Tests performed to determine the hazard associated with the inhalation of radioactive materials as the result of smoking with contaminated hands indicate that for dry uranium compounds adhering to the palmar surfaces of the hands, approximately 1.0% of the material may be transferred to a cigarette, and that of this approximately 0.2% may appear in the smoke which is inhaled. Most of the contamination originally placed in a cigarette was found in the ash, and only 11% of the material was not recovered following burning; approximately half of this loss may be attributed to normal losses inherent in the analytical process, the recovery efficiency for which was found by supplementary experiments to be 95%.

This report gives a brief summary of work at Battelle in support of Savannah River reactor fuel elements. Barrier effectiveness tests show that 0.2 mil nickel is a minimum for diffusion barrier application. Successful bonds by roll cladding with an electrodeposited nickel bond layer have been produced without deformation of 1 inch x 1 inch x 0.180 inch cores. Deformation of core versus pack has been established for several conditions of core dimension and rolling schedule. Apparatus for a critical extrusion test is being machined. The experiment is planned for late October. Beryllium additions to the AlSi bath suppress drossing, but they have negligible effect on intermetallic compound formation. Corrosion test failures of soldered ribs sprayed with zinc took place in 6 days regardless of solder used. The same ribs sprayed with aluminum are still intact after two weeks. Solder bonding with a flash coating of copper on both core and sheath has been satisfactorily completed with aluminum and uranium.

The installation of crossheader pressure gauges on the reactors has shown that excessive pressure drops occur across some crossheader screen assemblies, and that the pressure drop across the four inch assemblies in the B, D, and F Reactors is significantly greater than the six inch assemblies at the DR and H Reactors. Since the inlet water system pressure is limited to the 4.5 psi discharge pressure of the secondary pumps, the reduction of pressure resistance downstream of that point would result in higher reactor flow rates and increased boiling limits. This test described in this report was initiated to determine if four inch crossheader screens having equal and 50% greater free-area than DR -- H screens would significantly reduce the crossheader screen pressure drops at the B, D, and F Reactors, and to obtain information regarding cone screen plugging rates with larger size screen openings.

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About twenty-five to thirty per cent of the uranium slugs canned in the Metal Preparation Section do not meet specifications and are rejected. These rejected slugs are recovered by a chemical process and prepared for re-canning. The canning operation provides a coating of metal composed principally of elemental aluminum and silicon with traces of copper and tin, which bonds the aluminum can to the slug. The elements in intimate contact with the slug combine chemically with the uranium to form the tenacious compound layer. The current recovery process consists essentially of a sodium hydroxide-sodium nitrate bath for chemically removing the aluminum can and the bonding medium, followed by hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid baths to remove the remaining compound layer and to pickle the slugs before they are returned to the process canning line. Recent studies have indicated the possibility of using a more economical means of recovery. This includes the mechanical removal of the aluminum can and most of the bonding medium, followed by a chemical removal of the residual compound layer by a solution of sodium hydroxide. A laboratory scale investigation was made to determine whether a solution of sodium hydroxide would remove the compound layer from de-canned, …

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A set of four strong focusing magnetic quadrupole lenses has been constructed and operated. Each lens consists of four air cooled electromagnets with pole tips having a hyperbolic cross section. Each lens is 4 in. long and has an aperture 2 in. in diameter. Measurements of the magnetic field demonstrate that the hyperbolic cross section satisfies the requirements of a constant magnetic field gradient very well. The technique of deflecting a current carrying flexible wire has been used to measure the trajectory of charged particles through the system of lenses. It has been observed that the strong focusing requirements are satisfied. The system of lenses was then used to focus 0.5 Mev protons, 20 Mev deuterons, and 40 Mev alpha particles. The parallel beam of 0.5 Mev protons was detected by observing the incandescence of a quartz plate while the protons were bombarding it. The focused beam was less than 1 mm in diameter. The astigmatic 20 Mev deuteron beam from the 60 in. cyclotron was increased in current density by a factor greater than 30.

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The applicability and refinement of various procedures for the treatment and digestion of C-slags and other uraniferous residues for recovery of U values were studied. The recovery of U from BFC-6 was investigated, placing emphasis on procedures which will not chemically alter the Cu and Sn media. Methods of U recovery from various residues resulting from Na/sub 2/CO/sub 3/ digestion of miscellaneous U-bearing materials, to reduce the U/sub 3/C/sub 8/ content below 0.05%, are discussed. (W.L.H.)

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The geology of the Hanford-White Bluffs area was studied preliminary to drilling well(s) and developing an underground water supply. A study of the geology of the Hanford-White Bluffs area has shown that it consists of terrace deposits of sand and gravel covering a consolidated sandstone known as the Ringold formation. Beneath the Ringold are successive layers of basalt interbedded with volcanic ash, sand and other materials. In the past the Columbia River has cut channels through the area which extended downward into the Ringold formation. The old channels have been filled and upgraded to the present land surface in repeated flooding of the river over a long period of time. An aquifer used needed to be capable of supplying more than 34 million gallons of water per day.

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A large number of experiments relating to nuclear structure and materialization of energy will fall within the energy range of primary and secondary particles available from the Bevatron. Some experiments of interest are outlined below with pertinent comments. Proton-proton scattering can be extended to the high energy range using liquid hydrogen targets and hydrogenous materials by bombarding the target with the internal beam or using externally scattered protons. Proton-deuteron scattering measurements using liquid deuterium targets or solid materials can also be extended. Proton scattering from heavier nuclei may be found less difficult to interpret at these level energies as the nucleons will interact more or less independently. The wavelength of the bombarding particles will now be much smaller than nucleon diameters. Nuclear collisions represent by far the most important interaction between high energy nucleons and matter. Proton-neutron charge exchange interaction within the internal target will provide an external flux of neutrons which can be used directly for total nuclear cross section measurements and neutron-proton scattering. Low energy measurements, say below 200 Mev; show that nuclear interaction cross sections do not go down as 1/{lambda} as reactions become predominantly nuclear rather than electromagnetic. Measurements can now be extended into the Bev …

This report details activities of the Radiological Sciences Department during the 1953 Fiscal Year.

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