None

This summarizes the work done to date on the development of an epoxy resin bonded explosive (HMX). The original target values have been satisfied and further investigations will be on a semi-pilot plant scale.

This document form Savannah River Plant reports progress in the month of December 1956 for the 100, 200, 300, and 400 Areas. The productivity moderator program is described in the 100 (reactor) Area. Tritium processing, 200-F increased capacity, waste disposal, and the `25` plant are reported on in the 200 (separations) Area. The increased productivity program to include extended surface enriched and uranium elements is described in the 300 (reactor fuel fabrication) Area. Dana Plant operations are described in the heavy water studies.

The Nevada Test Site (NTS) Use Committee met Tuesday morning, May 28, 1957, at Mercury, Nevada. This document provides a summary of the meeting.

The purpose of this work was to investigate the possibilities of producing a plastic bonded explosive having greater mechanical strength than that of presently existing plastic bonded explosives. This interim report details activities and progress through July 15, 1957.

Plans for participation in Operation Hardtack include performance of a Pinex experiment on three barge-based events: Nutmeg, Hickory, and Juniper. The J-12 group at Los Alamos has been planning for a group of similar experiments. Inclusion of Pinex in the Hardtack diagnostic program occurred considerably later; also, J-12 has successfully carried out two Pinex experiments during Operation Plumbbob. This visit was made to take the fullest possible advantage of their experience to date. Discussion of the experiment at these meetings is summarized under five convenient headings: Detector; Pinhole and Collimator Assembly; Alignment; Data Analysis; and Recovery.

This report summarizes the work done to date on the development of an epoxy resin bonded explosive (HMX). The original target values have been satisfied and further investigations will be on a semi-pilot plant scale. The following characteristics have been determined on laboratory specimens. Compressive strength, 11-12,000 psi; sensitivity (50 % height) 31 cm; density, 1.81 gm/cc; vacuum stability (cc gas/gm/24 hrs at 100{degrees}C), .42 cc/gm.

ABS>A hypothetical reactor core is presented in which right cylindrical fuel regions sre positioned at the core corners of equilateral, space-filling, parallelograms. The average gamma heating rate density in each of a set of concentric annular regions, centered on a fuel cylinder, is presented for three different fuel cylinder separation distances. The fuel cylinder radius, fuel composition, and moderator composition are held constant. The calculation was done using the Monte Carlo method. (auth)

Although the Born-von Karman treatment of the dynamics of crystal lattices is superior to that of Debye, the conABSTRACTS tinuum model of Debye is more amenable to computation; therefore the Debye treatment is used to obtain frequencies at a maximum energy. From the classic Hamiltonian of the solid, quantization is carried out by the Schroedinger method. The thermodymamic functions are obtained, and the mean square displacement is derived. (J.S.R.)

None

A new zero-power reactor facility, designated as ZPRVII, which is under construction at the Argonne National Laboratory is described. This facility will be used to supply physics design information required in connection with several phases of Argonne's boiling reactor program. A description of the first reactor system to be investigated in this facility and an assessment of the hazards associated with the planned program of measurements are included. The first system to be investigated will employ fuel in the form of pellets of a fired mixture of enriched UO/sub 2/ and ThO/sub 2/. These pellets will be approximately 1/4 in. in diameter, stacked to a height of 5 ft within an Al jacket of 5/16-in outer diameter. These fuel rods will be grouped in a variety of arrangements within a 6 3/4-ft diameter tank which can be filled with D/sub 2/ O. The construction instrumentation, and control system of the Z PR-VII conform with past practice at Argonne. This reactor system is unusually safe as a consequence of large negative temperature and void coefficients of reactivity. Large reactivity effects are virtually impossible to achieve other than through deliberate sabotage, and the inherent safety mechanisms make the reactor completely self-limiting with …

Report documenting a geologic study of the San Rafael River Desert Mining District, including background describing the stratigraphy and geologic history, and the economic geology study containing more extensive descriptions of the area's mineralogy and uranium ores, including a description of mining and impacts.

