British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monodisperse noble metal nanoparticles are of tremendous interest for numerous applications, such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, catalysis or biosensing. However, preparation of monodisperse metal nanoparticles is still a challenging task, because typical preparation methods yield nanoparticle ensembles with broad shape and/or size distributions. To overcome this drawback, tailoring of metal nanoparticles with laser light has been developed, which is based on the pronounced shape- and size-dependent optical properties of metal nanoparticles. I will demonstrate that nanoparticle tailoring with ns-pulsed laser light is a suitable method to prepare nanoparticle ensembles with a narrow shape and/or size distribution. While irradiation with ns-pulsed laser light during nanoparticle growth permits a precise shape tailoring, post-grown irradiation allows a size tailoring. For example, the initial ...

Science.gov (United States)

Ultimate compressive strength in the longitudinal direction. (3. Ultimate tensile strength in the transverse direction. U'. Ultimate compressive strength in ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Tailor die quenching in the hot stamping of quenchable steel sheets was developed to produce ultra-high strength steel formed parts having strength distribution. Local portions of the heated sheet were quenched by holding grooved tools at the bottom dead centre during the stamping. Non-contact portions were generated in the sheet by grooving the tools, and thus the strength in the contact portions is high owing to the quenching and that in the non-contact portions is low owing to the lack of the quenching. Hat-shaped products having a tensile strength of approximately 1.5GPa only at four corners were formed.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

When high-purity copper (≥99.98%_wt) is melted, held in its liquid state for a few hours with iterative thermal cycling, then allowed to resolidify, the ingot surface is found to have...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As competition dramatically reshapes power markets, electric utilities strive to increase flexibility in their commitments and limit exposure to market risks. This paper provides an overview of a promising tool called option valuation which is useful for analyzing and managing risks. The paper demonstrates an application of these techniques for developing new pricing products tailored to meet customers` risk preference.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A discussion is presented of the 750-KeV chopper experience with both proton and negative ion beams and the ability of these systems to tailor the Linac beam to the diverse requirements of its users; normal accelerator injection, neutron therapy beam, and electron cooling experiments. This flexibility plus a cleaner beam pulse, improved thyratron operation, and mechanical modularity are the results of recent improvements. Additional benefits have been increased reliability and ease of service to the 750-KeV chopper. 3 refs.

Science.gov (United States)

Photorefractives, in general, are among the most promising materials solutions to real time optical correlation. Applications include military target recognition and civilian robotic vision. Crystals of sillenite structure photorefractives, Bi12XO20, where X equals Si, Ge, or Ti, have been grown by melt techniques and in the case of bismuth silicon oxide (BSO) and bismuth titanium oxide (BTO) by the hydrothermal method of high-temperature/high-pressure solution growth. The two growth methods are discussed and crystals grown by the two methods are compared in this paper. Optical absorption and TSC studies show that hydrothermal BSO is essentially free of the native antisite Bi defect which usually acts as a donor. These studies also show that the trap density is greatly reduced in hydrothermal material. Preliminary experiments show that hydrothermal BTO crystals have improved properties over melt grown samples. Al and P act as donors and acceptors respectively and can be used to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The aim of this study was to assess the body weight-tailored contrast material injection protocol for 64-detector computed tomography (CT) to maintain optimal coronary CT attenuation. A total of 60 patients who underwent CT coronary angiography were assigned to one of three groups: protocol A, total of 0.7 ml kg"-"1 with 300 mg I/ml iodine concentration; protocol B, total of 0.6 ml kg"-"1 with 350 mg I/ml; protocol C, total of 0.7 ml kg"-"1 with 350 mg I/ml. The injection duration was 10 s in all patients. The proportion of intracoronary attenuation values >325 Hounsfield unit (HU) was compared on a per-vessel and per-patient basis. The attenuation value was significantly more likely to exceed 325 HU with protocol C (95% for reader 1 and 90% for reader 2) than with protocol A or B on the per-vessel analysis (P325 HU) with 64-detector CT when using an injection duration of 10 s. (author)

Science.gov (United States)

