International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Energy expenditure (EE) of four adult men on a weight-maintenance diet was estimated by use of doubly labeled water, intake balance, and direct and indirect calorimetry. The doubly labeled water (2H218O) method was used to estimate free-living EE for 13 d. Metabolizable energy (ME) intake was used to estimate free-living EE for 1 wk. The subjects' 24-h EE was measured in a dual direct-indirect room calorimeter on 3 alternate days. Estimates of free-living EE as measured by ME intake and doubly labeled water indicate agreement between the two methods (mean difference +/- SEM, -1.04 +/- 0.63%). Measurements of EE with indirect and direct calorimetry are equivalent (mean difference 0.63 +/- 0.44%). The daily EE measured by doubly labeled water in these free-living adults over a 13-d period was 15.01% greater than the 24-h ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The synthesis of (3-{sup 15}N)-labeled adenine has been reported by several groups. Each of these syntheses followed essentially the same route, in which the {sup 15}N is introduced by nitration of 4-bromoimidazole under forcing conditions using ({sup 15}N)-HNO{sub 3}. The authors have devised an alternate route which uses an azo coupling reaction for introduction of the {sup 15}N and proceeds through the intermediacy of (5-{sup 15}N)-labeled 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide (AICA). An unrelated route to the (5-{sup 15}N)-labeled 5-amino-imidazole ribonucleoside (AIRs) was recently reported. AICA is a versatile precursor, which is most commonly used for entry into the guanine or isoguanine families, although it is usually used as the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dairy products doubly labeled with 45Ca and 47Ca were used to evaluate an extrinsic labeling procedure for calcium bioavailability determination. Nonfat milk, yogurt, and fresh cheese curd were prepared from caprine milk that was intrinsically labeled with 45Ca. The products were then labeled extrinsically with 47Ca and administered to rats by gavage. The 47Ca to 45Ca ratio in bone and teeth averaged about 1.00 with either milk, yogurt, or CaCl2, but the ratio was about 1.04 when dosed with cheese curd. Ca absorption, determined by whole-body counting of 47Ca, was lower (P less than 0.05) in cheese curd (59%) than in either milk (69%), yogurt (72%), or CaCl2 (72%). Expressed as percent of dose, the absorption of 47Ca was highly correlated with bone 47Ca (r = 0.973) and with bone 45Ca (r = 0.946). Correlation between tibia 47Ca and tibia 45Ca was r = 0.923. For the dairy products tested, our results indicated that extrinsic 47Ca was absorbed ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NMR spectroscopy combined with paramagnetic relaxation agents was used to study the positioning of the 40-residue Alzheimer Amyloid {beta}-peptide A{beta}(1-40) in SDS micelles. 5-Doxyl stearic acid incorporated into the micelle or Mn{sup 2+} ions in the aqueous solvent were used to determine the position of the peptide relative to the micelle geometry. In SDS solvent, the two {alpha}-helices induced in A{beta}(1-40), comprising residues 15-24, and 29-35, respectively, are surrounded by flexible unstructured regions. NMR signals from these unstructured regions are strongly attenuated in the presence of Mn{sup 2+} showing that these regions are positioned mostly outside the micelle. The central helix (residues 15-24) is significantly affected by 5-doxyl stearic acid however somewhat less for residues 16, 20, 22 and 23. This {alpha}-helix therefore resides in the SDS headgroup region with the face with residues 16, 20, 22 and 23 directed away from the hydrophobic ...

Science.gov (United States)

Syntheses of all five of the singly labeled (/sup 15/N)adenines are now provided. The presence or absence of two-bond /sup 15/N-/sup 1/H spin couplings in their /sup 1/H NMR spectra confirm the location of the isotope in each case. The fragmentation patterns in their mass spectra are indicative of the sequential losses of HCN units and of CH/sub 2/N/sub 2/ from adenine upon electron impact.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The autors examined the hypothesis that current recommendations on dietary energy requirements may underestimate the total energy needs of young adult men, by measuring total energy expenditure (TEE) and resting energy expenditure (REE) in 14 weight-maintaining healthy subjects leading unrestricted lives. TEE and body composition were measured by using 2H(2)18O, and REE was measured by using indirect calorimetry. All subjects had sedentary full-time occupations and participated in strenuous leisure activities for 34 #+-# 6 (SE) min/d. TEE and REE were 14.61 #+-# 0.76 and 7.39 #+-# 0.26 MJ/d, respectively, and 202 #+-# 2 and 122 #+-# 2 kJ.kg-1.d-1. There were significant relationships between TEE and both body fat-free mass (r = 0.732, P less than 0.005) and measured REE (r = 0.568, P less than 0.05). Measured TEE:REE values were significantly higher than the recommended energy requirement (1.98 #+-# 0.09, compared with 1.55 or 1.67, P less than 0.005). These results are consistent with ...

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... Abstract : Two traces in flexible cables used in the Milstar agile beam antenna system failed during acceptance testing. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

FT-IR spectroscopic studies of the adsorption of natural and {sup 18}O-enriched NO gases on thermally and cleaned MgO powders were carried out. The temperature dependence of the IR spectra was investigated to characterize the adsorbate species. Three types [1, 2, and 3] of NO adsorptions were obtained in the wavenumber region of 1500--1000 cm{sup {minus}1}. Those types were examined using density functional theory [(U)B3-LYP/6-31G*] vibrational analyses of (MgO){sub n}-NO cluster calculations. Types 1, 2, and 3 were assigned to monodentate, asymmetric, and symmetric bidentate geometries, respectively. A type 4, a tridentate model which involves a NO{sub 3}-like species, was calculated and was found to give wavenumbers of less than 1,000 cm{sup {minus}1}. The splitting of IR bands of type 3 due to the {sup 15}N{sup 18}O adsorbate was ascribed to the oxygen exchange, {sup 15}N{sup 18}O {yields} {sup ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The effectiveness of two organic chemicals, viz. 2, 4-dinitrophenyl hydrazone and naphthyl ethylene diamine applied at the rate of 10 mg kg"-"1 soil to wheat were studied as mobilizers of recently immobilized fertilizer N applied ("1"5N urea) at the rate of 60, 120 and 180 mg kg"-"1 soil to rice under greenhouse condition on a Typic Ustochrept. Rice as a first crop gave "1"5N recovery ranging from 35 to 37 per cent and more than one third of the applied fertilizer N was retained in the soil. Chemicals provided significantly higher mineral N during the initial growth period of wheat grown as a subsequent crop on the soil having different levels of residual nitrogen. "1'5N removal by plants at all the growth stages was significantly higher due to chemicals. The chemicals also showed significant effect in increasing the grain yield which caused higher N uptake and showed "1"5N recovery escalation. The "1"5N recovery at wheat harvest varied from 3 to 5 per cent of total "1"5N applied to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We performed density functional calculations to examine the effects of solvation, hydrogen bonding, backbone conformation, and the side chain on 15N chemical shielding in proteins. We used N-methylacetamide (NMA) and N-formyl-alanyl-X (with X being one of the 19 naturally occurring amino acids excluding proline) as model systems. In addition, calculations were performed for selected fragments from protein GB3. The conducting polarizable continuum model was employed to include the effect of solvent in the density functional calculations. Our calculations for NMA show that the augmentation of the polarizable continuum model with the explicit water molecules in the first solvation shell has a significant influence on isotropic 15N chemical shift but not as much on the chemical shift anisotropy. The difference in the isotropic chemical shift between the standard ?-sheet and ?-helical conformations ranges ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ammonia adsorption on the external surface of C_3_0B_1_5N_1_5 heterofullerene was studied using density functional calculations. Three models of the ammonia-attached C_3_0B_1_5N_1_5 together with the perfect model were optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G"* level. The optimization process reveals that dramatic influences occurred for the geometrical structure of C_3_0B_1_5N_1_5 after ammonia adsorption; the B atom relaxes outwardly and consequently the heterofullerene distorts from the spherical form in the adsorption sites. The chemical shielding (CS) tensors and nuclear quadrupole coupling constants of B and N nuclei were calculated at the B3LYP/6-311G"*"* level. Our calculations reveal that the B atom is chemically bonded to NH_3 molecule. The B atom in the NH_3-attached form has the largest chemical shielding isotropic (CSI) value among the other boron nuclei. The C_Q parameters of B nuclei at the interaction sites are significantly decreased after ammonia adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Jan 22, 2011 ... Title: Model checking for network security requirements via a flexible modeling framework. Authors: Powell, J. Gilliam, D. ...

Science.gov (United States)

MILSTAR's Flexible Substrate Solar Array (FSSA) is an evolutionary development of the lightweight, flexible substrate design pioneered at Lockheed during the seventies. Many of the features of the design are related to the Solar Array Flight Experiment (SAFE), flown on STS-41D in 1984. FSSA development has created a substantial technology base for future flexible substrate solar arrays such as the array for the Space Station Freedom. Lessons learned during the development of the FSSA can and should be applied to the Freedom array and other future flexible substrate designs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A general method for stable-isotope labeling of large proteins is introduced and applied for studies of the E. coli GroE chaperone proteins by solution NMR. In addition to enabling the residue-specific {sup 15}N-labeling of proteins on a highly deuterated background, it is also an efficient approach for uniform labeling. The method meets the requirements of high-level deuteration, minimal cross-labeling and high protein yield, which are crucial for NMR studies of structures with sizes above 150 kDa. The results obtained with the new protocol are compared to other strategies for protein labeling, and evaluated with regard to the influence of external factors on the resulting isotope labeling patterns. Applications with the GroE system show that these strategies are efficient tools for studies of structure, dynamics and intermolecular interactions in large supramolecular complexes, when combined with TROSY- and CRINEPT-based experimental NMR ...

Science.gov (United States)

... By comparing the behavior of individuals tackling the missionaries and cannibals problem to pairs of people solving this problem, we have been ...

Science.gov (United States)

... Transforming the NDS into a Strategic Materials Security Program (SMSP), a more comprehensive and flexible risk management process would ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg) and 22 other trace elements were measured in ice algae, three species of zooplankton, mixed zooplankton samples, Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), ringed seals (Phoca hispida) and eight species of seabirds to examine the trophodynamics of these metals in an Arctic marine food web. All samples were collected in 1998 in the Northwater Polynya (NOW) located between Ellesmere Island and Greenland in Baffin Bay. THg and MeHg were found to biomagnify through the NOW food web, based on significant positive relationships between log THg and log MeHg concentrations vs. {delta} {sup 15}N muscle and liver . The slope of these relationships for muscle THg and MeHg concentrations (slope = 0.197 and 0.223, respectively) were similar to those reported for other aquatic food webs. The food web behavior of THg and {delta} {sup 15}N appears constant, regardless of trophic state ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A compact, quasi-4? position sensitive silicon array, TIARA, designed to study direct reactions induced by radioactive beams in inverse kinematics is described here. The Transfer and Inelastic All-angle Reaction Array (TIARA) consists of 8 resistive charge division detectors forming an octagonal barrel around the target and a set of double-sided silicon-strip annular detectors positioned at each end of the barrel. The detector was coupled to the ?-ray array EXOGAM and the spectrometer VAMOS at the GANIL Laboratory to demonstrate the potential of such an apparatus with radioactive beams. The 14N(d,p)15N reaction, well known in direct kinematics, has been carried out in inverse kinematics for that purpose. The observation of the 15N ground state and excited states at 7.16 and 7.86 MeV is presented here as well as the comparison of the measured proton angular distributions with DWBA calculations. ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper investigates whether China has reached postnatal nutrient intake equality between boys and girls, despite an exceptionally high ratio of boys to girls at birth, after dramatic technological advances in prenatal sex determination, rapid increases in income, and improved educational opportunities for females. Dominance methods applied to data from the Chinese Health and Nutrition Surveys (selected years 1991-2004) reveal no bias in calorie consumption between girls and boys. We find some weak evidence of protein bias toward boys in 1991, but it disappeared by 2004. (JEL I32, O15, N35)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A device is presented with handle containing hinges and work support arm, a flexible pin with supports and extra weights. The flexible pin is equipped with cantilevered sergments and weights. The bracket hinges on the handle are perpendicular to the axis of the flexible pin. To reduce handle vibration during drilling hard rock, the handle and brackets are joined to allow relative movement on the surface perpendicular to the hinges of the work support arm. The handle is joined to the work support arm parallel to the sides and the work support arm has holes to accomodate this. Elastic bushings are located between the lateral sides of the work support arm where it is joined to the handle.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The high nutrient nitrogen and organic matter contents of sewage sludge (SS) make it a potential organic fertilizer for sandy soil. In this study, "1"5N-labelled ammonium sulphate was used to investigate the availability of nitrogen from irradiated and non-irradiated sewage sludge to tomato plants. The application of sewage sludge to sandy soil increased dry matter production (DMP), nitrogen yield (NY) and nitrogen recovery (NR) over two successive years. A positive relationship was found between sludge application rate and DMP and NY. The increase was significantly higher (P=0.05) in irradiated than non-irradiated sewage sludge. Total nitrogen derived from non-irradiated sewage sludge are : 48.0, 63.7, 73.5, 105.2 Kg/ha, whereas, the total nitrogen derived from irradiated sewage sludge are: 55.1, 72.5, 88.9, 141.4 Kg/ha corresponding to application rates of 10 t/ha, 20 t/ha, 30 t/ha, respectively. This was attributed to higher dry matter production in the later than the former. A ...

Science.gov (United States)

Systems MEMS sensors C11-20 Lifetime Distributions of Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors C11-22 Adhesion Strength of Advanced Polymer Films for Flexible and Rigid...

Science.gov (United States)

Milstar is a flexible, robust satellite communications ... of the Milstar system includes services capable of supporting status reporting, ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundMany molecules of interest are flexible and undergo significant shape deformation as part of their function, but most existing methods of molecular shape comparison (MSC)...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... 2. Help women become accepted by providing job-related training, creating flexible work groups with good climates, and encourage supervisors to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

These ten chapters present an overview of floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, and examines deep water developments; hydrostatic stability; production, storage and offloading systems; the configuration and structure of flexible risers and umbilicals; the structural and global dynamic analysis of flexible riser and umbilicals; verification of FPSO structural integrity; vessel global loading and rigid body response; environmental loading and vessel response; and mooring systems. (UK)

Science.gov (United States)

Recent work on the aerodynamics of flapping flight reveals fundamental differences in the mechanisms of aerodynamic force generation between fixed and flapping wings. When fixed wings translate at high angles of attack, they periodically generate and shed leading and trailing edge vortices as reflected in their fluctuating aerodynamic force traces and associated flow visualization. In contrast, wings flapping at high angles of attack generate stable leading edge vorticity, which persists throughout the duration of the stroke and enhances mean aerodynamic forces. Here, we show that aerodynamic forces can be controlled by altering the trailing edge flexibility of a flapping wing. We used a dynamically scaled mechanical model of flapping flight (Re approximately 2000) to measure the aerodynamic forces on flapping wings of variable flexural stiffness (EI). For low to medium angles of attack, as flexibility of the wing increases, its ability to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As part of Pilot Project of KIP of CAS, a feasibility study of hydrogen production system using biomass residues is conducted. This study is based on a process of oxygen-rich air gasification of biomass in a downdraft gasifier plus CO-shift. The capacity of this system is 6.4 t biomass/d. Applying this system, it is expected that an annual production of 480 billion N m{sup 3} H{sub 2} will be generated for domestic supply in China. The capital cost of the plant used in this study is 1328/(N m{sup 3}/h) H{sub 2} out, and product supply cost is 0.15/N m{sup 3} H{sub 2}. The cost sensitivity analysis on this system tells that electricity and catalyst cost are the two most important factors to influence hydrogen production cost. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The overall objective of this research project is to develop a technical basis for flexible piping designs which will improve piping reliability and minimize the use of pipe supports, snubbers, and pipe whip restraints. The current study was conducted to establish the necessary groundwork based on the piping reliability analysis. A confirmatory piping reliability assessment indicated that removing rigid supports and snubbers tends to either improve or affect very little the piping reliability. A couple of changes to be implemented in Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.61 and RG 1.122 aimed at more flexible piping design were investigated. It was concluded that these changes substantially reduce calculated piping responses and allows piping redesigns with significant reduction in number of supports and snubbers without violating ASME code requirements.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

To eliminate their classical brittleness and flexibility problems zein films were plasticized by incorporation of different phenolic acids (gallic acid (GA), p-hydroxy benzoic acid (HBA) or ferulic acids (FA)) or flavonoids (catechin (CAT), flavone (FLA) or quercetin (QU)). The use of GA, CAT, FA and HBA at 3 mg/cm2 eliminated the brittleness of films and gave highly flexible films showing elongations between 135% and 189%, while FLA and QU caused no considerable effect on film elongation. The films containing FA and HBA showed extreme swelling and lost their structural integrity when hydrated in distilled water. In contrast, CAT and GA containing films maintained their integrity following hydration. Most of the GA (up to 93%) and a considerable portion of CAT (up to 60%) in the films exis...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundAirway complications are among the most challenging problems after lung transplantation, and Self-Expandable Metallic Stents (SEMS) are used to treat airway complications...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Current military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced a significant number of complex injury patterns. Multiple extremity trauma and wide zones of injury mandate a flexible approach to these...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

AbstractListeners show remarkable flexibility in processing variation in speech signal. One striking example is the ease with which they adapt to novel speech distortions such as listening...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

During Phase II multi-junction solar cell will be grown on the large grain thin film produced during Phase I on flexible/low cost metal foil substrate. ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Here, we show that the consequences of deficient micronutrient (β-carotene) intake during larval stages of Manduca sexta are carried across metamorphosis, affecting adult behaviour....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

We used the idea of hierarchical control to study multi-muscle synergies during a whole-body sway task performed by a standing person. Within this view, at the lower level of the hierarchy,...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A flexible, steerable tube (distal end) of an endoscope for the application in the laparoscopic surgery has been analyzed by means of the finite-element-method (FEM). The unusual mechanical and thermal features of the used shape memory alloy (SMA) of NiTi were taken in account. The analyses showed that the strains remain in the super-elastic region up to the maximum bending of 90 and no plastic deformations occur. The application of the shape optimization (CAO) made possible finding the optimal structure of the distal end and therefore powerful reducing the maximum strains in the critical regions. (orig.)

