Resource Type

An introduction to geographic information systems as applied to a groundwater remediation program (open access)

An introduction to geographic information systems as applied to a groundwater remediation program

While the attention to environmental issues has grown over the past several years, so has the focus on groundwater protection. Addressing the task of groundwater remediation often involves a large-scale program with numerous wells and enormous amounts of data. This data must be manipulated and analyzed in an efficient manner for the remediation program to be truly effective. Geographic Information System`s (GIS) have proven to be an extremely effective tool in handling and interpreting this type of groundwater information. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the audience to GIS technology, describe how it is being used at the Savannah River Site (SRS) to handle groundwater data and demonstrate how it may be used in the corporate Westinghouse environment.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Hammock, J. K. & Lorenz, R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A hierarchical structure approach to MultiSensor Information Fusion (open access)

A hierarchical structure approach to MultiSensor Information Fusion

A major problem with image-based MultiSensor Information Fusion (MSIF) is establishing the level of processing at which information should be fused. Current methodologies, whether based on fusion at the pixel, segment/feature, or symbolic levels, are each inadequate for robust MSIF. Pixel-level fusion has problems with coregistration of the images or data. Attempts to fuse information using the features of segmented images or data relies an a presumed similarity between the segmentation characteristics of each image or data stream. Symbolic-level fusion requires too much advance processing to be useful, as we have seen in automatic target recognition tasks. Image-based MSIF systems need to operate in real-time, must perform fusion using a variety of sensor types, and should be effective across a wide range of operating conditions or deployment environments. We address this problem through developing a new representation level which facilitates matching and information fusion. The Hierarchical Scene Structure (HSS) representation, created using a multilayer, cooperative/competitive neural network, meets this need. The MSS is intermediate between a pixel-based representation and a scene interpretation representation, and represents the perceptual organization of an image. Fused HSSs will incorporate information from multiple sensors. Their knowledge-rich structure aids top-down scene interpretation via both model matching …
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Maren, A. J.; Pap, R. M. & Harston, C. T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Use of models as a rationale for the design of environmental monitoring programs (open access)

Use of models as a rationale for the design of environmental monitoring programs

This discussion describes methods for using the output of comprehensive dose assessment models to assist in developing a defensible rationale for the determining environmental sample locations, sampling media, and radionuclides for analyses. Methods for using models and examples for a power reactor and a large diversified nuclear complex are included. The discussion focuses on thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD), air, liquid, and groundwater monitoring. The use of modeling techniques serve as the basis for reducing empirical measurements. (This report accompanies a series of slides.)
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Zeigler, C. C. & Till, J. E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Advanced Hydride Laboratory (open access)

Advanced Hydride Laboratory

The Replacement Tritium Facility (RTF) is a $140 million reservoir loading and unloading facility using state-of-the-art technology, scheduled for completion in 1990 and startup in 1991. In the RTF, metal hydride technology will be used to store, separate, purify, pump, and compress hydrogen isotopes. In support of the RTF, a $3.2 million ``cold`` process demonstration facility began operation in November, 1987. The purpose of the Advanced Hydride Laboratory (AHL) is to demonstrate the RFT`s metal hydride technology by integrating the various unit operations into an overall process. While much of the RTF`s metal hydride technology had been demonstrated in laboratory bench-scale and pilot-scale units, none of the units had been operated together and integrated into an overall process.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Horen, A. S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Advanced Hydride Laboratory (open access)

Advanced Hydride Laboratory

Metal hydrides have been used at the Savannah River Tritium Facilities since 1984. However, the most extensive application of metal hydride technology at the Savannah River Site is being planned for the Replacement Tritium Facility, a $140 million facility schedules for completion in 1990 and startup in 1991. In the new facility, metal hydride technology will be used to store, separate, isotopically purify, pump, and compress hydrogen isotopes. In support of the Replacement Tritium Facility, a $3.2 million, ``cold,`` process demonstration facility, the Advanced Hydride Laboratory began operation in November of 1987. The purpose of the Advanced Hydride Laboratory is to demonstrate the Replacement Tritium Facility`s metal hydride technology by integrating the various unit operations into an overall process. This paper will describe the Advanced Hydride Laboratory, its role and its impact on the application of metal hydride technology to tritium handling.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Motyka, T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Control of DWPF melter feed composition (open access)

