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Fact sheet describing NREL CSP Program capabilities in the area of advanced reflector and absorber materials: evaluating performance, determining degradation rates and lifetime, and developing new coatings.

The NGNP Graphite R&D program is currently establishing the safe operating envelope of graphite core components for a Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) design. The program is generating quantitative data necessary for predicting the behavior and operating performance of the new nuclear graphite grades. To determine the in-service behavior of the graphite for pebble bed and prismatic designs, the Advanced Graphite Creep (AGC) experiment is underway. This experiment is examining the properties and behavior of nuclear grade graphite over a large spectrum of temperatures, neutron fluences and compressive loads. Each experiment consists of over 400 graphite specimens that are characterized prior to irradiation and following irradiation. Six experiments are planned with the first, AGC-1, currently being irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) and pre-irradiation characterization of the second, AGC-2, completed. This data package establishes the readiness of 512 specimens for assembly into the AGC-2 capsule.

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL), under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy, is performing research and development that focuses on key phenomena important during potential scenarios that may occur in very high temperature reactors (VHTRs). Phenomena Identification and Ranking Studies to date have ranked an air ingress event, following on the heels of a VHTR depressurization, as important with regard to core safety. Consequently, the development of advanced air ingress-related models and verification and validation data are a very high priority. Following a loss of coolant and system depressurization incident, air will enter the core of the High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor through the break, possibly causing oxidation of the in-the core and reflector graphite structure. Simple core and plant models indicate that, under certain circumstances, the oxidation may proceed at an elevated rate with additional heat generated from the oxidation reaction itself. Under postulated conditions of fluid flow and temperature, excessive degradation of the lower plenum graphite can lead to a loss of structural support. Excessive oxidation of core graphite can also lead to the release of fission products into the confinement, which could be detrimental to a reactor safety. Computational fluid dynamic model developed in this …

With the strength of steel, but at half the weight, titanium has the potential to offer significant benefits in the weight reduction of heavy vehicle components while possibly improving performance. However, the cost of conventional titanium fabrication is a major barrier in implementation. New reduction technologies are now available that have the potential to create a paradigm shift in the way the United States uses titanium, and the economics associated with fabrication of titanium components. This CRADA project evaluated the potential to develop a heavy vehicle component from titanium powders. The project included alloy design, development of manufacturing practices, and modeling the economics associated with the new component. New Beta alloys were designed for this project to provide the required mechanical specifications while utilizing the benefits of the new fabrication approach. Manufacturing procedures were developed specific to the heavy vehicle component. Ageing and thermal treatment optimization was performed to provide the desired microstructures. The CRADA partner established fabrication practices and targeted capital investment required for fabricating the component out of titanium. Though initial results were promising, the full project was not executed due to termination of the effort by the CRADA partner and economic trends observed in the heavy vehicle …

In FY2009, PNNL performed scoping studies to qualify two waste form candidates, tellurite (TeO2-based) glasses and halide minerals, for the electrochemical waste stream for further investigation. Both candidates showed promise with acceptable PCT release rates and effective incorporation of the 10% fission product waste stream. Both candidates received reprisal for FY2010 and were further investigated. At the beginning of FY2010, an in-depth literature review kicked off the tellurite glasses study. The review was aimed at ascertaining the state-of-the-art for chemical durability testing and mixed chloride incorporation for tellurite glasses. The literature review led the authors to 4 unique binary and 1 unique ternary systems for further investigation which include TeO2 plus the following: PbO, Al2O3-B2O3, WO3, P2O5, and ZnO. Each system was studied with and without a mixed chloride simulated electrochemical waste stream and the literature review provided the starting points for the baseline compositions as well as starting points for melting temperature, compatible crucible types, etc. The most promising glasses in each system were scaled up in production and were analyzed with the Product Consistency Test, a chemical durability test. Baseline and PCT glasses were analyzed to determine their state, i.e., amorphous, crystalline, phase separated, had undissolved material within …

An alternative structure for the 120 mm Nb{sub 3}Sn quadrupole magnet presently under development for use in the upgrade for LHC at CERN is presented. The goals of this structure are to build on the existing technology developed in LARP with the LQ and HQ series magnets and to further optimize the features required for operation in the accelerator. These features include mechanical alignment needed for field quality and provisions for cold mass cooling with 1.9 K helium in a helium pressure vessel. The structure will also optimize coil azimuthal and axial pre-load for high gradient operation, and will incorporate features intended to improve manufacturability, thereby improving reliability and reducing cost.

