The objective of this project is to investigate three possible routes to the formation of ethers, in particular methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), during slurry phase Fischer-Tropsch reaction. The three reaction schemes to be investigated are: (1) Addition of isobutylene during the formation of methanol and/or higher alcohols directly from CO and H{sub 2} during slurry-phase Fischer-Tropsch. (2) Addition of isobutylene to FT liquid products including alcohols in a slurry-phase reactor containing an MTBE or other acid catalyst. (3) Addition of methanol to slurry phase FT synthesis making iso-olefins. During the sixth quarter we completed the construction of the slurry bubble column reactor (SBCR), conducted initial shake-down experiments in a cold-flow mode, and finalized the selection process of the acid catalysts for conversion of syngas-produced alcohols and isobutylene to MTBE (scheme 2). Tasks 3, 4, and 5 are awaiting complete implementation of the SBCR system.

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory monitors ground-water quality across the Hanford Site for the US Department of Energy (DOE) to assess the impact of Site operations on the environment. Monitoring activities were conducted to determine the distribution of mobile radionuclides and identify chemicals present in ground water as a result of Site operations and whenever possible, relate the distribution of these constituents to Site operations. To comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, additional monitoring was conducted at individual waste sites by the Site Operating Contractor, Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC), to assess the impact that specific facilities have had on ground-water quality. Six hundred and twenty-nine wells were sampled during 1990 by all Hanford ground-water monitoring activities.

I report on recent developments in the heavy-quark effective theory and its application to B meson decays. The parameters of the effective theory, the spin-flavor symmetry limit, and the leading symmetry-breaking corrections to it are discussed. The results of a QCD sum rule analysis of the universal Isgur-Wise functions that appear at leading and subleading order in the 1 /m {sub Q} expansion are presented. I illustrate the phenomenological applications of this formalism by focusing on two specific examples: the determination of V {sub cb} from the endpoint spectrum in semileptonic decays, and the study of spin-symmetry violating effects in ratios of form facts. I also briefly comment on nonleptonic decays.

This report summarizes for the 15-month period of October 1990-- December 1991 the available dynamic hydrologic data collected, primarily on the White Oak Creek (WOC) watershed, along with information collected on the surface flow systems that affect the quality or quantity of surface water. The collection of hydrologic data is one component of numerous, ongoing Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) environmental studies and monitoring programs and is intended to: (1) characterize the quantity and quality of water in the flow systems; (2) assist with the planning and assessment of remedial action activities; and, (3) provide long-term availability of data and quality assurance. Characterization of the hydrology of the WOC watershed is critical for understanding the processes that drive contaminant transport in the watershed. Identification of spatial and temporal trends in hydrologic parameters and mechanisms that affect the movement of contaminants supports the development of interim corrective measures and remedial restoration alternatives. In addition, hydrologic monitoring supports long-term assessment of the effectiveness of remedial actions in limiting the transport of contaminants across Waste Area Grouping (WAG) boundaries and ultimately to the off-site environment. For these reasons, it is of paramount importance to the Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) to collect and report …

It is shown that new parameters X can be defined such that the heat capacity C{sub X} {equivalent to} T({partial derivative}S/{partial derivative}T)X is negative, even when the canonical ensemble (i.e. at fixed T = ({partial derivative}U/{partial derivative}S) and Y {ne} X) is stable. As examples we treat black body radiation and general gas systems with nonsingular {kappa}{sub T}. For the case of a simple ideal gas we even exhibit an apparatus which enforces a constraint X(p,V) = const. that makes C{sub X} < 0. Since it is possible to invent constraints for which canonically stable systems have negative heat capacity we speculate that it may also be possible to infer the statistical mechanics of canonically unstable systems - for which even the traditional heat capacities are negative - by imposing constraints that stabilize the associated, inoncanonical ensembles.

