Effects of the Shuttle Orbiter fuselage and elevon on the molecular distribution of water vapor from the flash evaporator system

A concern has arisen regarding the emissive distribution of water molecules from the shuttle orbiter flash evaporator system (FES). The role of the orbiter fuselage and elevon in affecting molecular scattering distributions was nuclear. The effect of these components were evaluated. Molecular distributions of the water vapor effluents from the FE were measured. These data were compared with analytically predicted values and the resulting implications were calculated

Improvement of chemical vapor deposition process for production of large diameter carbon base monofilaments

Research was conducted to develop large diameter carbon monofilament, containing 25 to 35 mole % element boron, in the 2.0 to 10.0 mil diameter range using the chemical vapor deposition process. The objective of the program was to gain an understanding of the critical process variables and their effect on fiber properties. Synthesis equipment was modified to allow these variables to be studied. Improved control of synthesis variables permitted reduction in scatter of properties of the monofilaments. Monofilaments have been synthesized in the 3.0 to nearly 6.0 mil diameter range having measured values up to 552,000 psi for ultimate tensile strength and up to 30 million psi for elastic modulus

Further development of chemical vapor deposition process for production of large diameter carbon-base monofilaments

The development of large diameter carbon-base monofilament in the 50 micron to 250 micron diameter range using the chemical vapor deposition process is described. The object of this program was to determine the critical process variables which control monofilament strength, monofilament modulus, and monofilament diameter. It was confirmed that wide scatter in the carbon substrate strength is primarily responsible for the scatter in the monofilament strength. It was also shown through etching experiments that defective substrate surface conditions which can induce low strength modular growth in the monofilament layers are best controlled by processing improvements during the synthesis of the substrate. Modulus was found to be linearily proportional to monofilament boron content. Filament modulus was increased to above 27.8MN/sq cm but only by a considerable increase in monofilament boron content to 60 wt. % or more. Monofilament diameter depended upon dwell time in the synthesis apparatus. A monofilament was prepared using these findings which had the combined properties of a mean U.T.S. of 398,000 N/sq cm, a modulus of 18.9 MN/sq cm (24,000,000 psi), and a diameter of 145 microns. Highest measured strength for this fiber was 451,000 N/sq cm (645,000 psi)

Applications of low temperature CO-oxidation catalysts to breathable gases

Modifications of tin oxide/precious metal catalysts described for use in CO2 lasers have also been developed for use in other applications; namely, as low temperature CO oxidation components in fire escape hoods/masks for mines, aircrafts, hotels, and offices and in sealed environments, such as hyperbaric chambers and submarines. Tin oxide/precious metal catalysts have been prepared on a variety of high surface area cloth substrates for application in fire escape hoods. These show high and stable CO oxidation capability (10 to the 4th power ppm CO reduced to 10 to the 1st power ppm CO) at GHSV of 37,000 h(-1) with water saturated inlet gas at body heat (37 C) and below. Water vapor plays an important role in the surface state/performance of tin oxide catalyst. Water-resistant formulations have been produced by the introduction of transition metal promoters. Tin oxide/precious metal catalysts have also been developed for CO oxidation in the North Sea diving environment. These are currently in use in a variety of hyperbaric chambers and diving vehicles. Ambient temperature operation and resistance to atmospheric water vapor have been demonstrated, and as a result, they offer a viable alternative to hopcalite or heated catalyst systems. A new range of non-tin oxide based low temperature CO oxidation catalysts is described. They are based on reducible metal oxides promoted with previous metals. Preliminary data on selected materials in the form of both cloth artifacts and shaped pellets are presented. They are expected to be applicable both to the breathable gas application area and to CO2 lasers

The Conservative party’s national policy on comprehensive education, 1944-1971

One question which is frequently asked about this subject is whether the Conservative Party's policy on comprehensive education was merely a reaction to the Labour Party policy, or had it something positive to say? Between the years 1945 and 1951 the parties were agreed that secondary education should be selective and tri-partite, but after that their policies differed. From 1951 Labour supported comprehensive education while the Tories, now in power, persevered in their belief in selection. This was partly a reaction against Labour's egalitarian motives and partly based on a belief that selection was right. During the late 1950’s much evidence was produced by sociologists and psychologists casting doubts upon the selective system. Meanwhile Conservative Ministers of Education were allowing limited experiments with comprehensive schools, but with the proviso that the experiments be educationally sound. It was left to one of the Conservative's best education ministers, Sir Edward Boyle, to lead his party, in 1963, away from selection at 11+, on the grounds, not of equality, but of individual justice for every child to develop his talents to the full. His motives were educational, not political or social. However, he made a notable exception in his policy, namely that good grammar schools of adequate size should be preserved. For some years the Conservatives worked to try to solve their problem of reconciling the preservation of good grammar schools with the move away from selection at 11+. Co-existence of grammar schools with comprehensives was seen in the I.L.E.A. to be a failure, and after rejecting other possibilities the Conservatives came down in favour of grammar schools seeking a new role as sixth form colleges, or as upper tiers of two-tier schools. Throughout this period Boyle had the support of his leader and his cabinet colleagues, but the task of winning over Conservative M.P.'s and party members was long and arduous for him. In 1969 he decided to retire from politics, in favour of an academic post. Political chance then gave the Conservative Party an education leader who emerged with a policy similar to that held before I963. In practice however circumstances had changed and Mrs. Thatcher found herself obliged to accept the trend towards comprehensive education, a trend initiated and supported by the L.E.A.'s. It can be said therefore that the Conservatives from I963 to I969 had led the way in applying educational criteria to the comprehensive system and had endeavoured to find a new role for the grammar schools in order to try to counter-act the weaknesses that had been found in the comprehensive system - in particular the need to provide for very able pupils, and the problem of neighbourhood schools in deprived areas