The high-density infrared (HDI) transient-liquid coating (TLC) process was successfully developed and demonstrated excellent, enhanced (5 times higher than the current material and process) wear performance for the selected functionally graded material (FGM) coatings under laboratory simulated, in-service conditions. The mating steel component exhibited a wear rate improvement of approximately one and a half (1.5) times. After 8000 cycles of. wear testing, the full-scale component testing demonstrated that the coating integrity was still excellent. Little or no spalling was observed to occur.

The Department of Energy Environmental Management Program is faced with two major issues involving two-phase flow in fractured rock; specifically, transport of dissolved contaminants in the Vadose Zone, and the fate of Dense Nonaqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPLs) below the water table. Conceptual models currently used to address these problems do not correctly include the influence of the fractures, thus leading to erroneous predictions. Recent work has shown that it is crucial to understand the topology, or ''structure'' of the fluid phases (air/water or water/DNAPL) within the subsurface. It has also been shown that even under steady boundary conditions, the influence of fractures can lead to complex and dynamic phase structure that controls system behavior, with or without the presence of a porous rock matrix. Complicated phase structures within the fracture network can facilitate rapid transport, and lead to a sparsely populated and widespread distribution of concentrated contaminants; these qualities are highly difficult to describe with current conceptual models. The focus of our work is to improve predictive modeling through the development of advanced conceptual models for two-phase flow in fractured rock.

This annual technical progress report summarizes the work accomplished during the second year of the program, January-December 2003, in the following task areas: Task 1--Conceptual Design, Task 2--Laboratory Scale Evaluations, Task 3--OTM Development, Task 4--Economic Evaluation and Commercialization Planning and Task 5--Program Management. The program has experienced significant delays due to several factors. The budget has also been significantly under spent. Based on recent technical successes and confirmation of process economics, significant future progress is expected. Concepts for integrating Oxygen Transport Membranes (OTMs) into boilers and process heaters to facilitate oxy-fuel combustion have been investigated. OTM reactor combustion testing was delayed to insufficient reliability of the earlier OTM materials. Substantial improvements to reliability have been identified and testing will recommence early in 2004. Promising OTM material compositions and OTM architectures have been identified that improve the reliability of the ceramic elements. Economic evaluation continued. Information was acquired that quantified the attractiveness of the advanced oxygen-fired boiler. CO{sub 2} capture and compression are still estimated to be much less than $10/ton CO{sub 2}.

Recent trends in today's office environment make it increasingly more difficult for conventional centralized HVAC systems to satisfy the environmental preferences of individual officer workers using the standardized approach of providing a single uniform thermal and ventilation environment. Since its original introduction in West Germany during the 1950s, the open plan office containing modular workstation furniture and partitions is now the norm. Thermostatically controlled zones in open plan offices typically encompass relatively large numbers of workstations in which a diverse work population having a wide range of preferred temperatures must be accommodated. Modern office buildings are also being impacted by a large influx of heat-generating equipment (computers, printers, etc.) whose loads may vary considerably from workstation to workstation. Offices are often reconfigured during the building's lifetime to respond to changing tenant needs, affecting the distribution of within-space loads and the ventilation pathways among and over office partitions. Compounding this problem, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of the comfort, health, and productivity of individual office workers, giving rise to an increased demand among employers and employees for a high-quality work environment. During recent years an increasing amount of attention has been paid to air distribution systems that …

The objective of this project is to enhance the capabilities of a real-time airborne particle mass spectrometer by implementing matrix-independent methods for sample ionization. The enhancements should result in improved sensitivity for trace substances and, more importantly, permit quantitative determination of the presence of target species in microparticle samples on an individual particle basis. We have used two different approaches to eliminate matrix effects on quantitative accuracy. Both rely on delayed ionization of ablated/desorbed neutral species so that ionization of target substances occurs after most of the expansion collisions have taken place. Resonance ionization by a tunable pulsed laser permits selective ionization of target species, with the laser tuned to a resonance transition from the ground state to an excited state of the target. Additional photons of the same (when possible) or different energy make up the energy required for ionization. The other approach is to perform the laser ablation step within a discharge so that desorbed neutrals are ionized by reactions with the plasma. Electron capture generates negative ions of substances with high electron affinity while electron impact ionization, associative ionization, and Penning ionization from excited metastable species produce positive ions in the discharge. Both atmospheric pressure Corona discharge …

