SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “End of Year”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2020

A look back 75 years at Little Boy, the crew, the plane and the Lab’s first mission

Hours before the sun would rise over Tinian island on the morning of August 6, 1945, a B- 29 airplane was positioned above a specially built bomb-loading pit, as crews readied it with cargo unlike anything the world had ever known. Preparations on the tiny Pacific island—nearly 6,600 miles from Los Alamos and about 1,500 miles from its intended target in Japan—had begun months before on April 3. And months before that, pilot Paul Tibbets Jr. and his crew had practiced dropping dummy concrete bombs on targets in Utah. Even years before that, development of this cargo destined for Japan began in secrecy under the direction of a physicist and an Army general in the mountains of Northern New Mexico. It was all leading to one day that would help end years of bloodshed and change the world forever.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

DOE OSTI2024

Developing And Scaling an OpenFOAM Model to Study Turbulent Flow in a HFIR Coolant Channel

Improving the understanding of how computational fluid dynamics (CFD) direct numerical simulations (DNS) of flows in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) perform when run in parallel using the high performance computing (HPC) platform Summit at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF) is of particular importance to boost the computational tools used to support HFIR conversion to low enriched fuel (LEU). Evaluation of scaling performance was driven by the increasing importance of graphics processing unit (GPU) usage in HPC, which is becoming the standard for modern supercomputers such as Summit. The desired results are to obtain a strong positive correlation between the computational resources dedicated to a problem and the relative speed-up of the simulation in comparison to a benchmark. This capability will allow substantially improvement in HFIR flow analytical capabilities, specifically when predicting turbulence properties at high Reynolds numbers. The study leverages previous simulation results performed with code PHASTA (finite element) on HPC platforms Cori (NERSC) and Theta (ALCF) [1] with computing options provided in the computing platform OpenFOAM (finite volume) at OLCF. Transitioning from PHASTA to OpenFOAM will (1) eliminate dependence on third-party software for mesh generation and manipulation, (2) reduce resource needs by employing modern architectures, and (3) build expertise for future modeling of HFIR-specific problems like heat transfer in involute geometry, entrance effects, flow structure in channel corners, and so on—all important issues when defining the available thermal margins in the transition to LEU. CPUs and GPUs differ significantly in their architecture and utilization, as discussed in the literature [2]. The most important differences are in the approach to computations and their memory. A single GPU contains a large quantity of cores, enabling it to perform with a much higher throughput than a CPU, but execution requires a different approach. GPU codes execute instructions using the Single-Instruction Multiple-Thread (SIMT) approach in which a single instruction is used for groups of threads called warps. A warp typically consists of 32 threads which must execute the same set of instructions, although on separate threads. Alternately, a CPU has far fewer cores that are much more flexible in their operation, excelling at quickly performing more complex serial computations. This is why GPUs have greater throughput when properly utilized. The second important difference is seen when comparing their memory spaces. Limited memory allocations and CPU–GPU communications cause a significant bottleneck in GPU-accelerated programs. Further study was required to properly take advantage of GPU resources. A comprehensive analysis of code performance and the model-specific features of turbulence constitutes the core of this work. In this study, a DNS simulation of HFIR channel turbulence was performed with the finite volume CFD code OpenFOAM v2112 and CUDA v11.0 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux v8.2. The OpenFOAM installation had AMGx integrated to enable GPU acceleration and utilizes the PETSc4FOAM library. The computational resources and the problem size were scaled on CPU and CPU + GPU architectures to gain a better understanding of the performance of a DNS problem on modern computing hardware. The study aimed to analyze the scaling of the code exclusively on CPUs and then to examine the scaling of the codes with GPU acceleration enabled. Scaling studies included CPU and GPU acceleration on a mesh of varying resolution to analyze the impact of problem size relative to computational resources. In the course of preparing the GPU configuration on Summit, mainly using the AMGX solvers, difficulties were encountered stemming from constant changes resulting from extensive ongoing development activities and the changing environment. This resulted in the inability to complete the GPU portion of the work. The code was compiled and tested, but production runs to assess acceleration were not performed because the used discretional compute time allocation expired as year-end approached. The Summit HPC platform is scheduled for decommissioning in 2024, making it unattractive for future use with Nvidia-based GPUs. Therefore, the work will be moved onto NERSC machines in FY24. An application was prepared and submitted, and sufficient node-hours were awarded to continue the research in the next calendar year. This report summarizes work performed thus far, which mostly focused on CPU OpenFOAM computing.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2022

