Progress report describing the development of Compound Parabolic Concentrators (CPC). A tenfold concentrator with a cavity receiver was constructed and tested. The optical efficiency was very good (65 percent), but the thermal performance was degraded by heat losses of the cavity receiver. A summary of the results of subcontracts described in the previous progress report are presented, and the influence of these results on ANL programs is noted.

Biaxial creep-rupture tests were conducted on 12 prototypic GCFR fuel-cladding specimens at 650 deg C and a nominal hoop stress of 241.3 MPa. All test specimens were fabricated from 20% cold-worked Type 316 stainless steel tubes that were ribbed on the outer surface by mechanical grinding or electro-chemical etching. Test variables included specimen length and the presence or absence of weld-reinforcing end collars.

During disassembly and subsequent visual examinations of X159 (a Mark A-19A type of subassembly containing mixed-oxide fuel), 11 of 19 shroud tubes were found fully or partially severed. Several of the capsules within their shroud tubes were distinctly kinked at axial locations near those at which the shroud tubes were severed. The examination also disclosed that the shroud-tube fractures occurred during reactor operations.

Present concepts of disposal of low-level aqueous wastes (LLAW) that contain much of the fission-product tritium from light water reactors involve dispersal to the atmosphere or to surface streams at fuel reprocessing plants. These concepts have been challenged in recent years. Deep-well injection of low-level aqueous wastes, an alternative to biospheric dispersal, is the subject of this presentation. Many factors must be considered in assessing its feasibility, including technology, costs, environmental impact, legal and regulatory constraints, and siting. Examination of these factors indicates that the technology of deep-well injection, extensively developed for other industrial wastes, would require little innovation before application to low-level aqueous wastes. Costs would be low, of the order of magnitude of 10⁻⁴ mill/kWh. The environmental impact of normal deep-well disposal would be small, compared with dispersal to the atmosphere or to surface streams; abnormal operation would not be expected to produce catastrophic results. Geologically suitable sites are abundant in the U.S., but a well would best be co-located with the fuel-reprocessing plant where the LLAW is produced. Legal and regulatory constraints now being developed will be the most important determinants of the feasibility of applying the method.

The EBR-II environmental instrumented subassembly (EISA), or Test XX07, was designed, fabricated, and irradiated to provide in-core measurements of irradiation conditions. This subassembly contained 57 elements with uranium metal-5 wt.% fissium fuel and four non-fueled elements. It was instrumented with two permanent-magnet flowmeters, 13 coolant thermocouples at various axial and radial locations, 10fuel-centerline thermocouples, and two self-powered detectors. The subassembly was irradiated in EBR-II for about 11,600 MWd (-186 days), reaching a peak burnup of about 2.9 at.% During its residence in the reactor, XX07 provided in-core measurements of flow, temperature and flux levels under both steady-state and dynamic conditions.

The calorimetric instrumentation developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) for making nondestructive measurements of the plutonium content of fuel rods is discussed. Measurements with these instruments are relatively fast (i.e., 15 to 20 minutes) when compared to the several hours usually required with more conventional calorimeters and for this reason are called ''fast-response.'' Most of the discussion concerns the One-Meter and the Four-Meter Fuel-Rod Calorimeters and the Analytical Small-Sample Calorimeter. However, to provide some background and continuity where needed, a small amount of discussion is devoted to the three earlier calorimeters which have been described previously in the literature. A brief review is presented of the literature on plutonium holdup measurements. The use of gamma-ray techniques for holdup measurements is discussed and results are given for the determination of sample thickness using the ratio of intensities of high- and low-energy gamma rays. The measurements cover the plutonium metal thickness range from 0.001 to 0.120 inches. The design of a gamma-ray collimator with 37 parallel holes is also discussed. Neutron-counting experiments using BF3 proportional counters embedded in two polyethylene slabs are described. This detector configuration is characterized for its sensitivity to sample and background plutonium, counting both coincidence (fission) and total …

Quarterly progress report summarizing work performed by the Argonne National Laboratory Light-Water-Reactor Safety Research Program. It includes sections discussing research and development in: (1) loss of-coolant accident research: heat transfer and fluid dynamics; (2) transient fuel response and fission-product release program; (3) mechanical properties of zircaloy containing oxygen; and (4) steam-explosion studies.

