This is the final report on the progress, "A Wide-Range Neutron Detector and Monitoring Instrument," ARF 1118-6. This report covers activities from May 8, 1958 to May 8, 1959. This report describes the basic design principles of a proportional counter that has been constructed whose cathode diameter increases towards one end.

As a part of Project CG-775, 100-K Area Water Plant Expansion, the capacity of the 181-K river pump installations will be increased. Recommendations for the raw water requirements based on a reactor flow of 175,000 gpm were presented in document HW-55877. Since then a new fuel element has been developed for the K reactors, resulting in a lower reactor system curve. It is recommended that the design criteria for the 181-K river pumps be based on a total raw water flow of 213,000 gpm with spare pumping units and a maximum flow of 232,000 gpm for each plant.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Will Wilson, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Does the Department of Public Safety have authority to deny the renewal of an operator's, commercial operator's, or chauffeur's license without a hearing when the licensee has an accumulation of numerous incidents of traffic law violations recorded on his driving record, and related questions.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Will Wilson, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Questions relating to circus occupation tax, Article 7047, Subdivision 24, Series 124-135, V.C.S., inclusive.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Will Wilson, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Is it the obligation of the Texas Department of Corrections to reimburse the various counties for overnight lodging of prisoners en route to the prison?

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Will Wilson, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Authority of the Livestock Sanitary Commission to quarantine hides from diseased animals to prevent transmission of disease, under Article 1525b, Vernon's Penal Code.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Will Wilson, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Status of funds accruing to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas for the remainder of the fiscal year ending August 31, 1959, and the availability of such funds to pay administrative costs of the Teacher Retirement System.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Will Wilson, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Under the provisions of Article 4413 (32), V.C.S., may the Game & Fish Commission enter into a contract with the State Highway Department for clearing and grubbing a radio tower site.

The following report describes the investigations of the microwave solution and the Astron solution, to produce high current electron beams.

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The purpose of this document is to update 190-C pump capacity information previous released in HW-52449{sup 1} and HW-58580{sup 2}. Improvements in motor cooling has resulted in raising the previous 3500 HP limit to 3660 HP{sup 3} thus increasing total pumping capacity.

This annual report (1958) from the Hanford Atomic Products Operation. Various programs are briefly described including irradiation processing, fuels preparation, chemical processing, research and development, and supporting operations.

The recent increase in the incidence of groove pitting on X-8001 clad fuel elements in the old reactors apparently refutes the earlier hypothesis that surface segregation of the secondary phase of this alloy was the primary cause of the unique, preferential attack sustained during irradiation. Components received within the past fifteen months have exhibited essentially none of the segregation. On the other hand, recent evidence suggests that localized penetration of the autoclave film on X-8001 may influence groove attack. The implications of this hypothesis include the necessity of special handling to preserve the autoclave film integrity or possibly elimination of the film altogether. Either certain conditions or properties of the X-8001 alloy or unusual autoclave conditions intermittently produce non-uniform autoclave films. If some of these film conditions are a result of non-uniform alloy structure in the cans, they may contribute to the groove pitting attack. This report presents the design of a test to compare the scratched and non-uniform autoclave films with uniform unscratched controls under special irradiation conditions to compare the incidence of groove pitting.

From abstract: "Steady temperatures and thermal stresses are determined for long hexagonal tubes having round holes for the case of uniform internal heat generation and a fluid-cooled inside surface. Thermal stresses are also determined for thick plates pierced by holes on an equilateral triangular pattern and for hexagonal tubes having a hexagonal hole with rounded inside corners. Stresses in the end regions of tubes are also investigated."

A core parameter study of the operating costs was performed for a 300- Mwe sodium graphite reactor, a scale-up of the Hallam Power Reactor. The results of the study indicate that the core design is nsar optimum and that core modifications would reduce the power costs by less than 5%. The lattice spacing, fuel rod diameter, and sodium flow can be varied within a rather broad range without significant changes in power generation costs. The effect of the fuel cladning thickness is more significant; fuel cycle costs can be reduced if stainless steel canning is replaced with zirconium canning. Use of UC in place of uraniummolybdenum fuel would also permit cost reductions. (D.L.C.)

