The goal of the Piqua, Ohio District Heating and Cooling Demonstration Project is to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of using cogenerated thermal energy from the City's Municipal Power Plant to provide residential, commercial and industrial space heating and cooling and satisfy other community energy needs as appropriate. Progress in four tasks within this project is reported. These tasks include: development of team work plan resource allocation; identification of thermal energy source market; analysis of energy market; and planning of power plant retrofits. (LCL)

The feasibility analysis and evaluation of the Piqua, Ohio District Heating and Cooling Demonstration program is being conducted by the Piqua Municipal Power Co., the Piqua Law Dept., the Public Works Dept., a firm of economic analysts, and the Georgia Tech Engineering Dept. This volume contains information on the organization and composition of the demonstration team; characterization of the Piqua community; and the technical, environmental, institutional; financial, and economic assessments of the project. (LCL)

These appendices to the mission analysis report for the Near Term Hybrid Vehicle program contain data on passenger vehicle usage by purpose, trip length, travel speed, vehicle age, vehicle ownership and fuel economy, and US demographics. (LCL)

The giant dipole (GD) parameters of peak energy, width, and cross section were satisfactorily correlated for elements from V to Bi, assuming two overlapping peaks with a separation dependent on deformation. The energy dependence of the GD resonance is assumed to have a Breit-Wigner form, but with an energy-dependent width. The resulting gamma-ray strength function model is used to predict neutron capture cross sections and gamma-ray spectra for isotopes of Ta, Os, and Au. 23 references.

The design, installation, and performance of a flue gas recuperator at a McGowan reverberatory aluminum remelt furnace are described. (TFD)

The mathematical formulations of the wave propagation problem in a linear viscoelastic solid are reviewed from the point of view of constitutive equations and the theory of linear physical systems. Various general results from the theory of propagating singular surfaces and from the mathematical theory of hyperbolic equations are applied to the analysis of the wave propagation process. The impulse responses of three viscoelastic media are analyzed by use of asymptotic methods. The three material models are the standard linear solid, the standard linear solid with a continuous spectrum of relaxation times, and the power law solid. The standard linear solid with a continuous spectrum of relaxation times and the power law solid have a nearly constant quality factor, Q, over the seismic frequency band. The impulse responses of these two viscoelastic solids are compared. The results show significant and discernible features in the wave profile. It is concluded that differentiation of the models can be made by comparing wave shapes and that a complete knowledge of Q over the entire frequency range is required to determine the wave propagation problem when initiated by an impulsive process. 11 figures, 1 table.

The results of thermal analyses and impact tests on a modified design of a /sup 238/Pu-fueled general purpose heat source (GPHS) for spacecraft power supplies are presented. This work was performed to establish the safety of a heat source with pyrolytic graphite insulator shells located either inside or outside the graphite impact shell. This safety is dependent on the degree of aerodynamic heating of the heat source during reentry and on the ability of the heat source capsule to withstand impact after reentry. Analysis of wind tunnel and impact test data result in a recommended GPHS design which should meet all temperature and safety requirements. Further wind tunnel tests, drop tests, and impact tests are recommended to verify the safety of this design. (LCL)

Bid documents are provided for the construction of the collector subsystem foundation of the Barstow Solar Pilot Plant, including invitation to bid, bid form, representations and certifications, construction contract, and labor standards provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act. Instructions to bidders, general provisions and general conditions are included. Technical specifications are provided for the construction. (LEW)

Current plans for nuclear waste disposal include placing the waste in a canister to isolate it from the repository environment for 1000 years. Corrosion prediction techniques are currently inadequate to quarantee the canister performance over this length of time. We are attempting to better predict the corrosion process with the help of computer modeling. We developed a program to calculate anodic and cathodic polarization curves using Tafel slopes, equilibrium exchange current densities, and other electrochemical parameters obtained from the experimental corrosion literature. The model generates and displays polarization curves for different values of environmetal parameters such as temperature, pH, and concentrations of pertinent species in the vicinity of the canister material. For the case of uniform corrosion in acidic media, our model predicts corrosion rates in fair agreement with literature values.

In the two years since the last Gordon Conference, we have shifted our interest in laser-plasma interactions to the long pulse (1 ns) regime on the Argus facility. A variable Z disk series (at 3 x 10/sup 14/ W/cm/sup 2/) has been carried out and the Z dependence of line emission, backscatter, /sub h/ (hot electron temperature) and transport inhibition will be described. A variable thickness Au disk series that studied preheat and shocks will be analyzed. A simple theory for why T/sub h/ scales as Z/sup 1/4/ is presented, and a description of an electron transport experiment through layered disk targets is given.

