AMAX Research Development Center (AMAX R D) has been investigating methods for enhancing the reactivity and durability of the zinc ferrite desulfurization sorbent. Zinc ferrite sorbents are intended for use in desulfurization of hot coal gas in integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) applications. For the present program, the reactivity of the sorbent may be defined as its sulfur sorption capacity at the breakthrough point and at saturation in a bench-scale, fixed-bed reactor. Durability may be defined as the ability of the sorbent to maintain important physical characteristics such As size, strength, and specific surface area during 10 cycles of sulfidation and oxidation.

Two-phase flow exists in many shell-and-tube heat exchangers and power generation components. The flowing fluid is a source of energy that can induce small-amplitude subcritical oscillations and large-amplitude dynamic instabilities. In fact, many practical system components have experienced excessive flow-induced vibrations. To prevent unacceptable flow-induced vibration, we must understand excitation mechanisms, develop analytical and experimental techniques, and provide reliable design guidelines. Thus, we are conducting a comprehensive program to study structural vibration in components subjected to two-phase flow. This report reviews the current understanding of vibration of circular cylinders in quiescent fluid, cross-flow, and axial flow, with emphasis on excitation mechanisms, mathematical models, and available experimental data. A unified theory is presented for cylinders oscillating under different flow conditions. Based on the theory, future research needs are outlined.

The literature on parameterizations of cloud microphysical processes was reviewed to examine the theoretical bases of those parameterizations and to evaluate their applicability to regional models. New parameterizations were produced by multiple regression upon the solution fields derived from simulations of a cloud model incorporating sophisticated microphysics. The currently available rates for cloud microphysical interactions were generally derived under the assumption that the size distribution functions for various hydrometeors are given. Such parameterizations must therefore be applied with caution because the spectral evolution of various types of hydrometeors in reality varies significantly during the stages of cloud development. Uncertainties exist in assigning values for aerodynamic properties such as the bulk collection efficiency, and the growth processes for various types of ice crystals are not well enough known for accurate multiphase cloud-microphysics parameterizations. The new parameterizations, in general, compare favorably with those currently available and are more efficient and applicable to regional models. The largest discrepancies occur in the autoconversion rates, whereas the accretion rates agree closely when the assumed collection efficiencies in other formulas are smaller than unity.

Weight losses of marble and limestone samples exposed to outdoor environments at field sites in the eastern United States have been monitored in studies initiated in 1984. The procedures are described, and the results are tabulated and discussed. A rate of marble loss approximately equivalent to 16 micrometers of surface recession per year was found in North Carolina, and losses of this order were also observed in New Jersey, New York, and Washington, DC. Limestone weight losses were much higher than for marble in the first year; loss of extraneous materials from the porous limestone appeared to be a likely contributor to the overall loss. The rate of limestone loss diminished in the second year, though it continued to be higher than for marble. Exposures are continuing in a planned 10-yr program of tests.

Report of activities of the Argonne Physics Division, including medium-energy physics research, ATLAS research, theoretical nuclear physics, superconducting LINAC development, and accelerator operations.

The application of microwave energy for in-container solidification of simulated transuranic contaminated precipitation sludges has been tested. Results indicate volume reductions to 83% are achievable by the continuous feeding of pre-dried sludge into a waste container while applying microwave energy. An economic evaluation was completed showing achievable volume and weight reductions to 87% compared with a current immobilization process for wet sludge. 7 refs., 15 figs., 16 tabs.

This report deals with the feasibility of reducing the amount of char on a barrier filter by in-place gasification. Compared to the very rapid pyrolysis step, the gasification of char on a filter requires substantial time under conditions that favor the gasification reactions. Three categories of information were of greatest interest: (1) The origin, characteristics and properties of the char. (2) The conditions under which the char was gasified and the rates and extents of the gasification reactions. (3) Any interpretation or mathematical modelling of the experimental results. 74 refs., 10 tabs.

In July 1985, Champion International completed a study of kraft black liquor gasification and use of the product gases in a combined cycle cogeneration system based on gas turbines. That study indicated that gasification had high potential as an alternative to recovery boiler technology and offered many advantages. This paper describes the design of the plant, the construction of the pilot plant, and finally presents data from operation of the plant.

This report involves the actions of closing the 643-G burial ground which involves waste removal, stabilization, and capping. Remedial action involves the removing of the transuranic waste and closing of the grid wells. The closure cap for the burial site will consist of native soil, clay, and gravel. This will assure long-term physical and chemical stability. (MB)

A review of previous efforts in process monitoring for safeguards was conducted. Previous efforts touched on various concepts and a few specific applications, but none was comprehensive in addressing all aspects of a process monitoring application for safeguards. This report develops prototypical process monitoring concepts that can be incorporated into the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA's) general safeguards approach for fuel reprocessing plants. This effort considers existing approaches, recognizing limitations and needed improvements. Prototypical process monitoring applications are developed and proposed for implementation and demonstration in the Integrated Equipment Test facility, which is located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The specific information needed to accomplish the process monitoring objectives are defined, and the mechanics for obtaining that information are described. Effort is given to the identification and assessment of potential impacts and benefits associated with process monitoring concepts, with particular attention to IAEA, state, and plant operator interests. The historical development of process monitoring is described and the implications of using process monitoring in international safeguards are discussed. Specific process process monitoring applications for demonstration in the IET facility are developed in Sects. 6 through 14. 1 fig.