Control of DWPF melter feed composition

The Defense Waste Processing Facility will be used to immobilize Savannah River Site high-level waste into a stable borosilicate glass for disposal in a geologic repository. Proper control of the melter feed composition in this facility is essential to the production of glass which meets product durability constraints dictated by repository regulations and facility processing constraints dictated by melter design. A technique has been developed which utilizes glass property models to determine acceptable processing regions based on the multiple constraints imposed on the glass product and to display these regions graphically. This system along with the batch simulation of the process is being used to form the basis for the statistical process control system for the facility.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Brown, K. G.; Edwards, R. E.; Postles, R. L. & Randall, C. T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Analysis of natural convection in a waste glass melter (open access)

Analysis of natural convection in a waste glass melter

Laminar natural convection is a two-dimensional cavity with a line heat sink at the top boundary is investigated numerically. The fluid in the cavity is a high Prandtl number fluid with volumetric heat source. Parametric study is conducted to find the effect of variations in Rayleigh number, aspect ratio, sink location, and volumetric heat source on the flow and temperature field. 5 refs.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Choi, Inn Gui
System: The UNT Digital Library
Environmental data management system at the Savannah River Site (open access)

Environmental data management system at the Savannah River Site

The volume and complexity of data associated with escalating environmental regulations has prompted professionals at the Savannah River Site to begin taking steps necessary to better manage environmental information. This paper describes a plan to implement an integrated environmental information system at the site. Nine topic areas have been identified. They are: administrative, air, audit & QA, chemical information/inventory, ecology, environmental education, groundwater, solid/hazardous waste, and surface water. Identification of environmental databases that currently exist, integration into a ``friendly environment,`` and development of new applications will all take place as a result of this effort. New applications recently completed include Groundwater Well Construction, NPDES (Surface Water) Discharge Monitoring, RCRA Quarterly Reporting, and Material Safety Data Sheet Information. Database applications are relational (Oracle RDBMS) and reside largely in DEC VMS environments. In today`s regulatory and litigation climate, the site recognizes they must have knowledge of accurate environmental data at the earliest possible time. Implementation of this system will help ensure this.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Story, C. H. & Gordon, D. E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oxygen-17 NMR studies on uranium (VI) hydrolysis and gelation (open access)

Oxygen-17 NMR studies on uranium (VI) hydrolysis and gelation

Hydrolysis and gelation processes in uranyl solutions are observed using the strong sharp uranyl oxygen-17 resonance. The ability to follow the hydrolysis of uranyl salts by observation of the sharp uranyl oxygen-17 resonance provides a clear indication of the dependence of uranyl hydrolysis on the counteranion (nitrate versus chloride) but not on the means of introducing hydroxide into the solution (Me{sub 4}NOH versus R{sub 3}N extraction). In addition, two different pathways for gelation are suggested. In the first pathway the uranyl hydrolysis is conducted with a base (HMTA in these studies) which preferentially forms trimeric (UO{sub 2}){sub 3} ({mu}{sub 3}-O) units which can then condense into the polymeric UO{sub 2}O{sub 6/3} layers of a gel based on the hexagonal structure of {proportional_to}UO{sub 2}(OH){sub 2}. In the second gelation pathway a uranyl derivative is treated with excess hydroxide in the absence of a metal or hydrogen-bonding ammonium cations which form insoluble solids uranates. Consensation of the resulting solution of soluble UO{sub 2}(OH)n{sup 2-n} anions can then lead to a similar polymer UO{sub 2}O{sub 4/2} or UO{sub 2}O{sub 6/3} structure of a gel. 9 refs., 2 figs.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: King, R. B.; King, C. M. & Garber, A. R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fourteenth workshop geothermal reservoir engineering: Proceedings (open access)

