From abstract: One of the principal purposes of the work reported was to study the stability of gas-solids suspensions in the presence of a thermal gradient. Previously reported experience with unstable suspensions is summarized.

From introduction: This is the final report on uranium carbide studies sponsored by the United States Atomic Energy Commission and performed by United Nuclear Corporation at its New Haven Research Laboratories during the period from May 1959 to January 1964. The work was part of the Commission's Fuel Cycle Development Program aimed at lowering the cost of nuclear power by improving fuel cycle technology. At the inception of this program in 1959, some work was in progress on uranium carbide. Little was known of making a satisfactory fuel in quantity or of how it would perform either in-pile or out-of-pile. The United Nuclear program was designed with no specific reactor in mind and was aimed at furnishing information over a broad spectrum.

Technical report discussing a new high-speed electron multiplier using a planar dynode configuration. This multiplier has a total transit time significantly shorter than available in conventional structures of equivalent gain. It also features rise-times generally less than three nanoseconds while providing the large sensitive area of an unfocused configuration. Two basic types of planar dynodes are employed: transmission secondary emission thin films as the early multiplier stages and silver-magnesium modified mesh multipliers as the high current output stages.The relevant gain and pulse-response data for these two types of dynodes are presented. The structure is quite flexible and permits the number and types of dynodes to be easily tailored to a specific application. In particular it will be shown how the number of mesh-type dynodes may be altered to effect a trade-off between current handling capabilities and rise-time characteristics. Several possible combinations of these planar dynods have been incorporated in photomultipliers whose gain, dark current, pulse response, and operating life are discussed.

Summary: An EVESR MKI prototype fuel bundle was fully instrumented and operated intermittently for a 5-month period at the Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Moss Landing Power Station. The vessel was operated up to 1000 psi with steam flows from 3000 to 26,600 lb/h, and steam inlet temperatures up to 825 degrees F. Data was recorded for blowout, vibration, flow distribution, heat transfer and pressure drop. The mechanical integrity of the fuel bundle, riser, and jumper system was satisfactory and considered to be of adequate design. No significant vibrations were noted during the various phases of operation. Average flow distribution in three of the inner tubes showed an average variation of 5 percent from equal distribution. The center and corner tubes were low and the side tube was high. Maximum deviation, from an equal one, measured 12 percent. Blowout of the flooded fuel bundle was accomplished with dry or significantly wet 1000 psia inlet steam, that steadied out to a minimum flow of 1250 lb/h. Blowout times were estimated at less than a minute for all flows above 1250 lb/h, and times in the vicinity of 2000 lb/h were estimated to be in the order of 5 to 15 seconds. …

From introduction: "This is the eighteenth in a series of quarterly reports which cover the progress and results from the conceptual designs, economic evaluations and research and development work performed by the General Electric Company as part of Contract AT(01-3)-189, Project Agreement No. 13."

Summary: An analytical study of the stability of the Big Rock Nuclear Reactor has been performed for the plant as built, and supplements a previous design stability study. The plant has been determined by this analysis to be very stable under every mode of operation anticipated during Phase I of the development program testing. Even under conservative assumptions of system parameters the minimum calculated gain and phase margins do not go below 13.0 db and 46 degrees, respectively. (Nor are these both reached simultaneously for the same operating condition.) These are characteristics of a very stable, well-behaved system. In addition to this analysis, a second, less conservative series of computations was performed to provide expected realistic closed loop data for comparison with Phase I test results. The most responsive test thus predicted occurs at 60 percent power, 1500 psia, minimum flow, and maximum subcooling. For this case the closed loop peak response of power to reactivity occurs at a frequency of 0.90 cycles per second with an amplitude of 3.90 db. This corresponds to an expected open loop gain margin of 16.5 db and a phase margin of 63 degrees. Although knowledge of reactor transfer function is to be determined …

" A reliable, efficient and economical method is needed to remove radioactive halogens such as iodine and bromine and particulates from air in many atomic energy installations. One method we have developed which is particularly suited to reactor containment vessels or other large confined areas is foam containment. In this method an ether lauryl sulfate foam containing an iodine reactant is generated, rapidly filling the entire containment volume. This provides a tremendous surface area to which the encapsulated gases and particles can diffuse and be removed."

Technical report. From Abstract : "A number of the physical properties from which we can obtain both direct and indirect information concerning the band structures of metals, have been measured for most of the rare earth metals. It was thought that it would be desirable to review ans examine these data and try to tie them together. For this purpose the very low and room temperature heat capacities, Hall coefficients, magnetic susceptibilities, spectral data and electrical resistivities were examined."

Technical report. From Introduction : "In a recent study by Spedding, et al. on some rare earth alloy systems, an intermediate phase was found to form when a light rare earth (ABAC stacking) was alloyed with a heavy rare earth (ABAC stacking). This intermediate phase was found to have the structure of samarium metal with the stacking ABABCBCAC and was designated "delta". Since the cause of this rather unusual structure occurring in either samarium metal or these alloys is not known the study of these phases as some of their properties is continuing in the Ames Laboratory. It was the purpose of the present study to extend our knowledge of the composition and more of formation of these phases."

Technical report describing how corrosion data and exposure effects were obtained by subjecting metallic samples, during programmed test runs to flowing sodium in 6 test loops fabricated with various combinations of three selected materials, Type 316 stainless steel, 2 1/4 Cr-1 Mo alloy steel, and 5 Cr-1/2 Mo-1/2 Ti alloy steel. Information produced by each test run, including operational and metallurgical data and analyses, is presented. Data are shown in tables, graphs, and drawings.

