Progress has been made during this quarter on the assembly of the Process Development Unit (PDU) consisting of four of the critical components of the 50 MT/year Experimental Process System Development Unit (EPSDU) for the production of granular semiconductor-grade silicon by the zinc vapor reduction of silicon tetrachloride in a fluidized bed of seed particles. The target operation date of October 1, 1979, still appears attainable. An experimental wetted-wall condenser, about 1/10 the size of the PDU/EPSDU design was operated to demonstrate that recirculated liquid zinc chloride can indeed be used to wash down the condensed by-product of the fluidized-bed reactor containing finely divided solid zinc and some silicon dust. The temperature distribution proved to be more critical than anticipated but the condenser now appears to be operable. Some improvement in condensation efficiency is desirable, however. Procedures were established for safe handling of SiCl/sub 4/ leaks and spills from the EPSDU and PDU. Preparations are being made to conduct zinc vaporization experiments in that portion of the PDU before operation of the entire PDU is initiated.

The MOXY/SCORE computer program is used to evaluate the potential effect on peak cladding temperature of selective cooling that may result from a nonuniform mass flux at the core boundaries during the blowdown phase of the LOFT L2-4 test. The results of this study indicate that the effect of the flow nonuniformity at the core boundaries will be neutralized by a strong radial flow redistribution in the neighborhood of core boundaries. The implication is that the flow nonuniformity at the core boundaries has no significant effect on the thermal-hydraulic behavior and cladding temperature at the hot plane.

Various characterization tasks were performed on 54 cored shale samples from Johnson County, Kentucky. Core samples were obtained from depths of 967 to 1510 feet. A total of 126 samples were canned for several DOE contractors, including Battelle Columbus. Free gas analyses indicate the presence of significant quantities of higher chain hydrocarbon gases in the K-4 shales. Hydrocarbon gas release rates and kinetic studies indicate that diffusion coefficients are inversely proportional to the square root of the molecular weight of diffusing species. Although wide scatter is observed in the chemical and physical characterization data, good correlations exist between the hydrocarbon gas contents and various laboratory characterization values (physical and chemical). A number of one-to-one relationships are pointed out and discussed. Lithologically, inorganic portions of K-4 shales are composed predominantly of quartz and illite with small quantities of pyrite and various carbonate minerals.

This program was initiated in September 1976, with the objective and scope of determining the relationships between the shale characteristics, hydrocarbon gas contents, and well location, and thereby provide a sound basis for (1) assessing the productive capacity of the Eastern Devonian Gas Shale deposits, and (2) guiding research, development and demonstration projects to enhance the recovery of natural gas from the shale deposits. Included in the scope of the program are a number of elemental tasks as a part of the Resource Inventory and Shale Characterization subprojects of DOE's Eastern Gas Shales Project designed to provide large quantities of support data for current and possibly future needs of the Project.

Semiscale gravity feed reflood and FLECHT-SET tests have been reviewed to determine phenomena which may be important during LOFT reflood. FLOOD4 and RELAP4/MOD6 predictions for Semiscale and FLECHT-SET tests were compared to experimental data. Based on these comparisons, uncertainties were estimated for the LOFT reflood predictions; these uncertainties were then utilized to bound the extent of cladding oxidation expected for the LOFT L2-3 and L2-4 tests.

A study of the use of a low-to-moderate temperature hydrothermal resource for space heating a 140-home residential community has been undertake. The approach centers on use of the existing culinary/potable water supply system to supply heated water to the homes, the culinary water being heated at a single pumping station and then distributed throughout the community through uninsulated, buried water mains. The heated potable water is pumped through individual house water-to-air heat exchangers using sealed, magnetic-drive house pumps and returned to the street distribution lines. These house heat exchangers are either add-on, wall mounted, convective heating units or coils added to existing forced air heating systems.

A Parabolic Dish-Electric Transport concept for dispersed solar thermal generation is considered. In this concept the power generated by 15 kWe Solar Generation Units is electrically collected in a large plant. Various approaches are possible for the conversion of mechanical shaft output of the heat engines to electricity. This study focuses on the Application of Field Modulated Generation System (FMGS) for that purpose. Initially the state-of-the-art of FMGS is presented, and the application of FMGS to dispersed solar thermal electric generation is investigated. This is followed by the definition of the control and monitoring requirements for solar generation system. Then comparison is made between FMGS approach and other options. Finally, the technology developmental needs are identified.

The magnetic shields of the Mirror Fusion Test Facility neutral beam sources must keep the inner magnetic field below 0.15 mT inside an unsymmetrical ambient magnetic field of 0.05 to 1.5 T. Numerical computations and 1/10th-scale experiments were used to arrive at a three-layer shield design consisting of two thin nickel-iron alloy shells inside a thick mild steel shell. A 1/10th-scale prototype test confirmed the final design.

The toxicology and metabolism of nickel compounds were investigated in rats and hamsters. The new knowledge includes; demonstration that nickel carbonyl is teratogenic for hamsters; elucidation of physiological factors which influence ..cap alpha..Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/-induced erythrocytosis in rats; development of a sensitive assay for heme oxygenase activity in renal microsomes for use in studies of renal effects of nickel compounds; demonstration that administration of Ni(CO)/sub 4/ to rats inhibits incorporation of /sup 3/H-thymidine into DNA during hepatic regeneration; demonstration that clones of Syrian hamster fetal cells which have been transformed by in vitro exposure to ..cap alpha..Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/ consistently cause sarcomas following sc injection into nude mice; demonstration that nickel carbonyl-cyclopentadiene dimer induces rhabdomyosarcomas following im injection in rats; observation of differences in carcinogenic activities of several insoluble nickel compounds; discovery that intraocular injection of ..cap alpha..Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/ induces amelanotic melanomas in rats; and refinement of analytical methods for nickel in biological materials.

Progress during July 1979 in the development of the TAAMM warhead is reported. The one gun test was unsuccessful due to the velocity augmentor misfiring. Analytical studies were performed to determine velocity augmentor optimization. Hardware for the optimum augmentor is being fabricated. The results of a series of shaped charge tests are reported. Some delay detonators have been obtained and will be tested. (LCL)

Fission product cesium may contribute to cladding strain in low oxygen-to-metal ratio (O/M) FBR fuel pins through localized reaction with fuel or UO/sub 2/ blanket pellets. Titanium oxide pellets were laboratory irradiation tested as candidate cesium getters for FBR fuel pins. Results indicate satisfactory performance.