UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

As controlled clinical vocabularies assume an increasing role in modern clinical information systems, so the issue of their quality demands greater attention. In order to meet the resulting stringent...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed comparatively detailed quality assurance requirements for the high-level radioactive waste disposal systems. Quality assurance is recognized as a key issue for confidence building and smooth implementation of the HLW program in Japan, and Japan is at an initial phase of repository development. Then the quality assurance requirements at site research and site selection, site characterization, and site suitability analysis used in the Yucca Mountain project were examined in detail and comprehensive descriptions were developed using flow charts. Additionally, the applicability to the Japan high-level radioactive waste disposal project was studied. The examination and study were performed for the following QA requirements: The requirements that have the relative importance at site research and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The document reports the main issues discussed during the first course-debate on quality controls in radiotherapy, held in Rome in December 3-4, 1998 and May 3-5 1999 in collaboration between the Istituto Superiore di Sanita' and the Istituto Regina Elena. The points considered critical to the quality assurance in radiotherapy by the participants are presented in relation to the total radiotherapy procedure.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In Hungary, legislation for nuclear power plants was developed at the end of the 1970s, among which is the quality assurance code for nuclear power plants. Hungarian practice is presented, including discussion of the requirements for quality assurance, qualification of the suppliers and inspection practices. The general requirements of quality assurance in the course of construction of a nuclear power plant are presented: quality assurance of technological equipment, fuel, electrical equipment, automatic instrumentations, building structures and technology.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In consistency with the increasing requests from Member States for establishing radiotherapy programmes, an IAEA Technical Co-operation project was initiated in Latin America aimed at improving the physical aspects (as a complement to the clinical issues) of quality assurance in radiotherapy; this ARCAL XXX project (RLA/6/032) was classified as a Model Project of the IAEA. Among the important outcomes of the project were (i) the training of a considerable number of medical physicists in hospitals of the region, (ii) the development of a protocol for quality control procedures, and (iii) the organization of quality audit site visits (to the participant countries) where the implementation in hospitals of the developed quality control procedures is verified. The present publication is the protocol for quality control of the physical aspects of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The quality assurance requirements in various countries and according to various international codes and standards are presented, compared and critically discussed. Cases of developing countries are also discussed, and the use of IAEA code of practice and other codes for quality assurance in these countries is reviewed. Recommendations are made regarding the quality assurance system to be applied for Egypt's nuclear power plants.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1973. 43 p. United States Anon. American Society of Mechanical

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

Quality assurance data for FFTF reactor fuel pellets are presented.

Wastenet

...com: The Art of Application Performance Testing : Help for Programmers and Quality Assurance (9780596520663): Ian Molyneaux: Books Amazon.com:...The Art of Application Performance Testing : Help for Programmers and Quality Assurance (9780596520663): Ian Molyneaux: Books Ian Molyneaux,The ...Art of Application Performance Testing : Help for Programmers and Quality Assurance,O'Reilly Media,0596520662,LA9780596520663,Computer Books: General,Application software,Computer software,...com: The Art of Application Performance Testing : Help for Programmers and Quality Assurance (9780596520663): Ian Molyneaux: Books ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) is government-owned, government-operated, and programmatically under the DOE Office of Environmental Management. The Laboratory is administered by the Chicago Operations Office. EML provides program management, technical assistance and data quality assurance for measurements of radiation and radioactivity relating to environmental restoration, global nuclear nonproliferation, and other priority issues for the Department of Energy, as well as for other government, national, and international organizations. This report presents the technical activities and accomplishments of EML for Fiscal Year 1998.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Intended to be used in conjunction with ANSI N45.2 and addresses the quality assurance requirements related to subsurface investigations performed prior to the construction of safety related structures of nuclear power plants.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This guide describes an acceptable method of complying with the Commission's regulations with regard to the quality assurance requirements for the packaging, shipping, receiving, storage, and handling of items for water-cooled nuclear power plants.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper discusses the quality assurance requirements for high-level canistered waste form products which would be acceptable for disposal in a deep geologic repository. A review plan and guidelines are provided.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

(Jun 1975). United States Bernsen, SA Bechtel Corp., San Francisco New

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1974. 19 p. United States Anon. American Society of Mechanical Engineers.;

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oct 1976. 2 p. United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington,

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

(1974). United States Ramsett, LO Wisconsin Public Service Corp., Green

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apppendix B of 10 CFR Part 50 establishes quality assurance requirements for the operation of nuclear power plant safety-related structures, systems and components. This Guide describes an acceptable method for complying with these regulations with regard to overall quality assurance program requirements for the operation phase of nuclear power plants. Input to this Guide has been provided by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Sodium Storage Facility Project Quality Assurance Plan delineates the quality assurance requirements for construction of a new facility, modifications to the sodium storage tanks, and tie-ins to the FFTF Plant. This plan provides direction for the types of verifications necessary to satisfy the functional requirements within the project scope and applicable regulatory requirements determined in the Project Functional Design Criteria (FDC), WHC-SD-FF-FDC-009.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Decree specifies basic quality assurance requirements applicable to machines, their parts and materials, civil engineering structures, means for automated control of technological processes including hardware and software, and electricity supply systems related to nuclear safety of nuclear facilities, and stipulates binding procedures for the implementation of technical and organizational provisions associated with the quality of selected equipment to ensure nuclear safety of nuclear facilities. Safety classes are defined for selected equipment. Requirements laid on safety assurance documentation are specified, and requirements placed on safety assurance programmes, their preparation, finalization and approval are defined. Quality assurance requirements are also specified with respect to the designing, manufacture, construction, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

With regard to the operation of nuclear power plants, Electricite de France formally recognized in 1973 that it was necessary for safety reasons and economically acceptable to adopt organizational principles of quality assurance that would be applicable both to its own activities and to those of its suppliers. Generally speaking, the form and spirit of the quality assurance programme chosen is based largely on the Code of Practice No. 50-C-QA. In particular, the programme focuses on the flexible character of quality assurance requirements and stresses that in the final analysis product quality depends above all on those to whom the project has been assigned, because it is they who are responsible for meeting the quality objectives set. Ten years of experience with the suppliers of Electricite de France has shown that ...

CERN Document Server

This paper presents an application of the state of the art and new trends for risk management of safety-related control and monitoring systems, currently applied in the industry. These techniques not only enable to manage safety and reliability issues but they also help in the control of quality and economic factors affected by the availability and maintenance of the system. The method includes an unambiguous definition of the system in terms of functions and a systematic analysis of hazardous situations, undesired events and possible malfunctions. It also includes the identification and quantification of the risk associated to the system. The required risk reduction is specified in terms of safety integrity levels. The safety integrity level results in requirements, preventive measures, possible improvements and recommendations to assure the satisfactory management of the risk.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This document defines the quality assurance program requirements for the US Department of Energy, Richland Field Office, Environmental Restoration program at the Hanford Site. This document integrates quality assurance requirements from US Department of Energy Orders, the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, and applicable industry standards into a single source document for the development of quality assurance programs applicable to the Environmental Restoration program items and activities. This document has been configured into three parts and fifteen criteria to provide user organizations with a workable document that best facilitates line operations. When developing individual user organization quality assurance programs, the document configuration provides each organization with the Flexibility to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The document reports the main issues discussed during the first course-debate on quality controls in radiotherapy, held in Rome in December 3-4, 1998 and May 3-5 1999 in collaboration between the Istituto Superiore di Sanita' and the Istituto Regina Elena. The points considered critical to the quality assurance in radiotherapy by the participants are presented in relation to the total radiotherapy procedure. [Italian] Questo documento e' dedicato al primo corso-dibattito sui controlli di qualita' in radioterapia svoltosi a Roma il 3-4 dicembre 1998 e il 3-5 maggio 1999 in collaborazione tra l'Istituto Superiore di Sanita' e l'Istituto Regina Elena. Esso presenta gli argomenti ritenuti critici per l'assicurazione di qualita' in radioterapia in relazione all'intera procedura radioterapica, in base alle esperienze dei ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Total quality management strategy and the worldwide introduction of the DIN/ISO 9000 (EN 29 000) series of standards have given new impetus to traditional quality assurance. The most important change must surely be seen in the holistic approach of total quality management and its strict orientation towards customer requirements and satisfaction. International codes and standards for the nuclear industry will also have to be brought into line as part of the process of harmonizing quality assurance system standards. One possible approach is simply to specify a supplementary 'delta' of nuclear-specific requirements to be appended to the broad range of conventional requirements. It is a particular feature of quality-assured procedures in Germany that product and/or component related quality requirements and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The environmental Restoration Remedial Action Quality Assurance Requirements Document (DOE/RL 90-28) defines the quality assurance program requirements for the US Department of Energy-Richland Field Office Environmental Restoration Remedial Action Program at the Hanford Site, Richland, Washington. This paper describes the objectives outlined in DOE/RL 90-28. The Environmental Restoration Remedial Action Program implements significant commitments made by the US Department of Energy in the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order entered into with the Washington State Department of Ecology and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1973. 27 p. United States Anon. American Society of Mechanical

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Different aspects of overall evaluation of training programmes and processes as well as role of evaluation in the quality assurance process are considered.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

(Nov 1973). United States Schierberg, GM San Francisco, California, USA.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) standards for the quality assurance requirements for the design and manufacture of Class 1E instrumentation and electric equipment for a nuclear power generating station are presented. This standard establishes Quality Assurance Program requirements for electrical manufacturers. This standard, used in conjunction with ANSI N45.2-1977 and the supplemental standards to the extent referenced in this standard, is intended to meet the requirements of 10CFR50, Appendix B. These requirements are intended to assure that Class 1E instrumentation and electric equipment are responsibly engineered and manufactured from proper materials, that the manufacturing processes and practices are controlled, and that the manufacturing process produces a product of the required quality for Class 1E application.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant Project has been established to convert the high-level radioactive waste associated with nuclear defense production at the Hanford Site into a waste form suitable for disposal in a deep geologic repository. The Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant will mix processed radioactive waste with borosilicate material, then heat the mixture to its melting point (vitrification) to forin a glass-like substance that traps the radionuclides in the glass matrix upon cooling. The Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant Quality Assurance Program has been established to support the mission of the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant. This Quality Assurance Program Description has been written to document the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant Quality Assurance Program.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

7 Jun 1973. 110 p. United States USAEC, Washington, DC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This document provides the detailed design requirements for the Spent Nuclear Fuel Project Cold Vacuum Drying Facility. Process, safety, and quality assurance requirements and interfaces are specified.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This document establishes the Quality Assurance (QA) Program requirements for the Hazards Waste remedial Actions Program (HASWRAP) for ensuring, with a high degree of confidence, that program objectives will be achieved as planned. The QA Program is introduced in Sect. 1. The HAZWRAP Support Contractor Office (SCO) functional organization and QA responsibilities are shown in Sect. 2. QA program requirements are contained in Sect. 3. These requiremens are pased on the American national Standard, American National Standards Institute/American Society of Mechanical Engineers NQA-1 Quality Assurance Program Requirements for Nuclear Facilities. The 18 elements defined in the standard are tailored to HAZWRAP's needs. The QA program requirements are delineated under the major headings: Quality Assurance Program, Organization, and Control of ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH) has continuously emphasized improvement in the quality of care provided in hospitals as the central purpose of the accreditation process. In...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to analyze the radiotherapy (RT) quality assurance (QA) assessment in Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) 0202, which was the first trial...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

