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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

The Collaborative Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Impurities in Low RRR SRF Cavities

The superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) community has shown that introducing certain impurities into high-purity niobium can improve quality factors and accelerating gradients. We question why some impurities improve RF performance while others hinder it. The purpose of this study is to characterize the impurity profile of niobium with a low residual resistance ratio (RRR) and correlate these impurities with the RF performance of low RRR cavities so that the mechanism of impurity-based improvements can be better understood and improved upon. The combination of RF testing and material analysis reveals a microscopic picture of why low RRR cavities experience low temperature-dependent BCS resistance behavior more prominently than their high RRR counterparts. We performed surface treatments, low temperature baking and nitrogen-doping, on low RRR cavities to evaluate how the intentional addition of oxygen and nitrogen to the RF layer further improves performance through changes in the mean free path and impurity profile. The results of this study have the potential to unlock a new understanding on SRF materials and enable the next generation of SRF surface treatments.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Collaborative Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Impurities in Low RRR SRF Cavities

The SRF community has shown that introducing certain impurities into high-purity niobium can improve quality factors and accelerating gradients. We question why some impurities improve RF performance while others hinder it. The purpose of this study is to characterize the impurity profile of niobium coupons with a low residual resistance ratio (RRR) and correlate these impurities with the RF performance of low RRR cavities so that the mechanism of impurity-based improvements can be better understood and improved upon. The combination of RF testing and material analysis reveals a microscopic picture of why low RRR cavities experience low BCS resistance behavior more prominently than their high RRR counterparts. We performed surface treatments, low temperature baking and nitrogen-doping, on low RRR cavities to evaluate how the intentional addition of oxygen and nitrogen to the RF layer further improves performance through changes in the mean free path and impurity profile. Th e results of this study have the potential to unlock a new understanding on SRF materials and enable the next generation of high Q/high gradient surface treatments.

Howard, K.↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Collaborative Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Impurities in Low RRR SRF Cavities

The SRF community has shown that introducing certain impurities into high-purity niobium can improve quality factors and accelerating gradients. We question why some impurities improve RF performance while others hinder it. The purpose of this study is to characterize the impurity profile of niobium coupons with a low residual resistance ratio (RRR) and correlate these impurities with the RF performance of low RRR cavities so that the mechanism of impurity-based improvements can be better understood and improved upon. The combination of RF testing and material analysis reveals a microscopic picture of why low RRR cavities experience low BCS resistance behavior more prominently than their high RRR counterparts. We performed surface treatments, low temperature baking and nitrogen-doping, on low RRR cavities to evaluate how the intentional addition of oxygen and nitrogen to the RF layer further improves performance through changes in the mean free path and impurity profile. The results of this study have the potential to unlock a new understanding on SRF materials and enable the next generation of high Q/high gradient surface treatments.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Achieving Accelerated Cleanup of Cesium Contaminated Stream at the Savannah River Site; Collaboration between Stakeholders, Regulators, and the Federal Government - 13182

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is a 310-square-mile United States Department of Energy (US DOE) nuclear facility located along the Savannah River near Aiken, South Carolina that contains six primary stream/river systems. The Lower Three Runs Stream (LTR) is one of the primary streams within the site that is located in the southeast portion of the Savannah River Site and is a large black water stream system that originates in the northeast portion of SRS and follows a southerly direction before it enters the Savannah River. During reactor operations, secondary reactor cooling water, storm sewer discharges, and miscellaneous wastewater was discharged and contaminated a 36 kilometer stretch of Lower Three Runs Stream that narrows providing a limited buffer of US DOE property along the stream and flood plain. Based on data collected during 2009 and 2010 under Recover Act Funding, the stream was determined to be contaminated with cesium-137 at levels that exceeded acceptable risk based limits. As efficiencies were realized within the SRS Recovery Act Program, funding was made available to design, permit and execute remediation of the LTR. This accelerated Project allowed for the remediation of 36 kilometers of LTR in only nine months from inception to completion, contributing significantly to the Foot Print Reduction of SRS. The scope consisted of excavation and disposal of more than 2064 cubic meters of contaminated soil, and installing 11 kilometers of fence and 2,000 signs at 1000 locations. Confirmatory sampling and analysis, and radiological surveying were performed demonstrating that soil concentrations met the cleanup goals. The project completed with a very good safety record considering the harsh conditions including, excessive rain in the early stages of the project, high summer temperatures, swampy terrain, snakes, wild boar, insects and dense vegetation. The regulatory approval process was compressed by over 75% and required significant efforts from SRS's stakeholders including the regulators, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), and the public including local property owners and the SRS Citizens Advisory Board. Stakeholder buy-in was critical in the up-front planning in order to achieve this challenging cleanup. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

