Report issued by the Argonne National Laboratory discussing progress made by the Reactor Development Program during April 1963. Reactor physics, experiments, and safety studies are presented. This report includes tables, and illustrations.

Operation and maintenance procedures for 30 megawatt heat exchanger and steam generator for sodium cooled reactor system.

Abstract: The acid hydrolysis of [Pt(NH3)3Cl] has been shown to occur to a measurable extent. for this reaction: [APt(NH3)cCl]+ + H2O [chemical equilibrium symbol with rate constant k-1 above and k1 below] [Pt(NH3)c(H2O)]++ + Cl-, the equilibrium quotient was measured at 25 degree C and 35 degree C. At 25 degree C this quotient was 8.4 x 10-5 at [Mu] (ionic strength) = 0 and 25 x 10-5 at [mu] = .318 M. This variation is consistent with the expected changes in activity coefficients. [Delta]H for the reaction was found to be approximately 0. The rate constant, k1 was 2.3 x 10-5 sec.-1 at 25 degree C and it was nearly independent of ionic strength. The acid hydrolysis provides a mechanism for the exchange of the chloride ligand and Cl-. Exchange experiments with Cl36 showed that in addition to the acid hydrolysis, a process, first order in both, [Pt(NH3)3Cl] and Cl- with a rate constant of 6. 10-5 sec.-1M.-1 contributes to the exchange. The behavior of the entire series of chloro-ammines of platinum(II) toward acid hydrolysis and chloride exchange has been summarized, and a likely mechanism for the process has been discussed.

This report is a compilation of many of the pertinent research data acquired by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics on fuel performance in piston engines. The original data for this compilation are contained in many separate NACA reports which have in the present report been assembled in logical chapters that summarize the main conclusions of the various investigations. Complete details of each investigation are not included in this summary; however, such details may be found, in the original reports cited at the end of each chapter.

A preliminary study has been made of a solid homogeneous reactor for stationary power plant application. The core consists of graphite spheres impregnated with uranium and thorium, and the coolant is bismuth. This concept possible offers advantages over other solid fuel reactor systems with respect to simplification of core structure, fuel fabrication and fuel handling, and reduction of fuel inventory external to the reactor. From the results of this preliminary study, it appears that the potential cost of electric power from this reactor is competitive with that from other reactor systems which have been proposed for the same application. The Po210 produced in the coolant presents a decontamination problem, but is also possibly a valuable by-producgt.

About twenty-five to thirty per cent of the uranium slugs canned in the Metal Preparation Section do not meet specifications and are rejected. These rejected slugs are recovered by a chemical process and prepared for re-canning. The current recovery process consists essentially of a sodium hydroxide-sodium nitrate bath for chemically removing the aluminum can and the bonding medium, followed by hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid baths to remove the remaining compound layer and to pickle the slugs before they are returned to the process canning line. Recent studies have indicated the possibility of using a more economical means of recovery. this includes the mechanical removal of the aluminum can and most of the bonding medium, followed by a chemical removal of the residual compound layer by a solution of sodium hydroxide.

This report describes the preprocessing stage to be added to the present ORACLE-Algol translator which will enable it to translate programs containing procedures. The Algol 60 procedure is an extremely flexible tool, and its full implementation presents a number of difficulties. Since it is undesirable to undertake major revisions of the existing parts of the translator and impossible to solve all of these difficulties in a processing stage, it was necessary to impose certain restrictions on the use of procedures. The result, however, retains the more basic features of the Algol 60 procedure concept. Most of the algorithms published in the Communications of the Association for Computing Machinery can be handled by the preprocessor with few minor or no changes.

Abstract: "A quantitative method for the determination of individual rare earths in thorium down to a level of 0.05 ppm, is described. The procedure consists of a chromatographic cellulose-columns separation followed by a solution-type spectrographic determination. Values are given for the recovery of a number of rare earths using this combined procedure."

From to the files: To date, all the mineralization seen in the Monument Valley area in the Shinarump formation has been in scour channels. The mineralized rock occurs at or near the bottom of the channel. On Hoskinnini Mesa, all the channels examined to date contain some mineralized material. Channels observed may in some cases contain copper without apparent uranium mineralization; others definitely exhibit copper-uranium mineralization.

