Publications

Bimodal space reactor systems provide both thermal propulsion for the spacecraft orbital transfer and electrical power to the spacecraft bus once it is on station. These systems have the potential to increase both the available payload in high energy orbits and the available power to that payload. These increased mass and power capabilities can be used to either reduce mission cost by permitting the use of smaller launch vehicles or to provide increased mission performance from the current launch vehicle. A major barrier to the deployment of these bimodal systems has been the cost associated with their development. This paper describes a bimodal spacecraft bus with performance potential to permit more than 70% of the instrumented payload of the Titan IV/Centaur to be launched from the Atlas IIAS. The development cost is minimized by basing the design on existing component technologies.

Smokes are frequently used as visual obscurants in access delay applications. A new generation of low temperature pyrotechnic smokes is being developed. Terephthalic Acid (TPA) smoke was developed by the U.S. Army and Sebacic Acid (SA) smoke is being developed by Thiokol Corp. The advantages these smokes offer over traditional pyrotechnic smokes include; low generation temperature (approximately 450{degree}C), lower toxicity, and lower corrosivity. The low generation temperature reduces smoke layering effects and allows the addition of sensory irritants, such as o-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile (CS), to the formulation. Some advantages low temperature pyrotechnic smokes offer over nonpyrotechnic smokes include; low cost, simplicity, compactness, light weight, long storage life, and orientation insensitive operation. Low cost permits distribution of multiple units for reduced vulnerability and refill flexibility. Some disadvantages may include the combustibility of the smoke particulate; however, the published lower explosive limit of the mentioned materials is approximately ten times greater than the concentration required for effective obscuration. The TPA smoke cloud contains small quantities of benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide; no benzene or formaldehyde was identified during preliminary SA smoke analyses performed by Thiokol Corp. Sandia performed tests and analyses on TPA smoke to determine the smoke cloud composition, the quantity of particulate produced per canister, and the relationship between airborne particulate concentration and measured optical density values. Current activities include characterization of SA smoke.

Because of the low humidity environments required in the fabrication of nuclear explosives, assembly technicians can be charged to tens of kilovolts while operating, for example, compressed air, venturi-type, `explosion proof` vacuum cleaners. Nuclear explosives must be isolated from all sources of, and return paths for, AC power and from any part of the lightning protection system. This requirement precludes the use of static ground conductors to drain any charge accumulations. Accordingly, an experimental study of the basic charging mechanisms associated with vacuum operations were identified, the charge generation efficacies of various commercial cleaners were established, and a simple method for neutralizing the charge was devised.

Polymeric silica sols, were deposited on commercial {gamma}-alumina supports to prepare gas separation membranes. Optimization of the sol fractal dimension and radius of gyration and minimization of condensation rate led to formation of a discrete film with pores of molecular dimensions. Two coatings of this sol (A2{sup **}) led to a membrane with ideal separation factor of 7 for helium versus nitrogen after calcination to 400C (helium permeance 0.002 cm{sup 3}/cm{sup 2}-s-cm Hg). Partial sintering of these membranes resulted in a further reduction in pore size or narrowing of pore size distribution as evidenced by larger separation factors e.g. 9 for helium versus nitrogen (helium permeance 0.0028 cm{sup 3}/cm{sup 2}-s-cm Hg) with only one A2{sup **} coating. Single gas measurements also showed high ideal separation factors for helium versus methane, propylene, sulfur hexafluoride and carbon dioxide. The deposited A2{sup **} membrane was reacted with titanium isopropoxide (Ti(O i-Pr){sub 4}) to improve both its thermal and chemical stability and modify its pore size. This reaction led to an increase in the membrane selectivity to >300 for He versus N{sub 2} below to 120C, and CO{sub 2} versus CH{sub 4}, when measured below 200C. A2{sup **} was also used as a host matrix for preparing imogolite composite membranes that showed molecular sieving behavior.

The aluminum alloy process implemented in Sandia`s Photovoltaic Device Fabrication Laboratory (PDFL) has major beneficial effects on the performance of commercial multicrystalline-silicon (mc-Si) substrates. Careful analysis of identically processed cells (except for the alloyed layer) in matched mc-Si substrates clearly indicates that the majority of the benefit arises from improved bulk minority carrier diffusion length. Based on spectral response measurements and PC-1D modeling the authors have observed improvements due to the alloy process of up to 400% in the average diffusion length in moderate-area cells and around 50% in large-area cells. The diffusion length is dramatically improved in the interior of the silicon grains in alloyed substrates, resulting in the majority of the recombination occurring at the grain boundaries and localized areas with high defect densities.