125I-seeds are extensively used in ocular and interstitial brachytherapy for the treatment of various malignant lesions. Quality assurance and classification performance testing of indigenously produced 125I-seeds were carried out for ensuring their safety in different brachytherapy applications. The sources were found to qualify Class -43211 specifications, in accordance with AERB SS-3 and ISO-2919. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Software quality assurance (SQA) for robotic systems used in nuclear waste applications is vital to ensure that the systems operate safely and reliably and pose a minimum risk to humans and the environment. This paper describes the SQA approach for the control and data acquisition system for a robotic system being developed for remote surveillance and inspection of underground storage tanks (UST) at the Hanford Site.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scattered radiation generated in patient and imaging system has to be considered when quality-assurance tests involve dose detection or image-quality estimations. Measurement of automatic-exposure control dose can be altered by backscattering from intensifying screens of more than 10% and the equipment transmission factor can be overestimated up to a factor of 10 when only primary radiation is used. The sensitivity of intensifying screens depends on the angle of incidence of the radiation and so primary and scattered radiation are detected differently. The quality-control aspects of anti-scatter grids are discussed. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The textbook is primarily intended for radiologic staff and radiologic safety officers and gives information on the current regulatory provisions of the German X-ray Ordinance, applications of X-rays, quality assurance, organisational aspects of film processing and quality requirements of X-rays. An annex lists the guidelines of the Bundesaerztekammer (German National Chamber of Physicians) relating to quality assurance aspects, and further useful information on commercially available film-screen systems, the various associations of physicians in Germany, and requirements and performance of radiation surveys. (vhe).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on December 29, 1993, promulgated self-guarantee requirements that materials licensees may use to demonstrate financial assurance for decommissioning costs. However, nonprofit colleges and universities, nonprofit hospitals, and for-profit firms that do not issue bonds are currently precluded, by their unique accounting and financial reporting systems, or by other features of their business practices, from using the financial tests for self-guarantors adopted by the NRC. This Report evaluates several alternative financial tests that might serve as the basis for self-guarantee by these three categories of licensees.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This standard provides requirements and guidelines for installation, inspection and testing activities that assure the quality of important mechanical parts of a nuclear power plant not covered by the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, during construction. These parts include those mechanical systems and components whose satisfactory performance is required: for the plant to operate reliably; to prevent accidents that could cause undue risk to the health and safety of the public; or to mitigate the consequences of such accidents if they were to occur. The requirements of this standard deal with the protection and control necessary to assure that the requisite quality of those important parts of the plant are preserved from the time items are removed from storage or receiving until they are incorporated into the plant up to but not including fuel loading for PWR plants and the completion ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The IAEA Code of Practice on Quality Assurance for Safety in Nuclear Power Plants and the corresponding Safety Guides are reviewed and compared with quality assurance (QA) practices in the IAEA Member States. The QA requirements stipulated by the Code place on the nuclear power plant owner the responsibility to establish an overall QA programme for the plant. In selecting the QA programme level for specific activities, the Code allows of a flexible approach but does not specify gradation in programme requirements. The Code is placing the burden of quality-achieving and quality-assuring functions on the task-performing organizations, namely the designers, manufacturers, constructors and plant operators. The plant owner provides for the management of the overall QA programme, surveillance of activities and verifications of the effectiveness of the constituent ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report describes a quality assurance program plan for the Yucca Mountain Project. Aspects of the plan include: document control, equipment maintenance and calibration, process control, audits, computer software, and inspections. (CBS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Main results of 15-year SSTC NRS activity in the field of technical support of regulatory authority are presented. The article also described management policy, quality assurance system, personnel training system and international co-operation of SSTC. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

(Nov 1973). United States Basile, G. US Testing Co., Inc., Hoboken,

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this article, the authors recall the factors apt to influence image quality in NMR Imaging and present the european works that have been developed in MRIQA to set 5 quality assurance tests: EUROSPIN 1 to 5.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radiotherapy recent development in cancer treatment needs strong procedures and quality assessment to improve safety both for patients and professionals. In Ile de France territory, a coordinated action between ASN inspectors and medical doctors specialized in public health (MISP), working as civil servants in health administration, was initiated at the end of 2007. An inspection guideline was implemented in a workshop between ASN and Regional Hospital Agency (ARH). The MISP as health administrator has to verify if care organisation responds to treatment cancer regulatory framework: as a doctor he is authorized to access to patient records to know which treatment was chosen. He has to assure if the therapeutic guidelines are respected. His comprehensive approach is essentially patient-oriented. The MISP inspection coordinated with ASN inspectors is a very pertinent pluri-disciplinary approach, undeniably necessary in such a medical technic. The ...

Science.gov (United States)

for? Learn the Issues Science & Technology Laws & Regulations About EPA Contact Us Water: Water Quality Criteria You are here: Water Science & Technology Surface Water Standards &...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The `Procurement Quality Function` is an element of the Body of Knowledge of Quality Engineering, as defined by the American Society for Quality Control (ASQC). This paper describes the Procurement Quality function which has been installed as an integral part of the Quality Engineering group of the Technical and Management Support Services (T&MSS) contractor to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project. Each of the elements of the T&MSS Procurement Quality Engineering (PQE) system is discussed along with the measurements obtained. With the installation and development of the PQE system we have attained more meaningful evaluation of supplier capability, reduction of procurement document review reject ratios from 31% to less than 2% per quarter, more effective measurement and control of supplier performance, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A relational database capable of storing and manipulating the large volumes of data on air toxic metals has been developed for the Center for Air Toxic Metals at the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) of the University of North Dakota. The database provides information to researchers, managers, and operations personnel to aid in their decision making and long-term planning of issues related to air toxic metals. A personal computer-based graphical user interface is used to access the data located on a UNIX workstation at the EERC. With security codes and software issued by the EERC and an Internet service provider in place, the database can be accessed externally through the Internet. Currently the database contains over 3000 analytical measurements from nine full-scale systems and several bench-scale operations. Data are available on gas, solid, and liquid stream samples as well as relevant engineering parameters, including process ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Fuzzy theory has been regarded as a very important technique for quality management (QM) of distributed manufacturing system and attracts the attentions of academic and industry; however, there is a lack of a comprehensive literature review and a classification scheme for it. This paper is the first academic literature review of the fuzzy theory applied in quality management of distributed manufacturing system. It involves five most popular databases in this research area and covers more than 20 journals, proposes a classification scheme using clustering analysis method. Sixty-one journal articles were finally selected, reviewed and classified. Each selected article was classified firstly based on four QM dimensions (quality planning, quality control, quality assurance and quality improvem...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brachytherapy consists of sealed radioactive source implantation. The diversity in the nature of radioelements, in their energy and activity requires strict implantation and utilization rules. These rules include radioactive source physical parameters check, after-loading machine and treatment planning system quality assurance and safe and reproducible dosimetric systems. Patient and medical workers information guarantee radioprotection and prevention of accidental exposures. (authors)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This standard describes requirements and provides guidelines for the control of activities to be exercised during procurement of items and services which affect the quality of nuclear power plants. These requirements and guidelines apply to procurement activities for items and services such as designing, purchasing, fabricating, handling, shipping, storage, cleaning, constructing, erecting, installing, inspecting, testing, maintaining, repairing, initial fueling, refueling, and modifying.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Conference on Building Design and Architecture organized by Swedish Council for Building Research Contents included articles on building physics, thermal-climate technology, indoor-air-quality technology, construction materials, quality assurance, and building policy and regulation.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The quality of the end product from andrology services continues to lack consistency and in some cases fails to meet the needs of the end users (patients or clinicians). Results of external quality assessment (EQA) schemes continue to show unacceptably wide variation for the results of a single specimen. Some laboratories are able to show that the results of semen analyses relate to both natural and assisted pregnancy and are therefore useful in the management of the infertile couple, whereas others claim that their value is limited to the identification of severe male factor infertility. With wide variation in standardisation of methodology, levels of staff training and quality assurance, it is entirely understandable that such discrepancies persist. The following article proposes that Qu...

Science.gov (United States)

The objective of this Task Group is the coordination of research studies on biokinetic models and the evaluation of the implications of new biokinetic models on dose assessment and safety standards. For this the new ICRP models, which will be used for a revision of ICRP Publications 30, 54, 68 and 78, are implemented into six different computer codes in five European countries and quality assured by intercomparison procedures. The work has started with the implementation of the new ICRP Alimentary Tract Model. New systemic models and the new NCRP wound model will follow. The work also includes the evaluation of experimental results in terms of formulation by the new model structures and a quality assurance of model formulation. PMID:17556343

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The final product of the radwaste conditioning process must satisfy certain requirments and physico-chemical properties in order to assure its safe long-term behaviour. Of course, the foreseen quality assurance and quality control should be conducted by means of non-destructive techniques. This work presents an over-view of various applicable non-destructive methods of analysis, showing their fields of investigation in testing waste packages, together with some arising practical problems. The most promising methods, such as eddy current testing, ultrasonic testing, #gamma#-scanning, #gamma#-spectroscopy, neutron counting and computerized tomography, are treated more deeply and some applications are presented. Particular attention is devoted to the development of a device based on computerized tomography; its essential components are reported and some design problems are also discussed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The present guidelines supplement the 'VGB guidelines for the reduction of noise in thermal power plants' with indications for the ordering and quality assurance of the individual noise-producing machines and equipment of power plant operation. These guides are to simplify the commissioning and delivering for the orderer and deliverer. In addition, these guidelines are to lead to a successful cooperation of all parties in the reduction of the sound radiation. A precondition for this is an explanation of the sound technical demands which must be made on the single machines or mechanical equipment in power plant systems. A protection of the neighbourhood as well as operational personnel against noise according to the state of technology is to be achieved by a clear form of ordering and quality assurance. The ordering and assurance procedure for all aggregates in the region of the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Experience of the Westinghouse Water Reactors Division with indoctrination and training of quality engineers includes training of personnel from Westinghouse divisions in the USA and overseas as well as of customers' personnel. A written plan is prepared for each trainee in order to fit the training to the individual's needs, and to cover the full range of information and activities. The trainee is also given work assignments, working closely with experienced quality engineers. He may prepare inspection plans and audit check lists, assist in the preparation of QA training modules, write procedures, and perform supplier surveillance and data analyses, or make special studies of operating systems. The trainee attends seminars and special courses on work-related technical subjects. Throughout the training period, emphasis is placed on inculcating an attitude of team work in the trainee so that the result of the training is the achievement of both ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) of the General Electric BWR/6 Mark III standard plant has been used to assess the effect of proposed new quality assurance requirements on the off-site plant risk. This work was performed by General Electric Company under contract to the Electric Power Research Institute. First, the potential changes in the reliability of structures, systems and components were estimated. Then those changes that could affect the event tree and fault tree results were identified. Finally these changes were propagated through the probabilistic risk assessment fault trees and event trees to determine the effect upon off-site plant risk. The results show that applying quality assurance requirements, very nearly equal to those of 10CFR50, Appendix B (3), to nearly all nonsafety-related structures, systems, and components would have a negligible effect on off-site plant risk. In this ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quality Assurance (QA) has not been taken very seriously in developing countries despite their having significant nuclear power programmes. This may affect plant reliability and demands that urgent and serious attention be given to the development and implementation of Quality Assurance programmes according to local conditions. Confusion has been created by the differences in definitions and interpretations of terminologies of Quality Assurance and Control. Problems have been aggravated by the lack of clearly defined responsibilities and accountabilities during the projects execution phases of site selection, data collection, design, equipment fabrication and construction, etc. Therefore, reliability of nuclear power plants in developing countries is relatively low. But whenever some programme of QA has been implemented it has helped to improve the plant ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Accidents from three main practices: medical applications, industrial radiography and industrial irradiators are used to illustrate some common causes of accidents and the main lessons to be learned. A brief description of some of these accidents is given. Lessons learned from the described accidents are approached by subjects covering: safety culture, quality assurance, human factors, good engineering practice, defence in depth, security of sources, safety assessment and monitoring and verification compliance. (author)

