Large diameter (0.535 inch) mixed oxide fuel pellets for Fast Breeder Reactor application were successfully fabricated by the cold-press-and-sinter technique. Enriched UO/sub 2/, PuO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/, and PuO/sub 2/-ThO/sub 2/ compositions were fabricated into nominally 90% theoretical density pellets for the UO/sub 2/ and PuO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/ compositions, and 88% and 93% T.D. for the PuO/sub 2/-ThO/sub 2/ compositions. Some processing adjustments were required to achieve satisfactory pellet quality and density. Furnace heating rate was reduced from 200 to 50/sup 0/C/h for the organic binder burnout cycle for the large, 0.535-inch diameter pellets to eliminate pellet cracking during sintering. Additional preslugging steps and die wall lubrication during pressing were used to eliminate pressing cracks in the PuO/sub 2/-ThO/sub 2/ pellets.

We report a theoretical study on the role of shallow d states in the screened-exchange local density approximation (sX-LDA) band structure of binary semiconductor systems.We found that inaccurate pseudo-wavefunctions can lead to 1) an overestimation of the screened-exchange interaction betweenthe localized d states and the delocalized higher energy s and p states and 2) an underestimation of the screened-exchange interaction between the d states. The resulting sX-LDA band structures have substantially smaller band gaps compared with experiments. We correct the pseudo-wavefunctions of d states by including the semicore s and p states of the same shell in the valence states. The correction of pseudo-wavefunctions yields band gaps and d state binding energies in good agreement with experiments and the full potential linearized augmented plane wave sX-LDA calculations. Compared with the quasi-particle GW method, our sX-LDA results shows not only similar quality on the band gaps but also much better d state binding energies. Combined with its capability of ground state structure calculation, the sX-LDA is expected to be a valuable theoretical tool for the II-VI and III-V (especially the III-N) bulk semiconductors and nanostructure studies.

Predictions of the recently developed paleoclassical transport model are compared with data from many toroidal plasma experiments: electron heat diffusivity in DIII-D, C-Mod and NSTX ohmic and near-ohmic plasmas; transport modeling of DIII-D ohmic-level discharges and of the RTP ECH 'stair-step' experiments with eITBs at low order rational surfaces; investigation of a strong eITB in JT-60U; H-mode Te edge pedestal properties in DIII-D; and electron heat diffusivities in non-tokamak experiments (NSTX/ST, MST/RFP, SSPX/spheromak). The radial electron heat transport predicted by the paleoclassical model is found to agree with a wide variety of ohmic-level experimental results and to set the lower limit (within a factor {approx} 2) for the radial electron heat transport in most resistive, current-carrying toroidal plasmas -- unless it is exceeded by fluctuation-induced transport, which often occurs in the edge of L-mode plasmas and when the electron temperature is high ({approx}>T{sub e}{sup crit} {approx}B{sup 2/3}{bar {alpha}}{sup 1/2} keV) because then paleoclassical transport becomes less than gyro-Bohm-level anomalous transport.

The X-ray Spectrometer (XRS) is a high resolution, non-dispersive cryogenic detector on board the X-ray satellite, Astro-E2 (Suzaku), which was successfully launched on July 10, 2005. The XRS achieves an energy resolution of 6 eV at 6 keV (FWHM) and covers a broad energy range of {approx} 0.07-10 keV. The XRS will enable powerful plasma diagnostics of a variety of astrophysical objects such as the dynamics of gas in clusters of galaxies. The XRS was integrated to the spacecraft in September 2004, and took a series of spacecraft tests until April 2005. We describe results of the XRS performance verification in the spacecraft configuration. First, the noise level was extremely low on the spacecraft, and most of the pixels achieved an energy resolution of 5-6 eV at 5.9 keV. Microphonics from the mechanical cooler was one of the concerns, but they did not interfere with the detector, when the dewar was integrated to the spacecraft and filled with solid neon. To attain the best energy resolution, however, correction of gain drift is mandatory. The XRS has a dedicated calibration pixel for that purpose, and drift correction using the calibration pixel is very effective when the gain variation is due to …

Dust particulates in the size range of 10nm-100{micro}m are found in all fusion devices. Such dust can be generated during tokamak operation due to strong plasma/material-surface interactions. Some recent experiments and theoretical estimates indicate that dust particles can provide an important source of impurities in the tokamak plasma. Moreover, dust can be a serious threat to the safety of next-step fusion devices. In this paper, recent experimental observations on dust in fusion devices are reviewed. A physical model for dust transport simulation, and a newly developed code DUSTT, are discussed. The DUSTT code incorporates both dust dynamics due to comprehensive dust-plasma interactions as well as the effects of dust heating, charging, and evaporation. The code tracks test dust particles in realistic plasma backgrounds as provided by edge-plasma transport codes. Results are presented for dust transport in current and next-step tokamaks. The effect of dust on divertor plasma profiles and core plasma contamination is examined.

