Each testing and analytical facility performing waste characterization activities for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) participates in the Performance Demonstration Program (PDP) to comply with the Transuranic Waste Acceptance Criteria for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WAC) (DOE/WIPP-02-3122) and the Quality Assurance Program Document (QAPD) (CBFO-94-1012). The PDP serves as a quality control check for data generated in the characterization of waste destined for WIPP. Single blind audit samples are prepared and distributed to each of the facilities participating in the PDP. The PDP evaluates analyses of simulated headspace gases, constituents of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and transuranic (TRU) radionuclides using nondestructive assay (NDA) techniques.

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Central tendency and upper limit concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) measured in indoor air are summarized and reviewed. Data were obtained from published cross-sectional studies of residential and office buildings conducted in North America from 1990through the present. VOC concentrations in existing residences reported in 12 studies comprise the majority of the data set. Central tendency and maximum concentrations are compared between new and existing residences and between existing residences and office buildings. Historical changes in indoor VOC concentrations since the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 are explored by comparing the current data set with two published reviews of previous data obtained primarily in the 1980s. These historical comparisons suggest average indoor concentrations of some toxic air contaminants, such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane have decreased.

Ultra fast, sub-nanosecond (picosecond to femtosecond) duration, laser pulses present unique challenges when performing laser safety analysis involving mode-locked lasers, which operate at pulse repetition frequencies above the critical frequency in the near infrared wavelength bands. Two specific cases are presented, one such case that agrees and one that disagrees with the general rule on critical frequency. The results show that in all cases the appropriate maximum permissible exposure is always the smallest of the values calculated from ANSI rule 1, 2 and 3.

This report, prepared by NREL's Energy Analysis Office, includes up-to-date information on power technologies, including complete technology profiles. The data book also contains charts on electricity restructuring, power technology forecasts, electricity supply, electricity capability, electricity generation, electricity demand, prices, economic indicators, environmental indicators, and conversion factors.

This report summarizes the results and rationale for radiological dose calculations for the maximally exposed individual during fusion accident conditions. Early doses per unit activity (Sieverts per TeraBecquerel) are given for 535 magnetic fusion isotopes of interest for several release scenarios. These data can be used for accident assessment calculations to determine if the accident consequences exceed Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Department of Energy evaluation guides. A generalized yearly dose estimate for routine releases, based on 1 Terabecquerel unit releases per radionuclide, has also been performed using averaged site parameters and assumed populations. These routine release data are useful for assessing designs against US Environmental Protection Agency yearly release limits.

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Deep x-ray lithography in combination with electroforming is capable of producing high precision metal parts in small lot series. This study deals with a high aspect ratio structure with overall dimensions on the order of 10 mm x 7 mm x 1.5 mm, with the smallest line width being 150 {micro}m. The lateral deviation from the design is to be kept to a minimum, preferably below 5 {micro}m. To ensure adequate quality control, a semi-automated metrology technique has been established to measure all parts. While the paper will give a brief overview of all involved techniques, it focuses on the method to measure the top and bottom of the parts and the top of geometries following the process. The instrument used is a View Engineering Voyager V6x12 microscope, which is fully programmable. The microscope allows direct measurement of geometries but also is capable of saving all captured data as point clouds. These point clouds play a central role when evaluating part geometry. After measuring the part, the point cloud is compared to the computer aided design (CAD) contour of the part, using a commercially available software package. The challenge of proper edge lighting on a nickel alloy part is evaluated …

The purpose of the conversion process is to convert the {sup 233}U fluoride compounds that are being extracted from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) equipment to a stable oxide for long-term storage at Bldg. 3019.

The objectives of the present study are: (1) To synthesize iron catalysts: Fe/MoO{sub 3}, and Fe/Co/MoO{sub 3} employing two distinct techniques: Pyrolysis with organic precursors and Co-precipitation of metal nitrates; (2) To investigate the magnetic character of the catalysts before and after exposure to CO and CO+H{sub 2} by (a) Mossbauer study of Iron (b) Zerofield Nuclear Magnetic Resonance study of Cobalt, and (c) Magnetic character of the catalyst composite; (3) To study the IR active surface species of the catalyst while stimulating (CO--Metal, (CO+H{sub 2})--Metal) interactions, by FTIR Spectroscopy; and (4) To analyze the catalytic character (conversion efficiency and product distribution) in both direct and indirect liquefaction Process and (5) To examine the correlations between the magnetic and chemical characteristics. This report presents the results of our investigation on (a) the effect of metal loading (b) the effect of intermetallic ratio and (c) the effect of catalyst preparation procedure on (i) the magnetic character of the catalyst composite (ii) the IR active surface species of the catalyst and (iii) the catalytic yields for three different metal loadings: 5%, 15%, and 25% (nominal) for three distinct intermetallic ratios (Fe/Co = 0.3, 1.5, 3.0).