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

PurposeRTOG protocol 95-17 was a phase I/II trial to evaluate multi-catheter brachytherapy as the sole method of adjuvant breast radiotherapy for stage I/II breast...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A database has been designed for storing, retrieving and analyzing information about samples, experimental conditions and results obtained by neutron activation analysis and gamma-ray spectrometry. It has been created using Microsoft ACCESS 2002 under a Windows operating system. The database has been designed not only for saving information but also for quality assurance and quality control purposes. The structure of the relational design has been discussed and demonstrated with a new graphical feature of ACCESS 2002 called PIVOTCHART. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A case-control study on lung cancer and radon exposure in dwellings has been carried out in Lazio, a high indoor radon region of Central Italy. A total of about 400 cases and 400 controls were recruited and radon concentration was measured in a total of about 1850 dwellings. In each dwelling, radon concentration measurement devices were placed in both the main bedroom and living room for two consecutive six-month periods. Each radon device, enclosed in a sealed polyethylene bag, contains two LR 115 detectors, each being covered by a thin absorber to reduce the alpha-energy within the detector sensitive range. A quality assurance program, described in this paper, was applied in order to reduce radon concentration measurement uncertainty, which have a significant impact on the results of an epidemiological study. The reported internal quality control and intercomparison results are compared with the results of other studies, ...

Science.gov (United States)

Water is one of our most precious resources. However, for many in the United States, having fresh, safe drinking water is taken for granted, and due to this perceived lack of relevance, students may not fully appreciate the luxury of having safe running water--in the home. One approach to resolving water-quality issues in the United States may reside in providing education that presents accurate information in a meaningful way. Accordingly, this article describes a unit designed to emphasize the importance of water-quality testing and purification and to introduce students to local water-quality issues. The engineering-based module of this eighth-grade science activity is particularly important due to the design-build-test component. (Contains 5 figures.)

Science.gov (United States)

A Health Care Establishment (HCE) is an establishment where medical services are rendered. The above services are provided by the health care personnel. The infrastructure of a HCE may include Information Technology (IT) equipment that stores and processes HC information. Previously, IT equipment consisted solely of stand-alone systems, whereas in recent years, the trend has been towards computer networks and distributed systems in HCEs. The spread of distributed information technology in HCEs have necessitated the implementation of Security in HCISs, to assure confidentiality, integrity and availability of HCE information. This paper discusses the issues of Security and Network Security in Health Care Information Systems (HCISs). It also suggests a method in establishing Network Security Guidelines and describes Principles for the provision of Network Security in HCEs. PMID:10163736

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KAERI (Korea Advanced Energy Research Institute) has performed research to develop the fabrication technology of CANDU nuclear fuel since 1981. Based on the satisfactory results of in-pile and out-of-pile tests of prototype nuclear fuel and the outstanding performance of 48 KAERI-made nuclear fuels in Wolsung(CANDU) power reactor, Korean government decided KAERI to supply all the nuclear fuels for Wolsung from 1988. In order to guarantee the safety and performance of nuclear fuel manufactured in mass production scale, well-organized quality assurance system and appropriate quality control techniques should be established. To establish the QA system, KAERI reviewed various QA standards and decided to establish QA system based on the 10 CFR 50 Appendix B. Quality control techniques was also revised to fit the mass production even though quality inspection techniques have already been ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The procedure followed by the Laboratorio de Metrologia Nuclear (LMN) at the IPEN - CNEN/SP, in Sao Paulo, for modifying the NPL-CRC radionuclide sample holder in order to adapt for IPEN vials is presented. For the quality assurance of the results using the IPEN vials, the influence of variation in dimensions and volume of solution has been investigated and suitable correction factors were applied. The solutions used in the present work were "5"1Cr "9"9"mTc "1"5"3Sm, and "2"0"1Tl. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This specification establishes requirements for design, testing, and quality assurance for electric heaters that will be used to maintain primary Sodium temperature in the Fast Test Facility (FFTF) reactor vessel. The Test Specification (WHC-SD-FF-SDS-003) has been revised to Rev. 1. This change modifies the fabrication of approximately 25 feet of the subject heater using ceramic insulators over the heater lead wire rather than compressed magnesium oxide. Also, 304 or 316 stainless steel can be used for the heater sheath. This change should simplify fabrication and improve the heater operational reliability.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Case studies are presented for treatment of refinery wastes in a pilot-scale thin-film evaporator, the removal of volatiles from industrial wastewater for two steam strippers, and the removal of semivolatiles from water by steam stripping followed by liquid-phase carbon adsorption. The report provides data on removal efficiency, air emissions, process residuals, treatment costs, and process limitations. Details on sampling and analytical procedures, quality assurance, and process data are contained in the Appendixes (Volume II).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: The purpose of this course is to review the physical principles underlying design, clinical application and execution of interstitial and intracavitary implants in the classical low dose-rate (LDR) range. This year, the course will focus on quality assurance of sources, applicators and treatment planning software. In addition, development of procedures and QA checks designed optimize treatment delivery accuracy and patient safety during each individual procedure will be reviewed. The level of presentation will be designed to accommodate both physicists and physicians. Implementation of recently published AAPM Task Group reports (no. 40, 'Comprehensive Quality Assurance' and No. 43, 'Dosimetry of Interstitial Brachytherapy Sources') will be reviewed. Outline: (A) General Principles (1) QA endpoints: temporal accuracy, positional accuracy, dose delivery accuracy, and safety of the patient, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

RESRAD was one of the multimedia models selected by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to include in its workshop on radiation dose modeling and demonstration of compliance with the radiological criteria for license termination. This paper is a summary of the presentation made at the workshop and focuses on the 10 questions the NRC distributed to all participants prior to the workshop. The code selection criteria, which were solicited by the NRC, for demonstrating compliance with the license termination rule are also included. Among the RESRAD family of codes, RESRAD and RESRAD-BUILD are designed for evaluating radiological contamination in soils and in buildings. Many documents have been published to support the use of these codes. This paper focuses on these two codes. The pathways considered, the databases and parameters used, quality control and quality assurance, benchmarking, verification and validation of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Modern digital radiographic 'flat panel' detectors can exhibit a progressive form of image degradation arising from non-functioning pixels. The effect of these 'dead pixels' on the quantitative image quality measures of modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS) and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) is investigated by a simulated degradation of images obtained from an Hologic EPEX system. The effects on the semi-quantitive measures obtained from contrast threshold test objects and resolution gratings are also investigated. Results suggest that the contrast-detail tests often employed in quality assurance measures are not sufficient to reveal the presence of dead pixels until well beyond the recommended replacement point for the flat panel detector. However, measurements of spatial resolution using a line pairs phantom were found to be more sensitive to pixel loss. ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Male infertility continues to be a clinical challenge of increasing significance. While male factors such as decreased semen quality are responsible for 25% of all infertility issues, the etiology of suboptimal semen quality is poorly understood. Many physiological, environmental, and genetic factors have been implicated, including oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS), or free radicals, and although ROS are required for critical aspects of sperm function, excessive levels of ROS can negatively impact sperm quality. The origin of ROS generation, and the etiologies of increased ROS in men with suboptimal sperm quality have only recently been elucidated, offering multiple targets for potential therapy. Here, we present a critical review of th...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Planning for quality assurance (QA) in research and development (R D) is like stealing eggs without waking up the chickens. The QA program should be as unobtrusive as possible. Researchers require a QA program that affords them an environment capable of supporting repeatable experiments with accurate data without unduly stifling their creative abilities. Careful advance planning ensures that the intensity of control provided by quality-related systems is commensurate with the importance and scope of the activities being performed. Good scientific practices applied to small bench-scale projects may require minimal additional controls. As projects increase in size and complexity the controls imposed through planning must, by necessity, be increased. Research and development QA planning, just like any other planning, involves all affected individuals. The application of control systems is determined by factors such as customer ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Water chemistry of nuclear power plants has played an important role in reduction of personnel doses, structural materials and fuel integrity assurance, and reduction of radioactive wastes production. Further contributions are requested for advanced utilization of the LWR, advanced fuels and aging management of plants. Since water chemistry has an effect on all structure and materials immersed and at the same time affected by them, the optimum control not sticking to specific issues and covering the whole plant is required for these requests. Taking account of roles and activities of the industry, governmental institutes and academia, road maps on research and development plans for water chemistry were compiled into identified eleven items with targets and counter measures taken, such as common basic technologies, dose reduction, SCC mitigation, fuel cans corrosion/hydrogen absorption mitigation, condition based maintenance and flow accelerated ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In steel production lines such as pickling lines, cold rolling mills and coil processing lines, the needs for on-line continuous measurement of surface quality and property of products and on-line inspection of surface defects have become strong. This is because user requirements for the surface quality of various products have become severer than before and besides, expectations are running high on the side of manufacturers for higher speeds of production lines and higher quality by the adoption of automatic inspection. As for the measurement of surface quality, continuous measurements along the full length of a steel strip are required in order to overcome problems derived from off-line, batch measurements that cannot satisfy user's demands for quality assurance. As for surface defects detection, various kinds of methods have been practically applied ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste-Management in the Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for disposing of this nation`s spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste in a manner that protects the health and safety of the public and the quality of the environment. Although embodied in the Federal repository program that began with studies in the late 1950s, this mission was explicitly established by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 and reaffirmed by the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987. To fulfill our mission, we are developing a waste management system consisting of a geologic repository for permanent disposal deep beneath the surface of the earth, a facility for monitored retrievable storage, and a system for transporting the waste. This discussion draft was developed to help involve parties affected by or interested in the waste-management program in the formulation of the basic principles on which the program will be based. It reviews ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korea Advanced Energy Research Institute (KAERI) started a research project to develop the PHWR (CANDU) nuclear fuel fabrication technology in 1981. Based on the results of the intensive developmental work, several prototype fuel bundles were fabricated and tested in the Hot Test Loop at KAERI continuously in 1983 and 1984. After that, irradiation test and post-irrradiation examination were carried out for two KAERI-made fuel bundles at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories in Canada in 1984. Since the results of in-pile and out-of-pile tests with prototype fuel bundles proved to be satisfactory, 48 additional fuel bundles were loaded in Wolsung reactor (CANDU) in 1984 and 1985, and all of them were discharged without a defect after excellent performance in the power reactor. In 1985, the Korean government decided that KAERI supplies all the fuel necessary for the Wolsung reactor. For the mass production of nuclear fuel bundle, several process equipment, facilities and automation methods ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Field data for validating plume models were collected in and around the Bull Run Steam Plant during two four-week periods between July and October, 1982. The field measurements were the second phase of the Plume Model Validation and Development (PMV and D) program. The Bull Run Steam Plant is located near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the area is described as the ''Moderately Complex Site'' to distinguish it from the ''Plains Site'' in eastern Illinois, which was the scene of the first phase of the PMV and D study conducted in 1980-81. The measurement program consisted of a set of meteorological, source, aerometric, and tracer measurements to track and characterize the plume. The tracer measurements constituted the largest portion of the total effort, and it involved the release of SF/sub 6/ tracer gas from the stack, and the sampling and analysis of nearly 64,000 air samples collected over a test period of 324 hours. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A method of abrasion testing according to ASTM C 704-76 a is presented for steel fibre concrete mortar, fusion-cast basalt and a surface coating material and results of practical interest are mentioned. Due to the high technical demands on these materials and their specific fields of application, the very first test already supplied interesting findings. From the user's point of view, the method is an interesting alternative to the common test methods, e.g. according to DIN 52 108 (wheel test according to Boehme). In English-speaking countries, testing according to ASTM is often mandatory in the refractory industry in order to assure constant quality of refractory materials after setting. The method is characterized by good comparability and high accuracy of measurement. Only the test piece is exchanged while the test conditions remain constant, so that accurate information on the material studied is obtained.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Portal localization images for high-energy electron beam therapy are necessary to confirm the treatment field by comparing them with a simulation image obtained before treatment or portal verification images after treatment. In this study, portal localization images were acquired using the computed radiography (CR) system and bremsstrahlung X-rays generated in the electron beam irradiations. All images obtained with phantom and the irradiations of in the electron energy of 8, 10, 12 and 15 MeV were feasible for clinical use. The CR system used in this study included general diagnostic imaging cassette and storage phosphor plate, but none of other special devices. The system can usually supply portal localization images, which maintains the quality assurance of high-energy electron beam therapy. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

