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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 415 records · Page 23

Generating Dynamic System Matrices for Dynamic SPECT

The purpose of the computer program is to generate system matrices that model data acquisition process in dynamic single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The application is for the reconstruction of dynamic data from projection measurements that provide the time evolution of activity uptake and wash out in an organ of interest. The measurement of the time activity in the blood and organ tissue provide time-activity curves (TACs) that are used to estimate kinetic parameters. The program provides a correct model of the in vivo spatial and temporal distribution of radioactive in organs. The model accounts for the attenuation of the internal emitting radioactivity, it accounts for the vary point response of the collimators, and correctly models the time variation of the activity in the organs. One important application where the software is being used in a measuring the arterial input function (AIF) in a dynamic SPECT study where the data are acquired from a slow camera rotation. Measurement of the arterial input function (AIF) is essential to deriving quantitative estimates of regional myocardial blood flow using kinetic models. A study was performed to evaluate whether a slowly rotating SPECT system could provide accurate AIF's for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Methods: Dynamic cardiac SPECT was first performed in human subjects at rest using a Phillips Precedence SPECT/CT scanner. Dynamic measurements of Tc-99m-tetrofosmin in the myocardium were obtained using an infusion time of 2 minutes. Blood input, myocardium tissue and liver TACs were estimated using spatiotemporal splines. These were fit to a one-compartment perfusion model to obtain wash-in rate parameters K1. Results: The spatiotemporal 4D ML-EM reconstructions gave more accurate reconstructions that did standard frame-by-frame 3D ML-EM reconstructions. From additional computer simulations and phantom studies, it was determined that a 1 minute infusion with a SPECT system rotation speed providing 180 degrees of projection data every 54s can produce measurements of blood pool and myocardial TACs. This has important application in the circulation of coronary flow reserve using rest/stress dynamic cardiac SPECT. They system matrices are used in maximum likelihood and maximum a posterior formulations in estimation theory where through iterative algorithms (conjugate gradient, expectation maximization, or maximum a posteriori probability algorithms) the solution is determined that maximizes a likelihood or a posteriori probability function.

Source record↗

Landscape Environmental Assessment Framework

LEAF Version 2.0 is a framework comprising of three models RUSLE2, WEPS, and AGNPS. The framework can predict row crop, crop residue, and energy crop yields at a sub-field resolutions for various combinations of soil, climate and crop management and residue harvesting practices. It estimates the loss of soil, carbon, and nutrients to the atmosphere, to the groundwater, and to runoff. It also models the overland flow of water and washed-off sediments, nutrients and other chemicals to provide estimates of sediment, nutrient, and chemical loadings to water bodies within a watershed. AGNPS model and wash-off calculations are the new additions to this version of LEAF. Development of LEAF software is supported by DOE's BETO program.

Nair, Shyam↗

System and method for treatment of a flue gas

A method for treatment of a flue gas involves feeding the flue gas and a lean solvent to an absorber. The method further involves reacting the flue gas with the lean solvent within the absorber to generate a clean flue gas and a rich solvent. The method also involves feeding the clean flue gas from the absorber and water from a source, to a wash tower to separate a stripped portion of the lean solvent from the clean flue gas to generate a washed clean flue gas and a mixture of the water and the stripped portion of the lean solvent. The method further involves treating at least a portion of the mixture of the water and the stripped portion of the lean solvent via a separation system to separate the water from the stripped portion of the lean solvent.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Configuration of dishwasher to improve energy efficiency of water heating

A washing machine includes a sealed tub for accepting articles to be washed. A liquid circulation circuit sprays a pressurized liquid (e.g. water, detergent, solvent) around the articles to clean them. The liquid circulation circuit is in thermal contact with a hot side of a thermoelectric device. A heat sink is in thermal contact with both a cold side of the thermoelectric device and a heat sink charging circuit. A liquid is successively directed one or more times through the liquid circulation circuit with the thermoelectric device powered on, and then directed one or more times through the heat sink charging circuit with the thermoelectric device powered off. Finally, the liquid is discharged from the tub after having its temperature lowered by heat exchange to the heat sink.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

System and method for treatment of a flue gas

A method for treatment of a flue gas involves feeding the flue gas and a lean solvent to an absorber. The method further involves reacting the flue gas with the lean solvent within the absorber to generate a clean flue gas and a rich solvent. The method also involves feeding the clean flue gas from the absorber and water from a source, to a wash tower to separate a stripped portion of the lean solvent from the clean flue gas to generate a washed clean flue gas and a mixture of the water and the stripped portion of the lean solvent. The method further involves treating at least a portion of the mixture of the water and the stripped portion of the lean solvent via a separation system to separate the water from the stripped portion of the lean solvent.

