The feasibility of a biological facility to treat geothermal sludge from a base case 50-MW double-flash geothermal power plant in the Imperial Valley, California was evaluated. The effect of sludge and nutrient concentration, agitation air bubbling and sterility on the rate of metal solubilization by the bacteria Thiobacillus thiooxidans and ferrooxidans was examined. All experiments were performed in batch flasks and monitored daily for bacterial growth. T. Thiooxidans leached 36% of the zinc in the sludge after 288 hr but leached little chromium. T. ferrooxidans removed 60% of the chromium in the sludge after 250 hr but did not leach zinc. Sludge to medium ratios of greater than 10% were toxic to the microorganisms studied. the experimental results were used to design a biological solid-waste treatment plant. The design basis used was 5 wt % sludge in the leaching vessel with a residence time of 10 days. The non-regulated waste resulting from the treatment plant could be used for land fill or construction materials. The total capital cost for the bio-leaching plant is $3.3 million with an annual operating cost of $690,000. The total cost of this plant is about 0.2 cents/kWh of electricity produced, which is essentially the same …

The purpose was to evaluate enhancement methodologies that can be used to rebuild runs of spring chinook salmon in the Yakima River basin. The objectives were to: (1) determine the abundance, distribution and survival of naturally produced fry and smolts in the Yakima River; (2) evaluate different methods of fry and smolt supplementation into the natural rearing environment while maintaining as much as possible the gentic integrity of naturally produced stocks; (3) locate and define areas in the watershed which may be used for the rearing of spring chinook; (4) define strategies for enhancing natural production of spring chinook in the Yakima River; and (5) determine physical and biological limitations for production within the system.

To make the coal-to-hydrogen route economically attractive, improvements are being sought in each step of the process: coal gasification, water-carbon monoxide shift reaction, and hydrogen separation. This report addresses the use of membranes in the hydrogen separation step. The separation of hydrogen from synthesis gas is a major cost element in the manufacture of hydrogen from coal. Separation by membranes is an attractive, new, and still largely unexplored approach to the problem. Membrane processes are inherently simple and efficient and often have lower capital and operating costs than conventional processes. In this report current ad future trends in hydrogen production and use are first summarized. Methods of producing hydrogen from coal are then discussed, with particular emphasis on the Texaco entrained flow gasifier and on current methods of separating hydrogen from this gas stream. The potential for membrane separations in the process is then examined. In particular, the use of membranes for H{sub 2}/CO{sub 2}, H{sub 2}/CO, and H{sub 2}/N{sub 2} separations is discussed. 43 refs., 14 figs., 6 tabs.

The United States Department of Energy is committed to the principles of minimizing the quantity and transuranic content of its transuranium (TRU) waste being generated at its nuclear facilities. The reasons are to reduce costs associated with waste handling and disposal, and also to reduce radiation exposure to workers and risk for radionuclide release to man and the environment. The purpose of this document is to provide the USDOE with a plan of research and development tasks for waste minimization, and is prepared so as to provide the maximum impact on volumes based on cost/benefit factors. The document is to be updated annually or as needed to reflect current and future tasks. The Reduced Waste Generation (RWG) tasks encompass a wide range of activities with the principal goals of (1) preventing the generation of waste and (2) converting TRU waste into low-level wastes (LLW) by sorting or decontamination. Concepts for reducing the volume such as in incineration and compaction are considered within the discipline of Reduced Waste Generation, but are considered as somewhat developed technology with only a need for implementation. 33 refs.

This study supplements a larger study of a solid breeder blanket design featuring lithium ceramic pins. This aspect of the study looks at tritium transport, release, and inventory within this blanket design. Li/sub 2/O and ..gamma..-LiAlO/sub 2/ are the two primary candidates for ceramic solid breeders. ..gamma..-LiAlO/sub 2/ was chosen for this blanket design due to its higher structural stability. Analysis of tritium behavior in solid breeder blankets is of great importance due to its impact on several critical issues: the generation of an adequate amount of fusion fuel, the safety-related issue of keeping radioactive blanket inventories as low as possible, and the release, purge, and economical processing of the bred tritium without undue contamination of the coolant and other reactor structures.

Results are reported of the Environmental Quality Verification Program, which is an expanded continuation of the program of environmental monitoring previously carried out by the Environmental Measurements Group of the Hazards Control Department. Data are reported on air, soils, water, vegetation, foodstuffs, and annual radiation doses at perimeter of facility.

