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Nuclear power in the Soviet Bloc
The growth of Soviet Bloc nuclear power generation to the end of the century is evaluated on the basis of policy statements of objectives, past and current nuclear power plant construction, and trends in the potential for future construction. Central to this study is a detailed examination of individual reactor construction and site development that provides specific performance data not given elsewhere. A major commitment to nuclear power is abundantly clear and an expansion of ten times in nuclear electric generation is estimated between 1980 and 2000. This rate of growth is likely to have significant impact upon the total energy economy of the Soviet Bloc including lessening demands for use of coal, oil, and gas for electricity generation.
Evaluation of the geological relationships to gas hydrate formation and stability
During the reported year we have enhanced our knowledge on and gained considerable experience in assessment of the gas hydrate resources in the offshore environments. Specifically, we have learned and gained experience in the following: Efficiently locating data sources, including published literature and unpublished information. We have established personal communication extremely critical in data accessability and acquisition. We have updated information pertinent to gas hydrate knowledge, also based on thorough study and evaluation of most Russian literature and additional publications in languages other than English. Besides critical evaluation of widely spread literature, in many cases our reports include previously unpublished information (e.g. BSRs from the Gulf of Mexico). The assessment of the gas resources potential associated with the gas hydrates, although in most cases at a low level of confidence, appears also very encouraging for further, more detailed, study. We are also confident that, because of the present reports' format, new data and a concept-oriented approach, the result of our study will be of strong interest to various industries, research institutions and numerous governmental agencies.
Research on human genetics in Iceland. Progress report
Records of the Icelandic Population are being used to investigate the possible inheritance of disabilities and diseases as well as other characters and the effect of environment on man. The progress report of research covers the period 1977 to 1980. The investigation was begun in 1965 by the Genetical Committee of the University of Iceland and the materials used are demographic records from the year 1840 to present and various medical information. The records are being computerized and linked together to make them effective for use in hereditary studies.
Surface footprint from initial Chernobyl release as indicated by the meso-alpha MLAM (Multi-Layer Air Mass) model
This document reports the results of dose calculations from the Chernobyl reactor accident in April 1986. The calculations were completed in 1987. The results are now being published to disseminate the information to an audience of potential users. This study's objective was to model the transport path of materials released during April 26 and 27, the first 48 hours of the accident. 5 refs., 15 figs.
Radioactive waste management in the former USSR
Radioactive waste materials--and the methods being used to treat, process, store, transport, and dispose of them--have come under increased scrutiny over last decade, both nationally and internationally. Nuclear waste practices in the former Soviet Union, arguably the world's largest nuclear waste management system, are of obvious interest and may affect practices in other countries. In addition, poor waste management practices are causing increasing technical, political, and economic problems for the Soviet Union, and this will undoubtedly influence future strategies. this report was prepared as part of a continuing effort to gain a better understanding of the radioactive waste management program in the former Soviet Union. the scope of this study covers all publicly known radioactive waste management activities in the former Soviet Union as of April 1992, and is based on a review of a wide variety of literature sources, including documents, meeting presentations, and data base searches of worldwide press releases. The study focuses primarily on nuclear waste management activities in the former Soviet Union, but relevant background information on nuclear reactors is also provided in appendixes.
Krakow Clean Fossil Fuels and Energy Efficiency Project
In Karkow, Poland almost half of the energy used for heating is supplied by local, solid-fuel-fired boilerhouses and home stoves. These facilities are referred to as the low emission sources'' and are primary contributors of particulates and hydrocarbon air pollution in the city and secondary contributors of sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. The Support of Eastern European Democracy Act of 1989 directed the US Department of Energy to undertake an equipment assessment project aimed at developing the capability within Poland to manufacture or modify industrial-scale combustion equipment to utilize fossil fuels cleanly. The Project is being conducted in a manner that can be generalized to all of Poland and uito the rest of Eastern Europe. The project plan includes three phases which have been developed around five specific subprojects. In Phase 1, technical and economic assessments will be made of pollution reduction options for the five subprojects. Phase 2 plans call for public meetings in the US and Poland for companies interested in forming joint ventures. Information will be available in these meetings to enable companies to identify markets and select potential partners that meet with their capabilities and interests. In Phase 3, DOE will issue a solicitation for Polish/American joint ventures to perform commercial feasibility studies for the supply of US technology applicable to one or more of the five subprojects. The selected joint venture companies would receive assistance in the form of cooperative agreements requiring at least 50% cost-sharing to perform those activities necessary to permit them to conduct business in Poland.
Heat transfer in underground heating experiments in granite, Stipa, Sweden
Electrical heater experiments have been conducted underground in granite at Stripa, Sweden, to investigate the effects of heating associated with nuclear waste storage. Temperature data from these experiments are compared with closed-form and finite-element solutions. Good agreement is found between measured temperatures and both types of models, but especially for a nonlinear finite-element heat conduction model incorporating convective boundary conditions, measured nonuniform initial rock temperature distribution, and temperature-dependent thermal conductivity. In situ thermal properties, determined by least-squares regression, are very close to laboratory values. A limited amount of sensitivity analysis is undertaken.
Foreign and domestic discussions on natural geothermal power and potential use of Plowshare to stimulate these natural systems
No Description Available.
