Monthly Report Hanford Atomic Products Operation for August 1956

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This document consists Work performed under Contract No. W-31-109-Eng-52 between the Atomic Energy Commission and General Electric Company

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Atomic Energy Commission, Hanford Operations E. J. Bloch, Director, Division of Production,

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. TABLE OF CONTENTS Employee Communications and Public Relations Gb-1 through Gb-5 Commercial and Residential Property Water and Sewerage Utilities Unit... Ggi-1 through Ggi-2 Auxiliary O perations and Plant Protection

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Financial Department ................. 1-1 through 1-3 Budgets and Measurements and Contract Cost Property Accounting Section ......... If -1 through If - 2 Operations Research and Synthesis Section ............. .J-1 Financial Department Personnel and Organization Ih-1 through Ih-2

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The net production of acceptable slugs was 489 tons or 104 percent of the forecast. The composite yield of 79 percent was slightly higher than that of the previous mcnth due t o fewer rejects i n the poor bond category. The reactor input production was 13.7 percent higher than forecast because the actual t i m e operated efficiency exceeded that assumed i n the forecast by eight achieved during the operation of eight reactors. frequency and low outage time. The time operated efficiency of 79.8 percent is the highest ever This resulted from a low rupture The maximum established operating levels, including burnout, were increased 82 megawatts due t o the relaxation of tube power limits t o 1025 KW/tube a t KE Reactor Eight slug failures occurred during the month w i t h 121 hours of outage time /. The pro&uction of high concentration product from the ~ i m a r yse-tions plants was 124 percent of the forecast. ten tons per day. equipment flush and ( 2 ) t o convert the processing from high t o lat concentration due t o a plugging and associated maintenance work in the plutonium concentrator. Redox operated a t rates varying from five t o Two significant outages occurred during the month (1)for an One shutdown occurredPurex processed at a r a t e of 12 tons per day. Reduction a t the U02 plant was 76$ of the forecast. Equipment failures in the pots and powder unlo&ling systems lowered production. Fabricated and unfabricated material produced during the month quctas. The forecast of low nitrate was not achieved due t o a Redox schedule which delayed the conversion of the t o t a l plant met the forecast change in the Allegheny-Ludlum Steel Corporation signed a contract t o develop quantity production techniques for the fabrication of ribbed zlrconlum process tubes. The average welding yield f o r I and E slugs roee f'rom 40 percent t o 80 percent. T h i s resulted from improved braze layer quality and several refinements in the

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Studies involving the use of low and'high demonstrated the possibility of obtaining in two cycles of solvent extraction. acid flowsheets in the Purex Process complete decontamination of products New techniques were developsd for identifying eight radioisotopes in the reactor effluent water without separation. Reactor design and developnent activitier included studies of (1) helium cooled graphite moderated reactors for production of plutonium and electric power (2) Area (3) improvements to vertical safety rods and (4) temperature monitoring and flow monitoring system components. new plutonium produofng reactor embodying a recirculation system (Project CG-654). necessary to sustain highsr process water flow rates in 100-K Several design criteria were approved for the The plutonium fuel cycle demonstration reactor concepts were reviewed with a delegation from AEC, Washingtm, D. C. Comments favored the reactor moderated T h e responsibilities for procurement of construction materials, -warehousing, material control and other related functions were transferred to J. A . Jones Capmy oh August 13, 1956. A signing of ptent agreements by tha remaining 35 p e r k t of the employees who are required to sign these forms is still being delayed. Discussions are continuing with both Legal and the Banford Atomic Metal Trades Council in an effort to resolve the matter. There was one disabling injury during the month which resulted from an autohaled plutonium on June 18, 1956. Treatment was continued for one employee who accidently inA two week training course on the new IEM 650 Msgnetic Drum Data Processing Machine was given to ten analysts. Steps were taken by the AEC toward the ultimate liquidation of thorium inven-- Previous informatiaa indicated that there would be a protracted pcriod Action by the AEC now appears to insure liquidation within s h

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WORD ATOMIC PRODUCTS OPERATION EWTDYEX PUBLIC RELATIONS Salary and Wage Administration 11 Education and Training Employee Corn. and Public Rel. 13 Union Fielat ions 5 Auxiliary Oper. and Plant Bot. 117 Health and Safety 48 Purchasing and Stores 60 61 226 Budgets and Measurements * 8 Procedures and Computing 34 Records and Standards 33 Administrations and Communications 3

