The conceptual design of a laser fusion power plant has been undertaken to exploit recent developments in target design. Advanced high-gain targets which have been developed make it possible to significantly relax the laser and optical system requirements. The power plant design features a reactor concept which utilizes a thick falling region of liquid lithium to protect the first-wall from the neutrons, x-rays, and charged particles that are produced in the thermonuclear microexplosion. The lithium waterfall has also been designed to be thick enough to significantly reduce the effects of 14 MeV neutrons and cyclical stresses on the blanket structure; thereby allowing us to consider smaller blanket structures which could last the lifetime of the plant. Fusion targets producing 700 MJ of thermonuclear energy are ignited by a 2 percent efficient, 1 MJ laser system at the rate of 1.4 Hz. Schemes for protecting the final focusing optics are described which are both compatible with this reactor system, and show promise of surviving a full year in order to minimize costly downtime.

A stress analysis of the piping modification, resulting from relocation of heat exchanger BS-H-31 of the LOFT Blowdown Suppressing Tank Spray System, was performed. The piping, fittings, and supports were found to comply with the criteria of Section III of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, 1974.

A major concern of every designer of large, three-phase power-supply systems is the protection of system components from overvoltage transients. At present, three computer-aided circuit design programs are available in the Magnetic Fusion Energy (MFE) National Computer Center that can be used to analyze three-phase power systems: MINI SCEPTRE, SPICE I, and SPICE II. These programs have been used at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) to analyze the operation of a 200-kV dc, 20-A acceleration power supply for the High Voltage Test Stand. Various overvoltage conditions are simulated and the effectiveness of system protective devices is observed. The simulated overvoltage conditions include such things as circuit breaker openings, pulsed loading, and commutation voltage surges in the rectifiers. These examples are used to illustrate the use of the computer-aided, circuit-design programs discussed in this paper.

Detailed consideration of several aspects of a field-reversal experiment was begun in the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF): Model calculations have provided some plausible parameters for a field-reversed deuterium plasma in the MFTF, and a buildup calculation indicates that the MFTF neutral-beam system is marginally sufficient to achieve field reversal by neutral injection alone. However, the many uncertainties indicate the need for further research and development on alternate buildup methods. A discussion of experimental objectives is presented and important diagnostics are listed. The range of parameter space accessible with the MFTF magnet design is explored, and we find that with proper aiming of the neutral beams, meaningful experiments can be performed to advance toward these objectives. Finally, it is pointed out that if we achieve enhanced n tau confinement by means of field reversal, then quasi-steady-state operation of MFTF is conceivable.

The LOFT pressurizer spray and surge line piping was analyzed for a 450/sup 0/F step change in fluid temperature. This transient was chosen to conservatively represent several pressurizer operating transients that had not previously been analyzed. These include temperature transients resulting from a 300/sup 0/F ..delta..T between pressurizer temperature and cold leg temperature, injection of a cooled (70/sup 0/F) slug of stagnant fluid into the hot (540/sup 0/F) spray line piping, and inflow of 100/sup 0/F primary coolant system water into the hot (480/sup 0/F) surge line piping.

The purpose of this test was to demonstrate that the System Pump utilized for the developmental program to be conducted on the Kilowatt Isotope Power System (KIPS) fulfilled the requirements of Test Procedure 398, Component Test Procedure for the GDS System Pump. Results of the testing performed on the System Pump are presented.

The reel support has three main functions. It must support the reel, which is 134 in. in diameter, 40 in. wide, and stores up to 8,600 ft of superconductor weighing 8,600 lb. It also must serve as a tensioning device for the superconductor, exerting a force of up to 600 lb. Further, the support must move the reel vertically and laterally to facilitate the winding of the magnets. The support has been designed and is now being fabricated. This paper describes the performance requirements of this device and the evolution of design from concept to completion.

