Report discussing the progress made on a study of electric propulsion for space travel during the period from July 1, 1958 to December 31, 1958 at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory in Livermore, California.

The following report discusses technical problems with ion cyclotron waves, and to suggest a possible application to ion magnetron work.

From introduction: "This report deals with a part of the research and development studies which preceded the manufacture of fuel elements for the Gas Cooled Reactor Experiment (GCRE)." The studies evaluate the effects of varying the type and size of UO2 particles, stainless steel matrix powders, blending procedures, compacting pressures, sintering times, temperatures and atmospheres, roll-cladding temperatures and reduction rates, total cold reduction, and heat-treating times and temperatures has been made for UO2 stainless steel dispersion fuel elements."

Technical report issued by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. From Abstract: "Information obtained from investigations pertinent to tritium monitoring and protective measures at the Savannah River Plant are given. These findings were used to establish realistic protective techniques and consequently, to insure the safety of workers exposed to this hazard. Topics included are: contamination, permeation of plastics and rubber, instrumentation, and biological and physical aspects."

Technical report. From Abstract: "Precipitation of manganese dioxide in solutions of uranium-aluminum alloy effected maximum removal of fission products when the alloy solutions were acid deficient. Minimum adsorption of uranium and minimum volume of centrifuged MnO2 were obtained by precipitation in acidic solutions with vigorous agitation."

Technical report. From Abstract : "Ascorbic and isoascorbic acids, used in conjunction with sulfamic acid, reduced Pu(IV) rapidly and completely to Pu(III) in solutions of nitric acid. The solutions of Pu(III) were stable. Aminoguanidine sulfate also retarded the oxidation of Pu(III) but did not reduce Pu(IV)."

Preface: The intermediate heat exchanger is designed for operation in a nuclear power plant using liquid sodium as the primary and secondary coolant. Since the primary fluid coming from the reactor is radioactive, the purpose of the IHX is to transfer heat to a nonradioactive fluid which then goes to a steam generator. Because of this activity the until will be enclosed in a concrete pit and will not be accessible during periods of operation. Immediately after shut down it will be necessary to allow time for radioactive decay before the unit will be accessible to personnel. Because of inaccessibility and possible long periods allowed for decay time, it is imperative that the unit give trouble free operation. During periods of shut down, the internals should have easy access for inspection and repair if necessary so that down time is held to a minimum. The general arrangement of the heat exchanger described in this report presents a conventional design utilizing known materials and existing methods of fabrication. In further consideration of all concepts, designs and analyses developed during this period of the program, it is felt that this preliminary design will provide an intermediate sodium heat exchanger of lower cost …

Abstract: The caustic permanganate-rinse decontamination treatment was investigated. Loop and metallurgical studies were performed to determine optimum operating conditions as well as the metallurgical effects of the treatment. A treatment with 10 percent sodium hydroxide and 5 percent potassium permanganate solution followed by a rinse with a 5 percent ammonium citrate, 2 percent citric acid and 1/2 percent Versene solution was chosen for the decontamination of a stainless steel steam generator. Decontamination factors of greater than 50 were obtained in loop tests using the above treatment. Corrosion and metallurgical results indicated a total penetration of less than 0.01 mil on annealed Type 304 stainless steel with no evidence of any deleterious effects.

Abstract: A survey of the problem of reactor system contamination by radioactive material and methods that have been employed to remove the material was carried out. Following this survey, an investigation of chemical solutions was undertaken to find one which might be successfully employed in the decontamination of a stainless steel steam generator. From a preliminary screening, the most promising chemical method from the view point of minimum corrosion and maximum decontamination is a caustic permanganate treatment followed by and acid rinse.

Abstract: A decontamination procedure for a stainless steel steam generator similar to the APPR-1 using a fill-flush application of a caustic permanganate-citrate combination solution is recommended. The isolation of the steam generator is to be accomplished by means of specially designed plugs at the reactor vessel outlet and at the primary coolant pumps. Anticipated results, including corrosion rates and decontamination factors, are presented.

Presentation at the National Western Mining Conference of the Colorado Mining Association, Denver, Colorado, February 7, 1959. Thank you for your invitation to discuss here today some of the aspects of nuclear explosions in mining and mineral industries. I should like this afternoon to dwell briefly upon: (1) The phenology of a nuclear explosion underground. What happens; with what energies are we concerned, and what may be the scientific and industrial results of such an explosion? (2) The safety or radiological hazards involved. If mining men hope someday to use this new and potentially useful source of packaged power, what are some of the problems we may face? First let me emphasize that the nine underground test explosions thus far have resulted in a wealth of data and interesting information which prove that radioactivity and radioactive fall-out can be completely controlled, that seismic effects are relatively minor, that appreciable amounts of heat and shock are generated, that this power might be utilized to serve a useful purpose and that the debris in an explosion area can be worked soon after the detonation.

