During the past three months, the coal feeding system has been tested and currently undergoing evaluation at the University of Cincinnati. The system consists primarily of an auger feed tube which is used to both convey and provide desulfurization of a high sulfur coal feedstock. The coal is conveyed at temperatures ranging from 350 to 550{degrees}C and under normal atmospheric pressure. Under these mild processing conditions, the coal partially pyrolizes and emits sulfur in the form of hydrogen sulfide while maintaining a relatively high heating value in the char product. The evolved gases are evacuated from the reactor (the feed tube) to another absorbing bed where H{sub 2}S reacts with the sorbent, usually lime or limestone. The resultant sorbent utilization is substantially higher than the values found in current dry scrubbing system and the produced low-sulfur char may then be used in a conventional steam boiler.

This report describes dose-response models intended to be used in estimating the radiological health effects of nuclear power plant accidents. Models of early and continuing effects, cancers and thyroid nodules, and genetic effects are provided. Weibull dose-response functions are recommended for evaluating the risks of early and continuing health effects. Three potentially lethal early effects -- the hematopoietic, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal syndromes -- are considered. In addition, models are included for assessing the risks of several nonlethal early and continuing effects -- including prodromal vomiting and diarrhea, hypothyroidism and radiation thyroiditis, skin burns, reproductive effects, and pregnancy losses. Linear and linear-quadratic models are recommended for estimating cancer risks. Parameters are given for analyzing the risks of seven types of cancer in adults -- leukemia, bone, lung, breast, gastrointestinal, thyroid, and other.'' The category, other'' cancers, is intended to reflect the combined risks of multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and cancers of the bladder, kidney, brain, ovary, uterus and cervix. Models of childhood cancers due to in utero exposure are also developed. For most cancers, both incidence and mortality are addressed. The models of cancer risk are derived largely from information summarized in BEIR III -- with some adjustment to reflect more recent …

The fermentation pH has been observed to be the key parameter affecting the ratio of ethanol to acetate produced by Clostridium ljungdahlii. The effects of controlled pH on cell growth and product formation by C. ljungdahlii were measured. It was found that cell concentration and acetate concentration increased with pH, while the ethanol concentration was highest at the lower pH. The molar product ratio of ethanol to acetate was 0.74 at pH 4.0, 0.39 at pH 4.5 and 0.12 at pH 5.0. Future experiments will concentrate on studying other important parameters such as agitation rate and nutrients concentrations with controlled pH as a preclude to continuous reactor studies.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Operational Environmental Monitoring Plan (OEMP) monitors a comprehensive set of parameters in order to detect any potential environmental impacts and establish baselines for future quantitative environmental impact evaluations. Surface water and groundwater, soil, and biotics are measured for background radiation. Nonradiological environmental monitoring activities include meteorological, air quality, soil properties, and the status of the local biological community. Ecological studies focus on the immediate area surrounding the site with emphasis on the salt storage pile, whereas baseline radiological surveillance covers a broader geographic area including nearby ranches, villages, and cities. Since the WIPP is still in a preoperational state, no waste has been received; therefore, certain elements required by Order DOE 5400.1 are not presented in this report. 15 figs. 19 tabs.

The National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research (NIPER) was established by the DOE to perform contract research for government and industrial clients. The emphasis of the DOE program is immediate near- and mid-term concerns of domestic oil and gas producibility. Its primary purpose is to improve the fundamental understanding of domestic oil and gas resources and the chemical, physical, and biological phenomena that govern the occurrence and recovery of these resources in addition to their associated environmental issues. The near-term objective of the DOE program is to maintain access to resources presently being produced in domestic oil and gas fields, and to decrease the rate of decline of domestic production. NIPER projects in chemical flooding, gas injection, steam injection, and microbial EOR address near-term concerns of domestic oil production. Further, problems associated with the utilization of heavier fossil feedstocks are being addressed. The mid-term objective of the DOE program is to maximize the recovery efficiency of discovered oil and gas through improved understanding of the resource and to develop advanced extraction and instrumentation techniques. The objective also emphasizes an expanded understanding of the environment. NIPER projects dealing with the quantification of reservoir heterogeneities, pore structure analysis, and fluid flow …

The objective of proposed research is development of catalysts with enhanced slurry phase activity and better selectivity to fuel range products, through a more detailed understanding and systematic studies of the effects of pretreatment procedures and promoters/binders (silica) on catalyst performance.

The effect of particle shape on char burnout is investigated in the limit of shrinking core combustion. As a first step, the particle temperature is assumed to proceed in the shrinking core regime and under conditions of negligible Stefan flow. The problem then reduces to calculating the oxygen concentration field around a non-spherical particle with the oxidation reaction taking place on the external surface. This problem has been addressed by an analytical technique and a numerical technique. An analytical technique known as domain perturbation'' was used to examine the change due to reaction in the shape of a slightly nonspherical, but axisymmetric, particle. It was found that the aspect ratio always increases with conversion, i.e., the particle becomes less spherical. A numerical technique, based on the boundary integral'' method was developed to handle the case of an axisymmetric particle with otherwise arbitrary shape. Numerical results are presented which again show the aspect ratio to increase with conversion. 8 refs.

