Results of work performed from July 1, 1978 through September 30, 1978 on the Advanced Gas Cooled Nuclear Reactor Materials Evaluation and Development Program are presented. Candidate alloys were evaluated for Very High Temperature Reactor Nuclear Process Heat (NPH) and Direct Cycle Helium Turbine (DCHT) applications, in terms of the affect of simulated reactor primary coolant (Helium containing small amounts of various other gases), the high temperatures, and long time exposures, on the mechanical properties and structural and surface stability of selected candidate alloys. The activities associated with the characterization of the materials for the screening test program are reported, i.e., test specimen preparation, information from the materials characterization tests performed by General Electric, and the status of the simulated reactor helium supply system, testing equipment, and gas chemistry analysis instrumentation and equipment. The status of the data management system is presented.

The proposed Goose River Project is a commercial power development consisting of 4 power dams and one storage dam. All available energy is to be wholesaled to the Central Maine Power Company, the utility holding the franchise for the area. A description of the economic feasibility of the proposed project is presented.

A commercial 7.5-kW electron-beam welder has been optically upgraded. The viewing system has been replaced by high-resolution optics (36 line pairs per millimeter (36l/mm) with video option. A high-intensity arc lamp provides illumination of the weld region. The upgraded optical system provides the capability for making accurate and repeatable welds with computer-automated seam tracking.

Double-shelled inertial confinement fusion targets in which the outer shell is exploded have been studied with LASNEX. To achieve high DT density, configurations have been found in which the inner shell is ablatively driven by the hot outer shell. Calculations indicate that greater than 100 times liquid DT density can be achieved with the Shiva laser while still retaining some of the symmetry and stability advantages of the single-shelled exploding pusher target. The relative merits of transferring energy to the inner shell by electron conduction and by hydrodynamic work will be discussed.

Two methods for measuring the leach rates of simulated high level waste glass are compared. One is a modification of the standard IAEA method and the other is a one-pass method in which fresh leachant solution is pumped over the sample at a controlled flow rate and temperature. For times up to 3 days, there is close agreement between results from the two methods at 25.0C. Leach rates from the one-pass method show no correlation with flow rate at 25.0C, but at 75.0C leach rate increases with flow rate. Np-237 rates at 75.0C are greater than those at 25.0C, but /sup 239/Pu rates at 75.0C are less than or equal to those at 25.0C. Resorption of /sup 239/Pu associated with (SiO/sub 2/)/sub x/ polymers at high temperature is suggested as a possible cause.

Normal incident solar energy measurements made at Upton, L.I., New York are reported and analyzed relative to the total energy received on a horizontal surface. A new method for computing normal incident solar radiation is developed and used to study long term variations in this energy source at Upton and to estimate average values for other east coast locations.

The present archaeological survey and cultural resource assessment were conducted for the United States Department of Energy, Morgantown Energy Technology Center in areas to be disturbed by gas well drilling and holding pond construction. The project area is the Pine Creek drainage system, which is a tributary of the Ohio River in Scioto and Lawrence Counties, Ohio. The literature search indicated that prehistoric archaeological sites do occur and have been documented in the Pine Creek drainage system. Presently, no archaeological sites have been reported in locations of direct impact. The literature search also indicated that historic features from the early iron industry period, ca. 1840 to 1870, are likely to occur throughout the project area. Field reconnaissance identified three prehistoric archaeological sites and one historic site in and adjacent to the proposed locations of disturbance. Two sites were determined to be of significant research value and may be nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. Consequently, recommendations were made to minimize the adverse effects of the proposed drilling project on these archaeological sites.

Research during the period is reported on interfacial phenomena, polymer rheology and fluid mechanics, thermodynamic properties, and rock/fluid interactions. (JRD)

This workshop was the seventh of a series and was held on October 23-24. 1978, at the Central Electricity Generating Board, HQ, London, England. Typically~ attendees at the Workshop were concerned with one of three activities: studying and refining existing techniques in an attempt to quantify already-known parameters with greater precision, looking for ways to apply existing neutron dosirr:etry techniques to a specific local problem, identifying the needs and weaknesses of existing systems, with the goal of improving and passibly simplifying field measurements. The types of neutron dosimetry techniques discussed by participants included albedo dosimeters, track etch, and TLD. One speaker reported on NTA film, noting that fading could be eliminated by drying the emulsion in dry nitrogen before field use. There were no reports on tissue equivalent proportional counters or activation analysis. One participant discussed a metal oxide silicon dosimeter. The need to develop a consistent standard terminology, as well as calibration sources and techniques, on both the national and international level was evident. The need for standardization is particularly acute in the U.S. Techniques for evaluating dosimeter response in the field should he standardized, since several different instruments with widely different response characteristics are currently being used. The …

