In order to analyze changes in human settlement in Xuzhou city during the past 20 years, changes in land cover and vegetation were investigated based on multi-temporal remote sensing Landsat TM images. We developed a hierarchical classifier system that uses different feature inputs for specific classes and conducted a classification post-processing approach to improve its accuracy. From our statistical analysis of changes in urban land cover from 1987 to 2007, we conclude that built-up land areas have obviously increased, while farmland has seen in a continuous loss due to urban growth and human activities. A NDVI difference approach was used to extract information on changes in vegetation. A false change information elimination approach was developed based on prior knowledge and statistic...
Managing public lands for maximum social benefit is becoming an increasingly complex task. The growing need for domestically produced mineral raw materials and energy, and the conflicting interests over the use of public lands, have added new dimensions to the management issues. This report covers the first phase of a long-term program initiated by the Division of State Lands to improve their capability to evaluate the tar-sand and oil-shale resources in Utah. The scope of this phase of the study was limited to examination and analysis of existing information and to development models for data processing and resource evaluation. The study was effective in identifying problem areas and demonstrating the potential value of the proposed systems for management of state lands. It is anticipated that effective evaluation of the oil-shale and tar-sand resources in ...
The impact of surface mining for coal on the nature and extent of freshwater wetlands was assessed on 73,200 ha in western Pennsylvania. The influence of mining on wetlands was not uniform across physiographic regions, varying with regional differences in hydrology and soils. Overall, mined lands supported 18% more palustrine wetlands, than unmined lands, primarily because of a 270% gain in permanent, open-water wetlands on mined lands in the glaciated region. Open-water wetlands declined on mined lands in unglaciated regions owing to unfavorable hydrologic conditions. The number and size of emergent wetlands declined as a result of mining. Mined lands supported 81% fewer riverine wetlands than unmined lands. This was caused primarily by avoidance of lands containing streams, and secondarily by a 10% reduction in replacement of riverine ...
The Earth`s oceans, forests, agricultural lands and other natural areas absorb about half of the carbon dioxide emitted from anthropogenic sources. Terrestrial carbon sequestration strategies are immediately available to bridge the gap between current terrestrial sequestration capacity and high-capacity geologic sequestration projects available in 10 to 20 years. Terrestrial carbon sequestration strategies consist of implementing land management practices aimed at decreasing CO2 emitted into the atmosphere and developing advanced measurement tools to inventory and monitor carbon processes in soils and biota. In addition to atmospheric CO2 mitigation and carbon trading advantages, terrestrial carbon sequestration produces a variety of benefits which include reclamation of degraded lands, increased soil productivity, increased land value and a more secure food ...
Commercial development of oil shale resources will produce vast quantities of processed shale waste. The presence of potentially toxic trace elements, inorganic salts, and potentially toxic residual organic constitutents make the disposal of vast quantities of processed shale a potential environmental problem. To be environmentally acceptable, processed shale disposal must: result in a physically stable structure, prevent or minimize release of potentially toxic compounds, and provide an economically acceptable post-land use. Water is the common element underlying all factors important to the environmental stability of disposed solid waste. The leaching and transport of solubles by water in processed shale embankments may result in degradation of local surface and groundwater quality. The major purpose of this research is to physically model, study, and describe ...
BackgroundSenescence is integral to the flowering plant life-cycle. Senescence-like processes occur also in non-angiosperm land plants, algae and photosynthetic prokaryotes. Increasing...Full Text Available
Protection of wetlands became a national issue in 1988 when President George Bush pledged no net loss of wetlands in the US under his [open quotes]environmental presidency.[close quotes] As wetlands became a national issue, the job of protecting them became an obligation for many groups, including hydro-power developers. Now, when a site selected for development includes an area that may be classified as a wetland, the developer quickly discovers the importance of recognizing and protecting these natural habitats. Federal legislation severely limits development of wetland, and most states increase the restrictions with their own wetlands regulations. The difficulty of defining wetlands complicates federal and state enforcement. Land that appears to be dry may in fact be classified as a wetland. So, even if a site appears dry, potential hydro developers must ...
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are mutualistic symbionts living in the roots of 80% of land plant species, and developing extensive, below-ground extraradical hyphae fundamental for the uptake of...Full Text Available
but one test point on the flight cards was achieved before we hit our "bingo," or minimal fuel remaining, and we had to land. The radar was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion...
Information about surface soil moisture conditions is of critical importance to real-world applications such as agricultural production, water resource management, flood prediction, fire prediction, water supply, military mobility, etc.. Near-surface soil moisture is currently available from non-ideal sensor configuration observations, and two missions targeted at measuring near-surface soil moisture with ideal sensor configuration are expected before the end of the decade (the European Space Agency (ESA), Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Hydrospheric states "Hydros" mission). Though remote sensing can make spatially comprehensive measurements of surface soil moisture, it cannot provide information on the entire land surface hydrologic system, and the measurements represent only a snap shot in time. Alternatively, land surface hydrology process ...
The historical back ground of free electron laser (FEL) and the present status of development and utilization research of FEL facilities in the world are explained. Eight facilities such as Stanford Univ., UCSB, Duke Univ., Vanderbilt Univ., LANL AFEL (USA), FOM FELIX (Netherlands), N-lands LURE CLIO (France) and FELI (Japan) can be used. The principle of FEL generation process is that free electrons move in a zigzag direction to generate radio waves which interfere with each other to become monochromatic light and then free electron laser. The benefits of FEL, quality of electron beam, limit of wave length of FEL, problems and development of utilization technologies of FEL are explained. (S.Y.)
This article discusses the proper use of sandy land in China from the viewpoint of ecology. The many low-yield fields in every locality across China include sandy land that is unsuited to the cultivation of grains such as paddy rice, corn and wheat. Separate investigations of the northern plain and the southern coast between 1980 and 1982 demonstrated that sandy land in a warm climatic zone (e.g. Huang He) is suited to peanuts, soybeans and other oil-bearing crops; that forestation can be carried out on sandy land in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang; and that coastal sandy land has much salinity and is best suited to growing horsetail beefwood. Moreover, the creation of windbreaks along the coasts of southern China has lessened the threat of wind-blown sand which had made rice not worth cultivating on sandy land. It is concluded that different crops can be grown on ...
This Environmental Assessment (EA) reviews the environmental consequences associated with the proposed action of granting a site use permit to construct and operate a conference center on an approximately 70-acre tract of land on the Savannah River Site (SRS). While the proposed action requires an administrative decision by DOE, this EA reviews the linked action of physically constructing and operating a conference center. The SRS is a DOE-owned nuclear production facility encompassing approximately 200,000 acres in southwestern South Carolina. The proposed conference center would have an area of approximately 4,000 square feet, and would infrequently accommodate as many as 150 people, with the average being about 20 people per day. In addition to the No-Action alternative, under which the Research Foundation would not require the 70-acre tract of SRS land for a conference center, this EA considers site preservation. Under Site Preservation ...
A section of the northern margin of the Guineo-Congolian rain forest of the Central African Republic is studied to determine to what extent deforestation is evolving. Three sites are presented to highlight the diversity in local environmental settings at the northern margin of the closed equatorial rain forest: the contiguous equatorial rain forest, the boundary between the closed rain forest and the grasslands, and a predominantly secondary grassland environment. Proven image processing procedures for determining land cover and vegetation vigor were applied to Landsat MSS data to determine land cover characteristics and identify alterations in land cover that indicate potentially degraded forest environments. Land cover was independently assessed using spectral signatures determined from a statistical clustering routine. The images presented and image analyses contribute insights ...
S. 1484 is intended to change the oil-shale-leasing provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 to encourage development of oil-shale resources on federal and non-federal lands. It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to lease land for mining and additional land for waste-disposal and construction facilities. The text of S. 1484 is followed by the background and legislative history of the bill, a section-by-section analysis of the bill, and an evaluation of its budgetary and regulatory impacts. Pertinent communications are reprinted with recommendations and additional views. (DCK)
Inco Ltd., a primary producer of nickel and an important producer of copper, cobalt, precious metals and sulphur products, initiated a project in 1997 to conduct eco-profiles of its worldwide metal production in an effort to improve its internal processing, marketing and environmental management. The study made it possible to recognize some internal and external benefits including the opportunity to gain operating efficiencies and improved process/product design, the development of better environmental performance indicators to guide decision making, and the availability of comprehensive product related environmental data to meet the informational needs of customers, designers, engineers and governments. This paper described the life cycle assessment (LCA) process used by Inco to conduct the study. A life cycle inventory (LCI) was used to quantitatively calculate resource requirements and environmental ...
The latent heat of evapotranspiration (ET) plays an important role in the assessment of drought severity as one sensitive indicator of land drought status. A simple and accurate method of estimating global ET for the monitoring of global land surface droughts from remote sensing data is essential. The objective of this research is to develop a hybrid ET model by introducing empirical coefficients based on a simple linear two-source land ET model, and to then use this model to calculate the Evaporative Drought Index (EDI) based on the actual estimated ET and the potential ET in order to characterize global surface drought conditions. This is done using the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) products, AVHRR-NDVI products from the Global Inventory ...
This paper provides a review of current air and spaceborne remote sensing techniques which can be used in land use planning and resource management. Emphasis is placed on the development of geographic information systems (GS). It is expected remote sensing will become the preferred tool for data acquisition, while GIS will be used to manage and distribute georeferenced land information.
The leading environmental problem facing coastal Louisiana regions is the loss of wetlands. Oil and gas exploration and production activities have contributed to wetland damage through erosion at numerous sites where canals have been cut through the marsh to access drilling sites. An independent oil and gas producer, working with Southeastern Louisiana University and two oil field service companies, developed a process to stabilize drill cuttings so that they could be used as a substrate to grow wetlands vegetation. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded a project under which the process would be validated through laboratory studies and field demonstrations. The laboratory studies demonstrated that treated drill cuttings support the growth of wetlands vegetation. However, neither the Army Corps of Engineers (COE) nor the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would grant regulatory approval for afield trial of the ...
A review of the various solidification agents and techniques that are currently available or potentially applicable for the solidification of low-level radioactive wastes is presented. An overview of the types and quantities of low-level wastes produced is presented. Descriptions of waste form matrix materials, the wastes types for which they have been or may be applied and available information concerning relevant waste form properties and characteristics follow. Also included are descriptions of the processing techniques themselves with an emphasis on those operating parameters which impact upon waste form properties. The solidification agents considered in this survey include: hydraulic cements, thermoplastic materials, thermosetting polymers, glasses, synthetic minerals and composite materials. This survey is part of a program supported by the United States Department of Energy's Low-Level Waste Management Program (LLWMP). This work provides input into ...
When a rotary excavator is operated at locations where there is artesian water, the aquiclude is fractured under pressure of the artesian water upon the penetration of the pile tip through the aquiclude. Since the equipment is provided with a gap for the reduction of friction between the casing and the excavation face, soil and sand near the pile tip burst forth out of the ground together with underground water through the casing or along the outer circumference of the casing. The newly contrived method introduced here is a double pipe process, in which a large casing (2.0m in diameter) is driven until it lands on the aquiclude, water is injected into the casing for the creation of equilibrium between the artesian head and the head in the casing, and finally a casing as large as the pile (1m in diameter) to be installed is used for the excavation of the artesian water section. Since February, 1996, 4 systems/16 legs have been operated for the ...
The summertime tropical cyclogenesis rate per unit area in the eastern Pacific ocean is arguably higher than in any other location in the world. Many if not most of these cyclones form from African easterly waves which cross Central America into the Pacific. Of order 25% of these waves intensify into cyclones. A significant fraction of east Pacific tropical cyclones undergoes landfall on the Mexican coast. Those which do not, generally dissipate over cold ocean waters north of the east Pacific intertropical convergence zone, often not far from land. The layer of warm ocean water which supports the development of east Pacific cyclones is unusually shallow and is structured by anticyclonic vortices which form by various processes and propagate slowly to the west. These vortices locally deepen the oceanic mixed layer and support stronger convection than their surroundings, possibly promoting cyclogenesis and cyclone ...
The Cambro-Ordovician platform was formed along the margin of the old super-continent of Laurentia approximately 470 million years ago, and is a prolific producer of hydrocarbons. This presentation provided a geological review of the region as well as estimates of the amounts of oil in place. A simplified geological cross-section of the formation was presented, as well as a chart of the Anticosti Basin of western Newfoundland. Details of exploration wells targeting the Cambro-Ordovician carbonate platform and current west coast land holdings were provided. An outline of the area's petroleum system included details of source rock, reservoirs, traps and seals and migration and timing. Offshore prospects for the platform were estimated to be in the region of 100 to 200 million barrels. Onshore prospects were estimated to be in the region of 30 million to 150 million barrels. It was noted that limited coverage by onshore seismic data may mean that larger ...
SX Holdings Limited intends to establish a rare earths plant at Port Pirie, South Australia. The proposal involves three stages of development, Stage 3 being to develop a monazite cracking plant and associated rare earths separation facility with the capacity to process up to 8,000 t/a of monazite-type ores. The proposed initial capacity is 4,000 t/a. This Draft Environmental Impact Statement relates to Stage 3 and is based on a monazite processing capacity of 8,000 t/a. The justification of the project is given in terms of use and the market for rare earths, the economic and environmental benefits of the proposal, the site selection process, site rehabilitation, and the consequences of not proceeding. A detailed description of the project is given, including the treatment process, site development and facilities, the supply of raw ...
Map layer displays land designated as Suitable Land For Timber Production for the Forest Plan. It consists of all National Forest Lands less Non-forested ... ...
The transport of air pollutants in coastal regions has been known to be strongly affected by the mesoscale atmospheric circulations such as sea-land breezes. These mesoscale atmospheric circulations depend on synoptic weather conditions. In this study, a three-dimensional sea-land breeze model was developed to evaluate the effects of the sea and land breezes on the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants in Korea. In the model, the hydrostatic primitive equations in the terrain-following coordinate system were used. The mesoscale atmospheric circulation simulation were carried out under various synoptic weather conditions for all seasons around the Wolsung nuclear power plant site.
The transport of air pollutants in coastal regions has been known to be strongly affected by the mesoscale atmospheric circulations such as sea-land breezes. These mesoscale atmospheric circulations depend on synoptic weather conditions. In this study, a three-dimensional sea-land breeze model was developed to evaluate the effects of the sea and land breezes on the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials released from nuclear power plants in Korea. In the model, the hydrostatic primitive equations in the terrain-following coordinate system were used. The mesoscale atmospheric circulation simulation were carried out under various synoptic weather conditions for all seasons around the Wolsung nuclear power plant site.
With regard to the creation of river basin plans and programmes of measures according to the EU Water Framework Directive, the importance of model-supported analyses of nutrient inputs into aquatic systems and the localization of source areas is increasing. Especially in lowland regions artificial drainage installations play a major role, but little information exists concerning their location within larger river basins. Therefore, artificially drained lands were identified by interpreting aerial photographs and typical site conditions of the drained plots were derived. A GIS-based approach was then developed, which allows the delineation of artificially drained lands by combining various site conditions like soil properties and land use type. After checking the validity of a derived map f...
The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs issued the report on a bill to establish a national program for research, development, and demonstration in fuels and energy and for the coordination and financial supplementation of Federal energy research and development; to establish development corporations to demonstrate technologies for shale oil development, advanced power cycle development, geothermal steam development, and coal liquefaction and gasification development; to authorize and direct the Secretary of the Interior to make mineral resources of the public lands available for the development conporations. Comments from governmental agencies on the bill are published. (MCW)
SummaryIntended Outputs: Documentation demonstrating an improved biophysical understanding of the role of forests on low flows in the arid zone regions of India through the development and outputs from hydrological models such as Hyluc and SWAT.A documented analysis of the impacts on the poor of historical and current water management policies, including the investigation through PRA techniques of people's perceptions and beliefs of land-use/hydrological interactions, and the implications o [continued...]ObjectivesTo establish a better understanding of forest impacts on low flows and the social impact of water resources management in arid zone regions of India, and to develop tools which allow this improved understanding to be disseminated directly to stakeholders.DescriptionProject Background: Reducing river flows and groundwater tables, especially during the dry season, constitutes a major problem causing great hardship ...
A database has been developed before and after the dewatering of the Meigs number-sign 31 deep coal mine in Meigs County, Ohio, three years ago. This strategy was to compare potential recovery of the watershed in the mainstem of Leading Creek as well as to reconnaissance the tributaries for point-source input into the creek. After the dewatering process, #approx# half of the 31-mile Leading Creek mainstem received a discharge of conductivity, low pH, high metals (iron, manganese, copper, aluminum), and total suspended solids (TSS). Most forms of aquatic life in the creek were depleted in the impacted areas, but recovery has been encouraging. Relative fish abundance has returned to pre-event levels, while benthic macroinvertebrates show recovery in two key stream segments. Reconnaissance of the watershed indicated that the system is uniquely segregated with high sedimentation from agricultural input in the upper half and abandoned mined ...
An observational and modeling study was performed over the Arabian Gulf region to investigate the coastal circulations and aerosol transport in the area. Climatological data and observations from the United Arab Emirates' Unified Aerosol Experiment were used to develop a better understanding of the complex meteorological processes in the Arabian Gulf region. Climatological data suggests that sea breezes occur on more than 77 percent of days in all months of the year and land breezes occur on more than 70 percent of the days. The occurrence of the sea and land breeze circulations are higher (90-99 percent) during the summer months when large-scale weather patterns are quiescent. Measurements of aerosol concentrations taken during the Unified Aerosol Experiment(2004) experiment are used to investigate aerosols, namely dust, transported in the Arabian Gulf region. Vertical profiles of dust concentration ...
A brief review and assessment of field measurement programs that provide data for mixed layer diffusion research is presented. The majority of programs emphasize either the meteorological aspects of the mixed layer or plume characterization. Few programs are available that provide the complimentary blend of plume and appropriate meteorological measurements needed to adequately validate mixed layer diffusion theory. Three major U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) field programs that provide data bases for model development and validation of mixed layer diffusion processes are described and discussed in more detail. The Regional Air Pollution Study (RAPS) focused on measurements of surface and mixed layer turbulent transport processes in the urban environment. The Tennessee Plume Study (TPS) obtained a database with coincident measurement of boundary layer turbulent structure and plume dispersion for a large coal-fired ...
Climates at regional scale are strongly dependent on the interaction between atmosphere and its lower boundary, the oceans and the land surface mosaic. Land surfaces influence climate through their albedo, and the aerodynamic roughness, the processes of the biosphere and many soil hydrological properties; all these factors vary considerably geographically. Land surfaces receive a certain portion of the solar irradiance depending on the cloudiness, atmospheric transparency and surface albedo. Short-wave solar irradiance is the source of the heat energy exchange at the earth`s surface and also regulates many biological processes, e.g. photosynthesis. Methods for estimating solar irradiance, atmospheric transparency and surface albedo were reviewed during the course of this project. The solar energy at earth`s surface is consumed for heating the soil and the lower atmosphere. Where ...
The theme of the conference was recent developments in airborne remote sensing and their applications. The proceedings contain the papers presented at 14 general sessions and 13 interactive sessions covering airborne platforms, sensor systems, airborne/spaceborne synergy, atmospheric and oceanic measurements, land cover/land use, emergency response and reconnaissance, data handling, forestry, agriculture, water resources, geospatial reference, system calibration, environmental monitoring and planning, and information product advancements. Two papers are abstracted separately.
Full text.Increased environmental concerns and the emphasis on material and energy recovery are gradually changing the orientation of municipal solid waste (MSW) management and planning. In this context, the application of optimization techniques have been introduced to design the least cost solid waste management systems, considering the variety of management processes (recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, incineration and land filling) and the existence of uncertainties associated with the number of system components and their interrelations. This study presents a model that was developed and applied to serve as a solid socio-economic and environmental considerations. The model accounts for solid waste generation rates, composition, collection, treatment, disposal as well as potential environmental impacts of various MSW management techniques. The model follows a linear programming formulation with the framework of ...
A pilot project was started in 1977 over the Lake Superior basin to measure water storage on the land area using aerial gamma-ray spectrometry to provide hydrologic information for forecasting inflow to the lake. Two airborne surveys were made, respectively in November 1977 and March 1978 which provided estimates of the increase in snow water equivalent between these surveys. The basin is located on the Canadian Shield and consequently, the gamma radiation count rate is quite variable. The airborne results are compared with ground measurements on selected flight lines and show generally good agreement. Two equipment calibrations in the Ottawa area provided inconsistent parameter values which are consequently also reflected in the results over the Lake Superior basin. The project has demonstrated to-date that the technique can be developed into an operational system for measuring snow cover water equivalent of this vast and remote area by using ...
The implementation of satellite remote sensing data for monitoring anthropogenic pollution in the USSR is described. Space-based monitoring systems offer the opportunity to identify pollution sources, track the spread of pollutants on the surface and in the air, and characterize land use patterns that cause erosion. Furthermore, vegetation under attack by polluting agents can be recognized by color changes, and water pollution in lakes, coastal zones, and in rivers near industrial areas and ports can be measured for the total affected area. The data have thus far been taken with instrumentation on board the Salyut space station, the Meteor-Priroda satellite, and from the Landsat MSS scanner. It is noted that the transboarder transport of pollutants necessitates sharing data with agencies of other nations, and that a data base must be developed to define procedures and instrumentation for given pollutants, algorithms for ...
The Canadian wind energy industry is experiencing rapid and unprecedented growth. The year 2006 saw the installation of 534 MW of wind energy across Canada, representing approximately $1 billion in new investment. It is anticipated that the wind energy industry will help to create jobs and training opportunities for many Canadians, as well as provide ongoing economic benefits to local communities through municipal tax and land lease payments. However, many challenges remain if Canada is to meet, or exceed, its objective of a total of 10,000 MW in installed wind energy by 2015. This conference provided a forum for wind industry member, academics and representatives of both governmental and non-governmental agencies to discuss issues related to wind energy development. The conference was divided into 3 streams. The policy stream examined issues related to the Canadian Wind Power Production Incentive (WPPI) program, as well as various federal ...
The Western Research Institute plan for addressing oil shale plant siting methodology calls for identifying the available resources such as oil shale, water, topography and transportation, and human resources. Restrictions on development are addressed: land ownership, land use, water rights, environment, socioeconomics, culture, health and safety, and other institutional restrictions. Descriptions of the technologies for development of oil shale resources are included. The impacts of oil shale development on the environment, socioeconomic structure, water availability, and other conditions are discussed. Finally, the Western Research Institute plan proposes to integrate these topics to develop a flow chart for oil shale plant siting. Western Research Institute has (1) identified relative topics for shale oil plant siting, (2) surveyed both published and ...
The climate modeling community has focused recently on improving our understanding of certain processes, such as cloud feedbacks and ocean circulation, that are deemed critical to climate-change prediction. Although attention to such processes is warranted, emphasis on these areas has diminished a general appreciation of the role played by the large-scale dynamics of the extratropical atmosphere. Lack of interest in extratropical dynamics may reflect the assumption that these dynamical processes are a non-problem as far as climate modeling is concerned, since general circulation models (GCMs) calculate motions on this scale from first principles. Nevertheless, serious shortcomings in our ability to understand and simulate large-scale dynamics exist. Partly due to a paucity of standard GCM diagnostic calculations of large-scale motions and their transports of heat, momentum, potential vorticity, and moisture, a comprehensive ...
Potential maximum radiation dose rates over a 1,000-year time horizon were calculated for exposure to the decontaminated concrete removed from the 183-H Solar Evaporation Basins at the Hanford Site, Richland, Washington. The RESRAD computer code, Version 5.62, which implements the methodology described in the US Department of Energy`s manual for developing residual radioactive material guidelines, was used in this evaluation. Currently, the concrete is not being used. Four potential exposure scenarios were developed for the land area where the decontaminated concrete will be stored. In Scenario A industrial use of the land is assumed; in Scenario B recreational use of the land is assumed; in Scenario C residential use of the land is assumed; and in Scenario D (a plausible but unlikely land-use scenario), the presence of a subsistence farmer ...
Alexandria is the second largest urban governorate in Egypt and has seen significant urban growth in its modern and contemporary history. This study investigates the urban growth phenomenon in Alexandria, Egypt, using the integration of remote sensing and GIS. The urban physical expansion and change were detected using Landsat satellite images. The satellite images of years 1984 and 1993 were first geo referenced, achieving a very small RMSE that provided high accuracy data for satellite image analysis. Then, the images were classified using a tailored classification scheme with accuracy of 93.82% and 95.27% for 1984 and 1993 images respectively. This high accuracy enabled detecting land use/land cover changes with high confidence using a post-classification comparison method. One of the most important findings here is the loss of cultivated land in favour of urban expansion. If the current loss rates continued, 75% of ...
This report presents information and analysis to assist BLM in clarifying oil shale research needs. It provides technical guidance on research needs in support of their regulatory responsibilities for onshore mineral activities involving oil shale. It provides an assessment of research needed to support the regulatory and managerial role of the BLM as well as others involved in the development of oil shale resources on public and Indian lands in the western United States.
PRESTO-II is a computer code developed to evaluate possible health effects from shallow land disposal of low level radioactive wastes. PRESTO-PREP is a data preprocessor that has been developed to expedite the formation of input data sets for PRESTO-II. PRESTO-PREP utilizes a library of nuclide and risk-specific data. Given an initial waste inventory, the code creates the radionuclide portion of the associated input data set for PRESTO-II. 2 references.
...Project objectives to restore/create network of secure lapwing breeding sites to provide conservation management advice to planners, developers and land managers to raise awareness of lapwing conservation issues in the local areaKey dates so far First pair of lapwing breeding at Parc Bryn Bach, mitigation site for loss of a nearby large lapwing breeding colony, in May 2008Work planned or underway Continued working with developers and landowners to ...
National soil quality criteria for the protection of ecological receptors, including livestock and wildlife, are currently under development in Canada. Based on an evaluation of direct soil contact and soil and food ingestion pathways for sensitive species, soil quality criteria for lead, copper, arsenic, cadmium and mercury for three land use categories have been derived. The draft values, in mg/kg soil, for agricultural, residential/parkland, commercial/industrial land uses are: mercury, 4, 4, 30; copper, 62, 62, 100; cadmium, 10, 10, 27; lead, 70, 250, 400; arsenic, 17, 17, 26. Critical data requirements in developing soil quality criteria are also reviewed.
The long-term aim of our research is to develop humidification-dehumidification desalination technology for farms in arid coastal regions that are suffering from salt-infected soils and shortages of potable groundwater. The specific aim of our current study was to determine the influence of greenhouse-related parameters on a process, called Seawater Greenhouse, which combines fresh water production with growth of crops in a greenhouse system. A thermodynamic model was used based on heat and mass balances. The dimension of the greenhouse had the greatest overall effect on the water production and energy consumption. A wide shallow greenhouse, 200 m wide by 50 m deep gave 125 m{sup 3} d{sup -1} of fresh water. This was greater than a factor of two compared to the worst-case scenario with the same area (50 m wide by 200 m deep), which gave 58 m{sup 3} d{sup -1}. Low power consumption went hand-in-hand with high efficiency. The wide shallow ...
This Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) plan addresses closure for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 118, Area 27 Super Kukla Facility, identified in the ''Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order''. Corrective Action Unit 118 consists of one Corrective Action Site (CAS), 27-41-01, located in Area 27 of the Nevada Test Site. Corrective Action Site 27-41-01 consists of the following four structures: (1) Building 5400A, Reactor High Bay; (2) Building 5400, Reactor Building and access tunnel; (3) Building 5410, Mechanical Building; and (4) Wooden Shed, a.k.a. ''Brock House''. This plan provides the methodology for field activities needed to gather the necessary information for closing the CAS. There is sufficient information and process knowledge from historical documentation and site confirmation data collected in 2005 and 2006 to recommend closure of CAU 118 using the ...
Description of courses, curriculum and degree program. "Ceramic and materials engineers design, develop, and participate in the manufacture of both standard and new materials intended for use in a wide variety of industries with diverse applications. These range from the semi-conductor to the aerospace and finally to the traditional ceramics industry. The broad scope of industrial responsibilities handled by ceramic and materials engineers requires knowledge in mathematics, science, engineering, and the social sciences, skills in problem solving, engineering analysis, design, and written and oral communication. The baccalaureate program integrates laboratory with classroom experiences to prepare students for life-long learning. Courses covering thermodynamics, kinetics, mechanical behavior, processing and characterization of materials prepare students for careers in industry and/or for graduate school. Clemson University baccalaureate graduates ...
A pilot cropland carbon sequestration program within north central Montana has allowed farmers to receive carbon credit for management adjustments associated with changing from tillage-based agricultural systems to no-till. Carbon credit can also be obtained by adopting conservation reserve, where cropland is planted into perennial vegetation. Summer fallowing is also considered within the crediting process as credit is not given in years that a field is left un-vegetated. The carbon sequestration program has been advocated as a means to mitigate climate change while providing an added source of income for Montana farmers. There is lack of data, however, pertaining to the percentage of lands within this region that have not converted to no-till management, lands under certain crop intensit...