The Department of Energy is conducting an ongoing investigation of the consequences of taking fuel burnup into account in the design of spent fuel transportation packages. A series of experiments, collectively called the Spent Fuel Safety Experiment (SFSX), has been devised to provide integral benchmarks for testing computer-generated predictions of spent fuel behavior. A set of experiments is planned in which sections of unirradiated fuel rods are interchanged with similar sections of spent PWR fuel rods in a critical assembly. By determining the critical size of the arrays, one can obtain benchmark data for comparison with criticality safety calculations. The integral reactivity worth of the spent fuel can be assessed by comparing the measured delayed critical fuel loading with and without spent fuel. An analytical effort to model the experiments and anticipate the core loadings required to yield the delayed critical conditions runs in parallel with the experimental effort.

During the January 1994 Summit Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin agreed on the goal of ensuring the ``transparency and irreversibility`` of the nuclear arms reduction process. As a result, negotiations are presently underway between the United States Government and the Russian Federation to confirm the stockpiles of plutonium and highly enriched uranium removed from nuclear weapons. In December 1994 the United States presented a paper to the Russian Federation proposing additional measures to provide broader transparency of nuclear arms reduction. The US Department of Energy is studying the implementation of these broader transparency measures at appropriate DOE facilities. The results of the studies include draft protocols for implementation, assessments of the implementation procedures and the impacts on the facilities and estimates of the cost to implement these measures at various facilities.

Under the Department of Energy (DOE)/United States Air Force (USAF) Memorandum of Understanding, a system is being designed that will use high pressure carbon dioxide for the separation of oils, greases, and solvents from non-hazardous solid waste. The contaminants are dissolved into the high pressure carbon dioxide and precipitated out upon depressurization. The carbon dioxide solvent can then be recycled for continued use. Excellent extraction capability for common manufacturing oils, greases, and solvents has been measured. It has been observed that extraction performance follows the dilution model if a constant flow system is used. The solvents tested are extremely soluble and have been extracted to 100% under both liquid and mild supercritical carbon dioxide conditions. These data are being used to design a 200 liter extraction system.

The widely dispersed, unmanned launch facilities (LFs) for land-based ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) currently do not have visual assessment capability for existing intrusion alarms. The security response force currently must assess each alarm on-site. Remote assessment will enhance manpower, safety, and security efforts. Sandia National Laboratories was tasked by the USAF Electronic Systems Center to research, recommend, and demonstrate a cost-effective remote video assessment capability at missile LFs. The project`s charter was to provide: system concepts; market survey analysis; technology search recommendations; and operational hardware demonstrations for remote video assessment from a missile LF to a remote security center via a cost-effective transmission medium and without using visible, on-site lighting. The technical challenges of this project were to: analyze various video transmission media and emphasize using the existing missile system copper line which can be as long as 30 miles; accentuate and extremely low-cost system because of the many sites requiring system installation; integrate the video assessment system with the current LF alarm system; and provide video assessment at the remote sites with non-visible lighting.

The WIPP Disposal Room Model (DRM) is a numerical model with three major components constitutive models of TRU waste, crushed salt backfill, and intact halite -- and several secondary components, including air gap elements, slidelines, and assumptions on symmetry and geometry. A sensitivity analysis of the Disposal Room Model was initiated on two of the three major components (waste and backfill models) and on several secondary components as a group. The immediate goal of this component sensitivity analysis (Phase I) was to sort (rank) model parameters in terms of their relative importance to model response so that a Monte Carlo analysis on a reduced set of DRM parameters could be performed under Phase II. The goal of the Phase II analysis will be to develop a probabilistic definition of a disposal room porosity surface (porosity, gas volume, time) that could be used in WIPP Performance Assessment analyses. This report documents a literature survey which quantifies the relative importance of the secondary room components to room closure, a differential analysis of the creep consolidation model and definition of a follow-up Monte Carlo analysis of the model, and an analysis and refitting of the waste component data on which a volumetric plasticity model of TRU drum waste is based. A summary, evaluation of progress, and recommendations for future work conclude the report.

This paper presents a survey of technologies useful in providing early warning in physical security systems. Early warning is important in virtually all types of security systems whether they are used for temporary (tactical, portable, or semi-permanent) applications, border warning, fixed-site detection, or standoff surveillance detection. With the exception of the standoff surveillance detection systems, all systems discussed in this paper usually involve a moving target. The fact that a person(s) to be detected in a standoff surveillance scenario is not moving presents challenging problems and requires different applications of technology. The technologies commonly used to detect moving targets and some suggestions for detection of stationary targets are addressed in this paper.

