The purpose of this test was to demonstrate that the pump utilized for the developmental program to be conducted on the Kilowatt Isotope Power System (KIPS) fulfilled the requirements of Test Procedure 398A, Component Test Procedure for the Ground Demonstration System Pump. The results of the tests are reported. From these results it was concluded that the pump for the Kilowatt Isotope Power System has satisfactorily completed the requirements of Sundstrand Pump Test Procedure, TP 398A.

Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) is studying ways in which the environmental quality of The Geysers-Calistoga known geothermal resources area may be protected from any significant harmful consequences of future geothermal development. The LLL study includes the effects of development on air and water quality, geology, the ecosystem, socioeconomics, and noise. The Geothermal Resource Impact Projection Study (GRIPS) has grants to undertake similar work. On 28 and 29 November 1977, LLL and GRIPS jointly sponsored a workshop at Sonoma State College at which knowledgeable earth scientists presented their views on the potential geological hazards of geothermal development. The workshop produced recommendations for studies in geological mapping, slope stability, subsidence, seismicity, and groundwater hydrology. These recommendations will be evaluated along with other considerations and in conjunction with the other subjects of the LLL study. The results of the study will be contained in a preplanning report of final recommendations to the Department of Energy.

NIS power range setpoints are given at which the bistable inputs should be set to guarantee compliance with Phase-B Technical Specification Requirements. (JDB)

Estimates on the ability of solar energy to supply US energy needs vary from 0 to 25%. It is generally thought that solar can supply as much as we want it to up to 25% in the Northwest by the year 2000 providing an all-out effort is applied now to develop solar energy. The factors affecting the extent of solar utilization are discussed; they are more institutional (inertia, experience, legal, social) than technological or economical. Because of its climate, unique power system, and amount of sunshine, the Northwest is one of the best places in the US for solar energy utilization. Solar energy used in the Northwest is more likely to meet needs that would otherwise be met by new thermal electric plants than is the case in most places.

Energy storage and transfer requirements for many of the present day reactor systems are listed. Two ohmic heating (OH) requirements, those for toroidal Z-pinches and Tokamaks, are described in more detail. Technologies envisioned for the power conditioning circuitry are discussed.

Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) target designs are considered which may have very high gains (approximately 1000) and low power requirements (< 100 TW) for input energies of approximately one megajoule. These include targets having very low density shells, ultra thin shells, central ignitors, magnetic insulation, and non-ablative acceleration.

A modified (one-cycle) Purex process has been developed for the separation and recovery of plutonium and uranium from mixed actinide residues. The process utilizes 30 vol % tributyl phosphate--dodecane to extract uranium from a 5M nitric acid-plutonium (III)-uranium(VI) feed. After uranium extraction, plutonium in the aqueous feed solution is purified by anion exchange technology. Uranium in the organic is scrubbed and stripped to effectively purify the uranium so that it contains <5,000 ppM plutonium. The process has been used successfully to separate residues consisting of plutonium and uranium oxide.

The US Department of Energy is funding an underground coal gasification (UCG) project in steeply dipping coal beds (SDB), at North Knobs, about 8 miles west of Rawlins, Carbon County, Wyoming. The project is being conducted to determine the technical, economic and environmental viability of such a technology. The development of SDB is an interesting target for UCG since such beds contain coals not normally mineable economically by ordinary techniques. Although the underground gasification of SDB has not been attempted in the US, Soviet experience and theoretical work indicate that the gasification of SDB in place offers all the advantages of underground gasification of horizontal coal seams plus some unique characteristics. The steep angle of dip helps to channel the produced gases up dip to offtake holes and permits the ash and rubble to fall away from the reaction zone helping to mitigate the blocking of the reaction zone in swelling coals. The intersection of SDB with the surface makes the seam accessible for drilling and other preparation. The tests at the North Knobs site will consist of three tests, lasting 20, 80 and 80 days, respectively. A total of 9590 tons of coal is expected to be gasified, with …

Since the earliest days of fusion research it has been hoped that diamagnetic currents flowing in a plasma could be used to help confine the plasma. Recently this hope has been strengthened both by theoretical advances and by experimental results made possible by technological developments. On the theoretical front analytical treatments and computer simulation studies have demonstrated equilibrium solutions existing both in the fluid limit and in the large-orbit limit. Progress has also been made in determining the conditions required for the stability of field-reversed entities. It appears that configurations of the general form of fat doughnuts, possibly elongated to napkin-ring form, represent stable states. Building on previous experimental work, several investigators have been able to create field-reversed states. One method, based on the ASTRON idea of Christofilos, traps an intense relativistic electron beams (REB) to create a field-reversing current ring. Other approaches use either the reversed field theta pinch technique or REB pulses to create field-reversing diamagnetic currents in a long cylindrical plasma. In the former method, millisecond-long field-reversing electron rings have been achieved; in the latter method field-reversed plasma states lasting 30 to 50 microseconds have been achieved. Another approach under investigation is the Field Reversed Mirror (FRM) …

