Hydrogen isotopes are separated from other gases by permeation through palladium and palladium-silver alloy diffusers in the Tritium Facilities at the US Department of Energy Savannah River Site (SRS). Diffusers have provided effective service for almost forty years. This paper is an overview of the operational experience with the various diffuser types that have been employed at SRS. Alternative technologies being developed at SRS for purifying hydrogen isotopes are also discussed.

Experiences as an environmental activist have produced some insights into addressing the current public over-reaction to environmental risks, and in particular to the risks posed by nuclear industry development.

A sinkhole was first observed in May 1992 over the edge of the two-level former salt mine that was converted for oil storage by the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Diagnostic studies that included geophysical, geochemical, drilling, and hydrological methods suggest a direct connection exists between the surface collapse area and the underground mine as shown by correlative measurements of sediment slump rates and brine influx into the mine. The dissolution of salt below the sinkhole that initiated the leak into the mine was likely caused by several confluent geologic processes, and exacerbated by mining-induced stresses that created fractures which served as hydrologic flowpaths. Modeling studies of mine stresses show that years may be required before tensional cracking begins to occur, but once begun can continue to develop, and relieve the stress in that specific regime. The crack regime creates the avenue for incursion of groundwater, very slowly initially, but gradually enlarging as undersaturated groundwater dissolves salt on the sides of the crack. Mitigation measures include increasing the mine pressurization, slowing the dissolution by injecting brine into the sinkhole throat, and freeze grouting to restrict hydrologic flowpaths.

We have measured an 36-A-cm{sup {minus}2} current emission density over the surface area of an 11.4-cm{sup 2}-area Lead-Titanate- Zirconate (PZT) ferroelectric cathode with a pulsed anode-cathode (A-K) potential of 50 kV. We have also observed currents above those predicted by classical Child-Langmuir formula for a wide variety of cases. Since a plasma within the A-K gap could also lead to increase current emission we are attempting to measure the properties of the plasma near the cathode surface at emission time. In other measurements, we have observed strong gap currents in the absence of an A-K potential. Further, we continue to make brightness measurements of the emitted beam and observe spatially non-uniform emission and large shot-to-shot variation. Measurements show individual beamlets with a brightness as high 10{sup 11} Am{sup {minus}2} rad{sup {minus}2}.

Insulators composed of finely spaced alternating layers of dielectric and metal are thought to minimize secondary emission avalanche (SEA) growth. Most data to date was taken with small samples (order 10 cm{sup 2} area) in the absence of an ion or electron beam. The authors have begun long pulse (>1 {mu}s) high voltage testing of small hard seal samples. Further, they have performed short pulse (20 ns) high voltage testing of moderate scale bonded samples (order 100 cm{sup 2} area) in the presence of a 1 kA electron beam. Results thus far indicate a 1.0 to 4.0 increase in the breakdown electric field stress is possible with this technology.

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) contains the most extensive verification inspection provision of any arms control agreement in history. Among its innovations are provisions for facility agreements to govern on-site verification inspections of certain facilities. A facility agreement is an agreement or arrangement between a State Party and the Organization [for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons] relating to a specific facility subject to on-site verification pursuant to Articles 4, 5 and 6. The purpose of this very brief paper is to discuss the value of specificity in the model facility agreements that are to serve as the basis for facility agreements. The views expressed herein are those of the author alone, and not necessarily those of the government of the US of America or any other institution. The model facility agreements are a key document to national implementation of the CWC. As explained in the Manual for National Implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, facility agreements are among the important protections the CWC provides for confidential business information at facilities subject to CWC inspections. Thus, the structure of the models for these agreements will fundamentally determine how national implementation of the Convention will affect various private firms. A particularly salient …

In this paper, a linearized four wheel steering (4WS) system model is deduced and then modified into a form which is appropriate for applying Matlab {mu} Toolbox to design robust controller. Several important topics are discussed in detail, such as (1) how to make system set-up match Matlab {mu} Toolbox requirement, (2) how to select weights based on plant`s uncertainty, (3) how to solve controller discretization problem, and (4) how to adjust the system so that the conditions necessary for using a state-space formula to solve H{infinity} optimal (sub-optimal) problem and performing the Matlab {mu} Toolbox D--K iteration procedure are satisfied. Finally simulation results of robust controller and a PID controller are compared.

Experimental evidence for the acceleration of electrons in a relativistic plasma wave generated by Raman forward scattering (SRS-F) of a single-frequency short pulse laser are presented. A 1.053 {mu}m, 600 fsec, 5 TW laser was focused into a gas jet with a peak intensity of 8{times}10{sup 17} W/cm{sup 2}. At a plasma density of 2{times}10{sup 19} cm{sup {minus}3}, 2 MeV electrons were detected and their appearance was correlated with the anti-Stokes laser sideband generated by SRS-F. The results are in good agreement with 2-D PIC simulations. The use of short pulse lasers for making ultra-high gradient accelerators is explored.

