DARPA, in conjunction with DOE`s Office of Nuclear Energy, and NASA`s Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology are jointly sponsoring a space nuclear reactor power system program known as the Space Power-100 (SP-100) Development Project. The program is presently in the critical technology phase. This phase, better known as technology assessment and advancement, includes mission requirements definition, system conceptual designs, and critical technology development. A ground test phase decision is scheduled for July 1985. If the decision is positive, the next phase would begin in fiscal year 1986. An overriding concern in conducting this program is to ensure that nuclear safety is being properly addressed even in these early stages.

The objective of this task was to establish and evaluate what PCC technologies need to be developed and what impact the availability and development of PCC technologies will have on Ground Demonstration Development Decision.

Alternative energy conserving systems for use in citrus processing plants were synthesized and evaluated in terms of energy savings and economic return. The energy intensive operations that are carried out in citrus processing plants include conveying and extraction, concentration, peel drying, refrigeration, and pasteurization. The alternative energy conserving systems are synthesized from components and subsystems that are arranged to make use of energy cascading and thermodynamic regeneration to reduce the overall energy usage. System requirements such as air pollution rules and plant processing load cycles, a characterization of major operations, description of alternative system concepts, and the evaluation of alternative systems in terms of economic parameters and energy usage are identified.

The concept design for a small (less than 10 MWe) solar thermal electric generating plant was completed using projected 1985 technology. The systems requirements were defined and specified. The components, including an engineering prototype for one 15 kWe module of the generating plant, were conceptually designed. Significant features of the small solar thermal power plant were identified as the following: (1) 15-kWe Stirling-cycle engine/alternator with constant power output; (2) 10-meter point-focusing paraboloidal concentrator with cantilevered cellular glass reflecting panels; (3) primary heat pipe with 800/sup 0/C output solar cavity receiver; (4) secondary heat pipe with molten salt thermal energy storage unit; (5) electric energy transport system; and (6) advanced battery energy storage capability. The present emphasis for achieving cost reduction goals centers on improving conversion efficiency and reducing the cost of key components.

Progress, present status, and data are presented for work in the areas of silicon substrate materials epitaxial substrates and epitaxial growth and of solar cells production process sequence determination especially, and also in the areas of process specification, minimodule design, process and design verification, and cost evaluation and projections. (LEW)