A report discussing "an explosive ferroelectric power supply and the experimental approach followed in determining its operating characteristics."

Abstract: An alluminum-clad low-enrichment, uranium-alloy fuel element of flat plate configuration has been proposed for the Organic Moderated Reactor (OMR).

This review lists some of the salient features of semiconductor particle counters and cannot claim to contain an exhaustive listing of all the work in the field. Performance results on the surface-barrier counters as developed at California Institute of Technology are included as typical for this type of counter, though comparable results have been obtained elsewhere.

This study is concerned with a class of circuits which employs two tubes in a series connection--sometimes referred to as the stacked-tubes connection. This study will be concerned with two configurations that have shown considerable promise in the field of high speed circuitry. In Part I a configuration called the dynamic plate load amplifier is dealt with. In Part II a configuration called the White cathode follower is examined.

The following document is a note describing the process of building a nuclear density gauge and its improved features in comparison to previously reported density gauges.

Technical report. From Abstract: "An ion exchange process was demonstrated for the recovery of Pu238 from irradiated neptunium oxide. Three cycles of anion exchange proved adequate for the removal of fission products and for the separation of the neptunium and plutonium from each other."

From introduction: This report is a summary of geologic information obtained by the USGS at Dolomite Hill, Nevada.

Technical report. From Abstract: "Rate data are presented for the oxidation of neptunium (V) by vanadium (V) in nitric acid." From Summary: "Rates of oxidation of neptunium (V) were determined by a solvent extraction technique based on the difference in distribution coefficients for neptunium (V) and neptunium (VI)."

The original goal of this investigation was to compare the thermodynamic characteristics of the gases in and behind the shock fronts in gases at initial pressures in the millimeter range and to compare these characteristics in the geometries of single and double discharges. The shock fronts were not visible, so it was not possible, at these pressures, to get visual data from the shock front itself. The parameters giving the properties of the gases were faces. Measurements made with an image converter camera (which is still in the development stage) agree well with these made with a photomultiplier tube. Differences are observed between the front velocities in the cases studied. These are of the order of 3 to 15 per cent. Considering the nature of the shot to shot fluctuations in the discharges and the inductance variation between the single and double discharges represent a physical difference. The mathematical treatment which says that two equal strength colliding with a wall behaves, has not been shown to be inadequate by this investigation. It was hoped that a stronger confirmation could be fien to the theory, but the accuracy of the data does not warrant it.

The purpose of the test was to determine the ability of the Control Air System to provide the necessary quantity and quality of clean, dry air to keep the rod drive mechanism stator and position indicator housings at about 3 PSIG in order to avoid low stator resistances resulting from condensation during plant cooldown. The Control Air System is capable of providing the quality of air specified in AEC letter SBO:JWF:100 dated November 17, 1958 of less than 44 grains of moisture per lb. of air in the control air line nearest the reactor chamber.

This report summarizes the hazards associated with the operation of the Lynchburg Test Reactor (LTR) critical experiments. The LTR critical experiment program is outlined and the design of the experiment is described. The experiments will provide basic data to check two-dimensional calculational methods and provide information needed in the design of the LTR.

This report analyzes the High-Energy Electrostatic Plasma Gun, which is to be used for propulsion.

From abstract: "A relationship is derived that predicts the power radiated from the cathode to the anode of the plasma diode. The radiated power loss predicted by this relationship for a tungsten cathode and a nickel anode at widely different temperatures is found to be five times greater than the prediction of the conventional relationship which assumes gray-body conditions."

A study of the basic problems associated with the use of electrical propulsion systems for space travel has been carried out at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory. The emphasis is on large systems capable of manned flight.

The purpose of the test was to determine the responses of the plant when subjected to load transients exceeding the design magnitudes, and to determine the maximum load changes, positive or negative, that the plant can sustain. The reactor plant responded satisfactorily to all load transients. The only limits exceed were the pressurizer high and low level alarm points. The magnitude of the transients and the time required for the plant to return to equilibrium was dependent upon the size of the the load change. The pressurizer spray was effective in reducing reactor coolant pressure positive surges; however, this resulted in larger negative surges than when the spray valve was closed.

