A report based on a study about the factors which affect the amount of chemical reaction between water and Zircaloy 2 at high temperatures. Also, experimental programs for the measurement of radiation emissivity, chemical reaction rates, and diffusion rates have been completed.

The first and third slugs downstream from the H-Loop ruptured and a piece of can wall from the ruptured slug were received from Pile Materials Sub-Section for metallurgical examination. The examination has been completed and the extent and type off aluminum corrosion which occurred on these samples has been determined.

An experiment designed to evaluate the in-pile performance of the U-Mg fuel material when irradiated to high burnups has been completed. Twelve specimens of the fuel material which contained uranium particles that packed 50 volume per cent, (91.5 weight per cent), uranium in a magnesium matrix were canned in Zircaloy cans and irradiated in the Materials Testing Reactor to 0.1 (1000 MWD/T), 0.3 (5000 MWD/T), 1.0 (10000 MWD/T) and 2.0 20000 MWD/T) per cent burnup of the total uranium atoms; more exactly, 1 MWD/T = 1.16 x 10⁻⁴ per cent burnup of the total uranium atoms. Irradiation of the twelve capsules began on August 1, 1954. The burnup figures used in this report are calculated values assuming a conversion ratio for the capsules of 1.0. Because of the lack of confirmed experimental burnup data for exposures of this magnitude, there is a possible error in the calculated values of about 20 per cent at 2.0 per cent burnup. However, recent results based on chemical analysis for cesium indicate that the calculated values of burnup agree quite closely for the higher exposures. Burnup estimates based on the results of the chemical analysis will be published when they become available. Six of …

An improved method of water plant control has been developed at Hanford which employs a sensitive turbidiy measuring microphorometer and a model water filtration plant. The microphotometer operates on a light scattering principle and is accurate in the range of 0.0 to 0.1 parts per million turbidity. The model filter plant used is a five gallon per minute plant which can simulate the conditions normally occurring in the large water plants. It is the purpose of this report to describe the model filter plant and to demonstrate the value of the model and microphotometer for effective water plant control and water plant design scoping.

The work described in this report was done to determine the path of decomposition of plutonium (IV) oxalate and to determine the factors affecting the reactivity of the oxide with the hydrogen fluoride.

This review covers: (a) The continuous countercurrent ion exchangers which have been described in the patent and/or technical literature. (b) Some of the other moving bed processes which are similar in mechanical arrangement to a continuous countercurrent ion exchange and which might have certain features adaptable to an ion exchange unit. (c) The auxiliary mechanical devices which are or may be used in an ion exchange apparatus.

A fifth in-pile loop experiment, L-4-8, was completed. The loop operated in-pile for a total of 1637 hr, during which time the LITR energy output was 4377 Mwhr. The average fission power in the loop based o cesium analyses was 622 w when the LITR was at full power (3 Mw). Based on oxygen data, the generalized corrosion rate for the first 300 hr was 4.0 mpy; the rate for the remaining 1357 hr was 0.7 mpy. The nickel data gave parallel results. The corrosion of the type 347 stainless steel, Zircaloy-2, and Ti-55AX [unintelligible] exposed in the core and in in-line holders was generally consistent with that observed in previous in-pile loop experiments. Some differences with steel were attributed to the fact that this was the first loop containing steel specimens operated with 0.04 m H2SO4 present in the uranyl sulfate charge solution (0.17 m UO2SO4, 0.03 m CuSO4). Stress specimens, made from the alloys Zircaloy-2, type 17-4 PH stainless steel, and Ti-C-130-AM, were exposed in care, in-line, and pressurizer locations. Microscopic examination and average weight loss gave no indication of effects attributable to the stressed condition of the specimens.

Several potential hazards that have been recognized and anticipated in the design and fabrication of the pressure vessel in the Homogeneous Reactor Test are discussed. These hazards results from the high operating pressure and temperature of the reactor, the exposure of the reactor vessel material to potential embrittlement and other affects of fast-neutron irradiation, and the need for containment of corrosive flowing liquids. The steps taken in recognition of these hazards are also discussed. The applicability of present codes to the reactor vessel fabrication is considered. Additional fields are suggested where recommended practices developed by code writing bodies could assist in development-type reactor design and fabrication.

A partial bibliography of reports on the Fluorox moving-bed for producing UO3, UF4, and UF6 is given.