The ability to more rapidly process high-level waste sludge and supernate, without sacrificing cost savings, continues to be a crucial challenge facing the Savannah River Site (SRS). There has, to date, not been any extensive investigation of alternative filter technologies for the SRS baseline process. To address this problem, a focused investigation into alternative, state-of-the art filtration technologies to facilitate the strontium and actinide removal process, which can be cost effectively implemented in existing facilities and current equipment designs, was completed. Filter technologies manufactured by Mott (0.1 µm and 0.5 µm) Graver (0.07 µm), Pall (0.1 µm and 0.8 µm) and GKN (0.1 µm) were evaluated. Membranes had a nominal inside diameter of 3/8 inches and an active membrane length of 2 feet. The investigation was performed in two phases. The first phase of testing evaluated the consistency or variability in flux through the different membranes using water and a standard 5.0 wt% strontium carbonate slurry. The second phase of testing evaluated the achievable permeate flux and clarity through the various membranes using the SRS average salt supernate simulant at solids loadings of 0.06, 0.29 and 4.5 wt%. Membrane variation data indicate that membranes having an asymmetric ceramic coating (Pall …

Nondestructive gamma ray characterization of remote-handled waste is significantly complicated by the presence of Compton scattering in the detector and waste matrix produced by the intense cesium gamma ray. This research seeks to understand the photophysics of a new type of inorganic scintillation gamma ray detector, optimize the combination of this gamma ray detector with a Compton guard detector, develop new Monte Carlo solution algorithms for modeling Compton scattering in the waste, and to model the real time intensity of cesium produced Compton scattering. A successful research program will provide the fundamental information needed to design and develop advanced Compton spectrometers for assay of remote handled waste and new higher sensitivity spectrometers for environmental measurements.

Highly basic tank wastes contain several important radionuclides, including 90Sr, 99Tc, and 60Co, as well as actinide elements (i.e., isotopes of U, Pu, and Am). These highly basic tank wastes are known to have leaked into the vadose zone at the Hanford Site. Upon entering the sediments in the vadose zone, the highly basic solutions dissolve large concentrations of silica from the silica and aluminosilicate minerals present in the subsurface. These dissolution reactions alter the chemical composition of the leaking solutions, transforming them from a highly basic (as high 2M NaOH) solution into a pore solution with a very high concentration of dissolved silica and a significantly reduced pH. This moderately basic (pH 9 to 11), high-silica solution has the potential to complex radionuclides and move through the subsurface. Such strong radionuclide complexation is a currently unconsidered transport vector that has the potential to expedite radionuclide transport through the vad ose zone. These strong complexation effects have the ability to significantly alter current conceptual models of contaminant migration beneath leaking tanks. In this project, we are determining the aqueous thermodynamics and speciation of dissolved silica and silica-radionuclide complexes to high silica concentration. We are also initiating studies of U(VI) speciation …

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This report describes the results of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) of Santa Clara, California. This project encompassed the continued development and integration of the ORNL Automated Image Retrieval (AIR) technology, and an extension of the technology denoted Automated Signature Retrieval (ASR), and other related technologies with the Defect Source Identification (DSI) software system that was under development by AMAT at the time this work was performed. In the semiconductor manufacturing environment, defect imagery is used to diagnose problems in the manufacturing line, train yield management engineers, and examine historical data for trends. Image management in semiconductor data systems is a growing cause of concern in the industry as fabricators are now collecting up to 20,000 images each week. In response to this concern, researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) developed a semiconductor-specific content-based image retrieval method and system, also known as AIR. The system uses an image-based query-by-example method to locate and retrieve similar imagery from a database of digital imagery using visual image characteristics. The query method is based on a unique architecture that takes advantage of the statistical, morphological, and structural characteristics of image data, generated by inspection …

The Big Sky Partnership, led by Montana State University, is comprised of research institutions, public entities and private sectors organizations, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the Nez Perce Tribe. Efforts during the second performance period fall into four areas: evaluation of sources and carbon sequestration sinks; development of GIS-based reporting framework; designing an integrated suite of monitoring, measuring, and verification technologies; and initiating a comprehensive education and outreach program. At the first two Partnership meetings the groundwork was put in place to provide an assessment of capture and storage capabilities for CO{sub 2} utilizing the resources found in the Partnership region (both geological and terrestrial sinks), that would complement the ongoing DOE research. The region has a diverse array of geological formations that could provide storage options for carbon in one or more of its three states. Likewise, initial estimates of terrestrial sinks indicate a vast potential for increasing and maintaining soil C on forested, agricultural, and reclaimed lands. Both options include the potential for offsetting economic benefits to industry and society. Steps have been taken to assure that the GIS-based framework is consistent among types of sinks within the Big Sky Partnership area and with the …

