The cost and feasibility of blending UNH streams of different uranium enrichments at HAPO was evaluated on a preliminary basis. Cases studied were blending 37.5% enriched UNH with depleted E metal UNH to yield a 0.947% enriched end product, and blending depleted E metal UNH with the depleted natural uranium to yield 0.7115% enriched end product. A reasonable degree of feasibility is indicated for such a blend program at HAPO.

The Homogeneous Reactor Test is designed for maintenance to be performed while the parts of the reactor are partinlly or completely submerged in water to reduce radiation levels. Tools with long handles permit the operator, standing above the equipment, to disconnect flanged joints, air lines, electrical and instrument leads, etc., in a minimum time. The techniques and tools employed to accomplish these various operations and to minimize intermixing of the contaminated process fluids with the shielding water are described. Estimates of shutdown times and costs of tools and spare parts are presented also. (auth)

A number of cases were studied to determine some of the nuclear characterlstics of double-blanket reactors. The reactor geometry is spherical. the average temperature is 280 deg C the core ID is 4 ft and the pressure vessel ID is 9 ft in all cases. The core is contained in a 1/2-in. Zircaloy tank, while the blanket is divided into two regions by another another 1/2-in. Zircaloy shell. The region adjacent to the core is either 0.5 or 1-ft thick Comparison is made of reactors in which either the inner or outer blanket region contains 4000 g Th/liter as ThO/sub 2/ slurry in D/sub 2/O while the other blanket region holds thorium concentrations of 0, 500, or 1000 g Th/liter. The effects of introducing an 8% poison fraction into the core and 3 g U/syo 233/kg Th into the blanket are examined individually. It is found that reactivity effects are negligible if the inner blanket contains 4000 g Th/liter and settling occurs in the dilute outer region. On the other hand. for a concentrated outer blanket, large reactivity additions are to be expected on removing the thorium from the dilute inner region. Some fuel and thorium inventory reductions appear possible …

Boundary-layer-transition and heat-transfer measurements were obtained from flight tests of blunt and sharp cones having apex angles of 50 deg. The test Mach number range was from 1.7 to 4.7, corresponding to free-stream Reynolds numbers, based on cone base diameter, of 18. 3 x 10(exp 6) and 32.1 x 10(exp 6), respectively. Transition on both models occurred at a local Reynolds number of 1 x 10(exp 6) to 2 X 10(exp 6) based on distance from the stagnation point. Transition Reynolds numbers based on momentum thickness were between 320 and 380 for the blunt cone. The model surface roughness was 25 rms microinches or greater. Turbulent heat transfer to the conical surface of the blunt cone at a Mach number of 4 was 30 percent less than that to the surface of the sharp cone. Available theories predicted heat-transfer coefficients reasonably well for the fully laminar or turbulent flow conditions.

"A highly polished hemisphere-cone having a ratio of nose radius to base radius of 0.74 and a half-angle of 14.5 degrees was flight tested at Mach numbers up to 4.70. Temperature and pressure data were obtained at Mach numbers up to 3.14 and a free-stream Reynolds number of 24 x 10(exp 6) based on body diameter. The nose of the model had a surface roughness of 2 to 5 microinches as measured with an interferometer" (p. 1).

Report presenting testing on six blunt-nose models at angles of attack ranging from 0 to 5 degrees in order to evaluate the heat transfer and pressure on their surfaces. Information about transition, proper design, and locations of greatest and least heat transfer is provided.

"Measurements of aerodynamic heat transfer have been made along the hemisphere and cylinder of a hemisphere-cylinder rocket-propelled model in free flight up to a Mach number of 3.88. The test Reynolds number based on free-stream condition and diameter of model covered a range from 2.69 x l0(exp 6) to 11.70 x 10(exp 6). Laminar, transitional, and turbulent heat-transfer coefficients were obtained" (p. 1).

Report presenting testing of four models of a thin magnesium fin, with the leading edge swept back 35 degrees, of a type used to stabilize the first stages of rocket-propelled multistage hypersonic models. The investigation was carried out to determine some effects of aerodynamic heating at high stagnation temperatures on the leading edges of fins and to determine the relative effectiveness of several leading-edge protective methods. The fins tested included a basic fin, a fin with a blunt leading edge, a fin with a blunt leading edge wrapped with Inconel, and a fin with a blunt leading edge made of stainless steel.

