This is the activity report for the PAN-EARTH Project Case Study Venezuela from October 1988 to March 1990.

During this period work has encompassed: (a) development of electropotential drop techniques to monitor the growth of cracks in steel specimens for a variety of specimen geometries; (b) micromechanical modeling of fracture using finite element calculations of crack and notch-tip stress and strain fields; (3) examining helium effects on radiation damage in austenitic and ferritic stainless steels; (4) analysis of the degradation of the mechanical properties of austenitic stainless steels for the purpose of assessing the feasibility of using these steels in ITER; (5) development of an integrated approach to integrity assessment; and (6) development of advanced methods of measuring fracture properties.

Object-Oriented Technology (OOT), although not a new paradigm, has recently been prominently featured in the trade press and even general business publications. Indeed, the promises of object technology are alluring: the ability to handle complex design and engineering information through the full manufacturing production life cycle or to manipulate multimedia information, and the ability to improve programmer productivity in creating and maintaining high quality software. Groups at a number of the DOE facilities have been exploring the use of object technology for engineering, business, and other applications. In this white paper, the technology is explored thoroughly and compared with previous means of developing software and storing databases of information. Several specific projects within the DOE Complex are described, and the state of the commercial marketplace is indicated.

A new type of electrodynamic balance was designed, constructed and applied to the study of the chemistry of macerals and the chemical reaction between CaO sorbent particles and SO[sub 2]. The single-particle device was coupled to a Raman spectrometer. With this balance a single electrically charged microparticle is suspended in visible and infrared laser beams by means of superposed ac and dc electrical fields. The apparatus was designed to permit gas flow through the chamber so that gas-solid and gas-liquid chemical reactions can be carried out. A visible laser beam was used to illuminate the particle for Raman and fluorescence measurements, and an infrared laser beam was used to heat the particle. An overview of the experimental system is presented in Figure 1. The levitated particles were heated from two sides using a CO[sub 2] laser operating at the infrared wavelength of 10.6 [mu]m. The optical system used to direct the heating laser beam to the target is shown in Figure 2. Infrared detectors indicated in Figure 1 were used to measure the particle temperature by two-color pyrometery. A new technique was explored to independently determine the particle temperature; the method involves measuring the ratio of the intensities of Stokes …

In 1979, a K-edge densitometer (KED) was installed by the Safeguards Assay group from Los Alamos National Laboratory in the PNC reprocessing plant at Tokai-mura, Japan. It uses an active nondestructive assay technique, KED, to measure the plutonium concentration of the product solution. The measurement uncertainty of an assay depends on the count time chosen, but can be 0.5% or better. The computer hardware and software were upgraded in 1992. This manual describes the operation of the instrument, with an emphasis on the user interface to the software.

The Low-NO{sub x} Cell{trademark} Burner operates on the principle of staged combustion. The lower burner of each two-nozzle cell is modified to accommodate all the fuel input previously handled by two nozzles. Secondary air, less than theoretically required for complete combustion, is introduced to the lower burner. The remainder of secondary air is directed to the upper port'' of each cell to complete the combustion process. B W/EPRI have thoroughly tested the LNCB{trademark} at two pilot scales (6 million Btu per hour and 100 million Btu per hour), and tested a single full-scale burner in a utility boiler. Combustion tests at two scales have confirmed NO{sub x} reduction with the low-NO{sub x} cell on the order of 50% relative to the standard cell burner at optimum operating conditions. The technology is now ready for full unit, full-scale demonstration.

The Department of Energy has established specifications for the DWPF product, which require that the DWPF provide estimates of the service life of the canister label, provide assurance that the DWPF canister will be leaktight when shipped, demonstrate that the contents of the canistered waste form will not lead to internal corrosion of the canister. The DWPF has elected to meet these requirements, in part, by characterizing canisters produced in the facility during the Startup Test Program. This includes canisters filled on the pour turntable (normal conditions) and canisters filled on the drain turntable (credible upset conditions expected to be more severe due to higher temperatures). This document identifies the requirements for characterization of the canister fabrication welds and canister labels (characterization of canister closure welds is being performed by Equipment Engineering Section), and for estimation of their service life in DWPF's Glass Waste Storage Building.

Three lines of work have been completed since our previously submitted proposal. These are: spectroscopy of Ce{sup 3+} {minus} Na{sup +} pairs in CaF{sub 2} and SrF{sub 2}, photoionization studies of Sm{sup 2+}, Eu{sup 2+} and Yb{sup 2+} in CaF{sub 2} and SrF{sub 2}; and infrared-detected two-photon spectroscopy of MgO:Ni{sup 2+}, and other two-photon spectroscopy studies. These are discussed in this report.

