LBR deactivation information exchange (open access)

LBR deactivation information exchange

This report contains vugraphs of presentations given at the meeting. The topics covered include the following: FFTF Deactivation Strategy; Sodium Drain and Disposition; Sodium Processing; and Fuel Storage and Disposition.
Date: May 15, 1998
Creator: Guttenberg, S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Chemicals and excess materials disposition during facility deactivation as a means of pollution prevention (open access)

Chemicals and excess materials disposition during facility deactivation as a means of pollution prevention

This paper presents several innovative and common sense approaches to pollution prevention that have been employed during facility deactivation at the Hanford Site in South Central Washington. It also presents several pollution prevention principles applicable to other projects. Innovative pollution prevention ideas employed at the Hanford site during facility deactivation included: (1) Recycling more than 185,000 gallons of radioactively contaminated nitric acid by sending it to an operating nuclear fuels reprocessing facility in England; (2) Recycling millions of pounds of chemicals and excess materials to other industries for reuse; (3) Evaporating flush water at a low rate and discharging it into the facility exhaust air stream to avoid discharging thousands of gallons of liquid to the soil column; and (4) Decontaminating and disposing of thousands of gallons of radioactively contaminated organic solvent waste to a RCRA licensed, power-producing, commercial incinerator. Common sense pollution prevention ideas that were employed include recycling office furniture, recycling paper from office files, and redeploying tools and miscellaneous process equipment. Additional pollution prevention occurred as the facility liquid and gaseous discharge streams were deactivated. From the facilities deactivation experiences at Hanford and the ensuing efforts to disposition excess chemicals and materials, several key pollution prevention principles …
Date: May 28, 1998
Creator: Godfrey, S. D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Predicting New Hampshire Indoor Radon Concentrations from geologic information and other covariates (open access)

Predicting New Hampshire Indoor Radon Concentrations from geologic information and other covariates

Generalized geologic province information and data on house construction were used to predict indoor radon concentrations in New Hampshire (NH). A mixed-effects regression model was used to predict the geometric mean (GM) short-term radon concentrations in 259 NH towns. Bayesian methods were used to avoid over-fitting and to minimize the effects of small sample variation within towns. Data from a random survey of short-term radon measurements, individual residence building characteristics, along with geologic unit information, and average surface radium concentration by town, were variables used in the model. Predicted town GM short-term indoor radon concentrations for detached houses with usable basements range from 34 Bq/m{sup 3} (1 pCi/l) to 558 Bq/m{sup 3} (15 pCi/l), with uncertainties of about 30%. A geologic province consisting of glacial deposits and marine sediments, was associated with significantly elevated radon levels, after adjustment for radium concentration, and building type. Validation and interpretation of results are discussed.
Date: May 1, 1998
Creator: Apte, M. G.; Price, P. N.; Nero, A. V. & Revzan, K. L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Potential Nationwide Improvements in Productivity and Health from Better Indoor Environments (open access)

Potential Nationwide Improvements in Productivity and Health from Better Indoor Environments

Theoretical considerations and empirical data suggest that existing technologies and procedures can improve indoor environments in a manner that significantly increases productivity and health. Existing literature contains moderate to strong evidence that characteristics of buildings and indoor environments significantly influence rates of respiratory disease, allergy and asthma symptoms, sick building symptoms, and worker performance. While there is considerable uncertainty in our estimates of the magnitudes of productivity gains that may be obtained by providing better indoor environments, the projected gains are very large. For the U.S., we estimate potential annual savings and productivity gains of $6 to $19 billion from reduced respiratory disease, $1 to $4 billion from reduced allergies and asthma, $10 to $20 billion from reduced sick building syndrome symptoms, and $12 to $125 billion from direct improvements in worker performance that are unrelated to health. In two example calculations, the potential financial benefits of improving indoor environments exceed costs by a factor of 8 and 14. Productivity gains that are quantified and demonstrated could serve as a strong stimulus for energy efficiency measures that simultaneously improve the indoor environment.
Date: May 1, 1998
Creator: Fisk, W.J. & Rosenfeld, A.H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Phenomenology and cosmology of weakly coupled string theory (open access)