Evaluation of the Ce(IV)-NHO/sub 3/ system for recovery of actinides from incinerator ash is continuing. High-fired americium-traced plutonium oxide was completely solubilized in this system and recovery of actinides from incinerator ash was greater than or equal to 95%. Recovery of solubilized plutonium was done by solvent extraction using tributyl phosphate. Tervalent actinides will be recovered by a bidentate organophosphorus solvent extractant. The Ce(IV)-HNO/sub 3/ system was compared with the F/sup -/-HNO/sub 3/ system now in common use. Advantages of the former include less equipment corrosion, no volatilization of silica, and better recovery of actinide in the initial contact. However, additional contacts do not significantly improve recovery (because silica is not solubilized), and the system requires a large liquid/solid ratio for efficient actinide recovery.

This report discusses the application of modern signal processing techniques to characterize parameters governing the vibrational response of a structure. Simulated response data is used to explore the feasibility of applying these techniques to various structural problems. On-line estimator/indentifiers are used to estimate structural parameters, validate designed structures, and detect structural failure when used with a detector.

Personal inspections were made of several ethanol plants in Europe and the US in order to determine the best commercial processes presently in operation, prepare a conceptual design of a large plant incorporating these processes, describe the processes, and list best estimates of yields, energy requirements, capital costs and operating costs. Information was obtained from fermentation plant manufacturers and alcohol producers concerning their company-sponsored process improvement and new process developments. A summary of the highlights of these observations are included in this report. The inspectors: observed commercial incineration of waste sulfite liquors; observed the pilot plant (not in operation) to incinerate various waste liquors resulting from fermentation of different feedstocks; observed commercial continuous and batch fermentation of beet molasses for the production of ethanol and stillage evaporation to 70% dissolved solids for animal feed; observed pilot plant operation of a new process (Carver-Greenfield process) for handling stillage; observed anhydrous ethanol production from fermentation of sulfite waste liquor using ethyl ether as the dehydrating agent; and observed the safety precautions taken when using this hazardous material.

Described is a computer-based gamma ray spectrometer system using a germanium detector for rapid nondestructive measurement of isotopic and total plutonium concentrations in solutions at nuclear reprocessing plants. Isotopic concentrations have been measured with an accuracy of +-0.5%. Cell design, calibration techniques, and preliminary results are discussed. This system is being installed at the Tokai reprocessing plant in Japan.

This report considers the technical aspects of Sandia Laboratories' Particle Beam Fusion Program and examines the program's initial goals, the progress made to date towards reaching those goals, and the future plans or methods of reaching those original or modified goals. A summary of Sandia Laboratories' effort, which seeks to demonstrate that high voltage pulsed power generated high-current electron or light ion beams can be used to ignite a deuterium or tritium pellet, is provided. A brief review and assessment of the Sandia Pulse Power Program is given. Several critical issues and summaries of the committee members' opinions are discussed.

The application of the Time Domain PARET (TDP) algorithm to data obtained from the measured responses of a three story reinforced concrete building approximately 465 feet long by 220 feet wide by 40 feet high, with 12 to 18 inch thick walls, is described. The measurements were taken by Agbabian Associates, El Segundo, California. The structure was excited by a device developed at Agbabian that uses a mass sliding down a rod to cut metal disks attached to the rod. The result is a series of impulse forces driving the building at the attachment point of the rod. The responses measured were the accelerations at two locations on the structure. A constraint imposed was that the equipment in the building must remain operating during the time the measurements were made.

Filtered x-ray diode detectors were used to measure absolute x-ray spectra below 1.5 keV at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Argus and Shiva laser facilities. We use K or L-edge filters in five and ten channel arrays to obtain energy resolution between 200 eV and 1.5 keV with channel FWHM's typically 200 eV. A channel with relatively uniform energy response is employed to independently measure the total x-ray energy up to 1.5 keV. Filter transmissions and detector sensitivities are measured absolutely to within +- 10% and +- 20% respectively at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. With a FWHM time response that is less than 180 ps, the windowless diode detector developed for our experiments does not contribute significantly to system time response. Most of the fast oscilloscopes that we use for recording signals have a FWHM of 300 or 700 ps. We present, as examples, some ten channel x-ray spectral results obtained for disk irradiations at the Argus 1.06 micron laser facility.

