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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 811 records · Page 45
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2012

Study on Evaluation of Project Management Data for Decommissioning of Uranium Refining and Conversion Plant - 12234

Some of nuclear facilities that would no longer be required have been decommissioned in JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy Agency). A lot of nuclear facilities have to be decommissioned in JAEA in near future. To implement decommissioning of nuclear facilities, it was important to make a rational decommissioning plan. Therefore, project management data evaluation system for dismantling activities (PRODIA code) has been developed, and will be useful for making a detailed decommissioning plan for an object facility. Dismantling of dry conversion facility in the uranium refining and conversion plant (URCP) at Ningyo-toge began in 2008. During dismantling activities, project management data such as manpower and amount of waste generation have been collected. Such collected project management data has been evaluated and used to establish a calculation formula to calculate manpower for dismantling equipment of chemical process and calculate manpower for using a green house (GH) which was a temporary structure for preventing the spread of contaminants during dismantling. In the calculation formula to calculate project management data related to dismantling of equipment, the relation of dismantling manpower to each piece of equipment was evaluated. Furthermore, the relation of dismantling manpower to each chemical process was evaluated. The results showed promise for evaluating dismantling manpower with respect to each chemical process. In the calculation formula to calculate project management data related to use of the GH, relations of GH installation manpower and removal manpower to GH footprint were evaluated. Furthermore, the calculation formula for secondary waste generation was established. In this study, project management data related to dismantling of equipment and use of the GH were evaluated and analyzed. The project management data, manpower for dismantling of equipment, manpower for installation and removal of GH, and secondary waste generation from GH were considered. Establishment of the calculation formula for dismantling of each kind of equipment makes it possible to evaluate manpower for dismantling the whole facility. However, it is not easy to prepare calculation formula for all kinds of equipment that exist in the facility. Therefore, a simpler evaluation method was considered to calculate manpower based on facility characteristics. The results showed promise for evaluating dismantling manpower with respect to each chemical process. For dismantling of contaminated equipment, a GH has been used for protection of the spread of contamination. The use of a GH increases manpower for installation and removal of GH etc. Moreover, structural materials of the GH such as plastic sheets, adhesive tape become a burnable secondary waste. To create an effective dismantling plan, it is necessary to carefully consider use of a GH preliminarily. Thus, an evaluation method of project management data such as manpower and secondary waste generation was considered. The results showed promise for evaluating project management data of GH by using established calculation formula. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Mixing Waste + Thermal Treatment: A Solution to the Problematic Waste Challenge? - 18366

Credible solutions exist for the management, treatment and disposal of all categories of Problematic Low Level Waste (PLLW); however the wastes are often ill defined and the costs associated tend to be disproportionately high; twenty times greater than that associated with LLW. The challenge posed to the nuclear industry is not one of technology but of economics and characterization. There are many PLLW categories, but the associated waste volumes are small (often < 100 m{sup 3}/category) which represents a poor value proposition to develop and deploy specialist technology for each. To meet the industry challenge, and to balance economics with safety and quality, a technology is required that is adaptable enough to process a large fraction of PLLW categories, present a favorable level of characterization and process in sufficient volumes to reduce cost. One approach is waste mixing which is becoming an accepted technique in waste management; however this does not address issues that make wastes problematic as it does not typically change the physico-chemical characteristics of the waste. Techniques are being developed for the conditioning of PLLW waste categories. Presently these are not commercially ready (low Technology Readiness Level, TRL) or have not met the economic challenge posed. GeoMelt is a thermal treatment technology with a track record over 30 years and capable of providing a viable solution. It has a demonstrated capability to co-process mixed wastes and is able to process wastes that fall into the PLLW category. This paper discusses how GeoMelt can be used to co-process waste economically and provides a feasible characterization strategy to present a viable approach to the conditioning and co-disposal of problematic wastes in the UK. (authors)

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

Technical Basis and Implementation of Groundwater Pathway Models Used for INL’s RH LLW Disposal Facility Performance Assessment

The Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL’s) Remote-Handled Low-Level Waste (RH LLW) Disposal Facility has been designed and constructed to receive waste generated on INL in support of the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) and Naval Reactors (NR) missions. RH LLW is generated on the INL site from spent nuclear fuel handling and operations at the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF), the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), and at the Material and Fuels Complex (MFC) in addition to other miscellaneous research activities. The facility has been designed to receive RH LLW currently in storage at INL facilities and new waste generated by nuclear research programs. RH LLW received at the facility is solid waste consisting of surface contaminated debris, ion exchange resins used to purify cooling water, and activated metals generated during reactor core change outs, Naval spent fuel management, and nuclear R&D. The facility has been designed to meet the requirements of DOE Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management [1] for all-pathways including groundwater and air, radon emissions limits, and inadvertent intrusion limits. The facility design includes a vault system incorporating robust concrete vaults oriented vertically in close-packed arrays, a hydraulic drainage system designed to limit water contact with the stainless steel waste canisters/liners and concrete vaults, and a robust monitoring system. Per the environmental assessment (EA) [2], all waste will be disposed of in stainless steel waste canisters/liners. During facility design and construction, site-specific data was collected to provide laboratory and field scale performance characteristics for the concrete vault and hydraulic drainage systems. Field-scale infiltration tests were conducted and monitored and the data was interpreted using numerical simulation. Based on interpretation of the observed laboratory and field test data, the facility performance assessment (PA) was developed. The PA groundwater pathway source release model differentially credits release from surface contaminated debris, ion exchange resins, and activated metals. It also credits failure of the steel waste canisters/liners with failure rates based on actual corrosion data. Once released, transport through the vadose zone and aquifer to downgradient receptor locations was simulated in the PA using a one-dimensional modeling approach based on historical three-dimensional modeling of historically-contaminated INL sites. This paper provides an overview of the groundwater pathway source release models and their technical implementation in the PA. It also describes the one-dimensional transport model used for the vadose zone and multi-dimensional model used for the aquifer.

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

Oblivion Landscapes - 19008

This paper and presentation reflect on proposals that may offer ways to integrate hidden landscapes - such as the ones that house nuclear waste or other toxic/hazardous conditions - into concepts of collective memory, and mental/perceptive maps of populations - with the larger goal of creating new levels of awareness, intelligence and operability regarding their existence and potential future role in civilization. The proposals belong to a series of Architecture Design Studios called and dedicated to the theme of 'Planetology', within which is inserted the theme of Massive Oblivion Landscapes. In the context of this Symposium, these reflections may help rethink how to design modes of communication that lay out concepts of danger, waste and cultural memory. And, in this way, reclaim for these infrastructural landscapes, the role of information rich and culturally relevant typologies. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2012

Nuclear Materials Management Program at the NNSS

The Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), formerly the Nevada Test Site, was established in 1951 mainly for weapons testing; because special nuclear materials (SNM) were expended during the tests, a nuclear material management program was not required. That changed in December 2004 with the receipt of Category I SNM for purposes other than weapons testing. At that time, Material Control and Accountability and Nuclear Material Management were a joint laboratory (Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore) effort with nuclear material management being performed at the laboratories. That changed in March 2006 when the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office appointed sole responsibility to the Management and Operations (M&O) contractor, National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec). Since 2006 the basic nuclear material management work was completed by a combination of M&O employees and subcontractors, but a true Nuclear Material Management (NMM) Program was not determined to be necessary until recently. With expanding missions and more nuclear material (NM) coming to the NNSS, it became imperative to have an organization to manage these materials; therefore, an NMM Manager was officially appointed by NSTec in 2012. In June 2011 a Gap Analysis and white paper was completed by a subcontractor; this presentation will include highlights from those documents along with our plans to resolve the “gaps” and stand up a functional and compliant NMM Program at the NNSS.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2012

