Hydrogen Concentration in the Inner-Most Container within a Pencil Tank Overpack Packaged in a Standard Waste Box Package (open access)

Hydrogen Concentration in the Inner-Most Container within a Pencil Tank Overpack Packaged in a Standard Waste Box Package

A set of steady state diffusion flow equations, for the hydrogen diffusion from one bag to the next bag (or one plastic waste container to another), within a set of nested waste bags (or nested waste containers), are developed and presented. The input data is then presented and justified. Inputting the data for each volume and solving these equations yields the steady state hydrogen concentration in each volume. The input data (permeability of the bag surface and closure, dimensions and hydrogen generation rate) and equations are analyzed to obtain the hydrogen concentrations in the innermost container for a set of containers which are analyzed for the TRUCON code for the general waste containers and the TRUCON code for the Pencil Tank Overpacks (PTO) in a Standard Waste Box (SWB).
Date: January 25, 2012
Creator: Marusich, Robert M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Synergistic Effects of Turbine Wakes and Atmospheric Stability on Power Production at an Onshore Wind Farm (open access)

Synergistic Effects of Turbine Wakes and Atmospheric Stability on Power Production at an Onshore Wind Farm

This report examines the complex interactions between atmospheric stability and turbine-induced wakes on downwind turbine wind speed and power production at a West Coast North American multi-MW wind farm. Wakes are generated when the upwind flow field is distorted by the mechanical movement of the wind turbine blades. This has two consequences for downwind turbines: (1) the downwind turbine encounters wind flows with reduced velocity and (2) the downwind turbine encounters increased turbulence across multiple length scales via mechanical turbulence production by the upwind turbine. This increase in turbulence on top of ambient levels may increase aerodynamic fatigue loads on the blades and reduce the lifetime of turbine component parts. Furthermore, ambient atmospheric conditions, including atmospheric stability, i.e., thermal stratification in the lower boundary layer, play an important role in wake dissipation. Higher levels of ambient turbulence (i.e., a convective or unstable boundary layer) lead to higher turbulent mixing in the wake and a faster recovery in the velocity flow field downwind of a turbine. Lower levels of ambient turbulence, as in a stable boundary layer, will lead to more persistent wakes. The wake of a wind turbine can be divided into two regions: the near wake and far wake, …
Date: January 25, 2012
Creator: Wharton, S; Lundquist, J K & Marjanovic, N
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fox Ridge Energy and Education Institute Project Development Final Report (open access)

Fox Ridge Energy and Education Institute Project Development Final Report

Project final report and summary.
Date: February 25, 2012
Creator: Osborn, Dale
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cerium Doped LSO/LYSO Crystal Development for future High Energy Physics Experiments (open access)

Cerium Doped LSO/LYSO Crystal Development for future High Energy Physics Experiments

Because of their high stopping power and fast and bright scintillation, cerium doped LSO and LYSO crystals have attracted a broad interest in the physics community pursuing precision electromagnetic calorimeter for future high energy physics experiments. Their excellent radiation hardness against gamma-rays, neutrons and charged hadrons also makes them a preferred material for calorimeters to be operated in a severe radiation environment, such as the HL-LHC. An effort was made at SIPAT to grow 25 X{sub 0} (28 cm) long LYSO crystals for high energy physics applications. In this paper, the optical and scintillation properties and its radiation hardness against gamma-ray irradiations up to 1 Mrad are presented for the first 2.5 X 2.5 X 28 cm LYSO sample. An absorption band was found at the seed end of this sample and three other 20 cm long samples, which was traced back to a bad seed crystal used in the corresponding crystal growth process. Significant progresses in optical and scintillation properties were achieved for large size LYSO crystals after eliminating this absorption band.
Date: March 25, 2012
Creator: Zhu, Ren-Yuan
System: The UNT Digital Library
Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle Effects on the Treatment of Uncertainty in the Long-Term Assessment of Geologic Disposal Systems - Ebs Input (open access)

Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle Effects on the Treatment of Uncertainty in the Long-Term Assessment of Geologic Disposal Systems - Ebs Input