Ongoing work includes the characterization of coal pyrites, the floatability evaluation typical US coal samples, the flotation behavior of coal pyrites, the electrochemical measurement of the surface properties of coal pyrites, and the characterization of species produced at pyrite surfaces.

A batch kinetic study involving Clostridium lungdahlii in a mineral medium was carried out in order to provide baseline data for the effects of nutrients on product ratio and kinetics. The use of this minimal medium containing vitamins, minerals, select amino acids and salts showed both a lower maximum specific growth rate and a lower maximum specific uptake rate than found when using a complex medium supplemented with 0.01% yeast extract. At the same time, the product ratio was improved slightly in favor of ethanol over acetate. Future experiments will measure the effects of ammonia and phosphate limitation on product ratio and process kinetics.

A bench-salce reactor is being used to conduct studies of the conversion of synthesis gas to methanol by a novel process. During the last quarter, we investigated the nature of the reactions involved and the nature of the Cu-chromite catalyst being used. There is evidence that methanol is formed via a two step reaction with a methyl formate intermediate rather than by the direct hydrogenation of CO. The carbonylation reaction predominantly takes place in the liquid phase while the hydrogenolysis reaction is restricted to the surface of Cu-chromite. At steady state, the carbonylation reaction taking place in the region close to the Cu-chromite surface is probably the main source of MeF. This model also explains the increased tolerance of the process to CO. A mechanistic model is proposed to explain the interaction of different species in the reaction mixture. The topography of the Cu-chromite surface is also investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. 15 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

A novel coal feeding system is currently undergoing testing and evaluation at the University of Cincinnati. The system consists primarily of an auger feed tube which is used to both convey and provide desulfurization of a high sulfur coal feedstock. The coal is conveyed at temperatures ranging from 350 to 550 {degrees}C and under normal atmospheric pressure. Under these mild processing conditions, the coal partially pyrolizes and emits sulfur in the form of hydrogen sulfide while maintaining a relatively high heating value in the char product. The evolved gases are evacuated from the reactor (the feed tube) to another absorbing bed where H{sub 2}S reacts with the sorbent, usually lime or limestone. The resultant sorbent utilization is substantially higher than the values found in current dry scrubbing system and the produced low-sulfur char may then be used in a conventional steam boiler.

Retrieval of 5-lb splits of -1/4 inch coal from designated 30-gallon drums was completed. Preparation and analysis of these samples for the second yearly quality evaluation is in progress. After consultation with the DOE Project Manager, two replacement samples were collected. These are the first of the series which will be stored in foil laminate bags. Both of these samples were placed in 30 gallon steel drums lined with polyethylene bags at the mine site. They were equipped with lid gaskets made from Tygon tubing, and 1/4 in. metal tubing fittings to purge and pressurize the drum with argon.

The objective of the subscale test program were designed to provide sorbent and additive selection guidance, and, in so doing, supply answers to the questions posed in the preceding section. The objectives are: Identify the best commercial hydrate sorbent and the best enhanced hydrate sorbent from a list of nine types, based upon S0{sub 2} removal at Ca/S=2. Determine the relative effectiveness of sodium sesquicarbonate versus sodium bicarbonate for S0{sub 2} and NO{sub x} control over the temperature range of 200{degrees}F--400{degrees}F. Identify the best NO{sub 2} suppressing additive among the group of ammonia, urea, and activated carbon.

Previous results have shown that the yeast extract concentration and the medium pH significantly affect the ratio of ethanol to acetate in the product stream when fermenting CO, CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2} in synthesis gas to products by Clostridium ljungdahlii. Further experimentation has demonstrated the impact of eliminating yeast extract from the medium (except for the slight quantity transferred with the inoculm), especially when coupled with low pH. An ethanol to acetate product ratio of 4.0 was obtained at pH 4.5 without yeast extract present in the medium when using culture previously exposed to growth-limiting H{sub 2}S. The product ratio was 2.0 at pH 4.0 (nearly three times the value of pH 4.5 and nine times the value of pH 5.0) without yeast extract present in the media when using the standard (unexposed) culture.

This report describes the analysis of carbonxyl-terminated butadiene (CTB), carboxyl-terminated butadiene/acrylonitrile (CTBN), and a CTBN adduct prepared by reaction with Epon 828. Data from gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, high performance liquid chromatography, and ion chromatography are presented and discussed. Quantitative methods based on carbon-13 and proton NMR for analyzing CTBN are described. Proton NMR was found to be useful in identifying lots that have an abnormal amount of CTBN protons. One such lot exhibited a phase separation of a polybutadiene impurity. Carbon-13 NMR was found to be capable of determining nitrile content directly. Carbon-13 NMR had a relative standard deviation of 8.3% and a proton NMR of 3.9%. Proton NMR was found to be useful in identifying lots that have 5% more CTBN protons than other lots. 3 refs., 11 figs., 4 tabs.

