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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Dose estimates and their uncertainties for use in epidemiological studies of radiation-exposed populations in the Russian Southern Urals

Many residents of the Russian Southern Urals were exposed to radioactive environmental pollution created by the operations of the Mayak Production Association in the mid- 20 th century. There were two major releases: the discharge of about 1x10 17 Bq of liquid waste into the Techa River between 1949 and 1959; and the atmospheric release of 7.4 * 10 16 Bq as a result an explosion in the radioactive waste-storage facility in 1957. The releases into the Techa River resulted in the exposure of more than 30,000 people who lived in riverside villages between 1950 and 1961. The 1957 accident contaminated a larger area with the highest exposure levels in an area that is called the East Urals Radioactive Trace (EURT). Current epidemiologic studies of the exposed populations are based on dose estimates obtained using a Monte-Carlo dosimetry system (TRDS-2016MC) that provides multiple realizations of the annual doses for each cohort member. These dose realizations provide a central estimate of the individual dose and information on the uncertainty of these dose estimates. In addition, the correlation of individual annual doses over realizations provides important information on shared uncertainties that can be used to assess the impact of shared dose uncertainties on risk estimate uncertainty.This paper considers dose uncertainties in the TRDS-2016MC. Individual doses from external and internal radiation sources were reconstructed for 48,036 people based on environmental contamination patterns, residential histories, individual 90 Sr body-burden measurements and dietary intakes. Dietary intake of 90 Sr resulted in doses accumulated in active bone marrow (or simply, marrow) that were an order of magnitude greater than those in soft tissues. About 84% of the marrow dose and 50% of the stomach dose was associated with internal exposures. The lognormal distribution is well-fitted to the individual dose realizations, which, therefore, could be expressed and easily operated in terms of geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation (GSD). Cohort average GM for marrow and stomach cumulative doses are 0.21 and 0.03 Gy, respectively. Cohort average dose uncertainties in terms of GSD are as follows: for marrow it is 2.93 (90%CI: 2.02–4.34); for stomach and the other non-calcified tissues it is 2.32 (90% CI: 1.78–2.9).

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Updated Available Drawdowns for Big Hill SPR Caverns - Model Including the Caprock Fault

This report updates the estimated values of the baseline available drawdowns for the caverns at the Big Hill storage facility, and an updated table listing the available drawdowns. An updated finite element numerical analysis model, which included a fault in the caprock layers, was constructed and the daily data of actual wellhead pressures and oil-brine interfaces was used. The number of available drawdowns for each of the Big Hill SPR caverns is estimated using the new model. All caverns are predicted to have five available drawdowns remaining from a geomechanical perspective. BH-101 and 105 have a region of concern at the floor edge and/or sloping floor, where tensile and dilatant stresses are predicted to occur during each workover. The tensile state is predicted to occur because of the geometries of the edge and floor. Therefore, geomechanical examination for two caverns would be recommended after a drawdown leach. The well integrity of each cavern is not investigated in this report. The estimates for the number of baseline available drawdowns are subject to change in the future as the knowledge of physical phenomena at the sites, and the further development of the models of geomechanical behavior at the sites, evolve over time.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2020

95th percentile doses to public and co-located workers based on five years (2010-2014) of LLNL meteorological data (WSF B625)

This calculation is to be used for accident analysis at the Waste Storage Facilities (WSF). The objective of this analysis is to determine: The 95th percentile dose to the public and co-located workers used for accident analysis consistent with NRC Regulatory Guide 1.145 Position 3 using MACCS2 and five years (2010-2014) of LLNL meteorological data.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

WSF B696R Calcs

This calculation is applied to the accident analysis scenario of a limited combustibles fire breaching eight SWBs in B696R R1010. For a fire in a building with no breaches, there is only a ground release. The source term (ST) of the deflagration is determined by the Waste Storage Facilities Documented Safety Analysis (Ref. 1). The doses from the release are calculated by using MACCS2 (Ref. 2). This software take hourly meteorological data for a year as input. There are 8760 hours in a year. MACCS2 calculates a dose for each of the 8760 hours, taking into account the associated source term from Reference 1, the wind speed, the stability class (i.e., A through F), the directional sector of the wind (with associated distance to the site boundary). For each directional sector (i.e., 1 through 16) a MACCS2 run was performed. From the total collection of MACCS2 output files, Microsoft Excel is used to extract the dose that correspond to the meteorological conditions of each hour in the year. Note: although MACCS2 inputs a single year of meteorological data, five years are used (2010 through 2014) by performing multiple runs. This is discussed in Section 2.2. Conclusions: The final 95th percentile dose at the collocated worker used for accident analysis of a limited combustibles fire breaching eight SWBs in B696R R1010 is 18.4 rem.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Source Term of Accidents Involving Aircraft Crashes and Fuel Fires

