This document details activities of the irradiation processing department during the month of June 1960. 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.

The objective of this report is to summarize all in-reactor operating data associated with PT-288-A. This document will serve as a ready reference to the irradiation history of the fuel elements, and will record any anomalies encountered in the performance of this test.

The loop was charged October 30, 1959 with seven 12-inch Natural Uranium Zircaloy-2 clad 7-rod clusters. The test was primarily for the new hot-headed method of end closure used on these elements. The loop was pressure tested at 4000 psi after it was charged. Initially the loop was held at low-temperature to study the buildup of oxygen (presumably from radiolytic decomposition of water). After startup the neutron activity held at slightly above normal but the strainer gamma activity was exceptionally low. Frequent additions of LiOH bombs were necessary to maintain the pH at 10.0 (previously it was 4--5 pH but was raised to pH 10 for this test.) After the temperature was raised to operating conditions the pH held nicely at 10. On November 16, 1959, the heat exchanger exit temperature thermocouple blew out resulting in depressurization of the loop and a reactor scram. Repairs were made during the outage and the loop was returned to normal operation. Eleven scrams occurred during the test period caused by 105-KE or 1706-KER.

When mockups of typical gasketed joints proposed for the HWCTR were subjected to thermal and pressure cycling that simulated reactor operating conditions, the average leakage rate was less than 0.11 lb of water per year per linear inch of gasket. The joints were exposed to deionized light water and were cycled 100 times from about 70 deg C and atmospheric pressure to 250 deg C and 1000 psig. (auth)

Report issued by the Brookhaven National Laboratory discussing fuel reactor test loops. The "design, construction, operation, and experimental results" (p. 1) are presented. This report includes tables, illustrations, and photographs.

To date a great deal of emphasis has been placed on flattening the side-to-side and top-to-bottom flux distribution with only minor effort to improve the front-to-rear distribution. Minor variations in the front-to-rear distribution have been achieved by horizontal control rod and Supplemental control positioning. It has-been reasonably well established that the rupture potential for one tube charge increases markedly with higher specific power and temperature; thus there is a great deal of incentive to flatten in the front-to-rear dimension. Although flattening in this dimension will caure increased neutron leakage out of the reactor, this is compensated by increased conversion efficiency resulting from a more uniform exposure distribution within the tube charge. The purpose of this document is to describe the basic analytical methods and the techniques, of flattening front-to-rear through the integrated use of enrichment and poison material in combination with natural uranium, and to point out the requirements to insure that total control criteria is satisfied in the event of a water loss with this loading. For the purpose of this survey report an old reactor, 32-piece charge length, and a symmetrical front-to-rear distribution were considered; however, the methods given can be extended quite easily to different length and …

The fabrication of the Mark-II fuel loading for EBR-I, consisting of a U- 2 wt.% Zr alloy, is described. Fuel slugs measuring 0.383 in. in diameter were centrifugally cast to size in massive Cu molds. The resulting microstructure was characterized by a fine grain size and a completely random grain orientation not easily obtained in wrought fissile material of comparable composition, even after heat treatment. Reproducibility of the desirable as-cast structure and physical properties of the fuel slugs was automatic. On thermal cycling in NaK in the temperature range from 50 to 550 deg C, the resulting fuel slugs exhibited negligible growth, even after 570 cycles. The gross weight of the 477 alloy fuel slugs produced in 31 productive melts was 67,199.6 g. The over-all process yield was 91.71%. These fuel slugs were loaded into 227 fuel rcds for shipment to EBR- I. (auth)

The mechanisms and kinetics of uranium corrosion and fuel element ruptures were investigated in water and steam at 170 to 500 deg C and at 100 to 2800 psig. The fuel element samples were coextruded Zircaloy-clad uranium-core rods and tubes which were defected prior to exposure. Uranium corrosion was found to be the sum of two processes; direct oxidation by water, and oxidation of uranium hydride intermediate. Fuel element ruptures occur in two stages; an initial induction period followed by an accelerating corrosion of the core causing the cladding to blister, swell, and fracture. Uranium corrosion and fuel element ruptures were examined with respect to temperature, pressure, steam versus liquid water, heat treatment, carbon content of uranium, zirconium content of uranium, cladding thickness, fuel geometry, annular spacings, defect geometry and size, coolant flow, hydriding of Zircaloy components, and irradiation effects. (auth)

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In determining radionuclide sorption by clay minerals, shortcomings in the filtration technique for solid separation and in the contact times selected for testing were noted. Filters were found to have a high affinity for cesium and strontium when these elements were present in tracerlevel concentrations. Sorption equilibrium was not established in 24 hr, and the contact time was extended to 7 days. The affinity of the clay minerals illite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, and vermiculite for selected radionuclides was established after these shortcomings in the testing procedure were corrected. Illite exhibited a very high affinity for Cs/sup 137/ (K/sub d/ =200,000 after 7-day contact); none of the clay minerals demonstrated exceptionally high affinity for strontium (K/ sub d/ = 4000 for kaolinite, which was the highest measured value). The behavior of cobalt and zirconium-niobium was complicated by the colloidal nature of the elements. The uptake of the above radionuclides by a composited sample of Clinch River sediment showed that cesium and strontium behaved in accordance with the mineralogic character of the sediment. The sediment sorbed more cobalt than was accountable by the mineral composition; organic matter interactions with the cobalt are thereby suspected. (auth)

The purpose of this document is to describe the design and construction of a full-scale, electrically-heated model of a 19-rod PRTR fuel element for use in heat transfer experiments.

