The radiological aspects of a proposal to recover some of the heat now wasted in cooling water from the Hanford reactors by using the hot water as boiler feed for the steam plants in the 100 Areas are evaluated. The radioactive material in the hot effluent water will contaminate the boiler feed water system, cause additional radiation exposure of personnel, and increase the cost of maintenance and radiation protection, but very little radioactive material will be carried over into the steam system. At present steam loads, this proposal is economically attractive; other proposals being considered may nullify any savings from this one. 21 refs., 1 fig., 10 tabs.

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The following calculations have been made at the request of H.R. Schmidt to determine the probability that self-radiation may play a substantial role in the decomposition of the ruthenium tetroxide in the reflux scrubber, section of the Redox Ruthenium Oxidizer (H-4). The validity of the derived data necessarily depends upon the correctness of the basic assumptions made with regard to process conditions and to possible radiation-activated mechanisms of disintegration. It is estimated that the extent of solid ruthenium formation in the tower which results from radiation effects should not exceed 100 micrograms per batch. This rate is negligible compared to that now found in the presence of stainless steel packing, or to that which might be expected from thermally-activated disintegrations alone.

A meeting was held February 5, 1954 in the 2704-Z Building to discuss the ruthenium problem in the Redox Plant and to decide on a course of action to correct the problem. The following persons were in attendance.

This document discusses a meeting held to inform members of the Biology Division of the status of P-10 problems, to exchange ideas on methods of attacking these problems, and to consider new problems.

This document discusses a production test which was written when the piles were operating under a graphite temperature limit of 410 C. Operation was controlled by as-read temperatures of the originally installed G thermocouples, by thermocouples installed on vertical safety rod thimbles, and by thermocouples in graphite cylinders installed in the C test holes. Since the thimble thermocouples were to be removed under the Ball 3X program, it was planned to install thermocouples in some of the process tube channels to help monitor the graphite temperatures. In order to ensure maximum production levels based on graphite temperatures, the proper temperature relationships between the channel thermocouples and the G and/or C test hole thermocouples were needed. The expected maximum allowable channel thermocouple temperature reading would be higher than the burnout temperature limit of the graphite in the-pile.

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This report discusses research and engineering work on the purex and redox processes at the Hanford Engineering Works in May, 1959. (JL)

The objectives of the test described in this report are to evaluate the integrity of I & E MINT fuel elements canned by the ``C`` process to determine the conversion ratio of I & E geometry E-N ``striped loadings,`` and to provide a demonstration loading for a full reactor loading incorporating a ``striped`` center loading and a fringe ``blanket`` loading. This test will involve two portions a 26 tube block loading of I & E enriched uranium and MINT fuel elements arranged in a striped array, and a 10 tube fringe blanket loading of MINT fuel elements supported by the required enriched uranium fuel columns, and accompanied by controls. Either portion may be charged independently.

This Hanford-General Electric Report to the Working Committee details activities in fuel element fabrication, canning, and testing during this reporting period.

This monthly report details the 100 Area technical activities of the Physics Group for the month of May 1950.

This report addresses the continuous plutonium isolation contactor.

The design basis is composed of requirements and conditions for the design of the reactor plant (composed of the reactor and heat dissipation system). Its intent is to insure that the final product meets the economic, safety, and technical objectives of the project. The design basis is dependent on the ground rules, objectives, technical criteria, and practical design considerations. This document is being issued with the understanding that these items are not yet firmly established in all respects, and therefore, the numbers put down here are subject to change. Consideration of the spectrum of probable changes that might be made leads to the conclusion that the numbers here are close to the final ones and are satisfactory as a basis for the initial stages of design. Some numbers are omitted because of insufficient data at this time.

Seven enriched seven-rod cluster elements, three with thirty mil Zircaloy-2 jackets and four with twenty mil Zircaloy-2 jackets, will be irradiated at high temperature to an exposure of 4500 MWD/T. Coolant temperatures in the internal and external flow channels will be measured during irradiation.

Discussed is reactivity measurements on fast metal systems and moderated systems (graphite, BeO) used in rocket propulsion, pulsed neutron techniques used in graphite moderated systems, and BeO-U{sup 235} systems.

This report provides justification for a metal loader for ``C`` elevator for the 100-B,D,DR,F, and H Areas. This proposed work is justified on the basis of increased irradiation capacity for plutonium production and miscellaneous improvements in efficiency of reactor front face work.

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The single-operation alpha counter, designed primarily for counting low-level alpha samples prepared by plating activity onto metal cylinders, was evaluated as a possible replacement for the parallel-plate counters now used to count activity plated on disks. Each cylinder is closed at one end, so that all activity plated on it is on an outside surface which faces the sensitive volume of the chamber, and the total activity of the plate can be determined by a single count. Each side of the disk must be counted separately in the parallel-plate counter, and the edge may be counted twice. Results from about 300 cylinders and 300 disks ranging in activity from 0 to 80 counts per minute were compared. The single-operation counter was found to be capable of giving results at least as good as those obtained with the parallel-plate counter and in half the counting time. The following changes were suggested in the final model of the instrument: (1) redesign of the chamber for more effective decontamination, (2) design of a tool to be used for inserting and removing cylinders, (3) addition of a pressure gauge to the chamber, and (4) an improvement in the method of sealing the chamber to …

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.

The vapor pressure of bromine trifluoride has been measured over the range 39 to 155 C. and the following equation was derived by methods of least squares to represent the experimental data. log{sub 10}P{sub mm} = 7.74853 - l685.8/(t + 220.57). The heat of vaporization was estimated from the following equation which is based upon the Clausius-Clapeyron relation. {Delta}H{sub cal/mole} = 7714 [(t + 273.16)/(t + 220.57)]{sup 2}. In continuation of the program to measure the physical properties of interhalogens, the vapor pressure of bromine trifluoride has been determined. Ruff and Braida (4) measured some of the physical and chemical properties including the vapor pressure over a limited range, 4 to 136 mm. The present investigation extends the vapor pressure data to 2 l/2 atmospheres on material of high purity.

The success attending the use of azaserine as a specific inhibitor of one atage in the metabolic pathway leading to the synthesis of inosinic acid in pigeon liver prompted us to use this antibiotic in a similar attack on purine synthesis in Scenedesmus. However, investigation of the products produced during photosynthesis by suspensions of these algae in the presence of azaserine showed that a more widespread interference with metabolism had occurred. The purpose of this communication is to describe the nature of these effects and to attempt to assess their importance in a general picture of the metabolic effects of azaserine.

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