This report documents the main features of studies conducted on the permeation and diffusion of tritium and hydrogen through the stainless steel sections comprising the vacuum vessel of TFTR. The overall conclusion of these studies is that tritium releases to the environment resulting from TFTR operations under normal conditions will be very small, less than one curie per year. A basis is described for predicting the magnitudes of the applicable transport properties for tritium-austenitic stainless steel systems as derived from a survey of the technical literature on tritium transport. The key characteristics of the TFTR vacuum vessel that are involved in the permeation and diffusion calculations are given. Information is given regarding the contemplated plasma scenarios and associated required gas injection quantities. Various issues involved in the bakeout of the vacuum vessel are discussed; focussing principally on the problems associated with in-situ bakeout and related means to reduce outgassing from the TFTR vessel and vacuum pumping system hardware. The anticipated tritium releases are studied considering the diffusion transients.

The program objective is to identify and evaluate a technique to remove hydrogen sulfide from geothermal steam before it is used for power generation. The last six months were spent in the literature search, sorbent preparation and evaluation, and construction of an experimental apparatus. Zn0, mentioned in the original proposal as a good candidate for H/sub 2/S adsorption, was verified as such by the literature search and laboratory experiments. However, regeneration of sulfided sorbent proved to be difficult. The interests were, then, switched to formulating sorbents made of mixtures of different kinds of metal oxides. At present, two sorbents were formulated which, when evaluated with a gas adsorption apparatus in the laboratory, possess better H/sub 2/S adsorption-regeneration capabilities than Zn0 or sorbents obtained from catalyst manufacturers. Large-scale gas adsorption equipment for use with simulated geothermal steam has been designed, built and shakedown operation of the equipment is in progress.

A tabulated summary is presented of the hazards and undesired events which may lead to system damage or failure or personnel injury or death in the ground handling, transport, launching, operation, re-entry, and impact of the Brayton Isotope Power System fuel source for spacecraft power supplies. (LCL)

This program plan covers Phase I of an overall program for the development of a 500 to 2000 W/sub e/ (EOM), 7-year life, power system for space vehicles. The system uses a closed Brayton dynamic system to convert energy from an isotope heat source at a net efficiency greater than 25 percent. This first phase, a 35-months effort, is for the conceptual design of a 1300 W/sub e/, 450 lb flight system and the design, fabrication, and test of a ground demonstration system. The flight system will use, for the baseline design, two of the multihundred-watt (MHW) heat sources being developed for the ERDA by the General Electric Company. The Ground Demonstration System will simulate, as closely as possible, the Brayton Isotope Power Flight System and will utilize components and technology being developed by NASA for the Mini-Brayton rotating unit, recuperator and heat source assembly, respectively. The Ground Demonstration System includes a performance test and a 1000-hour endurance test.

From introduction: In conventional safety analyses, a suitable design basis, including redundancy, is specified to assure a minimum level of operability of ESFs, and the likelihood or consequences of total failure of ESFs are not considered further. In this study all failures are considered possible, but appropriate probabilities are assigned to them. Thus, many potential accident sequences are described in the following discussions as if they will surely occur, with no reservations expressed as to their likelihood or significance. However, most of these sequences have such low probability that they do not contribute to the overall risk from reactor accidents. In fact, in order to make an overall risk assessment, a major task of this study was to identify the sequences that are the dominant contributors to risk. In this study the initial failures or initiating events that could lead to significant consequences were examined to varying degrees. Those that seemed to contribute significantly to potential risks were analyzed in considerable detail; those that did not, received less detailed consideration. This is discussed more fully in section 3 of this appendix.

From section 1: In the quantitative system probability estimates performed in this study, component behavior data in the form of failure rates and repair times are required as inputs to the system models. Since the goal of this study is risk assessment, as opposed to reliability analysis, larger errors (e.g. order of magnitude type accuracy) can be tolerated in the quantified results. This has important implications on the treatment of available data. In standard reliability analysis, point values (i.e., "best-estimates") are generally used for both data and results in quantifying the system model. In risk assessment, since results accurate to about an order of magnitude are sufficient, data and results using random variable and probabilistic approaches, can be usefully employed. The base of applicable failure rate data is thus significantly broadened since data with large error spreads and uncertainties can now be utilized. The data and associated material that were assembled for use in this study and that are presented here are to be used in the random variable framework (which will be described). The data and the accompanying framework are deemed sufficient for the study's needs. Care must be taken, however, since this data may not be sufficiently detailed, …

