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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 451 records · Page 25
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

DICER: A new instrument at LANSCE to constrain neutron capture rates on radionuclides

. With very few exceptions, direct measurements of neutron capture rates on radionuclides have not been possible. A number of indirect methods have been pursued such as the surrogate method, the γ-ray strength function method, the Oslo method and the β-Oslo method. Substantial effort has been devoted to quantify the usually large systematic errors that accompany the results from these techniques. A new instrument has been developed at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) to provide more accu rate data on several radionuclides relevant to nuclear criticality safety, radiochemical diagnostics, astrophysics, nuclear forensics and nuclear security, by measuring the transmission of neutrons through radioactive samples and studying resonance properties. The Device for Indirect Capture on Radionuclides (DICER) and as sociated radionuclide production at the Isotope Production Facility (IPF), both at LANSCE, as well radioactive sample fabrication, have been under development the last few years. A description of the new apparatus, data on a few mid-weight stable isotopes and efforts on radionuclide measurements will be presented.

Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)↗
DOE OSTI2015

Operation of the “Small” BioAMS spectrometers at CAMS: Past and future prospects

A summary of results from the solid samples run on our compact 1 MV AMS system over its 13.5 years of operation is presented. On average 7065 samples per year were measured with that average dropping to 3278 samples per year following the deployment of our liquid sample capability. Although the dynamic range of our spectrometer is 4.5 orders in magnitude, most of the measured graphitic samples had 14 C/C concentrations between 0.1 and 1 modern. Furthermore, the measurements of our ANU sucrose standard followed a Gaussian distribution with an average of 1.5082 ± 0.0134 modern. The LLNL biomedical AMS program supported many different types of experiments, however, the large majority of samples measured were derived from animal model systems. We have transitioned all of our biomedical AMS measurements to the recently installed 250 kV SSAMS instrument with good agreement compared in measured 14C/C isotopic ratios between sample splits. We then present results from replacement of argon stripping gas with helium in the SSAMS with a 22% improvement in ion transmission through the accelerator and high-energy analyzing magnet.

14C↗
DOE OSTI2024

IDB Loader

SAND2024-08428O The IDB Loader is a database designed to hold gamma spectra. IDB is a web-accessible database of reference gamma spectra for measuring uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu) isotopic composition. The database, developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), provides access to well-characterized groups of gamma spectra curated by international experts in gamma spectroscopy. It was created to promote sustainability and maintenance of software used to determine the isotopic abundances of U and Pu. The IDB Loader works by uploading one set of spectral data into an existing IDB. The Data Loader package includes documentation describing the IDB's table, the format of the spectral data, and a description of the loader program. The IDB is currently hosted by the IAEA at: https://nds.iaea.org/idb Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.

Schwartz, Steven↗
DOE OSTI2022

Updates and Validation for the n+ 63,65 Cu Cross Sections [Slides]

The RRR and URR parameters for 63,65 Cu have been optimized to transmission and capture data. Several data sets have been newly incorporated in this evaluation. The angular distribution parameters have been adopted from differential measurements, as was done in ENDF/B-V. The performance of this evaluation in the integral benchmark calculations is favorable, and the validation is ongoing.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Improving the probability tables of the cross section of near closed-shell nuclei [Slides]

The level density distribution of near closed-shell nuclei is much lower than the typical nucleus, therefore, the cross sections show significant fluctuations, and these fluctuations are not predictable. The current methodology used to describe such behavior and construct the probability table of the cross section is based on the extrapolation of the average resonance widths and average resonance spacings from the resonance region and use these parameters to construct the probability table. Although this is a standard and widely used technique, it does not take into account the existing experimental data, such for total and the elastic cross section. Our goal is to extend the current theory and provide a more general approach to compute the probability distribution function of the cross section combining the existing probability tables and the available experimental data. Results will be presented for 90 Zr.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Direct reactions for astrophysical p-capture rates with ORRUBA and GODDESS