The Used Fuel Disposition (UFD) Campaign within the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Fuel Cycle Technology (FCT) program has been tasked with investigating the disposal of the nation's spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level nuclear waste (HLW) for a range of potential waste forms and geologic environments. The planning, construction, and operation of a nuclear disposal facility is a long-term process that involves engineered barriers that are tailored to both the geologic environment and the waste forms being emplaced. The UFD Campaign is considering a range of fuel cycles that in turn produce a range of waste forms. The UFD Campaign is also considering a range of geologic media. These ranges could be thought of as adding uncertainty to what the disposal facility design will ultimately be; however, it may be preferable to thinking about the ranges as adding flexibility to design of a disposal facility. For example, as the overall DOE-NE program and industrial actions result in the fuel cycles that will produce waste to be disposed, and the characteristics of those wastes become clear, the disposal program retains flexibility in both the choice of geologic environment and the specific repository design. Of course, other factors …
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Sutton, M.; Blink, J. A.; Greenberg, H. R. & Sharma, M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Argonne National Laboratory Annual Report of Laboratory Directed Research and Development program activities FY 2010. (open access)

Argonne National Laboratory Annual Report of Laboratory Directed Research and Development program activities FY 2010.

As a national laboratory Argonne concentrates on scientific and technological challenges that can only be addressed through a sustained, interdisciplinary focus at a national scale. Argonne's eight major initiatives, as enumerated in its strategic plan, are Hard X-ray Sciences, Leadership Computing, Materials and Molecular Design and Discovery, Energy Storage, Alternative Energy and Efficiency, Nuclear Energy, Biological and Environmental Systems, and National Security. The purposes of Argonne's Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program are to encourage the development of novel technical concepts, enhance the Laboratory's research and development (R and D) capabilities, and pursue its strategic goals. projects are selected from proposals for creative and innovative R and D studies that require advance exploration before they are considered to be sufficiently developed to obtain support through normal programmatic channels. Among the aims of the projects supported by the LDRD Program are the following: establishment of engineering proof of principle, assessment of design feasibility for prospective facilities, development of instrumentation or computational methods or systems, and discoveries in fundamental science and exploratory development.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Director), (Office of The
System: The UNT Digital Library
Argonne National Laboratory Annual Report of Laboratory Directed Research and Development program activities FY 2011. (open access)

Argonne National Laboratory Annual Report of Laboratory Directed Research and Development program activities FY 2011.

As a national laboratory Argonne concentrates on scientific and technological challenges that can only be addressed through a sustained, interdisciplinary focus at a national scale. Argonne's eight major initiatives, as enumerated in its strategic plan, are Hard X-ray Sciences, Leadership Computing, Materials and Molecular Design and Discovery, Energy Storage, Alternative Energy and Efficiency, Nuclear Energy, Biological and Environmental Systems, and National Security. The purposes of Argonne's Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program are to encourage the development of novel technical concepts, enhance the Laboratory's research and development (R and D) capabilities, and pursue its strategic goals. projects are selected from proposals for creative and innovative R and D studies that require advance exploration before they are considered to be sufficiently developed to obtain support through normal programmatic channels. Among the aims of the projects supported by the LDRD Program are the following: establishment of engineering proof of principle, assessment of design feasibility for prospective facilities, development of instrumentation or computational methods or systems, and discoveries in fundamental science and exploratory development.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Director), (Office of The
System: The UNT Digital Library
Characterization of Disruption Halo Currents in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (open access)

Characterization of Disruption Halo Currents in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

This paper describes the general characteristics of disruptions halo currents in the National Spherical Torus Experiment [M. Ono, et al. Nuclear Fusion 40, 557 (2000)]. The commonly observed types of vertical motion and resulting halo current patterns are described, and it is shown that plasma discharges developing between components can facilitate halo current flow. The halo current fractions and toroidal peaking factors at various locations in the device are presented. The maximum product of these two metrics for localized halo current measurements is always significantly less than the worst-case expectations from conventional aspect ratio tokamaks (which are typically written in terms of the total halo current). The halo current fraction and impulse is often largest in cases with the fastest plasma current quenches and highest quench rates. The effective duration of the halo current pulse is comparable to or shorter than the plasma current quench time. The largest halo currents have tended to occur in lower β and lower elongation plasmas. The sign of the poloidal halo current is reversed when the toroidal field direction is reversed.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Gerhardt, S. P.; Menard, J.; Sabbagh, S. & Scotti, F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Class Of Generalized Kapchinskij-Vladimirskij Solutions And Associated Envelope Equations For High-intensity Charged Particle Beams (open access)

