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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 19 records

Boom clay borehole water, home of a diverse bacterial community

For over two decades, Boom Clay has been studied in the framework of geological disposal of nuclear waste thereby mainly addressing its geochemical properties. Today, also the microbiological properties and the possibility of microbes interacting with radionuclides or repository components including the waste form, in a host formation like Boom Clay are considered [2,3]. In the past, a reference composition for synthetic Boom Clay pore water (BCPW) was derived, based on interstitial water sampled from different layers within the Boom clay [1]. Similarly, the primary aim of this microbiological study was to determine the core BCPW bacterial community and identify representative water samples for future microbial directed lab experiments. In this respect, BCPW was sampled from different Boom Clay layers using the Morpheus piezometer and subsequently analysed by microscopy and molecular techniques, in search for overall shared and abundant micro-organisms. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

An electrified boom actuation system with energy regeneration capability driven by a novel electro-hydraulic unit

This paper presents a novel electrified solution for linear actuation systems, which has undergone a successful in-vehicle demonstration, marking a significant advancement in this field. Aligned with the growing trend towards electrification, this solution holds promise for a wide range of off-road applications. The showcased electrohydraulic actuation architecture enables efficient four-quadrant operation and incorporates energy recovery capabilities. At the core of the system lies a distinctive electro-hydraulic unit, integrating a fixed hydraulic pump and a variable-speed electric motor into a compact and powerful entity. A specialized hydraulic system is designed to efficiently transform electrical energy from the electro-hydraulic unit into boom cylinder actuation. The sizing of the system is determined by the boom operation of a commercial compact loader. The maximum power output of the electro-hydraulic system is approximately 15 kW. The components of the proposed system are integrated into the reference vehicle, and comprehensive performance tests are conducted. The results of the tests performed on the vehicle with the boom lifting and lowering cycle indicate an overall system efficiency of 60%. The electrified solution consumes only about one-third of the energy used by the conventional boom actuation system on the reference machine, while exhibiting energy savings exceeding 75% during specific work phases. The energy savings come mainly from energy regeneration and minimal loss from throttling through the specialized hydraulic circuit design. Finally, the successful demonstration on the reference vehicle underscores the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed electrified solution in current mobile hydraulic applications

42 ENGINEERING↗

Differences in total stem value when merchandizing with a tracked processor versus a knuckle–boom loader in Pinus taeda

Using tracked processors over knuckle–boom loaders to increase total value per tree when merchandizing timber on the landing has become a topic of interest in the southeastern region of the United States. This study compared merchantability values, product classes, and product weights of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) for both machines to determine if there was a significant difference between machines when processing the same tree. In order to process the same tree twice, the chains from the tracked processor had to be removed from the bottom saw bar. This allowed the processor to simulate the merchandising process without actually marking or cutting the tree for a more realistic comparison. Data were analyzed using paired t–tests and two–way ANOVA models. Results depicted that when diameter and total lengths are visually estimated by the knuckle–boom loader. A significant difference in value occurs, however, once diameter and total length are modified to match the tracked processors for more accurate measurements, no difference in value was seen. Here, these results demonstrate that until mill specifications become more stringent, there is little incentive for loggers to purchase a tracked processor if their only motivation is to increase merchantability values.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Pilot decision space for sonic boom impact resolution

A system for predicting pressure waves in a sonic boom footprint calculates alternative footprints and pressure waves along a flight path based on speed and altitude modifiers. The available, adjustable parameters are bounded within a flight envelope and along an approved flight corridor. The system receives and incorporates data from external sources, such as weather data, that impacts sonic boom pressure wave predictions and aircraft performance characteristics.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Transformation of Recalcitrant Sorghum Varieties Facilitated by Baby Boom and Wuschel2

We present that most reliable transformation protocols for cereal crops, including sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), rely on the use of immature embryo explants to generate embryogenic callus cells that are then transformed using Agrobacterium- or particle-bombardment-mediated DNA delivery. Subsequent to DNA transfer, most protocols rely on selectable markers for the recovery of stably transformed callus that is then regenerated to produce T 0 plants. However, these protocols require specific genotypes that are innately capable of efficient embryogenic callus initiation. In this study, we describe a system that makes use of the differential expression of the morphogenic regulators Baby Boom (Bbm) and Wuschel2 (Wus2) to achieve transformation in varieties of sorghum typically recalcitrant to standard transformation methods.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

China’s Booming Plug-in Electric Vehicle Market—How Will It Continue?

The plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) is recognized as a pivotal component in transportation energy security and technology innovation in China. With government incentives and substantial capital investments, the Chinese PEV market has become one of the largest in the world. However, is this market boom ephemeral or will it be continuing? This chapter provides a general review of the Chinese PEV market mainly from the consumer per-spective, by summarizing the characteristics of the vehicle policies and consumer concerns in the PEV market in recent years. Moreover, it intro-duces detailed examples on how the policies, technologies, and infrastruc-ture shape the market. In addition to employing large amounts of reliable data from the China Automotive Technology and Research Center for the review, the authors also adopted a quantitative analysis tool—the New Energy and Oil Consumption Credits model—to project the potential in-dustrial impacts of the government policies in multiple scenarios. Based on the findings, it seems that the prosperity of the PEV market, incentivized by the government, will continue in the short run. The direct subsidies to PEV from the government will gradually phase out, and the supply-side push policies such as the dual-credit policy and other charging infrastruc-ture incentives will work as the invisible hand to force the automakers to invest more in the PEV segment. However, in the long run, innovation in PEV technology and business models, together with consumer acceptance will be the major factors that can sustain further market growth.