A test was made to determine the over-all effects of reduced coolant purification on the reactor plant. The effects were increased specific activity, gross gamma activity, and fission product activity of the reactor cooling system. (W.L.H.)

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Abstract. The idea of determining potentials from phase shifts is here called the "optical model" while the construction of an effective single particle scattering potential from the known two-body forces is called the "optical potential." A novel method is given for construction of the optical potential with the Pauli principle and its difficulties are pointed out. In the Appendix one connection between the optical potential and optical model is given.

Neutron multiplication measurements were made on cylindrical assemblies containing layers of plutonium metal disks, Plexiglas disks, and boron carbide impregnated Epolene-n disks. In addition to the above nuclear safety measurements, curves were drawn for a 42-in.diameter stainless-steel tank containing an aqueous solation of UO/sub 2/(NO/sub 3/)/sub 2/ and poisoned with Pyrex Raschig rings. Attempts were made to calculate sphere, infinite cylinder and slab shapes from the experimental finite cylindrical assemblies. (auth)

From introduction: "This is the third of a series of quarterly reports which will cover the progress and results from the conceptual design, economic evaluations and research and development work performed by the General Electric Company as part of the Nuclear Superheat Project."

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Abstract: A generalized equation of state developed by Gouq-Jen Su and Chien-Hou Chang is used for predicting P-V-T behavior of BF3 at high gas densities.

A research and development program to investigate the feasibility of eliminating vapor closure for the Pathfinder Reactor was conducted. The major inquiry under the feasibility study involved an analysis of the complex transient conditions occurring in the reactor cavity, the pump rooms, and the entire reactor building following a primary system rupture. To solve the simultaneous nonlinear set of equations evolving from the heat, mass, and force balances in the system, an IBM-704 digital computer program was developed. The program has a very general input and can therefore be used with other containment designs. Input parameters include: initial pressures in reactor and throughout the containment building, hent capacity of vessel, decay heat, feedwater flow rate, enthalpy of feedwater, and volume of primary coolant system. (auth)

This paper describes the measurement of control rod strength in the PCTR. The first section outlines the theory and method of such a measurement, and the second section presents the results of the measurement of the Experimental Gas Cooled Reactor (EGCR) control rod strength. The reactor parameter actually inferred is the difference in the infinitive multiplication factor for a control rod supercell with and without the control rod in place in the supercell. These measurements are, therefore, very closely related to the measurement of k∞ for an ordinary lattice cell.

Laboratory experiments and in-pile loop tests designed to evaluate, explain, and predict the performance of mixedbed ion exchange columns in the base form for the control of radioisotopes in reactor coolants are summarized. The results of these tests are evaluated with the aid of a simple theory of column performance for absorption of radioactivity decaying ions, based on an approximate model for an ion exchange column. It is concluded that LiOH form resin will perform satisfactorily for both pH control and activity removal and that it is more effective than either KOH resin or NH/sub 4/OH resin for these purposes. (auth)

Test quantities of thoria (aporoximately 3800 lb of thorium oxide and 3200 lb of mixed thorium-uranium oxide) were prepared during FY-1960 for members of the Reactor Experimental Engineering Division (REED). For preparation of thorium oxide, the calcination temperature was varied from 650 to 1800 deg C. The surface area of the fired oxide ranged from 0.5 to 25 m/sup 2//g and the mean particle size ranged from 1 to 8 microns. For preparation of mixed thorium-- uranium oxide, the calcination temperature was varied from 1050 to 1225 deg C. The mixed oxide contained either 0.5, 3.0, or 8.0 wt.% of uranium as requested with a mean particle size of 1.5 microns. The over-all losses of thorium and uranium were 19.4 and 18.3%, re spectively. Four 1400 lb batches of thorium nitrate were dissolved to prepare solutions containing 300 to 350 g/liter of thorium for solvent extraction studies in the Chemical Technolcgy Division and 2100 lb of dry, recovered waste thorium oxide was supplied to the ORNL Fuel Cycle Program. (auth)

The concept of thermonuclear explosives as a potentially cheap and almost inexhaustible energy source for mankind's non military needs has for several years been under active consideration at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory. Many of the proposed peaceful applications involve underground nuclear explosions, and several experiments at the AEC Nevada Test Site have provided valuable insight into the phenomenology of such explosions. Among the possible uses currently under consideration are excavation, heat production, isotope production, mining, recovery of oil from shales and tar sands, improvements of ground water supplies, and the construction of earth fill dams. In addition a program of experimental research in the laboratory and in the field is under way. Sometime in 1961 Project Gnome if approved will be conducted in New Mexico. The purpose of Gnome, a contained nuclear explosion in a salt deposit, is to study the feasibility of heat recovery and isotope production, neutron scattering experiments will also be included. Other proposed nuclear projects will involve the creation of a small harbor near Cape Thompson, Alaska as the result of an experiment designed to investigate the cratering effects of nuclear explosives; a proposal to investigate the recovery of oil from Canadian tar sands using thermonuclear …

A discussion of the hazards and philosophy of plutonium handling is presented. Glove box construction and materials are also discussed along with handling techniques and work being done with plutonium in various parts of this country. (J.R.D.)