Analyses were performed on high-duty firebrick, fashioned from calcined fireclay and used for 15 years in the crown of a coal-fired periodic kiln that underwent a thermal cycle to 1260/sup 0/C (2300/sup 0/F) once a week. The refractory loss of these bricks was approximately 1 in., a rate of approximately 0.07 in./year. A slag formed over the service end or hot face of the brick. The portion of the brick that was not exposed to the slag contained a microstructure of large grog grains interspersed in a fine matrix material. The grog grains consisted of mullite crystallites bonded in a matrix consisting primarily of low cristobalite and glass. Quartz, hematite (Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/), and rutile (TiO/sub 2/) were also present in the cold face region of the brick. The principal reactions between the coal slag and this type of high-duty refractory brick appear to be (1) original quartz grains in the brick slowly dissolving in the liquid slag formed from fusion of the constituents of the coal ash and (2) mullite crystals present in the brick reacting with the slag. This reaction leads to the formation of corundum crystals while the silica component of the mullite is dissolved in the …

Work done on the Lithium--Water--Air Battery Research Program in the work period August through November, 1977, is summarized. A prototype single-cell fuel cell was developed. The single galvanic cell consists of two 30-cm square aluminum plates separated by a two-faced air cathode mockup. The purposes of the model are to determine ease and cost of electrode servicing and weight and manufacturing cost of the hardware. Projections of fuel cell performance and cost were made, based on the prototype cell and the performance of cells of similar anode--cathode spacing produced by Lockheed Missiles and Space Company. Performance is a strong function of the weight of water carried in the fuel cell, as water is the limiting reactant when sufficient aluminum is carried for a vehicle range of 1600 km. Research concerning the electrochemistry of calcium in aqueous chloride--hydroxide electrolytes is summarized with reference to a recent presentation of the work at the Fall Meeting of the Electrochemical Society. Polarization curves were obtained for the aluminum alloy used by Lockheed in fuel cell research. The experimental data agree closely with Lockheed's published results. 9 figures, 1 table.

Four H/sub 2/O-moderated, slightly-enriched-uranium critical experiments were analyzed by Monte Carlo methods with ENDF/B-IV data. These were simple metal-rod lattices comprising Cross Section Evaluation Working Group thermal reactor benchmarks TRX-1 through TRX-4. Generally good agreement with experiment was obtained for calculated integral parameters: the epi-thermal/thermal ratio of U238 capture (rho/sup 28/) and of U235 fission (delta/sup 25/), the ratio of U238 capture to U235 fission (CR*), and the ratio of U238 fission to U235 fission (delta/sup 28/). Full-core Monte Carlo calculations for two lattices showed good agreement with cell Monte Carlo-plus-multigroup P/sub l/ leakage corrections. Newly measured parameters for the low energy resonances of U238 significantly improved rho/sup 28/. In comparison with other CSEWG analyses, the strong correlation between K/sub eff/ and rho/sup 28/ suggests that U238 resonance capture is the major problem encountered in analyzing these lattices.

Stackpole Carbon's graphite grade 2020, a candidate material for support posts in GA HTGRs, was oxidized in steam-helium mixtures to 25 wt % burnoff. The effects of the oxidation on ultimate strength, elastic modulus, and strain at fracture are reported. A large number of nonoxidized and oxidized tensile specimens were tested to failure. Average losses of 6.7 wt % in strength and 7.4 wt % in elastic modulus at 1% burnoff were obtained. No significant change in strain at fracture was observed for burnoffs up to 5%. The elastic modulus and ultimate tensile strength of the oxidized samples correlated with bulk density.

In early 1977, ERDA began an extensive study of various factors which could effect the early design and deployment of OTEC-1, a test platform for evaluation of one megawatt (1 MW) OTEC heat exchangers. The platform was to consist of the Hughes Mining Barge (HMB) and a 3000 foot deep cold water pipe (CWP). One of the factors to be considered was the motions of the HMB and the motions, loads and stresses of the CWP. Several theoretical methods, including one developed at HYDRONAUTICS, Incorporated were to be used to predict motions and CWP loads and stresses. There existed, however, no model tests or other validation of these theoretical methods. The lack of any validation of the theoretical methods was of some concern as early studies indicated that high CWP bending stresses, in particular, could represent a significant design problem. In early May 1977, HYDRONAUTICS proposed to carry out model tests of a one-fiftieth scale model of the HMB with several CWP models representing relatively rigid (steel) and flexible (glass reinforced plastic GRP) CWP's. This proposal was accepted by ERDA, and the model tests were carried out during June 1977. Preliminary results were provided to ERDA during June and July …

