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At least 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2024

Soil Interim Measures Implementation Report Q6 Radar Station – Solid Waste Management Unit 112 Locations of Concern 3 and 10 Kennedy Space Center, Florida

This report presents a summary of the soil interim measures (IM) implementation activities that occurred from January 23 through June 6, 2023, at the Q6 Radar Station (Q6RS) Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 112, located at the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida. The site is monitored under KSC’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action Program, which also meets the requirements of Chapter 62-780, Florida Administrative Code. Assessment activities have previously been performed at 10 Q6RS Locations of Concern (LOCs), identified during a SWMU assessment in 2013 (NASA 2013). Since the SWMU assessment, further confirmatory sampling and assessment was conducted for each LOC, and based on the data collected during these assessments, it was determined that Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Facility Investigation to further evaluate soil and groundwater was to be conducted at two LOCs: LOC 1 – Former Underground Storage Tanks (groundwater) and LOC 3 – Radar Antenna Refurbishment Area (soil). The LOC 1 groundwater assessment is ongoing, and the results will be presented under a separate cover. It was also determined that soil IM would be completed at two of the LOCs, LOC 3 and LOC 10 – Compressor Building Condensate Discharge. A Soil IM Work Plan was prepared and submitted in October 2021 (NASA 2021). The plan proposed excavation and disposal of barium and copper impacted soil in the LOC 3 and 10 areas. This report presents a summary and results of the soil IM implementation activities conducted at LOCs 3 and 10. The site contaminates of concern for this soil IM are barium and copper. The activities presented in this report includes soil IM implementation and groundwater sampling. From January 23 through March 24, 2023, AECOM Technical Services, Inc. (AECOM) field personnel conducted IM implementation activities in the LOC 3 and 10 areas. As presented in the IM Work Plan, shallow soils, impacted with metals, were excavated to a depth of 2 feet below land surface in the central area of the site around the radar antenna and associated equipment. AECOM personnel excavated 77.43 tons of soil using hand tools and, when able, heavy equipment. The soils were placed into lined roll-off containers, which were covered and transported under manifest to the Cedar Trail Landfill in Bartow, Florida. The site was restored to original condition using certified clean backfill material (sand), with filter fabric, and gravel. Areas outside of the excavation were restored with grass seed. On June 6, 2023, AECOM field personnel conducted groundwater sampling activities within the soil IM excavation area. AECOM personnel collected one groundwater sample from monitoring well Q6RS-MW0003. The sample was submitted to a fixed-based laboratory for analysis by United States Environmental Protection Agency Method 6020B for metals (barium and copper). Barium and copper were detected at 18 micrograms per liter (µg/L) and 14 µg/L, respectively, and were below the State of Florida Groundwater Cleanup Target Levels (GCTLs) for barium at 2,000 µg/L and copper at 1,000 µg/L.

Chadwick Sloan Lee↗
NASA NTRS2024

Shallow Soil Polychlorinated Biphenyl Site Assessment Report: General Services Administration Reclamation Yard Solid Waste Management Unit 010

This report presents a summary of the shallow soil polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) site assessment activities that occurred from December 2020 through July 2022 at General Services Administration Reclamation Yard, Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 010, located at the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida. The site is monitored under KSC’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action Program, which also meets the requirements of Chapter 62-780, Florida Administrative Code. For the purposes of this report, three separate shallow soil plumes, known as the Northeast Shallow Soil PCB Plume, Southeast Shallow Soil PCB Plume, and West Shallow Soil PCB Plume, were identified for this site. The activities presented in this report include seven field events conducted between December 2020 and July 2022, which include shallow soil sample collection in the Northeast, Southeast, and West Shallow Soil PCB Plumes. AECOM Technical Services, Inc., personnel collected 330 soil samples from 118 boring locations. The samples were collected at 0.5-foot depth intervals to various depths based on analytical results and depth to groundwater. The soil samples were submitted to a fixed-based laboratory for analysis by United States Environmental Protection Agency Method 8082A for total PCBs. Several soil samples had PCB concentrations above the State of Florida Direct Exposure Residential and Industrial Soil Cleanup Target Levels (SCTLs), and two soil samples had PCB concentrations above the State of Florida Leachability for Groundwater. No soil borings were located beneath impervious surfaces, such as concrete or asphalt. The current Land Use Control Implementation Plan (LUCIP) covers PCBs in soils above the residential SCTL, which includes the paved areas.

