This Paper develops a statistical strength theory for three-dimensionally (3-D) oriented short-fiber reinforced composites. Short-fiber composites are usually reinforced with glass and ceramic short fibers and whiskers. These reinforcements are brittle and display a range of strength values, which can be statistically characterized by a Weibull distribution. This statistical nature of fiber strength needs to be taken into account in the prediction of composite strength. In this paper, the statistical nature of fiber strength is incorporated into the calculation of direct fiber strengthening, and a maximum-load composite failure criterion is adopted to calculate the composite strength. Other strengthening mechanisms such as residual thermal stress, matrix work hardening, and short-fiber dispersion hardening are also briefly discussed.

This presents information about household end-use consumption of energy and expenditures for that energy. These data were collected in the 1993 Residential Energy Consumption Survey; more than 7,000 households were surveyed for information on their housing units, energy consumption and expenditures, stock of energy-consuming appliances, and energy-related behavior. The information represents all households nationwide (97 million). Key findings: National residential energy consumption was 10.0 quadrillion Btu in 1993, a 9% increase over 1990. Weather has a significant effect on energy consumption. Consumption of electricity for appliances is increasing. Houses that use electricity for space heating have lower overall energy expenditures than households that heat with other fuels. RECS collected data for the 4 most populous states: CA, FL, NY, TX.

This document is a plan that identifies the information needed to address relevant issues concerning short-term and long-term safe storage and long-term management of Single-Shell Tank (SST) 241-SY-103.

This plan outlines a Characterization Program that provides the necessary data to support the Integrated Process Strategy scope and schedules for the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and sludge stored in the Hanford K Basins. The plan is driven by the schedule to begin fuel transfer by December 1997. The program is structured for 4 years (i.e., FY 1995 through FY 1998) and is limited to in-situ and laboratory examinations of the SNF and sludge in the K East and K West Basins. In order to assure the scope and schedule of the Characterization Program fully supports the Integrated Process Strategy, key project management has approved the plan. The intent of the program is to provide bounding behavior for the fuel, and acceptability for the transfer of the sludge to the Double Shell Tanks. Fuel examinations are based on two shipping compains from the K West Basin and one from the K East Basin with coincident sludge sampling campaings for the associated canister sludge. Sampling of the basin floor and pit sludge will be conducted independent of the fuel and canister sludge shipping activities. Fuel behavior and properties investigated in the laboratory include physical condition, hydride and oxide content, conditioning testing, …

This report provides the 1995 status of the Life Management/Aging Management Program and the activities over the current fiscal year. It relates to the Tank Waste Remediation System and to the double shell tanks.

Although SST 241-BX-103 is classified as being interim stabilized and intrusion prevented, FIC readings have indicated the tank`s surface level to be increasing in a `step like` fashion even after the completion of intrusion prevention activities. This letter report discusses the finding of an investigation conducted to (i) determine if liquid intrusion (rather than other potential causes such as a change in the waste`s physiochemical properties, instrumentation error, etc.) was responsible for the increase in the surface level and if so, (ii) recommend a likely course of action to pursue if the tank`s supernate volume is exceeding the interim stabilization criterion. Engineering judgement (supplemented by analysis of historical tank data, tank video and photographs) was used to determine the extent to which the rise in the surface level could be attributed to various types of liquid intrusion and/or other phenomena. It was concluded that the rise in BX-103`s surface level was indeed real (and most likely caused by liquid intrusion), and that the tank`s supernate volume was exceeding the interim stabilization criterion of 5000 gallons. However the tank`s surface level has remained fairly constant since August 1993. It was recommended that tank BX-103 be left `as is` for the moment …

This document is a plan that identifies the information needed to address relevant issues concerning short-term and long-term safe storage and long-term management of Single-Shell Tank (SST) 241-S-107

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project was undertaken in response to the growing need for a national repository for transuranic (TRU) waste. Guidelines for WIPP specify that any waste item to be interred must be fully characterized and analyzed to determine the presence of chemical compounds designated hazardous and certain toxic elements. The Transuranic Waste Characterization Program (TWCP) was launched to develop analysis and quality guidelines, certify laboratories, and to oversee the actual waste characterizations at the laboratories. ORNL is participating in the waste characterization phase and brings to bear a variety of analytical techniques including ICP-AES, cold vapor atomic absorption, and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to collective determine arsenic, cadmium, barium, chromium, mercury, selenium, silver, and other elements. All of the analytical techniques involved participate in a cooperative effort to meet the project objectives. One important component of any good quality assurance program is determining when an alternate method is more suitable for a given analytical problem. By bringing to bear a whole arsenal of analytical techniques working toward common objectives, few analytical problems prove to be insurmountable. INAA and ICP-AES form a powerful pair when functioning in this cooperative manner. This paper will provide details of …

This report summarizes the results from seven melter campaigns performed at the DOE/Industrial Center for Vitrification Research at Clemson University. A brief description of the EnVitco EV-16 Joule heated glass melter and the Stir-Melter WV-0.25 stirred melter are included for reference. The report discusses each waste stream examined, glass formulations developed and utilized, specifics relating to melter operation, and a synopsis of the results from the campaigns. A `lessons learned` section is included for each melter to emphasize repeated processing problems and identify parameters which are considered extremely important to successful melter operation

During the time period between February 1994 and September 1995, Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) sampled the waste tank headspace of 43 single-shell tanks for a variety of gaseous and/or volatile and semi-volatile compounds. This report summarizes the results of analyses of those sampling activities with respect to both the Priority 1 Safety Issues and relative to the detection in the headspace of significant concentrations of target analytes relating to worker breathing space considerations as recommended by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) Toxicology Review Panel. The information contained in the data tables was abstracted from the vapor sampling and analysis tank characterization reports. Selected results are tabulated and summarized. Sampling equipment and methods, as well as sample analyses, are briefly described. Vapor sampling of passively ventilated single-shell tanks (tanks C-105, C-106, and SX-106 were sampled and are actively ventilated) has served to highlight or confirm tank headspace conditions associated with both priority 1 safety issues and supports source term analysis associated with protecting worker health and safety from noxious vapors.

The objective of this research is to optimize the design and operation of the bench scale batch reactor for coal liquefaction at short contact times (0.01 to 10 minutes or longer). Additional objectives are to study the kinetics of direct coal liquefaction, particularly at short reaction times, and to investigate the role of the organic oxygen components of coal and their reaction pathways during liquefaction. This quarterly report covers the status of progress toward these objectives. 3 refs., 14 figs., 2 tabs.