Advanced breeder cycle uses metallic fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Y.I.

1991-01-01

Scientists from Argonne National Laboratory have been developing a concept called the Integral fast Reactor (IFR). This fast breeder reactor could effectively increase Uranium resources a hundred fold making nuclear power essentially an inexhaustible energy source. The IFR is outlined. In the IFR, the inherent properties of liquid metal cooling are combined with a new metallic fuel which is allowed to swell and gives an improved burnup level and a radically different refining process to allow breakthroughs in passive safety, fuel cycle economics and waste management. (author)

Argonne National Laboratory Research Highlights 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1988-01-01

The research and development highlights are summarized. The world's brightest source of X-rays could revolutionize materials research. Test of a prototype insertion device, a key in achieving brilliant X-ray beams, have given the first glimpse of the machine's power. Superconductivity research focuses on the new materials' structure, economics and applications. Other physical science programs advance knowledge of material structures and properties, nuclear physics, molecular structure, and the chemistry and structure of coal. New programming approaches make advanced computers more useful. Innovative approaches to fighting cancer are being developed. More experiments confirm the passive safety of Argonne's Integral Fast Reactor concept. Device simplifies nuclear-waste processing. Advanced fuel cell could provide better mileage, more power than internal combustion engine. New instruments find leaks in underground pipe, measure sodium impurities in molten liquids, detect flaws in ceramics. New antibody findings may explain ability to fight many diseases. Cadmium in cigarettes linked to bone loss in women. Programs fight deforestation in Nepal. New technology could reduce acid rain, mitigate greenhouse effect, enhance oil recovery. Innovative approaches transfer Argonne-developed technology to private industry. Each year Argonne educational programs reach some 1200 students

Waste characterization for radioactive liquid waste evaporators at Argonne National Laboratory - West

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christensen, B. D.

1999-01-01

Several facilities at Argonne National Laboratory - West (ANL-W) generate many thousand gallons of radioactive liquid waste per year. These waste streams are sent to the AFL-W Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility (RLWTF) where they are processed through hot air evaporators. These evaporators remove the liquid portion of the waste and leave a relatively small volume of solids in a shielded container. The ANL-W sampling, characterization and tracking programs ensure that these solids ultimately meet the disposal requirements of a low-level radioactive waste landfill. One set of evaporators will process an average 25,000 gallons of radioactive liquid waste, provide shielding, and reduce it to a volume of six cubic meters (container volume) for disposal. Waste characterization of the shielded evaporators poses some challenges. The process of evaporating the liquid and reducing the volume of waste increases the concentrations of RCIU regulated metals and radionuclides in the final waste form. Also, once the liquid waste has been processed through the evaporators it is not possible to obtain sample material for characterization. The process for tracking and assessing the final radioactive waste concentrations is described in this paper, The structural components of the evaporator are an approved and integral part of the final waste stream and they are included in the final waste characterization

Investigation of two-phase liquid-metal magnetohydrodynamic power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amend, W.E.; Fabris, G.; Cutting, J.

1975-01-01

A two-phase Liquid-Metal MHD (LMMHD) system is under development at the Argonne National Laboratory, and results are presented for detailed cycle analysis and systems studies, the experimental facility, and the thermal and magneto fluid mechanics problems encountered. The studies indicate that the LMMHD cycle will operate efficiently in the temperature range of 1000-1600 0 F (50 percent efficiency with a maximum cycle temperature of 1600 0 F) and is therefore potentially compatible with many advanced heat sources under development such as the LMFBR, fluidized-bed coal combustor, HTGCR and the fusion reactor. Of special interest is the coupling to the LMFBR thereby eliminating the costly, potentially hazardous liquid-metal/water interface. The results of detailed parametric studies of the heat transfer interfaces between an LMMHD power cycle and an LMFBR and a steam bottoming plant are described. Experimental evaluation of the two-phase LMMHD generator was performed in an ambient temperature NaK--N 2 facility at ANL. Results of these experiments, performed to determine the operating characteristics of the device as a function of the various independent parameters and to investigate two-phase flow, are given. (U.S.)

Argonne to open new facility for advanced vehicle testing

CERN Multimedia

2002-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory will open it's Advanced Powertrain Research Facility on Friday, Nov. 15. The facility is North America's only public testing facility for engines, fuel cells, electric drives and energy storage. State-of-the-art performance and emissions measurement equipment is available to support model development and technology validation (1 page).

Argonne National Laboratory contributions to the International Symposium on Fusion Nuclear Technology (ISFNT)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1988-10-01

A total of sixteen papers with authors from Argonne National Laboratory were presented at the First International Symposium on Fusion Nuclear Technology (ISFNT), held in Tokyo, Japan, in April 1988. The papers cover the results of recent investigations in blanket design and analysis, fusion neutronics, materials experiments in liquid metal corrosion and solid breeders, tritium recovery analysis, experiments and analysis for liquid metal MHD, reactor safety and economic analysis, and transient electromagnetic analysis.

Argonne National Laboratory contributions to the International Symposium on Fusion Nuclear Technology (ISFNT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-10-01

A total of sixteen papers with authors from Argonne National Laboratory were presented at the First International Symposium on Fusion Nuclear Technology (ISFNT), held in Tokyo, Japan, in April 1988. The papers cover the results of recent investigations in blanket design and analysis, fusion neutronics, materials experiments in liquid metal corrosion and solid breeders, tritium recovery analysis, experiments and analysis for liquid metal MHD, reactor safety and economic analysis, and transient electromagnetic analysis

Liquid metal MHD and heat transfer in a tokamak blanket slotted coolant channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reed, C.B.; Hua, T.Q.; Black, D.B.; Kirillov, I.R.; Sidorenkov, S.I.; Shapiro, A.M.; Evtushenko, I.A.

1993-01-01

A liquid metal MHD (Magnetohydrodynamic)/heat transfer test was conducted at the ALEX (Argonne Liquid Metal Experiment) facility of ANL (Argonne National Laboratory), jointly between ANL and NIIEFA (Efremov Institute). The test section was a rectangular slotted channel geometry (meaning the channel has a high aspect ratio, in this case 10:1, and the long side is parallel to the applied magnetic field). Isothermal and heat transfer data were collected. A heat flux of ∼9 W/cm 2 was applied to the top horizontal surface (the long side) of the test section. Hartmann Numbers to 1050 (2 Tesla), interaction parameters to 9 x 10 3 , Peclet numbers of 10--200, based on the half-width of the small dimension (7mm), and velocities of 1--75 cm/sec. were achieved. The working fluid was NaK (sodium potassium eutectic). All four interior walls were bare, 300-series stainless steel, conducting walls

The US Advanced Liquid-Metal Reactor Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brolin, E.C.

1992-01-01

Based on National Energy Strategy projections, utilities will be required to substantially increase electric generating capacity over the next 40 yr to meet economic growth requirements and replace retiring capacity. Although aggressive conservation measures can save up to 85 GW(electric), ∼195 GW(electric) of additional generating capcity will still be needed by 2010. Assuming startup of new plants around 2000, US Department of Energy (DOE) analyses show that nuclear power can contribute 195 GW(electric) of capacity by 2030, or ∼20% of total electric generation. The DOE is involved in a number of strategies designed to revitalize the nuclear power industry and enable it to meet this projected need for additional capacity. Among these is an integrated overall strategy for advanced reactor development and high-level waste management. A high priority in pursuit of this strategy is the Advanced Liquid-Metal Reactor (ALMR) Program

Safety characteristics of the US advanced liquid metal reactor core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magee, P.M.; Dubberley, A.E.; Gyorey, G.L.; Lipps, A.J.; Wu, T.

1991-01-01

The U.S. Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) design employs innovative, passive features to provide an unprecedented level of public safety and the ability to demonstrate this safety to the public. The key features employed in the core design to produce the desired passive safety characteristics are: a small core with a tight restraint system, the use of metallic U-Pu-Zr fuel, control rod withdrawal limiters, and gas expansion modules. In addition, the reactor vessel and closure are designed to have the capability to withstand, with large margins, the maximum possible core disruptive accident without breach and radiological release. (author)

Performance analysis of a mixed nitride fuel system for an advanced liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, W.F.; Baker, R.B.; Leggett, R.D.

1991-01-01

In this paper, the conceptual development and analysis of a proposed mixed nitride driver and blanket fuel system for a prototypic advanced liquid metal reactor design is performed. As a first step, an intensive literature survey is completed on the development and testing of nitride fuel systems. Based on the results of this survey, prototypic mixed nitride fuel and blanket pins is designed and analyzed using the SIEX computer code. The analysis predicts that the nitride fuel consistently operated at peak temperatures and cladding strain levels that compared quite favorably with competing fuel designs. These results, along with data available in the literature on nitride fuel performance, indicate that a nitride fuel system should offer enhanced capabilities for advanced liquid metal reactors

Performance analysis of a mixed nitride fuel system for an advanced liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, W.F.; Baker, R.B.; Leggett, R.D.

1990-11-01

The conceptual development and analysis of a proposed mixed nitride driver and blanket fuel system for a prototypic advanced liquid metal reactor design has been performed. As a first step, an intensive literature survey was completed on the development and testing of nitride fuel systems. Based on the results of this survey, prototypic mixed nitride fuel and blanket pins were designed and analyzed using the SIEX computer code. The analysis predicted that the nitride fuel consistently operated at peak temperatures and cladding strain levels that compared quite favorably with competing fuel designs. These results, along with data available in the literature on nitride fuel performance, indicate that a nitride fuel system should offer enhanced capabilities for advanced liquid metal reactors. 13 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs

Progress of liquid metal technology and application in energy industries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyazaki, Keiji; Kamei, Mitsuru; Nei, Hiromichi.

1990-01-01

Liquid metals are excellent energy transport media, and recently remarkable development has been observed in the technology of handling sodium and the machinery and equipment. In nuclear fusion, the development of the use of lithium as the coolant is advanced. For space technology, attention has been paid from the early stage to various liquid metals. For general industries, liquid metals have been used for high temperature heat pipes and the utilization of solar heat, and mercury vapor turbines were manufactured for trial. Besides, attention is paid anew to liquid metal MHD electric power generation. The development of the NaS batteries for electric cars and electric power storage and the interchange of liquid metal technology with the fields of iron and steel, metallurgy and so on advance. It is expected that liquid metal technology bears future advanced energy engineering while deepening the interchange with other advanced fields also in order to reactivate atomic energy technology. Liquid metals have the features of high electric and thermal conductivities, chemical activity and opaque property as metals, and fluidity and relatively high boiling point and melting point as liquids. FBRs, fusion reactors and the power sources for space use are described. (K.I.)

Thermal hydraulic considerations in liquid-metal-cooled components of tokamak fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picologlou, B.F.; Reed, C.B.; Hua, T.Q.

1989-01-01

The basic considerations of MHD thermal hydraulics for liquid-metal-cooled blankets and first walls of tokamak fusion reactors are discussed. The liquid-metal MHD program of Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) dedicated to analytical and experimental investigations of reactor relevant MHD flows and development of relevant thermal hydraulic design tools is presented. The status of the experimental program and examples of local velocity measurements are given. An account of the MHD codes developed to date at ANL is also presented as is an example of a 3-D thermal hydraulic analysis carried out with such codes. Finally, near term plans for experimental investigations and code development are outlined. 20 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

The design of a heat transfer liquid metal MHD experiment for ALEX [Argonne Liquid-Metal Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picologlou, B.F.; Reed, C.B.; Hua, T.Q.; Lavine, A.S.

1988-01-01

An experiment to study heat transfer in liquid metal MHD flow, under conditions relevant to coolant channels for tokamak first wall and high heat flux devices, is described. The experimental configuration is a rectangular duct in a transverse magnetic field, heated on one wall parallel to the field. The specific objective of the experiment is to resolve important issues related to the presence and heat transfer characteristics of wall jets and flow instabilities in MHD flows in rectangular duct with electrically conducting walls. Available analytical tools for MHD thermal hydraulics have been used in the design of the test article and its instrumentation. Proposed tests will cover a wide range of Peclet and Hartmann numbers and interaction parameters. 14 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

An advanced fusion neutron source facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, D.L.

1992-01-01

Accelerator-based 14-MeV-neutron sources based on modifications of the original Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility are currently under consideration for investigating the effects of high-fluence high-energy neutron irradiation on fusion-reactor materials. One such concept for a D-Li neutron source is based on recent advances in accelerator technology associated with the Continuous Wave Deuterium Demonstrator accelerator under construction at Argonne National Laboratory, associated superconducting technology, and advances in liquid-metal technology. In this paper a summary of conceptual design aspects based on improvements in technologies is presented

Advances in liquid metal cooled ADS systems, and useful results for the design of IFMIF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massaut, V.; Debruyn, D.; Decreton, M.

2007-01-01

Full text of publication follows: Liquid metal cooled Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) have a lot of design commonalities with the design of IFMIF. The use of a powerful accelerator and a liquid metal spallation source makes it similar to the main features of the IFMIF irradiator. Developments in the field of liquid metal ADS can thus be very useful for the design phase of IFMIF, and synergy between both domains should be enhanced to avoid dubbing work already done. The liquid metal ADS facilities are developed for testing materials under high fast (> 1 MeV) neutron flux, and also for studying the transmutation of actinides as foreseen in the P and T (Partitioning and Transmutation) strategy of future fission industry. The ADS are mostly constituted of a sub-critical fission fuel assembly matrix, a spallation source (situated at the centre of the fuel arrangement) and a powerful accelerator targeting the spallation source. In liquid metal ADS, the spallation source is a liquid metal (like Pb-Bi) which is actively cooled to remove the power generated by the particle beam, spallation reactions and neutrons. Based on an advanced ADS design (e.g. the MYRRHA/XT-ADS facility), the paper shows the various topics which are common for both facilities (ADS and IFMIF) and highlights their respective specificities, leading to focused R and D activities. This would certainly cover the common aspects related to high power accelerators, liquid metal targets and beam-target coupling. But problems of safety, radioprotection, source heating and cooling, neutrons shielding, etc... lead also to common features and developments. Results already obtained for the ADS development will illustrate this synergy. This paper will therefore allow to take profit of recent developments in both fission and fusion programs and enhance the collaboration among the R and D teams in both domains. (authors)

Advances in liquid metal cooled ADS systems, and useful results for the design of IFMIF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Massaut, V.; Debruyn, D. [SCK CEN, Mol (Belgium); Decreton, M. [Ghent Univ., Dept. of Applied Physics (Belgium)

2007-07-01

Full text of publication follows: Liquid metal cooled Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) have a lot of design commonalities with the design of IFMIF. The use of a powerful accelerator and a liquid metal spallation source makes it similar to the main features of the IFMIF irradiator. Developments in the field of liquid metal ADS can thus be very useful for the design phase of IFMIF, and synergy between both domains should be enhanced to avoid dubbing work already done. The liquid metal ADS facilities are developed for testing materials under high fast (> 1 MeV) neutron flux, and also for studying the transmutation of actinides as foreseen in the P and T (Partitioning and Transmutation) strategy of future fission industry. The ADS are mostly constituted of a sub-critical fission fuel assembly matrix, a spallation source (situated at the centre of the fuel arrangement) and a powerful accelerator targeting the spallation source. In liquid metal ADS, the spallation source is a liquid metal (like Pb-Bi) which is actively cooled to remove the power generated by the particle beam, spallation reactions and neutrons. Based on an advanced ADS design (e.g. the MYRRHA/XT-ADS facility), the paper shows the various topics which are common for both facilities (ADS and IFMIF) and highlights their respective specificities, leading to focused R and D activities. This would certainly cover the common aspects related to high power accelerators, liquid metal targets and beam-target coupling. But problems of safety, radioprotection, source heating and cooling, neutrons shielding, etc... lead also to common features and developments. Results already obtained for the ADS development will illustrate this synergy. This paper will therefore allow to take profit of recent developments in both fission and fusion programs and enhance the collaboration among the R and D teams in both domains. (authors)

Argonne Research Library | Argonne National Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Argonne Argonne Research Library The Argonne Research Library supports the scientific and technical research needs of Argonne National Laboratory employees. Our library catalog is available via the Research questions or concerns, please contact us at librarians@anl.gov. Contact the Library Argonne Research Library

Liquid metal blanket module testing and design for ITER/TIBER II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattas, R.F.; Cha, Y.; Finn, P.A.; Majumdar, S.; Picologlou, B.; Stevens, H.; Turner, L.

1988-05-01

A major goal for ITER is the testing of nuclear components to demonstrate the integrated performance of the most attractive concepts that can lead to a commercial fusion reactor. As part of the ITER/TIBER II study, the test program and design of test models were examined for a number of blanket concepts. The work at Argonne National Laboratory focused on self-cooled liquid metal blankets. A test program for liquid metal blankets was developed based upon the ITER/TIBER II operating schedule and the specific data needs to resolve the key issues for liquid metals. Testing can begin early in reactor operation with liquid metal MHD tests to confirm predictive capability. Combined heat transfer/MHD tests can be performed during initial plasma operation. After acceptable heat transfer performance is verified, tests to determine the integrated high temperature performance in a neutron environment can begin. During the high availability phase operation, long term performance and reliability tests will be performed. It is envisioned that a companion test program will be conducted outside ITER to determine behavior under severe accident conditions and upper performance limits. A detailed design of a liquid metal test module and auxiliary equipment was also developed. The module followed the design of the TPSS blanket. Detailed analysis of the heat transfer and tritium systems were performed, and the overall layout of the systems was determined. In general, the blanket module appears to be capable of addressing most of the testing needs. 8 refs., 27 figs., 11 tabs

Safety design analyses of Korea Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suk, S.D.; Park, C.K.

2000-01-01

The national long-term R and D program updated in 1997 requires Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) to complete by the year 2006 the basic design of Korea Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (KALIMER), along with supporting R and D work, with the capability of resolving the issue of spent fuel storage as well as with significantly enhanced safety. KALIMER is a 150 MWe pool-type sodium cooled prototype reactor that uses metallic fuel. The conceptual design is currently under way to establish a self consistent design meeting a set of the major safety design requirements for accident prevention. Some of current emphasis include those for inherent and passive means of negative reactivity insertion and decay heat removal, high shutdown reliability, prevention of and protection from sodium chemical reaction, and high seismic margin, among others. All of these requirements affect the reactor design significantly and involve supporting R and D programs of substance. This paper summarizes some of the results of engineering and design analyses performed for the safety of KALIMER. (author)

Recent Advancements in Liquid Metal Flexible Printed Electronics: Properties, Technologies, and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuelin Wang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This article presents an overview on typical properties, technologies, and applications of liquid metal based flexible printed electronics. The core manufacturing material—room-temperature liquid metal, currently mainly represented by gallium and its alloys with the properties of excellent resistivity, enormous bendability, low adhesion, and large surface tension, was focused on in particular. In addition, a series of recently developed printing technologies spanning from personal electronic circuit printing (direct painting or writing, mechanical system printing, mask layer based printing, high-resolution nanoimprinting, etc. to 3D room temperature liquid metal printing is comprehensively reviewed. Applications of these planar or three-dimensional printing technologies and the related liquid metal alloy inks in making flexible electronics, such as electronical components, health care sensors, and other functional devices were discussed. The significantly different adhesions of liquid metal inks on various substrates under different oxidation degrees, weakness of circuits, difficulty of fabricating high-accuracy devices, and low rate of good product—all of which are challenges faced by current liquid metal flexible printed electronics—are discussed. Prospects for liquid metal flexible printed electronics to develop ending user electronics and more extensive applications in the future are given.

Molten salt/metal extractions for recovery of transuranic elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chow, L.S.; Basco, J.K.; Ackerman, J.P.; Johnson, T.R.

1992-01-01

The integral fast reactor (EFR) is an advanced reactor concept that incorporates metallic driver and blanket fuels, an inherently safe, liquid-sodium-cooled, pool-type, reactor design, and on-site pyrochemical reprocessing (including electrorefining) of spent fuels and wastes. This paper describes a pyrochemical method that is being developed at Argonne National Laboratory to recover transuranic elements from the EFR electrorefiner process salt. The method uses multistage extractions between molten chloride salts and cadmium metal at high temperatures. The chemical basis of the salt extraction method, the test equipment, and a test plan are discussed

Status report on the Advanced Photon Source Project at Argonne National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huebner, R.H. Sr.

1989-01-01

The Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory is designed as a national synchrotron radiation user facility which will provide extremely bright, highly energetic x-rays for multidisciplinary research. When operational, the Advanced Photon Source will accelerate positrons to a nominal energy of 7 GeV. The positrons will be manipulated by insertion devices to produce x-rays 10,000 times brighter than any currently available for research. Accelerator components, insertion devices, optical elements, and optical-element cooling schemes have been and continue to be the subjects of intensive research and development. A call for Letters of Intent from prospective users of the Advanced Photon Source has resulted in a substantial response from industrial, university, and national laboratory researchers

Liquid metal thermal-hydraulics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kottowski-Duemenil, H.M.

1994-01-01

This textbook is a report of the 26 years activity of the Liquid Metal Boiling Working Group (LMBWG). It summarizes the state of the art of liquid metal thermo-hydraulics achieved through the collaboration of scientists concerned with the development of the Fast Breeder Reactor. The first chapter entitled ''Liquid Metal Boiling Behaviour'', presents the background and boiling mechanisms. This section gives the reader a brief but thorough survey on the superheat phenomena in liquid metals. The second chapter of the text, ''A Review of Single and Two-Phase Flow Pressure Drop Studies and Application to Flow Stability Analysis of Boiling Liquid Metal Systems'' summarizes the difficulty of pressure drop simulation of boiling sodium in core bundles. The third chapter ''Liquid Metal Dry-Out Data for Flow in Tubes and Bundles'' describes the conditions of critical heat flux which limits the coolability of the reactor core. The fourth chapter dealing with the LMFBR specific topic of ''Natural Convection Cooling of Liquid Metal Systems''. This chapter gives a review of both plant experiments and out-of-pile experiments and shows the advances in the development of computing power over the past decade of mathematical modelling ''Subassembly Blockages Suties'' are discussed in chapter five. Chapter six is entitled ''A Review of the Methods and Codes Available for the Calculation on Thermal-Hydraulics in Rod-Cluster and other Geometries, Steady state and Transient Boiling Flow Regimes, and the Validation achieves''. Codes available for the calculation of thermal-hydraulics in rod-clusters and other geometries are reviewed. Chapter seven, ''Comparative Studies of Thermohydraulic Computer Code Simulations of Sodium Boiling under Loss of Flow Conditions'', represents one of the key activities of the LMBWG. Several benchmark exercises were performed with the aim of transient sodium boiling simulation in single channels and bundle blockages under steady state conditions and loss of

MHD and heat transfer benchmark problems for liquid metal flow in rectangular ducts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidorenkov, S.I.; Hua, T.Q.; Araseki, H.

1994-01-01

Liquid metal cooling systems of a self-cooled blanket in a tokamak reactor will likely include channels of rectangular cross section where liquid metal is circulated in the presence of strong magnetic fields. MHD pressure drop, velocity distribution and heat transfer characteristics are important issues in the engineering design considerations. Computer codes for the reliable solution of three-dimensional MHD flow problems are needed for fusion relevant conditions. Argonne National Laboratory and The Efremov Institute have jointly defined several benchmark problems for code validation. The problems, described in this paper, are based on two series of rectangular duct experiments conducted at ANL; one of the series is a joint ANL/Efremov experiment. The geometries consist of variation of aspect ratio and wall thickness (thus wall conductance ratio). The transverse magnetic fields are uniform and nonuniform in the axial direction

Comparative sodium void effects for different advanced liquid metal reactor fuel and core designs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobbin, K.D.; Kessler, S.F.; Nelson, J.V.; Gedeon, S.R.; Omberg, R.P.

1991-01-01

An analysis of metal-, oxide-, and nitride-fueled advanced liquid metal reactor cores was performed to investigate the calculated differences in sodium void reactivity, and to determine the relationship between sodium void reactivity and burnup reactivity swing using the three fuel types. The results of this analysis indicate that nitride fuel has the least positive sodium void reactivity for any given burnup reactivity swing. Thus, it appears that a good design compromise between transient overpower and loss of flow response is obtained using nitride fuel. Additional studies were made to understand these and other nitride advantages. (author)

Experimental testing facilities for ultrasonic measurements in heavy liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cojocaru, V.; Ionescu, V.; Nicolescu, D.; Nitu, A.

2016-01-01

The thermo-physical properties of Heavy Liquid Metals (HLM), like lead or its alloy, Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE), makes them attractive as coolant candidates in advanced nuclear systems. The opaqueness, that is common to all liquid metals, disables all optical methods. For this reason ultrasound waves are used in different applications in heavy liquid metal technology, for example for flow and velocity measurements and for inspection techniques. The practical use of ultrasound in heavy liquid metals still needs to be demonstrated by experiments. This goal requires heavy liquid metal technology facility especially adapted to this task. In this paper is presented an experimental testing facility for investigations of Heavy Liquid Metals acoustic properties, designed and constructed in RATEN ICN. (authors)

Chemical research at Argonne National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-04-01

Argonne National Laboratory is a research and development laboratory located 25 miles southwest of Chicago, Illinois. It has more than 200 programs in basic and applied sciences and an Industrial Technology Development Center to help move its technologies to the industrial sector. At Argonne, basic energy research is supported by applied research in diverse areas such as biology and biomedicine, energy conservation, fossil and nuclear fuels, environmental science, and parallel computer architectures. These capabilities translate into technological expertise in energy production and use, advanced materials and manufacturing processes, and waste minimization and environmental remediation, which can be shared with the industrial sector. The Laboratory`s technologies can be applied to help companies design products, substitute materials, devise innovative industrial processes, develop advanced quality control systems and instrumentation, and address environmental concerns. The latest techniques and facilities, including those involving modeling, simulation, and high-performance computing, are available to industry and academia. At Argonne, there are opportunities for industry to carry out cooperative research, license inventions, exchange technical personnel, use unique research facilities, and attend conferences and workshops. Technology transfer is one of the Laboratory`s major missions. High priority is given to strengthening U.S. technological competitiveness through research and development partnerships with industry that capitalize on Argonne`s expertise and facilities. The Laboratory is one of three DOE superconductivity technology centers, focusing on manufacturing technology for high-temperature superconducting wires, motors, bearings, and connecting leads. Argonne National Laboratory is operated by the University of Chicago for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Ionic imbalance induced self-propulsion of liquid metals

Science.gov (United States)

Zavabeti, Ali; Daeneke, Torben; Chrimes, Adam F.; O'Mullane, Anthony P.; Zhen Ou, Jian; Mitchell, Arnan; Khoshmanesh, Khashayar; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kourosh

2016-08-01

Components with self-propelling abilities are important building blocks of small autonomous systems and the characteristics of liquid metals are capable of fulfilling self-propulsion criteria. To date, there has been no exploration regarding the effect of electrolyte ionic content surrounding a liquid metal for symmetry breaking that generates motion. Here we show the controlled actuation of liquid metal droplets using only the ionic properties of the aqueous electrolyte. We demonstrate that pH or ionic concentration gradients across a liquid metal droplet induce both deformation and surface Marangoni flow. We show that the Lippmann dominated deformation results in maximum velocity for the self-propulsion of liquid metal droplets and illustrate several key applications, which take advantage of such electrolyte-induced motion. With this finding, it is possible to conceive the propulsion of small entities that are constructed and controlled entirely with fluids, progressing towards more advanced soft systems.

Argonne's atlas control system upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munson, F.; Quock, D.; Chapin, B.; Figueroa, J.

1999-01-01

The ATLAS facility (Argonne Tandem-Linac Accelerator System) is located at the Argonne National Laboratory. The facility is a tool used in nuclear and atomic physics research, which focuses primarily on heavy-ion physics. The accelerator as well as its control system are evolutionary in nature, and consequently, continue to advance. In 1998 the most recent project to upgrade the ATLAS control system was completed. This paper briefly reviews the upgrade, and summarizes the configuration and features of the resulting control system

Potential applications of robotics in advanced liquid-metal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, D.G.; Thompson, M.L.

1990-01-01

The advanced liquid-metal reactor (ALMR) design includes a range of robots and automation devices. They extend from stationary robots that are a part of the current design to more exotic concepts with mobile, autonomous units, which may become part of the design. Development of robotic application requirements is enhanced by using computer models of work spaces in three dimensions. The primary goals of the more autonomous machines are to: (1) extent and/or enhance one's capabilities in a hazardous environment; some tasks could encounter high temperatures (up to 800 degree F), high radiation (fields up to several hundred thousand roentgens per hour), rooms filled with inert gas and/or sodium aerosol, or combinations of these; (2) reduce operating and maintenance cost through inservice inspection (ISI) of various parts of the reactor, through consideration of as-low-as-reasonably achievable radiation levels, and through automation of some maintenance/processing operations. This paper discusses some applications in the fuel cycle, in refueling operations, and in inspection

Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Griffith, Jerry D [Reactor Systems Development and Technology, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy (United States); Horton, Kenneth E [Division of International Programs, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy (United States)

1992-07-01

The U.S. civilian nuclear power research and development program continues to focus on advanced large and mid-size light water reactors, advanced liquid metal fast reactors, and modular high temperature gas cooled reactors. This paper discusses the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor program, which is composed of a small, passively safe fast reactor coupled with a metal fuel cycle that incorporates actinide recycle, and an emerging effort to process LWR spent fuel for LMR fissile material, and to enhance the LWR waste management. The liquid metal reactor concept has a sound technology base, with some three decades of research and development both in this and other countries. An existing network of government and industry research facilities and engineering test centers in the United States is currently providing test capabilities and the technical expertise required to conduct an aggressive advanced reactor development program. Notable among the research facilities is the Experimental Breeder Reactor-Il (EBR-II) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Idaho and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at Hanford, Washington. Subsequent to the DOE directive to shut down the Fast Flux Test Facility in early 1990, significant effort was placed in finding international financial support for this reactor. This initiative was not successful. Therefore, although there may be a potential future mission for the FFTF, the Secretary of Energy announced on March 13, 1992 that the FFTF will be put in a standby condition starting April 1, 1992. Current U.S. Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) activity is focused on providing a reactor and fuel cycle system with improved safety margins, better economics, and an attractive waste management (actinide recycle) option. Special attention is being directed to passive safety features, large design margins, modular plant construction, standardized plant design leading to simplified licensing and shorter construction schedules, factory fabrication

Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffith, Jerry D.; Horton, Kenneth E.

1992-01-01

The U.S. civilian nuclear power research and development program continues to focus on advanced large and mid-size light water reactors, advanced liquid metal fast reactors, and modular high temperature gas cooled reactors. This paper discusses the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor program, which is composed of a small, passively safe fast reactor coupled with a metal fuel cycle that incorporates actinide recycle, and an emerging effort to process LWR spent fuel for LMR fissile material, and to enhance the LWR waste management. The liquid metal reactor concept has a sound technology base, with some three decades of research and development both in this and other countries. An existing network of government and industry research facilities and engineering test centers in the United States is currently providing test capabilities and the technical expertise required to conduct an aggressive advanced reactor development program. Notable among the research facilities is the Experimental Breeder Reactor-Il (EBR-II) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Idaho and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at Hanford, Washington. Subsequent to the DOE directive to shut down the Fast Flux Test Facility in early 1990, significant effort was placed in finding international financial support for this reactor. This initiative was not successful. Therefore, although there may be a potential future mission for the FFTF, the Secretary of Energy announced on March 13, 1992 that the FFTF will be put in a standby condition starting April 1, 1992. Current U.S. Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) activity is focused on providing a reactor and fuel cycle system with improved safety margins, better economics, and an attractive waste management (actinide recycle) option. Special attention is being directed to passive safety features, large design margins, modular plant construction, standardized plant design leading to simplified licensing and shorter construction schedules, factory fabrication

Three-dimensional MHD [magnetohydrodynamic] flows in rectangular ducts of liquid-metal-cooled blankets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hua, T.Q.; Walker, J.S.; Picologlou, B.F.; Reed, C.B.

1988-07-01

Magnetohydrodynamic flows of liquid metals in rectangular ducts with thin conducting walls in the presence of strong nonuniform transverse magnetic fields are examined. The interaction parameter and Hartmann number are assumed to be large, whereas the magnetic Reynolds number is assumed to be small. Under these assumptions, viscous and inertial effects are confined in very thin boundary layers adjacent to the walls. A significant fraction of the fluid flow is concentrated in the boundary layers adjacent to the side walls which are parallel to the magnetic field. This paper describes the analysis and numerical methods for obtaining 3-D solutions for flow parameters outside these layers, without solving explicitly for the layers themselves. Numerical solutions are presented for cases which are relevant to the flows of liquid metals in fusion reactor blankets. Experimental results obtained from the ALEX experiments at Argonne National Laboratory are used to validate the numerical code. In general, the agreement is excellent. 5 refs., 14 figs

Conceptual safety design analysis of Korea advanced liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suk, S. D.; Park, C. K.

1999-01-01

The national long-term R and D program, updated in 1977, requires Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) to complete by the year 2006 the basic design of Korea Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (KALIMER), along with supporting R and D work, with the capability of resolving the issue of spent fuel storage as well as with significantly enhanced safety. KALIMER is a 150 Mwe pool-type sodium cooled prototype reactor that uses metallic fuel. The conceptual design is currently under way to establish a self-consistent design meeting a set of major safety design requirements for accident prevention. Some of the current emphasis includes those for inherent and passive means of negative reactivity insertion and decay heat removal, high shutdown reliability, prevention of and protection from sodium chemical reaction, and high seismic margin, among others. All of these requirements affect the reactor design significantly and involve extensive supporting R and D programs. This paper summarizes some of the results of conceptual engineering and design analyses performed for the safety of KALIMER in the area of inherent safety, passive decay heat removal, sodium water reaction, and seismic isolation. (author)

Experimental investigation of rotating-drum separators for liquid-metal MHD applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenzo, C.S.; Dauzvardis, P.V.; Hantman, R.G.

1978-01-01

For the past several years, Argonne National Laboratory has been active in the development of closed-cycle two-phase-flow MHD power systems. One of the key components in such systems is an effective and efficient gas-liquid separator-diffuser. On the basis of an assessment of present technology, it was decided to study the characteristics of a rotating drum type of separator, and a multitask research and development program was initiated within the overall liquid-metal MHD research program. The first task, now completed, centered on the investigation of single-phase flow (liquid) deposited by a flow nozzle on the inner surface of freely-rotating cylinders or drums of 423 mm and 282 mm diam. The tests were designed to study the recovery of energy in the liquid layer deposited on the drum; the torque transmitted to the drum by the liquid as the result of shear stress between the liquid and the drum surface; the characteristics of the liquid layer; and the effects of drum size, nozzle shape and orientation, and nozzle velocity. The test results showed that a stable liquid film was formed on the drum and that the kinetic energy of the liquid layer was high enough to be potentially useful in two-phase-flow MHD power systems

A decade of advances in metallic fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lahm, C.E.; Pahl, R.G.; Porter, D.L.; Tsai, H.; Seidel, B.R.; Batte, G.L.; Dodds, N.E.; Hofman, G.L.; Walters, L.C.

1991-01-01

Significant advances in the understanding of behavior and performance of metallic fuels to high burnup have been achieved over the past four decades. Metallic fuels were the first fuels for liquid-metal-cooled fast reactors (LMR) but in the late 1960's worldwide interest turned toward ceramic fuels before the full potential of metallic fuel could be achieved. Now metallic fuels are recognized as a preferred viable option with regard to safety, integral fuel cycle, waste minimization and deployment economics. This paper reviews the key advances in the last decade and highlights the behavior and performance features which have demonstrated a much greater potential than previously expected

Perspective on Structural Evolution and Relations with Thermophysical Properties of Metallic Liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiao-Dong; Jiang, Jian-Zhong

2017-11-01

The relationship between the structural evolution and properties of metallic liquids is a long-standing hot issue in condensed-matter physics and materials science. Here, recent progress is reviewed in several fundamental aspects of metallic liquids, including the methods to study their atomic structures, liquid-liquid transition, physical properties, fragility, and their correlations with local structures, together with potential applications of liquid metals at room temperature. Involved with more experimentally and theoretically advanced techniques, these studies provide more in-depth understanding of the structure-property relationship of metallic liquids and promote the design of new metallic materials with superior properties. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Argonne National Laboratory Summary Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N. W.; ESH/QA Oversight

2007-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory is a place where scientists and engineers come together to open up new possibilities for the future. Argonne has brought us many important projects in the past. It was at Argonne that researchers confirmed that Beethoven suffered from lead poisoning, and it was through the amazing Access Grid, pioneered at Argonne, that researchers in the United States were able to aid doctors on the other side of the world who were fighting the SARS outbreak. Researchers at Argonne are currently researching and developing new strategies in areas as varied as advanced nuclear reactors and other energy sources, medicine, and environmental science that will likely prove to be just as significant as Argonne's past achievements. Nuclear reactor development has been a priority at Argonne since its beginning. Argonne is very involved with the development of alternate strategies for safely treating and disposing of nuclear wastes. The first designs and prototypes of most of the nuclear reactors producing energy around the world today were originally conceived and tested by Argonne. While it may seem intimidating to live near a nuclear research site, the community surrounding Argonne is in no danger. The laboratory's Environmental Management Program provides Argonne's neighbors with quantitative risk data and has determined that the Argonne site is very safe. As a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, Argonne has always been interested in finding new and more efficient energy sources. Current energy projects include fuel efficient cars, new batteries and fuel cells, and the conservation of U.S. oil and gas resources. The U.S. Department of Energy recently named Argonne the lead laboratory to test and evaluate new technologies for plug-in hybrid vehicles. Pharmaceutical companies use Argonne in their research, including a study discovering the structure of the HIV virus. Conducted at Argonne's Advanced Photon Source, this landmark research led Abbott Labs to

Irradiation behavior of metallic fast reactor fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pahl, R.G.; Porter, D.L.; Crawford, D.C.; Walters, L.C.

1991-01-01

Metallic fuels were the first fuels chosen for liquid metal cooled fast reactors (LMR's). In the late 1960's world-wide interest turned toward ceramic LMR fuels before the full potential of metallic fuel was realized. However, during the 1970's the performance limitations of metallic fuel were resolved in order to achieve a high plant factor at the Argonne National Laboratory's Experimental Breeder Reactor II. The 1980's spawned renewed interest in metallic fuel when the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept emerged at Argonne National Laboratory. A fuel performance demonstration program was put into place to obtain the data needed for the eventual licensing of metallic fuel. This paper will summarize the results of the irradiation program carried out since 1985

Production of metal waste forms from spent fuel treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westphal, B.R.; Keiser, D.D.; Rigg, R.H.; Laug, D.V.

1995-01-01

Treatment of spent nuclear fuel at Argonne National Laboratory consists of a pyroprocessing scheme in which the development of suitable waste forms is being advanced. Of the two waste forms being proposed, metal and mineral, the production of the metal waste form utilizes induction melting to stabilize the waste product. Alloying of metallic nuclear materials by induction melting has long been an Argonne strength and thus, the transition to metallic waste processing seems compatible. A test program is being initiated to coalesce the production of the metal waste forms with current induction melting capabilities

Radioactive waste management at a Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abrams, C.S.; Fryer, R.H.; Witbeck, L.C.

1979-01-01

This paper presents the radioactive waste production and management at a Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II), which is operated for the US Department of Energy by the Argonne National Laboratory at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). Since this facility, in addition to supplying power has been used to demonstrate the breeder, fuel cycling, and recently operations with defective fuel elements, various categories of waste have been handled safely over some 14 years of operation. Liquid wastes are processed such that the resulting effluent can be discharged to an uncontrolled area. Solid wastes up to 10,000 R/hr are packaged and shipped contamination-free to a disposal site or interim storage with exposures to personnel approximately 10 mrem. Gaseous waste discharges are low such as 143 Ci of noble gases in 1978 and do not have a significant effect on the environment even with operations with breached fuel

A decade of advances in metallic fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, B.R.; Batte, G.L.; Dodds, N.E.; Hofman, G.L.; Lahm, C.E.; Pahl, R.G.; Porter, D.L.; Tsai, H.; Walters, L.C.

1990-01-01

Significant advances in the understanding of behavior and performance of metallic fuels to high burnup have been achieved over the past four decades. Metallic fuels were the first fuels for liquid-metal-cooled fast reactors (LMR) but in the late 1960s worldwide interest turned toward ceramic fuels before the full potential of metallic fuel could be achieved. Now metallic fuels are recognized as a preferred viable option with regard to safety, integral fuel cycle, waste minimization and deployment economics. This paper reviews the key advances in the last decade and highlights the behavior and performance features which have demonstrated a much greater potential than previously expected. 28 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

Specialists' meeting on advanced controls for fast reactors, Argonne, Illinois, USA June 20-22, 1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

The Specialists' Meeting on ''Advanced Controls for Fast Reactors'' was held in Argonne, Illinois, USA, from June 20 to 22, 1989. The meeting was sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency on the recommendation of the IAEA International Working Group on Fast Reactors and was hosted by Argonne National Laboratory and the US Department of Energy. It was attended by 20 participants and observers from Argentina, France, Germany, Japan, India, the USSR, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the IAEA. The purpose of the meeting was to provide an opportunity for participating countries to review and discuss their views on design and technology for advanced control in fast reactors. During the meeting papers were presented by the participants on behalf of their countries and organizations. Presentations were followed by open discussions on the subjects covered by the papers and summaries of the discussions were drafted. After the formal sessions were completed, a final discussion session was held and summaries, general conclusions and recommendations were approved by consensus. A separate abstract was prepared for each of the 22 papers presented at this meeting. Refs, figs, tabs, diagrams and photos

Argonne-West facility requirements for a radioactive waste treatment demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dwight, C.C.; Felicione, F.S.; Black, D.B.; Kelso, R.B.; McClellan, G.C.

1995-01-01

At Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-W), near Idaho Falls, Idaho, facilities that were originally constructed to support the development of liquid-metal reactor technology are being used and/or modified to meet the environmental and waste management research needs of DOE. One example is the use of an Argonne-West facility to conduct a radioactive waste treatment demonstration through a cooperative project with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company. The Plasma Hearth Process (PBP) project will utilize commercially-adapted plasma arc technology to demonstrate treatment of actual mixed waste. The demonstration on radioactive waste will be conducted at Argonne's Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT). Utilization of an existing facility for a new and different application presents a unique set of issues in meeting applicable federal state, and local requirements as well as the additional constraints imposed by DOE Orders and ANL-W site requirements. This paper briefly describes the PHP radioactive demonstrations relevant to the interfaces with the TREAT facility. Safety, environmental design, and operational considerations pertinent to the PHP radioactive demonstration are specifically addressed herein. The personnel equipment, and facility interfaces associated with a radioactive waste treatment demonstration are an important aspect of the demonstration effort. Areas requiring significant effort in preparation for the PBP Project being conducted at the TREAT facility include confinement design, waste handling features, and sampling and analysis considerations. Information about the facility in which a radioactive demonstration will be conducted, specifically Argonne's TREAT facility in the case of PHP, may be of interest to other organizations involved in developing and demonstrating technologies for mixed waste treatment

Application of probabilistic risk assessment to advanced liquid metal reactor designs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, W.P.; Temme, M.I.

