Research progress in briefly described, and details are presented in the attached preprints and reprints: (1) precision mass differences in light rubidium and krypton isotopes utilizing beta endpoint measurements; (2) precision mass measurements utilizing beta endpoints; (3) Monte Carlo calculations predicting the response of intrinsic GE detectors to electrons and positrons; and (4) reactor antineutrino spectra and nuclear spectroscopy of isotopes far from beta stability. (WHK)

Recent events, such as Three Mile Island-2, Brown's Ferry-3, and Crystal River-3, have demonstrated that complex accidents can occur as a result of dependent (common-cause/mode) failures. These events are now being called Systems Interactions. A procedure for the identification and evaluation of Systems Interactions is being developed by the NRC. Several national laboratories and utilities have contributed preliminary procedures. As a result, there are several important views of the Systems Interaction problem. This report reviews some fundamental mathematical background of both fault-oriented and success-oriented risk analyses in order to bring out the advantages and disadvantages of each. In addition, it outlines several fault-oriented/dependency analysis approaches and several success-oriented/digraph-matrix approaches. The objective is to obtain a broad perspective of present options for solving the Systems Interaction problem.

A bagging device for transferring material from a first chamber through an opening in a wall to a second chamber includes an outer housing communicating with the opening and having proximal and distal ends relative to the wall. An inner housing having proximal and distal ends corresponding to those of the outer housing is mounted in a concentrically spaced, sealed manner with respect to the distal end of the outer housing. The inner and outer housings and mounting means therebetween define an annular chamber, closed at its distal end and open at its proximal end, in which a pliable tube is slidably positioned in sealed engagement with the housings. The pliable tube includes a sealed end positioned adjacent the proximal end of the inner housing so as to maintain isolation between the first and second chambers. Displacement of the material to be bagged from the first chamber along the inner housing so as to contact the sealed portion of the pliable bag allows the material to be positioned within the pliable bag in the second chamber. The bag is then sealed and severed between where the material is positioned therein and the wall in providing a sealed container for handling …

A bagging device for transferring material from a first chamber through an opening in a wall to a second chamber includes an outer housing communicating with the opening and having proximal and distal ends relative to the wall. An inner housing having proximal and distal ends corresponding to those of the outer housing is mounted in a concentrically spaced, sealed manner with respect to the distal end of the outer housing. The inner and outer housings and mounting means therebetween define an annular chamber, closed at its distal end and open at its proximal end, in which a pliable tube is slidably positioned in sealed engagement with the housings. The pliable tube includes a sealed end positioned adjacent the proximal end of the inner housing so as to maintain isolation between the first and second chambers. Displacement of the material to be bagged from the first chamber along the inner housing so as to contact the sealed portion of the pliable bag allows the material to be positioned within the pliable bag in the second chamber. The bag is then sealed and severed between where the material is positioned therein and the wall in providing a sealed container for handling …

A plurality of pivotal reflectors direct a high-power laser beam onto a workpiece, and a rotatable reflector is movable to a position wherein it intercepts the beam and deflects a major portion thereof away from its normal path, the remainder of the beam passing to the pivotal reflectors through an aperture in the rotating reflector. A plurality of targets are movable to positions intercepting the path of light traveling to the pivotal reflectors, and a preliminary adjustment of the latter is made by use of a low-power laser beam reflected from the rotating reflector, after which the same targets are used to make a final adjustment of the pivotal reflectors with the portion of the high-power laser beam passed through the rotating reflector. The system was developed to cut the casings of spent nuclear fuel elements into segments as the initial step in recovering usable fuel. (WHK)

The purpose of this study is to determine the mechanisms involved in the catalytic reactions of coal char and to identify the specific reaction steps and the parameters that control the catalytic process. The mode of action of the catalyst can be viewed in two ways. In one view, the catalyst participates in a reduction/oxidation cycle. The initial reaction between the carbon and the catalyst reduces the KOH to potassium accompanied by the gaseous reactant (H/sub 2/O or CO/sub 2/), producing further gaseous products (CO and H/sub 2/) and regenerating the initial state of the catalyst. In an alternative view, the catalyst initially forms an alkali metal addition compound with the carbon network of the char. The carbon-carbon bonds are altered by the formation of the metal-carbon linkage, possibly by electron transfer from the alkali metal atom to the carbon structure. As a result, the carbon structure is more readily attacked by the gaseous reactant (CO or H/sub 2/O) to produce the products of gasification. The following areas were investigated to provide experimental evidence for these catalytic modes of action: chemical kinetic measurements; thermodynamic measurements; free radicals in reacting carbon; electrical conductivity measurements. A detailed discussion on the catalyst-carbon interaction …

A surface is textured by co-sputter etching with a target and a seed material with the surface at a pre-selected temperature. By pre-selecting the temperature of the surface while sputter etching, it is possible to predetermine the reflectance properties of the etched surface. The surface may be textured to absorb sunlight efficiently and have minimal emittance in the infrared region so as to be well-suited for use as a solar absorber for photothermal energy conversion.

