JPRS ID: 9841 USSR REPORT METEORLOGY AND HYDROLOGY NO.2, FEBRUARY 1981

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• Collection: JPRS
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• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: November 1, 2016
• Sequence Number: 22
• Content Type: REPORTS

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JPRS L/10107 ~
- 9 November 1981
West Euro ~ Re ar#
p p
SCIENCE AIvID TE~~iNOLOGY
~ (FOUO 13/81)
Fg~$ ~OREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
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~7PRS I,/10107
9 November 1981
WEST EUROPE REPORT
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(FOUO 13/ 81)
CONT~~ITS
ENERGY
French Government Acts To Promote Uae of Geothermal Energy
~ (Edouard Rencker; ENERGEIA, May-Jun 81) ~ 1
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
Manufacturi.ng Materials in Space Under Microgravity
~AIR 6 COSMOS, 5 Sep E~1) 4
TRANSPORTATION
Engine Manufacturers Discuas Joint Development Project
~AIR & C~SMOS, 5 Sep 81) 6
Fiat Pursues 'VSS' Experimental Car Project
- (LA STAMPA, 8, 9 Oct 81) 8
Theoretical' Considerationa, by Ferruccio Bernado
Project Manager's Commente, by Michele Fenu .
Types of Plastics Uaed, by Gianni Rogliatti
- a- [III - WE - bSl S&T FOUO]
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MUR ()FMI('IA1. ll~l~: UN1.1'
ENERGY
FRENCH GOVERIVMENT ACTS TO PROMOTE USE OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
Paris ENERGEIA in French May Jun 81 pp 4-5
[Article by Edouard Rencker: "The Actions Taken in France"]
[Text] In spite of the technical difficulties to which we have alluded, geothermal
energy is already usable. During a speech delivered last 2 April, the minister of
industry, Mr Giraud, while rev3ewing the progress made in this arca during the last
10 years, outlined the French geothermal policy. The goal is to tri.ple the numb~er
of housing ~quivalents affected by this energy, that is, to raise if fran~ 1,500
to 4,500 by 1990. The work involved in this area involves two types of geothermal
energy, namely, production of electricity and direct use of low level geot~hermal
energy. In the first case, it is planned to employ water and steam attaining temper-
aturPs higher than 150�C in order to drive turbines coupled to electric generators. ,
In the case of water at lower temperatures (of th~ order of 90 ta 100�C), conversion
of thermal energy to mechanical energy will be achieved by means of thermodynamic
machines using secondary fluids. (However it should be noted that this system which
is to be developed is still in the experimental s~age). The most important use
should result from the employment of hot dry rocks by making them artificially
permeable. In this manner, the calories of heaC would be recov~red ~y passing a
fluid, called a transfer fluid, throu~h these rocks. Such studies are being conducted
- in order to achieve maximum utilization. Attention is directed to those studies
carried on in the Massif Central, particularly in the overseas departments (especially
at the geothermic power station in Guadeloupe). The s~cond area of geothermic inter-
est is the direct use of low level geothermal energy. This concerns low temperaCurp
water (approximately a maximum of 90�C) where the heat is used for a variety of
purposes such as heating of buildings, agricultural greenhouses, etc.). At the
present time, France ranks first in the world in this tyFe of geothermal znergy
which should contribute 1 million TEP's to the total av~ilable energy. Of course,
all of this is expensive, especially since the difficulties encountered in setting
up a geothermic pro~ect are consi~erable. The initial investment cost is high.
The risk of failure is still great. Lastly, the launching of a pro3ect must involve
a large number of participants, which is not always rasy. Finally, governmiental
authorities have decided to establish a financial incentive system which has led to
appropriation of large funds for geothermal energy. Followin~ is an outline of
this financial policy:
Aid for conduction of preliminary studies, not to exceed 50 percent.
A"geological risk: guarantee to protect against failure. This guarantee furnishes
a coverage of 80 percent to the prime contractor.
