This study examined the hydrological conditions of the glacial till underlying the 800 Area sanitary landfill at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) near Lemont, Illinois. The study's purpose was to review and summarize hydrological data collected by ANL's Environment, Safety, and Health Department and to characterize, on the basis of these data, the groundwater movement and migration of potential contaminants in the area. Recommendations for further study have been made based on the findings of this review. The 800 Area landfill is located on the western edge of ANL, just south of Westgate Road. It has been in operation since 1966 and has been used for the disposal of sanitary, general refuse. From 1969 through 1978, however, substantial quantities of liquid organic and inorganic wastes were disposed of in a French drain'' at the northeast corner of the landfill. The 800 Area landfill is underlain by a silty clay glacial till. Dolomite bedrock underlies the till at an average depth of about 45.6 m. Trace levels of organic contaminants and radionuclides have been detected in groundwater samples from wells completed in the till. Fractures in the clay as well as sand and gravel lenses present in the till could permit these …

Researchers in the Aquatic Species Program at the Solar Energy Research Institute are developing species of microalgae that have high percentages of lipids, or oils. These lipids can be extracted and converted to diesel fuel substitutes. Because microalgae need carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) as a nutrient, optimal microalgae growth occurs in CO{sub 2}-saturated solutions. For this reason, the authors of this study sought to identify possible large-scale sources of CO{sub 2} for microalgae-based liquid fuels production. The authors concluded that several such promising sources exist. 42 refs., 14 figs., 10 tabs.

The Ceramic Technology For Advanced Heat Engines Project was developed by the Department of Energy's Office of Transportation Systems (OTS) in Conservation and Renewable Energy. This project, part of the OTS's Advanced Materials Development Program, was developed to meet the ceramic technology requirements of the OTS's automotive technology programs. Significant accomplishments in fabricating ceramic components for the Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Department of Defense (DOD) advanced heat engine programs have provided evidence that the operation of ceramic parts in high-temperature engine environments is feasible. However, these programs have also demonstrated that additional research is needed in materials and processing development, design methodology, and data base and life prediction before industry will have a sufficient technology base from which to produce reliable cost-effective ceramic engine components commercially. An assessment of needs was completed, and a five year project plan was developed with extensive input from private industry. The objective of the project is to develop the industrial technology base required for reliable ceramics for application in advanced automotive heat engines. The project approach includes determining the mechanisms controlling reliability, improving processes for fabricating existing ceramics, developing new materials with increased reliability, and testing these …

Neutron activation cross section data are needed for fusion reactor materials to facilitate neutron dosimetry and to determine activity levels for waste disposal, safety, and reactor maintenance applications. Measurements are reviewed for 36 different reactions, many leading to long-lived nuclides. Irradiations were performed at 14 MeV at the RTNS II to fluences of 10{sup 18}n/cm{sup 2}. Activities were determined by either gamma and x-ray analysis or liquid scintillation counting following radiochemical separations to remove interfering activities. Results are compared to calculations with the ALICE computer code. Activity levels are predicted for the STARFIRE fusion reactor design and compared to previous estimates. Other work is summarized including rare earth irradiations in Be(d,n), H(t,n), and T(d,n) accelerator-based neutron sources with average energies of 3, 10, and 14 MeV, respectively.

The DOE gaseous diffusion plant complex makes extensive use of CFC-114 as as primary coolant. As this material is on the Montreal Protocol list of materials scheduled for production curtailment, a substitute must be found. In addition to physical cooling properties, the gaseous diffusion application imposes requirements of chemical inertness to fluorinating agents that are somewhat unique. A series of studies has therefore been undertaken to evaluate the gas-phase chemical reactivity of potential alternate coolants. This report examines the reactivity of CFC-114 (i.e. C{sub 2}F{sub 4}Cl{sub 2}) with UF{sub 6} and F{sub 2}. This degree of reactivity will serve as the baseline against which alternate coolants will be compared. 9 figs., 8 tabs.

