The gaseous diffusion process is currently employed at two plants in the US: the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. As part of a facility-wide safety evaluation, a postulated design basis accident involving large line-rupture induced releases of uranium hexafluoride (UF{sub 6}) into the process building of a gaseous diffusion plant (GDP) is evaluated. When UF{sub 6} is released into the atmosphere, it undergoes an exothermic chemical reaction with moisture (H{sub 2}O) in the air to form vaporized hydrogen fluoride (HF) and aerosolized uranyl fluoride (UO{sub 2}F{sub 2}). These reactants disperse in the process building and transport through the building ventilation system. The ventilation system draws outside air into the process building, distributes it evenly throughout the building, and discharges it to the atmosphere at an elevated temperature. Since air is recirculated from the cell floor area to the operating floor, issues concerning in-building worker safety and evacuation need to be addressed. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the transport of HF vapor and UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} aerosols throughout the operating floor area following B-line break accident in the cell floor area.

In May 1985, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit was issued for the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant. As a condition of the permit, a Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program ( BMAP) was developed to demonstrate that the effluent limitations established for the Y-12 Plant protect the classified uses of the receiving stream (East Fork Poplar Creek; EFPC), in particular, the growth and propagation of aquatic life (Lear et al. 1989). A second objective of the BMAP is to document the ecological effects resulting from the implementation of a water pollution control program designed to eliminate direct discharges of wastewaters to EFPC and to minimize the inadvertent release of pollutants to the environment. Because of the complex nature of the discharges to EFPC and the temporal and spatial variability in the composition of the discharges, a comprehensive, integrated approach to biological monitoring was developed. A new permit was issued to the Y-12 Plant on April 28, 1995 and became effective on July 1, 1995. Biological monitoring continues to be required under the new permit. The BMAP consists of four major tasks that reflect different but complementary approaches to evaluating the effects of the Y-12 Plant discharges on the aquatic …

The 00 buildings are expected to collapse (per guidance from structure evaluation) during a seismic event in which acceleration level exceeds 0.15g. All roof beams may slip off supports, and collapse. Equipment may slip off from supports and fall onto the floor. The cell floor is also supposed to collapse due to structural instability and distortion due to excessive acceleration forces. Following structure collapse, expansion joints in the process piping and joints between the piping and equipment are expected to fail. Preliminary analysis showed that converters are likely to remain intact. The UF{sub 6} gas released from the break will rapidly interact with moisture in the air to produce UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} and HF with exothermic energy released of {approximately}0.32 MJ/kg of UF{sub 6} reacted. Depending on the degree of mixing between UF{sub 6} gas, its reaction products, air and freon (R-114), there may occur a strong buoyancy force to disperse UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} aerosol particles that are subjected to the gravitational force for settling. Such a chemical reaction will also occur inside the converters. A substantial amount of UF{sub 6} must be stagnated at the bottom of the converters. At the interface between this stagnated UF{sub 6} and air, …

Computer models have been developed to simulate the transient behavior of aerosols and vapors as a result of a postulated accident involving the release of uranium hexafluoride (UF{sub 6}) into the process building of a gaseous diffusion plant. For the current study, gaseous UF{sub 6} is assumed to get released in the cell housing atmosphere through B-line break at 58.97 kg/s for 10 min and 30 min duration at the Paducah and Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plants. The released UF{sub 6} undergoes an exothermic chemical reaction with moisture (H{sub 2}O) in the air to form hydrogen fluoride (HF) and radioactive uranyl fluoride (UO{sub 2}F{sub 2}) while it disperses throughout the process building. As part of a facility-wide safety evaluation, this study evaluated source terms consisting of UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} as well as HF during a postulated UF{sub 6} release accident in a process building. UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} mainly remains as airborne-solid particles (aerosols), and HF is in a vapor form. Some UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} aerosols are removed from the air flow due to gravitational settling. The HF and the remaining UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} are mixed with air and exhausted through the building ventilation system. The MELCOR computer code was selected for …