Spiry, Irina Pavlovna↗

Solvent extraction of transition metals

The invention provides a continuous method for extracting transition metal, the method comprising: supplying a spent generator liquor comprising transition metal in highly alkaline solution; mixing the liquor with acid thereby generating a solution, wherein the transition metal resides within the solution; combining the solution with an organic liquid comprising tributyl phosphate or other neutral extractant to extract the transition metal within the organic liquid; washing the extracted transition metal in the organic liquid with acid so as to remove non-transition-metal salts from the organic liquid phase; and stripping the washed transition metal loadedorganic liquid phase with hydroxide, water or complexing agent to remove the transition metal from the organic phase.

Tkac, Peter↗

Systems and methods for detecting metal ion concentrations in subjects

A method of selective detection of a concentration of a metal ion species in a subject is provided in which a biofluid sample is obtained from the subject. The biofluid sample is exposed to a functionalized porous aromatic polymer. The polymer selectively captures and concentrates the metal ion species from the biofluid. Subsequently, the biofluid is washed from the polymer. The polymer is then exposed to a solution comprising a colorimetric indicator that extracts the metal ion species from the washed polymer thereby changing a color of the solution as a function of an amount of the metal ion species in the polymer. The concentration of the metal ion species in the subject is then spectroscopically determined from the color of the solution.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Methods that purify uranium

A method for purifying uranium includes forming primary uranyl peroxide precipitates (UO 2 O 2 .4H 2 O). Forming the primary uranyl peroxide precipitates includes obtaining impure uranium dissolved in an acidic solution, evaporating the acidic solution to increase uranium concentration and to form a concentrated solution, mixing a hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) solution with the concentrated solution in a first container, and forming uranyl peroxide precipitates in the first container. The method includes collecting the uranyl peroxide precipitates and washing and drying the uranyl peroxide precipitates. The method also includes converting the washed and dried uranyl peroxide precipitates into triuranium octoxide (U 3 O 8 ).

Du, Miting↗

In vivo toxicity and immunogenicity of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid) nanoparticles for intranasal delivery to the brain

Biodegradable polymer-based nanoparticles have been widely studied to deliver therapeutic agents to the brain after intranasal administration. However, knowledge as to the side effects of nanoparticle delivery system to the brain is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo toxicity and immunogenicity of wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) conjugated poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid) nanoparticles (WGA-NP) after intranasal instillation. Sprague-Dawley rats were intranasally given WGA-NP for 7 continuous days. Amino acid neurotransmitters, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, reduced glutathione (GSH), acetylcholine, acetylcholinesterase activity, tumor necrosis factor {alpha} (TNF-{alpha}) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in rat olfactory bulb (OB) and brain were measured to estimate the in vivo toxicity of WGA-NP. Balb/C mice were intranasally immunized by WGA-NP and then WGA-specific antibodies in serum and nasal wash were detected by indirect ELISA. WGA-NP showed slight toxicity to brain tissue, as evidenced by increased glutamate level in rat brain and enhanced LDH activity in rat OB. No significant changes in acetylcholine level, acetylcholinesterase activity, GSH level, TNF-{alpha} level and IL-8 level were observed in rat OB and brain for the WGA-NP group. WGA-specific antibodies in mice serum and nasal wash were not increased after two intranasal immunizations of WGA-NP. These results demonstrate that WGA-NP is a safe carrier system for intranasal delivery of therapeutic agents to the brain.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Understanding the nature of nuclear power plant risk

This paper describes the evolution of understanding of severe accident consequences from the non-mechanistic assumptions of WASH-740 to WASH-1400, NUREG-1150, SOARCA and today in the interpretation of the consequences of the accident at Fukushima. As opposed to the general perception, the radiological human health consequences to members of the Japanese public from the Fukushima accident will be small despite meltdowns at three reactors and loss of containment integrity. In contrast, the radiation-related societal impacts present a substantial additional economic burden on top of the monumental task of economic recovery from the nonnuclear aspects of the earthquake and tsunami damage. The Fukushima accident provides additional evidence that we have mis-characterized the risk of nuclear power plant accidents to ourselves and to the public. The human health risks are extremely small even to people living next door to a nuclear power plant. The principal risk associated with a nuclear power plant accident involves societal impacts: relocation of people, loss of land use, loss of contaminated products, decontamination costs and the need for replacement power. Although two of the three probabilistic safety goals of the NRC address societal risk, the associated quantitative health objectives in reality only address individual human health risk. This paper describes the types of analysis that would address compliance with the societal goals. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

The technical and economic impact of minor actinide transmutation in a sodium fast reactor

