Force and Motion Characteristics of Contamination Particles near the High Voltage End of UHVDC Insulator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Lan

2017-07-01

Full Text Available It is important to reveal the relations of physical factors to deposition of contaminants on insulator. In this paper, the simulation model of high voltage end of insulator was established to study the force and motion characteristics of particles affected by electric force and airflow drag force near the ultra-high voltage direct current (UHVDC insulator. By finite element method, the electric field was set specially to be similar to the one near practical insulator, the steady fluid field was simulated. The electric force and air drag force were loaded on the uniformly charged particles. The characteristics of the two forces on particles, the relationship between quantity of electric charge on particles and probability of particles contacting the insulator were analyzed. It was found that, near the sheds, airflow drag force on particles is significantly greater than electric force with less electric charge. As the charge multiplies, electric force increases linearly, airflow drag force grows more slowly. There is a trend that the magnitude of electric force and drag force is going to similar. Meanwhile, the probability of particles contacting the insulator is increased too. However, at a certain level of charge which has different value with different airflow velocity, the contact probability has extremum here. After exceeding the value, as the charge increasing, the contact probability decreases gradually.

International Space Station External Contamination Environment for Space Science Utilization

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Carlos E.; Mikatarian, Ronald R.; Steagall, Courtney A.; Huang, Alvin Y.; Koontz, Steven; Worthy, Erica

2014-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest and most complex on-orbit platform for space science utilization in low Earth orbit. Multiple sites for external payloads, with exposure to the associated natural and induced environments, are available to support a variety of space science utilization objectives. Contamination is one of the induced environments that can impact performance, mission success and science utilization on the vehicle. The ISS has been designed, built and integrated with strict contamination requirements to provide low levels of induced contamination on external payload assets. This paper addresses the ISS induced contamination environment at attached payload sites, both at the requirements level as well as measurements made on returned hardware, and contamination forecasting maps being generated to support external payload topology studies and science utilization.

Electrical breakdown studies with Mycalex insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waldron, W.; Greenway, W.; Eylon, S.; Henestroza, E.; Yu, S.

2003-01-01

Insulating materials such as alumina and glass-bonded mica (Mycalex) are used in accelerator systems for high voltage feedthroughs, structural supports, and barriers between high voltage insulating oil and the vacuum beam pipe in induction accelerator cells. Electric fields in the triple points should be minimized to prevent voltage breakdown. Mechanical stress can compromise seals and result in oil contamination of the insulator surface. We have tested various insulator cleaning procedures including ultrasonic cleaning with a variety of aqueous-based detergents, and manual scrubbing with various detergents. Water sheeting tests were used to determine the initial results of the cleaning methods. Ultimately, voltage breakdown tests will be used to quantify the benefits of these cleaning procedures

Thermal insulation coating based on water-based polymer dispersion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panchenko Iuliia

2018-01-01

Full Text Available For Russia, due to its long winter period, improvement of thermal insulation properties of envelope structures by applying thermal insulation paint and varnish coating to its inner surface is considered perspective. Thermal insulation properties of such coatings are provided by adding aluminosilicate microspheres and aluminum pigment to their composition. This study was focused on defining the effect of hollow aluminosilicate microspheres and aluminum pigment on the paint thermal insulation coating based on water-based polymer dispersion and on its optimum filling ratio. The optimum filling ratio was determined using the method of critical pigment volume concentration (CPVC. The optimum filling ratio was found equal to 55%.

Widely tunable microwave phase shifter based on silicon-on-insulator dual-microring resonator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pu, Minhao; Liu, Liu; Xue, Weiqi

2010-01-01

We propose and demonstrate tunable microwave phase shifters based on electrically tunable silicon-on-insulator microring resonators. The phase-shifting range and the RF-power variation are analyzed. A maximum phase-shifting range of 0~600° is achieved by utilizing a dual-microring resonator...

Spin-torque generation in topological insulator based heterostructures

KAUST Repository

Fischer, Mark H.; Vaezi, Abolhassan; Manchon, Aurelien; Kim, Eun-Ah

2016-01-01

Heterostructures utilizing topological insulators exhibit a remarkable spin-torque efficiency. However, the exact origin of the strong torque, in particular whether it stems from the spin-momentum locking of the topological surface states or rather

Property comparisons of commercially available silica-based microporous insulations I. Machinability and thermal dimensional stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kramer, Daniel P.; McNeil, Dennis C.; Ruhkamp, Joseph D.; Wells, Donna J.; Stringer, Robert L.; Howell, Edwin I.

2002-01-01

Maximizing the thermal to electrical conversion efficiency of a nuclear space power system requires that all of the available thermal energy be utilized in the most efficient manner. Microporous insulations are attractive for application in space power systems due to their very low thermal conductivity. Over the last few years, several new silica-based microporous insulating materials have become commercially available. Property comparisons of the various insulations obtained from company literature and experiments on microporous sample specimens are discussed. The results demonstrate that their machinability and thermal dimensional stability as a function of time at temperature and atmosphere are dependent on the particular material

Electrical Performance of Distribution Insulators with Chlorella vulgaris Growth on its Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Herbert Enrique Rojas Cubides

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a study about electrical performance of ceramic and polymeric insulators bio-contaminated with alga Chlorella vulgaris. The performed tests involve ANSI 55-2 and ANSI 52-1 ceramic insulators and ANSI DS-15 polymeric insulators, all of them used in distribution systems of Colombia. Biological contamination of insulators is realized using a controlled environment chamber that adjusts the temperature, humidity and light radiation. The laboratory tests include measurements of flashover voltages and leakage currents and they were performed to determine how insulators are affected by biological contamination. After a series of laboratory tests, it was concluded that the presence of Chlorella vulgaris on the contaminated ceramic insulators reduces the wet flashover voltage up to 12% and increases their leakage currents up to 80%. On the other hand, for polymeric insulators the effect of algae growth on flashover voltages was not to strong, although the leakage currents increase up to 60%.

Top-gate pentacene-based organic field-effect transistor with amorphous rubrene gate insulator

Science.gov (United States)

Hiroki, Mizuha; Maeda, Yasutaka; Ohmi, Shun-ichiro

2018-02-01

The scaling of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) is necessary for high-density integration and for this, OFETs with a top-gate configuration are required. There have been several reports of damageless lithography processes for organic semiconductor or insulator layers. However, it is still difficult to fabricate scaled OFETs with a top-gate configuration. In this study, the lift-off process and the device characteristics of the OFETs with a top-gate configuration utilizing an amorphous (α) rubrene gate insulator were investigated. We have confirmed that α-rubrene shows an insulating property, and its extracted linear mobility was 2.5 × 10-2 cm2/(V·s). The gate length and width were 10 and 60 µm, respectively. From these results, the OFET with a top-gate configuration utilizing an α-rubrene gate insulator is promising for the high-density integration of scaled OFETs.

Evaluating Potential Human Health Risks Associated with the Development of Utility-Scale Solar Energy Facilities on Contaminated Sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, J. -J. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Chang, Y. -S. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Hartmann, H. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Wescott, K. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Kygeris, C. [Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania, PA (United States)

2013-09-01

This report presents a general methodology for obtaining preliminary estimates of the potential human health risks associated with developing a utility-scale solar energy facility on a contaminated site, based on potential exposures to contaminants in soils (including transport of those contaminants into the air).

Electrical Tracking Formation on Silane Epoxy Resin under Various Contaminants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NFN Rochmadi

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Contamination at the surface of the insulator becomes a serious problem in power system operation, especially for the tropical area. Humidity and rainfall play an important role in wetness by the water at the surface of the insulator, which result in the presence of contaminant and leakage current flowing at the surface of the insulator. This leakage current will generate heat which occurs at the surface of an insulator, so that dry band area will be formed. This ultimately leads to flashover. This paper presents the influence of contaminants to leakage current and formation of electrical tracking at the surface of epoxy resin compound wit silicon rubber. The test was based on Inclined-Planed Tracking method with NH4Cl as contaminants. The industrial and coastal contaminants are used to explain the effect of contaminant at surface tracking process. The flow rate of contaminant was 0.3 ml/min. The 3.5 kV AC high voltage 50 Hz was applied to the top electrodes. It is found that industrial contamination resulting in the smallest surface leakage current is 327.6 mA. Also it is found that coastal contaminant (1420 mS/cm showed the severest damage at surface of test sample. Therefore, special treatment of the sample are needed under these conditions so that the material performance can be improved, especially against the electrical tracking.

In-field implementation of impedance-based structural health monitoring for insulated rail joints

Science.gov (United States)

Albakri, Mohammad I.; Malladi, V. V. N. Sriram; Woolard, Americo G.; Tarazaga, Pablo A.

2017-04-01

Track defects are a major safety concern for the railroad industry. Among different track components, insulated rail joints, which are widely used for signaling purposes, are considered a weak link in the railroad track. Several joint-related defects have been identified by the railroad community, including rail wear, torque loss, and joint bar breakage. Current track inspection techniques rely on manual and visual inspection or on specially equipped testing carts, which are costly, timeconsuming, traffic disturbing, and prone to human error. To overcome the aforementioned limitations, the feasibility of utilizing impedance-based structural health monitoring for insulated rail joints is investigated in this work. For this purpose, an insulated joint, provided by Koppers Inc., is instrumented with piezoelectric transducers and assembled with 136 AREA rail plugs. The instrumented joint is then installed and tested at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing, Transportation Technology Center Inc. The effects of environmental and operating conditions on the measured impedance signatures are investigated through a set of experiments conducted at different temperatures and loading conditions. The capabilities of impedance-based SHM to detect several joint-related damage types are also studied by introducing reversible mechanical defects to different joint components.

Correlation among ESDD, NSDD and leakage current in distribution insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montoya, G.; Ramirez, I.; Montoya, J.I.

2004-01-01

The maintenance of distribution networks is more effective if the insulation contamination levels are known. The selection of measuring methods of pollution levels is then crucial. The relationship between several evaluation methods of pollution levels and the operating behaviour of several insulator profiles in a polluted zone is described. Laboratory tests were carried out to reproduce pollution levels found in the field. The quantity of non-soluble materials deposited over the insulators' surface affect the magnitude of the leakage current generated over a contaminated insulator. The relationship that defines leakage current with respect to the equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD) level for a specific non-soluble material level is almost linear, from which it is possible to develop a relationship between them for each insulator. (author)

Radiaton-resistant electrical insulation on the base of cement binders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afanas'ev, V.V.; Korenevskij, V.V.; Pisachev, S.Yu.

1985-01-01

The problems of designing radiation-resistant electrical insulations on the base of BATs and Talum cements for the UNK magnets operating under constant and pulse modes are discussed. The data characterizing dielectrical ad physico-mechanical properties of 25 various compositions are given. Two variants of manufacturing coils are considered: solid and with the use of asbestos tape impregnated with aluminous cement solution. The data obtained testify to the fact that the advantages of insulation on Talum cement are raised radiation resistance, high strength (particularly compression strength), weak porosity, high elasticity modulus and high thermal conductivity. BATs cement insulation is characterized by high radiation resistance, absence of shrinkage, rather low elasticity modulus and high dielectrical characteristics under normal conditions. The qualities of the solid insulation variant are its high technological effectiveness and posibility to fill up the spaces of complex configuration. In case of using as solid insulation Talum cement, however special measures for moisture removal are required. The advantage of insulation on the base of the asbestos tape is its reliability. For complex configuration magnets, however to realize is such insulation somewhat difficult

KSI's Cross Insulated Core Transformer Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uhmeyer, Uwe

2009-01-01

Cross Insulated Core Transformer (CCT) technology improves on Insulated Core Transformer (ICT) implementations. ICT systems are widely used in very high voltage, high power, power supply systems. In an ICT transformer ferrite core sections are insulated from their neighboring ferrite cores. Flux leakage is present at each of these insulated gaps. The flux loss is raised to the power of stages in the ICT design causing output voltage efficiency to taper off with increasing stages. KSI's CCT technology utilizes a patented technique to compensate the flux loss at each stage of an ICT system. Design equations to calculate the flux compensation capacitor value are presented. CCT provides corona free operation of the HV stack. KSI's CCT based High Voltage power supply systems offer high efficiency operation, high frequency switching, low stored energy and smaller size over comparable ICT systems.

Aerogel-Based Insulation for Industrial Steam Distribution Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John Williams

2011-03-30

Thermal losses in industrial steam distribution systems account for 977 trillion Btu/year in the US, more than 1% of total domestic energy consumption. Aspen Aerogels worked with Department of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program to specify, develop, scale-up, demonstrate, and deliver Pyrogel XT®, an aerogel-based pipe insulation, to market to reduce energy losses in industrial steam systems. The product developed has become Aspen’s best selling flexible aerogel blanket insulation and has led to over 60 new jobs. Additionally, this product has delivered more than ~0.7 TBTU of domestic energy savings to date, and could produce annual energy savings of 149 TBTU by 2030. Pyrogel XT’s commercial success has been driven by it’s 2-4X better thermal performance, improved durability, greater resistance to corrosion under insulation (CUI), and faster installation times than incumbent insulation materials.

Design analysis of ceramic and polymer 150 kV insulators for tropical condition using quickfield software

Science.gov (United States)

Walukow, Stephy B.; Manjang, Salama; Zainuddin, Zahir; Samman, Faizal Arya

2018-03-01

This research is to analyze design of ceramic and polymer 150 kV insulators for the tropical area. The use of an insulator certainly requires an electric field. The leakage current and breakdown voltage this happens the contaminant on the surface of the insulator. This type of contaminant can be rain, dust, salt air, extreme weather (much in tropical climates), industrial pollutants and cracks on the surface resulting in collisions. The method used in this research is magnetic field and electric field isolator using Quicfield software. To get the test results variation ranges 20 kV, 70 kV and 150 kV. Side effects of magnetic and electric fields around the insulator. The simulation results show the accumulated contaminants on the surface. Planning should be done in insulator insulator on unstable insulator. Thus, the approach using this commercially available software can be applied to. Therefore, the development of further simulations on the different types of composite insulators used on.

Model for Predicting DC Flashover Voltage of Pre-Contaminated and Ice-Covered Long Insulator Strings under Low Air Pressure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhijin Zhang

2011-04-01

Full Text Available In the current study, a multi-arc predicting model for DC critical flashover voltage of iced and pre-contaminated long insulator strings under low atmospheric pressure is developed. The model is composed of a series of different polarity surface arcs, icicle-icicle air gap arcs, and residual layer resistance. The calculation method of the residual resistance of the ice layer under DC multi-arc condition is established. To validate the model, 7-unit and 15-unit insulator strings were tested in a multi-function artificial climate chamber under the coexistent conditions of low air pressure, pollution, and icing. The test results showed that the values calculated by the model satisfactorily agreed with those experimentally measured, with the errors within the range of 10%, validating the rationality of the model.

Study of the possibility of thermal utilization of contaminated water in low-power boilers

Science.gov (United States)

Roslyakov, P. V.; Proskurin, Y. V.; Zaichenko, M. N.

2017-09-01

The utilization of water contaminated with oil products is a topical problem for thermal power plants and boiler houses. It is reasonable to use special water treatment equipment only for large power engineering and industry facilities. Thermal utilization of contaminated water in boiler furnaces is proposed as an alternative version of its utilization. Since there are hot-water fire-tube boilers at many enterprises, it is necessary to study the possibility of thermal utilization of water contaminated with oil products in their furnaces. The object of this study is a KV-GM-2.0 boiler with a heating power of 2 MW. The pressurized burner developed at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute, National Research University, was used as a burner device for supplying liquid fuel. The computational investigations were performed on the basis of the computer simulation of processes of liquid fuel atomization, mixing, ignition, and burnout; in addition, the formation of nitrogen oxides was simulated on the basis of ANSYS Fluent computational dynamics software packages, taking into account radiative and convective heat transfer. Analysis of the results of numerical experiments on the combined supply of crude oil and water contaminated with oil products has shown that the thermal utilization of contaminated water in fire-tube boilers cannot be recommended. The main causes here are the impingement of oil droplets on the walls of the flame tube, as well as the delay in combustion and increased emissions of nitrogen oxides. The thermal utilization of contaminated water combined with diesel fuel can be arranged provided that the water consumption is not more than 3%; however, this increases the emission of nitrogen oxides. The further increase in contaminated water consumption will lead to the reduction of the reliability of the combustion process.

Correlation analysis between ceramic insulator pollution and acoustic emissions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamín Álvarez-Nasrallah

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Most of the studies related to insulator pollution are normally performed based on individual analysis among leakage current, relative humidity and equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD. This paper presents a correlation analysis between the leakage current and the acoustic emissions measured in a 230 kV electrical substations in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia. Furthermore, atmospheric variables were considered to develop a characterization model of the insulator contamination process. This model was used to demonstrate that noise emission levels are a reliable indicator to detect and characterize pollution on high voltage insulators. The correlation found amount the atmospheric, electrical and sound variables allowed to determine the relations for the maintenance of ceramic insulators in high-polluted areas. In this article, the results on the behavior of the leakage current in ceramic insulators and the sound produced with different atmospheric conditions are shown, which allow evaluating the best time to clean the insulator at the substation. Furthermore, by experimentation on site and using statistical models, the correlation between ambient variables and the leakage current of insulators in an electrical substation was obtained. Some of the problems that bring the external noise were overcome using multiple microphones and specialized software that enabled properly filter the sound and better measure the variables.

Review of Physicochemical-Based Diagnostic Techniques for Assessing Insulation Condition in Aged Transformers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janvier Sylvestre N’cho

2016-05-01

Full Text Available A power transformer outage has a dramatic financial consequence not only for electric power systems utilities but also for interconnected customers. The service reliability of this important asset largely depends upon the condition of the oil-paper insulation. Therefore, by keeping the qualities of oil-paper insulation system in pristine condition, the maintenance planners can reduce the decline rate of internal faults. Accurate diagnostic methods for analyzing the condition of transformers are therefore essential. Currently, there are various electrical and physicochemical diagnostic techniques available for insulation condition monitoring of power transformers. This paper is aimed at the description, analysis and interpretation of modern physicochemical diagnostics techniques for assessing insulation condition in aged transformers. Since fields and laboratory experiences have shown that transformer oil contains about 70% of diagnostic information, the physicochemical analyses of oil samples can therefore be extremely useful in monitoring the condition of power transformers.

Inkjet-Printed Organic Transistors Based on Organic Semiconductor/Insulating Polymer Blends.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Yoon-Jung; Park, Yeong Don; Lee, Wi Hyoung

2016-08-02

Recent advances in inkjet-printed organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on organic semiconductor/insulating polymer blends are reviewed in this article. Organic semiconductor/insulating polymer blends are attractive ink candidates for enhancing the jetting properties, inducing uniform film morphologies, and/or controlling crystallization behaviors of organic semiconductors. Representative studies using soluble acene/insulating polymer blends as an inkjet-printed active layer in OFETs are introduced with special attention paid to the phase separation characteristics of such blended films. In addition, inkjet-printed semiconducting/insulating polymer blends for fabricating high performance printed OFETs are reviewed.

Recent Advances in the Sound Insulation Properties of Bio-based Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaodong Zhu

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Many bio-based materials, which have lower environmental impact than traditional synthetic materials, show good sound absorbing and sound insulation performances. This review highlights progress in sound transmission properties of bio-based materials and provides a comprehensive account of various multiporous bio-based materials and multilayered structures used in sound absorption and insulation products. Furthermore, principal models of sound transmission are discussed in order to aid in an understanding of sound transmission properties of bio-based materials. In addition, the review presents discussions on the composite structure optimization and future research in using co-extruded wood plastic composite for sound insulation control. This review contributes to the body of knowledge on the sound transmission properties of bio-based materials, provides a better understanding of the models of some multiporous bio-based materials and multilayered structures, and contributes to the wider adoption of bio-based materials as sound absorbers.

Voltage Sag due to Pollution Induced Flashover Across Ceramic Insulator Strings

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy B, Subba; Goswami, Arup Kumar

2017-11-01

Voltage sag or voltage dips are significant to industrial reliability. There is a necessity to characterize the feeder level power quality (PQ) and the PQ performance among various utility companies. Contamination/pollution induced flashover is the ultimate consequence of the creeping discharges across the insulator strings which induce voltage sag. These have a severe threat on the safe and reliable operation of power systems. In the present work an attempt has been made to experimentally investigate the occurrence of voltage sag/dips during pollution induced flashovers. Results show significant dip/sag in the voltage magnitude during the flashover process.

HgTe based topological insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruene, Christoph

2014-01-01

This PhD thesis summarizes the discovery of topological insulators and highlights the developments on their experimental observations. The work focuses on HgTe. The thesis is structured as follows: - The first chapter of this thesis will give a brief overview on discoveries in the field of topological insulators. It focuses on works relevant to experimental results presented in the following chapters. This includes a short outline of the early predictions and a summary of important results concerning 2-dimensional topological insulators while the final section discusses observations concerning 3-dimensional topological insulators. - The discovery of the quantum spin Hall effect in HgTe marked the first experimental observation of a topological insulator. Chapter 2 focuses on HgTe quantum wells and the quantum spin Hall effect. The growth of high quality HgTe quantum wells was one of the major goals for this work. In a final set of experiments the spin polarization of the edge channels was investigated. Here, we could make use of the advantage that HgTe quantum well structures exhibit a large Rashba spin orbit splitting. - HgTe as a 3-dimensional topological insulator is presented in chapter 3. - Chapters 4-6 serve as in depth overviews of selected works: Chapter 4 presents a detailed overview on the all electrical detection of the spin Hall effect in HgTe quantum wells. The detection of the spin polarization of the quantum spin Hall effect is shown in chapter 5 and chapter 6 gives a detailed overview on the quantum Hall effect originating from the topological surface state in strained bulk HgTe.