ADAPTING A CERTIFIED SHIPPING PACKAGE FOR STORAGE APPLICATIONS

For years shipping packages have been used to store radioactive materials at many DOE sites. Recently, the K-Area Material Storage facility at the Savannah River Site became interested in and approved the Model 9977 Shipping Package for use as a storage package. In order to allow the 9977 to be stored in the facility, there were a number of evaluations and modifications that were required. There were additional suggested modifications to improve the performance of the package as a storage container that were discussed but not incorporated in the design that is currently in use. This paper will discuss the design being utilized for shipping and storage, suggested modifications that have improved the storage configuration but were not used, as well as modifications that have merit for future adaptations for both the 9977 and for other shipping packages to be used as storage packages.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

Decision and Modeling Strategy for a Radiological Risk Assessment at Area G, Los Alamos, New Mexico - 17258

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) owns a low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal site at Material Disposal Area G, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA. Area G has been the primary LLW disposal site for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) since the 1960's, and is now approaching the end of its service life. In addition to LLW, Area G is host to a variety of other wastes, the disposition of which must be determined before closure of the site. A probabilistic Radiological Risk Assessment (RRA) for Area G is used in order to support decision making regarding some wastes that are not addressed in the extant Area G Performance Assessment (PA) and Composite Analysis (CA). Between 1979 and 1987, 33 special shafts were augered into the Bandelier Tuff at Area G. This tuff is present across Pajarito Plateau on the eastern slopes of the Jemez Mountains, and varies widely in its consistency, from weakly indurated non-welded layers to welded layers that uphold the mesa cliffs of the Plateau. These mesas are home to LANL, Area G, and the town of Los Alamos. The 33 Shafts were lined with steel casing, and contain remote-handled (RH) transuranic wastes (TRU) resulting from experiments and analysis performed in special glove boxes at the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research (CMR) facility at LANL. Some of these wastes originated as used ('spent') nuclear fuel. The purpose of the Area G RRA is to evaluate the potential future risk to humans and the environment from the RH TRU in the 33 Shafts in the context of the risk associated with the surrounding wastes at Area G. The analysis is responsive to expectations outlined in DOE Order 458.1, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment, and is informed by the Manual and Guidance accompanying DOE O 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management. Because the waste meets the definition of TRU, the regulatory context also takes into consideration the regulation governing the disposal of TRU from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): 40 CFR 191, Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes. Given the broader regulatory context for the RRA, the analysis is subject to different assumptions from those made in the existing DOE O 435.1 PA and CA, such as allowing for future occupation of the site. The analysis begins with a comprehensive evaluation of features, events, processes, and exposure scenarios (FEPS) for Area G and the wastes it contains. These FEPS are screened to eliminate from further consideration those of extremely low probability and/or consequence, and a conceptual site model (CSM) is subsequently developed. The scope and structure of the Area G RRA Model is informed by this CSM, and the Area G RRA Model is developed using the GoldSim systems analysis modeling platform. This paper outlines the development of a defensible, transparent, and reasonably realistic model, which is based on the state of knowledge of the wastes, the site, and the FEPS that govern contaminant transport and human exposures. Probabilistic model input distributions represent uncertainties inherent in the real and modeled systems. The results of the Area G RRA Model will inform decision analysis regarding the disposition of the RH TRU in the 33 Shafts. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2012

D and D Knowledge Management Information Tool - 2012 - 12106

Deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) work is a high priority activity across the Department of Energy (DOE) complex. Subject matter specialists (SMS) associated with the different ALARA (As-Low-As-Reasonably-Achievable) Centers, DOE sites, Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG) and the D and D community have gained extensive knowledge and experience over the years in the cleanup of the legacy waste from the Manhattan Project. To prevent the D and D knowledge and expertise from being lost over time from the evolving and aging workforce, DOE and the Applied Research Center (ARC) at Florida International University (FIU) proposed to capture and maintain this valuable information in a universally available and easily usable system. D and D KM-IT provides single point access to all D and D related activities through its knowledge base. It is a community driven system. D and D KM-IT makes D and D knowledge available to the people who need it at the time they need it and in a readily usable format. It uses the World Wide Web as the primary source for content in addition to information collected from subject matter specialists and the D and D community. It brings information in real time through web based custom search processes and its dynamic knowledge repository. Future developments include developing a document library, providing D and D information access on mobile devices for the Technology module and Hotline, and coordinating multiple subject matter specialists to support the Hotline. The goal is to deploy a high-end sophisticated and secured system to serve as a single large knowledge base for all the D and D activities. The system consolidates a large amount of information available on the web and presents it to users in the simplest way possible. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Effects of Gamma Radiation on Cementitious Materials in Repository Environment - 16300