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysis is a potential alternative technology to crack water in specialty applications where a dry gas stream is needed, such as isotope production. One design proposal is to feed the cathode of the electrolyzer with vapor phase water. This feed configuration would allow isotopic water to be isolated on the cathode side of the electrolyzer and the isotope recovery system could be operated in a closed loop. Tests were performed to characterize the difference in the current-voltage behavior between a PEM electrolyzer operated with a cathode water vapor feed and with an anode liquid water feed. The cathode water vapor feed cell had a maximum limiting current density of 100 mA/cm2 at 70 C compared to a current density of 800 mA/cm2 for the anode liquid feed cell at 70 C. The limiting current densities for the cathode water vapor feed cell were approximately 3 times lower than predicted by a water mass transfer model. It is estimated that a cathode water vapor feed electrolyzer system will need to be between 8-14 times larger in active area or number of cells than an anode liquid feed system.

Development of advanced hydrogen separation membranes in support of hydrogen production processes such as coal gasification and as front end gas purifiers for fuel cell based system is paramount to the successful implementation of a national hydrogen economy. Current generation metallic hydrogen separation membranes are based on Pd-alloys. Although the technology has proven successful, at issue is the high cost of palladium. Evaluation of non-noble metal based dense metallic separation membranes is currently receiving national and international attention. The focal point of the reported work was to evaluate two different classes of materials for potential replacement of conventional Pd-alloy purification/diffuser membranes. Crystalline V-Ni-Ti and Amorphous Fe- and Co-based metallic glass alloys have been evaluated using gaseous hydrogen permeation testing techniques.

The Closed Loop In-Reactor Assembly (CLIRA) is a test vehicle for in-core material and fuel experiments in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF). The FFTF is a fast flux nuclear test reactor operated for the Department of Energy (DOE) by Westinghouse Hanford Company in Richland, Washington. The CLIRA is a removable/replaceable part of the Closed Loop System (CLS) which is a sodium coolant system providing flow and temperature control independent of the reactor coolant system. The primary purpose of the CLIRA is to provide a test vehicle which will permit testing of nuclear fuels and materials at conditions more severe than exist in the FTR core, and to isolate these materials from the reactor core.

The Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF-B) is a large tandem mirror device currently under construction at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The completed facility will consist of a large variety of components. Specifically, the vacuum vessel that houses the magnetic coils is basically a cylindrical vessel 60 m long and 11 m in diameter. The magnetics system consists of some 28 superconducting coils, each of which is located within the main vacuum vessel. Twenty of these coils are relatively simple solenoidal coils, but the remaining eight are of a more complicated design to provide an octupole component to certain regions of the magnetic field. The vacuum system is composed of a rough vacuum chain, used to evacuate the vessel from atmospheric pressure, and a high vacuum system, used to maintain good vacuum conditions during a plasma shot. High vacuum pumping is accomplished primarily by cryogenic panels cooled to 4.5/sup 0/K. The MFTF-B coil set is shown together with typical axial profiles of magnetic field (a), electrostatic potential (b), and plasma density (c). The plasma is divided into nine regions axially, as labelled on the coil set in Figure 1. The central cell, which is completely azimuthally symmetric, contains a large volume …

The Department of Energy decided to terminate the Flywheel Rotor and Containment Technology Development project during FY 1983. Activities this year included fabrication, inspection, and test evaluation of rotor and containment structures. A peak energy of 700 Wh was stored at an energy density of 70 Wh/kg. In cyclic tests, 10,000 cycles from design speed to half speed were logged without failure. The first test of a lightweight containment structure indicates the need for additional development. In complementary studies, production cost estimates were made for three flywheel designs. In a cooperative program with the University of Wisconsin, work began on construction of a flywheel/continuously variable transmission/heat engine car which promises fuel economy improvements of up to 100%. Suggestions are made for the direction of future work when interest in flywheel system reappears.

The reactor design is a multicell arrangement wherein a series of field-reversed plasma layers are arranged along the axis of a long superconducting solenoid which provides the background magnetic field. Normal copper mirror coils and Ioffe bars placed at the first wall radius provide shallow axial and radial magnetic wells for each plasma layer. Each of 11 plasma layers requires the injection of 3.6 MW of 200 keV deuterium and tritium and produces 20 MW of fusion power. The reactor has a net electric output of 74 MWe and an estimated direct capital cost of $1200/kWe.

