Report documenting the progress of the Army Gas-Cooled Reactor Systems Program to develop a mobile nuclear power plant for military field operation.

Technical report. From Abstract : "Accurate measurements on boiling points and surface tensions of mixtures of benzyl acetate with dioxan, aniline and meta-cresol over the entire range of concentration are reported. The results have been analysed in terms of quasi-crystalline model which is partially successful in representing the composition dependence of heats of mixing, boiling points and surface tension except for composition dependence of boiling points of benzyl acetate and meta-cresol."

Technical report. From Abstract : "The crystal structure of bis(meta-chlorobenzoyl) methane has been determined by three dimensional anisotropic least squares refinement of scintillation counter data. The molecule was found to be nearly planar with a maximum deviation from the least squares molecular plane of 0.068Å and an average deviation of 0.023Å. Fourier transform techniques to locate phenyl rings provided the key to the structure determination. The intramolecular bond distances and thermal parameters of the oxygen atoms support a resonant, enol ring with a symmetric, intramolecular hydrogen bond. The structure confirms conslusions from the structure of bis(meta-bromobenzoyl) methane where the symmetry of the molecule was forced by the crystal symmetry."

Activities in a program to develop techniques in the use of pulsed neutron sources to measure shutdown parameters related to large thermal power reactors are reported. The experimental work centers around aspects of detecting neutrons in the presence of 10/sup 7/ r/hr gamma fields. Boric acid experiments and Humboldt Bay experiments are reported.

Technical report describing and evaluating the the three experimental methods for obtaining equation of state data at low temperatures; (1) approximate measurement of the PVT relationship by a piston-displacement technique, (2) the measurement of a heat capacity at constant volume as a function of molar volume and temperature, and (3) direct measurement of the pressure variation of the elastic constants using ultrasonic techniques. X-ray methods also might be applicable.

Abstract. The kangaroo rat is readily tamed and has certain characteristics that make it unique and of interest in highly specialized research programs. Studies were conducted on its ability to exist on a dried diet with only a bare minimum of water and that obtained from succulent plants. Hematological studies indicate that the kangaroo rat exhibits a different hematological distribution of cells than the mouse or rat. The lymphocyte constitutes 81.4% of the total leuokocytes. The hematocrit has a value of 46 to 48 in spite of the high degree of water conservation practiced by the animal. The response to ionizing radiation of this species does not differ from that reported for the mouse or rat. Behavior studies indicate that the digging characteristics of the kangaroo rat are similar to those of the gerbil. Furthermore, the animal shows definite psychotic tendencies under the influence of psychotomimetics like LSD-25 and psilocybin. An evaluation of the physiological responses of isolated tissues from this animal as well as its responses to anesthetics is being undertaken to evaluate its further usefulness in the laboratory.

From abstract: "The formation constants of the RChOH- species, formed by interaction of individual rare-earth nitrilotriacetate species and KOH at 25°C and an ionic strength of 0.1, have been determined by the potentiometric method, i.e., computed from the pH values of equilibrium mixtures containing varying proportions of rare-earth complex and base. The relationship of these constants to the ion-exchange separation of rare earths at high pH has been discussed."

Abstract: This technical report covers development of an AG-Cd-In alternate absorber section for Army Type SM reactors. It describes the absorber material composition and the geometric configuration. It gives the nuclear and thermal analyses supporting this configuration and a detailed description of the manufacturing practice employed in fabricating the final design component.

Abstract: This report gives a general description of the single stage axial compressor blade test facility located at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Abstract: This technical report is concerned with the program and results of the SM-1 reactor vessel head removal and core inspection at Fort Belvoir, Virginia from the period March 7, 1969 to May 17, 1959. It covers the operating procedures in detail and records the conditions found and problems encountered in order to make a record for reference in future work of this nature. The major objective of the program, to obtain irradiation data on the SM-1 type core, has been met. The boron control rod elements were found unsatisfactory for full core life, and europium oxide elements were placed in the core for future irradiation stability data. A major problem was experienced with the cracked pressure vessel head studs. The methods developed for the removal of the broken studs are presented. The complete metallurgical study of the stud failure from stress corrosion is included as Appendix B.

"Design work was completed and construction initiated on a prototype field altimeter based on the gas density dependence of Townsend discharge current in an electrical discharge. The design of an ion tracer air velocity meter for laboratory applications, and construction of three units were successfully completed. Theoretical and experimental support is presented, showing the applicability of the ion tracer system to the accurate measurement of linear gas velocity. The operating range of the laboratory meter is 150 to 2500 ft/min at ambient pressures between 200 mu and 30.0 mm Hg. Further investigations on the application of the ion tracer concept to flowrate measurements are presented. By generating velocity profile curves with an ion tracer calibrated thermoanemometer, it was possible to determine the flowrate for 2 flow and pressure conditions; 37.5 cfm at 19.6 mm and 75 cfm at 9.8 mm Hg. Comparison with a calibrated Rotameter technique was within 5% in both cases. Also presented are some preliminary investigations leading to the development of a generalized ion tracer flowmeter for low gas densities. Results of some supplemental electrical discharge experiments in rarefied atmospheres are described. It was observed that electrical oscillations could be produced in a low density gas discharge, …

From Introduction: "The present semiannual progress report introduces more active consideration than has been given in the past (by us, at least) to the importance of energy degradation in DCX-like devices. The following pages introduce also a new major apparatus designated as DCX-2. Some of these concepts cannot as yet be released publicly and therefore Chap. 3 of this report, covering the DCX-EP-B design, is being issued separately, with restricted distribution, as ORNL-3044."

Technical report. From report : "The method of least squares refinement is based on the prediction of the theory of errors that, if the errors of the observed structure factors follow the Gaussian distribution, the most nearly correct atomic parameters will be those which result in the minimization of the residual R = Σi [√wi(|Fo| - |Fc|)i]2."