Understanding the nucleosynthesis and energy generation in quiescent and explosive stellar burning requires a detailed understanding of reaction rates on many unstable nuclides. Such reaction rates are often governed by the properties of low-lying, isolated proton resonances. Though direct measurements of resonance strengths are ultimately desired, and are a focus of rare isotope beam facilities worldwide, such tour-de-force experiments must be guided by indirect techniques, in order to know resonance energies, J π assignments, and estimated widths, to inform targeted measurements. Furthermore, some important low-lying resonances may be too weak for direct measurements with radioactive beams, and indirect techniques provide the only practical constraints. Additionally, there has been growing interest in the astrophysical role of isomeric states, which can influence the reaction flow in nucleosynthetic reaction networks, and hence impact the quantitative interpretation of astronomical observables, such as γ-ray signatures, and elemental and isotopic ratios. Properties of single-proton resonances can be obtained by exploiting the selectivity of direct reactions, such as single-nucleon transfer and charge-exchange reactions. Constraining proton-capture rates via direct reactions has been a focus of the astrophysics program at ORNL for over two decades, spurring the development of the ORRUBA and GODDESS detector systems. Herein, a review of recent developments in instrumentation and radioactive beam delivery (including isomeric beam experiments) is presented, along with some specific examples of astrophysically interesting sd-shell nuclides, which have been a target of recent ORRUBA and GODDESS experiments.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Initial Testing of Mediated Electrochemical Oxidation for Inclusion in the Plutonium-238 Production Program

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is currently restarting the United States’ capability to produce kilogram quantities of 238Pu annually for space power applications. This involves the purification of 238Pu from neutron-irradiated 237Np targets and conversion to heat-source plutonium oxide product for shipment to Los Alamos National Laboratory. Dissolution of the plutonium oxide product material is required to obtain an isotopic assay and impurity analysis of the product material. In addition, any off-specification product will need to be dissolved for re-purification. An electrochemical method that produces highly oxidizing ions in solution is currently being investigated as a rapid method for dissolving these plutonium oxide samples.

Myhre, Kristian↗
DOE OSTI2015

Insights into Acetone Photochemistry on Rutile TiO2(110). 1. Off-Normal CH3 Ejection from Acetone Diolate.

Thermal- and photon-stimulated reactions of acetone co-adsorbed with oxygen on rutile TiO2(110) surface are studied with infrared reflection-adsorption spectroscopy (IRAS) combined with temperature programmed desorption and angle-resolved photon stimulated desorption. IRAS results show that n2-acetone diolate ((CH3)2COO) is produced via thermally-activated reactions between the chemisorbed oxygen with co-adsorbed acetone. Formation of acetone diolate is also consistent with 18O / 16O isotopic exchange experiments. During UV irradiation at 30 K, CH3 radicals are ejected from the acetone diolate with a distribution that is peaked at .-. +- 66 degrees from the surface normal along the azimuth (i.e. perpendicular to the rows of bridging oxygen and Ti5c ions). This distribution is also consistent with the orientation of the C–CH3 bonds in the n2-acetone diolate on TiO2(110). The acetone diolate peaks disappear from the IRAS spectra after UV irradiation and new peaks are observed and associated with n2-acetate. The data presented here demonstrate direct signatures of the proposed earlier 2-step mechanism for acetone photooxidation on TiO2(110)