After having discussed the peculiarities of children in X-ray diagnosis the application of the effective as well as the mean equivalent doses as to the determination of the radiation exposure in children is represented. In using computerized tomograms to determine position and extent of an organ the exposure by repeated X-raying was calculated referring to the entrance dose. Entrance dose measurements for all types of X-ray examination in hospitals and ascertainments of the frequency of radiograms in 20 X-ray departments were used to determine per capita and collective doses, resp., in several age groups. Alltogether, the per capita dose of children in the GDR amounts to 30% of that of adults. Conclusions were drawn as to taking measures to further reduction of radiation exposure: (1) Technical measures, such as positioning of patients, shielding of organs, quality assurance; (2) elaboration of regulations concerning the execution of X-raying ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A plutonium gamma-ray analysis system that operates on MS-DOS-based computers has been developed for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to perform in-field analysis of plutonium gamma-ray spectra for plutonium isotopics. The program titled IAEAPU consists of three separate applications: a data-transfer application for transferring spectral data from a CICERO multichannel analyzer to a binary data file, a data-analysis application to analyze plutonium gamma-ray spectra, for plutonium isotopic ratios and weight percents of total plutonium, and a data-quality assurance application to check spectral data for proper data-acquisition setup and performance. Volume 3 contains the software listings for these applications.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The report examines common ventilation and air conditioning systems and strategies for both domestic and commercial buildings; and covers issues such as energy conservation, indoor air quality and occupant comfort. Drawing data from many countries in Europe and the United States of America, various natural, mechanical and air conditioning systems were compared using criteria such as climate, level of occupant interaction, and level of system comfort. This classification system is evaluated and seen as a valuable framework for further research. (U.K.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To assure quality of safety critical software, software should be developed in accordance with software development procedures and rigorous software verification and validation should be performed. Software verification is the formal act of reviewing, testing of checking, and documenting whether software components comply with the specified requirements for a particular stage of the development phase[1]. New software verification methodology was developed and was applied to the Shutdown System No. 1 and 2 (SDS1,2) for Wolsung 2,3 and 4 nuclear power plants by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI) and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited(AECL) in order to satisfy new regulation requirements of Atomic Energy Control Boars(AECB). Software verification methodology applied to SDS1 for Wolsung 2,3 and 4 project will be described in this paper. Some errors were found by this methodology during the software development for SDS1 and were corrected by ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The process of ensuring the quality of computer codes can be very time consuming and expensive. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Monte Carlo codes all predate the existence of quality assurance (QA) standards and configuration control. The number of person-years and the amount of money spent on code development make it impossible to adhere strictly to all the current requirements. At ORNL, the Nuclear Engineering Applications Section of the Computing Applications Division is responsible for the development, maintenance, and application of the Monte Carlo codes MORSE and KENO. The KENO code is used for doing criticality analyses; the MORSE code, which has two official versions, CGA and SGC, is used for radiation transport analyses. Because KENO and MORSE were very thoroughly checked out over the many years of extensive use both in the United States and in the international community, the existing codes were ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this paper, the state-of-the-art ultrasonic and magnetic measuring techniques developed at Kawasaki Steel and used in the production process of steel sheets are described. Representative examples shown here are as follows: (1) Magnetic flux leakage testing system for the detection of nonmetallic inclusions, (2) Nondestructive orientation measurement for secondary re-crystallized grains in grain-oriented electrical steel by ultrasonic interferometry, (3) Immersion testing method for the detection of nonmetallic inclusions, (4) Surface wave probe for the detection of surface flaws in rolls used in rolling mills. Developments of these techniques and their applications to actual steel sheets production processes have contributed to advance in technologies for quality assurance and control. With the help of these techniques, steel sheet products with advanced and uniform properties are being continuously produced to meet customers' ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper describes an approach to the reliability engineering in aerospace technology. To promote development, configuration management (clarifies the base line of technology), reliability management, quality control, safety management, progress management, and cost management are very important. The following example related to reliability was contained for the development of an N-1 rocket in Japan. A timer and amplifier that are old-fashioned but have actual results were supplied from abroad. The induction system that was purchased from abroad contained faulty components in quality control. The improvement in reliability has priority and the first-stage tank was changed to a home-made aluminum alloy that is superior in stress-resistant corrosiveness. An H-II rocket was completely developed in Japan by self-technology. The number of faults to be generated in the H-II rocket decreases as compared with the N-1 rocket. In the combustion test of ...

Science.gov (United States)

Most waste management activities are decided upon and carried out in a public or semi-public arena, typically involving the waste management organization, one or more regulators, and often other stakeholders and members of the public. In these environments, simulation modeling can be a powerful tool in reaching a consensus on the best path forward, but only if the models that are developed are understood and accepted by all of the parties involved. These requirements for understanding and acceptance of the models constrain the appropriate software and model development procedures that are employed. This paper discusses requirements for both simulation software and for the models that are developed using the software. Requirements for the software include transparency, accessibility, flexibility, extensibility, quality assurance, ability to do discrete and/or continuous simulation, and efficiency. Requirements for the models that are developed ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korea Advanced Energy Research Institute (KAERI) started a research project to develop the PHWR (CANDU) nuclear fuel fabrication technology in 1981. Based on the results of the intensive developmental work, several prototype fuel bundles were fabricated and tested in the Hot Test Loop at KAERI continuously in 1983 and 1984. After that, irradiation test and post-irradiation examination were carried out for two KAERI-made fuel bundles at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories in Canada in 1984. Since the results of in-pile and out-of-pile tests with prototype fuel bundles proved to be satisfactory, 48 additional fuel bundles were loaded in Wolsung reactor (CANDU) in 1984 and 1985, and all of them were discharged without a defect after excellent performance in the power reactor. In 1985, the Korean government decided that KAERI supplies all the fuel necessary for the Wolsung reactor. For the mass production of nuclear fuel bundle, several process equipment, facilities and automation methods ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper describes an approach to solve air quality problems which frequently occur during iterations of the baseline change process. From a schedule standpoint, it is desirable to perform this evaluation in as short a time as possible while budgetary pressures limit the size of the staff available to do the work. Without a method in place to deal with baseline change proposal requests the environment analysts may not be able to produce the analysis results in the time frame expected. Using a concept called the Rapid Response Air Quality Analysis System (RAAS), the problems of timing and cost become tractable. The system could be adapted to assess other atmospheric pathway impacts, e.g., acoustics or visibility. The air quality analysis system used to perform the EA analysis (EA) for the Salt Repository Project (part of the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program), and later to evaluate the consequences of proposed ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Burrard Thermal Generating Station is located at Port Moody, British Columbia, and burns natural gas to supply steam to six turbine units for generating up to 912 MW of electricity. The Burrard plant accounts for ca 8.7% of the provincial generating capability. Burrard is expected to continue to fill a vital role as a supplier of displaceable firm energy to the British Columbia Hydro system. In parallel with a renewed focus on Burrard from a system planning perspective, there have also been concerns about air pollution from the plant in the context of its possible effect on the region's air quality. To address this and other issues surrounding Burrard's future, B.C. Hydro established a project team to conduct a utilization study. The team's work focused on the role of Burrard in providing a reliable and profitable role in electricity generation, the options for dealing with the air quality ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The paper presents some aspects relating to the importance of a good communication and cooperation between all factors involved in procurement process at Societatea Nationala 'Nuclearelectrica', SNN. In order to comply with the internal and international rules related to safety in nuclear field and public procurement requirements and for maintaining a high standard of operational performance of Cernavoda NPP, adequate procurement systems were developed by SNN SA. The importance of human factor and the training activities for all personnel from this chain of procurement process is the main key issue to maintain high quality of their activities considering that procurement documents are reviewed and approved before to be issued by all departments involved in procurement process. The specialized department for public acquisition is supervising that the procurement processes initiated at the level of branches, in accordance ...

Science.gov (United States)

A personal account of Richard Berendzen's life as president of The American University (AU) in Washington, D.C. during the 1983-1984 academic year is presented in diary form. The account describes his interactions with faculty, students, administrators, and people outside the university to further the goals of the institution. In the year prior to the diary entries, enrollments at AU had dropped unexpectedly while tuition had not been raised to make up for the shortfall. There were empty beds of former students who faced economic pressures. A union protested AU's consequent firing of its custodians and its contracting with an independent custodial firm, which employed primarily blacks as custodians. The issue of racism surfaced when students and faculty supported demonstrators. Since AU has no wholly assured flow of applicants or donors, Berendzen recognized that to improve, or even to maintain, the relative position of AU, he had to become ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

CANDU reactors developed under Canadian licensing regulations that placed the primary responsibility for safety on the licensee. The Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB), Canada's nuclear regulatory agency, state in their regulations what is expected in terms of safety performance so that designers are free to propose the best means of meeting this performance. This goal-oriented approach, besides encouraging innovation, allowed CANDU to be licensed in other jurisdictions. The latest design - the large, single unit, CANDU 9 - explicitly incorporates licensability in Canada through a formal AECB review of the design; lessons learned from licensing CANDU 6 in Asian countries, particularly with Wolsong 2, 3 and 4 in Korea, and more recently with Qinshan in China; utility requirements for modem evolutionary plants; and emerging international standards for safety, sponsored or issued by the IAEA. By combining the assurance of acceptability in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In 1998 the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) formed the Committee on Nuclear Risk Management (CNRM) and a Project Team to develop a standard on PRAs for use in risk informed applications. This ASME standard is being developed to help provide an adequate level of quality in PRAs that are being used to support ASME initiatives to risk informed in-service inspection (ISI) and in-service testing (IST) of nuclear power plant components. A related need supported by the industry and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is to reduce the level of effort that is being expended in pilot applications of risk informed initiatives to address questions about the sufficiency of quality in the supporting PRA models. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the authors' views on some of the technical issues that were encountered in the effort to develop the ASME PRA standard. Draft 12 of this standard has been ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The focus of the present Great Lakes water quality agreement between Canada and the United States is on transboundary pollution and particularly the injury to health and property from exposures to persistent toxic substances. Several scientists and policy advisors have suggested, on the basis of the Ecosystem Approach and systems theory, that the agenda should move on to other demanding topics, such as the introduction of exotic species, biodiversity, habitat restoration, fisheries management, sustainable development, and governance of the Great Lakes basin. None of these issues, however, poses the same scale of threat to national sovereignty and bilateral interests as does transboundary pollution. Thus, none warrants the degree of attention that has been and should be paid, despite declining budgets, to assessing and controlling releases of persistent toxic substances that continue to injure fish, wildlife, and human health. Instead, it is ...

