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)

The design of prestressed concrete pressure vessels is discussed and some approximate design formulae are developed. The design and performance of vessels reported in the literature are reviewed and an approximate comparison is made of steel and concrete pressure vessels for a particular case. Concrete vessels are attractive for moderate temperatures and pressures because of the large size of vessel which can be built and the non-explosive mode of failure. However it is unlikely that large cost savings will be made by using prestressed concrete instead of steel for the pressure vessels.

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 …

Report containing experiments conducted at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Critical Experiments Facility. These experiments involved "determining the critical parameters of the assembly with varying amounts of neutron absorber in the D20 reflector, measuring the relative neutron flux distribution for various conditions of reflector poison and fissile solution concentration, determining the ratio of the absolute thermal-neutron flux in the center of the assembly to the power in the fissile solution , and determining the effect on reactivity of reducing the hydrogen density in the central region of the assembly" (p. 1).

Equipment Laboratory and Testing Operation was requested to measure the pressure gradient developed across a nozzle and crossheader assembly used on the rear face during reactor operation. A nozzle and pigtail assembly with pressure taps was installed on process tube 2058, and pressure taps were located at the center, at tube 2058, and at the end of crossheader No. 19-1/2. copper sensing lines were installed between the pressure tape and a tool storage area on zero level, near side of the reactor where our gage could be safely located.

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Task A: Modification and Preparation of Experimental Facility. Facility engineering and layout is about seventy-five percent complete. Task B: Design and Construction of Test Sections. The major dimensions and characteristics of the metal and glass test sections have been calculated. One feasibility test of the electrically conducting coating on samples of glass tubing has been completed. Task C: Design and Construction of Test Stand, Task E: Pressure and Temperature Instrumentation for Test Section and Task F: Power Supply for Test Section. Preliminary engineering has been initiated on these tasks. The planned approach has been defined in each case. For Task E the transducer specifications have been defined and quotations on and/or sample units of the transducers have been requested. Tasks C and F can proceed with detailing as soon as drafting on Task B is about 50 percent complete. This point is scheduled to be reached during the first part of July. Task D: Void Fraction Instrumentation. The requirements for the x-ray instrumentation have been considered in the course of Task B and the x-ray power supply is presently on hand. The detailed engineering effort on this task is not scheduled to begin before July.

At the request of Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, four plutonium strips 0.050 inches thick, 0-50 inches in width and 6 inches in length have been examined by metallographic, chemical, X-ray, density and dilatometric methods. The data obtained will help calibrate high energy electrical discharge equipment used to rapidly heat plutonium.

Heat transfer calculations were performed with the aid of the IBM 7090 to determine whether or not feasible graphite channel coring patterns could be adopted at the five older Hanford Reactors. The purpose of front and rear process channel coring is to significantly reduce or eliminate net expansion of the fringe graphite by raising the operating temperature above the annealing temperature of 300{degree}C. The results of the study show that such coring patterns are possible. Also, it was found to be possible, and indeed desirable, to standardize the patterns into one front face coring pattern and one rear face coring pattern for all five of the reactors: B, D, F, DR, and H. The resulting coring patterns are presented. These coring patterns will significantly reduce the net rate of expansion in the filler blocks and consequently reduce the inlet and outlet humps in the process channels. This will allow standard 8-inch fuel elements to be charged in all tubes. The afore-mentioned coring patterns will limit the pile gas atmosphere to a range of between 90% He - 10% CO{sub 2} and 100% He. If a greater percentage of CO{sub 2} were used following the adoption of the coring patterns, the …

Abstract. By means of the pulse radiolysis technique a short-lived transient species has been observed in irradiated de-aerated ethanol and methanol, exhibiting an optical absorption throughout the visible and near infra-red. This transient is suggested to be the solvated electron on the basis of the nature of the spectrum, the reactivity with hydrogen ion and with various organic electron acceptors, and the formation of mononegative ions of some of these acceptors. The absolute rate constants have been determined for the reactions of the solvated electron with hydrogen ion, oxygen and benzyl chloride in ethanol and methanol. The diphenylide ion was found to be short-lived in ethanol. The absolute rate constant for the first-order decay of the diphenylide ion has been determined.

