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NEW
APPLICATION SHEETS
VENT UNESIGHT PORT
THERMOCOUPLE WEL! Movva Taira bte on requesTT
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I I I I I I I • I I I I I I I I
Write today for any of the fol lowing informative analytical method-s describing applica tions p-ossifc>le with versatile LECO apparatus. •
-Ash czonterat of Coal and Coke
ΓΊ .JVsh content of Paper •
^arbeon content of Clay
f""| « a r t · · ο η c o n t e n t of C r a c k i n g -Catalyst •
«Carbesn content of Glass
Π
C a r b o n Black content of Rubber
•
»lydrrogert content of Titanium .and Zirconium
Ο ^xyaaen content of Silver, Copper ^nd GBold Π
^Sulfiade content of Cement
•
Sulfiar content of Alumina Ore
•
Sulfuar content of Cement and Ce ment Ciinksr
•
Suiter content of Clay
•
Sulfissr content of Coal and Coke
LJ Sulfcar content of Fluorspar •
Sulfcar content of Glass
•
Sulfirar content of Limestone
•
Sulf· nr content of Naphthalene and ε >tyrene
•
Sulf^ ur c o n t e n t of Oil (newly revised)
Π
Sulfœir content of Organic Compoun«ds containing Chlorine and Nitroegen
•
Sulf «ur content of Sou and Plant Tissisue
•
Suif sur content of Wood Meal and Sheesst
LABOFATTORr EQUIPMENT CORP. 131S HilltGDp Road, St, Joseph, Michigan
54
O&EiN M A R C H
16.
I I I I I I I I I I I I AEC I I I I I I I II I
1959
SIGHT PORTtWITH LIGHT)
.SWITCH BOX
SIGHT GAGES < ί ! 87.4 GAL· 5j AQUEOUS -BLADE AGITATOR
*^1U^ TRANSFER LINE-
Q
NUCLEAR FATALITY. Cecil W. Kelley died after exposure to a radiation burst from a 225-gallon tank as shown. Before the accident, the tank held 40 grams of Pu in 87 gallons of emulsion. Acting in error, Kelley added 4 2 gallons of Pu-rich solvent which built up a critical mass of radioactivity. H e had turned on the stirrer and was looking into a sight port w h e n the burst occurred
C-*ECIL W.
Tracks Plutonium Accident KELLEY, -who
received a
fatal dose of radiation at the Los Alamos plutonium plant last New Year's, died through his own error, says the Atomic Energy Commission. He built up a critical mass of Pu when he failed to observe safety procedures for transferring radioactive materials be tween processing tanks, AEC reached this conclusion after studying conditions and events at the time of Kelley's accident and analyzing the solution that caused the nuclear burst. At the time of the accident, AEC sets the stage like this: All residual materials in the solvent-extraction sys tem of the Pu recovery plant were be ing inventoried for Pu content. Kelley moved Pu-rich solids, "which normally
would have been handled separately," from two tanks and mixed them with solutions in a third tank. After taking most of the aqueous solution from tank three, he transferred the residue, some 40 gallons, to the solvent-treating tank in which the burst occurred. This tank was used to concentrate and purifv plutonium from lean residues with trin-butyl phosphate. These residues generally contained less than 0.1 gram of P u per liter of solution plus traces of americiurn. Just before the accident, the solventtreating tank (225 gallons, 38 inches in diameter) contained 40 grams of Pu in 8 7 gallons of caustic-stabilized emul sion. Kelley added to this a 42-gallon layer of Pu-rich solvent. AEC esti-
mates this layer wa s just barely subcritical at 20 grams of Pu p e r liter. But now t h e tank contained 60 grams of Pu solids suspended in both the aque ous a n d solvent phases. Under this condition, Kelley stood on a two-step ladder looking into a sight glass o n t o p of the tank a n d turned on t h e agitator. There w a s a h\\\p -ΑηςΗ nommpanipfî by a muffled report. Kelley w a s blinded a n d knocked off t h e ladder. Although t h e shock displaced the tank at its supports, AEC says, t h e tank d i d not rupture. and n o Pu escaped. Kelley apparently turned off the stirrer motor, then turned it on again, A E C adds, before h e ran from