In 1992, the mission of the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant was changed from reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels to development of technologies for conditioning of spent nuclear fuels and other high-level wastes for disposal in a geologic repository. In addition, the Department of Energy (DOE) directed Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) to develop a program plan addressing the management of radioactive contaminated scrap metal (RSM) within the DOE complex. Based on discussions with the EM-30 organization, the INEL Metal Recycle program plan was developed to address all issues of RSM management. Major options considered for RSM management were engineered interim storage, land disposal as low-level waste, and beneficial reuse/recycle. From its inception, the Metal Recycle program has emphasized avoidance of storage and disposal costs through beneficial reuse of RSM. The Metal Recycle program plan includes three major activities: Site-by-site inventory of RSM resources; validation of technologies for conversion of RSM to usable products; and identification of parties prepared to participate in development of a RSM recycle business.

In FY94, EG and G Energy Measurements, Inc. (EG and G/EM) continued to support efforts to conserve endangered species and cultural resources at the Naval Petroleum Reserves in California (NPRC). These efforts are conducted to ensure NPRC compliance with regulations regarding the protection of listed species and cultural resources on Federal properties. Population monitoring activities are conducted annually for San Joaquin kit foxes, giant kangaroo rats, blunt-nosed leopard lizards, and Hoover`s wooly star. To mitigate impacts of oil field activities on listed species, 400 preactivity surveys covering approximately 315 acres were conducted in FY94. Mitigation measures implemented as a result of survey findings resulted in avoidance of incidental takes of listed species during construction activities. EG and G/EM also assisted with mitigating effects from third-party projects, primarily by conducting biological and cultural resource consultations with regulatory agencies. Third-party projects in FY94 included three pipeline projects and two well abandonment/clean-up projects. Cultural resource support provided to NPRC consisted primarily of conducting preliminary surveys for cultural resources, and preparing a Cultural Resource Management Plan and Programmatic Agreement for NPR-1. These two documents will be finalized in FY95. EG and G/EM has conducted an applied habitat reclamation program at NPRC since 1985. In …

The DOE Geothermal Energy Program is involved in three main areas of research: finding and tapping the resource; power generation; and direct use of geothermal energy. This publication summarizes research accomplishments for FY 1993 and 1994 for the following: geophysical and geochemical technologies; slimhole drilling for exploration; resource assessment; lost circulation control; rock penetration mechanics; instrumentation; Geothermal Drilling Organization; reservoir analysis; brine injection; hot dry rock; The Geysers; Geothermal Technology Organization; heat cycle research; advanced heat rejection; materials development; and advanced brine chemistry.

The goals of this project are to collect data that will assist in determining what constitutes a representative groundwater sample in fractured shale typical of much of the geology underlying the ORR waste disposal sites, and to determine how monitoring-well construction and sampling methods impact the representativeness of the sample. This report details the FY94 field activities at a research site in west Bear Creek Valley on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). These activities funded by the Energy Systems Groundwater Program Office through the Oak Ridge Reservation Hydrologic and Geologic Studies (ORRHAGS) task, focus on developing appropriate sampling protocols for the type of fractured media that underlies many of the ORR waste disposal sites. Currently accepted protocols were developed for porous media and are likely to result in nonrepresentative samples in fractured systems.

This report describes the test objectives, procedures, and results of the laboratory-scale tests of in situ waste encapsulation of buried waste using a synthetic analogue of natural cement. The products of the reaction FeSO{sub 4} {center_dot} 7H{sub 2}O + Ca(OH){sub 2} = gypsum and iron oxide/hydroxide were examined as a possible waste encapsulation material for application at the Subsurface Disposal Area at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. This technique for transuranic waste encapsulation is being pursued by the Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration as a possible candidate containment and stabilization method for geologic time. The data indicate that the iron waste encapsulation materials tested are appropriate choices for the intended purpose. Based on these observations and conclusions, full-scale tests are recommended to determine the performance of the iron waste isolation materials under field conditions and for extended time periods. The viscosity of the reagents indicates that jet grouting is probably an appropriate application method.

This report presents the results of ambient air monitoring performed during the 1994 fiscal year (FY 1994) in the vicinity of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Routine monitoring was performed during the 1993-1994 austral summer at three locations for airborne particulate matter less than 10 micrometers (PM-10) and at two locations for carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}), and nitrogen oxides (NO, NO{sub 2}, and NO{sub x}). Selected PM-10 filters were analyzed for arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and nickel. Additional air samples were collected at three McMurdo area locations and at Black Island for determination of the airborne concentration of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Sampling site selection, sampling procedures, and quality assurance procedures used were consistent with US Environmental Protection Agency guidance for local ambient air quality networks.

