Technology developments occurring in the past few years have resulted in the initial commercialization of phosphoric acid (PA) fuel cells. Ongoing research and development (R and D) promises further improvement in PA fuel cell technology, as well as the development of proton exchange membrane (PEM), molten carbonate (MC), and solid oxide (SO) fuel cell technologies. In the long run, this collection of fuel cell options will be able to serve a wide range of electric power and cogeneration applications. A fuel cell converts the chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy without the use of a thermal cycle or rotating equipment. In contrast, most electrical generating devices (e.g., steam and gas turbine cycles, reciprocating engines) first convert chemical energy into thermal energy and then mechanical energy before finally generating electricity. Like a battery, a fuel cell is an electrochemical device, but there are important differences. Batteries store chemical energy and convert it into electrical energy on demand, until the chemical energy has been depleted. Depleted secondary batteries may be recharged by applying an external power source, while depleted primary batteries must be replaced. Fuel cells, on the other hand, will operate continuously, as long as they are externally supplied …

This progress report describes design and marketing efforts made to reduce the cost of the product, and reassess its market potential in light of reduced manufacturing costs and modified design. Marketing has looked at applications in agriculture, the turf grass industry, and golf coarse applications. The new controller offers energy efficiency in control of valves and minimization of costs associated with hard wired systems.

Nanosatellite space launches could significantly benefit from an electrically powered launch complex, based on an electromagnetic coil launcher. This paper presents results of studies to estimate the required launcher parameters and some fixed facility issues. This study is based on electromagnetic launch, or electromagnetic gun technology, which is constrained to a coaxial geometry to take advantage of the efficiency of closely-coupled coils. A baseline configuration for analysis considers a payload mass of 10 kg, launch velocity of 6 km/s, a second stage solid booster for orbital insertion, and a payload fraction of about 0.1. The launch facility is envisioned as an inclined track, 1-2 km in length, mounted on a hillside at 25 degrees aimed in the orbital inclination of interest. The launcher energy and power requirements fall in the range of 2000 MJ and 2 MW electric. This energy would be supplied by 400 modules of energy storage and magnetic coils. With a prime power generator of 2 MW, a launch rate of some 200 satellites per day is possible. The launch requires high acceleration, so the satellite package must be hardened to launch acceleration on the order of 1000 gee. Parametric evaluations compare performance parameters for a launcher …

Two new Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) groundwater monitoring wells were installed at the single-shell tank fm Waste Management Area (WMA) T in August through November of 1998 in fixlfilhnent of Tri-Party Agreement (Ecology 1996) Milestone M-24-37. The wells are 299-W1O-23 and 299-W1O-24. Well 299-W1O-23 repIaces well 299-W1O-15 and well 299-W1O-24 replaces well 299-WI 1-27; both new wells are located north of WMA T and are downgradient monitoring wells. The locations of alI wells in the extended monitoring network for WMA T are shown on Figure 1. The groundwater monitoring plan for WMA T (Caggiano and Goodwin 1991) describes the hydro- geology of the 200 West Area and WMA T. An Interim Change Notice to the groundwater monitoring plan provides justification for the new wells. The new wells were constructed to the specifications and requirements described in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-160 and WAC 173-303. This document compiles tiormation on the ~lling and construction, well development pump install- ation, and sediment testing applicable to wells 299-W1O-23 and 299-W1O-24. Appendix A contains copies of the geologist's log, the Well Construction Summary Repo~ and Well Summary Sheet (as-built diagram); Appendix B contains results of laborato~ analyses of particIe size distribution, pHj …

In two recent publications relativistic electron flow in cylindrical magnetically-insulated transmission lines (MITL) was analyzed and modeled under the assumption of negligible electron pressure. Cylindrical MITLs were used because of their common occurrence, and because they are the simplest case of finite width. The authors show in this report that the models apply equally to MITLs of any cross section.

One new Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) groundwater monitoring well was installed during September 1998 at the single-shell tank farm Waste Management Area (WMA) B-BX-BY. The well is 299-E33-44 and is located east of the BY single-shell tank farm. The well is a new upgradient monitoring well drilled in support of the groundwater assessment program at WMA B-BX-BY. This document is a compilation of information on the drilling and construction well development pump installation, and sediment testing and analyses applicable to well 299-E33-44. Appendix A contains copies of the geologist's log, the Well Construction Summary Report and Well Summary Sheet (as-built diagram); Appendix B contains results of Laboratory analyses completed on samples of sediment from the well and Appendix C contains geophysical logs. An aquifer test (slug test) was done in the well after well completion. Results from the aquifer test will be published elsewhere. Additional documentation concerning well construction is on file with Bechtel Hanford Inc., Richland, Washington.

