The present invention is directed to a method for making a wide variety of general-purpose cermets and for radioactive waste disposal from ceramic powders prepared from urea-dispersed solutions containing various metal values. The powders are formed into a compact and subjected to a rapid temperature increase in a reducing atmosphere. During this reduction, one or more of the more readily reducible oxides in the compact is reduced to a selected substoichiometric state at a temperature below the eutectic phase for that particular oxide or oxides and then raised to a temperature greater than the eutectic temperature to provide a liquid phase in the compact prior to the reduction of the liquid phase forming oxide to solid metal. This liquid phase forms at a temperature below the melting temperature of the metal and bonds together the remaining particulates in the cermet to form a solid polycrystalline cermet.

This bibliography encompasses systems definition and engineering aspects; environmental assessment of microwave health and ecology, risks to space workers and atmospheric effects; a societal assessment covering resource requirements (land and materials) international and institutional issues; and a comparative assessment of the SPS Reference System relative to other advanced energy technologies, such as fusion. (MHR)

Assessment approaches and strategies useful in addressing important issues in section 316(b) of the 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act are illustrated in this report through the analysis and evaluation of the Prairie Island Nuclear Station 316(b) data base. The main issues in 316(b) demonstrations, cooling water intake operation and location, involve determining the impacts of entrainment and impingement. Entrainment impacts were addressed by applying the equivalent adult approach and correcting for inherent biases and by determining the through-plant survival of zooplankton. An assessment of impingement impacts was made by comparing for each of various species the number of fish impinged to estimates of population size. Densities of plankton and fish were compared between the intake area and an alternate area to determine if the location of the present intake minimizes impacts. No definitive conclusion relative to the best location of the intake could be made because of high year to year variability in the data and the differential dominance of trophic groups between areas.

As part of the assessment of the Hot Dry Rock geothermal energy potential of Arizona and New Mexico, a compilation of the locations and ages of volcanic rocks less than 5 Myr was made. The locations of those rocks less than 3 Myr are shown on a map of the region. Because the compiled information has many uses in addition to geothermal exploration, the entire compilation is presented as a tabulation. The table is organized first by state and secondly by latitude and longitude within each state. Rock type, age and error, method of dating, and original reference are also given. The K-Ar dates have not been recalculated using the most recent decay constants for /sup 40/K. A few references gave only verbal descriptions of sample location; these locations were converted to approximate latitude and longitude.

This map is one of a series of maps designed for hot dry rock geothermal assessment in Arizona, New Mexico, and the Trans-Pecos area of west Texas. The 3.0 m.y. cutoff age was selected because original heat has probably largely dissipated in older rocks. The location of volcanic centers is more important to geothermal resource assessment than the location of their associated volcanic rocks; however, ages have been determined for numerous flows far from their source. Therefore, the distribution of all volcanic rocks less than or equal to 3.0 m.y. old, for which there is at least one determined age, are shown. Location of the volcanic vents and rocks were taken from Luedke and Smith (1978).

Review of the Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI) method for calculating the geothermal resource base of a country shows that modifications are needed for several of the assumptions used in the calculation. These modifications include: (1) separating geothermal belts into volcanic types with a geothermal gradient of 50{sup 0}C/km and complex types in which 80% of the area has a temperature gradient of 30{sup 0}C/km and 20% has a gradient of 45{sup 0}C/km, (2) using the actual mean annual temperature of a country rather than an assumed 15{sup 0}C average ambient temperature, and (3) making separate calculations for the resource stored in water/brine and that stored in rock. Comparison of this method (Revised EPRI) for calculating a geothermal resource base with other resource base estimates made from a heat flow map of Europe indicates that the technique yields reasonable values. The calculated geothermal resource bases, stored in water and rock to a depth of 5 km, for each country in the world are given. Approximately five times as much energy is stored in rock as is stored in water.

A control system has been developed that uses a carrier signal imposed on an existing ac power circuit to transmit commands. This system was specifically developed to control an entire solar collector field by sending sun-tracking information to the trough collectors or by commanding them to assume safe positions (STOW) if out-of-limit conditions were encountered. Objectives were to develop a control system that operates reliably and has enough functions to control an entire collector field, yet do it at less cost than for conventional approaches. Development, design, operating characteristics, and field testing and results of the new system, the Power Cable Carrier Control (PC/sup 3/) System are described.

