The monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, December 1963. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, and physics and instrumentation research, and applied mathematics, and programming operations are discussed.

Water testing of the RI-7C3 impeller in the Pt-2 test stand was completed. Still photographs and movies showed that a vortex was present on the leading edge tip of all blades at NPSH values up to 150 ft at all five test flows of 660, 680, 700, 720, and 740 gpm. Sound data showed a possible correlation with the cavitation performance of the impeller. The sound intensity increased until the tip vortices entered the flow channels and then decreased, reaching a minimum just before head loss occurred. As the head fell off, the sound intensity increased to a level as great or greater than the previous maximum. The TP-1 turbopump detail parts required to complete the assembly of the pump in its modified form were completed. The turbopump was assembled with the tested impeller and installed in the PT-4 water pump test stand. The pump was operated at low speed to assure proper seating of the seals and testing started. The PT-6 liquid metal test stand construction drawings were completed. Construction of the test stand was started by disassembling, cleaning, and acid pickling the entire loop piping. Reassembly of the test loop was started. (N.W.R.)

A research program is being conducted to obtain experimental data in the irradiation of plutonium-enriched fuel to confirm a theoretical model for predicting isotopic composition and reactivity changes in plutonium-enriched, light-water-moderated reactors. Autoradiographs of unirradiated fuel indicated approximates 10% microsegregation of the PuO/sub 2/. The irradiations of flux wires and the project fuel element in VBWR are described; the fuel element was removed after approximates 5000 Mwd/t burnup when VBWR operation was stopped in Dec. 1963. Progress on the EPITHERMOS code is described. (D.L.C.)

Development progress is reported on fast reactors, liquid metal cooled reactors, ZPR-III No. 22 and 44, Z PR-VI No. 1, ZPR-IX, Borax-V, Faret, EBR-I, EBR-II, treat, Fermi Fast Breeder Reactor, critical assemblies, Argonne Advanced Research Reactor, EBWR, magnetohydrodynamic cells, thermionic cells, fuel cells, and boiling water reactors. Reactor technology is reported on fuel development, physics, heat and fluid engineering, materials development and properties, chemical separations, nuclear safety, and corrosion testing. (N.W.R.)

A partial model of the reactor core was used, and demineralized water was circulated at flow rates determined by the Reynolds analogy to the prototype. Black plastic beads were introduced into the flow stream and photographed by using a Milliken camera recording at 500 frames per second. Calculations showed that 79% of the total mass flow was accounted for by this method. The 21% of the mass flow that was not accounted for was presumed to be due to flow in non- channel areas and in two non-orificed channels. Some error could also be attributed to the use of non-spherical beads that created non-uniform velocities in the channels, The visibility through the SNAP 2/10A core section, for the purpose of visual observation and optical recording, was very good. The high speed pictures were clear and sharp. The velocity determination based on the frame by frame analysis of the film did not present any problem. The experiment demonstrated that clear Lucite can be used as the material for visual flow observation in a full-scale SNAP 2/10A model core vessel. (auth)

Report documenting the progress of the Army Gas-Cooled Reactor Systems Program to develop a mobile nuclear power plant for military field operation.

This report describes EG&G activities in support of the Rover Program for the month of January, 1964. Details are discussed in succeeding sections and in the appendices with respect to the various tasks included in our scope of work. At Test Cell A., the Facility Mapping Test, EP-IV, was success- fully completed. Preparation continued for the NRX-AL program scheduled for February, 1964. At Test Cell C., a high flow acoustics test, EP- 1, was conducted. This was the last experimental plan to be completed before the Kiwi-B4D cold flow test series, scheduled to begin on 31 January 1964. Cost curves, except for Test Cell C Operations, still are somewhat below the budget.

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Research and development activities are reported on Borax-V, ZPR-III No. 44, ZPR-VI No. 1, ZPR-IX, EBR-I, EBR-II, EBWR, Treat, Faret, Rapsodie Reactor, critical assemblies, fast reactors, Argonne Low Power Research Reactor, Topsy, Godiva, Argonaut Reactor, Argonne Advanced Research Reactor, Rocket Fuel Test Reactor, magnetohydrodynamic cells, and fuel cells. Reactor technology and investigations are reported in reactor physics, fuels and materials development, component development, heat engineering, and chemical separations. Nuclear safety development in thermal and fast reactors is discussed. (N.W.R.)

Activities for each of the following departments are discussed in this report: Reactor and Materials Technology Dept.; Physics and Instruments Dept.; Chemistry Dept.; Biology Dept.; Applied Mathematics Dept.; Radiation Protection Dept.; and the Test Reactor and Engineering Services Dept.. Activities are in support of Hanford reactors (production reactors, N-reactor, PRTR reactor, etc) and reprocessing and radioactive waste management efforts at Hanford.

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Research progress on the BORAX-V, general fastreactor physics for liquid- metal-cooled reactors, fuel development, fuel reprocessing development, sodium coolant chemistry, the EBR-II, the FARET, experimental reactor and nuclear physics, theoretical reactor physics, high-temperature materials development, engineering mechanics, heat engineering, chemical separations, plutonium recycle program, the Argonne Advanced Research Reactor, the Rocket Fuel Test Reactor, magnetohydrodynamics, regenerative EMF cells, and nuclear safety is reported. (M.C.G.)

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The monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, March 1964. Reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, biology operation, and physics and instrumentation research, and applied mathematics operation, and programming operations are discussed.

Information is presented concerning coated fuel particle development and evaluation; burnup capabilities of Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/-stabilized UO/sub 2/ and stabilized fuel - BeO matrix materials; high-temperature studies of substoichiometric urania and urania solid solutions; high-temperature carbides and borides research; and high-flux reactor materials gaseous fuels research.

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S>The computer program SNAPWN VI is described which solves the space- independent reactor kinetics equations with feedback equations representing the principal shutdown mechanisms in a SNAP reactor. Reflector delay effects are treated by a reflector group model. By using an alternate main program and two alternate subroutines, spatially dependert feedback effects may be considered. Printed, CRT, and punchcard output may be obtained optionally. Sample problems are demonstrated for both versions of the code. The equations and listings are included. (auth)

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