Summary of miscellaneous updates related to the project. This includes information on the following. Simplified equations for modeling reactor conditions. Solubility tests involving thorium, bismuth, and protactinium. various other measurements and tests involving thorium, uranium, protactinium, bismuth, aluminum, and various other salts.

"Progress is reported on Phase II of a program for the development of a mixed fission product fueled thermoelectric generator. Materials studies are described in which bonded assemblies of bismuth telluride were life tested up to 3000 hours at 350 to 400 deg F hot junction temperature. Data were too inconsistent to define any satisfactory long-life bonding process. Further work is needed to eliminate the process variables. Insulation studies aimed at determining the thermal conductivity of various insulations with different fill gases under reduced pressures are described. Opacified aerogel powder appears to be very promising as an insulation medium for a diffuse heat source. A full- scale simulated test generator aimed at proving out the concept of a diffuse heat source for power generation is described. Progress on the construction of this electrically heated generator and its thermoelectric power converter is related.

Summary. At the time this project was initiated, all brazing had been confined to small retorts of ten cubic feet capacity or less. Larger assemblies were scheduled which required retorts of over 100 cubic feet capacity. Hydrogen atmospheres had given the best results, however, there was considerable reluctance to use hydrogen in these large retorts from a safety standpoint. It was thought that thru the use of PMC 2252, an argon - 2 1/2% hydrogen gas atmosphere which in non-explosive, sufficient cleaning action might be attoined without the inherent hazards encountered with hydrogen. An investigation of the argon - 2 1/2% hydrogen gas as a brazing atomosphoer

Report documenting the suitability of Arkansas for plant locations to produce synthetic liquid fuels, based on raw materials such as coal, natural gas, oil shale, and oil-impregnated strippable deposits.

This trainer is a complete, self-contained microcomputer system housed in a brief case for portability and convenience of use. It utilizes INTEL's 8080A microprocessor and associated support chips. The trainer is designed to allow the student to explore and learn the hardware and software capability of the 8080 microprocessor. It includes a breadboard socket so that experiments can be interfaced to the trainer. This option allows the student to learn both interfacing techniques and programing. A keyboard and numerical display are provided for the student to communicate with the trainer. The keyboard and numerical display can be used with either the octal number system or the hexadecimal number system. 8 figures. (RWR)

The continuous-point-source computer code calculates concentrations and surface deposition of radioactive and chemical pollutants at distances from 0.1 to 100 km, assuming a Gaussian plume. The basic input is atmospheric stability category and wind speed, but a number of refinements are also included.

Data are reported on the cycling of /sup 36/Cl-labeled DDT in an old field ecosystem. Data are included on the content of DDT retained in samples of soil, plants, invertebrates, and tissues of small mammals. The body burden of DDT in both earthworms and slugs decreased during the six-year period whereas that of isopods increased, indicating that the food chain sources of the compound differ among soil invertebrates. (CH)

Weekly report of the Texas Crop and Livestock Reporting Service on turkey poult numbers in Texas and compared with other states. It includes compiled statistics across six consecutive weeks during two years for turkey eggs set and poults hatched.

This report has been prepared for the California State Lands Commission to aid them in evaluating exploration programs for geothermal reservoirs, particularly in submerged land environments. Three charts show: (1) a logical progression of specific geologic, geochemical, and geophysical exploration techniques for detecting geothermal reservoirs in various geologic environments with emphasis on submerged lands, (2) various exploration techniques which can be used to develop specific information in geothermal areas, and (3) if various techniques will apply to geothermal exploration according to a detailed geologic classification. A narrative in semi-outline form supplements these charts, providing for each technique; a brief description, advantages, disadvantages, special geologic considerations, and specific references. The specific geologic situation will control the exploration criterion to be used for reservoir detection. General guidelines are established which may be of use in evaluating such a program, but the optimum approach will vary with each situation.

The NIF PEPC Mechanical Test Stand is to be used in the building 432. Building 432 is being used to test components and processes for NIF. The test stand is to be bolted to the floor. The test stand provides a platform from which the PEPC kinematic repeatability and vibrational characteristics of the PEPC LRU can be tested. The test stand will allow user access to the LRU to install instrumentation and to make adjustments to the kinematics. The mechanical test stand is designed to hold the 1700 lb. PEPC LRU.

