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A laser flash photolysis kinetic study of a W(CO){sub 5} intermediate reacting with several different substituted 2,2{prime}-bipyridine ligands at pressures up to 150 MPa in liquid toluene has confirmed the considerable influence of steric hindrance on the mechanism of a thermal ring closure reaction. A similar laser flash photolysis kinetic study has been carried out with Mo(CO){sub 6} and several bidentate ligands resembling 2,2{prime}-bipyridine dissolved in supercritical carbon dioxide. A much larger negative activation volume is found in supercritical carbon dioxide than observed previously with this solute system dissolved in liquid toluene. Rate of replacement of one polydentate ligand by another stronger chelating agent in the first coordination sphere of aqueous gadolinium(III) ion was measured over a range of pressures and other variables using a stopped-flow spectrophotometer. Two consecutive first order reaction steps are observed that show acid-catalysis.

Using first-principles electronic structure calculations based on the Linear-Muffin-Tin Orbital (LMTO) method, we have investigated the effects of interstitial born and hydrogen on the electronic structure of the Ll{sub 2} ordered intermetallic Ni{sub 3}Al. When it occupies an octahedral interstitial site entirely coordinated by six Ni atoms, we find that boron enhances the charge distribution found in the strongly-bound ``pure`` Ni{sub 3}Al crystal: Charge is depleted at Ni and Al region. Substitution Al atoms for two of the Ni atoms coordinating the boron, however, reduces the interstitial charge density between atomic planes. In contrast to boron, hydrogen appears to deplete the interstitial charge, even when fully coordinated by Ni atoms. We suggest that these results are broadly consistent with the notion of boron as a cohesion enhancer and hydrogen as an embrittler.

This paper describes ductile-phase roughening in V-V{sub 3}Si in-situ composites produced by conventional arc melting (AM), cold-crucible induction melting (IM), and cold-crucible directional solidification (DS). Notched three-point bending tests were performed to determine the effects of synthesis method on the room temperature fracture toughness of eutectic compositions, which contain nearly equal volume fractions of V{sub 3}Si and the V(Si) solid solution phase. Fracture toughness values ranged from 10 MPa{radical}m for the AM eutectic to over 20 MPa{radical}4m for the IM and DS eutectic alloys. SEM fractography, surface profiling, and chemical analyses were performed to correlate the toughness values with the microstructures and interstitial concentrations produced by the three synthesis methods.

This report presents field results and raw data from the Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration (BWID) Arc Melter Vitrification Project Phase 1 baseline test series conducted by the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM). The baseline test series was conducted using the electric arc melter facility at the USBM Albany Research Center in Albany, Oregon. Five different surrogate waste feed mixtures were tested that simulated thermally-oxidized, buried, TRU-contaminated, mixed wastes and soils present at the INEL. The USBM Arc Furnace Integrated Waste Processing Test Facility includes a continuous feed system, the arc melting furnace, an offgas control system, and utilities. The melter is a sealed, 3-phase alternating current (ac) furnace approximately 2 m high and 1.3 m wide. The furnace has a capacity of 1 metric ton of steel and can process as much as 1,500 lb/h of soil-type waste materials. The surrogate feed materials included five mixtures designed to simulate incinerated TRU-contaminated buried waste materials mixed with INEL soil. Process samples, melter system operations data and offgas composition data were obtained during the baseline tests to evaluate the melter performance and meet test objectives. Samples and data gathered during this program included …

A numerical model, TOUGH2, was selected for describing liquid- and gas-phase flow in the unsaturated tuff underlying the TA-73 landfill. The model was selected primarily for its ability to simulate the significant mechanisms that may affect transport of contaminants through the vadose zone at the TA-73 landfill, including non-isothermal flow through fractured media. TOUGH2 is the best documented, verified, and validated model capable of performing the required simulations. The sensitivity analyses that were performed and describes in this report identified the input parameters that the selected numerical model is most sensitive to. The input parameters analyzed were saturated hydraulic conductivity, van Genuchten {alpha} and n, residual and saturated moisture contents, infiltration rate, fracture spacing and permeability, atmospheric pressure, and temperature. The sensitivity analyses were performed using a model grid that was designed to incorporate the regions in the landfill vicinity where contaminant transport is likely to occur and where the physical processes affecting flow and transport are the most dynamic. The sensitivity analyses performed suggest that the model is quite sensitive to a number of input parameters, including saturated hydraulic conductivity, the van Genuchten parameters {alpha} and n (for both the tuff matrix and fractures), fracture density and aperture, and …

This report presents field results and raw data from the Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration (BWID) Arc Melter Vitrification Project Phase 1 baseline test series conducted by the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM). The baseline test series was conducted using the electric arc melter facility at the USBM Albany Research Center in Albany, Oregon. Five different surrogate waste feed mixtures were tested that simulated thermally-oxidized, buried, TRU-contaminated, mixed wastes and soils present at the INEL. The USBM Arc Furnace Integrated Waste Processing Test Facility includes a continuous feed system, the arc melting furnace, an offgas control system, and utilities. The melter is a sealed, 3-phase alternating current (ac) furnace approximately 2 m high and 1.3 m wide. The furnace has a capacity of 1 metric ton of steel and can process as much as 1,500 lb/h of soil-type waste materials. The surrogate feed materials included five mixtures designed to simulate incinerated TRU-contaminated buried waste materials mixed with INEL soil. Process samples, melter system operations data and offgas composition data were obtained during the baseline tests to evaluate the melter performance and meet test objectives. Samples and data gathered during this program included …

This paper addresses a new value engineering approach successfully being used at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in the design process of major construction projects. Of particular interest is how value engineers are applying the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), utilizing value engineering techniques. Discussed are the associated problems with how major construction projects were previously planned, designed, value engineered, and then redesigned. Benefits of applying value engineering techniques early-on in the design process, far ahead of the traditional time for VE execution, is examined. The author provides a pro-con analysis of the benefits of early-on value engineering effort, and uses data gathered from several value engineering studies to support the conclusions of this paper.