Monthly Report Hanford Atomic Products Operation for October 1955 (Deleted)

Page 1

HANFORD ATOMIC PRIDUCTS OPERATION Operated f o r the Atomic Energy Commission General Electric Company THIS DOCUMENT HAS EEC N SCANNED

Page 2

Atomic Energy Commission Hanf ord Operations Office Atomic Energy Commission Hanford Operations Office Atomic Energy Comnission

Page 3

HANFORD ATOMIC PRODUCTS OPERATION A net production of L23 tons o f acceptable slugs, o r 101 percent of the official forecast, were produced during t h e month. representing a two percent.increase over the September yield. The composite, canning yield was 77 percent, Established maximum reactor operating levels, excluding enrichment burnout, were in-. creased a total of 1171 megawatts during October, 80 a t DR Reactor, five a tH Reactor, 575 a t KE Reactor and 91at KW Reactor. At D R Reactor, the increase resulted from lower inlet water temperature and improved flattening; atH Reactor, from lower inlet water temperature; and at both KE and KW Reactors, from revision o f tube power limits following the replacement of front fact connectors. A n operating rate of 11 tons per day was maintained a t Redox until October 18 when a planned capacitj: test resulted i n achieving arate of 12.5 tons per day fora 32-hour The Manufacturing Department assumed responsibility for the Furex facility on October On October 24, 62 tons o f depleted uraniuii were received and dissolving was started Flushing of canyon equipment was s t a r t e d on October 19 and completed on October 23. The Lattice Testing Reactor was made critical for the first time on October 2.5. The initial critical configuration had a mass o f 9.1 kg. of U-235. The control, safety, and instrumentation systems performed satisfactorily. Re-evaluation of the condition of the p i l e process tubes a t the old reactors based on internal corrosion alone revealed that about 1800 process tubes must be rPplaced i n the next 1 2 months. Since this is a minimum number of tubes t o be replaced and does not compensate f o r external galvanic corrosion, any excess tube replacement capacity should be utilized in removing additional tubes atD and F reactors. The examination o f twelve slug corrosion ruptures which have occurred since August indicate that they were caused by reduced process tube rib heights. Reactor design development studies included feasibility of various new reactor plant alternates to obtain increased production a t HAPO, preliminary scope fora small experimental reactor, pressurization-recirculation application t o existing reactors and reactor continuous charge-discharge. The first instance or' breakthrough of a long-lived fission product, specifically CsI37, t o the ground water table has been recorded. On Gctober 7, 1755, security regulations were revised t o permit Frivately owned vecicles t o enter limited areas under emergeccy conditions a t times when regular bus transportation i s not available. In accordaiice with the new procedure recently adopted, a letter requesting $290,000 t o cover engineering studies necessary for budget preparation was sent t o the Manager, Hanford Operations Office.

Page 4

TABLE OF CONTENTS Salary and Wage Administration ................ Education and Training ................... Health and Safety ..................... Commercial and Residential Property Unit ...... Ggc-1 through Community Ope rati ons Sub-Sec ti on Public Works and Recreation Unit .......... Ggh-1 through Water and Sewerage Utilities Unit ............ Ggi-1 and Richland Public Library ...................... Financial Department ........................ 1-1 through 1-38

Page 7

HANFORD ATOMIC PRODUCTS OPERATION Emp. Comm. & Pub. Rel. Aux. Oper. & Plant Prot. Adm. and Comm. RADIOLOGICAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