Abstract Large areas of the southern European countries possess a Mediterranean climate, which influences soil properties, land use, fertilizer application practices and pathways of phosphorus (P) loss from agricultural soils. On average, inputs of fertilizer P exceed P exports from the agricultural areas in these countries; however, large differences in P surplus/deficit and soil P test values exist among regions. Losses of P in drainage water are modest except in some irrigated areas and in those regions where intensive animal production is concentrated. Losses of P in runoff water, whether as dissolved reactive or particulate P, can be substantial as a result of the significance of erosive processes under the land uses typical of the Mediterranean region, where extreme rainfall events c...
The Ho-Chunk Nation is interested in documenting water-quality conditions in streams adjacent to their Reservation lands in Wisconsin and developing management plans to protect these water resources. The Nation uses these waterways for recreation and as a source for food, and therefore, is dedicated to maintaining and restoring their quality. Ho-Chunk lands encompass more than 10,000 acres ranging primarily over 17 counties in Wisconsin. The study areas for this report include streams adjacent to Ho-Chunk Nation residential lands: Potch-Hah-Chee, Sandpillow, Mission, Bluewing, Chakh Hah Chee, Winnebago Heights, Indian Heights, and Ho-Chunk Village. These residential areas, or housing sites, are located along or near the Middle Branch Embarrass, Black, Lemonweir, and Wisconsin Rivers or their tributaries. Water-quality data were compiled and summarized, and basin maps showing land ...
The overall purpose of this project is to evaluate the biological and economic feasibility of restoring high-quality forests on mined land, and to measure carbon sequestration and wood production benefits that would be achieved from forest restoration procedures. In this quarterly report, we present a preliminary comparison of the carbon sequestration potential of forests growing on 14 mined sites in a seven-state region in the Midwestern and Eastern Coalfields. Carbon contents of these forests were compared to adjacent forests on non-mined land. The study was installed as a 3 x 3 factorial in a random complete block design with three replications at each location. The treatments include three forest types (white pine, hybrid poplar, mixed hardwood) and three silvicultural regimes (competition control, competition control plus tillage, competition control plus tillage plus fertilization). Each individual treatment plot is 0.5 acres. Each block ...
This study was developed as part of the project ?Studies for Environmental and Cultural Sustainability of the Fulni-? Medical System: Office on handling medicinal plants?. The Fulni-? people are located in Pernambuco State, Northeastern Brazil. One of the components of this project was an ethnobotanical diagnosis of the indigenous land, where a phytosociological survey was performed in an area of Caatinga vegetation, located at Ouricuri settlement. Based on these ethnobotanical data, we calculated a conservation priority index aiming to rank species that should receive immediate attention from the Fulni-? people. We identified 44 woody plants, 50% of which have a medicinal use. Among these, six plants were considered highly vulnerable and in need of immediate conservationist attention, in ...
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and the Department of Energy-National Energy Technologies Laboratory (DOE-NETL) are evaluating and demonstrating integration of terrestrial carbon sequestration techniques at a coal-fired electric power plant through the use of Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) system gypsum as a soil amendment and mulch, and coal fly ash pond process water for periodic irrigation. From January to March 2002, the Project Team initiated the construction of a 40 ha Carbon Capture and Water Emissions Treatment System (CCWESTRS) near TVA's Paradise Fossil Plant on marginally reclaimed surface coal mine lands in Kentucky. The CCWESTRS is growing commercial grade trees and cover crops and is expected to sequester 1.5-2.0 MT/ha carbon per year over a 20-year period. The concept could be used to meet a portion of the timber industry's needs while simultaneously ...
University research group with research areas: * Land based and submersible autonomous robots, (UUVs: AUVs and ROVs); * Controllers, electronics, sensor design and fusion, motion control; * Guidance and navigation of underwater vehicles; * AI, neural networks, fuzzy logic, subsumption control, behaviour based control; * Optical fibre and ultrasonic sensors for proximal object detection; * Robot arm control, visual servoing; * Imaging sonar applications; * Simulator development: UUV simulator; imaging sonar simulator; Aircraft/flight simulator.
In accordance with the comprehensive plan in the eleventh five-year period the main content of prospecting and exploration on land in Axerbaidzhan by the Axneft' association will be done in the central and Western regions of the republic, where Paleogene-Mesozoic deposits will be inspected. Discussed in detail are the directions and volumes of prospecting and exploration in individual regions of Azerbaidzhan. They are determined with consideration of the degree of exploration of the earth's interior, the prospects for the deposits comprising them, and the development of the resources of oil.
A Lagrangian atmospheric dispersion model(K-LADM) combining a three dimensional sea-land breeze model has been developed and applied to the estimation of the quaterly and the annual averaged air tritium concentration around Wolsung NPP site. The estimated concentrations were compared with the observed concentration data. The results showed that the present Lagrangian Atmospheric dispersion model(K-LADM) provided very good agreement with the observations.
This environmental review of right-of-way clearing for transmission projects has been undertaken by the Environmental Analysis Branch for the Division of Land Resources in BPA's Office of Engineering and Construction. It is intended to review the present practices and results of selective clearing, and to make recommendations toward improvements in environmental practices and procedures in mitigation development for impacts associated with right-of-way clearing. 29 figs.
Soil dressing on coal ash reclaimed land is a covering to use the land for agriculture. This study was carried out to find out the necessary depth of soil covering the ash layer in order to have normal crop growth. Two kinds of crops, Japanese radish, and rakkyo were planted in cover soil on the fly ash packed in wooden boxe (90 cm x 90 cm x 90 cm). Depths of cover soil were 20 cm, 30 cm, 40 cm and 50 cm. The results were summarized as follows: growth and yield of Japanese radish and rakkyo were increased with increasing depth of cover soil; root development of Japanese radish was inhibited at the lower coal ash layer. Main root length and edible root length of Japanese radish were decreased with decreasing depth of cover soil; boron and molybdenum contents in the plants remarkably increased with decreasing depth of cover soil. This may be due to the absorption of these elements from fly ash layer; it is concluded that ...
A series of meteorological and tracer experiments, was conducted during May and June 1984 over the 20-km wide /O/resund strait between Denmark and Sweden for the purpose of studying atmospheric dispersion processes over cold water and warm land surfaces and providing the data needed to evaluate meso-scale models in a coastal environment. In concert with these objectives the data from these experiments have been used as part of a continuing effort to evaluate the capability of the three-dimensional MATHEW/ADPIC (M/A) atmospheric dispersion models to simulate pollutant transport and diffusion characteristics of the atmospheric during a wide variety of meteorological conditions. Since previous studies have focused primarily on M/A model evaluations over rolling and complex terrain at inland sites, the /O/resund experiments provide a unique opportunity to evaluate the models in a coastal environment. The M/A models are used by the Atmospheric ...
The overarching goals of the 'Kootenai River Floodplain Ecosystem Operational Loss Assessment, Protection, Mitigation and Rehabilitation' Project (BPA Project No.2002-011-00) are to: (1) assess abiotic and biotic factors (i.e., geomorphologic, hydrological, aquatic and riparian/floodplain communities) in determining a definitive composition of ecological integrity, (2) develop strategies to assess and mitigate losses of ecosystem functions, and (3) produce a regional operational loss assessment framework. To produce a scientifically defensible, repeatable, and complete assessment tool, KTOI assembled a team of top scientists in the fields of hydrology, hydraulics, ornithology, entomology, statistics, and river ecology, among other expertise. This advisory team is known as the Research Design and Review Team (RDRT). The RDRT scientists drive the review, selection, and adaptive management of the research designs to evaluate the ecologic functions ...
Spent nuclear wastes are inevitable issues to use nuclear power as a sustainable energy. Therefore, every country has their fuel cycles which are best for their environmental and/or political circumstances for the use of nuclear energy. These days agreements are made that spent nuclear fuels should be recycled to minimize waste volume and its toxicity all around the world. Republic of Korea also has a plan to recycle the spent nuclear fuels by using Gen-IV concept burner reactors and pyro-process plants. Not many options of national nuclear strategies are exist because Korea has too many people for its limited land space. KAERI already has been proposing a national fuel cycle concept called 'KIEP-21' that encompasses all the requirements of the advanced nuclear fuel cycle such as reduction of volume, toxicity, HLW heat load and so on. Authors suggest non-national fuel cycle concept called 'PyroGreen' for the sustainable nuclear energy system. ...
The Clean Water Act of 1977 directed EPA to establish standards for use and disposal of sewage sludge (biosolids). The application of biosolids to non-agricultural lands is becoming increasingly important as a method of waste disposal. Ecological endpoints at the population, community, and/or ecosystem level have not previously been emphasized in the development of regulatory standards for municipal sewage sludge. This risk assessment focuses on terrestrial endpoints in four ecosystem types to which substantial quantities of sludge have been applied or are expected to be applied in the future: northwest Douglas-fir forest, southeastern loblolly pine plantation, eastern deciduous forest, and semi-arid rangeland. Conceptual models suitable for all ecosystems were developed that depict the links among assessment endpoints. Estimates of risks to wildlife from contaminants and simulations of impacts of nitrogen in sewage sludge ...
This report presents the results of the BMBF-sponsored project Fundamentals and models for assessing the effect of climate changes on soil, plant development and the crops of an economically significant range of farm products. Its aim was to study, by means of the results obtained for winter wheat, the dependence of plant growth on temperature, radiation and water as well as nutrient supply for other economically important crop types. Building on this, process-oriented, climate-sensitive agricultural ecosystem models for winter rye, winter barley, sugar-beet and winter intercrops were developed, verified and, in some sites, validated. First scenario calculations served to demonstrate the climate sensitivity of these models. (orig./KW) [Deutsch] Im vorliegenden Bericht werden die Ergebnisse des BMBF - Vorhabens `Grundlagen und Modelle zur Abschaetzung von Klimaaenderungen auf den Boden, die Pflanzenentwicklung sowie den ...
Based upon the existing regulatory cleanup criteria, remediation of this wetlands was proposed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy (NJDEPE). This remedial process would have totally destroyed a thriving Old Field Wetlands. Site-Specific evaluation of the chemicals of potential concern (CPC), remaining source areas, potential environmental fate and transport (EF and T), toxicology (including oral absorption and bioaccumulation) and potential land use scenarios were conducted. It was determined that although the analytical chemistry data reported soil concentrations of arsenic, the compound used by the facility and discharged to the wetlands sediments was in fact gallium arsenide. Secondly, all remaining source areas and hot spots had previously been remediated. Vertical migration to soils had not progressed past a depth of 3 feet and groundwater/surface water did not contain significantly elevated concentrations ...
In March 2005, the United States Coast Guard requested that Sandia National Laboratories provide a technical review and evaluation of the appropriateness and completeness of models, assumptions, analyses, and risk management options presented in the Cabrillo Port LNG Deepwater Port Independent Risk Assessment-Revision 1 (Cabrillo Port IRA). The goal of Sandia's technical evaluation of the Cabrillo Port IRA was to assist the Coast Guard in ensuring that the hazards to the public and property from a potential LNG spill during transfer, storage, and regasification operations were appropriately evaluated and estimated. Sandia was asked to review and evaluate the Cabrillo Port IRA results relative to the risk and safety analysis framework developed in the recent Sandia report, ''Guidance on Risk Analysis and Safety Implications of a Large Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Spill over Water''. That report provides a framework for ...
Land degradation reduces the ability of the land to perform many biophysical and chemical functions. The main aim of this study was to determine the status of land degradation in the Budgam area of Kashmir Himalaya using remote sensing and geographic information system. The satellite data together with other geospatial datasets were used to quantify different categories of land degradation. The results were validated in the field and an accuracy of 85% was observed. Land use/land cover of the study area was determined in order to know the effect of land use on the rate of land degradation. Normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) and slope of the area were determined using LANDSAT-enhanced thematic mapper plus (ETM+) data, advanced space borne thermal emission and reflection radiome...
Pitting corrosion can be considered as a combination of two physical processes: the pit generation process and its depth growth process. Both processes are uncertain and can be modeled by stochastic processes. A model that combines two stochastic processes to describe pitting corrosion was developed. In this model, the pit generation process is represented by the Poisson process, and the pit depth growth process is modeled by the Markov process. The probability distribution of corrosion pit depth and the probability of time-to-failure are derived based upon the combined stochastic processes. Examples of the use of this method in dealing with experimental data also were developed.
The Argonne Boundary Layer Experiments (ABLE) facility, located in south central Kansas, east of Wichita, is devoted primarily to investigations of and within the planetary boundary layer (PBL), including the dynamics of the mixed layer during both day and night; effects of varying land use and land form; the interactive role of precipitation, runoff, and soil moisture; storm development; and energy budgets on scales of 10 to 100 km. Located entirely within the Walnut River watershed, ABLE provides intense measurements within the northeast quadrant (Fig. 1) of the Southern Great Plains (SGP) Cloud and Radiation Testbed (CART) of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program (Stokes and Schwarz, 1994). By combining the continuous measurements of ABLE with ancillary continuous measurements of, for example, the ARM and the Global Energy Water cycle Experiment (GEWEX) (Kinster and Shukla, 1990) programs, ABLE provides a ...
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) has developed draft documentation to present the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) remote-handled (RH-) transuranic (TRU) waste characterization program to its regulators, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New Mexico Environment Department. Compliance with Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 191 and 194; the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act (PL 102-579); and the WIPP Hazardous Waste Facility Permit, as well as the Certificates of Compliance for the 72-B and 10-160B Casks, requires that specific waste parameter limits be imposed on DOE sites disposing of TRU waste at WIPP. The DOE-CBFO must control the sites' compliance with the limits by specifying allowable characterization methods. As with the established WIPP contact handled TRU waste characterization program, the DOE-CBFO has proposed a Remote-Handled TRU Waste Acceptance Criteria (RH-WAC) ...
This document is a progress report to the USDOE Atmospheric Radiation and Measurement Program (ARM). The overall project goal is to relate subgrid-cumulus-cloud formation, coverage, and population characteristics to statistical properties of surface-layer air, which in turn are modulated by heterogeneous land-usage within GCM-grid-box-size regions. The motivation is to improve the understanding and prediction of climate change by more accurately describing radiative and cloud processes.
The importance of ecosystem restoration to land reclamation is discussed. If a plant community is to be self sustaining, natural diversity processes provide a useful model for restoration. Biodiversity is important for utilitarian, ecological, and ethical/aesthetic reasons. Issues that must be considered include sampling and management scales, the separate richness of the diverse array of species playing a role in ecosystem productivity and stability, and natural trends in diversity. Ecological restoration comprises two fundamental activities: management for some pre-disturbance level of biodiversity and the combination of species in a manner that is essentially experimental. Endeavours to restore biological diversity are a useful method of experimenting with the factors that control ecosystem structure and function. 21 refs.
Science plays paradoxical roles in environmental planning. As a process for generating and adapting knowledge of the biophysical environment to human use, it is essential to achieving sustainability. As the socially contested evaluation of competing claims to truth, however, adversarial science often becomes the focus of conflict in the planning process. British Columbia's Central Coast Land and Resource Management Plan (CCLRMP) planning process took place amid industrial restructuring, market campaigns, and scientific disputes over the conservation of the world's largest remaining temperate rainforest. This article shows how adversarial science set the terms of the policy debate, as well as the means for compromise. A multisector interdisciplinary information team played a key role in arr...
ObjectivesWe have developed a life cycle perspective inspired conceptual model (CM) that suggests the importance of terrestrial ecosystems as a major repository of ZnO, TiO2, and Ag (Tier 1) manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) introduced via the land application of MNM-containing biosolids. We propose to investigate the transport, fate, behavior, bioavailability, and effects of MNMs in(to) agroecosystems under environmentally realistic scenarios organized around three key hypotheses: Hypothesis (H1) Surface [continued...]DescriptionWe have developed a life cycle perspective inspired conceptual model (CM) that suggests the importance of terrestrial ecosystems as a major repository of ZnO, TiO2, and Ag (Tier 1) manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) introduced via the land application of MNM-containing biosolids. We propose to investigate the transport, fate, behavior, bioavailability, and effects of MNMs in(to) ...
Aggregation of fine-resolution land-cover maps to coarser scales indicates that estimates of the proportions of land-cover types vary as a function of spatial resolution. The magnitude of these proportional errors in a forested area in northern California increase significantly as resolution exceeds a 90-m threshold. These errors could pose difficulties for the use of land-cover products generated from coarse-resolution sensors such as the NOAA-AVHRR and the MODIS sensor planned for the EOS program. The magnitude of the errors appears to be a function of the spatial resolution of the map, the original size of the land-cover classes, and the spatial patterns of the classes.
This paper presents a survey on public preferences in SE England for the use of wind, biomass and nuclear power in electricity generation. Using a labelled CE the perceived importance (value) to the public of distance and the energy options' impacts on biodiversity, emissions, land occupation and household cost was explored. Results suggest that impacts, technology name, demographic characteristics, attitudes towards the environment, knowledge and experience with the technologies were significant choice determinants. Considering the current debate about the development of nuclear power and biomass in UK and worldwide, this survey provides an insight into the factors affecting public acceptability
A three dimensional sea-land breeze model has been employed for the study on the inland penetration of sea breeze around Wolsung NPP site. In this study, the sea breeze simulation was carried out under the weak northwesterly geostrophic wind (3.2 m/s, 339 .deg.) at 850 hPa in Spring. The results showed that sea breezes developed near Wolsung site penetrated into about 20 km inland under the weak northwesterly geostrophic wind in Spring. This result agreed with observation data around Wolsung site on May 1996.
A three dimensional sea-land breeze model has been employed for the study on the inland penetration of sea breeze around Wolsung NPP site. In this study, the sea breeze simulation was carried out under the weak northwesterly geostrophic wind (3.2 m/s, 339 .deg.) at 850 hPa in Spring. The results showed that sea breezes developed near Wolsung site penetrated into about 20 km inland under the weak northwesterly geostrophic wind in Spring. This result agreed with observation data around Wolsung site on May 1996.
Jan 22, 2011 ... Abstract: Land use changes and deforestation in tropical rainforests are among the major factors affecting the overall function of the global ...
... operational AUV and Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) ... by Brooks with land-based robots [BROOKS 88 ... system for a mobile land robot called ...
Johnston Atoll (JA) is a small (270-ha), but strategic, US possession in the Pacific Ocean, which was previously used in nuclear weapons testing. Nuclear devices were launched by missile for detonations at very high altitudes. In 1962, one missile failed on the launch pad and two failed overhead. The devices were destructed without nuclear yield, but transuranium (TRU) elements were dispersed. Cleanup was swift and incomplete. A 2-ha area was placed under radiological controls and restricted from use due to residual contamination. Planning was begun in 1983 for a total JA cleanup to provide additional (unrestricted) land to meet future requirements. A TRUe soil cleanup is programmed to begin at JA in 1988 utilizing a full-scale mining plant. The plant should be able to process all contaminated soil by 1992 and produce less than #approx# 2000 m"3 of concentrated waste. This cleanup will increase the amount of land available ...
The Crown of the Continent is one of the premiere ecosystems in North America containing Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the Bob Marshall-Great Bear-Scapegoat Wilderness Complex in Montana, various Provincial Parks in British Columbia and Alberta, several national and state forest lands in the USA, and Crown Lands in Canada. The region is also the headwater source for three of the continent's great rivers: Columbia, Missouri and Saskatchewan that flow to the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, respectively. While the region has many remarkably pristine headwater streams and receiving rivers, there are many pending threats to water quality and quantity. One of the most urgent threats comes from the coal and gas fields in the northern part of the Crown of the Continent, where coal deposits are proposed for mountain-top removal and open-pit mining operations. This will have significant effects on the waters of the region, its ...
Humic acids are primarily a result of the microbiological degradation of surrounding vegetation and animal decay and enter surface waters through rain water run-off from the surrounding land. This often gives rise to large seasonal variations, high concentrations in the wet season and lower concentrations in the dry season. Alone humic acid is just a colour problem but when present in conventional treatment processes like chlorination, carcinogenic by-products like trihalomethane and haloacetic acid are formed. This, in addition to the demand for clean potable drinking water, has sparked extensive research into alternative processes for the production of drinking water from various natural/industrial sources. One of the major areas of focus in these studies is the use of membranes in micro...
Theoretical and experimental data which have defined and/or extended the effectiveness of remote sensing operations are explored, with consideration given to both scientific and commercial activities. The remote sensing of soil moisture, the sea surface, and oil slicks is discussed, as are programs using satellites for studying geodynamics and geodesy, currents and waves, and coastal zones. NASA, Canadian, and Japanese radar and microwave passive and active systems are described, together with algorithms and techniques for image processing and classification. The SAR-580 project is outlined, and attention is devoted to satellite applications in investigations of the structure of the atmosphere, agriculture and land use, and geology. Design and performance features of various optical scanner, radar, and multispectral data processing systems and procedures are detailed.
... This work was based upon previously successful development of combustible cartridge cases, at Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute ...
The prevailing severe shortage of animal feed in most of the developing countries could, to a considerable extent, be overcome through improved range management, which includes introduction of high yielding drought-resistant forage crops, development of adequate water conservation measures, and as far as possible growing annual forage crops on part of the vast areas of arable land currently left fallow each year. Year round measurements are essential for a good understanding of soil water and nutrients dynamics, which allow for adequate evaluation of pasture management alternatives. The methods most commonly used for moisture measurements in soil profiles are discussed because such measurements are likely to form an essential part of any investigation aimed at increasing animal feed production through the development of adequate pasture management practices. (author).
The report presents an overview of A.I.D. efforts, which encompass a wide range of environmental issues and support environmental training, research, and institutional development. The report's opening section details A.I.D.'s efforts to enlist host-country support for environmental programs, with specific emphasis on improving natural resource management (especially in Africa), encouraging policy change, strengthening the private sector's environmental role, and preparing environmental profiles of host countries and helping them develop conservation strategies. The ensuing sections recount A.I.D. efforts in particular topics of environmental concern (biological diversity and environmental health and safety), critical ecological areas (coastal areas and forests and fragile lands), and specific country programs (reforestation in Haiti). A brief history of the evolution of the Agency's ...
This paper describes progress in several projects related to biomass power. These include switchgrass conversion development; switchgrass gasification development; production activities including soil studies, carbon studies, switchgrass production economics, watershed impacts, and prairie lands bio-products; information and education; and geographical information system. Attachments describe switchgrass co-firing test; switchgrass production in Iowa; cooperative agreements with ISU; Rathbun Lake watershed project; newspaper articles and information publications; Secretary of Agriculture Glickman`s visit; integration of technical aspects of switchgrass production in Iowa; and evaluation of an integrated biomass gasification/fuel cell power plant.
Most wind farms consist of horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) due to the high power coefficient (mechanical power output divided by the power of the free-stream air through the turbine cross-sectional area) of an isolated turbine. However when in close proximity to neighboring turbines, HAWTs suffer from a reduced power coefficient. In contrast, previous research on vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) suggests that closely spaced VAWTs may experience only small decreases (or even increases) in an individual turbine's power coefficient when placed in close proximity to neighbors, thus yielding much higher power outputs for a given area of land. A potential flow model of inter-VAWT interactions is developed to investigate the effect of changes in VAWT spatial arrangement on the array performance coefficient, which compares the expected average power coefficient of turbines in an array to a spatially isolated turbine. A geometric arrangement ...
The processes controlling total carbon (C) storage and release from the terrestrial biosphere are still poorly quantified. We conclude from analysis of paleodata and climatebiome model output that terrestrial C exchanges since the last glacial maximum (LGM) were dominated by slow processes of C sequestration in soils, possibly modified by C starvation and reduced water use efficiency of trees during the LGM. In contrast, future C cycling will be dominated by human activities, not only from increasing C release with burning of fossil fuels, and but also from indirect effects which increase C storage in the terrestrial biosphere and decrease C storage in the biosphere. Comparison of the positive and negative C flux processes involved suggests that if the C sequestration processes are important, they likely will be so during the next few decades, gradually being counteracted by the C release ...
Consol R D is conducting a three-year program to characterize process and product streams from direct coal liquefaction processdevelopment projects. The program objectives are two-fold: (1) to obtain and provide appropriate samples of coal liquids for the evaluation of analytical methodology, and (2) to support ongoing DOE-sponsored coal liquefaction processdevelopment efforts. The two broad objectives have considerable overlap and together serve to provide a bridge between processdevelopment and analytical chemistry.
Consol R D is conducting a three-year program to characterize process and product streams from direct coal liquefaction processdevelopment projects. The program objectives are two-field: (1) to obtain and provide appropriate samples of coal liquids for the evaluation of analytical methodology, and (2) to support ongoing DOE-sponsored coal liquefaction processdevelopment efforts. The two broad objectives have considerable overlap and together serve to provide a bridge between processdevelopment and analytical chemistry.
This book deals specifically with the development of new processes of converting coal into useful chemical feedstocks. The major topic in this volume is the generation of syngas and its catalytic conversion to chemicals via the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Describes processes involved in conversion, recent catalytic developments, and the commercially important Sasol process. Also includes chapters on the carbide process and potential of future developments in the field.
The central research question of this thesis is: What is the potential of multi-functional biomass systems to improve the costs and the land use efficiency of saving non-renewable energy consumption and reducing GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions in quantitative terms? Therefore, in the following chapters the performance of multi-functional biomass systems is quantified. Biomass system costs are investigated from a societal perspective using e.g. low discount rates. A main focus will be on the review of methodologies for accounting GHG emissions, non-renewable energy consumption, agricultural land use and costs as well as the adaptation of these methodologies to special aspects of multifunctional biomass use. The analysis of the potential benefits of multi-functional biomass systems is carried out by several case studies of biomass systems including various waste treatment technologies for the short term that appeared promising after a first ...
The objective of this study was to provide a framework for land use and resource allocation decisions in the Northeast Coal Block of British Columbia. The area was divided into a number of sites, and information gathered in two main areas, 1) status of the resource base, and 2) resource management/planning/development. A map and physical description of each site is provided as well as such information as - air quality, soils, vegetation, water resources, petroleum and natural gas resources, coal resources, and gravel resources, agricultural resources, timber resources, fisheries and wildlife resources, recreatational and aesthetic (visual) resources. The appendix volume provides a summary of the institutional management framework and approval procedures for all significant resource sectors. Provincial legislation and government acts are identified.
Within the framework of the MINEO research project assisted by the European Union the Deutsche Steinkohle AG (DSK) has developed methods for the operational use of remote sensing data and geo-information systems for the regular observation, measurement and evaluation of environmental effects in mining areas. Only indirect environmental effects of the mining industry, which may result in particular from subsidence-induced changes in the hydrological situation (ground water level, drainage) and the resulting effects on the vegetation and land utilisation, can be observed for the DSK test area 'Kirchheller Heide' because of the underground mine workings. Hence the evaluations of the remote sensing data were concentrated on the development of methods to measure and analyse the vegetation condition and any changes. MINEO thus constitutes a module for the DSK environmental information system. (orig.)
The oil sands industry in Canada was said to be committed to environmentally sustainable economic development, i.e. a development that recognizes the mutual dependence of a healthy environment and a healthy economy. To indicate progress toward this goal, the report pointed out the investment of millions of dollars in environmental research and tens of millions of dollars in plant equipment already made. These infrastructure investments have paid dividends in terms of energy conservation, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, land reclamation, air quality monitoring, water conservation, and water quality and biodiversity protection. A number of recommendations governing provincial jurisdictions over regulations were made. Particular concern was expressed over fairness, and overlapping of regulations by different levels of government.
Canadian-based Anderson Group Company has developed an innovative round baler for harvesting a large variety of woody biomass. The baler was initially developed in 2005 in collaboration with the University Laval and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The third generation BIOBALER{sup TM} is currently built, engineered and commercialized by Anderson. It can produce up to 40 bales/hr in short rotations woody crops such as willow and hybrid poplar. The unit can harvest brushes up to 125 mm in diameter. A standard tractor can pull the BIOBALER in fallow or abandoned land, under power transmission lines, and between planted trees. The patented BIOBALER includes a mulcher head attachment, a choice of long or short swivel tongue, a fixed chamber and an undercarriage frame.
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a complete set of environmental pathways for disposal options and conditions that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) may analyze for a low-level radioactive waste (LLW) license application. The regulations pertaining In the past, shallow-land burial has been used for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste. However, with the advent of the State Compact system of LLW disposal, many alternative technologies may be used. The alternative LLW disposal facilities include below- ground vault, tumulus, above-ground vault, shaft, and mine disposal This paper will form the foundation of an update of the previously developed Sandia National Laboratories (SNL)/NRC LLW performance assessment methodology. Based on the pathway assessment for alternative disposal methods, a determination will be made about whether the current methodology can satisfactorily analyze the pathways and phenomena likely to be ...