This calculation is to be used when developing accident analysis scenarios involving aircraft fuel fires at the Waste Storage Facility (WSF). The objectives of the calculation are to determine (1) the Source Term from releases of TRU waste involved in impacts, impacts with fuel fire, and fuel fire with no impact; and (2) the plume sensible heat from various sizes of gasoline pool fires.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

LANL Waste Management

All waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Laboratory) is subject to one or more types of regulations and must be managed properly. This document describes LANL requirements for waste generated and managed by waste generators and Treatment and Storage Facilities (TSFs) to ensure compliance with legal mandates and Laboratory requirements as necessary to protect human health, safety, and the environment. This document has been revised as part of a process in which the Laboratory systematically plans, documents, executes, and evaluates its management of regulated waste streams.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Cell G 7606A Mockup Measurement Analysis Methods and Results

The production of research isotopes at the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center (REDC) invariably leads to the accumulation of radioactive waste. Storage of this waste onsite at ORNL serves as an interim solution prior to shipment to long term storage facilities, however onsite capacity is limited. Proper characterization of the activity of waste products is essential for determining the appropriate waste stream and, ultimately, mitigating the cost of disposal. This is typically done via gamma spectrometry and use of the In-Situ Object Counting System (ISOCS), a software package from Mirion that serves as an accepted community standard. However, variability in the contents, density, and activity distribution in waste containers can introduce large errors in ISOCS quantification. A measurement campaign using a mockup of the proposed setup in Cell G seeks to quantify the magnitude and source of these systematic errors. Analysis of this data will guide the creation of ISOCS geometry templates and measurement methods designed to minimize overall uncertainty in reported activities.

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

Accelerating the Adoption of Energy Efficiency and Renewables in Warehouses and Distribution Centers

Commercial warehouses and storage facilities represent a large part of the commercial buildings in the United States, and their share increases every year. NREL is working with the U.S. Department of Energy to understand barriers, sector needs, and opportunities to enhance sustainability in the warehouse sector, driving ultra-high efficient, zero-energy design, while considering electrification in buildings and vehicles, grid-friendly operation, and decarbonization. After investigating literature about warehouse sustainability practices and high-performance warehouse case studies, several one-on-one interviews were carried out with warehouse managers and stakeholders. Data collected through literature and the interviews were captured to provide the current status of warehousing in the context of energy efficiency, renewables, carbon emissions, and overall sustainability. The results are intended to inform areas for new research and deployment activities to achieving zero energy and zero carbon goals.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Hidden Flexibility of the Natural Gas Network for Electric Power Operations: A Case Study of a Near-Miss Winter Event

The U.S. power sector has become increasingly reliant on gas pipeline networks to deliver fuel to natural gas power plants. In addition to supplying relatively low-cost fuel, gas networks offer generators flexibility in their operations through the ability to deliver fuel when needed by using gas storage facilities or linepack if the gas network is at an operating point below its design capacity. However, disruptions or stress events on the gas network - like those occurring in the Northeast and Texas in recent years - can result in limitations on gas availability to generators at times when generation is in short supply. Here we examine a period of stress that occurred in the winter of 2022 in the Western United States. Using data on the region's natural gas pipeline network and electric generators, we build an integrated gas and electric model that closely replicates the actual dispatch of the period. We then evaluate the implications of removing flexibility employed by the gas network operator, which during that period curtailed scheduled gas deliveries to other parties to increase deliveries to natural gas power plants, which requested more gas than initially forecasted. We find that without the flexibility supplied by the gas network operator, there would have been curtailment of gas generation due to gas offtake constraints, requiring the power system operator to redispatch relying on more expensive generation or to potentially shed load. A sensitivity exploring a wind drought further exacerbates the strain, illustrating the potential challenge of managing gas and grid interactions as systems move to higher shares of variable renewable electricity. Based on this example, we discuss potential coordination strategies between the two system operators to ensure that the power system can successfully utilize and rely on the flexibility offered by natural gas networks.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Coupling of the Electricity and Transportation Sectors - Part I: Sector Overviews