Some primary material, macrostructural and tectonic features of typical geological formations are identified, insofar as they affect the hydraulic fracturing operation whereby suitably treated fluid is pumped into massive crack(s) underground: the retardation or channeling due to strata interfaces, discontinuities and other heterogeneities is roughly characterized, in the context of fully three-dimensional crack shape evolution, and the initiation from oriented boreholes is discussed in detail. A general-purpose numerical scheme is described, efficiently based on a physically transparent distribution of discontinuity multipoles (or dislocations) and the solution of resulting singular integral equations, which permits precise quantification of these effects: in particular, the barriers provided by adjacent stiffer and tougher strata are properly rationalized and the roles of inelastic slippage, blunting, branching, arrest, and re-initiation are placed in more transparent perspective. Stabilization effects due to alterations of pore-fluid pressure (and hence effective decohering stress), or the flux of formation fluid into the open region near to the crack tip, are described as potentially unfavorable for hydrofrac containment. However, the dominant time-dependent mechanism of frac fluid penetration into the narrow crack aperture attracts most attention: this process is very naturally and tractably incorporated in our comprehensive numerical formulation so that realistic simulation of …

The purpose of this analysis was the calculation of stresses in the LOFT Containment Vessel at the point of nozzle penetration produced by loads on the nozzles and to show that those stresses are within the 1965 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code allowables. The stress determination was done by the method developed by P. P. Bijlaard on the worst load case for each diameter nozzle. The operating basis earthquake (OBE) at nozzle 11D produced the most severe load case. All load cases resulted in containment vessel stresses that were less than the allowables as stated in N-414 of the 1965 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.

A Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) was used to establish that the substructure of press formed (PF) 21-6-9 stainless steel toroids was characterized by a dislocation cell size finer, about 0.16 ..mu..m, than that of about 0.29 ..mu..m, of high-energy-rate-formed (HERF) processed toroids. In addition, HERF processed material showed areas of a coarser, well-developed subgrain structure characteristic of hot work deformation. The formation of the substructures, as-well-as the grain size and carbide distributions of the toroids produced by the two processing techniques, are discussed in terms of the various operations, temperatures, and strain rates associated with the two different processing schedules. The Press-Formed toroid had a higher yield strength than the HERF processed toroid which was attributed to the finer cell size of the PF processed toroid.

The ''TAN/LOFT 13.8 kV, 2.4 kV, and 480 V Relay and Circuit Breaker Coordination Study'' presented an analysis to determine overcurrent settings for the LOFT Power System protective relays including those for the drive motors of the PSMG sets. This LTR is written to form the basis of the relay settings entered in Specification ES-60238 Rev. B, for protection of the PSMG generator, primary coolant pump motor and interconnecting power cable. A momentary commercial power voltage dip occurred on January 10, 1978 which caused a trip of the PSMG field breakers. A corrective design to prevent reoccurrence is discussed and recommendations are presented.

Miscible-liquid displacements of water/ethanol solutions were conducted in a 2.54-cm-ID column packed with glass beads of 275 to 300 and 25 to 30 mesh with bed heights of 6.35 to 40.8 cm. The viscosity ratio of the resident fluid to displacing fluid was maintained at 0.72 for fluid pairs with favorable density differences. Dispersion coefficients obtained from a two-parameter model increased from approx.3 x 10/sup -5/ to approx.2 x 10/sup -2/ cm/sup 2//s with increasing packing particle size, fluid velocity, and density difference.

This report is a compilation of abstracts of papers, internal reports, and talks presented during 1977 at national and international meetings by members of the Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. It is arranged alphabetically by author and includes a cross-reference by subject indicating the areas of research interest of the Earth Sciences Division.

The time-dependent Hartree-Fock method is used to produce time dependent graphical representations of the density contours of the binary cluster in the reactions /sup 14/N(112 MeV) + /sup 12/C, /sup 16/O(384 MeV) + /sup 16/O, and /sup 20/Ne(164 MeV) + /sup 58/Ni. Alpha clustering and multipole shape vibrations are seen. Predictions for d sigma/d..cap omega.., d sigma/dZ/sub f/, and d/sup 2/sigma(E/sub f/)d..cap omega..dE/sub f/vertical/sub z//sub f/ are obtained in the case of /sup 14/N + /sup 12/C and found to agree well with available experimental data. It is concluded that cluster dynamics play an essential role in heavy-ion reactions.