The Department of Energy`s Office of Fissile Material Disposition (FMD) is analyzing long-term storage and disposition options for surplus weapons-usable fissile materials, preparing a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS), preparing for a record of decision (ROD) regarding this material and conducting other activities. The primary security objectives of this program are to reduce major security risks and strengthen arms reduction and nonproliferation (NP). To help achieve these objectives, a safeguards and security (S&S) team consisting of participants from Sandia, Los Alamos, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories was established. The S&S activity for this program is a cross-cutting task which addresses all of the FMD program options. It includes both domestic and international safeguards and includes areas such as physical protection, nuclear materials accountability and material containment and surveillance. This paper will discuss the activities of the Fissile Materials Disposition Program (FMDP) S&S team as well as some specific S&S issues associated with various FMDP options/facilities. Some of the items to be discussed include the threat, S&S requirements, S&S criteria for assessing risk, S&S issues concerning fissile material processing/facilities, and international and domestic safeguards.

An experimental investigation into active control of bending vibrations in thick bar and plate-like structural elements is described. This work is motivated by vibration problems in machine tools and photolithography machines that require greater control authority than available from conventional surface mounted PZT patches or PVDF films. Focus of this experiment is a cantilevered circular steel bar in which PZT stacks are mounted in cutouts near the bar root. Axially aligned and offset from the neutral axis, these actuators control the bending vibrations by generating moments in the bar through their compressive loads. A Positive Feedback control law is used to significantly augment the damping in the first bending mode. Implications of the experimental results for machine tool stability enhancement are discussed.

Photonic device activities at Sandia National Laboratories are founded on an extensive materials research program that has expanded to include device development, and an applications focus that heavily emphasizes communications and interconnects. The resulting program spans a full range of photonics research, development, and applications projects, from materials synthesis and device fabrication to packaging, test, and subsystem development. The heart of this effort is the Compound Semiconductor Research Laboratory which was established in 1988 to bring together device and materials research and development to support Sandia`s role in weapons technologies. This paper presents an overview of Sandia`s photonics program and its directions, using three communications-based applications as examples.

Sandia is developing a Personnel and Material Tracking System (PAMTRAK) which uses a variety of techniques to monitor material inside a vault in real-time. It can detect material movement using video cameras inside the vault or motion sensors attached to the material. It also contains two prototype attribute monitoring systems that continuously measure material weight, temperature or movement. A site can use any of these alone or together to extend physical inventory intervals. PAMTRAK can reduce the cost of storing material by reducing inventory frequency and radiation exposure to workers. Analysis at Savannah River in 1992 estimated that installing PAMTRAK in the 7 active and future vaults at that site would save $1,073,000 per year by reducing inventory frequency from monthly to yearly. Performing similar calculations now, assuming lower radiation exposure limits of 700m Rem per year, new inventory reduction guidelines allowing a baseline interval of 6 months, and an achieved inventory interval of 3 years, results in an estimated average savings of $400,000 per year. PAMTRAK, since it is real-time, can detect theft or diversion soon enough to give the guard force a chance of recovering the material and apprehending the perpetrator. In performing an inventory a site typically checks only a fraction of the material using random, statistical sampling, while PAMTRAK monitors all material in the vault. In addition to static environments such as vaults, PAMTRAK can be used to protect material in active work areas. Several of the sensor types can ignore activity around material but still report alarms if the material is moved or handled. PAMTRAK includes a personnel tracking capability that allows a site to monitor and restrict personnel movements. It can exclude workers from designated areas unless they have explicit permission to be there. It can also enforce the 2-person rule by requiring a worker to be accompanied by at least one other qualified worker.

When software is used in safety-critical, security-critical, or mission-critical situations, it is imperative to understand and manage the risks involved. A risk assessment methodology and toolset have been developed which are specific to software systems. This paper describes the concepts of the methodology, with emphasis on the experience of designing a toolset to support the methodology. Also presented are results of applying the methodology to two real software-based products: the software toolset itself, and a network firewall.

This glossary was prepared in fulfillment of the Glossary Preparation Task identified in the Program Plan for providing Assistance to the Russian Federation in Nuclear Material Control and Accounting and Physical Protection. The Program Plan is part of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program as provided for under House Resolution (H.R.) 3807 (Title II, as referenced under Public Law (P.L.) 102-229. The terms in this glossary were derived from physical protection training material prepared at Sandia. The training material, and thus refinements to the glossary, has undergone years of development in presentation to both domestic and international audiences. Also, Russian Colleagues and interpreters have reviewed the translations for accuracy.

A method of determining the dynamic operating cost benefits of energy storage systems for utility applications is presented. The production costing program DYNASTORE is used to analyze economic benefits for ``utility B,`` an isolated island utility, using heuristic unit commitment algorithms. The unit commitment is done using chronologic load data and a detailed model of the utility characteristics. Several unit commitment scenarios are run for utility B, and the results are presented. Comparisons between various Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) applications, as well as cases with and without battery storage, are shown. Results show that for utility B, a BESS of 300 MW size used for either load leveling or spinning reserve provides the greatest economic benefit.

