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The local environment surrounding Mound Facility was monitored for tritium and plutonium-238. The results are reported for calendar year 1977. The environmental parameters analyzed included air, water, foodstuffs, soil and silt. The average concentrations of plutonium-238 and tritium were within the applicable stringent standards for radioactive species adopted by the U.S. DOE. Mound Facility drinking water has been brought into compliance with the new EPA standard for tritium in community drinking water systems, and Mound has undertaken a program to achieve compliance for nine private wells adjacent to the Facility site. The program has partially achieved its objective by bringing Mound wells and some of the nine affected private wells in the vicinity of Mound Facility into compliance with the U.S. EPA standard and significantly reducing tritium concentration in the remaining wells. Data concerning nonradioactive species in air and water are also presented and compared to federal, state, and local standards, where applicable.

Initiation and growth of a crack in the Charpy V-notch test was investigated by performing both static and impact controlled deflection tests. Test specimens were deformed to various deflections, heat-tinted to mark crack extension and broken apart at low temperature to allow extension measurements. Measurement of the crack extension provided an estimate of crack initiation as defined by different criteria. Crack initiation starts well before maximum load, and is dependent on the definition of ''initiation''. Using a definition of first micro-initiation away from the ductile blunting, computer model predictions agreed favorably with the experimental results.

Progress was made in all three areas this quarter--geochemistry, petrology, and basin analysis. In geochemistry the isotope work is well-established as is elemental analysis. Both are useful in application of data from other sources to the shales sequence, as shown. The V/Ni is proceeding well, and should be complete by July. The phenolic aldehyde work is not yet started because of equipment supply problems. In petrology some important progress was made in internal surface area studies of the shale in the Cumberland Thrust. Thin section petrography of outcrop samples from the Virginia side of the thrust is nearly complete. In basin analysis, the basic stratigraphic work of the project is nearly complete, with perhaps some problems remaining in the lower part of the section. All contractors are encouraged to produce the isopach maps, etc. of each unit as soon as possible. Representatives from Cincinnati have attended several meetings this quarter helping to coordinate these activities. The paleocurrent study of the basin is very nearly complete, needing some final work along the western side.

A /sup 1///sub 5/-scale test facility of a pressure-suppression system from a Mark I boiling water reactor was instrumented with seven types of transducers to obtain high-accuracy, dynamic loading data during a hypothetical loss-of-coolant accident. A total of 27 air tests have been completed with an average of 175 transducers recorded for each test. An end-to-end calibration of the total measurement system was run to establish accuracy of the data. The instrumentation verified the analysis of the dynamic loading of the pressure-suppression system.

Results are presented of acceptance tests conducted on the Alternator Stator, S/N 002, for the Kilowatt Isotope Power System. These results show that the Alternator Stator, S/N 002 for the Kilowatt Isotope Power System has satisfactorily completed the testing set forth within Sundstrand Test Specification 2538. Test requirements of TS 2538 were extracted from the Kilowatt Isotope Power System, and Phase I Test Plan.

Sample collection and preparation of the Umtanum Flow basalt for geochemical testing are described. (LK)

The radial-outflow reaction turbine, a pure-reaction turbine designed to improve the conversion efficiency of geothermal energy into electrical power is described. It also has potential as a total-flow turbine for low-temperature water. The principle of incomplete expansion can be used to obtain a reduction in turbine size when the turbine exhausts into a low-pressure condenser. And, by adding this turbine to single- and two-stage flashed-steam systems, the conversion efficiency of systems utilizing low- and high-energy wellhead sources, respectively can be improved. The Appendix outlines the analysis of the radial-outflow reaction turbine and leads to an expression for engine efficiency.

A two-phase turbine, using a low-quality steam-water mixture as a working fluid, was designed, built, and tested in the laboratory. Two-phase fluids are found naturally in most geothermal fields throughout the world and can also be used in the conversion of waste heat from industrial sources. The thermodynamic and fluid-dynamic properties of such fluid mixtures are reviewed, with specific reference to the selection and design of an appropriate expander. Various types of practically realizable expanders are considered, and the choice of a single-stage, axial-flow, impulse turbine is explained. Also the basic design parameters, including sizing and blade and nozzle geometry, are described.

Crack initiation and growth in the Charpy V-notch test are investigated for controlled deflections of the specimen applied both by slow bending and by impact. Charpy test specimens were deformed to various deflections, heat-tinted to mark the crack extensions, and broken apart at low temperature to allow measurement of the crack extensions. These measurements provide estimates of crack initiation as defined by various criteria. The loading point at which crack initiation occurs depends on the particular definition being used for ''initiation,'' but in all cases it is well before the maximum load is reached. When initiation is defined as the first observable micro-initiation away from the ductile blunting of the notch root, the experimental results are in good agreement with computer modeling predictions.

