This project involves the development of an optimized, bench-scale processing circuit capable of efficiently removing trace elements from, run-of-mine coals. The optimized circuit will be developed using characterization data obtained from detailed washability studies and release analyses tests conducted with several eastern U.S. coals. The optimized circuit will incorporate a variety of conventional and advanced coal cleaning processes which are believed to be the most cost-effective and commercially viable. The coal products from the optimized circuit will be further treated with complexing agents specifically designed to extract organometallic trace elements that are difficult to remove by physical cleaning operations. Finally, innovative bioremediation schemes will be investigated as a means of controlling the release of trace elements from the process waste streams. Emphasis has been placed on the development of a processing circuit which (1) maximizes the rejection of trace elements, (2) minimizes the production of coal fines which are costly to process and less marketable, and (3) minimizes the downstream impacts of the process waste streams on the environment. During the past quarter, the project work plan and all associated technical/management reports were successfully completed. In addition, three coal samples have been selected for use in the proposed test program …

This project involves the development of an optimized, bench-scale processing circuit capable of efficiently removing trace elements from run-of-mine coals. The optimized circuit will be developed using characterization data obtained from detailed washability studies and release analyses tests conducted with several eastern US coals. The optimized circuit will incorporate a variety of conventional and advanced coal cleaning processes which are believed to be the most cost-effective and commercially viable. The coal products from the optimized circuit will be further treated with complexing agents specifically designed to extract organometallic trace elements that are difficult to remove by physical cleaning operations. Finally, innovative bioremediation schemes will be investigated as a means of controlling the release of trace elements from the process waste streams. Emphasis has been placed on the development of a processing circuit which maximizes the rejection of trace elements, minimizes the production of coal fines which are costly to process and less marketable, and minimizes the downstream impacts of the process waste streams on the environment. During the past quarter, the project work plan and all associated technical/management reports were successfully approved. Activities associated with the selection and acquisition of all three base coal samples have also been completed. Characterization …

This project involves the development of an optimized, bench-scale processing circuit capable of efficiently removing trace elements from run-of-mine coals. The optimized circuit will be developed using characterization data obtained from detailed washability studies and release analyses tests conducted with several eastern U.S. coals. The optimized circuit will incorporate a variety of conventional and advanced coal cleaning processes. The coal products from the optimized circuit will be further treated with complexing agents specifically designed to extract organometallic trace elements that are difficult to remove by physical cleaning operations. Finally, innovative bioremediation schemes will be investigated as a means of controlling the release of trace elements from the process waste streams. Emphasis has been placed on the development of a processing circuit which (i) maximizes the rejection of trace elements, (ii) minimizes the production of coal fines which are costly to process and less marketable, and (iii) minimizes the downstream impacts of the process waste on the environment. During the past quarter, several key subtasks were completed. Most of the characterization tests for the Pittsburgh No. 8 coal have now been concluded. These include all activities associated with Subtasks 3.2 washability analysis, 3.3 flotation release analysis, and 3.4 SEM/image analysis. A …

The Controlled, Clean, and Stable (CCS) Design Requirements Document (DRD) contains the technically defensible and traceable functions and requirements for maintaining the Single-Shell Tank Farms in a cost effective and safe interim end state. The CCSDRD functions and requirements constitute the project characteristics that are minimally sufficient to meet the CCS mission goals.

We conducted an airgun survey in the waters of Ascension Island in May 1999 to determine new locations and depths for three Missile Impact Location System (MILS) hydrophones (ASC23, ASC24, and ASC26) currently in use by the Prototype International Data Center (PIDC) and the National Data Center (NDC). The nominal and new locations are summarized in Table 1. Although not rigorous, errors in the new locations and depths are conservatively estimated to be less than 100 m. The hydrophones are either on or near the ocean bottom in all three cases. The new depths are consistent with the following: Direct-phase airgun arrivals; Bathymetry determined along the track of the ship used for this airgun survey; Reflected phases from the airgun data; and Depths given in the original hydrophone installation report.

Ferrochelatase (EC 4.99.1.1), the terminal enzyme of the heme biosynthetic pathway, catalyzes Fe²⁺ chelation into protoporphyrin IX. Resonance Raman and W-visible absorbance spectroscopes of wild type and engineered variants of murine ferrochelatase were used to examine the proposed structural mechanism for iron insertion into protoporphyrin by ferrochelatase. The recombinant variants (i.e., H207N and E287Q) are enzymes in which the conserved amino acids histidine-207 and glutamate-287 of murine ferrochelatase were substituted with asparagine and glutamine, respectively. Both of these residues are at the active site of the enzyme as deduced from the Bacillus subtilis ferrochelatase three-dimensional structure. Addition of free base or metalated porphyrins to wild type ferrochelatase and H207N variant yields a quasi 1:1 complex, possibly a monomeric protein-bound species. In contrast, the addition of porphyrin (either free base or metalated) to E287Q is sub-stoichiometric, as this variant retains bound porphyrin in the active site during isolation and purification. The specificity of porphyrin binding is confirmed by the narrowing of the structure-sensitive resonance Raman lines and the vinyl vibrational mode. Resonance Raman spectra of free base and metalated porphyrins bound to the wild type ferrochelatase indicate a nonplanar distortion of the porphyrin macrocycle, although the magnitude of the distortion cannot …

This document is the organizational chart for the US NRC. It contains organizational structure and functional statements for the following: (1) the Commission, (2) committees and boards, (3) staff offices, (4) office of the Inspector General, (5) executive director for operations, (6) program offices, and (7) regional offices.

The main objective of the Unsteady Aerodynamics Experiment is to provide information needed to quantify the full-scale three-dimensional aerodynamic behavior of horizontal axis wind turbines. To accomplish this, an experimental wind turbine configured to meet specific research objectives was assembled and operated at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The turbine was instrumented to characterize rotating blade aerodynamic performance, machine structural responses, and atmospheric inflow conditions. Comprehensive tests were conducted with the turbine operating in an outdoor field environment under diverse conditions. Resulting data are used to validate aerodynamic and structural dynamics models which are an important part of wind turbine design and engineering codes. Improvements in these models are needed to better characterize aerodynamic response in both the steady-state post-stall and dynamic stall regimes. Much of the effort in the earlier phase of the Unsteady Aerodynamics Experiment focused on developing required data acquisition systems. Complex instrumentation and equipment was needed to meet stringent data requirements while operating under the harsh environmental conditions of a wind turbine rotor. Once the data systems were developed, subsequent phases of experiments were then conducted to collect data for use in answering specific research questions. A description of the experiment configuration used during Phases …

This report summarizes the in-house and subcontracted research and development (R and D) activities under the National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) from October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998 (FY 1998). The NCPV is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Photovoltaics Program, as described in the DOE National Photovoltaics Program Plan for 1996-2000. The mission of the DOE National Photovoltaics Program is to make PV a significant part of the domestic economy--as an industry and as an energy resource. The two primary goals of the national program are to (1) maintain the U.S. industry's world leadership in research and technology development and (2) help the U.S. industry remain a major, profitable force in the world market. The NCPV provides leadership and support to the national program toward achieving its mission and goals.