Pump loops designed to operate at temperatures and pressures to 320 deg C and 2000 psia are described. The loops were used to circulate uranyl sulfate solutions and aqueous thoria slurries in out-of-pile tests for the aqueous homogeneous reactor program. As this phase of the aqueous homogeneous reactor program was completed, the loops were converted for use in studies of materials of interest to other types of reactors. Solutions or slurries are circulated in the loops by means of a 100-gpm cannedmotor centrifugal pump. The loop piping is of 1- or 1 1/2-in. size and pressurizers of 4-in. pipe are used where required for steam pressurization. Two of the loops were constructed of commercially pure titanium while all others were of type 347 stainless steel. Some loops are hydraulically pressurized by means of a feed pump and letdown valve arrangement. The nominal volumes of the 15 loops, which were constructed varies between 10 and 30 liters, and each loop was designed to contain a large number of corrosion test specimens of various types for exposure under a wide range of conditions. Each loop test was usually of 200 to 500 hr duration, but some tests were operated continuously for more …

The common seventh group approximation for treating the effect of neutron delay due to reflector slowing down and thermalization is presented. Modifications appropriate when reactivity changes are produced by reflector movements are introduced. An improved formulation, allowing distinctions between several different groups of slowing down and thermalizing neutrons, is presented. This formulation is shown to reduce to the seventh group approximation for the case of one atypical neutron group, providing the population and reaction rate of the group are small in comparison to the total neutron population and reaction rate. (auth)

Urania-lanthana compositions were studied by x-ray diffraction, chemical analysis, and polished-section techniques to determine cubic fiuorite solubility, lattice parameter values, stoichiometry, and microstructure. An appreciable variation in fluorite lattice parameter with composition existed for vacuum, hydrogen, and oxidizing heat treatments. The volatility behavior of urania- lanthana solid solutions was investigated by heating for extended time intervals in an oxidizing atmosphere. (auth)

The objectives of the SNAP 7B program were to design, manufacture, test and deliver a thirty-watt electric generating system for a U. S. Coast Guard Automatic Light Station. This report describes the sixty-watt, strontium90 thermoelectric generator, the converter, the batteries, and the installation of the generator into the container. The electrical tests of the generator and of the system, the shock and vibration tests, and the tests at the environmental temperature extremes are discussed. (auth)

A review is presented of the current status of sodium pump development as related to nuclear power applications. A description is given of the design features and performance characteristics of the more important types of sodium and sodium-- potassium alloy (NaK) pumps. Some requirements for sodium pumps for future large liquid metal reactor systems are presented with some preliminary consideration of the potential of various pump types to meet these requirements. (auth)

Analysis of the Second Law of Thermodynamics is discussed. Keenan's approach to availability and irreversibility is modified so that the expression for the efficiency of a reversible engine is used in place of the definition of the thermodynamic temperatare scale. Equations are developed for expressing the change in availability and the magnitude of irreversibility for non-flow, semi- flow, and steady-flow systems. The equations are arranged to show which portions of the losses came from friction and from irreversible heat transfer. (D.L.C.)

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Work was done on the adaptation of an electrical probe, developed by Neal for the measurement of local void fractions in mercury-nitrogen flow, to air- water flow. The adaptation is more difficult because of wetting of the probe by water. Various probe shapes and filming agents were employed without great success. Some improvement was obtained by means of a separate triggering circuit, but the calculated void fraction was still somewhat low compared with that measured by the gamma-ray-attentuation technique. Presumably, this is due to a finite response time of the probe, associated with the wetting of the tip; hence, further development of this technique is necessary. (auth)

Progress in the U. S. civilian power gas-cooled reactor program is discussed. Gas reactors having technical features of high conversion ratio, high temperature, high fuel burnup, and capability of construction in large sizes make them very attractive as potential producers of economic power in the very near term. The operation of Peach Bottom-HTGR and EGCR in late 1964 and 1965, respectively, will contribute to the successful exploitation of thermal gas- cooled reactors. Since the graphite fuel concept promises very low fuel cycle costs along with reactor coolant conditions that can exceed current practice, it was concluded that the concept provides a long term potential that promises some very exciting possibilities. (auth)

