Transmission electron microscopy analysis of corroded metal waste forms. (open access)

Transmission electron microscopy analysis of corroded metal waste forms.

This report documents the results of analyses with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and selected area electron diffraction (ED) of samples of metallic waste form (MWF) materials that had been subjected to various corrosion tests. The objective of the TEM analyses was to characterize the composition and microstructure of surface alteration products which, when combined with other test results, can be used to determine the matrix corrosion mechanism. The examination of test samples generated over several years has resulted in refinements to the TEM sample preparation methods developed to preserve the orientation of surface alteration layers and the underlying base metal. The preservation of microstructural spatial relationships provides valuable insight for determining the matrix corrosion mechanism and for developing models to calculate radionuclide release in repository performance models. The TEM results presented in this report show that oxide layers are formed over the exposed steel and intermetallic phases of the MWF during corrosion in aqueous solutions and humid air at elevated temperatures. An amorphous non-stoichiometric ZrO{sub 2} layer forms at the exposed surfaces of the intermetallic phases, and several nonstoichiometric Fe-O layers form over the steel phases in the MWF. These oxide layers adhere …
Date: April 15, 2005
Creator: Dietz, N. L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
GRiP - A flexible approach for calculating risk as a function of consequence, vulnerability, and threat. (open access)

GRiP - A flexible approach for calculating risk as a function of consequence, vulnerability, and threat.

Get a GRiP (Gravitational Risk Procedure) on risk by using an approach inspired by the physics of gravitational forces between body masses! In April 2010, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Special Events staff (Protective Security Advisors [PSAs]) expressed concern about how to calculate risk given measures of consequence, vulnerability, and threat. The PSAs believed that it is not 'right' to assign zero risk, as a multiplicative formula would imply, to cases in which the threat is reported to be extremely small, and perhaps could even be assigned a value of zero, but for which consequences and vulnerability are potentially high. They needed a different way to aggregate the components into an overall measure of risk. To address these concerns, GRiP was proposed and developed. The inspiration for GRiP is Sir Isaac Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation: the attractive force between two bodies is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the squares of the distance between them. The total force on one body is the sum of the forces from 'other bodies' that influence that body. In the case of risk, the 'other bodies' are the components of risk (R): consequence, vulnerability, and threat (which …
Date: April 8, 2011
Creator: Whitfield, R. G.; Buehring, W. A. & Bassett, G. W. (Decision and Information Sciences)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Provenance management in Swift with implementation details. (open access)

Provenance management in Swift with implementation details.

The Swift parallel scripting language allows for the specification, execution and analysis of large-scale computations in parallel and distributed environments. It incorporates a data model for recording and querying provenance information. In this article we describe these capabilities and evaluate interoperability with other systems through the use of the Open Provenance Model. We describe Swift's provenance data model and compare it to the Open Provenance Model. We also describe and evaluate activities performed within the Third Provenance Challenge, which consisted of implementing a specific scientific workflow, capturing and recording provenance information of its execution, performing provenance queries, and exchanging provenance information with other systems. Finally, we propose improvements to both the Open Provenance Model and Swift's provenance system.
Date: April 1, 2011
Creator: Gadelha, L. M. R.; Clifford, B.; Mattoso, M.; Wilde, M.; Foster, I. & Janeiro), (Federal Univ. of Rio de
System: The UNT Digital Library
Uptakes of CS and SR on San Joaquin Soil Measured Following Astm Method c1733. (open access)

Uptakes of CS and SR on San Joaquin Soil Measured Following Astm Method c1733.