1987-01-01

The United States Department of Energy (US DOE) has been active in the development and application of probabilistic risk assessment methods within its liquid metal breeder reactor development program for the past eleven years. These methods have been applied to comparative risk evaluations, the selection of design features for reactor concepts, the selection and emphasis of research and development programs, and regulatory discussions. The application of probabilistic methods to reactors which are in the conceptual design stage presents unique data base, modeling, and timing challenges, and excellent opportunities to improve the final design. We provide here the background and insights on the experience which the US DOE liquid metal breeder reactor program has had in its application of probabilistic methods to the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant project, the Conceptual Design State of the Large Development Plant, and updates on this design. Plans for future applications of probabilistic risk assessment methods are also discussed. The US DOE is embarking on an innovative design program for liquid metal reactors. (author)

2015 Annual Report - Argonne Leadership Computing Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collins, James R. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Papka, Michael E. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Cerny, Beth A. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Coffey, Richard M. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2015-01-01

The Argonne Leadership Computing Facility provides supercomputing capabilities to the scientific and engineering community to advance fundamental discovery and understanding in a broad range of disciplines.

2014 Annual Report - Argonne Leadership Computing Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collins, James R. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Papka, Michael E. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Cerny, Beth A. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Coffey, Richard M. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2014-01-01

The Argonne Leadership Computing Facility provides supercomputing capabilities to the scientific and engineering community to advance fundamental discovery and understanding in a broad range of disciplines.

Probabilities of inherent shutdown of unprotected events in innovative liquid metal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, C.J.; Wade, D.C.

1988-01-01

The uncertainty in predicting the effectiveness of inherent shutdown in innovative liquid metal cooled reactors with metallic fuel results from three broad contributing areas of uncertainty: (1) the inability to exactly predict the frequency of ATWS events with potential to challenge the safety systems and require inherent shutdown; (2) the approximation of representing all such events by a selected set of ''generic scenarios''; and (3) the inability to exactly calculate the core response to the selected generic scenarios. This paper discusses the work being done to address each of these contributing areas, identifies the design and research approaches being used at Argonne National Laboratory to reducing the key contributions to uncertainties in inherent shutdown, and presents results. The conditional probabilities (given ATWS initiation) of achieving temperatures capable of defeating inherent shutdown are shown to range from /approximately/0.1% to negligible for current designs

Liquid metal cold trap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hundal, R.

1976-01-01

A cold trap assembly for removing impurities from a liquid metal is described. A hole between the incoming impure liquid metal and purified outgoing liquid metal acts as a continuous bleed means and thus prevents the accumulation of cover gases within the cold trap assembly

Liquid Metal Transformers

OpenAIRE

Sheng, Lei; Zhang, Jie; Liu, Jing

2014-01-01

The room temperature liquid metal is quickly emerging as an important functional material in a variety of areas like chip cooling, 3D printing or printed electronics etc. With diverse capabilities in electrical, thermal and flowing behaviors, such fluid owns many intriguing properties that had never been anticipated before. Here, we show a group of unconventional phenomena occurring on the liquid metal objects. Through applying electrical field on the liquid metals immersed in water, a series...

Liquid metal steam generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolowodiuk, W.

1975-01-01

A liquid metal heated steam generator is described which in the event of a tube failure quickly exhausts out of the steam generator the products of the reaction between the water and the liquid metal. The steam is generated in a plurality of bayonet tubes which are heated by liquid metal flowing over them between an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. The inner cylinder extends above the level of liquid metal but below the main tube sheet. A central pipe extends down into the inner cylinder with a centrifugal separator between it and the inner cylinder at its lower end and an involute deflector plate above the separator so that the products of a reaction between the liquid metal and the water will be deflected downwardly by the deflector plate and through the separator so that the liquid metal will flow outwardly and away from the central pipe through which the steam and gaseous reaction products are exhausted. (U.S.)

Argonne National Laboratory-East summary site environmental report for calendar year 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N.W.; Kolzow, R.G.

2004-01-01

Argonne performs research and development in many areas of science and technology. General fields of research at Argonne include, but are not limited to, biosciences, biotechnology, chemical engineering, chemistry, decision and information sciences, energy systems and technology, high energy physics, materials science, math and computer science, nuclear reactors, physics, and environmental science. Argonne is not, and never has been, a weapons laboratory. Several missions provide focus for Argonne scientists. Basic research helps better understand the world, and applied research helps protect and improve it. For example, the prairies of Argonne provide sites for environmental studies that provide valuable information about invader species and the food webs within ecosystems. Argonne also operates world-class research facilities, such as the Advanced Photon Source (APS), which is a national research facility funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Scientists use high brilliance X-rays from the APS for basic and applied research in many fields. Argonne also seeks to ensure our energy future. Currently, scientists and engineers are developing cleaner and more efficient energy sources, such as fuel cells and advanced electric power generation. Argonne has spent much of its history on developing nuclear reactor technology. That research is now being applied to American and Soviet nuclear reactors to improve the safety and life of the reactors. Other Argonne research seeks to improve the way we manage our environment. For example, Argonne scientists created a new catalyst that could help carmakers eliminate 95 percent of nitrogen-oxide emitted by diesel engines by the year 2007. Research and development solutions such as these will help protect our ecosystems

Technology which led to the westinghouse inherently safe liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, J.E.; Coffield, R.D.; Doncals, R.A.; Kalinowski, J.E.; Markley, R.A.

1985-01-01

The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) and the Clinch River Breeder Reactor programs resulted in an understanding of liquid metal reactor behavior that is being used to design inherent safety capability into liquid metal reactors. Technological advances give the same beneficial operating characteristics of conventional liquid metal reactors, however, the addition of inherently safe design features precludes the initiation of hypothetical core disruptive accidents. These innovative features permit inherent safety capability to be demonstrated with more than adequate margins. Also, the variety of inherent safety features provides the designers with options in selecting inherent design features for a specific reactor application

High-Speed Synchrotron X-ray Imaging Studies of the Ultrasound Shockwave and Enhanced Flow during Metal Solidification Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Dongyue; Lee, Tung Lik; Khong, Jia Chuan; Connolley, Thomas; Fezzaa, Kamel; Mi, Jiawei

2015-07-01

The highly dynamic behavior of ultrasonic bubble implosion in liquid metal, the multiphase liquid metal flow containing bubbles and particles, and the interaction between ultrasonic waves and semisolid phases during solidification of metal were studied in situ using the complementary ultrafast and high-speed synchrotron X-ray imaging facilities housed, respectively, at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, US, and Diamond Light Source, UK. Real-time ultrafast X-ray imaging of 135,780 frames per second revealed that ultrasonic bubble implosion in a liquid Bi-8 wt pctZn alloy can occur in a single wave period (30 kHz), and the effective region affected by the shockwave at implosion was 3.5 times the original bubble diameter. Furthermore, ultrasound bubbles in liquid metal move faster than the primary particles, and the velocity of bubbles is 70 ~ 100 pct higher than that of the primary particles present in the same locations close to the sonotrode. Ultrasound waves can very effectively create a strong swirling flow in a semisolid melt in less than one second. The energetic flow can detach solid particles from the liquid-solid interface and redistribute them back into the bulk liquid very effectively.

Improvements in fabrication of metallic fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tracy, D.B.; Henslee, S.P.; Dodds, N.E.; Longua, K.J.

1989-12-01

Argonne National Laboratory is currently developing a new liquid- metal cooled breeder reactor known as the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). IFR fuels represent the state-of-the-art in metal-fueled reactor technology. Improvements in the fabrication of metal fuel, to be discussed below, will support the fully remote fuel cycle facility that as an integral part of the IFR concept will be demonstrated at the EBR-II site. 3 refs

Improvements in the fabrication of metallic fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tracy, D.B.; Henslee, S.P.; Dodds, N.E.; Longua, K.J.

1989-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is currently developing a new liquid-metal-cooled breeder reactor known as the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). The IFR represents the state of the art in metal-fueled reactor technology. Improvements in the fabrication of metal fuel, discussed in this paper, will support ANL-West's (ANL-W) fully remote fuel cycle facility, which is an integral part of the IFR concept

Recent progress in the development of metallic fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, B.R.; Batte, G.L.; Dodds, N.E.; Lahm, C.E.; Pahl, R.G.; Tsai, H.C.

1990-01-01

Tests to date demonstrate that metallic fuel for advanced liquid metal reactors performs well, is easily reprocessed and refabricated and provides inherent reactor safety within an economic design. The behavior and performance of metallic fuel is key to the demonstration of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept at Argonne National Laboratory. Since 1985, more than 40 assemblies of experimental fuel in addition to the standard metallic driver fuel for Experimental Breeder Reactor 2 (EBR-2)have been irradiated; several more continue to be designed and fabricated. Results have characterized the influence of a wide range of fabrication, design and material variables upon irradiation behavior throughout the fuel lifetime under normal and upset conditions including operation with breached cladding. Results of test, both in- and out-of-reactor, indicate that metallic fuel is readily and economically fabricated, capable of achieving high exposure and long reactor residence times, and possesses unique and promising safety features. 9 refs., 6 figs

Liquid metal purification device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, Takao; Shimoyashiki, Shigehiro.

1992-01-01

The device of the present invention concerns a liquid metal purification device for removing and purifying impuries in liquid metal sodium used as coolants of an FBR type reactor. A vessel having a group of pipes made of hydrogen permeable metal at the inside thereof is disposed to the inlet pipeline of a cold trap. The group of hydrogen permeable metal pipes is connected to an exhaust pipe and a vacuum pump, so that the inside of the pipes is exhausted. Liquid metal sodium branched from the main pipeline of a coolant system passes through the outer side of the group of the hydrogen permeable metal pipes. In this cae, hydrogen contained as impurities in the liquid metal sodium diffuses and permeates the hydrogen permeation metal pipes and enters into the pipe group and is discharged out of the system by the vacuum pump. This can mitigate the hydrogen removing burden of the cold trap, to extend the device life time. (I.N.)

Relevance of passive safety testing at the fast flux test facility to advanced liquid metal reactors - 5127

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wootan, D.W.; Omberg, R.P.

2015-01-01

Significant cost and safety improvements can be realized in advanced liquid metal reactor (LMR) designs by emphasizing inherent or passive safety through crediting the beneficial reactivity feedbacks associated with core and structural movement. This passive safety approach was adopted for the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF), and an experimental program was conducted to characterize the structural reactivity feedback. Testing at the Rapsodie and EBR-II reactors had demonstrated the beneficial effect of reactivity feedback caused by changes in fuel temperature and core geometry mechanisms in a liquid metal fast reactor in a holistic sense. The FFTF passive safety testing program was developed to examine how specific design elements influenced dynamic reactivity feedback in response to a reactivity input and to demonstrate the scalability of reactivity feedback results from smaller cores like Rapsodie and EBR-II to reactor cores that were more prototypic in scale to reactors of current interest. The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Reactor Technology program is in the process of preserving, protecting, securing, and placing in electronic format information and data from the FFTF, including the core configurations and data collected during the passive safety tests. Evaluation of these actual test data could provide insight to improve analytical methods which may be used to support future licensing applications for LMRs. (authors)

US/DOE Man-Machine Integration program for liquid metal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Zmura, A.P.; Seeman, S.E.

1985-03-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) Man-Machine Integration program was started in 1980 as an addition to the existing Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor safety base technology program. The overall goal of the DOE program is to enhance the operational safety of liquid metal reactors by optimum integration of humans and machines in the overall reactor plant system and by application of the principles of human-factors engineering to the design of equipment, subsystems, facilities, operational aids, procedures and environments. In the four years since its inception the program has concentrated on understanding the control process for Liquid Metal Reactors (LMRs) and on applying advanced computer concepts to this process. This paper describes the products that have been developed in this program, present computer-related programs, and plans for the future

The US Liquid Metal Reactor Development Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.E.; Arnold, W.H.; Griffith, J.D.

1988-01-01

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

The chemistry of the liquid alkali metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Addison, C.C.

1984-01-01

A study of liquid alkali metals. It encourages comparison with molecular solvents in chapter covering the nature and reactivity of dissolved species, solvation, solubility and electrical conductivity of solutions. It demonstrates lab techniques unique to liquid alkali metals. It discusses large-scale applications from storage batteries to sodium-cooled reactors and future fusion reactors, and associated technological problems. Contents: Some Basic Physical and Chemical Properties; Manipulation of the Liquids; The Chemistry of Purification Methods; Species Formed by Dissolved Elements; Solubilities and Analytical Methods; Alkali Metal Mixtures; Solvation in Liquid Metal; Reactions Between Liquid Alkali Metals and Water; Reactions of Nitrogen with Lithium and the Group II Metals in Liquid Sodium; The Formation, Dissociation and Stability of Heteronuclear Polyatomic Anions; Reactions of the Liquid Alkali Metals and Their Alloys with Simple Alipatic Hydrocarbons; Reactions of the Liquid Alkali Metals with Some Halogen Compounds; Hydrogen, Oxygen and Carbon Meters; Surface Chemistry and Wetting; Corrosion of Transition Metals by the Liquid Alkali Metals; Modern Applications of the Liquid Alkali Metals

Liquid metals pumping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Frere, J.P.

1984-01-01

Pumps used to pump liquid metals depend on the liquid metal and on the type of application concerned. One deals more particularly with electromagnetic pumps, the main pumps used with mechanical pumps. To pump sodium in the nuclear field, these two types of pumps are used; the pumps of different circuits of Super Phenix are presented and described [fr

Liquid Metals as Plasma-facing Materials for Fusion Energy Systems: From Atoms to Tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stone, Howard A. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Koel, Bruce E. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Bernasek, Steven L. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Carter, Emily A. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Debenedetti, Pablo G. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

2017-06-23

The objective of our studies was to advance our fundamental understanding of liquid metals as plasma-facing materials for fusion energy systems, with a broad scope: from atoms to tokamaks. The flow of liquid metals offers solutions to significant problems of the plasma-facing materials for fusion energy systems. Candidate metals include lithium, tin, gallium, and their eutectic combinations. However, such liquid metal solutions can only be designed efficiently if a range of scientific and engineering issues are resolved that require advances in fundamental fluid dynamics, materials science and surface science. In our research we investigated a range of significant and timely problems relevant to current and proposed engineering designs for fusion reactors, including high-heat flux configurations that are being considered by leading fusion energy groups world-wide. Using experimental and theoretical tools spanning atomistic to continuum descriptions of liquid metals, and bridging surface chemistry, wetting/dewetting and flow, our research has advanced the science and engineering of fusion energy materials and systems. Specifically, we developed a combined experimental and theoretical program to investigate flows of liquid metals in fusion-relevant geometries, including equilibrium and stability of thin-film flows, e.g. wetting and dewetting, effects of electromagnetic and thermocapillary fields on liquid metal thin-film flows, and how chemical interactions and the properties of the surface are influenced by impurities and in turn affect the surface wetting characteristics, the surface tension, and its gradients. Because high-heat flux configurations produce evaporation and sputtering, which forces rearrangement of the liquid, and any dewetting exposes the substrate to damage from the plasma, our studies addressed such evaporatively driven liquid flows and measured and simulated properties of the different bulk phases and material interfaces. The range of our studies

Liquid metal monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caldwell-Nichols, C.J.; Roach, P.F.

1982-01-01

A liquid metal monitor of the by-pass plugging meter kind described in British Patent 1,308,466, is further provided with a pump arranged to oppose flow through a by-pass thereby to provide a constant pressure difference across an orifice and improve the sensitivity of the instrument. The monitor estimates the impurity content in a liquid metal stream. (author)

Actively convected liquid metal divertor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, Michiya; Hirooka, Yoshi

2014-01-01

The use of actively convected liquid metals with j × B force is proposed to facilitate heat handling by the divertor, a challenging issue associated with magnetic fusion experiments such as ITER. This issue will be aggravated even more for DEMO and power reactors because the divertor heat load will be significantly higher and yet the use of copper would not be allowed as the heat sink material. Instead, reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel alloys with heat conductivities substantially lower than that of copper, will be used as the structural materials. The present proposal is to fill the lower part of the vacuum vessel with liquid metals with relatively low melting points and low chemical activities including Ga and Sn. The divertor modules, equipped with electrodes and cooling tubes, are immersed in the liquid metal. The electrode, placed in the middle of the liquid metal, can be biased positively or negatively with respect to the module. The j × B force due to the current between the electrode and the module provides a rotating motion for the liquid metal around the electrodes. The rise in liquid temperature at the separatrix hit point can be maintained at acceptable levels from the operation point of view. As the rotation speed increases, the current in the liquid metal is expected to decrease due to the v × B electromotive force. This rotating motion in the poloidal plane will reduce the divertor heat load significantly. Another important benefit of the convected liquid metal divertor is the fast recovery from unmitigated disruptions. Also, the liquid metal divertor concept eliminates the erosion problem. (letter)

Mechanisms of liquid-metal embrittlement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popovich, V.V.

1979-01-01

The mechanism of the embrittlement of metals and alloys during deformation in contact with liquid metals are discussed. With 20Kh13 steel in a Pb-Sn melt and polycrystalline Al in the presence of various mercury solutions a.s examples, considered are the three main processes - adsorption, corrosion (dissolution), formation of new phases which cause the disintegration of materials under the action of liquid-metallic media. Presented are data on plastic ductile and strength properties of the above materials in the presence of liquid-metallic media. A model is described that takes into account the effect of the medium upon the plastic deformation and the part the medium plays in liquid-metallic embrittlement

Application of liquid metals for the extraction of solid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borgstedt, H.U.

1996-01-01

Liquid metals dissolve several solid metals in considerable amounts at moderate temperatures. The dissolution processes may be based upon simple physical solubility, formation of intermetallic phases. Even chemical reactions are often observed in which non-metallic elements might be involved. Thus, the capacity to dissolve metals and chemical properties of the liquid metals play a role in these processes. Besides the solubility also chemical properties and thermochemical data are of importance. The dissolution of metals in liquid metals can be applied to separate the solutes from other metals or non-metallic phases. Relatively noble metals can be chemically reduced by the liquid phases. Such solution processes can be applied in the extractive metallurgy, for instance to extract metals from metallic waste. The recycling of metals is of high economical and ecological importance. Examples of possible processes are discussed. (author)

Vapor trap for liquid metal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watanabe, T

1968-05-22

In a pipe system which transfers liquid metal, inert gas (cover gas) is packed above the surface of the liquid metal to prevent oxidization of the liquid. If the metal vapor is contained in such cover gas, the circulating system of the cover gas is blocked due to condensation of liquid metal inside the system. The present invention relates to an improvement in vapor trap to remove the metal vapor from the cover gas. The trap consists of a cylindrical outer body, an inlet nozzle which is deeply inserted inside the outer body and has a number of holes to inject the cove gas into the body, metal mesh or steel wool which covers the exterior of the nozzle and on which the condensation of the metal gas takes place, and a heater wire hich is wound around the nozzle to prevent condensation of the metal vapor at the inner peripheral side of the mesh.

Safety aspects of LMR [liquid metal-cooled reactor] core design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cahalan, J.E.

1986-01-01

Features contributing to increased safety margins in liquid metal-cooled reactor (LMR) design are identified. The technical basis is presented for the performance of a pool-type reactor system with an advanced metallic alloy fuel in unprotected accidents. Results are presented from analyses of anticipated transients without scram, including loss-of-flow (LOF), transient overpower (TOP), and loss-of-heat-sink (LOHS) accidents

Liquid metal Flow Meter - Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersen, C.; Hoogendoom, S.; Hudson, B.; Prince, J.; Teichert, K.; Wood, J.; Chase, K.

2007-01-30

Measuring the flow of liquid metal presents serious challenges. Current commercially-available flow meters use ultrasonic, electromagnetic, and other technologies to measure flow, but are inadequate for liquid metal flow measurement because of the high temperatures required by most liquid metals. As a result of the reactivity and high temperatures of most liquid metals, corrosion and leakage become very serious safety concerns. The purpose of this project is to develop a flow meter for Lockheed Martin that measures the flow rate of molten metal in a conduit.

Study of Second Phase Particles and Fe content in Zr Alloys Using the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arthur T. Motta

2001-11-07

We have conducted a study of second phase particles and matrix alloying element concentrations in zirconium alloys using synchrotron radiation from the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory. The high flux of synchrotron radiation delivered at the 2BM beamline compared to conventional x-ray generators, enables the detection of very small precipitate volume fractions. We detected the standard C14 hcp Zr(Cr,Fe)2 precipitates, (the stable second phase in Zircaloy-4) in the bulk material at a cumulative annealing parameter as low as 10-20 h, and we followed the kinetics of precipitation and growth as a function of the cumulative annealing parameter (CAP) in the range 10-22 (quench) to 10-16 h. In addition, the unique combination of spatial resolution and elemental sensitivity of the 2ID-D/E microbeam line at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne (APS) allows study of the alloying element concentrations at ppm levels in an area as small as 0.2 mm. We used x-ray fluorescence induced by this sub-micron x-ray beam to determine the concentration of these alloying elements in the matrix as a function of alloy type and thermal history. We discuss these results and the potential of synchrotron radiation-based techniques for studying zirconium alloys.

Study of Second Phase Particles and Fe content in Zr Alloys Using the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motta, Arthur T.

2001-01-01

We have conducted a study of second phase particles and matrix alloying element concentrations in zirconium alloys using synchrotron radiation from the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory. The high flux of synchrotron radiation delivered at the 2BM beamline compared to conventional x-ray generators, enables the detection of very small precipitate volume fractions. We detected the standard C14 hcp Zr(Cr,Fe)2 precipitates, (the stable second phase in Zircaloy-4) in the bulk material at a cumulative annealing parameter as low as 10-20 h, and we followed the kinetics of precipitation and growth as a function of the cumulative annealing parameter (CAP) in the range 10-22 (quench) to 10-16 h. In addition, the unique combination of spatial resolution and elemental sensitivity of the 2ID-D/E microbeam line at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne (APS) allows study of the alloying element concentrations at ppm levels in an area as small as 0.2 mm. We used x-ray fluorescence induced by this sub-micron x-ray beam to determine the concentration of these alloying elements in the matrix as a function of alloy type and thermal history. We discuss these results and the potential of synchrotron radiation-based techniques for studying zirconium alloys

Multipurpose sampler device for liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, P.A.; Kolba, V.M.; Holmes, J.T.

1975-01-01

A device for collecting samples or examining a flow of liquid metal is provided for use with such as a liquid-metal-cooled nuclear reactor. The sampler device includes a casing surrounded by an external heater for establishing an upper isothermal zone and a lower zone for heating the entering liquid metal. One of various inserts is suspended into the isothermal zone where it is surrounded by a shroud tube for directing liquid-metal flow from the heating zone into the top of the insert. Discharge flow from the insert gravitates through a helically wound tube in heat exchange contact with entering liquid-metal flow within the heating zone. The inserts comprise an overflow cup with upper and lower freeze seals, a filter for removing particulate matter, and a fixture for maintaining various sample materials in equilibrium with liquid-metal flow. (U.S.)

Data management and communication networks for Man-Machine Interface System in Korea Advanced Liquid MEtal Reactor : its functionality and design requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cha, Kyung Ho; Park, Gun Ok; Suh, Sang Moon; Kim, Jang Yeol; Kwon, Kee Choon

1998-01-01

The DAta management and Communication NETworks(DACONET), which it is designed as a subsystem for Man-Machine Interface System of Korea Advanced LIquid MEtal Reactor(KALIMER MMIS) and advanced design concept is approached, is described. The DACONET has its roles of providing the real-time data transmission and communication paths between MMIS systems, providing the quality data for protection, monitoring and control of KALIMER and logging the static and dynamic behavioral data during KALIMER operation. The DACONET is characterized as the distributed real-time system architecture with high performance. Future direction, in which advanced technology is being continually applied to Man-Machine Interface System development and communication networks of KALIMER MMIS

Data management and communication networks for Man-Machine Interface System in Korea Advanced Liquid MEtal Reactor : its functionality and design requirements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cha, Kyung Ho; Park, Gun Ok; Suh, Sang Moon; Kim, Jang Yeol; Kwon, Kee Choon [KAERI, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1998-05-01

The DAta management and Communication NETworks(DACONET), which it is designed as a subsystem for Man-Machine Interface System of Korea Advanced LIquid MEtal Reactor(KALIMER MMIS) and advanced design concept is approached, is described. The DACONET has its roles of providing the real-time data transmission and communication paths between MMIS systems, providing the quality data for protection, monitoring and control of KALIMER and logging the static and dynamic behavioral data during KALIMER operation. The DACONET is characterized as the distributed real-time system architecture with high performance. Future direction, in which advanced technology is being continually applied to Man-Machine Interface System development and communication networks of KALIMER MMIS.

The thermophysical properties of metallic liquids

CERN Document Server

Iida, Takamichi

2015-01-01

The main purpose of materials science and engineering is to make the best use of all the elements in the periodic table. This leads to the effective use and conservation of natural resources. For this purpose, in any liquid metallic processing operation, accurate data for the thermophysical properties of all metallic liquids (i.e. liquid metals, semimetals, and semiconductors) is needed. However, in addition, a clear understanding of the essence of their thermophysical properties, based on these data, is indispensable. The second volume continues from the first volume to provide explanations for the thermophysical properties of metallic liquids. The two volumes identify new dimensionless parameters, extracted from the velocity of sound. In spite of being simple parameters, they provide useful information on the nature and behaviour of metallic liquids. This volume covers several basic concepts needed to understand the thermophysical properties of metallic liquids and for developing reliable models to accurate...

Vibration considerations in the design of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jendrzejczyk, J.A.; Wambsganss, M.W.

1991-01-01

The Advanced Photon Source (APS), a new synchrotron radiation facility being built at Argonne National Laboratory, will provide the world's most brilliant X-ray beams for research in a wide range of technical fields. Successful operation of the APS requires an extremely stable positron closed orbit. Vibration of the storage ring quadrupole magnets, even in the submicron range, can lead to distortion of the positron closed orbit and to potentially unacceptable beam emittance growth, which results in degraded performance. This paper presents an overview of the technical approach used to minimize vibration response, beginning at the conceptual stage, through design and construction, and on to successful operation. Acceptance criteria relating to maximum allowable quadrupole magnet vibration are discussed. Soil properties are used to determine resonant frequencies of foundations and to predict attenuation characteristics. Two sources are considered to have the potential to excite the foundation: far-field sources, which are produced external to the facility, and near-field sources, which are produced within the facility. Measurements of ambient ground motion, monitored to determine far- field excitation, are presented. Ambient vibration was measured at several operating facilities within Argonne to gain insight on typical near-field excitation sources. Discussion covers the dynamic response characteristics of a prototypic magnet support structure to various excitations, including ambient floor motion, coolant flow, and magnet power. 19 refs., 10 figs., 5 tabs.

Vibration considerations in the design of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jendrzejczyk, J.A.; Wambsganss, M.W.

1991-01-01

The Advanced Photon Source (APS), a new synchrotron radiation facility being built at Argonne National Laboratory, will provide the world's most brilliant X-ray beams for research in a wide range of technical fields. Successful operation of the APS requires an extremely stable positron closed orbit. Vibration of the storage ring quadrupole magnets, even in the submicron range, can lead to distortion of the positron closed orbit and to potentially unacceptable beam emittance growth, which results in degraded performance. This paper presents an overview of the technical approach used to minimize vibration response, beginning at the conceptual stage, through design and construction, and on to successful operation. Acceptance criteria relating to maximum allowable quadrupole magnet vibration are discussed. Soil properties are used to determine resonant frequencies of foundations and to predict attenuation characteristics. Two sources are considered to have the potential to excite the foundation: far-field sources, which are produced external to the facility, and near-field sources, which are produced within the facility. Measurements of ambient ground motion, monitored to determine far- field excitation, are presented. Ambient vibration was measured at several operating facilities within Argonne to gain insight on typical near-field excitation sources. Discussion covers the dynamic response characteristics of a prototypic magnet support structure to various excitations, including ambient floor motion, coolant flow, and magnet power. 19 refs., 10 figs., 5 tabs

Status of the Integral Fast Reactor fuel cycle demonstration and waste management practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benedict, R.W.; Goff, K.M.; McFarlane, H.F.

1994-01-01

Over the past few years, Argonne National Laboratory has been preparing for the demonstration of the fuel cycle for the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR), an advanced reactor concept that takes advantage of the properties of metallic fuel and liquid metal cooling to offer significant improvements in reactor safety and operations, fuel-cycle economics, environmental protection, and safeguards. The IFR fuel cycle, which will be demonstrated at Argonne-West in Idaho, employs a pyrometallurgical process using molten salts and liquid metals to recover actinides from spent fuel. The required facility modifications and process equipment for the demonstration are nearing completion. Their status and the results from initial fuel fabrication work, including the waste management aspects, are presented. Additionally, estimated compositions of the various process waste streams have been made, and characterization and treatment methods are being developed. The status of advanced waste processing equipment being designed and fabricated is described

Water tube liquid metal control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, J.W.E.

1981-01-01

An improved heat exchanger for use in liquid metal cooled nuclear power reactors is described in which the heat is transferred between the flow of liquid metal which is to be cooled and a forced flow of liquid which is wholly or partly evaporated. (U.K.)

The PFR challenge: how to dispose of 1500t of liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-01-01

The decommissioning of liquid metal cooled FBRs presents many interesting challenges requiring innovative engineering solutions. In advance of the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) at Dounreay in Scotland being shut down in 1994 the owners, UKAEA, commissioned a series of risk and cost assessment studies to determine the least risk, lowest cost long term strategy. This concluded that a priority was safe disposal of the large inventories of liquid metal coolant. UK companies were invited to take up the challenge. (author)

2016 Annual Report - Argonne Leadership Computing Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collins, Jim [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Papka, Michael E. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Cerny, Beth A. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Coffey, Richard M. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2016-01-01

The Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF) helps researchers solve some of the world’s largest and most complex problems, while also advancing the nation’s efforts to develop future exascale computing systems. This report presents some of the ALCF’s notable achievements in key strategic areas over the past year.

Chemistry and physics at liquid alkali metal/solid metal interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barker, M.G.

1977-01-01

This paper describes the chemistry of processes which take place at the interface between liquid alkali metals and solid metal surfaces. A brief review of wetting data for liquid sodium is given and the significance of critical wetting temperatures discussed on the basis of an oxide-film reduction mechanism. The reactions of metal oxides with liquid metals are outlined and a correlation with wetting data established. The transfer of dissolved species from the liquid metal across the interface to form solid phases on the solid metal surface is well recognised. The principal features of such processes are described and a simple thermodynamic explanation is outlined. The reverse process, the removal of solid material into solution, is also considered. (author)

Argonne National Laboratory institutional plan FY 2001--FY 2006.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beggs, S.D.

2000-12-07

This Institutional Plan describes what Argonne management regards as the optimal future development of Laboratory activities. The document outlines the development of both research programs and support operations in the context of the nation's R and D priorities, the missions of the Department of Energy (DOE) and Argonne, and expected resource constraints. The Draft Institutional Plan is the product of many discussions between DOE and Argonne program managers, and it also reflects programmatic priorities developed during Argonne's summer strategic planning process. That process serves additionally to identify new areas of strategic value to DOE and Argonne, to which Laboratory Directed Research and Development funds may be applied. The Draft Plan is provided to the Department before Argonne's On-Site Review. Issuance of the final Institutional Plan in the fall, after further comment and discussion, marks the culmination of the Laboratory's annual planning cycle. Chapter II of this Institutional Plan describes Argonne's missions and roles within the DOE laboratory system, its underlying core competencies in science and technology, and six broad planning objectives whose achievement is considered critical to the future of the Laboratory. Chapter III presents the Laboratory's ''Science and Technology Strategic Plan,'' which summarizes key features of the external environment, presents Argonne's vision, and describes how Argonne's strategic goals and objectives support DOE's four business lines. The balance of Chapter III comprises strategic plans for 23 areas of science and technology at Argonne, grouped according to the four DOE business lines. The Laboratory's 14 major initiatives, presented in Chapter IV, propose important advances in key areas of fundamental science and technology development. The ''Operations and Infrastructure Strategic Plan'' in Chapter V includes

Heat transfer on liquid-liquid interface of molten-metal and water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, T.; Saito, Yasushi; Mishima, Kaichiro

2001-01-01

Molten-core pool had been formed in the lower-head of TMI-2 pressure vessel at the severe accident. The lower head, however, didn't receive any damage by reactor core cooling. Heat transfer at outside of the lower head and boiling heat transfer at liquid-liquid interface of molten-metal and water, however, are important for initial cooling process of the molten-core pool. The heat transfer experiments for the liquid-liquid interface of molten-metal and water are carried out over the range of natural convection to film boiling region. Phenomenon on the heat transfer experiments are visualized by using of high speed video camera. Wood's metal and U-alloy 78 are used as molten-metal. The test section of the experiments consists of a copper block with heater, wood's metal, and water. Three thermocouple probes are used for temperature measurement of water side and the molten-metal side. Stability of the liquid-liquid interface is depended on the wetness of container wall for molten metal and the temperature distribution of the interface. Entrainment phenomena of molten-metal occurs by a fluctuation of the interface after boiling on the container wall surface. The boiling curves obtained from the liquid-liquid interface experiments are agree with the nucleate boiling and the film boiling correlations of solid-liquid system. (Suetake, M.)

FLIT: Flowing LIquid metal Torus

Science.gov (United States)

Kolemen, Egemen; Majeski, Richard; Maingi, Rajesh; Hvasta, Michael

2017-10-01

The design and construction of FLIT, Flowing LIquid Torus, at PPPL is presented. FLIT focuses on a liquid metal divertor system suitable for implementation and testing in present-day fusion systems, such as NSTX-U. It is designed as a proof-of-concept fast-flowing liquid metal divertor that can handle heat flux of 10 MW/m2 without an additional cooling system. The 72 cm wide by 107 cm tall torus system consisting of 12 rectangular coils that give 1 Tesla magnetic field in the center and it can operate for greater than 10 seconds at this field. Initially, 30 gallons Galinstan (Ga-In-Sn) will be recirculated using 6 jxB pumps and flow velocities of up to 10 m/s will be achieved on the fully annular divertor plate. FLIT is designed as a flexible machine that will allow experimental testing of various liquid metal injection techniques, study of flow instabilities, and their control in order to prove the feasibility of liquid metal divertor concept for fusion reactors. FLIT: Flowing LIquid metal Torus. This work is supported by the US DOE Contract No. DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Metal extraction by solid-liquid agglomerates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuller, E.F.

1980-01-01

Dissolved metal values are extracted from a liquid e.g. uranium from phosphoric acid by contacting the liquid with agglomerates for a time to load the agglomerate with the metal value, separating the loaded agglomerates from the liquid phase and stripping the metal value from the loaded agglomerate. The agglomerate may be made by combining finely divided solid particles with a binding liquid to form a paste, adding a suspending liquid to form a mixture, the suspending liquid and binding liquid being immiscible in each other and the solid particles being insoluble in the suspending liquid and shearing the mixture to form the agglomerate. (author)

A next-generation reactor concept: The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Y.I.

1992-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is an advanced liquid metal reactor concept being developed at Argonne National Laboratory as reactor technology for the 21st century. It seeks to specifically exploit the inherent properties of liquid metal cooling and metallic fuel in a way that leads to substantial improvements in the characteristics of the complete reactor system, in particular passive safety and waste management. The IFR concept consists of four technical features: (1) liquid sodium cooling, (2) pool-type reactor configuration, (3) metallic fuel, and (4) fuel cycle closure based on pyroprocessing.

A next-generation reactor concept: The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Y.I.

1992-07-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is an advanced liquid metal reactor concept being developed at Argonne National Laboratory as reactor technology for the 21st century. It seeks to specifically exploit the inherent properties of liquid metal cooling and metallic fuel in a way that leads to substantial improvements in the characteristics of the complete reactor system, in particular passive safety and waste management. The IFR concept consists of four technical features: (1) liquid sodium cooling, (2) pool-type reactor configuration, (3) metallic fuel, and (4) fuel cycle closure based on pyroprocessing.

A next-generation reactor concept: The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Y.I.

1992-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is an advanced liquid metal reactor concept being developed at Argonne National Laboratory as reactor technology for the 21st century. It seeks to specifically exploit the inherent properties of liquid metal cooling and metallic fuel in a way that leads to substantial improvements in the characteristics of the complete reactor system, in particular passive safety and waste management. The IFR concept consists of four technical features: (1) liquid sodium cooling, (2) pool-type reactor configuration, (3) metallic fuel, and (4) fuel cycle closure based on pyroprocessing

Liquid metals: fundamentals and applications in chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Daeneke, T; Khoshmanesh, K; Mahmood, N; de Castro, I A; Esrafilzadeh, D; Barrow, S J; Dickey, M D; Kalantar-Zadeh, K

2018-04-03

Post-transition elements, together with zinc-group metals and their alloys belong to an emerging class of materials with fascinating characteristics originating from their simultaneous metallic and liquid natures. These metals and alloys are characterised by having low melting points (i.e. between room temperature and 300 °C), making their liquid state accessible to practical applications in various fields of physical chemistry and synthesis. These materials can offer extraordinary capabilities in the synthesis of new materials, catalysis and can also enable novel applications including microfluidics, flexible electronics and drug delivery. However, surprisingly liquid metals have been somewhat neglected by the wider research community. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals underlying liquid metal research, including liquid metal synthesis, surface functionalisation and liquid metal enabled chemistry. Furthermore, we discuss phenomena that warrant further investigations in relevant fields and outline how liquid metals can contribute to exciting future applications.

Pair potentials in liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faber, T.E.

1980-01-01

The argument which justifies the use of a pair potential to describe the structure-dependent term in the energy of liquid metals is briefly reviewed. Because there is an additional term in the energy which depends upon volume rather than structure, and because the pair potential itself is volume-dependent, the relationship between pair potential and observable properties such as pressure, bulk modulus and pair distribution function is more complicated for liquid metals than it is for molecular liquids. Perhaps for this reason, the agreement between pair potentials inferred from observable properties and pair potentials calculated by means of pseudo-potential theory is still far from complete. The pair potential concept is applicable only to simple liquid metals, in which the electron-ion interaction is weak. No attempt is made to discuss liquid transition and rare-earth metals, which are not simple in this sense. (author)

Preapplication safety evaluation report for the Sodium Advanced Fast Reactor (SAFR) liquid-metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, T.L.; Landry, R.R.; Throm, E.D.; Wilson, J.N.

1991-12-01

This safety evaluation report (SER) presents the final results of a preapplication design review for the Sodium Advanced Fast Reactor (SAFR) liquid metal reactor (Project 673). The SAFR conceptual design was submitted by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in accordance with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ''Statement of Policy for the Regulation of Advanced Nuclear Power Plants'' (51 FR 24643 which provides for the early Commission review and interaction). The standard SAFR plant design consists of four identical reactor modules, referred to as ''paks,'' each with a thermal output rating of 900 MWt, coupled with four steam turbine-generator sets. The total electrical output was held to be 1400 MWe. This SER represents the NRC staff's preliminary technical evaluation of the safety features in the SAFR design. It must be recognized that final conclusions in all matters discussed in this SER require approval by the Commission. During the NRC staff review of the SAFR conceptual design, DOE terminated work on this design in September 1988. This SER documents the work done to that date and no additional work is planned for the SAFR

Liquid metal pump

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennell, W.E.

1981-01-01

A liquid metal pump comprising a shaft support structure which is isolated from the pump housing for better preservation of alignment of shaft bearings. The shaft carries an impeller and the support structure carries an impeller cage which is slidably disposed in a diffuser so as to allow complete removal of pump internals for inspection and repair. The diffuser is concentrically supported in the pump housing which also takes up all reaction forces generated by the discharge of the liquid metal from the diffuser, with floating seals arranged between impeller cage and the diffuser. The space between the diffuser and the pump housing permits the incoming liquid to essentially surround the diffuser. (author)

Technique for detecting liquid metal leaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauerle, J.E.

1979-01-01

In a system employing flowing liquid metal as a heat transfer medium in contact with tubular members containing a working fluid, i.e., steam, liquid metal leaks through the wall of the tubular member are detected by dislodging the liquid metal compounds forming in the tubular member at the leak locations and subsequently transporting the dislodged compound in the form of an aerosol to a detector responsive to the liquid metal compound. In the application to a sodium cooled tubular member, the detector would consist of a sodium responsive device, such as a sodium ion detector

Archive-cup insert for liquid-metal sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, P.A.; Kolba, V.M.; Filewicz, E.C.; Holmes, J.T.

1975-01-01

An insert for collecting liquid-metal samples within a vertical casing including an elongated housing with an upper and a lower overflow seal of annular shape is described. The lower seal includes a centrally located pedestal on which a sample cup is disposed. Liquid metal enters the annulus of the upper seal and overflows into the cup which fills and overflows into the lower seal. Liquid-metal overflow from the lower seal is discharged from the insert. On cooling, the liquid metal trapped within the seals solidifies to hermetically isolate the metal sample within the cup. The device is particularly applicable for use with sampling systems on liquid metal-cooled reactors. (U.S.)

Validation of the metal fuel version of the SAS4A accident analysis code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tentner, A.M.

1991-01-01

This paper describes recent work directed towards the validation of the metal fuel version of the SAS4A accident analysis code. The SAS4A code system has been developed at Argonne National Laboratory for the simulation of hypothetical severe accidents in Liquid Metal-Cooled Reactors (LMR), designed to operate in a fast neutron spectrum. SAS4A was initially developed for the analysis of oxide-fueled liquid metal-cooled reactors and has played an important role in the simulation and assessment of the energetics potential for postulated severe accidents in these reactors. Due to the current interest in the metal-fueled liquid metal-cooled reactors, a metal fuel version of the SAS4A accident analysis code is being developed in the Integral Fast Reactor program at Argonne. During such postulated accident scenarios as the unprotected (i.e. without scram) loss-of-flow and transient overpower events, a large number of interrelated physical phenomena occur during a relatively short time. These phenomena include transient heat transfer and hydrodynamic events, coolant boiling, and fuel and cladding melting and relocation. Due to strong neutronic feedbacks these events can significantly influence the reactor power history in the accident progression. The paper presents the results of a recent SAS4A simulation of the M7 TREAT experiment. 6 refs., 5 figs

A study on the development of advanced models to predict the critical heat flux for water and liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Bum

1994-02-01

The critical heat flux (CHF) phenomenon in the two-phase convective flows has been an important issue in the fields of design and safety analysis of light water reactor (LWR) as well as sodium cooled liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR). Especially in the LWR application many physical aspects of the CHF phenomenon are understood and reliable correlations and mechanistic models to predict the CHF condition have been proposed. However, there are few correlations and models which are applicable to liquid metals. Compared with water, liquid metals show a divergent picture for boiling pattern. Therefore, the CHF conditions obtained from investigations with water cannot be applied to liquid metals. In this work a mechanistic model to predict the CHF of water and a correlation for liquid metals are developed. First, a mechanistic model to predict the CHF in flow boiling at low quality was developed based on the liquid sublayer dryout mechanism. In this approach the CHF is assumed to occur when a vapor blanket isolates the liquid sublayer from bulk liquid and then the liquid entering the sublayer falls short of balancing the rate of sublayer dryout by vaporization. Therefore, the vapor blanket velocity is the key parameter. In this work the vapor blanket velocity is theoretically determined based on mass, energy, and momentum balance and finally the mechanistic model to predict the CHF in flow boiling at low quality is developed. The accuracy of the present model is evaluated by comparing model predictions with the experimental data and tabular data of look-up tables. The predictions of the present model agree well with extensive CHF data. In the latter part a correlation to predict the CHF for liquid metals is developed based on the flow excursion mechanism. By using Baroczy two-phase frictional pressure drop correlation and Ledinegg instability criterion, the relationship between the CHF of liquid metals and the principal parameters is derived and finally the

Materials technology at Argonne National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Betten, P.

