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Sodium combustion phenomena and U.S. computer codes developed for sodium fires are discussed. Ways of preventing and mitigating sodium fires are described. Effects of sodium fires and spills on LMFBR structural materials, thermal insulation materials, and equipment/instrumentation are considered. (DLC)

Fusion power holds the promise to supply not only electricity but also fuels to meet the balance of our energy needs. A new integrated power and breeding blanket design is described for tandem mirror reactors. The blanket incorporates features that make it suitable for synthetic fuel production. In particular, it is matched to the thermal and electrical power requirements of the General Atomic water-splitting process for production of hydrogen. Some improvements to the high temperature chemical process steps are described. These improvements are expected to allow production of hydrogen at about $13/GJ wholesale, including financing costs, capital amortization, and profit.

The characteristics and design of a high-accuracy and high-sensitivity 2-dimensional camera for the measurement of the end-point of the trajectory of accelerated heavy ion beams of positron emitter isotopes are described. Computer simulation methods have been used in order to insure that the design would meet the demanding criteria of ability to obtain the location of the centroid of a point source in the X-Y plane with errors smaller than 1 mm, with an activity of 100 nanoCi, in a counting time of 5 sec or less. A computer program which can be developed into a general purpose analysis tool for a large number of positron emitter camera configurations is described in its essential parts. The validation of basic simulation results with simple measurements is reported, and the use of the program to generate simulated images which include important second order effects due to detector material, geometry, septa, etc. is demonstrated. Comparison between simulated images and initial results with the completed instrument shows that the desired specifications have been met.

The paper describes the philosophy behind the design of a pulse processing system used in a semiconductor detector x-ray spectrometer to be used for plasma diagnostics at the Princeton TFTR facility. This application presents the unusual problems of very high counting rates and a high-energy neutron background while still requiring excellent resolution. To meet these requirements three specific new advances are included in the design: (i) A symmetrical triangular pulse shape is employed in the main pulse-processing channel. A new simple method of generating a close approximation to the symmetrical triangle has been developed. (ii) To cope with the very wide dynamic range of signals while maintaining a constant fast resolving time, approximately symmetical triangular pulse shaping is also used in the fast pulse pile-up inspection channel. (iii) The demand for high throughput has resulted in a re-examination of the operation of pile-up rejectors and pulse stretchers. As a result a technique has been developed that, for a given total pulse shaping time, permits approximately a 40% increase in throughput in the system. Performance results obtained using the new techniques are presented.

A severe overcooling transient was postulated to produce vessel wall temperatures below the nil-ductility transition temperature which in conjunction with system repressurization, led to vessel rupture at the core midplane. Such transients are referred to as pressurized-thermal-shock transients. A wide range of vessel rupture sizes were investigated to assess the emergency system's ability to cool the fuel rods. Ruptures greater than approximately 0.015 m/sup 2/ produced flows greater than those of the emergency system and resulted in core uncovery and subsequent core damage.

A database consisting of hydrolysis and formation constants for about 20 metals associated with the disposal of nuclear waste is given. Complexing ligands for the various ionic species of these metals include OH, F, Cl, SO/sub 4/, PO/sub 4/ and CO/sub 3/. Table 1 consists of tabulated calculated and experimental values of log K/sub xy/, mainly at 25/sup 0/C and various ionic strengths together with references to the origin of the data. Table 2 consists of a column of recommended stability constants at 25/sup 0/C and zero ionic strength tabulated in the column headed log K/sub xy/(0); other columns contain coefficients for an extended Debye-Huckel equation to permit calculations of stability constants up to 3 ionic strength, and up to 0.7 ionic strength using the Davies equation. Selected stability constants calculated with these coefficients for various ionic strengths agree to an average of +- 2% when compared with published experimental and calculated values.

A development program has been carried out at the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory (HEDL) with the purpose of developing and proof testing air cleaning components and systems for use under severe sodium fire conditions, including those involving high levels of radioactivity. The air cleaning components tested can be classified as either dry filters or aqueous scrubbers. Test results are presented.

