Laboratory-scale tests on methods for recovering uranium and thorium from graphite-base reactor fuel elements are reported. The 90% HNO/sub 3/ process, which involves simultaneous disintegration and leaching in 21 M HNO/sub 3/, is applicable to all fuel elenments which do not contain coated fuel particles. Leaching of irradiated (0.001% burnup) fuels containing 3 and 12% uranlum recovered approximates 99.3 and 99.9%, respectively, of the uranium in two 4-hr leaches with boiling acid. The graphite residue retained > 50% of the long-lived fission products. Three successive leaches of fuel containing uranium and thorium recovered approximates 99% of both elements. Uranium recoveries by combustion in oxygen followed by dissolution of the ash hn nitric acid or fluorlde-catalyzed nitric acid are quantitative only when the fuel is not coated, does not contain Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-coated fuel particles, and is free from impurities such as iron. During combustion up to 95% of the Ru-106 was volatilized from irradiated specimens. Recoveries, by leaching with 70% HNO/sub 3/, from fuel specimens containing Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-coated fuel particles were greater than 99% when the specimens were ground finer than 200 mesh to ensure crushing of the fuel particles. (auth)

The scintillation response of CsI(Tl) crystals, having various thallium contents, was measured for excitation of the crystals by monoenergetic gamma rays, protons, and alpha particles. The investi gation was made to provide a test of some of the features of a theoretical model of the scintillation process in thallium-activated alkali iodides proposed by Murray and Meyer. In order to insure that the results obtained in this program would provide a critical test of the scintillation model, special attention was paid to technical effects which could influence the interpretation of the experimental data. For example, the effect of the pulseanalysis time on the relative scintillation response of CsI(Tl) to various charged parti cles was investigated. In addition, the emission spectra of the CsI(Tl) crystals were measured for excitation by x rays, protons, and alpha particles. The results of the investigation showed that the scintillation efficiency of CsI(Tl) is a continuous function of dE/dx, as assumed in the scintillation model, within the accuracy of the experiments when the effect of delta ravs are considered. This led to the conclusion that the light output of CsI(Tl) crystals is, in general, a nonlinear function of the energy of the particle. The shape of the …

Progress is reported in the evaluation of the performance of a water jet drill in a stressed rock, particularly in drilling at hole diameters in excess of one inch. Drilling tests are being carried out in a barrier pillar in a layer of coarse, lead-bearing sandstone. Problems encountered in the test drilling are discussed. (JGB)

Analytical research and development work is reported on multielement analysis, time-resolved spectroscopy, fluorescence analysis, ionization potential of NP, excited state chemistry, polarized x ray sources, potentiometric titration of Na, determination of TATB in DMSO, determination of nitrobenzene in TATB, analysis of explosive composites, mass spectrometer automation, mass spectra calculation, solids formation in geothermal brine, water quality laboratory automation, aerosol coagulation, and multiple-gas analyzers. (JRD)

One of the primary objectives of the MFTF-B upgrades is to demonstrate the technology of tritium breeding in a reactor-like configuration. This requires use and processing of tritium, involving an inventory of several hundred grams at the plant. This paper reviews the results of a preliminary assessment of the radiation hazard associated with the handling of tritium. The radiation dose consequences due to tritium release from normal operation and due to postulated accidents on plant personnel and the public were assessed. Maximum credible (probability < 10/sup -3/, but > 10/sup -7//yr) accidental releases were estimated to be 10 gm in the reactor building and 100 gm in the tritium-processing building. Higher probability (> 10/sup -3//yr) accidents or component failures would result in much smaller releases. In the reactor building, the most severe accident would result from the rupture of a plasma exhaust duct from the end cell or the tritium feed pipe to the neutral beam injector, accompanied by a fire. In the tritium processing building, the most severe accident would be the rupture of the Isotope Separation System (ISS) distillation columns and vacuum jackets accompanied by a fire.

