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 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.

This project is designed to develop a family of novel NO{sub x} control technologies, called Second Generation Advanced Reburning (SGAR) which has the potential to achieve 90+ NO{sub x} control in coal fired boilers at a significantly lower cost than Selective Catalytic Reduction. The ninth reporting period in Phase II (October 1-December 31, 1999) included preparation of the 10 x 10{sup 6} Btu/hr Tower Furnace for tests and setting the SGAR model to predict process performance under Tower Furnace conditions. Based on results of previous work, a paper has been prepared and submitted for the presentation at the 28 Symposium (International) on Combustion to be held at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

This report presents work carried out under contract DE-AC22-95PC95144 ''Combustion 2000 - Phase II.'' The goals of the program are to develop a coal-fired high performance power generation system (HIPPS) that is capable of: {lg_bullet} thermal efficiency (HHV) {ge} 47% {lg_bullet} NOx, SOx, and particulates {le} 10% NSPS (New Source Performance Standard) {lg_bullet} coal providing {ge} 65% of heat input {lg_bullet} all solid wastes benign {lg_bullet} cost of electricity {le} 90% of present plants Phase I, which began in 1992, focused on the analysis of various configurations of indirectly fired cycles and on technical assessments of alternative plant subsystems and components, including performance requirements, developmental status, design options, complexity and reliability, and capital and operating costs. Phase I also included preliminary R&D and the preparation of designs for HIPPS commercial plants approximately 300 MWe in size. Phase II, had as its initial objective the development of a complete design base for the construction and operation of a HIPPS prototype plant to be constructed in Phase III. As part of a descoping initiative, the Phase III program has been eliminated and work related to the commercial plant design has been ended. The rescoped program retained a program of engineering research and …

Combustion experiments were carried out on four different residual fuel oils in a 732 kW boiler. Particulate matter (PM) emission samples were separated aerodynamically by a cyclone into fractions that were nominally less than and greater than 2.5 microns in diameter. However, examination of several of the samples by computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy (CCSEM) revealed that part of the <2.5 micron fraction (PM{sub 2.5}) in fact consists of carbonaceous cenospheres and vesicular particles that range up to 10 microns in diameter. X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy data were obtained at the S, V, Ni, Fe, Cu, Zn, and As Kedges, and at the Pb L-edge. Deconvolution of the x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) region of the S spectra established that the dominant molecular forms of S present were sulfate (26-84% of total S) and thiophene (13-39% of total S). Sulfate was greater in the PM{sub 2.5} samples than in the >2.5 micron samples (PM{sub 2.5+}). Inorganic sulfides and elemental sulfur were present in lower percentages. The Ni XANES spectra from all of the samples agree fairly well with that of NiSO4, while most of the V spectra closely resemble that of vanadyl sulfate (VO{center_dot}SO{sub 4}{center_dot}xH{sub 2}O). The other …

A High Performance Power System (HIPPS) is being developed. This system is a coal-fired, combined cycle plant with indirect heating of gas turbine air. Foster Wheeler Development Corporation and a team consisting of Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation, Bechtel Corporation, University of Tennessee Space Institute and Westinghouse Electric Corporation are developing this system. In Phase 1 of the project, a conceptual design of a commercial plant was developed. Technical and economic analyses indicated that the plant would meet the goals of the project which include a 47 percent efficiency (HHV) and a 10 percent lower cost of electricity than an equivalent size PC plant. The concept uses a pyrolysis process to convert coal into fuel gas and char. The char is fired in a High Temperature Advanced Furnace (HITAF). The HITAF is a pulverized fuel-fired boiler/air heater where steam is generated and gas turbine air is indirectly heated. The fuel gas generated in the pyrolyzer is then used to heat the gas turbine air further before it enters the gas turbine. The project is currently in Phase 2 which includes engineering analysis, laboratory testing and pilot plant testing. Research and development is being done on the HIPPS systems that are not …

MORE is a consortium of educational, governmental, and industrial partners in cooperation with the state's Tribal colleges. Formed in 1994, the objectives are to develop and promote energy-related research and education in the state of Montana and the Northwestern region. Specifically, they set out to: (1) promote collaboration and cooperation among Montana's Colleges and Universities; (2) maximize use of existing personnel and resources; (3) foster partnerships with industries, state agencies, and tribal nations; and (4) enhance energy research and training. The 1st Implementation Grant consisted of Management and Coordination, Human Outreach, and two Research Clusters Petroleum Reservoir Characterization and Wind Energy. Overall, they consider this program to have been highly successful. That conclusion was mirrored by the DOE site reviewers, and by invitations from Dr. Matesh Varma, the DOE/EPSCoR National Program Director, to present their programs and outcomes as models for other states the National DOE/EPSCoR meetings.

The purpose of this analysis is to document the Quality Assurance (QA) classification of the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) site radiological monitoring system structures, systems and components (SSCs) performed by the MGR Safety Assurance Department. This analysis also provides the basis for revision of YMP/90-55Q, Q-List (YMP 1998). The Q-List identifies those MGR SSCs subject to the requirements of DOE/RW-0333P, ''Quality Assurance Requirements and Description'' (QARD) (DOE 1998).