Of the final end state for decommissioning of reactors at SRS: collaboration between stakeholders, regulators, and the Federal Government - 15279

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is an 802 square-kilometer (310 square-miles) United States Department of Energy (US DOE) nuclear facility located along the Savannah River near Aiken, South Carolina. Nuclear weapons material production began in the early 1950's, utilizing five (5) production reactors. In the early 1990's all SRS production reactor operations were terminated. The first reactor closure end-state declaration was documented in a Comprehensive Environmental Response and Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) Early Action Record of Decision. The decision for the final closure of the 29,543 square-meter (318,000 square-feet) 105-P Reactor was determined to be in situ decommissioning (ISD). ISD is an acceptable and cost-effective alternative to off-site disposal for the reactor building, which will allow for consolidation of remedial action wastes generated from other cleanup activities within the P Area. ISD is considered protective by the regulators, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), public and stakeholders as waste materials are stabilized / immobilized, and radioactivity is allowed to naturally decay, thus preventing future exposure to the environment. Stakeholder buy-in was critical in the up-front planning in order to achieve this monumental final decision. Numerous public meetings and workshops were held in two different states (covering a 321 kilometer (200-mile) radius) with stakeholder and SRS Citizens Advisory Board (CAB) participation. These meetings were conducted over an eight- month period as the end-state decision making progressed. Information provided to the public evolved from workshop to workshop as data became available and public input from the public meetings were gathered. ISD is being considered for the balance of the four (4) SRS reactors and other hardened facilities such as the chemical Separation Facilities (canyons). Closure of the SRS P Reactor Area was precedent setting and sets the stage for closure of other reactors and hardened facilities. The DOE, USEPA, and SCDHEC engaged in active, up-front, and timely involvement with the SRS. The SRS CAB, elected officials, and citizens of South Carolina and Georgia met to discuss the P reactor area closure and associated risks. Early public involvement gave SRS and the regulators assurance that the selected decision was valid and would not be overturned. Public input improved the process and ensured that the important decision on the final end-state of the reactor facilities was not made in isolation. ISD of P Reactor will provide adequate protection of human health and the environment and the lowest cost since short-term risk is minimized to remedial workers from exposure to contaminated equipment and facilities by leaving the reactor vessel in place allowing for radiological decay over time. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Collaborative Research Programme in Decommissioning, Immobilisation and Storage Solutions for Nuclear Waste Inventories (DISTINCTIVE) - 16466