1989-01-01

Argonne is actively involved in the research and development of new materials research and development (R ampersand D). Five new materials technologies have been identified for commercial potential and are presented in this paper as follows: (1) nanophase materials, (2) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging of ceramics, (3) superconductivity developments and technology transfer mechanisms, and (4) COMMIX computer code modeling for metal castings, and (5) tribology using ion-assisted deposition (IAB). 4 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab

Metal fire implications for advanced reactors. Part 1, literature review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowlen, Steven Patrick; Radel, Ross F.; Hewson, John C.; Olivier, Tara Jean; Blanchat, Thomas K.

2007-01-01

Public safety and acceptance is extremely important for the nuclear power renaissance to get started. The Advanced Burner Reactor and other potential designs utilize liquid sodium as a primary coolant which provides distinct challenges to the nuclear power industry. Fire is a dominant contributor to total nuclear plant risk events for current generation nuclear power plants. Utilizing past experience to develop suitable safety systems and procedures will minimize the chance of sodium leaks and the associated consequences in the next generation. An advanced understanding of metal fire behavior in regards to the new designs will benefit both science and industry. This report presents an extensive literature review that captures past experiences, new advanced reactor designs, and the current state-of-knowledge related to liquid sodium combustion behavior

Data management and communication networks for man-machine interface system in Korea Advanced LIquid MEtal Reactor : Its functionality and design requirements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cha, Kyung Ho; Park, Gun Ok; Suh, Sang Moon; Kim, Jang Yeol; Kwon, Kee Choon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1999-12-31

The DAta management and COmmunication NETworks(DACONET), which it is designed as a subsystem for Man-Machine Interface System of Korea Advanced LIquid MEtal Reactor (KALIMER MMIS) and advanced design concept is approached, is described. The DACONET has its roles of providing the real-time data transmission and communication paths between MMIS systems, providing the quality data for protection, monitoring and control of KALIMER and logging the static and dynamic behavioral data during KALIMER operation. The DACONET is characterized as the distributed real-time system architecture with high performance. Future direction, in which advanced technology is being continually applied to Man-Machine Interface System development of Nuclear Power Plants, will be considered for designing data management and communication networks of KALIMER MMIS. 9 refs., 1 fig. (Author)

Data management and communication networks for man-machine interface system in Korea Advanced LIquid MEtal Reactor : Its functionality and design requirements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cha, Kyung Ho; Park, Gun Ok; Suh, Sang Moon; Kim, Jang Yeol; Kwon, Kee Choon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1998-12-31

The DAta management and COmmunication NETworks(DACONET), which it is designed as a subsystem for Man-Machine Interface System of Korea Advanced LIquid MEtal Reactor (KALIMER MMIS) and advanced design concept is approached, is described. The DACONET has its roles of providing the real-time data transmission and communication paths between MMIS systems, providing the quality data for protection, monitoring and control of KALIMER and logging the static and dynamic behavioral data during KALIMER operation. The DACONET is characterized as the distributed real-time system architecture with high performance. Future direction, in which advanced technology is being continually applied to Man-Machine Interface System development of Nuclear Power Plants, will be considered for designing data management and communication networks of KALIMER MMIS. 9 refs., 1 fig. (Author)

Specificity in liquid metal induced embrittlement

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Fernandes, PJL

1996-12-01

Full Text Available One of the most intriguing features of liquid metal induced embrittlement (LMIE) is the observation that some liquid metal-solid metal couples are susceptible to embrittlement, while others appear to be immune. This is referred to as the specificity...

Forces in Liquid Metal Contacts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duggen, Lars; Mátéfi-Tempfli, Stefan

2014-01-01

Using rather well known theory about capillary bridges between two electrodes we calculate the tensile force that can be applied to liquid metal contacts in the micrometer regime. Assuming circular symmetry, full wetting of the electrodes, and neglecting gravity, we present a brief review of the ...... of the necessary theory and find numerically the forces to be in the 100μN range for liquid metals as mercury and liquid Gallium suspended between electrodes of 20μm radius.......Using rather well known theory about capillary bridges between two electrodes we calculate the tensile force that can be applied to liquid metal contacts in the micrometer regime. Assuming circular symmetry, full wetting of the electrodes, and neglecting gravity, we present a brief review...

Liquid Metal Engineering and Technology. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

These proceedings of the fourth international conference on liquid metal engineering and technology volume 1, are devided into 3 sections bearing on: - Apparatus and components for liquid metal (29 papers) - Liquid metal leaks, fires and fumes (10 papers) - Cleaning, decontamination, waste disposal (14 papers) [fr

Liquid metal pump

Science.gov (United States)

Pennell, William E.

1982-01-01

The liquid metal pump comprises floating seal rings and attachment of the pump diffuser to the pump bowl for isolating structural deflections from the pump shaft bearings. The seal rings also eliminate precision machining on large assemblies by eliminating the need for a close tolerance fit between the mounting surfaces of the pump and the seals. The liquid metal pump also comprises a shaft support structure that is isolated from the pump housing for better preservation of alignment of shaft bearings. The shaft support structure also allows for complete removal of pump internals for inspection and repair.

Liquid metal pump

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennell, W.E.

1982-01-01

The liquid metal pump comprises floating seal rings and attachment of the pump diffuser to the pump bowl for isolating structural deflections from the pump shaft bearings. The seal rings also eliminate precision machining on large assemblies by eliminating the need for a close tolerance fit between the mounting surfaces of the pump and the seals. The liquid metal pump also comprises a shaft support structure that is isolated from the pump housing for better preservation of alignment of shaft bearings. The shaft support structure also allows for complete removal of pump internals for inspection and repair

Science | Argonne National Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Security Photon Sciences Physical Sciences & Engineering Energy Frontier Research Centers Scientific Publications Researchers Postdocs Exascale Computing Institute for Molecular Engineering at Argonne Work with Us About Safety News Careers Education Community Diversity Directory Argonne National Laboratory

Argonne Chemical Sciences & Engineering - Awards Home

Science.gov (United States)

Argonne National Laboratory Chemical Sciences & Engineering DOE Logo CSE Home About CSE Argonne Home > Chemical Sciences & Engineering > Fundamental Interactions Catalysis & Energy Computational Postdoctoral Fellowships Contact Us CSE Intranet Awards Argonne's Chemical Sciences and

Liquid Metallic Hydrogen: A Building Block for the Liquid Sun

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robitaille P.-M.

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Liquid metallic hydrogen provides a compelling material for constructing a condensed matter model of the Sun and the photosphere. Like diamond, metallic hydrogen might have the potential to be a metastable substance requiring high pressures for forma- tion. Once created, it would remain stable even at lower pressures. The metallic form of hydrogen was initially conceived in 1935 by Eugene Wigner and Hillard B. Huntington who indirectly anticipated its elevated critical temperature for liquefaction (Wigner E. and Huntington H.B. On the possibility of a metallic modification of hydro- gen. J. Chem. Phys. , 1935, v.3, 764–770. At that time, solid metallic hydrogen was hypothesized to exist as a body centered cubic, although a more energetically accessible layered graphite-like lattice was also envisioned. Relative to solar emission, this struc- tural resemblance between graphite and layered metallic hydrogen should not be easily dismissed. In the laboratory, metallic hydrogen remains an elusive material. However, given the extensive observational evidence for a condensed Sun composed primarily of hydrogen, it is appropriate to consider metallic hydrogen as a solar building block. It is anticipated that solar liquid metallic hydrogen should possess at least some layered order. Since layered liquid metallic hydrogen would be essentially incompressible, its invocation as a solar constituent brings into question much of current stellar physics. The central proof of a liquid state remains the thermal spectrum of the Sun itself. Its proper understanding brings together all the great forces which shaped modern physics. Although other proofs exist for a liquid photosphere, our focus remains solidly on the generation of this light.

Liquid metals fire control engineering handbook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballif, J.L.

1979-02-01

This handbook reviews the basic requirements of the use of liquid metals with emphasis on sodium which has the greatest current usage. It delineates the concepts necessary to design facilities both radioactive and nonradioactive for use with liquid metals. It further reviews the state-of-the-art in fire extinguishers and leak detection equipment and comments on their application and sensitivity. It also provides details on some engineering features of value to the designer of liquid metal facilities

Liquid metal corrosion considerations in alloy development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tortorelli, P.F.; DeVan, J.H.

1984-01-01

Liquid metal corrosion can be an important consideration in developing alloys for fusion and fast breeder reactors and other applications. Because of the many different forms of liquid metal corrosion (dissolution, alloying, carbon transfer, etc.), alloy optimization based on corrosion resistance depends on a number of factors such as the application temperatures, the particular liquid metal, and the level and nature of impurities in the liquid and solid metals. The present paper reviews the various forms of corrosion by lithium, lead, and sodium and indicates how such corrosion reactions can influence the alloy development process

LIQUID METAL COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING URANIUM

Science.gov (United States)

Teitel, R.J.

1959-04-21

Liquid metal compositions containing a solid uranium compound dispersed therein is described. Uranium combines with tin to form the intermetallic compound USn/sub 3/. It has been found that this compound may be incorporated into a liquid bath containing bismuth and lead-bismuth components, if a relatively small percentage of tin is also included in the bath. The composition has a low thermal neutron cross section which makes it suitable for use in a liquid metal fueled nuclear reactor.

Task-specific ionic liquids for solubilizing metal compounds

OpenAIRE

Thijs, Ben

2007-01-01

The main goal of this PhD thesis was to design new task-specific ionic liquids with the ability to dissolve metal compounds. Despite the large quantity of papers published on ionic liquids, not much is known about the mechanisms of dissolving metals in ionic liquids or about metal-containing ionic liquids. Additionally, many of the commercially available ionic liquids exhibit a very limited solubilizing power for metal compounds, although this is for many applications like electrodeposition a...

Argonne National Laboratory institutional plan FY 2002 - FY 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beggs, S. D.

2001-01-01

The national laboratory system provides a unique resource for addressing the national needs inherent in the mission of the Department of Energy. Argonne, which grew out of Enrico Fermi's pioneering work on the development of nuclear power, was the first national laboratory and, in many ways, has set the standard for those that followed. As the Laboratory's new director, I am pleased to present the Argonne National Laboratory Institutional Plan for FY 2002 through FY 2007 on behalf of the extraordinary group of scientists, engineers, technicians, administrators, and others who re responsible for the Laboratory's distinguished record of achievement. Like our sister DOE laboratories, Argonne uses a multifaceted approach to advance U.S. R and D priorities. First, we assemble interdisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers to address complex problems. For example, our initiative in Functional Genomics will bring together biologists, computer scientists, environmental scientists, and staff of the Advanced Photon Source to develop complete maps of cellular function. Second, we cultivate specific core competencies in science and technology; this Institutional Plan discusses the many ways in which our core competencies support DOE's four mission areas. Third, we serve the scientific community by designing, building, and operating world-class user facilities, such as the Advanced Photon Source, the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source, and the Argonne Tandem-Linac Accelerator System. This Plan summarizes the visions, missions, and strategic plans for the Laboratory's existing major user facilities, and it explains our approach to the planned Rare Isotope Accelerator. Fourth, we help develop the next generation of scientists and engineers through educational programs, many of which involve bright young people in research. This Plan summarizes our vision, objectives, and strategies in the education area, and it gives statistics on student and faculty participation. Finally, we

Liquid metal cooled divertor for ARIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muraviev, E.

1995-01-01

A liquid metal, Ga-cooled divertor design was completed for the double null ARIES-II divertor design. The design analysis indicated a surface heat flux removal capability of up to 15 MW/m 2 , and its relative easy maintenance. Design issues of configuration, thermal hydraulics, thermal stresses, liquid metal loop and safety effects were evaluated. For coolant flow control, it was found that it is necessary to use some part of the blanket cooling ducts for the draining of liquid metal from the top divertor. In order to minimize the inventory of Ga, it was recommended that the liquid metal loop equipment should be located as close to the torus as possible. More detailed analysis of transient conditions especially under accident conditions was identified as an issue that will need to be addressed

Technical Meeting on Liquid Metal Reactor Concepts: Core Design and Structural Materials. Presentations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

The objective of the Technical Meeting is to present and discuss innovative liquid metal fast reactor (LMFR) core designs with special focus on the choice, development, testing and qualification of advanced reactor core structural materials

Exploring liquid metal plasma facing component (PFC) concepts-Liquid metal film flow behavior under fusion relevant magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narula, M.; Abdou, M.A.; Ying, A.; Morley, N.B.; Ni, M.; Miraghaie, R.; Burris, J.

2006-01-01

The use of fast moving liquid metal streams or 'liquid walls' as a plasma contact surface is a very attractive option and has been looked upon with considerable interest over the past several years, both by the plasma physics and fusion engineering programs. Flowing liquid walls provide an ever replenishing contact surface to the plasma, leading to very effective particle pumping and surface heat flux removal. A key feasibility issue for flowing liquid metal plasma facing component (PFC) systems, pertains to their magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) behavior under the spatially varying magnetic field environment, typical of a fusion device. MHD forces hinder the development of a smooth and controllable liquid metal flow needed for PFC applications. The present study builds up on the ongoing research effort at UCLA, directed towards providing qualitative and quantitative data on liquid metal free surface flow behavior under fusion relevant magnetic fields

Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffith, J.D.; Horton, K.E.

1990-01-01

The United States have made substantial progress in achieving Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) program objectives. A decision was made in 1988 to select the General Electric ALMR concept known as PRISM (Power Reactor Innovative Safe Module) for advanced conceptual design. A 3-year contract was awarded to General Electric in January of last year for concentrated trade-off studies and advanced design development. The strategy is to integrate those advancements that best meet program objectives into a national ALMR system concept. (author). 10 figs, 1 tab

Properties of structural materials in liquid metal environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borgstedt, H.U.

1991-12-01

The proceedings contain 16 contributions to the following topics: 1. Creep-Rupture Behaviour of Structural Materials in Liquid Metal Environment; 2. Behaviour of Materials in Liquid Metal Environment under Off-Normal Conditions; 3. Fatigue and Creep-Fatigue of Structural Materials in Liquid Metal Environment; and 4. Crack Propagation in Liquid Sodium. (MM)

Technical Meeting on Liquid Metal Reactor Concepts: Core Design and Structural Materials. Working Material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

The objective of the TM on “Liquid metal reactor concept: core design and structural materials” was to present and discuss innovative liquid metal fast reactor (LMFR) core designs with special focus on the choice, development, testing and qualification of advanced reactor core structural materials. Main results arising from national and international R&D programmes and projects in the field were reviewed, and new activities to be carried out under the IAEA aegis were identified on the basis of the analysis of current research and technology gaps

Liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic convertor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aladiev, I.T.; Dzhamardzhashvili, V.A.

1981-01-01

This invention relates to the generation of electrical energy by direct conversion from thermal or electrical energy and notably to liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic convertors. The convertor described in this invention can be successfully used as a source of electrical energy for space vessels, for underwater vessels, for aeronautics and for the generation of electrical energy in thermal or atomic power plants. This liquid metal convertor consists of a heat source, a two phase nozzle, a separator, a steam diffuser and a condenser. These elements are connected together hydraulically in series. The condenser is connected hydraulically to a heat source, a liquid diffuser and a magnetohydrodynamic generator. These elements are interconnected hydraulically to the separator and heat source [fr

MHD power conversion employing liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houben, J.W.M.A.; Massee, P.

1969-02-01

The work performed in the field of MHD generation of electricity by means of liquid metals is described. It is shown that the study of two-phase flows is essential in this topic of research; two-phase flows are therefore described. Two types of generators which can be utilized with liquid metals have been studied. The results of this study are described. A short survey of the prospects of other liquid metal systems which emerge from a study of the literature is given. Finally, conclusions are drawn concerning possibilities for further investigation

Liquid-metal-cooled, curved-crystal monochromator for Advanced Photon Source bending-magnet beamline 1-BM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brauer, S.; Rodricks, B.; Assoufid, L.; Beno, M.A.; Knapp, G.S.

1996-06-01

The authors describe a horizontally focusing curved-crystal monochromator that invokes a 4-point bending scheme and a liquid-metal cooling bath. The device has been designed for dispersive diffraction and spectroscopy in the 5--20 keV range, with a predicted focal spot size of ≤ 100 microm. To minimize thermal distortions and thermal equilibration time, the 355 x 32 x 0.8 mm crystal will be nearly half submerged in a bath of Ga-In-Sn-Zn alloy. The liquid metal thermally couples the crystal to the water-cooled Cu frame, while permitting the required crystal bending. Calculated thermal profiles and anticipated focusing properties are discussed

Argonne Physics Division Colloquium

Science.gov (United States)

[Argonne Logo] [DOE Logo] Physics Division Home News Division Information Contact PHY Org Chart Physics Division Colloquium Auditorium, Building 203, Argonne National Laboratory Fridays at 11:00 AM 2017 : Sereres Johnston 15 Sep 2017 Joint Physics and Materials Science Colloquium J. C. Séamus Davis, Cornell

Liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leigh, K.M.

1980-01-01

A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor is described, wherein coolant is arranged to be flowed upwardly through a fuel assembly and having one or more baffles located above the coolant exit of the fuel assembly, the baffles being arranged so as to convert the upwardly directed motion of liquid metal coolant leaving the fuel assembly into a substantially horizontal motion. (author)

Liquid metal heat transfer issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, H.W.; Yoder, G.L.

1984-01-01

An alkali liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor coupled with an alkali metal Rankine cycle provides a practicable option for space systems/missions requiring power in the 1 to 100 MW(e) range. Thermal issues relative to the use of alkali liquid metals for this purpose are identified as these result from the nature of the alkali metal fluid itself, from uncertainties in the available heat transfer correlations, and from design and performance requirements for system components operating in the earth orbital microgravity environment. It is noted that, while these issues require further attention to achieve optimum system performance, none are of such magnitude as to invalidate this particular space power concept

The SAFR liquid metal concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumeister, E.B.

1987-01-01

The Sodium Advanced Fast Reactor (SAFR) modular reactor concept is being developed by the team of Rockwell International, Combustion Engineering, and Bechtel under the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (LMR) program. The SAFR plant would provide a viable alternate to light water reactors, especially for applications favoring small incremental capacity additions. SAFR is also a logical step to facilitate the later transition to LMFBRs. The SAFR plant concept employs multiple 350-MWe LMR Power Pak modules. Each Power Pak is a standardized, shop-fabricated unit that can be barge-shipped to the plant site for installation. The 350-MWe size allows SAFR to capitalize on all the inherent safety features provided by small reactors and factory fabrication, while still preserving some economy of scale. Shop fabrication minimizes nuclear-grade field fabrication and minimizes the overall plant construction schedule and capital cost. Each Power Pak consists of one reactor assembly and associated heat transfer equipment coupled to a single turbine generator. The reactor core employs mixed uranium-plutonium zirconium alloy metal fuel. The metal-alloy fuel (which has been used in EBR-II) has cost, safety, and safeguard advantages. The intrinsic properties of the sodium coolant (e.g., high boiling point, low vapor pressure, and strong natural convection), blended together with the pool-type LMR concept and the metal fuel, result in an inherently safe plant. Passive inherent features provide both public safety and plant investment protection. Refueling is carried out annually on each Power Pak, replacing one-fourth of the core over a 6-day refueling outage. A colocated pyroprocessing fuel cycle facility can be accommodated at the site such that no off-site shipments are required. (J.P.N.)

Low temperature wetting and cleanup of alkali metal-advanced electrical machine systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gass, W.R.; Witkowski, R.E.; Burrow, G.C.

1980-01-01

Advanced homopolar electrical machines employing high electrical current density, liquid metal sliprings for current transfer utilize NaK/sub 78/ (78 w/o potassium, 22 w/o sodium) for the conducting fluid. Experiments have been performed to improve alkali metal/oxide clean-up procedures. Studies have also confirmed chemical and materials compatibility between barium doped NaK/sub 78/ and typical machine structural materials. 4 refs

Oxidation-Mediated Fingering in Liquid Metals

Science.gov (United States)

Eaker, Collin B.; Hight, David C.; O'Regan, John D.; Dickey, Michael D.; Daniels, Karen E.

2017-10-01

We identify and characterize a new class of fingering instabilities in liquid metals; these instabilities are unexpected due to the large interfacial tension of metals. Electrochemical oxidation lowers the effective interfacial tension of a gallium-based liquid metal alloy to values approaching zero, thereby inducing drastic shape changes, including the formation of fractals. The measured fractal dimension (D =1.3 ±0.05 ) places the instability in a different universality class than other fingering instabilities. By characterizing changes in morphology and dynamics as a function of droplet volume and applied electric potential, we identify the three main forces involved in this process: interfacial tension, gravity, and oxidative stress. Importantly, we find that electrochemical oxidation can generate compressive interfacial forces that oppose the tensile forces at a liquid interface. The surface oxide layer ultimately provides a physical and electrochemical barrier that halts the instabilities at larger positive potentials. Controlling the competition between interfacial tension and oxidative (compressive) stresses at the interface is important for the development of reconfigurable electronic, electromagnetic, and optical devices that take advantage of the metallic properties of liquid metals.

Supporting the national energy needs for the early 21st century with the advanced liquid metal reactor system (ALMRS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutchins, B.A.; Quinn, J.E.; Thompson, M.L.

1991-01-01

This paper presents a cost effective approach to providing a major contribution to the electricity needs of the United States in the early 21st century through an integrated Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor System (ALMRS). This system has several synergistic components which are under development by the United States Department of Energy (DOE): the modular, passively safe ALMR reactor design; metal fuel recycle (aka IFR); and the processing of LWR spent fuel to use as startup fuel for the ALMR. Each of these components contributes to an overall system behavior that will be able to provide an important portion of the United States' electrical energy needs beginning about the year 2010, while at the same time translating some fuel wastes of the LWR spent fuel to an asset. This paper describes each of these components and their synergism. Economic projections and busbar costs for this system are also presented

Failed fuel identification techniques for liquid-metal cooled reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambert, J.D.B.; Gross, K.C.; Mikaili, R.; Frank, S.M.; Cutforth, D.C.; Angelo, P.L.

1995-01-01

The Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), located in Idaho and operated for the US Department of Energy by Argonne National Laboratory, has been used as an irradiation testbed for LMR fuels and components for thirty years. During this time many endurance tests have been carried out with experimental LMR metal, oxide, carbide and nitride fuel elements, in which cladding failures were intentionally allowed to occur. This paper describes methods that have been developed for the detection, identification and verification of fuel failures

Argonne National Laboratory research to help U.S. steel industry

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory has joined a $1.29 million project to develop technology software that will use advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a method of solving fluid flow and heat transfer problems. This technology allows engineers to evaluate and predict erosion patterns within blast furnaces (1 page).

Integral fast reactor safety features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cahalan, J.E.; Kramer, J.M.; Marchaterre, J.F.; Mueller, C.J.; Pedersen, D.R.; Sevy, R.H.; Wade, D.C.; Wei, T.Y.C.

1988-01-01

The integral fast reactor (IFR) is an advanced liquid-metal-cooled reactor concept being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The two major goals of the IFR development effort are improved economics and enhanced safety. In addition to liquid metal cooling, the principal design features that distinguish the IFR are: a pool-type primary system, and advanced ternary alloy metallic fuel, and an integral fuel cycle with on-site fuel reprocessing and fabrication. This paper focuses on the technical aspects of the improved safety margins available in the IFR concept. This increased level of safety is made possible by the liquid metal (sodium) coolant and pool-type primary system layout, which together facilitate passive decay heat removal, and a sodium-bonded metallic fuel pin design with thermal and neutronic properties that provide passive core responses which control and mitigate the consequences of reactor accidents

Structural disorder in metallic glass-forming liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Shao-Peng; Feng, Shi-Dong; Wang, Li-Min; Qiao, Jun-Wei; Niu, Xiao-Feng; Dong, Bang-Shao; Wang, Wei-Min; Qin, Jing-Yu

2016-06-09

We investigated structural disorder by a new structural parameter, quasi-nearest atom (QNA), in atomistic configurations of eight metallic glass-forming systems generated through molecular dynamics simulations at various temperatures. Structural analysis reveals that the scaled distribution of the number of QNA appears to be an universal property of metallic liquids and the spatial distribution of the number of QNA displays to be clearly heterogeneous. Furthermore, the new parameter can be directly correlated with potential energy and structural relaxation at the atomic level. Some straightforward relationships between QNA and other properties (per-atom potential energy and α-relaxation time) are introduced to reflect structure-property relationship in metallic liquids. We believe that the new structural parameter can well reflect structure disorder in metallic liquids and play an important role in understanding various properties in metallic liquids.

Status of RF superconductivity at Argonne

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shepard, K.W.

1990-01-01

Development of a superconducting slow-wave structures began at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in 1971, and led to the first superconducting heavy-ion linac (ATLAS - the Argonne Tandem-Linac Accelerator System). The Physics Division at ANL has continued to develop superconducting RF technology for accelerating heavy-ions, with the result that the linac has been in an almost continuous process of upgrade and expansion. In 1987, the Engineering Physics Division at ANL began developing of superconducting RF components for the acceleration of high-brightness proton and deuterium beams. The two divisions collaborate in work on several applications of RF superconductivity, and also in work to develop the technology generally. The present report briefly describes major features of the superconducting heavy-ion linac (very-low-velocity superconducting linac, positive ion injector), proton accelerating structures (superconducting resonant cavities for acceleration of high-current proton and deuteron beams, RF properties of oxide superconductors), and future work. Both divisions expect to continue a variety of studies, frequently in collaboration, to advance the basic technology of RF superconductivity. (N.K.)

Ionic Liquids as Extraction Media for Metal Ions

Science.gov (United States)

Hirayama, Naoki

In solvent extraction separation of metal ions, recently, many researchers have investigated possible use of hydrophobic ionic liquids as extraction media instead of organic solvents. Ionic liquids are salts of liquid state around room temperature and can act not only as solvents but also as ion-exchangers. Therefore, the extraction mechanism of metal ions into ionic liquids is complicated. This review presents current overview and perspective on evaluation of nature of hydrophobic ionic liquids as extraction media for metal ions.

Evaluating advanced LMR [liquid metal reactor] reactivity feedbacks using SSC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slovik, G.C.; Van Tuyle, G.J.; Kennett, R.J.; Cheng, H.S.

1988-01-01

Analyses of the PRISM and SAFR Liquid Metal Reactors with SSC are discussed from a safety and licensing perspective. The PRISM and SAFR reactors with metal fuel are designed for inherent shutdown responses to loss-of-flow and loss-of-heat-sink events. The demonstration of this technology was performed by EBR-II during experiments in April 1986 by ANL (Planchon, et al.). Response to postulated TOPs (control rod withdrawal) are made acceptable largely by reducing reactivity swings, and therefore minimizing the size of possible ractivity insertions. Analyses by DOE and the contractors GE, RI, and ANL take credit for several reactivity feedback mechanisms during transient calculations. These feedbacks include Doppler, sodium density, and thermal expansion of the grid plates, the load pads, the fuel (axial) and the control rod which are now factored into the BNL SSC analyses. The bowing feedback mechanism is not presently modeled in the SSC due to its complexity and subsequent large uncertainty. The analysis is conservative by not taking credit for this negative feedback mechanism. Comparisons of BNL predictions with DOE contractors are provided

Novel routes to metal nanoparticles : electrodeposition and reactions at liquid-liquid interfaces

OpenAIRE

Johans, Christoffer

2003-01-01

This thesis considers the nucleation and growth, synthesis, and catalytic application of metallic nanoparticles at liquid|liquid interfaces. It comprises five publications, a previously unpublished synthesis of polymer coated palladium nanoparticles, and an introduction to the relevant literature. Three publications are concerned with electrodeposition of metal nanoparticles at liquid|liquid interfaces. One publication and the results presented here consider the synthesis of silver and pallad...

Method of charging instruments into liquid metal coolant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamazaki, Hiroshi

1980-01-01

Purpose: To alleviate the thermal shock of a reactor charging machine when charging the machine into liquid metal coolant after the machine is preheated in cover gas. Method: When a reactor fueling machine reaches at the lowermost portion the position immediately above liquid metal coolant surface level, the machine is stopped moving down. The reactor fueling machine is heated at the lowermost portion by thermal radiation from the surface of the liquid metal coolant. After the machine is thus preheated in cover gas, it is again steadily moved down by a winch and charged into the liquid metal coolant. Therefore, the thermal shock of the machine becomes low when charging the machine into the liquid metal coolant to eliminate the damage and deformation at the machine. (Yoshihara, H.)

Some Issues in Liquid Metals Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria José Caturla

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The ten articles [1–10] included in this Special Issue on “Liquid Metals” do not intend to comprehensively cover this extensive field, but, rather, to highlight recent discoveries that have greatly broadened the scope of technological applications of these materials. Improvements in understanding the physics of liquid metals are, to a large extent, due to the powerful theoretical tools in the hands of scientists, either semi-empirical [1,5,6] or ab initio (molecular dynamics, see [7]. Surface tension and wetting at metal/ceramic interfaces is an everlasting field of fundamental research with important technological implications. The review of [2] is broad enough, as the work carried out at Grenoble covers almost all interesting matters in the field. Some issues of interest in geophysics and astrophysics are discussed in [3]. The recently discovered liquid–liquid transition in several metals is dealt with in [4]. The fifth contribution [5] discusses the role of icosahedral superclusters in crystallization. In [6], thermodynamic calculations are carried out to identify the regions of the ternary phase diagram of Al-Cu-Y, where the formation of amorphous alloys is most probable. Experimental data and ab initio calculations are presented in [7] to show that an optimal microstructure is obtained if Mg is added to the Al-Si melt before than the modifier AlP alloy. Shock-induced melting of metals by means of laser driven compression is discussed in [8]. With respect to recent discoveries, one of the most outstanding developments is that of gallium alloys that are liquid at room temperature [9], and that, due to the oxide layer that readily cover their surface, maintain some “stiffness”. This has opened the possibility of 3D printing with liquid metals. The last article in this Special Issue [10] describes nano-liquid metals, a suspension of liquid metal and its alloy containing nanometer-sized particles. A room-temperature nano-liquid metal

The role of SASSYS-1 in LMR [Liquid Metal Reactor] safety analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunn, F.E.; Wei, T.Y.C.

1988-01-01

The SASSYS-1 liquid metal reactor systems analysis computer code is currently being used as the principal tool for analysis of reactor plant transients in LMR development projects. These include the IFR and EBR-II Projects at Argonne National Laboratory, the FFTF project at Westinghouse-Hanford, the PRISM project at General Electric, the SAFR project at Rockwell International, and the LSPB project at EPRI. The SASSYS-1 code features a multiple-channel thermal-hydraulics core representation coupled with a point kinetics neutronics model with reactivity feedback, all combined with detailed one-dimensional thermal-hydraulic models of the primary and intermediate heat transport systems, including pipes, pumps, plena, valves, heat exchangers and steam generators. In addition, SASSYS-1 contains detailed models for active and passive shutdown and emergency heat rejection systems and a generalized plant control system model. With these models, SASSYS-1 provides the capability to analyze a wide range of transients, including normal operational transients, shutdown heat removal transients, and anticipated transients without scram events. 26 refs., 16 figs

Liquid metal reactor deactivation as applied to the experimental breeder reactor - II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Earle, O. K.; Michelbacher, J. A.; Pfannenstiel, D. F.; Wells, P. B.

1999-01-01

The Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) at Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-W) was shutdown in September, 1994. This sodium cooled reactor had been in service since 1964, and by the US Department of Energy (DOE) mandate, was to be placed in an industrially and radiologically safe condition for ultimate decommissioning. The deactivation of a liquid metal reactor presents unique concerns. The first major task associated with the project was the removal of all fueled assemblies. In addition, sodium must be drained from systems and processed for ultimate disposal. Residual quantities of sodium remaining in systems must be deactivated or inerted to preclude future hazards associated with pyrophoricity and generation of potentially explosive hydrogen gas. A Sodium Process Facility (SPF) was designed and constructed to react the elemental sodium from the EBR-II primary and secondary systems to sodium hydroxide for disposal. This facility has a design capacity to allow the reaction of the complete inventory of sodium at ANL-W in less than two years. Additional quantities of sodium from the Fermi-1 reactor are also being treated at the SPF

Research and development on the application of advanced control technologies to advanced nuclear reactor systems: A US national perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, J.D.; Monson, L.R.; Carrol, D.G.; Dayal, Y.

1989-01-01

Control system designs for nuclear power plants are becoming more advanced through the use of digital technology and automation. This evolution is taking place because of: (1) the limitations in analog based control system performance and maintenance and availability and (2) the promise of significant improvement in plant operation and availability due to advances in digital and other control technologies. Digital retrofits of control systems in US nuclear plants are occurring now. Designs of control and protection systems for advanced LWRs are based on digital technology. The use of small inexpensive, fast, large-capacity computers in these designs is the first step of an evolutionary process described in this paper. Under the sponsorship of the US Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, GE Nuclear Energy and several universities are performing research and development in the application of advances in control theory, software engineering, advanced computer architectures, artificial intelligence, and man-machine interface analysis to control system design. The target plant concept for the work described in this paper is the Power Reactor Inherently Safe Module reactor (PRISM), an advanced modular liquid metal reactor concept. This and other reactor designs which provide strong passive responses to operational upsets or accidents afford good opportunities to apply these advances in control technology. 18 refs., 5 figs

Column liquid chromatography applied to concentrating, separating, and determining platinum metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alimarin, I.P.; Basova, E.M.; Bol'shova, T.A.; Ivanov, V.M.

1986-01-01

The present survey deals with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in relation to the chromatographic behavior of the platinum metals, including separation and determination. The data shows that HPLC is the most promising and effective method of separating metals, including platinum ones. The method provides efficient separation of microgram amoounts of mixtures with a resolving power 3-20 times that of thin-layer chromatography. It is shown that the most promising line of advance in HPLC for inorganic systems lies in the separation and determination of metals as chelates by absorption or ion-pair chromatography. Examples of using HPLC for determining noble metals in particular cases indicate that the metrological characteristics are favorable

Detection of gas entrainment into liquid metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vogt, T., E-mail: t.vogt@hzdr.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Fluid Dynamics, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Boden, S. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Fluid Dynamics, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Andruszkiewicz, A. [Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology (Poland); Eckert, K. [Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Fluid Mechanics, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Eckert, S.; Gerbeth, G. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Fluid Dynamics, 01328 Dresden (Germany)

2015-12-01

Highlights: • We present liquid metal experiments dedicated to gas entrainment on the free surface. • Ultrasonic and X-ray attenuation techniques have been used to study the mechanisms of gas entrainment. • A comparison between bubbly flow in water and GaInSn showed substantial differences. • Our results emphasize the importance of liquid metal experiments which are able to provide a suitable data base for numerical code validation. - Abstract: Entrainment of cover gas into the liquid metal coolant is one of the principal safety issues in the design of innovative liquid metal-cooled fast reactors. We present generic experimental studies of this phenomenon in low-melting metals. Ultrasonic and X-ray diagnostic tools were considered for a visualization of gas entrainment at the free surface of the melt. Laboratory experiments were conducted using the eutectic alloy GaInSn, which is liquid at room temperature. Vortex-activated entrainment of air at the free surface of a rotating flow was revealed by ultrasonic techniques. X-ray radioscopy was used to visualize the behavior of argon bubbles inside a slit geometry. The measurements reveal distinct differences between water and GaInSn, especially with respect to the process of bubble formation and the coalescence and breakup of bubbles. Our results emphasize the importance of liquid metal experiments which are able to provide a suitable data base for numerical code validation.

Microstructured liquid metal electron and ion sources (MILMES/MILMIS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitterauer, J [Technische Universitaet Wien (Austria). Institut fuer Allgemeine Elektrotechnik und Elektronik

1997-12-31

Ion or electron beams can be emitted from liquid metal wetted needles, or from capillaries or slits into which the liquid metal is allowed to flow. Large-area liquid metal field emission sources have been proposed recently, using either two-dimensional, regular arrays of cones or capillaries, or even a substrate with an intrinsically microstructured surface covered by a liquid metal film. This latter concept has been realized in a pilot experiment by in situ wicking and wetting of a porous sintered metal disc. Microstructured liquid metal ion or electron sources are capable of operating in a pulsed mode at a current level which is orders of magnitude above that for steady-state operation. (author). 3 figs., 10 refs.

Recent advances in centrifugal contactors design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonard, R.A.

1987-10-01

Advances in thedesign of the Argonne centrifugal contactor for solvent extaction are being realized as these contactors are built, tested, and used to implement the TRUEX process for the cleanup of nuclear waste liquids. These advances include (1) using off-the-shelf, face-mounted motors, (2) modifying the contractor so that relatively volatile solvents can be used, (3) adding a high-level liquid detector that can be used to alert the plant operator of process upsets, (4) providing secondary feed ports, (5) optimizing support frame design, (6) maintaining a linear design with external interstage lines so the stages can be allocated as needed for extraction, scrub, strip, and solvent cleanup operations, and (7) developing features that facilitate contractor operation in remote facilities. 11 refs., 8 figs

Measurement of the differential pressure of liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metz, H.J.

1975-01-01

This patent relates to an improved means for measuring the differential pressure between any two points in a process liquid metal coolant loop, wherein the flow of liquid metal in a pipe is opposed by a permanent magnet liquid metal pump until there is almost zero flow shown by a magnetic type flowmeter. The pressure producing the liquid metal flow is inferred from the rate of rotation of the permanent magnet pump. In an alternate embodiment, a differential pressure transducer is coupled to a process pipeline by means of high-temperature bellows or diaphragm seals, and a permanent magnet liquid metal pump in the high-pressure transmission line to the pressure transducer can be utilized either for calibration of the transducer or for determining the process differential pressure as a function of the magnet pump speed

Measurement of the differential pressure of liquid metals

Science.gov (United States)

Metz, H.J.

1975-09-01

This patent relates to an improved means for measuring the differential pressure between any two points in a process liquid metal coolant loop, wherein the flow of liquid metal in a pipe is opposed by a permanent magnet liquid metal pump until there is almost zero flow shown by a magnetic type flowmeter. The pressure producing the liquid metal flow is inferred from the rate of rotation of the permanent magnet pump. In an alternate embodiment, a differential pressure transducer is coupled to a process pipeline by means of high-temperature bellows or diaphragm seals, and a permanent magnet liquid metal pump in the high-pressure transmission line to the pressure transducer can be utilized either for calibration of the transducer or for determining the process differential pressure as a function of the magnet pump speed. (auth)

A method of measuring a molten metal liquid pool volume

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, G.V.; Carlson, N.M., Donaldson, A.D.

1990-12-12

A method of measuring a molten metal liquid pool volume and in particular molten titanium liquid pools, including the steps of (a) generating an ultrasonic wave at the surface of the molten metal liquid pool, (b) shining a light on the surface of a molten metal liquid pool, (c) detecting a change in the frequency of light, (d) detecting an ultrasonic wave echo at the surface of the molten metal liquid pool, and (e) computing the volume of the molten metal liquid. 3 figs.

Stretchable and Soft Electronics using Liquid Metals.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickey, Michael D

2017-07-01

The use of liquid metals based on gallium for soft and stretchable electronics is discussed. This emerging class of electronics is motivated, in part, by the new opportunities that arise from devices that have mechanical properties similar to those encountered in the human experience, such as skin, tissue, textiles, and clothing. These types of electronics (e.g., wearable or implantable electronics, sensors for soft robotics, e-skin) must operate during deformation. Liquid metals are compelling materials for these applications because, in principle, they are infinitely deformable while retaining metallic conductivity. Liquid metals have been used for stretchable wires and interconnects, reconfigurable antennas, soft sensors, self-healing circuits, and conformal electrodes. In contrast to Hg, liquid metals based on gallium have low toxicity and essentially no vapor pressure and are therefore considered safe to handle. Whereas most liquids bead up to minimize surface energy, the presence of a surface oxide on these metals makes it possible to pattern them into useful shapes using a variety of techniques, including fluidic injection and 3D printing. In addition to forming excellent conductors, these metals can be used actively to form memory devices, sensors, and diodes that are completely built from soft materials. The properties of these materials, their applications within soft and stretchable electronics, and future opportunities and challenges are considered. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Liquid metal actuation by electrical control of interfacial tension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eaker, Collin B.; Dickey, Michael D., E-mail: michael-dickey@ncsu.edu [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States)

2016-09-15

By combining metallic electrical conductivity with low viscosity, liquid metals and liquid metal alloys offer new and exciting opportunities to serve as reconfigurable components of electronic, microfluidic, and electromagnetic devices. Here, we review the physics and applications of techniques that utilize voltage to manipulate the interfacial tension of liquid metals; such techniques include electrocapillarity, continuous electrowetting, electrowetting-on-dielectric, and electrochemistry. These techniques lower the interfacial tension between liquid metals and a surrounding electrolyte by driving charged species (or in the case of electrochemistry, chemical species) to the interface. The techniques are useful for manipulating and actuating liquid metals at sub-mm length scales where interfacial forces dominate. We focus on metals and alloys that are liquid near or below room temperature (mercury, gallium, and gallium-based alloys). The review includes discussion of mercury—despite its toxicity—because it has been utilized in numerous applications and it offers a way of introducing several phenomena without the complications associated with the oxide layer that forms on gallium and its alloys. The review focuses on the advantages, applications, opportunities, challenges, and limitations of utilizing voltage to control interfacial tension as a method to manipulate liquid metals.

Liquid Metal Machine Triggered Violin-Like Wire Oscillator.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Bin; Wang, Lei; Yang, Xiaohu; Ding, Yujie; Tan, Sicong; Yi, Liting; He, Zhizhu; Liu, Jing

2016-10-01

The first ever oscillation phenomenon of a copper wire embraced inside a self-powered liquid metal machine is discovered. When contacting a copper wire to liquid metal machine, it would be swallowed inside and then reciprocally moves back and forth, just like a violin bow. Such oscillation could be easily regulated by touching a steel needle on the liquid metal surface.

Flow balancing in liquid metal blankets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tillack, M.S.; Morley, N.B.

