Enriched beams of 450 Mev/c K/sup -/ mesons and antiprotons have been produced by separation with the coaxial static electromagnetic velocity spectrometer. Characteristics of the final separated beams as observed in the 15- inch hydrogen bubble chamber are given together with a detailed description of the beam optics and apparatas. (auth)

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An over-all description of the background material on the use of electrical arcs for heating of powders is presented as well as a summary of experimental studies on the arc calcination of thoria. Favorable results have been indicated both with heating thoria powder in an arc heated gas and with thoria formed into a consumable electrode. Use of a consumable electrode produces thoria particles 0.1 to 0.01 mu in diameter. It is recommended that additional electrodes be fabricated and further arc calcination tests be run to produce a quantity of product sufficient for evaluation. (auth)

In many score of experiments conducted in various ways over a period of many months they find that they are unable to confirm the element 102 discovery work of Fields et al. reported in 1957. These experimenters ascribed to an isotope of element 102 an alpha particle activity having an energy of 8.5 {+-} 0.1 Mev and a half-life of approximately 10 minutes. It was reported to be produced by bombardments of a 1 mg/cm{sup 2} curium target with 0.03-0.10 mter-microamperes of C{sup 13} ions of about 90 Mev energy in the internal beam of the Nobel Institute 225 cm cyclotron. Our attempts to reproduce this activity were made with the monoenergetic ion beam available from the Berkeley heavy ion linear accelerator (HILAC). Curium with a similar isotopic composition was used, except that instead of one target they used six separate electroplated targets, four with 0.4 mg/cm{sup 2} curium and two with 0.1 mg/cm{sup 2} curium. These were mounted in vacuum so that the heavy ion beam could pass through and knock the transmutation recoils into 0.9 mg/cm{sup 2} palladium foils. After a suitable bombardment the six catcher foils were dissolved in a few drops of concentrated aqua regia and …

With higher power levels and probably higher river temperatures, the forthcoming warm water season is expected to impose bulk outlet temperature limits, with consequent production losses, on all Hanford reactors to an even greater extent than last year. The problem has received the attention of a number of management and engineering personnel, but the basis for this study was a letter originating in the Production Operation suggesting two alternate schemes for increasing the flow of process water to the rear face piping, thereby reducing bulk temperatures for a given power level. The purpose of the suggestions was to provide an interim solution to the problem pending I & E loadings. Loading with I & E slugs will increase reactor flows to some degree, depending on the actual slug dimensions used, and will probably result in encountering other limits than the B.O.T. limit. The applicable period for study was therefore taken to be this summer only, since I & E loadings are expected to begin in June or July at 105-D and during the fall at 105-F. The Managers, D and F Reactor Operations, requested Plant and Industrial Engineering Operation to investigate and compare the feasibility and applicability of the suggested …

The octant monitors are an improvement over the early sub-pile flux monitors, but they still do not monitor the flux in the active zone of the reactor. Chambers located within the pile active zone would give the desired information but the inpile environment is too severe to allow a reasonable life for these chambers. A beam hole monitor is suggested to provide the desired flux monitoring. The problem of reactor flux monitoring is discussed. The beam hole monitors have the advantage of providing adequate active zone coverage. Calculations were made to show the neutron current and current density at the chamber location as a function of the collimation of the detector assembly. These curves show the present sub-pile and octant monitors are sensitive primarily to the flux in the pile reflector rather, than in the active zone. The beam hole monitors can be made sensitive to the active zone flux only. Sufficient chamber current can be obtained to operate available trip circuitry. It is recommended that experimental work be started to prove out these beam hole monitors so any new reactor program may take advantage of them and that the monitoring of present piles can be improved.

Approximately 1,000 references to technical reports on nuclear and conventional merchant ships are cited. (T.R.H.)

