A survey was made of methods potentially useful for the determination of the oxygen to metal ratio in mixed oxides of uranium and plutonium. A gravimetric method was selected as being the most promising for adaptation in a short period of time. Development of the technique resulted in a reliable method which meets the requirements for unirradiated mixed oxide fuel samples. The method, based upon an equilibrium weight at 700 deg C in dry hydrogen, was shown to be capable of measurement of O/(Pu + U) ratios in 20% PuO/sub 2/--80% UO/sub 2/ pellets with a standard deviation of plus or minus 0.001. (auth)

Dissolver solution samples were analyzed for neptunium, and the data are plotted as g Np/t U vs g Pu/t U.

The completion of Phase III construction in B Plant will provide facilities to meet certain common needs of departmental Waste Management and Fission Product programs. This is an estimate of the total and unit costs of operation in these facilities on a `goin concern` basis, recognizing full well the highly tentative nature of information available with respect to staffing, process rates, equipment, etc., approximately 3 to 4 years in advance of operations. It is planned that this document serve as an operating cost guideline during the interim period, subject to periodic revision as more firm data of significant cost impact becomes available. This review covers those functions performed within B Plant proper plus a PAW feed material preparation function tentatively planned for Purex head end for convenience purposes. Feed material streams from supernatant and sludge removal functions are considered F.O.B. B Plant. No staffing or costs have been included for tank farm activities or the 200 North storage function. Cesium and strontium costs include processing to a solid and packaging in a high integrity container compatible with final confinement requirements. Staffing is provided to perform a peroxyacetate strike or similar function for the cerium-rare earth fraction, but additional study would …

In Part One they formulate in a general way the problem of analyzing and evaluating the aberrations of quadrupole magnet beam systems, and of characterizing the shapes and other properties of the beam envelopes in the neighborhood of foci. They consider all aberrations, including those due to misalignments and faulty construction, through third order in small parameters, for quadrupole beam systems. One result of this study is the development of analytic and numerical techniques for treating these aberrations, yielding useful expressions for the comparison of the aberrations of different beam systems. A second result of this study is a comprehensive digital computer program that determines the magnitude and nature of the aberrations of such beam systems. The code, using linear programming techniques, will adjust the parameters of a beam system to obtain specified optical properties and to reduce the magnitude of aberrations that limit the performance of that system. They examine numerically, in detail, the aberrations of two typical beam systems. In Part Two, they examine the problem of extracting the proton beam from a synchrotron of 'H' type magnet construction. They describe the optical studies that resulted in the design of an external beam from the Bevatron that is …

The repulsion-coil technique for energy conversion offers a powerful, new tool in the field of acculeration testing. Using this technique, a prototype magnetic shock device was developed that uses electrical energy stored in a capacitor bank to produce high-g, mechanical acceleration pulses. A disc projectile is vacuum-held against the core of an electromagnet coil, and a crystal accelerometer is attached to the projectile to monitor the pulse. The capacitor bank is charged to a specific voltage between one and 20 kv, then discharged into the coil. The resultant magnetic field around the coil effects a repulsion of the projectile, which is mechanically free to move away from the coil. By varying the capacitor voltage, the magnitude of the pulse can be predicted and controlled. The application of electrical-energy conversion in the production of a controllable acceleration pulse toward development of a magnetic shock device for component testing and instrument calibration is demonstrated. (auth)

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Nine inch long aluminum clad Li-Al alloy target elements contained in 35 miI wall Zr-2 cans are authorized for irradiation in KER-1 and KER- 2 for up to 150 equilibrium operating days. The Li-Al elements will be irradiated in 1.9 inch OD, 1.5 inch ID Zr-2 flow distributing sleeves. Normal N inner fuel elements in Zr-2 sleeves will included in the tube loadings to provide sufficient heat to maintain the loop at the desired operating temperature.

This monthly technical report details activities in reactor physics research and development during the month of April 1963.

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This report is applicable to the eight operating production reactors, B, C, D, DR, F, H, KE, and KW. It covers the following: operating parameter limitations; reactivity limitations; control and safety systems; reactor fuel loading; coolant requirements with irradiated fuel in reactor; reactor confinement; test facilities; code compliance; safety instrumentation and set points; and control criteria. Also discussed are administrative procedures for process control, training, audits and inspection, and reports and records.

A FORTRAN subroutine was writteni for the purpose of generating a table of data by Lagrangian interpolation in a smaller table of data. There are three options for the interpolation scheme: linear, semilog, and log-log. The number of points to be used in the Lagrangian interpolation is optional. This subroutine provides information for a table lookup, which is usually much less costly than direct computation. (auth)

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The modifications of the EBWR internals for operation at higher power included: redesign of riser, relocation and resizing of feed-water injection ring and inlet nozzle, enclosing the core with a cylindrical shell and providing a tight closure between riser and core, and redesign of the steam-discharge system. The volume fraction of steam voids, recirculation flow rate, subcooling, liquid level, steam carryunder in downcomer, and liquid carryover in effluent stream were determined. Instrumentation include differential pressure probes, Stauschiebe tubes, and thermocouples. Tests indicated that the performance characteristics of the EBWR are governed directly by steam carryunder in the downcomer, liquid carryover in the effluent stream, and, indirectly, by the location of the true water- steam interface in the vessel. (M.C.G.)