We have examined the mechanical response of unalloyed Ta and Ta-W alloy annealed plates over a wide range of loadings. It was observed in general that Ta exhibits nonuniform mechanical behavior, for example, hourglassing of compression samples and multiple instabilities during tensile deformation. In contrast, the Ta-W alloys do not exhibit any unusual nonuniform behavior. This work presents data revealing the spatial distribution of texture in Ta and Ta-W alloys. Significant variations in texture both through the thickness and from one area of the plate to another were found to be characteristic of Ta. The dominant feature of the texture variations was found to be enhanced <111> crystal direction fractions at the center of the plate, with a decreasing fraction near the surface. We find that the variation in texture in the Ta-W alloys is substantially less than that seen in Ta with primarily a <100> cube texture throughout. This study suggest that the texture gradients are responsible for the nonuniform mechanical response of Ta and that the uniform behavior of the Ta-W alloys is a consequence of the absence of texture gradients.

We have developed techniques to control the chaotic behavior in Fluidized Bed Systems (FBC) systems using recurrent neural networks. For the sake of comparison of the techniques we have developed with the traditional chaotic system control methods, in the past three months we have been investigating the most popular and first known chaotic system control technique known as the OGY method. This method was developed by Edward Ott, Celso Grebogi and James York in 1990. In the past few years this method was further developed and applied by many researchers in the field. It was shown that this method has potential applications to a large cross section of problems in many fields. The only remaining question is whether it will prove possible to move from laboratory demonstrations on model systems to real world situations of engineering importance. We have developed computer programs to compute the OGY parameters from a chaotic time series, to control a chaotic system to a desired periodic orbit, using small perturbations to an accessible system parameter. We have tested those programs on the logistic map and the Henon map. We were able to control the chaotic behavior in such typical chaotic systems to period 1, 2, …

This calculation note documents an evaluation of the doses from submersion and ground shine due to a release of tank farm radioactive materials, and a comparison of these doses to the doses from inhalation of the materials. The submersion and ground shine doses are insignificant compared to the inhalation doses. The doses from resuspension are also shown to be negligible for the tank farm analysis conditions.

This Criticality Safety Evaluation Report analyzes the criticality safety of transporting and sectioning a 2.5 meter (8 foot) section of 5.08 cm (2-inch) vacuum tubing with approximately 3.8 kg of PuO2 via the HC- 1 conveyor and HC- I 8M glovebox in the 234-5Z building.

The primary goal of this project is the engineering development of two advanced physical fine coal cleaning processes, column flotation and selective agglomeration, for premium fuel applications. The project scope includes laboratory research and bench-scale testing on six coals to optimize these processes, followed by the design, construction, and operation of a 2-t/hr process development unit (PDU). The project began in October, 1992, and is scheduled for completion by September 1997. 28 refs., 13 figs., 19 tabs.

In this report experimental data is presented that can be used to estimate kinetic parameters by using a mathematical model to analyze new data from batch experiments on an MP cell.

The major emphasis of this report is to describe what has been learned about the generation, retention, and release of flammable gas mixtures in high-level waste tanks. A brief overview of efforts to characterize the gas composition will be provided. The report also discusses what needs to be learned about the phenomena, how the Unreviewed Safety Question will be closed, and the approach for removing tanks from the Watch List.

This report provides key information on the irradiation environment of the MONJU fuel test MFA-1 and MFA-2 in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) during operating cycles 10A and 10B.This information includes the fission powers, neutron fluxes, sodium temperatures and sodium flow rates in MFA-1, MFA-2, and adjacent assemblies. It also includes MFA-1 and MFA-2 compositions as a function of exposure during cycles 10A and 10B. The work was performed at the request of Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuels (PNC) of Japan.