A rotational speed control, tailored to the Sunflower system requirements, was designed and fabricated in breadboard, preprototype, and prototype configurations. These units were subjected to performance and environmental testing which has led to design improvements. Program efforts have yielded hardware capable of meeting all performance requirements and of operating under all the environmental conditions to which the units were exposed. Attractive design changes were identified and, in some cases, completed. These changes involve improvements in circuitry and packaging, the primary objectives of which are to eliminate startup bias batteries and reduce weight. It is recommended that the reported program be extended to implement these improvements. (auth)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The polarized triple-axis spectrometer TASP at SINQ has been optimized for measuring magnetic cross sections in condensed matter. The neutrons are polarized or analyzed either by means of benders or Heusler monochromators. The beam divergence, i.e. the intensity, and the spectral range of the neutrons is rather large because of the supermirror coatings of the feeding neutron guide. The intensity can be further increased at the sample position by means of a focussing monochromator and a focussing anti-trumpet. The end position of TASP allows the tailoring of the neutron beam already before the monochromator and to scatter neutrons over very wide ranges of angles. (author) 6 figs., 1 tab., 8 refs.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polymer composites are used in numerous applications. In spite of this fact, new developments are still under way to explore in other field of application of these materials and to tailor their properties for more extreme condition. A particular emphasis is focused on fillers content is summarized. Some steps towards the functionally graded materials are illustrated. The FT-IR spectroscopic studies revealed the information about curing of epoxy with fillers. It was observed that mechanical properties like tensile strength, hardness etc get enhanced up with filler contents. The effect of the different formulations were investigated and discussed for optimum process condition. (author)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Regular physical activity (PA) decreases the risk of several chronic diseases including some cancers, type II diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease; however, the majority of US adults are not meeting the recommended levels to experience these benefits. To address this public health concern, the underlying mechanisms for behavior change need to be understood, translated and disseminated into appropriately tailored interventions. The Transtheoretical Model (TTM) provides a framework for both the conceptualization and the measurement of behavior change, as well as facilitating promotion strategies that are individualized and easily adapted. The purpose of this manuscript is to present the constructs of the TTM as they relate to PA behavior change. We begin with a brief synopsis of rec...

CERN Document Server

The measurements performed at CERN on prototypes and first pre-series main dipole magnets confirm the need of an active control of the Large Hadron Collider to compensate the dynamic field changes during the proton beam injection and acceleration. This control requires in turn an accurate forecast of the magnetic field in the accelerator. We plan to predict the field on the basis of two elements: theoretical field models tailored through the accumulated knowledge of the main magnets during series tests, and an on-line measurement system running on few reference magnets tracking the LHC current cycle. Data coming from this "Multipoles Factory" will result from the fusion of the two sources. Based on this system we foresee to deliver calibration information for pre-defined accelerator cycles as well as real time information for the active control. In this paper we report the conceptual design of the system, and we discuss the features and performance of the models ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

