Abstract: A clay material of the polygorskite group, pretreated or not, is degassed and contacted with a gas to be adsorbed and after adsorption the clay is heated while in contact with the gas so that the clay structure collapses, encapsulating the adsorbed gas. If desired the entrances of the pores may be narrowed to a desired size by adsorption of diborane before the adsorption of the gas.

Abstract: Material such as fissile material (2) requiring to be safeguarded is stored inside a container (1) which is subsequently sealed, for example by a closure comprising a cover (3) and sealing element (30). The whole structure of the container (1) is ultrasonically scanned initially using piezo electric transducers (T1, T2) to obtain an output from which is derived a distinctive identity for the container (1), determined by the particular characteristics of the internal structure of at least a portion of the container, and also a reference signal indicative of the whole container structure when its integrity is intact. Subsequent ultrasonic scanning of the whole container structure, for example intermittently, produces a monitor signal which if different to the reference signal indicates the occurrence of a breach in the container's integrity. The distinctive identity for the container (1) may be derived from a distinctive internal structure of the cover (3) which preferably contains a material matrix, e.g.

Abstract: A device for passively transporting heat in any direction, particularly downwards, from a heat source to a heat sink, which device comprises a boiler for heating a working fluid, a container for condensing vapor of the heated working fluid, means for transferring the said vapor from the boiler to the condenser, and means for transferring the working fluid from the condenser to the boiler, the said working fluid being compelled from the condenser to the boiler, when the device is in use, by expansion of a compressible medium stored in the condenser, which medium is additionally compressed by the vapor of the working fluid when the device is in use.In one embodiment the heat source for the boiler or the boiler itself is a solar collector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds, elements or ions encapsulated in a zeolite in a stable manner by adsorption, chemisorption or ion exchange, by using a zeolite treated before together with, or after the introduction of the material to be enclosed with a modifying agent selected from the group consisting of silanes, boranes and germanes, which may be substituted by one or more halogen atoms and/or hydrocarbon groups, and after the introduction closing the pores by a further treatment with the modifying agent and/or by an oxidation treatment.

Abstract: A secondary-electron detector for the analysis of irradiated samples in scanning electron microscopes and microprobes, including an electron collector 12 arranged along a curved or angular path, an electron accelerator 13, a scintillator 24, a light guide 27 and a photomultiplier 28. To enable more effective investigation of irradiated nuclear fuels and to improve the magnification power, a spectrometer 20 and a Wehnelt cylinder 25 are provided between the accelerator and the scintillator.

Abstract: To monitor a nuclear fuel element or fuel elements located in a store, e.g. a pond in a swimming pool reactor, the store is illuminated ultrasonically using one or more transducers transmitting ultrasonic signals in one or more predetermined directions to obtain an output which, because it depends on the number and relative location of the fuel elements in the store, and the structure of the store itself is distinctive to the fuel elements or elements stored therein. From this distinctive output is derived an identity unique to the stored fuel element or elements and a reference signal indicative of the whole structure when intact, the reference signal and identity being recorded. Subsequent ultrasonic testing of the store and its contents under identical operating conditions produces a signal which is compared to the recorded reference signal and if different therefrom reveals the occurrence of tampering with the store and/or the fuel element or elements.

Abstract: A method of increasing the ductility of articles formed from a superplastic alloy, the superplastic alloy consisting of aluminium, from 5 to 10% by weight of calcium and at most 1% by weight of impurities, characterized in that these articles, after their superplastic forming, are heated for at least 30 minutes to a temperature of between 400.degree. C. and 600.degree. C.

Abstract: An integrated heat exchange and heat storage system using thermochemical reactions which comprises a first plurality of parallel adjacent tubes containing an element for storing and yielding heat; and a second plurality of tubes parallel to said first plurality of tubes and interposed therebetween and containing a fluid heat vehicle, the first and second plurality of tubes being disposed in a receptacle whose major axis extends parallel to the axis of the tubes, the voids between the various tubes being filled with a stagnant liquid serving to facilitate heat exchange between the fluid heat vehicle and the element for storing and yielding heat.

Abstract: A system, suitable for use as an identity seal for an object, such as a container for fissile material, comprises a body including a cap for fitting over one end of the object, and a recess which contains a material such as "ARALDITE" or aluminium acting as a matrix for a plurality of inclusions of e.g. bronze embedded therein in a random configuration. The recess is closed by a cover which includes a central electrically conductive part. Also embedded in the matrix material and constituting further "inclusions" are two piezoelectric crystal transducers each electrically connected to the central cover part. In use, the transducers are electrically connected via the central cover part to external ultrasonic testing apparatus to provide a unique output indicative of the particular structure of the seal particularly the inclusion configuration and hence providing a unique "identity" and hence indication of integrity for the seal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mechanical control head for guiding the movement of a tool and particularly an electrode for electroerosion by means of a control rod with a forked end. The control has the following elements in combination: (a) a connection of the tool on a support terminating in a foot in the form of a spatula with tapered edge; (b) an articulated, centered connection of the foot in the forked end of a control rod, said rod presenting an annular shoulder spaced from the spatula-shaped foot and adapted to rotate about its axis and move in the axial direction; (c) a coaxial assembly of a hollow guide prism whose guide face, in contact with the tapered edge of the spatula-shaped foot, is cut obliquely, while the opposite face of the prism, perpendicular to the axis of the prism, rests on the shoulder of the control rod.

