Progress report of the Argonne National Laboratory's Nuclear Technology Programs, including R&D in three areas: applied physical chemistry, separation science and technology, and nuclear waste management.

This paper is the final report on DOE-OSS Task ANLE88002 Fast Air Chamber Calorimetry.'' The task objective was to design, construct, and test an isothermal air chamber calorimeter for plutonium assay of bulk samples that would meet the following requirements for sample power measurement: average sample measurement time less than 20 minutes. Measurement of samples with power output up to 10 W. Precision of better than 1% RSD for sample power greater than 1 W. Precision better than 0.010 watt SD, for sample power less than 1 W. This report gives a description of the calorimeter hardware and software and discusses the test results. The instrument operating procedure, included as an appendix, gives examples of typical input/output and explains the menu driven software.

Annual report for the superconductor program at Argonne National Laboratory discussing the group's activities and research. This report describes technical progress of research and development efforts aimed at producing superconducting components based on the Y-Ba--Cu, Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu, Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu, and TI-Ba-Ca-Cu oxide systems including: synthesis and heat treatment of high-Ta superconductors, formation of monolithic and composite wires and tapes, superconductor/metal connectors, characterization of structures and superconducting and mechanical properties, and fabrication and properties of thin films.

The interfacial area concentration is one of the most important parameters in a thermal-hydraulic analysis of two-phase flow systems based on the two-fluid model. A theoretical foundation of the measurement method for the time averaged local interfacial area using a double sensor probe is presented. Based on this theory, the double sensor resistivity probe was employed for the measurement of local properties of two-phase flow such as the interfacial velocity, local interfacial area concentration and void fraction in vertical air-water bubbly flow. Experimental data are presented on the radial profiles of the void fraction, bubble velocity, bubble chord length and interfacial area concentration at various gas flow rates. In addition to these, some statistical information on turbulent motions of bubbles are presented. Each of the double sensors are checked against the global void measurement using a differential pressure. The result is very satisfactory. Furthermore, the area averaged void fraction, and the interfacial area concentration obtained from the double sensor probe measurement compared very well with the photographic measurements. The results show that the double sensor probe method is accurate and reliable for the local measurements of interfacial area and void fraction in bubbly two-phase flow. Results of the measurement of …