Within the frame work of the French National Act of June 28, 2006 pertaining to the management of high activity, long-lived radioactive waste, one of the proposed processes consists in transmuting the Minor Actinides (MA) in the radial blankets of a Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR). With this option, we may assess the additional cost of the reactor by comparing two SFR designs, one with no Minor Actinides, and the other involving their transmutation. To perform this exercise, we define a reference design called SFRref, of 1500 MWe that is considered to be representative of the Reactor System. The SFRref mainly features a pool architecture with three pumps, six loops with one steam generator per loop. The reference core is the V2B core that was defined by the CEA a few years ago for the Reactor System. This architecture is designed to meet current safety requirements. In the case of transmutation, for this exercise we consider that the fertile blanket is replaced by two rows of assemblies having either 20% of Minor Actinides or 20% of Americium. The assessment work is performed in two phases. - The first consists in identifying and quantifying the technical differences between the two designs: the reference design without Minor Actinides and the design with Minor Actinides. The main differences are located in the reactor vessel, in the fuel handling system and in the intermediate storage area for spent fuel. An assessment of the availability is also performed so that the impact of the transmutation can be known. - The second consists in making an economic appraisal of the two designs. This work is performed using the CEA's SEMER code. The economic results are shown in relative values. For a transmutation of 20% of MA in the assemblies (S/As) and a hypothesis of 4 kW allowable for the washing device, there is a large external storage demanding a very long cooling time of the S/As. In this case, the economic impact may reach 5% on the capital part of the Levelized Unit Electricity Cost (LUEC). A diminished concentration at 10% of MA, reduces the size of the external storage and the cooling time of the assemblies becomes compatible with the management of the irradiated fuel. Even with a low allowable power for the washing device, the economic impact on the capital cost is less than 2.5%. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Methods of supporting a graphene sheet disposed on a frame support

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to graphene. In one aspect, a method includes submerging a frame support in an etching solution that is contained in a container. A growth substrate, a graphene sheet disposed on the growth substrate, and a primary support disposed on the graphene sheet is placed on a surface of the etching solution. The growth substrate is dissolved in the etching solution to leave the graphene sheet and the primary support floating on a surface of the etching solution. The etching solution in the container is replaced with a washing solution. The washing solution is removed from the container so that the graphene sheet becomes disposed on the frame support.

Han, Bong-Gyoon↗

Product Quality Assessment of Glass Formulations for High Sodium Nuclear Waste Streams - 18198

Sodium carbonate is currently being considered as a wash-out reagent for the removal of the settled solids in the unagitated Highly Active Liquor (HAL) storage tanks at Sellafield. As the settled solids are expected to comprise mainly zirconium molybdate (ZM), this will result in a feed to the Waste Vitrification Plant (WVP) containing high concentrations of both molybdenum and sodium. This feed is expected to be challenging for WVP due to solubility limitations in existing base glass compositions and the operating temperature. In particular, depending on the wash-out strategy employed, there is the potential to produce high volumes of sodium-containing waste, which will result in large quantities of vitrified HLW containers. Hence, new glass compositions are being investigated as part of a 3-year Innovate UK-funded collaborative project in order to maximise the sodium content of the vitrified product and minimise the number of containers produced. This paper describes the product quality assessment of several sodium titanosilicate (NaTiSi) compositions that can potentially contain up to ∼15 wt% waste Na{sub 2}O, more than double what is possible using the current UK HLW glass borosilicate composition. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Full-Scale Vessel Testing for the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant - 18333

Concerns over the mixing performance of the planned pulse jet mixed (PJM) vessels for high-solids applications in the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Pretreatment (PT) Facility, led to the development of a standard high-solids vessel (SHSV) design and full-scale vessel testing program. The SHSV is intended as a potential replacement for several high-level waste feed receipt and lag storage vessels (High-Level Waste Facility lag storage and feed blending process), ultrafiltration feed preparation vessels (ultrafiltration process system), and plant wash vessels (plant wash and disposal system). The SHSV concept uses multiple smaller vessels (60 500 L - 79 500 L nominal batch size) to replace larger vessels, providing redundancy, improved mixing (PJM design and spargers), monitoring (multi-level bubblers), reduced material at risk, and improved structural features. The SHSV also requires qualification of a single vessel design for high solids Newtonian and non-Newtonian slurry processing, rather than having to qualify earlier multiple vessel designs. An Integrated Technical Team consisting of the U.S. Department of Energy, Bechtel National, Inc., and independent experts was established to accelerate and provide oversight and direction of the test program and SHSV qualification. Qualification of the SHSV for mixing has now been achieved through a comprehensive full-scale vessel testing program conducted in 2017 with a prototypic SHSV under a set of most adverse design conditions, in conjunction with additional engineering analyses. This paper will present an overview of the SHSV, results from the three-phase full-scale vessel test and qualification program completed in September 2017, and the management program to achieve resolution of the PJM mixing technical issue. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Effects of Aging and Decontamination Pressure on the Penetration of Radionuclides into Concrete - 18418