The NOVA laser consists of ten beams, capable of concentrating 100 to 150 kJ of energy (in 3 ns) and 100 to 150 TW of power (in 100 ps) on experimental targets by 1985. NOVA will also be capable of frequency converting the fundamental laser wavelength (1.05 ..mu..m) to its second (0.525 ..mu..m) or third (0.35 ..mu..m) harmonic. This additional capability (80 to 120 kJ at 0.525 ..mu..m, 40 to 70 kJ at 0.35 ..mu..m) was approved by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in April 1982. These shorter wavelengths are much more favorable for ICF target physics. Current construction status of the NOVA facility, intended for completion in the autumn of 1984, will be presented.

Off-stoiciometry CdS coatings with resistivities of about 10..cap omega..-cm have been deposited by a cyclic reactive sputtering process where the H/sub 2/S injection is periodically switched on and off. Cells with CdS layer fabricated in this way have yielded efficiencies of about 0.6% with short circuit currents of about 3.5 mA/cm/sup 2/, open circuit voltages of about 0.43V, and fill factors of about 0.40. CdS resistivity control by In doping has been achieved both by diffusion from a pre-deposited In layer and by using an In-doped Cd sputtering target. Resistivities of about 30..cap omega..-cm are achieved in CdS coatings about 5 um thick deposited at 250/sup 0/C over 50 nm thick In layers. A Cd cathode doped with 1 atomic percent In has yielded CdS coatings with resistivities of about 0.1 ..cap omega..-cm at substrate temperatures in the 100 to 300/sup 0/C range. Cells fabricated from the 0.1 ..cap omega..-cm CdS with a 0.5 um undoped layer adjacent to the junction have yielded encouraging diode characteristics with a strong photovoltaic effect and will be used to an optimization study. Cu/sub x/S coatings deposited onto CdS under various conditions have been found to have the same properties as those deposited onto …

The nuclear criticality safety program at LLNL began in the 1950's with a critical measurements program which produced benchmark data until the late 1960's. This same time period saw the rapid development of computer technology useful for both computer modeling of fissile systems and for computer-aided management and display of the computational benchmark data. Database management grew in importance as the amount of information increased and as experimental programs were terminated. Within the criticality safety program at LLNL we began at that time to develop a computer library of benchmark data for validation of computer codes and cross sections. As part of this effort, we prepared a computer-based bibliography of criticality measurements on relatively simple systems. However, it is only now that some of these computer-based resources can be made available to the nuclear criticality safety community at large. This technology transfer is being accomplished by the DOE Technology Information System (TIS), a dedicated, advanced information system. The NCIS database is described.

A more direct approach to polyenes by the direct polymerization of acetylenes has been achieved. We were able to show that polymerization of acetylene itself can be controlled with a well- characterized alkylidene catalyst, but only if a base such as quinuclidine is present in order to slow down the rate of propagation relative to initiation. (Quinuclidine may also stabilize vinylalkylidene intermediates formed in the reaction). Unfortunately, living polyenes'' were no more stable than isolated polyenes, and so this approach had its limitations. Direct polymerization of acetylene by Mo(CH-t-Bu)(NAr)(O-t-Bu){sub 2} was more successful, but inherent polyene instability was still a problem. The most important result of the past grant period is the finding that dipropargyl derivatives (HC=CCH{sub 2}XCH{sub 2}C=CH; X = CH{sub 2}, C(CO{sub 2}R){sub 2}, SiR{sub 2}, etc.), which have been reported to be cyclopolymerized by various classical catalysts by as yet unknown mechanisms, are polymerized by Mo(CH-t-Bu)(NAr)(OCMe(CF{sub 3}){sub 2}){sub 2} in dimethoxyethane. We speculate that intramolecular formation of a five-membered ring in the product of {alpha} addition is fast enough to yield another terminal alkylidene on the time scale of the polymerization reaction, while a six-membered ring is formed in a reaction involving a more reaction terminal alkylidene. …

The optimum plasma for the tandem Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF-B) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is very sensitive to heavy contaminates, such as oxygen and metals. Unfortunately the current neutral beam sources generate not only high energy deuterium particles but also high energy oxygen particles. A new MFTF-B separator/neutralizer has been designed to filter out the unwanted oxygen and allow only primary species neutrals to reach the plasma.

