Pacific Northwest Laboratory Research Articles

Improved chelators and sequestrants for Army Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Units (ROWPUs)

Mobile Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Units (ROWPUs) have been used by the armed forces to provide potable water for field applications. The current water purification systems, consist of the 600 gph, 3000 gph and 150,000 gpd ROWPUs. The ROWPU can provide potable water from any available water source such as fresh, brackish, and seawater and can also purify water that has been contaminated by nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) warfare agents. The ROWPUs are fielded with certain chemicals that are used to clean the elements and to prevent fouling and scale formation on the membranes. The antiscalant (sodium hexametaphosphate) currently used in the field, is reputed to be an effective antiscalant for constituents typically found in subsurface waters such as silicates of calcium and magnesium, etc., but not necessarily for surface waters containing organic matter, organometallic complexes, or heavy metals. The U.S. Army Belvoir Research, Development and Engineering Center has a contract with Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to evaluate an effective antiscalant agent that will be effective with multiscalant components and over a wide range of temperatures. The overall development program consists of three phases. The first phase was the market investigation in which 16 potential chemicals were recommended for further evaluation. The second phase of development was the operational analysis which was divided in two stages: 1) bottle screening tests to identify the most promising antiscalants and 2) bench-scale tests in reverse osmosis (RO) membrane test cells to obtain performance data with a test configuration more representative of actual ROWPUs. The final phase of development will be the evaluation of the most promising antiscalants in a single RO element test stand at the Belvoir Research, Development and Engineering Center. This paper presents the results of the second phase tests that were conducted during the operational analysis in which two types of tests were performed. The bottle screening tests were conducted to assess the ability of the antiscalants to inhibit the precipitation of calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate, which are inorganic scalants frequently encountered in water purification and water distribution systems. Based on the results of the Bottle screening studies, the most promising antiscalants were tested in the bench-scale test stand using the flat-plate test cells with view ports to facilitate visual observations with multi-component challenge feed solutions. Permeate flow rates, water conductivities, and visual observations were used to determine the effectiveness of the antiscalants.

NMR and enzymology of modified DNA/protein interactions.

Annals of the New York Academy of SciencesVolume 726, Issue 1 p. 303-305 NMR and Enzymology of Modified DNA/Protein Interactionsa MICHAEL A. KENNEDY, MICHAEL A. KENNEDY Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory Richland, Washington 99352Search for more papers by this author MICHAEL A. KENNEDY, MICHAEL A. KENNEDY Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory Richland, Washington 99352Search for more papers by this author First published: July 1994 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1994.tb52833.x a This work was supported by Department of Energy Grant DE-FG06-89ER-75522. M.A.K. was supported by a Department of Energy Hollaender Postdoctoral Fellowship. AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume726, Issue1DNA Damage: Effects on DNA Structure and Protein RecognitionJuly 1994Pages 303-305 RelatedInformation

Evaluation of Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductors for use in a 23.5 T NMR magnet

In order to evaluate the feasibility of using Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductors to generate fields as high as 23.5 T in NMR magnets, the Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories has initiated a conductor development and evaluation program. We report the results of one part of that program involving the Wang NMR/LBL team. Based on a preliminary magnet design, and after extensive discussion with various conductor manufacturers, conductors which had been optimized for use at fields above 20 T were purchased. These conductors have been evaluated with respect to mechanical and electrical properties. In particular, the strain dependence of the critical current density has been measured at 1.8 K and 23.5 T. These results, together with coil tests, are reported in this paper.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Conductors for a 1 GHz superconducting magnet

The development of a high resolution high-field 1 GHz NMR spectrometer has been undertaken by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories (BPNL). In preparation for the design of the superconducting magnet for that instrument, BPNL sponsored a program to measure the properties at high field (up to 23.5 T) and low temperature (1.8 K) of a number of commercially available superconductors. Lengths of these conductors were obtained and tested as short samples and in small coils. The critical current densities, index values and strain dependence of these properties were characterized. The potential applications of these conductors in construction of a 1 GHz NMR magnet are discussed.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Development of In-Service Inspection Priorities for Pressurized Water Reactor High-Pressure Injection System Components