The Phase I Report, Grid ICES, presented the broad alternatives and implications for development of an energy system satisfying thermal demand with the co-generation of electric power, all predicated on the use of solid fuels. Participants of the system are the University of Minnesota, operator and primary thermal user, and Northern States Power Company, primary electrical user; with St. Mary's Hospital, Fairview Hospital, and Augsburg College as Add-on Customers for the thermal service (Option I). Included for consideration are the Options of (II) solid waste disposal by the Pyrolysis Method, with heat recovery, and (III) conversion of a portion of the thermal system from steam to hot water distribution to increase co-generation capability and as a demonstration system for future expansion. This report presents the conceptual design of the energy system and each Option, with the economic implications identified so that selection of the final system can be made. Draft outline of the Environmental Assessment for the project is submitted as a separate report.

Objective is to determine the relationships between the shale characteristics, hydrocarbon gas contents, and well location, for assessing the productive capacity of the Eastern Devonian Gas Shale deposits and guiding research, development, and demonstration projects to enhance the recovery of natural gas from the shale deposits. One well was sampled during this reporting period. Another well from Monongalia County, WV (M-1) was cored in April. 31 samples were obtained for Battelle with additional 55 samples canned for other DOE contractors. Characterization tasks on shale samples from R-146 (Mason County, WV.) and M-1 wells (Monongalia) have been completed. In the preliminary analysis correlations were observed between the hydrocarbon gas contents and can pressure, propane content, well location, oxygen content CO/sub 2/ content, bulk density and carbon contents. Higher pressures are attributed to higher hydrocarbon gas contents. For high gas pressures, propane content is an important indication of hydrocarbon gas content. At low gas pressure, butane contents more accurately predict the hydrocarbon gas contents. High CO/sub 2/ and carbon contents indicate high hydrocarbon gas values, whereas oxygen contents are inversely related to hydrocarbon gas contents. Analysis of the limited wire-line log data shows that correlations between the laboratory and well log data …

The cavity design for the large ring of the proposed synchrotron light source is being considered. It represents the worst case situation in all respects so that a similar design for the small ring will face no problems. Basic requirements are that the cavity provide a peak gap voltage of up to 500 kV at a frequency of 53.52 MHz. Sufficient tuning range must be provided to allow for the reactive detuning of the beam and also thermal changes. Provisions for phase and amplitude control of two cavities operating together must also be available and attention must be given to possible higher order mode excitation at frequencies which are harmonically related to the operating frequency and also to some degree the 2.23 MHz rotation frequency. There are also space limitations imposed by the chosen magnet lattice and the need for a beam wiggler in the same straight section as the rf cavity. The practical upper limits of cavity diameter and length are about 1.25 m and 1.7 m, respectively.

The following studies are reported on: calorimetry and thermodynamics of nuclear materials; actinide recovery and purification; optimization of the cation exchange process for recovering americium and plutonium from molten salt extraction residues; decontamination of soil; secondary actinide recovery; evaluation of tributyl phosphate-impregnated sorbent for plutonium-uranium separations; comparison of cation exchange recovery of actinides from the NaCl--KCl--MgCl/sub 2/ and CaCl/sub 2/--KCl--MgCl/sub 2/ systems; combined anion exchange-bidentate organophosphorous extraction process for molten salt extraction residues; recovery of actinides from combustible wastes; actinide recovery and recycle preparation for waste streams; processing Leco crucible residues containing a tin accelerator; dissolution of refractory residues in hydrochloric acid; metal distillation; induction-heated, tilt-pour furnace; plutonium from backlog salts; and plutonium peroxide precipitation process. (LK)

Along the general run of the vacuum chamber synchrotron radiation strikes the wall at a glancing angle of about 5.6/sup 0/. The heat source is well-approximated by a ribbon of uniform power density having a small vertical height and an infinite azimuthal length. The heat transfer problem reduces to one in two-dimensions and it has been considered in a previous note. At the corner of a beam port the angle of incidence becomes 90/sup 0/, so the temperature rises much higher than elsewhere. Since the power density at the corner is not uniform in its azimuthal dependence, but is strongly peaked at the point of normal incidence, two-dimensional heat flow is not a good approximation. The rectangular 3d problem is considered. This is easily solved and yields a good first estimate of the temperature rise at the corner.

