This invention is comprised of a process for recovering nuclear fuel from spent fuel assemblies that employs a single canister process container. The cladding and fuel are oxidized in the container, the fuel is dissolved and removed from the container for separation from the aqueous phase, the aqueous phase containing radioactive waste is returned to the container. This container is also the disposal vessel. Add solidification agents and compress container for long term storage.

A method and apparatus for determining the power, momentum, energy, and power density profile for high momentum mass flow. Small probe projectiles of appropriate size, shape and composition are propelled through an intense particle beam at equal intervals along an axis perpendicular to the beam direction. Probe projectiles are deflected by collisions with beam particles. The net beam-induced deflection of each projectile is measured after it passes through the intense particle beam into an array of suitable detectors.

A method of monitoring a material during processing comprising the steps of (a) shining a detection light on the surface of a material; (b) generating ultrasonic waves at the surface of the material to cause a change in frequency of the detection light; (c) detecting a change in the frequency of the detection light at the surface of the material; (d) detecting said ultrasonic waves at the surface point of detection of the material; (e) measuring a change in the time elapsed from generating the ultrasonic waves at the surface of the material and return to the surface point of detection of the material, to determine the transit time; and (f) comparing the transit time to predetermined values to determine properties such as, density and the elastic quality of the material.

This invention is comprised of a method for cutting with a laser beam where an oxygen-hydrocarbon reaction is used to provide auxiliary energy to a metal workpiece to supplement the energy supplied by the laser. Oxygen is supplied to the laser focus point on the workpiece by a nozzle through which the laser beam also passes. A liquid hydrocarbon is supplied by coating the workpiece along the cutting path with the hydrocarbon prior to laser irradiation or by spraying a stream of hydrocarbon through a nozzle aimed at a point on the cutting path which is just ahead of the focus point during irradiation.

This invention is comprised of a method is described for producing silicon carbide particles using solar energy. The method is efficient and avoids the need for use of electrical energy to heat the reactants. Finely divided silica and carbon are admixed and placed in a solar-heated reaction chamber for a time sufficient to cause a reaction between the ingredients to form silicon carbide of very small particle size. No grinding of silicon carbide is required to obtain small particles. The method may be carried out as a batch process or as a continuous process.

This invention is comprised of a method of detecting timing errors in a system oscillator for an electronic device, such as a power supply, includes the step of comparing a system oscillator signal with a delayed generated signal and generating a signal representative of the timing error when the system oscillator signal is not identical to the delayed signal. An LED indicates to an operator that a timing error has occurred. A hardware circuit implements the above-identified method.

This invention is comprised of an apparatus and method for simultaneously and separately emplacing two streams of different materials through a drillstring in a borehole to a downhole location for lost circulation control. The two streams are mixed outside the drillstring at the desired downhole location and harden only after mixing for control of a lost circulation zone.

This invention is comprised of a micro-machined resonator, typically quartz, with upper and lower micromachinable support members, or covers, having etched wells which may be lined with conductive electrode material, between the support members is a quartz resonator having an energy trapping quartz mesa capacitively coupled to the electrodes through a diaphragm; the quartz resonator is supported by either micro-machined cantilever springs or by thin layers extending over the surfaces of the support. If the diaphragm is rigid, clock applications are available, and if the diaphragm is resilient, then transducer applications can be achieved. Either the thin support layers or the conductive electrode material can be integral with the diaphragm. In any event, the covers are bonded to form a hermetic seal and the interior volume may be filled with a gas or may be evacuated. In addition, one or both of the covers may include oscillator and interface circuitry for the resonator.

An oxide-based strengthening and toughening agent, such as tetragonal Zro{sub 2} particles, has been added to copper oxide superconductors, such as superconducting YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub x} (123) to improve it fracture toughness (K{sub IC}). A sol-gel coating which is non-reactive with the superconductor, such as Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} (211) on the ZrO{sub 2} particles minimized the deleterious reactions between the superconductor and the toughening agent dispersed therethrough. Addition of 20 mole percent ZrO{sub 2} coated with 211 yielded a 123 composite with a K{sub IC} of 4.5 MPa(m){sup 0.5}.

A sequencing and data fanout mechanism is provided for a dataflow processor is activated by an input token which causes a sequence of operations to occur by initiating a first instruction to act on data contained within the token and then executing a sequential thread of instructions identified by either a repeat count and an offset within the token, or by an offset within each preceding instruction.

A method, using a quartz crystal microbalance, to obtain simultaneous measurement of solid mass accumulation and changes in liquid density-viscosity product. The simultaneous real-time measurements of electrical parameters yields that changes in surface mass can be differentiated from changes in solution properties. Two methods to obtain the admittance/frequency data are employed.

This invention is comprised of a method and apparatus for the secure transmission of static data from a tag to a remote reader. Each time the static data is to be transmitted to the reader, the 10 bits of static data are combined with 54 bits of binary data, which constantly change from one transmission to the next, into a 64-bit number. This number is then encrypted and transmitted to the remote reader where it is decrypted to produce the same 64 bit number that was encrypted in the tag. With a continual change in the value of the 64 bit number in the tag, the encrypted numbers transmitted to the reader will appear to be dynamic in character rather than being static.

This invention is comprised of a tamper-sensing system for an electronic tag which is to be fixed to a surface of an article, the tamper-sensing system comprising a capacitor having two non- contacting, capacitively-coupled elements. Fixing of the body to the article will establish a precise location of the capacitor elements and relative to each other. When interrogated, the tag will generate a tamper-sensing signal having a value which is a function of the amount of capacity of the capacitor elements. The precise relative location of the capacitor elements cannot be duplicated if the tag is removed and affixed to a surrogate article having a fiducial capacitor element fixed thereto. A very small displacement, in the order of 2-10 microns, of the capacitor elements relative to each other if the tag body is removed and fixed to a surrogate article will result in the tamper-sensing signal having a different, and detectable, value when the tag is interrogated.