Basic and applied research is being conducted to develop simple to use chemical and biological sensor chips utilizing bio-chemo-mechanics for real-time, in-situ, detection of technetium, mercury, uranium, copper, and lead for deactivation and decommissioning applications. The bio-chemo-opto-mechanical (Bio-COM) chip involves properly fashioned arrays of micromachined silicon cantilevers containing embedded deformable diffraction gratings functionalized with chemically selective coatings. Adsorption of specific molecules on the cantilever array leads to bending, which changes the diffraction of light from the array. The biochemo- opto-mechanical (BioCOM) chips will be designed to contain an array of pixels, with each pixel containing an array of microcantilever springs in which one surface is derivatized with either an antibody coating or a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) coating for detecting Hg(II), Hg(0), Cu(II), Pb(II), U(VI), or TcO4 -. The BioCOM sensor platform also offers the advantage of simultaneous measurement of many analytes using a single chip. The readout mechanism can be a reflected laser beam, producing a diffraction pattern, or in an ideal case the diffraction of daylight resulting in a change of color. In the latter case the proposed sensors would not require any external power, external or on-board electronics, or fluorescent dyes and associated optics, which will keep its …

Report analyzing the use of biomass oils to help meet Office of the Biomass Program goals of establishing a commercial biorefinery by 2010 and commercializing at least four biobased products.

This report summarizes progress made from June 2003 to July 2004. During this period research focused on further understanding the factors controlling the growth and activity of dissimilatory metal reducers in subsurface environments and the application of these findings to better design of strategies for in situ bioremediation of uranium.

Advantages of implementation of power plants based on electrochemical reactions are successfully demonstrated in the USA and Japan. One of the msot promising types of fuel cells (FC) is a type of high temperature fuel cells. At present, thanks to the efforts of the leading countries that develop fuel cell technologies power plants on the basis of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are really close to commercialization. One of the problems that are to be solved for practical implementation of MCFC and SOFC is a problem of corrosion of metal components of stacks that are assembled of a number of fuel cells. One of the major components of MCFC and SOFC stacks is a bipolar separator plate (BSP) that performs several functions - it is separation of reactant gas flows sealing of the joints between fuel cells, and current collection from the surface of electrodes. The goal of Task 1 of the project is to develop new cost-effective nickel coatings for the Russian 20X23H18 steel for an MCFC bipolar separator plate using technological processes usually implemented to apply corrosion stable coatings onto the metal parts for products in the defense. There was planned the …

As part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Partnerships for Advanced Component Technologies (WindPACT) program, Global Energy Concepts, LLC is performing a Blade System Design Study (BSDS) concerning innovations in materials, processes and structural configurations for application to wind turbine blades in the multi-megawatt range. The BSDS Volume I project report addresses issues and constraints identified to scaling conventional blade designs to the megawatt size range, and evaluated candidate materials, manufacturing and design innovations for overcoming and improving large blade economics. The current report (Volume II), presents additional discussion of materials and manufacturing issues for large blades, including a summary of current trends in commercial blade manufacturing. Specifications are then developed to guide the preliminary design of MW-scale blades. Using preliminary design calculations for a 3.0 MW blade, parametric analyses are performed to quantify the potential benefits in stiffness and decreased gravity loading by replacement of a baseline fiberglass spar with carbon-fiberglass hybrid material. Complete preliminary designs are then presented for 3.0 MW and 5.0 MW blades that incorporate fiberglass-to-carbon transitions at mid-span. Based on analysis of these designs, technical issues are identified and discussed. Finally, recommendations are made for composites testing under Part I1 of the BSDS, and …

To measure progress toward multi-year Building America research goals, cost and performance trade-offs are evaluated through a series of controlled field and laboratory experiments supported by energy analysis techniques that use test data to''calibrate'' energy simulation models. This report summarizes the guidelines for reporting such analytical results using the Building America Research Benchmark (Version 3.1) in studies that also include consideration of current Regional and Builder Standard Practice. Version 3.1 of the Benchmark is generally consistent with the 1999 Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Reference Home, with additions that allow evaluation of all home energy uses.

This report documents the calculation of radionuclide content in the pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel samples planned for use in the Spent Fuel Ratio (SPR) Experiments at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico (SNL) to aid in experiment planning. The calculation methods using the ORIGEN2 and ORIGEN-ARP computer codes and the input modeling of the planned PWR spent fuel from the H. B. Robinson and the Surry nuclear power plants are discussed. The safety hazards for the calculated nuclide inventories in the spent fuel samples are characterized by the potential airborne dose and by the portion of the nuclear facility hazard category 2 and 3 thresholds that the experiment samples would present. In addition, the gamma ray photon energy source for the nuclide inventories is tabulated to facilitate subsequent calculation of the direct and shielded dose rates expected from the samples. The relative hazards of the high burnup 72 gigawatt-day per metric ton of uranium (GWd/MTU) spent fuel from H. B. Robinson and the medium burnup 36 GWd/MTU spent fuel from Surry are compared against a parametric calculation of various fuel burnups to assess the potential for higher hazard PWR fuel samples.