Inkjet-Printed Organic Transistors Based on Organic Semiconductor/Insulating Polymer Blends

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Yoon-Jung; Park, Yeong Don; Lee, Wi Hyoung

2016-01-01

Recent advances in inkjet-printed organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on organic semiconductor/insulating polymer blends are reviewed in this article. Organic semiconductor/insulating polymer blends are attractive ink candidates for enhancing the jetting properties, inducing uniform film morphologies, and/or controlling crystallization behaviors of organic semiconductors. Representative studies using soluble acene/insulating polymer blends as an inkjet-printed active layer in OFETs are introduced with special attention paid to the phase separation characteristics of such blended films. In addition, inkjet-printed semiconducting/insulating polymer blends for fabricating high performance printed OFETs are reviewed. PMID:28773772

Model-based analysis of thermal insulation coatings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiil, Søren

2014-01-01

Thermal insulation properties of coatings based on selected functional filler materials are investigated. The underlying physics, thermal conductivity of a heterogeneous two-component coating, and porosity and thermal conductivity of hollow spheres (HS) are quantified and a mathematical model for...

Design principles for HgTe based topological insulator devices

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta, Parijat; Kubis, Tillmann; Tan, Yaohua; Povolotskyi, Michael; Klimeck, Gerhard

2013-07-01

The topological insulator properties of CdTe/HgTe/CdTe quantum wells are theoretically studied. The CdTe/HgTe/CdTe quantum well behaves as a topological insulator beyond a critical well width dimension. It is shown that if the barrier (CdTe) and well-region (HgTe) are altered by replacing them with the alloy CdxHg1-xTe of various stoichiometries, the critical width can be changed. The critical quantum well width is shown to depend on temperature, applied stress, growth directions, and external electric fields. Based on these results, a novel device concept is proposed that allows to switch between a normal semiconducting and topological insulator state through application of moderate external electric fields.

Improved installation approach for variable spring setting on a pipe yet to be insulated

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, H.H.; Chitnis, S.S.; Rencher, D.

1993-01-01

This paper provides an approach in setting of variable spring supports for noninsulated or partially insulated piping systems so that resetting these supports is not required when the insulation is fully installed. This approach shows a method of deriving the spring coldload setting tolerance values that can be readily utilized by craft personnel. This method is based on the percentage of the weight of the insulation compared to the total weight of the pipe and the applicable tolerance. Use of these setting tolerances eliminates reverification of the original cold-load settings, for the majority of variable springs when the insulation is fully installed

Optimal design of DC-based polarization beam splitter in lithium niobate on insulator

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Zisu; Yin, Rui; Ji, Wei; Wang, Junbao; Wu, Chonghao; Li, Xiao; Zhang, Shicheng

2017-08-01

We propose a DC-based polarization beam splitter (PBS) in lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI). Utilizing the high birefringence property of Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3, LN), the device is achieved by simple structure in a short length. With the use of beam propagation method (BPM), the simulation results show that the device has a good performance for the separation of TE and TM polarizations with a high extinction ratio (about 35 dB). The simulated fabrication tolerance for the variation of the waveguide width is about 100 nm and the bandwidth is about 65 nm when the extinction ratio is higher than 10 dB.

ARROW-based silicon-on-insulator photonic crystal waveguides with reduced losses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lavrinenko, Andrei; Novitsky, A.; Zhilko, V.V.

2006-01-01

We employ an antiresonant reflecting layers arrangement with silicon-on-insulator based photonic crystal waveguides. The 3D FDTD numerical modelling reveals improved transmission in such structures with a promising potential for their application in photonic circuits.......We employ an antiresonant reflecting layers arrangement with silicon-on-insulator based photonic crystal waveguides. The 3D FDTD numerical modelling reveals improved transmission in such structures with a promising potential for their application in photonic circuits....

Silicon-on-Insulator Nanowire Based Optical Waveguide Biosensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Mingyu; Liu, Yong; Chen, Yangqing; He, Jian-Jun

2016-01-01

Optical waveguide biosensors based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) nanowire have been developed for label free molecular detection. This paper reviews our work on the design, fabrication and measurement of SOI nanowire based high-sensitivity biosensors employing Vernier effect. Biosensing experiments using cascaded double-ring sensor and Mach-Zehnder- ring sensor integrated with microfluidic channels are demonstrated (paper)

Application of Nanotechnology-Based Thermal Insulation Materials in Building Construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bozsaky David

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Nanotechnology-based materials have previously been used by space research, pharmaceuticals and electronics, but in the last decade several nanotechnology-based thermal insulation materials have appeared in building industry. Nowadays they only feature in a narrow range of practice, but they offer many potential applications. These options are unknown to most architects, who may simply be afraid of these materials owing to the incomplete and often contradictory special literature. Therefore, they are distrustful and prefer to apply the usual and conventional technologies. This article is intended to provide basic information about nanotechnology-based thermal insulation materials for designers. It describes their most important material properties, functional principles, applications, and potential usage options in building construction.

Comparative Investigation of Pollution Accumulation and Natural Cleaning for Different HV Insulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Dimitropoulou

2015-04-01

Full Text Available High Voltage insulators are scattered throughout any HV network and a single insulator fault may cause an excessive outage. Reliability is a key issue for electric power systems and fault-free performance of insulators greatly reflects on the reliability of the system. Environmental influence is rather important for the optimum selection of outdoor insulators and, therefore, field measurements provide valuable information. Utilities perform such measurements in order to decide upon the location/route of new HV installations (substations, lines etc and also to optimize the selection, maintenance and replacement of already installed insulators. A rather interesting case in Greek territory is the island of Crete, due to the coastal development of the network and the local weather conditions. The Greek utility has employed a variety of remedies to cope with the pollution problem. Following the positive feedback after the installation on certain tower in the past, a large project to replace all ceramic insulators with new polymer ones of hydrophobic surface is now in progress. Polymer coatings have also been extensively applied on substations and also on certain areas/towers of the transmission network in the past. In order to investigate the pollution accumulation and the impact of natural washing on different insulator types, a series of periodical ESDD and NSDD pollution measurements were conducted in HEDNO’s TALOS High Voltage Test Station for a 3-months period. Multiple measurements were performed on each insulator every month in order to collect additional data. Five different insulators were selected based on the types historically used in the Cretan Network. Along with the standard glass disc profile, two strings of glass fog profile (the one coated with RTV and two long-rod composite insulators of different shed profile and material were used. Results are presented and discussed in this paper.

Risk Assessment of Failure of Outdoor High Voltage Polluted Insulators under Combined Stresses Near Shoreline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Majid Hussain

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to investigate the various effects of climate conditions on outdoor insulators in coastal areas as a result of saline contamination under acidic and normal cold fog, determining significant electrical and physico-chemical changes on the insulator surface and considering the effect of discharge current, electric field distribution and surface roughness. To replicate similar conditions near the shoreline, experimental investigations have been carried out on insulation materials with the combined application of saline contamination and acidic or normal cold fog. The test samples included silicone rubber (SiR, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM and high-density polyethylene (HDPE, which were used as reference. The materials are of the same composition as those used in real-life outdoor high voltage insulators. All samples were aged separately in an environmental chamber for 150 h for various saline contaminations combined with acidic and normal cold fog, and were generated by means of the adopted experimental setup. This analysis represented conditions similar to those existing near the shoreline exposed to saline and acid spray during winter and early spring. Electric field and discharge current along polymeric samples were examined under acidic and normal cold fog. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopic (SEM were used to probe the physico-chemical changes on the samples surface and investigate the hydrophobicity recovery property after aging tests. Finally, a comparative study was carried out on polymeric samples before and after being exposed to the acidic and normal cold fog based on the results obtained from the experiment. Research data may provide references for the better prediction of surface degradation as well as for the better material coating and design of external insulation.

Ultrathin nanoporous membranes for insulator-based dielectrophoresis

Science.gov (United States)

Mukaibo, Hitomi; Wang, Tonghui; Perez-Gonzalez, Victor H.; Getpreecharsawas, Jirachai; Wurzer, Jack; Lapizco-Encinas, Blanca H.; McGrath, James L.

2018-06-01

Insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP) is a simple, scalable mechanism that can be used for directly manipulating particle trajectories in pore-based filtration and separation processes. However, iDEP manipulation of nanoparticles presents unique challenges as the dielectrophoretic force ({F}{{D}{{E}}{{P}}}) exerted on the nanoparticles can easily be overshadowed by opposing kinetic forces. In this study, a molecularly thin, SiN-based nanoporous membrane (NPN) is explored as a breakthrough technology that enhances {F}{{D}{{E}}{{P}}}. By numerically assessing the gradient of the electric field square ({{\

Data base of radiation-resistant dielectric and insulating materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hama, Yoshimasa; Sunazuka, Hideo; Nashiyama, Isamu; Kakuta, Tsunemi.

1987-01-01

In the data base of radiation-resistant dielectric and insulating materials, the data format contains such items as to give the summary; the data sheet contains the data in concrete form of respective properties from the references; the sheet of references contains the references in the former two. In the above three, there are attached code No., data sheet No., reference No. and key words. In the three areas as radiation-resistant dielectric and insulating materials, i.e., organic materials, inorganic materials and optical fibers, the following are explained: data format, data sheet and objectives. (Mori, K.)

Insulation coordination workstation for AC and DC substations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Booth, R.R.; Hileman, A.R.

1990-01-01

The Insulation Coordination Workstation was designed to aid the substation design engineer in the insulation coordination process. The workstation utilizes state of the art computer technology to present a set of tools necessary for substation insulation coordination, and to support the decision making process for all aspects of insulation coordination. The workstation is currently being developed for personal computers supporting OS/2 Presentation Manager. Modern Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) technology was utilized to create an easily expandable framework which currently consists of four modules, each accessing a central application database. The heart of the workstation is a library of user-friendly application programs for the calculation of important voltage stresses used for the evaluation of insulation coordination. The Oneline Diagram is a graphic interface for data entry into the EPRI distributed EMTP program, which allows the creation of complex systems on the CRT screen using simple mouse clicks and keyboard entries. Station shielding is graphically represented in the Geographic Viewport using a three-dimensional substation model, and the interactive plotting package allows plotting of EPRI EMTP output results on the CRT screen, printer, or pen plotter. The Insulation Coordination Workstation was designed by Advanced Systems Technology (AST), a division of ABB Power Systems, Inc., and sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute under RP 2323-5, AC/DC Insulation Coordination Workstation

Radiation protection of radioactively contaminated large areas by phytoremediation and subsequent utilization of the contaminated plant residues (PHYTOREST)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirgorodsky, Daniel; Ollivier, Delphine; Merten, Dirk; Bergmann, Hans; Buechel, Georg; Willscher, Sabine; Wittig, Juliane; Jablonski, Lukasz; Werner, Peter

2010-01-01

Much progress has been achieved over the past 20 years in remediating sites contaminated by heavy metal. However, very large contaminated areas have presented major problems to this day because of remediation costs. Phytoremediation is a new, emerging, sustainable technique of remediating areas with low heavy-metal contamination. One advantage of phytoremediation is the comparatively low cost of the process, which may make it usable also on large areas with low levels of contamination. Besides extracting and immobilizing metals, respectively, phytoremediation among other things also contributes to improving soil quality in terms of physics, chemistry, and ecology. Consequently, phytoremediation offers a great potential for the future. Research into phytoremediation of an area contaminated by heavy metals and radionuclides is carried out on a site in a former uranium mining district in Eastern Thuringia jointly by the Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, and the Technical University of Dresden in a project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research. The project serves to promote the introduction of soft, biocompatible methods of long-term remediation and to develop conceptual solutions to the subsequent utilization of contaminated plant residues. Optimizing area management is in the focus of phytoremediation studies. (orig.)

Electrical insulating liquid: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deba Kumar Mahanta

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Insulating liquid plays an important role for the life span of the transformer. Petroleum-based mineral oil has become dominant insulating liquid of transformer for more than a century for its excellent dielectric and cooling properties. However, the usage of petroleum-based mineral oil, derived from a nonrenewable energy source, has affected the environment for its nonbiodegradability property. Therefore, researchers direct their attention to renewable and biodegradable alternatives. Palm fatty acid ester, coconut oil, sunflower oil, etc. are considered as alternatives to replace mineral oil as transformer insulation liquid. This paper gives an extensive review of different liquid insulating materials used in a transformer. Characterization of different liquids as an insulating material has been discussed. An attempt has been made to classify different insulating liquids-based on different properties.

The validation of forensic DNA extraction systems to utilize soil contaminated biological evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasu, Mohaimin; Shires, Karen

2015-07-01

The production of full DNA profiles from biological evidence found in soil has a high failure rate due largely to the inhibitory substance humic acid (HA). Abundant in various natural soils, HA co-extracts with DNA during extraction and inhibits DNA profiling by binding to the molecular components of the genotyping assay. To successfully utilize traces of soil contaminated evidence, such as that found at many murder and rape crime scenes in South Africa, a reliable HA removal extraction system would often be selected based on previous validation studies. However, for many standard forensic DNA extraction systems, peer-reviewed publications detailing the efficacy on soil evidence is either lacking or is incomplete. Consequently, these sample types are often not collected or fail to yield suitable DNA material due to the use of unsuitable methodology. The aim of this study was to validate the common forensic DNA collection and extraction systems used in South Africa, namely DNA IQ, FTA elute and Nucleosave for processing blood and saliva contaminated with HA. A forensic appropriate volume of biological evidence was spiked with HA (0, 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 mg/ml) and processed through each extraction protocol for the evaluation of HA removal using QPCR and STR-genotyping. The DNA IQ magnetic bead system effectively removed HA from highly contaminated blood and saliva, and generated consistently acceptable STR profiles from both artificially spiked samples and crude soil samples. This system is highly recommended for use on soil-contaminated evidence over the cellulose card-based systems currently being preferentially used for DNA sample collection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

52 KILN EFFICIENCY AND INSULATION. Anthony Obiy Etuokwu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

HP-G61

52. KILN EFFICIENCY AND INSULATION. Anthony Obiy Etuokwu. Department of Fine and Industrial Arts,. Niger Delta University,. Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State. etuokwutony@yahoo.com. Introduction. The kiln is an insulating fire chamber that has the ability to retain the heat that is generated into it, and utilizes such heat ...

Silicon on insulator self-aligned transistors

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, Anthony M.

2003-11-18

A method for fabricating thin-film single-crystal silicon-on-insulator (SOI) self-aligned transistors. Standard processing of silicon substrates is used to fabricate the transistors. Physical spaces, between the source and gate, and the drain and gate, introduced by etching the polysilicon gate material, are used to provide connecting implants (bridges) which allow the transistor to perform normally. After completion of the silicon substrate processing, the silicon wafer is bonded to an insulator (glass) substrate, and the silicon substrate is removed leaving the transistors on the insulator (glass) substrate. Transistors fabricated by this method may be utilized, for example, in flat panel displays, etc.

Air-Filled Nanopore Based High-Performance Thermal Insulation Materials

OpenAIRE

Gangåssæter, Haakon Fossen; Jelle, Bjørn Petter; Alex Mofid, Sohrab; Gao, Tao

2017-01-01

State-of-the-art thermal insulation solutions like vacuum insulation panels (VIP) and aerogels have low thermal conductivity, but their drawbacks may make them unable to be the thermal insulation solutions that will revolutionize the building industry regarding energy-efficient building envelopes. Nevertheless, learning from these materials may be crucial to make new and novel high-performance thermal insulation products. This study presents a review on the state-of-the-art air-filled thermal...

Thermal-performance study of liquid metal fast breeder reactor insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiu, K.K.

1980-09-01

Three types of metallic thermal insulation were investigated analytically and experimentally: multilayer reflective plates, multilayer honeycomb composite, and multilayer screens. Each type was subjected to evacuated and nonevacuated conditions, where thermal measurements were made to determine thermal-physical characteristics. A variation of the separation distance between adjacent reflective plates of multilayer reflective plates and multilayer screen insulation was also experimentally studied to reveal its significance. One configuration of the multilayer screen insulation was further selected to be examined in sodium and sodium oxide environments. The emissivity of Type 304 stainless steel used in comprising the insulation was measured by employing infrared technology. A comprehensive model was developed to describe the different proposed types of thermal insulation. Various modes of heat transfer inherent in each type of insulation were addressed and their relative importance compared. Provision was also made in the model to allow accurate simulation of possible sodium and sodium oxide contamination of the insulation. The thermal-radiation contribution to heat transfer in the temperature range of interest for LMFBR's was found to be moderate, and the suppression of natural convection within the insulation was vital in preserving its insulating properties. Experimental data were compared with the model and other published results. Moreover, the three proposed test samples were assessed and compared under various conditions as viable LMFBR thermal insulations

Crosslinking of wire and cable insulation using electron accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Yongxiang; Ma Zueteh

1992-01-01

Radiation crosslinking of wire and cable insulation is a well-established technology that is widely used in industry. The advantages of radiation crosslinking over chemical crosslinking have helped maintain its steady growth. Since successful utilization of electron beam processing relies on the formulation of compounds used in insulation, the radiation crosslinking of various polymers is reviewed. The handling technology for crosslinking wire and cable insulation and the throughput capacity of electron beam processors are also discussed. More than 30% of the industrial electron accelerators in the world are used for the radiation crosslinking of wire and cable insulation. Prospects of increased use of electron accelerators for crosslinking of wire and cable insulation are very good. (orig.)

Utilization of bathymetry data to examine lead sediment contamination distributions in Lake Ontario

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chris H. Marvin

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Bathymetry data offer interesting opportunities for the analysis of contaminant distribution patterns. This research utilized lead surficial sediment sample data from Lake Ontario that were collected by the Canada Centre for Inland Waters in 1968 and 1998. Traditionally, two-dimensional analyses such as dot maps or proportional circle representation have been utilized to examine pollutant levels. Generating area estimates allows for expanded spatial analysis of contaminant distribution patterns. Lake-wide surfaces were derived using the ordinary kriging technique. These were then layered on bathymetry data to examine three-dimensional relationships between observed pollution patterns and lake-bottom features. Spatial variability was observed in both the 1968 and 1998 datasets. Contamination levels in 1998 dropped substantially, especially in areas that were previously the most heavily polluted and above the Probable Effect Level (4660.23 km2 or 26.72% of the common analysis area lake-bottom in 1998 versus 6189.07 km2 or 62.00% in 1968. Conversely, areas below the Threshold Effect Level increased from 922.09 km2 (5.29% in 1968 to 3484.22 km2 (19.98% in 1998. In both years, shallow and sill/ridge areas tended to have lower levels of contamination than deeper lake basins or contaminant inflow areas. The 1968 dataset likely provides a more detailed estimation surface as there were more points available for interpolation procedures. The kriging surfaces when combined with bathymetry, sedimentology information, and knowledge of physical processes provide a comprehensive illustration of the contaminant distributions whether they are high (1968 or when loadings are significantly reduced (1998. The results have implications for future sediment assessment programs and survey design on a lake-wide basis. The bathymetry data allowed for enhanced interpretation and an improved understanding of observed lead pollution patterns.

Bonded stacked-ring insulator for the Antares electron gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stine, R.D.; Allen, G.R.; Eaton, E.; Weinstein, B.

1982-01-01

A large diameter insulator utilizing epoxy bonding which has sufficient mechanical strength to support the 3000 kg cathode/grid assembly was developed. Bonding the insulator simplifies the handling and reduces the number of 0-ring seals to a minimum. We have described the material selection, bonding techniques and electrical design approach

Spintronics Based on Topological Insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Yabin; Wang, Kang L.

2016-10-01

Spintronics using topological insulators (TIs) as strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) materials have emerged and shown rapid progress in the past few years. Different from traditional heavy metals, TIs exhibit very strong SOC and nontrivial topological surface states that originate in the bulk band topology order, which can provide very efficient means to manipulate adjacent magnetic materials when passing a charge current through them. In this paper, we review the recent progress in the TI-based magnetic spintronics research field. In particular, we focus on the spin-orbit torque (SOT)-induced magnetization switching in the magnetic TI structures, spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) measurements in the TI/ferromagnet structures, spin pumping and spin injection effects in the TI/magnet structures, as well as the electrical detection of the surface spin-polarized current in TIs. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities in the TI-based spintronics field and its potential applications in ultralow power dissipation spintronic memory and logic devices.

Quantitative analysis of silica aerogel-based thermal insulation coatings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiil, Søren

2015-01-01

containing intact hollow glass or polymer spheres showed that silica aerogel particles are more efficient in an insulation coating than hollow spheres. In a practical (non-ideal) comparison, the ranking most likely cannot be generalized. A parameter study demonstrates how the model can be used, qualitatively......A mathematical heat transfer model for a silica aerogel-based thermal insulation coating was developed. The model can estimate the thermal conductivity of a two-component (binder-aerogel) coating with potential binder intrusion into the nano-porous aerogel structure. The latter is modelled using...... a so-called core–shell structure representation. Data from several previous experimental investigations with silica aerogels in various binder matrices were used for model validation. For some relevant cases with binder intrusion, it was possible to obtain a very good agreement between simulations...

Options for the solution of the problem of insulators contamination; Alternativas de solucion al problema de contaminacion en aisladores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fierro Chavez, Jose Luis [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca (Mexico)

1996-12-31

In accordance with Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) statistics, the insulators contamination is cataloged as the second cause of transmission power lines outages. In this article a revision of the different available options for the solution or diminution of this problem, is presented. The application of these options must be made within a technico-economic and cost-benefit frame. [Espanol] De acuerdo con estadisticas de la Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) la contaminacion del aislamiento esta catalogada como la segunda causa de salidas de las lineas de transmision. En este articulo se presenta una revision de las diferentes alternativas disponibles para solucionar o disminuir este problema. La aplicacion de estas alternativas debe hacerse dentro de un marco tecnicoeconomico y de costo-beneficio.

