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At least 145 records · Page 8

Annual Summary Report (FY 2025) Performance Assessment for the Disposal of Low-Level Waste in the 200 West Area Burial Grounds

This annual review provides the projected dose estimates of radionuclide inventories disposed in the 200 West Area Low-Level Waste Burial Grounds (LLBGs) since September 26, 1988. All the trenches in these burial grounds except two have remained inactive since July 2004. The only active trenches that continue to receive low-level and mixed low-level waste are Trenches 31 and 34 that are located in the southern portion of the 218-W-5 Burial Ground. During this reporting period (fiscal year 2025, from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025), waste was disposed in Trench 31 only.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Annual Summary Report (FY 2025) Performance Assessment for the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility

Beginning in 1996, the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF) started accepting low-level radioactive, hazardous, and mixed wastes that were generated during cleanup activities at the Hanford Site. ERDF is composed of a series of cells or disposal areas and can accommodate future design expansions as needed. Currently, there are eight cells and two supercells in ERDF. Each supercell is the equivalent of two cells. During this reporting period, fiscal year (FY) 2025, extending from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025, approximately 50,653 metric tons (55,835 U.S. tons) of waste was disposed at ERDF. From ERDF inception through September 30, 2025, approximately 17.3 million metric tons (19.1 million U.S. tons) of waste has been disposed at ERDF, which equates to consumption of approximately 91.0% of the currently constructed disposal volume. According to the design of ERDF, the facility has the ability to be expanded as needed. In 2023, the Department of Energy approved the construction of supercell 11 to provide additional disposal capacity to meet the cleanup mission at the Hanford Site. The construction of supercell 11 began in FY 2025, and it is expected to take up to two years. Construction of the new cell will not affect ongoing waste disposal activities at ERDF.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Annual Summary Report (FY 2025) Performance Assessment for the Disposal of Low-Level Waste in the 200 East Area Burial Grounds

This annual review provides the projected dose estimates of radionuclide inventories disposed in the 200 East Area Low Level Burial Grounds (LLBGs) since September 26, 1988. All trenches in these burial grounds except one have remained inactive since July 2004. Trench 94 located in 218-E-12B Burial Ground is the only active trench, which is dedicated for disposal of U.S. Navy reactor compartments. During this reporting period (fiscal year 2025, from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025), two reactor compartments were disposed in Trench 94.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Dobson-stations performance assessment using TOMS data

Examples of comparisons of monthly summaries (based on daily measurements) of some of the regularily operating Dobson stations, with the values deduced from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) overpass are given. Shortcomings in certain Dobson stations are identified, such as: use of an incorrect value for the extraterrestrial constant (HOBART); sudden large volume changes (Brisbane); unusually low Dobson readings (Mauna Loa); and use of inaccurate cloud blue sky charts, causing fictitious differences with direct sun measurements (Toronto).

Bojkov, Rumen D.↗

A task-based metric for telerobotic performance assessment

A methodology is described for developing a task complexity index based on combining the six basic motion primitives (three translation, three orientation) with force control and accuracy requirements. The result of this development is a set of complexity values that can be assigned to the high-level task primitives derived from a relatively shallow top-down mission analysis. These values are then averaged to arrive at total average mission complexities, such as for the mission of exchanging the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) battery modules. Application of this metric to a candidate set of NASA Flight Telerobotic Servicer evaluation tasks is discussed using the HST battery module mission for an in-depth example.

Barnes, J. F.↗

Performance assessment of low pressure nuclear thermal propulsion

A low pressure nuclear thermal propulsion (LPNTP) system, which takes advantage of hydrogen dissociation/recombination, was proposed as a means of increasing engine specific impulse (Isp). The effect of hydrogen dissociation/recombination on LPNTP Isp is examined. A two-dimensional computer model was used to show that the optimum chamber pressure is approximately 100 psia (at a chamber temperature of 3,000 K), with an Isp approximately 15 s higher than at 1,000 psia. At high chamber temperatures and low chamber pressures, the increase in Isp is due to both lower average molecular weights caused by dissociation and added kinetic energy from monatomic hydrogen recombination. Monatomic hydrogen recombination increases the Isp more then hydrogen dissociation. Variations in the mole fraction of monatomic hydrogen are similar to variations in static pressure along the axial nozzle position. Most recombination occurs close to the nozzle throat. Practical variations in nozzle geometry have minimal impact on recombination. Other models which can simulate a wider range of nozzle designs should be used in the future. The uncertainty of the hydrogen kinetic reaction rates at high temperatures (approximately 3,000 K) affects the accuracy of the analysis and should be verified with simple bench tests.

Gerrish, H. P., Jr.↗

Performance Assessment of the Optical Transient Detector and Lightning Imaging Sensor: Predicted Diurnal Variability - 1

Laboratory calibration and observed background radiance data are used to determine the effective sensitivities of the Optical Transient Detector and Lightning Imaging Sensor, as functions of local hour and pixel location within the instrument arrays. The effective LIS thresholds, expressed as radiances emitted normal to cloud top, are 4.0 plus or minus 0.7 and 7.6 plus or minus 3.3 micro J/ster/m (sup 2) for night and local noon; the OTD thresholds am 11.7 plus or minus 2.2 and 16.8 plus or minus 4.6 microJ/ster/m (sup 2). LIS and OTD minimum signal to noise ratios occur from 0800 to 1600 local time, and attain values of 10 plus or minus 2 and 20 plus or minus 3, respectively. False alarm rate due to instrument noise yields approximately 5 false triggers per month for LIS, and is negligible for OTD. Flash detection efficiency, based on prior optical pulse sensor measurements, is predicted to be 93 plus or minus 4% and 73 plus or minus 11% for LIS night and noon; 56 plus or minus 7% and 44 plus or minus 9% for OTD night and noon, corresponding to a 12 - 20% diurnal variability and LIS:OTD ratio of 1.7. Use of the weighted daily mean detection efficiency (i.e., not controlling for local hour) corresponds to a sigma = 8 - 9% uncertainty. These are likely overestimates of actual flash detection efficiency due to differences in pixel ground field-of-view across the instrument arrays, which are not accounted for in the validation optical pulse sensor data.

Boccippio, Dennis J.↗