The major portion of transfers and inventory in the Chemical Processing Department are dependent on volume measurement. Good volume measurements are therefore essential to good SS material control. Considerable attention has been given to the volume problem especially on primary transfer points. Document HW-57888 discusses the biasing effect pf temperature on manometer oil. HW- 57866 given the procedure for vessel calibration. Other undocumented correspondence has discussed recent calibrations and certain aspects of temperature considerations in the volume determinations. However, there is a need to document for future reference the consideration given temperature and provide at the same time information which covers the temperature angle on all volume methods used in the Chemical Processing Department.

Abstract. Chemical analytical studies of graphite raw materials have revealed new sources of petroleum cokes and pitches of greater purity than those previously used in the manufacture of project graphite. The use of these raw materials of exceptional purity has resulted in an improvement in k of the order of one per cent as compared with the AGOT-AGNT graphite typical of the previous production. A study of the graphitizing process has shown that no dangerous impurities are introduced in the graphite in manufacture; rather, the process actually purifies. furthermore, impurities are distributed homogeneously within the furnace charge; thus the AGOT-AGNT distinction is no longer necessary. A comparison of the methods of graphite testing has demonstrated excellent correlations between chemical analytical data, the results of the function test at Argonne, and the sigma pile experiments. It may therefore be inferred that chemical testing should be an adequate control of the graphite purity. Methods are described for the analysis of ash, B, V, TI, FE, and Ca in petroleum coke, pitch, and graphite.

Technical report summarizing our knowledge of the chemical effects of ionizing radiation upon water and upon aqueous solutions of inorganic compounds. The types of radiation considered are beta rays, gamma and X rays, and heavy particles, notably neutrons, deuterons, alpha rays and fission recoils.

The resonance absorption of uranium for neutrons has been investigated between 20 degree C and 1000 degree C. Experiments were caried out on both UO2, density 4.63, and metal. The resonance activity was measured with respect to that of an iodine monitor at several different temperatures and the ratio of activity at temperature T to that at 20 degree C was determined. The increase in activity is 0.9 per cent per 100 degree C for the oxide and 1.1 percent per 100 degree C for the metal. The period of U239 was found to be 23.54 +- 0.05 min.

Abstract: X-ray energy level diagrams as given in the literature are tabulated for radium, thorium and uranium. A level scheme for protoactinium is derived from the published data. After a brief review of the use of X-ray data in studying outer electronic structure, it is pointed out that differences in the X-ray spectra should exist depending on whether the outer electrons are in f or d orbitals. The observed separation of the OI and OII levels in thorium and uranium indicated that the f levels lie lower than the d. This hypothesis also provides a reasonable explanation for the observed differences between the MIV and MV absorption edges and MIV and MV levels calculated from the emission spectra and the LIII edge.

Maintenance of polarization of polarized protons in a linear accelerator is known to be feasible. Circular accelerators present a different problem, and the investigation of the interaction of orbit dynamics and particle polarization in general is undertaken. The equation of motion of the spin vector of a charged particle in a magnetic field as formulated by Bargmann, Michel, and Telegdi is utilized in the study of depolarization for several accelerators. High values of depolarization are obtained, and means for avoiding such depolarization are suggested. (D.C.W.)

Part I of this report covers critical-mass determinations for pseudospheres of oralloy hydride composition (approximating UH3) in 8"-thick Tu and Ni tampers and in the Tu tamper with Ni liner. The critical mass of a hydride cube in the thick Tu also is given. Data on weight and dimensional changes of hydride pieces during the period of use are included. In Part II are presented the results of Rossi time-scale measurements on the hydride assemblies. Values of alpha at delayed critical and its variation with mass in the neighborhood of delayed critical are given. Measurements on the activation of various detectors within the hydride assemblies are described in Part III. Results as a function of radial position are given for Au, for Au shielded by Au and by Cd, for S and for fission catchers with U235 and U238. Reactivity changes resulting from the introduction of foreign materials into the hydride assemblies are discussed in Part IV. Apparent regularities with respect to Z and qualitative interpretations of variations with radius are pointed out. From data for various radial positions, changes in critical mass corresponding to small changes in composition and density are computed.

The response of a two silicon p-n junction diodes has been measured for protons up to 13.3 Mev. In one case the dependence of depletion layer thickness with bias voltage was found to be T or V(0.46). The observed resolution, made up of contributions from crystal noise, beam width, and scatterer thickness, was about 1% for 9-Mev protons.

When light propagates with the wave normal in the direction of an optic axis of a biaxial crystal, the usual ray theory breaks down. This phenomenon can be analyzed by means of an asymptotic solution of Maxwell's equations. The intensity is governed by a partial differential equation within the phase surfaces, instead of ordinary differential equations along rays. This example slows that light does not always propagate along rays. A similar phenomenon occurs in hydromagnetics.

The instrument (polychromator) described observes time-dependent spectral-line profiles by simultaneous measurement at nine different wavelengths of light intensity as a function of time. A cylindrical lens magnifies the dispersion of a Jarrell-Ash Model S2000 Ebert Monochromator and forms an image on a light-pipe solder. Light pipes transfer light from various sections of the image--i.e., different wavelengths--to photomultiplier tubes, and the responses are displayed on oscilloscopes. The instrument has been used to look at total wavelength spans of 15 A and 20 A.

