Delaware Basin Monitoring Annual Report (open access)

Delaware Basin Monitoring Annual Report

The Delaware Basin Drilling Surveillance Program (DBDSP) is designed to monitor drilling activities in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). This program is based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements. The EPA environmental standards for the management and disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive waste are codified in 40 CFR Part 191 (EPA 1993). Subparts B and C of the standard address the disposal of radioactive waste. The standard requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate the expected performance of the disposal system using a probabilistic risk assessment or performance assessment (PA). This PA must show that the expected repository performance will not release radioactive material above limits set by the EPA's standard. This assessment must include the consideration of inadvertent drilling into the repository at some future time.
Date: September 21, 2002
Creator: Washington Regulatory and Environmental Services
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Enzymatic Upgrading of Heavy Crudes via Partial Oxidation or Conversion of PAHs (open access)

Enzymatic Upgrading of Heavy Crudes via Partial Oxidation or Conversion of PAHs

The objective of this program was to investigate new enzyme-based technologies for upgrading of heavy oils. Enzymes were selected for screening from those capable of conversion of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) reported in the literature. Oxidative reactions of PAHs using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant with conversion to partially oxidized products were used. The enzymes (lignin peroxidase, cytochrome c) were tested in various organic solvents and found to loose activity in pure organic solvents. A thermodynamic analysis revealed lack of effective interaction between the substrate and enzyme as the cause for low activity. The protein cytochrome c was modified to work in organic media by chemical hydrophobic group attachment. Two different modifications were made: attachment of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and alkyl groups. Alkyl groups, being small could be attached at interior locations within the core of the enzyme and possibly near the active site. Increase in the threshold solvent concentration where maximum enzyme activity occurred indicated potential of this strategy for effective enzyme-substrate interaction. Further improvements in enzyme activity called for other diverse methods due to the unavailability of sufficient chemical modification sites. Genetic techniques were therefore explored for further improvements. These experiments focused on cloning of a gene for the …
Date: July 1, 2002
Creator: Borole, A. P.; Davison, B. H. & Kuritz, T.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Direct to Digital Holography (open access)

Direct to Digital Holography

In this CRADA, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) assisted nLine Corporation of Austin, TX in the development of prototype semiconductor wafer inspection tools based on the direct-to-digital holographic (DDH) techniques invented at ORNL. Key components of this work included, testing of DDH for detection of defects in High Aspect Ratio (HAR) structures, development of image processing techniques to enhance detection capabilities through the use of both phase and intensity, and development of methods for autofocus on the DDH tools.
Date: June 15, 2002
Creator: Bingham, P.R. & Tobin, K.W.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
TREATMENT OF PLUTONIUM- AND URANIUM-CONTAMINATED OIL FROM ROCKY FLATS ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY SITE (open access)

TREATMENT OF PLUTONIUM- AND URANIUM-CONTAMINATED OIL FROM ROCKY FLATS ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY SITE

A removal method for plutonium and uranium has been tested at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS). This alternative treatment technology is applicable to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) organics (mainly used pump oil) contaminated with actinides. In our studies, greater than 70% removal of the actinides was achieved. The technology is based on contacting the oil with a sorbent powder consisting of a surface modified mesoporous material. The SAMMS (Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Support) technology was developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for removal and stabilization of RCRA (i.e., lead, mercury, cadmium, silver, etc.) and actinides in water and for removal of mercury from organic solvents [1, 2]. The SAMMS material is based on self-assembly of functionalized monolayers on mesoporous oxide surfaces. The unique mesoporous oxide support provides a high surface area, thereby enhancing the metal-loading capacity. The testing described in this report was conducted on a small scale but larger-scale testing of the technology has been performed on mercury-contaminated oil without difficulty [3].
Date: December 5, 2002
Creator: Klasson, K. T.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Risk Informing the Nuclear Materials and Waste Arenas. (open access)

Risk Informing the Nuclear Materials and Waste Arenas.

