Apparatus is described for rapidly manipulating a hollow glass microsphere laser fusion target and scanning the entire wall with a double pass interference microscope.

The design, development, and implementation of a document information system at LASL is described. This system combines microfilm technology with a System 2000 computer. 14 figures (RWR)

A coil winder was designed for the purpose of fabricating the superconducting magnets of the Mirror Fusion Test Facility. The superconducting magnets are a displaced ying-yang pair, each having major and minor radii of 2.5 and 0.75 m, respectively, and cross section of 0.42 m by about 1.03 m. The superconductor cross section is a square, 13 mm on a side, and consists of a core of niobium-titanium embedded copper and a solid copper stabilizer. Conceptual studies made at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory of the coil winder resulted in concept drawings and a procurement specification. Final design was made by the contractor, and the coil winder is now in fabrication. This paper describes the performance requirements of the winder, and the evolution of its design from conceptual stage to completion.

A compact and maintainable source of 80-keV neutral beams that focus to a high power density is required for the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF). In the new source being designed and built to meet these requirements, the cross-sectional area is reduced in two ways: by immersing the source in a vacuum where high voltage can be held over smaller distances and by redesigning grid supporting structures. Reliability is increased by reducing the electric fields everywhere else below those present between grids and by design innovations. The latter include techniques to reduce stray magnetic field and disperse gas uniformly, all metal-ceramic construction, and a 60-kV shield enclosing all 80-kV electrodes. Wherever possible, we have attempted to simplify the construction. We expect to solve problems that arise during testing either with add-on fixes or with the techniques already tested successfully on the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) 120-keV source. Easy maintenance is obtained by a compact isolation valve and by modular construction. Curving both the grid wires and their holders provides focusing in two planes.

Progress is reported from studies on the physical oceanography and biology of coastal waters and the continental shelf off the coast of South Carolina, Georgia, and northeast Florida known as the SE Atlantic Bight. The data will be used as a basis for the evaluation of the environmental effects in the event of operation of off-shore energy facilities. Data are presented from studies of: water currents along shores, the net motion of intrusions from the Gulf Stream, and water exchange in estuaries; the flux and distribution of radioisotopes and heavy metals transported by rivers, the atmosphere, or intrusions; nutrient fluxes and the chemical composition of seawater from various locations; the role of pelagic microorganisms in the cycling, production, and distribution of organic matter; and the biomass of phyto- and zooplankton associated with Gulf Stream intrusions.

The DT fusion neutron irradiation of eleven BNL-LASL superconductor wires, one BPNL wire-foil packet, and two ORNL magnesium oxide crystals is described. The sample position and neutron dose record are given. The maximum neutron fluence on any sample was 2.77 x 10/sup 15/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/.

The objective of the work reported here was to develop a model which could be used to assess the economic effects of energy-conservative technological innovations upon the pipeline industry. The model is a dynamic simulator which accepts inputs of two classes: the physical description (design parameters, fluid properties, and financial structures) of the system to be studied, and the postulated market (throughput and price) projection. The model consists of time-independent submodels: the fluidics model which simulates the physical behavior of the system, and the financial model which operates upon the output of the fluidics model to calculate the economics outputs. Any of a number of existing fluidics models can be used in addition to that developed as a part of this study. The financial model, known as the Systems, Science and Software (S/sup 3/) Financial Projection Model, contains user options whereby pipeline-peculiar characteristics can be removed and/or modified, so that the model can be applied to virtually any kind of business enterprise. The several dozen outputs are of two classes: the energetics and the economics. The energetics outputs of primary interest are the energy intensity, also called unit energy consumption, and the total energy consumed. The primary economics outputs are …

The results of experimental work and economic analyses carried out during the first 12 months of this contract (Phase I) have led to Battelle's concentration on development of the zinc reduction of silicon tetrachloride on seed particles in a fluidized bed. A second year program (Phase II) has been initiated which consists of the design of a 25 MT/year experimental facility and supporting experiment effort. During this quarter, the effort in the plant design portion of the program has been devoted to the (1) preparation of a detailed process schematic diagram; (2) determination of material flow and energy requirements; (3) conceptual design of major equipment items, including those unique to the facility; (4) contacts with industrial companies on equipment and processes for which experience is available; and (5) initiation of contacts with Battelle pilot plant design specialists, a distillation consultant, and engineering firms. The effort in the experimental support portion of the program has included a continuation of the following studies: (1) operating parameter optimization in the miniplant, (2) reactor design, and (3) condenser system design, including supplemental condensation experiments. In addition, a new zinc feed system has been devised and evaluated, and the construction of a system sufficiently large …

A minimodular, data-acquisition system can be used to rapidly interrogate a 45-point matrix of beam-current sampling targets over the 3- x 12-in. rectangular, output beam cross section of a 50-A, neutral-beam ion source. This system, operating at a throughput rate of 12 ..mu..s per channel, can make several complete scans during the 10- to 25-ms-duration beam pulse. Data obtained are available in both analog and digital form. The analog signal is used to create an immediately interpretable CRT display of the beam-current density profile that shows how well the source is aimed. The digital data are held in buffer memory until transfer to a minicomputer for software processing and plotting.

