The loading operation for SM-1 Core II is described. Results of startup physics measurements (Test A-300 (Series) and fission product iodine monitoring in the primary coolant are given. The SM-1 Core II initial loading progressed satisfactorily, fulfilling the predictions of the zero power experiment performed at the Alco Criticality Facility. The initial cold clean five rod bank position was 6.53 in.; the initial hot, no xenon, five rod bank position was 9.62 in.; the initial hot, equilibrium xenon, five rod bank position was 11.41 in.; and the initial hot, peak xenon, five rod bank position was 12.14 in. Rods A and B were 19.00 in. in all four measurements. Stuck rod measurements indicated that an adequate shutdown margin was available with 20% of the rods fully withdrawn. All rod calibrations indicated a distinct shift and broadening of the peaks when compared with similar Core I calibrations. The temperature coefficient for Core II was 3.5 cents/ deg F at 440 deg F. Equilibrium xenon was worth approximately - 00 while peak xenon was worth - 43, both relative to the hot, no xenon core condition. During the period June 2, 1961 through September 30, 1961, the reactor operated at a total …

Early evaluation and study of the various criteria for the ORR clearly established the requirements for the fundarnental safety and control instrumentation, and the instrumentation was well integrated into the design and construction of the plant. However, it was not designed for the optimum of maintenance convenience and minimum reactor down time in the event of instrument failure. The revisions and additions that have been made in the physical plant and maintenance which have resulted in a definite reduction of reactor down time resulting from instrument failure in the reactor and in the experiments are described. (auth)

Gaseous waste handling systems are compared for direct and indirect boiling water and pressurized water reactors for PL-3 application. Areas that are common to the various concepts are not discussed since they do not enter into a comparison study. The major differences present are in the handling of active gases released to or held in the primary system coolant. These gases which could be present, their possibIe release from the system, and the necessary processing requirements are discussed in detail. Sufficient information is presented to enable one to analyze the methcds required to remove gaseous activity present in other size and type pressurized and boiIing water reactors. (auth)

A detailed study of four reactor and shield configurations was made. Two basic reactor types, the boiling water and pressurized water reactors were considered. Shield materials of lead-water and iron-water were used with varying thicknesses for determining the optimum shield configuration for the PL-3 reactor. Also presented is a survey of available shielding codes. (auth)

The ICPP processed Al fuel, prtncipally of the MTR-ETR type, durtng this quarter. Newly designed and installed processing equipment exhibited excellent operating performance. This included direct-air-pulsed extraction, stripping and scrub columns, and a cascade-controlled continuous evaporator in first cycle product concentration service. Aqueous zirconium fuel processing studies continued with the objective of adapting the hydrofluoric acid process to continuous dissolution-complexing to increase the capacity of the LCPP process while using as much existing equipment as possible to minimize costs. Six variations of hydrofluoric acid flowsheets were tested in a smallscale continuous dissolvers. Dissolution rates were found to be high in all cases and dissolution was easily initiated at temperatures as low as 36 deg C. Monel and Carpenter 2O(Nb) were found to be satisfactory construction materials, from the standpoint of corroston, if oxidizing conditions were carefully controlled. Additional studies are reported on the stability of blended Zr and Al process raffinates and on the nature of the solids which result from the sodium formate headend precipitation process. Electrolytic dissolution studies, dtrected at fundamentals of current utiltzation in a series''-type dissolver, demonstrated that high current utilization is obtained when the polarization resistance is small compared with the solution resistance. Factors affecting …

>Characteristics of the ORR, LITR, and OGR that experimenters have found to be important are listed. The results of a survey conducted among experimenters on the utility of the reactors for various types of experiments are discussed, and some changes which might be made to improve the utilization are listed. A brief outline, with references, of most of the experiments currently being performed is included. (auth)

Three types of frozen-seal valves'' were tested for possible use in the MSRE. The seal was melted by direct resistance heat, by induction heat, and by clamp-on Calrod heat. The frozen seal was made in a preformed restriction section of a standard piece of pipe by a cooling-gas jet stream directed at the restriction. All three valves performed satisfactorily through 100 test cycles. The Calrodheated valve was selected for MSRE use on the basis of simplicity of design and of operation. Two of the valves are successfully undergoing further tests on the MSRE Engineering Test Loop. (auth)

The factors which affect the transformation of amorphous alumina to crystalline alumina in the temperature range 350 to 650/sup 0/C were studied. Amorphous alumina, with small amounts of added impurities, was heated in an atmosphere containing the oxides of nitrogen, air, and water vapor, and the amount of crystalline alumina was determined. Alpha alumina was the predominant crystalline form after heating amorphous alumina that was prepared in a fluid bed calciner. The effects of temperature, composition of the atmosphere, time of heating, impurities, and method of preparation of the amorphous alumina on the transformation to crystalline phases were investigated. An atmosphere containing water vapor and the oxides of nitrogen and a small amount of sodium nitrate in the alumina product were necessary to produce the alpha alumina phase from amorphous alumina at the relatively low temperature of 400/sup 0/C. Boric acid added to the fluid-bed calciner feed successfully inhibited the formation of the alpha crystalline form.

