Thermal damage to susceptible materials in accessible regions shows damage-distribution patterns that indicate nonuniform intensity of exposure. No clear explanation for nonuniformity is found in existing evidence; e.g., in some regions a lack of thermally susceptible materials frustrates analysis. Elsewhere, burned materials are present next to materials that seem similar but appear unscathed - leading to conjecture that the latter materials preferentially absorb water vapor during periods of high local steam concentration. Most of the polar crane pendant shows heavy burns on one half of its circumferential surface. This evidence suggests that the polar crane pendant side that experienced heaviest burn damage was exposed to intense radiant energy from a transient fire plume in the reactor containment volume. Tests and simple heat-transfer calculations based on pressure and temperature records from the accident show that the atmosphere inside the reactor building was probably 8% hydrogen in air, a value not inconsistent with the extent of burn damage. Burn-pattern geography indicates uniform thermal exposure in the dome volume to the 406-ft level (about 6 ft below the polar crane girder), partial thermal exposure in the volume between the 406- and 347-ft levels as indicated by the polar crane cable, and lack of …

The 1983 annual report from Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to the Department of Energy (DOE) describes research in environment, health, and safety conducted during fiscal year 1983. The report again consists of five parts, each in a separate volume. Part 5 of the 1983 Annual Report to the Department of Energy's Assistant Secretary for Environmental Protection, Safety and Emergency Preparedness presents Pacific Northwest Laboratory's progress on work performed for the Office of Nuclear Safety and the Office of Operational Safety. For each project, as identified by the Field Task Proposal/Agreement, articles describe progress made during FY 1983. Authors of these articles represent a broad spectrum of capabilities derived from various segments of the Laboratory, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the work.

The purpose of this study was to develop a set of Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) calibration standards for asphaltene and preasphaltene analysis. A series of oligo(aryl ether) and oligo(arylmethylenes) from 170 to 580 g/mole were prepared via modified Ullmann-type reactions (ethers) and condensation of an aryl lithium derivative with an aryl carboxaldehyde, followed by reduction of the resulting carbonol (methylenes). These compounds were examined as molecular weight calibration standards for GPC analysis. A nearly linear plot was found to exist between the logarithm of molecular weight times mol fraction hydrogen versus retention volume with THF as the solvent. Further this plot was coincident with commercial polystyrene standards (600 to 2000 g/mol) and with the majority of our lignite derived asphaltenes and preasphaltenes. Work in our laboratory suggests that universal calibration plots for GPC analysis of lignite-derived preasphaltene and asphaltene liquefaction products are possible for determining number and weighted average molecular weight values. Universal calibration plots based on the logarithm of the hydrodynamic volume, number average molecular weight times hydrogen content, result in a smooth curve coincident with polystyrene standards, model compounds, and lignite derived asphaltenes/preasphaltenes. The data which supports the above hypothesis is presently limited and has only been measured …

This paper presents an overview of the EPICS control system at FERMILAB. EPICS is a distributed, multi-user, interactive system for the control and monitoring of particle beamlines at a high-energy experimental physics laboratory. The overview discusses the operating environment of the control system, the requirements which determined the design decisions, the hardware and software configurations, and plans for the future growth and enhancement of the present system. This paper is the first of three related papers on the EPICS system. The other two cover (1) the system structure and user interface and (2) RSX implementation issues.

This report begins with an overview of the Data Acquisition System (DAS), which supports several of PPPL's experimental devices. Performance measurements which were taken on DAS and the tools used to make them are then described.

We have performed a 440-day leaching experiment, Bead Leach II, using PNL 76-68 glass beads and simulated uranium fuel rods in the presence of repository host rocks. The experiment was conducted in a single pass continuous-flow apparatus consisting of 72 channels. The experimental conditions were: 25/sup 0/C and 75/sup 0/C, flow rates of 1, 10, and 300 m1/d, and leachant solutions consisting of simulated basalt groundwater, brine, and sodium bicarbonate solution. The two host rocks studied were Umtanum basalt and Nugget sandstone. The Bead Leach II experiment began in late 1980 and the leaching phase was concluded in December, 1981. Analysis of the leachates and of the two rock types was carried out subsequently and the results are presented in two reports. Part I was published in March, 1983, and it included results of the leaching of PNL 76-68 glass beads with the basalt groundwater. Part II includes results of the leaching of PNL 76-68 glass beads with brine and bicarbonate solution and the leaching of UO/sub 2/ pellets with basalt groundwater, brine, and bicarbonate solution. Results are in the form of leach rates, cumulative fractions leached, and adsorption profiles on basalt and sandstone. The radionuclides studied were Pu and …

