The TFTR vacuum vessel will have a system of four 61 cm diameter mercury diffusion pumps to provide a base pressure in the 10/sup -8/ to 10/sup -9/ Torr range as well as a low impurity level within the vessel. The system, called the Torus Vacuum Pumping System (TVPS), will be employed with the aid of an occasional 250/sup 0/C bakeout in situ as well as periodic applications of aggressive discharge cleaning. The TVPS is an ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) system using no elastomers as well as being a closed system with respect to tritium or any tritiated gases. The backing system employing approximately 75 all-metal isolation valves is designed with the features of redundancy and flexibility employed in a variety of ways to meet the fundamental requirements and functions enumerated for the TVPS. Since the design, is one which is a modification of the conceptual design of the TVPS, those features which have changed are discussed. Calculations are presented for the major performance parameters anticipated for the TVPS and include conductances, effective pumping speeds, base pressures, operating parameters, getter pump parameters, and calculations of time constants associated with leak checking. Modifications in the vacuum pumping system for the guard regions on …

The acoustic emission from both powder and ingot source beryllium has been measured as a function of strain and prior heat treatment. Most measurements were made during tensile deformation, but a limited number of compression tests have also been performed. The acoustic emission observed was of the burst type, with little or no contribution from continuous type emission. The emission was characterized by the variation of burst rate and average energy per burst as a function of strain. The tensile behavior was qualitatively similar for all the materials tested. Burst rate maxima centered roughly at 0.1 percent and 1.0 percent plastic strain were observed. The magnitude but not the strain at the low strain burst rate peak was very sensitive to prior thermal treatment, while the higher strain burst rate peak was insensitive to prior heat treatment. An energy per burst maximum was observed at 0.2 percent plastic strain, the magnitude of which was moderately sensitive to heat treatment. The Kaiser effect is observed in the material studied. Emission during compression was similar to that observed in tension. The acoustic emission observed is attributed to dislocation motion, as proposed by James and Carpenter for LiF, NaCl, and Zn. Metallographic studies …

A regional transport model of atmospheric sulfates was developed. This quasi-Lagrangian three-dimensional grid numerical model uses a detailed SO/sub 2/ emission inventory of major anthropogenic sources in the eastern U.S. region and observed meteorological data during an episode as inputs. The model accounts for advective transport and turbulent diffusion of the pollutants. The chemical transformation of SO/sub 2/ and SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/ and the deposition of the species at the earth's surface are assumed to be linear processes at specified constant rates. The numerical model can predict the daily average concentrations of SO/sub 2/ and SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/ at all receptor locations in the grid region during the episode. Because of the spatial resolution of the grid, this model is particularly suited to investigate the effect of tall stacks in reducing the ambient concentration levels of sulfur pollutants. The formulations and assumptions of the regional sulfate transport model are presented. The model inputs and results are discussed. Isopleths of predicted SO/sub 2/ and SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/ concentrations are compared with the observed ground level values.

W (the average energy to form an ion pair) for 5.4 MeV /sup 241/Am alpha particles in a Rossi-type tissue equivalent (T.E.) gas, argon and methane was determined to an accuracy better than 0.2% using a new automated data handling system. A vibrating reed electrometer and current digitizer were used to measure the current produced by completely stopping the alpha particles in a large cylindrical ionization chamber. A multichannel analyzer, operating in a slow multiscalar mode, was used to store pulses from the current digitizer. The dwell time, on the order of 60 minutes per channel, was selected with an external timer gate. Current measurements were made at reduced pressures (approximately 200 torr) to reduce ion-recombination. The average current, over many repeated measurements, was compared to the current produced in nitrogen and its previously published W-value of 36.39 +- 0.04 eV/ion pair. The resulting W-values were (in eV/ion pair): 26.29 +- 0.05 for argon, 29.08 +- 0.03 for methane and 30.72 +- 0.04 for T.E. gas, which had an analyzed composition of 64.6% methane, 32.4% CO/sub 2/, and 2.7% nitrogen. Although the methane and argon values agree within 0.1% with previously published values, the value for T.E. is 1.2% lower …

