Results from recent integral decay-power experiments are presented and compared with summation calculations. The experiments include the decay power following thermal fission of /sup 233/U, /sup 235/U, and /sup 239/Pu. The summation calculations use ENDF/B-IV decay data and yields from Versions IV and V. Limited comparisons of experimental ..beta.. and ..gamma.. spectra with summation calculations using ENDF/B-IV are included. Generalized least-squares methods are applied to the recent /sup 235/U and /sup 239/Pu decay-power experiments and summation calculations to arrive at evaluated values and uncertainties. Results for /sup 235/U imply uncertainties less than 2% (1 sigma) for the ''infinite'' exposure case for all cooling times greater than 10 seconds. The uncertainties for /sup 239/Pu are larger. Accurate analytical representations of the decay power are presented for /sup 235/,/sup 238/U, and /sup 239/Pu for use in light-water reactors and as the nominal values in the new ANS 5.1 Draft Standard (1978). Comparisons of the nominal values with ENDF/B-IV and the 1973 ANS Draft Standard in current use are included. Gas content, important to decay-heat experiments, and absorption effects on decay power are reviewed. 37 figures, 8 tables.

The quality assurance program for environmental monitoring that has been developed at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) consists of procedure documentation, replicate field-sample analysis, and participation in intercomparison measurements. Sampling, analytical, data processing, and record keeping procedures are described. A replicate-sample collection schedule has been established for all media sampled at LLL. At present, blind-spiked samples are not utilized. Flow rates of air samplers are verified at monthly intervals using a portable, field calibration unit. Intercomparison measurements are made on samples supplied by the Quality Assurance Branch of the Environmental Protection Agency-Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory and the Department of Energy-Environmental Measurements Laboratory. Replicate sampling currently accounts for approximately 8% of both the total samples collected and the analyses performed. Including standard, in-house, quality-control checks, and the intercomparison measurements, it is estimated that during 1978 quality assurance will represent about 15% of the total environmental-monitoring effort at LLL.

This report describes the results of a two-year study by Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and General Atomic Co. to develop a conceptual design for the standard (minimum-B) mirror hybrid reactor. The reactor parameters have been chosen to minimize the cost of producing nuclear fuel (/sup 239/Pu) for consumption in fission power reactors (light water reactors). The deuterium-tritium plasma produces approximately 400 MW of fusion power with a plasma Q of 0.64. The fast-fission blanket, which is fueled with depleted uranium and lithium, generates sufficient tritium to run the reactor, has a blanket energy multiplication of M = 10.4, and has a net fissile breeding ratio of Pu/n = 1.51. The reactor has a net electrical output of 600 MWe, a fissile production of 2000 kg of plutonium per year (at a capacity factor of 0.74), and a net plant efficiency of 0.18. The plasma-containment field is generated by a Yin-Yang magnet using NbTi superconductor, and the neutral beam system uses positive-ion acceleration with beam direct conversion. The spherical blanket is based on gas-cooled fast reactor technology. The fusion components, blanket, and primary heat-transfer loop components are all contained within a prestressed-concrete reactor vessel, which provides magnet restraint and supports the primary …

The conversion of geothermal energy into usable electrical power has become increasingly important to the overall national energy needs. A major area of technical interest which has resulted from the initial development of geothermal power plants is the scale formation developed in the facility pipes and related components. This scale formation is due to the concentration of minerals in the geothermal water and steam. The current state-of-technology utilized for descaling consists of a combination of sandblasting, water blasting, acid soaking and scraping. These cleaning methods, used individually or collectively, do not provide an acceptable descaling operation due to excessive facility downtime and cost.

A sodium heat pipe cell containing high-voltage discharge plates was constructed to study the band absorption of light by the sodium dimer and to determine the feasibility of creating a metal vapor laser. Spectrographic measurements indicated that the increase in sodium dimer population with temperature resulted in 90% light absorption at 970/sup 0/K. High-voltage discharges in the sodium vapor dissociated the dimers and restored transparency to the medium. No lasing action of the sodium vapor with high-voltage discharges was observed either because of insufficient ionization or nonuniformity of the ionization over the plate area.