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At least 1,747 records · Page 97

Strategy for Used Fuel Acquisition

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), Office of Fuel Cycle Technology, has established the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) to conduct the research and development activities related to storage, transportation, and disposal of used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The mission of the UFDC is to identify alternatives and conduct scientific research and technology development to enable storage, transportation and disposal of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and wastes generated by existing and future nuclear fuel cycles. The Storage and Transportation staffs within the UFDC are responsible for addressing issues regarding the extended or long-term storage of UNF and its subsequent transportation. The near-term objectives of the Storage and Transportation task are to use a science-based approach to develop the technical bases to support the continued safe and secure storage of UNF for extended periods, subsequent retrieval, and transportation. While both wet and dry storage have been shown to be safe options for storing UNF, the focus of the program is on dry storage at reactor or centralized locations. Because limited information is available on the properties of high burnup fuel (exceeding 45 gigawatt-days per metric tonne of uranium [GWd/MTU]), and because much of the fuel currently discharged from today’s reactors exceeds this burnup threshold, a particular emphasis of this program is on high burnup fuels. Since high burnup used fuels have only been loaded into dry storage systems in the past decade or so, these materials are available to the UFDC for testing in only very limited quantities. Much of what is available has come via NRC testing programs. Some of these fuels may have achieved "high burnup," but that does not mean they were designed for high burnup use (e.g. lower enrichments, smaller plenum spaces, extra reactor cycles). The handling and transfer of these materials from utility to laboratory has not always been prototypical of how used nuclear fuel is prepared for dry storage; these fuels are not subjected to the same vacuum drying conditions that can lead to changes in hydride morphology that will affect the mechanical properties of the fuel. It is recognized that sources of used high burnup fuel that can be handled in a manner consistent with how fuel is readied for dry storage is essential to the mission of the UFDC. This report documents what types of fuel are of interest to the campaign, and how those fuels could be acquired and shipped to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for incorporation into the campaign R&D mission. It also identifies any gaps in INL capabilities that might preclude working with one fuel type or another.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Strategy for Fuel Rod Receipt, Characterization, Sample Allocation for the Demonstration Sister Rods

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), Office of Fuel Cycle Technology, has established the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) to conduct the research and development activities related to storage, transportation, and disposal of used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The mission of the UFDC is to identify alternatives and conduct scientific research and technology development to enable storage, transportation and disposal of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and wastes generated by existing and future nuclear fuel cycles. The UFDC Storage and Transportation staffs are responsible for addressing issues regarding the extended or long-term storage of UNF and its subsequent transportation. The near-term objectives of the Storage and Transportation task are to use a science-based approach to develop the technical bases to support the continued safe and secure storage of UNF for extended periods, subsequent retrieval, and transportation. While low burnup fuel [that characterized as having a burnup of less than 45 gigawatt days per metric tonne uranium (GWD/MTU)] has been stored for nearly three decades, the storage of high burnup used fuels is more recent. The DOE has funded a demonstration project to confirm the behavior of used high burnup fuel under prototypic conditions. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is leading a project team to develop and implement the Test Plan to collect this data from a UNF dry storage system containing high burnup fuel. The Draft Test Plan for the demonstration outlines the data to be collected; the high burnup fuel to be included; the technical data gaps the data will address; and the storage system design, procedures, and licensing necessary to implement the Test Plan. To provide data that is most relevant to high burnup fuel in dry storage, the design of the test storage system must closely mimic real conditions high burnup SNF experiences during all stages of dry storage: loading, cask drying, inert gas backfilling, and transfer to an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) for multi-year storage. To document the initial condition of the used fuel prior to emplacement in a storage system, “sister ” fuel rods will be harvested and sent to a national laboratory for characterization and archival purposes. This report supports the demonstration by describing how sister rods will be shipped and received at a national laboratory, and recommending basic nondestructive and destructive analyses to assure the fuel rods are adequately characterized for UFDC work. For this report, a hub-and-spoke model is proposed, with one location serving as the hub for fuel rod receipt and characterization. In this model, fuel and/or clad would be sent to other locations when capabilities at the hub were inadequate or nonexistent. This model has been proposed to reduce DOE-NE’s obligation for waste cleanup and decontamination of equipment.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Techniques and applications for binaural sound manipulation in human-machine interfaces

The implementation of binaural sound to speech and auditory sound cues (auditory icons) is addressed from both an applications and technical standpoint. Techniques overviewed include processing by means of filtering with head-related transfer functions. Application to advanced cockpit human interface systems is discussed, although the techniques are extendable to any human-machine interface. Research issues pertaining to three-dimensional sound displays under investigation at the Aerospace Human Factors Division at NASA Ames Research Center are described.

