Measurements of dielectric leakage, capacitance, electric strength, andd charge scattering phenomena were performed at the Kukla and Godiva III critical assemblies for tantalum and aluminum electrolytic, wax- and oilimpregnated paper, mylar, mica, and ceramic capacitors, and for mylar and Vitamin B-impregnated paper. Leakage data indicate that gamma induced conductivity in capacitor dielectric varies directly with gamma DELTA , where gamma is the gamma radiation rate and DELTA is 0.9 for mylar, 0.7 for Vitamin Q-impregnated paper, and approximately 1.0 for the other dielectrics. A small portion of the tantalum oxide conductivity induced by gamma radiation exhibited a recovery time of approximately 150 mu s. Transient capacitance changes due to radiation were non- existent within plus or minus 0.1% for mica and Vitamin Q capacitors. Transient charging of tantalum capacitors was noted during irradiation with no applied voltage. No drastic changes in electric strength were noted during irradiation of mylar and Vitamin Q-impregnated paper. Results are compared with a summary of data previously collected by others. The use of test data in parametric form as a tool for predicting transient radiation effects is discussed. (auth)

A summary is presented of activities in reactor and general engineering research programs. Discussions are included for developments in EBWR, BORAX-V, ZPR-III. ZPR-VI, ZPR-IX, EBR-I, and EBR-II. Reactor safety studies were performed for fast and thermal reactors. Nuclear technology developments are discussed for applied nuclear and reactor physics, reactor fuels and materials development, heat engineering studies, separations processes, and advanced reactor concepts. (B.O.G.)

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A review of the theories of electron paramagnetic resonance in biology is presented, including a discussion of the nature of the physical observation, followed by examples of materials of biological interest. Iq discussing these examples, information is presented in terms of the nature of the starting material under observation rather than the nature of the magnetic entities observed. The examples proceed from the simpler molecules of biological interest (metabolites, vitamins, cofactors) into the more complex materials (polymers, proteins, nucleic acids) toward cellular organelles (mitochondria, chloroplasts) and, finally, to whole cells, organisms and organs. The observation of photoinduced unpaired electrons in photosynthetic material is described and the various parameters controlling it are discussed. The basic observation is interpreted in terms of a primary photophysical act of quantum conversion.

From abstract: "This program was a study of the basic variables that affect electrostatic classification of heterogeneous aerosols of submicron size, especially below 0.1 [mu]."

The need for an industrial plant to know its capabilities to rescue personnel and minimize damage to vital operating equipment in the event of a serious accident has long been recognized. Although Hanford`s experience has been without a serious radiation event as characterized in this report, it is prudent to have an objective assessment of the capabilities which do exist and an analysis of the general capabilities which the plant should possess to maximize the effectiveness of rescue action in such an event and to limit the consequences to personnel, vital equipment, and the surrounding environs. It in the purpose of this report to: (1) make an assessment of the capabilities which are currently in place at Hanford to handle the multitude of serious problems arising from a serious radiation event; and (2) define the level of capability which the Hanford Atomic Products Operation should possess to minimize the consequences of such an accident. It is not the intent of this presentation to discuss the possibilities, probabilities, prevention or courses of serious radiation events.

The original charge for the E-N core load at H reactor, consisting of five different types of charges, each group of five containing 199 .947 per cent enriched uranium E-pieces of six inch nominal length and 16 Li-Al I&E (N) pieces of four inch nominal length plus mixers, was intended to provide enough excess reactivity to operate the reactor at all times with reasonable but not excessive flexibility. During actual operation the excess reactivity observed has been somewhat greater than conservatively planned. In addition, a very slight long-term gain rather than the expected loss has been observed up to this time (73 MWD/column average exposure). On this basis, a modification of the original charge makeup has been determined which will permit increased conversion and operating efficiency.

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This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, July 1969. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.

As part of a general hazard review survey conducted by the Chemical Technology Division of its facilities, transient pressures due to impulse and ramp perturbations to the cell ventilating systems of buildings 3019, 3026, and 4607 and the closed glove box system of 3508 were calculated. From the portions of the pressure curves above atmospheric pressure, volumes of gas outleakage were estimated; thus the amount of activity released can be calculated if an estimate of the activity concentration is available. The volumes of outleakage for all four ventilating systems were small for reasonable sizes of perturbations. For an impulse perturbation causing an instantaneous rise of +8.0 in- H/sub 2/0, the length of time above atmospheric pressure and estimated outleakages for PRFP cells in 3019 are 1.5 sec and 3.1 ft/sup 3/, respectively; for volatility cell 1 in 3019, 0.33 sec and 0.45 ft3; for cell A in 3026, 2.1 sec and 3.0 ft/sup 3/; for a glove box in 3508, 0.066 sec and 0.04 ft/sup 3/; and a cell in 4507, 0.26 sec and 0.03 ft/sup 3/. (auth)

WHIRLAWAY is an IBM 7090 FORTRAN programmed code for the solution of two- group neutron diffusion equations in xyz geometry. The code was designed to run under control of the IBM 7090 FORTRAN Monitor System on a machine with at least six tape units. The maximum number of mesh points is limited to 12,750. Arbitrary distributions of materials and mesh spacing are permitted. The boundary conditions are either zero flux or zero current at each of the six faces of the reactor, and the code will, if desired, compute the adjoint-flux and associated flux-adjoint-flux region integrals that are necessary for perturbation calculations. Computation time is approximately 0.006 sec per point iteration. Normally, running times are about 2 to 3 hr for a 10,000-point problem. (auth)

High-purity uranium monocarbide reacted with water at 80 deg C to produce a finely divided, brown U(IV) compound, and 92 nfl (STP) of gas per gram consisting of 11 vol% hydrogen, 86 vol% methane, 2 vol% ethame, and 0.6 vol% propane. At 90 deg C, the products were the same, but the reaction rate was higher. Reaction with 5.6 M HCl was slower than with water, but the gaseous products were essentially the same. In preliminary experiments at 80 deg C with UC-UC/sub 2/ mixtures containing less than 2 wt.% free carbon, the volume of gas evolved per gram of sample hydrolyzed decreased from 92 to 32 ml (STP) and the methane concentration from 86 to 14 vol% as the UC/sub 2/ concentration in the mixture increased from 0 to about 63 wt.%. An attendant increase in the hydrogen and ethane concentrations to 23 and 38 vol%, respectively, also occurred. (anth)

In choosing a model to describe the behavior of a plasma, a balance must be maintained between the simplicity of a macroscopic description and the detail in a microscopic description. In an ordinary gas, the criterion for behavior as a continuum is that the mean-free-path be small. In a plasma there is a similar criterion; other lengths (Debye, Larmor) may complicate the macroscopic equations but will not destroy their validity. An entirely different criterion (in a collisionless plasma) is that the Larmor radius be small. A consistent treatment of just the lowest order guiding-center particle motion is sufficient to yield, with a minimum of computation, both a microscopic theory (guiding-center gas) and a macroscopic continuum theory (guiding-center fluid). A comparison shows why certain types of arguments conventionally phrased in microscopic terms are exactly equivalent to a potentially less exact macroscopic analysis. (auth)