A series of impact experiments on a composite propellant, an energetic propellant, and their simulants was recently completed using a light-gas gun. Previous experiments were done to obtain Hugoniot data, to investigate the pressure threshold at which a reaction occurs, and to measure spall damage at various impact velocities. The present studies measured the attenuation of shock waves in these materials, completing the shock characterization needed for material modeling. An initial impulse of 2.0 GPa magnitude and {approximately}0.6 {mu}s duration was imposed upon samples of various thicknesses. VISAR was used to measure the free-surface velocity at the back of the samples; these data were used to generate a curve of shock-wave attenuation versus sample thickness for each material. Results showed that all four materials attenuated the shock wave very similarly. Material thicknesses of 3.0, 7.62, 12.7, and 19.0 mm attenuated the shock wave {approximately}16%, 33%, 50%, and 66% respectively. 14 refs., 12 figs., 4 tabs.

Contamination associated with seepage basins and other underground structures at US Department of Energy sites may be effectively remediated by application of in situ vitrification (ISV) technology. In situ vitrification converts contaminated soil and buried wastes into a glass and crystalline block, similar to obsidian commingled with crystalline phases. Two bench-scale tests performed at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) in September 1989 demonstrated the feasibility of applying ISV to seepage basin soils at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina. The two tests were performed on soils spiked with heavy metal and organic contaminants as well as stable radioactive simulants. These soils contain extremely low concentrations of alkali fluxes such as sodium and potassium oxides, which are necessary charge carriers for the ISV process. Tests performed on the low flux-containing soil indicate the soil can be vitrified with special application of the ISV process. Tests showed the hazardous and radioactive simulants were successfully bound in the vitrified product and the organics were mostly destroyed. Additional larger scale testing and evaluation are recommended to further study the feasibility of treating contaminated SRS soil by the ISV process. 13 refs., 12 figs., 7 tabs.

Over the last nine years, coordinated activities in laboratory database generation, constitutive model formulation, and numerical code capability development have led to an improved ability of thermal/structural codes to predict the creep deformation of underground rooms in bedded salt deposits. In the last year, these codes have been undergoing preliminary validation against an extensive database collected from the large scale underground structural in situ tests at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Southeastern New Mexico. This validation exercise has allowed prediction capabilities to be evaluated for accuracy. We present here a summary of the predictive capability and the nature of the in situ database involved in the validation exercise. The WIPP validation exercise has proven to be especially productive. 7 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

Three topics are reviewed in this paper. They are the magnetic and optical properties of NpF{sub 6} and PuF{sub 6}, Np(BH{sub 3}CH{sub 3}){sub 4}, and the hyperfine anomaly of {sup 239,241}Pu. Based on recent optical data of NpF{sub 6} and PuF{sub 6} in Ar matrices, new crystal field analyses of these molecules are presented. The temperature dependent {sup 1}H and {sup 11}B NMR shifts of Np(BH{sub 3}CH{sub 3}){sub 4} are discussed. 40 refs., 4 figs., 8 tabs.

Nonprofit agencies are a critical component of the health and human services system in the US. It has been clearly demonstrated by programs that offer energy efficiency services to nonprofits that, with minimal investment, they can educe their energy consumption by ten to thirty percent. This energy conservation potential motivated the Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to conceive a project to help states develop energy efficiency programs for nonprofits. The purpose of the project was two-fold: (1) to analyze existing programs to determine which design and delivery mechanisms are particularly effective, and (2) to create model programs for states to follow in tailoring their own plans for helping nonprofits with energy efficiency programs. Twelve existing programs were reviewed, and three model programs were devised and put into operation. The model programs provide various forms of financial assistance to nonprofits and serve as a source of information on energy efficiency as well. After examining the results from the model programs (which are still on-going) and from the existing programs, several replicability factors'' were developed for use in the implementation of programs by other states. These factors -- some concrete and practical, others more generalized -- serve as guidelines …

The mission of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Project is to develop the technology for safe disposal of the radioactive Transuranic (TRU) waste forms generated by the US defense programs. The WIPP facility has been constructed in the bedded salt deposits of Southeastern New Mexico. In the existing regulatory context, the requirement is to assure that the potential repository isolates the radioactive waste from the accessible environment and mankind. This requirement means, in part, that the creep closure and waste encapsulation of the salt must be predicted far into the future, a capability which requires a significant development of predictive technology. A series of large scale in situ experiments were fielded at the WIPP specifically to provide a data base for validation of the independently developed prediction technology. In this paper, we present the results of one large scale, heated test as analyzed according to the most advanced predictive capability. The closure measurements from a large scale, heated, in situ experimental room in salt are compared to numerical calculations using the most recent predictive technology, with very good agreement, limited potentially only by the unmodeled roof fracture and separation. 9 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.

