This report details the results of a theoretical study of seismic coupling and decoupling of underground explosions in a salt medium. A series of chemical and nuclear explosions was carried out years ago in salt domes for the Cowboy and the Dribble programs to provide experimental data on seismic coupling for both tamped explosions and explosions in cavities. The Cowboy program consisted of a series of chemical explosions, and the Dribble program consisted of the tamped nuclear Salmon event, the Sterling nuclear event in the Salmon cavity, and an associated site calibration effort. This report presents the results of extensive computer calculations, which are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data. The calculations were extended to give general results on seismic coupling in salt. The measure of seismic coupling for most of this work was the residual reduced displacement potential (residual RDP). The decoupling associated with a shot in a cavity was expressed as the ratio of the resulting residual RDP to that of an equal-sized tamped shot.

The FMA Linear Pocket Feeder (LPF) is a positive displacement feed system in which the pressure seal is developed by a set of mechanical labyrinth seals between the piston rings and the sealing tube. The pressure seal is completely independent of the type and size of coal used. The LPF can maintain a pressure difference with no coal in the system and can achieve steady state operation in less than a minute after startup. Coal flow rate can be changed while the LPF is operating at design speed and operating pressure with no effect on the LPF's performance. The LPF has the potential for operating on all types and sizes of coal as long as they are free flowing. The existing LPF will be upgraded utilizing the knowledge gained during the previous 330 hours of operation. The loading station will be redesigned to allow the infeed of coarse coal in such a manner that minimum degradation occurs during entry into the pockets of the feeder and feed of pulverized coal in a way that minimizes entrapment of air under the coal charge to allow quicker settling. Certain other proposed design changes are described also. (LTN)

The hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of commercial 2-1/4 Cr-1Mo steels has been investigated, using H/sub 2/S as the primary environment. After it was found that low strength steels, which had been given a post weld heat treatment, were immune to the test techniques developed, the effect of strength level was studied to establish a lower limit for embrittlement. Similar tests on the peak hardness zone in the heat affected zone of a weld showed that the crack preferred to move to the far heat affected zone where the strength level was below the lower limit established above. It is suggested that residual stresses may account for the anomaly, although other factors such as structural change could be important. In order to assess the low strengh steels, the environment was changed to include saturated water vapor in the H/sub 2/S. It was found that the low strength steels could be readily tested in this environment, thus providing a means of ranking Cr-Mo steels for hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility. Tests on one steel were included to show that the variability in the data using the H/sub 2/S + H/sub 2/O environment was small enough to make the screening test results significant.

A program to provide the basis for designing a practical electrochemical solar cell based on the II-VI compound semiconductors is described. Emphasis is on developing new electrolyte redox systems and electrode surface modifications which will stabilize the II-VI compounds against photodissolution without seriously degrading the long-term solar response. Work on redox couple stabilization of n-CdX photoanodes has focused on fast metal-based one-electron couples in various nonaqueous solvents which represent an extension of work with the methanol/ferro-ferricyanide system, which, although stabilizing for n-CdSe photoanodes, has been found to be photolytically unstable. Very promising results which were obtained for the FeCl/sub 4//sup 1-/2-/ couple in acetonitrile suggest that related chloro-couples should be considered, including the colorless two-electron tin (II, IV) and antimony (III, V) systems. Conducting polymer films of polyrrole photoelectrochemically deposited onto n-type semiconductors were previously shown to protect these electrode materials from photodecomposition while permitting electron exchange with the electrolyte, but poor adhesion has remained a key problem. Recently, improved adhesion has been attained for roughened semiconductor surfaces. It now appears that polypyrrole films are to some extent permeable to solvent/solute species since the film stability depends on the nature of the redox electrolyte, and semiconductor decomposition products seem to …

A study is made of a scale model in three dimensions of a guiding center plasma within the purview of gyroelastic (also known as finite gyroradius-near theta pinch) magnetohydrodynamics. The (nonlinear) system sustains a particular symmetry called isorrhopy which permits the decoupling of fluid modes from drift modes. Isorrhopic equilibria are analyzed within the framework of geometrical optics resulting in (local) dispersion relations and ray constants. A general scheme is developed to evolve an arbitrary linear perturbation of a screwpinch equilibrium as an invertible integral transform (over the complete set of generalized eigenfunctions defined naturally by the equilibrium). Details of the structure of the function space and the associated spectra are elucidated. Features of the (global) dispersion relation owing to the presence of gyroelastic stabilization are revealed. An energy principle is developed to study the stability of the tubular screwpinch.

This program is a continuation of the Liquid Phase Methanation/Shift Program (EX-76-C-01-2036) which was completed on November 30, 1978. One of its primary goals is to study the rates of carbon formation during methanation over a wide range of process conditions and determine the effect of the carbon deposition on catalyst activity and selectivity. The second goal is to perform an engineering design of a hydrodynamic cold-flow unit of scale equivalent to the LPM/S pilot plant reactor for evaluation of the 3-phase reaction system hydrodynamics. Work to date has concentrated on the first task - Rates of Carbon Formation. The existing reaction units and analytical system have been refurbished and calibrated. Five nickel-based methanation catalysts were chosen as representative of the types available commercially. Carrier materials for the catalysts are alumina, kieselguhr and calcium aluminate. Nickel contents vary from 35 to 60% Ni. The first experimental scan, 100 hours - without steam, has been successfully completed. The second scan is in progress, 300 hours - without steam. Samples of both spent and virgin reduced catalysts have been sent out for analysis.

Short summaries of thirty-seven investigations in progress in radiation chemistry and photochemistry are presented. Abstracts of twenty-three reports published are also presented. Some of the research in progress are: hyperfine coupling constants in methyl radical; theoretical calculations on 4-membered heterocyclic ring systems; absorption spectra of solvated electrons in THF; electron thermalization in liquid argon; electron capture in rare gases in competition with thermalization; electron spin densities for LiOH/sub 2/ in argon matrices; CO desorption and adsorption on Pt(III); radical reactions in combustion chemistry; laser photolysis of aqueous systems; laser flash photolysis study of hydrogen bending equilibria involving phenols; charge transfer interaction in the lowest singlet excited state of all-trans twenty-two carbon homologue of retinal; photoinduced redox transformations in macrocyclic complexes; photochemical properties of molybdenum complexes of dithiocarbamato ligands; scavenging reactions in the radiolysis of cyclopentane; determination of the products of oxidation of aniline by Ag(II); hydroxyl radical reactions with Ni(II) macrocyclic complexes.

The hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of commercial 2 1/4Cr - 1Mo steels has been investigated, using H/sub 2/S as the primary environment. After it was found that low strength steels, which had been given a post weld heat treatment, were immune to the test techniques developed, the effect of strength level was studied to establish a lower limit for embrittlement. Similar tests on the peak hardness zone in the heat affected zone of a weld showed that the crack preferred to move to the far heat affected zone where the strength level was below the lower limit established above. It is suggested that residual stresses may account for the anomaly, although other factors such as structural change could be important. In order to assess the low strength steels, the environment was changed to include saturated water vapor in the H/sub 2/S.