The goal of the DOE/SERI Aquatic Species Program is to develop the technology to produce gasoline and diesel fuels from microalgae. Microalgae can accumulate large quantities of lipids and can thrive in high salinity water, which currently has no other use.

This report summarizes a study initiated to review and assess international developments in the geothermal energy field and to define business opportunities for the US geothermal industry. The report establishes data bases on the status of worldwide geothermal development and the competitiveness of US industry. Other factors identified include existing legislation, tax incentives, and government institutions or agencies and private sector organizations that promote geothermal exports. Based on the initial search of 177 countries and geographic entities, 71 countries and areas were selected as the most likely targets for the expansion of the geothermal industry internationally. The study then determined to what extent their geothermal resource had been developed, what countries had aided or participated in this development, and what plans existed for future development. Data on the energy, economic, and financial situations were gathered.

A conceptual space platform consists of a payload, a power conditioning unit (PCU), and two radiators: the main radiator and a secondary radiator. A computer program was written to determine the required size of the two radiators and the temperatures of the PCU and payload for a given platform power level. An iterative approach is necessary because the required size of the main radiator depends on the size of the secondary radiator and vice versa. Also, the temperatures of the payload and PCU depend on the size of the radiators. The program user can subdivide the two radiators into any number of nodes to increase the accuracy of the radiant heat transfer solution. The use of more nodes also allows better prediction of the nonlinear temperature drop that occurs across the radiators as the working fluid deposits the platform's waste heat in the radiator. View factor expressions are automatically calculated for different choices of the number of nodes. The user can also select different separation distances between the various platform structures. A model is included to couple the radiant and conduction heat transfer that occurs between the payload and its meteoroid shell and between the PCU and its shell. Also, …

Proposed and approved funding budget for Nolan County, Texas for the the year 1987-1988.

The new Tokamak Systems Code, used to investigate Compact Ignition Tokamaks (CITs), can simultaneously vary many parameters, satisfy many constraints, and minimize or maximize a figure of merit. It is useful in comparing different CIT design configurations over wide regions of parameter space and determining a desired design point for more detailed physics and engineering analysis, as well as for performing sensitivity studies for physics or engineering issues. Operational windows in major radius (R) and toroidal field (B) space for fixed ignition margin are calculated for the Ignifed and Inconel candidate CITs. The minimum R bounds are predominantly physics limited, and the maximum R portions of the windows are engineering limited. For a modified Kaye-Goldston plasma-energy-confinement scaling, the minimum size is 1.15 m for the Ignifed device and 1.25 m for the Inconel device. With the Ignition Technical Oversight Committee (ITOC) physics guidance of B/sup 2/a/q and I/sub p/ >10 MA, the Ignifed and Base-line Inconel devices have a minimum size of 1.2 and 1.25 m and a toroidal field of 11 and 10.4 T, respectively. Sensitivity studies show Ignifed to be more sensitive to coil temperature changes than the Inconel device, whereas the Inconel device is more sensitive to …

An actinide aqueous waste treatment process using activated magnetite has been developed at Rocky Flats. The use and effectiveness of various magnetites in lowering actinide concentrations in aqueous solution are described. Experiments indicate that magnetite particle size and pretreatment (activation of the magnetite surface with hydroxyl ions greatly influence the effective use of magnetite as an actinide adsorbent. With respect to actinide removal, Ba(OH)/sub 2/-activated magnetite was more effective over a broader pH range than was NaOH-activated magnetite. About 50% less Ba(OH)/sub 2/-activated magnetite was required to lower plutonium concentration from 10/sup -4/ to 10/sup -8/ g/l. 7 refs., 8 tabs.

This report describes tests performed in Phase I of the NRC Component Fragility Research Program. The purpose of these tests was to demonstrate procedures for characterizing the seismic fragility of a selected component, investigating how various parameters affect fragility, and finally using test data to develop practical fragility descriptions suitable for application in probabilistic risk assessments. A three-column motor control center housing motor controllers of various types and sizes as well as relays of different types and manufacturers was subjected to seismic input motions up to 2.5g zero period acceleration. To investigate the effect of base flexibility on the structural behavior of the MCC and on the functional behavior of the electrical devices, multiple tests were performed on each of four mounting configurations: four bolts per column with top bracking, four bolts per column with no top brace, four bolts per column with internal diagonal bracking, and two bolts per column with no top or internal bracking. Device fragility was characterized by contact chatter correlated to local in-cabinet response at the device location. Seismic capacities were developed for each device on the basis of local input motion required to cause chatter; these results were then applied to develop probabilistic fragility …

This report describes the tasks necessary to change the Tevatron into a proton-proton collider. Also included in the discussion is an estimate of the cost to carry out the modification. 4 figs., 3 tabs. (JDH)

The rapidly oscillating, variable density flows of regenerative heat engines provide a class of poorly understood unsteady flow and heat transfer problems. These problems are not currently amenable to direct experimental resolution. Experiences in engine development and test programs and efforts to develop analysis tools point to the regenerator as a key area of insufficient understanding. Focusing on flow and heat transfer in regenerators, this report discusses similarity parameters for the flows and reviews the experimental data currently available for Stirling analysis. Then a number of experimental results are presented from recent fundamental fluid mechanical and thermal investigations that shed additional light on the functioning of heat engine regenerators. Suggestions are made for approaches for further measurement and analysis efforts.