The Solenoidal Tracker At RHIC (STAR) will search for signatures of quark-gluon plasma (QGP) formation and investigate the behavior of strongly interacting matter at high energy density. The emphasis win be the correlation of many observables on an event-by-event basis. In the absence of definitive signatures for the QGP, it is imperative that such correlations be used to identify special events and possible signatures. This requires a flexible detection system that can simultaneously measure many experimental observables. The physics goals dictate the design of star and it's experiment. To meet the design criteria, tracking, momentum analysis, and particle identification of most of the charged particles at midrapidity are necessary. The tracking must operate in conditions at higher than the expected maximum charged particle multiplicities for central Au + Au collisions. Particle identification of pions/kaons for p < 0.7 GeV/c and kaons/protons for p < 1 GeV/c, as well as measurement of decay particles and reconstruction of secondary vertices will be possible. A two-track resolution of 2 cm at 2 m radial distance from, the interaction is expected. Momentum resolution of {Delta}p/p {approximately} 0.02 at p = 0.1 GeV/c is required to accomplish the physics, and,{Delta}p/p of several percent at p …

In situ vitrification (ISV) is a thermal waste remediation process developed by researchers at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) for stabilization and treatment of soils contaminated with hazardous, radioactive or mixed wastes. Many underground tanks containing radioactive and hazardous chemical wastes at US Department of Energy (DOE) sites will soon require remediation. Recent development activities have been pursued to determine if the ISV process is applicable to underground storage tanks. As envisioned, ISV will convert the tank, tank contents. and associated contaminated soil to a glass and crystalline block. Development activities include testing and demonstration on three scales and computational modeling and evaluation. A description of engineering solutions implemented on the field scale to mitigate unique problems posed by ISV of a confined underground structure, along with the associated computational analysis, is given in the paper.

Experiments involving propagation of neutralized ion beams across a magnetic field indicate a magnetic field penetration time determined by the Hall resistivity rather than the Spitzer or Pedersen resistivity. In magnetohydrodynamics the Hall current is negligible because electrons and ions drift together in response to an electric field perpendicular to the magnetic field. For a propagating neutralized ion beam, the ion orbits are completely different from the electron orbits and the Hall current must be considered. There would be no effect unless there is a component of magnetic field normal to the surface which would usually be absent for a good conductor. It is necessary to consider electron inertia and the consequent penetration of the normal component to a depth c/{omega}{sub p}. In addition it is essential to consider a component of magnetic field parallel to the velocity of the beam which may be initially absent, but is generated by the Hall effect. The penetration time is determined by whistler waves rather than diffusion.

An assessment is make of selected currently available heat exchanger enhancement techniques for single- and two-phase heat transfer mechanisms to determine their practicality and commercialization potential for different industrial applications. The assessment includes a screening review of the major techniques being investigated in the research community, and identification of selected passive techniques and determine their potential limitations with respect to industrial applications. A more detailed study of the research needs and the technology gaps is being conducted to address the issues of concern for each practical application of the chosen techniques. The technical and economic feasibility and the performance benefits of incorporating a particular technique in a heat transfer process is also discussed. The potential design, operational, and manufacturing cost issues that have prevented a technique from being widely commercialized are identified.

This report discusses the following topics: REMPI spectroscopy of HCO and DCO; Rempi spectroscopy of the ethynyl radical; REMPI spectroscopy of new electronic states of C{sub 2}; and a flame sampling laser ionization mass spectrometer.

The Cloud Profiling Radar System (CPRS) is a single antenna, two frequency (33 GHz and 95 GHz) polarimetric radar which is currently under the development at the University of Massachusetts (UMASS). This system will be capable of making four dimensional Doppler and polarimetric measurements of clouds. This report gives details about the status of the various subsystems under development and discusses current research activities.

The sodium polysulfide melt has been described by a macroscopic model. This model considers the melt to be composed of sodium cations, monosulfide anions, and neutral sulfur solvent. The transport equations of concentrated-solution theory are used to derived the governing equations for this binaryelectrolyte melt model. These equations relate measurable transport properties to fundamental transport parameters. The focus of this research is to measure the electrical conductivity of sodium polysulfide melts and calculate one of fundamental transport parameters from the experimental data. The conductance cells used in the conductivity measurements are axisymmetric cylindrical cells with a microelectrode. The electrode effects, including double-layer capacity, charge transfer resistance, and concentration overpotential, were minimized by the use of the alternating current at an adequately high frequency. The high cell constants of the conductance cells not only enhanced the experimental accuracy but also made the electrode effects negligible. The electrical conductivities of sodium polysulfide Na{sub 2}S{sub 4} and Na{sub 2}S{sub 5} were measured as a function of temperature (range: 300 to 360{degree}C). Variations between experiments were only up to 2%. The values of the Arrhenius activation energy derived from the experimental data are about 33 kJ/mol. The fundamental transport parameter which quantifies the interaction …