Bubble phenomena have been given a new meaning with their study in relation to the kinetic behavior of reactors. Prior to their study in relation to physics, the bulk of work on bubble phenomena concerned naval engineering problems of behavior in cavitation and water entry behavior. This bibliography is intended to fill the need of the reactor physicist as well as the naval engineer. An attempt has been made to include all available references on bubble phenomena and associated effects. A subject index has been purposely omitted. It is felt that the breakdown in content headings is sufficient to ascertain areas of interest. There will be overlapping of headings and to find all possible entries, a search through the headings may be desirable. To increase the usefulness of this bibliography the location of an abstract has been cited wherever possible following the reference. Classified reports are included; however, their titles contain no classified information. Sources used in compiling this bibliography are: Chemical Abstracts, Industrial Arts Index, Applied Mechanics Review, Nuclear Science Abstracts, the AEC Abstracts of Classified Literature, the AEC card catalogs available at Atomics International, and the bibliographic services of Armed Services Technical Information agency. (auth)

In a recent report, means of circumventing the present bulk temperature limits are suggested. These have definite merit but do not present an over-all picture of the problem. Therefore, this bulk temperature limit is reviewed in order to place the problem in its full perspective. A program of action is suggested that should lead to: Revised operating conditions and process piping to obtain higher power levels at the same bulk outlet temperature; The completion of production tests to permit higher bulk outlet temperatures with no significant changes in reactor piping; or Redesign of the effluent system to eliminate bulk temperatures as a reactor operating limit.

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Fluoride Volatilization Separation Process. Corrosion tests were made on a variety of metals to find a material of construction suitable for the fluorination step. All metals tested, with the exception of Hastelloy B, were attacked on the permeation of a six-inch graphite crucible by molten NaF- ZrF/sub 4/. Carrier-free tracer experiments were performed on the behavior of Nb and Ru in the fused fluoride process. Pilot plant operations were directed toward development of two operations basic to fluoride volatility processes, namely, the fused fluoride dissolution of U-Zr alloy fuels and purification of UF/sub 6/ by fractional distillation are discussed. Liquid Metal Fuel Reprocessing. The development of a fluoride volatility process to recover and purify the core fluid from the Liquid Metal Fuel Reactor (LMFR) is presented. Corrosion tests of materials of construction having pctential use in the fluoride volatility process for reprocessing LMFR core fluid showed Ag, Au, Mo, and Pt to have promise when in contact with hydrofluorinated NaF- ZrF/sub 4/ melts. Fluidization Studies. Work was continued on the fluid-bed drying of zirconiumuranium -fluoride solutions. Laboratory studies were made to evaluate reducing agents which will completely and quickly precipitate the UF/sub 4/ in the feed solutions to the fluid-bed …

The May, 1956 monthly report for the Chemical Processing Department of Hanford Atomic Products Operation includes information regarding research and engineering efforts with respect to the Purex and Redox process technology. Also discussed is the production operation, finished products operation, power and general maintenance, financial operation, engineering and research operations, and employee operations. (MB)

Calibrations have resulted in conflicting data for the yield of neutrons from a teflon-polonium solution interface. The installation of the continuous DRUHM reaction system is approximately 60% complete. The Fluorox fluidized bed reactor was operated continuously for 12 hr, producing 1.6 Kg of UF/sub 6/. In homogeneous reactor studies, installation of a mock-up for in-pile slurry bomb heat removal tests was completed. From material balances, about 21/2 g of plutonium remain in loop P-1 after repeated washing and descaling treatments. A Sharples Model P-4 Super-DCanter was adequate for continuously discharging ThO/ sub 2/ cake and clarified supernate. In ion exchange studies, data were obtained on the complex ion equilibria in uranyl sulfate solutions. A continuous self- sustaining Darex dissolution and stripping run of 46 hr duration was made. In a hydrochlorination run of 35 hr duration, 97.4% of a 4.39 kg section of a STR subassembly was reacted with anhydrous HCI gas with a uranium loss to the sublimate of 0.095%. The studies of the dissolution of duminy zirconium fuel elements in fused salt with HF were continued at increased HF velocities. In waste processing studies, the design of an adiabatic self-sintering experiment is 90% complete and the construction of …