Study of federal microwave standards
Present and future federal regulatory processes which may impact the permissible levels of microwave radiation emitted by the SPS Microwave Power Transmission (MPTS) were studied. An historical development of US occupational and public microwave standards includes an overview of Western and East European philosophies of environmental protection and neurophysiology which have led to the current widely differing maximum permissible exposure limits to microwaves. The possible convergence of microwave standards is characterized by a lowering of Western exposure levels while Eastern countries consider standard relaxation. A trend toward stricter controls on activities perceived as harmful to public health is under way as is interest in improving the federal regulatory process. Particularly relevant to SPS is the initiation of long-term, low-level microwave exposure programs. Coupled with new developments in instrumentation and dosimetry, the results from chronic exposure program and population exposure studies could be expected within the next five to ten years. Also discussed is the increasing public concern that rf energy is yet another hazardous environmental agent.
Geology and geothermics of the Island of Milos (Greece)
Geothermal research which has been conducted on the island of Milos is reviewed and the island's geology is discussed in terms of the geodynamics of the eastern Mediterranean. The rock formations which outcrop at Milos are described in detail, including the crystalline basement, Neogene transgressive conglomerates and limestones, and the Quaternary volcanics and volcano-sedimentary series. The recent disjunctive tectonics and volcano-tectonics affecting Milos and the neighboring islands are reviewed. Thermal manifestations and their attendant mineralizations and hydrothermal alterations are described. The geophysical methods utilized in exploration and for the siting of production wells are described. Exploration work involved the drilling of 55 wells for thermometric determinations and a full scale electrical survey. Preliminary data from two production wells with bottom-hole temperatures in excess of 300/sup 0/C are reported. Fifty-four references are provided.
Foreign experience on effects of extended dry storage on the integrity of spent nuclear fuel
This report summarizes the results of a survey of foreign experience in dry storage of spent fuel from nuclear power reactors that was carried out for the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM). The report reviews the mechanisms for degradation of spent fuel cladding and fuel materials in dry storage, identifies the status and plans of world-wide experience and applications, and documents the available information on the expected long-term integrity of the dry-stored spent fuel from actual foreign experience. Countries covered in this survey are: Argentina, Canada, Federal Republic of Germany (before reunification with the former East Germany), former German Democratic Republic (former East Germany), France, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the former USSR (most of these former Republics are now in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)). Industrial dry storage of Magnox fuels started in 1972 in the United Kingdom; Canada began industrial dry storage of CANDU fuels in 1980. The technology for safe storage is generally considered to be developed for time periods of 30 to 100 years for LWR fuel in inert gas and for some fuels in oxidizing gases at low temperatures. Because it will probably be decades before countries will have a repository for spent fuels and high-level wastes, the plans for expanded use of dry storage have increased significantly in recent years and are expected to continue to increase in the near future.
Geothermal energy as a source of electricity. A worldwide survey of the design and operation of geothermal power plants
An overview of geothermal power generation is presented. A survey of geothermal power plants is given for the following countries: China, El Salvador, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Turkey, USSR, and USA. A survey of countries planning geothermal power plants is included. (MHR)
Geotomography applied at the Stripa Mine in Sweden
LLNL made ultrahigh-frequency (450-MHz) electromagnetic borehole-to-borehole transmissions in the Stripa Mine near Guldsmedshyttan, Sweden, in April 1979. Transmission loss measurements were made between four sets of 76-mm boreholes 30 m long, located at the end of a drift. Distances between the boreholes varied from 2 to 22 m. More than 25,000 data points were taken. A geotomograph was constructed to show the variation of attenuation between boreholes. The observed spatial variation of electromagnetic attenuation may be related to the expected stress relief created by the mine. Transmission loss measurements were also made between two converging boreholes drilled from the surface to points near the mine. Data taken at 21 MHz show a nearly uniform attenuation within this sampled region. These experiments demonstrate that geotomographic data collection/interpretation provides high-resolution images of the underground environment and can provide useful input to those charged with providing the detailed site characterizations needed for both short- and long-term monitoring of underground nuclear waste repositories.
The Soviet applied information sciences in a time of change
The Foreign Applied Sciences Assessment Center (FASAC) conducts reviews of selected areas of foreign basic and applied science by US scientists who are technically expert and active in the fields reviewed. Several of the FASAC assessments of Soviet science have involved various aspects of the information sciences, including enabling technologies and applications, as well as the core information sciences. This report draws upon those FASAC assessment reports, the expert judgment of some of the authors of those reports, and other public sources to characterize the current state of the information sciences in the Soviet Union and the effects of information science capabilities upon other areas of Soviet science and technology. This report also provides estimates of the likely effect of the political and social reforms underway in the Soviet Union on future Soviet progress in the information sciences and, at a more general level, in science and technology. 41 refs., 7 tabs.
