This technical progress report details 100 Area activities for the time period of May 14 through May 20, 1946.

This quarterly progress report describes four programs namely (1) The Metabolic Properties of Plutonium and Allied Materials (2) Biological studies of radiation effects, (3) Biological effects of radiation from external and internal sources, and (4) Health Physics and Chemistry. Progress for each program has been separately indexed and abstracted for the database.

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The effects of variables on the rate of Purex solvent deterioration were investigated with the emphasis on those deterioration products which cannot be removed by carbonate washing. The deterioration rate was found to be directly proportional to the acid and nitrate ion concentrations, and proportional to the square root of the concentration of nitrite ion. Other observations on the effects of temperature, relative merits of brand name solvents, and the effects of radiation are included. A method of calculating the equilibrium level of the solvent deterioration products based on study conclusions and various estimates is outlined. (J.R.D.)

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Judging from the condition of the tube walls, this heat exchanger was close to failure. The depth of intergranular attack on the inner NaK surface (0.003 in.) and the depth of subsurface voids on the fuel side (0.007 in.) were more than half the wall thickness and these measurements were only from a few scattered specimens and on one plane per specimen. The grain size was much larger in the hot end than in the cold end of the heat exchanger. This increased grain size in the hot end could be attributed to the absence of precipitate and greater triaxial stresses due to thermal expansion and a thermal differential across the tube wall. Also, the strain anneal effect due to the thermal cycling during operation at a specific temperature would accelerate grain growth. These stress conditions and the resulting change in microstructures are directly related to the operating temperature at the hot end. The greater depth of corrosion at the hot end could also be due to a greater stressed condition or a corrosion fatigue. Mass transfer was present where the NaK entered the heat exchanger, but this deposition was influenced greatly by flow against the tube walls. The maximum …

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The construction of a critical assembly is proposed for determining the characteristics of the PWAC Na-cooled, heterogeneous aircraft reactor design. The experimental facility would be located at the CANEL site. The site meteorology, hydrology, geology, and topography are considered; the facility and critical assembly design is shown, and the extent of hazards from accidents and sabotage is evaluated. (D.E.B.)

Current Panellit protection procedures, termed instability limits, come from calculations based on steady state experiments. However, the actual conditions in a process tube following a plugging occurrence sufficient to cause unstable flow are transient rather than steady state, and cannot be determined with great precision except by transient state experimentation. As a result, a program was initiated by the thermal Hydraulics Operation of HLO to perform a series of transient heat transfer experiments which would define the process tube response to (1) rapid plugging in the process tube assembly, (2) slow plugging in the process tube assembly, and (3) power excursions above normal of varying amounts. Transient heat transfer experimentation on a large scale is not common and many difficulties have been encountered. After preliminary runs were made and reported, a further series of runs were planned and run which would include K as well as BDF type data and would define more closely the upper limit of the panellit protection. During the test runs, data from these transient experiments are recorded on high speed recording instruments, each of which has a calibration which is subject to change regardless of the efforts expended by the experimenters. This means that checking …

The chemical feasibility of the direct, continuous reduction of UF/sub 6/ to U with Na was shown in several tests. Up to 93.5% of the U content of UF/sub 6/ continuously reduced by Na in a reaction vessel was recovered as massive U metal of acceptable purity. A semicontinuous reactor for continuous reduction is described. (D.L.C.)

The flowsheet visualized from development work thus far for final plutonium recovery and purification will accept as feed a Purex partition stream without feed adjustment beyond the usual reoxidation. Extraction with trilaurylamine at approximately 0.3M appears suitable for 20 to 60 g Pu/liter product from 0.5 to 2 g Pu/liter feed. Scrubbing with either ((2 M or))2 M HNO/ sub 3/ is possible. Acetic acid is at present the first choice for stripping agent, with oil-soluble and aqueous-soluble organic reductants as alternates. (auth)

The performances of aqueous-homogeneous (AHBR), molten-salt (MSBR), liquid-bismuth (LBBR), gas-cooled graphite-moderated (GGBR), and deuterium- moderated gas-cooled (DGBR) breeder reactors were evaluated in respect to fuel yield, fuel cycle costs, and development status. A net electrical plant capability of 1000 Mwe was selected, and the fuel and fertile streams were processed continuously on-site. The maximum annual fuel yields were 1.5 mills/ kwhr. The minimum estimated fuel cycle costs were 0.9, 0.6, 1.0, 1.2, and 1.3 mills/kwhr at fuel yields of were 0.9, 0.9, 1.5, 1.5, and 1.3 mills/kwhr. Only the AHBR and the MSBR are capable of achieving fuel yields substantially in excess of 4%/yr, and therefore, in view of the uncertainties in nuclear data and efficiencies of processing methods, only these two can be listed with confidence as being able to satisfy the main criterion of the AEC longrange thorium breeder program, viz. a doubling time of 25 years or less. The development effort required to bring the various concepts to the stage where a prototype station could be designed was estimated to be least for the AHBR, somewhat more for the MSBR, and several times as much for the other systems. The AHBR was judged to rank first in …