The performance of liquid centrifugation for nuclear waste partitioning is examined for the Accelerator Transmutation of Waste Program currently under study at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Centrifugation might have application for the separation of the LiF-BeF{sub 2} salt from heavier radioactive materials fission product and actinides in the separation of fission product from actinides, in the isotope separation of fission-product cesium before transmutation of the {sup 137}Cs and {sup 135}Cs, and in the removal of spallation product from the liquid lead target. It is found that useful chemical separations should be possible using existing materials for the centrifuge construction for all four cases with the actinide fraction in fission product perhaps as low as 1 part in 10{sup 7} and the fraction of {sup 137}CS in {sup 133}Cs being as low as a few parts in 10{sup 5}. A centrifuge cascade has the advantage that it can be assembled and operated as a completely closed system without a waste stream except that associated with maintenance or replacement of centrifuge components.

This report describes recent progress in a fundamental, three-year investigation of carbon formation and its effects on the activity and selectivity of promoted iron catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis, the objectives of which are: determine rates and mechanisms of carbon deactivation of unsupported Fe and Fe/K catalysts during CO hydrogenation over a range of CO concentrations, CO:H{sub 2} ratios, and temperatures; model the rates of deactivation of the same catalysts in fixed-bed reactors. During the thirteenth quarter design of software for a computer-automated reactor system to be used in the kinetic and deactivation studies was continued. Further progress was made toward the completion of the control language, control routines, and software for operating this system. Progress was also made on the testing of the system hardware and software. H{sub 2} chemisorption capacities and activity selectivity data were also measured for three iron catalysts promoted with 1% alumina. 47 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

The mechanical behavior of a silicon crystal under bending is investigated. For a crystal of length 30 mm and thickness 3 mm, to achieve the specified bend angle of 0.64 mrad, the appropriate angle of the aluminum punches is 0.96 mrad.

Residual stresses in delta plutonium can be measured by the x-ray diffractometer method. This was accomplished with the aid of an experimental tantalum x-ray target. Preliminary experiments are encouraging and indicate that stresses may be determined precisely and rapidly. Future work will involve determination of x-ray elastic constants, instrument calibration with stress-free standards, higher x-ray power and more sophisticated monochromatization methods. 4 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

The detailed design of a sliding sleeve valve operated by wireline has been completed. This Downhole Valve is obtained by modifications of two 2 7/8 in. commercial wireline-retrievable sleeve assemblies,which will be used to connect one of the upper branches of the patented Dual Whipstock to the 2 3/8 in. steam tubing,through a thermal expansion joint. Detailed engineering drawings and materials specifications have been completed. The design of the 30 ft-long joint comprising an H joint at the top a dual whipstock at the bottom and flow control devices for up to three drainholes equipped with 1.75 in. liners has been completed for a 7 in. cased well. This combination may be used in multi-layered reservoirs as well as in single layered reservoirs. It is also compatible with rod pump locations either above the kick-off pointsor near the base of the curved part of the drainhole liners. This design provides sufficient flexibility for most potential applications in the California market.

The principal objective of this research is to determine the role that host petroleum-derived oils (1000 [degree]F[sup +]), as that of catalytically treated host oils, play when used as liquefaction solvents in coprocessing with coal. The host oils will be extensively characterized and then pretreated in a number of ways which involve catalytic reactions such as hydrogenation, hydrocracking, and isomerization. The pretreated oils will then be characterized by elemental analysis, catalytic dehydrogenation, and NMR. The effects of the host oil on coprocessing with coal will be compared to those obtained using catalytically modified heavy oils. When appropriate, model compounds will be used to study specific reactions brought about by the pretreatments. A total of 18 pretreatment runs have been made on an AMOCO vacuum tower residuum, VTR, in an attempt to increase its hydrogen content from 10.2 wt % to a level of about 11.5%. This pretreatment resulted in a significant increase in the hydrogen content of the starting oil (10.2 wt % to 11.2%).

This report is designed to give information and statistical data about a variety of crude oils and refined petroleum products. The publication provides statistics on crude oil costs and refined petroleum products sales for use by industry, government, private sector analysts, education institutions, and consumers. Data on crude oil include the domestic first purchase price, the f.o.b. and landed cost of imported crude oil, and the refiners' acquisition cost of crude oil. Sales data for motor gasoline, distillates, residuals, aviation fuels, kerosene, and propane are presented. 12 figs., 55 tabs.

The Fifth International Symposium in Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy and Its Applications was attended. The Joint Research Centre of the European Communities at Ispra, Italy was also visited. The traveler presented an invited talk, chaired a meeting session and gave an impromptu presentation on how current laser technology limits the development of commercial instrumentation based upon Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy. The conference was truely international with scientists from 19 countries and less than 1/4 from the US. The meeting also provided a health mixture of experimentalists and theoreticians. Technical developments reported included the use of electric field ionization from laser prepared Rydberg states as a way to reduce background signals and commercial development of an optical parametric oscillator for replacing pulsed dye laser. A speaker from the Soviet Union suggested their willingness to market hardware they have developed based upon the resonance ionization technique.

As part of the EIA program on petroleum, The US Petroleum Refining Industry in the 1980's, presents a historical analysis of the changes that took place in the US petroleum refining industry during the 1980's. It is intended to be of interest to analysts in the petroleum industry, state and federal government officials, Congress, and the general public. The report consists of six chapters and four appendices. Included is a detailed description of the major events and factors that affected the domestic refining industry during this period. Some of the changes that took place in the 1980's are the result of events that started in the 1970's. The impact of these events on US refinery configuration, operations, economics, and company ownership are examined. 23 figs., 11 tabs.