soil assessment↗
DOE OSTI2012

Estimation of the Performance of Multiple Active Neutron Interrogation Signatures for Detecting Shielded HEU

A comprehensive modeling study has been carried out to evaluate the utility of multiple active neutron interrogation signatures for detecting shielded highly enriched uranium (HEU). The modeling effort focused on varying HEU masses from 1 kg to 20 kg; varying types of shields including wood, steel, cement, polyethylene, and borated polyethylene; varying depths of the HEU in the shields, and varying engineered shields immediately surrounding the HEU including steel, tungsten, and cadmium. Neutron and gamma-ray signatures were the focus of the study and false negative detection probabilities versus measurement time were used as a performance metric. To facilitate comparisons among different approaches an automated method was developed to generate receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for different sets of model variables for multiple background count rate conditions. This paper summarizes results or the analysis, including laboratory benchmark comparisons between simulations and experiments. The important impact engineered shields can play towards degrading detectability and methods for mitigating this will be discussed.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2019

A FREQUENCY RESPONSE APPROACH TO MODEL VALIDATION FOR THE COMPACT INTEGRAL EFFECTS TEST FACILITY IN TRANSFORM

One of the key challenges to licensing new reactor designs is validating the integral transient response models of a novel system. This work used a frequency response approach for model validation of the Compact Integral Effects Test (CIET) facility at the University of California, Berkeley. This facility was built as a scaled integral effects test for verifying transient modeling tools for fluoride-salt-cooled hightemperature reactors using Dowtherm A as a simulant fluid for molten salt. The dynamic system model of CIET was created using the Modelica-based TRANSFORM tool developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Analysis of the model’s performance as compared with experimental results indicates good agreement under both steady-state and transient conditions. This paper describes the Modelica model creation process using TRANSFORM and the modeling assumptions and methods for matching dynamic behavior with frequency response data. Results, analysis, and a discussion of future work are also presented.

De wet, Dane↗
DOE OSTI2020

Hydraulic fracturing experiments at 1500 m depth in a deep mine: Highlights from the kISMET project

In support of the U.S. DOE SubTER Crosscut initiative, we established a field test facility in a deep mine and designed and carried out in situ hydraulic fracturing experiments relevant to enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) in crystalline rock to characterize the stress field, understand the effects of rock fabric on fracturing, and gain experience in monitoring using geophysical methods. The project also included pre- and post-fracturing simulation and analysis, and laboratory measurements and experiments. The kISMET (permeability (k) and Induced Seismicity Management for Energy Technologies) site was established in the West Access Drift of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) 4757 ft (1450 m) below ground (on the 4850 ft level (4850L)) in phyllite of the Precambrian Poorman Formation. We drilled and continuously cored five near-vertical boreholes in a line on 3 m (10 ft) spacing, deviating the two outermost boreholes slightly to create a five-spot pattern around the test borehole centered in the test volume 40 m below the drift invert (floor) at a total depth of ~1490 m (4890 ft). Laboratory measurements of core from the center test borehole showed P-wave velocity heterogeneity along each core indicating strong, fine-scale (~1 cm or smaller) changes in the mechanical properties of the rock. Field measurements of the stress field by hydraulic fracturing showed that the minimum horizontal stress at the kISMET site averages 21.7 MPa (3146 psi) trending approximately N-S (356 degrees azimuth) and plunging slightly NNW at 12°. The vertical and horizontal maximum stresses are similar in magnitude at 42-44 MPa (6090-6380 psi) for the depths of testing, which averaged approximately 1530 m (5030 ft). Hydraulic fractures were remarkably uniform suggesting core-scale and larger rock fabric did not play a role in controlling fracture orientation. Analytical solutions suggest that the fracture radius of the large fracture (stimulation test) was more than 6 m (20 ft), depending on the unknown amount of leak-off.

