From introduction: This work is a survey of possible uses of ceramic materials in Hanford-type fuel elements.

Abstract: "Aluminum-clad nickel-plated uranium is corrosion resistant in boiling water. Samples with intentional defects in the aluminum-nickel clodding layers, after testing for more than 300 hr. showed no sign of rapid failure. The study of electroplated metals on uranium for aluminum cladding has defined the effects of several processing variables on the corrosion resistance. The quality of the uranium and the quality of the aluminum-nickel bond were important. Heat treatment and vacuum outgassing of the nickel-plated uranium prior to aluminum cladding were beneficial, and minimizing the amount of air present in the hot-press assembly was desirable. Variation in the steps for electroplating on uranium did not affect the corrosion resistance of aluminum-clad uranium."

From abstract: Detailed information is given on the theory, design, parts specifications and assembly data for a new radiation detector for measurement of ionizing radiations.

Report discussing the progress of research projects at Battelle Memorial Institute relating to civilian applications during August 1956.

This report follows a preliminary study on uranium migration in pressed and sintered UO2-bearing bodies based on MoSi2 or Al2O3.

Abstract: "Differential thermal-expansion effects in brazed joints involving Type 310 stainless steel and GE-62 brazing alloy were investigated. The work included dilation and modulus-of-elasticity measurements using homogenous cast specimens and observations on bimetallic cantilevers made of the two constituents. No anomalies were found, although there were irregularities in the expansion of the brazing alloy which were ascribed to a solubility phenomenon. The elastic modulus of the brazing alloy was determined. Cantilever deflections with temperature and with load were measured, and the results were interpreted using equations which treat the specimens as true bimetals consisting of two homogeneous components. The difference in thermal-expansion coefficients obtained in this way from the temperature-deflection data was consistent with the dilation measurements. The load measurements yielded an average elastic modulus for the bimetal which was about two-thirds of what would have been expected from knowledge of the components. This discrepancy probably arose from porosity which was observed in the braze components."

Increases in power levels of the Hanford Piles have resulted in increased demands for process cooling water to the extent that the present filter plants are now operating at or above their design capacity. Further power level increases requiring even more cooling water may demand the operation of the filters considerably above design capacity. It has been proposed that by the use of aluminum sulfate, or filter alum, as a process water coagulant and activated silica as a coagulation aid, the present filter plant capacities could be increased appreciably. In order to investigate the effects of alum-treated water on pile operation, a full-pile production test was authorized in which alum was substituted for the standard ferric sulfate coagulant. This test was started in the 100-F Area on October 10, 1951. The results of the first thirty days of operation were presented in a previous report and served as a basis of the decision to proceed with installation of the activated silica addition facility. This report presents the data, results and conclusions obtained from the start of the test until its termination of December 28, 1951, when the addition of activated silica began.

Technical report surveying radio-chemical analyses by ORNL's Analytical Chemistry Division and Health-Physics Division of large volumes of rainwater for plutonium, uranium, and fission products. Overall, carrying efficiencies for Al(OH)3 scavenging of rainwater were determined for these elements, as well as for Pu and U. [From Abstract, Introduction]

Report that discusses the possibility of testing the T-invariance in μ-meson decay. The author describes a past experiment performed by Lee and Yang, as well as the specifics of the proposed experiment to test the time reversal in μ-meson decay.

Report discussing details of the design for the Bevatron at the University of California Radiation Laboratory. The Bevatron is a "6-billion-electron-volt (Bev) proton synchotron. This device will receive a 10-million-electron-volt (Mev) proton beam from a linear accelerator, and further accelerate a reasonable percentage of these protons, at a nominally constant radius of 600 inches, to a final energy greater than 6 Bev."

None

Abstract: "The quantities of interest in a confined plasma include the electric and magnetic fields, current density, diffusion velocity, temperature, pressure, and particle density. Equations governing the distribution of these seven variables are given in this report and special cases of a one-dimensional steady-state plasma are examined in detail. The solutions are given in graphical form."

Abstract: "A cylindrical coil has been designed for pulsed field operation suitable for use in a model thermonuclear reactor. The coil has an eight-inch inside diameter and a length of fifty-one inches. Magnetic mirrors at the ends consist of double-layer solenoids six and one-half inches long designed to slip over the main coil. Subsequent models of this coil have been fabricated which improved the electrical insulation provided by the bonding materials and the mechanical rigidity of the coil. Peak central fields of fifteen kilogauss and mirror fields of thirty kilogauss have been obtained."

Report containing results of a study regarding concentration of radioiodine in edible plants fed to animals.

Abstract: "A titrimetric method for the determination of fluoride in plutonium is reported. Prior to a steam distillation of the fluoride, the bulk of the plutonium is separated by precipitation of the sulfate. The fluoride in the distillate is titrated at a pH of 3.2 with 0.001 M thorium nitrate, using chrome azurol-S indicator. Applied to samples containing 1 to 15 parts per million fluoride, the recovery is 87% and the precision on the 95% confidence level is +/- 0.65 ppm."

