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Nolen, Blake Penfield

Publications and source records attributed to Nolen, Blake Penfield.

Tank Side Cesium Removal IXC-150 Cask Detonation Report

A set of experiments were conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory’s firing point 88 to determine the blast pressure and effects of a stoichiometric gas mixture of Hydrogen (H 2 ) and Nitrous Oxide (N 2 O) on the IXC-150 Storage Pad Vent Stack assemblies. The Lab was asked to design, build, and test the vent stack assemblies using a reaction gas volume of 340 in 3 that mimics the Tank Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) Ion Exchange Column (IXC) assembly. The experimental system with vent stack assembly was designed with input from the Washington River Protection Services (WRPS) to ensure an accurate test setup. The tests were conducted at LANL on the newly built filter/gas assembly at the end of April 2021 timeframe, using WRPS supplied vent stack assemblies and internal HEPA filters. The objective of these tests was to observe that the structural integrity of the vent stack assemblies was maintained and determine the resulting blast overpressures at a distance of 16 and 32 inches from the assembly. All work was performed under the LANL Quality Assurance Program (SD330), using a graded application of ASME NQA-1- 2008/NQA-1a-2009. To ensure that all client quality assurance (QA) expectations were addressed, evaluation of the end data needs was performed and the appropriate controls applied for this work.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Transforming the Uranium Fuel Cycle: Safe & Economical Conversion of DUF 6 to DUF 4

The goal of this rapid response project was to show that DUF 6 can be converted to DUF 4 using hexamethyldisilane (HMDS), producing trimethylsilyl fluoride (TMS-F) as a by-product. These would represent a significant improvement in the safety and economy of the current DUF 6 to DUF 4 downconversion, which produces HF as a by-product.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Report on Current Assessment of Fabrication Routes to Large-Scale UN Production

Uranium mononitride has been proposed for nuclear fuels, given its favorable uranium atom density and thermal conductivity. Current synthesis routes are either cost prohibitive or leave behind unwanted carbon or oxygen contaminants. Here, a route known as oxidative ammonolysis is explored to convert uranium tetrafluoride to uranium dinitride. Reaction products have been examined and phases determined. The study here shows the possibility to convert uranium fluoride phases to uranium nitride phases.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

General Safety Practices

This report describes some general safety practices while performing work at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