Reported here is the progress on the Development of Biological Coal Gasification for DOE contract No. DE-AC21-90MC27226 MOD A006. Task 1, NEPA Compliance and Updated Test Plan has been completed. Progress toward Task 2, Enhanced Methane Production, is reported in the areas of bacterial strain improvement, addition of co-substrates, and low cost nutrient amendment. Conclusions reached as a result of this work are presented. Plans for future work are briefly outlined.

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By means of analysis of NBS laboratory notebooks for the period of 1976--1982 in conjunction with recent LANL P14 measurements it is shown that the Model 100-1, S/N 1 Debye Coaxial Line is stable. From the date of its inception in July 1977 to the present, at a temperature of 30 C the transition duration of the filter insertion step response has remained a 125.8 ps while the relative dielectric constant has remained at 2.7. Also, capacitance measurements on the NBS--held Model 100-2, S/N 2 have demonstrated that the capacitance has remained at 32.3 pF since 1979.

By means of analysis of NBS laboratory notebooks for the period of 1976--1982 in conjunction with recent LANL P14 measurements it is shown that the Model 100-1, S/N 1 Debye Coaxial Line is stable. From the date of its inception in July 1977 to the present, at a temperature of 30 C the transition duration of the filter insertion step response has reexamined a 125.8 ps while the relative dielectric constant has remained at 2.7. Also, capacitance measurements on the NBS--held Model 100-2, S/N 2 have demonstrated that the capacitance has remained at 32.3 pF since 1979.

The author presents scaling laws for the behavior of hohlraums that are somewhat more complex than a simple sphere or cylinder. In particular the author considers hohlraums that are in what has become known as a {open_quotes}primary{close_quotes} {open_quotes}secondary{close_quotes} configuration, namely geometries in which the laser is absorbed in a primary region of a hohlraum, and only radiation energy is transported to a secondary part of the hohlraum that is shielded from seeing the laser light directly. Such hohlraums have been in use of late for doing LTE opacity experiments on a sample in the secondary and in recently proposed {open_quotes}shimmed{close_quotes} hohlraums that use gold disks on axis to block a capsule`s view of the cold laser entrance hole. The temperature/drive of the secondary, derived herein, scales somewhat differently than the drive in simple hohlraums.

Prolonged delays in traffic experienced by Laboratory personnel during a recent early dismissal in inclement weather, coupled with reconstruction efforts along NM 502 east of the White Rock Wye for the next 1 to 2 years, has prompted Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to re-evaluate and improve the present transportation plan and its integration with contingency plans maintained in other organizations. Facilities planners and emergency operations staff need to evaluate the transportation system`s capability to inefficiently and safely evacuate LANL under different low-level emergency conditions. A variety of potential procedures governing the release of employees from the different technical areas (TAs) requires evaluation, perhaps with regard to multiple emergency-condition scenarios, with one or more optimal procedures ultimately presented for adoption by Lab Management. The work undertaken in this project will hopefully lay a foundation for an on-going, progressive transportation system analysis capability. It utilizes microscale simulation techniques to affirm, reassess and validate the Laboratory`s Early Dismissal/Closure/Delayed Opening Plan. The Laboratory is required by Federal guidelines, and compelled by prudent practice and conscientious regard for the welfare of employees and nearby residents, to maintain plans and operating procedures for evacuation if the need arises. The tools developed during this process can …

Single crystal silicon has been the material of choice for x-ray monochromators for the past several decades. However, the need for suitable monochromators to handle the high heat load of the next generation synchrotron x-ray beams on the one hand and the rapid and on-going advances in synthetic diamond technology on the other make a compelling case for the consideration of a diamond monochromator system. In this paper, we consider various aspects, advantages and disadvantages, and promises and pitfalls of such a system and evaluate the comparative performance of a diamond monochromator subjected to the high heat load of the most powerful x-ray beam that will become available in the next few years. The results of experiments performed to evaluate the diffraction properties of a currently available synthetic single crystal diamond are also presented. Fabrication of a diamond-based monochromator is within present technical means.

Dallas Police report of a neighborhood disturbance in Glendale.

The Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center of the US Department of Energy (DOE) has contracted with Combustion Engineering, Inc. (ABB CE) to perform work on the Engineering Development of Advanced Coal-Fired Low-Emission Boiler Systems'' Project and has authorized ABB CE to complete Phase I on a cost-reimbursable basis. The overall objective of the Project is the expedited commercialization of advanced coal-fired low-emission boiler systems. The specified primary objectives are: (1) NOx emissions not greater than one-third NSPS. (2) SOx emissions not greater than one-third NSPS. (3) Particulate emissions not greater than one-half NSPS. The specific secondary objectives are: (1) Improved ash disposability and reduced waste generation. (2) Reduced air toxics emissions. (3) Increased generating efficiency. The final deliverables are a design data base that will allow future coal-fired power plants to meet the stated objectives and a preliminary design of a commercial generation unit.

The adiabatic Born-Oppenheimer potential energy surface approximation is not valid for reaction of a wide variety of energetic materials and organic fuels; coupling between electronic states of reacting species plays a key role in determining the selectivity of the chemical reactions induced. This research program initially studies this coupling in (1) selective C-Br bond fission in 1,3- bromoiodopropane, (2) C-S:S-H bond fission branching in CH[sub 3]SH, and (3) competition between bond fission channels and H[sub 2] elimination in CH[sub 3]NH[sub 2].

The United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries are unique human tissue research programs studying the distribution, dose, and possible biological effects of the actinide elements in man, with the primary goal of assuring the adequacy of radiation protection standards for these radionuclides. The Registries research is based on radiochemical analysis of tissues collected at autopsy from voluntary donors who have documented occupational exposure to the actinides. To date, tissues, or in some cases radioanalytical results only, have been obtained from approximately 300 individuals; another 464 living individuals have volunteered to participate in the Registries research programs and have signed premortem informed consent and autopsy permissions. The Registries originated at the National Plutonium Registry which was started in 1968 as a then Atomic Energy Commission project under the aegis of a prime contractor at the Hanford site. In 1970, the name was changed to the United States Transuranium Registry to reflect a broader involvement with the higher actinides. In 1978, an administratively separate parallel registry, the United States Uranium Registry, was formed to carry out similar studies among uranium fuel cycle workers.

Fully dense, nanocrystalline ceramic articles were prepared by the new nanofabrication process. The process consists of two steps: synthesis of ceramic nanoparticles and fabrication of dense, nanocrystalline ceramic parts. The synthesis step produced 10-nanometer-diameter crystallites, and is capable of being scaled up to kilogram/hour production rates. The fabrication step produced dense parts at significantly reduced sintering temperatures and times -- representing a factor of 10--100 reduction in process energy requirements. The process was demonstrated by producing ultrafine-grained yttria-stabilized ZrO[sub 2], an important material with a variety of energy-related applications (solid electrolytes, oxygen sensors, electrode materials, thermal barrier coatings, etc.). Results from this period clearly illustrate the capabilities of this energy-efficient and directly commercializable process for producing dense, nanocrystalline, multicomponent oxide ceramics.

The production capabilities for and field testing of the heat recovery system are described briefly. Drawings are included.

Several membranes have been investigated for use in a membrane reactor. Porous VYCOR has been tested for permeability changes with temperature. Three-sectional VYCOR membranes, with a porous central section, have been fabricated and tested in the experimental setup. Catalysts for methane coupling have been reviewed in the literature and five catalysts have been selected. Modeling studies of the methane oxidative coupling reaction in different reactor configurations shows higher C{sub 2} selectivity and yield with membrane reactors as compared to conventional packed bed reactors.

