The calibration of mercury vapor detectors has always posed a problem because of the difficulty of generating known concentrations of mercury vapor in air. The purpose of this study was to design an apparatus that would generate and chemically measure known concentrations of mercury vapor in air for calibration work.

In connection with the program of the measurement of eta for U233, several critical experiments have been performed by R. Gwin and D. W. Magnuson of ORML with light water solutions of uranyl nitrate (highly enriched in either U233 or U35) in an essentially bare sphere 27 inches in diameter. This report presents the results of two multigroup-diffusion-theory calculations for the above experiments performed by C. B. Mills and associated at Los Alamos. Assumer cross sections, material concentrations detailed neutron balances and a comparison with elementary theory are included. The agreement between the calculated and experimental multiplication constants is excellent for the multigroup calculation but only fair for the elementary calculation. The latter method overestimates the fast leakage so that the computed multiplication constant is less than that found experimentally.

Fused uranium dioxide has desirable characteristics for fabricating high density nuclear fuel elements by swaging. Methods of preparing dense uranium dioxide particles being investigated at HAPO include are arc fusion, and sintering and crushing of low density powder. This paper reports the results of exploratory experiments to prepare fused uranium dioxide by induction heating of low density powder in graphite crucibles.

In regard to the production of ozone and various nitrogen oxides in air by action of x-rays or gamma rays, thre seems to be no direct experimental data which can be used. There is some data on the action of alpha particles on air and some on the action of cathode rays.

This report is a comparative cost study of radioactive waste disposal for the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory (UCRL). In particular, it compares the costs of sea disposal in depths of 1000 fathoms and of 2000 fathoms off the California coast with land burial of the wastes at the Hanford Atomic Products Operation (HAPO), Richland, Washington, at the National Reactor Testing Station (NRTS), Idaho Falls, Idaho, or at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), Nevada. In the comparison, the cost of utilizing a commercial waste-disposal firm is also shown as well as a tentative cost of using the Military Sea Transport Service (MSTS).

The primary objective of this work is to add to the understanding of irradiated graphite. This report describes an experimental technique whereby changes in crystal lattice parameter may be studied as a function of time at constant temperature. The results given here are limited to changes in the C₀ spacing for a typical sample of irradiated graphite in the temperature range 100 to 750 C.

Technical report abstract: Since UNH is a highly dissociated compound which ionizes to NO3 and (UO2), the latter ion being very weakly basic, a solution of pure UNH is quite acid (pH about 3). It is possible to titrate to a phenolphthalein and point with standard caustic solution and obtain a figure which represents the free acid plus the NO3 from the the UNH. However, titration of the free nitric acid alone in such a solution presents quite a problem. By precipitating and removing uranium from solution by means of potassium ferrocyanide, the residual free acid may be titrated directly by means of standard caustic using either methyl red or phenolphthalein indicators, with an error of less than 4%. A method is given to determine formic acid, should that acid be present in the mixture.

A system for measuring depths of cryogenic liquids is described. The indicating device is a modified differential pressure gage. The level sensing probes are of various types, either permanent or removable. The heat leak to cryogenic liquids may be made negligibly small.

From Abstract : "The solubilities of the individual rare earth lactates and α-hysroxyisobutyrates in water at 20 and 60° were determined for comparison with the rare earth glycolate solubilities determined earlier."

From abstract: "A study has been made of the yields of gaseous products labeled with C11 from the C12(γ, n) reaction in liquid cyclohexane. The effects of variations in the radiation dose and in the concentration of dissolved iodine during irradiation on the yields of these products were studied in order to elucidate the reaction mechanisms. A reaction model was developed as a method of assessing the relative importance of radical and molecular processes. The data suggest (1) that the formation of C11 labeled CH4, C2H4 + C2H6, and C3H6 involves a hot radical process while (2) the formation of C2H2 is by a molecular reaction with cyclohexane."

The following report covers mixing k-quantum numbers in Bohr-Mottelson states of spheroidal nuclei.

This report discusses the state of stress caused by pressure in process tubes, elaborating on five "theories of failure" that each explain the stress in process tubes in a different manner. These theories, which are depicted in a graph, include maximum normal stress, maximum strain, maximum shear stress, maximum strain energy, and maximum strain energy of distortion.

In H measurements, the measured flux-linkage change represents twice the value of H to be plotted. In B measurements the bucking coil links flux equal to the air-flux in the B-measuring coils. The measured flux change therefore corresponds to twice the flux of intrinsic magnetization in the sample.

