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Interactions of Zircaloy Cladding with Gallium: Final Report
No full textThe U.S. Department of Energy has established a dual-track approach to the disposition of plutonium arising from the dismantling of nuclear weapons. Both immobilization and reactor-based mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel technologies are being evaluated. The reactor-based MOX fuel option requires assessment of the potential impact of concentrations of gallium (on the order of 1 to 10 ppm), not present in conventional MOX fhel, on cladding material performance. Three previous repmts"3 identified several compatibility issues relating to the presence of gallium in MOX fuel and its possible reaction with fiel cladding. Gallium initially present in weapons-grade (WG) plutonium is largely removed during processing to produce MOX fhel. After blending the plutonium with uranium, only 1 to 10 ppm gallium is expected in the sintered MOX fuel. Gallium present as gallium oxide (G~OJ could be evolved as the suboxide (G~O). Migration of the evolved G~O and diffusion of gallium in the MOX matrix along thermal gradients could lead to locally higher concentrations of G~03. Thus, while an extremely low concentration of gallium in MOX fiel almost ensures a lack of significant interaction of gallium whh Zircaloy fhel cladding, there remains a small probability that corrosion effects will not be negligible. General corrosion in the form of surface alloying resulting from formation of intermetallic compounds between Zircaloy and gallium should be ma& limited and, therefore, superficial because of the expected low ratio of gallium to the surface area or volume of the Zircaloy cladding. Although the expected concentration of gallium is low and there is very limited volubility of gallium in zirconium, especially at temperatures below 700 "C,4 grain boundary penetration and liquid metal embrittlement (LME) are forms of localized corrosion that were also considered. One fuel system darnage mechanism, pellet clad interaction, has led to some failure of the Zircaloy cladding in light-water reactors (LWRS). This has been attributed to stresses in the cladding and one or more aggressive fission products. Stress corrosion cracking by iodines' 6 and LME by cadmium7>8 have been reported, and it is known that Zircaloy can be embrittled by some low-melting metals, (e.g., mercury).g LME is a form of environmentally induced embrittlement that can induce cracking or loss of ductility. LME requties wetting and a tensile stress, but it does not require corrosion penetration. Experimentally, it has been demonstrated that gallium can cause embrittlement of some alloys (e.g., aluminum) at low temperatures,'"' ] ] but experiments relative to LME of zirconium by gallium have been limited and inconclusive.*2 This report describes a series of tests designed to establish the effects of low levels of residual gallium in WG-MOX fhel on its compatibility with Zircaloy. In addition, to establish damage mechanisms it was important to understand types of cladding interactions and available stiety margins with respect to gallium concentration
1997 annual site environmental report, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada
No full textSandia National Laboratories (SNL) operates the Tonopah Test Range for the Department of Energy's (DOE) Weapons Ordnance Program. Thes annual report (calendar year 1997) summarizes the compliance status to environmental regulations applicable at the site including those statutes that govern air and water quality, waste management, cleanup of contaminated areas, control of toxic substances, and adherence to requirements as related to the National Environmental Policy Act. In compliance with DOE orders, SNL also conducts environmental surveillance for radiological and nonradiological contaminants. SNL's responsibility for environmental surveillance extends only to those activities performed by SNL or under its direction. Annual radiological and nonradiological routine releases and unplanned releases (occurrences) are also summarized. This report has been prepared as required by DOE Order 5400.1, General Environmental Protection Program
Analysis of Hydrogen Depletion Using a Scaled Passive Autocatalytic Recombiner
No full textHydrogen depletion tests of a scaled passive autocatalytic recombine (pAR) were performed in the Surtsey test vessel at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The experiments were used to determine the hydrogen depletion rate of a PAR in the presence of steam and also to evaluate the effect of scale (number of cartridges) on the PAR performance at both low and high hydrogen concentrations
The Impact of Restructuring Policy Changes on Power Grid Reliability
