Advanced nuclear reactor design has, in recent years, focused increasingly on the use of heavy-liquid-metal coolants, such as lead and lead-bismuth eutectic. Similarly, programs on accelerator-based transmutation systems have also considered the use of such coolants. Russian experience with heavy-metal coolants for nuclear reactors has lent credence to the validity of this approach. Of significant concern is the compatibility of structural materials with these coolants. We have used a thermal convection-based test method to allow exposure of candidate materials to molten lead and lead-bismuth flowing under a temperature gradient. The gradient was deemed essential in evaluating the behavior of the test materials in that should preferential dissolution of components of the test material occur we would expect dissolution in the hotter regions and deposition in the colder regions, thus promoting material transport. Results from the interactions of a Si-rich mild steel alloy, AISI S5, and a ferritic-martensitic stainless steel, HT-9, with the molten lead-bismuth are presented.

The modeling described in this report is an extension of previous fate and transport modeling for the Old Radioactive Waste Burial Ground Corrective Measures Study/Feasibility Study. The purpose of this and the previous modeling is to provide quantitative input to the screening of remedial alternatives for the CMS/FS for this site.

A Straight-line code, which consists of assignment, addition, and multiplication statements is an abstraction of a serial computer program to compute a function with n inputs. Given a serial straight-line code with N statements, the authors derive an algorithm that automatically evaluates not only the function but also its first-order derivatives with respect to the n inputs on a parallel computer. The basic idea of the algorithm is to marry automatic computation of derivatives with automatic parallelization of serial programs. The algorithm requires O(M{sub N} log of N) scalar operations, where O(M{sub N}) is the time complexity of a parallel multiplication of two dense N x N matrices and it represents a measure of the complexity of the straight-line code. Although it can be exponential in N in the worse case, it tends to be only polynomial in N for many important problems.

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The Energy Information Administration's (EIA's) National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) Freight Truck Stock Adjustment Model (FTSAM) was created in 1995 relying heavily on input data from the 1992 Economic Census, Truck Inventory and Use Survey (TIUS). The FTSAM is part of the NEMS Transportation Sector Model, which provides baseline energy projections and analyzes the impacts of various technology scenarios on consumption, efficiency, and carbon emissions. The base data for the FTSAM can be updated every five years as new Economic Census information is released. Because of expertise in using the TIUS database, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was asked to assist the EIA when the new Economic Census data were available. ORNL provided the necessary base data from the 1997 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS) and other sources to update the FTSAM. The next Economic Census will be in the year 2002. When those data become available, the EIA will again want to update the FTSAM using the VIUS. This report, which details the methodology of estimating and extracting data from the 1997 VIUS Microdata File, should be used as a guide for generating the data from the next VIUS so that the new data will be as compatible …

This report summarizes the Groundwater Monitoring Program conducted by SRS during first quarter 2000. It includes the analytical data, field data, data review, quality control, and other documentation for this program; provides a record of the program's activities; and serves as an official record of the analytical results.

This report documents results of a preliminary hazard analysis (PHA) covering the existing Crane Chempump and the new salt well pumping design. Three hazardous conditions were identified for the Chempump and ten hazardous conditions were identified for the new salt well pump design. This report also presents the results of the control decision/allocation process. A backflow preventer and associated limiting condition for operation were assigned to one hazardous condition with the new design.

This NOC describes the activities to remove all spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assemblies from the spent fuel pool in the T Plant Complex 221-T canyon for interim storage in the Canister Storage Building (CSB). The unabated total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) estimated for the public hypothetical maximally exposed individual (MEI) is 5.7 E-6 millirem (mrem) per year for this fuel removal NOC. The abated TEDE conservatively is estimated to account for 2.9 E-9 mrem per year to the MEI.

Plasma perturbations in the acceleration channel of a Hall thruster are found to be unstable in the presence of collisions. Both electrostatic lower-hybrid waves and electromagnetic Alfven waves transverse to the applied electric and magnetic field are found to be unstable due to collisions in the E X B electron flow. These results are obtained assuming a two-fluid hydrodynamic model in slab geometry. The characterisitic frequencies of these modes are consistent with experimental observations in Hall current plasma thrusters.