The fixation of aqueous radioactive wastes in a stable solid media by means of calcination has been the subject of considerable research and development effort. Several methods of doing this on a continuous basis have been devised and a few have been demonstrated to be feasible for the handling of non-radioactive or low activity simulated wastes. Currently an investigation of calcination by means of radiant-heat spray drying is being carried on by the Chemical Research Operation of the Hanford Laboratories Operation. The process consists of atomizing the liquid to be treated into the top of a cylindrical column, the walls of which are maintained at a high temperature. The resultant suspension of droplets in the water vapor formed by evaporation passes through successive zones of drying, calcination, possible chemical reaction or melting, and partial cooling as it proceeds down the tower. Separation of the resultant solids, steams, and uncondensable gas is made by conventional methods.

Previously, W. S. Figg and T. W. Ambrose (HW-51767 Rev) have investigated the problem of flow decay following electrical power loss to the PRTR primary coolant pumps. However, since the time of their study many reactor piping changes have been made in the design; therefore, it has become advisable to re-examine the problem incorporating these changes.

PuO2-UO2 Irradiation Capsules. Four capsules of Zircaloy-clad, sintered PuO2-UO2 mixed crystal oxides in a UO2 matrix are awaiting irradiation in the NTR.

Whenever fissile materials are handled in significant quantities such as in fuel element fabrication, separation processes, or in exponential and/or critical experiments a potential criticality hazard exists. The usual procedure which is followed by those persons conducting critical mass experiments is to either place the potential reactor in a heavily shielded cell or to conduct the experiments remotely in which case distance provides a measure of safety in the event of an unscheduled radiation outburst. In considering potential critically incidents, especially for the personnel not specifically engaged in critical mass studies, it is very likely that at the time of the incident neither the conditions of shielding nor distance will prevail for the personnel involved.

It is anticipated that neptunium will be recovered in the Purex process by solvent extraction or ion exchange methods as a nitric acid solution of greater than 0.1 g. Np/1 and containing varying amounts of fission products, plutonium, uranium, and thorium, including Th234 (UX1). At the present time this solution is thermally concentrated in the Purex L-cell package to several grams of neptunium per liter. In this operation the solution is contaminated rather badly with plutonium and stainless steel corrosion products. The present specifications are for the neptunium final product to contain less than 0.1 weight percent plutonium, to be relatively free of gross metallic contaminates, and to be low enough in fission product game activity and Th234-Pa234 (UX1-UX2) beta activity to be handled without resorting to remote techniques.

In solvent extraction purification processes such as are used at Hanford, the fuel elements or "slugs" from the reactor containing uranium, plutonium, and fission products are dissolved in nitric acid, adjusted to the required feed composition, and pumped to the solvent extraction columns. Figure 1 in a schematic diagram of such a solvent extraction process. In the A column, the uranium and the plutonium are extracted into an organic phase while the bulk of the fission products remain in the aqueous phase and leave as waste with the column raffinate.

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.

Examination of Al- 1.65w/o Pu and Al- 12 w/o Si- 1.65 w/o Pu capsules irradiated 55- 60% burnout of the plutonium atoms revealed a 1.4% volume increase and no apparent microstructural changes. A four rod cluster containing Al-8 w/o Pu and Al-12 w/o Si-8 w/o Pu alloy cores is currently under irradiation in Loop 3 of KE Reactor at a water temperature of approximately 230C. A second cluster has been fabricated an is scheduled for charging late in 1958. Two seven-rod clusters for irradiation in KER are also being fabricated.

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 monocarbide and the mononitride of uranium are potentially useful ceramic nuclear fuel materials. This paper reports the results of exploratory investigations of the reactions of uranium monocarbide and uranium mononitride with boiling water. Uranium dioxide, chemically stable in deoxygenated boiling water, was used as a control.

Judging scratch depth or surface roughness by unaided visual inspection under controlled conditions, while rapid and popular, is not quantitative. Comparison methods improve reproducibility but are generally not applicable to evaluation of depths of single widely spaced scratches. Stylus-type contour recorders yield valuable scratch contour data but may themselves plow through soft materials and fine details. Depth measuring microscopes are particularly applicable to measurement of pinhole depth but do not graphically reveal profiles and provide only a small field of view. The comparatively large field of view and graphic display of contour provided by profile microscopes make them particularly suitable for evaluation scratch depth as well as surface roughness. A HAPO-constructed instrument has demonstrated an accuracy of +/- 50 micro inches in the range of 50 to 15,000 micro-inches scratch depth. It is a pocket-sized, portable, and can be used on horizontal and vertical surfaces by untrained persons with only brief instruction.

This report presents the reactor description and safeguard evaluation for an open pool research and test reactor being supplied to the State College of Washington, Pullman, Washington, by the General Electric Company.

This report is an amendment to the Preliminary Hazards Summary Report (1) and the Operating Procedures and Emergency Plans (5) for the Dresden Nuclear Power Station, submitted to the United States Atomic Energy Commission on September 3, 1957, and June 5, 1958, respectively.