Abstract: A process for removing helium and other impurities from a mixture containing deuterium and tritium, which process comprises the steps of: separating from the mixture isotopes of hydrogen in any of their diatomic combined forms; oxidizing the separated isotopes to their corresponding oxides; separating tritium oxide and deuterium-tritium oxide from the oxides thus formed; and electrolyzing the separated oxides to deuterium and tritium.Preferably the impure mixture of deuterium and tritium is a waste product of a fusion reactor, and the purified deuterium/tritium mixture is recycled to the reactor.

Abstract: In a gas-controlled heat-pipe thermostat of high precision having a temperature-controlled chamber arranged at least partly within the evaporation and condensation cycle and a gas reservoir connected to said heat-pipe, the improvement comprising in that in the heat-pipe a cooling surface is arranged for the production of condensate which, for the scavenging of the surface of said temperature-controlled chamber in a directed manner, is connected to the outer wall of said chamber by liquid conducting capillary structures.

Abstract: A device for recovering information from overexposed regions of image recording emulsions in general, and radiographs in particular includes a light-tight housing the outer surface of which is covered with a layer of lead, a source arranged to project ionizing radiation within said housing, and a removeable cassette which, in use, carries the over-exposed radiograph in close contact with a further film for recording the information. The cassette has a light-tight cover which is displaceable to permit exposure of the further film to an image produced by irradiation of the over-exposed radiograph by the source. The method includes irradiating the over-exposed radiograph, placed in close contact with a further film, by means of a device as aforesaid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal heat pump consisting of a heat pipe in which the vapor passage between the heat transfer zone to the heat supply and the heat transfer zone to the heat removal section has a cross section which varies across its length. The variable cross-sectional vapor passage first increases and then decreases the rate of vapor flow, and a further heat transfer zone with either heat supply or removal is located in the area of increased vapor velocity. The cross-sectional variation of the vapor passage in the heat pipe between the two outermost heat transfer zones is advantageously brought about by a displacement body arranged internally of the heat pipe with a particular surface contour.

Abstract: Apparatus including a superconducting magnetic assembly for inducing nuclear magnetic resonance within a flowing medium. In order to make nuclear magnetic resonance measurements on a flowing medium it is preferred to have separate polarizing and resonating fields situated consecutively along the flow path, with the magnetic flux density in the resonating region being reduced from that in the previous polarizing region.The signal to noise ratio in such a system is improved by increasing the magnetic flux density in the polarizing region as much as possible. Using superconducting coils to provide the magnetic fields a lighter assembly with increased polarizing field strength over that of an equivalent iron-cored electromagnet is obtained.

Abstract: An ultrasonic thermometer comprising a probe which is coupled to a magnetorestrictive transmitter and has discontinuities to reflect for each ultrasonic pulse applied to the probe a multiplicity of echoes of which the detection provides a measure of the ambient temperature of the probe. The probe is disposed in a tubular jacket. The probe and the jacket are separately anchored at respective ends, which may be proximate or remote, so that substantially all the probe moves relative to the jacket to rupture bridges or welds which may be formed between the probe and the jacket.

Abstract: A hollow toroidal assembly, for example a heat and radiation blanket for a nuclear fusion reactor, has an improved modular structure. The toroidal assembly is formed by a number of annular modules of at least two types, each module being subdivided into submodules. The modules are conically converging at the outer or inner circumferential side so that they are tightly mounted in an alternating configuration. When providing a blanket for a nuclear fusion reactor the toroidal assembly surrounds the toroidal plasma reaction cavity and provides efficient cooling or heat exchange through the modules. The toroidal assembly advantageously provides a convenient subdivision of the blanket surrounding a plasma cavity into a sufficient number of separate modules.

Abstract: An apparatus for electroerosion within a solid component which includes a hollow stationary cylinder, a control rod surrounded by and coaxial with the cylinder, a driving square terminating one end of the rod and an electrode connected to said driving square. The electrode is pivotable around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder, movable together with the rod along the axis of the cylinder, positionable perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder and rotatable around the axis. The method comprises machining a pilot channel in the solid component having a cross-sectional identical with the aperture cross-section of the proposed cavity, introducing an electrode into the channel, moving the electrode relative to the solid component and removing material from the cavity so formed in the solid component.

Abstract: This invention relates to the closure of conditioned-atmosphere containers by magnewelding by means of an exploding coil. After packing, the containers are temporarily closed by a programming cap of elastic synthetic polymer adapted to fix the essential features of the geometric parameters concerned in the subsequent magnewelding operation.Specific application to the sealing of nuclear fuel cans.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an AC-motor, with a feedback arrangement in which the feed-back signal is the output signal of a partly mechanical pulse generator coupled to the shaft of the motor, comprising a micro-processor to which is fed a feed-back signal and a reference signal and a digital clock which sends output signals to said micro-processor, said micro-processor generating signals through a first set of output controls for controlling the frequency and phase of the AC-power supplied to the motor by comparing the reference signal and the arrival times of the feed-back pulses as indicated by the digital clock.