Begault, Durand R.↗

Techniques and applications for binaural sound manipulation in human-machine interfaces

The implementation of binaural sound to speech and auditory sound cues (auditory icons) is addressed from both an applications and technical standpoint. Techniques overviewed include processing by means of filtering with head-related transfer functions. Application to advanced cockpit human interface systems is discussed, although the techniques are extendable to any human-machine interface. Research issues pertaining to three-dimensional sound displays under investigation at the Aerospace Human Factors Division at NASA Ames Research Center are described.

Begault, Durand R.↗

NSSDC Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies for Space and Earth Science Applications, volume 1

Papers and viewgraphs from the conference are presented. This conference served as a broad forum for the discussion of a number of important issues in the field of mass storage systems. Topics include magnetic disk and tape technologies, optical disks and tape, software storage and file management systems, and experiences with the use of a large, distributed storage system. The technical presentations describe, among other things, integrated mass storage systems that are expected to be available commercially. Also included is a series of presentations from Federal Government organizations and research institutions covering their mass storage requirements for the 1990's.

Kobler, Benjamin↗

Systems Engineering and Integration for Advanced Life Support System and HST

Systems engineering (SE) discipline has revolutionized the way engineers and managers think about solving issues related to design of complex systems: With continued development of state-of-the-art technologies, systems are becoming more complex and therefore, a systematic approach is essential to control and manage their integrated design and development. This complexity is driven from integration issues. In this case, subsystems must interact with one another in order to achieve integration objectives, and also achieve the overall system's required performance. Systems engineering process addresses these issues at multiple levels. It is a technology and management process dedicated to controlling all aspects of system life cycle to assure integration at all levels. The Advanced Integration Matrix (AIM) project serves as the systems engineering and integration function for the Human Support Technology (HST) program. AIM provides means for integrated test facilities and personnel for performance trade studies, analyses, integrated models, test results, and validated requirements of the integration of HST. The goal of AIM is to address systems-level integration issues for exploration missions. It will use an incremental systems integration approach to yield technologies, baselines for further development, and possible breakthrough concepts in the areas of technological and organizational interfaces, total information flow, system wide controls, technical synergism, mission operations protocols and procedures, and human-machine interfaces.

Kamarani, Ali K.↗

Considerations For Waste-to-Base Future Research Paths

Developing innovative technologies to reprocess low value waste into high value base products will enable a new “Waste-to-Base” (WtB) capability leading to innovative approaches to space mission design. Systems engineers and mission architects will work together under a new paradigm in logistics planning. Equipment, components, packaging, storage, and structures will be understood not only by functional requirements, but also in terms of useful lifetimes and materials of construction. The advent of a new technical discipline - reprocess engineering - will grow from the intersection between chemical, mechanical, and systems engineering, mission design, and logistics planning. A crowdsourcing approach was employed to gather low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) concepts into workable solutions for issues in trash management, CO 2 processing, foam reprocessing, and fecal processing. The results of the crowdsourcing activities are summarized along with a discussion for future technology development work.

Logistics reduction↗

Considerations For Waste-to-Base Future Research Paths

Developing innovative technologies to reprocess low value waste into high value base products will enable a new “Waste-to-Base” (WtB) capability leading to innovative approaches to space mission design. Systems engineers and mission architects will work together under a new paradigm in logistics planning. Equipment, components, packaging, storage, and structures will be understood not only by functional requirements, but also in terms of useful lifetimes and materials of construction. The advent of a new technical discipline - reprocess engineering - will grow from the intersection between chemical, mechanical, and systems engineering, mission design, and logistics planning. A crowdsourcing approach was employed to gather low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) concepts into workable solutions for issues in trash management, CO2 processing, foam reprocessing, and fecal processing. The results of the crowdsourcing activities are summarized along with a discussion for future technology development work.

