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On Jan 21, 2016, a NAC LWT was unloaded at ORNL. This is a firsthand, moment by moment time record of the movements necessary for unloading (NAC-LWT SARP). This is a legal weight truck cask, conveyed within a shipping container that can be disassembled.
Facilities and Material • Location: Savannah River Site K-Area, South Carolina • Plutonium designated as surplus is blended with adulterant material, re-packaged and shipped to WIPP in New Mexico • Currently one operational glovebox for downblending, facility modifications and construction of three additional glovebox lines in progress • Current operations are highly manual requiring full PPE and reader/worker steps
The infrared thermometer (IRT) is a ground-based radiation pyrometer that provides measurements of the brightness temperature of the scene in its field of view. The ground IRT (sometimes referred to as the upwelling instrument) lens has a wide field of view for measuring the radiating temperature of the ground surface. It measures in a narrow range of the infrared band, details of which can be found in Table 2. It provides data to the user averaged to 1-minute resolution. The infrared thermometer for sea-surface temperature (IRTSST) is a ship-based radiation pyrometer that provides measurements of the temperature of the sea surface. The upwelling infrared emission is determined with two different IRTs for over-ocean field campaigns and the data is at 1-second temporal resolution. The IRTs are mounted at heights varying between 2 and 42 m above the ground, oriented so the mounting platform and other human made objects are not in the field of view, and also to ensure that the ground and vegetation cover are representative of the local area. The Heitronics IRT is generally mounted inside a small enclosure, and the Apogee IRT is shielded by a cylindrical enclosure that is part of the design from the manufacturer.
Background – The L Area Facility was initially constructed as a nuclear reactor for nuclear material production in the 1950s – The reactor was shut down in the late 1980s: in the 1990s the mission changed to storing nuclear material • Current Mission – L Area provides for the safe receipt, storage, handling, and shipping of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and other nuclear materials – Received more than 47,000 SNF assemblies since 1964 from power and research reactors (domestic and foreign)
Leak testing experiments to monitor the aging performance of Viton® GLT and GLT-S O-rings used in the model 9975 shipping package have been ongoing since 2004 at Savannah River National Laboratory. Seventy tests using mock-up 9975 primary containment vessels (PCVs) with GLT O-rings were assembled and heated to temperatures ranging from 200 to 450 °F. Due to material substitution, fourteen tests with GLT-S O-rings were initiated in 2008 and heated to temperatures ranging from 200 to 400 °F. The conditioning temperatures are elevated compared to the calculated maximum O-ring temperature in a 9975 package in storage, 158 °F, to accelerate aging and enable observations of O-ring failures in a reasonable time frame. The mock-up PCV fixtures are leak tested periodically, and all GLT O-ring fixtures aged at 350 °F or above have failed to maintain a leak-tight seal. Eight GLT O-ring fixtures aged at 300 °F have failed after 2.8 to 5.7 years at temperature while the remaining fixtures at 300 °F were retired from testing following more than five years of aging without failure. Two of these retired fixtures were returned to testing and heated to 350 °F to evaluate the impact of additional heating at higher temperature for aged O-rings. Fixture #20 failed after 3 months while fixture #18 failed after 9 months at 350 °F. These O-rings demonstrated that aged and in-service O-rings can continue to be used, even at higher temperatures, after being in storage, and their leak performance are consistent with other samples at 350 °F. There has been one GLT O-ring fixture which failed after 13.4 years of aging at 200 °F. However, 20 other GLT O-rings aging at 200 °F have remained leak-tight for over 16.9 years and remain in test. There are two GLT O-ring fixtures at 270 °F; one fixture has failed after 12.9 years while the other fixture remains in test after 12.5 years. All GLT-S O-ring fixtures aged at 300 °F or above have failed their leak test. No failures have yet been observed in GLT-S O-ring fixtures aging at 250 °F for 14.9 years, while one GLT-S O-ring fixture failed after 12.4 years at 200 °F. The leak testing data to date suggest the GLT and GLT-S O-rings aging in the K-Area Complex (KAC) storage at temperatures of 158 °F might maintain a leak-tight seal for up to 59 years. Data from the O-ring fixtures are generally consistent with results from compression stress-relaxation testing and provide confidence in the predictive models based on those results. However, uncertainty exists in extrapolating these elevated temperature results to the lower temperatures of interest for normal storage in KAC. The collective data from these test efforts suggest the minimum O-ring service life at KAC normal storage conditions should be at least 34 years for GLT and GLT-S O-rings. Measurement of compression set in O-rings removed from failed fixtures, compared to that from KAC surveillance O-rings, indicate significant margin remains for O-rings still in service in 9975 packages in KAC. Aging and periodic leak testing will continue for the remaining 24 mock-up PCV fixtures.