Laboratory measurements to determine the sorption distribution coefficients, Kd, of radionuclides present in, and potentially leached from, radioactive wastes, in contact with representative geologic media, have been conducted. The nuclides studied include Cs, Sr, Tc, Ru, Sb, Ce, Eu, Pu, Np, Cm, Am, U, and Pa. The crushed rock materials used were from the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a project to isolate radioactive wastes in a bedded salt facility, near Carlsbad, New Mexico. Solutions used consist of salt brine and groundwater, specific to the WIPP site, plus distilled water, for laboratory intercomparisons. The batch Kd data reported, plus data from sorption and migration measurements being conducted or planned elsewhere, will be used to evaluate the potential for radionuclide migration from the bedded salt WIPP facility. The data can be used for transport modeling and for safety assessment determinations.

The multiblade slurry technique capable of slicing 10 cm ingot into wafers 0.25 mm thick with only 0.20 mm kerf loss and 98% yield has been demonstrated. The total silicon requirement represents an ingot to sheet conversion of 0.95 m/sup 2//kg. Full production slicing tests have demonstrated the cost of MS slicing to contribute $40 to $50/m/sup 2/, with ''best effort'' estimates for today's configuration to be $30 to $35/m/sup 2/. By reducing material cost, and increasing the specific capacity of a saw to slice 900 wafers simultaneously, the long-term cost of MS slicing is estimated to be less than $10/m/sup 2/. The conversion of ingot to sheet is shown to be the most valuable contribution of slicing technology. At today's ingot costs, and with the thin wafer, low kerf loss slicing techniques demonstrated, the silicon material represents 5 to 10 times the cost of the wafering process in finished silicon wafers. Increasing the number of blades used in MS slicing from 100 to 150 to 225 to 300 has resulted in a reduction of yield to 33 to 70% for thin slicing, or an increase in wafer thickness to 0.30 mm slices. The limitation is intrinsic misalignment of multiple …

The program documentation is presented for the FCHART computer model. This document highlights and explains the various components comprising the FCHART interactive program. Specifically, this document includes descriptions of: program narrative, program overview, model components, thermal analysis, and economic analysis. FCHART is a computer model which calculates domestic water and space heating loads for residential and commercial buildings. This thermal analysis of performance standards of active solar space and domestic water heating systems can be accomplished for either water or air as the transfer fluid. FCHART is also capable of performing life-cycle cost analyses of solar space and water heating of various levels of intricacy. FCHART is written in FORTRAN II. Functions are as follows: CALC and ECON.

In addition to data for the first three quarters of 1977, cumulative data since plant startup are presented, along with a listing of decayed activity to the various plant burial sites. (DLC)

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The new algorithm used to calculate the ponderomotive force in LASNEX is discussed. The algorithm is shown to be identical with the corresponding analytic expression when the WKB solution for the fields in a plane-parallel medium is used. LASNEX calculations performed to check the ponderomotive force algorithm are described. 2 figures.

The I/O instructions for the Intel 8008 Microprocessor have versatilities that are not apparent to most users. The Standard lament is that there are only 8/sub 10/ input instructions. The fact that there are only 24/sub 10/ output instructions is sometimes belabored, but 24 is normally considered sufficient for most microprocessor applications. This note discusses ways to expand the available number of both these instructions. 4 figures.

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The seeded growth furnace with a slotted molybdenum susceptor has been operated during the past quarter. The susceptor design permits flat sheets of refractory materials to be used in making up the tray. Fused quartz and sapphire trays were used. Local surface cooling was obtained by means of a water-cooled cold finger. Seeded surface growth has been obtained in this furnace using a seed with (111) axis and (112) principal faces. The silicon grown out of solution has a region approximately 3 mm x 5 mm, which is substantially single-crystal with the same crystallographic orientation as the seed. Sessile drop experiments have been initiated as a rapid method of determining the suitability of various refractory materials as trays for tin melts. These experiments indicate the presence of some impurity in the starting tin, which forms a surface film that prevents the tin from wetting silicon. This film can be removed by heating the tin to 900/sup 0/C in hydrogen.

This report provides necessary user information to implement and use a graphics package for the CORTES finite-element computer programs. Complete input instructions are provided. Sample input and output are given.