None
Date: November 17, 2002
Creator: Bari, R. A.; Mubayi, V.; Azarm, M. A.; Grove, E. J.; Xu, J.; Bailey, M. G. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Carbon Dioxide Sequestering Using Microalgal Systems (open access)

Carbon Dioxide Sequestering Using Microalgal Systems

This project evaluated key design criteria, the technical feasibility, and the preliminary economic viability of a CO{sub 2}-sequestering system integrated with a coal-fired power plant based on microalgae biofixation. A review of relevant literature was conducted, and a bench-scale algal-based sequestration system was constructed and operated to verify algal growth capabilities using a simulated flue gas stream. The bench-scale system was a 20-gallon glass aquarium with a 16-gallon operating volume and was direct-sparged with a simulated flue gas. The flue gas composition was based on flue gas analyses for a 550-MW Coal Creek Power Station boiler in Underwood, North Dakota, which averaged 12.1% CO{sub 2}, 5.5% O{sub 2}, 423 ppm SO{sub 2}, 124 ppm NO{sub x}, and an estimated 50 mg/m{sup 3} fly ash loading. The algae were grown in Bold's basal growth medium. Lighting was provided using a two-tube fluorescent ''grow-light'' bulb fixture mounted directly above the tank. Algal growth appeared to be inhibited in the presence of SO{sub 2} using mixed cultures of green and blue-green cultures of algae. Samples of Monoraphidium strain MONOR02 and Nannochloropsis NANNO02 algal samples were obtained from the University of Hawaii Culture Collection. These samples did not exhibit inhibited growth in the presence …
Date: February 1, 2002
Creator: Stepan, Daniel J.; Shockey, Richard E.; Moe, Thomas A. & Dorn, Ryan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Going with the flow: Life cycle costing for industrial pumping systems (open access)

Going with the flow: Life cycle costing for industrial pumping systems

Industries worldwide depend upon pumping systems for theirdaily operation. These systems account for nearly 20 percent of theworld's industrial electrical energy demand and range from 25-50 percentof the energy usage in certain industrial plant operations. Purchasedecisions for a pump and its related system components are typicallybased upon a low bid, rather than the cost to operate the system over itslifetime. Additionally, plant facilities personnel are typically focussedon maintaining existing pumping system reliability rather than optimizingthe systems for best energy efficiency. To ensure the lowest energy andmaintenance costs, equipment life, and other benefits, the systemcomponents must be carefully matched to each other, and remain sothroughout their working lives. Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis is a toolthat can help companies minimize costs and maximize energy efficiency formany types of systems, including pumping systems. Increasing industryawareness of the total cost of pumping system ownership through lifecycle cost analysis is a goal of the US Department of Energy (DOE). Thispaper will discuss what DOE and its industry partners are doing to createthis awareness. A guide book, Pump Life Cycle Costs: A Guide to LCCAnalysis for Pumping Systems, developed by the Hydraulic Institute (HI)and Europump (two pump manufacturer trade associations) with DOEinvolvement, will be overviewed. …
Date: July 8, 2002
Creator: Tutterow, Vestal; Hovstadius, Gunnar & McKane, Aimee
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Limitations on High Data Rate Optical Fiber Transmission Systems Due to Transmission Impairment (open access)

Limitations on High Data Rate Optical Fiber Transmission Systems Due to Transmission Impairment

This project supplemented our regular DOE grant from the Basic Energy Sciences organization with the goal of fostering industrial partnerships and student internships. During the project period, we have interacted with between 15 and 20 companies in the optical fiber telecommunications equipment industry, and our students have participated in a number of highly visible projects with companies such as Ciena, Science Applications International Corporation, KDD, ATT, Virtual Photonics, Inc., Phaethon Telecommunications, PhotonEx, and others. The project led to many successful interactions and numerous job offers for our students.
Date: March 15, 2002
Creator: Menyuk, Curtis R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Long-Term Stewardship Program Science and Technology Requirements (open access)

