Neutron-induced capture cross sections for the ground states and first isomeric states of /sup 93/Nb, /sup 94/Nb and /sup 95/Nb were studied from the resolved resonance region to 4 MeV via statistical model calculations. The production of isomers was included. Inelastic scattering cross sections and gamma-ray production spectra were also calculated. The anti GAMMA/ sub ..gamma..//D ratios were derived from gamma-ray strength function systematics. Total capture cross sections on the ground states are found to be within a factor of two of each other. Capture cross sections on the isomeric targets are important as well, not only because of their magnitude but also because of the significant population of these isomeric levels by inelastic scattering. 10 references.

The bibliography of energy-related publications produced by Sandia authors is arranged in broad subject category order. Subjects included are conservation, drilling technology, energy (general), environment and safety, fossil energy, geothermal energy, nuclear energy, and solar energy.

Studies of refractory metal alloys concentrated on two families of such alloys: ternary tungsten alloys and binary T/sub 5/-T/sub 9/ alloys. The former were selected because of the possibility of finding desirable glasses consisting of low-cost components; the latter were chosen because they could be quenched into metallic glasses with high thermal stability and good toughness. Alloys selected for study were prepared by arc-melting and were subsequently rapidly quenched in an arc furnace quenching unit. Considerable difficulties were encountered in preparing metal--metalloid alloys, such as W--B, as well as alloys combining high melting and low melting transition metals, such as W and Ni. Brittleness of ductility as revealed by a bend test was noted. Measurements were made up to 1000 K and resistivity measurements up to 1300 K. The probe for electrical resistivity measurements at high temperatures has been constructed and tested. To determine the elastic (Young's) moduli of new metallic glasses prepared in this program, equipment utilizing the pulse--echo method was set up.

Experimental measurements were made of the production cross sections and energy distributions of gamma rays emitted when the stable targets /sup 88/Sr, /sup 89/Y and /sup 90/Zr are exposed to protons in the energy range 3 to 8 MeV. The data are being analyzed using a recent version of the Uhl statistical model code. One conclusion is that while the gamma-ray strength functions employed reproduce the proton capture cross sections, they do not achieve the same degree of hardness observed in the measured spectra. To do so, their lower energy regions must be modified; such changes, however, do not affect the capture cross sections. 7 references.

GeothermEx, Inc. was asked by Earth Power Corporation in October 1977 to perform a photogeologic study of the Baltazor and McGee geothermal prospects, northern Humboldt County, Nevada and southern Harney County, Oregon (figure 1), as a means of evaluating the geothermal reservoir and heat source at these prospects. Work began in October and was completed in December 1977. It included a brief field reconnaissance, to clarify particular points. This report summarizes findings and offers interpretations of structural features, stratigraphy, recent tectonic events, and subsurface conditions.

A common and persistent problem in modern instrumentation is the observation and recording of small signal waveforms that are removed from ground by very high voltages. Examples of this are the instrumentation of neutral particle injectors used in controlled thermonuclear research and the construction of safety breaks for air core toroidal devices. To overcome this problem a very high voltage isolation amplifier was designed. It employs analog-to-digital conversion with serial data transmission on a fiber optic cable.

This project began in mid-1977 as an evaluation of the geology and hydrogeology of the Canon de San Diego Grant for Sunoco Energy Development Co. (Sunedco) and evolved late in 1977, at Sunedco's direction, into a more comprehensive study of geophysical, geologic and hydrogeochemical data. This has been used to select sites for the possible drilling of deep geothermal wells.

