Experimental and theoretical research has been conducted jointly at the Livermore and Los Alamos National laboratories on dc electromagnetic railgun Lorentz accelerators. Pellets weighing a few grams to tens of grams have been launched at velocities up to better than 11 km/s. The research is addressed to attaining repeated launches of samples at hypervelocity in target impact experiments. In these experiments, shock-induced pressures in the tens of megabars range are obtained for high pressure equation-of-state research. Primary energy sources of the order of several hundred kJ to a MJ and induction currents of the order of 1 or more MA are necessary for these launches. Erosion and deformation of the conductor rails and the accelerated sample material are continuing problems. The heating, stress, and erosion resulting from simultaneous imposition of rail induction current, dense plasma (armature) interaction, current distribution, magnetic field stresses and projectile/rail contact friction are examined. It is found that while frictional heating and consequent sliding contact erosion are minor contributors to the overall erosion process, the same cannot be said for plasma impingement, penetration, and almost simultaneous induction current (Joule) heating.

A program of education in air infiltration and weatherization is presented. Materials use and drawings of an air leak detector are included. Advertising materials used are also included. (MHR)

New prototype electrofibrous filters were designed, built and evaluated in laboratory tests and in field installations. Two prototypes were designed for use in nuclear ventilation ducts as prefilters to HEPA filters. One prototype is designed to be a permanent component of the ventilation system while the other is a disposable unit. The disposable electrofibrous prefilter was installed in the exhaust stream of a glove box in which barrels of uranium turnings are burned. Preliminary tests show the disposal prefilter is effectively prolonging the HEPA filter life. An earlier prototype of the rolling prefilter was upgraded to meet the increased requirements for installation in a nuclear facility. This upgraded prototype was evaluated in the fire test facility at LLNL and shown to be effective in protecting HEPA filters from plugging under the most severe smoke conditions. The last prototype described in this report is a recirculating air filter. After demonstrating a high performance in laboratory tests the unit was shipped to Savannah River where it is awaiting installation in a Pu fuel fabrication facility. An analysis of the particulate problem in Savannah River indicates that four recirculating air filter will save $172,000 per year in maintenance costs.

An inexpensive, relatively quick calibration technique, used to calibrate moisture measuring instruments in Rocky Flats process lines is described. The moisture monitors utilize electrolytic cells to continuously monitor the moisture content of argon supply gases. The new method decreases the required down time of the measuring instrument from days to hours.

This quarterly report summarizes work on the following tasks as of September 30, 1982: (1) OTEC pilot plant conceptual design review; (2) OTEC methanol; (3) financial and legal considerations in OTEC implementation; (4) GEOTEC resource exploration at Adak, Alaska, and Lualualei, Hawaii; (5) preliminary GEOTEC plant cost estimates; and (6) supervision of testing of pneumatic wave energy conversion system.

Progress in two areas important to attaining the goals of this research program are briefly reviewed: (a) characterization of the major product-forming intermediate in the reactions of recoiling silicon atoms; (b) time-resolved laser flash spectroscopic studies of the generation and reactions of silicon radicals. 1 figure.

The Experimental Physics Division (E-Division) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory conducts research in basic and applied nuclear and atomic physics and materials science. Most of the research within the Division utilizes one of three facilities: an intense 14-MeV neutron source, a 27-MeV cyclograaff (consisting of a 15-MeV cyclotron and a 6-MV tandem van de Graaff), and a 100-MeV electron linac. A brief description of each facility is presented with emphasis on the research capabilities presently available.

This is an early survey and analysis of the types and quantities of solid toxic wastes to be expected from geothermal power systems, particularly at the Salton Sea, California. It includes a literature search (48 references/citations), descriptions of methods for handling wastes, and useful quantitative values. It also includes consideration of reclaiming metals and mineral byproducts from geothermal power systems. (DJE 2005)

Operation of the accelerator during the period from October 1981 to October 1982 is described. (GHT)

An apparatus for producing small quantities of glass balloons for use as laser fusion targets is described. To produce precise quantities of the ingredients of one glass balloon, a jet of an aqueous solution of the glass constituents and a blowing agent is metered into uniformly sized drops by Rayleigh breakup. A small fraction of these uniform drops is then passed through an oven where the water is evaporated, the remaining solid material is fused into glass, and a blowing agent decomposes or water of hydration evolves as a vapor to blow the drop into a balloon. Photographs of the resulting glass balloons are presented.

The detonation of the first atomic bomb heralded the beginning of a new age. Almost everyone agreed that the enormous energy released by the "atomic reaction" would create opportunities and problems far larger than man faced in previous history. However, few foresaw the explosion of knowledge that would also be part of this new age.