Full-scale laboratory drilling experiments were performed under simulated downhole conditions to determine what effect changing various drilling parameters has on penetration rate. The two rock types, typical of deep oil and gas reservoirs, used for the tests were Colton Sandstone and Bonne Terre Dolomite. Drilling was performed with standard 7/sup 7///sub 8/ inch rotary insert bits and water base mud. The results showed the penetration rate to be strongly dependent on bit weight, rotary speed, and borehole mud pressure. There was only a small dependence on mud flow rate. The drilling rate decreased rapidly with increasing borehole mud pressure for borehole pressures up to about 2,000 psi. Above this pressure, the borehole pressure and rotary speeds had a smaller effect on penetration rate. The penetration rate was then dependent mostly on the bit weight. Penetration rate per horsepower input was also shown to decrease at higher mud pressures and bit weights. The ratio of horizontal confining stress to axial overburden stress was maintained at 0.7 for simulated overburden stresses between 0 and 12,800 psi. For this simulated downhole stress state, the undrilled rock sample was within the elastic response range and the confining pressures were found to have only a …

This test procedure provides a detailed description of the verification methods which shall be used during development, performance and endurance testing to be conducted on the Kilowatt Isotope Power System (KIPS) Development Ground Demonstration Systems, P/N's 722487 and 723829 and Ground Demonstration System (GDS), P/N 725100. The objectives of this testing are to demonstrate system performance in a controlled environment; to verify results of performance predictions; to verify results compiled by component testing performed per Sundstrand Test Procedures and Test Specifications; and to isolate full scale operational characteristics for evaluation.

Cladding failure is one of the major considerations in analysis of fuel-pin behavior during hypothetical accident transients since time, location, and nature of failure govern the early postfailure material motion and reactivity feedback. Out-of-pile thermal transient tests of both irradiated and unirradiated fast-reactor cladding show that local plastic instability, or bulging, often precedes rupture and that the extent of local instability limits the initial rip length. To investigate the details of bulge formation and growth, a perturbation analysis of the equations governing large deformation of a cylindrical shell has been developed, resulting in a set of linear differential equations for the bulge geometry. These equations have been solved along with appropriate constitutive equations and various constraints on the ends of the cladding. Sources for bulge formation that have been considered include initial geometric imperfections and thermal perturbations due to either eccentric fuel pellets or nonsymmetric cooling. Of these, only the first is relevant to out-of-pile burst tests. Here it has been found that the most likely imperfection that will grow unstably to failure leads to a bulge around half the circumference with an axial length 1.1 times the deformed diameter. This is in general agreement with burst-test results. For the …

The relationship between the microstructure and magnetic properties of heat treated Fe-23 wt percent Cr--15 wt percent Co--5 wt percent V has been studied by transmission electron microscopy and Lorentz microscopy. Three different heat treatments were adopted for the present investigations viz., (1) isothermal aging, (2) TMT (thermomagnetic treatment) + step-aging, (3) continuous cooling. It has been found that the magnetic properties of the alloy are very sensitive to the temperature of the thermomagnetic treatment. Step-aging gave the best magnetic properties, producing an elongated ferromagnetic phase, 300 A in diameter and 1200 A in length. Lorentz microscopy revealed domain walls and these lie within the Cr-rich phase and pinned by the Fe-rich phase in the isothermally aged alloy at 650/sup 0/C. Magnetic domains of optimally step-aged alloy, 0.5 ..mu..m in width, are elongated along the direction of the applied magnetic field. The results suggest that the magnetic anisotropy is introduced parallel to the direction of the applied magnetic field during TMT and step-aging treatments.

A flow cell (with appropriate accessories) was developed for use in short-term testing of the corrosion behavior of materials in approximately 100{sup 0}C, hypersaline geothermal brine. The apparatus was designed to accommodate commercial (Petrolite) corrosion measurement equipment and conducted experiments on-line at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Test Station in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field. The apparatus also permitted direct readings of corrosion potentials, solution redox potential (E{sub h}), brine flow rate, pH, and temperature. Estimates of general corrosion rates were obtained by the linear polarization resistance technique and from measurements of complete potentiodynamic polarization curves. The latter also afforded predictions of pitting susceptibilities of active-passive type materials. Twenty-two alloys (with various heat treatments) were tested and readily grouped according to general corrosion resistances in acidified hypersaline (approximately 4 M chloride) brine. Especially promising in regard to corrosion resistance-vs-cost is the series of low Cr--Mo steels. Prescaling of materials in unacidified (pH approximately 5.7) brine prior to exposure to acidified (pH 2 to 4.5) brine was found to be beneficial in reducing corrosion rates at 100{sup 0}C.

