One of the major factors restricting reactor power levels is the incidence of ruptured slugs. The primary purpose in studying ruptures is to determine how reactor operating variables affect rupture rates. With this knowledge reactor operating conditions may be adjusted or controlled in the manner that will optimize reactor production. In addition, knowledge of rupture rate relationships are useful in fuel element development and in overall economic studies of existing and proposed reactors and reactor processes. This report is a compendium of various types of rupture information largely developed during the past eighteen months. Plant rupture experience for CY-1957 is reviewed; rupture rate correlations with reactor variables for solid natural uranium material are presented; a comparison between solid and cored natural uranium material rupture rates is made; the basis for current discharging practice of rupture-prone metal lots is discussed. 11 figs., 2 tabs.

This document details activities of the Fuels Preparation Department during the month of March 1958.

An enriched I & E fuel element failed during irradiation under Production Test IP-109-AC in December, 1957. Radiometallurgical examination of this slug was requested by the IPD Process Analysis Operation. This report presents the results of the examination work.

Radiation Damage to the graphite moderator has played an important role in the history of reactor operation at Hanford. The operational problems, potential and real, which result from dimensional instability, stored energy, and gasification, as well as the solutions to these problems are discussed. The key to the graphite problems is operating temperature and its control. At present, stack expansion remains in the fringe regions of the original reactors, which coupled with the contraction of the central region gives rise to curvature problems in the top portion of the reactors. Stored energy is not a safety hazard because the release spectrum is such that a spontaneous and self sustained release cannot occur. Oxidation of the graphite moderator is controlled by maintaining operating temperature of the stack such that no significant amount of oxidation occurs.

This report details activities of the Chemical Processing Department during the month of March 1958.

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The test detailed in this report is a part of a program seeking ways to reduce the amount of radioactivity in reactor effluent water. Arsenic-76 is a major contributor to the gastrointestinal, radiation dose received by downstream users of river water. Phosphorus-32 is the principal radioisotope in the flesh of whitefish caught in the vicinity of the Hanford reservation. Recent activation analyses of the commercial grade sulfuric acid used in process water treatment have indicated that this acid may be an important source of the parent elements that are transformed to arsenic-76 and phosphorus-32 in the reactors. The purpose of this test is to determine if the impurities in commercial grade sulfuric acid have a significant effect on the release rates of arsenic-76 and phosphorus-32 to the river in reactor effluent water.

This report describes the second part of an IBM 704 Computer Code to determine transient thermal stress in pressure vessels. This part computes stresses from temperature distribution determined by the first part. A brief account is given of the solution of axially symmetric thermal stresses, using harmonic stress functions. This is followed by a description of the Code and complete input and operating instructions for a number of problems: a. Transient temperature distribution due to sudden change of temperature. b. Transient temperature distribution due to surface temperature changing as a function of time. c. Thermal stresses for temperature problems ( a ) or (b). d. Thermal stresses due to previously known temperature distribution. The code is known as TURF6. It was found that the computer results for thermal stresses in a solid sphere subjected to a sudden change of temperature at the surface corresponded within 5% of the theoretical values. The IBM 704 Computer required for this code has a 16 K memory, three drums and two tape units.

The schedule for the installation of the PAR slurry loop experiment in the South Facility of the ORR has been reviewed and revised. The design, fabrications and Installation is approximately two weeks behind schedule at this time due to many factors; however, indications are that this time can be made up. Design is estimated to be 75% complete, fabrication 32% complete and installation 12% complete.

The cost and feasibility of blending UNH streams of different uranium enrichments at HAPO was evaluated on a preliminary basis. Cases studied were blending 37.5% enriched UNH with depleted E metal UNH to yield a 0.947% enriched end product, and blending depleted E metal UNH with the depleted natural uranium to yield 0.7115% enriched end product. A reasonable degree of feasibility is indicated for such a blend program at HAPO.

This document discusses the standards and testing relating to the allowable water shutoff times for reactor tubes and crossheaders are based on theoretical calculations. The resulting limits are believed to be quite conservative and to restrict operations unduly in many instances. They are restrictive because of the conductivity and resistance data on which they are based. It is the purpose of the test to obtain the experimental data necessary to determine new water shut-off curves for the reactors. When reliable information is obtained for elevated temperature lattice conductance then theoretical calculations applying to those values will be far more accurate. The information will be related to water shut-off times, reactor safety considerations such as rod strength and drop time versus uranium fuel melting, etc. It can be roughly estimated that this information will reduce the time delay before tube and/or cross-header water shut-off by as much as 25%. This will save approximately one to two days production per year or about $60,000.

The idea of ''antiparticles'', as is well known, originated with Dirac, who in establishing the relativistic equations for the electron noted that besides the solutions corresponding to ordinary electrons there were also ''unwanted solutions'' corresponding to particles of electronic mass but of charge +e instead of the electronic charge - e. The discovery of the positron by CD Anderson offered a brilliant experimental confirmation of Dirac's prediction and gave the first example of an ''antiparticle.''