The use of solid breeders in blanket components of fusion reactors is necessitated by the need for tritium breeding, with avoidance of problems arising from liquid metal breeders; such as corrosion and MHD pressure drop. The material 9-C (low activation equivalent of HT-9) is used for the outside structure of the module, as well as for solid breeder pin cladding. The first wall is cooled with high velocity helium through coolant channels, while the pins are cooled by helium in a cross-flow configuration. The first zone is made up entirely of beryllium pins for neutron breeding, and then two solid breeder zones follow. In order to minimize maintenance time, a satisfactory configuration has to withstand transient phenomena associated with power-ramps and shutdowns while giving optimal thermomechanical performance in reasonable lifetime. These objectives can be reached by selecting suitable geometry and material specifications as well as prescribed temperature histories. Finding the minimal allowable ramp rate for startup is important from the economy of the operation, since overly conservative startup can amount to substantial percentage of the power cycle. In the stage of preliminary design the main concern is failure of the cladding due to high stresses or large total strains. The …

A key to the successful design of a fusion blanket is the distribution of the amount of structural material in the first wall and the blanket enclosing structure. The first wall must support dynamic and static mechanical loads and at the same time sustain the thermal gradients and erosion resulting from the plasma heat and particle fluxes. Dynamic and static loads require high flexural rigidity, which is influenced by flow channels designed to cool the high heat flux incident on the first wall. Since the first wall temperature is roughly proportional to its thickness, thermal stresses require a thin first wall. On the other hand, a thick wall is necessary to withstand surface erosion due to particle fluxes. A fesible design must therefore represent an optimal solution satisfying such conflicting requirements.

Crystals of ((CH/sub 3/)/sub 3/SiC/sub 5/H/sub 4/)/sub 3/U are orthorhombic, Pbca, with a = 22.630(8), b = 29.177(10) and c = 8.428(3) A at 23/sup 0/C. For Z = 8 the calculated density is 1.551 g/cm/sup 3/. The structure was refined by full-matrix least-squares to a conventional R factor of 0.041 (2251 data, F/sup 2/ > 2 sigma(F/sup 2/)). The uranium atom is bonded to the three cyclopentadienyl rings in a pentahapto fashion and is in the plane of the ring centroids. The U to ring distances are 2.54, 2.47 and 2.51 A, and the average U-C distance is 2.78 +- 0.04 A. 7 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs.

Information compiled in 1985 while assessing the environmental impact of radionuclides previously discharged with aqueous releases from the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Generating Plant is presented. In October 1984, the quantities of gamma-emitting radionuclides in water discharged to Clay Creek from the plant were reduced below operationally defined detection limits for liquid effluents. However, radionuclides previously discharged persist in the downstream environment and are found in many aquatic dietary components. /sup 134/Cs and /sup 137/Cs are the primary gamma-emitting radionuclides detected in the edible flesh of different fish, crayfish, and frogs. Coefficients for exponential equations are generated, from a least square analysis, that relate the change in concentration of /sup 137/Cs in fish to distance downstream and time between March and October 1985. Concentrations of /sup 137/Cs in surface creek sediments also decreased in the downstream direction much in the same manner as concentrations decreased in fish. However, there was no significant difference in the radiocesium concentrations in surface sediements collected from comparable locations during both 1984 and 1985.

The purpose of the task was to assess the effect of potential new technologies, nuclear and non-nuclear, on safeguards needs and non-proliferation policies, and to explore possible solutions to some of the problems envisaged. Eight subdivisions were considered: New Enrichment Technologies; Non-Aqueous Reprocessing Technologies; Fusion; Accelerator-Driven Reactor Systems; New Reactor Types; Heavy Water and Deuterium; Long-Term Storage of Spent Fuel; and Other Future Technologies (Non-Nuclear). For each of these subdivisions, a careful review of the current world-wide effort in the field provided a means of subjectively estimating the viability and qualitative probability of fruition of promising technologies. Technologies for which safeguards and non-proliferation requirements have been thoroughly considered by others were not restudied here (e.g., the Fast Breeder Reactor). The time scale considered was 5 to 40 years for possible initial demonstration although, in some cases, a somewhat optimistic viewpoint was embraced. Conventional nuclear-material safeguards are only part of the overall non-proliferation regime. Other aspects are international agreements, export controls on sensitive technologies, classification of information, intelligence gathering, and diplomatic initiatives. The focus here is on safeguards, export controls, and classification.

