The primary objective of this project is to demonstrate the ability of hydrogen to supply reducing equivalents for the reductive dehalogenation of perchloroethylene (PCE). This objective will be accomplished by two types of activities. First, laboratory experiments will compare the kinetics of hydrogen-mediated dehalogenation with natural routes of loss (hydrolysis and natural attenuation). Secondly, bench-scale column experiments will be performed to demonstrate hydrogen-mediated reductive dehalogenation in aquifer sediments.

A comprehensive Directives Program aimed at environmental, safety, and health requirements and risks was initiated in 1997 and will be completed in late 1999 or early 2000. The primary objective of the program is to identify or develop a set of standards that, when implemented, provides reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the workers, public, and the environment will be protected during the performance of the work. In conjunction with the Directives Program, the use of the voluntary environmental management system, ISO 14000, was evaluated. This includes the only environmental management standard to which an entity can be registered. Plans are to consider the specifications and guidance from this standard in the identification of an effective environmental management system for the merged FETC sites. A performance measurement system continued to be maintained during 1998 to assist in evaluating how effectively activities at FETC meet mission-critical goals and how well missions and strategies are connected in the DOE strategic plan. This system also provides data to assist in gauging performance against the DOE critical success factors, that is, performance against technical objectives. Various environmental milestones can be tracked to completion, thus giving the FETC measures by which to gauge …

The Deactivation and Decommissioning (D&D) Technology Assessment Program (TAP) was developed to provide detailed, comparable data for environmental technologies and to disseminate this data to D&D professionals in a manner that will facilitate the review and selection of technologies to perform decontamination and decommissioning. The objectives for this project include the following: Determine technology needs through review of the Site Technology Coordination Group (STCG) information and other applicable websites and needs databases; Perform a detailed review of industries that perform similar activities as those required in D&D operations to identify additional technologies; Define the technology assessment program for characterization and waste management problem sets; Define the data management program for characterization, dismantlement, and waste management problem sets; Evaluate baseline and innovative technologies under standard test conditions at Florida International University's Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology (FIU-HCET) and other locations and collect data in the areas of performance, cost, health and safety, operations and maintenance, and primary and secondary waste generation; Continue to locate, verify, and incorporate technology performance data from other sources into the multimedia information system; and Develop the conceptual design for a dismantlement technology decision analysis tool for dismantlement technologies.

This paper describes the technical progress for the period, with ongoing activities and discusses the actions taken to meet the project deadlines. The technical progress is: (1) conducted test with Steel Industry; (2) Braune Intertech completed four tests requested by Steel and Petroleum Industries; (3) Beta Test in progress in commercial Kiln, a final report on this test will be available by the end of the year; (4) Ordered new high temperature test blocks and electrodes; (5) Made slight formula modifications which appear to greatly increase wear and strength characteristics; and (6) Establishing protocols and complete advanced laboratory testing of revised formula of G-5 Initial test results should be available for the December report.

Ventures into Central American and Africa are sketched.

This report first briefly outlines the procedures and support/activation fixture developed at LLNL to perform the heart valve tests in an anechoic-like tank at the US Navy Transducer Evaluation Facility (TransDec) located in San Diego, CA. Next they discuss the basic experiments performed and the corresponding experimental plan employed to gather meaningful data systematically. The signal processing required to extract the desired information is briefly developed along with some of the data. Finally, they show the results of the individual runs for each valve, point out any of the meaningful features and summaries.