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 …

Progress made in the development and operation of LAMPRE I (Core II) is summarized. Information is included on irradiated capsule scanning, heat transfer calculations, and core calculations. Development of the Core Test Facility is reported. Metallographlc evaluation of LAMPRE fuel capsules is accomplished by studying fabrication techniques, plutonium- cobalt-- cerium fuels, cerium-based alloy fuels, uranium-- manganese-- plutonium fuels, and capsules of tantalum, tantalum-- tungsten alloy, and niobium. Phase studies are made of various plutonium alloy systems. (N.W.R.)

From introduction: It is the purpose of this study to present field measurements of dispersion in a river and a canal, whose characteristics are unlike streams in which similar work has been done. The Colorado River and the Pierce Canal were selected for testing.

Declassified 27 Nov 1973. Design and operating parameters for three radioisotope-powered thermoelectric generators for use on the Voyager spacecraft are presented. The generators are fueled with /sup 244/Cm and produce 285 W(e) each. (TFD)

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Abstract. An a priori calculation of the radiolysis of oxygen gas in the pressure ; range 10-3 to 100 atm has been made. In the low background region (1- 100 atm) all track effects have been considered. The calculated G(O3) values seem to be in reasonable agreement with experiment if only one excited oxygen molecule is initially formed per ion pair. Effects of pressure, LET and dose rate have been discussed. The radiation-induced chain decomposition of O3 has not been considered.

Abstract. The rate constants for the reaction of the hydrated electron eaq with a number of solutes and with radicals formed in water radiolysis are reported. Hydrated electrons were formed in the electron pulse irradiated solutions at concentrations in the range from 1 to 10 pM. Their reaction was followed by the decay of the optical absorption of eaq at 5780 A. Generally a 04 psec pulse of 15 MeV electrons was used. In the absence of eaq scavengers, second-order kinetics prevailed owing to the dominance of the reactions,eaq+eaq, eaq+H, and eaq+H202 when OH radical scavengers were present in alkaline solution. An analysis of the decay curves leads to values for keaq+eaq and keaq+H of 0.9~ 1010 and 3 x 1010 M-1 sec-1, respectively. With scavenger present in excess over [eaq], pseudo first-order kinetics were found and rate constants for a number of inorganic and organic compounds are reported. The agreement of these and other rate constants with diffusion-controlled reaction theory is discussed.

This document details activities of the N-Reactor Department during the month of May 1963.

The research and development activities reported on are: enriched fuel (1.25% U{sup 235}), flex 2 code development, Pu burning and recycle, single tube fuel element, heavy isotope production, U{sup 233} -- Th{sup 232} fuel cycle, physics input for economic studies, Pu{sup 240} effective resonance integral, N-Reactor operator certification lectures, bases for control and nuclear instrumentation, and shield evaluation. (GHH)

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This document is a recommendation to change the MWD factors used by Production Computing Operation, IPD, to calculate Tritium yields from target fuel irradiated in the Hanford Production Reactors. The linear Tritium yield equations in the Nuclear Materials computer programs will not be affected by this change.

Report issued by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards discussing piston gage pressure and reducing errors of measurement. Sources of error are described and evaluated in order to "reduce the magnitude of overall error of measurement" (p. 1). This report includes tables, and illustrations.

Report discussing pressure measurements made with piston gages that are affected by gravity, temperature, pressure, and several other variables. For accurate determinations of pressure the calculations must take these variables into account. A general equation is developed and simplified procedures for calculating pressure are illustrated.

Report of the refractive indices and densities of aqueous solutions of invert sugar at temperatures of 15, 20, 25, and 30º C, for concentrations up to about 82 percent of invert sugar (by weight). From the results, equations have been derived which relate the refractive index and percent of invert sugar (weight in air) at each temperature. Other equations relate the absolute density and percent of invert sugar (weight in vacuum) at each temperature. Five-decimal tables giving the refractive indices and densities of invert sugar solutions containing 1 to 85 percent of sugar are given for each percentage of invert sugar at the four temperatures.