Science.gov (United States)

New interest by Australians in the state of rural education requires new understanding of factors affecting rural education and its related issues. Educational programs have not been flexible enough to cope with rural diversity, a key element in the milieu. Standards such as "equality of opportunity" and "uniformity" have been misapplied to rural Australian education, which is made distinctive by the inter-relatedness of many factors. Three dimensions of isolation are discussed: (1) types of isolation (geographic, cultural, social, and professional isolation); (2) ways of coping with isolation (understanding isolation, developing a sense of community, developing awareness of options, training the isolated, application, and technology); and (3) conditions affecting educational changes in isolated communities (social and political climate, pedagogy, finance, and incentives for change). All these concerns focus on the issue of local control. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility (WSCF) complex consists of the main structure (WSCF) and four support structures located in the 600 Area of the Hanford site east of the 200 West area and south of the Hanford Meterology Station. WSCF is to be used for low level sample analysis, less than 2 mRem. The Laboratory features state-of-the-art analytical and low level radiological counting equipment for gaseous, soil, and liquid sample analysis. In particular, this facility is to be used to perform Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 sample analysis in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Protocols, room air and stack monitoring sample analysis, waste water treatment process support, and contractor laboratory quality assurance checks. The samples to be analyzed contain very low concentrations of radioisotopes. The ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

There is increasing evidence that chemicals/test substances cannot only have adverse effects, but that there are many substances that can (also) have a beneficial effect on health. As this journal regularly publishes papers in this area and has every intention in continuing to do so in the near future, it has become essential that studies reported in this journal reflect an adequate level of scientific scrutiny. Therefore a set of essential characteristics of studies has been defined. These basic requirements are default properties rather than non-negotiables: deviations are possible and useful, provided they can be justified on scientific grounds. The 10 basic requirements for a scientific paper reporting antioxidant, antimutagenic or anticarcinogenic potential of test substances in in vitro experiments and animal studies in vivo concern the following areas: (1) Hypothesis-driven study design; (2) The nature of the test substance; (3) Valid and invalid test systems; (4) The selection ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Computer based control systems for safety related applications in nuclear power plants have to meet not only the functional, performance and interface requirements, they in addition, have to meet regulatory requirements like enhanced reliability, safety and security and should provide fault tolerance, diagnostics and self-supervision. The control system architecture, hardware design and software design should meet requirements as specified in design code and guides of AERB. The Dual Processor Hot Standby Process Control System (DPHS-PCS) for TAPP-3 and 4 is a safety related (Class- IB) system. DPHS-PCS regulates PHT pressure, Pressuriser pressure, Pressuriser level, Bleed condenser pressure, Bleed condenser level and Steam generator pressure. The performance, reliability and safety requirements of this control system are met by employing a fault tolerant computer configuration developed for this purpose using hardware designed with facility for on-line diagnostics and software ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We discuss the possibility of extending solid state laser technology to high average power and of improving the efficiency of such lasers sufficiently to make them reasonable candidates for a number of demanding applications. A variety of new design concepts, materials, and techniques have emerged over the past decade that, collectively, suggest that the traditional technical limitations on power (a few hundred watts or less) and efficiency (less than 1%) can be removed. The core idea is configuring the laser medium in relatively thin, large-area plates, rather than using the traditional low-aspect-ratio rods or blocks. This presents a large surface area for cooling, and assures that deposited heat is relatively close to a cooled surface. It also minimizes the laser volume distorted by edge effects. The feasibility of such configurations is supported by recent developments in materials, fabrication processes, and optical pumps. Two types of lasers can, in ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In October last year the first intercomparison of measurements of the soil radon concentrations between various laboratories in Slovakia was realised. The organisation of this intercomparison was conducted by the Slovak Legal Metrology in Banska Bystrica together with the Slovak National Accreditation Service in Bratislava (SNAS). The scientific guarantee of the exercise was the State metrological Centre for radon quantities, which is working at the Research base of Slovak Medical University in Bratislava. The main objective of the intercomparison was to verify the correctness of the methods for the soil radon measurements of the authorised laboratories for radon volume activities in soil air. The intercomparison (signed as SLM ILC 3/03) was performed as a 'circular' metrology comparison, in accordance with a methodical directive MSA 0117-98, published by SNAS. Six laboratories were participating on the intercomparison and there have been two stages of the work one in the radon chamber ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Determination of americium (Am) is one of the requirements of chemical quality assurance of plutonium (Pu) bearing fuel materials. Though many methods are published for determining Am at picogram to femtogram levels in environmental and biological matrices, yet a few of them are used routinely for Pu based nuclear fuel samples. This paper gives a brief summary of the different analytical methods available and presents results of our experiments on the determination of Am in Pu bearing fuels using gamma spectroscopy. The methods utilizing gamma emissions from "2"4"1Am and Pu isotopes are fast as they do not involve chemical separation of Pu and Am, do not require an accurate knowledge of the efficiency values of the detector systems and are not dependent on the availability of a radiometric standard for "2"4"1Am. In addition, for aged Pu samples containing large amounts of "2"4"1Am, there is no need for dilution and this reduces the volume of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The increasing number of hazardous materials accidents in the United States has resulted in new federal regulations addressing the emergency response activities associated with chemical releases. A significant part of these new federal standards (29 CFR 1910.120 and 40 CFR Part 311) requires compliance with specific criteria by all personnel involved in a hazardous material emergency. This study investigated alternative lesson design models applicable to instruction for hazardous material emergencies. A specialized design checklist was created based on the work of Gagne, Briggs, and Wager (1988), Merrill (1987), and Clark (1989). This checklist was used in the development of lesson plan templates for the hazardous materials incident commander course. Qualitative data for establishing learning objectives was collected by conducting a needs assessment and a job analysis of the incident commander position. Incident commanders from 14 public and private organizations participated in the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The main purpose of this report is to document the benchmarking results and verification of the RESRAD-OFFSITE code as part of the quality assurance requirements of the RESRAD development program. This documentation will enable the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its contractors, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and its licensees and other stakeholders to use the quality-assured version of the code to perform dose analysis in a risk-informed and technically defensible manner to demonstrate compliance with the NRC's License Termination Rule, Title 10, Part 20, Subpart E, of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 20, Subpart E); DOE's 10 CFR Part 834, Order 5400.5, ''Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment''; and other Federal and State regulatory requirements as appropriate. The other purpose of this report is to document the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this report is to provide a brief overview and bibliography of those techniques that may have application for the evaluation of a site to determine if a high energy release event is nuclear in nature. This effort is motivated by recognition of the changing world political climate and the perception that low yield and non-proliferation issues will grow in importance as countries become increasingly involved as signators to treaties that are intended to limit the development and testing of nuclear weapons. Along with an increasing interest in such issues is the awareness of the need to implement improved capabilities for treaty monitoring programs that must deal with assessing suspicious occurrences of high energy release events. In preparing this report, it is recognized that monitoring can take two main forms. The first involves the resolution of unidentified events detected by seismic and satellite National Technical Means. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The world's fleet of nuclear power plants is, on average, more than 20 years old. Even though the design life of a nuclear power plant is typically 30-40 years, it is quite feasible that many plants will be able to operate in excess of their design lives, provided that nuclear power plant engineers demonstrate by analysis, trending, equipment and system upgrades, increased vigilance, testing and ageing management that the plant will operate safely. In the operation of nuclear power plants, safety should be always the prime consideration. Plant operators and regulators must always ensure that plant safety is maintained, and where possible enhanced, during a plant's operating lifetime. Nuclear power plant life management (PLiM) has gained increased attention over the past decade, and effective ageing management of systems, structures and components (SSCs) is a key element in PLiM for the safe and reliable long term operation of nuclear power plants. A PLiM programme is an effective tool ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A closed loop control process assures that a system performs within control limits. In closed loop control, the system's output feeds back directly to change the system's inputs. We describe an approach...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... listed certifications are vendor (CCNA) and Server Plus (Server neutral such as the Certified Information S ... CCNA ITIL NET+ GSEC SECURITY+ ...

Science.gov (United States)

The global spread of HIV and AIDS has presented a major threat to development, affecting the health of the poor and many aspects of social and economic development. The greatest impact of the epidemic has been felt in sub-Saharan Africa, and Zambia ranks among the worst hit countries. The Free Basic Education Policy in Zambia upholds the right of all children to a universal basic education. This study explored staff and student perceptions of the impact of the epidemic on access to, and the quality of, basic education for AIDS-affected children, orphans and other vulnerable children (OVCs) in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia, where the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate ranges from 34 to 40%, and life expectancy has dropped to 33 years. Data were collected from education personnel in six districts of the Copperbelt with the highest prevalence of HIV and AIDS and from staff and students in six schools. The data indicated a range of factors that adversely affect the access ...

Science.gov (United States)

Visual Sample Plan (VSP) is an easy-to-use visual and graphic statistically-based software tool being developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to help determine the appropriate number and location of environmental samples so that environmental decisions can be made with the required confidence. The VSP software, which is available free at http://dqo.pnl.gov/vsp, is a significant aid in developing probability-based sampling designs (number and location of samples and measurements) using the Data Quality Objectives (DQO) planning process developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). VSP also has the capability of conducted statistical analyses to provide descriptive statistical summaries of data sets, to test whether data are normally distributed, and to compute upper confidence limits on means. This report is the latest in a series of reports that document the statistical methods used in VSP [Davidson (2001), Gilbert et al. ...

Science.gov (United States)

... prominent example today, perhaps, is the issue of stem cell research, but there is a whole list of issues ... ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Today some scientists are concerned that present budget considerations in Washington will make it impossible for the US to maintain its preeminence in important areas of science and technology. In the private sector there has been a demise of substantive R & D efforts through most of the major industries. For DOE a lack of future support for science and technology would be an important issue because this could impact DOE`s abilities to solve problems in its major areas of concern, national security, energy, environment. In fact some scientists maintain that were the present trend to continue unabated it could lead to a national security issue. Preeminence in science and technology plays a critical role in our nation`s position as the leader of world democracy. In contrast with this point of view of gloom and doom, however, in this presentation I hope to bring to you what I see as an exciting message of good news. Today I will list the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A workshop on radioactivity in coal use was held on September 15 through 17, 1981, under the auspices of the US Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Programs, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The purpose of the workshop was to identify research issues associated with radioactivity resulting from the use of coal for electric power generation. The concensus of the 10 scientists participating in the workshop was that a moderate to strong need exists for research in solubility of fly ash in different fluids and for determination of radioactivity in construction materials. Several additional research issues were identified but were given a lower priority. Summaries of each presentation are included. Titles are: some effects of coal combustion on the radiation environment; radionuclides in western coal at Mound; low-level radiation in coals utilized and ashes produced at New York State electric utilities; radioactivity from coal use - ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Changes facing the electricity supply industry are significant, and the challenges these changes pose are enormous. There are major changes to the business environment of transitional electric utilities. There are also changes in the management of the companies in that nontechnical people are taking over the leadership of traditionally technical companies to deal with the new business scenario. This raises the concern that there may be a lack of familiarity by management of the technical issues involved with the result that the quality of the product may be at risk over the long term. This article deals with the future. It describes a vision for the control center energy management systems (EMS) network security applications as a function of the current and expected changes in the electric supply industry. The objective is to present a conceptual specification. It suggests possible approaches to the problems control centers are likely to ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The issue of China?s energy supply security is not only the key problem which affects China?s rapid and sustainable development in the 21st century, but also the one which international attention focuses on. Based on the notable characteristic of spatial imbalance between energy production and consumption in China, this paper takes the evolution of China?s primary energy resources development(excluding hydropower) from 1949 to 2007 as the study object, with the aim to sum up the evolutive characteristics and laws of China?s energy resources development in the past nearly 60 years. Then, based on comprehensive considerations of coal?s, oil?s and natural gas?s basic reserves, qualities, geological conditions, production status, and ecological service function of every province, this paper ad...