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The spherical tokamak (ST), because of its slender central column, has very limited volt-second capability relative to a standard aspect ratio tokamak of similar plasma cross-section. Recent experiments on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) have begun to quantify and optimize the ohmic current drive efficiency in a MA-class ST device. Sustainable ramp-rates in excess of 5MA/sec during the current rise phase have been achieved on NSTX, while faster ramps generate significant MHD activity. Discharges with IP exceeding 1MA have been achieved in NSTX with nominal parameters: aspect ratio A=1.3-1.4, elongation k=2-2.2, triangularity d=0.4, internal inductance li=0.6, and Ejima coefficient CE =0.35. Flux consumption efficiency results, performance improvements associated with first boronization, and comparisons to neo-classical resistivity are described.

The Department of Energy plans to dispose of approximately 2100 metric tons of spent metallic uranium fuel in the mined repository at Yucca Mountain. Laboratory studies at Argonne National Laboratory have shown that corrosion of metallic uranium fuel with groundwater generates significant quantities of stable colloids. This finding is considered very important in light of the recent report (1) of rapid subsurface transport of radionuclides at the Nevada Test Site via colloids. Thus, sparingly soluble radionuclides can be transported with the colloids through the subsurface aqueous environment to much greater distances than is predicted based on the aqueous volubility of the radionuclides alone. Accordingly, characterization of colloids generated by fuel corrosion is necessary for assessing the long-term fate and transport of radionuclides in the repository environment.

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The main aim of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is to establish the fusion physics principles of the spherical torus (ST) concept. The NSTX device began plasma operations in February 1999 and the plasma current Ip was successfully brought up to the design value of 1 million amperes on December 14, 1999. The planned plasma shaping parameters, k = 1.6 {+-} 2.2 and d = 0.2 {+-} 0.4, were achieved in inner limited, single null and double null configurations. The CHI (Coaxial Helicity Injection) and HHFW (High Harmonic Fast Wave) experiments were also initiated. A CHI injected current of 27 kA produced up to 260 kA of toroidal current without using an ohmic solenoid. With an injection of 2.3 MW of HHFW power, using twelve antennas connected to six transmitters, electrons were heated from a central temperature of 400 eV to 900 eV at a centraldensity of 3.5 x 1013 cm-3 increasing the plasma energy to 59 kJ and the toroidal beta, bT to 10 %. Finally, the NBI system commenced operatio n in Sept. 2000. The initial results with two ion sources (PNBI = 2.8 MW) shows good heating, producing a total plasma stored energy of 90 kJ …

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This plan has been prepared in response to direction from the U.S. Department of Energy. The purpose of the plan is to define approaches that will be implemented to ensure protection of the public and the environment when active Low-Level Burial Grounds (LLBGs) at the Hanford Site are closed. Performance assessments for active burial grounds in the 200 East and West 200 Areas provide current estimates of potential environmental contamination and doses to the ''maximum exposed individual'' from burial ground operation and closure and compare dose estimates to performance objective dose limits for the facilities. This is an Operational Closure Plan. The intent of the guidance in DOE Order 435.1 is that this plan will be a living document, like the facility performance assessments, and will be revised periodically through the operational life of the LLBGs to reflect updated information on waste inventory. management practices, facility transition planning, schedule dates, assessments of post-closure performance, and environmental consequences. Out year dates identified in this plan are tentative. A Final Closure Plan will be prepared in the future when the timing and extent of closure-related activities for LLBGs can be established with greater certainty. After current operations at the LLBGs are concluded, …

Worldwide, an estimated 1.5 to 2 billion people do not have access to electricity, including 100 million in the Latin America region. Depending on the country, 30 to 90% of this unelectrified Latin American population lives in rural areas where geographic remoteness and low energy consumption patterns may preclude the extension of the conventional electricity grid. Women are heavily impacted by the energy scarcity given their role as primary energy procurers and users for the household, agricultural and small industrial subsectors in developing countries. As a result, women spend disproportionately more time engaged in energy-related activities like carrying water and searching for cooking fuel. This paper describes the use of decentralized renewable energy systems as one approach to meet the energy needs of rural areas in Latin America. It outlines the advantages of a decentralized energy paradigm to achieve international development goals, especially as they relate to women. The paper studies Enersol Associates, Inc.'s Solar-Based Rural Electrification model as an example of a decentralized energy program which has merged energy and development needs through the local involvement of energy entrepreneurs, non-governmental organizations and community members.

