A parametric study was performed to provide an estimate of the number of non-residential solar demonstration projects that will be required to start a commercial industry in solar equipment manufacturing, marketing, financing, and installation. An opinion survey was conducted among several experts in the field and results are shown. A techno-economic computer simulation of the solar industry was constructed. This simulation predicts the response of the marketplace to the ERDA program. The computer model showed that ERDA should offer to pay 75% of the initial cost of the system plus 90% of the maintenance and insurance costs over the next 20 years. The predicted response of the marketplace to the ERDA offer of 75%/90% is that 667 demonstration units would be built in all regions of the country, except the region around Seattle, Washington. (MHR)

One of the major problems needing consideration when bringing a geothermal field into production is the anticipation and control of mineral precipitation in both the producing formations and production equipment. Prediction of the chemical interactions between natural multicomponent thermal fluids and the minerals comprising a producing formation can be accomplished by the study of equilibrium models approximating the natural system. Models are constructed from theoretically and experimentally derived thermodynamic data for the involved minerals and aqueous species. This equilibrium modeling approach was applied to the rock-water system at the East Mesa geothermal area in the Imperial Valley of California. Results of petrographic and fluid analyses are given. (JGB)

Porous carbon fiber paper was selected as the cathode membrane and electrode assembly support based on over 1200 hr operational evaluation. Three potential anode supports are under test. All three appear technically satisfactory after 500 to 1200 hr operational evaluation on each. Optimization of molds and molding techniques for a foil backed ribbed carbon collector of bipolar design, including ribbed flow fields, manifolds, ports and sealing surfaces, is in process. Over 2800 hr demonstrated at 300/sup 0/F on platinum screened cell. Over 2200 hr demonstrated at 300/sup 0/F on cell with carbon cloth cathode current collector. Forty-eight hours screening tests of 56 different anode catalysts have been completed. A 500-hr life test program of 12 anode catalyst types which showed promise on the screening tests has been started. Attempts to stabilize RuO/sub x/ for use as an anode catalyst are being pursued. Low loaded cathodes on graphite substrates show performance to within 25 MV of baseline. Optimization of substrate thickness and fabrication procedures is continuing. Twenty-five low loaded anodes catalyst/substrate combinations have all shown poor performance stability with time. Continued development of the grafted TFS membrane has shown greatly improved physical characteristics and encouraging performance for samples in the 25 …

A conceptual model is developed for the three-dimensional temperature history of a multipass, filled weldment. Property variations with temperature and phase change are included. A mathematical model and finite difference equations are derived from the conceptual model and a solution procedure for the equations is presented.

Seven releases of fission products occurred in EBR-II from January 1974 to March 1975 - - five from mixed-oxide elements and two from sodium-bonded driver-fuel elements. Four releases were from elements that contained a xenon tag, which aided considerably in locating three of the elements; data from the fourth element allowed estimation of changes of tag composition with reactor exposure. Rapid release of fission from two breached mixed-oxide elements caused the reactor to trip because of increased delayed-neutron activity, the first time such behavior has been observed. Identification of a subassembly of Mark-1A driver-fuel elements was complicated by multiple failure of its untagged elements during the diagnosis period. Several of these elements had some exposed fuel in the core, which was the likely cause of increasing delayed-neutron signals from the subassembly.

Costs and benefits of various urban air pollution control policies have been examined in Phase 1 of the Environmental Pollutants and the Urban Economy study being conducted jointly by Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago. The need for sound economic evaluation of air quality regulations is evidenced by the resistance of many industries to pollution control policies based solely on the technical feasibility of achieving public health-related standards. For many firms that emit air pollutants, the cost of not complying with some regulations is significantly less than the cost of compliance. This final report on the Phase 1 research presents highlights of what has been learned, the mechanisms developed for transferring results to users, a bibliography of documents produced during the project, and a collection of correspondence, articles, and evaluation illuminating the use of project work by others.

Three-dimensional radiographic methods provide a means of determining the depth of defect indications and minimizing the confusion that results from overlapping images of structures at various depths in an object. One method of obtaining and displaying three-dimensional radiographic images is multiple-film laminagraphy, i.e., a series of radiographic films taken at different orientations can be viewed superimposed to present a sharply focused image of any desired object plane. Methods that use multiple-film laminagraphy for three-dimensional thermal-neutron images will be described.