Long-Term Stewardship Program Science and Technology Requirements

Many of the United States’ hazardous and radioactively contaminated waste sites will not be sufficiently remediated to allow unrestricted land use because funding and technology limitations preclude cleanup to pristine conditions. This means that after cleanup is completed, the Department of Energy will have long-term stewardship responsibilities to monitor and safeguard more than 100 sites that still contain residual contamination. Long-term stewardship encompasses all physical and institutional controls, institutions, information, and other mechanisms required to protect human health and the environment from the hazards remaining. The Department of Energy Long-Term Stewardship National Program is in the early stages of development, so considerable planning is still required to identify all the specific roles and responsibilities, policies, and activities needed over the next few years to support the program’s mission. The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory was tasked with leading the development of Science and Technology within the Long-Term Stewardship National Program. As part of that role, a task was undertaken to identify the existing science and technology related requirements, identify gaps and conflicts that exist, and make recommendations to the Department of Energy for future requirements related to science and technology requirements for long-term stewardship. This work is summarized in …
Date: September 1, 2002
Creator: McDonald, Joan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Uranium and Aluminosilicate Surface Precipitation Tests (open access)

Uranium and Aluminosilicate Surface Precipitation Tests

The 2H evaporator at the Savannah River Site has been used to treat an aluminum-rich waste stream from canyon operations and a silicon-rich waste stream from the Defense Waste Processing Facility. The formation of aluminosilicate scale in the evaporator has caused significant operational problems. Because uranium has been found to accumulate in the aluminosilicate solids, the scale deposition has introduced criticality concerns as well. The objective of the tests described in this report is to determine possible causes of the uranium incorporation in the evaporator scale materials. The scope of this task is to perform laboratory experiments with simulant solutions to determine if (1) uranium can be deposited on the surfaces of various sodium aluminosilicate (NAS) forms and (2) aluminosilicates can form on the surfaces of uranium-containing solids. Batch experiments with simulant solutions of three types were conducted: (1) contact of uranium solutions/sols with NAS coatings on stainless steel surfaces, (2) contact of uranium solutions with NAS particles, and (3) contact of precipitated uranium-containing particles with solutions containing aluminum and silicon. The results show that uranium can be incorporated in NAS solids through encapsulation in bulk agglomerated NAS particles of different phases (amorphous, zeolite A, sodalite, and cancrinite) as well …
Date: November 27, 2002
Creator: Hu, M.Z.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
A General Methodology for Evaluation of Carbon Sequestration Activities and Carbon Credits (open access)

A General Methodology for Evaluation of Carbon Sequestration Activities and Carbon Credits

A general methodology was developed for evaluation of carbon sequestration technologies. In this document, we provide a method that is quantitative, but is structured to give qualitative comparisons despite changes in detailed method parameters, i.e., it does not matter what ''grade'' a sequestration technology gets but a ''better'' technology should receive a better grade. To meet these objectives, we developed and elaborate on the following concepts: (1) All resources used in a sequestration activity should be reviewed by estimating the amount of greenhouse gas emissions for which they historically are responsible. We have done this by introducing a quantifier we term Full-Cycle Carbon Emissions, which is tied to the resource. (2) The future fate of sequestered carbon should be included in technology evaluations. We have addressed this by introducing a variable called Time-adjusted Value of Carbon Sequestration to weigh potential future releases of carbon, escaping the sequestered form. (3) The Figure of Merit of a sequestration technology should address the entire life-cycle of an activity. The figures of merit we have developed relate the investment made (carbon release during the construction phase) to the life-time sequestration capacity of the activity. To account for carbon flows that occur during different times …
Date: December 23, 2002
Creator: Klasson, KT
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Updating the Nrc Guidance for Human Factors Engineering Reviews. (open access)

Updating the Nrc Guidance for Human Factors Engineering Reviews.