A study of the solubility limits of iron and tin in alpha zirconium at temperatares below 500 deg C is in progress. Dilute alloys were prepared by arc- melting using the highest purity materials. Heat treatment of the alloys involves homogenizntion at 800 deg C followed by severe cold work prior to extended anneals at temperatures between 200 and 500 deg C in 50-degree intervals. Metallographic examination of annealed and quenched structures is the primary mode of investigation. Some magnetic susceptibility studies were also made. (auth)

Iron oxide deposits removed from high pressure system of HRT after the first power run will be annlyzed for Fe/sup 59/ in an attempt to determine the time these deposits were circulated prior to deposition (settling or film formation). Deposits available are film from corrosion specimens (stainless steel, zirconium and titanium) and settled particles. (auth)

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ABS>Uranium metal is produced by the bomb reduction of UF/sub 4/ with Mg. The slag from this reduction contains appreciable quantities of U, either in the metallic or the tetrafluoride form, in addition to the MgF/sub 2/. A process for recovering low enrichmeat U from this slag has gone into operation. A study of the causes of resin attrition and their relative magnitude both from an over-all point of view and with specific reference to the Higgins' Column and Dowex 21K resin is preseated. Equipment was designed, assembled, and tested to investigate the effects of valve action, wall to resin and resin to resin friction, repeated chemical cycling, and column height. Certain mechanical properties of the resin beads were investigated, and some existing plant data were analyzed. A discussion of the probable mechanism of attrition and its contribution to the overall amount of attrition is presented. (W.L.H.)

Investigations of transistor circuits, other circuits, and related equipment for the high-speed computer program are reported. Mathematical methods for hydrodynamic flow problems and an iterative method for linear equations are discussed. Switching theory studies are reported, and the operation and use of ILLIAC in April are summarized. (For preceding period see AECU-3756.) (T.R.H.)

Correlations based upon empirical modified equations derived from kinetic theory were developed for the thermal conductivity and viscosity of gas mixtures. The conductivity equation was compared to 226 binary mixture conductivities in temperatures from 0 to 774 deg C from the literature and this work. The average deviation is 2.1%. In correlating conductivity data of mixtures of polyatomic molecules, the energy transport is considered in two parts, i.e., one protion transferred by collision and the other by diffusion. The proposed viscosity equation reproduces 103 binary data points with an average deviation of 1.3%. These equations are more consistent with experiment than existing correlations in the literature. the relation of the conductivity or viscosity to composition and temperature are discussed in the light of the proposed equations. It has been demonstrated that, at a given composition, the ratio of the measured conductivity to that calculated on the molar average basis for mixtures of most simple molecules and the ratio of the measured viscosity to that calculated on the molar average basis for mixtures of most gases should be nearly constant over a temperature range of 200 to 300 deg C. The thermal conductivity of ten gases and selected binary and ternary …

Presented at the Sixth National Conference on Electromagnetic Relays, School of Electrical Engineering Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater, Okla. Apr. 1958. A discussion is presented of some causes and remedies for undesirable variability of relay performance characteristics within individual relays, and between relays within a lot, and from lot to lot. Discussed are test results, methods of determining the causes for instability (including the replica technique for studying contact contamination), and examples of corrective action taken to decrease the instability. Recommendations are made concerning steps to improve the designs, to stabilize the performance characteristics during preproduction and production fabrication, and to obtain useful information during final testing. (auth)

Presented at ihe Ninth Meeting of the Supersonic Wind-Tunnel Assoc., Univ. of Southern Calif., and U. S. Naval Air Missile Test Center, Point Mugu, Calif., Apr. The Sandia 12 x 12-inch, transonic, blowdown tunnel facility is being equipped with a 10-channel digital datagathering system. The design and operation of ihe system are discussed. (W.J.H.)

Data are presented from the following studies: the radiation chemistry of pepsin, gelatin, methanol, benzene, and hexanes; the effects of irradiation of the pituitary in advanced cancer using high-energy particles from the 184-inch cyclotron; applications of ion beams in biological studies; the metabolism of strontium-90 and its relation to calcium metabolism in rats; hematological effects of low-level radiation doses in man; the influence of diet on serum lipoproteins; development of simplified methods for the analysis of blood serum for lipid content; tracer studies employing iron59 of red blood cell production and destruction and iron metabolism in a wide variety of blood disorders; tracer studies on heart function and blood circulation employing I/sup 131/; applications of C/sup 14/ in studies of leukocyte formation from which it was concluded that peripheral neutrophils have a 2-day life span, large lyphocytes a life span of 2 to 3 days, and small lyphocytes a life span of between 8 and 14 days; tracer studies employing P/sup 32/ in studies of the phagocytic action of cells of the reticuloendothelial system; factors regulating the volume of the body fluids; and development of a method for determining estrogen concentration in urine. Radiation protection activities are summarized. Lists are …

S>A search of the unclassified literature and General Eleciric reporis has been made with reference to the use of air as the lubricating fluid in hydrostatic and hydrodynamic bearing applications. (auth)

The expression STAM(Pr) /sup 2/3//(M Cp)/sup 3/! which is often used to compare the merits of various gas coolants is derived and the errors involved in using this term are discussed. An example using CO/sub 2/ and He is shown to illustrate the difference between the true pumping power required and that predicted by the above expression. (auth)

The interaction between graphite and a number of metals and alloys was studied at 1850 deg F in 250-hr tests. Some materials were also tested at 1650 and 1850 deg F in 1000-hr tests. The graphite was heated in intimate contact with the test metal in welded metallic capsules. The exen of the reaction was judged on the basis of metallographic examinations and hardness traverses on cross sections of the reacted elements. Copper was the least reactive material tested in contact with graphite. Nickel was only slightly more reactive. Outside of a veny hard carbide band at the graphite-metal interface, no evidence of interaction of carbon with molybdenum was found. Inconel X was the most compatible alloy tested in contact with graphite, although some pickup was observed. Alnicro was the next best alloy. Nichrome V, Inconel, and Types 316 and 318 stainess steels were all much more reactive. Copper and chromium plating reduced the rate of diffusion of carbon into Type 316 stainless steel. Nickel plating was less effective for this purpose. (auth)