The Plutonium Fuel Form Facility (for producing /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ for RTG's) remains in a production readiness mode of operation. (DLC)

The primary goal of the geothermal materials program is to ensure that the private sector development of geothermal energy resources is not constrained by the availability of technologically and economically viable materials of construction. This requires the performance of long-term high risk GHTD-sponsored materials R and D. Ongoing programs described include high temperature elastomers for dynamic sealing applications, advanced materials for lost circulation control, waste utilization and disposal, corrosion resistant elastomeric liners for well casing, and non-metallic heat exchangers. 9 refs.

A closed circuit tubular cooling system for superconducting magnets offers advantages of limiting boiloff and containing high pressures during quenches. Proper location of automatic valves to lower pressures and protect the refrigerator in the event of quenches is described. Theoretical arguments and exprimental evidence are given against a previously suggested method to determine He two phase flow regimes. If loss of flow occurs due to some types of refrigeration failure and transfer lines have enough heat leak to warm up, quenches are induced when the flow is restored. Examples are taken from experience with the TPC magnet.

This report documents the results of the testing performed at Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the applicability of a sodium freeze seal type valve stem in a molten salt environment. The freeze seal tests consisted of cycling the valve stem at set temperature intervals, checking the temperature distribution for freeze plug location, and verifying the actuator forces. In addition to the test results, this report also documents the engineering analysis and other tasks performed before testing to form a basis for predicted test conditions and recommendations for the test program.

The production cross sections for the actinide products from /sup 136/Xe bombardments of /sup 249/Cf at energies 1.02, 1.09, and 1.16 times the Coulomb barrier were determined. Fractions of the individual actinide elements were chemically separated from recoil catcher foils. The production cross sections of the actinide products were determined by measuring the radiations emitted from the nuclides within the chemical fractions. The chemical separation techniques used in this work are described in detail, and a description of the data analysis procedure is included. The actinide production cross section distributions from these /sup 136/Xe + /sup 249/Cf bombardments are compared with the production cross section distributions from other heavy ion bombardments of actinide targets, with emphasis on the comparison with the /sup 136/Xe + /sup 248/Cm reaction. A technique for modeling the final actinide cross section distributions has been developed and is presented. In this model, the initial (before deexcitation) cross section distribution with respect to the separation energy of a dinuclear complex and with respect to the Z of the target-like fragment is given by an empirical procedure. It is then assumed that the N/Z equilibration in the dinuclear complex occurs by the transfer of neutrons between the two …

In this paper we discuss efforts underway at LLNL to develop the technology for the measurement of proton and alpha-particle reactions with unstable nuclei which are necessary for understanding the nucleosynthesis and energy generation in hot hydrogen-burning environments. 16 refs., 5 figs.

A chemical reaction is treated as a quantum transition from reactants to products. A specific reaction Hamiltonian (in second quantization formalism) is introduced. The approach leads to Franck-Condon-like factor, and adiabatic method in the framework of the nuclear motion problems. The influence of reagent vibrational state on the product energy distribution has been studied following the reaction Hamiltonian method. Two different cases (fixed available energy and fixed translational energy) are distinguished. Results for several biomolecular reactions are presented. 40 refs., 5 figs.

The reasons that led to study supersymmetric models in the context of inflation are reviewed by setting up the constraints that candidates to an inflationary scenario must satisfy. The question is raised whether the groundstate of the new scalar field introduced, the inflaton, breaks supersymmetry. This is discussed in connection with the so-called thermal constraint. Some problems about the study of thermal fluctuations are discussed. The different models available are reviewed and the way they address those issues. A discussion of baryon number generation and of the gravitino problem follows. 67 refs., 4 figs. (LEW)

From inelastic neutron scattering experiments, it is concluded that the crystal-field splitting in PrD/sub 1.95/ is 41 meV. Because of this high value, the antiferromagnetic ordering below T/sub N/ = 2.3 K is ascribed to a magnetic ground state, probably GAMMA/sub 5/, of the Pr/sup 3 +/ ions.

