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Baseline Microstructural Characterization of Outer 3013 Containers

Description: Three DOE Standard 3013 outer storage containers were examined to characterize the microstructure of the type 316L stainless steel material of construction. Two of the containers were closure-welded yielding production-quality outer 3013 containers; the third examined container was not closed. Optical metallography and Knoop microhardness measurements were performed to establish a baseline characterization that will support future destructive examinations of 3013 outer containers in the storage inventory. Metallography revealed the microstructural features typical of this austenitic stainless steel as it is formed and welded. The grains were equiaxed with evident annealing twins. Flow lines were prominent in the forming directions of the cylindrical body and flat lids and bottom caps. No adverse indications were seen. Microhardness values, although widely varying, were consistent with annealed austenitic stainless steel. The data gathered as part of this characterization will be used as a baseline for the destructive examination of 3013 containers removed from the storage inventory.
Date: July 31, 2005
Creator: Zapp, Phillip E. & Dunn, Kerry A
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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CO2 Capture by Absorption With Potassium Carbonate Quarterly Report

Description: The objective of this work is to improve the process for CO{sub 2} capture by alkanolamine absorption/stripping by developing an alternative solvent, aqueous K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} promoted by piperazine. The baseline campaign with 30% MEA has given heat duties from 40 to 70 kcal/gmol CO{sub 2} as predicted by the stripper model. The Flexipak 1Y structured packing gives significantly better performance than IMTP 40 duped packing in the absorber, but in the stripper the performance of the two packings is indistinguishable. The FTIR analyzer measured MEA volatility in the absorber represented by an activity coefficient of 0.7. In the MEA campaign the material balance closed with an average error of 3.5% and the energy balance had an average error of 5.9.
Date: July 31, 2005
Creator: Rochelle, Gary T.; Hilliard, Marcus; Chen, Eric; Oyenekan, Babatunde; Dugas, Ross & McLees, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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COOLING FAN AND SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS

Description: Upcoming emissions regulations (Tiers 3, 4a and 4b) are imposing significantly higher heat loads on the cooling system than lesser regulated machines. This work was a suite of tasks aimed at reducing the parasitic losses of the cooling system, or improving the design process through six distinct tasks: 1. Develop an axial fan that will provide more airflow, with less input power and less noise. The initial plan was to use Genetic Algorithms to do an automated fan design, incorporating forward sweep for low noise. First and second generation concepts could not meet either performance or sound goals. An experienced turbomachinery designer, using a specialized CFD analysis program has taken over the design and has been able to demonstrate a 5% flow improvement (vs 10% goal) and 10% efficiency improvement (vs 10% goal) using blade twist only. 2. Fan shroud developments, using an 'aeroshroud' concept developed at Michigan State University. Performance testing at Michigan State University showed the design is capable of meeting the goal of a 10% increase in flow, but over a very narrow operating range of fan performance. The goal of 10% increase in fan efficiency was not met. Fan noise was reduced from 0 to 2dB, vs. a goal of 5dB at constant airflow. The narrow range of fan operating conditions affected by the aeroshroud makes this concept unattractive for further development at this time 3. Improved axial fan system modeling is needed to accommodate the numbers of cooling systems to be redesigned to meet lower emissions requirements. A CFD fan system modeling guide has been completed and transferred to design engineers. Current, uncontrolled modeling practices produce flow estimates in some cases within 5% of measured values, and in some cases within 25% of measured values. The techniques in the modeling guide reduced variability to the …
Date: July 31, 2005
Creator: Dupree, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Effect of Material Heat Treatment on Fatigue Crack Initiation in Austenitic Stainless Steels in Lwr Environments.

Description: The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code provides rules for the design of Class 1 components of nuclear power plants. Figures I-9.1 through I-9.6 of Appendix I to Section III of the Code specify design curves for applicable structural materials. However, the effects of light water reactor (LWR) coolant environments are not explicitly addressed by the Code design curves. The existing fatigue strain-vs.-life ({var_epsilon}-N) data illustrate potentially significant effects of LWR coolant environments on the fatigue resistance of pressure vessel and piping steels. Under certain environmental and loading conditions, fatigue lives of austenitic stainless steels (SSs) can be a factor of 20 lower in water than in air. This report presents experimental data on the effect of heat treatment on fatigue crack initiation in austenitic Type 304 SS in LWR coolant environments. A detailed metallographic examination of fatigue test specimens was performed to characterize the crack morphology and fracture morphology. The key material, loading, and environmental parameters and their effect on the fatigue life of these steels are also described. Statistical models are presented for estimating the fatigue {var_epsilon}-N curves for austenitic SSs as a function of material, loading, and environmental parameters. Two methods for incorporating the effects of LWR coolant environments into the ASME Code fatigue evaluations are presented.
Date: July 31, 2005
Creator: Chopra, O. K.; Alexandreanu, B.; Shack, W. J. & Technology, Energy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Elastic-Wavefield Seismic Stratigraphy: A New Seismic Imaging Technology

