The Columbia River Cooling Program basically consists of effecting a reduction in river temperature at the Hanford site during the summer season. The implementation of this program in recent years has been accomplished through the selective and controlled discharge of waste water at Grand Coulee Dam. The purpose of this report is to describe the river cooling program conducted in CY-1965 by Facilities Engineering personnel, and present the program results.

None

Tantalum-sheathed plutonium fuel pins were prepared for the first core loading of the Los Alamos Molten Plutonium Reactor Experiment-I. Plutonium--10 at.% iron alloy was prepared by co-reduction and by co-melting methods. After casting the alloy into rods, each rod was machined and finished to a 0.357-in.- diameter piece weighing 175 g. The finished alloy rod was finally placed in a tantalum sheath, then sealed by fusion welding to a tantalum cap. Procedures and equipment used for alloying, casting, machining, welding, and inspection are described. Methods used to prepare rods of other low-melting plutonium alloys also are discussed. (auth)

A generalized correlation for the liquid fraction in twophase flow is presented which is proposed for use with all iluids, including liquid metals. The correlation is based on isothermal, two-phase, two-component liquid fraction data for liquid Hg--N/sub 2/ and water-air. Liquid fraction is shown to be a function of the Martinelli flow modulus and liquid/gas density and viscosity ratios. Good correspondence is indicated between the liquid fraction predicted by this correlation and the Martinelli-Nelson correlation for steam, experimental data for steam, and experimental data for Santowax R. Prediction of liquid fraction by this method is shown for Na, K, Rb, and Hg. Application of the method to boiling Hg, for a range of temperatures and exit qualities, is demonstrated for SNAP systems. (auth)

None

The conversion of strontium-90 to strontium titanate heat source pellets is described. Encapsulation of the fuel in Hastelloy C containers and necessary leak testing, decontamination and calorimetry procedures are covered. Loading of the SNAP 7B thermoelectric generator was accomplished. (auth)

None

The thoria program at Hanford was initiated in response to an order placed by the Atomic Energy Commission for the production of uranium-233 from the irradiation of thorium or thorium oxide (thoria). The initial orders called for approximately 130 kg U-233 and subsequent orders have since increased this figure. This report provides a brief history of the thoria program, an analysis of the thoria target element failures which occurred during the irradiation phase, and the significant changes in the fabrication methods and inspection criteria and techniques which were made in response to the large number of failures that occurred in the early stages of the program. The thoria program has sustained 25 thoria target element failures. Eighteen of these failures are believed to have been caused as a result of water entry through fabrication defects in the closure weld. Two of the failures were attributable to water entry through the cladding as a result of charging machine damage, and the remaining five failures were caused by water entry in some undetermined manner. The majority of thoria element failures occurred in the early stages of the program. Upon determining the cause of failure, Production Fuels Section initiated programs to upgrade the …

The purpose of this report is to define the extent of modifications necessary to increase capacities of the 100-B, C, D, DR, F, and H water plants for reactor flows of 90,000 95,000 105,000 and 115,000 GPM, and to provide supporting data for budget studies for increased production.

None

The accuracies which can be achieved in analog recording systems are for the most part tape limited. While reasonable variations in tape speed do not directly affect the accuracy, such variaticns result in improper tape tensioning, which in turn results in poor head-to-tape contact. The quality of the tape transport mechanism should be such that the error introduced by improper head- totape contact is less than tape errors. Some additional equipment is necessary in setting up a tape recorder for a given experiment. The amplitude of the input pulse spectrura to the recorder should be adjusted for optimum value and, if possible, the counting rate should be adjusted to obtain good tape utilization. An oscilloscope is probably adequate to satisfy both conditions. (auth)

Three tests have been run in the ETR in high temperature, high pressure, recirculating water. In one test, previously unirradiated fuel elements were used and in the other two the fuel was irradiated to 2400 MWD/T at HAPO prior to insertion in the ETR. Failure was initiated by shearing off a projection on the surface of one rod of a fuel element, thus opening a 25-mil hole through the cladding. The projection was sheared off by a hydraulically operated chisel controlled from outside the reactor. The first test was operated seven hours after the defect was opened with no failure. Failure is defined as having occurred when sufficient uranium oxide has formed to split open the cladding and release large amounts of fission products into the loop water. The second test was operated for fourteen hours after the defect was opened with again no failure. The third test was operated for only 33 minutes after the defect cap was sheared off before fission product activity in the loop water caused the test to be terminated.

None

Primary, secondary, and thermal stresses were calculated and evaluated for the SNAP-8 developmental reactor fuel element cladding. The effects of fabrication and assembly stresses, as well as test and operational stresses were included in the analysis. With the assumption that fuel-swelling-induced stresses are nil, the analytical results indicate that the cladding assembly is structurally adequate for the proposed operation.

None

None

None

None

In studies of the effect of alloying elements on the rate of dissolution of Al in mercury-catalyzed nitric acid, it was observed that Co, Ni, and Si present at concentrations of 1 to 2% have significant passivating effects. Fe was slightly catalytic. Passivation due to Si was partly overcome by contacting the passive alloy with active, high-purity Al. Increased catalyst concentration improved the rates when Ni and Si were present. Neither approach was effective when Cu was the passivating element. For application to nuclear fuel reprocessing, it is suggested that for minimum reprocessing costs the potentially passive Al alloys not be used in fuel elements or that, failing this, electrochemical activation techniques be applied at the processing plant. (auth)

Several theories have been advanced regarding the structure and characteristics of the aluminum hydroxide molecule when produced from alum in the water treatment process. The Water Treatment Task Force initiated this test to exploit a theory that increased adsorption of soil-leached elements, present in Columbia River water, by the floc particle would occur when the precipitate vas formed in its terminal pH state. This report discusses a half-plant test which was initiated at E Reactor Plant wherein the total sulfuric acid for pH correction was added with the alum to evaluate its affect on reactor effluent radionuclides.

This is the fifth in a series of reports presenting the status and deterioration rates of the B. D, DR, F, and H biological shields. The last previous reports covering the period 1959 through March 31, 1961, indicated no significant decreasing trends in the attenuating effectiveness of the biological (iron-masonite) shields. At that time the combination of increasing average helium percentages and adding fringe poison in the smaller reactors resulted in corresponding reductions in shield temperatures below previous levels. Since then, there has been both an increase in reactor power levels and a greater emphasis on reduction of helium usage. Consequently, to limit biological shield temperatures and reduce the shield leakage, additional fringe poison has been employed for shield protection. This report covers the period from late 1960 through January 1, 1964.

None

The objective of this production test is to measure deposition on fuel element temperatures during irradiation in high pH water. A Zircaloy-2 jacketed natural uranium solid cylindrical fuel element with thermocouples located at various positions in the element and adjacent coolant channel will be irradiated in the KER Loops to measure the effect of crud film buildup on fuel temperature. Two 1.82 by 1.45 inch enriched 36 inch long tubular elements will be used to provide enough heat to permit operation of the loops at temperature. Duration of the test will depend upon the results obtained; however, the maximum exposure of any of the uranium in the loading will not exceed 1000 MWD/T.

None