ALUMINUM EAR. This all-welded, aluminum corner will form part of the superstructure of a 140-foot diameter antenna to be set up at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Green Bank, W.Va. The antenna, part of a radio telescope, will be able to detect radio waves originating from points 5 billion light years away. About 600,000 pounds of aluminum were used in the framework
SMART. This typewriter at General Electric's atomic power equipment department, San Jose, Calif., types out a call for another taped program whenever its associated computer needsit. The typewriter is part of SMART, an automatic monitoring system, developed by GE. SMART is a programing system used with the computer, which is working on nuclear reactor design problems. SMART allows the computer to operate with a minimum of human assistance, although tapes must be changed by humans. The system even notes the time of each computation and bills whoever requested the problem 106
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TANK JACKET. Workmen spray rigid urethane foam on Allied Chemical tank car to test it as protective insulation. Allied's Nitrogen Division has already sprayed two tank cars with a 4-inch jacket of foam, covered with a coat of catalyzed, reinforced polyester for vapor sealing and decoration. These 4000-gallon tank cars will carry ureaformaldehyde fertilizer solutions at about 77° F. Allied expects the urethane jacket to withstand flexing and jolts, provide better insulation, be easier to repair, and reduce painting maintenance
PATENT EXHIBIT. Secretary of Commerce Luther H. Hodges inspects Esso Research and Engineering's display at the U.S. Patent Office exhibit set up last week in Washington, D.C. The exhibit featured technological advances made by 17 companies in the chemical and synthetics field
PLASMA DIODE. Andrew C. Chapin of General Electric's atomic power equipment department, Pleasanton, Calif., checks the operation of cathodes for a high temperature energy conversion device GE is working on. Called a plasma diode, the device, used inside nuclear reactor fuel elements, would convert high temperature fission heat directly into electricity (C&EN, Feb. 20, page 39)
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