Logistics reduction↗

Los Alamos National Laboratory Permit Modification Request for Technical Area 63 Transuranic Waste Facility Hazardous Waste Container Storage Unit (Rev. 3)

This Class 3 permit modification requests the addition of a hazardous waste management unit, the Transuranic Waste Facility (TWF), to the Los Alamos National Laboratory Hazardous Waste Facility Permit (November 2010), (hereinafter referred to as “the Permit”). The Permit was issued by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) in November, 1989 and renewed in 2010 (NMED 2010). The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Identification Number is NM0890010515. The facility is owned by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the Department of Energy (DOE), and is operated jointly by NNSA-DOE and by Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS). This permit modification request has been prepared to address requirements in the New Mexico Administrative Code, Title 20, Chapter 4, Part 1 (20.4.1 NMAC), as revised October 2009, that are specific for the proposed new hazardous waste storage operations at the TWF. The renewed Permit contains many of the conditions addressing the requirements of the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act (NMHWA) and implementing regulations, specifically 40 CFR, that are common to all LANL hazardous waste management units. The relevant sections of the Permit are referenced throughout this document. Together, information provided in this document and in the Permit will meet the applicable requirements specified in 40 CFR Parts 264 and 270 for the proposed unit.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

State Performance-Based Regulation Using Multiyear Rate Plans for U.S. Electric Utilities

Electric utilities today must contain costs at a time when many need to modernize aging systems and all face major changes in technologies, customer preferences and competitive pressures.Most U.S. electric utility facilities are investor-owned, subject to rate and service regulation by state public utility commissions. Regulatory systems under which these utilities operate affect their performance and ability to meet these challenges. In this business environment, multiyear rate plans have some advantages over traditional rate regulation.The report focuses on key design issues and provides case studies of the multiyear rate plan approach, applicable to both vertically integrated and restructured states. Mark Newton Lowry and Matt Makos of Pacific Energy Group Research and Jeff Deason of Berkeley Lab authored the report; Lisa Schwartz, Berkeley Lab, was project manager and technical editor.The report is aimed primarily at state utility regulators and stakeholders in the state regulatory process. The multiyear rate approach also provides ideas on how to streamline oversight of public power utilities and rural electric cooperatives for their governing boards.Two key provisions of multiyear rate plans strengthen cost containment incentives and streamline regulation: 1. Reducing frequency of rate cases, typically to every four or five years 2. Using an attrition relief mechanism to escalate rates or revenue between rate cases to address cost pressures such as inflation and growth in number of customers, independently of the utility’s own cost Better utility performance can be achieved under well-designed multiyear rate plans while achieving lower regulatory costs. Benefits can be shared between utilities and their customers. But plans can be complex and involve significant changes in the regulatory system. Designing plans that stimulate utility performance without undue risk and share benefits fairly can be challenging.This report discusses the rationale for multiyear rate plans and their usefulness under modern business conditions. It then explains critical plan design issues and challenges and presents results from numerical research that considers the extra incentive power achieved under different plan provisions. Next, the report presents several case studies of utilities that have operated under formal multiyear rate plans or, for various reasons, have stayed out of rate cases for more than a decade. These studies consider the effect of multiyear rate plans and rate case frequency on utility cost, reliability and other performance dimensions.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Notification of Class 1 Permit Modification to Attachment B, Part A Application for the Los Alamos National Laboratory Hazardous Waste Facility Permit, EPA ID # NM0890010515