The objective of the Solid Waste Management Program Plan (SWMPP) is to provide a summary level comprehensive approach for the storage, treatment, and disposal of current and future solid waste received at the Hanford Site (from onsite and offsite generators) in a manner compliant with current and evolving regulations and orders (federal, state, and Westinghouse Hanford Company (Westinghouse Hanford)). The Plan also presents activities required for disposal of selected wastes currently in retrievable storage. The SWMPP provides a central focus for the description and control of cost, scope, and schedule of Hanford Site solid waste activities, and provides a vehicle for ready communication of the scope of those activities to onsite and offsite organizations. This Plan represents the most complete description available of Hanford Site Solid Waste Management (SWM) activities and the interfaces between those activities. It will be updated annually to reflect changes in plans due to evolving regulatory requirements and/or the SWM mission. 8 refs., 9 figs., 4 tabs.

This WIPP Bin-Scale CH TRU Waste Test program described herein will provide relevant composition and kinetic rate data on gas generation and consumption resulting from TRU waste degradation, as impacted by synergistic interactions due to multiple degradation modes, waste form preparation, long-term repository environmental effects, engineered barrier materials, and, possibly, engineered modifications to be developed. Similar data on waste-brine leachate compositions and potentially hazardous volatile organic compounds released by the wastes will also be provided. The quantitative data output from these tests and associated technical expertise are required by the WIPP Performance Assessment (PA) program studies, and for the scientific benefit of the overall WIPP project. This Test Plan describes the necessary scientific and technical aspects, justifications, and rational for successfully initiating and conducting the WIPP Bin-Scale CH TRU Waste Test program. This Test Plan is the controlling scientific design definition and overall requirements document for this WIPP in situ test, as defined by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), scientific advisor to the US Department of Energy, WIPP Project Office (DOE/WPO). 55 refs., 16 figs., 19 tabs.

Population radiation dose commitments have been estimated from reported radionuclide releases from commercial power reactors operating during 1987. Fifty-year dose commitments for a one-year exposure from both liquid and atmospheric releases were calculated for four population groups (infant, child, teen-ager and adult) residing between 2 and 80 km from each of 70 reactor sites. This report tabulates the results of these calculations, showing the dose commitments for both water and airborne pathways for each age group and organ. Also included for reach of the sites is a histogram showing the fraction of the total population within 2 to 80 km around each site receiving various average dose commitments from the airborne pathways. The site average individual dose commitment from all pathways ranged from a low of 2 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} mrem to a high of 0.009 mrem. No attempt was made in this study to determine the maximum dose commitment received by any one individual from the radionuclides released at any of the sites. However, licensee calculation of doses to the maximally exposed individual at some sites indicated values of up to approximately 100 times average individual doses (on the order of a few millirem per year). 2 refs., 2 …

The phenomenon of thermal-acoustic oscillation is seen to arise spontaneously in gas columns subjected to steep temperature gradients, particularly in tubes connecting liquid helium reservoirs with the ambient environment. This if often the arrangement for installed cryogenic instrumentation and is accompanied by undesirably large heat transfer rates to the cold region. Experimental data are collected and matched to theoretical predictions of oscillatory behavior; these results are in good agreement with the analytical model and with previously collected data. The present experiment places the open ends of oscillating tubes of the various lengths and cross sections in communication with flowing helium in the subcooled, 2-phase, or superheated state while the other ends are maintained at some controlled, elevated temperature. Assorted cold end conditions are achieved through adjustments to the Fermilab Tevatron satellite test refrigerator to which the test cryostat is connected. The warm, closed ends of the tubes are maintained by isothermal baths of liquid nitrogen, ice water, and boiling water. The method is contrasted to previous arrangements whereby tubes are run from room temperature into or adjacent to a stagnant pool of liquid helium. Additionally, the effect of pulsations in the flowing helium stream is explored through operation of the …