the room calling for help. AEC concludes t h e burst occurred when the stirrer forced solution u p the tank -wall, displacing t h e outer portion of the solvent layer a n d thickening the central portion. It figures an increase in solvent thickness of 0.4 inch could account for t h e criticality. T h e burst ended in its own disruption, and further stirring in the tank diluted t h e P u b e yond the point of another critical reaction. After his exposure, Kelley went into deep shock in 15 minutes, according to AEC. H e regained consciousness six hours later and remained rational until his d e a t h 36 hours after the accident. AEC expects to have medical data on Kelley ready for release by midsummer. • AEC Improves Nuclear Safety. Kelley's accident happened in a "relatively" safe operation, AEC says. But before it starts u p the Pu-recovery cycle again, Los Alamos will install these additional nuclear safety precautions: • Newly designed, geometricallyfavorable dissolvers a n d feed tanks for filtration and solvent extraction. • Blocks on emergency transfer lines to minimize the chance for abnormal i»i{-oj-£>|"jrjjr»rroe Q£ rnaterials. • C a d m i u m nitrate solution in vent tanks and vacuum-buffer tanks to protect against criticality in case of accidentally introduced P u solutions. • Neutron detectors, calibrated a n d tested to indicate abnormal deposits of Pu. • Measurements that give nuclear safety data for hydrogen/plutonium ratios in the region 1 0 : 1 . • Gamma-sensing alarms located in all areas where a criticality-accident potential exists. • Emphasis on emergency safety procedures in employee training. a
DO
YOU
MAKE
• PAINTS ADHESIVES COATINGS PAPER COLTON'S SYNTHETIC can PRODUCT
j
improve your products lower your costs GRADE
1
APPLICATION
Fiexbond 1
U s e d a s vehicles i n t h e m a n u f a c t u r e o f
COPOLYMER PVAc EMULSIONS ]
PAINTS
Flexoe
water-base primer-sealers, interior and exterior house paints and project paints. The F L E X B O N D S propice odorless, fast-drying, water and scrub-resistant paints that have excellent appearance even when applied b y non-profession als. Special grades available for indus trial water-based finishes.
|
PVAc 1 EMULSION Vinac
A full range o f emulsions for strong, quick-setting adhesive» for wood, paper, ceramics, cork, leather, cloth and plas tic films.
POLYVINYL ACETATE EMULSIONS
Ten grades available. Excellent adhe sive characteristics. Also as additives in formulating high quality emulsion glues or as emulsifying agents and thickeners.
Vinol AMJECIVEC
RESIN!
POLYVINYL ALCOHOL Vinac
For formulating adhesives, inks, coat ings, saturants, hot melts and specialized products. Tack, flexibility and strength can be varied by selection oflow, medium and high polymers. Alkali-soluble grade available.
POLYVINYL ACETATE BEADS Fiexbond
PAPER COATINGS
COPOLYMER | PVAc EMULSIONS ι
ι
FSexac
|
PVAc EMULSION
Flexible, block-resistant coatings for paper and box-board. Films are non toxic, water- and grease-resistant. For food wrappers, food containers and other products·
WRITE FOR COMPREHENSIVE CATALOG •"•·'· ' OF ALLCOLTOM PRODUCTS Address Dept. A 3 2
COLTON CHEMICAL A Division of Air Reduction Company, Incorporated Sales Offices and Warehouse Facilities Throughout U. S.
·
COMPANY
1747 Chester Avenue, Cleveland 14, Ohio
Export: Airco Company International. New York 17. Ν. Υ .
at the frontiers of progress
you'Π
find...
Products of the divisions of Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, include* AIRCO — industrial gases. welding and cutting equipment, and acetylenic chemicals. PURECO— carbon dioxide —gaseous, liquid, solid ("DRY-ICE"). OHIO - medical gases and hospital equipment. NATIONAL CARBIDE — pipeline acetylene and calcium carbide. COLTON — polyvinyl acetate, alcohols, and other synthetic resins.
MARCH
££*£ àXgSSî
16, 1 9 5 9 C & E N
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