The reluctance interior permanent magnet (RIPM) motor is currently used by many leading auto manufacturers for hybrid vehicles. The power density for this type of motor is high compared with that of induction motors and switched reluctance motors. The primary drawback of the RIPM motor is the permanent magnet (PM) because during high-speed operation, the fixed PM produces a huge back electromotive force (emf) that must be reduced before the current will pass through the stator windings. This reduction in back-emf is accomplished with a significant direct-axis (d-axis) demagnetization current, which opposes the PM's flux to reduce the flux seen by the stator wires. This may lower the power factor and efficiency of the motor and raise the requirement on the alternate current (ac) power supply; consequently, bigger inverter switching components, thicker motor winding conductors, and heavier cables are required. The direct current (dc) link capacitor is also affected when it must accommodate heavier harmonic currents. It is commonly agreed that, for synchronous machines, the power factor can be optimized by varying the field excitation to minimize the current. The field produced by the PM is fixed and cannot be adjusted. What can be adjusted is reactive current to the …

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) hosted its fourth annual Summer Research Institute in Interfacial and Condensed Phase Chemical Physics from April through September 2007. During this time, 21 PNNL scientists hosted 23 participants from 20 different universities. Of the 23 participants, 20 were graduate students, 1 was a postdoctoral fellow, and 2 were university faculty members. This report covers the essense of the program and the research the participants performed.

The Advanced Electric Systems and Aerodynamics for Efficiency Improvements in Heavy Duty Trucks program (DE-FC26-04NT42189), commonly referred to as the AES program, focused on areas that will primarily benefit fuel economy and improve heat rejection while driving over the road. The AES program objectives were to: (1) Analyze, design, build, and test a cooling system that provided a minimum of 10 percent greater heat rejection in the same frontal area with no increase in parasitic fan load. (2) Realize fuel savings with advanced power management and acceleration assist by utilizing an integrated starter/generator (ISG) and energy storage devices. (3) Quantify the effect of aerodynamic drag due to the frontal shape mandated by the area required for the cooling system. The program effort consisted of modeling and designing components for optimum fuel efficiency, completing fabrication of necessary components, integrating these components into the chassis test bed, completing controls programming, and performance testing the system both on a chassis dynamometer and on the road. Emission control measures for heavy-duty engines have resulted in increased engine heat loads, thus introducing added parasitic engine cooling loads. Truck electrification, in the form of thermal management, offers technological solutions to mitigate or even neutralize the effects …

The Roadmap for Process Heating Technology (March 16, 2001), identified the following priority R&D needs: “Improved performance of high temperature materials; improved methods for stabilizing low emission flames; heating technologies that simultaneously reduce emissions, increase efficiency, and increase heat transfer”. Radiant tubes are used in almost every industry of the future. Examples include Aluminum re-heat furnaces; Steel strip annealing furnaces, Petroleum cracking/ refining furnaces, Metal Casting/Heat Treating in atmosphere and fluidized bed furnaces, Glass lair annealing furnaces, Forest Products infrared paper driers, Chemical heat exchangers and immersion heaters, and the indirect grain driers in the Agriculture Industry. Several common needs among the industries are evident: (1) Energy Reductions, (2) Productivity Improvements, (3) Zero Emissions, and (4) Increased Component Life. The Category I award entitled “Proof of Concept of an Advanced Process Heater (APH) for Steel, Aluminum, and Petroleum Industries of the Future” met the technical feasibility goals of: (1) doubling the heat transfer rates (2) improving thermal efficiencies by 20%, (3) improving temperature uniformity by 100oF (38 oC) and (4) simultaneously reducing NOx and CO2 emissions. The APH addresses EERE’s primary mission of increasing efficiency/reducing fuel usage in energy intensive industries. The primary goal of this project was to design, …

This report assesses 2007 farm bill trade title provisions for U.S. agricultural export programs. Moreover, the report considers the modifications made to both the Senate and House of Representatives version of the bill to meet World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations.

This report considers a variety of programs submitted to Congress to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs). Specifically, programs that have market implications are getting the most attention. Moreover, the report compares these programs to the current Title IV programs.