A Class Of Generalized Kapchinskij-Vladimirskij Solutions And Associated Envelope Equations For High-intensity Charged Particle Beams

A class of generalized Kapchinskij-Vladimirskij solutions of the nonlinear Vlasov-Maxwell equations and the associated envelope equations for high-intensity beams in a periodic lattice is derived. It includes the classical Kapchinskij-Vladimirskij solution as a special case. For a given lattice, the distribution functions and the envelope equations are specified by eight free parameters. The class of solutions derived captures a wider range of dynamical envelope behavior for high-intensity beams, and thus provides a new theoretical tool to investigate the dynamics of high-intensity beams.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Qin, Hong & Davidson, Ronald C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
COMMENTS ON RESIDENT FARMER DCGLs FOR SITE SOILS AT THE CURTISS-WRIGHT SITE IN CHESWICK, PENNSYLVANIA DCN: 5000-TR-04-0 (open access)

COMMENTS ON RESIDENT FARMER DCGLs FOR SITE SOILS AT THE CURTISS-WRIGHT SITE IN CHESWICK, PENNSYLVANIA DCN: 5000-TR-04-0

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), via the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education contract, evaluated the Enercon Services, Inc. report on site soils derived concentration guideline levels (DCGLs). The RESRAD code Version 6.5 was used in deterministic mode to consider a range of radionuclides and potential future receptors. A standard sensitivity analysis was also included, along with a probabilistic analysis to select conservative input values for the most sensitive physical parameters.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: DAVID KING, CHP
System: The UNT Digital Library
Evaluation of Cavity Collapse and Surface Crater Formation at the Salut Underground Nuclear Test in U20ak, Nevada National Security Site, and the Impact of Stability of the Ground Surface (open access)

Evaluation of Cavity Collapse and Surface Crater Formation at the Salut Underground Nuclear Test in U20ak, Nevada National Security Site, and the Impact of Stability of the Ground Surface

At the request of Jerry Sweeney, the LLNL Containment Program performed a review of nuclear test-related data for the Salut underground nuclear test in U20ak to assist in evaluating this legacy site as a test bed for application technologies for use in On-Site Inspections (OSI) under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Review of the Salut site is complicated because the test experienced a subsurface, rather than surface, collapse. Of particular interest is the stability of the ground surface above the Salut detonation point. Proposed methods for on-site verification include radiological signatures, artifacts from nuclear testing activities, and imaging to identify alteration to the subsurface hydrogeologogy due to the nuclear detonation. Sweeney's proposal requires physical access at or near the ground surface of specific underground nuclear test locations at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site (NNSS, formerly the Nevada Test Site), and focuses on possible activities such as visual observation, multispectral measurements, and shallow, and deep geophysical surveys.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Pawloski, G. A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Explicit Formulas for 2nd-Order Driving Terms Due to Sextupoles and Chromatic Effects of Quadrupoles. (open access)

Explicit Formulas for 2nd-Order Driving Terms Due to Sextupoles and Chromatic Effects of Quadrupoles.

Optimization of nonlinear driving terms have become a useful tool for designing storage rings, especially modern light sources where the strong nonlinearity is dominated by the large chromatic effects of quadrupoles and strong sextupoles for chromaticity control. The Lie algebraic method is well known for computing such driving terms. However, it appears that there was a lack of explicit formulas in the public domain for such computation, resulting in uncertainty and/or inconsistency in widely used codes. This note presents explicit formulas for driving terms due to sextupoles and chromatic effects of quadrupoles, which can be considered as thin elements. The computation is accurate to the 4th-order Hamiltonian and 2nd-order in terms of magnet parameters. The results given here are the same as the APS internal note AOP-TN-2009-020. This internal nte has been revised and published here as a Light Source Note in order to get this information into the public domain, since both ELEGANT and OPA are using these formulas.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Wang, C-X. (Accelerator Systems Division (APS))
System: The UNT Digital Library
Exploration of the Equilibrium Operating Space For NSTX-Upgrade (open access)

