The objective of the Raft River Geothermal Environmental Program, in its fifth year, is to characterize the beneficial and detrimental impacts resulting from the development of moderate-temperature geothermal resources in the valley. This report summarizes the monitoring and research efforts conducted as part of this program in 1978. The results of these monitoring programs will be used to determine the mitigation efforts required to reduce long-term impacts resulting from geothermal development.

This report gives a summary of the papers presented at the meeting. It consists of all working papers distributed at the conference and all working papers received too late for distribution. In addition, abstracts and/or summaries are included where practical for those talks and workshop sessions that did not generate papers. This document should be a useful reference to very current research in ODEs. These papers are preliminary versions of papers that will be submitted for publication. One paper in this volume has been cited in ERA, and can be located by reference to the entry CONF-790403-- in the Report Number Index.

This report summarizes the research and development on 0.5-mm-diameter, compacted, metal sheathed thermocouples. The objectives of this research effort have been: to identify and analyze the sources of temperature measurement errors in the use of 0.5-mm-diameter sheathed thermocouples to measure the surface temperature of the cladding of fuel-rod simulators in the Core Flow Test Loop (CFTL) at ORNL; to devise methods for reducing or correcting for these temperature measurement errors; to estimate the overall temperature measurement uncertainties; and to recommend modifications in the manufacture, installation, or materials used to minimize temperature measurement uncertainties in the CFTL experiments.

During the months of August through September 1978, geoMetrics, Inc. flew approximately 9000 line miles of high sensitivity airborne radiometric and magnetic data in eastern Wyoming and southern Montana over three 1/sup 0/ x 2/sup 0/ NTMS quadrangle (Newcastle, Gillette, and Ekalaka) as part of the Department of Energy's National Uranium Resource Evaluation program. All radiometric and magnetic data were fully reduced and interpreted by geoMetrics, and are presented as four volumes (one Volume I and three Volume II's) in this report. The survey area lies entirely within the northern Great Plains Physiographic Province. The deep Powder River Basin and the Black Hills Uplift are the two dominant structures in the area. Both structures strike NNW approximately parallel to each other with the Powder River Basin to the west of the Uplift. The Basin is one of the largest and deepest in the northern Great Plains and contains over 17,000 feet of Phanerozoic sediments at its deepest point. Economic deposits of oil, coal, bentonite and uranium are found in the Tertiary and/or Cretaceous rocks of the Basin. Gold, silver, lead, copper, manganese, rare-earth elements and uranium have been mined in the Uplift. Epigenetic uranium deposits lie primarily in the Monument …

Theeconomic and technical factors involved in using geothermal energy at Ahuachapan are examined. The experience at Ahuachapan is evaluated in relation to conditions prevailing in El Salvador and to conditions in the U.S. technical characteristics considered are: geological characteristics, well programs and gathering system, well productivity and geofluid characteristics, and energy conversion systems. Economic factors considered for El Salvador are: construction costs; environmental control costs; operating experience and costs; financing; taxes, subsidies, or incentives; marketing; and electrical system characteristics. (MHR)

Local air velocity measurements were obtained with a laser Doppler anemometer near flow blockages in an unheated 7 x 7 rod bundle. Sleeve blockages were positioned on the center nine rods to create an area reduction of 90% in the center four subchannels of the bundle. Experimental results indicated that severe flow disturbances occurred downstream from the blockage cluster but showed only minor flow disturbances upstream from the blockage. Flow reversals were detected downstream from the blockage and persisted for approximately five subchannel hydraulic diameters. The air velocity profiles were in excellent agreement with water velocity data previously obtained at essentially the same Reynolds number. Subchannel average velocity predictions obtained with the COBRA computer program were in good agreement with subchannel average velocities estimated using the measured local velocity data.

Separate abstracts were prepared for the individual papers included.

PART I: Continuous exposure to 30 ppB H/sub 2/S increased lifespan of caged worker honey bees, Apis mellifera L., 33%; whereas, bees exposed > 13 days to 100 ppB and 300 ppB H/sub 2/S the lifespan was shortened 32% and 51%, respectively, over unexposed bees; bees exposed > 15 days to a combination of 300 ppB H/sub 2/S + 50 ppM CO/sub 2/ the lifespan was shortened 4.4% more that 300 ppB H/sub 2/S alone. The mean temperature and/or relative humidity did not exert a direct effect on the hazard to bees. A continuous exposure to 300 ppB SO/sub 2/ was detrimental to caged worker honey bees; and, a mean temperature of 27.2/sup 0/C was 75.7% more toxic than the same dosage at 16.7/sup 0/C. Worker bee lifespans exposed to 300 ppB SO/sub 2/ at 16.7/sup 0/C were shortened 13.5% and 79%, respectively, compared to unexposed bees. Therefore, both dosage and temperature exert direct effects on the hazards to bees. PART II: The status of the apicultural industry in Imperial County, California, was outlined giving a short characterization of the area in relation to the apicultural industry. Agriculture utilizes 500,000 intensely farmed acres which generated a 11-year average income of …

A study of ohmically heated tokamak systems has been performed in which the evolution of the plasma is followed through the initiation period up to 100 eV. A zero-dimensional model of the bulk plasma is utilized, with a one-dimensional model of the plasma inductance. Losses due to ionization and oxygen impurity processes are evaluated using the best available atomic data. The total OH system energy expended in forming and heating the plasma up to a reference temperature of 100 eV is calculated and found to be a function of the maximum induced loop voltage. The latter is found to be limited by thresholds for runaway electron production. Finally, preliminary results are presented on fully one-dimensional calculations which verify rigorously the formation of inverted temperature and current profiles as early as 50 eV in the heating process.