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The abuse of anabolic steroids by teenagers--that is, their use without a prescription--is a health concern. Anabolic steroids are synthetic forms of the hormone testosterone that can be taken orally, injected, or rubbed on the skin. Although a 2006 survey funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that less than 3 percent of 12th graders had abused anabolic steroids, it also found that about 40 percent of 12th graders described anabolic steroids as "fairly easy" or "very easy" to get. The abuse of anabolic steroids can cause serious health effects and behavioral changes in teenagers. GAO was asked to examine federally funded efforts to address the abuse of anabolic steroids among teenagers and to review available research on this issue. This report describes (1) federally funded efforts that address teenage abuse of anabolic steroids, (2) available research on teenage abuse of anabolic steroids, and (3) gaps or areas in need of improvement that federal officials and other experts identify in research that addresses teenage anabolic steroid abuse. To do this work, GAO reviewed federal agency materials and published studies identified through a literature …

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Raman lidar (RL), located at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) Climate Research Facility (CRF), is a unique state-of-the-art active remote sensor that is able to measure profiles of water vapor, aerosol, and cloud properties at high temporal and vertical resolution throughout the diurnal cycle. In October 2005, the capability of the RL was extended by the addition of a new detection channel that is sensitive to the Raman scattering of liquid water. This new channel permits the system, in theory, to measure profiles of liquid water content (LWC) by the RL. To our knowledge, the ARM RL is the only operation lidar with this capability. The liquid water Raman backscattering cross-section is a relatively weak and spectrally broad feature, relative to the water vapor Raman backscatter signal. The wide bandpass required to achieve reasonable signal-to-noise in the liquid water channel essentially eliminates the ability to measure LWC profiles during the daytime in the presence of large solar background, and thus all LWC observations are nighttime only. Additionally, the wide bandpass increases the probability that other undesirable signals, such as fluorescence from aerosols, may contaminate the observation. The liquid water Raman cross-section has a small amount …

We observe that by conditioning DKDP using 500 ps laser pulses, the bulk damage threshold becomes essentially equivalent to the surface damage threshold. We report here the findings of our study of laser initiated output surface damage on 500 ps laser conditioned DKDP for test pulses at 351 nm, 3 ns. The relation between surface damage density and damaging fluence (r(f)) is presented for the first time and the morphologies of the surface sites are discussed. The results of this study suggest a surface conditioning effect resulting from exposure to 500 ps laser pulses.

X-ray diffraction is a technique used to analyze the structure of crystals. It records the interference pattern created when x-rays travel through a crystal. Three dimensional structure can be inferred from these two dimensional diffraction patterns. Before the patterns can be analyzed, diffraction data must be precisely calibrated. Calibration is used to determine the experimental parameters of the particular experiment. This is done by fitting the experimental parameters to the diffraction pattern of a well understood crystal. Fit2D is a software package commonly used to do this calibration but it leaves much to be desired. In particular, it does not give very much control over the calibration of the data, requires a significant amount of manual input, does not allow for the calibration of highly tilted geometries, does not properly explain the assumptions that it is making, and cannot be modified. We build code to do this calibration while at the same time overcoming the limitations of Fit2D. This paper describes the development of the calibration software and the assumptions that are made in doing the calibration.

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 1995, GAO first designated the Department of Defense's (DOD) business systems modernization program as "high-risk" and continues to do so today. In 2004, Congress passed legislation reflecting prior GAO recommendations that DOD adopt a corporate approach to information technology (IT) business systems investment management including tiered accountability for business systems at the department and component levels. To support GAO's legislative mandate to review DOD's efforts, GAO assessed whether the investment management approach of one of DOD's components--the Department of the Air Force (Air Force)--is consistent with leading investment management best practices. In doing so, GAO applied its IT Investment Management (ITIM) framework and associated methodology, focusing on the stages related to the investment management provisions of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 1995, GAO first designated the Department of Defense's (DOD) business systems modernization program as "high-risk," and continues to do so today. In 2004, Congress passed legislation reflecting prior GAO recommendations that DOD adopt a corporate approach to information technology (IT) business systems investment management, including tiered accountability for business systems at the department and component levels. To support GAO's legislative mandate to review DOD's efforts, GAO assessed whether the investment management approach of one of DOD's components--the Department of the Navy--is consistent with leading investment management best practices. In doing so, GAO applied its IT Investment Management (ITIM) framework and associated methodology, focusing on the stages related to the investment management provisions of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996."