Science.gov (United States)

In August 1995, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a policy statement proposing improved regulatory decisionmaking by increasing the use of PRA [probabilistic risk assessment] in all regulatory matters to the extent supported by the state-of-the-art in PRA methods and data. A key aspect in using PRA in risk-informed regulatory activities is establishing the appropriate scope and attributes of the PRA. In this regard, ASME decided to develop a consensus PRA Standard. The objective is to develop a PRA Standard such that the technical quality of nuclear plant PRAs will be sufficient to support risk-informed regulatory applications. This paper presents examples recommendations for the systems analysis element of a PRA for incorporation into the ASME PRA Standard.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

ABSTRACT Introduction. Postprostatectomy erectile dysfunction (ED) remains a serious quality-of-life issue. Recent advances in the understanding of the mechanism of postprostatectomy ED have stimulated great attention toward penile rehabilitation. Aim. This review presents and analyzes a contemporary series of the recent medical literature pertaining to penile rehabilitation therapy after radical prostatectomy (RP). Main Outcome Measures. The laboratory and clinical studies related to penile rehabilitation are analyzed. The validity of the methodology and the conclusion of the findings from each study are determined. Methods. The published and presented reports dealing with penile rehabilitation following RP in human and cavernous nerve injury in animal models are reviewed. Results. Exciti...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Voltage sag caused by faults on an electric power transmission line is one of the most intractable power quality issues for both utility companies and customers. The fault in power system randomly exists along transmission lines due to the combination of many uncertain factors. To predict and assess the annual expected sag frequency (ESF) deriving from the faults along lines, a stochastic based method that employs maximum entropy principle, namely the maximum entropy probability method (MEPM), has been introduced in this paper. Moreover, various types of faults have been considered systematically. With the fault line intervals and the sample moments taken into account, the discrete values of distribution probability of fault locations along the transmission lines have been estimat...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Since the end of the 1990s, good quality lighting was that which balanced the needs of humans, economic and environmental issues, and architectural design. Recent studies aimed to find a correlation between environmental lighting and human performance and health, with positive results. What is known, is that insufficient or inappropriate light exposure can disrupt standard human rhythms which may result in adverse consequences for performance, safety, health. By studying the relationship between human physiology and light, research in photobiology has advanced to the point where some attempts to foresee what the lighting practice will be in future. The question is if lighting practice and lighting practitioners are ready for changes. This paper has the aim of introducing the recent discove...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The approval (2003) and enforcement (2005) of a smoking ban in Italy have been viewed by many as an unexpectedly successful example of policy change. The present paper, by applying a processualist approach, concentrates on two policy cycles between 2000 and 2005. These had opposing outcomes: an incomplete decisional stage and an authoritative decision, enforced two years later. Through the analysis of the different phases of agenda setting, alternative specification and decision making, we have compared the quality of participation of policy entrepreneurs in the two cycles, their political strategies and, in these, the relevance of issue image. The case allows us to direct the attention of scholars and practitioners to an early phase of the policy implementation process - which we have nam...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Biological wound dressings sterilized with gamma radiation, such as amnion and pig skin, are a reality in Mexico. These tissues are currently processed in the tissue bank and sterilized in the Gamma Industrial Irradiation Plant; both facilities belong to the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares (ININ) (National Institute of Nuclear Research). With the strong support of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the bank was established at the ININ and the Mexican Ministry of Health issued its sanitary license on July 7, 1999. The Quality Management System of the bank was certified by ISO 9001:2000 on August 1, 2003; the scope of the system is "Research, Development and Processing of Biological Tissues Sterilized with Gamma Radiation". At present, more than 150 patients from 16 hosp...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An initial draft of an environmental and natural resource strategy for the Asia Near/East region in the 1990's is presented. The report contains five chapters. Chapter I provides an analytic framework that links natural resources, their extent, quality, and management with economic growth in the region. Chapter II contains a more detailed description and analysis of key resource problems that are restricting economic growth and have a severe negative impact on standard of living and quality of life. The most serious of these are soil and water degradation; destruction of natural forests, wetlands, and coastal zones; inefficient energy use and industrial pollution; and lack of environmental services. Chapters III and IV describe 20 specific opportunities for working toward sustainable economic growth through protection and enhancement of the natural resource base. Opportunities for action were chosen on the basis of the urgency and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radiation damage of the final optical components in an Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) reactor is a crucial issue for development of a laser-fusion reactor. To some extent, this problem will be encountered in the National Ignition Facility (NIF), but there, the integrated radiation dose will be considerably less than that encountered in a future reactor. This extremely harsh radiation environment necessitates shielding the ICF optics from direct neutron and x-ray bombardment. Several approaches have been suggested, such as the use of grazing incidence metal mirrors or fused silica wedge deflectors. While metal mirrors can withstand a larger radiation dose, their focusing qualities pose problems. Therefore wedge deflectors, originally suggested by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) staff, represent a promising alternative. Radiation hardening of the fused silica deflectors using a new combined thermal/optical annealing approach is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Electric Power Monthly (EPM) presents monthly electricity statistics for a wide audience including congress, Federal and State agencies, the electric utility industry, and the general public. The purpose of this publication is to provide energy decisionmakers with accurate and timely information that may be used in forming various perspectives on electric issues that lie ahead. This publication provides monthly statistics at the State, Census division, and US levels for net generation, fossil fuel consumption and stocks, quantity and quality of fossil fuels, cost of fossil fuels, electricity retail sales, associated revenue, and average revenue per kilowatthour of electricity sold. In addition, data on net generation, fuel consumption, fuel stocks, quantity and cost of fossil fuels are also displayed for the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) regions. The EIA publishes statistics in the EPM on net generation by energy ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Full text: A semiempirical algorithm for absorbed dose calculation at off-axis points in irregular beams was implemented. It is well known that semiempirical methods are very useful because of their easy implementation and its helpfulness in dose calculation in the clinic. These methods can be used as independent tools for dosimetric calculation in many applications of quality assurance. However, the applicability of such methods has some limitations, even in homogeneous media, specially at off axis points, near beam fringes or outside the beam. Only methods derived from tissue-air-ratio (TAR) or scatter-maximum-ratio (SMR) have been devised for those situations, many years ago. Despite there have been improvements for these manual methods, like the Sc-Sp ones, no attempt has been made to extend their usage at off axis points. In this work, a semiempirical formalism was introduced, based on the works of Venselaar et al. (1999) and Sanz et al. ...

Science.gov (United States)

... AFIT/CI "OVERPRINT" Page 2. NETWORK SECURITY ISSUES by ... Page 4. Sinisi, Michael Jude (MS, Telecommunications) Network Security Issues ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The quality of fuel oils is discussed. The problems that the fuel oil marketer must deal with that relate to the quality of the fuel oil are described.

Science.gov (United States)