None

Radiochemically measured relative fission yields have been compiled for targets of /sup 232/Th, /sup 235/U, /sup 236/U, /sup 237/Np, /sup 238/U, and /sup 239/Pu that were irradiated with neutrons, the average energies of which were in the 0.0253-eV to 14-MeV range. The yields were examined for consistency by means of the two-mode-of-fission hypothesis. The circumstances associated with inconsistencies were investigated, but the yields in questions were rejected only when good cause was found. Finally, the relative fission yields were converted to absolute values. Most samples were irradiated in the following Los Alamos reactors: BIG-TEN, Clementine, Flattop (oralloy core), Flattop (Pu core), Godiva-I, Godiva-IV, Jezebel (Pu core), Jezebel (/sup 233/U core), Topsy, Tungsten-Carbide Critical Assembly, and Water Boiler. Other samples were irradiated at the Los Alamos Cockcroft-Walton and Van de Graaff accelerators. Still others were irradiated in the Coupled Fast Reactivity Measurements Facility at INEL. For each irradiation, the yields of some nuclides in the following list were measured: /sup 82/Br, /sup 83/Br, /sup 89/Sr, /sup 90/Sr, /sup 91/Sr, /sup 91/Y, /sup 95/Zr, /sup 96/Nb, /sup 97/Zr, /sup 103/Ru, /sup 105/Rh, /sup 106/Ru, /sup 109/Pd/sup g/, /sup 111/Ag, /sup 115/Cd/sup m/, /sup 115/Cd/sup g/, /sup 127/Sb, /sup 129/Sb, /sup 131/I, /sup …

A number of underground mines were investigated during the summer of 1975. All of them are in Precambrian rocks of the Lake Superior region. They represent a variety of geologic settings. The purpose of the investigations was to make a preliminary study of the dryness, or lack of dryness of these rocks at depth. In other words, to see if water was entering the deeper workings through the unmined rock by some means such as fracture or fault zones, joints or permeable zones. Water entering through old mine workings extending to, or very near to the surface, or from the drilling equipment, was of interest only insofar as it might mask any water whose source was through the hanging or footwall rocks. No evidence of running, seeping or moving water was seen or reported at depths exceeding 3,000 feet. At depths of 3,000 feet or less, water seepages do occur in some of the mines, usually in minor quantities but increased amounts occur as depth becomes less. Others are dry at 2,000 feet of depth. Rock movements associated with extensive mining should increase the local secondary permeability of the rocks adjoining the mined out zones. Also most ore bodies are …

Information is presented concerning accident definition and use of event trees, event tree methodology, potential accidents covered by the reactor safety study, analysis of potential accidents involving the reactor core, and analysis of potential accidents not involving the core.

This report, which is part of a study initiated by the NATO Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society (CCMS), describes the current status of nonelectrical uses of geothermal resources. Such resources are defined as geothermal fluids between the temperatures of 50 and 160/sup 0/C. Current and potential uses of these resources including residential and commercial, agricultural and industrial applications are described. Also discussed are exploration and drilling; extraction and distribution; environmental impact; and economic and regulatory problems. Applications in a number of countries are described. Among the report's conclusions are: (1) Geothermal resources are widely distributed throughout the world. (2) The extraction of these resources presents no serious technical problems. (3) A wide variety of economically viable applications for these resources currently exists. (4) Current nonelectrical applications have a favorable economic structure compared with those of other energy sources. (5) Disposal of spent fluids has a significant ecological impact. Reinjection appears to be the most likely alternative. (6) The legal and institutional framework surrounding these applications needs both clarification and simplification.

Research activities during the period Oct. 1, 1975 to Sept. 30, 1976 are described. Areas include: post-adiabatic approximation; other studies of two-electron excitations; ionization by electron collision; properties of highly stripped ions; angular distribution of collision products; application of atomic points of view to crystalline and molecular phenomena; interaction of electrons with polar molecules; and line profiles and threshold intensities. (GHT)

This report describes the philosophy of the Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF) and the data formats and procedures that have been developed for it. The ENDF system was designed for the storage and retrieval of the evaluated nuclear data that are required for neutronics, photonics and decay heat calculations. This system is composed of several parts that include a series of data processing codes and neutron and photon cross section nuclear structure libraries.

There are several alternative equations which describe slow crack growth by stress corrosion. Presently available data suggest that an alternative form may be preferable to the form which is most often used, but the issue cannot be clearly decided. Presently available stress corrosion data on glasses and ceramics suggest that rocks in a proposed geothermal reservoir will crack readily over long time periods, thus seriously limiting the operation of this type of power source. However, in situ hydrofracturing measurements together with a theoretical treatment suggest that such a reservoir will contain a relatively high pressure over a long period of time without further cracking. Further experimentation is desirable to measure directly the critical stresses for crack growth rates on the order of 10/sup -7/ m/sec.

A demonstration of improved heat exchanger performance by adiabatically cooling the inlet air to an air-cooled heat exchanger was performed on a condenser that had a design heat rejection rate of 58 million Btu/hr. Pneumatic nozzles were used to inject atomized water into the inlet air stream. Mean droplet diameters ranged from 16 to 28 microns for all of the tests. Results of these experiments comparing conventional and adiabatic cooling showed that adiabatic cooling does improve heat transfer performance in accordance with expectations. The operation of the system was simple and reliable. Visual observations of the heat exchanger showed that finned surfaces remained dry even when enough water was added to saturate the inlet air. With the use of efficient atomizers, adiabatic cooling improves efficiency at a steam-electric power plant without increasing dry cooling tower size, and thereby avoids the need to reduce plant output during hot weather.

