Atomics International and Lawrence Livermore Laboratory are involved in the conceptual design of a laser fusion power plant incorporating the lithium fall target chamber. In this paper we discuss some of the more important design considerations for the target chamber and evaluate its nuclear performance. Sizing and configuration of the fall, hydraulic effects, and mechanical design considerations are addressed. The nuclear aspects examined include tritium breeding, energy deposition, and radiation damage.

Progress in the design and development of a continuously variable ratio transmission for an automotive vehicle is reported. The Major automotive hydromechanical transmission development problem continues to be the reduction of hydrostatic noise and the project plan, therefore, concentrated on the new hydrostatic module. The potential for achieving acceptably low noise levels in the second generation hydromechanical transmission is to be assessed by comparing the noise levels of the hydrostatic modules for the first and second generation transmissions. A set of twelve test points was selected comprising of road load steady state and wide-open-throttle acceleration at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 mph. The module operating conditions for the two transmissions at each of these twelve points were calculated. Baseline noise data was measured on the first generation module. The results are given testing of co-axial hydrostatic module for second generation hydromechanical transmission will be emphasized. (LCL)

A standard procedure for the determintion of the minority carrier diffusion length by means of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) consists in scanning across an angle-lapped surface of a P--N junction and measuring the resultant short circuit current I/sub sc/ as a function of beam position. A detailed analysis of the I/sub sc/ originating from this configuration is presented. It is found that, for a point source excitation, the I/sub sc/ depends very simply on x, the variable distance between the surfce and the junction edge. The expression for the I/sub sc/ of a planar junction device is well known. If d, the constant distance between the plane of the surface of the semiconductor and the junction edge in the expression for the I/sub sc/ of a planar junction is merely replaced by x, the variable distance of the corresponding angle-lapped junction, an expression results which is correct to within a small fraction of a percent as long as the angle between the surfaces, 2 theta/sub 1/, is amaller than 10/sup 0/.

Unique capabilities of plasma arc welding in the keyhole mode are described, and the potential applicability of these capabilities to Rocky Flats production needs are evaluated. For the areas of potential benefits studied, the benefits of this welding technique either did not materialize or the complication of implementing the process in production was not warranted by the demonstrated benefits.

Several phases of the Mt. Hood geothermal resource assessment project are nearing completion. Most of the field work has been completed for the geologic study, gravity survey, and water sampling portions of the project. Thermal modelling, water analyses, rock analyses and age dating, and preparation of a complete Bouguer gravity map are in progress.

For the first time data received from LLL has been incorporated in the quality assurance report. LASL has indicated that their results on the water standard B2 have been consistently low. They suspect that this may be resulting from uranium plating out in the polyethylene containers. Such an observation has not been made by either ORGDP, SRL or LLL. To evaluate these suspect observations LASL has been sent two sets of standards, one set contained in teflon and the second in the usual polyethylene containers. LASL results for June will be carefully evaluated.

Progress is summarized in LMFBR safety studies related to accident debris behavior. Included are sections on aerosol leakage, large scale molten fuel tests, and coordination of LMFBR risk analysis and safety studies. (DG)

One of the most difficult technology problems in an inertially confined fusion reactor is the survival of the structure from the repeated stresses caused by the microexplosion products. To mitigate the damage from the microexplosion products, a thick lithium fall can be circulated in front of the structure. This fall will absorb the short-ranged products and moderate and attenuate the neutrons. This paper discusses the response of the fall to the microexplosion products, and estimates the resulting loading and stresses in the first structural wall.

Data identifying small (less than or equal to 10 MW) power units in the United States are tabulated. The data are listed alphabetically by state and are reported sequentially for investor owned utilities, municipal utilities, and electrical cooperatives and other utility systems. For a given utility system, the generating units are divided into steam turbines, diesel generators and gas turbines. The number and size of generating units are listed. A summary tabulation of the number of generating units of each type and total generating capacity by state is presented.

The Division of Solar Technology of the Department of Energy is currently examining the market potential of a number of dispersed solar energy systems, including the small (less than or equal to 10 MW/sub e/) solar thermal power system. Small fossil-fueled generating units in the United States utility system, (i.e., investor-owned, municipal, and cooperatives) have a current capacity of approximately 8000 MW/sub e/ or about 1.5 percent of the total US electrical capacity, and provide a large potential market for small solar thermal power systems. The Small Power Systems Study has as its objective the determination of conditions under which small (less than or equal to 10 MW/sub e/) solar thermal power units can provide cost-effective electrical power to a variety of users. Potential users, in addition to the utility systems; include Department of Defense installations and applications, remote mining and/or lumbering operations, and other industrial power systems with and without cogeneration. The first year's results on the Small Power Systems Study are summarized. The data base used and the breakeven cost analysis are discussed. Information on both small (less than or equal to 10 MW/sub e/) generating units and the utility systems using them is presented as well as …