A direct-electrical-heating apparatus has been designed and fabricated to investigate those nuclear-fuel-related phenomena involved in the gap closure-bridging annulus formation mechanism that can be reproduced in an out-of-reactor environment. Prototypic light-water-reactor uranium dioxide fuel-pellet temperature profiles have been generated utilizing high flow rates (approximately 700 liters/min) of helium coolant gas, and a re-circulating system has been fabricated to permit tests of up to 1000 h. Simulated light-water-reactor single- and multiple-thermal-cycle experiments will be conducted on both unclad and ceramic (fused silica) clad uranium dioxide pellet stacks. A laser dilatometer is used to measure pellet dimensional increase continuously during thermal cycling. Acoustic emissions from thermal-gradient cracking have been detected and correlated with crack length and crack area. The acoustic emissions are monitored continuously to provide instantaneous information about thermal-gradient cracking. Post-test metallography and fracture-mechanics measurements are utilized to characterize cracking and crack healing.

The design and performance of a solar hot water system for can washing at the Campbell Soup Plant in Sacramento, California, are presented. The collector field is located on the roof of the finished products warehouse of the Campbell Soup Sacramento plant. Water is supplied from a 3.8 cm (1/sup 1///sub 2/ in.) supply line which is located directly below an existing roof access hatch. A supply pipe will be brought up through that hatch. The water flow will then be split into two manifold lines which supply the dual rows of flat plate collectors. The preheated water from the flat plates is then passed into six sets of parallel connected concentrators. Each set consist of eight 1.83 x 3.05 m (6 x 10 foot) modules connected in series. The water from these units is gathered in a 3.8 cm (1/sup 1///sub 2/ in.) insulated pipe which transports it to the storage tank. This pipe will be attached to an existing pipe run until it reaches the can washing building. From there the pipe will follow the can washing building around to the storage tank. The storage tank is a 75,200 1 (20,000 gal) steel tank which is coated internally …

The objective of this investigation was to establish the allowable design loads (tension, shear, and combined load) for expansion bolts to be installed in regular 4000 psi mix concrete, Magnetite 5000 psi mix concrete, and Steel Shot 5000 psi mix concrete at the Fast Flux Test Facility. The test loads included Static Loads and Alternating Loads which simulate the dynamic loads of vibratory equipment and dynamic earthquake loads.

This report is a survey of Trends and Issues of United States-West European Relations from 1974 to 1976.

As a result of an explosion in the Waste Treatment Facility, 242-Z Building, 200 West Area of the Hanford Reservation on August 30, 1976, the Manager of the Richland Operations Office (RL), Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA), appointed an ERDA Committee to conduct a formal investigation and to prepare a report on their findings of this occurrence. The Committee was instructed to conduct the investigation in accordance with ERDAMC 0502, insofar as circumstances would permit, to cover and explain technical elements of the casual sequence(s) of the occurrence, and to describe management systems which should have or could have prevented the occurrence. This report is the result of the investigation and presents the conclusions of the review.

The intent of this study is to: (1) make a preliminary assessment of the accuracy and precision of insolation data with respect to user requirements, and (2) make a corresponding assessment of the minimum/maximum geographic network coverage. In order to make these preliminary assessments, several specific questions have been addressed. Specifically: (1) how should users of solar radiation be classified and what principal uses of the data are made by each class, (2) what temporal and spatial properties of the data network are required to adequately serve the defined uses and users of solar radiation data, (3) to what degree does the existing network and associated data fulfill the desired data system properties, and (4) what criteria should be applied in identifying and evaluating expanded network/data options. The findings and conclusions of investigation of these questions are presented.

A cation exchange column in americium recovery service exploded on August 30, 1976 at the Hanford plutonium-finishing plant operated by Atlantic Richfield Hanford Company for the Energy Research and Development Administration at Richland, Washington. The column burst, shattering the glovebox windows. Detectable but small amounts of americium were released from the building in which the explosion occurred. Decontamination efforts and physical repairs to equipment and facilities are estimated to cost less than $500,000. The probable cause of the explosion of the cation exchange column is an exothermic reaction between 7 molar nitric acid and radiation-produced degradation products from the resin (Dowex 50W-X8). The postulated chemical reaction caused pressure to build within the column until the strength of the six-inch diameter, schedule-ten, stainless-steel pipe was exceeded and the column exploded. Radiation from the more than 100 grams of americium on the cation resin for over five months caused the resin degradation. This report covers only the explosion of the cation exchange column and closely related major events and actions. 30 refs., 6 figs.

