After four years of decline, foreign direct investment in the United States showed sharp gains in 1993 and 1994. Japan remained the largest foreign direct investor in the U.S. economy in 1993, despite a sharp slow down in investments by Japanese firms compared with British firms, the second largest direct investors. The overall foreign direct investment position in U.S. businessesand real estate - or the accumulated book value of all foreign investments - increased by $20 billion in 1993, nearly three times faster than the amount recorded in 1992. Preliminary data indicate that foreigners' investments could surpass $30 billion in 1994. Economists generally believe that foreign direct investment yields positive net benefits to both the recipient and the investing countries. For some American firms, foreign investments have been especially beneficial, because they supplied the firms with funds during times when many U.S. commercial banks were unwilling to finance them.

Twenty-two laboratory columns packed with flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastes from tests of the Coolside Technology were constructed and are being monitored for leaching characteristics at the UK-CAER for approximately 8 months. FGD materials from the four pilot plant runs conducted by Consol in Library PA as well as two composite samples from demonstration-plant runs 1 and 3 conducted by Ohio Edison in the Edgewater Power Plant near Loraine Ohio were included in the investigation. Details of the packing procedure and test matrix have been described in a previous report. Variables investigated in the test matrix include solids packing density (49 and 65 lb/ft{sup 3}), contact with a variable CO{sub 2} atmosphere (0, 2.5, and 5 vol%), the rate and method of water addition (fixed-47 and 94 mL/wk; rain simulation), and prehydration (0, 15, 30, and 45 wt% prehydration water-dry basis).

Recent laser-produced plasma experiments have relied on spectroscopic comparisons with models to infer plasma temperatures. Here, the technique is applied to study thermal radiation transfer experiments. The transmission model combines high-quality atomic data with an ionization balance obtained from systematic expansions of the grand canonical ensemble. The latter avoids the ad hoc cutoffs required in free energy minimization schemes and includes Coulomb corrections usually neglected in other models. It is shown that the improved equation of state significantly affects inferred temperatures at the higher densities expected in the heat flow experiments. Even though good agreement is obtained between the experimental and theoretical transmission spectrum, the experimental uncertainties are sufficiently large that is compromises the intended bench marking of the thermal transport models.

This quarterly report describes results from the experimental studies on oxidative coupling of methane, oxygen conducting perovskite dense membrane synthesis and modeling studies of the methane coupling reaction. The focus of the experimental study is to explore the effects of varying catalyst loading, varying methane to oxygen ratios and feed conditions when the oxygen conversion is much less than 100%. Results from these studies help in understanding the effects of various parameters controlling methane coupling. Dense membrane synthesis and characterization results are presented which describe new approaches to the synthesis and characterization of these membranes. The modeling results described in this report present a theoretical fit to the experimental data on oxidative coupling of methane in fixed bed reactors. The parameters from the fit are used to predict the trends in experimental data obtained from VYCOR membrane reactors. The predicted trends are based on a theoretical model employing simplified methane coupling kinetics.

This document presents the Functional Design Criteria for installing Liquid Observation Wells (LOWS) into single-shell tanks containing either ferrocyanide or organic waste. The LOWs will be designed to accommodate the deployment of gamma, neutron, and electromagnetic induction probes and to interface with the existing tank structure and environment.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and document a proposed position on the performance of independent peer reviews on selected design and analysis components of the Title 1 [Preliminary] and Title 2 [Final] design phases of the Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility [MWTF] project. An independent, third-party peer review is defined as a documented critical review of documents, data, designs, design inputs, tests, calculations, or related materials. The peer review should be conducted by persons independent of those who performed the work, but who are technically qualified to perform the original work. The peer review is used to assess the validity of assumptions and functional requirements, to assess the appropriateness and logic of selected methodologies and design inputs, and to verify calculations, analyses and computer software. The peer review can be conducted at the end of the design activity, at specific stages of the design process, or continuously and concurrently with the design activity. This latter method is often referred to as ``Continuous Peer Review.``

