In order to predict accurately the cost of producing methane from urban refuse, studies were initiated on the dewatering of the fermentor residue and the disposal of the residue from the system. Results of the research are reported under the following subject headings: fermentation system; rheological properties of reactor slurry; filterability of reactor effluent; residue dewatering--vacuum filtration; settleability of solids in the reactor effluent; settleability of sludges from centrate treatment; centrifugation of reactor effluent; leachate potential of dewatered reactor residue; calorific value of the reactor residue; residue incineration; the production of panelboards; caustic treatment of digester feed; and, treatment of filtrate--centrate. Appendixes A, B, D, and E are included; Appendix C, which includes computer programs and documentation, is bound separately as Volume II of this report. (JGB)

Information is presented on: the concepts of flowability of bulk solids and of channels and the flow-no flow postulate; equipment and procedures for testing the flow of bulk solids; and bulk flow equipment design. This information should be sufficient to enable the engineer to design storage plants and flow channels for unobstructed bulk flow. Only an outline of the theory of flow is included. (LCL)

In FY-76, Task 3 of Contract E(04-3)-893 consisted of the following programs: fuel rod chemistry and thermodynamics; fuel rod engineering; fuel irradiations testing and analysis; and reference structural materials. Starting in FY-77, the Fuel Rod Engineering Program was reorganized into other existing G.E. programs under the E(04-3)-893 contract. Continuation of the reports on technical progress of this program can be found under 189 No. SG009, Task 3, or 189 No. SG023, Task 11.

The National Center for Analysis of Energy Systems at Brookhaven has been in operation since January 1976. This first annual highlights report outlines the scope of activities of the Center involving the integrated analyses of technological, economic, environmental, and social aspects of energy at the regional, national, and international levels. The objectives of the Center and major accomplishments of 1976 are described along with a list of active projects and publications. The energy data bases and analytical models used in the course of policy analyses are also described. The major ongoing activities of the Center include: long-range forecasting of energy-economic relationships; regional energy and environmental policy; comparative health effects of alternative energy systems; technology assessment and energy R and D priorities; development of energy-economic environmental models and data bases; R and D strategies for International Energy Agency; and energy technologies for developing countries.

This report presents the results of the second-year effort within a three-year research project to develop a transportation planning methodology for small urban areas concerned with the provision of public transportation service. This phase of the research concentrates on problems of access to health services, transportation service for the disadvantaged, potential coordination and integration of existing transportation systems, alternative systems designs and their evaluation, and suitable marketing and monitoring programs for public transportation service in small urban areas. This effort, together with elements of the first-year research will culminate in the preparation of a transit planning manual suitable for use by the transportation planner in small to medium-size urban areas.

The model high-level waste solidification facility (WSF) is envisaged as being similar to the New Waste Calcining Facility (NWCF) being constructed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory but with provisions for incorporating the calcine into a glass. The decontamination factor (DF) is estimated to be one for tritium, 100 for iodine, and 5.0 x 10/sup 8/ for ruthenium. The DFs for other nuclides are in the range of mid to high 10/sup 9/. The volatile radionuclide of primary concern in waste solidification is ruthenium (in particular, /sup 106/Ru). With an estimated DF of 5.0 x 10/sup 8/, the /sup 106/Ru expected to be released from the WSF amounts to 3.4, 2.9, and 0.091 mCi/day for immediate solidification, a freshly filled waste tank (189 days), and five years of tank storage, respectively. The FSAR of the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant Separations Facility implies that 4.6 mCi/day of /sup 106/Ru might be released from the stack of the separations facility and states that such a release meets all state and Federal standards and specifications.

The Hawaii Geothermal Project, a coordinated research effort of the University of Hawaii, funded by the County and State of Hawaii, and ERDA, was initiated in 1973 in an effort to identify, generate, and use geothermal energy on the Big Island of Hawaii. A number of stages are involved in developing geothermal power resources: exploration, test drilling, production testing, field development, power plant and powerline construction, and full-scale production. Phase I of the Project, which began in the summer of 1973, involved conducting exploratory surveys, developing analytical models for interpretation of geophysical results, conducting studies on energy recovery from hot brine, and examining the legal and economic implications of developing geothermal resources in the state. Phase II of the Project, initiated in the summer of 1975, centers on drilling an exploratory research well on the Island of Hawaii, but also continues operational support for the geophysical, engineering, and socioeconomic activities delineated above. The project to date is between the test drilling and production testing phase. The purpose of this assessment is to describe the activities and potential impacts associated with extensive well flow testing to be completed during Phase II.