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N'()It nF'F'1('IA1. IISI? QNI.Y
- A lonb-term "minin~ risk" guarantee.
Aid for the installations in the heat distribution networks by the energy conservation
agency. This subsidy could amount to as much as 400 francs per TEP distributad per
, year .
Aid for construction of greenhouse equipment which could cover up to 30 percent
of the non-drilling surface investments.
Aid to regional public esr_ablishments, such as 50 percent of the research expenses
or 20 percent of the cost of the first dril.ling.
A new legal code favorable to the use of genthermal energy will be initiated.
This policy will be administered with the aid of the geotherma3 energy committee ~
created in 1974 whose mission is to pr~mote this new form of energy.
We may therefore expect inportant innovations in the field of geothermal energy.
Coupled with the substitute fuels program and development of solar energy, the
geothermics program and its "colleagues" should increase the contribution oi new
forms of energy to 25 million TEP's within less than 1.0 years (at least in France).
_ On a world scale (see table), the contribution of geothermal energy could be large
accoraing to the date calculated at the Istanbul Worldwide Energy Conference. Taose
countries which have the good luck to be located along the main geothermic belts,
such as North or S~uth America, the Pacific Islands, etc., will have the ~pportun-
ity of satisfying a large part of ther energy needs thanks to geothermal sources.
Le gisement geothermique--Geothermic deposits. Bassins sedimentaires aquiferes a
plus de--Sedimentarv aauiferous basins with a maximum temperature of:
. ~ ~
~ , ~~~~P
� .
_ 'nZir .
~ .
France possesses iindergound layers of
water whose tem erature varies from 0�
~ P 4 C
to 90 or 100�C. The nrincipal ones are
located in the Paris, Alsace, Aquitain and
Lima e basins. The
~r~ gn great advantage of
geothermal energy in France is attribut-
'YY ' able to the fact that the probable or
. Y ' .
estimated resources are generally located
in consumer areas such as Paris and
- environs, Bordeaux, etc. In the coming
years, the rPsearch being conducted at
La France poss~de des nap- estimees sant en g~n~ral Auvergne could open the way to new usable
pes d'eau souterraines dont tu~es sous les lieux de geothermic sources .
la temperature varie de 40� consommation, Paris et la
C a 90/100�G Les princi� R~qion ~arisienne, Bordeaux
pales sont situ~es dans le etc... Dans les ann~es ~ venir,
bassin parisien. L'Alsace, le les ~tudes effectu~ea sn
Bassin Aquitain, et la Lima� Auverqne pourraient ouvrir
qne. Le qros avantage de la la voie vers de nouvelles sour-
geothermie en France est que ces geothermiques utilisablet.
les ressources probables ou
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F'OR nFF7('lAl. USN: ON1.1'
1 :.~'C 4~ERI~TIONS REALISEES
- 2 Principales r~alisations :
3 nw~.,~�,4,..,~. �ai.:.,~ ~.;~i' Key:
,
~ ~ ' w` Y 1. Existing operations
. . . . . ~1L~. . ; }F ~ ~~~.YY ~ 1"T ' .
imb ~ ,
~ :~~0�.~~~s~ 2. Principal operations
~eoo'+~. �fi;.r, ~
1~ . ~r~~~~ 3. Date placed in service
~w~ ~ , aLpcmi~~~ . : u ' ~ 4. Lccation
i~ie ~ . ` ~ ' ~ `~0;~~, S . Hous ing equivalent s
. ~ ~a 6. Replaced TEP's
� . . ~ �.r: is.~!!o ~s. 4.. ~II~R ^ci
7. Small scale operations
Realisctions de petite taille~ 8. Figures from Ministry of Industry
~ 9. Operation planned to start in 1981
i~s waffioer a~~nan~o -..:..~aoo ~,.d: , ~~oo:,
~s~a Lv~a~m.:r.~ ~ ;�~eo ; ' ~ ~~~r,.;~,~ ~ 10 . Target date
iyn srs~~ax ' .t2oo'-~~":;~ ~E;~-~ ~ . ,
i~,a ~ ~n~ovxsr~ so>;,''::~ ~ ~,:,.~eo-:~ : 11. Nane of operation
_ 1978 - :LODSSIEL" , , ;.^.~o;~;.;-. '�Fa, 12. Estimated 'nousing equivalents
. ~ ~ ~l bi~~tj~ 1' . ~ .~'11~':
f ~
. ti.
