Hanford Laboratories Operation Monthly Activities Report August, 1962

Page 1

HANFORD LABORATORIES OPERATION MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN SCANNED AND IS STORED ON THE OPTICAL DISK DXIVE HANFORD ATOMIC PRODUCTS OPERATION

Page 2

This report was prepared as an account of Government sponsored work. Neither the United States, nor the Commission, nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission: Makes any warranty or representation, expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information contained in this report, or that h e use of any information, apparatus, method, or process disclosed in this report may not infringe privately owned rights; or B. Assumes any liabilities with respect to the use of, or for damages resulting from the use of any information, apparatus, method, or process disclosed in this report. As used in the above, "person acting on behalf of the Commission' includes any employee or contractor of the Commission, or employee of such contractor, to the extent that such employee or contractor of the Commission, or employee of such contractor prepares, disseminates, or provides access to, ony information pursuant to his employment or contract with the Cornmission, or his employment with

Page 3

HANFORD LABORATORIES OPERATION MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT HANFORD ATOMIC PRODUCTS OPERATION PRELIMINARY RE PORT This report was prepared only for use within General Electric Company in the course of work under Atomic Energy Commission Contract AT(45-1)-1350. Any views o r opinions expressed in the report are those of the author only. Rourte To I P. R. No. Location I Route Date I Signature and Date

Page 4

Atomic Energy Commission, Hanford Operations Office F. P. Baranowski, Director, Division of Production Savannah River Operations Office, Aiken, South Carolina

Page 5

Force Report and Personnel Status Changes . iv Reactor and Fuels Research and Development Physics and Instrument Research and Development Chemical Research and Development Operation Operations Research and Synthesis Operation Radiation Protection Operation Finance and Administration 0per at ion Test Reactor and Auxiliaries Operation

Page 7

BUDGETS AND COSTS August operating costs totaled $2,236, 000, an increase of $99, 000 from the previous month; fiscal year-to-date costs a r e $4, 373, 000 o r 15% of the $28, 524,000 tentative control budget. development costs for August, compared with last month and the control budget, a r e shown below: Hanford Laboratories’ research and thousands) Month Month To -Date Budget Spent RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 1. Reactor and Fuels A section of NPR Zircaloy-2 process tubing has been made hto an inreactor assembly and inserted in the Em, Idaho Falls, Idaho. This section replaces the stainless steel pressure t.Jbe in the P - 7 posikon. The new assembly will operate at NPR conditions of power, flux, and A Zircaloy-2-clad uranium rod with intentional striations as deep as 2070 of the cladding thickness was irradiated, then subjected to metallographic observed in spite of a 1.270 total strain of the cladding. previous observations of highly localized cladding deformation on irradiation of fuel elements of non-uniform cladding thickness. No concentration of deformation in the stria-Lisns w a s

Page 8

Visual examination of a dual enrichment, single -tube, metallic uranium fuel element after a second cycle of irradiation in the ETR indicated that the element w a s in excellent condition with no visible indication of A prototypic N fuel element has been charged through a full length N process tube with no scratching of the Zircaloy autoclave film. This test suggests that there is no "length effect" which causes iron clad supports to scratch during charging in full length tubes. that scratching encountered in earlier experiments was caused by the presence of foreign particles within the tube. It is possible grain size strip appears to yield a product less subject to cracking. Graphite is generally considered impossible to weld; however, r eery stal - lization and bonding w a s achieved between a graphite cap and a graphite tube by the magnetic force resistance butt welding process. An impact pressure of 400,000 psi can be obtained in the Dynapack machine with a tungsten carbide punch without resorting to Bridgeman anvil techniques. At this pressure micronized U02 powder, heated to 1100 C in evacuated cans, can be compacted to 99% T. D. feasible to impact large batches (10-14 pounds) directly to Ugh densrty. It thus appears It has been shown that an empty four-inch length of 2.328 inches OD x 0.060-inch wall Z r - 2 tubing with end caps welded in place will ~ ohpse explosively when subjected to 1100 psi at 400 C. cladding will not collapse under these conditions when connected by fix equally spaced ribs to a 3.068 x 0.060-inch wall Z r - 2 outer tube. latter arrangement allows the fuel hbe to resist collapse until a pros sx re of 1500 psig at 400 C is reached. strengthener, the outer tube may possibly be used asa disposable prc ces s However, the same In addition to acting a s a fuel cladding Process tuhe activity records indicate that failure of a swage compacted MgO-PuOZ 19-rod cluster fuel element occurred shortly after the first startup of the PRTR subsequent to charging of this element, Examina5011of the discharged element is continuing.

