Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the RIR (Risk-informed Regulation), PSA (Probabilistic Safety Assessment) plays a major role because it provides overall risk insights for the regulatory body and utility. Therefore, the scope, the level of details and the technical adequacy of PSA, i.e. the quality of PSA is to be ensured for the successful RIR. To improve the quality of Korean PSA, we evaluate the quality of the KSNP (Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant) internal full-power PSA model based on the 'ASME PRA Standard' and the 'NEI PRA Peer Review Process Guidance.' As a working group, PSA experts of the regulatory body and industry also participated in the evaluation process. It is finally judged that the overall quality of the KSNP PSA is between the ASME Standard Capability Category I and II. We also derive some items to be improved for upgrading the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The World Bank is analyzing the role of economic policy instruments for the control of air pollution in Poland, in cooperation with Polish and international experts. The first stage, covering Poland as a whole, was recently completed, jointly financed with the U.S. E.P.A. and the Government of the Netherlands. The second stage, now under way, will extend the analysis into a specific regional framework. Stage 2 is financed by the World Bank, the Polish Government, and the U.K. Environment Know-How Fund. Air Pollution in Poland is overwhelmingly caused by energy production and uses, due to the fact that the Polish economy depends heavily on coal and lignite. At present, vehicles contribute less to total emissions than do coal burning and industrial processes, although they account for 25-35% of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and lead; and the concentrated in areas of high population density. The paper shows how economic, technical and meteorological ...

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...Seasonal streamflow forecast: a GCM multi-model downscaling approach on Environmental Expert Bulletins Environmental Expert RSS Environmental Expert facebook Environmental Expert twitter Environmental Expert LinkedIn ...

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.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prior to routine use, all newly installed x-ray machines must have a radiation-protection survey by a qualified expert. The survey is an evaluation of existing or potential radiation hazards associated with the use of diagnostic x-ray equipment under specific conditions. Such evaluation includes the measurement of exposure levels in the environment as well as environmental levels arising from operation of the equipment. The survey also includes an evaluation of the safety characteristics of the x-ray unit.

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)

This assessment is a feasibility study according to ISO 14024. It deals with the question whether an ecolabel is suitable for wood pellet heating systems and how concrete criteria for an ecolabel for wood pellet heating plants could be specified. The study begins with a comprehensive market analysis in order to identify possible plants for which an ecolabel would make sense. In the main part of the study, the environmental relevance of the chosen plants is analysed. For this analysis, plant manufacturers were interviewed and a comparison between wood pellet heating systems and heating systems which use gas, oil or wood was carried out. On the basis of this analysis, it was possible to derive a number of criteria which were discussed with company representatives and other experts in this field. As a result of this dialogue and the investigation process as a whole, the introduction of an ecolabel for wood pellet heating plants can be recommended. Wood pellet heating ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

One of the aims of SILMU, the Finnish Research Programme for Climate Change, was to produce information for decision-makers concerning climate change and its mitigation. One integrative project for this purpose was PAATE, an inquiry into the present state and future possibilities of interaction between researchers and decision-makers. The aims of the PAATE project can be summarised as follows: (1) to conduct a survey of the state of climate change research and climate policy in Finland, (2) to develop the interaction between climate research, policy makers and different societal organisations, (3) to acquire methodological experiences on the realisation of projects of this type, (4) to provide material for the final report of the SILMU project and for further action, and (5) to promote the rational development of climate policy. Methodologically, the PAATE project used the Delphi technique employed chiefly in futurological research. A method based on ...

Science.gov (United States)

Coke-fired cupola furnaces were improved and made suitable for the production of high-quality casting melts by numerous additional devices. Moreover, they were equipped with environmental protection systems with numerous dust separation devices and afterb...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Riskaudit 7 report has been made by a group of independent experts from Western European countries representing technical organizations specialized in the support of regulatory bodies of those countries. It represents a preliminary estimation of the Ukrainian WWER B 213 and B 320 reactors, based on the example of Rovno NPP, analysed with a Western practice. The first part of the document covers the following aspects of the report: core design and fuel management; pressurized components; electrical supply; instrumentation and control; containment; internal events; site conditions and external events.

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... Geothermal Energy Equipment in Finland on Environmental Expert Find and compare a variety of geothermal energy equipment in finland on the world's largest environmental ...

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... Fuel Cell Technologies Equipment on Environmental Expert Find and compare a variety of fuel cell technologies equipment on the world's largest environmental industry portal. View ...

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... Corrosion Inhibitors Equipment on Environmental Expert Find and compare a variety of corrosion inhibitors equipment on the world's largest environmental industry portal. View ...

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...on Environmental Expert Aanderaa Data Instruments develops, manufactures and markets oceanographic and meteorological instruments and special systems for collecting environmental data. Data can be ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To meet BPA`s contractual obligation to supply electrical power to its customers, BPA proposes to acquire power generated by Klickitat Cogeneration Project. BPA has prepared an environmental assessment evaluating the proposed project. Based on the EA analysis, BPA`s 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 of 1969 for the following reasons: (1)it will not have a significant impact land use, upland vegetation, wetlands, water quality, geology, soils, public health and safety, visual quality, historical and cultural resources, recreation and socioeconomics, and (2) impacts to fisheries, wildlife resources, air quality, and noise will be temporary, minor, or sufficiently offset by mitigation. Therefore, the preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required and BPA is ...

CERN Document Server

Declarative data quality has been an active research topic. The fundamental principle behind a declarative approach to data quality is the use of declarative statements to realize data quality primitives on top of any relational data source. A primary advantage of such an approach is the ease of use and integration with existing applications. Several similarity predicates have been proposed in the past for common quality primitives (approximate selections, joins, etc.) and have been fully expressed using declarative SQL statements. In this thesis, new similarity predicates are proposed along with their declarative realization, based on notions of probabilistic information retrieval. Then, full declarative specifications of previously proposed similarity predicates in the literature are presented, grouped into classes according to their primary characteristics. Finally, a thorough ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

China operates 10 nuclear power reactors and has 5 more under construction. A large extension of nuclear power is expected by 2020. Nuclear generated electricity accounts for 2% of the total electric power generation. The Chinese policy is to have spent fuel reprocessed in China. So, final disposal include vitrified waste and some CANDU spent fuel for direct disposal. There is a legal framework in place in China to manage HLW. The China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) has the responsibility for setting policy on HLW disposal and implementing the disposal programme, while the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) and the State Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are the regulatory bodies, which are responsible for licensing and reviewing of environment impact assessment report. The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) is considered to be the actual implementer, conducting the major activities for HLW management. In the 1980's, China started generic ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

For prolonged storage and eventual disposal radioactive wastes will be solidified to reduce the problems which accompany liquid waste whilst solid wastes will be encapsulated in an immobilising matrix. In the solidification and encapsulation process it will be important to produce a material in a form which is chemically stable, mechanically strong and which will not react with or allow free passage of groundwater. To this end a continuous check will be required to ensure that the various wastes are chemically compatible with the solidifying and binding matrices and that the associated processes are performed against a strict Quality Programme. The Quality Programme will be extensive requiring the specification of procedures for assessing the quality and nature of the wastes, the detailed operation of the solidification and/or encapsulation, the overpack requirements for transportation and the routines to be adopted with ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper describes Automatic Refueling Planning System (ARPS) for a nuclear power station using Genetic Algorithms (GA) and a Simulated Annealing (SA). ARPS has been developed and verified by applying to the Fugen nuclear power station (NPS), which is a 165MWe, heavy water-moderated, boiling light water-cooled, pressure tube-type reactor developed by JNC utilizing mainly uranium and plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. Fuel loading patterns have been managed independently in the Fugen NPS since the initial core. A planning of an adequate fuel loading pattern on each operational cycle needs one to two months even for expert core management engineers, for the reason that it has multi-objective optimization and nonlinear problems. In order to achieve the optimum fuel loading pattern and a fuel cost reduction, ARPS has been developed by JNC and CRC Solutions Corporation for the last five years. ARPS firstly generates several thousand fuel loading patterns with GA at ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Automatic segmentation of anatomical structures in medical images is a valuable tool for efficient computer-aided radiotherapy and surgery planning and an enabling technology for dynamic adaptive radiotherapy. This paper presents the design, algorithms and validation of new software for the automatic segmentation of CT images used for radiotherapy treatment planning. A coarse to fine approach is followed that consists of presegmentation, anatomic orientation and structure segmentation. No user input or a priori information about the image content is required. In presegmentation, the body outline, the bones and lung equivalent tissue are detected. Anatomic orientation recognizes the patient's position, orientation and gender and creates an elastic mapping of the slice positions to a reference scale. Structure segmentation is divided into localization, outlining and refinement, performed by procedures with implicit anatomic knowledge using standard image processing operations. ...

