Compressive strength, plastic flow properties, and surface frictional effects of 1100, 3003 and 6061 aluminum alloys (open access)

Compressive strength, plastic flow properties, and surface frictional effects of 1100, 3003 and 6061 aluminum alloys

The purpose of this study is to find aluminum alloys that are effective for use as wire vacuum seals in the 800MeV particle accelerator located at the Louis Anderson Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF) in Los Alamos, NM. Three alloys, Al 1100, Al 3003, and Al 6061, are investigated under uniaxial compression to determine stresses for a given height reduction from 0 to 70 percent, and to find plastic flow and surface interaction effects. Right-circular cylindrical specimens are compressed on-end (cylindrically) and radially (for modeling as compressed wire). Aluminum 1100 and 3003 alloys are compared for length to diameter ratios of 1 and 2 for both compression types, and are then compared to results of radial compression of annealed small diameter Al 1100 wire currently used at LAMPE. The specimens are also compressed between three different platen surfaces, polished steel, etched steel, and aluminum 6061-T6, to determine effects of friction. The Al 3003 alloy exhibits 20 to 25% lower stresses at all height reductions than Al 1100 for both cylindrical and radial compression.
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Pinkerton, G.W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Direct {anti b}b production in {anti p}p collisions at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV (open access)

Direct {anti b}b production in {anti p}p collisions at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV

The first measurement of bottom quark production in the forward detector at CDF is presented in this thesis. Events from the 1988/89 Fermilab collider run were selected with forward muons with nearby jets to form a bottom quark tag. The efficiency and acceptance of the detector are then taken into account and the number of events is turned into a cross section: {sigma}(p{sub t}{sup b} > 20 GeV, 1.9 < {vert_bar}{eta}{sup b}{vert_bar} < 2.5) = (124. {+-} 35. {+-} 76.) nb. The contribution from direct bottom quarks is {sigma}(p{sub t}{sup b} > 20 GeV, p{sub t}{sup {anti b}} > 15 GeV, 1.9 < {vert_bar}{eta}{sup b}{vert_bar} < 2.5) = (100. {+-} 30.{sub {minus}31.}{sup +30.}) nb.
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Lamoureux, J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Effects of modeled terms in the Reynolds-stress transport equations (open access)

Effects of modeled terms in the Reynolds-stress transport equations

A discussion of the origins and interpretation of various previously proposed models for the terms in the incompressible Reynolds-stress equation is given. It is hoped that the interpretations will provoke thoughts that will help in the future modeling of Reynolds-stress transport equations. Different forms of the closed Reynolds-stress equation have been solved numerically for the given mean velocity field of the wake flow behind a flat plate at a Reynolds number of 1000. A finite-difference/finite-volume collocation scheme was used to approximate the spatial derivatives, which were implemented in a time-marching scheme. The numerical time integration produced values for the six independent Reynolds-stress components, the turbulent kinetic energy decay rate, and the turbulent length scale for each of the models tried. The results of the different cases were compared and some conclusions were drawn on the effects of the various investigated modeled terms.
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Linn, R.R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Experimental and numerical investigation of shock wave propagation through complex geometry, gas continuous, two-phase media (open access)

Experimental and numerical investigation of shock wave propagation through complex geometry, gas continuous, two-phase media

The work presented here investigates the phenomenon of shock wave propagation in gas continuous, two-phase media. The motivation for this work stems from the need to understand blast venting consequences in the HYLIFE inertial confinement fusion (ICF) reactor. The HYLIFE concept utilizes lasers or heavy ion beams to rapidly heat and compress D-T targets injected into the center of a reactor chamber. A segmented blanket of falling molten lithium or Li{sub 2}BeF{sub 4} (Flibe) jets encircles the reactor`s central cavity, shielding the reactor structure from radiation damage, absorbing the fusion energy, and breeding more tritium fuel. X-rays from the fusion microexplosion will ablate a thin layer of blanket material from the surfaces which face toward the fusion site. This generates a highly energetic vapor, which mostly coalesces in the central cavity. The blast expansion from the central cavity generates a shock which propagates through the segmented blanket - a complex geometry, gas-continuous two-phase medium. The impulse that the blast gives to the liquid as it vents past, the gas shock on the chamber wall, and ultimately the liquid impact on the wall are all important quantities to the HYLIFE structural designers.
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Chien-Chih Liu, J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Interpretation of Seismic Reflection Data from the Piledriver Event Area, Nevada Test Site; A Case Study for Evaluation of... (open access)

Interpretation of Seismic Reflection Data from the Piledriver Event Area, Nevada Test Site; A Case Study for Evaluation of...

