This analysis was prepared to determine the viability of the MPC PWR-12 waste package concept with respect to criticality regulatory requirements in compliance with the goals of the Waste Package Implementation Plans for conceptual design.

Pile Engineering reports on: metal deformation studies, status of group I metal, flow laboratory activities, boroscope inspection details, pile control details, elimination of silica feed, controlled exposure temperature for graphite samples, naval fuel test channel, strength of masonite at elevated temperatures, carbon dioxide pile temperature, H pile graphite temperature, sampling of pile graphite, special pile motion measurements, pile expansion, far side restraining clamps, vortical thimble thermocouples, and boiling studies. The Physical Chemistry Group reports on: pile annealing studies, thermal annealing studies, empty process tube temperature, X- ray line broadening, X-ray diffraction studies, the CSF program, the WSF program, and higher temperature exposures.

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This plan outlines the approach to be taken on obtaining the second core from 241-BY-106, riser 10B, using the Rotary Mode Core Sample Truck (RMCST). The purpose for obtaining the second core is to retrieve the final segments to determine ferrocyanide content. The first core acquired from riser 10B resulted in inadequate sample recovery for the labs to perform the required analysis. Thirteen samples were taken, with recovery varying from 0 to 100%. The most likely contributors to poor sample recovery have been identified and explained on a sample-by sample basis as outlined in this report. This information has been used to devise the approach to be taken in obtaining the second core.

Emphasis was placed on current unpublished research and discussion of the future target areas in this field.

Structured mesh quality optimization methods are extended to optimization of unstructured triangular, quadrilateral, and mixed finite element meshes. N"ew interpretations of well-known nodally-bssed objective functions are made possible using matrices and matrix norms. The matrix perspective also suggests several new objective functions. Particularly significant is the interpretation of the Oddy metric and the Smoothness objective functions in terms of the condition number of the metric tensor and Jacobian matrix, respectively. Objective functions are grouped according to dimensionality to form weighted combinations. A simple unconstrained local optimum is computed using a modiiied N-ewton iteration. The optimization approach was implemented in the CUBIT mesh generation code and tested on several problems. Results were compared against several standard element-based quaIity measures to demonstrate that good mesh quality can be achieved with nodally-based objective functions.

This report summarizes the work done during the eighth quarter of the project.

This report summarizes the work done during the seventh quarter of the project. Effort was directed in three areas: (1) Further development of the model on the role of connectivity on ionic conductivity of porous bodies, including the role of grain boundaries and space charge region, and estimation of the polarization resistance. (2) Fabrication of cells with cathodes formed by infiltration. () Testing of cells to isolate the possible effect of space charge.

Savannah River National Laboratory estimated activities of various radionuclides in vapor phase associated with saltstone. These radionuclides, as well as the estimated activity and concentration of each in the gases phase are listed. Some of the activities are so low they should be considered zero. In particular, activity of the antimony and tin isotopes in the gas phase correspond to less than a molecule of gas per 340 m3 of vapor volume. Equilibrium calculations of the partitioning of each radionuclide between vapor and dissolved phases were done using the Geochemists Workbench (R). The conceptual model used was that 1 curie of each constituent was available to partition between vapor and dissolved phases. The overall assumption is that exposure would come from a single release of the vapor phase from a saltstone vault.

Today, carbon-rich fossil fuels, primarily oil, coal, and natural gas, provide 85% of the energy consumed in the U.S. As world demand increases, oil reserves may become rapidly depleted. Fossil fuel use increases CO{sub 2} emissions and raises the risk of global warming. The high energy content of liquid hydrocarbon fuels makes them the preferred energy source for all modes of transportation. In the U.S. alone, transportation consumes >13.8 million barrels of oil per day and generates 0.5 gigatons of carbon per year. This release of greenhouse gases has spurred research into alternative, nonfossil energy sources. Among the options (nuclear, concentrated solar thermal, geothermal, hydroelectric, wind, solar, and biomass), only biomass has the potential to provide a high-energy-content transportation fuel. Biomass is a renewable resource that can be converted into carbon-neutral transporation fuels. Currently, biofuels such as ethanol are produced largely from grains, but there is a large, untapped resource (estimated at more than a billion tons per year) of plant biomass that could be utilized as a renewable, domestic source of liquid fuels. Well-established processes convert the starch content of the grain into sugars that can be fermented to ethanol. The energy efficiency of starch-based biofuels is however not …

The admittance and transfer functions of large, solidcore electromagnets were determined. The effects of eddy currents and hysteresis were considered in deriving the functions. The study was concerned with the type of magnet employed in nuclear physics research which requires very precise regulation of the magnetic field. The study originated during the design of an analyzing magnet regulator for the ORNL 63-inch cyclotron. (W.D.M.)