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The net production of acceptable slugs was 489 tons which was 104 percent of The composite yield of 79 percent wks s l i g h t l y higher than that of the previous month, because of fewer rejects i n the poor bond category. A 1.4 month inventory of acceptable slugs was on hand a t month end. inventory of bare slugs continued low, with the supply ranging q t o a 12-day level, but falling back to only four days at month end. There were no slug failures in autoclave testing during the month. The r e a c t o r input production was 13.7 percent higher than forecast because the actual time operated efficiency exceeded that assumed i n the forecast.by 8 perduring the operation of eight reactors and resulted froma continued low rupture f-?quency and low outage time required for tube leak testing. Output production was 84.3 percent of forecast due largely t o a delay in converting toa reduced goal exposure for high concentration material. The time operated efficiency of 79.8 percent is the highest ever achieved The maximum established operating levels, including burnout, were increased 82 megawatts due t o the relaxation of tube power limits t o 1025 ICW/tube at KE A total of eight slug failures occurred during the month with 121 hours of outage time charged t o removal. Twenty-four reactor scrams occurred during the month, ten of which were caused by normal Panellit system variables. There were no outages necessitated by process tube leak6 during August. seven tubes were leak tested a t F Reactor during a tube replacement outage and two Van Stone leaks were corrected. rupture. A t month end water collection was normal at a l l reactors. Tube replacement programs were conducted a t B, D, F and H Reactors with 465 tubes removed and replaced, four tubes removed and not replaced, and f i v e air Another tube leak wa8 caused at KE by a A total of 492 hours were required for the tube replacement

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The production of high concentration product from the primacy plants was 124 percent of the forecast. the continuance of Redox on high concentration feed until Pura had achieved reasonable operational equilibrium on high concentration feed. The delay in converting the Redox capacity t o low feed resulted in t h a t forecast quota not being met. The Redox plant operated at rates varying From f i v e to t e n tons .per day. ‘itm sS..miffwnt oixtages occurred during the month, the first f r o m August 4 to 9 for an eqyipment flush and the second f’rom August 23 u n t i l month end t o convert the processing from high t o low concentration material. In addition t o virgin feed a quantity of UMH contaminated with plutonium was also reworked during the month. The forecast was exceeded because of The Pure plant, except for one outage period, processed at a 12 ton per a plugging and associated maintenance work in the plutonium concentrator. During the period of August 19 t o August 22 the first uranium decontamlnation column was upset through processing.difficulties which resulted i n a Quantity of high gamma product being sent to TBP f o r further decontamithroughout the month. The facility was shut down from August 1to August 8 due t o ’ The plutonium product was essentially within specification Production a t the !lDP plant exceeded the forecast by 13 percent. The output of the UO plant was 76 percent of the forecast wlth production being adversely affe&ed throughout the month by equipment failures i n the pots and povder unloading systems. me total quantity of fabricated and unfabricated metal produced during July and August met the forecast quotas. not achieved due t o a change i n the Redox schedule which delayed the plant capacity conversion t o low g / t feed. The forecast oflow nitrate was Total on Roll August 1, 1956 5268

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A U persons engaged i n work that might reasonably be expected t o result in inventions o r discoveries advise that, t o the best of their knowledge and belief, no inventions o r discoveries were made i n the course of their work during the period covered by t h i s report except as Usted below. sons further advise that, f o r the period therein covered by this report, notebook records, if any, kept i n the course of their work have been examined f o r possible inventions or discoveries. A method of producing a sheathed thermocouple and lead with the couple cold-formed as an integral part of the sheath