The evolving plan for most of the KE and KW Basin sludges is disposition to WIPP as remote handled (RH) TRU. Because the hydrogen gas concentration in the sealed transportation cask destined for WIPP is limited by flammability safety, the number of containers and shipments to WIPP likely will be driven by the rate of hydrogen generated by the contained uranium metals reaction with water. Therefore, gas generation testing with uranium metal particles of known surface area and immobilized in candidate (grout) solidification matrices was used to identify the effectiveness of various candidate solidification matrices to inhibit the rate of the uranium metal-water reaction.

Production of Pu from separations plants was only 58% of April commitment because of Purex difficulties. UO{sub 3} production, shipments met schedules. Pu shape production and shipments exceeded forecast by 14%. Purex HS column, repaired Oct 1958, developed another leak and was bypassed April 18, resulting in Pu and U that required reprocessing. A Palm recovery run at Purex with all- reducing flowsheet, resulted in 87% recovery and excellent decontamination of product. The prototype dual-pass silver reactor in Purex C-cell plugged with offgases. Processing of unclarified feed through Purex solvent extraction continued. Redox dissolver batch sizes for E-metal processing were increased from 1.75 to 2.0 tons. Testing of first extraction cycle acidic flowsheet at Redox continued, with Np losses to HAW being below detection limit. Ru in 1AFS stream increased 10-fold F.P. activity but was removed in acid deficient U cycles. A sulfamic acid process is being explored for dissolving Pu metal. Scope design of Redox dissolver and RMA line replacement at Z plant was completed. Shielding effectiveness of medium and high density x-ray lead glass was compared.

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This document details activities of the irradiation processing department during the month of April, 1959. A general summary is included at the start of the report, after which the report is divided into the following sections: Research and engineering operations; production and reactor operations; facilities engineering operation; employee relations operation; and financial operation.

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We utilize weak motion recordings to evaluate the site response at the U1A hole, Nevada Test site to determine the effect on potential ground motion at the drift of the U1A hole 962 ft deep. We estimated the site response amplification of ground motion at the surface relative to the drift with the spectral ratio method. We utilized Fourier amplitude and absolute acceleration response spectra, and confined our study to frequencies of 0.5 to 25.0 Hz (.04 to 2.0 s periods). We identified 8 earthquakes in the area that were recorded at the bottom and top of the hole that were used for spectral ratios. We calculated the average and one standard deviation of ratios from all the events. Examining the data, we found that: (1) Fourier amplitude spectral ratios provided more detailed information on the site response than the absolute acceleration response that can be directly related to the effect of large earthquakes. (2) plots of the Fourier amplitude spectra for most of the recorded earthquakes show evidence for a spectral hole in the downhole recordings. This is due to downward reflected energy from the surface. This is not evident in absolute acceleration response records. (3) Fourier amplitude spectral …

The separations plants operated on schedule, and Pu production exceeded commitment. UO{sub 3} production and shipments were also ahead of schedule. Purex operation under pseudo two-cycle conditions (elimination of HS and 1A columns, co-decontamination cycle concentrator HCP) was successful. Final U stream was 3{times} lower in Pu than ever before; {gamma} activity in recovered HNO{sub 3} was also low. Four of 6 special E metal batches were processed through Redox and analyzed. Boric acid is removed from solvent extraction process via aq waste. The filter in Task II hydrofluorinator was changed from carbon to Poroloy. Various modifications to equipment were made.

Contamination rates have been estimated for the RTF nitrogen heating and cooling system (NH and CS) due to tritium permeation through the walls of metal hydride vessels. Tritium contamination of the NH and CS will be seen shortly after start-up of the RTF with the majority of it coming from the TCAP units. Contamination rates of the NH and CS are estimated to exceed 400 Ci/year after three years of operation and will elevate tritium concentrations in the NH and CS above 6 {times} 10{sup {minus}3} {mu}Ci/cc. To reduce tritium activity in the NH and CS, a stripper or ``getter`` bed may need to be installed in the NH and CS. Increasing the purge rate of nitrogen from the NH and CS is shown to be an impractical method for reducing tritium activity due to the high purge rates required. Stripping of the NH and CS nitrogen in the glove box stripper system will give a temporary lowering of tritium activity in the NH and CS, but tritium activity will return to its previous level in approximately two weeks.