In an effort to find the mechanism by which gamma irradiation weakens the unconfined compressive strength of Climax Stock quartz monzonite (CSQM), sections of rock which had been irradiated and loaded to near failure were studied by scanning electron microscopy and compared to sections of rock which had been loaded but not irradiated. The quantities measured and compared were numbers and lengths of microfractures in the rock. We found that the crack parameters depended neither on irradiation treatment nor even on stress history, except in one sample which actually failed. By comparison to cracks counted in other granites by other workers, the crack statistics on CSQM are much noisier and much less indicative of stress history. CSQM is structurally more heterogeneous than the other granites, which is probably the cause of the greater noise level. 12 references, 3 figures, 5 tables.

The results obtained in a criticality experiments program performed for British Nuclear Fuels, Ltd. (BNFL) under contract with the United States Department of Energy (USDOE) are presented in this report along with a complete description of the experiments. The experiments involved low enriched UO/sub 2/ and PuO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/ fuel rods in water containing dissolved gadolinium, and are in direct support of BNFL plans to use soluble compounds of the neutron poison gadolinium as a primary criticality safeguard in the reprocessing of low enriched nuclear fuels. The experiments were designed primarily to provide data for validating a calculation method being developed for BNFL design and safety assessments, and to obtain data for the use of gadolinium as a neutron poison in nuclear chemical plant operations - particularly fuel dissolution. The experiments program covers a wide range of neutron moderation (near optimum to very under-moderated) and a wide range of gadolinium concentration (zero to about 2.5 g Gd/l). The measurements provide critical and subcritical k/sub eff/ data (1 greater than or equal to k/sub eff/ greater than or equal to 0.87) on fuel-water assemblies of UO/sub 2/ rods at two enrichments (2.35 wt % and 4.31 wt % /sup 235/U) and …

A practical method is described for establishing action-angle variables for a Hamiltonian system. That is, a given nearly integrable Hamiltonian is divided into an exactly integrable system plus a perturbation in action-angle form. The transformation of variables, which is carried out using a few short trajectory integrations, permits a rapid determination of trajectory properties throughout a phase space volume.

Auxiliary rf heating of electrons before and during the current-rise phase of a large tokamak, such as the Fusion Engineering Device (R = 4.8 m, a = 1.3 m, sigma = 1.6, B/sub T/ = 3.62 T), is examined as a means of reducing both the initiation loop voltage and resistive flux expenditure during startup. Prior to current initiation, 1 to 2 MW of electron cyclotron resonance heating power at approx. 90 GHz is used to create a small volume of high conductivity plasma (T/sub e/ approx. = 100 eV, n/sub e/ approx. = 10/sup 19/ m/sup -3/) near the upper hybrid resonance (UHR) region. This plasma conditioning permits a small radius (a/sub 0/ approx. = 0.2 to 0.4 m) current channel to be established with a relatively low initial loop voltage (less than or equal to 25 V as opposed to approx. 100 V without rf assist). During the subsequent plasma expansion and current ramp phase, a combination of rf heating (up to 5 MW) and current profile control leads to a substantial savings in volt-seconds by: (1) minimizing the resistive flux consumption; and (2) maintaining the internal flux at or near the flat profile limit.

The impact of the developments of modern digital computers is discussed, especially with respect to physics research in the future. The effects of large data processing capability and increasing rates at which data can be acquired and processed are considered. (GHT)

A quality assurance program for applications software has been developed within the Administrative Data Processing Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The goal of this program is that maintainable, flexible, and reliable software be produced in a cost effective manner, thereby increasing user satisfaction. The difference between this program and other, sometimes less than successful Q/A programs is that the developers have attempted to make it flexible and non-bureaucratic. By building in this flexibility, it is hoped that data processing personnel will be more likely to adhere to the established standards. This paper describes the philosophy, development and implementation of this Q/A program. Techniques and the key elements used to ensure adherence to the standards are covered in detail.

