The following report describes the process of the determination of nitrous oxide with the infrared spectrometer.

This report follows studies of the accumulation of beta omitting radioactive elements in Columbia River fish.

Introduction: "Room temperature and elevated temperature, static immersion and vapor suspicion, corrosion tests were conducted with Duriron, Hastelloy C, and tantalum in hydriotic acid and 234-5 project process supernatant solution (synthetic environments. The data relevant to these tests are contained herein."

Introduction: "A laboratory investigation of the relative corrosion resistance of several austenitic stainless steels to the RAW stream of the Tributyl Phosphate Waste Metal Recovery Process was made during the first quarter of 1950. The results of this investigation are reported herein; all original data are recorded in laboratory notebook HW-3282-T."

Report describing the results of the cupferron extraction-copper spark method in determining the impurity elements in plutonium metal. This was required the 234-5 Project analytical program.

Objective: "Production Test 235-1 and an amendment, were written to outline the procedures for reducing the outgassing time and evaluating the effects of these reductions."

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.

Report describing methods of determining trace impurities in plutonium in connection with the Metal Fabrication Process. The methods included are the cupferron extraction-copper spark method and the direct copper spark method.

Introduction: "The problem of determining the properties and necessary controls on the TBP Plant waste disposal to eliminate transport line plugging and to permit higher concentration prior to return of this to the tank farms was studied. A report of preliminary findings was made to L. W. Finsh on January 31, 1953. This report compiles information in the aforementioned report and findings since its issuance. Previous studies related to this problem are summarized in the U. R. Technical Manual, HW-19140."

This report follows work with the purposes of determining the minimum amount of nitric acid required to dissolve slurries of stored metal waste, determining the stability of such metastable solutions as a function of their chemical compositions - primarily acidity - versus time and temperature, and to define a feed suitable for a low-acid TBP process flowsheet, and to indicate the range of variations in composition which can be tolerated for plant operation.

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.

During normal operation the NPR will function as a closed system and the coolant will be maintained at a high degree of purity. Periodically, however, the system will have to be opened for fuel element discharge and/or decontamination. During these periods the reactor will be operated on single pass cooling. The use of deionized and deoxygenated water as the single pass coolant is not economically feasible due to the large quantities of coolant that will be required. At present it appears that filtered water will be used for this purpose. Since filtered water contains substantial amounts of dissolved solids (approximately 100 parts per million), and since it is saturated with air, this type of operation will have to be investigated with regard to corrosion problems. A particularly serious problem will be present after the system has been decontaminated, since the high temperature oxide films will have been removed and the bars metal surfaces will be exposed to the coolant.

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.

Series of isothermal transformation studies for improvement in fabrication and reactor performance of uranium fuel elements.

In considering the problems associated with the measurement of SSNM content of Non-Production Fuels, two distinct problems are apparent. The first is the technical problem of obtaining highly accurate measurements in a complicated chemical and physical system. The second is the administrative problem of choosing a measurement system which provides a basic of financial settlement acceptable to both the seller (reactor operator) and the buyer (Commission).

Hastelloy F is a prime contender as a material of construction for plant dissolvers in the power fuel reprocessing program. Consequently, the fabrication and installation of dissolver was undertaken to delineate any unknown problems associated with the use of Hastelloy F; and, at the same time, to provide a vessel for development studies on the Niflex or the Sulfex processes. The purpose of this report is to describe the actual basis for design as well as to present the problems encountered during the fabrication of the vessels.

In early July, 1958, it appeared that Columbia River temperature at HAPO would be near 24.5ºC by the end of August. River temperature were averaging 4º to 5º above 1957 figures and were 3º to 4º above the ten year highs. It seemed desirable to examine the problem to determine if any corrective measure could be taken, since it was apparent that production losses were imminent.

The purpose of this procedure is to present a detailed, chronological presentation of the preliminary decontamination and post decontamination steps necessary to fulfill the requirements of the Production Test Authorization IP-239-N. The procedure attempts to present the required operation in sufficient detail to successfully accomplish the intent of the test. Certain procedures involve operations of a standard nature and have not been elaborated upon to any great extent, as it is expected that the reactor operations and radiation monitoring personnel will implement these instructions according to standard operating procedures.

The spatial distribution of thermal neutrons in a reactor lattices cell is of fundamental importance for many reasons. First of all, this information allows the determination of the relative absorption rates in each component of the cell which in turn enables a determination of the thermal utilization, and the diffusion length of the lattice. In addition, the observed spatial distributions of thermal neutrons in the lattice cell is of major interest in testing various approximations to the solution of the transport equation such as the P1 and P3 solutions.

Nuclear safety in the dissolution of irradiated 0.95 U235 enriched fuel has been investigated. In particular, critical conditions of fuel of this enrichment in a 52-inch diameter dissolver crib were studied. Since a crib this size is not safe by geometry, dissolution procedures as well as maximum safe batch sizes were analyzed. Uranium-water lattices are normally studied in systems in which rods are uniformly dispersed in the moderator. The results of such a study for 1.34-inch diameter solid rods as well as I. and E. fuel having a 1.37-inch O.D. by a 0.48-inch I.D. have already reported.

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.

Information was desired on applicability of seismic methods of geophysical exploration in helping to better define and refine hydrological and geological factors affecting ground disposal of liquid radioactive wastes. To date most of information on the area geology has been obtained from surface mapping and well drilling, although it has long been recognized that geophysical techniques may greatly assist in defining the geology of the region. Although direct measurements are generally preferred to indirect measurements have proven extremely valuable in many applications. Careful analysis of field data from geophysical measurements, and correlation with known geologic conditions, should provide significant knowledge of earth formations. Geophysical methods do not directly determine depth, type and composition of underground earth materials, but rely rather on detecting differences in physical properties (elastic wave velocity, magnetic susceptibility, density or electrical resistivity) of such earth materials.

The primary purpose of a cleanup system in a recirculating water loop is to maintain the best possible water quality conditions. This is normally accomplished by continuously purifying all or a portion of the coolant. A secondary objective of the cleanup system is to help maintain the system pH at a constant value. A system that will satisfactorily accomplish both of these objectives is at times difficult to obtain. Generally the pH control characteristics are sacrificed in favor of the more important cleanup requirements. A somewhat new approach to the problem pf cleanup system design appears to offer a solution to this problem for high pH systems.