Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Unlv Transmutation Research Program Proposal Year Iii: Design And Evaluation Of Processes For Fuel Fabrication, Georg F. Mauer

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

The objective of this project is the design and evaluation of manufacturing processes for transmuter fuel fabrication. The large-scale deployment of remote fabrication and refabrication processes will be required for all transmutation scenarios. Current program emphasis is on a five-year effort to determine the feasibility of transmutation as a technology to limit the need for repository storage of spent commercial fuel. The evaluation of the fabrication processes will create a decision support data base to document design, operations, and costs. Fabrication processes required for different fuel types differ in terms of equipment types, throughput, and cost. Differential cost Implications of …

Development Of A Mechanistic Understanding Of High-Temperature Deformation Of Alloy Ep-823 For Transmutation Applications, Ajit K. Roy, Brendan O'Toole

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the elevated temperature tensile properties of Alloy EP-823, a leading target material for accelerator-driven waste transmutation applications. This alloy has been proven to be an excellent structural material to contain the lead-bismuth-eutectic (LBE) nuclear coolant needed for fast spectrum operations. However, very little data exist in the open literature on the tensile properties of this alloy. The selection of Alloy EP-823 as the test material in the proposed task is based on the recommendation of our collaborator at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The test material will be thermally treated prior …

Development Of A Systems Engineering Model Of The Chemical Separations Process, Yitung Chen, Darrell Pepper, Randy Clarksean

Separations Campaign (TRP)

Two activities are proposed: the development of a systems engineering model and the refinement of the Argonne code AMUSE (Argonne Model for Universal Solvent Extraction). The detailed systems engineering model will be continuously focusing on the integrated approach to the analysis of the materials separations associated with the TRP Program. A second portion of the project will streamline and improve an integral part of the overall systems model, which is the software package AMUSE. AMUSE analyzes the UREX process and other related solvent extraction processes and defines many of the process streams that are integral to the systems engineering model. …

Development Of Dose Coefficients For Radionuclides Produced In Spallation Neutron Sources, Phillip W. Patton

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

A research consortium comprised of representatives from several universities and national laboratories has been established as part of this on-going project to generate internal and external dose conversion coefficients for radionuclides produced in spallation neutron sources. Information obtained from this multi-year study will be used to support the siting and licensing of future accelerator-driven nuclear initiatives within the U.S. Department of Energy complex, including the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) and the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) Projects. Determination of these coefficients will also fill data gaps for several hundred radionuclides that exist in Federal Guide Report No. 11 and in …

Development Of A Systems Engineering Model Of The Chemical Separations Process: Quarterly Progress Report 2/16/03- 5/15/03, Yitung Chen, Randy Clarksean, Darrell Pepper

Separations Campaign (TRP)

Two activities are proposed in this Phase I task: the development of a systems engineering model and the refinement of the Argonne code AMUSE (Argonne Model for Universal Solvent Extraction). The detailed systems engineering model is the start of an integrated approach to the analysis of the materials separations associated with the AAA Program. A second portion of the project is to streamline and improve an integral part of the overall systems model, which is the software package AMUSE. AMUSE analyzes the UREX process and other related solvent extraction processes and defines many of the process streams that are integral …

Immobilization Of Fission Iodine By Reaction With A Fullerene Containing Carbon Compound And Insoluble Natural Organic Matrix, Spencer M. Steinberg

Separations Campaign (TRP)

The recovery of iodine released during the processing of used nuclear fuel poses a significant challenge to the transmutation of radioactive iodine. This proposal will develop and examine the use of Fullerene Containing Carbon (FCC) compounds as potential sorbents for iodine release from the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. This work will also include the development of bench-scale testing capabilities at UNLV to allow the testing of the FCC material in a simulated process off-gas environment. This experimental capability will also be used to test other potential sorbtion materials and processes, such as natural organic matter (NOM) and other promising alternatives. …

Design And Analysis For Melt Casting Metallic Fuel Pins Incorporating Volatile Actinides: Quarterly Progress Report 2/16/03- 5/15/03, Yitung Chen, Randy Clarksean, Darrell Pepper

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

Progress continues on the analysis of casting and solidification of the melt into molds. Modeling results for constant pressure casting, which is more realistic, have been obtained and produce physically realistic results for flow that starts, flows, and then eventually stops as it enters the mold. Potential mass transfer modeling features (Lammuir’s law for example) are being studied to enhance the capabilities of a mass transfer in a detailed system model. Different parameters are being varied as part of a parametric study to evaluate factors that impact the flow of the melt into the molds. The ability to include the …

