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We have conducted a fretting research project using MIL-L-87177 and CLT: X-10 lubricants on Nano-miniature connectors. When they were fretted without lubricant, individual connectors first exceeded our 0.5 ohm failure criteria from 2,341 to 45,238 fretting cycles. With additional fretting, their contact resistance increased to more than 100,000 ohms. Unmodified MIL-L-87177 lubricant delayed the onset of first failure to between 430,000 and over 20,000,000 fretting cycles. MIL-L-87177 modified by addition of Teflon powder delayed first failure to beyond 5 million fretting cycles. Best results were obtained when Teflon was used and also when both the straight and modified lubricants were poured into and then out of the connector. CLT: X-10 lubricant delayed the onset of first failure to beyond 55 million cycles in one test where a failure was actually observed and to beyond 20 million cycles in another that was terminated without failure. CLT: X-10 recovered an unlubricated connector driven deeply into failure, with six failed pins recovering immediately and four more recovering during an additional 420 thousand fretting cycles. MIL-L-87177 was not able to recover a connector under similar conditions.

A program has been completed to assess, renovate and document tank farm field equipment year 2000 compliance. A communication plan has also been prepared (see section 8.0). The objective of the program was to assure that no adverse effects occur in tank farm operations as a result of equipment malfunction due to the advent of year 2000. The purposes of this document are to: describe the process used to assess field equipment; document items found to be compliant; document items found to be non-compliant including options for making the equipment year 2000 functional and/or tolerant; describe location and management of field equipment year 2000 documentation; assess overall vulnerability of TWRS field equipment with regard to year 2000 problems and describe plans to communicate year 2000 equipment review results and corrective actions.

The purpose of this document is to describe the standard electronic format for data files that will be sent for entry into the Tank Characterization Database (TCD). There are 2 different file types needed for each data load: Analytical Results; and Sample Descriptions. The first record of each file must be a header record. The content of the first 5 fields is ignored. They were used previously to satisfy historic requirements that are no longer applicable. The sixth field of the header record must contain the Standard Electronic Format (SEF) version ID (SEF3.0). The remaining records will be formatted as specified below. Fields within a record will be separated using the ''|'' symbol. The ''|''symbol must not appear anywhere in the file except when used as a delimiter.

Two scenarios were examined for small-scale electricity production from biomass using a gasifier/fuel cell system. In one case, a stand-alone BCL/FERC gasifier is used to produce synthesis gas that is reformed and distributed through a pipeline network to individual phosphoric acid fuel cells. In the second design, the gasifier is integrated with a molten carbonate fuel cell stack and a steam bottoming cycle. In both cases, the gasifiers are fed the same amount of material, with the integrated system producing 4 MW of electricity, and the stand-alone design generating 2 MW of electricity.

Using dry fuel provides significant benefits to combustion boilers, mainly increased boiler efficiency, lower air emissions, and improved boiler operation. The three main choices for drying biomass are rotary dryers, flash dryers, and superheated steam dryers. Which dryer is chosen for a particular application depends very much on the material characteristics of the biomass, the opportunities for integrating the process and dryer, and the environmental controls needed or already available.

The design of an adaptive wavefront control system for a high-power Nd:Glass laser will be presented. Features of this system include: an unstable resonator in confocal configuration, a multi-module slab amplifier, and real-time intracavity adaptive phase control using deformable mirrors and high-speed wavefront sensors. Experimental results demonstrate the adaptive correction of an aberrated passive resonator (no gain).

Many applications produce three-dimensional points that must be further processed to generate a surface. Surface reconstruction algorithms that start with a set of unorganized points are extremely time-consuming. Sometimes, however, points are generated such that there is additional information available to the reconstruction algorithm. We present Spiraling Edge, a specialized algorithm for surface reconstruction that is three orders of magnitude faster than algorithms for the general case. In addition to sample point locations, our algorithm starts with normal information and knowledge of each point's neighbors. Our algorithm produces a localized approximation to the surface by creating a star-shaped triangulation between a point and a subset of its nearest neighbors. This surface patch is extended by locally triangulating each of the points along the edge of the patch. As each edge point is triangulated, it is removed from the edge and new edge points along the patch's edge are inserted in its place. The updated edge spirals out over the surface until the edge encounters a surface boundary and stops growing in that direction, or until the edge reduces to a small hole that is filled by the final triangle.