Economics of a conceptual 75 MW Hot Dry Rock geothermal electric power station
Man-made, Hot Dry Rock (HDR) geothermal energy reservoirs have been investigated for over ten years. As early as 1977 a research-sized reservoir was created at a depth of 2.9 km near the Valles Caldera, a dormant volcanic complex in New Mexico, by connecting two wells with hydraulic fractures. Thermal power was generated at rates of up to 5 MW(t) and the reservoir was operated for nearly a year with a thermal drawdown less than 10/sup 0/C. A small 60kW(e) electrical generation unit using a binary cycle (hot geothermal water and a low boiling point organic fluid, R-114) was operated. Interest is now worldwide with field research being conducted at sites near Le Mayet de Montagne, France; Falkenberg and Urach, Federal Republic of Germany; Yakedake, Japan; and Rosemanowes quarry in Cornwall, United Kingdom. To assess the commercial viability of future HDR electrical generating stations, an economic modeling study was conducted for a conceptual 75 MW(e) generating station operating at conditions similar to those prevailing at the New Mexico HDR site. The reservoir required for 75 MW(e), equivalent to 550 MW of thermal energy, uses at least 9 wells drilled to 4.3 km and the temperature of the water produced should average 230/sup 0/C. Thermodynamic considerations indicate that a binary cycle should result in optimum electricity generation and the best organic fluids are refrigerants R-22, R-32, R-115 or R-600a (Isobutane). The break-even bus bar cost of HDR electricity was computed by the levelized life-cycle method, and found to be competitive with most alternative electric power stations in the US.
Progress report on research on human genetics in Iceland
Records of the Icelandic population are being used to investigate the possible inheritance of disabilities and diseases as well as other characteristics and the effect of environment on man. The progress report of research covers the period from 1977 to 1980. The investigation was begun in 1965 by the Genetical Committee of the University of Iceland and the materials used are demographic records from the year 1840 to present and various medical information. The records are being computerized and linked together to make them effective for use in hereditary studies.
Pebble Bed Reactor review update. Fiscal year 1979 annual report
Updated information is presented on the Pebble Bed Reactor (PBR) concept being developed in the Federal Republic of Germany for electricity generation and process heat applications. Information is presented concerning nuclear analysis and core performance, fuel cycle evaluation, reactor internals, and safety and availability.
Superpower nuclear minimalism
During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union competed in building weapons -- now it seems like America and Russia are competing to get rid of them the fastest. The lengthy process of formal arms control has been replaced by exchanges of unilateral force reductions and proposals for reciprocal reductions not necessarily codified by treaty. Should superpower nuclear strategies change along with force postures President Bush has yet to make a formal pronouncement on post-Cold War American nuclear strategy, and it is uncertain if the Soviet/Russian doctrine of reasonable sufficiency formulated in the Gorbachev era actually heralds a change in strategy. Some of the provisions in the most recent round of unilateral proposals put forth by Presidents Bush and Yeltsin in January 1992 are compatible with a change in strategy. Whether such a change has actually occurred remains to be seen. With the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union, the strategic environment has fundamentally changed, so it would seem logical to reexamine strategy as well. There are two main schools of nuclear strategic thought: a maximalist school, mutual assured destruction (MAD) which emphasizes counterforce superiority and nuclear war- fighting capability, and a MAD-plus school, which emphasizes survivability of an assured destruction capability along with the ability to deliver small, limited nuclear attacks in the event that conflict occurs. The MAD-plus strategy is based on an attempt to conventionalize nuclear weapons which is unrealistic.
Swedish nuclear waste efforts
After the introduction of a law prohibiting the start-up of any new nuclear power plant until the utility had shown that the waste produced by the plant could be taken care of in an absolutely safe way, the Swedish nuclear utilities in December 1976 embarked on the Nuclear Fuel Safety Project, which in November 1977 presented a first report, Handling of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Final Storage of Vitrified Waste (KBS-I), and in November 1978 a second report, Handling and Final Storage of Unreprocessed Spent Nuclear Fuel (KBS II). These summary reports were supported by 120 technical reports prepared by 450 experts. The project engaged 70 private and governmental institutions at a total cost of US $15 million. The KBS-I and KBS-II reports are summarized in this document, as are also continued waste research efforts carried out by KBS, SKBF, PRAV, ASEA and other Swedish organizations. The KBS reports describe all steps (except reprocessing) in handling chain from removal from a reactor of spent fuel elements until their radioactive waste products are finally disposed of, in canisters, in an underground granite depository. The KBS concept relies on engineered multibarrier systems in combination with final storage in thoroughly investigated stable geologic formations. This report also briefly describes other activities carried out by the nuclear industry, namely, the construction of a central storage facility for spent fuel elements (to be in operation by 1985), a repository for reactor waste (to be in operation by 1988), and an intermediate storage facility for vitrified high-level waste (to be in operation by 1990). The R and D activities are updated to September 1981.
How much will pollution reduction in Krakow cost
This report is on the status of US/Polish efforts to reduce air pollution from low emission sources (coalfired house stoves and local boilers) in Krakow, Poland. The region around Krakow in Southern Poland is one of the most heavily polluted areas in the world. In 1989, while visiting Poland, President George Bush made a commitment on behalf of the US to assist in the reclamation of the Krakow environment; Congress in 1990 authorized $20 million to address pollutants from low emissions sources,'' that is, from facilities with low stacks. The low emission sources are responsible for 35 percent of SO{sub x} emissions, significant NO{sub x} emissions, and are the primary source of particulate and organic emissions. The Krakow Clean Fossil Fuels and Energy Efficiency Project, sponsored by the US Agency for International Development and implemented by the US Department of Energy, is designed to reduce these emissions by improving the efficiency of coal use in Krakow's 130,000 coal stoves and 1300 small coal-fired boilerhouses, by reducing demand for energy for space conditioning through thermal integrity improvements, and/or by switching to alternative fuels. The project includes a comprehensive testing program, engineering analyses, and economic assessments to determine the most attractive strategy for reducing emissions from low emission sources in Krakow; this paper reports on the initial results of the project.