Science.gov (United States)

I review the past and present of wound ballistics research in China and look toward the future of this subject. The main points area as follows: (1) Before the 1970s, China did not conduct any experimental study on wound ballistics. (2) After the 1970s, experts in ordnance and medicine closely cooperated to conduct a series of experiments or tests on wound ballistics, such as wounding effects and the mechanism of various high-speed projectiles, the treatment of the protection from firearm wounds, high quality of ammunition design, lethality criterion, blast injuries, etc. Between 1981 and 1993, four national symposia on wound ballistics were held in China. In 1988, China sponsored the Sixth International Symposium on wound Ballistics. China has made great contributions to this subject. (3) As for the future of Chinese research on wound ballistics, I suggest strengthening the following areas: the relationship with weapons traumatology; the basic ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has introduced a risk based approach into Section XI that covers Rules for Inservice Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components. The risk based approach requires application of the probabilistic risk assessments (PRA). Because no industry consensus standard existed for PRAs, ASME has developed a standard to evaluate the quality level of an available PRA needed to support a given risk based application. The paper describes the PRA standard, Section XI application of PRAs, and plans for broader applications of PRAs to other ASME nuclear codes and standards. The paper addresses several specific topics of interest to Section XI. Important consideration are special methods (surrogate components) used to overcome the lack of PRA treatments of passive components in PRAs. The approach allows calculations of conditional core damage probabilities both for component failures ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The mission of the Emerging Technologies thrust area at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is to help individuals establish technology areas that have national and commercial impact, and are outside the scope of the existing thrust areas. We continue to encourage innovative ideas that bring quality results to existing programs. We also take as our mission the encouragement of investment in new technology areas that are important to the economic competitiveness of this nation. In fiscal year 1992, we have focused on nine projects, summarized in this report: (1) Tire, Accident, Handling, and Roadway Safety; (2) EXTRANSYT: An Expert System for Advanced Traffic Management; (3) Odin: A High-Power, Underwater, Acoustic Transmitter for Surveillance Applications; (4) Passive Seismic Reservoir Monitoring: Signal Processing Innovations; (5) Paste Extrudable Explosive Aft Charge for Multi-Stage Munitions; (6) A Continuum Model for Reinforced Concrete ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Section 7 of the Atomic Energy Act (AtG), section 4 of the Federal Emission Control Act (BImSchG), the Nuclear Installations Licensing Ordinance (AtVfV), and the Ninth Ordinance on the Implementation of the BImSchG (Principles of the licensing procedure) require participation of the public in the procedure before administrative provisions or decisions are issued. The book presents the legally prescribed steps at which participation of the public is mandatory, for the simple case (only one license on the agenda), and for the multi-stage licensing procedure: preliminary negotiations / filling of applications for a license and filing of documents / public announcement of projects / access to files / objections / preclusion of delayed objections / public hearing and other expert discussions / termination of procedure, decision-making by the authorities / decisions on subdivision of procedure into defined stages / modification of the procedure. The analysis of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The objective of this project was to identify needs for environmental research development and demonstration projects that have the potential to improve the performance of oil and gas exploration, drilling, and production technologies for maximum recovery of domestic petroleum resources under optimal environmental and economic conditions. To achieve this objective several areas of work were addressed. The first task was to compile as much related data as possible. This was achieved by literature searches of a number of petroleum-related data bases. After acquiring sufficient background on environmental and economical areas that should be expanded, experts who are knowledgeable in these areas were contacted to further define specific issues. More than 33 identified areas were submitted to an in-house panel at NIPER to assure that the final environmental research demonstration and development needs that were selected to be expanded were unbiased ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), conducted March 29, 1987 through April 17, 1987. The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialists, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual team components are outside experts being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with the LANL. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. The on-site phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at the LANL, and interviews with site ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Four subprojects were completed: development and evaluation of die coatings, accelerated die life characterization of die materials, evaluation of fluid flow and solidification modeling programs, selection and characterization of Al-based die casting alloys, and influence of die materials and coatings on die casting quality.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Full text: The IRSN has been organizing enquiries with the French population about risk and risk perception for a long time. In 2002, a collaboration between the IRSN in France and the SCK.CEN in Belgium has been set-up to simultaneously (November 2002) organise this poll in both countries. In each country, a representative sample of the population (over 1000 participants per country) has been consulted by Computer Aided Personal Interviews of about 30 minutes with the professional help of commercial companies: BVA in France and Research International in Belgium. The enquiry yields a broad spectrum of interesting data; here only the results relevant for the emergency context will be presented. One should be aware that these data were collected in a 'normal' period; important differences in behaviour may occur given a serious crisis. A first finding is that more than half of the respondents are convinced that an accident as severe as the Chernobyl disaster may happen in their country as ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

This article aims to open up the biographical black box of three experts working in the boundary zone between science, policy and public debate. A biographical-narrative approach is used to analyse...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Published in summary form only.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The quality insurance in radiotherapy in the frame of highly complex technical process as Intensity modulated radiotherapy (I.M.R.T.) needs independent control of the delivered dose to the patient. Actually, up to now, most of the radiotherapy treatments rely only on computed dosimetry through a rather complicated series of linked simulation tool. This dosimetry approach requires also qualified treatment means based on cautious quality insurance procedures. However, erroneous parameters could be difficult to detect and systematical errors could happen leading to radiotherapy accidents. In this context, in vivo dosimetry has a critical role of final control of the delivered dose. As many beam incidences and ports are used for any photon therapy treatment, external control could be very tedious and time consuming. Therefore, innovations are needed for in vivo dosimetry to provide ergonomic and efficient tools for these ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A computer software system, CLEO, is used to assist in the planning and performance of the reactor refueling operations at the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF). It is a recently developed application of artificial intelligence software with both expert systems and automated reasoning aspects. CLEO, an acronym for Cloned LEO, is a logic-based computer program written in Pascal. It imitates the processes that the refueling expert for FFTF performs in organizing the refueling of FFTF. The computer assistant seeks to organize the sequence of core component movements according to the rules and logic used by the expert. In this form, CLEO has aspects that tie it to both the expert systems and automated reasoning areas within the artificial intelligence field.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

After 3 years of construction the trial run of the heating power station HKW 2 ended in November 1997 on time. No extraordinary damage occured during construction, assembly or commissioning. The plant has been operating according to schedule since November 1997. A brief inspection carried out in the summer of 1998 in order to assess warranty claims showed no damage to any part except one valve. Experience shows that all aforementioned activities were necessary. The paper reports about success and negative experience. Certification according to DIN EN ISO 9000ff., however, affords to guarantee of high-quality construction. Builders of such plants therefore need to set up their own quality assurance centre and ensure its technical competence. If necessary,additional experts should be called in.Quality assurance costs for HKW 2 came to about 0.5-0.6 percent of total costs. In view of the success and long ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An uncomfortable thermal climate, draft complaints and a bad airquality are often related to the climate installation. To avoid badfunctioning of the system a number of preconditions has to be fulfilledwith regard to design, planning and execution, adjustments, completion,control, maintenance and management of the installations. First threetypes of health problems in buildings are shortly discussed: buildingrelated illness, sick building syndrome and building or installationrelated complaints. Then some functions of the climate installationsare described: air filtration, filter classes and filter quality, aswell as investment costs for better filters. Next the causes for thecomplaints are dealt with: air conditioning, ventilation, air quality,and temperatures. Subsequently health affecting aspects in relation tothe climate systems are discussed: outdoor air pollution,microorganisms, bacteria (legionella pneumophila), allergies, ...

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.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrographical analysis is a microscopical analytical tool which allows definition of the exact nature of the components of different concrete mixes, as well as definition of internal structures and alteration processes. In order to improve the precision and the swiftness of the petrographical analysis, an automated image analysis system has been developed. In the next stage of this study, which consisted in the testing of new concrete mixes containing fluidised bed ashes, petrography has been used, not only to identify the nature of the mix components, but also assess the behaviour of these new concrete mixes when exposed to aggressive conditions.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magnetic materials such as yttrium iron garnet (YIG) are of great importance for its magneto-optic properties and for their potential applications in the domain of optical telecommunications. The deposition of thin films of YIG, on quartz or GGG (gadolinium gallium garnet) substrate, was performed using radio frequency non reactive magnetron sputtering, followed by high temperature annealing which is needed to enhance the crystallinity of the layers. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry RBS was used to determine the thickness and stoichiometry of the performed layers in order to investigate correlations between growth conditions and the quality of the final material. RBS measurements showed the influence of the deposition time and the temperature substrate on the film growth and its stoichiometry. (author)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper will track the design and results of an injection molding tool developed to manufacture microfluidic chips. The mold design and injection molding process was complicated by the presence of integrated capillary fluidic interconnects. We determined that design of the runner and gate system responsible for delivering molten plastic to the cavity had a significant impact on the quality of parts produced by the mold and the size of the process window. Numerical results confirm our findings that reducing gate lengths and increasing part thickness dramatically improved the filling profile and lowered injection pressures by 37%. Finally, the influence of gate location on part shrinkage is analyzed and discussed.

Science.gov (United States)

Extensive laboratory and industrial tests are being conducted at the Western Siberian Iron and Steel Works (I and SW) on the adoption of preheating of coking. The present article describes the results of laboratory investigations of the effect of the free oxygen content in the gaseous heat carrier and the final charge preheating temperature on the technological properties of the charge and the quality of the blast furnace coke, as well as the yield and quality of the coking products: 1. An increase in the free oxygen concentration in the heat carrier to 8% degrades the strength properties of the coke - the crushability and abradability are increased. 2. Charge preheating to 200 to 250/sup 0/C, even with a low oxygen concentration in the heat carrier, is accompanied by degradation of the physical and mechanical properties of the coke. 3. The optimal temperature of charge preheating before coking at the Western Siberia I and ...