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MGTAL PREPARATION SECTION There was no change i n responsibility of the Section during August. T o t a l Acceptable Slugs Canned (Tons) '4 89 434 3,314 Composite Canning Yield ( 5 ) 80 77 77 ' Forecast Achievement (Current Commitment) 104 100 101 August July t o date Net Acceptable Solid Slugs (Tons) 480 414 3,166 Slugs Returned from Reactor (Tons) 1.69 2 . u 16.80 Autoclave Failure - Solid (Ro./M) 9 20 148 Slugs Returned from Reactor (Tons) 3.74 1.85 7 -27 Autoclave Failure - Cored (IVo./M) 0 0 0 Sanitary Water from 3000 Are8 (zGals.) 64.4 64.8 Acceptable C - 4 Slugs Canned (Pieces) 0 0 4 14 Acceptable Pb-Cd Slugs Canned (Pieces3 5,947 3,491 36,150 Average Steam Generated (M lbs/hr.) 21.0 24.8 Increased canning yields and operating efficiencies &de possible the attainment of a new production record of 489 tons of acceptable canned slugs during the month of August. was 104% of forecast, was achieved by operating seven canning lines for the first nineteen working days and six canning lines the remaining four working days of the month. The reduction t o six canning lines wa6 made i n an attempt t o more evenly balance the bare and canned slug inventories. been reduced considerably due t o the failure of an equalizing furnace imately two weeks. This production, vhich Inventories of bare slugs had No metal shipments were received f o r a period of approx-

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The inventory of acceptable canned slugs i n 100 - 300 storage areas increased t o a 1.4 months' supply by month-end. inventory, which had been built up toa high of 12-days supply on August 10, was reduced toa four-day supply a t month-end. decrease resulted 'from the interruption of shipments from the slug fabrication plant fora period of 12 days while some critical equipment was being repaired. shipments were resumed by the end of the month. normal monthly shipments for August had been received prior to this breakdown; thus continuity of 300 Area operation was not The bare slug This condition was corrected and Almost a l l of the The over-all canning yield increased t o 80$ which i s approximately 35 over July and 44 above the forecast. improvements in several reject categories, the major ones being marred surfaces, bond test rejects and voids. This increase resulted from The obsolete frost test equipment was transferred t o the 314 Building f o r storage and experimental use. The steam pole replacement program i s 7C$ complete. for completion i n September. It is planned There were no autoclave failures during the month. Since a l l dingot slugs presently being received are heat-treated off-site, it was not necessary t o operate the salt bath heattreating facilities in 313 during the month. this equipment will be limited t o processing rejects from the transformation tester and for special tests. A total of 6,407 lead-cadmium slugs were canned and inspected during the month, producing 5,947 acceptable pieces fora yield Future operation of The all-time high production output f o r August was 104% of that forecasted in the Official Production Forecast (EM-43955) . Canning yields were up 44 and operating efficiencies 2$ over those values used i n the forecast. A new Official Production Forecast w a s issued on August 20, reducing 300 Area production about 350 tons for the remainder of FY 1957. Because of this decrease, thre

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METAL PREPARATION SECTION The "time operated" efficiency of 9@ f o r the canning lines i s the highest attained since the finishilg line conveyors were put i n t o During an electrical storm on the evening of August 23, a momentary power failure caused the mercury lamps i n the canning area t o go out. Because of the unusual operating characteristics of this lamp, the canning operation had t o be suspended f o r 10 minutes while awaiting the lamps t o reach full brightness again. Inspection, Maintenance and Replacements In order to utilize a large room on the mezzanine of 313 building for office space, a large vacuum motor and separator units for the vacuum system servicing the canning area were removed and replaced by small portable vacuum units. After a nine-day trial run, the can cleaning machine was shut down for further modification. The baskets for holding the parts require redesigning and all brass parts will be-replaced as these seem t o contribute t o corrosion of the aluminum components when particles of brass loosen and fall from the machine into the various The services of a factory representative f o r the Acme-Gridley lathes was available throughout the month t o provide training f o r better servicing of t h i s equipment. Several training sessions were conducted with maintenance personnel. Two addLtio-1 remodeled radiograph.trays were received during August. Four trays remain t o be altered. The remaining cored slugs, having 3/&inch axial hole diameters, were processed during this period. slugs was produced with a yield of 82 percent. A total of 9 tons of finished Approximately eighteen tons of bare cored slugs with 1/2-inch hole diameters have been received fromFernald. The preparation of t h i s aluminum plugs were received and statistically inspected during the material for pile eva will begin early i n September. The f i r s t two groups of bare cored slugs and the large diameter

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MBTAL PXEPARATION SEZTIOIQ P.T. 313-56-MC" Canning of Four Tons of Dingot Uranium for Pile The processing of …