Report of a long-term program for monitoring the irradiation behavior of the materials in service in the primary-system sodium and the neutron shield of the EBR-11 sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor.

Annual report of the environmental monitoring program at Argonne National Laboratory, discussing activities and findings of the group.

Particulate agglomeration and separation at high temperatures and pressures are examined, with particular emphasis on the unique features of the direct-cycle application of fluidized-bed combustion. The basic long-range mechanisms of aerosol separation are examined, and the effects of high temperature and high pressure on usable collection techniques are assessed. Primary emphasis is placed on those avenues that are not currently attracting widespread research. The high-temperature, particulate-collection problem is surveyed, together with the peculiar requirements associated with operation of turbines with particulate-bearing gas streams.

THI3D-1 is an improved version of the THI3D computer program for steady-state, single-phase, thermal-hydraulic multichannel analysis. The program accounts for conservation of mass, energy, and momentum subject to pressure-drop boundary conditions, and leads to a nonlinear multipoint boundary-value problem. Turbulent interchange, radial thermal conduction, and forced flow due to wire wraps or grids between channels are explicitly taken into account. Temperature distributions in the coolant, cladding, fuel, and duct wall and the size of the central void of the oxide fuel after thermal restructuring are computed. Also included are program-input description and format, and a sample problem reflecting these improvements.

A fluidized-bed, reductive decomposition process has been developed for regenerating calcium sulfate, a product of fluidized-bed combustion. The effect of process operating variables on the extent of regeneration and on the SO2 levels in the off-gas has been determined, and a process model has been proposed. A process for regenerating spent SO2 sorbents has been developed on a PDU scale. Tymochtee dolomite that had been sulfated during fluidized-bed combustion of coal is regenerated (reductive decomposition of calcium sulfate to calcium oxide and SO2) by the incomplete combustion of either methane or coal in a fluidized-bed reactor.

Quarterly report on batteries being developed for electric-vehicle propulsion and for stationary energy storage applications.

Report on development of high-performance batteries including design study for stationary energy storage and electric-vehicle propulsion, and materials development studies on electrical feedthroughs and new types of separators.

This is a sequel to the paper ''A comparison of two ODE codes: GEAR and EPISODE,'' and is concerned with the testing of two superficially similar ODE packages, GEAR and EPISODE. Fourteen basic test problems, some with several cases, are the basis for the testing. These problems represent several types-nonlinear systems with real and complex eigenvalues, linear systems with varied diagonal dominance, linear scalar problems, stiff and non-stiff problems, chemical kinetics with and without diurnal effect, and systems arising from the use of the numerical method of lines. Some problems are included in order to examine the options and error returns. The test results are presented in two forms: raw output and a comparative display of operation counts and of timings for the best method in the GEAR package and the best method in the EPISODE package. This approach allows a comparison of the consequences of the fixed-step interpolate strategy (GEAR) for changing step size against the truly variable step size strategy (EPISODE). It is concluded that EPISODE is generally faster than GEAR for problems involving wave fronts or transients on the interior of the interval of integration. For linear or simply decaying problems, these roles are usually reversed.

This report presents an extensive literature survey on bubble dynamics. Growth of a single spherical bubble moving in a uniformly superheated liquid is considered. Equations of motion and energy are presented in the forms that take into consideration the interaction between the motion and the growth. The fourth-order Runge-Kutta method is used to obtain a simultaneous solution of equations of motion and growth rate, and the solution is compared with available experimental results. Results for liquid sodium are presented for a range of pressures and Jakob numbers.

This conference was organized to identify, encourage, and promote greater understanding through basic research of the problems encountered in open-cycle, coal-fired MHD generators. The development of this system presents many challenging areas of research in materials sciences, thermodynamics, kinetics, solid state and ion-molecule chemistry and physics, all focused on phenomena occurring at high temperature. The scope of the conference has been designed to improve interdisciplinary communication by involving (1) persons in MHD science and engineering; (2) persons in industry interested in materials research and development; and (3) persons in universities and national laboratories engaged in related basic research. The presentations in the introductory session describe the nature of the MHD system and identify the near-term problems. Sessions following in Gas-Plasma Chemistry; Electronic, Ionic and Molecular processes; Materials; Slag/Seed Properties and Slag/Seed Interactions.