An investigatiori of the annealing of the radioinduced carrier concentration change in Sb-doped Ge in the range 370 to 455 l K was made. The irradiations were conducted at liquid nitrogen temperature using Co/ sup 60/ gamma irradiation. A model that explains the observed behavior is presented. On the basis of the model, the observed annealing consists of vacancy diffusion simultaneously to impurity sites and annihilation centers. Analysis of the activation energy for the annealing process yields values of 0.8 to 1.4 ev in agreement with the range of energies that were attributed to vacancy motion but that cannot be resolved into unique components. The complex activation energy is explained by the model in terms of the impurity concentration. It was observed that the change in carrier concentration saturates before complete annealing is achieved. The saturation, which is stable for further annealing at higher temperatures, is also explained in terms of the model. The vacancies are considered to diffuse to annihilation centers, such as dislocation lines, and to the site adjacent to an Sb atom. Those that go to an Sb are trapped. The Sb- vacancy complex can break up to supply a vacancy back to the system or can …

A general review is presented of space propulsion projects with respect to materials requirements. The characteristics and requirements of Pluto (nuclear ramjet) are described. The general requirements for propulsion in space and the classes of nuclear rockets are outlined. Materials requirements and problems are discussed in detail for the heat transfer nuclear rocket (Rover). (D.L.C.)

This document discusses the leak repair of the 107-D retention basin. Leakage of effluent water from the 107-D Basin had increased from 6000 gallons per minute in November of 1959 to the peak of 8000 gallons per minute in April of 1963. Washout of fines had apparently created large voids beneath the north and west walls and endangered the integrity of the structure by settling the wall 2 in. at one place. The leakage was arrested in March of 1963 by filling the voids with concrete and grout and sealing the repairs with a newly developed sealant. Present total leakage is 3750 gallons per minute.

The basis for design of mixer-settlers for the Amex solvent extraction process, which uses long-chain amines dissolved in a hydrocarbon diluent for the recovery of U from acid sulfate solutions typical of those obtained in U ore processing, was determined by a unit-operations study in scale-model units. Long- term recycle tests in countercurrent equipment demonstrated the stability of amines and the general feasibility of the Amex process. Mass transfer rates of U for both extraction and stripping are large, and greater than 90% stage efficiency was readily obtained. The flow capacity of gravity settlers is generally limited by a dispersion band, which increases exponentially with flow rate. The scaleup of settlers is based on the constant flow rate of dispersed phase per unit settler area and constant band thickness. The nominal flow capacity (50% of flooding) ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 gpm/ft/sup 2/, depending on the type of dispersion and amine used. The capacity can be increased (fourfold) by using packing wetted by the dispersed phase. Emulsion stabilized by silica (the worst offender) can be minimized by controlling the mixing in order to form solvent-continuous dispersions, which also minimizes entrainment of solvent in the aqueous waste. (auth)

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Experimental data for frequency response obtained from a linear dynamic system were processed to obtain the transfer function as a ratio of two frequency- dependent polynomials. The difference between the absolute magnitudes of the actual function and the polynomial ratio was the error considered. The polynomial coefficients were evaluated as the result of minimizing the sum of the squares of the errors at the experimental points. The magnitude and phase angle of the transfer function were evaluated at various frequencies by means of the computed polynomial ratio and were compared with the observed data. The numerical solution of this problem was obtained by using an IBM 704 FORTRAN program. The method presented gives an analytic description of the complex transfer function superior to that given by minimization of the weighted'' sura of the squares of the errors in magnitude. This method is applicable to both minimum and non-minimum phase systems. (auth)

Additional data from the 3.2-msec-period destructive test were analyzed. Recovery and cleanup operations in the Spert I area were completed. Each of the 270 highly enriched, aluminum-clad fuel plates in the core was found to have experienced melting to some degree. The available data on the nature of the pressure pulse and on the condition of the core fuel plates at the time of the pulse are consistent with the hypothesis that the observed destructive effects were produced by a self-propagating steam explosion resulting from the dispersal of molten fuel plates into the water throughout the core. A series of tests was initiated to determine the response of the Spert IV plate-type core to step- inputs of reactivity at ambient temperature, for various initial system conditions of hydrostatic head above the core, and forced coolant circulation rate. Power excursion tests with initial reactor periods in the range from 1 sec to 8.5 msec were performed with an 18-ft hydrostatic head above the core and no forced coolant circulation. Tests with periods of 20, 12, and 8.5 msec were also performed with a 2-ft head. No significant change was observed in the peak power, power burst shape, energy release, or transient …

This report summarizes the technical progress on the subject contract for the period March 15 to May 14 1963.

The spectrum of neutrons scattered from Ta/sup 181/ was please delete the above abstract--------

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