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 paper, first the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An expert system was developed which helps maintenance personnel diagnose the condition of rotor and stator windings and their cores, in motors and generators rated 2300 V and above. The expert system, called MICAA[TM], used an approach which has been found to be effective for diagnosing medical problems. The program required the user to input machine nameplate information, operating status, and any past test data available. In addition, the program would suggest tests that may be useful, as well as provide guidance to maintenance personnel on what to look for in visual inspections of the machine. The expert system stored and correlated all this information, calculated the overall condition of the component in question, and identified the most likely specific causes of any deterioration. The basic methodology of motor and generator condition assessment, and the architecture and processing performed by MICAA to obtain these ...

Science.gov (United States)

... Missionaries and cannibals [MaC] (Newell, McDermott and Forgy, 1977, p. 63): Three missionaries and three cannibals must cross a river in a two ...

Science.gov (United States)

... Experts ( Appendix 5 ), and the NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Graduate Fellowship Program ( Appendix 6) . The Task Force consisted of one representative from NMFS Headquarters and 1-2 rep...

Science.gov (United States)

... Accession Number : ADP005426. Title : DARPA's Airland Battle Management Program and USAF's Tactical Expert Mission Planner (TEMPLAR),. ...

Wastenet

...Systems by IPEX Enfield electrofusion acid waste systems give you the proven corrosion resistance of polypropylene, along with our patented, state-of-the-art electrofusion system....

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The production of heavy crude oils increased in the last years in the world. Crude oils with high density, viscosity, acidity and sulfur, nitrogen, metals and asphaltenes contents, by the others hand, low stability and low product quality. The challenger of many refiners is find solutions to refine the heavy crude oils, and produce fuels with certify quality, such as Jet Fuel. The principal aviation technique on the world work with gas turbines engines feted for jet fuel (JET A1). The quality specifications of this fuel are establish by International Norms: ASTM-1655, DEF STAN 91-91-3 (DERD 2494) and joint Fuelling System Check List. The world technologies to obtain jet fuel from mixtures of heavy crude oil with middle crude oils are: Atmospheric distillation, with a posterior hydrogenation and finally the additivation. Studies carried out have demonstrates that the Cubans heavy crude oils is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In 2004, the Southeastern France regional council asked the regional health observatory to conduct an environmental health inventory to i) identify environmental health problems in this area; ii) examine the relations between environmental exposure to pollutants and human health; and iii) help public officials to identify priorities in this area. We collected and validated data from national, regional and local institutions, constructed environmental (levels of emissions and pollutants), health (mortality, incidence, prevalence) and behavioral indicators (e.g., complaints about odors), and compared these over time and between places when possible. For each topic, we summarized current knowledge about the links between environment and health. In southeastern France, as in other French areas, indoor air pollution, home and leisure injuries and other home-related risks are public health issues. Other topics are more significant or particular to southeastern France: transportation (air ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Competition to produce cast parts of higher quality, lower rejection rate, and lower cost is a fundamental factor in the global economy. To gain an edge on foreign competitors, the US casting industry must cut manufacturing costs and reduce the time from design to market. Casting research and development (R&D) are the key to increasing US compentiveness in the casting arena. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is the home of a wide range of R&D projects that push the boundaries of state-of-the art casting. LLNL casting expertise and technology include: casting modeling research and development, including numerical simulation of fluid flow, heat transfer, reaction/solidification kinetics, and part distortion with residual stresses; special facilities to cast toxic material; extensive experience casting metals and nonmetals; advanced measurement and instrumentation systems. Department of Energy (DOE) funding provides the leverage for LLNL to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A review of current daylighting design tools indicates that over 30 tools are now available, including nomographs, protractors, overlays, and programs for micro-, mini-, and mainframe computers. Computer-based tools allow testing and analyzing of more design alternatives under a wider variety of conditions than was previously practical with slower techniques, but they have not fundamentally changed the information available to the design professional. These tools are applicable to certain limited functions of the design process and do not address the varying information needs of the designer at various points in the design process. We describe a concept for a computer-based building envelope design tool that is structured to overcome many of the limitations of the existing tools. The tool would address daylighting design in the context of the overall building envelope design, covering a range of environmental quality issues in addition to quantitative aspects of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The IPIRG-2 program was an international group program managed by the US NRC and funded by organizations from 15 nations. The emphasis of the IPIRG-2 program was the development of data to verify fracture analyses for cracked pipes and fittings subjected to dynamic/cyclic load histories typical of seismic events. The scope included: (1) the study of more complex dynamic/cyclic load histories, i.e., multi-frequency, variable amplitude, simulated seismic excitations, than those considered in the IPIRG-1 program, (2) crack sizes more typical of those considered in Leak-Before-Break (LBB) and in-service flaw evaluations, (3) through-wall-cracked pipe experiments which can be used to validate LBB-type fracture analyses, (4) cracks in and around pipe fittings, such as elbows, and (5) laboratory specimen and separate effect pipe experiments to provide better insight into the effects of dynamic and cyclic load histories. Also undertaken were an uncertainty analysis to identify the issues most ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Full text: The site selection process for a near surface repository dedicated for the radioactive waste resulted from the Cernavoda NPP operation and decommissioning started early in 90's. Each site selection stage included the collection of data from specific field and laboratory works as well as the appropriate safety performance evaluation. In order to assess/confirm the performance of the natural barrier of the Saligny site, the radionuclide concentration in the disposal system compartments has been evaluated, as complementary safety indicator of repository. The siting process was made in accordance with national and international regulations and standards and using a conceptual design similar to those used at L'Aube (France), ElCabril (Spain) or Mohovce (Slovak Republic). ANDRAD, the Romanian waste management organization that has continued the siting process in the last three years applied and obtained a partial siting license from CNCAN in 2008. In 2009, ANDRAD has to prepare ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papers are presented under the session headings: research in mechanical fragmentation; rock characterization, remote sensing and interface detection; monitoring, data transmission and communications; tunnel boring machines; minewide monitoring and expert systems for ground control; machine guidance; shaft and raise boring; automation of drilling equipment; machine automation and control; new developments in mechanical miners; materials handling; innovative mining systems; general minewide monitoring and expert systems; ground support; human factors; and extraterrestrial mining.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A knowledge based system for pitting corrosion is presented. It can be used for material selection for specific pitting corrosion conditions or to check the suitability of a chosen material. The user can enter his own knowledge. The expert system is an integration of traditional expert system technology and neural networks. (orig.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A model-base expert system is presented for the processing of alarm messages in power networks' control centers. This alarm processor, called GESTAL, generates concise diagnoses identifying the causes(s) of network disturbances and describing the operation of the protection and alarm systems which operate to isolate faulty components. Essentially, the alarm processor is an agenda driven expert system which is composed of a model of the power network's alarm and protection systems as well as several sets of rules. Based on the nextwork model, graph structures are constructed which represent relationships between alarms as they are received. These graph structures are then analysed in order to diagnose the disturbances(s). The alarm processor has been developed using the ART 3.0 programming language in a Symbolics Lisp-machine environment. Background material on expert systems, electric power networks, and ...

