The purpose the production test described in this document was to evaluate by pile irradiation the stability and resistance to rupture of powdered metal compacts.

The objective of the experimental studies reported herein was to demonstrate the laboratory-developed mercury-catalyzed dissolving procedure on a pilot-plant scale by conducting a series of test dissolutions of aluminum-jacketed, unirradiated uranium in the 150-gallon downdraft type semiworks dissolver in 321 Building. It was desired to establish: (1) the effect of the larger-scale operation on time cycle; (2) dissolution rates of aluminum and uranium, (3) controllability of the reactions, and (4) the concentration of mercury catalyst required.

This report addresses the basic research and particle accelerators.

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the Standard Analytical Methods manual was prepared for the purpose of consolidating and standardizing all current analytical methods and procedures used in the Reactor Section for routine chemical analyses. All procedures are established in accordance with accepted practice and the general analytical methods specified by the Engineering Department. These procedures are specifically adapted to the requirements of the water treatment process and related operations. The methods included in this manual are organized alphabetically within the following five sections which correspond to the various phases of the analytical control program in which these analyses are to be used: water analyses, essential material analyses, cotton plug analyses boiler water analyses, and miscellaneous control analyses.

Chemistry of Feed Materials. Studies were made of the first step in the reduction of UO/sub 3/ to UO/sub 2/. The rates of reduction of pelleted- hydrated and pelleted-dehydrated UO/sub 3/ to U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ in steam were determined. The rates of reduction of pelleted U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ to UO/sub 2/ in 1-to-1 ammonia-steam were determined. Some preliminary measurements were made on the thermal conductivities of hydrated and dehydrated UO/sub 3/ wafers. Purification of Th(NO/sub 3/)/sub 4/ for spectrographic standards is described. Uranium was extracted from MgF/sub 2/ slag with an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate --bicarbonate using 0/sub 2/ at 30 psi as an oxidant. The conversion of thorium benzoate to ThCl/sub 4/ was carried out with HCl in ether. Dimethyl ether was prepared by the catalytic dehydration of methanol. The processing of UO/sub 3/ containing As contamination is described. Metallurgical Investigations. A process for stripping Af and Ni coatings from flat plates is described. Analytical Chemistry. The spectrographic determination of dysprosium and gadolinium in lanthanum oxide matrix--rare earth concentrate is described. (W.L.H.)

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The use of liquid-liquid extraction for the separation of some inorganic compounds was demonstrated. The yttrium-- rare earth concentrates were obtained from Fergusonite ore, Gadolinite ore, and a by-product from an ion-exchange resin separation process. In each case the mixture in terms of oxide was composed of from 50 to 60% yttrium and 5 to 15% heavy rare earths with the light rare earth fraction constituting the remaining material. Tributyl phosphate was generally employed for exracting nitric acid solutions of these concentrates. Single-stage exractions indicated that the relative exractability of certain rare earths from an aqueous system, 3.0 molar or greater in nitric acid, increases with atomic number. At lower nitric acid concentrations deviations from this trend were observed. The mass transfer values showed a minimum at a nitric acid concentration of about 6.0 molar. Yttrium extracts in the holmium region from a highly concentrated nitric acid system, in the dysprosium region from a 6 to 12 molar nitric acid system, in the gadolinium region from a 3.0 to 4.5 molar nitric acid system and with the lighter rare earths from very low nitric acid systems. A number of 20-stage countercurrent extractions were carried out employing nitric acid solutions of …

Concurrently with the production of canned uranium slugs for pile operation there arises the problem of nondestructive testing so that no slug which may fail structurally during operation be placed in the pile. The ultimate goal of any such testing program is to devise nondestructive testing methods which will eliminate defective slugs. A secondary goal of the testing program is to learn as much as possible about the construction of the canned slug so that the mechanisms of failure can be understood. Radiography, an increasingly useful nondestructive test method, offered one possible way of investigating this area.

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"For a central station reactor power plant of the sodium-graphite type, two designs have been investigated. The first operates as a converter using slightly enriched uranium fuel and produces 150 electrical megawatts. The second operates as a thermal breeder using a U233-Th alloy fuel and produces 300 electrical megawatts. Consideration has also been given to the problem associated with the design and operation of the Sodium Reactor Experiment. All work related to the plutonium plus power sodium-graphite pilot plant, which was undertaken at an earlier date, has been completed."