This document contains a notification for a Class 1 Permit Modification to modify the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Hazardous Waste Facility Permit (Permit) issued to the Department of Energy and the Los Alamos National Security, LLC, collectively known as the Permittees, in November 2010. All changes have been made to Attachment B, Part A Application, and a full, updated form, Revision 10.0, is enclosed. The modification updates the facility contact and address information, and the process codes and design capacity section for Technical Area (TA) 14; TA-16; TA-39; TA-54 West; TA-54, Area G; and TA-55 within the Attachment B, Part A Application. The process codes and design capacity section for TA-14, TA-16, and TA-39 was updated to incorporate a statement that the Permittees have notified of the intent to close units at these locations. The process design capacity for TA-54, Area G has been updated from 3,664,150 gallons to 4,346,590 gallons to account for the TA-54, Area G Pad 11 container storage unit that was added when the Permit was issued in 2010 but at the time did not previously store hazardous waste. The number of units at TA-54, Area G was also updated to 9 units to include this new unit. The process design capacity for TA-55 has also been updated from 178,500 gallons to 207,600 gallons to incorporate the addition of the TA-55-185 container storage unit that was also added when the Permit was issued. The number of storage units at TA-55 was updated to 7 to include the unit. The process design capacity at TA-54 West was changed to 11,660 gallons to correct a typographical error in previous versions of the form.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Nuclear Data Sheets for A=266,270,274,278,282,286,290,294,298☆

