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Phenomena Identification and Ranking Technique (PIRT) is a systematic way of gathering information from experts on a specific subject and ranking the importance of the information. NRC, in collaboration with DOE and the working group, conducted the PIRT exercises to identify safety-relevant phenomena for NGNP, and to assess and rank the importance and knowledge base for each phenomenon. The overall objective was to provide NRC with an expert assessment of the safety-relevant NGNP phenomena, and an overall assessment of R and D needs for NGNP licensing. The PIRT process was applied to five major topical areas relevant to NGNP safety and licensing: (1) thermofluids and accident analysis (including neutronics), (2) fission product transport, (3) high temperature materials, (4) graphite, and (5) process heat for hydrogen cogeneration.

Progress is briefly summarized in these areas: ionizing radiation resistance in bacteria; a hypothesis regarding ionizing radiation resistance emerging for bacterial cells; transcriptome analysis of irradiated D. radiodurans and Shewanella oneidensis; the role of metal reduction in Mn-dependnet Deinococcal species; and engineered Deinococcus strains as models for bioremediation. Key findings are also reported regarding protein oxidation as a possible key to bacterial desiccation resistance, and the whole-genome sequence of the thermophile Deinococcus geothermalis.

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In January 2006 the Smith River Rancheria (SRR), located in Smith River, California, contracted with the team of Strategic Energy Solutions (SES) and Evergreen NRG to conduct a study for the community. The objective of the study was to identify renewable generation opportunities that would facilitate Rancheria energy independence through SRR owned and operated power projects. These generation facilities were to be located either on or near the reservation. Specifically, the Rancheria was interested in the viability of generating electric power using biomass and wind fuel resources. Initial research identified that a very small portion of the community's energy could be offset by renewable energy generation due to the low solar resource in this area, and the lack of significant wind or biomass resources on or near reservation land. Some larger projects were identified which offered little or no benefit to the Rancheria. As a result, the scope of this study was changed in October 2006 to focus on energy efficiency opportunities for key reservation facilities, with a continued analysis of smaller renewable energy opportunities within reservation boundaries. The consulting team initially performed a resource analysis for biomass and solar generation opportunities in the region of the Rancheria. It was …

On November 8 -10, 2006, the first national conference on renewable energy workforce education was held at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York. The event was sponsored by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and organized by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) and the Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (PETE). Over 200 instructors, school administrators, and industry representatives attended this event representing 30 states and over 65 Community Colleges and Technical High Schools. The conference resulted in an enormous collection of information on the best practices and effective approaches to teaching workforce skills in the renewable energy trades and industries. This paper discusses the following educational strategies: the hybrid course delivery model; interdisciplinary instruction; linking technical high schools with the local community college; integrating a renewable energy concentration within an energy management degree program; expanding hands-on opportunities through internship programs; and an industry-sponsored certificate program. Recommendations by educators are also discussed.

Grid-connected photovoltaic installations grew by 60% in 2006. California and New Jersey have the largest markets and installations more than doubled in New Jersey, Nevada, Colorado, Connecticut, and many other states with smaller markets. The off-grid growth has been steady, but significantly lower. For the first time in more than a decade, a solar thermal electric plant was installed in 2006. More than 350 MW installed in the 1990's still generates electricity today. Solar water heating and solar space heating installations grew in 2006 after years offlat installation numbers. Hawaii dominates this market, with nearly half of the market. Solar pool heating accounts for the largest number of installations and has grown at an average rate of 10% since 1998. However, installations decreased by 7% in 2006. Installations in California and Florida together are 73% of the pool heating market.

Separation and pre-concentration of the desired analyte is often a critical step in many radioanalytical methods. Current procedures for separating and concentrating analytes for detection are complex, and can be both expensive and time consuming. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to develop an alternative method of separating lanthanide ions through the use of an extraction chromatography resin containing a Klaui ligand salt. This research is a continuation of a concerted effort to develop new methods of detecting small concentrations of radionuclides and lanthanides using Klaui ligands. The Klaui ligands, C5Me5Co(OP(OR)2)3- (R=Me, Et, n-Pr) (LOR-), have unique affinity for lanthanide and actinide ions in the presence of competing metal ions. The use of 1 wt% NaLOR (R=Et or n-Pr) adsorbed onto resin support has been shown to extract lanthanide ions from aqueous nitric acid solutions of different concentrations. In order to further evaluate the utility of these materials in radiochemical separation, the selectivity of the resins for the different lanthanide ions was examined by measuring the distribution coefficients (Kd) for a series of lanthanides over a range of solution conditions. Based on prior research with actinide ions, it was hypothesized that the lanthanide ions would bond strongly with the …

This report presents brief test descriptions and analysis results for multiple, stress-level slug tests that were performed at selected test/depth intervals within well 399-3-21 as part of the 300-Area volatile organic compound characterization program. The test intervals were characterized as the borehole was advanced to its final drill depth (45.7 m) and before its completion as a monitor-well facility. The primary objective of the slug tests was to provide information pertaining to the vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivity with depth at this location and to select the final screen-depth interval for the monitor well. This type of characterization information is important for predicting/simulating contaminant migration (i.e., numerical flow/transport modeling) and designing proper monitor-well strategies within this area.

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The Nearby Supernova Factory (SNfactory) is an international project to discover and study a large sample of type Ia supernovae in the redshift range 0.03 < z < 0.08. Follow-up spectro-photometric observations are performed using the dedicated Supernovae Integral-Field Spectrograph, mounted since 2004 on 2.2 m UH telescope. The goal is to acquire for each supernova and over its full life-time (more than 10 epochs) high spectro-photometric quality spectra over the extended optical range (320-1000 nm).I will present the current status of the SNfactory project, from search efficiency to first scientific results, with an emphasis on the spectro-photometric calibration issues and achievements.

