This project evaluated key design criteria, the technical feasibility, and the preliminary economic viability of a CO{sub 2}-sequestering system integrated with a coal-fired power plant based on microalgae biofixation. A review of relevant literature was conducted, and a bench-scale algal-based sequestration system was constructed and operated to verify algal growth capabilities using a simulated flue gas stream. The bench-scale system was a 20-gallon glass aquarium with a 16-gallon operating volume and was direct-sparged with a simulated flue gas. The flue gas composition was based on flue gas analyses for a 550-MW Coal Creek Power Station boiler in Underwood, North Dakota, which averaged 12.1% CO{sub 2}, 5.5% O{sub 2}, 423 ppm SO{sub 2}, 124 ppm NO{sub x}, and an estimated 50 mg/m{sup 3} fly ash loading. The algae were grown in Bold's basal growth medium. Lighting was provided using a two-tube fluorescent ''grow-light'' bulb fixture mounted directly above the tank. Algal growth appeared to be inhibited in the presence of SO{sub 2} using mixed cultures of green and blue-green cultures of algae. Samples of Monoraphidium strain MONOR02 and Nannochloropsis NANNO02 algal samples were obtained from the University of Hawaii Culture Collection. These samples did not exhibit inhibited growth in the presence …

Land managers are often challenged with the mandate to control exotic and invasive plant species. Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) and Himalayan blackberry (Rubus discolor) are 2 such species that are currently threatening natural areas in western United States. Reed canarygrass may be native to the inland northwest (Antieau 2000), but it has invaded many wetland areas as dense, monoculture stands. Spread of this plant species is largely attributed to human disturbances, e.g., draining, farming (Antieau 2000). Reed canarygrass often dominates other emergent vegetation such as cattail (Typha spp.) and bulrush (Scirpus spp.) (Whitson et al. 1996, Apfelbaum and Sams 1987), and the resulting habitat is largely unsuitable for wetland birds. Himalayan blackberry was introduced to the United States as a garden shrub and was planted at wildlife-management areas for food and cover. It easily colonizes disturbed places, such as roadsides, ditches, and flood plains (Hoshovsky 2000). Once established, it forms a thick, impenetrable stand, which excludes native shrub species. Although Himalayan blackberry does provide food and cover for wildlife, particularly during fall and winter, it decreases habitat diversity, and therefore, may decrease wildlife diversity. Furthermore, patterns of avian nest predation may be altered in some exotic-shrub communities (Schmidt and Whelan …

The interactions of the top quark will soon be coming under greater scrutiny at CDF with Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron collider. This investigation gauges CDF's improved ability to measure the helicity of W bosons produced in top quark decays. Such measurements will provide a direct indication of the spin structure of the weak interaction responsible for the top decay process. Simulated CDF Run II data is used to study the W helicity sensitivity of the muon momentum in {mu} + jets events, as limited by both statistical and systematic uncertainties. Optimization of helicity measurements via appropriate choices of event variables and data criteria is also addressed.

Most school administrators and board members today must perform a tough juggling act. You're challenged to fulfill increasingly complex educational missions, meet rising community expectations, and serve growing student populations all with constrained operating budgets. As districts consider renovating their facilities or building new schools, many have found that smart energy choices can have lasting benefits for their schools, their communities, and the environment.

This report describes work to improve the cost per watt of Cz modules and to improve PV module manufacturing technology. The focus of the three-year program was to implement a 17%-efficient, 195-micron-thick cell with a 30% reduction in manufacturing cost. In addition, the program developed a prototype, 200-mm-diameter cell with low-cost module packaging. A final result is also a 50% reduction in slurry use through recycling of silicon carbide, and a 70% reduction in caustic waste. Work focused on reducing the cost per watt of Cz silicon photovoltaic modules under Siemens Solar Industries' DOE/NREL PVMaT 5A2 subcontract is described in this report. Work on cell thickness reduction, the required electrical and mechanical changes to accommodate these thinner cells, larger cells, and waste reduction are all described in this final summary.