Options for the solution of the problem of insulators contamination; Alternativas de solucion al problema de contaminacion en aisladores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fierro Chavez, Jose Luis [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca (Mexico)

1997-12-31

In accordance with Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) statistics, the insulators contamination is cataloged as the second cause of transmission power lines outages. In this article a revision of the different available options for the solution or diminution of this problem, is presented. The application of these options must be made within a technico-economic and cost-benefit frame. [Espanol] De acuerdo con estadisticas de la Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) la contaminacion del aislamiento esta catalogada como la segunda causa de salidas de las lineas de transmision. En este articulo se presenta una revision de las diferentes alternativas disponibles para solucionar o disminuir este problema. La aplicacion de estas alternativas debe hacerse dentro de un marco tecnicoeconomico y de costo-beneficio.

The effect of nanoparticle surfactant polarization on trapping depth of vegetable insulating oil-based nanofluids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jian, E-mail: lijian@cqu.edu.cn; Du, Bin; Wang, Feipeng; Yao, Wei; Yao, Shuhan

2016-02-05

Nanoparticles can generate charge carrier trapping and reduce the velocity of streamer development in insulating oils ultimately leading to an enhancement of the breakdown voltage of insulating oils. Vegetable insulating oil-based nanofluids with three sizes of monodispersed Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were prepared and their trapping depths were measured by thermally stimulated method (TSC). It is found that the nanoparticle surfactant polarization can significantly influence the trapping depth of vegetable insulating oil-based nanofluids. A nanoparticle polarization model considering surfactant polarization was proposed to calculate the trapping depth of the nanofluids at different nanoparticle sizes and surfactant thicknesses. The results show the calculated values of the model are in a fairly good agreement with the experimental values. - Highlights: • Three different sized Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} vegetable-oil based nanofluids was successfully prepared. • The trapping depth of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanofluids was investigated. • A new model considering surfactant polarization was proposed to calculate the trapping depth of the nanofluids.

Classification of Partial Discharge Measured under Different Levels of Noise Contamination.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wong Jee Keen Raymond

Full Text Available Cable joint insulation breakdown may cause a huge loss to power companies. Therefore, it is vital to diagnose the insulation quality to detect early signs of insulation failure. It is well known that there is a correlation between Partial discharge (PD and the insulation quality. Although many works have been done on PD pattern recognition, it is usually performed in a noise free environment. Also, works on PD pattern recognition in actual cable joint are less likely to be found in literature. Therefore, in this work, classifications of actual cable joint defect types from partial discharge data contaminated by noise were performed. Five cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE cable joints with artificially created defects were prepared based on the defects commonly encountered on site. Three different types of input feature were extracted from the PD pattern under artificially created noisy environment. These include statistical features, fractal features and principal component analysis (PCA features. These input features were used to train the classifiers to classify each PD defect types. Classifications were performed using three different artificial intelligence classifiers, which include Artificial Neural Networks (ANN, Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS and Support Vector Machine (SVM. It was found that the classification accuracy decreases with higher noise level but PCA features used in SVM and ANN showed the strongest tolerance against noise contamination.

Modeling thermal performance of exterior walls retrofitted from insulation and modified laterite based bricks materials

Science.gov (United States)

Wati, Elvis; Meukam, Pierre; Damfeu, Jean Claude

2017-12-01

Uninsulated concrete block walls commonly found in tropical region have to be retrofitted to save energy. The thickness of insulation layer used can be reduced with the help of modified laterite based bricks layer (with the considerably lower thermal conductivity than that of concrete block layer) during the retrofit building fabrics. The aim of this study is to determine the optimum location and distribution of different materials. The investigation is carried out under steady periodic conditions under the climatic conditions of Garoua in Cameroon using a Simulink model constructed from H-Tools (the library of Simulink models). Results showed that for the continuous air-conditioned space, the best wall configuration from the maximum time lag, minimum decrement factor and peak cooling transmission load perspective, is dividing the insulation layer into two layers and placing one at the exterior surface and the other layer between the two different massive layers with the modified laterite based bricks layer at the interior surface. For intermittent cooling space, the best wall configuration from the minimum energy consumption depends on total insulation thickness. For the total insulation thickness less than 8 cm approximately, the best wall configuration is placing the half layer of insulation material at the interior surface and the other half between the two different massive layers with the modified earthen material at the exterior surface. Results also showed that, the optimum insulation thickness calculated from the yearly cooling transmission (estimated only during the occupied period) and some economic considerations slightly depends on the location of that insulation.

The effect of a HfO2 insulator on the improvement of breakdown voltage in field-plated GaN-based HEMT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao Wei; Hao Yue; Ma Xiao-Hua; Wang Chong; Zhang Jin-Cheng; Liu Hong-Xia; Bi Zhi-Wei; Xu Sheng-Rui; Yang Lin-An; Yang Ling; Zhang Kai; Zhang Nai-Qian; Pei Yi; Yang Cui

2011-01-01

A GaN/Al 0.3 Ga 0.7 N/AlN/GaN high-electron mobility transistor utilizing a field plate (with a 0.3 μm overhang towards the drain and a 0.2 μm overhang towards the source) over a 165-nm sputtered HfO 2 insulator (HfO 2 -FP-HEMT) is fabricated on a sapphire substrate. Compared with the conventional field-plated HEMT, which has the same geometric structure but uses a 60-nm SiN insulator beneath the field plate (SiN-FP-HEMT), the HfO 2 -FP-HEMT exhibits a significant improvement of the breakdown voltage (up to 181 V) as well as a record field-plate efficiency (up to 276 V/μm). This is because the HfO 2 insulator can further improve the modulation of the field plate on the electric field distribution in the device channel, which is proved by the numerical simulation results. Based on the simulation results, a novel approach named the proportional design is proposed to predict the optimal dielectric thickness beneath the field plate. It can simplify the field-plated HEMT design significantly. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

360° tunable microwave phase shifter based on silicon-on-insulator dual-microring resonator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pu, Minhao; Xue, Weiqi; Liu, Liu

2010-01-01

We demonstrate tunable microwave phase shifters based on electrically tunable silicon-on-insulator dual-microring resonators. A quasi-linear phase shift of 360° with ~2dB radio frequency power variation at a microwave frequency of 40GHz is obtained......We demonstrate tunable microwave phase shifters based on electrically tunable silicon-on-insulator dual-microring resonators. A quasi-linear phase shift of 360° with ~2dB radio frequency power variation at a microwave frequency of 40GHz is obtained...

Determination of the characteristics of an electric arc plasma contaminated by vapors from insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbaoui, M.; Cheminat, B.

1991-01-01

An experimental study at atmospheric pressure carried out on plasma penetrated by vapors from different industrial insulators allowed the showing of the influence of the nature of the insulator upon the characteristics of the electric arc plasma; i.e., an increase of the temperature, electron density, electric field, and extinction velocity of the arc. Measurements have been made spectrometrically and by means of probes

Aerogel-Based Multilayer Insulation with Micrometeoroid Protection

Science.gov (United States)

Begag, Redouane; White, Shannon

2013-01-01

Ultra-low-density, highly hydrophobic, fiber-reinforced aerogel material integrated with MLI (aluminized Mylar reflectors and B4A Dacron separators) offers a highly effective insulation package by providing unsurpassed thermal performance and significant robustness, delivering substantial MMOD protection via the addition of a novel, durable, external aerogel layer. The hydrophobic nature of the aerogel is an important property for maintaining thermal performance if the material is exposed to the environment (i.e. rain, snow, etc.) during ground installations. The hybrid aerogel/MLI/MMOD solution affords an attractive alternative because it will perform thermally in the same range as MLI at all vacuum levels (including high vacuum), and offers significant protection from micrometeoroid damage. During this effort, the required low-density and resilient aerogel materials have been developed that are needed to optimize the thermal performance for space (high vacuum) cryotank applications. The proposed insulation/MMOD package is composed of two sections: a stack of interleaved aerogel layers and MLI intended for cryotank thermal insulation, and a 1.5- to 1-in. (.2.5- to 3.8- cm) thick aerogel layer (on top of the insulation portion) for MMOD protection. Learning that low-density aerogel cannot withstand the hypervelocity impact test conditions, the innovators decided during the course of the program to fabricate a high-density and strong material based on a cross-linked aerogel (X-aerogel; developed elsewhere by the innovators) for MMOD protection. This system has shown a very high compressive strength that is capable of withstanding high-impact tests if a proper configuration of the MMOD aerogel layer is used. It was learned that by stacking two X-aerogel layers [1.5-in. (.3.8-cm) thick] separated by an air gap, the system would be able to hold the threat at a speed of 5 km/s and gpass h the test. The first aerogel panel stopped the projectile from damaging the second

Thermally insulating and fire-retardant lightweight anisotropic foams based on nanocellulose and graphene oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Wicklein, Bernd; Kocjan, Andraž; Salazar-Alvarez, German; Carosio, Federico; Camino, Giovanni; Antonietti, Markus; Bergström, Lennart

2015-03-01

High-performance thermally insulating materials from renewable resources are needed to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. Traditional fossil-fuel-derived insulation materials such as expanded polystyrene and polyurethane have thermal conductivities that are too high for retrofitting or for building new, surface-efficient passive houses. Tailored materials such as aerogels and vacuum insulating panels are fragile and susceptible to perforation. Here, we show that freeze-casting suspensions of cellulose nanofibres, graphene oxide and sepiolite nanorods produces super-insulating, fire-retardant and strong anisotropic foams that perform better than traditional polymer-based insulating materials. The foams are ultralight, show excellent combustion resistance and exhibit a thermal conductivity of 15 mW m-1 K-1, which is about half that of expanded polystyrene. At 30 °C and 85% relative humidity, the foams retained more than half of their initial strength. Our results show that nanoscale engineering is a promising strategy for producing foams with excellent properties using cellulose and other renewable nanosized fibrous materials.

Natural Contamination and Surface Flashover on Silicone Rubber Surface under Haze–Fog Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ang Ren

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Anti-pollution flashover of insulator is important for power systems. In recent years, haze-fog weather occurs frequently, which makes discharge occurs easily on the insulator surface and accelerates insulation aging of insulator. In order to study the influence of haze-fog on the surface discharge of room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber, an artificial haze-fog lab was established. Based on four consecutive years of insulator contamination accumulation and atmospheric sampling in haze-fog environment, the contamination configuration appropriate for RTV-coated surface discharge test under simulation environment of haze-fog was put forward. ANSYS Maxwell was used to analyze the influence of room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber surface attachments on electric field distribution. The changes of droplet on the polluted room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber surface and the corresponding surface flashover voltage under alternating current (AC, direct current (DC positive polar (+, and DC negative polar (− power source were recorded by a high speed camera. The results are as follows: The main ion components from haze-fog atmospheric particles are NO3−, SO42−, NH4+, and Ca2+. In haze-fog environment, both the equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD and non-soluble deposit density (NSDD of insulators are higher than that under general environment. The amount of large particles on the AC transmission line is greater than that of the DC transmission line. The influence of DC polarity power source on the distribution of contamination particle size is not significant. After the deposition of haze-fog, the local conductivity of the room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber surface increased, which caused the flashover voltage reduce. Discharge is liable to occur at the triple junction point of droplet, air, and room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber surface. After the deformation or movement of droplets, a new triple junction

Bio-susceptibility of materials and thermal insulation systems used for historical buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Sterflinger, Katja; Ettenauer, Joerg; Pinar, Guadalupe

2013-04-01

In historical buildings of Northern countries high levels of energy are necessary to reach comfortable temperatures especially during the cold season. For this reason historical buildings are now also included in country specific regulations and ordinances to enhance the "energy - efficiency". Since an exterior insulation - as it is commonly used for modern architecture - is incompatible with monument protection, several indoor insulation systems based on historical and ecological materials, are on the market that should improve the thermic performance of a historical building. However, using organic materials as cellulose, loam, weed or wood, bears the risk of fungal growth and thus may lead to health problems in indoor environments. For this reason 5 different ecological indoor insulations systems were tested for their bio-susceptibility against various fungi both under natural conditions - after 2 years of installation in an historical building - and under laboratory conditions with high levels of relative humidity. Fungal growth was evaluated by classical isolation and cultivation as well as by molecular methods. The materials turned out to have a quite different susceptibility towards fungal contamination. Whereas insulations made of bloated Perlite (plaster and board) did not show any fungal growth after 2 years of exposition, the historical insulation made of loam and weed had high cell counts of various fungi. In laboratory experiments wooden softboard represented the best environment for fungal growth. As a result from this study, plaster and board made of bloated Perlite are presented as being the most appropriate materials for thermal insulation at least from the microbiological and hygienic point of view. For future investigations and for the monitoring of fungi in insulation and other building materials we suggest a molecular biology approach with a common protocol for quantitative DNA-extraction and amplification.

Inducing magneto-electric response in topological insulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, Lunwu; Song, Runxia; Zeng, Jing

2013-01-01

Utilizing electric potential and magnetic scalar potential formulas, which contain zero-order Bessel functions of the first kind and the constitutive relations of topological insulators, we obtained the induced magnetic scalar potentials and induced magnetic monopole charges which are induced by a point charge in topological insulators. The results show that infinite image magnetic monopole charges are generated by a point electric charge. The magnitude of the induced magnetic monopole charges are determined not only by the point electric charge, but also by the material parameters. - Highlights: ► Electric potential and magnetic scalar potential which contain zero-order Bessel function of the first kind were derived. ► Boundary conditions of topological insulator were built. ► Induced monopole charges were worked out.

Excavationless Exterior Foundation Insulation Field Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schirber, T.; Mosiman, G.; Ojczyk, C.

2014-10-01

Building science research supports installing exterior (soil side) foundation insulation as the optimal method to enhance the hygrothermal performance of new homes. With exterior foundation insulation, water management strategies are maximized while insulating the basement space and ensuring a more even temperature at the foundation wall. However, such an approach can be very costly and disruptive when applied to an existing home, requiring deep excavation around the entire house. The NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team implemented an innovative, minimally invasive foundation insulation upgrade technique on an existing home. The approach consisted of using hydrovac excavation technology combined with a liquid insulating foam. The team was able to excavate a continuous 4" wide by 4' to 5' deep trench around the entire house, 128 linear feet, except for one small part under the stoop that was obstructed with concrete debris. The combination pressure washer and vacuum extraction technology also enabled the elimination of large trenches and soil stockpiles normally produced by backhoe excavation. The resulting trench was filled with liquid insulating foam, which also served as a water-control layer of the assembly. The insulation was brought above grade using a liquid foam/rigid foam hybrid system and terminated at the top of the rim joist. Cost savings over the traditional excavation process ranged from 23% to 50%. The excavationless process could result in even greater savings since replacement of building structures, exterior features, utility meters, and landscaping would be minimal or non-existent in an excavationless process.

Excavationless Exterior Foundation Insulation Field Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schirber, T. [NorthernSTAR, Minneaplolis, MN (United States); Mosiman, G. [NorthernSTAR, Minneaplolis, MN (United States); Ojczyk, C. [NorthernSTAR, Minneaplolis, MN (United States)

2014-09-01

Building science research supports installing exterior (soil side) foundation insulation as the optimal method to enhance the hygrothermal performance of new homes. With exterior foundation insulation, water management strategies are maximized while insulating the basement space and ensuring a more even temperature at the foundation wall. However, such an approach can be very costly and disruptive when applied to an existing home, requiring deep excavation around the entire house. The NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team implemented an innovative, minimally invasive foundation insulation upgrade technique on an existing home. The approach consisted of using hydrovac excavation technology combined with liquid insulating foam. The team was able to excavate a continuous 4 inches wide by 4 feet to 5 feet deep trench around the entire house, 128 linear feet, except for one small part under the stoop that was obstructed with concrete debris. The combination pressure washer and vacuum extraction technology also enabled the elimination of large trenches and soil stockpiles normally produced by backhoe excavation. The resulting trench was filled with liquid insulating foam, which also served as a water-control layer of the assembly. The insulation was brought above grade using a liquid foam/rigid foam hybrid system and terminated at the top of the rim joist. Cost savings over the traditional excavation process ranged from 23% to 50%. The excavationless process could result in even greater savings since replacement of building structures, exterior features, utility meters, and landscaping would be minimal or non-existent in an excavationless process.

Magnetotransport and induced superconductivity in Bi based three-dimensional topological insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veldhorst, M.; Snelder, M.; Hoek, M.; Molenaar, C.G.; Leusink, D.P.; Golubov, A.A.; Hilgenkamp, H.; Brinkman, A.

2013-01-01

The surface of a three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator is conducting and the topologically nontrivial nature of the surface states is observed in experiments. It is the aim of this paper to review and analyze experimental observations with respect to the magnetotransport in Bi-based 3D topological insulators, as well as the superconducting transport properties of hybrid structures consisting of superconductors and these topological insulators. The helical spin-momentum coupling of the surface state electrons becomes visible in quantum corrections to the conductivity and magnetoresistance oscillations. An analysis will be provided of the reported magnetoresistance, also in the presence of bulk conductivity shunts. Special attention is given to the large and linear magnetoresistance. Superconductivity can be induced in topological superconductors by means of the proximity effect. The induced supercurrents, Josephson effects and current-phase relations will be reviewed. These materials hold great potential in the field of spintronics and the route towards Majorana devices. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Magnetotransport and induced superconductivity in Bi based three-dimensional topological insulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veldhorst, M.; Snelder, M.; Hoek, M.; Molenaar, C.G.; Leusink, D.P.; Golubov, A.A.; Hilgenkamp, H.; Brinkman, A. [MESA + Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands)

2013-02-15

The surface of a three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator is conducting and the topologically nontrivial nature of the surface states is observed in experiments. It is the aim of this paper to review and analyze experimental observations with respect to the magnetotransport in Bi-based 3D topological insulators, as well as the superconducting transport properties of hybrid structures consisting of superconductors and these topological insulators. The helical spin-momentum coupling of the surface state electrons becomes visible in quantum corrections to the conductivity and magnetoresistance oscillations. An analysis will be provided of the reported magnetoresistance, also in the presence of bulk conductivity shunts. Special attention is given to the large and linear magnetoresistance. Superconductivity can be induced in topological superconductors by means of the proximity effect. The induced supercurrents, Josephson effects and current-phase relations will be reviewed. These materials hold great potential in the field of spintronics and the route towards Majorana devices. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Gas insulated substations

CERN Document Server

2014-01-01

This book provides an overview on the particular development steps of gas insulated high-voltage switchgear, and is based on the information given with the editor's tutorial. The theory is kept low only as much as it is needed to understand gas insulated technology, with the main focus of the book being on delivering practical application knowledge. It discusses some introductory and advanced aspects in the meaning of applications. The start of the book presents the theory of Gas Insulated Technology, and outlines reliability, design, safety, grounding and bonding, and factors for choosing GIS. The third chapter presents the technology, covering the following in detail: manufacturing, specification, instrument transformers, Gas Insulated Bus, and the assembly process. Next, the book goes into control and monitoring, which covers local control cabinet, bay controller, control schemes, and digital communication. Testing is explained in the middle of the book before installation and energization. Importantly, ...

A Cercla-Based Decision Model to Support Remedy Selection for an Uncertain Volume of Contaminants at a DOE Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christine E. Kerschus

1999-03-31

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) operated by the Department of Energy is challenged with selecting the appropriate remediation technology to cleanup contaminants at Waste Area Group (WAG) 6. This research utilizes value-focused thinking and multiattribute preference theory concepts to produce a decision analysis model designed to aid the decision makers in their selection process. The model is based on CERCLA's five primary balancing criteria, tailored specifically to WAG 6 and the contaminants of concern, utilizes expert opinion and the best available engineering, cost, and performance data, and accounts for uncertainty in contaminant volume. The model ranks 23 remediation technologies (trains) in their ability to achieve the CERCLA criteria at various contaminant volumes. A sensitivity analysis is performed to examine the effects of changes in expert opinion and uncertainty in volume. Further analysis reveals how volume uncertainty is expected to affect technology cost, time and ability to meet the CERCLA criteria. The model provides the decision makers with a CERCLA-based decision analysis methodology that is objective, traceable, and robust to support the WAG 6 Feasibility Study. In addition, the model can be adjusted to address other DOE contaminated sites.

A Cercla-Based Decision Model to Support Remedy Selection for an Uncertain Volume of Contaminants at a DOE Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christine E. Kerschus

1999-01-01

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) operated by the Department of Energy is challenged with selecting the appropriate remediation technology to cleanup contaminants at Waste Area Group (WAG) 6. This research utilizes value-focused thinking and multiattribute preference theory concepts to produce a decision analysis model designed to aid the decision makers in their selection process. The model is based on CERCLA's five primary balancing criteria, tailored specifically to WAG 6 and the contaminants of concern, utilizes expert opinion and the best available engineering, cost, and performance data, and accounts for uncertainty in contaminant volume. The model ranks 23 remediation technologies (trains) in their ability to achieve the CERCLA criteria at various contaminant volumes. A sensitivity analysis is performed to examine the effects of changes in expert opinion and uncertainty in volume. Further analysis reveals how volume uncertainty is expected to affect technology cost, time and ability to meet the CERCLA criteria. The model provides the decision makers with a CERCLA-based decision analysis methodology that is objective, traceable, and robust to support the WAG 6 Feasibility Study. In addition, the model can be adjusted to address other DOE contaminated sites

Thermal insulation. Non-utilized energy need not be generated. Four rules for a successful thermal insulation by means of building insulation; Waermedaemmung. Energie, die nicht gebraucht wird, muss man nicht erzeugen. Vier Regeln fuer erfolgreichen Waermeschutz durch Gebaeudedaemmung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patschke, Markus [3E-Consult, Nordkirchen (Germany); Drewer, Arnold [IpeG-Institut, Paderborn (Germany)

2011-07-15

The heat supply of buildings causes nearly one third of the energy consumption of an industrialized country. In 2006, the climate-adjusted heat consumption of private households in Germany amounted nearly 600 billion kWh. This consumption caused more than 167 million tons of CO{sub 2}. Heat insulation measures in buildings are required for all heat-transferring enveloping surface. Under this aspect, the contribution under consideration reports on four fundamental rules for a cost-efficient building insulation: (a) Only heated rooms should be insulated thermally; (b) Location and thermal insulation of cavities; (c) Selection of a suitable insulating material; (d) Consideration of an economic sustainability.

