This report summarizes the environmental program under the Solvent Refined Coal (SRC) contract from January 1980 through November 1981. Three major areas are included in the program: (1) air quality; (2) water quality; and (3) foliage effects. Baseline studies of air and water quality were performed before the plant was constructed. Similar studies were made in 1976 to 1979 during plant operation. These studies indicated that installation of the pilot plant had virtually no measurable impact on air and water quality in the surrounding environment. The results of the continuing monitoring efforts during 1980 to 1981 indicate that no substantial change in the environment has taken place as a result of the operation of the SRC plant. Annual foliage observations also indicated no discernable effect upon the dominant vegetative species in the area around the plant. Partially as a result of a product fuel oil spill in the tank farm in December 1979, an additional groundwater quality monitoring program was conducted during this period. No evidence of contamination from this spill was observed in the ground water sources near the pilot plant and nearby surface waters, although some contamination was observed in test wells drilled on the plant site itself.

Separate abstracts were prepared for the 25 papers presented. (WHK)

Six technical appendixes are presented that provide important supporting technical information for the study of the application of nondestructive measurements to spent-fuel storage. Each appendix addresses a particular technical subject in a reasonably self-contained fashion. Appendix A is a comparison of spent-fuel data predicted by reactor operators with measured data from reprocessors. This comparison indicates a rather high level of uncertainty in previous burnup calculations. Appendix B describes a series of nondestructive measurements at the GE-Morris Operation Spent-Fuel Storage Facility. This series of experiments successfully demonstrated a technique for reproducible positioning of fuel assemblies for nondestructive measurement. The experimental results indicate the importance of measuring the axial and angular burnup profiles of irradiated fuel assemblies for quantitative determination of spent-fuel parameters. Appendix C is a reasonably comprehensive bibliography of reports and symposia papers on spent-fuel nondestructive measurements to April 1981. Appendix D is a compendium of spent-fuel calculations that includes isotope production and depletion calculations using the EPRI-CINDER code, calculations of neutron and gamma-ray source terms, and correlations of these sources with burnup and plutonium content. Appendix E describes the pulsed-neutron technique and its potential application to spent-fuel measurements. Although not yet developed, the technique holds the promise of providing …

Existing petroleum-spill cleanup technologies are reviewed and their limitations, should they be used to mitigate the effects of synfuels spills, are discussed. The six subsections of this report address the following program goals: synfuels production estimates to the year 2000; possible sources of synfuel spills and volumes of spilled fuel to the year 2000; hazards of synfuels spills; assessment of existing spill cleanup technologies for oil spills; assessment of cleanup technologies for synfuel spills; and disposal of residue from synfuel spill cleanup operations. The first goal of the program was to obtain the most current estimates on synfuel production. These estimates were then used to determine the amount of synfuels and synfuel products likely to be spilled, by location and by method of transportation. A review of existing toxicological studies and existing spill mitigation technologies was then completed to determine the potential impacts of synthetic fuel spills on the environment. Data are presented in the four appendixes on the following subjects: synfuel production estimates; acute toxicity of synfuel; acute toxicity of alcohols.

Since 1973, borosilicate glass has been studied as a matrix for the immobilization of high-level radioactive waste generated at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). In 1977, efforts began to develop and test the large-scale equipment necessary to convert the alkaline waste slurries at SRP into a durable borosilicate glass. A process has now been developed for the proposed Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) which will annually produce approximately 500 canisters of SRP waste glass which will be stored on an interim basis on the Savannah River site. Current national policy calls for the permanent disposal of high-level waste in deep geologic repositories. In the repository environment, SRP waste glass will eventually be exposed to such stresses as lithostatic or hydrostatic pressures, radiation fields, and self-heating due to radioactive decay. In addition, producing and handling each canister of glass will also expose the glass to thermal and mechanical stresses. An important objective of the extensive glass characterization and testing programs of the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) has been to determine how these stresses affect the performance of SRP waste glass. The results of these programs indicate that: these stresses will not significantly affect the performance of borosilicate glass containing SRP waste; …

A systematic formalism for investigating linear electromagnetic perturbations in general magnetic field configurations is developed. The formalism employs the small adiabaticity parameter rho/L/sub 0/ and is valid for arbitrary frequencies. Here, rho and L/sub 0/ are, respectively, the Larmor radius and equilibrium scale length. Effects associated with plasma and magnetic field inhomogeneities as well as finite Larmor radii are contained. The specific case of axisymmetric tokamaks is then considered to illustrate the potential application.