The UK government remains committed to nuclear power as an important part of the energy generation capacity over the next 30-50 years and possibly beyond, with aspirations for both new-build power stations and lifetime extension of the existing fleet. A central component of public acceptance for any new-build programme is the need to demonstrate our ability to safely manage and dispose of high- and intermediate-level wastes from legacy nuclear operations. Clear milestones associated with the needs of waste management and decommissioning have been provided by the UK government, and most rely on further research and technical developments being delivered over the next 10-20 years. The DISTINCTIVE (Decommissioning, Immobilisation and Storage Solutions for Nuclear Waste Inventories) consortium is carrying out research that addresses the broad area of nuclear waste and decommissioning, bringing together key industry partners and leading academic researchers from 10 of the UK's leading research intensive universities. The research being carried out is multi-disciplinary and covers both fundamental and applied topics, with research projects clustered in four major themes: AGR, Magnox and exotic spent fuels; PuO{sub 2} and fuel residues; legacy ponds and silo wastes; and structural integrity. The consortium builds upon and consolidates the work of previous Research Councils' UK Energy Programme-funded projects in the same field although, importantly, this new project draws in researchers from a larger group of universities and increases the multi-disciplinary nature of the group. All participating research groups have a strong track-record of supporting the nuclear industry through basic and applied research as well as consultancy activities. Key aims of the consortium are to extend and develop a relevant academic skill base in the UK associated with the needs of the nuclear waste management industry, to train the next generation of UK researchers, equipping them with skills and experiences relevant to nuclear waste management and decommissioning issues, and to carry out cutting-edge research that has the potential to provide new and innovative pathways to better management of both legacy and future nuclear wastes. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

International Governmental Collaboration on Best Practice in Aging Infrastructure Management - 18027

Legacy nuclear sites in the US, UK and Canada are all facing a similar challenge of completing their operational and cleanup missions in parallel in a safe, efficient and cost-effective manner. Compounding the challenge is the fact that many important facilities are old with a significant level of deferred maintenance/capital needs, resulting in the need for a strategic approach to infrastructure management to ensure that maintenance and capital funding is directed at the highest priority items and that neither operations nor ongoing Decontamination and Decommissioning (D and D) activities are compromised. To help address this challenge, a Technical Information Exchange meeting was held in Ottawa, Canada in early June 2017 which brought together responsible parties from; - Government agencies including the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), US Department of Energy Environmental Management (DOE EM), US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) and Canadian Department of Defense - Implementers and other Government entities including Savannah River National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) - Associations including representation on behalf of the Institute of Asset Management and; - Contractors including Mission Support Alliance, Mott McDonald, and Longenecker and Associates The objective of this meeting was to share information about respective 'best practices' and to begin to develop common approaches to the prioritization and management of aging infrastructure investment across the organizations. The exchange focused on identifying common critical issues which were discussed through a series of presentations and small group discussions. The outcome from the meeting was an improved understanding by all participants of the latest approaches being applied to Infrastructure Asset Management and the formation of four International Working Groups which now meet on a regular (4-6 week) basis to share lessons learned and to develop international best practice in their area of interest. This paper details; - the issues and challenges that were identified during the meeting - how these were assimilated and distilled into discrete areas to enable formation of specific Working Groups - progress made by the Working Groups to date. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

Savannah River Site H-Canyon Collaborative Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) - 18313

In support of the Department of Energy's Environmental Management Office of Technology Development (DOE-EM TD) Robotics Technology thrust to pull innovative commercial off the shelf (COTS) and near ready technologies to the field to expedite remaining EM mission clean up and enhance worker safety, the required FY19 Savannah River Site (SRS) H-Canyon Air Exhaust (HCAEX) tunnel inspection task will be used to demonstrate and evaluate the benefit of pulling advanced technology solutions to EM facilities. Presently a biannual visual inspection of the SRS HCAEX tunnel is required to evaluate the structural integrity of the tunnel. While the ability to see inside the tunnel in recent years has been highly invaluable, it is desirable to have a better understanding of the tunnel environment to support a more thorough structural integrity analysis and for long term planning purposes. This higher order of understanding can be accomplished through state of the art COTS sensors and those currently in development and near ready. The ATD will identify and develop for deployment advanced technologies to be hosted on the FY19 inspection platform to acquire high value data desired by the stakeholder. This presentation will include an overview of the ATD mission, background on the tunnel and harsh remote environment in which the inspection robot will work and the high priority inspection needs identified by the H-Canyon facility stakeholders. Discussion will include previous and planned robotic platform modifications to facilitate work in the tunnel and a discussion on the advanced technologies identified to be implemented for the inspection. The ATD will be completed over approximately a 2-year period and has already begun in the form of planning, identification of stakeholder needs, specification of a robust platform and identification of the high priority sensor needs to be pursued. This presentation will be a status of the ATD at approximately the 7-month mark. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