The role of hydrogen in enhancing the photoluminescence (PL) yield observed from Si nanocrystals embedded in SiO{sub 2} has been studied. SiO{sub 2} thermal oxides and bulk fused silica samples have been implanted with Si and subsequently annealed in various ambients including hydrogen or deuterium forming gases (Ar+4%H{sub 2} or Ar+4%D{sub 2}) or pure Ar. Results are presented for annealing at temperatures between 200 and 1100 C. Depth and concentration profiles of H and D at various stages of processing have been measured using elastic recoil detection. Hydrogen or deuterium is observed in the bulk after annealing in forming gas but not after high temperature (1100 C) anneals in Ar. The presence of hydrogen dramatically increases the broad PL band centered in the near-infrared after annealing at 1100 C but has almost no effect on the PL spectral distribution. Hydrogen is found to selectively trap in the region where Si nanocrystals are formed, consistent with a model of H passivating surface states at the Si/SiO{sub 2} interface that leads to enhanced PL. The thermal stability of the trapped H and the PL yield observed after a high temperature anneal have been studied. The hydrogen concentration and PL yield are unchanged …

Recent droughts in California have highlighted and refocused attention on the problem of providing reliable sources of water to sustain the State`s future economic development. Specific elements of concern include not only the stability and availability of future water supplies in the State, but also how current surface and groundwater storage and distribution systems may be more effectively managed and upgraded, how treated wastewater may be more widely recycled, and how legislative and regulatory processes may be used or modified to address conflicts between advocates of urban growth, industrial, agricultural, and environmental concerns. California is not alone with respect to these issues. They are clearly relevant throughout the West, and are becoming more so in other parts of the US. They have become increasingly important in developing and highly populated nations such as China, India, and Mexico. They are critically important in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, especially as they relate to regional stability and security issues. Indeed, in almost all cases, there are underlying themes of `reliability` and `sustainability` that pertain to the assurance of current and future water supplies, as well as a broader set of `stability` and `security` issues that relate to these assurances--or lack thereof--to …

A source of instability in the western Pacific warm pool is shown to be due to sea surface elevation variations caused by changes in the zonal sea-surface temperature (SST) gradient and the changes in the Pacific Ocean basin length in relation to the warm pool latitudinal location. The variation of the sea-surface elevation is measured by using the thermocline depth response calculated from a two-layer ocean. The warm pool is shown to be barely at equilibrium during the boreal late winter and early spring by comparing the measured thermocline at 110{degree}W, 0{degree}E with the calculated thermocline depth. Based on this analysis, a failure or reversal of the climatological zonal winds are apparently not a necessary precursor for the instability of the warm pool and initiation of a warm event. A warm event can be initiated by an increase in the size of the warm pool and/or an increase in zonal SST differences during the boreal/winter spring. This mechanism could be an alternate mechanism for El-Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics to that postulated by Bjeknes (1969).

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Progress on the performance of the coal photochemical extractions this quarter has fallen behind schedule. Work on the project scheduled for other times has been pursued instead. At the beginning of the quarter, the sealing off of an undesirable solvent flow pathway in the Ace Glass photochemical reactor was unsuccessful. Due either to pre-existing strains in the glass or to poor procedure, the reactor was damaged beyond repair and a new system was ordered immediately. Shortly after experiments began with the new system, a port of the new Ace Glass reactor equipped with a screwed-down tightened O-ring seal snapped off, a situation clearly due to a poorly annealed glass join. The reactor is presently still under return for repair. The graduate student on the project has put his energies into other project-related work. One type of work was to prepare the extracts that will be needed in future coal photoextractions. The third type of alternate activity on which the P.I. and graduate student have been working is literature work and discussion of the project. These have focused on the probable mechanisms of (1) the direct coal irradiation photolysis, (2) the extract-sensitized coal photolysis, and (3) solvent-sensitized coal photolysis. Considerations have …

