AMAX Research Development Center (AMAX R D) has been investigating methods for enhancing the reactivity and durability of the zinc ferrite desulfurization sorbent. Zinc ferrite sorbents are intended for use in desulfurization of hot coal gas in integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) applications. For the present program, the reactivity of the sorbent may be defined as its sulfur sorption capacity at the breakthrough point and at saturation in a bench-scale, fixed-bed reactor. Durability may be defined as the ability of the sorbent to maintain important physical characteristics such As size, strength, and specific surface area during 10 cycles of sulfidation and oxidation.

The vaporization of core-concrete mixtures is being measured using a transpiration method. Mixtures of stainless steel, concrete (limestone or basaltic) and urania (doped with La/sub 2/O/sub 3/, SrO, BaO, and ZrO/sub 2/) are vaporized at 2150 - 2400 K from a zirconia crucible into flowing He - 6% H/sub 2/ gas. Up to 600 ppM H/sub 2/O is added to the gas to fix the partial molar free energy of oxygen in the range -420 kJ to -550 kJ. The fraction of the sample that is vaporized is determined by weight change and by chemical analyses on the condensates that are collected in an Mo condenser tube. The results are being used to test the thermodynemic data base and the underlying assumptions of computer codes used for prediction of release during the severe accident. 13 refs., 2 tabs.

The existing 2.2-m-radius Nova aluminum target chamber, coated and lined with boron-seeded carbon shields, is proposed for use with 1000-MJ-yield targets in the next laser facility. The laser beam and diagnostic holes in the target chamber are left open and the desired 10/sup -2/ Torr vacuum is maintained both inside and outside the target chamber; a larger target chamber room is the vacuum barrier to the atmosphere. The hole area available is three times that necessary to maintain a maximum fluence below 12 J/cm/sup 2/ on optics placed at a radius of 10 m. Maximum stress in the target chamber wall is 73 MPa, which complies with the intent of the ASME Pressure Vessel Code. However, shock waves passing through the inner carbon shield could cause it to comminute. We propose tests and analyses to ensure that the inner carbon shield survives the environment. 13 refs.

We calculated thermal stresses in Nova glass laser disks having light-absorbing edge cladding glass attached to the periphery with an epoxy adhesive. Our closed-form solutions indicated that, because the epoxy adhesive is only 25 ..mu..m across, it does not significantly affect the thermal stress in the disk or cladding glass. Our numerical results showed a peak tensile stress in the cladding glass of 24 MPa when the cladding glass had a uniform absorption coefficient of 7.5 cm/sup -1/. This peak value is reduced to 19 MPa if surface parasitic oscillation heating is eliminated by tilting the disk edges. The peak tensile stresses exceed the typical 7 to 14-MPa working stress for glass; however, we have not observed any disk or cladding glass failures at peak Nova fluences of 20 J/cm/sup 2/. We have observed delamination of the epoxy adhesive bond at fluences several times that which would occur on Nova. Replacement laser disks will incorporate cladding with a reduced absorption coefficient of 4.5 cm/sup -1/. Recent experiments show that this reduced absorption coefficient is satisfactory.

Analysis of weekly samples from the F- and H-area treblers indicates that tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP) is the major organic species in the feed to the F/H Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF). Concentrations up to 100 mg/L were observed, with an average of 50 mg/L from F-area and 3 mg/L from H-area. Normal paraffinic hydrocarbons (NPH) are present in lesser amounts, ranging up to 4 mg/L. These two species, both foulants of the reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, account for almost all of the dissolved organic carbon present in the samples. Samples from the sources which feed the treblers (and will feed the ETF) indicate that all eight canyon evaporators contribute TBP. None of the four tank farm evaporators contribute TBP. If TBP is to be removed at the sources, either the overhead streams from a number of evaporators will have to be piped to one or two central locations for treatment, or up to eight individual treatment points would have to be maintained. 6 refs., 5 tabs.

This disposal concept is based on the Tumulus design developed by the French at the La Manche facility. Waste units are stacked above-grade on a concrete pad. The facility currently under development at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) involves sealing waste in concrete vaults, placing the vaults on a grade level concrete pad, and covering the pad and vaults with a soil cover after vault emplacement is complete. Emplacement is expected to continue until the facility exhausts its approximate 800 m/sup 3/ (28,000 ft/sup 3/) capacity. The facility incorporates engineered barriers to radionuclide migration; a monitoring system to ensure barrier performance; and a newly developed set of Demonstration Waste Acceptance Criteria to reduce the likelihood of groundwater contamination.

The Microwave Tokamak Experiment (MTX) at LLNL will investigate electron heating in the MTX tokamak (formerly Alcator-C) at high density (up to 6 x 10/sup 20/ m/sup -3/) and high power by using a free electron laser (FEL). Parameters of the FEL are a peak power up to 8 GW and 50 ns duration, with average power 1 to 2 MW, at a frequency of 250 GHz. The planned input driver for the FEL is a gyrotron oscillator. The FEL output will be transported quasi-optically, inside a 50 cm evacuated pipe, to the input port of the tokamak by means of a four-mirror system. Launch polarization is the ordinary mode. This experiment will test the FEL technology at short wavelength and high peak and average power levels. Important physics issues to be explored are the effects of intense pulse heating (electric field up to 500 kV/cm) on nonlinear wave absorption and bulk heating, plasma confinement, plasma impurities, and parametric instabilities. Because the FEL technology is scalable to higher frequency and power, success of these experiments has importance for next-generation tokamaks.