Several hollow uranium cores of "C" size I & E diameters were fabricated by cold extrusion (550 to 750 F) at Hunter Douglas Aluminum Corporation. Results show diameter control and reproducibility are excellent. Preferred orientation induced by this process is completely removed by a single standard beta heat treatment.

Summary. At the time this project was initiated, all brazing had been confined to small retorts of ten cubic feet capacity or less. Larger assemblies were scheduled which required retorts of over 100 cubic feet capacity. Hydrogen atmospheres had given the best results, however, there was considerable reluctance to use hydrogen in these large retorts from a safety standpoint. It was thought that thru the use of PMC 2252, an argon - 2 1/2% hydrogen gas atmosphere which in non-explosive, sufficient cleaning action might be attoined without the inherent hazards encountered with hydrogen. An investigation of the argon - 2 1/2% hydrogen gas as a brazing atomosphoer

The following document analyzes the effects of extracting boron from sodium chloride with ethyl alcohol.

From abstract: "Various physical and mechanical properties have been determined for high- and low-carbon base uranium, uranium-chromium, and uranium-zirconium alloys. These data complement those obtained at ANL on the same materials."

Report discussing the results of research conducted by the Hanford Works Analytical Research Group during the period from March 1949 to April 1949.

An attempt is made to estimate the influence of operation upon the mechanical properties of tubealloy. It is to be emphasized that the work is highly speculative, being base upon a set of judicious assumptions regarding the transport material within the metal and should not be used as a substitute for a set of well-planned experiments. The two principal effects considered are the hardening which results from the atomic displacement produced by the fission fragments and the changes in mechanical properties arising from the presence of the fission products. The principal conclusion to be drawn is that the disruption of the metal which accompanies operation takes place at at sufficiently high rate that it could readily cause serious changes in the mechanical properties of the slups. the reversal of the disruption resulting from thermal effects probably is sufficiently high to prevent serious embrittlement as a consequence of displacement through most of the volume of the slug if not at the surface. On the other hand, the migration of atoms also appears to be sufficiently high that the rare gas products may have time to diffuse to cracks and produce embrittlement.

From abstract: "The electrical resistivity of NaxWO3, LixWO3, and KxWO3 has been measured at 300°K. The range of x-values was 0.25 < x < 0.9. All resistivities were characteristic of a metal and lie on a single curve. An extrapolation of the conductivity curve to zero conductivity indicated that the tungsten bronzes should be semiconductors for x < 0.25. The resistivities that have been measured for tungsten bronzes with x < 0.25 showed semiconducting behavior. The resistivity of LixWO3 exhibited an anomalous peak in the ρ vs Τ cuve. The Hall coefficient of Li0.37WO3 indicated one free electron per alkali atom as was previously found for NaxWO3. The Seebeck coefficient of NaxWO3 depended linearly on x[superscript]-2/3 as expected from free electron theory. The implications of these and some other data are discussed."

Relatively long time cycles are required for the standard nitric acid dissolution of enriched uranium using safe batch size techniques for criticality control. Upwards of forty eight hours are required for the total dissolution of solid of I and E enriched slugs in nitric acid. The dissolution capacity may be increased by: (1) using a dissolver critically safe by virtue of its geometry or, (2)increasing the rate of uranium dissolution. Dilute agua regia -- a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids -- is known to dissolve uranium much more rapidly than nitric acid. This reports present a flowsheet for the rapid dissolution of uranium slugs in dilute agua regia.

The need for criticality control in the proposed reprocessing of slightly enriched non-production fuels at Hanford has led to the development of a geometrically "safe", vertical tube, recirculating dissolver. A study of the nitric acid dissolution of uranium dioxide in a pilot plant dissolver of this type is reported here. The study was pointed toward the comparison of uranium dioxide dissolution rates in a batch and a recirculating dissolver and the definition of hydraulic problems associated with the recirculation of nitric acid, by air lift, technique through beds of reacting uranium dioxide.

"This report was prepared for preliminary use only in the course of work under W31-109 Eng. 52, and the information contained herein may not be correct or in agreement with more recent experimental and operating data. Any values or opinions expressed in the report may only be those of the author, and the General Electric Company makes no representation or warranty (1) as to the value of this report for any purpose or (2) that any use of the report will not infringe the rights of others."

Summary: "The quantity of water adsorbed by graphite at various relative pressures has been determined and the data are presented in graphical and tabular form."