Monthly newsletter of the Alamo Area Council of Governments describing news and events of relevance to the agencies.

This report presents abstracts of all publications in the Energy Sciences programs of the Department of Energy and Environment from January 1, 1978 through December 31, 1978. It is a companion report to Annual Highlights of Programs in Energy Sciences - (December 1978, BNL 50973). Together, they present scientific and/or technical highlights of the Energy Sciences programs for the past calendar year, detailed descriptions of all the programs, and the publication issuing from the work performed. The following are some of the topics included: porphyrin chemistry; chemistry of energetic compounds; combustion; coal utilization; metal hydrides; cyclic separations process research; trace element analysis; materials properties and structures; radiation damage; superconducting materials; materials of construction for geothermal applications; repair of deteriorated concrete; development of glass--polymer composite sewer pipe; flash hydropyrolysis of coal; desulfurization of high-temperature combustion and fuel gases; and synthetic fuels development. (RWR)

This 1978 Annual Abstracts represents the publishing experience over the past year of the three divisions and one group that make up the Environmental Sciences area of the Department of Energy and Environment. The abstracts are grouped according to the organization of the authors under the Atmospheric Sciences, Environmental Chemistry, and Oceanographic Sciences Division and the Land and Fresh Water Environmental Sciences Group. The range of interests and the interdisciplinary nature of the activities within Environmental Programs are demonstrated by these abstracts. Most of these activities relate in some way to the environmental effects or potential effects of energy generation. The major areas involved include: coastal meteorology; physical, biological, and chemical oceanography of the coastal shelf; analysis of marine, fresh water, and terrestrial ecosystems; effects of acid rain and other pollutants on aquatic and terrestrial systems; Multistate Power Production Pollution Study (MAP3S), including transport and transformation experiments, data management, and modeling and analysis; atmospheric diagnostics including the study of the chemistry of pollutants in plumes and ambient atmosphere; basic and applied studies of atmospheric aerosol generation, composition, and behavior; and development of atmospheric tracer systems and real-time instrumentation.

The ACCEPT code provides experimenters and theorists with a method for the routine solution of coupled electron/photon transport through three-dimensional multimaterial geometries described by the combinational method. Emphasis is placed upon operational simplicity without sacrificing the rigor of the model. ACCEPT combines condensed-history electron Monte Carlo with conventional single-scattering photon Monte Carlo in order to describe the transport of all generations of particles from several MeV down to 1.0 and 10.0 keV for electrons and photons, respectively. The model is more accurate at the higher energies with a less rigorous description of the particle cascade at energies where the shell structure of the transport media becomes important. Flexibility of construction permits the user to tailor the model to specific applications and to extend the capabilities of the model to more sophisticated applications through relatively simple update procedures. The ACCEPT code is currently running on the CDC-7600 (66000) where the bulk of the cross-section data and the statistical variables are stored in Large Core Memory (Extended Core Storage).

Acoustic emission (AE) is an emerging NDT method that offers attractive capabilities for monitoring structural integrity and characterizing materials behavior. Although its limitations are such that it should not be regarded as a panacea, AE is proving to be a viable complement to the other NDT methods. The paper examines the extent and reasons for the growing industrial interest in AE. Some of the inherent limitations of conventional NDT methods are discussed, and several surveys of defects found during the manufacture and operation of pressure boundary components are reviewed. Although welds and weld-affected areas are the most likely locations for significant defects, very little experience is available to date to describe the AE response during impending pressure vessel failures due to weld associated defects. Acoustic emission offers potential for providing increased assurance of both initial, and continued, structural integrity. Furthermore, if AE is properly applied in conjunction with recently proposed fitness-for-purpose criteria, it may be possible to reduce present manufacturing costs without compromising actual structural adequacy. This technology is exhibiting definite signs of increasing industrial maturity, as evidenced by the recent availability of industrial standards, and the activities of various AE related technical groups throughout the world.

Newsletter issued by the Advisory Council for Technical-Vocational Education in Texas discussing news, events, and other relevant information related to technical and vocational education for adults in Texas.

At Mississippi State University a research project was begun in 1976 to investigate the use of site-built solar collectors for heating air in poultry houses. The purpose of this work was to design and test a functional air heater solar collector which would be inexpensive to construct and acceptable to poultry producers. The results reported are an extension of the original concept. The basic concept is to use a pre-engineered metal building for the structure and incorporate the solar air heaters as an integral part of the south facing wall of the building. The outer skin of the building is used as the absorber plate for the collctors. Construction and testing of the solar collectors and heat storage systems are discussed, and the performance characteristics of the site-built solar collectors are described. (WHK)

Quarterly report discussing fuel cell research and development work at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This report describes activities focuses on the development of electrolyte structures that have good electrolyte retention and mechanical properties as well as long term stability, and on developing methods of synthesis amenable to mass production.

This report describes advanced fuel cell research and development activities at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) during the period July--September 1978. These efforts have been directed toward understanding and improving the components of molten-carbonate-electrolyte fuel cells operated at temperatures near 925 K. The primary focus of this work has been the development of electrolyte structures that have good electrolyte retention and mechanical properties as well as long term stability, and on developing methods of synthesis amenable to mass production. The characterization of these structures and their stability is an integral part of this effort. Synthesis studies have concentrated on the use of low-cost starting material to synthesize ..gamma..-LiAlO/sub 2/, the most stable allotrope of LiAlO/sub 2/ for the fuel cell conditions. Thermal stability and thermomechanical tests were performed on electrolyte mixtures to determine the effect of cell operating conditions on electrolyte tile longevity. A square cell (10.6 cm) with an electrolyte tile containing ..gamma..-LiAlO/sub 2/ was tested. This tile was reinforced by a wire screen. Post-test examination of this cell after 1000 h of operation showed that the reinforced tile was considerably stronger than un-reinforced tiles. Future cells will utilize tiles with metal screen reinforcement.