This document provides a discussion of the technical progress on DOE/PETC project number DE-AC22-92PC91338, {open_quotes}High Efficiency SO{sub 2} Removal Testing{close_quotes}, for the time period 1 July through 30 September, 1993. The project involves testing at six full-scale utility flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems, to evaluate low capital cost upgrades that may allow these systems to achieve up to 98% SO{sub 2} removal efficiency. The upgrades to be evaluated primarily involve the addition of organic acid buffers to the FGD systems. The {open_quotes}base{close_quotes} project involved testing at the Tampa Electric Company Big Bend station. As of September 1993, all five potential options to the base program had been exercised by DOE, involving testing at the Hoosier Energy Merom Station (Option I), the Southwestern Electric Power Company Pirkey Station (Option II), the PSI Energy Gibson Station (Option III), the Duquesne Light Elrama Station (Option IV), and the New York State Electric and Gas Company Kintigh Station (Option V). As of September 1993, testing has been completed for the base project and for Options 1 and 2, has begun but not been completed for Options III and IV, and has not yet begun for Option V. This document is divided into five sections. …

This annual technical progress report, based on the same four divisions used in our original proposal, provides only a brief synopsis of the research carried out dudng the past three years. We have also included a brief description of algorithms and computer programs that have been transferred to the ARM management. Such transfers of knowledge and technique are vital for the success of the ARM program. Various members of our research group participated in two major field programs: the First ISSCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Cirrus II Experiment held in November 1991, in Kansas, and the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) held in the Azores in June 1992. Although our participation in these campaigns was funded primarily through other agencies, the data collected in these programs were essential for certain components of our research. The graphical user interface programs that were transferred to ARM were a direct outgrowth of these field activities as well. In addition, we collected a variety of data at Penn State using our 94 GHz radar, microwave radiometer, wind profilers, and other instruments. Again these data were acquired to meet the needs of our proposed research.

The purpose of this document is to introduce and describe the Stored Waste Autonomous Mobile Inspector (SWAMI) robot project and to identify issues that will need to be addressed prior to its field demonstration at Fernald in mid-1995. SWAMI is a mobile robotic vehicle that will perform mandated weekly inspections of waste containers. Fernald has a large inventory of these containers and a need to protect workers from radiation hazards while enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the inspections. Fernald`s role in this project is to supply the demonstration site and make all necessary preparations. This includes identification of the test areas and plans, and identification and compliance to Federal, State, DOE, and Site regulations on system safety and quality. In addition, Fernald will link SWAMI output images to off-line mass data storage, and also to an on-line ORACLE database. The authors shall initiate a dialog with State and Federal regulators towards the near term goal of acceptance of the SWAMI test plan and a longer term goal of acceptance of SWAMI as a supplement and improvement to present mandated RCRA inspections.

The SRTC has formally transmitted a recommendation to DWPF to replace copper formate with copper nitrate as the catalyst form during precipitate hydrolysis [1]. The SRTC was subsequently requested to formally document the technical bases for the recommendation. A memorandum was issued on August 23, 1993 detailing the activities (and responsible individuals) necessary to address the impact of this change in catalyst form on process compatibility, safety, processibility environmental impact and product glass quality [2]. One of the activities identified was the preparation of a material balance in which copper nitrate is substituted for copper formate and the identification of key comparisons between this material balance and the current Batch 1 sludge -- Late Wash material balance [3].

The Financial Statistics of Major US Investor-Owned Electric Utilities publication presents summary and detailed financial accounting data on the investor-owned electric utilities. The objective of the publication is to provide Federal and State governments, industry, and the general public with current and historical data that can be used for policymaking and decisionmaking purposes related to investor-owned electric utility issues. The Financial Statistics of Major US Investor-Owned Electric Utilities publication provides information about the financial results of operations of investor-owned electric utilities for use by government, industry, electric utilities, financial organizations and educational institutions in energy planning. In the private sector, the readers of this publication are researchers and analysts associated with the financial markets, the policymaking and decisionmaking members of electric utility companies, and economic development organizations. Other organizations that may be interested in the data presented in this publication include manufacturers of electric power equipment and marketing organizations. In the public sector, the readers of this publication include analysts, researchers, statisticians, and other professionals engaged in regulatory, policy, and program areas. These individuals are generally associated with the Congress, other legislative bodies, State public utility commissions, universities, and national strategic planning organizations.