Due to the very small relative volatility difference between propane and propylene, current propane/propylene separation by distillation requires very tall distillation towers (150-250 theoretical plates) and large reflux ratios (up to 15), which is considered to be the most energy consuming large-scale separation process. Adsorptive separation processes are widely considered to be more energy-efficient alternatives to distillation. However, slow diffusion kinetics/mass transport rate through the adsorbent bed often limits the performance of such processes, so further improvements are possible if intra-particle mass transfer rates can be improved. Rive Technology, Inc. is developing and commercializing its proprietary mesoporous zeolite technology for catalysis and separation. With well-controlled intracrystalline mesoporosity, diffusion kinetics through such mesoporous zeolite based catalysts is much improved relative to conventional zeolites, leading to significantly better product selectivity. This 'proof-of-principle' project (DE-EE0003470) is intended to demonstrate that Rive mesoporous zeolite technology can be extended and applied in adsorptive propane/propylene separation and lead to significant energy saving compared to the current distillation process. In this project, the mesoporous zeolite Y synthesis technology was successfully extended to X and A zeolites that are more relevant to adsorbent applications. Mesoporosity was introduced to zeolite X and A for the first time while maintaining …

Combined hydrogen, heat, and power (CHHP) technology is envisioned as a means to providing heat and electricity, generated on-site, to large end users, such as hospitals, hotels, and distribution centers, while simultaneously producing hydrogen as a by-product. The hydrogen can be stored for later conversion to electricity, used on-site (e.g., in forklifts), or dispensed to hydrogen-powered vehicles. Argonne has developed a complex-adaptive-system model, H2CAS, to simulate how vehicles and infrastructure can evolve in a transition to hydrogen. This study applies the H2CAS model to examine how CHHP technology can be used to aid the transition to hydrogen. It does not attempt to predict the future or provide one forecast of system development. Rather, the purpose of the model is to understand how the system works. The model uses a 50- by 100-mile rectangular grid of 1-square-mile cells centered on the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The major expressways are incorporated into the model, and local streets are considered to be ubiquitous, except where there are natural barriers. The model has two types of agents. Driver agents are characterized by a number of parameters: home and job locations, income, various types of 'personalities' reflective of marketing distinctions (e.g., innovators, early adopters), willingness …

This report presents the analysis of the LOFT pressurizer spray and surge nozzles to include a 450/sup 0/F step thermal transient. Previous analysis performed under subcontract by Basic Technology Incorporated was utilized where applicable. The SAASIII finite element computer program was used to determine stress distributions in the nozzles due to the step transient. Computer results were then incorporated in the necessary additional calculations to ascertain that stress limitations were not exceeded. The results of the analysis indicate that both the spray and surge nozzles will be within stress allowables prescribed by subsubarticle NB-3220 of the 1974 edition of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code when subjected to currently known design, normal operating, upset, emergency, and faulted condition loads.

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A novel nonlinear effect of anomalously deep penetration of an external radio-frequency electric field into a plasma is described. A self-consistent kinetic treatment reveals a transition region between the sheath and the plasma. Because of the electron velocity modulation in the sheath, bunches in the energetic electron density are formed in the transition region adjusted to the sheath. The width of the region is of order V(subscript T)/omega, where V(subscript T) is the electron thermal velocity, and w is frequency of the electric field. The presence of the electric field in the transition region results in a cooling of the energetic electrons and an additional heating of the cold electrons in comparison with the case when the transition region is neglected.

California's electricity markets are moving toward dynamic pricing models, such as real-time pricing, within the next few years, which could have a significant impact on an industrial facility's cost of energy use during the times of peak use. Adequate controls and automated systems that provide industrial facility managers real-time energy use and cost information are necessary for successful implementation of a comprehensive electricity strategy; however, little is known about the current control capacity of California industries. To address this gap, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in close collaboration with California industrial trade associations, conducted a survey to determine the current state of controls technologies in California industries. This,study identifies sectors that have the technical capability to implement Demand Response (DR) and Automated Demand Response (Auto-DR). In an effort to assist policy makers and industry in meeting the challenges of real-time pricing, facility operational and organizational factors were taken into consideration to generate recommendations on which sectors Demand Response efforts should be focused. Analysis of the survey responses showed that while the vast majority of industrial facilities have semi- or fully automated control systems, participation in Demand Response programs is still low due to perceived barriers. The results also showed that the …

This report discusses the effect of mass loading of a membrane filter on the self absorption of radioactive particles. A relationship between mass loading and percent loss of activity is presented. Sample filters were collected from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) facilities in order to analyze the current self absorption correction factor of 0.85 that is being used for both alpha and beta particles. Over an eighteen month period from February 2009 to July 2010, 116 samples were collected and analyzed from eight different building stacks in an effort coordinated by the Effluent Management group. Eleven unused filters were also randomly chosen to be analyzed in order to determine background radiation. All of these samples were collected and analyzed in order to evaluate the current correction factor being used.