Phenomenology and cosmology of weakly coupled string theory

The weakly coupled vacuum of E{sub 8} {circle_times} E{sub 8} heterotic string theory remains an attractive scenario for phenomenology and cosmology. The particle spectrum is reviewed and the issues of gauge coupling unification, dilaton stabilization and modular cosmology are discussed. A specific model for condensation and supersymmetry breaking, that respects known constraints from string theory and is phenomenologically viable, is described.
Date: May 18, 1998
Creator: Gaillard, Mary K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Axionic hot dark matter in the hadronic axion window (open access)

Axionic hot dark matter in the hadronic axion window

Mixed dark matter scenario can reconcile the COBE data and the observed large scale structure. So far the massive neutrino with a mass of a few eV has been the only discussed candidate for the hot dark matter component. We point out that the hadronic axion in the so-called hadronic axion window, f{sub a} {approx} 10{sup 6} GeV, is a perfect candidate as hot dark matter within the mixed dark matter scenario. The current limits on the hadronic axion are summarized. The most promising methods to verify the hadronic axion in this window are the resonant absorption of almost-monochromatic solar axions from M1 transition of the thermally excited {sup 57}Fe in the Sun, and the observation of the ''axion burst'' in water Cerenkov detectors from another supernova.
Date: May 23, 1998
Creator: Moroi, Takeo & Murayama, Hitoshi
System: The UNT Digital Library
Irradiation creep of vanadium-base alloys. (open access)

Irradiation creep of vanadium-base alloys.

A study of irradiation creep in vanadium-base alloys is underway with experiments in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) and the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) in the US. Test specimens are thin-wall sealed tubes with internal pressure loading. The results from the initial ATR irradiation at low temperature (200-300 C) to a neutron damage level of 4.7 dpa show creep rates ranging from {approx}0 to 1.2 x 10{sup {minus}5}/dpa/MPa for a 500-kg heat of V-4Cr-4Ti alloy. These rates were generally lower than reported from a previous experiment in BR-10. Because both the attained neutron damage levels and the creep strains were low in the present study, however, these creep rates should be regarded as only preliminary. Substantially more testing is required before a data base on irradiation creep of vanadium alloys can be developed and used with confidence.
Date: May 18, 1998
Creator: Tsai, H.; Matsui, H.; Billone, M. C.; Strain, R. V. & Smith, D. L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Progress in metal ion separation and preconcentration : an overview. (open access)

Progress in metal ion separation and preconcentration : an overview.

A brief historical perspective covering the most mature chemically-based metal ion separation methods is presented, as is a summary of the recommendations made in the 1987 National Research Council (NRC) report entitled ''Separation and Purification: Critical Needs and Opportunities''. A review of Progress in Metal Ion Separation and Preconcentration shows that advances are occurring in each area of need cited by the NRC. Following an explanation of the objectives and general organization of this book, the contents of each chapter are briefly summarized and some future research opportunities in metal ion separations are presented.
Date: May 19, 1998
Creator: Bond, A. H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Microstructural examination of irradiated V-(4-5%)Cr-(4-5%)Ti. (open access)

Microstructural examination of irradiated V-(4-5%)Cr-(4-5%)Ti.

Microstructural examination results are reported for two heats of V-(4-5%) Cr-(4-5%)Ti irradiated in the EBR-II X530 experiment to 4.5 dpa at {approximately}400 C to provide an understanding of the microstructural evolution that may be associated with degradation of mechanical properties. Fine precipitates were observed in high density intermixed with small defect clusters for all conditions examined following the irradiation. The irradiation-induced precipitation does not appear to be affected by preirradiation heat treatment at 950-1125 C. There was no evidence for a significant density of large (diameter >10 nm) dislocation loops or network dislocations. Analytical investigations successfully demonstrated that the precipitates were enriched in titanium, depleted in vanadium and contained no nitrogen. These results are discussed in terms of future alloy development options.
Date: May 4, 1998
Creator: Gelles, D. S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Review of W and Z production at the Tevatron (open access)