The cooperative physical processes of ion source and ion beam physics in magnetic fields can be separated into plasma internal motions, motion from the source plasma into the beam, and beam formation. A few experiments demonstrate that these processes are consistent with elementary laws of charge diffusion. Ion beam current limits are almost independent of magnetic field and have magnitudes consistent with classical diffusion processes. Ion current is proportional to applied potential gradient up to high voltage breakdown values which are determined by electrode geometry and secondary electron currents. Beam plasma stability, which is necessary for isotope separation using ion beam technology, depends on the formation of a dense, charge-neutralizing plasma as well as on ion source stability. (auth)

Information is presented concerning the release of radioactivity in reactor accidents; physical processes in reactor meltdown accidents; safety design rationale for nuclear power plants; and design adequacy.

Progress made in the implementation of a project designed to determine the economic feasibility of improved oil recovery using micellar-polymer processes and to determine the associated benefits and problems of each system tested is reported. The project allows a side-by-side comparison of two distinct micellar-polymer processes in the same abandoned field so that the reservoir conditions for the two floods are as nearly alike as possible. Results are reported for test wells drilled to obtain reservoir data, field injectivity and interference tests, and performance predictions. Engineering operations are summarized. (JSR)

The pipe rupture study is designed to extend the understanding of failure-causing mechanisms and to provide improved capability for evaluating reactor piping systems to minimize the probability of failures. Following a detailed review to determine the effort most needed to improve nuclear system piping (Phase 1), analytical and experimental efforts (Phase 2) were started in 1965. This progress report summarizes the recent accomplishments of a broad program in (a) basic fatigue crack growth rate studies focused on LWR primary piping materials in a simulated BWR primary coolant environment, (b) at-reactor tests of the effect of primary coolant environment on the fatigue behavior of piping steels, (c) studies directed at quantifying weld sensitization in Type 304 stainless steel, (d) support studies to characterize the electrochemical potential behavior of a typical BWR primary water environment and (e) special tests related to simulation of fracture surfaces characteristic of IGSCC field failures.

Three forms of potential geothermal energy may exist in the State of Texas: hot rocks in the Trans Pecos region, convection type geothermal water in the Rio Grande Rift basin, and geopressured geothermal water along the Gulf Coast. Of these, only the geopressured waters have been verified. Exploration wells for oil and gas have established the presence of deep hot water deposits along the coastal area, offshore and inland for 75 miles. These exist in thick shale and sand beds in the geopressured zone. The most favorable area appears to be at depths of 12,000 to 15,000 feet where the temperatures range from 300 to 400/sup 0/F. Indications are that a series of relatively small, 10 to 50 megawatt, power plants could be located along the coastal plain of Texas. These plants could produce at least 20,000 megawatts and possibly as much as 100,000 megawatts under the most favorable conditions. Cost of the power appears to be in the range of 25 to 35 mills per kilowatt hour in 1980 providing the water is saturated with natural gas which could be sold to offset some of the cost. If the gas is present, at least 6 billion cubic feet per …

Information is presented concerning comments on reactor safety by governmental agencies and civilian organizations; reactor safety study methodology; consequence model; probability of accident sequences; and various accident conditions.

Phase I of an overall program for the development of a 500 to 2000 W(e) (EOM), 7-y life, power system for space vehicles is discussed. The system uses a closed Brayton dynamic system to convert energy from an isotope heat source at a net efficiency greater than 25 percent. This first phase, a 35-month effort, is for the conceptual design of a 1300 W(e), 450 lb flight system and the design, fabrication, and test of a ground demonstration system. The flight system will use, for the baseline design, two of the multihundred-watt (MHW) heat sources being developed. The Ground Demonstration System will simulate, as closely as possible, the Brayton Isotope Power Flight System and will utilize components and technology being developed for the Mini-Brayton rotating unit, recuperator and heat source assembly, respectively. The Ground Demonstration System includes a performance test and a 1000-h endurance test.

Preliminary ''steam tables'', which give the thermodynamic data for the coexisting liquid and gas and the thermochemical data for the NaCl component in the liquid for the system H{sub 2}O-NaCl, are given for liquid concentrations between 0 mol NaCl/kg H{sub 2}O and halite saturation at temperatures between 80[sup 0} and 325{sup 0}C. The tables were calculated from parametric equations of state.

This study described the general safeguards characteristics of a material measurement system and then describes typical accounting systems for a fuel reprocessing plant, a plutonium nitrate to oxide conversion facility, a LWR mixed oxide fuel fabrication facility, and a high-enriched uranium HTGR fuels plant. These facilities are commercial size, envisioned to be operating in the mid-1980s. Present facilities tend to have large static inventories of material whereas future facilities will have a high material throughput. Systematic errors will pose the greatest limit on measurement systems in future facilities. Recommendations are given for the licensing review process for material accounting performance, the capability of measurement systems and regulations governing cumulative LEMUF and series of MUFs. Present regulations and the recommendations should result in improved material accounting in future facilities. Improvements specific to a particular facility were also identified. The recommendations should greatly improve the material accounting characteristics of future plutonium and high-enriched uranium processing facilities. Benefits of an improved material accounting system are compared with the costs of the improvements. The requirement for a formal quarterly inventory over the separations area of a reprocessing plant results in an annual lost production cost of $25M. This high penalty prevents reducing the formal …