Raman Scattering as a Probe of the Magnetic State of BEDT-TTF Based Mott Insulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nora Hassan

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Quasi-two-dimensional Mott insulators based on BEDT-TTF molecules have recently demonstrated a variety of exotic states, which originate from electron–electron correlations and geometrical frustration of the lattice. Among those states are a triangular S = 1/2 spin liquid and quantum dipole liquid. In this article, we show the power of Raman scattering technique to characterize magnetic and electronic excitations of these states. Our results demonstrate a distinction between a spectrum of magnetic excitations in a simple Mott insulator with antiferromagnetic interactions, and a spectrum of an insulator with an additional on-site charge degree of freedom.

Inducing magneto-electric response in topological insulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Lunwu, E-mail: 163.sin@163.com [Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, College of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210031 (China); Song, Runxia [Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, College of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210031 (China); Zeng, Jing [Faculty of Business and Economics, Macquarie University, NSW 2122 (Australia)

2013-02-15

Utilizing electric potential and magnetic scalar potential formulas, which contain zero-order Bessel functions of the first kind and the constitutive relations of topological insulators, we obtained the induced magnetic scalar potentials and induced magnetic monopole charges which are induced by a point charge in topological insulators. The results show that infinite image magnetic monopole charges are generated by a point electric charge. The magnitude of the induced magnetic monopole charges are determined not only by the point electric charge, but also by the material parameters. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electric potential and magnetic scalar potential which contain zero-order Bessel function of the first kind were derived. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Boundary conditions of topological insulator were built. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Induced monopole charges were worked out.

Insulation Reformulation Development

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Cynthia; Bray, Mark

2015-01-01

The current Space Launch System (SLS) internal solid rocket motor insulation, polybenzimidazole acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (PBI-NBR), is a new insulation that replaced asbestos-based insulations found in Space Shuttle heritage solid rocket boosters. PBI-NBR has some outstanding characteristics such as an excellent thermal erosion resistance, low thermal conductivity, and low density. PBI-NBR also has some significant challenges associated with its use: Air entrainment/entrapment during manufacture and lay-up/cure and low mechanical properties such as tensile strength, modulus, and fracture toughness. This technology development attempted to overcome these challenges by testing various reformulated versions of booster insulation. The results suggest the SLS program should continue to investigate material alternatives for potential block upgrades or use an entirely new, more advanced booster. The experimental design was composed of a logic path that performs iterative formulation and testing in order to maximize the effort. A lab mixing baseline was developed and documented for the Rubber Laboratory in Bldg. 4602/Room 1178.

Proximity effects in topological insulator heterostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiao-Guang; Wu Guang-Fen; Zhang Gu-Feng; Culcer Dimitrie; Zhang Zhen-Yu; Chen Hua

2013-01-01

Topological insulators (TIs) are bulk insulators that possess robust helical conducting states along their interfaces with conventional insulators. A tremendous research effort has recently been devoted to Tl-based heterostructures, in which conventional proximity effects give rise to a series of exotic physical phenomena. This paper reviews our recent studies on the potential existence of topological proximity effects at the interface between a topological insulator and a normal insulator or other topologically trivial systems. Using first-principles approaches, we have realized the tunability of the vertical location of the topological helical state via intriguing dual-proximity effects. To further elucidate the control parameters of this effect, we have used the graphene-based heterostructures as prototypical systems to reveal a more complete phase diagram. On the application side of the topological helical states, we have presented a catalysis example, where the topological helical state plays an essential role in facilitating surface reactions by serving as an effective electron bath. These discoveries lay the foundation for accurate manipulation of the real space properties of the topological helical state in TI-based heterostructures and pave the way for realization of the salient functionality of topological insulators in future device applications. (topical review - low-dimensional nanostructures and devices)

Voltage-driven magnetization control in topological insulator/magnetic insulator heterostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael E. Flatté

2017-05-01

Full Text Available A major barrier to the development of spin-based electronics is the transition from current-driven spin torque, or magnetic-field-driven magnetization reversal, to a more scalable voltage-driven magnetization reversal. To achieve this, multiferroic materials appear attractive, however the effects in current materials occur at very large voltages or at low temperatures. Here the potential of a new class of hybrid multiferroic materials is described, consisting of a topological insulator adjacent to a magnetic insulator, for which an applied electric field reorients the magnetization. As these materials lack conducting states at the chemical potential in their bulk, no dissipative charge currents flow in the bulk. Surface states at the interface, if present, produce effects similar to surface recombination currents in bipolar devices, but can be passivated using magnetic doping. Even without conducting states at the chemical potential, for a topological insulator there is a finite spin Hall conductivity provided by filled bands below the chemical potential. Spin accumulation at the interface with the magnetic insulator provides a torque on the magnetization. Properly timed voltage pulses can thus reorient the magnetic moment with only the flow of charge current required in the leads to establish the voltage. If the topological insulator is sufficiently thick the resulting low capacitance requires little charge current.

Identification and location of catenary insulator in complex background based on machine vision

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Xiaotong; Pan, Yingli; Liu, Li; Cheng, Xiao

2018-04-01

It is an important premise to locate insulator precisely for fault detection. Current location algorithms for insulator under catenary checking images are not accurate, a target recognition and localization method based on binocular vision combined with SURF features is proposed. First of all, because of the location of the insulator in complex environment, using SURF features to achieve the coarse positioning of target recognition; then Using binocular vision principle to calculate the 3D coordinates of the object which has been coarsely located, realization of target object recognition and fine location; Finally, Finally, the key is to preserve the 3D coordinate of the object's center of mass, transfer to the inspection robot to control the detection position of the robot. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method has better recognition efficiency and accuracy, can successfully identify the target and has a define application value.

Effect of Insulation Thickness on Thermal Stratification in Hot Water Tanks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burak KURŞUN

2018-03-01

Full Text Available One of the important factors to be considered in increasing the efficiency of hot water storage tanks used for thermal energy storage is thermal stratification. Reducing the temperature of the water at the base of the tank provides more utilization of the energy of the heat source during the heating of the water and improves the efficiency of the system. In this study, the effect of the insulation thickness on the outer surface of the tank and the ratio of the tank diameter to the height (D/H on the thermal stratification was investigated numerically. Numerical analyzes were carried out for the condition that the insulation thickness was constant and variable in the range of D/H=0,3-1. Water was used as the heat storage fluid and the analysis results were obtained for eight hours cooling period. Numerical results showed that the temperature difference between the bottom and top surfaces of the tank increased between 7-9 ° C for the range of D / H = 0,3-1 with changing the insulation thickness.

Thermal insulation of buildings is worth the effort

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novotny, A.

1999-01-01

Thermal insulation of buildings became a vital measure of keeping control of utility bills, elimination of hygienic and visual defects, of water penetration into the structural components and thus prevention, and of thermal stress reduction of the load-carrying structures. Thermal insulation became a substantial part of the residential housing renewal. The current housing status implies that no more time can be wasted in implementing this programme, and its immediate application should be much more extensive than the past attempts. The Reduced Power Consumption Programme proposed in 1990 for the general operation of buildings was addressed in 1991/1995. It was meant to stipulate conditions and demonstrate a reduced power demand for residential heating by 30 %, or subsequent reduction of the power demand to the level of 9.3, 7.3 to 3.1 MWh/standard flat annually (130, 102 and 84 kWh/m 2 year respectively. The assessment of the existing residential housing prove its high power intensity. The real power consumption is in the range of 160-195 kWh/m 2 year. The benefit of the thermal insulation programme is primarily in a reduced need for the state subsidies for the residential heating by at least 1703 slovak crowns per flat. The utility bills savings from insulating two flats are sufficient to heat a third flat. Further benefits can be seen in lower demand on primary power sources and in creating new jobs as well as in positive environmental effects

Development of insulating coatings for liquid metal blankets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malang, S.; Borgstedt, H.U.; Farnum, E.H.; Natesan, K.; Vitkovski, I.V.

1994-07-01

It is shown that self-cooled liquid metal blankets are feasible only with electrically insulating coatings at the duct walls. The requirements on the insulation properties are estimated by simple analytical models. Candidate insulator materials are selected based on insulating properties and thermodynamic consideration. Different fabrication technologies for insulating coatings are described. The status of the knowledge on the most crucial feasibility issue, the degradation of the resisivity under irradiation, is reviewed

Topological insulator infrared pseudo-bolometer with polarization sensitivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Peter Anand

2017-10-25

Topological insulators can be utilized in a new type of infrared photodetector that is intrinsically sensitive to the polarization of incident light and static magnetic fields. The detector isolates single topological insulator surfaces and allows light collection and exposure to static magnetic fields. The wavelength range of interest is between 750 nm and about 100 microns. This detector eliminates the need for external polarization selective optics. Polarization sensitive infrared photodetectors are useful for optoelectronics applications, such as light detection in environments with low visibility in the visible wavelength regime.

Study on temperature sensitivity of topological insulators based on long-period fiber grating

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Jianhua; Zhao, Chenghai; Li, Jianbo; He, Mengdong

2017-06-01

Based on a long-period fiber grating, we conducted experimental research on the temperature sensitivity of topological insulators. The long-period fiber grating and topological insulators solution were encapsulated in a capillary tube using UV glue, and the temperature response was measured. Within a range of 35 to 75 centigrade, one resonance dip of a long-period fiber grating exhibits a redshift of 1.536 nm. The temperature sensitivity is about 7.7 times of an ordinary long-period fiber grating's sensitivity (0.005 nm/°C). A numerical simulation is also performed on the basis of the experiments.

BOA II: pipe-asbestos insulation removal system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schempf, H.; Mutschler; Boehmke, S.; Chemel, B.; Piepgras, C.

1996-01-01

BOA system is a mobile pipe-external robotic crawler used to remotely strip and bag asbestos-containing lagging and insulation materials from various diameter pipes in (primarily) industrial installations. Steam and process lines within the DOE weapons complex warrant the use of a remote device due to high labor costs and high level of radioactive contamination, making manual removal costly and inefficient. Currently targeted facilities for demonstration and remediation are Fernald in Ohio and Oak Ridge in Tennessee

Measures for radiation prevention and remediation of islightly radioactive contaminated sites by phytoremediation and subsequent utilization of the loaded plant residues (PHYTOREST). Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willscher, Sabine; Werner, Peter; Jablonski, Lukasz; Wittig, Juliane

2013-01-01

In the presented scientific research project, the radiation protection of soil surfaces impacted by former industrial utilization or mining was investigated. This radiation protection of the contaminated soil surfaces was carried out by bioremediation techniques. The soil surfaces include larger agricultural or forestry areas useful for the production of sustainable plant-based raw materials and renewable energies. The contaminated areas show a positive climatic water balance with a subsequent impact of SM/R contaminants onto the adjacent ground water. During this scientific research project, the introduction of sustainable, biosphere conserving methods for a long-term remediation of slightly to moderately HM/R- contaminated areas was investigated; these areas are characterized by a radiotoxic amplifying potential due to a continued occurrence of radionuclides and heavy metals/ metalloids. The insights into transfer processes from the soil substrate over the mediating soil water phase and by microbes into the plant roots, into the shoots and the leaves of the plants represent necessary requirements for the control of SM/R transfer into the plants and its optimization. In this research project, considerable investigations were carried out for the understanding of binding of HM/R in the different plant compartments, also depending on different soil additives. The obtained first scientific results and their practical applicability were transformed onto experimental soil areas under natural field conditions. The transfer processes could be optimized and finally bioremediation efficiency could be enhanced due to the accompanying modifications (different soil additives of the field experiments). This new remediation method, further developed to a field application, represents a new tool for the stabilization / and extraction of HM/R on the field site and improves the efficiency of bioremediation processes. A pacification of the large areas with slightly to medium

Electrohydrodynamic direct—writing of conductor—insulator-conductor multi-layer interconnection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Gao-Feng; Pei Yan-Bo; Wang Xiang; Zheng Jian-Yi; Sun Dao-Heng

2014-01-01

A multi-layer interconnection structure is a basic component of electronic devices, and printing of the multi-layer interconnection structure is the key process in printed electronics. In this work, electrohydrodynamic direct-writing (EDW) is utilized to print the conductor—insulator—conductor multi-layer interconnection structure. Silver ink is chosen to print the conductor pattern, and a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solution is utilized to fabricate the insulator layer between the bottom and top conductor patterns. The influences of EDW process parameters on the line width of the printed conductor and insulator patterns are studied systematically. The obtained results show that the line width of the printed structure increases with the increase of the flow rate, but decreases with the increase of applied voltage and PVP content in the solution. The average resistivity values of the bottom and top silver conductor tracks are determined to be 1.34 × 10 −7 Ω·m and 1.39 × 10 −7 Ω·m, respectively. The printed PVP layer between the two conductor tracks is well insulated, which can meet the insulation requirement of the electronic devices. This study offers an alternative, fast, and cost-effective method of fabricating conductor—insulator—conductor multi-layer interconnections in the electronic industry

RTD-Incotest for evaluation of corrosion under insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Witts, J., E-mail: Jason.Witts@applusrtd.com [Applus-RTD Canada, Edmonton, AB (Canada)

2015-07-01

RTD-Incotest or insulated component testing, a method of pulsed eddy current, is designed and developed by Applus-RTD for the detection and sizing of corrosion under insulation. RTD-Incotest measures average wall loss over an area beneath the probe. This is accomplished by measuring the decay curve of the eddy current and then utilizes a software algorithm to determine percent wall loss. If there is a verification point this can also give average remaining wall thickness. The benefits for the nuclear industry are: 1) No need to remove insulation. Only requires one verification point. 2) Reduces potential exposure/ maintains ALARA 3) Quick and accurate screening method. For exposed piping there is no need for contact with the piping. So it can be applied for high temperature or for increasing standoff to reduce exposure. (author)

RTD-Incotest for evaluation of corrosion under insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Witts, J.

2015-01-01

RTD-Incotest or insulated component testing, a method of pulsed eddy current, is designed and developed by Applus-RTD for the detection and sizing of corrosion under insulation. RTD-Incotest measures average wall loss over an area beneath the probe. This is accomplished by measuring the decay curve of the eddy current and then utilizes a software algorithm to determine percent wall loss. If there is a verification point this can also give average remaining wall thickness. The benefits for the nuclear industry are: 1) No need to remove insulation. Only requires one verification point. 2) Reduces potential exposure/ maintains ALARA 3) Quick and accurate screening method. For exposed piping there is no need for contact with the piping. So it can be applied for high temperature or for increasing standoff to reduce exposure. (author)

Dielectric and Insulating Technology 2005 : Reviews & Forecasts

Science.gov (United States)

Okamoto, Tatsuki

This article reports the state-of-art of TC-DEI ( Technical Committee of Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation of IEEJ) activites. The activiteis are basically based on the activites of 8-10 investigation committees under TC-DEI. Recent activites were categorized into three functions in this article and remarkable activity or trend for each category is mentioned as was done in the article of 2003. Thoese are activities on asset management (AI application and insulation diagnosis), activities on new insulating and functional materials (Nano composite) and activities on new insulation technology for power tansmission (high Tc superconducting cable insulation).

Dielectric and Insulating Technology 2006 : Review & Forecast

Science.gov (United States)

Okamoto, Tatsuki

This article reports the state-of-art of TC-DEI ( Technical Committee of Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation of IEEJ) activites. The activiteis are basically based on the activites of 8-10 investigation committees under TC-DEI. Recent activites were categorized into three functions in this article and remarkable activity or trend for each category is mentioned as was seen in the articles of 2005. Those are activities on asset management (AI application and insulation diagnosis), activities on new insulating and functional materials (Nano composite) and activities on new insulation technology for power tansmission (high Tc superconducting cable insulation).

Dynamics of the accumulation of polluting agents on transmission and distribution power line insulators; Dinamica de acumulacion de contaminantes sobre aisladores de lineas de transmision y distribucion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez Moreno, Felipe de Jesus

1988-07-01

The increment in the electricity use and the necessity or transferring large volumes of energy in an efficient and safe form, raises the necessity of looking for the faults frequency diminution, as well as the transmission and distribution power line optimization. For this purpose, the calculation of the required dielectric distances in the power lines design stage, can only be obtained through a better knowledge of the dielectric stresses resulting from the surges of internal origin (connection maneuvers) or external (atmospheric discharges) and from the temporary or permanent degradation, introduced on the insulating materials by the diverse environmental factors and meteorological parameters (contamination, humidity, temperature, rain, etc.). Of these, the contamination is the cause of a high percentage of faults and the present thesis work is related to the contingencies originated by this factor. In order to face the problem, in Mexico, it is being developed a research project in the matter of contamination denominated Contamination Effects on Insulations. As a part of this project, this thesis work analyzes some hypotheses about the dynamics of the accumulation of polluting agents on the insulators, considering the most important factors in the evolution of the contamination phenomenon; namely: the meteorological parameters, the insulator morphology and the period of exposure to the environment. In its present state, the investigation in our country in this field, as well as the computer tools and data banks of the project, allow to obtain in this work saturation curves for the insulators under study. These curves, essentially give the maximum contamination levels as well as the accumulation velocity of polluting agents, time based. The usefulness of these curves is in its application in the insulation coordination calculation to determine the fault distance required and the insulator appropriate configuration in regions in severe contamination regions. Also

ContaMiner and ContaBase: a webserver and database for early identification of unwantedly crystallized protein contaminants

KAUST Repository

Hungler, Arnaud; Momin, Afaque Ahmad Imtiyaz; Diederichs, Kay; Arold, Stefan T.

2016-01-01

Solving the phase problem in protein X-ray crystallography relies heavily on the identity of the crystallized protein, especially when molecular replacement (MR) methods are used. Yet, it is not uncommon that a contaminant crystallizes instead of the protein of interest. Such contaminants may be proteins from the expression host organism, protein fusion tags or proteins added during the purification steps. Many contaminants co-purify easily, crystallize and give good diffraction data. Identification of contaminant crystals may take time, since the presence of the contaminant is unexpected and its identity unknown. A webserver (ContaMiner) and a contaminant database (ContaBase) have been established, to allow fast MR-based screening of crystallographic data against currently 62 known contaminants. The web-based ContaMiner (available at http://strube.cbrc.kaust.edu.sa/contaminer/) currently produces results in 5 min to 4 h. The program is also available in a github repository and can be installed locally. ContaMiner enables screening of novel crystals at synchrotron beamlines, and it would be valuable as a routine safety check for 'crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis' publications. Thus, in addition to potentially saving X-ray crystallographers much time and effort, ContaMiner might considerably lower the risk of publishing erroneous data. A web server, titled ContaMiner, has been established, which allows fast molecular-replacement-based screening of crystallographic data against a database (ContaBase) of currently 62 potential contaminants. ContaMiner enables systematic screening of novel crystals at synchrotron beamlines, and it would be valuable as a routine safety check for 'crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis' publications. © Arnaud Hungler et al. 2016.

ContaMiner and ContaBase: a webserver and database for early identification of unwantedly crystallized protein contaminants

KAUST Repository

Hungler, Arnaud

2016-11-02

Solving the phase problem in protein X-ray crystallography relies heavily on the identity of the crystallized protein, especially when molecular replacement (MR) methods are used. Yet, it is not uncommon that a contaminant crystallizes instead of the protein of interest. Such contaminants may be proteins from the expression host organism, protein fusion tags or proteins added during the purification steps. Many contaminants co-purify easily, crystallize and give good diffraction data. Identification of contaminant crystals may take time, since the presence of the contaminant is unexpected and its identity unknown. A webserver (ContaMiner) and a contaminant database (ContaBase) have been established, to allow fast MR-based screening of crystallographic data against currently 62 known contaminants. The web-based ContaMiner (available at http://strube.cbrc.kaust.edu.sa/contaminer/) currently produces results in 5 min to 4 h. The program is also available in a github repository and can be installed locally. ContaMiner enables screening of novel crystals at synchrotron beamlines, and it would be valuable as a routine safety check for \\'crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis\\' publications. Thus, in addition to potentially saving X-ray crystallographers much time and effort, ContaMiner might considerably lower the risk of publishing erroneous data. A web server, titled ContaMiner, has been established, which allows fast molecular-replacement-based screening of crystallographic data against a database (ContaBase) of currently 62 potential contaminants. ContaMiner enables systematic screening of novel crystals at synchrotron beamlines, and it would be valuable as a routine safety check for \\'crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis\\' publications. © Arnaud Hungler et al. 2016.

Quantitative analysis of thermal insulation coatings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiil, Søren

2014-01-01

This work concerns the development of simulation tools for mapping of insulation properties of thermal insulation coatings based on selected functional filler materials. A mathematical model, which includes the underlying physics (i.e. thermal conductivity of a heterogeneous two-component coating...

Design of Chern insulating phases in honeycomb lattices

Science.gov (United States)

Pickett, Warren E.; Lee, Kwan-Woo; Pentcheva, Rossitza

2018-06-01

The search for robust examples of the magnetic version of topological insulators, referred to as quantum anomalous Hall insulators or simply Chern insulators, so far lacks success. Our groups have explored two distinct possibilities based on multiorbital 3d oxide honeycomb lattices. Each has a Chern insulating phase near the ground state, but materials parameters were not appropriate to produce a viable Chern insulator. Further exploration of one of these classes, by substituting open shell 3d with 4d and 5d counterparts, has led to realistic prediction of Chern insulating ground states. Here we recount the design process, discussing the many energy scales that are active in participating (or resisting) the desired Chern insulator phase.

