Biennial report of the Texas Council on Offenders with Mental Impairments describing goals, activities, and accomplishments.

Clean Coal Technology (CCT) implies the use of coal in an environmentally acceptable manner. Coal combustion results in the emission of oxides of nitrogen (NO[sub x]), which are precursors of both acid rain and ozone formation. The primary objective of this CCT project is to evaluate the use of Gas Reburning and Low NO[sub x] Burners (GR-LNB) for SO[sub x] emission control from a wall fired boiler. It is anticipated that, if the demonstration is successful, the GR-LNB technology could become commercialized during the 1990's and will be capable of (1) achieving significant reduction in the emissions of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide (another acid rain precursor) from existing facilities to minimize environmental impacts such as transboundary and interstate pollution and/or (2) providing for future energy needs in an environmentally acceptable manner. Low NO[sub x] burners are designed to delay the mixing of the coal fuel with combustion air to minimize the NO[sub x] formation. Typically, one may obtain up to 50% reduction in NO[sub x] emissions through the use of LNB. For LNB applications, the technology is developed and a number of LNB designs are commercially available. With GR, about 80--85 percent of the coal fuel is fired in …

On the base program, testing was completed at the Tampa Electric Big Bend Station in November, 1992. The upgrade option tested was DBA additive. Project efforts primarily consisted of project management activities and reporting. Review comments were received for the draft Technical Note that was submitted last quarter. A paper was prepared summarizing results from this site for presentation at the 1993 SO{sub 2} Control Symposium which is planned for August. For Option 1, at the Hoosier Energy Merom Station, results from another program co-funded by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association are being combined with results from DOE-funded testing. Three upgrade options have been tested: DBA additive, sodium formate additive, and high pH set point operation. All testing was completed by November, 1992. Project efforts during the current quarter were primarily in data reduction and reporting. The draft Technical Note for the Merom site was submitted in early April, and review comments were received in late May and early June. Option 2 involves testing at the Southwestern Electric Power Company Pirkey Station. For this option, baseline testing was conducted in February. The upgrade option scheduled to be tested at this site was …

Given the requirements analysis completed during the last reporting period, the principal objective for this quarter was to clarify the modeling concepts and specific designs. The product of this work would be concept papers for each model component, including descriptions of data required, analysis method selected, and process and component output descriptions. Components for upstream modeling would include known reservoir database, resource characterization, exploration, reservoir development, reservoir modeling, technology modeling and economic modeling. Accomplishments for the past quarter are summarized.

Shrinkage of cement paste is controlled by a number of mechanisms that operate in various parts of the microstructure and at various length scales. A model for creep and shrinkage can be developed by combining several models that describe phenomena at each of several length scales, ranging from the nanometer to the meter. This model is described and preliminary results are discussed.

As part of this involvement Solar intends to design and commercialize a unique gas turbine system that promises high cycle efficiencies and low exhaust emissions. This engine of approximately 12-MW will be targeted for the dispersed power markets both urban and rural. Goals of 50% thermal efficiency and 8 parts-per-million by volume (ppmv) nitrogen oxide emissions were established. Reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) will continue to be the most important factors in the competitive marketplace. The other major goal adopted was one of reducing the cost of power produced by 10%. This reduction is based on the cost of power (COP) associated with today`s engines that lie in the same horsepower range as that targeted in this study. An advanced cycle based on an approximation of the Ericsson Cycle was adopted after careful studies of a number of different cycles. This advanced intercooled, recuperated engine when fired at 2450{degree}F will be capable of meeting the 50% efficiency goal if the cooling air requirements do not exceed 7% of the total air flow rate. This latter qualification will probably dictate the use of ceramic parts for both the nozzle guide vanes and the turbine blades. Cooling of these parts will probably …

Startup problems are described briefly. Project was operational and performing close to specifications. The following are attached: equipment specifications, site installation specifications, and operation and maintenance instructions.

The effect in ambient air the tensile and fatigue behavior of an Fe{sub 3}Al, Cr type intermetallic alloy is examined as a function of test temperature. Hydrogen due to moisture in the air is found to be a major cause of embrittlement. Rates and mechanisms of observed embrittlement appear to be temperature dependent. In addition, the alloy was found to have no notch sensitivity.

Double beta decay of {sup 100}Mo (172g) is studied with the NEMO 2 detector in the Frejus Underground Laboratory. The experiment has now accumulated 2485 hours of data taking. A clear signal of 380 events for 2{beta}2{nu} decay has been obtained corresponding to a half-life of T{sub {1/2}} = 1.0 {plus_minus} 0.08 (syst.) 10{sup 19} y. Limits are presented for 2{beta}(0{nu}, {chi}), 2{beta}0{nu} (ground state and excited states 2{sub 1}{sup +} and 0{sub 1}{sup +}). The experiment will run til October 1993.