CERN Document Server

We study suspensions of semi-flexible colloidal rods and biopolymers using an Onsager-type second-virial functional for a segmented-chain model. For suspensions of thin and thick fd virus particles we calculate phase diagrams in quantitative agreement with experimental observations, and we find their effective state-point dependent shape to be much shorter and thicker than the actual shape. We also calculate the stretching of worm-like micelles in a host fd virus solution, again finding agreement with experiments. For both systems, our results show that the fd virus stiffness can play a key role in system behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

New industrial Non Destructive Testing requires the development of new probes: technologies such as high spatial resolution probes for small breaking flaws detection or flexible probes for complex curved surfaces inspection. The CEA/LIST has designed and integrated 2 probes to answer industrial's constraints. The first one is based on Giant Magneto-Resistance and is able to detect 50 ?m3 flaws. The second one is based on micro-coils etched on kapton and its flexibility is adapted to curved surfaces inspection. Both are multi-elements probes, allowing fast inspection. This paper presents those new probes, their design and their performances.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nitrous oxide is methylated with CH/sub 3/F ..-->.. SbF/sub 5/F/sub 2/ or with CH/sub 3/O/sup +/SOClF in SO/sub 2/ClF to give the stable methoxydiazonium ion CH/sub 3/ON/sub 2//sup +/ (1), which was characterized by NMR (/sup 15/N, /sup 13/C, /sup 1/H) and FT IR spectroscopic studies. It is stable below -30 /sup 0/C, above which it decomposes, regenerating N/sub 2/O. When reacted with aromatics, such as toluene, 1 gives only methylation products and no methoxy derivatives are formed. Spectroscopic and chemical data indicate that the mesomeric form CH/sub 3/O-N=N/sup +/ is a significant contributor to the overall structure of 1. Consideration of computed charge distribution (4-31 G with full geometry optimization and 4-31 G*) also supports this conclusion. Independent generation of 1 was also studied by solvolysis of methylazoxy triflate and diazotization of methoxylamine with NO/sup +/BF/sub 4//sup -/. Preparation of the elusive ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The research for the development of flexible organic electronic devices (FEDs) is rapidly increasing worldwide, since FEDs will change radically several aspects of everyday life. Although there has been considerable progress in the area of flexible inorganic devices (a-Si or solution processed Si), there are numerous advances in the organic (semiconducting, conducting and insulating), inorganic and hybrid (organic-inorganic) materials that exhibit customized properties and stability, and in the synthesis and preparation methods, which are characterized by a significant amount of multidisciplinary efforts. Furthermore, the development and encapsulation of organic electronic devices onto flexible polymeric substrates by large-scale and low-cost roll-to-roll production processes will allow their market implementation in numerous application areas, including displays, lighting, photovoltaics, radio-frequency identification ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Protected cultures are widespread along the Lebanese narrow coastline, encouraged by mild winter conditions. Although one of the most intensive production systems, water and nutrients managements are mostly empirical, based on the experience of the grower himself or of his workers. So far, water has been available in Lebanon, but it will become scarce within ten years. The conservation of water quality by a rational addition of nutrients is particularly relevant to protected cultures. This is important as greenhouses are developed on imported shallow soils that could be fragile and highly vulnerable to pollution. Sound management includes the amount and the forms of fertilizers as well as the modality of fertigation. An experiment was conducted during two spring seasons in a location along the northern coast in a typical unheated greenhouse. The cucumber response to two frequencies and modalities of fertigation was followed: continuous T2C and T3C and discontinuous T2D and T3D every ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A concept for a fast spectrum irradiation facility has been developed for insertion in the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The design is based on the very large fast flux that is available in this reactor combined with the use of a strongly-absorbing thermal neutron shield. The preferred concept from the several considered consists of a three-pin design surrounded by a Eu{sub 2}O{sub 3} thermal neutron shield located in the reactor flux trap. Preliminary analyses showed that this concept can provide a fast flux larger than 1x10{sup 15} n/cm{sup 2}{center_dot}s and a fast-to-thermal flux ratio greater than 300 while having an acceptable impact on the HFIR operation. Additional analyses are necessary to confirm that this design is feasible and meets the requirements for fast fuel irradiation. If the design proves to be suitable, it can provide a relatively low-cost, near-term capability.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This article describes a flexible and extensible infrastructure for applying Web-Technologies to embedded systems.The presented approach develops a Three-level-Architecture consisting of the embedded system, the universal Remote-Access-Server and the Remote-Access-Client. A system-spanning general interface allows the binding of embedded systems in order to access their process data. Additionally, this procedure facilitates a flexible processing of the device data, so that it is ready to be used by different control devices. To ensure flexibility - connecting different devices on the one side and providing information for different clients like PC, PDA or mobile phone on the other side - a new XML-based description language (Service Description Markup Language - SDML) is introduced. The SDML documents contain information about connected embedded systems, reusable device data and the presentation policies for different ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bluestein's Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), commonly called the Chirp-Z Transform (CZT), is a little-known algorithm that offers engineers a high-resolution FFT combined with the ability to specify bandwidth. In the field of digital signal processing, engineers are always challenged to detect tones, frequencies, signatures, or some telltale sign that signifies a condition that must be indicated, ignored, or controlled. One of these challenges is to detect specific frequencies, for instance when looking for tones from telephones or detecting 60-Hz noise on power lines. The Goertzel algorithm described in Embedded Systems Programming, September 2002, offered a powerful tool toward finding specific frequencies faster than the FFT.Another challenge involves analyzing a range of frequencies, such as recording frequency response measurements, matching voice patterns, or displaying spectrum information on the face of an amateur radio. To meet this challenge most engineers use the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This dissertation deals with both the theoretical and the technological aspects of monolithic tunable lasers, and the experimental techniques for opto-electronic integration. In the theoretical part, the principles and limitations of wavelength tuning and spectral linewidth reduction in monolithic semiconductor lasers are described, with coupled distributed feedback-Fabry Perot (DFB-FP) lasers and long DFB lasers as examples. Stepwise tuning of wavelength over tens of nanometers and continuous tuning over the range of a mode spacing are shown to be possible. Spatial hole burning is found to affect the spectral linewidth of lasers involving strong active gratings. On the technological side, one of the major issues is the fabrication of flexible gratings. Direct-writing techniques, such as focused ion beam (FIB) implantation and e-beam lithography, provide the resolution, flexibility and accuracy that conventional holographic lithography lacks. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solid state lasers, particularly neodymium glass systems, have undergone intensive development during the last decade. In this paper, we review solid state laser technology in the context of high-peak-power systems for inertial confinement fusion. Specifically addressed are five major factors: efficiency, wavelength flexibility, average power, system complexity, and cost; these factors today limit broader application of the technology. We conclude that each of these factors can be greatly improved within current fundamental physical limits. We further conclude that the systematic development of new solid state laser madia, both vitreous and crystalline, should ultimately permit the development of wavelength-flexible, very high average power systems with overall efficiencies in the range of 10 to 20%.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of the Energy Incentives and Agricultural Financial Resources Act of 1986 is to provide fair incentives for the domestic production of oil and gas, and to give flexibility to financial institutions with regard to energy and agricultural loans. The legislation reflects the current drop in activity and investment as a result of economic conditions and tax laws. It amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to assist troubled banks in providing capital and restructuring loans for energy development and agricultural pursuits. Title II repeals certain restrictions on the use of natural gas and petroleum imposed under the Fuel Use Act to open up markets and eliminate pricing requirements.

CERN Document Server

Many secure communication libraries used by distributed systems, such as SSL, TLS, and Kerberos, fail to make a clear distinction between the authentication, session, and communication layers. In this paper we introduce CEDAR, the secure communication library used by the Condor High Throughput Computing software, and present the advantages to a distributed computing system resulting from CEDAR's separation of these layers. Regardless of the authentication method used, CEDAR establishes a secure session key, which has the flexibility to be used for multiple capabilities. We demonstrate how a layered approach to security sessions can avoid round-trips and latency inherent in network authentication. The creation of a distinct session management layer allows for optimizations to improve scalability by way of delegating sessions to other components in the system. This session delegation creates a chain of trust that reduces the overhead of establishing secure ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We have developed a flexible radioactive polyurethane patch incorporating {beta}-emitting radionuclide (166Ho) to treat malignant skin lesions. We covered the tumor surface (n=133) with the radioactive patch for 33.58 {+-} 5.33 minutes. Radiation dose delivered was 35 Gy for Bowen's disease (n=78), Kaposi sarcoma (n=25), actinic keratosis (n=5), and 50 Gy for BCC (n=17) and squamous carcinoma (n=8). Complete response was observed in 91.7% after the first therapeutic trial, 96.2% after 2nd and 97.7% after 4th trial with excellent cosmetic outcome for 31.15{+-}13.88 months of follow-up. Radioactive patch therapy is effective for superficial skin cancers that are impractical for surgery.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Free Topology Network technology provides cost reduction benefits as well as flexibility in safeguards applications. Power line communications technologies have proven viability for transmission and reception of safeguards data, including surveillance photographs, the source of the largest data files. In the future, enhancements will be made to the technology that should boost both performance and flexibility. Work is already underway to achieve higher data rates over power line communications eventually, it should be possible to reach data rates of one million bits per second or higher. Also, the use of technologies such as Novell Embedded Systems Technology (NEST) and Echelon LON technology will allow a greater number of safeguards technologies to become resident on the Free Topology Safeguards Network.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper examines why ship shaped floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) systems have been selected for the first two developments on Foinaven and Schiehallion fields in West of Shetland operated by BP Exploration. An overview of the concepts considered for the deepwater harsh environment is made against the business objectives and reservoir conditions which are the primary drivers behind development concept selection. Discussion of technical issues for a range of concepts are held on schedule, construction, installation, safety, flexibility to production throughput, capital and operating costs.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

ATP is synthesized by ATP synthase (F_OF₁-ATPase). Its rotary electromotor (F_O) translocates protons (in some organisms sodium cations) and generates torque to drive...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Filtra-MVSS for filtered venting of containment overpressure is a flexible system capable of covering a wide range of hypothetical design basis events for BWRs and PWRs. The system encompasses a number of special features, can be optimized for a specified decontamination factor, and can accommodate a wide range of off-gas flow rates.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A major factor for the achievement of the desirable performance, efficiency and lifetime of flexible organic electronic devices is the optimization of the encapsulation layers that protect the device active layers by atmospheric gas molecule permeation. The active layers consisted of small molecule and/or polymer organic semiconductors as well as the organic conductors need to be encapsulated into a transparent medium that will provide the necessary protection and maintain their charge generation and transport characteristics. The encapsulation layers are generally consisted of inorganic thin films (silicon oxide-SiO{sub x} and aluminium oxide-AlO{sub x}) deposited onto the polymeric substrates, such as PolyEthylene Terephthalate (PET). In this work, in situ and real-time Spectroscopic Ellipsometry in the ultraviolet spectral region has been implemented in order to investigate the growth of inorganic SiO{sub x} and AlO{sub x} nano-layers onto PET ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pumping is one of the means for storing vast quantities of energy. This article analyses its principles and ways of implementation with emphasis on its double aspect, e.g., on the one hand, off-peak power is transferred to the periods of heaviest load and is thus valorized, even when taking into account losses due to poor efficiency of operations in the pumping and turbine modes, and on the other hand, plants have great flexibility in operation, faciliting the permanent fitting of generation to demand.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The K 2010 exhibition saw the introduction of PolyOne Corps OnCap Antifog Additive for polypropylene (PP) films, the first such additive for PP films that does not require corona treatment. According to the company, this new additive simplifies production of antifog films for the flexible food packaging industry, improving production efficiencies for both cast and blown film producers.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The uncertainties of growth in Croatian future energy, particularly electricity demand, together with growing environmental considerations and protection constraints, are such that Croatia needs to have flexibility to respond by having the option of expanding the nuclear sector. The paper deals with nuclear energy as an option for croatian sustainable economic development. The conclusion is that there is a necessity for extended use of nuclear energy in Croatia because most certainly nuclear energy can provide energy necessary to sustain progress. (author).

Wastenet

...and supply ensuring better food quality for the consumer developing safer and more flexible food production processes and technologies raw materials for food production; production and processing systems; by-products and wastes from fisheries and agro-industry; new food sources; packaging systems; quality monitoring; traceability Food contamination detecting and eliminating infectious and toxic agents throughout the food chain establishing the hazards and origins of food contaminants producing food more safely rapid ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Discussion is presented of world crude steel production, the Japanese steel industry and its expectations of the Canadian coal industry. It is concluded that the Canadian coal industry should pay attention to the trend in customer's requirements regarding coal quality, maintain price competitiveness in the international market place, and remain flexible with regard to the market trend.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The physical layout of the Time-Of-Flight spectrometer at the new spallation source SINQ is presented. The concept shows up a hybrid-TOF combining a Fermi-chopper with a crystal monochromator. The demand of a versatile and flexible instrument for several applications is taken into account by the option of switching from time-focusing to monochromatic focusing mode such that the spectrometer can be optimised for both quasielastic and inelastic scattering applications. (author) 5 figs., 2 tabs., 16 refs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Digital optical processing (DOP) was conceived to encompass the advantages of both electronic and optical processors, which are parallelism, flexibility, and high accuracy. The authors discuss the concept of parallelism, how it applies to DOP differently than to electronic parallel processing, and other potential advantages in using DOP. A PLZT memory device is described which can perform a series of logic or memory operations. From several of these PLZT devices a DOP is constructed to illustrate some of its programmability features.