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗
DOE OSTI2021

Sensitivity-based Similarity Metrics for New Experiment Design Optimization

The nuclear data used in advanced reactor simulations requires validation. Data from nuclear criticality experiments can provide this validation. New nuclear criticality experiment design requires extensive knowledge and expert judgement such that the experimental design parameters are selected in such a way to keep the experiment subcritical. To aide in this experimental design process, professionals can utilize sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis relies on matching new application experiments with currently existing benchmark experiments. Currently, there is functionality in the Whisper 1.1 software package to calculate a similarity metric based on neutron multiplication factor sensitivity coefficients between a new application designed by the user and existing International Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiment Project (ICSBEP) benchmarks. The Whisper 1.1 software package is included in Monte Carlo N-Particle ® Code Version 6.21 (MCNP ® 6.2). This work is geared toward expanding this capability to new similarity metrics based on beta-effective sensitivity coefficients and reactivity coefficient sensitivity coefficients. While the investigation of these sensitivity coefficients is presented in detail in separate works at this same conference, this work will be primarily focused on studying the similarity metrics in more detail. These similarity metrics will then be incorporated into the optimization algorithms used for experiment design in EUCLID (Experiments Underpinned by Computational Learning for Improvements in nuclear Data), which is a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) project designed to constrain nuclear data of interest, such that adjustments can be made to possible inaccuracies. A more detailed optimization can be subsequently performed by breaking down these similarity metrics by isotope, reaction, and energy.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Integrated research training program of excellence in radiochemistry

The overall goal of this “Integrated Research Training Program of Excellence in Radiochemistry” is to provide a rich and deep research experience in state-of-the-art radiochemistry and in the fundamentals of radioisotopic labeling and tracer methodology to develop researchers who are capable of meeting the challenges of designing and preparing radiotracers of broad applicability for monitoring and imaging diverse biological systems and environmental processes. This program was based in the Departments of Radiology and Radiation Oncology at Washington University Medical School and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, and it was initially directed by Professor Michael J. Welch as Principal Investigator. After his passing in 2012, the program was led by Professor Suzanne E. Lapi. Programmatic content and participant progress was overseen by an Internal Advisory Committee of senior investigators consisting of the PIs, Professor Mach from the Department of Radiology at Washington University and Professor John A. Katzenellenbogen of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois. A small External Advisory Committee to give overall program guidance was also constituted of experts in radiolabeled compounds and in their applications in environmental and plant science.

18F↗
DOE OSTI2018

Chapter 9. Control of Accountable Sealed Radioactive Sources (ASRSs) and Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs)

This chapter describes the processes that Members of the Workforce (MOW) follow to control Accountable Sealed Radioactive Sources (ASRSs) and Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs). It also describes the Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) program for implementing the ASRS requirements in 10 CFR 835.1202 and the ASRS and RTG requirements in DOE 0 231.1B.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Review of Experimental Assay Data for PWR Spent Fuel

The primary objective of this study is to review existing experimental assay data for pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel, identify gaps in existing data, and asses the potential value of new isotopic measurements for nuclides relevant to burnup credit, shielding, and decay heat validation. The impact of adding new, high-quality experimental assay data on uncertainties associated with PWR depletion validation is discussed. In particular, the discussion focuses on potential benefits of additional isotopic measurements for spent fuel rods available at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Selected measurements for these spent fuel rods are ongoing in Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) as funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) under the Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology (SFWST) Program.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2016

VERA-CS Modeling and Simulation of PWR Main Steam Line Break Core Response to DNB

The Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications core simulator (VERA-CS) being developed by the Consortium for the Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) includes coupled neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, and fuel temperature components with an isotopic depletion capability. The neutronics capability employed is based on MPACT, a three-dimensional (3-D) whole core transport code. The thermal-hydraulics and fuel temperature models are provided by the COBRA-TF (CTF) subchannel code. As part of the CASL development program, the VERA-CS (MPACT/CTF) code system was applied to model and simulate reactor core response with respect to departure from nucleate boiling ratio (DNBR) at the limiting time step of a postulated pressurized water reactor (PWR) main steamline break (MSLB) event initiated at the hot zero power (HZP), either with offsite power available and the reactor coolant pumps in operation (high-flow case) or without offsite power where the reactor core is cooled through natural circulation (low-flow case). The VERA-CS simulation was based on core boundary conditions from the RETRAN-02 system transient calculations and STAR-CCM+ computational fluid dynamics (CFD) core inlet distribution calculations. The evaluation indicated that the VERA-CS code system is capable of modeling and simulating quasi-steady state reactor core response under the steamline break (SLB) accident condition, the results are insensitive to uncertainties in the inlet flow distributions from the CFD simulations, and the high-flow case is more DNB limiting than the low-flow case.

