The project provides a stepwise retrofit of an advanced overfire air (AOFA) system followed by low NO{sub x} burners (LNB). During each test phase of the project, diagnostic, performance, long-term, and verification testing will be performed. These tests are used to quantify the NO{sub x} reductions of each technology and evaluate the effects of those reductions on other combustion parameters such as particulatecharacteristics and boiler efficiency. Baseline, AOFA, and LNB without AOFA test segments have been completed. Analysis of the 94 days of LNB long-term data collected show the full-load NO{sub x} emission levels to be approximately 0.65 lb/MBtu. Flyash LOI values for the LNB configuration are approximately 8 percent at full-load. Corresponding values for the AOFA configuration are 0.94 lb/MBtu and approximately 10 percent. Abbreviated diagnostic tests for the LNB+AOFA configuration indicate that at 500 MWe, NO{sub x} emissions are approximately 0.55 lb/MBtu with corresponding flyash LOI values of approximately 11 percent. For comparison, the long-term full-load, baseline NO{sub x} emission level was approximately 1.24 lb/MBtu at 5.2 percent LOI. Comprehensive testing of the LNB+AOFA configuration will be performed when the stackparticulate emissions issue is resolved. Testing of a process optimization package on Plant Hammond Unit 4 was performed …

In October 1990 an Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) was entered into between the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the State of New Mexico for the purpose of supporting State oversight activities at DOE facilities in New Mexico. The State`s lead agency for the Agreement is the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). DOE has agreed to provide the State with resources over a five year period to support State activities in environmental oversight, monitoring, access and emergency response to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), and the Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute (ITRI). The Agreement is designed to assure the citizens of New Mexico that public health, safety and the environment are being protected through existing programs; DOE is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; DOE has made substantial new commitments; cleanup and compliance activities have been prioritized; and a vigorous program of independent monitoring and oversight by the State is underway. This report relates the quality and effectiveness of the facilities` environmental monitoring and surveillance programs. This report satisfies that requirement for the January--December 1992 time frame.

In 1992 the Santa Fe Institute hosted more than 100 short- and long-term research visitors who conducted a total of 212 person-months of residential research in complex systems. To date this 1992 work has resulted in more than 50 SFI Working Papers and nearly 150 publications in the scientific literature. The Institute`s book series in the sciences of complexity continues to grow, now numbering more than 20 volumes. The fifth annual complex systems summer school brought nearly 60 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to Santa Fe for an intensive introduction to the field. Research on complex systems-the focus of work at SFI-involves an extraordinary range of topics normally studied in seemingly disparate fields. Natural systems displaying complex adaptive behavior range upwards from DNA through cells and evolutionary systems to human societies. Research models exhibiting complex behavior include spin glasses, cellular automata, and genetic algorithms. Some of the major questions facing complex systems researchers are: (1) explaining how complexity arises from the nonlinear interaction of simple components; (2) describing the mechanisms underlying high-level aggregate behavior of complex systems (such as the overt behavior of an organism, the flow of energy in an ecology, the GNP of an economy); and (3) creating …

The Geometry Center research program has a number of different aspects. This report documents the work of the past year. The activities described here are organized under intertwined areas: manifold geometry and associated group theory; optimal geometries; dynamical systems; and computational geometry and computer graphics.

The results of the radiological and non-radiological environmental monitoring programs for 1992 at the Bettis-Pittsburgh Site are presented. The results obtained from the monitoring programs demonstrate that the existing procedures ensured that environmental releases during 1992 were in accordance with applicable Federal and State regulations. Evaluation of the environmental data indicates that operation of the Laboratory continues to have no adverse effect on the quality of the environment. A conservative assessment of radiation exposure to the general public as a result of Laboratory operations demonstrated that the dose received by any member of the public was well below the most restrictive dose limits established by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.

Photovoltaics for Utility Scale Applications (PVUSA) is a national public-private partnership that is assessing and demonstrating the viability of utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) electric generating systems. This report updates the progress of the PVUSA project, reviews the status and performance of the various PV installations during 1992, and summarizes key accomplishments and conclusions from work to date.

Photovoltaics for Utility Scale Applications (PVUSA) is a national public-private partnership that is assessing and demonstrating the viability of utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) electric generating systems. This report updates the progress of the PVUSA project, reviews the status and performance of the various PV installations during 1992, and summarizes key accomplishments and conclusions from work to date. Fall PV module costs and rising environmental pressures could make PV a significant source of large-scale power within the next decade. However, utility acceptance of this technology requires knowledge of PV operational characteristics in a utility system and confidence in predicting PV performance, reliability, and economics. PVUSA consists of two types of demonstrations: Emerging Module Technologies (EMTs), which are unproven but promising state-of-the-art PV technologies in 20-kW (nominal) arrays; and Utility Scale (US) systems, which represent more mature PV technologies in 200- to 500-kW (nominal) turnkey systems.

