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The meeting was opened by Leo Brewer, who spoke on a ``Self-Purifying Reactor.`` This is a reactor with theoretically designed-in separations processes, involving calculations to show that it is possible to vaporize many fission products away from fuels. The reactor would be analogous to a graphite rod impregnated with a uranium or thorium compound, vapor-coated with zirconium, and cooled by liquid metal. The fission products will vaporize when the rod gets hot enough, and will be carried out of the pile in a flow of helium. The details of what will happen to the rest of the pile at these temperatures, and of the materials of construction required to handle the situation are yet to be worked out. Remarks were heard from representatives of BMI, GE, Lockland, ANL, ORNL, KAPL, AEC and MCW on properties of uranium oxides and other refractory oxides.

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This report is a summary of the physics design work performed on the Engineering Test Reactor. The ETR presents computational difficulties not found in other reactors because of the large number of experimental holes in the core. The physics of the ETR depends strongly upon the contents of the in-core experimental facilities. In order to properly evaluate the reactor' taking into account the experiments in the core, multi-region, two-dimensional calculations are required. These calculations require .the use of a large computer such as the Remington Rand Univac and are complex and expensive enough to warrant a five-stage program: 1. In the early stages of design, only preliminary two-dimensional calculations were performed .in order to obtain a rough idea of the general behavior of the reactor and its critical mass with tentative experiments in place. 2. A large amount of work was carried out in which the reactor was approximated as one with a uniform homogeneous core. With this model, detailed studies were carried out to investigate the feasibility and to obtain general design data on such points as the design and properties of the gray and black �control rods, the design of the beryllium reflector, gamma and neutron heating, the …

This volume continues with discussions of shielding provided for the heat exchanger building, concrete biological shield, top area and bottom area shielding, canal shielding, water shielding requirements during fuel element exchanges, and supplementary shielding requirements.

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This letter transmits the data from the 189-D Hydraulics Laboratory flow test on three CG-482 rear pigtails. The tests were run with a standard B, D, Dr and F rear nozzle and rear Parker fitting over the range of flows and temperatures anticipated for early CG-558 operation. The data from the test are given. All three pigtails gave essentially identical results. For comparison the results of previous tests with present rear pigtails are also plotted.

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The purpose of these investigations is to determine, grossly and simply, if a shock hazard exists from an explosive failure of the pressurizer vessel within the vapor container. Because of the geographical location of the reactor, an explosive failure which ruptured the vapor container might release radioactive contamination from the reactor to nearby inhabited communities. The study is considered more as a generic problem than of a specific design and is concerned with the shock hydrodynamics of an exploding steam vessel. (auth)

The intent of this study is to establish more completely the justifications for constructing a decontamination plant as outlined in Budget Item B 5720, ``Containmented Equipment Renovation Shop,`` FY 1957, Plant and Equipment Projects. In particular, the economic incentives have been explored. The question or idea has been investigated of assigning a dollar value to engineering information which might be obtained from examining contaminated equipment which has failed from unknown causes. Heretofore it has not been possible to examine such equipment because suitable decontamination facilities have not been available. An effort has been made to uncover all possible uses for the proposed facility in order that the estimated capital and operating costs might be evaluated in terms of all the functions which the proposed plant might perform.

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Construction of proposed facilities to be operated under Technical Division supervision for research with plutonium is discussed. An attempt is made in this memorandum to visualize the research program for such a facility for the next five years, to aid in determining whether the cost of providing such facilities is justified.

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This report summarizes the effect of irradiation on the properties of fissionable and non-fissionable materials. General property changes, irradiation of zirconium, zirconium-tin alloys, the irradiation of aluminium, irradiation of thorium and uranium, are a few of the topics discussed.

A continuous belt drier capable of handling 1000 lbs of oxycarbonate per day was completed, installed, and operated to produce a satisfactory product for chlorination. An experimental chlorinator was also completed. All necessary pants were completed for the fabrication of Horizons' Mark VI continuous electrolytic cell. Evaluations of oxycarbonate materials for chlorination wiih varying chlorinating agents were made, and many of the variables such as water content and CO/sub 2/ values were established. Extremely ductile rods were obtained from the direct extrusion of Th metal powder. Plans were completed for the Mark VI electrolytic cell. Work was continued toward the development of a semi-continuous operating electrolytic cell of 7500-a rated capacity. (D.E.B.)

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