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The purpose of this effort was to develop an improved understanding of the relationship between the structure and frictional behavior of materials in the disc brake/rotor interface with a view toward improving the performance of automotive disc brakes. The three tasks involved in this Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) were as follows: Task 1. Investigation of Brake Pads and Rotors. Characterize surface features of worn brake pads and rotors, with special attention to the transfer film which forms on them during operation. Ford to supply specimens for examination and other supporting information. Task 2. Effects of Atmosphere and Repeated Applications on Brake Material Friction. Conduct pin-on-disk friction tests at ORNL under controlled moisture levels to determine effects of relative humidity on frictional behavior of brake pad and rotor materials. Conduct limited tests on the characteristics of friction under application of repeated contacts. Task 3. Comparison of Dynamometer Tests with Laboratory Friction Tests. Compare ORNL friction data with Ford dynamometer test data to establish the degree to which the simple bench tests can be useful in helping to understand frictional behavior in full-scale brake component tests. This final report summarizes work performed under this CRADA.

Modern theory is being used to accelerate the development of new high performance explosive molecules. Combining quantum chemistry calculations with synthesis of promising candidate molecules may enable the advance of the state of the art in this field by more than 50 years. We have established a high explosive performance prediction code by linking the thermochemical code CHEETAH with the ab initio electronic structure code GAUSSIAN and the molecular packing code MOLPAK. GAUSSIAN is first used to determine the shape of the molecule and its binding energy; the molecules are then packed together into a low energy configuration by MOLPAK. Finally, CHEETAH is used to transform the crystal energy and density into explosive performance measures such as detonation velocity, pressure, and energy. Over 70 target molecules have been created, and several of these show promise in combining performance, chemical stability, and ease of synthesis.

The Refrigerant Database is an information system on alternative refrigerants, associated lubricants, and their use in air conditioning and refrigeration. It consolidates and facilitates access to property, compatibility, environmental, safety, application and other information. It provides corresponding information on older refrigerants, to assist manufacturers and those using alternative refrigerants, to make comparisons and determine differences. The underlying purpose is to accelerate phase out of chemical compounds of environmental concern.

The Department of Energy (DOE), Richland Operations is responsible for ensuring that its contractors` tasks are mission oriented and are completed at the least cost to the DOE. The objective of this audit was to determine whether Richland was effectively managing its groundwater monitoring activities so that unnecessary duplication would not occur. The audit`s objective was accomplished by: reviewing laws and regulations; interviewing DOE and contractor personnel; examining procurement and accounting procedures; reviewing plans, budgets, and actual expenditures; reviewing utilization of the DOE drilling equipment; observing well drilling activities; comparing drilling cost to other DOE sites; analyzing groundwater monitoring activities; and, reviewing and comparing groundwater reports.

This work describes a particular concept for ion induction linac accelerators using high-charge-state ions produced by an intense, short pulse laser, and compares the costs of a modular driver system producing 6.5 MJ for a variety of ion masses and charge states using a simple but consistent cost model.

The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Decommissioning Program has decontaminated and demolished two filter plenum buildings at Technical Area 21 (TA-21). During the project a former hot cell was retrofitted to perform decontamination and size reduction of highly Pu contaminated process exhaust (1,100 ft) and gloveboxes. Pu-238/239 concentrations were as high a 1 Ci per linear foot and averaged approximately 1 mCi/ft. The Project decontamination objective was to reduce the plutonium contamination on surfaces below transuranic levels. If possible, metal surfaces were decontaminated further to meet Science and Ecology Group (SEG) waste classification guidelines to enable the metal to be recycled at their facility in oak Ridge, Tennessee. Project surface contamination acceptance criteria for low-level radioactive waste (LLRW), transuranic waste, and SEG waste acceptance criteria will be presented. Ninety percent of all radioactive waste for the project was characterized as LLRW. Twenty percent of this material was shipped to SEG. Process exhaust and glove boxes were brought to the project decontamination area, an old hot cell in Building 4 North. This paper focuses on process exhaust and glovebox decontamination methodology, size reduction techniques, waste characterization, airborne contamination monitoring, engineering controls, worker protection, lessons learned, and waste minimization. Decontamination objectives are …

Operations and maintenance continued this month at the Electric Power Research Institute's Environmental Control Technology Center. Testing for the Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) test block was conducted using the Carbon Injection System (the 4.0 MW Spray Dryer Absorber System and the Pulse Jet Fabric Filter). Testing also continued across the B and W/CHX Heat Exchanger project. The 1.0 MW Cold-Side Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) unit and the 4.0 MW Pilot Wet Scrubber remained idle this month in a cold-standby mode. Inspections of these idled systems were conducted this month.