CERN Document Server

The analysis of the linearization effect in multifractal analysis, and hence of the estimation of moments for multifractal processes, is revisited borrowing concepts from the statistical physics of disordered systems, notably from the analysis of the so-called Random Energy Model. Considering a standard multifractal process (compound Poisson motion), chosen as a simple representative example, we show: i) the existence of a critical order q* beyond which moments, though finite, cannot be estimated through empirical averages, irrespective of the sample size of the observation; ii) that multifractal exponents necessarily behave linearly in q, for q > q*. Tailoring the analysis conducted for the Random Energy Model to that of Compound Poisson motion, we provide explicative and quantitative predictions for the values of q* and for the slope controlling the linear behavior of the multifractal exponents. These quantities are shown to be related only to the definition ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Current Intrusion Detection System (IDS) technology is not suited to be widely deployed inside a Supervisory, Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) environment. Anomaly- and signature-based IDS technologies have developed methods to cover information technology-based networks activity and protocols effectively. However, these IDS technologies do not include the fine protocol granularity required to ensure network security inside an environment with weak protocols lacking authentication and encryption. By implementing a more specific and more intelligent packet inspection mechanism, tailored traffic flow analysis, and unique packet tampering detection, IDS technology developed specifically for SCADA environments can be deployed with confidence in detecting malicious activity.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Discovery of better biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy-response prediction is the most critical task of a scientific quest aimed at developing newly designed, tailor-made therapies for patients with cancer. Consequently, a proteome wide analysis, in addition to genomic studies, is an absolute requirement for a complete functional understanding of tumor biology. Ultra-sensitive, high-performance Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry (MS) currently holds an important role in fulfilling the demands of biomarker discovery. In this review, we describe the applicability of FTICR MS for breast cancer proteomics, particularly for the analysis of complex protein mixtures obtained from a limited number of cells typically available from clinical specimens.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The intent of this manual is to provide inspectors from Federal and state environmental agencies with information regarding the problems that plague lime/limestone slurry flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) systems that will aid them in their inspections and performance evaluations of these systems with respect to compliance with the emission standards that have evolved since the passage of the 1970 Clean Air Act. A unique feature of the manual is its structure as a tool, or working document, which will accompany the inspector on each plant inspection. Thus, the document is presented in user friendly fashion and tailored to provide practical information for its intended use--to assist in the systematic inspection of an FGD system to determine present and future compliance status. The approach entails the use of nomographs, checklists, matrices, simplified diagrams, cross-referencing, and indexing of textual information, and the presentation of important guidelines and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The rapid pace of competitive change in the generation sector has pushed electric utilities to rethink the concept of being obligated to serve all customers and with this change, the notion of measuring customer profitability is also being redefined. Traditionally, uniform services were provided to all customers. Rates were based on each customer classes` contribution to average costs, and consequently return was equally allocated across all customer segments. Profitability was defined strictly on an aggregate basis. The increasing demand for choice by electric customers will require electricity providers to redefine if not who they serve, than certainly how they provide differentiated services tailored to specific customer segments. Utilities are beginning to analyze the value, or profitability, of offering these services. Aggregate data no longer provides an accurate assessment of how resources should be allocated most efficiently. As services are unbundled, so ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA, French Atomic Energy Commission) has set up over the last 10 years an innovative methodology aiming at characterizing radiological contaminations. The application of the latter relies on various tools such as expertise vehicles with impressive detection performances (VEgAS) and recently developed software platform called Kartotrak. A Geographic Information System tailored to radiological needs constitutes the heart of the platform; it is surrounded by several modules aiming at sampling optimization (Stratege), data analysis and geostatistical modeling (Krigeo), real-time monitoring (Kartotrak- RT) and validation of cleaning efficiency (Pescar). This paper presents the different tools which provide exhaustive instruments for the follow-up of decontamination projects, from doubt removal to the verification of the decontamination process. (authors)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

It has been shown that two-dimensional arrays of rigid or fluidlike cylinders in a fluid or a gas define, in the limit of large wavelengths, a class of acoustic metamaterials whose effective parameters (sound velocity and density) can be tailored up to a certain limit. This work goes a step further by considering arrays of solid cylinders in which the elastic properties of cylinders are taken into account. We have also treated mixtures of two different elastic cylinders. It is shown that both effects broaden the range of acoustic parameters available for designing metamaterials. For example, it is predicted that metamaterials with perfect matching of impedance with air are now possible by using aerogel and rigid cylinders equally distributed in a square lattice. As a potential application of the proposed metamaterial, we present a gradient index lens for airborne sound (i.e. a sonic Wood lens) whose functionality is demonstrated by multiple scattering simulations.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Luminescent materials are widely used for imaging and sensing owing to their high sensitivity, rapid response and facile detection by many optical technologies. Typically materials must be chemically tailored to achieve intense, photostable fluorescence, oxygen-sensitive phosphorescence or dual emission for ratiometric sensing, often by blending two dyes in a matrix. Dual-emissive materials combining all of these features in one easily tunable molecular platform are desirable, but when fluorescence and phosphorescence originate from the same dye, it can be challenging to vary relative fluorescence/phosphorescence intensities for practical sensing applications. Heavy-atom substitution alone increases phosphorescence by a given, not variable amount. Here, we report a strategy for modulating ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Given the local observables in the vacuum sector fulfilling a few basic principles of local quantum theory, we show that the superselection structure, intrinsically determined a priori, can always be described by a unique compact global gauge group acting on a field algebra generated by field operators which commute or anticommute at spacelike separations. The field algebra and the gauge group are constructed simultaneously from the local observables. There will be sectors obeying parastatistics, and intrinsic notion derived from the observables, if and only if the gauge group is non-Abelian. Topological charges would manifest themselves in field operators associated with spacelike cones but not localizable in bounded regions of Minkowski space. No assumption on the particle spectrum or even on the covariance of the theory is made. However the notion of superselection sector is tailored to theories without massless particles. When translation or Poincare covariance ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fabrication of diffused titanium optical guides on a LiNbO/sub 3/ crystal substrate requires precise quality assurance. Light couplers in particular must be positioned within micron specifications. This requirement is the reason that the width of lines detected during microscopic inspection of the crystal is such an important parameter for quality evaluation. To assist in the inspection of these optical guides, a line width estimation program has been developed for an IBM PC based microscope inspection system. A digital image processing approach is used to develop an algorithm which can be tailored by the user for specific signal and noise characteristics. Default filter parameters, which can be updated and saved interactively by the user, are stored in a file on disk. The final program can be executed stand-alone or through a commercially available, menu-driven, image processing software package. Details concerning the implementation of this program are presented ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Recent developments in solid-state radio frequency (RF) power technologies allow for the practical consideration of RF heated plasmas for space propulsion. These technologies permit the use of any electrical power source, de-couple the power and propellant sources, and allow for the effcient use of both the propellant mass and power. Effcient use of the propellant is obtained by expelling the rocket exhaust at the highest possible velocity, which can be orders of magnitude higher than those achieved in chemical rockets. Handling the hot plasma exhaust requires the use of magnetic nozzles, and the basic physics of ion detachment from the magnetic eld is discussed. The plasma can be generated by RF using helicon waves to heat electrons. Further direct heating of the ions helps to reduce the line radiation losses, and the magnetic geometry is tailored to allow ion cyclotron resonance heating. RF eld and ion trajectory calculations are presented to give a reasonably ...