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Along with methane, methanol and methylated amines represent important biogenic atmospheric constituents; thus, not only methanotrophs but also nonmethanotrophic methylotrophs play a significant role in global carbon cycling. The complete genome of a model obligate methanol and methylamine utilizer, Methylobacillus flagellatus (strain KT) was sequenced. The genome is represented by a single circular chromosome of approximately 3 Mbp, potentially encoding a total of 2,766 proteins. Based on genome analysis as well as the results from previous genetic and mutational analyses, methylotrophy is enabled by methanol and methylamine dehydrogenases and their specific electron transport chain components, the tetrahydromethanopterin-linked formaldehyde oxidation pathway and the assimilatory and dissimilatory ribulose monophosphate cycles, and by a formate dehydrogenase. Some of the methylotrophy genes are present in more than one (identical or nonidentical) copy. The obligate dependence on single-carbon compounds appears to be due to the incomplete tricarboxylic acid cycle, as no genes potentially encoding alpha-ketoglutarate, malate, or succinate dehydrogenases are identifiable. The genome of M. flagellatus was compared in terms of methylotrophy functions to the previously sequenced genomes of three methylotrophs, Methylobacterium extorquens (an alphaproteobacterium, 7 Mbp), Methylibium petroleiphilum (a betaproteobacterium, 4 Mbp), and Methylococcus capsulatus (a gammaproteobacterium, 3.3 Mbp). Strikingly, metabolically and/or phylogenetically, the …

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In March 2006, a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) was formed between Fauton Tech, Inc. and INL to develop a prototype for a commercial application that incorporates some INL-developed Intellectual Properties (IP). This report presents the results of the work performed at INL during Phase 1. The objective of Phase 1 was to construct a prototype battery in a “D” cell form factor, determine optimized internal components for a baseline configuration using a standard coil design, perform a series of tests on the baseline configuration, and document the test results in a logbook.

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A new "Direct Pour In-Mold" (DPI) Magnesium treatment technology has been developed that can produce both Nodular and Compacted Graphite iron. The DPI technology converts the standard horizontal runner system into a vertical one, by placing a Magnesium Ferrosilicon treatment alloy and molten metal filter into a specially designed container. The DPI container is easily placed into either vertically or horizontally parted molds, and then a base metal can be poured directly into it. The metal is treated and filtered as it passes through, and then proceeds directly into a runner or casting cavity. Various sizes of containers provide all of the necessary components required to deliver a range of weights of treated and filtered metal at accurate and consistent flow rates. The DPI containers provide energy savings over competing techniques, increased mold yields, very high Magnesium recovery, zero Magnesium fume, and no post inoculation is required. By treating the metal just prior to it entering a casting cavity many other benefits and advantages are also realized.

HFE-7100 and FC-72 fluorinert are two fluids used during weapon component manufacturing. HFE-7100 is a solvent used in the cleaning of parts, and FC-72 is the blowing agent of a polymeric removable foam. The presence of either FC-72 or HFE-7100 gas in weapon components can provide valuable information as to the stability of the materials. Therefore, gas standards are needed so HFE-7100 and FC-72 gas concentrations can be accurately measured. There is no current established procedure for generating gas standards of either HFE-7100 or FC-72. This report outlines the development of a method to generate gas standards ranging in concentration from 0.1 ppm to 10% by volume. These standards were then run on a Jeol GC-Mate II mass spectrometer and analyzed to produce calibration curves. We present a manifold design that accurately generates gas standards of HFE-7100 and FC-72 and a procedure that allows the amount of each to be determined.

This report covers work to (1) develop and validate distribution circuit models, (2) determine optimum distributed generator operating conditions, and (3) determine distributed generation penetration limits.

This report describes studies of hyperons and hyperon resonances produced in charm baryon decays at BABAR. Using two-body decays of the {Xi}{sub c}{sup 0} and {Omega}{sub c}{sup 0}, it is shown, for the first time, that the spin of the {omega}{sup -} is 3/2. The {Omega}{sup -} analysis procedures are extended to three-body final states and properties of the {Xi}(1690){sup 0} are extracted from a detailed isobar model analysis of the {Lambda}{sub c}{sup +} {yields} {Lambda}{bar K}{sup 0}K{sup +} Dalitz plot. The mass and width values of the {Xi}(1690){sup 0} are measured with much greater precision than attained previously. The hypothesis that the spin of the {Xi}(1690) resonance is 1/2 yields an excellent description of the data, while spin values 3/2 and 5/2 are disfavored. The {Lambda}a{sub 0}(980){sup +} decay mode of the {Lambda}{sub c}{sup +} is observed for the first time. Similar techniques are then used to study {Xi}(1530){sup 0} production in {Lambda}{sub c}{sup +} decay. The spin of the {Xi}(1530) is established for the first time to be 3/2. The existence of an S-wave amplitude in the {Xi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +} system is shown, and its interference with the {Xi}(1530){sup 0} amplitude provides the first clear demonstration of the …

In this paper we perform a new estimate of the high energy neutrinos expected from GRBs associated with the first generation of stars in light of new models and constraints on the epoch of reionization and a more detailed evaluation of the neutrino emission yields. We also compare the diffuse high energy neutrino background from Population III stars with the one from ''ordinary stars'' (Population II), as estimated consistently within the same cosmological and astrophysical assumptions. In disagreement with previous literature, we find that high energy neutrinos from Population III stars will not be observable with current or near future neutrino telescopes, falling below both IceCube sensitivity and atmospheric neutrino background under the most extreme assumptions for the GRB rate. This rules them out as a viable diagnostic tool for these still elusive metal-free stars.