From Introduction: "The use of automatic controls to reduce the tendency for rolling divergence has been investigated in references 2 and 3. These studies have considered the effect of artificial changes in certain stability derivatives on the rolling divergence, and have shown that increased damping in pitch may be quite effective in reducing the divergent tendency. In the present report, a different type of automatic control is investigated."

Report presenting force-test data showing the effects of change in leading-edge radius on the low-speed longitudinal stability of a 6-percent-thick 45 degree sweptback wing of aspect ratio 3 for several ranges of Mach and Reynolds numbers. The results indicated that as the airfoil sections were thinned at the nose, separation effects occurred at lower values of lift coefficient.

Report presenting a theoretical investigation to determine the static and dynamic characteristics of a control-surface actuator and missile combination, with primary consideration given to the minimization of the effects of Mach number and altitude.The results indicate that the type of actuator studied in combination with a missile might replace a gain-adjusted acceleration control system. Results regarding the control-system static characteristics, control-system dynamic characteristics, comparison of torposervo and position-servo actuation, and some suggestions for further research are provided.

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Report presenting flight measurements of the horizontal-tail loads on the Douglas X-3 research airplane during wind-up turns, pull-ups, and stabilizer pulses over a range of altitudes and Mach numbers.

Experimental procedures for testing the HRT coolingwater system and its components are presented. The cooling-water system is a closed system consisting of three parallel circuits fed by a single circulating pump fed from a forced draft cooling tower and supply reservoir. In the event of radioactive contamination of the cooling-water system the tower supply lines are equipped with block valves that confine the solutions to the reactor cell, and after shutdown heat may be removed by discharging contaminated cooling water to the cell. Failure of the circuevert of radioactive contamination of the cooling- water system the tower supply lines are equipped with block valves that confine the solutions to the reactor cell, and after shutdown heat may be removed by discharging contaminated cooling water to the cell. Failure of the circulating pump will actuate a valve that will permit convection cooling to take place within a closed circuit. (auth)

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This document details activities of the Works Technical Department during the month of March 1956. It covers reactor technology, separations technology, engineering assistance and heavy water technology.

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The effect of pantothenic acid deficiency on the rate of C{sup 14}O{sub 2} excretion and on distribution of radioactivity in liver fractions has been studied in rats given sodium acetate-2-C{sup 14} and sodium heptanoate-7-C{sup 14} The rate of excretion of breath C{sub 14}O has been measured by use of a method in which a sensitive ionization chamber and electrometer directly and continuously record carbon-14 excretion. The labeled fatty acids are more rapidly metabolized to C{sup 14}O{sub 2} in PAD rats than in normal rats. CoA depresses the C{sup 14}O excretion 2 in both normal and PAD rats in experiments with either labeled acid. There are differences in the oxidation of these two fatty acids, and the differences are consistent with postulated metabolic schemes. CoA increases radioactivity deposited in the fat of the liver, but does not appreciably change the radioactivity incorporated in the protein and nonsaponifiable lipid fractions.

A metallurgical examination of several resistance thermometers for 105-KW were examined before startup (1). This examination revealed that the silver brazes joining the type 305 stainless steel blades to the type 416 stainless steel nuts were defective. The braze metal did not penetrate into the joint; the brazes were porous and appeared to be inadequately bonded to the type 416 nuts. After startup of KW, many of the thermometers became inoperative, and several were visually examined to determine the integrity of the units. The presence of corrosion products at the junction of the braze and the nut led to further metallurgical examination of the brazed joints. Twenty units from 105-KW, 12 prototype units from 105-H, and two "new model" units were included in this examination. The examination was conducted to determine the cause and nature of the failures observed on units under service conditions.

Introduction: This is the fifth of a series of reports covering technical progress on the research and development program being performed in connection with the design of the Pathfinder Atomic Power Plant.

A resume of process development studies conducted with Lukachukai ores is presented. Data for the following phases of the work are reported in detail: 1. Roasting and leaching of uranium leach residues, and, 2. Uranium ion exchange. Other phases of the work are discussed and references cited.

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This is a progress report of the production reactors on the Hanford Reservation for the month of April 1952. This report takes each division (e.g., manufacturing, medical, accounting, occupational safety, security, reactor operations, etc.) of the site and summarizes its accomplishments and employee relations for that month.

Report presenting testing of a parabolic body of revolution in the 4- by 4-foot supersonic tunnel at two Mach numbers. The investigation included the effects of Reynolds number, fins, internal contour of body base, and two support systems on body pressure and force drag at an angle of attack of 0 degrees.