Page 8

A net production of 423 tons of acceptable slugs, o r 101 percent of the official forecast, were produced during t h e month. slug material and four tons of the 4-inch type. of the total, 17 tons were of the cored The composite canning y i e l d was 77 percent, representing a 2 percent increase over same as last month, significant improvement was noted in the bonding layer void Although the inclusion reject rate remained relatively the Bare slug inventory, excluding slugs i n process, varied from three days t o nothing. BOwever, inventory of acceptable canned slugs increased t o approximately 4.5 weeks due t o revision of Cods sion requirements. On October 12 the canning of regular production m e t a l was halted due t o lack of bare slugs. Normal operations were resumed on uranium slugs f o r Purex. During this two-day period operations were diverted t o canning depleted No autoclave failures occurred during the month. The plutonium inrput production for the month was two percent over the official forecast and was the result of higher than forecast levels. The o v e r d l reactor time operating efficiency was 67.5 percent e The low efficiency resulted principally from outages for process tube replacement atF and D, gaT1E?llit gauge replacement at D and DR, and replacement of f r o n t face connectors a t KE and KW. Established maximum reactor operating levels,ex clu d iq enrichment burnout, were increased a total of 117l-megawatts during October, 80 a t I1R Reactor, five a tH Reactor, 575 at KE Reactor and 511 a t I(w Reactor. resulted from lower inlet water temperature and improved flattening ; at H Reactor, from lower i n l e t water temperature; and a t both KE and Kw Reactors, from revision of tube power l i m i t s following the replacement of front face connectors. A t DR Reactor, the increase The plutonium megawatt day output production was 22 percent below the official forecast due partially to discontinuing the discharge of low concentration material from H Reactor and partially to schedule variations. low concentration material was 255 and 38 respectively. The discharge tonnages of high and

Page 9

A total of 20 slugs failed during the month; 12 regular uranium slugs, four production test slugs, three enrichment slugs, and one Mint piece. The t o t a l reactor outage time for rupture removal was 278 hours. Of this total, 163 hours were required for removal of slugs trapped among the rear face pigtails. Tventy-eight res ctor scram8 occurred, 15 of which were caused by normal Panel lit system variables. The total outage time resulting from all scrams was 106 hours. Process tube leak t e s t i n g programs were conducted at D, F, and H Reactors as the result of excessive water collection rates. AtD early inthe month, all tubes were tested with five leaking tubes found. rear crossheaders two additional tube leaks were located. A t H, three tubes and one flange leak were found. F shut down on the last day of the month for a tube testing Later, when collection remained high, by testing The total outage time required for leak testing was 180 hours. Process tube replacement programs were continued atD and F Reactors, with 104 +,ubes replaced at F and with the replacement of 81 tubes at Din progress at month end i n conjunction with the Project CC-558 Panel lit gauge replacement outage. KE Reactor was shut down from October 2to13for the replacement of the front face connectors, and replacement -of all (except f o r eight rows) of t h e tube temperature elements with new interim elements. DR Reactor continued until-October 8, an outage which began September 28, f o r the replacement of the Panel lit gauges. The U-233 program was concluded during the month and a l l tabes containing J-& material at C and H Reactors were discharged. The second off - site shipment of i wadia ted Mint pieces was made during the mon+,h. The total production of low ngs plutonium from the Redox and T Plants was 124 per?ent of the official forecast with each fac fli%y contributing 139 and 93 percent, respecoperating rate and efficiency; while the T Plant production was slightly curtailed due toa change inthe Commission requirements for ngs product. An operating rate of 11 tons per day was maintained at Redox until October 18 when a planned capacity'%est resulted in achieving arate of 12.5 tons per day for a 32-hour During this outage, replacements of an agitator in the waste neutralizer tank and a column feed pump were made. Fd.lowing startup on October 22, another period of the 12.5 ton production rate was held for 27 hours. On October 25, a leak occurred i n the oxidizer tube bundle which necessitated a plant shutdown. This equipment was replaced and operations were resumed on October 28. feed pump on October 30 caused rates t o be reduced t o 6 tons/day. Pump w a s being replaced at, month end. T Plant operation was normal with producticn slightly iowered as specified by CommisThe production of the Redox Plant i s atkributed t o higher than forecast On October 20, the extraction zo ll ms were shut down fora water flush. Failure of an extraction column Total outage time for %he month was lo5 hours.

Page 10

processed at 85 and 87 days respectively. continued from Redox and T Plant with minimum cooling age of metal The TBP production was 74 percent of the official forecast with output being curtailed during the first half of the month by a lack of feed due t o waste metal removal problems. The t o t a l outage ttme f o r awaiting feed for the first and second cycles was 144 and 187 hours respectively. The production of the UO plant exceeded the forecast by 24 percen% due principally t o the high operating efficgency of Redox Facility. The Manufacturing Department assumed responsibility for the Purex facility on October 16 (contingent upon formal acceptance). October 19 and completed on October 23. were received and dissolving was started on October 28. The Isolation Plant continued t o process low g / t material during the month. tion forecast was met with production confined t o one type model. for total number of units processed was established. Flushing of canyon equipment was started on On October 24, 62 tons of depleted uranium A new monthly record Waste metal removal rates were limited during %he first half cf the month through tank cleanout processes and a series of equipment failures. concentrations increased and satisfactory removal continued the rest of the month. Starting on October.19 blend On Roll October 1, 1955 On Roll October 31, 1955