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~ ~~~~~1�`~~~�� ~ y ~~~~7i~
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COPYRIGHT: 1981 by Technics Editions
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I1~1DU5TRIAL TECHNOLOGY
MANUFACTURING MATERIALS IN SPACE UNDER MICROGRAVITY
Paris AIR & COSMOS in French 5 Sep 81 p 46
~Article: "F~rthcoming E`rench Space Metallurgy Experiments"~
~Text~ The placing of the European space laboratory Spacelab, which is currently
scheduled to be launched by the American Space Shuttle in August 1983, at the
disposal of a larc~e number of users has made it possibl~ for France to open access
_ to space to a new scientific community, that of materi~l science. Thus was born
in 1975 the start of a national effort devoted to t.he study, experimentation and
. indeed the exploitation of mictogravity in the domain of material science.
Paralleling the efforts spearheaded by the CNES ~National Center for Space
Studies~ Programs Directorate to stimulate this entirely new community of re-
- searchers, the Toulouse Space Center undertook in 1976 the design and development
of a temperature-gradient oven for the actualization o� .four of the eight French
_ experiments currently programed for the first Spacelab mission. This oven will
also be used fo;: a G~rman experiment.
The CNES management, deeming it necessary to enlarge the basic acientiFic reaearch
~ffort and to carry out an in-depth experimentation phase, decided toward the end
~>f 1980 to create at Toulouse the GERME CStuBiea and Research Group on Materials
in Space~.
~ Within the fram~work of the CNES technical e�fort, thxs group was assigned two
primary missions:
--To provide technical and technological support to French scientific and indus-
trial laboratories for the study, development and exploit~tion of experimental
devices in connection with the manuEacturing of materials in space;
--To pramote the use of space for material science.
This group, consisting presently of eight persons, constitutes a technical link
between the national scientific community and the facilities for experimentation
under microgravity.
r
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For the first Spacelab payload, it will carry out the operational takeover of the
gradient oven and its calibration for each of the experiments that wi1'1 use it,
anc~ will provide the technical assistance required for the development and accep-
tance tests of the experimental unit assemblies and participation in two cryst~l-
growing experiments.
For the Franco-Soviet ELMA-02 ~Manufacture of Materials (in the Salyut orbital
station)~, the GERN~ will prepare the thermal calibration of the Soviet Magma
oven and assist the French experimenters (nine experiments being planned) with
reqard to all interfaces. It is also studying the drawing ug of the technical
specifications for the transporting of the gradient oven aboard the Salyut station
for the Emeraude project, the object of which is to open to French scientists
access t~ space flights of long duration (2 years or more) with availability of
an only ground facility.
The GERME is also working together wi~.h NASA on a preliminary definitional study
of the MEPHISTO ~Equipment for the 5tudy of Solidification Phenamena in Earth-
bound and Orbital Environments~ program being conducted by the Solidi~ication
Studies Laboratory of the CNES at Grenoble in ecientific cooperation with American
laboratories (MST and NBS).
COPYRIGI3T : A. & C. 19 80
9399
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TRANSPORTATION
ENGINE MANUFACTURERS DISCUSS JOINT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Paris AIR & COSMOS in French 5 Sep 81 p 11
~Text~ Pratt & Whitne~ and Rolls-Royce macle public last weekend the fact that
they have been engaged in talks over the past several months in an effort to
~ determine whether they can cooperate on the program for producing motors having
a thrust of 25,000 pounds (11.3 tons), which are being sought by the builders of
airframes for the construction of the new generation of 150-seat airlinQrs: the
A 320 (Airbus Industrie), MDF-100 (McDonnell Douglas-Fokker) and 7-7 (Baeing).