Cementitious materials are widely used in the management of radioactive waste and have to perform as required for the period of service life of the installation. In order to assess the long term durability of cement paste in a deep borehole for radioactive wastes, specimens were cast in laboratory and exposed to a gamma radiation field. The effects of the radiation in the specimens were evaluated by X-Ray Diffraction, as changes observed in the mineralogy and microstructure of the material after irradiation doses varying between 0 (without radiation) and 10 MGy. It was observed that the specimens exposed to higher doses of gamma radiation (up to 3 MGy) presented differences between surface and core, when compared with the samples with no radiation or exposed to low doses. These results are important to model the behavior of cementitious materials under the conditions expected in a borehole repository and to provide data for the safety assessment of the installation. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2012

Recertification Project Plan (Rev. 5)

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Recertification Project was established to meet the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act (LWA) (Public Law 102-579, as amended by Public Law 104-201) (102nd U.S. Congress, 1992) requirement to demonstrate continued compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) disposal regulations. This plan sets the overall direction for a complex and interdependent set of tasks that is repeated at five-year intervals and culminates in EPA certification that the WIPP facility demonstrates continued compliance with Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 191, "Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes," pursuant to LWA sections 8(d)(1) and 8(f).

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2013

Global recycling services for short and long term risk reduction

New schemes are being developed by AREVA in order to provide global solutions for safe and non-proliferating management of used fuels, thereby significantly contributing to overall risks reduction and sustainable nuclear development. Utilities are thereby provided with a service through which they will be able to send their used fuels and only get returned vitrified and compacted waste, the only waste remaining after reprocessing. This waste is stable, standard and has demonstrated capability for very long term interim storage. They are provided as well with associated facilities and all necessary services for storage in a demonstrated safely manner. Recycled fuels, in particular MOX, would be used either in existing LWRs or in a very limited number of full MOX reactors (like the EPR reactor), located in selected countries, that will recycle MOX so as to downgrade the isotopic quality of the Pu inventories in a significant manner. Reprocessed uranium also can be recycled. These schemes, on top of offering demonstrated operational advantages and a responsible approach, result into optimized economics for all shareholders of the scheme, as part of reactor financing (under Opex or Capex form) will be secured thanks to the value of the recycled flows. It also increases fuel cost predictability as recycled fuel is not subject to market fluctuations as much and allows, in a limited span of time, for clear risk mitigation. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Advanced Reactor Licensing

This is the licensing presentation for the Waste Management Symposia 2023. It covers licensing activities, LMP, and manufacturing licenses.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Can we use Pictograms in a Long Term Communication System Related to a Radioactive Waste Repository? - 18301

Pictograms are often mentioned as a possible tool for sending messages about radioactive waste repositories in a far future, when the understand ability of our languages will have been lost. But they have also limits, related to the use of conventions that may fade over time. The goals of a signaling system for the long term may be (1) to alert (raise attention), (2) to inform of an underlying danger due to the existence of radioactive wastes, (3) to induce a favorable behavior (provoke or deter actions) in order not to disturb the performance of the repository. The quest for trans-cultural and trans-generational performance requires that some universal semiotic features be identified, shared by human beings of various cultures nowadays, and from far in the past to the present. Considering the typology of colors in various languages, the use of colors in ancient rock art and in children's drawings, a dedicated role may be assigned to each of the three colors, white, black and red/ocher, with a high potential for sustainable meaning: 1) red background = pay attention to this object because of the simple presence of the red color, that is to say the first color felt as color; 2) white inscription = absence of the object / action represented; 3) black inscription = presence of the object / action represented. The representation of a human body in movement inside a context is also understandable by people from various cultures. The combination of these 'semiotic primitives', used as relevant semantic features of the object and/or the experience to be represented, and 'topo-sensitive' criteria, used for pictogram production processes, would thus become a way to conceive a trans-cultural and trans-generational sign system for the signaling of radioactive danger. The choice of the stone could guarantee the durability of the support; the color could guarantee its visibility; and both could guarantee the transmission of the message. Combining these criteria could open the way to a long term communication system about radioactive waste repositories. (authors)

