An analytical treatment related to the generation of space specific weighting factors is presented using a recursion relationship which employs a heat balance of both the outside and inside surface. After which the multizone problem is discussed, the analysis of which is facilitated through the use of the calculated weighting factors. The use of frequency domain methods is detailed such that the amplitude ratio and phase shift characteristics for a sinusoidal excitation are derived for the thermal load resulting from radiation heat gain/loss and space air temperature fluctuations. The results of a parametric study related to variable floor properties, radiation distributions and space sizes are presented. The weighting factors generated for each perturbation were used to define the expected differences in space response characteristics. Additional studies made using methods available for use in calculating thermal loads without the program peculiar aspects inherent in the first comparison. The Appendix, in addition to containing the tabulated results of the parametric study, also includes a specific discussion for each of the tasks outlined within the statement of work.

Separate abstracts were prepared for each of the three included sections. (MOW)

Semiscale gravity feed reflood and FLECHT-SET tests have been reviewed to determine phenomena which may be important during LOFT reflood. FLOOD4 and RELAP4/MOD6 predictions for Semiscale and FLECHT-SET tests were compared to experimental data. Based on these comparisons, uncertainties were estimated for the LOFT reflood predictions; these uncertainties were then utilized to bound the extent of cladding oxidation expected for the LOFT L2-3 and L2-4 tests.

Objectives, rationale, and method of a one-year experiment using a residential photovoltaic/thermal power system are presented. Data will be both archived and processed to investigate: (1) series heat pump system performance, and (2) electric utility impacts. A parallel heat pump system will be investigated in a subsequent experiment.

The prinicpal effort during this contract period was directed toward preparing for on-line radiochemical experiments at LAMPF directed toward studying rare processes such as (..pi../sup -/, ..pi../sup +/), (n, ..delta../sup + +/) and (..mu../sup -/, e/sup +/) in /sup 88/Sr. Chemical scavenging techniques to remove interfering products were shown to be effective without significantly affecting the sensitivity of the detection system. Sensitivities of less than 0.1 ..mu..b for the first two processes appear achievable. Detailed statistical analysis of last years' experiments is leading to new limits, about an order of magnitude lower than already reported, on the formation of polyneutrons, reinforcing the conclusion that such species are not particle stable. 100/sup -/GeV ..pi../sup -/ studies of copper spallation are revealing no dramatic differences between spallation with pions and that with protons. Essentially, this report consists of a collection of abstract-like summaries.

Transient processes in radiative transfer have recently become of interest in the modeling of astrophysical phenomena, particularly with regard to the brightness of novae, supernovae, and perhaps even galactic clouds adjacent to quasars. Analytic solutions to a particular class of Marshak wave problems are presented with and without the Marshak (Milne) boundary condition. The choice of boundary condition can have a decisive effect on the coupling of radiative energy to the material energy in the vicinity of a material boundary. The analytic solution obtained can be useful as a tool for calibrating numerical calculation techniques.

The objective for the past quarter included reversing the decline in productivity from the methane fermenters, confirming methane and yeast production from acetate, and making trial runs on kraft mill and semichemical mill effluents. Although methane production remained low (20 cc/hr) addition of 2% methanol doubled production. Progress has been made on identifying possible viruses that might be preventing higher methane production. Confirmation that acetate can be used as a substrate for methane production has been obtained. An initial test on the Decker filtrate from a kraft mill gave 20 cc/hr methane production.

Progress in the development of LMFBR and GCFR breeding blanket design parameters is reported under the following headings: interface self-shielding and advanced blanket investigations.

Some criteria for identifying dense plasmas are given. The theoretical analysis gives the following: general characteristics of dense plasmas, statistical model for compressed atoms, and ionization equilibrium in dense plasmas. (MOW)

This report is a summary of the SPSA Annual Technical Report. It covers Small Power Systems Applications activities for FY 1978. Studies were conducted to address current small power system technology as applied to power plants up to 10 MWe in size. Markets for small power systems were characterized and cost goals were established for the project. Candidate power plant system design concepts were selected for evaluation and preliminary performance and cost assessments were made. Economic studies were conducted at JPL and under contract to Burns and McDonnell. Breakeven capital costs were determined for leading contenders among the candidate systems. An applications study was made of the potential use of small power systems in providing part of the demand for pumping power by the extensive aqueduct system of California, estimated to be 1000 MWe by 1985. Criteria and methodologies were developed for application to the ranking of candidate power plant system design concepts. Experimental power plants concepts of 1 MWe rating were studied by three contractors as a Phase I effort leading toward the definition of a power plant configuration for subsequent detail design, construction, testing, and evaluation as Engineering Experiment No. 1 (EE No. 1). Site selection criteria and …