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Millimeter-wave rf cavities for use in linear accelerators, free-electron lasers, and mm-wave undulatory are under development at Argonne National Laboratory. Typical cavity dimensions are in the 1000 mm range, and the overall length of the accelerator structure, which consists of 30-100 cavities, is about 50-100 mm. An accuracy of 0.2% in the cavity dimensions is necessary in order to achieve a high Q-factor of the cavity. To achieve this these structures are being fabricated using deep X-ray lithography, electroforming, and assembly (LIGA). The first prototype cavity structures are designed for 108 GHz and 2p/3-mode operation. Input and output couplers are integrated with the cavity structures. The cavities are fabricated on copper substrates by electroforming copper into 1-mm-thick PMMA resists patterned by deep x-ray lithography and polishing the copper down to the desired thickness. These are fabricated separately and subsequently assembled with precision spacing and alignment using microspheres, optical fibers, or microfabricated spacers/alignment pieces. Details of the fabrication process, alignment, and assembly work are presented in here.

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A single column model (SCM) is, in essence, an isolated grid column of a general circulation model (GCM). Hence, SCMs have rather demanding input data requirements, but do not suffer from problems associated with balance of a GCM. Among the initial conditions that must be used to describe the initial state of the SCM column are the vertical profile of the horizontal wind components and the vertical profiles of cloud water and ice. In addition, the large-scale divergence and advective tendencies of cloud water and ice must be supplied as external parameters. Finally, the liquid and ice cloud amount as a function of height within the SCM column are required for model evaluation. The scale of the SCM column over which the initial conditions, external parameters, and model evaluation fields must apply is relatively large ({approximately}300 km). To quantify atmospheric structure on this scale, the ARM SGP CART site is located within the NOAA wind profiler network and has boundary and extended measurement facilities in an area compatible with the scale requirements of SCMs. Over an area this size, however, there is often rich mesoscale structure. This mesoscale variability creates a sampling problem that can thwart even the most sophisticated …

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One of the primary objectives of the Fall 1997 IOP was to intercompare Ka-band (35GHz) and W-band (95GHz) cloud radar observations and verify system calibrations. During September 1997, several cloud radars were deployed at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) Cloud and Radiation Testbed (CART) site, including the full time operation 35 GHz CART Millimeter-wave Cloud Radar (MMCR), (Moran, 1997), the University of Massachusetts (UMass) single antenna 33GHz/95 GHz Cloud Profiling Radar System (CPRS), (Sekelsky, 1996), the 95 GHz Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR) flown on the University of Wyoming King Air (Galloway, 1996), the University of Utah 95 GHz radar and the dual-antenna Pennsylvania State University 94 GHz radar (Clothiaux, 1995). In this paper the authors discuss several issues relevant to comparison of ground-based radars, including the detection and filtering of insect returns. Preliminary comparisons of ground-based Ka-band radar reflectivity data and comparisons with airborne radar reflectivity measurements are also presented.

Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina is dissolving Pu239 scrap, which is a legacy from the production of nuclear weapons materials, and will later convert it into oxide form to stabilize it. An eductor has been used to both dilute and transfer a plutonium containing solution between tanks. Eductors have the advantages of simplicity and no moving parts. Reliable control of dilution is important because the geometry of the receiving tank could potentially allow a nuclear criticality. Dilution factor was to have been controlled by the appropriate choice of flow restrictor in the line between the plutonium solution tank and the eductor. However, dilution factors measured for liquid transfers with different flow restrictors showed unexpected trends, causing concern that the process was not well understood. As a result, the performance of the eductor and associated piping were analyzed using a mathematical model. The one dimensional, two phase model accounted for eductor performance and for air and vapor coming out of solution at low pressures. The unexpected trends were shown to be the result of variations in viscosities and densities of both the plutonium solution and the nitric acid solution used as both the motive fluid and diluent. The model …

The measurement sensitivity of CO{sub 2} differential absorption lidar (DIAL) can be affected by a number of different processes. We have previously developed a Huygens-Fresnel wave optics propagation code to simulate the effects of two of these process: effects caused by beam propagation through atmospheric optical turbulence and effects caused by reflective speckle. Atmospheric optical turbulence affects the beam distribution of energy and phase on target. These effects include beam spreading, beam wander and scintillation which can result in increased shot-to-shot signal noise. In addition, reflective speckle alone has been shown to have a major impact on the sensitivity of CO{sub 2} DIAL. However, in real DIAL systems it is a combination of these phenomena, the interaction of atmospheric optical turbulence and reflective speckle, that influences the results. In this work, we briefly review a description of our model including the limitations along with previous simulation s of individual effects. The performance of our modified code with respect to experimental measurements affected by atmospheric optical turbulence and reflective speckle is examined. The results of computer simulations are directly compared with lidar measurements and show good agreement. In addition, advanced studies have been performed to demonstrate the utility of our model …

This paper focuses on the lessons learned during the decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) of two reactors at Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E). The Experimental Boiling Water Reactor (EBWR) was a 100 MW(t), 5 MSV(e) proof-of-concept facility. The Janus Reactor was a 200 kW(t) reactor located at the Biological Irradiation Facility and was used to study the effects of neutron radiation on animals.