The purpose of these experiments was to study the dissolution, retention, volatilization, and trapping of transuranic radionuclide elements (TRUs), mixed fission and activation products, and high vapor pressure metals (HVPMS) during processing in a high temperature arc furnace. In all cases, surrogate elements (lanthanides) were used in place of radioactive ones. The experiments were conducted utilizing a small DC arc melter developed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Research Center (IRC). The small arc melter was originally developed in 1992 and has been used previously for waste form studies of iron enriched basalt (IEB) and IEB with zirconium and titanium additions (IEB4). Section 3 contains a description of the small arc melter and its operational capabilities are discussed in Chapter 4. The remainder of the document describes each testing program and then discusses results and findings.

This report summarizes the well installation activities conducted during the federal fiscal year (FY) 1994 drilling program at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Synopses of monitoring well construction/well development data, well location rationale, geological/hydrological observations, quality assurance/quality control methods, and health and safety monitoring are included. Two monitoring wells were installed and one piezometer installation was attempted, but not completed, during the FY 1994 drilling program. In addition, SAIC provided health and safety and geotechnical oversight for two soil borings in support of the Y-12 Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program. All new monitoring wells were developed by either a 2.0-in. diameter swab rig or by hand bailing until nonspecific indicator parameters (pH and specific conductance) attained steady-state levels. Turbidity levels were lowered, if required, to the extent practicable by continued development beyond a steady-state level of pH and conductance. All well installation was conducted following industry-standard methods and approved procedures in the Environment Surveillance Procedures Quality Control Program (Energy Systems 1988), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Groundwater Monitoring Technical Enforcement Guidance Document (EPA 1986), and Guidelines for Installation of Monitor Wells at the Y-12 Plant (Geraghty and Miller 1985). Health and safety monitoring and field …

The purpose of this revision is to update the Line Item Project, 93-L-GFW-152 Functional Design Criteria (FDC) to reflect changes approved in change control M-24-91-6, Engineering Change Notices (ECNs), and expand the scope to include subsurface investigations along with the borehole drilling. This revision improves the ability and effectiveness of maintaining RCRA and Operational groundwater compliance by combining borehole and well drilling with subsurface data gathering objectives. The total projected number of wells to be installed under this project has decreased from 200 and the scope has been broadened to include additional subsurface investigation activities that usually occur simultaneously with most traditional borehole drilling and monitoring well installations. This includes borehole hydrogeologic characterization activities, and vadose monitoring. These activities are required under RCRA 40 CFR 264 and 265 and WAC 173-303 for site characterization, groundwater and vadose assessment and well placement.

Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico, conducts the Utility Battery Storage Systems Program, which is sponsored by the US Department of Energy`s Office of Energy Management. The goal of this program is to assist industry in developing cost-effective battery systems as a utility resource option by 2000. Sandia is responsible for the engineering analyses, contracted development, and testing of rechargeable batteries and systems for utility energy storage applications. This report details the technical achievements realized during fiscal year 1994.

The Summer Research Internship Program is a new program that allows high school teachers to participate and assist scientific staff at national laboratories in specific research assignments. This participation allows the high school teachers to become familiar with new technology and have ``hands-on`` experience with experiments and equipment which utilize both mathematics and science skills. Teachers also have the opportunity to advance their new and well-developed software. This enlightenment and experience is brought back into their schools and classrooms in the hopes that their peers and students will realize the excitement that knowledge and education in the areas of mathematics and science can bring. The Safeguards, Safety and Nonproliferation Division of the Department of Advanced Technology at Brookhaven National Laboratory utilized five high school teachers during FY94 in various projects. The project assignments and internship activities are outlined in this paper.