An experimental program was conducted to evaluate the process feasibility of the first stage of the HITS two-stage coal combustion system. Tests were run in a small (12-in. ID) fluidized bed facility at the Energy Engineering Laboratory, Aerojet Energy Conversion Company, Sacramento, California. The first stage reactor was run with low (0.70%) and high (4.06%) sulfur coals with ash fusion temperatures of 2450/sup 0/ and 2220/sup 0/F, respectively. Limestone was used to scavenge the sulfur. The produced low-Btu gas was burned in a combustor. Bed temperature and inlet gas percent oxygen were varied in the course of testing. Key results are summarized as follows: the process was stable and readily controllable, and generated a free-flowing char product using coals with low (2220/sup 0/F) and high (2450/sup 0/F) ash fusion temperatures at bed temperatures of at least 1700/sup 0/ and 1800/sup 0/F, respectively; the gaseous product was found to have a total heating value of about 120 Btu/SCF at 1350/sup 0/F, and the practicality of cleaning the hot product gas and delivering it to the combustor was demonstrated; sulfur capture efficiencies above 80% were demonstrated for both low and high sulfur coals with a calcium/sulfur mole ratio of approximately two; gasification …

Preliminary evaluations have indicated that tri(n-hexyl) phosphate (THP) and tri(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) have some significant advantages over tri(n-butyl) phosphate (TBP) for fuel reprocessing although they also have some disadvantages. The longer alkyl chains in these new extractants decrease their aqueous phase solubility and increase the organic phase solubility of their metal complexes and the metal complexes of their degradation products. Both THP and TEHP extract uranium and plutonium more strongly than TBP; thorium extraction is in the order THP > TBP > TEHP. Tritium extraction is highest with TBP because of slightly higher water extraction. In extractions of thorium, a third liquid phase was formed using TBP at a solvent loading of about 40 g/L of thorium and above. Third-phase formation did not occur with THP or TEHP. The dialkyl phosphoric acid degradation products of THP and TEHP showed a markedly lower tendency to precipitate with thorium than did dibutyl phosphoric acid (HDBP). Chemical stability studies showed TEHP to have much greater stability to acid hydrolysis than TBP and THP, which were about equivalent. No differences were detected in the radiation stability of the three extractants. The phase separation properties of THP and TEHP are inferior to those of TBP …

An analysis has been performed to enable a preliminary assessment of the performance that can be expected of a solar thermal cogeneration system designed to serve a selected group of buildings at Fort Hood, Texas. A central receiver system utilizing a molten salts mixture as the receiver coolant, heat transfer fluid, and storage medium is assumed. The system is to supply a large share of the space heating, air conditioning, domestic hot water, and electricity needs of a 20-building Troop Housing Complex. Principal energy loads are graphed and tabulated, and the principal electric parasitic loads are tabulated and the methodology by which they are estimated is reviewed. The plant model and the performance calculations are discussed. Annual energy displacement results are given. (LEW)

The basement of the proposed High Explosives Applications Facility (Building 353) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory includes several explosive test cells for the assembly and/or storage of up to 10 kg of high explosive (HE). This document reports 1/8-scale and 1/4-scale model tests conducted to confirm maze design criteria, to determine the cell explosive weight limit based on an allowable 10 psi reflected shock pressure at the hallway-maze doorway, and to specify permissible areas for handling HE within the cell. The integrity of cube-root scaling of the explosive charges detonated in the 1/8-scale model was verified by explosive testing in a comparable 1/4-scale model. Reflected shock pressures in the hallway adjacent to the maze and the effect of HE charge orientation were investigated and are also reported.

Comparison of three preasphaltene samples separated from three lignite derived samples obtained from GFETC prepared at 404, 460 and 480/sup 0/C shows that increased temperature tends to produce higher molecular weight preasphaltene fractions containing more aromatic carbons with fewer acid (phenolic) sites per molecule. Ether cleavage studies of the model compounds; diphenyl ether, bibenzothiophene, dibenzofuran and anisole, show that partial or complete ether cleavage was obtained with sodium in hexamethyl phosphoramide solvent. Thus a careful consideration of acidity before and after cleavage can now give a measure of the diaryl ether content of a mixture. This reaction may be useful in coal liquid analysis. Denitrification of N,N-Dimethylamine without aromatic ring reduction occurs with CO-H/sub 2/O and H/sub 2/ at 425/sup 0/C in about 13% conversion. The optimum of 21 conditions gave a 19% conversion which occurs at 150 psi H/sub 2/S and 750 psi H/sub 2/. Thus, H/sub 2/S enhances nitrogen removal from this model compound. Using ESR dispersion techniques we have shown the presence of a second CO radical species on MgO, probably CO-.. observed by ESR, treatment of carbon monoxide radical species on both CO and MgO with CO/sub 2/ or H/sub 2/O causes a destruction of one …

