This report describes a quality program plan for the Mound laboratory. Areas include variation engineering, technical manual process control systems, process performance data, product index system, promotional marketing program, quality engineering staff, ultimate use education, and management reporting.

Results of preliminary study are presented which was performed under subtask 2.7 of the NTS Terminal Waste Storage Program Plan for 1978. Subtask 2.7 examines the feasibility of locating a nuclear waste repository in a granitic stock or pluton in southern Nevada near the Nevada Test Site (NTS). It is assumed for the purposes of this study that such a repository cannot be located at NTS. This assumption may or may not be correct. This preliminary report does not identify a particular site as being a suitable location for a repository. Nor does it absolutely eliminate a particular site from further consideration. It does, however, answer the basic question of probable suitability of some of the sites and present a systematic method for site evaluation. Since the findings of this initial study have been favorable, it will be followed by more exhaustive and detailed studies of the original 30 sites and perhaps others. In future studies some of the evaluation criteria used in the preliminary study may be modified or eliminated, and new criteria may be introduced.

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This single page document is the December 15, 1970 reactor refueling outage schedule for the Hanford Production Reactor. It also contains data on the amounts and types of fuels to be loaded and relocated in the Production Reactor.

The crystal-growth method under investigation is a capillary action shaping technique. Meniscus shaping for the desired ribbon geometry occurs at the vertex of a wettable die. As ribbon growth depletes the melt meniscus, capillary .action. supplies replacement material. In this report, a new capillary die design is described. It represents a departure from the die types used for edge-defined, film-fed growth, in that the bounding edges of the die top are not parallel or concentric with the growing ribbon. The new dies allow a higher melt meniscus with concomitant improvements in surface smoothness and freedom from SiC surface particles, which can degrade perfection. Also in this reporting period, ribbons were grown for delivery to JPL. Twenty ribbons and 30 ribbon samples were shipped. Detailed dimensional characteristics of most ribbons grown during the past year are presented. Finally, our initial progress in the growth of 38-mm (1-1/2-inch)-wide ribbons, up to 46 cm in length, is reported.

The urine and feces specimens from the Apollo 11 mission were analyzed for their radionuclide content. Estimates of cosmic radiation dose received by the astronauts were difficult to determine due to decay of the short-lived radionuclides during quarantine. The concentrations of {sup 7}Be, {sup 22}Na, {sup 40}K, {sup 59}Fe, {sup 60}Co, and {sup 137}Cs were determined. No {sup 147}Pm was observed in any of the samples. The concentrations of 16 major, minor, and trace elements were determined in fecal samples from Apollos 8 and 10. Large discrepancies between the excretion rates and normal dietary intakes were noted for cobalt, iron, tin , and potassium. An interpretation of the hazards these deviations may produce requires the determination of the elemental concentrations of the foodstuffs used during these missions. The fecal samples from the Apollo 11 mission were analyzed for glass fiber content. One anomalous sample was observed having a glass fiber content twofold greater than any previously measured specimen. A piece of the outer thermal coating of the Apollo 12 spacecraft was analyzed for cosmic-ray-induced radioactivity. Beryllium-7 was observed .

Only two of the fecal specimens collected inflight during the Apollo 15 mission were returned for analysis. Difficulty in obtaining reasonably accurate radiation dose estimates based on the cosmogenic radionuclide content of the specimens was encountered due to the limited sampling. The concentrations of {sup 22}Na, {sup 40}K, {sup 51}Cr, {sup 59}Fe, and {sup 137}Cs are reported. The concentrations of 24 major, minor, and trace elements in these two specimens were determined. Most concentrations are typical of those observed previously. Major exceptions are extremely low values for selenium and extraordinarily high values for rare earth elements. The net {sup 210}Po activities in the Apollo 11 and 12 Solar Wind Composition foils and in the Apollo 8 and 12 spacecraft reflective coatings due to lunar exposure have been determined. Equilibrium concentrations of 0.082 {+-} 0.012 disintegrations cm{sup -2} sec{sup -1} of {sup 222}Rn in the lunar atmosphere and 0.0238 {+-} 0.0035 disintegrations cm{sup -2} sec{sup -1} of {sup 210}Po on the lunar surface have been calculated for Oceanus Procellarum. A summary of a paper entitled, "Radon-222 Activity at Oceanus Procellarum," and the text of a manuscript entitled, "Radon-222 in the Lunar Atmosphere," are included as appendices.

