The objective of the project is to demonstrate the efficiency and economics of recovering tertiary oil from a highly heterogenous reservoir (which has been successfully waterflooded, but is nearing the economic limit) by injecting a polymer slug of tapered concentrations to improve the sweep efficiency of the reservoir. In preparation for the injection of polymer, a major review of the mechanical condition of all producing and injection wells prompted a number of remedial workovers. As a preventive measure, all injection wells were equipped with plastic coated tubing, and packers were set approximately 100 ft above the Burbank sand to prevent the possibility of subsequent casing leaks thieving off injected polymer. Where necessary, producing wells were worked over to insure maximum producing capability. The remedial work was done at the start of the project to insure that any production increase resulting from the remedial work was recognized prior to the start of polymer injection. The necessary surface facility changes were made to allow the injection of fresh water only and to provide for the disposal of 35,000 BPD of produced water. Polymer storage and blending facilities were constructed in such a manner as to allow control of the mixing process with …

The philosophic basis and proposed implementation of an energy outreach program were set forth in a proposal of December 5, 1975 and in a revised proposal and budget of March 22, 1976, submitted after consultation with ERDA officials. The objectives and scope of work for the initial ten-month period presently contracted, and for the balance of the proposed two-year program, are summarized in the ERDA document ''Project: Outreach Program for Energy Information Dissemination in Adjacent Areas of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut''. A copy is included at the end of this report. The implementation plan set forth here specifies the nature and the time schedule of the work to be accomplished throughout the tem-month and the two-year periods. In order to disseminate information to target audiences, the institute will utilize various energy technology channels of communications, including, the Energy Information Center; NYIT Energy Hot Line; Metropolitan Regional Council Television Seminars; Referral Services; press releases; technical assisance teams; newspaper question-and-answer columns; traveling displays; contests; conferences; radio spots; volunteers; and Center for Energy Policy and Research Periodical. All energy topics are included, but priority in the short term will be given to energy management programs for small commercial/industrial plants; residential building …

The highlights of the ERDA Solar Thermal Branch Semiannual Review held in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 26-27, 1976, are presented. Status and plans for Total Energy Systems, Distributed Collectors, and Research and Development Projects are reviewed. (WHK)

This volume contains technical material related to community energy conservation programs, and supplements the organizational material in Volume I. It is in looseleaf format so that sections related to specific topics can be easily copied or transferred to individuals responsible for various sorts of conservation, such as carpooling programs, building improvements, and community outreach. Three technical chapters are included, discussing topics in the areas of: internal city and county operations; community powers and regulations, and outreach programs. In the first, the concern is with what the community can do to reduce energy use in its own operations, an effective first step in promoting comprehensive energy conservation. The second chapter analyzes ways that the police power and fiscal powers of the community can be used for energy conservation, through building codes, zoning, and similar measures. In the final chapter, ways to promote energy conservation in the community are discussed: programs include outreach to households and firms, carpool promotion, waste oil recycling, etc.

Radioactive fallout from this Chinese nuclear test resulted in measurable deposition of short-lived debris over much of the United States. The fallout levels varied by more than 1000-fold and showed significant temporary or spatial fractionation with higher levels of deposition being associated with rain. The particle size with which the airborne debris was associated decreased continuously with time following detonation and a substantial fraction of the {sup 131}I was associated with inorganic and organic gases. The potential radiation dose to an infant consuming milk produced at the location of the highest concentration of {sup 131}I measured on grass was estimated to be {approximately}l rem. This dose is about 50 times the annual dose received in the vicinity of a power reactor operating under the existing US Nuclear Regulatory Commission design guides. The potential upper limit thyroid dose for the population of 17 eastern seaboard states from this single test was estimated to be about 2.4 {times} 10{sup 6} man-thyroid-rem under the assumption that all dairy cows remained on fresh pasture throughout the month following the initial decomposition of fallout debris. This dose is about 200 times the estimated dose from currently operating nuclear power reactors and about 50 times the …

Growth rates for the denitrifying bacteria Pseudomonas Stutzeri were studied to minimize the time necessary to start up a bacterial denitrification reactor. Batch experiments were performed in nine 250-ml Erlenmeyer flasks, a 7-liter fermentor, and a 67-liter fermentor. All reactors maintained an anaerobic environment. Initial microorganism inoculum concentration was varied over four orders of magnitude. Initial nitrate and substrate carbon concentrations were varied from 200 to 6000 ppm and from 56 to 1596 ppm, respectively, with a carbon-to-nitrogen weight ratio of 1.18. In all experiments, except those with the highest initial substrate-to-bacteria ratio, no growth was observed due to substrate depletion during the lag period. In those experiments which did exhibit an increase in bacterial population, growth also stopped due to substrate depletion. A model simulating microbe growth during the induction period was developed, but insufficient data were available to properly adjust the model constants. Because of this, the model does not accurately predict microbe growth. The metabolism of Pseudomonas Stutzeri was studied in detail. This resulted in a prediction of the denitrification stoichiometry during steady state reactor operation. Iron was found to be an important component for bacterial anabolism.