The results of environmental monitoring for 1960 and 1961 at Argonne are given. The radioactive content of the environment was measured by radiochemical analysis, total activity measurements, and gamma spectrometry of several types of natural materials collected on the ANL site and from locations up to 100 miles from the Lab. Special attention was given to air and water. In 1960 and the first 3 quarters of 1961, fallout activity in the environment was at the lowest level since Jan. 1953. On Sept. 14, 1961, the beta activity in air increased sharply and remained at a relatively high level for the remainder of the year. Radioactivity originating at Argonne and leaving the site was found only in air during March 1961, and in most Sawmill Creek water samples collected during the reporting period. The average total activities in samples of water, material from the beds of lakes and streams, soil, and plants during 1960 and 1961 are tabulated. For comparison, the results obtained from 1952 through 1961 are also included. (P.C.H.)

Evidence of bowing was observed in an MTR beryllium shim rod section during the Cycle 184 shutdown. Inspection and measurements of this and other selected beryllium lattice pieces confirmed this observation. Preliminary measurements were made along a vertical transverse between the north and south reflector walls with some bowing again noted. An inspection of the north wall revealed cracking and spalling of the beryllium sections, primarily in the vicinity of the HB-2 thimble. (auth)

In a study based on optimistic expectations of waste composition from future fission product separations processes, estimated costs for management of wastes from which 90 and 99% of all fission products were removed were from 70 to 80% of those for management of waste from which no fission products were removed. This cost difference is not believed to be sufficient to pay for the separation and final disposal of the fission products, which was not included in the waste management costs; hence, separation does not represent an economic route for waste management unless a substantial market for the fission products exists to pay most of the costs. As a basis for this study, it was assumed that after fission product removal the waste was identical to neutralized Purex waste in volume and composition of major ingredients. The sequential steps in the management of waste from processing 1500 metric tons per year of uranium converter fuel irradiated to 10,000 Mwd/ton were: interim storage of liquid waste, conversion to solids by pot calcination, interim storage of calcined solid waste, shipment of 1000 miles, and final disposal in a salt mine. Minimum-cost schemes were worked out involving optimum choices of interim liquid and …

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The design of the High-Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) was supported by a series of preliminary experiments performed at the Oak Ridge Critical Experiments Facility in 1960. The experiments yielded results describing directly some of the expected performance characteristics of the reactor and strengthened the calculational methods used in its design. The critical assembly, like the reactor, was of a flux-trap type in which a central 6-in.-dia column of H/sub 2/O was surrounded by an annulus of fissile material and, in turn, by an annular neutron reflector. The fuel region contained a solution of enriched uranyl nitrate in a mixture of H/sub 2/O and D/sub 2/O and the reflector was a composite of two annuli, the inner one of D/sub 2/O surrounded by one of H/sub 2/O. In most experiments the ends of the assembly were reflected by H/sub 2/O. Important results evaluate the absolute thermal-neutron flux to be expected in the design reactor and describe the flux distributions within this type of assembly. It was also observed that the cadmium ratio along the axis of the assembly was about 100, showing that a highly thermal-neutron flux was truly developed in the trap. It was shown that reduction of the hydrogen …

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A CDC-1604 subroutine package was written to facilitate the plotting of curves and points on linear, logarithmic, and semilogarithmic graphs using the CALCOMP plotter. The subroutines accomplish the necessary computations and prepare a magnetic tape for use by the plotter. (auth)

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A description is given of the test series conducted in conjunction with the SNAP Aerospace Safety Program. The principal objective of the tests was to obtain data and information for evaluating the hazards occurring before, during, and after the flight of the SNAP 10A reactor. The results of these tests will provide a means for developing criteria to guide in the design of inherently safe SNAP systems. (auth)

Abstracts of 38 papers published or prepared for publication are presented. Individual abstracts are prepared for 32 of 35 papers reporting preliminary results of work in progress. (C.E.S.)

