None

Information is presented concerning coated fuel particle development and evaluation; burnup capabilities of Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/-stabilized UO/sub 2/ and stabilized fuel - BeO matrix materials; high-temperature studies of substoichiometric urania and urania solid solutions; high-temperature carbides and borides research; and high-flux reactor materials gaseous fuels research.

Thulium oxide can be irradiated to meet the desired specific heat generation of 1.5 watts per gram as part of a flux amplification test, which will be conducted the early part of FY-1965. To obtain the heat generation level, is calculated that a 120-day irradiation will be required at a flux of 1.1 {times} 10{sup 14} neutrons/cm{sup 2}-sec. if the proposed target element is modified by reducing the thulium oxide wafer thickness from 0.080 to 0.050 inch. Also, the length of the target element should be reduced to not more than 20 inches to minimize the possibility of sticking in the process tube. This would require four targets rather than a single element as proposed. Prior to undertaking this irradiation, it would be desirable to place a prototype target element in the Hanford Test Reactor to determine the approximate rise factor (change in neutron flux level between the target element and adjacent tubes of fuel elements) in order to more precise data for planning the loading pattern in the production test.

The purpose of the test described in this report was to determine the effect of production reactor flux on ceramic materials being considered for lining the vertical safety rod channels at the production reactors. This document is being written to describe the test, the results to date, and the work which remains to be done. The materials being evaluated in the test are: Aluminum silicate (Maryland Lava Co.); silicon nitride bonded silicon carbide (Norton Co. ``crystalon``); and aluminum oxide 85% (Norton Co. ``Alundum RA-98``).

The monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, March 1964. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, and physics and instrumentation research, and applied mathematics operation, and programming operations are discussed.

The objective of this supplement to Production Test IP-584-D is to authorize low exposure (5--8 GVR) irradiation tests of the following lithium-containing target materials: Magnesium -- 14 percent lithium alloy, Lithium-aluminate (LiA1O2), Lithium-silicate (Li2SiO), Lithium-aluminate -- aluminum cermet, Lithium-silicate -- aluminum cermet. Lithium target materials will be contained in 4.50 inch long aluminum cans which are clad with 35 mil Zircaloy-2 alloy. The target elements will be contained in 1.9 inch OD, 1.5 inch ID Zircaloy-2 flow distributing sleeves. The target element assemblies and N Reactor inner-fuel elements (NIE-1) in Zircaloy-2 sleeves, will be irradiated in KER-1 or KER-2 at operating conditions approximating N Reactor operation.

The scheduled termination of PT IP-659-AC, presently being irradiated in F Reactor, will result in discharge of 105 columns of enriched uranium (0.947 w/o U-235) at less than 50 per cent of the goal exposure. The test block is currently scheduled to be replaced with natural uranium columns. Since F Reactor is on a semiblock discharge plan (alternate rows), subsequent operating plans would require that 64 of these replacement columns of natural uranium be likewise discharged during the scheduled outage in May of 1964 at less than 50 per cent of goal. It appears desirable to minimize the economic costs of the production test by an alternative discharge scheme (e.g., interim poison irradiation). The objective of this supplement is to soften the economic impact of low exposure fuel discharge scheduled by IP-659-AC and simultaneously to obtain a useful alternate product by irradiating nine columns of Li-Al and Bismuth in a ``striped`` charge.

None

Irradiation of thorium oxide elements of the original test began in January 1964. Twenty columns of thorium oxide elements located in the outermost processing channels of F Reactor, accompanied by 40 columns of enriched, 0.947 w/o U-235, uranium elements in two adjacent lattice unit channels, were charged to permit evaluation of the reactivity effects of the loading and to obtain data on product and contamination build-up rates. Of the two loadings of thoria elements authorized by the initial test, the first has been discharged. Supplement A to Production Test IP-648-AC authorized two of the columns of thorium oxide elements to be irradiated through both cycles of the fringe loading. This supplement, Supplement B, to the test involves modification of the discharge schedule of the second loading of thoria elements and the two columns of elements authorized by Supplement a to permit discharge of the thoria columns at goal exposure of the supporting enriched uranium fuel columns.

This report provides the Hanford Atomic Products Operation plant acquisition and construction budget for fiscal year 1966 and the revision of budget for fiscal year 1965.

This report presents additional justification for operating costs of the Separations Research and Development Program which consists of eleven identifiable activities in four general areas of effort. The activities and their proposed levels of effort are listed. For each of the identifiable activities, the major accomplishments of the last year are listed, together with the proposed goals for the next two years, in the following pages. Significant trends in the program are noted.

At present there seem to be some uncertainties concerning the needs of rupture detection for the co-producer programs Also in question is the method by which ruptures of the target elements should be detected and located. The purpose of this report is to discuss the waste and hazard control of tritium (H{sup 3}) (the product of the co-producer program), which will determine rupture detection needs, and to discuss methods by which rupture detection and location may be accomplished. The scope of the report considers first, adaptation of the present rupture monitoring system, and second, monitoring systems using H{sup 3} analyzers, together with the costs and time required to develop and use each method of rupture detection.

None

Budgets are presented for the following projects: plutonium recovery; plutonium reduction development; new products; plutonium--nuclear and chemical safety; and plutonium equipment and instrument development. Project scope and accomplishments are briefly described.

This report, for March 1964 from the Chemical Processing Department at HAPO, discusses the following; Production operation; Purex and Redox operation; Financial operations; facilities engineering; research; employee relations; and weapons manufacturing operation.

The objective of this supplement to Production Test IP-550-I is to include the K reactors in the program for routinely monitoring graphite oxidation rates. This supplement does not initiate a new program; it continues one which has been in existence for some time. Oxidation of the reactor graphite weakens its structural capacity. At some degree of oxidation, sufficient loss of strength will occur to significantly affect the ability to maintain and operate the reactors. For this reason it is necessary to control and to monitor the rates of oxidation in realtor. It is difficult to accomplish the latter in a truly representative fashion. A number of methods of obtaining information on this subject must be used; one of these is to expose small samples to the reactor atmosphere under operating conditions and then determine the average rate at which the samples have changed weight. This method has been employed in one fashion or the other for some time. Until June, 1962, the program was authorized by Production Test 105-532-E; from June, 1962, until January 26, 1964, the program was authorized by PITA IP-20-I{sup 4} at the K reactors.

This is the annual report (1963) from the Hanford Atomic Products Operation. Various programs are briefly described including new products, N-reactor highlights, research and development, nuclear safety, technical interchange, and plant operations.

Budget figures are given for N-reactor department, irradiation processing department, chemical processing department, and Hanford laboratories.

This report is divided into: current reactor production fuels, N-RD production fuels, and reactor fuel development (N-Reactor, current reactor).

In 1961, large-size, smooth-bore, Zircaloy process tubes were installed in C-Reactor graphite channels that had been enlarged to 2.275 inches. These tubes were installed to provide a test and demonstration facility for the concept of overboring as a means of securing significant improvement in the production capability of the reactors, After two years of facility operation, it is now appropriate to consider the extent to which original objectives have been achieved, to re-examine the original objectives, and to consider the best future use of this unique facility. This report presents the general results of such a review and re-examination in more detail.

None

None

None

None