This report contains a description of the initial ETA propagation experiments in air at a beam current of 4.5 kA. The beam was observed to propagate at the pressures anticipated on the basis of previous theory and experiment. A comparison of measured net current waveforms with predictions of the PHOENIX code showed good agreement over the pressure range 0.1 to 200 torr. However, the beam was observed to expand with Z at a faster rate than theory predicts. Excessive transverse beam modulation at injection complicated the experiments and limited their comparison with theory.

The scope of the work on photvoltaic troughs includes analytical studies, hardware development, and component testing. Various aspects of the system have been optimized and improvements have been realized, particularly in the receiver and reflecting surface designs. An empirical system performance model has been developed that closely agrees with measured system performance. This in-depth study of single-axis reflecting linear focus photovoltaic concentrators will be very beneficial in the development of improved models for similar systems as well as other phtovoltaic concentrator designs.

This technical monthly report covers studies related to the use of /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ in radioisotope power systems carried out for the Office of Coordination and Special Projects of the US Department of Energy by Los Alamos National Laboratory. Most of the studies discussed here are ongoing. Results and conclusions described may change as the work continues. Published reference of the results cited in this report should not be made without the explicit permission of the person in charge of the work.

The ORNL Fossil Energy Materials Program Office compiles and issues this combined quarterly progress report from camera-ready copies submitted by each of the participating subcontractor organizations. This report of activities on the program is organized in accordance with a work breakdown structure defined in the AR and TD Fossil Energy Materials Program Plan for FY 1982-1986 in which projects are organized according to fossil energy technologies. This report is divided into parts and chapters with each part describing projects related to a particular fossil energy technology. Chapters within a part provide details of the various projects associated with that technology. We hope this series of AR and TD Fossil Energy Materials Program quarterly progress reports will aid in the dissemination of information developed on the program. Plans for the program will be issued annually. A draft of the program plan for FY 1982 to 1986 has been prepared and is in the review process. The implementation of these plans will be reflected by these quarterly progress reports, and this dissemination of information will bw augmented by topical or final reports as appropriate.

The paper proposes a research plan to deal with the question of what the response of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet would be to a rise in global temperatures caused by an anthropogenic CO/sub 2/ buildup in the atmosphere. The plan is designed to answer the following questions: (1) how fast is the ice mass changing now, and why; (2) how will the boundary conditions that affect the ice sheet respond to an atmospheric temperature change and how are those boundary conditions changing now; (3) what will be the response of the ice sheet to changes in boundary conditions; and (4) what can be learned by analogy with what has happened in the past. (ACR)

In this paper, highlights from recent engineering research and development, in particular, results from fluidized bed calcination studies of SYNROC slurry are summarized. A schematic diagram of the envisioned SYNROC process (at this stage of development) is also presented. It shows the use of a fluidized bed calciner to prepare SYNROC powder that is then fed to a storage hopper. Bellows-type canisters are filled, evacuated, sealed and preheated. The preheated canisters are loaded into a hot isotactic pressing unit where they are densified, then removed and cooled and finally loaded into a waste storage container. After sealing, this container is decontaminated and transferred to the interim storage facility and then, ultimately, to an underground repository.

An evaluation of the seismic capacities of several of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 (SONGS-1) structures was conducted to determine input to the overall probabilistic methodology developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Seismic structural fragilities to be used as input consist of median seismic capacities and their variabilities due to randomness and uncertainty. Potential failure modes were identified for each of the SONGS-1 structures included in this study by establishing the seismic load-paths and comparing expected load distributions to available capacities for the elements of each load-path. Particular attention was given to possible weak links and details. The more likely failure modes were screened for more detailed investigation.

