This paper describes an invention of a pressure measuring instrument which uses laser radiation to sense the pressure in an enclosed environment by means of measuring the change in refractive index of a gas - which is pressure dependent.

This report discusses a process for separating uranium values and transuranic values from fission products containing rare earth values when the values which are contained together in a molten chloride salt electrolyte. A molten chloride salt electrolyte with a first ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride is contacted with both a solid cathode and an anode having values of uranium and fission products including plutonium. A voltage is applied across the anode and cathode electrolytically to transfer uranium and plutonium from the anode to the electrolyte while uranium values in the electrolyte electrolytically deposit as uranium metal on the solid cathode in an amount equal to the uranium and plutonium transferred from the anode causing the electrolyte to have a second ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride. Then the solid cathode with the uranium metal deposited thereon is removed and molten cadmium having uranium dissolved therein is brought into contact with the electrolyte resulting in chemical transfer of plutonium values from the electrolyte to the molten cadmium and transfer of uranium values from the molten cadmium to the electrolyte until the first ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride is re-established.

The invention is a process for the removal of rare earths from molten chloride electrolyte salts used in the reprocessing of integrated fast reactor fuel (IFR). The process can be used either continuously during normal operation of the electrorefiner or as a batch process. The process consists of first separating the actinide values from the salt before purification by removal of the rare earths. After replacement of the actinides removed in the first step, the now-purified salt electrolyte has the same uranium and plutonium concentration and ratio as when the salt was removed from the electrorefiner.

This report discusses a process of separating transuranium actinide values from uranium values present in spent nuclear oxide fuels which contain rare earth and noble metal fission products. The oxide fuel is reduced with Ca metal in the presence of CaCl{sub 2} and a U-Fe alloy containing not less than about 84% by weight uranium at a temperature in the range of from about 800{degrees}C to about 850{degrees}C to produce additional uranium metal which dissolves in the U-Fe alloy raising the uranium concentration and having transuranium actinide metals and rare earth fission product metals and the noble metal fission products dissolved therein. The CaCl{sub 2} having CaO and fission products of alkali metals and the alkali earth metals and iodine dissolved therein is separated and electrolytically treated with a carbon electrode to reduce the CaO to Ca metal while converting the carbon electrode to CO and CO{sub 2}. The Ca metal and CaCl{sub 2} is recycled to reduce additional oxide fuel. The U-Fe alloy having transuranium actinide metals and rare earth fission product metals and the noble metal fission products dissolved therein is contacted with Mg metal which takes up the actinide and rare earth fission product metals. The U-Fe …

This report discusses a process for separating uranium values and transuranic values from fission products containing rare earth values when the values which are contained together in a molten chloride salt electrolyte. A molten chloride salt electrolyte with a first ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride is contacted with both a solid cathode and an anode having values of uranium and fission products including plutonium. A voltage is applied across the anode and cathode electrolytically to transfer uranium and plutonium from the anode to the electrolyte while uranium values in the electrolyte electrolytically deposit as uranium metal on the solid cathode in an amount equal to the uranium and plutonium transferred from the anode causing the electrolyte to have a second ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride. Then the solid cathode with the uranium metal deposited thereon is removed and molten cadmium having uranium dissolved therein is brought into contact with the electrolyte resulting in chemical transfer of plutonium values from the electrolyte to the molten cadmium and transfer of uranium values from the molten cadmium to the electrolyte until the first ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride is re-established.

This invention relates to a process for gas cleanup to remove one or more metallic contaminants present as vapor. More particularly, the invention relates to a gas cleanup process using mass transfer to control the saturation levels such that essentially no particulates are formed, and the vapor condenses on the gas passage surfaces. It addresses the need to cleanup an inert gas contaminated with cadmium which may escape from the electrochemical processing of Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) fuel in a hot cell. The IFR is a complete, self-contained, sodium-cooled, pool-type fast reactor fueled with a metallic alloy of uranium, plutonium and zirconium, and is equipped with a close-coupled fuel cycle. Tests with a model have shown that removal of cadmium from argon gas is in the order of 99.99%. The invention could also apply to the industrial cleanup of air or other gases contaminated with zinc, lead, or mercury. In addition, the invention has application in the cleanup of other gas systems contaminated with metal vapors which may be toxic or unhealthy.

Solid state laser technology is a very well developed field and numerous embodiments and modes of operation have been demonstrated. A more recent development has been the pumping of a solid state laser active medium with an array of diode lasers (diode pumping, for short). These diode pump packages have previously been developed to pump solid state lasers with good efficiency, but low average power. This invention is a method and the resulting apparatus for operating a solid state laser in the heat capacity mode. Instead of cooling the laser, the active medium will heat up until it reaches some maximum acceptable temperature. The waste heat is stored in the active medium itself.