From abstract: "The circumstances are described pertaining to an explosion in a TNX evaporator during the concentration of a uranyl nitrate-nitric acid solution. TBP and Amsco diluent were probably present in the evaporator charge. A laboratory program involving small-scale atmospheric and closed-vessel distillations of various mixtures of UNH, HNO3, Amsco, TBP, and water indicate that an exothermic reaction between TBP and UNH, or between TBP and HNO3, or both, was responsible for the explosion. The danger areas of temperature, TBP concentration, pressure, and heating rate are defined and recommendations are made for safe evaporator operation.

The following report discusses the deposition of radioactive elements during a nuclear fission in the skeleton. Studies are concerned with chronic effects of toxic radiation developing within the bone marrow and decontaminating the cells.

Report discussing testing of a model of the McDonnell F3H-2N to determine its pitch-up and buffet boundaries and its longitudinal stability and control data obtainable with the pulse-tail technique. Stability was found to be less at low trim angles of attack than at high trim angles of attack up to a point. The buffet boundary was not obtainable through this testing.

The following report is the final technical report on a series of reports under contract AT(11-1)-515, titled "Niobium Phase Diagrams", covering the period from April 15, 1957 to April 16, 1960.

A report regarding the location of industry drill holes logged in Texas

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Technical report discussing that the deuterium concentration of heavy water can be determined by equilibrating the water with deuterium gas in the presence of a catalyst with subsequent analysis of the equilibrated gas on the mas spectrometer. The apparatus for equilibration analyses maybe be considered in three parts: 1) apparatus for introducing the ingredients into the reaction chambers; 2) the reaction chambers; 3) the mass spectrometer for analysis of the equilibrated gas. The isotopic composition of the deuterium gas to be used as the starting material is primarily governed by what gases are available. In general it is best to use gas within about one percent on either side of the final equilibrium composition. No reaction takes place between deuterium gas and water molecules in the absence of a catalyst. Platinum oxide is used as the catalyst.

From introduction: "This is the fifteenth in a series of quarterly reports which cover the progress and results from the conceptual designs, economic evaluations and research and development work performed by the General Electric Company as part of Contract AT(01-3)-189, Project Agreement No. 13."

Technical report that information has bee obtained on the effect of beta and gamma radiation on the electrical resistance of insulating materials The results are summarized. The recovery to original resistance values has been measured. In general, the initial rate is rapid for the first few hours; the rate then decreases sharply. Certain samples show evidence of complete recovery. Effects on mechanical properties of several plastics has also been studied. Data on gas evolution from several organic materials including those suggested by the physiological shield have been extended to include both beta and deuteron bombardments. Samples of "Press-wood" are being evaluated. The effect of current on the H2O2 production in water containing I- has been studied at several I- concentrations. Water contain-dissolved CO2 shows the presence of oxidant (presumably H2O2). H2O2 has been produced by recoil protons from the scattering of fast neutrons in de-oxygenated water. Radioactive solutions do not greatly affect the applicability the glass electrode providing the electrode is thoroughly washed with distilled water before immersion in the standard buffer solution.

Using the method of weighing fuel collected in a receiver during a definite interval of the injection period, rates of discharge were determined, and the effects noted, when various changes were made in a fuel-injection system. The injection system consisted primarily of a by-pass controlled fuel pump and an automatic injection valve. The variables of the system studied were the pump speed, pump-throttle setting, discharge-orifice diameter, injection-valve opening and closing pressures, and injection-tube length and diameter.

The following report is the first of two volumes describing the program and results of the airborne gamma and total magnetic field surveys of the Reno quadrangle conducted between October 4-November 10, 1977.

As recommended in a previous report a study of the NO₂ and HNO₃ exposures of plant personnel in the 224 U Building has been made. Concentrations of NO₂ and HNO₃ from the 224 U roof stack, in the concentrator cells, and in the calcining pot rooms have been determined. The problems have been outlined and recommendations have been made for its alleviation.

From Summary: "An approximate analysis of the nonlinear effects of initial twist and large deflections on the torsional stiffness of a cantilever plate subjected to a nonuniform temperature distribution is presented. The Von Karman large-deflection equations are satisfied through the use of a variational principle. The results show that initial twist and applied moments can have significant effects on the changes in stiffness produced by nonuniform heating, particularly in the region of the buckling temperature difference. Results calculated by this approximate analysis are in satisfactory agreement with measured torsional deformations and changes in natural frequency."

Abstract: A multigroup P1 approximation for hydrogen scattered neutrons has been developed and applied to the study of neutron flux distributions in titanium hydride and steel shield systems.

Abstract: Various methods and techniques of measuring void fractions in boiling heat transfer media are discussed.