BOA: Asbestos Pipe-Insulation Abatement Robot System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schempf, H.

1996-01-01

The BOA system is a mobile pipe-external robotic crawler used to remotely strip and bag asbestos-containing lagging and insulation materials (ACLIM) from various diameter pipes in (primarily) industrial installations. Steam and process lines within the DOE weapons complex warrant the use of a remote device due to the high labor costs and high level of radioactive contamination, making manual removal extremely costly and highly inefficient. Currently targeted facilities for demonstration and remediation are Fernald in Ohio and Oak Ridge in Tennessee

BOA: Pipe asbestos insulation removal robot system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schempf, H.; Bares, J.; Schnorr, W.

1995-01-01

The BOA system is a mobile pipe-external robotic crawler used to remotely strip and bag asbestos-containing lagging and insulation materials (ACLIM) from various diameter pipes in (primarily) industrial installations. Steam and process lines within the DOE weapons complex warrant the use of a remote device due to the high labor costs and high level of radioactive contamination, making manual removal extremely costly and highly inefficient. Currently targeted facilities for demonstration and remediation are Fernald in Ohio and Oak Ridge in Tennessee

BOA: Pipe-asbestos insulation removal robot system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schempf, H.; Bares, J.; Schnorr, W. [Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

1995-10-01

The BOA system is a mobile pipe-external robotic crawler used to remotely strip and bag asbestos-containing lagging and insulation materials (ACLIM) from various diameter pipes in (primarily) industrial installations. Steam and process lines within the DOE weapons complex warrant the use of a remote device due to the high labor costs and high level of radioactive contamination, making manual removal extremely costly and highly inefficient. Currently targeted facilities for demonstration and remediation are Fernald in Ohio and Oak Ridge in Tennessee.

BOA: Pipe-asbestos insulation removal robot system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schempf, H.; Bares, J.; Schnorr, W.

1995-01-01

The BOA system is a mobile pipe-external robotic crawler used to remotely strip and bag asbestos-containing lagging and insulation materials (ACLIM) from various diameter pipes in (primarily) industrial installations. Steam and process lines within the DOE weapons complex warrant the use of a remote device due to the high labor costs and high level of radioactive contamination, making manual removal extremely costly and highly inefficient. Currently targeted facilities for demonstration and remediation are Fernald in Ohio and Oak Ridge in Tennessee

Reflective Insulation for Energy Conservation in South East Asia

Science.gov (United States)

San Teh, Khar; Yarbrough, David W.; Haw Lim, Chin; Salleh, Elias

2017-05-01

Thermal resistances have been measured for attic spaces insulated with reflective insulations. Three test units located in Malaysia were instrumented to provide heat flux and temperatures for the calculation of time-average RSI-values (RSI is representing R-value in SI units). The RSI for attics with enclosed reflective air spaces were in the range 2-3 m2·K/W while the uninsulated attics averaged about 0.4 m2·K/W. The RSI-values determined in this project were for heat-flow down, the predominant heat-flow direction for attic spaces in Equatorial regions. The observed thermal resistances due to the installation of the reflective insulation results in an 80-90% annual decrease in the heat transfer across the ceiling. This reduces utility usage for air conditioned units and improved comfort for occupants. The research demonstrates the use of transient data for the determination of thermal insulation performance and usefulness of enclosed reflective air spaces for thermal resistance.

Dielectric and Insulating Technology 2004 : Review & Forecast

Science.gov (United States)

Okamoto, Tatsuki

This article reports the state-of-art of DEIS activites. DEIS activiteis are basically based on the activites of 8-10 investigation committees’ under DEIS committee. Recent DEIS activites are categlized into three functions in this article and remarkable activity or trend of each category is mentioned. Those are activities on insulation diagnosis (AI application and asset management), activities on new insulation technology for power tansmission (high Tc super conducting cable insulation and all solid sinulated substation), and activities on new insulating materials (Nanocomposite).

Reflecting variable opening insulating panel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nungesser, W.T.

1976-01-01

A description is given of a reflecting variable opening insulating panel assembly, comprising a static panel assembly of reflecting insulation sheets forming a cavity along one side of the panel and a movable panel opening out by sliding from the cavity of the static panel, and a locking device for holding the movable panel in a position extending from the cavity of the static panel. This can apply to a nuclear reactor of which the base might require maintenance and periodical checking and for which it is desirable to have available certain processes for the partial dismantling of the insulation [fr

Contaminant classification using cosine distances based on multiple conventional sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shuming; Che, Han; Smith, Kate; Chang, Tian

2015-02-01

Emergent contamination events have a significant impact on water systems. After contamination detection, it is important to classify the type of contaminant quickly to provide support for remediation attempts. Conventional methods generally either rely on laboratory-based analysis, which requires a long analysis time, or on multivariable-based geometry analysis and sequence analysis, which is prone to being affected by the contaminant concentration. This paper proposes a new contaminant classification method, which discriminates contaminants in a real time manner independent of the contaminant concentration. The proposed method quantifies the similarities or dissimilarities between sensors' responses to different types of contaminants. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated using data from contaminant injection experiments in a laboratory and compared with a Euclidean distance-based method. The robustness of the proposed method was evaluated using an uncertainty analysis. The results show that the proposed method performed better in identifying the type of contaminant than the Euclidean distance based method and that it could classify the type of contaminant in minutes without significantly compromising the correct classification rate (CCR).

Infrared Thermography As Quality Control For Foamed In-Place Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Joel A.

1989-03-01

Since November of 1985, FOAM-TECH, INC. has been utilizing an I.S.I. Model 91 Videotherm Camera to quality control the installation of foamed in-place polyurethane and polyisocyanurate insulation. Monitoring the injection of foam into the walls and roofs of new construction and during the the retrofitting of older buildings has become an integral and routine step in daily operations. The Videotherm is also used to monitor the injection of foam into hot water tanks, trailer bodies for refrigeration trucks, and pontoons and buoys for flotation. The camera is also used for the detection of heat loss and air infiltration for conventionally insulated buildings. Appendix A are thermograms of foamed in-place insulation.

BOA: Pipe-asbestos insulation removal robot system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schempf, H.; Bares, J.; Mutschler, E.

1995-01-01

This paper describes the BOA system, a mobile pipe-external crawler used to remotely strip and bag (possibly contaminated) asbestos-containing lagging and insulation materials (ACLIM) from various diameter pipes in (primarily) industrial installations across the DOE weapons complex. The mechanical removal of ACLIM is very cost-effective due to the relatively low productivity and high cost involved in human removal scenarios. BOA, a mechanical system capable of removing most forms of lagging (paper, plaster, aluminum sheet, clamps, screws and chicken-wire), and insulation (paper, tar, asbestos fiber, mag-block) uses a circular cutter and compression paddles to cut and strip the insulation off the pipe through compression, while a HEPA-filter and encapsulant system maintain a certifiable vacuum and moisture content inside the system and on the pipe, respectively. The crawler system has been built and is currently undergoing testing. Key design parameters and performance parameters are developed and used in performance testing. Since the current system is a testbed, we also discuss future enhancements and outline two deployment scenarios (robotic and manual) for the final system to be designed and completed by the end of FY '95. An on-site demonstration is currently planned for Fernald in Ohio and Oak Ridge in Tennessee

Lateral topological crystalline insulator heterostructure

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qilong; Dai, Ying; Niu, Chengwang; Ma, Yandong; Wei, Wei; Yu, Lin; Huang, Baibiao

2017-06-01

The emergence of lateral heterostructures fabricated by two-dimensional building blocks brings many exciting realms in material science and device physics. Enriching available nanomaterials for creating such heterostructures and enabling the underlying new physics is highly coveted for the integration of next-generation devices. Here, we report a breakthrough in lateral heterostructure based on the monolayer square transition-metal dichalcogenides MX2 (M  =  W, X  =  S/Se) modules. Our results reveal that the MX2 lateral heterostructure (1S-MX2 LHS) can possess excellent thermal and dynamical stability. Remarkably, the highly desired two-dimensional topological crystalline insulator phase is confirmed by the calculated mirror Chern number {{n}\\text{M}}=-1 . A nontrivial band gap of 65 meV is obtained with SOC, indicating the potential for room-temperature observation and applications. The topologically protected edge states emerge at the edges of two different nanoribbons between the bulk band gap, which is consistent with the mirror Chern number. In addition, a strain-induced topological phase transition in 1S-MX2 LHS is also revealed, endowing the potential utilities in electronics and spintronics. Our predictions not only introduce new member and vitality into the studies of lateral heterostructures, but also highlight the promise of lateral heterostructure as appealing topological crystalline insulator platforms with excellent stability for future devices.

Uranium Leaching from Contaminated Soil Utilizing Rhamnolipid, EDTA, and Citric Acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Asselin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Biosurfactants have recently gained attention as “green” agents that can be used to enhance the remediation of heavy metals and some organic matter in contaminated soils. The overall objective of this paper was to investigate rhamnolipid, a microbial produced biosurfactant, and its ability to leach uranium present in contaminated soil from an abandoned mine site. Soil samples were collected from two locations in northern Arizona: Cameron (site of open pit mining and Leupp (control—no mining. The approach taken was to first determine the total uranium content in each soil using a hydrofluoric acid digestion, then comparing the amount of metal removed by rhamnolipid to other chelating agents EDTA and citric acid, and finally determining the amount of soluble metal in the soil matrix using a sequential extraction. Results suggested a complex system for metal removal from soil utilizing rhamnolipid. It was determined that rhamnolipid at a concentration of 150 μM was as effective as EDTA but not as effective as citric acid for the removal of soluble uranium. However, the rhamnolipid was only slightly better at removing uranium from the mining soil compared to a purified water control. Overall, this study demonstrated that rhamnolipid ability to remove uranium from contaminated soil is comparable to EDTA and to a lesser extent citric acid, but, for the soils investigated, it is not significantly better than a simple water wash.

ContaMiner and ContaBase: a webserver and database for early identification of unwantedly crystallized protein contaminants

Science.gov (United States)

Hungler, Arnaud; Momin, Afaque; Diederichs, Kay; Arold, Stefan, T.

2016-01-01

Solving the phase problem in protein X-ray crystallography relies heavily on the identity of the crystallized protein, especially when molecular replacement (MR) methods are used. Yet, it is not uncommon that a contaminant crystallizes instead of the protein of interest. Such contaminants may be proteins from the expression host organism, protein fusion tags or proteins added during the purification steps. Many contaminants co-purify easily, crystallize and give good diffraction data. Identification of contaminant crystals may take time, since the presence of the contaminant is unexpected and its identity unknown. A webserver (ContaMiner) and a contaminant database (ContaBase) have been established, to allow fast MR-based screening of crystallographic data against currently 62 known contaminants. The web-based ContaMiner (available at http://strube.cbrc.kaust.edu.sa/contaminer/) currently produces results in 5 min to 4 h. The program is also available in a github repository and can be installed locally. ContaMiner enables screening of novel crystals at synchrotron beamlines, and it would be valuable as a routine safety check for ‘crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis’ publications. Thus, in addition to potentially saving X-ray crystallographers much time and effort, ContaMiner might considerably lower the risk of publishing erroneous data. PMID:27980519

Insulation diagnosis of rotating machines for elevators by an expert system based on fuzzy inference. Fuzzy suiron wo donyushita expert system ni yoru shokokiyo kaitenki no zetsuen shindan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaneko, K.; Oshima, H. (Tokai Univ., Tokyo (Japan)); Yamada, N.; Iijima, T. (Mitsubishi Electric Building Techno-Service Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan))

1992-11-20

Using the data measured with the insulation deterioration diagnostic system for rotating machines for elevators, which is newly developed utilizing the past experience, an expert system which enables insulation deterioration diagnosis even by field maintenance engineers to some extent. In this system, the knowledge and experience of specialists are loaded in a personal computer as the rule for insulation deterioration diagnosis to perform insulation deterioration diagnosis by fuzzy inference and 'hypothesis-verification' type backward reasoning inference. The structured expert system is outlined. The result of insulation diagnosis by this system s compared with that made by specialists to evaluate the effectiveness of the diagnosed result of this system, and shows 84% agreement with the results obtained by specialists. It is, therefore, considered to be a highly practical expert system. 10 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

Vibration combustion as a prospect for utilizing firewood contaminated with radiocesium

Science.gov (United States)

Polezhaev, Yu. V.; Geshele, V. D.; Raskatov, I. P.; Solov'ev, V. N.; Pleshchankov, I. G.; Bida, L. A.; Levchuk, A. S.; Fokina, G. I.

2013-01-01

We present results of experimental investigation relevant to vibration combustion of solid fuel specimens in a Rijke tube and the interpretation of the combustion mechanism on the basis of "energy" approach. The decrease in the flame temperature is noted, which can be used to reduce the yield of low-boiling mineral components of ash, e.g., radioactive 137Cs isotope, in the volatile phase. The distribution of 137Cs in thermal conversions of firewood has been studied with the aid of computational-experimental methods, and the use of vibration combustion for utilizing the firewood contaminated with radiocesium has been suggested to decrease the emission of 137Cs into the surrounding medium.

Radiative contribution to the thermal conductivity of fibrous insulations

Science.gov (United States)

Linford, R. M. F.; Schmitt, R. J.; Hughes, T. A.

1974-01-01

An approach is shown for using a simple two-flux model to interpret infrared transmission data for a variety of reuseable surface insulations materials and to calculate the radiation transmission. A description is given of preliminary experiments on mullite and silica-based materials. The calculated parameters are compared with the measured values of the total thermal conductivity, as determined on guarded hot plate equipment. It is pointed out that for many samples the newly developed four-flux model must be utilized because the scattering properties of the fibers are often dependent on the wavelength of the radiation.

Electricity Breakdown Management for Sarawak Energy: Use of Condition-Based Equipment for Detection of Defective Insulator

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, J. K.; Abas, N.

2017-07-01

Managing electricity breakdown is vital since an outage causes economic losses for customers and the utility companies. However, electricity breakdown is unavoidable due to some internal or external factors beyond our control. Electricity breakdown on overhead lines tend occur more frequently because it is prone to external disturbances such as animal, overgrown vegetation and defective pole top accessories. In Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), majority of the network are composed of overhead lines and hence, is more prone to failure. Conventional method of equipment inspection and fault finding are not effective to quickly identify the root cause of failure. SEB has engaged the use of corona discharge camera as condition-based monitoring equipment to carry out condition based inspection on the line in order to diagnose the condition of the lines prior to failure. Experimental testing has been carried out to determine the correlation between the corona discharge count and the level of defect on line insulator. The result shall be tabulated and will be used as reference for future scanning and diagnostic on any defect on the lines.

Satellite Contamination and Materials Outgassing Knowledge base

Science.gov (United States)

Minor, Jody L.; Kauffman, William J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Satellite contamination continues to be a design problem that engineers must take into account when developing new satellites. To help with this issue, NASA's Space Environments and Effects (SEE) Program funded the development of the Satellite Contamination and Materials Outgassing Knowledge base. This engineering tool brings together in one location information about the outgassing properties of aerospace materials based upon ground-testing data, the effects of outgassing that has been observed during flight and measurements of the contamination environment by on-orbit instruments. The knowledge base contains information using the ASTM Standard E- 1559 and also consolidates data from missions using quartz-crystal microbalances (QCM's). The data contained in the knowledge base was shared with NASA by government agencies and industry in the US and international space agencies as well. The term 'knowledgebase' was used because so much information and capability was brought together in one comprehensive engineering design tool. It is the SEE Program's intent to continually add additional material contamination data as it becomes available - creating a dynamic tool whose value to the user is ever increasing. The SEE Program firmly believes that NASA, and ultimately the entire contamination user community, will greatly benefit from this new engineering tool and highly encourages the community to not only use the tool but add data to it as well.

Fate and transport of petroleum hydrocarbons in the environment case study: insulating oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richards, S. L.

1997-01-01

A series of studies were conducted to develop the technical basis for establishing soil cleanup levels for electrical insulating oil that would protect human health and the environment in the State of Washington. Samples of insulating oil and ground water from electric utility sites were analyzed for physical and chemical properties. Oil dissolution and soil leachability tests were conducted to evaluate the mobility of the oil in the aqueous state. Results indicate that insulating oil is relatively immobile in the subsurface. As a result of this study, soil cleanup level for insulating oil at operating electrical substations in the State of Washington was increased from 200 mg/kg to 2000 mg/kg. 6 refs., 3 tabs

Life-cycle based dynamic assessment of mineral wool insulation in a Danish residential building application

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sohn, Joshua L.; Kalbar, Pradip; Banta, Gary T.

2017-01-01

There has been significant change in the way buildings are constructed and the way building energy performance is evaluated. Focus on solely the use phase of a building is beginning to be replaced by a life-cycle based performance assessment. This study assesses the environmental impact trade......-offs between the heat produced to meet a building's space heating load and insulation produced to reduce its space heating load throughout the whole life-cycle of a building. To obtain a more realistic valuation of this tradeoff, a dynamic heat production model, which accounts for political projections...... grid, which is potentially promoted at present in Danish regulation. It is further concluded that improvement of the mineral wool insulation production process could allow for greater levels of environmentally beneficial insulation and would also help in reducing the overall environmental burden from...

Cellulose Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

1980-01-01

Fire retardant cellulose insulation is produced by shredding old newspapers and treating them with a combination of chemicals. Insulating material is blown into walls and attics to form a fiber layer which blocks the flow of air. All-Weather Insulation's founders asked NASA/UK-TAP to help. They wanted to know what chemicals added to newspaper would produce an insulating material capable of meeting federal specifications. TAP researched the query and furnished extensive information. The information contributed to successful development of the product and helped launch a small business enterprise which is now growing rapidly.

Artificial heart system thermal insulation component development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svedberg, R.C.; Buckman, R.W. Jr.

1975-01-01

A concentric cup vacuum multifoil insulation system has been selected by virtue of its size, weight, and thermal performance to insulate the hot radioisotope portion of the thermal converter of an artificial implantable heart system. A factor of 2 improvement in thermal performance, based on the heat loss per number of foil layers (minimum system weight and volume) has been realized over conventional spiral wrapped multifoil vacuum insulation. This improvement is the result of the concentric cup construction to maintain a uniform interfoil spacing and the elimination of corner heat losses. Based on external insulation system dimensions (surface area in contact with host body), heat losses of 0.019 W/ cm 2 at 1140 0 K (1600 0 F) and 0.006 W/cm 2 at 920 0 K (1200 0 F) have been achieved. Factors which influence thermal performance of the nickel foil concentric cup insulation system include the number of cups, configuration and method of application of zirconia (ZrO 2 ) spacer material, system pressure, emittance of the cups, and operating temperature

Multilayer Insulation Ascent Venting Model

Science.gov (United States)

Tramel, R. W.; Sutherlin, S. G.; Johnson, W. L.

2017-01-01

The thermal and venting transient experienced by tank-applied multilayer insulation (MLI) in the Earth-to-orbit environment is very dynamic and not well characterized. This new predictive code is a first principles-based engineering model which tracks the time history of the mass and temperature (internal energy) of the gas in each MLI layer. A continuum-based model is used for early portions of the trajectory while a kinetic theory-based model is used for the later portions of the trajectory, and the models are blended based on a reference mean free path. This new capability should improve understanding of the Earth-to-orbit transient and enable better insulation system designs for in-space cryogenic propellant systems.

Coupling of an applied field magnetically insulated ion diode to a high power magnetically insulated transmission line system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maenchen, J.E.

1983-01-01

The coupling of energy from a high power pulsed accelerator through a long triplate magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) in vacuum to an annular applied magnetic field insulated extraction ion diode is examined. The narrow power transport window and the wave front erosion of the MITL set stringent impedance history conditions on the diode load. A new ion diode design developed to satisfy these criteria with marginal electron insulation is presented. The LION accelerator is used to provide a positive polarity 1.5 MV, 350 kA, 40 ns FWHM pulse with a 30 kA/ns current rate from a triplate MITL source. A transition converts the triplate into a cylindrical cross section which flares into the ion diode load. Extensive current and voltage measurements performed along this structure and on the extracted ion beam provide conclusive evidence that the self insulation condition of the MITL is maintained in the transition by current loss alone. The ion diode utilizes a radial magnetic field between a grounded cathode annular emission tip and a disk anode. A 50 cm 2 dielectric/metal anode area serves as the ion plasma source subject to direct electron bombardment from the opposing cathode tip under marginal magnetic insulation conditions. The ions extracted cross the radial magnetic field and exit the diode volume as an annular cross section beam of peak current about 100 kA. The diode current gradually converts from the initial electron flow to nearly 100% ion current after 30 ns, coupling 60% of the diode energy into ions

Glass Bubbles Insulation for Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tanks

Science.gov (United States)

Sass, J. P.; SaintCyr, W. W.; Barrett, T. M.; Baumgartner, R. G.; Lott, J. W.; Fesmire, J. E.

2009-01-01

A full-scale field application of glass bubbles insulation has been demonstrated in a 218,000 L liquid hydrogen storage tank. This work is the evolution of extensive materials testing, laboratory scale testing, and system studies leading to the use of glass bubbles insulation as a cost efficient and high performance alternative in cryogenic storage tanks of any size. The tank utilized is part of a rocket propulsion test complex at the NASA Stennis Space Center and is a 1960's vintage spherical double wall tank with an evacuated annulus. The original perlite that was removed from the annulus was in pristine condition and showed no signs of deterioration or compaction. Test results show a significant reduction in liquid hydrogen boiloff when compared to recent baseline data prior to removal of the perlite insulation. The data also validates the previous laboratory scale testing (1000 L) and full-scale numerical modeling (3,200,000 L) of boiloff in spherical cryogenic storage tanks. The performance of the tank will continue to be monitored during operation of the tank over the coming years. KEYWORDS: Glass bubble, perlite, insulation, liquid hydrogen, storage tank.

