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At least 559 records · Page 31

Techno-Economic and life cycle assessment of standalone Single-Stream material recovery facilities in the United states

Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) are crucial players in achieving a circular economy. MRFs receive complex waste streams and separate valuable recyclables from these mixtures. This study conducts techno-economic analysis (TEA) to estimate the net present value (NPV) and life cycle assessment (LCA) to estimate different environmental impacts of a commercial scale standalone, single-stream MRF to assess the economic feasibility and environmental impacts of recovering valuable recyclables from an MRF processing 120,000 tonnes per year (t/y). The TEA employs a discounted cash flow rate of return (DCFROR) analysis over a 20-year facility lifetime, along with a sensitivity analysis on the impact of different operating and economic parameters. Results show that the total fixed cost of building the MRF facility is $\$ $23 MM, and the operating cost is $\$ $45.48/tonne. Further the NPV of the MRF can vary from $\$ $3.57 MM to $\$ $60 MM, while 100-year global warming potential can range from 5.98 to 8.53 kg carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq) per tonne of MSW. We have also found that MSW composition (arising from regional effects) significantly impacts costs, 100-year global warming potential, and other impact categories such as acidification potential, eutrophication potential, ecotoxicity, ozone depletion, photochemical oxidation, carcinogenic effects, and non-carcinogenic effects. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis indicate that waste composition and market prices significantly impact the profitability of the MRF, and the waste composition mostly impacts global warming potential. Our analysis also indicates that facility capacity, fixed capital cost, and waste tipping fees are vital parameters that affect the economic viability of MRF operations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Control Decision and Control Development of Hanford Tank Farms First Two ISA-84 Safety Instrumented Systems - 17370

Hanford's 242-A Evaporator has had the mission of reducing waste volume in the Hanford Tank Farms since the late 1970's. Until 2014, the Documented Safety Analysis for the 242-A facility considered protection and controls of the collocated worker (workers outside the facility) and the public. In 2010, Tank Farms Nuclear Safety engineers initiated a significant revision of the Documented Safety Analysis to implement DOE-STD-3009, Change Notice 3, which requires the protection of the facility worker in addition to the collocated worker and public. Through the use of an extensive process hazards analysis performed on the facility, it was concluded that it was essential to control conditions in the primary evaporation vessel (C-A-1) such that flammable gasses could not build up to the Lower Flammability Limit, and that another control was necessary to ensure that the C-A-1 vessel could not overflow. Early control decision meetings held during the development of the Documented Safety Analysis revision yielded no simple solution to the protection of workers from a flammable gas deflagration. Controls selected for the waste overflow accident were all mitigative in nature (i.e. the detection of a waste overflow after it already happened). Engineering could not replace the mitigative controls with preventive controls without attempting to credit some of the existing facility interlocks associated with the C-A-1 vessel operations. Software and hard-wired interlocks had been used at the facility to prevent overheating of the waste and overfilling of the C-A-1 vessel. These interlocks were considered useful to the prevention of the flammable gas deflagration and vessel overfilling accidents, but lacked the pedigree and reliability necessary to credit the interlocks as safety significant. It was at this stage of the Documented Safety Analysis control decision and control development that engineering became aware of the DOE's acceptance of the ISA-84 instrumented system standard. It became apparent that the ideal solution was not to attempt to credit existing interlock systems, but to develop a new system of 'safety interlocks' to the ISA-84 standard. A meeting was held with upper management of both engineering and operations to propose the use of safety instrumented systems at the 242-A facility. URS Corporation (now AECOM), who had recently supported the Savanah River site in developing ISA-84 controls, was consulted to support the development of two new instrumented systems for the 242-A facility. In addition to the use of the newly adopted ISA-84 standard, the failure modes and effect analysis process was implemented in a very effective manner to support the development of the new safety instrumented systems. Through a brand new methodology, and through a very dedicated and hard-working engineering, projects, and operations team, the new controls were designed, built, tested, and commissioned. At this time, five successful waste reduction campaigns have been performed at the facility with the new safety instrumented systems. During these waste processing campaigns, trips and spurious trips of the SIS have occurred - all of which acted properly. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Beam Position Monitor and Energy Analysis at the Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology Facility

Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology Facility has produced its first beam with an energy of 20 MeV. This energy is obtained by the acceleration at the Electron Gun and the Capture Cavity 2 (CC2). When fully completed, the accelerator will consist of a photoinjector, one International Liner Collider (ILC)-type cryomodule, multiple accelerator R&D beamlines, and a downstream beamline to inject 300 MeV electrons into the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA). We calculated the total energy of the beam and the corresponding energy to the Electron Gun and CC2. Subsequently, a Beam Position Monitors (BPM) error analysis was done, to calculate the device actual resolution.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Andes Data Analysis System at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility

Andes is a (704)-node commodity-type Linux® cluster. Each of Andes’s 704 nodes contain two 16-core 3.0 GHz AMD EPYC 7302 processors with AMD’s Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) Technology and 256GB of main memory. Andes also has nine large memory GPU nodes. These nodes each have 1TB of main memory and two NVIDIA K80 GPUs with two 14-core 2.30 GHz Intel Xeon processors with HT Technology.

AMD EPYC↗

Assessment of Aquifer Baseline Conditions at the Idaho National Laboratory Remote-Handled Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility

This document provides an analysis of radiologic concentrations in the aquifer and vadose zone near Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL’s) Remote-Handled Low-Level Waste (RH-LLW) disposal facility. This document identifies pre-existing sources of radiologic contaminants that could be transported to the aquifer near the RH-LLW disposal facility based on releases from nearby facility operations. It contains a summary of radionuclide concentration data in the upstream perched water and in the aquifer upstream and downstream of the RH LLW disposal facility in order to establish known variability from these pre existing radiologic sources. Using this historical data allows meaningful aquifer monitoring targets to be established for the RH-LLW disposal facility monitoring system (i.e., vadose zone wells and aquifer wells) to allow potential releases from the RH-LLW disposal facility to be distinguished from the pre existing sources of contaminants that are likely to be detected in the monitoring system.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Analysis of the passive stabilization of the long duration exposure facility

The nominal Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) configurations and the anticipated orbit parameters are presented. A linear steady state analysis was performed using these parameters. The effects of orbit eccentricity, solar pressure, aerodynamic pressure, magnetic dipole, and the magnetically anchored rate damper were evaluated to determine the configuration sensitivity to variations in these parameters. The worst case conditions for steady state errors were identified, and the performance capability calculated. Garber instability bounds were evaluated for the range of configuration and damping coefficients under consideration. The transient damping capabilities of the damper were examined, and the time constant as a function of damping coefficient and spacecraft moment of inertia determined. The capture capabilities of the damper were calculated, and the results combined with steady state, transient, and Garber instability analyses to select damper design parameters.

Siegel, S. H.↗

Transportation and System Analysis Collaborations in Support of a Federal Consolidated Interim Storage Facility

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Integrated Waste Management (IWM) program under the Office of Nuclear Energy is planning for the future transportation, storage, and eventual disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) from nuclear power plant and waste custodian sites across the United States. To better enable informed decision-making regarding the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle, the IWM program has been sponsoring the development and application of system analysis tools capable of analyzing various options for managing SNF and HLW. With these tools, integrated waste management system (IWMS) architecture analyses are being conducted to support the future deployment of a comprehensive nuclear waste management system that considers all major back-end aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle (i.e., transportation, storage, and disposal). System analyses and assessments typically use these modeling and simulation tools to investigate implications of changes in various assumptions and parameters such as acceptance rates, receipt logic, facility capacities and capabilities, use of standardized canisters, start and stop dates of facilities, etc. The Next Generation System Analysis Model (NGSAM) is an agent-based simulation toolkit that is used for a system-level simulation and analysis focused on SNF management in the United States. NGSAM’s primary purpose is to provide a system analyst with capabilities to model the IWMS and gain insights into SNF and HLW management alternatives including the impact of system choices, associated cost estimates, and development of integrated yet flexible approaches. An analyst using NGSAM can define several factors like the number of storage facilities, capacity at each facility, transportation schedules, shipment rates, and other conditions. IWM is also developing the Stakeholder Tool for Assessing Radioactive Transportation (START). START is a web-based geospatial tool developed to provide the visualization and initial evaluation of transportation options associated with future SNF and HLW shipment planning and operations. This includes characterizing safety, economic, and environmental conditions at and in proximity to shipment origins as well as along prospective transportation routes. Information from the START tool can be presented/shared as maps, graphics, geospatial files, and tabular form to enable easy data representation and export functionality. The system analysis, NGSAM, and START teams have been working closely for several years before formalizing this collaboration. START provides the SNF transportation routing information for use in NGSAM. System analysts use the NGSAM tool to generate results (schedule, costs, infrastructure acquisitions, shipment rates, etc.). Subject-matter experts and system analysts work together to inform how NGSAM should model the waste management system. Specifically, this paper discusses the collaborations between the system analysis, NGSAM, and START teams and their accomplishments over the past year. Some examples of these efforts include calibrating and adding data to the START output files to meet NGSAM needs, gaining a better understanding of START data used in NGSAM as well as how updates in START data could result in an improved NGSAM analysis. Detailed examples of various tasks that have been performed by the team will be discussed in the full paper. Continued efforts in this direction are expected in the coming years.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Past and Present Large Solid Rocket Motor Test Capabilities

