This report examines the implications of thee Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 concerned with provisions designed to prevent the significant deterioration of air quality in areas of the nation where the ambient air is cleaner than the minimum levels required to meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The legislation will affect the economic competitiveness of alternative fuel cycles for the generation of power and will have implications for the future siting of all new major sources of emissions. This paper examines the potential effects of Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) legislation on energy technologies and industrial facilities and, in particular, the possible effects on energy research and development programs of the Department of Energy (DOE).

Introduction: "The adoption of aluminum nitrate as salting agent in the Redox process made it imperative that a method be available for determining plutonium in the presence of aluminum. However, large amounts of aluminum have been found to interfere with the determination of plutonium by the lanthanum fluoride procedure. Previous attempts to increase the accuracy of the lanthanum fluoride method, by precipitating LaF3 from 4 M HF (rather than 2 M), have been successful only when the initial plutonium level was high."

This report discusses the production of plutonium metal through the reduction of plutonium tetra fluoride with calcium metal and sulfur. It elaborates that iodine, which was originally used instead of calcium metal, presented several practical problems, but reductions completed with calcium were unsatisfactory.

Abstract. A review of all work on uranium hydride published in the CC, CT, CN and CE reports to January 1, 1944, is presented. Some additional information not yet published has been included, so this report includes all data known from the above sources and at Ames to the above date. This report supersedes all previous report on uranium hydride coming out of the Ames laboratory.

The average energies of neutrons emitted from a graphite column at 22 degrees C were compared by measurement of the cross section of boron for neutrons which are stopped by cadmium. At a distance from the neutron source great enough to insure that the neutrons were in thermal equilibrium the average energies of the emerging neutrons were found to be proportional to the temperature within the limits of the experimental error. A measurement made with boron absorbers which had been thus standardized in the graphite column indicated neutrons emerging from the chain reacting pile to have an average temperature approximate 60 +- 50 degrees above that of thermal neutrons emerging from the graphite column at 22 degrees C. Such a measurement made inside the chain reacting pile indicated the average temperature of neutrons therein to be about 65 degrees +- 15 degrees above the average temperature of neutrons in the graphite column.

"As predicted by friction theory, experiments showed that friction and surface damage of metals can be reduced by solid surface films. The ability of materials to form surface films that prevent welding was a very important factor in wear of dry and boundary lubricated surfaces. Films of graphitic carbon on cast irons, NiO on nickel alloys, and FeO and Fe(sub 3)O(sub 4) on ferrous materials were found to be beneficial. Abrasive films such as Fe(sub 2)O(sub 3) or MoO(sub 3) were definitely detrimental. It appears that the importance of oxide films to friction and wear processes has not been fully appreciated" (p. 93).

Report presenting two-group criticality calculations for sodium-hydroxide-cooled, moderated, and reflected reactors for various concentrations and compositions of reactor fuel-element structural material. The investigation was performed in order to determine the applicability of the fuel properties to power a nuclear aircraft. Results regarding the specific reactor calculations, reflector savings, criticality generalization, typical neutron flux and heat-generation distributions, static stability characteristics and excess uranium requirements, reactor heat-transfer characteristics, and airplane and turbojet cycle characteristics are provided.

From Introduction: "Experimental investigations (reference 1) have shown that in some cases the thrust can be more than doubled by means of tail-pipe burning. A comparison is made of a standard turbojet engine, whose thrust is augmented by tail-pipe burning, and a ram-jet engine. The performance characteristics for the ram-jet engine were computed entirely from theoretical considerations and on the assumption that the burner-inlet velocity was constant."

An investigation of turbojet-engine thrust augmentation by means of tail-pipe burning has been conducted in the NACA Lewis altitude wind tunnel.

Report presenting results of two-group criticality calculations for sodium-hydroxide-cooled, moderated, and reflected reactors for various concentrations and compositions of reactor fuel-element structural material. Based on turbojet-engine cycle operating conditions optimized for minimum airplane gross weight, the maximum reactor fuel-element and coolant temperatures are related to the reactor heat release and airplane gross weight for a range of reactor heat-transfer variables.

Report presenting the planing characteristics for six surfaces representative of hydro-ski forms as determined by tank tests.Testing was made at specified trims, speeds, and sufficient loads to define variations with wetted length. Data from the testing is provided in the form of plots of wetted length, load, resistance, trimming moment, and draft against wetted area.