The biobaler was originally developed for short-rotation willow plantations, but can currently harvest a wide range of woody crops with a basal diameter up to 150 mm. The biobaler is an alternate approach to harvest woody crops as round bales, generally 1.2 m wide by 1.5 m diameter. In addition to harvesting trees, it can improve management of wild brush, forest understory vegetation and encroaching small trees on abandoned land. It allows easy handling, storage and transportation to sites where the biomass can be used for energy use or other applications. This paper reported on a study that was conducted in the fall of 2009 in which a third generation biobaler was used on 8 different sites across Minnesota, notably Waseca, Madelia, Faribault, Afton, Ogilvie, Hinckley, Aurora and Hibbing. A total of 160 bales were harvested from these sites. The average bale mass was 466 kg and average bale density was 296 kg/m{sup 3}. The moisture content ...
Mg-3%Al-1%Zn (AZ31) alloy was subjected to ECAE processing at 523 and 573 K. Microstructure observation and texture analysis were carried out using optical microscope and SEM-EBSD technique in order to investigate the process of microstructural changes including texture development during ECAE processing. Grain refinement during ECAE processing is enhanced by dynamic continuous recrystallization. The texture of the ECAE-processed AZ31 alloy specimens change with ECAE processing temperature, and the textural changes relate to deformation mechanisms that change with ECAE processing temperature. (orig.)
It has been acknowledged that river morphology and hydrology have been intensively altered due to the anthropic demands in floodplain land use and management, flood protection, promotion of navigability or energy production. Rivers were transformed in water highways, having lost contact with their surrounding floodplain as well as the plethora of ecological processes and occupants once thriving in these ecotonal zones. The identification of this emerging threat of morphological and hydrological alteration on ecological integrity adds further complexity in the exploitation of hydrosystem resources. These resources are heavily coveted and guarded by different lobbies each having strategic views on future project development. Stakeholders may want to promote hydro-electricity, ecologists a natural reserve, communes may wish to have an increased flood protection and leisure promoters a nautical center. As a result, the ...
The University of Maryland at Baltimore was awarded a grant from the Department of Energy to test a specially modified incinerator to burn biomedical radioactive waste. In preparation for the incinerator, the Radiation Safety Office devised a comprehensive plan for its safe and effective use. The incinerator plan includes a discussion of regulations regarding on-site incineration of radioactive waste, plans for optimum use in burning four principal waste forms, controlled air incineration technology, and standard health physics safety practices; a use plan, including waste categorization and segregation, processing, and ash disposition; safety procedures, including personnel and area monitoring; and methods to evaluate the incinerator's effectiveness by estimating its volume reduction factors, mass and activity balances, and by determining the cost effectiveness of incineration versus commercial shallow land burial.
Measurement of fission and activation products in the soil or over a plane grass land of a nuclear power station environment is required to find out the long term changes. The inventory of radionuclides in the soil is routinely determined by soil sampling, processing and gamma spectrometry in the laboratory. The method although is proven and accurate is time consuming and largely dependent on homogenous distribution. Therefore, an alternative and rapid method of in-situ gamma spectrometry using portable devices was standardized to determine the concentration of radionuclides in soil, for regular environmental monitoring as well as during emergency condition. The paper presents the methodology, ready to use factors and compares the results of a few measurements made in the environment of Tarapur Atomic Power Station by both in-situ and laboratory methods. (author)
This article analyses the prevalent situation of the formal Financial Institutions (FIs) in rural India using data from National Sample Survey 54th Round (January-June, 1998). We use sample selectivity model to examine the sanction of the loan by the FIs as a two-stage process. We model the choice of the household's credit requirement using an unordered choice model, namely, a multinomial logit model. Our results reveal that the rural households are considerably credit constrained. The households who do not have an account in a FI have a lower chance of obtaining the loan and households who are credit constrained have relatively lower land holding and they do not possess livestock. Households who borrow for nonfarm purpose exhibit a lower chance of obtaining credit compared to those househ...
In the autonomous unmanned helicopter landing problem, the position of the unmanned helicopter relative to the landmark is very important. A camera carried on the unmanned helicopter can capture an image of the landmark. In earlier research, it was reported that the camera position could be estimated by features extracted from the landmark image. However, it is necessary that the landmark image should be complete, or with only slight deficiencies, in order for this estimation process to be possible. In this article, we report on an innovative design for an estimation made from a camera position giving an incomplete single image of the landmark. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is used to construct the mapping relation between the features of complete and incomplete landmark...
Atmospheric impact of peatlands is a sum of their gas fluxes. In contrast to carbon dioxide, peatlands are net sources for methane (CH{sub 4}). Methane is an end product in the anaerobic decomposition processes and it has greater capacity to absorb infrared radiation than carbon dioxide. Most of the data on the CH{sub 4} release from northern peatlands is from North America. The total amount of methane released from wetlands is calculated to be 110 Tg yr{sup -1} of which 34 percent (38 Tg yr{sup -1}) is estimated to be emitted from the northern peatlands. Peat with high content of nitrogen is a potential source for gaseous nitrogen oxides, i.e. nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O) and nitric oxide (NO). However, the importance of peatlands in producing these trace gases is poorly known. Nitrous oxide and nitric oxide are important components in the atmospheric chemistry and N{sub 2}O also is an effective greenhouse gas. Land-use activities and ...
The Synthoil process for producing heavy desulfurized fuel oil from coal has been under development at Pittsburgh Energy Research Center since 1969. The status of development and technical feasibility of the process are reviewed. This is part of an engineering and economic evaluation based on the conceptual design of a 100,000-bbl/day commercial Synthoil facility. Experimental data are discussed with regard to their adequacy for the formulation of a basis for the process design of such a facility. Potential engineering and equipment problems are analyzed.
The terrestrial biosphere can significantly affect the exchange of water and energy at the biosphere-atmosphere interface. Additionally, the land cover type can affect regional atmospheric chemistry and climate via biogenic volatile organic carbon (VOC) emissions and their formation of secondary organic aerosols. The broad goal of this study is to investigate the impact of land cover and vegetation changes on these specific chemistry and climate effects. The Common Land Model (CLM) is used to parameterize the biosphere-atmosphere interface over the Shanghai region in China. Phase 1 of this study, described in this report, generates input parameters for this model based on a time series of actual and derived parameters. Atmospheric forcing data are generated on an hourly temporal resolution based on a 20-year series of monthly and daily averages. Surface data, including land ...
The forest products industry is the third largest economic sector in Alberta, producing pulp and paper, dimensional lumber, paneling, and value added products, providing some 40,000 jobs . 'Value added' is a key component of expanding economic activity within the forest products sector. Wood residues can play a key role in obtaining more value from forest resources by providing new products, serving as feedstock to energy and chemical production, and playing a role in agriculture and land reclamation. One of the principal roles of the Forest Products Development Branch of the Alberta Economics Department is to encourage the development of the industry by creating new uses for these materials and developing awareness of the scope of the resource. Distances to markets, economic competition from conventional energy sources and coordination of research efforts are substantial barriers to ...
Project methodology, analysis of the occupational and training situation, task analysis process, design process for a systematic training plan specific to the job position are described.
The objective of this project was to develop new photocatalytic or other innovative process chemistry for the treatment of pink water and related contaminated water.
... ge aircraft engines (geae) has taken to development an induction plasma deposition (ipd) processing method for the fabrication of ti6242/sic mmc ...
This 4.5-year project consisted of routine analytical support to DOE`s direct liquefaction processdevelopment effort (the Base Program), and an extensive effort to develop, demonstate, and apply new analytical methods for the characterization of liquefaction process streams (the Participants Program). The objective of the Base Program was to support the on-going DOE direct coal liquefaction processdevelopment program. Feed, process, and product samples were used to assess process operations, product quality, and the effects of process variables, and to direct future testing. The primary objective of the Participants Program was to identify and demonstrate analytical methods for use in support of liquefaction process develpment, and in so doing, provide a bridge between ...
Agricultural runoff is a major non-point source pollutant and is the leading impairment of streams and rivers in the USA. This study examined the effects of agricultural, forest and urban land cover on water quality at the watershed level. Forty-three catchments ranging from 12 to 50?km2 were selected based on a land cover gradient within Lower Kaskaskia River Watershed in Illinois. Grab samples were collected and analyzed for nutrients, bacteria, and total suspended solids (TSS). Forest land cover was included in six of the ten regression models produced. Four of these regression models were for base flow conditions, suggesting that forest land cover had a significant impact on base flow water quality. Urban land cover was also included in six of the regression models. However, the majori...
The rate and intensity of land use land cover (LULC) change has increased considerably during the past couple of decades. Mining brings significant alterations in LULC specifically due to its impact on forests. Parts of Central India are well endowed with both forests and minerals. Here, the conflict between human interests and nature has intensified over time. Monitoring and assessment of such conflicts are important for land management and policy making. Remote sensing and Geographical Information System have the potential to serve as accurate tools for environmental monitoring. Understanding the importance of landscape metrics in land use planning is challenging but important. These metrics calculated at landscape, class, and patch level provide an insight into changing spatiotemporal d...
Land cover change can be caused by human-induced activities and natural forces. Land cover change in watershed level has been a main concern for a long time in the world since watersheds play an important role in our life and environment. This paper is focused on how to apply Landsat Multi-Spectral Scanner (MSS) satellite image of 1973 and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite image of 2001 to determine the land cover changes of coastal watersheds from 1973 to 2001. GIS and remote sensing are integrated to derive land cover information from Landsat satellite images of 1973 and 2001. The land cover classification is based on supervised classification method in remote sensing software ERDAS IMAGINE. Historical GIS data is used to replace the areas covered by clouds or shadows in the image o...
This bill was introduced into the US House of Representatives on June 7, 1991 to provide for the designation of Wetlands Stewardship Trusts. This legislation amended the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish special rules for contributions of wetlands and riparian lands to Wetlands Stewardship Trusts. Key features of the bill address the following: tax treatment of donations of wetlands and riparian lands to Wetlands Stewardship Trusts; amortization of expenditures to restore wetlands and riparian lands; expenditures for restoring wetlands and riparian lands; exclusion from gross income for amounts received from compatible uses of wetlands or riparian lands; and income from compatible uses of wetlands or riparian lands.
The control of gas activity and process technology has developed tremendously over the past two decades. While once considered to be primitive control systems using simple PID loops with thermocouples that were suspect and unable to perform repeatedly and consistently during the arduous process of plasma nitriding and processing, developments in recent years have elevated the control of the process into what might be considered one of the most controllable processes of the latter part of this century. The advent of plasma processing technology has improved control methods by observing and harnessing each of the various process parameters into many different combinations of control systems. Some of these control systems can control the complete function of the process, thus ...
In this program, contemporary solidification agents are being investigated relative to their applications to major fuel cycle and non-fuel cycle low-level waste (LLW) streams. Work is being conducted to determine the range of conditions under which these solidification agents can be applied to specific LLW streams. These studies are directed primarily towards defining operating parameters for both improved solidification of problem wastes and solidification of new LLW streams generated from advanced volume reduction technologies. Work is being conducted to measure relevant waste form properties. These data will be compiled and evaluated to demonstrate compliance with waste form performance and shallow land burial acceptance criteria and transportation requirements (both as they exist and as they are modified with time). 6 tables.
In this program, contemporary solidification agents are being investigated relative to their applications to major fuel cycle and non-fuel cycle low-level waste (LLW) streams. Work is being conducted to determine the range of conditions under which these solidification agents can be applied to specific LLW streams. These studies are directed primarily towards defining operating parameters for both improved solidification of problem wastes and solidification of new LLW streams generated from advanced volume reduction technologies. Work is being conducted to measure relevant waste form properties. These data will be compiled and evaluated to demonstrate compliance with waste form performance and shallow land burial acceptance criteria and transportation requirements (both as they exist and as they are modified with time). 6 tables.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing generally applicable environmental standards for land disposal of Atomic Energy Act (AEA) low-level radioactive wastes (LLW) and certain naturally occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material (NARM) wastes. It is EPA's intention that the LLW standards will protect public health and the environment. The LLW standards would cover disposal of all AEA materials not controlled by other EPA standards and some natural radioactive materials. Coverage of federal waste is significant, because the federal government generates and disposes of >40% of all LLW nationwide, and a uniform standard for all LLW disposal is both a desirable and an achievable goal. Publication of a proposed LLW standard is planned in 1988, and a final standard a year later. This standard will have several important and closely related areas of focus which are discussed in the paper.
In this study the soil/vegetation/atmosphere-model based on the formulation of Deardorff was refined to hour basis and applied to a field in Vihti. The effect of model parameters on model results (energy fluxes, temperatures) was also studied as well as the effect of atmospheric conditions. The estimation of atmospheric conditions on the soil-vegetation system as well as an estimation of the effect of vegetation parameters on the atmospheric climate was estimated. Areal surface fluxes, temperatures and moistures were also modelled for some river basins in southern Finland. Land-use and soil parameterisation was developed to include properties and yearly variation of all vegetation and soil types. One classification was selected to describe the hydrothermal properties of the soils. Evapotranspiration was verified against the water balance method
High energy consumption and the world population increase will lead to a shrinking use of fossil fuels. The combustion of Fossil fuel leads to the increase of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere which leads to the probable increase of global warming. Therefore, concerns about carbon dioxide emissions may discourage widespread dependence on fossil fuels and encourage the development and use of renewable energy systems employing a variety of technologies Renewable energy systems have themselves an environmental impact. Land use and material employed are two areas that may have an adverse impact to the positive environmental picture of the renewable energy systems. The objective of this paper is to analyze these impacts with the use of a very powerful tool, the Life Cycle Assessment. (author)
This report is the result of field work performed at the former White Point Nike Missile Site, San Pedro, California. The Hazardous Waste Remedial Actions Program tasked the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Pollutant Assessments Group in Grand Junction, Colo., with this project. The objective was to determine whether or not radioisotopes possibly associated with past Department of Defense (DOD) operations were present and within accepted background levels. The radiation survey was accomplished by performing three independent radiation surveys, both outdoors and indoors, and random soil sampling. Initially, the site was land surveyed to develop a grid block system. A background radiation investigation was performed out in the San Pedro area.
The study concerns the assessment of the state of the environment in Lebanon and the identification of policy options has three specific objectives namely to determine the conditions of the environment in Lebanon after years of wars (1975-1992); to identify environmentals trends associated with Lebanon's development and to assess their sustainability; to identify policy options for environmental management. Issues of the environment concerned are both the brown issues e.g. the management of wastes and effluent arising from human activitiesand green issues, the natural resource base defined through main receptors:air, water (including coastal waters), land and terrestrial ecology sectors such as agriculture, industry, energy, transport, tourism and fisheries, population and human settlements are also studied
In Haiti, and other semiarid regions of the world, the need for fuelwood and forage is critical. The report summarizes research conducted over a ten year period on developing replicable plantations of leguminous trees in semiarid lands, especially in areas near seawater salinity levels. Research included greenhouse and laboratory work followed by field trials in Haiti and focused on two species: Prosopis and Leucaena. (Acacia is mentioned in the report's title but not in the report itself.) Results were as follows. (1) Greenhouse experiments identified leaf diagnostic criteria indicating mineral nutrient deficiencies in field trees. It also established the importance of micronutrients, especially zinc, in permitting growth in high pH (9.0) soils.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a gas produced through the action of nitric oxide synthase that acts as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) of adult gastropod mollusks. There are no known reports of the presence of NOS-containing neurons and glial cells in young and adult Megalobulimus abbreviatus. Therefore, NADPH-d histochemistry was employed to map the nitrergic distribution in the CNS of young and adult snails in an attempt to identify any transient enzymatic activity in the developing CNS. Reaction was observed in neurons and fibers in all CNS ganglia of both age groups, but in the pedal and cerebral ganglia, positive neurons were more intense than in other ganglia, forming clusters symmetrically located in both paired ganglia. However, neuronal NADPH-d activity in the mesocer...
Background, aim, and scope Semi-trailers with load boxes are the most important mode of grain transport by land in the world. Load boxes can be produced with different materials such as: wood, steel, and synthetic material. They are responsible for effectiveness retention and quality of grains during the transport. Among the main aspects to be considered and valued when selecting materials for load boxes are the final mass of the semi-trailer, loss of grains, and mechanical properties. Environmental performance is another important aspect to be taken into account for developing and selecting new materials in this kind of application. This study presents a comparative environmental evaluation of load boxes built from two different materials (a wood panel and a three-layer synthetic (TLS) pa...
In an attempt to overcome inadequacies perceived in the approach to providing energy to village communities using the conventional Khadi and Village Industries Commission biogas plant as well as the Janata model, a biogas digester has been developed suitable for a farmer having only one hectare of land. The information on gas yields and other data from a variety of substrates in a laboratory digester are presented. The digester itself consists of a chamber underground into which the influent flows through a channel. Gas is collected in a dome which constitutes the upper part of the digestion chamber and is maintained under pressure by water. The dome can be made of any suitable material such as plastic, ferrocement and brick and mortar. The upper part of the chamber itself is exposed to sun light which enhances microbial growth. Water which surrounds the dome ensures a minimum of temperature variation. 3 references.
Although the first references are from the 15th Century when both Hussites and crusaders are said to have used rockets during the Hussite Wars (also known as the Bohemian Wars) there is no strong evidence that rockets were actually used at that time. It is worth noting that Konrad Kyeser, who described several rockets in his Bellifortis manuscript written 1402-1405, served as advisor to Bohemian King Wenceslas IV. Rockets were in fact used as fireworks from the 16th century in noble circles. Some of these were built by Vavrinec Kricka z Bitysky, who also published a book on fireworks, in which he described how to build rockets for firework displays. Czech soldiers were also involved in the creation of a rocket regiment in the Austrian (Austro-Hungarian) army in the first half of the 19th c...
In this article we evaluate a US Forest Service plan to mitigate damages from an invasive insect on public, forested land. We develop a dynamic model of infestation and control to explicitly account for biological interactions, baseline conditions, and uncertainty, thus creating a more complete picture of policy impacts than a static cost benefit analysis could provide. We combine the results of the dynamic model with an empirical study of nonmarket forest benefits to create a bioeconomic model of ecosystem management. Estimating the empirical model in a Bayesian framework allows us to treat the economic coefficients of the dynamic model as random variables. We specify distributions for the biological parameters and examine the effects of both biological and economic uncertainty on the pre...
Fuelwood shortages and potential shortages are widespread throughout the developing world, and are becoming increasingly more prevalent because of the clearing of land for subsistence and plantation agriculture, excessive and inefficient commercial timber harvesting for domestic and export construction, and charcoal production to meet rising urban demands. Further, the environmental and socioeconomic consequences of the resulting deforestation are both pervasive and complex. This report focuses on the substitution of coal briquettes for fuelwood. Although substantial adverse health effects could be expected from burning non-anthracite coal or coal briquettes, a well-developed technique, carbonization, exists to convert coal to a safer form for combustion. The costs associated with briquetting and carbonizing coal indicate that ''smokeless'' coal briquettes can be produced at costs ...
The present publication is based on facts, data, knowledge and projects, which have been incorporated in the development of an energy concept for the district Schmalkalden-Meiningen. The energy concept of a district is a concept oriented at action on and realisation of mid-term and long term decisions in the fields of energy policy, economy and ecology, which must be taken by municipal and economic decision-making bodies. The energy concept accords with the targets of the Agenda 21, the environmental targets of the Federal Republic of Germany and of the Land Thuringia. Accepting this energy concept the district Schmalkalden-Meiningen shows its willingness to contribute to a lasting development in all fields of economy and ecology and thus does justice to its increasing responsibility. (orig.) [German] Die vorliegende Veroeffentlichung baut auf Fakten, Daten, Erkenntnissen und Projekten auf, die in die Erarbeitung des ...
Significant development of an oil shale industry has been projected over the next few decades. The nation's largest oil shale reserves exist in the Wyoming Basin and Colorado Plateau physiographic provinces. This study presents a brief description of the environmental setting and land-use pattern of the region, with a review of the major environmental issues associated with each proposed technology for extracting shale oil. Serious effects may be expected from the modification of very large land surfaces through open-pit mining and spent-shale disposal. The impacts include habitat destruction, potential species loss, and deterioration of surface and groundwater quality. In situ retorting of shale may result in major alterations of groundwater quantity, quality, and flow regimes. Mine dewatering from in situ retorting requires the disposal of large volumes of highly saline water, threatening the quality of ...
Nativist and constructivist approaches to the study of development share a common emphasis on characterizing beginning and end states in development. This focus has highlighted the question...Full Text Available
A growing number of environmental toxicants found in pesticides, herbicides, and industrial solvents are believed to have deleterious effects on development by disrupting hormone-sensitive processes....Full Text Available
The aim of this study is to develop an Automatic Post-processing Tool for four-dimensional (4D) treatment planning (APT4D) that enables the user to perform some necessary procedures related...Full Text Available
Consol R&D is conducting a three-year program to characterize process and product streams from direct coal liquefaction processdevelopment projects. The program objectives are two-field: (1) to obtain and provide appropriate samples of coal liquids for the evaluation of analytical methodology, and (2) to support ongoing DOE-sponsored coal liquefaction processdevelopment efforts. The two broad objectives have considerable overlap and together serve to provide a bridge between processdevelopment and analytical chemistry.
Consol R&D is conducting a three-year program to characterize process and product streams from direct coal liquefaction processdevelopment projects. The program objectives are two-fold: (1) to obtain and provide appropriate samples of coal liquids for the evaluation of analytical methodology, and (2) to support ongoing DOE-sponsored coal liquefaction processdevelopment efforts. The two broad objectives have considerable overlap and together serve to provide a bridge between processdevelopment and analytical chemistry.
As part of its program to provide technology for reducing undesirable environmental impacts of mineral processing operations, the Bureau of Mines developed the citrate process for desulfurizing industrial stack gases that contain from 0.1 to 2 vol pct SO2...
Autism is a pervasive developmental condition, characterized by impairments in non-verbal communication, social relationships and stereotypical patterns of behavior. A large body of evidence suggests that several aspects of face processing are impaired in autism, including anomalies in gaze processing, memory for facial identity and recognition of facial expressions of emotion. In search of neural markers of anomalous face processing in autism, much interest has focused on a network of brain regions that are implicated in social cognition and face processing. In this review, we will focus on three such regions, namely the STS for its role in processing gaze and facial movements, the FFA in face detection and identification and the amygdala in processing facial expressions of emotion. Much evidence suggests that a better understanding of the normal ...
Note the waste water ponds, road network, disturbed land, and undisturbed land. Credit: Image courtesy of NASA GSFC, MITI, ERSDAC, JAROS, and U.S./Japan ...
Types of disorders in the earth's surface as a result of open pit mining operations are analyzed. Trends for recultivation of lands are defined. Formulas are presented for calculating the economic expediency of the selected direction of recultivation.
We used two high profile articles as cases to demonstrate that use of fishery landings data can lead to faulty interpretations about the condition of fishery ecosystems. One case uses the mean trophic...Full Text Available
An alkaline-side solvent extraction process was developed for cesium removal from Savannah River Site (SRS) tank waste. The process was invented at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and developed and tested at Argonne National Laboratory using singlestage and multistage tests in a laboratory-scale centrifugal contactor. The dispersion number, hydraulic performance, stage efficiency, and general operability of the process flowsheet were determined. Based on these tests, further solvent development work was done. The final solvent formulation appears to be an excellent candidate for removing cesium from SRS tank waste.
Development of a Comprehensive Decontamination Database and an Absorption-Electrochemical Metal Surface Decontamination Technique Combining Chemical and Electrochemical Process
Surface temperature is measured with an infrared thermometer. Measuring Surface Temperature. Nine sample points are selected with a site of uniform land ...
in pulse applications such as magnetic forming. ... In magnetic-forming electric circuitry, the ..... Aspects of Electrohydraulic land Magnetic Forming. ...
Processes were developed that use lasers as manufacturing tools. These processes were stripping of insulation from cables and wires, machining of quartz, microdrilling and welding of reflective metals, and precision alignment of curved surfaces before machining. A technological basis also was formed which resulted in a process for automatic surface inspection of parts and aided development of machining processes for Kevlar parts.
Data Qualification (DQ) is a formal, technical process whose objective is to affirm that experimental data are suitable for their intended use. Although it is not possible to develop a fixed recipe for the DQ process to cover all test situations, these general guidelines have been developed for the Nuclear Engineering Section to establish a framework for qualifying data from steady-state processing. These guidelines outline the role of the DQ team providing insight into the planning and conducting of the DQ process.
In-situ decontamination technologies were evaluated for their ability to: (1) reduce equipment contamination levels to allow either free release of the equipment or land disposal, (2) minimize residues generated by decontamination, and (3) generate residues that are compatible with existing disposal technologies. Six decontamination processes were selected. tested and compared to 4M nitric acid, a traditional decontamination agent: fluoroboric acid (HBF{sub 4}), nitric plus hydrofluoric acid, alkaline persulfate followed by citric acid plus oxalic acid, silver(II) plus sodium persulfate plus nitric acid, oxalic acid plus hydrogen peroxide plus hydrofluoric acid, and electropolishing using nitric acid electrolyte. The effectiveness of these solutions was tested using prepared 304 stainless steel couponds contaminated with uranium, plutonium, americium, or fission products. The decontamination factor for each of the solutions and tests conditions ...
ObjectivesThe specific objectives of the research are to: 1. Determine the concentrations of N2O, NO and NO2 in tropical coastal waters in relation to nutrients and salinities. 2. Determine, with excess nitrate present, the potential for nitrate reduction and denitrification in sediments along tropical estuaries, and whether NO, NO2, N2O, N2 or NH4+ are significant products. 3. Establish the balance between denitrification, nitrate ammonification and anammox in tropical estuarine sediments, relative to [continued...]DescriptionThe coastal zone is extremely important in the biogeochemical processes which control the natural cycle of elements of the Earth. In particular, the coastal zone contributes significantly to the nitrogen cycle, removing nitrogen washed in from the land by rivers and so reducing its fertilizing impact on the coastal seas. However, these removal processes, driven by microorganisms, also contribute to ...
The reports in this series are designed primarily to familiarize professional land use and resource planners with the range of possibilities and effective procedures for achieving integrated mining, reclamation, and land use planning. These reports are ba...
For many decades, the oil shale resources of the western United States have been considered possible contributors to the Nation's liquid fuel supply. This volume reviews several paths to development of these resources and the likely consequences of following these paths. A chapter providing background information about the nature of oil shale is followed by an evaluation of technologies for recovery of shale oil. The economics and finances of establishing an industry of various sizes are analyzed. The fact that much of the best shale is located on Federal land is examined in light of the desire to increase use of the resources. The consequences of shale development in terms of impact on the physical and social environments, and a discussion of the availability of water complete the report. Policy options addressing barriers that could hinder the establishment of the industry are presented. These options, designed ...
The Canadian Soldier Information Requirements Technology Demonstration (SIREQ TD) soldier modernization research and development program has conducted experiments to help determine the types and amount of information needed to support wayfinding across a range of terrain environments, the most effective display modality for providing the information (visual, auditory or tactile) that will minimize conflict with other infantry tasks, and to optimize interface design. In this study, seven different visual helmet-mounted display (HMD) designs were developed based on soldier feedback from previous studies. The displays and an in-service compass condition were contrasted to investigate how the visual HMD interfaces influenced navigation performance. Displays varied with respect to their information content, frame of reference, point of view, and display features. Twelve male infantry soldiers used all eight experimental conditions to locate bearings ...
After the introduction Chapter 2 presents details of the ecological-economic analysis based on the FAO/IIASA agro-ecological zones (AEZ) approach for evaluation of biophysical limitations and agricultural production potentials, and IIASA's Basic Linked System (BLS) for analyzing the world's food economy and trade system. The BLS is a global general equilibrium model system for analyzing agricultural policies and food system prospects in an international setting. BLS views national agricultural systems as embedded in national economies, which interact with each other through trade at the international level. The combination of AEZ and BLS provides an integrated ecological-economic framework for the assessment of the impact of climate change. We consider climate scenarios based on experiments with four General Circulation Models (GCM), and we assess the four basic socioeconomic development pathways and emission scenarios as formulated by the ...
A computer modelling has been developed for the calculation of mass balance of monazite ore break-down by alkali process at Rare Earth Research and Development Center. The process includes the following units : ore digestion by concentrate NaOH, dissolution of digested ore by HCl, uranium and thorium precipitation and crystallization of Na3PO4 which is by-product from this process. The model named RRDCMBP was prepared in Visual Basic language. The modelling program can be run on personal computer and it is interactive and easy to use. User is able to choose any equipment in each unit process and input data to get output of mass balance results. The model could be helpful in the process analysis for the further process adjustment and development.
