From introduction: "The development and demonstration of the natural uranium reprocessed plutonium cycle in power reactors is an important phase of the peaceful applications of nuclear energy."

Two water quality control labs are being provided for the the NPR. One, a "cold" lab, is located in the183 Building adjacent to the control room. Its primary purpose is to provide facilities for quality control of the output of the filter plant and the demineralizer plant. The other, a "hot" lab, is located in the 190 Building. Its primary purpose is to provide facilities for the quality control of the primary and secondary coolants, and the moderator coolant.

Observations on sheep representing flocks in Utah adjacent to the Nevada Proving Ground were compared with findings made on experimental sheep exposed to various amounts of radioiodine. The Utah sheep showed no evidence of the radiation damage observed in experimentally treated sheep. Estimations of amounts of radioiodine on vegetation required to cause serious thyroid damage following a contamination event are included.

Water treatment systems for preparing and maintaining high purity water in out-of-reactor or in-reactor test oops are becoming increasingly important. In out0of-reactor experiments the presence of ionic impurities in the water has a marked influence on film formation and corrosion rates. It is therefore , imperative that these impurities be maintained at the lower practical concentration.

The first of two general methods are discussed based on the removal of the thin layer of aluminum to which graphite adheres. Two electro-polishing techniques, an electrolytic etch, an anodization-deanodication cycle and two chemical etches are described.

In the Sulfex process, stainless steel cladding, generally 304-L, is removed from fuel elements by dissolution in boiling four to six molar sulfuric acid. When cladding removal is complete, the decladding solution is removed is removed to waste. The exposed fuel cores are rinsed and dissolved in nitric acid.

Introduction: "In the evaluation of pile designs it is necessary to know how the production varies with the number of tubes. It has been possible to solve the problem in terms of some general parameters whose values may be quickly computed for any specific design when the pertinent information is available."

Design Test Request PR-20 Calandria Characteristics, outlined the need for experimental data concerning the performance of the calandria under transient conditions. Test data was required to confirm that the moderator dump system would drop the level the required 24 inches in less than one second. The original calandria dump chamber design was modified until the criteria was met. This information is recorded in HW-58333, Interim Report, Design Test PR-20, Calandria Characteristics, which lists the drop for the first 24 inches only.

An electromagnetic instrument similar to the Multitest was built and used to test 2200 uranium slugs. It was found that the equipment could be used to detect inclusions and cracks in the uranium, but that small cracks are not readily detectable on a production basis unless the material is absolutely uniform in inclusion content. The instrument can be used, however, to sort out hidden defects of a reasonable size and to reject grossly dirty uranium.

Report discussing the use of a small-source approximation for engineering calculation of thermal piles. Explanation for how this type of approximation is more appropriate in certain problematic situations where a homogenization approximation would be doubtful is given.

The following report studies an estimation of the amount of Pu(III) and Pu(IV) present in the IBP Stream, with the purpose of establishing an analytical, method suitable for routine control analysis. A method is discussed that is based on carrying Pu(IV) upon a zirconium phanylarsonate precipitate.

A study of the nuclear safety in the storage and transportation of PRTR fuel elements has been made. This study was based on 7-rod clusters of plutonium-aluminum allow fuel elements containing 1.8 per cent Pu by weight. Each cluster is 7 feet 4 inches in length and contains 270 grams plutonium. Drawings of the "New Fuel Storage Pit" (H-3-11030) have been reviewed for nuclear safety. Nuclear safety criteria for the design of a lead shielded fuel transfer cask as well as criteria for the storage of these fuel elements outside the facilities mentioned in the above drawings have also been reviewed. For water moderated systems, a homogeneous model of plutonium, aluminum, and water was used t evaluate the critical parameters. These results should be conservative. At the conclusion of an experimental program to determine criticality parameters of PU-Al alloys in light water, a theoretical approach will be developed to calculate such criticality parameters.

The majority of two-phase flow problems involving equations of state are solved by use of point-wise utilization steam table values. In this manner, problems involving the use of the various flow equations of continuity, momentum and energy are generally forced into iterative solutions. Considerable effort towards the development of an analytical expression for the state equation seems indicated so as to simplify the analysis of two-phase problems, particularly apparent in the analysis of systems undergoing phase transformation as demonstrated by the significant difference between simple theory and experimental critical flow determinations. The assumption of homogeneous, equilibrium mixture is indicated as a first attack upon the problem.