Science.gov (United States)

Organic farming (or ecological agriculture) is of growing importance in the agricultural sector worldwide. In the Nordic countries, 1-10% of the arable land was in organic production in 1999. Organic farming can be seen as an approach to agriculture where the aim is to create integrated, humane, environmentally and economically sustainable agricultural production systems. Principles like nutrient recycling, prevention rather than treatment and the precautionary principle are included in aims and standards. Animal welfare is another hallmark of organic livestock production but despite this, several studies have indicated severe health problems e.g. in organic poultry production in Denmark. Also the quality of animal food products in relation to human health, particularly the risk of zoonotic infections, has been debated. For these reasons there is a need for improvement of production methods and animal health status. Vets play an important role in this development through work in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report describes development of an electronic system designed to reduce vibration generated by a cryocooler. The diminished vibration makes it practical to use the active cooler to extract heat from a portable gamma ray detector instrument. The system was developed for a Sunpower cryocooler with an integrated counterbalance mass. The overall momentum cancellation approach is also applicable to other similar cryocoolers. The cancellation system is an assembly of several components tailored to accomplish the required vibration reduction with minimum power consumption and volume. It is designed to be powered by a 18--32 Volt battery. Up to ten harmonics of the 58.65 Hz drive frequency are controlled. In addition to the vibration cancellation, the electronic system produces the drive signal for the cryocooler and regulates the cooler temperature. The system employs a sinusoidal drive to reduce the amount of higher harmonic vibration. A digital signal processor ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molecular imaging represents a modern research area that allows the in vivo study of molecular biological process kinetics using appropriate probes and visualization methods. This methodology may be defined- apart from the contrast media injection - as non-abrasive. In order to reach an in vivo molecular process imaging as accurate as possible the effects of the used probes on the biological should not be too large. The contrast media as important part of the molecular imaging can significantly contribute to the understanding of molecular processes and to the development of tailored diagnostics and therapy. Since more than 15 years PTB is developing optic imaging systems that may be used for fluorescence based visualization of tissue phantoms, small animal models and the localization of tumors and their predecessors, and for the early recognition of inflammatory processes in clinical trials. Cellular changes occur during many diseases, thus the molecular imaging ...

Science.gov (United States)