None
Date: September 15, 2002
Creator: O Hara, J. M.; Brown, W. S.; Higgins, J. C.; Persensky, J. J.; Lewis, P. M. & Bongarra, J.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
A cold mass support system based on the use of oriented fiberglassepoxy rods in bending (open access)

A cold mass support system based on the use of oriented fiberglassepoxy rods in bending

This report describes a cold mass support system based on the use of oriented fiberglassepoxy rods in bending.
Date: July 6, 2002
Creator: Green, Michael A.; Corradi, Carol A.; LaMantia, Roberto F. & Zbasnik, Jon P.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Development of Kinetic Models for the Liquid Phase Methanol (LPMEOH tm) Process (open access)

Development of Kinetic Models for the Liquid Phase Methanol (LPMEOH tm) Process

This report covers our recent work on the kinetics of the LPMEOH{trademark} process. The major part of the report concerns the development of more robust kinetic models for the LPMEOH{trademark} reaction system. The development was needed to meet the requirements for more accurate process simulations over a wide range of conditions. To this end, kinetic experiments were designed based on commercial needs and a D-Optimal design package. A database covering 53 different conditions was built. Two new reactions were identified and added to the LPMEOH{trademark} reaction network. New rate models were developed for all 15 reactions in the system. The new rate models are more robust than the original ones, showing better fit to the experimental results over a wide range of conditions. Related to this model development are some new understandings about the sensitivity of rate models and their effects on catalyst life study. The last section of this report covers a separate topic: water injection to the LPMEOH{trademark} reactor and its effects on the LPMEOH{trademark} process. An investigation was made of whether water injection can enhance the reactor productivity and how this enhancement depends on the composition of the major syngas feed. A water injection condition that resulted …
Date: June 1, 2002
Creator: Peng, Xiang-Dong
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Residential hot water distribution systems: Roundtablesession (open access)

Residential hot water distribution systems: Roundtablesession

Residential building practice currently ignores the lossesof energy and water caused by the poor design of hot water systems. Theselosses include: combustion and standby losses from water heaters, thewaste of water (and energy) while waiting for hot water to get to thepoint of use; the wasted heat as water cools down in the distributionsystem after a draw; heat losses from recirculation systems and thediscarded warmth of waste water as it runs down the drain. Severaltechnologies are available that save energy (and water) by reducing theselosses or by passively recovering heat from wastewater streams and othersources. Energy savings from some individual technologies are reported tobe as much as 30 percent. Savings calculations of prototype systemsincluding bundles of technologies have been reported above 50 percent.This roundtable session will describe the current practices, summarizethe results of past and ongoing studies, discuss ways to think about hotwater system efficiency, and point to areas of future study. We will alsorecommend further steps to reduce unnecessary losses from hot waterdistribution systems.
Date: August 1, 2002
Creator: Lutz, James D.; Klein, Gary; Springer, David & Howard, Bion D.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
The superconducting solenoid magnets for MICE (open access)

The superconducting solenoid magnets for MICE

The Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) is a channel of superconducting solenoid magnets. The magnets in MICE are around the RF cavities, absorbers (liquid or solid) and the primary particle detectors [1], [2]. The MICE superconducting solenoid system consists of eighteen coils that are grouped in three types of magnet assemblies. The cooling channel consists of two complete cell of an SFOFO cooling channel. Each cell consists of a focusing coil pair around an absorber and a coupling coil around a RF cavity that re-accelerates the muons to their original momentum. At the ends of the experiment are uniform field solenoids for the particle detectors and a set of matching coils used to match the muon beam to the cooling cells. Three absorbers are used instead of two in order to shield the detectors from dark currents generated by the RF cavities at high operating acceleration gradients.
Date: December 22, 2002
Creator: Green, Michael A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Analysis of Potential Benefits and Costs of Updating the Commercial Building Energy Code in Iowa (open access)

Analysis of Potential Benefits and Costs of Updating the Commercial Building Energy Code in Iowa