The high energy physics group at the University of South Carolina includes five teaching faculty members, one research faculty member, and five graduate students. Professors Childers and Darden devote most of their research effort to Fermilab experiment E789, which is designed to observe charmless two-body decays of b-flavored mesons and baryons. Prof. Wilson works on E789 and also on Fermilab experiment E687 which studies charm physics in the wide-band photon beam. Professors Rosenfeld and Wang participate in the AMY collaboration, which studies electron-positron interactions using the TRISTAN collider at KEK. Prof. Rosenfeld and one student collaborate with personnel from KEK and INS, Tokyo, on an experiment to detect a 17 keV neutrino in the {beta}-decay spectrum of {sup 63}Ni. Profs. Avignone and Rosenfeld are charter members of Fermilab proposal P803, which will search for the oscillation of muon neutrino to tau neutrino with sensitivity better than a factor of 40 than previously achieved. A brief discussion on the progress of each program is given.

The absolute total and one and two electron transfer cross sections for Ar{sup 8+} on Ar were measured as a function of projectile laboratory energy from 0.090 to 0.550 keV/amu. The effective one electron transfer cross section dominates above 0.32 keV/amu, while below this energy, the effective two electron transfer starts to become appreciable. The total cross section varies by a factor over the energy range explored. The overall error in the cross section measurement is estimated to be {plus_minus} 15%.

Static leach tests similar to PCT (Product Consistency Test) were performed for up to 2 years to assess long-term reaction behavior of high-level nuclear waste glasses similar to those at Defense Waste Processing Facility. These tests show the reaction rate to decrease with the reaction time from an initially high rate to a low rate, but then to accelerate to a higher rate after reaction times of about 1 year, depending on glass surface area/leachant volume ratio used. Solution concentrations of soluble glass components increase as the reaction is accelerated, while release of other glass components into solution is controlled by secondary phases. Net result is that transformation of glass to stable phases is accelerated while the solution becomes enriched in soluble components not effectively contained in secondary phases. Rate becomes linear in time after the acceleration and may be similar to the initial forward rate. A current model of glass reaction predicts that the glass reaction will be accelerated upon the formation of secondary phases which lower the silicic acid solution concentration. These tests show total Si concentration to increase upon reaction acceleration, however, which may be due to the slightly higher pH attained with the acceleration. The sudden …

A Five-step methodology has been developed to evaluate information needs for nuclear power plants under accident conditions and the availability of plant instrumentation during severe accidents. Step 1 examines the credible accidents and their relationships to plant safety functions. Step 2 determines the information personnel involved in accident management will need to understand plant behavior. Step 3 determines the capability of the instrumentation to function properly under severe accident conditions. Step 4 determines the conditions expected during the identified severe accidents. Step 5 compares the instrument capabilities and the severe accident conditions to evaluate the availability of the instrumentation to supply needed plant information.

There are job-specific training requirements established by regulations that Impose stringent training requirements on a contractor, for example, the Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA). Failure to comply with OSHA training requirements can result in severe penalties being levied against a company. Although an accredited training program is expensive, it is a possible solution for minimizing risks associated with job-specific training requirements for employees. Operating DOE contractors direct approximately 10 percent of the operating funds toward training activities. Training needs for contractors span a broad range, from requirements awareness training for managers, to general training required on a one-time basis for all employees, to highly specialized training programs for employees involved In clean-up operations at hazardous waste sites. With this kind of an investment in training, it is logical to maximize the most return on an investment of training funds and to limit exposure to liability suits whenever possible. This presentation will provide an overview of accredited industrial safety programs. The criteria for accredited industrial safety programs will be defined. The question of whether accredited training programs are necessary will be examined. Finally, advantages and disadvantages will be identified for accrediting industrial safety training programs.

This invention is comprised of an active imaging system which has a low to medium powered laser transmitter and a receiver wherein the receiver includes a Faraday filter with an ultranarrow optical bandpass and a bare (nonintensified) CCD camera. The laser is locked in the vicinity of the passband of the Faraday filter. The system has high sensitivity to the laser illumination wile eliminating solar background.