This document was written for the National Low-Level Waste Management Program to provide guidance for managers and site operators who need to select ground-water transport codes for assessing shallow-land burial site performance. The guidance given in this report also serves the needs of applications-oriented users who work under the direction of a manager or site operator. The guidelines are published in two volumes designed to support the needs of users having different technical backgrounds. An executive summary, published separately, gives managers and site operators an overview of the main guideline report. Volume 1, titled ''Guideline Approach,'' consists of Chapters 1 through 5 and a glossary. Chapters 2 through 5 provide the more detailed discussions about the code selection approach. This volume, Volume 2, consists of four appendices reporting on the technical evaluation test cases designed to help verify the accuracy of ground-water transport codes. 20 refs.

ALKACYCL is a computer program that analyzes Rankine power cycles utilizing an alkali metal as the cycle working fluid. Cycles may have from zero to three stages of regenerative feed heating. The program is written in BASICA language and can be used on an IBM-PC or PC-compatible computer with 128 kbytes of RAM. Output results include mass and energy balance information, cycle efficiency, and sizes and weights for piping and feed heaters. Listing and sample program output are included.

This report summarizes an examination of physical property data available in the literature for six alloys of potential interest to the Toroidal Fusion Core Experiment in the Fusion Energy Program. The properties of thermal expansion, density, specific heat, electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity were compiled for six alloys: Nitronic 33, a low-nickel, high manganese stainless steel; nickel-base Inconnel Alloys 625, 718, and X-750; and copper alloys C10400 and C17510. The temperatures of interest were 4-500 K for the Nitronic 33 and the Inconels, and 250-400 K for the copper alloys. Where data were lacking, estimates were made based on theory or comparisons with similar materials.

The luminous region of the plasma cloud surrounding deuterium pellets injected into a tokamak is studied spectroscopically. At the time of peak luminosity the average electron density is 2.4 x 10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/ to within 30% and the temperature is at most 2.0 eV. The intensity ratio of the Balmer alpha and beta light from the pellets, the total number of emitted photons, and the apparent size of the radiating region are consistent with local thermodynamic equilibrium at this temperature and density.

SIGMA PI is the fastest method available today of accurately calculating probabilities associated with large fault trees. To demonstrate this, we describe the major problems that have prevented successful evaluation of these probabilities by other methods in the past. Then, we describe how SIGMA PI addresses all of these problems, and we compare the performance of SIGMA PI with that of leading alternative methods under selected problem scenarios. 13 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Angular distributions for nucleon induced reactions (incident energies 14 to 90 MeV) leading to precompound nucleon emission in the continuum (emitted particle energies 9-70 MeV) are calculated based on nucleon-nucleon scattering kinematics for an incident nucleon on a Fermi gas. Analytic expressions due to Kikuchi and Kawai are used for the single scattering kernel. The geometry dependent hybrid model is used to generate the differential cross sections for first, second, etc. order scattering, these weightings being used to fold the single scattering kernel. Results are found to reproduce all experimental angular distributions quite well at angles in the 20/sup 0/ to 90/sup 0/ range. Ad-hoc modifications to approximate quantal effects and Coulomb deflections are explored, but the results do not seem to offer a consistent means of reproducing back angle yields, and give generally poorer results at very forward angles.

Sandia's Sodium Purification Loop was constructed to purify sodium for fast reactor safety experiments. An oxide impurity of less than 10 parts per million is required by these in-pile experiments. Commercial, reactor grade sodium is purchased in 180 kg drums. The sodium is melted and transferred into the unit. The unit is of a loop design and purification is accomplished by ''cold trapping.'' Sodium purified in this loop has been chemically analysed at one part per million oxygen by weight. 5 refs., 22 figs., 7 tabs.

Two dimensional Cartesian and axially-symmetric problems in electrostatics or magnetostatics frequently are solved numerically by means of relaxation techniques - employing, for example, the program POISSON. In many such problems the ''sources'' (charges or currents, and regions of permeable material) lie exclusively within a finite closed boundary curve and the relaxation process in principle then could be confined to the region interior to such a boundary - provided a suitable boundary condition is imposed onto the solution at the boundary. This paper discussed and illustrates the use of a boundary condition of such a nature, in order thereby to avoid the inaccuracies and more extensive meshes present when alternatively a simple Dirichlet or Neumann boundary condition is specified on a somewhat more remote outer boundary.

