Monthly magazine discussing natural resources, parks, hunting and fishing, and other information related to the outdoors in Texas.

A report regarding modifications to the Tracerlab Automatic Sample Changer

Three constants can be used to calculate the distribution coefficient of uranium (VI) with an accuracy of 15% in pentaether-nitric acid mixtures containing up to 1.42M total nitric acid and 0.6M TTA and in cyclohexanone-nitric acid mixtures containing up to 1.0M total nitric acid and 0.5M TTA.

A quarterly summary of reports that have been published on research being conducted at the University of California Radiation Laboratory

Technical report outlining the theoretical study of the sub-critical BNL (Brookhaven National Laboratory) reactor, and a comparison of reactor performance with the purpose of presenting the experimental results of the experimental methods. Presents experimental results and and a detailed discussion of the experimental methods along with theoretical analysis and evaluation of the results.

This report discusses progress made by the Physical Chemistry Group and Pile Engineering Groups. Topics covered are as follows: x-ray studies--tube bore mining; physical expansion of capsule exposures; special capsule exposures; pile annealing; thermal conductivity and pile annealing; total stored energy; Sykes stored energy method; slug corrosion rate; effect of pressure drop on slug corrosion; exposure of P-10 fuel slugs; slug corrosion weight loss variables; vertical safety rod thimble corrosion; front tube corrosion; magnesium corrosion program; thimble corrosion program; horizontal thimble removal; metal exposure production tests; special pile measurements; carbon dioxide; H pile power level increase; vertical thimble temperature; graphite core samples; nine tube mock-up; and required header pressure.

This report describes contamination in the 100, 200, and 300 areas at Hanford in 1956.

As the result of repeated over tolerance monitoring samples taken by H.I. Survey in Room 7 of 2228 Bldg., 200 East Area, an Industrial Hygiene study of the air contamination in this room has been made at the request of the H.I. Area Supervisor. Observations made during the preliminary survey and throughout the study indicate that the ventilation system together with the decontamination operations; slurping operation, Goldberg operation, and certain activities during bench determination of process examples, are the major contributors to contamination in the room. While it is felt that the major sources of contamination have been pointed out, there are many specific operations that have not been studies. Recommendations include: Replace the air supply grills with air diffusers, so that air will be supplied to the laboratory without drafts; Provide hoods over the decontamination sinks large enough to accommodate all manipulations involved in decontamination procedures and with sufficient exhaust ventilation that will maintain a minimum face velocity of 200fpm; Provide a hood over the slurper, larger enough to accommodate all manipulations, and ventilation to maintain a minimum of 200fpm at the hood face and any other openings; Provide an enclosure over the Goldberg such that positive exhaust ventilation …

The historical approach to the separation of radon from water is liberation of the radon from the sample by boiling under vacuum in the presence of a strong acid; flushing the liberated radon, with an inert gas, into an ionization chamber or an alpha proportional counters and measuring the collected activity. Such an analysis requires a manipulation time of approximately one hour, a waiting period of two to three hours before measurement to allow transitory equilibrium to be reached, and finally a measurement time, resulting in 4 to 6 hours for one analysis. In addition, specialized equipment including a vacuum train is required. If it is desired to count the alpha particles from radon and its daughters in a proportional counter, absorption trains to remove all oxygen, a poor counting gas, are required. The method presented herein requires only 20--25 minutes for a complete analysis and except for the beta counter utilizes standard laboratory equipment.

This monthly report details the 100 Area technical activities of the Physics Group for the month of May 1950.

On June 14, 1950, an aluminum Kanne Chamber on the 108-B vacuum discharge line was placed in operation. The vacuum pump discharge line chamber has a very poor reputation for two reasons: 1. An apparent hysteresis effect which shows as a high reading after a slug of gas has passed through it, and 2. Failure to return to background current. Cause of the hysteresis effect may be the distribution of tritium in the vacuum pump discharge gas. The rate of gas flow through the Kanne chamber is approximately ten cubic feet per minute. In order to determine steps necessary to eliminate chamber contamination, the existence of contamination must first be definitely established by measuring chamber background with an uncontaminated air filling at intervals during routine use. Monitor chamber currents are now recorded on a multiple point recorder with a cycle time of approximately four minutes, a long wait which is annoying and may mask transient phenomena almost completely. The following steps are recommended to facilitate the necessary stack gas measurements: 1. Provide clean air flushing facilities for both Kanne chambers on the vacuum pump discharge line. 2. Replace existing recorder with continuous recording facilities for each point.

This is a progress report of the production reactors on the Hanford Reservation for the month of May 1950. This report takes each division (e.g., manufacturing, medical, accounting, occupational safety, security, reactor operations, etc.) of the site and summarizes its accomplishments and employee relations for that month.

This report consists of graphs and charts exhibited at the Chemical Development Section Deentrainment Seminar on June 2, 1950.

Brief summaries are given for each of the following activities for this two month period: (1) high water pressure channel (ANL-140); (2) KAPL fuel element tests (SR-79, Beta Experiment); (3) underwater facility for opening slugs; (4) strength of masonite at elevated temperatures; and (5) controlled temperature of graphite.

The Metal Conversion Process described herein is designed to handle the combined output of decontaminated uranium from both the Redox and T.B.P. processes. Thus the design rate is 13-1/8 short tons per day. The bulk of the equipment is to be installed in the presently unused 224-U Building. The process has been divided into three steps: (1) acid recovery and uranyl nitrate concentration; (2) uranyl nitrate conversion; (3) waste metal recovery product receivers. The major items of equipment and flows thru the plant are shown on the attached Engineers` Flow Sketches, numbered SK-2-50005, SK-2-50006, and SK-2-50047.

From introduction: "This report presents the apparent viscosities of supernate-sludge slurries prepared synthetically to simulate the conditions known to exist in the waste storage tanks, but with fission products and plutonium absent."

Abstract: "Additional work on the flotation of sulphides from high-sulphur pitchblende is described. Data needed for the selection of flotation equipment are presented."

From statement of objectives: The purposes of the work described in this report are to provide data useful for designing and operating the dissolver solution clarification equipment to be installed in the Redox production plant.

This report discusses the settling rates and properties of 101-U sludge when slurried with increasing amounts of synthetic supernatant.

Introduction:"A corrosion test program in support of the Redox Project was carried out during the second quarter of 1950 to determine the corrosion rates of several austenitic stainless steels in simulated 202-B Waste Storage solution containing HF, HN03, and H2SO4 acids. The results of this program are contained herein and all original data are recorded in laboratory notebook HW-3282-T."

Abstract: An investigation was conducted to determine the absorption and translocation of fission products by Russian thistle from a localized spot of contaminated soil. The amount and identity of the radioactive elements absorbed and translocated by the Russian thistle is given along with the location of these elements in the plants. Beta radioactivity to the amounts of 10 microcuries per gram caused no visible effects on the growth habits of sectioned material are included.

The following report examines a rapid method used to eliminate the possibility of explosive perchlorate-organic mixtures in a control laboratory in order to determine radiocesium. These methods include the usage of chloroplatinic acid as a precipitate of radocesium.

Report discussing the progress made on research concerning sluge-supernate acidification. This report focuses mainly on "'reverse strike' acidification and the observations of the physical characteristics of the test material," which was a synthetic incubated metal waste.

Report discussing analytical methods that were developed for various procedures in the Radiolanthanum Laboratory.