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With higher power levels and probably higher river temperatures, the forthcoming warm water season is expected to impose bulk outlet temperature limits, with consequent production losses, on all Hanford reactors to an even greater extent than last year. The problem has received the attention of a number of management and engineering personnel, but the basis for this study was a letter originating in the Production Operation suggesting two alternate schemes for increasing the flow of process water to the rear face piping, thereby reducing bulk temperatures for a given power level. The purpose of the suggestions was to provide an interim solution to the problem pending I & E loadings. Loading with I & E slugs will increase reactor flows to some degree, depending on the actual slug dimensions used, and will probably result in encountering other limits than the B.O.T. limit. The applicable period for study was therefore taken to be this summer only, since I & E loadings are expected to begin in June or July at 105-D and during the fall at 105-F. The Managers, D and F Reactor Operations, requested Plant and Industrial Engineering Operation to investigate and compare the feasibility and applicability of the suggested …

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In a recent report, means of circumventing the present bulk temperature limits are suggested. These have definite merit but do not present an over-all picture of the problem. Therefore, this bulk temperature limit is reviewed in order to place the problem in its full perspective. A program of action is suggested that should lead to: Revised operating conditions and process piping to obtain higher power levels at the same bulk outlet temperature; The completion of production tests to permit higher bulk outlet temperatures with no significant changes in reactor piping; or Redesign of the effluent system to eliminate bulk temperatures as a reactor operating limit.

Small particles of zirconinm formed during mechancal operations have caused serious industrial explosions. Particles of this type will not be encountered during aqueous chemical reprocessing. However, small panticles of metallic phases rich in zirconium or niobium, produced by selective leaching of a more reactive uranium-rich phase, can enter into violently explosive reactions. The conditions under which explosions with zirconium-bearing alloys may be expected during chemical reprocessing have been defined in the literatare. The uranium-zirconiaum alloys containing less than 30 wt.% zirconium are hazardous when they contact nitric acid. Laboratory work has shown that potentially explosive zirconium alloys may be safely dissolved in nitric acid if enough fluoride ion is added to maintain a mole ratio of fluoride to dissolved zirconium of four. Niobium-bearing fuel alloys can also explode after contacting nitric acid, but the conditions which produce explosions have not yet been studied thoroughly. Dissolution studies with the EBWR alloy (93.5% U, 5% Zr, 1.5% Nb) indicate that hazardous niobium alloys can also be processed safely in nitric acid by addition of enough fluoride to prevent formation of surface deposits. The ternary phase diagram for zirconium -uranium -oxygen shows that the epsilon phase is unstable at the interface between a …

Tests have been run in the HRT core system mockup which demonstrate that iodine can be successfully removed from dry steam by a silver bed. Such a bed is recommended to prevent iodine poisoning of the HRT recombiner catalyst. An added advantage will be removal of I/sup 135/ from circulation, whereby reducing neutron losses a Xe/sup 135/, a daughter. Four experiments were made with the silvered Alundum pellets during which experimental mass transfer coefficients were determined. At 110 deg C the experimental kg was 25% of the theoretical value, and at 150 deg C the kg was 52% of the theoretical. The experimental efficiencies were 68% and 97.8% of the theoretical efficiencies at the above temperatures. Increasing the gas temperature greatly improved the correlation of the theoretical and experimental data. Two iodine removal tests were made using silver-plated stainless steel wire mesh. These two tests gave higher removal efficiencies than the corresponding tests with the silvered Alundum rings. The metal support is preferred also because of its greater mechandical andd chemical stability. In particular, leaching of Ns/sub 2/O from Alundum rings was noted in the HRT. In a test of the stability of the silver-plated wire mesh, only 0.0025% of …

The following data summarize the results of calculations presented in this report to determine the irradiation testing for Phase I of Irradiation Request ORNLMTR-35. This phase of the program entails exposure of a 48 wt.% U-3 wt.% Si-49 wt.% Al alloys inthe beryllium reflector of the MTR. (auth)

The effect of seal configuration on the rate of mixing flow between the impeller cavity and the motor cavity of a Westinghouse Model 400 A pump was extended to include a configuration wherein the lower radinl bearing acts as a secondary seal. This arrangement increases the life of the motor windings; however, the life of the lower radial and thrust bearings is shortened because of inadequate cooling. (J.E.D.)

