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ABS>A procedure was developed for fabricating a Teflon dropping-mercury electrode (D.M.E.) that has been shown experimentally to be satisfactory for polarography in glasscorroding media. Because of the lack of a suitable electrode, polarography in such media has not been possible. The electrode consists of a glass-capillary and a Tefloncapillary segment which are attached by guide sleeves to form a unit that behaves as if it were a single segment. Procedures were perfected for precision-lapping a conical end on a glass D.M.E. capillary without plugging the capillary and for fabricating a Teflon segment of specified orifice diameter within a wide range (15 to 110 mu ) and to within plus or minus 10 mu . The Teflon segment has a round smoothwalled orifice, a lapped face that is perpendicular to the bore, and a bore of diameter and shape that can be varied. (auth)

Twenty-two papers presented at the USAEC Symposium on Zirconium Alloy Development are given. Separate abstracts were prepared for 17 papers. Five papers were previously abstracted for NSA. (M.C.G.)

The scintillation response of CsI(Tl) crystals, having various thallium contents, was measured for excitation of the crystals by monoenergetic gamma rays, protons, and alpha particles. The investi gation was made to provide a test of some of the features of a theoretical model of the scintillation process in thallium-activated alkali iodides proposed by Murray and Meyer. In order to insure that the results obtained in this program would provide a critical test of the scintillation model, special attention was paid to technical effects which could influence the interpretation of the experimental data. For example, the effect of the pulseanalysis time on the relative scintillation response of CsI(Tl) to various charged parti cles was investigated. In addition, the emission spectra of the CsI(Tl) crystals were measured for excitation by x rays, protons, and alpha particles. The results of the investigation showed that the scintillation efficiency of CsI(Tl) is a continuous function of dE/dx, as assumed in the scintillation model, within the accuracy of the experiments when the effect of delta ravs are considered. This led to the conclusion that the light output of CsI(Tl) crystals is, in general, a nonlinear function of the energy of the particle. The shape of the …

This report summarizes the technical progress on the subject contract for the period September 15 to November 14 1962.

Experimental and theoretical work on the interaction mechanisms by which neutrons exchange energy with H atoms involves treating neutron thermalization as neutron interactions with energy levels in the atoms. Cold moderators are presently being studied in order to optimize the source of cold neutrons. Cold neutrons are provided from an accelerator arrangement that directs electrons against a Fansteel target producing fast neutrons. Thermal neutrons, produced by moderation of fast neutrons, are passed through a chopper. Several moderators are evaluated, and neutron emission time measurements by crystal diffraction and beam chopper techniques point out emission time dependence on thickness, moderator, and temperature. The neutron beam chopper used presently is described, and results of neutron scattering by liquid para- and orthohydrogen are displayed and compared with theoretical predictions made with a perfect hydrogen gas model. Inelastic scattering of neutrons by liquid H is discussed, and theoretical and experimental results of inelastic scattering by polyethylene are also included. (D.C.W.)

This document presents the Westinghouse Astronuclear Laboratory contribution to the RIFT flight safety review. While the presented herein is the best data that exists at this time, it can not be considered the final data. In consideration of the extremely dynamic nature of the program , it is intended to issue periodic revisions reporting new developments in the Westinghouse program.

The one-dimensional difiusion-theory depletion program FEVER, written in FORTRAN-II for a 32,000-word computer is described. The code allows for the representation of self-shielded burnable poisons and provides methods for automatically adjusting control poisons in various regions of the reactor according to some specified sequence. No intermediate tape manipulation is required during the calculations, since all program and data storage are contained in the fast memory of the computer. Information oriented to meet the needs of the potential user of the program and a documentation of the programming details. are presented. (auth)

The purpose of this document is to present the latest results of a continuing instrumentation study being conducted by Research and Engineering. In a previous report results of 1-and 6-node calculations, for percentage- and fixed temperature-trip instrumentation were presented. These results were used to obtain a general understanding of the problem and to assess the value of using a multinodal approach. Calculations to determine the amount of protection provided by linear rate and period instrumentation were not performed at that time. Thus, the results of this previous report are limited in that they cover only a part of the possible nuclear safety instrumentation. The previous results indicated that the multinodal approach should be used in analyzing high level and intermediate instrumentation. The results presented in this report were obtained from an 11-node model covering percentage- and fixed-temperature-trip instrumentation, and also linear temperature rate-of-rise and linear power rate-of-rise. Other specialized cases were also investigated. In particular, data were obtained to provide: Eleven-node results for the old reactors; Results for the K reactors comparable to those previously obtained for the old reactors, and results using parameters chosen for the high speed scanner project; Linear power-rate-of-rise at the high levels. Comparison between 6- …