An intense absorption band of /sup 3/MBH/sup 2 +/ at 700nm was characterized in several media and its pK/sub A/ was measured to be 7.17 +- .1 in water. Flash photolysis show that semiethylene blue, MBH/sup +/, formed by quenching /sup 3/MBH/sup 2 +/ with Fe/sub II/(H/sub 2/O)/sub 6//sup 2 +/, decays by disproportionation at a diffusion-controlled rate. Rates of decay of the photostationary state of solutions of MB/sup +/ and Fe/sup II/(H/sub 2/O)/sub 6//sup 2 +/ in acidic media were measured using crossed beams to yield specific rates of oxidation of leucomethylene blue (MBH/sub 3//sup 2 +/) by MB/sup +/ (synproportionation) and by Fe(III). Laser flash-photolysis shows that quenching of MB/sup +/(S/sub 1/) by Fe(H/sub 2/O)/sub 6//sup 2 +/ can result in electron transfer to give MBH/sup +/. Profound differences between processes initiated by quenching triplet methylene blue with Fe(H/sub 2/O)/sub 6//sup 2 +/ and with stable coordination complexes of Fe(II) were found. Quenchers included (Fe/sup II/(CN)/sub 6/)/sup 4 -/, (Fe/sup II/(CN)/sub 4/(bpy)/sub 2/)/sup 2 -/, (Fe/sup II/(CN)/sub 2/(bpy))/sup 0/, and (Fe/sup II/(bpy)/sub 3/)/sup 2 +/. Measurements were made in aqueous and aqueous-alcoholic solutions at pH 2, 4.4, and 8.2. Quenching of /sup 3/MBH/sup 2 +/ or /sup 3/MB/sup …

In Furnace No. 1 during this quarter, experiments were conducted in which the total argon purge rate in this furnace was decreased. A number of extremely significant changes in the crystallographic structure and electronic quality of the ribbons were observed in these experiments. Ribbon segments were grown in which the equilibrium defect structure was no longer present and the electrical properties improved to the extent that cells of 50 cm/sup 2/ area having AM1 efficiencies over 11% could be prepared. In Furnace No. 3A, the final five-ribbon demonstration run was performed. The furnace performed nearly flawlessly over the 15 hour run during which approx. 30 meters of 5 cm wide ribbon were grown at a rate of approx. 3.3 cm/min from each of the five cartridges. Initial evaluation of a small lot of 45 cm/sup 2/ solar cells of approx. 9% (AM1) efficiency. Subsequent to this final multiple demonstration run, the furnace was converted to be operated with three 10 cm width cartridges, plus a melt replenishment unit. This conversion is now complete, and the first growth runs using one cartridge and the melt replenisher have produced approx. 4 meters of 10 cm wide ribbon at a growth rate of …

The magnetic shields of the Mirror Fusion Test Facility neutral beam sources must keep the inner magnetic field below 0.15 mT inside an unsymmetrical ambient magnetic field of 0.05 to 1.5 T. Numerical computations and 1/10th-scale experiments were used to arrive at a three-layer shield design consisting of two thin nickel-iron alloy shells inside a thick mild steel shell. A 1/10th-scale prototype test confirmed the final design.

This report describes studies pertaining to long-term risks from the disposal of high-level nuclear waste in deep mined cavities. The results presented supplement peviously reported work. Previously studied scenarios are examined in greater depth, and the analysis is extended to deal with alternative fuel cycles.

In growth station JPL No. 1 the work during this quarter centered around trying to evaluate any influences on ribbon quality which might be caused by various materials of construction which are used in the growth furnace. At the present level of ribbon quality, which has produced 8.5% to 9.5% efficient solar cells, no particular influence of any furnace part was detected. The experiments rather led to the suspicion that the general environment and the somewhat unoptimized materials handling procedures might be responsible for the current variations in ribbon quality and that, therefore, continuous work with this furnace under rather more stringent environmental conditions and operating procedures could perhaps improve materials quality to some extent. The work on Machine 3A (the multiple furnace) was continued with two multiple growth runs being performed. In these runs, the melt replenishment system performed poorly and extensive modifications to it have been designed to make reliable melt feeding for five ribbon growth possible. Although in the first quality assessment runs ever performed with the melt replenishment system diffusion lengths nearly as great as those found in non-melt replenished runs were found, we have not yet apparently identified all the factors affecting SiC density in …

