A series of thermal-hydraulic and cladding materials deformation experiments were conducted using light-water reactor fuel bundles as part of the Pacific Northwest Laboratory Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA) Simulation Program. This report is the formal operations plan for TH-2--the second experiment in the series of thermal-hydraulic tests conducted in the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor, Chalk River, Ontario, Canada. The major objective of TH-2 was to develop the experiment reflood control parameters and the procedures to be used in subsequent experiments in this program. In this experiment, the data acquisition and control system was used to control the fuel cladding temperature during a simulated LOCA by using variable reflood coolant flow.

The FASTBUS Segment Driver, hereafter referred to as the FSD, is a list-driven, microcoded interface between the UNIBUS of a PDP-11 system and the FASTBUS. The list structure used by the FSD allows the programmer on the PDP-11 to program a sequence of data transfers to take place without the aid or intervention of the PDP-11. This allows the FASTBUS to be driven at FSD rates, independent of the PDP-11 processor. Due to the difference in speed between the FASTBUS and UNIBUS, the major goal of the FSD was to provide an interface which could transfer data on FASTBUS without significantly reducing the bandwidth in a multi-master system. This was accomplished by bursting data on the FASTBUS through a 256 word fast buffer internal to the FSD. Data can be transferred at near FASTBUS rates through this memory and only moved on the UNIBUS when the FSD is not master of FASTBUS. This allows other masters in the same system to transfer their data while the FSD is moving data on the slower UNIBUS.

This status report covers progress on the two following areas: (1) Field Measurement, Analyses, and Reporting Related to Building Energy Systems and Biomass Projects. The key effort is on the Class B performance monitoring program, including a limited amount of special data evaluation and analysis. Other work relates to design tools, passive selection criteria, hot water performance documentation, and other renewable systems. (2) Technical Services in Support of Appropriate Technology Program. A total of 84 project files have been reviewed and summarized, telephone contacts and selected site visits are being made on a small number of active projects, and technical information dissemination tasks are underway. A summary paper on project activities was prepared and approved for publication.

The specific objectives of the study reported were: to determine the geometry of the MOD-2 wind turbine wake in terms of wake height and width as a function of downstream distance under two conditions of atmospheric stability; to estimate the mean velocity deficit at several downstream stations in the turbine wake; and to investigate the behavior of the rotor-generated vortices, particularly their configuration and persistence. The background of the wake problem is briefly examined, including a discussion of the critical issues that the flow visualization study addresses. Experimental techniques and data analysis methods are described in detail. (LEW)

This final report contains the results of a bench-scale program to continue the development of the TRW proprietary Gravimelt Process for chemically cleaning coal. This project consisted of two major efforts, a laboratory study aimed at identifying parameters which would influence the operation of a bench unit for desulfurization and demineralization of coal and the design, construction and operation of two types of continuous plug-flow type bench-scale fused caustic leachers. This present bench scale project has demonstrated modes for the continuous operation of fused caustic leaching of coal at coal throughputs of 1 to 5 pounds per hour. The remaining process unit operations of leach solutions regeneration and coal washing and filtration should be tested at bench scale together with fused caustic leaching of coal to demonstrate the complete Gravimelt Process. 22 figures, 11 tables.

Operations at the Hanford Site since 1944 have resulted in the discharge of large volumes of process cooling water and other waste waters to the ground. These effluents, which have reached the unconfined ground water, contain low levels of radioactive and chemical substances. The movement of these constituents in the unconfined ground water is monitored as part of the Ground-Water Surveillance Program. During 1982, 324 monitoring wells were sampled at various times for radioactive and chemical constituents. Tritium are the primary ones used to monitor the movement of the ground water. This report describes recent changes in the configuration of the tritium and nitrate plumes. The tritium plume continues to show increasing concentrations near the Columbia River. While it is mapped as having reached the Columbia River, its contribution to the river has not been distinguished from other sources at this time. The general plume configuration is much the same as in 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981. The size of the nitrate plume appears stable. Concentrations of nitrate in the vicinity of the 100-H Area continue to be high as a result of past leaks from an evaporation facility.

A case study by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) that examines "the technical basis for, and validity of, the habitability decision for the emergency declaration area near Love Canal" (p. iii).

During 1982 the High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) Technology Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) continued to develop experimental data required for the design and licensing of cogeneration HTGRs. The program involves fuels and materials development (including metals, graphite, ceramic, and concrete materials), HTGR chemistry studies, structural component development and testing, reactor physics and shielding studies, performance testing of the reactor core support structure, and HTGR application and evaluation studies.

This handbook compiles data on the effects of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of stainless steels and discusses this data within the context of current understanding of hydrogen compatibility of metals. All of the tabulated data derives from continuing studies of hydrogen effects on materials that have been conducted at the Savannah River Laboratory over the past fifteen years. Supplementary data from other sources are included in the discussion. Austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, and precipitation hardenable stainless steels have been studied. Damage caused by helium generated from decay of tritium is a distinctive effect that occurs in addition to the hydrogen isotopes protium and deuterium. The handbook defines the scope of our current knowledge of hydrogen effects in stainless steels and serves as a guide to selection of stainless steels for service in hydrogen.