{sup 3}H (Tritium) is required for maintenance of nuclear weapons in the stockpile. The National Defense need for {sup 3}H was historically met by the Savannah River Facility. This facility is no longer safe for operation. {sup 3}H decays with a mean lifetime {tau} = 17.8 y, and therefore new methods of {sup 3}H production are required to meet US military requirements. Irradiation of {sup 7}Li by low-energy photons produces tritium ({sup 3}H) via the photodisintegration process. Waste heat from the {sup 7}Li target can be extracted and used for the direct generation of electricity. Other advantages include: negligible residual radioactivity, simple target technology, small low-energy electron accelerators for bremsstrahlung production (the photon source), developed liquid metal technology, modularity, simple extraction of {sup 3}H from a recirculating {sup 7}Li target, abundant supply of {sup 7}Li, and straightforward target-accelerator-bremsstrahlung converter interface. A schematic plant characterized by very low risk is described, and a figure-of-merit is obtained.

Recently there has been a lot of interest in models in which gravity becomes strong at the TeV scale. The observed weakness of gravitational interactions is then explained by the existence of extra compact dimensions of space, which are accessible to gravity but not to Standard Model particles. In this letter we consider graviton emission into these extra dimensions from a hot supernova core. The phenomenology of SN1987A places strong constraints on this energy loss mechanism, allowing us to derive a bound on the fundamental Planck scale. For the case of two extra dimensions we obtain a very strong bound of M {ge} 50 TeV, which corresponds to a radius R {le} 0.3 {micro}m. While there are a lot of sources of uncertainty associated with this bound, we find that pushing it down to the few-TeV range, which could in principle be probed by ground-based experiments, is disfavored. For three or more extra dimensions the SN1987A constraints do not exclude a TeV gravitational scale.

Neutron diffuse scattering in the form of rod-like features are observed in single crystals of the layered CMR material La{sub 2{minus}2x}Sr{sub 1+2x}Mn{sub 2}O{sub 7} (x=0.4,0.36), consistent with the presence of 2D ferromagnetic spin correlations. These diffuse features are observed over a wide temperature region, however, their coherence length does not appear to diverge at T{sub c}, although there is evidence of the development of three-dimensional correlations around ferromagnetic reflections of the 3D-ordered magnetic structure close to T{sub c}. Quasi-elastic neutron scattering on a ceramic sample of x = 0.3 shows that the lifetime of these ferromagnetic correlations increases at T {r_arrow} T{sub c}. They exhibit a spin-diffusion constant above T{sub c} of {approximately}5 meV {angstrom}{sup 2}, much lower than that reported for La{sub 2/3}Ca{sub 1/3}MnO{sub 3}. We discuss the relationship of these magnetic correlations to models of the ferromagnetic transition in CMR compounds.

Sodium chromate has been an effective corrosion inhibitor for the cooling coil systems in Savannah River Site (SRS) waste tanks for over 40 years. Due to their age and operating history, cooling coils occasionally fail allowing chromate water to leak into the environment. When the leaks spill 10 lbs. or more of sodium chromate over a 24-hr period, the leak incidents are classified as Unusual Occurrences (UO) per CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act). The cost of reporting and cleaning up chromate spills prompted High Level Waste Engineering (HLWE) to initiate a study to investigate alternative tank cooling water inhibitor systems and the associated cost of replacement. Several inhibitor systems were investigated as potential alternatives to sodium chromate. All would have a lesser regulatory impact, if a spill occurred. However, the conversion cost is estimated to be $8.5 million over a period of 8 to 12 months to convert all 5 cooling systems. Although each of the alternative inhibitors examined is effective in preventing corrosion, there is no inhibitor identified that is as effective as chromate. Assuming 3 major leaks a year (the average over the past several years), the cost of maintaining the existing inhibitor was estimated …