Technical report describing results on work which cannot be ascribed to one reactor program. Outlines the results of miscellaneous corrosion testing, the development of new shielding materials, the testing of irradiated plastics, and general heat transfer investigation. [From Preface]

From abstract: "The rate of hydrolysis of TBP and the effect of the hydrolysis products in the Purex Process have been studied. Hydrolytic conditions may be encountered in the process which would lead to formation of dibutyl phosphoric acid, causing significant losses of tetravalent plutonium in stripping. This situation may be easily alleviated by reducing and stripping the plutonium in the trivalent state."

Report issued by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory discussing the production separation for the radioisotope program. As stated in the abstract, "a general description is given of five years' experience in routine production of fission products of high concentration and high activity levels for the radioisotope program. Details of construction and production processes are given for two systems which were built on ion-exchange principle" (p. 2). This report includes illustrations, and photographs.

Bench scale studies have been made of the recovery of uranium from acid leach liquors (and slurries) by solvent extracting with di (2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid in an organic diluent. Uranium may be stripped from the organic solvent by either alkaline or acidic reagents, the former having been studied in greater detail. On the basis of these tests, a recovery process may be considered which shows promise both from the standpoint of operation and chemical costs. Under proper conditions, vanadium can also be extracted by the di (2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid and stripping again may be accomplished with either acidic or alkaline reagents. Preliminary studies have been made of these possibilities. In addition to di (2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid, some other organophosphorus acids, have been cursorily examined in respect to their extraction and/or stripping performance.

A satisfactory ion-exchange-polarographic method was developed for the determination of either chromium(VI) or total chromium in Homogeneous Reactor fuels. Total chromium is determined as chromium (VI) , i.e., chromate, and in the same way as is chromium(VI), after chromium in the lower valence states is oxidized to chromate by potassium permanganate. Chromate is separated from all interfering metal ions in the fuel by ion exchange on a Dowex 50 resin column. The Chromate in the effluent is determined polarographically in approximately 0.75 M sodium hydroxide solution as supporting electrolyte. A well polarographic wave is obtained for the chromium (VI) chromium (III) reduction at a half-wave potential of -0.85 volt vs. the S.C.E. The relative standard deviation of the data for 2 μg of chromium (VI) per ml was 2%; for 4 μg of total chromium per ml, it was 3%. An ion-exchange-polarographic method was developed also for the determination of chromium(III). Chromium (III) is separated from all interfering ions in the fuel by ion exchange on a Dowex 1 resin column. The chromium (III) in the effluent is determined polarographically in a 1M ammonia-1M ammonium chloride supporting electrolyte. The wave obtained at a half-wave potential of -1.42 volt vs. the …

Much of the shielding work carried out with the Bulk Shielding Reactor (BSR) has yielded data of particular interest for the design of swimming pool type reactors, However, it is often difficult for a reactor designer to locate such data since it may be recorded in a report primarily concerned with shielding problems. Therefore, this memorandum presents a bibliography of reports from the Bulk Shielding Facility arranged according to the application of data to the various aspects of reactor design.

Semiannual Progress report of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Chemistry Division providing updates on various projects, experiments, and other work in inorganic and physical chemistry, nuclear chemistry, organic chemistry, chemical physics, chemistry of separation processes, radiation chemistry, and reactor chemistry.

This quarterly progress report of the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Project at ORNL records the technical progress of the research on circulating-fuel reactors and ether ANP research at the Laboratory under its Contract W-7405-eng-26. The report is divided into three major parts: I. Reactor Theory, Component Development, and Construction, II. Materials Research, and III. Shielding Research.

Thorium nitrate, recovered from irradiated thorium metal processed in the ORNL Thorex Pilot Plant, was converted to thorium oxide and then to the fluoride in one pilot-plant-scale and two laboratory-scale runs. Activity distributions, decontamination factors, and safety of the process are treated. (D.L.C.)

For various reasons it is not possible to leave the uranium or other nuclear fuel in a power reactor until all of it has been "burned up" by fission. In the case of liquid fuel (homogeneous) reactors a small part is continuously bled out, purified and returned. In the case of solid fuel reactors, fuel elements are periodically removed, reprocessed and the "unburned" fuel put back into service. In both cases the purification produces wastes which contain radioactive fission products and transuranic elements, and it is with the disposal of these wastes that we are concerned. For technical reasons, we will limit our consideration to the wastes from the processing of solid fuel elements, and from the processing of the very similar solid "blanket" elements in which fissionable fuel is made from non-fissionable isotopes of uranium and thorium by interaction with neutrons in the outer regions of the nuclear reactor.

A slurry addition system, a venturi in the circulation loop, and two types of sampling systems were tested with 500 and 800 g Th/kg H2O slurries in the 200 gpm loop at 250 C and 1000 psig. The addition system worked satisfactorily while the venturi gave erratic readings during part of the run. Both the capillary and in-line sampling systems proved satisfactory with the capillary sampler being much easier and more convenient to operate. The addition of uranium to the slurry had no appreciable effect on the handling characteristics, the attack rate on 347 SS, the particle size and crystallite size of the thorium oxide. The attack rate was found to be 1 mpy during the first 100 hours of circulation and decreased to 0.4 mpy at the end of the run.

This technical report summarizes some preliminary calculations of fuel exposures attainable in heterogeneous reactors, fueled with a mixture of thorium and U233, moderated with D2O and operated with no net loss in fissionable fuel.

Loop L-2-10 was the eighth completed in-pile loop experiment and the first in the HB-2 beam hole at the LITR. The loop was inserted on July 2, 1956 and removed on September 3, 1956. The installation, operation, removal, and general performance of the HRP in-pile solution corrosion loop in the HB-2 beam hole at the LITR are described.

High heat flux electrical cartridge heaters were tested with direct air cooling under simulated ORR Loop conditions. The cartridges and the heater design were found to be satisfactory. A gas cooled of concentric pipe design utilizing air, water, and air-water mixtures as the coolant was also evaluated and found to be satisfactory.