The US Liquid Metal Reactor Development Program
The US Liquid Metal Reactor Development Program has been restructured to take advantage of the opportunity today to carry out R and D on truly advanced reactor technology. The program gives particular emphasis to improvements to reactor safety. The new directions are based on the technology of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). Much of the basis for superior safety performance using IFR technology has been experimentally verified and aggressive programs continue in EBR-II and TREAT. Progress has been made in demonstrating both the metallic fuel and the new electrochemical processes of the IFR. The FFTF facility is converting to metallic fuel; however, FFTF also maintains a considerable US program in oxide fuels. In addition, generic programs are continuing in steam generator testing, materials development, and, with international cooperation, aqueous reprocessing. Design studies are carried out in conjunction with the IFR technology development program. In summary, the US maintains an active development program in Liquid Metal Reactor technology, and new directions in reactor safety are central to the program.
A summary of modeling studies of the Nesjavellir geothermal field, Iceland
The Nesjavellir geothermal field in Iceland is being developed to provide the capital city of Reykjavik and surrounding areas with hot water for space heating. In the last few years, many wells have been drilled at the site and various geothermal studies have been conducted. The main upflow to the system is underneath the nearby Hengill volcano, and the natural recharge rate and enthalpy are estimated to be 65 kg/s and 1850 kJ/kg, respectively. An extensive vapor zone is believed to be present in the upflow region. Permeabilities and porosities of the system range between 1 and 50 md and 1 and 10 percent, respectively. In this paper, the characteristics of the Nesjavellir field are described and a three-dimensional numerical model of the resource in discussed. 15 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.
Instrument evaluation, calibration, and installation for the heater experiments at Stripa
Borehole instrumentation for the measurement of temperature, displacement, and stress was evaluated, modified, calibrated, and installed in an underground site at Stripa, Sweden where experiments are currently underway to investigate the suitability of granite as a storage medium for nuclear waste. Three arrays of borehole instrumentation measure the thermomechanical effects caused by electrical heaters which simulate the thermal output of canisters of radioactive waste. Because most rock mechanics investigations are carried out at modest temperatures, a sustained operating temperature as high as 200/sup 0/C was an unusual and most important criterion governing the instrumentation program. Extensive laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the effect of high temperature on instrument behavior and also to develop calibration and data-reduction procedures. The rod extensometers were tested for anchor creep, the selection of a suitable high-temperature pressurizing fluid, and the thermal stability of the grout. Four temperature corrections are incorporated into the data reduction of the USBM borehole deformation measurement: the bridge voltage offset correction, the change in calibration factor induced by temperature, and the thermal expansion of the gage and of the rock. The vibrating wire gages were calibrated in the laboratory by loading gages installed in a granite block at pressures up to 13 MPa and at temperatures ranging from 20/sup 0/ to 200/sup 0/C. Both the slope and offset of the response equation are corrected for temperature effects. Most thermocouples were calibrated in an oven at the field site. Thermocouples were emplaced with individual gages and into holes backfilled with sand or grout.
Effect of market structure on international coal trade
This paper is concerned with the determinants of international steam-coal trade. Most work in projecting coal trade has been either qualitative (a consensus of experts) or, if quantitative, has been based on competitive spatial-equilibrium models. Unfortunately, the competitive model of trade does not appear to account for observed and anticipated trade flows. This is consistent with findings in the commodity trade literature that, although markets may behave in a rational economic fashion, market concentration among producers, traders, and consumers leads to trade patterns significantly different than those associated with competitive markets. The purpose of this paper is to explore the significance and effect on patterns of steam-coal trade of several deviations from the simple competitive model. In addition to perfect competition, we examine monopoly (South Africa) and duopoly (South Africa, Australia) with a competitive fringe (US, Canada, Poland, China and Columbia). Using a simple equilibrium model of coal trade, we examine these market structures and evaluate the extent to which they can explain existing and anticipated trade patterns.
Progress with field investigations at Stripa
It is generally agreed that the most practicable method of isolating nuclear wastes from the biosphere is by deep burial in suitable geologic formations. Such burial achieves a high degree of physical isolation but raises questions concerning the rate at which some of these wastes may return to the biosphere through transport by groundwater. Any suitable repository site will be disturbed first by the excavation of the repository and second by the thermal pulse caused by the radioactive decay of the wastes. To assess the effectiveness of geologic isolation it is necessary to develop the capability of predicting the response of a rock mass to such a thermal pulse. Ultimately, this requires field measurements at depths below surface and in media representative of those likely to be encountered at an actual repository. Access to a granitic rock mass adjacent to a defunct iron ore mine at Stripa in Sweden at a depth of about 350 m below surface has provided a unique opportunity to conduct a comprehensive suite of hydrological and thermo-mechanical experiments under such conditions virtually without delay. The results of these field tests have shown the importance of geologic structure and the functional dependence of the thermo-mechanical properties on temperature in developing a valid predictive model. The results have also demonstrated the vital importance of being able to carry out large scale investigations in a field test facility.
