Bimonthly newsletter of the Texas Advisory Commission on State Emergency Communications discussing news and activities of the organization as well as other information related to 9-1-1 services and other emergency communication within Texas.

This report describes the 1992 Westinghouse Hanford Company/US Department of Energy Environmental Summer Science Camp. The objective of the ``camp`` was to motivate sixth and seventh graders to pursue studies in math, science, and the environment. This objective was accomplished through hands-on fun activities while studying the present and future challenges facing our environment. The camp was funded through Technical Task Plan, 424203, from the US Department of Energy-Headquarters, Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Technology Development,to Westinghouse Hanford Company`s International Environmental Institute, Education and Internship Performance Group.

District energy systems are a major part of the energy use and delivery infrastructure of the United States. With nearly 6,000 operating systems currently in place, district energy represents approximately 800 billion BTU per hour of installed thermal production capacity, and provides over 1.1 quadrillion BTU of energy annually -- about 1.3% of all energy used in the US each year. Delivered through more that 20,000 miles of pipe, this energy is used to heat and cool almost 12 billion square feet of enclosed space in buildings that serve a diverse range of office, education, health care, military, industrial and residential needs. This Census is intended to provide a better understanding of the character and extent of district heating, cooling and cogeneration in the United States. It defines a district energy system as: Any system that provides thermal energy (steam, hot water, or chilled water) for space heating, space cooling, or process uses from a central plant, and that distributes the energy to two or more buildings through a network of pipes. If electricity is produced, the system is a cogenerating facility. The Census was conducted through surveys administered to the memberships of eleven national associations and agencies that collectively …

Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) requires the annual submittal of toxic chemical release information to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The following document is the July 1993 submittal of the EPCRA Toxic Chemical Release Inventory Report (Form R). Included is a Form R for chlorine and for lead, the two chemicals used in excess of the established regulatory thresholds at the Hanford Site by the US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office and its contractors during calendar year 1992.

The Accelerator System Model (ASM) is a computer program developed to model proton radiofrequency accelerators and to carry out system level trade studies. The ASM FORTRAN subroutines are incorporated into an intuitive graphical user interface which provides for the {open_quotes}construction{close_quotes} of the accelerator in a window on the computer screen. The interface is based on the Shell for Particle Accelerator Related Codes (SPARC) software technology written for the Macintosh operating system in the C programming language. This User Manual describes the operation and use of the ASM application within the SPARC interface. The Appendix provides a detailed description of the physics and engineering models used in ASM. ASM Version 1.0 is joint project of G. H. Gillespie Associates, Inc. and the Accelerator Technology (AT) Division of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Neither the ASM Version 1.0 software nor this ASM Documentation may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of both the Los Alamos National Laboratory and G. H. Gillespie Associates, Inc.

This report briefly discusses the following topics: The Ground Test Accelerator Program; Defense Free-Electron Lasers; AXY Programs; A Next Generation High-Power Neutron-Scattering Facility; JAERI OMEGA Project and Intense Neutron Sources for Materials Testing; Advanced Free-Electron Laser Initiative; Superconducting Supercollider; The High-Power Microwave (HPM) Program; Neutral Particle Beam (NPB) Power Systems Highlights; Industrial Partnering; Accelerator Physics and Special Projects; Magnetic Optics and Beam Diagnostics; Accelerator Design and Engineering; Radio-Frequency Technology; Accelerator Theory and Free-Electron Laser Technology; Accelerator Controls and Automation; Very High-Power Microwave Sources and Effects; and GTA Installation, Commissioning, and Operations.

Understanding the wave damping mechanism in the presence of a `spectral gap` is an important issue for the current profile control using Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD). The authors examine a traditional explanation based upon upshifting of the wave parallel refractive index (n{sub {parallel}}) and find that there can be an upper bound in the n{sub {parallel}} upshift. The amount of upshift is not sufficient to bridge the spectral gap completely under some PBX-M LHCD conditions. There is experimental evidence, however, that current was driven even under such conditions. Another mechanism is also considered, based upon the 2-D velocity space dynamics coupled with a compound wave spectrum, here consisting of forward- and backward-running waves. The runaway critical speed relative to the phase speeds of these waves plays an important role in this model.