These talks have an ambitious o5jective: The creation of a company that would be
assigned combined responsibility for the design and development and then the ~
marketing of the new motors, the world market for which it is estimated will
reach 4,000 to 5,000 units between now and the end of the century.
At the last Salon du Bourget, the president of Pratt & Whitney, Mr Carlson, termed
- suicidal the situation , regarding these projects, that facES the three big motor
manufacturers--each of whom will be required to invest some 12 billion francs--and
three big builders of airframes, whose financial effort will probably have to be
of about comparable order of magnitude.
'i~alks were then be un in which CFM ~expansion unknown~ International (GE ~General
Electrical Company~-SNECMA ~National Corporation �or Aircraft Engine Design and
Construction~) was invited to offer its views. It appears that CFM no longer
plans to throw in its lot with the RJ-500 line of motors and that Rolls-Royce has
no intention of joining the CFM motor lineup.
The executives of Pratt & Whitney and those of Rolls-Royce found themselves having
to come together again even if only to put the finishing touches on the details of
implementation of the Pegasus program, which is linked to the joint Anglo-American
AV-8B program. It seems that Mr Carlson found in Lord McFadzean a more understand-
ing interlocutor than Losd K~nneth Keith, who, it has not been forgotten, was at
the origin of the divorce between the two motar builders on the defunct JT-lOD
program, after which the two builders, now having separated, launched competitive-
ly the RB 211-535 and PW 2037 motors to snatch ~he market for motorizing the
~ Boeing 757, an operation the financial outcome of which has been an outrigh~
- catastrophe.
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An Exploratory and Preliminary Stage
The two big motor builders emphasize that their talks have nct gone beyond an
expsoratoy and preliminary stage. Many obstacles will have to be overcame to
bring about an effective joint operation. Su�fice it to cite the problems raised
by the technology transfers while ~he two big builders are on a collision course
with regard to the PW 2037 and RB 211-535 programs. The assignment of tasks iaill
also not be an easy problem to resolve, each of the two builders having his own
lineup of partners: Ishikawajima-Harima, Mitsubishi and Kawasaki in the case of
Rolls-Royce and MTU [Motor and Turbine Co., Munich?] an~' Fiat in the case of Pratt &
Whitney.
Any eventual agreement must also be submitted for approval by the governments
concerne3 and it is not clear whether the antitrust laws, although they did not
play a role in the case of association with MTU and Fiat, might be evoked in the
case of an agreement with Rolls-Royce.
~ The developments in this affair will be followed very closely by Ftench industry,
- motorization being one o� the main aspects the problems associated with the
launching of the A 320 proqram.
COPYRIGHT: F~. & C. 1980
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1'RAN3PORTATION
FIAT PURSUES 'VSS' EXPERIMEN~AL CAR PROJECT
Theoretical Considerations '
_ Turin LA STAMF'A in Italian 8 Oct 81 p 13
[Article by Ferruccio Bernado: "The Meaning of Research on the VSS"~
[Text] Writing in these columns about the VSS (Subsystem Experimenta~. Vehicle) re-
search vehicle in the past few days, for reasons of space we were not able to detail
the energy aspects which characterize the vehicle, whose body is made of plastic
materials. We all know that any attempt to define the param~tar~ of ttne car of the
future begin with the fundamental precept of lower fuel consumption. ~'his is a
road that definitely can be embarked upon so much so that recent models, through
retaining their traditional structure, propulsion system and materigls, are a great
~ improvement over yesterday's models. Let us not, however, ex}~ect m~raclea, not
even in the far off future.