The Basalt Waste Isolation Project (BWIP) Reclamation Support Project began in the spring of 1988 by categorizing sites distributed during operations of the BWIP into those requiring revegetation and those to be abandoned or transferred to other programs. The Pacific Northwest Laboratory's role in this project was to develop plans for reestablishing native vegetation on the first category of sites, to monitor the implementation of these plans, to evaluate the effectiveness of these efforts, and to identify remediation methods where necessary. The Reclamation Support Project focused on three major areas: geologic hydrologic boreholes, the Exploratory Shaft Facility (ESF), and the Near-Surface Test Facility (NSTF). A number of BWIP reclamation sites seeded between 1989 and 1990 were found to be far below reclamation objectives. These sites were remediated in 1991 using various seedbed treatments designed to rectify problems with water-holding capacity, herbicide activity, surficial crust formation, and nutrient imbalances. Remediation was conducted during November and early December 1991. Sites were examined on a monthly basis thereafter to evaluate plant growth responses to these treatments. At all remediation sites early plant growth responses to these treatments. At all remediation sites, early plant growth far exceeded any previously obtained using other methods and …

None

Eighty samples of hair from women of child-bearing age from Nome, Alaska, and seven control samples from women living in Sequim, Washington, were analyzed for mercury concentration by segmental analysis in an effort to determine whether seasonal fluctuations in mercury concentration in the hair samples can be correlated to seasonal seafood consumption. Full-length hair strands were analyzed in 1.1-cm segments representing 1 month's growth using a strong acid digestion and cold vapor atomic fluorescence analysis. It was assumed that the concentration of mercury in each segment is an indicator of the mercury body burden during the month in which the segment emerged from the scalp. Eighteen of the samples show seasonal variability, with five of the controls and one Nome resident showing winter highs while all Nome residents show summer highs. Twenty-six of the samples show an increase in mercury concentration toward the distal end of the strand regardless of month of growth. The trend of increasing mercury concentrations toward the distal end of the hair strand regardless of month of emergence, and the documented presence of elevated levels of elemental mercury in the Nome area suggest that these elevated levels may actually be due to external contamination of the …

A numerical model was developed for use in performance assessment studies at the INEL. The numerical model referred to as the FLAME computer code, is designed to simulate subsurface contaminant transport in a variably-saturated media. The code can be applied to model two-dimensional contaminant transport in an and site vadose zone or in an unconfined aquifer. In addition, the code has the capability to describe transport processes in a porous media with discrete fractures. This report presents the following: description of the conceptual framework and mathematical theory, derivations of the finite element techniques and algorithms, computational examples that illustrate the capability of the code, and input instructions for the general use of the code. The development of the FLAME computer code is aimed at providing environmental scientists at the INEL with a predictive tool for the subsurface water pathway. This numerical model is expected to be widely used in performance assessments for: (1) the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study process and (2) compliance studies required by the US Department of energy Order 5820.2A.

We investigate the properties of multi-strange baryonic systems, comparing conventional many -- {Lambda} hypernuclei, where the strange quarks are localized in individual hyperons, to strangelets'' or chunks of strange matter, which involves delocalized quarks which roam in a single large bag. Mass formulae and strong/weak decay modes for such objects are discussed, as well as the prospects for producing multi-strange systems in relativistic heavy ion collisions. For production, we consider two extremes, one based on the coalescence model and another which assumes the formation of quark-gluon-plasma. We mention the experimental searches which are underway or planned, using heavy ion beams.