The unsteady, non-similar, chemically reactive, turbulent boundary layer equations are modified for gas plus dispersed solid particle mixtures, for gas phase turbulent combustion reactions and for heterogeneous gas-solid surface erosive reactions. The exterior (ballistic core) edge boundary conditions for the solutions are modified to include dispersed particle influences on core propellant combustion-generated turbulence levels, combustion reactants and products, and reaction-induced, non-isentropic mixture states. The wall surface (in this study it is always steel) is considered either bare or coated with a fixed particle coating which is conceptually non-reactive, insulative, and non-ablative. Two families of solutions are compared. These correspond to: (1) consideration of gas-borne, free-slip, almost spontaneously mobile (motile) solid particle additives which influence the turbulent heat transfer at the uncoated steel surface and, in contrast, (2) consideration of particle-free, gas phase turbulent heat transfer to the insulated surface coated by stationary particles. Significant differences in erosive heat transfer are found in comparing the two families of solutions over a substantial range of interior ballistic flow conditions. The most effective influences on reducing erosive heat transfer appear to favor mobile, gas-borne particle additives.

Large-scale plutonium recovery/processing facilities are currently operated at the US Department of Energy Hanford, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Rocky Flats, and Savannah River Sites. This paper presents an overview of plutonium process chemistry used at these sites, with particular emphasis on solution chemistry involved in recovery, purification, and waste treatment operations. By extrapolating from the present system of processes, this paper also attempts to chart the future direction of plutonium process development and operation. Areas where a better understanding of basic plutonium chemistry will contribute to development of improved processing are called out.

A radial inflow turbine (RIT) B rotor, including the impeller and shaft, was examined experimentally to determine vibratory characteristics. It was concluded that there are no specific speeds within the operating range with adequate resonance encroachment margins. It is recommended that performance tests be carried out with caution.

Activation energies were determined for decomposition of Fomblin HVAC 18/8 and Krytox 143AY oils (two perfluorinated polyethers) (respectively 60.6 kcal/mole and 55.6 kcal/mole) in the temperature range of 325/sup 0/ to 405/sup 0/C in a monel vessel. At any temperature in this range, Fomblin decomposes 30 +- 10 times faster than Krytox. The estimated decomposition in 10 years at 250/sup 0/C is 0.14% for Fomblin and 0.009% for Krytox. Effects of 304 ss and aluminum were determined. Although differences in the fluorine NMR spectrum of different batches of Krytox are observed, there are no significant changes detected between aged and unaged oils of the same batch. HF does not react with Krytox at 405/sup 0/C. Krytox can be chromatographed in spite of its high average molecular weight (3600 amu). GCMS showed that each smaller peak contained C/sub 2/F/sub 4/H-groups while the larger peaks contained only C/sub 2/F/sub 5/-groups. Hydrogen NMR on Krytox showed the C/sub 2/F/sub 4/H- to be CF/sub 3/CHF-groups. Chromatography of Fomblin gave a single broad envelope without resolved peaks.

SYNROC is a titanate-based ceramic developed for immobilization of high-level nuclear reactor wastes in solid form. Fluid-bed SYNROC production permits slurry drying, calcining and redox to be carried out in a single unit. We present results of studies from two fluid beds; the Idaho Exxon internally-heated unit and the externally-heated unit constructed at Lawrence Livermore National laboratory. Bed operation over a range of temperature, feed rate, fluidizing rate and redox conditions indicate that high density, uniform particle-size SYNROC powders are produced which facilitate the densification step and give HUP parts with dense, well-developed phases and good leaching characteristics. 3 figures, 3 tables.

The first lecture begins by reviewing the various facets of a thermonuclear-type plasma that will likely require special considerations or hardening of the applied diagnostic instrumentation. Several factors are necessary to adopt relatively standard plasma diagnostic techniques to function satisfactorily in the more hostile environment of a thermonuclear-type plasma. This lecture contains a listing of the various types of expected hardening requirements for a representative set of diagnostic instrumentation, including both on-line diagnostic instrumentation requirements for satisfactory operation and considerations to reduce integrated radiation damage sufficiently for a reasonable diagnostic lifetime. The second lecture in this series concerns several new diagnostics aimed specifically at measuring the plasma characteristics most appropriate to a thermonuclear-reactor-type plasma. This includes instrumentation needed to make quantitative energy-flow measurements during long-term operation with the expected high-input power sources, and locally very-high-wall power loadings. The second part of this lecture broadens diagnostics to include materials damage measurements needed for engineering design studies. This includes needed diagnostic instrumentation to assess first-wall damage, sputtering erosion at the walls (and high-power beam dumps), and radiation damage to components such as insulators.

