The kinetics of transformation of zirconium binary alloys is being pursued. Mechanical property variation as a function of transformation if also being investigated. Zirconium-tin and zirconium-titanium alloys transform very rapidly when quenched from the beta field. These alloys have, generally speaking, been demonstrated to be not amenable to heat treatment in the normal sense of the word. Eutectoid alloys, principally zirconium-molybdenum alloys, have shown a definite response to heat treatment in terms of mechanical property variation. An embrittling agent, probably "omega" phase, is suspect at this time for the brittleness observed in certain molybdenum alloys and the very high hardness levels reached in other alloys such as zirconium-niobium and zirconium-thorium. Work to establish the existence of omega phase is in progress and, it is hoped, suggestions for avoiding the brittle condition associated with it will be forthcoming.

An alpha scintillation method for the analysis of uranium accumulation in plants as an indicator of uranium deposits in the soil was developed.

This technical report reports progress in the following areas: (1) Effect of scaling time; (2) Influence of specimen shape; (3) Effect of pretreatment; (4) Possible mechanism of growth; and (5) Future work.

Monthly magazine discussing natural resources, parks, hunting and fishing, and other information related to the outdoors in Texas.

Monthly newsletter of the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1, discussing the field of underground water. Topics include profiles of water conservation research, annual pre-plant soil moisture survey data, annual Winter Water Level measurement data, and information about the latest water conservation tips.

Annual report submitted by the Boy Scouts of America to Congress describing highlights from 1955, activities, organizational leadership, and other information about scouting programs.

Monthly journal about library issues in Texas including collection development, programming and activities, managements, and other topics of interest.

As an alternative to recovering Ba140 from the spent MTR fuel assemblies a new enriched-uranium fuel pin was designed for irradiation. Two specimens, each containing about 3 g. of uranium (93% enriched), were irradiated to 1.3% and about 18% burnup. Examination after irradiation indicated that design improvements were needed; photographs are presented to illustrate the damage incurred during irradiation. A simple inorganic chemical process using precipitation and filtration techniques was developed to separate Ba140 from other fission products and uranium.

An analytical procedure for 0.04 to 1.6 percent ruthenium in plutonium metal was developed. Determination of ruthenium in metallic plutonium was investigated as part of a program for securing analytical procedures for various metals in plutonium. However, results of the investigation are given in this report with emphasis on the determination of ruthenium in plutonium chloride solutions. Specifically, this report is primarily concerned with the separation and determination of 40 to 400 micrograms of ruthenium in a hydrochloric acid solution of 25 to 100 milligrams of plutonium.

Calculated data and graphs describing the effects of batch thermal-neutron irradiations on the buildup of fission products in natural uranium, enriched uranium, and thorium are presented together with empirical equations and plots correlating total fission product activities and/or decontamination factors. Fluxes of 1012-1015 are considered.

This quarterly progress report of the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Project at ORNL records the technical progress of the research on circulating-fuel reactors and other ANP research at the Laboratory under its Contract W-7405-eng-26. The report is divided into three major parts: I. Reactor Theory, Component Development, and Construction, II. Materials Research, and III. Shielding Research. The ANP Project is comprised of about 530 technical and scientific personnel engaged in many phases of research directed forward the achievement of nuclear propulsion of aircraft. A considerable portion of this research is performed in support of the work of other organizations participating in the national ANP effort. However, the bulk of the ANP research at ORNL is directed toward the development of a circulating-fuel type of reactor. The design, construction, and operation of the Aircraft Reactor Test (ART), with the cooperation of the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Division, are the specific objectives of the project. The ART is to be a power plant system that will include a 60-Mv circulating-fuel reflector-moderated reactor and adequate means for heat disposal. Operation of the system will be for the purpose of determining the feasibility, and the problems associated with the design, construction, and operation, of a …

The table of sin θ and sin2 θ, to five decimal places for every hundreth of a degree from 2°-87°, has been prepared for the use of Professor W. H. Zachariasen in his X-ray diffraction studies. [Tables not transcribed]

The Internal exponential Exponential Experiment (ZPR-V) will be constructed by loading up to 49 of the fuel cans, containing up to 155 kg of U235, of the present Fast Exponential Experiment in a 22-in. square iron tank, surrounded by an annular thermal region of fully enriched light water lattice 10 to 15 cm thick. This assembly will be placed in a 5-ft diameter tank which will, in turn, be located in the 10-ft diameter ZPR-II tank, the annular space between the outer tanks containing water for shielding. The new experiment will be a well-shielded, strongly coupled fast-thermal system. It will be possible to make measurements that cannot be made on the present Fast Exponential Experiment. One category of such determinations is the study of reactivity effects produced in the fast core, including control scheme studies and danger coefficient and oscillator measurements of such effects as Doppler coefficients and effect of lumping and streaming. The higher flux and excellent shielding will make beam studies of energy spectrum practical. Additional foil activations will be possible. Characteristics of mixed fast-thermal systems, which are of potential importance as power breeders, can be studied.

To forestall the oxidation of graphite in HAPO reactors, a process specification provides that the oxygen concentration in pile gas should be kept to a minimum. Close control in maintaining this limit is difficult when only periodic samples are taken because laboratory results are always obtained long after any required corrections should have been made. A continuous-type analyzer that provides immediate knowledge of the oxygen concentration eliminates these time delays.