Preserving the high source brightness of the third generation of synchrotron radiation facilities will require that thermal and pressure deformations of the monochromator crystals be maintained within a few arc- seconds. Recent experiments at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) have demonstrated the potential of adaptive crystal optics to cope with high power densities. In this technique the crystals deformations are minimized both by an efficient water-jet cooling and by externally applied pressure loads. Thermal deformation can be reduced further with diamond crystals because of their high thermal conductivity and low coefficient of thermal expansion. In this paper we describe the results achieved by optimization of adaptive crystal optics for diamond crystals.

A proposal of an accelerator complex (ADRIA) for the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (LNL) is described in this report. The main components of the complex are a Heavy Ion Injection system and two rings, a Booster and a Decelerator, both with a maximum rigidity of 22.25 Tm, connected by a Transfer Line where exotic proposal has two main goals consisting in the isotopes are produced and selected. The proposal has two main goals consisting in the acceleration of stable ion species up to kinetic energies of the order of few GeV/u, at a repetition rate of 10 Hz with intensities of about 10{sup 12} ions per second, for fixed target experiments in nuclear physics and for the production of fully stripped radioactive beams, using particle fragmentation method for nuclear spectroscopy experiments. Fragments are accumulated in the Decelerator, with intensities 10{sup 8} {divided_by} 10{sup 9} ions/s, cooled and delivered at the production energies or decelerated down to energies of few MeV/u, in proximity of the Coulomb barrier.

During the first quarter of FY 1993, the Project proceeded close to the Project Plan. The analysis of the feed material has been completed as far as possible. Some unplanned distillation was needed to correct the boiling range of the Black Thunder solvent used during the autoclave tests. Additional distillation will be required if the same solvent is to be used for the bench unit tests. A decision on this is still outstanding. The solvent to be used with Illinois No. 6 coal has not yet been defined. As a result, the procurement of the feed and the feed analysis is somewhat behind schedule. Agglomeration tests with Black Thunder coal indicates that small agglomerates can be formed. However, the ash removal is quite low (about 10%), which is not surprising in view of the low ash content of the coal. The first series of autoclave tests with Black Thunder coal was completed as planned. Also, additional runs are in progress as repeats of previous runs or at different operating conditions based on the data obtained so far. The results are promising indicating that almost complete solubilization (close to 90%) of Black Thunder coal can be achieved in a CO/H{sub 2}O …

Research in this project centers upon developing a new approach to the direct liquefaction of coal to produce an all-distillate product slate at a sizable cost reduction over current technology. The approach integrates all aspects of the coal liquefaction process including coal selection, pretreatment, coal swelling with catalyst impregnation, coal liquefaction experimentation, product recovery with characterization. alternate bottoms processing, and a technical assessment including an economic evaluation. The Department of Energy has not yet authorized starting the experimental aspects of this and other similar projects; specifically, approval of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. A set of coal samples were sent to Hazen Research for beneficiation so that experimentation can get underway after DOE has approved the document.

The experimental study of coal swelling ratios have been determined with a wide variety of solvents. Only marginal levels of coal swelling were observed for the hydrocarbon solvents, but high levels were found with solvents having heteroatom functionality. Blends were superior to pure solvents. The activity of various catalyst precursors for pyrene hydrogenation and coal conversion was measured. Higher coal conversions were observed for the S0{sub 2}-treated coal than the raw coal, regardless of catalyst type. Coal conversions were highest for Molyvan-L, molybdenum naphthenate, and nickel octoate, respectively. Bottoms processing consists of a combination of the ASCOT process coupling solvent deasphalting with delayed coking. Initial results indicate that a blend of butane and pentane used near the critical temperature of butane is the best solvent blend for producing a yield/temperature relationship of proper sensitivity and yet retaining an asphalt phase of reasonable viscosity. The literature concerning coal swelling, both alone and in combination with coal liquefaction, and the use of dispersed or unsupported catalysts in coal liquefaction has been updated.

The evaluation of various catalyst pre or pyrene coal conversion continued. Higher coal conversions were observed for the S0{sub 2}-treated coal than the raw coal, regardless of catalyst type. Coal conversions were highest for Molyvan-L, molybdenum naphthenate, and nickel octoate. A technique to measure the effect of coal swelling and catalyst impregnation upon coal liquefaction has been developed, and experimentation is under way. Reactivity tests have been performed using S0{sub 2}-treated and untreated swelled Black Thunder Coal. Thermal reactions with swelled coals yielded much less coal conversion and pyrene conversion than did the swelled coal reactions with Molyvan-L. The study of bottoms processing consists of coupling solvent deasphalting with delayed coking to maximize the production of coal-derived liquids while rejecting solids within the coke drum. The batch deasphalting screening tests have been completed. While n-butane/pentane solvent blends initially appeared best, pentane alone at 380{degree}F provided an oil yield (63.6 wt%) that was desired for subsequent tests. The production of asphalt for the transport tests is underway. The target deasphalted oil yields are 40, 50 and 60 wt% of feed. This would produce asphalt with ash levels ranging from 20 to 30 wt% with which to run the transport tests.