The authors major accomplishment in FY96 was the design and fabrication of the corrosion probes to be used ``In Beam`` during the FY97 irradiation period to begin on February 1, 1997. Never before have corrosion rate measurements been made on-line in such a high radiation environment. To measure corrosion rate as a function of beam time, it is necessary to electrical isolate the corrosion electrode to be examined form the plumbing system. Conventionally, this is accomplished with glass seals. Here irradiation of the glass may cause it to become conductive, rendering the seal useless. To overcome this problem, the corrosion probes to be used in-beam at the spallation neutron cooling water loop at the LANSCE A6 target station were fabricated with ceramic inserts which act as electrical feed-throughs. The corrosion sample is joined to the ceramic by means of a compression seal. The corrosion samples are closed end cylinders, 0.5 inches diameter x 6.25 inch length, that are constructed from Stainless Steel 304L, Stainless Steel 316L, Inconel 718, Tungsten, HT-9, and Tantalum. Because of their specialized nature, InTa Corporation, of Santa Clara, CA was contracted to manufacture these problems. As of November 1, 1996 delivery of these probes has begun …

The purpose of this procedure is to provide a documented means of verifying that all of the functional components of the 241-AZ- 101 Waste Tank Video Camera System operate properly before and after installation.

A group of scientists from the Savannah River Technology Center and Russia successfully completed a 17 day field investigation of a fractured rock aquifer at the MAYAK PA nuclear production facility in Russia. The test site is located in the western Siberian Basin near the floodplain of the Mishelyak river. The fractured rock aquifer is composed of orphyrites, tuff, tuffbreccia and lava and is overlain by 0.5--12 meters of elluvial and alluvial sediments. A network of 3 uncased wells (176, 1/96, and 2/96) was used to conduct the tests. Wells 176 and 2/96 were used as observation wells and the centrally located well 1/96 was used as the pumping well. Six packers were installed and inflated in each of the observation wells at a depth of up to 85 meters. The use of 6 packers in each well resulted in isolating 7 zones for monitoring. The packers were inflated to different pressures to accommodate the increasing hydrostatic pressure. A straddle packer assembly was installed in the pumping well to allow testing of each of the individual zones isolated in the observation wells. A constant rate pumping test was run on each of the 7 zones. The results of the pumping …

This work plan addresses the Standard Inventory task scope, deliverables, budget, and schedule for fiscal year 1997. The goal of the Standard Inventory task is to resolve differences among the many reported Hanford Site tank waste inventory values and to provide inventory estimates that will serve as Standard Inventory values for all waste management and disposal activities. These best-basis estimates of chemicals and radionuclides will be reported on both a global and tank-specific basis and will be published in the Tank Characterization Database.

The continuing objective of the Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) Program is the demonstration of thermonuclear fusion ignition and energy gain in the laboratory. The underlying theme of all ICF activities as a science research and development program is the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Defense Programs (DP) science-based Stockpile Stewardship and Management (SSM) Program. The extension of current program research capabilities in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is necessary for the ICF Program to satisfy its stewardship responsibilities. ICF resources (people and facilities) are increasingly being redirected in support of the performance, schedule, and cost goals of the NIF. One of the more important aspects of ICF research is the national nature of the program. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL's) ICF Program falls within DOE's national ICF Program, which includes the Nova and Beamlet laser facilities at LLNL and the OMEGA, Nike, and Trident laser facilities at the University of Rochester (Laboratory for Laser Energetics, UR/LLE), the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), respectively. The Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator (PBFA) and Saturn pulsed-power facilities are at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). General Atomics, Inc. (GA) develops and provides many of the targets for the above experimental facilities. LLNL's …

Understanding the mechanisms of char-N oxidation and reduction is necessary for the accurate modeling of NO, formation from coal combustion. This statement is especially true for combustors where low- NO{sub x} combustion modification techniques have been applied because in such cases the fraction of total fuel- NO{sub x} coming from the char is very high. This study has focused on obtaining experimental data that can be used to evaluate char-N oxidation and reduction mechanisms. The ultimate goal is to use this knowledge to improve the NO{sub x} submodel in an existing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. Several key experimental results were outlined in the report for the quarter ending 6/96. In order to clarify certain conclusions, more data were collected and analyzed during the quarter ending 9/96. Results from these new data as well as important results not included in the 6/96 report are addressed here.