This assessment of the problems of the electric sector is part of the BNL study on the Energy Future of the Northeast. Topics covered by the issue papers include the potential supply of energy to the Northeast from coal, oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas, nuclear power, municipal waste, solar energy, and wind power, and the demand for energy in the Northeast from the industrial, transportation, and residential and commercial sectors. This paper compares energy demand projections derived in other parts of the Northeast Energy Perspectives Study to current utility projections; discusses major technical issues in capacity forecasting, including system load factors, outage rates, scale economies, unit sizes, and generation mix planning; discusses major siting constraints faced by each type of generation in the Northeast; and prepares preliminary forecasts of the number and type of new generation facilities necessary by 1985 and 2000, and an analysis of the implications for regional siting policy. (MCW)

Two short mixed-oxide fuel rods of LMFBR design configuration were irradiated to a burnup of approx. 12.5 atom % in GETR. Profilometry at several intervals during the test indicated that the rod with a 0.010 inch thick cladding exhibited a diametral strain of 0.17% per atom % burnup, while the rod with a 0.015 inch thick cladding exhibited a lower diametral strain rate of 0.12% per atom % burnup. These data present the opportunity for analytical methods to evaluate fuel rod dimensional changes without the complicating effect of metal swelling. Also, the rods incorporated a large plenum space so that pressure from released fission gases was extremely low. These measured strain rates are consistent with the range of fuel diametral strain rates that are associated with solid fission product swelling.

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Operations with the Geothermal Loop Experimental Facility are reviewed. Inspection of the separators, scrubbers, pumps, valves, and controls is described. (MHR)

An analysis of refrigeration system requirements for the superconducting power transmission cables currently under study at the three principal US cable development centers indicates the need for cable system design considering the interrelated performance of the various cable system elements to successfully develop these systems for commercial operation in the 1990's. Hardware alternatives, compatible with the application timeframe, are evaluated to establish reliable refrigerator system design to a composite requirement typical of the range of refrigerator requirements presented by the cables currently under development. In addition, a methodology is presented and utilized to establish an estimate of hardware reliability and to evaluate redundancy requirements to a specific refrigerator system reliability allocation for a cable system used in previous cable development center studies. Reliability and performance of several compressor systems are evaluated. The oil-flooded screw compressor is felt to be the superior positive displacement compressor; however, the efficiency advantage resulting from preliminary design analysis of a multistage compliant toll process gas bearing centrifugal compressor system indicates a potential major operating cost reduction and the elimination of the need for oil lubrication and its subsequent cleanup requirements. Heat exchangers and expansion engines are evaluated. A preliminary design for a compliant foil process …

CNVUFAC, the General Dynamics heat-transfer radiation veiw factor program, has been adapted for use on the LLL CDC 7600 computer system. The input and output have been modified, and a node incrementing logic was included to make the code compatible with the TRUMP thermal analyzer and related codes. The program performs the multiple integration necessary to evaluate the geometric black-body radiaton node to node view factors. Card image output that contains node number and view factor information is generated for input into the related program GRAY. Program GRAY is then used to include the effects of gray-body emissivities and multiple reflections, generating the effective gray-body view factors usable in TRUMP. CNVUFAC uses an elemental area summation scheme to evaluate the multiple integrals. The program permits shadowing and self-shadowing. The basic configuration shapes that can be considered are cylinders, cones, spheres, ellipsoids, flat plates, disks, toroids, and polynomials of revolution. Portions of these shapes can also be considered.