A remote sensing geophysical method is needed to properly characterize the void and chimney characteristics of underground nuclear tests. Various techniques were considered and a seismic reflection survey was selected. This survey was then fitted to the conditions at the test site so as to give optimum results. The data was then reduced via DOS computer and analyzed for content. The planned survey using a 50 ft offset did not show any useful information, however, a second survey with a variable longer offset was also conducted which was capable of determining the depth to the top and the bottom of the chimney with reasonable accuracy. Measurements of the horizontal spread of the structure, though, were inconclusive.
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Tonander, Karl E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Measurement of particle speed through optical reflective sensing (open access)

Measurement of particle speed through optical reflective sensing

Two methods determine the speed of 3 m glass spheres using optical reflective sensors embedded in a micro-processor system. The first method, which will be referred to as the one pulse method, is sensitive to particle size and shape. The pulse width of a detected particle is measured and normalized by a shape correction factor resulting in a speed estimate. Three models are developed to correct for effects due to particle shape and light scattering inhomogeneities. The second method, which will be referred to as the two pulse method, measures individual particle velocity components independent of size and shape with two detectors spaced a known distance apart. This distance is divided by the delay between the two detector output pulses to determine speed. A by-product of both methods is a localized particle flux. The microprocessor subsystem automates the pulse detection, timing, velocity calculation and display which are accomplished by the micro-processor subsystem. In the laboratory, a chute is used to generate particle flows with different characteristics. The detection system is tested in the chute for two different flows. A mechanical speed measurement is used for comparison to the one pulse method. The one pulse method is used for comparison to …
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: McCardle, J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Phenomenological and mathematical modeling of a high pressure steam driven jet injector. Part 2 (open access)

Phenomenological and mathematical modeling of a high pressure steam driven jet injector. Part 2

An injector is a particular type of jet pump which uses condensable vapor to entrain a liquid and discharge against a pressure higher than either motive or suction pressures. The injector has no moving parts and requires no external power supply nor any complex control system. Thus, the injector is particularly suited for emergency core cooling operations. A detailed survey has indicated that various injector designs are available for operating pressures below 250 psig. However, the design of these injectors from the viewpoint of a basic understanding of heat and mass transfer processes has not been well developed. A critical review of the models showed serious discrepancies between the analytical models and the experimental observations. The discrepancies evolved from the neglect of non-equilibrium aspects of the flow. The origin of the non-equilibrium aspects can be traced to the extremely small time scales governing the flow in the injector. Thus, time scales of the order of 10{sup {minus}2} seconds are involved in the injector, accompanied by mass, momentum, and heat transfer rates of orders of magnitude higher than that observed in conventional two-phase flows. The present study focuses on the phenomenological and mathematical modeling of the processes in the injector from …
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Anand, G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Probabilistic assessment of dynamic system performance. Part 3 (open access)

Probabilistic assessment of dynamic system performance. Part 3

Accurate prediction of dynamic system failure behavior can be important for the reliability and risk analyses of nuclear power plants, as well as for their backfitting to satisfy given constraints on overall system reliability, or optimization of system performance. Global analysis of dynamic systems through investigating the variations in the structure of the attractors of the system and the domains of attraction of these attractors as a function of the system parameters is also important for nuclear technology in order to understand the fault-tolerance as well as the safety margins of the system under consideration and to insure a safe operation of nuclear reactors. Such a global analysis would be particularly relevant to future reactors with inherent or passive safety features that are expected to rely on natural phenomena rather than active components to achieve and maintain safe shutdown. Conventionally, failure and global analysis of dynamic systems necessitate the utilization of different methodologies which have computational limitations on the system size that can be handled. Using a Chapman-Kolmogorov interpretation of system dynamics, a theoretical basis is developed that unifies these methodologies as special cases and which can be used for a comprehensive safety and reliability analysis of dynamic systems.
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Belhadj, M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Properties of events containing a photon and several jets seen in p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV (open access)

Properties of events containing a photon and several jets seen in p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV

The CDF detector is used to investigate the properties of events containing a photon and two jets. The rate of photon +2 jet production is higher than the theoretical calculation, but the shape of the events agrees with QCD predictions.
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Maas, P. A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A search for first generation scalar leptoquarks at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV with the D0 detector (open access)

A search for first generation scalar leptoquarks at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV with the D0 detector

A search for first generation scalar leptoquarks was done at the DO detector at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory from 15 pb{minus}1 of data taken during the 1992--1993 colder run. At Fermilab`s p{bar p} collider with a center-of-mass energy of 1.8 TeV, leptoquarks are produced mostly by the strong force in pairs. Leptoquarks carry fractional charge, color, and also lepton and baryon quantum numbers. First generation leptoquarks couple exclusively to the electron, electron neutrino, and the u and d quarks; such a leptoquark would decay into, for example, an electron plus a quark. Signatures for leptoquarks at p{bar p} colliders that have been investigated at DO are two electrons plus two jets and one electron plus missing energy (from an electron neutrino) plus two jets.
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Norman, D. M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Solubilization of pentanol by cationic surfactants and binary mixtures of cationic surfactants (open access)

Solubilization of pentanol by cationic surfactants and binary mixtures of cationic surfactants

The research reported here has included studies of the solubilization of pentanol in hexadecylpyridinium chloride (CPC), trimethyletetradecylammonium chloride (C{sub 14}Cl), benzyldimethyltetradecylammonium chloride (C{sub 14}BzCl), benzyldimethylhexadecylpyridinium chloride (C{sub 16}BzCl), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and binary mixtures of CPC + C{sub 16}BzCl and C{sub 14}Cl + C{sub 14}BzCl. Rather than using calorimetric methods, this project will employ headspace chromatography to measure solubilization of pentanol over a wide range of solute concentrations. While not yielding as much thermodynamic data as calorimetry, headspace chromatography is a more direct measure of the extent of solubilization. Using headspace chromatography, is a more direct measure of the extent of solubilization. Using headspace chromatography, this study will seek to determine whether strongly synergistic mixture ratios exist in the case of binary cationic surfactant systems. There are two equilibria in the pentanol-water-surfactant system: (1) The pentanol solubilized in micelles is in equilibrium with the monomeric pentanol in solution, and (2) the monomeric pentanol is in equilibrium with the pentanol in the vapor above the solution. To establish the link between the two equilibria, a sample of the vapor above pure liquid pentanol must be collected, in order to find the activity of pentanol in solution. Also, a calibration curve for …
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Morgan, M. E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A study of the interfacial chemistry of pyrite and coal in fine coal cleaning using flotation (open access)

A study of the interfacial chemistry of pyrite and coal in fine coal cleaning using flotation

Surface oxidation, surface charge, and flotation properties have been systematically studied for coal, coal-pyrite and ore-pyrite. Electrochemical studies show that coal-pyrite exhibits much higher and more complex surface oxidation than ore-pyrite and its oxidation rate depends strongly on the carbon/coal content. Flotation studies indicate that pyrites have no self-induced floatability. Fuel oil significantly improves the floatability of coal and induces considerable flotation for coal-pyrite due to the hydrophobic interaction of fuel oil with the carbon/coal inclusions on the pyrite surface. Xanthate is a good collector for ore-pyrite but a poor collector for coal and coal-pyrite. The results from thermodynamic calculations, flotation and zeta potential measurements show that iron ions greatly affect the flotation of pyrite with xanthate and fuel oil. Various organic and inorganic chemicals have been examined for depressing coal-pyrite. It was found, for the first time, that sodium pyrophosphate is an effective depressant for coal-pyrite. Solution chemistry shows that pyrophosphate reacts with iron ions to form stable iron pyrophosphate complexes. Using pyrophosphate, the complete separation of pyrite from coal can be realized over a wide pH range at relatively low dosage.
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Jiang, C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The use of micellar solutions for novel separation techniques (open access)