Page 9

A capsule containing high density U 0 2 - 2.57 mole '70 P-102 was discharged f r o m %heMTR after an estimated exposure of 10, 000 MWD/T and is rmw undergoing radiometallurgical examination. cluster is in progress following ETR irradiation. Dark spots on the external rod surfaces a r e definitely associated with regions of high P202 concentration and correspondingly high surface heat fhxes. Eight Zircaloy-clad capsules containing Z r 0 2 - P u 0 2 fuel pellets and eight containing MgO-Pu02 pellets have completed their irradiation in the ETR. Transverse sections of the MgO-PuOz samples show that general cracking has occurred in the specimens which operated at maximum core temperatures of 1700 C, whereas center voids and columnar grains have formed in the samples which operated at coro temperatures of 2200 C. Electrical resistivity measurements have been made on samples of plutonium oxides having O / P u atomic rations of 1.84, 1.92, and 1. 9 E J and exhibit an electronic activation energy of 0.50 0.02 ev for the single face-centered cubic phase existing above '3-e temper ak r e XmFt for the solid immiscibility region. Based on resistivity, thermal expansion, X-ray diffraction, and thermai emf experiments, a phase diagram has been constrzcted for the Ptl-0 pL02 compatibility tests at 1780 C in a helium atmospkere showed v;rp slight reaction with molybdenum, some observable reaction with ';-xes,251, and apparently complete re ac km with tantalum. Samples of PuC with 570 PuzC3, and beta - 2 0 3 have been prepared by The melting point of beta - 2 0 3 w a s observed to be aboat 209Q C. Resistivity measurements on a 38 a / o C-Pu alloy gave 230 ohm-cm a: mom temperature with a slightly posixve i empera w re COPE;ienT0 The average coefficient of linear thermal expansicn for F?-~OII~TJIY

Page 10

PUN w a s computed, from the best indentations, to be 370 kg mrn120 The average diamond pyramid hardness number for TWOcoextruded, Zircaloy-clad fuel elements with unwelded titanium bonded end closures failed after 31 days of exposure to 400 C steam. Though no failures have o c c d after 38 days in 360 C water, up to 27 mils penetration of the 120-mil bond layer was me as x ed, The first t e s t in H-1 U o p of the in-reactor corrosion of alxninum was completed during the month. sosion with low and with high beta flux. The samples were designed to test c c r - Unexpected difficulty w a s encountered in decontaminating some PRTR primary system piping specimens. ineffective but did modify the films so that they could be removed by scrubbing. The alkaline permanganate-oxalic acid Frocedure removed the film and activity, provided high solution velocity obtained. The occurrence points up the need for additional information concerning the characteristics of films formed in pressurized water systems. The standard APACE procedure WGS Laboratory tests were successful in demonstrating aEtomatic in- lime devices f o r oxygen and ammonia analyses. wer9 obtained during a recent test run in KER-3 Loop. The hydrazine proved effective in controlling the oxygen content of the coolznt during Continuous hydrazim analyses Metallographic examination of the 24-mil deep corrosion mark h PRTR process tube 5540 caused by contact wirh the lower fuel 4smen: end bracket showed no indication of increased hydrogen content, in th5 me:aE just beneath the mark. The pressure drop-flow data obtained recently under PRTR shutdown flow conditions indicate that single phase natural circulation zoolrng may be inadequate during total p o w e r outage. Cooling by i;_gkt water injection during a total power outage is not certain since the time requlrsd TO de pressurize from operating pressure to the 100 psi light water %pply pressure is calculated to be about 15 minutes.