Application of Fenton process to remove organic matter and PCBs from waste (fuller's earth) contaminated with insulating oil.

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Milady Renata Apolinário; Rodrigues, Eduardo de Oliveira; Espanhol-Soares, Melina; Silva, Flavio Soares; Kondo, Márcia Matiko; Gimenes, Rossano

2018-01-09

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are carcinogenic to humans and can be found in fuller's earth used for the treatment of used transformer oil. This work describes an optimization of the Fenton process for the removal of contaminants from fuller's earth. The effects of pH (2.5 and 4.0), [H 2 O 2 ] (1.47 and 2.07 mol L -1 ), and [Fe 2+ ] (1.7 and 40 mmol L -1 ) were studied. The Fenton process efficiency was monitored using the decreases in the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and the concentrations of oil and grease, total carbon (TC), PCBs, and H 2 O 2 . The fuller's earth contaminated with insulating oil presented 35% (w/w) of TC, 34% (w/w) of oil and grease, 297.0 g L -1 COD, and 64 mg of PCBs per kg. The material could therefore be considered a dangerous waste. After Fenton treatment, using a slurry mode, there was a removal of 55% of COD, 20% of oil and grease, and 20% of TC, achieved at pH 2.5 using 2.07 mol L -1 of H 2 O 2 and 40.0 mmol L -1 of Fe 2+ . No PCBs were detected in the samples after the Fenton treatment, even using smaller amounts of Fenton reagents (1.47 mol L -1 of H 2 O 2 , 1.7 mmol L -1 of Fe 2+ , pH 2.5). The results indicated that the treated fuller's earth was free from PCB residues and could be disposed of in a simple landfill, in accordance with Brazilian PCB regulations.

Moisture Durability with Vapor-Permeable Insulating Sheathing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lepage, R. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Lstiburek, J. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2013-09-01

Exterior sheathing insulation is an effective strategy in increasing the overall R-value of wall assemblies; other benefits include decreasing the effects of thermal bridging and increasing the moisture durability of the built assembly. Vapor-permeable exterior insulation, such as mineral board or expanded polystyrene foam, are one such product that may be used to achieve these benefits. However, uncertainty exists on the effects of inward driven moisture and the interaction of increased sheathing temperatures on the moisture durability of the edifice. To address these concerns, Building Science Corporation (BSC) conducted a series of hygrothermal models for cities representing a range of different climate zones. This report describes the research project, key research questions, and the procedures utilized to analyse the problems.

Moisture Durability with Vapor-Permeable Insulating Sheathing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lepage, R. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Lstiburek, J. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2013-09-01

Exterior sheathing insulation is an effective strategy in increasing the overall R-value of wall assemblies; other benefits include decreasing the effects of thermal bridging and increasing the moisture durability of the built assembly. Vapor-permeable exterior insulation, such as mineral board or expanded polystyrene foam, are one such product that may be used to achieve these benefits. However,uncertainty exists on the effects of inward driven moisture and the interaction of increased sheathing temperatures on the moisture durability of the edifice. To address these concerns, Building Science Corporation (BSC) conducted a series of hygrothermal models for cities representing a range of different climate zones. This report describes the research project, key research questions, and theprocedures utilized to analyse the problems.

A transparent electrochromic metal-insulator switching device with three-terminal transistor geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Katase, Takayoshi; Onozato, Takaki; Hirono, Misako; Mizuno, Taku; Ohta, Hiromichi

2016-05-01

Proton and hydroxyl ion play an essential role for tuning functionality of oxides because their electronic state can be controlled by modifying oxygen off-stoichiometry and/or protonation. Tungsten trioxide (WO3), a well-known electrochromic (EC) material for smart window, is a wide bandgap insulator, whereas it becomes a metallic conductor HxWO3 by protonation. Although one can utilize electrochromism together with metal-insulator (MI) switching for one device, such EC-MI switching cannot be utilized in current EC devices because of their two-terminal structure with parallel-plate configuration. Here we demonstrate a transparent EC-MI switchable device with three-terminal TFT-type structure using amorphous (a-) WO3 channel layer, which was fabricated on glass substrate at room temperature. We used water-infiltrated nano-porous glass, CAN (calcium aluminate with nano-pores), as a liquid-leakage-free solid gate insulator. At virgin state, the device was fully transparent in the visible-light region. For positive gate voltage, the active channel became dark blue, and electrical resistivity of the a-WO3 layer drastically decreased with protonation. For negative gate voltage, deprotonation occurred and the active channel returned to transparent insulator. Good cycleability of the present transparent EC-MI switching device would have potential for the development of advanced smart windows.

Corrosion-under-insulation (CUI) guidelines

CERN Document Server

Staff, European Federation of Corrosion; Winnik, S

2014-01-01

Corrosion under insulation (CUI) refers to the external corrosion of piping and vessels that occurs underneath externally clad/jacketed insulation as a result of the penetration of water. By its very nature CUI tends to remain undetected until the insulation and cladding/jacketing is removed to allow inspection or when leaks occur. CUI is a common problem shared by the refining, petrochemical, power, industrial, onshore and offshore industries. The European Federation of Corrosion (EFC) Working Parties WP13 and WP15 have worked to provide guidelines on managing CUI together with a number of major European refining, petrochemical and offshore companies including BP, Chevron-Texaco, Conoco-Phillips, ENI, Exxon-Mobil, IFP, MOL, Scanraff, Statoil, Shell, Total and Borealis. The guidelines within this document are intended for use on all plants and installations that contain insulated vessels, piping and equipment. The guidelines cover a risk-based inspection methodology for CUI, inspection techniques (including n...

Electrohydrodynamic Direct-Write Orderly Micro/Nanofibrous Structure on Flexible Insulating Substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiang-Yi Zheng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available AC pulse-modulated electrohydrodynamic direct-writing (EDW was utilized to direct-write orderly micro/nanofibrous structure on the flexible insulating polyethylene terephthalate (PET substrate. During the EDW process, AC electrical field induced charges to reciprocate along the jet and decreased the charge repulsive force that applied on charged jet. Thanks to the smaller charge repulsive force, stable straight jet can be built up to direct-write orderly micro/nanofibrous structures on the insulating substrate. The minimum motion velocity required to direct-write straight line fibrous structure on insulating PET substrate was 700 mm/s. Moreover, the influences of AC voltage amplitude, frequency, and duty cycle ratio on the line width of fibrous structures were investigated. This work proposes a novel solution to overcome the inherent charge repulsion emerging on the insulating substrate, and promotes the application of EDW technology on the flexible electronics.

PROTO-II: a short pulse water insulated accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, T.H.; VanDevender, J.P.; Johnson, D.L.; McDaniel, D.H.; Aker, M.

1975-01-01

A new accelerator, designated Proto-II, is presently under construction at Sandia Laboratories. Proto-II will have a nominal output of 100 kJ into a two-sided diode at a voltage of 1.5 MV and a total current of over 6 MA for 24 ns. This accelerator will be utilized for electron beam fusion experiments and for pulsed power and developmental studies leading to a proposed further factor of five scale-up in power. The design of Proto-II is based upon recent water switching developments and represents a 10-fold extrapolation of those results. Initial testing of Proto-II is scheduled to begin in 1976. Proto-II power flow starts with eight Marx generators which charge 16 water-insulated storage capacitors. Eight triggered, 3 MV, SF 6 gas-insulated switches next transfer the energy through oil-water interfaces into the first stage of 16 parallel lines. Next, the 16 first stages transfer their energy into the pulse forming lines and fast switching sections.The energy is then delivered to two converging, back-to-back, disk-shaped transmission line. Two back-to-back diodes then form the electron beams which are focused onto a common anode

Thermal insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aspden, G.J.; Howard, R.S.

1988-01-01

The patent concerns high temperature thermal insulation of large vessels, such as the primary vessel of a liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor. The thermal insulation consists of multilayered thermal insulation modules, and each module comprises a number of metal sheet layers sandwiched between a back and front plate. The layers are linked together by straps and clips to control the thickness of the module. (U.K.)

External insulation with cellular plastic materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Lars Schiøtt; Nielsen, Anker

2014-01-01

External thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) can be used as extra insulation of existing buildings. The system can be made of cellular plastic materials or mineral wool. There is a European Technical guideline, ETAG 004, that describe the tests that shall be conducted on such systems....... This paper gives a comparison of systems with mineral wool and cellular plastic, based on experience from practice and literature. It is important to look at the details in the system and at long time stability of the properties such as thermal insulation, moisture and fire. Investigation of fire properties...

Developing Topological Insulator Fiber Based Photon Pairs Source for Ultrafast Optoelectronic Applications

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-01

of a thin layer of topological insulator Bi2Se3 with the transmission of T = 50%. We apply magnetic field B=3 tesla normal to the sample and parallel...nonlinear induced by magnetic field in the Topological Insulator Bi2Se3 and Molybdenum Disulfide MoS2. The nonlinear effect is pulse broadening...Topological Insulator Q- Switched Erbium-Doped Fiber Laser”, IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quant. Electron., 20, 0900508 (2014). [2]. Shuqing Chen et al, “Stable Q

Foam/Aerogel Composite Materials for Thermal and Acoustic Insulation and Cryogen Storage

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Martha K. (Inventor); Smith, Trent M. (Inventor); Fesmire, James E. (Inventor); Weiser, Erik S. (Inventor); Sass, Jared P. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

The invention involves composite materials containing a polymer foam and an aerogel. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability, good acoustic insulation, and excellent physical mechanical properties. The composite materials can be used, for instance, for heat and acoustic insulation on aircraft, spacecraft, and maritime ships in place of currently used foam panels and other foam products. The materials of the invention can also be used in building construction with their combination of light weight, strength, elasticity, ability to be formed into desired shapes, and superior thermal and acoustic insulation power. The materials have also been found to have utility for storage of cryogens. A cryogenic liquid or gas, such as N.sub.2 or H.sub.2, adsorbs to the surfaces in aerogel particles. Thus, another embodiment of the invention provides a storage vessel for a cryogen.

Device Performance of the Mott InsulatorDevice Performance of the Mott Insulator LaVO3 as a Photovoltaic Material

KAUST Repository

Wang, Lingfei

2015-06-22

Searching for solar-absorbing materials containing earth-abundant elements with chemical stability is of critical importance for advancing photovoltaic technologies. Mott insulators have been theoretically proposed as potential photovoltaic materials. In this paper, we evaluate their performance in solar cells by exploring the photovoltaic properties of Mott insulator LaVO3 (LVO). LVO films show an indirect band gap of 1.08 eV as well as strong light absorption over a wide wavelength range in the solar spectrum. First-principles calculations on the band structure of LVO further reveal that the d−d transitions within the upper and lower Mott-Hubbard bands and p−d transitions between the O 2p and V 3d band contribute to the absorption in visible and ultraviolet ranges, respectively. Transport measurements indicate strong carrier trapping and the formation of polarons in LVO. To utilize the strong light absorption of LVO and to overcome its poor carrier transport, we incorporate it as a light absorber in solar cells in conjunction with carrier transporters and evaluate its device performance. Our complementary experimental and theoretical results on such prototypical solar cells made of Mott-Hubbard transition-metal oxides pave the road for developing light-absorbing materials and photovoltaic devices based on strongly correlated electrons.

Integrating Individual-Based Indices of Contaminant Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher L. Rowe

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Habitat contamination can alter numerous biological processes in individual organisms. Examining multiple individual-level responses in an integrative fashion is necessary to understand how individual health or fitness reflects environmental contamination. Here we provide an example of such an integrated perspective based upon recent studies of an amphibian (the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana that experiences several, disparate changes when larval development occurs in a trace element�contaminated habitat. First, we present an overview of studies focused on specific responses of individuals collected from, or transplanted into, a habitat contaminated by coal combustion residues (CCR. These studies have reported morphological, behavioral, and physiological modifications to individuals chronically interacting with sediments in the CCR-contaminated site. Morphological abnormalities in the oral and tail regions in contaminant-exposed individuals influenced other properties such as grazing, growth, and swimming performance. Behavioral changes in swimming activities and responses to stimuli appear to influence predation risk in the contaminant-exposed population. Significant changes in bioenergetics in the contaminated habitat, evident as abnormally high energetic expenditures for survival (maintenance costs, may ultimately influence production pathways (growth, energy storage in individuals. We then present a conceptual model to examine how interactions among the affected systems (morphological, behavioral, physiological may ultimately bring about more severe effects than would be predicted if the responses were considered in isolation. A complex interplay among simultaneously occurring biological changes emerges in which multiple, sublethal effects ultimately can translate into reductions in larval or juvenile survival, and thus reduced recruitment of juveniles into the population. In systems where individuals are exposed to low concentrations of

The effects of fillers on polyurethane resin-based electrical insulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Altafim Ruy Alberto Corrêa

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The increasingly widespread use of polymeric insulators in vehicle distributors and transmission systems has led to an ongoing quest for quality and low costs. This quest has, in turn, resulted in improved performance and cost benefits, brought about by the use of new polymeric and composite resins. Occasionally, however, while some properties are improved, others may show a loss of optimal performance. Therefore, to understand the behavior of fillers, such as carbon black, silica and mica added to castor oil-derived polyurethane resins, several thermal, mechanical and electrical tests were conducted on samples and insulators produced specifically for this purpose, using these new materials. The results of these tests clearly demonstrated that this type of resin and its composites can be used to manufacture indoor electrical insulators and that the fillers analyzed in this study improve or maintain the characteristics of the pure resins.

Grandstand view of phenolic foam insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1987-03-01

Stadium Insulation Ltd, manufacture pipe sections, tank and vessel insulation products in Lowphen, polyisocyanurate, polyurethane foams and expanded polystyrene, though for certain specialist applications, cork is still employed in small quantities. Currently the emphasis is very much on Lowphen, the company's range of pipe sections based on phenolic foam. The company's manufacturing and marketing effort reflects the increasing market trend towards the use of insulating material capable of withstanding higher temperatures, and phenolic foam neatly satisfies the demand since it is capable of use at temperatures up to 140/sup 0/C. Moreover, phenolic foam has the lowest K value at 0.02W/m/sup 0/C of any of the currently available range of insulating materials, and while the product is slightly more expensive than alternatives such as polyisocyanurate and polyurethane, its high performance offsets that premium.

A Study on Gas Insulation Characteristics for Design Optimization of High Voltage Power Apparatus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, I S; Kim, M K; Seo, K S; Moon, I W; Choi, C K [Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (Korea, Republic of)

1996-12-01

This study aim of obtaining the basic data for gas insulation in the high voltage apparatus and for investigating the breakdown characteristics in uniform field and non-uniform which the geometric construction in the practical power apparatus. In this study, the research results on the insulation technology published earlier are reviewed and the basic data for an optimum design of a high voltage apparatus are obtained thorough the experiment and computer simulation by using a uniform field. The main result are summarized as follows: (A) Investigation on the insulation technology in a large-capacity power apparatus. (B) Investigation on the breakdown characteristics in particle contaminated condition. (C) Investigation on the design in computer simulation. (D) Investigation on the simulation technology of breakdown characteristics. (E) Investigation on breakdown characteristics in the nonuniform field and experiment. (author). refs., figs., tabs.

Review on utilization of biochar for metal-contaminated soil and sediment remediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Mingming; Zhu, Yi; Cheng, Lirong; Andserson, Bruce; Zhao, Xiaohui; Wang, Dayang; Ding, Aizhong

2018-01-01

Biochar is a carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative material produced through thermal decomposition of plant- and animal-based biomass under oxygen-limited conditions. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the application of biochar as an adsorbent, soil ameliorant and climate mitigation approach in many types of applications. Metal-contaminated soil remediation using biochar has been intensively investigated in small-scale and pilot-scale trials with obtained beneficial results and multifaceted effects. But so far, the study and application of biochar in contaminated sediment management has been very limited, and this is also a worldwide problem. Nonetheless, there is reason to believe that the same multiple benefits can also be realized with these sediments due to similar mechanisms for stabilizing contaminants. This paper provides a review on current biochar properties and its use as a sorbent/amendment for metal-contaminated soil/sediment remediation and its effect on plant growth, fauna habits as well as microorganism communities. In addition, the use of biochar as a potential strategy for contaminated sediment management is also discussed, especially as regards in-situ planning. Finally, we highlight the possibility of biochar application as an effective amendment and propose further research directions to ensure the safe and sustainable use of biochar as an amendment for remediation of contaminated soil and sediment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Topological Insulators Dirac Equation in Condensed Matters

CERN Document Server

Shen, Shun-Qing

2012-01-01

Topological insulators are insulating in the bulk, but process metallic states around its boundary owing to the topological origin of the band structure. The metallic edge or surface states are immune to weak disorder or impurities, and robust against the deformation of the system geometry. This book, Topological insulators, presents a unified description of topological insulators from one to three dimensions based on the modified Dirac equation. A series of solutions of the bound states near the boundary are derived, and the existing conditions of these solutions are described. Topological invariants and their applications to a variety of systems from one-dimensional polyacetalene, to two-dimensional quantum spin Hall effect and p-wave superconductors, and three-dimensional topological insulators and superconductors or superfluids are introduced, helping readers to better understand this fascinating new field. This book is intended for researchers and graduate students working in the field of topological in...

Estimation of thermal insulation performance in multi-layer insulator for liquid helium pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibanuma, Kiyoshi; Kuriyama, Masaaki; Shibata, Takemasa

1991-01-01

For a multi-layer insulator around the liquid helium pipes for cryopumps of JT-60 NBI, a multi-layer insulator composed of 10 layers, which can be wound around the pipe at the same time and in which the respective layers are in concentric circles by shifting them in arrangement, has been developed and tested. As the result, it was shown that the newly developed multi-layer insulator has better thermal insulation performance than the existing one, i.e. the heat load of the newly developed insulator composed of 10 layers was reduced to 1/3 the heat load of the existing insulator, and the heat leak at the joint of the insulator in longitudinal direction of the pipe was negligible. In order to clarify thermal characteristics of the multi-layer insulator, the heat transfer through the insulator has been analyzed considering the radiation heat transfer by the netting spacer between the reflectors, and the temperature dependence on the emissivities and the heat transmission coefficients of these two components of the insulator. The analytical results were in good agreements with the experimental ones, so that the analytical method was shown to be valid. Concerning the influence of the number of layers and the layer density on the insulation performance of the insulator, analytical results showed that the multi-layer insulator with the number of layer about N = 20 and the layer density below 2.0 layer/mm was the most effective for the liquid helium pipe of a JT-60 cryopump. (author)

Impact of steep-front short-duration impulse on electric power system insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burrage, L M; Veverka, E F; Shaw, J H [Cooper Industries, Inc., Franksville, WI (USA). Cooper Power Systems; McConnell, B W [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)

1991-04-01

This research effort required the performance evaluation of three specific insulation systems in common usage by electric power transmission and distribution utilities under stresses imposed by: three characteristic impulse waveforms (two waves representative of steep-front short duration (SFSD) impulses and one representative of lightning), the cumulative effect of multiple shots'' of each pulse, 60 Hz voltage, and, where appropriate, and mechanical load. The insulation systems evaluated are the cellulose-paper/oil combination typical of power transformer and condenser bushing usage, the cellulose-paper/enamel/oil combination used in distribution transformer construction, and the porcelain/air combination representing transmission and distribution line structural insulation. 4 refs., 94 figs., 11 tabs.

Development and preliminary experimental study on micro-stacked insulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren Chengyan; Yuan Weiqun; Zhang Dongdong; Yan Ping; Wang Jue

2009-01-01

High gradient insulating technology is one of the key technologies in new type dielectric wall accelerator(DWA). High gradient insulator, namely micro-stacked insulator, was developed and preliminary experimental study was done. Based on the finite element and particle simulating method, surface electric field distribution and electron movement track of micro-stacked insulator were numerated, and then the optimized design proposal was put forward. Using high temperature laminated method, we developed micro-stacked insulator samples which uses exhaustive fluorinated ethylene propylene(FEP) as dielectric layer and stainless steel as metal layer. Preliminary experiment of vacuum surface flashover in nanosecond pulse voltage was done and micro-stacked insulator exhibited favorable vacuum surface flashover performance with flashover field strength of near 180 kV/cm. (authors)

Simulated electron affinity tuning in metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Mistry, Kissan; Yavuz, Mustafa; Musselman, Kevin P.

2017-05-01

Metal-insulator-metal diodes for rectification applications must exhibit high asymmetry, nonlinearity, and responsivity. Traditional methods of improving these figures of merit have consisted of increasing insulator thickness, adding multiple insulator layers, and utilizing a variety of metal contact combinations. However, these methods have come with the price of increasing the diode resistance and ultimately limiting the operating frequency to well below the terahertz regime. In this work, an Airy Function Transfer Matrix simulation method was used to observe the effect of tuning the electron affinity of the insulator as a technique to decrease the diode resistance. It was shown that a small increase in electron affinity can result in a resistance decrease in upwards of five orders of magnitude, corresponding to an increase in operating frequency on the same order. Electron affinity tuning has a minimal effect on the diode figures of merit, where asymmetry improves or remains unaffected and slight decreases in nonlinearity and responsivity are likely to be greatly outweighed by the improved operating frequency of the diode.

