Westinghouse Electric Corporation

D Colin Phillips

James D Smith

Steven H Peterson

Michael G Down

Werner S Emmerich

Arnold O Isenberg

Max Garbuny

Peter M Castle

Kenneth W Grossett

Whether a compound will thermoparticulate, that is, decompose to produce particles detectable by an ion chamber monitor or a condensation nuclei monitor and, if so, at what temperature, is predicted by determining the decomposition products of the compound, eliminating the compound if none of its decomposition products are greater than 25 .ANG., and using the temperature at which the decomposition products greater than 25 .ANG. have a vapor pressure of 10 millimeters as an estimate of the temperature at which the compound will decompose to produce products detectable by the monitor. Also disclosed are compounds which have been found to thermoparticulate at low temperatures.

Predicting thermoparticulation

A chemical process for isotopic enrichment of uranium involving the steps of exciting a chelated uranium compound (e.g. hydrated uranyl acetate complex in aqueous solution) to an excited electronic state wherein the excited state preferentially reacts at different rates by virtue of dissimilar nuclear magnetic moment contributions to the chemical kinetics of alternative excited state reaction pathways (e.g. return to ground state by intersystem crossing by electron-nucleus hyperfine coupling vs free radical formation and subsequent precipitation of the hydrated basic salt of uranyl acetate).

Chemical separation method for uranium isotopes

A method is disclosed of immobilizing actinide metal oxide ions. A liquid composition is prepared of the actinide metal oxide ions and a monomer which is capable during electropolymerization of complexing with the actinide metal ions. An optional polar solvent may be included in the composition if it is necessary to dissolve a solid monomer. The monomer is then electropolymerized to form a polymeric complex with the actinide metal oxide ion. The polymeric complex can be separated from the remainder of the liquid composition by the addition of a non-solvent for the polymeric complex which results in its precipitation. Vinylimidazoles have been found to be suitable monomers for use in this process.

Immobilization of actinides by electropolymerization

Organic hydrocarbon materials are produced from plentiful inorganic limestone type materials by: (1) reacting the limestone type materials with molten lithium metal to produce Li.sub.2 C.sub.2 (2) hydrolyzing the Li.sub.2 C.sub.2 to produce C.sub.2 H.sub.2, (3) catalytically reacting the C.sub.2 H.sub.2 with steam to produce CH.sub.3 COCH.sub.3, (4) pyrolyzing the CH.sub.3 COCH.sub.3 to provide ketene and methane, and separating the ketene. The ketene may then be decomposed to provide methylene, which can be reacted with an alkane, such as methane in an insertion chain reaction, to provide organic hydrocarbon materials. An in-place nuclear reactor can provide energy for the endothermic reactions of the system.

System for the production of ketene and methylene from carbonate minerals

Organic hydrocarbon materials are produced from plentiful inorganic limestone type materials by: (1) thermally decomposing the limestone type materials to produce CaO and CO.sub.2, (2) using the CO.sub.2 in a solid electrolyte electrolysis cell to produce CO, (3) catalytically decomposing the CO to produce carbon, (4) reacting the carbon with the CaO produced in step (1), to produce CaC.sub.2, (5) hydrolyzing the CaC.sub.2 toi produce C.sub.2 H.sub.2, (6) catalytically reacting the C.sub.2 H.sub.2 with steam to produce CH.sub.3 COCH.sub.3, (7) pyrolyzing the CH.sub.3 COCH.sub.3 to provide ketene and methane, and separating the ketene. The ketene may then be decomposed to provide methylene, which can be reacted with an alkane, such as methane in an insertion chain reaction, to provide organic hydrocarbon materials. An in-place nuclear reactor can provide energy for the endothermic reactions of the system.

System for the production of ketene and methylene from limestone

Disclosed is a method of altering the zirconium 91 isotopic content of zirconium by raising a zirconium chelate ligand from a ground state to an activated state in the presence of a scavenger which reacts with the activated state but not with the ground state, and permitting about 25 to about 75% of the zirconium chelate to react with the scavenger. The reaction may be performed in a solution of the zirconium chelate ligand using water as a solvent. Activation of the zirconium chelate may be accomplished by using light and having a wavelength of about 220 to about 350 nm or by heating to about 80 to about 100.degree. C.

Zirconium isotope separation

A petroleum or synthetic grease is used to protect electrical apparatus from overheating. The grease is applied to a portion of an electrical apparatus which is exposed to a gas stream, particularly to portions subjected to operating temperatures of about 100.degree. C. When the coated portion of the electrical apparatus overheats the grease forms particles in the gas stream which are detected by a monitor. The apparatus can then be shut down or its load reduced.

Petroleum and synthetic grease thermoparticulating coating

A protective system for electrical apparatus mounted in a vault which has an opening to the atmosphere. Overheating of the electrical apparatus is distinguished from tobacco smoke, engine exhaust fumes, and other air borne particulates, by an ion chamber monitor and a thermally activated material in the vault which decomposes at a predetermined elevated temperature indicative of overheating. The material is selected to decompose above 300.degree. C. and produce a gas which decreases the self-recombination rate of the ion in the ion detector monitor to increase the ion current. An alarm is generated on a predetermined increase in ion current, instead of upon a decrease, such as caused by particulates.

Protective system for electrical apparatus

In a hydrogen cooled dynamoelectric machine, an ion chamber detector monitors thermally produced particulates. The sensitivity of the ion chamber detector is improved by incorporating a particulate enhancement section upstream from the ion chamber detector. The particulate enhancement section has included therein a platinum surface over which the gaseous carrier flows increasing the number of submicron particulates entrained in the gaseous carrier.

Particulate enhancement for generator condition monitors

Hydrogen and carbon dioxide are produced by activating a mixture of carbon monoxide and water with monochromatic light. Preferably, a unidirectional stream of steam activated with a laser at 5400 cm..sup.-1 collides with a carbon monoxide stream to effect the reaction. The carbon dioxide can then be reacted with water to produce formaldehyde. Ketene and water are produced by exposing the formaldehyde to ultraviolet light.

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Monroeville, PA, United States of America

D Colin Phillips