The Wabash River Integrated Methanol and Power Production from Clean Coal Technologies (IMPPCCT) project is evaluating integrated electrical power generation and methanol production through clean coal technologies. The project is conducted by a multi-industry team lead by Gasification Engineering Corporation (GEC), and supported by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Dow Chemical Company, Dow Corning Corporation, Methanex Corporation, and Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation. Three project phases are planned for execution, including: (1) Feasibility study and conceptual design for an integrated demonstration facility, and for fence-line commercial embodiment plants (CEP) operated at Dow Chemical or Dow Corning chemical plant locations (2) Research, development, and testing (RD&T) to define any technology gaps or critical design and integration issues (3) Engineering design and financing plan to install an integrated commercial demonstration facility at the existing Wabash River Energy Limited (WREL) plant in West Terre Haute, Indiana. The WREL facility is a project selected and co-funded under the Round IV of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE's) Clean Coal Technology Program. In this project, coal and/or other solid fuel feedstocks are gasified in an oxygen-blown, entrained-flow gasifier with continuous slag removal and a dry particulate removal system. The resulting product synthesis gas is used …

Data acquisition on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has increasingly involved the use of Personal Computers (PC's) and specially developed ''turn-key'' hardware and software systems to control diagnostics. Interaction with these proprietary software packages is accomplished through use of Visual Basic, or Visual C++ and COM (Component Object Model) technology. COM is a software architecture that allows the components made by different software vendors to be combined into a variety of applications. This technology is particularly well suited to these systems because of its programming language independence, standards for function calling between components, and ability to transparently reference remote processes. COM objects make possible the creation of acquisition software that can control the experimental parameters of both the hardware and software. Synchronization of these applications for diagnostics, such as CCD camer as and residual gas analyzers, with the rest of the experiment event cycle at PPPL has been made possible by utilization of the MDSplus libraries for Windows. Instead of transferring large data files to remote disk space, Windows MDSplus events and I/O functions allow us to put raw data into MDSplus directly from IDL for Windows and Visual Basic. The combination …

The Wabash River Integrated Methanol and Power Production from Clean Coal Technologies (IMPPCCT) project is evaluating integrated electrical power generation and methanol production through clean coal technologies. The project is conducted by a multi-industry team lead by Gasification Engineering Corporation (GEC), a company of Global Energy Inc., and supported by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Dow Chemical Company, Dow Corning Corporation, Methanex Corporation, and Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation. Three project phases are planned for execution over several years, including: (1) Feasibility study and conceptual design for an integrated demonstration facility, and for fence-line commercial embodiment plants (CEP) operated at Dow Chemical or Dow Corning chemical plant locations (2) Research, development, and testing to define any technology gaps or critical design and integration issues (3) Engineering design and financing plan to install an integrated commercial demonstration facility at the existing Wabash River Energy Limited (WREL) plant in West Terre Haute, Indiana.

This project was an extension of previous research to improve the applicability of ozonation and will help address the petroleum-industry problem of treating produced water containing soluble organics. The goal of this project was to maximize oxidation of hexane-extractable organics during a single-pass operation. The project investigated: (1) oxidant production by electrochemical and sonochemical methods, (2) increasing the mass transfer rate in the reactor by forming microbubbles during ozone injection into the produced water, and (3) using ultraviolet irradiation to enhance the reaction if needed. Several types of methodologies for treatment of soluble organics in synthetic and actual produced waters have been performed. The technologies tested may be categorized as follows: (1) Destruction via sonochemical oxidation at different pH, salt concentration, ultraviolet irradiation, and ferrous iron concentrations. (2) Destruction via ozonation at different pH, salt concentration, hydrogen peroxide concentrations, ultraviolet irradiation, temperature, and reactor configurations.