We propose to do experimental studies in four related areas concerning the acid-base properties of coal surfaces; (1) develop high precision flow microcalorimetric methods for determining the concentrations and strengths of the acidic and basic surface sites of coal powders; (2) develop photo-acoustic FTIR and solid-state NMR spectral shift techniques for determination of the concentrations and strengths of acidic and basic surface sites of coal powders; (3) determine the concentrations and strengths of the acidic and basic surface sites of some of the well-characterized coal samples from Argonne National Labs, comparing the coal samples before and after demineralization treatments with HCl and HF; (4) study the effects of surface acidity and basicity on the coal/water interface, with emphasis on the role of interfacial acid-base interactions in the adsorption of ions, surfactants and coal/water slurry stabilizers. A practical application of the new measurements of the acidity and basicity of surface sites will be to exploit acid-base contributions to preferential wettability for optimizing separation of coal pyrites from the organic components. Work this quarter concentrated on flow microcalorimetry for assessing acidity/basicity of coal powders. 8 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.

The photoconductivity is measured on a high-surface-area disordered carbon material, namely activated carbon fibers, to investigate their electronic properties. Measurements of decay time, recombination kinetics and temperature dependence of the photoconductivity generally reflect the electronic properties of a material. The material studied in this paper is a highly disordered carbon derived from a phenolic precursor, having a huge specific surface area of 1000--2000m{sup 2}/g. Our preliminary thermopower measurements suggest that this carbon material is a p-type semiconductor with an amorphous-like microstructure. The intrinsic electrical conductivity, on the order of 20S/cm at room temperature, increases with increasing temperature in the range 30--290K. In contrast with the intrinsic conductivity, the photoconductivity in vacuum decreases with increasing temperature. The recombination kinetics changes from a monomolecular process at room temperature to a biomolecular process at low temperatures. The observed decay time of the photoconductivity is {approx equal}0.3sec. The magnitude of the photoconductive signal was reduced by a factor of ten when the sample was exposed to air. The intrinsic carrier density and the activation energy for conduction are estimated to be {approx equal}10{sup 21}/cm{sup 3} and {approx equal}20meV, respectively. The majority of the induced photocarriers and of the intrinsic carriers are trapped, resulting in …

This report synthesizes the technical progress of research projects in the Short Rotation Woody Crops Program for the year ending September 30, 1989. The primary goal of this research program, sponsored by the US Department of Energy's Biofuels and Municipal Waste Technology Division, is the development of a viable technology for producing renewable feedstocks for conversion to biofuels. One of the more significant accomplishments was the documentation that short-rotation woody crops total delivered costs could be $40/Mg or less under optimistic but attainable conditions. By taking advantage of federal subsidies such as those offered under the Conservation Reserve Program, wood energy feedstock costs could be lower. Genetic improvement studies are broadening species performance within geographic regions and under less-than-optimum site conditions. Advances in physiological research are identifying key characteristics of species productivity and response to nutrient applications. Recent developments utilizing biotechnology have achieved success in cell and tissue culture, somaclonal variation, and gene-insertion studies. Productivity gains have been realized with advanced cultural studies of spacing, coppice, and mixed-species trials. 8 figs., 20 tabs.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) represents both a significant problem and an abundant resource for the production of energy. The residential, institutional, and industrial sectors of this country generate about 250 million tons of MSW each year. In this report, the authors have compiled data on the status of MSW in the 13-state western region, including economic and environmental issues. The report is designed to assist the members of the Western Regional Biomass Energy Program Ad Hoc Resource Committee in determining the potential for using MSW to produce energy in the region. 51 refs., 7 figs., 18 tabs.