Electrospun nanofibers composed of biodegradable polymers are attractive candidates for cell culture scaffolds in tissue engineering. Their fine-meshed structures, resembling natural extracellular matrices, effectively interact with cell surfaces and promote cell proliferation. The application of electrospinning, however, is limited to two-dimensional (2D) or single tube-like scaffolds, and the fabrication of arbitrary three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds from electrospun nanofibers is still very difficult due to the fibers' continuous and entangled form. To address this issue, in this paper, we describe the use of phase-separation-assisted electrospray and electrostatic focusing to perform continuous direct 3D patterning of nanofibrous microcapsules of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA). These microcapsules exhibit fiber-particle duality because they are composed of nanofibers suitable for cell attachment while also being easy to handle as particles for direct 3D patterning. By varying ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Longitudinal compression of space-charge dominated beams can be achieved by imposing a head-to-tail velocity tilt on the beam. This tilt has to be carefully tailored, such that it is removed by the longitudinal space-charge repulsion by the time the beam reaches the end of the drift compression section. The transverse focusing lattice should be designed such that all parts of the beam stay approximately matched, while the beam smoothly expands transversely to the larger beam radius needed in the final focus system following drift compression. In this thesis, several drift compression systems were designed within these constraints, based on a given desired pulse shape at the end of drift compression systems were designed within these constraints, based on a given desired pulse shape at the end of drift compression. The occurrence of mismatches due to a rapidly increasing current was analyzed. In addition, the sensitivity of drift compression to errors in the initial ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The objective of our research was to obtain fundamental information regarding the functional dependence of the diffusion coefficient of coal molecules on the ratio of molecule to pore diameter. That is, the objective of our study was to examine the effect of molecule size and configuration on hindered diffusion of coal macromolecules through as porous medium. To best accomplish this task, we circumvented the complexities of an actual porous catalyst by using a well defined porous matrix with uniform capillaric pores, i.e., a track-etched membrane. In this way, useful information was obtained regarding the relationship of molecular size and configuration on the diffusion rate of coal derived macromolecules through a pore structure with known geometry. Similar studies were performed using a pellet formed of porous alumina, to provide a link between the idealized membranes and the actual complex pore structure of real catalyst extrudates. The fundamental information from our study will be ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A carbon-bonded carbon fiber (CBCF) insulation developed for a radioisotope heat source is made from chopped rayon fiber about 10..mu..m long, which is carbonized and bonded with phenolic resin particles. The CBCF is an excellent lightweight insulating material with a nominal density of 0.2 Mg/m/sup 3/ and a thermal conductivity of 0.24 W/(m-K) in vacuum at 2000/sup 0/C. (Several attributes that make CBCF particularly suitable for the heat source application have been identified.) These include light weight, low thermal conductivity, chemical compatibility, and hightemperature capabilities. The mechanical strength of CBCF insulation is satisfactory for the application. The basic fabrication technique was refined to eliminate undesirable large pores and cracks often present in materials fabricated by earlier techniques. Also, processing was scaled up to increase the fabrication rate by a factor of 10. The specific properties of the CBCF were tailored by adjusting ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The significant technical and industrial aspects which have led to main coolant line (MCL) materials selection are addressed from a long term experience and operational practice point of view. They are based on the Siemens/KWU developed basic material concept for its nuclear power plants. It considers the choice of appropriate materials, the evaluation and qualification of the materials and the materials manufacturer, the use of appropriate semi-finished products, the tailoring of material and semi-finished products to the specific requirements of the various systems, the application of adequate manufacturing processes and the proof of the requirements by specifying proper tests and examinations. The main systems are assigned to safety classes in accordance with their safety relevance. Summarizing the operation time of nuclear power plants with ferritic MCL equipped by Siemens/KWU, more than 200 years of operation experience exist and no upgrading or replacement of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This manual describes the use of the Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator. Xyce has been designed as a SPICE-compatible, high-performance analog circuit simulator, and has been written to support the simulation needs of the Sandia National Laboratories electrical designers. This development has focused on improving capability over the current state-of-the-art in the following areas: (1) Capability to solve extremely large circuit problems by supporting large-scale parallel computing platforms (up to thousands of processors). Note that this includes support for most popular parallel and serial computers. (2) Improved performance for all numerical kernels (e.g., time integrator, nonlinear and linear solvers) through state-of-the-art algorithms and novel techniques. (3) Device models which are specifically tailored to meet Sandia's needs, including some radiation-aware devices (for Sandia users only). (4) Object-oriented code design and implementation using ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As the result of 15 years of research (50 staff years of effort) Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), through its involvement in fluidized-bed combustion, magnetohydrodynamics, and a variety of environmental programs, has produced extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software and models to predict the multiphase hydrodynamic and reactive behavior of fluid-solids motions and interactions in complex fluidized-bed reactors (FBRS) and slurry systems. This has resulted in the FLUFIX, IRF, and SLUFIX computer programs. These programs are based on fluid-solids hydrodynamic models and can predict information important to the designer of atmospheric or pressurized bubbling and circulating FBR, fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and slurry units to guarantee optimum efficiency with minimum release of pollutants into the environment. This latter issue will become of paramount importance with the enactment of the Clean Air Act Amendment (CAAA) of 1995. Solids motion is also the key to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, a considerable amount of effort and resources were allocated worldwide to designing and developing coherent and comprehensive decision support systems for nuclear or radiological emergency management. They range from simple radiological consequence assessment tools to more advanced systems, incorporating the assessment of countermeasures and their effectiveness. Furthermore, many of these systems have been tailored to answer to national emergency preparedness requirements and in some cases such as the R.O.D.O.S. and A.R.G.O.S. systems they have been successfully deployed in a number of countries. Thus, computer based decision support systems for nuclear emergencies are nowadays a reality in Europe, the US and Japan; however, there was a lack of an adequate information and data exchange mechanism that enabled them to function properly and serve the purpose that triggered their development. Within the EURATOM 5. Framework ...