Spectroscopic information such as production, identification, half-lives, decay modes and possible excited states for experimentally known nuclides of mass numbers 266, 270, 274, 278, 282, 286, 290, 294, and 298 are presented together with the recommended values, superseding information and data in the previous ENSDF and NDS evaluation by 2005Gu33. No nuclides have yet been identified for A=302. In the last 14 years, large amounts of new and definitive data on the superheavy nuclides (SHN) have become available, thus changing almost entirely the landscape of nuclear data in this mass region, as also indicated by a number of recent review articles: 2017Og01, 2016Ho09, 2016Ho06 (for fission barriers), 2015Og05, 2015Og07, 2015Mo25, 2015OgZX, 2013Th02, and 2011Og07. See 2016Ka49 for IUPAC technical discussions for the discovery of Z=117 (Ts), Z=115 (Mc), Z=113 (Nh), 2001Ka70 and 2003Ka71 for Z=110-112, 2011Ba54 for Z≥113, 2009Ba62 for Z=112, and 2016Ka50 for Z=118 (Og). A special issue of Nuclear Physics A444 (2015) is devoted to research on superheavy elements (SHE) with 27 articles. In particular, see article by 2015Ko20 on mass spectrometric searches for superheavy elements in terrestrial matter. See also Proceedings of Nobel Symposium NS160 ‘Chemistry and Physics of Heavy and Superheavy Elements’ published in Eur. Phys. Jour. Web of Conferences 131 (2016), in particular 2016UtZZ, 2016DmZZ and 2016HoZY. See also 2016DuZX for future prospects of discovery of elements beyond Z=118 A=266: {sup 266}Db, {sup 266}Sg, {sup 266}Bh, {sup 266}Hs and {sup 266}Mt are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=266. Identification of {sup 266}Lr from α decay of {sup 270}Db has been proposed by 2014Kh04 from experiments at GSI, but complete details and analyses of all the four decay chains reported in this experiment have not yet been published, and discussion in 2015Og05 review article considering their work from Dubna (2013Og04, 2011Og04) and from GSI (2014Kh04) still concluded that {sup 270}Db decayed dominantly by SF mode, in contrast with dominant α decay mode proposed by 2014Kh04. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL, GSI-SHIP facility, RIKEN, and LBNL facilities: {sup 266}Db from the α-decay of {sup 282}Nh in two correlated decay chains at Dubna; {sup 266}Sg as α-daughter of {sup 270}Hs in 12 correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI; {sup 266}Bh in α decay of {sup 278}Nh in three correlated decay chains observed at RIKEN, and also directly with one event in {sup 249}Bk({sup 22}Ne,5n) at LBNL, and with four events in {sup 243}Am({sup 26}Mg,3n) at HIRFL-Lanzhou; {sup 266}Hs as α-daughter of {sup 270}Ds at GSI in two different experiments, six correlated decays in the first, and 25 decay chains in the second experiment, the analysis of which has not been fully reported as yet; and {sup 266}Mt directly in {sup 209}Bi({sup 58}Fe,n) reaction at GSI in two different experiments, observing three events in the first experiment and 12 events in the second, also produced in {sup 208}Pb({sup 59}Co,n) reaction at LBNL, observing five correlated decay chains. See also 2000Ho27 for discussion on {sup 266}Sg and {sup 266}Mt. A=270: {sup 270}Db, {sup 270}Bh, {sup 270}Hs, {sup 270}Mt and {sup 270}Ds are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=270 are presented. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL, GSI-SHIP facility, and RIKEN: {sup 270}Db from the decay of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI; {sup 270}Bh as α great-granddaughter of {sup 282}Nh in two correlated decay chains observed at Dubna; {sup 270}Hs directly in {sup 248}Cm({sup 26}Mg,4n) reaction at GSI, and in {sup 226}Ra({sup 48}Ca,4n) reaction at Dubna; {sup 270}Mt as granddaughter of {sup 278}Ts in three correlated decay chains at RIKEN; and {sup 270}Ds directly in {sup 207}Pb({sup 64}Ni,n) at GSI in 33 correlated decay chains. A=274: {sup 274}Bh, {sup 274}Mt and {sup 274}Rg are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=274. Search for {sup 274}Ds in {sup 238}U({sup 40}Ar, 4n),E=5.7 MeV/nucleon reaction and subsequent α decays at GSI (1990Sc11) proved negative. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL, GSI-SHIP facility, and RIKEN: {sup 274}Bh from the decay of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI, {sup 274}Mt produced as α daughter of {sup 282}Nh in two correlated decay chains observed at Dubna, and {sup 274}Rg as α daughter of {sup 278}Nh produced in three correlated decay chains at RIKEN. A=278: {sup 278}Mt, {sup 278}Rg and {sup 278}Nh are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=278. A very tentative evidence is provided for {sup 278}Bh and {sup 278}Hs from a chain originally observed and assigned to {sup 289}Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to {sup 290}Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, {sup 290}Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to {sup 290}Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in {sup 278}Bh that decays by SF mode. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, GSI-SHIP facility, and RIKEN: {sup 278}Mt from the decay of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI, {sup 278}Rg produced as α daughter of {sup 282}Nh in two correlated decay chains observed at Dubna, and {sup 278}Nh produced directly in three correlated decay chains at RIKEN. A=282: {sup 282}Rg, {sup 282}Cn and {sup 282}Nh are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=282. A very tentative evidence is provided for {sup 282}Mt and {sup 282}Ds from a chain originally observed and assigned to {sup 289}Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to {sup 290}Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, {sup 290}Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to {sup 290}Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in {sup 278}Bh that decays by SF mode. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, {sup 282}Rg in α decay chain of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI, {sup 282}Cn produced in four ways at Dubna: independently in one correlated decay chain, as α daughter of {sup 286}Lv in 11 correlated decay chains, as α grand-daughter of {sup 290}Lv in 12 correlated decay chains, as α great-grand daughter of {sup 294}Og in four correlated decay chains, and {sup 282}Nh produced at Dubna directly in two correlated decay chains. A=286: {sup 286}Nh and {sup 286}Fl are the only experimentally identified nuclides with A=286. A very tentative evidence is provided for {sup 286}Rg and {sup 286}Cn from a chain originally observed and assigned to {sup 289}Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to {sup 290}Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, {sup 290}Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to {sup 290}Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in {sup 278}Bh that decays by SF mode. 2017Ka66 in experiments at RIKEN using GARIS separator interpret one correlated decay chain in three different ways, one involving possible production of {sup 294}Lv in {sup 248}Cm({sup 48}Ca,2n),E=261.6 MeV, and α decay to {sup 290}Fl which further decays to {sup 286}Cn. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, {sup 286}Nh as α grand-daughter of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains, and {sup 286}Fl produced in three ways: independently in 11 correlated decay chains, as α daughter of {sup 290}Lv in 12 correlated decay chains, and as α grand-daughter of {sup 294}Og in four correlated decay chains. A=290: {sup 290}Mc and {sup 290}Lv are the only experimentally identified nuclides with A=290. A tentative evidence is provided for {sup 290}Nh and {sup 290}Fl from a chain originally observed and assigned to {sup 289}Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to {sup 290}Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, {sup 290}Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to {sup 290}Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in {sup 278}Bh that decays by SF mode. 2017Ka66 in experiments at RIKEN using GARIS separator interpret one correlated decay chain in three different ways, one involving possible production of {sup 294}Lv in {sup 248}Cm({sup 48}Ca,2n),E=261.6 MeV, and α decay to {sup 290}Fl. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, {sup 290}Mc as α daughter of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains, and {sup 290}Lv produced in two ways, independently in 14 correlated decay chains, and as α daughter of {sup 294}Og in four correlated decay chains. A=294: {sup 294}Ts and {sup 294}Og are the only experimentally identified nuclides with A=294. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, with a total of six EVR-α-SF correlated decay chains observed for {sup 294}Ts and four for {sup 294}Og. Tentative identification of {sup 294}Lv is provided by 2017Ka66 from the observation one correlated event using GARIS-RIKEN facility, where this event is interpreted in three possible ways, two interpretations lead to production of {sup 293}Lv and successive odd-A nuclides of {sup 289}Fl, {sup 285}Cn and {sup 281}Ds, whereas the third prediction starts with the production of {sup 294}Lv and successive {sup 290}Fl and {sup 286}Cn nuclides. Search for {sup 294}Rg in natural gold materials (2011De03), and for {sup 294}Ds, {sup 294}Fl and {sup 294}Mc in natural Pt, Pb and Bi samples (2011De21) using accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) proved negative, with extremely low upper limits established. Also 1980St05 did not see any evidence for {sup 294}Ds in natural Pt sample using AMS. A=298: Search for {sup 298}120 through fusion-evaporation reaction at Dubna, and for {sup 298}Fl and {sup 298}Mc in natural Pt, Pb and Bi samples using accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) proved negative. Tentative assignment of three α-α-α decay chains by 2016Ho09 to {sup 299}120 in {sup 248}Cm({sup 54}Cr,3n){sup 299}120 at GSI was refuted by 2017He11, assigning these correlations to random events, instead. A=302: Fluorescent x rays from Z=120 element were observed by 2012Fr03 from compound nucleus {sup 302}120 produced in {sup 238}U({sup 64}Ni,X),E=6.6 MeV/nucleon at GANIL, and x-ray yields were measured, together with minimum average time deduced from x-ray multiplicity. The compound nucleus could decay by 3n- or 4n-channels to produce {sup 299}120 or {sup 298}120. 2012He05 and 2016Ho09 also produced {sup 302}120 compound nucleus in {sup 248}Cm({sup 54}Cr, xn){sup 302}120{sup *},E=6.035 MeV/nucleon; and {sup 238}U({sup 64}Ni,xn){sup 302}120{sup *},E=5.53 MeV/nucleon reactions using UNILAC at GSI. Three α-α-α correlated decays from {sup 248}Cm({sup 54}Cr,xn){sup 302}120{sup *} reaction were tentatively assigned by 2016Ho09 to {sup 299}120 decay, however, a detailed analysis by 2017He11 refuted this claim, ascribing these events to random sequences. There are no data tables for A=302.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Structure of the thermal boundary layer in turbulent channel flows at transcritical conditions