Description: We have developed a numerical technique that will adjust 3-D S-wave seismic images so that they are depth equivalent to 3-D P-wave seismic images. The ability to make this type of P-SV to P-P depth registration is critical to our elastic wavefield seismic stratigraphy research because we now have higher confidence that depth-equivalent data windows are being used in the P-SV to P-P comparisons that we are making.
Date: July 31, 2005
Creator: Hardage, Bob A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Evaluation of Miniaturized Infrared Sensors for Process Control of the Palladium Membrane Reactor

Description: We have tested the suitability of a miniaturized infrared sensor for measurements of CO and H{sub 2}O in the inlet stream to the Palladium Membrane Reactor (PMR). We demonstrated that both analytes can be measured with absolute accuracies of 2-4% at the process inlet conditions of 120-140 C and approximately 1 atm of each gas. This accuracy must be improved to 1-1.5% for effective PMR process control. The use of a reference detector and independent temperature and pressure measurements to correct the raw signals will improve the accuracy to a level that will approach, if not meet, this goal. With appropriate bandpass filters, the infrared sensors may be used for other gas analysis applications.
Date: July 31, 2005
Creator: Lascola, R. J. & Howard, D. W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Ion Rings for Magnetic Fusion

Description: This Final Technical Report presents the results of the program, Ion Rings for Magnetic Fusion, which was carried out under Department of Energy funding during the period August, 1993 to January, 2005. The central objective of the program was to study the properties of field-reversed configurations formed by ion rings. In order to reach this objective, our experimental program, called the Field-reversed Ion Ring Experiment, FIREX, undertook to develop an efficient, economical technology for the production of field-reversed ion rings. A field-reversed configuration (FRC) in which the azimuthal (field-reversing) current is carried by ions with gyro-radius comparable to the magnetic separatrix radius is called a field-reversed ion ring. A background plasma is required for charge neutralization of the ring, and this plasma will be confined within the ring's closed magnetic flux. Ion rings have long been of interest as the basis of compact magnetic fusion reactors, as the basis for a high-power accelerator for an inertial fusion driver, and for other applications of high power ion beams or plasmas of high energy density. Specifically, the FIREX program was intended to address the longstanding question of the contribution of large-orbit ions to the observed stability of experimental FRCs to the MHD tilt mode. Typical experimental FRCs with s {approx} 2-4, where s is the ratio of separatrix radius to ion gyro-radius, have been stable to tilting, but desired values for a fusion reactor, s > 20, should be unstable. The FIREX ring would consist of a plasma with large s for the background ions, but with s {approx} 1 for the ring ions. By varying the proportions of these two populations, the minimum proportion of large-orbit ions necessary for stability could be determined. The incorporation of large-orbit ions, perhaps by neutral-beam injection, into an FRC has been advanced for the purpose …
Date: July 31, 2005
Creator: Greenly, John, B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Multidisciplinary Graduate Curriculum in Support of the Biobased Products Industry

Description: The project had a dominant education component. The project involved revising curriculum to educate traditional engineering students in the emerging field of industrial biotechnology. New classes were developed and offered. As a result, the curriculum of the Colorado School of Mines was expanded to include new content. Roughly 100 undergraduates and about 10 graduate students each year benefit from this curricular expansion. The research associated with this project consisted of developing new materials and energy sources from renewable resources. Several significant advances were made, most importantly the heat distortion temperature of polylactide (PLA) was increased through the addition of cellulosic nanowhiskers. The resulting ecobionanocomposites have superior properties which enable the use of renewable resource based plastics in a variety of new applications. Significant amounts of petroleum are thereby saved and considerable environmental benefits also result. Effectiveness and economic feasibility of the project proved excellent. The educational activities are continuing in a sustainable fashion, now being supported by tuition revenues and the normal budgeting of the University. The PI will be teaching one of the newly developed classes will next Fall (Fall 2006), after the close of the DOE grant, and again repeatedly into the future. Now established, the curriculum in biobased products and energy will grow and evolve through regular teaching and revision. On the research side, the new plastic materials appear economically feasible and a new collaboration between the PI’s group and Sealed Air, a major food-packaging manufacturer, has been established to bring the new green plastics to market. Public benefits of the project are noteworthy in many respects. These include the development of a better educated workforce and citizenry capable of providing technological innovation as a means of growing the economy and providing jobs. In particular, the educational components addressing the production of bioethanol, biodiesel, and bioplastics provide …
Date: July 31, 2005
Creator: Dorgan, John R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Natural CO2 Analogs for Carbon Sequestration

