The use of uranium mononitride as a nuclear fuel is being considered for a number of high temperature applications. In comparison with the most often applied high temperature fuels, UO2 and UC, one finds that UN has a combination of the high melting point of UO2 and the thermal conductivity and high uranium density of UC. However, interest in UN is often dampened by qualitative indications of its low thermal stability and by lack of experimental thermodynamic data. Is is the purpose of this study, therefore, to provide a quantitative measure of the thermal stability of UN and to establish some of its thermodynamic properties.

Work performed during the quarter is summarized by: direct measurement of fission gas pressure, loop operations, performance of UO2 fuel, UO2 grain growth and melting studies.

Introduction: The objective of Project Agreement 22 is to determine the feasibility of using in-core ion chambers to cover the complete reactor neutron flux startup range from 10(4) -5 - 10(13) nv using in-core ion chambers. The counting mode of operation will be used at low neutron flux levels and the RMS voltage fluctuation mode (Campbell Theorem) will be used at high neutron flux levels. The June-September Progress Report (GEAP-4386) shows how the RMS voltage mode can be used, discusses counting problems with long cable and ways of maximizing signal levels. This report discusses primarily the effect of gamma on counting with in-core ion chambers and the range of neutron flux measurable in the RMS voltage mode. Readers are referred to GEAP-4386 for a summary of all previous progress to attain the objective of PA-22.

Summary: Heat transfer tests employing the two-rod test section without film tripping devices have been completed. Representations defining critical heat flux, transition boiling and film boiling behavior at high pressures and over a steam quality range of 25 to 90 percent are shown. Fabrication of a new observational test section was completed and initial test results with high-speed motion pictures were obtained. A test loop instability which was found to affect transition boiling behavior was detected and partially eliminated.

Quarterly report discussing progress on the Fast Ceramic Reactor Development Program. Information is reported on vented fuel production, fuel testing in TREAT, fuel performance evaluation, fast-flux irradiation of fuel, and reactor dynamics and design.

The biological evaluation of the thermal neutron capture reaction of boron-10, B10 (n,α)Li7 + 2.786 MeV, has previously been studied, using different particles from the boron-10 thermal neutron capture reaction compared with 250 kvp x-rays has been reported as 1.05 for spleen-thymic weight reduction (1), as 1.5 to 2.0 for skin lesions in pigs (2), and 1.87 for skin lesions of the rabbit's ear (3). The significance of such a calculation is felt to be unreliable for the boron-10 reaction in animals because of the vagaries of dose determination resulting from irregular boron distribution, and by the presence of an adventitious irradiation from fast neutrons and capture gammas that is inadequately determined at present. Our present experiment attempts to circumvent the difficulties attendent to studies of the boron-10 reaction in animals by comparing the effect of this reaction on the proliferative capacity of HeLa cells with those produced with 250 kvp x-ray.

In these lectures we will discuss some examples of information about magnetic properties of solids which can be obtained by neutron scattering. We consider a scattering process in which a neutron with wave vector k and spin σ is incident upon a solid in state q>. (Here q stands for all of the quantum numbers which describe the state of the solid, such as spin and orbital electronic states, phonon numbers, etc.) After interacting with the solid, the neutron goes off with wave-vector k' and spin σ', leaving the solid in state q'>. In performing an experiment of this sort one does not usually observe the initial and final spin states of the neutron or the initial and final states of the solid. We must then sum over all possible final states and average over all initial states.

We consider the kinetic isotope effect in three center reactions of the type of A+BC→AB+C. Such model calculations are a good approximation to primary hydrogen isotope effects. For abstraction or transfer reactions, B becomes H, D, or T. The dynamics of the three storm system are calculated for a general quadratic potential, with the assumption that the potential energy is constant along the reaction coordinate (flat top barrier). This model system can be calculated in detail and serves to illustrate the relationship between kinetic isotope effect and chemical bonding in the transition state. The statistical mechanical part of the calculation can be carried out exactly within the framework transition state theory or in any one of a number of approximations. The γ bar method gives particularly good insight into the chemistry of the problem with a minimum of arithmetic.

Optical absorption and photoconductivity measurements have been made on single crystals of pure synthetic rutile (TiO2). Reactor irradiations at 70°C totaling 4.8 x 10 18 nvt fast and 1.69 x10 19 nvt slow did not produce any discernible optical absorption bands; however, the transmission decreased 5 percent at all wavelengths. Reactor irradiation induced a [illegible] five photoconduction peaks in the wavelength range 4200 to 14,000 A. In addition the photopeak at 4065 A (3.05 eV) was enhanced and there were drastic changes in the dependence of photocurrent with light intensity. Gamma-ray irradiations as large as 10 9 r do not change the conduction properties. The photocurrent is proportional to a power of the light intensity; the power range from 0.65 to 1.24, for the crystals described in this work. The photocurrent vs. voltage dependence is more complex.

