Hanford Works Monthly Report - September 1948 (Deleted)

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Project Zngineering Division. .......... Pile techno log^ Division 67 Metalurgr and Control Division ........... 106 Service D i ~ is lons................ 180 Purchasing and Stores Diviaioa. .......... 181 .Plat Security and Services Division ........ 184 b plo yee and Comnu=litg Relations Divieion. ........ 211 Public Works Division. .............. 225 Community Fire Division. ............ 24.4 Cornunity Patrol Civielon. ........... 245 Cmmitg Activities Division ..........

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A total of 97.2 tons of metal vas discharged dur iL the month a s the three p i l e s operated at an average efficiency of 75.2 percent. 275 MW during operation except at 1004 Area, which operated a t reduced levels ' after September 23, 1948, duto water in the graphite arising from a ruptured The power level was The 3 0 krts canning production a @ n was a t a new record with 146 tons of acceptable slugs produced. of 1.5 gercent over At quit. On September 20, 1948, the opera tl q schedule va8 reduced from7to6 days The canning yield WBS 90.5 percent--= increase The Melt Plant aroduced 71 tons of billets. A t o $ a l of 39 batches were processed through Isolatioa. all separaticna act i viti ee averaged 2.7 percent for the month. 1948, all -eratiom i=2 the S Division were returned t o a k0 hour besis. same tims, the isolation Building was placed on a three-shift, five-day basio. The waste losses for On September 13, 1948, the 200 Are- Power operations were returr;ed to ab hour per week basis. The glaaned six-day work week was reduced f r o m 10% t o apimoximately lo$ in the Maintenance Division 88 of Seztember 4, l9&. Accelerated constlvctiun activities have iqr cve d the comFletian dates of the -,. badly needed decolltaminstion sa& filter a in th3 200 East and West Arsas. By persistent effort the Traffic Section of the Transportation Divisioa continuee t o @in ca cession e ia the metter of frei at rate tariff reductiom, as sham in that division ' s r*;.pol",. A very surprising emd unexplained phenomenon was encountered when it was examined after norms1 *radiation had g m m longer and thinner while the remainder had grmn shorter and thicker. It has been demonstrated t h a t pL-ified graphite can be pre2ared by merely gas jakfng the bars aftor the second pitch impregnation and then puriPjiry directly. Production coats 011 this materiel are lwer than those of rey la rpm if i ed graphite, it expands less under p i l e irradiation, is as strong as regular material, a d has ressocsble satisfactory nrachhing charzctaristics. The quality of all types of graphite deliveries continued t o drop dura tho month. This drop m a the result mainly of a general density decrease. The water which entered the graphite of the B P'le from a li.aking grocess tube \ poduced reactivity loss o f U8 inhsur3. Sane mter had been removed a t rnocthend but no recovery of reactivity hed occurred. s

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Pile tests show that Van Same corrosion can be reduced markedly by providing cathodic protection (nragnesium gaskets) or by eli mk ation of the golvanic cell Expansion of pile graghite has deformed vertical rod thimble No. 27-F sufficie ntl y to prevent cq let e insertion of the rod. Near by thimbles i n the F Separations P l a n t s Broduction tests on the reduction of process volumcs heve eharn t h a t 3074 volume reduction may be optimum before encountering hi&.- waste pit ate in i 3 - l st B Plant. Reduction of metathesis time cycles is t o be cbtsined by a 'slight rearrangement of process flow. for we in filter- ventilation eir discharge heve shown that crushed flim from the American Graded Sand Company has filtering and non-packing propertics superior t o other sands recently tested. static precipitator, and cyclone separator have also been continuLld. Reasons ere being sought for the act mule tion of by-product preciCcntinued studies of verious sands Column have velues ranging f'mm 2.6 t o 9.8 feet. vest ly overdesigned for throughputs poseibls with the Raschig ring packing used, however, A 5-inch column packed with 1/2-Fnch Raschig rings ves fouzd t o have an E.E.T.S. value of a. 1.5 feet at through pts equivalent t o necrly 1.2 long tons of ureniq'day. An 8-inch column similarly packed a l s o gave an H.E.T.S. value of ca. 1.5 feet at throughputs eqEivclent t o 2.1 long tons of uzunium/day. It is believed that the quoted throughput on this latter column is still far below floodlng and the etudy of this c0l.m.u is being extended. These studies point up the possibility of short (30 feet or under), smU diameter ( 6 t o 8 inches) columa bei- feasible f o r Eedox productior plant settler units have pointed up the need for redeslga of these mdels. t i o n of the full-ecele mixer-settler unit is nearly completed. The Research Section has demnstratcd in the laboratory tha3 ruthenium vol at fli - zation from oxidized dissolvzr solution facrecses witS the, temperature, and and columbium on glass wool have been aeesured. The e f f e c t s of small mounts . of Si, Sn, Cu, Al, end Fe on extraction stage heights hcve been investigated. Quadratic equations have been developed f o r the solubility of hexone ix various t o measur3 the effects of Pio gen peroxide oxidation on ruthenium and cerium decontamination, the reactivity of hydrogcn perioxidc end sulfamic acid, and che affect of plutonium concentration on the rates of its oxidation by dichromate. The colllmn *xis proved t a be Initial studies cerried out with tho l/lOGth acele S.O.D. mixer300 Area Plant Assistance personnel continued t o supervise the rolling of ur anim rods for Hanford a t Lockport, N.Y. and Aliquispa, Pa. uranium rod producad ezperimentallg a t Aliquipga by a conhination forging-rolling operation indicates that this 2-step febrication process my yield a superior rod with considenble operatiag economy. Further trial a ere be- schedcled. Preliminary .arracgenents were made with the Industrial Heating Engineering Division in Schenectadjr, and with Ghe Knolls !.tonic Parer Leboratory, to utilize equipmznt of the latter for induction heating trials with uranium rods and slugs.

