A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Public Buildings Service's (PBS) System for Tracking and Administering Real Property (STAR), focusing on: (1) the functions STAR performs; (2) whether users were having problems using STAR; (3) the steps PBS had taken or is taking to address any user problems; and (4) the actions PBS had taken or plans to take to ensure that STAR data are accurate, reliable, and consistent."

Nitrate and nitrite have been almost completely removed from the synthetic effluent steam with good efficiency by affecting a separation across a pair of ion exchange membranes. In addition to recovering acid and base in this process, the volume of the remaining effluent is reduced considerably by transport of water across the membrane. One of the problems that remains with this process, however, is the stability of the membranes and particularly the stability of the anion exchange membrane. This membrane is exposed to both nitric acid and strongly alkaline solutions in the cell and to date long term stability has been a problem with the membranes tested. It is recommended that further work should evaluate other newly available membranes as well as study the effects of radiation on the performance of the membranes. The direct reduction of nitrate and nitrite has been studied at several different electrode materials and it has been demonstrated that cathode material has a large effect on both the efficiency and the gas product distribution. Highest current efficiencies for the reduction process are seen at those electrode materials that are known to show high hydrogen overpotentials. Flow cell studies have demonstrated that temperature and current density …

The Electric Power Monthly (EPM) is prepared by the Electric Power Division; Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels, Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy. This publication provides monthly statistics at the national, Census division, and State levels for net generation, fuel consumption, fuel stocks, quantity and quality of fuel, cost of fuel, electricity sales, and average revenue per kilowatthour of electricity sold. Data on net generation are also displayed at the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) region level. Additionally, company and plant level information are published in the EPM on capability of new plants, net generation, fuel consumption, fuel stocks, quantity and quality of fuel, and cost in fuel. Quantity, quality, and cost of fuel data lag the net generation, fuel consumption, fuel stocks, electricity sales, and average revenue per kilowatthour data by 1 month. This difference in reporting appears in the national, Census division, and State level tables. However, at the plant level, all statistics presented are for the earlier month for the purpose of comparison. 12 refs., 4 figs., 48 tabs.

This report discusses the following topics on the ARIES tokamak: systems; plasma power balance; impurity control and fusion ash removal; fusion product ripple loss; energy conversion; reactor fueling; first wall design; shield design; reactor safety; and fuel cost and resources. (LSP)

The primary objective of the collaborative studies with EITU was to study curium bismuthide using energy dispersive X-ray diffraction to monitor its structure as a function of pressure. This objective was accomplished and the material was investigated up to 0.48 megabars of pressure. These studies were a continuation of established and productive collaborations between ORNL and EITU. The study of this curium compound is significant in that it is the first 5f-element bismuthide to be studied under pressure. Bismuth has the highest Z and the largest radius of the pnictogen group of elements (important for Hill Plot assessments) and has the greatest potential to form f-p type bonding with actinides under pressure. From a preliminary assessment of our experimental data it has been determined that two structural transitions occurred in the curium bismuthide sample as a result of the applied pressure.

The countercurrent flow (CCF) performance in the fuel element region of the HFIR is examined experimentally and theoretically. The fuel element consists of two concentric annuli filled with aluminum clad fuel plates of 1.27 mm thickness separated by 1.27 mm flow channels. The plates are curved as they go radially outward to accomplish constant flow channel width and constant metal-to-coolant ratio. A full-scale HFIR fuel element mock-up is studied in an adiabatic air-water CCF experiment. A review of CCF models for narrow channels is presented along with the treatment of CCFs in system of parallel channels. The experimental results are related to the existing models and a mechanistic model for the annular'' CCF in a narrow channel is developed that captures the data trends well. The results of the experiment are used to calculate the CCFL heat flux of the HFIR fuel assembly. It was determined that the HFIR fuel assembly can reject 0.62 Mw of thermal power in the CCFL situation. 31 refs., 17 figs.