The Devonian-Mississippian black-shale sequence of eastern North America is a distinctive stratigraphic interval generally characterized by low clastic influx, high organic production in the water column, anaerobic bottom conditions, and the relative absence of fossil evidence for biologic activity. The laminated black shales which constitute most of the black-shale sequence are broken by two major sequences of interbedded greenish-gray, clayey shales which contain bioturbation and pyritized micromorph invertebrates. The black shales contain abundant evidence of life from upper parts of the water column such as fish fossils, conodonts, algae and other phytoplankton; however, there is a lack of evidence of benthic life. The rare brachiopods, crinoids, and molluscs that occur in the black shales were probably epiplanktic. A significant physical distinction between the environment in which the black sediments were deposited and that in which the greenish-gray sediments were deposited was the level of dissolved oxygen. The laminated black shales point to anaerobic conditions and the bioturbated greenish-gray shales suggest dysaerobic to marginally aerobic-dysaerobic conditions. A paleoenvironmental model in which quasi-estuarine circulation compliments and enhances the effect of a stratified water column can account for both depletion of dissolved oxygen in the bottom environments and the absence of oxygen replenishment …

The following are described briefly: Overview of the Federal Reliability and Maintainability Program Plan, Summary of Proceedngs, Overview of Southern Solar Energy Center Programs, and Solar Domestic Hot Water Design Guidelines Handbook. Also included are the Seminar Agenda and the list of Seminar Attendees. (MHR)

The methodology for the study involved first selecting a specific site for the study, since using national estimates tends to obscure specific regional issues and problems which are critical to the evaluation of such concepts. After the selection of the site, the evaluation focuses upon specific potential markets for hydrogen, and then examines the mix of customers comprising these markets. This establishes the incentives and barriers in the market sphere. Finally, the pipeline infrastructure, its capability for use to store and transmit hydrogen, and the incentives and drawbacks in this area are studied. Preliminary specific conclusions that can be made are as follows: the regulatory problems are certainly not insoluble. If hydrogen, for fuel or non-fuel use or both, is eventually shown to be competitive or desirable by using the natural gas system, as opposed to a separate system, the incentives will lead to regulatory changes. There is sufficient use of both hydrogen and natural gas in potential hydrogen-consuming industries to overcome the problem of reinjection of natural gas into the pipeline after separation. Certainly, this is a non-problem if fuel cells penetrate the electrical utility market in situations where the utility provides both electric and gas service. However, this …

Three experiments are described in which H/sup -/ or D/sup -/ ions have been produced by backscattering from surfaces coated with alkali metals: (1) Backscattering of H/sup -/ and D/sup -/ produced by 0.15- to 4-keV/nucleus H/sub 2//sup +/, H/sub 3//sup +/, D/sub 2//sup +/, and D/sub 3//sup +/ bombarding clean targets of Cs, Rb, K, Na, and Li. For each target, the H/sup -/ and D/sup -/ yields were maximized at incident energies between 300 and 1200 eV/nucleus and always at a lower incident energy for H than for D on a given target. At any given incident energy, both the H/sup -/ and D/sup -/ yields decreased in going from Cs to Li in the order given above. (2) A Mo surface was bombarded by a low-energy flux of H atoms produced in a tungsten furnace. As the surface work function was reduced by evaporating Cs onto the target, a small fraction (10/sup -9/) of the incident hydrogen atoms was observed as backscattered H/sup -/ ions. (3) Surfaces of Mo, W, Pt, Ni, Cu, Re, Ta, and Pd were bombarded by hydrogen ions produced in a discharge. Two classes of H/sup -/ ions were observed when Cs was …

A stable, convenient thermal pyrolysis process was demonstrated on a large scale pilot plant. The process successfully converted high viscosity copolymer atactic polypropylene to predominantly liquid fuels which could be burned in commercial burners. Energy yield of the process was very high - in excess of 93% including gas phase heating value. Design and operating data were obtained to permit design of a commercial size atactic conversion plant. Atactic polypropylene can be cracked at temperatures around 850/sup 0/F and residence time of 5 minutes. The viscosity of the cracked product increases with decrease in time/temperature. A majority of the pyrolysis was carried out at a pressure of 50 psig. Thermal cracking of atactic polypropylene is seen to result in sigificant coke formation (0.4% to 0.8% on a weight of feed basis) although the coke levels were of an order of magnitude lower than those obtained during catalytic cracking. The discrepancy between batch and continuous test data can be atrributed to lowered heat transfer and diffusion rates. Oxidative pyrolysis is not seen as a viable commercial alternative due to a significant amount of water formation. However, introduction of controlled quantities of oxygen at lower temperatures to affect change in feedstock viscosity …