Highly radioactive materials have to be examined behind massive shielding to protect personnel from the intense beta and gamma fields. Experience has shown that much maintenance time can be saved by mounting equipment to cell plugs so that a single machine can be removed without the necessity of shutting down the entire cell operation. Metallographic specimen preparation and photography have been reduced to an entirely remotized procedure. Various etchants have been tried and cathodic vacuum etching has proved more satisfactory than chemical procedures. Cathodically vacuum etched surfaces are much more stable than chemically etched ones and are in various other ways more suitable for remote metallographic study. Radiation darkening of objectives and other parts of the optical system is a major problem in remote metallography. The limited amount of work done to date has not fully explained the effects of irradiation on metallographic structures. Micrographs are presented of some materials after various degrees of irradiation.

The use of a reactor charged with silver nitrate coated packing for removal of radio-iodine from the waste gases of Hanford chemical processing plants has been successful in removing approximately 99.5 percent of this activity. Studies by the Radiological Sciences Department indicated the desirability of further reducing the amount of radio-iodine released to the atmosphere. Therefore, this study was undertaken with the objectives of better understanding the inherent limitations to iodine removal by reaction with silver nitrate, and improving the efficiency of removal of iodine.

Well-type scintillation counters have found use in many radiochemical laboratories. A gamma scintillation well counter has been used to measure the gamma activity of liquid samples in the 325 Building counting room for about a year. This well counter has been built and calibrated so that gamma activity measurements made with it can be easily compared with measurements made with the gamma scintillation counter (GSC). The well counter is electronically identical to the present GSC and differs only in the shape of the crystal used and the physical arrangement of the lead shield. The crystal contains a well which allows a tube containing the sample to be inserted in the crystal. The physical arrangement of the detector greatly simplifies the preparation of liquid samples for activity measurement. The 325 Building well counter and its application to chemical research and plant process analysis will be discussed in the following paragraphs. An operating procedure is also included.

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.

The tendency for Austenitic Stainless Steels to develop cracks may be considered to be a function of several variables. Chemical composition of the electrode and base metal, are variables which have been reported to greatly influence the final behavior of the weld. Two types of electrodes, Type 308L and Type 347, were compared with respect to their respective crack sensitivities. Also, comparative results were desired between the 308L-15 (DC) and 308L-15 (AC-DC) type electrodes. At present, no standard test has been designed that will yield quantitative results as to the crack-resistant properties of a weld. With this in mind, the "Arcos Segmented Circular-Groove Notch Sensitivity Test" was chosen as the test to be used, since other investigations have employed the test and some comparison of results could be made.

Knowledge of the effects of interaction between vessels or units containing fissionable material is important for the safe handling, storage, and shipping of these containers. Expressions for the effect of neutron interaction on criticality have been derived for the cases of bare and tamped spheres as well as tamped, infinitely tall cylinders containing fissionable material. The method considered did not apply to the interaction between bae cylinders. In practice, the interaction between vessels in a separations plant or between storage units in an array more nearly approaches the bare condition than it does the tamped condition. The formulation of a method that is applicable to bare or water-tamped and to tall or short vessels will be presented at this time.

A centerless-ground, 0.25-in.-diam. by 0.75-in.-long sapphire single crystal exposed to an integrated thermal neutron flux of 2 x 10 19 nvt at a temperature of 350 deg C (660 deg F) did not change its dimensions appreciably simple beam, with slightly less force than was required to break a similar unirradiated rod. In a darkened room the irradiated sapphire begins to thermoluminesce noticeably at 280 deg C (535 deg F) and most of the amber or brown coloration produced by the pile exposure is retained after annealing for 24 hr at the pile exposure temperature of 350 deg C (660 deg F). (auth)

The design of the Purex Off-Gas Treatment Facility requires the use of new dissolver off-gas jets which will be installed in series with present jets in the Purex in-canyon "donut" jumpers. When the new jets are placed in operation, the motive air and steam supply services to the in-canyon jets will no longer be required and the in-canyon jets will become flow restrictions in the dissolver off-gas train. Calculated values of pressure drop across these "dead" jets at maximum off-gas rate varied from about 18 to 7 inches of water depending on whether the dead jets were considered as sharp-edged orefices or venturi meters without downstream pressure recovery. In the preparation of process specifications for hets for the new facility, accurate values for the pressure drcp introduced by the dead jets were required to avoid oversizing the new jets with resultant waster of motive jet fluid.

M-388 is an aluminum alloy consisting of 2S aluminum with an addition of 1% nickel. Preliminary corrosion studies which were conducted by Dreley and by Dillon indicated that the material exhibited excellent resistance to intergranular type of corrosion in distilled water at temperatures of up to 350 C. The combination of a low thermal neutron cross-section and good corrosion resistance make M-388 alloy a candidate material for use in reactor process tubes and fuel element cans. The purpose of the study was to determine some of the mechanical properties of M-388 aluminum alloy at room temperature and at elevated temperatures.

Considerable interest has been shown at HAPO in the development of a continuous ion exchange process for concentrating plutonium solutions. Development work has been performed on continuous ion exchange for both uranium and plutonium concentrations at the X-10 at ORNL. On a recent trip to Oak Ridge to discuss critical mass problems and experiments with Dr. A. D. Callihan of the ORNL critical mass facility, a meeting was also held with C. W. Hancher and R. Higgins of X-10 regarding continuous ion exchange operation. From this meeting, information was obtained that is helpful to work out nuclear safety aspects of such a plant for the concentration of plutonium solutions. An advance copy of "Countercurrent Ion Exchange" by T. A. Arehart, J. C. Bresee, C. W. Hancher, and S. H. Jury was obtained. This paper is to be presented at an AIChE meeting this fall. Preliminary blue prints of ORNL-3" Ion Exchange column design were also obtained. Upon my return to HAPO, a meeting was held with members of the Process Planning, Equipment Development, and Chemical Engineering Development Units of the Chemical Engineering Sub-Section (Separations Technology) to present the document and blue prints on continuous ion exchange and arrive at a …