During the last year of operation the principal area of research has been ternary diffusion in solid solution alloys. Specific research projects deal with diffusion in the Cu--Ni--Zn and Fe--Ni--Al systems. Research activities in these areas are summarized.

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The experimental results we have obtained on Four-Mile gneiss have demonstrated that the yield behavior of quartzo-feldspathic rocks containing only a small percentage (10%) of mica can be markedly anisotropic, provided the mica minerals exhibit a strong crystallographic preferred orientation. Samples of gneiss oriented such that resolved shear stresses on the foliation plane are large are considerably weaker than granites of similar grain size and composition, and this weakness is attributed to enhanced nucleation of microcracks in quartz and feldspar adjacent to mica grains that are suitably oriented for slip. We expect the yield behavior of rocks containing a higher proportion of phyllosilicates to be influenced by the strongly anisotropic nature of these minerals as well, although the strengths, temperature and pressure dependencies, and flow-controlling mechanisms in such rocks may be significantly different.

A survey of general considerations relating to the use of coal in US territories and trust territories of the Pacific suggests that coal is a viable option for power generation. Future coal supplies, principally from Australia and the west coast of America, promise to be more than adequate, but large bulk carriers will probably not be able to land coal directly because of inadequate port facilities. Hence, smaller than Panamax-class vessels (60,000 dwt) or some arrangement utilizing self-loading barges or lighters would have to be used. Except for Guam, with peak power requirements on the order of 175 MW/sub e/, most territories have current, albeit inadequate, installations of 1 to 25 MW/sub e/ Turnkey, conventional-coal-fired, electrical-power generating systems are available in that size range. US environmental laws are now applicable to Guam and American Samoa; the trust territories are exempt. However, the small power requirements of many small islands will qualify for exemption from the New Source Performance Standards called for in the Clean Air Act. The principal problems with coal use in the territories, apart from the shallow draft of most harbors, are the limited amount of land available and the high capital costs associated with conversion. Ocean dumping …

Information is presented concerning a submerged demineralizer system for contaminated water; multilevel sampling; inspection of solar crane; entry on containment building; and shipment of EPICOR 2 resin canister.

Studies have been performed during the past year to determine the configuration of a tandem mirror Fusion Power Demonstrator (FPD) machine capable of producing 1750 MW of fusion power. The FPD is seen as the next logical step after the Mirror Fusion Test Facility-B (MFTF-B) toward operation of a power reactor. The design of the FPD machine allows a phased construction: Phase I, a hydrogen or deuterium checkout machine; Phase 2, a DT breakeven machine; Phase 3, development of the Phase 2 machine to provide net power and act as a reactor demonstrator. These phases are essential to the development of remote handling equipment and the design of components that will ultimately be remotely handled. Phasing also permits more modes funding early in the program with some costs committed only after reaching major milestones.

The Nova assurance management program was developed using the quality assurance (QA) approach first implemented at LLNL in early 1978. The LLNL QA program is described as an introduction to the Nova assurance management program. The Nova system is described pictorially through the Nova configuration, subsystems and major components, interjecting the QA techniques which are being pragmatically used to assure the successful completion of the project.

This report summarizes the results of a study of tax incentives for residential wood burning equipment. It presents an overview of the major issues affecting inclusion or exclusion of this equipment in the NEA tax credit program. The report was prepared as a quick response task within a six week period. Because of these time constraints, many simplifying assumptions had to be made in order to provide information in accordance with the decisionmaking schedule. The report is not meant to be considered as an exhaustive analysis of any particular issue area. (TFD)

The Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital located in Klamath Falls, Oregon utilizes geothermal fluid pumped from its own well to provide space heat and domestic hot water. During an inspection of the heating system after a chemical cleaning of the heat exchangers, the circulating pump was dismantled to replace its seals which were found to be leaking. At that time, the impeller was found to contain many cracks. The analysis of those cracks and a scale sample removed from the impeller is presented. (MHR)

In FY 1979, the basic configuration of FY 1978 was used as a reference point. Many studies were then made to either generate more design information concerning this design or to produce new concepts that would lead to a superior configuration. Among these activities were a detailed weight analysis, an assembly sequence, a chamber vibration analysis, a splash baffle stress study, and an analysis of first wall thermal stresses. Then some new concepts were introduced that pertained to the first wall, the lithium inlet nozzle, the chamber supports, the inlet piping, and pressure vessel.

