Abstract: A method and generator for preparing the radioisotope of lead, .sup.212 Pb, whereby .sup.228 Th, in a closed chamber, is allowed to decay to gaseous .sup.220 Rn which is then readily separated from the thorium and other decay products by diffusing the .sup.220 Rn gas into a second chamber, where it decays to .sup.212 Pb which can then be collected from the second chamber. The .sup.228 Th preferably is amorphous, such as thorium stearate. Collection of .sup.212 Pb occurs in a medium of high and open porosity into which the .sup.220 Rn diffuses so that the decay products recoil into the medium. The .sup.212 Pb can be recovered from this medium by dissolving the medium or by reacting it with an antibody-chelating complex solution to entrap it in the antibody-chelating complex.

Abstract: Adherent, PTFE coatings on polymer surfaces can be produced at temperatures well below the sintering temperature of PTFE, by contacting the surface with a dilute dispersion of PTFE particles and heating the surface to its softening point (in the vicinity of its glass transition temperature) to dry it and to cause the individual particles to become embedded in and surrounded by the polymer.

Abstract: Semi-permeable, porous membranes useful as filtration and reverse osmosis membranes can have or can consist of a porous layer of a hydrophobic polymer rendered hydrophilic at its surface by the presence of a surfactant containing both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups, the surfactant being bonded to the polymer. Such a membrane may be made by quenching a previously made dry membrane in a solution of the surfactant and then banking the membrane. Such a membrane may also be made by contacting a membrane manufactured by quenching a dope of the hydrophobic polymer with such a solution of the surfactant prior to the membrance being dried after being formed by quenching. Such a membrane can also be made by forming a dope of the hydrophobic polymer and the surfactant and then quenching the dope to form the membrane, this quenching serving to contact the membrane with the surfactant as it is being formed.

Abstract: A hydrophilic surface can be provided on a hydrophobic polymer surface by contacting the hydrophobic surface with a solution of a hydroxyalkyl cellulose and a perfluorocarbon surfactant in water or a mixture of water and one or more aliphatic alcohols so as to form a layer of the solution on the hydrophobic surface and then heating the surface coated with the layer so as to remove the solvent, so as to form a bond between the cellulose and the hydrophobic surface. This results in the formation of a hydrophilic surface coating a layer on the hydrophobic surface. Hydrophilic surfaces as are created in this manner are primarily intended to be utilized on polysulfone surfaces in semipermeable membranes such as are utilized in micro- and ultra-filtration.

Abstract: The components of a liquid mixture consisting essentially of HI, water and at least about 50 w/o iodine are separated in a countercurrent extraction zone by treating with phosphoric acid containing at least about 90 w/o H.sub.3 PO.sub.4. The bottom stream from the extraction zone is substantially completely molten iodine, and the overhead stream contains water, HI, H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 and a small fraction of the amount of original iodine.When the water and HI are present in near-azeotropic proportions, there is particular advantage in feeding the overhead stream to an extractive distillation zone wherein it is treated with additional concentrated phosphoric acid to create an anhydrous HI vapor stream and bottoms which contain at least about 85 w/o H.sub.3 PO.sub.4. Concentration of these bottoms provides phosphoric acid infeed for both the countercurrent extraction zone and for the extractive distillation zone.

Abstract: A wind driven power apparatus for converting wind to mechanical energy is disclosed which includes a fixed axis turbine supported centrally of a fixed air guide defining a plurality of horizontal air passages disposed circumferentially of the turbine and each being adapted to receive an air stream therein coming from a limited range of wind directions and effect accelerated air flow toward the turbine. In one embodiment, an air guide block is disposed circumferentially of the turbine and is rotatable about the axis of the turbine to direct accelerated air flow to the turbine from the windwardly facing ones of the air passages, while in alternative embodiments means are provided for selectively closing off the air passages so that accelerated air flow from selected air passages is directed to the turbine.

Abstract: A continuous reaction is carried out between gaseous SO.sub.2, I.sub.2 and liquid H.sub.2 O in a substantially vertical reaction zone. H.sub.2 O plus I.sub.2 in a substantial excess are supplied to an upper location at preselected rates. SO.sub.2 is injected into the zone at a lower location, and a desired temperature is maintained at an intermediate location where the reaction proceeds to produce sulfuric acid and hydrogen iodide. The reaction products are removed from a location near the bottom at a rate proportional to the preselected rates to cause a continuous downward flow within the reaction zone. The SO.sub.2 flow rate assures that substantially all of the SO.sub.2 either reacts or is absorbed by the downward traveling nongaseous reactants.

Abstract: Hydrogen is produced from water by first reacting I.sub.2, SO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O to make hydrogen iodide and sulfuric acid. A substantial molar excess of SO.sub.2 and I.sub.2 in the reaction zone creates a lighter sulfuric acid-bearing phase and a heavier polyiodic-acid-bearing phase. The heavier phase is separated, degassed and then contacted with phosphoric acid to permit distillation of HI of low water content and recovery of I.sub.2 as a separate fraction. Hydrogen is recovered from HI vapor, as by thermal decomposition.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor is described in which a core having a plurality of columnar fuel regions with coolant passages therein and valve means for each fuel region regulating, separately, the flow of coolant therethrough, is provided with collecting means at the downstream ends of the passages. The collecting means define a plurality of discharge orifices and a plurality of intake means, one for each of the discharge orifices. Each of the intake means commingles a portion of the coolant from each of a plurality of adjacent fuel regions in a respective one of the discharge orifices.

Abstract: A nuclear fuel element is fabricated from a porous graphite block containing a plurality of open coolant passageways and a plurality of fuel chambers uniformly located therebetween. The fuel chambers are filled with nuclear fuel material and closed. The entire porous block is then impregnated with a liquid carbonizable impregnant which penetrates through the septa and into each of the fuel chambers, wherein it is cured and then carbonized in situ. The resulting carbon residue integrally binds the nuclear fuel material to the fuel chamber walls of the porous graphite block and provides excellent heat transfer from the fuel to the walls of the open passageways from which the heat is extracted by the coolant.

Abstract: A method for axially shuffling fuel elements in a nuclear reactor is disclosed wherein column vacancies are created in a manner to allow substantially lateral transfer of a selected number of fuel elements from another adjacent column to a vacated column, the remaining fuel elements of the partially transferred column are removed and discarded whereby to create a new column vacancy, fresh fuel elements are added to the transferred fuel elements to establish a full new column of fuel elements and continuing such shuffling throughout the entire active core of the reactor.