An investigation was made into the effect of microstructure on the peak toughness and shape of the crack growth resistance curves for two ceramic-metal composites. An Al{sup 2}O{sup 3}/Al composite formed by Reactive Metal Penetration was used along with an AlN/Al composite formed using a reactive infiltration technique. The results indicate that the toughness increases with an increase in the volume fraction of the metal phase for a particular composite composition, and the peak toughness and shape of the R-Curve also depend on the composite microstructure and metal composition.

Data are presented from the Air Intake Shaft Test, an in situ test fielded at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The construction of this shaft, well after the initial three access shafts, presented an unusual opportunity to obtain valuable detailed data on the mechanical response of a shaft for application to seal design. These data include selected fielding information, test configuration, instrumentation activities, and comprehensive results from a large number of gages. Construction of the test began in December 1987; gage data in this report cover the period from May 1988 through July 1995, with the bulk of the data obtained after obtaining access in November, 1989 and from the heavily instrumented period after remote gage installation between May, 1990, and October, 1991.

Experiences as an environmental activist have produced some insights into addressing the current public over-reaction to environmental risks, and in particular to the risks posed by nuclear industry development.

This overview presents current research at Sandia National Laboratories in the Virtual Reality and Intelligent Simulation Lab. Into an existing distributed VR environment which we have been developing, and which provides shared immersion for multiple users, we are adding virtual actor support. The virtual actor support we are adding to this environment is intended to provide semi-autonomous actors, with oversight and high-level guiding control by a director/user, and to allow the overall action to be driven by a scenario. We present an overview of the environment into which our virtual actors will be added in Section 3, and discuss the direction of the Virtual Actor research itself in Section 4. We will briefly review related work in Section 2. First however we need to place the research in the context of what motivates it. The motivation for our construction of this environment, and the line of research associated with it, is based on a long-term program of providing support, through simulation, for situational training, by which we mean a type of training in which students learn to handle multiple situations or scenarios. In these situations, the student may encounter events ranging from the routine occurance to the rare emergency. Indeed, the appeal of such training systems is that they could allow the student to experience and develop effective responses for situations they would otherwise have no opportunity to practice, until they happened to encounter an actual occurance. Examples of the type of students for this kind of training would be security forces or emergency response forces. An example of the type of training scenario we would like to support is given in Section 4.2.

MicroDexterity Systems Inc. and Sandia National Laboratories are collaborating on the design of a six degree-of-freedom surgeon-controlled micropositioner and a six degree-of-freedom surgeon-controlled master for use in microsurgery. A control system will provide the linkage between the force-reflecting master and micropositioner for force scaling, position scaling, and tremor filtering. The technologies developed by this project are expected to enhance the skills of surgeons, improve the success rates for existing microsurgical procedures, make new high-dexterity procedures possible, and ultimately reduce surgical costs by increasing the precision and speed of operations. This paper discusses the motivation, approach, and accomplishments to date.

We report a new application of atomic force microscopy (AFM) for process characterization of GaAs integrated circuit fabrication. By using the near atomic-level z-resolution of AFM, we are able to gain information not available by other imaging techniques in a number of steps in the sequence for GaAs IC fabrication. A nondestructive method of determining whether micron-sized vias have been etched to completion is presented. In addition, the AFM has been used to evaluate material removal following several of fabrication steps. Shallow trench formation occurs as a result of GaAs removal during the sidewall etch for a commonly used sidewall spacer process. This effect has been not been observed previously by other techniques. Other examples of unintentional removal of small amounts of GaAs during shallow wet and dry etches are presented. These examples show the utility of AFM as an in-line process characterization tool.

This report evaluates telerobotic and teleoperational arm-based retrieval systems that require advanced robotic controls. These systems will be deployed in waste retrieval activities in Hanford`s Single Shell Tanks (SSTs). The report assumes that arm-based, retrieval systems will combine a teleoperational arm and control system enhanced by a number of advanced and telerobotic controls. The report describes many possible enhancements, spanning the full range of the control spectrum with the potential for technical maturation. The enhancements considered present a variety of choices and factors including: the enhancements to be included in the actual control system, safety, detailed task analyses, human factors, cost-benefit ratios, and availability and maturity of technology. Because the actual system will be designed by an offsite vendor, the procurement specifications must have the flexibility to allow bidders to propose a broad range of ideas, yet build in enough restrictions to filter out infeasible and undesirable approaches. At the same time they must allow selection of a technically promising proposal. Based on a preliminary analysis of the waste retrieval task, and considering factors such as operator limitations and the current state of robotics technology, the authors recommend a set of enhancements that will (1) allow the system to complete its waste retrieval mission, and (2) enable future upgrades in response to changing mission needs and technological advances.