Science.gov (United States)

The non-invasiveness of autofluorescence technology may reduce sampling error and time delay for histopathology diagnosis. We establish biophotonic methods and guidelines to visualize and interpret early epithelial tissue changes that signify disease. Flexible and rigid fiber endomicroscopy instrumentation design parameters feasible for translation towards clinical use are in development.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Achieving device independence for software applications is required for all but a small number of critical real time applications. Device independence is achieved by establishing protocols and building protocol interpreters for the specific devices. Data structures containing pointers to functions provide a flexible architecture for implementing protocol translation. 3 refs., 5 figs.

Science.gov (United States)

A description is given of an automatic liquid nitrogen pumping system. Pamping of liquid nitrogen iato cooling traps up to a predetermined level is achieved by an automatically controlled compressed air system. An impontant feature of the equipment is the ability to switch automatically from an empty liquid nitrogen reservoir to a full one. This allows for a much more flexible operation than in conventional systems where the reservoir has to be replaced manually when empty. (auth)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The production of radiopharmaceuticals used in positron emission tomography (PET) can require large amounts of activity at the start of synthesis in order to yield sufficient labeled material for clinical studies. Several investigators have developed remote and automated systems for the routine production of PET radiopharmaceuticals in order to reduce radiation exposure to personnel. Such devices, however, suffer from limited flexibility and can be relatively complicated in design. These systems are also limited to the production of a single or a few closely related compounds. Furthermore, changes in chemistry would require considerable modifications in hardware and/or software in order to bring the device back into operation. To circumvent the above limitations associated with the remote production of PET radiopharmaceuticals, the authors have investigated the use of laboratory robotics as a flexible alternative to the synthesis of several ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Although ultrasonic testing inspection technology and tools have improved significantly, there is still a need for more reliable detection, monitoring, and accurate sizing of crack-like and planar defects, complex corrosion damage, and detection of secondary features within deformed pipe. Ultrasonic two dimensional (2D) matrix phased array technology offers some unique advantages that make the technology promising for improving detection and sizing of pipeline flaws resulting from welding or from in-service damage. Ultrasonic modeling and simulation has been conducted to evaluate the detection and sizing capabilities of 2D matrix arrays for various pipeline inspection concepts. Simulations have been performed using both flexible and rigid array probes. Inspection concepts using rigid probes were evaluated for inspections from both the outside and inside pipe surfaces, while flexible probes were evaluated primarily for inspection from the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A design of the modular coil system for CHS-qa has been made for the plasma configuration '2b32' with the aspect ratio 3.2. The magnetic field strength and the major radius are 1.5 T and 1.5 m, respectively. The normal component of magnetic field produced by the modular coils is minimized on the plasma boundary to obtain the optimum coil design. We put engineering constraint on the distance between adjacent modular coils and the radius of coil curvature. The dependence of the residual normal component of the field on these conditions is examined, and the realistic values for them are selected. Additional coils to control various properties of the magnetic field configuration (the rotational transform, the magnetic well depth, etc.) have been designed and a flexibility of the magnetic field configuration is realized. For the case that the rotational transform crosses the low-order rational value resulting in magnetic islands, the residues of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This study presents a dynamic analysis of a flexible rotor supported by two porous squeeze couple stress fluid film journal bearings with non-linear suspension. The dynamics of the rotor center and bearing center are studied. The analysis of the rotor-bearing system is investigated under the assumptions of non-Newtonian fluid and a short bearing approximation. The spatial displacements in the horizontal and vertical directions are considered for various non-dimensional speed ratios. The dynamic equations are solved using the Runge-Kutta method. The analysis methods employed in this study is inclusive of the dynamic trajectories of the rotor center and bearing center, power spectra, Poincare maps and bifurcation diagrams. The maximum Lyapunov exponent analysis is also used to identify the onset of chaotic motion. The numerical results show that the stability of the system varies with the non-dimensional speed ratios, the non-dimensional parameter l* and the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We have described the x-ray optics and beamline performance of the ANL X6B beam line at the NSLS. Considerable flexibility has been built into the beam line to accommodate a wide range of x-ray diffraction, scattering, and spectroscopy experiments with various requirements. We presented selected examples of experimental results and showed that with the high intensity, high energy resolution, high-q resolution, and energy tunability, the X6B beam line has become a versatile facility.

CERN Document Server

In this paper the Sudoku problem is solved using stochastic search techniques and these are: Cultural Genetic Algorithm (CGA), Repulsive Particle Swarm Optimization (RPSO), Quantum Simulated Annealing (QSA) and the Hybrid method that combines Genetic Algorithm with Simulated Annealing (HGASA). The results obtained show that the CGA, QSA and HGASA are able to solve the Sudoku puzzle with CGA finding a solution in 28 seconds, while QSA finding a solution in 65 seconds and HGASA in 1.447 seconds. This is mainly because HGASA combines the parallel searching of GA with the flexibility of SA. The RPSO was found to be unable to solve the puzzle.

Science.gov (United States)

This workshop covered the latest practical engineering and operational management applications and techniques that have been found to enhance operational costs, reliability, and flexibility, with topics such as establishing the optimal refrigeration design cycle and operating design points; utility management; manpower scheduling; plant control philosophy and automation; short and long term maintenance scheduling; refrigerant loss detection and control; system contamination; component reliability; and equipment technical performance issues.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper describes examples of the damage resulting from the impact of a whipping pipe on a nearby pressurised pipe. The work is a by-product of a study of the motion of a whipping pipe. The tests were conducted with small-diameter pipes mounted in rigid supports and hence the results are not directly applicable to large-scale plant applications where flexible support mountings are employed. The results illustrate the influence of whipping pipe energy, impact position and support type on the damage sustained by the target pipe.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to develop pansystems-styled traffics, logistics and knowledge rediscovery. The core logoi are the generalized resources//F* and their circulation//C*. The research presents a new outlook to mathematics, physics, traffic, communication, logistics, KD, internet, computer, translation, simulation, information, life-systems, logic or reasoning, memory or storage, process, transaction, finance, education, inherent, topology, evolution, etc. and then certain mechanism among them and related mutuality can be unveiled. Design/methodology/approach - A flexible combination of philosophy, mathematics and technology is embodied. The paper is an application of pansystems methodology to approach the following topics: pansystems resource, circulation: traffics, log...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The increasing environmental concern and promotion of ''green processes'' are forcing the substitution of traditional acid and base homogeneous catalysts by solid ones. Among these heterogeneous catalysts, zeolites and zeotypes can be considered as real ''green'' catalysts, due to their benign nature from an environmental point of view. The importance of these inorganic molecular sieves within the field of heterogeneous catalysis relies not only on their microporous structure and the related shape selectivity, but also on the flexibility of their chemical composition. Modification of the zeolite framework composition results in materials with acidic, basic or redox properties, whereas multifunctional catalysts can be obtained by introducing metals by ion exchange or impregnation procedures...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The ability to control the flow of water around the body dictates the performance of marine mammals in the aquatic environment. Morphological specializations of marine mammals afford mechanisms for passive flow control. Aside from the design of the body, which minimizes drag, the morphology of the appendages provides hydrodynamic advantages with respect to drag, lift, thrust, and stall. The flukes of cetaceans and sirenians and flippers of pinnipeds possess geometries with flexibility, which enhance thrust production for high efficiency swimming. The pectoral flippers provide hydrodynamic lift for maneuvering. The design of the flippers is constrained by performance associated with stall. Delay of stall can be accomplished passively by modification of the flipper leading edge. Such a desig...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Smidsrod empirical stiffness parameter (B) of A. occidentale and A. lebbeck gum were determined using the correlation of intrinsic viscosity [#eta#] with ionic strength. The B value of 0.204 and 0.193 found respectively for A. occidentale and A. lebbeck suggests a flexible the molecule. The ionic strength has a greater influence on the [#eta#]. The decrease of [#eta#] increase of I, from 0.01 M to 0.1 M of NaCl, is higher for A. lebbeck (89%) than for A. occidentale (19%). (author)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Considerable discussion has taken place during the last decade regarding the role of economic growth in determining environmental quality. Using data from 30 OECD countries for the period 1960-2003 and the nonparametric method of generalized additive models, which enables us to use flexible functional forms, this paper examines the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for carbon dioxide (CO2). We find that the reduction of coal share in energy use has a significant effect on CO2. Our results imply that economic growth is not sufficient to decrease CO2 emissions.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The individuality of production devices should be taken into account when statistical models are designed for parallelized devices. In the present work, a new clustering method, referred to as NC-spectral clustering, is proposed for discriminating the individuality of production devices. The key idea is to classify samples according to the differences of the correlation among measured variables, since the individuality of production devices is expressed by the correlation. In the proposed NC-spectral clustering, the nearest correlation (NC) method and spectral clustering are integrated. The NC method generates the weighted graph that expresses the correlation-based similarities between samples, and the constructed graph is partitioned by spectral clustering. A new statistical process monit...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An anaerobic fermenter-decanter for the purification of residual water from the sugar industry, with recovery of methane, consists of a tank with inclined walls, with a central agitator on a vertical shaft. A flexible cover anchored by its periphery to the walls of the tank and totally submerged forms a collecting pocket for the fermentation gases. The water to be purified is introduced, after being heated to about 35, towards the bottom of the tank near the agitator. A metal collecting bell with submerged edges and with the shaft of the agitator passing axially through it is connected by its edges to a central opening of the cover. The purification yields may exceed 90%.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Differential cross sections have been measured for the elastic and inelastic scattering of 104 MeV alpha-particles from "9"0,"9"2Zr. The experimental data are analyzed in terms of coupled channels on the basis of a flexible anharmonic vibrator model and using different parametrizations of the radial shape of the extended optical potential. The results favour the squared Saxon-Woods type for the real part. Additionally to a radial momentum analysis of the real potentials a semimicroscopic folding model has been invoked for extracting isoscalar quadrupole and hexadecapole transition rates. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Austenitic stainless steels (304-type) have been implanted with nitrogen ions in order to investigate the effects of implanted nitrogen on their electrochemical behaviour and on the nature of the passive film formed on the steels in acid (0.5M H_2SO_4). Alloys with two nitrogen doses have been prepared (2.5x10"1"6 and 2x10"1"7 N atoms/cm"2). The implanted alloys have been characterized by "1"5N-NRA (nuclear reaction analysis) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy). Alloy surfaces with well-defined N concentrations were prepared, prior to the electrochemical measurements, by argon-ion sputtering of the implanted material for a fixed time in order to reach a well-defined point on the nitrogen depth profile. The samples were then transferred without exposure to air to an electrochemical cell mounted in an inert gas glove box. The implanted nitrogen modifies the electrochemical behaviour of the alloy. The anodic dissolution in the active state is enhanced, and the current density in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The radioiodination and in vivo evaluation of p-iodocaramiphen a muscarinic antagonist which binds with high affinity to the M[sub 1] receptor subtype in vitro are described. Biodistribution studies in female Fischer rats demonstrated that [[sup 125]I]-piodocaraminphen had significant cerebral localization, but the uptake did not demonstrate specific uptake in those cerebral regions rich in muscarinic receptors, and radioactivity washed out rapidly from the brain. In addition there was no significant blockage of activity when the rats were preinjected with quinuclidinyl benzilate. These results suggest that p-iodocaramiphen is not a good candidate for the in vivo study of M[sub 1] muscarinic receptor populations by SPECT. Because of the widespread interest and expected importance of the availability of large amounts of tungsten-188 required for the tungsten-188/rhenium-188 generator systems, we have investigated the large-scale production of tungsten-188 in the ORNL HFIR. We have also ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The UW-Penning Trap Mass Spectrometer (PTMs) is ideally suited for high precision measurements of atomic masses throughout the periodic table upon using highly-stripped ions. However, at the present time, this device has been applied extensively to the light elements ("1H, "2H, "3H, "3He, "4He, "1"2C, "1"3C, "1"4N, "1"6O) due to their fundamental importance. Atomic masses follow immediately from a comparison with some multiply-charged carbon ion, after correcting for the lost electrons and their corresponding binding energies. For instance, the most recent C"5"+/C"6"+ comparison yielded a discrepancy of -0.30(33) ppb, limited only by the magnetic field instability for a 40-h run. The initial emphasis on hydrogen has now produced a 1-ppb value for the proton's atomic mass and similar work with deuterium has yielded a 2.5-ppb value for the neutron's atomic mass. However, the most significant result is the "3H-"3He mass difference = 18,590.1(17) eV which is determined from independent ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A-15 compounds are extremely brittle and difficult to process for practical applications. A novel processing technique was developed to greatly improve the mechanical and superconducting properties of A-15 alloys. The new processing technique can be described as follows: (1) to select compounds that can form the A-15 phase (the selected A-15 compounds in this research were Ti3Nb6Mo3Si4 and Nb99.5-(x + y)AlxSiyB0.5 alloys); (2) to rapidly solidify them into the amorphous state; (3) to anneal the quenched amorphous products into ultra fine-grained single A-15 phase. The extreme grain refinement greatly improved the flexibility and the critical current density of the alloys. The melt spinning technique was used to rapidly solidify Ti3Nb6Mo3Si4 and Nb99.5-(x + y)AlxSiyB0.5 alloys. Ti3Nb6Mo3Si4 alloys were relatively easily formed into the amorphous state. Nb3Al alloys required the addition of glass forming elements Si and B. It was found that, without boron, the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In order for fuel cells to be successful, a full-scale hydrogen infastructure is required. The HyTra concept is presented here (HYdrogen TRAnsform, Transfer and TRAnsport) involves combined production, storage and supply of hydrogen in a transportable trailer, i.e. it is both a hydrogen production unit and a mobile filling station. The trailer can be transported to the selected site, where it will produce gaseous hydrogen from electricity and water by electrolysis. A compressor pumps the gas into an internal pressure tank and compresses it to filling pressure. Filling takes place by the overflow principle via a flexible high-pressure line with a standardised H{sub 2} filling unit. (orig.) [German] Um die Marktdurchdringung der Brennstoffzellentechnik gewaehrleisten zu koennen, muss eine flaechendeckende Wasserstoffinfrastruktur aufgebaut werden. Das neue HyTra-Konzept (HYdrogen TRAnsform, TRAnsfer and TRAnsport) beruht auf der Kombination von Wasserstoff-Erzeugung, ...