Large laser systems require numerous laser diagnostics to provide configuration, performance and maintenance data to permit efficient operation. The following diagnostics for a large laser system named Shiva are discussed: (1) description of Shiva laser system, (2) what measurements are desired and or required and why, (3) what measurement techniques and packages are employed and a brief description of the operating principles of the sensors employed, and (4) the laser diagnostic data acquisition and display system.

The current study reported here has involved three separate tasks. The first re-evaluates previous benefit estimates derived, using more realistic rates of discount and other parameter changes. The second task investigates other possible commercial uses of technologies which must be developed in providing commercial fusion power. Several such applications have been identified and potential market sizes estimated. The third task develops a methodology for evaluating the impact of additional projects in support technology RD and D on the value of the overall fusion program. This effort has shown that it is possible to economically prioritize RD and D on those functions which will be required in commercial fusion and to provide economic rationales for program changes. The results of this task indicate substantial benefit from increased pursuit of RD and D in several support technology areas. (MOW)

The following were studied: scavenging behavior of NO/sub 3//sup -/ and methyl viologen, fluorescent lifetimes of dibromobimane and thiols, spectral determination of tricresyl borate, salicylaldehyde method for differentiation of primary and secondary amines, ammonia-gas-sensing electrodes, automated manometric CHN analyzer, computer program for calibration of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer, contamination of alumina insulator, organic additives for stabilizing colloidal silica in hypersaline geothermal brine, x-ray fluorescence analysis of geological samples, dissolution of geothermal scale, and characterization of enzyme-catalyzed reactions (alkaline phosphatase). (DLC)

The utilization potential of geothermal resources in Trans-Pecos, Texas was assessed. The potential for both direct use and electric power generation were examined. As with the resource assessment work, the focus was on the Hueco Tanks area in northeastern El Paso County and the Presidio Bolson area in Presidio County. Suitable users of the Hueco Tanks and Presidio Bolson resource areas were identified by matching postulated temperature characteristics of the geothermal resource to the need characteristics of existing users in each resource area. The amount of geothermal energy required and the amount of fossil fuel that geothermal energy would replace were calculated for each of the users identified as suitable. Current data indicate that temperatures in the Hueco Tanks resource area are not high enough for electric power generation, but in at least part of the Presidio Bolson resource area, they may be high enough for electric power generation.

Two methods for measuring the leach rates of simulated high level waste glass are compared. One is a modification of the standard IAEA method and the other is a one-pass method in which fresh leachant solution is pumped over the sample at a controlled flow rate and temperature. For times up to 3 days, there is close agreement between results from the two methods at 25.0/sup 0/C. Leach rates from the one-pass method show a correlation with flow rate only on day 1 at 25.0/sup 0/C, whereas they show a correlation with flow rate for all three days at 75.0/sup 0/C. /sup 237/Np rates at 75.0/sup 0/C are greater than those at 25.0/sup 0/C, but /sup 239/Pu rates at 75.0/sup 0/C are less than or equal to those at 25.0/sup 0/C.

Current analytical techniques for predicting the transport of nuclides in porous materials center on the Green's function approach - i.e., determining the response characteristics of a geologic pathway to an impulse function input. To data, the analyses all have set the boundary conditions needed to solve the 1-D transport equation as though each pathway were infinite in length. The purpose of this work is to critically examine the effect that this infinite pathway assumption has on Green's function models of nuclide transport in porous media. The work described herein has directly attacked the more difficult problem of obtaining suitable Green's functions for finite pathways whose dimensions, in fact, may not be much greater than the diffusion length. Two different finite media Green's functions describing the nuclide mass flux have been determined, depending on whether the pathway is terminated by a high or a low flow resistance at the outlet end. Pulse shapes and peak amplitudes have been computed for each Green's function over a wide range of geohydrologic parameters. These results have been compared to both infinite and semi-infinite medium solutions. It was found that predicted pulse shapes are quite sensitive to selection of a Green's function model for short …

The processes leading to negative ion production in a hydrogen plasma are reviewed. Dissociative attachment of electrons to highly excited vibrational states of hydrogen molecules appears to be the most probable source of negative ions. The possibility of significant negative ion production via dissociative recombination of H/sub 3//sup +/ with electrons cannot be excluded. The survival probability of vibrationally excited hydrogen molecules in wall collisions may be a critical parameter in interpreting the data.