Report presenting an investigation to determine the performance characteristics of a double-shroud cooling-air ejector configuration. Two convergent nozzles were used to simulate a specific manufacturer's iris-type variable-area nozzle in the open and closed positions. The investigation had four phase: (1) obtaining performance with no secondary or tertiary air flow, (2) determining the tendency for backflow to occur in either cooling-air passage, (3) determining the sensitivity of flow in one passage to the other, and (4) obtaining pumping and thrust characteristics with secondary and tertiary air flow.

Report presenting an investigation of the performance of an annular-diffuser-tailpipe combination with an abrupt area expansion with and without flow controls in the form of suction, injection, and vortex generators. Results regarding the inlet measurements, longitudinal static-pressure distribution, radial distributions, and mean performance coefficients are provided.

Report presenting an investigation of the effect of flame-holder gutter cross-sectional shape on afterburner performance in an afterburner test rig. Fuel-air distribution and burner inlet temperature were held as constant as possible for all of the shapes. Results regarding the burner flow conditions, typical performance characteristics, and effect of flame-holder gutter shape on combustion efficiency, pressure loss, and stability limits are provided.

A study of the relations existing among pin-point autoignition, homogeneous autoignition, and knock has been made by means of the NACA high-speed camera and the full-view combustion apparatus. High-speed photographic records of combustion, together with corresponding pressure-time traces, of benzene, 2,2,3-trimethylbutane, S-4, and M-4 fuels at various engine conditions have shown the engine conditions under which each of these phenomena occur and the relation of these phenomena to one another.

Report discussing the knock-limited performance of blends of 2,3-dimethylpentane and 23-R fuel in an F-4 engine at three sets of conditions and three compression ratios. The knock-limited performance of 2,3-dimethylpentane has about the same sensitivity to compression ratio and inlet-air temperature as 28-R fuel.

Abstract: A new feeder chute on the continuous casting apparatus, and the use of outgassed zirconium chips resulted in a stable arc and quiet pool. Ingots up to 9 1/2 inches in length were made, and some correlation between tension on the ingot and the "necking" effect was determined. Conversions of zirconium iodide to zirconium in the arc dissociation apparatus ran from 41 to 48.2 percent with a maximum of 474 grams of metal produced in 4 hours.

Thermal oxidation of graphite in flowing CO2 is being studied at 650 to 850 C, in a single-pass gas system at atmospheric pressure, by observing weight loss rates. The method is used to provide comparative data for candidate reactor graphites. The effects on oxidation rates of graphite purity, structure, coke type, graphitization temperatures and other manufacturing variables are determined. In addition, the effects of gas flow rates and graphite surface to volume ratios are observed.

Nuclear excavation is the name given to the concept of using large scale nuclear explosion craters for useful projects, such as harbors, canals, and roadway cuts. It is one of the principal applications of the Plowshare Program for industrial, or peaceful, uses of nuclear explosives. Plowshare is sponsored by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and is under the technical direction of the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory at Livermore, California. The purpose of this paper is to describe cratering concepts and the present state of nuclear excavation technology. The general nature of the safety hazards associated with nuclear excavation are also discussed.

Major psychological findings and data in the field of the legibility of alphanumeric characters and other symbols.

Report issued by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory discussing quarterly progress made by the Homogeneous Reactor Program. Descriptions of progress and studies conducted are presented. This report includes tables, illustrations, and photographs.

Memorandum presenting a comparison of the performance of two aerodynamically similar single-stage rotors of different chord length. Results regarding short-chord-rotor performance, long-chord-rotor performance, comparison of overall performance, blade-element performance, rotating stall, and separation-parameter analysis are provided.

Report presenting a study to determine the relative importance of the factors that place an inherent limitation on the minimum obtainable miss distance for a beam-rider navigation system operating in the presence of glint noise and target evasive maneuver. The factors considered include missile natural frequencies and damping ratios, missile steady-state acceleration capabilities, target evasive maneuver characteristics, and angular scintillation noise characteristics.

Report presenting a study of the performance of a modified compressor over a range of weight flows at a constant Reynolds number. The chords of the first two stages of the eight-stage axial-flow compressor had two transonic inlet stages doubled. Results regarding the long-chord-compressor performance and a comparison of long-chord and medium-chord compressors are provided.