The purpose of this document is to evaluate the opportunity for Letterkenny Army Depot (LEAD or the Depot) to utilize biogenic methane, which may be available in shale formations under the Depot, to provide a supplemental source of natural gas that could allow the Depot to increase energy independence. Both the Director and Deputy of Public Works at the Depot are supportive in general of a methane production project, but wanted to better understand the challenges prior to embarking on such a project. This report will cover many of these issues. A similar project has been successfully developed by the U. S. Army at Ft. Knox, KY, which will be explained and referred to throughout this report as a backdrop to discussing the challenges and opportunities at LEAD, because the geologic formations and possibilities at both sites are similar. Prior to discussing the opportunity at LEAD, it is important to briefly discuss the successful methane recovery operation at Ft. Knox, because it is applicable to the projected approach for the LEAD methane system. The Ft. Knox project is an excellent example of how the U. S. Army can use an onsite renewable resource to provide a secure energy source that …

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Bulk samples and thin films were fabricated and characterized to determine their suitability for studying the effect of composition and morphology on strain sensitivity. Heat capacity and resistivity data are used to determine the critical temperature distribution. It is found that all bulk samples contain stoichiometric Nb{sub 3}Sn regardless of their nominal Nb to Sn ratio. Furthermore, in bulk samples with Cu additions, a bi-modal distribution of stoichiometric and off-stoichiometric Nb-Sn is found. Thus the nominally off-stoichiometric bulk samples require additional homogenization steps to yield homogeneous off-stoichiometric samples. A binary magnetron-sputtered thin film has the intended off-stoichiometric Nb-Sn phase with a mid-point critical temperature of 16.3 K. This type of sample is a suitable candidate for investigating the strain sensitivity of A15 Nb{sub 1-{beta}}Sn{sub {beta}}, with 0.18 < {beta} < 0.25. The strain sensitivity of Nb-Sn as a function of composition and morphology is important for an in-depth understanding of the strain sensitivity of composite Nb{sub 3}Sn wires.

The Process Science Analytical Laboratory (PSAL) at the Savannah River National Laboratory was requested by the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) to develop and demonstrate an Ion Chromatography (IC) method for the analysis of glycolate, in addition to eight other anions (fluoride, formate, chloride, nitrite, nitrate, sulfate, oxalate and phosphate) in Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) and Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) samples. The method will be used to analyze anions for samples generated from the Alternate Reductant Demonstrations to be performed for the DWPF at the Aiken County Technology Laboratory (ACTL). The method is specific to the characterization of anions in the simulant flowsheet work. Additional work will be needed for the analyses of anions in radiological samples by Analytical Development (AD) and DWPF. The documentation of the development and demonstration of the method fulfills the third requirement in the TTQAP, SRNL-RP-2010-00105, 'Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan for Glycolic-Formic Acid Flowsheet Development, Definition and Demonstrations Tasks 1-3'.

In September 2005, the Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) initiated periodic sampling of groundwater in the vicinity of a grain storage facility formerly operated by the CCC/USDA at Morrill, Kansas. The sampling at Morrill is being performed on behalf of the CCC/USDA by Argonne National Laboratory, in accord with a monitoring program approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE 2005), to monitor levels of carbon tetrachloride contamination identified in the groundwater at this site (Argonne 2004, 2005a). This report provides results for monitoring events in April and September 2009. Under the KDHE-approved monitoring plan (Argonne 2005b), groundwater was initially sampled twice yearly for a period of two years (in fall 2005, in spring and fall 2006, and in spring and fall 2007). The samples were analyzed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as for selected geochemical parameters to aid in the evaluation of possible natural contaminant degradation (reductive dechlorination) processes in the subsurface environment. The analytical results for groundwater sampling events at Morrill from September 2005 to October 2008 were documented previously (Argonne 2006a,b, 2007, 2008a,b, 2009). Those results consistently demonstrated the presence of carbon tetrachloride contamination, at levels exceeding the …