Description: The report summarizes research conducted at three naturally occurring geologic CO{sub 2} fields in the US. The fields are natural analogs useful for the design of engineered long-term storage of anthropogenic CO{sub 2} in geologic formations. Geologic, engineering, and operational databases were developed for McElmo Dome in Colorado; St. Johns Dome in Arizona and New Mexico; and Jackson Dome in Mississippi. The three study sites stored a total of 2.4 billion t (46 Tcf) of CO{sub 2} equivalent to 1.5 years of power plant emissions in the US and comparable in size with the largest proposed sequestration projects. The three CO{sub 2} fields offer a scientifically useful range of contrasting geologic settings (carbonate vs. sandstone reservoir; supercritical vs. free gas state; normally pressured vs. overpressured), as well as different stages of commercial development (mostly undeveloped to mature). The current study relied mainly on existing data provided by the CO{sub 2} field operator partners, augmented with new geochemical data. Additional study at these unique natural CO{sub 2} accumulations could further help guide the development of safe and cost-effective design and operation methods for engineered CO{sub 2} storage sites.
Date: July 31, 2005
Creator: Stevens, Scott H. & Tye, B. Scott
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Sault Tribe Wind Energy Feasibility Study

Description: The Sault Tribe conducted a feasibility study on tribal lands in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to determine the technical and economic feasibility of both small and large-scale wind power development on tribal lands. The study included a wind resource assessment, transmission system analysis, engineering and regulatory analyzes and assessments.
Date: July 31, 2005
Creator: Osterhout, Toni & Concepts, Global Energy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Establishment of an Environmental Control Technology Laboratory With a Circulating Fluidized-Bed Combustion System Quarterly Report

Description: This purpose of this report is to present the progress made on the project ''Establishment of an Environmental Control Technology Laboratory (ECTL) with a Circulating Fluidized-Bed Combustion (CFBC) System'' during the period April 1, 2005 through June 30, 2005. The following tasks have been completed. First, the new Combustion Laboratory was occupied on June 15, 2005, and the construction of the Circulating Fluidized-Bed (CFB) Combustor Building is in the final painting stage. Second, the fabrication and manufacturing contract for the CFBC Facility was awarded to Sterling Boiler & Mechanical, Inc. of Evansville, Indiana. Sterling is manufacturing the assembly and component parts of the CFBC system. The erection of the CFBC system is expected to start September 1, 2005. Third, mercury emissions from the cofiring of coal and chicken waste was studied experimentally in the laboratory-scale simulated fluidized-bed combustion facility. The experimental results from this study are presented in this report. Finally, the proposed work for the next quarter is described.
Date: July 30, 2005
Creator: Pan, Wei-Ping; Wu, Andy & Riley, John T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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High-Efficiency Nitride-Based Solid-State Lighting

Description: In this final technical progress report we summarize research accomplished during Department of Energy contract DE-FC26-01NT41203, entitled ''High-Efficiency Nitride-Based Solid-State Lighting''. Two teams, from the University of California at Santa Barbara (Principle Investigator: Dr. Shuji Nakamura) and the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (led by Dr. N. Narendran), pursued the goals of this contract from thin film growth, characterization, and packaging/luminaire design standpoints. The UCSB team initially pursued the development of blue gallium nitride (GaN)-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, as well as ultraviolet GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs). In Year 2, the emphasis shifted to resonant-cavity light emitting diodes, also known as micro-cavity LEDs when extremely thin device cavities are fabricated. These devices have very directional emission and higher light extraction efficiency than conventional LEDs. Via the optimization of thin-film growth and refinement of device processing, we decreased the total cavity thickness to less than 1 {micro}m, such that micro-cavity effects were clearly observed and a light extraction efficiency of over 10% was reached. We also began the development of photonic crystals for increased light extraction, in particular for so-called ''guided modes'' which would otherwise propagate laterally in the device and be re-absorbed. Finally, we pursued the growth of smooth, high-quality nonpolar a-plane and m-plane GaN films, as well as blue light emitting diodes on these novel films. Initial nonpolar LEDs showed the expected behavior of negligible peak wavelength shift with increasing drive current. M-plane LEDs in particular show promise, as unpackaged devices had unsaturated optical output power of {approx} 3 mW at 200 mA drive current. The LRC's tasks were aimed at developing the subcomponents necessary for packaging UCSB's light emitting diodes, and packaging them to produce a white light fixture. During the third and final year of the project, the LRC team investigated alternate packaging methods for …
Date: July 30, 2005
Creator: Fini, Paul T. & Nakamura, Shuji
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Low-Li2O" Frits: Selecting Glasses that Support the Melt Rate Studies and Challenge the Current Durability Model

