The stability of tungsten carbide particles in iron-rich and nickel-rich liquid during the laser surface alloying (LSA) process was investigated. Kinetic calculations indicate a rapid dissolution of tungsten carbide particles in iron-rich liquid, as compared with the dissolution rate in nickel-rich liquid. Optical microscopy indicated a heterogeneous microstructure around the tungsten particles that is in agreement with concentration gradients predicted by kinetic calculation. The work demonstrates the applicability of computational thermodynamics and kinetic models for the LSA process.

The subsurface radioactive disposal site located at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory contains neutron-activated metals from nonfuel nuclear-reactor- core components. A long-term corrosion test is being conducted to obtain site-specific corrosion rates to support efforts to more accurately estimate the transfer of activated elements in an arid vadose zone environment. The tests use nonradioactive metal coupons representing the prominent neutron-activated material buried at the disposal location, namely, Type 304L stainless steel, Type 315L stainless steel, nickel-chromium alloy (UNS NO7718), beryllium, aluminum 6061-T6, and a zirconium alloy, (UNS R60804). In addition, carbon steel (the material presently used in the cask disposal liners and other disposal containers) and a duplex stainless steel (UNS S32550) (the proposed material for the high- integrity disposal containers) are also included in the test program. This paper briefly describes the test program and presents the early corrosion rate results after 1 year and 3 years of underground exposure.

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The objectives of the present study are: (1) To synthesize iron catalysts: Fe/MoO{sub 3}, and Fe/Co/MoO{sub 3} employing two distinct techniques: Pyrolysis with organic precursors and Co-precipitation of metal nitrates; (2) To investigate the magnetic character of the catalysts before and after exposure to CO and CO+H{sub 2} by (a) Mossbauer study of Iron (b) Zerofield Nuclear Magnetic Resonance study of Cobalt, and (c) Magnetic character of the catalyst composite; (3) To study the IR active surface species of the catalyst while stimulating (CO--Metal, (CO+H{sub 2})--Metal) interactions, by FTIR Spectroscopy; and (4) To analyze the catalytic character (conversion efficiency and product distribution) in both direct and indirect liquefaction Process and (5) To examine the correlations between the magnetic and chemical characteristics. This report presents the results of our investigation on (a) the effect of metal loading (b) the effect of intermetallic ratio and (c) the effect of catalyst preparation procedure on (i) the magnetic character of the catalyst composite (ii) the IR active surface species of the catalyst and (iii) the catalytic yields for three different metal loadings: 5%, 15%, and 25% (nominal) for three distinct intermetallic ratios (Fe/Co = 0.3, 1.5, 3.0).

The DSD (Dynamic System Doctor) is a system-independent, interactive software under development for on-line state/parameter estimation in dynamic systems (1), partially supported through a Nuclear Engineering Education (NEER) grant during 1998-2001. This paper summarizes the recent accomplishments in improving the user-friendliness and computational capability of DSD

The ''Snowmass Points and Slopes'' (SPS) are a set of benchmark points and parameter lines in the MSSM parameter space corresponding to different scenarios in the search for Supersymmetry at present and future experiments. This set of benchmarks was agreed upon at the 2001 ''Snowmass Workshop on the Future of Particle Physics'' as a consensus based on different existing proposals.

This report presents basic background information on the collapse of the Enron Corporation, identifying public policy issues in financial market oversight. This report briefly summarizes some federal laws carrying criminal penalties which may be implicated in the events surrounding the collapse of the Enron Corp. This report compares the auditing and accounting reform measures passed by the House (H.R. 3763) and reported by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. This report compares the major provisions of three auditor and accounting reform proposals: H.R. 3763, S. 2673, and a rule proposed on June 20, 2002, by the SEC that would create a new auditor oversight board by using the SEC’s existing authority to regulate corporate accounting. The report focuses on Section 404(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the federal statute that regulates employer-sponsored pension plans. Section 404(a) is considered the “touchstone for understanding the scope and object of an ERISA fiduciary’s duties.”