PMID:20636852

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Udgivelsesdato: July

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The {sup 252}Cf-source-driven noise analysis method has been used in measurements for subcritical configurations of fissile systems for a variety of applications. Measurements of 25 fissile systems have been performed with a wide variety of materials and configurations. This method has been applied to measurements for (1) initial fuel loading of reactors, (2) quality assurance of reactor fuel elements, (3) fuel preparation facilities, (4) fuel processing facilities, (5) fuel storage facilities, (6) zero-power testing of reactors, and (7) verification of calculational methods for assemblies with the neutron k < l. These previous measurements, performed with a wide variety of multiplying systems, demonstrated the usefulness of the method. The high sensitivity of noise-measured parameters to small changes in fissile systems has been observed in several measurements. This high sensitivity has been evaluated using Monte Carlo neutron transport ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lateral and vertical variabilities in the bulk and mechanical properties of silicic volcanic tuff at the potential nuclear waste repository site in Yucca Mountain, NV have been evaluated. Laboratory measurements have been performed on tuff specimens recovered from boreholes located to support the design of the Exploratory Studies Facility/North Ramp. The data include dry and saturated bulk densities, average grain density, porosity, compressional and shear wave velocities, elastic moduli, and compressional and tensional fracture strengths. Data from eight boreholes aligned in a northwest-southeast direction have been collected under the required quality assurance program. Three boreholes have penetrated the potential repository horizon. The information collected provides for an accurate appraisal of the variability of rock properties in the vicinity of the boreholes. As expected, there is substantial variability in the bulk and mechanical ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper systematically introduces the supervision monitoring for radiation environment around the Guangdong Daya Bay and Ling Ao nuclear power station by the Guangdong Environmental Radiation Research and Monitoring Center. It includes the monitoring plan, methods, quality assurance, main results and conclusions. The results show that: (1) The gas discharge have not caused any detectable impacts to the terrestrial and atmospheric environment since their operation; (2) "1"1"0"mAg could only be detected in seawater in the West Daya Bay in 1995 and 1997 and in sediments in 1997. The maximum annual average in seawater was 3.1 Bq/m"3, annual average of "1"1"0"mAg in sediments was 1.0 Bq/kg(dry). But it was always detectable in pearl oyster, gulfweed and cuttlefish in the West Daya Bay. The "1"1"0"mAg concentrations in halobios were relatively higher in 1994, 1996 and 1997. The maximum concentrations in pearl oyster, gulfweed and cuttlefish were ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The WAND (Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal) system can scan thought-to-be-clean, low-density waste (mostly paper and plastics) to determine whether the levels of any contaminant radioactivity are low enough to justify their disposal in normal public landfills or similar facilities. Such a screening would allow probably at least half of the large volume of low-density waste now buried at high cost in LANL`s Rad Waste Landfill (Area G at Technical Area 54) to be disposed of elsewhere at a much lower cost. The WAND System consists of a well-shielded bank of six 5-in.-diam. phoswich scintillation detectors; a mechanical conveyor system that carries a 12-in.-wide layer of either shredded material or packets of paper sheets beneath the bank of detectors; the electronics needed to process the outputs of the detectors; and a small computer to control the whole system and to perform the data analysis. WAND system minimum detectable activities (MDAs) for point sources range from ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The globalization of markets has generated more options of purchase of all type of goods and services, these options have generated opportunities and threats for all the companies and have looked for the satisfaction of the client as a strategy to remain or incursion into the global market. The Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas (IIE) is not the exception and therefore it looks for the identification of the qualitative aspects and to systematize its application in the projects that executes by means of the implantation of a system of quality assurance based on the series of ISO 9000 Standards. Some examples are described to identify the qualitative aspects of the projects that are developed in the Institute. [Spanish] La globalizacion de los mercados ha generado mas opciones de compra de todo tipo de bienes y servicios, dichas opciones han generado oportunidades y amenazas para todas las empresas y se ha buscado satisfacer al cliente como ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Before low-level waste may be disposed of, a performance assessment must be written and then approved by the DOE (DOE 1988a DOE 1999a). The performance assessment is to determine whether ''reasonable assurance'' exists that the performance objectives of the disposal facility will be met. The DOE requirements for waste disposal (DOE 1988a DOE 1999a) require the protection of public health and safety; and the protection of the environment. Although quantitative limits are sometimes stated (for example, the all-pathways exposure limit is 25 mrem/year), usually the requirements are stated in a general nature. Quantitative limits were established by: investigating all potentially applicable regulations as well as interpretations of the review panels which DOE has established to review performance assessments, interacting with program management to establish the additional requirements of the program, and interacting with the public ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report covers the technical effort through February, 1989. This effort was directed towards the technology associated with the development of a large scale, long pulse DF-CO{sub 2} chemical laser. Optics damage studies performed under Task 1 assessed damage thresholds for diamond-turned salt windows. Task 2 is a multi-faceted task involving the use of PHOCL-50 for laser gain measurements, LTI experiments, and detector testing by LANL personnel. To support these latter tests, PHOCL-50 was upgraded with Boeing funding to incorporate a full aperture outcoupler that increased its energy output by over a factor of 3, to a full kilojoule. The PHOCL-50 carbon block calorimeter was also recalibrated and compared with the LANL Scientech meter. Cloud clearing studies under Task 3 initially concentrated on delivering a Boeing built Cloud Simulation Facility to LANL, and currently involves design of a Cold Cloud Simulation Facility. A Boeing IRAD funded theoretical study on cold cloud ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Background and purpose: A series of phase I/II clinical trials are being initiated in several UK centres to explore the use of dose-escalated schedules for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Among them the IDEAL-CRT trial (ISRCTN12155469) will investigate the introduction of individualised 'isotoxic' treatment schedules based on the relative mean lung normalised total dose (rNTDmean), an estimator related to lung toxicity. Since treatment planning will be performed using different treatment planning systems (TPSs), for the quality assurance of the trial we have carried out work to quantify the influence of dose calculation algorithms based on the determination of rNTDmean and on the choice of individualised prescription doses. Material and methods: Twenty-five patient plans with stage I, II and III NSCLC were calculated, with the same prescription dose, using the Adaptive Convolve (AC) and Collapsed Cone (CC) algorithms of the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Under the current design philosophy, reactor structures are to be designed to withstand large inelastic deformation caused by strong and severe ground motion. The design of the main structural elements and their connections are to be such that they always fail in ductile mode. This will ensure large energy absorption capacity of the structures under seismic excitation and avoid sudden and brittle failure of the structure. Over the years, a number of experimental investigations have been carried out on RC beam- column joints to study their behaviour and strength. However, these studies mostly pertain to small scale joints of moment resisting frame of residential buildings and commercial complexes. Information on full scale joints existing in NPP structures are scanty. Therefore, experimental programme was planned in the laboratory to construct identical large sized joints with the same reinforcement percentage and detail as that of the existing joints in NPP structures built in 1960's. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy for treating a cervix carcinoma has become popular, because it eliminates many of the problems associated with conventional brachytherapy. In order to improve the clinical effectiveness with HDR brachytherapy, a dose calculation algorithm, optimization procedures, and image registrations need to be verified by comparing the dose distributions from a planning computer and those from a humanoid phantom. In this study, the humanoid phantom was fabricated in order to verify the absolute doses and the relative dose distributions. The measured doses from the humanoid phantom were then compared with the treatment planning system for the dose verification. The humanoid phantom needs to be designed such that the dose distributions can be quantitatively evaluated thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) chips with a dimension of 1/8 and film dosimetry with a spatial resolution of <1 mm used to measure the radiation dosages in the phantom. The humanoid phantom ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A family of industrial irradiators is being developed by AECL to cover an electron-beam energy range from 5 to 18 MeV at beam powers between 20 and 250 kW. The IMPELA family of irradiators is designed for push button, reliable operation. The major irradiator components are modular, allowing for later upgrades to meet increased demands in either electron or X-ray mode. Interface between the control system, irradiator availability and dose quality assurance is in conformance with the most demanding specifications. The IMPELA irradiators use a klystron-driven, standing-wave, L-band accelerator structure with direct injection from a rugged, triode electron gun. Direct control of the accelerating field during the beam pulse ensures constant output beam energy, independent of beam power. The first member of the family, the IMPELA 10/50 (10 MeV, 50 kW), is in the final stages of assembly at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories. The IMPELA 10/50 is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

High energy physics facilities must monitor the radiation doses received by their personnel. This monitoring can only be effective if the radiation detection devices can be calibrated with a good degree of accuracy. Radiation fields are usually composed of several types of radiation, including gamma rays, beta radiation, neutrons, etc. The neutron detection instruments respond not only to the neutrons coming directly from the source but also those scattered from the floor, walls, and ceiling. The amount of neutron scattering varies from site to site depending on the construction materials and layout of the building. The purpose of this study was to determine the scattered neutron fraction in the central volume of the calibration mezzanine of the Radiation Physics Calibration Facility (RPCF) at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). At Fermilab, radiation workers dosimeters use CR39 for neutron detection, which are sent to an outside vendor for reading. As part of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Within the Annual Conference 2009 of the VGB PowerTech e.V. (Essen, Federal Republic of Germany) from 23rd to 25th May, 2009, in Lyon (France) the following lectures were held: (1) Electricity demand, consequences of the financial and economic crisis - Current overview 2020 for the EU-27 (Hans ten Berge); (2) Status and perspectives of the electricity generation mix in France (Bernard Dupraz); (3) European electricity grid - status and perspective (Dominique Maillard); (4) Technologies and acceptance in the European energy market (Gordon MacKerran); (5) EPR construction in Finland, China, France, (Claude Jaouen); (6) EPR Flamanville 3: A project on the path towards nuclear revival (Jacques Alary); (7) Worldwide nuclear Revival and acceptance (Luc Geraets); (8) An overview on the status of final disposal of radioactive wastes worldwide (Piet Zuidema); (9) Who needs pumped storage plants? PSP are partner to grid stability and renewable energies (Hans-Christoph Funke); (10) Sustainable ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

There is a well-known story about the blind man examining the elephant: the part of the elephant examined determines his perception of the whole beast. Perhaps bioinformatics--the shotgun marriage between biology and mathematics, computer science, and engineering--is like an elephant that occupies a large chair in the scientific living room. Given the demand for and shortage of researchers with the computer skills to handle large volumes of biological data, where exactly does the bioinformatics elephant sit? There are probably many biologists who feel that a major product of this bioinformatics elephant is large piles of waste material. If you have tried to plow through Web sites and software packages in search of a specific tool for analyzing and collating large amounts of research data, you may well feel the same way. But there has been progress with major initiatives to develop more computing power, educate biologists about computers, increase funding, and set standards. For our ...

Science.gov (United States)

... 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 ...

CERN Document Server

Overview on some functional issues related to the uninterrupible power systems design

Science.gov (United States)

... Accession Number : ADA060007. Title : Issues in Computer Network Security. Descriptive Note : Technical rept.,. Corporate ...

Science.gov (United States)

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common disorder, for which various conservative treatment options are available. The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of the various conservative treatment options for relieving the symptoms of CTS. Computer-aided searches of MEDLINE (1/1966 to 3/2000), EMBASE (1/1988 to 2/2000) and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (2000, issue 1) were conducted, together with reference checking. Included were randomised controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of conservative treatment options in a study population of CTS patients, with a full report published in English, German, French or Dutch. Two reviewers independently selected the studies. Fourteen randomised controlled trials were included in the review. Assessment of methodological quality and data-extraction was independently performed by two reviewers. A rating system, based on the number of studies and their methodological ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Methods: Systemic irradiation of neuroaxis is an essential part in the management of medulloblastoma, stPNET and intracranial germ cell tumors. The introduction of quality assurance programs in radiooncology assures a precise radiotherapy of target volumes and is a prerequisite to improve survival. Results: Hyperfractionated radiotherapy has the potential of increasing dose to tumor more safely without increasing the risk for late adverse effects. Pilot studies revealed excellent tumor control in medulloblastoma with acceptable acute toxicity and a long-term survival of up to 96%. In medulloblastoma stereotactic radiation techniques reveal an acceptable toxicity and promising results in tumor control in recurrent disease or as primary treatment. They are now part of future treatment protocols in case of persisting residual tumor. Radiotherapy alone in pure germinoma is continuously yielding high cure rates. In secreting ...

Science.gov (United States)

The role of nurse practitioner has been established because of a shortage of doctors. In May 2007, the first cohort of 582 nurse practitioners were licensed in Taiwan. The post of nurse practitioner in Taiwan is formally moving towards systematization and the most urgent matters in that regard are the sorting out of contentious issues and the establishment of clear job descriptions. Competence in critical thinking and problem-based learning is important and has to be improved with practice. The application of teaching assessment tools such as direct observation procedural skills (DOPS), objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), miniclinical evaluation exercises (Mini-CEX), and 360 degree assessments may contribute to the improvement of nurse practitioners' skills in conducting research, appraising evidence-based nursing literature, and developing teaching strategies and advanced systems by making policy clear, evaluating, auditing and monitoring the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This Conference is a key technology transfer activity supported by the ongoing Combustion Equipment Technology (Oil-Heat R and D) program at BNL, and is aimed at providing a forum for the exchange of information among international researchers, engineers, manufacturers, and marketers of oil-fired space-conditioning equipment. The objectives of the Conference were to: identify and evaluate the state-of-the-art and recommend new initiatives for higher efficiency, a cleaner environment, and to satisfy consumer needs cost-effectively, reliably, and safely; and foster cooperation among federal and industrial representatives with the common goal of sustained national economic growth and energy security via energy conservation. The 1996 Oil Technology Conference comprised: (a) fourteen technical papers, and (b) four workshops which focused on mainstream issues in oil-heating technology, namely: oilheat research agenda forum; fan atomized burner commercialization, ...

Science.gov (United States)

In 1991, the Peacock Hill Working Group provided the field of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) a roadmap for improving the quality of services provided to students with EBD. The working group considered issues at every level of the educational system, from the classroom to federal policy. Although many strides have been made in the past 20 years regarding the education and treatment of students with EBD, the gap has persisted between empirically validated practices and the classroom routines of teachers serving students from this population. In the authors' view, the field of EBD would benefit greatly from conceptual and empirical developments to improve the mechanisms required to bring science to the classroom. Using the theoretical underpinnings of implementation science, the authors describe a transactional model for integrating research, policy, and practice to close the research-to-practice gap. Recommendations for researchers, ...

