A fission-product source (FPS) was irradiated in EBR-II to provide data for calibrating the facility's fuel-element rupture detector (FERD), which is a delayed-neutron monitor, and germanium-lithium argon-scanning system (GLASS), a fission-gas-activity monitor. A metal alloy source, Ni-3.2 wt.% uranium, provided quantitative recoil release of the fission-product nuclides. The source alloy, in tubular form, was irradiated as core-region segments of 18 capsules in the FPS subassembly. The irradiation showed that the response of the FERD was linear with increasing reactor power. The magnitude of the FERD signal was dependent on local fission rate for the FPS and the flow path of the sodium carrying the delayed-neutron emitters. The relatively high fission-gas activity released by the FPS allowed accurate calibration of the GLASS under several modes of operation and provided data for verifying a gas-release model for the reactor.

Report on electrochemical energy development, including development of advanced, high-temperature lithium/metal sulfide batteries for vehicle propulsion and stationary energy storage.

Quarterly report discussing fuel cell research and development work at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This report describes efforts directed toward understanding and improving the components of molten-carbonate-electrolyte fuel cells operated at temperatures near 925 K.

A transient, two-dimensional code has been developed to provide a detailed description of fuel-clad conditions during a TOP accident. Emphasis has been directed toward development of a framework within which fuel motion and ejection can be viewed following pin failure. All code modules have been rigorously verified. Illustrative application of the code, with the exercise of its many and varied features, have been included.

This report describes the Fuel Dynamics Test E6 and analyzes the test data. A cluster of six fresh FTR-type fuel pins surrounding a previously irradiated pin was tested to failure in a simulated $3/s FFTF accident.

Type 308 CRE stainless steel weld specimens were subjected to metallographic and fractographic analysis after failure in elevated temperature (593 degrees C) creep-fatigue tests. The failure mode for specimens tested under continuous-cycle fatigue conditions were predominantly transgranular. When the test cycle was modified to include a hold time at the maximum tensile strain, the failure mode became predominantly inter-phase. Sigma phase was observed within the delta-ferrite regions of the weld. However, the presence of sigma phase did not appear to affect the failure mode.

The degenerate parabolic equation has been used to model the flow of gas through a porous medium. Error estimates for continuous and discrete time finite element procedures to approximate the solution of this equation are proved and a new regularity result is described.

Materials used in coal-conversion systems are exposed to high pressure, high temperature, corrosive and erosive gases, and liquids containing particulate matter. These severe environments necessitate an assessment of the integrity of components to prevent premature failures. Gamma radiography was evaluated as a viable technique for testing such components in the laboratory or after operation in situ. Penetrameters (image-quality indicators) were developed for refractory-lined vessels and transfer lines, and exposure times for various combinations of refractory-steel thicknesses were determined. Radiography with /sup 60/Co was performed on gasifier vessels, combustor vessels, and critical transfer lines in existing pilot plants using the experience gained through laboratory experiments. The results show that gamma radiography is a practical and effective method to detect critical conditions in coal-conversion system components.

A fully coupled solution algorithm for pressure-linked fluid flow equations earlier found to be rapidly convergent in laminar flows has been extended to calculate turbulent flows. The governing mean flow equations are solved in conjunction with a two-equation (k - epsilon) turbulence model. A number of two-dimensional recirculating flows have been computed and it is shown that the calculation procedure is rapidly convergent in all the cases. The calculations have been compared with published experimental data; their agreement is in accord with other published experiences with the (k - epsilon) model in similar flows.

This report contains plutonium wavelengths, energy level classifications, and other spectroscopic data accumulated over the past twenty years at Laboratoire Aime Cotton (LAC) Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The primary purpose was term analysis: deriving the energy levels in terms of quantum numbers and electron configurations, and evaluating the Slater-Condon and other parameters from the levels.

The Generic TRUEX Model (GTM) was used to simulate three different counter-current flowsheet tests performed using mixer-settlers that had been carried out prior to 1993 in the Chemical Processing Facility, Tokai-works, of the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) of Japan. The feed for the PNC runs was the highly active raffinate from reprocessing of spent fuel from fast breeder reactors. The PNC demonstration runs were planned without using the GTM. Results predicted by the GTM and those obtained experimentally by PNC for the three demonstration runs are compared. Effects of stage efficiency, nitrate complexation, temperature, and equipment type are also included.

This report describes the primary physical models that form the basis of the DART mechanistic computer model for calculating fission-product-induced swelling of aluminum dispersion fuels; the calculated results are compared with test data. In addition, DART calculates irradiation-induced changes in the thermal conductivity of the dispersion fuel, as well as fuel restructuring due to aluminum fuel reaction, amorphization, and recrystallization. Input instructions for execution on mainframe, workstation, and personal computers are provided, as is a description of DART output. The theory of fission gas behavior and its effect on fuel swelling is discussed. The behavior of these fission products in both crystalline and amorphous fuel and in the presence of irradiation-induced recrystallization and crystalline-to-amorphous-phase change phenomena is presented, as are models for these irradiation-induced processes.