As for any nuclear reactor, the operation of the Hanford reactors is governed by many technical and administrative considerations. With the completion of current project action, later this year, certain of the technical limitations on reactor power level will be relieved, notably at the K Reactors, At that time, the technical and engineering limitations will be more liberal at some reactors than required for operation at the administrative power level limits, imposed by the Atomic Energy Commission, that are currently in force. The following report discusses the various technical factors governing reactor power levels and compares these with the currently imposed administrative power level limits.

The enrichment inventory required in the Hanford reactors is greatly dependent on the location of the radial enrichment ring. Present and past philosophy has dictated that the radial enrichment be located as close to the periphery of the reactors as possible, consistent with total control criteria, to obtain maximum flattening efficiency. As long as individual tube power limits dictate total pile power this philosophy of maximum flattening is consistent with a goal of maximum production. For the past year the total pile power at the K reactors has been restricted by bulk outlet water temperature limit or administrative total power level limits. During this time fuel ruptures have been negligible due to improved metal quality and axial flux shaping. If present operating conditions continue the relocation of the enrichment ring could be desirable to decrease the enrichment inventory. Moving the radial enrichment toward the center of the reactor to decrease the inventory would result in lower flattening efficiency and require higher tube power limits for the same total pile power level.

Approximately 15 minutes after shutdown on August 21, 1962, evidence of a rupture was observed in the form of high radiation levels in the containment vessel and rupture monitor indications. Discharge of a special MgO-PuO{sub 2} test element revealed a cladding break of about 1.5 inches in length and about 1/4 inch wide in the widest place, located 36 inches from the top of the fuel element as it would have been oriented in the reactor. A visual examination in Radiometallurgy revealed that approximately 9.25 inches of fuel material or about 0.55% of the entire fuel element had escaped. The quantity of fission products released from the rupture is presented, and the quantities and radiation levels from the individual fission product isotopes are calculated and presented.

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This is a condensed version of an extended hazards safety review of a proposal to modify the six 8 3/8-inch lattice reactors on the Hanford site. The review was intended to satisfy the specifications for a Preliminary Hazards Review as adopted at the third meeting of the General Electric Technological Hazards Council at New York City on June 15-16, 1961. This supplement is a tabular condensation of the information in the general document. One departure is made from the specifications for such a review: since the overbore proposal is a modification to existent production reactors, those items which will not be changed by the modification are not as a rule included.

This is one of twenty-one volumes sumarizing the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Program of the General Electric Company. This volume discusses the background to the General Electric program, and summarizes the various direct-air-cycle nuclear test assemblies and power plants that were developed. Because of the requirements of high performance, low weight, and small size, vast improvements in existing technology were required to meet the flight objectives. The technological progress achieved during the program is also summarized. The last appendix contains a compilation of the abstracts, tables of contents, and reference lists of the other twenty volumes.

The alpha phase extrusion of dingot bars to rods for core blank heat treatment at MCW offers a three-fold incentive, including: (1) establishment of an independent alternate source of uranium cores, (2) a slight cost improvement of MCW extrusion over FMPC rolling of dingot and (3) potential improvement in core quality and performance. The purpose of this test is two-fold: (1) to evaluate gross dimensional stability and (2) to evaluate the gross irradiation performance of alpha phase extruded dingot uranium fuel cores. The ultimate objective of this test program is to establish an independent alternate uranium fuel core feed source. The irradiation test program will be conducted at B-Reactor.