Understanding the erosion and deposition rates in a small watershed is important for designing soil and water conservation measures. The objective of this study is to estimate the net soil loss and gain at points with various land use types and landform positions in a small watershed in the Sichuan Hilly Basin of China by the 137Cs tracing technique. Among various land use types, the order of erosion rate was bare rock > sloping cultivated land > forest land. The paddy field and Caotu (a kind of cultivated land located at the foot of hills) were depositional areas. The erosion rate under different landform was in this order: hillside > saddle > hilltop. The footslope and the valley were depositional areas. The 137Cs technique was shown to provide an effective means of documenting the spatial distribution of soil erosion and deposition within the small watershed.
The papers collected in this volume were presented at the 4th Colloquium on Process Simulation held at Helsinki University of Technology, Espoo, Finland, June 11-13, 1997. In the more developed industrial nations, the processes for producing chemicals, energy, and materials encounter environmental concern and laws which challenge engineers to develop the processes towards more efficient, economical and safe operation. This necessitates more thorough understanding of the processes and phenomena involved. Formerly, the development of the processes was largely based on trial and error, whereas today, the development of computer performance together with the diversification of modelling software enables simulation of the processes. The increased capacity and possibilities for ...
Wind River Resources Corporation (WRRC) received a DOE grant in support of its proposal to acquire, process and interpret fifteen square miles of high-quality 3-D seismic data on non-allotted trust lands of the Uintah and Ouray (Ute) Indian Reservation, northeastern Utah, in 2000. Subsequent to receiving notice that its proposal would be funded, WRRC was able to add ten square miles of adjacent state and federal mineral acreage underlying tribal surface lands by arrangement with the operator of the Flat Rock Field. The twenty-five square mile 3-D seismic survey was conducted during the fall of 2000. The data were processed through the winter of 2000-2001, and initial interpretation took place during the spring of 2001. The initial interpretation identified multiple attractive drilling prospects, two of which were staked and permitted during the summer of 2001. The two initial wells were drilled in ...
An overview of the operations of Sandia`s Microelectronics Development Lab (MDL) is to develop radiation hardened IC, but techniques used for IC processing have been applied to a variety of related technologies such as micromechanics, smart sensors, and packaging.
The author outlines the special features of several coal liquefaction processes and describes their present stage of development. The following processes are reviewed: the SRC, EDS and H-Coal processes, the new IG process, and the BCL and NEDOL processes. The type of products resulting from coal liquefaction are discussed and explanations given of their yields. Finally, the characteristics of coal liquids are compared with those of petroleum-derived products, and the author outlines the nature of a chemical industry based on coal liquids as feedstocks. 9 references, 4 figures, 6 tables.
This study compares the attitudes of academic and government wetlands scientists about wetlands science and policy. Analysis of one thousand seven hundred responses to Delphi-type questions posed to twenty California scientists on a wide range of issues about California coastal wetlands found significant differences between academic and government scientists about wetlands definitions, threats to wetlands, wetlands policies, wetlands health, and wetlands mitigation strategies. These differences were consistent with descriptive models of political sociology developed by D. Price and C.P. Snow and with normative models of the philosophy of science developed in the renaissance by F. Bacon and R. Descartes. Characteristics, preferences, and personality attributes consistent with group functions and roles have been described in these models. These findings have serious implications for policy. When academic and government wetlands scientists act as ...
During the past 2 yr, significant progress has been made in several areas related to the safety and environmental (S and E) aspects of inertial fusion energy (IFE). An updated methodology has been developed, and accident analyses have been performed for two IFE conceptual power plants and a target fabrication facility. Parallel to the consequence analyses of different accident scenarios, ongoing studies of accident initiating events are being used to support safety assessment and create a basic framework of types of events to consider in future risk characterization of new plant designs. Target designers/fabrication specialists have been provided with ranking information related to the S and E characteristics of candidate target materials. We have revisited waste management options for IFE, introducing the concept of clearance versus the traditional shallow land burial. A brief summary of results in each of these activities is given, and plans ...
This conference and trade show provided a forum to present new, emerging and existing technologies that will play a key role in ensuring that hydrocarbon exploitation occurs in a sustainable manner, where costs and resource recovery are optimized while minimizing environmental impacts. The challenge of developing maturing basins, frontier lands and unconventional resources was discussed. In particular, the application of thermal recovery methods such as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) for the in-situ recovery of heavy oils and bitumens was reviewed and compared with the performance of alternative enhanced energy recovery technologies such as vapor extraction (VAPEX). The conference was attended by local and international participants in the petroleum sector, including managers, engineers, technologists, geologists, and other petroleum industry specialists. The conference featured 132 presentations addressing topics such as improved ...
Objectives7. (b) Objectives General background Livestock production accounts for 70% of the agricultural land on the planet. Given that demand for livestock products is expected to double by 2050 it is vital that we identify less polluting ways of production, spanning both intensive and extensive systems. Northern Europe is one of the few parts of the globe where climate change is expected to be neutral or even benefit agricultural productivity. Hence it is likely to make an even more important co [continued...]DescriptionRuminant genetic improvement can play an important role in developing livestock systems that will be sustainable in the future, and produce food in an environmentally friendly manner. Also, genetic improvement of livestock is a particularly cost-effective technology, producing permanent and cumulative changes in performance. Moran et al (2007) showed the very high value of animal and plant genetics research and ...
Claims of property value loss are commonly raised by homeowners when noxious facilities are sited or when new information about the hazards of existing facilities is made public. While the capitalization of externalities into land values is consistent with economic theory, empirical measurement of impacts has not generated consistent results. This is true both for hedonic measurements as well as other types of econometric analyses. While it is well established that job and site risks have similar impacts on regional labor markets, there are no studies relating the presence of a broad range of noxious facilities to local wage premiums. In contrast, this study employs an interregional framework in a hedonic analysis of both wage and property markets and considers eight different facility classifications. This paper discusses the development of the hedonic model employed in this study. It develops more fully the theoretical ...
Claims of property value loss are commonly raised by homeowners when noxious facilities are sited or when new information about the hazards of existing facilities is made public. While the capitalization of externalities into land values is consistent with economic theory, empirical measurement of impacts has not generated consistent results. This is true both for hedonic measurements as well as other types of econometric analyses. While it is well established that job and site risks have similar impacts on regional labor markets, there are no studies relating the presence of a broad range of noxious facilities to local wage premiums. In contrast, this study employs an interregional framework in a hedonic analysis of both wage and property markets and considers eight different facility classifications. This paper discusses the development of the hedonic model employed in this study. It develops more fully the theoretical ...
A field experiment was held in the northwestern Taiwan as a part of a long-term research program for studying Taiwan`s local circulation. The program has been named as Taiwan Regional-circulation Experiment (TREX). The particular goal of this research is to investigate characteristics of boundary layer and local Circulation and their impact on the distribution and Variation of pollutants in the northwestern Taiwan during Mei-Yu season. It has been known for quite sometime that land-sea breeze is very pronounced under hot and humid conditions. Extensive network includes 11 pilot ballon stations, 3 acoustic sounding sites, and 14 surface stations in about 20 km by 20 km area centered at National Central University, Chung-Li. In addition, there are ground temperature measurements at 3 sites, Integrated Sounding System (ISS) at NCU, air plane observation, tracer experiment with 10 collecting stations, 3 background upper-air sounding stations, 2 towers etc. NOAA and GMS ...
The development of the spatial N export and retention model N{sub E}XRET for large river basins is presented, utilizing remote-sensing-based land use and forest classification. Export coefficients describing the contribution from agriculture, forestry and peat harvesting were estimated based on empirical studies. Representativeness of forest treatment coefficients have been evaluated by use of data from a small, well-documented test catchment. Simulation results from the application of the model to the Oulujoki river basin (22,840 km{sup 2} ) are discussed. Model estimated N fluxes were compared with measured N fluxes in separate points of the river basin. Based on source apportionment, agriculture contributes 17% of the total export, varying between 8% in the uppermost subbasin and 38% in the lowermost subbasin close to the sea. Forestry contributes almost as much, 16%, with less pronounced variation (11-24%) between the different subbasins. ...
Developing a modern electric power sector is necessary for economic growth and development to proceed. Institutions to implement an IRP (integrated resource planning) process do not exist in many countries. Hainan`s economy is growing rapidly with a concomitant increase in electricity demand. This is an ideal time in Hainan`s development to implement an IRP process. The challenge is for Hainan to develop institutions and incentive mechanisms for HEPCO (Hainan Electric Power Co.) to adopt cost-based pricing, run DSM programs, construct renewable generating plants, etc. One proposal is to great a Hainan government-wide IRP committee.
Process residues are generated at both the Rocky Flats Plant (RFP) and the Savannah River Plant (SRP) during aqueous chemical and pyrochemical operations. Frequently, process operations will result in either impure products or produce residues sufficiently contaminated with transuranics to be nondiscardable as waste. Purification and recovery flowsheets for process residues have been developed to generate solutions compatible with subsequent Purex operations and either solid or liquid waste suitable for disposal. The ''scrub alloy'' and the ''anode heel alloy'' are examples of materials generated at RFP which have been processed at SRP using the developed recovery flowsheets. Examples of process residues being generated at SRP for which flowsheets are under ...
Water protection wetlands aim to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations either separately or simultaneously. In the latter case, a wetland must contain parts differing clearly in both function and physical condition. In efforts to reduce nitrogen the most important process is denitrification. Phosphorus is deposited with solids and bound to the vegetation and soil in wetlands. As the bulk of the solid and nutrient load comes from catchments during spring floods, wetlands should be designed on the basis of, at least, the average maximum vernal run-off (MHq). Use of higher run-offs, e.g. MHql/10 or MHql/20, in the design without reducing the target retention would require large wetlands. The efficiency of wetlands is constrained by too short retention times and low leachate temperatures. Wetlands established with special environmental support are normally designed on the basis of MHq. The average catchment area of such wetlands is 1.86 km{sup 2} median 0.53 ...
Understanding feedbacks between terrestrial and atmospheric systems is vital for predicting the consequences of global change, particularly in the rapidly changing Arctic. Fire is a key process in this context, but the consequences of altered fire regimes in tundra ecosystems are rarely considered, largely because tundra fires occur infrequently on the modern landscape. We present paleoecological data that indicate frequent tundra fires in northcentral Alaska between 14,000 and 10,000 years ago. Charcoal and pollen from lake sediments reveal that ancient birchdominated shrub tundra burned as often as modern boreal forests in the region, every 144 years on average (+/- 90 s.d.; n = 44). Although paleoclimate interpretations and data from modern tundra fires suggest that increased burning was aided by low effective moisture, vegetation cover clearly played a critical role in facilitating the paleo-fires by creating an abundance of fine fuels. These records suggest ...
As part of a larger elastic numerical modeling project, we have been investigating how energy reflected from steeply dipping interfaces is recorded using typical multicomponent acquisition geometries. Specifically, we have been interpreting how rcflection events from the flanks of salt dome structures are distributed on 3C and 4C phones for vertical seismic profiles (VSPs) and ocean bottom seismic (OBS) or land surface surveys. The ultimate goal of this investigation is to improve the structural imaging of steeply dipping interfaces and eventually to evaluate the usc of the recorded elastic wavefield for fluid description near these interfaces. In the current work, we focus on a common assumption used when processing converted wave reflection seismic data that most PP energy is recorded on the vertical geophone and/or the hydrophone and that most PS energy is recorded on the horizontal geophones. This is a useful assumption when it is valid, ...
This paper describes the research and development activities in three areas of radiation processing, namely: food irradiation, medical product sterilization and wood plastic combination. Plans and efforts exerted to acquire a larger gamma source to augment our present 5,000 curie source are discussed. Cost estimates for a radiation facility are presented on the basis of the market potential of food irradiation and medical product sterilization. Existing local industries that can benefit from the adaptation of irradiation technology in their processing requirements are described.
Focussed ion beam (FIB) technology has the advantage of being a maskless process compatible with UHV processing. This makes it attractive for use in in situ processing and has been applied to the fabrication of various mesoscopic structures. The present paper reviews these results whilst putting emphasis on in situ processing by a combined FIB and molecular beam epitaxy system. The typical performance of present FIB systems is also presented. In order to utilize the potential advantages of FIB processing, reduction of damage and improvement of throughput are important, and much effort has been devoted to developingprocessing techniques which require a reduced dose. The importance of low-energy FIB is discussed. (author).
Focussed ion beam (FIB) technology has the advantage of being a maskless process compatible with UHV processing. This makes it attractive for use in in situ processing and has been applied to the fabrication of various mesoscopic structures. The present paper reviews these results whilst putting emphasis on in situ processing by a combined FIB and molecular beam epitaxy system. The typical performance of present FIB systems is also presented. In order to utilize the potential advantages of FIB processing, reduction of damage and improvement of throughput are important, and much effort has been devoted to developingprocessing techniques which require a reduced dose. The importance of low-energy FIB is discussed. (author).
This final report of the Manitoba Round Table on Environment and Economy (MRTEE) chronicles its history, objectives, accomplishments and ongoing challenges from 1988-1997. MRTEE`s mandate was to promote environmentally sustainable economic development in Manitoba through policies and programs that combine environmental concerns with economic decisions. The seven main objectives of the MRTEE were: (1) the implementation of a sustainable development strategy for Manitoba, (2) the design of a communications program on environment-economy integration and an action plan to upgrade environmental education, (3) implementation of market-driven and incentive programs to promote environmental protection by business, agriculture and resource users, (4) implementation of sustainable development within the public sector, (5) encouragement of individual businesses, farms and resource users to adopt codes of environmental practice, (6) ...
A review is presented of the work being carried out around the world on the vitrification of high-level waste. A description is given of the French AVM process, West Germany's research on the Vera, Fips and Pamela processes and the United Kingdom Harvest process. Mention is also made of the Lotes process being developed by Belguim, and of the inactive vitrification plant in Italy, Ivet 1. (U.K.).
The application of various signal processing methods to extract energy storage information from plasma diamagnetism sensors occurring during physics experiments on the Tandom Mirror Experiment-Upgrade (TMX-U) is discussed. We show how these processing techniques can be used to decrease the uncertainty in the corresponding sensor measurements. The algorithms suggested are implemented using SIG, an interactive signal processing package developed at LLNL.
The image processing system for the dynamic neutron radiography has been developed. It is based on the hardware subset, composed by the method of the pipe-line and use of algorithm of local statistics. The processing speed per one pixel is shorter than 100 n sec and video-rate processing can be executed on it. Some image processes for improving the quality of the real-time neutron image, noise reduction and contrast stretching would be attempted by the use of this system. (author).
This article discusses the latest developments made in the field of technology used for coal liquefaction. Some new areas of development in research and development work are described. Particular consideration is given to low-severity processing. This has two advantages, mostly low-molecular-weight fragments are produced and the extracts are low in heteroatoms. A detailed description of low-severity processing is given. The refining of the liquids produced from coal is also covered.
This comprehensive guide offers several tried and true steps to help you successfully manage the complex process of developing free software. Topics include project management, developer motivation, technical infrastructure to support collaboration, and project promotion. Producing Open Source Software is ideal for developers starting their own free software projects, or people who simply want to participate in the process.
This report contains detailed information of the research program entitled "Development of Bulk Nanocrystalline Cemented Tungsten Carbide Materials for Industrial Applications". The report include the processes that were developed for producing nanosized WC/Co composite powders, and an ultrahigh pressure rapid hot consolidation process for sintering of nanosized powders. The mechanical properties of consolidated materials using the nanosized powders are also reported.
The purpose of this DOE-funded effort is to develop continuous processes for solvent extraction of coal for the production of carbon products. These carbon products include materials used in metals smelting, especially in the aluminum and steel industries, as well as porous carbon structural material referred to as ''carbon foam'' and carbon fibers. During this reporting period, efforts have focused on the facility modifications for continuous hydrotreating, as well as developing improved protocols for producing synthetic pitches.
This 4.5-year project consisted of routine analytical support to DOE`s direct liquefaction processdevelopment effort (the Base Program), and an extensive effort to develop, demonstrate, and apply new analytical methods for the characterization of liquefaction process streams (the Participants Program). The objective of the Base Program was to support the on-going DOE direct coal liquefaction processdevelopment program. Feed, process, and product samples were used to assess process operations, product quality, and the effects of process variables, and to direct future testing. The primary objective of the Participants Program was to identify and demonstrate analytical methods for use in support of liquefaction processdevelopment, and in so doing, provide a ...
This book is an anatomical reference for cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in neonates and infants. It contains 122 clear, sharp MRI scans and drawings showing changes in the normal appearance of the brain and skull during development. Sections of the atlas depict the major processes of maturation: brain myelination, development of the corpus callosum, development of the cranial bone marrow, and iron deposition in the brain. High-quality scans illustrate how these changes appear on magnetic resonance images during various stages of development.
Myelination is an important process in brain development, and delays or abnormalities in this process have been associated with a number of conditions including autism, developmental delay,...Full Text Available
Two manufacturing processes have been developed for fabricating PLZT bonded lens assemblies (BLA's) for the USAF EEU-2/P Thermal/Flash Protective Goggle. One process utilizes thin Sylgard spacers which remain in the BLA to establish bond thickness between...
Laser-assisted processing techniques for producing high-quality solar cell metallization patterns are being investigated, developed, and characterized. The tasks comprising these investigations are outlined.
Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange (LPCE)- Cryogenic Distillation(CD) process was studied which could be available for an optimal tritium removal process of pressurized heavy water reactor system at Wolsung nuclear power plant in the near future. Based upon ...
DOE is supporting the development of several conversion processes that are currently in the pilot plant stage. Each of these processes is described briefly and information given as to contractor, contract, funding, site and current progress. Several support projects are treated similarly. (LTN)
This document gathers the available presentations (articles and transparencies) given at this annual meeting, the 2007 topic of which was the technological, geopolitical, economical, environmental, societal and development stakes of energy. 1 - technological stakes - which energies for the future: new energies, illusion or solution of the future; the Lorraine region, an energy land: strategies and stakes for a sustainable development; from China to Brazil: understanding the nuclear energy revival; hydroelectric power: renewable and sustainable energy; renewable energies and environment protection: the contribution of biofuels; wind power in Germany between success and contestation; 2 - geopolitical stakes - energy levier of power: the Gulf of Guinea hydrocarbons: between development and geopolitics; the complex evaluation of resources and reserves between technology, market and geopolitics; the new ...
ObjectivesThe overall aim of the project is to understand whether natural Mn oxides can be used to remediate land contaminated with both metals and POPs. The major objectives are:~%~~%~1.Establishment of whether and how metals, POPs and SOM compete for reactive Mn oxide surface.~%~~%~2.Delineate the mechanisms of contaminant immobilisation and degradation.~%~~%~3.Identify the fate of the contaminants in Mn oxide treated soils.~%~~%~4.Measure positive and/or negative effects in the soil system of addition [continued...]DescriptionLand is a valuable but finite resource. The Environment Agency estimates that there are approximately 300,000 hectares of land in the UK affected to some extent by contamination left by industrial activity and worldwide, the extent of the problem is much greater as contaminated land is inextricably linked to ...
The European Commission recently has adopted a new European Strategy for Environment and Health focusing on the growing concern over the adverse health effects caused by environmental pollution. Based on the results of various studies carried out in recent years polychlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) and PCBs are playing an important role in this strategy. In view of the enlargement of the European Union (EU) to include Candidate Countries (CCs) the Commission stressed the need to involve the Candidate Countries from an early stage on in the development of such a strategy. Thus two studies have been commissioned which are particularly directed to provide a) an overview on environmental levels and human exposure of dioxins and PCBs and b) an harmonised PCDD/F emission inventory for the target matrices air, water and land The latter study, entitled ''Dioxin Emissions in Candidate Countries'' is carried ...
A brief overview is given of the developments with regard to the ease of operation of water heaters in houses, in particular the option to use remote control (e.g. the telephone) to adjust the temperature. [Dutch] Woonkwaliteit betekent voor de meeste mensen een combinatie van luxe, comfort en gemak. Vertaald naar ons vakgebied, houdt dat onder andere in: luxe badkamers met bijvoorbeeld massagedouches, waarvoor grote volumestromen warmtapwater benodigd zijn, een comfortabel binnenklimaat en een stuk bedieningsgemak om een en ander te realiseren. Nu is Nederland een uitgesproken combiketel land, waarbij de ketel over het algemeen met behulp van eenvoudige (klok)thermostaten wordt geregeld. Onze Oosterburen kiezen veel vaker voor separate ketel-boilercombinaties voor een groot warmtapwater comfort en uitgebreide regelapparatuur voor de (ruimte)temperatuurregeling. Maar ook in Nederland neernt de vraag naar meer warmwater toe en worden steeds ...
This paper states the concept of a heat-resistant structure of the HOPE airframe having a 10 ton weight when lifting off and also the research situation of heat-resistant structural materials. To study the structure, established are design conditions for lift-off, reentry to the atmosphere and landing. As to the load condition, the load at the time of lift-off is most critical. Relating to the temperature environment condition, thermal analysis is made of the time when a HOPE is on the orbit (low-temperature range) and reenters the atmosphere (high-temperature range), when the temperature environment is critical. The analysis shows that the temrerature environment is in a {minus}80-1700{degree}C (range). The heat-resistant structural materials are developed so as to meet these conditions. The paper describes distribution of the airframe surface temperature by aerodynamic heating at the reentry, conceptual figures of the airframe structure and ...
Most of the anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide result from the combustion of fossil fuels for energy production. Photosynthesis has long been recognized as a means, at least in theory, to sequester anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Aquatic microalgae have been identified as fast growing species whose carbon fixing rates are higher than those of land-based plants by one order of magnitude. Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), Aquasearch, and the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute at the University of Hawaii are jointly developing technologies for recovery and sequestration of CO{sub 2} from stationary combustion systems by photosynthesis of microalgae. The research is aimed primarily at demonstrating the ability of selected species of microalgae to effectively fix carbon from typical power plant exhaust gases. This report covers the reporting period 1 April to 30 June 2003 in which PSI, Aquasearch and University of Hawaii conducted their tasks. Based ...
A permeable reactive mixture has been developed using low cost, readily available materials that is capable of providing effective, long-term phosphorous treatment in areas impacted by on-land wastewater disposal. The reactive mixture creates a geochemical environment suitable for P-attenuation by both adsorption and precipitation reactions. Potential benefits include significant reductions in phosphorous loading to receiving groundwater and surface water systems, and the accumulation of P-mass in a finite and accessible volume of material. The mixture may be applied as a component within surface treatment systems or in subsurface applications such as horizontal or vertical permeable reactive walls. The mixture averaged > 90% treatment efficiency over 3.6 years of continuous-flow laboratory column experiments. The mixture was further evaluated at the pilot-scale to treat municipal wastewater, and the field-scale to treat a well-characterized ...
More than 30 environmental concerns were analyzed for the transportation of coal by rail, roads (trucks), high voltage transmission lines (that is, from mine-mouth generating plants to distribution networks), coal slurry pipelines, and barges. The following criteria were used to identify these problems: (1) real physical environmetal impacts for which control technologies must be developed, or regulation made effective where control technologies presently exist; (2) the level of impact is uncertain, although the potential impact may be moderate to high; (3) the concerns identified by the first two criteria are specific to or exacerbated by coal transportation. Generic transportation problems are not included. The significant environmental problems identified as a result of this study are: (1) rail transport - community traffic disruption and human health, safety, and habitat destruction; (2) coal haul roads - road degradation, traffic congestion and safety, air ...
Organic farming (or ecological agriculture) is of growing importance in the agricultural sector worldwide. In the Nordic countries, 1-10% of the arable land was in organic production in 1999. Organic farming can be seen as an approach to agriculture where the aim is to create integrated, humane, environmentally and economically sustainable agricultural production systems. Principles like nutrient recycling, prevention rather than treatment and the precautionary principle are included in aims and standards. Animal welfare is another hallmark of organic livestock production but despite this, several studies have indicated severe health problems e.g. in organic poultry production in Denmark. Also the quality of animal food products in relation to human health, particularly the risk of zoonotic infections, has been debated. For these reasons there is a need for improvement of production methods and animal health status. Vets play an important role in this ...
The results of an extensive, detailed geologic and geophysical evaluation of the offshore South Florida basin show this area to have considerable hydrocarbon exploration potential. Geophysical mapping on six key horizons identified numerous structural closures at Dollar Bay through Bone Island mapping levels. Geologic evaluation indicated at least four viable potential reservoir horizons, including the Sunniland formation - the main producing unit onshore in what is called the Sunniland trend. Mature, organic rich carbonate source rocks are found in several stratigraphic intervals throughout the basin, and extensively developed seals consisting of micritic limestones and anhydrites are also common in the stratigraphic section. All the critical factors for hydrocarbon accumulation - source, reservoir, trap, and seal - appear to be present in the offshore Pulley ridge area of the South Florida basin. Using high-resolution seismic data, additional evaluation of ...
The Hanford Cultural Resources Laboratory (HCRL) was established by the US Department of Energy Field Office, Richland (RL) in 1987 as part of Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The HCRL provides support for managing the archaeological, historical, and cultural resources of the Hanford Site, Washington, in a manner consistent with federal statutes and regulations. This report summarizes activities of the HCRL during fiscal year (FY) 1990. The HCRL responsibilities have been set forth in the Hanford Cultural Resources Management Plan (HCRMP) as a prioritized list of tasks. The task list guided cultural resources management activities during FY 1990 and is the outline for this report. In order, these tasks were to (1) conduct cultural resource reviews, (2) develop an archaeological resources protection plan, (3) monitor the condition of known archaeological sites, (4) plan a curation system for artifacts and records, (5) evaluate cultural resources for potential ...
A definition is given for the basic national economic task of developing the recovery of hydrocarbons from bitumen-containing rock and oil shales, and a description is given of the status of the mineral-raw material base. General concepts are given on bitumens and oil shale. Their elemental and group compositions are cited in detail, and a determination is made of the position they occupy in the total system of fossil fuels. An examination is made of data on the distribution and state of bitumen and oil shale resources, and a description is given of their principal deposits. An evaluation is made of gained experience and the potential of existing methods of working bituminous rock and oil shale deposits that include the use of available and utilized method of land-based, underground, and instrastratal extraction of petroleum from those deposits. A presentation is made of the technical-economic aspects of producing bituminous and shale oils. The ...
The current situation in the development of nuclear power in the world and in Czechoslovakia is briefly outlined and the possibilities are discussed of alternative energy resources. The environmental impact is described of conventional power plants firing coal; sulphur and nitrogen oxides are mentioned and their environmental impacts shown. Their quantities and the quantities of other gaseous, liquid and soid wastes produced by coal power plants are given. Annual estimates are presented of radioactive material emissions; trace amount emissions of toxic metals and their ecological risks are shown. Concern over the increasing concentration of CO_2 in the atmosphere is voiced. For nuclear power plants, the amount of radionuclides in stack emission and of those released into water flows is tabulated. Their effect on the aqueous ecosystem is characterized as is thermal pollution of water flows and the environmental impact of cooling towers. Other factors are also ...
This report documents a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the economy of Haiti, emphasizing energy use in agriculture. CGE models compare favorably with econometric models for developing countries in terms of their ability to take advantage of available data. The model of Haiti contains ten production sectors: manufacturing, services, transportation, electricity, rice, coffee, sugar cane, sugar refining, general agriculture, and fuelwood and charcoal. All production functions use functional forms which permit factor substitution. Consumption is specified for three income categories of consumers and a government sector with a linear expenditure system (LES) of demand equations. The economy exports four categories of products and imports six. Balanced trade and capital accounts are required for equilibrium. Total sectoral allocations of land, labor and capital are constrained to equal the quantities of these inputs in the Haitian ...
We report the experimental and theoretical results on the anisotropies in the magnetic properties and x-ray absorption spectra of single-crystal LiFePO4. A mean-field theory is developed to explain the observed strong anisotropies in Lande g-factor, paramagnetic Curie temperature, and effective moment for LiFePO4 single crystals. The values of the in-plane nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor spin exchange (J1 and J2), interplane spin exchange (J{perpendicular}), and single-ion anisotropy (D), obtained recently from neutron scattering measurements, are used for calculating the Curie temperatures with the formulas derived from the mean-field Hamiltonian. It is found that the calculated Curie temperatures match well with that obtained by fitting the magnetic susceptibility curves to the modified Curie-Weiss law. For the polarized Fe K-edge x-ray absorption spectra of single-crystal LiFePO4, a different feature assignment for the 1s4p transition ...
The simulation of processes in engineering and the physical sciences has progressed rapidly over the last several years. With rapid developments in supercomputers, parallel processing, numerical algorithms and software, scientists and engineers are now positioned to quantitatively simulate systems requiring many billions of arithmetic operations. The need to understand and assimilate such massive amounts of data has been a driving force in the development of both hardware and software to create visual representations of the underling physical systems. In this paper, and the accompanying videotape, the evolution and development of the visualization process in scientific computing will be reviewed. Specific applications and associated imaging hardware and software technology illustrate both the computational needs and the evolving trends. 6 refs.