Fourteenth workshop geothermal reservoir engineering: Proceedings

The Fourteenth Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering was held at Stanford University on January 24--26, 1989. Major areas of discussion include: (1) well testing; (2) various field results; (3) geoscience; (4) geochemistry; (5) reinjection; (6) hot dry rock; and (7) numerical modelling. For these workshop proceedings, individual papers are processed separately for the Energy Data Base.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Ramey, H. J. Jr.; Kruger, P.; Horne, R. N.; Miller, F. G.; Brigham, W. E. & Cook, J. W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
MIIT: International in-situ testing of simulated HLW forms--preliminary analyses of SRL 165/TDS waste glass and metal systems (open access)

MIIT: International in-situ testing of simulated HLW forms--preliminary analyses of SRL 165/TDS waste glass and metal systems

The first in-situ tests involving burial of simulated high-level waste (HLW) forms conducted in the United States were started on July 22, 1986. This effort, called the Materials Interface Interactions Tests (MIIT), comprises the largest, most cooperative field testing venture in the international waste management community. Included in the study are over 900 waste form samples comprising 15 different systems supplied by seven countries. Also included are almost 300 potential canister or overpack metal samples of 11 different metals along with more than 500 geologic and backfill specimens. There are a total of 1926 relevant interactions that characterize this effort which is being conducted in the bedded salt site at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), near Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Wicks, G. G.; Lodding, A. R.; Macedo, P. B.; Clark, D. E. & Molecke, M. A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Testing a new cesium-specific ion exchange resin for decontamination of alkaline high-activity waste (open access)

Testing a new cesium-specific ion exchange resin for decontamination of alkaline high-activity waste

Radioactive Cs-137 is a fission produce found in wastes produced by reprocessing fuels from nuclear reactors. The highest concentrations of this isotope in wastes from the reprocessing of defense production reactors are found in the alkaline high-activity waste, a mixture primarily of sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide called the supernate. In recent years, much research has been directed at methods for the selective removal and concentration of Cs-137 during waste processing. The approach to the ultimate management of high-activity waste at the Savannah River Site (SRS) is to remove cesium from the supernate, combine it with insoluble sludge formed on neutralization of acidic waste, and convert them both to glass by vitrification in a joule heater melter. A cesium-specific ion exchange resin that will adequately decontaminate the supernate but will not introduce excessive amounts of organic material into the melter has been developed at SRS. The resin has been tested with simulated, both at SRS and at Battelle`s Pacific Northwest Lab, and with actual supernate at SRS. It has consistently shown reliable performance and high selectivity than other organic ion exchangers for cesium ion in those solutions. Repeated cycles on 200 mL. columns using simulated supernate feed and formic acid …
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Bibler, J. P.; Wallace, R. M. & Bray, L. A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A simple multiplicative model for computing azimuthal power variations in Savannah River Site reactor assemblies (open access)

A simple multiplicative model for computing azimuthal power variations in Savannah River Site reactor assemblies

Knowledge of assembly spatial power distribution is required to establish assembly effluent limits for Savannah River Site (SRS) reactors. The power distribution is determined by a number of random geometric considerations. This randomness presents some challenges when attempting to quantify the power peaking. A single, worst-case scenario is likely to be too conservative, so a probabilistic distribution function (PDF) is used to describe the power peaking. To derive a PDF from several hundred explicit calculations would be impractical because the codes capable of handling the geometry (Monte Carlo codes such as MCNP) are CPU intensive. Instead, we have derived five response functions that are sufficient to determine the peaking for any configuration and make possible a PDF based upon several billion simulations.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Webb, R. L. & White, A. M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Testing a groundwater sampling tool: Are the samples representative? (open access)

Testing a groundwater sampling tool: Are the samples representative?