Page 11

A re-examination of the thermal hydraulic test data for the PRTR indicates that the allowable tube power can be increased from 1200 KW to 1800 KW if the inlet temperature is decreased sufficiently to prevent bulk boiling at the tube outlet, It w a s also concluded that the maximum heat flux could be increased from 400,000 to about 750, 000 Btu / h r - sqft without violating the 1.85 boiling burnout safety factor proposed for the The use of the special tools and equipment for discharging rip tu red fEel elerne nts from the PRTR Rupture Loop was suczessfully demonstrated. Boiling burnout data obtained by General Electric Company at APED with a 1/2-inch OD externally cooled rod and compared with data obtained at Hanford with a 0.444-inch ID internally cooled tube were found to agree very well at high flow rates. Visual studies performed with an electrically heated t e s t section in a glass tube revealed that very little boiling was induced by any of the devices used to center fuel elements in Hanford production reactor process tubes when the test section was centered coaxially within the tube. Specimens of zirconium - 2Nb - 2 Sn alloy have been tested in tensiop after irradiation in the ETR at ambient coolant temperatures. irradiated in a number of heat treated conditions, had a considerably higher strength before and after the irradiation than is normal for Z r - 2 . It is noteworthy that the uniform elongation of this higher strength alloy is superior to that of Z r - 2 after an irradiation of approximateiy lo2' n-e, Specimens of beta -quenched and as -extruded uranium have be mir rad l - ated simultaneously to an estimated burnup of 0.16 a / o at a control temperature of 625 C. Macro examination has shown slight warpage in the as-extruded specimen and surface roughen iq as well as warping ir the beta-quenched specimen; some swelling has also occurred. observations point m t that "dimensional mstabiEty" skill persists sbove 400 C and possibly as high as 600 C. Molybdenum single crystals, one-eighth-inch diameter x 15 inches, have been successfully grown by an electron beam floating zone technique. 40 is expected that seeding of crystals to yield crystals with specEfIz rod axis orientation will now be possible.

Page 12

Oxidation specimens of nickel-base alloy R-27 were tested in flowing C 0 2 for 300 hours at temperatures of 1700 F and 1800 F. Results of these t e s t s show that the alloy has an oxidation resistance comparable to the austenitic stainless steels under these conditions. Tensile tests indicate that the alloy has considerably more high temperature strength. Specimens are presently being prepared for irradiation to exposures of 1021 nv-t fast neutrons in a gaseous environment. 2. Physics and Instruments Instrumentation activities in support of the NPR project included: review of t e s t s on the prototype gamma spectrometer for the fuel failure monitor; recommendations for purchase specifications for the multichamel analyzer to be used with the fuel failure monitor; development of a method for analyzing the dynamic response of start-up instruments; r e c o m - mendations of t e s t s for the nuclear instrument channels; and review of test procedures for the flow and temperature monitors and th-eir data An exponential pile mockup of the C Reactor w a s used to obtain buckling data with control rods in the mockup. one with a single control rod, and the other with six control rods. Further analyses will be needed to deduce control rod strengths for the Two arrangements were used: Criticality measurements continued in a 14” spherizal vessel containing phtonium nitrate solutions. was sfxdied using a molarity of 6. obtained w i t h molarities of 2 and 4 have been compared with P- 11 data. The agreement is very good. The largest discrepancy ob take d is less than one percent. arising in chemical determinations of phtonium concentration. The effect of acid molarity can eritiaaETy These data plus data previously This is well within the experimental unc wta h ties Experiments were performed with a . 0 3 ” cadmium wrapper on the r IS is ali ty vessel. thick water reflector. worth of the water to the equivalent of a paraffin reflector about onehalf inch thick. The cadmium layer separated the vessel from a The e.ffect of the cadmium w a s to reduce the A parametric survey of fast oxide reactors was completed. reac’iors investigated were fueled with U - 2 3 5 and U-238, bur, some Most of the

Page 13

Pi-U-238 and Pu-Th-232 systems were also considered. prcvides the physics statics data which could serve as the basis for pre - liminary economic evaluation of various fast reactors for prodcction of special materials such as high grade pktonium and U-233. Due to the long delay in obtaining u s e of the P R C F and gamma szanning facilities, it is planned to bypass these on some cf +he low exposure PJ-A1physics elements and send them directly to Radiometa?hirgy for pr5paration for burnup analysis. The first of these elements, No. 5051, is now being prepared for disassembly. A fairly detailed series of investigations of the use of Phoenix fuel for compact, water moderated power reactors has been started. investigations are an outgrowth bf previous work done for a small, Phoenix-fuekd, pressurized water reactor (HW-71279), and will include several reactor types. Analysis continues on the study of the feasibllity of performing a Phoenix fuel burnup experiment in the central cell Subcritical measurements were made to prcdict criticality for a system of plutonium-aluminum r o d s in light water. This month rods contairxing 670 R - 2 4 0 w e r e loaded in a central region surrounded by a region containing rods with 570 Pu-240. required when the loadings in the regions are reversed, and 494 rods are required f o r a random loading of the rods. The estimated number of rods for crit:- Previous experiments have shown that 485 rods a r ? T e s t s …