In the process of removing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from the K Basins through its subsequent packaging, drymg, transportation and storage steps, the SNF Project must be able to respond to all anticipated or foreseeable off-normal and accident events that may occur. Response procedures and recovery plans need to be in place, personnel training established and implemented to ensure the project will be capable of appropriate actions. To establish suitable project planning, these events must first be identified and analyzed for their expected impact to the project. This document assesses all off-normal and accident events for their potential cross-facility or Multi-Canister Overpack (MCO) process reversal impact. Table 1 provides the methodology for establishing the event planning level and these events are provided in Table 2 along with the general response and recovery planning. Accidents and off-normal events of the SNF Project have been evaluated and are identified in the appropriate facility Safety Analysis Report (SAR) or in the transportation Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP). Hazards and accidents are summarized from these safety analyses and listed in separate tables for each facility and the transportation system in Appendix A, along with identified off-normal events. The tables identify the general response …

The objective of the present study is to develop a computational model for simulating the gas flow, thermal condition and ash transport and deposition pattern in the hot-gas filtration systems. The computational model is to provide a virtual tool for design and operation modifications. Particular attention is given to the Particle Control Device (PCD) at the Power Systems Development Facility (PSDF) in Wilsonville, Alabama. For evaluation of gas velocity and temperature field in the vessel, the FLUENT commercial CFD computer code is used. Ash particle transport and deposition pattern was analyzed with the Lagrangian particle tracking approach.

Advanced coal and biomass-based gas turbine power generation technologies (IGCC, PFBC, PCFBC, and Hipps) are currently under development and demonstration. Efforts at Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation (SWPC) have been focused on the development and demonstration of hot gas filter systems as an enabling technology for power generation. This paper reviews SWPC's material and component assessment efforts, identifying the performance, stability, and life of porous metal, advanced alloy, and intermetallic filters under simulated, pressurized fluidized-bed combustion conditions.

Alternative alloys derived from the wide array of aerospace superalloys will be developed for hot gas filtration to improve on both ceramic filters and ''first-generation'' iron aluminide metallic filter materials. New high performance metallic filters should offer the benefits of non-brittle mechanical behavior at all temperatures, including ambient temperature, and improved resistance to thermal fatigue compared to ceramic filter elements, thus improving filter reliability. A new powder processing approach also will be established that results in lightweight metallic filters with high permeability and weldability for enhanced capability for filter system manufacturing.

Increasing prosperity and the steady growth of the world population lead to a strongly rising energy requirement. Therefore the saving of the available resources as well as the limitation of CO{sub 2}-emission are the main reasons for developing highly efficient power stations. The use of combined cycle technology for advanced coal fired power plants allow a significantly higher conversion efficiency than it is possible in an only steam power plant. In order to increase the gas turbine inlet temperature, the filtration of fine particles is necessary. Therefore the filtration unit is one of the key components of the circulating pressurized fluidized bed combustion technology (PFBC). To use this technology more effectively, gas cleaning at high temperatures or in an reducing atmosphere is necessary. A possibility of the effective gas cleaning at high temperatures is the use of porous ceramic candle filters. The structure of such filter elements usually consists of a highly porous sup port which ensures the mechanical strength and a layer which operates as the functional part for the particle removal. To ensure a guaranteed lifetime of about 16000 h the effect of combustion or gasification atmosphere and temperature on the thermal and mechanical properties of the filter …

This is a topical report of the NERI project ''An Innovative Reactor Analysis Methodology Based on a Quasidiffusion Nodal Core Model''

The BioBriefcase is an integrated briefcase-sized aerosol collection and analysis system for autonomous monitoring of the environment, which is currently being jointly developed by Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories. This poster presents results from the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) module of the system. The DNA must be purified after exiting the aerosol collector to prevent inhibition of the enzymatic reaction. Traditional solid-phase extraction results in a large loss of sample. In this flow-through system, we perform sample purification, concentration and amplification in one reactor, which minimizes the loss of material. The sample from the aerosol collector is mixed with a denaturation solution prior to flowing through a capillary packed with silica beads. The DNA adheres to the silica beads allowing the environmental contaminants to be flushed to waste while effectively concentrating the DNA on the silica matrix. The adhered DNA is amplified while on the surface of the silica beads, resulting in a lower limit of detection than an equivalent eluted sample. Thus, this system is beneficial since more DNA is available for amplification, less reagents are utilized, and contamination risks are reduced.

