This analysis is prepared by the Mined Geologic Disposal System (MGDS) Waste Package Development (WPD) department to describe the latest version of the probabilistic criticality analysis methodology and its application to the entire commercial waste stream of commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) expected to be emplaced in the repository. The purpose of this particular application is to evaluate the 21 assembly PWR absorber plate waste package (WP) with respect to degraded mode criticality performance. The degradation of principal concern is the borated stainless steel absorber plates which are part of the waste package basket and which constitute a major part of the waste package criticality control. The degradation (corrosion, dissolution) of this material will result in the release of most of the boron from the waste package and increase the possibility of criticality. The results of this evaluation will be expressed in terms of the fraction of the PWR SNF which can exceed a given k{sub eff}, as a function of time and the peak value of that fraction over a time period up to several hundred thousand years. The ultimate purpose of this analysis is to support the waste package design which defines waste packages …

In FY96 we released CHEETAH 1.40, which made extensive improvements on the stability and user friendliness of the code. CHEETAH now has over 175 users in government, academia, and industry. Efforts have also been focused on adding new advanced features to CHEETAH 2.0, which is scheduled for release in FY97. We have added a new chemical kinetics capability to CHEETAH. In the past, CHEETAH assumed complete thermodynamic equilibrium and independence of time. The addition of a chemical kinetic framework will allow for modeling of time-dependent phenomena, such as partial combustion and detonation in composite explosives with large reaction zones. We have implemented a Wood-Kirkwood detonation framework in CHEETAH, which allows for the treatment of nonideal detonations and explosive failure. A second major effort in the project this year has been linking CHEETAH to hydrodynamic codes to yield an improved HE product equation of state. We have linked CHEETAH to 1- and 2-D hydrodynamic codes, and have compared the code to experimental data. 15 refs., 13 figs., 1 tab.

We have measured the flavor ratio of ratios (R) in atmospheric neutrino interactions using a 1.52 kton-year exposure of Soudan 2. We find R = 0.67 {+-} 0.15{sub {minus}0.06}{sup +0.04}. This value is about 2{sigma} from the expected value of 1.0 and is consistent with the anomalous ratios measured by the Kamiokande and IMB experiments. We note that since our acceptance matrix is different from those of the water Cherenkov experiments we would not expect to measure the same value of R, unless R=1.

An automated leak test system for tritium shipping containers has been developed at Westinghouse Savannah River Co. (WSRC). The leak detection system employs a computer controlled helium detector which allows an operator to enter key information when prompted. The software for controlling the tests and the equipment apparatus were both designed and manufactured at the Savannah River Technology Center within WSRC. Recertification Test: Every twelve months, the pressure vessel portion of the shipping container itself must undergo a rigorous recertification leak test. After an empty pressure vessel (shipping container) is assembled, it is placed into one of six stainless steel belljars for helium leak testing. The belljars are fashioned in row much the same as assembly line arrangement. Post-load Test: A post-load leak test is performed upon reservoirs that have been filled with tritium and placed inside the shipping containers mentioned above. These leak tests are performed by a rate-of-rise method where the area around the shipping container seals is evacuated, valved off from the vacuum pump, and then the vacuum pressure is monitored over a two-minute period. The Post Load Leak Test is a quality verification test to ensure that the shipping container has been correctly assembled. 2 figs.

This report talks about The Beam Lifetime and Emittance Growth in RHIC under Normal Operating Conditions and with a Hydrogen Gas Jet

This analysis is prepared by the Mined Geologic Disposal System (MGDS) Waste Package Development Department (WPDD) to provide boiling water reactor (BWR) assembly radiation source term data for use during Waste Package (WP) design. The BWR assembly radiation source terms are to be used for evaluation of radiolysis effects at the WP surface, and for personnel shielding requirements during assembly or WP handling operations. The objectives of this evaluation are to generate BWR assembly radiation source terms that bound selected groupings of BWR assemblies, with regard to assembly average burnup and cooling time, which comprise the anticipated MGDS BWR commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) waste stream. The source term data is to be provided in a form which can easily be utilized in subsequent shielding/radiation dose calculations. Since these calculations may also be used for Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA), with appropriate justification provided by TSPA, or radionuclide release rate analysis, the grams of each element and additional cooling times out to 25 years will also be calculated and the data included in the output files.