A series of critical experiments with blocks of 2% U/sup 235/--enriched UF/sub 4/-C/sub 25/sub 5/H/sub 52/ was initiated at the ORN L Critical Experiments Facility. Thus far assemblies with H:U/sup 235/ atomic ratios of 195 and 294 were built in parallelepipedal and simulated cylindrical geometries, both reflected and unreflected. From the results the minimum critical masses for reflected spheres were determined to be 16.3 and 8.5 kg of U/sup 235/ for fuel mixtures with H:U atomic ratios of 195 and 294, respectively. The minimum critical masses for unreflected spheres of these two fuel mixtures are 24.3 and 12.7 kg of U/sup 235/ respsctively. (auth)

The basic theory of operation of the triggered spark gap is established, and qualitative and quantitative engineering design data are given. From the basic twoelectrode gap, a three-electrode or triggered gap model is established with its static and dynamic triggering characteristics shown. Several geometry conditions such as gap spacings trigger electrode hole sizes and insulator effects are discussed, showing their influence upon the triggering mechanism. A suggested trigger mechanism is given based on that proposed by Sletten and Lewis for the trigatron and modified to fit the present analysis. (auth)

A controlled-temperature irradiation capsule was operated containing small fueled specimens at 160O to 1650 F. The design involved calculating the specimen heat-generation rate and designing an insulating gas gap around the specimens to achieve the desired temperature. Electric heaters were inserted to help control temperature. The thickness and composition of the gas gap were modified prior to operation on the basis of information on probable neutron flux obtained from a nuclear mock-ups and on the basis of information on the thermal resistance of various gas annuli obtained from a thermal mock-up. The desired irradiation temperature of 1625 F was achieved with a variation of sintering time 25 F. (auth)

Thorium oxide is formed by the calcination of thorium oxalate precipitated under carefully controlled conditions. Material is produced with mean particle diameters of 1 to 5 mu . Some of the thorium oxide had uranium added to it by decomposing uranyl carbonate on the thorium oxide followed by calcination. Most of the oxides prepared were calcined to 1000 deg C or more and size classified to remove particles greater than 10 mu . The oxides were prepared in 150-lb batches, with a complete cycle requiring 24 hr. (auth)

By carefully controlling the agitation, temperature, concentrations, and reagent addition rate, it was possible to produce a thorium oxide product within 0.3 mu of any selected size between 2.0 and 3.0 mu . The rate of addition of oxalic acid to a thorium nitrate solution was the variable used in the current series of tests. (auth)

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The physical limitations of existing storage tanks for radioactive wastes from separations plants are defined as a guide for preparing process and operating criteria for the existing tank forms to assure continued integrity of the tanks. A "safe-load" curve for each of the four groups of tanks based on current technology is presented. Loading conditions, operation procedures, and thermal stresses are discussed. (M.C.G.)

This document details activities of the irradiation processing department during the month of September, 1959. A general summary is included at the start of the report, after which the report is divided into the following sections: Research and Engineering Operations; Production and Reactor Operations; Facilities Engineering Operation; Employee Relations Operation; and Financial Operation.

Production of Pu from separations plants and output of unfabricated Pu exceeded commitments. Purex plant set a new record high for U processed. Production and shipments of UO{sub 3} met schedules. Purex solvent extraction battery performed below normal, probably because of poor solvent quality. NaOH addition to Redox coating removal waste is being reduced. A 3fold improvement in Recuplex product Al impurity was achieved by means of a specific gravity difference > 0.15 between dilute aqueous feed and extractant. Sintered, high-silica crucibles are being tested in RMA production line in Finished Products Operation. Scope design of a fission product shipping cask was completed; powder temperature should be below 440 F for 1 MCi cerium-144 + impurities. Feasibility of using one outside Purex canyon entrance (stairwell opening) for relief damper opening was tested and found to be insufficient. A drawing of the 6-inch continuous centrifuge being evaluated as a vacuum drum filter on RMA button line was reviewed. Casks were designed for the NPR project. (DLC)