Technical report covering experiments to measure the resonance and absorption of neutrons in U238 cylinders. Report also discusses control problems connected to the Bulk Shielding Facility and work on MTR controls.

Technical report summarizing one phase of work done to develop methods of bonding uranium to a metal which is a good conductor of heat. Silver was chosen for contact with uranium because it is easy to plate on uranium and there is no danger of brittle Ag-U compounds being formed at elevated temperatures. [From Abstract]

Technical report outlining cavity-type ionization chambers with graphite walls that are used to measure heat dissipation in the graphite reflector of the MTR mock-up. Studies the relationship between the ionization occurring in the chamber and the heat generated in the surrounding graphite medium. [From Abstract]

Technical report covering work completed on the removal of radioisotopes from water using a calcium phosphate floc as a carrier. This research was performed as part of the Health Physics Waste Disposal Research Section work on the removal of small quantities of radioactivity from large volumes of water. [From Abstract]

Technical report acting as a detailed progress report on all homogeneous-reactor-motivated work at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Includes work of the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment, the long range research programs associated with aqueous-fluid fuel systems. [From Foreword]

From introduction: "During the second quarter of fiscal year 1952, the Isotope Production and Process Development Department placed primary emphasis on the collection of lithium, iron and calcium isotopes."

The first part of this quarterly progress report details reactor theory and design, discussing the aircraft reactor experiment, experimental reactor engineering, reactor physics, and critical experiments. The second part of this report is not included. The third part of this quarterly progress report details materials research, discussing corrosion research, physical properties and heat-transfer research, metallurgy and ceramics, chemistry of high-temperature liquids, and radiation damage. The fourth part of this quarterly progress report details alternate systems, discussing a supercritical water reactor, circulating-moderator-coolant reactors. The fifth part of this quarterly progress report includes appendixes.

Technical report focusing on the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment (HRE) construction, completed 60% as of August 15, 1951. Report also includes alternate systems studies and long range studies of the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment. Technical report is organized in three parts. [From Summary]

From abstract: "Operation of the 86-inch cyclotron has been continuous except for a three-day interruption caused by a water leak inside the vacuum chamber; monthly output has averaged over 210,000 [mu]a-hr; the average continuous (168-hour week) beam power has been approximately 5.5 kw; and the energy of the beam has been determined to be ~19.4 Mev. No changes due to radiation damage have been detected in Inconel tubes containing UF4-NaF-KF eutectic which were irradited in the 96-inch cyclotron with power inputs up to ~415 watts/cc. The major components of the 63-inch cyclotron have been fabricated and are being tested as the machine is being assembled. On the 22-inch cyclotron a radius-wise examination of the fine structure of the proton beam reveals definite proton orbits. Several grams of very pure uranium 235 have been prepared; the chemical recovery for first-stage separation of U 236 has been established as 97%; and facilities for laboratory-scale separation of plutonium isotopes are being prepared."

From abstract: "The reaction between hydrogen and oxygen with the aid of various catalysts (especially platinum on aluminua) has been studied, and the operating variables such as flow rates, space velocity, temperature, and gas composition have been examined rather extensively. It has been found that hydrogen and oxygen in stoichiometric proportions and mixed with either steam or helium may be made to react to the extent of 99.5% or greater at space velocities up to 30,000 hr-1, or even higher, at temperatures from 100[degrees] to 900[degrees]C, and with mixtures ranging from less than 1% hydrogen to mixtures containing 12% hydrogen and 6% oxygen. Richer mixtures, including undiluted electrolytic gas (H2 + 1/2 O2) have been used with catalysts less active than platinum (e.g. copper, silver, nickel and V2O5) but here the gas mixture is explosive and care must be taken to prevent explosions. The thermal reaction between hydrogen and oxygen diluted with steam has also been investigated at temperatures between 500[degrees] and 800[degrees]C."

This technical report presents "a theoretical study of the motion of gas bubbles in a rotating liquid" in order to "make comparison with experimental data from an investigation concerning the removal of gas bubbles from rotating liquids as descriped in ORNL-630." The report presents a literature review of "motion of gas bubbles in liquids" and provides a "summary of extensive experimental studies at the University of Tennessee." It also presents "an expression for the radial velocity of a gas bubble in a rotating liquid based on principles of mechanics." Finally, this report presents "a method for computing the steady state state [sic] gas hold-up in the HRE reactor core under power producing conditions." (From introduction)

Technical reports outlining the controls for the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment (HRE); controls are divided into three principal groups. 1. Reactor. 2. Process or auxiliary. 3. Power generation. These are the classifications designating the primary functions of the controls. [From Introduction]

This progress report discusses the work during the fourth quarter of 1951. During this quarter, "the uranium raw materials program at ORNL has been devoted to studies of uranium chemistry and to the development of processes for deriving uranium and byproducts from various types of ores" (From introduction).

Technical report covering the technology of hot-pressed beryllium production and its rapid advancement toward the end of 1949. Part I is devoted to corrosion studies made on hot-pressed and vacuum cast extruded metal which was considered representative of production. Part II is concerned with the results of tests made on special cast and hot-pressed beryllium which contained added impurities. [From Introduction]

A capital cost breakdown of the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant, a directly maintained remotely operated plant for processing spent enriched uranium fuel assemblies from reactors, is presented. The capital investment in the plant, including design, construction, training, and preoperational costs, an estimate of the direct costs incurred by the Atomic Energy Commission, and a proportional part of the costs of Central Facilities, including the value of the land and improvements theorem when acquired by the Commision, was $31,105,899. The cost of design and construction was $25,212,231, of which $3,773,357 was expanded on design and inspection.

