Progress is reported in a research program whose goals are to expand a date base on the electrical properties of hydrocarbon-air flames, to use the amplified data base to study the interaction of microwaves with the flame both in a combustion bomb and an appropriately designed single-cylinder test engine, and to apply high power microwave energy to the bomb and test engine in order to stimulate the combustion processes. Besides the work on the microwave/flame plasma properties, work was performed on the microwave properties of conventional and modified engine combustion chambers by means of an engine simulator. It was shown that conventional engine cylinders are unsuitable for storing microwaves and that they must be modified. Finally, the work on plasma jet ignition (as one ignition source for the microwave work), was continued. Information is presented on the microwave coupling system, high power microwave testing on a combustion bomb, and the fabrication of facilities for testing a single-cylinder test engine. It was demonstrated that the combined plasma jet/microwave system can be used to advantage to burn very lean mixtures and increase their flame speed. These improvements have been obtained in the limited environment of a combustion bomb. Much more work is …

An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) study of the emissions from intrinsic and injected impurities in TMX is presented. Two survey spectrographs were used to determine that the major impurities present were oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and titanium. Three absolutely-calibrated monochromators were used to measure the time histories and radial profiles of these impurity emissions in the central cell and each plug. Two of these instruments were capable of obtaining radial profiles as a function of time in a single shot.

Silicon dendritic web is a single crystal ribbon form of silicon capable of fabrication into solar cells with AM1 conversion efficiency in excess of 15%. Progress on a study to demonstrate the technology readiness of the web process to meet the national goals for low cost photovoltaic power is reported. Several refinements were introduced into the sensing and control equipment for melt replenishment during web growth and also several areas were identified for cost reduction in the components of the prototype automated web growth furnace. A new circuit has been designed, assembled and tested to eliminate the sensitivity of the detector signal to the intensity of the reflected laser beam used to measure melt level. Noise due to vibrations on the silicon melt surface has also been eliminated. A new variable speed motor has been identified for the silicon feeder. Pellet feeding will be accomplished at a rate programmed to match exactly the silicon removed by web growth. A system to program the initiation of web growth automatically has been designed and first tests initiated. This should eventually result in reduced labor content and improved process reproducibility. Potential cost reductions in the furnace chamber and storage reel have been identified. …

The present investigation concerns the application of the Laser-Powered Homogeneous Pyrolysis (LPHP) technique to the formation of soot precursors during pyrolysis of coal-derived fuels of high carbon-to-hydrogen ratio. This technique is particularly attractive for this purpose. LPHP offers the range of temperatures and heating times required to study the progress of the pyrolysis process. Also, the simplicity of the experimental procedure allows studying many species in a relatively short time. Considerable progress has been made in improving the method of data evaluation, and in developing the method of taking data. A set of equations was derived describing the motion of the strongly heated gas in the sample cell. This set replaces the Boussinesq equations, which are based on the assumption of nearly constant temperature, and used in previous work. A solution scheme for the new set of equations was devised which is no more complicated than the scheme used previously to solve the Boussinesq equations. A set of measurements has been made of the pyrolysis of 1,4-cyclohexadiene. These measurements are serving to establish the validity of the methods used, and are described in Section III. Section IV contains a brief description of the work currently in progress.

Monthly reports documenting San Antonio municipal board activities and city permitting for January 1981.

The tracker uses a single photo sensor, and a rotating aperature to obtain tracking accuracies better than 1.5 mrads (0.1 degs). Peak signal detection is used to eliminate tracking of false sources, i.e., clouds, etc. A prism is employed to obtain an extended field of view (150 degs axially - 360 degs radially). The tracker digitally measures the Suns displacement angle relative to the concentrator axis, and repositions it incrementally. This arrangement permits the use of low cost non-servo motors. The local controller contains microprocessor based electronics, incorporating digital signal processing. A single controller may be time shared by a maximum of sixteen trackers, providing a high performance, cost effective solar tracking system, suitable for both line and point focus concentrators. An installation may have the local controller programmed as a standalone unit or slaved to a central controller. When used with a central controller, dynamic data monitoring and logging is available, together with the ability to change system modes and parameters, as desired.

The viewgraphs from a talk on measurement of performance of applications programs are given. The area of interest is hydrodynamics. Only the viewgraphs are included; there is no text. (RWR)

Fuel cells show great promise as an efficient, nonpolluting vehicular power source that can operate on nonpetroleum fuel. As with other power sources, design tradeoffs can be made that either improve vehicle performance or reduce the size and cost of the fuel cell power system. To evaluate some of these tradeoffs, a number of phosphoric acid fuel cell power plant designs have been studied to determine the performance level they would provide, both for a compact passenger vehicle and a 40-ft city bus. The fuel is steam reformed methanol. The analyses indicate that 1978 fuel cell technology can provide a 22 to 50% improvement in fuel economy over the 1980 EPA estimate for the conventionally powered General Motors X car. With this technology the city bus can meet the DOT acceleration, gradability, and top speed requirements. A reasonable advance in fuel cell technology improves performance and fuel consumption of both vehicles substantially.