The multiyear program entitled Nondestructive Evaluation Reliability for In-Service Inspection of Light Water Reactors, sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is being conducted at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The goals of the program are to determine the reliability of current in-service inspection of pressure boundary systems and components and to develop recommendations that can ensure a suitably high inspection reliability. The long-term objective is to develop recommendations for improved in-service inspections. In meeting program objectives, a risk-based method has been developed to guide the development of inspection plans. The method uses results of probabilistic risk assessment and failure modes and effects analysis techniques to identify and prioritize the most risk-important systems and components for inspection at nuclear power plants. The Surry Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 was selected for demonstrating the methodology. The specific system addressed in this study was the high-pressure injection/recirculation (HPI/R) system. The results provide a risk-based ranking of components within the HPI/R system, which can be used to guide the development of improved inspection plans for nuclear power plants. This work will subsequently be used in supporting the revisions of the American Society of Mechanical Engineer's codes and standards.

Snubber aging assessment

Abstract Snubbers are safety-related devices used to restrain undesirable dynamic loads at various piping and equipment locations in nuclear power plants (NPPs). Each snubber must accommodate a plant's normal thermal movements and be capable of restraining the maximum off-normal dynamic loads postulated for its specific location. The effects of snubber aging and the environments and mechanisms that degrade snubber performance need to be better understood. This paper describes the Phase II Nuclear Plant Aging Research Program in-plant aging research conducted to enhance the understanding of snubber aging and its consequences. Pacific Northwest Laboratory staff and their subcontractors, Lake Engineering and Wyle Laboratories, visited eight sites (encompassing thirteen plants) to conduct interviews with NPP staff and to collect snubber aging, testing, and maintenance data. The research methodology, evaluations, results, conclusions, and recommendations are described in the paper. Effective methods for service-life monitoring of snubbers are included in the recommendations.

SMES benefit analysis using a production cost model for Puget Sound application

Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) is an emerging technology that is expected to provide a means of storing electrical energy for use during peak demand periods. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has estimated benefits and costs associated with the use of SMES technology and has provided insight into the overall future potential of SMES in the service area of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and on systems that connect and exchange power with BPA.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

ACQUIRE: a data acquisition system for CAMAC on SUN workstations

The data acquisition software package ACQUIRE has been used for many years by the Princeton University Cyclotron Laboratory for nuclear physics research applications. This code has been ported to the SUN Sparc workstation and is fully functional, including block data transfers using an in crate Event Handler. A SCSI interface to CAMAC is utilized, and the device handling software has been developed in such a way that little modification was needed in the ACQUIRE code for the SUN implementation. The Higz X windows graphics package from CERN is used for data display. ACQUIRE will be used for test and development of CAMAC based systems within the Molecular Science Research Center at Pacific Northwest Laboratory.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Electrochemical process recovers spent catalyst

A catalyst regeneration process designed to provide environmental and cost advantages over conventional spent catalyst reclamation processes has been developed by researchers at Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories, Richland, Wash. The process, based on electrochemical dissolution, recovers metal from the spent catalysts. Hydrocarbon deposits on the catalysts are also removed and are converted to carbon dioxide and water at moderate temperatures and atmospheric pressure. Development of the process was spurred by stricter environmental regulations and the tighter economics of catalyst regeneration. The trend in oil refining toward ever heavier feedstocks puts a correspondingly greater demand on catalyst performance. Heavier feedstocks typically have higher concentrations of impurities, which promote catalyst deactivation and decrease on-stream cycle time. Simultaneously, the economic encourage lower energy consumption and an increase in reaction selectivities to minimize production of waste.

Acoustic emission/flaw relationships for inservice monitoring of LWRs : Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington (United States), NUREG/CR-5645, PNL-7479, 120 pp. (Oct. 1991)

The program concerning Acoustic Emission/Flaw Relationships for Inservice Monitoring of LWRs was initiated in FY76 with the objective of validating the application of acoustic emission (AE) to monitor nuclear reactor pressure-containing components during operation to detect cracking. The program has been supported by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. Research and development has been performed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory, operated for the Department of Energy by Battelle Memorial Institute. The program has shown the feasibility of continuous, on-line AE monitoring to detect crack growth and produced validated methods for applying the technology. Included are relationships for estimating flaw severity from AE data and field applications at Watts Bar Unit 1 Reactor, Limerick Unit 1 Reactor, and the High Flux Isotope Reactor. This report discusses the program scope and organization, the three program phases and the results obtained, standard and code activities, and instrumentation and software developed under this program.

