Development of a steam separator the Pathfinder Reactor is reported. A full-scale separator model was developed through the combination of scale-model testing and the application of principles associated with the existing theory of centrifugal separation. This model was put through full-scale air-water tests which led to modifications and a final design which meets Pathfinder requirements. Design data are included for the reactor and the steam separator. (J.R.D.)

A solidified-metal seal for possible use in moIten-saIt systems was fabricated and tested on a laboratory scale/su The seal consisted of an 80 Au-20 Cu (wt%) sealant alloy in contact with IN0R-8 base metal/su Eleven successive helium-leak-tlght sealings were effected before termination of the test due to a leak in one of the mating parts/su With better control over the heating cycle and slight modifications in seal design, it is expected that the useful life of a seal of this type could be extended even further. (auth)

The initial physics tests on the Shield Test Experiment reactor and the precriticality rod-drop test data are presented. (auth)

Experimental determinations of the ionic and electronic emission characteristics of Ta, W, Re, and lr cathodes in vapor thermionic converters are compared. It is shown that Ta provides superior thermal ionization qualities at high pressure compared with W, Re, and Lr. High electronic current densities may be obtained from Cs on Re and Cs on Ir at much lower Cs vapor pressures than from Ta or W. An over-all efficiency of 19% was achieved with a Re cathode at 2440 deg K. (auth)

Precipitation, evaporation, and extraction feed preparation conditions are established for the removal of zirconium and fluoride from fuel dissolver product solutions by the addition of sodium formate. A sparingly soluble complex fluozirconate is formed. Ninety-five to 99% of the zirconium and fluoride is separated from the uranium losses of 0.1% or less. Chemical material balances, based on experimental data, were developed for two flowsheets. In one flowsheet, sufficient nitric acid is added to the combined wash solution and filtrate produced during the precipitation step to destroy the formate ion (which inhibits uranium extraction) and to prevent post-precipitation during the evaporation of these solutions. The other flowsheet calls for addition of sufficient nitric acid to destroy the formate ion, but not enough to prevent post- precipitation during the concentration step. Post-precipitation removes additional zirconium and fluoride, but necessitates an additional solids- separation step. (auth)

ABS>Developmental work is reported on the EBWR and Borax-V other general development work is reported in the area of liquid metal cooled reactors and particularly on the EBR-I and H, and the fast reactor test facility. General reactor technological development is described on applied reactor physics, reactor fuels development, reactor materials development, heat engineering and fluid flow, chemical separations, advanced systems, and nuclear safety. (J.R.D.)

Investigation of the behavior of Nb in PbCl/sub 2/ showed that the Nb dissolution rate is quite low. Since stirring increases the rate appreciably, it is likely that the initial reaction is diffusion controlled. A subsequent reaction is linear in rate with an activation energy of 23.4 kcal per mole. Incomplete volatilization of dissolved Nb from PbCl/sub 2/ is due to the presence of lower oxidation states of Nb. The addition of Cl to PbCl/sub 2/ increases the rate of dissolution of Nb. The rate is high enough at reasonable temperatures to be practical for fuel dissolution, e.g. 12 mg min/sup -1/ cm/sup -2/ at 550 deg C and 120 mg min/sup -1/ Cl. Volatilization of NbCl/sub 5/ is 99.9% complete at 550 deg C. (auth)

Information on fuel cycle cost is presented. Topics covered include: nuclear fuel, fuel management, fuel cost, fissionable material cost, use charge, conversion and fabrication costs, processing cost, and shipping cost. (M.C.G.)

None

Fabrication of internal reflector pieces for the SNAP-8 core is described. These reflectors were made of BeO, with and without the addition of Sm/sub 2/O/sub 3/ as a nuclear poison. Because of the high density and dimensional tolerance requirements, the complexity of shapes, and the comparatively modest number of parts to be produced (approximately 1000), the blanks were hot pressed and subsequently machined with diamond wheels and cores. In almost all cases, the specified density of 98% of theoretical was achieved. The low eutectic temperature in the BeO--Sm/sub 2/O/sub 3/ system of about 1420 deg C necessitated special pressing parameters, which were arrived at by experimentation. A rather coarse grit size (80) was used for the diamond wheels, which resulted in very little wear to the wheels, and an extremely low dimensional rejection rate on the blanks. Because of the toxicity of BeO, all equipment was enclosed, and was held under negative pressure. (auth)

Design and development of a remote ultrasonic inspection technique for use in measuring wall thicknesses in the HRT core vessel are described. (J.R.D.)

The water-moderated core used for destructive experiments is mounted in the Spent I open-type reactor vessel, which has no provision for pressurization or forced coolant flow. The core is an array of highly enriched aluminum clad, plate-type fuel assemblies, using four bladetype, gang-operated control rods. Reactor transients are initiated at ambient temperature by step-insentions of reactivity, using a control rod which can be quickly ejected from the core. Following an initial series of static measurements to determine the basic- reactor properties of the test core, a series of nondestructive, self-limiting power excursion tests was performed, which covered a reactor period range down to the point where minor fuel plate damage first occurred -approximately for a 10- msec period test. These tests provided power, temperature, and pressure data. Additional kinetic teste in the period region between 10 and 5 msec were completed to explore the region of limited core damage. Fuel plate damage results included plate distortion, cladding cracking, and fuel melting. These exploratory tests were valuable in revealing unexpected changes in the dependence of pressure, temperature, burst energy, and burst shape parameters on reactor period, although the dependence of peak power on reactor period was not significantly changed. An evaluation …