Science.gov (United States)

The liquid-phase synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles in organic solvents under exclusion of water is nowadays a well-established alternative to aqueous sol-gel chemistry. In this article, we highlight some of the advantages of these routes based on selected examples. The first part reviews some recent developments in the synthesis of ternary metal oxide nanoparticles by surfactant-free nonaqueous sol-gel routes, followed by the discussion of the morphology-controlled synthesis of lanthanum hydroxide nanoparticles, and the presentation of structural peculiarities of manganese oxide nanoparticles with an ordered Mn vacancy superstructure. These examples show that nonaqueous systems, on the one hand, allow the preparation of compositionally complex oxides, and, on the other hand, make use of the organic components (initially present or formed in situ) in the reaction mixture to tailor the morphology. Furthermore, obviously even the crystal structure can differ from ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palmitic acid (PA, 59.8 {sup o}C) and lauric acid (LA, 42.6 {sup o}C) are phase change materials (PCM) having quite high melting temperatures which can limit their use in low temperature solar applications such as solar space heating and greenhouse heating. However, their melting temperatures can be tailored to appropriate value by preparing a eutectic mixture of the lauric and the palmitic acids. In the present study, the thermal analysis based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique shows that the mixture of 69.0 wt% LA and 31 wt% PA forms a eutectic mixture having melting temperature of 35.2 {sup o}C and the latent heat of fusion of 166.3 J g{sup -1}. This study also considers the experimental determination of the thermal characteristics of the eutectic mixture during the heat charging and discharging processes. Radial and axial temperature distribution, heat transfer coefficient between the heat transfer fluid (HTF) pipe and the PCM, heat recovery ...

Science.gov (United States)

In 2009 the European Space Agency satellite mission GOCE (Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer) was launched. Its objectives are the precise and detailed determination of the Earth's gravity field and geoid. Its core instrument, a three axis gravitational gradiometer, measures the gravity gradient components V xx , V yy , V zz and V xz (second-order derivatives of the gravity potential V) with high precision and V xy , V yz with low precision, all in the instrument reference frame. The long wavelength gravity field is recovered from the orbit, measured by GPS (Global Positioning System). Characteristic elements of the mission are precise star tracking, a Sun-synchronous and very low (260 km) orbit, angular control by magnetic torquing and an extremely stiff and thermally stable instrument environment. GOCE is complementary to GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment), another satellite gravity mission, launched in 2002. While GRACE is designed to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Formaldehyde oxidation was examined in a laboratory reactor over alumina-supported Pt, Pd, Rh, Ag, Cu-Cr, and Pd-Ag catalysts as part of a program to develop catalysts for lean-exhaust methanol-fueled vehicles. In general, the H/sub 2/CO oxidation behavior of the catalysts paralleled the CH/sub 3/OH oxidation behavior reported in Parts 1 and 2 of this series (Appl. Catal. 27(1986) 83; J. Catal. 103(1987) 419). Principal similarities were: high activity of Pt when there was no carbon monoxide (CO) in the feed, but strong inhibition by added CO; lower activity of Ag and Cu-Cr catalysts, but only weak inhibition due to added CO; enhanced activity of the Pd-Ag catalyst compared to Pd and Ag alone for feeds containing CO in addition to H/sub 2/CO; and, relatively poor activity of the Rh catalyst. The most unusual behavior was observed with the Pd catalyst, which showed local minima in the H/sub 2/CO conversion vs. temperature profiles. These saddles were similar to, but more pronounced ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The General-Purpose Heat Source (GPHS), an improved radioisotope heat source, employs a unique thermal insulation material, carbon-bonded carbon fiber (CBCF), to protect the fuel capsule and to help achieve the highest possible specific power. The CBCF insulation is made from chopped rayon fiber about 10 ..mu..m in diameter and 250 ..mu..m long, which is carbonized and bonded with phenolic resin particles. The CBCF shapes, both tubes and plates, are formed in a multiple molding facility by vacuum molding a water slurry of the carbonized chopped-rayon fiber (54 wt %) and phenolic resin (46 wt %). The molded shapes are subsequently dried and cured. Final carbonization of the resin is at 1600/sup 0/C. Machining to close tolerances (+-0.08 mm) is accomplished by conventional tooling and fixturing. The resulting material is an excellent lightweight insulation with a nominal density of 0.2 Mg/m/sup 3/ and a thermal conductivity of 0.24 W(m.K) in vacuum at 2000/sup 0/C. Several attributes ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The traditional process for developing large-scale simulations is cumbersome, time consuming, costly, and in some cases, inadequate. The topics of software components and component-based software engineering are being explored by software professionals in academic and industrial settings. A component is a well-delineated, relatively independent, and replaceable part of a software system that performs a specific function. Many researchers have addressed the potential to derive a component-based approach to simulations in general, and a few have focused on military simulations in particular. In a component-based approach, functional or logical blocks of the simulation entities are represented as coherent collections of components satisfying explicitly defined interface requirements. A simulation is a top-level aggregate comprised of a collection of components that interact with each other in the context of a simulated environment. A component may represent a simulation artifact, an ...

