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This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, April 1964. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, applied mathematics, programming operation, and radiation protection are discussed.

This report details activities of the Irradiation Processing Department during the month of April 1964.

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Instrumentation studies and the Hazards Review have demonstrated the need for instrumentation which will scram the reactors if the exponential rate of power increase is excessive. A development program has demonstrated the feasibility of such a system. This document defines the program necessary to provide Intermediate Range exponential rate protection in the safety circuits of five reactors, provides justification for the project, and presents estimates of the cost and schedule required to accomplish the program.

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A thermal and nuclear NRX-A5 Design Review was held at WANL on April 10, 1964. Analyses and planning performed to date on the NRX-A5 and subsequent reactors were presented. Systems analyses were performed on various "cooled periphery".and "hot periphery" seal configurations. A number of inner reflector designs were examined, as well as means for cooling the lateral support springs. Core component redesign incl,uded methods for controlling inter-element pressure distribution by undercutting or chamfering of fuel elements. Changes in tie rod diameters, use of as-extruded fuel elements, and performance analysis of the various systems were also described. Nuclear analysis was confined to parametric studies on excess reactivity and control drum span for inner reflector material combinations of graphite, aluminum, and/or beryllium. Changes required to more precisely define the NRX-A5 were discussed together with the effects associated with the twice power reactor capability envisioned for subsequent reactors.