Ou, Shawn↗

Development of the Electromagnetic Boom and MOP System (EMOP)

Several large-scale oil spills typically occur in the USA and other places around the world. Such events threaten the Great Lakes as well. The cleanup process is not necessarily efficient or environmentally safe. In addition, the remediation and recovery process is time consuming, expensive and can lead to harmful environmental effects. An innovative electromagnetic approach by Natural Science, LLC uses materials that are reusable, recoverable, and environmentally safe. When micron-sized magnetite (Fe3O4) particles are dispersed in oil on water, the particles form a unique and preferential bond with the oil due to a combination of forces, e.g. Van der Waals. Magnetic fields can then be used to manipulate, trap and remove the oil in an environmentally safe manner with high efficiency. In the case of oil spills on water, the water becomes the primary transport medium for manipulating the oil. Videos demonstrating the process will be shown. Both the particles and the oil are recaptured and separated for reuse. This process is being applied to electromagnetic systems that can replace and/or increase the efficiency of the passive boom and skimmer systems used today.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Boom and bust carbon-nitrogen dynamics during reforestation

Legacies of historical land use strongly shape contemporary ecosystem dynamics. In old-field secondary forests, tree growth embodies a legacy of soil changes affected by previous cultivation. Three patterns of biomass accumulation during reforestation have been hypothesized previously, including monotonic to steady state, non-monotonic with a single peak then decay to steady state, and multiple oscillations around the steady state. Here, in this paper, the conditions leading to the emergence of these patterns is analyzed. Using observations and models, we demonstrate that divergent reforestation patterns can be explained by contrasting time-scales in ecosystem carbon-nitrogen cycles that are influenced by land use legacies. Model analyses characterize non-monotonic plant-soil trajectories as either single peaks or multiple oscillations during an initial transient phase controlled by soil carbon-nitrogen conditions at the time of planting. Oscillations in plant and soil pools appear in modeled systems with rapid tree growth and low initial soil nitrogen, which stimulate nitrogen competition between trees and decomposers and lead the forest into a state of acute nitrogen deficiency. High initial soil nitrogen dampens oscillations, but enhances the magnitude of the tree biomass peak. These model results are supported by data derived from the long-running Calhoun Long-Term Soil-Ecosystem Experiment from 1957 to 2007. Observed carbon and nitrogen pools reveal distinct tree growth and decay phases, coincident with soil nitrogen depletion and partial re-accumulation. Further, contemporary tree biomass loss decreases with the legacy soil C:N ratio. These results support the idea that non-monotonic reforestation trajectories may result from initial transients in the plant-soil system affected by initial conditions derived from soil changes associated with land-use history.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Radiological issues associated with the recent boom in oil and gas hydraulic fracturing

As the worldwide hydraulic fracturing 'fracking' market continued to grow to an estimated $37 Billion in 2012, the need to understand and manage radiological issues associated with fracking is becoming imperative. Fracking is a technique that injects pressurized fluid into rock layer to propagate fractures that allows natural gas and other petroleum products to be more easily extracted. Radioactivity is associated with fracking in two ways. Radioactive tracers are frequently a component of the injection fluid used to determine the injection profile and locations of fractures. Second, because there are naturally-occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in the media surrounding and containing oil and gas deposits, the process of fracking can dislodge radioactive materials and transport them to the surface in the wastewater and gases. Treatment of the wastewater to remove heavy metals and other contaminates can concentrate the NORM into technologically-enhanced NORM (TENORM). Regulations to classify, transport, and dispose of the TENORM and other radioactive waste can be complicated and cumbersome and vary widely in the international community and even between states/provinces. In many cases, regulations on NORM and TENORM do not even exist. Public scrutiny and regulator pressure will only continue to increase as the world demands on oil and gas continue to rise and greater quantities of TENORM materials are produced. Industry experts, health physicists, regulators, and public communities must work together to understand and manage radiological issues to ensure reasonable and effective regulations protective of the public, environment, and worker safety and health are implemented. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

The Architecture of Mercury - Nevada's Atomic Boom Town: An Architectural Survey of Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada (Rev. 1)

The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) plans to modernize the Mercury town site at the Nevada National Security Site in Nye County, Nevada, to meet current and future National Weapons Science, Global and Homeland Security Programs, and Environmental Management mission requirements. These plans include anticipated demolitions, consolidations, and rebuilding at Mercury to be an undertaking subject to review under Title 54 U.S.C. § 306108, commonly known as Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Title 54 U.S.C. §300101, et seq., and its implementing regulations, 36 C.F.R. Part 800. Prior to the present survey, Mercury had not yet been systematically recorded, and therefore an area of approximately 364 hectares (900 acres) was surveyed for architectural resources by the Desert Research Institute. This effort resulted in the identification, recording, and evaluation of the Mercury Historic District (SHPO Resource No. D230), including the identification of its contributing components. This district is recommended eligible to the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria A and C. It is unevaluated under Criteria B and D at this time. The Mercury Historic District contains 154 individual landscapes, buildings, and structures. Of these resources, all except one are recommended as contributing elements of the historic district during its period of significance corresponding to nuclear testing from 1951 through 1992. During most of the Cold War, the land now called the Nevada National Security Site was named the Nevada Test Site.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Sagebrush boom box soft radiography results

Presentation describes series of shots done at Special Technologies Laboratory in Santa Barbara, CA, using a high-explosive load on tin as a confirmatory study to quantitatively compare diagnostics.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