The Internal Dosimetry Department at the Y-12 Plant maintains a state-of-the-art bioassay program managed under the guidance and regulations of the Department of Energy. The two major bioassay techniques currently used at Y-12 are the in vitro (urinalysis) and in vivo (lung counting) programs. Fecal analysis (as part of the in vitro program) is another alternative; however, since both urine and fecal analysis provide essentially the same capabilities for detecting exposures to uranium, the urinalysis is the main choice primarily for aesthetic reasons. The bioassay frequency is based on meeting NCRP 87 objectives which are to monitor the accumulation of radioactive material in exposed individuals, and to ensure that significant depositions are detected.

Project SEED is an innovative career development program sponsored by the American Chemical Society for economically disadvantages high school students. SEED students spend ten weeks during the summer in an academic, industrial, or governmental research laboratory working under the supervision of a researcher or research assistant. The primary objective of Project SEED is to encourage participants to pursue strong academic programs in order to more fully develop their career potential and help overcome social, institutional, attitudinal, and educational obstacles which have traditionally excluded the economically disadvantaged. This summer the University of New Mexico at Los Alamos initiated a special course for Project SEED students. The weekly sessions focused on academic skills training in anticipation of post secondary programs coupled with the development of greater self confidence through academic success and effective communication.

Geologic systems generally are complex with physical properties and trends that can be difficult to predict. Subsurface geology exerts a fundamental control on groundwater flow and contaminant transport. The primary source for direct observation of subsurface geologic information is a borehole. However, direct observations from a borehole essentially are limited to the diameter and spacing of boreholes and the quality of the information derived from the drilling. Because it is impractical to drill a borehole every few feet to obtain data, it is necessary to maximize the data gathered during limited drilling operations. A technically defensible balance between the customer`s data quality objectives and control of drilling costs through limited drilling can be achieved with proper conduct of operations. This report presents the minimum criteria for geologic and hydrologic characterization and sampling that must be met during drilling. It outlines the sampling goals that need to be addressed when drilling boreholes, and the types of drilling techniques that work best to achieve these goals under the geologic conditions found at Hanford. This report provides general guidelines for: (1) how sampling methods are controlled by data needs, (2) how minimum sampling requirements change as knowledge and needs change, and (3) when …

This report presents research objectives, discusses activities, and presents technical progress for the period April 1, 1993 through June 31, 1993 on Contract No. DE-FC21-86LC11084 with the Department of Energy, Laramie Project Office. The scope of the research program and the continuation is to study interacting hydrologic, geotechnical, and chemical factors affecting the behavior and disposal of combusted processed oil shale. The research combines bench-scale testing with large scale research sufficient to describe commercial scale embankment behavior. The large scale approach was accomplished by establishing five lysimeters, each 7.3 {times} 3.0 {times} 3.0 m deep, filled with processed oil shale that has been retorted and combusted by the Lurgi-Ruhrgas (Lurgi) process. Approximately 400 tons of Lurgi processed oil shale waste was provided by Rio Blanco Oil Shale Co., Inc. (RBOSC) through a separate cooperative agreement with the University of Wyoming (UW) to carry out this study. Three of the lysimeters were established at the RBOSC Tract C-a in the Piceance Basin of Colorado. Two lysimeters were established in the Environmental Simulation Laboratory (ESL) at UW. The ESL was specifically designed and constructed so that a large range of climatic conditions could be physically applied to the processed oil shale which …

This document is the interface between the 300 Area Liquid Effluent Process Engineering (LEPE) group and the Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility (WSCF), concerning process control samples. It contains a schedule for process control samples at the 300 Area TEDF which describes the parameters to be measured, the frequency of sampling and analysis, the sampling point, and the purpose for each parameter.

This report describes the development of a Wavelet Vector Quantization (WVQ) image compression algorithm for fingerprint raster files. The pertinent work was performed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This document describes a previously-sent package of C-language source code, referred to as LAFPC, that performs the WVQ fingerprint compression and decompression tasks. The particulars of the WVQ algorithm and the associated design procedure are detailed elsewhere; the purpose of this document is to report the results of the design algorithm for the fingerprint application and to delineate the implementation issues that are incorporated in LAFPC. Special attention is paid to the computation of the wavelet transform, the fast search algorithm used for the VQ encoding, and the entropy coding procedure used in the transmission of the source symbols.

This Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility (MWTF) Management Plan provides guidance for execution WHC MWTF Project activities related to design, procurement, construction, testing, and turnover. This Management Plan provides a discussion of organizational responsibilities, work planning, project management systems, quality assurance (QA), regulatory compliance, personnel qualifications and training, and testing and evaluations. Classified by the US Department of Energy (DOE) as a major systems acquisition (MSA), the MWTF mission is to provide a safe, cost-effective, and environmentally sound method for interim storage of Hanford Site high-level wastes. This Management Plan provides policy guidance and direction to the Project Office for execution of the project activities.