The purpose of this document is to present the latest results of a continuing instrumentation study being conducted by Research and Engineering. In a previous report results of 1-and 6-node calculations, for percentage- and fixed temperature-trip instrumentation were presented. These results were used to obtain a general understanding of the problem and to assess the value of using a multinodal approach. Calculations to determine the amount of protection provided by linear rate and period instrumentation were not performed at that time. Thus, the results of this previous report are limited in that they cover only a part of the possible nuclear safety instrumentation. The previous results indicated that the multinodal approach should be used in analyzing high level and intermediate instrumentation. The results presented in this report were obtained from an 11-node model covering percentage- and fixed-temperature-trip instrumentation, and also linear temperature rate-of-rise and linear power rate-of-rise. Other specialized cases were also investigated. In particular, data were obtained to provide: Eleven-node results for the old reactors; Results for the K reactors comparable to those previously obtained for the old reactors, and results using parameters chosen for the high speed scanner project; Linear power-rate-of-rise at the high levels. Comparison between 6- …

A large number of irradiation tests have been conducted with UO{sub 2} fuel elements to characterize the behavior of Zircaloy cladding when cooling water is allowed to penetrate the cladding to the fuel core. The test element, is designed so that cooling water will be in contact with the surface of the UO{sub 2} fuel core during irradiation. The irradiation behavior of the UO{sub 2} will be compared to the behavior of similarly irradiated, non-defected UO{sub 2} fuel-elements. Several characteristics are of particular interest: (1) Previous investigations have shown that fission fragments formed in UO{sub 2} fuel cores tend to migrate from their point of formation. The fission fragment distribution in this element will be compared with that observed in other irradiated UO{sub 2} fuel cores. (2) This test will provide a direct measure of fission products released from UO{sub 2} during irradiation. (3) Sintered UO{sub 2} is quite resistant to erosion and is, in general, chemically stable in a water environment. This test will provide data concerning the dissolution rate of UO{sub 2} in water during irradiation. (4) Since the coolant will be in direct contact with the fuel, the average temperature of the fuel will be comparatively low. …

This document presents the Westinghouse Astronuclear Laboratory contribution to the RIFT flight safety review. While the presented herein is the best data that exists at this time, it can not be considered the final data. In consideration of the extremely dynamic nature of the program , it is intended to issue periodic revisions reporting new developments in the Westinghouse program.

Declassified 26 Nov 1973. Fuel elements for the Tory II-C reactor are described along with fuel fabrication processes and mechanical and physical properties of the BeO-- UO/sub 2/ fuel materials. (JRD)

Declassified 27 Nov 1973.<><DSN>29:020169<ABS>Declassified 27 Nov 1973.

Earlier studies showed that low concentrations of boric acid inhibit the formation of alpha alumina in the fluidized calcination of aluminum nitrate wastes. Studies designed to determine the optimum concentration of boric acid and the relative effectiveness of phosphoric acid were performed by heating synthetic mixtures at moderate pressure; results indicared that they were equally effective at the same molal concentration. Differential thermal analysis of mixtures showed that the boric acid reacted with alumina below 183 deg C. Extraction of boric acid from selected samples indicated that the B was bonded (probably in a random manner, as in glasses) to the alumina rather than to Na, Additlon of fission products was studied, and no unusual effects were found. Transformation studies on calcination of stainless steel nitrates indicate that alpha iron oxide is formed even with the addition of moderate amounts of addltives such as boric acid, phosphoric acid, aluminum nitrate, or combinations of these. Rare earths are the most effective additive found. Similar studies on nichrome wastes indicate that nickel oxide (crystalline) is formed even with additives. The studies include heating of synthetic mixtures at moderate pressure, differential thermal analysis, and use of a laboratory fluidized calciner. (auth)

Lactates of all the rare earths except lanthanum, cerium, and praseodymium were prepared and studied. In the case of lanthanum, cerium, and praseodymium the laciates are apparently so soluble that they cannot be crystallized directly from aqueous solution. Products obtained by addition of anhydrous ethanol to sirupy solutions of the iight-rare-earth lactates were not well characterized and were deliquescent. Neodymium lactate trinydrate was prepared only by the addition of alcohol to a sirupy solution. Since it was not as deliquescent as the lactates of lanthanum, cerium, and praseodymium, some of its properties could be studied. The lactates of all the other rare earths, samarium through lutetium, as well as the lactate of yttrium, separated readily from aqueous media as trinydrates---the solubility of the hydrated lactate decreasing as the atomic number of the rare earth increased. Thermal decomposition of the crystalline lactates, except those of neodymium and samarium, proceeded through dihydrated and anhydrous states to a composition corresponding roughly to LnlacCOa at a temperature of about 290 to 300 deg C. Ln/ sub 2/(CO/sub 3/)/sub 3/ or Ln/sub 2/O(CO/sub 3/)/sub 2/ was obse rved. In order to make a comparison, thermal decomposition of the rareearth glycolates was studied also. Solubilities in …

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