Series of tests were conducted following ASTM Standard Procedure C1733 to evaluate the repeatability of the test and the effects of several test parameters, including the solution-to-soil mass ratio, test duration, pH, and the concentrations of contaminants in the solution. This standard procedure is recommended for measuring the distribution coefficient (K{sub d}) of a contaminant in a specific soil/groundwater system. One objective of the current tests was to identify experimental conditions that can be used in future interlaboratory studies to determine the reproducibility of the test method. This includes the recommendation of a standard soil, the range of contaminant concentrations and solution matrix, and various test parameters. Quantifying the uncertainty in the distribution coefficient that can be attributed to the test procedure itself allows the differences in measured values to be associated with differences in the natural systems being studied. Tests were conducted to measure the uptake of Cs and Sr dissolved as CsCl and Sr(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} in a dilute NaHCO{sub 3}/SiO{sub 2} solution (representing contaminants in a silicate groundwater) by a NIST standard reference material of San Joaquin soil (SRM 2709a). Tests were run to measure the repeatability of the method and the sensitivity of the test response …
Date: April 4, 2012
Creator: Ebert, W.L. & Petri, E.T. (Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Shape-selective catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch chemistry : atomic layer deposition of active catalytic metals. Activity report : January 1, 2005 - September 30, 2005. (open access)

Shape-selective catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch chemistry : atomic layer deposition of active catalytic metals. Activity report : January 1, 2005 - September 30, 2005.

Argonne National Laboratory is carrying out a research program to create, prepare, and evaluate catalysts to promote Fischer-Tropsch (FT) chemistry - specifically, the reaction of hydrogen with carbon monoxide to form long-chain hydrocarbons. In addition to needing high activity, it is desirable that the catalysts have high selectivity and stability with respect to both mechanical strength and aging properties. The broad goal is to produce diesel fraction components and avoiding excess yields of both light hydrocarbons and heavy waxes. Originally the goal was to prepare shape-selective catalysts that would limit the formation of long-chain products and yet retain the active metal sites in a protected 'cage.' Such catalysts were prepared with silica-containing fractal cages. The activity was essentially the same as that of catalysts without the cages. We are currently awaiting follow-up experiments to determine the attrition strength of these catalysts. A second experimental stage was undertaken to prepare and evaluate active FT catalysts formed by atomic-layer deposition [ALD] of active components on supported membranes and particulate supports. The concept was that of depositing active metals (i.e. ruthenium, iron or cobalt) upon membranes with well defined flow channels of small diameter and length such that the catalytic activity and product …
Date: April 15, 2011
Creator: Cronauer, D. C. (Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Physics Division annual report 2004. (open access)

Physics Division annual report 2004.

This report highlights the research performed in 2004 in the Physics Division of Argonne National Laboratory. The Division's programs include operation of ATLAS as a national user facility, nuclear structure and reaction research, nuclear theory, medium energy nuclear research and accelerator research and development. The intellectual challenges of this research represent some of the most fundamental challenges in modern science, shaping our understanding of both tiny objects at the center of the atom and some of the largest structures in the universe. A great strength of these efforts is the critical interplay of theory and experiment. Notable results in research at ATLAS include a measurement of the charge radius of He-6 in an atom trap and its explanation in ab-initio calculations of nuclear structure. Precise mass measurements on critical waiting point nuclei in the rapid-proton-capture process set the time scale for this important path in nucleosynthesis. An abrupt fall-off was identified in the subbarrier fusion of several heavy-ion systems. ATLAS operated for 5559 hours of research in FY2004 while achieving 96% efficiency of beam delivery for experiments. In Medium Energy Physics, substantial progress was made on a long-term experiment to search for the violation of time-reversal invariance using trapped Ra …
Date: April 6, 2006
Creator: Glover, J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Surveillance of Site A and Plot M - Report for 2005. (open access)

Surveillance of Site A and Plot M - Report for 2005.

