In the space exploration field there is a general consensus that nuclear reactor powered systems will be extremely desirable for future missions to the outer solar system. Solar systems suffer from the decreasing intensity of solar radiation and relatively low power density. Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators are limited to generating a few kilowatts electric (kWe). Chemical systems are short-lived due to prodigious fuel use. A well designed 50-100 kWe nuclear reactor power system would provide sufficient power for a variety of long term missions. This thesis will present basic work done on a 50-100 kWe reactor power system that has a reasonable lifespan and would function in an extraterrestrial environment. The system will use a Gas-Cooled Reactor that is directly coupled to a Closed Brayton Cycle (GCR-CBC) power system. Also included will be some variations on the primary design and their effects on the characteristics of the primary design. This thesis also presents a variety of neutronics related calculations, an examination of the reactor's thermal characteristics, feasibility for use in an extraterrestrial environment, and the reactor's safety characteristics in several accident scenarios. While there has been past work for space reactors, the challenges introduced by thin atmospheres like those on Mars …

The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) and the Generation IV Reactor Initiative have demonstrated a lack of detailed neutron cross-sections for certain "minor" actinides, those other than the most common (235U, 238U, and 239Pu). For some closed-fuel-cycle reactor designs more than 50% of reactivity will, at some point, be derived from “minor” actinides that currently have poorly known (n,g) and (n,f) cross sections. A program of measurements under AFCI has begun to correct this. One of the initial hurdles has been to produce well-characterized, highly isotopically enriched, and chemically pure actinide targets on thin backings. Using a combination of resurrected techniques and new developments, we have made a series of targets including highly enriched 240Pu, and 242Pu. Thus far, we have electrodeposited these actinide targets. In the future, we plan to study reductive distillation to achieve homogeneous, adherent targets on thin metal foils and polymer backings. As we move forward, separated isotopes become scarcer, and safety concerns become greater. The chemical purification and electodeposition techniques will be described.

This report is a descriptive journey of the Advanced O2 Separation System Integration for Conceptual Design of Supercritical O2-Based PC Boiler

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The U. S. Department of Energy's Building America residential systems research project uses an analysis-based system research approach to identify research priorities, identify technology gaps and opportunities, establish a consistent basis to track research progress, and identify system solutions that are most likely to succeed as the initial targets for residential system research projects. This report describes the analysis approach used by the program to determine the most cost-effective pathways to achieve whole-house energy-savings goals. This report also provides an overview of design/technology strategies leading to net zero energy buildings as the basis for analysis of future residential system performance.

The Nature Conservancy is participating in a Cooperative Agreement with the Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to explore the compatibility of carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems and the conservation of biodiversity. The title of the research project is ''Application and Development of Appropriate Tools and Technologies for Cost-Effective Carbon Sequestration''. The objectives of the project are to: (1) improve carbon offset estimates produced in both the planning and implementation phases of projects; (2) build valid and standardized approaches to estimate project carbon benefits at a reasonable cost; and (3) lay the groundwork for implementing cost-effective projects, providing new testing ground for biodiversity protection and restoration projects that store additional atmospheric carbon. This Technical Progress Report discusses preliminary results of the six specific tasks that The Nature Conservancy is undertaking to answer research needs while facilitating the development of real projects with measurable greenhouse gas reductions. The research described in this report occurred between January 1st and March 31st 2006. The specific tasks discussed include: Task 1: carbon inventory advancements; Task 2: emerging technologies for remote sensing of terrestrial carbon; Task 3: baseline method development; Task 4: third-party technical advisory panel meetings; Task 5: new project feasibility …

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mobile Facility Surface Meteorology station (MET) uses mainly conventional in situ sensors to obtain 1-min statistics of surface wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, relative humidity (RH), barometric pressure, and rainrate. Additional sensors may be added to or removed from the base set of sensors depending upon the deployment location, climate regime, or programmatic needs. In addition, sensor types may change depending upon the climate regime of the deployment. These changes/additions are noted in Section 3.

