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At least 415 records · Page 23

Neutron Source Facility of the National Science Center “Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology” at Kharkiv, Ukraine

Argonne National Laboratory developed, designed, and supported the construction of a state-of-the-art Neutron Source Facility (NSF) at the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) in Kharkov Ukraine, under the U.S. DOE NNSA Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return (RRRFR) program. Ukraine approved the return of all highly enriched uranium in the country to Russia prior to the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in return for the RRRFR program to fund the development, the design, and the construction of the NSF. The facility is designed to produce medical isotopes, train nuclear professionals, support the Ukrainian nuclear industry, and provide experimental capabilities for performing reactor physics, materials, and basic science research. The NSF was successfully started and operated in August 2021. The NSF is the first facility of this type in the world, and it will be used to understand the physics of driven systems for energy production and the disposal of spent nuclear fuels. The NSF consists of a subcritical assembly using low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel driven with an electron accelerator. The NSF target design utilizes tungsten or natural uranium for producing neutrons through photonuclear reactions using 100-MeV electrons. The accelerator power is 100 KW, which produces 3x10 14 neutrons per second from the uranium target. The subcritical assembly is designed to obtain the highest possible neutron flux intensity with an effective neutron multiplication factor of less than 0.98. Passive safety, reliability, and environmental considerations were included in the NSF design. The NSF utilization study shows that this neutron source has the capability of producing different medical isotopes. Several horizontal neutron channels are incorporated for performing applied and basic research. The NSF is configured to accommodate future design upgrades and new missions. The facility design was approved by the Ukraine Academy of Sciences before starting the NSF construction. The construction, the equipment installation, and the operation of the different systems of the NSF were completed and approved by the Ukrainian regulators. In July 2020, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) issued a license for the physical startup of the NSF. The construction of facility was completed in early 2021.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Report from: US Muon Workshop 2021: A Road Map for a Future Muon Facility February 1-2, 2021

The workshop titled “US Muon Workshop 2021: A road map for a future Muon Facility” was held virtually on February 1-2, 2021. The workshop aimed to bring together world experts in muon spectroscopy (µSR) and other techniques along with interested stakeholders to evaluate the scientific need to construct a new µSR facility in the United States (US). The more than 200 participants highlighted several key scientific areas for µSR research, including quantum materials, hydrogen chemistry, and battery materials, and how each area could benefit from a new, high flux pulsed muon source. Experts also discussed aspects of the µSR technique, such as low-energy µSR, novel software developments, and beam and detector technologies that could enable revolutionary advances in µSR at a next-generation facility. The workshop concluded with discussion of a concept being developed for a new µSR facility at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). That novel design concept was first envisioned by many of the same µSR experts at a workshop held previously at ORNL in 2016. The participants expressed that the current design had the potential to be a world-leading µSR facility, and strongly encouraged the principal investigators to continue their work in order to refine the concept and determine instrument parameters that would enable new scientific opportunities

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

US Muon Workshop 2021: A road map for a future Muon Facility

The workshop title “US Muon Workshop 2021: A road map for a future Muon Facility” was held virtually on February 1-2, 2021. The workshop aimed to bring together world experts in muon spectroscopy (µSR) and other techniques along with interested stakeholders to evaluate the scientific need to construct a new µSR facility in the United States (US). The more than 200 participants highlighted several key scientific areas for µSR research, including quantum materials, hydrogen chemistry, and battery materials, and how each area could benefit from a new, high flux pulsed muon source. Experts also discussed aspects of the µSR technique, such as low-energy µSR, novel software developments, alongside beam and detector technologies, that could enable revolutionary advances in µSR at a next-generation facility. The workshop concluded with discussion of a concept being developed for a new µSR facility at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). That novel design concept was first envisioned by many of the same µSR experts at a workshop held previously at ORNL in 2016. The participants expressed that the current design had the potential to be a world-leading µSR facility, and strongly encouraged the principal investigators to continue their work in order to refine the concept and determine instrument parameters that would enable new scientific opportunities.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Risk management technique for liquefied natural gas facilities

Checklists have been compiled for planning, design, construction, startup and debugging, and operation of liquefied natural gas facilities. Lists include references to pertinent safety regulations. Methods described are applicable to handling of other hazardous materials.

