium surface. Further changes, which were time and temperature dependent, resulted when such surfaces were heated. Flash filament experiments showed that the changes in work function upon henting are due to desorption reactions and that the desorbed product consists principally of hydrogen. By assuming a linear relationship between surface coverage and work function, it was possible to determine the desorption kinetics from the observed rates of work function change at various temperatures. The results were consistent with a mechanism involving stepwise surface dehydrogenation in which a pair of hydrogen atoms is removed from the hydrocarbon molecule in each step, followed by desorption of the adsorbed hydrogen. At very high temperatures the remainlng carbon atoms are removed, presumably by evaporation. (auth)

This report addresses the concepts of the Aeroject-General Corporation Reliaibilty Handbook

This report addresses two inspection systems that have been constructed which use strain gage pressure transducers to pick up changes in static pressure due to change in the hole diameter.

The filtrate stream from the precipitation--filtration step of the Button Line process must be recycled to recovery operations to reclaim residual plutonium. Present practice is to transfer the filtrates to Recuplex, concentrate by a factor of 6 to 10, and blend into the feed stream for solvent extraction purification. Limited tankage is available for solution storage. Interruption of Recuplex operations necessitates termination of operations in the precipitation-filtration steps and other Button Line areas. Filtrates can be recycled to one of the parent solvent extraction plants for recovery. However, excessive handling operations are encountered by this processing method. This document describes the anion exchange flow sheets and equipment for processing the filtrate stream without dependence upon other recovery operations.

It has been known for a hundred years that formaldehyde polymerizes to carbohydrate substances in alkaline media. Although the reaction has long attracted much attention, only recently has a detailed qualitative analysis of the products been carried out by chromatographic methods. We have started to re-examine this reaction by combining chromatography with radioactive tracer techniques in the hope of refining the quantitative aspects of the analysis. Our particular interest has been to develop methods for determining the relative proportions of ribose and ribulose in the mixtures of sugars formed in basic media, as well as under other polymerizing conditions. The finding of large amounts of these sugars might help to explain the occurrence of ribose as the only basic sugar in the fundamental replicating molecules--the nucleic acids. Formaldehyde is thought to have been present in the primitive reducing atmosphere which existed before life first appeared. The ribonucleic acids must have appeared in the constitution of reproducing systems at a very early stage in the development of living organisms. In this study, the polymerizations of formaldehyde were carried out in calcium hydroxide suspensions at 40{sup o}. Aliquots of the reaction mixtures were withdrawn at after various time intervals and the alkali …

Thirty-seven articles are included; separate abstracts were prepared for 24. Two articles on the effects of radiation on methionine sulfonium compounds and on silica gel structure and the chromatographic process were previously abstracted in NSA. The articles not abstracted include information on life span and fertility of irradiated mice, biochemical studies on Cu(I,II)-peroxy theory of radiobiological effects and their modification, studies on the giant amoeba, low temperature storage of epoxy resins used for embedding in electron microscopy, method for obtaining fixing solutions osmotically equivalent to physiological saline solution, and P/sup 32/ uptake as an indicator of tritiated thymidine toxicity. (P.C.H.)

Boron carbide-graphite nuclear control-rod materials containing up to 45 wt% B were prepared by hot-pressing techniques. The densities of these compacts decreased with increasing B content. Compact strengths, however, were noticeably increased with B content of 20 wt%, suggesting that the B acts as a sintering aid. Thermal stability was evaluated by annealing compacts under a variety of temperature and atmospheric conditions. The upper limit of the ioss of 13 was 5% to 10%~ in 200 hr at 2000 deg C--considerably less than would be predicted from the Langmuir evaporation equation. Diffusion of B atoms through the pores of the graphite, rather than evaporation from the surface, was found to be the rate- controlling step in the loss of B. Compacts containing 20, 30, and 40 wt% B were irradiated at 350 and 700 deg C to 1.0 and 2 4 x 10/sup 21/ nvt(fast). Physical integrity of the compacts was good after irradiation. Slight increases in tensile strength were noted in several instances. (auth)

The stated objective of the SNAP-50 reactor and primary system development program is the design, fabrication, development and test operation of a series of reactors and associated equipment leading to a fully qualified and accepted SNAP-50 flight reactor and primary system.

The concept of overboring the graphite channels in an older Hanford reactor and installing oversized tubes charged with oversize fuel elements is being investigated at C reactor. Recently a column of these oversized test fuel elements exhibited three uranium cleavage (split) type failures after experiencing severe reactor flux cycling. This report presents a preliminary description of both the fuel failures and the flux cycling encountered by the reactor.

Calculations are made to determine the safe steadystate power operating limits of the Spert III reactor from the viewpoint of fuel plate burnout. A computer program is developed for the IBM 704 to aid in these calculations. The Bettis design departure from nucleate boiling (DNB) equation is used in conjunction with the LeTourneau and Grimble method of hot channel'' analysis in the development of the calculations. For cases where DNB occurs in the bulk boiling region, a modified Martinelli-Nelson twophase flow correlation and some experimental singlephase pressure drop data are employed. DNB for a typical operating condition of 550 deg F inlet temperature and 2500 psig is computed to check the code. The results of the sample calculation show that at a steady- state power level of 60 Mw (maximum design power) the minimum flow rate required to prevent DNB is approximately 8000 gpm. (auth)

It is noted that in high-temperature He-cooled graphite reactors, sufficiently high levels of gaseous impurities can lead to transport and corrosion effects. The possible effects of these reactions in graphite-moderated reactors designed to operate at a He-coolant pressure of a about 20 atm. were investigated. Results are included on C transport, steam-graphite reactions, and deposition of C on surfaces. (J.R.D.)