The state of Iowa is considering adpoting ASHRAE 90.1-1999 as its commercial building energy code. In an effort to evaluate whether or not this is an appropraite code for the state, the potential benefits and costs of adopting this standard are considered. Both qualitative and quantitative benefits are assessed. The energy simulation and economic results suggest that adopting ASHRAE 90.1-1999 would provide postitive net benefits to the state relative to the building and design requirements currently in place.
Date: September 7, 2002
Creator: Cort, Katherine A.; Belzer, David B.; Richman, Eric E. & Winiarski, David W.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
DFBX boxes -- electrical and cryogenic distribution boxes for thesuperconducting magnets in the LHC straight sections (open access)

DFBX boxes -- electrical and cryogenic distribution boxes for thesuperconducting magnets in the LHC straight sections

None
Date: August 3, 2002
Creator: Zbasnik, Jon P.; Corradi, Carol A.; Gourlay, S.A.; Green, MichaelA.; Hafalia, Aurelio Q.; Kajiyama (Jr.), Yoichi et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Quality Assurance Program Plan for TRUPACT-II Gas Generation Test Program (open access)

Quality Assurance Program Plan for TRUPACT-II Gas Generation Test Program

The Gas Generation Test Program (GGTP), referred to as the Program, is designed to establish the concentration of flammable gases and/or gas generation rates in a test category waste container intended for shipment in the Transuranic Package Transporter-II (TRUPACT-II). The phrase "gas generationtesting" shall refer to any activity that establishes the flammable gas concentration or the flammable gas generation rate. This includes, but is not limited to, measurements performed directly on waste containers or during tests performed on waste containers. This Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) documents the quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) requirements that apply to the Program. The TRUPACT-II requirements and technical bases for allowable flammable gas concentration and gas generation rates are described in the TRUPACT-II Authorized Methods for Payload Control (TRAMPAC).
Date: March 1, 2002
Creator: Office, Carlsbad Field
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pressure gradient passivation of carbonaceous material normally susceptible to spontaneous combustion (open access)

Pressure gradient passivation of carbonaceous material normally susceptible to spontaneous combustion

This invention is a process for the passivation or deactivation with respect to oxygen of a carbonaceous material by the exposure of the carbonaceous material to an oxygenated gas in which the oxygenated gas pressure is increased from a first pressure to a second pressure and then the pressure is changed to a third pressure. Preferably a cyclic process which comprises exposing the carbonaceous material to the gas at low pressure and increasing the pressure to a second higher pressure and then returning the pressure to a lower pressure is used. The cycle is repeated at least twice wherein the higher pressure may be increased after a selected number of cycles.
Date: January 29, 2002
Creator: Ochs, Thomas L.; Sands, William D.; Schroeder, Karl; Summers, Cathy A. & Utz, Bruce R.
Object Type: Patent
System: The UNT Digital Library
Development of Low Cost Total Energy Exchange Devices for Reducing Building Energy Consumption (open access)

Development of Low Cost Total Energy Exchange Devices for Reducing Building Energy Consumption

The primary goal of this program is to develop a commercially viable enthalpy exchangers that exhibits performance comparable to state-of-the-art exchangers, meets flammability test standards, supports no biological growth, maintains mechanical integrity for a 10 year life (typical of competitive warrantees) and exhibits a total media raw material cost of approximately 1/5 of that of the competition. The first three program tasks were devoted to: (1) gathering background information on competitors and their methods of manufacturing; (2) establishing experimental and evaluation procedures for the program; (3) identifying potential desiccants, supports and binders to be tested; (4) preparing matrix combinations on a laboratory scale; (5) testing component combinations for equilibrium moisture uptakes at different relative humidities (isotherms) and dynamic moisture adsorption rates; (6) using media adsorption properties to models to predict exchanger performance; (7) estimating ease of manufacture and finished wheel costs; and (8) calculating raw material, wheel and cassette costs based on the best media formulations. Since the rotary enthalpy exchangers have high rotational speeds, uptake rate is at least as important as equilibrium moisture uptake. Therefore, a procedure and apparatus were developed to determine adsorption rate so that the Lewis number (the ratio of mass transfer resistance to heat …
Date: April 22, 2002
Creator: Belding, William; Collier, R. & Worek, William
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
One-piece, composite crucible with integral withdrawal/discharge section (open access)