Science.gov (United States)

Aluminum, due to its low density and low cost, is a key material for future lightweight applications. However, like other structural materials, aluminum is subject to various forms of corrosion damage that annually costs the United States approximately 5% of its GNP [1]. The main goal is to investigate the effects of various solution anions on aluminum surfaces, and specifically probe pit initiation and inhibition. Using surface analysis techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, results have been correlated with those obtained from electrochemical methods and a radiolabeling technique developed in the Wieckowski laboratory. Analysis of data has indicated that important variables include type of anion, solution pH, and applied electrode potential. While aggressive anions such as chloride are usually studied to elucidate corrosion processes to work ultimately toward inhibition, its corrosive properties can be ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The kraft recovery boiler is of critical importance for the paper and pulp industry. From only energy point of view, kraft recovery boilers supply more than 50% of total thermal energy consumed in the paper and pulp industry. A kraft recovery boiler has two main functions: firstly to recover the inorganic cooking chemicals in the black liquor for reuse in the pulping process, and secondly to make use of the chemical energy in the organic portion of the black liquor to generate super-heated steam for the plant. The twin objectives of recovering chemicals and energy makes the recovery boiler design and operation more complex than virtually any other boiler application. Thus there is a demand for development of an analytical tool that can be used to predict the performance of a kraft recovery boiler. This paper presents the results achieved from a project jointly financed by Swedish National Energy Administration and the industry (Iggesund Paperboard). In this project, a three-dimensional ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a promising binary treatment modality for high-grade primary brain tumors (glioblastoma multiforme, GM) and other cancers. BNCT employs a boron-10 containing compound that preferentially accumulates in the cancer cells in the brain. Upon neutron capture by {sup 10}B energetic alpha particles and triton released at the absorption site kill the cancer cell. In order to gain penetration depth in the brain Fairchild proposed, for this purpose, the use of energetic epithermal neutrons at about 10 keV. Phase I/II clinical trials of BNCT for GM are underway at the Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor (BMRR) and at the MIT Reactor, using these nuclear reactors as the source for epithermal neutrons. In light of the limitations of new reactor installations, e.g. cost, safety and licensing, and limited capability for modulating the reactor based neutron beam energy spectra alternative neutron sources are being contemplated for wider implementation of this ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surface modification of topography and chemistry in order to achieve a specific water contact angle (CA) has been explored by using a novel combinatorial screening platform. The screening arrays consisted of 507 distinct combinations of micro-topographies and chemical compositions. By performing chemical modifications with 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H perfluoroethyltriethoxy-silane (PFS) and n-octadecyltriethoxysilane (ODS) on standard silicon wafers it was possible to include both superhydrophobic and very hydrophilic pad arrays in the same screening platform. Surfaces modified with PFS were more hydrophobic than surfaces modified with ODS, while the unmodified silicon surfaces were hydrophilic. For the PFS modified surfaces the largest CAs were achieved with a small pillar size of X = 1 {mu}m and an intermediate inter-pillar gap size of Y = 4 {mu}m with superhydrophobic CAs over 170 . Surface analysis with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that CF{sub 3} groups were present at the ...