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This document contains a review of the calculation notes which were prepared for the Tank Waste Remediation System Basis for Interim Operation.

Ceramic materials are well suited for applications where temperature, wear, and corrosion resistance are necessary. The toughness and wear resistance properties that make ceramics desirable, also make fabrication of parts difficult. The objective of this CRADA was to increase the grinding efficiency on Ceradyne Incorporated silicon nitride. This was to be accomplished through optimization of grinding wheel life and increasing silicon nitride material removal rates. Experiments were conducted to determine the relationship between grinding parameters, wheel wear, and material removal rates. Due to excessive, unexplained variation in the experimental results, a consistent relationship between the selected grinding parameters and wheel wear could not be established. Maximum material removal rates were limited by spindle and table drive power. Additional experiments were conducted to evaluate high speed grinding. When compared to conventional grinding speeds, the material removal rates using high speed grinding (13,000 SFM) increased by a factor of five to ten with no degradation of fracture strength.

A process has been demonstrated in the laboratory for separating clean, virtually non-radioactive sodium nitrate from Hanford tank waste using fractional crystallization. The name of the process is the Clean Salt Process. Flowsheet modeling has shown that the process is capable of reducing the volume of vitrified low activity waste (LAW) by 80 to 90 %. Construction of the Clean Salt processing plant would cost less than $1 10 million, and would eliminate the need for building a $2.2 billion large scale vitrification plant planned for Privatization Phase 11. Disposal costs for the vitrified LAW would also be reduced by an estimated $240 million. This report provides a summary of five years of laboratory and engineering development activities, beginning in fiscal year 1992. Topics covered include laboratory testing of a variety of processing options; proof-of-principle demonstrations with actual waste samples from Hanford tanks 241-U-110 (U-110), 241-SY-101 (101-SY), and 241-AN-102 (102-AN); descriptions of the primary solubility phase diagrams that govem the process; a review of environmental regulations governing disposition of the reclaimed salt and an assessment of the potential beneficial uses of the reclaimed salt; preliminary plant design and construction cost estimates. A detailed description is given for the large scale …

The primary objective of this ``CAT`` project is to complete a conceptual design of this unique new combination of existing technology with cost estimates to show that the ``CAT`` system offers the economic incentive with low technical risk for a plant to be built which will demonstrate its viability. The technologies involved in the components of a ``CAT`` plant are proven, and the integration of the components into a complete plant is the only new developmental activity involved. Industry and the Federal General Services Administration (GSA), require the demonstration of a ``commercial plant`` before the viability of a new concept is accepted. To satisfy this requirement the construction of a plant of commercially viable size in excess of 15 MW if cogeneration and above 30 MW if all power, is proposed. This plant will produce economical power and heat for the owner. The plant will operate for a full commercial life and continue as an operating demonstration of the viability of the technology, gathering long term life and maintenance data, all adding to the credibility of the concept.

A series of 62 critical and critical approach experiments were performed to evaluate a possible novel means of storing large volumes of fissile solution in a critically safe configuration. This study is intended to increase safety and economy through use of such a system in commercial plants which handle fissionable materials in liquid form. The fissile solution`s concentration may equal or slightly exceed the minimum-critical-volume concentration; and experiments were performed for high-enriched uranium solution. Results should be generally applicable in a wide variety of plant situations. The method is called the `Poisoned Tube Tank` because strong neutron absorbers (neutron poisons) are placed inside periodically spaced stainless steel tubes which separate absorber material from solution, keeping the former free of contamination. Eight absorbers are investigated. Both square and triangular pitched lattice patterns are studied. Ancillary topics which closely model typical plant situations are also reported. They include the effect of removing small bundles of absorbers as might occur during inspections in a production plant. Not taking the tank out of service for these inspections would be an economic advantage. Another ancillary topic studies the effect of the presence of a significant volume of unpoisoned solution close to the Poisoned Tube Tank …