This memo describes several possible laboratory experiments on the dynamics of an exploding plasma in a background magnetized plasma. These are interesting scientifically and the results are applicable to energetic explosions in the earth's ionosphere (DOE Campaign 7 at LLNL). These proposed experiments are difficult and can only be performed in the new LAPD device at UCLA. The purpose of these experiments would be to test numerical simulations, theory and reduced models for systems performance codes. The experiments are designed to investigate the affect of the background plasma on (1) the maximum diamagnetic bubble radius given by Eq. 9; and (2) the Alfven wave radiation efficiency produced by the induced current J{sub A} (Eqs. 10-12) These experiments involve measuring the bubble radius using a fast gated optical imager as in Ref [1] and the Alfven wave profile and intensity as in Ref [2] for different values of the exploding plasma energy, background plasma density and temperature, and background magnetic field. These experiments extend the previously successful experiments [2] on Alfven wave coupling. We anticipate that the proposed experiments would require 1-2 weeks of time on the LAPD. We would perform PIC simulations in support of these experiments in order to …

School districts around the country are finding that smart energy choices can help them save money and provide healthier, more effective learning environments. By incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans, schools can significantly reduce their energy consumption and costs. These savings can then be redirected to educational needs such as additional teachers, instructional materials, or new computers.

Operating a typical school today is no easy task for facilities managers and business officials. You're expected to deliver increased services with constrained operating budgets. Many schools stay open for longer hours to accommodate community use of the facilities. Dilapidated buildings and systems gobble up energy, yet in many districts, maintenance needs are overshadowed by the need for expansion or new construction to serve growing student populations and changing educational needs.

The goal of this proposal is to develop an in-situ probe for high density molecular fluids. We will, therefore, use Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy (CARS) applied to laser heated samples in a diamond-anvil cell (DAC) to investigate molecular fluids at simultaneous conditions of high temperatures (T > 2000K) and high pressures (P > 10 GPa.) Temperatures sufficient to populate vibrational levels above the ground state will allow the vibrational potential to be mapped by CARS. A system capable of heating and probing these samples will be constructed. Furthermore, the techniques that enable a sample to be sufficiently heated and probed while held at static high pressure in a diamond-anvil-cell will be developed. This will be an in-situ investigation of simple molecules under conditions relevant to the study of detonation chemistry and the Jovain planet interiors using state of the art non-linear spectroscopy, diamond-anvil-cells, and laser heating technology.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) funds the 'Annual Coded-wire Tag Program - Missing Production Groups for Columbia River Hatcheries' project. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) all operate salmon and steelhead rearing programs in the Columbia River basin. The intent of the funding is to coded-wire tag at least one production group of each species at each Columbia Basin hatchery to provide a holistic assessment of survival and catch distribution over time and to meet various measures of the Northwest Power Planning Council's (NWPPC) Fish and Wildlife Program. The WDFW project has three main objectives: (1) coded-wire tag at least one production group of each species at each Columbia Basin hatchery to enable evaluation of survival and catch distribution over time, (2) recover coded-wire tags from the snouts of fish tagged under objective 1 and estimate survival, contribution, and stray rates for each group, and (3) report the findings under objective 2 for all broods of chinook, and coho released from WDFW Columbia Basin hatcheries. Objective 1 for FY-00 was met with few modifications to the original FY-00 proposal. Under Objective 2, …

This Executive Summary provides an overview of the Draft Rainwater Wildlife Area Management Plan. The comprehensive plan can be viewed on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) website at: www.umatilla.nsn.us or requested in hard copy from the CTUIR at the address below. The wildlife area was established in September 1998 when the CTUIR purchased the Rainwater Ranch through Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) for purposes of fish and wildlife mitigation for the McNary and John Day dams. The Management Plan has been developed under a standardized planning process developed by BPA for Columbia River Basin Wildlife Mitigation Projects (See Guiding Policies Section below). The plan outlines the framework for managing the project area, provides an assessment of existing conditions and key resource issues, and presents an array of habitat management and enhancement strategies. The plan culminates into a 5-Year Action Plan that will focus management actions and prioritize funding during the 2002-2006 planning period. Since acquisition of the property in late 1998, the CTUIR has conducted an extensive baseline resource assessment in preparation for the management plan, initiated habitat restoration in the Griffin Fork drainage to address road-related resource damage caused by roads constructed for forest practices and …

In this annual Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) report to the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), we summarize significant activities and performance measures resultant from enhanced protection by Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fisheries Enforcement (CRITFE) in the mainstem corridor (BPA Project 2000-056). This report covers the Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 performance period -- May 15, 2000 to May 14, 2001. Quarterly progress reports have previously been submitted to BPA and are posted on the M&E Web site (www.Eco-Law.net) -- for the time period April-December 2000 (Vigg 2000b,c,d) and for the period January-June 2001 (Vigg 2001a,b). We also present comprehensive data representing the first quarter of year 2000 in this report for a pre-project comparison. In addition, we have analyzed specific annual enforcement statistics to evaluate trends during the baseline period 1996-2000. Additional statistics and more years of comprehensive baseline data are now being summarized, and will be presented in future M&E annual reports--to provide a longer time series for evaluation of trends in input, output and outcome performance standards.