In the United States alone there are 100 million gallons of high-level nuclear wastes (HLWs) in various chemical forms awaiting eventual disposal in geologic repositories. For safety in handling and transport from their present underground storage tanks to their final burial sites, much of the HLWs are being immobilized by vitrification. A further virtue of HLW vitrification is the fact that the glass may serve as an additional, non-geologic barrier to the dispersal of these radio-toxins into the environment. For this reason, one of the criteria for selecting HLW glass compositions has been chemical durability against attack by ground water. While the effects of radiation on chemical durability have therefore been studied extensively, little consideration has been given to the possibility that self-irradiation of HLW glasses may lead to modes of chemical decomposition which render them unstable even in the absence of exposure to ground water. The worst-case threat would occur if the HLW glasses were to respond to irradiation in ways analogous to rock salt (NaCl). It has long been known that alkali halides irradiated to

The purpose of this analysis is to document the Quality Assurance (QA) classification of the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) subsurface facility system structures, systems and components (SSCs) performed by the MGR Safety Assurance Department. This analysis also provides the basis for revision of YMP/90-55Q, Q-List (YMP 1998). The Q-List identifies those MGR SSCs subject to the requirements of DOE/RW-0333P, ''Quality Assurance Requirements and Description'' (QARD) (DOE 1998). This QA classification incorporates the current MGR design and the results of the ''Preliminary Preclosure Design Basis Event Calculations for the Monitored Geologic Repository'' (CRWMS M&O 1998a).

The purpose of this analysis is to document the Quality Assurance (QA) classification of the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) emergency response system structures, systems and components (SSCs) performed by the MGR Safety Assurance Department. This analysis also provides the basis for revision of YMP/90-55Q, Q-List (YMP 1998). The Q-List identifies those MGR SSCs subject to the requirements of DOE/RW-0333P7 ''Quality Assurance Requirements and Description'' (QARD) (DOE 1998).

The purpose of this analysis is to document the Quality Assurance (QA) classification of the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) non-fuel components disposal container system structures, systems and components (SSCs) performed by the MGR Safety Assurance Department. This analysis also provides the basis for revision of YMP/90-55Q, Q-List (YMP 1998). The Q-List identifies those MGR SSCs subject to the requirements of DOE/RW-0333P, ''Quality Assurance Requirements and Description'' (QARD) (DOE 1998).

The purpose of this project was to explore and refine applications of isotope measurements for guiding environmental remediation strategies. The isotopic compositions of samples from field sites were analyzed to address both basic scientific issues and site-specific problems. Initial efforts were concentrated on two sites at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). During the final year of the project, the focus of work was shifted to the Hanford site in Washington. The Test Area North (TAN) site at INEEL consists of a 2 km-long plume of mixed wastes containing low-level radionuclides, sewage and chlorinated solvents that were injected into the groundwater between 1955 and 1972. Isotopic measurements of groundwater samples were made to address questions about the source of the groundwater and the regional hydrology at TAN. These data show that there is a significant input to the groundwater from playa lakes that were located west of the TAN site prior to the 1950s (since that time, inflow to the playas has been diverted for agricultural uses). Radiocarbon dates of the playa waters indicate a mean infiltration rate of 3-5 cm/year. These results explain the groundwater flow patterns observed in the plume and provide constraints on transport rates.

During the FY96-FY99 funding cycle we examined the uptake of aqueous strontium onto goethite, kaolinite, and amorphous silica surfaces as a function of pH, total strontium, and temperature. Our overall goal was to produce a mechanistic sorption model that can be used in reaction-transport calculations to predict the mobility and attenuation of radioactive strontium (90Sr) in the environment. Our approach was to combine structural information derived from synchrotron-based x-ray absorption spectroscopic analysis together with macroscopic uptake data and surface complexation models to clarify the physical and chemical structure of sorbed complexes. We chose to study these solids because of the prevalence of clays and iron hydroxides in natural systems, and because silica colloids probably form beneath leaking tanks at Hanford as caustic waste is neutralized. We have published the spectroscopic work in two papers in the Journal of Colloid and Interface Science [1, 2], and will soon submit at third manuscript to Geochemical Transactions [3] combining the sorption and spectroscopic data with a mechanistic complexation model.

The purpose of this analysis is to document the Quality Assurance (QA) classification of the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) subsurface closure and seal system structures, systems and components (SSCs) performed by the MGR Safety Assurance Department. This analysis also provides the basis for revision of YMP/90-55Q, Q-List (YMP 1998). The Q-List identifies those MGR SSCs subject to the requirements of DOERW-0333P, ''Quality Assurance Requirements and Description'' (QARD) (DOE 1998).

The purpose of this analysis is to document the Quality Assurance (QA) classification of the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) offsite utilities system structures, systems and components (SSCs) performed by the MGR Safety Assurance Department. This analysis also provides the basis for revision of YMP/90-55Q, Q-List (YMP 1998). The Q-List identifies those MGR SSCs subject to the requirements of DOE/RW-0333P, ''Quality Assurance Requirements and Description'' (QARD) (DOE 1998).