The results of the environmental surveillance program conducted at Site A/Plot M in the Palos Forest Preserve area for Calendar Year 2005 are presented. Based on the results of the 1976-1978 radiological characterization of the site, a determination was made that a surveillance program be established. The characterization study determined that very low levels of hydrogen-3 (as tritiated water) had migrated from the burial ground and were present in two nearby handpumped picnic wells. The current surveillance program began in 1980 and consists of sample collection and analysis of surface and subsurface water. The results of the analyses are used to (1) monitor the migration pathway of water from the burial ground (Plot M) to the handpumped picnic wells, (2) establish if buried radionuclides other than hydrogen-3 have migrated, and (3) monitor the presence of radioactive and chemically hazardous materials in the environment of the area. Hydrogen-3 in the Red Gate Woods picnic wells was still detected this year, but the average and maximum concentrations were significantly less than found earlier. Hydrogen-3 continues to be detected in a number of wells, boreholes, dolomite holes, and a surface stream. Analyses since 1984 have indicated the presence of low levels of strontium-90 …
Date: April 10, 2006
Creator: Golchert, N. W. & Oversight, ESH /QA
System: The UNT Digital Library
Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) Plan for Corrective Action Unit 124: Storage Tanks, Nevada Test Site, Nevada (Draft), Revision 0 (open access)

Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) Plan for Corrective Action Unit 124: Storage Tanks, Nevada Test Site, Nevada (Draft), Revision 0

This Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) Plan addresses closure for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 124, Areas 8, 15, and 16 Storage Tanks, identified in the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. Corrective Action Unit 124 consists of five Corrective Action Sites (CASs) located in Areas 8, 15, and 16 of the Nevada Test Site as follows: • 08-02-01, Underground Storage Tank • 15-02-01, Irrigation Piping • 16-02-03, Underground Storage Tank • 16-02-04, Fuel Oil Piping • 16-99-04, Fuel Line (Buried) and UST This plan provides the methodology of field activities necessary to gather information to close each CAS. There is sufficient information and process knowledge from historical documentation and investigations of similar sites regarding the expected nature and extent of potential contaminants to recommend closure of CAU 124 using the SAFER process.
Date: April 1, 2007
Creator: Wickline, Alfred
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Market Viability of Nuclear Hydrogen Technologies. (open access)

The Market Viability of Nuclear Hydrogen Technologies.

The Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy is supporting system studies to gain a better understanding of nuclear power's potential role in a hydrogen economy and what hydrogen production technologies show the most promise. This assessment includes identifying commercial hydrogen applications and their requirements, comparing the characteristics of nuclear hydrogen systems to those market requirements, evaluating nuclear hydrogen configuration options within a given market, and identifying the key drivers and thresholds for market viability of nuclear hydrogen options. One of the objectives of the current analysis phase is to determine how nuclear hydrogen technologies could evolve under a number of different futures. The outputs of our work will eventually be used in a larger hydrogen infrastructure and market analysis conducted for DOE-EE using a system-level market simulation tool now underway. This report expands on our previous work by moving beyond simple levelized cost calculations and looking at profitability, risk, and uncertainty from an investor's perspective. We analyze a number of technologies and quantify the value of certain technology and operating characteristics. Our model to assess the profitability of the above technologies is based on Real Options Theory and calculates the discounted profits from investing in each of the production …
Date: April 6, 2007
Creator: Botterud, A.; Conzelmann, G.; Petri, M. C. & Yildiz, B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Liquid salt - very high temperature reactor : survey of sodium-cooled fast reactor fuel handling systems for relevant design and operating characteristics. (open access)
Summary of operations and performance of the Utica aquifer and North Lake Basin Wetlands restoration project in December 2006-November 2007. (open access)

Summary of operations and performance of the Utica aquifer and North Lake Basin Wetlands restoration project in December 2006-November 2007.

This document summarizes the performance of the groundwater restoration systems installed by the Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) at the former CCC/USDA grain storage facility in Utica, Nebraska, during the third year of system operation, from December 1, 2006, until November 30, 2007. In the project at Utica, the CCC/USDA is cooperating with multiple state and federal agencies to remove carbon tetrachloride contamination from a shallow aquifer underlying the town and to provide supplemental treated groundwater for use in the restoration of a nearby wetlands area. Argonne National Laboratory has assisted the CCC/USDA by providing technical oversight for the aquifer restoration effort and facilities during this review period. This document presents overviews of the aquifer restoration facilities (Section 2) and system operations (Section 3), then describes groundwater production results (Section 4); groundwater treatment results (Section 5); and associated groundwater monitoring, system modifications, and costs during the review period (Section 6). Section 7 summarizes the present year of operation and provides some comparisons with system performance in previous years. The performance of the groundwater restoration systems at Utica in earlier years was summarized in greater detail previously (Argonne 2005, 2006).
Date: April 2, 2008
Creator: LaFreniere, L. M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Final report: results of the 2007 targeted investigation at Hilton, Kansas. (open access)

