This report contains engineering drawings for the control room, reactor monitoring systems, and reactor control systems for the N reactor. Each console in the control room is detailed. Other systems discussed are: stack air monitoring system, charging machine control systems, and heating and ventilation control systems. A N reactor plant glossary is included.

None

MOUND LABORATORY PROGRESS REPORT FOR DECEMBER 1963. Has been deleted because of its length.

Prior to the use of venturis on the front of the B, D, DR, P, and H Reactors, much of the pressure and velocity heads developed by the 190 process water pumps were used in overcoming built-in frictional losses in the system external to the process tubes. As Reactor Technology was gained, changes were continually taking place. Venturis replaced orifices installed during original construction. Hydraulically efficient front nozzles, front pigtails, front adaptors, and a second generation of front venturis were designed and installed as a part of Project CG-558. Process changes, such as eliminating upstream dummy charges, were also made to reduce the energy dissipation due to frictional losses. The pressure drop across the active section of a fuel charge was reduced by the internal flow passage in the I&E elements. Little has been done to date, however, to reduce the pressure drops in the rear face fittings. This report is intended to review some of these still existent pressure restrictions and to discuss possible future courses of action.

None

None

None

None

None

None

A fuel element hold-down device, which is an integral part of the fuel element assembly, was developed to lock reactor fuel to the bottom grid plate. Concurrently with the hold-down latch development, a fuel bandling machine grapple capable of setting, releasing, and checking the hold-down device was developed. (auth)

The Purex Plant has been requested to process Z-Plant MR and EPT solutions containing about 200 kilograms of plutonium in order to alleviate processing problem at Z-Plant and to reduce the inventory of MR and EPT rework. Campaign recycle of uranium through the main plant is recommended as an economical and effective means of reworking large quantities of Z-Plant plutonium solutions. This memorandum outlines process alternates and costs for reworking the solutions and itemizes specific recommendations for process and critical mass control.

Represents the latest revisions of transducers selected by WANL for test purposes.

A program for increasing the available coolant flow at the H Reactor has been proposed and supported by documentation. This Process Improvement Transition Authorization (being written in two parts) authorizes the initiation of an immediate phase of the program designed to increase total coolant flow by about 6,000 to 10,000 gallons per minute. Part I of this PITA describes in detail the limitations and requirements peculiar to Process Engineering aspects of the proposed modifications and is presented as a separate document. This portion of the PITA, Part II, is written to establish and define conditions and restrictions in the area of Operational Physics, including loading procedures, instrumentation requirements startup checks and procedures related to reactivity effects, total control and speed of control considerations, and other physics functions. The governing criterion shall be that nuclear safety is not compromised during the proposed transition, which includes a complete shutoff of reactor flow for a limited period of time under closely monitored conditions.

The spectral distribution of the flux of positrons inside a beta radioactive medium was experimentally determined using an anthracene coincidence scintillation spectrometer. Positrons leaving a copper cavity source containing Cu/sup 64/ were absorbed in a thin anthracene crystal. The light pulse from the anthracene was recorded in a 256 channel analyzer if a NaI scintillation spectrometer nearby recorded simultaneously a count under the total absorption peak for annihilation radiation. Thus, discrimination against negative and secondary electrons was obtained which permitted observation of the primary positron slowing down flux. Data were corrected for the non-linear pulse height vs energy relationship in anthracene by a semi-empirical theory due to Birks, the validity of which was demonstrated by its use in obtaining a linear Fermi plot of Pm/sup 147/. Positron spectra were corrected also for Compton absorption of the annihilation radiation in the anthracene. Results were compared with the theoretical continuous-slowing-down model. Over the energy range measured (20-- 650 kev) it was concluded that the continuous-slowing-down model gives the correct shape for the primary slowing-down spectrum. 43 references. (auth)

None

A concentrated study of the present manufacturing process was initiated in the Process Engineering Unit, the purpose of the study being to optimize the present operations, procedures, and methods of the AlSi canning process. It is the purpose of this document to report the findings and accomplishments for that portion of the study concerned with the optimization of component preparation and fabrication within the canning furnace. To date, this study has consisted mainly of heating rate studies of the various components used in the fuel element fabrication with some work being done on the optimization of the heating cycle for these components. This work necessarily serves as the basis for further optimization study.

This report for November 1963, from the Chemical Processing Department at HAPO discusses the following: Production operation; Purex and Redox operation; Finished products operation; maintenance; Financial operations; facilities engineering; research; employee relations; weapons manufacturing; and power and crafts operation.

None

The PITA`s (process improvement transition authorizations) present the specific requirements necessary to accomplish the outage work and to control the use of this increased flow capability. The procedures and methods to accomplish the programmed modifications are contained in the approve design changes or in supplemental procedures.

None

A survey of literature on irradiation experience with boron stainless steel was conducted to determine the effect of neutron irradiation and boron-10 burnup on the two weight per cent natural boron stainless steel control rods being used in the Pathfinder reactor. The literature reviewed included irradiation test samples and full-size control rods in operating reactors. From the analysis of the survey, it was concluded that the Pathfinder control rods will operate satisfactorily and retain their integrity within the burnup limits prescribed. The effects of irradiation and boron-10 burnup on boron stainless were divided into the categories of mechanical properties, cracks, and swelling and gas release. These categories were examined in detail with the data available and correlated with the Pathfinder rods and operating conditions. The allowable local burnup of the boiler rods is limited to one core at.% (50% boron- 10 depletion) and the superheater rods are limited to one-half core at.% (25% boron-10 depletion). (auth)

None

None