The status of the overall schedule for design, fabrication, and installation of the component items of the PAR loop experiment in the ORR has been brought up to date and reviewed. This is the first review since the original issue of the schedule

Objective of this production test is to obtain irradiation experience wit the hot-headed closure for co-extruded Zircaloy-2 jacketed rod. Seven Zircaloy-2 jacketed natural uranium seven-rod cluster elements with hot-headed end closures and spark machined end supports will be irradiated in the KER Loops to an exposure of 2000 MWD/T in pH 8--11 coolant.

It is recommended that the following described I & E fuel element pair be evaluated for rupture rate improvement, and if significantly improved, recommended for C Reactor usage. Operating conditions are estimated.

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Liquid and dry processes suituble for the purification of gases by the removal of CO/sub 2/, H/sub 2/O, CO, H/sub 2/, and hydrocarbons are discussed. Recommendations are given for specific processes io be included in a "dry" (no liquid absorbents or chemicals used) purification system for the hellum coolant of the EGCR The recommended processes include (1) a catalytic converter for the oxidation of CO, H/sub 2/, and hydrocarbons to CO/sub 2/ and H/sub 2/O, (2) cooler-condensors for the removal of the bulk of the R/sub 2/O, (3) silica gel adsorbers to complete the removal of H/sub 2/O, and (4) Linde Molecular Sieve adsorbers for the removal of CO/sub 2/. No provisions are included for the planned removal of radioactive gases or particulates. (auth)

The reaction of He with the epsilon phase of the 50 wt. % U--Zr alloy is studied using a sensitive vacuum microbalance apparatus to prepare the alloys, a sensitive McLeod gage to measure the dissociation pressures, and x-ray diffraction analyses to determine the phases present in the alloy. Although the reaction of H/sub 2/ with the alloy is very rapid at 100 deg C for oxide free surfaces, homogenization is very slow. Hydrogen alloys are prepared in the composition range of U/sub 0.28/Zr/sub 0.72/H/sub 0.0007/to U/sub 0.28/Zr/sub 0. 72/H/sub 0.121/ and the dissociation pressure measurements determined in the temperature range of 300 to 600 deg C. Due to the slow processes of homogenization, the hydride ZrH/sub 1.2/ is not readily precipitated below 400 deg C. On heating to 525 deg C and cooling, the hydride is readily formed for compositions of U/sub 0.28/Zr/sub0.72/H/sub 0.035/ and higher. For lower H/sub 2/ compositions, the hydride is not found in the x-ray diffraction patterns on heating these compositions to 525 deg C and cooling. It is suggested that small hydride nuclei are formed which are not observable by x-ray diffraction methods. Due to a slow rate of metallic diffusion, these nuclei cannot grow. …

The constitution of iron-chromium -aluminum alloys was investigated employing high-purity materials. Ternary sections illustrating the results are presented. The limits of the alpha-plus-sigma region are found to extend from 33 to 63 wt.% chromium at 600 C. At 750 C these limits decreasc to 38 and 57 wt.% chromium. Sigma is found in alloys coataining a maximum of about 9 wt.% aluminum at 600 C and 4 wt.% aluminum at 750 C. The limits of the alpha solid-solution region were investigated between 500 and 900 C. No observable change in limits occurred between 500 and 750 C. However, between 750 and 900 C the AlCr/sub 2/ phase decomposes resulting in a slightly expanded alpha region in the high-chromium alloys. Sigma is found to be unstable below 600 C in alloys of sigma-phase composition. Sigma formation and decomposition occur reversibly above and below this temperature. The nature of the products of the reaction below 600 C has not been determined. A detailed investigation of the physical metallurgy of iron alloys containing 25 to 35 wt.% chromium and 3 to 8 wt.% aluminum, has been made in an attempt to define the limits of usefulness of these materials as structural materials. It …

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Radioactive strontium can serve as a tracer to gain information concerning calcium metabolism in human subjects. Gamma-emitting Sr{sup 85} is used rather than the much more hazardous, beta-emitting Sr{sup 89} and Sr{sup 90}. (ca{sup 47} -- the ideal tracer for normal calcium -- is quite expensive and difficult to procure.) Very significant information may be obtained merely by measuring and recording the changes in radioactivity in various body areas during the first hour after intravenous injection of the bone-seeking radioisotope. This is accomplished by placing a lead-shielded gamma-scintillation detector in contact with the skin over the sites of interest and recording the activities on a scaler or ratemeter. The activity versus time curves so obtained are called radioisotope osteograms. Data were presented which indicated that Sr{sup 85} osteograms for patients afflicted with osteoporosis, Paget`s disease, tumor metastases to bone, and possibly multiple myeloma, differ significantly from those obtained from subjects with no skeletal abnormalities. Some interpretations of these deviations were discussed. The value of conducting double-tracer tests (e.g. -- Sr{sup 85} plus radio-iodinated serum albumin) was demonstrated, and correlations with excretion data were made. With further refinements the technique may ultimately become useful for certain diagnostic problems in the clinic …

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A study was conducted to obtain information to be used as a basis for recommending cleaning and maintenance procedures for the SRE main primary sodium pump. Results and recommendations are summarized. (J.R.D.)