Most neutron spectrum determination methodologies ignore self-shielding effects in dosimetry foils and treat covers with an exponential attenuation model. This work provides a quantitative analysis of the approximations in this approach. It also provides a methodology for improving the fidelity of the treatment of the dosimetry sensor response to a level consistent with the user`s spectrum characterization approach. A library of correction functions for the energy-dependent sensor response has been compiled that addresses dosimetry foils/configurations in use at the Sandia National Laboratories Radiation Metrology Laboratory.

We introduce an up-scaled, buoyant invasion percolation model (UIP) for application to non-wetting, dense, non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) migration at the geologic formation scale within the saturated zone of an aquifer. The UEP model incorporates a gravitational potential to model the displacement of fluids of different densities and can be used for either LNAPLs (lighter than water) or DNAPLs (denser than water). We demonstrate model behavior in a simulated braided stream deposit. Simulations show the influence of textural changes across layers and gravity forces in controlling DNAPL migration. While our results are encouraging, the application of this up-scaled percolation model requires a series of tests both in the laboratory and in the field before judgment of sufficient validity for its intended purpose is achieved.

Initiated in 1991; the Dish/Stirling Joint Venture Program (DSJVP) is a 5-year, $17.2 million joint venture which is funded by Cummins Power Generation, Inc. (CPG) of Columbus, Indiana and the United States Department of Energy`s (DOE) Solar Thermal and Biomass Power Division. Sandia National Laboratories administers and provides technical management for this contract on the DOE`s behalf. In January, 1995; CPG advanced to Phase 3 of this three-phase contract. The objective of the DSJVP is to develop and commercialize a 7-kW. Dish/Stirling System for remote power markets by 1997. In this paper, the technical status of the major subsystems which comprise the CPG 7-kW{sub e} Dish/Stirling System is presented. These subsystems include the solar concentrator, heat pipe receiver, engine/alternator, power conditioning, and automatic controls.

The report describes a preliminary evaluation of models for transforming regional climate model output from a regional to a local scale for the Yucca Mountain area. Evaluation and analysis of both empirical and numerical modeling are discussed which is aimed at providing site-specific, climate-based information for use by interfacing activities. Two semiempirical approaches are recommended for further analysis.

A mathematical formulation is presented for describing the transport of air, water and energy through porous media. The development follows a continuum mechanics approach. The theory assumes the existence of various average macroscopic variables which describe the state of the system. Balance equations for mass and energy are formulated in terms of these macroscopic variables. The system is supplemented with constitutive equations relating fluxes to the state variables, and with transport property specifications. Specification of various mixing rules and thermodynamic relations completes the system of equations. A numerical simulation scheme, employing the method of lines, is described for one-dimensional flow. The numerical method is demonstrated on sample problems involving nonisothermal flow of air and water. The implementation is verified by comparison with existing numerical solutions.

Measurements of capillary barrier performance have been conducted in above-grade wooden structures (boxes) configured to measure the water balance. The capillary-barrier portion of the boxes is 6.0 m long, 2.0 m wide, and 1.2 m high with a slope of 5%. A coarse-grained material was placed in the bottom 25-cm of the box with a 90-cm deep fine-grained material (local soil) on top. A region for laterally diverted water to accumulate and drain was created in the last 1.0 m of the box. The soil at the top is terraced into five, 1.4 m long, level intervals to prevent runoff when adding water. Water is added uniformly to the entire top of the box at a rate of about 66 l/day, or an infiltration rate of 1.7 m/year. The top of the box is covered with fiber-reinforced plastic to minimize evaporation of water, discourage plant growth, and prevent rainfall from contacting the soil. Five drains are spaced along the bottom of the coarse layer. These drains discretize the coarse layer into five collection regions to provide a means of identifying the breakthrough location into the coarse layer. A drain is also located in the downdip collection region of the box. Soil moisture changes were measured in the fine-grained material with a frequency-domain reflectometry (FDR) probe, which was calibrated using soil from the field site at a known moisture content and density.