International aspects of restrictions of ozone-depleting substances
This report summarizes international efforts to protect stratospheric ozone. Also included in this report is a discussion of activities in other countries to meet restrictions in the production and use of ozone-depleting substances. Finally, there is a brief presentation of trade and international competitiveness issues relating to the transition to alternatives for the regulated chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons. The stratosphere knows no international borders. Just as the impact of reduced stratospheric ozone will be felt internationally, so protection of the ozone layer is properly an international effort. Unilateral action, even by a country that produces and used large quantities of ozone-depleting substances, will not remedy the problem of ozone depletion if other countries do not follow suit. 32 refs., 7 tabs.
International energy indicators. [International and US statistics]
For the international sector, a table of data is first presented followed by corresponding graph of the data for the following: (1) Iran: crude oil capacity, production, and shut-in, 1974 to February 1980; (2) Saudi Arabia (same as Iran); (3) OPEC (ex-Iran and Saudi Arabia); capacity, production, and shut-in, 1974 to January 1980; (4) non-OPEC Free World and US production of crude oil, 1973 to January 1980; (5) oil stocks: Free World, US, Japan, and Europe (landed), 1973 to 1979; (6) petroleum consumption by industrial countries, 1973 to October 1979; (7) USSR crude oil production, 1974 to February 1980; (8) Free World and US nuclear generation capacity, 1973 to January 1980. For the United States, the same data format is used for the following: (a) US imports of crude oil and products 1973 to January 1980; (b) landed cost of Saudi Arabia crude oil in current and 1974 dollars, 1974 to October 1979; (c) US trade in coal, 1973 to 1979; (d) summary of US merchandise trade, 1976 to January 1980; and (e) US energy/GNP ratio (in 1972 dollars), 1947 to 1979.
Cooperation between the US and the USSR in the peaceful uses of atomic energy
The decade of the 1960's saw a marked expansion of cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union for the peaceful uses of atomic energy. In my opinion, this development constituted one of the most encouraging elements in the international scene. Until 1955 contacts between American and Soviet nuclear scientists were virtually nonexistent, as indeed (after World War II) were US-USSR contacts in other fields except as required in formal intergovernmental relations. Then, in July 1955, the discussions of the Heads of Government meeting in Geneva led to the declaration of a policy with the following aims: to lower the barriers which now impede the interchange of information and ideas between our peoples; to lower the barriers which now impede the opportunities of people to travel anywhere in the world for peaceful, friendly purposes, so that all will have a chance to know each other face to face; and to create conditions which will encourage nations to increase the exchange of peaceful goods throughout the world. 8 figs.
A comparison of spent fuel assembly control instruments: The Cadarache PYTHON and the Los Alamos Fork
Devices to monitor spent fuel assemblies while stored under water with nondestructive assay methods, have been developed in France and in the United States. Both devices are designed to verify operator's declared values of exposures and cooling-time but the applications and thus the designs of the systems differ. A study, whose results are presented in this paper, has been conducted to compare the features and the performances of the two instruments. 4 refs., 9 figs.
International data collection and analysis. Task 1
Commercial nuclear power has grown to the point where 13 nations now operate commercial nuclear power plants. Another four countries should join this list before the end of 1980. In the Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program (NASAP), the US DOE is evaluating a series of alternate possible power systems. The objective is to determine practical nuclear systems which could reduce proliferation risk while still maintaining the benefits of nuclear power. Part of that effort is the development of a data base denoting the energy needs, resources, technical capabilities, commitment to nuclear power, and projected future trends for various non-US countries. The data are presented by country for each of 28 non-US countries. This volume contains compiled data on Mexico, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain.
Worldwide low-level waste disposal practices
Low-level waste disposal practices will be described for ten or more countries. These practices will be compared with expectations for disposal designs for low-level waste regional compacts in the US.
Analysis of the alleged Kyshtym disaster
The alleged Kyshtym disaster has been an intriguing intelligence puzzle for almost 25 years. Zhores Medvedev, a Soviet dissident, has written numerous journal articles as well as two books on the subject. He has argued that a vast contaminated area exists east of the city of Kyshtym in the southern Ural Mountains. Further, he has alleged that a nuclear waste disposal accident in 1957 to 1958 caused the contamination. The authors of this report are in partial disagreement with Medvedev's first allegation and in complete disagreement with his second. A contaminated area does exist east of Kyshtym, but Soviet carelessness coupled with general disregard for the citizenry and the environment are the prime causative factors, not a nuclear waste accident.
Asse salt mine nuclear waste repository simulation experiments
The field tests underway in Asse, Federal Republic of Germany are dicected toward the development of test plans, techniques and equipment to be used in Exploratory Shafts or At Depth Test Facilities confirmation tests. These simulated repository tests will also provide information which address the following issues: brine migration (liquid and vapor); radiation effects of gamma rays; gas generation caused by radiation and corrosion; accelerated corrosion and leaching; altered properties of salt (the effects of heat, radiation and brine); and the effects of heat and radiation on test assemblies, instruments, and various materials exposed to repository conditions. This paper is a status of the first 82 days of operation of the Asse Brine Migration Tests, which were initiated on May 25, 1983. 6 references.
Fracture and hydrology data from field studies at Stripa, Sweden
The purpose of this report is to present the basic fracture and hydrology data collected as part of the joint LBL-KBS fracture hydrology program at Stripa, Sweden. A detailed description of the fracture-core logging and hydrology borehole testing procedures is included as well as a description of how the fracture and hydrology data were coded and organized. Based on this coding a series of computer data files for the fracture and hydrology borehole data have been constructed and these are described in detail. The fracture data file for one borehole is presented as an example in an appendix along with all of the raw and some partially processed and analyzed fracture hydrology data files. A detailed description of how this data will be analyzed to develop a thorough understanding of the fracture system and hydrogeologic characteristics of the Stripa site is presented.