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Many of the inorganic and organic contaminants present in sediments at DOE sites can be altered or destroyed by reduction and oxidation (redox) reactions occurring at mineral surfaces. A fundamental understanding of such redox processes provided by molecular-level studies on structurally and compositionally well-defined mineral surfaces will lead to: (i) improved models of contaminant fate and transport in geochemical systems, and (ii) optimized manipulation of these processes for remediation purposes. To contribute to this understanding, we will study, both experimentally and theoretically, redox processes involving three important contaminants - chromate ion, carbon tetrachloride, and trichloroethene TCE, on the following iron and manganese oxides - hematite, magnetite, maghemite, and pyrolusite. These oxides and their hydroxylated analogs commonly occur as coatings on minerals or as interfaces in the subsurface environment. Single-crystal surfaces of these oxides will be synthesized in carefully controlled fashion by molecular beam epitaxy. These surfaces, as well as high surface are powdered samples of these oxides, will be used in spectroscopic and kinetic experiments in both aqueous and gas phases. Our goal is to identify products and to determine the kinetics and mechanisms of surface-catalyzed redox reaction of Cr(VI) and CR(III), and the reductive dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride and …

The objective of the proposed research is to investigate the influence of various aerodynamical, diffusive-thermal, radiative and reaction-rate factors on certain fundamental phenomena concerning combustion and explosion of gaseous premixtures. Different modeling techniques will be employed to reduce the study of pertinent physical systems to simple approximate problems tractable either analytically or numerically. Specifically the authors plan to study: (1) fluid dynamical aspects of flame anchoring by solid bodies; (2) fluid dynamical aspects of thermal explosion and fire flashover; (3) fluid dynamical aspects of fuel leakage in near-limit-flames; (4) reduced models for gaseous detonation.

During FY99, the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC) continued pursuing its mission of helping U.S. independent oil and gas producers make timely, informed technology decisions. PTTC's national organization has active grassroots programs that connect with independents through its 10 Regional Lead Organizations (RLOs). These activities--including technology workshops, resource centers, websites, newsletters, and other outreach efforts--are guided by regional Producer Advisory Groups (PAGs). The role of the national headquarters (HQ) staff includes planning and managing the PTTC program, conducting nation-wide technology transfer activities, and implementing a comprehensive communications effort. This technical progress report summarizes PTTC's accomplishments during FY99, which lay the groundwork for further growth in the future.

This research project examined the feasibility of a second generation high-temperature coal gas desulfurization process in which elemental sulfur is produced directly during the sorbent regeneration phase. Two concepts were evaluated experimentally. In the first, FeS was regenerated in a H2O-O2 mixture. Large fractions of the sulfur were liberated in elemental form when the H2O-O2 ratio was large. However, the mole percent of elemental sulfur in the product was always quite small (<<1%) and a process based on this concept was judged to be impractical because of the low temperature and high energy requirements associated with condensing the sulfur. The second concept involved desulfurization using CeO2 and regeneration of the sulfided sorbent, Ce2O2S, using SO2 to produce elemental sulfur directly. No significant side reactions were observed and the reaction was found to be quite rapid over the temperature range of 500°C to 700°C. Elemental sulfur concentrations (as S2) as large as 20 mol% were produced. Limitations associated with the cerium sorbent process are concentrated in the desulfurization phase. High temperature and highly reducing coal gas such as produced in the Shell gasification process are required if high sulfur removal efficiencies are to be achieved. For example, the equilibrium H2S concentration …

The Corrective Action Plan provides the closure methods for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 423: Area 3 Building 03-60 Underground Discharge Point (UDP), Tonoopah Test Range, Nevada. CAU 423 consists of the UDP and an associated discharge pipeline extending from Building 03-60. Corrective action investigations were completed in January 1998, and are documented in the Corrective Action Decision Document (US DOE, 1998). Results indicate an asymmetrical hydrocarbon plume, measuring 11 meters (m) 35 ft in length, 6 m (20 ft) in width, and 4 to 20 m (14 to 65 ft) in depth, has formed beneath the UDP and migrated westward. Petroleum hydrocarbon levels were identified above the 100 miligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) action level specified in Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) 445A (NAC 1996). The highest petroleum hydrocarbon concentration detected was 2,4000 mg/kg at 6 m, 20 ft, below surface grade as diesel. Corrective actions will consist of administrative controls and in place closure of th e UDP and its associated discharge pipeline.