This invention provides simple, inexpensive, independent and passive, conducting loops for stabilizing a plasma ring having externally produced equilibrium fields on opposite sides of the plasma ring and internal plasma currents that interact to tilt and/or shift the plasma ring relative to the externally produced equilibrium field so as to produce unstable tilting and/or shifting modes in the plasma ring. More particularly this invention provides first and second passive conducting loops for containing first and second induced currents in first and second directions corresponding to the amplitude and directions of the unstable tilting and/or shifting modes in the plasma ring. To this end, the induced currents provide additional magnetic fields for producing restoring forces and/or restoring torques for counteracting the tilting and/or shifting modes when the conducting loops are held fixed in stationary positions relative to the externally produced equilibrium fields on opposite sides of the plasma ring.

A prediction of dynamic soil properties at the site of a nuclear power plant plays a very important role in the seismic analysis of the facility. Conventional modal analysis procedures can accommodate virtually any range of equivalent elastic soil stiffness which is used to characterize the site. However, high radiation damping associated with energy dissipation in the soil half-space is difficult to accommodate in an elastic modal solution to the dynamic problem. Several methods are available to combine the soil damping with the structural damping in a composite modal damping coefficient. However, even with this convenient representation, the resulting large fractions of critical damping can make modal solutions to the problems suspect. This paper is based on experience gained in this area during studies performed for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission involving seismic analyses of power plants.

A possible source of preheat for heavy ion driven inertial fusion targets is the production of fast precursors by nuclear interactions between the incident heavy ions and the outer parts of the target. A model has been developed which roughly describes these interactions for all beam-target combinations for all incident energies. This interaction model has been applied to a specific capsule design. The resultant preheat is an order of magnitude below the level which could impair target performance.

Physical performance data obtained from the photovoltaic energy systems under test at the Southwest Residential Experiment Station in Las Cruces, New Mexico are tabulated and graphed for the month of January, 1982. Data drawn from the Residential Data System (RDS) appears in several formats. A one-page summary is provided as well as a more detailed hour-by-hour tabulation for an average day of the month. Energy histograms are provided, based on RDS data and recording kilowatt hour meters. The histograms also present horizontal and plane-of-array insolation data as well as comments that explain data and/or energy production anomalies. (LEW)

A method and apparatus are disclosed for removing airborne contaminants entrained in a gas or airstream. The apparatus includes an electric filter characterized by a movable endless belt electrode, a grounded electrode, and a filter medium sandwiched therebetween. Inclusion of the movable, endless belt electrode provides the driving force for advancing the filter medium through the filter, and reduces frictional drag on the filter medium, thereby permitting a wide choice of filter medium materials. Additionally, the belt electrode includes a plurality of pleats in order to provide maximum surface area on which to collect airborne contaminants.

An inertial trap and grooved impactor for providing a sharp cutoff for particles over 15 microns from entering an inhalable particulate sampler is disclosed. The impactor head has a tapered surface and is provided with V-shaped grooves. The tapered surface functions for reducing particle blow-off or reentrainment while the grooves prevent particle bounce. Water droplets and any resuspended material over the 15 micron size are collected by the inertial trap and deposited in a reservoir associated with the impactor.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) undertook the task of analyzing the actual and potential value of an interfacility NRC material accounting system in deterring and detecting both material diversion and facility material accounting data falsification. The most important conclusion is that only relatively minor changes are needed to upgrade the current NRC interfacility reporting system. The emphasis of the task was on evaluating the usefulness of an NRC-monitored material accounting information system in providing protection against accounting fraud at the plant management or corporate level. The Nuclear Materials Management and Safeguards System (NMMSS) and the NRC Safeguards Status Report System (SSRS), the principal constituents of the current interfacility NRC material accounting information system, are described. Their relationship is shown in two information flow diagrams. Deterministic accounting checks and balances are discussed, both for the current NRC interfacility material accounting system and for an upgraded system. Detection mechanisms are described that would use currently available data and that could be exercised by the NRC in its safeguards management role. Additional checks and balances are recommended, with corresponding changes in data reporting requirements, to upgrade NRC interfacility material accounting system.

The fusion breeder is a fusion reactor designed with special blankets to maximize the transmutation by 14 MeV neutrons of uranium-238 to plutonium or thorium to uranium-233 for use as a fuel for fission reactors. Breeding fissile fuels has not been a goal of the US fusion energy program. This paper suggests it is time for a policy change to make the fusion breeder a goal of the US fusion program and the US nuclear energy program. The purpose of this paper is to suggest this policy change be made and tell why it should be made, and to outline specific research and development goals so that the fusion breeder will be developed in time to meet fissile fuel needs.

This report describes efforts leading to the development and characterization of a compact ion source and optical transfer system producing relatively high current density ion beams. The ion source and beam transfer system represent a major advance in the state of the art in that high current densities at low kinetic energies have been achieved for high molecular weight polyatomic ions. Indeed, the ion beams produced display ion abundance patterns typical of simple low energy electron impact ionization processes.