1995-01-01

Non-uniform flow distribution between parallel channels is one of the most serious concerns for self-cooled liquid metal blankets with electrically insulated walls. We show that uncertainties in flow distribution can be dramatically reduced by relatively simple design modifications. Several design features which impose flow uniformity by electrically coupling parallel channels are surveyed. Basic mechanisms for ''flow balancing'' are described, and a particular self-regulating concept using discrete passive electrodes is proposed for the US ITER advanced blanket concept. Scoping calculations suggest that this simple technique can be very powerful in equalizing the flow, even with massive insulator failures in individual channels. More detailed analyses and experimental verification will be required to demonstrate this concept for ITER. (orig.)

Corrosion by liquid metals - Application to liquid sodium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavielle, Lisette.

1978-10-01

In this bibliographic review on the corrosion by liquid metals, the first part is devoted to the theoretical aspects of the problem and the second part concerns the corrosion of steels by liquid sodium, as example. Obvious the numerous works now published, the mechanisms are still leaving bad known [fr

Liquid phase and supercooled liquid phase welding of bulk metallic glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawamura, Y.

2004-01-01

Recent progress on welding in bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) has been reviewed. BMGs have been successfully welded to BMGs or crystalline metals by liquid phase welding using explosion, pulse-current and electron-beam methods, and by supercooled liquid phase welding using friction method. Successful welding of the liquid phase methods was due to the high glass-forming ability of the BMGs and the high concentration of welding energy in these methods. In contrast, the supercooled liquid phase welding was successful due to the thermally stable supercooled liquid state of the BMGs and the superplasticity and viscous flow of the supercooled liquid. The successful welding of BMGs to BMGs and crystalline materials is promising for the future development of BMGs as engineering materials

Integral fast reactor safety features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cahalan, J.E.; Kramer, J.M.; Marchaterre, J.F.; Mueller, C.J.; Pedersen, D.R.; Sevy, R.H.; Wade, D.C.; Wei, T.Y.C.

1988-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is an advanced liquid-metal-cooled reactor concept being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The two major goals of the IFR development effort are improved economics and enhanced safety. In addition to liquid metal cooling, the principal design features that distinguish the IFR are: (1) a pool-type primary system, (2) an advanced ternary alloy metallic fuel, and (3) an integral fuel cycle with on-site fuel reprocessing and fabrication. This paper focuses on the technical aspects of the improved safety margins available in the IFR concept. This increased level of safety is made possible by (1) the liquid metal (sodium) coolant and pool-type primary system layout, which together facilitate passive decay heat removal, and (2) a sodium-bonded metallic fuel pin design with thermal and neutronic properties that provide passive core responses which control and mitigate the consequences of reactor accidents

Properties of structural materials in liquid metal environment. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borgstedt, H U [ed.

1991-12-15

The International Working Group on Fast Reactors (IWGFR) Specialists Meeting on Properties of Structural Materials in Liquid Metal Environment was held during June 18 to June 20, 1991, at the Nuclear Research Centre (Kernforschungszentrum) in Karlsruhe, Germany. The Specialists Meeting was divided into five technical sessions which addressed topics as follows: Creep-Rupture Behaviour of Structural Materials in Liquid Metal Environment; Behaviour of Materials in Liquid Metal Environments under Off-Normal Conditions;Fatigue and Creep-Fatigue of Structural Materials in Liquid Metal Environment; Crack Propagation in Liquid Sodium; and Conclusions and recommendations. Individual papers have been cataloged separately.

Argonne National Laboratory 1983-1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

This publication presents significant developments at Argonne National Laboratory during 1983-84. Argonne is a multidisciplinary research center with primary focus on nuclear energy, basic research, biomedical-environmental studies and alternate energy research. The laboratory is operated by the University of Chicago for the Department of Energy

Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — ATLAS is a national user facility at Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Illinois. The ATLAS facility is a leading facility for nuclear structure research in the...

PFR liquid metals disposal at Dounreay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McIntyre, A.W.

1997-01-01

When the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) at Dounreay was shut down in 1994, the UKAEA commissioned a series of studies to determine the least cost, lowest risk option for dealing with the liquid metal coolants, i.e. the sodium from the primary and secondary circuits and the NaK from the decay heat removal system. The studies concluded that leaving the liquid metals in situ was not a viable option. Removing the liquid metals had three options, provision of long term external storage facilities, re-use in other projects or treatment for final disposal. The UKAEA invited companies to bid for the challenging task of disposing of more than 1500 t of liquid metals. In 1995 UKAEA awarded NNC Ltd. one of the largest decommissioning projects ever to be let competitively in the UK. During the first year of the contract, the challenges have focused on solving design problems and a number of innovative solutions have been developed by NNC and its subcontractors. From January 1997 the focus has moved to construction on site at Dounreay, and the manufacturing and installation of the mechanical components of the plant

Kinetic of liquid-liquid extraction for uranyl nitrate and actinides (III) and lanthanides (III) nitrates by amide extractants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toulemonde, V.; CEA Centre d'Etudes de la Vallee du Rhone, 30 -Marcoule

1995-01-01

The kinetics of liquid-liquid extraction by amide extractants have been investigated for uranyl nitrate (monoamide extractants), actinides (III) and lanthanides (III) nitrates (diamide extractants). The transfer of the metallic species from the aqueous phase to the organic phase was studied using two experimental devices: ARMOLLEX (Argonne Modified Lewis cell for Liquid Liquid Extraction) and RSC (Rotating Stabilized Cell). The main conclusions are: for the extraction of uranyl nitrate by DEHDMBA monoamide, the rate-controlling step is the complexation of the species at the interface of the two liquids. Thus, an absorption-desorption (according to Langmuir theory) reaction mechanism was proposed; for the extraction of actinides (III) and lanthanides (III) nitrates in nitric acid media by DMDBTDMA diamide, the kinetic is also limited by interfacial reactions. The behavior of Americium and Europium is very similar as fare as their reaction kinetics are concerned. (author)

Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta - Argonne Today

Science.gov (United States)

-performance clusters and supercomputers. What is the best part of your job? The best part is working with Argonne Today Argonne Today Mission People Work/Life Connections Focal Point Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta Home People Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta Apr 1, 2016 | Posted by Argonne

Liquid metal batteries - materials selection and fluid dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Weier, T.; Bund, A.; El-Mofid, W.; Horstmann, G. M.; Lalau, C.-C.; Landgraf, S.; Nimtz, M.; Starace, M.; Stefani, F.; Weber, N.

2017-07-01

Liquid metal batteries are possible candidates for massive and economically feasible large-scale stationary storage and as such could be key components of future energy systems based mainly or exclusively on intermittent renewable electricity sources. The completely liquid interior of liquid metal batteries and the high current densities give rise to a multitude of fluid flow phenomena that will primarily influence the operation of future large cells, but might be important for today’s smaller cells as well. The paper at hand starts with a discussion of the relative merits of using molten salts or ionic liquids as electrolytes for liquid metal cells and touches the choice of electrode materials. This excursus into electrochemistry is followed by an overview of investigations on magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in liquid metal batteries, namely the Tayler instability and electromagnetically excited gravity waves. A section on electro-vortex flows complements the discussion of flow phenomena. Focus of the flow related investigations lies on the integrity of the electrolyte layer and related critical parameters.

The US Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor and the Fast Flux Test Facility Phase IIA passive safety tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, P.K.; Harris, R.A.; Campbell, L.R.; Dautel, W.A.; Dubberley, A.E.; Gluekler, E.L.

1992-07-01

This report discusses the safety approach of the Advanced Liquid Metal reactor program, sponsored by the US Department of Energy, which relies upon passive reactor responses to off-normal condition to limit power and temperature excursions to levels that allow safety margins. Gas expansion modules (GEM) have included in the design to provide negative reactivity to enhance these margins in the extremely unlikely event that pumping power is lost and the highly reliable scram system fails to operate. The feasibility and beneficial features of these devices were first demonstrated in the core of the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) in 1986. Preapplication safety evaluations by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission have identified areas that must be addressed if these devices are to be relied on. One of these areas is the response of the reactor when it is critical and the pumps are turned on, resulting in positive reactivity being added to the core. Tests to examine such transients have been performed as part of the continuing FFTF program to confirm the passive safety characteristics of liquid metal reactors (LMR). The primary tests consisted of starting the main coolant pumps, which forced sodium coolant into the GEMS, decreasing neutron leakage and adding positive reactivity. The resulting transients were shown to be benign and easily mitigated by the reactivity feedbacks inherent in the FFTF and all LMRs. Steady-state auxiliary tests of the GEM and feedback reactivity worths accurately predicted the transient results. The auxiliary GEM worth tests also demonstrated that the worth can be determined at a subcritical state, which allows for a verification of the GEM's availability prior to ascending to power

Liquid metal flows in insulating elements of self-cooled blankets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molokov, S.

1995-01-01

Liquid metal flows in insulating rectangular ducts in strong magnetic fields are considered with reference to poloidal concepts of self-cooled blankets. Although the major part of the flow in poloidal blanket concepts is close to being fully developed, manifolds, expansions, contractions, elbows, etc., which are necessary elements in blanket designs, cause three-dimensional effects. The present investigation demonstrates the flow pattern in basic insulating geometries for actual and more advanced liquid metal blanket concepts and discusses the ways to avoid pressure losses caused by flow redistribution. Flows in several geometries, such as symmetric and non-symmetric 180 turns with and without manifolds, sharp and linear expansions with and without manifolds, etc., have been considered. They demonstrate the attractiveness of poloidal concepts of liquid metal blankets, since they guarantee uniform conditions for heat transfer. If changes in the duct cross-section occur in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field (ideally a coolant should always flow in the radial-poloidal plane), the disturbances are local and the slug velocity profile is reached roughly at a distance equivalent to one duct width from the manifolds, expansions, etc. The effects of inertia in these flows are unimportant for the determination of the pressure drop and velocity profiles in the core of the flow but may favour heat transfer characteristics via instabilities and strongly anisotropic turbulence. (orig.)

Metal fires and their implications for advanced reactors.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nowlen, Steven Patrick; Figueroa, Victor G.; Olivier, Tara Jean; Hewson, John C.; Blanchat, Thomas K.

2010-10-01

This report details the primary results of the Laboratory Directed Research and Development project (LDRD 08-0857) Metal Fires and Their Implications for Advance Reactors. Advanced reactors may employ liquid metal coolants, typically sodium, because of their many desirable qualities. This project addressed some of the significant challenges associated with the use of liquid metal coolants, primary among these being the extremely rapid oxidation (combustion) that occurs at the high operating temperatures in reactors. The project has identified a number of areas for which gaps existed in knowledge pertinent to reactor safety analyses. Experimental and analysis capabilities were developed in these areas to varying degrees. In conjunction with team participation in a DOE gap analysis panel, focus was on the oxidation of spilled sodium on thermally massive surfaces. These are spills onto surfaces that substantially cool the sodium during the oxidation process, and they are relevant because standard risk mitigation procedures seek to move spill environments into this regime through rapid draining of spilled sodium. While the spilled sodium is not quenched, the burning mode is different in that there is a transition to a smoldering mode that has not been comprehensively described previously. Prior work has described spilled sodium as a pool fire, but there is a crucial, experimentally-observed transition to a smoldering mode of oxidation. A series of experimental measurements have comprehensively described the thermal evolution of this type of sodium fire for the first time. A new physics-based model has been developed that also predicts the thermal evolution of this type of sodium fire for the first time. The model introduces smoldering oxidation through porous oxide layers to go beyond traditional pool fire analyses that have been carried out previously in order to predict experimentally observed trends. Combined, these developments add significantly to the safety

The coalescence of heterogeneous liquid metal on nano substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Long; Li, Yifan; Zhou, Xuyan; Li, Tao; Li, Hui

2017-06-01

Molecular dynamics simulation has been performed to study the asymmetric coalescence of heterogeneous liquid metal on graphene. Simulation results show that the anomalies in the drop coalescence is mainly caused by the wettability of heterogeneous liquid metal. The silver atoms incline to distribute on the outer layer of the gold and copper droplets, revealing that the structure is determined by the interaction between different metal atoms. The coalescence and fusion of heterogeneous liquid metal drop can be predicted by comparing the wettability and the atomic mass of metallic liquid drops, which has important implications in the industrial application such as ink-jet printing and metallurgy.

Corrosion and compatibility in liquid alkali metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1978-01-01

The literature dealing with liquid alkali metal corrosion of vanadium and its alloys is reviewed in the following subsections. Attention is given to both lithium and sodium data. Preceding this review, a brief outline of the current state of understanding of liquid metal corrosion mechanisms is provided

Kinetic of liquid-liquid extraction for uranyl nitrate and actinides (III) and lanthanides (III) nitrates by amide extractants; Cinetique d`extraction liquide-liquide du nitrate d`uranyle et des nitrates d`actinides (III) et de lanthanides (III) par des extractants a fonction amide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toulemonde, V [CEA Centre d` Etudes Nucleaires de Saclay, 91 -Gif-sur-Yvette (France); [CEA Centre d` Etudes de la Vallee du Rhone, 30 -Marcoule (France). Dept. d` Exploitation du Retraitement et de Demantelement

1995-12-20

The kinetics of liquid-liquid extraction by amide extractants have been investigated for uranyl nitrate (monoamide extractants), actinides (III) and lanthanides (III) nitrates (diamide extractants). The transfer of the metallic species from the aqueous phase to the organic phase was studied using two experimental devices: ARMOLLEX (Argonne Modified Lewis cell for Liquid Liquid Extraction) and RSC (Rotating Stabilized Cell). The main conclusions are: for the extraction of uranyl nitrate by DEHDMBA monoamide, the rate-controlling step is the complexation of the species at the interface of the two liquids. Thus, an absorption-desorption (according to Langmuir theory) reaction mechanism was proposed; for the extraction of actinides (III) and lanthanides (III) nitrates in nitric acid media by DMDBTDMA diamide, the kinetic is also limited by interfacial reactions. The behavior of Americium and Europium is very similar as fare as their reaction kinetics are concerned. (author). 89 refs.

Aerial radiological survey of the Argonne National Laboratory and surrounding area, Argonne, Illinois. Date of survey: May 1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-12-01

An aerial radiological survey was conducted over the facilities of the Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Illinois, on 2 to 13 May 1977. The survey was flown at an altitude of 46 m by a helicopter containing 20 sodium iodide detectors. The line spacing was also 46 m. Enhanced gamma exposure rate levels, which could be attributed to Argonne operations, were observed at many locations

Liquid metal cooling concepts in solar power application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deegan, P.B.; Mangus, J.D.; Whitlow, G.A.

1978-01-01

The thermodynamic and thermophysical properties and proven technology of a liquid sodium heat transport system provide numerous advantages and benefits for application in a central receiver solar thermal power plant concept. The major advantages of utilizing liquid sodium are: attainment of high thermodynamic cycle efficiencies, reduced relative costs, and achievement of these goals by the mid-1980's through the utilization of proven liquid metal technology developed in the power industry, without the need for extensive development programs. The utilization of liquid sodium reduces the complexity of the design of these systems, thus providing confidence in system reliability. The implementation of the proven technology in liquid metal systems also provides assurance of reliability. In addition, the ease of transition from liquid metal breeder reactor systems to solar application provides immediate availability of this technology

Equipment for liquid metal pressure measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, J.

1977-01-01

Equipment is proposed for measuring liquid metal pressure in piping or a tank. An auxiliary piping is connected to the piping or tank at the measuring point. The auxiliary piping transports liquid metal to a container by means of an electromagnetic pump. The piping also houses an electromagnetic flow ratemeter connected to an electric comparator. The comparator and the electromagnetic pump are connected to the pump output generator. (Z.M.)

Clad buffer rod sensors for liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jen, C.-K.; Ihara, I.

1999-01-01

Clad buffer rods, consisting of a core and a cladding, have been developed for ultrasonic monitoring of liquid metal processing. The cores of these rods are made of low ultrasonic-loss materials and the claddings are fabricated by thermal spray techniques. The clad geometry ensures proper ultrasonic guidance. The lengths of these rods ranges from tens of centimeters to 1m. On-line ultrasonic level measurements in liquid metals such as magnesium at 700 deg C and aluminum at 960 deg C are presented to demonstrate their operation at high temperature and their high ultrasonic performance. A spherical concave lens is machined at the rod end for improving the spatial resolution. High quality ultrasonic images have been obtained in the liquid zinc at 600 deg C. High spatial resolution is needed for the detection of inclusions in liquid metals during processing. We also show that the elastic properties such as density, longitudinal and shear wave velocities of liquid metals can be measured using a transducer which generates and receives both longitudinal and shear waves and is mounted at the end of a clad buffer rod. (author)

Molten metal technologies advance waste processing systems for liquid radioactive waste treatment for PWRs and BWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strand, Gary; Vance, Jene N.

1997-01-01

Molten Metal Technologies (MMT) has recently acquired a proprietary filtration process for specific use in radioactive liquid waste processing systems. The filtration system has been incorporated in to a PWR liquid radwaste system which is currently being designed for the ComEd Byron Nuclear Station. It has also been adopted as the prefiltration step up from of the two RO systems which were part of the VECTRA acquisition and which are currently installed in the ComEd Dresden and Lacily Nuclear Stations. The filtration process has been successfully pilot-tested at both Byron and Dresden and is currently being tested at LaSalle. The important features of the filtration process are the high removal efficiencies for particulates, including colloidal particles, and the low solid waste volume generation per gallon filtered which translates into very small annual solid waste volumes. This filtration process system has been coupled with the use of selective ion exchange media in the PWR processing system to reduce the solid waste volumes generated compared to the current processing methods and to reduce the curie quantities discharged to the environs. In the BWR processing system, this filtration method allows the coupling of an RO system to provide for recycling greater than 95% of the liquid radwaste back to the plant for reuse while significantly reducing the solid waste volumes and operating costs. This paper discusses the process system configurations for the MMT Advanced Waste Processing Systems for both PWRs and BWRs. In addition, the pilot test data and full-scale performance projections for the filtration system are discussed which demonstrate the important features of the filtration process

Diverse transformations of liquid metals between different morphologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Lei; Zhang, Jie; Liu, Jing

2014-09-10

Transformation from a film into a sphere, rapid merging of separate objects, controlled self-rotation, and planar locomotion are the very unusual phenomena observed in liquid metals under application of an electric field to a liquid metal immersed in or sprayed with water. A mechanism for these effects is suggested and potential applications - for example the recovery of liquid metal previously injected into the body for therapeutic purposes - are outlined. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

All-soft, battery-free, and wireless chemical sensing platform based on liquid metal for liquid- and gas-phase VOC detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Min-Gu; Alrowais, Hommood; Kim, Choongsoon; Yeon, Pyungwoo; Ghovanloo, Maysam; Brand, Oliver

2017-06-27

Lightweight, flexible, stretchable, and wireless sensing platforms have gained significant attention for personal healthcare and environmental monitoring applications. This paper introduces an all-soft (flexible and stretchable), battery-free, and wireless chemical microsystem using gallium-based liquid metal (eutectic gallium-indium alloy, EGaIn) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), fabricated using an advanced liquid metal thin-line patterning technique based on soft lithography. Considering its flexible, stretchable, and lightweight characteristics, the proposed sensing platform is well suited for wearable sensing applications either on the skin or on clothing. Using the microfluidic sensing platform, detection of liquid-phase and gas-phase volatile organic compounds (VOC) is demonstrated using the same design, which gives an opportunity to have the sensor operate under different working conditions and environments. In the case of liquid-phase chemical sensing, the wireless sensing performance and microfluidic capacitance tunability for different dielectric liquids are evaluated using analytical, numerical, and experimental approaches. In the case of gas-phase chemical sensing, PDMS is used both as a substrate and a sensing material. The gas sensing performance is evaluated and compared to a silicon-based, solid-state gas sensor with a PDMS sensing film.

Fundamental study on cavitation erosion in liquid metal. Effect of liquid parameter on cavitation erosion in liquid metals (Joint research)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hattori, Shuji; Kurachi, Hiroaki; Inoue, Fumitaka; Watashi, Katsumi; Tsukimori, Kazuyuki; Yada, Hiroki; Hashimoto, Takashi

2009-02-01

Cavitation erosion, which possibly occurs on the surfaces of fluid machineries and components contacting flowing liquid and causes sponge-like damage on the material surface, is important problem, since it may become the cause of performance deduction, life shortening, noise, vibration of mechanical components and moreover failure of machine. Research on cavitation erosion in liquid metal is very important to confirm the safety of fast breeder reactor using sodium coolant and to avoid serious damage of the target vessel of spallation neutron source containing liquid-mercury. But the research on cavitation erosion in liquid metal has been hardly performed because of its specially in comparison with that in water. In this study, a cavitation erosion test apparatus was developed to carry out the erosion tests in low-temperature liquid metals. Cavitation erosion tests were carried out in liquid lead-bismuth alloy and in deionized water. We discuss the effect of liquid parameters and temperature effects on the erosion rate. We reach to the following conclusions. The erosion rate was evaluated in terms of a relative temperature which was defind as the percentage between freezing and boiling points. At 14degC relative temperature, the erosion rate is 10 times in lead-bismuth alloy, and 2 to 5 times in sodium, compared with that in deionized water. At 14degC relative temperature, the erosion rate can be evaluated in terms of the following parameter. 1 / (1/ρ L /C L +1/ρ S C S )√ρ L . Where ρ is the material density and c is the velocity of sound, L and S denote liquid and solid. In the relative temperature between 14 and 30degC, the temperature dependence on the erosion rate is due to the increase in vapor pressure. (author)

Irradiation performance of metallic fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pahl, R.G.; Lahm, C.E.; Porter, D.L.; Batte, G.L.; Hofman, G.L.

1989-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory has been working for the past five years to develop and demonstrate the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept. The concept involves a closed system for fast-reactor power generation and on-site fuel reprocessing, both designed specifically around the use of metallic fuel. The Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) has used metallic fuel for all of its 25-year life. In 1985, tests were begun to examine the irradiation performance of advanced-design metallic fuel systems based on U-Zr or U-Pu-Zr fuels. These tests have demonstrated the viable performance of these fuel systems to high burnup. The initial testing program will be described in this paper. 2 figs

Dynamic interactions of Leidenfrost droplets on liquid metal surface

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Yujie; Liu, Jing

2016-09-01

Leidenfrost dynamic interaction effects of the isopentane droplets on the surface of heated liquid metal were disclosed. Unlike conventional rigid metal, such conductive and deformable liquid metal surface enables the levitating droplets to demonstrate rather abundant and complex dynamics. The Leidenfrost droplets at different diameters present diverse morphologies and behaviors like rotation and oscillation. Depending on the distance between the evaporating droplets, they attract and repulse each other through the curved surfaces beneath them and their vapor flows. With high boiling point up to 2000 °C, liquid metal offers a unique platform for testing the evaporating properties of a wide variety of liquid even solid.

Tokamak with liquid metal toroidal field coil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohkawa, T.; Schaffer, M.J.

1981-01-01

Tokamak apparatus includes a pressure vessel for defining a reservoir and confining liquid therein. A toroidal liner disposed within the pressure vessel defines a toroidal space within the liner. Liquid metal fills the reservoir outside said liner. Electric current is passed through the liquid metal over a conductive path linking the toroidal space to produce a toroidal magnetic field within the toroidal space about the major axis thereof. Toroidal plasma is developed within the toroidal space about the major axis thereof

Draft environmental assessment of Argonne National Laboratory, East

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1975-10-01

This environmental assessment of the operation of the Argonne National Laboratory is related to continuation of research and development work being conducted at the Laboratory site at Argonne, Illinois. The Laboratory has been monitoring various environmental parameters both offsite and onsite since 1949. Meteorological data have been collected to support development of models for atmospheric dispersion of radioactive and other pollutants. Gaseous and liquid effluents, both radioactive and non-radioactive, have been measured by portable monitors and by continuous monitors at fixed sites. Monitoring of constituents of the terrestrial ecosystem provides a basis for identifying changes should they occur in this regime. The Laboratory has established a position of leadership in monitoring methodologies and their application. Offsite impacts of nonradiological accidents are primarily those associated with the release of chlorine and with sodium fires. Both result in releases that cause no health damage offsite. Radioactive materials released to the environment result in a cumulative dose to persons residing within 50 miles of the site of about 47 man-rem per year, compared to an annual total of about 950,000 man-rem delivered to the same population from natural background radiation. 100 refs., 17 figs., 33 tabs.

Compact device to heat up a liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanc, R.; Pelloux, L.

1981-01-01

Device for heating a liquid metal, sodium for instance, this device being in one piece and capable of being introduced in one go into the tank containing the liquid metal and comprising heating rods and an electromagnetic pump [fr

Recent Advances in Liquid Metal Manipulation toward Soft Robotics and Biotechnologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yue; Miyako, Eijiro

2018-04-06

Interest has grown significantly in the field of soft robotics, which seeks to develop machinery capable of duplicating the elastic and rheological properties of typically polymeric or elastomeric biological tissues and organs. As a result of a number of unique properties, gallium-based liquid metals (LMs) are emerging as materials used in the forefront of soft robotics research. Finding methods to enable the sophisticated manipulation of LMs will be essential for further progress in the field. This review provides a critical discussion of the manipulation of LMs and on important biotechnological applications of LMs including microfluidics, healthcare devices, biomaterials, and nanomedicines. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Testing of seismic isolation bearings for advanced liquid metal reactor prism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajirian, F.F.; Kelly, J.M.

1988-01-01

Seismic isolation can significantly mitigate earthquake loads on liquid metal reactors (LMR), thus reducing the impact of seismic loads on design. This improves plant safety margins for beyond-design basis seismic events and enhances adaptability of a standardized design to a variety of sites, with potential cost benefits. The PRISM (Power Reactor Inherently Safe Module) LMR incorporates a horizontal isolation system which consists of high damping steel laminated rubber bearings. The results of an experimental program to determine the mechanical properties of the rubber compound and the bearing performance under different loading conditions are presented. The test results demonstrate the excellent performance of the bearings and their suitability for isolating compact LMR plants

Bulk viscosity and ultrasonic attenuation in liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awasthi, O.N.; Murthy, B.V.S.

1984-11-01

Ultrasonic attenuation in simple liquid metals has been investigated using the thermodynamic theory of relaxation processes incorporating the concept of a two state model for the liquid near the melting point. Agreement of the results with the experimental values of the ultrasonic attenuation and bulk viscosity indicates that this might be an appropriate approach to explain the excess attenuation of ultrasonic waves in liquid metals. (author)

A pump/intermediate heat exchanger assembly for a liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nathenson, R.D.; Alexion, C.C.; Sumpman, W.C.

1987-01-01

A heat exchanger and electromagnetic pump assembly is disclosed comprising a heat exchanger housing defining an annularly shaped cavity and supporting therein a plurality of heat transfer tubes. An electromagnetic pump disposed beneath the heat exchanger comprises a circular array of flow couplers. Each flow coupler comprises a pump duct receiving primary liquid metal and a generator duct receiving a pumped intermediate liquid metal. A first plenum chamber is in communication with the generator ducts of all the flow couplers and receives intermediate liquid metal from inlet duct. The generator ducts exit their flows of intermediate liquid metal to a second plenum chamber in communication with the heat exchanger annularly shaped cavity to permit the flow of the intermediate liquid metal therethrough. A third plenum chamber receives collectively the flows of the primary liquid metal from the tubes and directs the primary liquid metal to the pump ducts of the flow couplers. The annular magnetic field of the electromagnetic pump is produced by a circular array of electromagnets having hollow windings cooled by a flow of intermediate liquid metal via tubes and manifolds. The leads to the electromagnets pass through an annular space around the inlet duct. (author)

Liquid metals as electrodes in polymer light emitting diodes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andersson, G.G.; Gommans, H.H.P.; Denier van der Gon, A.W.; Brongersma, H.H.

2003-01-01

We demonstrate that liquid metals can be used as cathodes in light emitting diodes (pLEDs). The main difference between the use of liquid cathodes and evaporated cathodes is the sharpness of the metal–polymer interface. Liquid metal cathodes result in significantly sharper metal–organic interfaces

Temperature-dependent liquid metal flowrate control device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlson, R.D.

1978-01-01

A temperature-dependent liquid metal flowrate control device includes a magnet and a ferromagnetic member defining therebetween a flow path for liquid metal, the ferromagnetic member being formed of a material having a curie temperature at which a change in the flow rate of the liquid metal is desired. According to the preferred embodiment the magnet is a cylindrical rod magnet axially disposed within a cylindrical member formed of a curie material and having iron pole pieces at the ends. A cylindrical iron shunt and a thin wall stainless steel barrier are disposed in the annulus between magnet and curie material. Below the curie temperature flow between steel barrier and curie material is impeded and above the curie temperature flow impedance is reduced

Soft Multifunctional Composites and Emulsions with Liquid Metals.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazem, Navid; Hellebrekers, Tess; Majidi, Carmel

2017-07-01

Binary mixtures of liquid metal (LM) or low-melting-point alloy (LMPA) in an elastomeric or fluidic carrier medium can exhibit unique combinations of electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. This emerging class of soft multifunctional composites have potential applications in wearable computing, bio-inspired robotics, and shape-programmable architectures. The dispersion phase can range from dilute droplets to connected networks that support electrical conductivity. In contrast to deterministically patterned LM microfluidics, LMPA- and LM-embedded elastomer (LMEE) composites are statistically homogenous and exhibit effective bulk properties. Eutectic Ga-In (EGaIn) and Ga-In-Sn (Galinstan) alloys are typically used due to their high conductivity, low viscosity, negligible nontoxicity, and ability to wet to nonmetallic materials. Because they are liquid-phase, these alloys can alter the electrical and thermal properties of the composite while preserving the mechanics of the surrounding medium. For composites with LMPA inclusions (e.g., Field's metal, Pb-based solder), mechanical rigidity can be actively tuned with external heating or electrical activation. This progress report, reviews recent experimental and theoretical studies of this emerging class of soft material architectures and identifies current technical challenges and opportunities for further advancement. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Was Argonne whistleblower really blowing smoke?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, E.

1992-01-01

Tension between scientists and lawyers is on the rise at one federal lab as a result of a recent Department of Energy (DOE) investigation of staffers at the Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago. In the past, DOE Tiger Teams have clashed with lab personnel over enforcement of safety and health codes. Now the battle is joined on the definition of good and bad science. Officials at DOE headquarters in Washington, DC say that scientific dissent was being suppressed at Argonne. Argonne's director Alan Schriesheim vehemently disagrees. The case that brought these issues to the fore last week involves a whistleblower named James Smith, a former assistant engineer at the Argonne National Laboratory's western branch near Idaho Falls, Idaho. Specifically, he charged that a consultant and staffers had used inaccurate data on the metallurgy and thermochemistry of fuel being designed for an experimental breeder reactor. Smith also claimed the errors might endanger public safety

Push technology at Argonne National Laboratory.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noel, R. E.; Woell, Y. N.

1999-04-06

Selective dissemination of information (SDI) services, also referred to as current awareness searches, are usually provided by periodically running computer programs (personal profiles) against a cumulative database or databases. This concept of pushing relevant content to users has long been integral to librarianship. Librarians traditionally turned to information companies to implement these searches for their users in business, academia, and the science community. This paper describes how a push technology was implemented on a large scale for scientists and engineers at Argonne National Laboratory, explains some of the challenges to designers/maintainers, and identifies the positive effects that SDI seems to be having on users. Argonne purchases the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Current Contents data (all subject areas except Humanities), and scientists no longer need to turn to outside companies for reliable SDI service. Argonne's database and its customized services are known as ACCESS (Argonne-University of Chicago Current Contents Electronic Search Service).

Conceptual design strategy for liquid-metal-wall inertial-fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monsler, M.J.; Meier, W.R.

1981-02-01

The liquid-metal-wall chamber has emerged as an attractive reactor concept for inertial fusion energy conversion. The principal feature of this concept is a thick, free-flowing blanket of liquid metal used to protect the structure of the reactor. The development and design of liquid-metal-wall chambers over the past decade provides a basis for formulating a conceptual design strategy for such chambers. Both the attractive and unattractive features of a LMW chamber are enumerated, and a design strategy is formulated which accommodates the engineering constraints while minimizing the liquid-metal flow rate

Direct high-temperature ohmic heating of metals as liquid pipes.

Science.gov (United States)

Grosse, A V; Cahill, J A; Liddell, W L; Murphy, W J; Stokes, C S

1968-05-03

When a sufficiently high electric current is passed through a liquid metal, the electromagnetic pressure pinches off the liquid metal and interrupts the flow of current. For the first time the pinch effect has been overcome by use of centrifugal acceleration. By rotation of a pipe of liquid metal, tin or bismuth or their alloys, at sufficiently high speed, it can be heated electrically without intermission of the electric current. One may now heat liquid metallic substances, by resistive (ohmic) heating, to 5000 degrees K and perhaps higher temperatures.

Conceptual design strategy for liquid-metal-wall inertial-fusion reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monsler, M.J.; Meier, W.R.

1981-02-01

The liquid-metal-wall chamber has emerged as an attractive reactor concept for inertial fusion energy conversion. The principal feature of this concept is a thick, free-flowing blanket of liquid metal used to protect the structure of the reactor. The development and design of liquid-metal-wall chambers over the past decade provides a basis for formulating a conceptual design strategy for such chambers. Both the attractive and unattractive features of a LMW chamber are enumerated, and a design strategy is formulated which accommodates the engineering constraints while minimizing the liquid-metal flow rate.

The US Liquid-Metal Reactor Program - overview and status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, J.E.; Gyorey, G.L.; Salerno, L.N.

1992-01-01

The US Advanced Liquid-Metal Reactor (ALMR) Program has three major elements being developed in an integrated fashion to produce a system meeting the US long-term nuclear energy needs. Reactor design, one of those elements, is the focus of this paper. The other two elements, the integral fast reactor metal-fuel cycle and the light water reactor (LWR) spent-fuel actinide recycle, will be addressed in companion papers. The ALMR is adaptable to multiple missions with few modifications such as the core arrangements. The missions identified to date are (a) the extension of the existing uranium resources through breeding and highly efficient uranium utilization, (b) the recycle and utilization of the long-life actinides in LWR spent fuel as fissile material for the ALMR, and (c) the conversion of excess weapons fissil material into electricity. In addition to these missions, the reactor design is adaptable to either the metal-fuel cycle or the oxide fuel cycle

Turbulent convection in liquid metal with and without rotation

OpenAIRE

King, Eric M.; Aurnou, Jonathan M.

2013-01-01

The magnetic fields of Earth and other planets are generated by turbulent, rotating convection in liquid metal. Liquid metals are peculiar in that they diffuse heat more readily than momentum, quantified by their small Prandtl numbers, . Most analog models of planetary dynamos, however, use moderate fluids, and the systematic influence of reducing is not well understood. We perform rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection experiments in the liquid metal gallium over a range of nondimensional bu...

Identification and management of plant aging and life extension issues for a liquid-metal-cooled reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, R.W.; Perry, W.H.

1991-06-01

Experimental Breeder Reactor 2 (EBR-2) is a pool-type sodium-cooled fast reactor that supports extensive experimental, test and demonstration programs while providing electrical power to the local grid. EBR-2 is a US Department of Energy Facility located at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory and operated by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The current mission of EBR-2 is to serve as the operational prototype for the Integral Fast Reactor demonstration program. This mission and other programs require EBR-2 to operate reliability to a 40-year lifetime, a significant extension beyond the five to ten year life originally planned for the facility. The benefits of operating EBR-2 in the extended-life mode are important for providing long-term operational performance data for a sodium-cooled fast reactor that is not available elsewhere. Identification and preliminary assessment of potential life-limiting factors indicate that, with appropriate consideration given in the design phase, the sodium-cooled plant has potential for a very long operational lifetime. Achievement of a 40-year lifetime with high reliability is important not only for achieving the near-term goals of the EBR-2/IFR programs, but for the advancement of the liquid-metal-cooled reactor concept to the demonstration/commercialization phase. Key features make extended-life operation feasible based on the use of sodium as the primary coolant: low-pressure, high thermal capacity primary system and a low-pressure secondary system requiring no active valves; and limited corrosion of components. 2 refs

Advances in metal forming expert system for metal forming

CERN Document Server

Hingole, Rahulkumar Shivajirao

2015-01-01

This comprehensive book offers a clear account of the theory and applications of advanced metal forming. It provides a detailed discussion of specific forming processes, such as deep drawing, rolling, bending extrusion and stamping. The author highlights recent developments of metal forming technologies and explains sound, new and powerful expert system techniques for solving advanced engineering problems in metal forming. In addition, the basics of expert systems, their importance and applications to metal forming processes, computer-aided analysis of metalworking processes, formability analysis, mathematical modeling and case studies of individual processes are presented.

Compatibility of materials with liquid metal targets for SNS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DiStefano, J.R.; Pawel, S.J.; DeVan, J.H.

1996-01-01

Several heavy liquid metals are candidates as the target in a spallation neutron source: Hg, Pb, Bi, and Pb-Bi eutectic. Systems with these liquid metals have been used in the past and a data-base on compatibility already exists. Two major compatibility issues have been identified when selecting a container material for these liquid metals: temperature gradient mass transfer and liquid metal embrittlement or LME. Temperature gradient mass transfer refers to dissolution of material from the high temperature portions of a system and its deposition in the lower temperature areas. Solution and deposition rate constants along with temperature, ΔT, and velocity are usually the most important parameters. For most candidate materials mass transfer corrosion has been found to be proportionately worse in Bi compared with Hg and Pb. For temperatures to ∼550 degrees C, ferritic/martensitic steels have been satisfactory in Pb or Hg systems and the maximum temperature can be extended to ∼650 degrees C with additions of inhibitors to the liquid metal, e.g. Mg, Ti, Zr. Above ∼600 degrees C, austenitic stainless steels have been reported to be unsatisfactory, largely because of the mass transfer of nickel. Blockage of flow from deposition of material is usually the life-limiting effect of this type of corrosion. However, mass transfer corrosion at lower temperatures has not been studied. At low temperatures (usually < 150 degrees C), LME has been reported for some liquid metal/container alloy combinations. Liquid metal embrittlement, like hydrogen embrittlement, results in brittle fracture of a normally ductile material

Magnetohydrodynamic instability of a cylindrical liquid-metal brush

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, S.H.; Wilhelm, H.E.

1976-01-01

The stability of a homopolar generator brush, consisting of a liquid-metal-filled cavity between rotating (rotor) and fixed (stator) cylinder electrodes, is analyzed in the presence of radial current transport and an axial homogeneous magnetic field. Within the frame of linear magnetohydrodynamics, it is shown that the liquid-metal flow in the brush is always unstable if the brush transports current. In the absence of current flow (infinite load) the axial magnetic field stabilizes the liquid-metal flow in the brush if the magnetic energy density is larger than a certain fraction of the energy density of the rotating fluid

Improvements in liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, S.

1980-01-01

Improvements in the design of the thermally insulating material used to shield the concrete containment walls in liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors are described in detail. The insulating material is composed of two layers and is placed between the primary vessel (usually steel) and the steel lined concrete containment vault. The outer layer, which clads the inner wall surface of the vault, is generally impervious to liquid metal coolant whilst the inner layer is pervious to the coolant. In normal operation, both layers protect the concrete from heat radiated from the reactor. In the event of a breach of the containment vessel, the resulting leakage of liquid metal coolant permeates the inner layer of insulating material, provides a means of heat transfer by conduction and hence reduces the overall insulating properties of the two layers. The outer layer continues to protect the wall surface of the vault from substantial direct contact with the liquid metal. Thus the two apparently conflicting requirements of good thermal insulation during normal operation and of heat transfer during loss of coolant accidents are satisfied by this novel design. Suggestions are given for possible materials for use as the insulating layers. (U.K.)

Thermal management of Li-ion battery with liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Xiao-Hu; Tan, Si-Cong; Liu, Jing

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Liquid metal is used for power battery pack thermal management. • Better cooling performance and more uniform module temperature is obtained. • Less power consumption is needed. • The proposed liquid metal cooling system is robust and can cope with stressful conditions. - Abstract: Thermal management especially cooling of electric vehicles (EVs) battery pack is of great significance for guaranteeing the performance of the cells as well as safety and high-efficiency working of the EVs. Liquid cooling is a powerful way to keep the battery temperature in a proper range. However, the efficiency of conventional liquid cooling is still limited due to the inherently low thermal conductivity of the coolant which is usually water or aqueous ethanol. In this paper, a new kind of coolant, liquid metal, is proposed to be used for the thermal management of the battery pack. Mathematical analysis and numerical simulations are conducted to evaluate the cooling capability, pump power consumption and module temperature uniformity of the liquid metal cooling system, in comparison with that of water cooling. The results show that under the same flow conditions, a lower and more uniform module temperature can be obtained and less pump power consumption are needed in the liquid metal cooling system. In addition, liquid metal has an excellent cooling capability coping with stressful conditions, such as high power draw, defects in cells, and high ambient temperature. This makes it a promising coolant for the thermal management of high driving force EVs and quick charge batteries.

Structural crossover in a supercooled metallic liquid and the link to a liquid-to-liquid phase transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lan, S.; Ma, J. L.; Fan, J. [Department of Physics and Material Science, City University of Hong Kong 83 Tat Chee Ave., Kowloon (Hong Kong); Blodgett, M.; Kelton, K. F. [Department of Physics and Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130-4899 (United States); Wang, X.-L., E-mail: xlwang@cityu.edu.hk [Department of Physics and Material Science, City University of Hong Kong 83 Tat Chee Ave., Kowloon (Hong Kong); City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057 (China)

2016-05-23

Time-resolved synchrotron measurements were carried out to capture the structure evolution of an electrostatically levitated metallic-glass-forming liquid during free cooling. The experimental data shows a crossover in the liquid structure at ∼1000 K, about 115 K below the melting temperature and 150 K above the crystallization temperature. The structure change is characterized by a dramatic growth in the extended-range order below the crossover temperature. Molecular dynamics simulations have identified that the growth of the extended-range order was due to an increased correlation between solute atoms. These results provide structural evidence for a liquid-to-liquid-phase-transition in the supercooled metallic liquid.

Evolution of the liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.E.; Chang, Y.I.

1989-01-01

This paper reports on the integral fat reactor (IFR) concept. A key feature of the IFR concept is the metallic fuel, the original choice in liquid metal reactor development. An IFR development program is detailed by the authors

Integral fast reactor concept inherent safety features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchaterre, J.F.; Sevy, R.H.; Cahalan, J.E.

1987-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is an innovative liquid-metal-cooled reactor concept being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The two major goals of the IFT development effort are improved economics and enhanced safety. The design features that together fulfill these goals are: 1) a liquid metal (sodium) coolant, 2) a pool-type reactor primary system configuration, 3) an advanced ternary alloy metallic fuel, and 4) an integral fuel cycle. This paper reviews the design features that contribute to the safety margins inherent to the IFR concept. Special emphasis is placed on the ability of the IFR design to accommodate anticipated transients without scram (ATWS)

Integral Fast Reactor concept inherent safety features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchaterre, J.F.; Sevy, R.H.; Cahalan, J.E.

