This document provides a test plan for the conduct of plasma arc vitrification testing by a vendor in support of the Hanford Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) Low-Level Waste (LLW) Vitrification Program. The vendor providing this test plan and conducting the work detailed within it [one of seven selected for glass melter testing under Purchase Order MMI-SVV-384212] is the Westinghouse Science and Technology Center (WSTC) in Pittsburgh, PA. WSTC authors of the test plan are D. F. McLaughlin, E. J. Lahoda, W. R. Gass, and N. D`Amico. The WSTC Program Manager for this test is D. F. McLaughlin. This test plan is for Phase I activities described in the above Purchase Order. Test conduct includes melting of glass frit with Hanford LLW Double-Shell Slurry Feed waste simulant in a plasma arc fired furnace.

The Glass Material Oxidation and Dissolution System (GMODS) is a recently invented process for the direct, single-step conversion of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) to high-level waste (HLW) glass. GMODS converts metals, ceramics, organics, and amorphous solids to glass in a single step. Conventional vitrification technology can not accept feeds containing metals or carbon. The GMODS has the potential to solve several issues associated with the disposal of various US Department of Energy (DOE) miscellaneous SNFs: (1) chemical forms unacceptable for repository disposal; (2) high cost of qualifying small quantities of particular SNFs for disposal; (3) limitations imposed by high-enriched SNF in a repository because of criticality and safeguards issues; and (4) classified design information. Conversion of such SNFs to glass eliminates these concerns. A description of the GMODS, {open_quotes}strawman{close_quotes} product criteria, experimental work to date, and product characteristics are included herein.

New, high-strength, hollow, glass microspheres filled with pressurized hydrogen exhibit storage densities which make them attractive for bulk hydrogen storage and transport. The hoop stress at failure of our engineered glass microspheres is about 150,000 psi, permitting a three-fold increase in pressure limit and storage capacity above commercial microspheres, which fail at wall stresses of 50,000 psi. For this project, microsphere material and structure will be optimized for storage capacity and charge/discharge kinetics to improve their commercial practicality. Microsphere production scale up will be performed, directed towards large-scale commercial use. Our analysis relating glass microspheres for hydrogen transport with infrastructure and economics` indicate that pressurized microspheres can be economically competitive with other forms of bulk rail and truck transport such as hydride beds, cryocarbons and pressurized tube transports. For microspheres made from advanced materials and processes, analysis will also be performed to identify the appropriate applications of the microspheres considering property variables, and different hydrogen infrastructure, end use, production and market scenarios. This report presents some of the recent modelling results for large beds of glass microspheres in hydrogen storage applications. It includes plans for experiments to identify the properties relevant to large-bed hydrogen transport and storage applications, of the …

The State Heating Oil and Propane Price (SHOPP) survey for the 1993--1994 heating season was conducted by the Pennsylvania Energy Office (PEO) in conjunction with the US Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration (DOE/EIA). The objective of the program was to collect price information for residential No. 2 heating oil and propane. Prices were to be collected on the first and third Mondays of each month, starting on October 4, 1993, and extending through March 21, 1994. When the survey started on October 4, 1993, the average No. 2 charge price for residential customers was 85.0 cents per gallon. On January 31, the DOE requested that the survey be conducted on a weekly basis. An extended period of extremely cold weather had increased demand for petroleum products. The seasonal high of 94.7 cents was reached on February 14, 1994. The price average declined to 91.8 cents on March 21, at the conclusion of the survey. This was an increase of 8.0 percent for the season. The results of the October 4, 1993, price survey indicated an average unweighted price of 108.9 cents per gallon for a residential customer. The average price rose to 116.2 cents on March 21, for a …

This plan describes how the Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility (MWTF) Project conducts reviews of design media; describes actions required by Project participants; and provides the methodology to ensure that the design is complete, meets the technical baseline of the Project, is operable and maintainable, and is constructable. Project W-236A is an integrated project wherein the relationship between the operating contractor and architect-engineer is somewhat different than that of a conventional project. Working together, Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) and ICF Karser Hanford (ICF KH) have developed a relationship whereby ICF KH performs extensive design reviews and design verification. WHC actively participates in over-the-shoulder reviews during design development, performs a final review of the completed design, and conducts a formal design review of the Safety Class I, ASME boiler and Pressure Vessel Code items in accordance with WHC-CM-6-1, Standard Engineering Practices.