In a reactor relevant tokamak the appropriate definition of {beta}, the ratio of the particle and magnetic field pressures, is {beta}* {equivalent to} (2 < p{sup 2} >{sup {1/2}} /B{sup 2}), which exceeds the conventional definition by a factor dependent on the pressure peaking factor, PPF. A simple scaling is obtained which relates the two definitions, {beta}*/{beta}{approx equal}0.9 {plus} 0.15 PPF. Stability properties are determined in terms of {beta}* in a circular and dee-shaped tokamak. 4 refs., 6 figs.

In this paper I show how one may arrive at a universal, or natural, family of Tokamak profiles using only accepted physical principles. These particular profiles are similar to ones proposed previously on the basis of ad hoc variational principles and the point of the present paper is to provide a justification for them. However in addition, the present work provides an interesting view of Tokamak fluctuations and leads to a new result -- a relationship between the inward particle pinch velocity, the diffusion coefficient and the current profile. The basic Tokamak model is described in this paper. Then an analogy is developed between Tokamak profiles and the equilibrium of a realisable dynamical system. Then the equations governing the natural Tokamak profiles are derived by applying standard statistical mechanics to this analog. The profiles themselves are calculated and some other results of the theory are described.

A key step in the processing of ceramics is the consolidation of powders into engineered shapes. Colloidal processing uses solvents (usually water) and dispersants to break up powder agglomerates in suspension and thereby reduce the pore size in a consolidated compact. However, agglomeration and particle rearrangement leading to pore enlargement can still occur during drying. Therefore, it is beneficial to consolidate the compact as densely as possible during the suspension stage. The consolidation techniques of pressure filtration and centrifugation were studied and the results are reported in this paper. In particular, the steady-state pressure- density relationship was studied, and information was obtained regarding the consolidation process, the microstructure, and the average density profile of consolidated cakes. Recently, we performed Monte Carlo simulations on a cluster-cluster aggregation model with restructuring, and found the exponential relationship between pressure and density is indeed the result of the breaking up of the fractal structural units. Furthermore, we calculated density profiles from the bottom to the top of the consolidated cakes by solving the local static force balance equation in the continuum particulate network. 11 refs., 3 figs.

Both the secondary pyrolysis and combustion of the volatiles from a bituminous coal will be studied. Devolatilization and secondary pyrolysis experiments will be conducted in a novel flow reactor in which secondary pyrolysis of the volatiles occurs after devolatilization is complete. This allows unambiguous measurements of the yields from both processes. Measurements will be made for reactor temperatures from 1500 to 1700 K, and a nominal residence time of 200 msec. These conditions are typical of coal combustion. Yields of tar, soot, H{sub 2}, CO, CH{sub 4}, and C{sub 2} and C{sub 3} hydrocarbons will be determined as a function of reactor temperature. The yields will be reported as a function of the temperature of the reactor. The instrumentation for temperature measurements will be developed during future studies. Combustion studies will be conducted in a constant volume bomb, which will be designed and constructed for this study. Tar and soot will be removed before introducing the volatiles to the bomb, so that only the combustion of the light gas volatiles will be considered. The burning velocities of light gas volatiles will be determined both as functions of mixture stoichiometry and the temperature at which the volatiles are pyrolysed. 90 refs., …

The North Carolina Field Test will test the effectiveness of two weatherization approaches: the current North Carolina Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program and the North Carolina Field Test Audit. The Field Test Audit will differ from North Carolina's current weatherization program in that it will incorporate new weatherization measures and techniques, a procedure for basing measure selection of the characteristics of the individual house and the cost-effectiveness of the measure, and also emphasize cooling energy savings. The field test will determine the differences of the two weatherization approaches from the viewpoints of energy savings, cost effectiveness, and implementation ease. This Experimental Plan details the steps in performing the field test. The field test will be a group effort by several participating organizations. Pre- and post-weatherization data will be collected over a two-year period (November 1989 through August 1991). The 120 houses included in the test will be divided into a control group and two treatment groups (one for each weatherization procedure) of 40 houses each. Weekly energy use data will be collected for each house representing whole-house electric, space heating and cooling, and water heating energy uses. Corresponding outdoor weather and house indoor temperature data will also be collected. The energy …