Visualization systems are complex dynamic software systems. Debugging such systems is difficult using conventional debuggers because the programmer must try to imagine the three-dimensional geometry based on a list of positions and attributes. In addition, the programmer must be able to mentally animate changes in those positions and attributes to grasp dynamic behaviors within the algorithm. In this paper we shall show that representing geometry, attributes, and relationships graphically permits visual pattern recognition skills to be applied to the debugging problem. The particular application is a particle system used for isosurface extraction from volumetric data. Coloring particles based on individual attributes is especially helpful when these colorings are viewed as animations over successive iterations in the program. Although we describe a particular application, the types of tools that we discuss can be applied to a variety of problems.

An understanding of activity-composition (a/X) relations and phase equilibria for halite-bearing, mixed-species supercritical fluids is critically important in many geological and industrial applications. The authors have performed experiments on the a/X relations and phase equilibria of H{sub 2}O-CO{sub 2}-NaCl fluids at 5OO C, 500 bars, to obtain highly accurate and precise data for this ternary system. H{sub 2}O-CO{sub 2}-NaCl samples were reacted at a (H{sub 2}O) = 0.350, 0.425, 0.437, 0.448, 0.560, 0.606, 0.678, 0.798, and 0.841. Results indicate that fluids with these activities lie in the vapor-NaCl two-phase region, and that a fluid with the last value has a composition close to the three-phase (vapor + brine + halite) field. Data from these experiments and NaCl solubility runs also suggest that the vapor comer of the three-phase field lies near X(H{sub 2}O) = 0.760, X(NaCl) = 0.065, which is a significantly more water-rich composition than suggested by the model of [1].

In this study, the disposal of radium-bearing NORM wastes in nonhazardous landfills in accordance with the MDEQ guidelines was modeled to evaluate potential radiological doses and resultant health risks to workers and the general public. In addition, the study included an evaluation of the potential doses and health risks associated with disposing of a separate NORM waste stream generated by the petroleum industry--wastes containing lead-210 (Pb-210) and its progeny. Both NORM waste streams are characterized in Section 3 of this report. The study also included reviews of (1) the regulatory constraints applicable to the disposal of NORM in nonhazardous landfills in several major oil and gas producing states (Section 2) and (2) the typical costs associated with disposing of NORM, covering disposal options currently permitted by most state regulations as well as the nonhazardous landfill option (Section 4).

The precise pore sizes defined by crystalline zeolite lattices have led to intensive research on zeolite membranes. Unfortunately zeolites have proven to be extremely difficult to prepare in a defect-free thin film form needed for membrane flux and selectivity. We introduce tetrapropylammonium (TPA), a structure-directing agent for zeolite ZSM-5, into a silica sol and exploit the development of high solvation stresses to create templated amorphous silicas with pore apertures comparable in size to those of ZSM-5. Silicon and carbon NMR experiments were performed to evaluate the efficacy of our templating approach. The {sup 29}Si NMR spectrum of the silica matrix was observed by an intermolecular cross-polarization experiment involving the {sup 1}H nuclei of TPA and the {sup 29}Si nuclei in the silica matrix. The efficiency of the cross-polarization interaction was used to investigate the degree to which the matrix formed a tight cage surrounding the template molecule. Bulk xerogels, prepared by gelation and slow drying of the corresponding sols, exhibited only weak interactions between the two sets of nuclei. Thin film xerogels, where drying stresses are greater, exhibited significantly increased interactions. Intramolecular cross-polarization experiments between the {sup 1}H and {sup 13}C nuclei of the template molecule demonstrated that much of …

The thermal oxidative aging of a crosslinked hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB)/isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) based polyurethane rubber, used as a polymeric binder in solid propellant grain, was investigated at temperatures from 25 C to 125 C. The changes in tensile elongation, polymer network properties and chain dynamics, mechanical hardening and density were determined with a range of techniques including modulus profiling, solvent swelling, NMR relaxation and O{sub 2} permeability measurements. We critically evaluated the Arrhenius methodology that is commonly used with a linear extrapolation of high temperature aging data using extensive data superposition and highly sensitive oxygen consumption experiments. The effects of other constituents in the propellant formulation on aging were also investigated. We conclude that crosslinking is the dominant process at higher temperatures and that the degradation involves only limited hardening in the bulk of the material. Significant curvature in the Arrhenius diagram of the oxidation rates was observed. This is similar to results for other rubber materials.