Proceedings of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission fifteenth water reactor safety information meeting: Volume 6, Decontamination and decommissioning, accident management, TMI-2
This six-volume report contains 140 papers out of the 164 that were presented at the Fifteenth Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting held at the National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland, during the week of October 26-29, 1987. The papers are printed in the order of their presentation in each session and describe progress and results of programs in nuclear safety research conducted in this country and abroad. This report, Volume 6, discusses decontamination and decommissioning, accident management, and the Three Mile Island-2 reactor accident. Thirteen reports have been cataloged separately.
Simulation of atmospheric dispersion of radioactivity from the Chernobyl accident
Measurements of airborne radioactivity over Europe, Japan, and the United States indicated that the release from the Chernobyl reactor accident in the Soviet Union on April 26, 1986 contained a wide spectrum of fission up to heights of 7 km or more within a few days after the initial explosion. This high-altitude presence of radioactivity would in part be attributable to atmospheric dynamics factors other than the thermal energy released in the initial explosion. Indications were that two types of releases had taken place -- an initial powerful explosion followed by days of a less energetic reactor fire. The Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) utilized three-dimensional atmospheric dispersion models to determine the characteristics of the source term (release) and the evolution of the spatial distributions of the airborne radioactivity as it was transported over Europe and subsequently over the northern hemisphere. This paper describes the ARAC involvement and the results of the hemispheric model calculations which graphically depict the extensive dispersal of radioactivity. 1 fig.
Perspective on photovoltaic amorphous silicon
Amorphous silicon is a thin film option that has the potential for a cost-effective product for large-scale utility photovoltaics application. The initial efficiencies for single-junction and multijunction amorphous silicon cells and modules have increased significantly over the past 10 years. The emphasis of research and development has changed to stabilized efficiency, especially that of multijunction modules. NREL has measured 6.3%--7.2% stabilized amorphous silicon module efficiencies for US products, and 8.1% stable efficiencies have been reported by Fuji Electric. This represents a significant increase over the stabilized efficiencies of modules manufactured only a few years ago. An increasing portion of the amorphous silicon US government funding is now for manufacturing technology development to reduce cost. The funding for amorphous silicon for photovoltaics by Japan over the last 5 years has been about 50% greater than that in the United State, and by Germany in the last 2--3 years more than twice that of the US Amorphous silicon is the only thin-film technology that is selling large-area commercial modules. The cost for amorphous silicon modules is now in the $4.50 range; it is a strong function of plant production capacity and is expected to be reduced to $1.00--1.50/W{sub p} for plants with 10 MW/year capacities. 10 refs.
Strength and permeability tests on ultra-large Stripa granite core
This report presents the results of laboratory tests on a 1 meter diameter by 2 meters high sample of granitic (quartz monzonite) rock from the Stripa mine in Sweden. The tests were designed to study the mechanical and hydraulic properties of the rock. Injection and withdrawal permeability tests were performed at several levels of axial stress using a borehole through the long axis of the core. The sample was pervasively fractured and its behavior under uniaxial compressive stress was very complicated. Its stress-strain behavior at low stresses was generally similar to that of small cores containing single healed fractures. However, this large core failed at a peak stress of 7.55 MPa, much less than the typical strength measured in small cores. The complex failure mechanism included a significant creep component. The sample was highly permeable, with flows-per-unit head ranging from 0.11 to 1.55 cm/sup 2//sec. Initial application of axial load caused a decrease in permeability, but this was followed by rapid increase in conductivity coincident with the failure of the core. The hydraulic regime in the fracture system was too intricate to be satisfactorily modeled by simple analogs based on the observed closure of the principal fractures. The test results contribute to the data base being compiled for the rock mass at the Stripa site, but their proper application will require synthesis of results from several laboratory and in situ test programs.
Research results reported by OEO summer (1981) student employees of LLNL working with Earth Sciences (K) Division personnel
Significant experimental results were achieved in a number of research programs that were carried out during the summer of 1981 by students sponsored by the Office of Equal Opportunity at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. These students were working with Earth Sciences (K) Division personnel. Accomplishments include the following: (1) preparation of post-burn stratigraphic sections for the Hoe Creek III experiment, Underground Coal Gasification project; (2) preparation of miscellaneous stratigraphic sections in the Climax granite near the Spent Fuel Test, Nevada Test Site, for the Waste Isolation Project; (3) confirmation of the applicability of a new theory relating to subsidence (solid matrix movement); (4) experimental confirmation that organic groundwater contaminants produced during an underground coal gasification experiment can be removed by appropriate bacterial treatment; (5) development of data supporting the extension of the Greenville Fault Zone into the Northern Diablo Range (Alameda and Santa Clara Counties, California); (6) completion of a literature review on hazardous waste (current disposal technology, regulations, research needs); (7) preparation of a map showing levels of background seismic noise in the USSR; (8) demonstration of a correlation of explosion size with the P-wave magnitude of the seismic signal produced by the explosion; and (9) reduction of data showing the extent of ground motion resulting from subsidence in the vicinity of the Hoe Creek III experiment, Underground Coal Gasification Project.