Description: During the progressive development of the cold cap model (as it applies to a potential melt rate predictive tool), the formation of an Al-Li-silicate phase was identified as an intermediate reaction phase that could possibly hinder melt rate for SB4. To test this theory, six glasses were designed (using Frit 320's composition as the baseline) to maintain a constant 20 wt% sum of alkali content (in frit) by varying Na{sub 2}O to Li{sub 2}O ratios. The Li{sub 2}O concentration ranged from 8 wt% down to 0% in either 2% or 1% increments with the differences being accounted for by an increase in Na{sub 2}O concentration. Although the primary objective of the ''lower Li{sub 2}O'' frits was to evaluate the potential for melt rate improvements, assessments of durability (as measured by the Product Consistency Test (PCT)) were also performed. The results suggest that durable glasses can be produced with these ''lower Li{sub 2}O'' frits should it be necessary to pursue this option for improving melt rate. In addition to the series of glasses to support melt rate assessments, a series of frits were also developed to challenge the current durability model based on the limits proposed by Edwards et al. (2004). Although the ''new'' limits allow access into compositional regions of interest (i.e., higher alkali systems) which can improve melt rate and/or waste loading, there may still be ''additional'' conservatism. In this report, two series of glasses were developed to challenge the ''new'' durability limits for the SB4 system. In the first series, the total alkali of the Frit 320-based glasses (designed to support the melt rate program) was increased from 20 wt% to 21 wt% (in the frit), but the series also evaluated the possible impact of various Na{sub 2}O and Li{sub 2}O mass ratio differences. The second series pushed …
Date: July 30, 2005
Creator: Peeler, D. K. & Edwards, T. B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Monte carlo Techniques for the Comprehensive Modeling of Isotopic Inventories in Future Nuclear Systems and Fuel Cycles

Description: The development of Monte Carlo techniques for isotopic inventory analysis has been explored in order to facilitate the modeling of systems with flowing streams of material through varying neutron irradiation environments. This represents a novel application of Monte Carlo methods to a field that has traditionally relied on deterministic solutions to systems of first-order differential equations. The Monte Carlo techniques were based largely on the known modeling techniques of Monte Carlo radiation transport, but with important differences, particularly in the area of variance reduction and efficiency measurement. The software that was developed to implement and test these methods now provides a basis for validating approximate modeling techniques that are available to deterministic methodologies. The Monte Carlo methods have been shown to be effective in reproducing the solutions of simple problems that are possible using both stochastic and deterministic methods. The Monte Carlo methods are also effective for tracking flows of materials through complex systems including the ability to model removal of individual elements or isotopes in the system. Computational performance is best for flows that have characteristic times that are large fractions of the system lifetime. As the characteristic times become short, leading to thousands or millions of passes through the system, the computational performance drops significantly. Further research is underway to determine modeling techniques to improve performance within this range of problems. This report describes the technical development of Monte Carlo techniques for isotopic inventory analysis. The primary motivation for this solution methodology is the ability to model systems of flowing material being exposed to varying and stochastically varying radiation environments. The methodology was developed in three stages: analog methods which model each atom with true reaction probabilities (Section 2), non-analog methods which bias the probability distributions while adjusting atom weights to preserve a fair game (Section 3), and …
Date: July 30, 2005
Creator: Wilson, Paul P.H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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NOx Control for Utility Boiler OTR Compliance

