A method is described how a quantitative measure for the robustness of a given transport theory code for coarse network calculations can be obtained. A code, that performs this task automatically and at only nominal cost, is described and has been implemented for slab geometry. This code generates also user oriented benchmark problems which exhibit the analytic behavior at interfaces.

Two modeling programs, SCEPTRE and CSMP, are used to solve the point-kinetics equations - - seven coupled nonlinear differential equations - - with a linear-feedback function. The constants used are appropriate for EBR-II; therefore the computational accuracy may be tested against the experimental rod drops. Run-time, versatility, programming ease, and accuracy are criteria used to evaluate the two programs. SCEPTRE is found to be more efficient in run time and CSMP more versatile. The ease of programming is about the same for both programs. The accuracy is nearly equivalent if the optimum integration routines are used.

A signal flow model is described that uses memory devices from combinational logic. The implementation of this model in Prolog is also presented.

Report of the activities of the physics division at Argonne including the successful completion of Argonne Tandem-Linac Accelerator System.

Calculations have been made of the three-dimensional mixing, chemical reaction, and flow field development in a typical ducted rocket configuration. The governing partial differential equations are numerically solved by an iterative finite-difference solution procedure. The physical models include the k approx. epsilon turbulence model, one-step reaction, and mixing controlled chemical reaction rate. Radiation is neglected. The mean flow structure, fuel dispersal patterns, and temperature field are presented in detail for a base configuration with 0.058 m (2 in.) dome height, 45/sup 0/ side arm inclination, and with gaseous ethylene injected from the dome plate at an eccentric location. In addition, the influences of the geometrical parameters such as dome height, inclination of the side arms, and location of the fuel injector are studied.

The accuracy of the finite analytic method of discretizing fluid flow equations is assessed through calculations of multidimensional scalar transport. The transport of a scalar function in a uniform velocity flow field inclined with the finite-difference grid lines is calculated for a range of grid Peclet numbers and flow skewness. The finite analytic method is observed to be superior to the approach of constructing finite-difference analogs from locally one-dimensional resolution of the flow vector. However, the finite analytic method also produces appreciable errors locally in regions of steep variations, under conditions of large grid Peclet numbers, and skewness of the streamlines.

Cracking of liquid-oxygen (LOX) posts was observed in several evaluation tests. The design modification consists of attaching impingement shields to LOX posts in the upstream row. This has improved the vibration/fatigue problem of LOX posts. However, that modification results in an increased pressure drop that ultimately affects the lifetime of other components. This report presents a preliminary assessment of the LOX post vibration problem including a review of relevant parameters, flow induced vibration mechanisms, scoping calculation and experiment, and a work plan for an integrated theoretical/experimental study.

Report of various activities in Argonne National Laboratory Physics Division including medium-energy physics research, research at ATLAS, theoretical nuclear physics, superconducting LINAC development, and accelerator operations.

This report summarizes the work done to date on the application of the TRUEX solvent extraction process for removing and separately recovering plutonium and americium from a nitric acid waste solution containing these elements, uranium, and a complement of inert metal ions. This simulated waste stream is typical of a raffinate from a tributyl phosphate (TBP)-based solvent extraction process for removing uranium and plutonium from dissolved plutonium-containing metallurgical scrap. The TRUEX process solvent in these experiments was a solution of TBP and octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO) dissolved in carbon tetrachloride. A flowsheet was designed on the basis of measured batch distribution ratios to reduce the TRU content of the solidified raffinate to less than or equal to 10 nCi/g and was tested in a countercurrent experiment performed in a 14-stage Argonne-model centrifugal contractor. The process solvent was recycled without cleanup. An unexpectedly high evaporative loss of CCl4 resulted in concentration of the active extractant, CMPO, to nearly 0.30M in the solvent. Results are consistent with this higher CMPO concentration. The raffinate contained only 2 nCi/g of TRU, but the higher CMPO concentration resulted in reduced effectiveness in the stripping of americium from the solvent. Conditions can be easily adjusted to give …

A general theory of fluid-elastic instability for a tube array in crossflow is presented for application to the space shuttle main engine liquid oxygen (SSME LOX) posts. Various techniques to obtain the motion-dependent fluid-force coefficients are discussed and the general instability characteristics are summarized. The theory is also used to evaluate the results of other mathematical models for crossflow-induced instability.

Fluid forces are important in the assessment of vibration of the Space Shuttle Main Engine liquid oxygen posts. This report summarizes the available data on fluid excitation forces acting on tube arrays in turbulent crossflow, and test results for an array of tubes subject to turbulent flow. The fluctuating drag and lift forces are measured as a function of Reynolds number, incoming flow conditions, and tube location in an array.

The TRIO experiment is a test of in-situ tritium recovery and heat transfer performance of a miniaturized solid breeder blanket assembly. The assembly (capsule) was monitored for temperature and neutron flux profiles during irradiation and a sweep gas flowed through the capsule to an analytical train wherein the amounts of tritium in its various chemical forms were determined. The capsule was designed to operate at different temperatures and sweep gas conditions. At the end of the experiment the amount of tritium retained in the solid was at a concentration of less than 0.1 wppM. More than 99.9% of tritium generated during the experiment was successfully recovered. The results of the experiment showed that the tritium inventories at the beginning and at the end of the experiment follow a relationship which appears to be characteristic of intragranular diffusion.