Fedor, O. H.↗

Cryogenic User Facilities for R&D on Noble Liquid Detectors and Low Temperature Devices

Cryogenic test facilities are critical infrastructure for physics experiments in a variety of fields, perhaps most notably for particle detection with noble liquid detectors, low-temperature device development, and quantum information research. However, considerable investment and technical knowledge are required to construct and operate such facilities. This white paper discusses proposals for user facilities aimed at broadening the availability of testing capabilities for the scientific community.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Strawman Optical Reception Development Antenna (SORDA)

A strawman design of a ground-based station for receiving optical communications from deep space is presented. This strawman will serve as a basis for further study and design refinement. The recommendation to build rather than to use an existing facility is explained. Parameters of the design were selected to postulate a workable system, starting with a 10 m diameter, hexagonally segmented, f/0.5 primary mirror. The effects of variations of design parameters on performance and cost are discussed. Some design formulas are included. An electro-optical functional block diagram is presented and discussed. Cost calculations are based on a previous cost model for the hardware or on typical construction costs per unit area for several types of facilities. Other cost factors are included in the usual way for Construction of Facilities. The ratio of high and low reasonable values was less than a factor of 2, with a best estimate of under $16,000,000.

Kerr, E. L.↗

Advanced Hypervelocity Aerophysics Facility Workshop

The primary objective of the workshop was to obtain a critical assessment of a concept for a large, advanced hypervelocity ballistic range test facility powered by an electromagnetic launcher, which was proposed by the Langley Research Center. It was concluded that the subject large-scale facility was feasible and would provide the required ground-based capability for performing tests at entry flight conditions (velocity and density) on large, complex, instrumented models. It was also concluded that advances in remote measurement techniques and particularly onboard model instrumentation, light-weight model construction techniques, and model electromagnetic launcher (EML) systems must be made before any commitment for the construction of such a facility can be made.

Witcofski, Robert D.↗

Development of a Comprehensive Two-Phase Flow Database for the Validation of NEK-2P

Three-dimensional (3-D) two-phase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes are emerging as a powerful and potentially practical tool for applications in which detailed local flow information is needed. However, two-phase flow models and associated closure relations are not well established for CFD applications, which is partly due to the lack of high-quality validation data. The main objective of this work is to develop a comprehensive database of two-phase flows that can be used to validate two-phase CFD codes such as NEK-2P. In this project, four advanced local measurement systems, including Particle Image Velocimetry and Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PIV-PLIF), high-speed imaging, x-ray densitometry, and multi-sensor conductivity probe are employed to measure the local two-phase flow parameters of both gas and liquid phases. By combining these techniques, the local void fraction, bubble velocity, interfacial area concentration, bubble frequency, liquid velocity, turbulence intensity, etc., in various two-phase flow regimes can be obtained. These local measurement techniques are first used in a 25.4 mm circular pipe test section. Seven air-water two-phase flow conditions spanning the bubbly, slug, churn-turbulent, and annular flow regimes are measured in this facility. The obtained database contains the radial profiles of both gas- and liquid-phase parameters at three axial locations along the test section. The second facility used in this work contains a 30 mm × 10 mm rectangular test section, in which three two-phase flow and two single-phase flow conditions are measured. Two-dimensional distributions of local two-phase flow parameters in the cross-sectional plane are measured in this facility at three axial locations as well. A facility featuring a 3×3 electrically heated rod bundle is also designed and being constructed in this project. This facility is specially designed for optical measurements and is expected to provide high-quality boiling data in the future. Preliminary analyses have been performed for the data taken in the 25.4 mm circular pipe. Both center-peaked and wall-peaked void fraction profiles have been observed in the data depending on the two-phase flow conditions and/or developing lengths. The 1-D drift-flux model was evaluated with the newly obtained datasets, in which both gas- and liquid-phases data were directly measured. The distribution parameter model has been optimized based on a new void-profile classification method proposed in this study. The optimized drift-flux model shows a significant improvement in predicting both gas velocity and void fraction. The measured liquid-phase turbulence was used to benchmark Sato’s turbulence model considering the bubble-induced shear stress for the three tested bubbly flows. The benchmark results showed good agreement between the PIV measurements and model predictions. In the bubbly flows tested that have low void fractions less than 3%, the effect of the bubble-induced turbulence was found not significant. However, the bubble-induced shear stress becomes important with the increase of the void fraction. The Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) model was developed and implemented in NEK-2P. This model allows the coupled simulation of the solid domain and two-phase fluid domain, allowing the specification of realistic boundary conditions. The CHT implementation was verified first with non-boiling simulations. The predicted temperatures in the fluid domain were shown to be identical in simulations with or without the CHT model. The CHT model was then validated through simulations of three Becker benchmark CHF tests performed under both Dryout (DO) and Departure from Nucleate Boiling (DNB) conditions. Reasonably good agreement was obtained between calculated wall temperatures and corresponding experimental data.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Composite Analysis for Low-Level Waste Disposal in the Hanford Site Central Plateau (FY 2020) (Rev. 2)