The Technique for Human Error Analysis (ATHEANA) is a newly developed human reliability analysis (HRA) methodology that aims to facilitate better representation and integration of human performance into probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) modeling and quantification by analyzing risk-significant operating experience in the context of existing behavioral science models. The fundamental premise of ATHEANA is that error forcing contexts (EFCs), which refer to combinations of equipment/material conditions and performance shaping factors (PSFs), set up or create the conditions under which unsafe actions (UAs) can occur. Because ATHEANA relies heavily on the analysis of operational events that have already occurred as a mechanism for generating creative thinking about possible EFCs, a database (db) of analytical operational events, called the Human Events Reference for ATHEANA (HERA), has been developed to support the methodology. This report documents the initial development efforts for HERA.

This calculation has been prepared to document the volume of sludge removed from tank 241-C-106 during Waste Retrieval Sluicing System (WRSS) Sluicing Campaign No.1. This calculation will be updated, if necessary, to incorporate new data. This calculation supports the declaration of completion of WRSS Campaign No.1 and, as such, is also the documentation for completion of Performance Agreement TWR 1.2.1 C-106 Sluicing Performance Expectations. It documents the performance of all the appropriate tank 241-C-106 mass transfer verifications, evaluations, and appropriate adjustments discussed in HNF-SD-WM-PROC-021, Chapter 23, ''Process Engineering Calculations for Tank 241-C-106 Sluicing and Retrieval''.

This document is the format IV, final report for the tank 241-AP-107 (AP-107) grab samples taken in May 1999 to address waste compatibility concerns. Chemical, radiochemical, and physical analyses on the tank AP-107 samples were performed as directed in Compatibility Grab Sampling and Analysis Plan for Fiscal year 1999. Any deviations from the instructions provided in the tank sampling and analysis plan (TSAP) were discussed in this narrative. Interim data were provided earlier to River Protection Project (RPP) personnel, however, the data presented here represent the official results. No notification limits were exceeded.

Preliminary high power tests have been performed on a folded waveguide (FWG) ICRF launcher with a curved coupling faceplate installed. Two alternative faceplate configurations have been built and tested at low power and will be tested at high power in the near future. The new designs include a dipole plate which provides a 0-<font face="symbol">p</font> launch spectrum and a more transparent, flexible monopole face plate configuration. This FWG design is a 12 vane, 57 MHz design with a 0.31 m square cross section. The FWG can be installed with either fast wave or ion-Bernstein wave polarization and can also be retracted behind a vacuum isolation valve. A 1 x 4 FWG array optimized for fast wave current drive on DIII-D has been conceptualized.

The first flight test of the variable specific impulse magnetoplasma rocket (VASIMR) is tentatively scheduled for the Radiation and Technology Demonstration (RTD) in 2003. This mission to map the radiation environment out to several earth radii will employ both a Hall thruster and a VASIMR during its six months duration, beginning from low earth orbit. The mission will be powered by a solar array providing 12 kW of direct current electricity at 50 V. The VASIMR utilizes radiofrequency (RF) power both to generate a high-density plasma in a helicon source and to accelerate the plasma ions to high velocity by ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH). The VASIMR concept is being developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in collaboration with national laboratories and universities. Prototype plasma sources, RF amplifiers, and antennas are being developed in the experimental facilities of the Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory (ASPL).

Assertions by the Russian military that all of their nuclear weapons are secure against theft and that nuclear units within the military are somehow insulated from the problems plaguing the Russian military should not be accepted uncritically. Accordingly, we should not give unwarranted credence to the pronouncements of military figures like Cal.-Gen. Igor Valynkin, Chief of the Defense Ministry's 12th Main Directorate, which oversees the country's nuclear arsenal. He contends that ''Russian nuclear weapons are under reliable supervision'' and that ''talk about the unreliability of our control over nuclear weapons has only one pragmatic goal--to convince international society that the country is incapable of maintaining nuclear safety and to introduce international oversight over those weapons, as it is done, for example, in Iraq.'' While the comparison to Iraq is preposterous, many analysts might agree with Valynkin's sanguine appraisal of the security of Russia's nuclear weapons. In contrast, I argue that the numerous difficulties confronting the military as a whole should cause concern in the West over the security of the Russian nuclear arsenal.