Acceptance Test Report for the Sluicer Control System, Project W-320 This Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) has been prepared to demonstrate that the C-Farm tank C-106 sluicer functions as required by the design criteria.

Three tools were developed towards design of an ambient temperature radiometric instrument, namely the CZT Probe--a cadmium zinc telluride based gamma and x ray detector probe, the MicroNOMAD--a low power, portable multichannel analyzed, and CZTU--spectral analysis software that provides uranium enrichment analysis. The combination of these three tools with an optimal sodium iodide (NaI) detector provides the ability to search for and then analyze uranium as well as other radionuclides in the field. Several national and international organizations including the International Atomic Energy Agency, the European Communities Safeguards Directorate, US Customs, and US DOE have expressed interest and are currently evaluating these systems.

Some issues of control in complex dynamical systems are considered. The authors discuss two control mechanisms, namely: a short range, reactive control based on the chaos control idea and a long-term strategic control based on an optimal control algorithm. They apply these control ideas to simple examples in a discrete nonlinear model of a multi-nation arms race.

The Single Event Display (SED) is a routine that is designed to provide information graphically about a triggered event within the Crystal Ball. The SED is written entirely in FORTRAN and uses the CERN-based HICZ graphing package. The primary display shows the amount of energy deposited in each of the NaI crystals on a Mercator-like projection of the crystals. Ten different shades and colors correspond to varying amounts of energy deposited within a crystal. Information about energy clusters is displayed on the crystal map by outlining in red the thirteen (or twelve) crystals contained within a cluster and assigning each cluster a number. Additional information about energy clusters is provided in a series of boxes containing useful data about the energy distribution among the crystals within the cluster. Other information shown on the event display include the event trigger type and data about {pi}{sup o}`s and {eta}`s formed from pairs of clusters as found by the analyzer. A description of the major features is given, along with some information on how to install the SED into the analyzer.

This paper describes three key processes used in deactivating the Plutonium Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Facility, a large, complex nuclear reprocessing facility, 15 months ahead of schedule and $77 million under budget. The organization was reengineered to refine its business processes and more effectively organize around the deactivation work scope. Multi-disciplined work teams were formed to be self-sufficient and empowered to make decisions and perform work. A number of benefits were realized by reengineering. A comprehensive process to develop end points which clearly identified specific results and the post-project facility configuration was developed so all areas of a facility were addressed. Clear and specific end points allowed teams to focus on completing deactivation activities and helped ensure there were no unfulfilled end-of-project expectations. The RCRA regulations require closure of permitted facilities within 180 days after cessation of operations which may essentially necessitate decommissioning. A more cost effective approach was adopted which significantly reduced risk to human health and the environment by taking the facility to a passive, safe, inexpensive-to-maintain surveillance and maintenance condition (deactivation) prior to disposition. PUREX thus became the first large reprocessing facility with active TSD [treatment, storage, and disposal] units to be deactivated under the RCRA regulations.

MCNP4B was released in early 1997. In this new version, several major changes were made to the underlying theory used to estimate the non-adjoint-weighted removal, fission, capture, and escape prompt-neutron lifetimes. These four lifetimes are now being calculated in accordance to the neutron-balance theory described by Spriggs et al. in which the non-adjoint-weighted lifetime for a particular type of reaction (i.e., fission, capture, escape, removal, etc.) is defined as the total neutron population in the system divided by that reaction rate.