The essentially unlimited rep-rate capability of non-linear magnetic systems has imposed strict requirements on the drive system which initiates the pulse compression. An order of magnitude increase in the rep-rates achieved by the Advanced Test Accelerator (ATA) gas blown system is not difficult to achieve in the magnetic compressor. The added requirement of having a high degree of regulation at the higher rep-rates places strict requirements on the triggerable switch for charging and de-Queing. A novel feedback technique which applies the proper bias to a magnetic core by comparing a reference voltage to the charging voltage eases considerably the regulation required to achieve low jitter in magnetic compression. The performance of the high rep-rate charging and regulation systems will be described in the following pages.

The exact, ion-optical transfer functions for the dipoles, quadrupoles and sextupoles of the PEP standard PODC cell are calculated for any single particle with initial coordinates (r, p, s). Modifications resulting from radiative energy loss are also calculated and discussed. These functions allow one to characterize individual magnets or classes of magnets by their aberrations and thereby simplify their study and correction. In contrast to high-energy spectrometers where aberrations are often analyzed away, those in storage rings drive series of high order resonances, even for perfect magnets (2), that can produce stop bands and other effects which can seriously limit performance. Thus, one would like to eliminate them altogether or failing this to develop local and global correction schemes. Even then, one should expect higher order effects to influence injection, extraction or single-pass systems either because of orbit distortions or overly large phase spece distortions such as may occur in low-beta insertions or any final-focus optics. The term exact means that the results here are based on solving the relativistic Lorentz force equation with accurate representations of measured magnetostatic fields. Such fields satisfy Maxwell's equations and are the actual fields seen by a particle as it propagates around a real …

Nuclear safety for most fuels dissolved at SRP is ensured by some form of insert with a favorable geometry in a pot dissolver. A ten-well insert was designed which would permit an adequate charge of highly enriched U-Al alloy fuels of the MTR type. It can handle cylindrical fuel bundles up to 5 in. dia. Dependence on administrative control is reduced. 10 figures. (DLC)

The Super System Code (SSC), coupled with the MINET (Momentum Integral Network) Code, was used to determine the plausibility of these postulated plant conditions, particularly with regard to whether the heat exchangers have sufficient heat transfer area for these conditions to prevail. The SSC/MINET representation of the Clinch River Plant used for the part load study is shown. SSC was used to analyze the reactor, the primary loop, and most of the intermediate loop. MINET was used for the rest of the CRBRP system. The analysis relies primarily on energy balances (SSC), an established package of heat transfer correlations (SSC and MINET), and two steady state momentum integral network solvers (MINET).

The control system for the Nova laser must operate reliably in a harsh pulse power environment and satisfy requirements of technical functionality, flexibility, maintainability and operability. It is composed of four fundamental subsystems: Power Conditioning, Alignment, Laser Diagnostics, and Target Diagnostics, together with a fifth, unifying subsystem called Central Controls. The system architecture utilizes a collection of distributed microcomputers, minicomputers, and components interconnected through high speed fiber optic communications systems. The design objectives, development strategy and architecture of the overall control system and each of its four fundamental subsystems are discussed. Specific hardware and software developments in several areas are also covered.

Special high-purity germanium photodiodes have been developed for the direct detection of vacuum ultraviolet scintillations in liquid helium. The photodiodes are immersed in the liquid helium, and scintillations are detected through one of the bare sides of the photodiodes. Test results with scintillation photons produced by 5.3-MeV ..cap alpha.. particles are presented. The use of these photodiodes as liquid-helium scintillation detectors may offer substantial improvements over the alternate detection method requiring the use of wavelength shifters and photomultiplier tubes.

Research on the effect of composition on the cryogenic mechanical properties of high-Mn austenitic steels showed that both the yield strength and change of strength with alloy processing increased significantly with increasing interstitial content. Alloy toughness deteriorated if carbon content was raised to 0.1% or higher or if delta-ferrite was retained in the as-cooled alloy. On the basis of these investigations an alloy of nominal composition 18Mn-5Ni-16Cr-0.024C-0.22 N was made and tested at 4K. Both its strength-toughness characteristic and fatigue crack growth properties compared favorably to those of 304LN and 304N cryogenic steels.

A compact 50 kilovolt pulser has been developed as a gas switch trigger. This unit combines a grounded grid thyratron with a ferrite loaded step-up transformer to provide the required output voltage. A magnetic switch at the output brings the risetime down to the ten nanosecond range. Unit operation is specified into a 25 ohm resistive load. Integral with the pulser package is the necessary low level support electronics to power the thyratron and to provide trigger and diagnostic functions. Package volume is less than .02 m/sup 3/.