Review of W and Z production at the Tevatron

The CDF and D0 collaborations have used recent data taken at the Tevatron to perform QCD tests with W and Z bosons decaying leptonically. D0 measures the production cross section times branching ratio for W and Z bosons. This also gives an indirect measurement of the total width of the W boson: {Lambda}{sub W} = 2.126 {+-} 0.092 GeV. CDF reports on a direct measurement of {Lambda}{sub W} = 2.19 {+-} 0.19 GeV, in good agreement with the indirect determination and Standard Model predictions. D0's measurement of the differential d{sigma}/dp{sub T} distribution for W and Z bosons decaying to electrons agrees with the combined QCD perturbative and resummation calculations. In addition, the d{sigma}/dp{sub T} distribution for the Z boson discriminates between different vector boson production models. Studies of W + Jet production at CDF find the NLO QCD prediction for the production rate of W + {ge} 1 Jet events to be in good agreement with the data.
Date: May 1, 1998
Creator: Gerber, Cecilia E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Heat transfer augmentation in channels with porous copper inserts. (open access)

Heat transfer augmentation in channels with porous copper inserts.

None
Date: May 19, 1998
Creator: Kuzay, T. M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics of laser and electron-beam welds in V-4Cr-4Ti. (open access)

Mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics of laser and electron-beam welds in V-4Cr-4Ti.

Mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics of laser and electron-beam welds of a 500-kg heat of V4Cr4Ti were investigated in as-welded condition and after postwelding heat treatment by impact testing, microhardness measurement, optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ductile-brittle transition temperatures of the laser and electron-beam welds were significantly higher than that of the base metal. However, excellent impact properties could be restored in both types of welds by postwelding annealing at 1000 C for 1 h in vacuum. Analysis by TEM revealed that annealed weld zones were characterized by extensive networks of fine V(C,O,N) precipitates, which clean away O, C, and N interstitial from the grain matrices. This process is accompanied by simultaneous annealing-out of the dense dislocations present in the weld zone. This finding could be useful in identifying an optimal welding procedure by controlling and adjusting the cooling rate of the weld zone by an innovative method to maximize the precipitation of V(C,O,N).
Date: May 18, 1998
Creator: Chung, H. M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Results on Dijets with a Central Rapidity Gap from CDF (open access)

Results on Dijets with a Central Rapidity Gap from CDF

Results on dijets with a central rapidity gap at {radical}s = 1800 GeV are briefly summarized. Preliminary new results from data at {radical}s = 630 GeV are presented and compared to those at {radical}s = 1800 GeV.
Date: May 1, 1998
Creator: Borras, K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
In-vessel fluid flow measurements using thermocouples cross-correlation. (open access)

In-vessel fluid flow measurements using thermocouples cross-correlation.

Fluid flow rate in high temperature and pressure vessels can be difficult to measure due to the associated harsh environment, inaccessible locations and pressure boundary integrity concerns. However, by using quick response miniature thermocouples to measure the naturally occurring temperature variations within the flow, the fluid velocity can be inferred from the transit time analysis. This flow measurement technique has other advantages such as the flow profile is not significantly disturbed, no additional flow restrictions introduced and the system fiction factor is not increased. Furthermore, since the measured flow rate is generally unaffected by the global system dynamics, such as heat increases or losses, as well as changes in the flow regimes, the location of the thermocouple pairs is extremely flexible. Due to the mentioned advantages, the thermocouple cross-correlation flow measurement method has been developed for use at the Purdue University Multi-Dimensional Integral Test Assembly (PUMA). Currently, thermocouple cross-correlation technique is used to measure the Reactor Pressure Vessel downcomer fluid velocity and the suppression pool in-vessel natural circulation velocity.
Date: May 8, 1998
Creator: NguyenLe, Q.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Low-temperature MOCVD growth of oriented PbZr{sub x}Ti{sub 1-x}O{sub 3} thin films on Si substrates. (open access)

Low-temperature MOCVD growth of oriented PbZr{sub x}Ti{sub 1-x}O{sub 3} thin films on Si substrates.

