The following report focuses on an investigation made to determine if vacuum melting was an absolutely necessary step in the metallurgical process of melting and casting uranium.

The new KW reactor was placed in operation on January 4, 1955, and had been running at relatively low power levels for only 17 hours when it was shut down because of a process tube water leak which appeared to be associated with a slug rupture. After several days of unrewarding effort to remove the slugs and tube by customary methods, it developed that considerable melting of the tube and slugs had taken place. It was then evident that removal of the stuck mass and repairs to the damaged tube channel would require unusual measures that were certain to extend the reactor outage for several weeks. This report documents the work and findings of the Committee which investigated the KW reactor incident. Its content represents unanimous agreement among the three Committee members.

Purpose of this report is to determine optimum tank size from evaluating the quantities of principal construction materials with prevailing unit costs for various tank sizes. The materials were concrete in-place, reinforcing steel in-place, wood framework, 3/8 in. C steel plate liner in-place, earthwork excavation and backfill (engineering, overhead, piping, condenser, vapor manifold costs not included). Costs of optimum tank are distributed as follows: dome 25%, walls 28%, foundation 6%, floor 2%, steel liner 20%, earthwork 19%. For a given tank capacity, there is a definite optimum tank size; as the capacity increases, the diameter increases, and the height increases but at a lesser rate. Each diameter has an optimum height, which is that height at which unit cost of storage space is minimum for a given tank diameter. Optimum unit cost is $0.136/gallons for diameters 75--130 ft; for diameters<75 ft, the optimum unit increases. Tank forms 241-S, 241-SX, and 241-A were used in this study; storage cost of the analyzed tank was $0.121 compared to $0.136/gallon for 241-SX and 241-A, and $0.152/gallon for 241-S. Assumed unit costs for concrete and steel plate tank liner were 10% less than those of 241-SX and 241-A, causing the lower unit costs. Tanks …

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A discussion is presented of the elements, or at least most of the elements, that are usually thought of as required and characteristic of living materials. A continuous evolutionary process is conceived, beginning with a bare earth and leading to the random formation of more or less complex molecules from simple ones, and gradually, by the processes of random variation, autocatalysis, and selection, to more complex systems and the ordered array of desoxynucleic acid molecules which are the units that carry the continuity and order of present-day living systems.

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Memorandum presenting a supersonic wind-tunnel investigation of the origin and distribution of store interference in the 4- by 4-foot supersonic pressure tunnel at Mach number 1.6 in which separate forces on a store, a fuselage, a swept wing, and a swept-wing-fuselage combination were measured. The store was separately sting-mounted on its own six-component internal balance and was traversed through a wide systematic range of spanwise, chordwise, and vertical positions.

"A ram-jet engine with an experimental 48-inch-diameter combustor was investigated in a free-jet facility. The combustor design comprised a large-volume annular pilot region and an array of sloping baffle- or gutter-type flameholders. The combustor was intended to operate at a fuel-air ratio of about 0.037" (p. 1).

Free jet tests of 48 inch diameter ramjet combustor with annular can-type flame holder.

"Results are presented of a free-flight investigation between Mach numbers of 0.7 to 1.3 and Reynolds numbers of 3.1 x 10(exp 6) to 7.0 x 10(exp 6) to determine the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of the Northrop MX-775A missile. This missile has a wing, body, and vertical tail, but has no horizontal tail. The basic wing plan form has an aspect ratio of 5.5, 45 deg of sweepback of the 0.406 streamwise chord line, and a taper ratio of 0.4" (p. 1).

Report presenting an investigation in a free-jet facility of a ramjet engine with an experimental 48-inch-diameter combustor. Three combustor lengths, three lengths of the shroud which separated the bypass air from the burning stream, and four fuel-distribution systems were investigated over a range of fuel-air ratios and a range of engine air flows. Results regarding the engine performance and ignition data, effect of fuel profile on combustion efficiency, total-pressure ratio, and distribution of static pressure in the main air stream are provided.

Report presenting an investigation to determine the effect on performance of two methods of throat-area modulation of two convergent plug nozzles. Data were obtained over a range of pressure ratios. Results regarding the performance of the translatable outer-shell-type plug nozzle, performance of the iris-outer-shell-type plug nozzles, sensitivity to throat-area variation, and air-flow parameter are provided.

Report presenting performance testing of a supersonic compressor designed for a tip speed of 1400 feet per second, a pressure ratio of 2.0, and a corrected weight flow of 30.5 pounds per second. The overall performance results of the rotor alone at design speed gave a pressure ratio of 2.17, an adiabatic efficiency of 89 percent, and a weight flow of 28 pounds per second. A comparison with the predicted design results is provided.

Report presenting an investigation of the estimated minimum cooling requirements and related performance of turbojet engines equipped with high-performance single-stage turbines with air-cooled corrugated-insert blades over a range of turbine-inlet temperature, tip speed, and hub-tip radius ratio for Mach number 2 at 50,000 feet. The effects of stress-ratio factor, flight Mach number, altitude, turbine rotor impeller efficiency, and outside heat-transfer coefficient on cooling requirements were also investigated.

Report presenting an evaluation of convective heat-transfer coefficients from skin temperatures measured along the body of a research model designated NACA RM-10. Heat-transfer data is presented for a range of Mach and Reynolds numbers based on the axial distance from the nose to the point at which the temperature measurements were made. Results regarding the recovery factor, heat transfer, correlation with different aircraft models, and Reynolds analogy are provided.

Memorandum presenting performance investigations of 13 fuels - five hydrocarbons, four oxygenated hydrocarbons, and four substituted hydrocarbon-type fuels - conducted in a single tubular turbojet combustor in order to determine a possible relation between combustor performance and fuel properties. Combustor temperature rise and combustion efficiency were determined at a variety of air-flow rates, inlet-air total temperatures, and a range of heat-input values.

Report presenting drag measurements on models of 20 isolated external stores and nacelles flown from the helium gun at a range of Mach numbers. Results regarding fineness-ratio and shape effects, drag correlation, and friction drag are provided. Generally, the shape variations among the various types of stores and nacelles had the expected effects on isolated body drag.

Report presenting an investigation of transient operation of a turboprop engine in an altitude wind tunnel at 35,000 feet over a range of Mach numbers to determine the effect of flight speed upon the dynamic response of the engine. The generalized time constant of the engine-propeller combination varied with flight speed and power level.

Report presenting an investigation of methods of increasing the stable subcritical range of a twin-duct double-ramp inlet mounted on the sides of a fuselage forebody in the supersonic wind tunnel. Results regarding the stabilization with high performance and low-mass-flow stabilization are also provided.

Memorandum presenting results of a free-flight investigation over a range of Mach and Reynolds numbers to determine the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of the Northrop MX-775A missile. The missile has a wing, body, and vertical tail, but has no horizontal tail. Results regarding basic data, drag, trim, lift and static stability, damping, and static pressure are provided.

Report presenting an investigation of 47 experimental tubular designs embodying variable primary-air openings to control the fuel-air ratio in the combustion zone at simulated high-altitude operating conditions for a representative 5.2-pressure-ratio engine. The performance characteristics considered were combustion efficiency, operating range, and pressure loss. Results regarding the effect of fuel injector design, effect of primary-air baffles, and performance characteristics of the best models are provided.