The Mk-18A Target Recovery Program: A Collaborative Effort - 19186

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Nuclear Materials Integration (OMNI) recently developed a strategy and subsequently developed a project scope for recovering valuable, indispensable radioactive isotopes from Mark-18A (Mk-18A) fuel targets currently stored at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site. The Savannah River National Laboratory, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and OMNI in a joint effort with the Department of Energy-Savannah River Office and the Department of Energy-Office of Science developed a comprehensive plan for the Mk-18A fuel target recovery effort. The cooperation between the various organizations and the direction provided by OMNI allowed this effort to remain focused on the desired final deliverable while accomplishing the early goals both on schedule and within the budget constraints provided by OMNI. To date, specific hardware for the recovery effort has been manufactured, various flowsheets outlining the processing of the materials have been developed, and cooperation between the various organizations is remaining streamlined. The recovery and processing of these targets will provide valuable, unique isotopes for use by various organizations both within the DOE and outside of the DOE. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

Collaborative Management for Complex Closure Teams - 19246

The closure documentation for government waste management sites requires a multidisciplinary approach to achieve success. This approach is necessary and similar to approaches utilized across remediation projects in the private and public sectors [1]. Closure documentation for government projects can range from tens of pages to upwards of thousands of pages. They normally take more than six months to put together - although, in many cases, it takes years - with multiple revisions. These documents, while all unique, share common themes with regards to communication and conflict with the other waste management projects. This paper explores the challenges in management and leadership approaches for generating technical documents, such as those found in the closure missions at government hazardous waste management sites. These matrixed teams are composed of many different members with varying expertise and experience, each with different stakeholder backgrounds. These teams experience challenges not only from using a matrixed approach - where the majority of the members are only partially engaged in the project - but also from integrating each of their respective stakeholder group's cultural individualities [2]. The Project Leads, who head up these highly matrixed projects, operate in environments comprised of virtual project teams- or more specifically in this context, intensive virtual project teams. Most of the participants are within the same city, but all of the document project teams operate with some level of organizational dispersion. Moreover, the larger a project becomes the more dispersed the team becomes. The frequent addition of sub-contracting resources by Project Leads further disperses the group and dilutes communication. The difficulties in communication derive from complications in the goal setting stages of a project and can manifest across the project team in the form of motivational issues, disengagement, quality expectations, and a loss of understanding. This puts a considerable amount of importance on a Project Lead to establish goals through the appropriate tools and methodology. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

International Government Collaboration in ISD (In Situ Decommissioning/In Situ Disposal) - 19261