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In t h e Operetional H. I. Division survey findings in gtneral were nornal. The active particle deposition continued t o be of prb ,0 conc,zm. In the Control and Dev clop nt Section, samples of water, air and vegeta+,ion shoved no results above the warning limit for the plutonium excr9tion test. Uranium content of three urine sampler, fell in the 50 t o 70 ug/Liter range. In the Biology Division, monitoring of mmmals and fish proceeded with specicl incident except Ln the 200 I Arec where the program was abruptly terminated by which hos not xdergona decay in the basin, will begid ne&* nonth. B study of tha effects on aquatic life of pile effluent wcter,. There was no evidence of inju,? t o any enplayee Curing the nonth due t o redlation. Toxic sf facts of carbon tetrachloride reeulted in hospitalization of four subt h e sub-coatrector program in favor of less toxic agents. Its ut?h a been disconticued as a degrecsing egent in Records ere m w being kept t o lndiccte ap2roximate totel lifetime exposure of Recent animal eGeriments have indicated a need for Clinic and hoepital treat m nz s decreased moderately but were rocghly double the twelve months previous figurea P*lic health activities were satisfactory with alcw incidence 03 cmnunicable Effective Sepsember 1, 1948, the rnloyea and .Jmi% gSelstians Division, and the Labor Relations and Wage Rate Divieion were removed fora the Semce DiviFirm oders heve been placed for ell steel requirements for the fourth quarter of 1948 with the exception of galvanized sheets. sheets has been requested. A a it ional allocation of Requeet M E received from the Atomic Energy Connnission t o submit estimtea of requirements of ell forms of AlumL ~ u mf o r 1949. Cczmitments have been mds a d orders placed cover+- requirements of Aluminun aEd Aluminum products through June, 1949. There we12 two mador injuries for the month making a total of 12 for th2 year 2nd a c-tive frequency mte of 0.957 f o r 1948. Operction of the 723 Laundry M S reduced toe two-shift operation because of reduced volume. Operction of t h s 200-West I;:undrJ continues on a six-day basis. Approval was received from tha Atomic Energy Cocrnission t o reduce and/or coolbine 8 3/5 hour shift sckedde. These changes will effect a considerable saving in

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,Open requisitions f o r additional personnel incrsased from 553 a t the beginnir! of the month t o 613 etthe en& of the month. plus terminatione of temporary, total plant roll decreased 158. There ware 1,569 emplo.,ee contacts nade by the Employee Relations Group. superrieory group given in form tion on Euplqee Savings nnd Stock Bonus PIr.n through meet imp conducted by Employee Relations Couneelors . awards ,to t ding $120 were granted during Septenber. Due tothe edditional ley-off's, Fifieen suggest ion Connnuniq wage survey in Spokane, Seattle, and TQCOI=O,Washlngton; and Portland, Oregon, are presently in progrese. Non-exempt Job classification ncnuals completed, nnd limited distribution made t o supervision. General review o f nonexempt job class if i cat i cns in 2 divfsione i n progress. IOumber of investigations conducted durkg the paet month in various divisiona for the purpose of ossignclassification t o new jobs cnd reviewing existing ,jobe. t h e manufacturing, related service divisions and general divisions and the "Proposed Accounting System for Richland Village and Kcdlec Hospital Activities" reconmended by the auditing firm of Touche, Niven, Bailey and Smart, were mede The New G. E. Emplagees Savings and Stock Bonus Plrn which is effective as of October 1, 1948, required considerable tine 4 3 writing ug instructions, routi-nes, and notifsing Supervisors of the provisions of the Plc n and fuzmishiq then with njceseav forms and booUets. The Richland Public Schools Were officially opened c;1 Septe&er 7, 1948, with an enrollment of 5,500 students and 224 teachers. One hundred and two n nch t ne houses were completed and eccepted for aliocation during the month. Request8 for alteration pemLts were gzzntad t o 131 tenants for miscellaeous, minor alterat ions in Village houses. Also, dcring this yeriod 223 house leases were authorized. Construction was started on a f'urniturz store building on George Washington Way, inmediately north of the Villager Office. ground rencal basis bj the business operntors. S bi lar canuracts have been made fora printing plant and food etore. S i x Unlveyor trucks have been received and are i n operation. trucks has increased the efficiency of cocl handling three hundred percent. . This building is being built on a The use of thesa .