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

Waste Information Management System with 2017-18 Waste Streams - 18302

The Waste Information Management System (WIMS) 2017-18 was updated to support the Department of Energy (DOE) accelerated cleanup program. The schedule compression required close coordination and a comprehensive review and prioritization of the barriers that impeded treatment and disposition of the waste streams at each site. Many issues related to waste treatment and disposal were potential critical path issues under the accelerated schedule. In order to facilitate accelerated cleanup initiatives, waste managers at DOE field sites and at DOE Headquarters in Washington, D.C., needed timely waste forecast and transportation information regarding the volumes and types of radioactive waste that would be generated by DOE sites over the next 35 years. Each local DOE site historically collected, organized, and displayed waste forecast information in separate and unique systems. In order for interested parties to understand and view the complete DOE complex-wide picture, the radioactive waste and shipment information of each DOE site needed to be entered into a common application. The WIMS application was therefore created to serve as a common application to improve stakeholder comprehension and improve DOE radioactive waste treatment and disposal planning and scheduling. WIMS allows identification of total forecasted waste volumes, material classes, disposition sites, choke points, technological or regulatory barriers to treatment and disposal, along with forecasted waste transportation information by rail, truck and intermodal shipments. The Applied Research Center (ARC) at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida, developed and deployed the web-based forecast and transportation system and is responsible for updating the radioactive waste forecast and transportation data on a regular basis to ensure the long-term viability and value of this system. (authors)

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

Risk perception and social representation on radioactive waste: a case study with students of IPEN

Proper management of radioactive waste in teaching and research laboratories involves not only techniques and procedures for the treatment, storage and disposal of these materials but also the responsibility of all those who handle them. Responsibility begins with with methods that generate less waste and with the correct segregation of contaminated materials prior to disposal, In this context, the present study aimed to know, identify, understand and analyze the perception of risk and social representations about radioactive waste and its management by students and researchers of the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute. According to Renn (1992), two of the approaches to risk perception are cultural and sociological, which served as the basis to the present study. Within this analysis, the concept of risk is understood as a phenomenon and, therefore, the phenomena experienced by the individuals are related to their life histories, social relations, religious beliefs and academic formation, elements that interfere in the perception of risk. The method used to collect data was free evocation, with participants receiving the following instructions: 'Please write five words that pop up into your mind when you listen to the words radioactive waste and, sequentially, write a sentence using these words'. All participants received instructions of the voluntary character of the participation and of the confidentiality of the data. A total of 73 students and researchers were interviewed, including scientific initiation, masters degree, doctorate and postdoctoral researchers. 353 words were mentioned, of which 209 were different from each other. After analyzing the sentences, the words were inserted in 12 categories and later analyzed in the software INVOCADO, which provides a diagram with the possible structure of the social representations of the group studied. The analysis of the four-quadrants and their categories, as well as the mentioned words that compose them, are therefore consistent with the universe of the public analyzed. While it is not the totality of students dealing with radioactive materials, in general these individuals understand the importance of technology and that the adoption of safe practices ensures the successful development of research. Future developments: Analyze quantitatively and qualitatively the other questions of the questionnaire. Analyze the data and information obtained from the participant observation, which consisted of a follow-up of three students in their laboratory practices. Propose to the institute a manual of good practices that can be used by the students in their laboratory practices.

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