In situ decommissioning (ISD) is considered by IAEA as the permanent entombment of a legacy facility in 'a structurally long lived material' (e.g. concrete) and is considered a solution only under 'exceptional circumstances' (e.g. following a severe accident). However, this definition of ISD as 'only' entombment is not universally accepted; the approach has been implemented as a decommissioning approach by the US Dept of Energy in the past decade at the Savannah River Site (P and R reactors)2,3, the Hanford site (U Canyon) and at the Idaho site (CP601, CP640 and CP633). The application of ISD outside of the United States has been much less common for large facilities although its use for underground substructures (e.g. discarded pipelines) is commonplace. Proponents of ISD consider it beneficial since it eliminates the need to remove, package and transport contaminated equipment from a nuclear legacy site to a disposal facility and it maximizes the use of an existing nuclear site footprint by consolidating equipment in one place. ISD is considered to offer major safety benefits to both workers and the public, as well as major cost and schedule benefits to Government. Opponents of the approach cite the fact that, following ISD, the decommissioned facility has effectively become a long-term waste disposal site and that regulations pertaining to long term waste disposal have been circumvented. Given the increasing pressure on environmental cleanup budgets and schedules around the world, countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan are considering ISD in its various forms as a potential path forward for decommissioning certain facilities in lieu of the more traditional approaches of either deferred decommissioning or immediate decontamination/demolition. To address this emerging area of decommissioning, a Governmental Technical Information Exchange meeting was held in December 2017 at the DOE Savannah River Site in Aiken, SC, to bring together responsible parties from the US Dept of Energy (DOE), Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL), the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and the Japanese Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and those countries' respective regulatory agencies to share information about respective 'best practices' and challenges with ISD. Representatives from organizations such as IAEA and US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) also participated to discuss their organizations' perspectives and position on ISD. Following the meeting, a series of Working Groups were established which have continued the dialogue in three key areas 5; - ISD-Defined: Identify and share case-specific ISD solutions which allows for the full spectrum of needs and which demonstrate that 'entombment' is not the only definition of 'ISD'. - Regulatory - Share and discuss regulatory concerns and challenges with ISD; - Benchmarking - Share information to support informed and transparent decision-making in ISD. This paper discusses the plans for ISD in some of the countries involved in the December meeting and provides an update on the topics being discussed, and progress being made, by the Working Groups that were formed at the meeting. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Overview of collaborative research between UNICAMP in Brazil and Fermilab in cryogenics

The Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) situated at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, serves as the host for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), employing cryostats with nearly 70,000 metric tons of high purity liquid argon (LAr). The integrity of LAr quality is pivotal in determining the electron lifetime within DUNE, directly impacting its signal-to-noise ratio. Specifically, Far Detector 1 (FD-1) in cryostat 1 requires an electron lifetime over 3 ms within its 3.5 m drift, corresponding to less than 100 parts-per-trillion (ppt) Oxygen equivalent contamination. Far Detector 2 (FD-2) in cryostat 2 demands over 6 ms electron lifetime within its 6.0 m drift, corresponding to less than 50 ppt Oxygen equivalent contamination. Nitrogen (N$_2$) absorption of LAr scintillation light, known as quenching, necessitates N$_2$ contamination in LAr to remain below 1 ppm to minimize photon loss and enhance energy reconstruction. Studies indicate that at 1 ppm N$_2$, approximately 20% of scintillation light is lost, highlighting the importance of minimizing N$_2$ contamination.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

AMIA KDDM Working Group Collaborative Workshop: Enriching Electronic Health Records with Social Determinants of Health to Improve Outcomes and Health Equity

Prior research has demonstrated that social determinants of health (SDoH) are major drivers of health outcomes and contributors to widespread health inequities. It was estimated that, in the United States, SDoH could be responsible for up to 40% of all preventable deaths, significantly higher than the 10-15% for which better medical care is responsible. Public health interventions that target SDoH are instrumental for improving health outcomes and reducing long-standing health inequities. Currently, most mainstream EHR vendors have implemented SDoH screeners in their EHR systems. However, the utility of the screeners is low, rendering patient-level SDoH still widely unavailable in the structured fields. SDoH are sometimes mentioned in free-text clinical notes (e.g., social context section) where natural language processing (NLP) can be applied to extract relevant information. Contextual-level SDoH can be identified from multiple data sources, many of which are publicly available and spatiotemporally linked to EHR data. As such, there is an opportunity for the KDDM research community to create innovative solutions to draw meaningful insights by creating and using rich data with SDoH to improve health outcomes while reducing disparities. In this workshop organized by AMIA Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Working Group (AMIA KDDM WG), we will invite world-leading experts from academia, national laboratories, and life science industry with varied backgrounds in biomedical informatics, epidemiology, data science, machine learning, natural language processing, and pediatric cardiology to discuss the best practice of capturing, standardizing, and using SDoH information in various applications aiming at improving outcomes and health equity.

He, Zhe↗

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