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 issued for comment, and is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The paper gives a general view of techniques and systems related to soil less culture developed in the last years (on substrate in beg; NFT; Ebb-Flood, aeroponic,..) taking into account their management and problems (water quality, control of plant nutrition and irrigation; substrates; pathological aspects,..). The evolution, now in progress, of soil less culture from open to closed system as a way to realized an environmental friendly growing system, is considered. When plants are grown with open cycle techniques a large amount of waste solution, with an a high content of nutrients, are discharged in soil and water. Furthermore, they need an extra-utilization of water and fertilizers. Another aspect is the utilization of low cost substrates, which can be reused for more than one cultural cycle without negative effects on yield, and also finally discharged without negative effects on the environment. The development of soil less culture in ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Defense Waste Management Plan has the objective of final disposal for high-level waste (HLW) generated from defense programs. The DOE sites that generate HLW are located at the Savannah River Operations Office in Aiken, South Carolina, the Hanford site in Richland, Washington, and the Idaho Operations Office in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The purpose in the development of a quality assurance (QA) specification for organizations involved in HLW production is to establish uniform requirements that ensure that radioactive waste is converted to a waste form and canistered in such a way that it is acceptable in a federal repository licensed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). A QA specification has been developed that will be applied to those activities important to certification of the product. The basic requirements are defined in national consensus standards and DOE directives. The supplemental requirements ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this report the effects of harmonics in marine power systems is discussed and a comparison is given between the most typical converter types, including pulse width modulated drives, load commutated inverters and cycloconverters. The effect of harmonic distortion on the power system equipment and loads is first briefly discussed. Special attention is given to the circumstances in the low voltage distribution system, where general load equipment is connected. In addition to the total harmonic distortion the effect of voltage deviation to the supply quality is also considered. The origin of harmonics in the load currents of the three converter types is then considered. The differences between the converters are outlined, and the most typical spectra are presented. The possible means for reducing the harmonic distortion are also studied. The solutions considered are the increasing of the short circuit level, the use of harmonic filters and the increasing of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is proposing to fund the Tucannon River Spring Chinook Captive Broodstock Program, a small-scale production initiative designed to increase numbers of a weak but potentially recoverable population of spring chinook salmon in the Tucannon River in the State of Washington. BPA has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) (DOE/EA-l326) evaluating the proposed project. Based on the analysis in the EA, BPA 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. Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required, and BPA is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is a SASE x-ray Free-Electron Laser (FEL) based on the final kilometer of the Stanford Linear Accelerator. Such an FEL requires a high energy, high brightness electron beam to drive the FEL instability to saturation. When fed by an RF-photocathode gun, and modified to include two bunch compressor chicanes, the SLAC linac will provide such a high quality beam at 14 GeV and 1-{micro}m normalized emittance. In this paper, we report on recent linac studies, including beam stability and tolerances, longitudinal and transverse feedback systems, conventional and time-resolved diagnostics, and beam collimation systems. Construction and installation of the injector through first bunch compressor will be completed by December 2006, and electron commissioning is scheduled to begin in January of 2007.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polyethylene pipes and connections are being widely used in treated water distribution services. Migration of low molecular weight compounds from the polyethylene into the water can change its final quality. This paper is about the concentrations and identification of the migration compounds found in treated water after staying in contact with low and high-density polyethylene. Identification and quantification were carried out using CLSA (Closed Loop Stripping Analysis) extraction technique and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). (Author) 12 refs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This book is mainly a comparison of the cost of pollution with the cost of environmental protection. As to the causes of pollution, a difference is made between pollutants that accumulate and pollutants that do not accumulate. Because of pollutant accumulation it is necessary to carry out both subsequent pollution abatement measures and to take preventive action which helps to avoid pollutant emission. Growth models serve to substantiate why such preventive action is both ecologically and economically useful as a rule. Finally the study makes a comparison between some tools of environmental protection. It stresses in particular that, if a duty on emissions is levied, the polluter has to bear all the cost of the pollution, while at the same time the quality of the environment can be more successfully improved than by emission standards alone.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) examines a project that aimed to define standard solutions for use in buildings built to meet Minergie low energy consumption standards. These standard solutions are to provide a way of meeting Minergie standards in an easy way and thus further the use of the standard and also assure quality at the same time. The report describes how the solutions were developed on the basis of a selection of existing Minergie buildings. For various combinations of heating systems - wood, wood/solar, heat pumps (brine-water and air-water), gas/solar and oil/solar - the appropriate U-values for various building elements are listed. The resulting Minergie forms and guides are listed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

One of the requirements for uniform field quality in the SSC dipole magnets is the consistency in the superconducting strand characteristics from start to finish to the production phase. As full scale production of strand and cable approaches, the consistency in performance of the early batches of conductor needs to be examined. A number of 300 mm billets have been manufactured at IGC with tight process controls. The performance of the final conductor in terms of piece lengths, current density, Cu/Sc ratio and wire diameter has been evaluated. The data are analyzed in order to understand the variations that are related to the conductor design and processing. In this paper the current density of the strand is examined over the length of the billet to determine inherent variability in the Nb/Ti alloy itself.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Recent studies have shown that there is a wide variety of approaches to education and training of the Qualified Expert across the European Union. National education and training programmes show often large differences in content, duration, level, the introduction of practical work, etc. As they stand, such differences are a barrier to the mutual recognition of the Qualified Expert status and, in part, are contributing to a perceived shortage in expertise in radiation protection and safety. The overall aim of ENETRAP is to determine mechanisms that in the longer term will facilitate better integration of education and training activities (with a view to mutual recognition across the European Union) and to ensure the ongoing provision of the necessary competence and expertise at the level of the Qualified Expert. The ENETRAP project is a 6FP coordination action. It started in April 2005 and runs over a period of 24 months. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This document exposes the results of the fourth evaluation report of the working group II of the inter government experts group on the climatic change. This evaluation presents the today scientific understanding of the climatic change impacts on the humans and their adaptation ability and vulnerability. It is based on the GIEC evaluations and new knowledge added since the third evaluation report. (A.L.B.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

During the last ten years, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. nuclear utilities have been developing methods and requirements for risk-informed applications making use of probabilistic risk assessments (PRA) of nuclear power plants. Early in this process, it became clear that the existing PRAs were done with different objectives and methodologies by different analysts. For uniformity and consistency in future risk-informed applications, industry consensus standards on probabilistic risk assessments were deemed to be essential. Currently, the following standards have been published or under preparation: - ASME RA-S-2002: 'Standard for Probabilistic Risk Assessment for Nuclear Power Plant Applications', Addendum C, March 2005. - ANSI/ANS-58.21-2003 'External-Events PRA Methodology' March 2003. - ANS-58.22 'Low Power and Shutdown PRA Standard'. - ANS-58.23 'Fire PRA Methodology Standard'. - ANS Level 2 and Level 3 PRA Standards. The ASME Standard specifies the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The University of Groningen (RUG) has developed an expert system on cleaning of biomass producer gas. This work was carried out in close co-operation with the Biomass Technology Group B.V. (BTG) in Enschede, The Netherlands within the framework of the EC supported JOR3-CT95-0084 project. The expert system was developed as a tool for the designer-engineer of downstream gas cleaning equipment and consists of an information package and a flowsheet package. The packages are integrated in a client/server system. The flowsheeting package of the expert system has been designed for the evaluation of different gas cleaning methods. The system contains a number of possible gas cleaning devices such as: cyclone, fabric filter, ceramic filter, venturi scrubber and catalytic cracker. The user can select up to five cleaning steps in an arbitrary order for his specific gas cleaning problem. After specification of the required design ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Background/Objective:To determine the utility of certain instruments to assess sexuality and fertility after SCI, an expert panel identified key areas to study and evaluated...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This patent describes an expert overseer for the operation and real-time management of a mass spectrometer and associated laboratory equipment. The overseer is a computer-based expert diagnostic system implemented on a computer separate from the dedicated computer used to control the mass spectrometer and produce the analysis results. An interface links the overseer to components of the mass spectrometer, components of the laboratory support system, and the dedicated control computer. Periodically, the overseer polls these devices and as well as itself. These data are fed into an expert portion of the system for real-time evaluation. A knowledge base used for the evaluation includes both heuristic rules and precise operation parameters. The overseer also compares current readings to a long-term database to detect any developing trends using a combination of statistical and heuristic rules to evaluate the results. The ...

Wastenet

...for free Subscribe your products Categories All Categories Monitoring & Testing ChromatographyDelete Category Filter anion exchange chromatography biogas chromatographs chromatographic media chromatographic separations chromatographs chromatography ...

Science.gov (United States)

Quality of education is a determining factor in a nation's competitiveness. Although Mexico has made tremendous progress toward achieving universal basic education, school quality has not kept pace with enrollment increases, especially in rural areas. Innovations at the federal and state levels to raise the quality of basic education in Mexico include decentralizing the education system, thereby giving the states more control over education, and creating the Carrera Magisterial, a program of incentives and professional development for teachers. The first part of this paper shows that early in their professional lives, teachers in basic public schools are better paid than other comparable groups. The second part of the paper analyzes determinants of student achievement. Findings show that short-term teacher posts had a negative impact on learning achievement. Pedagogical efforts and teacher answers to student questions were ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As the penetration of wind energy continues to increase around the world, with a trend towards large utility-scale wind farms (greater than 100 MW), effective wind energy forecasting will become increasingly important. Previous work by GH has estimated the trading benefit of high quality short-term forecasting to be EUR 7/MWh. Depending on market conditions, for a 100 MW wind farm with a capacity factor of 30%, this equates to an estimated annual trading benefit of up to EUR 1.8m. To date, a number of studies have focused on the mathematical modelling techniques for forecasting the production from wind farms, looking predominantly at the task of predicting the meteorological conditions at the site. This paper focuses on the final stage of the forecasting process, conversion from a meteorological forecast to a power production forecast. This challenge is particularly significant for utility-scale wind farms. The main body of research in ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An IAEA databank lists a number of reported cases of illicitly trafficked nuclear or other radioactive materials. Apart from the traditional concern with nuclear proliferation, the post September 11th public is now wary of a possible attack by terrorists with a nuclear or radiation dispersion device (RDD). Until now, the seized quantities have not been sufficient to manufacture a nuclear explosive device, but they might be enough to construct an RDD. Recognizing the latent global challenge to public health and safety, the G8 States (Japan, USA, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Canada, and Russia) have called for 'joint international efforts to identify and suppress illicit supply' of, and demand for, nuclear material and to deter potential traffickers. One measure gaining in significance is to identify seized material and trace it back to its origin the objective of an emerging science known as nuclear forensics. Repeatedly nuclear or other radioactive material of unknown origin are ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This handbook provides guidance in the application of quality assurance to measurement activities. It is intended to help those persons making measurements in applying quality assurance to their work activities by showing how laboratory practices and quality assurance requirements are integrated to provide control within those activities. The use of the guidance found in this handbook should help provide consistency in the interpretation of quality assurance requirements across all types of measurement laboratories. This handbook also can assist quality assurance personnel in understanding the relationships between laboratory practices and quality assurance requirements. The handbook is composed of three chapters and several appendices. Basic guidance is provided by the three chapters. In Chapter 1, the role of quality assurance in obtaining ...