This report summarizes the analysis and preliminary MCNP reaction rate modeling of free field characterization measurements performed in the Transient Reaction Test Facility (TREAT) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) between 12/18/2023 and 2/22/2024. A series of seven irradiations were performed using the Big-BUSTER (Broad Use Specimen Transient Experiment Rig) core configuration. Foil sets including 19.5% LEU-Zr alloy wire, S, Au, Fe, Ni, Co, Ti, and Zr were deployed in each irradiation. Identical foil sets were supplied to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and INL. All foils were supplied by INL. Additional details on the experiment can be found in [2]. The foil sets were shipped to the National Criticality Experiments Research Center Counting Laboratory (NCERC-CL) branch at LANL (NCERC-CL NISC) and were received on 3/25/2024. Additional details on receipt and counting are reported in [3]. All reactor dosimetry measurements were performed in adherence to the ASTM standards applicable to reactor dosimetry. Measured reaction rates from Au, Co, Fe, Ni, and Ti are reported. Select reaction rate ratios and simulated reaction rates and ratios are discussed. Reaction rates for all measured reaction products were modeled with MCNP 6.3.1 and a TREAT input deck supplied by Edward Lum. Neutron emission estimates calculated using the measured and simulated reaction rates show excellent agreement between the three fast-threshold n-p reactions with the percent differences being < 9% between the three reactions. The capture reactions had poorer, but still reasonable, agreement with < 20% percent differences between the neutron emission estimates of the three capture reactions. The percent difference between the fast-threshold and capture reactions is ∼ 100% for each reaction. This supports the TREAT model is not accurately modeling the neutron spectrum and additional measurements are required to characterize TREAT and match measurements to simulation.
An optimal control problem described by the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation can be developed into a problem that can be solved by general computational fluid dynamics packages. We describe how this formulation would allow a classical problem in optimal control, Zermelo’s problem, to be treated as a multi-fluid problem. This approach has the advantage of allowing optimal navigation problems to be conducted over large areas, as well as to include moderately larger numbers of ships. We draw comparisons between this approach and the field of fluid control for fluid animations in movies.
This report provides experimental details and results of evaluating aluminophosphate waste forms for treating and immobilizing the salt cations from salt wastes generated during electrochemical reprocessing of used nuclear fuel. In the waste form process for these materials, chloride salt streams are reacted with NH 4 H 2 PO 4 , the chlorine is removed from the salts and driven off as NH 4 Cl (a solid condensate that can be captured), and then the product can be vitrified in conjunction with glass-forming chemicals (e.g., Fe 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 ) to create a high-durability waste form. This study was initiated with some literature review on aluminophosphates containing high alkali oxide content and some of this information is summarized in this report. Following literature review, three new samples were synthesized where two contained Fe 2 O 3 +Al 2 O 3 (i.e., samples G3 and G5 ) and one was only Al 2 O 3 (Fe 2 O 3 -free) (i.e., sample G6 ). In addition to these samples, G1 was also made, which is the baseline reference waste form referred to as DPF5-336 (made without Al 2 O 3 ). Samples G1, G3, G5, and G6 had phases of Li 3 Fe 2 (PO 4 ) 3 (likely), monazite (below XRD detection limits), AlPO 4 , and AlPO 4 , respectively. Characterizations on these materials included optical images, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. These samples were shipped to Argonne National Laboratory for chemical durability testing. Depending on how the samples perform in these tests, an additional phase of aluminophosphate formulations could be designed and tested. This report completes the milestone M4FT-23PN030104041 with details provided in Appendix B.
Radioactive/nuclear (R/N) materials are integral parts of many business sectors such as medicine, industry, and research. In the United States alone, approximately 3 million packages containing R/N materials are shipped annually via highways, rail, air, and water. These materials are utilized in medical diagnostics and treatments, industrial radiography, and scientific research. The secure and efficient transportation of R/N materials is paramount to public safety and national security. Recent incidents involving the loss of R/N materials during transportation highlight significant security and safety concerns. For instance, in December 2024, a package containing four encapsulated Selenium-75 sources was reported lost in transit from the Czech Republic to Madrid, raising alarms about the security of such shipments. Similarly, a Germanium-68 pin source was reported lost in transit in New Jersey in December 2024, underscoring the risks associated with transporting radioactive materials.