Oldenburg, C↗
DOE OSTI2011

Retrospective dosimetry analyses of reactor vessel cladding samples

Reactor pressure vessel cladding samples for Ringhals Units 3 and 4 in Sweden were analyzed using retrospective reactor dosimetry techniques. The objective was to provide the best estimates of the neutron fluence for comparison with neutron transport calculations. A total of 51 stainless steel samples consisting of chips weighing approximately 100 to 200 mg were removed from selected locations around the pressure vessel and were sent to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for analysis. The samples were fully characterized and analyzed for radioactive isotopes, with special interest in the presence of Nb-93m. The RPV cladding retrospective dosimetry results will be combined with a re-evaluation of the surveillance capsule dosimetry and with ex-vessel neutron dosimetry results to form a comprehensive 3D comparison of measurements to calculations performed with 3D deterministic transport code. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Macro-encapsulation as Manufactured Components for Disposal at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) - 16213

Macro-encapsulation as Manufactured is a relatively new terminology that supports the disposal of classified legacy weapon components at the Area 5 Disposal Cell at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). These components are composed of hundreds and sometimes thousands of parts. Examples of this type of item include firing sets, trainers, radar assemblies, neutron generators and other similar components. Sometimes there are hazardous Resource Conservation and Recovery Act-regulated (RCRA) metals involved in the parts that make up the components. The typical regulated metals in the components can be lead and silver from circuit boards and wiring, cadmium or chromium from plating operations of the parts. To perform the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) components have to be completely disassembled and sanitized prior to being sent to laboratories for analysis. The results vary but the majority of times there are regulated metals present in these samples. The levels are relatively low and since analysis has been performed then a disposal process needs to be followed. A process needed to be developed and approved by governing boards to allow disposal of these items as long as this material meets the Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) (No liquids, compressed gases, explosives, SNM, etc.) before being sent to the Nevada desert for disposal. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2023

Investigating Similarity Differences for Light-Water-Moderated and Polyethylene-Moderated Systems

Oak Ridge National Laboratory has performed validation studies in support of Pacific Northwest Laboratory’s analysis of the Sum-of-Fractions method. Work in a companion paper examines the validation methods and results for various mixtures of fissile isotopes in various concentrations moderated and reflected by light-water and polyethylene. Those results indicate a greater coverage of critical experiments for validating light water moderated and reflected systems vs. those with polyethylene. The work presented here details the analysis of differences between light-water and polyethylene systems developed from the different concentration mixtures utilized in the Sum-of-Fractions validation study. Differences in actinide contributions are detailed, explaining the differences in ck for the various systems. The available tools and analysis techniques in TSUNAMI are described to illustrate how these types of differences can be understood by practitioners.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

METHOD FOR EXPOSING IRRADIATED FUEL CLADDING TO RAPID THERMAL TRANSIENTS

Reactor core materials exposed to rapid thermal transients during accidents can experience significant changes in mechanical properties as irradiation hardness is recovered. Understanding material performance during transients using computer modeling requires accurate descriptions of mechanical property evolution with time and temperature. A simple experimental capability was developed to expose irradiated Zircaloy to a simulated thermal transient using immersion in molten tin (at 675°C) to rapidly heat and hold before rapidly cooling with a water quench. Multiple heating-cooling cycles using a nonirradiated tensile specimen showed simplicity and viability. Based on preliminary test results, a robust system was established for routine evaluation of simulated thermal accident scenarios in the Low Activation Materials Design and Analysis (LAMDA) laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This paper summarizes system development and nonirradiated Zircaloy commissioning test results. Future experiments will conduct tensile tests on irradiated Zircaloy after various rapid temperature profiles.

Byun, TS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Measurements of differential charged-current cross sections on argon for electron neutrinos with final-state protons in MicroBooNE

This work presents single-differential electron-neutrino charged-current cross sections on argon measured using the MicroBooNE detector at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The analysis uses data recorded when the Neutrinos at the Main Injector beam was operating in both neutrino and antineutrino modes, with exposures of $2 \times 10^{20}$ and $5 \times 10^{20}$ protons on target, respectively. A selection algorithm targeting electron-neutrino charged-current interactions with at least one proton, one electron, and no pions in the final topology is used to measure differential cross sections as a function of outgoing electron energy, total visible energy, and opening angle between the electron and the most energetic proton. The interaction rate as a function of proton multiplicity is also reported. The total cross section is measured as [4.1 $\pm$ 0.4 (stat.) $\pm$ 1.2 (syst.)]$ $$\times 10^{-39} \mathrm{cm}^{2}/ \mathrm{nucleon}$. The unfolded cross-section measurements are compared to predictions from neutrino event generators commonly employed in the field. Good agreement is seen across all variables within uncertainties.

Abratenko, P. [Tufts U. (main)]↗