This report describes Cesium and Isopar L Concentrations in Samples Collected During Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit (Mcu) Simulant Testing.

Solution conductivity data from the 1CU conductivity meter in H-Canyon shows that uranium concentration in the 0 to 30 gram per liter (g/L) range has no statistically significant effect on the calibration of free nitric acid measurement. Based on these results, no additional actions are needed on the 1CU Conductivity Meter prior to or during the processing of uranium solutions in the 0 to 30 g/L range. A model based only on free nitric acid concentration is shown to be appropriate for explaining the data. Data uncertainties for the free acid measurement of uranium-bearing solutions are 8.5% or less at 95% confidence. The analytical uncertainty for calibrating solutions is an order of magnitude smaller only when uranium is not present, allowing use of a more accurate analytical procedure. Literature work shows that at a free nitric acid level of 0.33 M, uranium concentration of 30 g/L and 25 C, solution conductivity is 96.4% of that of a uranium-free solution. The level of uncertainties in the literature data and its fitting equation do not justify calibration changes based on this small depression in solution conductivity. This work supports preparation of H-Canyon processing of Super Kukla fuel; however, the results will be …

This cleanup verification package documents completion of remedial action for the 126-F-1, 184-F Powerhouse Ash Pit. This waste site received coal ash from the 100-F Area coal-fired steam plant. Leakage of process effluent from the 116-F-14 , 107-F Retention Basins flowed south into the ash pit, contaminating the northern portion.

We present S/1 and R/1 test results on unconditioned and 355 nm (3{omega}), 500 ps laser conditioned DKDP. We find up to {approx}2.5X improvement in fluence in the S/1 performance after 3{omega}, 500 ps conditioning to 5 J/cm{sup 2}. For the first time, we observe a shift to higher fluences in the R/1 results for DKDP at 3{omega}, 7 ns due to 500 ps laser conditioning. The S/1 results are compared to {rho}({phi}) results previously measured on the same DKDP crystal [1]. A consistent behavior in fluence was found between the S/1 and {rho}({phi}) results for unconditioned and 500 ps conditioned DKDP. We were successful at using Poisson statistics to derive a connection between the S/1 and {rho}({phi}) results that could be tested with our data sets by trying to predict the shape of the {rho}({phi}) curve. The value for the power dependence on fluence of {rho}({phi}) derived from the S/1 data was {approx}11 {+-} 50%. The results presented and discussed here imply a strong correlation between the damage probability (S/1) test and {rho}({phi}). We find a consistent description of the two test types in terms of a power law {rho}({phi}) and that this basic shape held for all cases, …

The measurements and the simulation of convective heat transfer in separated flow have been a challenge to researchers for many years. Measurements have been limited to two-dimensional flow and simulations failed to predict accurately turbulent heat transfer in the separated and reattached flow region (prediction are higher than measurements by more than 50%). A coordinated experimental and numerical effort has been initiated under this grant for examining the momentum and thermal transport in three-dimensional separated and reattached flow in an effort to provide new measurements that can be used for benchmarking and for improving the simulation capabilities of 3-D convection in separated/reattached flow regime. High-resolution and non-invasive measurements techniques are developed and employed in this study to quantify the magnitude and the behavior of the three velocity components and the resulting convective heat transfer. In addition, simulation capabilities are developed and employed for improving the simulation of 3-D convective separated/reattached flow. Such basic measurements and simulation capabilities are needed for improving the design and performance evaluation of complex (3-D) heat exchanging equipment. Three-dimensional (3-D) convective air flow adjacent to backward-facing step in rectangular channel is selected for the experimental component of this study. This geometry is simple but it exhibits …

Presentation describes the CoolCab project, a DOE/NREL initiative to design efficient thermal management systems in heavy trucks to eliminate idling and reduce petroleum consumption.

This report provides an overview of corporate tax issues and discusses potential reforms in the context of these issues, with particular attention to some of the recent research concerning large behavioral responses and their implications for revenue and distribution.