DC Graphite Arc Furnace and Diagnostic System for Soils

ABSTRACT The need for systems to treat waste materials in a new manner has prompted the formation of an Industry-National Laboratory-University consortium to address the issue. The partners include Electro-Pyrolysis, Inc. (EPI), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). The program includes technology transfer from industry to the national laboratory and university technology transfer to the national laboratory. The national laboratory provides the problem and funding while transferring technology to industry and the university. The goal of the program is to apply EPI's Arc Furnace to the processing of Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) waste from Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). This is being facilitated through the Department of Energy's Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration (BWID) program. A second objective is to apply the diagnostics capability of MIT's Plasma Fusion Center to the understanding of the high temperature processes taking place in the...

Nano-Crystalline Powders and Suspensions Generated Using A Flow-Through Hydrothermal Process, Part I: Characterization

ABSTRACTA wide range of ultra-fine, nano-crystalline powders and suspensions have been produced using the Rapid Thermal Decomposition of precursors in Solution (RTDS) technology. These materials include single and multi-component iron-, zirconium-, titanium-, nickel-, and chromium-oxide/oxyhydroxide powders. RTDS, which was developed at Pacific Northwest Laboratory, is a flow-through hydrothermal process capable of producing nano-crystalline particulate material at rates of up to 100 grams of solid per hour. We present the results of characterization efforts on RTDS iron oxyhydroxide and zirconium oxide systems. As-collected RTDS suspensions were characterized using optical light scattering. Separated RTDS powders were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, gas adsorption analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis, and chemical analysis.

Interlaboratory Comparison of the Effects of Radon on L5178Y Cells: Dose Contribution of Radon Daughter Association with Cells

The cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of radon and its progeny were compared in murine lymphoblast L5178Y-R16 cells after exposure at three institutions. The cells were exposed to 222Rn at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and Pacific Northwest Laboratories (PNL) and to 212Bi, a decay product of 220Rn, at the University of Chicago (UC). The dose to the cell nucleus was calculated using a dosimetric model which addressed both the contribution of the dose from the radioactivity in the medium and that associated with the cells. The dose-response curves for cell survival showed D0's of 0.30 Gy at CWRU, 0.20 Gy at PNL, 0.37 Gy for chelated 212Bi, and 0.13 Gy for unchelated 212Bi. Induced mutant frequencies at the thymidine kinase locus at the 37% survival level were 1470 x 10(-6) at CWRU, 1518 at PNL, and 2414 x 10(-6) at UC using combined results for chelated and unchelated 212Bi. The variation between institutions was greater than obtained in a previous interlaboratory comparison of the effects of radon on CHO cells. Since less radioactivity was associated with CHO cells than L5178Y cells, we have concluded that the variation between institutions in the case of L5178Y cells is caused by the differences in cell-associated radioactivity and errors related to the measurement of this parameter.

Risk assessment in setting inservice inspection priorities at light water reactors

As part of the Nondestructive Evaluation Reliability Program, sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Pacific Northwest Laboratory is developing a method that uses risk-based approaches to establish inservice inspection plans for nuclear power plant components. The method first uses probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) results and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FEMA) techniques to identify and prioritize the most risk-important systems and components for inspection. The acceptable level of risk from structural failure for important systems and components is then apportioned as a small fraction of the total PRA estimated risk for core damage. This process determines the target (acceptable) risk and failure probability values for individual components. The Surry Unit 1 Nuclear Power Station was selected for pilot applications of the method. The specific systems addressed are the reactor pressure vessel, the reactor coolant, the low-pressure injection, and the auxiliary feedwater. The results provide a risk-based ranking of components within these systems and relate the target risk to target failure probability values for individual components. These results will be used to guide the development of improved inspection plans for nuclear power plants.