Electromagnetic radiation is strongly absorbed by a magnetized plasma if the radiation frequency equals the cyclotron frequency of plasma electrons. It is demonstrated that absorption can be completely canceled in the presence of a magnetostatic field of an undulator or a second radiation beam, resulting in plasma transparency at the cyclotron frequency. This effect is reminiscent of the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) of the three-level atomic systems, except that it occurs in a completely classical plasma. Unlike the atomic systems, where all the excited levels required for EIT exist in each atom, this classical EIT requires the excitation of the nonlocal plasma oscillation. The complexity of the plasma system results in an index of refraction at the cyclotron frequency that differs from unity. Lagrangian description was used to elucidate the physics and enable numerical simulation of the plasma transparency and control of group and phase velocity. This control naturally leads to applications for electromagnetic pulse compression in the plasma and electron/ion acceleration.

The purpose of this report is to describe and document the function, operational performance, problems encountered, lessons-learned, and overall assessment of the performance of the waste conditioning system (WCS) in the Gunite{trademark} and Associated Tanks (GAAT) remediation project at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The GAAT are located in the main plant area of ORNL in the North and South Tank Farms. These tanks were constructed in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project during World War II. Each tank in the South Tank Farm (STF) has a 50-ft inside diameter and a capacity of {approx}170,000 gal. Each Gunite tank in the North Tank Farm (NTF) has a 25-ft inside diameter with a capacity of {approx}44,000 gal. The GAAT were designed to receive radioactive and chemical wastes from ORNL processes. The tanks were constructed of Gunite, which is created by pneumatically spraying concrete over a wire mesh. Following construction, the site was backfilled so the domes of the tanks were covered with {approx}6 ft of earth. The STF tanks (W-5, -6, -7, -8, -9, and -10) are set in a 2 x 3 array with an east-west axis. The two GAAT in the NTF are on the north side …

Geothermal energy will likely constitute an increasing percentage of our nation's future energy ''mix,'' both for electrical and nonelectrical uses. Associated with the exploitation of geothermal resources is the handling and disposal of fluids which contain a wide variety of potentially toxic trace elements. We present analyses of 14 trace elements found in hydrothermal fluids from various geothermal reservoirs in the western United States. The concentrations of these elements vary over orders of magnitude between reservoirs. Potential impacts are conservatively assessed on the basis of (1) toxicity to freshwater biota, and (2) bioaccumulation in food fish to the point where consumption might be hazardous to human health. Trace element concentrations generally range from benign levels to levels which might prove toxic to freshwater biota and contaminate food fisheries. We stress the need for site-specific analyses and careful handling of geothermal fluids in order to minimize potential impacts.

In this quarter, we have made progress in the three approaches selected for preparing CO{sub 2}-affinity membrane. A defect free nanoporous membrane was prepared via slip casting. This membrane will then be used for post treatment to seal the micropores to become a non-porous membrane with CO{sub 2} affinity. This post treatment study will be our focus in the next several quarters. Polymeric gel as a precursor was successfully prepared, which will be used for subsequent thin film deposition. Preparation of a defect-free thin film from this precursor will be our future focus using the sol-gel approach. Finally, the third approach, in-situ impregnation approach, was modified. Although we were able to deposit the precursor within the porous of the membrane, we have not been able to enhance the pH in-situ. Designing an unconventional approach to alternate the pH in-situ will be our focus of the next quarter.

Site restoration activities at DOE facilities and the permanent disposal of nuclear waste inevitably involve understanding the behavior of materials in a radiation field. Radionuclide decay and the associated radiation fields lead to physical and chemical changes that can degrade or enhance important material properties. Alpha-decay of the actinide elements and beta-decay of the fission products lead to atomic-scale changes in materials (radiation damage and transmutation).

Global radiative forcing of nitrate and ammonium aerosols has mostly been estimated from aerosol concentrations calculated at thermodynamic equilibrium or using approximate treatments for their uptake by aerosols. In this study, a more accurate hybrid dynamical approach (DYN) was used to simulate the uptake of nitrate and ammonium by aerosols and the interaction with tropospheric reactive nitrogen chemistry in a three-dimensional global aerosol and chemistry model, IMPACT, which also treats sulfate, sea salt and mineral dust aerosol. 43% of the global annual average nitrate aerosol burden, 0.16 TgN, and 92% of the global annual average ammonium aerosol burden, 0.29 TgN, exist in the fine mode (D<1.25 {micro}m) that scatters most efficiently. Results from an equilibrium calculation differ significantly from those of DYN since the fraction of fine-mode nitrate to total nitrate (gas plus aerosol) is 9.8%, compared to 13% in DYN. Our results suggest that the estimates of aerosol forcing from equilibrium concentrations will be underestimated. We also show that two common approaches used to treat nitrate and ammonium in aerosol in global models, including the first-order gas-to-particle approximation based on uptake coefficients (UPTAKE) and a hybrid method that combines the former with an equilibrium model (HYB), significantly overpredict the …