The purpose is to describe problems associated with the establishment of vegetation on mined lands and practical rehabilitation and restoration methods for establishing a rehabilitation plan. Land disturbed by mining should be restored to its original state, when the mine is decommissioned, but before that can be attained, site problems such as toxicity, moisture supply, and texture must be rectified. The land may need to pass through several conditioning stages, and links need to be formed to maintain a functioning ecosystem. A key aspect to rehabilitation is the need to increase the organic matter content of the substrate. This improves soil structure, increases the moisture holding ability, and provides a pool for nutrient cycling. 11 refs., 2 tabs.
Overhead, high power transmission lines have secured rights of way on agricultural lands in Minnesota. The economic impact of such utility crossings, including effects on land price, was investigated. Sale records and survey data were analyzed. Buyers, sellers, and brokers were interviewed concerning inconvenience, radio interference, appearance, and loss of irrigation possibilities due to the transmission lines. In nine affected sales, there was only one case in which less money was indicated for the farm because of the presence of a transmission line.
Overhead, high power transmission lines have secured rights of way on agricultural lands in Minnesota. The economic impact of such utility crossings, including effects on land price, was investigated. Sale records and survey data were analyzed. Buyers, sellers, and brokers were interviewed concerning inconvenience, radio interference, appearance, and loss of irrigation possibilities due to the transmission lines. In nine affected sales, there was only one case in which less money was indicated for the farm because of the presence of a transmission line.
The twenty-three papers presented at this conference discussed requirements of land reclamation under the Federal surface mining regulations, evaluation techniques for assessing reclaimed land, spoil bank chemistry and its change with time, establishment techniques (vegetative propagation, containerized seedlings, nurse vegetation, nitrogen-fixing tree species, direct seeding, and general cultivation techniques), and results from early land reclamation trials. Twenty-two papers have been abstracted separately. 291 references, 16 figures, 80 tables.
Two new species of the genus Microplana are described from the Iberian Peninsula. The new taxa are compared with congeneric species. Distributional records for two other European species, Microplana monacensis (Heinzel, 1929) and Microplana groga Jones et al. 2008, are presented and the presence of Microplana terrestris (Muller, 1774) is confirmed on the Iberian Peninsula. A partial re-description of Microplana nana Mateos, Giribet and Carranza, 1998 is provided. The finding of a new and probably introduced, but unidentified, species of land planarian is reported. Land planarians were generally found in the vicinity of deciduous trees and rivers.
In 1996, a field-scale phytoremediation demonstration project was initiated and managed by the U.S. Air Force at a site in western Fort Worth, Texas, using a plantation of 1-year-old stems harvested from branches of eastern cottonwoods during the dormant season (whips) and a plantation of 1-year-old eastern cottonwood seedlings (calipers). The primary objective of the demonstration project was to determine the effectiveness of eastern cottonwoods at reducing the mass of dissolved trichloroethene transported within an alluvial aquifer. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, to determine water-level variations and their effects on tree growth and mortality and on the biogeochemical system at the phytoremediation site. As part of the study, water-level and water-quality data were collected throughout the duration of the project. This report presents water-level variations at periodic sampling events; data from August 1996 to January 2003 ...
The National Coal Board is investigating two routes for production of oils: liquid solvent extraction and supercritical gas extraction. Both these processes are considered ready for major development to plants of the 1 t/h scale.
The removal of toxic metals and alkalis from gas streams at high temperatures was investigated. This is important for the development of coal-fired combined cycle power generation systems.
Histamine and the histamine receptors are important regulators of a plethora of biological processes, including immediate hypersensitivity reactions and acid secretion in the stomach. In these...Full Text Available
The present study investigated the association of mothers’ marriage and changes in young adolescents’ cognitive and socioemotional development and changes in family processes....Full Text Available
A large portion of the work performed at nuclear power plants follows standardized flow paths. For example, although components on which the maintenance crew works differ from one assignment to the next, all assignments basically follow the same process: requesting, reviewing, planning, scheduling, executing, testing, and documenting the work. In general, the term open-quotes work processclose quotes is used to refer to a standardized sequence of tasks designed within the operational environment of an organization to achieve a specific goal. The predictable nature of work processes suggests that a systematic analysis can be conducted to identify the desirable design of the process and to develop performance measures with respect to the strengths and weaknesses in the process. Furthermore, because of the close relationship of the work process to plant performance ...
Nat'l Training Center Contact Us Directory Email Us BLM > Socioeconomic Impacts > Timber Print Page Socioeconomic Impacts from Timber BLM-administered lands yielded $337...
... communication with the divisions of the Seventh Army ... the 1st Infantry Division could not ... commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, landed ...
... 36 7 Corrugated Steel Pipe Concept Layout--Elevation ..... 37 viii ... revetment. 3. Land Use ... Corner modules and capping blocks are available. ...
This report is submitted to Congress by the Secretary of the Air Force, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to Section 6 of the Military Lands Withdrawal Act of 1986. It contains an analysis and evaluation of the effects on public health and safety resulting from DOD and Department of Energy (DOE) military and defense-related uses on withdrawn public lands in the State of Nevada and in airspace overlying the State. This report describes the cumulative impacts of those activities on public and private property in Nevada and on plants, fish and wildlife, cultural, historic, scientific, recreational, wilderness and other resources of the public lands of Nevada. An analysis and evaluation of possible measures to mitigate the cumulative effects of the withdrawal of lands and the use of airspace in Nevada for defense-related purposes was conducted, and those considered ...
Programs & Services Technical Resources Land Use Soils Water Snow Survey & Water Supply Water Management Water Quality Watersheds Wetlands Air Plants & Animals Energy Climate...
The foundation is a key to safety of any structure built on reclaimed land in coastal areas. This paper gives examples of reclamation methods, ground improvement works, foundations adopted, and consequent land subsidence as for structures directly borne by the underlying ground. Structures built on the recently reclaimed land often stand on piles driven into gravel layers. But an emphasis in pile design in usually placed on bearing capacity, with little consideration given to land subsidence and its effects. Appropriate ground improvement works, if followed by an enough consolidation period, produce satisfactory results for both direct and pile foundations. Low and light structures can be more economically built on direct foundations. It will be still safer for those structures if floating foundations or other measures are taken for preventing increases in load. 5 refs., 16 figs.
... and regional land, sea, air, and space-based systems, and ... means of delivery of weapons where such ... a separable and divisible part of the weapon. ...
May 4, 2010 ... This routine interpolates atmospheric adtt seconds period forcing ... for one adtt interval. Interpolation is performed based on the value ...
Dec 9, 2005 ... Classification of high resolution imagery is not as straightforward as more ... The challenges of classifying high resolution imagery stems ...
Aug 18, 2004 ... The Arabian Gulf region presents a challenge to meteorologists trying to simulate weather with computer models because sea-surface and land ...
Power supply to Bergen has created headaches. Many will not have the land-based high-voltage wire. But the alternatives are costly and will delay the line by many years. (AG)
Extracting mining subsidence land from remote sensing (RS) images is one of important research contents for environment monitoring in mining area. The accuracy of traditional extracting models based on spectral features is low. In order to extract subsidence land from RS images with high accuracy, some domain knowledge should be imported and new models should be proposed. This paper, in terms of the disadvantage of traditional extracting models, imports domain knowledge from practice and experience, converts semantic knowledge into digital information, and proposes a new model for the specific task. By selecting the Luan mining area as a study area, this new model is tested based on GIS and related knowledge. The result shows that the proposed method is more precise than traditional methods and can satisfy the demands of land subsidence monitoring in mining area. 10 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
The change in the energy flow on land used for brown coal mining is examined. Terrain mapping was used to obtain land use data for a 14 km{sup 2} mining area and its surroundings. The focus is on the proportion of incident solar energy that is changed to latent heat during evapotranspiration. Each land use unit was assigned an average value for evapotranspiration for the growing season. Satellite data of surface temperature and surface wetness values show incident radiation converted to heat. Relationships between evapotranspiration and surface temperature and between wetness index and evapotranspiration were verified. The results confirm the hypothesis that changes in land use can have a significant effect on total average evapotranspiration. 18 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.
Wildlife Refuge, CA Rare and endangered endemic plants Diana Anderson Northern Arizona University Geomorphology Kathryn Thomas USGS, Flagstaff, AZ Vegetation dynamics John...
Fuel treatments are being implemented on public and private lands across the western United States. Although scientists and managers have an understanding ... ...
... HAL and VAL limits with the specified PMD of 10-7, the GPS range-rate error must be monitored to assure that the inertial navigation error is not ...
Husky Oil received approval from the government to begin development of its White Rose properties located in the Jean d'Arc Basin, 350 km east of St. John's, offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. First oil is expected by the end of 2005. The South Avalon Pool was discovered in 1988 and is estimated to contain approximately 200-250 million barrels of oil. Husky Oil and Petro-Canada filed a development application with the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board in January 2001. Approval of the $2.35 billion project was received in December 2001. The development plan is based on a newly-built floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. Initial development will focus on the South Avalon Pool that has been tested in excess of 5,000 barrels per day. The pool will be developed using eight production wells, 11 water injection wells and two gas injection ...
This paper presents anew design concept for a gamma irradiation plant for the continuous processing of pumpable liquids. Typical applications of such a plant include: the irradiation vulcanisation of natural latex rubber; disinfection of municipal sewage sludge for agricultural use; sterilisation of liquids in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries; industrial processing of bulk liquids The authors describe the design and operation of the latex irradiator now operating on a small production scale in Malaysia and proposed developments. The design allows irradiation processing to be carried out under an inert or other gaseous environment. State-of-the-art computer control system ensures the fully automatic processing operation needed by industrial computers.
In a "nutrition transition", the consumption of foods high in fats and sweeteners is increasing throughout the developing world. The transition, implicated in the rapid rise of obesity and diet-related...Full Text Available
Vulnerable periods during the development of the nervous system are sensitive to environmental insults because they are dependent on the temporal and regional emergence of critical developmental processes...Full Text Available
Developing cortex generates endogenous activity that modulates the formation of functional units, but how this activity is altered to support mature function is poorly understood. Using recordings...Full Text Available
This report summarizes the work that was completed in FY 1992 on the program {open_quotes}Technology Development for Concentrating Process Streams.{close_quotes} The purpose of this program is to evaluate and develop evaporator technology for concentrating radioactive waste and product streams such as those generated by the TRUEX process. Concentrating these streams and minimizing the volume of waste generated can significantly reduce disposal costs; however, equipment to concentrate the streams and recycle the decontaminated condensates must be installed. LICON, Inc., is developing an evaporator that shows a great deal of potential for this application. In this report, concepts that need to be incorporated into the design of an evaporator operated in a radioactive environment are discussed. These concepts include criticality safety, remote operation and maintenance, and materials ...
Laccases are increasingly being used in food industry for production of cost-effective and healthy foods. To sustain this trend widespread availability of laccase and efficient production systems have to be developed. The present paper delineate the recent developments that have taken place in understanding the role of laccase action, efforts in overexpression of laccase in heterologous systems, and various cultivation techniques that have been developed to efficiently produce laccase at the industrial scale. The role of laccase in different food industries, particularly the recent developments in laccase application for food processing, is discussed. PMID:21048859
Past and current development of coal utilization technology in the Japanese steel industry is reviewed and some projects currently under research and development briefly described. These include DIOS, an iron making process which directly utilizes both iron ore and coal without a sintering plant or a coke oven; and the development of a new generation coke oven. 15 figs.
This report describes accomplishment of simulations of Pyrochemical Process Operation by using virtual engineering models. The pyrochemical process using molten salt electrorefining would introduce new technologies for new fuels of particle oxide, particle nitride and metallic fuels. This system is a batch treatment system of reprocessing and re-fabrication, which transports products of solid form from a process to next process. As a results, this system needs automated transport system for process operations by robotics. In this study, a simulation code system has been prepared, which provides virtual engineering environment to evaluate the pyrochemical process operation of a batch treatment system using handling robots. And the simulation study has been conducted to evaluate the required system functions, which are the function of handling robots, the ...
It is the purpose of this review to draw together the recent research adding to our understanding of the molecular nature of Clostridia. The thrust here is to emphasize those research advances in biochemistry and genetics that bear upon future development of fermentation processes employing the Clostridia. 222 refs., 10 figs., 5 tabs.
This was written as the research final report of (sup D)evelopment of Auto- tuning System for the Process Optimal Control of Wolsung NPP(sup ()95ZS13). In this research, a new PID controller auto-tuning algorithm and Auto-tuning System which can simulate ...
A study was made of the timber products processing point source category, for the purpose of developing information to assist the EPA in establishing effluent limitations guidelines and standards to implement sections 301, 304, 306, and 307 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. The document is the result of that study.
The Mediated Electrochemical Oxidation (MEO) system is an aqueous process which treats low-level mixed wastes by oxidizing the organic components of he waste into carbon dioxide and water. As MEO system continues to run, dissolved ash and radionuclides slowly accumulate in the anolyte and must be removed to maintain process efficiency. At such time, all of the anolyte is pumped into a still feed tank, and the silver ions need to be removed before sending the solution to a thin-film evaporator for further concentration. The efficiency of removing silver ions in the solution needs to be high enough such that the residual silver sent to Final Forms would be less than 1% wt. The purpose of this work is to develop an efficient process to remove silver ions during the MEO cleanout and to demonstrate the capability of centrifugation for separating small silver chloride particles from the solution. This ...
The main purpose of the study on the title subject is to gain insight into the strategic options to optimize energy production from waste processing in the Netherlands in the long term. The developed optimization model will be used by the Dutch Ministry of Public Health, Spatial Planning en Environment (VROM) for scenarios to calculate and determine expectations and uncertainties in the development of waste processing in the Netherlands. Attention is paid to (1) the impact of present and future technology on the costs and energetic efficiency of waste processing, (2) several techniques for the generation of electricity and heat, the production of fuels, and recycling, (3) the impact of scale (capacity) on costs and energetic efficiency of waste processing installations, and (4) the impact of transport and heat distribution. The time frame is the year 2020. 66 ...
A tissue culture process, organogenesis, is described which involves the stepwise production of a shoot apex, which grows to have leaves and stem and finally roots, culminating in the production of a complete plant. The production and subsequent development of numerous adventitious shoots, preferably from adult tree tissues offers the greatest potential for commercial cloned plantlet production. The process describes these steps for Pinus taeda, the loblolly pine. (Refs. 25).
Epidemiological studies will not solve the shape of the dose effect curve for stochastic effects in the low dose range. Unicellular processes are necessary for the primary processes so that no threshold dose exists. This is evident for somatic and genetic mutations. Not clearly solved is this question for the complex carcinogenesis. These processesdevelop with manifold interacting molecular and cellular steps. (orig.).
A tobermorite/hydroxyapatite composite was prepared by hydrothermal treatment using diatomaceous earth, ?-tricalcium phosphate and slaked lime starting materials. The XRD patterns of the composite confirmed that tobermorite and hydroxyapatite were formed after the hydrothermal process. The bending strength of the composite reached a level higher than 9?MPa after the hydrothermal process. The development of the bending strength was due to the formation of tobermorite and hydroxyapatite during the hydrothermal process. The composite had a high specific surface area due to these newly formed crystals.
In connection with the ERP project 'Dynamic modelling of staged gasification processes' a gasification simulator has been constructed. The simulator consists of: a mathematical model of the gasification processdeveloped at Technical University of Denmark, a user interface programme, IGSS, and a communication interface between the two programmes. (BA)
It is necessary that reclaimed land from open pit mining operations has completely settled before it can be returned to the public domain. This paper reports on instrumentation installed to observe settlement of the spoil and behaviour of a prototype foundation on reclaimed land in Alberta, Canada. 6 refs., 7 figs.
The objectives of this project are to support the DOE direct coal liquefaction processdevelopment program and to improve the useful application of analytical chemistry to direct coal liquefaction processdevelopment. Independent analyses by well-established methods will be obtained of samples produced in direct coal liquefaction processes under evaluation by DOE. Additionally, analytical instruments and techniques which are currently underutilized for the purpose of examining coal-derived samples will be evaluated. The data obtained from this study will be used to help guide current processdevelopment and to develop an improved data base on coal and coal liquids properties. A sample bank will be established and maintained for use in this project and will be available for use by other researchers. The reactivity of the ...
This document reports on the work done by the Separations Science and Technology Programs of the Chemical Technology Division, Argonne National Laboratory, in the period April-September 1992. This effort is mainly concerned with developing the TRUEX process for removing and concentrating actinides from acidic waste streams contaminated with transuranic (TRU) elements. The objectives of TRUEX processing are to recover valuable TRU elements and to lower disposal costs for the nonTRU waste product of the process. Two other projects are underway with the objective of developing (1) a membrane-assisted solvent extraction method for treating natural and process waters contaminated by volatile organic compounds and (2) evaporation technology for concentrating radioactive waste and product streams such as those generated by the TRUEX process.
The present article will review recent advances in focused ion beam (FIB) technology. With increasing demands for scale of integration, microfabrication technology is becoming more important and various new microfabrication tools and processing techniques are desired. FIB is one of the promising tools for future microfabrication technology. This provides maskless patterning capability, which is of importance for process simplification, nanofabrication and in the development of in situ vacuum processing. In situ vacuum processing systems are being developed by combining FIB and a molecular beam epitaxy system. Radiation damage may limit applications of FIB. However, it was demonstrated that low energy FIB (<1 keV) with very high brightness was reached and promising results for low damage processing have been obtained. (orig.).
Electron beam (EB) processing involves using electrons to initiate polymerization or cross-linking reactions in suitable substrates, thereby enhancing specific physical and chemical properties. A relatively new use of EB processing is now emerging: the production of fibre-reinforced composites. EB curing at ambient temperature has the potential to reduce the residual stresses in an advanced composite, a result of expansion during thermal curing, and to significantly increase the overall cure speed and process throughput. Wood fibres are used as a filler material for various thermoplastics such as polypropylene. EB treatment, combined with selected EB-curable coupling agents, significantly increases the adhesion between the wood fibres and the thermoplastic polymer, resulting in improved material properties. Work to develop both products and processes for the EB curing of ...
The purpose of this research is to develop a technically and economically feasible process for biologically producing H(sub 2) from synthesis gas while, at the same time, removing harmful sulfur gas compounds. Six major tasks are being studied: 1. Culture development, where the best cultures are selected and conditions optimized for simultaneous hydrogen production and sulfur gas removal; 2. Mass transfer and kinetic studies in which equations necessary for process design are developed; 3. Bioreactor design studies, where the cultures chosen in Task 1 are utilized in continuous reaction vessels to demonstrate process feasibility and define operating conditions; 4. Evaluation of biological synthetic gas conversion under limiting conditions in preparation for industrial demonstration studies; 5. Process scale-up where laboratory data are ...
Objective was to follow the cognitive and creative processes demonstrated by student research participants as they integrated a developing knowledge of ``big`` science, as practiced at LLNL, into a personal and idiosyncratic visual, graphical, or multimedia product. The participants, all non-scientists, involved in this process, attended a series of design classes, sponsored by LLNL at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena CA. As a result of this study, we have become interested in the possibility of similar characteristics between scientists and artists. We have also become interested in the different processes that can be used to teach science to non-scientists, so that they are able to understand and portray scientific information.
The objectives of the project were to develop operational techniques for promoting contaminant hideout return from tube support crevices and to identify the effect of chemical inhibitor application on corrodent transport. The implementation of routine procedures for promoting the return of sequestered corrodents could retard the progression of denting or other corrosion processes and improve steam generator availability. Tests also quantified the effect of inhibitor application on crevice hideout and hideout return processes, with the intention of developing a better understanding of the inhibition mechanism. By carefully monitoring the hideout and hideout return inventories, the program also has provided the opportunity to study steam generator concentration processes in general.
The fact that South Africa had no commercially significant deposits of crude oil necessitated the early development of production of gasoline from coal which was present in abundance in low to medium grade in thick seams, the development of the process since the early 1950s is discussed. Both the Fischer Tropsch and Lurgi processes are used, and three large plants named Sasol One, Two, and Three have been completed. A flow diagram for the Lurgi process as used in these plants is included. Typical products and their properties resulting from the Sasol-type Synthol operation are presented in tabular form. Marketing considerations and economics of production of the Sasol products are discussed briefly. (BLM)
The fact that South Africa had no commercially significant deposits of crude oil necessitated the early development of production of gasoline from coal which was present in abundance in low to medium grade in thick seams, the development of the process since the early 1950s is discussed. Both the Fischer Tropsch and Lurgi processes are used, and three large plants named Sasol One, Two, and Three have been completed. A flow diagram for the Lurgi process as used in these plants is included. Typical products and their properties resulting from the Sasol-type Synthol operation are presented in tabular form. Marketing considerations and economics of production of the Sasol products are discussed briefly. (BLM)
The first stage of the continuous coal hydrogenation unit has been used to test a number of coals with different processing strategies. This work has shown that conversion increases with product recycle, however after the second pass the increase is small but operability of the reactor is considerably improved. A kinetic model for the aromatic saturation of the recycle solvent in the second stage has been developed and will be used in the selection of conditions for oil upgrading processes. New insights into the structural composition of coal derived materials have been made due to the refinement of chromatographic or solubility separation analyses into routine operations and the development of a new technique in NMR spectroscopy.
The objective of this work is to improve the process for CO{sub 2} capture by alkanolamine absorption/stripping by developing an alternative solvent, aqueous K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} promoted by piperazine. Progress has been made in this reporting period on three subtasks. A simple thermodynamic model has been developed to represent the CO{sub 2} vapor pressure and speciation of the new solvent. A rate model has been formulated to predict the CO{sub 2} flux with these solutions under absorber conditions. A process and instrumentation diagram and process flow diagram have been prepared for modifications of the existing pilot plant system.
The oil shale PCTM for Modified In Situ Oil Shale Retorting combined with Lurgi Surface Retorting addresses the application of this combination of technologies to the development of oil shale resources in the western United States. This manual describes the combined plant using Lurgi surface retorting technology (developed by Lurgi Kohle and Mineralotechnik GmbH, West Germany) and the Modified In Situ process (developed by Occidental Oil Shale, Inc.) proposed by Occidental Oil Shale, Inc. and Tenneco Shale Oil Company for use in the development of their Federal oil shale lease Tract C-b in western Colorado. Since details regarding waste streams and control technologies for the Lurgi process are presented in a separate PCTM, this document focuses principally on the Modified In Situ process.
The Production of crushed sand in 1996 reached 8% of the total fine aggregates which was more or less 1% in 1994. This research concentrated to develop the up-to-data and economical system for producing crushed sand. To do this, the efficiency survey has been carried out for crusher, classifiers and dewatering devices. From the survey, it was known that rock on rock type V.S.I., and Hydrocyclone type sand unit are the most efficient crusher and classifier which are taking over 50% of the present market According to the quality evaluation, 33.4% was satisfied KSF 2558 standard in finish modulus (F.M) and size distribution and 66.6% appeared under the standard. In pilot test of crushed sand for better quality, the recovery of 56.9-57.9% could be achieved which had been only 55% as of now. And the finish modulus could be increased up to 2.86-3.23 which was 2.60-3.59 before. Accordingly, finish modulus of bellow 3.1 can be achieved when the wet type and appropriate ...
A parallel event to the eleventh Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change was held to demonstrate examples of adaptation from around the world in the areas of food security, water resources, coastal zones, and communities/infrastructure. Panels on each theme presented examples from developing countries, countries in economic transition, and developed countries. These 4 themes were chosen because both mitigation and adaptation are essential to meeting the challenge of climate change. The objective of the event was to improve the knowledge of Canada's vulnerabilities to climate change, identify ways to minimize the negative effects of future impacts, and explore opportunities that take advantage of any positive impacts. This third session focused on how coastal communities are adapting to climate change in such places as Quebec, the Caribbean, and small Island States. It also presented the ...
Accomplishments for the quarter are presented for the following areas of research: oil shale, tar sand, coal, advanced exploratory process technology, and jointly sponsored research. Oil shale research includes; oil shale process studies, environmental base studies for oil shale, and miscellaneous basic concept studies. Tar sand research covers processdevelopment. Coal research includes; underground coal gasification, coal combustion, integrated coal processing concepts, and solid waste management. Advanced exploratory process technology includes; advanced process concepts, advanced mitigation concepts, and oil and gas technology. Jointly sponsored research includes: organic and inorganic hazardous waste stabilization; development and validation of a standard test method for sequential batch extraction fluid; operation ...
The advancement of bioprocess monitoring will play a crucial role to meet the future requirements of bioprocess technology. Major issues are the acceleration of processdevelopment to reduce the time to the market and to ensure optimal exploitation of the cell factory and further to cope with the requirements of the Process Analytical Technology initiative. Due to the enormous complexity of cellular systems and lack of appropriate sensor systems microbial production processes are still poorly understood. This holds generally true for the most microbial production processes, in particular for the recombinant protein production due to strong interaction between recombinant gene expression and host cell metabolism. Therefore, it is necessary to scrutinise the role of the different cellular compartments in the biosynthesis process in order to ...
The humidification?dehumidification process is an interesting technique that has been adapted for water desalination. Previous works experimentally investigated desalination processes in the shell and tube columns, where the humidification and dehumidification were thermally coupled and simultaneously performed at the tube and shell sides, respectively. In this work, a comprehensive steady-state mathematical model was developed for such a humidification?dehumidification desalination process by taking into account the heat and mass balances on both sides of the desalting column, the mass transfer rate at the humidification side, and the heat transfer rate between the dehumidification side and humidification side. Meanwhile, the mass transfer coefficient at the humidification side and the to...
Many mines and processing facilities are in remote, difficult to access areas, or are in areas where access is limited or restricted for national reasons. In a joint project with Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, the Canadian Safeguards Support Program is investigating utility of multi- and hyperspectral remote sensing for remotely inspecting such site. With a view to eventually using the hyperspectral satellite data now coming available, airborne data over uranium and copper mine tailings and uranium processing facilities in northern Canada were acquired. The objective of this work is to demonstrate that multispectral and hyperspectral data can provide complementary and supplementary information to high-resolution panchromatic imagery for the following safeguards applications: Inspection aids (up-to-date maps of remote locations), change detection, evaluation of member state declarations, monitoring of reactor, mining and ...
Electromagnetic forming (EMF) is a forming process that relies on the inductive electromagnetic force to deform metallic workpiece at high speed. Calculation of the electromagnetic force is essential to understand the EMF process. However, accurate calculation requires complex numerical solution, in which the coupling between the electromagnetic process and the deformation of workpiece needs be considered. In this paper, an appropriate formula has been developed to calculate the electromagnetic force in metal work-piece in the sheet EMF process. The effects of the geometric size of coil, the material properties, and the parameters of discharge circuit on electromagnetic force are taken into consideration. Through the formula, the electromagnetic force at different time and in different positions of the workpiece can be predicted. The calculated electromagnetic force and magnetic ...
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the stages in the development of creative activity considering the distinctive features of all stages and the modes of dynamics of the development of a creative person. Design/methodology/approach - The paper analyses scientific investigations and pedagogical experiences in order to develop the model for the formation of creative activity of artists-visual art teachers in the context of sustainable development. Findings - The investigations of scientific literature on pedagogy, psychology, philosophy, as well as the analysis of pedagogical practice allow us to recognize that the formation of creative activity is comprised of several stages. These stages are closely connected with a creative process and depend on a person's artistic talen...
The characteristics of martensitic transformations in solids are largely determined by the elastic strain that develops as martensite particles grow and interact. To study the development of microstructure, a finite-element computer simulation model was constructed to mimic the transformation process. The transformation is athermal and simulated at each incremental step by transforming the cell which maximizes the decrease in the free energy. To determine the free energy change, the elastic energy developed during martensite growth is calculated from the theory of linear elasticity for elastically homogeneous media, and updated as the transformation proceeds.
REXFOR is a development corporation involved in the creation of sustainable economic development for Quebec`s forest sector. Through partnerships, it intervenes in the development and processing of forest resources. This annual report provides an overview of industrial, sylvicultural and forest activities for the current year. A financial review of the current year is given along with a retrospective of the last five years. Financial statements are included.
The operation of industrial facilities has generally resulted in contamination of the surrounding soils and ground water. A variety of methods have been proposed for the remediation of contaminated sites. This paper presents new process technology that is capable of performing treatment on ground water or soil washing leachates. The process is targeted to treat low levels of radioactivity, organics and heavy metals present in the aqueous solutions, to be easily transported and provide simple operation on-site and provide an effluent that meets the specified discharge quality. The purification process involves sequential chemical treatment and filtration. The paper will describe the development of the technology and review the current progress in its use to remediate contaminated sites at Chalk River. The application of the process technology has demonstrated that the ambitious goal ...
