A plutonium solution of known Pu-241 content was purified by solvent extraction techniques to remove uranium and americium impurities. Portions of this purified solution were then analyzed for U-237 as a function of time. Since the growth of U-237 occurs directly by the alpha decay of Pu-241, these measurements provided sufficient data for calculation of the Pu-241 alpha half-life, which was found to be 2.91 ± 0.50 x 10⁵ years.

Report presenting an investigation of a rocket-propelled model of the Douglas X-3 airplane in order to determine the lateral stability characteristics at zero angle of attack and to evaluate test and analysis technique. Results regarding time histories, lateral trim characteristics, general characteristics of lateral oscillation, and lateral stability derivatives are provided.

From Summary: "This report treats the Kernel function of the integral equation that relates a known or prescribed downwash distribution to an unknown lift distribution for harmonically oscillating wings in supersonic flow. The treatment is essentially an extension to supersonic flow of the treatment given in NACA report 1234 for subsonic flow. For the supersonic case the Kernel function is derived by use of a suitable form of acoustic doublet potential which employs a cutoff or Heaviside unit function. The Kernel functions are reduced to forms that can be accurately evaluated by considering the functions in two parts: a part in which the singularities are isolated and analytically expressed, and a nonsingular part which can be tabulated."

This report summarizes work completed during the Redox Plant shutdown in January 1955. An analysis of major difficulties encountered, improvements made during the shutdown, and building design deficiencies brought to light by the shutdown are discussed. (JL)

This report presents the details of the operations of the Savannah River Plant manufacturing division during the month of January 1955.

Report presenting an investigation to determine the static longitudinal and lateral stability characteristics of an airplane configuration with a trapezoidal wing with modified hexagonal airfoil section and a cruciform tail with 5 degree semiangle wedge section. Data were obtained at a range of angles of attack and sideslip.

W. J. O`Leary and R. R. Herries visited BMI to review the progress of subcontract research on extended surface fuel elements and on consolidation of Horizons` thorium. 1. Corrosion samples, 1in. diameter {times} 0.180in. thick nickel-plated uranium, which had been press-clad with aluminum at 510{degree}C and 6000 psi, have been on test for 18 days with no evidence of undercutting. Similar samples press-clad with 10,000 psi have been exposed for 7 days with no failures. 2. The hydrogen and chlorine content of as-received Horizons` electrolytic thorium was greatly reduced during vacuum sintering and arc melting. 3. A second lot of Horizons` thorium has been compacted and sintered to provide electrodes for two 9-10 lb. melts. 4. Diffusion couples are being annealed and examined in order to determine the rate of solid solution diffusion of thorium in aluminum.

This document details activities of the Hanford Atomic Products Operation (HAPO) during 1954.

"In the development of high temperature materials of the brittle category, the need to improve their impact strength for some applications has brought with it a demand for a simple machine for measuring impact resistance, both at room and elevated temperatures, and preferably one in which corrections such as the toss energy are negligible. This report describes such a machine and presents the results of some preliminary tests on the effect of temperature on impact strength of several alloys and cermets. A comparison is also given between the impact resistance of notched and unnotched specimens" (p. 1).

Report presenting information on the engine performance variations resulting from bleeding air from the compressor for turbine cooling, which is currently lacking. A thermodynamic-cycle investigation was conducted to determine the magnitude of the performance variations for a wide range of operating conditions for turboprop engines and for both afterburning and nonafterburning turbojet engines.

The purpose of this report is to present a HAPO proposal for the design and construction of a high-temperature, high-pressure light water recirculation test facility for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Atomic Power Division This report does not attempt to justify the feasibility of site location nor does it attempt to elaborate on such technical considerations as permissible test specimen heat generation and enrichment requirements which have been covered in an earlier document. Instead, detail information is developed on the proposed design with major emphasis on detail descriptions of the proposed loop and auxiliaries, design and construction scheduling and costs, and operating costs.

Nine technical studies were approved for funding. Discussions at the meeting centered around safety and work schedules. Appendices contain information on Financial status, the Separations program, the Analytical Chemistry program, and the Technical Division studies that were approved at the meeting.