A passive neutron monitor has been designed and built for determining the residual transuranic (TRU) and plutonium content of chopped leached fuel hulls and other solid wastes from spent Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) fuel. The system was designed to measure as little as 8 g of plutonium or 88 mg of TRU in a waste package as large as a 208-l drum which could be emitting up to 220,000 R/hr of gamma radiation. For practical purposes, maximum assay times were chosen to be 10,000 sec. The monitor consists of 96 /sup 10/BF/sub 3/ neutron sensitive proportional counting tubes each 5.08 cm in diameter and 183 cm in active length. Tables of neutron emission rates from both spontaneous fission and (..cap alpha..,n) reactions on oxygen are given for all contributing isotopes expected to be present in spent FFTF fuel. Tables of neutron yeilds from isotopic compositions predicted for various exposures and cooling times are also given. Methods of data reduction and sources, magnitude, and control of errors are discussed. Backgrounds and efficiencies have been measured and are reported. A section describing step-by-step operational procedures is included. Guidelines and procedures for quality control and troubleshooting are also given. 13 references, 15 …

Tests performed on several Niobium TM/sub 010/ cavities at frequencies of about 2856 MHz using a high-power, pulsed method indicate that, at the end of the charging pulse, peak surface magnetic fields of up to approx. 1300 Oe, corresponding to a peak surface electric field of approx. 68 MV/m, can be reached at 4.2/sup 0/K without appreciable average losses. Further studies of the properties of superconductors under pulsed operation might shed light on fundamental properties of rf superconductivity, as well as lead to the possibility of applying the pulse method to the operation of high-gradient linear colliders. 7 references, 30 figures, 2 tables.

This report presents the results of an assessment of long-range research needs in nuclear waste management. The purpose is to aid the Director of Energy Research in determining the health of DOE's research programs. The intent of the project reported here was to identify additional, basic research necessary in the 1980s and 1990s to develop an adequate scientific data base for nuclear waste management activities likely to be important around the turn of the century. The recommendations resulted from an overview of the entire area of nuclear waste management, not from focused examinations of narrow topics within that area. The suggested research may be the subject of future studies or more intense work by DOE. The recommendations presented in this report are not accompanied by designations of responsible program offices within DOE. It is anticipated that the contents of the report will be shared with the program offices involved and that those offices will recognize and respond to recommendations within their purviews.

Experiments were conducted to establish the feasibility of downhole high-frequency techniques for location of fractures in the vicinity of boreholes. An existing flame-cut slot in granite was filled with salt water to simulate a brine-filled fracture. The first method used an electromagnetic wave at 30 to 300 MHz, vhf frequencies. A transmitter consisting of a phased dual-dipole array arranged to provide a directional signal toward the fracture was installed in a borehole opposite the fracture. A receiver was also located in the same borehole. The radar returns from the simulated fracture were detectable in boreholes located at distances of up to 12 meters from the fracture. These results indicate for the first time the feasibility of a downhole vhf radar for use in a single borehole for detection of fractures located away from the borehole. Similar experiments were also conducted using seismic waves at 4.5 to 6 KHz. The transmitter and the receiver in this case were located in separate boreholes. During this experiment, reflections from the slot were obtained only with the transducers oriented for shear wave illumination and detection. These results suggest that a high-frequency shear wave can also be used to detect fractures away from a borehole.

The degradation characteristics of three types of vacuum pump fluids, polyphenyl ethers, perfluoropolyethers and hydrocarbon oils were reviewed. Fluid selection proved to be a critical factor in the long-term performance of tritium pumping systems and subsequent tritium recovery operations. Thermal degradation and tritium radiolysis of pump fluids produce contaminants which can damage equipment and interfere with tritium recovery operations. General characteristics of these fluids are as follows: polyphenyl ether has outstanding radiation resistance, is very stable under normal diffusion pump conditions, but breaks down in the presence of oxygen at anticipated operating temperatures. Perfluoropolyether fluids are very stable and do not react chemically with most gases. Thermal and mechanical degradation products are inert, but the radiolysis products are very corrosive. Most of the degradation products of hydrogen oils are volatile and the principal radiolysis product is methane. Our studies show that polyphenyl ethers and hydrocarbon oils are the preferred fluids for use in tritium pumping systems. No corrosive materials are formed and most of the degradation products can be removed with suitable filter systems.

The Steam Generator Group Project (SGGP) is an NRC program joined by additional sponsors. The SGGP utilizes a steam generator removed from service at a nuclear plant (Surry 2) as a vehicle for research on a variety of safety and reliability issues. This report is an annual summary of progress of the program for 1982. Information is presented on the Steam Generator Examination Facility (SGEF), especially designed and constructed for this research. Loading of the generator into the SGEF is then discussed. The report then presents radiological field mapping results and personnel exposure monitoring. This is followed by information on field reduction achieved by channel head decontaminations. The report then presents results of a secondary side examination through shell penetrations placed prior to transport, confirming no change in generator condition due to transport. Decontamination of the channel head is discussed followed by plans for eddy current testing and removal of the plugs placed during service. Results of a preliminary profilometry examination are then provided.