Benefit/cost comparisons of SMES in systems-specific applications scenarios

Abstract The inherently high storage efficiency, instantaneous dispatch capability, and multifunction uses of superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) are attributes that gives it the potential for widespread application in the electric utility industry. Opportunities appear to exist where SMES at a given location could provide multiple benefits either simultaneously or sequentially as system conditions dictate. These benefits, including diurnal storage and system stability and dynamics cotnrol enhancement, increase the application potential of SMES to a larger number of opportunities than might be justified by the value of its diurnal storage capability alone. However, the benefits an individual utility may realized from SMES applications are strongly influenced by the characteristics of the utility system, the location of the SMES unti, and the timing of its installation in the system. Such benefits are typically not evaluated adequately in generic studies. This paper summarizes results of case studies performed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) with funding provided by the Bonnevillle Power Administration (BPA) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The derivation of SMES benefits and costs are described and benefit/cost (B/C) ratios are compared in system-specific scenarios of intereste to BPA. Results of using the DYNASTORE production cost model show the sensitivity of B/C ratios to SMES capacity and power and to the forecast system load. Intermediate-size SMES applications, which primarily provide system stability and dynamic control enhancement are reveiwed. The potential for SMES to levelize the output of a wind energy complex is also assessed. Most of the cases show SMES to provide a positive net benefit with the additional, sometimes surprising indication, that B/C ratios and net present worth of intermediate-size units can exceed those of larger systems.

Effective Dose Equivalents and Effective Doses for Neutrons from 30 to 180 MeV

Monte Carlo calculations of neutron fluence-to-dose conversion factors have been performed using the Pacific Northwest Laboratory versions of the MIRD-V male and female anthropomorphic phantoms for the AP, PA, LAT, and ROT irradiation geometries. The phantoms were irradiated with monoenergetic, parallel neutron beams over the energy range from 30 to 180 MeV. The impacts of the new radiation protection quantities recommended in the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 60 were explored. Effective dose equivalents were calculated using both the ICRP 21 and ICRP 60 quality factor-LET (Q-L) relationships. The LAHET computer code was utilised to perform the energy deposition calculations for neutrons above 20 MeV. Secondary charged particles are tracked down to 1 MeV in LAHET. Lower energy neutrons and neutron-induced photons were transported using the HMCNP code and the ENDF/B-V continuous energy cross section data library. Previously calculated ambient dose equivalent and the deep dose equivalent index were found to underestimate the effective dose for energies higher than 50 MeV. Tabulations including organ dose equivalents are reported.

Development of In-Service Inspection Plans for Nuclear Components at the Surry Unit 1 Nuclear Power Station

As part of the nondestructive evaluation reliability program sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission at Pacific Northwest Laboratory, a methodology has been developed for establishing in-service inspection priorities of nuclear power plant components. The method uses results of probabilistic risk assessment in conjunction with the techniques of failure modes and effects analysis to identify and prioritize the most risk-important systems and components for inspection at nuclear power plants. Surry nuclear power station unit 1 was selected for demonstrating the methodology. The specific systems selected for analysis were the reactor pressure vessel, the reactor coolant, the low pressure injection including the accumulators, and the auxiliary feedwater. The results provide a risk-based ranking of components that can be used to establish a prioritization of the components and a basis for developing improved in-service inspection plans at nuclear power plants.

SAFT-UT Utilities reference manual: Hall, T.E. Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington (United States), DE88-000547, 64 pp. (Oct. 1987)

SAFT-UT Utilities reference manual: Hall, T.E. Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington (United States), DE88-000547, 64 pp. (Oct. 1987)

Development and validation of a real-time SAFT-UT system for the inspection of light water reactor components. Annual Report October 1985 – September 1986: Doctor, S.R.; Hall, T.E.; Reid, L.D.; Mart, G.A. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. (United States), NUREG-CR-4583, 72 pp. (Jul. 1987)

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory is working to design, fabricate, and evaluate a real-time flaw detection and characterization system based on the synthetic aperture focusing technique for ultrasonic testing (SAFT-UT). The system is designed to perform inservice inspection of light-water reactor components. Included objectives of this program for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are to develop procedures for system calibration and field operation, to validate the system through laboratory and field inspections, and to generate an engineering data base to support ASME Code acceptance of the technology. This progress report covers the programmatic work from October 1984 through September 1985.

Development and validation of a real-time SAFT-UT system for the inspection of light water reactor components: Doctor, S.R.; Hall, T.E.; Reid, L.D.; Mart, G.A. Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington (United States), DE87-014674, 65 pp. (Jul. 1987)

Development and validation of a real-time SAFT-UT system for the inspection of light water reactor components: Doctor, S.R.; Hall, T.E.; Reid, L.D.; Mart, G.A. Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington (United States), DE87-014674, 65 pp. (Jul. 1987)