The purpose of this paper is to develop and document a position on the number and location of temperature elements to be used in the Project W-236A, Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility (MWTF) waste storage tanks. The current preliminary design for the temperature element (TE) placement in the MWTF waste tanks is essentially a copy of the TE placement in existing Double-Shell Tanks (DST). The basis for the placement of these TEs in existing farms is not widely documented and was arrived at by consensus of participating engineers. Current designs call for 194 TEs in each tank on the primary tank bottom, sides, support pad, foundation, and on the secondary tank concrete walls, dome, and haunch. An additional 18 TEs are located in the waste itself on a temperature tree. The MWTF project office has determined and is seeking concurrence that temperatures in the primary tank bottom and walls, in the secondary tank concrete walls and dome, and in the primary tank support pad, and in the tank foundation, be monitored primarily in one quadrant instead of all four. It has also been recommended by personnel performing the thermal hydraulic analysis of the tanks that it would be desirable to know …

The purpose of this paper is to document a project position on required ventilation system design air flow rates for the waste storage tanks currently being designed by project W-236A, the Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility (MWTF). The Title 1 design primary tank heat removal system consists of two systems: a primary tank vapor space ventilation system; and an annulus ventilation system. At the conclusion of Title 1 design, air flow rates for the primary and annulus ventilation systems were 960 scfm and 4,400 scfm, respectively, per tank. These design flow rates were capable of removing 1,250,000 Btu/hr from each tank. However, recently completed and ongoing studies have resulted in a design change to reduce the extreme case heat load to 700,000 Btu/hr. This revision of the extreme case heat load, coupled with results of scale model evaporative testing performed by WHC Thermal Hydraulics, allow for a reduction of the design air flow rates for both primary and annulus ventilation systems. Based on the preceding discussion, ICF Kaiser Hanford Co. concludes that the design should incorporate the following design air flow rates: Primary ventilation system--500 scfm maximum and Annulus ventilation system--1,100 scfm maximum. In addition, the minimum air flow rates in …

Disclosed are detailed procedures for measuring the rate of gas generation by grout made from synthetic tanks wastes or actual tank material. Objective is to measure the rate of gas generation for various gases (H{sub 2}, N{sub 2}O, etc.) produced when grout, prepared using tank waste, is heated at 65 C. Experiments will also be conducted using grout from synthetic tank waste, as practice. Purpose is to provide data for evaluation of safety risks presented by gas generation in the grout vault after making grout with tank waste, as verification/confirmation for gas generation rates for the ANL testing.

Components of the K-1 fan system were evaluated for structural adequacy to accommodate an actuator weighing 540 lbs. The components evaluated were the connectors between the actuator and the valve, the duct between the valve and the facility wall, and the stud anchors connecting the duct to the facility wall. The loads were deadload, snow, operating loads, and seismic loads. The components were found to be structurally adequate for these loads.

The purpose of this position paper is to document the decision not to acquire continuous air monitors (CAM`s) from government excess/surplus supplies. The procurement plan for equipment to be acquired for project W-236A, the Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility (MWTF), stipulates that radiation monitoring equipment will be supplied by WHC via the stock retained within the excess/surplus inventory or utilization of procured instruments from canceled projects. Technological advances within the radiation detection industry have ultimately outdated the instruments that are available within the excess/surplus stock. These machines represent the technology of the 1970`s era. The CAM models in use or within the excess/surplus supplies are obsolete and have been discontinued by the manufacturer. Therefore, the majority of the excess/surplus CAM`s are being reacquired and disassembled by instrument shops for in-house acquisition of spare parts for the instruments that are still presently in-service. It is being recommended by W-236A projects department that the strategy to acquire surplus/excess radiation monitoring devices be modified. The recommendation is to directly procure instruments that are equal to the technology available within this industry.