Instrumentation of dynamic gas pulse loading system
The overall goal of this work is to further develop and field test a system of stimulating oil and gas wells, which increases the effective radius of the well bore so that more oil can flow into it, by recording pressure during the gas generation phase in real time so that fractures can be induced more predictably in the producing formation. Task 1: Complete the laboratory studies currently underway with the prototype model of the instrumentation currently being studied. Task 2: Perform field tests of the model in the Taft/Bakersfield area, utilizing operations closest to the engineers working on the project, and optimize the unit for various conditions encountered there. Task 3: Perform field test of the model in DGPL jobs which are scheduled in the mid-continent area, and optimize the unit for downhole conditions encountered there. Task 4: Analyze and summarize the results achieved during the complete test series, documenting the steps for usage of downhole instrumentation in the field, and compile data specifying use of the technology by others. Task 5: Prepare final report for DOE, and include also a report on the field tests completed. Describe and estimate the probability of the technology being commercialized and in what time span. The project has made substantial technical progress, though we are running about a month behind schedule. Expenditures are in line with the schedule. Increased widespread interest in the use of DGPL stimulation has kept us very busy. The computer modeling and test instrumentation developed under this program is already being applied to commercial operations.
Determination of in-situ thermal properties of Stripa granite from temperature measurements in the full-scale heater experiments: method and preliminary results. Technical information report No. 24
The in-situ thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of a granite rock mass at the Stripa mine, Sweden, have been extracted from the first 70 days of temperature data for the 5 kW full-scale heater experiment by means of least-squares fit to a finite-line source solution. Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity have been determined to be 3.69 W/(m-/sup 0/C) and 1.84 x 10/sup -6/ m/sup 2//s, respectively, at an average rock temperature of 23/sup 0/C (the average value of the actual temperature data used). These values are only slightly higher than the corresponding laboratory values, i.e., there is no significant size effect in the thermal properties of this rock mass. Since the size and shape of the heater canister used are similar to those considered for nuclear waste canisters and a substantial volume of rock is heated, the thermal properties obtained in this study are representative of in-situ rock mass properties under actual nuclear repository operating conditions.
Decentralized energy studies: compendium of international studies and research
The purpose of the compendium is to provide information about research activities in decentralized energy systems to researchers, government officials, and interested citizens. The compendium lists and briefly describes a number of studies in other industrialized nations that involve decentralized energy systems. A contact person is given for each of the activities listed so that interested readers can obtain more information.
Mapping our genes: The genome projects: How big, how fast
For the past 2 years, scientific and technical journals in biology and medicine have extensively covered a debate about whether and how to determine the function and order of human genes on human chromosomes and when to determine the sequence of molecular building blocks that comprise DNA in those chromosomes. In 1987, these issues rose to become part of the public agenda. The debate involves science, technology, and politics. Congress is responsible for /open quotes/writing the rules/close quotes/ of what various federal agencies do and for funding their work. This report surveys the points made so far in the debate, focusing on those that most directly influence the policy options facing the US Congress. Congressional interest focused on how to assess the rationales for conducting human genome projects, how to fund human genome projects (at what level and through which mechanisms), how to coordinate the scientific and technical programs of the several federal agencies and private interests already supporting various genome projects, and how to strike a balance regarding the impact of genome projects on international scientific cooperation and international economic competition in biotechnology. OTA prepared this report with the assistance of several hundred experts throughout the world. 342 refs., 26 figs., 11 tabs.
Fuel cycles for the 80's
Papers presented at the American Nuclear Society's topical meeting on the fuel cycle are summarized. Present progress and goals in the areas of fuel fabrication, fuel reprocessing, spent fuel storage, accountability, and safeguards are reported. Present governmental policies which affect the fuel cycle are also discussed. Individual presentations are processed for inclusion in the Energy Data Base.(DMC)
International nuclear fuel cycle fact book. Revision 4
This Fact Book has been compiled in an effort to provide (1) an overview of worldwide nuclear power and fuel cycle programs and (2) current data concerning fuel cycle and waste management facilities, R and D programs, and key personnel in countries other than the United States. Additional information on each country's program is available in the International Source Book: Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research and Development, PNL-2478, Rev. 2. The Fact Book is organized as follows: (1) Overview section - summary tables which indicate national involvement in nuclear reactor, fuel cycle, and waste management development activities; (2) national summaries - a section for each country which summarizes nuclear policy, describes organizational relationships and provides addresses, names of key personnel, and facilities information; (3) international agencies - a section for each of the international agencies which has significant fuel cycle involvement; (4) energy supply and demand - summary tables, including nuclear power projections; (5) fuel cycle - summary tables; and (6) travel aids - international dialing instructions, international standard time chart, passport and visa requirements, and currency exchange rate.
