A fact sheet that answers common questions about Biodiesel, including use, safety, and environmental questions.

Radionuclide transport was measured from high grade uranium ore boulders near the Nopal I Site, Chihuahua, Mexico. High grade uranium ore boulders were left behind after removal of a uranium ore stockpile at the Prior High Grade Stockpile (PHGS). During the 25 years when the boulder was present, radionuclides were released and transported by sheetflow during precipitation events, wind blown resuspension, and infiltration into the unsaturated zone. In this study, one of the boulders was removed, followed by grid sampling of the surrounding area. Measured gamma radiation levels in three dimensions were used to derive separate dispersion rates by the three transport mechanisms.

The proposed effort will identify genes and ultimately physiological mechanisms and pathways that are expressed under in situ conditions and are critical to functioning of aquifer dwelling anaerobic bacteria living in contaminated systems. The main objectives are: (1) Determine which Metal-reducer specific genes are important for activities in normal and contaminated subsurface sediment. To achieve these goals, we have generated a library of chromosomal mutants. These are introduced into contaminated sediments, incubated, allowed to grow, and then reisolated. A negative selection process allows us to determine which mutants have been selected against in sediments and thereby identify genes required for survival in subsurface sediments. (2) Delineate the function of these genes through GeneBank and Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COGs) comparisons and analyze other sediment microorganisms to determine if similar genes are present in these populations. After determining the sequence of the genes identified through the previous objectives, we delineate the role of those specific genes in the physiology of G20, MR-1 and perhaps other microorganisms. (3) Determine the loss in function of a select group of mutants. Cells with mutations in known genes with testable functions are assayed for the loss of that function if specific assays are available. Mutants …

This final report summarizes work carried out under agreement with the US Department of Energy, related to wind energy policy issues. This project has involved a combination of outreach and publications on wind energy, with a specific focus on educating state-level policymakers. Education of state policymakers is vitally important because state policy (in the form of incentives or regulation) is a crucial part of the success of wind energy. State policymakers wield a significant influence over all of these policies. They are also in need of high quality, non-biased educational resources which this project provided. This project provided outreach to legislatures, in the form of meetings designed specifically for state legislators and legislative staff, responses to information requests on wind energy, and publications. The publications addressed: renewable energy portfolio standards, wind energy transmission, wind energy siting, case studies of wind energy policy, avian issues, economic development, and other related issues. These publications were distributed to legislative energy committee members, and chairs, legislative staff, legislative libraries, and other related state officials. The effect of this effort has been to provide an extensive resource of information about wind information for state policymakers in a form that is useful to them. This non-partisan …

A method combining features of front-tracking methods and fixed-domain methods is presented to model dendritic solidification of pure materials. To explicitly track the interface growth and shape of the solidifying crystals, a fronttracking approach based on the level set method is implemented. To easily model the heat and momentum transport, a fixed-domain method is implemented assuming a diffused freezing front where the liquid fraction is defined in terms of the level set function. The fixed-domain approach, by avoiding the explicit application of essential boundary conditions on the freezing front, leads to an energy conserving methodology that is not sensitive to the mesh size. To compute the freezing front morphology, an extended Stefan condition is considered. Applications to several classical Stefan problems and two- and three-dimensional crystal growth of pure materials in an undercooled melt including the effects of melt flow are considered. The computed results agree very well with available analytical solutions as well as with results obtained using front-tracking techniques and the phase-field method.

The goals of the first six months of this project were to begin laying the foundations for both the SiC front-end optical chip fabrication techniques for high pressure gas species sensing as well as the design, assembly, and test of a portable high pressure high temperature calibration test cell chamber for introducing gas species. This calibration cell will be used in the remaining months for proposed first stage high pressure high temperature gas species sensor experimentation and data processing. All these goals have been achieved and are described in detail in the report. Both design process and diagrams for the mechanical elements as well as the optical systems are provided. Photographs of the fabricated calibration test chamber cell, the optical sensor setup with the calibration cell, the SiC sample chip holder, and relevant signal processing mathematics are provided. Initial experimental data from both the optical sensor and fabricated test gas species SiC chips is provided. The design and experimentation results are summarized to give positive conclusions on the proposed novel high temperature high pressure gas species detection optical sensor technology.

Four shallow soil trenches excavated in the vicinity of the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site at the Nevada Test Site were sampled in 1994 to characterize important physical and hydrologic parameters which can affect the movement of water in the upper few meters of undisturbed alluvium. This report describes the field collection of geologic samples and the results of laboratory analyses made on these samples. This report provides only qualitative analyses and preliminary interpretations.