Exploration of the Equilibrium Operating Space For NSTX-Upgrade

This paper explores a range of high-performance equilibrium scenarios available in the NSTX-Upgrade device [J.E. Menard, submitted for publication to Nuclear Fusion]. NSTX-Upgrade is a substantial upgrade to the existing NSTX device [M. Ono, et al., Nuclear Fusion 40, 557 (2000)], with significantly higher toroidal field and solenoid capabilities, and three additional neutral beam sources with significantly larger current drive efficiency. Equilibria are computed with freeboundary TRANSP, allowing a self consistent calculation of the non-inductive current drive sources, the plasma equilibrium, and poloidal field coil current, using the realistic device geometry. The thermal profiles are taken from a variety of existing NSTX discharges, and different assumptions for the thermal confinement scalings are utilized. The no-wall and idealwall n=1 stability limits are computed with the DCON code. The central and minimum safety factors are quite sensitive to many parameters: they generally increases with large outer plasmawall gaps and higher density, but can have either trend with the confinement enhancement factor. In scenarios with strong central beam current drive, the inclusion of non-classical fast ion diffusion raises qmin, decreases the pressure peaking, and generally improves the global stability, at the expense of a reduction in the non-inductive current drive fraction; cases with …
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Gerhardt, S. P.; Andre, R. & Menard, J. E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Final Report DOE Award # DE-FG02-05ER46218, Texas Tech University: "Cyclic Macromolecules: Dynamics and Nonlinear Rheology" (open access)

Final Report DOE Award # DE-FG02-05ER46218, Texas Tech University: "Cyclic Macromolecules: Dynamics and Nonlinear Rheology"

The work described in the present report had the original goal to produce large, entangled, ring polymers that were uncontaminated by linear chains and to characterize by rheological methods the dynamics of these rings. While the work fell short of this specific goal, the outcomes of the research performed under support from this grant provided novel macromolecular synthesis methods, new separation methods for ring and linear chains, and novel rheological data on bottle brush polymers, wedge polymers and dendron-based ring molecules. The grant funded a total of 8 archival manuscripts and one patent, all of which are attached to the present report.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: McKenna, Gregory B.; Grubbs, Robert H. & Kornfield, Julia A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
HB-LINE ANION EXCHANGE PURIFICATION OF AFS-2 PLUTONIUM FOR MOX (open access)

HB-LINE ANION EXCHANGE PURIFICATION OF AFS-2 PLUTONIUM FOR MOX

Non-radioactive cerium (Ce) and radioactive plutonium (Pu) anion exchange column experiments using scaled HB-Line designs were performed to investigate the feasibility of using either gadolinium nitrate (Gd) or boric acid (B as H{sub 3}BO{sub 3}) as a neutron poison in the H-Canyon dissolution process. Expected typical concentrations of probable impurities were tested and the removal of these impurities by a decontamination wash was measured. Impurity concentrations are compared to two specifications - designated as Column A or Column B (most restrictive) - proposed for plutonium oxide (PuO{sub 2}) product shipped to the Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF). Use of Gd as a neutron poison requires a larger volume of wash for the proposed Column A specification. Since boron (B) has a higher proposed specification and is more easily removed by washing, it appears to be the better candidate for use in the H-Canyon dissolution process. Some difficulty was observed in achieving the Column A specification due to the limited effectiveness that the wash step has in removing the residual B after {approx}4 BV's wash. However a combination of the experimental 10 BV's wash results and a calculated DF from the oxalate precipitation process yields an overall DF sufficient …
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Kyser, E. & King, W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nevada National Security Site-Directed Research and Development FY 2011 Annual Report (open access)

Nevada National Security Site-Directed Research and Development FY 2011 Annual Report

This fiscal year 2011 annual report of the Site-Directed Research and Development program, the 10th anniversary edition, recognizes a full decade of innovative R&D accomplishments in support of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Last year the NNSS itself was renamed to reflect a diversifying mission, and our R&D program has contributed significantly to shape emerging missions that will continue to evolve. New initiatives in stockpile stewardship science, nonproliferation, and treaty verification and monitoring have had substantial successes in FY 2011, and many more accomplishments are expected. SDRD is the cornerstone on which many of these initiatives rest. Historically supporting our main focus areas, SDRD is also building a solid foundation for new, and non-traditional, emerging national security missions. The program continues its charter to advance science and technology for a broad base of agencies including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and many others.
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Howard Bender, comp.
System: The UNT Digital Library
New England Wind Energy Education Project (NEWEEP) (open access)

New England Wind Energy Education Project (NEWEEP)

