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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 901 records · Page 50

Lab-Scale Demonstration of Plutonium Purification by Anion Exchange, Plutonium(IV) Oxalate Precipitation, and Calcination to Plutonium Oxide to Support the MOX Feed Mission

H-Canyon and HB-Line are tasked with the production of PuO 2 from a feed of plutonium metal. The PuO 2 will provide feed material for the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility. After dissolution of the Pu metal in H-Canyon, the solution will be transferred to HB-Line for purification by anion exchange. Subsequent unit operations include Pu(IV) oxalate precipitation, filtration and calcination to form PuO 2 . This report details the results from SRNL anion exchange, precipitation, filtration, calcination, and characterization tests, as requested by HB-Line1 and described in the task plan. This study involved an 80-g batch of Pu and employed test conditions prototypical of HB-Line conditions, wherever feasible. In addition, this study integrated lessons learned from earlier anion exchange and precipitation and calcination studies. H-Area Engineering selected direct strike Pu(IV) oxalate precipitation to produce a more dense PuO 2 product than expected from Pu(III) oxalate precipitation. One benefit of the Pu(IV) approach is that it eliminates the need for reduction by ascorbic acid. The proposed HB-Line precipitation process involves a digestion time of 5 minutes after the time (44 min) required for oxalic acid addition. These were the conditions during HB-line production of neptunium oxide (NpO 2 ). In addition, a series of small Pu(IV) oxalate precipitation tests with different digestion times were conducted to better understand the effect of digestion time on particle size, filtration efficiency and other factors. To test the recommended process conditions, researchers performed two nearly-identical larger-scale precipitation and calcination tests. The calcined batches of PuO 2 were characterized for density, specific surface area (SSA), particle size, moisture content, and impurities. Because the 3013 Standard requires that the calcination (or stabilization) process eliminate organics, characterization of PuO 2 batches monitored the presence of oxalate by thermogravimetric analysis-mass spectrometry (TGA-MS). To use the TGA-MS for carbon or oxalate content, some method development will be required. However, the TGA-MS is already used for moisture measurements. Therefore, SRNL initiated method development for the TGA-MS to allow quantification of oxalate or total carbon. That work continues at this time and is not yet ready for use in this study. However, the collected test data can be reviewed later as those analysis tools are available.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Studies of the Electromagnetic Structure of Mesons at Jefferson Lab

The Jefferson Laboratory Hall B PrimEx Collaboration is using tagged photons to perform an absolute 1.4% level cross section measurement of the photoproduction of neutral pions in the Coulomb field of a nucleus. The absolute cross section for this process is directly proportional to the neutral pion radiative decay width and consequently the uncertainty in the luminosity is directly reflected in the final error bar of the measurement. The PI has taken primary responsibility for the photon flux determination and in this technical report, we outline the steps taken to limit the uncertainty in the tagged photon flux to the 1% level. These include the use of a total absorption counter for absolute flux calibration, a pair spectrometer for online relative flux monitoring, and updated procedures for postbremsstrahlung electron counting. The photon tagging technique has been used routinely in its various forms to provide quasimonochromatic photons for absolute photonuclear cross section measurements. The analysis of such experiments in the context of bremsstrahlung photon tagging was summarized by Owens in 1990. Since then, a number of developments have made possible significant improvements in the implementation of this technique. Here, we describe the steps taken by the PrimEx Collaboration in Hall B of Jefferson Laboratory to limit the systematic uncertainty in the absolute photon flux to 1%. They include an absolute flux calibration at low intensity with a total absorption counter, online relative flux monitoring with a pair spectrometer, and the use of multihit time to digital converters for post bremsstrahlung electron counting during production data runs. While this discussion focuses on the analysis techniques utilized by the PrimEx Collaboration which involves a bremsstrahlung based photon tagging system to measure the neutral pion lifetime, the methods described herein readily apply to other types of photon tagging systems.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

From the Lab to the real world: sources of error in UF 6 gas enrichment monitoring

Safeguarding uranium enrichment facilities is a serious concern for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Safeguards methods have changed over the years, most recently switching to an improved safeguards model that calls for new technologies to help keep up with the increasing size and complexity of today’s gas centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs). One of the primary goals of the IAEA is to detect the production of uranium at levels greater than those an enrichment facility may have declared. In order to accomplish this goal, new enrichment monitors need to be as accurate as possible.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Progress in 2012-2013 on HEDLP LAB 11-583 Eagle Nebula

