Title: NUCLEAR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT PROGRESS REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 1-DECEMBER 31, 1959

Abstract

H = A E 6 T M ; < 8 6 7 8 = 9 : ; 9 5 : > 9 9 : 6 7 : 7 9 solved uranium and protactinum are more strongly adsorbed, the amount ranging from lO to 60%, depending on conditions. Technetium is difficult to extract from bismuth with either a strongly oxidizing salt mixture or with liquid zinc. Only 10 to 20% could be extracted in a single contacting by either extractant. Improved data were obtained on the thermodynamic properties of Th-Bi and Zr-Bi alloys. The electrical conductivity of ThF/sub 4/ was measured and found to be almost entirely ionic in nature. Removal of xenon from uranium-bismuth fuel was studied in a single perforated plate tower. It was found possible to remove about 80% of the xenon. In an in- pile experiment, a uranium-bismuth fuel mixture was equilibrated with its steel container at 500 deg C for 12 days. Subsequent analysis showed that the concentration of Xe/sup 133/ in the bulk of the bismuth was 5 x 1O/sup 12/ atoms/ g, while the concentration of this nuclide on the steel surface was 8 x 1O/sup 13/ atoms/cm/sup 2/. Measurements of the evaporation ratemore » of Po/sup 210/ from irradiated bismuth were extended to lower temperatures. A number of ThO/sub 2/ powders were produced by dissolving Th(NO/sub 3/)/sub 4/ in ether, precipitating Th(OH)/sub 4/ therefrom with NH/sub 4/OH, and then calcining the hydroxide at temperatures varying from 600 to 1000 deg C. Slurry erosion was studied by rotating impeller tabs at tip speeds between 17.5 and 52.5 ft/sec in several slurry vessels and also by rotating anchored steel tabs at a tip speed of 7.5 ft/ sec relative to stationary slurry in glass toroids. On the basis of these tests, no significant difference in their tendencies to pro duce erosion was indicated between the various powders tested. Heat-transfer coefficients were obtained on three new test elements (circular heaters) in a 19-tube bundle through which mercury flowed turbulently and parallel to the tubes. These elements gave results which were in good agreement, but they fell about 50% below theoretically predicted values. The liquid mixture NO/sub 2/-HF dissolves beryllium metal at a reasonable rate and causes reactorgrade graphite to disintegrate. It is almost without effect on ceramic ThO/sub 2/ fuel pellets. Addition of about 1% H/sub 2/ O to NO/sub 2/-HF does not seriously increase its corrosion of Monel. During zirconium dissolution and drying of the resulting zirconium salt, corrosion is aggravated. When uranium containing small amounts of plutonium is dissolved in NO/sub 2/-HF, the plutonium also goes into solution. The dissolution of uranium in UF/sub 6/-BrF/sub 3/ mixtures high in UF/sub 6/ (>50% UF/sub 6/) can be hazardous. The solubility of UF/sub 4/ in liquid NbF/sub 5/ at 100 deg C is about 1.2 g uranium/liter. When irradiated ThO/sub 2/ is treated with successive portions of NO/sub 2/-HF, protactinium is extracted up to about 16% of the total amount in the solid. The solubility of krypton in F-12 was measured at temperatures down to -120 and the plate efficiency for absorption was determined. A flowsheet for processing the Enrico Fermi fuel was successfully tested on a laboratory scale. Copolymers of Nylon styrene and Dacron styrene were prepared and characterized. The mechanism of solid-state polymerization of acrylamide was studied further using kinetic, optical microscopic, and electron spin resonance techniques. Irradiation with gamma rays increased o-p H/sub 2/ conversion activity of magnesium oxide which was pretreated at 350 deg C, but this effect decayed rapidly with time. Hot Laboratory: The Dowex-1 x 10 columns used for assaying Sr/sup 90/ contamination in Y/sup 90/ product milked from a Y/sup 90/ "cow" were shown to be useful for 37 assays before the column "breaks." Irradiated calcium phthalocyanine, used as a target for the SzilardChalmers production of Ca/sup 47/, can be dissolved in 30% oleum and reprecipitated with anhydrous acetone. Pure TiF/sub 4/ was prepared from titanium and BiF/sub 3/ for testing the irradiation and distillation away from Ca/sup 47/. The ratio of« less

Publication Date:

Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1960

Research Org.:

Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, N.Y.

OSTI Identifier:

4109996

Report Number(s):

BNL-595

NSA Number:

NSA-15-003773

Resource Type:

Technical Report

Resource Relation:

Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS; ACRYLIC ACID; ADSORPTION; AMIDES; AMMONIA; BERYLLIUM; BETA DECAY; BISMUTH; BISMUTH ALLOYS; BROMINE FLUORIDES; CALCINATION; CATALYSIS; CERAMICS; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; CONTAMINATION; COPPER ALLOYS; CORROSION; DACRON; DECOMPOSITION; DOWEX; ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; ELECTRONS; EROSION; ETHERS; EVAPORATION; EXTRACTION COLUMNS; FUELS; GAMMA RADIATION; GRAPHITE; HEAT EXCHANGERS; HEAT TRANSFER; HYDROFLUORIC ACID; HYDROGEN; ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS; IRRADIATION; ISOMERS; LIQUID FLOW; LIQUIDS; MAGNESIUM OXIDES; MEASURED VALUES; MERCURY; MICROSCOPY; MIXING; MONEL; NICKEL ALLOYS; NIOBIUM FLUORIDES; NITROGEN OXIDES; NYLON; OXIDATION; PARTICLES; PELLETS; PLUTONIU