Traditionally, pollution prevention (P2) assessments have been performed on existing facilities and ongoing operations, well after the completion of design and construction. It has been theorized that more success can be achieved by moving P2 upstream into the design process, where an estimated 70% of a project`s total life cycle costs are initially fixed. Decisions made during design to prevent or minimize the amount of waste generated can reap benefits for many years to come. This is especially true when designing systems for handling hazardous and radioactive wastes for treatment, storage, and disposal. P2 assessments performed during design of such projects can uncover significant savings to be reaped during project construction, operations, and/or decommissioning. However, many project managers are still reluctant to include some type of P2 review or assessment as part of the design effort, because the immediate payback to the design entity is difficult to quantify. This paper presents the results of a P2 assessment performed on a design project at Hanford which identified close to $500,000 in construction savings while minimizing low-level and mixed radioactive waste generation. This paper describes the process used to per-form the assessment, discusses its results, and provides lessons-learned for future P2 design …

This report is a description of the process to redesign and fabricate, as well as, describe the features of the Fuel Element Brush Assembly used in the 105-K West Basin. This narrative description will identify problems that occurred during the redesigning and fabrication of the 105-K West Basin Fuel Element Brush Assembly and specifically address their solutions.

The objectives are to provide resources and capabilities to enable the Railroad Commission to conduct Area of Review (AOR) variance analysis on a statewide level, including: (1) the identification and analysis of areas that may qualify for AOR variances; (2) the correlation of information from various databases and automation systems to conduct AORs in areas that do not qualify for variances; (3) the evaluation of the risk of pollution, during permitting and monitoring, using risk-based data analysis; and (4) the ability to conduct spatial analysis of injection well data in conjunction with other geographically referenced information. The Commission will achieve these objectives through the acquisition and implementation of the following components: (1) a Geographic Information System (GIS); (2) a Client-Server/Scanning System; and , (3) a Local Area Network/Wide-Area Network (LAN/WAN) system encompassing the district offices. The Commission is well on its way toward completing the GIS component of the project. Work is progressing smoothly on the Client Server/Scanner System LAN/WAN components of the project.

The following technical report provides a detailed status report of the DOE grant project entitled `Develop Data Management System for Assistance in Conducting Area of Reviews (AORS) in Texas.` The grant funding allocated is for the purpose of providing the Railroad Commission of Texas (Commission or RRC) with resources and capabilities to conduct AOR and AOR variance analysis statewide.

Three different methods are discussed for computing the sensitivity of the temperature field to changes in material properties and initial-boundary condition parameters for heat conduction problems. The most general method is to derive sensitivity equations by differentiating the energy equation with respect to the parameter of interest and numerically solving the resulting sensitivity equations. An example problem in which there are twelve parameters of interest is presented and the resulting sensitivity equations are derived. Numerical results are presented for thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity sensitivity coefficients for heat conduction in a 2-D orthotropic body. The numerical results are compared with the analytical solution to demonstrate that the numerical method is second order accurate as the mesh is refined spatially.

In the second quarter of calendar year 1997, 9 days of combustor- boiler tests were performed, including 3 days of tests on a parallel DOE sponsored project on sulfur retention in a slagging combustor. Between tests, modifications and improvements that were indicated by these tests were implemented. This brings the total number of test days to the end of June 1997 in the task 5 effort to 83 days. This compares with a total of 63 test days needed to complete the task 5 test effort, and the number of tests days required to meet the task 5 project plan have been completed. The key project objectives in the areas of combustor performance and environmental performance have been exceeded. With sorbent injection in the combustion gas train, NO{sub x} emissions as low as 0.07 lb/MMBtu and SO{sub 2} emissions as low as 0.2 lb/MMBtu have been measured in tests in the previous quarter. The emphasis of tests in the present quarter have been on further optimizing post-combustion sorbent injection for SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} control processes, with most of the test effort focused on the NO{sub x} control process. Many factors which control the NO{sub x} reduction were identified …