As part of its duties in connection with space missions involving nuclear power sources, the Office of Nuclear Safety (ONS) of the Office of Assistant Secretary for Environmental Protection, Safety, and Emergency Preparedness has been assigned the task of reviewing the Overall Safety Manual (OSM) (memo from B.J. Rock to J.R. Maher, December 1, 1982). The OSM, dated July 1981 and in four volumes, was prepared by NUS Corporation, Rockville, Maryland, for the US Department of Energy. The OSM provides many of the technical models and much of the data which are used by (1) space launch contractors in safety analysis reports and (2) the broader Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP) safety evaluation reports. If fhs interaction between the OSM, contractors, and INSRP is to work effectively, the OSM must be accurate, comprehensive, understandable, and usable.

This report summarizes the progress and research accomplishments of the SERI Biomass Program during FY 1983. The SERI Biomass Program consists of three elements: Aquatic Species, Anaerobic Digestion, and Photo/Biological Hydrogen. Each element has been indexed separately. 2 references, 44 figures, 22 tables.

This report describes the results of field and laboratory studies of combined NH/sub 3/ and SO/sub 3/ conditioning at the Big Brown Station of Texas Utilities Generating Company. This unusual combination of conditioning agents is used routinely at the Big Brown Station in order to improve the performance of the cold-side electrostatic precipitators. The primary objectives of this field study were to evaluate the performance of one of the Big Brown precipitators, and to obtain data on the concentration, composition, and size distribution of the fly ash, as well as the composition of the flue gas and the overall and fractional collection efficiencies of the precipitator. The laboratory studies of the Big Brown fly ash were intended to further characterize the ash both physically and chemically, and to study the attenuation of the electrical resistivity of the ash associated with the surface film produced by the dual conditioning process and by the use of SO/sub 3/ conditioning alone. 6 references, 22 figures, 9 tables.

Results are presented of a study of various aspects of the single helicity nonlinear development of the resistive interchange mode in the cylindrical spheromak. A formulation of the helically symmetric resistive MHD equations that partially separates the ideal MHD characteristics is developed. Mode saturation can occur due to the quasilinear flattening of the pressure profile in the vicinity of the mode rational surface. However, this saturation process is defeated when the plasma overheats and in regions of the plasma where the shear is low. Finite fluid compression has significant, and optimistic, consequences on the long-term nonlinear behavior of this mode. For a tearing mode stable cylindrical spheromak equilibrium configuration with an axial beta value of 6%, complete overlap of the m = 1 islands occurs in about 3% of the resistive skin time for a magnetic Reynold's number of S = 10/sup 5/. For typical parameters of the S-1 device at Princeton, this time corresponds to nearly one-millisecond.

The synthesis of epsilon-Fe/sub 2.7/N is confirmed by Moessbauer spectroscopy. Carburization of epsilon-iron nitride for 2.5 hours in 3H/sub 2//CO at 523 K starts the formation of a bulk structure similar to that seen during ..gamma..'-iron nitride carburization. Reaction of ..gamma..'-Fe/sub 4/N in 3CO/H/sub 2/ synthesis gas at 523 K shows a better bulk stability than reaction in 3H/sub 2//CO. Kinetic analysis of the product distribution at the higher CO ratio confirms greater activity and selectivity maintainance. The kinetics of denitriding in both He and H/sub 2/ was studied with a mass spectrometer. Extremely rapid nitrogen loss was observed from both ..gamma..'-Fe/sub 4/N and epsilon-Fe/sub 2.7/N catalysts in H/sub 2/ at 523 K. In both cases a initial exposure to H/sub 2/ produced a significant amount of NH/sub 3/ which we ascribe to an active surface species. Hydrogenation of the bulk continued with a slow rise to a maximum about 90 seconds after the introduction of H/sub 2/. The denitriding activity of the epsilon-Fe/sub 2.7/N catalyst was significantly higher than that of the ..gamma..'-Fe/sub 4/N catalyst. In contrast, the denitriding rate of epsilon-Fe/sub 2.7/N in He was significantly slower than that in H/sub 2/ until high temperatures (773K) were reached. …

The structural components of principal interest in LMFBR cores and cooling circuits include the reactor vessel, primary and secondary piping, intermediate heat exchanger (IHX), and steam generator. Load-bearing components inside the vessel, among these the fuel cladding and duct, are also included. The operating conditions present in a fast-breeder nuclear reactor impose a number of requirements on the mechanical, physical, and neutronic properties of the materials used to construct these components.