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)

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KoreaScience (Korea)

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KoreaScience (Korea)

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KoreaScience (Korea)

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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

''S-220'' white oil is used currently to impregnate and fill high voltage cables for 110-500 kilovolts; it has high electrical characteristics and meets production and use standards. High pressure and cooling problems, however, require filling cables with lower viscosity oils, while insulation needs still demand high viscosity. The authors developed a new white oil similar to S-220 using a neutral oil made in producing sulfonate additives. The process involved vacuum distillation, low-temperature paraffination, sulfation with oleum, neutralizing with ammonium hydroxide and simultaneous extraction of sulfo-salts and contact purification. The lowest content of aromatic hydrocarbons was sought. Dielectric qualities varied with viscosity. Satisfactory thermooxidational capability was found at 50/sup 0/C with an oil of no less than 50 mm/sup 2//sec viscosity. The final white oil had no more than 2% aromatic ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy looks at the possibilities for improved waste water utilization in the Lavey-les-Bains thermal spa, Switzerland. According to the regulations in force, the temperature of the waste water rejected into the Rhone river shall not exceed 30 "oC, what is currently not the case. Also the operational cost shall be reduced and the waste water quality improved. The installations are presented. From the two geothermal wells, mineral water comes out at an average flow rate of 940 l/min and a temperature of 63 "oC. Actual waste water data are reported. The measured thermal water consumption data, including seasonal variations, are analysed by computerized simulation and measures to reduce the consumed volume by the optimization of internal procedures are evaluated. Measures to reduce the quantity of the rejected free chlorine are discussed. Several possible adaptations of the existing space heating, ...

Science.gov (United States)

The ability to use an acoustic stethoscope to detect lung and/or heart sounds, and then to then communicate one's interpretation of those sounds is an essential skill for many medical professionals. Interpretation of lung and heart sounds, in the context of history and other examination findings, often aids the differential diagnosis. Bedside assessment of changing auscultation findings may also guide treatment. Learning lung and heart auscultation skills typically involves listening to pre-recorded normal and adventitious sounds, often followed by laboratory instruction to guide stethoscope placement, and finally correlating the sounds with the associated pathophysiology and pathology. Recently, medical simulation has become an important tool for teaching prior to clinical practice, and for evaluating bedside auscultation skills. When simulating cardiovascular or pulmonary problems, high-quality lung and heart sounds should be able to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coal bed natural gas (CBNG) development in the Powder River (PR) Basin produces modestly saline, highly sodic wastewater. This study assessed impacts of wetting four textural groups (0-11%, 12-22%, 23 -33%, and > 33% clay (g clay/100 g soil) x 100%))with simulated PR or CBNG water on water retention. Soils received the following treatments with each water quality: a single wetting event, five wetting and drying events, or five wetting and drying events followed by leaching with salt-free water. Treated samples were then resaturated with the final treatment water and equilibrated to -10, -33, -100, -500, or -1,500 kPa. At all potentials, soil water retention increased significantly with increasing clay content. Drought-prone soils lost water-holding capacity between saturation and field capacity with repeated wetting and drying, whereas finer textured soils withstood this treatment better and had increased water-retention capacity at ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Airborne pollutants can cause failures in switching and computing equipment. This paper focuses on a subset of such pollutants - airborne fine particles (<2.5 [mu]m diameter). It begins by examining the extent to which different improvements in heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems reduce indoor concentrations of fine particles. For each modification, the consequent reduction in soiling rate is derived. The concomitant increase in operating costs is also calculated. These costs are then compared with the costs of failures in telephone switching offices, leading to estimates of failure rate reductions that would make improvements cost-effective. Finally, the reduction in failures required to offset the costs of the improvements are compared with documented differences in failure rates between unimproved and improved environments. This study suggests that, in many telephone switching offices, the added operating costs associated with more ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the nuclear power stations of GDR the rough radioactive waste includes borat-containing evaporator bottoms and spent ion exchanger resins. For its final disposal in deep geological formations (rock salt mines) this waste has to be solidified. The experience of one year lasting operation of a steam heated thin-film evaporator (heating surface 2 m{sup 3}) for evaporator bottoms to be solidified with a solid content of 200-250 g/l are reported on. In short time such amount of water is abstracted from the rough waste that due to the borate content a hot high-viscous product passes from evaporator to waste drum and there solidifies like glass to monolith. The product quality depends on the adjustment of the flow-equilibrium in the evaporator. Boric acid is used as matrix for the radioactive residues. The residual water content of the solidified waste product was about 15-20%, the volume reduction was V{sub f}=5...6. In order to be sure to get a ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A radio frequency sputtering apparatus with a pair of targets has been developed for depositing a film of uniform thickness onto a complex-geometric specimen such as the retainer of a ball bearing. The deposition characteristics of the apparatus were compared with those of the conventional sputtering apparatus. Lubrication properties of MoS/sub 2/ films made by these devices were also compared under a variety of conditions. Finally, friction and wear of MoS/sub 2/ films applied to angular-contact type ball bearings of 20 mm bore were studied in air, nitrogen and vacuo. The two-target sputtering has an advantage mentioned above. However, the films deposited by the method exhibited a rather short wear life because of the temperature rise of the substrate during ion bombardment and during the sputtering process. This temperature dependence was observed in films on those substrates that had been heated with a built-in heater during sputtering. The film thickness ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The possibility of smoothening aspherical X-ray mirrors by irradiation of the surface with a low-energy ion beam is investigated. Nanofocusing being the primary application of these mirrors the ion beam conditions must be optimized to achieve a surface roughness of the order of 0.1-0.2 nm. To address this issue a first study was performed on silicon flat substrates etched using ion energies ranging from 400 to 1200 eV. A second study consisted of eroding the silicon surface while varying the ion grazing incidence angle between 10 deg. and 90 deg. for a fixed value of the ion energy. The surface topography of the samples was characterized at various scales using atomic force microscopy (probed area: 1-10 ?m2), interferential optical microscopy (probed area: 1 mm2) and X-ray scattering (probed area: 100 mm2). Finally, a study by AFM of the evolution of the surface finish level of a silicon mirror after ion erosion at various depth values up to 10 ?m allowed a trade ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is required to deliver a high quality electron beam for producing coherent X-rays. As a result, high resolution beam position monitoring is required. The Beam Position Monitor (BPM) digitizer acquires analog signals from the beam line and digitizes them to obtain beam position data. Although Matlab is currently being used to test the BPM digitizer?s functions and capability, the Controls Department at SLAC prefers to use Experimental Physics and Industrial Control Systems (EPICS). This paper discusses the transition of providing similar as well as enhanced functionalities, than those offered by Matlab, to test the digitizer. Altogether, the improved test stand development system can perform mathematical and statistical calculations with the waveform signals acquired from the digitizer and compute the fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the signals. Finally, logging of meaningful data into files has been added.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This 4.5-year project consisted of routine analytical support to DOE`s direct liquefaction process development effort (the Base Program), and an extensive effort to develop, demonstate, and apply new analytical methods for the characterization of liquefaction process streams (the Participants Program). The objective of the Base Program was to support the on-going DOE direct coal liquefaction process development program. Feed, process, and product samples were used to assess process operations, product quality, and the effects of process variables, and to direct future testing. The primary objective of the Participants Program was to identify and demonstrate analytical methods for use in support of liquefaction process develpment, and in so doing, provide a bridge between process design, development, and operation and analytical chemistry. To achieve this direct coal liquefaction-derived materials. CONSOL made an evaluation of each analytical technique. During the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this assessment is to develop a versatile process that will provide a mechanism for evaluating both present and future risks to this environment. Much of the regulatory and environmental interest in the port has centered around a Ballast Water Treatment facility that treats and discharges up to 30 mgd of oily ballast water brought in by crude oil tankers. However, six point discharges and other potential sources of pollution exist in the area. The authors have delineated eleven subareas in the port in order to identify the potential anthropogenic stressors, as well as the receptors that could be exposed to these stressors. Potential effects were then characterized for each exposure. Each component is ranked and integrated, resulting in a relative risk estimate in each subarea. Both the discernible risks, based on available data, and the data gaps are presented. Uncertainty is expressed as a range of high and low risk associated with each component. Results of the ranking ...

Science.gov (United States)

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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 ...