Understanding the wave damping mechanism in the presence of a spectral gap' is an important issue for the current profile control using Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD). The authors examine a traditional explanation based upon upshifting of the wave parallel refractive index (n[sub [parallel]]) and find that there can be an upper bound in the n[sub [parallel]] upshift. The amount of upshift is not sufficient to bridge the spectral gap completely under some PBX-M LHCD conditions. There is experimental evidence, however, that current was driven even under such conditions. Another mechanism is also considered, based upon the 2-D velocity space dynamics coupled with a compound wave spectrum, here consisting of forward- and backward-running waves. The runaway critical speed relative to the phase speeds of these waves plays an important role in this model.

The Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5633.3A requires that the desired levels of precision and accuracy be established for accountability measurements, that the magnitude of these uncertainties be minimized for major contributors to the limit of error for inventory differences (LEID), and that methods be selected, validated, and qualified that are capable of providing the desired levels. In an effort to consistently determine the desired precision and accuracy levels for measurements within each of the nuclear material processing facilities at the Savannah River Site (SRS), a series of sensitivity studies were performed. To validate the current uncertainties as the goals, variance-propagated LEID models were used to determine the sensitivity of the LEID to each uncertainty value, using a nominal increase in the LEID as a figure-of-merit. These sensitivity studies provided the threshold values that each uncertainty needs to be held below. Engineering judgment and operational experiences were combined to qualitatively determine the need for improvement for each uncertainty. This paper describes the methodology of the sensitivity study, gives examples of the threshold values generated, and discusses the benefits of this approach in the approval process for proposed method changes.

This action plan describes the criteria and the organizational responsibilities required for ensuring that waste storage tanks with high organic contents are maintained in a safe condition at the Hanford Site. In addition, response actions are outlined for (1) prevention or mitigation of excessive temperatures; or (2) a material release from any waste tank with high organic content. Other response actions may be defined by Westinghouse Hanford Company Systems Engineering if a waste tank parameter goes out of specification. Trend analysis indicates the waste tank parameters have seasonal variations, but are otherwise stable.

A flexible manipulator test bed consisting of a fifteen foot long fixed-free compliant beam (representing a compliant manipulator link) with a Shilling Titan II dextrous manipulator mounted on its free end has been constructed at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). A comprehensive dynamic model which includes flexible body effects has been developed at PNL using a commercially available multibody dynamics code. A linearized version of the model is used to develop control strategies which use inertial forces generated by movements of the dextrous manipulator to damp out induced oscillations in the beam. These control strategies are tested on the model and shown to be feasible, and then implemented in the flexible manipulator testbed. Results from the hardware experiments are analyzed and compared with the model results.

Hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity and aromacity of Illinois {number_sign}6 coal in water are relatively determined by evaluating equilibrium physical/chemical adsorption of probe compounds on the coal. Experiments on equilibrium adsorption loadings of various additives on 60--200 mesh Illinois {number_sign}6 coal (DECS-2; Randolph county) were performed to investigate relatively surface properties of the coal at 25{degree}C. The additives include various alcohols, alkanes and aromatic compounds. The main objectives of this research are to evaluate relatively surface properties of raw coals, treated coals and coal minerals with the inverse liquid chromatography technique, using various probe compounds, to analyze flotation recoveries of coals with a micro-flotation apparatus in order to relate coal floatability to evaluated coal surface properties, and to delineate roles of coal-cleaning/handling additives with the inverse liquid chromatography technique.

Progress is reported on: adsorption of water vapor on reservoir rocks; theoretical investigation of adsorption; estimation of adsorption parameters from transient experiments; transient adsorption experiment -- salinity and noncondensible gas effects; the physics of injection of water into, transport and storage of fluids within, and production of vapor from geothermal reservoirs; injection optimization at the Geysers Geothermal Field; a model to test multiwell data interpretation for heterogeneous reservoirs; earth tide effects on downhole pressure measurements; and a finite-difference model for free surface gravity drainage well test analysis.