This document is the final report for the 2009 Antarctica Crevasse Detection Radar (CDR) Project. This portion of the project is referred to internally as Phase 2. This is a follow on to the work done in Phase 1 reported on in [1]. Phase 2 involved the modification of a Sandia National Laboratories MiniSAR system used in Phase 1 to work with an LC-130 aircraft that operated in Antarctica in October through November of 2009. Experiments from the 2006 flights were repeated, as well as a couple new flight tests to examine the effect of colder snow and ice on the radar signatures of 'deep field' sites. This document includes discussion of the hardware development, system capabilities, and results from data collections in Antarctica during the fall of 2009.

The NTS is located approximately 105 km (65 mi) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. NNSA/NSO is the federal lands management authority for the NTS and NSTec is the Management & Operations contractor. Access on and off the NTS is tightly controlled, restricted, and guarded on a 24-hour basis. The NTS is posted with signs along its entire perimeter. NSTec is the operator of all solid waste disposal sites on the NTS. The U10C Disposal Site is located in the northwest corner of Area 9 at the NTS (Figure 1) and is located in a subsidence crater created by two underground nuclear events, one in October 1962 and another in April 1964. The disposal site opened in 1971 for the disposal of rubbish, refuse, pathological waste, asbestos-containing material, and industrial solid waste. A Notice of Intent form to operate the disposal site as a Class II site was submitted to the state of Nevada on January 26, 1994, and was acknowledged in a letter to the DOE on February 8, 1994. It operated as a state of Nevada Class II Solid Waste Disposal Site (SWDS) until it closed on October 5, 1995, for retrofit as a Class III SWDS. The retrofit …

At the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Cs-137 concentrations above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency risk-based threshold of 0.23 pCi/g may increase the risk of human mortality due to cancer. As a leader in nuclear research, the INL has been conducting nuclear activities for decades. Elevated anthropogenic radionuclide levels including Cs-137 are a result of atmospheric weapons testing, the Chernobyl accident, and nuclear activities occurring at the INL site. Therefore environmental monitoring and long-term surveillance of Cs-137 is required to evaluate risk. However, due to the large land area involved, frequent and comprehensive monitoring is limited. Developing a spatial model that predicts Cs-137 concentrations at unsampled locations will enhance the spatial characterization of Cs-137 in surface soils, provide guidance for an efficient monitoring program, and pinpoint areas requiring mitigation strategies. The predictive model presented herein is based on applied geostatistics using a Bayesian analysis of environmental characteristics across the INL site, which provides kriging spatial maps of both Cs-137 estimates and prediction errors. Comparisons are presented of two different kriging methods, showing that the use of secondary information (i.e., environmental characteristics) can provide improved prediction performance in some areas of the INL site.

Presentation describes United Technologies Research Center's recent work in green energy systems, including APRA-E project content to create a synthetic analogue of the carbonic anhydrase enzyme and incorporate it into a membrane for CO2 separation from the flue gas of a coal power plant.

This report discusses the status and the accomplishments of the environmental protection program at Argonne National Laboratory for calendar year 2009. The status of Argonne environmental protection activities with respect to compliance with the various laws and regulations is discussed, along with the progress of environmental corrective actions and restoration projects. To evaluate the effects of Argonne operations on the environment, samples of environmental media collected on the site, at the site boundary, and off the Argonne site were analyzed and compared with applicable guidelines and standards. A variety of radionuclides were measured in air, surface water, on-site groundwater, and bottom sediment samples. In addition, chemical constituents in surface water, groundwater, and Argonne effluent water were analyzed. External penetrating radiation doses were measured, and the potential for radiation exposure to off-site population groups was estimated. Results are interpreted in terms of the origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (i.e., natural, Argonne, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) dose calculation methodology, based on International Commission on Radiological Protection recommendations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) CAP-88 Version 3 (Clean Air Act Assessment Package-1988) computer code, was used in preparing …

The purpose of this report is to provide a concise but comprehensive overview of Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility instrumentation status. The report is divided into the following five sections: (1) new instrumentation in the process of being acquired and deployed, (2) field campaigns, (3) existing instrumentation and progress on improvements or upgrades, (4) proposed future instrumentation, and (5) Small Business Innovation Research instrument development.