This report contains descriptions of projects specifically related to anadromous salmonids. They include projects in the following categories: (1) fish and wildlife projects in western Montana; (2) fish health and physiology; (3) habitat enhancement and passage improvement - Oregon I; (4) passage improvement and natural propagation - Washington; (5) habitat enhancement and passage improvements - Oregon II; (6) future hydroelectric assessments; (7) habitat enhancement and passage improvement - Idaho; (8) downstream migration: flows and monitoring; (9) downstream migration: reservoir impacts; and (10) habitat evaluation and monitoring. (ACR)

The annual Smolt Monitoring Program is the result of implementation of Section 304(d)(2) of the Northwest Power Planning Council Fish and Wildlife Program. Survival was monitored for specific marked groups of steelhead and spring chinook. Survival through the mid-Columbia from Winthrop Hatchery and the Methow River to below Priest Rapids Dam was estimated. Estimation of survival of marked groups of steelhead from Little Goose Dam to below Ice Harbor Dam was attempted. Serious problems were evident in the Snake River survival data. A release strategy which avoids holding of control groups was tested with satisfactory results.

The objective was to develop methods for improving anadromous fish passage in the Lemhi River in east central Idaho. Alternatives assessed include flow concentration, fish screen improvement, groundwater augmentation, groundwater irrigation, water withdrawal reduction, return flow improvement, sprinkler irrigation, storage, and trap and haul. (ACR)

This report describes tests done on stretched-membrane heliostats used to reflect solar radiation onto a central receiver. The tests were used to validate prior analysis and mathematical models developed to describe module performance. The modules tested were three meters in diameter and had reflective polymer film laminated to the membrane. The frames were supported at three points equally spaced around the ring. Three modules were pneumatically attached with their weight suspended at the bottom support, two were pneumatically attached with their weight suspended from the upper mounts, and one was rigidly attached with its weight suspended at the bottom mount. By varying the membrane tension we could simulate a uniform wind loading normal to the mirror's surface. A video camera 15+ meters away from the mirror recorded the virtual image of a target grid as reflected by the mirrors' surface. The image was digitized and stored on a microcomputer. Using the law of reflection and analytic geometry, we computed the surface slopes of a sampling of points on the surface. The dominant module response was consistent with prior SERI analyses. The simple analytical model is quite adequate for designing and sizing single-membrane modules if the initial imperfections and their amplification …

The most important outcome of this bowing analysis is the determination of the number of internal breeder rod supports required for good thermal performance. Although many effects were considered, the swelling deformations were the most restrictive in terms of the peak deflections. It appears that three internal supports should be sufficient to keep the rod bowing below acceptable levels without significantly raising the structure-to-breeder ratio. The most severe interaction problem involved the last multiplier row and the first breeder row. Because the Be rods deflect very little, this problem can be alleviated by leaving enough space between these two zones. The spacing can be tighter elsewhere. A more detailed analysis of the multiplier rod bowing caused by the damage gradient must be analyzed before this can be verified.

The thermal analysis of the blanket examines both the steady-state and transient reactor operations. The steady-state analysis covers full power and fractional power operation whereas the transient analysis examines the effects of power ramps and blanket preheat. The blanket configuration chosen for this study is a helium cooled solid breeder design. We first discuss the full power, steady-state temperature fields in the first wall, beryllium rods, and breeder rods. Next we examine the effects of fractional power on coolant flow and temperature field distributions. This includes power plateaus of 10%, 20%, 50%, 80%, and 100% of full power. Also examined are the restrictions on the rates of power ramping between plateaus. Finally we discuss the power and time requirements for pre-heating the primary from cold iron conditions up to startup temperature (250/sup 0/C).