This document provides an updated Hanford Site composite analysis (CA). A Hanford Site CA was prepared and issued in 1998 (PNNL-11800) with an addendum provided in 2002 (PNNL-11800 Addendum 1). The CA was approved in 2002 (Frei, 2002) and has been maintained (DOE/RL-2000-29 and subsequent revisions) to support low-level waste disposal performance assessments (PAs) and disposal authorizations for facilities at the Hanford Site, including the following: Continued operation of the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF) and the 200 East and 200 West Low-Level Burial Grounds; Construction of the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF); Forthcoming closure of tank residual waste systems such as Waste Management Area (WMA) C. The CA maintenance program resulted in a determination in 2015 (DOE/RL-2015-66) that the Hanford Site CA needed an update for the following reasons: While the initial Hanford Site CA has been maintained since 2001, the accumulation of basis changes reported in the annual summary reports over the succeeding 14 years merit evaluation in an updated analysis; The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Headquarters requested in a memorandum in 2015 (Gilbertson and Marcinowski, 2015) that “as soon as the relevant PAs are complete, the CA will be revised to account for all of the new information.” This updated Hanford Site CA accounts for the following new information: 1. Inclusion of a detailed Hanford Site baseline disposition that projects remedial activities through site closure. There have been significant changes through decision making in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) process that were not available when the original CA was produced; 2. Inclusion of an updated inventory basis, new modeling capabilities, and new decisions reached in the associated record of decision (ROD) that was provided by issuance of DOE/EIS-0391 in fiscal year (FY) 2013. Development of a Hanford Site groundwater model from the baseline provided in a technical transfer of models for the Final Tank Closure and Waste Management Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0391) commenced in FY 2014 and resulted in the plateau-to-river (P2R) groundwater flow model that is used in this updated Hanford Site CA; 3. Accounting for pump and treat systems, which were not evaluated in the initial CA. Pump and treat systems have had significant impact on groundwater flow system behavior, contaminant transport, and contaminant removal from Hanford Site groundwater. This process is accounted for in the use of the P2R model for this updated Hanford Site CA; 4. Inclusion of water-level data collected since the initial CA was completed. Data collected as the unconfined aquifer water levels continue to recede since the cessation of large liquid discharges in the late 1990s have led to marked improvement in understanding of the flow system for future conditions, particularly regarding northward flow potential in the critical Gable Gap area. The calibration in the latest version of the P2R model accounts for this information; 5. Inclusion of results from the revised ERDF PA completed in 2013 (WCH-5209) that account for updated inventory and expansion of the ERDF facility to about twice the size that was evaluated in the original CA; 6. Use of updated geoframeworks to provide the structural basis for numerical fate and transport models in the groundwater pathway of this updated CA. The geologic basis for groundwater models has continued to improve with additional data collection and interpretation with the creation and maintenance of the Hanford South Geoframework and the Central Plateau Vadose Zone Geoframework tools; 7. Incorporation of updated tank residual inventory estimates. Tank residual inventory estimates have improved with the incorporation of tank retrieval inventory data for those tanks that have completed retrieval. The CA inventory data package includes this updated information; 8. Incorporation of WMA C PA results. Two additional PAs for tank farm closure decisions are in preparation during the period required to prepare an updated Hanford Site CA: WMA C (FY 2016) and WMA A-AX (in preparation). The WMA C PA results are incorporated into the updated Hanford Site CA, and its grouted residuals model is used as the basis for a release model to account for the other tank farm systems modeling in this updated CA; 9. An update to the IDF PA was submitted in FY 2017 and has been reviewed and approved. The results of the IDF PA are incorporated into this updated CA; 10. Updated risk assessment scenarios. The risk assessment scenarios currently in use for Hanford Site CERCLA and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) analyses differ from those evaluated in the initial Hanford Site CA. The representative person exposure scenario evaluated in this updated Hanford Site CA is consistent with recent PAs and CERCLA and RCRA analyses as the Hanford Site. This updated Hanford Site CA provides the following: A comparison of the updated Hanford Site CA all-pathway dose results with the performance measures during the compliance period, which is assumed to begin with site closure in calendar 2070 with the last scheduled disposal action and continue for 1,000 years postclosure (to calendar year 3069); A comparison of Hanford Site CA all-pathway dose results with the performance measures during the postcompliance period to address potential peaks beyond the compliance period. This is accomplished by evaluating dose in the period for 9,000 years following the compliance period (i.e., from calendar year 3070 to 12070).

