This is a report of work completed during the period October 1, 1961, to December 31, 1961. The Program fuel element was completed and assembled. After extensive analysis, it was concluded that the fuel was satisfactory for use in the Program.

The design status of the Experimental Fast Ceramic Reactor (EFCR) is described for the period up to October 31, 1961. The primary purpose of the facility is to study the dynamic behavior of a fast ceramic reactor, including the experimental demonstration of the effectiveness of the Doppler coefficient in limiting the power excursion following a rapid insertion of reactivity.

This report covers the S-I-5-B-M fuel irradiation in the GETR Maritime Loop during the second quarter of fiscal year 1962. The data are summarized in Section II. Discussions on fuel performance, fuel environment (water chemistry), problems with loop operations, and the crud deposition program are included.

Work performed during the quarter is summarized by direct measurement of fission gas pressure, loop operations, performance of UO2 fuel.

The primary purpose of this joint USAEC-Euratom program is to obtain a better understanding of the maximum achievable operating characteristics of UO2 as a reactor fuel. During the program work will be performed in two areas that have been of concern to reactor core designers for a long time, namely, fission gas release and central melting in fuel rods.

This phase of the program is concerned with irradiation of fuel assemblies to determine central temperature limitations.

Work performed during the quarter is summarized by direct measurement of fission gas pressure, loop modifications, UO2 fuel performance

This report contains a listing of the bound-proton kernels for neutron scattering which were calculated in conjunction with the USAEC Control Rod Materials Program.

The nuclide Cs-137 is a fission product commonly used for measurement of uranium burnup in irradiated uranium fuel by the fission product to uranium ratio method. In the application of this method, the largest single error introduced in the measurement of burnup is the uncertainty in the half-life of Cs-137. Because of the uncertainty in this value and its importance in nuclear fuel burnup analysis, a reinvestigation was undertaken to obtain a more accurate value using the mass spectrometric method.

Control rod materials, designs, and fabrication processes are compared for their relative economies. Control rod lifetime data are calculated with a simple approximation of nuclear worth depreciation. These data are used in conjunction with the estimated fabrication costs to determine the cost of using several absorber materials in a typical power reactor on a cost-per-year basis. The effect the control system has on core power density and fuel lifetime is included.

The Fuel Cycle Program is an integrated program of investigation in the Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor (VBWR) and other facilities to improve the technological limits of boiling water reactors in several areas. This report presents updates on tasks related to those areas.

Progress is reported on several tasks related to nuclear fuel development at the Consumers Power Company Big Rock Point Plant.

The Program fuel element has continued under irradiation in the Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor, thermal energy group transfer cross sections for UO2 have been computed, and data have been reduced from the resonance wire activations performed last quarter. Future plans are included.

This report contains technical specifications and supporting data for the Critical Experiment Facility, information to justify operation of the facility, procedural control to be used to ensure safe operation, changes in neutron instrumentation and safety system, an evaluation of the safety of the Facility. It also contains descriptions of the site, the facility and the Critical Assemblies, operating standards and procedures. Amendment no.18 to license application for Critical Experiment Facility is also attached.

This report covers the S-I-5-B-M fuel irradiation in the GETR Maritime Loop during the final quarter of fiscal year 1962 plus the month of July 1962 to conclude the irradiation program. The data are summarized in Section II.

The Fuel Cycle Program is an integrated program of investigation in the Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor and other facilities to improve the technological limits of boiling water reactors in several areas. Progress is reported here.

Previously reported results on the testing of small samples of boron carbide dispersed in nickel by electrolytic codeposition were adequately encouraging to lead to the development of a prototype control rod for operation in the Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor. The operation of the control rod has been entirely satisfactory.

A code (RAPTURE) was programmed for the Philco TRANSAC 2000 computer to perform calculations needed for the evaluation of Doppler Coefficients in fast reactors with degraded neuron spectra. This code computes resonance integrals, averages them over resonance parameter distributions, and computes fission and capture cross sections as a function of fuel temperature and of potential scattering cross section per absorber isotope.

This is a report of work completed during the period January 1, 1962, to March 31, 1962. Work was done on fuel irradiation, activation studies and UO2 scattering experiment

During the eighth quarter the instrumented assemblies were removed from VBWR and examined for effects of the exposure to reactor conditions. Also during this period the Big Rock developmental fuel assembly design was completed and a topical report was issued. A summary of progress by task is presented here.

This report covers the S-I-5-B-M fuel irradiation in the GETR Maritime Loop during the third quarter of fiscal year 1962. The data are summarized in Section II. Discussions on fuel performance, fuel environment (water chemistry), and loop operations are included.

This is the second in a series of quarterly progress reports on the Fast Ceramic Reactor Development Program, an integrated analytical and experimental program directed toward the development of fast reactors employing ceramic fuels, with particular attention to mixed plutonium-uranium oxide.

This is the third in a series of quarterly progress reports on the Fast Ceramic Reactor Program, an analytical and experimental program directed toward the development of fast reactors employing ceramic fuels, with particular attention to mixed plutonium-uranium oxide.

During the seventh quarter the twenty-four high power density fuel assemblies were irradiated in the VBWR to an average of about 2572 MWD/T. Also during this period the instrumental assembly tasks were completed, and the award of the contract for the Scheduling Computer was made. A summary of progress by task is presented here.