Progress is reported in research on: the baseline ecology of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), the effects of disturbance on animal and plant communities, and the behavior of radionuclides in the environment surrounding radioactive waste sites. Separate abstracts have been prepared for individual reports. (ACR)

Progress is reported in the following research areas: (1) high resolution, high sensitivity luminescence and other spectroscopic techniques, and (2) advanced methodologies for measurement of toxic effluents from energy processes. (ACR)

The major objective of this report is to help the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in its regulatory mission, particularly with respect to improving the use of cost-benefit analysis and the economic evaluation of resources within the NRC. The objectives of this effort are: (1) to identify current and future NRC requirements (e.g., licensing) for valuing nonmarket goods; (2) to identify, highlight, and present the relevant efforts of selected federal agencies, some with over two decades of experience in valuing nonmarket goods, in this area; and (3) to review methods for valuing nonmarket impacts and to provide estimats of their magnitudes. Recently proposed legislation may result in a requirement for not only more sophisticated valuation analyses, but more extensive applications of these techniques to issues of concern to the NRC. This paper is intended to provide the NRC with information to more efficiently meet such requirements.

An assessment by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) on the "prospects for energy efficiency in the U.S. industrial sector, the technologies available to improve industrial energy efficiency, and the effect of various legislative policies on stimulating increased efficiency" (p. iii).

This report summarizes information and references used in developing regulatory guidance on programs for the bioassay of tritium as well as information useful in planning and conducting tritium bioassay programs and evaluating bioassay data. A review of literature on tritium radiobiology is included to provide a ready source of information useful for estimating internal doses of tritium and risks for the various tritium compounds and forms, including elemental (gaseous) tritium. Simplified and conservative dose conversion factors are derived and tabulated for easy reference in program planning, safety evaluations, and compliance determinations.

This report presents a method for evaluating relative environmental impacts of coal transportation modes (e.g., unit trains, trucks). Impacts of each mode are evaluated (rated) for a number of categories of environmental effects (e.g., air pollution, water pollution). The overall environmental impact of each mode is determined for the coal origin (mine-mouth area), the coal or coal-energy product destination (demand point), and the line-haul route. These origin, destination, and en route impact rankings are then combined into a systemwide ranking. Thus the method accounts for the many combinations of transport modes, routes, and energy products that can satisfy a user's energy demand from a particular coal source. Impact ratings and system rankings are not highly detailed (narrowly defined). Instead, environmental impacts are given low, medium, and high ratings that are developed using environmental effects data compiled in a recent Argonne National Laboratory report entitled Data for Intermodal Comparison of Environmental Impacts of Inland Transportation Alternatives for Coal Energy (ANL/EES-TM-206). The ratings and rankings developed for this report are generic. Using the method presented, policy makers can apply these generic data and the analytical framework given to particular cases by adding their own site specific data and making some informed judgements. …

Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), operated for the Department of Energy by the Battelle Memorial Institute, is conducting a study for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the feasibility of altering current plutonium shipping forms to reduce or eliminate the airborne dispersibility of PuO/sub 2/ which might occur during a shipping accident. Plutonium used for fuel fabrication is currently shipped as a PuO/sub 2/ powder with a significant fraction in the respirable size range. If the high-strength container is breached due to stresses imposed during a transportation accident, the PuO/sub 2/ powder could be subject to airborne dispersion. The available information indicated that a potential accident involving fire accompanied by crush/impact forces would lead to failure of current surface shipping containers (no assumptions were made on the possibility of such a severe accident). Criteria were defined for an alternate shipping form to mitigate the effects of such an accident. Candidate techniques and materials were evaluated as alternate shipping forms by a task team consisting of personnel from PNL and Rockwell Hanford Operations (RHO). At this time, the most promising candidate for an alternate plutonium shipping form appears to be pressing PuO/sub 2/ into unsintered (green) pellets. These green pellets satisfy the criteria …

The major objective is to isolate the cellulosic bundles imbedded in the lignin, and thereafter hydrolyze the isolated cellulosic bundles of alpha and hemi-celluloses into sugars of mono-hexose and pentose, respectively, without significant destruction of these sugars. Two approaches for obtaining the stated goals may be followed: (1) dissolve the lignin without changing the cellulosic fraction. Separate the dissolved lignin from the fibrous bundles and hydrolyze the residual fiber into mono-sugars; and (2) dissolve the cellulosic fraction without dissolving the lignin. Hydrolyze the dissolved cellulosic fraction without interference of lignin into mono-sugars. Remove the non-hydrolyzed lignin which is insoluble in aqueous acid solutions, and thus separate the lignin fraction from the aqueous solution containing the mono-sugars from hydrolyzing. Research was conducted on approach No. 1 using the hydrotropic solution of sodium benzene sulfonate for dissolving lignin from the matrix. Removal of lignin was carried out with the use of a high-pressure, stainless steel Parr vessel. To accomplish the second task, sulfur trioxide was employed as a catalyst to hydrolyze cellulose into liquid mono-sugars. SO/sub 3/ when introduced into an air stream at ambient temperature will react with fiber particles and coat them at random with a thin layer of formed …