1986-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is an innovative liquid-metal-cooled reactor concept being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The two major goals of the IFR development effort are improved economics and enhanced safety. The design features that together fulfill these goals are: (1) a liquid metal (sodium) coolant, (2) a pool-type reactor primary system configuration, (3) an advanced ternary alloy metallic fuel, and (4) an integral fuel cycle. This paper reviews the design features that contribute to the safety margins inherent to the IFR concept. Special emphasis is placed on the ability of the IFR design to accommodate anticipated transients without scram (ATWS)

Steam water cycle chemistry of liquid metal cooled innovative nuclear power reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yurmanov, Victor; Lemekhov, Vadim; Smykov, Vladimir

2012-09-01

The Federal Target Program (FTP) of Russian Federation 'Nuclear Energy Technologies of the New Generation for 2010-2015 and for Perspective up to 2020' is aimed at development of advanced nuclear energy technologies on the basis of closed fuel cycle with fast reactors. There are advanced fast reactor technologies of the 4. generation with liquid metal cooled reactors. Development stages of maturity of fast sodium cooled reactor technology in Russia includes experimental reactors BR-5/10 (1958-2002) and BOR-60 (since 1969), nuclear power plants (NPPs) with BN-350 (1972-1999), BN-600 (since 1980), BN-800 (under construction), BN-1200 (under development). Further stage of development of fast sodium cooled reactor technology in Russia is commercialization. Lead-bismuth eutectic fast reactor technology has been proven at industrial scale for nuclear submarines in former Soviet Union. Lead based technology is currently under development and need for experimental justification. Current status and prospects of State Corporation 'Rosatom' participation in GIF activities was clarified at the 31. Meeting of Policy Group of the International Forum 'Generation-IV', Moscow, May 12-13, 2011. In June, 2010, 'Rosatom' joined the Sodium Fast Reactor Arrangement as an authorized representative of the Russian Government. It was also announced the intention of 'Rosatom' to sign the Memorandum on Lead Fast Reactor based on Russia's experience with lead-bismuth and lead cooled fast reactors. In accordance with the above FTP some innovative liquid metal cooled reactors of different design are under development in Russia. Gidropress, well known as WER designer, develops innovative lead-bismuth eutectic cooled reactor SVBR-100. NIKIET develops innovative lead cooled reactor BRESTOD-300. Some other nuclear scientific centres are also involved in this activity, e.g. Research and Development Institute for Power Engineering (RDIPE). Optimum

Emergency cooling system for a liquid metal cooled reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murata, Ryoichi; Fujiwara, Toshikatsu.

1980-01-01

Purpose: To suitably cool liquid metal as coolant in emergency in a liquid metal cooled reactor by providing a detector for the pressure loss of the liquid metal passing through a cooling device in a loop in which the liquid metal is flowed and communicating the detector with a coolant flow regulator. Constitution: A nuclear reactor is stopped in nuclear reaction by control element or the like in emergency. If decay heat is continuously generated for a while and secondary coolant is insufficiently cooled with water or steam flowed through a steam and water loop, a cooler is started. That is, low temperature air is supplied by a blower through an inlet damper to the cooler to cool the secondary coolant flowed into the cooler through a bypass pipe so as to finally safely stop an entire plant. Since the liquid metal is altered in its physical properties by the temperature at this time, it is detected to regulate the opening of the valve of the damper according to the detected value. (Sekiya, K.)

Container for liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, Yoshihito; Imazu, Takayuki; Ueda, Sabuo; Ueya, Katsumi.

1980-01-01

Purpose: To arrange a vapor trapping member of a specific structure at the inlet part of a cylindrical gap formed by the inner peripheral surface of the circular opening of a container and the outer peripheral surface of a rotary plug thereby to prevent ingress of vapor in the upper part of the cylindrical gap for a long period of time. Constitution: A sealing material receiving tray is fitted to the container side of the inlet part of a cylindrical gap, and a partition plate is fitted to the rotary plug side. The tray is filled with a sealing material consisting of a large number of steel balls, mesh wire gages and the like, and the partition plate is placed in the tray thereby to carry out sealing of the container. Liquid metal vapor evaporating from the liquid level of the liquid metal adheres to the sealing material to fill the gap, and therefore ingress of vapor to the upper part of the cylindrical gap is prevented, and there is no possibility of causing seal cutting due to the use for a long period. (Sekiya, K.)

Liquid metal flow measurement by neutron radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takenaka, N.; Ono, A.; Matsubayashi, M.; Tsuruno, A.

1996-01-01

Visualization of a liquid metal flow and image processing methods to measure the vector field are carried out by real-time neutron radiography. The JRR-3M real-time thermal neutron radiography facility in the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute was used. Lead-bismuth eutectic was used as a working fluid. Particles made from a gold-cadmium intermetallic compound (AuCd 3 ) were used as the tracer for the visualization. The flow vector field was obtained by image processing methods. It was shown that the liquid metal flow vector field was obtainable by real-time neutron radiography when the attenuation of neutron rays due to the liquid metal was less than l/e and the particle size of the tracer was larger than one image element size digitized for the image processing. (orig.)

Recent advances during the treatment of spent EBR-II fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westphal, B.R.; Mariani, R.D.; Vaden, D.E.; Sherman, S.R.; Li, S.X.; Keiser, D.D. Jr.

2000-01-01

Several recent advances have been achieved for the electrometallurgical treatment of spent nuclear fuel. In anticipation of production operations at Argonne National Laboratory-West, development of both electrorefining and metal processing has been ongoing in the post-demonstration phase in order to further optimize the process. These development activities show considerable promise. This paper discusses the results of recent experiments as well as plans for future investigations

Advances in chemical physics advances in liquid crystals

CERN Document Server

Prigogine, Ilya; Vij, Jagdish K

2009-01-01

Prigogine and Rice's highly acclaimed series, Advances in Chemical Physics, provides a forum for critical, authoritative reviews of current topics in every area of chemical physics. Edited by J.K. Vij, this volume focuses on recent advances in liquid crystals with significant, up-to-date chapters authored by internationally recognized researchers in the field.

Liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guidez, Joel; Jarriand, Paul.

1975-01-01

The invention concerns a fast neutron nuclear reactor cooled by a liquid metal driven through by a primary pump of the vertical drive shaft type fitted at its lower end with a blade wheel. To each pump is associated an exchanger, annular in shape, fitted with a central bore through which passes the vertical drive shaft of the pump, its wheel being mounted under the exchanger. A collector placed under the wheel comprises an open upward suction bell for the liquid metal. A hydrostatic bearing is located above the wheel to guide the drive shaft and a non detachable diffuser into which at least one delivery pipe gives, envelopes the wheel [fr

Water storage of liquid-metal fast-breeder-reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meacham, S.A.

1982-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a general overview of a concept proposed for receiving and storing liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) spent fuel. This work was done as part of the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CFRP) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The CFRP has as its major objective the development of technology for reprocessing advanced nuclear reactor fuels. The program plans that research and development will be carried through to a sufficient scale, using irradiated spent fuel under plant operating conditions, to establish a basis for confident projection of reprocessing capability to support a breeder industry

Liquid metal-based reconfigurable and stretchable photolithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Daeyoung; Yoo, Jun Hyeon; Lee, Jeong-Bong

2016-01-01

Conventional ultraviolet (UV) lithography typically uses a photomask made of a fused silica plate covered with a layer of UV opaque material such as chromium. The photomask has passive binary patterns of UV opaque and UV transparent regions and the pattern is unalterable. We report a novel real-time dynamically reconfigurable photomask technology using a liquid metal (as a UV opaque material) filled in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, as a UV transparent material) microfluidic channels. We found that the gallium-based liquid metal (e.g. Galinstan ® ) is opaque in broad spectrum of light in the wavelength from 325 nm to 850 nm while the PDMS is highly transparent in this wide range of spectrum. We made both bright field and dark field microfluidic photomasks and transferred various patterns onto a positive photoresist. A 7-segment display microfluidic channel photomask was also fabricated and decimal numerals (from ‘0’ to ‘9’) were patterned with one photomask by dynamically reconfiguring decimal numeral shapes with on-demand injection and withdrawal of the liquid metal in specific segment microfluidic channels in the photomask. In addition, utilizing mechanical flexibility of the PDMS and the liquid metal, reconfiguration of the patterns in a microfluidic photomask under stretching was successfully tested. (paper)

Ionic liquids used in extraction and separation of metal ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Xinghai; Xu Chao; Liu Xinqi; Chu Taiwei

2006-01-01

Ionic liquids as green solvents now have become a research hotspot in the field of separation of metal ions by solvent extraction. Experimental results of extraction of various metal ions with ionic liquids as solvents, including that of alkali metals, alkaline earths, transition metals rare earths and actinides are introduced. The extraction of uranium, plutonium and fission products that are involved in spent nuclear fuel reprocessing is also reviewed. The possible extraction mechanisms are discussed. Finally, the prospect of replacement of volatile and/or toxic organic solvents with environmentally benign ionic liquids for solvent extraction and the potency of applications of ionic liquids in solvent extraction are also commented. (authors)

Advanced reactor development: The LMR integral fast reactor program at Argonne

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.E.

1990-01-01

Reactor technology for the 21st Century must develop with characteristics that can now be seen to be important for the future, quite different from the things when the fundamental materials and design choices for present reactors were made in the 1950s. Argonne National Laboratory, since 1984, has been developing the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). This paper will describe the way in which this new reactor concept came about; the technical, public acceptance, and environmental issues that are addressed by the IFR; the technical progress that has been made; and our expectations for this program in the near term. 3 figs

Weerts to lead Physical Sciences and Engineering directorate | Argonne

Science.gov (United States)

Physical Sciences and Engineering directorate By Lynn Tefft Hoff * August 10, 2015 Tweet EmailPrint Hendrik Engineering (PSE) directorate at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. Weerts has , chemistry, materials science and nanotechnology. Weerts joined Argonne in 2005 as director of Argonne's High

Advanced fabrication method for the preparation of MOF thin films: Liquid-phase epitaxy approach meets spin coating method.

KAUST Repository

Chernikova, Valeriya; Shekhah, Osama; Eddaoudi, Mohamed

2016-01-01

Here we report a new and advanced method for the fabrication of highly oriented/polycrystalline metal-organic framework (MOF) thin films. Building on the attractive features of the liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) approach, a facile spin coating method

Conference on heat mass transfer and properties of liquid metals TF-2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efanov, A.D.; Kozlov, F.A.

2003-01-01

Results of the conference TF-2002 devoted to the combined approach to problems of harnessing liquid metals as coolants for NPU are presented. The conference takes place in Obninsk, 29 - 31 October, 2002. Papers of the conference involve items on thermal hydraulics, mass transfer and safety of NPU with liquid metal coolants, structure, physical and chemical properties of liquid metal and liquid metal solutions, decommissioning of units and ecology, application of liquid metals divorced with NPU. Most of the papers of the conference are devoted to the investigation into lead and lead-bismuth coolants [ru

Chemistry of liquid metal coolants and sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gnanasekaran, T.

2015-01-01

Liquid sodium is the coolant of choice for the current generation fast breeder reactors. When sodium contains low levels of dissolved non-metallic impurities, it is highly compatible with structural steels. When the dissolved oxygen level is high, corrosion and mass transfer in sodium-steel circuits are enhanced and this involves formation of NaxMyOz type of species (M = alloying components in steels). Experience has shown that this enhancement of corrosion in a sodium circuit with all austenitic steel structural materials would not be encountered if oxygen level in sodium is below ~ 5ppm. For understanding this observation, a complete knowledge on the phase diagrams of Na-M-O systems and the thermochemical data of all relevant NaxMyOz compounds is essential. This presentation would highlight the work carried out at IGCAR on the chemistry of liquid sodium and heavy liquid metal coolants. Work carried out on various sensors for their use in these liquid metal circuits would be described and their current status would be discussed

Batteries and Energy Storage | Argonne National Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Skip to main content Argonne National Laboratory Toggle Navigation Toggle Search Energy Batteries Security User Facilities Science Work with Us Energy Batteries and Energy Storage Energy Systems Modeling Transportation SPOTLIGHT Batteries and Energy Storage Argonne's all- encompassing battery research program spans

Alkaloid-derived molecules in low rank Argonne premium coals.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winans, R. E.; Tomczyk, N. A.; Hunt, J. E.

2000-11-30

Molecules that are probably derived from alkaloids have been found in the extracts of the subbituminous and lignite Argonne Premium Coals. High resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) have been used to characterize pyridine and supercritical extracts. The supercritical extraction used an approach that has been successful for extracting alkaloids from natural products. The first indication that there might be these natural products in coals was the large number of molecules found containing multiple nitrogen and oxygen heteroatoms. These molecules are much less abundant in bituminous coals and absent in the higher rank coals.

User's manual for the ARMLID (Argonne metallic lithium/isotopic dilution) tritium assay system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porges, K.G.; Bretscher, M.M.; Bennett, E.F.; DiIorio, G.; Mattas, R.F.; Lewandowski, E.F.

1992-08-01

The Argonne Metallic Lithium - Isotopic Dilution (ARMLID) system described in this report, originally developed at ANL for other purposes, was recently redeployed to measure the tritium production rate (TPR) in a series of US/Japanese collaborative fusion blanket integral experiments, involving large assemblies of fusion breeder blanket materials that were irradiated with a fusion neutron source at FNS/JAERI, Japan. Whereas previous uses of the ARMUD scheme involved just a few samples, its application infusion blanket TPR mapping called for large sample numbers per experiment, implying a commensurate scale of sample fabrication and encapsulation, on one hand, and tritium extraction and counting on the other hand. To shorten the time required for these various tasks, yet still yield reliable and accurate results, both the sample fabrication - encapsulation facility and the tritium extraction system had to be extensively revised from original versions that were designed for accuracy, but not necessarily for speed. The present report describes overall revisions in sufficient detail to serve as a User's Manual for this facility, and/or suggest how a new system might be put together. Either possibility may develop in the near future, in support of ITER design studies. Preliminary and partial descriptions of various aspects and features of the system were presented orally, in the course of annual ANL/JAERI/UCLA ''workshops'', over the last 34 years, as well as elsewhere

Harbin Institute of Technology collaborative base project at APS of Argonne

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, H.; Liu, L. L.

2013-05-01

In this paper, the progress of Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) collaborative base project, which was launched at Argonne National Laboratory in 2010, will be presented. The staff and students from HIT involved in advanced technological developments, which included tomography, high energy PDF, diffraction and scattering, and inelastic scattering techniques in APS to study structures changes of minerals and materials under high pressure conditions.

Evaluation of liquid metal protection of a limiter/divertor in fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanein, A.M.; Smith, D.L.

1988-01-01

The liquid metal protection concept is proposed mainly to prolong the lifetime of a divertor or a limiter in a fusion reactor. This attractive idea for protection requires studying a wide range of problems associated with the use of liquid-metals in fusion reactors. In this work the protection by liquid-metals has concentrated on predictions of the loss rate of the film to the plasma, the operating surface temperatures required for the film, and the potential tritium inventory requirement. The effect of plasma disruptions on the liquid metal film is also evaluated. Other problems such as liquid metal compatibility with structural materials, magnetic field effects, and the effect of liquid metal contamination on plasma performance are discussed. Three candidate liquid-metals are evaluated, i.e., lithium, gallium, and tin. A wide range of reactor operating conditions valid for both near term machines (INTOR and ITER) and for the next generation commercial reactors (TPSS) are considered. This study has indicated that the evaporation rate for candidate liquid metals can be kept below the sputtering range for reasonable operating temperatures and plasma edge conditions. At higher temperatures, evaporation dominates the losses. Impurity transport calculations indicate that impurities from the plate should not reach the main plasma. One or two millimeters of liquid films can protect the structure from severe plasma disruptions. Depending on the design of the liquid metal protection system, the tritium inventory in the liquid film is predicted to be on the order of a few grams. 16 refs., 5 figs

Recycling of Metal Containing Waste by Liquid-Liquid Extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinhardt, H.

1999-01-01

Through the years, a large number of liquid-liquid extraction have been proposed for metal waste recovery and recycling(1,2). However, few of them have achieved commercial application. In fact, relatively little information is available on practical operation and economic feasibility. This presentation will give complementary information by describing and comparing three processes, based on the Am MAR hydrometallurgical concept and representing three different modes of operation

Liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durston, J.G.

1976-01-01

It is stated that in a liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactor wherein the core, intermediate heat exchangers and liquid metal pumps are immersed in a pool of coolant such as Na, the intermediate heat exchangers are suspended from the roof, and ducting is provided in the form of a core tank or shroud interconnected with 'pods' housing the intermediate exchangers for directing coolant from the core over the heat exchanger tubes and thence back to the main pool of liquid metal. Seals are provided between the intermediate heat exchanger shells and the walls of their 'pods' to prevent liquid metal flow by-passing the heat exchanger tube bundles. As the heat exchangers must be withdrawable for servicing, and because linear differential thermal expansion of the heat exchanger and its 'pod' must be accommodated the seals hitherto have been of the sliding kind, generally known as 'piston ring type seals'. These present several disadvantages; for example sealing is not absolute, and the metal to metal seal gives rise to wear and fretting by rubbing and vibration. This could lead to seizure or jamming by the deposition of impurities in the coolant. Another difficulty arises in the need to accommodate lateral thermal expansion of the ducting, including the core tank and 'pods'. Hitherto some expansion has been allowed for by the use of expansible bellow pairs in the interconnections, or alternatively by allowing local deformations of the core tank 'pods'. Such bellows must be very flexible and hence constitute a weak section of the ducting, and local deformations give rise to high stress levels that could lead to premature failure. The arrangement described seeks to overcome these difficulties by use of a gas pocket trapping means to effect a seal against vertical liquid flow between the heat exchanger shell and the wall of the heat exchanger housing. Full details of the arrangement are described. (U.K.)

Status of liquid metal cooled fast reactor technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-04-01

During the period 1985-1998, there have been substantial advances in fast reactor technology development. Chief among these has been the demonstration of reliable operation by several prototypes and experimental reactors, the reliable operation of fuel at high burnup. At the IAEA meetings on liquid metal cooled fast reactor technology (LMFR), it became evident that there have been significant technological advances as well as changes in the economic and regulatory environment since 1985. Therefore the International working group on Fast Reactors has recommended the preparation of a new status report on fast reactors. The present report intends to provide comprehensive and detailed information on LMFR technology. The focus is on practical issues that are useful to engineers, scientists, managers, university students and professors, on the following topics: experience in construction and operation, reactor physics and safety, sore structural material and fuel technology, fast reactor engineering and activities in progress on LMFR plants Refs, figs, tabs

Status of liquid metal cooled fast reactor technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-04-01

During the period 1985-1998, there have been substantial advances in fast reactor technology development. Chief among these has been the demonstration of reliable operation by several prototypes and experimental reactors, the reliable operation of fuel at high burnup. At the IAEA meetings on liquid metal cooled fast reactor technology (LMFR), it became evident that there have been significant technological advances as well as changes in the economic and regulatory environment since 1985. Therefore the International working group on Fast Reactors has recommended the preparation of a new status report on fast reactors. The present report intends to provide comprehensive and detailed information on LMFR technology. The focus is on practical issues that are useful to engineers, scientists, managers, university students and professors, on the following topics: experience in construction and operation, reactor physics and safety, sore structural material and fuel technology, fast reactor engineering and activities in progress on LMFR plants

Performance of metallic fuels in liquid-metal fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, B.R.; Walters, L.C.; Kittel, J.H.

1984-01-01

Interest in metallic fuels for liquid-metal fast reactors has come full circle. Metallic fuels are once again a viable alternative for fast reactors because reactor outlet temperature of interest to industry are well within the range where metallic fuels have demonstrated high burnup and reliable performance. In addition, metallic fuel is very tolerant of off-normal events of its high thermal conductivity and fuel behavior. Futhermore, metallic fuels lend themselves to compact and simplified reprocessing and refabrication technologies, a key feature in a new concept for deployment of fast reactors called the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). The IFR concept is a metallic-fueled pool reactor(s) coupled to an integral-remote reprocessing and fabrication facility. The purpose of this paper is to review recent metallic fuel performance, much of which was tested and proven during the twenty years of EBR-II operation

Turbulent convection in liquid metal with and without rotation.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Eric M; Aurnou, Jonathan M

2013-04-23

The magnetic fields of Earth and other planets are generated by turbulent, rotating convection in liquid metal. Liquid metals are peculiar in that they diffuse heat more readily than momentum, quantified by their small Prandtl numbers, Pr rotating Rayleigh-Bénard convection experiments in the liquid metal gallium (Pr = 0.025) over a range of nondimensional buoyancy forcing (Ra) and rotation periods (E). Our primary diagnostic is the efficiency of convective heat transfer (Nu). In general, we find that the convective behavior of liquid metal differs substantially from that of moderate Pr fluids, such as water. In particular, a transition between rotationally constrained and weakly rotating turbulent states is identified, and this transition differs substantially from that observed in moderate Pr fluids. This difference, we hypothesize, may explain the different classes of magnetic fields observed on the Gas and Ice Giant planets, whose dynamo regions consist of Pr 1 fluids, respectively.

Criticality safety strategy for the Fuel Cycle Facility electrorefiner at Argonne National Laboratory, West

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mariani, R.D.; Benedict, R.W.; Lell, R.M.; Turski, R.B.; Fujita, E.K.

1993-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor being developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) combines the advantages of metal-fueled, liquid-metal-cooled reactors and a closed fuel cycle. Presently, the Fuel Cycle Facility (FCF) at ANL-West in Idaho Falls, Idaho is being modified to recycle spent metallic fuel from Experimental Breeder Reactor II as part of a demonstration project sponsored by the Department of Energy. A key component of the FCF is the electrorefiner (ER) in which the actinides are separated from the fission products. In the electrorefining process, the metal fuel is anodically dissolved into a high-temperature molten salt and refined uranium or uranium/plutonium products are deposited at cathodes. In this report, the criticality safety strategy for the FCF ER is summarized. FCF ER operations and processes formed the basis for evaluating criticality safety and control during actinide metal fuel refining. In order to show criticality safety for the FCF ER, the reference operating conditions for the ER had to be defined. Normal operating envelopes (NOES) were then defined to bracket the important operating conditions. To keep the operating conditions within their NOES, process controls were identified that can be used to regulate the actinide forms and content within the ER. A series of operational checks were developed for each operation that wig verify the extent or success of an operation. The criticality analysis considered the ER operating conditions at their NOE values as the point of departure for credible and incredible failure modes. As a result of the analysis, FCF ER operations were found to be safe with respect to criticality

Argonne National Laboratory Physics Division annual report, January--December 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thayer, K.J. [ed.

1997-08-01

The past year has seen several of the Physics Division`s new research projects reach major milestones with first successful experiments and results: the atomic physics station in the Basic Energy Sciences Research Center at the Argonne Advanced Photon Source was used in first high-energy, high-brilliance x-ray studies in atomic and molecular physics; the Short Orbit Spectrometer in Hall C at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator (TJNAF) Facility that the Argonne medium energy nuclear physics group was responsible for, was used extensively in the first round of experiments at TJNAF; at ATLAS, several new beams of radioactive isotopes were developed and used in studies of nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics; the new ECR ion source at ATLAS was completed and first commissioning tests indicate excellent performance characteristics; Quantum Monte Carlo calculations of mass-8 nuclei were performed for the first time with realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions using state-of-the-art computers, including Argonne`s massively parallel IBM SP. At the same time other future projects are well under way: preparations for the move of Gammasphere to ATLAS in September 1997 have progressed as planned. These new efforts are imbedded in, or flowing from, the vibrant ongoing research program described in some detail in this report: nuclear structure and reactions with heavy ions; measurements of reactions of astrophysical interest; studies of nucleon and sub-nucleon structures using leptonic probes at intermediate and high energies; atomic and molecular structure with high-energy x-rays. The experimental efforts are being complemented with efforts in theory, from QCD to nucleon-meson systems to structure and reactions of nuclei. Finally, the operation of ATLAS as a national users facility has achieved a new milestone, with 5,800 hours beam on target for experiments during the past fiscal year.

Liquid-Metal-Based Super-Stretchable and Structure-Designable Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Wearable Electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yanqin; Sun, Na; Wen, Zhen; Cheng, Ping; Zheng, Hechuang; Shao, Huiyun; Xia, Yujian; Chen, Chen; Lan, Huiwen; Xie, Xinkai; Zhou, Changjie; Zhong, Jun; Sun, Xuhui; Lee, Shuit-Tong

2018-02-27

The rapid advancement of intelligent wearable electronics imposes the emergent requirement for power sources that are deformable, compliant, and stretchable. Power sources with these characteristics are difficult and challenging to achieve. The use of liquid metals as electrodes may provide a viable strategy to produce such power sources. In this work, we propose a liquid-metal-based triboelectric nanogenerator (LM-TENG) by employing Galinstan as the electrode and silicone rubber as the triboelectric and encapsulation layer. The small Young's modulus of the liquid metal ensures the electrode remains continuously conductive under deformations, stretching to a strain as large as ∼300%. The surface oxide layer of Galinstan effectively prevents the liquid Galinstan electrode from further oxidization and permeation into silicone rubber, yielding outstanding device stability. Operating in the single-electrode mode at 3 Hz, the LM-TENG with an area of 6 × 3 cm 2 produces an open-circuit voltage of 354.5 V, transferred short-circuit charge of 123.2 nC, short-circuit current of 15.6 μA, and average power density of 8.43 mW/m 2 , which represent outstanding performance values for TENGs. Further, the LM-TENG maintains stable performance under various deformations, such as stretching, folding, and twisting. LM-TENGs in different forms, such as bulk-shaped, bracelet-like, and textile-like, are all able to harvest mechanical energy from human walking, arm shaking, or hand patting to sustainably drive wearable electronic devices.

Many-Body Potentials For Binary Immiscible liquid Metal Alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karaguelle, H.

2004-01-01

The modified analytic embedded atom method (MAEAM) type many- body potentials have been constructed for three binary liquid immiscible alloy systems: Al-Pb, Ag-Ni, Ag- Cu. The MAEAM potential functions are fitted to both solid and liquid state properties for only liquid pure metals which consist the immiscible alloy. In order to test the reliability of the constructed MAEAM effective potentials, partial structure factors and pair distribution functions of these binary liquid metal alloys have been calculated using the thermodynamically self-consistent variational modified hypernetted chain (VMHNC) theory of liquids. A good agreement with the available experimental data for structure has

Surface studies of liquid metals and alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastasz, Robert

2003-01-01

Liquid metals and alloys have been proposed for use in nuclear fusion reactors to serve as replaceable plasma-facing surfaces that remove particles and heat from reacting plasmas. Several materials are being considered for this purpose including lithium, gallium, and tin as well as some of the alloys made from these elements. In order to better understand the properties of liquid surfaces, the technique of low-energy ion scattering was used to examine the surface composition of several of these materials in vacuum as a function of temperature. Oxygen is found to rapidly segregate to the surface of several metallic liquids. The segregation process can be interpreted using a simple thermodynamic model based on Gibbs theory. In the case of an alloy of Sn and Li, Li also segregates to the liquid surface. This provides a means to produce a surface enriched in Li, which is more plasma compatible than Sn, without the need to handle large quantities of liquid Li. (author)

Proposed environmental remediation at Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-05-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an Environmental Assessment evaluating proposed environmental remediation activity at Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E), Argonne, Illinois. The environmental remediation work would (1) reduce, eliminate, or prevent the release of contaminants from a number of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) and two radiologically contaminated sites located in areas contiguous with SWMUs, and (2) decrease the potential for exposure of the public, ANL-E employees, and wildlife to such contaminants. The actions proposed for SWMUs are required to comply with the RCRA corrective action process and corrective action requirements of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency; the actions proposed are also required to reduce the potential for continued contaminant release. Based on the analysis in the EA, the DOE has determined that the proposed action does not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is not required

Space- and time-resolved resistive measurements of liquid metal wall thickness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mirhoseini, S. M. H.; Volpe, F. A., E-mail: fvolpe@columbia.edu [Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027 (United States)

2016-11-15

In a fusion reactor internally coated with liquid metal, it will be important to diagnose the thickness of the liquid at various locations in the vessel, as a function of time, and possibly respond to counteract undesired bulging or depletion. The electrical conductance between electrodes immersed in the liquid metal can be used as a simple proxy for the local thickness. Here a matrix of electrodes is shown to provide spatially and temporally resolved measurements of liquid metal thickness in the absence of plasma. First a theory is developed for m × n electrodes, and then it is experimentally demonstrated for 3 × 1 electrodes, as the liquid stands still or is agitated by means of a shaker. The experiments were carried out with Galinstan, but are easily extended to lithium or other liquid metals.

Space- and time-resolved resistive measurements of liquid metal wall thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirhoseini, S. M. H.; Volpe, F. A.

2016-01-01

In a fusion reactor internally coated with liquid metal, it will be important to diagnose the thickness of the liquid at various locations in the vessel, as a function of time, and possibly respond to counteract undesired bulging or depletion. The electrical conductance between electrodes immersed in the liquid metal can be used as a simple proxy for the local thickness. Here a matrix of electrodes is shown to provide spatially and temporally resolved measurements of liquid metal thickness in the absence of plasma. First a theory is developed for m × n electrodes, and then it is experimentally demonstrated for 3 × 1 electrodes, as the liquid stands still or is agitated by means of a shaker. The experiments were carried out with Galinstan, but are easily extended to lithium or other liquid metals.

Argonne Chemical Sciences & Engineering - Center for Electrical Energy

Science.gov (United States)

Laboratory Chemical Sciences & Engineering DOE Logo CSE Home About CSE Research Facilities People Publications Awards News & Highlights Events Search Argonne ... Search Argonne Home > Chemical Sciences & Engineering > Fundamental Interactions Catalysis & Energy Conversion Electrochemical

Argonne National Laboratory annual report of Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program Activities FY 2009.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Office of the Director

2010-04-09

I am pleased to submit Argonne National Laboratory's Annual Report on its Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) activities for fiscal year 2009. Fiscal year 2009 saw a heightened focus by DOE and the nation on the need to develop new sources of energy. Argonne scientists are investigating many different sources of energy, including nuclear, solar, and biofuels, as well as ways to store, use, and transmit energy more safely, cleanly, and efficiently. DOE selected Argonne as the site for two new Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) - the Institute for Atom-Efficient Chemical Transformations and the Center for Electrical Energy Storage - and funded two other EFRCs to which Argonne is a major partner. The award of at least two of the EFRCs can be directly linked to early LDRD-funded efforts. LDRD has historically seeded important programs and facilities at the lab. Two of these facilities, the Advanced Photon Source and the Center for Nanoscale Materials, are now vital contributors to today's LDRD Program. New and enhanced capabilities, many of which relied on LDRD in their early stages, now help the laboratory pursue its evolving strategic goals. LDRD has, since its inception, been an invaluable resource for positioning the Laboratory to anticipate, and thus be prepared to contribute to, the future science and technology needs of DOE and the nation. During times of change, LDRD becomes all the more vital for facilitating the necessary adjustments while maintaining and enhancing the capabilities of our staff and facilities. Although I am new to the role of Laboratory Director, my immediate prior service as Deputy Laboratory Director for Programs afforded me continuous involvement in the LDRD program and its management. Therefore, I can attest that Argonne's program adhered closely to the requirements of DOE Order 413.2b and associated guidelines governing LDRD. Our LDRD program management continually strives to be more efficient. In

Argonne National Laboratory annual report of Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program Activities FY 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

I am pleased to submit Argonne National Laboratory's Annual Report on its Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) activities for fiscal year 2009. Fiscal year 2009 saw a heightened focus by DOE and the nation on the need to develop new sources of energy. Argonne scientists are investigating many different sources of energy, including nuclear, solar, and biofuels, as well as ways to store, use, and transmit energy more safely, cleanly, and efficiently. DOE selected Argonne as the site for two new Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) - the Institute for Atom-Efficient Chemical Transformations and the Center for Electrical Energy Storage - and funded two other EFRCs to which Argonne is a major partner. The award of at least two of the EFRCs can be directly linked to early LDRD-funded efforts. LDRD has historically seeded important programs and facilities at the lab. Two of these facilities, the Advanced Photon Source and the Center for Nanoscale Materials, are now vital contributors to today's LDRD Program. New and enhanced capabilities, many of which relied on LDRD in their early stages, now help the laboratory pursue its evolving strategic goals. LDRD has, since its inception, been an invaluable resource for positioning the Laboratory to anticipate, and thus be prepared to contribute to, the future science and technology needs of DOE and the nation. During times of change, LDRD becomes all the more vital for facilitating the necessary adjustments while maintaining and enhancing the capabilities of our staff and facilities. Although I am new to the role of Laboratory Director, my immediate prior service as Deputy Laboratory Director for Programs afforded me continuous involvement in the LDRD program and its management. Therefore, I can attest that Argonne's program adhered closely to the requirements of DOE Order 413.2b and associated guidelines governing LDRD. Our LDRD program management continually strives to be more efficient. In addition to

Advanced lubrication systems and materials. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsu, S.

1998-05-07

This report described the work conducted at the National Institute of Standards and Technology under an interagency agreement signed in September 1992 between DOE and NIST for 5 years. The interagency agreement envisions continual funding from DOE to support the development of fuel efficient, low emission engine technologies in terms of lubrication, friction, and wear control encountered in the development of advanced transportation technologies. However, in 1994, the DOE office of transportation technologies was reorganized and the tribology program was dissolved. The work at NIST therefore continued at a low level without further funding from DOE. The work continued to support transportation technologies in the development of fuel efficient, low emission engine development. Under this program, significant progress has been made in advancing the state of the art of lubrication technology for advanced engine research and development. Some of the highlights are: (1) developed an advanced high temperature liquid lubricant capable of sustaining high temperatures in a prototype heat engine; (2) developed a novel liquid lubricant which potentially could lower the emission of heavy duty diesel engines; (3) developed lubricant chemistries for ceramics used in the heat engines; (4) developed application maps for ceramic lubricant chemistry combinations for design purpose; and (5) developed novel test methods to screen lubricant chemistries for automotive air-conditioning compressors lubricated by R-134a (Freon substitute). Most of these findings have been reported to the DOE program office through Argonne National Laboratory who manages the overall program. A list of those reports and a copy of the report submitted to the Argonne National Laboratory is attached in Appendix A. Additional reports have also been submitted separately to DOE program managers. These are attached in Appendix B.

Thermal behaviors of liquid La-based bulk metallic glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, D. W.; Wang, X. D., E-mail: wangxd@zju.edu.cn, E-mail: jiangjz@zju.edu.cn; Lou, H. B.; Cao, Q. P.; Jiang, J. Z., E-mail: wangxd@zju.edu.cn, E-mail: jiangjz@zju.edu.cn [International Center for New-Structured Materials (ICNSM), Laboratory of New-Structured Materials, State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Wang, L. W. [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Zhang, D. X. [State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2014-12-14

Thermal behaviors of liquid La-based bulk metallic glasses have been measured by using the dilatometer with a self-sealed sample cell. It is demonstrated that the strong glass forming liquid not only has the small thermal expansion coefficient but also shows the slow variation rate. Moreover, the strong glass former has relatively dense atomic packing and also small density change in the liquid state. The results suggest that the high glass forming ability of La-based metallic glasses would be closely related to the slow atomic rearrangements in liquid melts.

Environmental monitoring at Argonne National Laboratory. Annual report for 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N.W.; Duffy, T.L.; Sedlet, J.

1979-03-01

The results of the environmental monitoring program at Argonne National Laboratory for 1978 are presented and discussed. To evaluate the effect of Argonne operations on the environment, measurements were made for a variety of radionuclides in air, surface water, Argonne effluent water, soil, grass, bottom sediment, and foodstuffs; for a variety of chemical constituents in air, surface water, and Argonne effluent water; and of the environmental penetrating radiation dose. Sample collections and measurements were made at the site boundary and off the Argonne site for comparison purposes. Some on-site measurements wee made to aid in the interpretation of the boundary and off-site data. The results of the program are interpreted in terms of the sources and origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (natural, fallout, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. The potential radiation dose to off-site population groups is also estimated

Environmental monitoring at Argonne National Laboratory. Annual report for 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N.W.; Duffy, T.L.; Sedlet, J.

1977-03-01

The results of the environmental monitoring program at Argonne National Laboratory for 1976 are presented and discussed. To evaluate the effect of Argonne operations on the environment, measurements were made for a variety of radionuclides in air, surface water, Argonne effluent water, soil, grass, bottom sediment, and foodstuffs; for a variety of chemical constituents in surface and Argonne effluent water; and of the environmental penetrating radiation dose. Sample collections and measurements were made at the site boundary and off the Argonne site for comparison purposes. Some on-site measurements were made to aid in the interpretation of the boundary and off-site data. The results of the program are interpreted in terms of the sources and origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (natural, fallout, Argonne, and other) and are compared with accepted environmental quality standards. The potential radiation dose to off-site population groups is also estimated

Single-magnet rotary flowmeter for liquid metals

OpenAIRE

Priede, Jānis; Buchenau, Dominique; Gerbeth, Gunter

2010-01-01

We present a theory of single-magnet flowmeter for liquid metals and compare it with experimental results. The flowmeter consists of a freely rotating permanent magnet, which is magnetized perpendicularly to the axle it is mounted on. When such a magnet is placed close to a tube carrying liquid metal flow, it rotates so that the driving torque due to the eddy currents induced by the flow is balanced by the braking torque induced by the rotation itself. The equilibrium rotation rate, which var...

Computing, Environment and Life Sciences | Argonne National Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Computing, Environment and Life Sciences Research Divisions BIOBiosciences CPSComputational Science DSLData Argonne Leadership Computing Facility Biosciences Division Environmental Science Division Mathematics and Computer Science Division Facilities and Institutes Argonne Leadership Computing Facility News Events About

Liquid metal flow control by DC electromagnetic pumps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borges, Eduardo Madeira; Braz Filho, Francisco Antonio; Guimaraes, Lamartine Nogueira Frutuoso

2006-01-01

The cooling system of high-density thermal power requires fluids of high thermal conductivity, such as liquid metals. Electromagnetic pumps can be used to liquid metal fluid flow control in cooling circuits. The operation of electromagnetic pumps used to flow control is based on Lorentz force. This force can be achieved by magnetic field and electric current interaction, controlled by external independent power supplies. This work presents the electromagnetic pump operational principles, the IEAv development scheme and the BEMC-1 simulation code. The theoretical results of BEMC-1 simulation are compared to electromagnetic pump operation experimental data, validating the BEMC-1 code. This code is used to evaluate the DC electromagnetic pump performance applied to Mercury flow control and others liquid metal such as Sodium, Lead and Bismuth, used in nuclear fast reactors. (author)

Liquid metal degassing in electromagnetic mixing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pakhomov, A I; EHL' -FAVAKHRI, KAMAL' -ABD-RABU MOKHAMED [LENINGRADSKIJ POLITEKHNICHESKIJ INST. (USSR)

1977-01-01

Experimental results for laboratory and industrial conditions are presented showing the favourable effect of electromagnetic mixing on hot metal degassing process. It has been found that the intensity and duration of the mixing process increase with the degree of iron and steel degassing. Initiation of cavitation phenomena during hot metal electromagnetic mixing is intensified because of the presence of alien inclusions in the metal reducing the tensile strength of the liquid metal. This is the most substantial factor contributing to the gas content in the process of electromagnetic mixing.

1986 annual site environmental report for Argonne National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N.W.; Duffy, T.L.

1987-03-01

The results of the environmental monitoring program at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) for 1986 are presented and discussed. To evaluate the effect of Argonne operations on the environment, measurements were made for a variety of radionuclides in air, surface water, ground water, soil, grass, bottom sediment, and milk; of the environmental penetrating radiation dose; and for a variety of chemical constituents in surface water, ground water, and Argonne effluent water. Sample collections and measurements were made on the site, at the site boundary, and off the Argonne site for comparison purposes. The results of the program are interpreted in terms of the sources and origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (natural, fallout, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. A US Department of Energy (DOE) dose calculation methodology based on recent International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommendations is required and used in this report. The radiation dose to off-site population groups is estimated. The average concentrations and total amounts of radioactive and chemical pollutants released by Argonne to the environment were all below appropriate standards. 21 refs., 7 figs., 52 tabs

Environmental monitoring at Argonne National Laboratory. Annual report, 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N.W.; Duffy, T.L.; Sedlet, J.

1982-03-01

The results of the environmental monitoring program at Argonne National Laboratory for 1981 are presented and discussed. To evaluate the effect of Argonne operations on the environment, measurements were made for a variety of radionuclides in air, surface water, soil, grass, bottom sediment, and milk; for a variety of chemical constituents in air, surface water, and Argonne effluent water; and of the environmental penetrating radiation dose. Sample collections and measurements were made at the site boundary and off the Argonne site for comparison purposes. Some on-site measurements were made to aid in the interpretation of the boundary and off-site data. The results of the program are interpreted in terms of the sources and origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (natural, fallout, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. The potential radiation dose to off-site population groups is also estimated

Delayed neutrons in liquid metal spallation targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ridikas, D.; Bokov, P.; David, J.C.; Dore, D.; Giacri, M.L.; Van Lauwe, A.; Plukiene, R.; Plukis, A.; Ignatiev, S.; Pankratov, D.

2003-01-01

The next generation spallation neutron sources, neutrino factories or RIB production facilities currently being designed and constructed around the world will increase the average proton beam power on target by a few orders of magnitude. Increased proton beam power results in target thermal hydraulic issues leading to new target designs, very often based on flowing liquid metal targets such as Hg, Pb, Pb-Bi. Radioactive nuclides produced in liquid metal targets are transported into hot cells, past electronics, into pumps with radiation sensitive components, etc. Besides the considerable amount of photon activity in the irradiated liquid metal, a significant amount of the delayed neutron precursor activity can be accumulated in the target fluid. The transit time from the front of a liquid metal target into areas, where delayed neutrons may be important, can be as short as a few seconds, well within one half-life of many delayed neutron precursors. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the total neutron flux (including delayed neutrons) as a function of time and determine if delayed neutrons contribute significantly to the dose rate. In this study the multi-particle transport code MCNPX combined with the material evolution program CINDER'90 will be used to evaluate the delayed neutron flux and spectra. The following scientific issues will be addressed in this paper: - Modeling of a typical geometry of the liquid metal spallation target; - Predictions of the prompt neutron fluxes, fission fragment and spallation product distributions; - Comparison of the above parameters with existing experimental data; - Time-dependent calculations of delayed neutron precursors; - Neutron flux estimates due to the prompt and delayed neutron emission; - Proposal of an experimental program to measure delayed neutron spectra from high energy spallation-fission reactions. The results of this study should be directly applicable in the design study of the European MegaPie (1 MW

Advanced Liquid Feed Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Distefano, E.; Noll, C.

