The Stationary Low Power Reactor No. 1 is a three Mw boiling water reactor designed to demonstrate the feasibility of a nuclear reactor to supply electrical power and space heat for remote sites. In addition to performance evaluation the facility provides training for military personnel. The reactor was operated for 1159 hr during the quarter for a total core burnup of 20.3%. Power generation was 103.7 Mwd for a total power accumulation of 466.9 Mwd. Eight malfunctions occurred during the quarter for a total unscheduled downtime of 40 hr 44 min, As a result of malfunctions, aluminum keys will be installed on the control rod drives, instrument well covers were removed, and an order has been placed for a station auxiliaries breaker with a higher temperature rating. Data were taken on seven tests during the quarter. Four of these are expected to be completed during the next quarter. All equipment items on order for the SL-1 power extrapolation expansion program are scheduled to be delivered before June 15, 1960. Although condenser dampers and damper controls, process instrumentation, equipment cabinets, and the radiation monitoring equipment have not yet been ordered, construction will not be delayed. The two tie-ins to the existing …

The concentrations of and activities due to N/sup 16/ and N/sup 17/ in the HFIR primary coolant water were calculated. At the pressure vessel exit, the N/sup 16/ activity is 3.9 x 10/sup 6/ dis/secml and the N/sup 17/ activity is 6.9 x 10/sup 2/ dis/sec-ml. Comparison of the N/sup 16/ activity with the data obtained from the ORR water system indicates that the calculated results are slightly conservative. (auth)

The neutrons in an operating nuclear reactor are generated primarily by the fission events which are taking place. The great bulk of these relatively high energy or fast neutrons are slowed down or thermalized by a series of elastic collisions with the moderator nuclei which comprise the bulk of the volume of the reactor core. Once slowed down, the neutrons diffuse through the reactor core until they are absorbed or eliminated by some other process. Each of these three groups of neutrons, i.e., the fast or source neutrons, the intermediate or slowing down neutrons, and the slow or thermal neutrons, has a characteristic energy distribution. At a constant power level or rate of fissioning, an equilibrium is soon established among the groups at any point in the reactor. If it is assumed that a smooth transition exists between the different energy groups, it is possible to evaluate the entire neutron spectrum at a point in the reactor by determining the parameters which characterize each of the three groups. This has been done in the F Reactor Quickie Facility using radioactivants.

Preliminary engineering evaluations indicate that piping in the 105 B, D, F, DR, and H reactors has deteriorated to the extent that an increasing rate of component failure can be expected. In view of this, a budget submission was made in the FY-1962 P. A. and C budget and has been included in the I.P.D. Plant Improvement Program. The purpose of this report is to substantiate the need for this program and to review information generated during the past three years concerning the condition of rear face piping and hardware. This review includes the history of rear face piping and hardware problems, study activities undertaken to date to ascertain the condition of the components, action taken to correct actual component failures, programs recommended to correct deficiencies which operating experience and engineering judgement indicate are necessary, and programs to accumulate additional information to support design of new piping and hardware components.

The chemical vapor deposition of niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, chnomium, carbcn, and niobium--vanadium alloys in a fluidized bed of UO/sub 2/ powder particles wss used to provide uniform, dense, nonporous coatings on the individual particles. in the case of niobium, which received major attention, hydrogen reduction of niobium pentachloride vapor was used as the vapor- deposition reaction. The most serious problem was that of maintaining bed fluidity aad avoiding agglomeration. This problem was overcome to permit routine operation of the coating equipment. In the entire program of 68 experimental runs, only 1.1 per cent of the product was lost by agglomeration. In routine operation, this loss should be even lower. (auth)

The saturation voltage and current characteristics of a compensated ionization chamber (Q-1045) were measured with special regard to high current and voltage ranges. The chamber can be operated at currents up to I ma with a 2000 volt power supply. (auth)

A wave equation for the pressure in a mixture of water and gas bubbles (such as found in the KEWB Reactor) is derived. The driving force may be either the production of additional bubbles or the growth of existent bubbles. Several illustrative solutions to the wave equation are found. (W.L.H.)

Vanadium group beryllides were prepared and studied by x - ray powder diffraction and crystallographic methods. Properties included phase studies, sintering studies, vapor pressure measurements, and thermal diffusivity measurements,

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Will Wilson, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Validity and interpretation of Article 19.01(2), H.B. 11, 3rd C.S., 56th Legislature, levying an occupation tax on brokers and factors as applied to real estate brokers and salesmen.