A series of criticality experiments with 2.35 wt% and 4.31 wt% {sup 235}U enriched UO{sub 2} rods in water were performed to provide well defined benchmark type data on the effects of thick steel reflecting walls. For each fuel enrichment. the critical separation between three subcritical fuel clusters was observed to increase as 178.5 mm thick reflecting walls of reactor grade steel was moved towards the fuel. This increase was observed for fuel clusters having an undermoderated water-to-fuel volume ratio of 1.6 and for fuel clusters having near optimum neutron moderation (2.92 for the 2.35 wt% {sup 235}U enriched fuel and 3,88 for the 4.31 wt% {sup 235}U enriched fuel). In all cases the critical separation between fuel clusters increased to a maximum as the steel walls were moved towards the fuel clusters. This maximum effect was observed with about 10 mm of water between the fuel clusters and the steel reflecting walls. As this water gap was decreased, the critical separation between the fuel clusters also decreased slightly. Measurement data were also obtained for each enrichment with neutron absorber plates between the fuel clusters having the l .6 water-to-fuel volume ratio. During these measurements, the steel reflecting walls were …

Results compiled from a parametric study of several variables that effect ground-coupling techniques for buildings in hot, arid regions are discussed. Finite difference models were devised and analyzed by the computer program SPICE to quantify these effects. Earlier results showed that berming or burying a structure to a depth of 3.6 m and insulating only the roof plane reduce the cooling load by 40% and virtually eliminate the heating load compared to a well-insulated building on the surface. Soil isotherm contours and heat flux results from surface and earth-integrated buildings are presented to further compare their thermal behavior.

Studies of the oxidation kinetics of Ni-Fe alloys and of Be have been carried out over the past year. The majority of the alloy results are for the (100) surface of Fe/sub 40/Ni/sub 60/. Investigation of the clean surface over the temperature range up to approx. 900/sup 0/C indicated only a slight enrichment in Fe relative to Ni compared to the bulk average composition. Under oxidizing conditions the situation is quite different; marked segregation of Fe occurs with the formation of iron oxide overlayers. The kinetics of this process have been studied using Auger spectroscopy and structural features of the overlayer observed by LEED. The LEED observations indicate the initial formation of (lll) oriented FeO on Fe/sub 40/Ni/sub 60/ (100); at greater oxygen exposures a new oxide structure, probably Fe/sub 3/O/sub 4/, develops with its (lll) plane parallel to the (100) substrate. With Be the room temperature oxidation has been investigated over the pressure range 10/sup -7/ to 10/sup -9/ mm Hg. Auger lineshape studies indicate that most of the Be spectrum can be accounted for by contributions from clean Be and BeO. Data on the kinetics at 300 K have been obtained. A research ellipsometer with rotating analyzer has …

A 6.3 1/sec (100 GPM) titanium corrosion test loop was modified to provide a dynamic facility for studying the formation of silica deposits, their properties and fates, as a function of brine composition, temperature, and flow conditions. Scale formation was studied in a segmented heat exchanger operating under realistic conditions; the segmented design permitted examination of scale formations in five temperature regimes. The program was terminated after minimal exploratory operation because of reduced sponsor perceptions of the need for concern with scaling problems. The runs which were completed dealt cursorily with brine concentration and pH effects. Results are presented.

Several data-classification schemes were developed by the Los Alamos National Laboratory to detect potential uranium mineralization in the Montrose 1/sup 0/ x 2/sup 0/ quadrangle, Colorado. A first step was to develop and refine the techniques necessary to digitize, integrate, and register various large geological, geochemical, and geophysical data sets, including Landsat 2 imagery, for the Montrose quadrangle, Colorado, using a grid resolution of 1 km. All data sets for the Montrose quadrangle were registered to the Universal Transverse Mercator projection. The data sets include hydrogeochemical and stream sediment analyses for 23 elements, uranium-to-thorium ratios, airborne geophysical survey data, the locations of 90 uranium occurrences, a geologic map and Landsat 2 (bands 4 through 7) imagery. Geochemical samples were collected from 3965 locations in the 19 200 km/sup 2/ quadrangle; aerial data were collected on flight lines flown with 3 to 5 km spacings. These data sets were smoothed by universal kriging and interpolated to a 179 x 119 rectangular grid. A mylar transparency of the geologic map was prepared and digitized. Locations for the known uranium occurrences were also digitized. The Landsat 2 imagery was digitally manipulated and rubber-sheet transformed to quadrangle boundaries and bands 4 through 7 were …

A method is given for expressing the magnetic field strength in magnetic coordinates for a given field. This expression is central to the study of equilibrium, stability, and transport in asymmetric plasmas.

This experimental study deals with the measurement of the heat transfer across a horizontal annulus which is formed by an inner hexagonal cylinder and an outer concentric circular cylinder. The geometry simulates, in two dimensions, a liquid metal fast breeder reactor radioactive fuel subassembly inside a shipping container. This geometry is also similar to a radioactive fuel pin inside a horizontal reactor subassembly. The objective of the experiments is to measure the local and mean heat transfer at the surface of the inner hexagonal cylinder.