In the companion LLNL-led Eagle Nebula effort (Figure {Eagle}), experiments to characterize a multi-hohlraum "Long Duration Radiator" source at the Omega EP laser remain on schedule for June 2013. These experiments are being performed by a collaboration between HEDLP Eagle Nebula, Roberto Mancini s and Bob Heeter s photionization project, and CEA, who will field their µDMX spectrometer.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Lab Tests Demonstrate Effectiveness of Advanced Power Strips [Fact Sheet]

NREL engineers evaluate the functionalities of advanced power strips and help consumers choose the right one for their plug loads. Many consumer electronics devices waste energy even after they are turned off via “vampire” loads, meaning they continue to draw current as long as they remain plugged into receptacles. In a typical home with 40 plug loads, vampire loads can account for nearly 10% of household electricity use. Advanced power strips (APS) are a convenient and inexpensive way to curb this type of energy waste, and are the focus of laboratory tests conducted by the Residential Buildings group at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). By replacing ordinary power strips with APS, appliances that are not in use can be automatically shut off. APS are designed primarily for the home office and entertainment center, where the concentration of consumer electronics is typically high.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

99 Tc Process Monitoring System In-Lab Performance Characterization

A 99 Tc Process Monitoring (Tc-Mon) System has been designed and built for deployment at the recently constructed 200 West Pump & Treat (200W P&T) Plant in the 200 West Area ZP-1 Operable Unit of the Hanford Site. The plant is operated by CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC). The Tc-Mon system was created through collaboration between Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Burge Environmental, Inc. The design of the new system has been optimized based on experience from an earlier field test (2011) of a prototype system at the 200W-ZP-1 Interim Pump & Treat Plant.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Multi-Lab EV Smart Grid Integration Requirements Study. Providing Guidance on Technology Development and Demonstration

The report begins with a discussion of the current state of the energy and transportation systems, followed by a summary of some VGI scenarios and opportunities. The current efforts to create foundational interface standards are detailed, and the requirements for enabling PEVs as a grid resource are presented. Existing technology demonstrations that include vehicle to grid functions are summarized. The report also includes a data-based discussion on the magnitude and variability of PEVs as a grid resource, followed by an overview of existing simulation tools that vi This report is available at no cost from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at www.nrel.gov/publications. can be used to explore the expansion of VGI to larger grid functions that might offer system and customer value. The document concludes with a summary of the requirements and potential action items that would support greater adoption of VGI.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Science Lab Expansion at St. Bonaventure University: Project Narrative

The Project Narrative describes how the funds from the DOE grant were used to purchase equipment for the biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics departments. The Narrative also describes how the equipment is being used. There is also a list of the positive outcomes as a result of having the equipment that was purchased with the DOE grant.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Experimental Investigation of Two-Phase Flow in Consolidating and Intact Salt: Analysis of Capillary Pressure Measurements from Core Labs

Two-phase flow of brine and air through very low permeability porous media is the dominant fluid flow state in and around geologic repositories for nuclear waste disposal. Constitutive models developed for other subsurface media (shale, sandstone, limestone, etc.) have been adopted but never experimentally parameterized for geologic salt. This report summarizes results of scoping capillary pressure and brine saturation measurements on reconsolidated run-of-mine salt and intact geologic salt samples. These measurements were obtained using mercury injection tests and yielded values of threshold pressure, pore-size distribution, and mercury saturation. The brine capillary pressure curve was then inferred from the raw mercury capillary pressure data. This report also summarizes estimates of the constitutive model parameters from the brine saturation and capillary pressure data (Brooks and Corey, 1964; van Genuchten, 1980). The results suggests that the model of van Genuchten (1980) is better suited for brine-air-salt systems. Additional testing is needed for the low brine saturation range of the capillary pressure curve where the present suite of tests did not yield sufficient data.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories Code-to-Code Comparison of Inter Lab Test Problem 1 for Asteroid Impact Hazard Mitigation

The NNSA Laboratories have entered into an interagency collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to explore strategies for prevention of Earth impacts by asteroids. Assessment of such strategies relies upon use of sophisticated multi-physics simulation codes. This document describes the task of verifying and cross-validating, between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), modeling capabilities and methods to be employed as part of the NNSA-NASA collaboration. The approach has been to develop a set of test problems and then to compare and contrast results obtained by use of a suite of codes, including MCNP, RAGE, Mercury, Ares, and Spheral. This document provides a short description of the codes, an overview of the idealized test problems, and discussion of the results for deflection by kinetic impactors and stand-off nuclear explosions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