Science.gov (United States)

This report describes the Forum on Flexible Education: Reaching Nomadic Populations in Africa, which was held in Garissa, Kenya, from 20-23 June 2006. The objectives of the Forum were to share experiences and best practices, create linkages and encourage collaboration in order to make education more accessible to nomadic communities. Representatives from the Kenyan MOE, COL, ComSec and UNICEF provided remarks at the Opening Session of the Forum. They stressed the need to find ways to include nomadic children in the education process and the importance of developing alternative channels for the delivery of education and training. There were two keynote addresses. The first, from Professor Gidado Tahir, Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission in Nigeria--presented by his colleague, Dr Salihu Bakari--focused on the realities of the nomadic lifestyle and educational strategies that have been effective. The second, by Dr. Nafisa Muhammad and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Micron-size Ni-base alloy (NBA) powders were mixed with both 1.5 wt.% (hereinafter %) micron-size CeO{sub 2} (m-CeO{sub 2}) and also 1.5% and 3.0% nano-size CeO{sub 2} (n- CeO{sub 2}) powders. These mixtures were coated on low-carbon steel (Q235) by 2.0 kW CO{sub 2} laser cladding. The effects on the microstructures, phases and electrochemical corrosion of the coatings upon the addition of m- and n- CeO{sub 2} powders to NBA (m- and n- CeO{sub 2} /NBA) have been investigated. The results showed that a smooth coating was prepared under suitable processing parameters (P= 2.0 kW, V= 180 mm min{sup -1}) by adding 1.5% n- CeO{sub 2}. In addition to the primary phases of {gamma}-Ni, Cr{sub 23} C{sub 6} and Ni{sub 3} B in the Ni-base alloy coating, CeNi{sub 3} was formed in Ni-base alloy coatings with both n- CeO{sub 2} and m-CeO{sub 2} particles, and CeNi{sub 5} appeared in the coating upon decreasing the size of CeO{sub 2} particles. Well-developed dendrites were observed in the Ni-base ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As the Electric Power Industry is actively preparing for a restructured future where retail wheeling is practiced ideally and efficiently in a competitive market-based environment, concerns may arise legitimately on how system reliability and integrity can be ensured in an environment where markets have an enhanced role. As these concerns may be justified, at least for a transition period, this paper presents a proposal which outlines how the generally accepted requisite capacity, energy, and ancillary services standards may be satisfied through market reliance and minimal coordination by a Reliability Monitoring and Ancillary Services Managing Entity or Independent System Operator. A Strawman detailing one -- and by no means the only -- future scenario inspired by the recent NEPOOL restructuring discussions in New England is presented to demonstrate that market-based competition and flexibility are compatible with a reliable Power System.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Although incompressible fluid flows can be regarded as a particular case of a general problem, numerical methods and the mathematical formulation aimed to solve compressible and incompressible flows have their own peculiarities, in such a way, that it is generally not possible to attain both regimes with a single approach. In this work, we start from a typically compressible formulation, slightly modified to make use of pressure variables and, through augmenting the stabilising parameters, we end up with a simplified model which is able to deal with a wide range of flow regimes, from supersonic to low speed gas flows. The resulting methodology is flexible enough to allow for the simulation of liquid flows as well. Examples using conservative and pressure variables are shown and the results are compared to those published in the literature, in order to validate the method. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Until now policy makers and researchers considered the problem of uncertainty and verification to be of minor importance for the Kyoto process. However, the first studies that recently appeared on uncertainty estimation of carbon accounting reveal that uncertainties of the reported emissions on the country level are large. In an environment of such large uncertainties, verification of emission reductions must be viewed as a crucial mechanism to secure the very functioning of the Protocol. The paper provides a set of tools to strategically deal with the problem of uncertainty and verification under the Kyoto Protocol. This is done by: providing an overview of the instruments to deal with verification (no-, trend-, level- and top-down/bottom-up verification under PCA and FCA); compute costs scenarios for those instruments under various flexibility scenarios; and providing a short discussion on practical steps and crucial decisions to be made that lead to a more ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woven Kevlar fabrics exhibit a number of beneficial mechanical properties which include strength, flexibility, and relatively low density. The desire to engineer or design Kevlar fabrics for specific applications has stimulated interest in the development of theoretical models which relate their effective mechanical properties to specific aspects of the fabric morphology and microstructure. In this work the author provides a theoretical investigation of the large deformation elastic response of a plane woven Kevlar fabric and compares these theoretical results with experimental data obtained from uniaxially loaded Kevlar fabrics. The theoretical analysis assumes the woven fabric to be a regular network of orthogonal interlaced yarns and the individual yarns are modeled as extensible elastica, thus coupling stretching and bending effects at the outset. This comparison of experiment with theory indicates that the deformation of woven fabric can be quite accurately ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

We study the consumption-portfolio problem in a setting with capital gain taxes and multiple risky stocks to understand how short selling influences portfolio choice with a shorting-the-box restriction. Our analysis uncovers a novel trading flexibility strategy whereby, to minimize future tax-induced trading costs, the investor optimally shorts one of the stocks (or equivalently, buys put options) even when no stock has an embedded gain. Alternatively, an imperfect form of shorting the box can reduce aggregate equity exposure ex post. Given these two short selling strategies, it is common for an unconstrained investor to short some equity while a constrained investor holds a positive investment in all stocks. With no shorting, the benefit of trading separately in multiple stocks is not eco...

CERN Document Server

Modern HENP experiments such as CMS and Atlas involve as many as 2000 collaborators around the world. Collaborations this large will be unable to meet often enough to support working closely together. Many of the tools currently available for collaboration focus on heavy-weight applications such as videoconferencing tools. While these are important, there is a more basic need for tools that support connecting physicists to work together on an ad hoc or continuous basis. Tools that support the day-to-day connectivity and underlying needs of a group of collaborators are important for providing light-weight, non-intrusive, and flexible ways to work collaboratively. Some example tools include messaging, file-sharing, and shared plot viewers. An important component of the environment is a scalable underlying communication framework. In this paper we will describe our current progress on building a dynamic and ad hoc collaboration environment and our vision for its ...

CERN Document Server

A major goal in optomechanics is to observe and control quantum behavior in a system consisting of a mechanical resonator coupled to an optical cavity. Work towards this goal has focused on increasing the strength of the coupling between the mechanical and optical degrees of freedom; however, the form of this coupling is crucial in determining which phenomena can be observed in such a system. Here we demonstrate that avoided crossings in the spectrum of an optical cavity containing a flexible dielectric membrane allow us to realize several different forms of the optomechanical coupling. These include cavity detunings that are (to lowest order) linear, quadratic, or quartic in the membrane's displacement, and a cavity finesse that is linear in (or independent of) the membrane's displacement. All these couplings are realized in a single device with extremely low optical loss and can be tuned over a wide range in situ; in particular, we find that the quadratic ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The flexibility of bus rapid transit (BRT) in scheduling is one of the greatest differences with traditional buses. In order to improve BRT operation quality, the paper studied the headway optimization and scheduling combination of BRT vehicles. A model has been established to minimize passengers travel costs and vehicles operation cost, and constraints included passenger volume, time, and frequency. The scheduling combination was composed by normal, zone, and express scheduling. The model was solved by genetic algorithm of variable-length coding. The result of the numerical case shows that: the optimization results can save 69.92% cost. The sensitivity analysis shows that, under higher traffic volume or lower speed, the travel cost can be reduced through reasonable scheduling combination....

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Few major mandates were won or lost in the first quarter of 1993, as the energy industry adopted a conservative approach to its financing needs. However, indications are that energy companies are coming back to the syndicated loan market after this quiet first quarter. Already, Enron, Shell Oil and Coastal have mandated substantial new facilities. Many more companies are expected back in the market over the new few months, including at least one jumbo for a major international name. A number of the industry's top names report that pricing is once again getting more aggressive in response to the high level of liquidity among lenders and a shortage of new mandates over the last few months. (Author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The conventional Calzination-Reduction-Carburization (CRC) process offers the potential to manufacture commercial WC powders with median SEM grain sizes below 0.5 pm (ultra fine grades). Strict process control and a high degree of automation have led to increased powder uniformity and high lot-to-lot reliability. The high potential and flexibility of the CRC process is shown by the development of tailor made WC powders with regard to subsequent alloy manufacturing. R and D powders have successfully been processed in full-scale units exhibiting SEM grain sizes of 0.15 - 0.20 pm. This paper discusses the powder characteristics of various ultra fine WC powder grades, stemming from the conventional CRC process. Analytical characterization include also field-emission SEM, bright field TEM, EDX analysis and XRD-line broadening. (author)

Science.gov (United States)

Personal health information management (PHIM) refers to activities that support consumers' access, integration, organization, and use of their personal health information. We investigated PHIM in the health consumer population using a focus group and participatory design. In collaboration with health consumers, we identified PHIM activities and explored the design of new supportive technology. Our findings describe prominent PHIM activities such as monitoring and assessing health, as well as health-related decision making, planning, and action. We describe design principles our participants used during the participatory design of a PHIM tool. These include individual control, sharing, integration, security and flexibility. These findings provide new insights into emerging ideas in consumer health informatics research and technology design. Understanding health consumers' PHIM needs is an important step in creating technology to support these needs. PMID:17238322

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Purpose. To compare erectile function (EF) recovery of patients treated by early penile rehabilitation therapy (PRT) with sildenafil and with control group. Method. Forty men treated by bilateral nerve sparing radical prostatectomy (NSRP) and with a normal pre-operative EF were enrolled. Fourteen days after surgery, they were randomised to a flexible-dose sildenafil group and to a control group. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire was completed before surgery and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks after NSRP. Results. In the group treated, the mean IIEF score before surgery was 26.2 and 14.1, 16.2, 22.5 and 25.2 at 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks after NSRP, respectively. In the control group, the respective scores were 26.5 and 12.4, 15.8, 15.3 and 17.4. There was a significant ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this research was to develop a methodology for sizing integrated renewable energy systems, useful for rural areas, using simulation and optimization tools developed in MATLAB 6.0. The sizing model produces a system with minimum cost and high reliability level, based on the concept of loss of power supply probability (LPSP) for consecutive hours. An optimization model is presented and three different sizing scenarios are calculated and compared, showing flexibility in the elaboration of different project conceptions. The obtained results show a complete sizing of the energy conversion devices and a long-term cost evaluation. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) conducts research and development activities which focus on improving energy efficiency and providing for fuel flexibility within US industry in the area of industrial conservation. The mission of OIT is to increase the utilization of existing energy-efficient equipment and to find and promote new, cost-effective ways for industrial facilities to improve their energy efficiency and minimize waste products. To ensure advancement of the technological leadership of the United States and to improve the competitiveness of American industrial products in world markets, OIT works closely with industrial partners, the staffs of the national laboratories, and universities to identify research and development needs and to solve technological challenges. This report contains summaries of the currently active projects supported by the Office of Industrial Technologies.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The fundamental points to be considered in a waste treatment system for a country like Japan, where the final disposal method has not been decided and the wastes have to be stored in the power plants, are volume reduction of the wastes, safe storage of the wastes in the plant, and flexibility regarding the final disposal. A system has been developed that consists of a thin film evaporator for the direct solidification of the liquid waste, a pelletizer for producing hard pellets from the powdered wastes, a pellet storage unit, and a solidification unit for the final disposal. A pilot plant with waste treatment capacity of 200 kg/h was built in 1976 and has proved the system feasibility. This paper reports on pilot plant tests of the thin film evaporator and other components, tests on pellet deterioration during long term storage, and integrity tests on the final disposal of the pellet bitumen package.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

During the last few decades, accuracy in photon and electron radiotherapy has increased substantially. This is partly due to enhanced linear accelerator technology, providing more flexibility in field definition (e.g. the usage of computer-controlled dynamic multileaf collimators), which led to intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Important improvements have also been made in the treatment planning process, more specifically in the dose calculations. Originally, dose calculations relied heavily on analytic, semi-analytic and empirical algorithms. The more accurate convolution/superposition codes use pre-calculated Monte Carlo dose "kernels" partly accounting for tissue density heterogeneities. It is generally recognized that the Monte Carlo method is able to increase accuracy even furt...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance combined with low weight qualify ?-titanium materials for lightweight applications in aviation, automotive and energy engineering. Thus far, actual applications of these materials have been limited due to high material costs and limited processing knowledge. One approach for developing resource-efficient manufacturing methods is the application of incremental forming methods. This article focuses on the development of the incremental spin extrusion process, which creates hollow profiles from solid bars. This method allows hollow shape manufacturing with a much higher flexibility than other forming methods and a significantly improved material utilization in comparison to machining methods, such as deep hole drilling. Beta-titanium al...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The slumping of the GCC currencies against other major currencies and the ensuing rising imported inflation have sparked an ongoing debate about the viability of the dollar peg. This paper extends and applies the contribution of Berger et al. (2001) to the largest economies of the GCC, namely Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, by introducing a foreign inflation dimension. Empirical estimations suggest little or no evidence supporting the suitability of a fixed exchange rate regime in any of the three analyzed economies. It is this paper's contention that policy makers ought to play an immediate and active role in identifying a suitable more flexible exchange rate regime as well as an achievable timeline and road map to effectively abandoning the dollar peg.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This article describes the project for the installation of an additional emergency diesel generator in both Asco and Vandellos NPPs. The basic objectives of this project are to improve the availability of the emergency generation system, in order to provide greater ability to address potential contingencies, and also to increase the flexibility of the preventive periodic maintenance of the emergency diesel generators. This maintenance, that is currently a milestone of the critical path of the refueling outage, will be performed on-line. The new diesel generator will be sized to support all the loads considered in the safety case and also the consumption of its own auxiliary systems, and will be tested for operability assessment on the same periodical basis than the existing ones. The solution adopted will also permit that the N diesel generator may be connected to any bus bar class 1E in a station black-out scenario. (Author)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A highly efficient integrated energy conversion system is built based on a methane catalytic decomposition reactor (MCDR) together with a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) and an internal reforming solid oxide fuel cell (IRSOFC). In the MCDR, methane is decomposed to pure carbon and hydrogen. Carbon is used as the fuel of DCFC to generate power and produce pure carbon dioxide. The hydrogen and unconverted methane are used as the fuel in the IRSOFC. A gas turbine cycle is also used to produce more power output from the thermal energy generated in the IRSOFC. The output performance and efficiency of both the DCFC and IRSOFC are investigated and compared by development of exact models of them. It is found that this system has a unique loading flexibility due to the good high-loading property of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The report reviews the activity during the fourth year of Gas Research Institute's Gas Appliance Technology Center program. Work on gas appliances involved a conceptual table-top multi-function oven, development of an indirect-fired conveyor oven, and performance comparisons of smooth cooktops. Performance-evaluation methods for commercial ovens were evaluated. Design improvements were made to a direct-fired conveyor oven and a pulse-combustion deep-fat fryer. Performance of common vents were studied, and a device was designed to allow incorporation of appliances with positive vent pressures into such systems. Standards-related work included draft-hood capacities, flexible corrugated-connector corrosion, and sediment trap efficiencies. Heating-related work comprised conceptual design of a vented baseboard heater and a centralized heat-transfer fluid system.

CERN Document Server

The MAP model was introduced in information system engineering in order to model processes on a flexible way. The intentional level of this model helps an engineer to execute a process with a strong relationship to the situation of the project at hand. In the literature, attempts for having a practical use of maps are not numerous. Our aim is to enhance the guidance mechanisms of the process execution by reusing graph algorithms. After clarifying the existing relationship between graphs and maps, we improve the MAP model by adding qualitative criteria. We then offer a way to express maps with graphs and propose to use Graph theory algorithms to offer an automatic guidance of the map. We illustrate our proposal by an example and discuss its limitations.

Science.gov (United States)

This economic impact analysis (EIA) examines compliance costs and economic impacts resulting from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA`s) proposed revisions to effluent limitations guidelines and standards for the Coastal Subcategory of the U.S. oil and gas industry. The EIA estimates economic impacts in terms of annualized costs; production losses; and changes in equity, working capital, and other indicators of financial health at the firm level. In addition, impacts on employment and affected communities, foreign trade, and new sources are considered. A Regulatory Flexibility Analysis detailing the impacts on small businesses within the coastal oil and gas industry also is included in the EIA.