Monthly newsletter discussing news and activities related to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program, articles about weather and atmospheric phenomena, and other related topics.

This month's issue has the following articles: (1) A Major Advance in Understanding Metals--Commentary by Tomas Diaz de la Rubia; (2) Materials Scientists Discover the Power of ParaDiS--A new supercomputer code is revealing how metals become stronger through the formation of dislocation line junctions; (3) A Wide New Window on the Universe--Livermore scientists and engineers are contributing to the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, which will provide unprecedented digital maps of the changing night sky; (4) Built for Speed: Graphics Processors for General-Purpose Computing--Commercial graphics processors used in the computer gaming industry are providing low-cost solutions for high-performance data processing; and (5) Negative Plasma Densities Raise Questions--Livermore physicists shed light on anomalous results in x-ray interferometry of plasmas.

This report is categorized into five categories: (I) Most Recent Developments, (II) Background and Analysis, (III) Improving Fuel Economy: Other Policy Approaches, (IV) Legislation and (V) Congressional Hearing, Reports, and Documents.

This report offers a brief history of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. It discusses the establishment of a regional home heating oil reserve and addresses the question when the SPR should be used.

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Tritium activities decreased in all three SALDS proximal wells during FY 2002, compared with FY 2001. Activities in well 699-48-77A first decreased to less than 3,000 pCi/L in January 2002, but rose to 150,000 in July, probably as a result of tritium discharges to SALDS that resumed in February 2002. Well 699-48-77C, where tritium analysis produced a maximum value of 750,000 pCi/L in January 2002, reflects the result of the delayed penetration of effluent deeper into the aquifer from tritium discharges. SALDS proximal well 699-48-77D produced a maximum result of 240,000 pCi/L in July 2002. Timing between detections of tritium and other constituents in well 699-48-77C suggest a delay of approximately three years from detection in wells 699-48-77A and 699-48-77D. Historically maxima for tritium (790 and 860 pCi/L in successive sample periods) suggest that tritium from SALDS may be reaching the northern edge of the 200 West Area, south of the facility.

Initial measurements are reported for the Mercury laser system, a scalable driver for rep-rated high energy density physics research. The performance goals include 10% electrical efficiency at 10 Hz and 100 J with a 2-10 ns pulse length.

A long-standing problem in supernova physics is how to measure the total energy and temperature of {nu}{sub {mu}}, {nu}{sub {tau}}, {bar {nu}}{sub {mu}}, and {bar {nu}}{sub {tau}}. While of the highest importance, this is very difficult because these flavors only have neutral-current detector interactions. We propose that neutrino-proton elastic scattering, {nu} + p {yields} {nu} + p, can be used for the detection of supernova neutrinos in scintillator detectors. It should be emphasized immediately that the dominant signal is on free protons. Though the proton recoil kinetic energy spectrum is soft, with T{sub p} {approx_equal} 2E{sub {nu}}{sup 2}/M{sub p}, and the scintillation light output from slow, heavily ionizing protons is quenched, the yield above a realistic threshold is nearly as large as that from {bar {nu}}{sub e} + p {yields} e{sup +} + n. In addition, the measured proton spectrum is related to the incident neutrino spectrum. The ability to detect this signal would give detectors like KamLAND and Borexino a crucial and unique role in the quest to detect supernova neutrinos.

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We have developed a security model that facilitates control of resources by autonomous peers who act on behalf of collaborating users. This model allows a gradual build-up of trust. It enables secure interactions among users that do not necessarily know each other and allows them to build trust over the course of their collaboration. This paper describes various aspects of our security model and describes an architecture that implements this model to provide security in pure peer-to-peer environments.