Upgraded the high resolution core-level photoemission beamline U4A at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) so that it has higher resolution ({approx}30-50 meV) over a broader spectral range (10-200 eV) than is currently available at any other photoemission beamline at NSLS. Such an upgraded beamline will prove to be extremely useful in new studies of bimetallic systems and semiconductor interfaces.

The purpose of this analysis is to document the Quality Assurance (QA) classification of the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) canistered spent nuclear fuel disposal container system structures, systems and components (SSCs) performed by the MGR Safety Assurance Department. This analysis also provides the basis for revision of YMP/90-55Q, Q-List (YMP 1998). The Q-List identifies those MGR SSCs subject to the requirements of DOE/RW-0333PY ''Quality Assurance Requirements and Description'' (QARD) (DOE 1998).

This project developed low-level analytical methods for the measurement of radionuclides by accelerator mass spectrometry. The contaminant radionuclides potentially measurable by AMS include: 14C, 36Cl, 59Ni, 63Ni, 90Sr, 93Zr, 99Tc, 129I, 239Np, 239Pu, and other actinides. We chose to concentrate on 36Cl, 99Tc, 90Sr, and 129I. These nuclides were globally distributed as fallout during the era of atmospheric nuclear testing, and occur today in almost every environment. They also are prominent contaminant nuclides at a variety of DOE sites. There is a need to develop these low-level methods to observe the migration of radionuclides in natural environments. There are at least three advantages of this: (1) the ability to conduct migration studies in locations most like those of concern to public health, e.g., a ''far-field'' environment; (2) migration research does not have to be conducted at sites of multiple contamination, e.g., by VOC's, which can produce hard-to-interpret results; and (3) it becomes unnecessary to collect research samples that are themselves radioactive waste and are therefore difficult to handle and dispose of in the laboratory. Our approach of examining globally distributed, fallout radionuclides provides another advantage: (4) since the nuclides are globally distributed, migration research can be conducted in any chosen …

Changes in pollutant profiles observed in contaminated soils have been attributed to biological activity when in actuality abiotic processes caused pollutant removal.1 This sometimes casual implication of biodegradation is not acceptable, but understandable, because factors which cause the disappearance of pollutants are not always easy to identify. Several pollutant removal or transformation pathways are possible with most pollutants found in soil and these processes may or may not operate independently. Careful evaluation of bioremediation necessitates that all transformation and removal pathways are anticipated so that the pathways are either controlled or monitored but in practice this is generally not possible. The diminution in pollutant oxidation might track with several candidate loss mechanisms and when this occurs the real cause becomes problematic to pin point. Many factors disguise or prevent the effectual tracking of bioremediation processes among which are three general types of problems: (1) The estimate that only about 0.1% or less of the microorganisms living in soils are culturable leads to the conclusion that the possibility for unknown organisms participating in a biodegradation pathway is high. How should these imperceptible microorganisms be tracked? (2) The diversity of the microcosm is large, yet several different genera have been shown to …

The purpose of this analysis is to document the Quality Assurance (QA) classification of the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) ground control system structures, systems and components (SSCs) performed by the MGR Safety Assurance Department. This analysis also provides the basis for revision of YMP/90-55Q, Q-List (YMP 1998). The Q-List identifies those MGR SSCs subject to the requirements of DOE/RW-0333PY ''Quality Assurance Requirements and Description'' (QARD) (DOE 1998).

The goals of this program have been to develop a series of new compounds that act as redox recyclable heavy metal ion selective materials. This has been a preliminary exploration into the viability of creating materials that act as selective exchange media. We have historically been involved in the separation of ionic pollutants such as radionuclides or toxic heavy metal ions from water by designing extractants with high selectivities and large capacities. We have also recognized that there is a more urgent need to develop processes that allow the target pollutants to be recovered in a minimal volume of secondary waste and that allow the extractants to be reused or recycled. We have been studying redox active transition-metal-containing extractants that undergo reversible electron transfer activation and deactivation as the target ions are extracted and recovered or that undergo efficient, selective ion exchange.

This project was conducted to determine if ionizing radiation could be used to catalytically destroy organics over semiconducting metal oxide particles. We focused primarily on the destruction of organic chelating agents, such as EDTA, which are known to hamper the separation of radionucleii (such as Sr or Am) from tank waste using current ion exchange methods. Our objective was to determine if ionizing radiation could be used to destroy the chelating capability of species such as EDTA, either by partially or completely decomposing the organic, in order to free radionucleii for efficient separation. Although a considerable amount of information is available in the open literature on the roles of visible/UV light in photocatalysis, little is known about the processes initiated by ionizing radiation. In this sense, the use of ionizing radiation is both novel, and may find an important niche in the pretreatment of mixed waste. An additional aim of the project was determine the mechanism(s) by which the radiocatalysis effect took place and compare it to what is know from visible and UV photocatalytic processes in the literature. The main outcome of this work is a more thorough evaluation of the use of ionizing radiation in the catalytic remediation …