During the second quarter of this project, progress was made on both major technical tasks. Three parallel efforts were initiated on the modeling of carbon structural evolution. Structural ordering during carbonization was studied by a numerical simulation scheme proposed by Alan Kerstein involving molecular weight growth and rotational mobility. Work was also initiated to adapt a model of carbonaceous mesophase formation, originally developed under parallel NSF funding, to the prediction of coke texture. This latter work makes use of the FG-DVC model of coal pyrolysis developed by Advanced Fuel Research to specify the pool of aromatic clusters that participate in the order/disorder transition. Boston University has initiated molecular dynamics simulations of carbonization processes and Ohio State has begun theoretical treatment of surface reactions. Experimental work has also begun on model compound studies at Brown and on pilot-scale combustion systems with widely varying flame types at OSE. The work on mobility / growth models shows great promise and is discussed in detail in the body of the report.

This calculation note analyzes headspace concentrations of hydrogen in single shell tanks dependent upon assumed ventilation flow rates provided by the waste tank ventilation system operation or calculated from Standard Hydrogen Monitoring System data. The analyses are based on measured or estimated steady-state hydrogen release rates. Specific analyses include: 1) The hydrogen generation rate at steady- state hydrogen concentrations and 2)The headspace hydrogen concentration as a function of time, as well as the time required to reach 25% and 100% of the Lower Flammability Limit with barometric breathing in the tank.

Provide a `graded approach` fire evaluation in preparation for turnover to Environmental Restoration Contractor for D&D. Scope includes revising 309 Building book value and evaluating fire hazards, radiological and toxicological releases, and life safety issues.

This report is a preliminary economic analysis of the Sherburne Co. plant North State Power. This analysis is made with the cooperation of Joe Brojberg (senior analysis engineer of NSP) and Steve Bension (Slag and ash specialist, President of Microbeam Technologies Incorporated (MTI) of North Dakota) and Paul Johnson of Diamond Power Speciality.

Colloidal suspensions of Si0{sub 2} in ethanol prepared by the ammonia catalyzed hydrolysis of tetraethyl silicate (TEOS) in ethanol have been routinely used for over 10 years to prepare antireflective (AR) coatings on the fused silica transmissive optical components of high power fusion lasers. Very high purity coatings are required to avoid laser damage and these are obtained when the TEOS is fractionally distilled under N{sub 2} prior to use. Recently we found that products from aerial oxidation of distilled TEOS, had a significant effect on the particle size of our coating suspensions to the detriment of the optical performance. We require particle sizes less than 20 nm to avoid light loss due to scatter and contaminated TEOS gave suspensions with much higher particle sizes. Oxidation products were identified by GC mass spectroscopy and included acetaldehyde, acetic acid, silicon acetates and reaction products of these compounds with ethanol. Acetic acid and silicon acetates were found to be the major cause of large particle formation. These could be removed by careful redistillation preferably in the presence of a small quantity of magnesium ethoxide. Storage in sealed containers over N{sub 2} avoided further problems.

The Department of Energy`s Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) faces a challenging mission. To increase efficiency, EM is undertaking a number of highly innovative initiatives--two of which are of particular importance to the present study. One is the 2006 Plan, a planning and budgeting process that seeks to convert the clean-up program from a temporally and fiscally open-ended endeavor to a strictly bounded one, with firm commitments over a decade-long horizon. The second is a major overhauling of the management and contracting practices that define the relationship between the Department and the private sector, aimed at cost reduction by increasing firms` responsibilities and profit opportunities and reducing DOE`s direct participation in management practices and decisions. The goal of this paper is to provide an independent perspective on how EM should create new management practices to deal with private sector partners that are motivated by financial incentives. It seeks to ground this perspective in real world concerns--the background of the clean-up effort, the very difficult technical challenges it faces, the very real threats to environment, health and safety that have now been juxtaposed with financial drivers, and the constraints imposed by government`s unique business practices and public responsibilities. …

At the request of the Western Area Power Administration (Western), an audit of 17 areas was conducted with respect to possible overcharges on a power contract between Western and Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin), Contract No. DE-MP65-82WP-19001. The contract for Western`s purchase of electric power from Basin was entered into on April 15, 1982, and was in effect from January 1, 1986, through October 31, 1990. During this 58-month period, Basin billed Western approximately $197.6 million. Overall, it was found that Basin overcharged Western approximately $23.8 million. These overcharges occurred because Basin: (1) did not recognize or amortize as gain its overestimate of completion and correction costs for Antelope Valley Station (AVS) Unit 2; (2) did not amortize the gain on the sale/leaseback of AVS Unit 2 as an offset to lease costs; (3) billed Western prematurely for lease and interest costs; (4) overcharged for the cost of coal by including administrative and general expenses and profit, as well as incorrectly calculating discounts, royalty payments, and imputed interest costs; (5) made faulty calculations of amortization rates for deferred costs; (6) used a shorter depreciation period for AVS common facilities than it had used for other power plants; (7) retained tax …

Tetraphenylborate solids are a potentially large source of benzene in the slurries produced in the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) process. The stability of the solids is an important consideration in the safety analysis of the process and we desire an understanding of the factors that influence the rate of conversion of the solids to benzene. This report discusses current testing of the stability of tetraphenylborate solids.

This paper will discuss some basic technical information resources that would be helpful to the novice nuclear criticality safety specialist. These include bibliographic and benchmark compilations, handbooks, and online resources. The specialist should also be familiar with benchmark quality experimental data needed for code validation. This paper will also discuss the critical experiment data obtained in the 1950s and 1960s at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Optical component specifications for the high-average-power lasers and transport system used in the Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) plant must address demanding system performance requirements. The need for high performance optics has to be balanced against the practical desire to reduce the supply risks of cost and schedule. This is addressed in optical system design, careful planning with the optical industry, demonstration of plant quality parts, qualification of optical suppliers and processes, comprehensive procedures for evaluation and test, and a plan for corrective action.