The very strong flux gradient in the MTR reflector might be thought to be some cause of worry. However, this gradient will be minimized by the presence of the large block of aluminum, which, because of its small effect on neutrons, will tend to flatten the neutron flux in its vicinity. Advantage should be taken of the shape of the test facility by placing the water hole corner closest to the MTR core. This placement should take best advantage of the flattening potentialities of the slowing-down flux from the test slugs, by placing the nearest (beryllium) moderator on the low flux side of the assembly.

Measurements of k∞, f, p, and ∈ have been performed in the PCTR in support of the EGCR Program. The values listed below were obtained for the 21.875-inch cell used in the PCTR measurements. They are for a nonabsorbing (helium or vacuum) atmosphere.

The following document analyzes radioactive spot contamination in and around the T and B Plant Areas.

The following report discusses a method developed by Broida and Moyer, the method describes an emission spectrometer procedure for the determination of the ratio 100 D/(H4D).

Report regarding the determination of "the susceptibility to strain aging and the effect of stress-relief annealing on the properties of N-reactor connecting tubes made from ASTM A-106 Grade B high carbon steel" (p. 2).

The hydrogen contents of several types of fabricated uranium have been determined by a vacuum method and expressed in terms of ccH2/ccU. The data indicate that alpha-rolled metal contains about 0.25 ccH2(STP)/ccU whereas beta heat-treated uranium yielded values between 0.30 and 0.37 cc per cc. Restricted efforts were made to determine where in the heat treatment the 5 to 10 cc of hydrogen per slug were taken up. It appears that no one operation is wholly responsible for this additional gas, although reactions between beta heat treated surfaces containing microscopic defects, and nitric acid may possibly play a large role. In general it may be said that slug produced by powder metallurgical techniques contain less hydrogen than pieces produced by rolling and heat treatment.

Ceramic insulated, stainless steel sheathed thermocouples have been used to monitor temperatures of encapsulated uranium specimens, both in-reactor and out-of-reactor. No operational difficulties are encountered at low temperatures, but at a temperature of 700 C or greater, a eutectic is formed between uranium and iron. This reaction destroys protective sheath and results in thermocouple failure. A typical example of the phenomenon has been reported by J.W. Geffard of the Fuels Development Operation. Hanford Laboratories. Tantalum was suggested as a barrier between these metals and an evaluation of this system was made at 500 C.

Through the years, considerable effort has been expended in studies of the explosive reactions sometimes observed in the dissolution of uranium-zirconium alloys in nitric acid. It has been shown (1) that such reactions result from the rapid oxidation of finely dived solids released by the preferential dissolution of the metallic matrix. The explosive portion of such solids has been identifies (1) as an intermetallic compound with the approximate composition UZr2. This compound, referred to as the epsilon phase in previous work, has more recently (2) been termed the delta phase. The latter designation will be employed here.

A manipulator designed to support an irradiated slug at the bottom of the viewing basin, so that an operator could view it through a binocular telescope and be able to see all surfaces, was designed. Hydraulic power, using water, operates the manipulator and gears.

This is the sixth in a series of interim reports describing various phases of the study of fuel element rupture kinetics and mechanisms. Previous reports issued are: No. 1- Experimental Methods and Procedures, HW-61378, No. 2- Coextruded Rod Elements with Pinhole Defects, HW-61379, No. 3 - Mechanism of the Uranium-Water Reaction, HW - 61799, No. 4 Coextruded Tube Elements with Pinhole Defects and Various Annular Spacings, HW- 62348, No. 5- Comparison of In-Reactor and Ex-Reactor Ruptures, HW-62766. This work is being done in cooperation with the Fuel Element Design Operation of the Hanford Laboratories Operation. J. W. Goffard has been particularly helpful in supplying samples and useful discussions of the results.

Report describing Hanford Laboratories' second report regarding thin wall tubing tests. This part covers "the production [of] test equipment developed, its operation, and test results" (p. 2).