This Task Technical Plan outlines the activities to be conducted in the Integrated DWPF Melter System (IDMS) in ongoing support of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Chemical Process Cell (CPC) utilizing the Nitric Acid Flowsheet in the Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) and Precipitate Hydrolysis Aqueous (PHA) produced by the Late Wash Flowsheet. The IDMS facility is to be operated over a series of runs (2 to 4) using the Nitric Acid Flowsheet. The PHA will be produced with the Late Wash Flowsheet in the Precipitate Hydrolysis Experimental Facility (PHEF). All operating conditions shall simulate the expected DWPF operating conditions as closely as possible. The task objectives are to perform at least two IDMS runs with as many operating conditions as possible at nominal DWPF conditions. The major purposes of these runs are twofold: verify that the combined Late Wash and Nitric Acid flowsheets produce glass of acceptable quality without additional changes to process equipment, and determine the reproducibility of data from run to run. These runs at nominal conditions will be compared to previous runs made with PHA produced from the Late Wash flowsheet and with the Nitric Acid flowsheet in the SRAT (Purex 4 and Purex …

Two factors which have substantial impact on predicted Mercury emissions are the air flows in the Chemical Process Cell (CPC) and the exit temperature of the Formic Acid Vent Condenser (FAVC). The discovery in the IDMS (Integrated DWPF Melter System) of H{sub 2} generation by noble metal catalyzed formic acid decomposition and the resultant required dilution air flow has increased the expected instantaneous CPC air flow by as much as a factor of four. In addition, IDMS has experienced higher than design (10{degrees}C) FAVC exit temperatures during certain portions of the operating cycle. These temperatures were subsequently attributed to the exothermic reaction of NO to NO{sub 2}. Moreover, evaluation of the DWPF FAVC indicated it was undersized and unless modified or replaced, routine exit temperatures would be in excess of design. Purges required for H{sub 2} flammability control and verification of elevated FAVC exit temperatures due to NO{sub x} reactions have lead to significant changes in CPC operating conditions. Accordingly, mercury emissions estimates have been updated based upon the new operating requirements, IDMS experience, and development of an NO{sub x}/FAVC model which predicts FAVC exit temperatures. Using very conservative assumptions and maximum purge rates, the maximum calculated Hg emissions is …

The ultimate objectives of this research are to further develop ALFA (AER Local Forecast and Assimilation) model originally designed at AER for local weather prediction and apply it to several related purposes in connection with the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program: (a) to provide a testbed that simulates a global climate model in order to facilitate the development and testing of new cloud parametrizations and radiation models; (b) to assimilate the ARM data continuously at the scale of a climate model, using the adjoint method, thus providing the initial conditions and verification data for testing parametrizations; (c) to study the sensitivity of a radiation scheme to cloud parameters, again using the adjoint method, thus demonstrating the usefulness of the testbed model. The data assimilation uses a variational technique that minimizes the difference between the model results and the observation during the analysis period. The adjoint model is used to compute the gradient of a measure of the model errors with respect to nudging terms that are added to the equations to force the model output closer to the data.

Sophisticated models of the movement of particles, particularly bacteria and viruses, through porous media have been developed, but have met with limited success when compared to field observations some argue that the poor predictive capabilities of the models are due in part to the fact that most of the sophisticated models are tied to an assumptions of homogeneity within the flow field. In previous work, the structure of random percolation fields has been investigated and suggests application of percolation theory to heterogeneous porous media. One conclusion from this study as applied to particle transport is that as the distribution of pore throat sizes takes on variation in the third dimension, the probability of finding a continuous flow path with large throat size increases. One interpretation of this work, within the current context, leads to an argument that a saturated medium will become more open to transport of particles as the medium takes on three dimensional structure. The central hypothesis of the current project is therefore be stated: Particles which are suspended within the pore fluids of media demonstrating three-dimensional heterogeneities will be transported at higher average velocities and with less trapping than particles which are suspended in the pore fluids …

Technical assistance was provided High Level Waste Engineering in the investigation and prevention of filming during decontamination by mopping. After mopping operations in a Tank Farm application, a film of the cleaning agent sometimes remained on the surface being cleaned which interfered with monitoring to detect the presence of radioactive material. Scoping tests were conducted to investigate filming characteristics of two cleaning materials. In addition, rinsing test were conducted to demonstrate how filming can be prevented.