The Electric Sales and Revenue is prepared by the Survey Management Division, Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels; Energy Information Administration (EIA); US Department of Energy. This publication provides information about sales of electricity, its associated revenue, and the average revenue per kilowatthour sold to residential, commercial, industrial, and other consumers throughout the United States. The sales, revenue, and average revenue per kilowatthour provided in the Electric Sales and Revenue are based on annual data reported by electric utilities for the calendar year ending December 31, 1992. The electric revenue reported by each electric utility includes the applicable revenue from kilowatthours sold; revenue from income; unemployment and other State and local taxes; energy, demand, and consumer service charges; environmental surcharges; franchise fees; fuel adjustments; and other miscellaneous charges. The revenue does not include taxes, such as sales and excise taxes, that are assessed on the consumer and collected through the utility. Average revenue per kilowatthour is defined as the cost per unit of electricity sold and is calculated by dividing retail sales into the associated electric revenue. The sales of electricity, associated revenue, and average revenue per kilowatthour provided in this report are presented at the national, Census …

Los Alamos has been collaborating since 1984 with scientists from the Chinese Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) to develop nuclear measurement instrumentation and safeguards systems technologies that will help China support implementation of the nonproliferation treaty (NPT). To date, four Chinese scientists have visited Los Alamos, for periods of six months to two years, where they have studied nondestructive assay instrumentation and learned about safeguards systems and inspection techniques that are used by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors. Part of this collaboration involves invitations from the CIAE to US personnel to visit China and interact with a larger number of Institute staff and to provide a series of presentations on safeguards to a wider audience. Typically, CIAE scientists, Beijing Institute of Nuclear Engineering (BINE) staff, and officials from the Government Safeguards Office attend the lectures. The BINE has an important role in developing the civilian nuclear power fuel cycle. BINE is designing a reprocessing plant for spent nuclear fuel from Chinese nuclear Power reactors. China signed the nonproliferation treaty in 1992 and is significantly expanding its safeguards expertise and activities. This paper describes the following: DOE support for US and Chinese interactions on safeguards; Chinese safeguards; impacts of US-China …

We present the first direct observation of a supersonic ionization front supported by electron thermal transport in a hot solid density plasma produced by 100fsec-laser-pulse irradiation of a transparent fused quartz target.

A study of the phase change phenomena in porous media using Christiansen filters continues in order to determine the experimental conditions most favorable to the use of this method. A calibration setup has been finished. Determination of the wavelength corresponding to the equality of the refractive indices varies with temperature is going to be carried out later. The dispersion curves of the solid and liquid phases constituting a transparent saturated porous medium generally have different slopes. It is thus impossible to achieve the equality of the refractive indices for all wavelengths simultaneously. For a given temperature, the dispersion curves intersect at a point corresponding to a single wavelength. From our investigation, we have found that we need to change the liquid phase material, ethyl salicylate (HOC{sub 6}H{sub 4}COOC{sub 2}H{sub 5}), that we have proposed before. This is because the boiling point of ethyl salicylate is too high for our purposes (about 233{degrees}C). Therefore, it is not a suitable material to do the phase change study in the Christiansen filters. A suitable liquid phase organic chemical material for our research must fit the criteria given in this paper.

The Natural Gas Monthly (NGM) highlights activities, events, and analyses of interest to public and private sector organizations associated with the natural gas industry. Volume and price data are presented each month for natural gas production, distribution, consumption, and interstate pipeline activities. Producer-related activities and underground storage data are also reported. From time to time, the NGM features articles designed to assist readers in using and interpreting natural gas information.