In the structure task, the goals for this reporting period were to: (1) complete field work on the NNW-SSE transect along the west side of Cayuga Lake; (2) collect data at additional field sites in order to (a) trace structural trends between the two N-S transects and (b) fill in data gaps on the NS transect along the eastern shore of Seneca Lake; (3) enter the data gathered from the summer field work; (4) enter data from the previous field season that still had to be analyzed after a personnel change. We have completed data reduction for all the goals listed above, including the NNW-SSE transect on the west side of Cayuga Lake. In the soil gas task, the goals for this reporting period were to: (1) trace Trenton/Black River fault trends between the two N-S transects; and (2) enter the data gathered from the summer field work. We have completed data reduction for all the goals listed above, and have begun constructing maps that portray the data. These data continue to demonstrate that integration of aeromagnetic and Landsat lineaments, surface structure, soil gas and seismic allows us to extrapolate Trenton-Black River trends away from confirmatory seismic lines.

OAK-B135 Research over the last four years has progressed fairly closely along the lines initially proposed, with progress-driven expansion of Objectives 1, 2 and 3. Recent advances have developed from three research thrusts: 1. Random sequencing of an enriched peppermint oil gland cDNA library has given access to a large number of potential pathway and regulatory genes for test of function; 2. The availability of new DNA probes and antibodies has permitted investigation of developmental regulation and organization of terpenoid metabolism; and 3. The development of a transformation system for peppermint by colleagues at Purdue University has allowed direct transgenic testing of gene function and added a biotechnological component to the project. The current status of each of the original research objectives is outlined below.

The one-Angstrom microscope (OAM) project at the USDOE's National Center for Electron Microscopy has extended the limits of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy to sub-Angstrom levels. The OAM combines image-processing software with a modified 300keV electron microscope equipped with a highly-coherent field-emission electron gun. We have found that a reduction in the OAM's electron-gun extraction voltage allows us to ''see'' silicon atoms separated by only 0.78A.

The Wabash River Integrated Methanol and Power Production from Clean Coal Technologies (IMPPCCT) project is evaluating integrated electrical power generation and methanol production through clean coal technologies. The project is conducted by a multi-industry team lead by Gasification Engineering Corporation (GEC), a company of Global Energy Inc., and supported by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Dow Chemical Company, Dow Corning Corporation, Methanex Corporation, and Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation. Three project phases are planned for execution over a three year period, including: (1) Feasibility study and conceptual design for an integrated demonstration facility, and for fence-line commercial embodiment plants (CEP) operated at Dow Chemical or Dow Corning chemical plant locations (2) Research, development, and testing to define any technology gaps or critical design and integration issues (3) Engineering design and financing plan to install an integrated commercial demonstration facility at the existing Wabash River Energy Limited (WREL) plant in West Terre Haute, Indiana. The WREL facility is a project selected and co-funded under the Round IV of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Clean Coal Technology Program. In this project, coal and/or other solid fuel feedstocks are gasified in an oxygen-blown, entrained-flow gasifier with continuous slag removal and a dry particulate …

This report presents the results of an investigation into two methods of using the natural gas pipeline as a communication medium. The work addressed the need to develop secure system monitoring and control techniques between the field and control centers and to robotic devices in the pipeline. In the first method, the pipeline was treated as a microwave waveguide. In the second method, the pipe was treated as a leaky feeder or a multi-ground neutral and the signal was directly injected onto the metal pipe. These methods were tested on existing pipeline loops at UMR and Batelle. The results reported in this report indicate the feasibility of both methods. In addition, a few suitable communication link protocols for this network were analyzed.