Enhanced fluctuations, steep gradients, and intensified heat transfer are characteristics of wall-bounded turbulence at transcritical conditions. Although such conditions are prevalent in numerous technical applications, the structure of the thermal boundary layer under realistic density gradients and heating conditions remains poorly understood. Specifically, statistical descriptions of the temperature field in such flows are provided inconsistently using existing models. To address this issue, direct numerical simulations are performed by considering fully developed transcritical turbulent channel flow at pressure and temperature conditions that cause density changes of a factor of up to $O(20)$ between the hot and cold walls. As a consequence of the proximity of the Widom line to the hot wall, significant asymmetries are observed when comparing regions near the cold wall and near the hot wall. Previous transformations that attempt to collapse the near-wall mean temperature profiles among different cases to a single curve are examined. By addressing model deficiencies of these transformations, a formulation for an improved mean temperature transformation is proposed, with appropriate considerations for real fluid effects that involve strong variations in thermodynamic quantities. Our proposed transformation is shown to perform well in collapsing the slope of the logarithmic region to a single universal value with reduced uncertainty. Coupled with a predictive framework to estimate the non-universal shift parameter of the logarithmic region using a priori information, our transformation provides an analytic profile to model the near-wall mean temperature. These results thus provide a framework to guide the development of models for wall-bounded transcritical turbulence.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Electric Power Industry Challenges Due to Increasing Shares of Inverter-Based Resources in Power Systems