Progress is reported on: adsorption of water vapor on reservoir rocks; theoretical investigation of adsorption; estimation of adsorption parameters from transient experiments; transient adsorption experiment -- salinity and noncondensible gas effects; the physics of injection of water into, transport and storage of fluids within, and production of vapor from geothermal reservoirs; injection optimization at the Geysers Geothermal Field; a model to test multiwell data interpretation for heterogeneous reservoirs; earth tide effects on downhole pressure measurements; and a finite-difference model for free surface gravity drainage well test analysis.

Adult education needs are difficult to define and difficult to meet; what constitutes adequate literacy changes continually as the demands facing individuals grow more complex. This report is an attempt to identify those capabilities, along with limitations, and outline how new information technologies can be marshaled to meet the goal of a fully literate citizenry.

All scheduled tests for the slagging combustor program were completed prior to this reporting period. The draft topical report for the slagging combustor testing was begun in January and the draft submitted to DOE/METC for review in March. Work was completed on the (Advanced Turbine Systems) Phase 1 program and the draft topical begun in January. The ATS Phase 1 draft topical report was submitted to DOE/METC in March. Comments to the report were received back from METC prior to the end of March allowing for the preparation of the final version of the report to begin. Conceptual design of a combustion turbine system that can be integrated in a pressurized fluidized bed combustor (PFBC) application was completed at the end of March. An intermediate design review was held in February with METC and a draft of the topical report was begun during the reporting period. Details of the individual subtask work for the first generation PFBC combustion turbine system conceptual design are discussed in the ``Generic Turbine Design Study Final Report`` which was issued June 1993 to DOE/METC.

Many monitoring activities require the collection of whole air samples over an extended time interval without loss or concentration of any atmospheric constituents. Described is the development and laboratory testing of a whole air sampler capable of collecting a 100 liter sample over a period of 0.63 days. The sampler has an empty weight of 7.79 kg and an overall size of 20.8-cm {times} 20.8-cm {times} 66.1-cm. The conceptual design for the development of smaller, higher-performance whole air samplers is also reported.

Five barrels of a Wilsonville process derived solvent (V-1074) from Black Thunder coal were obtained. This material boils within the preferred gas oil range, is more aromatic than previous solvents, and will therefore be used for the bench unit studies. Several repeat runs were performed in the autoclave to confirm the results of the matrix study. In addition, runs were carried out with different catalysts, with agglomerates and with the V-1074 solvent. The results of the autoclave runs were analyzed with respect to coal conversion, CO conversion, oil yield, hydrogen consumption and oxygen removal. It was concluded that the best operating conditions for the first stage operation was a temperature of at least 390{degrees}C, residence time of at least 30 minutes, cold CO pressure of at least 600 psig and potassium carbonate catalyst (2% wt on total feed). The data also indicated however, that the coal conversion goes through a maximum, and too high a severity leads to retrograde reaction and lower coal solubilization. The scope for increasing temperature and time is therefore limited. Petrographic examination of the THF insoluble resids from the autoclave program indicated a maximum coal conversion of about 90% for Black Thunder coal. The bench unit …

Key among various issues of ignited plasmas is understanding the physics of energy transfer between thermal plasma particles and magnetically confined, highly energetic charged ions in a tokamak device. The superthermal particles are products of fusion reactions. The efficiency of energy transfer by collisions, from charged fusion products (e.g., {alpha}-particles) to plasma ions, grossly determines whether or not plasma conditions are self-sustaining without recourse to auxiliary heating. Furthermore, should energy transfer (efficiency be poor, and substantial auxiliary heating power is required to maintain reacting conditions within the plasma, economics may preclude commercial viability of fusion reactors. The required charged fusion product information is contained in the energy distribution function of these particles. Knowledge of temporal variations of the superthermal particle energy distribution function could be used by a fusion reactor control system to balance plasma conditions between thermal runaway and a modicum of fusion product energy transfer. Therefore, diagnostics providing data on the dynamical transfer of alpha-particle and other charged fusion product energy to the plasma ions are essential elements for a fusion reactor control system to insure that proper plasma conditions are maintained. The objective of this work is to assess if spectral analysis of rf radiation emitted by …