A study was performed to identify the current and historical trends in the capability of solid rocket motor testing in the United States. The study focused on test positions capable of testing solid rocket motors of at least 10,000 lbf thrust. Top-level information was collected for two distinct data points plus/minus a few years: 2000 (Y2K) and 2010 (Present). Data was combined from many sources, but primarily focused on data from the Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center s Rocket Propulsion Test Facilities Database, and heritage Chemical Propulsion Information Agency/M8 Solid Rocket Motor Static Test Facilities Manual. Data for the Rocket Propulsion Test Facilities Database and heritage M8 Solid Rocket Motor Static Test Facilities Manual is provided to the Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center directly from the test facilities. Information for each test cell for each time period was compiled and plotted to produce a graphical display of the changes for the nation, NASA, Department of Defense, and commercial organizations during the past ten years. Major groups of plots include test facility by geographic location, test cells by status/utilization, and test cells by maximum thrust capability. The results are discussed.

Kowalski, Robert R.↗

Scaling and Design Analysis of a Sub-Scale, Reduced Temperature Stratified Flow Separate Effects Test Facility for the Experimental Investigation of Air Ingress in a High Temperature Reactor System

High temperature gas reactors (HTGR) are poised to spearhead the next generation of nuclear reactors, due to their passive safety characteristics and their applications flexibility. Able to provide base load power or process heat for industrial applications, HGTRs may be a critical component to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and abroad. However, increased interest and development has also highlighted areas requiring further investigation, one of which being the air-ingress accident. Air ingress may occur following a break in the coaxial cross duct and pressure vessel depressurization. The initial mode of ingress is hypothesized to be density driven cross flow as the cold air enters the lower plenum, at which point molecular diffusion and/or local buoyancy phenomena will dominate until a global natural circulation current is established. While computational simulations support this progression, little or no experimental data exists to validate and support this phenomenology. Therefore, it is necessary to generate such data; this research seeks to do so through the use of a sub-scale separate effects test facility - the Stratified Flow Separate Effects Test Facility (SFSETF). The goal of this facility is more specifically to focus on the transition to global natural circulation starting from air ingress after a double-ended guillotine break (DEGB) while neglecting depressurization. This paper will provide analyses performed in the design of this facility, including the geometric and hydraulic scaling analyses, safety analysis and instrumentation selection. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Evaluating quantitative 3-D image analysis as a design tool for low enriched uranium fuel compacts for the transient reactor test facility: A preliminary study