Sandia currently lacks a high fidelity method for predicting loads on and subsequent structural response of earth penetrating weapons. This project seeks to test, debug, improve and validate methodologies for modeling earth penetration. Results of this project will allow us to optimize and certify designs for the B61-11, Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP), PEN-X and future nuclear and conventional penetrator systems. Since this is an ASC Advanced Deployment project the primary goal of the work is to test, debug, verify and validate new Sierra (and Nevada) tools. Also, since this project is part of the V&V program within ASC, uncertainty quantification (UQ), optimization using DAKOTA [1] and sensitivity analysis are an integral part of the work. This project evaluates, verifies and validates new constitutive models, penetration methodologies and Sierra/Nevada codes. In FY05 the project focused mostly on PRESTO [2] using the Spherical Cavity Expansion (SCE) [3,4] and PRESTO Lagrangian analysis with a preformed hole (Pen-X) methodologies. Modeling penetration tests using PRESTO with a pilot hole was also attempted to evaluate constitutive models. Future years work would include the Alegra/SHISM [5] and AlegrdEP (Earth Penetration) methodologies when they are ready for validation testing. Constitutive models such as Soil-and-Foam, the Sandia Geomodel …

The unique extraction properties of univalent polyhedral borate anions, are well known and have been extensively studied over the past three decades. This is particularly true of the hexachlorinated derivative of the chloro-protected cobalt bis(dicarbollide) anion [(8, 9, 12-Cl3-C2B9H8)2-3-Co]-, (CCD-), typically in the acid form (HCCD) and dissolved in a suitably polar diluent, such as nitrobenzene, which is known to have a high affinity for selective extraction of the Cs+ cation. Recent collaborations between Russian and USA researchers expanded the use of HCCD in the Universal Extraction (UNEX) process where Cs, Sr, actinides (An) and lanthanides (Ln) are all extracted simultaneously by incorporating a neutral extractant (specifically diphenyl-N,N-di-n-butylcarbamoylmethyl phosphine oxide, CMPO) with HCCD and PEG-400 in the organic diluent phenyl trifluoromethyl sulfone (FS-13). In recent efforts to understand the complicated and unique synergistic chemical phenomena associated with simultaneous radionuclide (Cs, Sr, An, Ln) in the UNEX process, additional insight into Cs extraction by the HCCD system has been obtained. Four data sets with 25 experimental measurements of Cs distribution ratios, DCs [Cs]org/[Cs]aq, at a variety of initial conditions (various [HCCD] and [HNO3]) have been modeled using the SXLSQI computer program developed at ORNL. The SXLSQI program was used in this …

The effects of a non-uniform antenna beam are sometimes visible in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. This might be due to near-range operation, wide scenes, or inadequate antenna pointing accuracy. The effects can be mitigated in the SAR image by fitting very a simple model to the illumination profile and compensating the pixel brightness accordingly, in an automated fashion. This is accomplished without a detailed antenna pattern calibration, and allows for drift in the antenna beam alignments.

The Tevatron collider at Fermilab provides a very rich environment for the study of b-hadrons. Both the D0 and CDF experiments have collected a sample of about 1 fb{sup -1}. they report results on three topics: b-hadron lifetimes, polarization amplitudes and the decay width difference in B{sub s}{sup 0} {yields} J/{psi}{phi}, and B{sub s}{sup 0} mixing.

This document describes the requirements for the components and systems that support the hydrogen production portion of a 600 megawatt thermal (MWt) Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). These systems, defined as the "balance-of-plant" (BOP), are essential to operate an effective hydrogen production plant. Examples of BOP items are: heat recovery and heat rejection equipment, process material transport systems (pumps, valves, piping, etc.), control systems, safety systems, waste collection and disposal systems, maintenance and repair equipment, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), electrical supply and distribution, and others. The requirements in this document are applicable to the two hydrogen production processes currently under consideration in the DOE Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative. These processes are the sulfur iodide (S-I) process and the high temperature electrolysis (HTE) process. At present, the other two hydrogen production process - the hybrid sulfur-iodide electrolytic process (SE) and the calcium-bromide process (Ca-Br) -are under flow sheet development and not included in this report. While some features of the balance-of-plant requirements are common to all hydrogen production processes, some details will apply only to the specific needs of individual processes.