The simple mirror configuration, consisting of a long solenoid with increased field strength at the ends (magnetic mirrors), proved to be an unstable plasma container and was replaced by the minimum absolute value of B mirror configuration. The Yin-Yang minimum absolute value of B coil was chosen for the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF) experiment and recent conceptual designs of standard mirror reactors. For the multicell field-reversed mirror reactor concept we returned to the long solenoid configuration, augmented by normal copper mirror coils and Ioffe bars placed at the first wall radius to provide a shallow magnetic well for each field-reversed plasma layer. The central cell of the tandem mirror is also a long solenoid while the end plug cells require a minimum absolute value of B configuration.

For the past two years Alan Swain and Henry E. Guttmann, of the Statistics, Computing, and Human Factors Division, Sandia Laboratories, have been developing a handbook to aid qualified persons to evaluate the effect of human error on the availability of engineered safety systems and features in nuclear power plants. The handbook includes a mathematical model, procedures, derived human failure data, and principles of human behavior and ergonomics. The handbook is expanding the human error analyses which were presented in WASH--1400. The work, under the sponsorship of Probabilistic Analysis Staff, NRC Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (Dr. M.C. Cullingford, NRC Program Manager), is about half completed. An outline of the handbook contents is given in copies of vugraphs (attached), followed by copies of human performance model abstractors (also attached). A first draft of the handbook is scheduled for NRC review by July 1, 1979.

The formation of structure on the galactic scale in the cold dark matter, ..cap omega.. = 1 universe is simulated.

92,000 BeO--UO/sub 2/ fuel elements were fabricated for the upgrading of the Sandia Annular Core Pulse Reactor. The toxicity of BeO and the radioactivity of /sup 235/U necessitated special handling procedures and equipment. This document describes the materials, specifications, and fabrication process. (DLC)

An analytical technique has been developed that allows laser-based flow cytometric measurement of the frequency of red blood cells that have lost allele-specific expression of a cell surface antigen due to genetic toxicity in bone marrow precursor cells. Previous studies demonstrated a correlation of such effects with the exposure of each individual to mutagenic phenomena, such as ionizing radiation, and the effects can persist for the lifetime of each individual. During the emergency response to the nuclear power plant accident at Chernobyl, Ukraine, USSR, a number of people were exposed to whole body doses of ionizing radiation. Some of these individuals were tested with this laser-based assay and found to express a dose-dependent increase in the frequency of variant red blood cells that appears to be a persistent biological effect. All data indicate that this assay might well be used as a biodosimeter to estimate radiation dose and also as an element to be used for estimating the risk of each individual to develop cancer due to radiation exposure. 17 refs., 5 figs.

The ETA-II linear induction accelerator (LIA) is designed to drive a microwave free electron laser (FEL). Beam energy sweep must be limited to {plus minus}1% for 50 ns to limit beam corkscrew motion and ensure high power FEL output over the full duration of the beam flattop. To achieve this energy sweep requirement, we have implemented a pulse distribution system and are planning implementation of a tapered pulse forming line (PFL) in the pulse generators driving acceleration gaps. The pulse distribution system assures proper phasing of the high voltage pulse to the electron beam. Additionally, cell-to-cell coupling of beam induced transients is reduced. The tapered PFL compensates for accelerator cell and loading nonlinearities. Circuit simulations show good agreement with preliminary data and predict the required energy sweep requirement can be met.

With the growing demand for FEL light sources, cost issues are being reevaluated. To make the machines more compact, higher frequency room temperature linacs are being considered, specifically ones using C-band (5.7 GHz) rf technology, for which 40 MV/m gradients are achievable. In this paper, we show that an X-band (11.4 GHz) linac using the technology developed for NLC/GLC can provide an even lower cost solution. In particular, stable operation is possible at gradients of 100 MV/m for single bunch operation and 70 MV/m for multibunch operation. The concern, of course, is whether the stronger wakefields will lead to unacceptable emittance dilution. However, we show that the small emittances produced in a 250 MeV, low bunch charge, LCLS-like S-band injector and bunch compressor can be preserved in a multi-GeV X-band linac with reasonable alignment tolerances. The successful lasing and operation of the LCLS [1] has generated world-wide interest in X-ray FELs. The demand for access to such a light source by researchers eager to harness the capabilities of this new tool far exceeds the numbers that can be accommodated, spurring plans for additional facilities. Along with cost, spatial considerations become increasingly important for a hard X-ray machine driven by a …