In this study, 3-D image analysis when combined with a non-destructive examination technique such as X-ray computed tomography (CT) provides a highly quantitative tool for the investigation of a material’s structure. In this investigation 3-D image analysis and X-ray CT were combined to analyze the microstructure of a preliminary subsized fuel compact for the Transient Reactor Test Facility’s low enriched uranium conversion program to assess the feasibility of the combined techniques for use in the optimization of the fuel compact fabrication process. The quantitative image analysis focused on determining the size and spatial distribution of the surrogate fuel particles and the size, shape, and orientation of voids within the compact. Additionally, the maximum effect of microstructural features on heat transfer through the carbonaceous matrix of the preliminary compact was estimated. The surrogate fuel particles occupied 0.8% of the compact by volume with a log-normal distribution of particle sizes with a mean diameter of 39 μm and a standard deviation of 16 μm. Roughly 39% of the particles had a diameter greater than the specified maximum particle size of 44 μm suggesting that the particles agglomerate during fabrication. The local volume fraction of particles also varies significantly within the compact although uniformities appear to be evenly dispersed throughout the analysed volume. The voids produced during fabrication were on average plate-like in nature with their major axis oriented perpendicular to the compaction direction of the compact. Finally, the microstructure, mainly the large preferentially oriented voids, may cause a small degree of anisotropy in the thermal diffusivity within the compact. α∥/α⊥, the ratio of thermal diffusivities parallel to and perpendicular to the compaction direction are expected to be no less than 0.95 with an upper bound of 1.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Possible safety hazards associated with the operation of the 0.3-m transonic cryogenic tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center

The 0.3 m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT) at the NASA Langley Research Center was built in 1973 as a facility intended to be used for no more than 60 hours in order to verify the validity of the cryogenic wind tunnel concept at transonic speeds. The role of the 0.3 m TCT has gradually changed until now, after over 3000 hours of operation, it is classified as a major NASA research facility and, under the administration of the Experimental Techniques Branch, it is used extensively for the testing of airfoils at high Reynolds numbers and for the development of various technologies related to the efficient operation and use of cryogenic wind tunnels. The purpose of this report is to document the results of a recent safety analysis of the 0.3 m TCT facility. This analysis was made as part of an on going program with the Experimental Techniques Branch designed to ensure that the existing equipment and current operating procedures of the 0.3 m TCT facility are acceptable in terms of today's standards of safety for cryogenic systems.

Webster, T. J.↗

A study of the local pressure field in turbulent shear flow and its relation to aerodynamic noise generation

Work during the period of this report has been in three areas: (1) pressure transducer error analysis, (2) fluctuating velocity and pressure measurements in the NASA Lewis 6-inch diameter quiet jet facility, and (3) measurement analysis. A theory was developed and experimentally verified to quantify the pressure transducer velocity interference error. The theory and supporting experimental evidence show that the errors are a function of the velocity field's turbulent structure. It is shown that near the mixing layer center the errors are negligible. Turbulent velocity and pressure measurements were made in the NASA Lewis quiet jet facility. Some preliminary results are included.

Jones, B. G.↗

SRS Composite Analysis Monitoring Plan (FY2019 Model Validation)

Using a projected end-state date of 2065 (SRNS 2015b), the Savannah River Site (SRS) Composite Analysis (CA) modeling for each facility and waste site began on the inventory year assigned to it so that source depletion and radionuclide transport out of the system could be appropriately captured. Some SRS waste sites that have already achieved their end states (i.e. end-state inventories and end-state configuration) are currently contributing to the potential off-site public dose through source release, groundwater transport, discharge to on-site surface streams, and stream transport to the CA point of assessments (POAs). The inventory year assigned to these waste sites is 2002 or before. This means that SRS CA results from 2002 and beyond are a reasonable representation for these waste sites that have already achieved their end states and are currently contributing to the potential off-site public dose. The SRS Annual Environmental Report (AER) monitoring can differentiate and separate liquid pathway data allowing the data representing only waste sites at their end state to be produced. Because the SRS CA has projected reasonable end-state impacts from 2002 and beyond, and the AER monitoring can differentiate and separate operating and end-state contributions to annual liquid pathway release, an opportunity exists to use the AER monitoring data to validate the SRS CA model. The CA model validation program uses a graded and systematic approach for taking corrective action, starting with an SRS established administrative dose limit of 15 mrem/yr, below which no action is required. Based on the location of the 2010 SRS CA POAs, the only potential exposure pathway for the public is through surface water. The completion of the FY2019 CA model validation indicates that the SRS CA projected dose, while generally conservative, provides a reasonable representation of the maximum annual doses. These doses are well below the administrative limit; therefore, no additional action is required.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Centaur Standard Shroud (CSS) full jettison test dynamic analysis

During the space power facility jettison tests, the non-domed half of the Centaur standard shroud was allowed to completely separate from its hinge connection and was caught in a horizontal catch net. A rigid body dynamic analysis that was performed to predict the half shroud prior to and after net contact is presented. Analytical predictions of the longitudinal and circumferential bending moments imposed on the half shroud by the catch net and the net pressure on the half shroud corrugated skin are also presented.