1993-06-01

The Advanced Liquid Feed Experiment (ALFE) is a Hitchhiker experiment flown on board the Shuttle of STS-39 as part of the Space Test Payload-1 (STP-1). The purpose of ALFE is to evaluate new propellant management components and operations under the low gravity flight environment of the Space Shuttle for eventual use in an advanced spacecraft feed system. These components and operations include an electronic pressure regulator, an ultrasonic flowmeter, an ultrasonic point sensor gage, and on-orbit refill of an auxiliary propellant tank. The tests are performed with two transparent tanks with dyed Freon 113, observed by a camera and controlled by ground commands and an on-board computer. Results show that the electronic pressure regulator provides smooth pressure ramp-up, sustained pressure control, and the flexibility to change pressure settings in flight. The ultrasonic flowmeter accurately measures flow and detects gas ingestion. The ultrasonic point sensors function well in space, but not as a gage during sustained low-gravity conditions, as they, like other point gages, are subject to the uncertainties of propellant geometry in a given tank. Propellant transfer operations can be performed with liquid-free ullage equalization at a 20 percent fill level, gas-free liquid transfer from 20-65 percent fill level, minimal slosh, and can be automated.

Difference in x-ray scattering between metallic and non-metallic liquids due to conduction electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chihara, Junzo

1987-01-01

X-ray scattered intensity from a liquid metal as an electron-ion mixture is described using the structure factors, which are exactly expressed in terms of the static and dynamic direct correlation functions. This intensity for a metal is shown to differ from the usual scattered intensity from a non-metal in two points: the atomic form factor and the incoherent (Compton) scattering factor. It is shown that the valence electron form factor, which constitutes the atomic form factor in a liquid metal, leads to a determination of the electron-electron and electron-ion structure factors by combining the ionic structure factor. It is also shown that a part of the electron structure factor, which appears as the incoherent x-ray scattering, is usually approximated as the electron structure factor of the jellium model in the case of a simple metal. As a by-product, the x-ray scattered intensity from a crystalline metal and the inelastic scattering from a liquid metal are given by taking account of the presence of conduction electrons. In this way, we clarify some confusion which appeared in the proposal by Egelstaff et al for extracting the electron-electron correlation function in a metal from x-ray and neutron scattering experiments. A procedure to extract the electron-electron and electron-ion structure factors in a liquid metal is proposed on the basis of formula for scattered intensity derived here. (author)

An innovative liquid metal design with worldwide application potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, J.E.; Berglund, R.C.

1989-01-01

This paper reports that the United States nuclear program has been faced with major political, economic and technical challenges in recent years. One US program element, the Liquid Metal Reactor, has addressed these challenges in a systematic, focused manner. The result is an innovative modular design incorporating safety features that utilize inherent characteristics. This Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) is based on the PRISM concept, originated by the General Electric Company in 1981. This design should also be attractive in other developed countries that have deployed, and/or are deploying, nuclear power. The design's safety features can achieve neutronic shutdown and decay heat removal without relying on operator action or engineered active safety features. The ALMR utilizes many innovations including: a passive reactor vessel air cooling system for decay heat removal; the use of a sealed reactor assembly; seismic isolation; electromagnetic primary pumps; and an in-vessel fuel transfer machine. The US ALMR design incorporates a metal fuel core as its reference, however, the required safety performance can also be achieved with an oxide core having similar safety features. This flexibility is particularly important when addressing world wide ALMR applications. The reference ALMR reactor module, of which there are nine in a typical 1395 MW e plant, has a -6 meter by -20 meter vessel and a 471 MW thermal output, with a reactor outlet temperature of 485 degrees C and an overall conversion efficiency of 33%. This plant uses a saturated steam cycle and a non-safety grade secondary sodium system

Mechanical pumps for liquid metals; Pompes mecaniques pour metaux liquides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baumier, J; Gollion, H J [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1964-07-01

The pumping of liquid metals by centrifugal pumps poses two principal problems. These are hermetic sealing of the rotating shaft and, its guidance where immersed in liquid metal. The solutions to the problems used on 13 experimental pumps are given here. The resolution of the guidance problem consists in the majority of cases in the utilisation of hydrostatic bearings. Accordingly, a theoretical study was instituted for the first time to calculate the bearings of the earlier pumps. After this, an experimental study was carried out, to check the theory by water tests. A relation for bearing calculation of pumps with diffusers is proposed. Finally the influence of the bearing elasticity on the shafts critical speed is studied. (authors) [French] Le pompage des metaux liquides, par des pompes centrifuges, pose 2 principaux problemes, qui sont: d'une part, la realisation d'une excellente etancheite au passage de l'arbre, d'autre part, son guidage sur la partie immergee dans le metal liquide. Les solutions retenues pour resoudre ces problemes sur 13 pompes experimentees sont presentees. Le probleme du guidage de l'arbre, a dans la majorite des cas ete resolu en utilisant un palier hydrostatique, aussi l'etude en a d'abord ete approfondie de facon theorique pour calculer les paliers des premieres pompes, puis experimentale pour controler la theorie, en effectuant des essais a l'eau. On propose une relation pour calculer les paliers des pompes a diffuseurs. On a en outre effectue une etude de l'influence de l'elasticite du palier hydrostatique sur la vitesse critique de l'arbre. (auteurs)

On-Chip Production of Size-Controllable Liquid Metal Microdroplets Using Acoustic Waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Shi-Yang; Ayan, Bugra; Nama, Nitesh; Bian, Yusheng; Lata, James P; Guo, Xiasheng; Huang, Tony Jun

2016-07-01

Micro- to nanosized droplets of liquid metals, such as eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) and Galinstan, have been used for developing a variety of applications in flexible electronics, sensors, catalysts, and drug delivery systems. Currently used methods for producing micro- to nanosized droplets of such liquid metals possess one or several drawbacks, including the lack in ability to control the size of the produced droplets, mass produce droplets, produce smaller droplet sizes, and miniaturize the system. Here, a novel method is introduced using acoustic wave-induced forces for on-chip production of EGaIn liquid-metal microdroplets with controllable size. The size distribution of liquid metal microdroplets is tuned by controlling the interfacial tension of the metal using either electrochemistry or electrocapillarity in the acoustic field. The developed platform is then used for heavy metal ion detection utilizing the produced liquid metal microdroplets as the working electrode. It is also demonstrated that a significant enhancement of the sensing performance is achieved by introducing acoustic streaming during the electrochemical experiments. The demonstrated technique can be used for developing liquid-metal-based systems for a wide range of applications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Advances in gas-liquid flows 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, J.M.; Hashemi, A.

1990-01-01

Gas-liquid two-phase flows commonly occur in nature and industrial applications. Rain, clouds, geysers, and waterfalls are examples of natural gas-liquid flow phenomena, whereas industrial applications can be found in nuclear reactors, steam generators, boilers, condensers, evaporators, fuel atomization, heat pipes, electronic equipment cooling, petroleum engineering, chemical process engineering, and many others. The household-variety phenomena such as garden sprinklers, shower, whirlpool bath, dripping faucet, boiling tea pot, and bubbling beer provide daily experience of gas-liquid flows. The papers presented in this volume reflect the variety and richness of gas-liquid two-phase flow and the increasing role it plays in modern technology. This volume contains papers dealing with some recent development in gas-liquid flow science and technology, covering basic gas-liquid flows, measurements and instrumentation, cavitation and flashing flows, countercurrent flow and flooding, flow in various components and geometries liquid metals and thermocapillary effects, heat transfer, nonlinear phenomena, instability, and other special and general topics related to gas-liquid flows

Single channel double-duct liquid metal electrical generator using a magnetohydrodynamic device

Science.gov (United States)

Haaland, Carsten M.; Deeds, W. Edward

1999-01-01

A single channel double-duct liquid metal electrical generator using a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) device. The single channel device provides useful output AC electric energy. The generator includes a two-cylinder linear-piston engine which drives liquid metal in a single channel looped around one side of the MHD device to form a double-duct contra-flowing liquid metal MHD generator. A flow conduit network and drive mechanism are provided for moving liquid metal with an oscillating flow through a static magnetic field to produce useful AC electric energy at practical voltages and currents. Variable stroke is obtained by controlling the quantity of liquid metal in the channel. High efficiency is obtained over a wide range of frequency and power output.

Korea advanced liquid metal reactor development - Development of measuring techniques of the sodium two-phase flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Moo Hwan; Cha, Jae Eun [Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang (Korea)

2000-04-01

The technology which models and measures the behavior of bubble in liquid sodium is very important to insure the safety of the liquid metal reactor. In this research, we designed/ manufactured each part and loop of experimental facility for sodium two phase flow, and applied a few possible methods, measured characteristic of two phase flow such as bubbly flow. A air-water loop similar to sodium loop on each measuring condition was designed/manufactured. This air-water loop was utilized to acquire many informations which were necessary in designing the two phase flow of sodium and manufacturing experimental facility. Before the manufacture of a electromagnetic flow meter for sodium, the experiment using each electromagnetic flow mete was developed and the air-water loop was performed to understand flow characteristics. Experiments for observing the signal characteristics of flow were performed by flowing two phase mixture into the electromagnetic flow mete. From these experiments, the electromagnetic flow meter was designed and constructed by virtual electrode, its signal processing circuit and micro electro magnet. It was developed to be applicable to low conductivity fluid very successfully. By this experiment with the electromagnetic flow meter, we observed that the flow signal was very different according to void fraction in two phase flow and that probability density function which was made by statistical signal treatment is also different according to flow patterns. From this result, we confirmed that the electromagnetic flow meter could be used to understand the parameters of two phase flow of sodium. By this study, the experimental facility for two phase flow of sodium was constricted. Also the new electromagnetic flow meter was designed/manufactured, and experimental apparatus for two phase flow of air-water. Finally, this study will be a basic tool for measurement of two phase flow of sodium. As the fundamental technique for the applications of sodium at

Five-fold local symmetry in metallic liquids and glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li M Z; Li F X; Zhang H P; Peng H L; Hu Y C; Wang W H

2017-01-01

The structure of metallic glasses has been a long-standing mystery. Owing to the disordered nature of atomic structures in metallic glasses, it is a great challenge to find a simple structural description, such as periodicity for crystals, for establishing the structure–property relationship in amorphous materials. In this paper, we briefly review the recent developments of the five-fold local symmetry in metallic liquids and glasses and the understanding of the structure–property relationship based on this parameter. Experimental evidence demonstrates that five-fold local symmetry is found to be general in metallic liquids and glasses. Comprehensive molecular dynamics simulations show that the temperature evolution of five-fold local symmetry reflects the structural evolution in glass transition in cooling process, and the structure–property relationship such as relaxation dynamics, dynamic crossover phenomena, glass transition, and mechanical deformation in metallic liquids and glasses can be well understood base on the simple and general structure parameter of five-fold local symmetry. (paper)

Liquid metal-organic frameworks

Science.gov (United States)

Gaillac, Romain; Pullumbi, Pluton; Beyer, Kevin A.; Chapman, Karena W.; Keen, David A.; Bennett, Thomas D.; Coudert, François-Xavier

2017-11-01

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a family of chemically diverse materials, with applications in a wide range of fields, covering engineering, physics, chemistry, biology and medicine. Until recently, research has focused almost entirely on crystalline structures, yet now a clear trend is emerging, shifting the emphasis onto disordered states, including `defective by design’ crystals, as well as amorphous phases such as glasses and gels. Here we introduce a strongly associated MOF liquid, obtained by melting a zeolitic imidazolate framework. We combine in situ variable temperature X-ray, ex situ neutron pair distribution function experiments, and first-principles molecular dynamics simulations to study the melting phenomenon and the nature of the liquid obtained. We demonstrate from structural, dynamical, and thermodynamical information that the chemical configuration, coordinative bonding, and porosity of the parent crystalline framework survive upon formation of the MOF liquid.

Liquid metal level measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hale, J.C.; Leyland, K.S.

1982-01-01

A liquid metal level indicator is described which can be used to measure, in a stainless steel tank, the level of a nuclear reactor coolant such as sodium. The instrument, which is based on the eddy current induction effect, gives readings over substantially the full depth of the tank and indicates the sense of change of level. (U.K.)

3D Printed Wearable Sensors with Liquid Metals for the Pose Detection of Snakelike Soft Robots.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Luyu; Gao, Qing; Zhan, Jun-Fu; Xie, Chao-Qi; Fu, Jianzhong; He, Yong

2018-06-18

Liquid metal-based flexible sensors, which utilize advanced liquid conductive material to serve as sensitive element, is emerging as a promising solution to measure large deformations. Nowadays, one of the biggest challenges for precise control of soft robots is the detection of their real time positions. Existing fabrication methods are unable to fabricate flexible sensors that match the shape of soft robots. In this report, we firstly described a novel 3D printed multi-function inductance flexible and stretchable sensor with liquid metals (LMs), which is capable of measuring both axial tension and curvature. This sensor is fabricated with a developed coaxial liquid metal 3D printer by co-printing of silicone rubber and LMs. Due to the solenoid shape, this sensor can be easily installed on snakelike soft robots and can accurately distinguish different degrees of tensile and bending deformation. We determined the structural parameters of the sensor and proved its excellent stability and reliability. As a demonstration, we used this sensor to measure the curvature of a finger and feedback the position of endoscope, a typical snakelike structure. Because of its bending deformation form consistent with the actual working status of the soft robot and unique shape, this sensor has better practical application prospects in the pose detection.

Effect of Liquid Ga on Metal Surfaces: Characterization of Morphology and Chemical Composition of Metals Heated in Liquid Ga

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eun Je Lee

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the effect of liquid gallium (Ga on metal foils made of titanium (Ti, niobium (Nb, and molybdenum (Mo. The Ti, Nb, and Mo foils were heated in liquid Ga at 120°C for a maximum of two weeks. After heating, the changes in the morphology and the chemical composition of the metal foils were analyzed by using a field emission scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer, and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. The results of the analysis indicated that the Nb foil showed the minimum adhesion of liquid Ga to the surface while the maximum amount of liquid Ga was observed to adhere to the Ti foil. In addition, the Nb foil was oxidized and the Mo foil was reduced during the heating process. Considering these effects, we conclude that Mo may be used as an alternative encapsulation material for Ga in addition to Nb, which is used as the conventional encapsulation material, due to its chemical resistance against oxidation in hot liquid Ga.

Cermet-fueled reactors for advanced space applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cowan, C.L.; Palmer, R.S.; Taylor, I.N.; Vaidyanathan, S.; Bhattacharyya, S.K.; Barner, J.O.

1987-12-01

Cermet-fueled nuclear reactors are attractive candidates for high-performance advanced space power systems. The cermet consists of a hexagonal matrix of a refractory metal and a ceramic fuel, with multiple tubular flow channels. The high performance characteristics of the fuel matrix come from its high strength at elevated temperatures and its high thermal conductivity. The cermet fuel concept evolved in the 1960s with the objective of developing a reactor design that could be used for a wide range of mobile power generating sytems, including both Brayton and Rankine power conversion cycles. High temperature thermal cycling tests for the cermet fuel were carried out by General Electric as part of the 710 Project (General Electric 1966), and by Argonne National Laboratory in the Direct Nuclear Rocket Program (1965). Development programs for cermet fuel are currently under way at Argonne National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The high temperature qualification tests from the 1960s have provided a base for the incorporation of cermet fuel in advanced space applications. The status of the cermet fuel development activities and descriptions of the key features of the cermet-fueled reactor design are summarized in this paper

Liquid metals. Coexistence line, critical parameters, compressibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippov, L.P.

1986-01-01

Formulae to calculate four characteristic parameters of liquid metals (density, compressibility, critical temperature and individual parameter) according to four initial data are obtained: two values of vapor density and two values of vapor pressure. Comparison between experimental and calculation results are presented for liquid Cs, Na, Li, K, Rb

Component and Technology Development for Advanced Liquid Metal Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Mark [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2017-01-30

The following report details the significant developments to Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) technologies made throughout the course of this funding. This report will begin with an overview of the sodium loop and the improvements made over the course of this research to make it a more advanced and capable facility. These improvements have much to do with oxygen control and diagnostics. Thus a detailed report of advancements with respect to the cold trap, plugging meter, vanadium equilibration loop, and electrochemical oxygen sensor is included. Further analysis of the university’s moving magnet pump was performed and included in a section of this report. A continuous electrical resistance based level sensor was built and tested in the sodium with favorable results. Materials testing was done on diffusion bonded samples of metal and the results are presented here as well. A significant portion of this work went into the development of optical fiber temperature sensors which could be deployed in an SFR environment. Thus, a section of this report presents the work done to develop an encapsulation method for these fibers inside of a stainless steel capillary tube. High temperature testing was then done on the optical fiber ex situ in a furnace. Thermal response time was also explored with the optical fiber temperature sensors. Finally these optical fibers were deployed successfully in a sodium environment for data acquisition. As a test of the sodium deployable optical fiber temperature sensors they were installed in a sub-loop of the sodium facility which was constructed to promote the thermal striping effect in sodium. The optical fibers performed exceptionally well, yielding unprecedented 2 dimensional temperature profiles with good temporal resolution. Finally, this thermal striping loop was used to perform cross correlation velocimetry successfully over a wide range of flow rates.

Liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, D.

1979-01-01

A liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactor has a core comprising a plurality of fuel assemblies supported on a diagrid and submerged in a pool of liquid metal coolant within a containment vessel, the diagrid being of triple component construction and formed of a short cylindrical plenum mounted on a conical undershell and loosely embraced by a fuel store carrier. The plenum merely distributes coolant through the fuel assemblies, the load of the assemblies being carried by the undershell by means of struts which penetrate the plenum. The reactor core, fuel store carrier and undershell provide secondary containment for the plenum. (UK)

Argonne National Laboratory Annual Report of Laboratory Directed Research and Development program activities FY 2011.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

(Office of The Director)

2012-04-25

As a national laboratory Argonne concentrates on scientific and technological challenges that can only be addressed through a sustained, interdisciplinary focus at a national scale. Argonne's eight major initiatives, as enumerated in its strategic plan, are Hard X-ray Sciences, Leadership Computing, Materials and Molecular Design and Discovery, Energy Storage, Alternative Energy and Efficiency, Nuclear Energy, Biological and Environmental Systems, and National Security. The purposes of Argonne's Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program are to encourage the development of novel technical concepts, enhance the Laboratory's research and development (R and D) capabilities, and pursue its strategic goals. projects are selected from proposals for creative and innovative R and D studies that require advance exploration before they are considered to be sufficiently developed to obtain support through normal programmatic channels. Among the aims of the projects supported by the LDRD Program are the following: establishment of engineering proof of principle, assessment of design feasibility for prospective facilities, development of instrumentation or computational methods or systems, and discoveries in fundamental science and exploratory development.

Argonne National Laboratory Annual Report of Laboratory Directed Research and Development program activities FY 2010.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

(Office of The Director)

2012-04-25

As a national laboratory Argonne concentrates on scientific and technological challenges that can only be addressed through a sustained, interdisciplinary focus at a national scale. Argonne's eight major initiatives, as enumerated in its strategic plan, are Hard X-ray Sciences, Leadership Computing, Materials and Molecular Design and Discovery, Energy Storage, Alternative Energy and Efficiency, Nuclear Energy, Biological and Environmental Systems, and National Security. The purposes of Argonne's Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program are to encourage the development of novel technical concepts, enhance the Laboratory's research and development (R and D) capabilities, and pursue its strategic goals. projects are selected from proposals for creative and innovative R and D studies that require advance exploration before they are considered to be sufficiently developed to obtain support through normal programmatic channels. Among the aims of the projects supported by the LDRD Program are the following: establishment of engineering proof of principle, assessment of design feasibility for prospective facilities, development of instrumentation or computational methods or systems, and discoveries in fundamental science and exploratory development.

Review of the critical heat flux correlations for liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Bum; Han, H. D.; Chang, W. P.; Kwon, Y. M.

1999-09-01

The CHF phenomenon in the two-phase convective flows has been an important issue in the fields of design and safety analysis of light water reactor (LWR) as well as sodium cooled liquid metal reactor (LMR). Especially in the LWR application, many physical aspects of the CHF phenomenon are understood and reliable correlations and mechanistic models to predict the CHF condition have been proposed over the past three decades. Most of the existing CHF correlations have been developed for light water reactor core applications. Compared with water, liquid metals show a divergent picture of boiling pattern. This can be attributed to the consequence that special CHF conditions obtained from investigations with water cannot be applied to liquid metals. Numerous liquid metal boiling heat transfer and two-phase flow studies have put emphasis on development of models and understanding of the mechanism for improving the CHF predictions. Thus far, no overall analytical solution method has been obtained and the reliable prediction method has remained empirical. The principal objectives of the present report are to review the state of the art in connection with liquid metal critical heat flux under low pressure and low flow conditions and to discuss the basic mechanisms. (author)

Design of self-cooled, liquid-metal blankets for tokamak and tandem mirror reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cha, Y.S.; Gohar, Y.; Hassanein, A.M.; Majumdar, S.; Picologlou, B.F.; Smith, D.L.; Szo, D.K.

1985-01-01

Results of the self-cooled, liquid-metal blanket design from the Blanket Comparison and Selection Study (BCSS) are summarized. The objectives of the BCSS project are to define a small number (about three) of blanket concepts that should be the focus of the blanket research and development (RandD) program, identify and prioritize the critical issues for the leading blanket concepts, and provide technical input necessary to develop a blanket RandD program plan. Two liquid metals (lithium and lithium-lead (17Li-83Pb)) and three structural materials (primary candidate alloy (PCA), ferritic steel (FS) (HT-9), and vanadium alloy (V-15 Cr-5 Ti)) are included in the evaluations for both tokamaks and tandem mirror reactors (TMRs). TMR is of the tube configuration similar to the Mirror Advanced Reactor Study design. Analyses were performed in the following generic areas for each blanket concept: MHD, thermal hydraulics, stress, neutronics, and tritium recovery. Integral analyses were performed to determine the design window for each blanket design. The Li/Li/V blanket for tokamak and the Li/Li/V, LiPb/LiPb/V, and Li/Li/HT-9 blankets for the TMR are judged to be top-rated concepts. Because of its better thermophysical properties and more uniform nuclear heating profile, liquid lithium is a better coolant than liquid 17Li83Pb. From an engineering point of view, vanadium alloy is a better structural material than either FS or PCA since the former has both a higher allowable structural temperature and a higher allowable coolant/structure interface temperature than the latter. Critical feasibility issues and design constraints for the self-cooled, liquid-metal blanket concepts are identified and discussed

A conceptual design strategy for liquid-metal-wall inertial fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monsler, M.J.; Meier, W.R.

1981-01-01

The liquid-metal-wall chamber has emerged as an attractive reactor concept for inertial fusion energy conversion. The principal feature of this concept is a thick, free-flowing blanket of liquid metal used to protect the structure of the reactor. The development and design of liquid-metal-wall chambers over the past decade are reviewed from the perspective of formulating a conceptual design strategy for such chambers. The basis for the design strategy is set by enumerating both the attractive and unattractive features of a LMW chamber. Past concepts are then reviewed to identify conceptual design approaches and physical configurations that enhance the positive aspects and minimize the negative aspects. A detailed description of the engineering considerations is given, including such topics as the selection of a liquid metal, control of radiation damage, selection of structural material, control of tritium breeding and extraction, control of wall stress, and designing for a given rep-rate. Finally, a design strategy is formulated which accomodates the engineering constraints while minimizing the liquid-metal flow rate. (orig.)

Modeling of liquid-metal corrosion/deposition in a fusion reactor blanket

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malang, S.; Smith, D.L.

1984-04-01

A model has been developed for the investigation of the liquid-metal corrosion and the corrosion product transport in a liquid-metal-cooled fusion reactor blanket. The model describes the two-dimensional transport of wall material in the liquid-metal flow and is based on the following assumptions: (1) parallel flow in a straight circular tube; (2) transport of wall material perpendicular to the flow direction by diffusion and turbulent exchange; in flow direction by the flow motion only; (3) magnetic field causes uniform velocity profile with thin boundary layer and suppresses turbulent mass exchange; and (4) liquid metal at the interface is saturated with wall material. A computer code based on this model has been used to analyze the corrosion of ferritic steel by lithium lead and the deposition of wall material in the cooler part of a loop. Three cases have been investigated: (1) ANL forced convection corrosion experiment (without magnetic field); (2) corrosion in the MARS liquid-metal-cooled blanket (with magnetic field); and (3) deposition of wall material in the corrosion product cleanup system of the MARS blanket loop

Liquid-solid extraction of metallic cations by cationic amphiphiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, Wolfram; Sievers, Torsten K.; Zemb, Thomas; Diat, Olivier; Sievers, Torsten K.; Dejugnat, Christophe

2012-01-01

In the field of selective metal ion separation, liquid-liquid extraction is usually conducted through an emulsion mixing of hydrophobic complexants dispersed in an organic phase and acidic water containing the ionic species. Recently, it has been shown that amphiphilic complexants could influence strongly extraction efficiency by enhancing the interfacial interaction between the metal ion in the aqueous and the complexant in the organic phase. Moreover, these amphiphiles can also substitute the organic phase if an appropriate aliphatic chain is chosen. The dispersion of such amphiphilic complexants in an aqueous solution of salt mixtures is not only attractive for studying specific interactions but also to better the understanding of complex formation in aqueous solution of multivalent metal ions, such as lanthanides and actinides. This understanding is of potential interest for a broad range of industries including purification of rare earth metals and pollute treatment e.g. of fission byproducts. This principle can also be applied to liquid-solid extraction, where the final state of the separation is a solid phase containing the selectively extracted ions. Indeed, a novel solid-liquid extraction method exploits the selective precipitation of metal ions from an aqueous salt mixture using a cationic surfactant, below its Krafft point (temperature below which the long aliphatic chains of surfactant crystallize). This technique has been proven to be highly efficient for the separation of actinides and heavy metal using long chain ammonium or pyridinium amphiphiles. The most important point in this process is the recognition of cationic metal ions by cationic surfactants. By computing the free energy of the polar head group per micelle as a function of the different counter-anions, we have demonstrated for the first time that different interactions exist between the micellar surface and the ions. These interactions depend on the nature of the cation but also on

Generation and characterization of gas bubbles in liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckert, S.; Gerbeth, G.; Witke, W.

1996-01-01

There is an ongoing research performed in the RCR on local transport phenomena in turbulent liquid metal (LM) duct flows exposed to external magnetic fields. In this context so-called MHD flow phenomena can be observed, which are unknown in usual hydraulic engineering. The field of interest covers also the influence of magnetic fields on the behaviour of liquid metal - gas mixtures. Profound knowledge on these LMMHD two-phase flow plays an important role in a variety of technological applications, in particular, in the design of Liquid-Metal MHD generators or for several metallurgical processes employing gas-stirred reactors. However, the highly empirical nature of two-phase flow analysis gives little hope for the prediction of MHD two-phase flows without extensive experimental data. A summary is given about the authors research activities focussing on two directions: (a) Momentum transfer between gas and liquid metal in a bubbly flow regime to investigate the influence of the external magnetic field on the velocity slip ration S (b) Peculiarities of the MHD turbulence to use small gas bubbles as local tracers in order to study the turbulent mass transfer

Dewetting Properties of Metallic Liquid Film on Nanopillared Graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiongying; He, Yezeng; Wang, Yong; Dong, Jichen; Li, Hui

2014-01-01

In this work, we report simulation evidence that the graphene surface decorated by carbon nanotube pillars shows strong dewettability, which can give it great advantages in dewetting and detaching metallic nanodroplets on the surfaces. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that the ultrathin liquid film first contracts then detaches from the graphene on a time scale of several nanoseconds, as a result of the inertial effect. The detaching velocity is in the order of 10 m/s for the droplet with radii smaller than 50 nm. Moreover, the contracting and detaching behaviors of the liquid film can be effectively controlled by tuning the geometric parameters of the liquid film or pillar. In addition, the temperature effects on the dewetting and detaching of the metallic liquid film are also discussed. Our results show that one can exploit and effectively control the dewetting properties of metallic nanodroplets by decorating the surfaces with nanotube pillars. PMID:24487279

Engineering: Liquid metal pumped at a record temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Lambrinou, Konstantina

2017-10-01

Although liquid metals are effective fluids for heat transfer, pumping them at high temperatures is limited by their corrosiveness to solid metals. A clever pump design addresses this challenge using only ceramics. See Article p.199

Natural convection and boiling heat transfer of a liquid metal in a magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seki, Masahiro; Kawamura, Hiroshi

1983-02-01

A liquid metal is often assumed as a coolant and a breeding material of a Tokamak fusion reactor. However, many problems on the thermo-hydraulics of a liquid metal in a magnetic field are still remained to be studied. In the present report, natural convection and boiling of a liquid metal in a strong magnetic field are studied to examine a fundamental feasibility of a fusion reactor cooled by a liquid metal. In the experimental study of the natural convection, the circulation of a liquid metal was found to be surpressed even by a magnetic field parallel to the gravity. A numerical study has confirmed the conclusion drawn by the experiment. In the study of boiling heat transfer, stable boiling of a liquid metal has been found also in a strong magnetic field. The burnout heat flux hardly affected by the magnetic field. These indicate a fundamental feasibility of the liquid-metal cooling for a Tokamak fusion reactor. (author)

Melting and liquid structure of polyvalent metal halides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tosi, M.P.

1992-08-01

A short review is given of recent progress in determining and understanding liquid structure types and melting mechanisms for halides of polyvalent metals. The nature of the preferred local coordination for the polyvalent metal ion in the melt can usually be ascertained from data on liquid mixtures with halogen-donating alkali halides. The stability of these local coordination states and the connectivity that arises between them in the approach to the pure melt determines the character of its short-range and possible medium-range order. A broad classification of structural and melting behaviours can be given on the basis of measured melting parameters and transport coefficients for many compounds, in combination with the available diffraction data on the liquid structure of several compounds. Correlations have been shown to exist with a simple indicator of the nature of the chemical bond and also with appropriate parameters of ionic models, wherever the latter are usefully applicable for semiquantitative calculations of liquid structure. Consequences on the mechanisms for valence electron localization in solutions of metallic elements into strongly structured molten salts are also briefly discussed. (author). 46 refs, 4 figs, 2 tabs

Liquid-metal-cooled reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuchkov, I.I.; Filonov, V.S.; Zaitsev, B.I.; Artemiev, L.N.; Rakhimov, V.V.

1976-01-01

A liquid-metal-cooled reactor is described comprising two rotatable plugs, one of them, having at least one hole, being arranged internally of the other, a recharging mechanism with a guide tube adapted to be moved through the hole of the first plug by means of a drive, and a device for detecting stacks with leaky fuel elements, the recharging mechanism tube serving as a sampler

Thermophysical properties of simple liquid metals: A brief review of theory

Science.gov (United States)

Stroud, David

1993-01-01

In this paper, we review the current theory of the thermophysical properties of simple liquid metals. The emphasis is on thermodynamic properties, but we also briefly discuss the nonequilibrium properties of liquid metals. We begin by defining a 'simple liquid metal' as one in which the valence electrons interact only weakly with the ionic cores, so that the interaction can be treated by perturbation theory. We then write down the equilibrium Hamiltonian of a liquid metal as a sum of five terms: the bare ion-ion interaction, the electron-electron interaction, the bare electron-ion interaction, and the kinetic energies of electrons and ions. Since the electron-ion interaction can be treated by perturbation, the electronic part contributes in two ways to the Helmholtz free energy: it gives a density-dependent term which is independent of the arrangement of ions, and it acts to screen the ion-ion interaction, giving rise to effective ion-ion pair potentials which are density-dependent, in general. After sketching the form of a typical pair potential, we briefly enumerate some methods for calculating the ionic distribution function and hence the Helmholtz free energy of the liquid: monte Carlo simulations, molecular dynamics simulations, and thermodynamic perturbation theory. The final result is a general expression for the Helmholtz free energy of the liquid metal. It can be used to calculate a wide range of thermodynamic properties of simple metal liquids, which we enumerate. They include not only a range of thermodynamic coefficients of both metals and alloys, but also many aspects of the phase diagram, including freezing curves of pure elements and phase diagrams of liquid alloys (including liquidus and solidus curves). We briefly mention some key discoveries resulting from previous applications of this method, and point out that the same methods work for other materials not normally considered to be liquid metals (such as colloidal suspensions, in which the

Enhanced Endosomal Escape by Light-Fueled Liquid-Metal Transformer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yue; Lin, Yiliang; Chen, Zhaowei; Hu, Quanyin; Liu, Yang; Yu, Shuangjiang; Gao, Wei; Dickey, Michael D; Gu, Zhen

2017-04-12

Effective endosomal escape remains as the "holy grail" for endocytosis-based intracellular drug delivery. To date, most of the endosomal escape strategies rely on small molecules, cationic polymers, or pore-forming proteins, which are often limited by the systemic toxicity and lack of specificity. We describe here a light-fueled liquid-metal transformer for effective endosomal escape-facilitated cargo delivery via a chemical-mechanical process. The nanoscale transformer can be prepared by a simple approach of sonicating a low-toxicity liquid-metal. When coated with graphene quantum dots (GQDs), the resulting nanospheres demonstrate the ability to absorb and convert photoenergy to drive the simultaneous phase separation and morphological transformation of the inner liquid-metal core. The morphological transformation from nanospheres to hollow nanorods with a remarkable change of aspect ratio can physically disrupt the endosomal membrane to promote endosomal escape of payloads. This metal-based nanotransformer equipped with GQDs provides a new strategy for facilitating effective endosomal escape to achieve spatiotemporally controlled drug delivery with enhanced efficacy.

Environmental monitoring at Argonne National Laboratory. Annual report for 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N.W.; Duffy, T.L.; Sedlet, J.

1983-03-01

The results of the environmental monitoring program at Argonne Ntaional Laboratory for 1982 are presented and discussed. To evaluate the effect of Argonne operations on the environment, measurements were made for a variety of radionuclides in air, surface water, soil, grass, bottom sediment, and milk; for a variety of chemical constituents in air, surface water, ground water, and Argonne effluent water; and of the environmental penetrating radiation dose. Sample collections and masurements were made at the site boundary and off the Argonne site for comparison purposes. Some on-site measurements were made to aid in the interpretation of the boundary and off-site data. The results of the program are interpreted in terms of the sources and origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (natural, fallout, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. The potential radiation dose to off-site population groups is also estimated

Environmental monitoring at Argonne National Laboratory. Annual report for 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N.W.; Duffy, T.L.; Sedlet, J.

1981-03-01

The results of the environmental monitoring program at Argonne National Laboratory for 1980 are presented and discussed. To evaluate the effect of Argonne operations on the environment, measurements were made for a variety of radionuclides in air, surface water, soil, grass, bottom sediment, and foodstuffs; for a variety of chemical constituents in air, surface water, and Argonne effluent water; and of the environmental penetrating radiation dose. Sample collections and measurements were made at the site boundary and off the Argonne site for comparison purposes. Some on-site measurements were made to aid in the interpretation of the boundary and off-site data. The results of the program are interpreted in terms of the sources and origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (natural, fallout, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. The potential radiation dose to off-site population groups is also estimated

Environmental monitoring at Argonne National Laboratory. Annual report for 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N.W.; Duffy, T.L.; Sedlet, J.

1980-03-01

The results of the environmental monitoring program at Argonne National Laboratory for 1979 are presented and discussed. To evaluate the effect of Argonne operations on the environment, measurements were made for a variety of radionuclides in air, surface water, Argonne effluent water, soil, grass, bottom sediment, and foodstuffs; for a variety of chemical constituents in air, surface water, and Argonne effluent water; and of the environemetal penetrating radiation dose. Sample collections and measurements were made at the site boundary and off the Argonne site for comparison purposes. Some on-site measuremenets were made to aid in the interpretation of the boundary and off-site data. The results of the program are interpreted in terms of the sources and origin of the radioactive and chemical substances and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. The potential radiation dose to off-site population groups is also estimated

The Oscillatory Nature of Rotating Convection in Liquid Metal

Science.gov (United States)

Aurnou, J. M.; Bertin, V. L.; Grannan, A. M.

2016-12-01

Earth's magnetic field is assumed to be generated by fluid motions in its liquid metal core. In this fluid, the heat diffuses significantly more than momentum and thus, the ratio of these two diffusivities, the Prandtl number Pr=ν/Κ, is well below unity. The convective flow dynamics of liquid metal is very different from Pr ≈ 1 fluids like water and those used in current dynamo simulations. In order to characterize rapidly rotating thermal convection in low Pr number fluids, we have performed laboratory experiments in a cylinder using liquid gallium (Pr ≈ 0.023) as the working fluid. The Ekman number, which characterizes the effect of rotation, varies from E = 4 10-5 to 4 10-6 and the dimensionless buoyancy forcing (Rayleigh number, Ra) varies from Ra =3 105 to 2 107. Using heat transfer measurements (Nusselt number, Nu) as well as temperature measurements within the fluid, we characterize the different styles of low Pr rotating convective flow. The convection threshold is first overcome in the form of a container scale inertial oscillatory mode. At stronger forcing, wall-localized modes are identified for the first time in liquid metal laboratory experiments. These wall modes coexist with the bulk inertial oscillatory modes. When the strengh of the buoyancy increases, the bulk flow becomes turbulent while the wall modes remain. Our results imply that rotating convective flows in liquid metals do not develop in the form of quasi-steady columns, as in Pr ≈ 1 dynamo models, but in the form of oscillatory motions. Therefore, the flows that drive thermally-driven dynamo action in low Pr geophysical and astrophysical fluids can differ substantively than those occuring in current-day Pr ≈ 1 numerical models. In addition, our results suggest that relatively low wavenumber, wall-attached modes may be dynamically important in rapidly-rotating convection in liquid metals.

Pumping liquid metal at high temperatures up to 1,673 kelvin

Science.gov (United States)

Amy, C.; Budenstein, D.; Bagepalli, M.; England, D.; Deangelis, F.; Wilk, G.; Jarrett, C.; Kelsall, C.; Hirschey, J.; Wen, H.; Chavan, A.; Gilleland, B.; Yuan, C.; Chueh, W. C.; Sandhage, K. H.; Kawajiri, Y.; Henry, A.

2017-10-01

Heat is fundamental to power generation and many industrial processes, and is most useful at high temperatures because it can be converted more efficiently to other types of energy. However, efficient transportation, storage and conversion of heat at extreme temperatures (more than about 1,300 kelvin) is impractical for many applications. Liquid metals can be very effective media for transferring heat at high temperatures, but liquid-metal pumping has been limited by the corrosion of metal infrastructures. Here we demonstrate a ceramic, mechanical pump that can be used to continuously circulate liquid tin at temperatures of around 1,473-1,673 kelvin. Our approach to liquid-metal pumping is enabled by the use of ceramics for the mechanical and sealing components, but owing to the brittle nature of ceramics their use requires careful engineering. Our set-up enables effective heat transfer using a liquid at previously unattainable temperatures, and could be used for thermal storage and transport, electric power production, and chemical or materials processing.

Gallium-Based Room-Temperature Liquid Metals: Actuation and Manipulation of Droplets and Flows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leily Majidi

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Gallium-based room-temperature liquid metals possess extremely valuable properties, such as low toxicity, low vapor pressure, and high thermal and electrical conductivity enabling them to become suitable substitutes for mercury and beyond in wide range of applications. When exposed to air, a native oxide layer forms on the surface of gallium-based liquid metals which mechanically stabilizes the liquid. By removing or reconstructing the oxide skin, shape and state of liquid metal droplets and flows can be manipulated/actuated desirably. This can occur manually or in the presence/absence of a magnetic/electric field. These methods lead to numerous useful applications such as soft electronics, reconfigurable devices, and soft robots. In this mini-review, we summarize the most recent progresses achieved on liquid metal droplet generation and actuation of gallium-based liquid metals with/without an external force.

Environmental Survey preliminary report, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-11-01

This report presents the preliminary findings of the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), conducted June 15 through 26, 1987. The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialists, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. The team includes outside experts supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with ANL. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. The on-site phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at ANL, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey team developed a Sampling and Analysis (S ampersand A) Plan to assist in further assessing certain of the environmental problems identified during its on-site activities. The S ampersand A Plan will be executed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). When completed, the S ampersand A results will be incorporated into the Argonne National Laboratory Environmental Survey findings for inclusion in the Environmental Survey Summary Report. 75 refs., 24 figs., 60 tabs

Environmental Survey preliminary report, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1988-11-01

This report presents the preliminary findings of the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), conducted June 15 through 26, 1987. The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialists, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. The team includes outside experts supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with ANL. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. The on-site phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at ANL, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey team developed a Sampling and Analysis (S A) Plan to assist in further assessing certain of the environmental problems identified during its on-site activities. The S A Plan will be executed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). When completed, the S A results will be incorporated into the Argonne National Laboratory Environmental Survey findings for inclusion in the Environmental Survey Summary Report. 75 refs., 24 figs., 60 tabs.

Environment | Argonne National Laboratory

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Skip to main content Argonne National Laboratory Toggle Navigation Toggle Search Energy Environment Laboratory About Safety News Careers Education Community Diversity Directory Energy Environment National Security User Facilities Science Work with Us Environment Atmospheric and Climate Science Ecological

Steam generation device with heat exchange between a liquid metal coolant and the feedwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malaval, C.

1983-01-01

The invention is particularly applicable to a liquid metal fast breeder reactor plant, the liquid metal being sodium. The steam generation device is described in detail, it allows to get an upper liquid metal level without turbulence and an easier passage for the shock wave towards the steam generator up to the liquid metal level without being laterally reflected back to the intermediate heat exchangers [fr

Tiger team assessment of the Argonne Illinois site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

This report documents the results of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Tiger Team Assessment of the Argonne Illinois Site (AIS) (including the DOE Chicago Operations Office, DOE Argonne Area Office, Argonne National Laboratory-East, and New Brunswick Laboratory) and Site A and Plot M, Argonne, Illinois, conducted from September 17 through October 19, 1990. The Tiger Team Assessment was conducted by a team comprised of professionals from DOE, contractors, consultants. The purpose of the assessment was to provide the Secretary of Energy with the status of Environment, Safety, and Health (ES ampersand H) Programs at AIS. Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) is the principal tenant at AIS. ANL-E is a multiprogram laboratory operated by the University of Chicago for DOE. The mission of ANL-E is to perform basic and applied research that supports the development of energy-related technologies. There are a significant number of ES ampersand H findings and concerns identified in the report that require prompt management attention. A significant change in culture is required before ANL-E can attain consistent and verifiable compliance with statutes, regulations and DOE Orders. ES ampersand H activities are informal, fragmented, and inconsistently implemented. Communication is seriously lacking, both vertically and horizontally. Management expectations are not known or commondated adequately, support is not consistent, and oversight is not effective

Tiger team assessment of the Argonne Illinois site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-10-19

This report documents the results of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Tiger Team Assessment of the Argonne Illinois Site (AIS) (including the DOE Chicago Operations Office, DOE Argonne Area Office, Argonne National Laboratory-East, and New Brunswick Laboratory) and Site A and Plot M, Argonne, Illinois, conducted from September 17 through October 19, 1990. The Tiger Team Assessment was conducted by a team comprised of professionals from DOE, contractors, consultants. The purpose of the assessment was to provide the Secretary of Energy with the status of Environment, Safety, and Health (ES H) Programs at AIS. Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) is the principal tenant at AIS. ANL-E is a multiprogram laboratory operated by the University of Chicago for DOE. The mission of ANL-E is to perform basic and applied research that supports the development of energy-related technologies. There are a significant number of ES H findings and concerns identified in the report that require prompt management attention. A significant change in culture is required before ANL-E can attain consistent and verifiable compliance with statutes, regulations and DOE Orders. ES H activities are informal, fragmented, and inconsistently implemented. Communication is seriously lacking, both vertically and horizontally. Management expectations are not known or commondated adequately, support is not consistent, and oversight is not effective.