The use of micellar solutions for novel separation techniques

Surfactant based separation techniques based on the solubilization of organic compounds into the nonpolar interior of a micelle or electrostatic attraction of ionized metals and metal complexes to the charged surface of a micelle were studied in this work. Micellar solutions were used to recover two model volatile organic compounds emitted by the printing and painting industries (toluene and amyl acetate) and to investigate the effect of the most important variables in the surfactant enhanced carbon regeneration (SECR) process. SECR for liquid phase applications was also investigated in which the equilibrium adsorption of cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on activated carbon were measured. Micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) was investigated using spiral wound membranes for the simultaneous removal of organic compounds, metals and metal complexes dissolved in water, with emphasis on pollution control applications. Investigations of MEUF to remove 99+ per cent of trichloroethylene (TCE) from contaminated groundwater using criteria such as: membrane flux, solubilization equilibrium constant, surfactant molecular weight, and Krafft temperature led to the selection of an anionic disulfonate with a molecular weight of 642 (DOWFAX 8390). These data and results from supporting experiments were used to design a system which could clean-up water in a …
Date: December 31, 1993
Creator: Roberts, B. L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Characterization of Zns-GaP Naon-composites (open access)

Characterization of Zns-GaP Naon-composites

It proved possible to produce consistent, high-quality nanocrystalline ZnS powders with grain sizes as small as 8 nm. These powders are nano-porous and are readily impregnated with GaP precursor, although inconsistently. Both crystal structure and small grain size of the ZnS can be maintained through the use of GaP. Heat treatment of the impregnated powders results in a ZnS-GaP composite structure where the grain sizes of the phases are on the order of 10--20 nm. Conventional powder processing should be able to produce optically dense ceramic compacts with improved mechanical properties and suitable IR transmission.
Date: December 9, 1993
Creator: Todd, V.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Investigation of the phase equilibria and phase transformations associated with the Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub y} superconductor (open access)

Investigation of the phase equilibria and phase transformations associated with the Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub y} superconductor

The solid solution region and reaction kinetics of the Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub y} (2212) superconductor were examined as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. Crystallization studies from the glassy and molten states were undertaken to determine the phase transformation and kinetics associated with the formation of 2212 and other competing phases. Crystallization of nominal 2212 glasses was found to proceed in two steps with the formation of Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2{minus}x}Ca{sub x}CuO{sub y} (2201) and Cu{sub 2}O followed by Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 3{minus}x}Ca{sub x}O{sub y}, CaO, and SrO. The 2212 phase converts from the 2201 phase with increasing temperatures. However, its formation below 800 C was kinetically limited. At 800 C and above, a nearly full conversion to the 2212 phase was achieved after only one minute although considerably longer anneal times were necessary for the system to reach equilibrium. In low oxygen partial pressures, the solidus is reduced to approximately 750 C. Solidification studies revealed an eutectic structure separating the incongruently melting 2212/2201 phases at high oxygen partial pressures from the congruently melting Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 3{minus}x}Ca{sub x}O{sub y} (23x) and Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2{minus}x}Ca{sub x}O{sub y} (22x) phases present at low oxygen partial pressures. During solidification in various oxygen …
Date: December 9, 1993
Creator: Holesinger, T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of ZrO{sub 2} thin films (open access)

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of ZrO{sub 2} thin films

Amorphous ZrO{sub 2} thin films were deposited in an inductively coupled PECVD system using a Zr {beta}-diketonate, Zr(C{sub 11}H{sub 19}O{sub 2}){sub 4}, as the precursor. The deposits were air annealed at 900C for 5 min to get pure, single phase, oriented, polycrystalline {alpha}-ZrO{sub 2}. Feasibility of using 2 different types of reactors was investigated. The inductively heated horizontal reactor depositions at 600C had a lower deposition rate and the films were non-uniform in thickness with a columnar structure. The resistively heated vertical reactor depositions at 350C had a higher deposition rate and the films were more uniform in thickness with a fine grained microstructure. The statistical design was demonstrated as an effective technique to analyze the effect of process conditions on the rate of deposition and relative (h00) orientation. The factorial design was used to quantify the two responses in terms of the process variables and their mutual interactions. The statistical design for rate of deposition was found to correlate with the trends observed in classical design.
Date: December 9, 1993
Creator: Saravanan, Kolandaivelu
System: The UNT Digital Library
Quantum groups, non-commutative differential geometry and applications (open access)

