None

A high resolution scale-of-four has been developed to be used in conjunction with the nuclear particle detection devices in applications where the counting rate is unusually high. Specifically, it is intended to preceed the commercially available medium resolution scaling circuits and so decrease the resolving time of the counting system. The circuit will function reliably on continuously recurring pulses separated by less than 0.1 μ sec. It will resolve two pulses (occuring at a moderate repetition rate) which are spaced at 0.04 μ sec. A five-volt input signal is sufficient to actuate the device.

The supersonic method of cleaning glassware is an outgrowth of the fact that it has been heretofore impossible to manually clean ground glass and quartz joints because the activity became lodged in the small pores of the ground surfaces. It has been theorized that the nature of the forces binding polonium to the glass is similar to that of the chemical bond but are less intense. The problem then becomes one of finding a force greater than this binding energy, capable of freeing the activity from the glass. This has been accomplished by using frequencies of 100 cycles to 20 kc at a power output from 2 to 20 watts, passing through a citric acid solution (pH-2) into which the contaminated article is placed. The optimum results, using a tank with the dimensions 7 in. {times} 7 in. {times} 7 in. and 3 liters of solution, has been found at 200 cycles or harmonics of 200 cycles. Citric acid was used because of the fact that it forms a soluble complex with polonium. The frequencies used have been kept within the sonic range until enough data has been obtained and correlated to warrant the design and construction of more costly …

None

None

This document details activities at the Hanford Engineer Works during the month of January 1949.

This report details events of importance reported by the Hanford Operations Office for the week ending February 23, 1949.

Prior to April 1948 the generally accepted method of reducing the radioactive contamination of metal tools and laboratory apparatus was a series of rinses in aqua regia or various other concentrated acids. This method proved unsatisfactory for three reasons. (A) It was not a dependable method of removing activity. (B) It had a delecterious effect on tools in that it caused serious pitting, which resulted in weakened parts, and exposed a bare metal that was subject to very rapid corrosion. (C) Tools and apparatus once cleaned by this method could not readily be cleaned a second time. With the aforementioned limitations in mind, it became obvious that a new method was required. After considerable investigation into a electrochemical processes the present method was developed. Essentially, the new method is an electropolish bath to remove the activity lodged in the pores of the metal, and a ``follow-up`` chrome plate bath to render the surface impassive to corrosion.