A detailed parametric study of the major variables that affect the pressure profile in the geothermal well, and hence its performance, was conducted in order to identify and define the pertinent problems that require further experimental and theoretical investigation. The well and, in particular, its two-phase section were modeled on the basis of sound two-phase flow principles. A computer algorithm was developed for pressure profile calculations and simulation of well performance. The algorithm was used to study the effects of total mass flow rate, heat losses to the surrounding formation and void fraction on the pressure profile and the vapor and liquid production rates. In addition, several existing void fraction and frictional pressure drop correlations were evaluated in order to determine their applicability to geothermal systems. (MHR)

Program GRAY is written to perform the matrix manipulations necessary to convert black-body radiation heat-transfer view factors to gray-body view factors as required by thermal analyzer codes. The black-body view factors contain only geometric relationships. Program GRAY allows the effects of multiple gray-body reflections to be included. The resulting effective gray-body factors can then be used with the corresponding fourth-power temperature differences to obtain the net radiative heat flux. The program is written to accept a matrix input or the card image output generated by the black-body view factor program CNVUFAC. The resulting card image output generated by GRAY is in a form usable by the TRUMP thermal analyzer.

The two-phase flow system is analyzed as it develops and changes in the well. The product of the study will be a calculational technique to allow the design of geothermal wells in two-phase flow. The overall approach to the project is summarized, and the nature of the two-phase flow problem is discussed. The various elements of the program are presented. (MHR)

A study of commercially available and prototype aerodynamic drag reduction devices which can be retrofitted onto this nation's trucks to achieve significant fuel savings by 1980 was conducted. The results of the study are presented in seven sections. An overview of the basic study results is given in the Summary Section, and a brief introduction to the general nature of the truck drag problem and the study scope is contained in Section 1. Section 2 provides a more detailed discussion of the aerodynamic drag problem and the characteristics of specific retrofit aerodynamic drag reduction devices which are in the production or prototype status. The results of a survey of fleet owners utilizing aerodynamic drag reduction devices and their experience with regard to fuel savings and operational factors are given in Section 3. Section 4 contains the results of economic analyses made to determine the cost-benefit effects of drag reduction devices. An analysis of the US truck population to which such drag reduction devices may be applicable and the fuel savings potential attendant to their use is given in Section 5. The significant elements of a program structured to encourage the utilization of aerodynamic drag reduction devices on trucks are defined …

Laboratory activities for the period spring, 1975 to spring, 1976 are described. The emphasis of the work can be discerned from the chapter headings: accelerator development; ion source development; instrumentation, detectors, research techniques; computer and computing; atomic physics; nuclear astrophysics; fundamental symmetries in nuclei; nuclear structure; radiative capture measurements and calculations; scattering and reactions; reactions with polarized protons and deuterons; heavy-ion elastic and inelastic scattering; heavy-ion deeply inelastic and fusion reactions; heavy ion transfer and intermediate structure reactions; medium-energy physics; and energy studies. Research by users and visitors is also described; and laboratory personnel, degrees granted, and publications are listed. Those summaries having significant amounts of information are indexed individually. (RWR)

The three-volume report describes a dual-mode nuclear space power and propulsion system concept that employs an advanced solid-core nuclear fission reactor coupled via heat pipes to one of several electric power conversion systems. Such a concept could be particularly useful for missions which require both relatively high acceleration (e.g., for planetocentric maneuvers) and high performance at low acceleration (e.g., on heliocentric trajectories or for trajectory shaping). The first volume develops the mathematical model of the system.

The three-volume report describes a dual-mode nuclear space power and propulsion system concept that employs an advanced solid-core nuclear fission reactor coupled via heat pipes to one of several electric power conversion systems. The second volume describes the computer code and users' guide for the preliminary analysis of the system.

The need to reduce high Z impurities in the plasma of fusion reactors has led to various ideas, including a low-Z liner, for isolating the first structural wall from the plasma. Graphite and other carbon containing materials (most notably SiC) are strong candidate materials for such liners. However, to assess the potential of these materials will require more information on the following properties: (1) Radiation effects under fusion reactor environment, (2) Sputtering, (3) Degassing. This document describes the current state of knowledge on carbons and graphites in each of these areas.