The purpose of this informal workshop was to initiate the program and achieve the following goals: (1) acquaint laboratory investigators (data generators) with the needs of the mathematical modelers (data users). Session I was devoted to a tutorial by D.D. Jackson, mathematical modeler for the leaching mechanisms program, on PROTOCOL, a general case waste form leaching model; (2) define important testing parameters, based on the present state of knowledge. To achieve this, a number of important testing parameters were identified for special discussion in Session II; (3) develop an understanding of the interrelationships between the activities of leaching mechanisms program participants, and begin definition of the specific role of each participant in the overall program; and (4) establish good communication between the leaching mechanisms program and related programs, particularly the waste form leaching program at the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) and the various Nuclear Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) waste package programs. The agenda for the workshop is attached as Appendix A; a list of attendees is in Appendix B. Because this workshop was devoted to preliminary planning for the leaching mechanisms program, the presentations and discussions were purposely kept informal. This report represents a synopsis of the proceedings that has …

This technical monthly report covers studies related to the use of /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ in radioisotope power systems carried out for the Office of Coordination and Special Projects of the US Department of Energy by Los Alamos National Laboratory. Most of the studies discussed here are ongoing. Results and conclusions described may change as the work continues. Published reference of the results cited in this report should not be made without the explicit permission of the person in charge of the work.

The objective was to determine the optimum time period necessary to pump water from a well before a representative sample of the ground water can be obtained. It was assumed that a representative sample has been collected if the concentration of chemical parameters is the same in a number of samples taken consecutively, so that the concentration of parameters does not vary with time of collection. Ground-water samples used in this project were obtained by pumping selected wells on the Hanford Site. At each well, samples were taken at two minute intervals, and on each sample various chemical analyses were performed. Samples were checked for pH, sulfate, iron, specific conductivity, chloride, nitrate and alkalinity. The data showed that pH, alkalinity, sulfate and specific conductivity levels stabilized almost immediately after pumping of the well began. In many wells, the chloride and nitrate levels were unstable throughout the 38-minute sampling period. Iron levels, however, did not behave in either fashion. The concentration of iron in the samples was high when pumping began but dropped rapidly as pumping continued. The best explanation for this is that iron is flushed from the sides of the casing into the well when pumping begins. After several …

Three results are presented: (1) The semi-leptonic branching ratio of the ..lambda../sub c/ has been measured at SPEAR to be B(..lambda../sub c//sup +/ ..-->.. e/sup +/X) = (4.5 +- 1.7)%. (2) Properties of tau-pair production have been measured at PEP at square root S = 29 GeV: sigma/sup tau tau//sigma/sup QED/ = 0.97 +- 0.05 +- 0.06; the forward-backward asymmetry is A/sub tau tau/ = (-3.5 +- 5.0)%; inclusive branching ratios are B(tau ..-->.. 1 Prong) = (86 +- 4)%, B(tau ..-->.. 3 Prongs) = (14 +- 4)%, B(tau ..-->.. 5 Prongs) < 0.6% (95% C.L.). (3) A search has been performed for the pair production of charged, point-like, spin 0 particles. The existence of such particles can be ruled out at a 90% confidence level for 3 approx. < M approx. < 10 GeV/c/sup 2/ and branching ratio into hadrons approx. < 90%.

The Colado geothermal area is evidenced by hot water wells in alluvium along the west flank of the West Humboldt Range. The exploration of this geothermal system has progressed into advanced stages with completion of shallow thermal gradient drilling, two intermediate-depth exploration drill holes, one deep exploration drill hole, detailed geologic mapping, dipole-dipole resistivity, gravity, ground magnetics, MT-AMT, TDEM and assorted uncommon electrical resistivity techniques. A thermal anomaly was outlined by the shallow drilling. Dipole-dipole resistivity and gravity data along with detailed geologic mapping have suggested that this anomaly is structurally controlled. Other geophysical techniques employed do not appear to contribute to an understanding of the geothermal anomaly. The two intermediate-depth exploration holes (IGH-1, IGH-2) and the one deep hole (44x-10) may not have been located in the most favorable portions of the geothermal anomaly. The area having the greatest exploration potential for intermediate-depth drilling appears to be centered on the shallow drill hole 14 to 22. An intermediate-depth drill hole located near DH14-22 is most likely to encounter one of the conduits that allow thermal waters to rise near the surface.