The purpose of this report is to document the development of the proof-of-concept units within the Advanced Medium-sized Mobile Power Sources (AMMPS) program. The design used a small, lightweight diesel engine, a permanent magnet alternator, power electronics and digital controls as outlined in the philosophy detailed previously. One small proof-of-concept unit was completed and delivered to the military. The unit functioned well but was not optimized at the time of delivery to the military. A tremendous amount of experience was gained during this phase that can be used in the development of any follow-on AMMPS production systems. Lessons learned and recommendations for follow-on specifications are provided. The unit demonstrated that significant benefits are possible with the new design philosophy. Trade-offs will have to be made but many of the advantages appear to be within the technical grasp of the market.

Power generators are concerned with the maintenance costs associated with the advanced turbines that they are purchasing. Since these machines do not have fully established operation and maintenance (O&M) track records, power generators face financial risk due to uncertain future maintenance costs. This risk is of particular concern, as the electricity industry transitions to a competitive business environment in which unexpected O&M costs cannot be passed through to consumers. These concerns have accelerated the need for intelligent software-based diagnostic systems that can monitor the health of a combustion turbine in real time and provide valuable information on the machine's performance to its owner/operators. Such systems would interpret sensor and instrument outputs, correlate them to the machine's condition, provide interpretative analyses, forward projections of servicing intervals, estimate remaining component life, and identify faults. EPRI, Impact Technologies, Boyce Engineering, and Progress Energy have teamed to develop a suite of intelligent software tools integrated with a diagnostic monitoring platform that will, in real time, interpret data to assess the ''total health'' of combustion turbines. The Combustion Turbine Health Management System (CTHM) will consist of a series of dynamic link library (DLL) programs residing on a diagnostic monitoring platform that accepts turbine health data …

Forty-three countries, including the United States, have signed the Council of Europe’s Convention on Cybercrime of November 2001. The U.S. Senate ratified the Convention on August 3, 2006. The Convention seeks to better combat cybercrime by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative abilities, and boosting international cooperation. Supporters argue that the Convention will enhance deterrence, while critics counter it will have little effect without participation by countries in which cybercriminals operate freely. Others warn it will endanger privacy and civil liberties.

Carbon-doped GaN was grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy using carbon tetrachloride vapor as the dopant source. For moderate doping mainly acceptors were formed, yielding semi-insulating GaN. However at higher concentrations p-type conductivity was not observed, and heavily doped films (>5 x 10{sup 20} cm{sup -3}) were actually n-type rather than semi-insulating. Photoluminescence measurements showed two broad luminescence bands centered at 2.2 and 2.9 eV. The intensity of both bands increased with carbon content, but the 2.2 eV band dominated in n-type samples. Intense, narrow ({approx}6 meV) donor-bound exciton peaks were observed in the semi-insulating samples.

This project was based on preliminary data that was published by Dr. Boothman (Yang et al. 2000) which indicated a strong induction of apoJ gene expression, increased secretion of the protein, and accumulation of an apparently somewhat different form of the apoJ protein in the nucleus of MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells undergoing response to DNA damage. A clone expressing apoJ protein was isolated that was capable of interacting with Ku80, a component of the double strand break repair complex that is essential for the successful repair of rearranging immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor genes as evidenced by failure to produce mature B and T cells in the absence of Ku70. ApoJ clones isolated and characterized by Dr. Boothman bound strongly to a Ku-70 ''bait'' protein. Over-expression of these same clones in a cell line was capable of killing the cell. ApoJ is very strongly induced in many instances of programmed cell death and has been proposed repeatedly to play some sort of effector role in the process. Our principle hypothesis for this study was that the strong induction of the apoJ gene and the particular expression of a nuclear form of the protein was potentially a causal factor in the decision …

Monthly newsletter discussing news and activities related to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program, articles about weather and atmospheric phenomena, and other related topics.

Monthly newsletter discussing news and activities related to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program, articles about weather and atmospheric phenomena, and other related topics.