No full textThis paper outlines the results of a cooperative effort between Sandia National Laboratories, Associated Power Analysts, Inc. and Texas A&M University to characterize the impact of a changing regulatory environment on the reliability of customer electrical service. It was desired to assess the impact in as realistic an environment as possible. Due the availability of data the initial study centered on the electric power grid in Texas. Specifically, data from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) for the 1997 operational year was used in the research. Based on geography and location of generation and transmission lines, ten basic areas were considered and each area was modeled as a single point generation and load. A number of restructuring scenarios were developed by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories and investigated by Associated Power Analysts using their N-Area Reliability Program (NARP). The present study is limited to an assessment of the adequacy aspects of reliability: sufficiency of installed generation and transmission capacity to satisfy the needs of all consumers in a steady- state sense. The results are, on one hand conservative in that they address on] y the impact of peak loading. Alternatively, the~ are optimistic in that the transmission lines are assumed to be in continuous operation. The major results of this study indicate that, in anew regulatory era, the reliability of customer service will be significantly impacted, possibly in a negative fashion, unless the effects of the ensuing economic pressures are understood and appropriate actions taken
Electrochemical Evaluation of Pyrite Films Prepared by Plasma Spraying
No full textThermally activated batteries use electrodes that are typically fabricated by cold pressing of powder. In the LiSi/FeS2 system, natural (mineral) pyrite is used for the cathode. In an effort to increase the energy density and specific energy of these batteries, flame and plasma spraying to form thin films of pyrite cathodes were evaluated. The films were deposited on a 304 stainless steel substrate (current collector) and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and x-ray dlfllaction. The films were electrochemically tested in single cells at 5000C and the petiormance compared to that of standard cells made with cold-pressed powders. The best results were obtained with material deposited by de-arc plasma spraying with a proprietq additive to suppress thermal decomposion of the pyrite
Using Common Sense to Effectively Integrate Security Technologies within a School's Security Strategy
No full textSecurity technologies are not the answer to all school security problems. However, they can be an excellent tool for school administrators and security personnel when incorporated into a total security strategy involving personnel, procedures, and facility layout. Unfortunately, very few of the tougher security problems in schools have solutions that are affordable, effective, and acceptable. Like any other type of facility, a school's security staff must understand the strengths and limitations of the security measures they are c<msidering. It is imperative that the design for new schools incorporate good security practices, which will rarely increase new building costs if included in the initial planning
Wavelet Compression of Complex SAR Imagery Using Complex- and Real-Valued Wavelets: A Comparative Study
No full textWhile many synthetic aperture radar (SAR) applications use only detected imagery, dramatic improvements in resolution and employment of algorithms requiring complex-valued SAR imagery suggest the need for compression of complex data. Here, we investigate the benefits of using complex- valued wavelets on complex SAR imagery in the embedded zerotree wavelet compression algorithm, compared to using real-valued wavelets applied separately to the real and imaginary components. This compression is applied at low ratios (4:1-12:1) for high fidelity output. The complex spatial correlation metric is used to numerically evaluate quality. Numerical results are tabulated and original and decompressed imagery are presented as well as correlation maps to allow visual comparisons
An Introduction to Architectural Surety(SM) Education