Neoclassical transport of energetic minority tail ions, which are generated by high powered electromagnetic waves of the Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) at the fundamental harmonic resonance, is studied analytically in tokamak geometry. The effect of Coulomb collisions on the tail ion transport is investigated in the present work. The total tail ion transport will be the sum of the present collision-driven transport and the wave-driven transport, which is due to the ICRF-wave scattering of the tail particles as reported in the literature. The transport coefficients have been calculated kinetically, and it is found that the large tail ion viscosity, driven by the localized ICRF-heating and Coulomb slowing-down collisions, induces purely convective particle transport of the tail species, while the energy transport is both convective and diffusive. The rate of radial particle transport is shown to be usually small, but the rate of radial energy transport is larger and may not be negligible compared to the Coulomb slowing-down rate. 18 refs., 2 figs.

We report on a recent search for {bar {nu}}{sub e} appearance from stopped {pi}{sup +} {yields} {mu}{sup +}{nu}{sub {mu}} and {mu}{sup +} {yields} e{sup +}{nu}{sub e}{bar {nu}}{sub {mu}} decay made by the LAMPF experiment E645. The appearance of {bar {nu}}{sub e} may occur from {bar {nu}}{sub {mu}} {yields} {bar {nu}}{sub e}, {nu}{sub e} {yields} {bar {nu}}{sub eL}, or {nu}{sub {mu}} {yields} {bar {nu}}{sub eL} oscillations. Appearance may also occur from rare {mu}{sup +} {yields} e{sup +}{bar {nu}}{sub e}{nu}{sub {mu}} decay, which is allowed by a multiplicative lepton charge conservation law. The neutrino energies range from E{sub {nu}} = 0 to 52.8MeV. The neutrino detector, which is located 26.1 meters from the neutrino source, consists of a segmented liquid scintillator and proportional drift tube central detector surrounded by both active and passive shielding. The central detector detects {bar {nu}}{sub e} through the {bar {nu}}{sub e}p {yields} ne{sup +} Charge Current (CC) reaction, which is signaled by the direct detection of the final state positron and neutron. The hydrogen-rich liquid scintillators act as free proton targets for the {bar {nu}}{sub e}p CC reaction. The neutrons are detected through radiative neutron capture on gadolinium. We find no evidence for {bar {nu}}{sub e} appearance …

Previous results have shown that the medium pH, the composition of the medium and concentration of medium constituents significantly affect the ratio of ethanol to acetate in the product stream when fermenting CO, CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2} in synthesis gas to products by Clostridium ljungdahlii. An additional batch study was carried out varying the agitation rate at pH 4, 4.5 and 5.0. It was speculated that increased agitation rates in combination with low pH might result in increased ethanol production while, at the same time, yielding higher cell concentrations which could eventually result in higher ethanol concentrations.

This report discusses research on the titan-1 fusion power core. The major topics covered are: titan-1 fusion-power-core engineering; titan-1 divertor engineering; titan-1 tritium systems; titan-1 safety design and radioactive-waste disposal; and titan-1 maintenance procedures.

This report discusses the following topics: overview of titan-2 design; titan-2 fusion-power-core engineering; titan-2 divertor engineering; titan-2 tritium systems; titan-2 safety design and radioactive-waste disposal; and titan-2 maintenance procedures.

A bench-scale reactor is being used to conduct studies of the conversion of synthesis gas to methanol by a novel process. During the last quarter, the effect of operating parameters such as temperature, pressure, feed H{sub 2}/CO ratio and feed flow rate on the MeOH synthesis rate were investigated. The specific rate of MeOH synthesis was found to vary with gas feed rate -- an unexpected result. It is proposed that this is due to the presence of small amounts of an inhibiting agent which accumulates in the liquid at low flow rates. Work also continued on the modification of the experimental equipment to permit on-line monitoring of liquid and gas compositions.

During 1990, we have continued our meteorological and hydrologic data collection in support of our process-oriented research. The six years of data collected to data is unique in its scope and continuity in a North Hemisphere Arctic setting. This valuable data base has allowed us to further our understanding of the interconnections and interactions between the atmosphere/hydrosphere/biosphere/lithosphere. The increased understanding of the heat and mass transfer processes has allowed us to increase our model-oriented research efforts.

The MIT Lincoln Laboratory is investigating the possibility of building a free electron laser (FEL) operating at an average power of about 7 kW at wavelengths of 500--600 nm. Additional specifications for the FEL include a bandwidth of less than 0.1 cm{sup {minus}1} and a micropulse separation of less than 10 ns. The design study has investigated the basic design parameters of the FEL including an analysis of the electron accelerator, beam line, wiggler and optical cavity. A nonlinear model of the FEL has been used to calculate the FEL gain and efficiency. The required output power appears achievable from an FEL operating at more than 1% efficiency with a conventional RF accelerator. Details of the FEL design are presented in this report which represent the final report for the year from September 1, 1989 to August 31, 1990. 28 refs., 13 figs., 5 tabs.

This report discusses the research and development on the hadron shower counter for the superconducting super collider. (LSP)