The West Hackberry Tertiary Project is a field test of the concept that air injection can be combined with the Double Displacement Process to produce a tertiary recovery process that is both low cost and economic at current oil prices. The Double Displacement Process is the gas displacement of a water invaded oil column for the purpose of recovering tertiary oil by gravity drainage. In reservoirs with pronounced bed dip such as those found in West Hackberry and other Gulf Coast salt dome fields, reservoir performance has shown that gravity drainage recoveries average 80% to 90% of the original oil in place while waterdrive recoveries average 50% to 60% of the original oil in place. The target for tertiary oil recovery in the Double Displacement Process is the incremental oil between the 50% to 60% waterdrive recoveries and the 80% to 90% gravity drainage recoveries. In previous field tests, the Double Displacement Process has proven successful in generating tertiary oil recovery. The use of air injection in this process combines the benefits of air's low cost and universal accessibility with the potential for accelerated oil recovery from the combustion process. If successful, this project will demonstrate that utilizing air injection …

Results from a technology scanning and assessment project focused on the Chornobyl npp.

The fiber tracker consists of 8 concentric carbon fiber cylinders of varying diameters, from 399mm to 1032.2mm and two different lengths. 1.66 and 2.52 meters. Each completed cylinder is covered over the entire o.d. with scintillating fiber ribbons with a connector on each ribbon. These ribbons are axial (parallel to the beam line) at one end and stereo (at 3 deg. to the beam line) at the other. The ribbon connectors have dowel pins which are used to match with the connectors on the wave guide ribbons. These dowel pins are also used during the nesting operation, locating and positioning measurements. The nesting operation is the insertion of one cylinder into another, aligning them with one another and fastening them together into a homogeneous assembly. For ease of assembly. the nesting operation is accomplished working from largest diameter to smallest. Although the completed assembly of all 8 cylinders glued and bolted together is very stiff. individual cylinders are relatively flexible. Therefore. during this operation, No.8 must be supported in a manner which maintains its integrity and yet allows the insertion of No.7. This is accomplished by essentially building a set of dummy end plates which replicate a No.9 cylinder. These …

The Low-Activity Waste Process Technology Program at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) anticipates that large volumes of low-level/low-activity wastes will need to be grouted prior to near-surface disposal. During fiscal year 1998, three grout formulations were studied for low-activity wastes derived from INTEC liquid sodium-bearing waste. Compressive strength and leach results are presented for phosphate bonding cement, acidic grout, and alkaline grout formulations. In an additional study, grout formulations are recommended for stabilization of the INTEC underground storage tank residual heels.

The purpose of this activity is to determine the structural performance of waste packages (WP) subject to rock fall design basis event (DBE) dynamic loads and document the calculation results that describe the threshold rock sizes for crack-initiation and through cracks in waste package shells. This activity is associated with the waste package design. AP-3.12Q, Revision 0, ICN 0, Calculations, is used to develop the calculation.

None

Designed to help define new scientific directions related to complex systems in order to create new understanding about the nano world and complicated, multicomponent structures.

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) operated by the Department of Energy is challenged with selecting the appropriate remediation technology to cleanup contaminants at Waste Area Group (WAG) 6. This research utilizes value-focused thinking and multiattribute preference theory concepts to produce a decision analysis model designed to aid the decision makers in their selection process. The model is based on CERCLA's five primary balancing criteria, tailored specifically to WAG 6 and the contaminants of concern, utilizes expert opinion and the best available engineering, cost, and performance data, and accounts for uncertainty in contaminant volume. The model ranks 23 remediation technologies (trains) in their ability to achieve the CERCLA criteria at various contaminant volumes. A sensitivity analysis is performed to examine the effects of changes in expert opinion and uncertainty in volume. Further analysis reveals how volume uncertainty is expected to affect technology cost, time and ability to meet the CERCLA criteria. The model provides the decision makers with a CERCLA-based decision analysis methodology that is objective, traceable, and robust to support the WAG 6 Feasibility Study. In addition, the model can be adjusted to address other DOE contaminated sites.

The Asotin Creek Model Watershed Master Plan was completed 1994. The plan was developed by a landowner steering committee for the Asotin County Conservation District (ACCD), with technical support from the various Federal, State and local entities. Actions identified within the plan to improve the Asotin Creek ecosystem fall into four main categories, (1) Stream and Riparian, (2) Forestland, (3) Rangeland, and (4) Cropland. Specific actions to be carried out within the stream and in the riparian area to improve fish habitat were, (a) create more pools, (b) increase the amount of large organic debris (LOD), (c) increase the riparian buffer zone through tree planting, and (d) increase fencing to limit livestock access; additionally, the actions are intended to stabilize the river channel, reduce sediment input, and protect private property. Fish species of main concern in Asotin Creek are summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), spring chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus). Spring chinook in Asotin Creek are considered extinct (Bumgarner et al. 1998); bull trout and summer steelhead are below historical levels and are currently as ''threatened'' under the ESA. In 1998, 16 instream habitat projects were planned by ACCD along with local landowners. The ACCD identified the need …

None

This study confirms the feasibility of a natural gas fueled, 20 MW M-C Power integrated pressurized molten carbonate fuel cell combined in a topping cycle with a gas turbine generator plant. The high efficiency fossil power plant (HEFPP) concept has a 70% efficiency on a LHV basis. The study confirms the HEFPP has a cost advantage on a cost of electricity basis over the gas turbine based combined cycle plants in the 20 MW size range. The study also identifies the areas of further development required for the fuel cell, gas turbine generator, cathode blower, inverter, and power module vessel. The HEFPP concept offers an environmentally friendly power plant with minuscule emission levels when compared with the combined cycle power plant.