LANL Regular Employee Population and Demographics, FY15-21

This document summarizes an effort to compile and analyze the LANL regular employee population’s demographic attributes and trends between FY15-FY21 using MicroStrategy, a web-based data analytics and visualization tool. LANL’s HR Division collected and prepared data for the Weapons Program’s annual reporting activities for the 2017 through 2023 NNSA Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan (SSMP). Los Alamos workforce data represent the fiscal year-end snapshot of the permanent employee population who are categorized by the Common Occupational Classification System (COCS). This work enables further analyses, including trends for all workforce attributes presented in the SSMPs as well as a definition of a crosswalk between COCS categorization and the internal laboratory job classification hierarchy. Data for other sites and the federal workforce, as shown in the SSMPs, are included and corresponding figures can be visualized within the MicroStrategy tool. A portable, Excel-based version of the tool was developed and shared with the multi-site workforce working group. This summary highlights selected aspects of the LANL regular workforce. The data analyses and visualizations communicate insights within three major themes regarding permanent LANL employees: 1) demographic transformation, 2) attrition, and 3) skills. Regarding demographic transformation, and consistent with the general trend across the enterprise, early career regular employees are the fastest growing group, with growth ranging between 12-34% year-to-year over the seven-year period analyzed. The data also reflect effects of internal and external factors on attrition; the large spike in separations in FY18 aligns with the contract transition from LANS to Triad and the dip in attrition between FY20-FY21 is likely a result of the global pandemic. The population of regular employees in general management, engineer, and operator COCS categories have the fastest growth rates amongst all the occupational categories. The MicroStrategy and Excel tools provide additional details and trends.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2021

The CMS Phase-1 Pixel Detector Upgrade

The CMS detector at the CERN LHC features a silicon pixel detector as its innermost subdetector. The original CMS pixel detector has been replaced with an upgraded pixel system (CMS Phase-1 pixel detector) in the extended year-end technical stop of the LHC in 2016/2017. The upgraded CMS pixel detector is designed to cope with the higher instantaneous luminosities that have been achieved by the LHC after the upgrades to the accelerator during the first long shutdown in 2013–2014. Compared to the original pixel detector, the upgraded detector has a better tracking performance and lower mass with four barrel layers and three endcap disks on each side to provide hit coverage up to an absolute value of pseudorapidity of 2.5. This paper describes the design and construction of the CMS Phase-1 pixel detector as well as its performance from commissioning to early operation in collision data-taking.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2020

MST e-News (Fall 2020)

As we just closed the fiscal year, I have been reflecting on the state of the division, and in particular, the health of our budget, staffing plans, and infrastructure. As many of you know, the division has grown in both budget and workforce. Since 2018, the division has grown from 150 to 174 permanent staff (but note, with students, post docs, and contractors—we are a division of 218). As one might imagine, our budget has grown significantly too. In 2018, at year end, we had a budget of $85 million. While I am still collecting some final numbers, all projections indicate that we closed out FY20 at $115 million. This growth has occurred primarily in our applied energy programs as well as Pu Sustainment. However, it is important to note that there have been important contributions to this growth across much of the portfolio, including in our OES, BES, and LDRD programs. With that said, to support this programmatic growth, as a division we have done a tremendous amount of hiring to grow while outpacing attrition. At the same time, we have been establishing numerous new capabilities at TAs -3, -35, and -55. While this is exciting, it means we have some things to carefully consider. We have had numerous capability investments (i.e., new microscopes at TAs -3 and -55, new mechanical testing capabilities at TAs -3 and -35, and new synthesis capabilities across the division). But we are starting to feel the real crunch of the limitations of our aging facilities. Still more, even with this substantial growth, we continue to hire. And I believe that we really need to spend time thinking about mentoring, career development, and retention of our most important investment—our staff.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