Lewisite was developed during World War I as a chemical warfare agent. Several countries produced large quantities of the agent before, during and after World War II. The Chemical Weapons Convention treaty, recently signed, requires the destruction of Lewisite. In implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty, it will be necessary to monitor the facilities at which various chemical agents including Lewisite may be stored for compliance with the agreement. The inspection procedures must meet stringent standards for safety, quality assurance and accountability. In preparing for these inspections a technology gap has been identified in the ability to detect and monitor for the presence of Lewisite in ambient air, particularly in the facilities where chemical warfare agents are stored. A method and an apparatus for determining the concentration of Lewisite in the ambient atmosphere are described. The apparatus includes a mechanism for separating and collecting a Lewisite sample from the atmosphere, a mechanism for converting the collected Lewisite to an arsenite ion solution sample, and a mechanism for electrochemically detecting the converted arsenite ions in the sample, whereby the amount of arsenite ions detected is proportional to the concentration of Lewisite in the atmosphere.

This invention permits radionuclides, heavy metals, and organics to be extracted from solution by scavenging them with an amorphous gel. In the preferred embodiment, a contaminated solution (e.g. from soil washing, decontamination, or groundwater pumping) is transferred to a reaction vessel. The contaminated solution is contacted by the sequestering reagent which might contain for example, aluminate and EDTA anions in a 2.5 M NaOH solution. The pH of the reagent bearing solution is lowered on contact with the contaminated solution, or for example by bubbling carbon dioxide through it, causing an aluminum hydroxide gel to precipitate as the solution drops below the range of 1.8 to 2.5 molar NaOH (less than pH 14). This precipitating gel scavenges waste contaminants as it settles through solution leaving a clean supernatant which is then separated from the gel residue by physical means such as centrifugation, or simple settling. The gel residue containing concentrated contaminants is then redissolved releasing contaminants for separations and processing. This is a critical point: the stabilized gel used in this invention is readily re-dissolved by merely increasing the pH above the gels phase transition to aqueous anions. Thus, concentrated contaminants trapped in the gel can be released for convenient …

The object of the invention is to provide a composite material comprised of phosphazene polymer. A feature of phosphazene-containing composites is their superior stiffness, thermal stability, and hardness which is lacking in more typical composite constituents. An advantage of using phosphazene composites is a wider range of applications, including uses in harsh environments. Another object of the present invention provides a method for producing phosphazene-containing composite materials through a pultrusion process. In brief, these and other objects are achieved by a composite produced by first coating a reinforcing material with an inorganic phosphazene compound and then polymerizing the phosphazene compound so as to confer superior thermal, physical and chemical resistance qualities to the composite. 2 figs., 6 tabs.

Patent for Settling Basin-Separating Devices. This device improves the issue of unwanted discharge shown in prior devices

This invention is comprised of a process and apparatus for quantitatively and selectively separating metal ions from mixtures thereof in aqueous solution. The apparatus includes, in combination, a horizontal electrochemical flowing cell containing flowing bulk electrolyte solution and an aqueous, metal ion-containing solution, the cell containing a metal mesh working electrode, a counter electrode positioned downstream from the working electrode, an independent variable power supply/potentiostat positioned outside of the flowing cell and connected to the electrodes, and optionally a detector such as a chromatographic detector, positioned outside the flowing cell. This apparatus and its operation has significant application where trace amounts of metal ions are to be separated.

This invention is comprised of a method and device for disinfecting a flush toilet. The device is an electrocell mounted in the tank of the toilet, with two wire mesh electrodes immersed in the water in the tank and a battery applying approximately one to two volts of electric potential to the electrodes so that they chemically reduce a portion of the water in the tank to hydrogen peroxide. Then, when the tank is flushed, the peroxide is carried into the bowl where it can kill bacteria.

An apparatus and method are disclosed for electrochemical analysis of elements in solution. An auxiliary electrode a reference electrode and five working electrodes are positioned in a container containing a sample solution. The working electrodes are spaced apart evenly from each other and auxiliary electrode to minimize any inter-electrode interference that may occur during analysis. An electric potential is applied between auxiliary electrode and each of the working electrodes. Simultaneous measurements taken of the current flow through each of the working electrodes for each given potential in a potential range are used for identifying chemical elements present in sample solution and their respective concentrations. Multiple working electrodes enable a more positive identification to be made by providing unique data characteristic of chemical elements present in the sample solution.

An oil/gas separator is disclosed that can be utilized to return the burning wells in Kuwait to production. Advantageously, a crane is used to install the separator at a safe distance from the well. The gas from the well is burned off at the site, and the oil is immediately pumped into Kuwait`s oil gathering system. Diverters inside the separator prevent the oil jet coming out of the well from reaching the top vents where the gas is burned. The oil falls back down, and is pumped from an annular oil catcher at the bottom of the separator, or from the concrete cellar surrounding the well.

A method of immobilizing mixed low-level waste is provided which uses low cost materials and has a relatively long hardening period. The method includes: forming a mixture of iron oxide powders having ratios, in mass %, of FeO: Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} equal to 25-40: 40-10: 35-50, or weighing a definite amount of magnitite powder. Metallurgical cinder can also be used as the source of iron oxides. A solution of the orthophosphoric acid, or a solution of the orthophosphoric acid and ferric oxide, is formed and a powder phase of low-level waste and the mixture of iron oxide powders or cinder (or magnetite powder) is also formed. The acid solution is mixed with the powder phase to form a slurry with the ratio of components (mass %) of waste: iron oxide powders or magnitite: acid solution = 30-60: 15-10: 55-30. The slurry is blended to form a homogeneous mixture which is cured at room temperature to form the final product.