None

The gamma -radiation field from a battery of 10 MTR spent fuel elements was calculated and a special shipping cask designed to contain the 10 elements. An internal watercooled tank in the cask holds the 10 elements in the vertical position. Two external air-cooled, finned-tube heat exchangers control the water temperature. The sides of the cask open to convert the cask to a radiation source without changing the position of the elements. A unique feature of the design is a device for closing the sides of the cask by gravity in the event of accident or power failure. This provides a ''fail-safe'' safety feature. (auth)

None

Zirconium-base binary alloys were prepared using the elements Mo, Fe, Co, Cr, Ni. Cu, Ag, Ta, Nb, Bt. Pa, Os, Ir, Rh, Ru, V, Si, Mn, Sn, Pb, W, Sb, Ge, Al, Ti, Mg, Zn, La, and Ba. Also, Zr-base ternary alloys were prepared using the elements Cu, Ni, Nb, Ta, V, Sn, Sb, and W. The maximum total alloy content of the alloys was five per cent. The Zr used was low-Hf sponge,and the alloys were prepared-by arc melting in an Ar atmosphere. The alloys were tested for scaling resistance at the temperatures 1200, 1500, and 1800 deg F in a multi-specimen furnace for periods up to about 300 hours. Scaling Propensity of the alloys was evaluated on the basis of the weight increase per unit area as compared to that of unalloyed Zr. The binary alloys containing Ni and Cu showed the greatest scaling resistance of all the binary alloys at all temperatures. Ternary alloys showed little or no improvement over the most scaling resistant binary alloys. The number of alloys more resistant than unalloyed Zr was about the same at 1200 and 1500 deg F, but was considerably more at 1800 deg F. In general, there was …

This report talks about the Alkaline method for treatment of high radiation level aluminum waste

Research is reported in the development of materials for Hanford reactors, development of Al-clad fuel elements, plant assistance to MCW, reactions between water and Zr alloys, general fuel element development, Zr - U alloy studies, corrosion of Zr, reactor materials development, physical metallurgy, development of PWR, and NaTa compatibility at high temperatures. (For preceding period see BMI-1136.) (T.R.H.)

Progress is reported on the following studies: development of materials for Hanford reactors, developments for Al-clad fuel elements, studies of Zr-U alloys, corrosion studies of Zr, reactor-materials development, physical metallurgy, corrosion problems associated with the recovery of spent reactor fuel elements, evaluation of a reflector-controlled heterogeneous boiling reactor, studies of Na-Ta compatibility at elevated temperatures, and de velopment studies for the PWR. (For preceding period see BMI-1189.) (W.L.H.)

Investigations are reported in: creep properties of annealed Zircaloy-2 and -3 at high temperatures; burst strength of welded Zircaloy-2 tubes; air oxidation of Nb, Nb-V, Nb-Mo, and Nb-Zr at 1000 deg C; vapor deposition of Mo coatings on stainless steel tubing; bonding fundamentals; niobium-hydrogen reactions; creep and stressrupture of sintered Ta at 1200 deg F in He; and determination of O in liquid Na by gettering. (For preceding period see BMI- 1201.) (T.R.H.)

A methed is descrihed for the treatment of radioactive neutralized nitric acid waste solutions. The process consists of electrolysis of sodium nitrate solutions and recycle the caustic formed to neutralize incoming nitric acid ate. Removal of a large fraction of the bulk inert substances by this method allows greater reductions in waste volume than conventional treatment by evaporation alone. Process chemistry studies show that a large fraction of the nitrate ion in alkaline solution can be electrolytically reduced to gaseous nitrogen reduction products at reasonable current efficiencies. Process engineering studies have resulted in the development of a prediction equation for the design of electrolysis cells used in the process. Pilot plant studies using cold'' nitric acid waste have demonstrated the feasibility of the electrolytic recycle methed. A preliminary cost estimate was performed which iadicates a cost of from 75 to 95 per initial gallon of waste processed. Basis for this estimate is a conceptual design of a plant capable of handling the highlevel waste produced in reprocessing one ton of uranium metal per day. These costs are considered reasonable in a nuclear power economy, and indications are that ultimate disposal of the concentrated waste in clay may be possible. (auth)