Five diaphragm seal specimens for the W79 retrofit program were welded and burst tested to meet requirements for the Engineering Evaluation (EE). The average burst pressure for these five diaphragm specimens was 11500 psi. All failures greatly exceeded the drawing requirements placed upon the system. After burst testing the specimens, the authors performed scanning electron microscopy on all five specimens to ensure ductile failure and cross-sectioned two specimens to characterize the weld morphology. The metallographic analysis showed these parts to be typical of high quality thin-section weldments. Analysis of heat flow during welding also has been included in this report. Thermal profiles easily meet those required by assembly specifications. Maximum temperatures achieved during welding were 520{degrees}C in the diaphragm area and 80{degrees}C on the bottom of the block.

B physics provides a unique window for investigation and confirmation of our picture of CP violation, as well as an opportunity to explore physics beyond the Standard Model. Because of this richness of physics, programs for the study of the B sector are in progress or under development at most of the major facilities for high energy physics in the world. In this note we suggest that a B program at the RHIC facility at BNL could provide timely and complementary information to our understanding of physics within and beyond the Standard Model.

As fossil fuel reserves run lower and lower, and as their continued widespread use leads toward numerous environmental problems, the need for clean and sustainable energy alternatives becomes ever clearer. Hydrogen fuel holds promise as such as energy source, as it burns cleanly and can be extracted from a number of renewable materials such as municipal solid waste (MSW), which can be considered largely renewable because of its high content of paper and biomass-derived products. A computer model is being developed using ASPEN Plus flow sheeting software to simulate a process which produces hydrogen gas from MSW; the model will later be used in studying the economics of this process and is based on an actual Texaco coal gasification plant design. This paper gives an overview of the complete MSW gasification process, and describes in detail the way in which MSW is modeled by the computer as a process material. In addition, details of the gasifier unit model are described; in this unit modified MSW reacts under pressure with oxygen and steam to form a mixture of gases which include hydrogen.

This is the Third Technical Report to develop the Variable Wall Mining Machine(VWM), a patented mining system that has the potential of greatly improving the underground mining of coal and other flat-lying mineral beds by providing a greater safety for workers, a healthier human environment, and a higher productivity. One of the thrusts of this project is to analyze the adaptation of the VWM system to a dual duct ventilation system which separates the air for human breathing from the air which becomes contaminated from dust and dangerous gases. In conventional practice there is one zone in an underground working section where workers breathe the air used to carry away gases and dust. A proposed dual duct system divides the single zone into two zones: one for cutting and fragmentation and one for worker occupancy. It is both technically and economically impossible to ventilate longwall face with the conventional method when methane emission rate is higher than 1,500 cfM. The only available option to the methane problem is to pre-drain the methane before mining so the methane emission rate will be lower later during longwall mining. But it is questionable that enough methane can be predrained to significantly erase the …

The purpose of this test is to verify the Westinghouse configuration of the MICON A/S Distributed Control System for project B610. The following will be verified: proper assignment and operation of all field inputs to and outputs from the MICON Termination panels; proper operation of all display data on the operator`s console; proper operation of all required alarms; and proper operation of all required interlocks. The MICON A/S control system is configured to replace all the control, indication, and alarm panels now located in the Power Control Room. Nine systems are covered by this control configuration, 2736-ZB HVAC, 234-5Z HVAC, Process Vacuum, Dry Air, 291-Z Closed Loop Cooling, Building Accelerometer, Evacuation Siren, Stack CAMs, and Fire. The 2736-ZB HVAC system consists of the ventilation controls for 2736-ZB and 2736-Z as well as alarms for the emergency generators and 232-Z. The 234-5Z HVAC system is the ventilation controls for 235-5Z and 236-Z buildings. Process Vacuum covers the controls for the 26 inch vacuum system. Dry Air covers the controls for the steam and electric air dryers. The 291-Z Closed Loop Cooling system consists of the status indications and alarms for the 291-Z compressor and vacuum pump closed loop cooling system. The …