CERN Document Server

Graphical Business Process Modelling Languages (BPML) like Role Activity Diagrams (RAD) provide ease and flexibility for modelling business behaviour. However, these languages show limited applicability in terms of enactment over distributed systems paradigms like Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) based grid computing. This paper investigates RAD modelling of a Scientific Publishing Process (SPP) for Digital Libraries (DL) and tries to determine the suitability of Pi-Calculus based formal approaches to enact SOA based grid computing. In order to achieve this purpose, the Pi-Calculus based formal transformation from a RAD model of SPP for DL draws attention towards a number of challenging issues including issues that require particular design considerations for appropriate enactment in a SOA based grid system.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

ZusammenfassungDie Botulinumtoxinbehandlung ist eine etablierte Methode in der Behandlung von spasmodischen Dysphonien. Prinzipiell kann eine Behandlung transkutan zervikal, transoral mit einer gebogenen Spritze unter visueller Kontrolle w?hrend der Laryngoskopie sowie mittels flexibler Endoskope bzw. Videoendoskope mit Arbeitskanal erfolgen. Insbesondere die transkutane Injektion unter Larynx-EMG-Kontrolle (LEMG) ist ein verh?ltnism??ig einfaches Verfahren. Aufgrund der visuellen Kontrolle bei transoral oder flexibel transnasal verabreichtem Botulinumtoxin scheint eine bessere Wirksamkeit zu bestehen. Aus verschiedenen Gr?nden kann dieses Verfahren aber nicht bei allen Patienten verwendet werden. Wir berichten ?ber unsere Erfahrungen mit den verschiedenen Techniken und unsere Erw?gungen i...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In order to suppress resonance vibrations of a rotor-shaft of rotating machinery, a rotor-shaft system elastically supported by ball bearings which are installed in electromagnetic actuators are proposed and the design method of some compensatory circuits in the controller to control the electromagnetic actuators in the system are explained. These actuators are controlled by the analog PID (proportional, integral, and derivative) controller. The compensation for nonlinearity of electromagnetic force, the negative stiffness of electromagnet, and the time lag of the coil current are discussed and the effective control circuits are proposed. The rotor-shaft system is replaced by the equivalent two-degree-of-freedom system and both impulse and frequency responses are numerically simulated for several parameters of PD-controller gain. By applying the principle of dynamic absorbers, optimum parameters are calculated. The gains of the control circuit are adjusted to give the optimum ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summation Copper-64 (T1/2?=?12.7 hours; ?+, 0.653?MeV [17.8 %]; ??, 0.579?MeV [38.4 %]) has decay characteristics that allow for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and targeted radiotherapy of cancer. The well-established coordination chemistry of copper allows for its reaction with a wide variety of chelator systems that can potentially be linked to peptides and other biologically relevant small molecules, antibodies, proteins, and nanoparticles. The 12.7-hours half-life of 64Cu provides the flexibility to image both smaller molecules and larger, slower clearing proteins and nanoparticles. In a practical sense, the radionuclide or the 64Cu-radiopharmaceuticals can be easily shipped for PET imaging studies at sites remote to the production facility. Due to the versatility of 64Cu, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

With the introduction of competition and diversification into retail utility services, rate-making methods are being rethought. Rates that are strictly cost-based may be too slow in responding to changes within the utility industry. And the advent of independent power production as a significant source of energy calls for greater flexibility in pricing of wholesale utility services as well. Various deregulation or reregulation plans have been formulated, including both price cap and price floor proposals. Some regulatory authorities have embraced market-based pricing over cost-based methods as the best solution to pricing problems. This article addresses Federal Energy Regulatory Commission response to market-based rates.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Assembly of icosahedral capsids of proper size and symmetry is not understood. Residue F170 in bacteriophage P22 coat protein is critical for conformational switching during assembly. Substitutions at this site cause assembly of tubes of hexamerically arranged coat protein. Intragenic suppressors of the ts phenotype of F170A and F170K coat protein mutants were isolated. Suppressors were repeatedly found in the coat protein telokin-like domain at position 285, which caused coat protein to assemble into petite procapsids and capsids. Petite capsid assembly strongly correlated to the side chain volume of the substituted amino acid. We hypothesize that larger side chains at position 285 torque the telokin-like domain, changing flexibility of the subunit and intercapsomer contacts. Thus, a sing...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A new German-engineered articulated drilling tool that can take the vertical to the horizontal, using about eight metres of curve, was described. The Articulate Downhole Motor has the capability to run radii as long as 57 metres (the usual requirement is 15 metres), under full control. Its ability to rotate and slide while maintaining control is one of the major positives of the technology. The technology also includes a `positive` communication system in its steering tool. The deployment of the positive pulse retrievable measurement-while-drilling (MWD) system brings real-time tool face orientation and hole direction to the surface. In using the tool, formation composition is not an issue; it is designed to withstand any environment.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Open Software Foundation`s Distributed Computing Environment (OSF/DCE) was originally designed to provide a secure environment for distributed applications. By combining it with Kerberos Version 5 from MIT, it can be extended to provide network security as well. This combination can be used to build both an inter and intra organizational infrastructure while providing single sign-on for the user with overall improved security. The ESnet community of the Department of Energy is building just such an infrastructure. ESnet has modified these systems to improve their interoperability, while encouraging the developers to incorporate these changes and work more closely together to continue to improve the interoperability. The success of this infrastructure depends on its flexibility to meet the needs of many applications and network security requirements. The open nature of Kerberos, combined with the vendor support of OSF/DCE, provides the infrastructure for today ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A new numerical technique called the convolution-based particle tracking (CBPT) method is developed to simulate resident or flux-averaged solute concentrations in groundwater models. The method is valid for steady-state flow and linear transport processes such as sorption with a linear sorption isotherm and first-order decay. The CBPT method uses particle tracking to take advantage of the ability of particle-based approaches to maintain sharp fronts for advection-dominated transport problems common in groundwater modeling and because of the flexibility of the random walk method to simulate a wide range of possible forms of the dispersion tensor. Furthermore, the algorithm for carrying out the convolution and superposition calculation from particle tracking results is very efficient. We sho...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In the parametric regression model, the covariate missing problem under missing at random is considered. It is often desirable to use flexible parametric or semiparametric models for the covariate distribution, which can reduce a potential misspecification problem. Recently, a completely nonparametric approach was developed by [H.Y. Chen, Nonparametric and semiparametric models for missing covariates in parameter regression, J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 99 (2004), pp. 1176-1189; Z. Zhang and H.E. Rockette, On maximum likelihood estimation in parametric regression with missing covariates, J. Statist. Plann. Inference 47 (2005), pp. 206-223]. Although it does not require a model for the covariate distribution or the missing data mechanism, the proposed method assumes that the covariate distribut...

CERN Document Server

This paper gives a concise overview of evolutionary algorithms for multiobjective optimization. A substantial number of evolutionary computation methods for multiobjective problem solving has been proposed so far, and an attempt of unifying existing approaches is here presented. Based on a fine-grained decomposition and following the main issues of fitness assignment, diversity preservation and elitism, a conceptual global model is proposed and is validated by regarding a number of state-of-the-art algorithms as simple variants of the same structure. The presented model is then incorporated into a general-purpose software framework dedicated to the design and the implementation of evolutionary multiobjective optimization techniques: ParadisEO-MOEO. This package has proven its validity and flexibility by enabling the resolution of many real-world and hard multiobjective optimization problems.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract 1,3 Propanediol (PDO), is now taking the transition from a traditional specialty chemical to a commodity chemical . The market for PDO is growing rapidly as the technology develops. With the advancing PDO production technology, polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) as a new type of polyester has been applied in carpet and textile fibers, monofilaments, films, and nonwoven fabrics, and in the engineering thermoplastics area, because PTT has unique properties compared to other polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). Responding to the environmental and sustainability factors, one or two step fermentation technology for PDO production has attracted people's attention. A novel flexible process for PDO production by using aerobic fermentati...

Science.gov (United States)

Thin-film solar cells on flexible, lightweight, space-qualified substrates provide an attractive approach to fabricating solar arrays with high mass-specific power. A polycrystalline chalcopyrite absorber layer is among the new generation of photovoltaic device technologies for thin film solar cells. At NASA Glenn Research Center we have focused on the development of new single-source precursors (SSPs) for deposition of semiconducting chalcopyrite materials onto lightweight, flexible substrates. We describe the syntheses and thermal modulation of SSPs via molecular engineering. Copper indium disulfide and related thin-film materials were deposited via aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition using SSPs. Processing and post-processing parameters were varied in order to modify morphology, stoichiometry, crystallography, electrical properties, and optical properties to optimize device quality. Growth at atmospheric pressure in a horizontal ...

Science.gov (United States)

The Economic Analysis (EA) report is written to address the impacts of this proposed Effluent Limitation Guidelines and Standards for Synthetic-Based and Other Non-Aqueous Drilling Fluids. Currently, effluent guidelines pertaining to the discharge of drilling fluids address two specific types of fluids: Oil-based drilling fluids (OBFs) that use diesel and mineral oil, which are prohibited from being discharged; and Water-based drilling Fluids (WBFs), which can be discharged subject to meeting certain discharge requirements, including a sheen test and an aqueous toxicity test, in certain limited offshore regions. Section Two presents sources of data, Section Three presents the industry profile, Section Four discusses the regulatory costs of options under consideration for the proposed rulemaking, and Section Five discusses the impacts of the proposed rule on firms, well drilling, and production, and also briefly discusses secondary impacts such as those on employment, output, inflation, ...

Science.gov (United States)

This article is a case study of an Internet chat room outreach project in Perth, Western Australia. The CyberReach project sought to adapt current peer based health promotion outreach, training and supervision frameworks to an online outreach setting in a way that was effective and supported by the online community. It targeted marginalised groups to trial the provision of online mental and sexual health promotion incorporating a participatory action research model into its development and implementation. Three 6-week trial periods were conducted and significant changes were made in response to changes in the online environment and to improve sustainability and effectiveness of the protocols. Four themes arose from CyberReach's experience: online group processes are unique due to the creation of extensive personal networks and occurrence of disclosure without face-to-face contact across potentially large geographic barriers; flexibility is required to adapt to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Analyzing various SBLOCA with high pressure safety injection (HPSI) at VVER-440/213, we met a surprising phenomenon - a 'natural' circulation post SG heat transfer reversal. This is not usual, because normal natural circulation (NC) in primary circuit is connected with positive heat transfer at SG. If there is reverse heat transfer at SG (as soon as the break enthalpy outflow is sufficient for removal of reactor decay heat), it should obstruct any natural circulation. The question was, what is the driving force of this 'non-standard natural circulation'. After all we revealed that force - it is the density difference between the colder water in reactor downcomer (cold water from HPSI) and warmer water in inner reactor (lower plenum, core, upper plenum). This phenomenon could be confusing for operating personal, because there would be an opposite temperature difference at the loop than by normal natural circulation (under non-standard NC conditions water is heated in SG so there is ...

Science.gov (United States)

The purpose of this study was to correlate histopathological with CT findings in patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) eligible for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), with a special focus on the antitumoral effect of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy. A total of 42 consecutive patients suffering from HCC had been treated prior to OLT by means of TACE. TACE was carried out with a mixture of Lipiodol (10-20 ml) and mitomycin C (max. dosage, 10 mg). TACE was performed at 6- to 8-week intervals. Follow-up investigation included contrast-enhanced multislice CT controls and laboratory control. Liver explants were evaluated macroscopically and microscopically to determine the number and size of the tumor lesions as well as the degree of tumor necrosis. Necrosis was investigated in H and E-stained sections. The degree of necrosis was classified as follows: 0-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, 75-99%, and complete necrosis. Two hundred thirty-one TACE procedures (5.5 {+-} ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The objective of the ''Waste Handling Building Conceptual Study'' is to develop proposed design requirements for the repository Waste Handling System in sufficient detail to allow the surface facility design to proceed to the License Application effort if the proposed requirements are approved by DOE. Proposed requirements were developed to further refine waste handling facility performance characteristics and design constraints with an emphasis on supporting modular construction, minimizing fuel inventory, and optimizing facility maintainability and dry handling operations. To meet this objective, this study attempts to provide an alternative design to the Site Recommendation design that is flexible, simple, reliable, and can be constructed in phases. The design concept will be input to the ''Modular Design/Construction and Operation Options Report'', which will address the overall program ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper is concerned with the validation of the 3D deterministic neutral-particle transport theory code EVENT for shielding applications. The code is based on the finite element-spherical harmonics (FE-P{sub N}) method which has been extensively developed over the last decade. A general multi-group, anisotropic scattering formalism enables the code to address realistic steady state and time dependent, multi-dimensional coupled neutron/gamma radiation transport problems involving high scattering and deep penetration alike. The powerful geometrical flexibility and competitive computational effort makes the code an attractive tool for shielding applications. In recognition of this, EVENT is currently in the process of being adopted by the UK nuclear industry. The theory behind EVENT is described and its numerical implementation is outlined. Numerical results obtained by the code are compared with predictions of the Monte Carlo code MCBEND and also with the results ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

High-spatial-resolution microfocus-based X-ray imaging technology, both real-time and film, has been used to study the thickness variation that occurs in the oxide core of silver-sheathed BSCCO ribbons produced by the powder-in-tube method. This thickness variation (also called ``sausaging``) occurs during incremental rolling and degrades the critical current densities of the ribbons. Using X-ray image data the authors determined the onset and severity of sausaging. Onset occurred at a ribbon thickness of 203 {micro}m, and the severity increased with subsequent rolling reductions. Scanning electron microscopy was used to confirm the X-ray image data. X-ray imaging provides several advantages over more traditional methods for characterizing the superconductors such as optical or scanning electron microscopy. The X-ray imaging provides nondestructive information about the entire width of the ribbon, with far greater speed, lower cost, and more flexibility than the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Discussed in this report is a wavefield simulation in the 3-dimensional seismic survey. With the level of the object of exploration growing deeper and the object more complicated in structure, the survey method is now turning 3-dimensional. There are several modelling methods for numerical calculation of 3-dimensional wavefields, such as the difference method, pseudospectral method, and the like, all of which demand an exorbitantly large memory and long calculation time, and are costly. Such methods have of late become feasible, however, thanks to the advent of the parallel computer. As compared with the difference method, the pseudospectral method requires a smaller computer memory and shorter computation time, and is more flexible in accepting models. It outputs the result in fullwave just like the difference method, and does not cause wavefield numerical variance. As the computation platform, the parallel computer nCUBE-2S is used. The object domain is divided ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The topic of supervised learning within the conceptual framework of artificial neural network (ANN) models is addressed. An ANN is a parallel distributed processing system that consists of many computationally simple processing elements interconnected through uni-directional weighted connections. Such networks, which are roughly patterned after biological nervous systems, have been proposed for use in areas in which the traditional von Neumann computer architecture has been relatively unsuccessful. Learning in these networks is accomplished through the use of algorithms that adjust the values of the connection weights. The work presented here addresses the issue of improving the rate at which ANNs can learn to achieve the mapping of an input pattern to a desired output pattern. The most successful learning algorithms for accomplishing this task are based on gradient descent error minimization techniques. However, the large amount of training time that such algorithms require is ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