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Stress corrosion of carbon steel storage tanks containing alkaline nitrate radioactive waste, at the Savannah River Plant is controlled by specification of limits on waste composition and temperature. Actual cases of cracking have occurred in the primary steel shell of tanks designed and built before 1960 and were attributed to a combination of high residual stresses from fabrication welding and aggressiveness of fresh wastes from the reactor fuel reprocessing plants. The fresh wastes have the highest concentration of nitrate, which has been shown to be the cracking agent. Also as the waste solutions age and are reduced in volume by evaporation of water, nitrite and hydroxide ions become more concentrated and inhibit stress corrosion. Thus, by providing a heel of aged evaporated waste in tanks that receive fresh waste, concentrations of the inhibitor ions are maintained within specified ranges to protect against nitrate cracking. Tanks designed and built since 1960 have been made of steels with greater resistance to stress corrosion; these tanks have also been heat treated after fabrication to relieve residual stresses from construction operations. Temperature limits are also specified to protect against stress corrosion at elevated temperatures.

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This specification establishes minimum design, qualification and acceptance requirements for terrestrial solar cell modules suitable for incorporation in photovoltaic array applications in the 20 kW to 500 kW range, such as defined by Department of Energy PRDA EM-D-04-0038. Both mandatory and recommended requirement levels for selected performance criteria have been specified for modules within these arrays. As applicable, the manufacturer/contractor shall be responsible for generation and selection of appropriate design or test levels within the scope of these criteria. Specification of any additional requirements as necessary to satisfy the particular array or system application shall be the responsibility of the manufacturer/contractor. Environmental requirements imposed by this specification are considered to be the minimum level acceptable to DOE.

This specification establishes minimum design, qualification and acceptance requirements for terrestrial solar cell modules suitable for incorporation in photovoltaic array applications in the 20kW to 500kW range, such as defined by Department of Energy PRDA EM-D-04-0038. Both mandatory and recommended requirement levels for selected performance criteria have been specified for modules within these arrays. As applicable, the manufacturer/contractor shall be responsible for generation and selection of appropriate design or test levels within the scope of these criteria. Specification of any additional requirements as necessary to satisfy the particular array or system application shall be the responsibility of the manufacturer/contractor. Environmental requirements imposed by this specification are considered to be the minimum level acceptable to DOE. Test procedures are detailed.

The handling and disposal of brine effluents is a critical part of any geothermal conversion process. Brine effluents from the San Diego Gas and Electric/Department of Energy--Geothermal Loop Experimental Facility were characterized for particulate concentration and chemical composition. Bench scale tests were conducted with inorganic and organic coagulants as a means of enhancing the sedimentation process for separation and removal of suspended solids, principally amorphous silica. The effects of temperature, retention time, and pH on the precipitation of supersaturated silica, subsequent floc settling properties, and supernatant clarity were also determined. A design of a pilot scale clarifier now undergoing testing is also described.

This report is concerned with improving estimates for the residence times of atmospheric trace constituents in various atmospheric reservoirs. Residence times are defined only for steady-state conditions; i.e., when the net growth rate vanishes. The most useful case of vanishing net growth rate is when the total growth rate is equal to the decay rate. It is demonstrated that the most important advance towards improving estimates of pollutant residence times is through proper choices of reservoirs. Chosen reservoirs should possess the following features: steady-state conditions, uniform mixing ratio throughout or throughout specified subreservoirs, and subreservoirs chosen in which removal rates can be treated as approximate constants. An example of a poorly mixed reservoir, the stratosphere, is discussed. In another example, it is suggested that commonly used reservoirs for atmospheric CO/sub 2/ have been chosen poorly and that a substantial portion of the anthropogenic CO/sub 2/ released during the past 50 years may still be mixing into the stratosphere. In another example, it is suggested that determination of the dry deposition velocity for accumulation-mode aerosol particles may not be so important as previously thought. To improve estimates for the atmospheric residence times of these particles, it is important to increase knowledge …

A static equivalent seismic analysis of the Diesel Generator ''A'' Cooling System has been completed. The static equivalent loads were applied to the radiator, over-pressure tank, piping, and the pipe supports. The cooling system was found to be structurally adequate for the applied SSE loading. 2 refs., 2 figs.