The Double-Shell Tank (DST) System is required to transition from its current storage mission to a storage and retrieval mission supporting the River Protection Project Phase 1 privatization, defined in HNF-SD-WM-MAR-008, Tank Waste Remediation System Mission Analysis Report. Requirements for the DST subsystems are being developed using the top-down systems engineering process outlined in HNF-SD-WM-SEMP-002, Tank Waste Remediation System Systems Engineering Management Plan. This top-down process considers existing designs to the extent that these designs impose unavoidable constraints on the Phase 1 mission. Existing engineering-basis documents were screened, and the unavoidable constraints were identified. The constraints identified herein will be added to the DST System specification (HNF-SD-WM-TRD-007, System Specification for the Double-Shell Tank System). While the letter revisions of the DST System specification were constructed with a less rigorous review of the existing engineering-basis documents, the Revision 0 release of the specification must incorporate the results of the review documented herein. The purpose of this document is to describe the screening process and criteria used to determine which constraints are unavoidable and to document the screening results.

During January, 1998, collaboration between LLNL, UCI and Exdet, Ltd. arranged for the testing and evaluation of a Russian developed antitank mine detection system at the Buried Objects Detection Facility (BODF) located at the Nevada Test Site. BODF is a secured 30-acre facility with approximately 300 live antitank mines that were buried in 1993 and 1994. The burial depths range from a few cm to 15 cm and the various metal- and plastic-case antitank mines each contain 6-12 kg of high explosive. Contractors who have tested their mine detection equipment at BODF include: SAIC, SRI, ERIM, MIT/Lincoln Laboratory and Loral Defense Systems. In addition LLNL researchers have used BODF to test antitank mine detection systems based on: dual-band infrared imaging, hyper-spectral imaging, synthetic aperture impulse radar and micro-impulse radar. In a blind test the Russian operated system obtained the highest score of any technology tested to date at BODF. The system is based on combining information from two separate sensors; one to detect anomalous concentrations of hydrogen and the other to detect if such anomalies also have the correct nitrogen to carbon ratio for high explosives. The detection sensitivity is set by the geometry and type of neutron moderator and …

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory analyzed heavy-duty truck technologies to support the Energy Information Administration's long-term energy use projections. Researchers conducted an analysis of several technology options that have potential to improve heavy truck fuel economy and emissions characteristics. The technologies are grouped as fuel-economy-enhancing and emissions-improving. Each technology's potential impact on heavy truck fuel economy has been estimated, as has the cost of implementation. The extent of technology penetration is estimated on the basis of truck data analyses and technical judgment.

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Long-range, ultra-wideband (UWB), passive radio frequency (RF) tags are key components in Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) system that will revolutionize inventory control and tracking applications. Unlike conventional, battery-operated (active) RFID tags, LLNL's small UWB tags, called 'UTag', operate at long range (up to 20 meters) in harsh, cluttered environments. Because they are battery-less (that is, passive), they have practically infinite lifetimes without human intervention, and they are lower in cost to manufacture and maintain than active RFID tags. These robust, energy-efficient passive tags are remotely powered by UWB radio signals, which are much more difficult to detect, intercept, and jam than conventional narrowband frequencies. The features of long range, battery-less, and low cost give UTag significant advantage over other existing RFID tags.

Medicare pays about $36 billion annually for post-acute care in four separate settings: long-term care hospitals (LTCHs), inpatient rehabilitation settings (IRFs), skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and in the home. This report provides background information on several operational issues affecting LTCHs that are currently attracting attention from Congress, specifically efforts to develop a patient assessment tool, to develop qualification criteria that should be imposed on LTCHs, and to change Medicare’s LTCH payment methods.

This report summarizes the Asian Development Bank (AsDB), which is a multilateral development finance institution based in Manila, Philippines.

This report provides information about The Condition of the Banking Industry. Smaller banks are less able to garner cheaper funds for lending from wholesale markets and are less able to mitigate their credit and interest rate risks.