Quantum groups, non-commutative differential geometry and applications

The topic of this thesis is the development of a versatile and geometrically motivated differential calculus on non-commutative or quantum spaces, providing powerful but easy-to-use mathematical tools for applications in physics and related sciences. A generalization of unitary time evolution is proposed and studied for a simple 2-level system, leading to non-conservation of microscopic entropy, a phenomenon new to quantum mechanics. A Cartan calculus that combines functions, forms, Lie derivatives and inner derivations along general vector fields into one big algebra is constructed for quantum groups and then extended to quantum planes. The construction of a tangent bundle on a quantum group manifold and an BRST type approach to quantum group gauge theory are given as further examples of applications. The material is organized in two parts: Part I studies vector fields on quantum groups, emphasizing Hopf algebraic structures, but also introducing a ``quantum geometric`` construction. Using a generalized semi-direct product construction we combine the dual Hopf algebras A of functions and U of left-invariant vector fields into one fully bicovariant algebra of differential operators. The pure braid group is introduced as the commutant of {Delta}(U). It provides invariant maps A {yields} U and thereby bicovariant vector fields, casimirs and …
Date: December 9, 1993
Creator: Schupp, P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fundamental studies of hydrogen interaction with supported meta and bimetallic catalysts (open access)

Fundamental studies of hydrogen interaction with supported meta and bimetallic catalysts

The thesis is divided into 3 parts: interaction of H with silica supported Ru catalysts (high pressure in situ NMR), in situ NMR study of H interaction with supported Ru-group IB bimetallic catalysts, and in-situ NMR study of H effects on silica-supported Pt, Rh and Ru catalysts.
Date: December 7, 1993
Creator: Bhatia, S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Gas phase thermochemistry of organogermanium compounds (open access)

Gas phase thermochemistry of organogermanium compounds

A variety of silyl- and alkyl-germylene precursors have been synthesized and subsequently pyrolyzed in the gas phase. Arrhenius parameters were obtained employing a pulsed-stirred flow reactor for these unimolecular decompositions. These precursors are divided into two major categories by mechanism of germylene extrusion: {alpha}-elimination precursors and germylacetylenes. The extrusion of germylenes from germylacetylene precursors is of primary interest. A mechanism is proposed employing a germacyclopropene intermediate. Evidence supporting this mechanism is presented. In the process of exploring germylacetylenes as germylene precursors, an apparent dyatropic rearrangement between germanium and silicon was observed. This rearrangement was subsequently explored.
Date: December 7, 1993
Creator: Engel, J. P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Terfenol: A study of the phase equilibrium diagram and the solidification process (open access)

Terfenol: A study of the phase equilibrium diagram and the solidification process

Terfenol is a rare earth-iron alloy that was first developed at the Naval Ordinance Laboratory because of its rare magnetostrictive properties. Terfenol is composed of terbium and dysprosium combined with iron in a composition Tb{sub x}Dy{sub 1{minus}x}Fe{sub 2}, where x{approximately}0.3. The objective of this work was to determine the growth characteristics of Terfenol and its dependence on solidification rate, temperature gradient, and stoichiometry. Specific goals of this work were to verify the phase equilibria that is currently accepted for the systems DyFe{sub 2} and TbFe{sub 2}, and establish the phase equilibria near the composition Tb{sub 0.3}Dy{sub 0.7}Fe{sub 2}; establish that Terfenol grows directly from the liquid and that the reaction is occurring under metastable conditions; evaluate whether or not Terfenol can be grown under plane front conditions with a new radiofrequency float zone apparatus, and; determine whether or not <111> seeded crystals can be grown and <111> single crystals produced by elimination of dendrites employing growth methods capable of achieving high gradient/solidification rate ratios.
Date: December 7, 1993
Creator: Anderson, M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Topics in electroweak baryogenesis: The sphaleron and t-violation (open access)

Topics in electroweak baryogenesis: The sphaleron and t-violation

Assuming that beyond the standard model physics can be parametrized in terms of high dimensional operators, we examine their effects on the energy of the sphaleron and the classical solution of the gauge and Higgs fields. In the absence of fermions, all of the six dimension 6 operators which are SU(2) symmetric have a small effect when calculated perturbatively. However, calculated non-perturbatively, one of the operators alters the boundary conditions of the equations of motion of the Higgs and gauge fields involved, and another operator gives rise to an abrupt change in the sphaleron energy at a small but definite Higgs quartic coupling. The magnitude of the T-violating muon polarization induced by electromagnetic final state interaction in the radiative Kaon decay K{sup +} {yields} {mu}{sup +}{nu}{mu}{gamma} is order of 10{sup {minus}3}.
Date: December 7, 1993
Creator: SeungKoog, L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Anisotropic phase separation through the metal-insulator transition in amorphous Mo-Ge and Fe-Ge alloys (open access)

