The Technique for Human Error Analysis (ATHEANA) is a newly developed human reliability analysis (HRA) methodology that aims to facilitate better representation and integration of human performance into probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) modeling and quantification by analyzing risk-significant operating experience in the context of existing behavior science models. The fundamental premise of ATHEANA is that error-forcing contexts (EFCs), which refer to combinations of equipment/material conditions and performance shaping factors (PSFs), set up or create the conditions under which unsafe actions (UAs) can occur. ATHEANA is being developed in the context of nuclear power plant (NPP) PRAs, and much of the language used to describe the method and provide examples of its application are specific to that industry. Because ATHEANA relies heavily on the analysis of operational events that have already occurred as a mechanism for generating creative thinking about possible EFCs, a database, called the Human Events Reference for ATHEANA (HERA), has been developed to support the methodology. Los Alamos National Laboratory`s (LANL) Human Factors Group has recently joined the ATHEANA project team; LANL is responsible for further developing the database structure and for analyzing additional exemplar operational events for entry into the database. The Action Characterization Matrix (ACM) is …

In May of 1996, the US Department of Energy implemented a four-year demonstration project identified as the Hanford Tanks Initiative (HTI). The HTI mission is to minimize technical uncertainties and programmatic risks by conducting demonstrations to characterize and remove tank waste using technologies and methods that will be needed in the future to carry out tank waste remediation and tank farm closure at the Hanford Site. Included in the HTI scope is the development of retrieval performance evaluation criteria supporting readiness to close single-shell tanks in the future. A path forward that includes evaluation of closure basis alternatives has been outlined to support the development of retrieval performance evaluation criteria for the AX Farm, and eventual preparation of the SEIS for AX Farm closure. This report documents the results of the Task 4, Waste Inventory study performed to establish the best-basis inventory of waste contaminants for the AX Farm, provides a means of estimating future soil inventories, and provides data for estimating the nature and extent of contamination (radionuclide and chemical) resulting from residual tank waste subsequent to retrieval. Included in the report are a best-basis estimate of the existing radionuclide and chemical inventory in the AX Farm Tanks, an …

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Mississippi interior salt basin and to transfer the results effectively.

The objective is to provide a comprehensive geologic analysis of the Mississippi Interior Salt Basin.

Tank 241-Z-361 is associated with the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP). Uncertainty about the contents of the tank have led to the declaration of an Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) and the preparation of a Justification for Continued Operation (JCO) to address flammable gas and other authorization basis issued. A Criticality Safety Team was assembled to review old data, determine its validity, and reevaluate the tank. It was concluded that the tank has a sufficient margin of safety to allow opening, sampling, and other characterizing activities. The team concluded that a criticality in Tank 241-Z-361 was extremely unlikely.

The In-situ Vitrification (ISV) process potentially offers the most stable waste-form for containment of radiologically contaminated soils while minimizing personnel contamination. This is a problem that is extensive, and at the same time unique, to the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Weapons Complex. An earlier ISV process utilized joule heating of the soil to generate the subsurface molten glass product. However previous test work has indicated that the Savannah river Site soils (SRS) may not be entirely suitable for vitrification by joule heating due to their highly refractory nature. The concept of utilizing a plasma torch for soil remediation by in-situ vitrification has recently been developed, and laboratory test work on a 100 kW unit has indicated a potentially successful application with SRS soils. The Environmental Restoration Division (ERD) of Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) conducted the first field scale demonstration of this process at the (904-65G) K-Reactor Seepage Basin in October 1996 with the intention of determining the applicability and economics of the process for remediation of a SRS radioactive seepage basin. The demonstration was successful in completing three vitrification runs, including two consecutive runs that fused together adjacent columns of glass to form a continuous monolith. This report …

We have developed tools for accurately and economically mapping and inspecting damage and artifacts in the bulk as well as on the surface of meter-sized optics intended for use on large-scale lasers such as Beamlet and NIF. Optics are illuminated by white light through the optic edge or externally at grazing incidence using linear fiber- optics arrays. The mega-pixel camera records a digital map of the entire optic with precise addresses of highlighted artifacts. From these coordinated, artifacts are located and digitally recorded with resolution of less than 5 microns using a long-working-distance microscope. Total internal reflection of edge illumination efficiency couples light into the entire optic to inspect for bulk artifacts, such as bubbles, inclusions, edge-cladding flaws and laser- induced damage as well as surface scratches and pits which propagate into the substrate. Surface contamination such as dust, fingerprints, coating flaws, and cleaning flaws are highlighted by external grazing illumination. The procedures permit accurate recording of the evolution of damage after many laser shots as well as correlation of damage from one optic to the next in a laser chain.