The DSD (Dynamic System Doctor) is a system-independent, interactive software under development for on-line state/parameter estimation in dynamic systems (1), partially supported through a Nuclear Engineering Education (NEER) grant during 1998-2001. This paper summarizes the recent accomplishments in improving the user-friendliness and computational capability of DSD

The objective of this project is to demonstrate proof of principal to feed and meter granular coal into 450 psig gas pressure for use with pressurized fluidized bed combustors. This report summarizes work undertaken in the first quarter of 2000 in support of that objective. At the end of the last quarter the pump had been re-designed to incorporate a larger torque hub and provide a substantial increase in drive train strength to prevent recurrence of failures experienced during earlier testing. Additional modifications were incorporated to improve the performance of the disk seals by improved location and adjustability, and the outlet was modified to incorporate a method to allow rapid adjustment of the outlet sealing column length without pump disassembly and rework being required. This quarter has been largely spent in manufacture of the new parts required, and in initial assembly, alignment and pinning of the revised configuration. The assembly is now complete and the pump is ready for installation into the test rig for the final series of tests.

The conventional vibrating machines used in processing plants have had undesirable high noise and vibration levels. They also have had unsatisfactorily low screening efficiency, high energy consumption, high maintenance cost, low productivity, and poor worker safety. These conventional vibrating machines have been used in most every processing plant. Most of the current material separation technology uses heavy and inefficient electric motors with an unbalance rotating mass to generate the shaking. In addition to being excessively noisy, inefficient, high-maintenance, these vibrating machines are often the bottleneck in the entire process. Furthermore, these motors along with the vibrating machines and supporting structure shake other machines and structure in the vicinity. The latter increases maintenance costs while reducing worker health and safety. The conventional vibrating fine screens at taconite processing plants have had the same problems as those listed above. This has resulted in lower screening efficiency, higher energy and maintenance cost, and lower productivity and workers safety concerns. The focus of this work is on the design of a high performance screening machine suitable for taconite processing plants. SmartScreens{trademark} technology uses miniaturized motors, based on smart materials, to generate the shaking. The underlying technologies are Energy Flow Control{trademark} and Vibration Control by …

This document summarizes Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) plan for fusion research on the DIII-D Tokamak, located at General Atomics (GA) in San Diego, California, in the time period FY04-FY08. This document is a companion document to the DIII-D Five-Year Program Plan; which hereafter will be referred to as the ''D3DPP''. The LLNL Collaboration on DIII-D is a task-driven program in which we bring to bear the full range of expertise needed to complete specific goals of plasma science research on the DIII-D facility. This document specifies our plasma performance and physics understanding goals and gives detailed plans to achieve those goals in terms of experimental leadership, code development and analysis, and diagnostic development. Our program is designed to be consistent with the long-term mission of the DIII-D program as documented in the D3DPP. The overall DIII-D Program mission is ''to establish the scientific basis for the optimization of the tokamak approach to fusion energy production''. LLNL Magnetic Fusion Energy (MFE) supports this mission, and we contribute to two areas of the DIII-D program: divertor physics and advanced tokamak (AT) physics. We lead or contribute to the whole cycle of research: experimental planning, diagnostic development, execution of experiments, and detailed …

The goals of this project were to isolate, characterize, and sequence the Dlx3/Dlx7 bigene cluster from twelve different species of mammals. The Dlx3 and Dlx7 genes are known to encode homeobox transcription factors involved in patterning of structures in the vertebrate jaw as well as vertebrate limbs. Genomic sequences from the respective taxa will subsequently be compared in order to identify conserved non-coding sequences that are potential cis-regulatory elements. Based on the comparisons they will fashion transgenic mouse experiments to functionally test the strength of the potential cis-regulatory elements. A goal of the project is to attempt to identify those elements that may function in coordinately regulating both Dlx3 and Dlx7 functions.