This study is part of a larger research effort to project U.S. energy demand and energy prices by state from 1985 to 2015; these projections will be used to assess the potential penetration into the U.S. energy economy by specific solar systems. The detailed agricultural energy price forecasts for the 1985-2015 period used by The Aerospace Corporation to assess the market potential of solar-powered irrigation system is presented. Energy price forecasts in constant 1977 dollars are presented by aggregated county regions in the six states for four major sources of energy used in pumping of irrigation water: liquid petroleum gas (LPG), diesel fuel, natural gas, and electricity. (WHK)

A typical braze joint consists of a metallic region which wets the surface of the two metals being joined, thereby achieving a bond of good mechanical integrity. An ultrasonic signal reflected from this bond can normally distinguish between bonded and unbonded regions but gives little information about the strength of such a region. For some brazes (and other bonding operations), there is a good correlation between thickness and bond strength in that a bond falling within a specified thickness range can be shown to perform adequately while both thinner and thicker bonds exhibit degraded performance. For a 50 ..mu..m thick braze, ultrasonic reflections are ''separated'' by roughly 16 nsec. For any real transducer, this means that there is significant overlap of the front and back surface reflections. We have studied a model system consisting of thin (12 to 90 ..mu..m) aluminum bonded to the back surface beryllium. By computer fitting the time dependence of the elastic disturbance reflected from the beryllium-aluminum region to a two-plane wave reflector model and allowing for multiple reflection, we correctly predict the interface separations. Details of the data acquisition and analysis, including the fitting procedure and an error analysis, are given. Accuracy depends upon the …

In February 1976, the US Energy Research and Development Administration expanded the commercial radioactive waste management programs and established the National Waste Terminal Storage Program. Its mission was to provide multiple facilities in various deep geologic formations within the United States. The Office of Waste Isolation was established within the Union Carbide Corporation-Nuclear Division to provide program management to the National Waste Terminal Storage Program. The overall program consisted of investigating a number of geologic rock types to determine their suitability for terminal storage of radioactive waste. Basalts, such as the Columbia Plateau basalts which underlie a large portion of the Pacific Northwest and the Hanford reservation, were selected for initial geologic reconnaissance. Atlantic Richfield Hanford Company was asked in May 1976 by the Office of Waste Isolation to plan and execute a basalt feasibility study. Geologic exploration of Columbia Plateau basalts was needed to determine the feasibility of utilizing those formations as a site for terminal storage of commercial nuclear waste. In September 1977, the National Waste Terminal Storage Program was restructured. While emphasis was still on a salt repository, additional funds were given to support investigations of two US Department of Energy sites (Hanford and Nevada). Rockwell Hanford …

The combined electrolysis-catalytic-exchange pilot system was modified to improve the reliability of the unit for continuous operation. An experimental run for 60 consecutive hours using a single catalytic exchange column was made to estimate values of height of a transfer unit and height equivalent to a theoretical plate for the pilot system. The calculated values were in agreement with existing data from a bench-scale system. Further experiments were performed with the cryogenic hydrogen isotope distillation system, this time using H/sub 2/-HT mixtures. A mixture containing approximately 250 Ci/m/sup 3/ of HT in H/sup 2/ was stripped to less than 0.1 Ci/m/sup 3/, while a product of 1100 Ci/m/sup 3/ was recovered. Two experiments were successful in separating gaseous hydrogen containing tritium from tritiated water. Initial tritium concentrations of the water were approximately 1 and 10 Ci/cm/sup 3/. Radiolytic damage tests of a hydrophobic exchange catalyst being used in the development of a process to recover tritium from tritiated waste water are reported. Triplicate samples of cement, cement-plaster (1:1 ratio by weight), and cement-plaster (1:1 ratio by volume) were injected with 386 Ci of tritium, cured for five days, and then impregnated with catalyzed styrene monomer. After polymerization, the samples were …

A research proposal on condensation in insulated homes is presented. Information is provided on: justification for condensation control; previous work and present outlook (good vapor barrier, condensation and retrofit insulation, vapor barrier decreases condensation, brick-veneer walls, condensation in stress-skin panels, air-conditioned buildings, retrofitting for conservation, study on mobile homes, high indoor relative humidity, report on various homes); and procedure (after funding has been secured). Measures are briefly described on opening walls, testing measures, and retrofitting procedures. An extensive bibliography and additional informative citations are included. (MCW)

Quantitative estimates of charge exchange (CE) losses during acceleration are very important in the design and operation of heavy ion cyclotrons. Such estimates have been made using a vacuum model computer code which was developed to establish vacuum requirements for the MSU superconducting heavy ion cyclotron. This code uses pressure and cross-section data to calculate the radial loss of beam due to charge exchange. Since CE cross sections and radial pressure profiles are not always well known, certain specific measurements have been made using the LBL 88-Inch Cyclotron to provide experimental data needed to test the code. These include measurements of pressure versus radius under vacuum conditions closely approximating those existing during acceleration of /sup 14/N/sup 4 -/ and /sup 40/Ar/sup 8 -/ beams. Beam intensity versus radius data demonstrating transmission losses for three beams are presented. Comparisons with theoretical predictions are given.