The traveler participated in a conference on environmental technology in Paris, sponsored by the US Embassy-Paris, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the French Environmental Ministry, and others. The traveler sat on a panel for environmental aspects of energy technology and made a presentation on the potential contributions of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to a planned French-American Environmental Technologies Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Evry, France. This institute would provide opportunities for international cooperation on environmental issues and technology transfer related to environmental protection, monitoring, and restoration at US Department of Energy (DOE) facilities. The traveler also attended the Fourth International Conference on Environmental Contamination in Barcelona. Conference topics included environmental chemistry, land disposal of wastes, treatment of toxic wastes, micropollutants, trace organics, artificial radionuclides in the environment, and the use biomonitoring and biosystems for environmental assessment. The traveler presented a paper on The Fate of Radionuclides in Sewage Sludge Applied to Land.'' Those findings corresponded well with results from studies addressing the fate of fallout radionuclides from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. There was an exchange of new information on a number of topics of interest to DOE waste management and environmental restoration needs.

The objective of this travel was to advance provisional planning of an activity to coordinate research and development (R D) activities on fusion materials among the existing fusion materials R D programs of the ITER parties. This objective was accomplished in discussions with the Executive Committee for the IEA Implementing Agreement on Fusion Materials in Karlsruhe, Germany, and with the ITER management and staff of Garching, Germany. The IEA Executive Committee deferred substantive consideration of the topic at the insistence of the Ex-Officio member from European Community (EC), Brussels. Discussions with ITER management and staff were positive. It was noted the the draft ITER Long-Term Technology Research and Development Plan contains recommendations for major program effort in materials R D and includes recommendations for coordination among the existing programs of the parties to meet those materials R D needs. ITER management discussions were in the context that decisions on specific activities for the ITER engineering design activity (EDA) must await formal action by the parties on the ITER EDA.

It is shown that, for an idealized rotor with identical magnetic bearings of negligible mass, precession and rotation are decoupled from the center-of-mass motion so that stabilization of whirl instabilities can be designed independent of tilt. The bearing torques that cause whirl also apply torques on the free-body- rotational motion in a tilted state. The rotational equations of motion including these torques are given in the paper. An approximate solution for a special case suggests the possibility of tilt instability above a critical frequency.

The objective of this project is to design a conceptual slurry reactor for two indirect liquefaction applications; production of methanol and production of hydrocarbon fuels via Fischer-Tropsch route. The work will be accomplished by the formulation of reactor models for both the processes and use computer simulation. Process data, kinetic and thermodynamic data, heat and mass transfer data and hydrodynamic data will be used in the mathematical models to describe the slurry reactor for each of the two processes. The cost of current vapor phase reactor systems will be compared with cost estimated for the slurry reactor systems. For the vapor phase systems, upstream and downstream processing equipments may have to be included during cost analysis for a meaningful cost comparison.

The following major pieces of work were completed under the sponsorship of this grant: (1) singular perturbation theory for dynamical systems; (2) homoclinic orbits and chaotic dynamics in second-harmonic generating, optically pumped, passive optical cavities; (3) chaotic dynamics in short ring-laser cavities; (4) homoclinic orbits in moderately-long ring-laser cavities; (5) finite-dimensional attractor in ring-laser cavities; (6) turbulent dynamics in long ring-laser cavities; (7) bifurcations in a model for a free-boundary problem for the heat equation; (8) weakly nonlinear dynamics of interface propagation; (9) slowly periodically forced planar Hamiltonian systems; and (10) soliton spectrum of the solutions of the nonlinear Schroedinger equation. A brief summary of the research is given for each project.

Two systems for monitoring benzene in aqueous streams have been designed and assembled by the Savannah River Technology Center, Analytical Development Section (ADS). These systems were used at TNX to support sampling studies of the full-scale {open_quotes}SRAT/SME/PR{close_quotes} and to provide real-time measurements of benzene in Precipitate Hydrolysis Aqueous (PHA) simulant. This report describes the two ADS Benzene Monitor System (BMS) configurations, provides data on system operation, and reviews the results of scoping tests conducted at TNX. These scoping tests will allow comparison with other benzene measurement options being considered for use in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) laboratory. A report detailing the preferred BMS configuration statistical performance during recent tests has been issued under separate title: Statistical Analyses of the At-line Benzene Monitor Study, SCS-ASG-92-066. The current BMS design, called the At-line Benzene Monitor (ALBM), allows remote measurement of benzene in PHA solutions. The authors have demonstrated the ability to calibrate and operate this system using peanut vials from a standard Hydragard{trademark} sampler. The equipment and materials used to construct the ALBM are similar to those already used in other applications by the DWPF lab. The precision of this system ({+-}0.5% Relative Standard Deviation (RSD) at 1 sigma) is …