Analysis of well test data---Application of probabilistic models to infer hydraulic properties of fractures. [Contains list of standardized terminology or nomenclatue used in statistical models]
Statistical and probabilistic methods for estimating the probability that a fracture is nonconductive (or equivalently, the conductive-fracture frequency) and the distribution of the transmissivities of conductive fractures from transmissivity measurements made in single-hole injection (well) tests were developed. These methods were applied to a database consisting of over 1,000 measurements made in nearly 25 km of borehole at five sites in Sweden. The depths of the measurements ranged from near the surface to over 600-m deep, and packer spacings of 20- and 25-m were used. A probabilistic model that describes the distribution of a series of transmissivity measurements was derived. When the parameters of this model were estimated using maximum likelihood estimators, the resulting estimated distributions generally fit the cumulative histograms of the transmissivity measurements very well. Further, estimates of the mean transmissivity of conductive fractures based on the maximum likelihood estimates of the model's parameters were reasonable, both in magnitude and in trend, with respect to depth. The estimates of the conductive fracture probability were generated in the range of 0.5--5.0 percent, with the higher values at shallow depths and with increasingly smaller values as depth increased. An estimation procedure based on the probabilistic model and the maximum likelihood estimators of its parameters was recommended. Some guidelines regarding the design of injection test programs were drawn from the recommended estimation procedure and the parameter estimates based on the Swedish data. 24 refs., 12 figs., 14 tabs.
International program to study subseabed disposal of high-level radioactive wastes
This report provides an overview of the international program to study seabed disposal of nuclear wastes. Its purpose is to inform legislators, other policy makers, and the general public as to the history of the program, technological requirements necessary for feasibility assessment, legal questions involved, international coordination of research, national policies, and research and development activities. Each of these major aspects of the program is presented in a separate section. The objective of seabed burial, similar to its continental counterparts, is to contain and to isolate the wastes. The subseabed option should not be confuesed with past practices of ocean dumping which have introduced wastes into ocean waters. Seabed disposal refers to the emplacement of solidified high-level radioactive waste (with or without reprocessing) in certain geologically stable sediments of the deep ocean floor. Specially designed surface ships would transport waste canisters from a port facility to the disposal site. Canisters would be buried from a few tens to a few hundreds of meters below the surface of ocean bottom sediments, and hence would not be in contact with the overlying ocean water. The concept is a multi-barrier approach for disposal. Barriers, including waste form, canister, ad deep ocean sediments, will separate wastes from the ocean environment. High-level wastes (HLW) would be stabilized by conversion into a leach-resistant solid form such as glass. This solid would be placed inside a metallic canister or other type of package which represents a second barrier. The deep ocean sediments, a third barrier, are discussed in the Feasibility Assessment section. The waste form and canister would provide a barrier for several hundred years, and the sediments would be relied upon as a barrier for thousands of years. 62 references, 3 figures, 2 tables.
Calculated Thermally Induced Displacements and Stresses for Heater Experiments at Stripa, Sweden. Linear Thermoelastic Models Using Constant Material Properties
Thermally induced displacements and stresses have been calculated by finite element analysis to guide the design, operation, and data interpretation of the in situ heating experiments in a granite formation at Stripa, Sweden. There are two full-scale tests with electrical heater canisters comparable in size and power to those envisaged for reprocessed high level waste canisters and a time-scaled test. To provide a simple theoretical basis for data analysis, linear thermoelasticity was assumed. Constant (temperature-independent) thermal and mechanical rock properties were used in the calculations. These properties were determined by conventional laboratory testing on small intact core specimens recovered from the Stripa test site. Two-dimensional axisymmetric models were used for the full-scale experiments, and three-dimensional models for the time-scaled experiment. Highest compressive axial and tangential stresses are expected at the wall of the heater borehole. For the 3.6 kW full-scale heated experiment, maximum compressive tangential stress was predicted to be below the unconfined compressive strength of Stripa granite, while for the 5 kW experiment, the maximum was approximately equal to the compressive strength before the concentric ring of eight 1 kW peripheral heaters was activated, but would exceed that soon afterwards. Three zones of tensile thermomechanical stresses will occur in each full-scale experiment. Maximum vertical displacements range from a fraction of a millimeter over most of the instrumented area of the time-scaled experiment to a few millimeters in the higher-power full-scale experiment. Radial displacements are typically half or less than vertical displacements. The predicted thermomechanical displacements and stresses have been stored in an on-site computer to facilitate instant graphic comparison with field data as the latter are collected.
Geotechnical factors and guidelines for storage of compressed air in solution-mined salt cavities
The state of knowledge about utilization of solution-mined salt cavities for CAES including laboratory experiments, numerical modeling, field characterization, solution mining experience, and operating parameters is outlined in this report. Topics evaluated in recent studies include: cavern geometry and size; long-term creep and creep rupture of rock salt; effects of pressure and temperature loading rates; low frequency fatigue; progressive deterioration of salt fabric with possible air penetration; cavern monitoring methods; and salt properties at nonambient conditions. Currently, the only CAES operational facility in the world is located at Huntorf, West Germany. This CAES facility uses two solution-mined salt caverns for air storage and has been operating successfully for more than 2 years. Stability criteria for solution-mined salt caverns from the Huntorf facility and recent field and laboratory studies are included in this report.
Radioactive waste disposal in granite. [Stripa mine]
The principal geotechnical problems in selecting a repository site for radioactive waste disposal in granite are to evaluate the suitability of the rock mass in terms of: (1) fracture characteristics, (2) thermomechanical effects, and (3) fracture hydrology. Underground experiments in a mine in Sweden have provided an opportunity to study these problems. The research has demonstrated the importance of hydrogeology and the need to improve predictions of the thermomechanical behavior of fractured rocks. To characterize a site, measurements made from the surface must be supplemented by extensive subsurface experiments. Much effort is needed to generate the technology required for the development of waste repositories.
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