This study was initiated because of the anticipated rapid growth in trained personnel requirements in bituminous coal mining, and because the industry had already experienced significant problems in recruiting skilled manpower in the course of its employment expansion during the 1970's. Employment in bituminous coal mining is projected to nearly double, from 234,000 in 1977 to 456,000 in 1995, as the net result of a projected threefold increase in coal output to nearly 2.0 billion in 1995 and of an expected significant improvement in overall productivity. A large proportion of current coal mining employees are in occupations which require significant amounts of training for effective work performance. Employment growth to 1955 will be most rapid in those occupations requiring the greatest training or educational preparation. The new training infrastructure which has emerged to meet these needs includes both internal, company-operated training programs and those offered by various external providers. Among the latter are: Vocational schools, community colleges, and university extension departments; public agencies, such as MSHA and state mining departments; coal industry trade associations; and vendors or training consultant groups. The Conference Board survey of coal industry training programs, conducted in late 1979, was designed to provide comprehensive data on …

Techniques for charging inertial confinement fusion targets using electron beam are investigated. A brief review of the various possible charging techniques is presented, along with a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each. The reasons for selecting the electron beam charging and a physical picture of the charging mechanism are described. Experimental results are presented and compared with the theoretical predictions.

This is an interim report of a study concerning the potential application of nondestructive measurements on irradiated light-water-reactor (LWR) fuels at spent-fuel storage facilities. It describes nondestructive measurement techniques and instruments that can provide useful data for more effective in-plant nuclear materials management, better safeguards and criticality safety, and more efficient storage of spent LWR fuel. In particular, several nondestructive measurement devices are already available so that utilities can implement new fuel-management and storage technologies for better use of existing spent-fuel storage capacity. The design of an engineered prototype in-plant spent-fuel measurement system is approx. 80% complete. This system would support improved spent-fuel storage and also efficient fissile recovery if spent-fuel reprocessing becomes a reality.

As part of the Milliwatt Generator (MWG) Program, 12 simulant-fueled heat sources were fabricated double impact tested, and evaluated at Mound. Ten assemblies were tested at approx. 80 m/sec, and two were tested at approx. 105 m/sec. None of the strength members were breached; therefore, no fuel would have been released as a result of double impacts at the velocities and orientations tested at 450/sup 0/C. There was little difference in results for duplicate tests conducted approx. 80 and approx. 105 m/sec. Ten units contained liners that were embrittled prior to testing. This resulted in cracks in some of the liner that would not have occurred in normally fueled heat sources.

An energy-conserving wastewater treatment system was developed based on an anaerobic, upflow (ANFLOW) bioreactor. Since many applications of the ANFLOW process could involve the treatment of wastewaters containing heavy metals, the potentially toxic effects of these metals on the biological processes occurring in ANFLOW columns (primarily acetogenesis and methanogenesis) were investigated. Both step and pulse inputs of zinc ranging from 100 to 1000 mg/L were added to synthetic wastewaters being treated in ANFLOW columns with 0.057-m/sup 3/ volumes. Column responses were used to develop descriptive models for toxicity phenomena in such systems. It was found that an inhibition function could be defined and used to modify a model based on plugflow with axial dispersion and first-order kinetics for soluble substrate removal. The inhibitory effects of zinc on soluble substrate removal were found to be predominantly associated with its sorption by biosolids. Sorption initially occurred in the lower regions of the column, but was gradually observed in higher regions as the sorption capacity of the lower regions was exhausted. Sorption phenomena could be described with the Freundlich equation. Sorption processes were accompanied by shifts of biological processes to regions higher in the columns. A regenerative process was observed when feeding of …

400/sup 0/F+ SRC-II oil derived from Pittsburgh Seam coal was hydrotreated to provide DOE samples for subsequent biological testing at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Samples containing about 500 ppM nitrogen, 2000 ppM nitrogen, and 5000 ppM nitrogen were prepared. These samples do not represent finished products, but conditions were selected to provide a wide range of processing severities. The feedstock was somewhat higher boiling and more difficult to hydrotreat than another 400/sup 0/F+ SRC-II oil studied previously.