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Roman, W. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Roman, W. C..

16 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Argon/UF6 plasma experiments: UF6 regeneration and product analysis

An experimental and analytical investigation was conducted to aid in developing some of the technology necessary for designing a self-critical fissioning uranium plasma core reactors (PCR). This technology is applicable to gaseous uranium hexafluoride nuclear-pumped laser systems. The principal equipment used included 1.2 MW RF induction heater, a d.c. plasma torch, a uranium tetrafluoride feeder system, and batch-type fluorine/UF6 regeneration systems. Overall objectives were to continue to develop and test materials and handling techniques suitable for use with high-temperature, high-pressure, gaseous UF6; and to continue development of complementary diagnostic instrumentation and measurement techniques to characterize the effluent exhaust gases and residue deposited on the test chamber and exhaust system components. Specific objectives include: a development of a batch-type UF6 regeneration system employing pure high-temperature fluorine; development of a ruggedized time-of-flight mass spectrometer and associated data acquisition system capable of making on-line concentration measurements of the volatile effluent exhaust gas species in a high RF environment and corrosive environment of UF6 and related halide compounds.

Roman, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Argon/UF6 plasma exhaust gas reconstitution experiments using preheated fluorine and on-line diagnostics

The feasibility of employing a flowing, high-temperature, pure fluorine/UF6 regeneration system to efficiently convert a large fraction of the effluent plasma exhaust back to pure UF6 was demonstrated. The custom built T.O.F. mass spectrometer sampling system permitted on-line measurements of the UF6 concentration at different locations in the exhaust system. Negligible amounts ( 100 ppm) of UF6 were detected in the axial bypass exhaust duct and the exhaust ducts downstream of the cryogenic trap system used to collect the UF6, thus verifying the overall system efficiency over a range of operating conditions. Use of a porous Monel duct as part of the exhaust duct system, including provision for injection of pure fluorine, provided a viable technique to eliminate uranium compound residue on the inside surface of the exhaust ducts. Typical uranium compound mass deposition per unit area of duct was 2 micron g/sq cm. This porous duct technique is directly applicable to future uranium compound transfer exhaust systems. Throughout these experiments, additional basic data on the corrosion aspects of hot, pressurized UF6/fluorine were also accumulated.

Roman, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1979

High temperature UF6 RF plasma experiments applicable to uranium plasma core reactors

An investigation was conducted using a 1.2 MW RF induction heater facility to aid in developing the technology necessary for designing a self critical fissioning uranium plasma core reactor. Pure, high temperature uranium hexafluoride (UF6) was injected into an argon fluid mechanically confined, steady state, RF heated plasma while employing different exhaust systems and diagnostic techniques to simulate and investigate some potential characteristics of uranium plasma core nuclear reactors. The development of techniques and equipment for fluid mechanical confinement of RF heated uranium plasmas with a high density of uranium vapor within the plasma, while simultaneously minimizing deposition of uranium and uranium compounds on the test chamber peripheral wall, endwall surfaces, and primary exhaust ducts, is discussed. The material tests and handling techniques suitable for use with high temperature, high pressure, gaseous UF6 are described and the development of complementary diagnostic instrumentation and measurement techniques to characterize the uranium plasma, effluent exhaust gases, and residue deposited on the test chamber and exhaust system components is reported.

Roman, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1979

High temperature UF6 and plasma research

Research currently under way on technology for uranium plasma core reactors is reviewed. A feeder system to provide a controlled and steady flow of UF6 at rates up to 5 g/sec and temperatures up to 500 K into rf plasma test chambers operating at pressures of up to 20 atm has been developed. Plasma emission and dye laser absorption measurements have been used to estimate the radial distribution of uranium atom number density within the plasma. X-ray absorption equipment and techniques have also been employed to measure the amount of uranium in the plasma, and dc plasma torch experiments have shown variations in plasma VUV emission with temperature. Analysis of residues deposited on various test-chamber components after plasma tests reveals traces of several uranium oxides, including UO2F2, and various exhaust duct configurations with flow augmentation are under investigation as means of preventing uranium deposition. Other areas of research include off- and on-line exhaust gas diagnostics, and a UF6/Ar injection, separation and recirculation system.