Treatment of underground tanks at Hanford with concentrated alkali to improve removal of wastelimiting components of sludges has proven less efficacious for Al and Cr removal than had been hoped. Hence, more aggressive treatments of sludges, including contact with oxidants targeting Cr(III), have been tested in a limited number of samples and found to enhance Cr removal. Unfortunately, treatments of sludge samples with oxidative alkaline leachates produce conditions under which normally insoluble actinide ions (e.g., Am3+, Pu4+, Np4+) can no longer be reliably assumed to remain in the sludge phase. Few experimental or meaningful theoretical studies of actinide chemistry in strongly alkaline, strongly oxidizing solutions have been completed. Extrapolation of acid phase thermodynamic data to these radically different conditions provides little reliable guidance for predicting actinide speciation in highly salted alkaline solutions. In this project, we are investigating the fundamental chemistry of actinides in sludge simulants and supernatants under representative oxidative leaching conditions. We are also examining the potential impact of acidic leaching with concurrent secondary separations to enhance Al removal. Our objective is to provide adequate insight into actinide behavior under these conditions to enable prudent decision making as tank waste treatment protocols develop. We expect to identify those …

Biogeochemical and hydrological processes are naturally coupled and variable over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Additionally, many remediation approaches also induce dynamic transformations in natural systems. Because it is difficult to predict these transformations, our ability to develop effective and sustainable remediation conditions at contaminated sites is often limited. For example, substrate delivery to enhance remediation via biostimulation may initially prove effective, but the conditions necessary for preservation of the sequestered phases may be difficult to sustain. Further complicating the problem is the inability to collect the necessary measurements at a high enough spatial resolution yet over a large enough volume for understanding fieldscale transformations. Our research focuses on investigating the capability to characterize and monitor coupled processes at appropriate resolutions and spatial scales using geophysical data. In particular, we are investigating the influence of evolved gases, precipitates, and biofilms on geophysical signatures. An ability to use geophysical methods to detect system transformations would be very useful for illuminating the conditions of perturbed systems during remediation in a rapid, high-resolution, and in-situ manner. Thus, if successful, such methods might be useful to guide remediation efforts. The resulting measurements will additionally provide the database necessary for investigating coupled …

Large volumes of high-level waste (HLW) currently stored in tanks at DOE sites contain both sludges and supernatants. The sludges are composed of insoluble precipitates of actinides, radioactive fission products, and nonradioactive components. The supernatants are alkaline carbonate solutions, which can contain soluble actinides, fission products, metal ions, and high concentrations of major electrolytes including sodium hydroxide, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, carbonate, aluminate, sulfate, and organic complexants. The organic complexants include several compounds that can form strong aqueous complexes with actinide species and fission products including ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), iminodiacetic acid (IDA), citrate, glycolate, gluconate, and degradation products, formate and oxalate. The goal of this project is to determine the effects of hydrolysis, carbonate complexation, and metal ion displacement on trivalent and selected tetravalent actinide speciation in the presence of organic chelates present in tank waste and to use these data to develop accurate predictive thermodynamic models for use in chemical engineering applications at Hanford and other DOE sites.

Corrective Action Unit 210, Storage Areas and Contaminated Material, is identified in the Federal Facilities Agreement and Consent Order. This Corrective Action Unit consists of four Corrective Action Sites located in Areas 10, 12, and 15 of the Nevada Test Site. This report documents that the closure activities conducted meet the approved closure standards.

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 396, Area 20 Spill Sites, is located on the Nevada Test Site approximately 105 kilometers (65 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. CAU 396 is listed in Appendix II of the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order of 1996 and consists of the following four Corrective Action Sites (CASs) located in Area 20 of the Nevada Test Site: CAS 20-25-01, Oil Spills (2); CAS 20-25-02, Oil Spills; CAS 20-25-03, Oil Spill; CAS 20-99-08, Spill. Closure activities for CAU 396 were conducted in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection-approved Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration Plan for CAU 396.

India and Pakistan have created sizeable ballistic missile forces and are continuing to develop and enlarge them. These forces can be both stabilizing (e.g., providing a survivable force for deterrence) and destabilizing (e.g., creating strategic asymmetries). Missile forces will be a factor in bilateral relations for the foreseeable future, so restraint is necessary to curtail their destabilizing effects. Such restraint, however, must develop within an atmosphere of low trust. This report presents a set of political and operational options, both unilateral and bilateral, that decreases tensions, helps rebuild the bilateral relationship, and prepares the ground for future steps in structural arms control. Significant steps, which build on precedents and do not require extensive cooperation, are possible despite strained relations. The approach is made up of three distinct phases: (1) tension reduction measures, (2) confidence building measures, and (3) arms control agreements. The goal of the first phase is to initiate unilateral steps that are substantive and decrease tensions, establish missiles as a security topic for bilateral discussion, and set precedents for limited bilateral cooperation. The second phase would build confidence by expanding current bilateral security agreements, formalizing bilateral understandings, and beginning discussion of monitoring procedures. The third phase could include …