Polycrystalline Pb(Zr{sub 0.6}Ti{sub 0.4})O{sub 3} (PZT) thin films, 3000-6000 {angstrom} thick, have been grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on (111)Pt/Ti/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrates at temperatures as low as 450-525 C. Random and (111)-oriented, or occasionally (100)-oriented, PZT films can be deposited directly on (111)Pt/Ti/SiO{sub 2}/Si. In addition, highly (100)-oriented films can be deposited consistently by using 150-250 {angstrom} thick (100)-oriented PbTiO{sub 3} (PT) or TiO{sub 2} as a template. Films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and electrical measurements. The as-grown (100)-oriented films on (111)Pt/TiSiO{sub 2}/Si substrates exhibited dielectric constants ({var_epsilon}{sub r}) of up to 600, remnant polarization (P{sub r}) of 40 {micro}C/cm{sup 2}, coercive field of 55 kV/cm, and breakdown field of 2-6 x 10{sub 7} V/m.
Date: May 8, 1998
Creator: Chen, N.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Lithium-endohedral C{sub 60} complexes. (open access)

Lithium-endohedral C{sub 60} complexes.

High capacity, reversible, lithium intercalated carbon anodes have been prepared, 855 m.Ah/g, which exceed the capacity for stage 1 lithium intercalated carbon anodes, 372 mAh/g. Since there is very little hydrogen content in the high capacity anode, the fullerene C{sub 60} lattice is used to investigate the nature of lithium ion bonding and spacing between lithiums in endohedral lithium complexes of C{sub 60}. Three lithium-endohedral complexes have been investigated using ab initio molecular orbital calculations involving 2,3 and 5 lithium. The calculated results suggest that lithium cluster formation may be important for achieving the high capacity lithium carbon anodes.
Date: May 4, 1998
Creator: Scanlon, L. G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Characterizing transverse beam dynamics at the APS storage ring using a dual-sweep streak camera. (open access)

Characterizing transverse beam dynamics at the APS storage ring using a dual-sweep streak camera.

We present a novel technique for characterizing transverse beam dynamics using a dual-sweep streak camera. The camera is used to record the front view of successive beam bunches and/or successive turns of the bunches. This extension of the dual-sweep technique makes it possible to display non-repeatable beam transverse motion in two fast and slow time scales of choice, and in a single shot. We present a study of a transverse multi-bunch instability in the APS storage ring. The positions, sizes, and shapes of 20 bunches (2.84 ns apart) in the train, in 3 to 14 successive turns (3.68 {micro}s apart) are recorded in a single image, providing rich information about the unstable beam. These include the amplitude of the oscillation ({approximately}0.0 at the head of the train and {approximately}2 mm towards the end of the train), the bunch-to-bunch phase difference, and the significant transverse size growth within the train. In the second example, the technique is used to characterize the injection-kicker induced beam motion, in support of the planned storage ring top-up operation. By adjusting the time scale of the dual sweep, it clearly shows the amplitude ({+-}1.8mm) and direction of the kick, and the subsequent decoherence ({approximately} 500 turns) …
Date: May 27, 1998
Creator: Yang, B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Experimental observations to the electrical field for electrorefining of spent nuclear fuel in the Mark-IV electrorefiner. (open access)

Experimental observations to the electrical field for electrorefining of spent nuclear fuel in the Mark-IV electrorefiner.

Experimental results from the pilot scale electrorefiner (Mark-IV ER) treating spent nuclear fuel are reported in this article. The electrorefining processes were carried out in a LiCl-KCl-UCl{sub 3} electrolyte. It has been noted that spool of molten cadmium below the electrolyte plays an important role in the electrorefining operations. In addition, formations of electrical shorting path between anode baskets and the electrorefiner vessel were observed, which lessened the uranium dissolution process from anode baskets, however appeared to improve the morphology of cathode deposit. The FIDAP simulation code was used to calculate the electrical potential field distributions and the potential gradient near the cathode. The effect of the electrical shorting between anode baskets and electrorefiner vessel on the morphology of cathode products is discussed.
Date: May 13, 1998
Creator: Li, S. X.
System: The UNT Digital Library
SUSY searches at the Tevatron (open access)

SUSY searches at the Tevatron

CDF and D0 have performed searches for Supersymmetry with data collected at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV during the years 1992-95. These searches are based on detector signatures: events with appreciable missing transverse energy plus jets with or without dileptons can signal squark and gluino production; the spectacular signature of trilepton events can result from the production of charginos and neutralinos; and the inclusion of R parity violation can produce events with like-sign dileptons and no missing transverse energy. Results from these analyses are presented.
Date: May 1, 1998
Creator: Chertok, Maxwell
System: The UNT Digital Library
EPR detection of light-generated nuclear coherences in photosynthetic reaction centers. (open access)

EPR detection of light-generated nuclear coherences in photosynthetic reaction centers.