By reviewing how microorganisms interact with actinides in subsurface environments, we assess how bioremediation controls the fate of actinides. Actinides often are co-contaminants with strong organic chelators, chlorinated solvents, and fuel hydrocarbons. Bioremediation can immobilize the actinides, biodegrade the co-contaminants, or both. Actinides at the IV oxidation state are the least soluble, and microorganisms accelerate precipitation by altering the actinide's oxidation state or its speciation. We describe how microorganisms directly oxidize or reduce actinides and how microbiological reactions that biodegrade strong organic chelators, alter the pH, and consume or produce precipitating anions strongly affect actinide speciation and, therefore, mobility. We explain why inhibition caused by chemical or radiolytic toxicities uniquely affects microbial reactions. Due to the complex interactions of the microbiological and chemical phenomena, mathematical modeling is an essential tool for research on and application of bioremediation involving co-contamination with actinides. We describe the development of mathematical models that link microbiological and geochemical reactions. Throughout, we identify the key research needs.

In many future collider and FEL designs intense, short bunches are accelerated in a linear accelerator. For example, in parts of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) a bunch with a peak current of 3.4 kA and an rms length of 30 microns will be accelerated in the SLAC linac. In such machines, in order to predict the beam quality at the end of acceleration it is essential to know the short range wakefields or, equivalently, the high frequency impedance of the accelerating structure. R. Gluckstern [1] has derived the longitudinal, high-frequency impedance of a periodic structure, a solution which is valid for a structure with a small gap-to-period ratio. We use his approach to derive a more general result, one that is not limited to small gaps. In addition, we compare our results with numerical results obtained using a field matching computer program.

In the Next Linear Collider (NLC)[1], long trains of short, intense bunches are accelerated through the linac on their way to the collision point. One serious problem that needs to be addressed is the multi-bunch, beam break-up instability in the linac. To counteract this instability the accelerating structures are designed so that the dipole mode wakefields are detuned and weakly damped. Detuning is accomplished by gradually varying the dimensions of the 206 cavity cells in each structure, and weak damping by surrounding the structure with four manifolds, which allow the dipole modes to weakly couple out of the cells. In order to design and predict the performance of such a structure in the NLC, it is necessary to be able to calculate accurately the strength of its long-range wakefields. NLC detuned structures were designed first using an equivalent circuit approach, for example, the double band model of Ref. [2]. With the introduction of weak damping, a more elaborate equivalent circuit approach was required[3]. Other methods that have been used for detuned structures are the open-mode, field expansion method[4], and a finite element calculation employing 206 parallel processors[5]. A scattering matrix method can also be applied to cavities that consist of …

This paper presents the methods and results of a research project for predicting contaminated sediment transport from Oak Ridge Reservation to offside under potential extreme flood conditions. A computer model, Hydrologic Simulation Program--FORTRANE (HSPF), was calibrated and validated for White Oak Creek watershed using a five-year data. The model was then used to quantify the effects of a potential 100-year flood event in terms of the sediment transport and {sup 137}Cs movement. Results from computer simulation showed that during a 100-year flood event the watershed and channel bed became the major sources of the {sup 137}Cs. A 100-year flood event may result in 3.2 Ci of the total annual release of {sup 137}Cs which is six times of the averaged annual release observed during a five-year time period.

The use of unattended monitoring systems for monitoring the status of high value assets and processes has proven to be less costly and less intrusive than the on-site inspections which they are intended to replace. However, these systems present a classic information overload problem to anyone trying to analyze the resulting sensor data. These data are typically so voluminous and contain information at such a low level that the significance of any single reading (e.g., a door open event) is not obvious. Sophisticated, automated techniques are needed to extract expected patterns in the data and isolate and characterize the remaining patterns that are due to undeclared activities. This paper describes a data analysis engine that runs a state machine model of each facility and its sensor suite. It analyzes the raw sensor data, converting and combining the inputs from many sensors into operator domain level information. It compares the resulting activities against a set of activities declared by an inspector or operator, and then presents the differences in a form comprehensible to an inspector. Although the current analysis engine was written with international nuclear material safeguards, nonproliferation, and transparency in mind, since there is no information about any particular facility …