France has a wide variety of experimental spent fuels different from LWR spent fuel discharged from commercial reactors. Reprocessing such fuels would thus require the development and construction of special facilities. The French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) has consequently opted for long-term interim storage of these spent fuels over a period of 50 years. Comparative studies of different storage concepts have been conducted on the basis of safety (mainly containment barriers and cooling), economic, modular design and operating flexibility criteria. These studies have shown that dry storage in a concrete vault cooled by natural convection is the best solution. A research and development program including theoretical investigations and mock-up tests confirmed the feasibility of cooling by natural convection and the validity of design rules applied for fuel storage. A facility called CASCAD was built at the CEA's Cadarache Nuclear Research Center, where it has ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We have investigated the possibility to use a microwire of BiSn to design an anisotropic thermoelectric generator. The glass-coated microwire of pure and Sn-doped bismuth was obtained by the Ulitovsky method; it was a cylindrical single-crystal with orientation (1011) along the wire axis; the C3 axis was inclined at an angle of 70 degrees to the microwire axis. It is found that doping of bismuth wires with tin increases the thermopower anisotropy in comparison with Bi by a factor of 2 - 3 in the temperature range of 200-300 K. For a Bi microwire with a core diameter of 10 ?m with a glass coating with outer diameter of 35 ?m, the transverse thermopower is ? 150 ?V/(K*cm); for BiSn, 300 ?V/(K*cm). The design of an anisotropic thermogenerator based on BiSn microwire is proposed. The miniature thermogenerator will be efficient for power supply of devices with low useful current. In addition to the considerable thermopower anisotropy of BiSn wires in a glass coating, they exhibit stable ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thinning specimens to electron transparency for electron microscopy analysis can be done by conventional (2-4 kV) argon ion milling or focused ion beam (FIB) lift-out techniques. Both these methods tend to leave 'mottling' visible on thin specimen areas, and this is believed to be surface damage caused by ion implantation and amorphisation. A low energy (250-500 V) Argon ion polish has been shown to greatly improve specimen quality for crystalline silicon samples. Here we investigate the preparation of technologically important materials for nanoanalysis using conventional and lift-out methods followed by a low energy polish in a GentleMill"T"M low energy ion mill. We use a low energy, low angle (6-8 deg.) ion beam to remove the surface damage from previous processing steps. We assess this method for the preparation of technologically important materials, such as steel, silicon and GaAs. For these materials the ability to create specimens from specific sites, and to be able to image ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report highlights the Pipeline integrity Management methods being implemented by gas companies. These aim at maintaining the current high safety level, prevent major hazards, ensure the integrity of the pipeline and protect people and environment in the vicinity of the pipeline in the most cost effective way. It should be noticed that Pipeline Integrity Management aspects, technical and organisational, are included in the more general framework of the Safety Management System. Currently, more and more gas companies implement such a system on the basis of standards like ISO 9000 and so on. In this way, the report shows how practices of Pipeline Integrity Management are continually developing in order to adapt to their environment, and to improve performance. Past experience and imminent developments show that Pipeline Integrity Management is a flexible and efficient approach to improve safety in the long term. Consequently, Pipeline Integrity Management Systems ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Many types of maintenance activities are performed on contaminated (radioactive) machines and components at the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF). When personnel dose levels are within permissible limits, maintenance is performed in contaminated work areas or in gloveboxes. Otherwise, maintenance is performed in the Interim Examination and Maintenance (IEM) Cell, a hot cell that is used to perform tasks that require remote operation. Maintenance is often a combination of manual and remote operation. One such operation was the cleaning of the closed loop ex-vessel machine (CLEM) core component grapple (CCG). The CLEM is used to transfer core components in and out of the reactor vessel. The CCG had not been operating properly due to buildups of metallic sodium and sodium compounds on the outside surface and internal moving parts. This paper tells how the CCG was disassembled and cleaned. Part of this task was done in a glovebox and part in the IEM Cell. Therefore, special attention was ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A new industrial process allowing to reach very high cooling rates in the cooling section after soaking of a continuous annealing line for steel sheets is presented. This process constitutes the successful conclusion of a long term research programme, jointly carried out at CRM and Arcelor Cockerill-Sambre for three years, including laboratory experiments, pilot scale trials and several industrial campaigns. It is running on from developments performed in the framework of the HOWAQ (Hot Water Quench) process. The process successively combines a moderate cooling step (600 deg C/s for 0.8 mm thick strips), in boiling water, and a faster cooling step (above 700 deg C/s), by impinging turbulent cold water in a box. Its main features are simplicity, resulting from advanced developments, soundness, flexibility and cooling homogeneity. As treated steel products are characterized by improved mechanical properties, outstanding surface quality (corrosion resistance) and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The following parameters merit examination in determining the viability of process combinations: conceptual and technical soundness, environmental acceptability, energy balance, flexibility, costs, economic risk potential. The present contribution on this subject is not intended to take the place of or cover the scope of single-case studies. In practice, viability studies on process combinations have to deal with concrete plans involving precisely defined material flow balances, emissions, costs etc. The present paper therefore only presents the basic principles of this type of study. [Deutsch] Folgende Randbedingungen fuer sinnvolle Verfahrenskombinationen sind zu untersuchen: - konzeptionelle und technische Stimmigkeit, - Umweltvertraeglichkeit, - energetische Bilanz, - Flexibilitaet, - Kosten, - oekonomisches Risikopotential. Nun kann dieser Beitrag zum Thema keine Einzelfallbetrachtung ersetzen bzw. abdecken. Im Rahmen einer echten Pruefung auf `Sinnhaftigkeit` ...

Science.gov (United States)

We present an optimal control approach for the solidification process of a melt in a container. The process is described by a two phase Stefan problem with the free boundary (interface between the two phases) modelled as a graph. We control the evolution of the free boundary using the temperature on the container wall. The control goal consists in tracking a prescribed evolution of the free boundary. We achieve this goal by minimizing a appropriate cost functional. The resulting minimization problem is solved numerically by a steepest descent method with step size control, where the gradient of the cost functional is expressed in terms of the adjoint variables. Several numerical examples are presented which illustrate the performance of the method. The novelty of the approach presented consists in using a sharp interface model for the control of the free boundary. This guarantees direct access to the free boundary as optimization variable in terms of its parametrization as a graph. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stable and accurate numerical analytical method even at high Rayleigh numbers is desired, and in addition flexibility and economical efficiency are very important for numerical analysis. Unsteady flows of natural convention in a square cavity are investigated using the GSMAC (generalized and simplified marker and cell) finite-element method at high Rayleigh numbers from 10 {sup 6} to 10 {sup 8}. Validities of the multi-pass algorithm and BTD (balancing tensor diffusivity), which are highly accurate solutions for finite-element method, are investigated by introducing them to the GSMAC finite-element method. As the result, it was found that the multi-pass algorithm has little effect for the GSMAC finite-element method. The steady solutions at the Rayleigh numbers of 10 {sup 5} and 10 {sup 7} agreed well with the bench mark solutions and numerical solutions. Complex transient phenomena at Rayleigh numbers higher than 10 {sup 7} are successfully observed. 12 refs., 11 ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A tertiary structure of recombinant A22^G-B31^K-B32^R-human insulin monomer (insulin GKR) has been characterized by ^1H, ^1^3C NMR at natural isotopic abundance using NOESY, TOCSY, ^1H/^1^3C-GHSQC, and ^1H/^1^3C-GHSQC-TOCSY spectra. Translational diffusion studies indicate the monomer structure in water/acetonitrile (65/35vol.%). CSI analysis confirms existence of secondary structure motifs present in human insulin standard (HIS). Both techniques allow to establish that in this solvent recombinant insulin GKR exists as a monomer. Starting from structures calculated by the program CYANA, two different refinement protocols used molecular dynamics simulated annealing with the program AMBER; in vacuum (AMBER_VC), and including a generalized Born solvent model (AMBER_GB). From these calculation...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This study presents a dynamic analysis of a rotor supported by two turbulent flow model journal bearings and lubricated with couple stress fluid under nonlinear suspension. The dynamics of the rotor center and bearing center is studied. The dynamic equations are solved using the Runge-Kutta method. The analysis methods employed in this study is inclusive of the dynamic trajectories of the rotor center and bearing center, power spectra, Poincare maps and bifurcation diagrams. The maximum Lyapunov exponent analysis is also used to identify the onset of chaotic motion. The results show that the values of dimensionless parameters l* strongly influence dynamic motions of bearing and rotor centre. It is found that couple stress fluid improve the stability of the system when l* > 0.4 even if the flow of this system is turbulent. We also demonstrated that the dimensionless rotational speed ratios s and the dimensionless unbalance parameter #beta# are also significant system parameters. The ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natural gas is essential to the world economy. Gas now accounts for almost a quarter of OECD primary energy requirements and is expected to become the second most important fuel in the world in the next decade. Industrial and residential consumers increasingly rely on natural gas to keep their houses warm, their lights on and their factories running. Meanwhile the gas industry itself has entered a new phase. Where gas used to be restricted to regional markets, it is now increasingly traded on a global scale. While gas production and transport requires long-term investment, now it is optimised on a short-term basis. Demand continues to grow, but local gas production has become much more expensive. How should we react? How will demand be satisfied? What changes are required to promote flexibility and trade? What are the implications for gas security, investment and interdependence? At stake is an opportunity to diversify supply and demand - but this goal is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Demands for electric power system, which include not only minimization of generation cost but also protection of environmental condition and maintenance of transmission security, have been diversified The priority of these objectives may change according to load change, weather, and other conditions. Since these objectives are usually in a trade-off relationship and generally non-commensurable, it is difficult to handle by conventional optimization of a single objective function. This report describes multi-objective scheduling of thermal power system. The adaptability of three performance indicies, such as economic efficiency, NO{sub x} emission, and transmission security, to operators are defined by membership functions in fuzzy set theory. coordinated solution in which the adaptability of operators is maximized can be obtained by maximizing the fuzzy decision-making function composed of the adaptability index for each objective. Because this coordinated solution varies with the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A flexible and computationally economical model of the internal combustion engine was developed for use on large digital computer systems. It is based on a system of ordinary differential equations for cylinder-averaged properties. The computer program is capable of multicycle calculations, with some parameters varying from cycle to cycle, and has restart capabilities. It can accommodate a broad spectrum of reactants, permits changes in physical properties, and offers a wide selection of alternative modeling functions without any reprogramming. It readily adapts to the amount of information available in a particular case because the model is in fact a hierarchy of five models. The models range from a simple model requiring only thermodynamic properties to a complex model demanding full combustion kinetics, transport properties, and poppet valve flow characteristics. Among its many features the model includes heat transfer, valve timing, supercharging, motoring, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A submerged nuclear power station has been proposed as an alternative power station with a relatively low environmental impact for use by both industrialized and developing countries. The station would be placed 10 m above the seabed at a depth of 30--100 m and a distance of 10--30 km from shore. The submerged nuclear power station would be manufactured and refueled in a central facility, thus gaining the economies of factoryfabrication and the flexibility of short-lead-time deployment. To minimize the size of the submerged hull, horizontal steam generators are proposed for the primary-to-secondary heat transfer, instead of the more traditional vertical steam generators. The horizontal steam generators for SNPS would be similar in design to the horizontal steam generators used in the N-Reactors except the tube orientation is horizontal (the tube's inlet and outlet connection points on the tubesheet are at the same elevation). Previous RELAP5 input decks ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A submerged nuclear power station has been proposed as an alternative power station with a relatively low environmental impact for use by both industrialized and developing countries. The station would be placed 10 m above the seabed at a depth of 30--100 m and a distance of 10--30 km from shore. The submerged nuclear power station would be manufactured and refueled in a central facility, thus gaining the economies of factoryfabrication and the flexibility of short-lead-time deployment. To minimize the size of the submerged hull, horizontal steam generators are proposed for the primary-to-secondary heat transfer, instead of the more traditional vertical steam generators. The horizontal steam generators for SNPS would be similar in design to the horizontal steam generators used in the N-Reactors except the tube orientation is horizontal (the tube's inlet and outlet connection points on the tubesheet are at the same elevation). Previous RELAP5 input decks for ...

Science.gov (United States)

This article contains the argument that the human ability to travel mentally in time constitutes a discontinuity between ourselves and other animals. Mental time travel comprises the mental reconstruction of personal events from the past (episodic memory) and the mental construction of possible events in the future. It is not an isolated module, but depends on the sophistication of other cognitive capacities, including self-awareness, meta-representation, mental attribution, understanding the perception-knowledge relationship, and the ability to dissociate imagined mental states from one's present mental state. These capacities are also important aspects of so-called theory of mind, and they appear to mature in children at around age 4. Furthermore, mental time travel is generative, involving the combination and recombination of familiar elements, and in this respect may have been a precursor to language. Current evidence, although indirect or based on anecdote rather than on ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Logistics modeling is a powerful analytical technique for effective planning of waste storage, treatment, and disposal activities. Logistics modeling facilitates analyses of alternate scenarios for future waste flows, facility schedules, and processing or handling capacities. These analyses provide an increased understanding of the specific needs for waste storage, treatment, and disposal while adequate time remains to plan accordingly. They also help to determine the sensitivity of these needs to various system parameters. This paper discusses a logistics modeling system developed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to aid in solid waste planning for a large industrial complex managing many different types and classifications of waste. The basic needs for such a system are outlined, and the approach adopted in developing the system is described. A key component of this approach is the development of a conceptual model that provides a flexible framework for ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mesh network applications are used by utilities for metering, demand response, and mobile workforce management. This presentation provided an overview of a multi-dimensional mesh application designed to offer improved scalability and higher throughput in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) systems. Mesh applications can be used in AMI for load balancing and forecasting, as well as for distribution and transmission planning. New revenue opportunities can be realized through the application's ability to improve notification and monitoring services, and customer service communications. Mesh network security features include data encryption, data fragmentation and the automatic re-routing of data. In order to use mesh network applications, networks must have sufficient bandwidth and provide flexibility at the endpoint layer to support multiple devices from multiple vendors, as well as support multiple protocols. It was concluded that smart meters will not ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper analyses the complex, non-linear effects of spot price drivers in wholesale electricity markets: their intra-day dynamics and transient irregularities. The context is the UK market, after the reforms introduced in March 2001, analysed with an original set of price drivers reflecting economic, technical, strategic, risk, behavioural and market design effects. Models are estimated separately as daily time-series of the 48 half-hourly trading periods. All coefficients exhibit substantial intra-day variation, relating to the heterogeneity of operating plants and market design aspects. This reveals a market responding to economic fundamentals and plant operating properties, with learning and emergent financial characteristics, as well as some strategic manipulation of capacity, most effectively exercised by the more flexible plants. Using regime-switching parameters, the effects of capacity margin and inter-day capacity adjustment are elucidated, suggesting ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stripping Voltammetry (SV) at microelectrodes has gained increased interest in the analysis of aqueous solutions due to its ability to analyze low concentrations (ppb) of electroactive metallic species in solution. Existing integrated circuit (IC) technology allows the inexpensive fabrication of microelectrodes with dimensions on the order of microns and with a high degree of uniformity and reproducibility. Additional circuitry, both multiplexing and signal conditioning, can be placed directly onto the sensor offering increased sensitivity and flexibility. Multi-element electrochemical sensors containing arrays of Pt, Au, and Ag electrodes and capable of individual measurement through built-in multiplexing or simultaneous measurement at the appropriate potential ranges for each individual electrode were fabricated using existing 2 micron IC technology. Results of simultaneous measurements of low concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cu, As, and Hg in solution indicate that ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Certain innovative coke-oven repair techniques are reviewed that represent an engineered approach to a successful rehabilitation of all types of coke-oven batteries. These techniques have been developed during the last 10 years and experience gained on a number of repair projects has shown that these techniques operate as a cohesive and comprehensive method of end flue and through-wall repairs to gain additional years of operating life to coke-oven batteries. Extended operations approaching 10 to 15 additional years of service at lower costs than a pad-up rebuild and, while meeting the environmental emission regulations, are attainable using the techniques of: Proper tie-in joint preparation; Improved bricking up methodology; Preheating refractory during bricking up; Installation of spring-loaded bracing system; and installation of flexible coke-oven doors. Repair methods that do not incorporate the above techniques are subject to premature failure of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper is a result of a research with the primary purpose of extending Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) modeling frameworks to include the effects of organizational factors as the deeper, more fundamental causes of accidents and incidents. There have been significant improvements in the sophistication of quantitative methods of safety and risk assessment, but the progress on techniques most suitable for organizational safety risk frameworks has been limited. The focus of this paper is on the choice of 'representational schemes' and 'techniques.' A methodology for selecting appropriate candidate techniques and their integration in the form of a 'hybrid' approach is proposed. Then an example is given through an integration of System Dynamics (SD), Bayesian Belief Network (BBN), Event Sequence Diagram (ESD), and Fault Tree (FT) in order to demonstrate the feasibility and value of hybrid techniques. The proposed hybrid approach ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was approved in 1992 to respond to the worl-wide concern about the warming of the planet. The primary target was the stabilization of the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, in an attempt to reduce to the minimum the degradation of the environment caused by humans. By virtue of the Convention, the Parts2 are committed to reach their objectives in the reduction of the emissions. A Conference of the Parts was stablished to promote the effective application of the Convention. The third Conference of the Parts, celebrated in Kyoto (Japan, 1997) approved, by consensus, the denominated Kyoto Protocol, in which 39 developed countries and countries with economies in transition were committed to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases between years 2008 and 2012 in a 5.2 global percent with respect to the 1990 levels. Three {sup f}lexibility mechanisms{sup w}ere stablished to help the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oil and gas resources in the offshore areas of the US constitute a significant portion of US recoverable hydrocarbon resources. The exploration, development and production of these offshore resources in California, however, could have significant air quality implications for coastal air basins. This study was developed to address a problem that frequently arises with offshore air quality assessments. Typically, such assessments are performed for a specific activity scenario (e.g., a Federal OCS Lease Sale involving a projected number of drilling rigs, platforms, pipelines, etc.) and assume a projected (but uncertain) level of recoverable oil and gas resources. This study enables interested parties to estimate air emissions and impacts for a wide range of OCS-related development scenarios. The modular emission calculation procedure and the generic impact assessment provide for maximum flexibility in reassessing the emissions and impacts should changes in production ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