Processes which can lead to mobilization of brine adjacent to spent fuel or nuclear waste canisters and some of the thermomechanical consequences have been investigated. Velocities as high as 4 x 10/sup -7/ m s/sup -1/ (13 m y/sup -1/) are calculated at the salt/canister boundary. As much as 40 liters of pure NaCl brine could accumulate around each canister during a 10-year storage period. Accumulations of bittern brines would probably be less, in the range of 2 to 5 liters. With 0.5% water, NaCl brine accumulation over a 10-year storage cycle around a spent fuel canister producing 0.6 kW of heat is expected to be less than 1 liter for centimeter-size inclusions and less than 0.5 liter for millimeter-size inclusions. For bittern brines, about 25 years would be required to accumulate 0.4 liter. The most serious mechanical consequence of brine migration would be the increased mobility of the waste canister due to pressure solution. In pressure solution enhanced deformation, the existence of a thin film of fluid either between grains or between media (such as between a canister and the salt) provides a pathway by which the salt can be redistributed leading to a marked increase in strain rates …

This program was initiated in September 1976, with the objective and scope of determining the relationships between the shale characteristics, hydrocarbon gas contents, and well location, and thereby provide a sound basis for (1) assessing the productive capacity of the Eastern Devonian Gas Shale deposits, and (2) guiding research, development and demonstration projects to enhance the recovery of natural gas from the shale deposits. Included in the scope of the program are a number of elemental tasks as a part of the Resource Inventory and Shale Characterization subprojects of DOE's Eastern Gas Shales Project designed to provide large quantities of support data for current and possibly future needs of the Project.

Progress in LMFBR safety studies is briefly summarized.

This review covers the various approaches that have utilized the reversed-field concept. Its possible use in a working reactor is discussed. (MOW)

A Parabolic Dish-Electric Transport concept for dispersed solar thermal generation is considered. In this concept the power generated by 15 kWe Solar Generation Units is electrically collected in a large plant. Various approaches are possible for the conversion of mechanical shaft output of the heat engines to electricity. This study focuses on the Application of Field Modulated Generation System (FMGS) for that purpose. Initially the state-of-the-art of FMGS is presented, and the application of FMGS to dispersed solar thermal electric generation is investigated. This is followed by the definition of the control and monitoring requirements for solar generation system. Then comparison is made between FMGS approach and other options. Finally, the technology developmental needs are identified.

The microcomputer revolution in electronics is spreading so rapidly that it is difficult to educate enough people quickly and thoroughly in the new technology. Lawrence Livermore Laboratory's MST-80B was developed as a way to speed learning in in-house training courses, and it is now being widely used outside LLL. The MST-80B trainer is a complete, self-contained microcomputer system housed in a briefcase. The trainer uses the Intel 8080A 8-bit microprocessor (CPU), and it has its own solid-state memory, a built-in keyboard, and a display for input/output. The trainer is furnished with a permanent Monitor program (in read-only memory) that allows users to enter, debug, modify, and run programs of their own easily. 8 figures.

Thermal or electrical power from the sun's radiated energy through Point-Focusing Distributed Receiver technology is the goal of this Project. The energy thus produced must be economically competitive with other sources. This Project supports the industrial development of technology and hardware for extracting energy from solar power to achieve the stated goal. Present studies are working to concentrate the solar energy through mirrors or lenses, to a working fluid or gas, and through a power converter change it to an energy source useful to man. Rankine-cycle and Brayton-cycle engines are currently being developed as the most promising energy converters for our near future needs. Accomplishments on point-focusing technology in FY 1978 are detailed.

The MOXY/SCORE computer program is used to evaluate the potential effect on peak cladding temperature of selective cooling that may result from a nonuniform mass flux at the core boundaries during the blowdown phase of the LOFT L2-4 test. The results of this study indicate that the effect of the flow nonuniformity at the core boundaries will be neutralized by a strong radial flow redistribution in the neighborhood of core boundaries. The implication is that the flow nonuniformity at the core boundaries has no significant effect on the thermal-hydraulic behavior and cladding temperature at the hot plane.

A tutorial overview of point-focusing parabolic collectors is presented. Optical and thermal characteristics of such collectors are discussed. Data representing typical achievable collector efficiencies are presented and the importance of balancing collector cost with concentrator quality is argued through the development of a figure of merit for the collector. The impact of receiver temperature on performance is assessed and the general observation made that temperatures much in excess of 1500 to 2000/sup 0/F can actually result in decreased performance. Various types of two-axis tracking collectors are described, including the standard parabolic deep dish, Cassegrainian and Fresnel, as well as two forms of fixed mirrors with articulating receivers. The present DOE program to develop these devices is briefly discussed, as are present and projected costs for these collectors. Pricing information is presented for the only known commercial design available on the open market.