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The status of aqueous processing methods for Th fuels is reviewed. A specially designed 320 ton shear was successfully tested for chopping full size simulated Consolidated Edison type unirradiated assemblies into 0.25-1.5 in. lengths. Pieces about 0.5-in. long are preferred since the core pellets are more severely crushed during the chopping operation, and consequently, the rate of core dissolution is enhanced. The Darex (dtlute aqua regia) and Sulfex (4 to 6 M sulfuric acid) processes for dissolution of stainless steel claddings were developed on a small engineering scale with unirradiated fuel. In hot cell tests on stainless steel clad ThO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/ fuel pins irradiated up to 22,000 Mwd/ton of fuel, the core pellets were severely fractured and losses of U and Th to the Sulfex and Darex solutions were approximates 0.3% and 3 to 5%, respectively. The latter losses are easily recovered in the extraction system. U and Th can be recovered from graphite base fuels by burning and dissoiution of the ash in HNO/sub 3/ or by grinding to approximates 200 mesh followed by HNO/sub 3/ leaching. The Acid Thorex extraction process was developed to recover both U and Th using tributyl phosphate (TBP) as the solvent and …

Effects due to elementary particle-like collisions within nuclear matter have been observed in several nuclear reactions caused by pions and protons. Simple nuclear reactions of the form ZA(a,an)Z/sup A-1/ and Z/sup A/(a,ap)(Z-1)/ sup A-1/ have excitation functions that are sensitive to changes in the elementary-particle cross sections. The excitation function for the reaction C/ sup 12/( pi /sup -/, pi /sup -/n)C/sup 11/ is measure d from 53 to 1610 Mev by bombarding targets of plastic scintillator with pions. The intensity of the pion beam is monitored with a two-counter telescope and 40 Mc scaling system. The scintillator target is mounted on a phototube and becomes the detector for the carbon-11 positron activity. Corrections are made for muon contamination in the beam, coincidence losses in the monitor system, carbon-11 activity produced by stray background at the accelerator, carbon-1l activity produced by secondaries in the target, and the efficiency of the carbon-11 detection system. The C/sup 12/( pi /sup -/, pi /sup -/n)C/sup 11/ cross sections rise to a peak of abo ut 70 mb at 190 Mev, that corresponds to the resonance in freeparticle pi /sup -/n scattering at 190 Mev. Calculations based on a knock-on'' collision mechanism and sharp-cutoff …

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Research progress is reported on solid-state theory, crystal physics, metals, nonmetals, radiation metallurgy, and reactor materials. Separate abstracts were prepared for each topic. (M.C.G.)

The thermal decomposition of ferric nitrate nonahydrate, chromium nitrate nonahydrate, aluminum nitrate nonahydrate, and nickel nitrate hexahydrate as well as the mw- tures of these compounds in the proportions produced in the dissolution of Nichrome and stainless steel alloys was investigated. The experiments were conducted in air at two heating rates, approximately 1.1 deg C and 2.6 deg C per minute. The intermediate producte and final products were analyzed by x-ray diffraction and chemically where it was appropriate. (auth)

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Work was carried out to obtain significant data on reactor excursions, in particular the SL-1 excursion, to extend the analysis of reactor transient behavior so as to obtain an improved understanding of the thermal and mechanical processes that take place during and following a reactor excursion, and to obtain chemical, metallurgical, and nuclear data relative to the pre-accident performance of the SL-1. Laboratory investigations were made of samples of the SL-1 power plant. Results are given and their significance discussed. An attempt was made to construct a mathematical model of reactor excursions, based partly on fundamental thermodynamic and nuclear considerations, and using some empirical results. This model was applied to SPERT and BORAX excursions with some success. Recommendations concerning reactor design and operation, which have arisen from the SL-1 accident and its analysis, are summarized. Results are presented in tables and graphs. (M.C.G.)

This report, from the Chemical Processing Department at HAPO, for October, 1962 discusses the following: Production operation; Purex and Redox operation; Finished products operation; maintenance; Financial operations; facilities engineering; research; employee relations; and weapons manufacturing operation.

When the pulse from a parallel plate electrode ionization chamber containing an attaching gas is examined with a linear pulse amplifier having the proper integration and differentiation time constants, the pulse height is an anslytic function of the attachment coefficient and the electron drift velocity. The expressions for the pulse height as a function of the partial pressure of the attaching gas, electron drift velocity, attachment coefficient, chamber geometry, and amplifier time constants are evaluated and presented in tabular form. (auth)

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