The Homogeneous Reactor Test (HRT) is the experimental reactor facility (Frontispiece) being designed and constructed at ORNL as the next step in homogeneous reactor development between the 1-Mv HRE and a "full-scale" power station. The HRT will provide an integrated test at 5 to 10 Mv for the flowsheet and equipment designs on which the full-scale effort will be based. Furthermore, its design is such that several homogeneous systems which require essentially the same operating equipment may be tested with comparatively minor modifications of the original reactor installation. The reactor will be assembled in the building which housed the HRE, located in the experimental reactor exclusion area approximately one mile south of the oak ridge laboratory. (See figure 1) / It is the purpose of this report to provide information with which the hazardous aspects of this reactor may be evaluated. Briefly, it will be shown after a statement of purpose and a general description of the reactor that: 1. The design characteristics and equipment requirements are such that escape of highly reactive material from the reactor piping is unlikely. 2. Should the entire core and blanket contents suddenly escape from the reactor system, a seal-welded steel tank surrounding the …

The successful completion of a program of experiments, including the Aircraft Reactor Experiment (ARE), has demonstrated the high probability of producing militarily useful aircraft nuclear power plants employing reflector-moderated circulating-fuel reactors. Consequently, and accelerated program culminating in operation of the Aircraft Reactor Test (ART) is under way. In order to adhere to the compressed schedule of the accelerated program, it is essential that the Atomic Energy Commission approve the 7500 Area in Oak Ridge as the test site by February15, 1955. This report summarizes the hazards associated with operating the contained 60-Mv reactor of the ART at the proposed Oak Ridge test site.

The enthalpies and heat capacities of seventeen fluoride mixtures in the liquid state have been determined using Bunsen Ice Calorimeters and copper block calorimeters. The fluoride mixtures were composed of the fluorides of two or more of the following metals: lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, zirconium, and uranium. The enthalpies and heat capacities of most of these mixtures were studied in the solid state also. Estimates of the heat of fusion have been made. General empirical equations have been developed which represent the enthalpies and heat capacities of the fluoride mixtures in the liquid and in the solid state.

The methods of analysis given in this report are those which were used in the Analytical Chemistry Division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for analyzing samples which were derived from the experimental work on the separation of the isotopes of boron by chemical exchange. The samples consisted principally of boron trifluoride solutions in anisole (methyl phenyl ether, CH30C6H5). The boron concentration ranged from a few parts per million to 5 or 6 per cent. Boron was determined on all samples. During the early stages of the project, iron and copper were occasionally determined, while a limited number of aqueous solutions and water extracts of anisole solutions of BF3 were analyzed for fluoboric and hydroxyfluoboric acids, boric acid, total boron, and total fluoride. Boron was determined by the use of either a spectrophotometric or volumetric method, depending on the amount available. Initially, if the amount of sample and boron concentration were such as to provide a total of at least 2 to 4 mg of boron, the volumetric method was utilized and found to be satisfactory. For smaller amount, the spectrophotometric method was used. Later, because of its greater speed and simplicity, the spectrophotometric method was used for samples in …

This technical report is the second of a series which concerns the separation of ions by solvent extraction with trialkyl phosphine oxides (TOPO). This investigation has consisted in the extraction of various ions from acidic solutions with extractants that are representative of these ore specific phosphine oxides - triphenylphosphine oxide (THPO) and tris-2-ethylhexylphosihine oxides (TEHPO). In general it is observed that: (a) the order of increasing capacity of extraction is THPO > TOPO >TEHPO. (b) No ion is extracted by THPO or TEHPO that is not extracted by TOPO under certain conditions. (c) The effect of hydrogen ion concentration is greater in TEHPO systems than it is in the other two, which indicated greater selectivity of extraction with TEHPO.

Techniques are described for determining U-235 abundance by measurement of the intensity of 0.18 Mev gamma radiation. One method involves measurement of the ratio of the intensity of 0.18-Mev radiation to that of 0.1 Mev radiation. The preferred technique consists of chemical separation of uranium followed by direct counting of 0.18-Mev photons. Application has been made in analysis of uranium samples of abundances in the range of 0.05% to 93%. Accuracy appears to be better than 3% if the abundance is between 0.7% and 100%. Findings in the self-absorption of 0.18 Mev radiation in uranium oxide are presented.

In order to evaluate the behavior of an APPR type absorber rod, an irradiation test program has been established. Approximately 21 more samples are planned for testing under this request. The request proposes testing a full size APPR-1 type control rod in the MTR. The objective of the test is to better evaluate the neutron absorbing material proposed for the APPR-1 control rod.

The operation and design of a high pressure recombination loop for the recombination of H2, D2, and O2 produced by the radiolytic decomposition of water which is used a solvent for fuel in the homogeneous reactors are presented.

Twenty-five hundred psi ring-type flanges, ring gaskets, bolts, and special connectors were tested for adaptability to the aqueous homogenous reactor. High pressure line closures were studied to obtain empirical data pertinent to the selection or design of a connector capable of withstanding sustained thermal cycling and high pressures encountered in the aqueous homogenous reactor. Specialized stress-strain measurement techniques yielded information concerning flange deformation, ring type gaskets, bolts, and special connectors. The results indicated that no totally acceptable connector is currently available. Most promising of the combination of components tested during this period was a 2500 psi ring type flange with an accurately machined octagonal gasket and Grade B-7 bolts.