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This quarterly report details activities in analytical research by the Applied Research Unit of the Nucleonics Division during the months of April, May, and June 1952.

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It is considered appropriate occasionally to make independent checks on the effectiveness of the plant laundry in removing radioactive contamination from plant-issue protective clothing. Previous surveys have offered constructive criticism resulting in improved handling of high level and soft beta contaminated clothing and incorporation in new designs of ventilating and air sampling recommendations. Recurrently the adequacy of laundry reject limits is questioned, and only recently an accurate, special study resulted in relaxed limits for Metal Preparation area clothing. A current question concerns the advisability of determining the reject level on the beta-gamma monitor more frequently than once a day. 2 tabs.

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Periodic solids purges of reactor process tubes are necessary to remove the film deposition on slugs and tubes. This film is undesirable for it constricts the water annulus, and thereby reduces the flow of cooling water and impedes the transfer of heat from slugs to the water. Prior to February, 1951, purging was accomplished only while the reactor was in a non-operating status. Subsequently, the feasibility of successful film removal during operation has been demonstrated in accordance with the provisions of Production Test 105-417-P, ``Process Tube Purges During Reactor Operation.`` This document reviews, in the light of additional purging experience, the initial test results, which are recorded in HW-20717 and subsequent purging experience to consider the desirability of adopting the use of this purging technique as a standard practice when reactor power levels are restricted by excessive film formation in the process tubes.

This report is a memorandum requesting that two swaged thorium rods being held a MIT be sent to the Savannah River Plant for examination. The memorandum is dated October 15, 1952.

This quarterly report details activities of chemical research by the Separations Technology Unit for the months of October, November, and December 1951.

This memorandum provides a discussion of material lost upon rupture of a fuel element.

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This memorandum discusses slug rupture frequency which appears to be a factor that may limit the power level of C Pile. Since additional exposure of Group 8 uranium slugs has increased the available information on the behavior of material similar to that which will be charged into C Pile, a review of this tube power limitation has been made. Utilization of additional data has been possible by use of the revised method of calculating rupture rates discussed in reference (2).

This report addresses the density-weight percent molarity conversion equations for Uranyl sulfate-water solutions at 25°C and between 100-300°C.

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This is a progress report of the production reactors on the Hanford Reservation for the month of July 1952. This report takes each division (e.g., manufacturing, medical, accounting, occupational safety, security, reactor operations, etc.) of the site and summarizes its accomplishments and employee relations for that month.

The three main chemical problems of non-aqueous fluidfuel reactors are selection of a fuel system which meets nuclear and thermal requirements, control of corrosion of structural materials, and development of an efficient and economical separation process. The problems of the fastneutron reactor with a core of fused NaCl, PbCl/sub 2/, UCl/sub 4/ mixture and a blanket of fused UCl/ sub 4/ are discussed, except for the separation process. Brief treatment is given the Bi- U - Pu fuel system for thermal reactors, including tentative flowsheets for the separation process. A detailed discussion of the experiments of Bareis at Brookhaven and related experiments on the distribution of various metals between liquid Bi and fused-salt solutions is given, the experimental results correlated, and application made to reactor problems. A general discussion is given of nonaqueous high-temperature separation processes (L.M.T.)

The test established that a practical orifice selecting device can be made and used to control the water flow rate to a process tube at either of two accurately calibrated rates with no loss of accuracy in flow measurement. With the selector tested, there was no flow restriction during the orifice transition. The pressure fluctuations during the change were small in magnitude, and caused no operational problem. The test demonstrated that orifice selection is feasible from operating other factors justify their use.

A process for production of pure Be/sub 2/C by using the re action between beryllium and graphite powders at about 1000 deg C described. The effects of variables such as stoichiometry, reaction temperature, beryllium- powder particle size, and process-apparatus construction materials are discussed. (J.R.D.)