This monthly report details activities of the Manufacturing Division for the month of April 1956.

A number of equipment revisions have been recommended by the Engineering Department for conversion of Recuplex to a manufacturing facility. These revisions include three items affecting the critical mass safety of the solvent extraction system: replacement of the bottom disengagement section of the H-3 stripping column with an always safe unit; replacement of the H-9 and H-10 intercolumn, organic phase surge tanks with always safe tanks; and replacement of the colorimetric plutonium monitors in the aqueous and organic raffinate streams with units insensitive to stream contaminants. This memorandum is intended to clarify the needs for these equipment revisions in achieving a safe and flexible operating system and to indicate the relative effects of revising each of the various equipment pieces separately. The general bases for the present criticality control measures in the solvent extraction system are reviewed briefly prior to discussion of the individual revisions.

A previous report described the conceptual design of a plutonium producing reactor that may be characterized as follows: Power output (2000 MW); cooling - (natural convection of light water through the reactor, up through a draft tube to an evaporative cooling pond, then back to the reactor, and fuel (400 to 500 tons of uranium enriched to 1.2% U-235). Because this reactor would be cooled by the natural convection of light water, it is believed that the construction costs would be significantly less than for a Savannah or Hanford type reactor. Such expensive items as water treatment and water pumping facilities would be eliminated entirely. The inventory of 500 tons of slightly enriched uranium, however, is an unattractive feature. It represents not only a large dollar investment but also makes the reactor less attractive for construction during periods of national emergency because of the almost certain scarcity of even slightly enriched uranium at that time. The Atomic Energy Commission asked that the design be reviewed with the objective of reducing the inventory of uranium, The results of this review are given in this report.

Increased activities in Cryogenic Engineering have brought about the need for a compilation of available data. The purpose of the Cryogenic Data Book is to provide a condensed source of reliable data and reference information for those working in the cryogenic field. Specifically the data were compiled with a view toward the design of liquid hydrogen bubble chambers.

Ninety-two thorium slugs were irradiated in the Hanford piles to study the dimensional stability of the metal. The burnups that were incurred covered the range from 300 to 2800 ppm of the Thin. Slugs with burnups as high as 800 ppm were examined for visual and dimensional changes. The dimensional stability of these slugs was excellent, and no signfficant corrosion occurred on the aluminum cans. A cursory examination of slugs with burnups of greater than 800 ppm showed no gross dimensional instability. (auth)

Static corrosion tests in sodium and in fused-fluoride-salt mixture on type 310 stainless steel T-joints brazed with various alloys by the Wall Colmonoy Corporation indicate that the 9% Si-2.5% P-88.5% Ni alloy has fair resistance to both media.

The success attending the use of azaserine as a specific inhibitor of one atage in the metabolic pathway leading to the synthesis of inosinic acid in pigeon liver prompted us to use this antibiotic in a similar attack on purine synthesis in Scenedesmus. However, investigation of the products produced during photosynthesis by suspensions of these algae in the presence of azaserine showed that a more widespread interference with metabolism had occurred. The purpose of this communication is to describe the nature of these effects and to attempt to assess their importance in a general picture of the metabolic effects of azaserine.

The conceptual design of a nuclear ram jet-rocket missile is preserved. This missile is a modified, scaled-up AC-210 nuclear ram jet carrying ammonia in the space enclosed by the spike and inlet diffuser. The payload may be a 10,000 pound thermonuclear weapon or equivalent weight of reconnaissance equipment plus local shielding as in the AC-210 missile. The payload for a missile of body size equivalent to the AC-210 will be reduced by the weight of ammonia.

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