The PISCES facility is used to conduct controlled plasma-surface interaction experiments. Plasma parameters typical of those found in the edge plasmas of major fusion confinement experiments are produced. In this work, the energy distribution of the ion flux incident on a material surface is measured using a gridded energy analyzer in place of a material sample. The full width at half maximum energy distribution of the ion flux is found to vary from 10 eV to 30 eV both hydrogen and deuterium plasmas. Helium plasmas have a much lower FWHM energy spread than hydrogen and deuterium plasmas. The FWHM ion energy spread is found to be linearly related to the electron temperature. The most probable ion energy is found to be linearly related to the bias applied to the energy analyzer. Other plasma parameters have a weak influence upon the energy distribution of the ion flux. Two possible physical mechanisms for producing the observed results are introduced and suggestions for further work are made. The impact of the reported measurements on the materials experiments conducted in the PISCES facility are discussed and recommendations for future experiments are made. 11 refs., 13 figs.

Pacific Northwest Laboratory performed a two-step process to characterize the current beta measurement practices at DOE facilities. PNL issued a survey questionnaire on beta measurement practices to DOE facilities and reported the results. PNL measured beta doses and spectra at seven selected DOE facilities and compared selected measurement techniques in the facility environment. This report documents the results of the radiation field measurements and the comparison of measurement techniques at the seven facilities. Data collected included beta dose and spectral measurements at seven DOE facilities that had high beta-to-gamma ratios (using a silicon surface barrier spectrometer, a plastic scintillator spectrometer, and a multielement beta dosimeter). Other dosimeters and survey meters representative of those used at DOE facilities or under development were also used for comparison. Field spectra were obtained under two distinct conditions. Silicon- and scintillation-based spectrometer systems were used under laboratory conditions where high beta-to-gamma dose ratios made the beta spectra easier to observe and analyze. In the second case, beta spectrometers were taken into actual production and maintenance areas of DOE facilities. Analyses of beta and gamma spectra showed that /sup 234/Th- /sup 234m/Pa, /sup 231/Th, /sup 137/Cs, and /sup 90/Sr//sup 90/Y were the major nuclides contributing to …

This study discusses the negative economic impact on local cities and counties and the State of Washington of a permanent closure of nuclear materials production at the Hanford Site, located in the southeastern part of the state. The loss of nuclear materials production, the largest and most important of the five Department of Energy (DOE) missions at Hanford, could occur if Hanford's N Reactor is permanently closed and not replaced. The study provides estimates of statewide and local losses in jobs, income, and purchases from the private sector caused by such an event; it forecasts impacts on state and local government finances; and it describes certain local community and social impacts in the Tri-Cities (Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco) and surrounding communities. 33 refs., 8 figs., 22 tabs.

This project was undertaken to determine the chemical behavior of alkali metal and other species implicated in the ash fouling which can occur during the combustion of low rank coals. The coal combustion was studied in unaugmented premixed pulverized coal flames. Vapor species were measured by molecular beam mass spectrometry. Temperatures were also measured, and time-resolved coal/ash particulate samples were collected and analyzed. A major part of the research on this project was devoted to: (1) the development and refinement of techniques for the MBMS analysis of trace quantities of unstable and reactive high temperature vapor species from the pulverized coal flames; and (2) the time-resolved sampling and collection of particulates. The equipment is now operating very satisfactorily. Inorganic species, some of which were present at parts-per-million levels, were quantitatively sampled and measured in the pulverized coal flames. Time-resolved particulate samples which were free of vapor deposited contaminants were collected without the use of an interfering substrate. Profiles of the alkali metal species in Beulah lignite and Decker subbituminous coal flames were obtained. It was found in both flames that sodium is volatilized as the atomic species early (milliseconds) in the combustion process. The gaseous Na reacts, also in milliseconds, …

A new variational principle is proposed for determining the asymptotic expansion of the solution of the Ackerberg-O'Malley resonance problem to any order in epsilon. The method used differs from that originally proposed by Grasman and Matkowsky in that variations are allowed in the boundary values of a transformed problem, making the calculation applicable to any order in epsilon. Explicit results using the new approach are reported to O(epsilon) and confirmed with asymptotic expansions of the exact solution. The O(1) results agree with those reported in the literature, and the O(epsilon) results are new. It is not difficult to perform the higher order calculations using the new variational approach, in contrast to the current methods in use. In the case where the coefficient functions are analytic in the independent variable and epsilon, and the outer expansion satisfies a certain restriction, the exact solution presented provides an alternative and equally simple method for calculating the asymptotic expansion to any order in epsilon. 14 refs.