The operation of industrial facilities has generally resulted in contamination of the surrounding soils and ground water. A variety of methods have been proposed for the remediation of contaminated sites. This paper presents new process technology that is capable of performing treatment on ground water or soil washing leachates. The process is targeted to treat low levels of radioactivity, organics and heavy metals present in the aqueous solutions, to be easily transported and provide simple operation on-site and provide an effluent that meets the specified discharge quality. The purification process involves sequential chemical treatment and filtration. The paper will describe the development of the technology and review the current progress in its use to remediate contaminated sites at Chalk River. The application of the process technology has demonstrated that the ambitious goal ...
Several metallurgical coatings have been developed that provide good tribological performances in high-temperature liquid sodium and that are relatively unaffected by neutron fluences to 6 X 10/sup 22/ n/cm/sup 2/ (E > 0.1 MeV). The coatings that have consistently provided the best tribological performance have been the nickel aluminide diffusion coatings created by the pack cementation process, chromium carbide or Tribaloy 700 trade mark (a nickel-base hardfacing alloy) applied by the detonation-gun process, and chromium carbide and other hardfacing alloy) applied by the detonation-gun process, and chromium carbide and other hardfacing materials applied by the electro-spark deposition process. The latter process is a relatively recent development for nuclear applications and is expected to find wide usage. Other coating ...
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is developing a treatment process for remote-handled (RH) liquid transuranic mixed waste governed by the concept of minimizing the volume of waste requiring disposal. This task is to be accomplished by decontaminating the bulk components so the process effluent can be disposed with less risk and expense. Practical processes have been demonstrated on the laboratory scale for removing cesium 137 and strontium 90 isotopes from the waste, generating a concentrated waste volume, and rendering the bulk of the waste nearly radiation free for downstream processing. The process is projected to give decontamination factors of 10{sup 4} for cesium and 10{sup 3} for strontium. Because of the extent of decontamination, downstream processing will be contact handled. The transuranic, radioactive fraction of the ...
Hydrocarbon Research, Inc. (HRI) has been actively involved in the development of a low-severity two-stage coal liquefaction process. Since inception of the concept of low-temperature, first-stage hydrogenation followed by a higher temperature second-stage hydrocracking operation, in 1982, efforts have been concentrated on this process. This final report covers development efforts under both contracts from October 1983 to March 1988. The major objective was to reduce process severity and improve economics. Studies were conducted on Illinois No. 6 and Ohio No. 5/6 bitumen coals and included several process variable experiments, catalyst testing, use of cleaned coal and evaluation process recycle options. The total effort included 277 days onstream of continuous bench-scale operations, and data analysis and process ...
This document describes research performed at the Morgantown Energy Technology Center in the areas of oil and gas, advanced systems application, environmental technologies, applied energy science and remediation. The following subtasks are described: CROW{sup TM} Process Modeling, Development of a Portable Data Acquisition System and Coalbed Methane Simulator, Tank Bottom Waste Processing using the TaBoRR{sup TM} Process, Process Support and Development, Eastern Shale Oil Residue as an Asphalt Additive, Solid Waste Management, Remediation of Contaminated Soils, The Syn-Ag{sup TM} Process: Coal Combustion Ash Management Option, the Maxi-Acid{sup TM} Process: In- sit Amelioration of Acid Mine Drainage, Spill Test Facility Database, Heavy Oil/Plastics Co-Processing, Fossil Fuel and Hydrocarbon ...
The objective of this paper is to reveal to what degree bio-based jet fuels (bio-jet) can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the US aviation sector. A model of the supply and demand chain of bio-jet involving farmers, bio-refineries, airlines, and policymakers is developed by considering factors that drive the decisions of actors (i.e. decision-makers and stakeholders) in the life cycle stages. Two kinds of feedstock are considered: oil-producing feedstock (i.e. camelina and algae) and lignocellulosic biomass (i.e. corn stover, switchgrass, and short rotation woody crops). By factoring in farmer/ feedstock producer and bio-refinery profitability requirements, land availability and suitability, as well as a time delay factor, a more realistic estimate of the level of bio-jet supply and emissions reduction can be developed under different oil price assumptions. Factors that drive bio-jet GHG emissions and unit ...
Many factors such as poverty, ineffective institutions and environmental regulations may prevent developing countries from managing how natural resources are extracted to meet a strong market demand. Extraction for some resources has reached such proportions that evidence is measurable from space. We present recent evidence of the global demand for a single commodity and the ecosystem destruction resulting from commodity extraction, recorded by satellites for one of the most biodiverse areas of the world. We find that since 2003, recent mining deforestation in Madre de Dios, Peru is increasing nonlinearly alongside a constant annual rate of increase in international gold price (?18%/yr). We detect that the new pattern of mining deforestation (1915 ha/year, 2006-2009) is outpacing that of nearby settlement deforestation. We show that gold price is linked with exponential increases in Peruvian national mercury imports over time (R(2)?=?0.93, p?=?0.04, 2003-2009). ...
Due to the 'novel forest diseases' the political parties of the Federal Republic of Germany unanimously attend to the reduction of emissions. The transportation sector is considered to be a major emission source. A study discussed in the publication abstracted did therefore aim at giving a detailed account and description of the recently ratified technical requirements and tax credits expected to reduce vehicle exhaust gas air pollution. Moreover, the study researches into the regulations' importance as to the low emission properties of individual automobiles. Based on the results obtained the study arrives at assumptions as to emissions to be expected from the transportation sector. It tries to assess the financial import with respect to the individual citizen, overall internal revenues and federal motor vehicle taxes. The introductory chapter is followed by a review of emissions caused by vehicle exhaust gases along with a description of their historical ...
Two separate studies address the major issues of deforestation in developing countries, namely, Does deforestation seriously impair the soil-plant system. and How can a steady supply of wood fuels be guaranteed with diminishing natural forest. In Chapter 1, twenty-six cross-sectional and time series studies of soil properties in the US and ten countries between the tropics were examined to determine the changes associated with deforestation in soil organic C, total N, exchangeable Ca, Mg, and K, cation exchange capacity, available P, bulk density, and pH. Deforestation was associated with significant changes in these soil properties. Only bulk density and avaiable P showed any tendency to return to pre-clearing levels. Differences in soil response to deforestation according to climate and age of parent material were related to temperature, rainfall, vegetation, soil acidity, and organic matter production and decomposition on each site. In Chapter 2, a ...
A community greenhouse gas emission and energy inventory is an important tool to help local governments plan, implement and monitor climate change mitigation strategies and sustainable energy systems. Inventories can also facilitate a number of other local priorities such as air quality management; integrated land-use and transportation planning; infrastructure optimization and planning; and community economic development planning. The British Columbia government's community energy and emissions inventory initiative (CEEI) intends to collect and centralize high-quality geocoded data to generate high-value community inventories for the province's 185 local governments. This report presented strategic guidance for a comprehensive community emissions inventory system based on a high level review of international best practices. The report described the project objective and scope; guiding principles; research methodology; and inventory ...
RFID technology is gaining adoption on an increasing scale for tracking and monitoring purposes. Wide deployments of RFID devices will soon generate an unprecedented volume of data. Emerging applications require the RFID data to be filtered and correlated for complex pattern detection and transformed to events that provide meaningful, actionable information to end applications. In this work, we design and develop SASE, a com-plex event processing system that performs such data-information transformation over real-time streams. We design a complex event language for specifying application logic for such transformation, devise new query processing techniques to effi-ciently implement the language, and develop a comprehensive system that collects, cleans, and processes RFID data for deliv-ery of relevant, timely information as well as storing necessary data for future querying. We ...
A Process for yellow cake production from local Euxenite was developed in Bench Scale by using sulphuric acid digestion with simultaneously ion-exchange and solvent extraction purification steps. Uranium was then precipitated as uranium diuranate by ammonia solution. Equipment used in this process includes : digestion vessels, columnar ion-exchange, solvent extraction and precipitation units Ore feed to the process could be adjusted up to 2 kilogram per day (8 hours operation) with yellow cake product purity meet the requirement of Usaec standard of about 10-50 gram per day. Included in this experiment are the leaching characteristics of the ore, the design and construction of continuous columnar 4-cycle ion exchange unit, determination of the extraction and stripping stages of a gravity flow mixer-settler and the design and construction of continuous yellow cake precipitation unit with large grain size ...
Understanding the processes responsible for coastal change is important for managing our coastal resources, both natural and economic. The current scientific understanding of coastal sediment transport and geology suggests that examining coastal processes at regional scales can lead to significant insight into how the coastal zone evolves. To better identify the significant processes affecting our coastlines and how those processes create coastal change we developed a Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere-Wave-Sediment Transport (COAWST) Modeling System, which is comprised of the Model Coupling Toolkit to exchange data fields between the ocean model ROMS, the atmosphere model WRF, the wave model SWAN, and the sediment capabilities of the Community Sediment Transport Model. This formulation builds upon ...
Plant Assessment Technology (PAT) group, in association with Intelligent System (IS) Group and Engineering Services Department of Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT) has developed gamma scanning facilities for on-line investigation of industrial process columns and vessels. The technology, based on the principle of gamma-ray absorption, has been successfully applied for troubleshooting of a number of distillation columns and process vessels in petroleum refineries, gas processing plants and chemical plants in the country and the region. This paper outlines basic characteristics of the system and describes the inspection procedures, and in addition, case studies are also presented. The case studies are purposely chosen to illustrate the versatility of the technology, and furthermore to demonstrate the economic benefits which can be realised from the application of this technology. ...
Sandia National Laboratories has the qualification evaluation responsibility for the design of certain components intended for use in nuclear weapons. Specific techniques in assurance and assessment have been developed to provide the quality evidence that the software has been properly qualified for use. Qualification Evaluation is a process for assessing the suitability of either a process used to develop or manufacture the product, or the product itself The qualification process uses a team approach to evaluating a product or process, chaired by a Quality Assurance professional, with other members representing the design organization, the systems organization, and the production agency. Suitable for use implies that adequate and appropriate definition and documentation has been produced and formally released, adequate verification and validation activities ...
Abstract A control framework was developed for real time implementation of optimal control of emulsion polymerization with multiple monomers by integrating model based algorithms with software engines. The developed system was applied for controlling conversion, particle size, molar mass, and polymer composition using model predictive control (MPC) based on mechanistic models for emulsion polymerization. The control formulation was extended to account for existing process constraints on the input, input moves, and solids content. On experimental testing, the developed control scheme was found to achieve the desired objectives without violating the process constraints and showed good robustness in rejecting disturbances. Improvements in the process operation and polymer property control wer...
To evaluate soil erodibility under different land uses and to study the applicability of nomograph for estimation of soil erodibility a field experiment was conducted under both natural and simulated rainfall conditions under four land uses viz. barren, cultivated, grassland, and forest in the sub-mountainous tract of Punjab (India). Measured soil erodibility (K) values varied from 033 to 067 under natural rainfall conditions and from 023 to 040 under simulated rainfall conditions. Among different land uses, measured K was in the order of barren > cultivated > grassland > forest soils. The values of the K estimated by nomograph were very low as compared to the observed values. The trends were also in contrast to these observed values of K under simulated and natural rainfall conditions. To...
This study looks at the land use impact of the biofuels expansion on both the intensive and extensive margin, and its environmental consequences. We link economic, geographical and environmental models by using spatially explicit common units of analysis and use remote sensing crop cover maps and digitized soils data as inputs. Land use changes are predicted via economic analysis of crop rotation choice and tillage under alternative crop prices, and the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model is used to predict corresponding environmental impacts. The study focuses on Iowa, which is the leading biofuels hotspot in the U.S. due to intensive corn production and the high concentration of ethanol plants that comprise 28% of total U.S. production. We consider the impact of the biof...
To study the causes of agricultural declines in south-west Sweden, a multi-proxy study including pollen analysis, bog surface wetness indicators and aeolian sediment influx reconstructions was carried out on the Store Mosse Bog, situated on the coastal plain of Halland. Patterns of agricultural changes during the past 6,000?years from this study were compared to one additional site on the coastal plain (Undarsmosse Bog) and to four sites in the forested upland region. First, we compared land use activity on the coastal plain and in upland regions of south-west Sweden. Three periods with reduced agricultural activities were observed, primarily in records from the coastal plain. Next, the causes for these declines were studied by comparing land use indicators in the pollen records from the S...
This BCRS project demonstrates the use of SAR interferometry for measuring and monitoring land subsidence caused by underground coal fires and underground mining in a remote area of north west China. China is the largest producer and consumer of coal in the world. Throughout the N.W., N. and N.E. of China, the coal-seams are very susceptible to spontaneous combustion, causing underground coal fires. As the thick coal seams are burned out, the overburden collapses, causing land subsidence, and producing new cracks and fissures, which allow more air to penetrate and continue the fire to spread. SAR interferometry, especially differential interferometry has been shown to be able to measure small differences in surface height caused by such land subsidence. This report describes the problems, the test area, the procedures and techniques used and the results obtained. It concludes with a description of some of the problems ...
A three dimensional sea-land breeze model and lagrangian particle dispersion model have been employed for the study on the mesoscale atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials released from Wolsung NPPs. In this study, atmospheric dispersion simulations are carried out under two synoptic weather conditions: the geostrophic flow is a weak northerly wind (CASE 1) and a strong northerly wind (CASE 2) on a clear day in spring. The results show that atmospheric dispersion is affected by sea-land breeze and the recirculation of particles by the change of wind direction between sea breeze and land breeze plays an important role in atmospheric concentration distribution of radioactive materials.
The authors have led development of a Standard Guide for Residential Green Buildings through the consensus process of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The voluntary guidance document has been processed through two public peer reviews in ASTM`s E-50.06 sub-committee on the environment. The guide`s purpose is to present general criteria for home builders, residential designers and developers on how to systematically approach the creation of a green home--from the design phase on through to eventual de-commissioning of residential structures. This paper briefly reviews the standards process, includes an overview of the Standard Guides` principal criteria, and provides a robust resource listing for further investigation by readers. During development of the Standard Guide, authors emphasized thorough review of the available literature on ...
The twin-cities of El Paso and Juarez share the water resources of the Hueco Bolson aquifer and overlying Rio Grande aquifer. Both aquifers span the international border between Mexico and the United States. Salinity in the Rio Grande aquifer varies widely, some parts of the shallow aquifer containing less than 1,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS), other parts of the aquifer exceeding 5,000 mg/L TDS. One sizable part of the "Lower Valley" area, approximately 45 km below El Paso contains very dilute water near the outer edge of the floodplain. Historically it had been thought that the dilute waters in this location were derived from recharge from arroyos that drained proximal parts of the Hueco Bolson. Instead, our hydrogen and oxygen isotope data and carbon-14 data indicate that these dilute waters were derived from pre-dam infiltration of the Rio Grande. Relatively light and slightly evaporated pre-dam waters (-11.5 del O18) at the arroyos are also relatively young (60 to 90 ...
The use and application of remote sensing data for monitoring the environmental impacts of open cast lignite mining in Eastern Germany is described. This investigation is based on the digital analysis of several Landsat-TM and ERS-1 data sets acquired from 1989 to 1994. The characteristics of the imagery enable quantitative analysis of different open cast mine features, such as waste, water bodies, change of land use, reclamation processes and estimation of vegetation cover in the affected areas. On the basis of the Maximum Likelihood Classification of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data the open cast mining areas were separated into bare open cast areas and areas of less and dense vegetation. The bare open cast areas were classified with respect to type of different sediments and the vegetation was seperated into different classes according to the age of the vegetation and the density cover. Apart from these, water bodies within the mining areas ...
Interest in renewable and clean energies such as hydrogen has increased because of the high level of polluting emissions, increasing costs associated with petroleum and the escalating problems of global climate change. In the presence of a light source, a microbial photosynthetic process provides a system for the conversion of some organic compounds into biomass and hydrogen. Using Rhodopseudomonas palustris as a cell-factory, hydrogen photo-evolution was investigated in a photobioreactor (PBR) irradiated either from one or two opposite sides. Irradiating the photobioreactor from only one side, in the presence of malic acid, a reactor hydrogen production of 2.786 l(H{sub 2}) PBR{sup -1} was achieved. When the PBR was irradiated from two opposite sides, hydrogen photo-evolution increased to 3.162 l(H{sub 2}) PBR{sup -1}. Experiments were carried out using inoculum from either the retardation or the exponential growth phases. Using the latter, the highest hydrogen ...
The industrial application of anaerobic digestion is a relatively new, yet proven waste treatment technology. Anaerobic digestion reduces and upgrades organic waste, and is a good way to control air pollution as it reduces methane and nitrous gas emissions. For environmental and energy considerations, anaerobic digestion is a nearly perfect waste treatment process. However, its economic viability is still in question. A number of parameters - type of waste (solid or liquid), digester system, facility size, product quality and end use, environmental requirements, cost of alternative treatments (including labor), and interest rates - define the investment and operating costs of an anaerobic digestion facility. Therefore, identical facilities that treat the same amount and type of waste may, depending on location, legislation, and end product characteristics, reveal radically different costs. A good approach for evaluating the economics of anaerobic digestion is to ...
Throughout much of the 1980s, deforestation in Brazil eliminated more than 15,000 square kilometers (9000 square miles) per year. That pace has only increased through the 90s and into the 21st century. Brazil is also home to more than a quarter of Earths tropical forests. Considering that the band of lush green that circles the globe through many equatorial nations is fundamental to the overall health of the whole planets environment, careful monitoring of forest health in the tropics is essential. Tropical forests act as major carbon sinks, places where ambient carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can be absorbed by growing things and sequestered for years. Definitive evidence shows that excess carbon dioxide can contribute to the greenhouse effect and speed global warming. Similarly, tropical forests also act as a primary producer of oxygen. In the respiration process that absorbs gaseous carbon dioxide, trees and other plants give off oxygen. It is for these and a ...
Actinide recycling by partitioning and transmutation is considered as one of the most promising strategies to reduce the inventory of radioactive waste, thus contributing to make nuclear energy sustainable. To make advances beyond the current state of the art in pyrochemical separations processes, the Domain 2 (DM2) of ACSEPT has been built on considering a process approach based on system studied. Four work packages that represent the main steps of a process block diagram have been identified: head-end steps, core processdevelopment, and salt treatment for recycling and waste conditioning. The results obtained in this domain will be integrated in DM 3 (Process) in order to orientate the R and D studies of DM2 and to propose and validate flowsheets at the end of the project. The state of the art on pyrochemical separation within the European Community and the ...
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)
This paper describes a state-of-the-art online monitoring system using multivariate statistical technologies for continuous steel casting process, which was commissioned at Dofasco's No. 2 caster to provide consistent indication of process health for caster's start-up, continuous production and transitional operations. The paper particularly focuses on development of a novel scheme to synchronize process trajectories for monitoring specific transitional operations such as equipment or steel product grade changes. The proposed scheme is demonstrated by several industrial examples with the results showing good detectability of various process abnormalities. With the aid of this fully integrated, innovative monitoring system, Dofasco has generated significant value through improved productivi...
We consider the exact path sampling of the squared Bessel process and some other continuous-time Markov processes, such as the CIR model, constant elasticity of variance diffusion model, and hypergeometric diffusions, which can all be obtained from a squared Bessel process by using a change of variable, time and scale transformation, and/or change of measure. All these diffusions are broadly used in mathematical finance for modelling asset prices, market indices, and interest rates. We show how the probability distributions of a squared Bessel bridge and a squared Bessel process with or without absorption at zero are reduced to randomized gamma distributions. Moreover, for absorbing stochastic processes, we develop a new bridge sampling technique based on conditioning on the first hitting time at zero. Such an approach allows us to simplify simulation schemes. ...
Part 1 of the Electric Utility Engineer`s Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) Manual emphasizes the chemical and physical processes that form the basis for design and operation of lime- and limestone-based FGD systems applied to coal- or oil-fired steam electric generating stations. The objectives of Part 1 are: to provide a description of the chemical and physical design basis for lime- and limestone-based wet FGD systems; to identify and discuss the various process design parameters and process options that must be considered in developing a specification for a new FGD system; and to provide utility engineers with process knowledge useful for operating and optimizing a lime- or limestone-based wet FGD system.
A process for separation of actinides and technetium from reprocessing high level liquid waste has been developed, the CTH-process. The main parts are three consecutive solvent extraction cycles followed by an optional step for sorption on inorganic ion exchangers. The first extraction cycle removes and recovers uranium, neptunium, and plutonium by extraction with HDEHP. The second extraction cycle separates technetium and nitric acid from the waste using TBP. In the third extraction cycle Am and Cm are separated from the waste using HDEHP. The actinide free waste is then passed through inorganic ion exchangers to remove most of remaining radionuclides. The process has been tested on an authenic HLLW solution. A decontamination factor > 10/sup 5/ for alpha emitters was measured for the solvent extraction process and the sorption on inorganic ion exchangers gave a decontamination ...
A computerised gamma scanning facilities for on-line investigation of industrial process columns and vessels has been developed by the Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia). The technology, based on the principle of gamma-ray absorption, has been successfully applied for real-time troubleshooting, process investigation and predictive maintenance of a number of distillation columns and process vessels in petroleum refineries, gas processing plants and chemical plants in the country and the surrounding region. This paper outlines basic characteristics of the system and describes the inspection procedures, and in addition, presents a number of case studies. The case studies are purposely chosen to illustrate the versatility of the technology, and furthermore to demonstrate the economic benefits which can be realised from the application of this technology. (Author)
Coordinated Research Project (CRP) was initiated in 2002 by IAEA to enable Member States in developing methodologies for reducing radio-toxic discharge to the environment from nuclear fuel cycle activities and in paving the way for sustainability of nuclear energy. In the past three Research Coordination Meetings (RCM), the following areas of research were examined upon: (1)Basic studies to compare dry partitioning process with aqueous partitioning process; (2)Defining proliferation resistance attributes of partitioning processes; (3) Advanced characterization methods for actinides for measuring the possible material holdup;( 4)Minimization of actinides losses in the waste fraction from the partitioning process;(5)Establishment of separation criteria of partitioning process to minimize environmental impact; and (6)Defining environmental impact associated with ...
Plasma nitriding as a diffusion process is the oldest plasma-assisted process for the surface treatment of metals. Although the use of this process in industry is already well developed and established there are still several scientific questions in the basic understanding of the process and consequently some problems and limits concerning its upscaling for industrial use. Therefore it is necessary to get reproducible results for different geometries of workpieces and for different workload sizes. Correlations between different plasma and treatment parameters, especially in big plants, have to be considered. To understand the process handling using some simple but impressive models the difficulties of treating single parts or mixed workloads are explained. For profitable applications of plasma nitriding plants, some guidelines for the use and selection of a ...
This paper presents a decision approach, and associated computer software tools, for prioritizing and selecting among technology development activities. The approach elicits and then summarizes technology development preferences from stakeholders, and then integrates preferences into a set of funding recommendations. By formalizing the technology review process, the decision approach builds consensus and clarifies the basis for final budget decisions. The software development was conducted jointly by Pacific Northwest Laboratory and Decisions Science Associates, Incorporated. The Underground Storage Tank Integrated Demonstration funded the task; however, the approach should also be valuable to the US Department of Energy Office of Technology Development, the Office of Waste Management, and the Office of Environmental Restoration.
A thermal neutron imaging facility for real-time neutron radiography and computed tomography has been developed at the University of Texas reactor. The facility produced good-quality radiographs and two-dimensional tomograms. Further developments have been recently accomplished. A computer software has been developed to automate and expedite the data acquisition and reconstruction processes. Volume tomographic visualization using Interactive Data Language (IDL) software has been demonstrated and will be further developed. Volume tomography provides the additional flexibility of producing slices of the object using software and thus avoids redoing the measurements.
Abstract Evaluation of pharmaceutical agents in children is now conducted earlier in the drug developmentprocess. An important consideration for this pediatric use is how to assess and support its safety. This article is a collaborative effort of industry toxicologists to review strategies, challenges, and current practice regarding preclinical safety evaluations supporting pediatric drug development with biopharmaceuticals. Biopharmaceuticals include a diverse group of molecular, cell-based or gene therapeutics derived from biological sources or complex biotechnological processes. The principles of preclinical support of pediatric drug development for biopharmaceuticals are similar to those for small molecule pharmaceuticals and in general follow the same regulatory guidances outlined by...
Animal facilities generate a large amount of used bedding containing excrement as medical waste. We developed a recycling system for used bedding that involves soft hydrothermal processing. In this...Full Text Available
While it has been established that microRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles throughout development and are dysregulated in many human pathologies, the specific processes and pathways regulated by individual...Full Text Available
The development of an HIV vaccine will require a more precise understanding of the immunological and virological underpinnings of HIV infection. Magnetofection, the process of magnetizing HIV...Full Text Available
Normal brain development requires a series of highly complex and interrelated steps. This process presents many opportunities for errors to occur, which could result in developmental defects...Full Text Available
This paper describes the deliverables framework developed by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in its IAIMS planning process. The key deliverables include: visions for the future; mission,...Full Text Available
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has emerged in recent years as an important process in the development of organ fibrosis in many human diseases. Our previous experience in a nonhuman primate...Full Text Available
Normal cells, both in vivo and in vitro, become quiescent after serial cell proliferation. During this process, cells can develop immortality with genomic instability,...Full Text Available
The majority of diseases in the retina are caused by genetic mutations affecting the development and function of photoreceptor cells. The transcriptional networks directing these processes are regulated...Full Text Available
Objectives1) To develop and test a simple yet effective management tool which the Chemical Process Industry can~%~ incorporate into its Environmental Management Systems linking Life Cycle Assessment with Sustainable~%~ Development and through Risk Assessment produce a Methodology which will allow companies to~%~ prioritize their moves towards a more sustainable business practice.~%~~%~ 2) Through this network on sustainable processing practice establish an inter-disciplinary li [continued...]Description~%~'Sustainable Development is a network of Sustainable Processing Routes, or ways of doing things' (Boron, Murray,2000)~%~~%~We should like to explore this concept, through the network of academic colleagues listed, supported by key companies who have already established EMAS /ISO accreditation portfolios (letters attached), ...
Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain the molecule processes of sarcomere assembly, partially due to the lack of systematic genetic studies of sarcomeric genes in an in vivo...Full Text Available
The overall objective of this project was to use molecular genetics to develop strains of bacteria with enhanced ability to remove sulfur from coal, and to obtain data that will allow the performance and economics of a coal biodesulfurization process to be predicted. (VC)
The formation of mammalian secondary palate requires a series of developmental events such as growth, elevation and fusion. Despite recent advances in the field of palate development, the process...Full Text Available
The aim of this project was to develop an understanding of the dynamical processes that evolve within an electric utility firm, and without it. This volume covers organizational dynamics and control, and planning under uncertainty. (DLC)
Hypothalamic systems which regulate appetite may be permanently modified during early development. We have previously reported hyperphagia and increased adiposity in the adult offspring of rodents fed...Full Text Available
Insect growth regulators (IGRs) of the juvenile hormone type alter physiological processes essential to insect development and appear to act specifically on insects. Three natural juvenile hormones...Full Text Available
The activities of Shell Hydrogen in the development of a hydrogen economy are outlined. Attention is paid to the use of hydrogen in electric cars and in homes, different types of fuel cells, and the catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) process of Shell to produce hydrogen
The activities of Shell Hydrogen in the development of a hydrogen economy are outlined. Attention is paid to the use of hydrogen in electric cars and in homes, different types of fuel cells, and the catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) process of Shell to produce hydrogen.
This article throws light on an only recently understood but important development of star evolution - that of the occurrence of planetary nebulae. The process is controlled by thermonuclear physics and gravitation and now and again greatly influenced by mass loss.
This is an internal DOE Geothermal Program document. This document contains summaries of projects related to exploration technology, reservoir technology, drilling technology, conversion technology, materials, biochemical processes, and direct heat applications. [DJE-2005
A dissipative particle swarm optimization is developed according to the self-organization of dissipative structure. The negative entropy is introduced to construct an opening dissipative system that is far-from-equilibrium so as to driving the irreversible evolution process with better fitness. The testing of two multimodal functions indicates it improves the performance effectively
In order to decrease tritium exposure to workers, the ratio of which is up to 40% of total exposure, tritium removal facility is getting to be one of the considerable parameters in Korea, due to the next CANDUs to be operated at Wolsung NPP. For investiga...
While tritium exposure to the site-workers in Wolsung NPP is up to about 40% of the total personnel exposure, Ministry of Science and Technology has asked tritium removal facility for requirement of post heavy-water reactor construction. For the purpose o...
At Wolsung NPP, three more CANDU reactors will be operated soon, and the tritium accumulation in the moderator and coolant systems was estimated to be greatly increased. In order to reduce tritium exposure for nuclear safety at Wolsung, a study was carrie...