Two operational polynomials are demonstrated for the four-point rectangle with center point. The equations are exact on the points and the surfaces they describe ordinarily fit known monotonic surfaces better tan the standard five-point equation, as judged by the L{sub 2} norm test. Equations for fitting the five-point rectangle by sines and cosines are presented.

The Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX) will be the first Tokamak using superconducting magnets for both the poloidal and toroidal field. It is designed for advanced Tokamak physics experiments in steady-state and long-pulse operation. The TPX superconducting magnets use an advanced cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC) design similar to that developed in support of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The toroidal field magnets provide 4.0 T at 2.25 m with a stored energy of 1.05 GJ. The poloidal field magnets provide 18.0 V-s to ohmically start and control long burns of a 2.0 MA plasma.

The purpose of this study is to identify the types and amounts of volatile gaseous species of U, Pu, and Am that are produced in the combustion chamber offgases of mixed waste oxidation processors. Primary emphasis is on the Rocky Flats Plant Fluidized Bed Incinerator. Transpiration experiments have been carried out on U{sub 3}O{sub 8}(s), U{sub 3}O{sub 8} interacted with various ash materials, PuO{sub 2}(s), PuO{sub 2} interacted with ash materials, and a 3%PuO{sub 2}/0.06%AmO{sub 2}/ash material, all in the presence of steam and oxygen, and at temperatures in the vicinity of 1,300 K. UO{sub 3}(g) and UO{sub 2}(OH){sub 2}(g) have been identified as the uranium volatile species and thermodynamic data established for them. Pu and Am are found to have very low volatilities, and carryover of Pu and Am as fine dust particulates is found to dominate over vapor transport. The authors are able to set upper limits on Pu and Am volatilities. Very little lowering of U volatility is found for U{sub 3}O{sub 8} interacted with typical ashes. However, ashes high in Na{sub 2}O (6.4 wt %) or in CaO (25 wt %) showed about an order of magnitude reduction in U volatility. Thermodynamic modeling studies were carried …

The demands for structural systems to perform reliably under severe temperatures and load conditions continue to increase. These demands will continue with the development of advanced power generation methods, for aging nuclear and fossil fueled power plants, and for future aerospace applications. An understanding of the high-temperature creep crack growth process, which is a frequent failure mechanism in these structures, is important. Many investigations which have appeared to date are concerned with creep crack growth which occurs under a constant load and temperature. However, most structural components experience complicated load histories. The history of degradation and damage which accumulates at the crack tip is greatly influenced by these transients. This program aims at gaining an understanding of the history dependent high temperature failure process through a combined experimental and analytical effort. The development of a useful predictive methodology for characterizing this process is being undertaken.

The objective of this project is to evaluate and demonstrate a cost effective emission control technology for acid rain precursors, oxides of nitrogen (NO{sub x}) and sulfur (SO{sub x}), on two coal fired utility boilers in Illinois. The units selected are representative of pre-NSPS design practices: tangential and cyclone fired. The specific objectives are to demonstrate reductions of 60 percent in NO{sub x} and 50 percent in SO{sub x} emissions, by a combination of two developed technologies, gas reburning (GR) and sorbent injection (SI). With GR, about 80--85 percent of the coal fuel is fired in the primary combustion zone. The balance of the fuel is added downstream as natural gas to create a slightly fuel rich environment in which NO{sub x} is converted to N{sub 2}. The combustion process is completed by overfire air addition. SO{sub x} emissions are reduced by injecting dry sorbents (usually calcium based) into the upper furnace. The sorbents trap SO{sub x} as solid sulfates that are collected in the particulate control device. This project is conducted in three phases. Phases I and II have been completed and Phase III is now in progress at both sites. In phase AIII at Hennepin -- Testing, Data …

The purpose of this Site-Specific Plan (SSP) is to describe past, present, and future activities undertaken to implement Environmental Restoration and Waste Management goals at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS). The SSP is presented in sections emphasizing Environmental Restoration description of activities, resources, and milestones.

This report discusses aluminum honeycomb spacers, which are used as an energy absorbent material in shipping packages for off site shipment of radioactive materials and which were ordered in two crush strengths, 1,000 psi and 2,000 psi for use in drop tests requested by the Packaging and Transportation group as part of the shipping container rectification process. Both the group as part of the shipping container rectification process. Both the vendor and the SRTC Materials Laboratory performed crush strength measurements on test samples made from the material used to fabricate the actual spacers. The measurements of crush strength made in the SRTC Materials Laboratory are within 100 psi of the measurements made by the manufacturer for all samples tested and all test measurements are within 10% of the specified crush strength, which is acceptable to the P&T group for the planned tests.

This report describes the method of Allan variance and its application to the characterization of a Ring Laser Gyro`s (RLG) performance. Allan variance, a time domain analysis technique, is an accepted IEEE standard for gyro specifications. The method was initially developed by David Allan of the National Bureau of Standards to quantify the error statistics of a Cesium beam frequency standard employed as the US Frequency Standards in 1960`s. The method can, in general, be applied to analyze the error characteristics of any precision measurement instrument. The key attribute of the method is that it allows for a finer, easier characterization and identification of error sources and their contribution to the overall noise statistics. This report presents an overview of the method, explains the relationship between Allan variance and power spectral density distribution of underlying noise sources, describes the batch and recursive implementation approaches, validates the Allan variance computation with a simulation model, and illustrates the Allan variance method using data collected from several Honeywell LIMU units.