What will be discussed in this report represents a framework upon which multiphase and other real physical effects can be built. Chemical models of increasing complexity are envisioned and this methodology can provide a tool for evaluating new ideas against known experimental data. The recent work to be reported here addresses the multiphase issue of temperature deviation between phases undergoing chemical and heat transport processes. Modeling of the LLNL ODTX experiment will be performed with FLUENT, a commercially available computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. FLUENT solves flows in 2D or 3D in Cartesian, cylindrical, or general curvilinear coordinates, with steady-state of fully time-dependent analysis. Multiphase flows in which two or more continuous phases are present can be solved with arbitrary volumetric sources of heat, mass, momentum, and chemical species applied through user-defined FORTRAN subroutines. FLUENT models these of phenomena by solving the conservation equations for mass, momentum, energy, phasic volume fraction, and chemical species for each phase using a control volume based finite difference method. The equations are solved using SIMPLE-like algorithms with an iterative line-by-line matrix solver and multigrid acceleration. Before considering the temperature deviation issue and its dependence upon gaseous bubble diameter in a multiphase system, the author …

This document is the final report for tank 241-AP-107 grab samples. Three grab samples were collected from riser 1 on September 11, 1997. Analyses were performed on samples 7AP-97-1, 7AP-97-2 and 7AP-97-3 in accordance with the Compatibility Grab Sampling and Analysis Plan (TSAP) (Sasaki, 1997) and the Data Quality Objectives for Tank Farms Waste Compatibility Program (DQO) (Rev. 1: Fowler, 1995; Rev. 2: Mulkey and Nuier, 1997). The analytical results are presented in the data summary report (Table 1). A notification was made to East Tank Farms Operations concerning low hydroxide in the tank and a hydroxide (caustic) demand analysis was requested. The request for sample analysis (RSA) (Attachment 2) received for AP-107 indicated that the samples were polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) suspects. Therefore, prior to performing the requested analyses, aliquots were made to perform PCB analysis in accordance with the 222-S Laboratory administrative procedure, LAP-101-100. The results of this analysis indicated that no PCBs were present at 50 ppm and analysis proceeded as non-PCB samples. The results and raw data for the PCB analysis will be included in a revision to this document. The sample breakdown diagrams (Attachment 1) are provided as a cross-reference for relating the tank farm customer …

Solid-Liquid separation of highly radioactive underground storage tank wastes has been examined, and cross-flow filtration has been shown to be viable.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Constitutionality of Senate Bill 1417, Acts 1997, 75th Leg., R.S., ch. 1327, and related questions (RQ-987)

Newsletter of the Texas Department of Health discussing the news, activities, and events of the organization and other information related to health in Texas. This issue includes the annual index for 1997.

The classical theory of optimum (binary-on-off) threshold detection for additive signals and generalized (i.e. nongaussian) noise is extended to the canonical nonadditive threshold situation. In the important (and usual) applications where the noise is sampled independently, a canonical threshold optimum theory is outlined here, which is found formally to parallel the earlier additive theory, including the critical properties of locally optimum Bayes detection algorithms, which are asymptotically normal and optimum as well. The important Class A clutter model provides an explicit example of optimal threshold envelope detection, for the non-additive cases of signal and noise. Various extensions are noted in the concluding section, as are selected references.

TART97 is a coupled neutron-photon, 3 Dimensional, combinatorial geometry, time dependent Monte Carlo transport code. This code can on any modern computer. It is a complete system to assist you with input preparation, running Monte Carlo calculations, and analysis of output results. TART97 is also incredibly FAST; if you have used similar codes, you will be amazed at how fast this code is compared to other similar codes. Use of the entire system can save you a great deal of time and energy. TART97 is distributed on CD. This CD contains on- line documentation for all codes included in the system, the codes configured to run on a variety of computers, and many example problems that you can use to familiarize yourself with the system. TART97 completely supersedes all older versions of TART, and it is strongly recommended that users only use the most recent version of TART97 and its data riles.