The solids in Purex lww were first observed during flowsheet tests for recovery of fission products from plant wastes. Since the nature of this solid was not apparent from the flowsheet composition of lww, some work was performed to characterize this material. Although this work has been conducted over a period of about one year, it has been subordinate to the main one of testing flowsheets for fission product recovery. The solids have been observed in each of about six samples of plant lww that have been studied, and the centrifuged volume of solids has been about four percent in each case.

In order to utilize the advantages of the electron microscope for the study of respirable particles, it is desirable to have an instrument capable of sampling from atmospheres having very sparse dispersions of particles at a rate sufficiently high to result in precipitation densities of approximately one particle per 10/u² of microscope screen for a 10 minute sampling period. In order to avoid qualitative or quantitative alteration of the aerosol, it was desired that the instrument collect the sample directly on an electron microscope screen rather than on a filter material for subsequent transfer to the screen. This paper summarizes work aimed at the development of such an instrument.

Mercury to be used in polarography as a dropping mercury electrode must be of the highest purity. The author has found that much of the commercial "triple-distilled" mercury as well as that which is repurified on site is not sufficiently pure and because of this, a study of mercury purification techniques was made and a very satisfactory procedure was tested thoroughly. This procedure is described in detail in this report.

A study of metallurgical problems resulting from variation in grain boundaries, bonding layers, and inclusions in metals and alloys has become increasingly important over the past several years. To keep pace with and aid in these studies, several new techniques have been developed in emission and X-ray spectroscopy. In X-ray, areas as smalls as one square micron can be studied by making them targets for a focused electron beam and observing the X-rays emitted (5,2). Such an instrument would be quite helpful at Hanford, but the high original cost is prohibitive.

The calculation of shielding the thickness for plutonium is complicated by the many different energies represented in the gamma radiation emitted during decay of the plutonium isotopes. Dose rate predictions are also frequently confused by gamma from varying content of fission product impurities in the plutonium, as well as other gamma radiation induced through alpha and neutron particle absorption within the source material or its environment. After assumptions are made for these many factors the radiation data for shielding determination is still frequently inadequate because of wide variations in dose rates resulting from self-absorption. The degree if self-shielding is in turn dependent on nature of the plutonium compound, degree of compactness, weight, and over-all geometrical distribution of the source material. By preparing a variety of plutonium samples representing combinations of these varying factors, actual dose rates and gamma spectra, as obtained from them, can then be extrapolated for application to specific situations.

The method of spherical harmonic tensors developed Mark for solving the Boltzmann transport equation in isotropic media is herein extended to anisotropic media for cylindrical geometry. A formal solution is given for the case of two concentric cylindrical media, A and B, but no numerical work has yet been done. The following treatment differs from a similar one by the H. K. Ferguson Co. in that the external medium B is assumed to be both a neutron absorber and finite in extent rather than a non-absorber and infinite in extent.

With the development of the zircaloy-2 clad uranium fuel element, it was necessary to develop a method of closing the end of the element after the extruded tubes were cut to the desired length. Regardless of the ultimate design of the closure, a satisfactory zircaloy-2 fusion welding technique had to be worked out. The first fully successful welding was performed with electron beam welding in a vacuum chamber. To make satisfactory welds, the electron beam welding involved time and equipment, plus undue maintenance on the equipment.

A series of pilot plant runs were made on the Jackpile ore, Jackpile mixed blend, Jackpile-Poison Valley blend, and Jackpile-Arrowhead blend.

The leaching behavior, thickening and filtering characteristics and recovery of uranium from high grade uranium ore from Rum Jungle, Northern Territory, Australia are described.

The work described was undertaken to provide data for nuclear safety studies concerning NPF reprocessing equipment. The original objective was to determine the uranium density and water (hydrogen) content of UO2-H2O mixtures ranging from compact centrifuge cakes to dilute slurries. The scope was later expanded to include mixtures of UO2 with hydrocarbon oil and mixtures of UO3-H2O.

The NPR design calls for carbon steel to be the major constituent in the reactor coolant piping system. The piping and its associated fittings will, in all likelihood, be exposed to atmospheric weather conditions during the period of reactor construction. This type of exposure causes rusting. From experience gained during the startup of KER Loop 1 it is expected that there will be initially high NPR coolant activity levels. The high activity during the startup of KER Loop 1 was partially caused by the activation of rust that was eroded from pipe walls. Prevention of rusting on the carbon steel prior to its introduction into the coolant system would reduce the initial activity levels.

Below Richland, Washington there is a gradual decrease in the concentration of beta particle emitters in the Columbia River water. The concentration of alpha particle emitters in Columbia River water averages 5 X 10⁻⁹ μl/ml at all locations. The activity of alpha particle emitters in mud samples was less than the detection limit of 3 x 10⁻⁶ μl/gm; the average activity density of beta particle emitters approximates those reported for the previous quarter.

A series of critical experiments with blocks of 2% U235-enriched UF4-C25H52 has been initiated at the ORNL Critical Experiments Facility. Thus far assemblies with H:U235 atomic ratios of 195 and 294 have been built in parallelepipedal and simulated cylindrical geometries, both reflected and unreflected. From the results the minimum critical masses for reflected spheres have been determined to be 16.3 and 8.5 kg of U235 for fuel mixtures with H:U235 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 U235, respectively.

The fire involved approximately 30 liters of isopropyl alcohol as a result of the ignition of about 16-18 liters of isopropyl alcohol and a slurry of thoria and ammonium nitrate in a 20-liter glass carboy. This material was undergoing a volume reduction by boiling in a floor-type metal hood with Plexiglas sides and 3 sliding door on the front of ordinary glass. The alcohol vapor was vents directly into the hood (Fig1.)