A capillary-drop method of producing spherical shapes of brittle materials less than 0.l00 inch in diameter was developed. It appears to be a feasible means for producing large numbers of pebble-tyne fuel element cores. Coating of pebble-type fuel element cores by the coating-pan technique, though not adequately developed, showed promise. (auth)

Nuclear safety is recognized as being of prime importance in the conduct of manufacturing operations here at HAPO. Responsibility for this safety is shared by the Engineering and Manufacturing Departments, with the former defining the hazards and the required precautionary limits, and the latter translating these specifications into effective operational controls and practices. The Manufacturing Department has just completed a thorough review of its position with respect to nuclear hazards control, and the results of this analysis are presented herewith. All three of the plant Sections are involved and have been included in this review. However, the hazard potential and control requirements are clearly the greatest in the Reactor Section where operations are approaching closer and closer to rather uncertain absolute ceilings for safe operation, as the power levels and output of the comparatively fixed facilities are pushed higher and higher. Accordingly, the situation there has been given primary emphasis in the review and in this report.

This document presents a summary of work and progress at the Hanford Engineer Works for May 1955. The report is divided into sections by department. A plant wide general summary is included at the beginning of the report, after which the departmental summaries begin. The Manufacturing Department reports plant statistics, and summaries for the Metal Preparation, Reactor and Separation sections. The Engineering Department`s section summarizes work for the Technical, Design, and Project Sections. Costs for the various departments are presented in the Financial Department`s summary. The Medical, Radiological Sciences, Utilities and General Services, Employee and Public Relations, and Community Real Estate and Services departments have sections presenting their monthly statistics, work, progress, and summaries.

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This report provides data as regards safety experience of the Hanford Production Reactors.

This memorandum covers the results of a study aimed at recommending a general course of action on waste handling and storage at Savannah River. It is the intent of the study to develop recommendations applying to the immediate needs for additional waste storage capacity, to plant tests of methods for reducing waste volumes to engineering design and development aimed at future economies, and to research on longer term phases of the program. It is further intended that steps recommended for the immediate future be such as to permit taking maximum advantage of late developments.

This memorandum provides an estimate of the uranium requirements for the third and fourth quarters of calendar year 1955.

Several safety infractions at the plant are reported. Budget data is given. Some planning information is given for Purex design testing, separations process and equipment demonstration, separations chemistry, separations engineering, separations hazards, hydriside development, waste handling, and recycle development.

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