Two different measurements of the weight of D/sub 2/O required to fill the blanket to the level at which spillover into the core occurs and visual observation of this level, using a periscope, places the elevation of the hole (or crack) in the core vessel within about 1/2 in.~ of 812 ft 5 in., or approximately 1 to 1 1/2 in below the intersection of the 30 and 90 deg cones. The inherent errors involved in estimating a liquid level in the highpressure system by weighing the liquid drained to the low-pressure system and referring to a calibration of volume vs. elevation are greater for the core than for the blanket. An indication of the approximate size of the hole in the core was obtained by measuring the difference in liquid levels between the core and blanket using bubbler probes, as D/sub 2/O was caused to flow at measured rates from core to blanket, or vice versa. Heads of approximately 1/8 to approximately 3/4 in. were observed for flows in the range 19 to 65 lb/min., indicating a flow area of about 1.4 square inches, assuming a sharp-edged submerged orifice. (auth)

The testing and evaluation of three types of mechanical joints in a circulating molten fluoride salt system, at temperatures up to 1600 F, were accomplished. The feasibility of these joints for use in a large scale molten salt system is discussed. Design criteria and operating techniques are described. Measurements were made of the leakage rates of helium through the Joints. The effects of thermal cycling, atmospheric oxidation, salt corrosion, and thermal stresses were noted. Disassembly and reassembly procedures are described. ( auth)

An apparatus designed to tsst aerosol filter efficiency at pressures equal to or less than atmospheric and at linear face velocities of 5 to 1000 ft/ min is described. Aerosol collection efficiency studies were completed for IPC paper at 20,000 and 40,000 ft. Data developed in these studies indicate that ia the impaction and diffusion regions collection efficiency increases with altitude for all linear face velocities less than 800 ft/min. A propeller-type flowmeter, calibrated to measure the volume of air moved by a blower in a balloon-borne system, was flown on five separate flights to obtain air flow data. These data sre presented. Flowmeter air flow measurement data were approximately 10% lower than telemetered data. (auth)

Graphite was prepared by means of hydraulic extrusion, with densities as high as 1.90 gm/cc, in rods of up to 9/4-in. in diam. Densities higher than 1.90 gm/cc can be obtained by impregnating the graphite. It may be possible, by properly controlling the particle size distribution in the feed material, to achieve higher densities without impregnation. Variables studied included die temperature, mixing technique, binder material, baking procedures, some lubricants and additives, and preliminary work on the investigation of the effect of particle size. (auth)

A proposal is given of an approach to a fission-product trapping system which appears feasible on the basis of thermodynamic and other data available. Reactor and trapping conditions are outlined. The half-lives, fission yields, and volatility of the fission products of interest are described. To provide the most effective retention at elevated temperatures, two types of reagents are required: a highly electropositive metal that will not melt or appreciably vaporize and which will form stable non-volatile compounds with non-metallic or near non-metallic fission products; and a reagent to provide a highly electronegative element to form stable, non-volatile compounds with metallic fission products. Thermodynamic properties are included for compounds formed by reactions between the fission products and the trapping reagents. (B.O.G.)

Activation of indium foils by thermal neutrons has been applied to measurement of fast-neutron fluxes. Foils are encased in paraffin spheres placed in cadmium boxes. The high-energy neutrons that penetrate the cadmium become thermal neutrons; the thermal-neutron flux is proportional to the incident fast-neutron flux over a range of about 20 kev to 20 Mev. The foils are removed from the boxes and counted on a methane-flow proportional counter. High instantaneous neutron fluxes are easily detected and counted by use of these foils. Many simultaneous measurements have been made easily by this method.