CTF↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Use of Silver Chloride Injection in Remediation of Iodine-129 by In Situ Capture as Silver Iodide at the F-Area Seepage Basin - 20225

The Savannah River Site (SRS) produced tritium, plutonium, and special nuclear materials for national defense, medicine, and the space programs. As part of operations, the F-Area Seepage Basins operated until 1988 for the disposition of deionized acidic wastewater from the F Separations Facility. The wastewater contained dilute nitric acid and low concentrations of non-radioactive metals, and radionuclides, with the major isotopes being Cs-137, Sr-90, U-235, U-238, Pu-239, Tc-99, I-129, and tritium. The seepage basins were closed in 1988 and backfilled and capped by 1991. The groundwater emanating from beneath the closed and capped seepage basins is acidic and contains elevated levels of both chemical and radiological contaminants. Releases from the groundwater plumes sourced from the F-Area Seepage Basins have impacted the water quality of Fourmile Branch, which is a small tributary to the Savannah River, a regional water source. A large pump-and-treat system was constructed in 1997 and operated until 2003 in an attempt to capture the releases to Fourmile Branch. The system in F Area and a similar system in H Area were expensive (∼$1.3 M/month) to operate and produced large quantities of radioactive waste, with concentrations of I- 129 too high to be disposed of at the SRS. In 2004, SRS replaced pump-and-treat with a funnel and gate system that along with operation of a base injection system at the gates reduces the flux of contaminants to the wetlands adjacent to Fourmile Branch. The alkaline solution injected into the aquifer neutralizes the acidic plume and immobilizes many of the cationic constituents. However, base injection is not effective in managing the release of iodine-129, an anionic contaminant. To address iodine-129 SRS and the Savannah River National Laboratory developed an in situ technology that uses ultra-fine ground silver chloride (AgCl) as an injectable capture medium for the sequestration of iodine-129. The AgCl amendment has a very small particle size and is designed to be injected into the contaminated aquifer to capture iodine-129. Dissolved iodine-129 forms a stable and highly insoluble solid (silver iodide) upon contact with AgCl. Laboratory studies, a field scale pilot test (2009), and three deployments (2011, 2015 and 2019) of AgCl have been successfully performed at the F-Area Seepage Basins. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

Addressing Excess Contaminated Facilities and Mercury Cleanup At the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation - 18408

The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and its prime cleanup contractor, URS | CH2M Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR) are executing an aggressive program of cleanup and risk reduction in excess contaminated facilities on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). Across the complex, DOE has designated more than 2,300 of its facilities 'excess'. Excess means 'nonoperational' and refers to a facility for which DOE no longer has a mission need. Many of these facilities pose high risk to workers and/or the environment. Delayed cleanup increases risk as well as cost. OREM and UCOR initiated a Working Group on Excess Facilities to identify and prioritize activities that are needed to enhance worker safety, minimize further degradation of the facilities, and reduce the environmental risk. Six Excess Contaminated Facilities projects on the ORR were identified as priorities. Three of the projects are located at ORNL - the Building 7500 Homogenous Reactor Experiment, the Building 3026 Radioisotope Development Laboratory and Buildings 3028/3029 Isotope Facilities. At Y-12, priority excess facilities include the Column Exchange Equipment (COLEX), the Alpha-4 Lithium Enrichment Facility and the Biology Complex Research Facilities. Work on these projects is aimed at stabilization of degraded higher risk facilities, characterization of conditions and hazards, removal of hazardous materials and placement of the facility in the lowest risk condition possible pending demolition. At the same time, DOE and UCOR are preparing to undertake a comprehensive program to remediate the presence of mercury in the water stemming from historical operations at the Y-12 National Security Complex. Over decades of operations, mercury migrated into the environment. Deteriorating conditions of large post-operation mercury-use buildings may be contributing to additional releases. Mercury cleanup is a high priority for Y-12 and the Oak Ridge Reservation. UCOR is completing the final design on a new Mercury Treatment Facility with construction expected to begin in late 2017. When constructed the treatment facility will reduce the amount of mercury in local waters, lower environmental contamination levels and serve as a guard against future releases. (author)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