A program plan for conducting a social impact assessment for the Powder River Basin has been developed to provide guidelines for a comprehensive document; one that identifies the impacts as they are perceived by the affected communities and indicates how such information may best be used to manage adverse impacts. We have attempted to give a comprehensive overview of existing studies, resources, and descriptions of the potential methodologies that may be used in carrying out the impact assessment and in developing management strategies. Also, we briefly outlined the steps that should be included in the social impact assessment process. This outline and a flow diagram of the steps involved are a concise description of the suggested program plan.

A glass direct contact heat exchange column was operated in the laboratory at atmospheric pressure using hot water and normal hexane. Column internals tested included an empty column, sieve trays, disk-and-doughnut trays, and two types of packing. Operation was very smooth in all cases and the minimum temperature approaches varied from less than 1{sup 0}C for packing to 13{sup 0}C for the empty column. High heat transfer rates were obtained in all cases, however, columns should be sized on the basis of liquid and vapor traffic. The solubilities of hydrocarbons were determined for normal hexane, pentane and butane in water and sodium chloride and calcium chloride brines at various temperatures. The values seem to be internally consistent and salt content was found to depress hydrocabon solubility. Laboratory stripping tests showed that gas stripping can be used to remove hydrocarbon from reject hot water from the direct contact heat exchange column. Although the gas volumes required are small, stripping gas requirements cannot be accurately predicted without testing. A computer program was used to study the effect of operating variables on thermodynamic cycle efficiencies. Optimum efficiencies for the moderate brine conditions studied were obtained with isopentane as working fluid and relatively low …

Computer simulation results of the Standpipe-Bubbler pump level control system/controlled clearance pump configuration 1E-3862 are presented. Fluid level control system behavior is presented in graphical form for normal plant loading, unloading, and trip transients, under varying conditions of cover gas mass flow rate, tank impedances, temperature, and flow rates through discharge seal and bearing leakage paths. Satisfactory fluid level control can be attained for this configuration with a Standpipe-Bubbler system.

Progress is reported in a research and development program to design, build, and test an improved geothermal drill bit. The major tasks of the Phase I effort are entitled: failure mechanisms of existing bits; new steels and new bearing design; and new seals and lubricants. It appears that a significant gain in drill-bit life can be attained by the use of higher-temperature steels which retain more hardness at temperatures above 260/sup 0/C (500/sup 0/F). Such steels are available, and two research bits of high-temperature steels were made and will shortly be tested in a laboratory-simulated full-scale geothermal drilling environment. Two control bits of the same design, but made with conventional drill bit steels, were also obtained for identical laboratory test runs, so that the performance of the research bits can be meaningfully assessed. Base-line properties of the steels, such as hardness and fracture toughness as functions of temperature, are being measured to further assess the value of the high-temperature steels selected for the research bits. A geothermal test vessel was designed and fabricated in which the full-scale drill bits will be tested. The vessel is capable of temperature to 427/sup 0/C (800/sup 0/F) and pressures to 35 MPa (5,000 psi). …

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Strain-gaged flat plates having one, two, three, and five closely spaced holes were tested under uniaxial and 1:1 biaxial loading conditions. The experimental results of these tests were compared with corresponding calculated values obtained using the computer program TABLES, which was developed at Battelle-Columbus Laboratories. The study was conducted (1) to obtain highly reliable experimental data that can be used in the design of penetrations in vessels having large radii of curvature, (2) to evaluate the capability of the computer program TABLES for accurately predicting the stresses in perforated flat plates, (3) to complete the initial step leading toward the planned development of a method of analysis for clusters of nozzles attached to pressure vessels, and (4) to investigate the stress states in regions of closely space holes. The comparisons of calculated and experimental stresses were in good agreement, and the method of analysis was found to be capable of accurately predicting the complex state of stress in the vicinity of the closely spaced holes.