Travel Time Study At The Wetlands Park National Preserve, Brandon Bair

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis reports on a study of the residence time of water in the Wetlands Park Nature Preserve in Henderson, Nevada. Rhodamine WT was used in order to test for the travel time of the water from the Monson Channel inflow to the Nature Preserve outflow to the Las Vegas Wash. The initial hypothesis was that the water would stay in the system for approximately 8 days. Residence time was tested using an ISCO sampling machine along with a Sequoia-Turner model 450 fluorimeter to test for the fluoresce of the dye in the water. All samples collected were taken immediately …

Qualitative Measurements Of Occupant Comfort In Five U.S. Schools, Anthony Miller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) performed indoor air quality studies in five U.S. schools during energy retrofits during 1997-98. Four EPA reports and three Environmental Health and Engineering, Inc. (EH&E) reports illustrated the indoor environmental quality before and after heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) retrofits at specific elementary schools in Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, and California. Selected comfort, environmental, physical, and occupant response data were collected in randomly selected areas over a one–week, five–school day monitoring period for each of these schools.

The EPA studied indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant comfort using an EPA Indoor Environmental …

A Waste Assessment Of The Unlv Dormitories, Colin Kaneda

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this thesis is the examine the waste stream of the UNLV dormitories to see if there is a significant amount of waste than can be diverted through a possible recycling program to lower disposal costs. Also with this data we can look at if the student monitored program in the Upper Classmen Complex dormitories is having any effect on the waste stream. This was done through a waste assessment which is where garbage is sorted and weighed by categories. This study found that 35% of the waste stream is recyclable. This data was compared to the national …

Fluctuations In Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Counts At Three Lower Columbia River Spawning Sites, Eric Michael Loomis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Several hypotheses were developed to explore the pronounced increase in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) returning to spawning grounds at the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis Rivers, three tributaries of the lower Columbia River. The study was conducted using data compiled over a ten-year span from 1991-2001. Preliminary indications are that trends in climate are linked to these increases, with the absence of El Niño events and fluctuations in winter precipitation as likely explanations of these phenomena. The unique nature of Chinook life cycles causes them to utilize a variety of habitats that require ideal conditions for maximum survival rates. Correlations between …

Consumptive Water Use At The Mirage Hotel And The Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino In Las Vegas, Nevada, Johann A. Feller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Las Vegas Valley is one of the driest regions in the southwest United States. Due to limited water supplies from the Colorado River, rainfall, and groundwater sources, the water requirements of the valley’s growing population is slated to surpass the current available water supply. The purpose of this comparative study is to quantify the amount of consumptive water used at a major Las Vegas resort/casino in one year. This, being of importance, because of the resort/casino industry’s role as one of the largest, most visible, and most resource intensive industries in the Las Vegas valley. The goal of this …

An Analysis Of Apartment Complex Recycling In Clark County, Nevada, Noriko Eguchi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to analyze recycling opportunities for people living in apartments and recommend solutions to improve apartment complex recycling programs in Clark County, Nevada. There are two hypotheses for this problem. First, there is not enough space to put recycling containers in some apartment complex dumpster enclosures. Second, there are several obstacles to providing recycling for complex managers. There are two methods involved in testing these hypotheses. Unincorporated Clark County was selected for the study area. The size of dumpster enclosures was measured in 73 apartment complexes out of 240 complexes which do not recycle in …

Risk Of Radiation Exposure From The Transportation Of High-Level Nuclear Waste, Lawrence Banks

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Transportation of high-level nuclear waste poses a potential risk of exposure from radiation to people of Las Vegas and the surrounding environment. 77,000 metric tons of waste is scheduled to start arriving at Yucca Mountain in 2010. For 24 years legal weight trucks will transport high-level nuclear waste through 109 cities with populations over 100,000. The population of Las Vegas is over 400,000 people. In all, legal weight trucks will cross 43 states traveling millions of highway miles (see appendix B). The U. S. Department of Energy estimates expected radiological risk from accidents would be no higher than 0.003 latent …

The 100th Meridian Initiative In Nevada: Assessing The Westward Movement Of The Zebra Mussel To The Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Megan Mccoy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, are a concern for all bodies of water in North America. East of the 100th Meridian, zebra mussels have infested the waters and dramatically changed the natural ecosystems. The US Fish and Wildlife Services set up the 100th Meridian Initiative project to monitor the boat traffic to and from infested and non-infested waters of the United States and Canada. Surveys were conducted from October 19, 2002 through March 31, 2003, focusing specifically on the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA) for the scope of this thesis. This study addresses the movement of trailers, boats, and other …

Water Quality Remediation At The Abandoned Jones-Kincaid Mine Site, Pyramid Mining District, Washoe County, Nevada, Si-Ok Choi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the cost and efficiency of four remediation methods, natural attenuation, permeable reactive barriers, pump and treat systems, and bioremediation, and to determine the best suitable method for preventing further environmental degradation from the abandoned Jones-Kincaid Mine (JKM), located within the Pyramid Mining District, Washoe County, Nevada.