DOE OSTI2021

Tracking the Sun: Pricing and Design Trends for Distributed Photovoltaic Systems in the United States (2021 Edition) [Slides]

Berkeley Lab’s annual Tracking the Sun report describes trends among grid-connected, distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States. The latest edition of the report focuses on systems installed through year-end 2020, and is based on data from roughly 2.2 million systems, covering 79% of all distributed PV systems installed nationally through 2020. The report describes trends related to project characteristics, including system size, module efficiencies, prevalence of paired PV with storage, use of module-level power electronics, third-party ownership, mounting configurations, panel orientation, and non-residential customer segmentation ownership. Median installed-price trends, including both long-term and more recent temporal trends at the national and state levels, with comparisons to other recent PV cost and pricing benchmarks as well as to prices reported for other countries. Variability in pricing across individual projects based on system size, state, installer, module efficiency, inverter technology, and non-residential customer type. The report also includes an econometric analysis to estimate the effects of individual drivers on installed prices for host-owned residential systems installed in 2020.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Determining Unabated Airborne Radionuclide Emissions Monitoring Requirements Using Inventory-Based Methods

Compliance with the airborne radionuclide emission monitoring requirements in the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP; 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart H) and State requirements in Washington Administrative Code 246–247 and 173-480 were evaluated for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) operations. Additional guidance may be found in the U.S. Department of Energy Handbook, Environmental Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance. To meet regulatory requirements, reviews of planned or proposed projects and activities provide the basis for implementing necessary monitoring adjustments or for implementing changes to projects and activities in a timely manner. Potential unabated off-site doses were evaluated for emission locations managed by PNNL and licensed to the Department of Energy. These locations were at facilities in Richland, Washington (i.e., the Hanford Site and PNNL-Richland Campus) and in Sequim, Washington, (PNNL-Sequim Campus, which formerly was known as the Marine Sciences Laboratory). This report describes the inventory-based methods and provides the results for the NESHAP assessment performed in January 2021 for calendar year ending 2020.

40 CFR 61 Subpart H↗

DOE OSTI2021

New Approaches to Low-Cost Scalable Doping of Interdigitated back Contact Silicon Solar Cells (Final Report)