A-moving bed coal gasifier for the production of tar-free, low ammonia fuel gas is described. The gasifier employs a combustion zone in a free-aboard area above the moving bed to burn coal fines to provide hot combustion gases for pyrolyzing and gasifying coal particulates in the moving bed to form fuel gas as the hot gases move co-currently with the downwardly moving coal particulates. The fuel gas contains entrained tars and ammonia compounds which contact hot char and ash in the moving bed and are cracked so that the fuel gas removed from the gasifier at a midpoint off-take is essentially tar-free and of low ammonia content. Concurrently with this gasification reaction, steam and an oxidant are introduced into a region below the moving bed to flow countercurrently to the downwardly moving bed to contact and react with carbon remaining in the char to create additional fuel gas which is also extracted from the gasifier at the mid-point off-take.

Virtually distortion free large field high resolution imaging is performed using an imaging system which contains large field distortion or field curvature. A reticle is imaged in one direction through the optical system to form an encoded mask. The encoded mask is then imaged back through the imaging system onto a wafer positioned at the reticle position. Particle beams, including electrons, ions and neutral particles, may be used as well as electromagnetic radiation.

A system and method for monitoring the output of a laser is provided in which the output of a photodiode disposed in the cavity of the laser is used to provide a correlated indication of the laser power. The photodiode is disposed out of the laser beam to view the extraneous light generated in the laser cavity whose intensity has been found to be a direct correlation of the laser beam output power level. Further, the system provides means for monitoring the phase of the laser output beam relative to a modulated control signal through the photodiode monitor.

A system and method for monitoring the output of a laser is provided in which the output of a photodiode disposed in the cavity of the laser is used to provide a correlated indication of the laser power. The photodiode is disposed out of the laser beam to view the extraneous light generated in the laser cavity whose intensity has been found to be a direct correlation of the laser beam output power level. Further, the system provides means for monitoring the phase of the laser output beam relative to a modulated control signal through the photodiode monitor.

A method is described for identifying soil microbial strains which may be bacterial degraders of pollutants. This method includes: Placing a concentration of a pollutant in a substantially closed container; placing the container in a sample of soil for a period of time ranging from one minute to several hours; retrieving the container and collecting its contents; microscopically determining the identity of the bacteria present. Different concentrations of the pollutant can be used to determine which bacteria respond to each concentration. The method can be used for characterizing a polluted site or for looking for naturally occurring biological degraders of the pollutant. Then bacteria identified as degraders of the pollutant and as chemotactically attracted to the pollutant are used to innoculate contaminated soil. To enhance the effect of the bacteria on the pollutant, nutrients are cyclicly provided to the bacteria then withheld to alternately build up the size of the bacterial colony or community and then allow it to degrade the pollutant.

The process is for the selective separation of Sr-82 and Sr-85 from a proton-irradiated Mo target. It includes dissolving the Mo in H2O2 to form a solution which is then passed through a cationic resin, whereby Mo, Nb, Tc, Se, V, As, Ge, Zr, Rb ions remain in the solution, while Rb, Zn, Be, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, Sr, Y, Zr ions are adsorbed. The resin is contacted with an acid solution to remove the adsorbed ions, forming a second solution. The second solution is evaporated and the residue dissolved in a dilute acid to form a third solution. After adjusting the acid molarity, the third solution is passed through a second cationic resin; this resin is contacted first with a dilute sulfuric acid solution and then with a dilute acid solution to remove the adsorbed Sr ions. Zr, Rb, and Y radioisotopes can also be recovered with additional steps.

The invention as presented consists of a submerged passively-safe power station including a pressurized water reactor capable of generating at least 600 MW of electricity, encased in a double hull vessel, and provides fresh water by using the spent thermal energy in a multistage flash desalination process.

A sample holder for use with x-ray diffractometers with the capability to rotate the sample, as well as to adjust the position of the sample in the x, y, and z directions. Adjustment in the x direction is accomplished through loosening set screws, moving a platform, and retightening the set screws. Motion translators are used for adjustment in the y and z directions. An electric motor rotates the sample, and receives power from the diffractometer.

Disclosed is a method for measuring the concentration of hydroxides (or pH) in alkaline solutions, using the tendency of hydroxides to adsorb CO{sub 2}. The method comprises passing CO{sub 2} over the surface of an alkaline solution in a remote tank before and after measurements of the CO{sub 2} concentration. Comparison of the measurements yields the adsorption fraction from which the hydroxide concentration can be calculated using a correlation of hydroxide or pH to adsorption fraction. A schematic is given of a process system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 2 figs.

The transuranic (TRU) elements neptunium, plutonium and amercium can be separated together with strontium from nitric acid waste solutions in a single process. An extractant solution of a crown ether and an alkyl(phenyl)-N.N-dialkylcarbanylmethylphosphine oxide in an appropriate diluent will extract the TRU`s to gather with strontium, uranium and technetium. The TRU`s and the strontium can then be selectively stripped from the extractant for disposal.

A multiple decade electrometer circuit is claimed which can measure low input currents or act as a current source and is comprised of a microprocessor controlled digital to analog converters to derive individual decades. A plurality of decades are created by multiple D-A voltage sources which generate electrometer currents through scaled resistors. After a first series of decades of current are successively produced, the converters are 10 cycled to generate current through new resistors scaled to produce another series decades of current. In this manner, the electrometer circuit generates or senses a plurality of decades of current without significant scale change.