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is committed to achieving and maintaining environmental regulatory compliance while responding to public concerns and emphasizing waste minimization. DOE publishes the Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Five-Year Plan (FYP) annually to document its progress towards these goals. The purpose of this Site-Specific Plan (SSP) is to describe the activities undertaken to implement the FYP goals at the DOE Oak Ridge Field Office (DOE/OR) installations and programs specifically for the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) and surrounding areas. This SSP addresses activities and goals to be accomplished during FY93 even through the FYP focuses on FY94.

The role of aggregate, and its interface with cement paste, is discussed with a view toward establishing models that relate structure to properties. Both short (nm) and long (mm) range structure must be considered. The short range structure of the interface depends not only on the physical distribution of the various phases, but also on moisture content and reactivity of aggregate. Changes that occur on drying, i.e. shrinkage, may alter the structure which, in turn, feeds back to alter further drying and shrinkage. The interaction is dynamic, even without further hydration of cement paste, and the dynamic characteristic must be considered in order to fully understand and model its contribution to properties. Microstructure and properties are two subjects which have been pursued somewhat separately. This review discusses both disciplines with a view toward finding common research goals in the future. Finally, comment is made on possible chemical reactions which may occur between aggregate and cement paste.

This is the first year in the proposed three-year effort to develop high-resolution numerical methods for multi-phase flow in hierarchical porous media. The issues being addressed in this research are: Computational efficiency: Field-scale simulation of enhanced oil recovery, whether for energy production or aquifer remediation, is typically highly under-resolved. This is because rock transport properties vary on many scales, and because current numerical methods have low resolution. Effective media properties: Since porous media are formed through complex geologic processes, they involve significant uncertainty and scale-dependence. Given this uncertainty, knowledge of ensemble averages of flow in porous media can be preferable to knowledge of flow in specific realizations of the reservoir. However, current models of effective properties do not represent the observed behavior very well. Relative permeability models present a good example of this problem. In practice, these models seldom provide realistic representations of hysteresis, interfacial tension effects or three-phase flow; there are no models that represent well all three effects simultaneously. Wave propagation: It is common in the petroleum industry to assume that the models have the same well-posedness properties as the physical system. An example of this fallacy is given by the three-phase relative permeability models; they were widely …

The Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX) concept design uses superconducting coils to accomplish magnetic confinement. The central solenoid (CS) magnet is divided vertically into 8 equal segments which are powered independently. The eddy current heating from the pulsed operation is too high for a case type construction; therefore, a {open_quotes}no case{close_quotes} design has been chosen. This {open_quotes}no case{close_quotes} design uses the conductor conduit as the primary structure and the electrical insulation as a structural adhesive. This electrical insulation is the {open_quotes}weak link{close_quotes} in the coil winding pack structure and needs to be modeled in detail. A global finite element model with smeared winding pack properties was used to study the CS magnet structural behavior. The structural analysis results and peak stresses will be presented.

Goal is development and demonstration of a mobile, field laboratory system for meeting DOE needs for rapid, accurate analysis of hazardous and radioactive contaminants in soil, ground water, and surface waters. Work during this period was carried out on tasks 1 and 2: information required for NEPA, and performance requirements.

The Fusion Engineering International experiment (FENIX) Test Facility has been operational since 1991 at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for testing the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) prototype conductors. These conductors are designed to operate stably with transport current of more than 40 kA at a magnetic field of 13 T. The FENIX facility consists of four magnet sets that are configured to allow easy access to the 40-cm high-field region with a test cross-section area of 10 * 15 cm{sup 2}. FENIX provides test conditions that closely simulate the ITER magnet operation mode. Performed experiments Include measurements of critical current, current-sharing temperature, forced-flow properties, stability, joint performance and cyclic fatigue effects. This paper describes the design and performance of these experiments.

The signal and background for the search of the Standard Model Higgs boson in the intermediate mass range 80 GeV < m{sub H} < 2M{sub Z} is studied based on calculations of the cross sections in next-to-leading order QCD perturbation theory for the production of the Higgs boson via gluon-gluon fusion and for the hadronic two-photon production. The method of Monte-Carlo integration allows the application of realistic cuts (p{sub T}, rapidity, photon isolation) to the cross section. Results are given for the K-factors of the signal and the background. It turns out that the NLO corrections improve the situation for a Higgs boson mass in the range of 80--120 GeV. Furthermore, the influence of a cut on the transverse momentum of the additional jet produced in the processes gg {yields} Hg, gq {yields} Hq, q{bar q} {yields} Hg is compared to a similar cut for the background.