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The nation's critical infrastructure sectors--such as public health, energy, water, and transportation--rely on computerized information and systems to provide services to the public. To fulfill the requirement for a comprehensive plan, including cyber aspects, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a national plan in June 2006 for the sectors to use as a road map to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure. Lead federal agencies, referred to as sector-specific agencies, are responsible for coordinating critical infrastructure protection efforts, such as the development of plans that are specific to each sector. In this context, GAO was asked to determine if these sector-specific plans address key aspects of cyber security, including cyber assets, key vulnerabilities, vulnerability reduction efforts, and recovery plans. To accomplish this, GAO analyzed each sector-specific plan against criteria that were developed on the basis of DHS guidance."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The nation's critical infrastructure sectors--such as banking and finance, information technology, and public health--rely on computerized information and systems to provide services to the public. To fulfill the requirement for a comprehensive plan, including cyber aspects, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a national plan in June 2006 for the sectors to use as a road map to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure. Lead federal agencies, referred to as sector-specific agencies, are responsible for coordinating critical infrastructure protection efforts such as the development of plans that are specific to each sector. GAO was asked to summarize a report being released today that identifies the extent to which the sector plans addressed key aspects of cyber security, including cyber assets, key vulnerabilities, vulnerability reduction efforts, and recovery plans. In the report, GAO analyzed each sector-specific plan against criteria that were developed on the basis of DHS guidance."

Guiana Extended-Spectrum-1 (GES-1) and Aminoglycoside phosphotransferase (2')-Ic (APH(2')-Ic) are two bacteria-produced enzymes that essentially perform the same task: they provide resistance to an array of antibiotics. Both enzymes are part of a growing resistance problem in the medical world. In order to overcome the ever-growing arsenal of antibiotic-resistance enzymes, it is necessary to understand the molecular basis of their action. Accurate structures of these proteins have become an invaluable tool to do this. Using protein crystallography techniques and X-ray diffraction, the protein structure of GES-1 bound to imipenem (an inhibitor) has been solved. Also, APH(2')-Ic has been successfully crystallized, but its structure was unable to be solved using molecular replacement using APH(2')-Ib as a search model. The structure of GES-1, with bound imipenem was solved to a resolution of 1.89A, and though the inhibitor is bound with only moderate occupancy, the structure shows crucial interactions inside the active site that render the enzyme unable to complete the hydrolysis of the {beta}-lactam ring. The APH(2')-Ic dataset could not be matched to the model, APH(2')-Ib, with which it shares 25% sequence identity. The structural information gained from GES-1, and future studies using isomorphous replacement to solve the APH(2')-Ic structure can aid directly …

The goal of this program was to develop a 50 MW, multiple beam klystron at 11.424 GHz. The device uses eight electron guns and beam lines to achieve the required power level at a beam voltage of 190 kV, consistent with solid state power supplies. The electron gun operates with confined flow focusing, which is unique among current multiple beam sources, and allows operation at power levels consistent with producing 10s of MWs of pulsed RF power. The circuit consists of a ring resonator input cavity, eight sets of buncher cavities, and a ring resonator output cavity. The RF output power is coupled into four rectangular waveguides equally spaced around the klystron. Eight individual collectors absorb the spent beam power in each beam. The klystron operates in a solenoid. The principle challenges in the design included development of the beam optics using confined flow focusing, shaping of the magnetic field in the gun region to avoid beam spiraling, coupling input power equally to all eight beam lines from a single input, and obtaining the required frequency and Q in the output cavity. The mechanical design was particularly complex due to the large parts count, number of braze and weld joints, …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Rising pharmacy costs have been a long-standing issue for the Department of Defense (DOD). In 1998, we reported that DOD's fiscal year 1997 total pharmacy costs were $1.3 billion--a 13 percent increase from fiscal year 1995. In fiscal year 2006, DOD dispensed 115 million prescriptions to about 6.5 million beneficiaries at a cost of about $6 billion. One effort to control pharmacy costs is through the use of a uniform formulary, which is a list of preferred drugs that are generally available to beneficiaries. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 directed DOD to establish a pharmacy benefits program that included a uniform formulary. DOD implemented the uniform formulary in 2005. Drugs on the uniform formulary are generally available at military treatment facilities (MTF), the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP), and retail pharmacies. Each quarter, DOD reviews drugs for inclusion on the uniform formulary. DOD's decision to designate a drug as either formulary or nonformulary is based on the drug's clinical and cost-effectiveness relative to the other drugs in its therapeutic class. In its decision-making process, DOD considers information such as the drug's indications, clinical outcomes, …