The purpose of this effort is to transfer operating and maintenance responsibility for the 241-SY-101 data acquisition and control system (DACS-1) from Los Alamos National Laboratory to Westinghouse Hanford Company. This work plan defines the tasks required for a successful turnover. It identifies DACS-1 transition, deliverables, responsible organizations and individuals, interfaces, cost, and schedule. The transition plan will discuss all required hardware, software, documentation, maintenance, operations, and training for use at Hanford Waste Tank 241-SY-101. The transfer of responsibilities for DACS-1 to WHC is contingent on final approval of applicable Acceptance for Beneficial Use documentation by Waste Tank Operations. The DACS-1 was designed to provide data monitoring, display, and storage for Tank 241-SY-101. The DACS-1 also provides alarm and control of all the hydrogen mitigation testing systems, as well as ancillary systems and equipment (HVAC, UPS, etc.) required to achieve safe and reliable operation of the testing systems in the tank.

None

D-Zero installed a new 2 Tesla superconducting solenoid magnet into the central tracking region of the D-Zero detector. This report documents the cryogenic performance of the superconducting solenoid during its first cryogenic operation at Fermilab. By necessity, the liquid helium refrigerator was also operated. This was the second time the refrigerator plant has been operated. The refrigerator's performance is also documented herein.

Nitrate and nitrite have been almost completely removed from the synthetic effluent steam with good efficiency by affecting a separation across a pair of ion exchange membranes. In addition to recovering acid and base in this process, the volume of the remaining effluent is reduced considerably by transport of water across the membrane. One of the problems that remains with this process, however, is the stability of the membranes and particularly the stability of the anion exchange membrane. This membrane is exposed to both nitric acid and strongly alkaline solutions in the cell and to date long term stability has been a problem with the membranes tested. It is recommended that further work should evaluate other newly available membranes as well as study the effects of radiation on the performance of the membranes. The direct reduction of nitrate and nitrite has been studied at several different electrode materials and it has been demonstrated that cathode material has a large effect on both the efficiency and the gas product distribution. Highest current efficiencies for the reduction process are seen at those electrode materials that are known to show high hydrogen overpotentials. Flow cell studies have demonstrated that temperature and current density …

Conclusions: Release analyses of Pittsburgh No. 8 and Illinois No. 6 coals show that the {minus}28 mesh size fraction is fine enough to liberate ash and pyrite. Galvanic coupling with sacrificial anodes such as zinc, manganese and aluminum can effectively lower the potential of pyrite. This effect is more significant at pH 4.6 than at pH 9.2. The most negative pyrite potential is achieved when the surface area ratio of anode to pyrite is approximately 4:1. When coupled with pyrite at pH 9.2, the zinc anode exhibited unique potential vs time behavior which is different from that observed with manganese and aluminum. This is believed to be related to the build- up and break-down of zinc hydroxides on the surface. Voltammograms of pyrite at pH 9.2 and 4.6 demonstrated that pyrite surfaces can be significantly changed by galvanic coupling with sacrificial anodes. In flotation tests, metal powders were used as galvanic contactors to reduce the potential and depress pyrite. The potenial may be low enough to remove sulfur species from the surface. Stirred solutions are preferred for the removal of oxidized sulfur species by galvanic coupling; oxygen in solution must to be depleted prior to the addition of sacrificial anodes …

The method of moments is applied to precisely determine the mean values of three importance measures: risk reduction, partial derivative, and variance reduction. Variance reduction calculations, in particular, are significantly improved by eliminating the imprecision associated with Monte Carlo estimates. The three importance measures are extended to permit analyses of the relative importance of groups of basic and initiating events. The partial derivative importance measure is extended by assessing the contribution of a group of events to the gradient of the top event frequency. The group importance measures are quantified for the overall fuel damage equation and for 14 dominant accident sequences from an independent probabilistic safety assessment of the K Production Reactor. This application demonstrates both the utility and the versatility of the group importance measures.