DISPL1 is a software package for solving some second order nonlinear systems of partial differential equations including parabolic, elliptic, hyperbolic, and some mixed types such as parabolic-elliptic equations. Fairly general nonlinear boundary conditions are allowed as well as interface conditions for problems in an inhomogeneous media. The spatial domain is one or two dimensional with Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical (in one dimension only) geometry. The numerical method is based on the use of Galerkin's procedure combined with the use of B-splines in order to reduce the system of PDE's to a system of ODE's. The latter system is then solved with a sophisticated ODE software package. Software features include extensive dump/restart facilities, free format input, moderate printed output capability, dynamic storage allocation, and three graphics packages.

PART 1: The effectiveness of a neutron well correlation counter (NWCC) and a random driver (RD) for plutonium-containing item assay and loss detection has been studied. The items were 4 in. x 2 in. x 1/4 in. stainless steel-clad metal plates and 6 in. x 3/8 in. stainless steel-clad oxide rods, each in two types of containment. PART 2: A neutron-counting/fuel-weighting system has been developed to provide the capability to assay the ZPR-6 and -9 plutonium fuel canisters rapidly and accurately. This system makes feasible the inline monitoring of fuel transfer from the storage vault to the fuel loading hoods and vice-versa. To exploit fully the system's potential, the equipment is intended to be used in conjunction with an on-line computer having a fuel and fuel-canister data base.

This report provides background and procedural information for the use of a general-purpose Stirling-engine analysis code developed at Argonne National Laboratory and available through the National Energy Software Center. Different engine configurations are easily specified, or the user may make use of provided data for existing engines, both kinematic and free piston. The code models heat transfer and fluid mechanics throughout the engine and accounts for system energy flows and losses. Good agreement is shown between code predictions and experimental measurements. The present analysis method was chosen for fast execution and useful information on energy flows in the system. A description is provided of the code structure that is intended to accept different analysis modules that can provide improved system modeling or optimization capability.

This sixth symposium covers process control processes and issues involved in the conversion of fossil fuels into synthetic fuels.

Nuclear and non-nuclear applications of cineradiography are reviewed, with emphasis on diagnostic instrumentation for in-pile transient-reactor safety testing of nuclear fuel motion. The primary instrument for this purpose has been the fast-neutron hodoscope, which has achieved quantitative monitoring of time, location, mass, and velocity of fuel movement under the difficult conditions associated with transient-reactor experiments. Alternative diagnostic devices that have been developed have not matched the capabilities of the hodoscope. Other applications for the fuel-motion diagnostic apparatus are also evolving, including time-integrated radiography and direct time- and space-resolved fuel-pin power monitoring. Although only two reactors are now actively equipped with high-resolution fuel-motion diagnostic systems, studies and tests have been carried out in and for many other reactors.

A finite element computer code for the transient analysis of prestressed concrete reactor vessels (PCRVs) for LMFBR containment is described. The method assumes rotational symmetry of the structure. Time integration is by an explicit method. The quasistatic prestressing operation of the PCRV model is performed by a dynamic relaxation technique. The material model accounts for the crushing and tensile cracking in arbitrary direction in concrete and the elastic-plastic behavior of reinforcing steel. The variation of the concrete tensile cracking and compressive crushing limits with strain rate is taken into account. Relative slip is permitted between the concrete and tendons. Several example solutions are presented and compared with experimental results. These sample problems range from simply supported beams to small scale models of PCRV's. It is shown that the analytical methods correlate quite well with experimental results, although in the vicinity of the failure load the response of the models tend to be quite sensitive to input parameters.

Annual report of the Argonne National Laboratory Radiological and Environmental Research Division regarding activities related to atmospheric physics. This report discusses the section's participation in the Atmospheric Studies in COmplex Terrain (ASCOT) experiment.

Quarterly report of the Argonne National Laboratory Chemical Engineering Division regarding activities related to properties and handling of radioactive materials, operation of nuclear reactors, and other relevant research.

Quarterly report discussing fuel cell research and development work at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This report describes efforts directed toward seeking alternative cathode materials to NiO for molten carbonate fuel cells.

A variance-to-mean noise technique, modified to eliminate systematic errors from drifting of reactor power, has been used to infer integral values of effective beta for uranium and plutonium fueled fast reactor modk-ups. The measurement technique, including corrections for a finite detector-electrometer time response, is described together with preliminary beta measurement results.

This manual summarizes the numerical software contained in the Applied Mathematics Division Subroutine Library (AMDLIB), the International Mathematical and Statistical Libraries, Inc. (IMSL), and the Numerical Algorithms Group, Ltd. (NAG) mathematical libraries. Seventeen numerical analysis subjects are discussed, and the appropriate subroutines available in the three libraries for solving each type of problem are listed, with our recommendations for particular types of applications.

Three types of metallic thermal insulation were investigated analytically and experimentally: multilayer reflective plates, multilayer honeycomb composite, and multilayer screens. Each type was subjected to evacuated and non-evacuated conditions, where thermal measurements were made to determine thermal-physical characteristics. A variation of the separation distance between adjacent reflective plates of multilayer reflective plates and multilayer screen insulation was also experimentally studied to reveal its significance. One configuration of the multilayer screen insulation was further selected to be examined in sodium and sodium oxide environments. The emissivity of Type 304 stainless steel used in comprising the insulation was measured by employing infrared technology. A comprehensive model was developed to describe the different proposed types of thermal insulation. Various modes of heat transfer inherent in each type of insulation were addressed and their relative importance compared. Provision was also made in the model to allow accurate simulation of possible sodium and sodium oxide contamination of the insulation. The thermal-radiation contribution to heat transfer in the temperature range of interest for LMFBR's was found to be moderate, and the suppression of natural convection within the insulation was vital in preserving its insulating properties. Experimental data were compared with the model and other published results. …