Data are presented for investigations involving air cathodes in caustic half cells and hydrogen depolarized anodes for metal electrowinning (acid electrolytes). Studies with air depolarized Pt cathodes in caustic hardware include: progress of the RA19 type air diffusion electrode. Reference data has been obtained with this 10,500 hour old electrode; cathode performance (Reference) vs time for a standard 0.33 mg/cm/sup 2/ cathode; electrode-current collector evaluation; electrode-current collector data as a function of cell temperature; and electrode-current collector data as a function of CO/sub 2/ free air efficiency. Zinc electrowinning data have been obtained for tests involving: current density vs power consumption; current efficiency over the temperature range of from 55 to 80/sup 0/C; and the presence of Co, Fe, Cu, Ge, and Pt impurities in the electrolyte.

Polymer coated spherical targets have been irradiated by the Shiva laser system in an effort to compress the contained 10 mg/cc DT fuel to super liquid densities. Glass microspheres of 140 ..mu..m ID and 5 ..mu..m wall thickness with polymer coatings 15 ..mu..m to 100 ..mu..m thick have been irradiated with laser pulses of 4 kilojoules in 200 psec FWHM. Target performance was diagnosed with neutron yield measurements, radiochemistry, Argon line imaging, and x-ray imaging techniques. Ball in plate targets achieved greater implosion symmetry than free-standing ball targets. With yields of 10/sup 7/ to 10/sup 8/ neutrons, targets reached DT fuel compressions of several times liquid density.

The amount of tritium released when a commercially available getter-pump cartridge was exposed to moist air at ambient temperatures was measured. The cartridge consisted of Zr-Al powder pressed onto an iron substrate, which is the type of cartridge proposed for use in the Tokomak Fusion Test Reactor. While the initial release of tritium was rapid the total activity released was lss than 0.005% of the cartridge loading. Of this amount, at least 80% was released as tritiated water. 8 figures.

Due to the decreased supply of petroleum and the large quantity of import oil, there exists sufficient economic justification to develop a biomass-liquid fuel industry. Geothermal energy uniquely fits the biomass production and conversion requirements. To accelerate industrial development of biomass-to-liquid fuel conversion using geothermal energy, a national program is required. Because of the INEL's unique experience in moderate-temperature geothermal applications, they should take the lead in this program. Based on an extensive survey of the biomass conversion field, areas of needed work were identified and a program plan was developed. This plan separates the INEL role into two parts. (1) Commercial Support--Existing technology can be commercially applied to provide a portion of the liquid fuel needs. To accelerate development, INEL needs to provide technical and management support to existing programs such as direct assistance, loan guarantees, PONs, and PRDAs. (2) Technical Development--Application of new geothermal technology in the production and conversion of biomass can increase the quantity of domestically produced liquid fuel. The program plan identifies needed work down to the task level. Three cost account levels are identified: (1) Biomass-to-Liquid Fuel Technology, (2) Biomass-to-Liquid Fuel Advanced Technology Demonstration, and (3) Biomass-to-Liquid Fuel Commercial Support. The end item is …

This report discusses the ramifications of President Jimmy Carter's production and deployment decisions of enhanced radiation weapons.

Results of the previous one-dimensional thermal analysis of interim storage accidents are confirmed by more detailed two-dimensional calculations. Waste temperatures calculated for interim storage accidents are moderately sensitive to assumptions concerning canister spacing and are much less sensitive to boundary conditions at the canister top. For an individual 100 m from a transportation accident involving solidified high-level waste, the expected dose from gamma radiation is on the order of or smaller than the other possible exposures in the same accident. For the calculation of expected doses to the worst-situated individual in accidents: Expected population dose should remain the primary measure of pre-emplacement risk in order to maintain comparability of consequences of different types of accidents.

This paper reviews many considerations in the safe handling of fluorine and the chlorine fluorides. The physical, chemical, and toxicological properties of the materials are reviewed. Proper choice of materials of construction and materials in contact with the active gases are considered. The survey includes safe practices in design and operation of experiments and processes. Soda lime traps and caustic scrubbing are reviewed for fluorine disposal methods. Finally some explosive reactions and explosive situations are discussed.

Inorganic analysis of solid, liquid and gaseous samples from the Paraho Semiworks Retort was completed using a multitechnique approach. The data were statistically analyzed to determine both the precision of each method and to see how closely the various techniques compared. The data were also used to determine the redistribution of 31 trace and major elements in the various effluents, including the offgas for the Paraho Retort operating in the direct mode. The computed mass balances show that approximately 1% or greater fractions of the As, Co, Hg, N, Ni, S and Se are released during retorting and redistributed to the product shale oil, retort water or product offgas. The fraction for these seven elements ranged from almost 1% for Co and Ni to 50 to 60% for Hg and N. Approximately 20% of the S and 5% of the As and Se are released. The mass balance redistribution during retorting for Al, Fe, Mg, V and Zn was observed to be no greater than .05%. These redistribution figures are generally in agreement with previous mass balance studies made for a limited number of elements on laboratory or smaller scale pilot retorts. 7 tables.