We present our new results from testing 15-mm-long virtual Frisch-grid CdZnTe detectors with a common-cathode readout for correcting pulse-height distortions. The array employs parallelepiped-shaped CdZnTe (CZT) detectors of a large geometrical aspect ratio, with two planar contacts on the top and bottom surfaces (anode and cathode) and an additional shielding electrode on the crystal's sides to create the virtual Frisch-grid effect. We optimized the geometry of the device and improved its spectral response. We found that reducing to 5 mm the length of the shielding electrode placed next to the anode had no adverse effects on the device's performance. At the same time, this allowed corrections for electron loss by reading the cathode signals to obtain depth information.

In this report we describe the 1) the expansion of the PNNL hydrodynamic model domain to include the continental shelf along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and Vancouver Island; and 2) the approach and progress in developing the online/Internet disseminations of model results and outreach efforts in support of the Puget Sound Operational Forecast System (PS-OPF). Submittal of this report completes the work on Task 2.1.2, Effects of Physical Systems, Subtask 2.1.2.1, Hydrodynamics, for fiscal year 2010 of the Environmental Effects of Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy project.

This document reports on a series of tests to determine whether the location of the air sampling probe in the Hot Fuels Examination Facility (HFEF) heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) exhaust duct meets the applicable regulatory criteria regarding the placement of an air sampling probe. Federal regulations require that a sampling probe be located in the exhaust stack according to the criteria of the ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999, Sampling and Monitoring Releases of Airborne Radioactive Substances from the Stacks and Ducts of Nuclear Facilities. These criteria address the capability of the sampling probe to extract a sample that is representative of the effluent stream. The tests conducted by PNNL during July 2010 on the HFEF system are described in this report. The sampling probe location is approximately 20 feet from the base of the stack. The stack base is in the second floor of the HFEF, and has a building ventilation stream (limited potential radioactive effluent) as well as a process stream (potential radioactive effluent, but HEPA-filtered) that feeds into it. The tests conducted on the duct indicate that the process stream is insufficiently mixed with the building ventilation stream. As a result, the air sampling probe location does not meet …

We present measurements of B-meson decays to the final states {eta}{prime} {rho}, {eta}{prime} f{sub 0}, and {eta}{prime} K*, where K* stands for a vector, scalar, or tensor strange meson. We observe a significant signal or evidence for {eta}{prime} {rho}{sup +} and all the {eta}{prime}K* channels. We also measure, where applicable, the charge asymmetries, finding results consistent with no direct CP violation in all cases. The measurements are performed on a data sample consisting of 467 x 10{sup 6} B{bar B} pairs, collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} collider at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Our results favor the theoretical predictions from perturbative QCD and QCD Factorization and we observe an enhancement of the tensor K*{sub 2} (1430) with respect to the vector K*(892) component.

Several groups at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory are currently working on a RF Modulator prototype for a future linear collider known as the International Linear Collider (ILC). The ILC runs using about a 1000 Klystrons which create high power carrier waves for the particle acceleration. Klystrons receive their electrical input power from modulators. In order to move beyond the prototype phase, the laboratory might expand its ground base further down a tunnel located at the End Station B (ESB) in order to house four new Klystron Modulator Test Stations. This area is known as the B-Target Room Tunnel, and the task was to redesign the tunnel layout for the upcoming changes. The project first began by collecting substantial amount of information about the prototyped project, the tunnel and the researchers feedback of what they would like to see in the upcoming design. Subsequent to numerous planning and presentations, one particular design was. Calculations for this design were then performed for the most complex aspects of the project. Based on the results of the calculations, specific sample beams, welds, bolts and materials were chosen for the possible future construction.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the extent of technology development, design and licensing maturity anticipated to be required to credibly identify differences that could make a technical choice practical between the prismatic and pebble bed reactor designs. This paper does not address a business decision based on the economics, business model and resulting business case since these will vary based on the reactor application. The selection of the type of reactor, the module ratings, the number of modules, the configuration of the balance of plant and other design selections will be made on the basis of optimizing the Business Case for the application. These are not decisions that can be made on a generic basis.