Description: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group (B&W) and Fuel Tech, Inc. (Fuel Tech) teamed to evaluate an integrated solution for NO{sub x} control comprised of B&W's DRB-4Z{reg_sign} low-NO{sub x} pulverized coal (PC) burner technology and Fuel Tech's NO{sub x}OUT{reg_sign}, a selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) technology, capable of meeting a target emission limit of 0.15 lb NO{sub x}/10{sup 6} Btu. In a previous project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), promising results were obtained with this technology from large-scale testing in B&W's 100-million Btu/hr Clean Environment Development Facility (CEDF) which simulates the conditions of large coal-fired utility boilers. Under the most challenging boiler temperatures at full load conditions, NO{sub x} emissions of 0.19 lb/10{sup 6} Btu were achieved firing Powder River Basin coal while controlling ammonia slip to less than 5 ppm. At a 40 million Btu/hr firing rate, NO{sub x} emissions were as low as 0.09 lb/10{sup 6} Btu. Improved performance with this system was proposed for this new program with injection at full load via a convective pass multiple nozzle lance (MNL) in front of the superheater tubes or in the convective tube bank. Convective pass lances represent the current state-of-the-art in SNCR and needed to be evaluated in order to assess the full potential of the combined technologies. The objective of the program was to achieve a NO{sub x} level below 0.15 lb/10{sup 6} Btu (with ammonia slip of less than 5 ppm) in the CEDF using PRB coal and B&W's DRB-4Z{reg_sign} low-NO{sub x} pulverized coal (PC) burner in combination with dual zone overfire air ports and Fuel Tech's NO{sub x}OUT{reg_sign} System. Commercial installations of B&W's low-NO{sub x} burner, in combination with overfire air ports using PRB coal, have demonstrated a NO{sub x} level of 0.15 to 0.2 lb/10{sup 6} Btu under staged combustion conditions. The …
Date: July 30, 2005
Creator: Farzan, Hamid & Sivy, Jennifer L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Prometheus Reactor I&C Software Development Methodology, for Action

Description: The purpose of this letter is to submit the Reactor Instrumentation and Control (I&C) software life cycle, development methodology, and programming language selections and rationale for project Prometheus to NR for approval. This letter also provides the draft Reactor I&C Software Development Process Manual and Reactor Module Software Development Plan to NR for information.
Date: July 30, 2005
Creator: Hamilton, T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Advanced Hydrogen Transport Membranes for Vision 21 Fossil Fuel Plants

Description: During this quarter catalyst stability studies were performed on Eltron's composite layered membranes. In addition, permeation experiments were performed to determine the effect of crystallographic orientation on membrane performance. Sintering conditions were optimized for preparation of new cermets containing high permeability metals. Theoretical calculations were performed to determine potential sulfur tolerant catalysts. Finally, work was continued on mechanical and process & control documentation for a hydrogen separation unit.
Date: July 29, 2005
Creator: Evenson, Carl R.; Sammells, Anthony F.; Treglio, Richard T.; Calihman, Adam E.; Balachandran, U.; Kleiner, Richard N. et al.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Air Traffic Control: Characteristics and Performance of Selected International Air Navigation Service Providers and Lessons Learned from Their Commercialization

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In the past, governments worldwide owned, operated, and regulated air navigation services, viewing air traffic control as a governmental function. But as nations faced increasing financial strains, many governments decided to shift the responsibility to an independent air navigation service provider (ANSP) that operates as a business. As of March 2005, 38 nations worldwide had commercialized their air navigation services, fundamentally shifting the operational and financial responsibility for providing these services from the national government to an independent commercial authority. GAO selected five ANSPs--in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom--to develop, as requested, a descriptive analysis of commercialized ANSPs that illustrated similarities and differences in ownership, length of experience with commercialization, and size and scope of operations. This report addresses the following questions: (1) What are common characteristics of commercialized ANSPs in selected foreign countries? (2) What do available data show about how the safety, cost, and efficiency of air navigation services have changed since commercialization? (3) What are some key lessons learned about the commercialization of air navigation services?"
Date: July 29, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Analysis of Devonian Black Shales in Kentucky for Potential Carbon Dioxide Sequestration and Enhanced Natural Gas Production Quarterly Report: April-June 2005