When transporting radioactive or hazardous materials, safety and security are top priorities. Packaging and transportation regulations require reliable evidence that containers have passed rigorous performance tests to ensure that the public and the environment are protected from the hazardous nature of the cargo. Because of its long history in energy and security research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has needed to ship hazardous packages for the past 65 years. Since the 1940s, ORNL has made significant contributions to transportation regulations and has been at the forefront of regulatory testing development. Today, ORNL is a leader in standards development and testing of designs of radioactive material packages. ORNL plays a critical role in ensuring the safe transportation of radioactive materials across the United States by executing rigorous testing campaigns of packages that contain radioactive materials. Early testing activities focused on supporting the development of transportation regulations established by both the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United States. Currently, all package testing activities are performed under the Package Testing Program (PTP) at the Package Evaluation Facility (PEF) located at the National Transportation Research Center (NTRC), which is about 10 miles from the main ORNL campus. The PTP develops and evaluates testing solutions, ensuring that they are safe efficient, and in compliance with regulatory requirements. The vision for the PTP is to be a world-class leader in the evaluation and testing of radioactive and hazardous material packages. The key elements necessary to fulfill this mission are an experienced and professional staff; state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, and instrumentation; and completion of challenging programs and projects important to package transportation. Collaborations with other internal and external organizations play a significant role in building stronger teams and achieving this vision. By adhering to and advancing regulatory standards, ORNL’s PTP supports development of safe and compliant packaging, safeguarding the transportation process from potential risks associated with radioactive material logistics.
The present report describes the manufacturing of samples for advanced microstructure studies of mechanisms of irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) in the materials of light-water reactor (LWR) internal components. The samples were manufactured via FIB (focused ion beam milling) from 4-point-bend specimens subjected to oxidation and mechanical loading in a simulated LWR environment (primary water, PW). The corrosion tests were conducted at the University of Michigan (UM), and the tested specimens were transported to ORNL to perform FIB work. Finally, the manufactured FIB specimens were shipped back to the UM for microstructure characterization. Section 1 in the report provides a brief introduction; Section 2 describes materials, their in-service and irradiation history, and the geometry of specimens for IASCC testing. Section 3 documents typical work steps (specimen mapping) and reports the number of manufactured FIB objects. Section 4 briefly describes the preliminary results of microstructure analysis performed at the University of Michigan and highlights the key findings. The summary and conclusions section discusses future possible future steps and generalizes the obtained results, their unique character, and their importance for the nuclear industry.
The HFIR Activity WorkbooK generator (HAWK) is a Python code that automates and streamlines the activity calculation of samples after irradiation in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). HAWK’s results provide estimates of the activity and nuclide inventory of irradiated specimens before they are moved to hot cell facilities, where they undergo post-irradiation examination. The samples’ activity results guide the packing of shipping containers and inform the accountable inventories for the hot cell facilities. The toolkit was originally developed by Charles Daily, a former R&D staff member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). As of May 2025, HAWK is developed by the Radiation Transport & HPC Methods Group (Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division) at ORNL. Figure 1 presents HAWK’s workflow. To use HAWK, users need to: 1. Develop an Excel input workbook (i.e., XLSX extension) containing data from the experiment’s materials, irradiation history (cycles), and irradiation positions. 2. Make minor edits to an existing template JSON file (i.e., auxiliary_data.JSON) and to the Python driver. The driver sets the necessary environment variables, defines the material compositions, and ultimately calls HAWK. Once configured, HAWK runs the Oak Ridge Isotope Generation code (ORIGEN) to calculate the masses, activities, and heat load at the end of irradiation for each isotope in the specimen. ORIGEN is part of SCALE, ORNL’s in-house computational tool for performing nuclear safety and design calculations. Following this step, HAWK postprocesses the results and generates three output workbooks summarizing the activity calculations.