Kasper, H. J.↗

Uncertainty Analysis of Coaxial Thermocouple Calorimeters Used in Arc Jets

Recent introduction of Coaxial Thermocouple type calorimeters into the NASA Ames arc jet facilities has inspired an analysis of 2D conduction effects internal to this type of calorimeter. The 1D finite slab inverse analysis (which is typically used to deduce the heat transfer to the calorimeter) relies on the assumption that lateral conduction (i.e., 2D effects) is negligible. Most calorimeter bodies have a spherical nose, which in itself is a violation of the 1D finite slab analysis assumption. Secondly most calorimeters experience a variation in heating across the face of the body which is also a violation of the 1D finite slab analysis assumption. It turns out that these two effects tend to cancel each other to some extent. This paper shows the extent to which error exists in the analysis of the Coaxial Thermocouple type calorimeters, and also offers analysis strategies for reducing the errors.

Lateral Conduction↗

Uncertainty Analysis of Coaxial Thermocouple Calorimeters Used in Arc Jets

Recent introduction of Coaxial Thermocouple type calorimeters into the NASA Ames arc jet facilities has inspired an analysis of 2D conduction effects internal to this type of calorimeter. Lateral conduction effects violate the 1D finite slab inverse analysis which is typically used to deduce the heat transfer to such calorimeters. The spherical shaped nose associated with most calorimeters (rather than flat) leads to a bias error that over-estimates the stagnation heating. Non-uniform heating on the face of spherically shaped calorimeters leads to conduction losses to the colder rim of the calorimeter which causes an underestimate of the stagnation heating. These two effects come into play at different times of the calorimeter's exposure to the arc jet, so they do not cancel. The spherical body effects come into play in the early stages of exposure, while the non-uniform heating effect becomes most severe at the later stages of exposure. The bias associated with spherical effects can be avoided by rewriting the 1D finite slab inverse analysis code to solve for 1D conduction in spherical coordinates. However, reducing the bias error associated non-uniform heating requires a somewhat ad hoc modification to the 1D finite element inverse analysis.

Isotherms↗

Development of an Enhanced Payback Function for the Superior Energy Performance Program

The U.S. DOE Superior Energy Performance (SEP) program provides recognition to industrial and commercial facilities that achieve certification to the ISO 50001 energy management system standard and third party verification of energy performance improvements. Over 50 industrial facilities are participating and 28 facilities have been certified in the SEP program. These facilities find value in the robust, data driven energy performance improvement result that the SEP program delivers. Previous analysis of SEP certified facility data demonstrated the cost effectiveness of SEP and identified internal staff time to be the largest cost component related to SEP implementation and certification. This paper analyzes previously reported and newly collected data of costs and benefits associated with the implementation of an ISO 50001 and SEP certification. By disaggregating “sunk energy management system (EnMS) labor costs”, this analysis results in a more accurate and detailed understanding of the costs and benefits of SEP participation. SEP is shown to significantly improve and sustain energy performance and energy cost savings, resulting in a highly attractive return on investment. To illustrate these results, a payback function has been developed and is presented. On average facilities with annual energy spend greater than $2M can expect to implement SEP with a payback of less than 1.5 years. Finally, this paper also observes and details decreasing facility costs associated with implementing ISO 50001 and certifying to the SEP program, as the program has improved from pilot, to demonstration, to full launch.

Therkelsen, Peter↗

Magnetic field map for T977 tertiary beam

This note describes the final magnetic field model and a simplified momentum reconstruction and its uncertainties being used for the analysis of the 2010 data for T977 (MINERvA test beam ex- periment) at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility. The results from analysis of those data are published in “MINERvA neutrino detector response measured with test beam data,” [Aliaga et al.(2015)] which has open access availability, and is also available as arXiv:1501.06431. The beamline used for this experiment was designed by MINERvA in collaboration with experts at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility. Support for constructing the beamline was provided by Fermilab, including support to MINERvA personnel and also a wide range of technical help from across Fermilab.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