This report, for March 1962 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 operation; and safety and security.

BS>Laboratory studies on the processing of graphite-base fuel elements containing pyrolytic carbon- or Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-coated particles are reviewed. Potential processes for recovering U and Th from irradiated elements include grinding followed by acid leaching, and, burning and subsequent dissolution of the oxide ash. Disintegration in 90% HNO/sub 3/ was briefly evaluated as a method for determining the integrity of coated particles dispersed in graphite matrices. (auth)

The height of transfer units in a 6-in.-ID foam-liquid column for isotopic exchange or stripping of Sr using Sr/sup 89/ tracer were 1.4 to 4.6 in. Denitration of Th(NO/sub 3/)/sub 4/ in an agitated trough to give thoria for dispersion into a sol is reproducible. The loading of UF/sub 6/ on a single layer of 1/8in. right circular cylinders of NaF in the presence of a flowing UF/ sub 6/-N/sub 2/ stream showed strong dependence on gas concentration in the range of 0.58 to 8.0 mole% UF/sub 6/ and a weaker dependence on temperature in the range from 25 to 100 deg C. Eleven tests were made using simulated Darex, TBP-25, and TBP-25 with organic waste demonstrating the batch and continuous flowsheets with good stable control of the continuous evaporator. (auth)

Nine samples of ThO/sub 2/ -UO/sub 2/ prepared as part of the solgel process development studies showed no consistent effects from small variations in several process parameters. The reaction of methane and copper oxide was studied. Engineering studies of the continuous dissolution of simulated U-Zr-Sn fuels in 6.5 M NH4F, 0.6-1.0 M NH/sub 4/NO/sub 3/, 0.1 M H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ were continued in modified 6-in.-dia. equipment. A total of 1642 kg of U from NaK bonded SRE Core I fuel rods wad dejacketed to date/su Initial operability tests of the 250 ton prototype shear unit showed a number of minor modifications are warranted. Center tube temperatures measured in a vertical 64 tube electrically heated simulated fuel element bundle were very near those previously obtained in the horizontal position. A 304 SS tube containing eutectic NaK was dissolved by HF in fused saIt at a tube wall penetration rate of approximates 2 mils/hr. Partial differential equations were derived from the concentration of unreacted UF/sub 6/ as a function of time and position in a sphere of NaF during sorption of UF/sub 6/. Calcium nitrate solution was added directly to the pot calciner during Purex feeding to give smoother operation of the …

The problem of tube collapse by external pressure has been investigated experimentally. A graphical solution developed to simplify inelastic collapse design problems was shown to agree with the test results. The von Karman reduced modulus was used in the graphical solution to correct for the stress redistribution caused by yielding. The effects of the geometric imperfections of ovality and wall thickness variations on collapse pressure were shown to be related to the stress-strain behavior of the material. The concept of a critical time'' was discussed in regard to creep-buckling phenomenon. (auth)

The economics of mechanical shear-leach and Sulfex decladding-core dissolution head end treatments for processing typical tubular bundles of stainless steel-jacketed UO/sub 2/ nuclear fuels were compared. A 2.66 metric ton U/day head end portion of a plant was designed for each process and capital and operating costs were developed. For plants of this size and larger, mechanical shear-leach processing has the advantage of ~20% lower capital cost and 50% lower operating cost. Processing costs of stainless steel-jacketed UO/ sub 2/ by the Sulfex and shear-leach methods, including amortization and waste disposal but excluding solvent extraction, were .78 and 7l/kg U, respectively. Storage of stainless steel waste produced by the shear-leach method is less costly by a factor of 20 than for Sulfex. (auth)

This volume is one of twenty-one summarizing the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Program of the General Electric Company. This portion describes the studies of advanced applications of nuclear reactors that were performed, including various types of aircraft, missiles, space vehicles, ships, and portable power plants.

This report explains a mathematical algorithm designed to complete contour descriptions of weapon components which have been only partially specified by free-form data.

High-speed motion pictures of boiling water flow patterns in conditions of forced flow at 1000 psia pressure in a vertical heated rectangular channel were taken at mass velocities from 50 to 400 lbs/sec-ft/sup 2/, fluid states from 170 Btu/lb buik enthalpy of subcooling to 0.68 bulk steam quality, and heat tluxes up to and including the critical heat flux level. An objective of the work was to make the results available for continued experimental and theoretical investigation of the critical heat flux phenomenon in forced-flow bulk-boiling systems. The results are intended to be applicable to design and development of nuclear power reactors employing high-pressure boiling water as a working fluid. Motion pictures show substantial, but not indisputable, evidence that the general arrangement of the flow, in conditions of bulk boiling, at heat fluxes near and including the critical heat flux level is characteristically a wavy turbulent liquid film, in which there is vapor formation, flowing along the channel walls with the balance of the liquid being carried as either dispersed droplets or as an emulsion with the vapor in an adjacent more rapidly and steadily moving core. (auth)

D-Space is a computer program which generates indices (hld), tests for space-group extinctions, and calculates d,'' 1/d/sup 2/, sin theta , sin/sup 2/ theta , sin theta / lambda , sin/sub 2/ theta / lambda /sup 2/, theta , and 2 theta for any crystal system and space group, requiring only the unit cell constants as data input. Optional calculations are the single-crystal angle settings, phi and chi, and various Lorentz and Lorentz-polarization corrections. (auth)