None

The status of the research and development of the Yankee Power Reactor is briefly summarized. (For preceding period see YAEC-66.) (M.H.R.)

None

None

None

Subjects discussed include uranium structure, stability under irradiation, cold working of surfaces, deformation, hollow slugs, grain size, canning, etc.

This is a progress report of the production reactors on the Hanford Reservation for the month of April 1951. This report takes each division (e.g., manufacturing, medical, accounting, occupational safety, security, reactor operations, etc.) of the site and summarizes its accomplishments and employee relations for that month.

None

This is a progress report of the production reactors on the Hanford Reservation for the month of April 1952. This report takes each division (e.g., manufacturing, medical, accounting, occupational safety, security, reactor operations, etc.) of the site and summarizes its accomplishments and employee relations for that month.

The methods of an analysis of the critical safety of process tanks in the Recuplex installation are discussed and results of the analysis are tabulated in this report. A minimum critical condition for a thermal chain reaction is estimated for 0-200 MWD/T Pu and for 400 MWD/T Pu for each tank in the installation vhich normally contains, or could contain, plutonium. All estimates are based on experimental critical mass data from the P-11 project and from Oak Ridge critical mass experiments.

The use of ion chambers or proportional beta counters is recommended for the measurement of Kr{sup 85} in separations plant gaseous effluent. It will be necessary to evaluate the Xe{sup 133} present if short cooling times (less than about 90 days) since irradiation are used. This can be accomplished through calibration and decay measurements. It is concluded that the Kr{sup 85} evolution could be determined to about {plus_minus}5% with careful measurements.

Results are presented of an evaluation of nuclear safety and raaiation control related to the shipment, mechanical processing, and storage of SRE-1 fuel elements. (auth)

An engineering flowsheet has been prepared for the conversion of an aqueous slurry of cesium-zinc-ferrocyanide into a dry cesium chloride product by the calcination process. Flowsheet No. 1 defines a six-step batch-type calcination operation for processing the slurry into a dry powder for offsite shipment in bulk containers. Some of the advantages to this process are as follows: Product losses are expected to be small, estimated to be less than 0.03 percent; the equipment required to process a given number of curies per batch appears to be relatively small, compact, and simple; the process does not impose severe requirements for materials of construction; and requirements for process control and instrumentation are expected to be simple. There are two disadvantages to this process. First, the cesium-zinc-ferrocyanide precipitate is not considered economically filterable, hence, the separation of solids from liquids is encumbered. Second, the process, as outlined, if potentially hazardous because of the possible nitrate carry-over with the influent slurry. This nitrate may cause a rapid reaction in the calcination step. It is concluded that this flowsheet offers a satisfactory scheme for isolating radiocesium if the process is modified to preclude the possibility of nitrates or other unwanted oxidants from reaching the …

None