Page 11

All persons engaged i n work that might reasonably be expected t o result i n inventions or discoveries advise that, t o the best of their knowledge and belief, no inventions or discoveries were made i n the course of their work dving the period covered by this report except as l i s t e d below. persons further advise that, for the period therein covered by t h i s report, notebook records, if any, kept i n the course of their work have been examined f o r possible Inveptions or discoveries. W.K. MAC CREADY, MANAGER

Page 20

There was no change in responsibility during this period. Total Acceptable Slugs Canned (Tons) Forecast Achievement (Current Conrmitment) N e t Acceptable Solid Slugs (Tons) Slugs Returned From Rector (Tons) N e t Acceptable Cored Slugs (Tons) Slugs Returned from Reactor (Tons) Acceptable 10-66 Slugs Canned (Pieces)

Page 21

m-39751 Metal Preparation Section 2. Act id ties A net production of 423 t o w of acceptable finished slugs, achieved i n 2 1 working days, was essentially 101 percent of forecast. cored slugs and four tom were four-inch s o l i d slugs. per day were agerated through October 14. canning lin8-8hiitS per day on October 17 due t o revised reactor slug requirements which reduced the Metal Prepamtion Section's production commitment for October from 458 tons to 419 tons. Of the 423-ton total, 17 tons were Seven canning line - shifts Production activity was reduced tosix A composite yield of 77s was argerienced in October. over last month's yield. frost test, bad welds, poor bonds, and inclusions. rate decreased t o 0.B from the previous month's 2.0$. remained relatively the same as experienced during the previous month. has been started to reduce marred surface rejects through operator education and studies t o improve handling methods and basket equipment. On the 4-12 shift October 12, the canning of regular production material w a s shut d a m for lack of bare slugs. delay i n the arrival of a regular railroad shipment from Fernald. Effectively, three-line shifts of regular production were l o s t before normal operations vere resumed on the 4-l2 shift October 14. utilized by canning twelve tons of depleted uranium slugs for Purex start-up during This is an increase of 2$ The bonding layer void reject The inclusion reject rate The major causes for rejection were: marred surfaces, The bare slug inventory was depleted due toa two-day Most of the operating personnel were Due t o reduced reactor consunrption of canned slugs during October, the combined Metal Preparation and Reactor canned slug inventory increased t o about a four and one-half weeks' supply a t month-end. Since forecasted Reactor consumption of canned slugs is comparatively low, a high inventory will probably exist for several Bare slug inventory i n 300 Area, excluding slugs i n process, fluctuated during the month from a three days' supply t o nothing. metal i n process, particularly in slug recovery, t o an absolute minimum. All rail - road metal shipments from the Rational Lead,Company, Fernald, Ohio a r e being traced t o expedite prompt delivery t o HAPO. Every effort is being made t o keep On October 25, a new Metal Preparation Section Official Production Forecast (EW-39642RD) w a s issued on the basis of a revised Reactor Section Goal Forecast. The new forecast, which reduced Metal Preparation productivity approximately 100 tons per month, covers the 12-month period October, 1955 through September, 1956 and was used as the basis for the fiscal year 1956 mid-year budget review. No autoclave failures occurred during the month. Difficulty has been experienced with condensed moisture and oilin the plant compressed a i r supply system durtng winter months. added t o the air supply system just ahead of the receiver i n an attempt t o control A cyclone separator has been The development of additional aluminum component vendors has continued. has been placed with Hunter-Douglas Corporation for the fabrication of 100,000 caps and approval for delivery of the first 4,000 has been given. Aluminum samples from Reynolds Metals have been evaluated and approval given to fabricate an initial

Page 22

Metal Preparation Section With the exception of one minor piece of equipment, t h e Metallographic Laboratory is now completely s e t up and functioning. routine metallographic and X-ray diffraction work associated with the uranium slug accegtance inspection and quality control program. done by Metallurgy Research. This laboratory is nov performing the This work Wd previously been Contact Engineering work is being performed on a number of items f o r the Stores Central Stores, lighting in the automobile ware a lng area, …