Problems from abandoned mine sites may be divided into four types: water quality, public safety, economic concerns, and scenic interests. The foremost problem is the effect of pollution on water quality. Acid run-off and precipitation may be spread hundreds of miles and influence drinking water sources …

Developing A Sensing System For The Measurement Of Oxygen Concentration In Liquid Pb-Bi Eutectic: Quarterly Progress Report (Feb. 01 – Apr. 30, 2003), Yingtao Jiang, Bingmei Fu, Woosoon Yim

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

We received most of the components, everything except the customized and outsourced stirrer, for the new apparatus for oxygen measurement/calibration. Thus far, most of the machining work has been completed. The LaveView module used for the data collection and the control of the apparatus has been tested. 2-D simulation work has been performed using FEMLAB.

Trail Conditions And Preferences From A Mountain Bike Users Perspective In Cottonwood Valley, Jeff Frampton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to gather baseline data and user preferences from a mountain bike user’s perspective about the current condition of the multiple use trails in Cottonwood Valley. Cottonwood Valley is an area located at the southern tip of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Multiple use includes hiking, biking and horseback riding and does not include motorized vehicles. The area was set aside for conservation by an act of Congress because of the inherent value that it represents.

Because the public is allowed to access and use the trails in the area, there has been …

An Analysis Of Materials Suitable For Use As A Pitfall Trap In A Desert Environment, R. Renee Brown

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to identify a type of pitfall trap container that can withstand the temperature extremes of the Mojave Desert in which the terrestrial, or above ground, drift fence with pitfall traps will be utilized for trapping reptiles. A pitfall trap is a container, such as a plastic bucket with a plastic lid, that is buried in the ground up to the lip of the bucket and used to catch small ground dwelling fauna that fall into the trap. Many different pitfall trap materials have been utilized in the trapping of small ground-dwelling fauna. Plastic has …

Measuring The Environmental Attitudes Of Children In Grade 4: A Study In Clark County, Amir Khawaja

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine whether there is an increased positive effect on children's attitude when they are taught about the environment in an outdoor/hands-on setting versus an indoor traditional classroom setting. The study focused on grade four students in the Clark County School District. Half of the group was comprised of students that were taught about the environment using traditional classroom learning materials while the other half consisted of students that were taught using the outdoor/hands-on approach. In order to test the results, the students were given a survey. The questionnaire created by Malkus and Musser …

The Influence Of Lithophysal Porosity On The In-Situ Stress-Strain Properties Of Topopah Spring Tuff, Bahri B. Avar, Moses Karakouzian, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

Numerical analysis and a laboratory testing program were conducted in order to investigate the effect of lithophysal porosity on the elastic stress-strain properties of the lithophysae-rich tuff specimens and to find the locations of cavities in both analog and tuff specimens. In the first part of the study, a finite difference mesh containing circular holes was modeled for varying porosity ranges between 5 and 40% using commercially available software FLAG20' version 3.5. Elastic (Young's) modulus and Poisson's ratio were calculated for each setup and normalized with respect to matrix elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio. The moduli calculated through numerical analysis …

Stress Corrosion Cracking Of Type 422 Stainless Steel For Applications In Spallation-Neutron-Target Systems, Ramprashad Prabhakaran

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Introduction

• This research program is aimed at evaluating different types of environment-induced degradation of candidate target materials for applications in transmutation of spent nuclear fuels (SNF).

• Transmutation refers to the elimination of long-lived actinides and fission products from SNF.

Objectives

• Evaluate susceptibility of candidate target materials to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and localized corrosion (pitting and crevice) in neutral and acidic aqueous environments at ambient and elevated temperatures

• Determine the extent and morphology of cracking in tested materials as functions of experimental and environmental variables including pH, temperature, loading conditions and specimen geometry

• Develop mechanistic …

Afci Quarterly Input – Unlv January Through March, 2003, Harry Reid Center For Environmental Studies. Nuclear Science And Technology Division

Transmutation Research Program Reports (TRP)

Quarterly report highlighting research projects and objectives of the Transmutation Research Program at the Nuclear Science & Technology Division, Harry Reid Research Center.