Abstract. A program was instituted to study and reproduce the in-reactor intergranular failures of Type-304 stainless steel fuel cladding found in superheated steam. The program was directed toward finding ways to eliminate the cause of failure or to use improved alloys that would be less susceptible to failure. A materials screening test was developed in the out-of-pile superheat facilities with 1.5 ppm chloride added as sodium chloride to the recirculating water in the presence of typical boiling water reactor quantities of oxygen and hydrogen. During the test, the heater sheaths were exposed through several cycles to saturated steam (with its accompanying moisture carryover) and superheated steam. Failure of Type-304 stainless steel was obtained in periods of less than two weeks; the failures were predominantly transgranular. Type-347 and vacuum-melted Type-304 stainless steels failed in this NaCl-cycle test while Inconel-600, Incoloy-800, Hastelloy-X, Type-406 stainless steel, and vacuum-melted Type-310 stainless steel were acceptable. An improved chloride cycle test with 0.5 ppm chloride added as ferric chloride to the recirculating water was developed. An intergranular failure was obtained similar to that experienced in the superheat fuel cladding failures in the superheat in-pile loops in the Vallecitos Boiling-Water Reactor. Sensitized Type-304 and Type-316 stainless steels …

Abstract: The question of how crack-free, protective oxide films can form on zirconium during oxidation when the Pilling-Bedworth ratio is about 1.5 has been considered by a study of the relative plasticity of various forms of zirconia. Hot hardness measurements showed that doping mono-clinic zirconia with iron, nickel, or chromium resulted in softer (more plastic) structures and that yttrium additions slightly reduced the plasticity. Calcia-stabilized cubic zirconia was found to be more plastic than mono-clinic zirconia when tested at temperatures above 200 degrees C. The behavior of anion-deficient oxides indicated that they were more plastic than stoichiometric oxides even though the hardness values were identical at 23 degrees C. The former were free from cracks at the indentions, whereas, stoichiometric oxides exhibited extensive cracking around and between indentions. The behavior of actual, thick (72 microns) oxide films during tensile deformation of oxidized metal samples indicated that considerable plasticity occurs in the oxide at 500 degrees C but that the films are brittle at 23 degrees C. It was concluded that the plasticity of the oxide may be greater than that of the oxygen-contaminated substrate at elevated temperatures and may be the means by which epitaxial strains are minimized.

Technical report describing an analytical investigation made on the mechanism of the "downstream" effect in the corrosion of stainless steel in sodium. A mechanism of iron alloy corrosion is assumed in which the controlling rate is diffusion of iron-oxygen species, probably a FeO-Na2O complex. A mathematical model is developed for the corrosion, and the predicted results agree with the experimental data. The corroding species is probably present in sodium at concentrations of ~10(-8) g Fe/g Na.

Summary: Stainless steel clad nuclear fuel cycle costs can be reduced to those associated with Zircaloy clad fuel or potentially lower by reducing the thickness of the clad tube wall until performance penalties offset the savings associated with the reduction in parasitic neutron absorption. To demonstrate the feasibility and investigate performance capabilities of thin clad fuel rods for power reactor application an assembly was fabricated with 0.0127 cm (5 mil) thick stainless steel cladding tubes for irradiation testing in the Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor (VBWR). The fuel bundle was placed in the VBWR and irradiation was begun in November, 1961. The irradiation is scheduled to continue until the target exposure of 2.74 x 10(20) fissions/cc (10,000 MWD/T of uranium) average burnup is reached. Destructive examinations of fuel rods will be performed at regular intervals throughout life to determine fuel rod performance.

From introduction: "Summary report of the 1000 MWe Boiling Water Reactor Plant Feasibility Study performed by the General Electric Company."

From introduction: "Presents the detailed description of a 1000 MW Electric Power Plant employing one or two Boiling Water Reactors as the steam source."

From introduction: "Contains the appendices and a complete set of drawings related to the 1000 MWe Boiling Water Reactor Plant Feasibility Study performed by the General Electric Company for the United States Atomic Energy Commission."

Report that "presents the results of pilot plant studies on the application of the D2EHPA (di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid) solvent system to the needs of the Hanford Waste Management Program" (p. 1).

From abstract: "Verify rod mechanism characteristics reported by the United Shoe Machinery Corporation, demonstrate that rod mechanism characteristics were compatible with reactor kinetics and that over-all reactor system behavior was stable, and to recommend system modifications needed for satisfactory performance."

The extrusion forming of ceramic powders may be economically interesting in the field of nuclear fuel fabrication. When applied to the forming of rod-type uranium dioxide fuel, extrusion processes have been able to produce cylindrical bodies with length-to-diameter ratios much greater than those of the conventional die-pressed pellets. Furthermore, after being sintered, the extrusions have exhibited densities at least as high as those of sintered pellets. Thus, extrusion forming may offer reductions in handling during fabrication and, at the same time, provide a fuel with improved performance characteristics by decreasing the number of discontinuities in the fuel column. This report reviews the production of these extrusions, sets forth some of their characteristics, describes the materials and processes employed in cladding them, and records the pre-irradiation data pertaining to the finished fuel rods and fuel assembly. Irradiation of the fuel assembly in the VBWR was initiated on July 17, 1962.