A Multiwire Proportional Chamber (MWPC) was used as a ..beta../sup -/ radioactivity detector in biological and medical applications. Two different kinds of experiments were performed: the study of variations in the ability of cell clones to incorporate a radioactive precursor of DNA biosynthesis (/sup 3/H-thymidine) and the regional carbohydrate consumption in myocardial tissue by means of a deposit tracer of glucose metabolism (/sup 3/H-deoxyglucose).

Some preliminary results from the MAC detector at PEP are presented. These include measurements of the angular distribution of ..gamma gamma.., ..mu mu.. and tau tau final states, a determination of the tau lifetime, a measurement of R, and a presentation of the inclusive muon p/sub perpendicular/ distribution for hadronic events.

Analytical methods for the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) include development, update, verification, documentation, and maintenance of all computer codes for HTGR design and analysis. This paper presents selected nuclear, structural mechanics, seismic, and systems analytical methods related to the HTGR core. This paper also reviews design verification tests in the reactor core, reactor internals, steam generator, and thermal barrier.

Fermilab's p anti p project is described, with emphasis on the anti p source. A detailed comparison is made with the design goals and accomplishments of the CERN p anti p project.

The safety characteristics of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) during normal and accident conditions are determined in part by HTGR fuel performance. During normal operation, less than 0.1% fuel failure occurs, primarily from defective particles. This low fuel failure fraction limits circulating activity to acceptable levels. During severe accidents, the radiological consequence is influenced by high-temperature fuel particle behavior. An empirical fuel failure model, supported by recent experimental data, is presented. The onset of significant fuel particle failure occurs at temperatures in excess of 1600/sup 0/C, and complete fuel failure occurs at 2660/sup 0/C. This indicates that the fuel is more retentive at higher temperatures than previously assumed. The more retentive nature of the fuel coupled with the high thermal capacitance of the core results in slow release of fission products from the core during severe accidents.

In recent years the emphasis in research on the magnetic mirror approach to fusion has been shifted to address what are essentially economically-motivated issues. The introduction of the Tandem Mirror idea solved in principal the problem of low Q (low fusion power gain) of mirror-based fusion systems. In order to optimize the tandem mirror idea from an economic standpoint, some important improvements have been suggested. These improvements include the thermal barrier idea of Baldwin and Logan and the axicell concept of Kesner. These new modifications introduce some special physics considerations. Among these are (1) The MHD stability properties of high energy electron components in the end cells; (2) The optimization of end-cell magnetic field configurations with the objective of minimizing equilibrium parallel currents; (3) The suppression of microstabilities by use of sloshing ion distributions. Following a brief outline of tandem mirror concepts, the above three topics are discussed, with illustrative examples taken from earlier work or from recent design studies.

The coupling of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) and a chemical process facility has the potential for long-term synthetic fuel production (i.e., oil, gasoline, aviation fuel, hydrogen, etc) using coal as the carbon source. Studies are in progress to exploit the high-temperature capability of an advanced HTGR variant for nuclear process heat. The process heat plant discussed in this paper has a 1170-MW(t) reactor as the heat source and the concept is based on indirect reforming, i.e., the high-temperature nuclear thermal energy is transported (via an intermediate heat exchanger (IHX)) to the externally located process plant by a secondary helium transport loop. Emphasis is placed on design considerations for the major nuclear heat source (NHS) components, and discussions are presented for the reactor core, prestressed concrete reactor vessel (PCRV), rotating machinery, and heat exchangers.

The high-temperature heat available from the High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) makes it suitable for many process applications. One of these applications is a large-scale energy production plant where nuclear energy is converted into chemical energy and stored for industrial or utility applications. This concept combines presently available nuclear HTGR technology and energy conversion chemical technology. The design of this complex plant involves questions of interacting plant dynamics and overall plant control. This paper discusses how these questions were answered with the aid of a hybrid computer model that was developed within the time-frame of the conceptual design studies. A brief discussion is given of the generally good operability shown for the plant and of the specific potential problems and their anticipated solution. The paper stresses the advantages of providing this information in the earliest conceptual phases of the design.