The purpose of an Environmental Assessment (EA) is to provide the DOE with sufficient evidence and analysis to determine whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). In this case, the DOE decision to be made is whether or not to transfer its ownership of the subject land tract by deed. This type of action does not in and of itself result in environmental effects; however, the DOE has considered the planned use of the land and the ensuing potential environmental effects subsequent to the transfer of ownership in its decision making process. Therefore, DOE is evaluating its decision in light of the contemplated land use as outlined by County officials that could only occur if the DOE decides to transfer its ownership of the subject land tract. The objectives of this EA are (1) to describe the baseline environmental conditions at the tract location involved in the Proposed Action, (2) to analyze potential generic effects to the baseline environment from land development activities and future occupants' operations occurring at the tract location, and (3) to identify and characterize cumulative effects of future anticipated uses of the tract involved in the Proposed …

We have measured gain and saturation in sing;e mode Yb:silica fiber, and developed fiber lasers and amplifiers at 1053 nm. The lasers are tunable over 10`s of nanometers, with amplifier gain flattened by fiber gratings or dielectric filters.

The authors have examined the role of the {beta}{sub 1} integrin family of adhesion receptors (VLA) and the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin (FN) in macrophage differentiation of (1) human HL-60 myeloid leukemia cells induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and (2) human peripheral blood monocytes induced by either PMA or macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M=CSF). Increased VLA and FN gene expression was observed as early as 4 h after PMA treatment of HL-60 cells and PMA- or M-CSF-treatment of monocytes, and it preceded the manifestation of macrophage markers. Treated HL-60 cells and monocytes also released and deposited FN on the surface of the tissue culture dishes. An HL-60 cell variant, HL-525, which is deficient in protein kinase C {beta} and resistant to PMA-induced differentiation, exhibited elevated levels of the VLA antigen but failed to express the FN gene. Incubation of HL-525 cells on dishes precoated with exogenous FN resulted in a macrophage differentiation. The macrophage phenotype induced in HL-60 cells, HL-525 cells, or monocytes was attenuated to various degrees by anti-VLA or anti-FN MAbs or by exogenous RGDS, a VLA-binding motif on FN. The authors suggest that macrophage differentiation is initiated by the activation of protein kinase C, which leads to …

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This document contains the status report for the Naturally Fractured Tight Gas-Gas Reservoir Detection Optimization project for the contract period 9/30/93 to 3/31/97. Data from seismic surveys are analyzed for structural imaging of reflector units. The data were stacked using the new, improved statics and normal moveout velocities. The 3-D basin modeling effort is continuing with code development. The main activities of this quarter were analysis of fluid pressure data, improved sedimentary history, lithologic unit geometry reconstruction algorithm and computer module, and further improvement, verification, and debugging of the basin stress and multi-phase reaction transport module.

The purpose of the work is to develop a variational data assimilation system that can ingest the various observation types at the ARM site.

This paper describes an application of the U.S. Department of Energy`s (DOE) performance goal based method for the design and evaluation of structures, systems, and components (SSCS) at Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc. (FDH). The philosophy on which DOE`s method is based has been employed to construct a graded approach to the minimum structural design and evaluation criteriz@ used at the DOE Hanford Site that complies with the DOE Order 54E;0.28, Natural Phenomena Hazards Mitigation. The FDH structural design and evaluation criteria applies to both nuclear and non-nuclear SSCs that are not covered by a reactor safety analysis report.

