The purpose of this production test is to provide a standard method of obtaining scram transient reactivity information at the eight reactors, under conditions conducive to valid data. These conditions include the bypassing of the Panellit system at a low power level for a short, controlled period of time during May 1959.

This study was undertaken at the request of the Hanford Works to investigate the possibility of detecting 3/8 inch diameter boron-steel control-balls which become lodged within cracks between the graphite blocks of an atomic pile. The cracks concerned occur radially from 4 3/16 inch diameter holes which pass vertically through the pile. The problem is complicated by the following facts: The graphite blocks are conducting and will therefore give rise to spurious signals primarily due to the cracks between blocks. Numerous aluminum tubes containing water and bars of uranium pass horizontally through the pile at distances closer to the hole than the ball at its extreme position. The vertical holes themselves are warped in an arbitrary manner. Calculations were made to determine theoretically whether or not the ball could be detected. Best operating frequency and coil design were also determined. Tests were made utilizing a specially designed search coil and a test section of graphite pile. Measurements of particle voltage vs. position relative to the coil were made and compared with that resulting from the graphite.

An earlier report suggested a double headwave method of generating a rarefaction first motion. In this method a geologic situation is selected so that energy that has been critically refracted once above the shot and once below shot arrives first. Since the theory of headwaves gives in the usual stationary phase approximation a ninety degree phase shift for each critical refraction, energy that has been critically refracted twice produces a 180 degree phase shift. Oil well data was presented to show that the necessary geologic situation exists in nature. A question has come up regarding the propagation of long wave lengths (16,000 ft) in the thin bed (3000 ft.) above the shot in the geologic situation cited in the earlier report. At the tine of writing of the report it was realized that the thickness of the bed should be considered in propagating the 3 to 5 wavelengths along the bed. The theoretical problem of propagation in high speed elastic bed has not been solved. The best information available at this time indicates that it might indeed be possible to go out into reef country and experimentally find a location suitable to generate a rarefaction first motion by the double …

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This report is a summary of the physics design work performed on the Engineering Test Reactor. The ETR presents computational difficulties not found in other reactors because of the large number of experimental holes in the core. The physics of the ETR depends strongly upon the contents of the in-core experimental facilities. In order to properly evaluate the reactor' taking into account the experiments in the core, multi-region, two-dimensional calculations are required. These calculations require .the use of a large computer such as the Remington Rand Univac and are complex and expensive enough to warrant a five-stage program: 1. In the early stages of design, only preliminary two-dimensional calculations were performed .in order to obtain a rough idea of the general behavior of the reactor and its critical mass with tentative experiments in place. 2. A large amount of work was carried out in which the reactor was approximated as one with a uniform homogeneous core. With this model, detailed studies were carried out to investigate the feasibility and to obtain general design data on such points as the design and properties of the gray and black �control rods, the design of the beryllium reflector, gamma and neutron heating, the …

This volume continues with discussions of shielding provided for the heat exchanger building, concrete biological shield, top area and bottom area shielding, canal shielding, water shielding requirements during fuel element exchanges, and supplementary shielding requirements.

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Progress made in the field of spectrophotometry of molten fluoride salts is summarized. The high-temperature cell assembly designed and fabricated for use in this work is described, as well as the various types of sample containers used. Spectra of nickel fluoride, cobalt fluoride, chromic fluoride, and uranium tetrafluoride in LiF--NaF-KF (46.5-11.5--42 mole%) are presented. (auth)

The feasibility of the use of a water-boiler type reactor as a production test facility for making reactivity tests on various forms of uranium and uranium compounds was investigated. It is concluded that the reactor should be very useful for production testing of materials with the danger coefficient techniqus. A suggested production procedure is outlined. (auth)

process and fluidized bed reactor is reported. Work done on cleanup of mercury from the Metallex process is also described. (J.R.D.)

The measured diffusivity of uranyl nitrate in water at 25 ction prod- C was 0.7 x 10/sup -6/ cm/sup 2//sec with about 40% average deviation. A program was started to develop nonnuclear uses for depleted uranium. Two continuous DRUHM reaction runs were terminated due to erratic operation of the sodium metering system. In the second Fluorox run with crude UF/sub 4/ which lasted for 29 hr, a total material balance of 94.8% was obtained and 17.9% of the theoretical amount of UF/sub 6/ was collected in cold traps and chemical traps. Room temperature flow rate-pressure drop calibrations of a multiclone (thirteen 0.60-in. diam hydroclones in parallel) for installation with the HRT replacement circulating pump were completed. Mixed oxides of U : Th = 0.08 : 1 and all have low yield stresses of 0.02 to 0.05 lb/sq ft compared to 0.2 to 1.0 lb/sq ft for normal Th-U or Th oxides of 1.5 to 2.5 micron mean diameter. The rates of uranium anion exchange from solutions containing between 0.025 and 0.20 M sulfate were measured and apparent uranium diffusion coefficients between 1.2 x 10/sup -7/ cm/sup 2//sec and 1.6 x 10/sup -7/ cm/sup 2//sec were calculated. In bench scale studies, …