No full textThis report describes the Sandia activities in the developing field management approach to enhancing National Laboratories (Sandia) educational outreach of architectural and infrastructure surety, a risk the safety, security, and reliability of facilities, systems, and structures. It begins with a description of the field of architectural and infrastmcture surety, including Sandia's historical expertise and experience in nuclear weapons surety. An overview of the 1996 Sandia Workshop on Architectural SuretysM is then provided to reference the initiation of the various activities. This workshop established the need for a surety education program at the University level and recommended that Sandia develop the course material as soon as possible. Technical material was assembled and the course was offered at the University of New Mexico (UNM) during the 1997 spring semester. The bulk of this report accordingly summarizes the lecture material presented in this pioneering graduate-level course on Infrastructure Surety in the Civil Engineering Department at UNM. This groundbreaking class presented subject matter developed by experts from Sandia, and included additional information from guest lecturers from academia, government, and industry. Also included in this report are summaries of the term projects developed by the graduate students, an overview of the 1997 International Conference on Architectural Suretp: Assuring the Performance of Buildings and Injiastruchwes (co-sponsored by Sandia, the American Institute of Architects, and the American Society of Civil Engineers), and recommendations for further course work development. The U.S. Department of Energy provides support to this emerging field of architectural and infrastructure surety and recognizes its broad application to developing government, industry, and professional standards in the national interest
Laboratory Simulation of Response to a Distributed Pressure Load
No full textResponses to a distributed pressure load are typically predicted through the use of a finite-element model. This procedure depends on the model to represent the actual structure accurately. Another technique that is developed in this work is to predict the response based upon an experi- mentally derived model. This model consists of frequency response functions. The pressure distribution is assumed to be known. In this work, the pressure load will be a blast load. The focus of this work will be to simulate a harsh, shock-like environment. Data from a reverse Hopkinson bar (RHB) test is used to generate the response to a symmetric, distributed load. The reverse Hopkinson bar generates a high ampli- tude, high frequency content pulse that excites components at near-blast levels. The frequency response functions gen- erated from the RHB are used to generate an experimental model of the structure, which is then used in conjunction with the known pressure distribution, to estimate the component response to a blast. This result can then be used with a model correlation technique to adjust a finite element model such that data from a true blast test can be used to only fine tune the model. This work details the estimation response due to the blast
Conformational Diversity in (Octaethylporphinato) (trichloroacetato)iron(III) Derivatives
No full textTreatment of [Fe(OEP)]20 with trichloroacetic acid results in ruffled formation of (octaethylporphinato trichloroacetato)iron(HI). Various crystalline solvates can be isolated, depending on the crystallization solvent. Initial crystallization with CHC13/hexanes resulted in the isolation of an unsolvated form. [Fe(OEP)(02C2C13 )]. This form contains distinct porphyrin core conformations at the same site: one is domed and the other is ruffled. Crystal data for [Fe(OEP)(02C2C13 )]: Q = 14.734(4) .4. b = 13.674(1) .\. c = 17..541 [,.5] .~. 3 = 90.67(1)0, V = 35-!5.8(14) .\3. monoclinic. space group R1/ n. Z = 4. Subsequent crystallization with CHC13/hexanes resulted in a new crystalline form, [Fe(OEP)(OzC2C13 )~.- CHC13; the porphyrin core is slightly ruffled. Crystal data for [Fe(OEP)(OoC2C13 )]. CHC13: a =12.323(1) .~, 6 = 13.062(3) .\. C = 14.327(2) .$, Q = 89.32(1)", .3 = 113.36(2)0. :~ = 105.26(1)'. V = `2031.3(6) .\3. triclinic. space group Pi. Z = 2. Crystallization with CH2C12/hexanes resulted in the isolation of yet another form, [Fe(OEP) (02 C2C13)]. H02C2C13. which contains two independent molecules in the unit cell: molecule is slightly saddled and molecule B is modestly ruffled. Crystal data for [Fe(OEP)(02ClC13 )]. H02C2C13: a = 13.148(3) .\, b = 13.45.5(3) A, c = Q3.761(5) -& ~ = 90.72(3)", ~ = 91. ~4(3)". -y = 92.36(3)0, V = 4198.5(15) .\3, triclinic.space group PI, Z = 4. .+11 conformations form dimers in the solid state. Temperature-dependent manometic susceptibility measurements showed that [Fe(OEP)(02C2C13)] .CHC13 contains a high-spin iron(III) center; the data for {Fe(OEP)(02C2C13 )l.H02C2C13 are understood in terms of an admixed intermediate-spin state (S = 3/2, 5/2) and are readily fit to a faltempo model with a ground state multiplet containing about 78% S = 5/2 character and 22% S = 3/2 character. The structural data for [Fe(OEP)(02C2C13 )]. CHC13 are consistent with the observed high-spin state, while data for ~Fe(OEP) (02 C2C13)] .H02C2C13 are consistent with the admixed-spin iron(HI) character. The observed core conformations have been described by a normal-coordinate structural decomposition method