Due to the relocation of a magnet power supply, the installation of a buss, and an installation of chokes. and their need for cooling water a redesign of the Low Conductivity Water (LCW) system has been undertaken. This new system required the determination of an optimal pipe diameter for the High Bay pipe as well as the determination of the pressure drop and temperature rise in the buss. Based on numerous calculations it has been determined that the High Bay pipe should be 1 1/2 inch (1.90 O.D. x 1.610 I.D-40S steel). While the pressure drop in the buss was calculated to be 7.699 psi. Based on such a low pressure drop, no need for any additional pumps has presented itself. Finally, the temperature rise in the buss has been determined to be about 29.39 F for the Assembly Hall (route No.1). and 13.93 F for the Collision Hall (route No.2). The purpose of this engineering note is to explain the redesign of the low conductivity water system (LCW) at D-Zero. The areas to be covered include the sizing of the High Bay, the pressure drop and temperature rise in the buss. In addition, I will try to determine if …

This program is being conducted as a cooperative agreement between the Consortium for Coal Water Mixture Technology and the U.S. Department of Energy. Activities this reporting period are summarized by phase. Phase I is nearly completed. During this reporting period, coal beneficiation/preparation studies, engineering designs and economics for retrofitting the Crane, Indiana boiler to fire coal-based fuels, and a 1,000-hour demonstration of dry, micronized coal were completed. In addition, a demonstration-scale micronized-coal water mixture (MCWM) preparation circuit was constructed and a 1,000-hour demonstration firing MCWM began. Work in Phase II focused on emissions reductions, coal beneficiation/preparation studies, and economic analyses of coal use. Emissions reductions investigations involved literature surveys of NO{sub x}, SO{sub 2}, trace metals, volatile organic compounds, and fine particulate matter capture. In addition, vendors and engineering firms were contacted to identify the appropriate emissions technologies for the installation of commercial NO{sub x} and SO{sub 2} removal systems on the demonstration boiler. Information from the literature surveys and engineering firms will be used to identify, design, and install a control system(s). Work continued on the refinement and optimization of coal grinding and MCWM preparation procedures, and on the development of advanced processes for beneficiating high ash, high sulfur …

This semiannual progress report contains the following appendices: description of the 1,000 lb steam/h watertube research boiler; the Pennsylvania CGE model; Phase II, subtask 3.9 coal market analysis; the CGE model; and sector definition.

The second phase, coating of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} by oxides, was started during this reporting period. Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} samples were coated by CMZP and Mg-coated Al{sub 2}TiO{sub 5} by a double-dip procedure.

Goal of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is to achieve thermonuclear ignition in a laboratory environment in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). This will enable NIF to service the DOE stockpile stewardship management program, inertial fusion energy goals, and advance scientific frontiers. All of these applications will make use of the extreme conditions that the facility will create in the target chamber. In the case of a prospected 20 MJ yield scenario, NIF will produce 10{sup 19} neutrons with DT fusion 14 MeV energy per neutron. There will also be high-energy x rays as well as solid, liquid, and gaseous target debris produced either directly or indirectly by the inertial confinement fusion process. A critical design issue is the protection of the final optical components as well as sophisticated target diagnostics in such a harsh environment.

Designing a computer control system for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a complex undertaking because of the system`s large size and its distributed nature. The controls team is addressing that complexity by adopting the object-oriented programming paradigm, designing reusable software frameworks, and using the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) for distribution. A prototype system for image-based automatic laser alignment has been developed to evaluate and gain experience with CORBA and OOP in a small distributed system. The prototype is also important in evaluating alignment concepts, image processing techniques, speed and accuracy of automatic alignment objectives for the NIF, and control hardware for aligment devices. The prototype system has met its inital objectives and provides a basis for continued development.

This paper discusses the regulatory exemptions for shipping packages that contain limited amounts of fissile material and concerns that have arisen over the adequacy of these regulations. The results of an ongoing review of these exemptions by the various regulatory agencies will be presented in the session.

We summarize our calculation of the total cross section for top quark production at hadron colliders within the context of perturbative quantum chromodynamics, including resummation of the effects of initial-state soft gluon radiation to all orders in the strong coupling strength.

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), enacted in the 1985 Farm Bill, removes environmentally sensitive cropland from production in exchange for annual rental payments from the federal government. To reduce the cost of the program, economic use of CRP acres in exchange for reduced rental payments were proposed, but not implemented in the 1995 Farm Bill. This paper examines the potential impact an economic use policy would have on the market prices of bioenergy crops if they were permitted to be harvested from CRP acres. The analysis shows that at average yields of 11.25 dry Mg/ha/yr (5 dry tons/ac/yr) and total production of 9.1 million dry Mg (10 million dry tons) subsidized farmgate prices of as low as $16.5/dry Mg ($15/dry ton) for switchgrass and $24.2/dry Mg ($22/dry ton) for short-rotation woody crops can be achieved. Furthermore, the government can reduce the cost of the CRP resulting in a potential win-win situation.