As a result of the U.S. Department of Energy's environmental restoration and technology development activities, GTS Duratek, Inc., and its subcontractors have demonstrated an integrated thermal waste treatment system at Fernald, OH, as part the Minimum Additive Waste Stabilization (MAWS) Program. Specifically, MAWS integrates soil washing, vitrification of mixed waste streams, and ion exchange to recycle and remediate process water to achieve, through a synergistic effect, a reduction in waste volume, increased waste loading, and production of a durable, leach-resistant, stable waste form suitable for disposal. This report summarizes the results of the demonstration/testing of the soil washing component of the MAWS system installed at Fernald (Plant 9). The soil washing system was designed to (1) process contaminated soil at a rate of 0.25 cubic yards per hour; (2) reduce overall waste volume and provide consistent-quality silica sand and contaminant concentrates as raw material for vitrification; and (3) release clean soil with uranium levels below 35 pCi/g. Volume reductions expected ranged from 50-80 percent; the actual volume reduction achieved during the demonstration reached 66.5 percent. The activity level of clean soil was reduced to as low as 6 pCi/g from an initial average soil activity level of 17.6 pCi/g (the …

A Reynolds stress model (RSM) of turbulence, based on seven transport equations, has been linked to the COMMIX-1C/RSM and CAPS-3D/RSM computer codes. Six of the equations model the transport of the components of the Reynolds stress tensor and the seventh models the dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy. When a fluid is heated, four additional transport equations are used: three for the turbulent heat fluxes and one for the variance of temperature fluctuations. All of the analytical and numerical details of the implementation of the new turbulence model are documented. The model was verified by simulation of homogeneous turbulence.

This report presents results from an investigation on the creep-fatigue and cyclic-deformation of Type 16-8-2 (16% Cr-8% Ni-2% Mo) stainless steel weld metal. Tests were conducted in air at 593 degrees C and a strain rate of 0.004 s⁻¹. Comparisons with data for Type 316 stainless steel base metal indicated that the weld metal has significantly longer fatigue lives for several tension hold-time tests. This is attributed to the fine duplex microstructure of the weld metal that inhibits the growth rate of cracks. Additional studies on the cyclic deformation behavior of the weld metal indicate that the material is strain-history dependent; therefore a unique stress-strain curve does not exist. Monotonic tension tests after cyclic straining result in a different stress-strain curve than obtained from companion fatigue tests at various completely reversed constant strain ranges. A comparison of the fracture morphology and creep-rupture specimens indicates that differences resulting from these tests can be attributed to different failure mechanisms.

This report discusses the effectiveness of the EBR-II fuel-element-rupture-detector (FERD) system which detects delayed-neutron-emitting fission products. It is demonstrated that FERD provides no reactor or public protection for loss-of-flow or transient-overpower fault events that affect the whole core; such protection is provided by other systems.

Annual report of activities of the Argonne National Laboratory Physics Division, including research at ATLAS, medium-energy nuclear physics and weak interactions, theoretical nuclear physics, and atomic and nuclear physics research.

Annual report of activities of the Argonne National Laboratory Physics Division, including heavy-ion research, operation and development of ATLAS, medium-energy nuclear physics research and weak interactions, theoretical nuclear physics, and atomic and molecular physics research.

Annual report of activities of the Argonne National Laboratory Physics Division, including heavy-ion nuclear physics research, operation and development of ATLAS, medium-energy nuclear physics research, theoretical physics, atomic and molecular physics research.

Annual report of activities of the Argonne National Laboratory Physics Division, including heavy-ion nuclear physics research, operation and development of ATLAS, medium-energy nuclear physics research, theoretical physics, atomic and molecular physics research.

Annual report of activities of the Argonne National Laboratory Physics Division, including research at ATLAS, medium-energy nuclear physics and weak interactions, theoretical nuclear physics, and atomic and molecular physics research.

This report, reviews the research activities in the Mathematics and Computer Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory for the period January 1988 - August 1989. The body of the report gives a brief look at the MCS staff an-d the research facilities, and discusses various projects carried out in two major areas of research: analytical and numerical methods and advanced computing concepts. Projects funded by non-DOE sources are also discussed, and new technology transfer activities are described. Further informant ion or division staff, visitors, workshops, and seminars is found in the appendices.

This report summarizes the work that has been performed at Argonne National Laboratory on the development of an analytical procedure to analyze TRUEX process solvents; these solvents are composed of a bifunctional organophosphorus extractant.

The effects of cyclic strains at 4.2 K on the electrical resistivity of copper have been investigated as Phase I of a program to determine the overall effects on monolithic superconducting composites. This work is a direct application to the design of large superconducting magnets that are subject to several different modes of cyclic strain during assembly and normal operations.