One-piece, composite crucible with integral withdrawal/discharge section

A one-piece, composite open-bottom casting mold with integral withdrawal section is fabricated by thermal spraying of materials compatible with and used for the continuous casting of shaped products of reactive metals and alloys such as, for example, titanium and its alloys or for the gas atomization thereof.
Date: July 30, 2002
Creator: Besser, Matthew; Terpstra, Robert L. (Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA); Sordelet, Daniel J.; Anderson, Iver E.; Hartman, Alan D.; Argetsinger, Edward R. et al.
Object Type: Patent
System: The UNT Digital Library
Disruption of NBS1 gene leads to early embryonic lethality in homozygous null mice and induces specific cancer in heterozygous mice (open access)

Disruption of NBS1 gene leads to early embryonic lethality in homozygous null mice and induces specific cancer in heterozygous mice

Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) is a rare autosomal recessive chromosome instability syndrome characterized by microcephaly, growth retardation, immunodeficiency, and cancer predisposition, with cellular features similar to that of ataxia telangiectasia (AT). NBS results from mutations in the mammalian gene Nbs1 that codes for a 95-kDa protein called nibrin, NBS1, or p95. To establish an animal model for NBS, we attempted to generate NBS1 knockout mice. However, NBS1 gene knockouts were lethal at an early embryonic stage. NBS1 homozygous(-/-) blastocyst cells cultured in vitro showed retarded growth and subsequently underwent growth arrest within 5 days of culture. Apoptosis, assayed by TUNEL staining, was observed in NBSI homozygous(-/-) blastocyst cells cultured for four days. NBSI heterozygous(+/-) mice were normal, and exhibited no specific phenotype for at least one year. However, fibroblast cells from NBSI heterozygous(+/-) mice displayed an enhanced frequency of spontaneous transformation to anchorage-independent growth as compared to NBS1 wild-type(+/+) cells. Furthermore, heterozygous(+/-) mice exhibited a high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma after one year compared to wild-type mice, even though no significant differences in the incidence of other tumors such as lung adenocarcinoma and lymphoma were observed. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that NBS1 heterozygosity and reduced NBSI expression induces …
Date: April 15, 2002
Creator: Kurimasa, Akihiro; Burma, Sandeep; Henrie, Melinda; Ouyang, Honghai; Osaki, Mitsuhiko; Ito, Hisao et al.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mechanism and Estimation of Fatigue Crack Initiation in Austenitic Stainless Steels in LWR Environments. (open access)

Mechanism and Estimation of Fatigue Crack Initiation in Austenitic Stainless Steels in LWR Environments.

The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code provides rules for the construction of nuclear power plant components. Figures I-9.1 through I-9.6 of Appendix I to Section III of the Code specify fatigue design curves for structural materials. However, the effects of light water reactor (LWR) coolant environments are not explicitly addressed by the Code design curves. Existing fatigue strain-vs.-life ({var_epsilon}-N) data illustrate potentially significant effects of LWR coolant environments on the fatigue resistance of pressure vessel and piping steels. This report provides an overview of fatigue crack initiation in austenitic stainless steels in LWR coolant environments. The existing fatigue {var_epsilon}-N data have been evaluated to establish the effects of key material, loading, and environmental parameters (such as steel type, strain range, strain rate, temperature, dissolved-oxygen level in water, and flow rate) on the fatigue lives of these steels. Statistical models are presented for estimating the fatigue {var_epsilon}-N curves for austenitic stainless steels as a function of the material, loading, and environmental parameters. Two methods for incorporating environmental effects into the ASME Code fatigue evaluations are presented. The influence of reactor environments on the mechanism of fatigue crack initiation in these steels is also discussed.
Date: August 1, 2002
Creator: Chopra, O. K. & Technology, Energy
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library