The background, capabilities and experience of the Garrett Corp. in designing, developing, manufacturing and testing gas turbines and related systems are described, and the requirements for and components of the Brayton Isotope Power System (BIPS) for space vehicles are outlined. Data on the compressor and turbine, alternator, bearings, recuperator, radiator, heat source assembly, and control systems are presented. (LCL)

Recent dipole-dipole resistivity surveys using 100 m and 300 m dipoles at Roosevelt Hot Springs KGRA, near Milford, Utah have suggested that the north-south length of the convective hydrothermal system may be as great as 20 km. Tertiary granite of the Mineral Mountain pluton seems to be intensely fractured along a narrow (500 m.) sinuous zone trending north and coinciding in part with the Dome Fault. This north-south fracture zone is crosscut by numerous east-west and some northwest-southeast faults. The brine in the fractures and alternation of feldspars to clay both result in lowered resistivities. Leakage of brine westward from the Dome Fault fracture zone is still a realistic interpretation of low resistivity values several kilometers west of the Dome Fault.

A simulated HCDA loading was applied in simple, thick-walled and thin-walled, 1/30-scale models of a fast breeder reactor vessel. The loading and resulting vessel response were measured to verify the modeling techniques used in the REXCO computer code. The sodium coolant is simulated by water, and the HCDA load is simulated by the expansion of the detonation products of a low-density explosive detonated in the vessel core. The detonation products expand from an initial pressure of 3700 psi down to 360 psi for a volume change of 410 cm/sup 3/, equal to the cover gas volume. The expansion produces 2.87 kW-sec of gas work up to slug impact on the vessel cover. From the strain measurements and the posttest deformation profiles of the vessel, the strain energy absorbed by the vessel before and after slug impact is calculated.

A limited time/funding study was performed to extrapolate the knowledge gained during the 127,000 gpm LSBR cold leg pump study to a 77,000 gpm hot leg pump application. Two conceptual designs are presented with the recommendation that the spherical casing diffuser pump, with an inducer/impeller, be used as the preferred design. However, further analysis is required to verify the acceptability of this concept for the specified thermal transients. The alternate design, which is heavier, larger, and more costly, would meet all thermal transient requirements, based on the extensive analysis and experience with the FFTF pump. For either hydraulic concept, an expeditious development effort is recommended to verify the inducer/impeller design.

The technology to apply geothermal energy to greenhousing is available. Geothermal energy is compatible with greenhouse heat exchange hardware, and it is abundant in the western United States. Geothermal resources suitable for greenhousing are natural springs, deep hot water or steam wells, and waste water from electrical power generating plants. Factors influencing greenhouse heating needs include climate, elevation, structure, and growing regime, as well as the attributes of the geothermal energy source: heat, quantity, quality. Greenhouse sites should be evaluated for suitability, size, availability of labor supply, markets, etc. Problems exist in developing any new energy source, but a sound economic assessment based on good engineering and geological advice will illustrate advantages and problems. When considering geothermal energy as an alternative energy source these steps are recommended: (1) Determine the geographic region greenhouse will serve. (2) Tabulate known geothermal resources within region. (3) Rank potential locations in terms of geothermal fluid chemistry and location. (4) Obtain data on chemistry, flow potential, temperature, and probable lifespan of resources. (5) Conduct economic analysis of proposed greenhouse operation using these geothermal sources; compare with optimum fossil fuel economics and long term availability in the region. (6) Proceed with project if economically attractive.

Environmental monitoring data for 1973 through 1975 pertaining to the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Station (which began commercial operation in December 1973) were analyzed by the most practical qualitative and quantitative methods. Evaluations of aquatic and terrestrial biotic data are presented in this report. The data indicate no significant immediate deleterious effects on the biota from plant operation, thus confirming preoperational predictions. Although the station has not operated long enough to reveal long-term deleterious effects, present indications do not lead to a concerned prediction that any are developing. Recommendations are suggested for improving monitoring techniques.