The performance of a gamma-ray densitometer system using computer modeling techniques is predicted. The system studied consists of a /sup 60/Co calibration source, a pipe containing a variable amount of water absorber where the water contains radioactive /sup 16/N, and a shielded and collimated NaI detector system. The basic question is: Can one detect the change in signal from the collimated /sup 60/Co calibration source caused by a water density change when the detector system is subject to an adjacent background source equivalent to about 30 Ci of high energy (avg. 6 MeV, pk. 10 MeV) gamma rays. The first report indicated that excessive (saturation) detector count rates could easily occur from this high energy, high intensity background and the second basic question is: How much lead shielding is required for typical NaI detectors to keep the detector count rate from this source below 50 kcps (50,000 counts per second). The importance of this question is borne out by the results that indicate that the weight of lead shielding required is about 1000 lbs.

One finds the fourth-order differential equation describing an Alfven-ion-cyclotron wave propagating along a magnetic field of varying intensity. The equation is self-adjoint and possesses non-trivial turning points. The final form of the equation is checked using MACSYMA, a system for performing algebra on a computer.

Continuing studies of fission cross-section ratios at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory have led to the measurement of the /sup 243/Am//sup 235/U fission cross-section ratio from 0.1 to 30 MeV. A value of 1.429 +- 0.037 was obtained for the average cross-section ratio from 1.75 to 4.00 MeV by use of the threshold method. 2 figures, 1 table.

Rf bypass capacitors were added to the Head Position Preamplifier and Servo Power Amplifier on Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) RK05 DISK TRANSPORTS, and ground straps were installed between all peripheral chassis and the main frame of the minicomputers to eliminate interference that was generated by hand-held two-way radios operating in the 165 and 410 MHz ranges. 2 figures.

This report contains 679 abstracts from the Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC) computer file dated 1973 through 1976 covering material properties with respect to structural integrity. All materials important to the nuclear industry (except concrete) are covered for mechanical properties, chemical properties, corrosion, fracture or failure, radiation damage, creep, cracking, and swelling. Keyword, author, and permuted-title indexes are included for the convenience of the user.

CORTAP (Core Transient Analysis Program) was developed to predict the dynamic behavior of the High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (HTGR) core under normal operational transients and postulated accident conditions. CORTAP is used both as a stand-alone component simulation and as part of the HTGR nuclear steam supply (NSS) system simulation code ORTAP. The core thermal neutronic response is determined by solving the heat transfer equations for the fuel, moderator and coolant in an average powered region of the reactor core. The space independent neutron kinetics equations are coupled to the heat transfer equations through a rapidly converging iterative technique. The code has the capability to determine conservative fuel, moderator, and coolant temperatures in the ''hot'' fuel region. For transients involving a reactor trip, the core heat generation rate is determined from an expression for decay heat following a scram. Nonlinear effects introduced by temperature dependent fuel, moderator, and coolant properties are included in the model. CORTAP predictions will be compared with dynamic test results obtained from the Fort St. Vrain reactor owned by Public Service of Colorado, and, based on these comparisons, appropriate improvements will be made in CORTAP.

Presentations, critiques and recommendations for the disposal of commercial radioactive waste based upon an analysis of the information presented at the Rock Mechanics Review/Workshop, Denver, Colorado, December 16-17, 1976 are summarized. The workshop, comprised of both formal and informal sessions, with about 50 participants, was hosted by RE/SPEC Inc. and Dr. Paul F. Gnirk, President and was sponsored by the Office of Waste Isolation (OWI), led by Dr. William C. McClain. The panel of reviewers, responsible for this report, consisted of Neville L. Carter, Richard E. Goodman, and Robert H. Merrill. These panel members were selected not only on the basis of their experience in various aspects of Rock Mechanics and Mining Engineering but also because they have had no previous active participation in problems concerning disposal of radioactive waste. By way of a general comment, the review panel was very favorably impressed with the Rock Mechanics research efforts, supported by OWI, on this problem and with the level of technical competence of those carrying out the research. Despite the rather preliminary nature of the results presented and the youth of the program itself, it is clear that the essential ingredients for a successful program are at hand, especially as …