It is shown that the reaction field induced in an atom by a strong magnetic field is of order B{alpha}² in atomic units (for magnetic field strength B and fine structure constant {alpha}). The reaction field causes a dipole-dipole interatomic potential energy to exist between a pair of atoms of order B^3/2{alpha}^7/2, such that B must be of order {alpha}^-7/3 for the interatomic energy to be of order one atomic unit. B of this order corresponds to a field strength of 1.66 x 10¹² G, which is within the regime of field strengths considered in recent studies of atoms and molecules in the presence of a strong magnetic field.

Technical and economical feasibility of large-scale CO{sub 2} transportation and ocean sequestration at depths of 3000 meters or grater was investigated. Two options were examined for transporting and disposing the captured CO{sub 2}. In one case, CO{sub 2} was pumped from a land-based collection center through long pipelines laid on the ocean floor. Another case considered oceanic tanker transport of liquid carbon dioxide to an offshore floating structure for vertical injection to the ocean floor. In the latter case, a novel concept based on subsurface towing of a 3000-meter pipe, and attaching it to the offshore structure was considered. Budgetary cost estimates indicate that for distances greater than 400 km, tanker transportation and offshore injection through a 3000-meter vertical pipe provides the best method for delivering liquid CO{sub 2} to deep ocean floor depressions. For shorter distances, CO{sub 2} delivery by parallel-laid, subsea pipelines is more cost-effective. Estimated costs for 500-km transport and storage at a depth of 3000 meters by subsea pipelines and tankers were 1.5 and 1.4 dollars per ton of stored CO{sub 2}, respectively. At these prices, economics of ocean disposal are highly favorable. Future work should focus on addressing technical issues that are critical to the …

When numerically simulating multicomponent turbulent flows, subgrid-scale diffusion of chemical species requires closure. This mixing of chemical species at the molecular level dissipates concentration uctuations, which limits possible demixing and affects other pro- cesses such as energy transport and reaction rates at the subgrid level. We discuss some of the physical processes that reduce small chunks of a heavy material in a light gas or plasma to a mixture at the atomic level. Preliminary direct numerical simulations of these processes are presented using the dissipation of small spheres of heavy gas in a light gas as an archetypal process in turbulent micromixing in multicomponent ows, including classical uid instabilities and shock ejecta. We use a detailed approach for the diffusion process, directly solving the Stefan-Maxwell equations for the mass fluxes. We discuss the dissipa- tion of a 24µm sphere of xenon in helium in three different flow regimes, and we present suggestions for future work intended as input to improved subgrid-scale turbulence models.

The objectives of this project are to develop and apply a modeling frame- work to quantitatively evaluate the nature and extent of radionuclide migration within the immediate, near field environment about an underground nuclear test. Specifically, it will involve evaluation of ² The speciation and abundance of radionuclides that are introduced into groundwater as aqueous species or colloids, and ² The rate and extent of radionuclide movement, dilution, and reaction in groundwater surrounding the working point of a test. To be clear, interest will only be focused on processes that have occurred well after the nuclear test, as opposed to the more dynamic processes that take place during or immediately after detonation. The meaning of "near field" in this case will loosely refer to a volume of diameter 4-8 R_c, centered on the working point and chimney of the test, where Rc is the radius of the blast cavity. For a given nuclear test, this information will collectively comprise the test's "hydrologic source term". This work relies on and is being supported by existing data, analyses, and interpretations that have been made at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) during the American nuclear test program and previous and ongoing studies related …

The leak rates of nitrogen gas from stainless steel dressing jars taped with 2 inch vinyl tape were measured. These results were used to calculate hydrogen leak rates from the same jars. The calculations show that the maximum concentration of hydrogen buildup in this type of container configuration will beat least 3 orders of magnitude below the lower explosion limit for hydrogen in air.

Annual report on the Clean Coal Technology Demonstration Program (CCT Program). The report address the role of the CCT Program, implementation, funding and costs, accomplishments, project descriptions, legislative history, program history, environmental aspects, and project contacts. The project descriptions describe the technology and provides a brief summary of the demonstration results.