A ground water sampling tool, the HydroPunch{trademark}, was tested at the Department of Energy`s Savannah River Site in South Carolina to determine if representative ground water samples could be obtained without installing monitoring wells. Chemical analyses of ground water samples collected with the HydroPunch {trademark} from various depths within a borehole were compared with chemical analyses of ground water from nearby monitoring wells. The site selected for the test was in the vicinity of a large coal storage pile and a coal pile runoff basin that was constructed to collect the runoff from the coal storage pile. Existing monitoring wells in the area indicate the presence of a ground water contaminant plume that: (1) contains elevated concentrations of trace metals; (2) has an extremely low pH; and (3) contains elevated concentrations of major cations and anions. Ground water samples collected with the HydroPunch{trademark} provide in excellent estimate of ground water quality at discrete depths. Groundwater chemical data collected from various depths using the HydroPunch{trademark} can be averaged to simulate what a screen zone in a monitoring well would sample. The averaged depth-discrete data compared favorably with the data obtained from the nearby monitoring wells.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Kaback, D. S.; Bergren, C. L.; Carlson, C. A. & Carlson, C. L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Genome sequencing by direct imaging x-ray color holography. Appendix A (open access)

Genome sequencing by direct imaging x-ray color holography. Appendix A

Currently available techniques for sequencing DNA are inadequate for oligonucleotides of length greater than 600 nucleotides and are most effective in the 300 nucleotide range. Automated sequencers are now available which use, basically, the Sanger dideoxy termination method. The sequencing rates of these conventional methods are extremely low and involve very labor intensive procedures, requiring on the order of two man-years of effort for the determination of the sequence of a single 100 kilobase segment. Since the full human genetic complement is of vast size, representing {approximately} 3 {times} 10{sup 9} bases, a fast and accurate method for DNA sequencing is needed. Therefore, we set as a goal a sequencing rate in the range of {approximately} 10{sup 2} bp/s with an accuracy of {approximately} 1 error per 10{sup 6} bases, a value exceeding that set by the fidelity of current enzymatic processes. These values would permit the accurate determination of the sequence of the full human genome in one year. An approach involving rapid direct imaging of large segments of DNA is desired. A properly constructed x-ray Fourier-transform holographic microscope appears to combine these features. A basic x-ray holographic instrument has been designed. This concept, with appropriate modifications, and the …
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Haddad, W.; Boyer, K.; Solem, J. C.; Rhodes, C. K. & Moriarty, R. M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Background modelling in Rietveld analysis (open access)

Background modelling in Rietveld analysis

The Rietveld method is a complete profile fitting technique, which requires modelling the total scattering from crystalline samples. Many diffraction experiments involve the analysis of scattering patterns containing additional noncrystalline scattering components; these components are broad oscillations superimposed on the sharp Bragg pattern. Conventional background functions cannot be used for the noncrystalline scattering; but treating the additional scattering as though it were from an amorphous material can provide additional structural information. This is demonstrated using AlPO{sub 4}-5, an aluminophosphate framework molecular sieve. The correlation function for the amorphous component has peaks close to interatomic distances also characteristic of the crystal. The cose agreement suggests that the amorphous component, although lacking long-range periodicity, has a similar atomic arrangement to the crystal. A calibration experiment is performed using a 50-50 wt% quartz-amorphous silica mixture; the crystal structural parameters obtained from Fourier-filtered data are compared with neutron powder diffraction refinement of quartz and single-crystal x-ray results. All refined parameters agree within 3-4 {sigma}. 2 tables, 5 refs, 6 figs. (DLC)
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Richardson, J. W. Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Magnetic resonance as a structural probe of a uranium (VI) sol-gel process (open access)