Science.gov (United States)

The influence of material configuration and impact parameters on the damage tolerance characteristics of sandwich composites comprised of carbon-epoxy woven fabric facesheets and Nomex honeycomb cores was investigated using empirically based response surfaces. A series of carefully selected tests were used to isolate the coupled influence of various combinations of the number of facesheet plies, core density, core thickness, impact energy, impactor diameter, and impact velocity on the damage formation and residual strength degradation due to normal impact. The ranges of selected material parameters were typical of those found in common aircraft applications. The diameter of the planar damage area associated with Through Transmission Ultrasonic C-scan measurements and the peak residual facesheet indentation depth were used to describe the extent of internal and detectable surface damage, respectively. Standard analysis of variance techniques were used to assess the significance of the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Due to current social and economical framework, in last years many nuclear power plant owners started a program for the Long Term Operation (LTO)/PLIM (Plant Life Management) of their older nuclear facilities. PLIM/PLEX has already been implemented in many countries (USA, Russia, etc.). This process has many nuclear safety implications, other than strategic and political ones. The need for tailoring the available safety assessment tools to such applications has become urgent in recent years and triggered many research actions. In particular, a PLIM framework requires both a detailed review of the features of the main safety programs (Maintenance, ISI, Surveillance) and a complete integration of these programs into the general management system of the plant. New external factors, such as: large use of subcontractors, need for efficient management of spare parts, request for heavy plant refurbishment programs demand for updated techniques in the overall management of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: The occurrence of extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma (ES) in deep soft tissues has been well described, but cases in which this tumor occurs in a primary cutaneous or subcutaneous site have rarely been reported. The superficial variant may be less aggressive than are the more common bony and deep soft tissue counterparts with an apparently favorable outcome. A retrospective review of patients with cutaneous or subcutaneous ES was conducted to analyze outcome and patterns of failure. Methods and Materials: Between July 1985 and March 1997, 14 patients with cutaneous or subcutaneous ES were treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The median age at presentation was 16 years (range 7-21 years). Anatomic locations included trunk and pelvis (7), upper or lower extremity (4), and head and neck (3). The median size of the lesion was 3 cm (range, 1-12 cm). Thirteen had definitive surgical resections, and one had biopsy of the mass at the time of referral. They were enrolled on ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Purpose: To visualise the vessel wall of the descending thoracic aorta using magnetic resonance imaging. To evaluate the diagnostic potential of tailored T{sub 1}-weighted sequences with contrast enhancement to assess systemic atherosclerotic disease. Methods: This study was performed on a clinical 1.5 Tesla scanner using a gradient strength of 30 mT/m and the phased array spine coil. A cadaver was examined to optimise a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol to evaluate atherosclerotic aortic wall disease. The acquired MR images were compared to gross specimens and histology. Subsequently seven patients who had undergone transesophageal ultrasound (TEU) with detailed assessment of the descending thoracic aorta were examined with MRI. The optimised protocol included untriggered and fat suppressed T{sub 2}-weighted turbo spin echo sequences and ECG-triggered and fat suppressed T{sub 1}-weighted spin echo sequences before and after iv administration of Gd-DTPA. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A robust fusion of the agricultural, industrial biotechnology, and energy industries can create a new strategic national capability for energy independence and climate protection. In his State of the Union Address (Bush 2006), President George W. Bush outlined the Advanced Energy Initiative, which seeks to reduce our national dependence on imported oil by accelerating the development of domestic, renewable alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuels. The president has set a national goal of developing cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable alternative energy sources to substantially replace oil imports in the coming years. Fuels derived from cellulosic biomass - the fibrous, woody, and generally inedible portions of plant matter - offer one such alternative to conventional energy sources that can dramatically impact national economic growth, national energy security, and environmental goals. Cellulosic biomass is an attractive energy feedstock because it is an abundant, domestic, renewable ...