A general presentation of the National Waste Terminal Storage Program was given on July 26, 1976, to the Michigan Environmental Review Board and the Michigan Nuclear Waste Disposal Task Force. The presentation included the following papers: Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Production, High Level Waste Solidification, An Overview of the National Waste Terminal Storage Program, Background and Review of Investigations in the Salina Salt Basin, Role of Transportation in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle. Separate abstracts were prepared for individual papers. (LK)

The decontamination and disposition (D and D) of Building 028, Shield Test Irradiation Reactor (STIR) facilities, are complete. The core tank, the activated concrete structures surrounding the core tanks, the thermal column, the reactor shield, the test vault carriage, the water cooling systems, and the water shield door were removed, and the facility exhaust system was partially dismantled. The facilities were decontaminated to levels which were as low as practicable, but in all cases to levels below the limits described as acceptable for future unrestricted use. The more significant D and D activities are summarized, and special techniques are noted. Results of the radiological monitoring in support of the D and D operations and of the final radiological survey are presented.

This report documents the principal results of a Conceptual Design Study for the Superconducting Toroidal Field System for a Tokamak Experimental Power Reactor. Two concepts are described for peak operating fields at the windings of 8 tesla, and 12 tesla, respectively. The design and manufacturing considerations are treated in sufficient detail that cost and schedule estimates could be developed. Major uncertainties in the design are identified and their potential impact discussed, along with recommendations for the necessary research and development programs to minimize these uncertainties. The minimum dimensions of a sub-size test coil for experimental qualification of the full size design are developed and a test program is recommended.

Russian and Polish steam-oxygen and steam-enriched-air gasification experiments are analyzed. These experiments were operated for a month or more, consumed up to 20,000 tons of coal, and apparently were conducted with no insurmountable problems. Almost twice as much oxygen per unit weight of coal was required than is used for Lurgi steam-oxygen gasification. The results suggest that a medium-Btu gas suitable for upgrading to pipeline quality gas or for the production of methanol, ammonia, or other chemicals can be obtained from underground coal gasification, particularly if steam-oxygen rather than enriched air and steam is used. The following gas quality was obtained (on a nitrogen-free basis): CH/sub 4/, 2-6 percent; H/sub 2/, 37-42 percent; CO, 18-27 percent; CO/sub 2/, 25-34 percent. The higher heating value of the gas was 220 to 270 Btu/scf. Equilibrium reaction temperatures near 900 K (1160/sup 0/F) were calculated from the product-gas analyses. These low temperatures together with the high consumption of oxygen, suggest some bypassing of oxidants and secondary oxidation of product gases, in addition to some fairly substantial heat losses underground.

A number of urethane and epoxy-modified urethane systems were evaluated as room-temperature-curing adhesives. The systems were formulated to yield a variety of modulus levels and to be compatible with certain chemically sensitive materials.

Quantities and compositions of non-tritium radioactive waste are estimated for some current conceptual fusion reactor designs, and disposal of large amounts of radioactive waste appears necessary. Although the initial radioactivity of fusion reactor and fission reactor wastes are comparable, the radionuclides in fusion reactor wastes are less hazardous and have shorter half-lives. Areas requiring further research are discussed.

The local environment surrounding Mound Laboratory was monitored for tritium and plutonium-238 released by Mound Laboratory. The results are reported for calendar year 1975. The environmental parameters analyzed included air, water, foodstuffs, soil, and silt. For radioactive species, the average concentrations of plutonium-238 and tritium were within the stringent standards adopted by the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration. Data concerning nonradioactive species in air and water are also presented and compared to federal, state, and local standards, where applicable. (auth)

Four separate techniques for calibrating energy dispersive x-ray spectrometers are described. They include the use of (1) individual evaporated elemental thin-film standards, (2) nebulized multielement standard solution deposits to determine relative elemental sensitivity factors, (3) a semi-empirical approach to calculate relative elemental sensitivity factors, and (4) thick pure element disks. The first three techniques are applicable for a broad range of elements. The utilization of nebulized multielement standard solution deposits, along with an evaporated single element thin-film standard for absolute system calibration, is the most accurate method of the calibration techniques described.