Project objective is to develop and disseminate accurate, objective information on critical wind energy issues impacting market acceptance of hundreds of land-based projects and vast off-shore wind developments proposed in the 6-state New England region, thereby accelerating the pace of wind installation from today's 140 MW towards the region's 20% by 2030 goals of 12,500 MW. Methodology: This objective will be accomplished by accumulating, developing, assembling timely, accurate, objective and detailed information representing the 'state of the knowledge' on critical wind energy issues impacting market acceptance, and widely disseminating such information. The target audience includes state agencies and local governments; utilities and grid operators; wind developers; agricultural and environmental groups and other NGOs; research organizations; host communities and the general public, particularly those in communities with planned or operating wind projects. Information will be disseminated through: (a) a series of topic-specific web conference briefings; (b) a one-day NEWEEP conference, back-to-back with a Utility Wind Interest Group one-day regional conference organized for this project; (c) posting briefing and conference materials on the New England Wind Forum (NEWF) web site and featuring the content on NEWF electronic newsletters distributed to an opt-in list of currently over 5000 individuals; (d) through interaction with …
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Grace, Robert C.; Craddock, Kathryn A. & von Allmen, Daniel R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Report for Batch Leach Analyses on Sediments at 100-HR-3 Operable Unit, Boreholes C7620, C7621, C7622, C7623, C7626, C7627, C7628, C7629, C7630, and C7866. Revision 1. (open access)

Report for Batch Leach Analyses on Sediments at 100-HR-3 Operable Unit, Boreholes C7620, C7621, C7622, C7623, C7626, C7627, C7628, C7629, C7630, and C7866. Revision 1.

This is a revision to a previously released report. This revision contains additional analytical results for the sample with HEIS number B2H4X7. Between November 4, 2010 and October 26, 2011 sediment samples were received from 100-HR-3 Operable Unit for geochemical studies. The analyses for this project were performed at the 331 building located in the 300 Area of the Hanford Site. The analyses were performed according to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) approved procedures and/or nationally recognized test procedures. The data sets include the sample identification numbers, analytical results, estimated quantification limits (EQL), and quality control data. The preparatory and analytical quality control requirements, calibration requirements, acceptance criteria, and failure actions are defined in the on-line QA plan 'Conducting Analytical Work in Support of Regulatory Programs' (CAW). This QA plan implements the Hanford Analytical Services Quality Assurance Requirements Documents (HASQARD) for PNNL. Samples were received with a chain of custody (COC) and were analyzed according to the sample identification numbers supplied by the client. All Samples were refrigerated upon receipt until prepared for analysis. All samples were received with custody seals intact unless noted in the Case Narrative. Holding time is defined as the time from sample preparation to the …
Date: April 25, 2012
Creator: Lindberg, Michael J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Low Cost Thin Film Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Systems (open access)

Low Cost Thin Film Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Systems

The goal of the program is to develop 'LOW COST THIN FILM BUILDING-INTEGRATED PV SYSTEMS'. Major focus was on developing low cost solution for the commercial BIPV and rooftop PV market and meet DOE LCOE goal for the commercial market segment of 9-12 cents/kWh for 2010 and 6-8 cents/kWh for 2015. We achieved the 2010 goal and were on track to achieve the 2015 goal. The program consists of five major tasks: (1) modules; (2) inverters and BOS; (3) systems engineering and integration; (4) deployment; and (5) project management and TPP collaborative activities. We successfully crossed all stage gates and surpassed all milestones. We proudly achieved world record stable efficiencies in small area cells (12.56% for 1cm2) and large area encapsulated modules (11.3% for 800 cm2) using a triple-junction amorphous silicon/nanocrystalline silicon/nanocrystalline silicon structure, confirmed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. We collaborated with two inverter companies, Solectria and PV Powered, and significantly reduced inverter cost. We collaborated with three universities (Syracuse University, University of Oregon, and Colorado School of Mines) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and improved understanding on nanocrystalline material properties and light trapping techniques. We jointly published 50 technical papers in peer-reviewed journals and International Conference Proceedings. …
Date: May 25, 2012
Creator: Guha, Dr. Subhendu & Yang, Dr. Jeff
System: The UNT Digital Library
Understanding Nitrogen Fixation (open access)

