An addition is presented for the IBM-7090 program MURGATROYD to produce a rough graph of reactor power versus time. A sample of output is included for the case given as an example. (J.R.D.)

Calculations are presented which show that the reactivity effect of flooding and unflooding the fast superheating section of the Mixed Spectrum Superheater can be made small by the addition of epithermal poisons to the superheater. The reactivity effects of flooding superheater sections ranging in size from 1.25 to 3.5 ft cubes and containing U/sup 23/5/sup >/oxide or Pu/sup 239/ oxide fuel and various amounts o f the epithermal poison europium were calculated. Reactivity changes during several postulated flooding processes are given. Methods for deterthination of fissile and fertile material and poison cross sections in the resonance- region are discussed. (auth)

Production Test IP-584-D, Supplement B authorized the irradiation of target assemblies in KER-1 and KER-2. Furthermore, the production test authorized that these target assemblies be irradiated with)other approved production tests; for this test, N Reactor inner fuel elements (NIE-1) will be irradiated. The production test required that specific operating conditions and loading patterns would be approved by the managers of Testing, Process and Reactor Development, and Process Technology Subsections prior to charging.

Preliminary engineering evaluations indicate that piping in the 105 B, D, F, DR, and H reactors has deteriorated to the extent that an increasing rate of component failure can be expected. In view of this, a budget submission was made in the FY-1962 P. A. and C budget and has been included in the I.P.D. Plant Improvement Program. The purpose of this report is to substantiate the need for this program and to review information generated during the past three years concerning the condition of rear face piping and hardware. This review includes the history of rear face piping and hardware problems, study activities undertaken to date to ascertain the condition of the components, action taken to correct actual component failures, programs recommended to correct deficiencies which operating experience and engineering judgement indicate are necessary, and programs to accumulate additional information to support design of new piping and hardware components.

On September 19, 1961, the No. 3 horizontal control rod at KW reactor was removed after an apparent failure of the wall separating the boron carbide powder from the coolant water. The instrument indications that were interpreted as a rod failure include: high radiation alarms in the exhaust air, unexplained gain in reactivity, increasing coolant outlet temperature on No. 3 HCR, and high radiation readings of the outlet water from No. 3 HCR. The possible reactor safety aspects of such a failure made it necessary to obtain a thorough examination of the rod and inner coolant tube. A complete borescope examination of the rod and partial visual examination of the inner coolant tube have recently been completed. This document is intended to summarize the inspection results, discuss the safety and costs aspects of a horizontal rod failure, and suggest courses of action for the remaining rods at KE and KW reactors.

The neutrons in an operating nuclear reactor are generated primarily by the fission events which are taking place. The great bulk of these relatively high energy or fast neutrons are slowed down or thermalized by a series of elastic collisions with the moderator nuclei which comprise the bulk of the volume of the reactor core. Once slowed down, the neutrons diffuse through the reactor core until they are absorbed or eliminated by some other process. Each of these three groups of neutrons, i.e., the fast or source neutrons, the intermediate or slowing down neutrons, and the slow or thermal neutrons, has a characteristic energy distribution. At a constant power level or rate of fissioning, an equilibrium is soon established among the groups at any point in the reactor. If it is assumed that a smooth transition exists between the different energy groups, it is possible to evaluate the entire neutron spectrum at a point in the reactor by determining the parameters which characterize each of the three groups. This has been done in the F Reactor Quickie Facility using radioactivants.

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Measurements were made to determine the extent of activity build-up inside the 1 AC and 1 BD punification demineralizer concrete enclosures. Radiation levels were obtained at 6-in. intervals from 6 to 17.5 ft below the top of the concrete shield on the 1 AC demineralizer and from 0.5 tc 24.5 ft on the 1 BD dendneralizer by lowering the probe through the 3-in. pipe on top of the concrete enclosure. The results indicated that the long-lived activity in the purification demineralizers had decreased considerably, since the previous test, with the addition of new resin. (M.C.G.)

This volume is one of twenty-one summarizing the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Program of the General Electric Company.

The saturation voltage and current characteristics of a compensated ionization chamber (Q-1045) were measured with special regard to high current and voltage ranges. The chamber can be operated at currents up to I ma with a 2000 volt power supply. (auth)

The Stationary Low Power Reactor No. 1 is a three Mw boiling water reactor designed to demonstrate the feasibility of a nuclear reactor to supply electrical power and space heat for remote sites. In addition to performance evaluation the facility provides training for military personnel. The reactor was operated for 1159 hr during the quarter for a total core burnup of 20.3%. Power generation was 103.7 Mwd for a total power accumulation of 466.9 Mwd. Eight malfunctions occurred during the quarter for a total unscheduled downtime of 40 hr 44 min, As a result of malfunctions, aluminum keys will be installed on the control rod drives, instrument well covers were removed, and an order has been placed for a station auxiliaries breaker with a higher temperature rating. Data were taken on seven tests during the quarter. Four of these are expected to be completed during the next quarter. All equipment items on order for the SL-1 power extrapolation expansion program are scheduled to be delivered before June 15, 1960. Although condenser dampers and damper controls, process instrumentation, equipment cabinets, and the radiation monitoring equipment have not yet been ordered, construction will not be delayed. The two tie-ins to the existing …

The chemical vapor deposition of niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, chnomium, carbcn, and niobium--vanadium alloys in a fluidized bed of UO/sub 2/ powder particles wss used to provide uniform, dense, nonporous coatings on the individual particles. in the case of niobium, which received major attention, hydrogen reduction of niobium pentachloride vapor was used as the vapor- deposition reaction. The most serious problem was that of maintaining bed fluidity aad avoiding agglomeration. This problem was overcome to permit routine operation of the coating equipment. In the entire program of 68 experimental runs, only 1.1 per cent of the product was lost by agglomeration. In routine operation, this loss should be even lower. (auth)

The concentrations of and activities due to N/sup 16/ and N/sup 17/ in the HFIR primary coolant water were calculated. At the pressure vessel exit, the N/sup 16/ activity is 3.9 x 10/sup 6/ dis/secml and the N/sup 17/ activity is 6.9 x 10/sup 2/ dis/sec-ml. Comparison of the N/sup 16/ activity with the data obtained from the ORR water system indicates that the calculated results are slightly conservative. (auth)

A wave equation for the pressure in a mixture of water and gas bubbles (such as found in the KEWB Reactor) is derived. The driving force may be either the production of additional bubbles or the growth of existent bubbles. Several illustrative solutions to the wave equation are found. (W.L.H.)

A full scale 15 deg sector of the P122 reactor configuration was constructed. The model was complete with respect to all internal cooling air passages, and reflectors, thermal shielding, and island reflector. The contract was terminated before any test data could be obtained. Investigation of the effect of atmospheric dust on performance of reactor systems using wire screen matrix fuel elements is reported. The interim conclusion is that dust would not limit aircraft performance or life. Work proposed but not completed is outlined. Appendices contain previously unpublished reports. (auth)

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