In the period of March 1, 1992 to May 30, 1992 considerable progress has been made in the development of the stress transport model for rapid granular flows in a rotating frame of reference. The derivation of thermodynamically consistent constitutive equations were complete. It was shown that the model contains the existing kinetics theories as special limiting cases. The model predictions for the special case of rapid simple shear flows were evaluated and the results are compared with the simulation data. Progress also has been made in formulation of the thermodynamically consistent rate dependent model for turbulent two-phase flows. The thermodynamically admissible constitutive equations were derived, and the case of a simple shear flow was also studied. The kinetic model for rapid flows of granular materials, which includes frictional losses, was used and the special case of gravity flows down an inclined chute was studied. The computational modeling for rapid granular flows in complex geometries was further developed. The design for the experimental simple shear flow device was further improved, and the construction of the device has started.

A general method is presented for sampling the kinetic energy of electrons emitted during the {beta}-decay process. Two computer codes (BETACDF and BETASAM) have been created to demonstrate and check the sampling scheme. The main purpose of this exercise is to come up with a convenient way to incorporate {beta}-spectra sampling as a front-end to the EGS4 code. This should aid in the solution of a number of problems of current interest, ranging from the design of detectors for experiments in search of 17-keV neutrinos, to establishing a better understanding of the role of {beta} rays in the dosimetry around SLAC beam device.

During the recent recession, many businesses have had to take severe measures to cut costs. The Department of Defense has also been faced with the need to cut costs to offset the expense of the Gulf War and a shrinking budget due to the fall of communism around the world. With the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and dissolution of the Soviet Union, there has been an increasing demand to reduce the defense budget to provide the so-called peace dividend'' to deal with social and economic problems at home. President Bush's State of the Union Message in February 1992 called for deeper cuts than the 25% previously anticipated. It also called for these cuts to occur sooner than expected with $50 billion in defense cuts anticipated over the fiscal 1992--1997 period. The Department of Defense plan for force resizing calls for 25-30% reductions over time. This report discusses how the department of defense is trying to deal with the management of this crisis.

None

This progress report relates progress in the various research projects evaluating the late health effects, both somatic and genetic, resulting from radiation exposure of the survivors of the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Considerable progress has been made in the collection and utilization of the various epidemiological data bases. These include the Life Span Study, (LSS) cohort, the Adult Health Study (AHS) cohort, the In Utero cohort, the leukemia registry and the F-1 Study population. Important progress has been made in using RERF Tumor and Tissue Registry records for evaluation of cancer incidence and radiation risk estimates for comparison with cancer mortality and risk in the LSS cohort. At the present time, a manuscript on the incidence of solid tumors (1950-1987) is undergoing internal and external review for publication as an RERF Technical report (TR) and for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. In addition, manuscripts are in preparation on (1) a comprehensive report on the incidence of hematological cancers, including analysis of leukemia by cell type (1950-1987), (2) a general description of Tumor Registry operations and (3) a comparison of incidence- and mortality-based estimates of radiation risk in the LSS cohort.

Independent testing of the FLASH computer code, Version 3.0, was conducted to determine if the code is ready for use in hydrological and environmental studies at various Department of Energy sites. This report describes the technical basis, approach, and results of this testing. Verification tests, and validation tests, were used to determine the operational status of the FLASH computer code. These tests were specifically designed to test: correctness of the FORTRAN coding, computational accuracy, and suitability to simulating actual hydrologic conditions. This testing was performed using a structured evaluation protocol which consisted of: blind testing, independent applications, and graduated difficulty of test cases. Both quantitative and qualitative testing was performed through evaluating relative root mean square values and graphical comparisons of the numerical, analytical, and experimental data. Four verification test were used to check the computational accuracy and correctness of the FORTRAN coding, and three validation tests were used to check the suitability to simulating actual conditions. These tests cases ranged in complexity from simple 1-D saturated flow to 2-D variably saturated problems. The verification tests showed excellent quantitative agreement between the FLASH results and analytical solutions. The validation tests showed good qualitative agreement with the experimental data. Based on …

Abstract: The Electrical Science Fundamentals Handbook was developed to assist nuclear facility operating contractors provide operators, maintenance personnel, and the technical staff with the necessary fundamentals training to ensure a basic understanding of electrical theory, terminology, and application. The handbook includes information on alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) theory, circuits, motors, and generators; AC power and reactive components; batteries; AC and DC voltage regulators; transformers; and electrical test instruments and measuring devices. This information will provide personnel with a foundation for understanding the basic operation of various types of DOE nuclear facility electrical equipment.