The description of the thick-target neutron yields from the D(t,n)He4 and the D(d,n)He3 reactions is calculated as a function of the energy of the bombarding particles. For 60-kev particles the ratio is 108. I increases to 168 at 100 Kev and to 194 for 120-kev particles. A qualitative discussion of the yields from various deuterium target leads to the conclusion that the greatest yield would come from the target which has the lowest stopping cross section per deuterium atom.

A small source model for neutron flux distribution in heterogeneous reactors is proposed. Such a model takes more explicit account of fuel lumping than has been customary in most pile calculations. The small source is applied to the cases of plate and rod fuel elements. The chief results are equations which give the pile buckling in terms of the distance between fuel elements and in terms of fuel element constants. (W.D.M.)

Large savings in waste storage space may be realized by lowering the pH at which TBP waste is stored. Additional savings in neutralizing chemicals and operating time would also increase the monetary gain from such a process change. However, before such a change could be made, the corrosive effect of TBP waste at a lower pH on the mild steel waste storage tanks had to be determined.

Temperature calculations have been made to aid in planning a production test for low level irradiation of the thin rectangular uranium wafers. These uranium wafers, under irradiation in the outer fringe sone, are expected to have a maximum temperature which is less than 10 C above the local water temperature.

Herman Lurie's weekly report for the sugar market. Details include prices, distribution, quotas, and sugar tons.

Daily cash report for Imperial Sugar Company including a list of large withdrawals for the months surrounding the date showing the daily expenses and estimated balance for each entry. It also lists scheduled payments for bank loans.

Current H.A.P.O. planning has scheduled significant increases in low-NGS irradiated fuel production for the near future. This action, coupled with the imminent activation of the K-Reactor areas, will result in a uranium production rate which exceeds the anticipated capacities of the Purex, Redox and T Plant separations facilities. Additional separations capacity is scheduled to be provided by reactivating B Plant. However, a number of other separations processing schemes -- which will provide additional capacity -- are being evaluated for their economic and operating attractiveness as compared to combined BiPO4-TBP plant operation. The BPX process described in this memorandum is one such process. It is a modification of the TBX Scheme III of HW-32691. BPX was first proposed by the Manufacturing Department in HW-32908. The pertinent flowsheet details of the BPX process are provided and a discussion elaborates on the novel features of the flowsheet and also lists process items of general technical interest.

Abstract: An application of the magnetic mirror principle to the acceleration of a plasma is described. It is shown that an axially symmetric magnetic field which increases with time but decreases with distance along the axis can impart a net translational energy to a plasma. This effect on a plasma is contrasted with that arising from an impressed electric field, which is not effective in producing acceleration.

The following report is a general monthly progress report for the University of California's radiation laboratory in Berkeley, covering the period of February 15 to March 15 of 1954.

This report deals with the formation of oriented layers of an oxide which form during oxidation without any evident relationship to the parent and underlying metal. It is offered without explanation or proposed mechanism.

A report about anomalous low temperature thermal conductivity of grapnite samples.

On April 1, a new energy peak of 6.1 Bev was attained with the Bevatron. Scattered particles monitored with a counter telescope in triple coincidence gave approximately 100 counts per beam pulse. April 2s the machine was down to air to allow work on beam monitoring equipment. Test operations resumed April 5. Though the total number of accelerated particles is still small, due to low energy beam losses, some cloud chamber tracks have been observed. Several plates have been exposed for Goldhaber. Stars with up to 29 prongs have been observed. The following consists of a discussion of the administration, operation and some of the experimental techniques evolved in the use of the Cosmotron.

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This report is about the study of mechanism of carbon dioxide fixation by the non-sulfur purple bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas, capsulatus.

The primary purpose of this report is to set forth the reasons why the Task II hydrogen fluoride gas delivery system is unable to supply sufficient quantities of the gas to the process at all times and to make recommendations on how to correct this problem. However, it is also a secondary purpose of this report to make general recommendations on all phases of the gas delivery system where it is felt that an improvement can be made in either the design or operation of the system.

Report presenting lift and drag data obtained during the Douglas X-3 airplane. The data covered the Mach number range from 0.82 to 1.20 with considerable variation in lift. A comparison of the flight data with data from wind-tunnel and rocket-model tests shows that the model tests adequately predict the performance of the airplane.

Report presenting a determination of the performance and flow distributions in the first, fifth, and tenth stages of a 10-stage axial-flow research compressor at design and part speed in order to study the validity of the compressor design assumptions and to show the effects of part-speed compressor operation on stage performance.

Magnesium-hydrocarbon slurries containing a moderate proportion of petrolatum have physical properties such that they offer promise as experimental aircraft fuels. The settling of the magnesium is greatly retarded by the petrolatum, and the slurries can easily be remixed to their original condition after storage. Successive batches which have closely similar properties can be prepared readily. The apparent viscosity of these slurries increased rapidly with increasing magnesium concentration, with increasing petrolatum concentration, and with decreasing temperature. As the apparent viscosity increased, the extent of settling and the ease of remixing both decreased. Although no quantitative correlation was found between the properties of the slurry and those of the petrolatum, and no one petrolatum gave slurries which were best in all respects, one of the five petrolatum used was judged to be superior to the others.

From Summary: "The performance of jet fuel with an oxidant mixture containing 70 percent liquid fluorine and 30 percent liquid oxygen by weight was investigated in a 500-pound-thrust engine operating at a chamber pressure of 300 pounds per square inch absolute. A one-oxidant-on-one-fuel skewed-hole impinging-jet injector was evaluated in a chamber of characteristic length equal to 50 inches. A maximum experimental specific impulse of 268 pound-seconds per pound was obtained at 25 percent fuel, which corresponds to 96 percent of the maximum theoretical specific impulse based on frozen composition expansion."

This report presents a review of current compressor blade-element theory with particular emphasis on application to the transonic high-performance compressor. A discussion of the significant parameters of total-pressure loss and deviation angle is presented, and an indication of the extent of available knowledge and the problems involved in the determination of blade-element characteristics is given. Some recent results and considerations in this pursuit and suggestions for further avenues of investigation are indicated.

Memorandum presenting an investigation of the performance of inlet configurations with a forebody designed for isentropic external compression at a nominal Mach number of 5.6. At zero angle of attack, all of the configurations yielded larger total-pressure recoveries than had previously been obtianed with a single-conical-shock inlet. Results regarding the flow about the forebody and performance comparisons are provided.

Report presenting the effect of channel geometry on flame quenching, as calculated on the basis of average active particle chain lengths, is related among six different geometries: plane parallel plates of infinite extent, cylindrical tubes, rectangular slots, cylindrical annuli, and tubes of elliptical and equilaterally triangular shape. The results indicated that the observed variation of flame quenching as a function of quenching geometry may be successfully predicted for a range of pressures and for rich as well as lean propane-air flames.

Report describing a supersonic-compressor rotor designed as an impulse-type with some deceleration along the tip and with turning to the axial direction. Results regarding the overall performance, inlet flow distribution, results of rotor-outlet surveys, blade element performance at 90 percent design speed, and blade element performance at open throttle are provided.

Report presenting an investigation of two types of jet controls in the 8- by 6-foot supersonic wind tunnel. One used a converging swiveled nozzle and the other was a biconvex circular-arc vane mounted in a shroud and placed downstream of a convergent nozzle. Results regarding the jet vane, swiveled nozzle, and a preliminary evaluation are provided.