The performances of aqueous-homogeneous (AHBR), molten-salt (MSBR), liquid-bismuth (LBBR), gas-cooled graphite-moderated (GCBR), and deuterium- moderated gascooled (DGBR) breeder reactors were evaluated in respect to fuel yield, fuel cycle costs, and development status. A net electrical plant capability of 1000 Mwe was selected with continuous processing of fuel and fertile streams. The maximum annual fuel yields were 16, 7, 4, 4, and 4.5%/yr, respectively at a fuel cycle cost of 1.5 mills/kwhr. The minimum estimated fuel cycle costs were 0.9, 0.6, 1.0, 1.2, and 1.3 mills/kwhr at fuel yields of 7, 1, 1, 2, and 3%/yr. At a fuel yield of 4%/yr, the costs were 0.9, 0.9, 1.5, 1.5, and 1.3 mills/kwhr. Only the AHBR and the MSBR are capable of achieving fuel yields substantially in excess of 4%/yr, and therefore only these two can be listed with confidence as being able to satisfy the mdin criterion of the AEC long-range thorium breeder program i.e., a doubling time of 25 years or less. The development effort required to bring the various concepts to the stage where a prototype station could be designed was estimated to be least for the AHBR, somewhat more for the MSBR, and several times as much for …

Design and construction specifications to be followed in the development of the reactor, its associated systems and experimental facilities, and the housing and required services for the facility are presented. The testing procedures to be used are outlined. (D.C.W.)

Heavy-ion reactions in the low-Z region were investigated with 27-Mev nitrogen ions from the 73-inch Cyclotron and with 30-Mev oxygen ions from the Tandem Van de Graaff. Experiments included studies of angular distributions and excitation functions for transfer reactions, compound-nucleus reactions, effects of angular momentum on the density of nuclear states, and so-called Ericson fluctuations in the compound nucleus Si/sup 28/. Nuclear reactions induced with 22-Mev protons in the 86-Inch Cyclotron were used in studies of the pickup- reaction mechanism, shell-model studies from pickup reactions, scattering and the optical model, and level schemes in highly deformed nuclei. In theoretical investigations of the mechanisms of nuclear reactions and related nuclear- structure information, the elastic scattering of complex particles was analyzed via the optical model; the applicability of the distorted-wave method to stripping reactions was investigated, and the inelastic scattering of carbon ions from carbon was examined. Experimental studies with the eightsector electron model, Analogue II, led to very successful deflection of the beam in November 1962, a significant advance in accelerator technology, This investigation, still incomplete, eases one of the major uncertainties associated with the proposed Mc/ sup 2/ cyclotron. The radioactivity resulting from the residual undeflected beam being dumped onto …

This document lists the physics factors for the K Reactors following the transition to the KV fuel element geometry and zirconium tubes. Each new parameter with the zirconium tube lattice has been calculated relative to the factors used with aluminum tubes and the KIV fuel elements. The purpose of this document is to provide working values for plant assistance use during the transition to the zirconium lattice. In some cases, where there are large uncertainties in the absolute values, the conservative end of the range has been provided for present operational use in safety and control administration. Refinement and publication of ``best`` values for the zirconium lattice based on the extensive experimental and calculational studies are included in future Reactor Physics Unit programs.

Centrifugally cast stainless steel piping was selected for the primary piping of Spert III, a 2500-psi, 650 deg F water moderated and cooled nuclear reactor system, because of the significant cost advantage of using cast piping and because of favorable results from metallurgical examinations of the material. Essentially no operating experience was available at that time on the performance of cast piping in elevated pressure and temperature service. Presented are a brief history of operational experience with this piping in Spert III, the results of a recent plant inspection, and the results of the initial metallurgical examination of centrifugally cast material. On the basis of the Spert experience, it can be concluded that centrifugally cast stainless steel pipe has given adequate service under cyclic operation and probably is equal to high-pressure stainless steel piping fabricated by other methods. However, due to the limited general use of this material, no statement can be made as to the usual commercial quality of cast piping or to its performance under conditions other than those reported. (auth)

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