In the field of microelectronics, and in particular the fabrication of microelectronics during plasma etching processes, electrostatic chucks have been used to hold silicon wafers during the plasma etching process. Current electrostatic chucks that operate by the {open_quotes}Johnson-Rahbek Effect{close_quotes} consist of a metallic base plate that is typically coated with a thick layer of slightly conductive dielectric material. A silicon wafer of approximately the same size as the chuck is placed on top of the chuck and a potential difference of several hundred volts is applied between the silicon and the base plate of the electrostatic chuck. This causes an electrostatic attraction proportional to the square of the electric field in the gap between the silicon wafer and the chuck face. When the chuck is used in a plasma filled chamber the electric potential of the wafer tends to be fixed by the effective potential of the plasma. The purpose of the dielectric layer on the chuck is to prevent the silicon wafer from coming into direct electrical contact with the metallic part of the chuck and shorting out the potential difference. On the other hand, a small amount of conductivity appears to be desirable in the dielectric coating so …

A gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) for use as a field portable organic chemical analysis instrument. The GC-MS is designed to be contained in a standard size suitcase, weighs less than 70 pounds, and requires less than 600 watts of electrical power at peak power (all systems on). The GC-MS includes: a conduction heated, forced air cooled small bore capillary gas chromatograph, a small injector assembly, a self-contained ion/sorption pump vacuum system, a hydrogen supply, a dual computer system used to control the hardware and acquire spectrum data, and operational software used to control the pumping system and the gas chromatograph. This instrument incorporates a modified commercial quadrupole mass spectrometer to achieve the instrument sensitivity and mass resolution characteristic of laboratory bench top units.

A series of new crystalline titanates (CT) are shown to have considerable potential as catalyst supports. For Pd supported catalyst, the catalytic activity for pyrene hydrogenation was substantially different depending on the type of CT, and one was substantially more active than Pd on hydrous titanium oxide (HTO). For 1-hexene hydrogenation the activities of the new CTs were approximately the same as for the hydrous metal oxide supports.

The invention described in this report relates to a combined system of an apparatus and a method of increasing the rates of oxidation of gases and hazardous vapors by methanotrophic and other bacteria. The gases of interest are methane and trichlorethylene and other hazardous vapors. In a preferred embodiment, the oxidation rate of methane is improved by the addition of clays, e.g., kaolin, sometimes called ``China clay.``

This invention relates to high frequency (HF) radio signal propagation through fading channels and, more particularly, to simulation of fading channels in order to characterize HF radio system performance in transmitting and receiving signals through such fading channels. Fading channel effects on a transmitted communication signal are simulated with both frequency and time variations using a channel scattering function to affect the transmitted signal. A conventional channel scattering function is converted to a series of channel realizations by multiplying the square root of the channel scattering function by a complex number of which the real and imaginary parts are each independent variables. The two-dimensional inverse-FFT of this complex-valued channel realization yields a matrix of channel coefficients that provide a complete frequency-time description of the channel. The transmitted radio signal is segmented to provide a series of transmitted signal and each segment is subject to FFT to generate a series of signal coefficient matrices. The channel coefficient matrices and signal coefficient matrices are then multiplied and subjected to inverse-FFT to output a signal representing the received affected radio signal. A variety of channel scattering functions can be used to characterize the response of a transmitter-receiver system to such atmospheric effects.

A radiation detector is provided, wherein a bulk high T superconducting sample is placed in a magnetic field and maintained at a superconducting temperature. Photons of incident radiation will cause localized heating in superconducting loops of the sample destroying trapped flux and redistributing the fluxons, and reducing the critical current of the loops. Subsequent cooling of the sample in the magnetic field will cause trapped flux redistributed Abrikosov fluxons and trapped Josephson fluxons. The destruction and trapping of the fluxons causes changes in the magnetization of the sample inducing currents in opposite directions in a pickup coil which is coupled by an input coil to an rf SQUID).

A thermophotovoltaic device includes at least one thermal radiator tube, a cooling tube concentrically disposed within each thermal radiator tube and an array of thermophotovoltaic cells disposed on the exterior surface of the cooling tube. A shell having a first end and a second end surrounds the thermal radiator tube. Inner and outer tubesheets, each having an aperture corresponding to each cooling tube, are located at each end of the shell. The thermal radiator tube extends within the shell between the inner tubesheets. The cooling tube extends within the shell through the corresponding apertures of the two inner tubesheets to the corresponding apertures of the two outer tubesheets. A plurality of the thermal radiator tubes can be arranged in a staggered or an in-line configuration within the shell.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for the direct conversion of energy by thermovoltaic energy conversion having first and second tubesheets, at least one photon emitter plate secured to and extending from the first tubesheet, at least one cold plate secured to and extending from the second tubesheet, a plurality of thermovoltaic cells disposed along oppositely disposed exterior surfaces of the cold plate, and means cooperating with the tubesheet for maintaining a vacuum between the photon emitter plate and the cold plate.