The objective of Sandia`s refining of coal-derived liquids project is to determine the relationship between hydrotreating conditions and Product characteristics. The coal-derived liquids used in this work were produced In HTI`s first proof-of-concept run using Illinois No. 8 coal. Samples of the whole coal liquid product, distillate fractions of this liquid, and Criterion HDN-60 catalyst were obtained from Southwest Research Inc. Hydrotreating experiments were performed using a continuous operation, unattended, microflow reactor system. A factorial experimental design with three variables (temperature, (310{degrees}C to 388{degrees}C), liquid hourly space velocity (1 to 3 g/h/cm{sup 3}(cat)), pressure (500 to 1000 psig H{sub 2}) is being used in this project. Sulfur and nitrogen contents of the hydrotreated products were monitored during the hydrotreating experiments to ensure that activity was lined out at each set of reaction conditions. Results of hydrotreating the whole coal liquid showed that nitrogen values in the products ranged from 549 ppM at 320{degrees}C, 3 g/h/cm{sup 3}(cat), 500 psig H{sub 2} to <15 ppM at 400{degrees}C, 1 g/h/ cm{sup 3}(cat), 1000 psig H{sub 2}.

A laboratory investigation has been carried out to determine the effects of elevated temperature and stress on the creep deformation of welded tuffs recovered from Busted Butte in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Water saturated specimens of tuff from thermal/mechanical unit TSw2 were tested in creep at a confining pressure of 5.0 MPa, a pore pressure of 4.5 MPa, and temperatures of 25 and 250 C. At each stress level the load was held constant for a minimum of 2.5 {times} 10{sup 5} seconds and for as long as 1.8 {times} 10{sup 6} seconds. One specimen was tested at a single stress of 80 MPa and a temperature of 250 C. The sample failed after a short time. Subsequent experiments were initiated with an initial differential stress of 50 or 60 MPa; the stress was then increased in 10 MPa increments until failure. The data showed that creep deformation occurred in the form of time-dependent axial and radial strains, particularly beyond 90% of the unconfined, quasi-static fracture strength. There was little dilatancy associated with the deformation of the welded tuff at stresses below 90% of the fracture strength. Insufficient data have been collected in this preliminary study to determine the relationship between temperature, stress, creep deformation to failure, and total failure time at a fixed creep stress.

This report discusses the testing and evaluation of thirteen commercially available exterior digital video motion detection (VMD) systems. The systems were evaluated for use in a specific outdoor application. The report focuses primarily on the testing parameters, each system`s advertised features, and the nuisance alarm and detection test results.

Bridged polysilsesquioxanes represent an interesting family of hybrid organic-inorganic composite materials. It has been shown that manipulation of the organic bridging component offers the potential for the synthesis of a variety of materials with a range of surface areas and porosities. In addition, incorporation of a heteroatom within the bridging organic component allows for further chemical transformation of the polysilsesquioxane material.

This paper presents the relations that describe thermodynamic equilibrium in a three-phase system. Multiple components, including air, water, and oil components, are considered in three phases: (1) aqueous, (2) oil, and (3) gas. Primary variables are specified for each of seven possible phase combinations. These primary variables are then used to determine the necessary secondary variables to completely describe the system. Criteria are also developed to check the stability of each phase configuration and determine possible transitions from one phase configuration to another phase configuration via phase appearances and disappearances.

The authors analyze the problem of radiation trapping (imprisonment) by the method of Holstein. The process is described by an integrodifferential equation which shows that the effective radiative decay rate of the system depends on the size and the shape of the active medium. Holstein obtains a global decay rate for a particular geometry by assuming that the radiating excited species evolves into a steady state spatial mode. The authors derive a new approximation for the trapped decay which has a space dependent decay rate and is easy to implement in a detailed computer simulation of a plasma confined within an arbitrary geometry. They analyze the line shapes that are relevant to a near-atmospheric-pressure mixture of He and Xe. This line-shape analysis can be utilized in either the Holstein formulae or the space-dependent decay approximation.

Polyelectrolyte (PE) gels are swollen polymer/solvent networks that undergo a reversible volume collapse/expansion through various types of stimulation. Applications that could exploit this large deformation and solvent expulsion/absorption characteristics include robotic {open_quotes}fingers{close_quotes} and drug delivery systems. The goals of the research were to first explore the feasibility of using the PE gels as {open_quotes}smart materials{close_quotes} - materials whose response can be controlled by an external stimulus through a feedback mechanism. Then develop a predictive capability to simulate the dynamic behavior of these gels. This involved experimentally characterizing the response of well-characterized gels to an applied electric field and other stimuli to develop an understanding of the underlying mechanisms which cause the volume collapse. Lastly, the numerical analysis tool was used to simulate various potential engineering devices based on PE gels. This report discusses the pursuit of those goals through experimental and computational means.

Reactor-scale ex-vessel boiling experiments were performed in the CYBL facility at Sandia National Laboratories. The boiling flow pattern outside the RPV bottom head shows a center pulsating region and an outer steady two-phase boundary layer region. The local heat transfer data can be correlated in terms of a modified Rohsenow correlation.