This quarterly report covers the following topics: (1) Properties of and Manufacturing Methods for NIF Laser Glasses (J. H. Campbell)--The NIF amplifiers require 3380 Nd-doped laser glass slabs; continuous glass melting methods will be used for the first time to manufacture these slabs. The properties of the laser glasses are summarized and the novel continuous melting method is described. (2) Diffractive Optics for the NIF (J. A. Britten)--We have fabricated demonstration diffractive optics according to the NIF baseline design at full scale, via wet-chemical etching of patterns into fused silica. We have examined the effects of dip-coated sol-gel antireflection coatings on the performance of these optics, and have concluded that diffractive optics should remain uncoated to minimize laser-induced damage to downstream optics and to maximize environmental stability. We have also demonstrated the feasibility of combining all diffractive structures required by NIF, which vary over orders of magnitude in lateral and vertical scales, onto a single surface. (3) Producing KDP and DKDP Crystals for the NIF Laser (A. K. Burnham)--Rapid-growth KDP has overcome most of the hurdles for production of boules for NIF switch crystals and doublers, but some improvements in process reliability at the tripler's 3{omega} damage threshold are needed. …

Los Alamos National Laboratory lies at the western boundary of the Rio Grande rift, a major tectonic feature of the North American Continent. Three major faults locally constitute the modem rift boundary, and each of these is potentially seismogenic. In this study we have gathered structural geologic data for the northwestern portion of Los Alamos National Laboratory through high-precision geologic mapping, conventional geologic mapping, stratigraphic studies, drilling, petrologic studies, and stereographic aerial photograph analyses. Our study area encompasses TA-55 and TA-3, where potential for seismic surface rupture is of interest, and is bounded on the north and south by the townsite of Los Alamos and Twomile Canyon, respectively. The study area includes parts of two of the potentially active rift boundary faults--the Pajarito and Rendija Canyon faults-that form a large graben that we name the Diamond Drive graben. The graben embraces the western part of the townsite of Los Alamos, and its southern end is in the TA-3 area where it is defined by east-southeast-trending cross faults. The cross faults are small, but they accommodate interactions between the two major fault zones and gentle tilting of structural blocks to the north into the graben. North of Los Alamos townsite, the …

Evaluation of the role of continental margins in planetary carbon cycles can be approached in various ways, with the extremes being knowledge generated either by large-scale studies of a few basic characteristics of the carbon cycle of shelves worldwide (comparative approach) or by temporally intensive studies of a few sites selected to typify contrasting processes. Mechanisms of cross-shelf transfer, for example, are presently of great interest and within the US there are at least four differing continental shelf environments in which cross-shelf processes are driven by storms (southern Bering Sea, northeastern US), by jets and eddies (northern California coast), by freshwater runoff (Bering Sea, Gulf of Mexico), and by frontal meanders and filaments of the Gulf Stream (southeastern US). Because the type and magnitude of the physical forcing, and its variability on an annual scale, are fundamental to the response of the carbon cycle, investigation of each of these shelves would offer insight useful to predictive global understanding of the carbon cycle on continental shelves.

This study collected and analyzed data on urban waste grease resources in 30 randomly selected metropolitan areas in the United States. Two major categories (yellow grease feedstock collected from restaurants by rendering companies; and grease trap wastes from restaurants, which can either be pumped into tank trucks for disposal or flow through municipal sewage systems into wastewater treatment plants) were considered in this study.

This preliminary report summarizes results from isotopic data recently generated on water collected for the West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD). Samples comprised monitoring and production wells up to 3.5 miles form the injection barrier, in addition to barrier product and blend water.

The recent achievements of critical currents exceeding million amperes per square centimeter at 77K in YBCO deposited over suitably textured substrate have stimulated interest in the potential applications of coated conductors at high temperatures and in high magnetic fields. Currently, ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD), and rolling assisted bi-axially textured substrate (RABiTS), represent two available options for obtaining textured substrates. For applying suitable coatings of buffer and high temperature superconductor (HTS) material over textured substrates, several options are available which include sputtering, electron-beam evaporation, laser ablation, electrophoresis, chemical vapor deposition (including metal organics chemical vapor deposition), sol-gel, metal organics decomposition, electrodeposition and aerosol/spray pyrolysis. A commercial continuous long-length wire/tape manufacturing scheme developed out of any suitable combination of the above techniques would consist of operations involving preparation of the substrate and application of buffer, HTS and passivation/insulation materials and special treatment steps such as post-annealing. These operations can be effected by various process parameters that can be classified into chemistry, materials, engineering and environmental related parameters. Under the DOE-sponsored program, to carry out an engineering evaluation, first, the process flow schemes were developed for various candidate options identifying the major operating steps, process conditions, and process streams. Next, to evaluate quantifiable …

Radioactive skin contamination with {beta}- and {gamma}-emitting radionuclides may result in biologically significant absorbed doses to the skin. A specific exposure scenario of interest is a nonuniform skin dose delivered by {beta}- and {gamma}-emissions from radioactive skin contamination. The United States Department of Energy requires a formal evaluation and reporting of nonuniform skin doses. The United States Department of Energy also requires specific, formal procedures for evaluating the results from the placement or use of multiple dosimeters. Action levels relative to potential absorbed doses for the contamination survey instrumentation in use at Los Alamos and formal procedures for evaluating nonuniform skin doses and multiple dosimeters are developed and presented here.