A comprehensive test program was conducted on the FFTF 8-in. Secondary Isolation Valve (SIV) to qualify its use in the FFTF system. The tests were performed in the Small Components Test Loop/Piping and Valve Test Insert (SCTL/PVTI) facility at the Liquid Metal Engineering Center (LMEC) in accordance with Westinghouse Test Request WDTRS 26.05. Physical inspections were conducted at the conclusion of sodium testing and following an alcohol cleaning process. Results of the investigation indicate that the valve is suitable for use as an FFTF plant spare.

The method's errors are defined to ascertain its absolute accuracy. An analytical technique was developed to examine vanadyl sulfate diluent for vanadium (V). None could be found in any of the lots tested. Certain lots of reagent-grade phosphoric acid contained an unidentified impurity that caused high generator-electrode potentials and a positive error. The current-potential characteristics of the generator electrode were measured. The data indicated that a significant fraction of uranium (IV) was oxidized directly during the early stages of titration. Using equations theoretically applicable to such a titration, a negligible difference was found between the inflection point of the titration curve and the equivalence point in the titration. However, the actual experimental curves did not agree with the theoretical curves early in the titration. Measurements of the background current indicated a level equivalent to approximately 0.2 mg uranium. The evaluation of the reagent delivery system used in the automated analyzer revealed adequate reproducibility. 8 tables.

Use of the Livermore x-ray streak camera to temporally record x-ray pinhole images of laser compressed targets is described. Use is made of specially fabricated composite x-ray pinholes which are near diffraction limited for 6 A x-rays, but easily aligned with a He--Ne laser of 6328 A wavelength. With a 6 ..mu..m x-ray pinhole, the overall system can be aligned to 5 ..mu..m accuracy and provides implosion characteristics with space--time resolutions of approximately 6 ..mu..m and 15 psec. Acceptable criteria for pinhole alignment, requisite x-ray flux, and filter characteristics are discussed. Implosion characteristics are presented from our present experiments with 68 ..mu..m diameter glass microshell targets and 0.45 terawatt, 70 psec Nd laser pulses. Final implosion velocities in excess of 3 x 10/sup 7/ cm/sec are evident.

Acoustic emission monitoring was used in hydrostatic experiments on flawed pressure vessels and thermal shock experiments on flawed cylindrical specimens. The results of the experiments are discussed.

Tabulated data are presented for the radioactive waste generated and the status of the waste farms during the first quarter of 1976. (JSR)

This Second Quarterly Report covers work conducted in the period from December 10, 1975, through March 15, 1976. The research is part of a five-task development project, the Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array Project (LSSA Project), being managed by the JPL for ERDA. The Encapsulation Task (Task III) of this project includes four studies assigned to Battelle-Columbus. The status of the studies active during this quarter is summarized in this report.

Impending geothermal development in the Imperial Valley of California has raised concern over the possible impacts of such development. As an initial step in impact assessment of geothermal projects, relevant features of the valley's physical and human environments are described. Particular attention is placed on features that may either influence development or be affected by it. Major areas of consideration include the valley's physical resources (i.e., land, air, water, and biological resources), economic, fiscal, and social characteristics of Imperial County, and geothermal laws.

The analytical methods developed or adopted for use in support of radiochemistry and gamma ray spectroscopy, HTGR fuel reprocessing, HTGR fuel development, TRIGA fuel fabrication, and miscellaneous projects are reported. (JSR)

Computer programs were written to design and simulate the behavior of three heat exchangers for cooling supercritical helium to approximately 4.3/sup 0/K at 4 atm. Helium, at 1, 3, or 5 gm/sec, is cooled by passing it through 0.635-cm-diam copper tubing immersed in a liquid nitrogen bath, through a copper, concentric tube, counter-current heat exchanger, and then through 0.635-cm copper tubing immersed in a liquid helium bath. The helium then enters a superconducting test magnet and finally passes through the annulus of the countercurrent exchanger before venting to the atmosphere. Several acceptable designs are presented that meet design and space limitations.

The mathematical model developed by Stiros for prediction of temperature profiles in ORR irradiation capsules was modified and a numerical solution obtained. A Fortran computer program was written to solve the generalized finite difference equations applied to a fixed lattice system superimposed on the capsule cross section. The Liebmann iterative method was employed. The solution accounts for changes in internal heat generation, thermal expansion, and thermal conductivity induced by both temperature and fluence. The computed temperatures deviated from actual experimental measurements in the fuel rods by less than 2.0 percent.