Anisotropic phase separation through the metal-insulator transition in amorphous Mo-Ge and Fe-Ge alloys

Since an amorphous solid is often defined as that which lacks long-range order, the atomic structure is typically characterized in terms of the high-degree of short-range order. Most descriptions of vapor-deposited amorphous alloys focus on characterizing this order, while assuming that the material is chemically homogeneous beyond a few near neighbors. By coupling traditional small-angle x-ray scattering which probes spatial variations of the electron density with anomalous dispersion which creates a species-specific contrast, one can discern cracks and voids from chemical inhomogeneity. In particular, one finds that the chemical inhomogeneities which have been previously reported in amorphous Fe{sub x}Ge{sub 1-x} and Mo{sub x}Ge{sub 1-x} are quite anisotropic, depending significantly on the direction of film growth. With the addition of small amounts of metal atoms (x<0.2), no films appear isotropic nor homogeneous through the metal/insulator transition. The results indicate that fluctuations in the growth direction play a pivotal role in preventing simple growth models of a columnar structure or one that evolves systematically as it grows. The anomalous scattering measurements identify the metal atoms (Fe or Mo) as the source of the anisotropy, with the Ge atoms distributed homogeneously. The author has developed a method for using these measurements to determine …
Date: December 1, 1993
Creator: Regan, M. J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Anomalous small angle x-ray scattering studies of amorphous metal-germanium alloys (open access)

Anomalous small angle x-ray scattering studies of amorphous metal-germanium alloys

This dissertation addresses the issue of composition modulation in sputtered amorphous metal-germanium thin films with the aim of understanding the intermediate range structure of these films as a function of composition. The investigative tool used in this work is anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering (ASAXS). The primary focus of this investigation is the amorphous iron-germanium (a-Fe{sub x}Ge{sub 100-x}) system with particular emphasis on the semiconductor-rich regime. Brief excursions are made into the amorphous tungsten-germanium (a-W{sub x}Ge{sub 100-x}) and the amorphous molybdenum-germanium (a-Mo{sub x}Ge{sub 100-x}) systems. All three systems exhibit an amorphous structure over a broad composition range extending from pure amorphous germanium to approximately 70 atomic percent metal when prepared as sputtered films. Across this composition range the structures change from the open, covalently bonded, tetrahedral network of pure a-Ge to densely packed metals. The structural changes are accompanied by a semiconductor-metal transition in all three systems as well as a ferromagnetic transition in the a-Fe{sub x}Ge{sub 100-x} system and a superconducting transition in the a-Mo{sub x}Ge{sub 100-x} system. A long standing question, particularly in the a-Fe{sub x}Ge{sub 100-x} and the a-Mo{sub x}Ge{sub 100-x} systems, has been whether the structural changes (and therefore the accompanying electrical and magnetic transitions) are accomplished …
Date: December 1, 1993
Creator: Rice, M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Characterization of the sodium void reactivity effect for advanced liquid metal reactor fuels (open access)

Characterization of the sodium void reactivity effect for advanced liquid metal reactor fuels

This report discusses the problems of a large positive sodium void reactivity effect in liquid metal reactors which have received increased attention following the accident at Chernobyl, a light water reactor with a positive coolant void coefficient. While the probability of voiding sodium is small, a large positive sodium void reactivity effect is, in many minds, unacceptable. Analyses were performed on models of an advanced liquid metal reactors to determine the effects fuel type have on the sodium void reactivity effect. Three fuel types were considered; metal, oxide, and nitride. Calculations were performed using three-dimensional, multigroup diffusion theory. Two programs were developed to aid the analyses. One calculated the capture-to-fission ratio and the other calculated reaction rates of selected materials. A one-group equation was derived to determine a theoretical basis for the sodium void reactivity effect. An option was presented for a shortened core having a near-zero sodium-void worth. The effect on the sodium void reactivity effect of using actinides as fuel is also considered.
Date: December 1, 1993
Creator: Kessler, S. F.
System: The UNT Digital Library