Smoothing of data by averaging is suggested in order to study the maximum. The maximum of the smoothed data is approximated by that of a Gaussian sample, and thus is more robust against outliers.

Ten-fold increased loadings of cobalt dibensotetraazaannulene (CoTAA) have been obtained which have been shown stable for 44 days in 150/sup 0/C 85% phosphoric acid. Preliminary data on platinum-catalyzed cathodes have been obtained which show that the ECO fuel cell system is suitable for evaluating fuel cell cathode performance.

The Department of Energy, Minnesota Energy Agency, Northern States Power Company, and other local government and private organizations are cooperatively performing an in-depth application study to determine the feasibility of district heating for a large northern-U.S. city. Over 90% of the space- and water-heating requirements are currently supplied by oil and gas. Hence, district heating can potentially replace large quantities of scarce fuels with coal or nuclear resources. In addition, district heating, using a co-generation power plant, substantially increases the fuel-utilization efficiency when compared to an electric-only plant. A Swedish firm, AB Atomenergi, is performing a preliminary economic and technical assessment. The analysis uses current Swedish district-heating technology and experience, and adapts it, where necessary, to U.S. conditions. Preliminary Swedish results indicate favorable economics for a large system, which includes residential areas, when technology innovations such as temperature-resistant plastic piping are used. For conventional-piping technology the economics appear favorable for the commercial areas of the city core. The peak heat load for the Twin Cities is approximately 4200 MW(t). The scenario presented by AB Atomenergi assumes 2250 MW(t) would be supplied by co-generation units, and the remaining 2000 MW(t) would be peaking, heat-only units. The dual-purpose units would be used …

Inconel 600 was irradiated in HFIR to provide a partial simulation of fusion reactor service. Samples were irradiated at 55 to 700/sup 0/C, to investigate swelling and postirradiation tensile properties as a function of irradiation and test temperatures under conditions of concurrent displacement damage and helium production. Helium contents from 600 to 1800 appm and displacement levels of 4 to 9 dpa were achieved, and the results are used to estimate performance in a fusion reactor environment. Tensile property measurements and fractography on the same samples showed strength values increased for irradiation at 55 to 400/sup 0/C but decreased below unirradiated values for irradiations at 600 and 700/sup 0/C.

The MFTF is a large new mirror facility under construction at Livermore for completion in 1981--82. It represents a scaleup, by a factor of 50 in plasma volume, a factor of 5 or more in ion energy, and a factor of 4 in magnetic field intensity over the Livermore 2XIIB experiment. Its magnet, employing superconducting NbTi windings, is of Yin-Yang form and will weigh 200 tons. MFTF will be driven by neutral beams of two levels of current and energy: 1000 amperes of 20 keV (accelerating potential) pulsed beams for plasma startup; 750 amperes of 80 keV beams of 0.5 second duration for temperature buildup and plasma sustainment. Two operating modes for MFTF are envisaged: The first is operation as a conventional mirror cell with n/sup tau/ approximately equal to 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -3/ sec, W/sub i/ = 50 keV, where the emphasis will be on studying the physics of mirror cells, particularly the issues of improved techniques of stabilization against ion cyclotron modes and of maximization of the electron temperature. The second possible mode is the further study of the Field Reversed Mirror idea, using high current neutral beams to sustain the field-reversed state. Anticipating success in the coming …

A critical review of U.S. and foreign literature on the use of a mixture of refrigerants rather than a single one in a refrigeration unit indicates that energy can be conserved in properly arranged systems. An independent analytical study performed under the current contract using a 50% mixture of R-12 and R-114 in a two-evaporator refrigerator typical of domestic refrigerators showed an energy saving of 12%. The cycle explored was a non-optimized one, so greater energy savings are theoretically possible. The application of refrigerant mixtures to domestic refrigerators would not be a panacea, but would require a redesign of the refrigeration circuit and a resizing of the compressor. There would be a number of problems to be explored and solved before a successful application could be achieved, but the prospects look favorable at this time. One of the most useful next steps would be to continue to expand the knowledge base on refrigerant mixtures that would be made available to the manufacturers of refrigerators.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, John L. Hill, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Whether a secret ballots conducted by a governing body violate the Open Meetings Act.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, John L. Hill, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether articles 13.57 and 14.10, Election Code, prohibit the use of names which are similar to the names of political parties.