Mixed high-level waste is currently stored in underground tanks at the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Hanford Site. The plan is to retrieve the waste, process the water, and dispose of the waste in a manner that will provide less long-term health risk. The AX Tank Farm has been identified for purposes of demonstration. Not all the waste can be retrieved from the tanks and some waste has leaked from these tanks into the underlying soil. Retrieval of this waste could result in additional leakage. During FY1998, the Sandia National Laboratory was under contract to evaluate concepts for immobilizing the residual waste remaining in tanks and mitigating the migration of contaminants that exist in the soil column. Specifically, the scope of this evaluation included: development of a layered tank fill design for reducing water infiltration; development of in-tank getter technology; mitigation of soil contamination through grouting; sequestering of specific radionuclides in soil; and geochemical and hydrologic modeling of waste-water-soil interactions. A copy of the final report prepared by Sandia National Laboratory is attached.

In accordance with the approval conditions for Modification to the Central Waste Complex (CWC) Radioactive Air Emissions Notice of Construction (NOC). dated August 24,1998, a new release fraction has been developed for submittal to the Washington State Department of Health (WDOH). The proposed annual release fraction of 2.50 E-14 is proposed for use in future NOCs involving the storage and handling operations associated with vented containers on the Hanford Site. The proposed annual release fraction was the largest release fraction calculated from alpha measurements of the NucFil filters from 10 vented containers consisting of nine 55-gallon drums and one burial box with dimensions of 9.3 x 5.7 x 6.4 feet. An annual release fraction of 2.0 E-09 was used in the modification to the CWC radioactive air emissions NOC. This study confirmed that the release fraction used in the CWC radioactive air emissions NOC was conservative.

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the crime technology assistance provided by the Department of Defense (DOD) to state and local law enforcement agencies during fiscal years (FY) 1996 through 1998, focusing on: (1) grants or other types of direct federal funding; (2) access to support services and systems, such as counterdrug or other intelligence centers; and (3) in-kind transfers of equipment or other assets."

Under contract with the City of Brentwood and auxiliary support by the East Contra Costa Irrigation District (ECCID), a preliminary research assessment of the groundwater resources beneath the Brentwood region is complete. The research was performed by an isotope geochemistry approach rather than traditional hydrogeological methods. The isotope approach is inexpensive relative to the traditional methods and has been used here mostly as a tracer that details the source, migration paths, and migration rates of existing groundwater supplies. In addition, the isotope results provide a quantitative framework in which to answer questions important to Brentwood including: (1) What is the long-term and short-term sustainability of the groundwater resources relative to current urban growth projections? (2) How can the good water quality be maximized in groundwater wells under short and long-term groundwater use schemes? (3) What underground areas exist within the Brentwood region that indicate untapped groundwater supplies that may provide plentiful, good quality water? This preliminary report focuses only on the first question. The second and third questions will be addressed in the final report to be completed by January 1, 1995. Furthermore, the conclusions in this preliminary report of how much groundwater is available for use will be incorporated …

Research programs from NIPER are briefly summarized. Topics include: Development of Analytical Methodology for Analysis of Heavy Crudes, and Thermochemistry and Thermophysical Properties of Organic Nitrogen- and Diheteroatom-Containing Compounds. 1 ref.

The Department of Energy has established specifications (Waste Acceptance Product Specifications for Vitrified High-Level Waste Forms, or WAPS) for canistered waste forms produced at Hanford, Savannah River, and West Valley. Compliance with these specifications requires that each waste form producer identify the items and activities which must be controlled to ensure compliance. As part of quality assurance oversight activities, reviewers have tried to compare the methodologies used by the waste form producers to identify items and activities important to waste form acceptance. Due to the lack of a documented comparison of the methods used by each producer, confusion has resulted over whether the methods being used are consistent. This confusion has been exacerbated by different systems of nomenclature used by each producer, and the different stages of development of each project. The waste form producers have met three times in the last two years, most recently on June 28, 1993, to exchange information on each producer`s program. These meetings have been sponsored by the Westinghouse GoCo HLW Vitrification Committee. This document is the result of this most recent exchange. It fills the need for a documented comparison of the methodologies used to identify items and activities important to waste form …