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This is a progress report of the production reactors on the Hanford Reservation for the month of July 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.

Siimplified shielding calculations indicating the proposed design for the water boiler assembly will reduce the radiation at normal operaton to values well below those which are considered tolerable.

BS>Various types of wood, steel, and aluminum window construction, glazed with plastic and different kinds of glass, were installed on four sides of a test structure during the greenhouse tests in order to determine their relative resistance to an atomic blast. The degree of protection from flying glass provided by mounting Venetian blinds, insect screens, and 1/4-in. mesh wire netting on the inside of window openings was also determined. The best results seem to indicate that the resistances of different types of glass to an atomic blast are approximately proportional to their strength in supporting static loads. Glass mounted in a rigid frame is less likely to be broken than if mounted in a flexible frame which may be distorted by the blast. Fragments from wire or safety glass are less dangerous to personnel than fragments from other types of glass, and plastic is less likely to break than glass, Commercial types of Venetian blinds and insect screens afforded littie or no protection against flying glass fragments at the distance at which tested; however, a blind with some of the parts reinforced and properly anchored to the window opening would. probably give some protection at a distance of 3 miles …

A study has been made of the elution behavior of curium(III), americium(III), plutonium(III), actinium(III), plutonium(IV), neptunium(IV), uraniuM(IV), thorium(IV), neptunium(V), plutonium (VI), uranium (VI), lanthanum(III), cerium(III), europium(III), ytterbium(III), ytterium(III), strontium(II), barium(II), radium(II), cesium(I) with 3.2 M, 6.2 M, 9.3 M, and 12.2 M HCl solutions from Dowex-50 cation exchange resin columns. These elutions show that in high concentrations of hydrochloric acid the actinides form complex ions with chloride ion to a much greater extent than the lanthanides. The strengths of the tripositive actinide complex ions apparently go in the order plutonium > americium> curium, although their ionic radii also decrease in this same order. To explain these results, a partial covalent character may be ascribed to the bonding in the transuranium complex ions. It is shown that a reasonable structure for such covalent bonding involves hybridization of the 5f orbitals in the actinide elements.

A number of alloys of zirconium have been investigated as part of a program aimed at improving the high-temperature tensile strength of zirconium. These alloys include molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, tin, titanium, and nitrogen alloys. It was found that small additions of molybdenum, tantalum, tin, titanium, and nitrogen appreciably increase the high-temperature tensile strength of zirconium.

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It is shown that the use of Iron-Limonite shielding concrete and a steel frame structure can afford a saving of $1,351,000.00 when compared to 105 DR-H construction and material costs. C-431-B costs are not complete enough to use as basis except for the concrete materials. This study is based on actual records where possible and shows direct costs only. No allowances for transportation or tooling have been allowed in either case. An overall time saving on reactor shield construction of 30--60 days may be possible, but no significant change in the field erection time is anticipated.

An important factor affecting the decision on the use of a seal around the VSR on ``C`` is the temperature at which the rod can be expected to reach. Also the temperature of the rod-tip affects the choice of tip moderating material. These temperatures are calculated for a given set of conditions for ``C`` pile. The results of the calculations are best seen by referring to the attached figures. The affects of emissivity and weight of rod can be estimated by comparing the proper curves. The assumed conditions for calculating each curve are important and therefore, the basis for each curve is given separately.

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This memorandum discusses the expected life of the piles with regard to additional production capacity.

This memorandum discusses factors involved in the additional production capacity of Hanford Works.

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The feasibility study of the Purex flowsheet in pulse column equipment has been completed in the ORNL Purex Pilot Plant. Eleven runs have been made in the pilot plant at a throughput of 75 kg to 125 kg of uranium per day.

This is the monthly 100 areas technical activities report for the physics group for the month of July 1951. This group was concerned with pile related studies. Work discussed includes neutron attenuation measurements in pile shielding test facilities, studies of physical properties of shielding materials (concrete), work on a xenon generator and separation facility, further development and shielding work for a neutron spectrometer, continued work on a magnetic spectrometer, and counting equipment. Studies of neutron fluxes from exponential piles, and criticality studies are also discussed.

The Pu in one batch (160 gms) is precipitated in a purification hood and waste supernatant is then transferred to the storage tank in one of the recovery hoods. Under normal process conditions a small amount of Pu remains in the supernatant. However, it is possible, though extremely unlikely, that the entire 160 grams would be transferred to the waste storage tank. The supernatants are transferred to an evaporator where they are concentrated. This evaporator has dimensions approximately the same as those of the storage tank, however, as concentration proceeds, the remaining solution can pass to a geometry more favorable for a chain reaction. There should be definite assurance before evaporation is begun that the amount of Pu in the evaporator does not exceed 160 grams. It is concluded that there is no objection, from a nuclear safety standpoint, to the discontinuance of analysis of the supernatants.

In order to change models on the RM Line, a number of equipment items must be either replaced or modified. Some items may not necessarily require replacement depending upon the severity of the change. The attached list of items will require replacement or modification before production can be shifted from the present model to any of the others previously produced at this plant. The equipment is part of the Remote Mechanical A and B lines of the Plutonium Finishing Plant.