The purpose of the concept paper is to outline a possible approach to conducting the point-of-use component of the Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO) study of alternative fuels. Alternative measures for point-of-use application (specifically for the residential sector) would include conservation, solar space conditioning and water heating, and heat pumps. An outline is presented of analytical and field work that will provide information on parameters affecting users, the utility, and the market. Six interdependent activities discussed are: performance analysis, market research, utility impact analysis, comparative analysis, strategy planning, and implementation.

This report deals with a frequency spectrum evaluation of the SWAAM I predicted double rupture disc assembly operation pressure wave generated in the LLTR Series II A-2 test. It also evaluates the same wave predicted by the TRANSWRAP II code and the pressure wave actually measured upstream of the rupture disc assembly by the test instrumentation in Test A-2. The SWAAM I and TRANSWRAP II codes currently use the same analytical model to characterize the rupture disc until the disc strikes the knife edges. Thereafter, the SWAAM I code relies on analytical techniques to characterize the phenomena, whereas the TRANSWRAP II code uses empirical parameters based on A-2 test data to represent the disc behavior. Any differences in the predicted dynamic pipe loads caused by double rupture disc assembly operation, using the forcing functions predicted by the codes can, therefore, be traced to this difference.

The decision on how to redress the perceived vulnerability of U.S. intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMS) is the most controversial strategic nuclear weapon decision now facing the 97th Congress. A full-scale debate on this issue, especially as regards MX missile basing, seems certain. To assist Members of Congress in the debate, this paper discusses nine proposals for treating ICBM survivability: Recognize that ICBMs are invulnerable, rely only on bombers and submarines for deterrence, deploy a large or scaled-down shell-game multiple shelter system, defend MX with anti ballistic missiles, launch ICBMs on warning of attack, deploy MX on aircraft or small submarines, and diversify strategic forces, perhaps using small ICBMs.

/sup 240/Pu possesses a value for the dilute resonance capture integral that is mostly due to the resonance at 1.056 eV. It is important to the neutron economy of a reactor to know the accurate size of the resonance, i.e., GAMMA/sub n/ and GAMMA/sub ..gamma../. The HFBR fast chopper facility has been used to make a determination of these resonance parameters. In this low energy region the intensity and resolution of the instrument are adequate for precise measurements.

The United States, Japan, USSR and the European community are jointly participating in the design of an International Tokamak Reactor called INTOR. In support of the US contribution to the INTOR design, the features of an experiment for bulk neutron irradiation damage studies were developed. It is anticipated that materials testing will be an important part of the programmatic mission of INTOR and consequently the requirements for materials testing in INTOR must be identified early in the reactor design to insure compatibility. The design features of the experiment, called a Channel Test, are given in this paper. The major components of the channel test are the water cooled heat sink (channel module) and the specimen capsule. The temperature within each of the 153 specimen capsules is predetermined by engineering the thermal barrier between the specimen capsule and heat sink. Individual capsules can be independently accessed and are designed to operate at a predetermined temperature within the range of 50 to 700/sup 0/C. The total irradiation volume within a single channel test is 45 liters. Features of the channel test that result in experimental versatility and simplified remote access and handling are discussed.

The potential environmental impacts of the exploration, development, and production of hydrothermal geothermal energy for direct use applications are reviewed and evaluated. Mitigation strategies and research and development needs are included. (MHR)

An improved method and apparatus are given for producing cryogenic inertially driven fusion targets in the fast isothermal freezing (FIF) method. Improved coupling efficiency and greater availability of volume near the target for diagnostic purposes and for fusion driver beam propagation result. Other embodiments include a new electrical switch and a new explosive detonator, all embodiments making use of a purposeful heating by means of optical fibers.

A method is presented for preparing a boride layer on a transition metal substrate for use in corrosive environments or as a harden surface in machine applications. This method is particularly useful in treating current collectors for use within a high temperature and corrosive electrochemical cell environment. A melt of a alkali metal boride tetrafluoride salt including such as KF to lower its melting point is prepared including a dissolved boron containing material, for instance NiB, MnB/sub 2/, or CrB/sub 2/. A transition metal to be coated is immersed in the melt at a temperature of no more than 700/sup 0/C and a surface boride layer of that transition metal is formed within a period of about 24 hours on the substrate surface.

Nuclear reactor core safety rod release apparatus comprises a control rod having a detent notch in the form of an annular peripheral recess at its upper end, a control rod support tube for raising and lowering the control rod under normal conditions, latches pivotally mounted on the control support tube with free ends thereof normally disposed in the recess in the control rod, and cam means for pivoting the latches out of the recess in the control rod when a scram condition occurs. One embodiment of the invention comprises an additonal magnetically-operated latch for releasing the control rod under two different conditions, one involving seismic shock.