The kinetics of uranium carbide vaporization in the temperature range 3000 K to 5200 K was studied using a Nd-glass laser with peak power densities from 1.6 x 10/sup 5/ to 4.0 x 10/sup 5/ watts/cm/sup 2/. The vapor species U, UC/sub 2/, C/sub 1/ and C/sub 3/ were detected and analyzed by a quadrupole mass spectrometer. From the mass spectrometer signals number densities of the various species in the ionizer were obtained as functions of time. The surface of the irradiated uranium carbide was examined by scanning electron microscope and the depth profile of the crater was obtained. In order to aid analysis of the data, the heat conduction and species diffusion equations for the solid (or liquid) were solved numerically by a computer code to obtain the temperature and composition transients during laser heating. A sensitivity analysis was used to study the effect of uncertainties in the input parameters on the computed surface temperatures.

The susceptibility of a cantilevered tube conveying water to self-excitation by leakage flow through a slip joint is assessed experimentally. The slip joint is formed by inserting a smaller, rigid tube into the free end of the cantilevered tube. Variations of the slip joint annular gaps and engagement lengths are tested, and several mechanisms for self-excitation are described.

The susceptibility of a cantilevered tube conveying water to self-excitation by leakage flow through a slip joint is assessed experimentally. The slip joint is formed by inserting a smaller, rigid tube into the free end of the cantilevered tube. Variations of the slip joint annular gaps and engagement lengths are tested, and several mechanisms for self-excitation are described.

A survey was undertaken of the distribution, density, viability, and infectivity of Legionnaires' Disease Bacteria (Legionella) in power plant cooling systems. Water samples were collected during each of the four seasons at various locations within each of nine power plants and from ambient waters at each site. Measurements of a number of physical and chemical characteristics were made, and Legionella profiles (density, viability, and infectivity for guinea pigs) were obtained. Legionella were detected in nearly all samples. Water from closed-cycle cooling systems frequently had lower densities of Legionella than the ambient water. Nonetheless, infectious Legionella, as defined by their isolation from inoculated guinea pigs, were significantly more likely to be found in samples from the plant-exposed water of closed-cycle plants than in samples from once-through plants or in ambient samples. A new species (L. oakridgensis) was initially isolated from two of the sites, and it has since been found to have a widespread distribution. Two other organisms found to cause illness in guinea pigs may also be new species. Phase II of the project involves investigating possible cause/effect relationships between physicochemical variables and Legionella. This work may contribute toward eventual control techniques for this pathogen.

This report defines the concept of maintaining occupational exposures to radiation as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA) and describes the elements necessary for specific licensees to implement, operate, and evaluate an effective ALARA program. Examples of cost-effectiveness analysis and optimization are provided. The rationale for providing more detailed guidance to specific licensees stems from the current recommendations provided by the International Commission on Radiological Protection, as well as from the increased regulatory emphasis on maintaining occupational exposures ALARA. The objective of this work is to provide the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with a basis for updating Regulatory Guide 8.10.

Material preparation techniques, crystallographic data, phase diagrams, metal compatibility, and thermal properties have been assembled for the lithium-based oxide ceramics designated as potential solid tritium breeders for fusion devices. The materials discussed in this report include: Li/sub 2/O, ..beta..-Li/sub 5/AlO/sub 4/, ..gamma..-LiAlO/sub 2/, Li/sub 4/SiO/sub 4/, Li/sub 2/SiO/sub 3/, Li/sub 4/TiO/sub 4/, Li/sub 2/TiO/sub 3/, Li/sub 8/ZrO/sub 6/, Li/sub 4/ZrO/sub 4/, and Li/sub 2/ZrO/sub 3/. The thermal properties covered were vaporization, thermal conductivity, specific heat, and linear thermal expansion. There has been no attempt to rank the above mentioned candidates, but rather to merely indicate points that must be considered when using the various materials as solid breeders. These encompass low lithium atom densities, destructive phase transformations, a higher thermal expansion, low thermal conductivity, excessive vaporization at low temperatures, corrosive nature toward metals and difficulty in sample preparation.

Reactor physics calculations have led to the development of nine liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) models for the ORIGEN2 computer code. Four of the models are based on the U-Pu fuel cycle, two are based on the Th-U-Pu fuel cycle, and three are based on the Th-/sup 233/U fuel cycle. The reactor models are based on cross sections taken directly from the reactor physics codes. Descriptions of the reactor models as well as values for the ORIGEN2 flux parameters THERM, RES, and FAST are given.