The power and estimated reprocessing load are tabulated for existing and proposed United States and United States-built reactors of 10 Kw or greater thermal power.

The new and as yet unsolved problems introduced by the production of large quantities of fission products and radioactive isotopes from fission or neutron capture present mankind a most complex technical, economic, and political problem. On one hand, the possibility of using the fission process to produce energy from an unexploited and abundant natural source is emerging from large programs of research and development. We are also beginning to see the promise of use of particulate and electromagnetic radiation for the good of man. On the other hand, we are presented with the problem of controlling the dangerous products of fission for periods of time measured in terms of many hundreds of years, periods longer than the effective tenure of any political state in history. We must not only devise ways of protecting ourselves in the present and for our lifetime but, in addition, we must establish the basic technical, social, and administrative control of vast quantities of artificial radioactivity that must remain effective for at least ten to twenty lifetimes.

The non-project literature concerning the chemistry of vanadium has been summarized through November, 1952. The report is presented in terms of izo- and heteropoly vanadates and cationic forms of pentavalent vanadium, complexes of di-, tri-, and pentavalent vanadium, and oxidation potentials of various vanadium systems. A bibliography of 93 references is included.

This is a report of what may be an invention in the preparation of uranium dioxide of a quality particularly useful for the fabrications of fuel elements for nutronic reactors.

We have recently completed measurement of resonance escape probability in the BNL reactor and in several slightly-enriched uranium light water moderated lattices. In addition, WAPD has made available to us data from other slightly enriched uranium-water lattices, so that about 18 lattices in all have been done.

It has been suggested by many workers in the power reactor field that a more efficient utilization of natural uranium may be obtained in thermal reactors if the Pu produced in a fuel cycle were used to enrich a subsequent cycle in which the irradiation-depleted-uranium would be reirradiated. The work described here was done for the purpose of evaluating the reactivity value of the Pu enrichment under the assumption that all plutonium produced is, after chemical separation, fabricated into separate fuel elements and not alloyed with recycled uranium. It has been suggested that the reactivity value of the Pu decreases with exposure to such an extent that highly burned plutonium should be discarded. We, therefore, wish to look at two of the variables affecting the limiting exposure: the reactivity value of the fuel as a function of exposure and temperature and the fraction of potential fissions which would be discarded as a function of exposure. Though the residence time of the Pu fuel before reprocessing, refabrication, and recycling depends upon the relative decrease in specific power, decrease in reactivity due to fission product build-up, the lifetime of the fuel elements before failure, and the cost of reprocessing, only the first …

This report is a record of experimentation conducted intermittently over a period of two years and directed toward preventing deposition of transport corrosion products on fuel elements and other critical components in high-temperature, circulating water nuclear reactor. It includes the postulated mechanism for deposition, a description of experimental equipment, experimental data, results obtained from the experiments, and recommendations for future study.

A buncher and pre-accelerator for A-12 is described that has 360 degree acceptance and could handle a current of one ampere from a low voltage source.

Three types of stainless steel (309 SCB, Carpenter 20, 304-L) were exposed to both the liquid and vapor phase of each of three types of solutions. The time of exposure totaled ten days during which the specimens were cleaned and weighed periodically. The three synthetic D-12 waste solutions contained respectively chrome-high chloride, chrome-low chloride and high chloride sans chromium. The solutions were renewed at each weighing.

An improved method for the determination of boron in plutonium is reported. Precipitation of plutonium (III) acid oxalate prior to color development with curcumin results in increased precision, greater speed, and lower costs. Results are presented of a statistical study involving all variables.

Technical report covering the work done to explore heat transfer analytically and experimentally in liquid metals in turbulent flow within the thermal entrance region of circular tubes having uniform well temperature. Includes implications of this research. [From Summary]

Failures of standard fuel element jackets (1245 aluminum alloy) after relatively short Hanford reactor exposures are occurring at high reactor power levels. Metallographic examination of fuel element jackets from short exposure ruptures shows the cause of failure to be rapid intergranular corrosion. This type of attack has been reproduced in laboratory tests by exposure to water at temperatures above 200 C, or to steam at temperatures higher than 300 C. Flow disruptions due to misalignment of the fuel elements within the reactor process tube, worn tube ribs, etc., are believed to cause the high local jacket temperatures necessary for the occurrence of intergranular corrosion.

This report describes the steps of impeachment, including initiation, investigation, and voting.

Activities of the National Monitoring System are summarized for the period March 1 to June 15, 1953, during which eleven nuclear devices were fired at the Nevada Proving Grounds during Operation Upshot-Knothole. The program employed a world-wide network of 125 sampling locations. Each station collected samples of atmospheric dusts for radiometric analysis. A comparison is made of air concentrations and fall-out activities. Data are tabulated.

The following document describes data collected from a 14-month period of analyzing crustaceans containing radioactivity. Provided is information based on the change of radioactivity through seasonal changes.

The following report covers a test with the objective to demonstrate that the plutonium and uranium losses associated with the aluminum jacket dissolution could be reduced by substituting a water wash for the 5 per cent nitric acid wash following the coating removal and that this change would not adversely effect the product yield of decontamination in subsequent process steps.

From summary: "In order to estimate the effect of placing bismuth and thorium layers near the MTR core, radial flux distributions and k[infinity] values were calculated for cylindrical reactors having cylindrical layers of these materials of the same height as the core and beryllium reflector and placed either next to the core or embedded in the beryllium reflector."

Quarterly report of the Chemistry Division at the University of California Radiation Laboratory providing updates for each department about current findings and ongoing research.

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Hardness measurements of specimens quenched from the beta yields alpha phase at different cooling rates support the proposed martensitic beta yields alpha transformation for urnnium. Specimens held in 635 and 600 deg C isothermal baths prior to subsequent quenching to --5 deg C require more than 10 and two seconds, respectively before diffusion mechanlsms for beta yields alpha transformation commence. Once started, about 500 seconds are required to complete transformation by diffusion at these temperatures. Specimens quenched prior to tais hold time transform in part martensitically. Relationships are calculated for hardness as a function of grain size and cooling rate, and for grain size as a function of cooling rate. Metallographic examination confirms the hardness trends and reveals that widely varied grain structures can be produced by controlled cooling from the beta phase. Finally, a schematic time- temperature-transformation curve is sketched from the hardness data obtained. (auth)

An over-all description of the background material on the use of electrical arcs for heating of powders is presented as well as a summary of experimental studies on the arc calcination of thoria. Favorable results have been indicated both with heating thoria powder in an arc heated gas and with thoria formed into a consumable electrode. Use of a consumable electrode produces thoria particles 0.1 to 0.01 mu in diameter. It is recommended that additional electrodes be fabricated and further arc calcination tests be run to produce a quantity of product sufficient for evaluation. (auth)

Eurochemic reports were reviewed by BNL personnel concerning aqueous reprocessing, and several comments are offered for process improvements. Also, pertinent BNL documents related to waste and head end processes and corrosion are listed. (J.R.D.)