Immobilization Of Fission Iodine By Reaction With A Fullerene Containing Carbon Compound And Insoluble Natural Organic Matrix: Quarterly Report January-March 2003, Spencer M. Steinberg

Separations Campaign (TRP)

The recovery of iodine released during the processing of used nuclear fuel poses a significant challenge to the transmutation of radioactive iodine. This proposal will develop and examine the use of Fullerene Containing Carbon (FCC) compounds as potential sorbents for iodine release from the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. This work will also include the development of bench-scale testing capabilities at UNLV to allow the testing of the FCC material in a simulated process off-gas environment. This experimental capability will also be used to test other potential sorption materials and processes, such as natural organic matter (NOM) and other promising alternatives. …

Future Climate Analysis -- 10,000 Years To 1,000,000 Years After Present, Saxon E. Sharpe, Dwight Hoxie, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The purpose of this report is to provide quantified estimates of temperature and precipitation and estimate the timing of climate states in the Yucca Mountain, Nevada, area for the period from 10,000 to 1,000,000 years beyond the present. Primary tasks are limited to: 1) selecting modern analog climate stations for three different magnitude glacial stages; and, 2) determining the timing of future climate states using orbital parameter data and Devils Hole and Owens Lake records. These estimates are intended to be used as input to models of the infiltration process to assess the performance of the natural and engineered systems …

Environment-Induced Degradation And Crack-Growth Studies Of Candidate Target Materials, Ajit K. Roy, Brendan O'Toole

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

During the past two years (2001-2002) of this project, the primary effort was focused on evaluating the effect of hydrogen on the cracking behavior of candidate target materials namely, Alloys EP-823, HT-9 and 422 in aqueous environments of different pH values at ambient and elevated temperatures. More recently, emphasis is being placed to evaluate the cracking behavior of these materials in molten lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) environment at much higher testing temperatures so as to compare the cracking susceptibility in environments containing molten metals and aqueous solutions, respectively. The most recent tests to evaluate the cracking susceptibility were primarily based on …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics: Quarterly Progress Report 12/1/02- 2/28/03, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The Lead-Bismuth eutectic (LBE) has been determined from previous experimental studies by the Russians and the European scientific community to be a potential material that can be used as a spallation target and coolant for the AAA proposed application.

Properly controlling the oxygen content in LBE can drastically reduce the LBE corrosion to structural steels. However, existing knowledge of material corrosion performance was obtained from point-wise testing with very limited density. The transport of oxygen and corrosion products, their interaction and variation of corrosion/precipitation along the flow are not well understood.

The first subtask of this project involves using a …

Use Of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy For Stress-Strain Measurements, Ajit K. Roy

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The purpose of this collaborative research project involving the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the Idaho State University (ISU) is to evaluate the feasibility of determining residual stresses of welded, bent (three-point-bend), and cold-worked engineering materials using a new nondestructive technique based on positron annihilation spectroscopy. The proposed technique is to use x-rays from a small MeV electron Linac to generate positrons inside the sample via pair production. This method can be used for materials characterization and investigation of defects in thick samples that could not be accomplished by conventional positron technique or other nondestructive methods. The data …

Design And Analysis Of A Process For Melt Casting Metallic Fuel Pins Incorporating Volatile Actinides, Yitung Chen, Darrell Pepper, Randy Clarksean

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

UNLV has developed and will continue to develop process models for the analysis of melt casting processes. This work will continue to be performed under the guidance of Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) engineers to insure that their knowledge and experience benefits the project. The research to be conducted during year three will center on performing detailed analyses on a conceptual design of an inductively heated skull-crucible casting furnace. Processing conditions will be analyzed, basic models utilized, and detailed heat and mass transfer models will be developed to analyze the most promising processes. The goal of this third year is to …

Experimental Investigation Of Steel Corrosion In Lead Bismuth Eutectic (Lbe): Characterization, Species Identification, And Chemical Reactions, John Farley, Dale L. Perry, Allen L. Johnson

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The goal of the present research is to achieve a basic understanding of corrosion of steels by Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE). Liquid LBE is under consideration in the transmuter as both a spallation target and as a blanket coolant. There have been previous studies of LBE, especially by the Russians, who have over 80 reactor-years experience with LBE coolant in their Alpha-class submarine reactors. The Russians found that the presence of small amounts (ppm) of oxygen in the LBE significantly reduced corrosion. However, a fundamental understanding and verification of its role in the corrosion of steels is still very incomplete. …