Updates to R-matrix Evaluations of Fissile Actinides: 233,235 U, 239 Pu [Slides]

This presentation begins by discussing the importance and significance of cross section fluctuations. It also discusses the motivation and overarching goals which are to establish the highest fidelity nuclear evaluated data. In conclusion, a procedure to accurately model the measured cross section fluctuations for inclusion into evaluated nuclear data files was developed and tested on 239 Pu total cross sections. The procedure consisted of defining population of levels as well as related amplitudes extrapolated from the systematics of the resonance parameters in the resolved resonance region. By using realistic population of extrapolated levels, the fit of measured total cross section produced a continuous S-matrix function S( E ) in Reich-Moore approximation. The S-matrix function averaged over a suitable energy interval was used to obtain averaged cross sections consistent with the measured data. Transmittable formatted files (ENDF, GNDS) with LSSF=1 will consist of File 3 which are smoothed cross sections and File 2 which are average resonance parameters fitted to the energy bins defined in File 3. The capability to store probability tables is a way to show the fluctuating cross sections.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Report on the Integration of Experimental and Modeling Data for Initial Equivalence Study of Mechanical Performance in Irradiated LPBF 316 Stainless Steel

To ensure the rapid development, deployment, and use of advanced nuclear technologies, faster qualification approaches are needed. Typically, the primary pathway uses traditional data packages consistent with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, which does not consider the environmental effects the material will experience such as corrosion and radiation damage. Examining radiation effects requires a significant amount of space in US facilities at the Advanced Test Reactor and the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and suffers from natural gradients in temperature and neutron flux profiles. Ion irradiation may enable rapid assessment of radiation-induced damage to a material and is proposed as part of an accelerated materials qualification framework through the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies program. To enhance the utility of ion irradiation as an examination tool, this report provides the initial assessment of engineering-relevant properties of microstructures produced from ion irradiation in the near-surface volume. Nanoindentation, Vickers hardness, and known tensile properties were brought together with simple mathematical models and experimental data for an initial equivalence study of the mechanical performance of irradiated laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 316 stainless steels across length scales. Direct observation of the calculated ion irradiation yield stress and measured neutron irradiation yield stress at 2 dpa showed that both datasets exhibit the same trend with irradiation temperature and overlap within an acceptable band of stress values. Ion irradiations at 10 dpa serve as a prediction of properties to compare to postirradiation examination of HFIR-irradiated LPBF 316H further in the program. This work is a significant demonstration of the Licensing Approach with Ions and Neutrons, which uses ion irradiations to generate mechanical property information more rapidly than through neutron irradiations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Institute for Nuclear Science to Inspire the next Generation of a Highly Trained workforce (INSIGHT) at FRIB

The proposed INSIGHT Center at FRIB has two objectives: (1) provide a center to support and coordinate a nationwide traineeship effort; and (2) offer traineeships at FRIB by leveraging its scientific opportunities. This will provide an environment to: (i) recruit and retain undergraduate students in (nuclear) physics and sustain and/or increase their interest, confidence, and enthusiasm in this field; (ii) provide participants with a toolset to become effective independent researchers who pursue further research opportunities as undergraduates; and (iii) encourage participants to pursue graduate studies and potential careers in nuclear science, or related STEM fields.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