Nevertheless the car of tomorrow may permit aignificant savings in energy both in
the procedures and the ma~rerials used to build it. This is demonstrated by the
FSS prototype put forth by FIAT. Improvements include: greater production, greater
ease, lessaned work times (first savfngs); substitution for the traditional steel
outer sheeting of the car with plastic, as well as substitution of iron and aluminum
in some components, less steel used in the basic framework thanks to a more rational
conceptualizat:lon of the framework itaelf and improved planning techniques, and
making use of sophisticated methodologiea auch as mathematical models. As a result,
the vehicle is lighter in every way.
One may object: aren't plastics obtained from petroleum? Isn't what may be saved
on one end being wasted on the other? FIAT's technicians answer: "Speciali~ed
plastic materLals use for the VSS are derived from petrolQUm byproducts not other-
wise usable and not used in the past. Thetr availability therefore must be con-
sidered assured alth~ough their cost, at the present state of affaire, is not eco-
_ nomically profitable. Furthermore, the enersy content of a product in plastic
(that is, the energy required to produce it aad the energy contained im tihe material)
is about half of that of a similar piece made of sheet mezal."
If one were to consider the cost of t~e raw materials, the rough casting proceas
and the final finishing process, eteel is or~e and a half times more expenaive than
plastic and aluminum is seven or eight timea more expensive."
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Foa oFF�~ciA[, us~ otvLV '
_ Reiterating: the quantity of petroleum needed to produce plastic materials is
equal to only 2 per cent of that needed for other necessities: frum the pro3uction
of electricity to that of heating, from the needs ~f the chemical industry in
general to those bf tran~portation. The balance therefQre, is strictly ia faVOr o~
plastics. Caution must be exercised, however. It is not possible to think that
from one year ~o the next, setting aside the matter of investments, that a change
as radical as this, involving the whole steel producing industry, may be feasible.
Nevertheless, it is the task of research to explore, even ir only ia feasibility
studies, the new ways to safeguard those unrelinquishable human conquests.
Individual m~bility is one of these.
The meaning of FIAT's work on the Subsyst~m Experimental Vehicle must also be
considered under this view.
Pro~ect Manager's Comments
Turin LA STAMPA in Italian 9 Oct 81 p 13
[Article by Michele Fenu: "A Car Such as This Will Last for ~aenty Years"]
[Text~ "A car such as this can last up to twenty years." That is the opinion of
Engineer Paolo Scolari, in charge of FIAT's planning regarding the "VSS" prototype
shown r.ecently in Turin. I~owever, longevity in years is but one of the aspects
of this very particular automobile, "a car" emphasizes Scolari, "that is real and
functional, not a dreamcar de~~oid of practical applications."
"This prototype" he said, "allows the demonstration of how som~ goals can be
attained such as the simplification and reduction of assemhly operations along
the assembly line as well as reduction in weight. The body is twenty per cent
lighter compared to a similar traditional model. That adds up to an overall
savings of about on hundred kilos."
The "VSS" however, is anly one of the examples of research undertaken by FIAT. (It
cost three years of research in collaboration with various corporations and com-
panies.) "Research" stated Scolari, "represents 2.7 per cent of our b+adget, which
translates into 270-280 billion lire annually. This figure parallels the research
budgets of other ma~or world car manufacturera. The research pro,jects already
- underway are numerous r~nd include those that ~.im at lower fuel consumption as well
as those with other aims."
Scolari msde mention of the constant changes industry will be implementing (at
least 24 months will be needed) following the positive results of a long series of
tests. FIAT is the leader in this intereating field. Mention is made of the
- volumetric compressor, a type of supercharger already beiag used in the F7AT 131
and now in demand by many foreign manufacturers. In addition, work ia being done
~ on electronic circuitry for enginea, direct in~ection for Diesel engines and,
said Scolari, "many other thinge."
"Things" that are not part of the immediate future, though. Do not think it
- possible to see a VSS a year or two from now. In theory, a vehicle of this kind
will be on the market only by the 1990's. This is due to economical reasons, not
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technical ones. Inv~estments of gigantic proportions are necessary, and the whole
process used in manufacturing a car must be totally changed. As an example, the
gi.g~ntic presses in use today would have to be substituted by much sma.ller machinee~
Anather p roblem involves stamping plastic in presse~. "In order to make a VS5 at
_ this time," said Scolari, "another 100,000 lire would have to be added to the cost."