In some nuclear reactor core melt accidents, a potential exists for molten core debris to be dispersed into the containment under high pressure. Resulting energy transfer to the containment atmosphere can pressurize the containment. This process, known as direct containment heating (DCH), has been the subject of extensive experimental and analytical programs sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). DCH modeling has been a major focus for the development of the CONTAIN code. In support of the peer review, extensive analyses of DCH experiments were performed in order to assess the CONTAIN code`s DCH models and improve understanding of DCH phenomenology. The present paper summarizes this assessment effort.

This study assessed the impact of aging on the performance and reliability of active fire protection systems including both fixed fire suppression and fixed fire detection systems. The experience base shows that most nuclear power plants have an aggressive maintenance and testing program and are finding degraded fire protection system components before a failure occurs. Also, from the data reviewed it is clear that the risk impact of fire protection system aging is low. However, it is assumed that a more aggressive maintenance and testing program involving preventive diagnostics may reduce the risk impact even further.

The Environmental Restoration (ER) Project has been tasked with the characterization, assessment, remediation and long-term monitoring of contaminated waste sites at Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM). Many of these sites will require remediation which will involve the use of baseline technologies, innovative technologies that are currently under development, and new methods which will be developed in the near future. The Technology Applications Program (TAP) supports the ER Project and is responsible for development of new technologies for use at the contaminated waste sites, including technologies that will be used for remediation and restoration of these sites. The purpose of this report is to define the remediation needs of the ER Project and to identify those remediation needs for which the baseline technologies and the current development efforts are inadequate. The area between the remediation needs and the existing baseline/innovative technology base represents a technology gap which must be filled in order to remediate contaminated waste sites at SNL/NM economically and efficiently. In the first part of this report, the remediation needs of the ER Project are defined by both the ER Project task leaders and by TAP personnel. The next section outlines the baseline technologies, including EPA defined Best Demonstrated Available Technologies (BDATs), that are applicable at SNL/NM ER sites. This is followed by recommendations of innovative technologies that are currently being developed that may also be applicable at SNL/NM ER sites. Finally, the gap between the existing baseline/innovative technology base and the remediation needs is identified. This technology gap will help define the future direction of technology development for the ER Project.

A telephone survey was conducted to evaluate the quality of service provided to the primary customers of the Corporate Ergonomics Group (CEG). One hundred clients who received services between October 1993 and June 1994 were asked questions on their expectations, implementation of ergonomic recommendations, follow-ups, time required, productivity improvements, symptom alleviation, and satisfaction. Suggestions on how processes could be improved were also solicited. In general, recommendations are being implemented, worksite evaluations are going smoothly, and customers are satisfied with the process. The CEG was pleased to learn that half of the people who implemented recommendations experienced improvements in productivity, and four out of five symptomatic customers experienced partial or complete relief. Through analysis of the data and by studying clients` suggestions for process improvement, the CEG has developed a strategy for changing and improving current procedures and practices. These plans can be found in the last section of this report.

The SERAPBIM (SEgmented RAil PHased Induction Motor) concept is a linear induction motor concept which uses rapidly-pulsed magnetic fields and a segmented reaction rail, as opposed to low-frequency fields and continuous reaction rails found in conventional linear induction motors. These improvements give a high-traction, compact, and efficient linear motor that has potential for advanced high speed rail propulsion. In the SERAPBIM concept, coils on the vehicle push against a segmented aluminum rail, which is mounted on the road bed. Current is pulsed as the coils cross an edge of the segmented rail, inducing surface currents which repel the coil. The coils must be pulsed in synchronization with the movement by reaction rail segments. This is provided by a sense-and-fire circuit that controls the pulsing of the power modulators. Experiments were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of the pulsed induction motor and to collect data that could be used for scaling calculations. A 14.4 kg aluminum plate was accelerated down a 4 m track to speeds of over 15 m/sec with peak thrust up to 18 kN per coilset. For a trainset capable of 200 mph speed, the SERAPHIM concept design is based on coils which are each capable of producing up to 3.5 kN thrust, and 30 coil pairs are mounted on each power car. Two power cars, one at each end of the train, provide 6 MW from two gas turbine prime power units. The thrust is about 210.000 N and is essentially constant up to 200 km/hr since wheel slippage does not limit thrust as with conventional wheeled propulsion. A key component of the SERAPHIM concept is the use of passive wheel-on-rah support for the high speed vehicle. Standard steel wheels are capable of handling over 200 mph. The SERAPHIM cost is comparable to that for steel-wheel high-speed rail, and about 10% to 25% of the projected costs for a comparable Maglev system.