The present invention is directed to the extraction of energy values from oil shale containing considerable concentrations of calcium carbonate in an efficient manner. The volatiles are separated from the oil shale in a retorting zone of a fluidized bed where the temperature and the concentration of oxygen are maintained at sufficiently low levels so that the volatiles are extracted from the oil shale with minimal combustion of the volatiles and with minimal calcination of the calcium carbonate. These gaseous volatiles and the calcium carbonate flow from the retorting zone into a freeboard combustion zone where the volatiles are burned in the presence of excess air. In this zone the calcination of the calcium carbonate occurs but at the expense of less Btu's than would be required by the calcination reaction in the event both the retorting and combustion steps took place simultaneously. The heat values in the products of combustion are satisfactorily recovered in a suitable heat exchange system.

Streak camera measurements were used to determine temporal dispersion in short (5 to 30 meter) graded-index optical fibers. Results show that 50-ps, 1.06-..mu..m and 0.53-..mu..m laser pulses can be propagated without significant dispersion when care is taken to prevent propagation of energy in fiber cladding modes.

Program planning support was provided by; developing a geothermal RD and D program structure, characterizing the status of geothermal RD and D through review of literature and interaction with the geothermal research community, developing a candidate list of future Texas geothermal projects, and prioritizing the candidate projects based on appropriate evaluation criteria. The method used to perform this study and the results thereof are presented. Summary reviews of selected completed and ongoing projects and summary descriptions and evaluations of the candidate RD and D projects ar provided. A brief discussion emerging federal RD and D policies is presented. References and independent project rankings by three of the GRP members are included. (MHR)

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

This review covers the basics of the fusion process. Some research programs and their present status are mentioned. (MOW)

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

The thermal hydraulic simulation of a large sodium reactor by a scaled water model is examined. The Richardson Number, friction coefficient and the Peclet Number can be closely matched with the water system at full power and the similarity is retained for buoyancy driven flows. The simulation of thermal-hydraulic conditions in a reactor vessel provided by a scaled water experiment is better than that by a scaled sodium test. Results from a correctly scaled water test can be tentatively extrapolated to a full size sodium system.

The Spin Spectrometer at the Holifield Heavy Ion Research Facility (HHIRF) is a multidetector ..gamma..-ray spectrometer consisting of 72 separate NaI detector elements closely packed in a 4..pi.. geometry. The basic apparatus was constructed at Washington University and has been installed and implemented at the HHIRF at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The spectrometer was designed especially for the investigation of the mechanisms of heavy-ion induced nuclear reactions and of the structure of nuclei with high angular momentum. The data acquisition system is described. (WHK)

Specifications are presented for the Linear Charge Coupled Device (LCCD) developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for recording data from transients. This device can be used to record electrical signals at sample rates greater than 10/sup 9/ samples per second. Both electrical and physical specifications of the device are presented. The bias and drive requirements of the device are presented in tables and in timing diagrams. Typical performance data are tabulated and shown in oscilloscope photos. The physical specifications of the device include plane and cross sectional drawings of its various registers and I/O sections. Enlarged photos of the mask set are shown and all critical dimensions of the active regions are given. Finally, the impurity doping profile used for the transfer channels is shown.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Mark White, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Whether insurance contracts purchased by school districts must be let on competitive bids

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Mark White, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Whether cities may invest their funds in United States Treasury Bills and Notes instead of city depositories

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.

An on-line, nonreferenced apparatus for measuring the concentration of a biomarker species in authentic biological samples in solution comprises conduit means for conducting said sample solution from a source of said solution, stream diversion means disposed within the conduit for diverting a predetermined amount of said sample for analysis, means for introducing and independently regulating the flow of one or more reactants disposed in fluid communication with said diverted stream, incubating means within the diverted stream for reacting said reactants and biomarkers to produce a bioluminescence emission, and means disposed within the diverted stream for monitoring said emission intensity which is correlatable to said biomarker concentration.

As part of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Program, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory analyzed about 30,000 stream sediment samples from selected areas of the western United States for numerous chemical elements. The analysis was performed by neutron activation. Data for the concentrations of gold and silver for the samples in which they were detected are presented. Gold was detected in 310 samples, and silver in 19. Latitudes and longitudes are given for the sites from which these samples were taken.

The central detector of the Axial Field Spectrometer (AFS) is a cylindrical drift chamber using a bicycle-wheel geometry. Its design has been optimized for jet-like events with high track densities. This is accomplished through a high degree of azimuthal segmentation (4/sup 0/ sectors) with up to 42 space points per track, using measurements of drift time and charge division. Particle identification in the non-relativistic region is obtained by (dE/dx) sampling. The detector is operated in an inhomogeneous magnetic field at event rates of typically 5 x 10/sup 5/ collisions per second. Preliminary results will be presented on the detector performance achieved after one year of operation at the ISR.