To provide direct outreach to local governments, the Transportation Management Division of the United States Department of Energy asked the Urban Consortium and its Energy Task Force to assemble representatives for two workshops focusing on the transport of nuclear materials. The first session, for jurisdictions east of the Mississippi River, was held in New Orleans on May 5--6, 1988; the second was conducted on June 6--7, 1988 in Denver for jurisdictions to the west. Twenty local government professionals with management or operational responsibility for hazardous materials transportation within their jurisdictions were selected to attend each workshop. The discussions identified five major areas of concern to local government professionals; coordination; training; information resources; marking and placarding; and responder resources. Integrated federal, state, and local levels of government emerged as a priority coordination issue along with the need for expanded availability of training and training resources for first-reponders.

AMAX Research & Development Center (AMAX R&D) has been investigating methods for enhancing the reactivity and durability of the zinc ferrite desulfurization sorbent. Zinc ferrite sorbents are intended for use in desulfurization of hot coal gas in integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) applications. For the present program, the reactivity of the sorbent may be defined as its sulfur sorption capacity at the breakthrough point and at saturation in a bench-scale, fixed-bed reactor. Durability may be defined as the ability of the sorbent to maintain important physical characteristics such As size, strength, and specific surface area during 10 cycles of sulfidation and oxidation.

The main purpose of this report is to explain the procedure for lifting the I.F.H. quarter module from a 'prone' position to a 'standing' position and then into the liquid nitrogen test vessel. The main objective for the design of the lifting fixtures was simplicity. The fixtures are to be made of .75 inch thick stainless steel plates which is a stock item for the steel companies. The fixtures are stainless steel so they will be able to keep their structural integrity when immersed in the liquid nitrogen.

The goal of this research is to develop catalysts that directly convert methane and light hydrocarbons to intermediates that can, as economics dictate, be subsequently converted either to liquid fuels or value-added chemicals. In this program we are exploring two approaches to developing such catalysts. The first approach consists of developing advanced catalysts for reforming methane. We will prepare the catalysts by reacting organometallic complexes of transition metals (Fe, Ru, Rh, and Re) with zeolitic and rare-earth-exchanged zeolitic supports to produce surface-confined metal complexes in the zeolite pores. Our second approach entails synthesizing the porphyrin and phthalocyanine complexes of Cr, Mn, Ru, Fe, and/or Co within the pores of zeolitic supports for use as selective oxidation catalysts for methane and light hydrocarbons. During this reporting period, we concentrated on synthesizing and testing methane oxidation catalysts using the automated GC sampling system. We modified our preparation method of zeolite-encapsulated phthalocyanines (PC). The catalysts have higher complex loading, and the uncomplexed metal ions were back-exchanged by sodium ions (to remove any uncomplexed metal ions). Four metal ions were used: cobalt, iron, ruthenium, and manganese. We also synthesized four zeolite-encapsulated tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) complexes using the same metals. These catalysts were tested for methane …

Two of eight differently prepared copper stabilizer samples, previously irradiated in the RTNS-II at LLNL, the IPNS-1 and the BSR at ORNL, have been irradiated to a fluence of 1.33 /times/ 10/sup 22/ n/m/sup 2/ at RTNS-II. During the course of the irradiation the samples were periodically removed (without warming) for measurements of the transverse magnetoresistance and returned for continued irradiation. This experiment extends the range of neutron-irradiation-induced resistivity by a factor of five over the previous experiments. A simple model is developed which reproduces the magnetoresistance results of all the experiments to an accuracy of 2.5%. 13 refs., 6 figs.

This report calculates the required fire relief valve flow capacity, the required vaporizer failure relief valve flow capacity, and the required loss of vacuum relief valve flow capacity of the liquid argon storage tank in use at the D-Zero site.

Rockwell has been tasked with the objective of both qualitatively and quantitatively defining the performance of LANL Compact Laser coupling systems. The performance criteria of the system will be based upon the magnitude and uniformity of the energy distribution in the laser pumping rod. Once this is understood, it will then be possible to improve the device performance via changes in the system`s component parameters. For this study, the authors have chosen to use the Los Alamos Radiometry Code (LARC), which was previously developed by Rockwell. LARC, as an analysis tool, is well suited for this problem because the code contains the needed photometric calculation capability and easily handles the three-dimensionality of the problem. Also, LARC`s internal graphics can provide very informative visual displays of the optical system.

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The F/H Effluent Treatment Facility (F/H ETF) must be on-line by November 1988 to treat the low level activity wastes presently being discharged to the F- and H- areas' seepage basins. The three main processes of the F/H ETF are filtration, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange. Any dissolved organics present in the F/H ETF's feed have the potential to affect operation of the reverse osmosis system. Earlier studies with F/H ETF feed simulant and 70 volume percent kerosene and 30 volume percent tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP) additions showed that the kerosene/TBP mixture results in partial fouling of reverse osmosis membranes. A more detailed analysis of the seepage basin feed has shown that TBP is the major dissolved organic compound. Since it is dissolved (soluble to about 400 ppM at 25{degree}C), TBP will be present in the reverse osmosis feed unless removed by a means other than filtration. Thus the fouling effect of TBP (without kerosene) on reverse osmosis performance was investigated. 4 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.

The Space Station requires a high level of reliable electric power. The baseline approach is to utilize a hybrid system in which power is provided by photovoltaic arrays and by solar dynamic power conversion modules. The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) engine is one approach to solar dynamic conversion. The ORC provides the attributes of high efficiency at low temperature and compact simple designs utilizing conventional techniques and materials. The heat receiver is one area which must be addressed in applying the proven ORC to long life applications such as the Space Station. Heat pipes with integral thermal energy storage (TES) canisters and a toluene heater tube are the prime components of the heat receiver from the Phase B preliminary design. This contract is a task order type addressing the design, fabrication and testing of a full scale heat pipe. The contract was initiated on April 16, 1987. Sundstrand has specific responsibilities in each task. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in turn has the prime contract responsibility to NASA-LeRC.