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General Manager ...............R.C. Muir Assistant General Manager. ...........R.S. Rebletc A as is t mt to the General Manager Assistant to the General Manager Assistant to the General Manager and Manager, Health fastnnnent Divfslan .........H. M. Parker

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For greater clarity and conmnience of -reference, the sut~z~iiryis being preA t o t a l of 97.2 tons of metal was discharged dur',zg ths month as tke three Files cperated a t an average efficiency of 75.2 percent. was 275 during operation except at1OGB Area, which operated a t reduced levels after September 23, 1948 due t o water in the graphite arising frm a 'Rw 300 Area canning production again was a t a new record with I& tons of acceptable slugs produced, cf 1.5 percent over August, The power level The canning yield was 9O.j percent - a n increase The iklt Plant produced 71 tons of billets, A total of 39 batches were processed thrcqh Isolationu for all separatims activities averaged 2.7 percent for tha month, Q September 13, 1948 all operations i n the S Division were returned toa 40 hour basis. At tbe sans time, the Isolation Building was placed on a t&ee shift, 5 day basiso Cn Sep+Amber 13, 1948 the 200 Arese ?oww opeI.ations were returned t o a 40 hour per week basis. The waste losses . Accelerated construction activities Pave improved the coq2letion dates cf the badly needed decontamination sand filters in the 200 East and West Farp ers is tent effort the Traffk Section o f the Tramprta+don Division cont;inues togah concessions i n the matter of frai.zht rate ta;;iff reductiocs, as s h m Ln fhat divisionTs report. Tke Material Control Section of the Naintenance Division was dissolved, activities and so- of the personnel of this group have been transferred t o the Purchdsing and Stores Di-dsions. O t h e r personnel have been transferred t o available clerical jobs,

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All pile so prated at 275 M.3. throughout the month except for the outages listed under Area Activities in this report and except that B Pfle operated a t reduced levels subsequent t o September 22 as discussed urder Operating Experience. ruptured on t h a t date, necezsitating a cessation of operation. The tube was repiaced on Segtember 23 and p i l e operation wa3 resmed ata reduced level to allow the free moistuze in the graphzte pacirhg t o evaporata ata safe rate, Pile Tube No. 15%-B A +,s+d of 97.4 tons of metal w e s discharged from the piles, Ths 300 Lza canniag p duct ion amanted t o U6 tons of acce7table slugs, thus setting a new racord for 4" slugs. The caiming yield was 90.5 percent as compared with 89 percent in August. Effective September 20, the Melt P l a n t in the 300 Area was placed 011 athe - shift, six day week schedule. Previously it bad operated During the month d is tri but im was made of HThe Pile Priaer'', a supervisozy training 5ook prepared by a grm? of P Division Mwnber of Emplqees on Fa poll - September End of lonth: -363 S i x operators were hired, one was transferred frm the Construction Division, and one was tmf erred from the Stores Divbion, all being assigned t o the 300 Area. Five operators vdi ~ it arf l yt cdr at cd from 4s of Septcmbor 30, 1948, thc vork status of czlplgecs of t h o P Divfsim was as follm : Two opomtors returned from a leave of absence. One

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Snflar, Shift Supe+tsor, m d from the 300 Area t o 100-F On Se?teaber 25 supmisors of the Design-Constniction Ihison g r i p , (Gordon Lewis, John Elfller, Douglas hiontgamerg) , commenced t h e - shift coverage of the graphite stacking work a t Pile DR. Humber of Purges Inhours Gained (this month) Schedulad Lewh of

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* Shutdown' begen 16.5 haus earlier than scheduled because of ruptured Tube Bo. 1369-E, iw A pole top fire on the 230 E.V. loop necessitated a Critical Y Ope rat *np Fme r ience …