Roman, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Laboratory-scale uranium RF plasma confinement experiments

An experimental investigation was conducted using 80 kW and 1.2 MW RF induction heater facilities to aid in developing the technology necessary for designing a self-critical fissioning uranium plasma core reactor. Pure uranium hexafluoride (UF6) was injected into argon-confined, steady-state, RF-heated plasmas in different uranium plasma confinement tests to investigate the characteristics of plamas core nuclear reactors. The objectives were: (1) to confine as high a density of uranium vapor as possible within the plasma while simultaneously minimizing the uranium compound wall deposition; (2) to develop and test materials and handling techniques suitable for use with high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous UF6; and (3) to develop complementary diagnostic instrumentation and measurement techniques to characterize the uranium plasma and residue deposited on the test chamber components. In all tests, the plasma was a fluid-mechanically-confined vortex-type contained within a fused-silica cylindrical test chamber. The test chamber peripheral wall was 5.7 cm ID by 10 cm long.

Roman, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Plasma core reactor simulations using RF uranium seeded argon discharges

Experimental results are described in which pure uranium hexafluoride was injected into an argon-confined, steady-state, RF-heated plasma to investigate characteristics of plasma core nuclear reactors. The 80 kW (13.56 MHz) and 1.2 MW (5.51 MHz) rf induction heater facilities were used to determine a test chamber flow scheme which offered best uranium confinement with minimum wall coating. The cylindrical fused-silica test chamber walls were 5.7-cm-ID by 10-cm-long. Test conditions included RF powers of 2-85 kW, chamber pressures of 1-12 atm, and uranium hexafluoride mass-flow rates of 0.005-0.13 g/s. Successful techniques were developed for fluid-mechanical confinement of RF-heated plasmas with pure uranium hexafluoride injection.

Roman, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Plasma core reactor simulations using RF uranium seeded argon discharges

An experimental investigation was conducted using the United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) 80 kW and 1.2 MW RF induction heater systems to aid in developing the technology necessary for designing a self-critical fissioning uranium plasma core reactor (PCR). A nonfissioning, steady-state RF-heated argon plasma seeded with pure uranium hexafluoride (UF6) was used. An overall objective was to achieve maximum confinement of uranium vapor within the plasma while simultaneously minimizing the uranium compound wall deposition. Exploratory tests were conducted using the 80 kW RF induction heater with the test chamber at approximately atmospheric pressure and discharge power levels on the order of 10 kW. Four different test chamber flow configurations were tested to permit selection of the configuration offering the best confinement characteristics for subsequent tests at higher pressure and power in the 1.2 MW RF induction heater facility.

Roman, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Development of RF plasma simulations of in-reactor tests of small models of the nuclear light bulb fuel region

Experiments were conducted to develop test configurations and technology necessary to simulate the thermal environment and fuel region expected to exist in in-reactor tests of small models of nuclear light bulb configurations. Particular emphasis was directed at rf plasma tests of approximately full-scale models of an in-reactor cell suitable for tests in Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory's Nuclear Furnace. The in-reactor tests will involve vortex-stabilized fissioning uranium plasmas of approximately 200-kW power, 500-atm pressure and equivalent black-body radiating temperatures between 3220 and 3510 K.

Roman, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Investigation of an r-f radiant energy source with uranium hexafluoride and tungsten hexafluoride injection.

An experimental investigation was conducted using the UARL 1.2-megw r-f induction heater to simulate thermal environment and fuel region characteristics expected in nuclear light bulb reactors. Argon was injected at the ends of the test chamber to provide radial-inflow vortex flow pattern. In some tests, simulated fuel consisting of a mixture of argon gas with either tungsten hexafluoride gas, uranium hexafluoride gas, or tungsten particles was injected into the discharge region from probes located at the centers of the end walls. The encouraging initial results obtained are discussed.

Roman, W. C.↗