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The overall or ultimate program envisions a small (10 MW) field experimental, highly instrumented, binary fluid cycle power plant facility planned to confirm the concept and evaluate technical and economic feasibility of the large scale use of geothermal energy resources. The eight year program duration anticipates four years for exploration and construction, two years for research and development of initial operations, and two years for research and development effort during production operating phase. The following are covered: a review of the design of all facilities between the supply and reinjection wells; a detailed description of the project scope; the project, system or performance requirements; the project design, procurement and construction schedule; the site layout, power plant perspective, plant layouts, single line electrical diagram, piping and instrument diagram and flow diagram; the cost estimate based on the included drawings; and project feasibility. (MHR)

Progress is reported for a program to demonstrate by 1976 an experimental gas turbine powered automobile which meets the 1976 Federal Emissions Standards, has significantly improved fuel economy, and is competitive in performance, reliability, and potential manufacturing cost with the conventional piston engine powered, standard size American automobile. All of the baseline vehicles are now operational and are performing Program tests. Vehicle tests completed in this quarter include noise reduction, heater, air conditioning, and underhood temperature evaluations. Testing was completed on the original endurance engine. Test cell evaluation of the government furnished combustor (Solar) has commenced. Vendor A and Vendor B ceramic regenerator cores were rig tested with an improved elastomeric drive. Vendor A cores with the elastomeric drive are being engine tested. Ceramic regenerator seal wear test rig results are showing promise of achieving a low friction, non-nickel-oxide rubbing surface. The first preprototype integrated control system was delivered and placed in operation on a baseline engine in a test cell. Six ribbed compressor turbine wheels made of IN 792/Hf by the AiResearch Airefrac process were received. Rig testing of the variable inlet guide Vanes was completed and engine testing initiated. Vehicle evaluations of the torque converter lock-up were completed …

Progress is reported for a program to demonstrate by 1976 an experimental gas turbine powered automobile which meets the 1976 Federal Emissions Standards, has significantly improved fuel economy, and is competitive in performance, reliability, and potential manufacturing cost with the conventional piston engine powered, standard size American automobile. Engines were built to replace those originally loaned to the Program. Efforts to identify and correct a general power deficiency were generally successful. The third baseline vehicle was built and checked out. Baseline vehicle emissions, performance, fuel consumption, and noise tests were run. Chrysler's proprietary linerless insulation showed no significant distress following 300 hours of engine endurance testing. An improved elastomeric drive for ceramic regenerators was developed on the regenerator rig. Preparations are being made for engine testing. The Ai Research engine simulation model is operational and control system concepts are being studied. Operation of the preprototype fuel system was verified on an engine. All other key preprototype system elements were bench checked. Variable inlet guide vane testing and development and torque converter lock-up evaluation tests are in process. A free rotor engine arrangement for vehicle evaluation and development is being built. Initial specifications were completed for a 122 horsepower, compact vehicle …

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Progress is reported in a number of projects related to process chemistry, chemical technology, chemistry instrumentation, and pilot plant development, as well as miscellaneous staff projects.

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From meeting on fission product nuclear data; Bologna, Italy (26 Nov 1973). Applications of fission product nuclear data and data on the fission process in uranium and transuranic elements are required for radiation protection of personnel and the general population for the following situations: to determine the toxicity to exposed individuals from externally located isotopes in the environment or in the fuel cycle; to determine the toxicity caused by deposition of radioactive materials in living systems; to estimate the radiation dose to patients during medical application of injected radioisotopes for diagnostic or therapeutic means; during the use of sealed sources for implantation in living tissue (brachytherapy); during the use of sealed sources at a distance from the patient for therapeutic purposes (teletherapy); to determine the environmental pathways for uncontrolled release of radioactive materials into biosphere; and for personnel protection during the applications of radioisotopes in medicine, biology, agriculture, and industry, including gamma ray and neutron radiography. It was concluded that available nuclear data are adequate for these purposes. (CH)

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From thirteenth international conference on thermal conductivity; Lake Ozark, Missouri, USA (5 Nov 1973). The safe burial in soil of a radioisotope heat source is an extremely complex problem, influenced by many parameters, including soil particle size, moisture content, weathering, density, inhomogeneities such as rocks and vegetation, soil disturbance upon impact, soil composition, and location on the earth. Precise descriptions of an accidental burial environment are in general impractical, if not impossible. Use of available analytical solutions simply to bracket a problem is less desirable than an analysis which treats directly the problem at hand. However, in the light of the difficulty in predicting accurately the post-impact environment, these approximate, bounding, relatively easy expressions provide a reasonable means for the design and/or safety evaluation of radioisotopic fuel capsules. More elaborate treatments probably would add little to the confidence in the results. (auth)

From international metallography society symposium on speciment preparation for metallography; Los Angeles, California, USA (23 Sep 1973). An evaluation of the effectiveness of plutonium metallography reveals inadequacies in electrolysis preparation techniques. The probable causes and the approaches to the problems that have been proposed by the participating laboratories over the past two decades are reviewed. A brief history of the metal is included. (auth)

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The tower is a 180-ft tall steel-frame experimental oil shale processing retort structure with heavy process equipment on various levels. The structural response of the tower to the ground motion from Project Rio Blanco is analyzed and the necessary structural modifications described. (TFD)

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>A laser method for recovery of deuterium or tritium from water is proposed. The two-step photolysis method utilizes a known coincidencc of the P/ sub 1/(8) line of the DF laser with HDO and D/sub 2/O absorption lines coupled with a water filtered xenon flash lamp to selectively photolyze HDO and D/sub 2/O in the presence of H/sub 2/O. CO is to be added to the photolysis mixture to remove the O atom from the OH photolysis product. The isotopic material is to be collected as D/sub 2/. The reaction kinetics for this experiment has been modeled with a computer calculation based on rate processes. The dependence of isotopic selectivity on various vibrational energy transfer processes is discussed. (auth)

The role of management in the responsibility for training personnel in the fundamentals of safety and accident prevention is discussed. Program for radiation protection, with emphasis on criticality safety, are discussed briefly. (CH)