Energy | Argonne National Laboratory

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Analysis of the stability of native oxide films at liquid lead/metal interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lesueur, C.; Chatain, D.; Gas, P.; Bergman, C.; Baque, F.

2002-01-01

The interface between liquid lead and different metallic solids (pure metals: Al, Fe and Ni, and T91 steel) was investigated below 400 deg C under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) by wetting experiments. The aim was to check the physical stability of native oxide films grown at the surface of the substrates, along a contact with liquid lead. Two types of metallic substrates were used: i) conventional bulk polycrystals, and ii) nanocrystalline films obtained by e-beam evaporation under UHV. The actual contact between liquid lead and the solid substrates was achieved by preparing lead drops in-situ. Wetting experiments were performed using sessile drop and/or liquid bridge methods. Fresh solid surfaces and former liquid/solid interfaces can be explored by squeezing and stretching a liquid lead bridge formed between two parallel and horizontal substrates. It is shown that the contact with liquid lead produces the detachment of the native oxide films grown on the metallic solids. It is concluded that if oxide coatings are needed to protect a metallic solid from attack by liquid lead, they should be self-renewable. (authors)

Effects of loading variables on fatigue-crack growth in liquid-metal environments

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Fernandes, PJL

1995-10-01

Full Text Available Liquid-metal-induced embrittlement (LMIE) refers to the loss of ductility in normally ductile metals and alloys when stressed while in contact with a liquid metal. In this study, the fatigue crack growth behaviour of brass in molten gallium...

Sensitivity Analysis of Core Neutronic Parameters in Electron Accelerator-driven Subcritical Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marziye Ebrahimkhani

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Calculation of the core neutronic parameters is one of the key components in all nuclear reactors. In this research, the energy spectrum and spatial distribution of the neutron flux in a uranium target have been calculated. In addition, sensitivity of the core neutronic parameters in accelerator-driven subcritical advanced liquid metal reactors, such as electron beam energy (Ee and source multiplication coefficient (ks, has been investigated. A Monte Carlo code (MCNPX_2.6 has been used to calculate neutronic parameters such as effective multiplication coefficient (keff, net neutron multiplication (M, neutron yield (Yn/e, energy constant gain (G0, energy gain (G, importance of neutron source (φ∗, axial and radial distributions of neutron flux, and power peaking factor (Pmax/Pave in two axial and radial directions of the reactor core for four fuel loading patterns. According to the results, safety margin and accelerator current (Ie have been decreased in the highest case of ks, but G and φ∗ have increased by 88.9% and 21.6%, respectively. In addition, for LP1 loading pattern, with increasing Ee from 100 MeV up to 1 GeV, Yn/e and G improved by 91.09% and 10.21%, and Ie and Pacc decreased by 91.05% and 10.57%, respectively. The results indicate that placement of the Np–Pu assemblies on the periphery allows for a consistent keff because the Np–Pu assemblies experience less burn-up.

Apparatus for sealing a rotatable shield plug in a liquid metal nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winkleblack, R.K.

1980-01-01

An apparatus for sealing a rotatable shield plug in a nuclear reactor having liquid metal coolant is described. The apparatus includes a dip -ring seal adapted to provide a fluid barrier between the liquid metal and the atmosphere and to permit rotation of the shield plug. The apparatus also includes a static seal for the rotatable shield plug located between the dip-ring seal and the liquid metal. The static seal isolates the dip-ring seal from the liquid metal vapor during operation at power and can be disengaged for rotation of the shield plug

Environmental monitoring at Argonne National Laboratory. Annual report for 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golchert, N.W.; Duffy, T.L.; Sedlet, J.

1984-03-01

The results of the environmental monitoring program at Argonne National Laboratory for 1983 are presented and discussed. To evaluate the effect of Argonne operations on the environment, measurements were made for a variety of radionuclides in air, surface water, soil, grass, bottom sediment, and milk; for a variety of chemical constituents in air, surface water, ground water, and Argonne effluent water; and of the environmental penetrating radiation dose. Sample collections and measurements were made at the site boundary and off the Argonne site for comparison purposes. Some on-site measurements were made to aid in the interpretation of the boundary and off-site data. The potential radiation dose to off-site population groups is also estimated. The results of the program are interpreted in terms of the sources and origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (natural, fallout, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. 19 references, 8 figures, 49 tables

Experimental and numerical investigation of liquid-metal free-surface flows in spallation targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Batta, A., E-mail: batta@kit.edu [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany Hermann-von-Helmholtz-PLATZ 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Class, A.G.; Litfin, K.; Wetzel, Th. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany Hermann-von-Helmholtz-PLATZ 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Moreau, V.; Massidda, L. [CRS4 Centre for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia, Polaris, Edificio 1, 09010 Pula, CA (Italy); Thomas, S.; Lakehal, D. [ASCOMP GmbH Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland); Angeli, D.; Losi, G. [DIEF – Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Vignolese 905, 41125 Modena (Italy); Mooney, K.G. [University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Amherst (United States); Van Tichelen, K. [SCK-CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (Belgium)

2015-08-15

Highlights: • Experimental study of free surface for lead bismuth eutectic target. • Numerical investigation of free surface of a liquid metal target. • Advanced free surface modelling. - Abstract: Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) are extensively investigated for the transmutation of high-level nuclear waste within many worldwide research programs. The first advanced design of an ADS system is currently developed in SCK• CEN, Mol, Belgium: the Multi-purpose hYbrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications (MYRRHA). Many European research programs support the design of MYRRHA. In the framework of the Euratom project ‘Thermal Hydraulics of Innovative nuclear Systems (THINS)’ a liquid-metal free-surface experiment is performed at the Karlsruhe Liquid Metal Laboratory (KALLA) of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The experiment investigates a full-scale model of the concentric free-surface spallation target of MYRRHA using Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) as coolant. In parallel, numerical free surface models are developed and tested which are reviewed in the article. A volume-of-fluid method, a moving mesh model, a free surface model combining the Level-Set method with Large-Eddy Simulation model and a smoothed-particle hydrodynamics approach are investigated. Verification of the tested models is based on the experimental results obtained within the THINS project and on previous water experiments performed at the University Catholic de Louvain (UCL) within the Euratom project ‘EUROpean Research Programme for the TRANSmutation of High Level Nuclear Waste in Accelerator Driven System (EUROTRANS)’. The design of the target enables a high fluid velocity and a stable surface at the beam entry. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of both experimental and numerical results obtained for free surface target characterization. Without entering in technical details, the status, the major achievements and lessons for the future with respect to

Use of nuclear facilities at Argonne-West to support new environmental missions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Black, D.B.; Dwight, C.C.; Lineberry, M.J.

1994-08-01

At Argonne National Laboratory-West, facilities that were originally constructed to support the development of liquid-metal reactor technology are being used to meet the environmental and waste management need of the US Department of Energy. These needs include waste characterization, waste testing, and waste treatment technology development. Waste characterization and repackaging activities are being performed in the Hot Fuel Examination Facility for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Experimental Test Program. Characterization activities include sampling the gas in actual waste containers, categorizing waste contents for their gas generation potential, and extracting solid samples. A new waste testing project will utilize the Zero Powered Physics Reactor facility. In the workroom of these facility, laboratory gas generation experiments will be conducted with contact-handled transuranic waste. Both the characterization and waste testing activities are part of the effort to prepare the WIPP performance assessment. Waste treatment demonstrations have or will be conducted at the Transient Reactor Test facility and involve private sector participants. The demonstrations involve the development of thermal treatment for materials containing residual amounts of plutonium using plasma-arc technology. The success of these new programs is largely due to experience gained from past missions in such areas as radiological control and nuclear safety

Simulated first operating campaign for the Integral Fast Reactor fuel cycle demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goff, K.M.; Mariani, R.D.; Benedict, R.W.; Park, K.H.; Ackerman, J.P.

1993-01-01

This report discusses the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) which is an innovative liquid-metal-cooled reactor concept that is being developed by Argonne National Laboratory. It takes advantage of the properties of metallic fuel and liquid-metal cooling to offer significant improvements in reactor safety, operation, fuel cycle-economics, environmental protection, and safeguards. Over the next few years, the IFR fuel cycle will be demonstrated at Argonne-West in Idaho. Spent fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) win be processed in its associated Fuel Cycle Facility (FCF) using a pyrochemical method that employs molten salts and liquid metals in an electrorefining operation. As part of the preparation for the fuel cycle demonstration, a computer code, PYRO, was developed at Argonne to model the electrorefining operation using thermodynamic and empirical data. This code has been used extensively to evaluate various operating strategies for the fuel cycle demonstration. The modeled results from the first operating campaign are presented. This campaign is capable of processing more than enough material to refuel completely the EBR-II core

Transient bowing of core assemblies in advanced liquid metal fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamal, S.A.; Orechwa, Y.

1986-01-01

Two alternative core restraint concepts are considered for a conceptual design of a 900 MWth liquid metal fast reactor core with a heterogeneous layout. The two concepts, known as limited free bowing and free flowering, are evaluated based on core bowing criteria that emphasize the enhancement of inherent reactor safety. The core reactivity change during a postulated loss of flow transient is calculated in terms of the lateral displacements and displacement-reactivity-worths of the individual assemblies. The NUBOW-3D computer code is utilized to determine the assembly deformations and interassembly forces that arise when the assemblies are subjected to temperature gradients and irradiation induced creep and swelling during the reactor operation. The assembly ducts are made of the ferritic steel HT-9 and remain in the reactor core for four-years at full power condition. Whereas both restraint systems meet the bowing criteria, a properly designed limited free bowing system appears to be more advantageous than a free flowering system from the point of view of enhancing the reactor inherent safety

Draining device in an emergency holding floor for leaked liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawakami, Hiroto.

1980-01-01

Purpose: To automatically discharge leaked liquid metals rapidly to a damping tank in LMFBR type reactors, by the provision of freeze-seal mechanisms having materials capable of being fused due to the heat of the leaked liquid metals to a catching pan for leaked liquid metals. Constitution: A freeze seal pot having a double seal against other liquid by the provision of a freeze seal material fusible by the heat of the leaked metallic sodium and a downwardly opening cup-like inner cylinder closed by a rupturing plate to be ruptured by heat or pressure is provided to the catching pot of a catching tank. A drain pipe connecting by way of a pot to the damping tank is connected to the pan. Accordingly, if the seal member is fused due to the heat of the leaked liquid sodium, the rupturing plate is ruptured due to the decrease in the strength by the heat of the leaked liquid sodium and by the pressure, whereby leaked liquid sodium is automatically discharged into the damping tank rapidly and safely, and the temperature increase in the concrete materials is reduced as compared with the case of cooling the concrete by covering with liners. (Seki, T.)

Argonne National Laboratory Site Environmental report for calendar year 2009.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Golchert, N. W.; Davis, T. M.; Moos, L. P.

2010-08-04

This report discusses the status and the accomplishments of the environmental protection program at Argonne National Laboratory for calendar year 2009. The status of Argonne environmental protection activities with respect to compliance with the various laws and regulations is discussed, along with the progress of environmental corrective actions and restoration projects. To evaluate the effects of Argonne operations on the environment, samples of environmental media collected on the site, at the site boundary, and off the Argonne site were analyzed and compared with applicable guidelines and standards. A variety of radionuclides were measured in air, surface water, on-site groundwater, and bottom sediment samples. In addition, chemical constituents in surface water, groundwater, and Argonne effluent water were analyzed. External penetrating radiation doses were measured, and the potential for radiation exposure to off-site population groups was estimated. Results are interpreted in terms of the origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (i.e., natural, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) dose calculation methodology, based on International Commission on Radiological Protection recommendations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) CAP-88 Version 3 (Clean Air Act Assessment Package-1988) computer code, was used in preparing this report.

Argonne National Laboratory Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2013

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, T. M. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Gomez, J. L. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Moos, L. P. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2014-09-02

This report discusses the status and the accomplishments of the environmental protection program at Argonne National Laboratory for calendar year 2013. The status of Argonne environmental protection activities with respect to compliance with the various laws and regulations is discussed, along with environmental management, sustainability efforts, environmental corrective actions, and habitat restoration. To evaluate the effects of Argonne operations on the environment, samples of environmental media collected on the site, at the site boundary, and off the Argonne site were analyzed and compared with applicable guidelines and standards. A variety of radionuclides were measured in air, surface water, on-site groundwater, and bottom sediment samples. In addition, chemical constituents in surface water, groundwater, and Argonne effluent water were analyzed. External penetrating radiation doses were measured, and the potential for radiation exposure to off-site population groups was estimated. Results are interpreted in terms of the origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (i.e., natural, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable standards intended to protect human health and the environment. A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) dose calculation methodology, based on International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommendations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) CAP-88 Version 3 computer code, was used in preparing this report.

Argonne National Laboratory site environmental report for calendar year 2007.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Golchert, N. W.; Davis, T. M.; Moos, L. P.; ESH/QA Oversight

2008-09-09

This report discusses the status and the accomplishments of the environmental protection program at Argonne National Laboratory for calendar year 2007. The status of Argonne environmental protection activities with respect to compliance with the various laws and regulations is discussed, along with the progress of environmental corrective actions and restoration projects. To evaluate the effects of Argonne operations on the environment, samples of environmental media collected on the site, at the site boundary, and off the Argonne site were analyzed and compared with applicable guidelines and standards. A variety of radionuclides were measured in air, surface water, on-site groundwater, and bottom sediment samples. In addition, chemical constituents in surface water, groundwater, and Argonne effluent water were analyzed. External penetrating radiation doses were measured, and the potential for radiation exposure to off-site population groups was estimated. Results are interpreted in terms of the origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (i.e., natural, fallout, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. A U.S. Department of Energy dose calculation methodology, based on International Commission on Radiological Protection recommendations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's CAP-88 Version 3 (Clean Air Act Assessment Package-1988) computer code, was used in preparing this report.

Argonne National Laboratory site enviromental report for calendar year 2008.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Golchert, N. W.; Davis, T. M.; Moos, L. P.

2009-09-02

This report discusses the status and the accomplishments of the environmental protection program at Argonne National Laboratory for calendar year 2008. The status of Argonne environmental protection activities with respect to compliance with the various laws and regulations is discussed, along with the progress of environmental corrective actions and restoration projects. To evaluate the effects of Argonne operations on the environment, samples of environmental media collected on the site, at the site boundary, and off the Argonne site were analyzed and compared with applicable guidelines and standards. A variety of radionuclides were measured in air, surface water, on-site groundwater, and bottom sediment samples. In addition, chemical constituents in surface water, groundwater, and Argonne effluent water were analyzed. External penetrating radiation doses were measured, and the potential for radiation exposure to off-site population groups was estimated. Results are interpreted in terms of the origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (i.e., natural, fallout, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. A U.S. Department of Energy dose calculation methodology, based on International Commission on Radiological Protection recommendations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's CAP-88 Version 3 (Clean Air Act Assessment Package-1988) computer code, was used in preparing this report.

Argonne National Laboratory site environmental report for calendar year 2006.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Golchert, N. W.; ESH/QA Oversight

2007-09-13

This report discusses the status and the accomplishments of the environmental protection program at Argonne National Laboratory for calendar year 2006. The status of Argonne environmental protection activities with respect to compliance with the various laws and regulations is discussed, along with the progress of environmental corrective actions and restoration projects. To evaluate the effects of Argonne operations on the environment, samples of environmental media collected on the site, at the site boundary, and off the Argonne site were analyzed and compared with applicable guidelines and standards. A variety of radionuclides were measured in air, surface water, on-site groundwater, and bottom sediment samples. In addition, chemical constituents in surface water, groundwater, and Argonne effluent water were analyzed. External penetrating radiation doses were measured, and the potential for radiation exposure to off-site population groups was estimated. Results are interpreted in terms of the origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (i.e., natural, fallout, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. A U.S. Department of Energy dose calculation methodology, based on International Commission on Radiological Protection recommendations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's CAP-88 Version 3 (Clean Air Act Assessment Package-1988) computer code, was used in preparing this report.

Progress on PRISM, an inherently safe, economic, and testable advanced liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tippets, F.E.; Salerno, L.N.; Boardman, C.E.; Kwant, W.; Murata, R.E.; Snyder, C.R.

1987-01-01

This paper reports progress on the design of PRISM (Power Reactor Inherently Safe Module) under the DOE-sponsored innovative reactor program now in its third year at General Electric. The purpose of this program is to develop a design for an inherently safe, reliable, and marketable liquid metal fast reactor power plant. The PRISM design approach includes the following key elements: Compact sodium-cooled pool-type reactor modules that are sized to enable factory fabrication, economical shipment to inland as well as water-side sites, and economical full-scale prototype testing for design certification; Nuclear safety-related envelope limited to the reactor modules and their service systems; Inherent, passive shutdown heat removal for loss-of-cooling events; Inherent, passive reactivity shutdown for failure-to-scram events

Proofs of cluster formation and transitions in liquid metals and alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippov, E.S.

1985-01-01

Calculational and experimental proofs are presented indicating to existence of clusters in liquid metals and alloys. Systems of liquid alloys both on the base of ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals (Fe-C, Ni-C, Co-C, Fe-Ni, Ni-Mo, Co-Cr, Co-V as well as In-Sn, Bi-Sn, Si-Ge and others) are studied experimentally. It is shown that the general feature of the systems studied is sensitivity of a volume to change in structure, to replacement fcc structure on bcc or to initiation-dissociation of intermetallic compounds AxBy. It is shown that both in pure liquid metals and in their.alloys there are clusters as ordered aggregate of atoms

Determination of Surface Properties of Liquid Transition Metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korkmaz, S. D.

2008-01-01

Certain surface properties of liquid simple metals are reported. Using the expression derived by Gosh and coworkers we investigated the surface entropy of liquid transition metals namely Fe, Co and Ni. We have also computed surface tensions of the metals concerned. The pair distribution functions are calculated from the solution of Ornstein-Zernike integral equation with Rogers-Young closure using the individual version of the electron-ion potential proposed by Fioalhais and coworkers which was originally developed for solid state. The predicted values of surface tension and surface entropy are in very good agreement with available experimental data. The present study results show that the expression derived by Gosh and coworkers is very useful for the surface entropy by using Fioalhais pseudopotential and Rogers-Young closure

Liquid-metal pin-fin pressure drop by correlation in cross flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhibi; Kuzay, T.M.; Assoufid, L.

1994-01-01

The pin-fin configuration is widely used as a heat transfer enhancement method in high-heat-flux applications. Recently, the pin-fin design with liquid-metal coolant was also applied to synchrotron-radiation beamline devices. This paper investigates the pressure drop in a pin-post design beamline mirror with liquid gallium as the coolant. Because the pin-post configuration is a relatively new concept, information in literature about pin-post mirrors or crystals is rare, and information about the pressure drop in pin-post mirrors with liquid metal as the coolant is even more sparse. Due to this the authors considered the cross flow in cylinder-array geometry, which is very similar to that of the pin-post, to examine the pressure drop correlation with liquid metals over pin fins. The cross flow of fluid with various fluid characteristics or properties through a tube bank was studied so that the results can be scaled to the pin-fin geometry with liquid metal as the coolant. Study lead to two major variables to influence the pressure drop: fluid properties, viscosity and density, and the relative length of the posts. Correlation of the pressure drop between long and short posts and the prediction of the pressure drop of liquid metal in the pin-post mirror and comparison with an existing experiment are addressed

Liquid structure and melting of trivalent metal chlorides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tosi, M.P.; Pastore, G.; Saboungi, M.L.; Price, D.L.

1991-03-01

Many divalent and trivalent metal ions in stoichiometric liquid mixtures of their halides with alkali halides are fourfold or sixfold coordinated by halogens into relatively long-lived ''complexes''. The stability of these local coordination states and the connectivity that arises between them in the approach to the pure polyvalent metal halide melt determines the character of its short-range and possible intermediate-range order. The available evidence on local coordination in some 140 mixtures has been successfully classified by a structure sorting method based on Pettifor's chemical scale of the elements. Within the general phenomenological frame provided by structure sorting, main attention is given in this work to the liquid structure and melting mechanisms of trivalent metal chlorides. The liquid structure of YCl 3 is first discussed on the basis of neutron diffraction measurements and of calculations within a simple ionic model, and the melting mechanisms of YCl 3 and AlCl 3 , which are structurally isomorphous in the crystalline state, are contrasted. By appeal to macroscopic melting parameters and transport coefficients and to liquid structure data on SbCl 3 , it is proposed that the melting mechanisms of these salts may be classified into three main types in correlation with the character of the chemical bond. (author). 31 refs, 1 fig., 3 tabs

Manipulation of Biomolecule-Modified Liquid-Metal Blobs.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yue; Miyako, Eijiro

2017-10-23

Soft and deformable liquid metals (LMs) are building components in various systems related to uncertain and dynamic task environments. Herein we describe the development of a biomolecule-triggered external-manipulation method involving LM conjugates for the construction of future innovative soft robotics operating in physiological environments. Functional soft hybrids composed of a liquid-metal droplet, a thiolated ligand, and proteins were synthesized for the expression of diverse macroscopic commands, such as attachment to cells, binary fusion, and self-propelled movement through molecular recognition and enzymatic reactions. Our technology could be used to create new state-of-the-art soft robots for chemical and biomedical engineering applications. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Liquid-metal dip seal with pneumatic spring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poindexter, A.M.

1977-01-01

An improved liquid-metal dip seal for sealing the annulus between rotating plugs in the reactor vessel head of a liquid-metal fast-breeder nuclear reactor has two legs of differing widths communicating under a seal blade; the wide leg is also in communication with cover gas of the reactor and the narrow leg is also in communication with an isolated plug annulus above the seal. The annulus contains inert gas which acts as a pneumatic spring. Upon increasing cover gas pressure which depresses the level in the wide leg and greatly increases the level in the narrow leg, the pneumatic spring is compressed, and resists further level changes, thus preventing radioactive cover gas from bubbling through the seal

Ionic liquid-modified metal sulfides/graphene oxide nanocomposites for photoelectric conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Yù; Pei, Qi; Feng, Ting; Mao, Hui; Zhang, Wei; Wu, Shuyao; Liu, Daliang; Wang, Hongyu; Song, Xi-Ming

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Metal sulfide (CdS, ZnS, Ag 2 S)/GO nanocomposites were prepared by electrostatic adherence. • Ionic liquid was used to link the metal sulfide and GO in the electrostatic adherence process. • The as-prepared samples showed enhanced photocurrent and highly efficient photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. - Abstract: Ionic liquid-modified metal sulfides/graphene oxide nanocomposites are prepared via a facile electrostatic adsorption. Ionic liquid (IL) is firstly used as surface modifier and structure-directing agent of metal sulfide (MS) crystallization process, obtaining ionic liquid modified-MS (IL-MS) nanoparticles with positive charges on surface. IL-MS/GO is obtained by electrostatic adherence between positively charged IL-MS and negatively charged graphene oxide (GO). The as-prepared sample shows enhanced photocurrent and highly efficient photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation, indicating IL-MS/GO nanocomposites greatly promoted the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs

Assessment of Electromagnetic Stirrer Agitated Liquid Metal Flows by Dynamic Neutron Radiography

Science.gov (United States)

Ščepanskis, Mihails; Sarma, Mārtiņš; Vontobel, Peter; Trtik, Pavel; Thomsen, Knud; Jakovičs, Andris; Beinerts, Toms

2017-04-01

This paper presents qualitative and quantitative characterization of two-phase liquid metal flows agitated by the stirrer on rotating permanent magnets. The stirrer was designed to fulfill various eddy flows, which may have different rates of solid particle entrapment from the liquid surface and their homogenization. The flow was characterized by visualization of the tailored tracer particles by means of dynamic neutron radiography, an experimental method well suited for liquid metal flows due to low opacity of some metals for neutrons. The rather high temporal resolution of the image acquisition (32 Hz image acquisition rate) allows for the quantitative investigation of the flows up to 30 cm/s using neutron particle image velocimetry. In situ visualization of the two-phase liquid metal flow is also demonstrated.

Alternative route to metal halide free ionic liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takao, Koichiro; Ikeda, Yasuhisa

2008-01-01

An alternative synthetic route to metal halide free ionic liquids using trialkyloxonium salt is proposed. Utility of this synthetic route has been demonstrated by preparing 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquid through the reaction between 1-methylimidazole and triethyloxonium tetra-fluoroborate in anhydrous ether. (author)

Liquid metal current collector applications and material compatibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, S.L.; Stevens, H.O.

1978-01-01

The objective of this paper has been to summarize briefly the material considerations involved in the development of liquid metal current collectors for homopolar machinery applications. A significant amount of data in this regard has been obtained over the last several years by individual researchers for NaK exposure conditions. However, NaK material compatibility data over the entire time and temperature range of interest is highly desirable. At DTNSRDC, a 300 kW superconducting homopolar motor and generator are under test, both utilizing free surface tongue-and-groove current collectors with NaK as the working fluid. In addition to demonstrating the feasibility of other aspects of machine design, the intention is to use these machines as vehicles for testing of the several liquid metal current collector concepts which are considered worthwhile candidates for incorporation in future full-scale machines. It is likely that the optimal collector approach for a large low speed motor may be quite different from that for a smaller high speed generator, possibly involving the use of different liquid metals

Results from the Argonne, Los Alamos, JAERI collaboration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meadows, J.; Smith, D.; Greenwood, L. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Haight, R. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); Ikeda, Y.; Konno, C. [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Ibaraki (Japan)

1993-07-01

Four sample packets containing elemental Ti, Fe, Ni, Cu, Nb, Ag, Eu, Tb and Hf have been irradiated in three distinct accelerator neutron fields, at Argonne National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA, and Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Tokai, Japan. The acquired experimental data include differential cross sections and integral cross sections for the continuum neutron spectrum produced by 7-MeV deuterons incident on thick Be-metal target. The U-238(n,f) cross section was also measured at 10.3 MeV as a consistency check on the experimental technique. This the third progress report on a project which has been carried out under the auspices of an IAEA Coordinated Research Program entitled ``Activation Cross Sections for the Generation Of Long-lived Radionuclides of Importance in Fusion Reactor Technology``. The present report provides the latest results from this work. Comparison is made between the 14.7-MeV cross-section values obtained from the separate investigations at Argonne and JAERI. Generally, good agreement observed within the experimental errors when consistent sample parameters, radioactivity decay data and reference cross values are employed. A comparison is also made between the experimental results and those derived from calculations using a nuclear model. Experimental neutron information on the Be(d,n) neutron spectrum was incorporated in the comparisons for the integral results. The agreement is satisfactory considering the various uncertainties that are involved.

Visualization and measurement of liquid velocity field of gas-liquid metal two-phase flow using neutron radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Yasushi; Suzuki, Tohru; Matsubayashi, Masahito

2000-01-01

In a core melt accident of a fast breeder reactor, a possibility of re-criticality is anticipated in the molten fuel-steel mixture pool. One of the mechanisms to suppress the re-criticality is the boiling of steel in the molten fuel-steel mixture pool because of the negative void reactivity effect. To evaluate the reactivity change due to boiling, it is necessary to know the characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in the molten fuel-steel mixture pool. For this purpose, boiling bubbles in a molten fuel-steel mixture pool were simulated by adiabatic gas bubbles in a liquid metal pool to study the basic characteristics of gas-liquid metal two-phase mixture. Visualization of the two-phase mixture and measurements of liquid phase velocity and void fraction were conducted by using neutron radiography and image processing techniques. From these measurements, the basic characteristics of gas-liquid metal two-phase mixture were clarified. (author)

Liquid metal MHD research and development in Israel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Branover, H.

1993-01-01

The study of liquid metal MHD in Israel commenced in 1973. Initially it was concentrated mainly on laminar flows influenced by external magnetic fields. In 1978 a liquid metal MHD energy conversion program was started. This program was developed at the Center for MHD Studies at Ben-Gurion University in Beer-Sheva, with the participation of specialists from the Technion, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Atomic Energy Commission, and others. The program was sponsored initially by the Israel Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and later by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Since 1980, Solmecs, a private commercial company has become a major factor in the development of liquid metal MHD in Israel. From the very beginning the program was based on broad international cooperation. A number of overseas institutions and individuals became participants in the program. Through extensive research and evaluation of a number of concepts of liquid metal MHD power generation systems, It was established that the most promising concept, demanding a relatively short period of development, is the gravitational system using heavy metals (lead, lead alloys) as the magneto-hydrodynamic fluid and steam or gases as thermodynamic fluids. This concept was chosen for further development and industrial application, and the program related to such systems was named the Etgar Program. The main directions of research and development activities have been defined as follows: investigations of physical phenomena, development of universal numerical code for parametric studies, optimization and design of the system, material studies, development of engineering components, building and testing of integrated small-scale Etgar type systems, economic evaluation of the system and comparison with conventional technologies, development of moderate scale industrial demonstration plant. At this time 6 items have been fully implemented and activities on the last item were started. (author)

Advance Liquid Metal Reactor Discrete Dynamic Event Tree/Bayesian Network Analysis and Incident Management Guidelines (Risk Management for Sodium Fast Reactors)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denman, Matthew R. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Groth, Katrina M. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Cardoni, Jeffrey N. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Wheeler, Timothy A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2015-04-01

Accident management is an important component to maintaining risk at acceptable levels for all complex systems, such as nuclear power plants. With the introduction of self-correcting, or inherently safe, reactor designs the focus has shifted from management by operators to allowing the system's design to manage the accident. Inherently and passively safe designs are laudable, but nonetheless extreme boundary conditions can interfere with the design attributes which facilitate inherent safety, thus resulting in unanticipated and undesirable end states. This report examines an inherently safe and small sodium fast reactor experiencing a beyond design basis seismic event with the intend of exploring two issues : (1) can human intervention either improve or worsen the potential end states and (2) can a Bayesian Network be constructed to infer the state of the reactor to inform (1). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to acknowledge the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy for funding this research through Work Package SR-14SN100303 under the Advanced Reactor Concepts program. The authors also acknowledge the PRA teams at Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Idaho National Laboratory for their continue d contributions to the advanced reactor PRA mission area.

Interfacial transport phenomena and stability in liquid-metal/water systems: scaling considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdulla, S.; Liu, X.; Anderson, M.; Bonazza, R.; Corradini, M.; Cho, D.

2001-01-01

One concept being considered for steam generation in innovative nuclear reactor applications, involves water coming into direct contact with a circulating molten metal. The vigorous agitation of the two fluids, the direct liquid-liquid contact and the consequent large interfacial area give rise to very high heat transfer coefficients and rapid steam generation. For an optimum design of such direct contact heat exchange and vaporization systems, detailed knowledge is necessary of the various flow regimes, interfacial transport phenomena, heat transfer and operational stability. In this paper we describe current results from the first year of this research that studies the transport phenomena involved with the injection of water into molten metals (e.g., lead alloys). In particular, this work discusses scaling considerations related to direct contact heat exchange, our experimental plans for investigation and a test plan for the important experimental parameters; i.e., the water and liquid metal mass flow rates, the liquid metal pool temperature and the ambient pressure of the direct contact heat exchanger. Past experimental work and initial scaling results suggest that our experiments can directly represent the proper liquid metal pool temperature and the water subcooling. The experimental variation in water and liquid metal flow rates and system pressure (1-10 bar), although smaller than the current conceptual system designs, is sufficient to verify the expected scale effects to demonstrate the phenomena. (authors)

Nitrogen injection in stagnant liquid metal. Eulerian-Eulerian and VOF calculations by fluent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pena, A.; Esteban, G.A.

2004-01-01

High power spallation sources are devices that can be very useful in different fields, as medicine, material science, and also in the Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS). This devices use Heavy Liquid Metals (HLM) as the spallation target. Furthermore, HLM are thought to be the coolant of those big energy sources produced by the process. Fast breeder reactors, advanced nuclear reactors, as well as the future designs of fusion reactors, also consider HLM as targets or coolants. Gas injection in liquid metal flows allows the enhancement of this coolant circulation. The difference in densities between the gas and the liquid metal is a big challenge for the multiphase models implemented in the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes. Also the changing shape of the bubbles involves extra difficulties in the calculations. A N 2 flow in stagnant Lead-Bismuth eutectic (Pb-Bi), experiment available at Forschungszentrum Rossendorf e.V (FZR) in Germany, was used in one of the work-packages of the ASCHLIM project (EU contract number FIKW-CT-2001-80121). In this paper, calculations made by the UPV/EHU (University of the Basque Country) show measuring data compared with numerical results using the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) code FLUENT and two multiphase models: the Eulerian-Eulerian and the Volume of Fluid (VOF). The interpretation of the experimental resulting velocities was difficult, because some parameters were not known, bubble trajectory and bubble shape, for example, as direct optical methods cannot be used, like it is done with water experiments. (author)

Passive safety optimization in liquid-sodium cooled reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cahalan, J. E.; Hahn, D.; Chang, W.-P.; Kwon, Y.-M.; Nuclear Engineering Division; Korea Atomic Energy Research Inst.

2004-01-01

This report summarizes the results of a three-year collaboration between Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) to identify and quantify the performance of innovative design features in metallic-fueled, sodium-cooled fast reactor designs. The objective of the work was to establish the reliability and safety margin enhancements provided by design innovations offering significant potential for construction, maintenance, and operating cost reductions. The project goal was accomplished with a combination of advanced model development (Task 1), analysis of innovative design and safety features (Tasks 2 and 3), and planning of key safety experiments (Task 4)

Stretchable Metamaterial Absorber Using Liquid Metal-Filled Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyeongseob Kim

2016-04-01

Full Text Available A stretchable metamaterial absorber is proposed in this study. The stretchability was achieved by liquid metal and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS. To inject liquid metal, microfluidic channels were fabricated using PDMS powers and microfluidic-channel frames, which were built using a three-dimensional printer. A top conductive pattern and ground plane were designed after considering the easy injection of liquid metal. The proposed metamaterial absorber comprises three layers of PDMS substrate. The top layer is for the top conductive pattern, and the bottom layer is for the meandered ground plane. Flat PDMS layers were inserted between the top and bottom PDMS layers. The measured absorptivity of the fabricated absorber was 97.8% at 18.5 GHz, and the absorption frequency increased from 18.5 to 18.65 GHz as the absorber was stretched from its original length (5.2 cm to 6.4 cm.

Liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, D.

1981-01-01

An improved method of constructing the diagrid used to support fuel assemblies of liquid metal fast breeder reactors, is described. The functions of fuel assembly support and coolant plenum are performed by discrete components of the diagrid each of which can serve the function of the other in the event of failure of one of the components. (U.K.)

Demonstrating electromagnetic control of free-surface, liquid-metal flows relevant to fusion reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Hvasta, M. G.; Kolemen, E.; Fisher, A. E.; Ji, H.

2018-01-01

Plasma-facing components (PFC’s) made from solid materials may not be able to withstand the large heat and particle fluxes that will be produced within next-generation fusion reactors. To address the shortcomings of solid PFC’s, a variety of liquid-metal (LM) PFC concepts have been proposed. Many of the suggested LM-PFC designs rely on electromagnetic restraint (Lorentz force) to keep free-surface, liquid-metal flows adhered to the interior surfaces of a fusion reactor. However, there is very little, if any, experimental data demonstrating that free-surface, LM-PFC’s can actually be electromagnetically controlled. Therefore, in this study, electrical currents were injected into a free-surface liquid-metal that was flowing through a uniform magnetic field. The resultant Lorentz force generated within the liquid-metal affected the velocity and depth of the flow in a controllable manner that closely matched theoretical predictions. These results show the promise of electromagnetic control for LM-PFC’s and suggest that electromagnetic control could be further developed to adjust liquid-metal nozzle output, prevent splashing within a tokamak, and alter heat transfer properties for a wide-range of liquid-metal systems.

Investigation of Liquid Metal Embrittlement of Materials for use in Fusion Reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Daniel; Jaworski, Michael

2014-10-01

Liquid metals can provide a continually replenished material for the first wall and extraction blankets of fusion reactors. However, research has shown that solid metal surfaces will experience embrittlement when exposed to liquid metals under stress. Therefore, it is important to understand the changes in structural strength of the solid metal materials and test different surface treatments that can limit embrittlement. Research was conducted to design and build an apparatus for exposing solid metal samples to liquid metal under high stress and temperature. The apparatus design, results of tensile testing, and surface imaging of fractured samples will be presented. This work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) under the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships Program (SULI).

Argonne Laboratory Computing Resource Center - FY2004 Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bair, R.

2005-04-14

In the spring of 2002, Argonne National Laboratory founded the Laboratory Computing Resource Center, and in April 2003 LCRC began full operations with Argonne's first teraflops computing cluster. The LCRC's driving mission is to enable and promote computational science and engineering across the Laboratory, primarily by operating computing facilities and supporting application use and development. This report describes the scientific activities, computing facilities, and usage in the first eighteen months of LCRC operation. In this short time LCRC has had broad impact on programs across the Laboratory. The LCRC computing facility, Jazz, is available to the entire Laboratory community. In addition, the LCRC staff provides training in high-performance computing and guidance on application usage, code porting, and algorithm development. All Argonne personnel and collaborators are encouraged to take advantage of this computing resource and to provide input into the vision and plans for computing and computational analysis at Argonne. Steering for LCRC comes from the Computational Science Advisory Committee, composed of computing experts from many Laboratory divisions. The CSAC Allocations Committee makes decisions on individual project allocations for Jazz.

The integral fast reactor fuels reprocessing laboratory at Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolson, R.D.; Tomczuk, Z.; Fischer, D.F.; Slawecki, M.A.; Miller, W.E.

1986-09-01

The processing of Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) metal fuel utilizes pyrochemical fuel reprocessing steps. These steps include separation of the fission products from uranium and plutonium by electrorefining in a fused salt, subsequent concentration of uranium and plutonium for reuse, removal, concentration, and packaging of the waste material. Approximately two years ago a facility became operational at Argonne National Laboratory-Illinois to establish the chemical feasibility of proposed reprocessing and consolidation processes. Sensitivity of the pyroprocessing melts to air oxidation necessitated operation in atmosphere-controlled enclosures. The Integral Fast Reactor Fuels Reprocessing Laboratory is described

A low cost liquid metal reactor design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnold, W.H.; Anderson, C.A.; Mangus, J.D.

1984-01-01

A new, compact Liquid Metal Reactor (LMR) plant arrangement designed by Westinghouse, featuring factory-fabricated modules and an integrated fuel cycle facility, has made it possible to project a commercially competitive LMR plant for the near future. This innovative liquid metal-cooled plant design will allow a combination of capital, fuel, operation and maintenance costs that could be lower than today's fossil-fueled or light water reactor plant costs, and incorporate features which enhance public safety even beyond current high standards. Following early core loadings, the plant feeds only on depleted uranium. No shipment of fuel is required. And the plant can be tailored to produce enough plutonium to meet its need or to provide fuel for other nuclear plants

Stability analysis for single-phase liquid metal rectangular natural circulation loops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Daogang; Zhang, Xun; Guo, Chao

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The stability for asymmetric liquid metal natural circulation loops is analyzed. • The Na and NaK loops have higher critical Reynolds number than Pb and LBE loops. • Decreasing the ratio of height to width of loop can increase loop stability. • The length of heater would not affect the loop stability obviously. • Adding the length or heat transfer coefficient of cooler can increase loop stability. - Abstract: Natural circulation systems are preferred in some advanced nuclear power plants as they can simplify the designs and improve the inherent safety. The stability and steady-state characteristics of natural circulation are important for the applications of natural circulation loops (NCLs). A linear stability analysis method was used to study the stability behavior of liquid metal NCLs. The influences of the types of working fluids and loop geometry parameters on the stability of NCLs were evaluated. The liquid sodium (Na) loop and sodium–potassium alloy (NaK) loop would be more stable than lead bismuth eutectics (LBE) loop. The pressure drop could stabilize the loop behavior and also lead an increase of operating temperature for the loop. The NCL with a lower aspect ratio (ratio of vertical center distance between the heating and cooling section to the horizontal length of loop) is supposed to be more stable. It was found that the length of heating section would not have an obvious effect on the stability of NCL. However, the loop behavior could be stabilized by adding the length or heat transfer coefficient of the cooling section

Blanket of a hybrid thermonuclear reactor with liquid- metal cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terent'ev, I.K.; Fedorovich, E.P.; Paramonov, P.M.; Zhokhov, K.A.

1982-01-01

Blanket design of a hybrid thermopuclear reactor with a liquid metal coolant is described. To decrease MHD-resistance for uranium zone fuel elements a cylindrical shape is suggested and movement of liquid-metal coolant in fuel element packets is presumed to be in perpendicular to the magnetic field and fuel element axes direction. The first wall is cooled by water, blanket-by lithium-lead alloy

Liquid metal fast reactor transient design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horak, C.; Purvis, E. III

2000-01-01

An examination has been made of how the currently available computing capabilities could be used to reduce Liquid Metal Fast Reactor design, manufacturing, and construction cost. While the examination focused on computer analyses some other promising means to reduce costs were also examined. (author)

Quasiparticles and Fermi liquid behaviour in an organic metal

Science.gov (United States)

Kiss, T.; Chainani, A.; Yamamoto, H.M.; Miyazaki, T.; Akimoto, T.; Shimojima, T.; Ishizaka, K.; Watanabe, S.; Chen, C.-T.; Fukaya, A.; Kato, R.; Shin, S.

2012-01-01

Many organic metals display exotic properties such as superconductivity, spin-charge separation and so on and have been described as quasi-one-dimensional Luttinger liquids. However, a genuine Fermi liquid behaviour with quasiparticles and Fermi surfaces have not been reported to date for any organic metal. Here, we report the experimental Fermi surface and band structure of an organic metal (BEDT-TTF)3Br(pBIB) obtained using angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, and show its consistency with first-principles band structure calculations. Our results reveal a quasiparticle renormalization at low energy scales (effective mass m*=1.9 me) and ω2 dependence of the imaginary part of the self energy, limited by a kink at ~50 meV arising from coupling to molecular vibrations. The study unambiguously proves that (BEDT-TTF)3Br(pBIB) is a quasi-2D organic Fermi liquid with a Fermi surface consistent with Shubnikov-de Haas results. PMID:23011143

Experimental study of liquid-metal target designs of accelerating-controlled systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iarmonov, Mikhail; Makhov, Kirill; Novozhilova, Olga; Meluzov, A.G.; Beznosov, A.V.