We describe a cooperative project between Pacific Northwest Laboratory and Intel on providing low latency communications on the Intel Paragon. Our interest is in developing modules that are tailored to specific types of communication and are optimized for these cases. The modules described are implemented as simple extensions to the Paragon operating system. The first extension supports remote reads, writes, and accumulates on subsections of matrices. This module is intended to be used where the communication pattern is not known until run time. The second extension is designed to support low latency communication for short messages in a pipelined fashion. Finally, an interface for doing highly structured communication where the patterns of communication are well understood ahead of time is described. This is intended to be used in global communications such as global reduction.

Plutonium Finish Plant (PFP) Engineering requested a criticality safety evaluation (Appendix 1) to support a revision of Criticality Prevention Specification CPS-Z-165-80601 allowing a plexiglass enclosure (PGE) to be placed inside the HC-227T hood as a contamination barrier. The HC-227T hood is the receiving/transfer enclosure for Pu nitrate solution contained in Product Removal containers (PR Cans), L10 Containers (L10, Fl-10, 10 L) or L-3 Containers. Within the HC-227T, a 1.349 square meter (15 square foot) enclosure, PGE, has been created to provide contamination control around the weighing scale. Two or more standard criticality drains shall be installed on this enclosure prior to beneficial usage. The evaluation considered the normal process, spillage scenarios, waste/container accumulations within the enclosure, and interactions of Pu within the enclosure as well as other containers external to the enclosure. The results from the criticality safety analysis by CRA shows that such as contamination barrier can be placed inside the HC-227T Hood if the PGE is equipped with adequate criticality drains. In addition, other limits as well as administrative controls listed in CPS-Z-165-80601 Rev./Mod. B/0 and CPS-Z-165-80010 Rev./Mod. C/1 shall also apply.

The pulsed characteristics of gated, stripline configuration microchannel-plate (MCP) detectors used in X-ray framing cameras deployed on laser plasma experiments worldwide are examined in greater detail. The detectors are calibrated using short (20 ps) and long (500 ps) pulse X-ray irradiation and 3--60 ps, deep UV (202 and 213 nm), spatially-smoothed laser irradiation. Two-dimensional unsaturated gain profiles show < 5% percent long-range transverse variations but up to 3 dB/cm drop in gain parallel to the pulse propagation direction. Up to 50% gain enhancements due to voltage reflection from the bends of a meander stripline geometry and from the ends of conventional straight striplines are also observed. Reproducible gate profiles are obtained with either picosecond X-ray or UV bursts and FWHM extracted with 3 picosecond accuracy. A novel single-shot method for measuring local gate propagation speeds using a tilted MCP is also demonstrated. Detailed output versus input studies indicate a linear dynamic range of 300. At higher irradiances, the gradual transition from linear behavior to hard saturation is gathered over a range of 10{sup 5} in irradiation and fitted using a discrete dynode model. Finally, a pump-probe experiment quantifying for the first time long-suspected gain depletion by strong localized irradiation was …

In the last five years, there have been three periods at the 105KE fuel storage basin (KE Basin) where the reported drawdown test rates were in excess of 25 gph. Drawdown rates in excess of this amount have been used during past operations as the primary indicators of leaks in the basin. The latest leak occurred in March, 1993. The reported water loss from the KE Basin was estimated at 25 gph. This engineering study was performed to identify and recommend the most feasible and practical method of transferring canisters of irradiated fuel and basin sludge from the KE Basin to the 105KW fuel storage basin (KW Basin). Six alternatives were identified during the performance of this study as possible methods for transferring the fuel and sludge from the KE Basin to the KW Basin. These methods were then assessed with regard to operations, safety, radiation exposure, packaging, environmental concerns, waste management, cost, and schedule; and the most feasible and practical methods of transfer were identified. The methods examined in detail in this study were based on shipment without cooling water except where noted: Transfer by rail using the previously used transfer system and water cooling; Transfer by rail using …