The scaling of thermal hydraulic systems is of great importance in the development of experiments in laboratory-scale test facilities that are used to replicate the response of full-size prototypical designs. One particular phenomenon that is of interest in experimental modeling is the quench front that develops during the reflood phase in a PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) following a large-break LOCA (Loss of Coolant Accident). The purpose of this study is to develop a scaling methodology such that the prototypical quench front related phenomena can be preserved in a laboratory-scale test facility which may have material, geometrical, fluid, and flow differences as compared to the prototypical case. A mass and energy balance on a Lagrangian quench front control volume along with temporal scaling methods are utilized in developing the quench front scaling groups for a phenomena-specific second-tier scaling analysis. A sample calculation is presented comparing the quench front scaling groups calculated for a prototypical Westinghouse 17 x 17 PWR fuel design and that of the geometry and material configuration used in the FLECHT SEASET series of experiments.

Critical infrastructures underpin the domestic security, health, safety and economic well being of the United States. They are large, widely dispersed, mostly privately owned systems operated under a mixture of federal, state and local government departments, laws and regulations. While there currently are enormous pressures to secure all aspects of all critical infrastructures immediately, budget realities limit available options. The purpose of this study is to provide a clear framework for systematically analyzing and prioritizing resources to most effectively secure US critical infrastructures from terrorist threats. It is a scalable framework (based on the interplay of consequences, threats and vulnerabilities) that can be applied at the highest national level, the component level of an individual infrastructure, or anywhere in between. This study also provides a set of key findings and a recommended approach for framework application. In addition, this study develops three laptop computer-based tools to assist with framework implementation-a Risk Assessment Credibility Tool, a Notional Risk Prioritization Tool, and a County Prioritization tool. This study's tools and insights are based on Sandia National Laboratories' many years of experience in risk, consequence, threat and vulnerability assessments, both in defense- and critical infrastructure-related areas.

Utilization of surfactants for improved oil recovery (IOR) is an accepted technique with high potential. However, technology application is frequently limited by cost. Biosurfactants (surface-active molecules produced by microorganisms) are not widely utilized in the petroleum industry due to high production costs associated with use of expensive substrates and inefficient product recovery methods. The economics of biosurfactant production could be significantly impacted through use of media optimization and application of inexpensive carbon substrates such as agricultural process residuals. Utilization of biosurfactants produced from agricultural residuals may 1) result in an economic advantage for surfactant production and technology application, and 2) convert a substantial agricultural waste stream to a value-added product for IOR. A biosurfactant with high potential for use is surfactin, a lipopeptide biosurfactant, produced by Bacillus subtilis. Reported here is the production and potential IOR utilization of surfactin produced by Bacillus subtilis (American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 21332) from starch-based media. Production of surfactants from microbiological growth media based on simple sugars, chemically pure starch medium, simulated liquid and solid potato-process effluent media, a commercially prepared potato starch in mineral salts, and process effluent from a potato processor is discussed. Additionally, the effect of chemical and physical pretreatments on …

Predictions of component performance versus lifetime are often risky for complex materials in which there may be many underlying aging or degradation mechanisms. In order to develop more accurate predictive models for silica-filled siloxane components, we are studying damage mechanisms over a broad range of size domains, linked together through several modeling efforts. Atomistic and molecular dynamic modeling has elucidated the chemistry of the silica filler to polymer interaction, as this interaction plays a key role in this material's aging behavior. This modeling work has been supported by experimental data on the removal of water from the silica surface, the effect of the surrounding polymer on this desiccation, and on the subsequent change in the mechanical properties of the system. Solid State NMR efforts have characterized the evolution of the polymer and filler dynamics as the material is damaged through irradiation or desiccation. These damage signatures have been confirmed by direct measurements of changes in polymer crosslink density and filler interaction as measured by solvent swelling, and by mechanical property tests. Data from the changes at these molecular levels are simultaneously feeding the development of age-aware constitutive models for polymer behavior. In addition, the microstructure of the foam, including under …