Final report: results of the 2007 targeted investigation at Hilton, Kansas.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), operated a grain storage facility in Hilton, Kansas, in 1954-1965. In 1992, carbon tetrachloride was first identified, at a concentration of 910 {micro}g/L, in groundwater from well GW01 at Hilton. This discovery occurred in association with the sale of the private grain storage facility on which well GW01 is located to the current owner, the Mid-Kansas Cooperative Association. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment conducted investigations at Hilton in 1992-1994. In 1996-1997, Argonne National Laboratory conducted Phase I and Phase II investigations on behalf of the CCC/USDA to characterize the distribution of the carbon tetrachloride contamination identified in well GW01, the stratigraphic units potentially hosting contaminant migration, and local hydrogeology in the Hilton area. The 2007 targeted investigation reported here focused specifically on the former CCC/USDA property at Hilton, west of the railroad tracks. (Until a property record search in 2005, the location of the CCC/USDA's former facility at Hilton was not known with certainty.) The objectives of the investigation, as implemented, were to (1) investigate for carbon tetrachloride contamination in the shallower soil and shallow aquifer units below the former CCC/USDA property and (2) …
Date: April 29, 2008
Creator: LaFreniere, L. M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Impacts of TMDLs on coal-fired power plants. (open access)

Impacts of TMDLs on coal-fired power plants.

The Clean Water Act (CWA) includes as one of its goals restoration and maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters. The CWA established various programs to accomplish that goal. Among the programs is a requirement for states to establish water quality standards that will allow protection of the designated uses assigned to each water body. Once those standards are set, state agencies must sample the water bodies to determine if water quality requirements are being met. For those water bodies that are not achieving the desired water quality, the state agencies are expected to develop total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) that outline the maximum amount of each pollutant that can be discharged to the water body and still maintain acceptable water quality. The total load is then allocated to the existing point and nonpoint sources, with some allocation held in reserve as a margin of safety. Many states have already developed and implemented TMDLs for individual water bodies or regional areas. New and revised TMDLs are anticipated, however, as federal and state regulators continue their examination of water quality across the United States and the need for new or revised standards. This report was funded …
Date: April 30, 2010
Creator: Veil, J. A. & Division, Environmental Science
System: The UNT Digital Library
Impact of drought on U.S. steam electric power plant cooling water intakes and related water resource management issues. (open access)

Impact of drought on U.S. steam electric power plant cooling water intakes and related water resource management issues.

This report was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Existing Plants Research Program, which has an energy-water research effort that focuses on water use at power plants. This study complements their overall research effort by evaluating water availability at power plants under drought conditions. While there are a number of competing demands on water uses, particularly during drought conditions, this report focuses solely on impacts to the U.S. steam electric power plant fleet. Included are both fossil-fuel and nuclear power plants. One plant examined also uses biomass as a fuel. The purpose of this project is to estimate the impact on generation capacity of a drop in water level at U.S. steam electric power plants due to climatic or other conditions. While, as indicated above, the temperature of the water can impact decisions to halt or curtail power plant operations, this report specifically examines impacts as a result of a drop in water levels below power plant submerged cooling water intakes. Impacts due to the combined effects of excessive temperatures of the returned cooling water and elevated temperatures of receiving waters (due to high ambient temperatures associated with drought) may be examined in …
Date: April 3, 2009
Creator: Kimmell, T. A.; Veil, J. A. & Division, Environmental Science
System: The UNT Digital Library