Radionuclide penetration into concrete was investigated as function of time and pressure of an applied water spray. Depth profiles of three radionuclides into a concrete surface over the time periods of 20-24 hours, 9 days, and 90 days were found by grinding the surface. The profiles were starkly different between the radionuclides, as Eu-152 deposited close to the surface and did not penetrate further over time while the depth of Cs-137 increased with time. Such differences suggest that response time during a remediation effort is more important for Cs-137 decontamination compared to Eu-152. The depth profiles were also used to assess the water pressure that was needed to remove contamination. Static tests, where the surface was soaked in 0.5 M KCl, accessed up to 80 μm into the surface, while ablation through high pressure washing removed approximately 10-20 μm of the surface. Similar grind profiles were then collected on decontaminated coupons, displaying that high pressure washing drove Sr-85 into the surface, decreasing the removal of the nuclide. As such, radionuclide specific decontamination may be required because of the varied response times and pressures effects for each radionuclide. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Corrosion of Stainless and Carbon Steel in Aqueous Piperazine for CO2 Capture

Current obstacles that prevent commercial implementation of amine-scrubbing CO2 capture are the high costs. Reducing capital costs by appropriate selection of construction materials, which requires knowledge of material corrosion performance for the process, will improve the economic feasibility of this technology. Corrosion was evaluated in three pilot plant campaigns using aqueous piperazine with the Advanced Stripper (PZAS). 316L stainless steel (SS) experienced higher corrosion than 304 SS and 2205 duplex SS, and the corrosion rate showed strong dependence on the temperature. 304 and 2205 performed well at all locations and should be good construction materials for PZAS. Degraded PZ exacerbated 316L corrosion, and removal of PZ degradation products using a carbon adsorption bed significantly reduced corrosion. Carbon steel (CS) corrosion showed a weak temperature effect because the corrosion was more dependent on the protective siderite film. The protectiveness of the films was related to fluid velocity. Ni-based alloys corroded in PZ, and the rate increased with temperature. Corrosion of C1010 CS and SS (304, 316L, 430) was measured at absorber and water wash conditions on the bench-scale. Corrosion rate decreases with increasing PZ. 8 With more than 0.003 m PZ in solution, CS has acceptable corrosion performance. Corrosion of CS increases with increasing partial pressure of CO2, suggesting loading is another dominant parameter for carbon steel corrosion. Temperature has a less significant effect than PZ concentration and loading. CS corrosion increases with increasing flow velocity at both absorber and water wash conditions. SS had little corrosion at this lower temperature. Performance of siderite (FeCO3) protective films on CS was studied at representative stripper conditions on the bench-scale. Siderite films can deposit on the surface of CS in CO2-loaded PZ solution at temperatures >100 °C and protect CS from corrosion. The protection may fail in degraded PZ. Ethylenediamine (EDA) is one of the major contributors for the loss of film protectiveness or can be the surrogate for the effect of PZ degradation on siderite film protection. A link between protectiveness and the apparent density of siderite films was discovered. The apparent density of siderite films decreases with increasing flow velocity and decreasing CO2 loading, resulting in higher corrosion of CS.

Liu, Ching-Ting↗

Method of performing sugar dehydration and catalyst treatment

The invention includes a method of treating a solid acid catalyst. After exposing the catalyst to a mixture containing a sugar alcohol, the catalyst is washed with an organic solvent and is then exposed to a second reaction mixture. The invention includes a process for production of anhydrosugar alcohol. A solid acid catalyst is provided to convert sugar alcohol in a first sample to an anhydrosugar alcohol. The catalyst is then washed with an organic solvent and is subsequently utilized to expose a second sample. The invention includes a method for selective production of an anhydrosugar. A solid acid catalyst is provided within a reactor and anhydrosugar alcohol is formed by flowing a starting sugar alcohol into the reactor. The acid catalyst is then exposed to an organic solvent which allows a greater amount of additional anhydrosugar to be produced than would occur without exposing the acid catalyst to the organic solvent.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Results of the 1000 Hour Rotary Microfilter Endurance Test

David Herman gives an overview of the 1000 Hour Rotary Microfilter Endurance Test performed at SRNL. The SpinTek Rotary Microfilter was tested with sludge washing and evaluated using performance metrics.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