Data on the effects of nuclear fuel burnup on dissolution rates and U losses of a few fuel types are summarized. Burnup to the 40% level produced very little effect on the rate of solution of stainless steel-UO/sub 2/ fuel elements in solutions of the Darex type. Beyond passivation, burnup to the 250 Mwd/T level did not produce a large effect on the rate of decladding nor on the U losses in the Sulfex process. Bunnup to the 15% or 4300 Mwd/T level produced little or no effect on the rate of decladding, U losses, or Pu losses in the Zirflex process. Two other effects, air oxidation of irradiated UO/sub 2/ and prolonged contact of this oxide with Sulfex solutions in the absence of actively dissolving stainless steel appeared to be much more serious sources of loss of U. (auth)

An elementary discussion is given of the reactor parameters which determine the signal-to-noise ratio obtainable with a pile oscillator. (auth)

The preparation, pre-irradiation testing, and encapsulation of stainless- U cored, plate-type fuel elements for irradiation in;tagnant sodium are discussed The eight specimens for Experiment PW-5-1 are examined. (auth)

In order to establish the feasibility of using two colorimetric met;iods for the determination of uranium interchangeably, according to the interferences encountered in a particular sampte. results were obtained by each of the methods and compared. The dibenzoyl methane method and the ethyl acetate-ammonium thiocyanate procedure were compared on the basis of values secured on the same day. on different days, on an analysis of the variance. and on an analysis of the residual error for the methods on different days. On the basis of the findings of these tests. it is concluded that the two methods can be used interchangeably to determine the uranium content of the ethyl acetate extracts of samples. Since the interferences in the two methods are different. the uranium content of a variety of materials can be determined without additional separations being required. (auth)

A procedure is described for the uniform removal of very thin sections of metal surfaces by electrolysis. Equipment requirements and the various parameters affecting operation are considered, and the results of applying the technique to studies of solid-state diffusion are discussed. The technique appears to offer considerable promise for evaluating chemical changes at metal surfaces which have taken place as a result of corrosion or diffusion processes. (auth)

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The development of a remotely operated device for determining the coalescence times of plant process streams suspected of containing surfactants such as silicic compounds and fission product zirconium compounds is described. A general correlation between the coalescence times of pilot plant extraction column aluminum nitrate feeds and 3.25 percent tributyl phosphate extractant streams and the observations of column behavior of these streams is demonstrated. The application of the coalescence test to plant streams is given. (auth)

This report describes the design and testing of a 1.17-Bev/c separated K{sup -} beam designed in the fall of 1958 in connection with a 15-in. hydrogen bubble chamber experiment. At the target the K{sup -}/{pi}{sup -} ratio was 1/140. At the chamber, after two stages of electromagnetic separation and 4.0 K{sup -}-meson decay lengths, the K{sup -}/{pi}{sup -} ratio was 12.5, corresponding to a total pion suppression by a factor of about 10{sup 5}. The K flux at the chamber was 0.87 K{sup -} per 10 protons on the target.

A correlation of spontaneous fission rates with Z and A is made to show that these rates depend on the nuclear type. Some suggestions as to the mechanisms are given and it is also shown how these relate to the mechanism of slow neutron and photo fission.

Malonate has been found to inhibit the formation of malic acid during short periods of photosynthesis with radioactive carbon dioxide. This result, together with studies which show the photosynthetic cycle to be operating normally at the same time, indicates that malic acid is not an intermediate in photosynthesis but is probably closely related to some intermediate of the cycle. Absence of labeled succinic and fumaric acids in these experiments, in addition to the failure of malonate to inhibit photosynthesis, precludes the participation of these acids as intermediates in photosynthesis.

Analysis indicates that, in order to achieve supersonic flight with nuclear powered aircraft, a reactor -power plant combination capable of operating at temperatures considerably in excess of current practice must be developed. It is pointed out that there exist two general avenues of approach toward the goal of attaining high temperature reactors and power plants. The first approach involves the continuation and augmentation of research along the lines pursued by the conventional turbo-jet engine manufacturer, namely a search for material coatings or materials that will retain structural strength in high temperature oxidizing atmospheres. The second approach seeks to take advantage of the peculiar characteristics of the compressor-jet engine that permit the operation of the high temperature components in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. The results of a preliminary design study of a supersonic aircraft powered by a high temperature sodium, liquid vapor compressor -jet engine are summarized. The analysis considered, in as much detail as was warranted by the limited experimental information available, the characteristics of the reactor, power plant and airframe involved in determining performance. This study has been conducted for the purpose of guiding future, long -t e r rn , research work along the lines of high temperature reactors …