The diffusion coefficient was calculated for the diffusion of Xe through Nb and found to be 0.064 exp (-18,600/RT).

Report containing information regarding the design of the Tory II-A nuclear ramjet engine, and descriptions of its locale, test program, and possible hazards.

In this paper we are concerned with the potentials and electrical currents flowing at an interface between two phases as a result of chemical reactions which promote selective ion migration. Although our immediate concern is an explanation of the available results on smelting, a sufficiently broad understand requires that we go far beyond this limited results and bring together the findings from many related fields. We first must consider the diffusion of particles across an interface, which for convenience we will speak of as a membrane since convection currents usually stir both phases except for a thin boundary layer.

Abstract: "Tungsten-rich alloys, developed for use at temperatures up to 2000F, exhibit ductility, fabricability and joinability not found in commercially-available materials. An envelope type of microstructure was produced in compositions containing at least 90 wt% tungsten by liquid-phase sintering of cold-pressed powders in hydrogen. At room temperature the alloys could be rolled extensively, and tensile elongations up to 25% were noted. Strength properties of a W-Ni-Fe base were improved by small quaternary additions. The ultimate tensile strength of a 90W-4.8Ni-3.2Fe-2Ru alloy was 46,700 psi at 2000F, compared to 30,000 - 35,000 psi for unalloyed tungsten or W-Ni-Fe; the 100-hour stress-rupture strength at 1600F was 15,000 psi. Excellent joints were produced by spot welding and localized induction heating. The oxidation resistance of unprotected 90 wt% tungsten compositions was not significantly affected by alloying."

Abstract: During the course of power run 14 on the Sodium Reactor Experiment (SRE) at low power, the temperature difference among various fuel channels was found to be undesirably high. Normal operating practices did not succeed in reducing this temperature difference to acceptable values and on July 26, 1959, the run was terminated.

Technical report. From Abstract: "Ultrasonic energy appropriately applied to the die or container of a laboratory-type direct extrusion press effected a marked increase in the free extrusion rate of lead and aluminum billets at a constant extrusion rate. the same results were obtained in extrusion cladding steel tubes with aluminum. Rate increases were generally 100 per cent or greater, and decreases in force were usually within the range of 10 to 20 per cent. Furthermore, the shape and slope of the extrusion curves were altered. The effect appeared to be attributable to a reduction of both die friction and container wall friction under ultrasonic influence."

The basic scheme for processing power reactor fuels at Hanford includes the removal of inert endfittings ("hardware") from the active sections of the fuels. Within Hanford Laboratories, research and development studies have been in progress on various types of saws which might be used for hardware cutoff. In the initial phase of the program, high-speed saws were investigated; more recently, studies on low speed saws have been conducted. This report summarizes the high speed saw studies and includes information on abrasive wheels, diamond wheels and metal "friction" blades which cut by actually melting metal ahead of the saw blade. At the completion of the low speed saw testing program currently in progress, basic saw types will be compared and the saw type to be included in the reprocessing complex will be selected.

In this technical report, firstly, the transfer function of a non-regenerative, base-driven transistor circuit is derived by applying the linear equivalent circuit method. The results are experimentally verified. Secondly, the idea of the inverse-gain-bandwidth is introduced as the criterion of the dynamic design. Thirdly, the stability factor is explained. Finally, it is shown that a system constructed by various types of transistor switching circuits is reduced to a long train of unit chains formed by delay units and wave-shapers, and the maximum allowable number of delay units in a unit chain is discussed. The results given here are consistent with the design procedures for transistor switching circuits established in the Digital Computer Laboratory, i.e., the emitter-follower logical circuits associated with restorers and flip flops.

The relation between the maximum permissible transverse energies of particles that can be focused, the azimuthal energy, and the beam width is discussed relative to Megatron coil design. It is shown that deep potential wells for focusing can be obtained only at the expense of a narrow beam. (C.J.G.)