The tasks, objectives and completed work are discussed for the legislative and institutional program, cities program, geothermal applications utilization technology, and outreach. The work on the Maryvale Terrace development and the New Mexico Energy Institute are described. (MHR)

Documentation outlining characteristics of field data samples taken in the Fargo quadrangle.

Documentation outlining characteristics of field data samples taken in the Fargo quadrangle.

Data gathered at stream sediment sites in the Fargo quadrangle, including applicable water chemistry measurements (e.g., pH, conductivity, alkalinity) and elemental analyses.

Data gathered at well water sites in the Fargo quadrangle, including applicable water chemistry measurements (e.g., pH, conductivity, alkalinity), physical measurements (e.g., temperature, well description, scintillometer readings), and elemental analyses.

Three areas are reported: geothermal administration, geothermal planning, and other geothermal activities. Administration covers the status of the Imperial Valley Environmental Project transfer, update of the Geothermal Resource Center, and findings of the geothermal field inspections. Planning addresses Board of Supervisor actions, Planning Commission actions, notice of exemptions, and the master Environmental Impact Report for Salton Sea. The other activity includes the County Direct Heat Development study; the solicitation for district heating and cooling proposals; the new Geothermal Class II-1 disposal site; the DOE Region IX meeting in Tucson; and USGA designating a new KGRA, the East Brawley KGRA, the Westmoreland KGRA, and revising the southern border of the Salton Sea KGRA. (MHR)

Documentation outlining characteristics of field data samples taken in the Grand Forks quadrangle.

Documentation outlining characteristics of field data samples taken in the Grand Forks quadrangle.

Data gathered at stream sediment sites in the Grand Forks quadrangle, including applicable water chemistry measurements (e.g., pH, conductivity, alkalinity) and elemental analyses.

Data gathered at well water sites in the Grand Forks quadrangle, including applicable water chemistry measurements (e.g., pH, conductivity, alkalinity), physical measurements (e.g., temperature, well description, scintillometer readings), and elemental analyses.

Extensive NMR measurements of the proton relaxation times have been performed on low (i.e., alpha-phase) and intermediate (i.e., alpha'-phase) hydrogen concentrations in TiCr{sub}2H{sub}x with both the hexagonal Cl4 and cubic Cl5 Laves structures. The relaxation times indicate rapid diffusion rates above 200 K for all the TiCr{sub}2H{sub}x phases; however, large differences in the diffusion activation energies are observed. This behavior is associated with the hydrogen interstitial site occupancies and diffusion pathways becoming restricted in the Cl4 structure.

This report presents field and laboratory data for 642 groundwater samples and 238 stream sediment samples collected from the Fargo quadrangle in North Dakota and Minnesota.

This report presents field and laboratory data for 585 groundwater samples and 201 stream sediment samples collected from the Grand Forks quadrangle in North Dakota and Minnesota.

"Results of a reconnaissance geochemical survey of the Thief River Falls Quadrangle, Minnesota and North Dakota, are reported. Statistical data and symbol plots for uranium and uranium-related variables are presented for 471 groundwater and 342 stream sediment samples. Also included is a discussion on geologic factors considered significant in evaluating the potential for uranium mineralization."

The overall objective of this program is to determine the optical properties of i-Carbon (diamond-like) films and determine if these films can be developed into antireflecting (AR) coatings for silicon solar cells. The i-C films have been produced on glass, silicon, and KCl by radio frequency (RF) plasma decomposition of the alkane gases. Films were also produced on silicon solar cells by low-energy ion beam techniques. These coatings did not perform as well as those made from hydrocarbon gases. Significant progress has been made in understanding the deposition parameters that affect the optical properties of the films. The optical constants n and k have been determined over a large range of process parameters and source gas. The degree of hydrogen incorporation in these films has been studied by SIMS analysis. It was found that the lower optically absorbing films contain more hydrogen. This hydrogen does not, however, manifest itself in fundamental C-H absorption bands in the infrared. Very efficient single-layer quarter-wave i-C AR coatings have been produced on single-crystal and SOC Si solar cells. An increase in cell efficiency of 40% over uncoated cells has been achieved.

Investigations of ion generation and recombination mechanisms in the cesium plasma as they pertain to the advanced mode thermionic energy converter are described. The changes in plasma density and temperature within the converter have been studied under the influence of several promising auxiliary ionization candidate sources. Three novel approaches of external cesium ion generation have been investigated in some detail, namely vibrationally excited N/sub 2/ as an energy source of ionization of Cs ions in a DC discharge, microwave power as a means of resonant sustenance of the cesium plasma, and ion generation in a pulse N/sub 2/-Cs mixture. The experimental data obtained and discussed show that all three techniques - i.e. the non-LTE high-voltage pulsing, the energy transfer from vibrationally excited diatomic gases, and the external pumping with a microwave power - have considerable promise as schemes in auxiliary ion generation applicable to the advanced thermionic energy converter.