The survey includes degrees granted between September 1, 2006 and August 31, 2007. Enrollment information refers to the fall term 2007. Twenty-nine academic programs were included in the survey universe, and 28 of the 29 responded. The report includes data by degree level including citizenship, gender, and race/ethnicity plus enrollments of junior and senior undergraduate students and graduate students.

An essential ingredient in all cross section measurements is the luminosity used to normalize the data sample. In this note, we present the final assessment of the integrated luminosity recorded by the D0 experiment during Tevatron Run IIa. The luminosity measurement is derived from hit rates from the products of inelastic proton-antiproton collisions registered in two arrays of scintillation counters called the luminosity monitor (LM) detectors. Measured LM rates are converted to absolute luminosity using a normalization procedure that is based on previously measured inelastic cross sections and the geometric acceptance and efficiency of the LM detectors for registering inelastic events. During Run IIa, the LM detector performance was improved by a sequence of upgrades to the electronic readout system and other factors summarized in this note. The effects of these changes on the reported luminosity were tracked carefully during the run. Due to the changes, we partition the run into periods for which different conversions from measured LM rates to absolute luminosity apply. The primary upgrade to the readout system late in Run IIa facilitated a reevaluation of the overall normalization of the luminosity measurement for the full data sample. In this note, we first review the luminosity measurement …

An analysis of measurement uncertainties in a recently proposed method of measuring air leakage in residential duct systems has been carried out. The uncertainties in supply and return leakage rates are expressed in terms of the value of the envelope leakage flow coefficient and the uncertainties in measured pressures and air flow rates. Results of the analysis are compared with data published by two research groups.

The effects on system efficiency of excess refrigerant line length are calculated for an idealized residential heating and cooling system. By excess line length is meant refrigerant tubing in excess of the 25 R provided for in standard equipment efficiency test methods. The purpose of the calculation is to provide input for a proposed method for evaluating refrigerant distribution system efficiency. A refrigerant distribution system uses refrigerant (instead of ducts or pipes) to carry heat and/or cooling effect from the equipment to the spaces in the building in which it is used. Such systems would include so-called mini-splits as well as more conventional split systems that for one reason or another have the indoor and outdoor coils separated by more than 25 ft. This report performs first-order calculations of the effects on system efficiency, in both the heating and cooling modes, of pressure drops within the refrigerant lines and of heat transfer between the refrigerant lines and the space surrounding them.

The results of laboratory investigations and supporting technical assessments conducted under DOE Subcontract No. DE-FG26-03NT41795 are reported for the period September 1, 2003 to August 31, 2004. This contract is with the University of Kentucky Research Foundation, which supports work with the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research and The Pennsylvania State University Energy Institute. The worked described was part of a project entitled ''Advanced Gasification By-Product Utilization''. This work involves the development of technologies for the separation and characterization of coal gasification slags from operating gasification units, activation of these materials to increase mercury and nitrogen oxide capture efficiency, assessment of these materials as sorbents for mercury and nitrogen oxides, and characterization of these materials for use as polymer fillers.

Power generators are concerned with the maintenance costs associated with the advanced turbines that they are purchasing. Since these machines do not have fully established operation and maintenance (O&M) track records, power generators face financial risk due to uncertain future maintenance costs. This risk is of particular concern, as the electricity industry transitions to a competitive business environment in which unexpected O&M costs cannot be passed through to consumers. These concerns have accelerated the need for intelligent software-based diagnostic systems that can monitor the health of a combustion turbine in real time and provide valuable information on the machine's performance to its owner/operators. Such systems would interpret sensor and instrument outputs, correlate them to the machine's condition, provide interpretative analyses, forward projections of servicing intervals, estimate remaining component life, and identify faults. EPRI, Impact Technologies, Boyce Engineering, and Progress Energy have teamed to develop a suite of intelligent software tools integrated with a diagnostic monitoring platform that will, in real time, interpret data to assess the ''total health'' of combustion turbines. The Combustion Turbine Health Management System (CTHM) will consist of a series of dynamic link library (DLL) programs residing on a diagnostic monitoring platform that accepts turbine health data …

This testing was undertaken to develop material true stress-true strain curves for elastic-plastic material behavior for use in performing transient analysis. Based on the conclusions of this test, the true stress-true strain curves derived herein are valid for use in elastic-plastic finite element analysis for structures fabricated from these materials. In addition, for the materials tested herein, the ultimate strain values are greater than those values cited as the limits for the elastic-plastic strain acceptance criteria for transient analysis.