Present techniques for measuring sound velocity in liquid metals have been limited by transducers that cannot survive in extreme temperatures for the long periods these techniques require. The report describes work on a dynamic noncontacting method intended to measure sound velocity in liquid uranium. Measurements were successful with liquid lead, but not with liquid uranium. Flat slab specimens were found to give much better response than cylindrical shapes.

Fluid pressure oscillations resulting from tidal strain reflect hydrologic and elastic properties of a reservoir. Precise measurement and interpretation of these pressure fluctuations has the potential of being a useful quantitative reservoir engineering tool. Interpretations of reservoir response to tides have been to date of a qualitative nature. This is primarily due to the lack of resolving power of the spectral analysis techniques applied in the data interpretation. We have developed a procedure, based on the statistical nature of the noise in the signal, that overcomes most of these problems. The method quantifies the spectral resolution in terms of an absolute confidence level in both amplitude and phase of the spectral estimate. Analysis of one week of data from a well in the Salton Sea KGRA is presented.

Activities are reported in programs devoted to demonstration and development of techniques for the safe placement and retrieval of the spent fuel canisters in a near-surface flow of the Columbia River Basalt. Other programs are reported designed to determine whether there are any unacceptable effects resulting from the interaction of the nuclear waste and basalt and to provide information to be used for near-term validation of the current numerical design models of the repository. Work is also reported on development of a data base for the design, construction, and licensing of a permanent large-scale basalt repository.

Corrosion rates were established by measuring the weight loss of a sample completely immersed in tap water for specified periods of time. Tests were conducted for periods ranging from 21 to 1824 hours at ambient temperature in sealed 125-ml containers. The weight changes observed revealed that the corrosion of delta plutonium by tap water in a closed system occurs through two separate processes. Each results in a different average corrosion rate. Initially a typical diffusion-controlled surface reaction was observed which resulted in an average corrosion rate of 0.264 mg(cm/sup 2/.h). The second corrosion process begins when cracking and flaking of the corrosion product layer occurs. This results in an increase in the corrosion rate to 0.52 mg/(cm/sup 2/.h). 3 figures, 2 tables.

Historically, the Department of Energy and its predecessors have used and supported the development of systems safety programs, practices, and principles, finding them by and large adequate, effective, and managerially efficient. Today, attempts are bing made to resolve increasingly complex environmental, safety, and health problems by turning to increasingly complex and detailed regulation as the primary governmental answer. It is increasingly doubtful that such an approach will provide management of these issues and problems that is either effective or efficient. Challenge is issued to those in systems safety to develop and apply systems safety principles and practices more broadly to total operational systems and not just to hardware and to environmental and health protection and not just to safety, so that the total universe of environmental, safety, and health can be managed effectively and efficiently with encouragement of innovation and creativity, using a relatively brief and concise, but adequate, regulatory base.

The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) vacuum chamber cover is sealed by 0-rings without the aid of mechanical fasteners. Under vacuum loading and component weights, the edges lifted no more than 0.005 in. (by a SAP4 computer code analysis). This report explains the model used for this investigation and, in addition, shows the maximum deflection expected at the center of the cover is less than 0.047 in. Also, no stresses are expected to exceed 13,700 psi.

Motorola's low cost poly silicon program is described. In the process, SiF/sub 4/, a low cost by-product is reacted with mg silicon to form SiF/sub 2/ gas which is polymerized. The (SiF/sub 2/)/sub x/ polymer is heated forming volatile Si/sub x/F/sub y/ homologues which disproportionate (C.V.D.) on a silicon particle bed forming silicon and SiF/sub 4/. During the initial phases of the investigation the silicon analysis procedure relied heavily on S.S.M.S. and E.S. analysis. This analysis demonstrated that major purification had occurred and some samples were indistinguishable from semiconductor grade silicon (except possibly for phosphorus). However, more recent electrical analysis via crystal growth reveals that the product contains compensated phosphorus and boron. Work on the control or removal of the electrically active donors and acceptors could yield a product suitable for solar application. The low projected product cost and short energy payback time suggest that the economics of this process will result in a cost less than the J.P.L./D.O.E. goal of $10/Kg (1975 dollars). Finally, assuming a successful demonstration of a pilot facility, the process appears to be readily scalable to a major silicon purification facility as was proposed by Motorola and R. Katzen.