A new tricritical point on the phase boundary between the superconducting vortex phase and the normal paramagnetic phase of ErRh/sub 4/B/sub 4/ is presented. The microscopic origin of the tricritical point and the expected tricritical behavior are briefly discussed.

Molecular dynamics simulations for a variety of systems in 2 spatial dimensions reveal fractual behavior associated with trajectories and isosets of single particle motion. The fractual dimensions of trajectories and isosets are 2 and 0.5, respectively, irrespective of the nature of the interparticle interaction or thermodynamic state of the system. Recently, we have investigated the fractual behavior of diffusing Ag ions in the superionic phase of Ag/sub 2/S. MD calculations have shown that the Ag ions diffuse anisotropically along certain directions in the lattice of S particles. Fractual dimensions D and anti D for Ag ions are again 2 and 0.5, respectively. These results confirm the universal nature of fractual dimensions of trails and isosets.

In large-scale systems, integrated and coordinated control functions are required to maximize plant availability, to allow maneuverability through various power levels, and to meet externally imposed regulatory limitations. Nuclear power plants are large-scale systems. Prime subsystems are those that contribute directly to the behavior of the plant's ultimate output. The prime subsystems in a nuclear power plant include reactor, primary and intermediate heat transport, steam generator, turbine generator, and feedwater system. This paper describes and discusses the continuous-variable control system developed to supervise prime plant subsystems for optimal control and coordination.

The Colonie site is a DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) site located in the Town of Colonie, New York, and consisting of an interim storage site and several vicinity properties. The Colonie Interim Storage Site (CISS) is the former National Lead (NL) Industries plant located at 1130 Central Avenue. There are 11 vicinity properties that received remedial action in 1984: 7 located south of the site on Yardboro and Palmer Avenues just across the Colonie-Albany town limits in Albany, and 4 located northwest of the site along Central Avenue in Colonie. Of these properties, nine are residences and two are commercial properties. This document describes the engineering design, construction, and associated plans for remedial action on the vicinity properties and the interim storage site. These plans include both radiological and chemical work. Radiological work includes: excavating the above-guideline radioactive wastes on the vicinity properties; designing required facilities for the interim storage site; preparing the interim storage site to receive these contaminated materials; transporting the contaminated materials to the interim waste storage stockpile; and preparing necessary schedules for accomplishing the remedial actions. Chemical work involves: developing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) closure plans; neutralizing chemical hazards …

Three different neutron sources were used to irradiate identical sets of NbTi superconductors up to about half the lifetime dose of a superconducting magnet in a fusion reactor. Based on a careful source characterization of the TRIGA Mark-II reactor in Vienna, the spallation neutron source IPNS at Argonne and the 14 MeV neutron source RTNS-II at Livermore, the damage energy cross sections were calculated for four different types of NbTi alloys (42, 46.5, 49 and 54 wt % Ti). The experimental results on the variations of critical current densities j/sub c/ with neutron dose are found to scale within the experimental uncertainties with the appropriate damage energy cross sections. This first explicit proof of damage energy scaling for j/sub c/-variations in superconductors is considered to be most valuable for the evaluation of radiation damage in superconductors under fusion reactor conditions. 12 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.

This booklet is a simple operator's guide to the EPICS system.

The Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) provides real-time assessments of the consequences resulting from an atmospheric release of radioactive material. In support of this operation, a system has been created which integrates numerical models, data acquisition systems, data analysis techniques, and professional staff. Of particular importance is the rapid generation of graphical images of the terrain surface in the vicinity of the accident site. A terrain data base and an associated acquisition system have been developed that provide the required terrain data. This data is then used as input to a collection of graphics programs which create and display realistic color images of the terrain. The graphics system currently has the capability of generating color shaded relief images from both overhead and perspective viewpoints within minutes. These images serve to quickly familiarize ARAC assessors with the terrain near the release location, and thus permit them to make better informed decisions in modeling the behavior of the released material. 7 refs., 8 figs.