Description: Devonian gas shales underlie approximately two-thirds of Kentucky. In the shale, natural gas is adsorbed on clay and kerogen surfaces. This is analogous to methane storage in coal beds, where CO{sub 2} is preferentially adsorbed, displacing methane. Black shales may similarly desorb methane in the presence of CO{sub 2}. Drill cuttings from the Kentucky Geological Survey Well Sample and Core Library were sampled to determine CO{sub 2} and CH{sub 4} adsorption isotherms. Sidewall core samples were acquired to investigate CO{sub 2} displacement of methane. An elemental capture spectroscopy log was acquired to investigate possible correlations between adsorption capacity and mineralogy. Average random vitrinite reflectance data range from 0.78 to 1.59 (upper oil to wet gas and condensate hydrocarbon maturity range). Total organic content determined from acid-washed samples ranges from 0.69 to 14 percent. CO{sub 2} adsorption capacities at 400 psi range from a low of 14 scf/ton in less organic-rich zones to more than 136 scf/ton. There is a direct correlation between measured total organic carbon content and the adsorptive capacity of the shale; CO{sub 2} adsorption capacity increases with increasing organic carbon content. Initial estimates based on these data indicate a sequestration capacity of 5.3 billion tons of CO{sub 2} in the Lower Huron Member of the Ohio Shale of eastern Kentucky and as much as 28 billion tons total in the deeper and thicker parts of the Devonian shales in Kentucky. Should the black shales of Kentucky prove to be a viable geologic sink for CO{sub 2}, their extensive occurrence in Paleozoic basins across North America would make them an attractive regional target for economic CO{sub 2} storage and enhanced natural gas production.
Date: July 29, 2005
Creator: Nuttall, Brandon C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Border Security: Actions Needed to Strengthen Management of Department of Homeland Security's Visa Security Program

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Homeland Security Act of 2002 required that the Department of Homeland Security's on-site personnel in Saudi Arabia review all visa applications. The act also authorized the expansion of the Visa Security Program to other embassies and consulates to provide expert advice and training to consular officers, among other things. Given the congressional interest in effective implementation of the Visa Security Program, we assessed (1) the Visa Security Officers' activities in Saudi Arabia, and (2) DHS's plans to expand its Visa Security Program to other consular posts overseas."
Date: July 29, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cash Balance Pension Plans: Selected Legal Issues

Description: Over the past few years, cash balance pension plans have received significant attention. In particular, three issues have been controversial: the negative effect of a plan conversion on older employees due to wear-away, the whipsaw effect that may occur when computing a lump-sum payment of benefits prior to normal retirement age, and the claim that these plans violate federal laws prohibiting age discrimination. This report discusses the wear-away and whipsaw issues, a proposal by the Treasury Department that addresses them, and relevant legislation introduced in the 109th Congress (H.R. 2830 and S. 1304).
Date: July 29, 2005
Creator: Lunder, Erika & Staman, Jennifer
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Characterization Testing of H20-SO2 Electrolyzer at Ambient Pressure

Description: This document reports work performed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) that resulted in a major accomplishment by demonstrating the proof-of-concept of the use of a proton exchange membrane or PEM-type electrochemical cell to produce hydrogen via SO{sub 2}-depolarized water electrolysis. For the first time sulfur dioxide dissolved in liquid sulfuric acid was used to depolarize water electrolysis in a modern PEM cell. The use of such a cell represents a major step in achieving the ultimate goal of an economical hydrogen production process based on the Hybrid Sulfur (HyS) Cycle. The HyS Process is a hybrid thermochemical cycle that may be used in conjunction with advanced nuclear reactors or centralized solar receivers to produce hydrogen by water-splitting. Like all other sulfur-based cycles, HyS utilizes the high temperature thermal decomposition of sulfuric acid to produce oxygen. The unique aspect of HyS is the generation of hydrogen in a water electrolyzer that is operated under conditions where dissolved sulfur dioxide depolarizes the anodic reaction, resulting in substantial voltage reduction. Sulfur dioxide is oxidized at the anode, producing sulfuric acid, that is sent to the acid decomposition portion of the cycle. The focus of this work was to conduct single cell electrolyzer tests in order to prove the concept of SO{sub 2}-depolarization and to determine how the results can be used to evaluate the performance of key components of the HyS Process. A test facility for conducting SO{sub 2}-depolarized electrolyzer (SDE) testing was designed, constructed and commissioned. The maximum cell current is 50 amperes, which is equivalent to a hydrogen production rate of approximately 20 liters per hour. The test facility was designed for operation at room temperature with pressures up to 2 bar. Feed to the anode of the electrolyzer can be water, sulfuric acid of various concentrations, or sulfuric …
Date: July 29, 2005
Creator: Steimke, J
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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