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This is a summary of the following activities: (1) CO2 membrane material development; (2) use of USC protocol for M and P low cost ceramic substrate; (3) thermal and hydrothermal stability test; (4) alternative carbon membrane development; (5) economic analysis; (6) field test preparation; and (7) presentation.

The author demonstrates that the two unexpected results in the local Universe: anomalous intrinsic (V--I){sub 0} colors of RR Lyrae stars and clump giants in the Galactic center, and very short distances to Magellanic Clouds inferred from clump giants, can be at least partially resolved with a modified coefficient of selective extinction A{sub V}/E(V--I). With this modification, the author found a new clump-giant distance modulus to the Large Magellanic Cloud, {mu}{sub LMC} = 18.27 {+-} 0.07, which is 0.09 larger than the Udalski (1998b) result. When distance estimates from the red clump, RR Lyrae stars and the eclipsing binary HV2274 are combined, one obtains {mu}{sub LMC} = 18.31 {+-} 0.04 (internal).

The Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) diagnostic on FTU tokamak is routinely performed with a Michelson interferometer with spectral range extending up to 1300 GHz. The diagnostic allowed accurate electron temperature measurements during the recent 140 Ghz Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) experiments on FTU. Very accurate measurements have been performed on a wide range of electron temperatures and profile peaking. The ECE measurements have been compared with Thomson Scattering and with observations of X-ray spectra from highly stripped molybdenum ions. The suprathermal emission in these conditions has been studied.

The overall objective of this study is to evaluate the technical feasibility and the economics of alternate CO{sub 2} capture and sequestration/use technologies for retrofitting an existing pulverized coal-fired power plant. To accomplish this objective three alternative CO{sub 2} capture and sequestration systems will be evaluated to identify their impact on an existing boiler, associated boiler auxiliary components, overall plant operation and performance and power plant cost, including the cost of electricity. The three retrofit technologies that will be evaluated are as follows: (1) Coal combustion in air, followed by CO{sub 2} separation from flue gas with Kerr-McGee/ABB Lummus Global's commercial MEA-based absorption/stripping process. (2) Coal combustion in an O{sub 2}/CO{sub 2} environment with CO{sub 2} recycle. (3) Coal combustion in air with oxygen removal and CO{sub 2} captured by tertiary amines In support of this objective and execution of the evaluation of the three retrofit technologies a literature survey was conducted. It is presented in an ''annotated'' form, consistent with the following five sections: (1) Coal Combustion in O{sub 2}/CO{sub 2} Media; (2) Oxygen Separation Technologies; (3) Post Combustion CO{sub 2} Separation Technologies; (4) Potential Utilization of CO{sub 2}; and (5) CO{sub 2} Sequestration. The objective of the literature …

The transition metals exist in several crystal structures due to the influence of the d-bands on bonding. The central transition metals are stabilized in the body-centered-cubic (BCC) structure due to the approximately half filled d-bands. The d-bands have an inherent structure which imparts a directional dependence to the interatomic interactions [1]. These electronic effects, through their influence on the core structure of dislocations, cause the unusual mechanical properties observed in these metals [2]. The purpose of this project was the validation of the predictive abilities of the newly developed MGPT potentials in simulating the defect structures of BCC metals. The validation of these potentials will allow them to be applied with confidence in the simulation of materials behaviors under conditions that are not easily accessible to experimental confirmation.

We have been exploring the rate capabilities of nanostructured Li-ion battery electrodes. These nanostructured electrodes are prepared via the template method - a general procedure used to prepare nanomaterials pioneered in the P.I.'s laboratory. The nanostructured electrodes consist of nanofibers or tubules of the electrode material that protrude from a current-collector surface like the bristles of a brush. These nanostructured electrodes show dramatically improved rate capabilities relative to conventional electrode designs.

The overall objective of this research is to evaluate the kinetics of gasification of kraft black liquor under laboratory conditions simulating pressurized, oxygen-blown gasification. The significant independent variables are gasifier temperature, black liquor composition particle size, and particle residence time. The authors will quantify their impact on the concentration of major and trace gas phase species, as well as the composition of condensed phase inorganic products, including specification of the Na- and S-containing compounds and overall carbon conversion.

The CH2M HILL Hanford Group (CHG) conducts business to achieve the goals of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of River Protection at the Hanford Site. The CHG is organized to manage and perform work to safely store, retrieve, etc.

I explore the consequences of making the RR Lyrae and clump giant distance scales consistent in the solar neighborhood, Galactic bulge and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). I employ two major assumptions: (1) that the absolute magnitude -metallicity, M{sub V}(RR) - [Fe/H], relation for RR Lyrae stars is universal, and (2) that absolute I-magnitudes of clump giants, M{sub I}(RC), in Baade's Window can be inferred from the local Hipparcos calibration of clump giants' magnitudes. A comparison between the solar neighborhood and Baade's Window sets M{sub V}(RR) at [Fe/H] = -1.6 in the range (0.59 {+-} 0.05, 0.70 {+-} 0.05), somewhat brighter than the statistical parallax solution. A comparison between Baade's Window and the LMC sets the M{sub I}{sup LMC}(RC) in the range (-0.33 {+-} 0.09, -0.53 {+-} 0.09). The distance modulus to the LMC is {mu}{sup LMC} {element_of} (18.24 {+-} 0.08, 18.44 {+-} 0.07). I argue that the currently available information slightly favors the short distance scale but is insufficient to select the correct solutions with high confidence.

