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The authors describe a state-of-the-art automatic control system as it is used to control a manufacturing process in an explosive environment. Compact, explosion proof sensing devices and a custom designed interface to a controller input are discussed.

A device for automatic dispensing of precise amounts of finely divided solids has been developed. Precision is a function of dispensing time. Smaller than gram quantities may be dispensed at a rate of about 1/3 g/min with a precision corresponding to a weight range of about 0.001 g for a series. The process consists in moving the material with the effect of the vibratory motion of a miniature air-powered vibrator. Operation is automatically controlled by the electronic system of the weighing unit interfaced to the pneumatic dispensing device via a combination fluidic and pneumatic control system.

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Research programs, training and educational activities, and operations aspects for the Penn State Breazeale Reactor during July 1, 1972 to June 30, 1973 are reviewed. Personnel and administrative activities for the reactor facility are described. (DCC)

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Free-free absorption is one of the dominant mechanisms governing the absorption of laser radiation by materials heated to temperatures of 0.5 to 2.0 eV. This report describes the theory, the listing, and the running instructions for a code which computes the free-- free Gaunt factor, arising from any given ionic or atomic potential. The calculation makes use of partial wave expansion. The code is capable of computing up to 95 partial waves. The code computes the necessary low energy wave functions by making use of the Green's function solution rather than by directly integrating Schroedinger's equation. In addition to the Gaunt factor, the code also provides the amplitude and the phase shift of every partial wave considered. (auth)

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The effects of gas mixture and chamber thickness on the gain and pulse shape of a multiwire proportional counter with delay line readout were studied. The primary concern was with optimizing the position accuracy for high-energy particle physics applications. The best results, both from the point of view of chamber gain and the risetime and uniformity of the delay line pulses were obtained with a 4 mm gap chamber run on a mixture of 30% carbon dioxide and 70% argon. It was found necessary to bias the outer grids negative with respect to ground to prevent electrons in the drift regions from migrating into the multiplication region and spoiling the delay-line pulse shape. (auth)

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Three major accomplishments of the cluster carburizing program were showing that the hardness of aged and carburized materials could be controlled via the aged structure; developing a new and analytical theory of subscale formation; and characterizing the properties of Ta-Hf alloys with respect to precipitation kinetics and morphology, diffusion kinetics, age hardening, and subscale formation. The first of these verified the cluster carburizing concept, which has potential use in the development of high strength materials. The second has applications in the fields of hot corrosion, oxidation, and high temperature coatings. The third provided necessary background for this study and provided a further understanding of the behavior of refractory metals. Details about the above are contained in this final report as well as comments on the Ta-Hf, TaC-HfC and NbC-HfC phase diagrams, a comparison of hardening in the Nb-Hf and Ta-Hf system, and a discussion of possible future work.

Tantalum alloys containing 27 at.% Hf and 1 at.% C + O were age-hardened in a carbon-free environment as a standard for comparison with cluster-carburized alloys. After aging for one hour, the alloys showed two hardness peaks at 600 and 960 deg C. From a solutionized hardness of 350 VHN, the hardness increased to 700 VHN at the low-temperature peak and to 500 VHN at the high-temperature poak. A cellular reaction was observed to occur when annealing for one hour between 943 and 1078 deg C. An equation is given which predicts the volume fraction of cellular precipitate as a function of time and temperature. (6 figures) (DLC)

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Significant accomplishments completed during Phase III of the /sup 60/Co Heat Source Demonstration program include the following: encapsulation of 2 MCi of /sup 60/Co; fabrication of the heat source, including the ASME coded pressure vessel/core assembly, and biological shielding; endurance testing of a prototype heat pipe for a period of 28 months; fabrication and qualification of the heat pipe emergency cooling subsystem; issue of the safety evaluation report, reference 3, and the operations manual, reference 4; and heat source assembly. The planned demonstration test program was modified to include testing of a total power system. Based on an evaluation of available power conversion systems, which included the closed-cycle Brayton and organic Rankine systems, the closed-cycle Brayton system was selected for use. Selection was based on advantages offered by the direct coupling of this conversion system with the gas-cooled heat source. In implementing the test program, the AiResearch BCD power conversion system was to be coupled to the heat source following initial heat source performance testing and part way through the endurance test. In accordance with the program redirection the following Phase IV checkout operations were completed to evaluate procedural and hardware acceptability: heat source dummy fueling; fueling cask sielding survey; …

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