Under typical conditions of pulverized-coal combustion, which is characterized by fine particles heated at very high rates, there is currently a lack of certainty regarding the ignition mechanism of bituminous and lower rank coals. It is unclear whether ignition occurs first at the particle-oxygen interface (heterogeneous ignition) or if it occurs in the gas phase due to ignition of the devolatilization products (homogeneous ignition). Furthermore, there have been no previous studies aimed at determining the dependence of the ignition mechanism on variations in experimental conditions, such as particle size, oxygen concentration, and heating rate. Finally, there is a need to improve current mathematical models of ignition to realistically and accurately depict the particle-to-particle variations that exist within a coal sample. Such a model is needed to extract useful reaction parameters from ignition studies, and to interpret ignition data in a more meaningful way. The authors propose to examine fundamental aspects of coal ignition through (1) experiments to determine the ignition mechanism of various coals by direct observation, and (2) modeling of the ignition process to derive rate constants and to provide a more insightful interpretation of data from ignition experiments. They propose to use a novel laser-based ignition experiment to …

During the tenure of this grant we focused our efforts on the treatment of (1) the behavior of the negative hydrogen ion, H{sup {minus}}, in a strong laser field (whose intensity extends well into the nonperturbative regime), and (2) two-electron escape from a helium atom, He, by synchrotrons light. The calculations for H{sup {minus}} were done using perimetric coordinates {mu}, {nu}, and {omega}, which are linear combinations of the three interparticle distances, together with the three Euler angles. The algebra involved in the implementation of the perimetric coordinate system can be quite formidable. However, we formulated [1] a general and tractable decomposition of the two-electron wavefunction which greatly facilitated the algebra. A complex Sturmian-type basis set, in these coordinates, was employed. One of the main advantages of the perimetric coordinates is that the matrices representing the system's Hamiltonian and its interaction with the radiation field are sparse, so that storage requirements and the number of operations are minimized. The correlation between the electrons is fully incorporated. Indeed, perimetric coordinates are ideally suited to situations where the correlation is strong; each of the planes {mu} = 0, {nu} = 0, and {omega} = 0 has the special significance that the electrons …

Simultaneous removal of SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} using a regenerable solid sorbent will constitute an important improvement over the use of separate processes for the removal of these two pollutants from stack gases and possibly eliminate several shortcomings of the individual SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} removal operations. The work done at PETC and the DOE-funded investigation of the investigators on the sulfation and regeneration of alumina-supported cerium oxide sorbents have shown that they can perform well at relatively high temperatures (823--900 K) as regenerable desulfurization sorbents. Survey of the recent literature shows that addition of copper oxide to ceria lowers the sulfation temperature of ceria down to 773 K, sulfated ceria-based sorbents can function as selective SCR catalysts even at elevated temperatures, SO{sub 2} can be directly reduced to sulfur by CO on CuO-ceria catalysts, and ceria-based catalysts may have a potential for selective catalytic reduction of NO{sub x} by methane. These observations indicate a possibility of developing a ceria-based sorbent/catalyst which can remove both SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} from flue gases within a relatively wide temperature window, produce significant amounts of elemental sulfur during regeneration, and use methane for the selective catalytic reduction of NO{sub x}. …

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The objective of this research project is to evaluate the potential of supercritical fluid (SCF) extraction for the recovery and fractionation of the wax product from the slurry bubble column (SBC) reactor of the Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) process. The wax, comprised mostly of branched and linear alkanes with a broad molecular weight distribution up to C{sub 100}, will be extracted with a hydrocarbon solvent that has a critical temperature near the operating temperature of the SBC reactor, i.e., 200-300 C. Initial work is being performed using n-hexane as the solvent. The success of the project depends on two factors. First, the supercritical solvent must be able to dissolve the F-T wax; furthermore, this must be accomplished at conditions that do not entrain the solid catalyst. Second, the extraction must be controlled so as not to favor the removal of the low molecular weight wax compounds. That is, a constant carbon-number distribution in the wax slurry must be maintained at steady-state column operation. Three major tasks are being undertaken to evaluate our proposed SCF extraction process. Task 1: Equilibrium solubility measurements for model F-T wax components in supercritical fluids at conditions representative of those in a SBC reactor. Task 2: Thermodynamic modeling …

This is the Technical Progress Report covering October 1998. All tasks have been completed, except for those discussed on the following pages. Unocal estimated the costs of dismantling and packaging the test facility for storage and shipment. The scope of work for the contract has been modified to accommodate the dismantling and packaging of the plant. An amendment to Sub-Contract No. MCP-9-UNO between M-C Power and Unocal has been executed which includes the Scope of Work in Unocal's cost estimate.