A new process for the hydrogenation of coal in the presence of wide-cut coal tar was proposed; it involves cavitation treatment, mixing with catalytic additives, and heating the resulting mixture at an elevated pressure in an atmosphere of hydrogen. The yields of hydrocarbon fractions to 300?C and gas condensate were evaluated.
For over 20 years advocates of computer assisted instruction (CAI) have been proclaiming impending revolutionary developments in the educational process, yet progress in acceptance has been slow. This...Full Text Available
Combustible cartridge cases are at present produced either by the beater additive or by the post impregnation process. The literature covering these techniques, which basically follow the concept of fibre moulding and/or papermaking, is reviewed. The vari...
This report consists of an executive summary; eight sections dealing with various processes for coal liquefaction and research and development engineering services; and a glossary. An abstract was prepared for each of the eight sections. (EJH)
Regulation of glucose isomerase synthesis was studied in Thermoanaerobacter strain B6A, which fermented a wide variety of carbohydrates including glucose, xylose, lactose, starch, and...Full Text Available
The objective of this work is to develop regenerable sorbents that have high selectivity, efficient regenerability, and high adsorption capacity for CO2 over wide temperature ranges. These properties are critical for the success of the PSA/PSS and TSA/TSS processes.
The report describes a computer model developed by TVA to simulate the performance and determine the economics of coal cleaning, or coal cleaning combined with flue gas desulfurization (FGD), for power plant emission control processes over a wide range of user-specified condition...
The repair process of damaged tissue involves the coordinated activities of several cell types in response to local and systemic signals. Following acute tissue injury, infiltrating inflammatory cells...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe first week of human pre-embryo development is characterized by the induction of totipotency and then pluripotency. The understanding of this delicate process will have...Full Text Available
During sexual development, Neurospora crassa inactivates genes in duplicated DNA segments by a hypermutation process, repeat-induced point mutation (RIP). RIP introduces C:G to T:A...Full Text Available
This document reports on the work done by the Separations Science and Technology Programs of the Chemical Technology Division, Argonne National Laboratory, in the period April-September 1993. This effort is mainly concerned with developing the TRUEX process for removing and concentrating actinides from acidic waste streams contaminated with transuranic (TRU) elements. The objectives of TRUEX processing are to recover valuable TRU elements and to lower disposal costs for the nonTRU waste product of the process. Other projects are underway with the objective of developing (1) evaporation technology for concentrating radioactive waste and product streams such as those generated by the TRUEX process, (2) treatment schemes for liquid wastes stored or being generated at Argonne, (3) a process based on sorbing modified TRUEX solvent on magnetic ...
Many metal extraction operations, such as leaching of copper, leaching of precious metals, and reduction of metal oxides to metal in high-temperature furnaces, require agglomeration of ore to ensure that reactive liquids or gases are evenly distributed throughout the ore being processed. Agglomeration of ore into coarse, porous masses achieves this even distribution of fluids by preventing fine particles from migrating and clogging the spaces and channels between the larger ore particles. Binders are critically necessary to produce agglomerates that will not break down during processing. However, for many important metal extraction processes there are no binders known that will work satisfactorily at a reasonable cost. A primary example of this is copper heap leaching, where there are no binders currently encountered in this acidic environment process. As a result, operators of many facilities see a ...
Universal Oil Products, Inc. (UOP) of Des Plaines, Illinois has contracted A.E. Roberts & Associates, Inc. (AERA) of Atlanta, Georgia to prepare a sensitivity analysis for the development of the Fluidized-bed Copper Oxide (FBCO) process. As proposed by AERA in September 1991, development of the FBCO process design for a 500 mega-watt (MW) unit was divided into three tasks: (1) Establishment of a Conceptual Design, (2) Conceptual Design, (3) Cost Analysis Task 1 determined the basis for a conceptual design for the 500 megawatt (MW) FBCO process. It was completed by AERA in September of 1992, and a report was submitted at that time {open_quotes}Establishment of the Design Basis for Application to a 500 MW Coal-fired Facility.{close_quotes} Task 2 gathered all pertinent data available to date and reviewed its applicability to the 500 MW FBCO process. Work on ...
The demand for high-quality fibres and shives from hemp and flax as an alternative raw material for the automotive and building industry is increasing. Fibres are used primarily for composite reinforcement instead of synthetic fibres. Shives are used for animal bedding, but processing trials in wood industry for the production of low weight particle boards from shives are also very promising. Fibre producers require experience in cultivation and harvesting as well as modern processing technologies in order to supply flax fibres or shives at competitive prices under the changing conditions of international raw material markets. A complete processing line has been developed, installed and tested at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering (ATB) to study all the processing stages of fibre production. The new ATB line can produce high quality fibres and shives from retted and ...
Recent fuel cost increases coupled with energy shortages have resulted in an awareness of the need to conserve energy and to expand the United States domestic energy base. Increase in coal conversion and utilization are major objectives of the research and development activities in the US Department of Energy. Several alternate processing schemes are being developed to convert coal to environmentally acceptable liquid fuels. A few of these technologies are approaching the commercialization stage and scale-up is being carried forward on the most promising processes. The various coal liquefaction processes are discussed by dividing them into four general classifications. Processes for converting various types of coal to synthetic liquid fuels are being improved so that clean fuels can be produced commercially. Emphasis is on the production of fuels suitable for ...
INSAG has emphasized that safety culture has two general components: the organizational framework and the attitude of the staff. To develop a structured approach to the assessment of safety culture, we propose that the highly formalized nature of nuclear power plant organizations be exploited. The prime coordinating mechanism of NPP organizations is the standardization of work processes, where a work process is defined as a standardized sequence of tasks designed to achieve a specific goal (an example is the maintenance work process). The predictable nature of work processes is exploited by the Work Process Analysis Model (WPAM) to conduct a systematic analysis that identifies the desirable characteristics of work processes and develops performance measures for their strengths and weaknesses. These can provide a set of ...
Studies have shown that Canada's national parks are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. A wide range of biophysical climate change impacts could affect the integrity of conservation lands in each region of Canada. This report examines the potential impact of climate change on landscape alterations and vegetation distribution in Canada's wide network of conservation lands. It also presents several ways to integrate climate change into existing conservation policy and adaptation strategies. Canada's conservation lands include provincial parks, migratory bird sanctuaries, national wildlife areas and wildlife protected areas. This is the first study to examine biome changes by applying an equilibrium Global Vegetation Model (GVM) to Canada's network of national park systems. Some of the policy and planning challenges posed by changes in landscape level vegetation were also addressed. ...
Summary of personnel, commitments, and costs ... Origin of complex land-based ecosystems (W. Friedman) ...... technology has brought about the birth of lab- ..... Baross, J.A. and S.E. Hoffman, Submarine hydrothermal vents and ...
ObjectivesThe overall aim of the proposed research is explicit in the project title, i.e. the creation of a map of current vertical land movements in the UK based on an optimal combination of absolute gravity (AG) and continuous GPS (CGPS). This is consistent with specific objective (ii) of WP1.9 of the Oceans 2025 programme and is related to priority topic area 4 (application of satellite geodesy to sea level science) of the NERC Strategic Ocean Funding Initiative (SOFI). From long term geological an [continued...]DescriptionThe proposed research aims to create a map of current vertical land movements in the UK based on an optimal combination of estimates from two geodetic surveying and monitoring techniques; the measurement of absolute gravity (AG) and the use of high precision, continuous GPS (CGPS) observations. From long term geological and geophysical studies, vertical land movements in the UK are thought to be of the ...
Plastid genome content and arrangement are highly conserved across most land plants and their closest relatives, streptophyte algae, with nearly all plastid introns having invaded the genome in their...Full Text Available
Oct 11, 1993 ... Lease: Meadowgreen,3-2.5-2, 2 storyon cuI- ..... also will have the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle elevated over the center of the ...
Aluminium (Al) toxicity, affecting around half of the world¿s arable land, severely hinders the ability of crop plants to utilize moisture and nutrients by restricting root growth and function. Among the cultivated cereals, rye is the most Al-tolerant and represents an important potential source of ...
Increased clouds and precipitation normally decrease the diurnal temperature range (DTR) and thus have commonly been offered as explanation for the trend of reduced DTR observed for many land areas...Full Text Available
Foreward: Preface; Introduction; The natural science of global climate change; Land and water use; Coastal zones and oceans; Energy and industry; Energy and social systems; Technological change; and Sponsoring organizations, International Advisory Board, and project participants.
Protected areas (PAs) dominate conservation efforts. They will probably play a role in future climate policies too, as global payments may reward local reductions of loss of natural land cover. We estimate...Full Text Available
Cynodon dactylon (Family: Poaceae) is known to be a tackler in Indian mythology and is offered to Lord Ganesha. It is found everywhere, even on waste land, road side, dry places, and...Full Text Available
BackgroundPlastid genome content and protein sequence are highly conserved across land plants and their closest algal relatives. Parasitic plants, which obtain some or all of their...Full Text Available
BackgroundProspective measures of high knee abduction moment during landing identify female athletes at high risk for non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury....Full Text Available
This project addresses the problem of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) sludge disposal to land. Specifically, the chemical species of FGD sludge constituents are thermodynamically modeled using the equilibrium constant approach, in an attempt to predict the constituent concentratio...
Fuel treatments are being widely implemented on public and private lands across the western U.S. While scientists and managers have an understanding of how ... ...
by American scientists, ecosystems containing a greater number of plant species, produce more biomass.This result ...to meet the increasing demand for land for farmland planted with monocultures, buildings and roads.For ...have hypothesized that greater ecological diversity (diversity of plant and animal species) leads to a greater
There is a model on the Oak Ridge Reservation which provides requirements for determining capacities and capabilities related to low-level, hazardous, and mixed wastes. In FY 1987, the model will be sufficiently advanced to provide various waste management scenarios. These scenarios will be compared technically, operationally, and financially by use of waste characterization data and process simulators that are currently under development. The results of the process simulations will be used to help identify waste treatment, storage, and disposal technologies that need to be demonstrated prior to full-scale development for DOE use. The information derived from this effort will be made available to all DOE facilities.
Development of evaluation technology of electrochemical reactions is very essential to understand chemical behavior of actinides and lanthanides in molten salt media in relation to the development of Pyrochemical process. The on-line electrochemical/spectroscopic measurement system is to produce electrochemical parameters and thermodynamic parameters of actinides and lanthanides in molten salts by using spectroscopic techniques such as UV-VIS absorption as well as electrochemical in-situ measurement techniques. The on-line electrochemical/spectroscopic measurement system can be applied to understand the chemical reactions and oxidation states of actinides and lanthanides in molten salts eventually for the Pyrochemical process
This paper presents the results of a study commissioned by the British Columbia Science Council to identify opportunities for liquefaction of B.C. coals and to recommend effective approaches to the development of a research program on coal conversion. Contains reviews of British Columbia coal resources to identify prospective candidates for conversion to liquid fuels; of the state of the art in the various processes for the conversion of coal to liquid fuels with particular emphasis on those processes most relevant to British Columbia applications; and of research opportunities in British Columbia for the development of coal liquefaction technology. (16 refs.)
This report--the forty-fifth of a series--is a compendium of monthly progress reports for the ORNL research and development programs that are in support of the increased utilization of coal and other fossil fuel alternatives to oil and gas as sources of clean energy. The projects reported this month include those for coal conversion processdevelopment, materials engineering, alkali metal vapor topping cycles, a coal equipment test program, an AFB coal combustor for cogeneration (CCC), engineering and support studies, process and program assistance, evironmental assessment studies, magnetic beneficiation, and AFBC demonstration plant.
The Purex process and the fluorescence spectrometry are first recalled, then uranyl fluorescence is studied in a pure nitric medium without other elements to establish a theoretical model, allowing the description of uranium fluorescence signal with a general equation. The influence of different parameters (temperature, inhibitors, dynamic quenching of iron and cerium) is investigated to develop the model. A quantitative analysis method without addition of reagents is proposed to validate the model.
This paper will track the design and results of an injection molding tool developed to manufacture microfluidic chips. The mold design and injection molding process was complicated by the presence of integrated capillary fluidic interconnects. We determined that design of the runner and gate system responsible for delivering molten plastic to the cavity had a significant impact on the quality of parts produced by the mold and the size of the process window. Numerical results confirm our findings that reducing gate lengths and increasing part thickness dramatically improved the filling profile and lowered injection pressures by 37%. Finally, the influence of gate location on part shrinkage is analyzed and discussed.
In 1980 Sasol completed its very large coal conversion complex, Sasol Two and Three in South Africa. This complex, the largest coal-to-liquids facility in the world, utilizes Sasol's proprietary Fischer-Tropsch technology, the Synthol Process. The two key elements of the Synthol Process are its catalyst and its unique fluidized bed reactor, the Synthol Circulating Fluidized Bed Reactor. Details on the catalytic aspects and reaction mechanism have been given elsewhere. In this paper, the history of the development of the reactor is discussed.
This executive summary presents the motivation, structure, objectives, methodologies and results of the first stage of the international DECOVALEX project - DECOVALEX I (1992-1995). The acronym stands for Development of Coupled Models and their Validation against Experiment in Nuclear Waste Isolation, and the project is an international effort to develop mathematical models, numerical methods and computer codes for coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical processes in fractured rocks and buffer materials for geological isolation of spent nuclear fuel and other radioactive wastes, and validate them against laboratory and field experiments. 24 refs.
Results of research programs in coal liquefaction are presented. Areas of research include: desulfurization by bioprocessing; characterization of coal liquefaction processes by XAFS spectroscopy; coprocessing of coal with heavy oil and petroleum residuals; liquefaction research in pyrolysis, catalysis and coal dissolution; novel catalysts; data base development; resource evaluation; depolymerization; solvent extraction and chromatography; correlations of liquefaction yields and coal structure. Individual projects are processed separately for the data bases. (CBS)
Compact heat exchangers are being increasingly considered for condensation applications in the process, cryogenic, aerospace, power and refrigeration industries. In this paper, different configurations available for condensation applications are analyzed and the current state-of-the-knowledge for the design of compact condensers is evaluated. The key technical issues for the design and development of compact heat exchangers for condensation applications are analyzed and major advantages are identified. The experimental data and performance prediction methods reported in the literature are analyzed to evaluate the present design capabilities for different compact heat-exchanger configurations. The design flexibility is evaluated for the development of new condensation applications, including integration with other process equipment.
Constantly increasing resource efficiency together with the broad introduction of CCS technologies is fundamental for a continuous use of fossil fuels in power generation against the background of up-coming requirements for CO2 emission reduction. In principle, CCS means up-grading conventional power plant technology with proven CO2 removal processes. However, this leads to additional losses, auxiliary power demand and cost. System integration, development or at least adaption of components and processes are the main requirements in this context. Different technology solutions and recent developments will be addressed as well as challenges when implementing in demonstration projects.
Sufficient discussion of the elements of the leasing and permitting programs is included to place the information developed in proper context. A table and process flow diagram developed previously which outline the steps in the non-competitive leasing process, is reprinted. Computer printout profiles are presented on 195 identifiable areas in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Sufficient information on the boundaries of these areas is contained in the report to permit identification of their general location on any map of the appropriate state which shows township and range locations.
The anaerobic biogasification of organic wastes generates two useful products: a medium-Btu fuel gas and a compost-quality organic residue. Although commercial-scale digestion systems are used to treat municipal sewage wastes, the disposal of solid organic wastes, including municipal solid wastes (MSW), requires a more cost-efficient process. Modern biogasification systems employ high-rate, high-solids fermentation methods to improve process efficiency and reduce capital costs. The design criteria and development stages are discussed. These systems are also compared with conventional low-solids fermentation technology.
The U.S. Support Program to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards (USSP) was established in 1977 to transfer US technology and expertise to assist the IAEA Department of Safeguards because its limited budget and scope would not allow for R&D activities and the procurement of specialized or customized equipment. Over the years, the USSP and the Department of Safeguards have worked together continuously to develop and improve processes for requesting, selecting, and managing projects that support the Safeguards verification mission. This paper will discuss the main USSP processes for accepting and processing Safeguards requests, and managing and reporting task progress.
This letter describes a new simple fabrication process, developed recently for blue response'' improvement in low-cost polycrystalline silicon solar cells. A selective emitter is created by heavily doping the emitter, followed by a wet etching-back of the cell area between the fingers. An improvement up to 17 mV in {ital V}{sub oc}, 1.5 mA/cm{sup 2} in {ital J}{sub sc}, and 1% (absolute value) in {eta} is obtained. Effective phosphorus gettering, self-alignment, and application in a low-cost full screenprinting technology are the main advantages of the proposed process.
The technology developed here will exploit the ability of microorganisms to remove dissolved metals from aqueous solutions. Microbial sorbents for uranium will be immobilized biosorbents will be deployed ex situ within flow-through reactors for the continuous or semicontinuous treatment of recovered wastewaters. The proposed technology will primarily be applied within a pump-and-treat process using immobilized biosorbents for the large-scale, long-term remediation of uranium-laden surface water or groundwater impoundments (environmental restoration). The technology may be equally useful as an ``end-of-pipe`` treatment of process effluents (waste management). Successful operation of this process will achieve immobilization of the targeted waste and accompanying volume reduction.
A method for analyzing the experimental results of coal liquefaction reactions which is applicable to a number of aspects of coal liquefaction research and process control, including rapid selectivity and performance screening for catalysts; correlation of laboratory results with process parameters; and optimization of product yield with plant process conditions is described here. Ternary diagrams of product/by-product distributions for the coal liquefaction using Co/Mo catalysts combined with a hyperbolic relationship for the conversion of various hydrocarbon fractions can be used for catalyst screening. A hydrogen consumption diagram used to provide a more significant selectivity test than the hyperbolic correlation is also included. (BLM)
The proceedings document the presentations made during the symposium, which dealt with the status of flue gas desulfurization technology in the United States and abroad. Subjects considered included: regenerable, non-regenerable, and advanced processes; process costs; and by-product disposal, utilization, and marketing. The purpose of the symposium was to provide developers, vendors, users and those concerned with regulatory guidelines with a current review of progress made in applying processes for the reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions at the full- and semi-commercial scale. The 20 papers were abstracted and indexed separately.
A report is given on an improved filler-binder mixing method in the manufacture of artificial graphite, the so-called coat-mix process. The individual graphite-filler grains are coated completely with uniform binder coatings (phenol formaldehyde resin) in a continuous process. Methanol is used as solvent for the resin. In a modified further development of the process, the use of organic solvents can be disregarded by dissolving the binder resin in caustic soda and injecting the slurry into water diluted acid. The manufacture of casting molds from coat-mix powders, their properties and industrial application are given. Finally, the advantages of using carbon bodies of coal-mix material for conversion to silicon carbide are indicated. (IHOE).
Processes of production and purification (necessary for fabricating fuel elements) of powdery uranium dioxide with particle size up to 1000 #mu#m and more have been studied. Developed is continuous process of UO_2 production with above particle size by converting uranium hexafloride into UO_2 solid particles in fluidized bed while their interaction with water vapor and hydrogen on the uranium dioxide nucleus material. The method allows to conduct continuous selection from the apparatus of UO_2 powder fraction with particle size near 1000 #mu#m without nucleus material additional feed.
Titanium metal-matrix composites (MMC) are prime candidate materials for aerospace applications be-cause of their excellent high-temperature longitudinal strength and stiffness and low density compared with nickel- and steel-base materials. This article examines the steps GE Aircraft Engines (GEAE) has taken to develop an induction plasma deposition (IPD) processing method for the fabrication of Ti6242/SiC MMC material. Information regarding process methodology, microstructures, and mechani-cal properties of consolidated MMC structures will be presented. The work presented was funded under the GE-Aircraft Engine IR & D program.
A model-based technique incorporating neural networks has been developed for process monitoring. The technique is intended for processes where the uncertainty in the reference model is larger than desired but where process measurements providing additional information about the behavior of the system are available. This data is used to reduce the uncertainty of the model. The technique has been implemented in a real-time system for monitoring operational changes of mechanical equipment for use in predictive maintenance applications. Tests on a peristaltic pump were conducted and demonstrate the advantages of the proposed technique.
Scientists of the Institute of Wood Chemistry of the Latvian Academy of Sciences have developed two highly efficient processes for producing furfural, a feedstock for varnishes, synthetic resins and plastics. It is made of production wastes, including branches and small-dimension timber. By one process, the raw material is chipped, treated first with diluted sulphuric acid and then with steam heated to 250 degrees C. The other uses concentrated sulphuric acid as a catalyst. Besides furfural, this process also yields sugar solutions used in alcohol and nutrient yeast production.
Laser-assisted processing techniques for producing high-quality solar cell metallization patterns are investigated, developed, and characterized. The tasks comprising these investigations are outlined. A new batch of solar cells was processed using the laser decomposition of spun-on silver neodecanoate to metallize cells. Decomposition of silver neodecanoate was carried out at different laser powers on different cells on a given wafer to determine whether this would have any effect on cell performance. Solar cells which were written with laser powers of 5 to 8 watts, gave excellent results with cell efficiencies in the range of 14 to 16%.
In this contract, Laser-assisted processing techniques for producing high-quality solar cell metallization patterns are being investigated, developed, and characterized. The tasks comprising these investigations are outlined. Four new batches of solar cells were processed, in addition to several test runs on wafers, using the laser decomposition of spun-on silver neodecanoate to metallize cells. Decomposition of silver neodecanoate was carried out at different laser powers on different cells on a given wafer to determine whether this would have any effect on cell performance. A one watt laser power gave an electroplated linewidth of 50 microns , while at 8 watts the line width was 90 microns.
The production of many important commercial materials involves the evolution of a complex fluid through a cooling phase into a hardened product. Textile fibers, high-strength fibers(KEVLAR, VECTRAN), plastics, chopped-fiber compounds, and fiber optical cable are such materials. Industry desires to replace experiments with on-line, real time models of these processes. Solutions to the problems are not just a matter of technology transfer, but require a fundamental description and simulation of the processes. Goals of the project are to develop models that can be used to optimize macroscopic properties of the solid product, to identify sources of undesirable defects, and to seek boundary-temperature and flow-and-material controls to optimize desired properties.
This paper focuses on the design and modeling of the humidification dehumidification desalination (HDH) process. The process is only found on experimental or very small pilot scale. Literature studies are rather limited and it includes a number of experimental investigations, performance evaluation, and measurements of the heat and mass transfer coefficients. This study includes useful and new data on the evaluation of the heat transfer coefficient of the humid air stream in the condenser unit. The analysis develops a correlation for the heat transfer coefficient for the humid air stream as a function of the Reynolds and Prandtl numbers. Also, detailed evaluation of the system performance is presented as a function of the system temperatures and the inlet relative humidity of the air strea...
The importance of radiation management for nuclear facilities including nuclear power plants has increased as the general public understanding has progressed, and necessary information for management must be processed exactly and quickly. In nuclear power plants, radiation management is performed by each individual operation, and collected information is managed by the system of each operation. The distributed-processing radiation management system has been developed aiming to use a general-purpose LAN and make quick and efficient use of information managed by individual operations. This paper describes the system configuration and functions. (author)
This report briefly describes the background to colliery engineering maintenance, past experience in machine condition monitoring within coal preparation and the introduction of condition-based maintenance. A role model scheme has been developed for the introduction of condition-based maintenance into coal preparation plants. The report describes the instrumentation and monitoring methods suitable for application to most mineral processing plants, the use of specialist companies to monitor, gather, process and analyse the information and the actions taken by the colliery. Examples of the benefits of operating such a scheme are given in terms of safety, performance and finance. Other problematical aspects of coal processing are examined which have a direct effect on plant condition and availability.
The development of high energy (> 150 keV) neutral beams for heating and fueling magnetic fusion devices depends on the ability to produce well-collimated negative ion beams. The double capture charge-exchange technique is a known, scalable method. In order to maximize the overall efficiency of the process and to achieve the desired beam characteristics, it is necessary to examine the optical qualities of the beams as well as the total efficiency of beam production. A combined modeling and experimental study of the angular scattering effects in negative ion formation and loss processes has therefore been undertaken.
This paper first reviews the history of the Port Hope uranium refinery of Eldorado Nuclear Limited. The current processes used for the production of UO_3, UO_2 and UF_6 from yellow cake are then discussed. Recent process changes and developments in the areas of solvent extraction and UO_3 production together with new processes for the production of ceramic UO_2 and UF_4, are described. Environmental and waste management problems, progress and solutions are next considered. Finally, some experience in siting a new UF_6 refinery, with respect to Environmental Impact Statements and public hearings, conclude the paper. (author).
By using a model independent Monte Carlo approach, we study the possible structure of charged and neutral lepton mass matrices, under the assumption of an U(2) horizontal symmetry (additional to the usual Standard Model ones) involving the light fermion generations. We assume the most general Majorana mass matrix for neutrinos. We update the results of our previous similar study, by inserting in the analysis the recent KamLAND data, that contributed to find a final solution to the Solar neutrino problem. The introduction of the new experimental data reduce the allowed regions in the nine dimensional space parameters, and show that our procedure gives stable solutions.
In this article the results of a study on sustainability of energy crops are discussed. Contribution to the reduction of the greenhouse effect and other environmental effects were investigated for the Netherlands. The study assumed that energy crops are grown on set-aside land or grain land. Generating electricity and/or heat from hemp, reed, miscanthus, poplar and willow show the best prospects. These crops are sustainable and may in the future be economically feasible. Ethanol from winter wheat shows the most favourable environmental effects, but is not economically efficient. Liquid fuels from oil seed rape and sugar beet are not very sustainable. 2 tabs., 4 refs.
Research at the Savannah River Technology Center aided development of a technical design basis for a Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) to pre-treat and vitrify Hanford tank waste as part of the River Protection Project (RPP). The research addresses safety concerns, process optimization, and waste form compliance. This program will provide technical data to ensure that the process functions as it was designed and minimizes costs.
The fundamental principles of coal gasification are discussed including the reactions, their course and influencing parameters. Said principles are illustrated considering heat balance as well as process performance. Coal gasification processes are presented which are under development on a pilot plant scale or which are approved on an industrial scale.
This paper describes a research and development project to quantify the effects of cleaning the coal feed on the yield patterns and processing rates for the Liquid Solvent Extraction (LSE) direct coal liquefaction process and to obtain information on the effect of the co-refining of coal-derived and petroleum distillates to premium transport fuels. 6 refs., 25 figs., 40 tabs.
This extended article describes Sasol, the synthetic fuel producing plant in South Africa. It produces other fuels in addition to synfuel, from local coal. A very thorough review covering all aspects of the plant is given. These include: economic; chemical and environmental. The chemistry of the processes involved, the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and the Lurgi process are described in some detail. Consideration is also given to the establishment of new plants, research and development projects, marketing and available coal resources.
The paper industry needs alternative waste disposal methods rather than dumping sites. The combustion properties of these waste materials make them suitable for thermal disposal. A process has been developed in which the waste materials are burnt on an oscillating bar grate without supplying external energy. Electrical energy and process steam are generated while small amounts of a sintered slag remain behind. (orig.).
The requirements are given as placed on the development, procurement, maintenance, and application of software for the creation or processing of data during the design, construction, operation, repair, maintenance and safety-related upgrading of nuclear power plants. The verification and validation processes are highlighted, and the requirements put on the software documentation are outlined. The general quality assurance principles applied to safety analyses are characterized. (J.B.). 1 ref.
We introduce a discrete multiplicative process as a generic model of competition. Players with different abilities successively join the game and compete for finite resources. Emergence of dominant players and evolutionary development occur as a phase transition. The competitive dynamics underlying this transition is understood from a formal analogy to statistical mechanics. The theory is applicable to bacterial competition, predicting novel population dynamics near criticality.
Some of the origins of corrosion encountered in the secondary side of pressurized water reactor steam generators are:-sludge accumulation (a mixture of metal oxides, primarily magnetite and copper) on tube sheet and attack of tube support plates by aggressive impurities leading to denting. Although Electricite de France has not suffered from these problems, it has developed a chemical cleaning process to dissolve corrosion products at both locations. (author).
Experience and technical innovations in power plant engineering have resulted in continuous improvements of operation control, availability and safety of pumped storage plants. Process control is constantly improved as new developments are made in equipment and systems engineering. Plant control concepts with increasingly complex automation hierarchy are described by which pumped storage processes can be controlled optimally, reliably, and automatically.
...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 ...
This program is concerned with the development of an advanced method for the separation of hydrogen sulfides from coal gas. The process utilizes an electrochemical membrane which removes hydrogen sulfide without cooling the gas and with negligible pressure loss through the separator.