We present an experimental study of vesicle fusion using light and neutron scattering to monitor fusion events. Vesicles are reproducibly formed with an extrusion procedure using an single amphiphile triethylene glycol mono-n-decyl ether in water. They show long-term stability for temperatures around 20 C, but at temperatures above 26 C we observe an increase in the scattered intensity due to fusion. The system is unusually well suited for the study of basic mechanisms of vesicle fusion. The vesicles are flexible with a bending rigidity of only a few k(H)T. The monolayer spontaneous curvature, Ho, depends strongly on temperature in a known way and is thus tunable. For temperatures where H-0 > 0 vesicles tyre long-term stable, while in the range H-0 < 0 the fusion rate increases the more negative the Spontaneous curvature Through a quantitative;analysis of the fusion rate we arrive tit a barrier to fusion changing from 15 k(B)T at T = 26 degrees C to 10k(H) T ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Role-limiting approaches support knowledge acquisition (KA) by centering knowledge base construction on common types of tasks or domain-independent problem-solving strategies. Within a particular problem-solving strategy, domain-dependent knowledge plays specific roles. A KA tool then helps a user to fill these roles. Although role-limiting approaches are useful for guiding KA, they are limited because they only support users in filling knowledge roles that have been built in by the designers of the KA system. EXPECT takes a different approach to KA by representing problem-solving knowledge explicitly, and deriving from the current knowledge base the knowledge gaps that must be resolved by the user during KA. This paper contrasts role-limiting approaches and EXPECT`s approach, using the propose-and-revise strategy as an example. EXPECT not only supports users in filling knowledge roles, but also provides support in making other modifications to the knowledge base, including adapting ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Two different methods for streamlined life cycle assessment (LCA) are described: the MECO-method and SLCA. Both methods are tested on an already made case-study on cars fuelled with petrol or ethanol, and electric cars with electricity produced from hydro power or coal. The report also contains some background information on LCA and streamlined LCA, and a deschption of the case study used. The evaluation of the MECO and SLCA-methods are based on a comparison of the results from the case study as well as practical aspects. One conclusion is that the SLCA-method has some limitations. Among the limitations are that the whole life-cycle is not covered, it requires quite a lot of information and there is room for arbitrariness. It is not very flexible instead it difficult to develop further. We are therefore not recommending the SLCA-method. The MECO-method does in comparison show several attractive features. It is also interesting to note that the MECO-method produces ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This document defines the quality system requirements for the US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL), Environmental Restoration (ER) Project at the Hanford Site. The Environmental Restoration Project Quality System Requirements for the Hanford Site integrates quality assurance requirements from the DOE Orders, the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement), the Hanford Facility Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) Permit, and applicable Federal and Washington State regulations. This document, based on ten criteria, provides user organizations with the flexibility to incorporate only those criteria and paragraphs applicable to their specific scopes of work. The requirements of this document are to be applied based on a graded approach that takes into consideration the risk inherent in, as well as the importance of, specific items, services, and activities. The user organizations' quality systems ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Different experimental measurements (Theology, granulometry, XRD) were carried out in order to study the main properties of bentonite suspensions in presence of anionic additives at different concentrations. These additives are: Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) as surfactant, a flexible polymer (Sodium Carboxy Methyl Cellulose, CMC) and a semi-rigid polymer (Xanthan gum). It has been shown that the structural nature of anionic additive influences directly the mixtures viscoelastic and flow behavior. The steric effect of the surfactant modifies the Face-Edge interactions and yields changes of the mixtures rheological behavior at low deformation rates. Polymers act by coating each clay particle and prevent their agglomeration. Therefore, bentonite has no direct effect on the rheological behavior of the mixtures: the additives are responsible for the mechanisms of de-structuration and structure reorganization as well as the mixtures viscous and viscoelastic behavior. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The conservation of energy through the use of the optimum economic thickness of insulation has clear benefits for industry in the U.S. Potential energy savings have been estimated to be the equivalent of 250 million of barrels of oil per year over the next decade. As is the case with any capital expenditure, the dollars spent for insulation must be expected to provide the plant owner with a certain return on his investment. This manual provides data and guidelines for estimating dollar costs and insulation life which enable the user to specify the least-cost insulation thickness based on minimum life cycle cost and required percentage return on investment. A large degree of design flexibility is provided for, so that specific economic and design criteria may be taken into account. A number of useful working aids are provided, including sample problems, forms and worksheets, and nomographs which may be used to simplify calculations. Insulation designers, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An Ethernet based embedded system has been developed to upgrade the Beam Viewer and Beam Position Monitor (BPM) systems within the free-electron laser (FEL) project at Jefferson Lab. The embedded microcontroller was mounted on the front-end I/O cards with software packages such as Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) and Real Time Executive for Multiprocessor System (RTEMS) running as an Input/Output Controller (IOC). By cross compiling with the EPICS, the RTEMS kernel, IOC device supports, and databases all of these can be downloaded into the microcontroller. The first version of the BPM electronics based on the embedded controller was built and is currently running in our FEL system. The new version of BPM that will use a Single Board IOC (SBIOC), which integrates with an Field Programming Gate Array (FPGA) and a ColdFire embedded microcontroller, is presently under development. The new system has the features of a low cost IOC, an open source real-time ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In Japan, high rigidity reinforced concrete foundations called the high-tuned type foundation have been generally used for the turbine generator foundations. In Europe, on the other hand, flexible steel foundations and spring-mounted reinforced concrete foundations are employed. These are called the low-tuned type foundation and have following excellent characteristics. (1) Excellent vibration isolation ability (2) By reducing the structural member size and weight, more effective utilization of space under the deck is possible. However, the low-tuned type foundation has a lower seismic resistance and it is said to be unsuitable type foundation in frequent seismic countries such as Japan and USA etc. from the view point of safety against earthquake. We have developed the new type low-tuned foundation having its excellent characteristics and seismic resistance ability called the spring-mounted turbine generator foundation supported by turbine house structure. This ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The primary purpose of the pilot Coal Compilation Project is to provide coal resource maps to stimulate and support industry exploration programs and to assist government in matters of resource management. An essential feature of the program is the use of cost effective Geoscience Information System (GSIS) technology that allows the database and various thematic maps to be analysed, updated and displayed with complete flexibility at any scale. This report describes the main features (geology, resource management, exploration history, coal occurrences etc.) of the study area, mapsheet NTS 83E/9 (Moberly Creek), and includes a copy of the 1:50,000 scale map produced. The study area is located in West-central Alberta and contains coal measures deposited amid thick successions of sandstones, siltstones, shales and conglomerates. These coal-bearing sequences are part of the Luscar Group, Upper Cretaceous Brazeau Formation and Paleocene Coalspur Formations. Coal seams ...

CERN Multimedia

The last of our series on the Task Forces. PS accelerator 'We had a clear mandate, which we could approach in a logical way', explains Steve Myers, Head of SL Division and convenor of Task Force 5, 'To avoid duplication of effort in the accelerator sector through a restructuring that would lead to greater efficiency and flexibility and so release resources for the LHC.' The implementation of all their recommendations is already underway, albeit with different time scales. In 2001 the accelerator sector involved more than 900 staff members in three divisions (LHC, PS and SL) and one unit (AC), working in 141 sections within 34 groups. The first step for the Task Force was to identify major activities within the sector and to set up inter-divisional working groups to review these activities (16 in all), identifying the technologies and the numbers of staff associated with each activity. The working groups were also asked to propose ways of grouping the activities ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Based on wind tunnel experiments, theoretical considerations and measurements the dispersion model CAR (Calculation of Air pollution from Road traffic) has been developed for determining air quality in city streets. CAR International is a simple parameterized model using readily available input data and calculating annual percentile values and average concentrations close to streets (at the kerb side) for non-reactive air pollutants and NO{sub 2}. Originally the model was set up for the Dutch situation (traffic, meteorology) with a system of fixed parameters. In order to extend its application to other countries the program has been made more flexible and user friendly. User defined system data can now be changed interactively, such as emission factors of passenger cars and trucks, fraction of directly emitted NO{sub 2}, city and regional background concentration, and average regional wind speed. The accuracy of the model has proved to be good and is within the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper deals with the buffeting of a slender, circular, flexible beam-rod in an axial turbulent flow. The principal excitation mechanisms are the turbulent wall pressure fluctuations and the motion-dependent (self-excited) aerodynamic force caused by the beam motion. On the assumption that the turbulent wall pressure fluctuations are independent of the beam motion, a linear forced-vibration model is used to determine the buffeting response of the beam and to investigate the length scale effects of turbulences on the beam buffeting. Transverse buffeting of the beam in an axial turbulent flow depends largely on the ratio of the longitudinal scale of the turbulences to the bending wavelength of the beam and on the ratio of the circumferential scale of the turbulences to the radius of the beam. The spectra and the mean square values of the buffeting displacement of the beam become vanishingly small, both when either of these ratios is very small (<10/sup -2/) ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The stability of a solid ice cover subjected to rapidly varying water levels and discharge was investigated. The support from the bank limits the stress in the ice cover and consequently bank contact must be maintained to ensure ice cover stability. An analysis was required of the stability of ice hinges, a flexible connection between a solid ice cover and the riverbank. Phase II and phase III of the research involved a field study of the Peace River, investigating the evolution of ice hinges with water level variation, from initial ice cover cracking parallel to the banks, to a fully developed hinge. A test program of midwinter discharge variations was undertaken to gather specific data and measurements of ice hinge link length, ice thickness, hinge joint behavior, riverbank geometry, and response of ice hinging to water level variation. This volume of appendices to the study presents detailed observations and comments from field notes through the formation, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This report presents a comparison of the characteristics of some prominent examples of independent government corporations and agencies with respect to the Department of Energy's (DOE) uranium enrichment enterprise. The six examples studied were: the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA); the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA); the Synthetic Fuels Corporation (SYNFUELS); the Consolidated Rail Corporation (CONRAIL); the British Telecommunications Corporation (British TELECOM); and the Communications Satellite Organization (COMSAT), in order of decreasing levels of government ownership and control. They range from BPA, which is organized as an agency within DOE, to COMSAT, which is privately owned and free from almost all regulations common to government agencies. Differences in the degree of government involvement in these corporations and in many other characteristics serve to illustrate that there are no accepted standards for defining the characteristics of government corporations. ...

Science.gov (United States)

Orientational constraints obtained from solid state NMR experiments on anisotropic samples are used here in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for determining the structure and dynamics of several different membrane-bound molecules. The new MD technique is based on the inclusion of orientation dependent pseudo-forces in the COSMOS-NMR force field. These forces drive molecular rotations and re-orientations in the simulation, such that the motional time-averages of the tensorial NMR properties approach the experimentally measured parameters. The orientational-constraint-driven MD simulations are universally applicable to all NMR interaction tensors, such as chemical shifts, dipolar couplings and quadrupolar interactions. The strategy does not depend on the initial choice of coordinates, and is in principle suitable for any flexible molecule. To test the method on three systems of increasing complexity, we used as constraints some deuterium quadrupolar couplings from ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orientational constraints obtained from solid state NMR experiments on anisotropic samples are used here in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for determining the structure and dynamics of several different membrane-bound molecules. The new MD technique is based on the inclusion of orientation dependent pseudo-forces in the COSMOS-NMR force field. These forces drive molecular rotations and re-orientations in the simulation, such that the motional time-averages of the tensorial NMR properties approach the experimentally measured parameters. The orientational-constraint-driven MD simulations are universally applicable to all NMR interaction tensors, such as chemical shifts, dipolar couplings and quadrupolar interactions. The strategy does not depend on the initial choice of coordinates, and is in principle suitable for any flexible molecule. To test the method on three systems of increasing complexity, we used as constraints some deuterium quadrupolar couplings from ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Magnet Test Facility at Fermilab tests a variety of full-scale and model superconducting magnets for both R and D and production. As the design characteristics and test requirements of these magnets vary widely, the magnet test stand must accommodate a wide range of Data Acquisition (DAQ) and Control requirements. Such a system must provide several functions, which includes: quench detection, quench protection, power supply control, quench characterization, and slow DAQ of temperature, mechanical strain gauge, liquid helium level, etc. The system must also provide cryogenic valve control, process instrumentation monitoring, and process interlock logic associated with the test stand. A DAQ and Control system architecture that provides the functionality described above has been designed, fabricated, and put into operation. This system utilizes a modular approach that provides both extensibility and flexibility. As a result, the complexity of the hardware is ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: Various published reports involving intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plans developed using automated optimization (inverse planning) have demonstrated highly conformal plans. These reported conformal IMRT plans involve significant target dose inhomogeneity, including both overdosage and underdosage within the target volume. In this study, we demonstrate the development of optimized beamlet IMRT plans that satisfy rigorous dose homogeneity requirements for all target volumes (e.g., #+-#5%), while also sparing the parotids and other normal structures. Methods and Materials: The treatment plans of 15 patients with oropharyngeal cancer who were previously treated with forward-planned multisegmental IMRT were planned again using an automated optimization system developed in-house. The optimization system allows for variable sized beamlets computed using a three-dimensional convolution/superposition dose calculation and flexible cost functions derived ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biomass is one of the main natural resources in Sweden. The present low-CO{sub 2} emission characteristics of the Swedish electricity production system (hydro and nuclear) can be retained only by expansion of biofuel applications for energy purposes. Domestic Swedish biomass resources are vast and renewable, but not infinite. They must be utilized as efficiently as possible, in order to make sure that they meet the conditions for sustainability in the future. Application of efficient power generation cycles at low costs is essential for meeting this challenge. This applies also to municipal solid waste incineration with energy extraction, which should be preferred to its dumping in landfills. Hybrid dual-fuel combined cycle units are a simple and affordable way to increase the electric efficiency of biofuel energy utilization, without big investments, uncertainties or loss of reliability arising from complicated technologies. Configurations of such power cycles are very ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Concept Exploration (CE) experiments within the Innovative Confinement Concept Program have a unique role which impacts their contributions to the development of fusion energy. As stated in the FESAC ''Report on Alternate Concepts:'' These [CE] programs are aimed at innovation and basic understanding of relevant scientific phenomena. The emphasis on innovation motivates their application to the search for a better fusion reactor configuration. In addition, because of their unique character the CE experiments offer excellent opportunities to couple fusion-plasma physics to other sciences. A recent example of coupling is the fusion self-organized plasmas to reconnection physics and extra-terrestrial plasmas. Perhaps of even greater importance is the education of the future scientists needed for developing fusion energy. The CE experiments, both at universities and national labs, are of a size students can ''get their hands ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The further optimisation and improvement of the efficiency of internal combustion engines require the realisation of new technologies leading to a distinctively faster warm-up behaviour of the coolant and lubricants as well as of the engine components after a cold start. In order to achieve reduced fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions with the help of heat management, the design criteria of innovative cooling systems need to be reflected and adapted to future requirements. The use of intelligent components within the cooling system, such as the 'Stand Alone Rotary Valve' as a thermostat's substitute or the use of coolant pumps with a rotary valve integrated into the pump's inlet chamber, offer new ways to realise in a decisively quicker and more flexible way the appropriate heating up and cooling down procedures at varying driving conditions. A description of both of the intelligent components for the cooling system is ...