Innovative Retrofit Insulation Strategies for Concrete Masonry Foundations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huelman, P. [Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (United States). NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership; Goldberg, L. [Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (United States). NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership; Jacobson, R. [Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (United States). NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership

2015-05-06

This study was designed to test a new approach for foundation insulation retrofits, with the goal of demonstrating improved moisture control, improved occupant comfort, and reduced heat loss. Because conducting experimental research on existing below-grade assemblies is very difficult, most of the results are based on simulations. The retrofit approach consists of filling open concrete block cores with an insulating material and adding R-10 exterior insulation that extends 1 ft below grade. The core fill is designed to improve the R-value of the foundation wall and increase the interior wall surface temperature, but more importantly to block convection currents that could otherwise increase moisture loads on the foundation wall and interior space. The exterior insulation significantly reduces heat loss through the most exposed part of the foundation and further increases the interior wall surface temperature. This improves occupant comfort and decreases the risk of condensation. Such an insulation package avoids the full-depth excavation necessary for exterior insulation retrofits, reduces costs, and eliminates the moisture and indoor air quality risks associated with interior insulation retrofits. Retrofit costs for the proposed approach were estimated at roughly half those of a full-depth exterior insulation retrofit.

Thermal insulating panel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hughes, J.T.

1985-09-11

A panel of thermal insulation material has at least one main portion which comprises a dry particulate insulation material compressed within a porous envelope so that it is rigid or substantially rigid and at least one auxiliary portion which is secured to and extends along at least one of the edges of the main portions. The auxiliary portions comprise a substantially uncompressed dry particulate insulation material contained within an envelope. The insulation material of the auxiliary portion may be the same as or may be different from the insulation material of the main portion. The envelope of the auxiliary portion may be made of a porous or a non-porous material. (author).

Insulators form gene loops by interacting with promoters in Drosophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Erokhin, Maksim; Davydova, Anna; Kyrchanova, Olga; Parshikov, Alexander; Georgiev, Pavel; Chetverina, Darya

2011-09-01

Chromatin insulators are regulatory elements involved in the modulation of enhancer-promoter communication. The 1A2 and Wari insulators are located immediately downstream of the Drosophila yellow and white genes, respectively. Using an assay based on the yeast GAL4 activator, we have found that both insulators are able to interact with their target promoters in transgenic lines, forming gene loops. The existence of an insulator-promoter loop is confirmed by the fact that insulator proteins could be detected on the promoter only in the presence of an insulator in the transgene. The upstream promoter regions, which are required for long-distance stimulation by enhancers, are not essential for promoter-insulator interactions. Both insulators support basal activity of the yellow and white promoters in eyes. Thus, the ability of insulators to interact with promoters might play an important role in the regulation of basal gene transcription.

Nanometric holograms based on a topological insulator material.

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Zengji; Xue, Gaolei; Liu, Juan; Wang, Yongtian; Gu, Min

2017-05-18

Holography has extremely extensive applications in conventional optical instruments spanning optical microscopy and imaging, three-dimensional displays and metrology. To integrate holography with modern low-dimensional electronic devices, holograms need to be thinned to a nanometric scale. However, to keep a pronounced phase shift modulation, the thickness of holograms has been generally limited to the optical wavelength scale, which hinders their integration with ultrathin electronic devices. Here, we break this limit and achieve 60 nm holograms using a topological insulator material. We discover that nanometric topological insulator thin films act as an intrinsic optical resonant cavity due to the unequal refractive indices in their metallic surfaces and bulk. The resonant cavity leads to enhancement of phase shifts and thus the holographic imaging. Our work paves a way towards integrating holography with flat electronic devices for optical imaging, data storage and information security.

Vibrometry Assessment of the External Thermal Composite Insulation Systems Influence on the Façade Airborne Sound Insulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Urbán

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This paper verifies the impact of the use of an external thermal composite system (ETICS on air-borne sound insulation. For optimum accuracy over a wide frequency range, classical microphone based transmission measurements are combined with accelerometer based vibrometry measurements. Consistency is found between structural resonance frequencies and bending wave velocity dispersion curves determined by vibrometry on the one hand and spectral features of the sound reduction index, the ETICS mass-spring-mass resonance induced dip in the acoustic insulation spectrum, and the coincidence induced dip on the other hand. Scanning vibrometry proves to be an effective tool for structural assessment in the design phase of ETICS systems. The measured spectra are obtained with high resolution in wide frequency range, and yield sound insulation values are not affected by the room acoustic features of the laboratory transmission rooms. The complementarity between the microphone and accelerometer based results allows assessing the effect of ETICS on the sound insulation spectrum in an extended frequency range from 20 Hz to 10 kHz. The modified engineering ΔR prediction model for frequency range up to coincidence frequency of external plaster layer is recommended. Values for the sound reduction index obtained by a modified prediction method are consistent with the measured data.

Wall insulation system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kostek, P.T.

1987-08-11

In a channel specially designed to fasten semi-rigid mineral fibre insulation to masonry walls, it is known to be constructed from 20 gauge galvanized steel or other suitable material. The channel is designed to have pre-punched holes along its length for fastening of the channel to the drywall screw. The unique feature of the channel is the teeth running along its length which are pressed into the surface of the butted together sections of the insulation providing a strong grip between the two adjacent pieces of insulation. Of prime importance to the success of this system is the recent technological advancements of the mineral fibre itself which allow the teeth of the channel to engage the insulation fully and hold without mechanical support, rather than be repelled or pushed back by the inherent nature of the insulation material. After the insulation is secured to the masonry wall by concrete nail fastening systems, the drywall is screwed to the channel.

Dynamic Test Method Based on Strong Electromagnetic Pulse for Electromagnetic Shielding Materials with Field-Induced Insulator-Conductor Phase Transition

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yun; Zhao, Min; Wang, Qingguo

2018-01-01

In order to measure the pulse shielding performance of materials with the characteristic of field-induced insulator-conductor phase transition when materials are used for electromagnetic shielding, a dynamic test method was proposed based on a coaxial fixture. Experiment system was built by square pulse source, coaxial cable, coaxial fixture, attenuator, and oscilloscope and insulating components. S11 parameter of the test system was obtained, which suggested that the working frequency ranges from 300 KHz to 7.36 GHz. Insulating performance is good enough to avoid discharge between conductors when material samples is exposed in the strong electromagnetic pulse field up to 831 kV/m. This method is suitable for materials with annular shape, certain thickness and the characteristic of field-induced insulator-conductor phase transition to get their shielding performances of strong electromagnetic pulse.

Insulation Characteristics of Sisal Fibre/Epoxy Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Shalwan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Using natural fibres in civil engineering is the aim of many industrial and academics sectors to overcome the impact of synthetic fibres on environments. One of the potential applications of natural fibres composites is to be implemented in insulation components. Thermal behaviour of polymer composites based on natural fibres is recent ongoing research. In this article, thermal characteristics of sisal fibre reinforced epoxy composites are evaluated for treated and untreated fibres considering different volume fractions of 0–30%. The results revealed that the increase in the fibre volume fraction increased the insulation performance of the composites for both treated and untreated fibres. More than 200% insulation rate was achieved at the volume fraction of 20% of treated sisal fibres. Untreated fibres showed about 400% insulation rate; however, it is not recommended to use untreated fibres from mechanical point of view. The results indicated that there is potential of using the developed composites for insulation purposes.

DFT Study On Effects of CO2 Contamination in Non-Aqueous Li-Air Batteries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mekonnen, Yedilfana Setarge; Mýrdal, Jón Steinar Garðarsson; Vegge, Tejs

2013-01-01

Density Functional Theory (DFT) studies on the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) contamination at the cathode of rechargeable non-aqueous Li-O2 batteries, where the insulating material Lithium peroxide (Li2O2) is the main discharge product. The Li2O2 growth mechanism and overpotentials are investig...... and result in an increased battery capacity. However, CO2 contamination on the Li2O2 surface confirms an asymmetric increase in the overpotentials; particularly the charging overvoltage exhibits sustantial increase, which would reduce the efficiency of the Li-air battery.......Density Functional Theory (DFT) studies on the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) contamination at the cathode of rechargeable non-aqueous Li-O2 batteries, where the insulating material Lithium peroxide (Li2O2) is the main discharge product. The Li2O2 growth mechanism and overpotentials...

Polymer-Reinforced, Non-Brittle, Lightweight Cryogenic Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, David M.

2013-01-01

The primary application for cryogenic insulating foams will be fuel tank applications for fueling systems. It is crucial for this insulation to be incorporated into systems that survive vacuum and terrestrial environments. It is hypothesized that by forming an open-cell silica-reinforced polymer structure, the foam structures will exhibit the necessary strength to maintain shape. This will, in turn, maintain the insulating capabilities of the foam insulation. Besides mechanical stability in the form of crush resistance, it is important for these insulating materials to exhibit water penetration resistance. Hydrocarbon-terminated foam surfaces were implemented to impart hydrophobic functionality that apparently limits moisture penetration through the foam. During the freezing process, water accumulates on the surfaces of the foams. However, when hydrocarbon-terminated surfaces are present, water apparently beads and forms crystals, leading to less apparent accumulation. The object of this work is to develop inexpensive structural cryogenic insulation foam that has increased impact resistance for launch and ground-based cryogenic systems. Two parallel approaches will be pursued: a silica-polymer co-foaming technique and a post foam coating technique. Insulation characteristics, flexibility, and water uptake can be fine-tuned through the manipulation of the polyurethane foam scaffold. Silicate coatings for polyurethane foams and aerogel-impregnated polyurethane foams have been developed and tested. A highly porous aerogel-like material may be fabricated using a co-foam and coated foam techniques, and can insulate at liquid temperatures using the composite foam

Reduction of heat insulation upon soaking of the insulation layer

Science.gov (United States)

Achtliger, J.

1983-09-01

Improved thermal protection of hollow masonry by introduction of a core insulation between the inner and outer shell is discussed. The thermal conductivity of insulation materials was determined in dry state and after soaking by water with different volume-related moisture contents. The interpolated thermal conductivity values from three measured values at 10 C average temperature are presented as a function of the pertinent moisture content. Fills of expanded polystyrene, perlite and granulated mineral fibers, insulating boards made of mineral fibers and in situ cellular plastics produced from urea-formaldehyde resin were investigated. Test results show a confirmation of thermal conductivity values for insulating materials in hollow masonry.

Nonlinear Dielectric Response of Water Treed XLPE Cable Insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hvidsten, Sverre

1999-07-01

Condition assessment of XLPE power cables is becoming increasingly important for the utilities, due to a large number of old cables in service with high probability of failure caused by water tree degradation. The commercial available techniques are generally based upon measurements of the dielectric response, either by time (polarisation/depolarisation current or return voltage) or frequency domain measurements. Recently it has been found that a high number of water trees in XLPE insulated cables causes the dielectric response to increase more than linearly with increasing test voltage. This nonlinear feature of water tree degraded XLPE insulation has been suggested to be of a great importance, both for diagnostic purposes, and for fundamental understanding of the water tree phenomenon itself. The main purpose of this thesis have been to study the nonlinear feature of the dielectric response measured on watertreed XLPE insulation. This has been performed by dielectric response measurements in both time and frequency domain, numerical calculations of losses of simplified water tree models, and fmally water content and water permeation measurements on single water trees. The dielectric response measurements were performed on service aged cable samples and laboratory aged Rogowski type objects. The main reason for performing laboratory ageing was to facilitate diagnostic testing as a function of ageing time of samples containing mainly vented water trees. A new method, based upon inserting NaC1 particles at the interface between the upper semiconductive screen and the insulation, was found to successfully enhance initiation and growth of vented water trees. AC breakdown strength testing show that it is the vented water trees that reduce the breakdown level of both the laboratory aged test objects and service aged cable samples. Vented water treeing was found to cause the dielectric response to become nonlinear at a relatively low voltage level. However, the measured

Optical microcavities based on surface modes in two-dimensional photonic crystals and silicon-on-insulator photonic crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xiao, Sanshui; Qiu, M.

2007-01-01

Surface-mode optical microcavities based on two-dimensional photonic crystals and silicon-on-insulator photonic crystals are studied. We demonstrate that a high-quality-factor microcavity can be easily realized in these structures. With an increasing of the cavity length, the quality factor is gr...... is gradually enhanced and the resonant frequency converges to that of the corresponding surface mode in the photonic crystals. These structures have potential applications such as sensing.......Surface-mode optical microcavities based on two-dimensional photonic crystals and silicon-on-insulator photonic crystals are studied. We demonstrate that a high-quality-factor microcavity can be easily realized in these structures. With an increasing of the cavity length, the quality factor...

Insulating Foams Save Money, Increase Safety

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Scientists at Langley Research Center created polyimide foam insulation for reusable cryogenic propellant tanks on the space shuttle. Meanwhile, a small Hialeah, Florida-based business, PolyuMAC Inc., was looking for advanced foams to use in the customized manufacturing of acoustical and thermal insulation. The company contacted NASA, licensed the material, and then the original inventors worked with the company's engineers to make a new material that was better for both parties. The new version, a high performance, flame retardant, flexible polyimide foam, is used for insulating NASA cryogenic propellant tanks and shows promise for use on watercraft, aircraft, spacecraft, electronics and electrical products, automobiles and automotive products, recreation equipment, and building and construction materials.

Impact of external longwave radiation on optimum insulation thickness in Tunisian building roofs based on a dynamic analytical model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daouas, Naouel

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An efficient tool is proposed for a rigorous energy analysis of building envelope. • The longwave radiation has an important impact on the energy requirements. • Optimum insulation thickness for roofs is rigorously determined in a cost analysis. • The present method is more accurate than the sol–air degree hours method. • The proposed model is applicable to the study of the efficiency of cool roofs. - Abstract: In Tunisia, the building sector is considered as a major issue of energy consumption. A special attention should be drawn to improve the thermal quality of the building envelope with real consideration of the Tunisian climate specificity. One of the most effective measures is the roof insulation. Therefore, the present study is concerned with the determination of the optimum insulation thickness and the resulting energy savings and payback period for two typical roof structures and two types of insulation materials. An efficient analytical dynamic model based on the Complex Finite Fourier Transform (CFFT) is proposed and validated in order to handle the nonlinear longwave radiation (LWR) exchange with the sky. This model provides a short computational time solution of the transient heat transfer through multilayer roofs, which could be a good alternative to some numerical methods. Both heating and cooling annual loads are rigorously estimated and used as inputs to a life-cycle cost analysis. Among the studied cases, the most economical one is the hollow terracotta-based roof insulated with rock wool, where the optimum insulation thickness is estimated to be 7.9 cm, with a payback period of 6.06 years and energy savings up to 58.06% of the cost of energy consumed without insulation. The impact of the LWR exchange component is quantified and the results show its important effect on the annual transmission loads and, consequently, on optimum insulation thickness. A sensitivity analysis shows the efficiency of cool roofs in the Tunisian

Development of a prototype for investigation of moisture in insulation of oil pipelines based on neutron backscattering method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tran Thanh Minh; Vuong Duc Phung; Mai Cong Thanh; Le Van Loc

2017-01-01

The moisture in the insulations is the main reason causing the corrosion on the surfaces of pipeline systems in the petrochemical and fertilizer plants. Therefore, the moisture inspection is one of high demands as operation procedure of the plants. Based on the essential demand on the moisture inspection in insulation, a portable moisture detection system including a He-3 proportion detector and a Am-Be neutron source has been researched and developed at CANTI in the national project. The system can detect the moisture in insulation with Limit of Detection-LOD about 32%, 48%, 63%, 76%, 86%, 90%, 93%, 94% at the oil level 0 cm, 2 cm, 4 cm, 6 cm, 8 cm, 10 cm, 12 cm, 14 cm respectively. (author)

Green remediation of contaminated sediment by stabilization/solidification with industrial by-products and CO2 utilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lei; Chen, Liang; Tsang, Daniel C W; Li, Jiang-Shan; Yeung, Tiffany L Y; Ding, Shiming; Poon, Chi Sun

2018-08-01

Navigational dredging is an excavation of marine/freshwater sediment to maintain channels of sufficient depth for shipping safety. Due to historical inputs of anthropogenic contaminants, sediments are often contaminated by metals/metalloids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other contaminants. Its disposal can present significant environmental and financial burdens. This study developed a novel and green remediation method for contaminated sediment using stabilization/solidification with calcium-rich/low-calcium industrial by-products and CO 2 utilization. The hydration products were evaluated by quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. The incorporation of calcium carbide residue (CCR) facilitated hydration reaction and provided relatively high 7-d strength. In contrast, the addition of Class-F pulverized fly ash (PFA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) was beneficial to the 28-d strength development due to supplementary pozzolanic and hydration reactions. The employment of 1-d CO 2 curing was found to promote strength development (98%) and carbon sequestration (4.3wt%), while additional 7-d air curing facilitated cement rehydration and further carbonation in the sediment blocks. The leachability tests indicated that all studied binders, especially CCR binder, effectively immobilized contaminants in the sediments. The calcium-rich CCR and GGBS were regarded as promising candidates for augmenting the efficacy of CO 2 curing, whereas GGBS samples could be applicable as eco-paving blocks in view of their superior 28-d strength. This study presents a new and sustainable way to transform contaminated sediment into value-added materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Composite Behavior of a Novel Insulated Concrete Sandwich Wall Panel Reinforced with GFRP Shear Grids: Effects of Insulation Types.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, JunHee; You, Young-Chan

2015-03-03

A full-scale experimental program was used in this study to investigate the structural behavior of novel insulated concrete sandwich wall panels (SWPs) reinforced with grid-type glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) shear connectors. Two kinds of insulation-expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) with 100 mm thickness were incased between the two concrete wythes to meet the increasing demand for the insulation performance of building envelope. One to four GFRP shear grids were used to examine the degree of composite action of the two concrete wythes. Ten specimens of SWPs were tested under displacement control subjected to four-point concentrated loads. The test results showed that the SWPs reinforced with GFRP grids as shear connectors developed a high degree of composite action resulting in high flexural strength. The specimens with EPS foam exhibited an enhanced load-displacement behavior compared with the specimens with XPS because of the relatively stronger bond between insulation and concrete. In addition, the ultimate strength of the test results was compared to the analytical prediction with the mechanical properties of only GRFP grids. The specimens with EPS insulation presented higher strength-based composite action than the ones with XPS insulation.

Highly radiation-resistant vacuum impregnation resin systems for fusion magnet insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabian, P.E.; Munshi, N.A.; Denis, R.J.

2002-01-01

Magnets built for fusion devices such as the newly proposed Fusion Ignition Research Experiment (FIRE) need to be highly reliable, especially in a high radiation environment. Insulation materials are often the weak link in the design of superconducting magnets due to their sensitivity to high radiation doses, embrittlement at cryogenic temperatures, and the limitations on their fabricability. An insulation system capable of being vacuum impregnated with desirable properties such as a long pot-life, high strength, and excellent electrical integrity and which also provides high resistance to radiation would greatly improve magnet performance and reduce the manufacturing costs. A new class of insulation materials has been developed utilizing cyanate ester chemistries combined with other known radiation-resistant resins, such as bismaleimides and polyimides. These materials have been shown to meet the demanding requirements of the next generation of devices, such as FIRE. Post-irradiation testing to levels that exceed those required for FIRE showed no degradation in mechanical properties. In addition, the cyanate ester-based systems showed excellent performance at cryogenic temperatures and possess a wide range of processing variables, which will enable cost-effective fabrication of new magnets. This paper details the processing parameters, mechanical properties at 76 K and 4 K, as well as post-irradiation testing to dose levels surpassing 10 8 Gy

Utilization of polymer enclosed intermediate class arresters to improve the performance of modern power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakich, J.D.; Lenk, D.W.; Koepfinger, J.L.

1992-01-01

This paper introduces the first commercially available polymer enclosed intermediate class metal oxide surge arrester. It describes the unique construction of the design, including reduced size, increased flexibility, a collared seal on the polymer housing and an open webbed fiberglass-epoxy module which houses the metal oxide disc elements. Performance advantages are discussed. These include improved short term contamination performance of the insulator-like polymer design when compared to multi-unit porcelain housed designs. Data will show that polymer housed open-webbed fiberglass module construction extends the pressure relief capability beyond that of typical porcelain enclosed designs. The capability of the polymer enclosed design to withstand repeated pressure relief tests, simulating system reclose on a failed arrester, is also discussed. This paper discusses the circumstances at one utility which has considered utilizing polymer enclosed intermediate class arresters to effectively upgrade their system protection capabilities

Intervention and decontamination of hardware contaminated by tritium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerre, Pierre; Mestre, Emile

1964-10-01

This report first describes the intervention process for teams intervening, either in case of accident or to modify or repair installations in which tritium is handled, i.e. in both cases in a contaminated atmosphere. Three main aspects are addressed: how to prepare and insulate the work place from the rest of the installation, how to protect the intervening personnel, and how to perform decontamination. The authors then present the various available decontamination techniques: decontamination bath at different temperatures and use of different chemical solutions at different temperatures, the degassing technique (temperature increase and vacuum, temperature hold during 30 to 45 minutes, return to atmospheric pressure), and mercury-based decontamination

Propagation Characteristics of Multilayer Hybrid Insulator-Metal-Insulator and Metal-Insulator-Metal Plasmonic Waveguides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Talafi Noghani

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Propagation characteristics of symmetrical and asymmetrical multilayer hybrid insulator-metal-insulator (HIMI and metal-insulator-metal (HMIM plasmonic slab waveguides are investigated using the transfer matrix method. Propagation length (Lp and spatial length (Ls are used as two figures of merit to qualitate the plasmonic waveguides. Symmetrical structures are shown to be more performant (having higher Lp and lower Ls, nevertheless it is shown that usage of asymmetrical geometry could compensate for the performance degradation in practically realized HIMI waveguides with different substrate materials. It is found that HMIM slab waveguide could support almost long-range subdiffraction plasmonic modes at dimensions lower than the spatial length of the HIMI slab waveguide.