Data are presented on the levels of all chemical contaminants resulting from environmental pollution which have been found in human tissues including blood, urine, breast milk, and tissue samples obtained at autopsy. Most data results from specific surveys to determine health hazards. The roles of trace elements and recognition of the need to determine baseline levels of chemicals introduced into the environment are factors which have motivated surveys by individual investigators. Thus, most data on chemicals in human tissues record levels of pesticides (e.g., DDT and metabolites), levels of trace metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, or levels of nutritionally essential elements such as zinc, copper, manganese, and fluoride. Data available on iron and calcium are not presented as their presence in the environment is generally not considered hazardous. Data on several uncommon chemicals, such as indium and ytterbium, are included basically as items of interest and to further document their presence in healthy individuals. Baseline data were presented where available to provide perspective as to chemical levels which might be expected under conditions where exposure could be considered normal or not directly related to a pollutant source. Nearly 600 cited surveys or investigations, most of which were reported …

This report summarizes field work over two summers (1976 and 1977) to relocate, monument and reinventory permanent vegetation plots in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These plots were first established by the senior author and R.H. Whittaker in 1959-62. The inventory results are discussed in terms of vegetation changes in high-altitudinal forest ecosystems, in particular the spruce-fir forests, and the factors, climate shift and biotic and abiotic agents, bringing about vegetation change. A second aspect of the report summarizes experience and offers recommendations for establishment of permanent vegetation plots for the purpose of providing a monitoring tool with which to measure long-term ecological change.

At the request of the Major Facilities Project Management Division of the Energy Research and Development Administration, Fossil Energy Division, a study was undertaken to determine the capabilities of U.S. industry to supply the rotating equipment needed for future coal conversion facilities. Furthermore, problem areas were to be identified and research and development needs determined for producing advanced designs of the required equipment: Pumps, compressors, hydraulic turbines, and gas expanders. It has been concluded that equipment for essentially all clean-stream applications likely to be encountered in coal conversion facilities is generally available except high-pressure oxygen compressors. These oxygen compressors as well as slurry pumps need to be developed or significantly upgraded. Also, fans and blower for dirty-gas streams need developmental work, as do expanders for high-temperature service. Hydraulic turbines, which were not specified but which might be used for slurry applications in future coal conversion plants, are not available.

Seasonal onshore-offshore sections were run in March, May and September 1977 and January 1978 off Savannah and Brunswick, Georgia. In each instance upwelling was observed at the shelf break with significant nutrient fluxes into the surface and/or shelf waters. There are indications that eddies may have been responsible for some of these observations.

An outline is presented for a proposed scope of work to evaluate the mechanical performance of candidate first wall coatings for a Tokamak-type fusion reactor. The goal of the overall program is to provide an adequate coating material and recoating process which can be manufactured by currently available vendors.

An experimental study to develop an electrically driven flyer system for explosive initiation studies is described. Both pulsed laser stereophotography and streak camera studies have been used to determine a foil/land/flyer geometry that will give sufficiently planar flyers for quantitative explosive initiation studies. A shot assembly with explosive wedges 6.4-mm diam and 20 to 30/sup 0/ angles has been designed to study run distances to detonation from 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm. Preliminary results are given for 1.8-g/cm/sup 3/ superfine TATB.

The User's Manual describes how to operate BNW-II, a computer code developed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) as a part of its activities under the Department of Energy (DOE) Dry Cooling Enhancement Program. The computer program offers a comprehensive method of evaluating the cost savings potential of dry/wet-cooled heat rejection systems. Going beyond simple ''figure-of-merit'' cooling tower optimization, this method includes such items as the cost of annual replacement capacity, and the optimum split between plant scale-up and replacement capacity, as well as the purchase and operating costs of all major heat rejection components. Hence the BNW-II code is a useful tool for determining potential cost savings of new dry/wet surfaces, new piping, or other components as part of an optimized system for a dry/wet-cooled plant.

The measurement of soil properties in-situ offers the advantages of minimal disturbance, retention of the in-situ state of stress, temperature, chemical, and biological environments, and cost effectiveness relative to many types of laboratory tests for evaluation of undisturbed soil properties. This report is concerned with techniques for in-situ measurement of permeability, strength, stress-deformation properties, and volume change properties; property classes which are of interest in most geotechnical engineering problems. Emphasis is on test concepts, data analysis and interpretation, and advantages and limitations of methods, as opposed to details of apparatus and procedure.