Abstract: This report presents the results of a study to evaluate the state-of-the-art and determine the feasibility of attaining an extreme weather pollution response capability.

A study was made of the methods for preparing, processing, and heat treating uranium-2.25 wt percent niobium alloys. The rolling technique is critical, but the alloy responds to conventional solution treatment, water quenching, and aging to provide high strength with good ductility. Data on tensile tests and Charpy tests as functions of the temperature have been obtained. Elastic moduli, density, coefficient of thermal expansion, and differential thermal analysis data have also been determined. (auth)

Data have gradually been accumulated on the physical properties of nuclear test sites at the U. S. Energy Research and Development Administration (USERDA) Nevada Test Site (NTS) since underground testing began there in 1957. These data have been stored in the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) K-Division Test Effects Data Bank. This report briefly describes the principal test areas Yucca Flat, Pahute Mesa, and Rainier Mesa) and media (alluvium, tuff, Climax Stock (granite) and Paleozoic rocks) at NTS. Background information is given on the data base and the various methods used to measure geophysical parameters at NTS are described. The mean, standard deviation, and range of values for each test area and medium are given. However, specific properties for individual sites are not contained in this report. Properties for which averages are given include overburden and working-point density; seismic velocity both near the working point and from the working point to the surface; and water content, porosity, and water saturation of the rocks in the working point vicinity. (auth)

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Progress report for January through June 1975. Of the five progress reports and four technical notes, abstracts of nine items appear separately in ERA, and six appear in NSA. (GHT)

The tritium technology requirements created by the controlled thermonuclear research program to develop a demonstration fusion power reactor by the year 2000 are reviewed. It is found that the majority of the technological advances which are needed to ensure adequate tritium containment in a tritium breeding power reactor need to be demonstrated on a pilot scale by approximately 1983, so that they may be incorporated into EPR-II, the second of two planned experimental power reactors. The most important advances include development of containment materials with permeabilities to tritium well below measured values for stainless steel; large scale, low inventory deuterium-tritium separation systems; and improved monitoring and assay systems. There are less critical requirements for information about the effects of tritium and helium on the mechanical properties of materials, the effects of tritium on biological systems, and data on physical and chemical properties of tritium. Substantial progress needs to be made on these problems early enough to permit possible solutions to be tested on EPR-I. In addition, major improvements in tritium handling equipment are required for EPR-I. Those technological problems for which solutions have not yet been demonstrated by EPR-II must be solved by 1989 if they are to be assured …

The structural design of a Venetian Blind direct converter will depend on the choice, for example, of: 1) Expander field, (2) Selective leakage, (3) Number of collector stages, (4) Method of cooling and (5) The general configuration and orientation. This note is intended to outline the major compromises that will result from the variation of parameters to fit a particular design. The relationships given are for a two-stage unit, but it is straightforward to extend them to multiple-stage units. (auth)

The ability to monitor corrosion and stress-corrosion cracking of uranium 4.5-weight percent niobium was investigated. The acoustic emissions from stress-corrosion cracking were monitored using smooth four-point bend specimens, which were immersed in oxygen-saturated water containing chloride ions. The acoustic emissions from corrosion were monitored from rectangular corrosion coupons. These latter specimens were exposed to nitrogen-saturated and oxygen- saturated solutions of distilled water and distilled water with chloride ions. Dilute solutions of hydrochloric acid were also used. Findings show that stress- corrosion crack monitoring of the alloy was successful. Corrosion monitoring of the alloy showed a direct correlation between corrosion rate (based on weight loss) and total acoustic emissions. For a specific range, one can calculate the corrosion rate of uranium alloys in a corrosive solution from the total acoustic emissions generated. Studies to determine the source of corrosion-induced acoustic emissions were inconclusive.

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