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This paper describes two methods, Technology Roadmapping and Project Risk Assessment, which were used to identify and manage the technical risks relating to the treatment of sodium bearing waste at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. The waste treatment technology under consideration was Direct Vitrification. The primary objective of the Technology Roadmap is to identify technical data uncertainties for the technologies involved and to prioritize the testing or development studies to fill the data gaps. Similarly, project management's objective for a multi-million dollar construction project includes managing all the key risks in accordance to DOE O 413.3 - "Program and Project Management for the Acquisition of Capital Assets." In the early stages, the Project Risk Assessment is based upon a qualitative analysis for each risk's probability and consequence. In order to clearly prioritize the work to resolve the technical issues identified in the Technology Roadmap, the issues must be cross- referenced to the project's Risk Assessment. This will enable the project to get the best value for the cost to mitigate the risks.

A concept study was undertaken to evaluate potential multi-megawatt power sources for nuclear electric propulsion. The nominal electric power requirement was set at 15 MWe with an assumed mission profile of 120 days at full power, 60 days in hot standby, and another 120 days of full power, repeated several times for 7 years of service. Two configurations examined were (1) a gas-cooled reactor based on the NERVA Derivative design, operating a closed cycle Brayton power conversion system; and (2) a molten metal-cooled reactor based on SP-100 technology, driving a boiling potassium Rankine power conversion system. This study considered the relative merits of these two systems, seeking to optimize the specific mass. Conclusions were that either concept appeared capable of approaching the specific mass goal of 3-5 kg/kWe estimated to be needed for this class of mission, though neither could be realized without substantial development in reactor fuels technology, thermal radiator mass efficiency, and power conversion and distribution electronics systems capable of operating at high temperatures. The gas-Brayton systems showed an apparent specific mass advantage (3.53 vs 6.43 kg/kWe for the baseline cases) under the set of assumptions used, but reconciling differences in conservatism in the design algorithms used would …

Affordable, safe, long-lasting, high-power batteries are requisites for successful commercialization of hybrid electric vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Advance Automotive Technologies and the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles are funding research and development programs to address each of these issues. An overview of these areas is presented along with a summary of battery development and test programs, as well as recent performance data from several of these programs.

A new Accelerated Site Technology Deployment (ASTD) project was awarded in FY 2002 to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) to deploy technologies that decrease pollution and waste in the areas of facility characterization, sludge treatment, dust and contamination control, and concrete demolition. This project was called "D&D Technologies for Pollution Prevention" and planned to deploy four different technologies. To reduce protective equipment requirements, waste generation, and risk of radiation exposure during facility characterization, the Russian Gamma Locater Device (GLD) and Isotopic Identification Device (IID) for remote characterization was investigated. The GLD detects gamma ray readings and video images remotely and uses radio communication to transmit the readings to personnel located a safe distance from the contaminated area. The IID, an integral part of the GLD, provides real-time spectrometric analysis of radiation sources for remotely identifying the specific radioactive isotopes present in the facility. At the INEEL, sludge has accumulated in the bottom of a fuel storage pool and the presence of heavy metals in the sludge makes it a mixed waste. This project planned to use LEADX® to treat sludge in place to effectively make all heavy metals in the sludge insoluble. LEADX® is a dry granular …

This report presents the results of the 2001 Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program conducted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.44 for the Three Mile Island, Unit 2, Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation. A description of the facility and the monitoring program is provided. The results of monitoring the two predominant radiation exposure pathways, potential airborne radioactivity releases and direct radiation exposure, indicate the facility operation has not contributed to any increase in the estimated maximum potential dose commitment to the general public.

A digital network of 24 seismograph stations was operated from September 15, 1987 to September 30, 1988, by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Unocal as part of the Salton Sea Scientific Drilling Project to study seismicity related to tectonics and geothermal activity near the drilling site. More than 2001 microearthquakes were relocated in this study in order to image any pervasive structures that may exist within the Salton Sea geothermal field. First, detailed velocity models were obtained through standard 1-D inversion techniques. These velocity models were then used to relocate events using both single event methods and Double-Differencing, a joint hypocenter location method. An anisotropic velocity model was built from anisotropy estimates obtained from well logs within the study area. During the study period, the Superstition wills sequence occurred with two moderate earthquakes of MS 6.2 and MS 6.6. These moderate earthquakes caused a rotation of the stress field as observed from the inversion of first motion data from microearthquakes at the Salton Sea geothermal field. Coulomb failure analysis also indicates that microearthquakes occurring after the Superstition Hills sequence are located within a region of stress increase suggesting stress triggering caused by the moderate earthquakes.