CERN Document Server

Bit Plane Complexity Segmentation (BPCS) digital picture steganography is a technique to hide data inside an image file. BPCS achieves high embedding rates with low distortion based on the theory that noise-like regions in an image's bit-planes can be replaced with noise-like secret data without significant loss in image quality. . In this framework we will propose a collaborate approach for select frame for Hiding Data within MPEG Video Using Bit Plane Complexity Segmentation. This approach will invent high secure data hidden using select frame form MPEG Video and furthermore we will assign the well-built of the approach; during this review the author will answer the question why they used select frame steganography. In additional to the security issues we will use the digital video as a cover to the data hidden. The reason behind opt the video cover in this approach is the huge amount of single frames image per sec which in turn overcome the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA), DOE/EA-0804, for the proposed replacement of a deteriorated brine disposal pipeline from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Bryan Mound storage facility in Brazoria County, Texas, into the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, the ocean discharge outfall would be moved shoreward by locating the brine diffuser at the end of the pipeline 3.5 miles offshore at a minimum depth of 30 feet. The action would occur in a floodplain and wetlands; therefore, a floodplain/wetlands assessment has been prepared in conjunction with this EA. Based on the analyses in the EA, DOE has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 USC. 4321, et seg.). Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required, and the Department ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The growing global public concern over deteriorating air quality and greenhouse gases emissions released from various combustion processes, and particularly power plants and transportation system, led governments and local authorities, especially in industrialised countries into taking these issues seriously and establishing standards to reduce air pollution down to acceptable levels, (clean air act, earth summit,...). The transportation sector has another unwanted product, noise pollution caused by different segments of this sector including the noise produced by the engine, tires noise and exhaust noise, in addition to the noise product by private standby generals operating during electricity cut-off periods. To be able to estimate the environmental impacts of the national power plants and the transportation sector, it is necessary to collect enough data (samples of lead emissions, SO_2 concentration, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We consider the possibility of a cyclotron-autoresonance-maser (CARM) klystron configuration for accelerator applications as an alternative to the gyroklystron amplifier. The potential advantages, compared to gyroklystrons, include: 1) comparable efficiencies at lower values of the electron beam pitch ratio #alpha#, which should improve the beam quality and make the device substantially more stable against the excitation of parasitic mode, 2) operation far from cutoff, which should reduce the fields at cavity walls, allowing higher power operation, and 3) operation at lower magnetic fields for the same cyclotron harmonic number. However, there are two significant issues associated with the design of efficient, high-power CARMs. First, because of the higher value of k_Z, compared to gyroklystrons, CARMs are substantially more sensitive to parallel velocity spread (pitch-angle spread). Second, conventional cavities support a variety of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

One purpose of this article is to alert state utility commissions involved in restructuring electric utilities to pay special attention to proposals that would fragment the utility's billing and metering (B and M) operations. Such fragmentation would essentially foreclose an important future option for handling all levels of retail deregulation. A fusing of B and M could become the linchpin for transitioning retail electricity from its present cost-based fixed rates to a market-based pricing regime fully exploiting the high economic efficiencies that are characteristic of most commodity pricing regimes. Realizing such economic efficiencies requires self enforcing economic discipline that makes and keeps retail pricing of electricity responsive to: imbalances in supply and demand (S and D), tensions between potential customers and competing suppliers, the need to meet a return-on-investment (ROI) objective, and the relative quality of product demanded. In ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report was prepared in response to a request from the Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee (NERAC) subcommittee on ''Long-Term Isotope Research and Production Plans.'' The NERAC subcommittee has asked for a reply to a number of questions regarding (1) ''How well does the Department of Energy (DOE) infrastructure sme the need for commercial and medical isotopes?'' and (2) ''What should be the long-term role of the federal government in providing commercial and medical isotopes?' Our report addresses the questions raised by the NERAC subcommittee, and especially the 10 issues that were raised under the first of the above questions (see Appendix). These issues are related to the isotope products offered by the DOE Isotope Production Sites, the capabilities and condition of the facilities used to produce these products, the management of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qualitative interpretation of data of different nature and sources, based on segmentation techniques such as discriminant analysis, is useful to characterize and monitor hydrocarbon reservoirs. In order to make this interpretation more reliable, it is necessary to characterize uncertainties attached to data and then, to propagate them in the interpretation work-flow. In this thesis, uncertainties are represented by intervals, because usually, little is known about input data errors. The uncertainty characterization issue is dealt with specifically for each case study. The uncertainty propagation issue is treated by a new technique, based on interval analysis, which consists in extending to intervals various popular approaches (non parametric, quadratic and linear) to discriminant analysis: Firstly, a learning phase allows calibrating an imprecise classifying model on the basis of pre-interpreted data. If the quality of this ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanzania has recently developed a comprehensive environmental policy which has put high priority on several specific environmental issues. One of the issues is the quality of waste water. A special priority is given to the pollution from the sisal industry. The East-African agro-industries generate very large quantities of organic residues from production and processing of different crops. These residues form a major contribution to the pollution of air, soil and waterways, but, at the same time they constitute a large potential for production of bioenergy through anaerobic digestion as well as potential substrate for other biological fermentation processes. Generally, these residues are regarded as having no or very little value and the different disposal methods are mainly a matter of getting rid of the waste. The generation of residues are very often concentrated on few large units, which makes the exploitation of these ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In 2003, Vehicle Emissions Team of the Clean Air Strategic Alliance (CASA) decided to explore ways to reduce vehicle emissions such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons from diesel engines. One of the options for reducing emissions from diesel engines, a diesel particulate filter (DPF), is the subject of a demonstration project to test the effectiveness of the Johnson Matthey diesel particulate filter called Continuously Regenerating Technology (CRT) under cold weather conditions. The project involved filter testing between January 2003 and January 2004 on two diesel buses in Edmonton Transit System's (ETS) fleet. Vehicle exhaust emissions were tested for total hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter. The objectives of the project were to: prove the effectiveness of DPF under cold weather conditions in Alberta; provide an opportunity for hands-on installation experience and use of CRT ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the future, the demand for energy is predicted to grow and more countries plan to utilize nuclear energy as their source of electric energy. This gives rise to many important issues connected to nuclear energy, such as finding methods that can verify that the spent nuclear fuel has been handled safely and used in ordinary power producing cycles as stated by the operators. Gamma ray spectroscopy is one method used for identification and verification of spent nuclear fuel. In the specific gamma ray spectroscopy method called gamma scanning the gamma radiation from the fission products Cs-137, Cs-134 and Eu-154 are measured in a spent fuel assembly. From the results, conclusions can be drawn about the fuels characteristics. This degree project examines the possibilities of using alternative measuring approaches when using the gamma scanning method. The focus is on examining how to increase the quality of the measured data. How to decrease the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has increased significantly in the last years, as has research concerning chemical characterization of these plants. In this study, inorganic constituents were determined in leaves and in extracts from three medicinal plant species of the Casearia genus (C. sylvestris, C. decandra and C. obliqua) collected in distinct regions of the Atlantic Forest, SP. The elemental compositions of the soils in which these plants were grown were also determined. Traditionally, these plants are used due to their antiinflammatory, antiacid, antiseptic and cicatrizing properties. The antiulcer and the antitumor activities of the Casearia genus and its capacity to neutralize snake and bee venoms, have also been scientifically confirmed. The analytical methodology used was neutron activation analysis. Long and short irradiation periods of the samples and the standards were carried out at IPEN's IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor. In the leaf K ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The introduction of tolerance to radiation (''radiation-hardness'') into large electronic systems is one of the major tasks to which this Handbook will be put. The practices recommended here for inculcating radiation-tolerance in equipment require advanced physical modeling techniques, precise engineering procedures, and firm assurance procedures. The degree to which these procedures should be used in an equipment project can be measured by the severity of the raw radiation environment, the desired reliability of the system, and the requirement of that project for radiation-sensitive technologies. The balance of device/circuit design versus shielding will depend on whether the radiation is highly penetrating -- as in isotope handling or military environments -- or readily attenuated, as in space. In this chapter the authors have attempted to summarize the essential features of the radiation hardening of large assemblies of equipment and how effective control of ...

Science.gov (United States)

Issues Democracy and Human Rights Economic Issues Energy Security Food Security Haiti Health Iran Iraq Landmines Middle East Muslim Outreach Narcotics Nonproliferation North Korea...

Science.gov (United States)

Clean Water Act You are here: Water Laws & Regulations Policy & Guidance Clean Water Act Water Quality and 401 Certification Water Quality and 401 Certification Water Quality...

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

Archived Web resource. Information about the impacts of global warming on the environmental quality and recreation, such as ... ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

... VDPEAZ (Bonn 2010 issue) NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS

Science.gov (United States)

... qualified manufacturing employees. David Lichtinger, plant manager for Lord Corporation's aerospace products plant in ...

CERN Document Server

Digital Inclusion, Teens, and Your Library

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

There are a total of nine operational nuclear plants in Spain totalling 7.350 MWe. These units produced 54.265 x 106 KWh in 1990, 36% of the total generation in Spain. Seven of these plants are of the PWR type. The first plant in operation was Jose Cabrera (ZORITA) in 1968, one loop Westinghouse plant with a model 24 Steam Generator. Due to the design margin and careful operation of the Steam Generator of this plant its performance have been very good, with only 5% tubes plugged after 23 years of operation. This is one of the few units in the world that remains in phosphate chemistry. During the period 1981-1985 a total of four units, two in Almaraz and two in Asco entered in operation. These three loop s Westinghouse units use model D-3 preheater Steam Generators. The poor design and manufacture of the Steam Generators of these units have caused a large number of problems: mechanical (Preheater and AVB's vibration), denting, and primary and secondary stress corrosion cracking. As a ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

One of ENEA's many activities consists in dealing with the analysis of information strategies. In this case the analysis concerns an environmental issue, the ozone hole which, in spite of the consideration given by the media, is not sufficiently highlighted, as well as in the case of climate changes issue. A survey of the coverage of four daily newspapers was realized; the time period covered by the analysis spans form January 1996 to December 1997, 77 articles in total. The newspapers involved are: La Repubblica, Il Corriere della Sera, L'Unita' on a national scale, and Il Resto del Carlino on a regional scale. The number of articles analyzed is divided as follows: 26 for the Repubblica, 24 for the Corriere della Sera, 21 for the Unita', 6 for the Resto del Carlino. The purpose of the work was to detect quality and quantity indicators of the Italian press about the ozone hole ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Full text: Thermoluminescence (TL) is a phenomenon of light emission caused by heating a pre-irradiated material. When ionizing radiation hits a TL material, electrons are freed from some atoms and moved in the material, leaving behind 'holes' of positive charge. Subsequently when the TL material is heated, the electrons and the 'holes' re-combine, and release the extra energy in the form of light. The light intensity can be measured, and related to the amount of energy initially absorbed through exposure to the ionizing radiation. In nineteen sixties thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLD) became popular for dosimetric applications in view of their small size, sensitivity and accuracy. Consequently, in early seventies, several countries started adopting of TLD for personnel monitoring. The idea of introducing TLD to replace the then prevalent film dosimeter for personnel monitoring in India was mooted and successfully implemented by Dr. K G Vohra. Limitations of prevalent film dosimeters ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finding innovative ways to reduce waste streams generated at US Department of Energy (DOE) sites by 50% by the year 2000 is a challenge for DOE`s waste minimization efforts. A team composed of members from several DOE facilities used the quality tool known as benchmarking to improve waste minimization efforts. First the team examined office waste generation and handling processes at their sites. Then team members developed telephone and written questionnaires to help identify potential ``best-in-class`` industry partners willing to share information about their best waste minimization techniques and technologies. The team identified two benchmarking partners, NIKE, Inc., in Beaverton, Oregon, and Microsoft, Inc., in Redmond, Washington. Both companies have proactive, employee-driven environmental issues programs. Both companies report strong employee involvement, management commitment, and readily available markets for recyclable materials such ...