One source of experimental background in the LHC is showers induced by particles hitting the upstream collimators or particles that have been scattered on the residual gas. We estimate the flux and distribution of particles entering the ATLAS and CMS detectors through FLUKA simulations starting either in the tertiary collimators or with inelastic beam-gas interactions. Comparisons to MARS15 results are also presented. Our results can be used as a source term for further simulations of the machine-induced background in the experimental detectors. To ensure optimal performance of the LHC experimental detectors, it is important to understand the background, which can come fromseveral sources. In this article we discuss machine-induced background, caused either by nearby beam losses or interactions between beam particles and the residual gas inside the vacuum pipe. Beam losses outside the experimental interaction regions (IRs) are unavoidable during collider operation. The halo is continuously repopulated and has to be cleaned by the collimation system, so that the losses in the cold magnets are kept at a safe level. The collimation system is located in two dedicated insertions (IR3 and IR7) but a small leakage of secondary and tertiary halo is expected to escape. Some particles make it to …

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The status is presented of the commissioning of a new heavy ion preinjector at Brookhaven National Laboratory. This preinjector uses an Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS), and an RFQ and IH Linac, both operating at 100.625 MHz, to produce 2 MeV/u ions of any species for use, after further acceleration, at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL). Among the increased capabilities provided by this preinjector are the ability to produce ions of any species, and the ability to switch between multiple species in 1 second, to simultaneously meet the needs of both science programs. For initial setup, helium beam from EBIS was injected and circulated in the Booster synchrotron. Following this, accelerated Au{sup 32+} and Fe{sup 20+} beams were transported to the Booster injection point, fulfilling DOE requirements for project completion.

A new beam position monitor digitizer module has been designed, tested and tuned at SLAC. This module, the electron-positron beam position monitor (epBPM), measures position of single electron and positron bunches for the SLC, LINAC, PEPII injections lines and final focus. The epBPM has been designed to improve resolution of beam position measurements with respect to existing module and to speed feedback correction. The required dynamic range is from 5 x 10{sup 8} to 10{sup 11} particles per bunch (46dB). The epBPM input signal range is from {+-}2.5 mV to {+-}500 mV. The pulse-to-pulse resolution is less than 2 {mu}m for 5 x 10{sup 10} particles per bunch for the 12 cm long striplines, covering 30{sup o} at 9 mm radius. The epBPM module has been made in CAMAC standard, single width slot, with SLAC type timing connector. 45 modules have been fabricated. The epBPM module has four input channels X{sup +}, X{sup -}, Y{sup +}, Y{sup -} (Fig. 1), named to correspond with coordinates of four striplines - two in horizontal and two in vertical planes, processing signals to the epBPM inputs. The epBPM inputs are split for eight signal processing channels to catch two bunches, first - the …

BNL developed Direct Wind magnet technology is used to create a variety of complex multi-functional multi-layer superconducting coil structures without the need for creating custom production tooling and fixturing for each new project. Our Direct Wind process naturally integrates prestress into the coil structure so external coil collars and yokes are not needed; the final coil package transverse size can then be very compact. Direct Wind magnets are produced with very good field quality via corrections applied during the course of coil winding. The HERA-II and BEPC-II Interaction Region (IR) magnet, J-PARC corrector and Alpha antihydrogen magnetic trap magnets and our BTeV corrector magnet design are discussed here along with a full length ILC IR prototype magnet presently in production and the coils that were wound for an ATF2 upgrade at KEK. A new IR septum magnet design concept for a 6.2 T combined-function IR magnet for eRHIC, a future RHIC upgrade, is introduced here.

The measurement of aerosol dusts has long been utilized to assess the exposure of workers to metals. Tools used to sample and measure aerosol dusts have gone through many transitions over the past century. In particular, there have been several different techniques used to sample for beryllium, not all of which might be expected to produce the same result. Today, beryllium samples are generally collected using filters housed in holders of several different designs, some of which are expected to produce a sample that mimics the human capacity for dust inhalation. The presence of dust on the interior walls of cassettes used to hold filters during metals sampling has been discussed in the literature for a number of metals, including beryllium, with widely varying data. It appears that even in the best designs, particulates can enter the sampling cassette and deposit on the interior walls rather than on the sampling medium. The causes are not well understood but are believed to include particle bounce, electrostatic forces, particle size, particle density, and airflow turbulence. Historically, the filter catch has been considered to be the sample, but the presence of wall deposits, and the potential that the filter catch is not representative …