In this study we first discuss a pulsed EPR experiment designed to establish the mechanism of coherence generation [1]. The pulse sequence employed, flash-t-({pi}/2){sub x}-{tau}, consists of a short laser pulse at time zero, followed by a variable period t. At the end of this period a non-ideal ({pi}/2) microwave pulse is applied. The resulting free-induction decay at fixed detection time {tau} is then monitored as a function of successively incremented values of t. For P{sub 700}{sup +} A{sub 1}{sup {minus}} in deuterated and {sup 15}N-substituted PSI preparations, the transverse magnetization shows an oscillatory dependence on the delay between the laser and the microwave pulse [1]. Apparently, there are fast initial oscillations which disappear 250 ns after the laser pulse. In addition, slow persisting oscillations with frequencies of a few MHz can be observed. Basically, these slow oscillations represent nuclear coherences initiated by the laser pulse [1].
Date: May 4, 1998
Creator: Bechtold, M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Characterization of spent EBR-II driver fuel. (open access)

Characterization of spent EBR-II driver fuel.

Operations and material control and accountancy requirements for the Fuel Conditioning Facility demand accurate prediction of the mass flow of spent EBR-II driver fuel into the facility. This requires validated calculational tools that can predict the burnup and isotopic distribution in irradiated Zr-alloy fueled driver assemblies. Detailed core-follow depletion calculations have been performed for an extensive series of EBR-II runs to produce a database of material inventories for the spent fuel to be processed. As this fuel is processed, comparison of calculated values with measured data obtained from samples of this fuel is producing a growing set of validation data. A more extensive set of samples and measurements from the initial processing of irradiated driver fuel has produced valuable estimates of the biases and uncertainties in both the measured and calculated values. Results of these comparisons are presented herein and indicate the calculated values adequately predict the mass flows.
Date: May 4, 1998
Creator: McKnight, R. D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cryocooler applications for high-temperature superconductor magnetic bearings. (open access)

Cryocooler applications for high-temperature superconductor magnetic bearings.

The efficiency and stability of rotational magnetic suspension systems are enhanced by the use of high-temperature superconductor (HTS) magnetic bearings. Fundamental aspects of the HTS magnetic bearings and rotational magnetic suspension are presented. HTS cooling can be by liquid cryogen bath immersion or by direct conduction, and thus there are various applications and integration issues for cryocoolers. Among the numerous cryocooler aspects to be considered are installation; operating temperature; losses; and vacuum pumping.
Date: May 22, 1998
Creator: Niemann, R. C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
BWR drywell behavior under steam blowdown. (open access)

BWR drywell behavior under steam blowdown.

Historically, thermal hydraulics analyses on Large Break Loss of Coolant Accidents (LOCA) have been focused on the transients within the reactor or steam generator. Few have studied the effects of steam blowdown on the containment building. This paper discusses some theoretical issues as well as presenting numerical and experimental results of the blowdown tests performed at the Purdue University Multi-Dimensional Integrated Test Assembly (PUMA).
Date: May 8, 1998
Creator: NguyenLe, Q.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Calibration of an Advanced Photon Source linac beam position monitor used for positron position measurement of a beam containing both positrons and electrons. (open access)

Calibration of an Advanced Photon Source linac beam position monitor used for positron position measurement of a beam containing both positrons and electrons.

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) linac beam position monitors can be used to monitor the position of a positron beam also containing electrons. To accomplish this task, both the signal at the bunching frequency of 2856 MHz and the signal at 2 x 2856 MHz are acquired and processed for each stripline. The positron beam position is obtained by forming a linear combination of both 2856- and 5712-MHz signals for each stripline and then performing the standard difference over sum computation. The required linear combination of the 2856- and 5712-MHz signals depends on the electrical calibration of each stripline/cable combination. In this paper, the calibration constants for both 2856-MHz and 5712-MHz signals for each stripline are determined using a pure beam of electrons. The calibration constants are obtained by measuring the 2856- and 5712-MHz stripline signals at various electron beam currents and positions. Finally, the calibration constants measured using electrons are used to determine positron beam position for the mixed beam case.
Date: May 19, 1998
Creator: Sereno, N. S.
System: The UNT Digital Library