Research at Virginia Tech led to the development of two complementary concepts for improving the removal of inorganic sulfur from many eastern US coals. These concepts are referred to as Electrochemically Enhanced Sulfur Rejection (EESR) and Polymer Enhanced Sulfur Rejection (PESR). The EESR process uses electrochemical techniques to suppress the formation of hydrophobic oxidation products believed to be responsible for the floatability of coal pyrite. The PESR process uses polymeric reagents that react with pyrite and convert floatable middlings, i.e., composite particles composed of pyrite with coal inclusions, into hydrophilic particles. These new pyritic-sulfur rejection processes do not require significant modifications to existing coal preparation facilities, thereby enhancing their adoptability by the coal industry. It is believed that these processes can be used simultaneously to maximize the rejection of both well-liberated pyrite and composite coal-pyrite particles. The technical research was initiated on October 1, 1992, and a detailed work plan and work schedule were developed. During this reporting period, research was conducted to evaluate the liberation characteristics of various pyrite samples, to determine the electrochemical reactions that influence the hydrophobicity of pyrite, and to examine the potential use of electrochemical methods for controlling the flotation and depression of pyrite.

This report contains brief discussions on topics in the following areas: High-pressure sciences; astrophysics; and geosciences.

A 6-mm-diameter, plane-wave shock generation system has been developed and characterized as a laboratory bench driver for small scale experiments. The driver is based on an exploding-foil-driven slapper used either directly or to initiate an HE pellet. The slapper is driven by a low-inductance fireset with burst currents on the order of 30 kA and burst times of about 250ns, with a time-to-burst jitter under 10ns. Both the slapper impact and the detonation breakout of the pellet have been measured to be flat to within 10ns over a 6-mm diameter. Fabry-Perot velocimetry of impacts with LiF crystals were used to characterize shock pressures and durations. Attenuator plates and flyers driven by the HE were also measured, which provided a variety of available pulse shapes and data for modeling efforts.

Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story.

Daily newspaper from Baytown, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Loretta Ivanov sings in a southeast Oklahoma City nightclub while her husband, Stoyan "Steve" Ivanov, accompanies on guitar."

Photograph used for a newspaper owned by the Oklahoma Publishing Company. Caption: "Dottie Lammerts"

Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Dottie Lammerts is surrounded by some of her favorite birds."

Photograph used for a newspaper owned by the Oklahoma Publishing Company.

Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Mack Ross walks along the scenic branch stream of the Mountain Fork River below Broken Bow spillway."

Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Steven Stark, left, workds with Doug Newell, conductor of the Enid-Phillips University Symphony Orchestra, on a chamber music composition for strings."

B-roll video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, covering a news story. This story aired at 6pm.

Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story about the reaction of the African American community of Corsicana, Texas’ reaction to the death of an African American man, 29-year-old Craig Thomas, who was stopped by police officers for a traffic violation and later died while in police custody on June 5th 1993 and the determination of his cause of death. This story includes a press conference with Justice of the Peace Connie Mayfield who reads the autopsy report, an interview with Thomas' mother Estelle Washington, still images of Thomas' injuries, an interview with Reverend M. R. Parsons. This footage was broadcast at 5pm.

Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story about the reaction of the African American community of Corsicana, Texas’ reaction to the death of an African American man, 29-year-old Craig Thomas, who was stopped by police officers for a traffic violation and later died while in police custody on June 5th 1993 and the determination of his cause of death. This story includes a press conference with Justice of the Peace Connie Mayfield who reads the autopsy report, an interview with Thomas' mother Estelle Washington, still images of Thomas' injuries, an interview with an unidentified man , and an interview with Reverend M.R. Parsons. This footage was broadcast at 6pm.

Although various legislation and regulations have been adopted to promote the use of alternative-fuel vehicles for curbing urban air pollution problems, there is a lack of systematic comparisons of emission control cost-effectiveness among various alternative-fuel vehicle types. In this paper, life-cycle emission reductions and life-cycle costs were estimated for passenger cars fueled with methanol, ethanol, liquefied petroleum gas, compressed natural gas, and electricity. Vehicle emission estimates included both exhaust and evaporative emissions for air pollutants of hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and air-toxic pollutants of benzene, formaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene, and acetaldehyde. Vehicle life-cycle cost estimates accounted for vehicle purchase prices, vehicle life, fuel costs, and vehicle maintenance costs. Emission control cost-effectiveness presented in dollars per ton of emission reduction was calculated for each alternative-fuel vehicle types from the estimated vehicle life-cycle emission reductions and costs. Among various alternative-fuel vehicle types, compressed natural gas vehicles are the most cost-effective vehicle type in controlling vehicle emissions. Dedicated methanol vehicles are the next most cost-effective vehicle type. The cost-effectiveness of electric vehicles depends on improvements in electric vehicle battery technology. With low-cost, high-performance batteries, electric vehicles are more cost-effective than methanol, ethanol, and liquified petroleum gas vehicles.

Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story by reporter Mike Schneider about recently elected United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas. This footage includes Hutchison being sworn in, a welcome from Democratic Majority Leader George Mitchell, a reception with a boys choir, Hutchison touring her new office, and a press conference wherein she is asked about the Travis County District Attorney's Raid on Hutchison's offices at the Texas State Treasury. Broadcast at 10:00pm.

B-roll video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story.

Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story.

B-roll video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story.

Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story.

Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story.

Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story.

B-roll video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story.

Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story.