The consistency of different instruments and methods for measuring two-dimensional (2D) power spectral density (PSD) distributions are investigated. The instruments are an interferometric microscope, an atomic force microscope (AFM) and the X-ray Reflectivity and Scattering experimental facility, all available at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The measurements were performed with a gold-coated mirror with a highly polished stainless steel substrate. It was shown that these three techniques provide essentially consistent results. For the stainless steel mirror, an envelope over all measured PSD distributions can be described with an inverse power-law PSD function. It is also shown that the measurements can be corrected for the specific spatial frequency dependent systematic errors of the instruments. The AFM and the X-ray scattering measurements were used to determine the modulation transfer function of the interferometric microscope. The corresponding correction procedure is discussed in detail. Lower frequency investigation of the 2D PSD distribution was also performed with a long trace profiler and a ZYGO GPI interferometer. These measurements are in some contradiction, suggesting that the reliability of the measurements has to be confirmed with additional investigation. Based on the crosscheck of the performance of all used methods, we discuss the ways for improving the 2D PSD …

Michigan State University (MSU) activities in support of this grant were made as part of a larger collaboration including Los Alamos National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The main task of the collaboration was the development of an end-to-end multiparticle beam-dynamics simulation tool for computation of beam losses in the RIA driver linac. As the first part of this task, it was planned to modify PARMTEQ for multicharge-state beam-dynamics simulation in the LEBT and RFQ. The next part of this task was to develop a new multiparticle parallel code to model the superconducting driver linac. The output particle distributions from PARMTEQ could then be used as input for simulations through the superconducting linac, using the new parallel code with different random number seeds. The stripping of heavy ions is proposed for the RIA driver linac to increase acceleration efficiency. MSU developed a complete charge stripping foil model to evaluate the impact of the stripping foil on the beam transverse and longitudinal emittance. The stripping foil model was developed in LANA [1] and included the effects of elastic and inelastic scattering, ionization energy loss, and thickness variation in the stripping foil using the code SRIM [2]. This …

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This report describes research conducted between April 1, 2005 and June 30, 2005 on the use of dry regenerable sorbents for removal of carbon dioxide from flue gas from coal combustion and synthesis gas from coal gasification. Supported sodium carbonate sorbents removed up to 76% of the carbon dioxide from simulated flue gas in a downflow cocurrent flow reactor system, with an approximate 15 second gas-solid contact time. This reaction proceeds at temperatures as low as 25 C. Lithium silicate sorbents remove carbon dioxide from high temperature simulated flue gas and simulated synthesis gas. Both sorbent types can be thermally regenerated and reused. The lithium silicate sorbent was tested in a thermogravimetric analyzer and in a 1-in quartz reactor at atmospheric pressure; tests were also conducted at elevated pressure in a 2-in diameter high temperature high pressure reactor system. The lithium sorbent reacts rapidly with carbon dioxide in flue gas at 350-500 C to absorb about 10% of the sorbent weight, then continues to react at a lower rate. The sorbent can be essentially completely regenerated at temperatures above 600 C and reused. In atmospheric pressure tests with synthesis gas of 10% initial carbon dioxide content, the sorbent removed over …

Three test wells, PB-1, PB-2, and PB-3, were drilled at the Nopal I uranium deposit as part of a natural analogue study to evaluate radionuclide transport processes during March-April 2003. The initial pumping to condition the wells was completed during December 2003. The PB-1 well, drilled immediately adjacent to the Nopal I ore body, was continuously cored to a depth of 250 m, terminating 20 m below the top of the measured water level. The PB-2 and PB-3 wells, which were drilled on opposite sides of PB-1 at a radial distance of approximately 40 to 50 m outside of the remaining projected ore body, were also drilled to about 20 m below the top of the measured water level. Each test well was completed with 4-inch (10.2-cm) diameter PVC casing with a slotted liner below the water table. Initial conditioning of all three wells using a submersible pump at low pump rates [less than 1 gallon (3.8 1) per minute] resulted in measurable draw down and recoveries. The greatest drawdown ({approx}15 m) was observed in PB-2, whereas only minor (<1 m) drawdown occurred in PB-3. For PB-1 and PB-2, the water turbidity decreased as the wells were pumped and the …

This Corrective Action Decision Document/Closure Report has been prepared for Corrective Action Unit 554, Area 23 Release Site, located in Mercury at the Nevada Test Site, Nevada, in accordance with the ''Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order'' (1996). Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 554 is comprised of one corrective action site (CAS): (1) CAS 23-02-08, USTs 23-115-1, 2, 3/Spill 530-90-002. The purpose of this Corrective Action Decision Document/Closure Report is to provide justification and documentation supporting the recommendation for closure of CAU 554 with no further corrective action. To achieve this, corrective action investigation (CAI) activities were performed from January 18 through May 5, 2005, as set forth in the ''Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 554: Area 23 Release Site'' (NNSA/NSO, 2004) and Records of Technical Change No. 1 and No. 2. The purpose of the CAI was to fulfill the following data needs as defined during the data quality objective (DQO) process: (1) Determine whether contaminants of concern are present. (2) If contaminants of concern are present, determine their nature and extent. (3) Provide sufficient information and data to complete appropriate corrective actions. The CAU 554 dataset from the investigation results was evaluated based on the data …