This document is a summary of the point source analytical requirements used to demonstrate compliance for the Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site operations with 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 61, “National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants,” (NESHAP) Subpart H, “National Emission Standards for Emissions of Radionuclides Other Than Radon From Department of Energy Facilities,” and the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 246-247, “Radiation Protection – Air Emissions.” This reference collects information from multiple source documents and is not intended to create, supersede, replace or over-ride any existing contractual, DOE, federal or state statutes, regulations, compliance agreements, orders, permits, licenses or other requirements. The requirement source document governs where any difference may exist. The Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) Environmental organization has been contracted by DOE to manage and report data collected from the sampling and monitoring of radioactive air emissions point sources, colloquially called stacks. The Environmental organization coordinates the analyses and reporting of samples collected at various facilities across the Hanford Site. These facilities operate approximately 52 stacks that require sampling, monitoring or estimating radioactive air emissions. The stacks are operated by Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI), Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo), Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C), Hanford Laboratory Management and Integration (HLMI), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Stack samples from CPCCo, HLMI and H2C facilities are collected by the operating contractor staff, delivered to HMIS, and then shipped to an offsite contracted laboratory for analyses. The field and laboratory sample data uploaded into the Sample Management and Analytical Results Tracking (SMART) database are used to calculate sample volumes and concentrations. Sample concentrations are evaluated for compliance with federal and state regulations, permits, and license requirements. The SMART database also calculates total curies released for sampled point sources and stacks. Point source effluent concentrations and releases are published annually in publicly available reports. The BNI and PNNL operate several DOE-Hanford Field Office (HFO) stacks subject to the requirements of 40 CFR 61, Subpart H and WAC 246-247. The concentrations, curies released and dose modeling evaluation for these stacks are included in the DOE-HFO annual radionuclide NESHAP report. The sample collection, analyses and emissions estimates for these stacks are outside the scope of HMIS contracted responsibilities and not addressed further in this document.
Four MgBx phases have been synthesized: MgB2, MgB4, MgB7, and MgB20. The phase composition depends on the heating time. Combustion synthesis cannot improve the product quality despite the very high heating rate; it also leads to loss of Mg. An effective acid leaching procedure has been identified for removal of MgO. Use of high-purity boron decreases the MgO impurity. First samples have been shipped to the Collaborator for investigating their hydrogenation at Sandia National Laboratories.
The third Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP3) sought to improve understanding of the physical phenomena in the atmosphere and ocean that dictate the structure and variability of wind and thermodynamic fields within the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL). WFIP3 conducted a comprehensive 18-month observational study over the Northeast U.S. outer continental shelf, a high use coastal zone, using a 3-D multiscale sensor array to highly resolve the temporal, vertical, and horizontal structure of the coupled atmospheric and oceanic boundary layers. Multiple land-based study sites adjacent to the coastal ocean observed surface meteorology and vertical profiles of atmospheric properties via passive infrared and microwave radiometers, active lidars and radars, and radiosondes. At sea, an array of surface flux buoys and two vertical profiling lidar buoys observed both atmospheric and oceanic properties, augmented by land-based oceanographic radar systems and routine ship-based surveys. Intensive observations of the MABL over the ocean was done from an air-sea interaction flux tower and extended deployments of a large barge platform. WFIP3 focused on mesoscale and sub-mesoscale flows -- including sea breezes, low-level jets, low-level clouds, and coastal storms -- and the ability of advanced numerical model parameterizations to represent them within fully coupled oceanic and atmospheric modeling systems and foundational weather forecast models. Numerous critical forecasting phenomena were observed, however the project was terminated prior to the completion of the field observational period and the analysis period.
This work presents the design of a transportation frame system for 650~MHz superconducting radio frequency cavities with high power couplers. Modal analysis identified the coupler antenna as the critical component with a 38~Hz natural frequency, leading to a dual-frame design with wire rope isolators that achieves 82\% vibration attenuation at the critical frequency. The system meets all transportation requirements, fits within standard shipping crates, and maintains structural integrity under 12g shock loads.
This work presents the design of a transportation frame system for 650~MHz superconducting radio frequency cavities with high power couplers. Modal analysis identified the coupler antenna as the critical component with a 38~Hz natural frequency, leading to a dual-frame design with wire rope isolators that achieves 82\% vibration attenuation at the critical frequency. The system meets all transportation requirements, fits within standard shipping crates, and maintains structural integrity under 12g shock loads.
A field scoping study was conducted to evaluate the ability of Cd-Zn-Te (CZT) detectors and High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors to quantify the U-235 enrichment in UF 6 samples collected on alumina in P-10 tubes, similar to the Cristillini method of sample collection for analysis by mass spectrometry. With in-field gamma-ray spectroscopy methods, international safeguards and verification missions could benefit from quick in-field confirmation of declared enrichment values prior to or without the need for additional shipping, sample preparation and analysis. Samples of depleted (DU), low-enriched (LEU) and high-assay low-enriched (HALEU) uranium were collected on Cristillini-type alumina in P-10 tubes and measured with two H3D, Inc. M400 CZT detectors as well as a Canberra Falcon HPGe detector. The M400 detectors were able to confirm enrichment in the DU and LEU samples but not the HALEU sample in measurements 8-40 hrs after collection. The Falcon system was able to confirm enrichment in all three samples. Improvements in detector geometry, increase in number of detectors as well as increase sample mass loading may allow measurement of U-235 enrichment in these types of samples within 4-8hrs of collection with 5-10% uncertainty.