It is well known that natural and synthetic zeolites (molecular sieves) can adsorb gaseous SO₂ from flue gas and do it more efficiently than lime based scrubbing materials. Unfortunately their cost ($500-$800 per ton) has deterred their use in this capacity. It is also known that zeolites are easy to synthesize from a variety of natural and man-made materials. The overall objective of the current work has been to evaluate the feasibility of having a utility synthesize its own zeolites, on-site, from fly ash and other recycled materials and then use these zeolites to adsorb SO₂ from their flue gases. Work to date has shown that the efficiency of the capture process is related to the degree of crystallinity and the type of zeolite that forms in the samples. Normally, those samples cured at 150°C contained a greater proportion of zeolite and as such were more SO₂ adsorptive than their low-temperature counterparts. However, in order for the project to be successful, on site synthesis must remain an option, i.e. _100°C synthesis. In light of this, the experimental focus now has two aspects. First, compositions of the starting materials are being altered by blending the current suite of fly ashes with …

In pursuing its mission of helping U.S. independent oil and gas producers make timely, informed technology decisions, the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC) functions as a cohesive national organization that implements industry's directives through active regional programs. The role of the national headquarters (HQ) organization includes planning and managing the PTTC program, conducting nation-wide technology transfer activities, and implementing a comprehensive communications effort. PTTC relies on 10 Regional Lead Organizations (RLOs) as its main program delivery mechanism to industry. Through its regions, PTTC connects with independent oil and gas producers--through technology workshops, resources centers, websites, newsletters, and other outreach efforts. The organization effectively combines federal, state, and industry funding to achieve important goals for all of these sectors. This integrated funding base, combined with industry volunteers guiding PTTC's activities and the dedication of national and regional staff, are achieving notable results. PTTC is increasingly recognized as a critical resource for information and access to technologies, especially for smaller companies. This technical progress report summarizes PTTC's accomplishments during FY98, and its strategy for achieving further growth in the future.

The report begins with a historical survey of research activity. Next summaries of research accomplishments in the following areas are given: (1) Radiation Dose Distribution; (2) The 1-Hit Detector: Action Cross Sections; (3) Many Hit Detectors; (4) Biological Cells; (5) Implications for Radiation Protection; and (6) Implications for Radiation Oncology with Heavy Ion Beams.

This report describes a two-phase energy project currently contemplated for joint implementation at the Victorias Milling Company, a large sugar mill and refinery on the island of Negros in the Visayas region of the Philippines. The Energy Efficiency (EE) phase is expected to reduce of eliminate VMC`s fossil fuel consumption, which will have a direct and substantial impact on carbon emissions. Phase I is an EE project which involves the installation of equipment to reduce steam and electricity demand in the factories. Phase II, will involve retrofitting and increasing the capacity of the steam and power generation systems, and selling power to the grid. By increasing efficiency and output, the cogeneration project will allow the factory to use only bagasse sugar cane fiber waste as fuel for energy needs. The cogeneration project will also eliminate VMC`s electricity purchases and supply additional power for the island, which will offset generation capacity expansion on the island and the Visayas region.

At the Southern Methodist University Geothermal Laboratory in Dallas, Texas, the Earth`s surface and internal temperature are studied. With financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy, a data base containing geothermal temperature well information for the United States is being developed. During this calendar quarter, activity with this project has continued involving several different tasks: planning and development of the geothermal system thermal-well data base and temperature-depth data, and development of a World Wide Web home page.

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