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)

Molecular simulation aims at simulating particles in interaction, describing a physico-chemical system. When considering Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling in this context, we often meet the same problem of statistical efficiency as with Molecular Dynamics for the simulation of complex molecules (polymers for example). The search for a correct sampling of the space of possible configurations with respect to the Boltzmann-Gibbs distribution is directly related to the statistical efficiency of such algorithms (i.e. the ability of rapidly providing uncorrelated states covering all the configuration space). We investigated how to improve this efficiency with the help of Artificial Evolution (AE). AE algorithms form a class of stochastic optimization algorithms inspired by Darwinian evolution. Efficiency measures that can be turned into efficiency criteria have been first searched before identifying parameters that could be optimized. Relative frequencies for each type of Monte Carlo moves, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Studies by the University of Lowell Radiation Laboratory and the US National Marine Fisheries Service N.E. Laboratory in Gloucester, MA on softshelled clams (Mya arenaria) demonstrated the effectiveness of low to medium doses of Cobalt 60 source gamma irradiation in the inactivation of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis. Post-irradiation survival and organoleptic studies when extended to hardshelled clams (Mercinaria mercenaria) and American oysters (Crassostrea virginica) showed no significant decline in consumer qualities or 6 day post irradiation survival in oysters at doses of up to 3.0 kGy. The capacities of the American oyster to sustain relatively high doses of gamma irradiation were demonstrated by 6 day post-exposure survivorship values of greater than 90% for samples receiving 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0 kGy. Initial studies of inactivation of Polio I virus and a simian rotavirus (SA-11) was conducted in both ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Many data mining tools cannot be used directly to analyze the complex sets of relations which are found in large database systems. In our experience, data miners rely on a well-defined data model, or the knowledge of a data expert, to isolate and extract candidate data sets prior to mining the data. For many databases, typically large legacy systems, a reliable data model is often unavailable and access to the data expert can be limited. In this paper we use reverse engineering techniques to infer a model of the database. Reverse engineering a database can be seen as knowledge discovery in its own right and the resulting data model may be made available to data mining tools as background knowledge. In addition, minable data sets can be produced from the inferred data model and analyzed using conventional data mining tools. Our approach reduces the data miner`s reliance on a well-defined data model and the data expert.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parathyroid imaging based on the principle of differential uptakes of Tc-99m and T1-201 in the anterior neck to localize parathyroid (PT) disease has been reported with widely varying results. To evaluate the usefulness of this method, we have performed PT imaging on 47 patients prior to exploratory surgery for PT disease. Using pinhole collimation and digital acquisition, a 50k count image of the thyroid was obtained 20 minutes after injection of 1mCi99m Tc-pertechnetate. Then a lmCi dose of Tl-201 chloride was injected and a series of images acquired for 30 minutes at 30 sec/image. Raw data was spatially filtered and normalized by summing sufficient T1-201 images to equal the Tc-99m image scale of maximum cts/pixel. Image subtraction (Tl-Tc) gave the final PT image. Of 10 pts who had previous neck exploration, all had PT pathology accurately localized by preoperative scanning (7=single adenoma, 2=single hyperplastic gland, 1=two hyperplastic glands). In two ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

There are several concerns which bring to consider natural gas as a viable alternative to liquid fuels in transport. First, natural gas allows the curbing of global pollution in this steadily growing industry. Indeed, decoupling greenhouse gas emissions from transport growth has become a major issue in tackling climate change. Second, a more extensive use of natural gas would relieve city air quality, which is presently at levels harmful of human health. Nonetheless, this is just one side of the coin. The other side entails building a refuelling station network, and this carries financial requirements. The financing fraction holds a pivotal role in deciding whether natural gas for automotive purposes is an efficient solution. The final aim of this work is, therefore, to compare the natural gas advantages, stemming from avoided global and local emission, with the economic rationale of engaging in supplementary model network investments. A system ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Court decisions available so far do not primarily consider the problems linked to the commissioning of an expert and his mandate, as well as the legal status of the commissioning of an expert as an administrative act which might be legally contestable. Thus there are at present no court decisions that would create legal certainty in matters of the act of commissioning a nuclear expert opinion. The current legal situation is such that an independent order for commissioning of an expert opinion in compliance with section 19 III AtG (Atomic Energy Act), which in general is given in response to the refusal of the facility operator to do so, can be independently contested on the basis of section 44 a, sentence 2 VwGO (Rules of Administrative Courts). The current practice of conflict-oriented, or nuclear power phase-out-oriented, implementation of the nuclear law poses a threat to our constitutional state and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper describes the weekly load forecasting expert system (named WLoFy) which was developed and implemented for korea electric power corporation(KEPCO). WLoFy was designed to provide user oriented features with a graphical user interface to improve the user interaction. The various forecasting models such as exponential smoothing, multiple regression, artificial neural networks, rule-based model, and relative coefficient model also have been included in WLofy to increase the forecasting accuracy. The simulation based on historical data shows that the weekly forecasting results from WLoFy is an improvement when compared to the results from the conventional methods. Especially the forecasting accuracy on special days has been improved remarkably. (author). 9 refs., 5 figs., 6 tabs.

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)

The volume contains reports on plant technology, on systems organisation with the aim to minimize the risk (human error), on the problem of seismic risk, on core-disruptive accidents and on accident consequence models with different release categories and a comparison of the potential damage incurred. Mr. Webb; one of the authors, attempts to disprove the objections to his two earliest SNR statements by experts of Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Centre. (AK).

CERN Document Server

This handbook is a unique compendium of knowledge on all aspects of the physics of liquid crystals. In over 500 pages it provides detailed information on the physical properties of liquid crystals as well as the recent theories and results on phase transitions, defects and textures of different types of liquid crystals. An in-depth understanding of the physical fundamentals is a prerequisite for everyone working in the field of liquid crystal research. With this book the experts as well as graduate students entering the field get all the information they need.

Science.gov (United States)

A new study identifies and ranks the 10 security gaps responsible for most outsider attacks on college computer networks. The list is intended to help campus system administrators establish priorities as they work to increase security. One network security expert urges that institutions utilize multiple security layers. (DB)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This one-day TOPTEC session began with an overview of hybrid electric vehicle technology. Updates were given on alternative types of energy storage, APU control for low emissions, simulation programs, and industry and government activities. The keynote speech was about battery technology, a key element to the success of hybrids. The TOPEC concluded with a panel discussion on the mission of hybrid electric vehicles, with a perspective from industry and government experts from United States and Canada on their view of the role of this technology.

Environmental Research Database

DescriptionDespite the growing recognition of the important part fruit and vegetables can play in helping prevent a number of diseases, health and nutrition experts are concerned about the low consumption of fruits and vegetables in the UK. The principal aim of this project is to improve consumer dietary consumption of fruit and vegetables by developing novel snack foods based on the fruit and vegetable materials using extrusion processing.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geothermal heat pump systems necessitate a comprehensive approach to geology and building facilities in order to be energetically useful and efficient. Cooperation with geothermal experts should be sought at an early projecting stage in order to obtain reliable data. Geothermal data and the technical facilities of the building must be matched for the project to be both effective and efficient. (orig.)

Wastenet

... To participate in the live conference call, please dial the following number five to ten minutes prior to the scheduled conference call time:... International callers should dial +1 (706) 643-0585. When prompted by the operator, mention conference pass code 89461112. ... To access the replay, please dial +1 (855) 859-2056, international callers dial +1 (404) 537-3406, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The paper will report the experience gained in the implementation of the national assistance projects, including the detailed assessment of the national situation compared to the ITWG Model Action Plan, the upgrading of the technical skills, the training of national experts and the joint analysis of nuclear material at ITU. The status of the work with the 13 future Member States to the European Union will also be reported on during the conference

Wastenet

... Boreal Forest and Climate Change Pertti Hari, Liisa Kulmala, 160.45 EUR; 209.00 USD; 135.00 GBP... Advanced Hazardous Waste Management $179.00... More Journals » MAGAZINES & JOURNALS Environmental Quarterly - 2009 Fall Trinity`s Environmental Quarterly (EQ) magazine co... Journal of Water Reuse and ...

Wastenet

... Hale, Markku Kulmala, 373.43 EUR; 225.00 USD; 276.00 GBP... Aerosol Chemical Processes in the Environment Spurny, Kvetoslav R., $164,95, 䀈... More Journals » MAGAZINES & JOURNALS Water Science & Technology: Water Supply Water Science and Technology: Water Supply is p... ...

Wastenet

... Boreal Forest and Climate Change Pertti Hari, Liisa Kulmala, 160.45 EUR; 209.00 USD; 135.00 GBP... More Journals » MAGAZINES & JOURNALS Journal of Water and Health The journal represents a joint commitment to pr... Environmental Quarterly - 2009 Fall Trinity`s Environmental Quarterly (EQ) magazine co... ...

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)

This report presents results from the soil inorganic analysis of the 44th set of environmental quality assessment samples, of the quality assessment program, that were received on or before June 3, 1996. The samples were analyzed for RCRA metals.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The status of the concept of controlling the quality of physicians is reviewed as are studies that have been done on methods to measure and improve quality. The conclusions are dismal given the rhetoric...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... tests, one often encounters, for instance, separated flows with large ... It is suspected that the flow-quality criteria given in AGARD Report No. ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Amphibians are considered reliable indicators of environmental quality. In the western United States, a general decline of frog populations parallels an apparent worldwide decline. The factors thought...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The following aspects will be discussed: The main function of the Division of Inspection Services and its role in the Marketing of agricultural products; the shelf life of agricultural products: short review of present methods with a practical example of losses incurred due to limited keeping quality; irradiation and heat treatment: advantages of inhibited microbiological activities and undesirable chemical changes from a quality control point of view; quality standards: the basic principles of quality control; consequences of effective post-harvest treatment: export of deciduous and citrus fruit; the magnitude of the problem of poor keeping quality and quality requirements; other fruit; quantities and export limitations and vegetables; quantity and quality requirements; local marketing: fruit and vegetables subjected to inspection; quantity ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The application of the large-bore direct injection high efficiency nebulizer (LB-DIHEN) for the determination of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) in urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is described. The LB-DIHEN is compared with the standard method using a concentric pneumatic nebulizer and cyclonic spray chamber. In addition to the toxicological significance of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg, these elements represent a cross-section of analytical issues including spectral interferences (e.g., {sup 40}Ar{sup 35}Cl{sup +} on {sup 75}As{sup +} and {sup 98}Mo{sup 16}O{sup +} on {sup 114}Cd{sup +}) and memory effects (Hg). In this study, the low sample consumption of the LB-DIHEN is used to reduce the volume of urine needed for analysis, and to reduce the volume of final diluted sample required for analysis. Eliminating the spray chamber and reducing the dead volume of the nebulizer reduces memory effects, especially for analytes ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Immunoassays are versatile analytical techniques that had a leading role in various clinical applications, during the last four decades. The studies carried out by Rosalyn Yalow, Solomon Berson and Roger Ekins in the 1960s gave a breakthrough in the development of this novel analytical method. Sensitivity up to femtomolar concentrations, high specificity and universal application to different classes of molecular species made immunoassay a very useful tool in analytical investigation. The expertise acquired by immunochemists in producing antibodies against any antigen and the ability of radiochemists in labeling the antigens with "1"2"5I without affecting the active site are the two main factors responsible for the above development. There are concerns about the safety and health of humans due to the high-level contamination of environment by pesticides, industrial compounds and metals, anabolic steroids in milk and meat products, and presence of mycotoxins in food and feed ...