This is an internal DOE Geothermal Program planning and control document. The Five Year Plans and Multi-Year Plans usually included more detailed rationales and projections than other similar reports. Many of these reports were issued only in draft form. (DJE 2005)

This is an internal DOE Geothermal Program planning and control document. The Five Year Plans and Multi-Year Plans usually included more detailed rationales and projections than other similar reports. Many of these reports were issued only in draft form. (DJE 2005)

The DOE Geothermal Research Program Update reports contain a fair amount of technical detail and management information at the individual project level. (DJE 2005)

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The Cryocycling of Energetic Materials Project is sponsored by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on advanced munition technologies. This MOU is an agreement between the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense (Office of Munitions) that facilitates the development of technologies of mutual interest to the two Departments. The cryocycling project is one of several that focus on demilitarization aspects of conventional weapons and weapon systems. During FY94 the project pursued the development of analytical and numerical models that can be used to describe and optimize the cryocycling process for preparing energetic materials for recycle and reuse. In addition, the demilitarization stockpile of the Department of Defense was analyzed to identify candidate munitions for the process, and pilot scale cryocycling operations were begun at an industrial contractor. When a material is cryocycled, it is repeatedly subjected to cycles of rapid cooling in a liquid nitrogen bath at 77 K followed by warming to ambient temperature. In laboratory and pilot scale demonstrations, the authors have shown that cryocycling can dramatically reduce the size of a variety of propellant grains and a number of cast and plastic bonded explosives.

This report, the tenth in a series of annual reports, was prepared in response to congressional inquiries concerning how nuclear regulatory research is used. It summarizes the accomplishments of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research during FY 1994. The goal of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) is to ensure the availability of sound technical bases for timely rulemaking and related decisions in support of NRC regulatory/licensing/inspection activities. RES also has responsibilities related to the resolution of generic safety issues and to the review of licensee submittals regarding individual plant examinations. It is the responsibility of RES to conduct the NRC`s rulemaking process, including the issuance of regulatory guides and rules that govern NRC licensed activities.

This report describes the first practical, non-invasive technique for detecting and imaging currents internal to operating integrated circuits (ICs). This technique is based on magnetic force microscopy and was developed under Sandia National Laboratories` LDRD (Laboratory Directed Research and Development) program during FY 93 and FY 94. LDRD funds were also used to explore a related technique, charge force microscopy, for voltage probing of ICs. This report describes the technical work performed under this LDRD as well as the outcomes of the project in terms of publications and awards, intellectual property and licensing, synergistic work, potential future work, hiring of additional permanent staff, and benefits to DOE`s defense programs (DP).

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The Human Genome Initiative is a worldwide research effort with the goal of analyzing the structure of human DNA and determining the location of the estimated 100,000 human genes. In parallel with this effort, the DNA of a set of model organisms will be studied to provide the comparative information necessary for understanding the functioning of the human genome. The information generated by the human genome project is expected to be the source book for biomedical science in the 21st century and will by of immense benefit to the field of medicine. It will help us to understand and eventually treat many of the more than 4000 genetic diseases that affect mankind, as well as the many multifactorial diseases in which genetic predisposition plays an important role. A centrally coordinated project focused on specific objectives is believed to be the most efficient and least expensive way of obtaining this information. The basic data produced will be collected in electronic databases that will make the information readily accessible on convenient form to all who need it. This report describes the plans for the U.S. human genome project and updates those originally prepared by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) and the …

The Department of Energy has consolidated its plans for Information Systems, Computing Resources, and Telecommunications into a single document, the Information Technology Resources Long-Range Plan. The consolidation was done as a joint effort by the Office of ADP Management and the Office of Computer Services and Telecommunications Management under the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration, Information, and Facilities Management. This Plan is the product of a long-range planning process used to project both future information technology requirements and the resources necessary to meet those requirements. It encompasses the plans of the various organizational components within the Department and its management and operating contractors over the next 5 fiscal years, 1991 through 1995.

This report presents a five year plan for the laboratory. This plan takes advantage of the technical strengths of the lab and its staff to address issues of concern to the nation on a scope much broader than Sandia`s original mission, while maintaining the general integrity of the laboratory. The plan proposes initiatives in a number of technologies which overlap the needs of its customers and the strengths of its staff. They include: advanced manufacturing technology; electronics; information and computational technology; transportation energy technology and infrastructure; environmental technology; energy research and technology development; biomedical systems engineering; and post-cold war defense imperatives.

A team of senior managers from across the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), working with the Office of Information Resources Management (IRM), has completed an NRC Strategic Information Technology (IT) Plan. The Plan addresses three major areas: (1) IT Program Management, (2) IT Infrastructure, and (3) Information and Applications Management. Key recommendations call for accelerating the replacement of Agency workstations, implementing a new document management system, applying business process reengineering to selected Agency work processes, and establishing an Information Technology Council to advise the Director of IRM.

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