Environmental monitoring results continue to demonstrate that, except for penetrating radiation, environmental radiological impact due to SLAC operation is not distinguishable from natural environmental sources. During 1978, the maximum neutron dose near the site boundary was 6.6 mrem. This represents about 6.6% of the annual dose from natural sources at this elevation, and 1.3% of the technical standard of 500 mrem per person annually. There have been no measurable increases in radioactivity in ground water attributable to SLAC operations since 1966. Because of major new construction, well water samples were not collected and analyzed during 1978. Construction activities have also temporarily placed our sampling stations for the sanitary and storm sewers out of service. They will be re-established as soon as construction activities permit. Airborne radioactivity released from SLAC continues to make only a negligible environmental impact, and results in a site boundary annual dose of less than 0.01 mrem; this represents less than 0.01% of the annual dose from the natural radiation environment, and about 0.002% of the technical standard.

Environmental monitoring data are reported for accelerator produced radiation; radionuclide measurements and release data from atmospheric and water sampling; population dose equivalent resulting from LBL operations; and non-radioactive pollutants. (HLW)

The primary objective of this project is to reduce the energy requirements for finishing fabrics by drastically reducing the water required to wet process the fabrics. Since less water is used, less energy is consumed in the evaporation of water. This is accomplished by replacing much of the water with air, making a foam and using it as the application medium. In the first six months of the project the practicality of foam fabric finishing on a commercial basis had been established. Limited yardage of fabrics equivalent in performance to conventionally wet finished fabrics were processed. In these mill trials, a range of foam fabric finishes including softeners, hand builders, durable press and shrink-resistant types were applied to cotton sheeting, corduroy and polyester/cellulosic blends, etc. In all cases, substantial energy savings were realized. Since the issuance of the first and second interim reports, commercial practice of foam fabric finishing continues to grow with cumulative total estimated as approaching 200,000,000 yards. A number of companies are currently using foam fabric finishing as a commercial production process. Additionally, the pilot range has been used to demonstrate foam fabric finishing to over twenty companies. The range has been used to demonstrate the foam …

The operation of the solar process hot water system since installation on June 15, 1978 is discussed, including a number of technical problems with the system and with the data acquisition system. Testing and inspection routines are briefly described. The data acquisition system is described, and some performance data are given, particularly for the collectors. Thermal efficiencies are found to be significantly below the predicted values. Two typical collectors selected at random were removed and shipped to General Electric Valley Forge for detailed testing of individual collector performance and quantification of line losses. (LEW)

The results of a study entitled, Applications of Thermal Energy Storage to Process Heat and Waste Heat Recovery in the Primary Aluminum Industry are presented. In this preliminary study, a system has been identified by which the large amounts of low-grade waste energy in the primary pollution control system gas stream can be utilized for comfort heating in nearby communities. Energy is stored in the form of hot water, contained in conventional, insulated steel tanks, enabling a more efficient utilization of the constant energy source by the cyclical energy demand. Less expensive energy storage means (heated ponds, aquifers), when they become fully characterized, will allow even more cost-competitive systems. Extensive design tradeoff studies have been performed. These tradeoff studies indicate that a heating demand equivalent to 12,000 single-family residences can be supplied by the energy from the Intalco plant. Using a 30-year payback criterion (consistent with utility planning practice), the average cost of energy supplied over the system useful life is predicted at one-third the average cost of fossil fuel. The study clearly shows that the utilization of waste energy from aluminum plants is both technically and economically attractive. The program included a detailed survey of all aluminum plants within …

A computer program (ARDISC, the Argonne Dispersion Code) is described which simulates the migration of nuclides in porous media and includes first order kinetic effects on the retention constants. The code allows for different absorption and desorption rates and solves the coupled migration equations by arithmetic reiterations. Input data needed are the absorption and desorption rates, equilibrium surface absorption coefficients, flow rates and volumes, and media porosities.

This contract provides for the fabrication of modules from large area tandem junction cells (TJC). The key activities in this contract effort are a) Large Area TJC including cell design, process verification and cell fabrication and b) Tandem Junction Module (TJM) including definition of the cell-module interfaces, substrate fabrication, interconnect fabrication and module assembly. The overall goal is to advance solar cell module process technology to meet the 1986 goal of a production capability of 500 megawatts per year at a cost of less than $500 per peak kilowatt. This contract will focus on the Tandem Junction Module process. During this quarter, effort was focused on the design of a large area, approx. 36 cm/sup 2/, TJC and process verification runs. The large area TJC design was optimized for minimum I/sup 2/R power losses. In the TJM activity, the cell-module interfaces were defined, module substrates were formed and heat treated and clad metal interconnect strips were fabricated. All activities are on or ahead of schedule.

The Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory (HEDL) operated by the Westinghouse Hanford Company for the United States Department of Energy is currently developing, fabricating, and evaluating automated fuel fabrication equipment. This program has as its major goals: reduced personnel exposure, improved safeguards/accountability and improved fuel performance. One of the automated equipment items which has been fabricated is a fuel pellet inspection system. This system inspects fuel pellets for surface flaws and measures pellets for length, diameter, and weight at a rate of one pellet per second. The inspected pellets are sorted automatically and the results of the inspection are transmitted to a central computer for trend analysis and verification of accountability data.

The evolutionary development of the automated fuel pellet inspection system has involved several man years of effort and the testing of five different engineering prototypes. Experience gained from the process testing of this latest generation of the automated fuel pellet gaging system will be used to design and build a production unit which is completely automated and can be maintained remotely.

During the quarter, progress was made in all areas of the Basalt Waste Isolation Program. In the Geosciences, Hydrology, and Engineered Barriers areas, work continued on schedule aimed at being able to make a site selection decision in 1981, as scheduled. Emphasis continued to be placed on geologic mapping studies, on hydrologic data gathering, and on definitions of waste/basalt interactions and needed engineered barriers. Construction of the Near-Surface Test Facility was rescheduled to reflect tunnel design changes and previous quarter work delays. Progress at the end of the quarter was approximately on schedule and the rate of work was accelerating to better than scheduled due to some equipment improvements and tunnel design modifications. In the Engineering Testing area, design work, test planning, and fabrication of heaters and auxiliary equipment continued on schedule. In the Repository area, an Architect/Engineer Evaluation Board was formally designated by the US Department of Energy-Headquarters during October 1978. The evaluation board will select an architect/engineer for repository conceptual design with an option for follow-on Title I, Title II, and Title III engineering services. Selection will be completed by October 1979. Questionnaire information was received from a number of interested architect/engineer firms by the US Department of …

Research designed to obtain heat transfer baseline data on working fluids in geothermal binary cycle systems is described. The working fluid loop simulates the binary cycle with steam as the heating fluid and a throttling valve instead of the turbine. Data on film coefficient for heating isobutane in the supercritical region (critical pressure 3.65 MPa) inside a tube at 4.14 MPa (600 psia) and at various temperatures and flow rates are presented. The isobutane was heated in a horizontal, type 316 stainless steel, instrumented tube by steam condensing on the outside. The tube was fitted with a total of fifteen thermocouples imbedded in the wall of the tube at 45 deg radially above a horizontal plane through the axis at five stations located equally along the length of the tube. The inside and outside wall temperature of the tube at each of the five stations was calculated from the location of the imbedded thermocouples and their temperatures. The heat rate was determined by measuring the rate of condensing steam on the outside of the tube under each of four sections by means of specially designed vapor-traced meters. The temperature of the isobutane inside the heater tube was measured by means …

The research programs under the cognizance of the Office of Energy Research (OER) are directed toward discovery of natural laws and new knowledge, and to improved understanding of the physical and biological sciences as related to the development, use, and control of energy. The ultimate goal is to develop a scientific underlay for the overall DOE effort and the fundamental principles of natural phenomena so that these phenomena may be understood, and new principles, formulated. The DOE-OER outlay activities include three major programs: High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics, and Basic Energy Sciences. Taken together, these programs represent some 30 percent of the Nation's Federal support of basic research in the energy sciences. The research activities of OER involve more than 6,000 scientists and engineers working in some 17 major Federal Research Centers and at more than 135 different universities and industrial firms throughout the United States. Contract holders in the areas of high-energy physics, nuclear physics, materials sciences, nuclear science, chemical sciences, engineering, mathematics geosciences, advanced energy projects, and biological energy research are listed. Funding trends for recent years are outlined. (RWR)

Generator and diode problems have reduced electron beam parameters for the proof-of-principle autoresonant collective ion acceleration experiment from 3 MeV, 30 kA, and 200 ns to 2.25 MeV, 15 kA, and 100 ns. This reduction limits acceleration of hydrogen ions to about 4 MeV, if present experimental plans are followed. The output ion energy can be increased to a more acceptable level by reducing the electron beam radius at the diode and by accelerating ions in a weaker guide magnetic field. Analysis further suggests that preacceleration of ions is necessary for efficient trapping in the slow cyclotron waves. The maximum ion current is of order 15 A.

Biaxial creep-fatigue test data for Type 316 stainless steel tubes at 1100/sup 0/F for use in high-temperature components in solar central receivers are presented. The specimens were subjected to constant internal pressure and fluctuating axial strain with and without hold times in tension as well as compression. The results show that internal pressure significantly affects diametral ratchetting and axial stress range. Axial tensile hold is found to be more damaging than axial compressive hold even under a biaxial state of stress.

The bibliography contains 161 references to literature on the problem of developing gamma-ray lasers or of observing stimulated emission or coherent spontaneous emission of nuclear gamma radiation, together with a number of references that deal with phenomena that are expected to be central to their realization. The period covered is 1917 through 1979.