Science.gov (United States)

... 15 minutes Time lapse video Time Lapse Recorder (Panasonic) SVHS 4-seconds

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)

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KoreaScience (Korea)

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KoreaScience (Korea)

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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

Science.gov (United States)

PMID:16966350

KoreaScience (Korea)

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KoreaScience (Korea)

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KoreaScience (Korea)

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KoreaScience (Korea)

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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The present code requirements on quality assurance as well as the present praxice of quality assurance procedures in the operation of nuclear power plants are presented. On the example of recurring inspections the organizational and technical complications are shown with respect to the code and licensing requirements. Taking the present experiences into account suggestions are given how to transform the general requirements of KTA 1401 to quality assurance requirements during plant operation. (orig.).

KoreaScience (Korea)

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KoreaScience (Korea)

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KoreaScience (Korea)

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UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Health surveillance program This article outlines the principal components of quality control of laboratory rodents.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper bundles 40 contributions by the IceCube collaboration that were submitted to the 30th International Cosmic Ray Conference ICRC 2007. The articles cover studies on cosmic rays and atmospheric neutrinos, searches for non-localized, extraterrestrial {nu}{sub e}, {nu}{sub {mu}} and {nu}{sub {tau}} signals, scans for steady and intermittent neutrino point sources, searches for dark matter candidates, magnetic monopoles and other exotic particles, improvements in analysis techniques, as well as future detector extensions. The IceCube observatory will be finalized in 2011 to form a cubic-kilometer ice-Cherenkov detector at the location of the geographic South Pole. At the present state of construction, IceCube consists of 52 paired IceTop surface tanks and 22 IceCube strings with a total of 1426 Digital Optical Modules deployed at depths up to 2350 m. The observatory also integrates the 19 string AMANDA subdetector, that was completed in 2000 and extends ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A theoretical background of crosshole reflection imaging with pre stack, multi-mode reverse time migration has been investigated. The crosshole migration has been carried out by solving two-way scalar wave equation with finite difference approximation. The wave field extrapolation was performed backward in time, with the imaging condition applied at each extrapolation time step to create partial image of the reflector. The complete migrated image was obtained by adding all the partial images from each time step. With multi-component crosshole data available, it is possible to separate the recorded data into primary P- and S-wave field. Separating wave field before migration is helpful in enhancing migrated image quality since only one wave mode can be dealt at a time with the scalar wave equation. It is possible to migrate mixed-mode primary reflections(P-S and S-P) as well as pure mode ones. These multi-mode migrations provide not only image data redundancy but ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Full text.This study focuses on the management of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Lebanon. It addresses the current status of MSW management in Lebanon in terms of collection, transport and disposal, infers the associated impacts of such practices and discusses mitigation measures and finally proposes basic guidelines for a national strategy for solid waste management in the country. The study is based on available previous investigations and on a field survey of 113 villages in four different countries. The study revealed the absence of an effective environmental policy and poor collection and disposal methods throughout the country, except for the Greater Beirut Area (G A), where better solid waste management practices are employed. Although collection of MSW outside GBA was found to be acceptable by local authorities, resources (labor and equipment) were not used efficiently. Furthermore, treatment of collected waste is almost not available. Waste collected is ...

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 ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Energy Systems) manages a closed hazardous waste disposal unit, Chestnut Ridge Security Pits (CRSP), in the form of two trenches and several auger-holes, located on top of the eastern portion of Chestnut Ridge at the Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant in Tennessee. The groundwater monitoring system for the unit presently consists of a network of upgradient and downgradient monitor wells. To investigate the discharge of groundwater to springs and streams, Energy Systems, through Geraghty and Miller, Inc., conducted an initial dye-tracer study during the driest part of 1990. The dye was detected at some of the monitoring sites, but verification was necessary due to the proximity of some sites to extraneous dye sources. Based on the results of the initial study, Energy Systems recommended to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) in the 1990 Groundwater Quality Assessment Report (GWQAR) (HSW ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Due to the high investment and operation costs incurred by dryers up to 50% of the proceeds from the cultivation of medicinal plants have to be spent on drying. This study was conducted in order to determine whether these costs can be lowered when solar energy is used. As little is known about the drying behaviour of medicinal plants even today one selected sage and camomile in order to study the influence of temperature, relative humidity, and drying air velocity on drying time and drug quality. Laboratory results were used as a basis for developing a solar hothouse dryer for medicinal plants which uses the whole roof surface as solar collectors with a batch dryer set up within the hothouse. In contrast to dryers of this type used up to now a foil green house with a gable roof was used. Installation of a central heating system helps to avoid bottlenecks, allows drying at night and increases plant flow by a factor of 3. The cost of heating oil, however, adds to the ...

Science.gov (United States)

Devolution, as other types of decentralization (e.g. deconcentration, delegation, privatization), profoundly changes governance relations in the health system. Devolution is meant to affect performance of the health system by transferring responsibilities and authority to locally elected governments. The key question of this article is: what does devolution mean for human resources for health in Mali?This article assesses the key advantages and dilemmas associated with devolution such as responsiveness to local needs, downward accountability and health worker retention. Challenges of politics and capacities are also addressed in relation to human resources for health at the local level. Examples are derived from experiences in Mali with a capacity development programme and from case studies of other countries. It is not research findings that are presented, but highlights of key issues at stake aimed at inspiring the debate in Mali and elsewhere.A first lesson from the discussion ...

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 model is good enough, it is used to ...

Science.gov (United States)

The overall objective of this project was to develop a new approach for the direct liquefaction of coal to produce an all-distillate product slate at a sizable cost reduction over current technology. The approach integrated coal selection, pretreatment, coal swelling with catalyst impregnation, liquefaction, product recovery with characterization, alternate bottoms processing, and a technical assessment including an economic evaluation. Heterofunctional solvents were the most effective in swelling coals. Also solvent blends such as isopropanol/water were more effective than pure solvents alone. Impregnating slurry catalysts simultaneously during coal swelling showed that better uptake was achieved with nonswelling solvent and higher impregnation temperature. Some enhancement in initial coal conversion was seen liquefying SO{sub 2}-treated Black Thunder coal with slurry catalysts, and also when hydrogen donor liquefaction solvents were used. Noncatalytic reactions showed no benefit from ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

I. S. Kirbis, P. Maxwell, M. S. Flear, K. Miller and M. Ibrahim External quality control for immunocytochemistry on cytology samples: a review of UK NEQAS ICC (cytology module) results Objective:- To date, external quality control for immunocytochemistry on cytology samples is provided only by the United Kingdom national external quality assessment service for immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridisation (UK NEQAS ICC & ISH). For the purpose of this study a retrospective analysis of a comprehensive collection of quality-related data regarding immunocytochemistry on cytology samples collected through this service was analysed. Methods:- The quality of immunocytochemical reactions, using on-line collected data, was analysed for the last 23 UK NEQAS ICC cytology module external quality asses...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic quality and adverse events of the water-soluble, non-ionic, iso-osmolar, dimeric contrast media iodixanol and iotrolan in hysterosalpingography (HSG). Material and Methods: One hundred and twenty patients participated in a double-blind randomized parallel-group phase-III study. Questionnaires and patient interviews were used. Diagnostic quality was assessed using a visual analogue scale and the quality in specific regions was rated using a categorical scale. Results: Overall diagnostic quality was equal for the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in diagnostic quality in the specific regions of interest. No differences between the contrast media were found with regard to adverse events. Conclusion: Both contrast media provided images of high diagnostic quality in HSG. (orig.)

Science.gov (United States)

PMID:7628679

Science.gov (United States)

... Accession Number : AD0633770. Title : THE INTERPRETATION OF ELECTRON MICROSCOPE FRACTOGRAPHS. Descriptive Note : Final rept.,. ...