An exploratory research effort to find new molecular lasers in the 7-16 ..mu..m wavelength range, in particular lasers with wavelengths at 7.7, 8.6, and 16 ..mu..m wavelengths, is described. The specific initial objectives were: (1) to explore Raman scattering of CO/sub 2/ radiation in a liquid and molecular gas and (2) to explore chemically excited metal fluorides as laser candidates for the 12-16 ..mu..m wavelength range.

Studies of fusion reactors applied to synthetic fuel (synfuel) production have included detailed nucleonic analyses. Scoping studies were first performed to satisfy constraints such as net tritium breeding, and optimization of energy production in high-temperature vs moderate-temperature blanket regions. Detailed characteristics of a chosen reference design were then computed, including spatial distributions of kerma, dpa, hydrogen and helium production, and tritium breeding. The reference design provides a breeding ratio of 1.11 while depositing 42% of the recoverable energy in the high-temperature region used as a thermochemical process heat source. At a 1-MW/m/sup 2/ first-wall neutron loading, displacement damage and helium production in steel are a maximum of 11 dpa/yr and 111 appm/yr, respectively.

The baseline design for a 10 MW proof-of-concept pilot central receiver solar power plant is described. Detailed designs for the collector, steam generator, and thermal storage subsystem research experiments are presented. (WHK)

The history of geothermal well drilling in Hawaii is reviewed briefly. The following are discussed: the geophysical program, pre-drilling speculative models, geothermal reservoir engineering, the drilling program, the measurement activities, a preliminary reservoir analysis of HGP-A well, and future activities. (MHR)

This report presents a test program for the Niland Geothermal Test Facility. It contains a detailed description of 18 tasks. Each of these tasks discusses the objectives, justification and relation to future design, general test procedures, test conditions, required experimental measurements, and methods of calculation and expected results. Implementation of these tasks will provide the basic information necessary for the design, construction, and initial operation of a 50-MWe geothermal demonstration plant.

At present, there are basically three different systems for converting energy in geothermal fluid into power: vapor-flashing system, total flow system, and binary system. A comparison of the power production processes was made on the basis of work output in Kwh per 1000 pounds of geothermal fluid for self flowing wells with wellhead pressure of 100 psia and for wells with downhole pumps. For simplicity, the assumptions were made that the enthalpy of the geothermal fluid in the reservoir is approximately equal to that at the wellhead, that the thermodynamic properties of geothermal fluid may be approximated by those of water, and that the pressure effects on the properties of fluid are negligible. The results showed that the performance of the two-stage vapor-flashing system is not appreciably improved by using a downhole pump. The total flow system is simple, but its success depends mainly on the development of a reliable machine with sufficiently high thermal efficiency. The regenerative isobutane system is impractical, if the geothermal fluid temperature is below 380/sup 0/F. But, when the brine temperatures range from 485 to 600/sup 0/F, the regenerative isobutane system with downhole pump exhibits superior performance as compared to two-stage vapor-flashing system, basic isobutane …

From objective and plan: The airborne data gathered were reduced using ground-based computer facilities to give the basic uranium, thorium and potassium equivalent gamma radiation intensities, ratios of these intensities, aircraft altitude above the earth's surface, total gamma ray and earth's magnetic field intensity, correlated as a function of geologic units indicated from available geologic maps. Results of analyses of these field data are presented as profile plots of the gamma radiation and earth's magnetic field.

From objective and plan: The airborne data gathered were reduced using ground-based computer facilities to give the basic uranium, thorium and potassium equivalent gamma radiation intensities, ratios of these intensities, aircraft altitude above the earth's surface, total gamma ray and earth's magnetic field intensity, correlated as a function of geologic units indicated from available geologic maps. Results of analyses of these field data are presented as profile plots of the gamma radiation and earth's magnetic field.

From objective and plan: The airborne data gathered were reduced using ground-based computer facilities to give the basic uranium, thorium and potassium equivalent gamma radiation intensities, ratios of these intensities, aircraft altitude above the earth's surface, total gamma ray and earth's magnetic field intensity, correlated as a function of geologic units indicated from available geologic maps. Results of analyses of these field data are presented as profile plots of the gamma radiation and earth's magnetic field.

From objective and plan: The airborne data gathered were reduced using ground-based computer facilities to give the basic uranium, thorium and potassium equivalent gamma radiation intensities, ratios of these intensities, aircraft altitude above the earth's surface, total gamma ray and earth's magnetic field intensity, correlated as a function of geologic units indicated from available geologic maps. Results of analyses of these field data are presented as profile plots of the gamma radiation and earth's magnetic field.