LOFCON is a program developed for the LOFT air condenser system contained in the secondary coolant system. Although the basic theory described herein is general, the program given is not--it is specifically for the LOFT configuration. LOFCON is presented in subroutine form so that it may be easily incorporated into a larger program describing the complete secondary side. Specifically LOFCON was written to be incorporated into the detailed CSMP model of the LOFT secondary coolant system simulation.

The Field Reversed Mirror Reactor is composed of a horizontal linear chain of cells, each of which requires neutral beam injection. Blanket replacement is achieved by lifting one complete cell module from the reactor and replacing it with a preassembled and tested identical module. Ioffe bar connectors eliminate redundant bus bars. Asymmetric cell design simplifies magnet construction and reduces replacement time. A tapered cylindrical coolant distributor simplifies blanket removal. An evacuated housing surrounds the reactor reducing cell-to-cell sealing problems related to maintenance. Remote couplings are used for coolant and accessories. Hot-cell location and design permits immediate reconditioning or storage of replacement cells.

The nuclear design analysis and performance of the blanket for the Pu/sup 239/ producing standard mirror hybrid is discussed. The blanket is based on present day materials and technology. It is designed for peak power density and burnup in the uranium fuel of 500 W/cc and 3 atom percent. The blanket produces 2.0 Mg/yr of Pu-239 (net) from 400 MW fusion (D-T) and depleted uranium and has an average energy multiplication of 11.

Reduced instrument responses are presented for Thermal-Hydraulic Test Facility (THTF) test 167R, which is part of the ORNL Pressurized-Water Reactor (PWR) Blowdown Heat Transfer Separate-Effects Program. The objective of the program is to investigate the thermal-hydraulic phenomenon governing the energy transfer and transport processes that occur during a loss-of-coolant accident in a PWR system. Test 167R was conducted to obtain thermal-hydraulic and CHF information in THTF bundle 1 with an intact cold leg. The primary purpose of this report is to make the reduced instrument responses during test 167R available. These are presented in graphical form in engineering units and have been analyzed only to the extent necessary to ensure reasonableness and consistency.

Basic requirements for the pilot plants are that they produce a net product and that they have a potential for commercial upgrade. We have investigated a small standard mirror fusion-fission hybrid, a two-component tandem mirror hybrid, and two versions of a field-reversed mirror fusion reactor--one a steady state, single cell reactor with a neutral beam-sustained plasma, the other a moving ring field-reversed mirror where the plasma passes through a reaction chamber with no energy addition.

A reactor based on this concept that produces 1000 MWe consists of a solenoidal magnet about 50 to 100 m long. A cylindrical blanket is used for energy recovery and tritium breeding. Thus the reactor itself is simple and of low technology. The end plugs, however, are of high technology, having the high magnetic fields needed to confine the high-pressure plasma and the high injection energy (0.6 to 1.2 MeV) needed to achieve good magnetic confinement. A low technology, compact, economical hybrid fusion-fission reactor results from injection in the central cell as well as the ends, provided a means can be found to stabilize the end plugs against microinstabilities, particularly in small sizes (plug radius divided by ion gyroradius less than or equal to 10). The Q value is 1.8 and the power is 500 MWe, with 1000 kG of /sup 233/U produced per year. If, on the other hand, the tandem is operated in the two-component mode (i.e., cold tritium plasma electrostatically contained into which a 100-200 keV D/sup 0/ beam is injected), then the end plugs can be stabilized by the outward flowing tritium plasma. Finally, we show that D-D burning tandem reactors appear feasible in large sizes …

A program plan for the project is presented. The report contains summary descriptions of tasks and subtasks and schedules and manpower estimates for the project. The four tasks are: provide technical support to the Transportation Energy Conservation Division; analyze the energy savings implications of shifts in shippers' modal choice from truck to rail freight services; examine on an in-depth basis the total energy demands for two heavy rail passenger systems; and develop detailed analytical methods for comprehensive passenger energy economy studies.

The radial-outflow reaction turbine, a pure-reaction turbine designed to improve the conversion efficiency of geothermal energy into electrical power is described. It also has potential as a total-flow turbine for low-temperature water. The principle of incomplete expansion can be used to obtain a reduction in turbine size when the turbine exhausts into a low-pressure condenser. And, by adding this turbine to single- and two-stage flashed-steam systems, the conversion efficiency of systems utilizing low- and high-energy wellhead sources, respectively can be improved. The Appendix outlines the analysis of the radial-outflow reaction turbine and leads to an expression for engine efficiency.