A study was made to determine whether secondary iso tope effects also occur in molecular structure. Electron diffraction studies were carried out on ethane and deuteroethane. In C/sub 2/H/sub 6/ the mean C-C and C-H bond lengths found agreed very closely with values determined for other paraffin hydrocarbons, and the C--H bond showed a normal primary isotope effect (~ 0.005 A) similar to that found in methane when H is replaced by O. The output of the leastsquares analysis suggested that the mean C-- C bond length in C/sub 2/D/sub 6/ is shorter than in C/sub 2/H/sub 6/ and by about 0.004 A. Th e decrease seemed to be real for the apparent uncertainty was not much greater than 0.001 A. (M.C.G.)

A number of conceivable reactivity accidents were analyzed, using conservatively pessimistic assumptions and approximations, to permit evaluation of reactor safety. Most of the calculations, which are described in detail, were performed by a digital kinetics program, MURGATROYD. Some analog analyses were also made. None of the accidents which were analyzed lead to catastrophic failure of the reactor, which is the primary consideration. Some internal damage to the reactor from undesirably high temperatures could result from extreme cold- slug accidents, premature criticality during filling, or uncontrolled rod withdrawal. Each of these accidents could happen only by compounded failure of protective devices, and in each case there exists means of effective corrective action independent of the primary protection, so that damage is unlikeIy. The calculated response to arbitrary ramp and step additions of reactivity show that damaging pressures could occur only if the addition is the equivalent of a step of about 1% delta k/k or greater. (auth)

Progress is reported on development of liquid metal and water cooled reactors. Details are included concerning the EBWR, Borax V, ZPR-III, ZPR-VI, AFSR, EBR-I, EBR-II, and FARET. Developments in general reactor technology are reported in applied reactor physics, reactor fuel and components development, heat engineering, and chemical separations. Advanced systems research and development was devoted to the Argonne Advanced Research Reactor and a conduction- cooled reactor to substitute for isotope heat sources. Safety studies are reported on thermal and fast reactors. (J.R.D.)

None

Magnetic moment measurements are made on holmium single crystals (hcp) from 1.3 to 300 deg K in magnetic fields from 250 to 18,000 Oe, with the field applied along the c axis, the a axis, and a (1010) direction. The STA1010! direction is the direction of easy magnetization with an extrapolated effective moment per atom at saturation of 10.34 Bohr magnetons. Basal plane measurements show antiferromagnetism below the Neel temperature of 132 deg K with basal plane anisotropy occurring below 80 deg K. Below the Neel point, an anomalous type of transition to ferromagnetic behavior upon application of sufficient field is observed. Magnetization curves for the c axis are linear down to 60 deg K, while measurements below 20 deg K show an initial magnetization of approximately 1.7 Bohr magnetons followed by nearly linear magnetization curves. Electrical resistivity measurements are made from 4.2 to 300 deg K. For the a axis, the resistivity changes slope slightly at 20 deg K. A larger change in slope occurs at the Neel temperature of 132 deg K. For the c axis, the resistivity changes slope slightly at 20 deg K, reaches a peak at 120 deg K, goes through a minimum at 132 …

Resesrch and development activities in fixation of radioactive wastes are reported. Spray calcination, batch calcination, in-tank solidification, off- gas treatment, sorption snd extraction studies, low- and intermediate-level wastes, and high-level wastes are discussed. (M.C.G.)

Activities in a project aimed at the improvement of fuel elements for high flux test reactors are reported. The investigation of new fuel compositions, distributions, and geometries is being undertaken to increase fuel life, to improve the flux distribution, and to provide a means of safely reaching higher reactor operating power and power density in these reactors. The effects of nuclear irradiation on the fuel and structural materials is being studied to predict the performance of these materials in more advanced reactor designs. A summary of the past year's progress is given and the fabrication and irradiation of samples containing up to 50 wt % U--Al alloys, cermets of UO/sub 2/, U/sub 3/O/ sub 8/, UC, UN, U/sub 3/Si, and Al, clad in various Al an d Be--Al materials is described. The use of ThO/sub 2/ and Th cores, the addition of BeO to cermet cores and high density fuei cores of U--Al intermetailics produced by powder metallurgy techniques were studied during the year. High strength APM claddings involving Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ contents from 8 to 10% were tested and indicate the need for improved quality control of the APM material. Duplex claddings involving burnable poison layers and APM clad …

Research and development of water-cooled reactors are reported including work on EBWR and BORAX-V. Work on liquid metal cooled reactors is also reported in sections on general research and development, EBR-I and II, aud FARET. Other work is reported on genenal nuclear technology and advanced systems development. (J.R.D.)

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Report discussing an improvement program on lithium mass spectrometers.

Report issued by the APDA over an evaluation of the toroid sodium resistivity meter. Studies were conducted on carbon and oxygen contamination. As stated in the introduction, "the meter was also subjected to extensive testing in which variations in temperature, flow rate, and supply voltage were made in order to determine signal stability and effective range" (p. 5). This report includes tables, illustrations, and photographs.

The following quarterly report covers the period from May 16 to August 15, 1962. This report summarizes the progress being made on the study of the saturation and recovery of the hole which can be burned into the magnetic resonance band associated with the F-center in KCl.