This is a memorandum from the Hanford Operations Office about the possibility of tritium wastes escaping into the atmosphere. The waste which is disposed of in burial grounds eventually migrates to the Columbia River where it evaporates into the atmosphere. Also included in this memo is a statement of an error in the units of some data compiled for the monitoring of the tritium wastes. (MB)

This report presents the cold shakedown run for the UO{sub 3} plan. One complete batch conversion will be made in each of the eighteen Calcining Pots using unirradiated uranium food solution. The objectives of this series of conversions are as follows. A mechanical test of the conversion units; a shakedown of the unloading, pulverizing and material handling equipment; a functional test of the Nitro Acid Absorber system operating at approximately 5 to 20% of its design capacity; the determination of the optimum temperature and time cycle conditions for 60% UNH feed solution. These conditions may be based upon calcination of the initial charge of 60% UNH solution to form UO{sub 3}, in one pot; a confirmation of the calibration of instruments; and to provide operating experience and process know-how.

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An experimental batch distillation column was used to purify UF/sub 6/ containing metal impurities. The degree of purification was determined by comparing the spectrographic analyses of the UF/sub 6/ distillate material with the original feed or pot material. Results are tabulated at 95% confidence limits. (auth)

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Although the deleterious effects of exposure to ionizing radiation were first recognized and described over fifty years ago, the adequate treatment of these effects still remains a therapeutic challenge. At the present time, when increasing numbers of our population are being exposed to radiation because of the great increase in availability and use of radioactive isotopes and because of the potential exposure of much greater numbers of people to radiation following a possible atomic bomb burst or from disseminated radioactivity, the need for development of adequate therapy is becoming an increasingly pressing medical problem. In a consideration of possible approaches to therapy, one must distinguish between radiation front sources external to the body and radiation which results from radioactive materials which by some means or other have gained access into the body. Internally deposited radiation emitters can be particularly insidious since so many of them become fixed in the skeleton and are eliminated at very slow rates. While it is possible to remove external sources of damaging radiation once the hazard is recognized, the internal radiation emitters often are not readily displaced and the body remains exposed to prolonged continued radiation. Where long-lived elements, such as plutonium with a biological …

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A countercurrent extraction column is described which employs timed solenoid valves and pressurized feeds to provide a pulsing action to disperse the phases. The steps in the pulsing cycle are independent and thus provide greater separation of the operating variables than is possible with conventional pulse columns. The column described is particularly useful as a resesrch tool for the study of extraction mechanism although a larger installation operating on the same principles should be quite workable. The 4-stage-cycle or mixersettler type column operation has an inherent advantage in that the rapid coalescence and redispersion of phases are believed to lead to greater extraction than simple movement of a dispersed phase through a continuous medium. In addition, the sharp pulse provided should produce greater turbulence than the more conventional pulsing arrangement. Some results of operation on the extraction and stripping of uranyl nitrate using tributyl phosphate as a solvent are included. These data correspond to Metal Recovery and Erex type systems. (auth)

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The vapor pressure of bromine trifluoride has been measured over the range 39 to 155 C. and the following equation was derived by methods of least squares to represent the experimental data. log{sub 10}P{sub mm} = 7.74853 - l685.8/(t + 220.57). The heat of vaporization was estimated from the following equation which is based upon the Clausius-Clapeyron relation. {Delta}H{sub cal/mole} = 7714 [(t + 273.16)/(t + 220.57)]{sup 2}. In continuation of the program to measure the physical properties of interhalogens, the vapor pressure of bromine trifluoride has been determined. Ruff and Braida (4) measured some of the physical and chemical properties including the vapor pressure over a limited range, 4 to 136 mm. The present investigation extends the vapor pressure data to 2 l/2 atmospheres on material of high purity.

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The Vernatherm unit is a temperature sensitive capsule which translates temperature change to mechanical movement of a brass plunger. A change in phase of a hydrocarbon contained in a cylinder caused by temperature change, causes movement of the brass plunger. The units are available for various temperature ranges. The adaptation considered was to monitor the outlet water temperature from individual process tubes in the ``G`` pile. The purpose of the test was to determine the magnitude of error, if any, that is induced in a standard Vernatherm unit of known calibration when subjected to gamma irradiation. The accuracy of the units prior to irradiation was within 1.25 F. An examination of the calibration curves shows that a hysteresis effect in the hydrocarbon of the unit causes the curve of descending temperature to be displaced from the ascending temperature curve. The effects of irradiation were to decrease the accuracy to within 3.75 F. After a total exposure of 17,416 {times} 10{sup 4}R at 1.1 MEV. Since the exposure of 11,441 {times} 10{sup 4}R is equivalent to approximately 2,000 months exposure in the pile at 250 MW they can conclude that the effect of radiation is not detrimental since the increase in …

An important factor affecting the decision on the use of a seal around the VSR on ``C`` is the temperature at which the rod can be expected to reach. Also the temperature of the rod-tip affects the choice of tip moderating material. These temperatures are calculated for a given set of conditions for ``C`` pile. The results of the calculations are best seen by referring to the attached figures. The affects of emissivity and weight of rod can be estimated by comparing the proper curves. The assumed conditions for calculating each curve are important and therefore, the basis for each curve is given separately.

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A summary of the work which was done on the small pilot plant during the week's operation shows the following: (1) High vaporization rates can be obtained from a vibrating flash plate. (2) Feeding powder to the plate at a constant and controllable rate presented some difficulty. This may be overcome by pumping between Victoprene seals, proper outgassing of the powder, using a smaller diameter screw, and sloping the feed screw upward to avoid translation of the powder by vibration. (3) Deposition rates could not be properly studied because of high noncondensable pressures. There is an indication that too high a flow rate favors the deposition of ZrI/sub 2/ if the filiment temperature is too low. (4) No corrosion of the flash plate was evidenced during the short period the plant was in operation. A thorough study of corrosion must be made, however, since the entire process may depend on the durability of the flash plate. (5) This type of equipment offers a means of rapidly obtaining good data at a low cost on the fundamentals of an iodide-flow process for the production of zirconium metal. (auth)