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The effect of temperature on the properties of graphite is being determined by exposing samples to pile neutrons at controlled temperatures in the range 75 C to 225 C. The first series of samples were charged into the newly installed dry, water-cooled test channel at B pile on January 23, 1951. This report presents details of the charging operation and observations noted during the initial operation of the test.

This study was made to evaluate the effects of several operatin variables on the yield at the reduction step in motel fabrication. The original question was whether or not the addition of recycled metal to the charge had an effect on the yield. To circumvent possible masking of such as effect by changes in other operating factors, simultaneous data on the weight of Pu in the powder charge, the % conversion of the powder to PuF{sub 4} in the fluorination step, the firing time, and the maximum temperature were also studied. This permitted estimation of the separate effects of al five factors. The period covered by the data was October through December, 1950.