The Vital Issues Process, developed by the Sandia National Laboratories Strategic Technologies Department, was utilized by the Health Care Task Force Advisory Group to apply structure to their policy deliberations. By convening three expert panels, an overarching goal for the New Mexico health care system, seven desired outcomes, nine policy options, and 17 action items were developed for the New Mexico health care system. Three broadly stated evaluation criteria were articulated and used to produce relative rankings of the desired outcomes and policy options for preventive care and information systems. Reports summarizing the policy deliberations were submitted for consideration by the Health Care Task Force, a Joint Interim Committee of the New Mexico Legislature, charged with facilitating the development and implementation of a comprehensive health care delivery system for New Mexico. The Task Force reported its findings and recommendations to the Second Session of the 41st New Mexico State Legislature in January 1994.

The Automated Assembly Team of the APRIMED Project (abbreviated as A{prime}) consists of two parts: the Archimedes Project, which is an ongoing project developing automated assembly technology, and the A{prime} Robot Team. Archimedes is a second generation assembly planning system that both provides a general high-level assembly sequencing capability and, for a smaller class of products, facilitates automatic programming of a robotic workcell to assemble them. The A{prime} robot team designed, developed, and implemented a flexible robot workcell which served as the automated factory of the A{prime} project. In this document we briefly describe the role of automated assembly planning in agile manufacturing, and specifically describe the contributions of the Archimedes project and the A{prime} robot team to the A{prime} project. We introduce the concepts of the Archimedes automated assembly planning project, and discuss the enhancements to Archimedes which were developed in response to the needs of the A{prime} project. We also present the work of the A{prime} robot team in designing and developing the A{prime} robot workcell, including all tooling and programming to support assembly of the A{prime} discriminator devices. Finally, we discuss the process changes which these technologies have enabled in the A{prime} project.

This is a preliminary report of a multi-year collaboration of the authors addressing the subject: Can a facility be designed for team learning and would it improve the efficiency and effectiveness of team interactions? Team learning in this context is a broad definition that covers all activities where small to large groups of people come together to work, to learn, and to share through team activities. Multimedia, networking, such as World Wide Web and other tools, are greatly enhancing the capability of individual learning. This paper addresses the application of technology and design to facilitate group or team learning. Many organizational meetings need tens of people to come together to do work as a large group and then divide into smaller subgroups of five to ten to work and then to return and report and interact with the larger group. Current facilities were not, in general, designed for this type of meeting. Problems with current facilities are defined and a preliminary design solution to many of the identified problems is presented.

The results of previously completed vertical outcrop sampling transacts are summarized with respect to planning downhole sampling. The summary includes statistical descriptions and descriptions of the spatial variability of the sampled parameters. Descriptions are made on each individual transect, each thermal/mechanical unit and each previously defined geohydrologic unit. Correlations between parameters indicate that saturated hydraulic conductivity is not globally correlated to porosity. The correlation between porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity is both spatially and lithologically dependent. Currently, there are not enough saturated hydraulic conductivity and sorptivity data to define relationships between these properties and porosity on a unit by unit basis. Also, the Prow Pass member of the Crater Flat Tuff and stratigraphically lower units have gone essentially unsampled in these outcrop transacts. The vertical correlation length for hydrologic properties is not constant across the area of the transacts. The average sample spacing within the transacts ranges from 1.25 to 2.1 meters. It appears that, with the exception of the Topopah Spring member units, a comparable sample spacing will give adequate results in the downhole sampling campaign even with the nonstationarity of the vertical correlation. The properties within the thermal/mechanical units and geohydrologic units of the Topopah Spring member appear to have a spatial correlation range less than or equal to the current sample spacing within these units. For the downhole sampling, a sample spacing of less than 1.0 meters may be necessary within these units.

This report describes the first practical, non-invasive technique for detecting and imaging currents internal to operating integrated circuits (ICs). This technique is based on magnetic force microscopy and was developed under Sandia National Laboratories` LDRD (Laboratory Directed Research and Development) program during FY 93 and FY 94. LDRD funds were also used to explore a related technique, charge force microscopy, for voltage probing of ICs. This report describes the technical work performed under this LDRD as well as the outcomes of the project in terms of publications and awards, intellectual property and licensing, synergistic work, potential future work, hiring of additional permanent staff, and benefits to DOE`s defense programs (DP).

Sandia National Laboratories has established a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with consortium members of the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) to develop fundamental generic technology in the area of printed wiring board materials and surface finishes. Improved solderability of copper substrates is an important component of the Sandia-NCMS program. We are investigating the effects of surface roughness on the wettability and solderability behavior of several different types of copper board finishes. In this paper, we present roughness and solderability characterizations for a variety of chemically-etched copper substrates. Initial testing on six chemical etches demonstrate that surface roughness can be greatly enhanced through chemical etching. Noticeable improvements in solder wettability were observed to accompany increases in roughness. A number of different algorithms and measures of roughness were used to gain insight into surface morphologies that lead to improved solderability.