The thermal decomposition of methane offers significant potential as a means of producing higher unsaturated and aromatic hydrocarbons when the extent of reaction is limited. Work in the literature previous to this project had shown that cooling the product and reacting gases as the reaction proceeds would significantly reduce or eliminate the formation of solid carbon or heavier (Clo+) materials. This project studied the effect and optimization of the quenching process as a means of increasing the amount of value added products during the pyrolysis of methane. A reactor was designed to rapidly quench the free-radical combustion reaction so as to maximize the yield of aromatics. The use of free-radical generators and catalysts were studied as a means of lowering the reaction temperature. A lower reaction temperature would have the benefits of more rapid quenching as well as a more feasible commercial process due to savings realized in energy and material of construction costs. It was the goal of the project to identify promising routes from methane to higher hydrocarbons based on the pyrolysis of methane.

The Meyerhoff Scholarship Program was created at UMBC in 1988 with a grant of $522,000 from the Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Foundation. Mr. Meyerhoff was particularly interested in addressing the shortage of African Americans, especially black males, who successfully pursue careers in science and engineering. The initial grant enabled UMBC to launch a program of full support for outstanding African American students, competitively selected from across Maryland, who would major in mathematics, science, engineering, or computer science, and then pursue Ph.D.s in these areas. The first group of Meyerhoff Scholars included 19 young men who enrolled in Fall 1989. Now in its seventh year, the Program has a total enrollment of 180 (95 male, 85 female), including 47 new Meyerhoff freshmen in Fall 1995 (average SAT scores of 1226) and 10 students from outside Maryland (New York, California, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania). The National Science Foundation has indicated the UMBC has one of the largest concentrations of high achieving African American students in science anywhere in the US.

It has been known for some time that a shear field can impart enough energy to a liquid system for it to exhibit a phase change. Not as well appreciated is the fact that non Newtonian solutions can be driven into a quasi phase separation due to the vastly different shear rates between the bulk and near surface regions. Using a variety of scattering techniques the authors have probed the interfacial and near surface region of a system of wormlike colloidal particles under flow separately from the bulk. They find that the hexagonal phase which forms under flow near the surface, does not persist into the bulk. They also present data showing substantial differences in the kinetics of alignment and relaxation of the two phases.

The objectives of this project are to develop, evaluate, and optimize novel designs for a polishing tool intended for ultra-precise figure corrections on aspheric optics with tolerances typical of those required for use in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) projection lithography. This work may lead to an enhanced US industrial capability for producing optics for EUV, x-ray and, other high precision applications. LLNL benefits from developments in computer-controlled polishing and the insertion of fluid mechanics modeling into the precision manufacturing area. Our accomplishments include the numerical estimation of the hydrodynamic shear stress distribution for a new polishing tool that directs and controls the interaction of an abrasive slurry with an optical surface. A key milestone is in establishing a correlation between the shear stress predicted using our fluid mechanics model and the observed removal footprint created by a prototype tool. In addition, we demonstrate the ability to remove 25 nm layers of optical glass in a manner qualitatively similar to macroscopic milling operations using a numerically- controlled machine tool. Other accomplishments include the development of computer control software for directing the polishing tool and the construction of a polishing testbed.

This report examines the capital cost associated with various energy storage systems that have been installed for electric utility application. The storage systems considered in this study are Battery Energy Storage (BES), Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) and Flywheel Energy Storage (FES). The report also projects the cost reductions that may be anticipated as these technologies come down the learning curve. This data will serve as a base-line for comparing the cost-effectiveness of hydrogen energy storage (HES) systems in the electric utility sector. Since pumped hydro or compressed air energy storage (CAES) is not particularly suitable for distributed storage, they are not considered in this report. There are no comparable HES systems in existence in the electric utility sector. However, there are numerous studies that have assessed the current and projected cost of hydrogen energy storage system. This report uses such data to compare the cost of HES systems with that of other storage systems in order to draw some conclusions as to the applications and the cost-effectiveness of hydrogen as a electricity storage alternative.

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