The following report describes the usage of a semi-continuous ion exchange contactor--named the Higgins contactor--fit to operate the Purex process, a process that recovers plutonium and uranium from irradiated natural uranium fuel elements. It is intended to use the contactor in the final purification and concentration stage of the process plutonium streams.

The electron spin paramagnetic resonance of dibenzene chromium cation h a s been observed. I t s c e n t e r is a t a valhe of g = 1.98. I t shows eleven hyperfine components s e p a r a t e d by 3.5 gauss. These a r e i n t e r p r e t e d to b e eleven of the thirteen components expected to r e s u l t f r o m the interaction of the twelve equivalent protons with the unpaired electron.

This document details activities of the irradiation processing department during the month of November 1956. A general summary is included at the start of the report, after which the report is divided into the following sections: research and engineering operations; production and reactor operations; facilities engineering operation; employee relations operation; and financial operation.

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This paper presents a calculation of transient events in the Hanford piles due to the build up of fission product nuclides with a very large neutron absorption cross-section. In particular it was found after operation of the first major pile that Xe{sup 135} was a short lived isotope which built up in the pile, and which possessed a very large cross-section. The dynamics in number density of this isotope has a major impact on the reactivity behavior of the piles, and in particular on the start-up behavior following transient shut-downs.

A limited exploratory investigation of the rate of coking of four JP-4 fuels in electrically heated metal tubes was conducted in order to provide design information for fuel prevaporizers for turbojet-engine combustors. The fuels tested included two production and two minimum-quality JP-4 type fuels. The heating tube was operated at fuel pressures of approximately 500, 400, and 50 pounds per square inch. The operating fuel temperature was varied between approximately 600 degrees and 1200 degrees F.

A conceptual design is presented for a test reactor facility to be used for shielding experiments and component irradintions necessary for airframe development for the nuclear airplane program. To meet both requirements a modified swimming-pool reactor is used, with a dry irradintion cell of 320 cu ft of useful volume provided for component testing, while shielding experiments are performed in the pool in the usual manner. A BSR-type core is operated at 1 MW to provide a fest neutron flux in the irradiation cell of 10/sup 12/n/cm/sup 2/ sec at the core face and 10/sup 11/at a distance of 4 feet. The irradiation-cell facility is designed to avoid the need of remote operations in making up service connections to the experimental piece. The reactor is contained in a cylindrical building designed for 6 psi internal pressure to meet the conditions of the maximum credible accident. The estimated cost of the facility, including the reactor and the fabrication cost for an initial fuel charge, is 874,000. (auth)

Memorandum presenting a high subsonic Mach number turbine with high suction-surface diffusion investigated experimentally. The subject turbine was designed for a high weight flow per unit frontal area, a high specific work output, and a relative critical velocity ratio of 0.82 at the rotor hub input.

Report presenting an experimental investigation of a high subsonic Mach number turbine with high suction-surface diffusion. The subject turbine was designed for a high weight flow per unit frontal area, a high specific work output, and a relative critical velocity ratio of 0.82 at the rotor hub inlet.

By use of small magnetic probes inserted into the discharge, the magnetic field distributions in the interior of a high-power pinched discharge have been measured as a function of time. From these data the current distributions can be deduced. By applying a static pressure calculation, in the cases when the radical pinch accelerations are small, the plasma pressure nkT in the pinch has been determined, with superimposed axial magnetic fields, and for stable and unstable configurations.

Report presenting summaries of full-scale engine tests of pentaborane, pentaborane-JP-4 fuel mixtures, and trimethylborate-methyl-alcohol-azeotrope fuels. Tests were conducted at an altitude of 50,000 feet and Mach number of 0.8. Results regarding the fuel effects on overall performance, effects on component performance, effect of turbine-outlet temperature on engine performance, and miscellaneous observations are provided.

This report summarizes the full-scale engine tests of pentaborane, pentaborane - JP-4 fuel mixtures, and trimethylborate azeotrope fuel. The tests were conducted in a full-scale turbojet engine at a simulated altitude of 50,000 feet and Mach number of 0.08. Engine speeds were 90 to 100 percent of rated speed. Pentaborane reduced the the specific fuel consumption to two-thirds that of JP-4 fuel. However, because boron oxide collected in the engine, the performance deteriorated with continued operation of pentaborane in each of the short-duration tests reported.

Supersonic performance of variable two-dimensional inlets designed for engine-inlet matching.

The design of the S2G 8-inch sodium stop value freeze seal was evaluated under established conditions by cycling before and after a simulated bellows failure. The effectiveness of the freeze seal under severe ambient, water flow, and insulation conditions was also evaluated. The stop valve operated successfully under all test conditions.

This paper is a preliminary report of experiments being carried out on the compaction of UO₂ powders by swaging within a restraining tube. Various types of UO₂ have been tried with resulting apparent densities as great as 9.89 grams per cubic centimeter.

Abstract: "A particularly conventional modified form of Maxwell distribution is chosen. The modified expressions for (a) the energy transfer from the ions to the electrons in a plasma and (b) the brehmestrahlung from the electrons are calculated. Using the expressions some possible steady-state conditions for the ion and electron gases are derived and compared with those for the usual Maxwell distributions."

S>A convenient modified form of Maxwell distribution is chosen. The modified expressions for the energy transfer from the ions to the electrons in a plasma and the bremsstrahlung from the electrons are calculated. Using the expressions some possible steady-state conditions for the ion and electron gases are derived and compared with those for the usual Maxwell distributions. (anth)

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A report discussing a geologic reconnaissance of a section of the Kaiparowits Plateau region of Utah was conducted to evaluate the uranium potential of the area.

Report discussing the survey work done at the Battelle Memorial Institute with the objective to successfully build a gas-cooled reactor.

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The engines, each with a compressor overall total-pressure ratio of 12 and a design inner-turbine-inlet temperature of 2500 degrees R, were investigated at static sea-level conditions to determine the effect on transient performance of varying the desitn pressure ratio divisions 2-6, 3-4, and 4-3 between the outer and inner compressors. The transient considered was an acceleration from 40 to 100 percent design thrust. When the outer compressor of each engine reached design speed, the inner compressors were overspeeding, the maximum being only 1.7 over design mechanical speed. Acceleration times for the three engines were equal.

Report presenting temperature data for air-cooled turbine rotor blades obtained during an experimental investigation conducted in an altitude test chamber to determine some of the problems pertinent to the operation of air-cooled turbojet engines at a range of turbine-inlet temperatures. Results regarding local blade temperatures, effect of blade-inlet cooling-air temperature on average rotor blade temperature with two types of cooling, effect of cooling-air flow on average rotor blade temperature for a range of turbine-inlet temperatures, cooling-air flow requirements, and blade temperature correlation are provided.

An improved method of water plant control has been developed at Hanford which employs a sensitive turbidiy measuring microphorometer and a model water filtration plant. The microphotometer operates on a light scattering principle and is accurate in the range of 0.0 to 0.1 parts per million turbidity. The model filter plant used is a five gallon per minute plant which can simulate the conditions normally occurring in the large water plants. It is the purpose of this report to describe the model filter plant and to demonstrate the value of the model and microphotometer for effective water plant control and water plant design scoping.