This paper develops mathematical techniques required for the study of neutron-induced activation of importance to fission and fusion devices - reactors, nuclear weapons, etc. The formalism is presented as a guide for examining the dependence of activation products on flux time history, spatial gradients and the sensitivity to the assumed reactions and cross sections. Exact solutions in powers of the neutron fluence are presented and examined in various limits. As an example, radiochemical threshold (n,2n) detectors used to diagnose thermonuclear explosions are studied using approximations to these solutions. In particular, approximate formulas for the sensitivity of the radiochemical products to different cross sections are derived.

Stacking, compression, and welding of the laminations for the TeV I Small Aperture Quad results in a deformation due to springback which is unacceptable due to magnetic field requirements. ANSYS has been used to analyze a solution to this problem.

This report summarizes initial results from TMX-U carried out from June through August 1982. In these successful experiments we operated TMX-U in the sloshing-ion mode. We generated sloshing ions, measured improved energy confinement, and observed improved microstability compared to TMX. The experiments operated about as we expected and we are pleased with the results. During this period many additional achievements were also recorded. The magnetically confined sloshing ions constitute one of the two ingredients needed to build a thermal barrier. The second ingredient consists of magnetically confined electrons, which will be studied in the next series of TMX-U experiments using microwave heating of the electrons. Later, the hot ions and electrons will be combined to form thermal barriers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the stability of aggregate national residential electricity demand coefficients over time. The hypothesis is maintained that the aggregate residential demand is the sum of various end-use demand components. Since the end-use composition changes over time, the demand relationship may change as well. Since the end-use composition differs among regions, the results obtained from this study can be used for making inferences about regional differences in electricity demand relationships. There are two additional sources for a possible structural change. One is that consumers may react differently to declining and rising prices, secondly, the impact of the 1973 oil embargo may have shifted demand preferences. The electricity demand model used for this study is presented. A moving regression method was employed to investigate changes in residential electricity demand over time. The statistical results show a strikingly consistent pattern of change for most of the structural variables. The most important finding of this study is that the estimated structure of residential electricity demand changes systematically over time as a result of changes in the characteristics (both durability and saturation level) of the stock of appliances. Furthermore, there is not strong evidence that the structural changes …

Three ships were examined, the ED RYERSON, the ST. CLAIR, and the STEWART CORT to determine if retro-fitting these ships with a 3000 sq ft soft sail cat rig is economically feasible. By using existing weather data taken from recorded observations on Lake Michigan and Lake Superior and known performance characteristics of both the sailplan and hull, a computer program was written to model the problem. Three cases for each ship were estimated. The first was the average fuel savings, second was an optimistic estimate of fuel savings, and the third was a pessimistic estimate of fuel savings. Several considerations had to be taken into account that had serious consequences for the economic viability of the idea. One was the fact that all of the aforementioned ships have self unloading equipment that require about 80% of the deck space to be clear. This limited the choice of sailplans to one per ship. Another consideration is that due to bridge clearance problems an air draft of less than 125' was required. These two factors limited the size and efficiency of the sail plan. The third consideration is that due to the very tight shipping channels on the Great Lakes, there is …

Characterization of nuclear waste ceramics requires techniques possessing high spatial and x-ray resolution. XRD, SEM, electron microprobe, TEM and analytical EM techniques are applied to ceramic formulations designed to immobilize both commercial and defense-related reactor wastes. These materials are used to address the strengths and limitations of the techniques above. An iterative approach combining all these techniques is suggested. 16 figures, 2 tables.

A novel process for recovering uranium from seawater is proposed and some of the critical technical parameters are evaluated. The process, in summary, consists of two different options for contacting adsorbant pellets with seawater without pumping the seawater. It is expected that this will reduce the mass handling requirements, compared to pumped seawater systems, by a factor of approximately 10/sup 5/, which should also result in a large reduction in initial capital investment. Activated carbon, possibly in combination with a small amount of dissolved titanium hydroxide, is expected to be the preferred adsorbant material instead of the commonly assumed titanium hydroxide alone. The activated carbon, after exposure to seawater, can be stripped of uranium with an appropriate eluant (probably an acid) or can be burned for its heating value (possible in a power plant) leaving the uranium further enriched in its ash. The uranium, representing about 1% of the ash, is then a rich ore and would be recovered in a conventional manner. Experimental results have indicated that activated carbon, acting alone, is not adequately effective in adsorbing the uranium from seawater. We measured partition coefficients (concentration ratios) of approximately 10/sup 3/ in seawater instead of the reported values of …