This report presents a study of the stresses induced in the elbow and downcomer of the B and C Reactors (bulk effluent systems) by flow momentum and pressurization effects. It is desirable to ascertain the limitations on the bulk outlet temperatures and flow rates from a stress viewpoint; the elbow, top coverplate of downcomer, and top baffle plate being the most severely stressed components.

This document is Revision No. 2 of the ``Process Specifications for Critical Mass Control -- Purex Plant``. It encompasses the changes in flowsheet, equipment and plant operating philosophy that have developed since the plant startup. It supersedes Document HW-44064 (Revision No. 1). Plutonium-239 and uranium-235, either as the metals or as dissolved or solid compounds are capable of spontaneous and violent nuclear reactions. Following initial dissolution of irradiated natural uranium fuel elements the Purex Plant is normally involved in the processing of liquid solutions containing these isotopes. However, in Purex Plant solutions, uranium-235 is invariably associated with a large fraction of neutron-absorbing uranium-238, a condition which precludes the possibility of a nuclear reaction. (These specifications are based on the premise that no enriched uranium is processed in the Purex Plant.) Plutonium-239, on the other hand, is separated from uranium by means of the Purex process; and even prior (process-wise) to its separation, the ratio of plutonium to uranium must be controlled during the off-standard conditions of plutonium rework or recycle. Critical mass control in the Purex Plant is concerned solely with prevention of nuclear reactions of plutonim-239, which has been produced by irradiation of natural uranium fuel elements.

The purpose of this report is to present results of an experimental program directed toward determining the degree of protection offered by the Panellit protection system to flow losses to a single process tube containing I & E fuel elements in K reactor.

This report for June 1958, from the Chemical Processing Department at HAPO, discusses the following: Production operation; Purex and Redox operation; Finished products operation; maintenance; Financial operations; facilities engineering; research; and employee relations.

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This document details activities of the irradiation processing department during the month of June 1958. A general summary is included at the start of the report, after which the report is divided into the following sections: research and engineering operations; production and reactor operations; facilities engineering operation; employee relations operation; and financial operation.

Assistance has been requested by Financial Operation to determine the percent of firm and interruptible power used in each area for cost distribution purposes. Also, Power Operations have suggested that the power cost distribution be reviewed. In consideration of these requests, and with the use of improved demand instrumentation within the 151-B, D, and F substations, a proposal for equitable IPD electrical power cost distribution between areas is presented for acceptance or comment by Area Management.

This document consists of water shutoff data for the K-pile. Included are apparent graphite diffusivity, apparent gas gap at the surrounding tubes, graphite bore radius, apparent gas gap at the test tube, maximum graphite temperature, water shutoff time, overall resistance slug to graphite, and resistance of bore gas annulus to heat transfer.

This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, June, 1958. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, physics, instrumentation research, employee relations, operations research, synthesis operation, programming, radiation protection, and laboratory auxiliaries operation are discussed.

The objective of this test is to authorize large-scale irradiations of X-8001 (formerly designated M-388) alloy jacketed fuel elements in order to evaluate their suitability to the reactor process.

2-Carboxy-4-ketopentitol is converted enzymatically by a cell-free preparation from spinach leaves into a substance undergoing acid-lactone interconversion. This substance has no phosphate or letone group and is probably a dicarboxylic, six-carbon sugar acid or the saccharic or saccharinic acid type. The significance of these findings with regard to the metabolic role of 2-carboxy-4-ketopentitol diphosphate is discussed.

The discovery of the delayed light emission of plant materials by Strahler and Arnold in 1951 has stimulated a good deal of interest in this rather remarkable property. The emitted light has been shown to be due to an electronic transition between the first excited singlet state of chlorophyll and the ground state. At room temperature, a luminescence is observable from about 0.01 seconds to several minutes after excitation. Thus, the electronic transition cannot be rate-determining and the process represents neither normal fluorescence nor normal phosphorescence. Indeed, there is some evidence that the decay curve of the luminescence is the resultant of more than one rate-limiting process. Strahler and co-workers have been able to demonstrate the existence of many relationships between delayed light emission and photosynthesis and thus have been led to interpret the luminescence phenomena as a consequence of the reversibility of some of the enzymatic photosynthetic reactions. Moreover, Tollin and Calvin have shown that the faster decaying components of the delayed light are present to as low a temperature as -100 C, suggesting that the early processes following light-absorption are non-enzymatic in nature. These latter observations, in conjunction with several other types of experimental and theoretical information, have …

Two eddy-current electromagnets to act as brskes were designed and installed in the sodium-cooled nuclear pcwer reactor SRE to throttle sodium flow throughout the reactor after shutdown in order to maintain a constant reactor temperature gradient. One brake was used on the primary piping system, the other on the secondary system. It was determined that the eddy-current brake should cause a dragging pressure of 0.3 psi at a flow rate of 12 gal/min. The flux density necessary to produce this pressure was calculated, and the coil ampere- turns required to produce this fiux density were determined. Both brakes were controlled by thermocouples and performance was satisfactory. (M.C.G.)