This report is a supplement to a tabulation of the thermodynamic and phase data for the 100 binary systems of Mo with the elements from H to Lr. The calculations of thermodynamic data and phase equilibria were carried out from 5000/sup 0/K to low temperatures. This report presents the methods of calculation used. The thermodynamics involved is rather straightforward and the reader is referred to any advanced thermodynamic text. The calculations were largely carried out using an HP-65 programmable calculator. In this report, those programs are reformulated for use with the HP-67 calculator; great reduction in the number of programs required to carry out the calculation results.

A calculation of the cross section for e/sup +/e/sup -/ ..-->.. ..mu../sup +/..mu../sup -/ interactions is performed assuming colliding beam conditions and propagation of a neutral intermediate vector boson. From this a derivation of the expression for the longitudinal polarization of the final state ..mu../sup -/ is made. The calculation, using relativistic, weak interaction, and field theory, demonstrates the connection between the polarization and the weak force parameters explicity. (JFP)

A total ozone retrieval model has been developed to process radiance data gathered by a satellite-mounted multichannel filter radiometer (MFR). Extensive effort went into theoretical radiative transfer modeling, a retrieval scheme was developed, and the technique was applied to the MFR radiance measurements. The high quality of the total ozone retrieval results was determined through comparisons with Dobson measurements. Included in the report are global total ozone maps for 20 days between May 12 and July 5, 1977. A comparison of MFR results for 13 days in June 1977 with Dobson spectrophotometer measurements of ozone for the same period showed good agreement: there was a root-mean-square difference of 6.2% (equivalent to 20.2 m.atm.cm). The estimated global total ozone value for June 1977 (296 m.atm.cm) was in good agreement with satellite backscatter ultraviolet data for June 1970 (304 m.atm.cm) and June 1971 (preliminary data--299 m.atm.cm).

The gathering of demographic, community development, and economic data for the region impacted by the Pikeville (Ohio) Nuclear Enrichment Facility is described. These data are to be used for establishing possible community uses, e.g., space heating, domestic water heating, and industrial uses, of waste heat from the facility. It was concluded that although the economic feasibility of such waste heat utilization remains to be proven, the community would cooperate in a feasibility demonstration program. (LCL)

A retrofit solar water-heating system has been installed in a three-story apartment building at Drexel University. The system employs two conventional collector banks (10 PPG collectors) mounted at the latitude angle for Philadelphia of 40 deg from the horizontal and two double-exposure collectors (DEC's) mounted vertically in mirrored enclosures. Although the DEC units are being used for year-round domestic water heating for the building, they are designed to provide maximum output in the winter and are therefore well-suited to solar space heat applications. Instrumentation for testing the DEC units has been developed and installed in the apartment building. The temperature sensors have been calibrated and regular data collection has begun. Some of the performance data acquired in June and July is presented and analyzed. The performance of the DEC units has been excellent during these summer months. A computer program has been developed for performance calculations for a variety of mirror configurations and latitude locations. Some preliminary results are presentd for latitudes 35, 40 and 45 deg.

A thermal analysis of a deep geologic depository for spent nuclear fuel is being conducted. The TRUMP finite difference heat transfer code is used to analyze a 3-dimensional model of the depository. The model uses a unit cell consisting of one spent fuel canister buried in salt beneath a ventilated room in the depository. A base case was studied along with several parametric variations. It is concluded that this method is appropriate for analyzing the thermal response of the system, and that the most important parameter in determining the maximum temperatures is the canister heat generation rate. The effects of room ventilation and different depository media are secondary.

The technical progress reported is divided into seven task areas. They are as follows: (1) thermal disproportionation of Si/sub x/F/sub y/ homologues on Si packed beds. Effort has been directed toward the study of the thermal disproportionation of Si/sub x/F/sub y/ homologues on Si packed beds at 850/sup 0/C and 500/sup 0/C. (2) review of experimental results on the near-continuous reactor. The silicon transport data from forty runs conducted on the near-continuous reactor are summarized and discussed. (3) thermal analysis of (SiF/sub 2/)/sub x/ polymer. At 276 to 286/sup 0/C a strong exothermic transition occurs in the (SiF/sub 2/)/sub x/ polymer. The enthalpy (..delta..H) measured by D.S.C. was -44.37 cal/gm. Other smaller endotherms were observed at 96/sup 0/C and 363/sup 0/C. (4) motorola purification therodynamics. In the Appendix can be found thermodynamic calculations for the predicted SiF/sub 4/ to SiF/sub 2/ conversion efficiencies for Step I in the SiF/sub 4/ transport purification process. (5) polymer condensation. It was concluded from the polymer condensation experiments at 0/sup 0/C that substrates and higher pressures in the polymer condensation unit increase condensation efficiency. However, the higher pressure occurring in these experiments markedly reduced the Step I reaction efficiency. (6) crystal growth. Single crystal …

