The Pebble-Bed Reactor Experiment (PBRE) was designed to advance the pebble-bed concept by providing a test of characteristic features and make contriliutions to the general development of all-ceramic gas-cooled reactors. The following objectives were established for the reactor experiment: to investigate key features of the pebble-bed concept, including on-stream fuel handling, movement of fuel through bed, and performance of core; to obtain operation and maintenance experience with a system contaminated with fission- product activity; and to investigate the behavior of graphite fuel elements. A fourth objective, study of the behavior of core materials at conditions occurring with exit gas temperatures in the range 2000 to 2500 deg F, was tentatively included. The preliminary design oE a 5-Mw(t) reactor for achieving these objectives was prepared. The core of the PBRE is a 2 1/2-ft-diam, 4-ft-tall cylinder containing approximately 12,000 spherical graphite fuel elements 1 1/2 in. in diameter. Fuel spheres are added to and removed from the core by gravity flow, and these operations are performed while the reactor is at power by using pairs of valves for passage of elements into and out of the high-pressure system. Exposed fuel can be recycled to the top of the core. Helium coolant …

The development of the system and techniques to permit determination of strains at right angle to the axis of loading in the specimen was continued. An additional optical system was developed to accept the lateral image of the gage points and project a vertical image of the same proportion to the apertures of the strain analyzer. Using a dummy specimen of steel in the load train, the automatic pressure control system for the gas-bearing universals was operated. A fluctuation of gas pressure occurred within the bearings. Multiple progressive fracture planes were observed throughout the gage length of fractured graphite and tungsten. (M.C.G.)

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: Whether the County Auditor can approve for payment a claim by a Court Reporter for a transcript made of Grand Jury proceedings under the following facts.