The goal of this project was to develop novel approaches to patterning of dopants in the rear fingers of interdigitated back contact (IBC) Si solar cells to reduce the cost of manufacturing this high-efficiency-potential cell architecture. The work throughout this project can be divided into four categories: (a) development of dopant patterning technique using laser scribed Si contacts masks that are mechanically aligned with ~10 μm resolution to the underlying Si substrate; (b) measuring dopant spreading profiles in the isolation region between n- and p-type dopant fingers during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) via shadow masks, and dopant desorption and re-adsorption during high-temperature annealing; (c) understanding the role of dopant compensation on the shunt resistance in contaminated isolation regions through analysis of defect-enhanced compensation; and (d) simulation and fabrication of passivated two-sided grid and back-contact solar cells to demonstrate the use of direct dopant patterning in cell fabrication. For the passivated two-sided grid solar cells, masked deposition was used to demonstrate an improvement in the blue response of the cell by creating a shallow front emitter. During development of the masked PECVD patterning process, we measured 3-D dopant profiles using secondary ion mass spectrometry. After deposition, in the masked region, the phosphorus dopant tail was >100 µm at concentrations >10 19 cm -3 while the boron dopant tail was shorter. During high-temperature crystallization of doped a-Si:H films to polycrystalline Si (poly-Si), phosphorus atoms spread by desorbing from the poly-Si surface and re-adsorbing onto intrinsic poly-Si on adjacent wafers that were separated by several millimeters. These contamination mechanisms resulted in a decrease in resistivity from ~10 5 Ω·cm for intrinsic poly-Si to ~10 -1 Ω·cm for contaminated poly-Si. Mitigation strategies for each contamination mechanism were developed to maintain a resistivity of ~10 5 Ω·cm between doped fingers. During fabrication of the 209 cells created during this project, it was found that despite contamination of the IBC gap through the abovementioned mechanisms, high shunt resistances and FF ~75% were still reached. Investigation into this led to the discovery of defect-enhanced compensation which exists within highly defective poly-Si when net doping concentrations reach the value of defect density (~10 18 cm -3 for many poly-Si films). Simulations guided us in the fabrication of IBCs and the cells fabricated were able to meet the year-end goals for BP 2 and 3 of 15% and 17% IBC cell efficiency, as well as the BP 4 goal of a 1% absolute increase in efficiency for PERC-like devices. However, the most efficient cell created during this project of 18.6% fell short of the 21% final project target. While the champion device fell short in V oc and J sc , many devices fabricated were able to reach the necessary goals of ~40 mA/cm 2 , ~700 mV, and ~75% FF required for a 21% device. The results generated from this project were disseminated through 11 conference presentations and proceedings. Presentations included oral talks at 2019 IEEE PVSC, 2019 MRS Fall Meeting, 2020 PVSEC-30 and 2021 IEEE PVSC, as well as poster presentations at 2020 IEEE PVSC and 2021 SiPV. The project resulted in 2 peer reviewed publications – one published in IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics and one in ACS Applied Energy Materials. The information gained in this project will aid in development of improved processes for fabrication of high-efficiency solar cells and other areas of the semiconductor device industry as well. The IBC cells will also pave the way for higher efficiency tandem devices. Through further manufacturing of high-efficiency solar cells, more of the world’s energy demands can be met through renewable sources, helping to stave off the worst effects that may come about from global climate change.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Tracking the Sun: Pricing and Design Trends for Distributed Photovoltaic Systems in the United States (2023 Edition) [Slides]

Berkeley Lab’s annual Tracking the Sun report describes trends among grid-connected, distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) and paired PV+storage systems in the United States. For the purpose of this report, distributed solar includes residential systems, roof-mounted non-residential systems, and ground-mounted systems up to 5 MW-AC. Ground-mounted systems larger than 5 MW-AC are covered in Berkeley Lab’s companion annual report, Utility-Scale Solar. The latest edition of the report is based on 3.2 million systems installed through year-end 2022, representing more than 80% of systems installed to date. The report describes and discusses key trends related to: -Project characteristics, including system size, module efficiencies, prevalence of paired PV with storage, use of module-level power electronics, third-party ownership, mounting configurations, panel orientation, and non-residential customer segmentation ownership -Median installed-price trends, both nationally and by state -Variability in pricing according to system size, state, installer, equipment type, and other factors, relying on both descriptive and econometric analysis The report also includes a multi-variate regression analysis to estimate the effects of key pricing drivers for residential systems installed in 2022.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Tracking the Sun: Pricing and Design Trends for Distributed Photovoltaic Systems in the United States, 2024 Edition [Slides]

Berkeley Lab’s annual Tracking the Sun report describes trends among grid-connected, distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) and paired PV+storage systems in the United States. For the purpose of this report, distributed solar includes residential systems, roof-mounted non-residential systems, and ground-mounted systems up to 5 MW-AC. Ground-mounted systems larger than 5 MW-AC are covered in Berkeley Lab’s companion annual report, Utility-Scale Solar. The latest edition of the report is based on 3.7 million systems installed through year-end 2023, representing close to 80% of systems installed to date. The report describes and discusses key trends related to: -Project characteristics, including system size, module efficiencies, roof-coverage ratios, prevalence of paired PV with storage, use of module-level power electronics, third-party ownership, mounting configurations, panel orientation, and customer segmentation -Median installed-price trends, both nationally and by state -Variability in pricing according to system size, state, installer, equipment type, and other factors, relying on both descriptive analysis and a multi-variate regression to estimate the effects of key pricing drivers for residential systems installed in 2023.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Determining Unabated Airborne Radionuclide Emissions Monitoring Requirements Using Inventory-Based Methods