The laboratory cyclone incinerator has been developed to study the effects of burning feed containing radionuclides other than plutonium-238. These isotopes, which will be primarily products of fission, must be efficiently removed from the off-gas if combustible waste containing such species is to be incinerated. Modifications to the original incinerator design were made to increase the efficiency of combustion and particulate removal in the system and to reduce its energy consumption. A drum compactor was purchased, installed, and tested. The test results were as expected; a 55-gal steel drum volume was reduced by 86%. The ash/cement matrix studies were completed. The 65/35 mixture proved to be the best for dry-cure pellets, and the 80/20 mixture produced the best wet-cured pellets. Experimental incinerator ash was successfully sintered; the final carbon content was less than 0.1 wt%.

Testing plans for a full-scale test receiver panel and supporting hardware which essentially duplicate both physically and functionally, the design planned for the Barstow Solar Pilot Plant are presented. Testing is to include operation during normal start and shutdown, intermittent cloud conditions, and emergencies to determine the panel's transient and steady state operating characteristics and performance under conditions equal to or exceeding those expected in the pilot plant. The effects of variations of input and output conditions on receiver operation are also to be investigated. Test hardware are described, including the pilot plant receiver, the test receiver assembly, receiver panel, flow control, electrical control and instrumentation, and structural assembly. Requirements for the Solar Thermal Test Facility for the tests are given. The safety of the system is briefly discussed, and procedures are described for assembly, installation, checkout, normal and abnormal operations, maintenance, removal and disposition. Also briefly discussed are quality assurance, contract responsibilities, and test documentation. (LEW)

This study covers the use of dc generators for meeting the Experimental Power Reactor Ohmic Heating Energy Storage Requirements. The dc generators satisfy these requirements which are the same as defined in WFPS-TME-038 which covered the use of ac generators and homopolar generators. The costs of the latter two systems have been revised to eliminate first-of-a-kind factors. The cost figures for dc generators indicate a need to develop larger machines in order to take advantage of the economy-of-scale that the large ac machines have. Each of the systems has its own favorable salient features on which to base a system selection.

Background information relative to wrought tungsten forming was required in support of development studies. Seven principal areas of tungsten metallurgy were of interest: fabrication methods, delamination, recrystallization, heat treatment, fracture characteristics, impurity effects, and surface treatments. Pertinent information in Metal Abstracts from 1967 to mid 1977 was summarized for each area. Only a few papers were reviewed in their entirety; the great majority of information was derived from abstracts of the papers. 61 references.

Obtaining diffraction-limited images in the presence of atmospheric turbulence is a topic of current interest. Two types of approaches have evolved: real-time correction and speckle imaging. A speckle imaging reconstruction method was developed by use of an ''optimal'' filtering approach. This method is based on a nonlinear integral equation which is solved by principle value decomposition. The method was implemented on a CDC 7600 for study. The restoration algorithm is discussed and its performance is illustrated. 7 figures.

Nb/sub 3/Ge films fabricated by magnetron sputtering at substrate temperatures T/sub s/, from 600 to 850/sup 0/C and film thicknesses of 1 to 5 ..mu..m have been analyzed with respect to transition temperature T/sub c/, critical current density as a function of applied field J/sub c/(H), and grain size. J/sub c/ at 5Tesla shows a strong dependence on T/sub s/, decreasing by more than an order of magnitude as T/sub s/ increases from 700 to 815/sup 0/C. This decrease will be related to grain diameter D. Results will be presented which suggest a lower J/sub c/(H) in thicker films prepared at a fixed T/sub s/ is caused by increased grain diameters as the films grow in thickness. Evidence will be presented showing these results to be consistent with grain boundaries being the dominant pinning mechanism in these films.

By combining the electrically-driven, flying-plate, high-explosive initiator with well-known gas-gun technology, a novel method of generating and measuring shock pressures greater than 1 TPa has been developed. Called the electric gun, this system is competitive with laser or nuclear-driven, shock-wave, equation-of-state experiments in the 1 to 5 TPa range. Compared to those other methods, it has the advantage of simplicity, high precision, and low cost. In addition, its small size and low total energy allow it to be easily contained for experiments with toxic materials.