A study of advancements in power plant designs for use at geothermal resources in the low to moderate (300 to 400F) temperature range is reported. In 3 case studies, the benefits of R and D to achieve these advancements are evaluated in terms of expected increases in installed geothermal generating capacity over the next 2 decades. A parametric sensitivity study is discussed which analyzes differential power development for combinations of power plant efficiency and capitol cost. Affordable tradeoffs between plant performance and capital costs are illustrated. The independent review and analysis of the expected costs of construction, operation and maintenance of the Heber Binary Cycle Geothermal Power Demonstration Plant are described. Included in this assessment is an analysis of each of the major cost components of the project, including (1) construction cost, (2) well field development costs, (3) fluid purchase costs, and (4) well field and power plant operation and maintenance costs. The total cost of power generated from the Heber Plant (in terms of mills per kWh) is then compared to the cost of power from alternative fossil-fueled base load units. Also evaluated are the provisions of both: (a) the Cooperative Agreement between the federal government and San Diego …

The goal of the State Coupled Resource Assessment Program is to identify and evaluate geothermal resources in the state, particularly low-temperature potential. Eight tasks were identified and documented in this report as follows: bottom-hole temperature survey, heat flow and temperature gradient survey, data translation studies, gravity data, substate regions, information dissemination, state geothermal map, and reports. The project had three major products: (1) a map, Geothermal Resources of Nebraska; (2) a significant amount of thermal data collected and documented within the state; and (3) a series of publications, presentations and meetings (documented as an Appendix).

The goal of the State Coupled Resource Assessment Program is to identify and evaluate geothermal resources in the state, particularly low-temperature potential. Eight tasks were identified and documented in this report as follows: (1) Bottom-hole Temperature Survey; (2) Heat Flow and Temperature Gradient Survey; (3) Data Translation studies; (4) Gravity Data; (5) Substate Regions; (6) Information Dissemination; (7) State Geothermal Map; (8) Reports. The project had three major products: (1) a map ''Geothermal Resources of Nebraska''; (2) a significant amount of thermal data collected and documented within the state; and (3) a series of publications, presentations and meetings.

This report examines the changes that have occurred in the past twelve months in the conduct of monetary and credit policies by the federal reserve and in the performance of the interest rates.

As part of Rockwell's effort on the SP-100 Program, preliminary assessment has been completed of current nuclear technology as it relates to candidate reactor/shield subsystems for the SP-100 Program. The scope of the assessment was confined to the nuclear package (to the reactor and shield subsystems). The nine generic reactor subsystems presented in Rockwell's Subsystem Technology Assessment Report, ESG-DOE-13398, were addressed for the assessment.

This report presents cost and schedule estimates of the technology development for reactor and shielding subsystems of a 100-kWe class space reactor electric system. The subsystems technology development (which includes reactor and shield subsystems ground testing) is supported by materials and processes development and component development. For the purpose of the cost estimate, seven generic types of reactor subsystems were used: uranium-zirconium hydride, NaK-cooled thermal reactor; lithium-cooled, refractory-clad fast reactor; Na- or K-cooled fast reactor; in-core thermionic reactor; inert gas-cooled particle fuel reactor; inert gas-cooled metal-clad fast reactor; and heat pipe-cooled fast reactor. Also three levels of technology were included for each of the generic types of reactor subsystem: current, improved, and advanced. The data in this report encompass all these technology levels. The shielding subsystem uses both gamma (heavy-metal) and neutron (hydrogenous material) shields. The shields considered in this report would be used in conjunction with unmanned payloads.

Recent changes in the Nation's tax laws have made Individual Retirement Accounts available to many people previously excluded. This report provides general information on IRAs including material explaining these recent changes and their consequences.

None

None

The Department of Energy has requested SRL assistance in developing offsite Emergency Planning Zones (EPZs) for the Savannah River Plant, based on projected dose consequences of atmospheric releases of radioactivity from potential credible accidents in the SRP operating areas. This memorandum presents the assessment of the offsite doses via the plume exposure pathway from the 300-Area potential accidents. 8 refs., 3 tabs.

The long term survivability and usefulness of the melter surface viewing borescopes would be greatly increased if a method of remote lense cleaning was available. The two units to be installed on the DWPF melter will incorporate air cooling and lense purging into their design. At present a single air supply line would serve both needs. Separating the two air services will allow the introduction of water or steam into the purge service. Tests on the prototype borescope at ETF have shown this to be an extremely effective way of cleaning the lense of occasional deposits or splatter. It is recommended that this change be incorporated into the DWPF design.

Soft x-ray streak cameras are used in conjunction with several instruments for the diagnostic of laser irradiated targets. A program was undertaken to develop cameras satisfying the requirements of the laser facility, to improve the reliability and performance of the camera and to reduce the level of effort required to set and operate each diagnostic. The implemented soft x-ray streak cameras can be operated either manually or automatically.

Measurements of the normalized emittance of the beam produced by the Advanced Test Accelerator (ATA) injector yielded values near 0.4 Radian-Centimeters at currents up to 10 kAmps. The instrument was also used to obtain beam-current-density profiles in two dimensions at the entrance mask of the instrument.