The objectives are to Provide Key Enabling Materials Technologies to Increase Energy Efficiency and Reduce Exhaust Emissions. The following goals are listed: Goal 1: By 3rd quarter 2002, complete development of materials enabling the maintenance or improvement of fuel efficiency {ge} 45% of class 7-8 truck engines while meeting the EPA/Justice Department ''Consent Decree'' for emissions reduction. Goal 2: By 4th quarter 2004, complete development of enabling materials for light-duty (class 1-2) diesel truck engines with efficiency over 40%, over a wide range of loads and speeds, while meeting EPA Tier 2 emission regulations. Goal 3: By 4th quarter 2006, complete development of materials solutions to enable heavy-duty diesel engine efficiency of 50% while meeting the emission reduction goals identified in the EPA proposed rule for heavy-duty highway engines.''

The Online Measurement of Decontamination project team received a commitment for a demonstration in May from the Sacramento (California) Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Rancho Seco site. Since this site is a member of the DOE Commercial Utilities Consortium, the demonstration will fulfill the DOE and commercial technology demonstration requirements. Discussion on deployment of the Integrated Vertical and Overhead Decontamination (IVOD) System at Rancho Seco was conducted; date for deployment tentatively scheduled for early spring. Based upon fictional requirements from SRS for a shiny monitor in a high-level waste tank, FIU-HCET developed and delivered a draft slurry monitor design and draft test plan. Experiments measuring slurry settling time for SRS slurry simulant at 10 wt% have been completed on FIU-HCET'S flow loop with SRS dip. The completed design package of the test mockup for evaluating Non-Intrusive Location of Buried Items Technologies was sent to Fluor Fernald and the Operating Engineers National Hazmat Program for review. Comments are due at the end of January. Preliminary experiments to determine size distribution of aerosols generated during metal cutting were performed. A 1/4-inch-thick iron plate was cut using a plasma arc torch, and the size distribution of airborne particles was measured using a multistage impactor. …

The annual report begins with an overview of the IEA Hydrogen Agreement, including guiding principles and their strategic plan followed by the Chairman's report providing the year's highlights. Annex reports included are: the final report for Task 11, Integrated Systems; task updates for Task 12, Metal Hydrides and Carbon for Hydrogen Storage, Task 13, Design and Optimization of Integrated Systems, Task 14, Photoelectrolytic Production of Hydrogen, and Task 15, Photobiological Production of Hydrogen; and a feature article by Karsten Wurr titled 'Large-Scale Industrial Uses of Hydrogen: Final Development Report'.

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{beta}-Carotene is a tetraterpenoid distributed widely throughout the plant kingdom. It is a member of a group of pigments referred to as carotenoids that have the distinction of serving as metabolic precursors to vitamin A in humans and many animals [1,2]. We used Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) [3] to determine the metabolic behavior of a physiologic oral dose of {beta}-[{sup 14}C]carotene (200 nanoCuries; 0.57 {micro}mol) in a healthy human subject. Serial blood specimens were collected for 210-d and complete urine and feces were collected for 17 and 10-d, respectively. Balance data indicated that the dose was 42% bioavailable. The absorbed {beta}-carotene was lost slowly via urine in accord with the slow body turnover of {beta}-carotene and vitamin A [4]. HPLC fractionation of plasma taken at early time points (0-24-h) showed the label was distributed between {beta}-carotene and retinyl esters (vitamin A) derived from intestinal metabolism.

The authors present a 9 million star color-magnitude diagram (9M CMD) of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) bar. The 9M CMD reveals a complex superposition of different age and metallicity stellar populations, with important stellar evolutionary phases occurring over three orders of magnitude in number density. First, they count the non-variable red and blue supergiants, the associated Cepheid variables, and measure the stellar effective temperatures defining the Cepheid instability strip. Lifetime predictions of stellar evolution theory are tested, with implications for the origin of low-luminosity Cepheids. The highly-evolved asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the 9M CMD have a bimodal distribution in brightness, which they interpret as discrete old populations ({ge} 1 Gyr). The faint AGB sequence may be metal-poor and very old. Comparing the mean properties of giant branch and horizontal branch (HB) stars in the 9M CMD to those of clusters, they identify NGC 411 and M3 as templates for the admixture of old stellar populations in the bar. However, there are several indications that the old and metal-poor field population has a red HB morphology: the RR Lyrae variables lie preferentially on the red edge of the instability strip, the AGB-bump is very red, and the ratio …

This methodology document provides an estimate of the maximum concentrations of flammable gases (ammonia, hydrogen, and methane) which could exist in the vapor space of a double-contained receiver tank (DCRT) from the simultaneous saltwell pumping of one or more single-shell tanks (SSTs). This document expands Calculation Note 118 (Hedengren et a1 1997) and removes some of the conservatism from it, especially in vapor phase ammonia predictions. The methodologies of Calculation Note 118 (Hedengren et a1 1997) are essentially identical for predicting flammable gas mixtures in DCRTs from saltwell pumping for low DCRT ventilation rates, 1e, < 1 cfm. The hydrogen generation model has also been updated in the methodology of this document.