The present core of the Brookhaven Graphite Reactor consists of some 4900 highly enriched uranium fuel loaded in 615 horizontal fuel channels passing through a 25 foot cube of graphite moderator and reflector. The core is divided into two halves (north and south) by an 8 cm. wide vertical gap in the center of the graphite. The cooling air enters the reactor through inlet filters, at the rate of 270,000 CFM, passes into the central gap and flows bi-directionally through the north and south halves of the core. It then enters the collecting plenums and flows into the north and south ducts. The air is first monitored by the north and south exit air monitors located within the pile building. These are moving filter tape monitors with beta scintillation detectors. They are essentially operational monitors and are maintained by reactor operations. They are essentially operational monitors and are maintained by a reactor operations. The air then passes through the exit air filters, heat exchanger, venturi and on to the fan house where the north and south ducts join. After the fan house the air is monitored by Argon-41 by a Kanne ion chamber syste.

Boron-10 has a high thermal neutron capture cross section (3880 barns). Following neutron capture, the subsequent nuclear disintegration produces an alpha particle and a lithium-7 nucleus with the release of an average of 2.34 MeV for the particle irradiation, and in 93% of the reactions there is also the emission of an 0.48 MeV gamma ray: [equation not transcribed]. The kinetic energy is divided between the lithium-7 nucleus and the alpha particle giving the equal and opposite momentums with a range in tissue of about 8-14μ or approximately 1 cell diameter (1). This fact and the reported favorable partition of boron between tumor and the normal brain suggested a possible therapeutic usefulness which has been investigated clinically. The object of our study is to document the biological effects of the B10 (n,α) Li7 reaction on the brain of dogs injected with boron-10 30 minutes prior to irradiation with thermal neutrons. For this, we felt it desirable to estimate a dose for the boron-10 reaction which if exceeded, produces destruction of normal tissue. This dose could then be a reference dose to be utilized as a maximal limit for the irradiation of normal tissue. We have assured that the largest fluence …

There is but little known about the thermal process involving the dynamics and thermodynamics of the cycling liquid H2 in the chamber and those of the H2 fluid flow in the cooling coil as well as the geometrical characteristics of the chamber body. This the physical equations governing this process are involving so many variables that this analysis becomes rather complex even if simplifying assumptions are made. To those difficulties is added the ignorance even of an approximative expression for some physical quantities such as film heat transfer coefficients entering as major parameters the process equation.

The purpose of this report is to determine the amount of refrigeration capacity required to cool down the 80" bubble chamber from ambient temperature to liquid hydrogen temperature.

The undercarriage system is required for translating, rotating, and lifting the 450 ton magnet and bubble chamber assemblies so that it can be accurately positioned in the experimental proton beam of the synchrotron. The system must make provision for the two magnet sections to be separated for the purpose of adjustment and maintenance of internal components.

The following general description of the theory and operation of a bubble chamber is presented so that firms who are interested in fabricating components for the Brookhaven 80" chamber will have a better understanding of the design parameters associated with it. This understanding, coupled with the fabricator's knowledge of manufacturing techniques, should enable the fabricators to suggest solutions to manufacturing problems consistent with requirements for chamber operation. In an effort to increase knowledge of fundamental nuclear particles and their interactions at high energies, various types of detecting equipment have been developed. One of these detectors recently developed is the bubble chamber. While there are variations as to liquids used, expansion techniques, means of illumination, etc. the basic concepts upon which all bubble chambers operate are similar. Therefore, it will be sufficient in this report to consider only one specific type, that is a chamber using liquid hydrogen

Satisfactory dense crack—free dispersions of spheroidal UO2 — ThO2 particles in BeO can be produced by "co-sintering", a process in which unsintered particles are hydrostatically pressed in BeO and the dispersion is sintered in one step, the large voids and cracks in dispersions of fully sintered particles in BeO following sintering are related to mismatched sintering shrinkage between the two phases; they are probably indicative of a high interfacial energy between the two phases. Co—sintering has been used for individual fabrication of specimens for irradiation testing, but is not immediately applicable to large scale fabrication of fuel element shapes, Possible modifications of the method are discussed.