Science.gov (United States)

... AAMHERST SYSTEMS INC. CAMOUFLAGE VISUALIZATION FINAL REPORT ... A AMHERST SYSTEMS INC. CAMOUFLAGE VISUALIZATION ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This document is intended to provide an overview of the workshop entitled 'The Coming Nuclear Renaissance for the Next Generation Safeguards Experts-Maximizing Benefits While Minimizing Proliferation Risks', conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in partnership with the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) and the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). This document presents workshop objectives; lists the numerous participant universities and individuals, the nuclear nonproliferation lecture topics covered, and the facilities tours taken as part of the workshop; and discusses the university partnership sessions and proposed areas for collaboration between the universities and ORNL for 2009. Appendix A contains the agenda for the workshop; Appendix B lists the workshop attendees and presenters with contact information; Appendix C contains graphics of the evaluation form results and survey areas; and Appendix D summarizes the ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper develops a model of nonlinear pricing with competition. The novel element is that each consumer's willingness to pay for quality is private information and is allowed to differ across brands. The consumer's preferences are represented by a multidimensional type containing the marginal value of quality for different products. Buyers with high willingness to pay for quality also display strong preferences for particular brands, and require higher discounts in order to switch away from their favorite product. Therefore, competition is fiercer for buyers with lower tastes for quality, and hence more elastic demands. This is in sharp contrast to earlier models in which competition is fiercer for higher-taste, more valuable buyers. In equilibrium, firms either compete intensively for ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As radiation detection in the interest of national security becomes increasingly commonplace, inevitable questions arise concerning the interpretation of data from handheld radioisotope identifiers (RIIDs). Field elements typically require fast answers to provide an effective defense and to minimize the impact on legitimate movement of people and goods. To support this need, on-call experts at Sandia, Los Alamos, and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories cooperate in resolving radiation alarms rapidly and accurately. We present an overview, describe the work in progress to improve capabilities, and report on some of the lessons learned.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This conference was attended by experts on current issues in engineering of an urban ecosystem, composting, biofuels and green energy. The meeting provided a forum to discuss advances in the application of engineering principles and practices dealing with biological systems for the production of food, bioproducts and energy. The discussions focused on engineering practices in agriculture, forestry, bioresources, biochemistry and biosystems. The 7 technical sessions of the conference were entitled: aquaculture; safety and training; bioprocessing; energy production and biofuels; environment and ecology; soil and water; and development of technologies. The conference feature 58 presentations, of which 9 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Once again residual austenite as one component of the microstructure of steels is the basis for discussion among experts. Very often the phenomen of the stabilisation of residual austenite is the focus of interest. In this paper the influence of ageing on residual austenite transformations is discussed, with ageing taking place in a temperature range between ambient and M/sub s/-temperature after quenching from different austenitizing temperatures by means of subzero refrigeration. Results which are typical for 100Cr6 steel are presented and discussed.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Purpose - The aim of the present study is to present in a systematic way the subject of industrial hazardous waste from the point-of-view of definitions in engineering, science and legislation. This analysis is necessary, as many different approaches and overlapping definitions are used for the classification of waste, leading to different results, a situation that often complicates the collection and interpretation of data on waste. Design/methodology/approach - The study is conducted by bringing together the extended experience of the authors and other experts in the field of environmental legislation and a wide variety of scientific and legislative sources as well as articles and research reports. The focus is the European Union, while several approaches from the international area are ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The report summarizes ten years of experience in the analysis and evaluation of ultrasonic testing data measured in turbine and generator rotors. Apart from the information on type, position, size and distribution of flaws, the expert knowledge achieved in an interpretation of ultrasonic signals yields further insight, as e.g.: - Confirmation of assumptions taken as a basis for fracture-mechanical analysis of these flaws with regard to crack initiation and crack growth under low-cycle fatigue conditions (O=0.7-1 Rp 0.2, N<25.000 growth in length); - enhanced information on a correlation of ultrasonic testing data with the real flaw size. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The paper discusses the Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere (published in 1999). It was considered necessary to treat air transport on its own since aircraft are unique in delivering emissions into the upper atmosphere rather than at ground level. The study was commissioned at the request of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the Montreal Protocol. More than 300 experts contributed and the report has quantified the effect of aviation on the atmosphere on a world wide basis and highlighted areas where improved data are required. (UK)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Different cases exist in various countries regarding the institutional status, the organization and the technical resources of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA): there are NRAs having extended internal technical capability and others relying mostly on external technical support. Considering the research and development activities and the very broad range of technical matters on which the regulatory and licensing activity are based, the NRA can not rely only on internal resources, and generally there is the need of technical and scientific support together with enhanced international cooperation. The international cooperation and networking among NRAs, and their Technical Support Organizations (TSO), represents a fundamental way to maintain competence, capability and knowledge. Within the EU member states this is becoming more and more an institutional duty. In providing technical support for regulatory activity, the experience shows, from one side, the importance to have TSO with ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In recent decades, it has become increasingly clear that the global climate is becoming warmer and that regional climates are changing. This report summarizes the results of an integrated assessment of vulnerability to climate change and adaptation options in the Netherlands carried out between July 2000 and July 2001 within the framework of the Dutch National Research Program on Global Air Pollution and Climate Change (NRP-2). The project's main aims were: - to provide an overview of scientific insights, expert judgements and stakeholders' perceptions of current and future impacts (positive and negative) of climate change for several economic sectors, human health, and natural systems in the Netherlands, considering various cross-sectoral interactions, - to develop a set of adaptation options for these sectors through a participatory process with the main stakeholders, - to perform an integrated assessment of cross-sectoral interactions of climate change impacts ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Proper use of quality assurance will provide the basis for an effective management control system for nuclear waste management programs. Control is essential for achieving successful programs free from costly losses and failures and for assuring the public and regulators that the environment and health and safety are being protected. The essence of quality assurance is the conscientious use of planned and systematic actions, based on selecting and applying appropriate requirements from an established quality assurance standard. Developing a quality assurance program consists of using knowledge of the technical and managerial aspects of a project to identify and evaluate risks of loss and failure and then to select appropriate quality assurance requirements that will minimize the risks. Those requirements are integrated into the project planning documents and are carried out as ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This study was designed to identify the relationship between free time management and quality of life, exploring whether the amount of free time or the way people using their free time relates to their quality of life. Data were collected from National Pingtung University of Science and Technology in Taiwan. Of the 500 questionnaires distribute, 403 usable questionnaires were received with an 81% response rate. The result has found a positive relationship between free time management and quality of life. Contrary to this, there was no significant relationship between time allocation and quality of life. Results might indicate that people who manage their free time well lead to better quality of life. Suggestions based on the observed relationship and directions for future researches were d...

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. (2004), aimed to the ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundStrategies to accurately identify the occurrence of specific health care events in administrative data is central to many quality improvement and research efforts. Many...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

USGS - science for a changing world USGS Home Contact USGS Search USGS USGS Water-Quality Information * Home * Data * Methods * Labs * Publications * Topics * Programs * Contact Us...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

ObjectivesThe objective of this paper is to describe the complex mixed-methods design of a study conducted to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper presents a brief account of Lingling Hydroelectric Power Equipment General Works, the capacity of equipment production, the organization body, the quality assurance system and supervision of government department on its product quality.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Requirements for the installation, inspection, and testing that assure the quality of important components of a nuclear power plant during construction are presented.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundQuality of Life measurements are necessary tools for effectively evaluating health services. In the population of patients afflicted with war-related blindness in Iran,...Full Text Available

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.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) which are of poor quality tend to exaggerate the effect estimate and lead to wrong or misleading conclusions. The aim of this study...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

IntroductionHealth information on the Internet undergoes no quality control at the stage of production, thus its quality is highly variable, making it difficult...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

SummaryBackgroundQuality of life among women with irritable bowel syndrome may be affected by pelvic floor disorders.AimFull Text Available

Wastenet

...Agriculture Analysis of food supply chains and linkages in relation to quality and safety assurances Dept of Primary Industries, Australia Impact of food chain quality assurance requirements on farmer adoption and competitiveness UK Research Councils Review of environmental certification through farm assurance followed by industry developmental workshop Agriculture & ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundHealth related quality of life (HRQoL) is one of the most important outcomes to measure effectiveness of an intervention, especially for islet transplantation...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundMigrants everywhere face several demands for health and maintaining good health and quality of life could be challenging. Iraqis are the second largest refugee group that...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

AIMS:This study aimed to determine the effect of 50 days of forced swimming stress on fertilization capacity of rat and subsequent offspring quality.SETTING...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

A numerical technique is developed for estimating water quality violation frequencies due to pollutant discharges from urban areas during combined sewer overflow events. The first four moments of in-stream pollutant concentration are found by integrating a pollutant loading - wat...

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 quality verifications are defined in ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Introduction:Although radical prostatectomy (RP) is an effective treatment for prostate cancer, it has potentially deleterious effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL)....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThe effects of intervention programs on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with hip fracture have not been well studied. We hypothesized that older patients...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

IAQ Tools for Schools Program Leaders in Improving Indoor Air Quality in Schools Baldwin Union Free School District, Baldwin, NY El Paso Independent School District, El Paso,...

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).

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

German 2006 [1 p.] Germany Karger, Christian Heeg, Peter Jaekel, Oliver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oct 1973. 1 p. United States USAEC Directorate of Regulatory Standards,

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This document presents the basic Quality Assurance (QA) requirements which shall be included in the Quality Assurance Program established by sites planning to certify Transuranic (TRU) Waste to Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Waste Acceptance Criteria. These QA requirements were modeled after ANSI/ASME NQA-1-1979. The application of quality assurance to Waste Certification Programs is required by WIPP-DOE-069 and DOE Order 5700.6A, as implemented by DOE Order AL 5700.6A.