Understanding Nitrogen Fixation

The purpose of our program is to explore fundamental chemistry relevant to the discovery of energy efficient methods for the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen (N{sub 2}) into more value-added nitrogen-containing organic molecules. Such transformations are key for domestic energy security and the reduction of fossil fuel dependencies. With DOE support, we have synthesized families of zirconium and hafnium dinitrogen complexes with elongated and activated N-N bonds that exhibit rich N{sub 2} functionalization chemistry. Having elucidated new methods for N-H bond formation from dihydrogen, C-H bonds and Broensted acids, we have since turned our attention to N-C bond construction. These reactions are particularly important for the synthesis of amines, heterocycles and hydrazines with a range of applications in the fine and commodity chemicals industries and as fuels. One recent highlight was the discovery of a new N{sub 2} cleavage reaction upon addition of carbon monoxide which resulted in the synthesis of an important fertilizer, oxamide, from the diatomics with the two strongest bonds in chemistry. Nitrogen-carbon bonds form the backbone of many important organic molecules, especially those used in the fertilizer and pharamaceutical industries. During the past year, we have continued our work in the synthesis of hydrazines of various substitution …
Date: May 25, 2012
Creator: Chirik, Paul J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Yearly Technical Report for DE-FG02-03ER46026 (open access)

Yearly Technical Report for DE-FG02-03ER46026

We propose a unique, all-electron, thermodynamic density functional theory (DFT) code that directly predicts full or partial long-range order in crystalline (defected) solids and their effect on electronic properties via a first-principles mean-field theory, scales linear with number of atoms N per unit-cell [i.e. O(N), due to use of a mathematical-based screening in k-space], and addresses up to 1 million atoms using parallel architectures. Novel O(N) algorithms will be developed to permit this for an all-electron KKR Green's functional density-functional theory code.
Date: May 25, 2012
Creator: Johnson, Duane D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Methyl Iodide Fumigation of Bacillus Anthracis Spores (open access)

Methyl Iodide Fumigation of Bacillus Anthracis Spores

None
Date: June 25, 2012
Creator: Sutton, M; Kane, S R & Wollard, J R
System: The UNT Digital Library
SMALL-SCALE TESTING OF PLUTONIUM (IV) OXALATE PRECIPITATION AND CALCINATION TO PLUTONIUM OXIDE TO SUPPORT THE MOX FEED MISSION (open access)

SMALL-SCALE TESTING OF PLUTONIUM (IV) OXALATE PRECIPITATION AND CALCINATION TO PLUTONIUM OXIDE TO SUPPORT THE MOX FEED MISSION

The H-Canyon facility will be used to dissolve Pu metal for subsequent purification and conversion to plutonium dioxide (PuO{sub 2}) using Phase II of HB-Line. To support the new mission, SRNL conducted a series of experiments to produce calcined plutonium (Pu) oxide and measure the physical properties and water adsorption of that material. This data will help define the process operating conditions and material handling steps for HB-Line. An anion exchange column experiment produced 1.4 L of a purified 52.6 g/L Pu solution. Over the next nine weeks, seven Pu(IV) oxalate precipitations were performed using the same stock Pu solution, with precipitator feed acidities ranging from 0.77 M to 3.0 M nitric acid and digestion times ranging from 5 to 30 minutes. Analysis of precipitator filtrate solutions showed Pu losses below 1% for all precipitations. The four larger precipitation batches matched the target oxalic acid addition time of 44 minutes within 4 minutes. The three smaller precipitation batches focused on evaluation of digestion time and the oxalic acid addition step ranged from 25-34 minutes because of pump limitations in the low flow range. Following the precipitations, 22 calcinations were performed in the range of 610-690 C, with the largest number …
Date: June 25, 2012
Creator: Crowder, M.; Pierce, R.; Scogin, J.; Daniel, G. & King, W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Using Downhole Probes to Locate and Characterize Buried Transuranic and Mixed Low Level Waste (open access)

Using Downhole Probes to Locate and Characterize Buried Transuranic and Mixed Low Level Waste

Borehole logging probes were developed and tested to locate and quantify transuranic elements in subsurface disposal areas and in contaminated sites at USDOE Weapons Complex sites. A new method of measuring very high levels of chlroine in the subsurface was developed using pulsed neutron technology from oilfield applications. The probes were demonstrated at the Hanford site in wells containing plutonium and other contaminants.
Date: June 25, 2012
Creator: Steinman, Donald K; Bramblett, Richard L & Hertzog, Russel C
System: The UNT Digital Library