We argue that many of the features of the plastic flow behavior of tantalum can be described by a model that incorporates a two-component Peierls-type mechanism and an fcc-like obstacle mechanism in series. We compare the results of calculations based on such a model with flow data for unalloyed tantalum over a wide range of strain rates and a modest range of temperatures.

Radioactive high level wastes (HLW) generated from production of special nuclear materials at the Savannah River Site (SRS) are held in interim storage in 51 underground, million gallon tanks. Radioactive cesium ({sup 137}Cs) is segregated by evaporation of aqueous waste solution for interim storage in a salt matrix comprised of Na and K salts or in concentrated salt solution. The saltcake will be dissolved and {sup 137}Cs will be separated from the nonradioactive salts in solution in the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) Process. The cesium will be combined with other radioactive species and glass formers to be melted and poured into stainless steel canisters in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). The salt solution remaining after decontamination in the ITP process will be incorporated into grout for disposal at the site`s Saltstone facility. In the ITP facility, sodium tetraphenylborate (STPB) will be added to precipitate the cesium. Potassium in the waste solution also reacts with STPB and precipitates. Due to radiolytic and chemical degradation of the tetraphenylborate (TPB) precipitate, benzene is generated. The benzene dissolves into the decontaminated salt solution (DSS) and into water (WW) used to {open_quotes}wash{close_quotes} the precipitate to lower the soluble salt content of the slurry. Safety and …

A perturbation theory has been developed to calculate the transfer of electric field amplitude and phase ripples from the first harmonic to either the second harmonic or the third harmonic. The theory is restricted to steady-state conversion processes. In the case of small phase gradients, the real and imaginary parts of the output harmonic ripple are related to the real and imaginary parts of the input perturbation by a 2 {times} 2 matrix. To confirm the validity of the perturbation theory, we have performed an initial set of experiments on the Optical Sciences Laser to investigate the transfer of a weak ripple from the first harmonic to the second harmonic.

Detailed modeling of beam propagation in Beamlet has been made to predict system performance. New software allows extensive use of optical component characteristics. This inclusion of real optical component characteristics has resulted in close agreement between calculated and measured beam distributions.

The utility of variable metric nonlinear optimization methods for reverse engineering liner material constitutive modeling parameters is described. We use an effective new code created by coupling the nonlinear optimization code NLQPEB with the DYNA2D finite element hydrocode. The optimization code determines the ``best`` set of liner material properties by running DYNA2D in a loop, varying the liner model constitutive parameters, and minimizing the difference between the EFP profiles of the calculation and experiment. The results of four different EFP warhead tests with the same copper liner material are used to determine material parameters for the Steinberg-Guinan, Johnson-Cook, & Armstrong-Zerilli models. In a companion paper we describe the successful application of this methodology to the forward engineering of liner contours to achieve desired EFP shapes. The methodology of utilizing a coupled optimization/finite element code provides a significant improvement in warhead designs and the warhead design process.

Predicting the transit capacities of the various Panama Canal alternatives required analyzing data on present Canal operations, adapting and extending an existing computer simulation model, performing simulation runs for each of the alternatives, and using the simulation model outputs to develop capacity estimates. These activities are summarized in this paper. A more complete account may be found in the project final report (TAMS 1993). Some of the material in this paper also appeared in a previously published paper (Rosselli, Bronzini, and Weekly 1994).

Fast, low jitter command triggered switching is key to the successful implementation of the dielectric wall accelerator (DWA). We are studying a UV induced vacuum surface flashover switch for this purpose. We present our initial data using a Nd:YAG laser incident onto a high gradient insulator surface at 1{omega}, 2{omega}, and 4{omega}. Best 1{sigma} jitter was <1 ns with no degradation of the switch after 500 shots.

LLNL has an ongoing program of weapons disablement using energetic charged particle beams; this program combines theoretical and experimental expertise in accelerators, high-energy and nuclear physics, plasma physics and hydrodynamics to simulate/measure effects of electron and proton beams on weapons. This paper reviews work by LLNL, LANL and NSWC on detonating sensitive and insensitive high explosives and land mines using high-current electron beams. Computer simulations are given. 20--160 MeV electron beams incident on wet/dry soils are being studied, along with electron beam propagation in air. Compact high current, high energy accelerators are being developed for mine clearing. Countermine missions of interest are discussed. 25 refs., 9 figs.

The central peak in SrTiO{sub 3} was first observed by Riste and his collaborators in 1971. This was one of the key discoveries leading to an understanding of the dynamics of phase transitions. The most recent discovery of two length scales in SrTiO{sub 3} motivated a reinvestigation of the soft phonon and associated central peak by neutron scattering. These recent experiments shed new light on the nature of the central peak. It is now well established to be strongly sample dependent and it originates from defects in bulk crystals.