The report is the first to study and discuss the effect of water supply problems of geothermal development. Geothermal energy resources have the potential of making a significant contribution to the U.S. energy supply situation, especially at the regional and local levels where the resources are located. A significant issue of concern is the availability and cost of water for use in a geothermal power operation primarily because geothermal power plants require large quantities of water for cooling, sludge handling and the operation of environmental control systems. On a per unit basis, geothermal power plants, because of their inherent high heat rejection rates, have cooling requirements several times greater than the conventional fossil fuel plants and therefore the supply of water is a critical factor in the planning, designing, and siting of geothermal power plants. However, no studies have been specifically performed to identify the water requirements of geothermal power plants, the underlying causes of water availability problems, and available techniques to alleviate some of these problems. There is no cost data included in the report. The report includes some descriptions of known geothermal areas. [DJE-2005]

The invention is a process for producing improved electrical-junction devices. The invention is applicable, for example, to a process in which a light-sensitive electrical-junction device is produced by: (1) providing a body of crystalline semiconductor material having a doped surface layer; (2) irradiating the layer with at least one laser pulse to effect melting of the layer; (3) permitting recrystallization of the melted layer; and (4) providing the resulting body with electrical contacts. In accordance with the invention, the fill-factor and open-circuit-voltage parameters of the device are increased by conducting the irradiation with the substrate as a whole at a selected elevated temperature, the temperature being selected to effect a reduction in the rate of the recrystallization but insufficient to effect substantial migration of impurities within the body. In the case of doped silicon substrates, the substrate may be heated to a temperature in the range of from about 200/sup 0/C to 500/sup 0/C.

In the tandem mirror experiment (TMX), coherent oscillations have been identified as resulting from the Alfven ion-cyclotron instability. Although the drive for this instability is localized in the end cell, the waves generated propagate out of the unstable region and interact with the central-cell ions. This interaction leads to an experimentally observed scaling of the stored end-cell energy with axial ion end-loss current.

A ball mounting fixture for a roundness gage is disclosed. The fixture includes a pair of chuck assemblies oriented substantially transversely with respect to one another and mounted on a common base. Each chuck assembly preferably includes a rotary stage and a wobble plate affixed thereto. A ball chuck affixed to each wobble plate is operable to selectively support a ball to be measured for roundness, with the wobble plate permitting the ball chuck to be tilted to center the ball on the axis of rotation of the rotary stage. In a preferred embodiment, each chuck assembly includes a vacuum chuck operable to selectively support the ball to be measured for roundness. The mounting fixture enables a series of roundness measurements to be taken with a conventional rotating gagehead roundness instrument, which measurements can be utilized to determine the sphericity of the ball.

A process is claimed for the production of substantial amounts of ethylene and other hydrocarbon compounds, such as benzene from coal. Coal is reacted with methane at a temperature in the approximate range of 500/sup 0/C to 1100/sup 0/C at a partial pressure less than about 200 psig for a period of less than 10 seconds, and preferably at a temperature of approximately 850/sup 0/C, and a partial pressure of 50 psig for a period of approximately 2 seconds. Ethylene and other hydrocarbon compounds may be separated from the product stream so produced, and the methane recycled for further production of ethylene. In another embodiment, other compounds produced, such as by-product tars, may be burned to heat the recycled methane.

Much of the tritium found in soil and leaf litter near a chemical separations facility is incorporated into soil organic matter in a stable non-exchangeable form. Formation of this ''bound'' tritium seems to result from the uptake of molecular tritium (HT) by living pine needles. Soil and litter microbes convert HT to HTO more rapidly, but no measurable organic tritium is formed. This report discusses this study.

The health and safety analysis is part of an overall effort to identify and develop innovative underground coal extraction systems. The single-entry tunnel borer system was initially considered an innovative approach to underground mining because it exhibited a means of increasing the speed and efficiency of entry development by reducing the number of entries. However, to be considered a truly advanced system, the tunnel borer had to meet distinct safety criteria as well. The objective was to examine the tunnel borer design and determine whether it offset major health hazards, and satisfied the prescribed safety levels. As a baseline for comparison, the tunnel borer was compared against the continuous mining entry driving system. The results of the health analysis indicated that while the tunnel borer design offered improvements in dust control through the use of water sprays, a higher face ventilation rate, and the application of spalling rather than the conventional grinding process, it interjected an additional mutagenic is and toxic compound into the environment through the use of shotcrete. The tunnel borer system easily conformed with the prescribed fatality limit, but exceeded the required limits for disabling and overall injuries. It also exhibited projected disabling and overall injury rates …

Tensile tests and metallographic examinations were done on electron beam welds on six different chemistries of vanadium. The welds were found to maintain base metal strengths even though large grains were present in the fusion zone. Nitrogen and oxygen were found to be the most effective strengtheners. The weld and surrounding area in material containing high nitrogen and oxygen exhibited higher hardness than the base metal.