The migration of {sup 90}Sr in groundwater is a significant environmental concern at former nuclear weapons production sites in the US and abroad. Although retardation of {sup 90}Sr transport relative to mean groundwater velocity is known to occur in contaminated aquifers, Sr{sup 2+} does not sorb as strongly to iron oxides and other mineral phases as do other metal-radionuclides contaminants. Thus, some potential exists for extensive {sup 90}Sr migration from sources of contamination. Chemical or biological processes capable of retarding or immobilizing Sr{sup 2+} in groundwater environments are of interest from the standpoint of understanding controls on subsurface Sr{sup 2+} migration. In addition, it may be possible to exploit such processes for remediation of subsurface Sr contamination. In this study the authors examined the potential for the solid phase sorption and incorporation of Sr{sup 2+} into carbonate minerals formed during microbial Fe(III) oxide reduction as a first step toward evaluating whether this process could be used to promote retardation of {sup 90}Sr migrations in anaerobic subsurface environments. The demonstration of Sr{sup 2+} capture in carbonate mineral phases formed during bacterial HFO reduction and urea hydrolysis suggests that microbial carbonate mineral formation could contribute to Sr{sup 2+} retardation in groundwater environments. …

The Project provides for the design, procurement, construction, assembly, installation, and acceptance testing of the National Ignition Facility (NIF), an experimental inertial confinement fusion facility intended to achieve controlled thermonuclear fusion in the laboratory by imploding a small capsule containing a mixture of the hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium. The NIF will be constructed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, California as determined by the Record of Decision made on December 19, 1996, as a part of the Stockpile Stewardship and Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. Safety: On January 13, 2000, a worker received a back injury when a 42-in.-diameter duct fell during installation. He was taken by helicopter to the hospital and released on January 16, 2000. All work in the area was suspended, and the construction contractors went through a thorough safety review before work was started. A DOE occurrence report was filed. An independent LLNL Incident Analysis Team is reviewing the cause of the accident and will report out on March 1. A Project management review team is reviewing construction line management and safety support and will also report out on March 1. Several changes in work planning and site management have been incorporated to …

As the Sandia National Laboratories' Environmental Restoration (ER) project moves toward closure, the project's experiences--including a number of successes in the public participation arena--suggest it is time for a new, more interactive model for future government-citizen involvement. This model would strive to improve the quality of public interaction with the Department of Energy (DOE) and Sandia, by using subject-specific working groups and aiming for long-term trustful relationships with the community. It would make use of interactive techniques, fewer formal public forums, and a variety of polling and communication technologies to improve information gathering and exchange.

Life Enhancement Technologies, Inc. (LET) is the leading company in the field of microclimate thermal management technology. Originally designed for cooling astronauts in extreme conditions, systems developed by LET are a direct spin-off from NASA technology. LET's patented technology protects individuals in a host of conditions ranging from extreme heat stress to simply maintaining a desired temperature. LET has modified and refined this adapted technology for applications in the medical, military, industrial, and consumer industries. While participating in the CARAT program sponsored by the Department of Energy, Life Enhancement Technologies developed a prototype using Flexitherm{trademark} liquid cooling/heating panels built into an automobile seat. The prototype is known as the Microclimate Seating System (MCS). Flexitherm{trademark} is a closed loop liquid heat transfer system made of a thin, flexible, conductive material, which transports fluid to provide cooling or heating. Through the use of Flexitherm{trademark} panels, LET is able to provide cooling or heating to individuals or objects it comes in contact with. A delivery system containing a pump, chiller, heater and reservoir was built to deliver the liquid to the panels. The liquid flowing through the Flexithermm is cooled or heated through LET's controlled delivery system, thereby enabling the direct conductive cooling/heating …

Laboratory research indicates that wax is amenable to removal by froth flotation provided it is free or detached from the fiber. The only effective means, at this time, of maximizing detachment of wax is through the use of low consistency pulping at temperatures above the melting point of wax. Wax removal from WCC through washing, flotation, or a combination of both was approximately 90% in these laboratory studies, indicating that not all of the wax is detached from fibers. These results were summarized in Annual Report 1, December 1, 1997 to November 30, 1998. Pilot trials were conducted in which the authors simulated a conventional OCC repulping process with and without flotation. Additional aggressive washing and water clarification were also examined during the study. The inclusion of flotation in the OCC stock preparation system significantly improved the removal of wax spots and extractable material from the furnish. Based on this study, the authors predict that a compact flotation system with 2 lb surfactant/ton of fiber would improve the OCC pulp quality with regard to wax spots by 60% and would not negatively affect strength properties. Flotation losses would be in the 2-5% range. Two mill trials were conducted during the …

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