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There are many carbonate reservoirs in US (and the world) with light oil and fracture pressure below its minimum miscibility pressure (or reservoir may be naturally fractured). Many carbonate reservoirs are naturally fractured. Waterflooding is effective in fractured reservoirs, if the formation is water-wet. Many fractured carbonate reservoirs, however, are mixed-wet and recoveries with conventional methods are low (less than 10%). Thermal and miscible tertiary recovery techniques are not effective in these reservoirs. Surfactant flooding (or huff-n-puff) is the only hope, yet it was developed for sandstone reservoirs in the past. The goal of this research is to evaluate dilute (hence relatively inexpensive) surfactant methods for carbonate formations and identify conditions under which they can be effective. Laboratory imbibition tests show that imbibition rate is not very sensitive to the surfactant concentration (in the range of 0.05-0.2 wt%) and small amounts of trapped gas saturation. It is however very sensitive to oil permeability and water-oil-ratio. Less than 0.5 M Na2CO3 is needed for in situ soap generation and low adsorption; NaCl can be added to reach the necessary total salinity. The simulation result matches the laboratory imbibition experimental data. Small fracture spacing and high permeability would be needed for high …

Project Objective: The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) conducted a study of the feasibility of siting a renewable energy biomass-based installation on tribal lands. The purpose of the study was to determine whether such an installation can be economically sustainable, as well as consistent with the cultural, social, and economic goals of the Tribe. Scope: To achieve the goal of the feasibility study, the following tasks were carried out: (1) Resource availability assessment--The objective of this assessment was to determine the availability of both poultry litter and wood residues for use in the proposed facility. (2) Power utilization assessment--The objective of this assessment was to determine the potential market size for power produced, the existing infrastructure for delivering power to that market, and the costs and economic returns for doing so. (3) Technology review--The objective of this review was to identify one, or more, technical options for detailed economic and technical assessment. The study considered a range of feedstock and product mixtures of poultry litter; wood residues as feedstock; and electrical power and other ancillary products as outputs. Distributed power sources was also examined. Technologies ranging from gasification to systems that produce both power and value-added chemicals were considered. …

The objective of this program is to develop a system to both monitor the vibration of a bottomhole assembly, and to adjust the properties of an active damper in response to these measured vibrations. Phase I of this program, which entailed modeling and design of the necessary subsystems and design, manufacture and test of a full laboratory prototype, was completed on May 31, 2004. The principal objectives of Phase II are: more extensive laboratory testing, including the evaluation of different feedback algorithms for control of the damper; design and manufacture of a field prototype system; and, testing of the field prototype in drilling laboratories and test wells. Work during this quarter centered on the rebuilding of the prototype using the improved valve design described in the last report. Most of the components have been received and assembly has begun. Testing is expected to resume in August. In April, a paper was presented at the American Association of Drilling Engineers National Technical Conference in Houston. The paper was well received, and several oilfield service and supply companies sent inquiries regarding commercial distribution of the system. These are currently being pursued, but none have yet been finalized.

Atomic structure calculations were performed for properties such as energy levels, binding energies, transition probabilities, lifetimes, hyperfine structure, and isotope shifts. Accurate computational procedures were devised so that properties could be predicted even when they could not be obtained from experiment, and to assist in the identification of observed data. The method used was the multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock (MCHF) method, optionally corrected for relativistic effects in the Breit-Pauli approximation. Fully relativistic Dirac-Fock calculations also were performed using the GRASP code A database of energy levels, lifetimes, and transition probabilities was designed and implemented and, at present, includes many results for Be-like to Ar-like.

In this paper, the proposed Yucca Mountain Repository is viewed from a corrosion perspective. A major component of the long-term strategy for safe disposal of nuclear waste at the Yucca Mountain Repository is first to completely isolate the radionuclides in the waste packages for long times and to greatly retard the egress and transport of radionuclides from penetrated packages. Therefore, long-lived waste packages are important. The corrosion resistance of the waste package outer canister is reviewed, and a framework for the analysis of localized corrosion processes is presented. An overview is presented of the Materials Performance targeted thrust of the U.S. Department of Energy/Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management's Office of Science and Technology and International. The thrust program strives for increased scientific understanding, enhanced process models and advanced technologies for corrosion control.

A unique process for deactivating residual sodium in Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) systems which uses humidified (but not saturated) carbon dioxide at ambient temperature and pressure to convert residual sodium into solid sodium bicarbonate.

This paper describes the implementation of a risk-based inspection program for process and utility steam lines in a large chemical process facility. The paper addresses first the development of an RBI matrix, the likelihood attributes, the consequence scores, and the overall risk in terms of personnel safety and costs. Systems are plotted on the RBI matrix to develop inspection priorities. The RBI ranking is followed by inspection planning, acceptance criteria, and wall thickness inspection techniques, including UT, pulsed eddy current and digital radiography.

This final technical report summarizes the results of the work done in this project. The main objective was to quantify rock microstructures and their effects in terms of elastic impedances in order to quantify the seismic signatures of microstructures. Acoustic microscopy and ultrasonic measurements were used to quantify microstructures and their effects on elastic impedances in sands and shales. The project led to the development of technologies for quantitatively interpreting rock microstructure images, understanding the effects of sorting, compaction and stratification in sediments, and linking elastic data with geologic models to estimate reservoir properties. For the public, ultimately, better technologies for reservoir characterization translates to better reservoir development, reduced risks, and hence reduced energy costs.

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