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Title: Technical activities report: Graphite Studies Group, March 1951

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:10121916

The first series of graphite samples have been removed from the F Pile burnout experiment. These samples located at the center, intermediate, and fringe zones, were exposed to pile gas in a bare process tube channel for a total of 52 calendar days. These data offer the first evidence to support proposals of graphite transport in the piles. A graphical summary of all experimental data relating graphite burnout in oxygen or carbon dioxide is presented. Sensitive interferometric measurements of physical expansion annealing spectra have been completed for an extensive series of irradiated CSF transverse graphite. The traverse of thermal conductivity measurements on the C hole graphite stringer from the B Pile has been completed. The results are in good agreement with similar measurements made on the A test hole keyway from the D Pile and show a sharp gradient of damage extending into the reflector graphite. X-ray diffraction studies made on the graphite burnout samples indicate that there was no crystal growth in the virgin samples during the exposure of about 100 MD/CT in the central zone, however, the previously irradiated samples showed 15% pile anneal. Temperatures recorded during the month for the controlled temperature exposure of graphite averaged 215, 170, 144 and 115 C. These represent a further slight increase above initial levels. Work involving the mechanical properties and density of partially oxidized graphite, development work on the twin calorimeter, and the in-pile controlled atmosphere experiment under project C-410 is progressing satisfactorily.

Research Organization:
Hanford Works, Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
10121916
Report Number(s):
HW-20799; ON: DE95007507; TRN: AHC29509%%167
Resource Relation:
Other Information: DN: Declassified; PBD: 1 Apr 1951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English