Compliance with the airborne radionuclide emission monitoring requirements in the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP; Title 40 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 61, Subpart H) and State requirements in Washington Administrative Code 246–247: Radiation Protection – Air Emissions and 173-480: Ambient Air Quality Standards and Emission Limits for Radionuclides were evaluated for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) operations. Additional guidance may be found in the U.S. Department of Energy Handbook, Environmental Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance. To meet regulatory requirements, reviews of planned or proposed projects and activities provide the basis for implementing necessary monitoring adjustments or for implementing changes to projects and activities in a timely manner. Potential unabated off-site doses were evaluated for emission locations managed by PNNL and licensed to the Department of Energy. These locations were at facilities in Richland, Washington (i.e., the Hanford Site and PNNL–Richland campus) and in Sequim, Washington, (PNNL–Sequim campus). This report describes the inventory-based methods and provides the results for the NESHAP assessment performed in January 2024 for calendar year ending 2023.

40 CFR 61 Subpart H↗

DOE OSTI2022

Advanced Test Reactor Long-Term Asset Management Accomplishments 2016 to 2022

Advanced Test Reactor Long-Term Asset Management Accomplishments report contains photographs and information on completed projects or completed phase of a project for 2022. This book will be presented for the year-end report in Washington, D.C. as well as delivered to our clients at the Navy Nuclear Laboratory.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Alternative Analysis and Prioritization of Department of Energy “TBD” Materials with No Identified Disposition Pathway

The Department of Energy (DOE) complex manages a significant inventory of excess nuclear materials for which disposition pathways have not been identified, commonly referred to as "To Be Determined" (TBD) items. The Disposition Pathways Program, initiated in FY2018, provides a standardized framework for identifying viable disposition pathways for these materials. In 2023, the program undertook a comprehensive review and systematic analysis of the remaining TBD material groups, updating the assessment from the 2020 TBD Study using the 2022 fiscal year-end Nuclear Material Inventory Assessment (NMIA) as the primary data source. This effort aimed to utilize quantitative analysis to down-select from a wide range of potential disposition options and prioritize the remaining pathways to facilitate informed, risk-based decision-making for future programmatic funding and execution. This paper details the alternative analysis methodology used for screening and prioritization, highlighting the key criteria, ranking process, and resultant recommendations. The study successfully narrowed fifty-two potential disposition options down to nineteen, providing a focused path forward for addressing a longstanding challenge within the DOE complex.

Ramsey, Catherine [Savannah River National Laborat↗

DOE OSTI2023

LANL end of the year report (2023)

This report summarizes the advances made by LANL in the XMAT-H2 program over FY23. In summary LANL was tasked with leading efforts related to (1) the development of models predicting hydrogen (H) redistribution within polycrystals (H redistribution model), (2) the development of models for the mechanical performance of metals/steels under H environments (Model for H effects on plasticity), The development of a framework to quantify the uncertainty in model parameters (Uncertainty in model parameters), (3) small scale characterization of the mechanical response of 347H (Microstructure characterization).

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2025

Non-LWR Regulatory Framework Modernization- Fiscal Year 2024

This report provides an end-of-year summary that reflects the progress and status of Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL’s) activities concerning the development of an advanced-reactor regulatory framework and its implementation in the United States (U.S.). The report also provides recommendations for work to be performed in Fiscal Year (FY)-25 and beyond. This work was completed in FY-24 and was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Regulatory Development sub-program. These activities are managed by INL on behalf of DOE.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Advanced Reactor Regulatory Framework Development Activities for Fiscal Year 2023

This report provides an end-of-year summary that reflects the progress and status of Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) activities concerning the development of advanced reactor (AR) regulatory framework and its implementation in the United States (U.S.). The report also summarizes some general updates on important topics in regulatory development. This work was completed in Fiscal Year 2023 (FY-23) and was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Regulatory Development sub-program. These activities are managed by INL on behalf of DOE.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Near-Term Reliability and Resilience (NTRR) (Final Report)