The processes leading to negative ion production in a hydrogen plasma are reviewed. Dissociative attachment of electrons to highly excited vibrational states of hydrogen molecules appears to be the most probable source of negative ions. The possibility of significant negative ion production via dissociative recombination of H/sub 3//sup +/ with electrons cannot be excluded. The survival probability of vibrationally excited hydrogen molecules in wall collisions may be a critical parameter in interpreting the data.

In this paper we present a scheme for real time segmentation of histological structures in microscopic images of normal and neoplastic mammary gland sections. Paraffin embedded or frozen tissue blocks are sliced, and sections are stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). The sections are then imaged using conventional bright field microscopy. The background of the images is corrected by arithmetic manipulation using a ''phantom.'' Then we use the fast marching method with a speed function that depends on the brightness gradient of the image to obtain a preliminary approximation to the boundaries of the structures of interest within a region of interest (ROI) of the entire section manually selected by the user. We use the result of the fast marching method as the initial condition for the level set motion equation. We run this last method for a few steps and obtain the final result of the segmentation. These results can be connected from section to section to build a three-dimensional reconstruction of the entire tissue block that we are studying.

Axial tomography from digitized real time radiographs provides a useful tool for industrial radiography and tomography. The components of this system are: x-ray source, image intensifier, video camera, video line extractor and digitizer, data storage and reconstruction computers. With this system it is possible to view a two dimensional x-ray image in real time at each angle of rotation and select the tomography plane of interest by choosing which video line to digitize. The digitization of a video line requires less than a second making data acquisition relatively short. Further improvements on this system are planned and initial results are reported.

SNL-5 (permitted by the New Mexico State Engineer as C-3002) was drilled to provide geological data and hydrological testing of the Culebra Dolomite Member of the Permian Rustler Formation in an area north of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site where data are sparse and where a pumping or monitoring well for the northern pumping test is needed. SNL-5 is located in the southeast quarter of section 6, T22S, R31E, in eastern Eddy County, New Mexico. SNL-5 was drilled to a total depth of 687 ft below ground level (bgl), based on driller's measurements. Below the caliche pad, SNL-5 encountered the Mescalero caliche, Gatu?a, Dewey Lake, and Rustler Formations. Two intervals of the Rustler were cored: (1) from the lower Forty-niner Member through the Magenta Dolomite and into the upper Tamarisk Member; and (2) from the lower Tamarisk Member through the Culebra Dolomite and into the upper Los Meda?os Members. Geophysical logs were acquired from the open hole to a depth of ~672 ft. No water was observed to flow into the open drillhole until the Culebra was penetrated. includes horizontal beds and laminae near the base, and the uppermost part shows some inclined bedding. The mudstone unit shows …

A bead is provided which comprises or consists essentially of activated carbon immobilized by crosslinked poly (carboxylic acid) binder, sodium silicate binder, or polyamine binder. The bead is effective to remove metal and other ionic contaminants from dilute aqueous solutions. A method of making metal-ion sorbing beads is provided, comprising combining activated carbon, and binder solution (preferably in a pin mixer where it is whipped), forming wet beads, and heating and drying the beads. The binder solution is preferably poly(acrylic acid) and glycerol dissolved in water and the wet beads formed from such binder solution are preferably heated and crosslinked in a convection oven.

In a large-bore copper vapor laser (CVL), excessive gas heating at the axial region of the discharge lowers its efficiency by thermally populating the metastable lower laser levels. The associated lower gas density also lengthens the discharge field-diffusion time, leading to weaker axial pumping and undesired beam characteristics. The authors` laboratory has developed a novel approach to circumvent this obstacle by cooling the plasma radiatively via a series of segmented metal plates (septa) placed vertically along the length of the tube. This improved tube design significantly lowers the average gas temperature and shortens the radial delay. A 27% increase in laser power was observed with the addition of septa. The authors have characterized the beam intensity profile, spatial and temporal pulse variation, and beam polarization through extensive laboratory measurements. A detailed computational model of the laser has been used to characterize and interpret the laboratory results.