This report discusses the Production Test 105-2-P (Supplement A) -- Activity of Pile Discharge Water. Previous studies of pile discharge water have shown that one of two processes is responsible for the large but variable amount of Mn{sup 56} activity present in the water. One process is the production of Mn{sup 56} by the reaction Mn{sup 55} on manganese impurity in the water. The amount of such impurity has been shown to be too small to produce the observed amount of Mn{sup 56} unless the mean irradiation time is increased by a large factor due to temporary sticking of manganese on the surfaces in the tubes. The other process is the production by the reaction Fe{sup 56} on iron in the film. The present production test was designed to determine which of these processes is responsible for the troublesome Mn{sup 56} activity and to what extent the activity is increased due to sticking of manganese or iron in the tubes. 4 figs.

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

This report details 100 Area reactor operation for the time period of May 21 through May 27, 1946.

Reported are: physics (B Pile, D Pile, F Pile, general physics); and water, corrosion and engineering (process water control and pressure drop studies, corrosion, graphite expansion).

This document contains information concerning the dissolved oxygen content of the Columbia River and Yakima Rivers near the Hanford Production Reactors on May 3, 1946. Data is presented in graphed form with weekly variations plotted.

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Physics information for the D and F piles is presented. Thermal conductivity, reactivity, and irradiation levels are included. Concerning the cooling systems: process water control, pressure drip studies, purging studies, corrosion, and gun barrel clearance of expanded graphite are discussed. (GHH)

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There is definitely a technical possibility that atomic power may gradually develop into one of the principal sources of useful power. If this expectation will prove correct, great advantages can be expected to come from the fact that the weight of the fuel is almost negligible. This feature may be particularly valuable for making power available to regions of difficult access and far from deposits of coal. It also may prove a great asset in mobile power units for example in a power plant for ship propulsion. On the negative side there are some technical limitations to be applicability of atomic power of which perhaps the most serious is the impossibility of constructing light power units; also there will be some peculiar difficulties in operating atomic plants, as for example the necessity of handling highly radioactive substances which will necessitate, at least for some considerable period, the use of specially skilled personnel for the operation. But the chief obstacle in the way of developing atomic power will be the difficulty of organizing a large scale industrial development in an internationally safe way. This presents actually problems much more difficult to solve than any of the technical developments that are necessary, …