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The authors report CDF results on the B{sub c}{sup -} meson in Run II. The B{sub c}{sup -} meson has been observed in semileptonic decays, B{sub c}{sup -} {yields} J/{psi} {ell}{sup -} {nu}X, where {ell} = e, {mu} at a significance greater than 5{sigma} in both channels. The B{sub c}{sup -} {yields} J/{psi} {ell}{sup -}{nu}X observations have resulted in measurements of the relative production times branching ratio with respect to B{sup -} J/{psi} K{sup -} decays and a precise determination of the lifetime of the B{sub c}{sup -}: {tau}(B{sub c}{sup -}) = 0.474{sub -0.066}{sup +0.073}(stat.) {+-} 0.033(syst.) ps. Also, an observation of B{sub c}{sup -} {yields} J/{psi} {pi}{sup -} decays at a significance exceeding 6{sigma} results in a precise determination of the mass of the B{sub c}{sup -}: M(B{sub c}{sup -}) = 6275.2 {+-} 4.3(stat.) {+-} 2.3(syst.) MeV/c{sup 2}.

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This is one of the nation's first commercial building projects to integrate extensive high-performance design into a retail space. The extensive use of natural light, combined with energy-efficient electrical lighting design, provides good illumination and excellent energy savings. The reduced lighting loads, management of solar gains, and cool climate allow natural ventilation to meet the cooling loads. A hydronic radiant floor system, gas-fired radiant heaters, and a transpired solar collector deliver heat. An 8.9-kW roof-integrated photovoltaic (PV) system offsets a portion of the electricity.

The Tevatron collider at Fermilab provides a very rich environment for the study of B{sub s} mesons. B{sub s} Mixing is the most important analysis within the B Physics program of both experiments. In this paper they summarize the most recent results on this topic from both D0 and CDF experiments. There were very important updates in both experiments after his last talk, hence the organizers warmly recommended me to include the latest available results on B{sub s} mixing, instead of what he presents there.

This research project is aimed at assessing the soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration potential of reclaimed mine soils (RMS). The experimental sites were characterized by distinct age chronosequences of reclaimed mine soil and were located in Guernsey, Morgan, Noble, and Muskingum Counties of Ohio. These sites are owned and maintained by American Electrical Power. These sites were reclaimed (1) with topsoil application, and (2) without topsoil application, and were under continuous grass or forest cover. This report presents the results from two forest sites reclaimed with topsoil application and reclaimed in 1994 (R94-F) and in 1973 (R73-F), and two forest sites without topsoil application and reclaimed in 1969 (R69-F) and 1962 (R62-F). Results from one site under grass without topsoil application and reclaimed in 1962 (R62-G) are also shown. Three core soil samples were collected from each of the experimental sites and each landscape position (upper, middle and lower) for 0-15 and 15-30 cm depths, and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), volumes of transport (VTP) pores, and available water capacity (AWC) were determined. No significant differences were observed in VTP and AWC in 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depths among the sites R94-F and R73-F reclaimed with topsoil application and under …

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DOE Industrial Technologies Program case study describes the savings possible if Commonwealth Aluminum (now Aleris Rolled Products) makes improvements noted in energy assessments at two aluminum mills.

This paper presents the Concentrating Solar Deployment System Model (CSDS). CSDS is a multiregional, multitime-period, Geographic Information System (GIS), and linear programming model of capacity expansion in the electric sector of the United States. CSDS is designed to address the principal market and policy issues related to the penetration of concentrating solar power (CSP) electric-sector technologies. This paper discusses the current structure, capabilities, and assumptions of the model. Additionally, results are presented for the impact of continued research and development (R&D) spending, an extension to the investment tax credit (ITC), and use of a production tax credit (PTC). CSDS is an extension of the Wind Deployment System (WinDS) model created at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). While WinDS examines issues related to wind, CSDS is an extension to analyze similar issues for CSP applications. Specifically, a detailed representation of parabolic trough systems with thermal storage has been developed within the existing structure.