Total characterization data on gas contents, release kinetics, physical and chemical properties, mineralogy and lithology obtained on the C-1 well are reported. Total hydrocarbon gas contents accumulating in the free space surrounding the shale sample in the sealed canisters range from less than 10 to 90%. A positive correlation is observed between the gas contents and sample depth. Total carbon values vary between 0.4 and 7.2% with an average value of approximately 2.0% hydrogen values ranging between 0.4 and 1.0%. Carbon contents show an increase with increasing sample depth, also indicating a positive correlation between carbon and hydrocarbon gas contents. The relationship is not as pronounced between the hydrogen and gas contents. Among the physical characterization data reported are densities (true and bulk), porosities, surface area, and permeabilities. Shales exhibit relatively high bulk densities, an observation that is supported by low porosity and permeability values. A wide range of surface area values is observed. These values range between less than 1 and over 4 m/sup 2//g. Surface area values are dominated by the clay mineral contents of the shale. Qualitatively x-ray diffraction data indicate illite to be the dominant clay mineral with occasional presence of kaolin minerals noted. Carbonate contents …

The stability criterion of A.C. Bountis for the periodic orbits of a dynamical mapping is applied to the horizontal motion of a particle in a storage ring with sextupole magnets. The approach developed takes into account any number of non-linear ''kicks'' in one superperiod of the ring, non-equal spacing between nonlinear elements and a strong focusing magnet system. The stability criterion for a fixed point is given provided such a fixed point is found. The formula for the tune of the small oscillations for any stable fixed point is derived. 2 refs.

The economic performance of Trombe wall and direct gain passive solar heating designs are evaluated using the LASL/UNM solar economic performance code. Both designs are integrated into a ranch style tract home concept thereby facilitating intra-regional comparison. The economic performance of these systems is evaluated for 15 sites in the Northwest region. Space heating loads have been locally specified. System sizes have been optimized against the natural gas and electric resistance heating alternatives, the current price and future escalation of which is established for each locale. Sensitivity analysis is conducted to determine the maximum competitive add-on costs for each system under a specified set of energy price, solar performance and economic conditions.

An existing time-dependent numerical model (OGRE) has been modified to examine the time frames associated with repressuring the formation rocks surrounding a generic nuclear waste repository following the operational period when wastes are being stored. The model is two-dimensional in the vertical plane, and assumes that the entire regime is saturated, but the repository is at one atmosphere during the operational period. For the physical and geometric parameters assumed, the results of a simulation of the time necessary to repressurize the formation after the operational period was 421.5 years. These results were in close agreement with a steady-state calculation performed by Golder Associates, Inc., in 1977. The fact that the time-dependent model results were close to the steady-state calculation resulted from the use (in the model) of a very small compressibility value, which caused the simulation to reach a steady-state condition in a relatively short time. Based on these studies, the magnitude of the system (water plus matrix) compressibility is of great importance in determining whether the time for repressurization can be determined from analytical methods or requires the use of a time-dependent numerical model.

A laboratory stainless steel reactor has been constructed and installed to study the hydrogenation of SiCl/sub 4/, 3 SiCl/sub 4/ + 2 H/sub 2/ + Si in equilibrium 4 SiHCl/sub 3/. The pressure reactor is designed to operate at pressures up to 500 psig and at temperatures up to 600/sup 0/C. After pressure and leak tests, the apparatus was started-up for the hydrogenation experiments. Temperature and flowrate measurements were calibrated. A safety review showed that the apparatus functioned smoothly and satisfactorily as designed. Experiments on the hydrogenation of SiCl/sub 4/ were carrried out during the last two weeks of September. A series of experiments on the hydrogenation of SiCl/sub 4/ was carried out at reactor pressure of 300 psig and 500 psig. Reaction temperature varies from 450/sup 0/C to 550/sup 0/C. Some preliminary reaction kinetic data and equilibrium data were collected. More hydrogenation experiments are in progress.

Part one of the stream sediment and hydrogeochemical field datasets for Wichita quadrangle, Kansas.

Second page of field data records of hydrogeochemical and sediment sample studies made in the Wichita quadrangle.

This volume contains the specifications and drawings prepared in support of the preliminary design of a 10MWe OTEC power system using enhanced plate type heat exchangers. Included are: (1) the specification tree; (2) system specification; (3) 10 MWe heat exchangers; (4) nitrogen storage, conditioning and supply subsystem specification; (5) ammonia storage, conditioning and supply specification; (6) electrical power distribution and control subsystem specification; (7) equipment valves, instruments and live lists and specifications; (8) drawing tree; (9) drawing package; and (10) 0.2 MWe test articles procurement specifications. (WHK)

The flash-steam conversion cycle is most suitable for electric power production at the SSGF. However, large-scale development of the SSGF may require use of makeup water supplements to injected brine for a viable reservoir pressure maintenance program. Since steam condensate will probably be required to satisfy power plant cooling needs, local surface waters have been evaluated for their potential use as sources of injection makeup. It was found that direct injection of untreated makeup water is not feasible because of high suspended solids loading and potential incompatability problems. However, mixtures of ambient temperature makeup water and higher temperature (80 to 90/sup 0/C) brine effluent, in a 1:4 mass ratio, are potentially injectable following processing by reaction clarification and granular media filtration.