Separate abstracts were prepared for the three sections of the report. (HLW)

Electrostatic lower hybrid ''pump'' waves often launched into tokamak plasmas by structures (e.g., waveguides) whose dimensions are considerably smaller than characteristic plasma sizes. Such waves propagate in well-defined resonance cones and give rise to parametric instabilities driven by electron E x B velocities. The finite size of the resonance cone region determines the threshold for both convective quasimode decay instabilities and absolute instabilities. The excitation of absolute instabilities depends on whether a travelling or standing wave pump model is used; travelling wave pumps require the daughter waves to have a definite frequency shift. Altogether, parametric instabilities driven by E x B velocities occur for threshold fields significantly below the threshold for filamentation instabilities driven by pondermotive forces. Applications to tokamak heating show that nonlinear effects set in when a certain power-per-wave-launching port is exceeded.

The reference process to recycle /sup 233/U to HTGRs begins with the receipt of the /sup 233/UO/sub 2/(NO/sub 3/)/sub 2/ product solution from a reprocessing plant, which is fed to a resin loading system. The nitrate is removed by extraction with a liquid organic amine. By adding an evaporator to remove water, a continuous, high-efficiency process for loading uranium on ion exchange resin is possible. A vertical thermosiphon evaporator was designed, fabricated, and tested with natural uranium to meet the requirements of the HTGR fuel recycle Hot Engineering Test Facility. The thermosiphon evaporator, which was designed to produce 60 liters of condensate per hour containing less than 1 ppM of uranium, performed satisfactorily and was simple to control. The uranyl nitrate solution was circulated continuously through the evaporator during operation of the resin loading system, with the liquid level being determined by a fixed overflow jackleg. The evaporation rate was controlled by regulating the steam supply pressure. The condensate contained less than 0.5 ppM of uranium, and the uranium decontamination factors (DFs) were 5 x 10/sup 5/ to 1 x 10/sup 6/ at boilup rates of 17 to 79 liters/hr. This evaporator design is adequate for remote operation, control of …

A parametric study of one- and two-stage reverse osmosis (RO) systems for seawater desalination was made with the aid of a recently developed computer program for optimization of RO systems. Membrane manufacturer's performance data and predicted cost data were applied. Based on these data and other equipment and operating costs considered, a preliminary evaluation of the economics of RO for seawater desalination was made. Plant capacities in the range of 1 to 12.5 Mgd were considered and compared economically with the current most common multistage flash distillation process at different energy price levels.

Auger electron spectroscopy was exploited as a means of determining the surface phase diagram of Au--Ag and Au--Sn alloys. Polycrystalline Au--Ag alloy foils of a wide range of composition (atom fractions of 0.15 to 0.97) were cleaned. The intensities of the Auger emission from transitions at several energies were measured and normalized to those of pure Au and Ag. The surface monolayer compositions of the alloys were determined. The Auger data was consistent with enrichment of Ag in the surface monolayer. Ingots of Au--Sn with bulk composition between 50 and 99 at % Au were prepared. The bulk structure and composition of these complex alloys were characterized by electron microprobe, x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence and optical microscopy. The samples were cleaned and equilibrated in ultra high vacuum and the intensities of the Auger emission from transitions at several energies were measured and normalized to those of pure Au and pure Sn. Using the intensity model, the normalized Auger intensity ratios were used to determine the surface monolayer composition. Enrichment of Sn was found in the surface monolayer for disordered zeta and ..cap alpha.. phase alloys. The highly ordered delta (50.0 at % Au) phase alloy was found to exhibit no …

This study concentrates on the following aspects of an electrostatically plugged cusp reactor that will be different from other fusion reactor designs: the coil geometry and structural supports, high voltage electrodes, plasma parameters, power balance, and operating cycle. Assuming the electron density distribution in the anodes to have a characteristic width of two electron Larmor radii, which is consistent with present experimental results, the theory predicts that a device with a magnetic field strength, B = 8 T sustained solely by electron beam injection at 300 kV will have a power gain ratio, Q, of about 5. A toroidal multipole cusp configuration with six cusps was selected for the present design, based on a study of the ratio of plasma volume to coil volume. Coil forces are sustained by cryogenic trusses between like coils, fiberglass compression columns, and room temperature hoops. Radiation collimators in front of the high voltage electrodes greatly reduce the radiation impinging on the cathodes, helping to avoid breakdown and to prolong insulator life. The operating cycle consists of a startup period of about 20 s, followed by a fusion burn period lasting about 200 s (limited by impurity buildup) and a 20-s flushing period.