This report has been prepared to document the performance of the continuous sampling mercury monitoring system developed by Ames Laboratory for use as a continuous emission monitor (CEM). This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management, Office of Science and Technology, through the Mixed Waste Focus Area. The purpose of the project is to develop instrumentation and methods for spectroscopic field-monitoring applications. During FY01 this included continued development and testing of an echelle spectrometer system for the detection of mercury (Hg) by atomic absorption. Due to the relatively poor limits of detection for Hg by optical emission techniques, the CEM has been designed for the detection of elemental Hg by optical absorption. The sampling system allows continuous introduction of stack gas into the CEM for analysis of elemental and total Hg in the gas stream. A heated pyrolysis tube is used in this system to convert oxidized Hg compounds to elemental Hg prior to analysis for total Hg. The pyrolysis tube is bypassed to measure elemental Hg. The CEM is designed to measure the elemental Hg concentration of the gas sample, measure the total Hg concentration, perform a zero check (analysis of room air), …

This report discusses the legal issues considered by Congress on whether to permit drilling for oil and gas in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.

One of the least controversial provisions of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (P.L. 94-163) established corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for new passenger cars. This report presents a brief background and analysis regarding the price of crude oil that brought into sharp focus the fuel inefficiency of U.S. automobiles. The report also discusses the previous issues and the most recent developments regarding CAFE.

The Bush Administration issued its plan for a national energy policy on May 16, 2001. The plan was controversial, characterized by some as leaner on conservation and renewables than Democratic proposals, and predisposed to trade off environmental considerations to increase supply. Comprehensive energy legislation was introduced in the Senate by both parties by late March (S. 388, S. 389, S. 596, S. 597). Bills reported by several House committees (H.R. 2436, H.R. 2460, H.R. 2511, and H.R. 2587) were combined in a single bill, H.R. 4, passed by the House, August 1, 2001. The House version of H.R. 4 would require a 5 billion gallon reduction in light-duty truck and SUV fuel consumption and would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to leasing.

The RELAP-3D (version bt03) computer program was used to assess the LOFT-Wyle blowdown test (WSB03R). The primary goal of this new assessment is to represent faithfully the experimental facility and instrumentation using the latest three-dimensional fluid flow modeling capability available in RELAP5-3D. In addition, since RELAP5-3D represents a relatively new and significant upgrade to the capabilities of the RELAP5 series of computer programs, this study serves to add to its growing assessment base. The LOFT-Wyle Transient Fluid Calibration test facility consisted of an approximately 5.4m3 pressure vessel with a flow skirt which created an annulus that acted as a downcomer. An instrumented blowdown loop with an orfice was connected to the downcomer. This facility, built to calibrate the orfices used in several of the LOFT experiments, simulated the LOFT reactor vessel and broken loop cold leg. For the present assessment an existing RELAP5 model developed at INEEL was corrected and upgraded. The model corrections included: (1) employing the proper measured downcomer thickness, (2) positioning the experimental instrumentation in its correct location, and (3) setting the fluid conditions to their measured initial values. Model upgrades included: (1) use of a more finely-detailed fluid component nodalization, (2) explicit modeling of the experimental …

This report covers the following tasks: Task 1--Design, fabricate and evaluate ceramic to metal seals based on graded ceramic powder/metal braze joints; Task 2--Evaluate the effect of defect configuration on ceramic membrane conductivity and long term chemical and structural stability; Task 3--Determine materials mechanical properties under conditions of high temperatures and reactive atmospheres; Task 4--Evaluate phase stability and thermal expansion of candidate perovskite membranes and develop techniques to support these materials on porous metal structures; Task 5--Assess the microstructure of membrane materials to evaluate the effects of vacancy-impurity association, defect clusters, and vacancy-dopant association on the membrane performance and stability; and Task 6--Measure kinetics of oxygen uptake and transport in ceramic membrane materials under commercially relevant conditions using isotope labeling techniques.