Information obtained from exploratory drilling of potential coal-gasification sites in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana is summarized. The objectives were to obtain stratigraphic descriptions of the coal-bearing strata from cuttings and geophysical logs, determine the hydrologic characteristics of the coal and associated strata, and see if there were drilling and logging problems associated with deep, thick coal seams. It was decided to do preliminary hydrologic and gasification experiments on the shallower Felix coal before proceeding to more deeply buried coals. The types of information obtained included geophysical borehole logs, lithologic and stratigraphic logs derived from drill cutting samples, drilling rate data, stratigraphic columns showing the depth and thickness of the coal and associated strata, log analyses showing lithology, computer-generated average porosity, density and velocity, composition diagrams of the geophysical logs run and the lithologic correlations picked from the logs, and coal analysis from selected Felix Coal cores. Specific results are reported in numerous tables, graphs and survey charts.

Experimental and theoretical research on production of negative ion beams is described. Results from a double charge-exchange experiment include 10 ms pulses of 100 ma of D/sup -/ accelerated to 60 kV. Equilibrium fractions of D/sup -/ in several metal vapors are presented. Mechanisms and measurements of D/sup -/ on surfaces are described, and a scheme is shown for producing high current, high energy beams originating on surfaces.

In response to additional needs developed during a review of the LOFT Technical Specifications, two more pressure reduction and decontamination sump volume vs. initial temperature data points were calculated in order to adequately quench steam generator relief blowdown. The two additional points chosen were for 10,000 gallons (based on ECC requirements) and for 120/sup 0/F (NPSH limit maximum temperature). The results are that for 10,000 gallons in the sump the maximum initial temperature is 110/sup 0/F and for 120/sup 0/F initial temperature, a volume of 14,000 gallons is required in the sump. Calculations are shown on page two of this report. The maximum final PR and DS temperature was set at 140/sup 0/F to preclude the vibrational effects discussed in LTR 115-9 and its referenced operational experience reports.

Progress is reported in the following LMFBR piping design studies: development of a long range plan to secure piping integrity, collection of piping failure and construction defect data, analysis of systems with prior successful operating history, evaluation of sensitivity of piping design margins to variability in materials and geometry, and high cycle fatigue behavior at elevated temperature.

The program is designed to investigate how certain metallurgical characteristics control the hydrogen absorption and desorption processes in intermetallic compounds. The status of the following studies is reported: hydrogen safety precautions, development of special equipment, preparation and characterization of hydride alloy materials, magnetic property measurements, and theoretical modeling of hydriding mechanisms. (LK)

Purex Sludge Supernatant (PSS) contains significant amounts of /sup 137/Cs left after removal of strontium from fission product bearing Purex wastes. To remove cesium from PSS, an Ion Exchange Recovery system has been set up in Cells 17-21 at B Plant. The cesium that is recovered is stored within B Plant for eventual purification through the Cesium Purification process in Cell 38 and eventual encapsulation and storage in a powdered form at the Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility. Cesium depleted waste streams from the Ion Exchange processes are transferred to underground storage.

The effect of introducing a neutron and gamma shield into the annulus between the reactor vessel and the shield tank is analyzed. This addition has been proposed in order to intercept neutron streaming up the annulus during nuclear operations. Its installation will require removal of approximately 20-/sup 1///sub 2/ inches of stainless steel foil insulation at the top of the annulus. The resulting conduction path is believed to result in increased water temperatures within the shield tank, possibly beyond the 150/sup 0/F limit, and/or cooling of the reactor vessel nozzles such that adverse thermal stresses would be generated. A two dimensional thermal analysis using the finite element code COUPLE/MOD2 was done for the shield tank system illustrated in the figure (1). The reactor was assumed to be at full power, 55 MW (th), with a loop flow rate of 2.15 x 10/sup 6/ lbm/hr (268.4 kg/s) at 2250 psi (15.51 MPa). Calculations indicate a steady state shield tank water temperature of 140/sup 0/F (60/sup 0/C). This is below the 150/sup 0/F (65.56/sup 0/C) limit. Also, no significant changes in thermal gradients within the nozzle or reactor vessel wall are generated. A spacer between the gamma shield and the shield tank …