Pacific Northwest laboratory (PNL) has completed a performance evaluation of the proposed monitored retrievable storage (MRS) facility. This study was undertaken as part of the Department of Energy MRS Program at PNL. The objective of the performance evaluation was to determine whether the conceptual MRS facility would be able to process spent fuel at the specified design rate of 3600 metric tons of uranium (MTU) per year. The performance of the proposed facility was assessed using the computer model COMPACT (Computer Optimization of Processing and Cask Transport) to simulate facility operations. The COMPACT model consisted of three application models each of which addressed a different aspect of the facility's operation: MRS/waste transportation interface; cask handling capability; and disassembly/consolidation (hot cell) operations. Our conclusions, based on the assessment of design criteria for the proposed facility, are as follows: Facilities and equipment throughout the facility have capability beyond the 3600 MTU/y design requirement. This added capability provides a reserve to compensate for unexpected perturbations in shipping or handling of the spent fuel. Calculations indicate that the facility's maximum maintainable processing capability is approximately 4800 MTU/y.

This report summarizes injection research conducted during FY-1985. The objective was to develop a better understanding of the migration and impact of fluids injected in geothermal reservoirs. Separate abstracts have been prepared for individual project summaries. (ACR)

Hydrophobic or floatable materials released to the water column during dredge disposal operations may accumulate in high concentrations on the water surface. If such surface accumulations occur, they could impact the reproduction of fish and shellfish with neustonic (floating) eggs or larvae. Also, floatable surface contaminants could deposit on nearby beaches. In order to examine the potential impacts of such processes, an interactive computer (IBM PC) model was developed. The FORTRAN model allows input of contaminant concentrations on the dredge material, the surface area of the disposal site, the floatable fraction of the contaminated material, and the baseline concentrations of contaminants present in the sea-surface microlayer. The model then computes the resultant concentrations of each contaminant in the microlayer and the potential impact on floating fish eggs. The utility of the model would be greatly improved by empirical data, not yeat available, on the vertical upward and lateral movement of contaminants during dredge material disposal.

Part 4 of the Pacific Northwest Laboratory Annual Report for 1985 to the DOE Office of Energy Research includes those programs funded under the title ''Physical and Technological Research.'' The Field Task Program Studies reports in this document are grouped by budget category and each section is introduced by an abstract that indicates the Field Task Proposal/Agreement reported in that section. These reports only briefly indicate progress made during 1985. The reader should contact the principal investigators named or examine the publications cited for more details.

The general procedure for the kinetic analysis of low-frequency electrostatic and electromagnetic modes in toroidal geometry is now well known. In the collisionless limit, the relevant dynamics (e.g., trapped particles, resonances, etc.) can be treated appropriately. However, with the introduction of collisional effects, it is customary, for tractability, to employ model collision operators which do not rigorously satisfy all conservation properties of more exact collision operators. Insight into the essential required features of such operators can be gained by studying models with increasing levels of completeness for a simpler, unsheared slab geometry. The results presented here for this simpler geometry can provide guidance in choosing model collision operators for toroidal-geometry kinetic calculations. 6 refs., 3 figs.

The Midcontinent of North America is commonly characterized as a stable cratonic area which has undergone only slow, broad vertical movements over the past several hundreds of millions of years. This tectonically stable crust is an unfertile area for hot dry rock (HDR) exploration. However, recent geophysical and geological studies provide evidence for modest contemporary tectonic activity in limited areas within the continent and, therefore, the possibility of localized thermal anomalies which may serve as sites for HDR exploration. HDR, as an energy resource in the Midcontinent, is particularly appealing because of the high population density and the demand upon conventional energy sources. Five generalized models of exploration targets for possible Midcontinent HDR sites are identified: (1) radiogenic heat sources, (2) conductivity-enhanced normal geothermal gradients, (3) residual magnetic heat, (4) sub-upper crustal sources, and (5) hydrothermal generated thermal gradients. Three potential sources of HDR, each covering approximately a 2/sup 0/ x 2/sup 0/ area, were identified and subjected to preliminary evaluation. In the Mississippi Embayment test site, lateral thermal conductivity variations and subcrustal heat sources may be involved in producing abnormally high subsurface temperatures. Studies indicate that enhanced temperatures are associated primarily with basement rift features where vertical displacement of …

A detailed cost study of the ESPRESSO blanket concept for the Tandem Mirror Fusion Reactor (TMR) has been performed to complement the thermal-hydraulic parametric study and to help narrow down the choice of parameters for the final design. The ESPRESSO blanket consists of a number of structurally independent ring modules. Each ring module is made up of a number of mutually pressure-supporting canisters containing arrays of breeder tubes. Two separate helium coolant flows are used: a main flow to cool the tube bank and a cooler first wall flow.