A research and development program is described that will enable the fabrication of 10/sup 6/ targets/day for a laser fusion prototype power reactor in 2007. We give personnel and cost estimates for a generalized laser fusion target that requires the development of several new technologies. The total cost of the program between 1979 and 2007 is $362 million in today's dollars.

First volume of a report documenting a high-sensitivity airborne radiometric and magnetic survey of four quadrangles in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan including documentation about data collection and analysis.

The following report is the first in a series of volumes presenting data recorded during the months of August and September, 1978, from a radiometric and magnetic survey taken in four quadrangles between Wyoming and southern Montana (Forsyth, Hardin, Sheridan, Arminto, Newcastle and Gillette)

An aerial radiological survey to measure terrestrial gamma radiation was carried out over the United States Department of Energy's Battelle Nuclear Science Facility located in West Jefferson, Ohio. Gamma ray data were collected over a 5.5 km/sup 2/ area centered on the facility by flying east-west lines spaced 61 m apart. Processed data indicated that on-site radioactivity was primarily due to radionuclides currently being processed due to the hot lab operations. Off-site data showed the radioactivity to be due to naturally occurring background radiation consistent with variations due to geologic base terrain and land use of similar areas.

This volume contains information and survey results pertaining specifically to the Cut Bank NTMS 1:250,000-scale Quadrangle, Montana, one of a group of 12 such quadrangles in Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Washington included in an aerial radiometric and magnetic reconnaissance survey. Information concerning the instrumentation and methods used in data acquisition, processing, and interpretation is presented in Volume 1 of this final report.

Appendix containing tables to accompany a report on aerial radiometric and magnetic reconnaissance survey of the Cut Bank Quadrangle.

This report contains aerial gamma-ray and magnetic survey maps of the Choteau Quadrangle.

From introduction: This volume contains information and survey results pertaining specifically to the Choteau NTMS 1:250,000 scale Quadrangle, Montana, one of a group of 12 such quadrangles in Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Washington included in an aerial radiometric and magnetic reconnaissance survey. General information concerning the instrumentation and methods used in data acquisition, processing, and interpretation is presented in Volume 1 of this final report.

Report documenting the results of an aerial radiometric and magnetic reconnaissance survey of the Pocatello quadrangle in Idaho.

Appendix containing single-record and averaged-record data listings documenting the results of a magnetic reconnaissance survey in the Pocatello quadrangle.

Final report documenting a high-sensitivity airborne gamma radiation and magnetic field survey of the White Sulphur Springs (NL 12-5 quadrangle) National Topographic Map segment including a description of the program and results.

The source of coal conversion wastewater thiocyanates is reviewed. Based on laboratory studies, the biokinetics of aerobic degradation of thiocyanate is quantified and found to follow a substrate inhibition model. A design curve based on theoretical and laboratory considerations is developed. A material balance for sulfur and nitrogen as originally found in the SCN complex is presented. During aerobic degradation of SCN, sulfur goes to sulfate, and nitrogen goes to ammonia. During anaerobic degradation of SCN, sulfur goes to sulfide. Thiocyanate was the sole source of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur available to the microorganisms during the course of the study.

The importance of gas separation methods to the economics of hydrogasification and catalytic gasification processes has been emphasized. This importance is due to the fact that these processes require large amounts of recycled hydrogen or hydrogen and carbon monoxide from which the product methane must be removed via some economical method. For example, the Exxon catalytic gasification process utilizes a cryogenic distillation to achieve the separation of CH/sub 4/ from H/sub 2/ and CO. In this report, the energetics of a cryogenic separation process for hydrogen-methane mixtures are calculated and compared with the energy requirements for the separation of H/sub 2//CH/sub 4/ and H/sub 2//CO/CH/sub 4/ mixtures using a gas hydrate separation scheme. It must be stated at the outset that the success of the proposed hydrate process depends upon the kinetics of hydrate formation for which we have no data. Nevertheless, it is still worthwhile to examine such a process within a thermodynamic framework to determine if such a scheme is at least energetically, if not kinetically, feasible.

The nesting biology of the American coot was studied on low-level radioactive waste ponds located on the Hanford DOE Site and on control ponds located in the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Washington from 1974 through 1976. The objective was to discover any differences in the nesting biology of the birds which could be attributed to the low-level radioactive wastes present in the Hanford DOE Site ponds. Coots nesting on the Hanford ponds and those nesting on the wildlife refuge were found to have similar nesting habits. Nesting habitats were similar for coots from both the control ponds and those exposed to radionuclides; all coots selected habitats in which the water level was moderate to shallow, and stable. Emergent aquatic plants such as cattail (Typha latifolia) and bulrush (Scirpus acutus) were characteristic of both habitats. There were no apparent differences in nesting chronology between birds from the different study sites; nests containing eggs were found from April through mid-June on most ponds. Clutch size showed no significant differences. The average number of eggs per nest for all ponds was 6.7. Egg and chick weights and percent hatching success were similar among coots from both study sites. Feeding habits of …

This report presents the methodology and results of an analysis to determine the impact and leverage of federal options for supporting the growth of the photovoltaic industry. Results were projected for combinations of the following: an aggressive federal research and development program, achievement of a technological breakthrough, and immediate or breakthrough-dependent incentives including direct price reductions, keyed-to-breakeven subsidies, and federal puchases. The modeling methodology and market assumptions were also tested to determine their effect on analysis results.