The purpose of this test was to demonstrate that the alternator stator has satisfactorily completed sufficient testing to safisfy the requirements set forth within the Kilowatt Isotope Power System (KIPS) Component Test Specification for the GDS Alternator Stator (TS 2538). The results of the acceptance tests conducted on the alternator stator, S/N 003, are presented, and show that the stator did meet specified requirements.

A new approach in the use of Monte Carlo to solve heat conduction problems was developed using a transport equation approximation to the heat conduction equation. The method was shown to be applicable to the solution of multimedia problems in complex geometries with no inherent limitations as to the geometric complexity of problems which can be solved. Nuclear radiation transport and heat conduction problems can be calculated with the same computer code; and, in the case where the nuclear reactions are the heat source, the problem can be performed in a coupled mode with a single computer run. The method was demonstrated for problems involving multimedia, internal sources, fixed temperature boundary conditions, convective boundary conditions, time-dependent sources, and for a coupled nuclear radiation-heat conduction problem. Comparisons were made to analytical solutions when they were available or could be generated. The adjoint formulation was found to be the most suitable mode of solution for the class of problems which was considered and therefore the method appears to be more useful for calculating temperatures at specific points rather than temperature distributions.

An engineering assessment was performed of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium sand residues at the Lowman, Idaho, site. Services normally include the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and other radium-contaminated materials, the evaluation of resulting investigations of site hydrology and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas release from the 90,000 tons of sand residues at the Lowman site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although external gamma radiation is also a factor. The two alternative actions presented are dike construction, fencing, and maintenance (Option I); and consolidation of the piles, addition of a 2-ft-thick stabilization cover, and on-site cleanup (Option II). Both options include remedial action at off-site structures. Cost estimates for the two options are $393,000 and $590,000.

A revised and updated operation and maintenance manual for the segmented gamma-scan instrument is presented, which describes routine assay techniques as well as the theory of operation in sufficient depth that an experienced assayist can make nonroutine assays on a wide variety of materials and samples. In addition, complete electronic and electrical schematics of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL)-designed portions of the system are presented, along with sufficient system and circuit description to facilitate maintenance and troubleshooting. Complete software system descriptions are included, although detailed listings would have to be obained from LASL in order to make machine-language code changes.

The interaction of heavy ion projectiles with the electrons of target atoms gives rise to the production, in the target, of K-, L- or higher shell vacancies which are in turn followed by the emission of characteristic x-rays. The calculation of the theoretical value of the K- and L-shells vacancy production cross section was carried out for heavy ion projectiles of any energy. The transverse component of the cross section is calculated for the first time in detail and extensive tables of its numerical value as a function of its parameters are also given. Experimental work for 4.88 GeV protons and 3 GeV carbon ions is described. The K vacancy cross section has been measured for a variety of targets from Ti to U. The agreement between the theoretical predictions and experimental results for the 4.88 GeV protons is rather satisfactory. For the 3 GeV carbon ions, however, it is observed that the deviation of the theoretical and experimental values of the K vacancy production becomes larger with the heavier target element. Consequently, the simple scaling law of Z/sub 1//sup 2/ for the cross section of the heavy ion with atomic number Z/sub 1/ to the proton cross section is …

Rehyd, a low-impedance, HYDRA-type, water transmission line for bremsstrahlung exposures, was installed on the north side of the REBA facility. Rehyd produces 300 kA beams of 1.2 MeV electrons with a pulse width of 170 ns. Nominal x-ray exposure dose capabilities of 7 cal/g and 20 to 25 kJ were realized thus far. A description is given of the specific design parameters and facility layouts including the unique features of the REBA Marx generator/Rehyd line energy-transfer system. Diode configurations, magnetic-field applications, and output measurements are also presented.