Magnetic resonance as a structural probe of a uranium (VI) sol-gel process

NMR investigations on the ORNL process for sol-gel synthesis of microspherical nuclear fuel (UO{sub 2}), has been useful in sorting out the chemical mechanism in the sol-gel steps. {sup 13}C, {sup 15}N, and {sup 1}H NMR studies on the HMTA gelation agent (Hexamethylene tetramine, C{sub 6}H{sub l2}N{sub 4}) has revealed near quantitative stability of this adamantane-like compound in the sol-Gel process, contrary to its historical role as an ammonia source for gelation from the worldwide technical literature. {sub 17}0 NMR of uranyl (UO{sub 2}{sup ++}) hydrolysis fragments produced in colloidal sols has revealed the selective formation of a uranyl trimer, [(UO{sub 2}){sub 3}({mu}{sub 3}-O)({mu}{sub 2}-OH){sub 3}]{sup +}, induced by basic hydrolysis with the HMTA gelation agent. Spectroscopic results show that trimer condensation occurs during sol-gel processing leading to layered polyanionic hydrous uranium oxides in which HMTAH{sup +} is occluded as an ``intercalation`` cation. Subsequent sol-gel processing of microspheres by ammonia washing results in in-situ ion exchange and formation of a layered hydrous ammonium uranate with a proposed structural formula of (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}[(UO{sub 2}){sub 8}O{sub 4}(OH){sub 10}] {center_dot} 8H{sub 2}0. This compound is the precursor to sintered U0{sub 2} ceramic fuel.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: King, C. M.; Thompson, M. C.; Buchanan, B. R.; King, R. B. & Garber, A. R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Recent results on the effect of gamma radiation on the durability and microstructure of DWPF glass (open access)

Recent results on the effect of gamma radiation on the durability and microstructure of DWPF glass

The effect of gamma radiation on the durability and microstructure of a simulated nuclear waste glass from the Savannah River Site has been carefully investigated. Three large pieces of glass were irradiated with a Co-60 source to three doses up to a maximum dose of 3.1 {times} 10{sup 10} rad. Internal samples of the large pieces of irradiated and unirradiated glass were leached in deionized water to investigate durability changes and were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate microstructure changes. Leach tests were performed in triplicate at 90{degree}C with crushed glass samples in deionized water. A statistical analysis of the results indicated to the 95% confidence level that the radiation did not affect the glass durability. Careful examination by TEM indicated no effect of gamma radiation on the microstructure of the glass although severe damage could be induced by the electron beam from the microscope. 19 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Bibler, N. E.; Tosten, M. H. & Beam, D. C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Spectroscopic probes of the structure of hydrous uranium oxide precursors to UO{sub 2} ceramic fuel (open access)

Spectroscopic probes of the structure of hydrous uranium oxide precursors to UO{sub 2} ceramic fuel

Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray powder diffraction and thermal analysis show that one example of ``ammonium diuranate`` observed as an intermediate in the U(VI) sol-gel process is a layered hydrous uranium oxide with a proposed structural formula of (NH){sub 4}{sub 2}[(UO{sub 2}){sub 8}O{sub 4}(OH){sub 10}]{center_dot}8H{sub 2}O, an ammonium ion intercalate. Examples of polyamine intercalation compounds hydrous uranium oxide are also given.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Thompson, M. C.; King, C. M. & King, R. B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Site report for the office information management conference (open access)

Site report for the office information management conference

The charter of the End User Services Section is to plan and support office information systems for Savannah River Site organizations and be the first point of contact for users of Information Resource Management Department computer services. This includes personal workstation procurement, electronic mail, computer aided design, operations analysis, and access to information systems both on and off site. The mission also includes the training and support of personnel in the effective use of the new and existing systems.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Thompson, G. P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Seismic evaluation of safety systems at the Savannah River reactors (open access)