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

A Solid Polarized Target Development Facility at Jefferson Lab

Solid polarized targets are a crucial tool used in scattering experiments to investigate different properties of the nucleon. The equipment used to produce, measure, and maintain conditions for the polarized material is complex in comparison to nonpolarized targets. This, in combination with the frequency of polarized experiments run at Jefferson Lab, limits the opportunity to refine and build upon experience gained from previously constructed targets. To address this, the Jefferson Lab Target Group has begun the construction of a permanent facility dedicated to creating and testing material for Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. The design elements and manufacture of the test cryostat along with the incorporation of other DNP associated equipment will be presented.

Brock, James [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerato↗

Virtually Out of This World!

Ames Research Center granted Reality Capture Technologies (RCT), Inc., a license to further develop NASA's Mars Map software platform. The company incorporated NASA#s innovation into software that uses the Virtual Plant Model (VPM)(TM) to structure, modify, and implement the construction sites of industrial facilities, as well as develop, validate, and train operators on procedures. The VPM orchestrates the exchange of information between engineering, production, and business transaction systems. This enables users to simulate, control, and optimize work processes while increasing the reliability of critical business decisions. Engineers can complete the construction process and test various aspects of it in virtual reality before building the actual structure. With virtual access to and simulation of the construction site, project personnel can manage, access control, and respond to changes on complex constructions more effectively. Engineers can also create operating procedures, training, and documentation. Virtual Plant Model(TM) is a trademark of Reality Capture Technologies, Inc.

Source record↗

Space construction base support requirements for environmental control and life support systems

A Space Station analysis study is being performed for NASA which identifies cost-effective Space Station options that can provide a space facility capable of performing space construction, space manufacturing, cosmological research, earth services, and other functions. A space construction base concept for the construction of large structures, such as those needed to implement satellite solar power for earth usage, will be used as a basis for discussing requirements that impact the design selection, level of integration, and operation of environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS). The space construction base configuration also provides a basic Space Station facility that can accommodate biological manufacturing modules, ultrapure glasses manufacturing modules, and modules for other services in a building-block fashion. Examples of special problems that could dictate hardware required to augment the basic ECLSS for autonomous modules will be highlighted. Additionally, overall intravehicular (IVA) and extravehicular (EVA) activities and requirements that could impact the basic station ECLSS degree of closure are discussed.