A simple but accurate theoretical model is developed to describe the growth of avalanche ionization (breakdown) in the blowoff vapor from a laser-irradiated surface. This nonequilibrium model is applicable to laser intensities and wavelengths from approximately 10/sup 7/ to 10/sup 12/ ..mu..m/sup 2/.W/cm/sup 2/ for lambda/sub L//sup 2/.I/sub 0/, the square of the laser wavelength times its peak intensity. The model pertains only to the early stages of laser-target interaction, from the time surface vaporization begins to when first-degree ionization is achieved in the vapor. Approximate analytical solutions are found for the basic differential equations of the model, and such key quantities as breakdown time and threshold values of laser fluence and intensity are expressed in terms of simple formulas. With the model, we can thus easily predict general trends and specific parametric dependences. The analytical solutions are shown to agree well with accurate numerical solutions of the model's equations and with documented data on CO/sub 2/ laser-induced breakdown over aluminum targets.

The dynamic response of a confined thin layer of lead heated rapidly and uniformly to a supercritical state was investigated. Lead targets 0.025 mm and 0.05 mm thick were contained between a thin titanium tamping layer and a thick layer of fused quartz with several different gap widths between the lead and the confining surfaces. After being heated by an electron beam for about 50 ns, lead specimens expanded to a state of approximately half liquid and half vapor. Measurements of the stress in the quartz and the velocity of the tamper produced by the expanding lead were compared with one dimensional hydrodynamic computer program predictions. Measured and predicted peak stresses in the quartz for no gaps were approximately 12 kilobars and agreed within one kilobar. Peak stresses decreased rapidly with gap size to values, at 0.02 mm gaps, of about one kilobar for the 0.025 mm lead targets and five kilobars for the 0.05 mm targets. These values were confirmed by measurements. Predictions and measurements of tamper velocity (momentum) were within 10% only when the lead and confining walls were in close contact. The observed velocities for even very small gaps were substantially below predictions. These differences are attributed …

Experimental data for grade H-451 graphite are presented and assessed to support licensing of H-451 graphite for use as fuel element blocks in a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). Additional data from the literature on graphite grades similar to grade H-451 are presented to supplement the H-451 data. Evaluation programs at General Atomic Company (GA) covering characterization, irradiation, and oxidation studies, along with studies carried out in the Great Lakes Carbon Corporation H-451 development program, are reported.

The atomic displacement and hydrogen and helium gas production rates in a 1-cm-thick type-316 stainless steel first wall have been calculated as a function of blanket composition in a typical one-dimensional fusion reactor model. For a 50-cm-thick blanket, variations in the rates of atomic displacement and hydrogen and helium gas production of factors of 2.7, 1.3, and 1.2, respectively, were obtained. The dependence of the radiation damage responses on the thickness of the first wall and blanket are also given.

This report provides the current schedule of data collection for the routine environmental surveillance program at the Hanford Site. No results are presented in this report. The data collected are available in routine reports issued by the Environmental Evaluations staff.

The Memory Controlled Data Processor (MCDP) was designed to provide a high-speed multichannel processor and data formater for the Adaptive Intrusion Data System. It can address up to 48 analog data channels, 48 bilevel alarm data channels, and numerous miscellaneous data channels such as weather and time. A digital comparator in the MCDP can make comparisons between the data being processed and threshold limits programed for any channel. The MCDP is software oriented and has its instructions stored in a 4K core memory. 8 figures, 7 tables.

Time- and space-resolved measurements of the power loss to the liner of the Oak Ridge Tokamak (ORMAK) indicate that a large fraction (approx.60%) of the electron power input is lost to the wall, rather than to the limiter. This fraction is relatively constant over a wide range of input powers (ohmic heating plus neutral beam injection) and plasma conditions and for most of the discharge duration. Most of this energy loss is due to impurity radiation from an emission profile having a mean radius about a third that of the limiter radius and is time-correlated with gross plasma fluctuations, internal disruptions, and related spectroscopic impurity signals. In gas puffing experiments resulting in higher densities, the ratio of radiative power to the electron density continually falls as density increases during the course of the discharge.

An HCl laser which uses isotopic V-V energy transfer collisions as a pumping mechanism has been demonstrated. This multiline laser, which utilized an intracavity cold gas isotope filter, increased the energy from the P/sub 1/ lines of H/sup 37/Cl while decreasng the energies of the P/sub 1/ and P/sub 2/ lines of H/sup 35/Cl. Previously unreported lines, including emission from R branch transitions, have also been observed from single-line HCl and HBr lasers.