Seismic evaluation of safety systems at the Savannah River reactors

A thorough review of all safety related systems in commercial nuclear power plants was prompted by the accident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant. As a consequence of this review, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) focused its attention on the environmental and seismic qualification of the industry`s electrical and mechanical equipment. In 1980, the NRC issued Unresolved Safety Issue (USI) A-46 to verify the seismic adequacy of the equipment required to safely shut down a plant and maintain a stable condition for 72 hours. After extensive research by the NRC, it became apparent that traditional analysis and testing methods would not be a feasible mechanism to address this USI A-46 issue. The costs associated with utilizing the standard analytical and testing qualification approaches were exorbitant and could not be justified. In addition, the only equipment available to be shake table testing which is similar to the item being qualified is typically the nuclear plant component itself. After 8 years of studies and data collection, the NRC issued its ``Generic Safety Evaluation Report`` approving an alternate seismic qualification approach based on the use of seismic experience data. This experience-based seismic assessment approach will be the basis for evaluating each …
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Hardy, G. S.; Johnson, J. J.; Eder, S. J.; Monahon, T. M. & Ketcham, D. R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Monitoring seasonal and annual wetland changes in a freshwater marsh with SPOT HRV data (open access)

Monitoring seasonal and annual wetland changes in a freshwater marsh with SPOT HRV data

Eleven dates of SPOT HRV data along with near-concurrent vertical aerial photographic and phenological data for 1987, 1988, and 1989 were evaluated to determine seasonal and annual changes in a 400-hectare, southeastern freshwater marsh. Early April through mid-May was the best time to discriminate among the cypress (Taxodium distichum)/water tupelo (Nyssa acquatica) swamp forest and the non-persistent (Ludwigia spp.) and persistent (Typha spp.) stands in this wetlands. Furthermore, a ten-fold decrease in flow rate from 11 cubic meters per sec (cms) in 1987 to one cms in 1988 was recorded in the marsh followed by a shift to drier wetland communities. The Savannah River Site (SRS), maintained by the US Department of Energy, is a 777 km{sup 2} area located in south central South Carolina. Five tributaries of the Savannah River run southwest through the SRS and into the floodplain swamp of the Savannah River. This paper describes the use of SPOT HRV data to monitor seasonal and annual trends in one of these swamp deltas, Pen Branch Delta, during a three-year period, 1987--1989.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Mackey, H. E., Jr.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Flow boiling in vertical down-flow (open access)

Flow boiling in vertical down-flow

An experimental program has been conducted to investigate the onset of Ledinegg instability in vertical down-flow. For three size uniformly heated test sections with L/D ratios from 100 to 150, the pressure drop under subcooled boiling conditions has been obtained for a wide range of operating parameters. The results are presented in non-dimensional forms which correlate the important variables and provide techniques for predicting the onset of flow instability. 3 refs.
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Dougherty, T.; Fighetti, C.; Reddy, G.; Yang, B.; Jafri, T.; McAssey, E. et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tests of a system to exclude roots from buried radioactive waste in a warm, humid climate (open access)

Tests of a system to exclude roots from buried radioactive waste in a warm, humid climate

Vegetation is commonly used to stabilize the ground covering buried waste sites. However, constituents of buried waste can be brought to the surface if the waste is penetrated by plant roots. An ideal waste burial system would allow the use of vegetation to stabilize the soil above the buried waste but would exclude roots from the waste. One system that shows considerable promise is a slow release encapsulation of a root growth inhibitor (Trifluralin). Projected lifetimes of the capsule are in the order of 100 years. The capsule is bonded to a geotextile, which provides an easy means of distributing the capsule evenly over the area to be protected. Vegetation grown in the soil above the barrier has provided good ground cover, although some decrease in growth has been found in some species. Of the species tested the sensitivity to the biobarrier, as measured by the distance root growth stops near the barrier, is bamboo> bahia grass> bermuda grass> soybean. Potential uses for the biobarrier at the Savannah River Site (SRS) include the protection of clay caps over buried, low-level saltstone and protection of gravel drains and clay caps over decommissioned seepage basins. Trails of the biobarrier as part of …
Date: December 31, 1989
Creator: Murphy, C. E. Jr.; Corey, J. C.; Adriano, D. C.; Decker, O. D. & Griggs, R. D.
System: The UNT Digital Library