To facilitate the study of flux heterogeneity within a region, the authors have designed, built, and field-tested a highly portable, rapidly deployable, eddy covariance CO{sub 2} flux measurement system. The system is built from off-the-shelf parts and was assembled at a minimal cost. The unique combination of features of this system allow for a very rapid deployment with a minimal number of field personnel. The system is capable of making high precision, unattended measurements of turbulent CO{sub 2} fluxes, latent heat (LE) fluxes, sensible heat fluxes (H), and momentum transfer fluxes. In addition, many of the meteorological and ecosystem variables necessary for quality control of the fluxes and for running ecosystem models are measured. A side-by-side field comparison of the system at a pair of established AmeriFlux sites has verified that, for single measurements, the system is capable of CO{sub 2} flux accuracy of about {+-} 1.2 {micro}mole/m{sup 2}/sec, LE flux accuracy of about {+-} 15 Watts/m{sup 2}, H flux accuracy of about {+-} 7 Watts/m{sup 2}, and momentum transfer flux accuracy of about {+-} 11 gm-m/sec/sec. System deployment time is between 2 and 4 hours by a single person. The system was measured to draw between 30 and 35 …

While the purpose of geologic storage of CO{sub 2} in deep saline formations is to trap greenhouse gases underground, the potential exists for CO{sub 2} to escape from the target reservoir, migrate upward along permeable pathways, and discharge at the land surface. Such discharge is not necessarily a serious concern, as CO{sub 2} is a naturally abundant and relatively benign gas in low concentrations. However, there is a potential risk to health, safety and environment (HSE) in the event that large localized fluxes of CO{sub 2} were to occur at the land surface, especially where CO{sub 2} could accumulate. In this paper, we develop possible scenarios for large CO{sub 2} fluxes based on the analysis of natural analogues, where large releases of gas have been observed. We are particularly interested in scenarios which could generate sudden, possibly self-enhancing, or even eruptive release events. The probability for such events may be low, but the circumstances under which they might occur and potential consequences need to be evaluated in order to design appropriate site selection and risk management strategies. Numerical modeling of hypothetical test cases is needed to determine critical conditions for such events, to evaluate whether such conditions may be possible …

In January 1993, PNNL established an area monitoring dosimeter program in accordance with Article 514 of the DOE Radiological Control Manual. This program was to minimize the number of areas requiring issuance of personnel dosimeters and to demonstrate that doses outside Radiological Buffer Areas are negligible. In accordance with 10 CFR Part 835.402 (a)(1)-(4) and Article 511.1 of the DOE Standard Radiological Control, personnel dosimetry shall be provided to 1) radiological workers who are likely to receive at least 100 mrem annually and 2) declared pregnant workers, minors, and members of the public who are likely to receive at least 50 mrem annually. Program results for calendar years 1993-1998 confirmed that personnel dosimetry was not needed for individuals located in areas monitored by the program. A total of 123 area thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were placed in PNNL facilities during calendar year 1999. The TLDs were exchanged and analyzed quarterly. All routine area monitoring TLD results were less than 50 mrem annually after correcting for worker occupancy. The results support the conclusion that personnel dosimeters are not necessary for staff, declared pregnant workers, minors, or members of the public in these monitored areas.

Microelectronmechanical Systems (MEMS) have not gained wide use because they lack the on-device power required by many important applications. To supply this need power, on can consider power from fossil fuels, but nuclear sources provide an intriguing option in terms of power density and lifetime. In order to make use of alpha particles, one is forced to use thermal approaches because diodes are damaged by the high energy of the alpha particles, one is forced to use thermal approaches because diodes are damaged by the high energy of the alphas. One difficulty, though, is that the surface to volume ration increases as we move to smaller scales and heat losses thus become significant at MEMS scales. Hence, efficient microscale insulation is needed to permit high overall efficiencies. This research explores concepts for one variety of microscale insulation created using MEMS fabrication techniques.

Aerial refueling aircraft are key to air operations. The U.S. tanker fleet is large and effective, but old. Modernizing or replacing the current fleet of tankers presents the Department of Defense (DOD) with difficult choices in terms of desired capabilities, force structure, and budget. How this fleet will be maintained or replaced, and on what schedule, has proven controversial.