This document summarizes activities of the Hanford Atomic Products Operation during 1955.

From Introduction: "In the present investigation, lift, drag, and pitching moment were determined over a Mach number range 0.6 to 1.42. Smooth-water takeoff and landing stability and resistance were investigated. A brief check of the rough-water spray and behavior was also made."

The Al-rich corner of the ternary alloy system Al-- Th-U has been investigated by thermal and microscopic The creep properties of annealed Zircaloy- 2, Zircaloy3, and 15% cold-worked Zircaloy-2 at elevated temperatures were determined. The metallurgical bond formed between electropolished U and Zr cladding by hydrostatic pressing is being evaluated. Oxidation data are given for Nb and Nb alloys in dry air at various temperatures. A study of the phase relationships which occur between the please delete the above abstract===================== analyses to determine an area of low-melting alloys that could be used as a liquid metal fuel in U/sup 233/ breeder reactors. A phase diagram of this Al-rich corner of the system has been proposed. The data indicate that the binary eutectic valleys from the Al-- U and Al--Th systems meet at a point in the neighborhood of the composition of 76 wt.% Al, 18 wt.% Th, and 6 wt.% U to give a ternary eutectic which solidifies at 630 deg C. Although microstructures indicate two different primary phases as required, a third binary valley leading to this ternary eutectic has not been established. Results of the investigation show that there is a rather wide range of compositions of U …

From Introduction: "As part of a complete investigation of the J71-A-2(600-D1) turbojet engine conducted in an altitude test chamber at the NACA Lewis laboratory, the steady-state altitude performance, with afterburner inoperative and ejector shroud removed, was obtained and is presented herein. The component performance of the J71-A-2(600-D1) turbojet engine is presented in reference 1. The effects of compressor interstage bleed and adjustable inlet guide vanes on compressor-stall characteristics are described in reference 2."

Turbine centrifugal stress is a limiting factor for all flight conditions studied. This stress is more severe for sea-level operations than for subsonic flight at the tropopause. Turbines designed for a stress of 30,000 psi are capable of driving a light, compact, high-spedd compressor but only at high values of specific fuel consumption. An increase in turbine-inlet temperature is accompanied by an increase in turbine centrifugal stress.

Report presenting a method for the analytical determination of the natural coupled frequencies and mode shapes of vibrations in the vertical plane of tandem helicopters. That information is then used to calculate the response of the helicopter to applied oscillation forces. Calculated response curves show how the vibrations of the cockpit vary with frequency and method of application of oscillating forces applied at the hubs.

The purpose of this report is to present the derivation of equations useful as a guide for prediction of the critical flow point in orifice assemblies.

This report talks about Argonne 7.7- Meter Bent Crystal Ganna- Ray Spectrometer

Note presenting a determination of the time-average characteristics of boundary layers over a flat plate in nearly quasi-steady flow. The time averages were found without specifying the plate velocity explicitly except that it is positive and has an average value. Some remarks on the heat-transfer problem are also provided.

The following bibliography and index supersedes a previous report, TEI-500, "U.S. Geological Survey Trace Elements and Related Reports Through 1954".

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From introduction: This report details the results of a botanical prospecting method to determine the presence of uranium in the Circle Cliffs area.

The following report covers botanical prospecting methods used to search for uranium in the Circle Cliffs area, Garfield County, Utah during 1954 and 1955. This report presents analytical data and much geologic knowledge on the Circle Cliffs area.

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In the course of a recent experiment involving the stopping of negative K mesons in a 10-inch liquid hydrogen bubble chamber, an interesting new reaction was observed to take place. The chamber is traversed by many more negative {mu} mesons than K mesons, so that in the last 75,000 photographs, approximately 2500 {mu}{sup -} decays at rest have been observed. In the same pictures, several hundred {pi}{sup -} mesons have been observed to disappear at rest, presumably by one of the ''Panofsky reactions''. For tracks longer than 10 cm, it is possible to distinguish a stopping {mu} meson from a stopping {pi} meson by comparing its curved path (in a field of 11,000 gauss) with that of a calculated template. In addition to the normal {pi}{sup -} and {mu}{sup -} stoppings, we have observed 15 cases in which what appears (from curvature measurement) to be a {mu}{sup -} meson comes to rest in the hydrogen, and then gives rise to a secondary negative particle of 1.7 cm range, which in turn decays by emitting an electron. (A 4.1-Mev {mu} meson from {pi} - {mu} decay has a range of 1.0 cm.) The energy spectrum of the electrons from these 15 …