“Sector coupling” is a concept that addresses potential designs for the future power industry. Traditionally, the energy sectors, i.e., electricity supply, transport, and industry, have functioned largely independently from one another. Thus, the concept of sector coupling means that the electricity sector would become the central pillar of the energy system, supplying the other sectors – transportation and industry – with energy in various ways, a scheme described by the term “Power-to-X”. This report delves into the ambitious goal set by the United States to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with a pivotal milestone of making half of all passenger vehicles sold in America zero-emission by 2030. Central to achieving this objective is the electrification of the transportation sector, resulting in complex interactions between this sector and the electric industry. As electric vehicles become more prevalent, a shift in the dependency on electricity for vehicle charging emerges, alongside a reduction in the electricity demand associated with maintaining the fossil fuel supply chain. Both the electricity and fossil fuel have been identified as critical infrastructure sectors, the transportation sector's historical reliance on fossil fuels, and the mature supply chain supporting them are explored. This study emphasizes the existing sectoral coupling between the electric energy and transportation sectors, extending beyond vehicle charging to essential operations at refineries, pipeline facilities, storage, and fuel extraction. Recognizing the critical dependency of fossil fuel supply chain operations on the electric sector, this research underscores the need for a comprehensive view of the evolving dynamics between the transportation and electric sectors. This study has been split into two segments, Part-I provides an overview of the existing fossil fuel supply chain architecture and the electrical sector. We provide an in-depth analysis of the grid-transportation sectoral coupling, its interactions, the vulnerabilities and essential take-aways that would help us to address them and apply towards an electrified transportation sector in the future. We engaged with stakeholders to understand their expectations in enabling an electrified transportation. We accumulate the understandings from the current fossil fuel-based system in developing a risk matrix, by identifying all the threats and vulnerabilities and how would they apply to both the current and future transportation systems in Part-II of this report.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2024

Project Report for Cold Spray Phase 2 (Tasks 9-20)

In support of the ongoing environmental protection mission at the Hanford Site, led by Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), the cold spray team has continued development of the tank refurbishment technology. Orano Federal Services, along with subcontractors VRC Metal Systems (VRC) and Robotic Technologies of Tennessee (RTT), have worked with WRPS experts to refine the tools demonstrated in Phase 1 of this project, with the potential to refurbish double shell tanks (DST)s on the Hanford Site, extending the service lives of these vital waste storage facilities.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Project Report for Cold Spray: Phase 2

In support of the ongoing environmental protection mission at the Hanford Site, led by Washington River Protection Services (WRPS), the cold spray team has continued development of the tank refurbishment technology. Orano Federal Services, along with subcontractors VRC Metal Systems (VRC) and Robotic Technologies of Tennessee (RTT), have worked with WRPS experts to refine the tools demonstrated in Phase 1 of this project, with the potential to refurbish double shell tanks (DST)s on the Hanford Site, extending the service lives of these vital waste storage facilities.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Evaluation of Hydrogen Storage Quantity Limits for Safety Requirements

As hydrogen storage facilities increase in size and capacity, it may be necessary to evaluate codes and standards that regulate hydrogen, especially in relation to allowable aggregate quantities. Existing regulations for other substances with comparable hazards such as oxygen, natural gas, and petroleum were reviewed; most fuels do not have aggregate quantity limits despite sometimes having individual tank capacity restrictions or limits for certain non-industrial, indoor, or small-scale applications. This precedent suggests that specifying a hydrogen quantity limit may not be necessary. Several possible methods for identifying an appropriate limit are presented to illustrate different approaches for a limit basis. These methods are based on overall risk, or the specific consequences inflicted by a jet fire or an explosion on people and infrastructure. However, these example metrics tend to require assumptions about potential leak sizes, suggesting that a general aggregate quantity limit would be difficult to justify without more system-specific requirements.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics Model (IBSAL) 2.0

The Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics (IBSAL) 2.0 models a feedstock supply shed's harvest and transport process to estimate the cost of delivered feedstock. The model sets up a supply shed of fields, harvests the fields using a series of sequential harvest operations with different crew types, and transports the harvested feedstock to a storage facility or refinery. The model reports many metrics; the most important ones include the crew resources required for harvest and transport operations, equipment utilization, fuel usage, amount of dry mass harvested, the cost for each operation, and the expected time to complete the harvest with the provided resources. IBSAL 2.0 is a complete redesign around the ExtendSim database, and it is faster and easier to reapply the model to different feedstocks.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