Quarterly progress report summarizing work done in Argonne National Laboratory's Applied Physics Division including: reactor safety research and technical coordination of the Reactor Safety Research safety analysis program.

An outline is presented for an experimental program to develop and evaluate nondestructive assay techniques applicable to holdup measurement in plutonium-containing fuel fabrication facilities. The current state-of-the-art in holdup measurements is reviewed. Various aspects of the fuel fabrication process and the fabrication facility are considered for their potential impact on holdup measurements. The measurement techniques considered are those using gamma-ray counting, neutron counting, and temperature measurement. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique are discussed. Potential difficulties in applying the techniques to holdup measurement are identified. Experiments are proposed to determine the effects of such problems as variation in sample thickness, in sample distribution, and in background radiation. These experiments are also directed toward identification of techniques most appropriate to various applications. Also proposed are experiments to quantify the uncertainties expected for each measurement.

Transient thermal phenomena in Pb/PbO2 (lead-acid) batteries during charging processes were investigated. Mathematical models were formulated for the studies of heat transfer behavior across the electrode/electrolyte interface within a porous PbO2 electrode during charging, thermal behavior and temperature distribution over a lead-acid battery during different charging processes designed for electric-vehicle propulsion application, and cooling methods for lead-acid batteries during recharge cycles. Numerical solutions show that the heat transfer across the solid electrode and the electrolyte within the porous electrode is so fast that their temperatures may be regarded as the same. The results also show that, in a lead-acid battery designed for electric-vehicle propulsion, the heat generated in the cell during fast charging processes may cause a noticeable rise of temperature in the cell if the heat is not removed properly. The studies of heat-removal processes indicate that incorporation of cooling tubes within the cell cannot effectively remove the heat being released from the cell. However, the heat may be removed effectively by circulation of electrolyte through the battery. Numerical solutions are provided for the engineering evaluation of heat-removal design during battery cycling processes.

Annual report of the Argonne National Laboratory Radiological and Environmental Research Division regarding activities related to molecular physics and chemistry. This report discusses a study on the physical properties and the chemical reactions of atmospheric constituents, with emphasis on the role of pollutants arising from the use of fossil fuels. Special effort is being placed on understanding nucleation phenomena through the study of the molecular properties of gas phase clusters.

The Mark IIB oscillator rod was used in EBR-II runs 48-55. Data were collected, digitized, and processed by on-line computer analysis, and Fourier analysis was used to obtain frequency-response functions. Feedback frequency-response functions are compared with those obtained by rod-drop experiments and are qualitatively identical. Experimental results are also compared with the EBR-II dynamic simulation computer program, EROS. Through the use of basic neutronic and heat-transfer principles, this program is shown to adequately represent the reactor feedback frequency-response function. The experimental data from EBR-II runs 48-55 are presented in both tabular and graphic form.

The Remote Working Level Monitor (RWLM) is an instrument used to remotely monitor the RN-daughter concentrations and the Working Level (WL). It is an ac powered, microprocessor based instrument which multiplexes two independent detector units to a single central processor unit (CPU). The CPU controls the actuation of the detector units and processes and outputs the data received from these remote detector units. The remote detector units are fully automated and require no manual operation once they are set up. They detect and separate the alpha emitters of RaA and RaC' as well as detecting the beta emitters of RaB and RaC. The resultant pulses from these detected radioisotopes are transmitted to the CPU for processing. The programmed microprocessor performs the mathematical manipulations necessary to output accurate Rn-daughter concentrations and the WL. A special subroutine within the program enables the RWLM to run and output a calibration procedure on command. The data resulting from this request can then be processed in a separate program on most computers capable of BASIC programming. The calibration program results in the derivation of coefficients and beta efficiencies which provides calibrated coefficients and beta efficiencies.

Investigation of five factors affecting the aerosol generation in a glass frit bubbler system.