The large-scale integration of variable renewable energy technologies around the world is forcing electric power systems into an unprecedented transition. This paper reports on power grid modernization and reliability issues related to the planning and operation of power systems with high levels of variable renewable energy. The contents of this paper stem from recent qualitative research in the form of a summary of an industry survey. The technical feedback from the interviewed 37 industry experts helped us identify 12 key areas of potential concern, which are discussed throughout this paper.

power system operation↗

Experimental Investigations -- Midyear Status Report

This report summarizes technical work conducted by LANL staff and international collaborators in support of the UFD Storage Experimentation effort. The current focus of this technical work is two-fold: 1) on the stainless steel (304L) failure mechanism known as stress corrosion cracking (SCC), and 2) on the concrete integrity under degradation conditions (e.g., thermal, radiation, alkali-aggregate reactions). As these issues are common among our international partners, a significant effort has been put forth to engage foreign programs in a mutually beneficial collaborative program on these topics. Results from these collaborations, notably with Japan, France and Switzerland, are highlighted.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Discharge Permit-1845 Quarterly Status Report April 2018

Discharge Permit (DP)-1845 was issued by the New Mexico Environment (NMED) Ground Water Quality Bureau (GWQB) for discharges via up to three injection wells in a phased Treatability Study of in-situ bioremediation of groundwater at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico, Technical Area-V Groundwater Area of Concern. This report fulfills the quarterly reporting requirements set forth in DP-1845, Section IV.B, Monitoring and Reporting. This reporting period is October 1st through December 31st, 2017. The report is due to NMED GWQB by May 1st, 2018.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Y-12 Groundwater Protection Program Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling and Analysis Plan (CY 2021)

This plan provides a description of the groundwater and surface water quality monitoring activities planned for calendar year (CY) 2021 at the U.S. Department of Energy Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) that will be managed by the Y-12 Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP). Groundwater and surface water monitoring is performed by the GWPP. Groundwater and surface water monitoring will be performed in three hydrogeologic regimes at Y-12: the Bear Creek Hydrogeologic Regime (Bear Creek Regime), the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek Hydrogeologic Regime (East Fork Regime), and the Chestnut Ridge Hydrogeologic Regime (Chestnut Ridge Regime). The Bear Creek and East Fork regimes are located in Bear Creek Valley and the Chestnut Ridge Regime is located south of Y-12. Additional surface water monitoring will be performed north of Pine Ridge along the boundary of the Oak Ridge Reservation. The following sections of this report provide details regarding the CY 2021 groundwater and surface water monitoring activities. Section 2 describes the monitoring locations in each regime and the processes used to select the sampling locations. A description of the field measurements and laboratory analytes is provided in Section 3. Sample collection methods and procedures are described in Section 4, and Section 5 lists the documents cited for more detailed operational and technical information. The narrative sections of the report reference several appendices. Figures (maps and diagrams) and tables (excluding a data summary table presented in Section 4) are in Appendix A and Appendix B, respectively. Groundwater Monitoring Schedules (when issued throughout CY 2021) will be inserted in Appendix C, and addenda to this plan (if issued) will be inserted in Appendix D. Laboratory requirements (bottle lists, holding times, etc.) are provided in Appendix E, and an approved Waste Management Plan is provided in Appendix F. Modifications to the CY 2021 monitoring program may be necessary during implementation. Changes in programmatic requirements may alter the analytes specified for selected monitoring wells or may add or remove wells from the planned monitoring network. Each modification to the monitoring program will be approved by the Y-12 GWPP manager and documented as an addendum to this sampling and analysis plan.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Fly-by-light flight control system technology development plan

The results of a four-month, phased effort to develop a Fly-by-Light Technology Development Plan are documented. The technical shortfalls for each phase were identified and a development plan to bridge the technical gap was developed. The production configuration was defined for a 757-type airplane, but it is suggested that the demonstration flight be conducted on the NASA Transport Systems Research Vehicle. The modifications required and verification and validation issues are delineated in this report. A detailed schedule for the phased introduction of fly-by-light system components has been generated. It is concluded that a fiber-optics program would contribute significantly toward developing the required state of readiness that will make a fly-by-light control system not only cost effective but reliable without mitigating the weight and high-energy radio frequency related benefits.

Chakravarty, A.↗