The Fusion Energy Division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in cooperation with the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) designed, constructed, and tested four high power neutral beam injectors for application on the Princeton Large Torus (PLT). This system employs a modified duoPIGatron ion source which has produced ion beams with parameters up to 70 A, 45 keV, and 500 msec. Nominal extraction parameters were 60-A, 40-keV, and 300-msec pulses, simultaneously. Neutral power up to 750 kW for 100 msec was calorimetrically measured on a simulated PLT target behind a PLT-sized aperture of 20 x 25 cm located at 4.10 m. Initial performance of these beam lines on PLT was near these parameters. Calorimetric measurements of beam power delivered to the PLT torus with a 3.65-m beam line length and with 100-msec full power pulses indicate a 10 to 15% reionization loss when the beam line pulse is synchronized to the pulsed torus magnetic fields. Data taken at ORNL are presented to show that this power loss is approximately equal to that calculated on drift tube pressure measurements taken without drift tube magnetic fields.

The use of combined dry/wet cooling systems for large base-load power plants offers the potential for significant water savings as compared to evaporatively cooled power plants and significant cost savings in comparison to dry cooled power plants. The results of a detailed engineering and cost study of one type of dry/wet cooling system are described. In the ''deluge'' dry/wet cooling method, a finned-tube heat exchanger is designed to operate in the dry mode up to a given ambient temperature. To avoid the degradation of performance for higher ambient temperatures, water (the delugeate) is distributed over a portion of the heat exchanger surface to enhance the cooling process by evaporation. The deluge system used in this study is termed the HOETERV system. The HOETERV deluge system uses a horizontal-tube, vertical-plate-finned heat exchanger. The delugeate is distributed at the top of the heat exchanger and is allowed to fall by gravity in a thin film on the face of the plate fin. Ammonia is used as the indirect heat transfer medium between the turbine exhaust steam and the ambient air. Steam is condensed by boiling ammonia in a condenser/reboiler. The ammonia is condensed in the heat exchanger by inducing airflow over the …

Progress made during FY-1977 in establishing design criteria to ensure the successful operation and long-term stability of Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) reservoirs in underground porous media, such as aquifers is summarized. The formulation of pertinent criteria is important since the long-term stability of air storage reservoirs is probably the item of greatest risk to the successful demonstration and commercialization of the CAES concept. The study has been divided into four phases: (1) state-of-the-art survey, (2) analytical modeling studies, (3) laboratory studies, and (4) field testing. The first of these phases, the state-of-the-art survey for air storage in porous reservoirs, has been completed on schedule and is reported in Section 2. Sections 3 and 4 are progress reports on Phases 2 and 3. No work has been done on Phase 4. It is planned that the field testing phase of this study will be carried out in conjunction with the Department of Energy/Electric Power Research Institute (DOE/EPRI) CAES Demonstration Program. This phase is not scheduled to begin until FY-1979.

Results of a project to develop nondestructive inspection techniques for ceramic and cermet wear- and process-resistant coatings used in coal system compounds are described. The general inspection problem has been analyzed and the difficulties peculiar to plasma-sprayed coatings are discussed. Physical properties, especially porosity, and the nominal 0.25 mm thickness make the inspection of these coatings difficult. The literature has been reviewed for inspection methods and technology adaptable to coating inspection. Several inspection methods have been evaluated for feasibility by laboratory experiments. The basic coating defect conditions considered are cracks or holes, variations in thickness, lamellar separations, and inhomogeneities. Assessment of current technology indicates that a few nondestructive methods can be applied directly to the inspection of coatings with very little development; in most cases, however, considerable development is required.