The Near-Term Reliability and Resiliency (NTRR) was awarded in December 2020 as an inter-lab project to examine the reliability and resilience of the electricity grid and natural gas transportation availability. The project builds on studies conducted by The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and other non-governmental research and operational focused on reliability and resilience analyses challenges. The research was conceived to address near-term scenarios (within 10 years), when many local and regional policy transitions could begin to impact grid reliability, resilience, and supporting infrastructure availability. To integrate the natural gas interdependency, the team began with the generating capacity and demand projections from the 2020 NERC Long-Term Reliability Assessment and the Bulk Electric System (BES) transmission topologies defined in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) Anchor Data Set, Eastern Interconnection Reliability Assessment Group Multi-Regional Modeling Working Group (ERAG/MMWG) Data Set, the team calculated baseline regional power sector gas demands from present electricity delivery year through the end of delivery year 2030/31 by applying security constrained economic dispatch. This demand was compiled along with demand projections for regional residential, commercial, and industrial natural gas demands from the most recent Energy Information Administration (EIA) Annual Energy Outlook Reference Case into Deloitte’s MarketBuilder® North American Gas Model. Through the application of these demands, MarketBuilder® was projected the topology of natural gas flows in the natural gas pipeline network across the interconnected North American system along with regional natural gas prices that may be seen by market participants in future years Additionally, contingencies and sensitivities focused on the built models of the Eastern Interconnection (EI) and Western Interconnection (WI). They address challenges from the following with the outcomes being an identification of performance under the extreme conditions and an identification of potential grid weaknesses that should be addressed to mitigate the reduced performance and improve the resilience and reliability of the specific regions as well as the National Grid: • Weather events including extreme heat, extreme cold, high wind, no wind, wind and solar forecasting errors, and wildfires. • Gas availability, factoring in supply disruption (contractual and physical), seasonal availability constraints, and infrastructure limitations; and • Transmission availability and congestion.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Analysis of Organoiodide Adsorption Mechanisms

If the United States were to engage in the reprocessing of used nuclear fuel, radioactive iodine must be removed from multiple plant off-gas streams to comply with governing regulations. One of these streams is the vessel off-gas (VOG), which arises from the separations process and is expected to contain iodine in primarily organic iodine forms and at parts-per-billion concentrations. The relative lack of knowledge surrounding organic iodine removal from the VOG prompted the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy to initiate experimental efforts targeted at understanding organic iodide removal from prototypic VOG streams. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), this effort has focused on developing a comprehensive understanding of iodine removal from VOG streams by using silver-based sorbents. An important aspect of this testing is developing an understanding of how the sorption of methyl iodide (CH 3 I), the most studied organic iodide species to date, compares with the sorption of other volatile organic iodide species potentially present in the VOG. The work presented here reflects initial testing that will continue to be developed, and final results will be incorporated into an end-of-year report that details a multiyear testing campaign designed to understand iodine mitigation from VOG streams. The goal of these experiments was to determine whether similar reaction pathways govern both CH 3 I and iodobutane (C 4 H 9 I) sorption onto silver mordenite (AgZ), a common silver-based iodine sorbent. More specifically, the authors hypothesized that the sorption of C 4 H 9 I by AgZ will result in the formation of butanol (C 4 H9OH). Effluent monitoring of CH 3 I sorption testing has confirmed methanol production, but analogous monitoring of effluents from C 4 H 9 I sorption studies has not been performed. A series of tests was completed to test this hypothesis with the aim of detecting C 4 H 9 OH downstream of the AgZ bed. Test conditions varied the bed depth, gas stream humidity, and bed temperature post sorption. The effluent gas stream downstream of the AgZ bed was sampled by using gas-tight syringes, and these samples were analyzed by a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. Thin bed C 4 H 9 I tests conducted at -65 and 0°C dew points did not result in C 4 H 9 OH detection in the effluent. This suggests that the sorption mechanism and subsequent reactions could be different from those observed for CH 3 I. The sorption testing continues; additional results will be included in final end-of-year report and will increase the fundamental understanding of organic iodide sorption by AgZ from VOG streams.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