Abstract: A potentiometric study of the complex formation between citric acid (H3L) and the uranyl ion at 25° and ionic strengths of 0.1 and 1.0 (KNO3) is reported From the concentration dependence of the formation constant, it is concluded that polynuclear complexes are formed in which bridging between metal ions occurs through carboxylate and hyroxyl groups of the ligand. The values of the logarithms of the formation constant of the metal checlate [UO2L-]/[UO2+][L3-] and of the dimerization constant [(UO2)xL22-]/[UO2+][L3-] are found to be 7.40 and 4.07 respectively. Infrared absorption measurements of protonated and dissociated carboxyl groups in aqueous uranyl citrte system indicated the presence of both carobxy-late and hydroxide bridging in the polynuclear complex. On the basis of the "core plus links" treatment of polynuclear complexes, the polymeric species in solution in the buffer region between 3 and 4 2/3 moles of base per mole of metal complex appears to be predominantly (U)2)2L2((OH)5(UO2)2L2)216-.

A research program is being conducted to obtain experimental data in the irradiation of plutonium-enriched fuel to confirm a theoretical model for predicting isotopic composition and reactivity changes in plutonium-enriched, light-water-moderated reactors. Quarterly progress: Forty-six fuel pellet faces have been auto-radiographed. These faces have been prepared from twenty-three pellets by making an exposure before and after the removal of an additional ten mils of fuel. A substantial number of large "hot spots" continue to appear. The largest spot so far observed was 44 mils long, 20 mils wide, and of the order of 20 mils thick. This spot has a PuO2 concentration which varied from 70% on the periphery to 100% at then center. There is some evidence that the segregated regions are elongated with their long axes perpendicular to the direction of the pressing of the green pellet. Determination of the size and concentration distribution is continuing. The EPITHERMOS code now seems to be operating correctly. A test problem for a typical water lattice converged in eleven iterations. The computation of the spectrum for a pure water medium gave results which agreed very well with the expected 1/E spectrum. At the end of the quarter, the program fuel element …

Summary: All experimental work under the Corrosion Mechanism task has been completed. The remaining topical reports are being prepared by D. L. Douglass, now on assignment at Mol. Experimental work on the first round of 31 alloys and on the second round of 10 alloys has been completed. Steam exposures of at least 3000 hours were finished for all the alloys at all test temperatures, with exposures of some coupons to 6700 hours. Mathematical expression have been derived to describe all first round data for corrosion rates and hydriding rates at 300, 400, and 500 degrees C as a function of Nb, Cr, Fe, and Cu content. Solution of the equations for particular service temperatures yield Zr-Cr alloys at optimum at lower temperatures and Zr-Cu-Fe alloys as optimum at the higher temperatures. The second round test results show that neither Ni nor Be additions to Zr-Cr or Zr-Cu improve the performance over that of the optimum Zr-Cr or Zr-Cu-Fe alloys. For the first round heat treatment used, post-corrosion ductility depends on two factors in addition to alloy composition and hydrogen content: crystallographic texture and intermetallic aging reactions. Alloys with a high original ductility are embrittled less by a given amount …

In the course of a general study of K- p interactions at 2.24 Bev/c incident K- momentum, we have investigated the following reactions, the experimentally detectable final states of Ξ Κ π system. In this report we shall discuss the possible existence of Ξ π resonances above 1530 Mev and the evidence for possible structure in the overlap regions. An evaluation of the isospin of the Ξ * will be made. In addition, production and decay angular distribution of the Ξ * will be presented.

The inelastic scattering of low energy neutrons from condensed matter offers a means of investigating the motions of atoms in liquids or solids down to times in the order of 10-12 to 10-13 seconds. The theoretical framework and techniques of such measurements are discussed and the results of cold neutron measurements with liquid H2O and Pb are presented. In H2O the neutron data show that for times in the order of 10-12 seconds the water molecule tends to maintain some average position with respect to its neighbors. In this sense the short time behavior of water is similar to that of a solid. Diffusion characteristic of a liquid occurs at later times. Measurements in liquid lead just above the melting point also show the same effect but not as markedly.

Programs are under way at Brookhaven National Laboratory to study the behavior of fission products released from reactor fuel materials. Major emphasis has been placed on fission product iodine because of the physiological hazard associated with the I131 isotope. A complete reactor safety analysis, considering either a slow or rapid release of fission products, requires a knowledge of the chemical and physical states of the fission products during release, the extent of their release, and an understanding of their chemical interactions with the reactor environment.

One of the major, as well as first, decisions which must be taken on a large chamber is to decide on the direction of the magnetic field, i.e., vertical or horizontal. Either alternative has advantages and disadvantages ad it is the intention of this note to discuss these features.

Prior to assembly into the 80" bubble chamber, the expansion system was subjected to a series of tests to check piston dynamics and gain information on the reliability of the various components. Furthermore, the rest provided operating personnel with the opportunity to become familiar with the operation and maintenance of the expansion system. Two separate tests were performed with the apparatus that was located at the north end of the AGS experimental area; one during the week of Oct. 15 and the other during the week of Nov. 12. The system was run with helium gas supplied from AGS compressor room and the piston was operated at room temperature.