The ionospheric phenomenon called Equatorial Spread F encompasses a variety of effects associated with plasma irregularities occurring in the post-sunset and nighttime ionosphere near the magnetic equator. These irregularities can seriously degrade the performance of systems which involve either of necessity or inadvertently radio propagation through the equatorial ionosphere. One such system is Over-the-Horizon (OTH) radars which operate in the high-frequency (hf) band and use ionospheric reflection for forward and backscatter propagation to ranges of thousands of kilometers. When such radars are directed towards the equator, Spread F irregularities can cause scintillation effects which may be aliased into the ranges of interest and have the effect of causing, excess clutter in which targets may be hidden. In January, 1994 Los Alamos participated in a campaign to measure Spread F effects on OTH propagation from the United States looking towards South America in conjunction with local diagnostics in Peru. During the campaign Los Alamos fielded a 1600 km bistatic path between Piura, Peru, and Arequipa, Peru-, the one-hop reflection region for this path was near the magnetic equator, We obtained four types of measurements: an oblique ionogram between Piura and Arequipa every three minutes; Doppler spread and spatial correlation for a …

This is a monthly report giving the details on research currently being conducted at the Savannah River Technology Center. The following are areas of the research, engineering modeling and simulation, applied statistics, applied physics,experimental thermal hydraulics,and packaging and transportation.

Radiation damage studies were performed on polystyrene and poly(vinyltoluene) samples containing different concentrations of either an antioxidant (A O-2) or a plasticizer (PP-4). In addition, parallel studies were carried out utilizing samples of these polymers prepared in the presence of cross-linking agents such as NPG, HDA, and DVB. The samples were irradiated using a {sup 60} Co source to total doses of 1 and 10 Mrad, at a dose rate of approximately 1 Mrad/h. Transmittance measurements were recorded before and immediately after irradiation, and after oxygen annealing. These experiments showed that none of these agents improved the radiation resistance of polystyrene and poly(vinyltoluene) with regard to their optical properties.

Research is being conducted to develop criteria for selecting weld overlay coatings for erosion mitigation in Circulated Fluidized Beds. Twelve weld overlay alloys were deposited on 1018 steel substrates using plasma arc welding. Ten samples from each coating were prepared for erosion testing. All selected coatings were erosion tested at 400C and their erosion resistance and microstructure evaluated. Steady state erosion rates were similar for several weld overlay coatings (Ultimet, Inconel-625, Iron-Aluminide, 316L SS, and High Chromium Cast Iron) and were considerably lower than the remaining coating evaluated. These coatings had different base (Co, Fe, Ni-base). No correlations were found between room temperature microhardness of the weld overlay coatings and their erosion resistance at elevated temperature, although this criteria is often thought to be an indicator of erosion resistance. It was suggested that the coatings that showed similar erosion rates may have similar mechanical properties such as fracture strength, toughness and work hardening rates at this temperature. During the past quarter, Iron-Aluminide, Inconel-625, and 316L SS coatings were selected for more detailed investigations based upon the preliminary erosion test results. Microhardness tests were performed on eroded samples to determine the size of the work hardened zone and change in coatings …

Studying the possibility of storing a low emittance (or ``cooled``) beam of charged particles in a storage ring, the authors are faced with the effect of space charge by which particles are repelled and influence each others` motion. The correct evaluation of the space-charge effects is important to determine the attainment and properties of Crystalline Beams, a phase transition which intense beams of ions can undergo when cooling is applied. In this report they derive the equations of motion of a particle moving under the action of external resorting forces generated by the magnets of the storage ring, and of the electromagnetic fields generated by the other particles. The motion in every direction is investigated: in the longitudinal, as well as vertical and horizontal direction. The external forces are assumed to be linear with the particle displacement from the reference orbit. The space-charge forces are comparable in magnitude to the external focusing forces. The equations of motion so derived are then used to determine confinement and stability conditions for the attainment of Crystalline Beams, using transfer matrices.