A one year program to develop a new concept for silicon solar cell production based upon the use of pulsed electron beam processes combined with ion implantation has been completed. Feasibility of producing solar cells at high speed by a simplified vacuum-room temperature processing sequence has been demonstrated. The method has many advantages, particularly for large scale production at lowest possible cost.

Mechanical properties of CTR structural materials are important in determining the reliability and economics of fusion power. Furthermore, these properties are significantly affected by the high neutron flux experienced by components in the regions near the plasma of the fusion reactor. In general, irradiation hardens the material and leads to a reduction in ductility. An exception to this is in some complex engineering alloys where either hardening or softening can be observed depending on the alloy and the irradiation conditions. Regardless of this restriction, irradiation usually leads to a reduction in ductility. Available tensile data examined in this paper show that significant ductility reduction can be found for irradiation conditions typical of CTR operation. Consideration of these effects show that extensive work will be needed to fully establish the in-service properties of CTR structures. This information will be used by designers to develop conditions and design philosophies adapted to avoid the most deleterious conditions and minimize stresses on structures on reactor design. The information will also be used as input to alloy development programs with goals of producing materials more resistant to property degradation during irradiation. It is clear that a great deal of additional work will be required both …

A portion of the results from a one-year study to assess the feasibility of constructing a 25 to 50 MWe geothermal power plant using low-salinity hydrothermal fluids as the energy source is presented. The objective of this report was to investigate the compatibility of the different power conversion options with real geothermal reservoirs and to analyze the economics of power generation. Nine cases are discussed which were chosen to yield further insight into the effect of reservoir temperature on the choice of conversion technology and power costs. These cases examine flashed steam, binary cycle and hybrid conversion for Raft River, Idaho; Heber, California; and Valles Caldera, New Mexico that have bottom-hole temperatures of approximately 150/sup 0/C, 180/sup 0/C and 260/sup 0/C, respectively. Conceptual layouts of the power conversion processes, cycle analyses and economic analyses are presented. The principal conclusions are: a hydrothermal demonstration plant is technically environmentally, and economically feasible in the 1980 time frame; the recommended demonstration site is Heber, Imperial Valley, California; binary cycle power conversion technology is recommended; the recommended demonstration plant capacity is approximately 50 MWe; and there are no overriding environmental constraints.

Results of a literature search are presented, and analytical methods are proposed for studies of trace elements in coal, coal ash residue, soil, and vegetation. Increased trace element levels in soils and plants collected near power plants have been reported by several investigators. Many sample dissolution and analysis techniques were used in the reported studies. A nine-laboratory comparison of trace element analyses for a variety of methods showed excessive variation relative to quoted uncertainty limits. Analysis results from a subsequent four-laboratory comparison of instrumental nuclear techniques for trace element analysis agreed with the National Bureau of Standards certified values for all nine elements determined. Instrumental neutron activation analysis, spark source mass spectrometry, and atomic absorption spectrometry are proposed as primary analysis methods for coal, coal ash, soil, and plants in a Savannah River Laboratory study of trace elements. Bomb procedures are proposed for dissolution of samples.

The absorption induced in fiber optic waveguides by pulsed electron and X-ray radiation has been measured as a function of optical wavelength from 450 to 950 nm, irradiation temperature from -54 to 71/sup 0/C, and dose from 1 to 500 krads. The fibers studied are Ge-doped silica core fibers (Corning Low Loss), ''pure'' vitreous silica core fibers (Schott, Bell Laboratories, Fiberoptic Cable Corp., and Valtec Fiberoptics), polymethyl-methacrylate core fibers (DuPont CROFON and PFX), and polystyrene core fibers (International Fiber Optics and Polyoptics). Models that have been developed to account for the observed absorption recovery are also summarized.