The desorption and absorption process of a vapor compression heat pump with a solution circuit (VCHSC) proceeds at gliding temperature intervals, which can be adjusted over a wide range. In case that the gliding temperature intervals in the desorber and the absorber overlap, a modification of the VCHSC employing a desorber/absorber heat exchange (DAHX) can be introduced, which results in an extreme reduction of the pressure ratio. Although the DAHX-cycle has features of a two-stage cycle, it still requires only one solution pump, one separator and one compressor. Such a cycle for the working pair ammonia/water is built in the Energy Laboratory of the Center for Environmental Energy Engineering at the University of Maryland. The experimental results obtained with the research plant are discussed and compared to those calculated with a simulation program. The possible temperature lift between heat source and heat sink depending on the achievable COP are presented.

The desorption and absorption process of a vapor compression heat pump with a solution circuit (VCHSC) proceeds at gliding temperature intervals, which can be adjusted over a wide range. In case that the gliding temperature intervals in the desorber and the absorber overlap, a modification of the VCHSC employing a desorber/absorber heat exchange (DAHX) can be introduced, which results in an extreme reduction of the pressure ratio. Although the DAHX-cycle has features of a two-stage cycle, it still requires only one solution pump, one separator and one compressor. Such a cycle for the working pair ammonia/water is built in the Energy Laboratory of the Center for Environmental Energy Engineering at the University of Maryland. The experimental results obtained with the research plant are discussed and compared to those calculated with a simulation program. The possible temperature lift between heat source and heat sink depending on the achievable COP are presented.

This paper provides an overview of the Advanced Neutron Source (ANS), a new research facility being designed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The facility is based on a 330 MW, heavy-water cooled and reflected reactor as the neutron source, with a thermal neutron flux of about 7.5{times}10{sup 19}m{sup {minus}2}{center_dot}sec{sup {minus}1}. Within the reflector region will be one hot source which will serve 2 hot neutron beam tubes, two cryogenic cold sources serving fourteen cold neutron beam tubes, two very cold beam tubes, and seven thermal neutron beam tubes. In addition there will be ten positions for materials irradiation experiments, five of them instrumented. The paper touches on the project status, safety concerns, cost estimates and scheduling, a description of the site, the reactor, and the arrangements of the facilities.

This project was initiated on August 1, 1992. The starting date resulted in this project being one month out of synchronization with the normal quarterly calendar (i.e., January, April, July, and October). On advice of Mr. John Augustine, DOE/PETC, the present report is prepared to cover only two months work, so that future quarterly reports will be aligned with the conventional reporting schedule. A significant pressure dependence was observed for the pyrolysis of n-tetradecane at 450{degree}C for 30 min. It appears that at least two processes are affected by the reactant pressure, but in opposite directions. The influence of inert gas pressure is dependent on both the initial sample volume and the pressure range. However, when the inert gas pressure is within a certain specific range, the changes in the sample volume have no impact on n-tetradecane conversion. Below or above this range, increasing inert gas pressure can either decrease or increase conversion, depending on the sample volume.

The Clean Air Act of 1990 requires the monitoring of air toxics including those from incinerator emissions. Continuous emission monitors (CEM) would demonstrate the safety of incinerators and address public concern about emissions of hazardous organic compounds. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy can provide the technology for continuous emission monitoring of stacks. Stack effluent can be extracted and analyzed in under one minute with conventional FTIR spectrometers. Passive-remote FTIR spectrometers can detect certain emission gases over 1 km away from a stack. The authors will discuss advances in both extractive and passive-remote FTIR technology. Extractive systems are being tested with EPA protocols, which will soon replace periodic testing methods. Standard operating procedures for extractive systems are being developed and tested. Passive-remote FTIR spectrometers have the advantage of not requiring an extracted sample; however, they have less sensitivity. The authors have evaluated the ability of commercially available systems to detect fugitive plumes and to monitor carbon monoxide at a coal-fired power plant.