Report presenting an exploration of fuel temperatures, which includes variables such as the aircraft speed, flight time, flight altitude, materials of construction, location of fuel tanks relative to aircraft skin and hot engine parts, and other factors. The results illustrate that it is impossible to predict quantitatively the fuel temperatures that will be attained in aircraft without detailed design information on each machine.

This report presents details of the operations of the Savannah River Plant manufacturing division during the month of February 1955.

Letter opinion issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, John Ben Shepperd, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Constitutionality of House Bill 573 of the 54th Legislature

W.J. O`Leary and R.R. Herries visited BMI in company with C.C. McBride, SRL, to discuss the results of subcontract research on the extended surface fuel element program and to discuss with BMI personnel the programs included in the recent contract extension. A summary of results are given in the following. Double and triple melts from two 9--10 pound ingots of arc-melted Horizon`s thorium showed decreasing porosity. Physical and chemical data, on these as well as on eight previous double melted ingots, are being obtained. The problems involved in obtaining uniform castings of uranium-aluminum alloy for co-extrusion billets were discussed, with emphasis upon those phases to be investigated at BMI. A program was outlined to evaluate the effects of outgassing, by vacuum annealing, on the corrosion resistance of nickel-plated uranium. Data obtained from diffusion studies at BMI show that the mutual diffusion at high temperatures of thorium and aluminum is slow, with the diffusion of the thorium into the aluminum proceeding somewhat faster than that of the aluminum into the thorium. Possible methods of applying an inner cladding of aluminum to a tubular uranium fuel element were discussed. ``Half-dollar`` size uranium corrosion samples, nickel-plated and press-clad with 30-mil aluminum at 10 …

Memorandum presenting a review of some of the analytical and experimental studies of the use of liquid hydrogen as a jet-engine fuel and which show the possible extension of aircraft performance that will follow adequate research and development effort on the problem of its use.

"Low-lift drag data are presented herein for one 1/7.5-scale rocket-boosted model and three 1/45.85-scale equivalent-body models of the Grumman F9F-9 airplane, The data were obtained over a Reynolds number range of about 5 x 10(exp 6) to 10 x 10(exp 6) based on wing mean aerodynamic chord for the rocket model and total body length for the equivalent-body models. The rocket-boosted model showed a drag rise of about 0,037 (based on included wing area) between the subsonic level and the peak supersonic drag coefficient at the maximum Mach number of this test" (p. 1).

Nuclear parameter variations are presented for sodium graphite reactors using Pu-spiked natural U as fuel. The fuel feed is assumed to be natural U, and the important variables are the initial amount of excess reactivity, lattice spacing, and alpha , the ratio of Pu/sup 239/ to U/sup 235/ in the feed material. The system is called "steady state" in that the ratios, N/sub 40/N/sub 49/ = sigma /sub c(49)// sigma /sub a(40)/ and N/sub 41//N/sub 4 9/ = sigma /sub c(49)/ / sigma /sub a(41)/, obtained from setting the build-up equations to zero are assumed for the feed concentrations, and the feed material to the reactor is always the same. During irradiation, the U/sup 235/ and U/sup 238/ concentrations steadily decline while the Pu isotope concentrations initially increase, then decline. To ensure sufficient plutonium for feed material, it is necessary to remove the fuel from the reactor before the Pu content drops below its initial value. Although the reactivity variations presented were calculated specifically for sodium graphite reactors, they may be applied to any thermal reactor using Pu-spiked natural U as fuel. The reactivity changes are determined primarily by the fuel characteristics and are only slightly dependent on the other …

Report discussing an investigation to determine the free-jet performance characteristics of the XRJ43-MA-3 20B3 ram-jet engine at a Mach number of 2.70 at several angles of attack, inlet temperatures, and fuel-air ratios. Information about the inlet supercritical mass-flow ratio, diffuser-outlet Mach number contours, and effect of angle of attack and inlet temperature on engine performance is provided.

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This document is the April 1955 Monthly Report of the Process Section/Manufacturing Division at the Savannah River Plant. It contains information on activities in each of the SRP areas (100-400 areas), as well as on utilities and general services.