An excercise in futility then? No, because beside the g~neral data acquir~d by
- studies of this type, FIAT in the next few years will apply VSS derived technology
to some of its newer models. Continued Scolari: "In particular, we plan to use
the subsystems involving the front end of the car, the car's rear a~d above all
- the rear hatch door, the defroster plate glass window and the dashboard."
In essence, the application of ideas derived from the VSS is a gradual one, as is
to be expected from any technical or. industrial transformation. Revolutions, from
one day to the next are not possible. The important thi~g is to be prepared, and
actually anticipate these changes.
~pes of Plastics Used
Turin LA STAMPA in Italian 9 Oct p 13
[Artiele by Gianni Rogliatti: "Which Plastics Are Used to Substitute Traditional
- Steel Sheet Metal?")
[Text] FIAT's Subsystem Fxperimental Vehicle contains the highest percentage in
weight of plastic materials ever used before now: to be precise, it is 26 per cent
plastic, compared to Ritmo's 15 per cent plastic, "which is a car that by now has
reached full production schedule and contains an elevated percentage of plastic."
Contrary to the past, when the term plastic was used generically to mean a mat~rial
substituted for other more costly materials, today, thanks to the advances of
chemistry, materials can be manufactured and set to use that have very specific
characteristics tailored to their specific functions.
In order to obtain weight reduction and improved functionality, FT.~iT's technicians
have made use of five different types of plastic materials, the characteristics of
which are adapted to each differing task, and which are briefly described below.
Unsaturated Polyester - This is a plastic with high resistance to bending and
breaking as well as to high temperatures. It is the material that h~s the highest
specific weight (1.7 grams per cubic centimeter) but still less than steel (7.85
grams) and aluminum (2.7 grams). This material is used for the four doors, the
hatch back door and for the external rear side ganels.
Polyester Foam - As the name implies, this material is derived from the same
family of the preceeding material, but features a lighter specif ic weight and a
greater adaptability to inaulation and soundproofing given its makeup. Its apecific
weight is of 0.7 grams per cubic centimeter and it is used in the roof and the
engine hood.
t
Polycarbonate - This is a material of many uses in its varied characteristica (which
include even a transparent type). It has a specific weight of 1.2 grams per cubic
centimeter and has the highest specific breakage ratio, namely the pressure it can
10
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2007/02/09: CIA-RDP82-00850R000400070022-6

APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2007/02/09: CIA-RDP82-00850R000400070022-6
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLS'
resist in relation to the weight of the ~aterial used. This value is of 50 for
polycarbonate but only 38 for aluminum. It makes sense therefore that it be used
for both the front and rear bumpers, for the front end of the car, for the trunk
floor, the inside p~nles and for the rear lining. ~
Modified Polyoxiphenylene - It has median characteristics and as such it is used
for the dashboard, whose position requires first of all a pleasant appearance. Its
_ features of resistance to pressures and temperature changes are amply sufficient for
~ this task. �
Elevate~ Molecular Weight Palyethylene - This is one of the better known plastic
materials, one that is readily identified simply as plastic due to its use in the
manufacture of containers. [~1ith regard to the VSS, it is used in the fu:el tank due
to its not being affected by those chemicals present in gasoline. It has an
enormous breakage ration: over 600 per cent versus 100 per cent of the next closest
material {Polycarbonate) and versus only 40 per cent for steel. This results in
greater security.
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~ Beginning with the main body structure of FIAT's model "VSS," it is possible to
_ make various body styles (left); the metal framework and the uses for the new above-
mentioned plastic materials can be noted (right).
COPYRIGHT: 1981 Editrice LA STAMPA
9209
CSO: 3102/17 END
11
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2007/02/09: CIA-RDP82-00850R000400070022-6