When nuclear reactions occur in atoms in molecules chemical changes follow as a result of the recoil of the product atoms. The nature of these chemical changes was studied intensively for a number of systems but in most cases the magnitude of the recoil energy was about the same. In the present studies use was made of a much greater recoil energy than that normally used. The reaction Br( gamma ,n)Br* gives a recoil bromine atom with an energy of the order of 10/sup 5/ ev, compared to 10/sup 2/ ev for the product of the Br(n, gamma )Br* reaction which is ususlly used. The chemical nature of the products resulting when the propyl bromides were irradiated with neutrons and 70-Mev gamma rays was studied by established techniques. It is possible to differentiate between the reactions which occur while the recoiling bromine atom still is highly energetic, or hot,'' and those which occur after it has been slowed down to thermal energies. The products of the hot reactions show little dependence on the intial recoil energy. In the case of the thermal reactions, the higher energy recoil produces a greater number of products which are different from the original molecules. …

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Additional runs have been made in the six-inch, continuous-flow mixing chamber to study the rate of mass transfer between isobutanol and water. These runs were inconclusive because the effluents were mutually saturated. A new four-inch cell has been designed and is being fabricated; this will permit a reduction in the time available for mass transfer. Consideration has been given to other liquid pairs which may transfer more slowly than isobutanol-water. The system nitrobenzene-ethylene glycol appears attractive.

The November 1956 monthly report for the Chemical Processing Department of Hanford Atomic Products Operation includes information regarding research and engineering efforts with respect to the Purex and Redox process technology. Also discussed was the production operation, finished product operation, power and general maintenance, financial operation, engineering and research operations, and employee operations. (MB)

Technical report abstract: Sodium hydride and triethylborane react to form sodium triethylhydroborate, NaBH(C2H5)3. This compound, a liquid at rooom temperature, was found to be soluble in hexane and mineral oil. A study was made of the thermal decomposition of sodium triethylhydroborate and its behavior toward boron trifluoride, boron trichloride, methyl borate, carbon dioxide, silane, and ethylene. Sodium triisopropoxyhydroborate, NaBH(OC3H7)3, was prepared and also found to be soluble in hexane and mineral oil. The reactions of this compound with methyl borate, triethylborane, silicon tetrachloride, and boron trichloride were investigated.

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Report presenting an investigation in the altitude test chamber to determine the altitude performance of the J71-A-2(600-D1) turbojet engine. The engine was equipped with two-position inlet guide vanes and compressor acceleration bleeds. Results regarding the compressor performance, combustor performance, turbine performance, and effect of altitude on engine performance are provided.

Over 99% of the total plutonium absorbed on a cation resin was eluted at an average concentration of 43.8 grams per liter by a solution of ammonium lactate plus ammonium sulfamate. This elutriant does not evolve gases in the resin bed. (auth)

From summary: "The concentration of plutonium by cation exchange was significantly improved by using a solution of ammonium lactate and sulfamate as the elutriant instead of nitric and sulfamic acids. The new elutriant permitted essentially complete elution of the plutonium and also avoided formation of gases in the resin bed during elution. At 45ºC, 2.8M ammonium lactate plus 0.15M ammonium sulfamate eluted 99.3 per cent of the total plutonium at an average concentration of 43.8 grams per liter. It was found necessary to elute hydrogen and hydroxylammonium ions from the resin beds before elution of plutonium. The hydroxylammonium ions decompose to form gases in the resin bed at the desired temperature for plutonium elution. The hydrogen ions exchange with ammonium ions of the elutriant and decrease the concentration of plutonium in the eluate."