This report describes the monitoring activities conducted and presents the results of groundwater sampling and water-level measurements from October 2000 to September 2001. Groundwater samples were initially collected from 41 wells from the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center and the Central Facilities Area and analyzed for iodine-129, strontium-90, tritium, gross alpha, gross beta, technetium-99, uranium isotopes, plutonium isotopes, neptunium-237, americium-241, gamma spectrometry, and mercury. Samples from 41 wells were collected in April and May 2001. Additional sampling was conducted in August 2001 and included the two CFA production wells, the CFA point of compliance for the production wells, one well that was previously sampled and five additional monitoring wells. Iodine-129 and strontium-90 were the only analytes above their respective maximum contaminant levels. Iodine-129 was detected just above its maximum contaminant level of 1 pCi/L at two of the Central Facilities Area landfill wells. Iodine-129 was detected in the CFA production wells at 0.35±0.083 pCi/L in CFA-1, but was below detectable activity in CFA-2. Strontium-90 was above its maximum contaminant level of 8 pCi/L in several wells near the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center but was below its maximum contaminant level in the downgradient wells at the Central Facilities …

The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) is investigating the development of a comprehensive and quantitative risk model framework for environmental management activities at the site. Included are waste management programs (high-level waste, transuranic waste, low-level waste, mixed low-level waste, spent nuclear fuel, and special nuclear materials), major environmental restoration efforts, major decontamination and decommissioning projects, and planned long-term stewardship activities. Two basic types of risk estimates are included: risks from environmental management activities, and long-term legacy risks from wastes/materials. Both types of risks are estimated using the Environment, Safety, and Health Risk Assessment Program (ESHRAP) developed at the INEEL. Given these two types of risk calculations, the following evaluations can be performed: • Risk evaluation of an entire program (covering waste/material as it now exists through disposal or other end states) • Risk comparisons of alternative programs or activities • Comparisons of risk benefit versus risk cost for activities or entire programs • Ranking of programs or activities by risk • Ranking of wastes/materials by risk • Evaluation of site risk changes with time as activities progress • Integrated performance measurement using indicators such as injury/death and exposure rates. This paper discusses the definition and calculation of legacy …

The Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) Service Wastewater Discharge Facility replaces the existing percolation ponds as a disposal facility for the INTEC Service Waste Stream. A preferred alternative for helping decrease water content in the subsurface near INTEC, closure of the existing ponds is required by the INTEC Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Record of Decision (ROD) for Waste Area Group 3 Operable Unit 3-13 (DOE-ID 1999a). By August 2002, the replacement facility was constructed approximately 2 miles southwest of INTEC, near the Big Lost River channel. Because groundwater beneath the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) is protected under Federal and State of Idaho regulations from degradation due to INEEL activities, preoperational data required by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1 were collected. These data include preexisting physical, chemical, and biological conditions that could be affected by the discharge; background levels of radioactive and chemical components; pertinent environmental and ecological parameters; and potential pathways for human exposure or environmental impact. This document presents specific data collected in support of DOE Order 5400.1, including: four quarters of groundwater sampling and analysis of chemical and radiological parameters; general facility description; site specific geology, stratigraphy, …

The 2001 Wastewater Land Application Site Performance Reports for the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory describe site conditions for the facilities with State of Idaho Wastewater Land Application Permits. Permit-required monitoring data are summarized, and any permit exceedences or environmental impacts relating to the operation of any of the facilities during the 2001 permit year are discussed. Additionally, any special studies performed at the facilities, which related to the operation of the facility or application of the wastewater, are discussed.

An offgas emissions inventory and liquid stream characterization of the Idaho New Waste Calcining Facility (NWCF) Evaporator Tank System (ETS), formerly known as the High Level Liquid Waste Evaporator (HLLWE), has been completed. The emissions rates of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, multiple metals, particulate, and hydrochloric acid were measured in accordance with an approved Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPjP) and Test Plan that invoked U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard sample collection and analysis procedures. Offgas samples were collected during the start up and at the end of evaporator batches when it was hypothesized the emissions would be at peak rates. Corresponding collection of samples from the evaporator feed overhead condensate, and bottoms was made at approximately the same time as the emissions inventory to support material balance determinations for the evaporator process. The data indicate that organic compound emissions are slightly higher at the beginning of the batch while metals emissions, including mercury, are slightly higher at the end of the evaporator batch. The maximum emissions concentrations are low for all constituents of primary concern. Mercury emissions were less than 5 ppbv, while the sum of HCl and Cl2 emissions was less than 1 ppmv. The sum of …