This interim report describes a DOE project currently underway to establish what is known about decontamination of buildings and people and the procedures and protocols used to determine when and how people or buildings are considered ''clean'' following decontamination. To fulfill this objective, the study systematically examined reported decontamination experiences to determine what procedures and protocols are currently employed for decontamination, the timeframe involved to initiate and complete the decontamination process, how the contaminants were identified, the problems encountered during the decontamination process, how response efforts of agencies were coordinated, and the perceived social psychological effects on people who were decontaminated or who participated in the decontamination process. Findings and recommendations from the study are intended to aid decision-making and to improve the basis for determining appropriate decontamination protocols for recovery planners and policy makers for responding to chemical and biological events.

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Forest Service consolidated its Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station with its Intermountain Research Station. The resulting consolidated station was renamed the Rocky Mountain Research Station and was relocated to Fort Collins, Colorado. The Forest Service originally proposed consolidating the two stations in 1992 but delayed taking any action until it completed its reorganizational assessment in May 1997. The Forest Service cut 18 managerial and administrative staff positions during the consolidation. The positions that were eliminated were either transferred to other Forest Service units or were vacated through retirement or employee buyouts. Since 1992, the research funding available to the merged station has remained relatively constant, about 15 percent of the Forest Service's budget for research stations, and the number of employees has remained relatively stable."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "As Congress considers Medicare beneficiaries' access to prescription drug coverage, there is increased interest in the range of options available to help vulnerable populations obtain access to needed medications. Patient assistance programs, offered voluntarily by drug companies, are generally designed to provide prescription drugs to low-income persons who lack drug coverage. These programs typically rely on health care providers' involvement with some or all stages of applying for and receiving drugs from the programs. Drug companies characterize their programs as a last-resort source of prescription drugs, and most programs are not designed to provide long-term prescription drug coverage. To comply with the programs' eligibility criteria, which are intended to target patients who need assistance, application procedures require information about the patient's financial and insurance status. The provider's role in the application process is significant, involving obtaining applications, completing all or part of the forms, and receiving and dispensing drugs."

A radio frequency (rf) system has been installed on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) with the aim of heating the plasma and driving plasma current. The system consists of six rf transmitters, a twelve element antenna and associated transmission line components to distribute and couple the power from the transmitters to the antenna elements in a fashion to allow control of the antenna toroidal wavenumber spectrum. To date, power levels up to 3.85 MW have been applied to the NSTX plasmas. The frequency and spectrum of the rf waves has been selected to heat electrons via Landau damping and transit time magnetic pumping. The electron temperature has been observed to increase from 400 to 900 eV with little change in plasma density resulting in a plasma stored energy of 59 kJ and a toroidal beta, bT , =10% and bn = 2.7.

Compact stellarators have the potential to combine the best features of the stellarator and the advanced tokamak, offering steady state operation without current drive and potentially without disruptions at an aspect ratio similar to tokamaks. A quasi-axisymmetric stellarator is developed that is consistent with the boot-strap current and passively stable to the ballooning, kink, Mercier, vertical, and neoclassical tearing modes at b=4.1 % without need for conducting walls or external feedback. The configuration has good flux surfaces and fast ion confinement. Thermal transport analysis indicates that the confinement should be similar to tokamaks of the same size, allowing access to the b-limit with moderate power. Coils have been designed to reproduce the physics properties. Initial analysis indicates the coils have considerable flexibility to manipulate the configuration properties. Simulations of the current evolution indicate the kink-mode can remain stable during the approach to h igh-beta.