Metal-clad thermocouples with a flat (spade) tip were used to measure the temperature of a 0.030-in.-thick metal plate acting as a forced convection heat transfer surface. The thermocouples were found to change the temperature of the plate at the point of attachment by 40 percent of the temperature difference between fluid and plate. This value was found to be independent of fluid velocity, heat flux, and fluid temperature. A heat transfer model of the thernrocouple was developed and analyzed to determine the effective fin height'' of the thermocouple at four test conditions. A correlation is presented between the average heat transfer coefficient of the system and the effective fin height'' of the thermocouple. The model and the correlation may be used to predict the calibration factor for other systems of similar thermocouples during either heating or cooling if the heat transfer coefficient is known. An evaluation of brazing and resistance spot welding for attaching the thermocouples to the plate was made. Resistance spot welding was found to give a weak attachment with poor thermal contact between plate and thermocouple. Brazing was found to give a strong attachment with excellent thermal contact between plate and thermocouple. (auth)

A single heat of type 304 stainless steel tubing was burst tested in air to determine its stress-rupture properties at temperatures ranging from 1100 to 2200 c- F and times up to 4000 hr. The data are presented in graphic form showing log stress vs log time-to-rupture and log strain vs log time- to-rupture. The effect of specimen size on stressrupture behavior was examined as was the effect of testing in an atmosphere of 90 vol% He, 8 vol% N/sub 2/, 2 vol% O/sub 2/. Correlation of the data up to 2000 c- F using the Dorn Parameter is shown to be valid. The data at 2200 c- F do not agree with the correlation. It is also shown that there is no size effect of 6.0- in. vs 2.5-in.-long specimens at temperatures of 1600 c- F and below. No difference was seen between stress-rupture tests run in air and those in 90 vol% He, 8 vol% N/sub 2/, 2 vol-% O/sub 2/. Strain-at-rupture results indicate decreasing strains with increasing time. The strains observed at 1200 to 1600 c- F were similar and somewhat smaller strains were observed at 1100 and 1800 c- F. (auth)

From 19th International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry Congress, London. A systematic introduction is presented to the subject of the variation with pH of the polarographic half-wave potential, which is probably the most readily measured electrochemical energetic parameter of organic compounds. Emphasis is placed on (a) the types of relationships observed for both reversible and irreversible electrode processes, (b) the mathematical formulation of these relationships, (c) the structural, mechanistic, kinetic, and environmental factors influencing such relationships, and (d) the presumptive physical causes for such relationships, e.g., the effect of pH on the electrochemical kinetics. Although the discussion is primarily concerned with behavior in aqueous solution, the conclusions drawn are equally valid for nonaqueous media in which hydrogen ion or some other Lewis acid can play a significant role. The half-wave potential for an organic electrode process may be independent of pH, or may vary lineanly or sigmoidally; other types of relationships observed are likely to be combinations of such effects. These variations may be due (a) to direct participation of hydrogen ion in the transition state involving the electroactive site in the organic molecule and the electron source, e.g., polarization of the bond to be broken, (b) to control …

Spheroidal thoria and thoria-- urania particles of about 1 mu average diameter were prepared in a one-step process by flame decomposition from Th nitrate and from mixtures of Th and U nitrates. Aluminum nitrate (equivalent to 0.5 to 10 wt% alumina) was included with both systems to obtain spheroidization. A reflected oxygen--hydrocarbon flame was used and particle temperatures above 2000 deg C were necessary. In aqueous slurries of density 2.0, at conditions planned for nuclear reactor blankets, the particles consistently gave low values for yield stress (about 0.02 lb/ft/sup 2/), modulus of rigidity (less than 3.0 centipoise), and corrosion (type 347 stainless steel; iess than 1 mil/yr in standard pump-loop test). Particle degradation in longterm pumping tests was negligible. Attempts to raise the average particle diameter to above 5 mu were only partially successful. Alumina-free spheroidal thoria particles were prepared using thoria sol feeds, but the materials were not satisfactory. (P.C.H.)

Progress made in the development of the Sioux Falls Power Reactor is reported. Information is presented on stainless steel corrosion in oxygenated steam, development of low-enrichment superheater fuel elements, nuclear analysis of first-core boron-stainless steel poison shims and transient simulator, and testing and stability of oscillator rod assembly and in-core ion chambers. (N.W.R.)