To assist in attaining the HSE's objective of providing perspective and focus for Safety Case Assessment, a generic model of the structural design process for the foundations of pile supported fixed steel structures has been developed. Interfaces between the foundation design team and other stakeholders have been identified and assessments made of both the magnitude and the potential significance of the uncertainties associated with key elements of the design process. (author)
A study on the aging process of gas detectors was presented. How the development of more performing but delicate detectors, the use of faster but aggressive gases, and the need to cover large areas, led to unexpected problems was discussed. Various methods for curing aged detectors were also highlighted. (Edited abstract) 37 Refs.
This is a manuscript for a lecture contents: 1. Steam power and fundamentals of the steam power process, 2. conventional, nuclear and other steam generation processes, 3. cooling systems for steam power plants, 4. gas turbine power plants and combined-cycle power plants, 5. cogeneration, 6. development of thermal power plants and environmental effects. (orig.).
This is a manuscript for a lecture contents: 1) Steam power and fundamentals of the steam power process, 3) conventional, nuclear and other steam generation processes, 4) cooling systems for steam power plants, 5) gas turbine power plants and combined-cycle power plants, 6) cogeneration, 7) development of thermal power plants and environmental effects. (GL).
The purpose of the work described in this dissertation is to increase the understanding of injection-pultrusion process. Three major substudies related to injection-pultrusion have been completed: measurement of the compressibility of fiber reinforcements, measurement of in-plane and transverse resin flow through fiber reinforcements, and development of a resin flow model. This dissertation also presents results of an experimental and analytical investigation of in-plane and transverse resin flow through fiber reinforcements.
DescriptionThe objective of this project is to relate the processing quality of wheat to the composition of the developing and mature grain using material grown under a range of nutrient regimes including long term organic and fertilised systems from the Rothamsted Broadbalk experiment, variety trials and organically grown wheat. Preliminary studies have indicated substantial differences in the transcriptome profiles of wheat grown with artificial fertiliser and with organic fertiliser on Broadbalk and tru [continued...
British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) is currently operating its third generation of nuclear plant for the management of irradiated nuclear fuel. Development for the fourth generation plant must meet requirements for processing higher burn-up fuel with lower unit costs, lower environmental impact, better process control, and more flexible control of actinides. .
The objectives of this project are to support the DOE direct coal liquefaction processdevelopment program and to improve the useful application of analytical chemistry to direct coal liquefaction processdevelopment. Independent analyses by well-established methods will be obtained of samples produced in direct coal liquefaction processes under evaluation by DOE. Additionally, analytical instruments and techniques which are currently underutilized for the purpose of examining coal-derived samples will be evaluated. The data obtained from this study will be used to help guide current processdevelopment and to develop an improved data base on coal and coal liquids properties. A sample bank will be established and maintained for use in this project and will be available for use by other researchers. The reactivity of the ...
The advent of light metal alloys and advanced materials (polymer, composites, etc.) have brought the possibility of achieving important energy reductions into the full life cycle of these materials, especially in transportation applications. 1 These materials have gained acceptance in the aerospace industry but use of light metal alloys needs to gain wider acceptance in other commercial transportation areas. Among the main reasons for the relatively low use of these materials are the lack of manufacturability, insufficient mechanical properties, and increased material costs due to processing inefficiencies. Considering the enormous potential energy savings associated with the use of light metal alloys and advanced materials in transportation, there is a need to identify R&D opportunities in the fields of materials fabrication and forming aimed at developing materials with high specific mechanical properties combined with energy ...
The Safeguards and Security Technology Development Directory is published annually by the Office of Safeguards and Security (OSS) of the US Department of Energy (DOE), and is Intended to inform recipients of the full scope of the OSS R&D program. It is distributed for use by DOE headquarters personnel, DOE program offices, DOE field offices, DOE operating contractors, national laboratories, other federal agencies, and foreign governments. Chapters 1 through 7 of the Directory provide general information regarding the Technology Development Program, including the mission, program description, organizational roles and responsibilities, technology development lifecycle, requirements analysis, program formulation, the task selection process, technology development infrastructure, technology transfer activities, and current research and development tasks. These ...
This report documents the technical development for a patent disclosure of a double-clad process for the continuous casting of thin-strip carbon steel. The fundamental idea of the disclosure is to form a product strip by depositing molten steel between two, cooled, clad strips of the same material. The claimed benefits include: (a) the conservation of energy in steel making through the elimination of soaking pits and reheat cycles, and (b) an improved surface on both sides of the as-cast product such that it will be suitable for direct feed to a cold-reduction mill. However, the process as conceived is not necessarily limited to the casting of carbon steel, but may be also applied to other metals and alloys. The work is described under three headings as follows. Preliminary Considerations and Scoping Analysis presents the basic idea of the double-clad, thin-strip casting process; the energy conservation ...
On-orbit spectral calibration of hyperspectral imaging data is a key step for quantitatively analyzing them. Like the atmospheric correction, accurate spectral calibration is very necessary for improved studies of land or ocean surface properties. Based on the previous literatures, a new method which coupled an optimization algorithm was developed to simultaneously retrieve the central wavelength and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the hyperspectral sensor without needing the in situ reflectance spectra. Firstly, the Hyperion data set simulated using MODTRAN4 with the Hyperion spectral specification was used to test the new method, and the results indicated that the maximum error was less than 0.1 and 0.7 nm for central wavelength and FWHM respectively when the spectral shift is 5 nm. Then the algorithm was applied to the Hyperion data acquired on May 20, 2008 over Heihe River Basin and it was iteratively performed for each detector of ...
Seasonal traffic on intercity corridors often creates severe congestion at various bottlenecks, such as land-drops and drawbridges. A Traffic Simulation And Optimization model (TSAO) has been developed in order to 1) evaluate traffic impacts (including travel time, vehicle operating costs, accidents, air pollution and fuel consumption) of a given routing pattern on a network, and 2) determine the optimal flow pattern. In its latest version, the TSAO model uses: 1) a macroscopic simulation approach to trace vehicle platoons through a network; 2) Greenshield's equation to represent volume-speed relationship on freeways and multi-lane highways, and Highway Capacity Manual method for two-lane rural highways; 3) Lighthill's shockwave function to simulate queue propagation; 4) event-scan time management for simulation; 5) variable link capacity for two-lane rural highways or to stimulate incidents; 6) AASHTO Guideline for ...
Most of the anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide result from the combustion of fossil fuels for energy production. Photosynthesis has long been recognized as a means, at least in theory, to sequester anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Aquatic microalgae have been identified as fast growing species whose carbon fixing rates are higher than those of land-based plants by one order of magnitude. Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), Aquasearch, and the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute at the University of Hawaii are jointly developing technologies for recovery and sequestration of CO{sub 2} from stationary combustion systems by photosynthesis of microalgae. The research is aimed primarily at demonstrating the ability of selected species of microalgae to effectively fix carbon from typical power plant exhaust gases. This report covers the reporting period 1 January to 31 March 2004 in which PSI, Aquasearch and University of Hawaii conducted their tasks. ...
Pollutants resulting from the management of solid waste have been shown to affect the air, land, oceans, and waterways. In addition, solid wastes have other, more indirect impacts such as reduction in feedstocks of natural resources, because useful materials are disposed of rather than recycled. The objective of this study is to evaluate solid waste management practices that have negative implications on the global environment and develop recommendations for reducing such impacts. Recommendations identifying needed changes are identified that will reduce global impacts of solid waste practices in the future. The scope of this study includes the range of non-hazardous solid wastes produced within our society, including municipal solid waste (MSW) and industrial solid waste (ISW), as well as industry-specific wastes from activities such as construction, demolition, and landclearing. Most solid waste management decisions continue to be made and ...
This paper describes a practical knowledge on gas engine performance and combustion characteristics which are required by experimental studies for two types of developed gas burning engines, i. e. a spark ignited gas engine and a dual fuel engine, and also introduces their practical use and application. As for dual fuel engine performance, a manifold air pressure of about 27% was decreased, a scavenging ratio of 23% reduced and an exhaust temperature at the turbine inlet on 14% was increased at the gas engine operation under the mean effective cylinder pressure of 1.22 MPa in comparison with the diesel operation. Furthemore, empirical data on the effect of excess air ration on the engine performance and combustion characteristics, a risk of knocking during changing over on the dual fuel engine operation, and the rated output in case of using alternate fuel gas were reported. Two spark ignited gas engines with a rated output of 250 PS each using town gas for the ...
The position paper will provide the basis for further strategies on offshore wind power development in consideration of ecological and conservation aspects. [German] Das Positionspapier des Bundesministeriums fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit (BMU) einschliesslich des Umweltbundesamtes (UBA) und des Bundesamtes fuer Naturschutz (BfN) ist Ergebnis der Arbeiten der BMU-Projektgruppe 'Windenergienutzung im Offshore-Bereich im Hinblick auf die BMU-Anliegen'. Es beschreibt den derzeitigen Stand einer Strategie zur umwelt- und naturvertraeglichen Erschliessung der Windenergienutzung auf See (Offshore). Es bildet die Grundlage fuer die Weiterentwicklung dieser Strategie und dabei insbesondere zur Abstimmung mit den Anliegen anderer Bundesressorts und den Kuestenlaendern, sowie zur intensiveren Einbeziehung beteiligter Verbaende und Fachkreise. Vor dem Hintergrund der zur Genehmigung eingereichten Antraege fuer Offshore-Windparks, mangelnder ...
This paper describes a Honshu-Shikoku linking transmission cable building plan and its technical features. The Chugoku District and the Shikoku District are supplied with power currently by the Chugoku-Shikoku trunk line of 220,000 volts. To cope with the anticipated power shortage, a plan was established to install power cables for 500,000 volts on the Honshu-Shikoku connecting bridge. The plan calls far an installation length of 127.4 km and a transmission capacity of 1.2 million kW per line. The cable installation on the Seto Bridge was completed already, the construction is now in the peak period for building steel towers on the land sections, and laying overhead cables and underground cables. Commencement of the operation is scheduled 1994 on one liner, and 2000 on two lines. The technical features include the Japan's first large-capacity, long-distance underground transmission cable installation, and the installation of the multi-conductor overhead ...
The steam generator (SG) is one of the most critical components of the heat transfer system in nuclear generation stations. Testing the structural integrity of SG tubing and SG internals is a key element of the fitness-for-service assessments to assure the safe and continuous operation of nuclear power plants. Recent eddy current (ET) inspections of two nuclear power plants revealed degradation of some of the tube support plate (TSP) structures, which was also confirmed by visual inspection. The phenomena was described as metal loss, caused by flow-accelerated corrosion of the carbon steel trefoil support plate and varying from minor to complete loss of the ligaments. This loss of TSP ligaments results in lack of support for the adjacent tubes making them more susceptible to fretting-wear damage and fatigue cracking. A signal analysis method, based on the responses at low frequency of two types of eddy current probes, has been developed to assess the degree of ...
The Ordos Basin of north-central China is well known for vast energy resources. This nonmarine interior basin developed on the North China-Korean platform following the Late Triassic Indochina orogeny and, for a time, contained a large freshwater lake prior to being uplifted into its present form at the close of the Mesozoic. Lower to Middle Jurassic coal occurs in the fluviolacustrine Yan'an Formation along the southern margin of the basin in the Huanglong coalfield. In the northeast part of the field, the formation ranges from 0 to 180 m in thickness and is divided into five fining-upward members, each representing a regressive-transgressive lacustrine cycle. Low-sulfur, high-volatile bituminous coal is complexly distributed in the lowest member of the Yan'an Formation. Deposition of this member was influenced by two tectonic events that controlled coal occurrence. First, regional uplifts were produced by the Late Triassic Indochina orogeny and ...
The risk to human health from fragments of depleted uranium (DU) at Jefferson Proving Ground (JPG) was estimated using two types of ecosystem pathway models. A steady-state, model of the JPG area was developed to examine the effects of DU in soils, water, and vegetation on deer that were hunted and consumed by humans. The RESRAD code was also used to estimate the effects of farming the impact area and consuming the products derived from the farm. The steady-state model showed that minimal doses to humans are expected from consumption of deer that inhabit the impact area. Median values for doses to humans range from about 1 mrem ({plus_minus}2.4) to 0.04 mrem ({plus_minus}0.13) and translate to less than 1 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} detriments (excess cancers) in the population. Monte Carlo simulation of the steady-state model was used to derive the probability distributions from which the median values were drawn. Sensitivity analyses of the steady-state model showed ...
An assessment of the accuracy of National Land Cover Data 2001 as compared to National Wetlands Inventory mapping of Mobile and Baldwin Counties conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC). Both classifications were checked against stratified randomly selected ground-based sites and with each other to compare the accuracy of the NLCD with NWI classification methods. For this accuracy comparison, numerous visits were made by photointerpreters to the Mobile Bay area to establish signatures for the modified NWI mapping. After all of the quadrangles in Baldwin and Mobile Counties were mapped, an accuracy assessment of those maps was conducted by field-checking the mapped classes with ground-based check sites. These same sites were used to check the accuracy of the NLCD and also as the basis for cross-walking the NLCD and NWI classification systems for direct comparison of the two methods. This accuracy assessment is ...
This book summarizes the research that has been conducted in Canada over the past five years on the issue of climate change impacts on key sectors such as water resources, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, coastal zones, transportation, and human health and well-being. The book refers to the growing evidence that climate change is occurring. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) believes that these changes have already contributed to increases in annual precipitation, cloud cover and extreme temperatures over the last 50 years. It suggests that it in order to develop an effective strategy for adaptation, it is necessary to understand the vulnerability of each sector to climate change in terms of the nature of climate change, the climatic sensitivity of the region being considered, and the capacity to adapt to the changes. Adaptation will require a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in order to lower the rate of climate change. Problems associated ...
Deforestation in Brazilian Amazonia in 1990 was releasing approximately 281--282 X 10{sup 6} metric tons (MT) of carbon on conversion to a landscape of agriculture, productive pasture, degraded pasture, secondary forest and regenerated forest in the proportions corresponding to the equilibrium condition implied by current land-use patterns. Emissions are expressed as committed carbon,'' or the carbon released over a period of years as the carbon stock in each hectare deforested approaches a new equilibrium in the landscape that replaces the original forest. To the extent that deforestation rates have remained constant, current releases from the areas deforested in previous years will be equal to the future releases from the areas being cleared now. Considering the quantities of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, nitrous oxide, NO{sub x} and non-methane hydrocarbons released raises the impact by 22--37%. The relative impact on the greenhouse ...
This report completes the documentation for the research project 'High Pressure Compressor - Preliminary Design as Basis for the Development of an Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Core Engine' which was funded by the Ministry of Economics of State Brandenburg. The objective of the project is to deliver a preliminary compressor aerodynamic design as well as design studies for an efficient, weight and cost improved compressor. The increase of stage pressure ratio and improved efficiency, whilst stage and blade count is reduced, has been achieved by advanced 3D methods. Compressor stability also at off-design conditions will be retained. The mechanical design focusses on a cost and weight optimised rotor not only for a conventional bladed discs but also for Blish stages. Various options for split casings have been developed and assessed. Alternative vortex reducers based on different design options have been carried out. ...
Natural sunlight induces a genotoxic response in cultured CHO cells pre-treated with shale oil retort process water. Near ultraviolet light (NUV) component of the solar spectrum is the apparent radiation responsible for photoactivation. Cultured human skin fibroblasts are acutely sensitive to the genotoxic effects of photoactivated process water. The mutagenic potential of photoactivated process water in human cells is the same as that witnessed for an equivalent killing dose of the potent skin carcinogen FUV. DNA repair processes are involved in modulating genotoxic effects of this photo-induced process. The exact magnitude of the potential health-related and environmental risks resulting from photoactivation of retort process waters and other oil shale by-products is unassessed at this time. Our demonstration that a significant rate of mutation occurs in ...
The partitioning of transuranium elements (TRUs) from high-level liquid waste (HLLW) through the use of pyrometallurgical technology has been underway since 1986, for the purpose of the improving the safety and public acceptance of the disposal of high-level vitrified waste. Prior to the pyrometallurgical partitioning process, the alkali metals can be separated at the denitration process for oxide conversion of HLLW, chlorination in a chloride salt bath can be used to effectively convert oxides to chlorides, and evaporated chlorides can be captured with high efficiency in another adopted chloride salt bath. The higher separation factors between actinides and rare earths are obtained in a LiCl-KCl/Bi system than in a LiCl-KCl/Cd system. Based on the results, we propose a practical process flow for partitioning TRUs from HLLW by pyrometallurgical technology. This process was demonstrated successfully ...
The Savannah River Site (SRS) is currently developing a new facility, the Actinide Packaging and Storage Facility (APSF), to process and store legacy materials from the United States nuclear stockpile. A variety of materials, with a variety of properties, packaging and handling/storage requirements, will be processed and stored at the facility. Since these materials are hazardous and radioactive, automation will be used to minimize worker exposure. Other benefits derived from automation of the facility include increased throughput capacity and enhanced security. The diversity of materials and packaging geometries to be handled poses challenges to the automation of facility processes. In addition, the nature of the materials to be processed underscores the need for safety, reliability and serviceability. The application of automation in this facility must, therefore, be accomplished ...
Evaporation system for liquid radioactive waste process has been used in Korean PWR nuclear power plants. The system is the most desirable process for decontamination factor (DF) theoretically. However, during the operation of the system, various problems have been arising such as scaling, carry over, etc. Because these problems make DF low, advanced technologies for liquid radwaste process have been world widely developed instead of keeping evaporation system. The main goal of new technologies is ALARA, ease of operation, cost effectiveness and minimization of environmental effect. Korea Electric Power Corporation is currently developing a combined treatment process for liquid radwaste using Micro-filter, Ultra-filter, Reverse Osmosis (RO) membrane, etc for the purpose of partly enhancement of evaporator and of having an alternative liquid radwaste ...
This article identifies the key role of the sugar industry in the rural development of developing countries. The Indian sugar industry, already second largest among the country`s processing industries, shows even greater potential, according to the Plan Documents (shown in a table). The potential of waste heat in sugar processing plants, which produce white crystal sugar using the double sulphitation clarification process, is estimated at 5757.9 KJ/kg of sugar. Efficient waste heat recovery (WHR) systems could help arrest the trend of increasing production costs. This would help the sugar industry not only in India, but in many other countries as well. The innovative methods suggested and discussed briefly in this article include dehydration of prepared cane, bagasse drying, and juice heating using waste heat. These methods can reduce the cost of energy in sugar production by at ...
TIMETAL LCB was introduced more than 10 years ago targeting automotive suspension spring applications. The alloy development aim was to use a low-cost formulation by selecting less expensive raw materials than typical beta titanium alloys. Following the first successful application of TIMETAL LCB suspension springs to series production vehicles, the 2000 Volkswagen Lupo FSI, the springs have been used for Ferrari Challenge Stradale since 2003. The most recent development effort was focused on the generation of metallurgical and mechanical service data for the alloy, and the implementation of efficient low cost processing of coils. This paper will introduce various properties of TIMETAL LCB products that can be useful in the design and the consideration of spring applications. Recent progress in the processing of TIMETAL LCB will also be introduced and discussed.
Recent Kawasaki Steel's development on size and shape measurement techniques for hot steel rolling processes is reviewed. First, a precision enhancement technique for a laser distance meter is described, then its rugged structure necessary for measurement in such tough environment as hot rolling processes is described in detail. A plate length meters and an inter-stand sensors for a hot strip mill are shown as developed size measurement techniques. Furthermore, plate shape meters and laser profile gauges for H-beams are depicted as specific examples of shape measurement techniques. (author)
A survey is given by the authors of methods of removing the sulphur dioxide content of fumes which can be linked together with producing useful final products. From these technologies those suppling well utilizable gypsum, the Walther process, producing ammonium sulphate, the Wellman-Lord and Bergbau-Forschung processes, respectively adapted to produce sulphuric acid or sulphur, may be of interest. Also in the method of fumes desulphurisation by catalysis by manganese, developed in KBFI, utilizable final products are given. Background of the work of developing this method. Detailed description of the manganese catalytic method based on the use of a red mud desulphurizing agent. By this process, in addition to desulphurizing fumes, enriched red mud with reduced Na/sub 2/O content is produced, which as an iron carrier, is to be reckoned with, or to be used in the cement industry for ...
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) at the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) contracted with P.S. Lowell and Co. Inc. (Lowell and Co.) and Jay S. Dweck, Consultant, Inc., (JSD) to enhance the capability of ASPEN in simulating coal gasification and oil shale processing plants. Of particular concern was the capability to predict the distribution of environmentally significant components among the various aqueous and organic liquids and gas streams within or leaving the process. The project was divided into major task areas. The first was to develop and implement the calculational routines necessary for predicting aqueous electrolyte chemical reactions. Part of this effort also was to select a species list and collect and/or regress data for the necessary parameters. The second task was to develop and implement a multi-phase flash capability (including precipitated solids) and unit ...
Brain scintiscanning which was first carried out exclusively 'statical' and only with test substances of limited quality has been replaced nowadays by 'dynamical' camera-sequency-scintiscanning with technetium. This brought considerable progress not only for identifying but also for the differential diagnosis of cerebro-organic processes. Development, methods, and integration of brain scintiscanning in a diagnostical conception are described briefly. (orig.).
Researchers investigated several supercomputer architectures in the context of assessing their performance in solving PDE problems. Main results are: assessed various classes of paralled and vector supercomputers and parallel software issues toward solving PDE problems; developed a multipipeline networking technique for compound vector processing; developed an orthogonal multiprocessor for large-grain scientific computations; improved parallel efficiency of a domain decomposition method, the DD algorithm.
The pace of development and fielding of electric vehicles is briefly described and the principal advanced battery chemistries expected to be used in the EV application are identified as Ni/MH in the near term and Li-ion/Li-polymer in the intermediate to long term. The status of recycling processdevelopment is reviewed for each of the two chemistries and future research needs are discussed.
The most important results of theoretical and experimental studies of plasmas, which have been achieved at the IPJ in Swierk and IPPLM in Warsaw recently, are presented. Studies of physical phenomena in PF discharges, development of diagnostic techniques and research on new plasma technologies, as performed at IPJ, have been summarized. Studies of dense magnetized plasmas, investigation of physics and applications of laser-produced plasmas; and research on the development of advanced diagnostic techniques for the EUROATOM fusion program, as performed at IPPLM, are also described.
This review briefly describes current efforts to develop superradiant sources of coherent radiation for the sub-nanometer range of wavelenghs, using nuclear rather than the atomic or molecular transitions that are stimulated in existing lasers. First the radiative (including Raman) interactions of nuclei with those of atoms and molecules are compared; then the present status of research on the fundamental problems involved in stimulating nuclear gamma radiation is described. (author). 20 refs.; 2 figs.
This paper outlines the development of an organizational model which will be used to determine the influence of supervisory and management functions in a nuclear power plant (NPP) on risk. A theoretical conceptualization, derived from the empirical literature, is used to describe the organizational structure of NPPs. The parameters and variables associated with this dynamic, process-oriented model are detailed. Applications of the model and preliminary insights derived from this conceptualization are discussed.
The objective of this project is the development of a new class of metalloporphyrin materials used as catalsyts for use in fuel cell applications. The metalloporphyrins are excellent candidates for use as catalysts at both the anode and cathode. The catalysts reduce oxygen in 1 M potassium hydroxide, as well as in 2 M sulfuric acid. Covalent attachment to carbon supports is being investigated. The computer-aided molecular design is an iterative process, in which experimental results feed back into the design of future catalysts.
A krypton recovery pilot plant has been completed for the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation. This is the first industrial facility in the world to make practical use of development results for offgas treatment and storage from nuclear facilities. The cryogenic distillation process was adopted as a proven and reliable method to separate krypton and xenon, and to reduce gas effuents to a level so low that the decontamination factor amounts to more than 1000.
The Coordinated Research Project is a topical collection of research agreements and contracts. The research contracts are awarded with financial support of about 10-20% of the total contract cost. Among the activities of the project is the organization of consultant group meetings and workshops involving several international experts and representatives of users and developers of border radiation monitoring equipment. The project also supports in coordinating the development of equipment and techniques for up-to-date border monitoring and in establishing of a process for providing nuclear forensics support to member states
Accounts are given of the history of coal liquefaction research and projects (indirect liquefaction, direct liquefaction, plus the recent state of Japanese developments and of processdevelopment), and of the significance of the petroleum age, the energy crisis and of coal liquefaction itself. (10 refs.) (In Japanese)
A short synopsis of each project is given covering the following main areas of research and development: Atmospheric sciences; Biotechnology; Chemical and instrumentation analysis; Computer and information science; Design and manufacture engineering; Ecological science; Electronics and sensors; Experimental technology; Health protection and dosimetry; Hydrologic and geologic science; Marine sciences; Materials science; Nuclear science and engineering; Process science and engineering; Sociotechnical systems analysis; Statistics and applied mathematics; and Thermal and energy systems.
The past three years of work for the Air Force Office of Scientific Research has resulted in the development of a congenic mouse model of JP-8 jet fuel exposure, the role of substance P in the JP-8 jet fuel-induced lung injury process, and development of ...
It has been understood that production of hydrogen from fossil and carbonaceous fuels with reduced CO{sub 2} emission to the atmosphere is key to the production of hydrogen-rich fuels for mitigating the CO{sub 2} greenhouse gas climate change problem. The conventional methods of hydrogen production from fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas and biomass) include steam reforming and water gas shift mainly of natural gas (SRM). In order to suppress CO{sub 2} emission from the steam reforming process, CO{sub 2} must be concentrated and sequestered either in or under the ocean or underground (in aquifers, or depleted oil or gas wells). Up to about 40% of the energy is lost in this process. An alternative process is the pyrolysis or the thermal decomposition of methane, natural gas (TDM) to hydrogen and carbon. The carbon can either be sequestered or sold on the market as a materials commodity or used as a fuel at a later date under less ...
This report is the 1992 annual progress report for the Energy Conversion and Storage Program, a part of the Energy and Environment Division of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Work described falls into three broad areas: electrochemistry; chemical applications; and materials applications. The Energy Conversion and Storage Program applies principles of chemistry and materials science to solve problems in several areas: (1) production of new synthetic fuels, (2) development of high-performance rechargeable batteries and fuel cells, (3) development of advanced thermochemical processes for energy conversion, (4) characterization of complex chemical processes and chemical species, and (5) study and application of novel materials for energy conversion and transmission. Projects focus on transport-process principles, chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, separation ...
Hungary has 10.7 million population in 100,000 km/sup 2/ territory. The gross national product is about $3,000 per capita per year. Hungary is a country with highly developed agriculture and medium degree developed industries. The Hungarian economy is an open economy because more than 40% of the national income is earned by export. The research and development works on various radiation processing have been performed for 25 years. In the Central Research Institute for Physics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, a laboratory was organized for the basic research of radiation chemistry and the moderator materials for nuclear reactors. Also the activities in the Central Research Institute for Chemistry, the Institute of Isotopes, the Research Institute for Plastics Industry, and the Central Research Institute for Food Industry are briefly reported. The largest radiation processing ...
This paper summarizes results of reviews on the safety, critical software performed during the licensing process for the new Wolsung units. Each of these CANDU-type nuclear power plants has two micro-computerized shutdown systems. The SDS No. 1 program is graphically programmed in such a manner that its developmentprocess does not essentially differ from the design process of the conventional analog counterpart. This approach is understandable even to a reviewer in the regulatory agency without additional training in software engineering. The confidence in the reliability of this system is strengthened by the reverse verification and increased by extensive testing such as the reliability test. Concerning SDS No. 2, the developmentprocess is significantly influenced by the {open_quotes}software cost reduction project{close_quotes} of the U.S. naval research ...
This paper summarizes results of reviews on the safety, critical software performed during the licensing process for the new Wolsung units. Each of these CANDU-type nuclear power plants has two micro-computerized shutdown systems. The SDS No. 1 program is graphically programmed in such a manner that its developmentprocess does not essentially differ from the design process of the conventional analog counterpart. This approach is understandable even to a reviewer in the regulatory agency without additional training in software engineering. The confidence in the reliability of this system is strengthened by the reverse verification and increased by extensive testing such as the reliability test. Concerning SDS No. 2, the developmentprocess is significantly influenced by the software cost reduction project of the U.S. naval research laboratory, and is, as a ...
The Precarbon process has been developed jointly by the Bergbauforschung Institute and the Federal German company, Didier. The characteristic feature of the process is the combination of two-stage coal heating in pipe dryers to 200/sup 0/C and its smokeless charging to the coke ovens by means of a Redler conveyor passing over the coke oven battery. Calculations have shown that the use of preheated coal can be justified economically in three cases: (1) To increase coke oven battery outputs. When using standard coals the battery throughput increase of approximately 45% due to coal preheating reduces costs for coking in comparison with wet coal coking, which would require larger coke ovens. (2) To improve coke quality. Use of preheated coal produces a blast furnace coke of the required quality from charges containing increased weakly-coking coal contents. 3. To increase output from coke oven batteries being rebuilt. A recent ...