A report regarding many uranium production plants constructed during the existing emergencies and pressures of World War II that were not intended to be permanent instillations. These plants either contractor or government owned, with buildings on the most part belonging to the contactor and a major portion of the processing equipment belonging to the government, became outmoded with the development

"An experiment to determine the effect of reactor irradiation on the thermal conductivity of uranium-impregnated graphite at elevated temperatures as described. The results show a decrease in the thermal conductivity saturating at [approximately] 60 percent at a temperature of 700 degrees C; at [approximately] 50 percent at a temperature of 1000 degrees C; and at [approximately] 25 percent at a temperature of 1300 degrees C. It was found that after irradiation at a given temperature, exposure at a higher temperature resulted in an increase in the thermal conductivity. The converse was also observed. Within the precision of measurement there was no difference in effed between temperature changes produced by varying the fission rate in the samples and changes produced by varying the power in an external heater."

A wet collection system for aerosols has been developed using fibrous media. Tests show the performance to be in accord with recently developed theory of collection by fibrous media. The effects of varying aerosol particle size, particle density, and gas velocity have indicated that inertial impaction is the primary collection mechanism. Three-year operating experience on several full scale plant installations shows reliable performance.

The following report studies a method of freezing ice plugs in pipe lines before flanges are disconnected, the intention is to prevent light water from entering the system when equipment is removed for repairs.

The following report discusses the operation of the nuclear research reactor at the University of Michigan, as well as the maximum credible accident to the reactor.

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"The following is an evaluation of a modified Zircaloy-2 ingot melted at WAPD using the non-consumable electrode melting technique. The nominal composition of the alloy is 0.5% tin, 0.1% iron, 0.1% chromium, and 0.5% nickel."

Large savings in waste storage space may be realized by lowering the pH at which TBP waste is stored. Additional savings in neutralizing chemicals and operating time would also increase the monetary gain from such a process change. However, before such a change could be made, the corrosive effect of TBP waste at a lower pH on the mild steel waste storage tanks had to be determined.

First part of an annual report describing studies conducted by researchers at Columbia University to surveyuranium mineralization in the Marysvale, Utah region: "Part I deals with field studies and mineralogical data derived from the laboratory examination of suites collected during the previous summer" (p. 5).

Introduction: During the year 1952-1953, research on the Boulder batholith program was largely devoted to basic mineralogy studies of the "siliceous reef" and, to the extent possible at that time, the "base metal" deposits.

Abstract: This report consists of four parts, the first three being descriptions of investigations compiled in the period October 1st, 1953 to April 1st, 1954; the fourth part is a summary of progress of the research based on our entire investigations completed prior to April 1st, 1954. The first part comprises a set of preliminary experiments investigating the mineral composition of the sandstones in thin sections, in an attempt to differentiate barren from ore-bearing sandstones. It appears that there are more rock-fragments and particularly more volcanic rock fragments in the ore zone (zone 4, Well C, Bull Canyon). In addition, silica cement appears to be associated with ore and carbonate cement with barren sediments. The second part details the investigation of the mudstones of the Bull Canyon Wells . A mixed layer lattice "illite" and a kaolin mineral are the most prominent in "normal" mudstones. Dye tests suggest there are differences between the clay minerals in the sandstone matrix of the ore zone and barren zone. In addition, the mudstone zones appear to differ in the response to the dye tests. The third part of the report details the bulk density determinations for cores from well B. The results confirm …

"Continued progress has been made with the high temperature decontamination processes for irradiated uranium fuel. The fused salt treatment of molten uranium has been extended to UCl3. Plutonium and rare earths were extracted into the UCl3 phase. Direct plutonium distillation from molten irradiated uranium has been scaled up to the hundred gram scale. Solid scavenging experiments using uranium oxide, uranium carbide, and uranium nitride in contact with molten uranium have indicated fission product removal. A scaled-up investigation of the separation and recover of uranium from an SIR type ceramic fuel using the volatile fluoride process has indicated the feasibility of this separation method. The effect of irradiation on the decomposition of BrF3 has been further studies in experiments using the NAA statitron.'