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The kinetics of the gamma deg C was con- beta deg C was con- alpha , beta deg C was con- gamma , and alpha deg C was con- beta deg C was con- gamma transformations were determined with a fiuid displacement technique. The rates of formation of the alpha and beta phases from the gamma phase were determined after gamma heat treating and allowing a sample to traasform isothermally in the alpha and beta ramges. Isothermal reaction curves were obtained from 160 C to -78C. The time-temperature-transformation curve of the gamma deg C was con- beta deg C was con- alpha transformation was plotted. The effect of the gamma heat treating time and temperature on the rate of transformation was examined. Isothermal reaction curves and time-temperature- transformation curves of the beta deg C was con- gamma , and alpha deg C was con- beta deg C was con- gamma transformations were plotted. Photomicrographs of specimens having transformed from the gamma range at different rates of transformation are presented. (auth)

A summary of the Cr data from the HRP in-pile corrosion program is examined in an effort to determine the Cr species present in such solutions under in-pile conddtions. Data from previous in-pile bomb and loop experiments pertinent to Cr behavior are tabulated, and correlations are offered to support a proposed model. It is pointed out that other interpretations of the same data are possible, and to obtain conclusive evidence as to the identity of Cr species in these solutions, especially designed experiments are necessary. (J.R.D.)

Equations are derived which relate the distribution of corrosion attack or cold-zone deposits with the ratecontrolling step of a system which exhibits a thermalgradient mass transfer. Characteristic distributions of attack and deposition are illustrated for thermalgradient mass-transfer processes which are: (1) hotzone controlled, (2) cold-zone controlled, and (3) both hot-zone and cold- zone controlled and the limitations of the method are discussed. It is concluded that both the hot-zone and cold-zone processes must be understood before the conditions leading to the least undesirable distribution of attack can be specified. (auth)

Adwanced Water Reactor Progran. Seven reaction couples were studied for 60 days at 600 and 800-C:. graphite; lead with Zircaloy-2 amd stainless steel; amd graphite with Zircaloy-2. No reactions were observed at 600 C and only lead-Zircaloy-2 appeared to react at 8OO C. Fast Power Breeder Reactor Program. EBR-I Mark III core is being fabricated. Tests in Borax-rV on sheetu showed fracturing dependent on UO/sub 2/ content. Non-destructive testing development continued. Alloying with Ru showed no improvement in corrosion properties of U. Corrosion of M388 A1 alloy as affected by Vhosphate, pH, and flow rate were studied. Production, Trcatment, amd Properties of Materials. Plastic deformation and thermal conductivity of U single crystals was studied. Ihvestigation of recrystallization of alphaU without a texture change continued. Tests of French uranium are reported. Barrier layers of UO/sub 2/ were found in sputtering of Zr and U onto U, probably resulting from impurities in the argon used. Phase traasformations in the U-C system were studied, and gamma U lattice parameters for 900k C annealed amd water quenched U-Mo-Ru are given. Studies are also reported on the Zr corrosion mechanism and sintering of ceramic materials. (For preceding period see ANL5717.) (T.R.H.)

A series of experimental castings have been made with the object of exploring the proposition that uranium and high uranium alloys could be bonded to zirconium and zirconium alloys by a direct casting method. Unalloyed uranium and uranium alloyed with 5 wt. % Zr and 1.5 wt. % Nb have been cast into zirconium and Zircaloy-2 molds of vsrious shpes and sizes. Castings made in cans of circular cross section were well bonded and sound, provided the molds were outgassed at elevated temperature before use and proper preheating precautions were observed. Molds of rectangular cross sections, however, did not yield as satisfactory results, mainly because of porosity. The asymmetry of this type of mold probably contributed to the lack of success. Good bonds were obtained between uranium and zirconium by casting into graphite molds lined on opposite sides with zirconium plates. (auth)

The objective of this program is to conduct a broad basic program of analytical and experimental research into the fundamental behavior of gas- lubricated bearings and to establish general design criteria for these bearings. The work to date has included both theoretical and experimental phases of hydrodynamic and hydrastatic lubrication phenomena, supplemented by a digital computer program. (W. L.H.)

Sanderson and Perter, under contract to the AEC, prepared a design feasibility study for a pebble-bed reactor steam power plant of 125-Mw(e) capacity. The design problems, economic considerations, and required research and development programs were reviewed by ORNL. It is concluded that the design shows promise of being economically competitive if the following conditions are met: (1) U/sup 233/ could be made available for use as a burner rather than as a breeder; (2) the contamination problems within the reactor can be successfully handled in a manner which would permit direct maintenancc on the equipment external to the core; and (3) the anticipated lifetime of the fuei ls snrffncneutly long to justify the cost assumptions of the Sanderson and Perter design. (L.T.W.)

This bibliography of the unclassified literature on radioactive waste treatment and disposal has been compiled from references published in the Nuclear Science Abstracts Volume 11, No. 11 (June 15, 1957), through Volume 12, No. 12 (June 30, 1958). The bibliography brings up to date a previous bibliography published as CF 57-8-138. (auth)

Preliminary thermodynamic tabulations for gaseous oxides are presented. (J.R.D.)

The thermal couductivity of the Pu-- Fe eutectic mixture (9.5 at.% Fe) was measured in both the solid and liquid states by the use of a guarded cylinder apparatus which operated in a high vacuum. The apparatus was designed as an absolute measuring devlce and was checked with a known material. The thermal conductivity values obtained varled from 0.034 at 220 C to 0.0412 at 400 C in the solid state and from 0.045 at 420 C to 0.045 at 520 C in the molten state, with the units of cm sec C. The curves appear to be linear with positive temperature coefficients for both phases. Reare estimated to be accurate to less than the J-57 engin 5%. (auth)