Thiele, R. J.↗

The Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) photographic survey special publication

During the construction, integration, launch, retrieval and deintegration of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), photographic surveys were made. Approximately 10,000 photographs were taken during the various phases of the LDEF project. These surveys are of technical and scientific importance because they revealed the pre and post flight conditions of the experiment trays as well as the spacecraft. Visual inspection of the photographs reveal valuable data such as space environment's effects and the earth atmosphere's effects post-retrieval. Careful files and records have been kept of these photographs. Each photograph has a Kennedy Space Center photo number or a Johnson Spaceflight Center photo number as well as a Langley Research Center photo number. The tray number, row number, and experiment number are also noted. Out of the 10,000 photographs taken, approximately 700 selected photographs were chosen for publication in a NASA Special Publication (SP) because they reveal the effects of space exposure to the viewer. These photographs will give researchers and spacecraft designers visual images of the effects of the space environment on specific materials, systems and spacecraft in general. One can visually see the degradation of thermal blankets, meteoroid craters, outgassing discoloration, atomic oxygen erosion, etc.

Oneal, Robert L.↗

Status of the Top Plate and Anticryostat for High Field Cable Test Facility at Fermilab

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) is currently constructing a new High Field Vertical Magnet Test Facility (HFVMTF) designed for testing High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) cables under high magnetic fields. This facility is expected to offer capabilities similar to those of EDIPO at PSI and FRESCA2 at CERN. The background magnetic field of 15 T will be generated by a magnet supplied by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The primary function of HFVMTF will be to serve as a superconducting cable test facility, facilitating tests under high magnetic fields and a broad spectrum of cryogenic temperatures. Additionally, the facility will be utilized for testing high-field superconducting magnet models and demonstrators, including hybrid magnets, developed by the US Magnet Development Program (MDP). This paper provides a comprehensive description of the current status of two pivotal components of the facility: the Top/Lambda Plates Assembly and the Anticryostat for the Test Sample Holder. The latter will serve as a principal interface component connecting cable test samples with the facility's cryostat.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Space station systems analysis study. Part 3: Documentation. Volume 7: SCB alternate EPS evaluation, task 10

Power levels up to 100 kWe average were baselined for the electrical power system of the space construction base, a long-duration manned facility capable of supporting manufacturing and large scale construction projects in space. Alternatives to the solar array battery systems discussed include: (1) solar concentrator/brayton; (2) solar concentrator/thermionic; (3) isotope/brayton; (4) nuclear/brayton; (5) nuclear thermoelectric; and (6) nuclear thermionic.

Source record↗

Taurus II Stage Test Simulations: Using Large-Scale CFD Simulations to Provide Critical Insight into Plume Induced Environments During Design

This paper describes the use of targeted Loci/CHEM CFD simulations to evaluate the effects of a dual-engine first-stage hot-fire test on an evolving integrated launch pad/test article design. This effort was undertaken as a part of the NESC Independent Assessment of the Taurus II Stage Test Series. The underlying conceptual model included development of a series of computational models and simulations to analyze the plume induced environments on the pad, facility structures and test article. A pathfinder simulation was first developed, capable of providing quick-turn around evaluation of plume impingement pressures on the flame deflector. Results from this simulation were available in time to provide data for an ongoing structural assessment of the deflector. The resulting recommendation was available in a timely manner and was incorporated into construction schedule for the new launch stand under construction at Wallops Flight Facility. A series of Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) quasi-steady simulations representative of various key elements of the test profile was performed to identify potential concerns with the test configuration and test profile. As required, unsteady Hybrid-RANS/LES simulations were performed, to provide additional insight into critical aspects of the test sequence. Modifications to the test-specific hardware and facility structures thermal protection as well as modifications to the planned hot-fire test profile were implemented based on these simulation results.

Struzenberg, L. L.↗

Life sciences space station planning document: A reference payload for the exobiology research facilities

The Cosmic Dust Collection and Gas Grain Simulation Facilities represent collaborative efforts between the Life Sciences and Solar System Exploration Divisions designed to strengthen a natural exobiology/Planetary Sciences connection. The Cosmic Dust Collection Facility is a Planetary Science facility, with Exobiology a primary user. Conversely, the Gas Grain Facility is an exobiology facility, with Planetary Science a primary user. Requirements for the construction and operation of the two facilities, contained herein, were developed through joint workshops between the two disciplines, as were representative experiments comprising the reference payloads. In the case of the Gas Grain Simulation Facility, the astrophysics Division is an additional potential user, having participated in the workshop to select experiments and define requirements.

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