This document details activities of the irradiation processing department during the month of December, 1963. A general summary is included at the start of the report, after which the report is divided into the following sections: Research and Engineering Operations; Production and Reactor Operations; Facilities Engineering Operation; and Financial Operation.

Studies initiated at Hanford in 1961 for the purpose of developing an alternate cladding process for I&D fuel elements for the eight existing production reactors indicated that the hot die sizing diffusion bonding process offered the greatest incentive. Hot die sizing was the most attractive with respect to improved fuel quality and potential reduction in fuel element unit cost when compared to the existing AlSi brazing process. Initial development work consisted of determining optimum process parameters for producing good diffusion bonds on the inner and outer lateral surfaces during sizing. This report summarizes the results of a series of end bonding variables tests designed for producing good diffusion bonds on the ends of hot die sized fuel elements.

Supplement A, Production Test IP-544-A authorized the irradiation of 1.6 per cent enriched single tube elements in KER-1 and -2 and specified certain limitations on the operating conditions for the elements. The test required that specific operating conditions and trip settings for particular loadings would be approved by the managers of Testing, Process, and Reactor Development and Process Technology Subsections prior to charging. The purpose of this document is to provide the process the tube loading, operating limits, and water shutoff times for a charge of eight 12-inch 1.6 per cent enriched single tube elements in KER-1 and -2.

This report is a summary of Hanford releases to the atmosphere of {sup 131}I, {sup 133}Xe, {sup 135}Xe, and tritium, during the period Sept. 1961 to Dec. 1963. The {sup 131}I released from the two separations plants stacks is measured continuously. Other potential sources of radioiodine to the atmosphere are also monitored, but the release rates from these other facilities are insignificant. The release rates of tritium, {sup 133}Xe, and {sup 135}Xe are not measured. The data presented for them was calculated from production data and reactor operating conditions.

None