The United States produced just over 1 billion short tons of coal in 1992, 0.4 percent more than in 1991. Most of the 4-million-short-ton increase in coal production occurred west of the Mississippi River, where a record level of 408 million short tons of coal was produced. The amount of coal received by domestic consumers in 1992 totaled 887 million short tons. This was 7 million short tons more than in 1991, primarily due to increased coal demand from electric utilities. The average price of delivered coal to each sector declined by about 2 percent. Coal consumption in 1992 was 893 million short tons, only 1 percent higher than in 1991, due primarily to a 1-percent increase in consumption at electric utility plants. Consumer coal stocks at the end of 1992 were 163 million short tons, a decrease of 3 percent from the level at the end of 1991, and the lowest year-end level since 1989. US coal exports fell 6 percent from the 1991 level to 103 million short tons in 1992. Less coal was exported to markets in Europe, Asia, and South America, but coal exports to Canada increased 4 million short tons.

With recent theoretical and empirical research in basic and applied psychology, human factors, and engineering, it is now sufficient to define an integrated approach to the deign of advanced displays for present and future nuclear power plants. Traditionally, the conventional displays have shown operators the individual variables on gauges, meters, strip charts, etc. This design approach requires the operators to mentally integrate the separately displayed variables and determine the implications for the plant state. This traditional approach has been known as the single-sensor-single-indicator display design and it places an intolerable amount of mental workload on operators during transients and abnormal conditions. This report discusses a new alternative approach which is the use of direct perception interfaces. Direct perception a interfaces display the underlying physical and system constraints of the situation in a directly perceptual way, such that the viewer need not reason about what is seen to identify system states, but can identify the state of the system perceptually. It is expected that displays which show the dynamics of fundamental physical laws should better support operator decisions and diagnoses of plant states. The purpose of this research project is to develop a suite of direct perception displays for PWR nuclear …

This is the first of a series of monthly reports covering details of the work of the Engineering Group of the Pile Technology Section of the Technical Department. The monthly Slug Inspection Report is being discontinued as a separate document and is being incorporated in this group report. Included is work on corrosion and blistering; graphite expansion; and irradiation studies.

This document details activities of the irradiation processing department during the month of April 1957. A general summary is included at the start of the report, after which the report is divided into the following sections: research and engineering operations; production and reactor operations; facilities engineering operation; employee relations operation; and financial operation.

A new reagent, BO-IMI, has been developed that achieves, single step, phosphate specific fluorescence labeling under aqueous conditions. Both 3 in. and 5 in. mononucleotides, including representative DNA adducts can be labeled. Included in this technique is a convenient procedure for postlabeling sample cleanup, leading to a practical detection of the products by capillary electrophoresis with laser fluorescencedetection. We consider that this new method will have a significant impact on the measurement of DNA adducts in human samples. This work was largely accomplished in the second half of our project. In the first half, we set up a new way to isolate DNA nucleotides from blood, worked with an initial, less specific technique for labeling DNA adducts, compared ionizing radiation vs oxidative damage to fluorescein labeled deoxyadenylic acid, and set up a capillary electrophoresis laser fluorescence detection system.

This memorandum presents experimental data from electrochemical and immersion tests to support the continued use of two sections of nonconforming steel in the Supplementary Safety System. The Reactor Corrosion Mitigation Committee met on May 16, 1991 to evaluate materials that had been installed in the SSS. The materials lacked complete Corrosion Evaluation (CE) and/or Certified Mill Test Reports and had been installed during recent modifications (Project S-4332). Items that lacked proper documentation included AISI Type 304 stainless steel (304) instrument tubing (0.375`` OD) associated with the pressure transmitters and a two-foot section of 304 pipe located on the far side of the system downstream of the pneumatic valves. Cyclic potentiodynamic polarization scans were performed on sensitized and solution-annealed 304 samples in as-mixed and acidified Gd(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}, or ``ink``, solutions at room temperature to determine the susceptibility of 304 to localized corrosion in this environment. No localized attack was observed on the solution annealed or sensitized 304 in the Gd(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} solution. These tests revealed no significant differences in the behavior of the sensitized and solution-annealed 304 in gadolinium nitrate solution. Therefore, localized corrosion of the nonconforming components is not anticipated, and the performance of the nonconforming components should …