In anticipation of increasingly stringent environmental regulations, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) proposes to construct a 60-kg firing chamber to provide blast-effects containment for, most of its open-air, high-explosive, firing operations. Even though these operations are within current environmental limits, containment of the blast effects and hazardous debris will further drastically reduce emissions to the environment and minimize the generated hazardous waste. The major design consideration of such a chamber is its overall structural dynamic response in terms of long-term containment of all blast effects from repeated internal detonations of high explosives. Another concern is how much other portions of the facility must be hardened to ensure personnel protection in the event of an accidental detonation. To assess these concerns, a 1/4-scale replica model of the planned contained firing chamber was designed, constructed, and tested with scaled explosive charges ranging from 25 to 125% of the operational explosives limit of 60 kg. From 16 detonations of high explosives, 880 resulting strains, blast pressures, and temperatures within the model were measured. Factors of safety for dynamic yield of the firing chamber structure were calculated and compared to the design criterion of totally elastic response. The rectangular, reinforced-concrete chamber model exhibited a …

In anticipation of increasingly stringent environmental regulations, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) proposes to construct a 60-kg firing chamber to provide blast-effects containment for most of its open-air, high-explosive, firing operations. Even though these operations are within current environmental limits, containment of the blast effects and hazardous debris will further drastically reduce emissions to the environment and minimize the generated hazardous waste. The major design consideration of such a chamber is its overall structural dynamic response in terms of long-term containment of all blast effects from repeated internal detonations of high explosives. Another concern is how much other portions of the facility outside the firing chamber must be hardened to ensure personnel protection in the event of an accidental detonation while the chamber door is open. To assess these concerns, a 1/4-scale replica model of the planned contained firing chamber was designed, constructed, and tested with scaled explosive charges ranging from 25 to 125% of the operational explosives limit of 60 kg. From 16 detonations of high explosives, 880 resulting strains, blast pressures, and temperatures within the model were measured to provide information for the final design. Factors of safety for dynamic yield of the firing chamber structure were calculated …

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Plutonium Facility conducts numerous programmatic activities involving plutonium to include device fabrication, development of improved and/or unique fabrication techniques, metallurgy research, and laser isotope separation. A Safety Analysis Report (SAR) for the building 332 Plutonium Facility was completed in July 1994 to address operational safety and acceptable risk to employees, the public, government property, and the environmental. This paper outlines the PRA analysis of the Evaluation Basis Fire (EBF) operational accident. The EBF postulates the worst-case programmatic impact event for the Plutonium Facility.

Production scale separation of tritium from other hydrogen isotopes at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, SC, has been accomplished by several methods. These methods include thermal diffusion (1957--1986), fractional absorption (1964--1968), and cryogenic distillation (1967-present). Most recently, the Thermal Cycling Absorption Process (TCAP), a metal hydride based hydrogen isotope separation system, began production in the Replacement Tritium Facility (RTF) on April 9, 1994. TCAP has been in development at the Savannah River Technology Center since 1980. The production startup of this semi-continuous gas chromatographic separation process is a significant accomplishment for the Savannah River Site and was achieved after years of design, development, and testing.

The gene identification problem is the problem of interpreting nucleotide sequences by computer, in order to provide tentative annotation on the location, structure, and functional class of protein-coding genes. This problem is of self-evident importance, and is far from being fully solved, particularly for higher eukaryotes, Thus it is not surprising that the number of algorithm and software developers working in this area is rapidly increasing. The present paper is an overview of the field, with an emphasis on eukaryotes, for such developers.

In this Paper we provide a direct comparison of several important algorithms designed to track fluid interfaces. In the process we propose improved criteria by which these methods are to be judged. We compare and contrast the behavior of the following interface tracking methods: high order monotone capturing schemes, level set methods, volume-of-fluid (VOF) methods, and particle-based (particle-in-cell, or PIC) methods. We compare these methods by first applying a set of standard test problems, then by applying a new set of enhanced problems designed to expose the limitations and weaknesses of each method. We find that the properties of these methods are not adequately assessed until they axe tested with flows having spatial and temporal vorticity gradients. Our results indicate that the particle-based methods are easily the most accurate of those tested. Their practical use, however, is often hampered by their memory and CPU requirements. Particle-based methods employing particles only along interfaces also have difficulty dealing with gross topology changes. Full PIC methods, on the other hand, do not in general have topology restrictions. Following the particle-based methods are VOF volume tracking methods, which are reasonably accurate, physically based, robust, low in cost, and relatively easy to implement. Recent enhancements …

A three-dimensional arbitrary Lagrange-Eulerian (ALE) code is being developed for use as a general purpose tool for metal forming analyses. The focus of the effort is on the processes of forging, extrusion, casting and rolling. The ALE approach was chosen as an efficient way to deal with the large deformations and complicated flows associated with these processes. A prototype version of the software package, ALE3D, exists and is being applied to the enumerated processes. It is a finite element code which treats fluid and elastic-plastic response on an unstructured mesh. The prototype version includes heat transfer and the option of either implicit or explicit time integration of the dynamic equations. The status of the code is described. Several examples of application of the code to typical forming simulations are presented with discussions of the advantages and disadvantages of the ALE approach.