The iodine species formed either by adding hypochlorite to a basic iodide solution or by adding triiodide to sodium hydroxide, was identified as hypoiodite ion. The absorption spectrum of IO{sup -} was investigated in the wavelength range from 450 m{micro} to 280 m{micro}. The kinetics of the reaction I{sup -} + ClO{sup -} = IO{sup -} + Cl{sup -} was studied spectrophotometrically in alkaline solution. The forward rate law was found to be d(IO{sup -})/dt = k(I{sup -})(ClO{sup -})/OH{sup -}. At 25 C and an ionic strength of 1.00 M, k is 61 {+-} 3 sec{sup -1}. It was found spectrophotometrically that for certain ratios of the initial iodide to hydroxide concentrations, there was evidence of the presence of I{sub 3}{sup -}, I{sub 2}OH{sup -}, and I{sub 2}O{sup 2-} along with IO{sup -}. The equilibrium constants between IO{sup -} and these three species were evaluated by a graphical method. The formal potential of the cell: Pt:H{sub 2}:1 M NaOH : 1M NaOH, KI, NaIO : Au was found to be 1.297 v at 25 C. The equilibrium constant, K{sub 2} = (I{sub 3}{sup -})(OH{sup -}){sup 2}/(IO{sup -})(I{sup -}){sup 2}, of the reaction IO{sup -} + 2I{sup -} + H{sub 2}O …

This is a Thesis report on Chemistry of +1 Iodine in Alkaline Solution.

A comparison is given of the power cumves for known standard deviation double-sample tests with equated expected sample sizes. (W. L.H.)

The composition of dissolver off-gas was determined for seven different dissolvings of uranium in nitric acid (both with one and two dissolvers in operation) at irregular intervals during February, March, and April, 1958. Samples were taken at the Purex 293-A facility absorber inlet, scrubber inlet, and scrubber discharge. The absorber was operated with and without reflux, and the scrubber was operated with water or with approximately 10% sodium hydroxide. This memorandum describes the sampling procedures and analytical methods and gives the gas analyses found.

A compilation of constitution diagrams of uranium and thorium alloys is presented. The transformation and melting temperatures of the base metal are discussed, followed by the various alloys in alphabetical order. References are included on each alloy. (J.R.D.)

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Oils made up of alkylbenzenes, polymers and dialkyl selenide were compounded, compared with conventional mincral oils of same viscosity, and subjected to 10/sup 10/ r gamma radiation. The results indicate promise for these materials as radiation resistant oils, with probable residual lubricity up to 10/sup 10/ r. The conventional specification oils werc chnged considerably. The radiation affected the appearance, color, pour point, and viscosity of all the oils, but not the acidity or wear properties. (T. R. H.)

>A continuous process for the reduction of uranium hexafluoride to uranium tetrafluoride was developed and proved on a pilot-plant scale. Complete conversion to uranium tetrafluoride was realized by contacting gaseous uranium hexafluoride with hydrogen in a heated, vertical, open-tube reactor. The purity and density of the solid product met metal grade uranium tetrafluoride specifications. Some difficulty with the accumulation of fused uranium fluorides in the tower was encountered, however, and it was necessary to stop and desing the unit about every 8 to 24 hours. The reaction of uranium hexafluoride with gaseous trichloroethylene was stadied before the tests with hydrogen were made. Although the reduction to uranium tetrafluoride was complete, the solid product was highly contaminated with the organic by-products of the reaction and was quite low in density. Tests of this method were discontinued when promising results were obtained with hydrogen as the reductant. (auth)

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The mechanism of dimensional instability of uramium is under investigation. Ih order to confirm an assumption of the diffusion theory, the magnitude of diffusion anisatropy in alpha-uranium single crystuls is being determincd by measurement of the self-diffusion coefficients along principal crystullographic directions. lnitial measurements have yielded values of 5 x 10/ sup -15/ cm/sup 2//sec along the (010! and 4 x 10/sup -15/ cm/sup 2/ sec along the (OOl!. These values are being rechecked. in addition, in- -pile experiments designed to further clarify the effect of grain size on growth under irradiation have been initiated. (For preceding period see SEP-246.) (auth)

The basic requirements for dispersion-type fuel elements and the basis for the selection of the components, i.e., melting temperature, density, and uranium-content of the uranium compounds, and melting temperature and absorption cross section of the matrix materials are described. Two types of dispersions are investigated: uranium nitride and uraniuin silicide. Their reactions with Zircaloy-2 and other matrix materials, such as molybdenum, niobium, Nichrome-V, Ti -Nb alloys, or vanadium, are shown in some characteristic photomicrographs. The corrosion rate of some of these dispersion-type materials in 600 deg C water is briefly discussed. (auth)