Topics in the heat studies section include: front and rear face reflector shields at the C-pile; process tube channel thermocouples; water temperature limits for horizontal rods; slug temperature and thermal conductivity calculations; maximum slug-end cap temperature; boiling consideration studies; scram time limit for Panellit alarm; heat transfer test; slug stresses; thermal insulation of bottom tube row at C-pile; flow tests; present pile enrichment; electric analog; and measurement of thermal contact resistance. Topics in the water studies section include: 100-D flow laboratory; process water studies; fundamental studies on film formation; coatings on tip-offs; can difference tests; slug jacket abrasion at high flow rates; corrosion studies; front tube dummy slugs; metallographic examination of tubes from H-pile; fifty-tube mock-up; induction heating facility; operational procedures and standards; vertical safety rod dropping time tests; recirculation; and power recovery. Mechanical development studies include: effect of Sphincter seal and lubricant VSR drop time; slug damage; slug bubble tester; P-13 removal; chemical slug stripper; effect of process tube rib spacing and width; ink facility installation; charging and discharging machines; process tube creep; flapper nozzle assembly test; test of single gun barrel assembly; pigtail fixture test; horizontal rod gland seal test; function test of C-pile; and intermediate test of …

A detailed study was undertaken to investigate the feasibility of modifying the front and rear face piping at DR and H Areas to permit increased production rates. This study is in conjunction with a larger investigation concerning methods of increasing plant production facilities. The results of the subject study indicate that approximately one year would be required for the design, procurement, and delivery of critical materials, and that the estimated construction shutdown time to complete each unit is 50 work days on a three shifts basis. Although the length of time required to perform the proposed construction work is not in line with the planned 30 day shutdown period, it is believed that the 50 days reflected by this estimate is realistic and necessary. A critical material schedule, design schedule, construction schedule and force requirement charts are presented on pages 9 to 13 inclusive.

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In heat exchangers, in which the walls are heated by intemal heat sources, it is possible for wall temperatures greater than the mean to occur in the corners of noncircular flow Passages. Thus in a square or triangular passage low velocities occur in the corners, and the resulting decrease in the heat transfer coefficient produces higher temperatures in the walls at these locations. A generalized analysis is presented taking into account the variation in the heat transfer coefficient along the surface, by which it is possible to compute local temperatures in the walls of noncircular flow passages in the vicinity of the corners. Computations have been made for a representative component composed of a honey comb of rectangular passages. The resulting temperature at the hottest point is approximately 125 deg F greater than the unifomn plate temperature. This analysis is based on a 90 deg angle between the plate and retaining plate, and a uniforn source distribution throughout all plates. Had the angle between the primary plate and retaining plate been much less than 90 deg on both sides, then the resulting local temperature rise would be several times the above value. If the primary plate and retaining plate are …

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Design and construction of remote control equipment for plutonium metal production are described. Criteria for the design of the equipment included the following: rubber gloves were to be completely eliminated; all mechanisms were to be built as integral units to facilitate replacement through use of the plastic- bag technique; no accessory equipment such as switches, valves, piping, or cylinders were to be inside the contaminated enclosure unless required to handle the plutonium; and all units were to be tested in mockups before final design. The chemical process, general layout, and operating function are outlined. Descriptions are given of all mechanical units, electrical systems, hydroxide slurry systems, ventilation systems, and chemical tanks and manifolds. (W.L.H.)

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A. M. Gaudin and collaborators have published a curve of refining costs versus ore grade in terms of dollars per pound of U308 recovered on the basis of 90% recovery.

All of the 231 Building final product was prepared for off-site shipment prior to the startup of the 234-5 Building. The evaporator (S-1) effluent, a solution approximately 10 molar in nitric acid with plutonium concentration of 275 grams/liter, was dried within the shipping container (sample can) to a solid cake. The purpose of this drying operation was to minimize personnel contamination and/or loss of product during shipment. The dried cake was redissolved in water before further purification steps could be performed. The procedures for testing the purification of AT solution as recommended by the development group (6) were presented in Production Test 231-10 Supplement B. Production Test 231-10 Supplement B was initiated to establish the procedures for the precipitation of Plutonium (III) Oxalate in Plant equipment from AT solutions. The current report is written to provide a history of: Work done and data collected during the test, and Conclusions and Recommendations obtained from studies of the data.

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It was agreed at the February, 1951 meeting of the Atomic Energy Commission Technical Information Panel that, wherever practical, progress reports should periodically include a list of previous reports issued in the same series. Such a list would greatly facilitate servicing by installation document rooms since requests are frequently received for reports in a specific series. This report lists the Technical Progress Letters from 1944 to date, and is distributed to recipients of the Letters in accordance with the recommendations of the Panel. Because of its length it was not deemed practical to include it as a part of the report itself. lt is anticipated that it will serve as a reference list and permit reduction of personal files.

The colorimetric method of Murray and Ashley for the determination of nickel has been adapted to the determination of the element in uranium materials. A prior separation of uranium as the tetraoxide

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The following tabulation includes information on all uranium slug failures which have occurred through September 26, 1951. The four suspect slugs which are listed were discharged from tubes which gave strong indication of containing ruptures. Although no obvious rupture could be found among the slugs from these tubes, the listed pieces exhibited defects which may be incipient ruptures.

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