Large quantities of radioactive wastes have been generated at the Hanford Site over its operating life. The wastes with the highest activities are stored underground in 177 large (mostly one million gallon volume) concrete tanks with steel liners. The wastes contain processing chemicals, cladding chemicals, fission products, and actinides that were neutralized to a basic pH before addition to the tanks to prevent corrosion of the steel liners. Because the mission of the Hanford Site was to provide plutonium for defense purposes, the amount of plutonium lost to the wastes was relatively small. The best estimate of the amount of plutonium lost to all the waste tanks is about 500 kg. Given uncertainties in the measurements, some estimates are as high as 1,000 kg (Roetman et al. 1994). The wastes generally consist of (1) a sludge layer generated by precipitation of dissolved metals from aqueous wastes solutions during neutralization with sodium hydroxide, (2) a salt cake layer formed by crystallization of salts after evaporation of the supernate solution, and (3) an aqueous supernate solution that exists as a separate layer or as liquid contained in cavities between sludge or salt cake particles. The identity of chemical species of plutonium in …

This CSER gives the limits for the storage of one-gallon cans in the hot cells and the SERF in the 327 Building. The 327 Building is used to perform post irradiation testing of fissionable materials in remotely manipulated hot cells. Historically, scrap pieces of fuel cladding, cleanup materials, and other items have been placed into one-gallon paint cans for storage and ultimately disposal. These cans of materials had been assumed to contain no (or essentially no) fissionable materials, and therefore were not specifically controlled for material accountability. Recently, eight cans with high radiation levels were selected to be assayed for content. These cans contained from 0 to 2.5 grams of fissionable material, with an average of 1 gram per can. Since several of the hot cells contained a significant quantity of the cans, concerns were raised as to whether a CPS nonconformance had occurred, and should the cans have some limits for operation placed on them. This analysis is a response to the concerns raised, and gives guidance for incorporating operating limits for the one-gallon waste cans.

The purpose of this document is: (1) to review the HTI Mission Analysis and related documents to determine their suitability for use in developing performance measures for AX Tank Farm closure, (2) to determine the completeness and representativeness of selected alternative closure scenarios, (3) to determine the completeness of current plans for development of tank end-state criteria, and (4) to analyze the activities that are necessary and sufficient to recommend the end-state criteria and performance measures for the AX Tank Farm and recommend activities not currently planned to support establishment of its end-state criteria.

On the base program, testing was completed at the Tampa Electric Company`s (TECo`s) Big Bend Station in November 1992. The upgrade option tested was DBA additive. Additional testing was conducted at this site during the previous quarter (April through June 1997). Results from that testing were presented in the Technical Progress Report dated July 1997. For Option I, at the Hoosier Energy Merom Station, results from another program co-funded by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association have been combined with results from DOE-funded testing. Three upgrade options have been tested: DBA additive, sodium formate additive, and high pH set-point operation. All testing was completed by November 1992. There were no activities for this site during the current quarter. Option II involved testing at the Southwestern Electric Power Company Pirkey Station. Both sodium formate and DBA additives were tested as potential upgrade options. All of the testing at this site was completed by May 1993. On Option III, for testing at the PSI Energy Gibson Station, testing with sodium formate additive was completed in early October 1993, and a DBA additive performance and consumption test was completed in March of 1994. There were no …

This report provides information concerning the authority to impose sanctions, lists the 14 areas that have been subject to sanctions since 1990, describes their status as of October 1997, and discusses the role of sanctions and alternatives under the act.

This report provides information concerning the authority to impose sanctions, lists the 14 areas that have been subject to sanctions since 1990, describes their status as of October 1997, and discusses the role of sanctions and alternatives under the Act.

This report provides an independent evaluation of information for a Windows based Human Machine Interface (HMI) to replace the existing DOS based Iconics HMI currently used in the Data Acquisition and Control System (DACS) used at Tank 241-SY-101. A fundamental reason for this evaluation is because of the difficulty of maintaining the system with obsolete, unsupported software. The DACS uses a software operator interface (Genesis for DOS HMI) that is no longer supported by its manufacturer, Iconics. In addition to its obsolescence, it is complex and difficult to train additional personnel on. The FY 1997 budget allocated $40K for phase 1 of a software/hardware upgrade that would have allowed the old DOS based system to be replaced by a current Windows based system. Unfortunately, budget constraints during FY 1997 has prompted deferral of the upgrade. The upgrade needs to be performed at the earliest possible time, before other failures render the system useless. Once completed, the upgrade could alleviate other concerns: spare pump software may be able to be incorporated into the same software as the existing pump, thereby eliminating the parallel path dilemma; and the newer, less complex software should expedite training of future personnel, and in the process, …

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Terrorists, governments, and the media see the function, roles and responsibilities of the media when covering terrorist events from differing and often competing perspectives. Such perspectives drive behavior during terrorist incidents--often resulting in both tactical and strategic gains to the terrorist operation and the overall terrorist cause. The challenge to both the governmental and press communities is to understand the dynamics of terrorist enterprise and to develop policy options designed to serve the interests of government, the media, and the society.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Parking for disabled persons at airports.