One proposed method of inhibiting the diversion of nuclear fuel for clandestine purposes is to add to the fuel a highly gamma-active material of such intensity that remote handling equipment is necessary in all stages of handling and reprocessing. This is called spiking for deterrence. The present work sought to identify candidate spikants and identify potential materials problems that might occur as the result of incorporation of these spikants with the fuel. Potential spikants were identified and thermodynamic analysis was performed to determine their chemical and physical states. Phase relationships between spikants (and their decay products) and the fuel constituents were surveyed. According to criteria defined in this report, /sup 60/Co, /sup 106/Ru, and /sup 144/Ce appear to have the greatest potential as spikants. Cerium should be present as the oxide, soluble in the fuel, while cobalt and ruthenium should be present in the metallic state with very low solubility in the fuel. Experimental work on the distribution of fission products and their interactions with cladding was also surveyed to provide information on the distribution of spikants in the fuel and describe the probable effects of spikants on the fuel. Cobalt, ruthenium, and cerium should not present any problems due …

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Single rovibrational states of HCl(v=2), HBr(v=2), DCl(v=2), and CO(v=2) were excited with a pulsed optical parametric oscillator (OPO). Total vibrational relaxation rates near - resonance quenchers were measured at 295/sup 0/K using time resolved infrared fluorescence. These rates are attributed primarily to V - V energy transfer, and they generally conform to a simple energy gap law. A small deviation was found for the CO(v) + DCl(v') relaxation rates. Upper limits for the self relaxation by V - R,T of HCl(v=2) and HBr(v=2) and for the two quantum exchange between HCl and HBr were determined. The HF dimer was detected at 295/sup 0/K and 30 torr HF pressure with an optoacoustic spectrometer using the OPO. Pulsed and chopped, resonant and non-resonant spectrophones are analyzed in detail. From experiments and first order perturbation theory, these V - V exchange rates appear to behave as a first order perturbation in the vibrational coordinates. The rotational dynamics are known to be complicated however, and the coupled rotational - vibrational dynamics were investigated theoreticaly in infinite order by the Dillon and Stephenson and the first Magnus approximations. Large ..delta..J transitions appear to be important, but these calculations differ by orders of magnitude on specific …

Refractories for slag containment, nondestructive evaluation methods, corrosion, erosion, and component failures were studied. Analysis of coal slags reveal ferritic contents of 18 to 61%, suggesting a partial pressure of 0/sub 2/ in the slagging zone of approx. 10/sup -2/ to 10/sup -4/ Pa. A second field test of the high-temperature ultrasonic erosion-monitoring system was completed. Ultrasonic inspecton of the HYGAS cyclone separator shows a reduced erosive-wear rate at 5000 h in the stellite region. The acoustic leak-detection system for valves was field tested using a 150-mm-dia. valve with a range of pressures from 0.34 to 4.05 MPa. Results suggest a linear relation between detected rms levels and leak rates. Studies on acoustic emissions from refractory concrete continued with further development of a real-time data acquisition system. Corrosion studies were conducted on Incoloy 800, Type 310 stainless steel, Inconel 671 and U.S. Steel Alloy 18-18-2 (as-received, thermally aged, and preexposed for 3.6 Ms to multicomponent gas mixtures). Results suggest a decrease in ultimate tensile strength and flow stress after preexposure. Examination of commercial iron- and nickel-base alloys after 100-h exposures in atmospheric-pressure fluidized-bed combustors suggests that the addition of 0.3 mole % CaCl/sub 2/ to the fluidized bed has no …

The TLD-400 chips combined with the Pb-Ta field capsule provide a sensitive method of measuring penetrating ambient radiation in the environment. The method is best used for field deployments of about 1 month or less to minimize problems associated with fading. A correction factor of about 10% is necessary for the readings obtained for a 28-day field deployment and a 1-day wait before readout. Integration of reader output from 150/sup 0/C to 280/sup 0/C provides a good signal-to-noise ratio for TLD-400 chips exposed to 5 mR for the reader and planchet described herein. Visual inspection of the glow curves is recommended during startup of any new program or following any major instrument repair. The glow curves can be easily drawn with an X-Y recorder. Because of the large energy dependence of bare TLD-400 chips, an energy-flattening filter is necessary to allow a direct conversion from a reference exposure to observed field exposures. The field capsule used, consisting of 10 mil of tantalum and 2 mil of lead, provides an approximate uniform energy response above 70 keV. Below 70 keV, the response decreases rapidly because of the shielding. Experiments conducted have not shown the TLD-400 chips to be sensitive to the …