MARVEL Decommissioning Plan

The purpose of this document is to update and formally document decommissioning plans for the Microreactor Applications Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) microreactor after two years of operational testing. The operational testing consists of 3 continuous days of operation followed by 4 days of non-operation. This plan is also based on the assumption that all MARVEL fuel will be transported to long-term intermediate storage at the CPP-603 used fuel storage facility, sodium-potassium (NaK) coolant can be disposed as Class B radioactive waste and that the balance of the reactor primary components can be disposed of at an available disposal facility.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Design and Prototyping of Advanced Control Systems for Advanced Reactors Operating in the Future Electric Grid (Final Report)

Despite its significant advantages as a baseload, low-carbon energy source, the U.S. nuclear power industry has faced increasing difficulties in maintaining economic competitiveness in a rapidly evolving energy market. The economic conditions faced by the current fleet of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the U.S. deregulated electricity market require a concerted effort to mitigate specific cost factors. Many units are struggling to stay competitive, and some premature shutdowns have occurred. Besides, in response to the large penetration of renewable energy sources, the role of nuclear power plants as pure baseload units needs to be reconsidered. Based on these experiences, operational flexibility is considered a fundamental requirement for the next generation of nuclear reactors to be competitive in the future energy market. The deployment of advanced reactors capable of operating within a new power grid paradigm, known as the Integrated Energy System (IES) was investigated. This approach combines new reactor designs with Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technologies, allowing the nuclear reactor to maintain a steady power output without the need for constant adjustments in response to load demand fluctuations. With this configuration, the reactor operates as a baseload unit, experiencing only very gradual power transients, while the energy storage facility within the power conversion cycle acts as a peaking unit.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Illinois Basin Regional DAC Hub TA-1: Feasibility (Phase-0) (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

The overall objective of this project was to complete a feasibility study for a Regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hub that encompasses Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. The geographic construct of this hub was based on the Illinois Basin – a geological area where at least seven (7) geological storage studies were conducted. The Hub was designed to assure a capacity to capture, store, and utilize at least 1,000,000 metric tons (tonnes) of CO2 from the atmosphere annually 1 metric tonnes per annum (MTA), starting from an initial capacity of 200,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum (KTA). The Hub also included:(1) clean energy providers to supply renewable energy to the DAC units; (2) geological storage facilities to inject and sequestrate the captured CO2; (3) CO2 utilization facilities that would uptake the captured CO2 and convert it into products; and (4) small business organizations that would assist in workforce development efforts for the region. This closeout report consolidates the tasks undertaken and accomplished as deliverables for the project. The project team had successfully completed all required tasks of phase 0a, confirming that the project is feasible based on the preliminary conceptual designs and operational requirements of the DAC systems. Of particular interest, the hub ownership structure was identified and was implemented in follow on projects that would transition the hub infrastructure to a build/operate phase.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Differential Impact of Climate Change on the Hydropower Economies of Karakoram and Himalayan River Basins

Water stored in the form of snow and glaciers in the High Mountain Asia (HMA) region regulates the water supply, and resultant water-based economies, that support the livelihoods of millions of people. Trends in the seasonal and long-term melting of snow and glaciers, governed by initial ice reserves, meteorological factors and geographic features, vary across sub-basins in the HMA region. We examined the economic impacts of climate-led changes in river flow in two drainage basins, one each from the Karakoram and Central Himalaya region. We used an integrated assessment framework to estimate the changes in economic value of the hydropower generation from hydropower plants on rivers fed by snow and glacier melt in the two sub-basins. The framework, developed under a NASA High Mountain Asia project, coupled biophysical models (a suite of climate models, snow/glacier-hydrology, and hydropower model) with economic analysis. We compared the differences in estimated river flow over historic and future time using the water balance model in sixteen scenarios (eight climate models and two emissions scenarios) for rivers upstream of hydropower plants in each sub-basin. Using the hydropower model we developed, we estimated the changes in hydropower generation at the Naltar IV hydropower plant, with an 18 MW capacity, located in Hunza, Karakoram, and the Trishuli hydropower plant, with a 19.6 MW capacity, in Trishuli, Central Himalaya. When compared to their baselines, the estimated impact of climate change and temporal variability were higher for the Naltar plant than for the Trishuli plant. Our sensitivity analysis shows that hydropower plants with water storage facilities help reduce the impact of changes, but the estimated impacts are higher for the higher capacity plants. This study provides an example of the differential impacts of climate change on hydropower plants located in rivers fed by varying amounts of snow and glacier melt at different decades in this century. This type of integrated assessment of climate change impact will support the scientific understanding of hydrologic flow and its impacts on a hydropower economy under various climate scenarios, as well as generate information about water resource management in a changing climate.

climate change↗