A method has been developed for determining neptunium -237 in human urine specimens. The urine is acidified, then concentrated by evaporation. Uranium is removed by a double lanthanum fluoride precipitation using ferrous ammonium sulfate and hydroxylamine hydrchloride as reducing agents. Separation from plutonium is effected by a thenoyltrifluoroacetone extraction using potassium iodide-hydrazine or potassium iodide-hydroxylamine to reduce plutonium to Pub$sup +3$ and neptunium to Np$sup +4$. The trivalent plutonium is not extracted by TTA. Neptunium is stripped from the TTA with HCL and electrodeposited on stainless steel discs from an acid-chloride electrolyte. Recovery of a 200 alpha cpm Np$sup 237$ spike is 87% ± 8.5% LE$sub x$ and of a 1 alpha cpm Np$sup 237$ spike is 80% ± 26% LE$sub x$.

The scope of this report is as follows: (1) Presentation of data obtained from the well flow metering tests performed during the week of May 28, 1962; (2) Interpretation of the observed data relative to total mass flow, chemical composition, and heat energy available from the well discharge at this stage in the well flow test program; (3) Compilation of well head pressure and temperature readings and other available pertinent data regularly logged from start of flow test program on May 18, 1962; (4) Determination of electric power generating capability of the well based on observed data; (5) Determination of quantity of major chemical constituents available from the well effluent; and (6) Conclusions and recommendations regarding well performance, future test procedures, and test equipment.

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During the reentry destruction of an isotopic generator, the mechanisms of fuel form ablation must be predictable to properly assess the nuclear hazard associated with the event. Ultimate land deposition patterns and contaminant densities are directly a function of the final ablative particle size. One mechanism of fuel form ablation is the mechanical breakup of molten material by aerodynamic forces created during hypervelocity reentry. The object of this study was to determine the feasibility of describing the breakup phenomenon by statistical mechanical analytic techniques, and to determine the applicability of employing a light gas gun and a controlled environmental range to experimentally observe the breakup phenomenon. (auth)

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Declassified 24 Sep 1973. Two detailed, conceptual process, equipment, and plant designs were prepared for facilities for recovering spent Rover fuel (highly enriched uranium-graphite) at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plart. The results of the study indicate that the fluoridevolatility process is preferred on both economic and technical grounds. Both processes employ a comnion fuel shipping, storage, and charging system and use continuous, fluidized-bed oxidation of the fuel as the first step of the head-end operation. Subsequent operations in the aqueous process include batch leaching the ash with 5 M HF--10 M HNO/sub 3/ in two parallel lines of Teflon-lined leaching and feed-preparation equipment, followed by solvent extraction to decontaminate and recover the uranium as uranyl nitrate. Post-burning operations in the fluoride-volatiiity process include the continuous fluidized-bed and moving-bed fluorination of the ash followed by partial condensation to remove niobium pentafluoride and passage of the UF/sub 6/ through heated sodium fluoride pellets to completely decontaminate the uranium. The uranium is recovered as uranium hexafluoride. (auth)

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Declassified 24 Sep 1973. Two chloride volatility processes for the recovery of uranium from the combustion ash from spent Rover fuel were studied in the laboratory. The fuel consists of graphite impregnated with uranium carbide. The cooling channels are of niobium carbide. In each method, the uranium is isolated as UCl/sub 4/ and it may be further processed by aqueous solvent extraction (Darex) or fluoride volatility methods. The combustion-- chlorination process involves burning the fuel elements in oxygen at 700 to 9O0 deg C and then chlorinating the uranium and niobium oxide products with 15 vol% CCl/sub 4/-85 vol% Cl/sub 2/ at 500 deg C. The volatilized uranium and niobium chlorides are collected at room temperature and then separated by selective volatilization of niobium chloride by controlled heating to 400 deg C. Uranium recovery is quantitative, and less than 1% of the niobium remains with the uranium. Corrosion rates for nickel or high-nickel alloys are expected to average about 0.5 mil/month through the cycle. The combustion-chlorination process should be reducible to large-scale practice because the reactions proceed readily, and the corrosion problems are minor. In the direct chlorination process, rough-crushed Rover fuel is treated with chlorinating and mixed chlorinating-- oxidizing …

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