This report documents the technical progress through the first six months of this one-year program under DoE Contract which was effective 1 May 1978.

This report describes the results of a two-year study by Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and General Atomic Co. to develop a conceptual design for the standard (minimum-B) mirror hybrid reactor. The reactor parameters have been chosen to minimize the cost of producing nuclear fuel (/sup 239/Pu) for consumption in fission power reactors (light water reactors). The deuterium-tritium plasma produces approximately 400 MW of fusion power with a plasma Q of 0.64. The fast-fission blanket, which is fueled with depleted uranium and lithium, generates sufficient tritium to run the reactor, has a blanket energy multiplication of M = 10.4, and has a net fissile breeding ratio of Pu/n = 1.51. The reactor has a net electrical output of 600 MWe, a fissile production of 2000 kg of plutonium per year (at a capacity factor of 0.74), and a net plant efficiency of 0.18. The plasma-containment field is generated by a Yin-Yang magnet using NbTi superconductor, and the neutral beam system uses positive-ion acceleration with beam direct conversion. The spherical blanket is based on gas-cooled fast reactor technology. The fusion components, blanket, and primary heat-transfer loop components are all contained within a prestressed-concrete reactor vessel, which provides magnet restraint and supports the primary …

From 9 January through 20 January 1978, Honeywell conducted a wind tunnel test on a 1/30 scale partial heliostat field. The heliostats were per Honeywell's design developed under the 10 megawatt central receiver pilot electrical power plant subsystem research experiment contract. Likewise, the scaled section of the field geometry duplicated the proposed circular layout. Testing was conducted at the Georgia Institute of Technology's 9 foot subsonic tunnel. The objective of the test was to ascertain from a qualitative standpoint the field effects upon wind loading within a heliostat field. To accomplish this, numerous pressure tap measurements at different heights and at different field positions were taken with varying wind speeds, fence designs, and heliostat gimbal orientations. The Department of Energy specified boundary layer profile was also scaled by 1/30 in order to simulate the total wind effects as accurately as possible taking into account the potentially severe scaling or Reynolds number effects at a 1/30 scale. After initial model set-up within the tunnel and scaled boundary layer generated, 91 separate runs were accomplished. The results do demonstrate the high sensitivity of wind loading upon the collector field due to the actual heliostat orientation and fence geometry. Vertical pressure gradients within …

This TSTF proposal has two principal objectives. The first objective is to provide by mid-FY 1981 a demonstration of the fuel cycle and tritium containment systems which could be used in a Tokamak Experimental Power Reactor for operation in the mid-1980's. The second objective is to provide a capability for further optimization of tritium fuel cycle and environmental control systems beyond that which is required for the EPR. The scale and flow rates in TSTF are close to those which have been projected for a prototype experimental power reactor (PEPR/ITR) and will permit reliable extrapolation to the conditions found in an EPR. The fuel concentrations will be the same as in an EPR. Demonstrations of individual components of the deuterium-tritium fuel cycle and of monitoring, accountability and containment systems and of a maintenance methodology will be achieved at various times in the FY 1979-80 time span. Subsequent to the individual component demonstrations--which will proceed from tests with hydrogen (and/or deuterium) through tracer levels of tritium to full operational concentrations--a complete test and demonstration of the integrated fuel processing and tritium containment facility will be performed. This will occur near the middle of FY 1981. Two options were considered for the …

Various plants that might play a role in the energy mix of the future are discussed and illustrated. Included among them are the Euphorbias and Guayule. (JGB)

A series of ten slicing demonstrations on a multi-wire slurry saw, manufactured by Yasunaga Engineering Company of Japan and distributed by GEOS Corporation of Stamford, Connecticut, was made to evaluate the silicon ingot wafering capabilities. The results revealed that the present sawing capabilities can provide usable wafer area from an ingot 1.05 m/sup 2//kg (e.g., kerf width 0.135 mm and wafer thickness 0.265 mm). Satisfactory surface qualities and excellent yield of silicon wafers were found. One drawback is that the add-on cost of producing wafer from this saw, as presently used, is considerably higher than the systems being developed by Varian and Crystal Systems for the Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array Protect (LSSA), Task II, primarily because the Yasunaga saw uses a large quantity of wire. The add-on cost can be significantly reduced by extending the wire life and/or by reuse of properly plated wire to restore the diameter.

A FORTRAN code to evaluate binary reaction rates (sigmav) for a plasma to a specified accuracy is described. Distribution functions permitted are (1) two Maxwellian species at different temperatures, (2) beam-Maxwellian, (3) cold gas with Maxwellian, and (4) beam-plasma with mirror distribution of the form f(v) varies as f(v) M (cos theta). Several functional forms are permitted for f(v) and M(cos theta). Cross-section subroutines for a number of interactions involving hydrogen, helium, and electrons are included, as is a routine allowing input of numerical data. The code is written as a subroutine to allow ready incorporation into larger plasma codes.

The conversion of geothermal energy into usable electrical power has become increasingly important to the overall national energy needs. A major area of technical interest which has resulted from the initial development of geothermal power plants is the scale formation developed in the facility pipes and related components. This scale formation is due to the concentration of minerals in the geothermal water and steam. The current state-of-technology utilized for descaling consists of a combination of sandblasting, water blasting, acid soaking and scraping. These cleaning methods, used individually or collectively, do not provide an acceptable descaling operation due to excessive facility downtime and cost.

The Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) for the LOFT reactor may need to be disabled for modifications or repairs of hardware or instrumentation or for component testing during periods when the reactor system is hot and pressurized, or it may be desirable to enable the ECCS to be disabled without the necessity of cooling down and depressurizing the reactor. A policy involves disabling the automatic-actuation of the LOFT ECCS, but still retaining the manual actuation capability. Disabling of the automatic actuation can be safely utilized, without subjecting the fuel cladding to unacceptable temperatures, when the LOFT power decays to 33 kW; this power level permits a maximum delay of 20 minutes following a LOCA for the manual actuation of ECCS. For the operating power of the L2-2 Experiment, the required decay-periods (with operating periods of 40 and 2000 hours) are about 21 and 389 hours, respectively. With operating periods of 40 and 2000 hours at Core-I full power, the required decay-periods are about 42 and 973 hours, respectively. After these decay periods the automatic actuation of the LOFT ECCS can be disabled assuming a maximum delay of 20 minutes following a LOCA for the manual actuation of ECCS. The automatic …

Separate abstracts were prepared for each of the three included sections. (MOW)

The production of D/sup -/ by multiple charge-transfer collisions of a D/sup +/ beam in a cesium-vapor target is considered for D/sup +/ energies above 300 eV. The cross sections relevant to D/sup -/ formation are obtained by a least-squares fit of three-charge-state differential equations to experimental yield curves. Implications for production of intense negative-ion beams are discussed, and speculations are made about extrapolation to lower engeries.

Installation of a sulfuric acid corrosion test facility has been completed and is described. The facility is to be used for testing of potential materials for containment and heat exchange of a sulfuric acid vaporizer at temperatures up to 725/sup 0/K and boiling pressures of >20 atm (2 MPa). Materials that are ready for test are Duriron, Durichlor 51, single crystal Si, hot-pressed Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ (Noralide NC-132), and hot-pressed SiC (Crystar HD-435), and tests are expected to get underway in April pending Hazards Control approval.

Progress made in the following studies is reported: low-energy electron scattering; variable-angle photoelectron spectroscopy; laser photochemistry and spectroscopy; and collisions in crossed molecular beams.

Design and field execution of seismic experiments are described that recorded the characteristics of seismic signals from single and multiple explosions conducted at the Nevada Test Site in Yucca Flat, Nevada. Most of the data were obtained from small-scale underground explosions (total yields ranged from a fraction of a pound to 100 lb of explosives) that were designed to permit characterization of seismic signals as a function of explosive-source configuration. Other data were from explosions conducted in the area by others: two underground nuclear detonations with yields below 40 kt each and several surface explosions whose yields ranged from 700 lb to 100 tons. The project included a comprehensive study of the Yucca lake bed, close-range recording of seismic signals from explosions, and excavation of cavities generated by small-scale high-explosive charges. 60 figures, 14 tables.

The geothermal resources of California's Imperial Valley have the potential for the production of an estimated 3000 to 5000 MW/yr of electricity for 30 yr, provided that adeuqate cooling water is available for power plants. There are five possible sources of cooling water: irrigation water, waste waters from agriculture, steam condensate, ground water, and water from the Salton Sea. Technical, environmental, and regulatory constraints, however, could limit the availability of the water supplies. Of particular concern are the constraints that could be imposed if different water policies were implemented. To study how future policies could affect geothermal development, six combinations of various policies were defined to represent potential regulatory controls. A range of future water balances in the valley was also specified. The water balances plus the six policy combinations were used to determine whether deficits of cooling water would eventually constrain low, medium, or high levels of geothermal energy production. A companion analysis of changes in the elevation and salinity of the Salton Sea resulting from the use of agricultural waters for cooling was also made.

The activities and results of the chalcopyrite materials synthesis effort are described. Deposition of ZnSiAs/sub 2/ on 100 Ge and 111 Si substrates was continued with emphasis on identifying correlations between growth system settings and layer properties such as morphology, uniformity, growth rate, stoichiometry, and crystal structure. Results are discussed.

Research was directed towards the synthesis and characterization of the n-type deposits. The conditions required for growth of the n-type layers were found and the emphasis was then returned to the problem of obtaining thicker layers of p-ZnSiAs/sub 2/ via higher growth rates. The conditions required for consistent epitaxial growth were also pursued. Results are presented.

Experimental research in high energy physics is summarized. A list of publications is included. (JFP)

This report consists of discussion of constitutional issues.

This report presents field and laboratory results of 508 groundwater samples and 96 stream sediment samples for a reconnaissance geochemical survey of the Houston quadrangle, Texas.

From abstract: Results of a reconnaissance geochemical survey of the Iron Mountain Quadrangle, Michigan; Wisconsin are reported. Field and laboratory data are presented for 479 groundwater samples, 369 stream sediment samples, and 389 stream water samples. Statistical and areal distributions of uranium and other possible uranium-related variables are displayed. A generalized geologic map of the survey area is provided, and pertinent geologic factors which may be of significance in evaluating the potential for uranium mineralization are briefly discussed.

From abstract: Results of a reconnaissance geochemical survey of the Rice Lake Quadrangle, Wisconsin are reported. Field and laboratory data are presented for 518 groundwater samples, 540 stream sediment samples, and 533 stream water samples.

From abstract: Results of a reconnaissance geochemical survey of the San Antonio Quadrangle , Texas are reported. Field and laboratory data are presented for 781 groundwater samples 541 stream sediment samples, and 331 stream water samples.

It is noted that correction of the coupling resonance, ..nu../sub x/ - ..nu../sub y/ = 0, in intersecting storage accelerators with superconducting magnets requires two families of correcting skew quadrupoles with two independent power supplies. A possible location for the two families is suggested, and results are given for the required strengths of the skew quadrupoles and the required accuracy of the corrections. The results are applied to the ISABELLE storage accelerator.