Two solar collectors using a pebble bed design were constructed and tested using air as the heat exchange media. One collector had pebbles of metallurgical grade coke, and the other had a frothy volcanic material called scoria. The highly irregular surface of such vesicular material should increase the path distance for the air and the surface exposed cavities should give some honeycomb effect. Both should yield greater efficiency. Actual testing shows the efficiencies to be comparable with other air collectors. Thus the advantages of the pebble bed lie in the availability of the bed material, its thermal and radiation stability, and its shielding of underlying collector materials from ultraviolet radiation. Several pebble bed collectors using water as the heat exchange media were constructed. However, basic problems prevented effective testing, and it is concluded that pebble bed collectors using water are impractical.

A technique is described for making contact microradiographs of microsphere targets, and for obtaining the target characteristics by fitting the data with a parametric equation.

None

The development of negative-ion-based (H/sup -/, D/sup -/) neutral beams for TFTR and MFTF is discussed. Problems with existing equipment include providing beam current and current density, voltage holding, and gas pumping. The problem of stripping the D/sup -/ is described; it is concluded that photodetachment would be desirable to prevent formation of high-energy D/sup +/. Estimates of the parameters associated with photodetachment show it may be feasible although a detailed study will be required.

ORCODE.77 is a versatile data-handling computer routine written in MACRO (assembler) language for a PDP-15 computer with EAE (extended arithmetic capability) connected to a CAMAC interface. The Interrupt feature of the computer is utilized. Although the code is oriented for a specific experimental problem, there are many routines of general interest, including a CAMAC Scaler handler, an executive routine to interpret and act upon three-character teletype commands, concise routines to type out double-precision integers (both octal and decimal) and floating-point numbers and to read in integers and floating-point numbers, a routine to convert to and from PDP-15 FORTRAN-IV floating-point format, a routine to handle clock interrupts, and our own DECTAPE handling routine. Routines having specific applications which are applicable to other very similar applications include a display routine using CAMAC instructions, control of external mechanical equipment using CAMAC instructions, storage of data from an Analog-to-digital Converter, analysis of stored data into time-dependent pulse-height spectra, and a routine to read the contents of a Nuclear Data 5050 Analyzer and to prepare DECTAPE output of these data for subsequent analysis by a code written in PDP-15-compiled FORTRAN-IV.

The program consists generally of development of advanced conversion systems, with strong emphasis on a systems approach to find solutions of the problems of scale formation, corrosion/erosion of materials, spent brine disposal and solids handling, and development of reliable, efficient energy conversion systems with strong emphasis on development of the total flow concept. The status of the various parts of this program is reviewed briefly. (MHR)

In the work on prediction of calorimeter equilibrium, a newly derived single-exponential prediction equation has been shown to yield results equal to those from previously reported work, but allows for more versatility in the instrumentation selection. A single-precision rather than a double-precision calculator is all that is required to predict reliable equilibrium values using this new equation. A double-exponential prediction equation has also been derived and tested using simulated data. Engineering refinements have been incorporated in the Automated Plutonium Assay System (APAS) to provide for improvements in the gamma-ray spectroscopy system and the container pickup device. In addition, evaluation tests on the assay instrumentation have been conducted. Calorimeter tests indicate that values within 1 percent of equilibrium can be obtained in 7 min. The Half-Life Evaluation Committee has completed measurements of the half-life of /sup 239/Pu. Preliminary results show that measurements by alpha and gamma counting, by mass spectrometry and by calorimetry agree sufficiently well that a recommended value with a relative standard deviation of +-0.1 percent will be reported. Papers describing these measurements are being prepared for journal publication. The committee concurs with the recent recommendation by Argonne National Laboratory representatives that the value 87.74 +- 0.04 yr be …

Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) designed a cost-effective, regulated 15-V, 7500-A filament supply for use with the High-Voltage Test Stand , a major ERDA developmental neutral-beam test facility. The filament supply can float to 200 kV and can provide pulse widths up to 30 s. Powered by a 24-V, 0.5-TJ battery bank, it avoids the use of expensive isolation transformers and induction voltage regulators (IVR's). Battery output is regulated by a water-cooled resistor-contactor combination in which contactors are closed in sequential format to create a staircase current waveform. A fine-tuning network tunes in-between the ''steps'' for regulation to less than 0.5 percent. The regulator is digitally controlled except for the sense amplifiers, which are optically coupled to the digital controller. All ground telemetry uses optical links to minimize effects of rfi and emi noise in the data channels.