Science.gov (United States)

Prior to 1978, the Wilsonville Advanced Coal Liquefaction facility material balance surrounded only the thermal liquefaction unit and involved analyses of only the slurry stream and individual gas streams. The distillate solvent yield was determined by difference. Subsequently, several modifications and additional process units were introduced to this single unit system. With the inclusion of the deashing unit in 1978 and the catalytic hydrogenation unit in 1981, the process has evolved into a sophisticated two-stage coal liquefaction process and has the potential for various modes of integration. This report presents an elemental balancing procedure and a simplified presentation format that is sufficiently flexible to meet current and future needs. The development of the elemental balancing technique and the relevant computer programs to handle the calculations have been addressed. This will be useful in modelling individual unit performance as well as determining ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ensyn is a profitable commercial company which derives its revenues from the conversion of wood residues into liquid biofuel and chemicals. The technology, Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP{sup (TM)})is based on extremely fast ``cracking`` of biomass which results in light liquid yields exceeding 70% by weight, from wood. Whether producing chemicals or liquid biofuel, the RTP plant is configured identically and operated essentially in the same mode. Chemicals production simply allows economical production to occur at a lower plant capacity, as low as 2 tonnes/day, than is feasible for a dedicated fuel plant (typically greater than 100 tonnes/day). Ensyn has developed the commercialisation of RTP{sup TM} from bench to industrial scale in 10 years. A variety of crative funding initiatives in the early years allowed for capital to be raised for R and D without the loss of intellectual property (IP). The transition years of technology demonstration, prior to full commercialisation, were funded ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuclear knowledge is the basis for almost all nuclear activities, and education and training are the most fundamental means to transfer knowledge from one generation to the next. Understanding means and trends in knowledge transfer through education and training thus deserves a closer examination. In the past years, a number of trends and questions in nuclear knowledge, education and training have emerged. With declining student enrolment numbers and a general stagnation of the use of nuclear power in some of the IAEA's Member States, the issue of a slow erosion of the knowledge base and the possibility of loosing knowledge has become increasingly important, in particular if seen against the background of a possible renaissance of nuclear power in the future. In other Member States, an expansion of nuclear power is expected, with a corresponding need for human resources. As a result, in many Member States education and training of the next generation and succession planning have become ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elements of the environmental effects monitoring program in the Terra Nova oil field, about 350 km east-southeast of St. John's, Newfoundland, are described. This oilfield is being developed using a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility. A total of 24 wells are expected to be drilled through seven subsea templates located in four glory holes to protect them from icebergs. Subsea installations will be linked to the FPSO by trenched flowlines connected to flexible risers. The FPSO will offload to shuttle tankers. First oil is expected in 2001. The environmental effects monitoring program will be conducted annually for the first two years beginning in 2000. Subsequent scheduling will be determined after a review of monitoring data collected during the first three years. Input to the design of the monitoring program was provided by all stakeholders, i. e. owners, local public, government agencies and regional and international experts. A ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Technology developments in semiconductor fabrication along with a rapid expansion of the market for portable devices, such as PDAs and mobile phones, make the energy consumption of embedded systems a major problem. Indeed the need to provide an increasing number of computational intensive applications and at the same time to maximize the battery life of portable devices can be seen as incompatible trends. System simulation is a flexible and convenient method for analyzinging and exploring the performance of a system or sub-system. At the same time, the increasing use of computational intensive applications strengthens the need to maximize the battery life of portable devices. As a consequence, the simulation of embedded systems for energy consumption estimation is becoming essential in order to study and explore the influence of system design choices on the system energy consumption. The original publications presented in the second part of this thesis propose ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Consistent application of a newly developed coincidence technique to determine activation products in the operation and demolition of nuclear facilities results in very new perspectives in contamination monitoring and clearance measurement of plant components. In particular, it is possible to avoid the critical spread of point-source Co-60 contamination, the so-called hot particles. The CCM (Cobalt Coincidence Measurement) technique includes the coincident detection of prompt-prompt gamma cascades with "6"0Co and other activation products ("1"1"0"mAg, "1"2"4Sb, "2"2Na) with low mass-specific limits for unrestricted clearance. Special features of the technique are the short measurement times, excellent signal-to-noise ratio, and focusing in space achieved. Compared to conventional integral gamma-measurements, the signal-to-background ratio can be improved by 1-2 orders of magnitude. The method can be employed especially where conventional integral or spectroscopic methods suffer from ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report details the data, assumptions and methodology for end-use forecasting of appliance energy use in the US residential sector. Our analysis uses the modeling framework provided by the Appliance Model in the Residential End-Use Energy Planning System (REEPS), which was developed by the Electric Power Research Institute. In this modeling framework, appliances include essentially all residential end-uses other than space conditioning end-uses. We have defined a distinct appliance model for each end-use based on a common modeling framework provided in the REEPS software. This report details our development of the following appliance models: refrigerator, freezer, dryer, water heater, clothes washer, dishwasher, lighting, cooking and miscellaneous. Taken together, appliances account for approximately 70% of electricity consumption and 30% of natural gas consumption in the US residential sector. Appliances are thus important to those residential sector policies or programs aimed at ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A processing technique for A-15 compounds which has improved mechanical and superconducting properties has been developed. This technique consists of rapid solidification of the alloy by the chill block spinning machine (CBSM) to form amorphous ribbons and by subsequent annealing crystallizes the stable or metastable fine grain flexible A-15 structure. The CBSM has been modified so that all the processing parameters could be controlled and optimized for each alloy composition. By the improved CBSM it was possible to form amorphous Nb{sub 3}Si, Nb{sub 3}Ge and Nb{sub 3}(AlSi) ribbons with more than 80% reproducible rate. Critical current density measurements are limited by contact resistance. A Cu plating technique was introduced in this research that made the contact resistance three orders of magnitude lower than that obtained by other methods. This plated coating also gave an additional mechanical support to the sample and acted as a shunt for thermal ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A flexible battery is printed on paper by screen-printing a zinc/carbon/polymer composite anode on one side of the sheet, polymerising a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) cathode on the other side of the sheet, and applying a lithium chloride electrolyte between the two electrodes. The PEDOT cathode is prepared by inkjet printing a pattern of iron(III)p-toluenesulfonate as a solution in butan-1-ol onto paper, followed by vapour phase polymerisation of the monomer. The electrolyte is prepared as a solution of lithium chloride and lithium hydroxide and also applied by inkjet printing on to paper, where it is absorbed into the sheet cross-section. Measurements on a zinc/carbon-PEDOT/air battery in a similar configuration on a polyethylene naphthalate substrate shows a discharge capacity of up to 1.4 mAh cm{sup -2} for an initial load of 2.5 mg zinc, equivalent to almost 70% of the zinc content of the anode, which generates 0.8 V at a discharge current of 500 ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

During the last few decades, accuracy in photon and electron radiotherapy has increased substantially. This is partly due to enhanced linear accelerator technology, providing more flexibility in field definition (e.g. the usage of computer-controlled dynamic multileaf collimators), which led to intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Important improvements have also been made in the treatment planning process, more specifically in the dose calculations. Originally, dose calculations relied heavily on analytic, semi-analytic and empirical algorithms. The more accurate convolution/superposition codes use pre-calculated Monte Carlo dose 'kernels' partly accounting for tissue density heterogeneities. It is generally recognized that the Monte Carlo method is able to increase accuracy even further. Since the second half of the 1990s, several Monte Carlo dose engines for radiotherapy treatment planning have been introduced. To enable the use of a Monte Carlo treatment ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pipeline leak detection technologies can be classified according to their specificity, such as their application to offshore or onshore installations or to multi-phase or single-phase flow regimes. They can also be classified according to the technology on which they are based. Available technologies can be categorized into the following 4 groups: (1) compensated mass balance, solving steady state equations which model a specific pipeline, known as real time mode (RTM), (2) the same as group 1, but solving transient equations, known as real time transient model (RTTM), (3) pressure wave behavior, and (4) statistical modeling. Hybrids schemes can also be found. Effective leak detection systems are needed to address the increasing transformation of very large crude cargo (VLCC) ships into floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) systems. These operations make use of short and large diameters exporting lines, and often involve the use of hoses instead of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The object of this survey of small US electric utility systems was to determine the potential utilization of small, fuel-flexible, advanced-cycle combustion turbines for power generation. Three prototype concepts were evaluated. Concept A: a 2.5 MWe externally fired, closed-cycle combustion turbine, with fluidized-bed combustor, burning solid fuels. Concept B: an open 3.8 MWe, indirect-fired, combined-cycle turbine system using solid, liquid or gaseous fuels, with downstream stack cleanup. Concept C: 11.6 MWe, utilizing an open, direct-fired, combined-cycle turbine arrangement, gas or oil fueled employing components of advanced development. It was presumed such units might be commercially available circa 1985 to 1990. Fifty-three utilities, encompassing a variety of ownerships, geographical distribution and system sizes, were interviewed on-site. Questions covered the probable use of such generating concepts and their perceived attributes. The report presents the ...

Science.gov (United States)

Silicon is an attractive alloy-type anode material because of its highest known capacity (4200 mAh/g). However, lithium insertion into and extraction from silicon are accompanied by a huge volume change, up to 300%, which induces a strong strain on silicon and causes pulverization and rapid capacity fading due to the loss of the electrical contact between part of silicon and current collector. Si nanostructures such as nanowires, which are chemically and electrically bonded to the current collector, can overcome the pulverization problem, however, the heavy metal current collectors in these systems are larger in weight than Si active material. Herein we report a novel anode structure free of heavy metal current collectors by integrating a flexible, conductive carbon nanotube (CNT) network into a Si anode. The composite film is free-standing and has a structure similar to the steel bar reinforced concrete, where the infiltrated CNT network functions as both ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this memo is to give an update on our work on ceramic laser materials--feasibility proposal 04-FS-006. Transparent ceramic materials have several major advantages over single crystals in laser applications including, ease and robustness of manufacturing, large apertures, design flexibility, fracture toughness, high activator concentrations, uniformity of composition, no residual stress, and others discussed in the proposal. After a decade of working on making transparent YAG:Nd in 1995 Japanese workers demonstrated samples for the first time that performed as well in lasers as their single crystal counterparts. Since then several laser materials have been made and evaluated. For these reasons, developing ceramic laser materials is the most exciting and futuristic materials topic in today's major solid-state laser conferences. The highlights and executive summary of our work to date are: (1) Ordered a slab of transparent YAG:Nd from Konoshima ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The low budgets of local governments and Federal States in Germany as well as lack of financial means of renters delaying thorough modernisation of existing heating systems in residential and public buildings, novel heat supply and related customer services are emerging on the market. Heat supply companies and housing construction associations increasingly use modern electronics and telecommunication systems for heating system upgrading and reliable operation and maintenance. This option holds an enormous potential of saving money today and in the future. Installation of remote control and maintenance systems and the related telephone-based services offer fast repair and other services via electronic telecommunications systems, thus saving money and manpower for the repair services of heat suppliers or plumbers, or financial losses due to rents being docked for broken down heating systems. Such remote control and maintenance systems however need to be reasonable in price, and versatile ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The EMS Energy Institute at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) has managed the Gas Storage Technology Consortium (GSTC) since its inception in 2003. The GSTC infrastructure provided a means to accomplish industry-driven research and development designed to enhance the operational flexibility and deliverability of the nation's gas storage system, and provide a cost-effective, safe, and reliable supply of natural gas to meet domestic demand. The GSTC received base funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Oil & Natural Gas Supply Program. The GSTC base funds were highly leveraged with industry funding for individual projects. Since its inception, the GSTC has engaged 67 members. The GSTC membership base was diverse, coming from 19 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. The membership was comprised of natural gas storage field operators, service companies, industry ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nanometre-sized materials, like nanowires, nanoparticles or nanobelts, are gaining huge interest as building blocks of modern electronic nanodevices. Their fabrication feasibility has been demonstrated in the last years, and different routes are already well established in order to synthesize these materials. However, the assessment of their electrical properties is still a challenging issue, due to the difficulty to perform a precise nanolithography process allowing the access to such small structures. The fabrication of metallic contacts with precision in the nanometre range is necessary, as well as achieving a flexible system that allows to contact individual structures. Such a system could be a dual-beam Focused Ion Beam instrument, which combines Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Focused Ion Beam (FIB) in one machine, able to assist deposition of materials with nanometre precision. In this work, the methodology of fabrication of metallic nanocontacts to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Energy storage can be a cost-effective component of hybrid remote power systems. Storage serves the special role of taking advantage of intermittent renewable power sources. Traditionally this role has been played by lead-acid batteries, which have high life-cycle costs and pose special disposal problems. Hydrogen or zinc-air storage technologies can reduce life-cycle costs and environmental impacts. Using projected data for advanced energy storage technologies, LLNL ran an optimization for a hypothetical Arctic community with a reasonable wind resource (average wind speed 8 m/s). These simulations showed the life-cycle annualized cost of the total energy system (electric plus space heating) might be reduced by nearly 40% simply by adding wind power to the diesel system. An additional 20 to 40% of the wind-diesel cost might be saved by adding hydrogen storage or zinc-air fuel cells to the system. Hydrogen produced by electrolysis of water using intermittent, renewable power provides ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The main aim of the project is to model the energy wood business and total logistics in a certain large region. First, wood utilisation locations inside this area are examined; the most important ones are the wood processing factories, and the heating- and power plants. After that, wood potentials in the forests of the area are evaluated in sub-areas suitable in size and sufficiently detailed for further evaluations. For that purpose, the most valuable source data are forest management plans, up to ten years forward, on which basis the wood fuel potentials can be evaluated following sustainable development. In Finland there are extensive and detailed data bases storing forest information and it is possible to collect necessary data for a data base applicable to our calculations. In logistical sense it is important to know, by which delivery chains the economically best and desired results are achieved. The software prototype based on data base is modelled and developed at VTT Energy, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The main purpose of the pilot Coal Compilation Project is to provide coal resource maps to stimulate and support industry exploration programs, and assist government in matters of resource management. An essential feature of the program is the use of cost effective Geoscience Information System (GSIS) technology that allows the database and various thematic maps to be analyzed, updated, and displayed with complete flexibility at any scale. This report describes the main features (geology, resource management, coal occurrences, etc.) of the study area, mapsheet NTS 83E/15 (Pierre Greys Lakes), and includes a copy of the 1:50,000 scale map produced. The study area is located in west-central Alberta and contains coal measures deposited amid thick successions of sandstones, siltstones, shales and conglomerates. These coal-bearing sequences are part of the Lower Cretaceous Luscar Group, Upper Cretaceous Brazeau Formation and Paleocene Coalspur Formations. Within the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Due to depletion of fossil fuel, bio-fuels have generated a significant interest as an alternative fuel for the future. The use of bio-fuels to fuel gas turbine seems a viable solution for the problems of decreasing fossil-fuel reserves and environmental concerns. Bio-fuels are alternative fuels, made from renewable sources and having environmental benefit. In recent years, the desire for energy independence, foreseen depletion of nonrenewable fuel resources, fluctuating petroleum fuel costs, the necessity of stimulating agriculture based economy, and the reality of climate change have created an interest in the development of bio-fuels. The application of bio-fuels in automobiles and heating applications is increasing day by day. Therefore the use of these fuels in gas turbines would extend this application to aviation field. The impact of costly petroleum-based aviation fuel on the environment is harmful. So the development of alternative fuels in aviation is important and useful. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barsebaeck 1 was closed on 30 November 1999. Barsebaeck's output of approximately 4 TWh per year will primarily be replaced by imports from coal-fired plants in Denmark and Germany. During the year, the closure of Swedish fossil-fired condensing power stations continued. With that, over 3,000 MW of peak-load power has been shut down during recent years. Consequently, situations entailing shortages of power can arise. On the deregulated electricity market, it is only the system operators that have a satisfactory overview of the overall electricity balance. The Swedish Power Association has thus lobbied the government as regards the need to elucidate Svenska Kraftnaet's responsibility. In a governmental decision from December, Svenska Kraftnaet was given the task of, among other things, monitoring the available capacity during peak loads and developing market instruments that can contribute to safeguarding the availability of power during peak loads. Svenska Kraftnaet ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The goal of this paper is to explore how compliance with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA), especially Title IV and emission trading under it, will affect the current relationship between state and federal regulation. It is difficult, with the limited experience we have had under Title IV, to be definitive about or to be a very strong advocate of too many policy positions. What may be most helpful at this point is to identify where the difficult issues in state/federal relations might arise; and then to explore ways in which tensions might be either avoided or resolved. One anticipated conclusion is that a traditional regulatory mindset could be very destructive if applied to this new area of oversight without due sensitivity to what Congress is trying to achieve in Title IV. That concern pervaded the early legislative debates; and it persists today. Title IV presents some unique challenges to state regulators and will require some creative solutions and fresh thinking if the ...