The economic future of methanol is reviewed in light of its potential uses as a substitute for traditional hydrocarbon fuels and feedstocks as well as some evolving new uses. Methanol's future market position will depend strongly on its production cost in comparison with competitive products. One promising way to reduce the production cost is by use of an improved catalyst in the process by which methanol is obtained from the feedstock - which can be either natural gas or a similar product such as synthesis gas from coal gasification. To estimate the potential cost savings with an improved catalyst, we have based our analysis on a recent study which assumed use of synthesis gas from underground coal gasification as a feedstock for making methanol. The improved catalyst we studied was an actinide oxide whose features include high tolerance to sulfur and heat, and a yield of about 4 mol% methanol per pass with a 2/1 mixture of H/sub 2//CO. We calculated the effect of this catalyst on methanol production costs in a 12,000-bbl/day plant. The result was a saving of from 1 cent to 2.5 cent per gallon on the total methanol synthesis cost of 23 cents per gallon (i.e., …

Fuel aging studies were performed on the fuel form (plutonium-238 dioxide and yttrium) used in the Milliwatt Generator Radioisotopic Heat Source to determine the possibility of fuel degradation and of the resultant generation of respirable fines. In addition to long-term thermal aging of the fuel, evaluations included the effects of thermal ramping of the aged fuel to 1000/sup 0/C and of impacting thermally hot (450/sup 0/C) heat sources at 150 m/sec after thermal aging.

Our goal was to design and monitor a hybrid solar system/ground loop which automatically assists the standard, thermostatically controlled home heating/cooling system. The input from the homeowner was limited to normal thermostat operations. During the course of the project it was determined that to effectively gather data and control the various component interactions, a micro-computer based control system would also allow the HVAC system to be optimized by simple changes to software. This flexibility in an untested concept helped us to achieve optimum system performance. Control ranged from direct solar heating and direct ground loop cooling modes, to assistance of the heat pump by both solar space and ground loop. Sensors were strategically placed to provide data on response of the Trombe wall (surface, 4 in. deep, 8 in. deep), and the ground loop (inlet, 3/4 length, outlet). Micro-computer hardware and computer programs were developed to make cost effective decisions between the various modes of operation. Although recent advances in micro-computer hardware make similar control systems more readily achievable utilizing standard components, attention to the decision making criteria will always be required.

Rough estimates of the neutral fraction obtainable from a photoneutralizer and of the power required to operate it are presented as functions of the window and mirror performance. More precise information will become available in the future.

SLAC has always operated with the voltage pulse applied to each klystron having a flat-top at least 2.5 ..mu..s long. In this region, the voltage is held constant to +-0.5%, limiting the klystron contribution to beam energy spectrum broadening caused by phase and amplitude modulation of the rf wave travelling along the accelerator sections. Since the section filling time is 0.83 ..mu..s and the maximum beam pulse length is 1.6 ..mu..s, a minimum flat-top duration of 2.43 ..mu..s is required, which when rounded up to 2.5 ..mu..s allows for some timing error. The advent of single-bunch beam opertions for SLC, coupled with the use of the SLED pulse compression system (which produces an rf output to the accelerator which changes drastically in one section filling time) and the rapidly rising cost of electrical power experienced in recent years, have made it desirable to review the specifications of the voltage pulse supplied by the modulator to the klystron. Neglecting the possibilities of increasing modulator efficency, which are being studied by others, one can ask whether some use can be made of the energy contained in the skirts of the voltage pulse on each side of the flat top region. Results are …

This report deals with the design principles involved in the design of a laminar-flow electrostatic-quadrupole-focused acceleration column. In particular, attention will be paid to making the parameters suitable for incorporation into a DC MEQALAC design.

The design and processing techniques necessary to incorporate bypass diodes within the module encapsulant are presented in this annual report. A comprehensive survey of available pad-mounted PN junction and Schottky diodes led to the selection of Semicon PN junction diode cells for this application. Diode junction-to-heat spreader thermal resistance measurements, performed on a variety of mounted diode chip types and sizes, have yielded values which are consistently below 1/sup 0/C per watt, but show some instability when thermally cycled over the temperature range from -40 to 150/sup 0/C. Based on the results of a detailed thermal analysis, which covered the range of bypass currents from 2 to 20 amperes, three representative experimental modules, each incorporating integral bypass diode/heat spreader assemblies of various sizes, were designed and fabricated. Thermal testing of these modules has enabled the formation of a recommended heat spreader plate sizing relationship. The production cost of three encapsulated bypass diode/heat spreader assemblies were compared with similarly rated externally-mounted packaged diodes. An assessment of bypass diode reliability, which relies heavily on rectifying diode failure rate data, leads to the general conclusion that, when proper designed and installed, these devices will improve the overall reliability of a terrestrial array over …

Monthly report providing tabular statistical information about motor vehicle accidents in rural areas of Texas during 1983, with data broken out by various criteria including number of persons, locations, types of accidents, time of day, and other factors.

Monthly report providing tabular statistical information about motor vehicle accidents in Texas during 1983, with data broken out by various criteria including number of persons, locations, types of accidents, time of day, and other factors.

Unless certain common sense precautions are observed, the luminosity of the Collider may be adversely affected by otherwise preventable ground vibrations. Previous work indicates that ground vibrations can be thought of as being caused by the sum of (a) natural and (b) cultural (i.e., man-made) effects, of which the latter can be further divided into uncontrollable and controllable. Examples of category (b) include: traffic, both on site and off site; construction activity on site and off site; assembly of equipment in nearby I.R. Halls, even footsteps in the tunnel; or continuously operating machinery. This note addresses question with respect to category (b) iv., only. As a guide, the order of magnitude of amplitudes and frequencies of presently, (on site) known noise polluters is described in relation to naturally occurring disturbances and to the tolerances required for successful Collider operation. Some methods of mitigating the effects of on site machinery are suggested. Finally, a vibration tolerance level specification is recommended as well as a mechanism to police adherence to such standards. 6 figures.

This report is about perceptions of national energy problem