The paper submitted earlier on the use of (bicyclo[3.2.1]4pyrrolidino-N-methyl-octan-8-one triflate) ({sup 13}CO-123) as a {sup 13}C intensity standard was accepted for publication. Subsequently, {sup 13}CO-321 was used in this manner for quantitative {sup 13}C CP-MAS NMR analysis (including spin counting) of Argonne Premium coals. The cross-polarization time constants, T{sub CH}, and the rotating-frame proton spin-lattice relaxation times, T{sub 1p}{sup H}, were determined for each major peak of each coal via a combination of variable contact-time and variable spin-lock (T{sub 1p}{sup H}) experiments. Two or three components of rotating-frame {sup 1}H relaxation decay and two or three components of T{sub CH} behavior were observed for each major {sup 13}C peak of each coal. These data were used to determine the number of carbon atoms detected in each coal; these values are in the range between 77% and 87% of the amount of carbon known to be in each coal from elemental analysis data, except for Pocahontas No. 3, for which only 50% of the carbon was detected. In an attempt to use {sup 1}H CRAMPS to elucidate chemical functionality in coal, pyridine-saturated samples of the Argonne Premium coals were examined in detail in terms of their {sup 1}H CRAMPS NMR spectra. …

A considerable effort in this project during the past few months has been focussed on the development of {sup 1}H and {sup 13}C NMR imaging techniques to yield spatially-resolved chemical shift (structure) information on coal. In order to yield the chemical shift information, a solid-state NMR imaging technique must include magic-angle spinning, so rotating gradient capabilities are indicated. A {sup 13}C MAS imaging probe and a {sup 1}H MAS imaging probe and the circuitry necessary for rotating gradients have been designed and constructed. The {sup 1}H system has already produced promising preliminary results, which are briefly described in this report.

One of the main problems in coal utilization is the inability to properly characterize its complex pore structure. Coals typically have micro/ultra-micro pores but they also exhibit meso and macroporosity. Conventional pore size techniques (adsorption/condensation, mercury porosimetry) are limited because of this broad pore size range, microporosity, reactive nature of coal, samples must be completely dried, and network/percolation effects. Small angle scattering is limited because it probes both open and closed pores. Although one would not expect any single technique to provide a satisfactory description of a coal`s structure, it is apparent that better techniques are necessary. We believe that measurement of the NMR parameters of various gas phase and adsorbed phase NMR active probes can provide the resolution to this problem. We will investigate the dependence of the common NMR parameters such as chemical shifts and relaxation times of several different nuclei and compounds on the pore structure of model microporous solids, carbons, and coals. In particular, we will study the interaction between several small molecules and the pore surfaces in coals. These molecules have been selected for their chemical and physical properties. A special NMR probe will be constructed which will allow the concurrent measurement of NMR properties …

One of the main problems in coal utilization is the inability to properly characterize its complex pore structure. Coals typically have micro/ultra-micro pores but they also exhibit meso and macroporosity. Conventional pore size techniques (adsorption/condensation, mercury porosimetry) are limited because of this broad pore size range, microporosity, reactive nature of coal, samples must be completely dried, and network/percolation effects. Small angle scattering is limited because it probes both open and closed pores. Although one would not expect any single technique to provide a satisfactory description of a coal`s structure, it is apparent that better techniques are necessary. We believe that measurement of the NMR parameters of various gas phase and adsorbed phase NMR active probes can provide the resolution to this problem. We now have two suites of well-characterized microporous materials including oxides (zeolites and silica gel) and activated carbons from our industrial partner, Air Products in Allentown, PA. Our current work may be divided into three areas: small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), adsorption, and NMR.

The prime objective of this project task is to select a natural gas fired as Advanced Turbine Systems (ATS) capable of reaching 60% cycle efficiency. Several cycles were compared and evaluated under all different kind of aspects, to determine the one with the highest potential and, at the same time, the best overall fit within and experience base to guarantee project goals. The combined cycle with multistep development potential was identified as the system to reach the 60% or greater thermal efficiency.