Report issued by the Brookhaven National Laboratory discussing the instrumentation, operation, and maintenance of the established area radiation monitoring stations. This report includes maps, tables, illustrations, and photographs.

Progress is reported on (1) experimental breeder reactor program, (2) solvent extraction, (3) fluoride volatilization separation process, (4) elevated temperature separations, (5) denitration of uranyl nitrate in a fluidized bed, (6) development of analytical techniques, (7) processing and utilization of radioactive wastes.

Experimental data pertinent to the evaluation of hazards involved in the exposure of personnel to tritium and tritium oxide are reviewed. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations made with regard to the control of these hazards.

The prompt administration of zirconium citrate was at least twice as effective as the prompt administration of calcium disodium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (CaEDTA) in preventing deposition of plutonium in the skeleton. On the other hand, CaEDTA was twice as effective as zirconium citrate in preventing the deposition of plutonium in soft tissues. The combined administration of zirconium citrate and CaEDTA was the most effective treatment for preventing the deposition of plutonium in the total rat. Zirconium malate offered no advantage over zirconium citrate, and appeared to be somewhat more toxic. Three doses of the zirconium salts over a four-day period were no more effective than a single dose.

Purpose: Automatic recording equipment was designed for use with a high temperature Sykes experiment in which calorimetric measurements were to be made to temperatures approaching 2000* C. At such high temperatures, radiation becomes the dominant mechanism for heat transfer. The temperature differences which are used to determine the magnitude of this transfer no longer are directly proportional to it, but must be related by the Stefan-Boltzman law of radiation.

The feasibility of using Teflon bellows as the pulsing device for solvent extraction pulse columns has been previously demonstrated by life test of various sizes of Teflon bellows. This report describes a compact Teflon bellows pulse generator and drive assembly which was designed, built, and tested by the Chemical Development Unit. The pulse generator assembly is suitable for a number of applications where pulse generators are required to pulse solvent extraction columns.

Part 1. The neutron fission cross section of U237 has been measured in a thermal neutron spectrum and in a somewhat degraded fission spectrum. The fission cross section for thermal neutrons is found to be <2 barns; the ratio of the fission cross section of U237 to that of U235 in the degraded fission spectrum is found to be 0.476 +- 15% which corresponds to [formula] in this spectrum equal to 0.66 +- 0.10 barns. Part 2. The average neutron fission cross section of U237 has been measured in a neutron energy range extending from approximately 100 ev to fission spectrum. the average fission cross section in this spectrum is found to be 0.70 +- 0.07 barns. Part 3. The low thermal fission cross section for U237 (<2 barns) indicated that the excitation function for fission probably shows an effective threshold. If the excitation function is like all other heavy element (Z > 90) neutron fission excitation functions, it will exhibit a region of approximate constancy starting at a neutron energy of 0.5 to 1 Mev above its effective threshold and extending to a neutron energy in the neighborhood of 5.5 Mev. A hypothetical excitation function for neutron fission of …

A report about the properties of dilute uranium alloys. The mechanical properties of cold worked sirconium and zircaloy 2 at temperatures up to 500 C ore being determined.

A report about thermal conductivity measurements which are made on uranium, uranium-1.5 w/o zirconium, and zircaloy 2 for a program that aims to determine the feasibility of using clad specimens. Results from the measurements indicate that the difference in thermal conductivity values between uranium and uranium-1.5 w/o zirconium is less than the anticipated 5 percent.

Design and operational techniques are described for a freeze seal type centifugal pump for use in the Sodium Reactor Experiment.

"Several multiplier phototubes produced by England, Russia, or Switzerland were evaluated for amplification, photocathode sensitivity, photo-electron collection efficiency, cathode uniformity, and dark current. A description of the various tubes by designation numbers is given, along nth a description of techniques and equipment used in testing."

The need for thermal and fast neutron fluxes in the range of 1 to 5 x l0/ sup 15/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/(sec) for the production of heavy elements such as Cf/ sup 252/ and other special isotopes and for improving the quality of beam experiments, reactor materials testing work, and solid state research has led to plans for the construction of three ultra high flux research reactors. The designs of these and other high flux research reactors are based on the general technology of enriched tank-type reactors; however, they utilize the principle of separate fuel and moderator regions to achieve flux peaking in these regions. Thus, proposed designs take the form of an annular fuel region with internal and external moderating regions or an under moderated core with an external moderator or reflector. In such arrangements, the thermal flux peaks in the moderating regions and the fast flux peaks in the fuel region, which results in maximum fast and thermal fluxes per unit of power. Since most of the moderation of fast neutrons takes place outside of the fuel region, the thermal flux peaking depends on the number of fast neutrons leaking from the reactor core, which in turn depends on …