Various figures depicting views and components of a device for coating the "Model 100" 8-faced metallic rotating mirror with an equal amount of material on each mirror face.

An outbreak of ruptures occurred in the KE Reactor during September, 1956. Radiometallurgical examination of three of these ruptures was requested by the IPD Reactor Fuels Operation. Examination of a fourth rupture which occurred in December, 1956, was later included in the original request. This report presents the results of the requested examination work.

The octant monitors are an improvement over the early sub-pile flux monitors, but they still do not monitor the flux in the active zone of the reactor. Chambers located within the pile active zone would give the desired information but the inpile environment is too severe to allow a reasonable life for these chambers. A beam hole monitor is suggested to provide the desired flux monitoring. The problem of reactor flux monitoring is discussed. The beam hole monitors have the advantage of providing adequate active zone coverage. Calculations were made to show the neutron current and current density at the chamber location as a function of the collimation of the detector assembly. These curves show the present sub-pile and octant monitors are sensitive primarily to the flux in the pile reflector rather, than in the active zone. The beam hole monitors can be made sensitive to the active zone flux only. Sufficient chamber current can be obtained to operate available trip circuitry. It is recommended that experimental work be started to prove out these beam hole monitors so any new reactor program may take advantage of them and that the monitoring of present piles can be improved.

Undesirably high radiation dosage rates are being encountered in the discharge areas during reactor outages. This is costly to operations in terms of burn-out time, extra work crews, and extended outages require to complete scheduled work. Significant savings in operating costs would be realized if the rear face radiation levels could be reduced during shutdowns. As a first step towards this some measurements have been made to identify and locate the major sources of this radiation. These results are given in this report. It is suggested that this information may be of use in devising a water treatment or purge technique which could reduce the rear face contamination problem encountered during outages.

This document provides the monthly reports for January 1952 through December 1952. These reports detail activities in the 100 areas during this time period. (FI)

Trends in reactor operation and maintenance have created the need for a rear face Hanford reactor manipulator which can routinely perform certain maintenance and operational functions, and which under high radiation exposure conditions can permit ruptured slug removal or other emergency type operations tb be conducted with little or no personnel radiation exposure. Because of the need for several tools, it was decided that the most desirable approach to a satisfactory manipulator program would be to provide a multi-tool manipulator which could do several distinct tasks. Of these tasks removing the rear face nozzle caps to facilitate removal of ruptured slugs and performance of ruptured slug removal operation were the most profitable routine functions which could be accomplished by a manipulator. The conventional mechanical arm was considered for use in non-routine situations such as recovery of slugs lodged in rear face piping or other disaster type situations which on occasions do happen. To insure the quickest return on the economic benefits of the program, the cap remover development was conducted as a separate study since it is more definitive then,the remainder of the manipulator program. A second phase involving the application of the mechanical arm and development of specialized tools …

In 1946, it was recommended, by the district engineer for the War Department, United States Engineer Office, that it was desirable to transfer all of the functions of production to Hanford, a production installation; thereby relieving the Argonne National Laboratory, a research installation, from production duties. This decision was based on the belief by Argonne National Laboratories that the principal problems of production were solved, as a result of a meeting held at Clinton Laboratories, October 25, 1946, during which, Dr. T.S. Chapman discussed with Major F.A. Valente the possibility of Hanford assuming full production responsibility for the product extracted from the irradiation of Special Request. This responsibility was to include the procurement of lithium fluoride, the preparation and canning of the pellets, the irradiation of the slugs, the extraction of the product and its subsequent shipment to the consumer. This report details historical aspects of this program and the P-10 Project.

It was found from graphite irradiations that the changes can be described by a growth component and a contraction component, and that the contraction is a linear function of exposure, while the growth is a function of both exposure and temperature which saturated at high exposures, say 3000 MWD/a ton. A graph is included. Contraction rate is determined for KW, KE, and H piles.

Summarized herein is the available information on the subject, ``Reactor Gamma Flux Monitors.`` Apparently, a misunderstanding exists between the U.K. representatives and the related information presented by Dr. Nilson at the Argonne meeting July 24 and 25th. Dr. Nilson`s reference at the US/UK meeting was to the use of gamma-compensated neutron detection chambers at Hanford. Such chambers have been designed and used in one old reactor for a short period as a prototype for a detector for the octant monitor system. No gamma compensated chambers are in any of the reactors at present. Under development is a neutron flux indicating system which will operate in the intermediate range (10{sup {minus}7} to 10{sup {minus}1} full power) and will use commercially available gamma compensated ion chambers. These will be used to provide signals for reactor period meters. At Hanford there has been no operating experience with gamma flux monitors as such or with extensive in core neutron flux monitors. Characteristics of systems under development are given for information as well as current information on the octant system.