2011-01-01

Models of a liquid-metal target of an accelerator-controlled system have been experimentally studied at the Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University to develop an optimal design of the flow part of the target. The main explored variants of liquid-metal targets are: Design with a diaphragm (firm-and-impervious plug) mounted on the pipe tap of particle transport from the accelerator cavity to the working cavity of the liquid-metal target. Design without a diaphragm on the pipe tab of particle transport from the accelerator. The study was carried out in a high-temperature liquid-metal test bench under the conditions close to full-scale ones: the temperature of the eutectic lead-bismuth alloy was 260degC - 400degC, the coolant mass flow was 5-80 t/h, and the rarefaction in the gas cavity was 10 5 Pa, the coefficient of geometric similarity equal to 1. The experimental studies of hydrodynamic characteristics of flow parts in the designs of targets under full-scale conditions indicated high efficiency of a target in triggering, operating, and deactivating modes. Research and technology instructions for designs of the flow part of the liquid-metal target, the target design as a whole, and the target circuit of accelerator-controlled systems were formulated as a result of the studies. (author)

Linking structure to fragility in bulk metallic glass-forming liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Shuai; Stolpe, Moritz; Gross, Oliver; Gallino, Isabella; Hembree, William; Busch, Ralf; Evenson, Zach; Bednarcik, Jozef; Kruzic, Jamie J.

2015-01-01

Using in-situ synchrotron X-ray scattering, we show that the structural evolution of various bulk metallic glass-forming liquids can be quantitatively connected to their viscosity behavior in the supercooled liquid near T g . The structural signature of fragility is identified as the temperature dependence of local dilatation on distinct key atomic length scales. A more fragile behavior results from a more pronounced thermally induced dilatation of the structure on a length scale of about 3 to 4 atomic diameters, coupled with shallower temperature dependence of structural changes in the nearest neighbor environment. These findings shed light on the structural origin of viscous slowdown during undercooling of bulk metallic glass-forming liquids and demonstrate the promise of predicting the properties of bulk metallic glasses from the atomic scale structure

Linking structure to fragility in bulk metallic glass-forming liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Shuai, E-mail: shuai.wei@asu.edu, E-mail: m.stolpe@mx.uni-saarland.de [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Saarland University, Campus C63, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287 (United States); Stolpe, Moritz, E-mail: shuai.wei@asu.edu, E-mail: m.stolpe@mx.uni-saarland.de; Gross, Oliver; Gallino, Isabella; Hembree, William; Busch, Ralf [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Saarland University, Campus C63, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Evenson, Zach [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Saarland University, Campus C63, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Institut für Materialphysik im Weltraum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), 51170 Köln (Germany); Bednarcik, Jozef [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22603 Hamburg (Germany); Kruzic, Jamie J. [Material Science, School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 (United States)

2015-05-04

Using in-situ synchrotron X-ray scattering, we show that the structural evolution of various bulk metallic glass-forming liquids can be quantitatively connected to their viscosity behavior in the supercooled liquid near T{sub g}. The structural signature of fragility is identified as the temperature dependence of local dilatation on distinct key atomic length scales. A more fragile behavior results from a more pronounced thermally induced dilatation of the structure on a length scale of about 3 to 4 atomic diameters, coupled with shallower temperature dependence of structural changes in the nearest neighbor environment. These findings shed light on the structural origin of viscous slowdown during undercooling of bulk metallic glass-forming liquids and demonstrate the promise of predicting the properties of bulk metallic glasses from the atomic scale structure.

Metal-deactivating additives for liquid fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boneva, M.I. [Institute of Organic Chemistry, Sofia (Bulgaria); Ivanov, S.K.; Kalitchin, Z.D. [SciBulCom, Ltd., Sofia (Bulgaria); Tanielyan, S.K. [Seton Hall Univ., South Orange, NJ (United States); Terebenina, A.; Todorova, O.I. [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Sofia (Bulgaria)

1995-05-01

The metal-deactivating and the antioxidant properties of 1-phenyl-3-methylpyrazolone-5 derivatives have been investigated both in the model reaction of low temperature oxidation of ethylbenzene and in gasoline oxidation. The study of the ability of these derivatives to reduce the catalytic effect of copper naphthenate demonstrates that they are promising as metal deactivating additives for light fuels. Some of the pyrazolone compounds appear to be of special interest for the long-term storage of liquid fuels due to their action as multifunctional inhibitors.

Measurement of Liquid-Metal Two-Phase Flow with a Dynamic Neutron Radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cha, J. E.; Lim, I. C.; Kim, H. R.; Kim, C. M.; Nam, H. Y.; Saito, Y.

2005-01-01

The dynamic neutron radiography(DNR) has complementary characteristics to X-ray radiography and is suitable to visualization and measurement of a multi-phase flow research in a metallic duct and liquid metal flow. The flow-field information of liquid metal system is very important for the safety analysis of fast breeder reactor and the design of the spallation target of accelerator driven system. A DNR technique was applied to visualize the flow field in the gas-liquid metal two-phase flow with the HANARO-beam facility. The lead bismuth eutectic and the nitrogen gas were used to construct the two-phase flow field in the natural circulation U-channel. The two-phase flow images in the riser were taken at various combinations of the liquid flow and gas flow with high frame-rate neutron radiography at 1000 fps

Argonne National Lab gets Linux network teraflop cluster

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

"Linux NetworX, Salt Lake City, Utah, has delivered an Evolocity II (E2) Linux cluster to Argonne National Laboratory that is capable of performing more than one trillion calculations per second (1 teraFLOP). The cluster, named "Jazz" by Argonne, is designed to provide optimum performance for multiple disciplines such as chemistry, physics and reactor engineering and will be used by the entire scientific community at the Lab" (1 page).

Development of oxygen sensors for use in liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Nieuwenhove, Rudi; Ejenstam, Jesper; Szakalos, Peter

2015-01-01

For generation IV reactor concepts, based on liquid metal cooling, there is a need for robust oxygen sensors which can be used in the core of the reactor since corrosion can only be kept sufficiently low by controlling the dissolved oxygen content in the liquid metal. A robust, ceramic membrane type sensor has been developed at IFE/Halden (Norway) and tested in an autoclave system at KTH (Sweden). The sensor has been tested in lead-bismuth at 550 deg. C and performed well. (authors)

Development of oxygen sensors for use in liquid metal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Nieuwenhove, Rudi [Institutt for Energiteknikk, Halden, (Norway); Ejenstam, Jesper; Szakalos, Peter [KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Division of Surface and Corrosion Science, Stockholm, (Sweden)

2015-07-01

For generation IV reactor concepts, based on liquid metal cooling, there is a need for robust oxygen sensors which can be used in the core of the reactor since corrosion can only be kept sufficiently low by controlling the dissolved oxygen content in the liquid metal. A robust, ceramic membrane type sensor has been developed at IFE/Halden (Norway) and tested in an autoclave system at KTH (Sweden). The sensor has been tested in lead-bismuth at 550 deg. C and performed well. (authors)

Treatment of EBR-I NaK mixed waste at Argonne National Laboratory and subsequent land disposal at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrmann, S. D.; Buzzell, J. A.; Holzemer, M. J.

1998-01-01

Sodium/potassium (NaK) liquid metal coolant, contaminated with fission products from the core meltdown of Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-I) and classified as a mixed waste, has been deactivated and converted to a contact-handled, low-level waste at Argonne's Sodium Component Maintenance Shop and land disposed at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex. Treatment of the EBR-I NaK involved converting the sodium and potassium to its respective hydroxide via reaction with air and water, followed by conversion to its respective carbonate via reaction with carbon dioxide. The resultant aqueous carbonate solution was solidified in 55-gallon drums. Challenges in the NaK treatment involved processing a mixed waste which was incompletely characterized and difficult to handle. The NaK was highly radioactive, i.e. up to 4.5 R/hr on contact with the mixed waste drums. In addition, the potential existed for plutonium and toxic characteristic metals to be present in the NaK, resultant from the location of the partial core meltdown of EBR-I in 1955. Moreover, the NaK was susceptible to degradation after more than 40 years of storage in unmonitored conditions. Such degradation raised the possibility of energetic exothermic reactions between the liquid NaK and its crust, which could have consisted of potassium superoxide as well as hydrated sodium/potassium hydroxides

Treatment of EBR-I NaK mixed waste at Argonne National Laboratory and subsequent land disposal at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrmann, S. D.; Buzzell, J. A.; Holzemer, M. J.

1998-02-03

Sodium/potassium (NaK) liquid metal coolant, contaminated with fission products from the core meltdown of Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-I) and classified as a mixed waste, has been deactivated and converted to a contact-handled, low-level waste at Argonne's Sodium Component Maintenance Shop and land disposed at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex. Treatment of the EBR-I NaK involved converting the sodium and potassium to its respective hydroxide via reaction with air and water, followed by conversion to its respective carbonate via reaction with carbon dioxide. The resultant aqueous carbonate solution was solidified in 55-gallon drums. Challenges in the NaK treatment involved processing a mixed waste which was incompletely characterized and difficult to handle. The NaK was highly radioactive, i.e. up to 4.5 R/hr on contact with the mixed waste drums. In addition, the potential existed for plutonium and toxic characteristic metals to be present in the NaK, resultant from the location of the partial core meltdown of EBR-I in 1955. Moreover, the NaK was susceptible to degradation after more than 40 years of storage in unmonitored conditions. Such degradation raised the possibility of energetic exothermic reactions between the liquid NaK and its crust, which could have consisted of potassium superoxide as well as hydrated sodium/potassium hydroxides.

3-D printing of liquid metals for stretchable and flexible conductors

Science.gov (United States)

Trlica, Chris; Parekh, Dishit Paresh; Panich, Lazar; Ladd, Collin; Dickey, Michael D.

2014-06-01

3-D printing is an emerging technology that has been used primarily on small scales for rapid prototyping, but which could also herald a wider movement towards decentralized, highly customizable manufacturing. Polymers are the most common materials to be 3-D printed today, but there is great demand for a way to easily print metals. Existing techniques for 3-D printing metals tend to be expensive and energy-intensive, and usually require high temperatures or pressures, making them incompatible with polymers, organics, soft materials, and biological materials. Here, we describe room temperature liquid metals as complements to polymers for 3-D printing applications. These metals enable the fabrication of soft, flexible, and stretchable devices. We survey potential room temperature liquid metal candidates and describe the benefits of gallium and its alloys for these purposes. We demonstrate the direct printing of a liquid gallium alloy in both 2-D and 3-D and highlight the structures and shapes that can be fabricated using these processes.

Oscillatory Convection in Rotating Liquid Metals

Science.gov (United States)

Bertin, Vincent; Grannan, Alex; Aurnou, Jonathan

2016-11-01

We have performed laboratory experiments in a aspect ratio Γ = 2 cylinder using liquid gallium (Pr = 0 . 023) as the working fluid. The Ekman number varies from E = 4 ×10-5 to 4 ×10-6 and the Rayleigh number varies from Ra = 3 ×105 to 2 ×107 . Using heat transfer and temperature measurements within the fluid, we characterize the different styles of low Pr rotating convective flow. The convection threshold is first overcome in the form of a container scale inertial oscillatory mode. At stronger forcing, wall-localized modes develop, coexisting with the inertial oscillatory modes in the bulk. When the strength of the buoyancy increases further, the bulk flow becomes turbulent while the wall modes remain. Our results imply that rotating convective flows in liquid metals do not develop in the form of quasi-steady columns, as in Pr = 1 planetary and stellar dynamo models, but in the form of oscillatory motions. Therefore, convection driven dynamo action in low Pr fluids can differ substantively than that occurring in typical Pr = 1 numerical models. Our results also suggest that low wavenumber, wall modes may be dynamically and observationally important in liquid metal dynamo systems. We thank the NSF Geophysics Program for support of this project.

Argonne National Laboratory summary site environmental report for calendar year 2006.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Golchert, N. W.; ESH/QA Oversight

2008-03-27

This booklet is designed to inform the public about what Argonne National Laboratory is doing to monitor its environment and to protect its employees and neighbors from any adverse environmental impacts from Argonne research. The Downers Grove South Biology II class was selected to write this booklet, which summarizes Argonne's environmental monitoring programs for 2006. Writing this booklet also satisfies the Illinois State Education Standard, which requires that students need to know and apply scientific concepts to graduate from high school. This project not only provides information to the public, it will help students become better learners. The Biology II class was assigned to condense Argonne's 300-page, highly technical Site Environmental Report into a 16-page plain-English booklet. The site assessment relates to the class because the primary focus of the Biology II class is ecology and the environment. Students developed better learning skills by working together cooperatively, writing and researching more effectively. Students used the Argonne Site Environmental Report, the Internet, text books and information from Argonne scientists to help with their research on their topics. The topics covered in this booklet are the history of Argonne, groundwater, habitat management, air quality, Argonne research, Argonne's environmental non-radiological program, radiation, and compliance. The students first had to read and discuss the Site Environmental Report and then assign topics to focus on. Dr. Norbert Golchert and Mr. David Baurac, both from Argonne, came into the class to help teach the topics more in depth. The class then prepared drafts and wrote a final copy. Ashley Vizek, a student in the Biology class stated, 'I reviewed my material and read it over and over. I then took time to plan my paper out and think about what I wanted to write about, put it into foundation questions and started to write my paper. I rewrote and revised so I

Argonne Wakefield Accelerator Update '92

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosing, M.; Balka, L.; Chojnacki, E.; Gai, W.; Ho, C.; Konecny, R.; Power, J.; Schoessow, P.; Simpson, J.

1992-01-01

The Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) is an experiment designed to test various ideas related to wakefield technology. Construction is now underway for a 100 nC electron beam in December of 1992. This report updates this progress

Argonne National Laboratory Physics Division annual report, January--December 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thayer, K.J.

1997-08-01

The past year has seen several of the Physics Division's new research projects reach major milestones with first successful experiments and results: the atomic physics station in the Basic Energy Sciences Research Center at the Argonne Advanced Photon Source was used in first high-energy, high-brilliance x-ray studies in atomic and molecular physics; the Short Orbit Spectrometer in Hall C at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator (TJNAF) Facility that the Argonne medium energy nuclear physics group was responsible for, was used extensively in the first round of experiments at TJNAF; at ATLAS, several new beams of radioactive isotopes were developed and used in studies of nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics; the new ECR ion source at ATLAS was completed and first commissioning tests indicate excellent performance characteristics; Quantum Monte Carlo calculations of mass-8 nuclei were performed for the first time with realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions using state-of-the-art computers, including Argonne's massively parallel IBM SP. At the same time other future projects are well under way: preparations for the move of Gammasphere to ATLAS in September 1997 have progressed as planned. These new efforts are imbedded in, or flowing from, the vibrant ongoing research program described in some detail in this report: nuclear structure and reactions with heavy ions; measurements of reactions of astrophysical interest; studies of nucleon and sub-nucleon structures using leptonic probes at intermediate and high energies; atomic and molecular structure with high-energy x-rays. The experimental efforts are being complemented with efforts in theory, from QCD to nucleon-meson systems to structure and reactions of nuclei. Finally, the operation of ATLAS as a national users facility has achieved a new milestone, with 5,800 hours beam on target for experiments during the past fiscal year

Isolation of Metals from Liquid Wastes: Reactive in Turbulent Thermal Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wendt, Jost O.L.

2001-01-01

A Generic Technology for treatment of DOE Metal-Bearing Liquid Waste The DOE metal-bearing liquid waste inventory is large and diverse, both with respect to the metals (heavy metals, transuranics, radionuclides) themselves, and the nature of the other species (annions, organics, etc.) present. Separation and concentration of metals is of interest from the standpoint of reducing the volume of waste that will require special treatment or isolation, as well as, potentially, from the standpoint of returning some materials to commerce by recycling. The variety of metal-bearing liquid waste in the DOE complex is so great that it is unlikely that any one process (or class of processes) will be suitable for all material. However, processes capable of dealing with a wide variety of wastes will have major advantages in terms of process development, capital, and operating costs, as well as in environmental and safety permitting. Moreover, to the extent that a process operates well with a variety of metal-bearing liquid feedwastes, its performance is likely to be relatively robust with respect to the inevitable composition variations in each waste feed. One such class of processes involves high-temperature treatment of atomized liquid waste to promote reactive capture of volatile metallic species on collectible particulate substrates injected downstream of a flame zone. Compared to low-temperature processes that remove metals from the original liquid phase by extraction, precipitation, ion exchange, etc., some of the attractive features of high-temperature reactive scavenging are: The organic constituents of some metal-bearing liquid wastes (in particular, some low-level mixed wastes) must be treated thermally in order to meet the requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and the laws of various states. No species need be added to an already complex liquid system. This is especially important in light of the fact

Careers | Argonne National Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

community. Learn More » Life at Argonne Our diverse community values work-life balance. Find your niche ; enjoy life at work! Learn More » Back to top Twitter Flickr Facebook Linked In YouTube Pinterest Google National Security User Facilities Science Work with Us About Safety News Careers Apply for a Job External

Liquid lens: advances in adaptive optics

Science.gov (United States)

Casey, Shawn Patrick

2010-12-01

'Liquid lens' technologies promise significant advancements in machine vision and optical communications systems. Adaptations for machine vision, human vision correction, and optical communications are used to exemplify the versatile nature of this technology. Utilization of liquid lens elements allows the cost effective implementation of optical velocity measurement. The project consists of a custom image processor, camera, and interface. The images are passed into customized pattern recognition and optical character recognition algorithms. A single camera would be used for both speed detection and object recognition.

Temperature-dependent thermo-elastic properties of s-, p- and d-block liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, R.N.; Arafin, S.; George, A.K.

2007-01-01

Thermodynamic relations involving experimentally known physical quantities are used to determine the ratio of specific heats, γ, for s-block (Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg), d-block (Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg,) and p-block (Al, Ga, In, Tl, Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi, Se, Te) liquid metals. γ is further utilized to determine reliable values for the isothermal compressibility (κ T ) and the specific heat at constant volume (C V ) for these liquid metals near and above the melting temperatures. These data are of considerable significance for various thermo-physical analysis of liquid metals. We have also evaluated the Grueneisen function and its temperature dependence to establish the correlation between the thermal expansion and the elastic response to thermally induced stress. The values of acoustic impedance for liquid metals are evaluated and its physical significance is discussed for the transmission of elastic waves across metallic interfaces

The solubility of metals in Pb-17Li liquid alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borgstedt, H.U.; Feuerstein, H.

1992-01-01

The solubility data of iron in the eutectic alloy Pb-17Li which were evaluated from corrosion tests in a turbulent flow of the molten alloy are discussed in the frame of solubilities of the transition metals in liquid lead. It is shown that the solubility of iron in the alloy is close to that in lead. This is also the fact for several other alloying elements of steels. A comparison of all known data shows that they are in agreement with generally shown trends for the solubility of the transition metals in low melting metals. These trends indicate comparably high solubilities of nickel and manganese in the liquid metals, lower saturation concentration of vanadium, chromium, iron, and cobalt, and extremely low solubility of molybdenum. (orig.)

Normal spectral emissivity of selected liquid metals and improved thermophysical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pottlacher, G.; Seifter, A.

2001-01-01

Full Text: Emissivity measurements on several liquid metals up to temperatures of 6000 K have been successfully established by linking a laser polarimetry technique to our well-known method for performing high speed measurements of thermophysical properties on liquid metal samples during microsecond pulse-heating experiments. Thermophysical properties measured with our experimental setup include temperature dependencies of heat capacity, enthalpy, electrical resistivity, density, thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity up to the end of the stable liquid phase. During grant P12775-PHY additionally to the above listened properties the measurement of the change of the polarization of laser light reflected from the surface during pulse heating was enabled and thus now the temperature dependence of spectral emissivity at 684.5 nm by methods of ellipsometry is derived also. Several liquid metals and alloys have been investigated within this grant and a review of the data obtained will be given here. (author)

Liquid metal pump for nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, H.G.; Maloney, J.R.

1975-01-01

A pump for use in pumping high temperature liquids at high pressures, particularly liquid metals used to cool nuclear reactors is described. It is of the type in which the rotor is submerged in a sump but is fed by an inlet duct which bypasses the sump. A chamber, kept full of fluid, surrounds the pump casing into which fluid is bled from the pump discharge and from which fluid is fed to the rotor bearings and hence to the sump. This equalizes pressure inside and outside the pump casing and reduces or eliminates the thermal shock to the bearings and sump tank

Particulate Emissions Control using Advanced Filter Systems: Final Report for Argonne National Laboratory, Corning Inc. and Hyundai Motor Company CRADA Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seong, Hee Je [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Choi, Seungmok [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2015-10-09

This is a 3-way CRADA project working together with Corning, Inc. and Hyundai Motor Co. (HMC). The project is to understand particulate emissions from gasoline direct-injection engines (GDI) and their physico-chemical properties. In addition, this project focuses on providing fundamental information about filtration and regeneration mechanisms occurring in gasoline particulate filter (GPF) systems. For the work, Corning provides most advanced filter substrates for GPF applications and HMC provides three-way catalyst (TWC) coating services of these filter by way of a catalyst coating company. Then, Argonne National Laboratory characterizes fundamental behaviors of filtration and regeneration processes as well as evaluated TWC functionality for the coated filters. To examine aging impacts on TWC and GPF performance, the research team evaluates gaseous and particulate emissions as well as back-pressure increase with ash loading by using an engine-oil injection system to accelerate ash loading in TWC-coated GPFs.

Electron scattering. Lectures given at Argonne National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walecka, J.D.

1984-01-01

This report is an almost verbatim copy of lectures on Electron Scattering given at Argonne National Laboratory in the Fall of 1982 by John Dirk Walecka. Professor Walecka was an Argonne Fellow in the Physics Division from October 1982 to January 1983. Broad headings include general considerations, coincidence cross section (e,e'x), quantum electrodynamics and radiative corrections, unification of electroweak interactions, relativistic models of nuclear structure, electroproduction of pions and nucleon resonances, and deep inelastic (e,e')

Two cylinder permanent magnet stirrer for liquid metals

Science.gov (United States)

Bojarevičs, A.; Baranovskis, R.; Kaldre, I.; Milgrāvis, M.; Beinerts, T.

2017-07-01

To achieve a uniform liquid metal composition and temperature distribution, stirring is often necessary for industrial processes. Here, a novel permanent magnet system for liquid melt stirring is proposed. It promises very low energy consumption and options for multiple different flow types compared to traditional travelling magnetic field inductors or mechanical stirrers. The proposed system has a simple design: it consists of two rotating permanent magnet cylinders, which are magnetized transversely to the axis of the cylinders. The experimental device was developed and tested under various regimes using GaInSn alloy in a cylindrical crucible. Aluminum stirring by permanent magnets in laboratory scale is tested, and stirring impact on directional solidification of metallic alloys is experimentally investigated.

Computational Science at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, Nichols

2014-03-01

The goal of the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF) is to extend the frontiers of science by solving problems that require innovative approaches and the largest-scale computing systems. ALCF's most powerful computer - Mira, an IBM Blue Gene/Q system - has nearly one million cores. How does one program such systems? What software tools are available? Which scientific and engineering applications are able to utilize such levels of parallelism? This talk will address these questions and describe a sampling of projects that are using ALCF systems in their research, including ones in nanoscience, materials science, and chemistry. Finally, the ways to gain access to ALCF resources will be presented. This research used resources of the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility at Argonne National Laboratory, which is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC02-06CH11357.

An overview of FFTF [Fast Flux Test Facility] contributions to Liquid Metal Reactor Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waltar, A.E.; Padilla, A. Jr.

1990-11-01

The Fast Flux Test Facility has provided a very useful framework for testing the advances in Liquid Metal Reactor Safety Technology. During the licensing phase, the switch from a nonmechanistic bounding technique to the mechanistic approach was developed and implemented. During the operational phase, the consideration of new tests and core configurations led to use of the anticipated-transients-without-scram approach for beyond design basis events and the move towards passive safety. The future role of the Fast Flux Test Facility may involve additional passive safety and waste transmutation tests. 26 refs

Review of liquid metal heat pipe work at Los Alamos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reid, R.S.; Merrigan, M.A.; Sena, J.T.

1990-01-01

A survey of space-power related liquid metal heat pipe work at Los Alamos National Laboratory is presented. Heat pipe development at Los Alamos has been on-going since 1963. Heat pipes were initially developed for thermionic nuclear-electrical power production in space. Since then Los Alamos has developed liquid metal heat pipes for numerous applications related to high temperature systems in both the space and terrestrial environments. Some of these applications include thermionic electrical generators, thermoelectric energy conversion (both in-core and direct radiation), thermal energy storage, hypersonic vehicle leading edge cooling, and heat pipe vapor laser cells. Some of the work performed at Los Alamos has been documented in internal reports that are often little-known. A representative description and summary of progress in space-related liquid metal heat pipe technology is provided followed by a reference section citing sources where these works may be found. 53 refs

A large economic liquid metal reactor for United States utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodwell, E.

1985-01-01

The United States has demonstrated its ability to build and operate small and medium sized liquid metal reactors and continues to operate the Experimental Breeder Reactor II and the Fast Flux Test Facility to demonstrate long life fuel designs. Similar-sized liquid metal reactors in Europe have been followed by a step-up to the 1200 MWe capacity of the Superphenix plant. To permit the United States to make a similar step-up in capacity, a 1320 MWe liquid metal reactor plant has been designed with the main emphasis on minimizing the specific capital cost in order to be competitive with light water reactor plant and fossil plant alternatives. The design is based on a four parallel heat transport loops arrangement and complies with current regulatory requirements. The primary heat transport loops are now being integrated into the reactor vessel to achieve further reduction in the capital cost

Protected Lithium-Metal Anodes in Batteries: From Liquid to Solid.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chunpeng; Fu, Kun; Zhang, Ying; Hitz, Emily; Hu, Liangbing

2017-09-01

High-energy lithium-metal batteries are among the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems. With a high specific capacity and a low reduction potential, the Li-metal anode has attracted extensive interest for decades. Dendritic Li formation, uncontrolled interfacial reactions, and huge volume effect are major hurdles to the commercial application of Li-metal anodes. Recent studies have shown that the performance and safety of Li-metal anodes can be significantly improved via organic electrolyte modification, Li-metal interface protection, Li-electrode framework design, separator coating, and so on. Superior to the liquid electrolytes, solid-state electrolytes are considered able to inhibit problematic Li dendrites and build safe solid Li-metal batteries. Inspired by the bright prospects of solid Li-metal batteries, increasing efforts have been devoted to overcoming the obstacles of solid Li-metal batteries, such as low ionic conductivity of the electrolyte and Li-electrolyte interfacial problems. Here, the approaches to protect Li-metal anodes from liquid batteries to solid-state batteries are outlined and analyzed in detail. Perspectives regarding the strategies for developing Li-metal anodes are discussed to facilitate the practical application of Li-metal batteries. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermotropic liquid crystals recent advances

CERN Document Server

Ramamoorthy, Ayyalusamy

2007-01-01

This book covers developments in the field of thermotropic liquid crystals and their functional importance. It also presents advances related to different sub-areas pertinent to this interdisciplinary area of research. This text brings together research from synthetic scientists and spectroscopists and attempts to bridge the gaps between these areas. New physical techniques that are powerful in characterizing these materials are discussed.

Liquid blanket MHD effects experimental results from LMEL facility at SWIP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Zengyu; Pan Chuanjie; Liu Yong; Pan Chuanhong; Reed, C.B.

2007-01-01

The self-cooled /helium-cooled liquid metal blanket concept is an attractive ITER and DEMO blanket candidate as it has low operating pressure, simplicity, and a convenient tritium breeding cycle. But MHD pressure drop remains a key issue, especially in ducts with flow channel inserts (FCI), where the reduction in MHD pressure drop is difficult to predict with existing tools, and there are no available experimental data to check current predictions. To understand well various kinds of MHD effects, it is important for us to analyze and understand FCI effects. In this paper, we present measurements of the MHD effects due to off normal power shutdown, two-dimensional effects due to channel velocity profiles, three-dimensional effects caused by manifolds, and surface/bulk instability effects as a result of insulator coating imperfections. These results were collected from the Liquid Metal Experimental Loop (LMEL) facility at Southwestern Institute of Physics, China and in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, US under an umbrella of the People's Republic of China/United States program of cooperation in magnetic fusion. Some results were observed for the first time, such as two dimensional effects and instabilities due to insulator coating imperfections. The experiments were conducted under the following conditions: a uniform magnetic field volume of 80 x 170 x 740 mm and a maximum value of magnetic field, B 0 , of 2 Tesla. The mean flow velocity v 0 was measured with an electromagnetic (EM) flow meter (error of 1.2%); a Liquid-metal Electro-magnetic Velocity Instrument (LEVI) was provided by Argonne National Laboratory. The flow was driven by two Electro-magnetic (EM) pumps (6.5+11.6 m3/h); the operating temperature was 85 centigrade degree due to self-heating by the EM pump and friction of the fluid against the loop piping. Experimental parameters were: Hartmann number, M, up to 3500, velocity v 0 up to 1.2 m/s under magnetic field, and B 0 =1.95 Tesla

On the self-diffusion process in liquid metals and alloys by the radioactive tracer method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganovici, L.

1978-01-01

A theoretical and experimental study of self-diffusion process in liquid metals and alloys is presented. There are only a few pure metals for which diffusion coefficients in a liquid state are known. The thesis aims at increasing the number of liquid metals for which diffusion coefficients are available, by determining these values for liquids: Cd, Tl, Sb and Te. The self-diffusion coefficients of Te in some tellurium based liquid alloys such as Tl 2 Te, PbTe and Bi 90 Te 10 were also determined. Self-diffusion coefficients have been measured using two radioactive tracer methods: a) the capillary-reservoir method; b) the semi-infinite capillary method. The self-diffusion coefficients were derived from the measured radioactive concentration profile, using the solutions of Fick's second law for appropriate initial and limit conditions. The temperature dependence study of self-diffusion coefficients in liquids Cd, Tl, Sb and Te, was used to check some theoretical models on the diffusion mechanism in metallic melts. The experimental diffusion data interpreted in terms of the Arrhenius type temperature dependence, was used to propose two simple empiric relations for determining self diffusion coefficients of group I liquid metals and for liquid semi-metals. It was established a marked decrease of self-diffusion coefficients of liquid Te close to the solidification temperature. The diffusivity of Te in liquid Tl 2 Te points to an important decrease close to the solidification temperature. A simplified model was proposed for the diffusion structural unit in this alloy and the hard sphere model for liquid metals was checked by comparing the theoretical and experimental self-diffusion coefficients. (author)

Argonne's new Wakefield Test Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, J.D.

1992-01-01

The first phase of a high current, short bunch length electron beam research facility, the AWA, is near completion at Argonne. At the heart of the facility is a photocathode based electron gun and accelerating sections designed to deliver 20 MeV pulses with up to 100 nC per pulse and with pulse lengths of approximately 15 ps (fw). Using a technique similar to that originated at Argonne's AATF facility, a separate weak probe pulse can be generated and used to diagnose wake effects produced by the intense pulses. Initial planned experiments include studies of plasma wakefields and dielectric wakefield devices, and expect to demonstrate large, useful accelerating gradients (> 100 MeV/m). Later phases of the facility will increase the drive bunch energy to more than 100 MeV to enable acceleration experiments up to the GeV range. Specifications, design details, and commissioning progress are presented

Recent developments in the target facilities at Argonne National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greene, J.P.; Thomas, G.E.

1989-01-01

A description is given of recent developments in the target facility at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Highlights include equipment upgrades which enable us to provide enhanced capabilities for support of the Argonne Heavy-Ion ATLAS Accelerator Project. Also, future plans and additional equipment acquisitions will be discussed. (orig.)

Report on generation IV technical working group 3 : liquid metal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lineberry, M. J.; Rosen, S. L.; Sagayama, Y.

2002-01-01

This paper reports on the first round of R and D roadmap activities of the Generation IV (Gen IV) Technical Working Group (TWG) 3, on liquid metal-cooled reactors. Liquid metal coolants give rise to fast spectrum systems, and thus the reactor systems considered in this TWG are all fast reactors. Gas-cooled fast reactors are considered in the context of TWG 2. As is noted in other Gen IV papers, this first round activity is termed ''screening for potential'', and includes collecting the most complete set of liquid metal reactor/fuel cycle system concepts possible and evaluating the concepts against the Gen IV principles and goals. Those concepts or concept groups that meet the Gen IV principles and which are deemed to have reasonable potential to meet the Gen IV goals will pass to the next round of evaluation. Although we sometimes use the terms ''reactor'' or ''reactor system'' by themselves, the scope of the investigation by TWG 3 includes not only the reactor systems, but very importantly the closed fuel recycle system inevitably required by fast reactors. The response to the DOE Request for Information (RFI) on liquid metal reactor/fuel cycle systems from principal investigators, laboratories, corporations, and other institutions, was robust and gratifying. Thirty three liquid metal concept descriptions, from eight different countries, were ultimately received. The variation in the scope, depth, and completeness of the responses created a significant challenge for the group, but the TWG made a very significant effort not to screen out concepts early in the process

Recent Advances in Antimicrobial Hydrogels Containing Metal Ions and Metals/Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fazli Wahid

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Recently, the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has caused a serious health problem. Scientists respond to the threat by developing new antimicrobial materials to prevent or control infections caused by these pathogens. Polymer-based nanocomposite hydrogels are versatile materials as an alternative to conventional antimicrobial agents. Cross-linking of polymeric materials by metal ions or the combination of polymeric hydrogels with nanoparticles (metals and metal oxide is a simple and effective approach for obtaining a multicomponent system with diverse functionalities. Several metals and metal oxides such as silver (Ag, gold (Au, zinc oxide (ZnO, copper oxide (CuO, titanium dioxide (TiO2 and magnesium oxide (MgO have been loaded into hydrogels for antimicrobial applications. The incorporation of metals and metal oxide nanoparticles into hydrogels not only enhances the antimicrobial activity of hydrogels, but also improve their mechanical characteristics. Herein, we summarize recent advances in hydrogels containing metal ions, metals and metal oxide nanoparticles with potential antimicrobial properties.

Metal fires and their implications for advanced reactors. Part 3: Experimental and modeling results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowlen, Steven Patrick; Figueroa, Victor G.; Olivier, Tara Jean; Hewson, John C.; Blanchat, Thomas K.

2010-01-01

This report details the primary results of the Laboratory Directed Research and Development project (LDRD 08-0857) Metal Fires and Their Implications for Advance Reactors. Advanced reactors may employ liquid metal coolants, typically sodium, because of their many desirable qualities. This project addressed some of the significant challenges associated with the use of liquid metal coolants, primary among these being the extremely rapid oxidation (combustion) that occurs at the high operating temperatures in reactors. The project has identified a number of areas for which gaps existed in knowledge pertinent to reactor safety analyses. Experimental and analysis capabilities were developed in these areas to varying degrees. In conjunction with team participation in a DOE gap analysis panel, focus was on the oxidation of spilled sodium on thermally massive surfaces. These are spills onto surfaces that substantially cool the sodium during the oxidation process, and they are relevant because standard risk mitigation procedures seek to move spill environments into this regime through rapid draining of spilled sodium. While the spilled sodium is not quenched, the burning mode is different in that there is a transition to a smoldering mode that has not been comprehensively described previously. Prior work has described spilled sodium as a pool fire, but there is a crucial, experimentally-observed transition to a smoldering mode of oxidation. A series of experimental measurements have comprehensively described the thermal evolution of this type of sodium fire for the first time. A new physics-based model has been developed that also predicts the thermal evolution of this type of sodium fire for the first time. The model introduces smoldering oxidation through porous oxide layers to go beyond traditional pool fire analyses that have been carried out previously in order to predict experimentally observed trends. Combined, these developments add significantly to the safety

Designing Kitaev Spin Liquids in Metal-Organic Frameworks

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Masahiko G.; Fujita, Hiroyuki; Oshikawa, Masaki

2017-08-01

Kitaev's honeycomb lattice spin model is a remarkable exactly solvable model, which has a particular type of spin liquid (Kitaev spin liquid) as the ground state. Although its possible realization in iridates and α -RuCl3 has been vigorously discussed recently, these materials have substantial non-Kitaev direct exchange interactions and do not have a spin liquid ground state. We propose metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with Ru3 + (or Os3 + ), forming the honeycomb lattice as promising candidates for a more ideal realization of Kitaev-type spin models, where the direct exchange interaction is strongly suppressed. The great flexibility of MOFs allows generalization to other three-dimensional lattices for the potential realization of a variety of spin liquids, such as a Weyl spin liquid.

Recent developments in the target facilities at Argonne National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greene, J.P.; Thomas, G.E.

1988-01-01

A description is given of recent developments in the target facility at Argonne National Laboratory. Highlights include equipment upgrades which enables us to provide enhanced capabilities for support of the Argonne Heavy-Ion ATLAS Accelerator Project. Also future plans and additional equipment acquisitions will be discussed. 3 refs., 3 tabs

Vibratory response of a mirror support/positioning system for the Advanced Photon Source project at Argonne National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basdogan, I.; Shu, Deming; Kuzay, T.M.; Royston, T.J.; Shabana, A.A.

1996-01-01

The vibratory response of a typical mirror support/positioning system used at the experimental station of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) project at Argonne National Laboratory is investigated. Positioning precision and stability are especially critical when the supported mirror directs a high-intensity beam aimed at a distant target. Stability may be compromised by low level, low frequency seismic and facility-originated vibrations traveling through the ground and/or vibrations caused by flow-structure interactions in the mirror cooling system. The example case system has five positioning degrees of freedom through the use of precision actuators and rotary and linear bearings. These linkage devices result in complex, multi-dimensional vibratory behavior that is a function of the range of positioning configurations. A rigorous multibody dynamical approach is used for the development of the system equations. Initial results of the study, including estimates of natural frequencies and mode shapes, as well as limited parametric design studies, are presented. While the results reported here are for a particular system, the developed vibratory analysis approach is applicable to the wide range of high-precision optical positioning systems encountered at the APS and at other comparable facilities

[Applications of atomic emission spectrum from liquid electrode discharge to metal ion detection].

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Xiu-Ling; Wu, Jian; Ying, Yi-Bin

2010-02-01

The fast and precise detection of metal ion is an important research project concerning studies in diverse academic fields and different kinds of detecting technologies. In the present paper, the authors review the research on atomic emission spectrum based on liquid electrode discharge and its applications in the detection of metal ion. In the first part of this paper the principles and characteristics of the methods based on electrochemistry and spectroscopy were introduced. The methods of ion-selective electrode (ISE), anodic stripping voltammetry, atomic emission spectrum and atomic absorption spectrum were included in this part and discussed comparatively. Then the principles and characteristics of liquid electrode spectra for metal ion detection were introduced. The mechanism of the plasma production and the characteristics of the plasma spectrum as well as its advantages compared with other methods were discussed. Secondly, the authors divided the discharge system into two types and named them single liquid-electrode discharge and double-liquid electrode respectively, according to the number of the liquid electrode and the configuration of the discharge system, and the development as well as the present research status of each type was illustrated. Then the characteristics and configurations of the discharge systems including ECGD, SCGD, LS-APGD and capillary discharge were discussed in detail as examples of the two types. By taking advantage of the technology of atomic emission spectrum based on liquid electrode discharge, the detecting limit of heavy metals such as copper, mercury and argent as well as active metal ions including sodium, potass and magnesium can achieve microg x L(-1). Finally, the advantages and problems of the liquid-electrode discharge applied in detection of metal ion were discussed. And the applications of the atomic emission spectrum based on liquid electrode discharge were prospected.

Structural effects on fusion reactor blankets due to liquid metals in magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehner, J.R.; Reich, M.; Powell, J.R.

1976-01-01

The transient stress distribution caused in the blanket structure when the plasma current suddenly switches off in a time short compared to the L/R decay time of the liquid metal blanket was studied. Poloidal field of the plasma will induce a current to flow in the liquid metal and blanket walls. Since the resistance of the liquid lithium will be much less than that of the metal walls, the current can be considered as flowing around the blanket near the cross section perimeter, but in the lithium

Thermal expansion of metals over the entire liquid range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaner, J.W.

1977-01-01

This paper reviews the current state of the art for measuring liquid metal densities. Conventional high precision techniques for use below 2000K as well as new techniques for more extreme temperatures are addressed. Pertinent data, which have appeared since the last critical reviews, for elemental metals are discussed

Advanced Photon Source (APS)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Advanced Photon Source (APS) at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratoryprovides this nation's (in fact, this hemisphere's) brightest storage...

Numerical simulation on single bubble rising behavior in liquid metal using moving particle semi-implicit method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo Juanli; Tian Wenxi; Qiu Suizheng; Chen Ronghua; Su Guanghui

2011-01-01

The gas-lift pump in liquid metal cooling fast reactor (LMFR) is an innovational conceptual design to enhance the natural circulation ability of reactor core. The two-phase flow character of gas-liquid metal makes significant improvement of the natural circulation capacity and reactor safety. In present basic study, the rising behavior of a single nitrogen bubble in five kinds of liquid metals (lead bismuth alloy, liquid kalium, sodium, potassium sodium alloy and lithium lead alloy) was numerically simulated using moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method. The whole growing process of single nitrogen bubble in liquid metal was captured. The bubble shape and rising speed of single nitrogen bubble in each liquid metal were compared. The comparison between simulation results using MPS method and Grace graphical correlation shows a good agreement. (authors)

Immersion apparatus and process for an ultrasonic transducer in a liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Baud, P.

1987-01-01

The ultrasonic transducer is introduced in a casing. The coupling zone of the transducer is covered by a layer of liquid metal. This layer is solidified and then the transducer with his coating layer is introduced in the liquid metal under an inert atmosphere. The device for immersing the transducer is claimed [fr

Experimental evidence for Mo isotope fractionation between metal and silicate liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Hin, Remco C.; Burkhardt, Christoph; Schmidt, Max W.; Bourdon, Bernard; Kleine, Thorsten

2013-10-01

Stable isotope fractionation of siderophile elements may inform on the conditions and chemical consequences of core-mantle differentiation in planetary objects. The extent to which Mo isotopes fractionate during such metal-silicate segregation, however, is so far unexplored. We have therefore investigated equilibrium fractionation of Mo isotopes between liquid metal and liquid silicate to evaluate the potential of Mo isotopes as a new tool to study core formation. We have performed experiments at 1400 and 1600 °C in a centrifuging piston cylinder. Tin was used to lower the melting temperature of the Fe-based metal alloys to double spike technique. In experiments performed at 1400 °C, the 98Mo/95Mo ratio of silicate is 0.19±0.03‰ (95% confidence interval) heavier than that of metal. This fractionation is not significantly affected by the presence or absence of carbon. Molybdenum isotope fractionation is furthermore independent of oxygen fugacity in the range IW -1.79 to IW +0.47, which are plausible values for core formation. Experiments at 1600 °C show that, at equilibrium, the 98Mo/95Mo ratio of silicate is 0.12±0.02‰ heavier than that of metal and that the presence or absence of Sn does not affect this fractionation. Equilibrium Mo isotope fractionation between liquid metal and liquid silicate as a function of temperature can therefore be described as ΔMoMetal-Silicate98/95=-4.70(±0.59)×105/T2. Our experiments show that Mo isotope fractionation may be resolvable up to metal-silicate equilibration temperatures of about 2500 °C, rendering Mo isotopes a novel tool to investigate the conditions of core formation in objects ranging from planetesimals to Earth sized bodies.