Final results are summarized for this program with the primary emphasis on measurement of ten independent parameters for proton-proton elastic scattering at 800 MeV and four independent such parameters at 650 MeV. Inelastic proton-proton reactions have also been measured at 800 MeV. Proton-deuteron elastic scattering cross sections and polarization analyzing powers have been obtained at 800 MeV. Proton-nucleus total and total reaction cross sections were measured at 700 MeV for a number of nuclei. Major instrumentation was designed and constructed to carry out this program.

There are three distinct but not mutually exclusive areas of research in this contract, studies of intrusions of the west wall of the Gulf Stream onto the outer continental shelf, studies of the flux of materials across nearshore density fronts, and advances in understanding of the planktonic food web of the continental shelf. Studies of frontal events on the outer and inner continental shelf involve distinctive physical and chemical regimes and have proven to require distinctive biological approaches. The studies of the food web run through our work on both of the frontal regimes, but certain aspects have become subjects in their own right. We have developed a simulation model of the flux of energy through the continental shelf food web which we believe to be more realistic than previous ones of its type. We have examined several of the many roles of dissolved organic compounds in sea water which originate either from release by phytoplankton, digestive processes or metabolites of zooplankton, or extracellular digestion of microorganisms. Methods have been developed under this contract to measure both the chelating capacity of naturally occurring organic materials and the copper concentration in the water. It has been possible to characterize the effects, …

Handling produced water in an economical and environmentally sound manner is vital to coalbed methane (CBM) development, which is expected to increase up to 60% in the next 10-15 years as the demand for natural gas increases. Current produced water-handling methods (e.g., shallow reinjection and infiltration impoundments) are too costly when implemented on a well-by-well basis. A watershed-based effluent credit trading approach may be a means of managing produced water at reduced cost while meeting or surpassing water quality regulations. This market-based approach allows for improved water quality management by enabling industrial, agricultural, and municipal discharge facilities to meet water quality permit requirements by purchasing pollutant reduction credits from other entities within the same watershed. An evaluation of this concept was conducted for the Powder River Basin (PRB) of Montana and Wyoming by the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC). To conduct this assessment, the EERC collected and evaluated existing water quality information and developed the appropriate tools needed to assess the environmental and economic feasibility of specific trading scenarios. The accomplishments of this study include (1) an exploration of the available PRB water quantity and quality data using advanced statistical techniques, (2) development of an integrated water quality model …

Area G is a 25.5-hectare (63-acre), fenced, low-level radioactive solid waste processing and disposal area located on the east end of Mesa del Buey at Technical Area 54 at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This disposal area has been in existence since 1957 and is expected to be filled by the year 2015. Thus, a new area, located adjacent to Area G on the west side, has been proposed for the expansion of disposal activities. Since 1994 to the present, baseline levels of several radionuclides and nonradionuclides have been collected in soils, vegetation, and small mammals (field mice and rock squirrels). These data will be used to assess potential impacts, if any, at the expanded site once operations begin. Baseline statistical reference levels (BSRLs) (mean plus three standard deviations = 99% confidence level) of radionuclides and nonradionuclides in these media were calculated and compared with regional statistical reference levels (RSRLs). RSRLs are calculated from regional areas away from the influence of the Laboratory and represent natural and worldwide fallout sources. BSRLs in most media, with the exception of field mice (mostly Peromyscus spp.), compare very well with RSRLs. Field mice, probably because they are mobile and may have spent time within …