Screening-level exposure-based prioritization to identify potential POPs, vPvBs and planetary boundary threats among Arctic contaminants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Efstathios Reppas-Chrysovitsinos

2017-06-01

Full Text Available A report that reviews Arctic contaminants that are not currently regulated as persistent organic pollutants (POPs under international treaties was recently published by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP. We evaluated 464 individual chemicals mentioned in the AMAP report according to hazard profiles for POPs, very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB chemicals, and two novel and distinct hazard profiles we derived from the planetary boundary threat framework. The two planetary boundary threat profiles assign high priority to chemicals that will be mobile and poorly reversible environmental contaminants. Utilizing persistence as a proxy for poor reversibility, we defined two exposure-based hazard profiles; airborne persistent contaminants (APCs and waterborne persistent contaminants (WPCs that are potential planetary boundary threats. We used in silico estimates of physicochemical properties and multimedia models to calculate hazard metrics for persistence, bioaccumulation and long-range transport potential, then we synthesized this information into four exposure-based hazard scores of the potential of each AMAP chemical to fit each of the POP, vPvB, APC and WPC exposure-based hazard profiles. As an alternative to adopting a “bright line” score that represented cause for concern, we scored the AMAP chemicals by benchmarking against a reference set of 148 known and relatively well-studied contaminants and expressed their exposure-based hazard scores as percentile ranks against the scores of the reference set chemicals. Our results show that scores in the four exposure-based hazard profiles provide complementary information about the potential environmental exposure-based hazards of the AMAP chemicals. Our POP, vPvB, APC and WPC exposure-based hazard scores identify high priority chemicals for further study from among the AMAP contaminants.

Further considerations for damping in heavily insulated pipe systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, M.J.; Lindquist, M.R.; Severud, L.K.

1985-01-01

Over the past several years a body of test data has been accumulated which demonstrates that damping in small diameter heavily insulated pipe systems is much larger than presently recommended by Regulatory Guide 1.61. This data is generally based on pipe systems using a stand-off insulation design with a heater annulus. Additional tests have how been completed on similar pipe systems using a strap-on insulation design without the heater annulus. Results indicate some reduction in damping over the stand-off designs. Test data has also been obtained on a larger sixteen-inch diameter heavily insulated pipe system. Results of these two additional test series are presented. Revised damping values for seismic design of heavily insulated pipe systems are then recommended

Further considerations for damping in heavily insulated pipe systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, M.J.; Lindquist, M.R.; Severud, L.K.

1985-01-01

Over the past several years a body of test data has been accumulated which demonstrates that damping in small diameter heavily insulated pipe systems is much larger than presently recommended by Regulatory Code 1.61. This data is generally based on pipe systems using a stand-off insulation design with a heater annulus. Additional tests have now been completed on similar pipe systems using a strap-on insulation design without the heater annulus. Results indicate some reduction in damping over the stand-off designs. Test data has also been obtained on a larger sixteen-inch diameter heavily insulated pipe system. Results of these two additional test series are presented. Revised damping values for seismic design for heavily insulated pipe systems are then recommended

The Wick-Concept for Thermal Insulation of Cold Piping

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koverdynsky, Vit; Korsgaard, Vagn; Rode, Carsten

2006-01-01

the wick-concept in either of two variations: the self-drying or the self-sealing system. Experiments have been carried out using different variations of the two systems to investigate the conditions for exploiting the drying capabilities of the systems, and the results are presented. The results show......The wick-concept for thermal insulation of cold piping is based on capillary suction of a fiber fabric to remove excess water from the pipe surface by transporting it to the outer surface of the insulation. From the surface of the insulation jacket, the water will evaporate to the ambient air....... This will prevent long-term accumulation of moisture in the insulation material. The wick keeps the hydrophobic insulation dry, allowing it to maintain its thermal performance. The liquid moisture is kept only in the wick fabric. This article presents the principle of operation of cold pipe insulation using...

Passive Collecting of Solar Radiation Energy using Transparent Thermal Insulators, Energetic Efficiency of Transparent Thermal Insulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smajo Sulejmanovic

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper explains passive collection of solar radiation energy using transparent thermal insulators. Transparent thermal insulators are transparent for sunlight, at the same time those are very good thermal insulators. Transparent thermal insulators can be placed instead of standard conventional thermal insulators and additionally transparent insulators can capture solar radiation, transform it into heat and save heat just as standard insulators. Using transparent insulators would lead to reduce in usage of fossil fuels and would help protection of an environment and reduce effects of global warming, etc.

Terahertz imaging of Landau levels in HgTe-based topological insulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kadykov, Aleksandr M.; Krishtopenko, Sergey S. [Laboratoire Charles Coulomb (L2C), UMR 5221 CNRS–Université de Montpellier, Montpellier (France); Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences, GSP-105, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Torres, Jeremie [Institut d' Electronique et des Systèmes (IES), UMR 5214 CNRS–Université de Montpellier, Montpellier (France); Consejo, Christophe; Ruffenach, Sandra; Marcinkiewicz, Michal; But, Dmytro; Teppe, Frederic, E-mail: frederic.teppe@umontpellier.fr [Laboratoire Charles Coulomb (L2C), UMR 5221 CNRS–Université de Montpellier, Montpellier (France); Knap, Wojciech [Laboratoire Charles Coulomb (L2C), UMR 5221 CNRS–Université de Montpellier, Montpellier (France); Institute of High Pressure Institute Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 01-447 Warsaw (Poland); Morozov, Sergey V.; Gavrilenko, Vladimir I. [Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences, GSP-105, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Mikhailov, Nikolai N. [Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Akademika Lavrent' eva 13, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Dvoretsky, Sergey A. [Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Akademika Lavrent' eva 13, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)

2016-06-27

We report on sub-terahertz photoconductivity under the magnetic field of a two dimensional topological insulator based on HgTe quantum wells. We perform a detailed visualization of Landau levels by means of photoconductivity measured at different gate voltages. This technique allows one to determine a critical magnetic field, corresponding to topological phase transition from inverted to normal band structure, even in almost gapless samples. The comparison with realistic calculations of Landau levels reveals a smaller role of bulk inversion asymmetry in HgTe quantum wells than it was assumed previously.

Determination of optimum insulation thicknesses using economical analyse for exterior walls of buildings with different masses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Okan Kon

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this study, five different cities were selected from the five climatic zones according to Turkish standard TS 825, and insulation thicknesses of exterior walls of sample buildings were calculated by using optimization. Vertical perforated bricks with density of 550 kg/m3 and 1000 kg/m3 were chosen within the study content. Glass wool, expanded polystyrene (XPS, extruded polystyrene (EPS were considered as insulation materials. Additionally, natural gas, coal, fuel oil and LPG were utilized as fuel for heating process while electricity was used for cooling.  Life cycle cost (LCC analysis and degree-day method were the approaches for optimum insulation thickness calculations. As a result, in case of usage vertical perforated bricks with density of 550 kg/m3 and 1000 kg/m3 resulted different values in between 0.005-0.007 m (5-7 mm in the optimum insulation thickness calculations under different insulation materials.  Minimum optimum insulation thickness was calculated in case XPS was preferred as insulation material, and the maximum one was calculated in case of using glass wool.

Measuring the lateral charge-carrier mobility in metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors via Kelvin-probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Milotti, Valeria; Pietsch, Manuel; Strunk, Karl-Philipp; Melzer, Christian

2018-01-01

We report a Kelvin-probe method to investigate the lateral charge-transport properties of semiconductors, most notably the charge-carrier mobility. The method is based on successive charging and discharging of a pre-biased metal-insulator-semiconductor stack by an alternating voltage applied to one edge of a laterally confined semiconductor layer. The charge carriers spreading along the insulator-semiconductor interface are directly measured by a Kelvin-probe, following the time evolution of the surface potential. A model is presented, describing the device response for arbitrary applied biases allowing the extraction of the lateral charge-carrier mobility from experimentally measured surface potentials. The method is tested using the organic semiconductor poly(3-hexylthiophene), and the extracted mobilities are validated through current voltage measurements on respective field-effect transistors. Our widely applicable approach enables robust measurements of the lateral charge-carrier mobility in semiconductors with weak impact from the utilized contact materials.

Measuring the lateral charge-carrier mobility in metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors via Kelvin-probe

Science.gov (United States)

Milotti, Valeria; Pietsch, Manuel; Strunk, Karl-Philipp; Melzer, Christian

2018-01-01

We report a Kelvin-probe method to investigate the lateral charge-transport properties of semiconductors, most notably the charge-carrier mobility. The method is based on successive charging and discharging of a pre-biased metal-insulator-semiconductor stack by an alternating voltage applied to one edge of a laterally confined semiconductor layer. The charge carriers spreading along the insulator-semiconductor interface are directly measured by a Kelvin-probe, following the time evolution of the surface potential. A model is presented, describing the device response for arbitrary applied biases allowing the extraction of the lateral charge-carrier mobility from experimentally measured surface potentials. The method is tested using the organic semiconductor poly(3-hexylthiophene), and the extracted mobilities are validated through current voltage measurements on respective field-effect transistors. Our widely applicable approach enables robust measurements of the lateral charge-carrier mobility in semiconductors with weak impact from the utilized contact materials.

Ginsburg-Landau equation around the superconductor-insulator transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, T.K.

1991-01-01

Based on the scaling theory of localization, we construct a Ginsburg-Landau (GL) equation for superconductors in an arbitrary strength of disordered potential. Using this GL equation, we reexamine the criteria for the superconductor-insulator transition and find that the transition to a localized superconductor can happen on both sides of the (normal) metal-insulator transition, in contrast to a previous prediction by Ma and Lee [Phys. Rev. B 32, 5658 (1985)] that the transition can only be on the insulator side. Furthermore, by comparing our theory with a recent scaling theory of dirty bosons by Fisher et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 587 (1990)], we conclude that nontrivial crossover behavior in transport properties may occur in the vicinity of the superconductor-insulator transition

Self-Healing Wire Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Parrish, Clyde F. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A self-healing system for an insulation material initiates a self-repair process by rupturing a plurality of microcapsules disposed on the insulation material. When the plurality of microcapsules are ruptured, reactants within the plurality of microcapsules react to form a replacement polymer in a break of the insulation material. This self-healing system has the ability to repair multiple breaks in a length of insulation material without exhausting the repair properties of the material.

Load-deflection characteristics of small bore insulated pipe clamps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severud, L.K.; Clark, G.L.

1982-01-01

High temperature LMFBR piping is subject to rapid temperature changes during transient events. Typically, this pipe is supported by specially designed insulated pipe clamps to prevent excessive thermal stress from developing during these transients. The special insulated clamps used on both FFTF and CRBR piping utilize a Belleville spring arrangement to compensate for pipe thermal expansion. Analysis indicates that this produces a non-linear, directionally sensitive clamp spring rate. Since these spring rates influence the seismic response of a supported piping system, it was deemed necessary to evaluate them further by test. This has been accomplished for the FFTF clamps. A more standard insulated pipe clamp, which does not incorporate Belleville springs to accommodate thermal expansion, was also tested. This type clamp is simple in design, and economically attractive. It may have wide application prospects for use in LMFBR small bore auxiliary piping operating at temperatures below 427 0 C. Load deflection tests were conducted on 2.54 CM and 7.62 CM diameter samples of these commercial clamps

Topological insulators Dirac equation in condensed matter

CERN Document Server

Shen, Shun-Qing

2017-01-01

This new edition presents a unified description of these insulators from one to three dimensions based on the modified Dirac equation. It derives a series of solutions of the bound states near the boundary, and describes the current status of these solutions. Readers are introduced to topological invariants and their applications to a variety of systems from one-dimensional polyacetylene, to two-dimensional quantum spin Hall effect and p-wave superconductors, three-dimensional topological insulators and superconductors or superfluids, and topological Weyl semimetals, helping them to better understand this fascinating field. To reflect research advances in topological insulators, several parts of the book have been updated for the second edition, including: Spin-Triplet Superconductors, Superconductivity in Doped Topological Insulators, Detection of Majorana Fermions and so on. In particular, the book features a new chapter on Weyl semimetals, a topic that has attracted considerable attention and has already b...

Thermal insulation performance of green roof systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Celik, Serdar; Morgan, Susan; Retzlaff, William; Once, Orcun [southern Illinois University (United States)], e-mail: scelik@siue.edu, e-mail: smorgan@siue.edu, e-mail: wretzla@siue.edu, e-mail: oonce@siue.edu

2011-07-01

With the increasing costs of energy, good building insulation has become increasingly important. Among existing insulation techniques is the green roof system, which consists of covering the roof of a building envelop with plants. The aim of this paper is to assess the impact of vegetation type and growth media on the thermal performance of green roof systems. Twelve different green roof samples were made with 4 different growth media and 3 sedum types. Temperature at the sample base was recorded every 15 minutes for 3 years; the insulation behavior was then analysed. Results showed that the insulation characteristics were achieved with a combination of haydite and sedum sexangulare. This study demonstrated that the choice of growth media and vegetation is important to the green roof system's performance; further research is required to better understand the interactions between growth media and plant roots.

Defect Detection of Adhesive Layer of Thermal Insulation Materials Based on Improved Particle Swarm Optimization of ECT.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Yintang; Jia, Yao; Zhang, Yuyan; Luo, Xiaoyuan; Wang, Hongrui

2017-10-25

This paper studies the defect detection problem of adhesive layer of thermal insulation materials. A novel detection method based on an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm of Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT) is presented. Firstly, a least squares support vector machine is applied for data processing of measured capacitance values. Then, the improved PSO algorithm is proposed and applied for image reconstruction. Finally, some experiments are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method in defect detection for adhesive layer of thermal insulation materials. The performance comparisons demonstrate that the proposed method has higher precision by comparing with traditional ECT algorithms.

A petroleum contaminated soil bioremediation facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lombard, K.; Hazen, T.

1994-06-01

The amount of petroleum contaminated soil (PCS) at the Savannah River site (SRS) that has been identified, excavated and is currently in storage has increased several fold during the last few years. Several factors have contributed to this problem: (1) South Carolina Department of Health ad Environmental control (SCDHEC) lowered the sanitary landfill maximum concentration for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in the soil from 500 to 100 parts per million (ppm), (2) removal and replacement of underground storage tanks at several sites, (3) most recently SCDHEC disallowed aeration for treatment of contaminated soil, and (4) discovery of several very large contaminated areas of soil associated with leaking underground storage tanks (LUST), leaking pipes, disposal areas, and spills. Thus, SRS has an urgent need to remediate large quantities of contaminated soil that are currently stockpiled and the anticipated contaminated soils to be generated from accidental spills. As long as we utilize petroleum based compounds at the site, we will continue to generate contaminated soil that will require remediation.

A petroleum contaminated soil bioremediation facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lombard, K.; Hazen, T.

1994-01-01

The amount of petroleum contaminated soil (PCS) at the Savannah River site (SRS) that has been identified, excavated and is currently in storage has increased several fold during the last few years. Several factors have contributed to this problem: (1) South Carolina Department of Health ad Environmental control (SCDHEC) lowered the sanitary landfill maximum concentration for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in the soil from 500 to 100 parts per million (ppm), (2) removal and replacement of underground storage tanks at several sites, (3) most recently SCDHEC disallowed aeration for treatment of contaminated soil, and (4) discovery of several very large contaminated areas of soil associated with leaking underground storage tanks (LUST), leaking pipes, disposal areas, and spills. Thus, SRS has an urgent need to remediate large quantities of contaminated soil that are currently stockpiled and the anticipated contaminated soils to be generated from accidental spills. As long as we utilize petroleum based compounds at the site, we will continue to generate contaminated soil that will require remediation

Calculation of high-temperature insulation parameters and heat transfer behaviors of multilayer insulation by inverse problems method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huang Can

2014-08-01

Full Text Available In the present paper, a numerical model combining radiation and conduction for porous materials is developed based on the finite volume method. The model can be used to investigate high-temperature thermal insulations which are widely used in metallic thermal protection systems on reusable launch vehicles and high-temperature fuel cells. The effective thermal conductivities (ECTs which are measured experimentally can hardly be used separately to analyze the heat transfer behaviors of conduction and radiation for high-temperature insulation. By fitting the effective thermal conductivities with experimental data, the equivalent radiation transmittance, absorptivity and reflectivity, as well as a linear function to describe the relationship between temperature and conductivity can be estimated by an inverse problems method. The deviation between the calculated and measured effective thermal conductivities is less than 4%. Using the material parameters so obtained for conduction and radiation, the heat transfer process in multilayer thermal insulation (MTI is calculated and the deviation between the calculated and the measured transient temperatures at a certain depth in the multilayer thermal insulation is less than 6.5%.

Advances in Thermal Insulation. Vacuum Insulation Panels and Thermal Efficiency to Reduce Energy Usage in Buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thorsell, Thomas

2012-07-01

procedure incorporates specific steps exposing the wall to different climate conditions, ranging from cold and dry to hot and humid, with and without a pressure gradient. This study showed that air infiltration alone might decrease the thermal resistance of a residential wall by 15 %, more for industrial walls. Results from the research underpin a discussion concerning the importance of a holistic approach to building design if we are to meet the challenge of energy savings and sustainability. Thermal insulation efficiency is a main concept used throughout, and since it measures utilization it is a partial measure of sustainability. It is therefore proposed as a necessary design parameter in addition to a performance indicator when designing building envelopes. The thermal insulation efficiency ranges from below 50 % for a wood stud wall poorly designed with incorporated VIP, while an optimized design with VIP placed in an uninterrupted external layer shows an efficiency of 99 %, almost perfect. Thermal insulation efficiency reflects the measured wall performance full scale test, thus indicating efficiency under varied environmental loads: heat, moisture and pressure. The building design must be as a system, integrating all the subsystems together to function in concert. New design methodologies must be created along with new, more reliable and comprehensive measuring, testing and integrating procedures. New super insulators are capable of reducing energy usage below zero energy in buildings. It would be a shame to waste them by not taking care of the rest of the system. This thesis details the steps that went into this study and shows how this can be done Key words: Vacuum insulation panels, VIP, serpentine edge, thermal bridge, composite film, gas diffusion, defect dominated, holistic approach, building enclosure, integrated testing and modeling, energy equivalent, field performance, air flow, thermal insulation efficiency.

The Development and Application of Simulative Insulation Resistance Tester

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Yan; Chai, Ziqi; Wang, Bo; Ma, Hao

2018-02-01

The insulation state determines the performance and insulation life of electrical equipment, so it has to be judged in a timely and accurate manner. Insulation resistance test, as the simplest and most basic test of high voltage electric tests, can measure the insulation resistance and absorption ratio which are effective criterion of part or whole damp or dirty, breakdown, severe overheating aging and other insulation defects. It means that the electrical test personnel need to be familiar with the principle of insulation resistance test, and able to operate the insulation resistance tester correctly. At present, like the insulation resistance test, most of electrical tests are trained by physical devices with the real high voltage. Although this allows the students to truly experience the test process and notes on security, it also has certain limitations in terms of safety and test efficiency, especially for a large number of new staves needing induction training every year. This paper presents a new kind of electrical test training system based on the simulative device of dielectric loss measurement and simulative electrical testing devices. It can not only overcome the defects of current training methods, but also provide other advantages in economical efficiency and scalability. That makes it possible for the system to be allied in widespread.

Heat insulation support device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Koda, Tomokazu; Motojima, Osamu; Yamamoto, Junya.

1994-01-01

The device of the present invention comprises a plurality of heat insulation legs disposed in a circumferential direction. Each of the heat insulative support legs has a hollow shape, and comprises an outer column and an inner column as support structures having a heat insulative property (heat insulative structure), and a thermal anchor which absorbs compulsory displacement by a thin flat plate (displacement absorber). The outer column, the thermal anchor and the inner column are connected by a support so as to offset the positional change of objects to be supported due to shrinkage when they are shrunk. In addition, the portion between the superconductive coils as the objects to be supported and the inner column is connected by the support. The superconductive thermonuclear device is entirely contained in a heat insulative vacuum vessel, and the heat insulative support legs are disposed on a lower lid of the heat insulative vacuum vessel. With such a constitution, they are strengthened against lateral load and buckling, thereby enabling to reduce the amount of heat intrusion while keeping the compulsory displacement easy to be absorbed. (I.N.)

Microbial growth and substrate utilization kinetics | Okpokwasili ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Microbial growth on and utilization of environmental contaminants as substrates have been studied by many researchers. Most times, substrate utilization results in removal of chemical contaminant, increase in microbial biomass and subsequent biodegradation of the contaminant. These are all aimed at detoxification of the ...

Admittance of MIS-Structures Based on HgCdTe with a Double-Layer CdTe/Al2O3 Insulator

Science.gov (United States)

Dzyadukh, S. M.; Voitsekhovskii, A. V.; Nesmelov, S. N.; Sidorov, G. Yu.; Varavin, V. S.; Vasil'ev, V. V.; Dvoretsky, S. A.; Mikhailov, N. N.; Yakushev, M. V.

2018-03-01

Admittance of MIS structures based on n( p)- Hg1-xCdxTe (at x from 0.22 to 0.40) with SiO2/Si3N4, Al2O3, and CdTe/Al2O3 insulators is studied experimentally at 77 K. Growth of an intermediate CdTe layer during epitaxy results in the almost complete disappearance of the hysteresis of electrophysical characteristics of MIS structures based on graded-gap n-HgCdTe for a small range of the voltage variation. For a wide range of the voltage variation, the hysteresis of the capacitance-voltage characteristics appears for MIS structures based on n-HgCdTe with the CdTe/Al2O3 insulator. However, the hysteresis mechanism differs from that in case of a single-layer Al2O3 insulator. For MIS structures based on p-HgCdTe, introduction of an additional CdTe layer does not lead to a significant decrease of the hysteresis phenomena, which may be due to the degradation of the interface properties when mercury leaves the film as a result of low-temperature annealing changing the conductivity type of the semiconductor.

Economically optimal thermal insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berber, J.

1978-10-01

Exemplary calculations to show that exact adherence to the demands of the thermal insulation ordinance does not lead to an optimal solution with regard to economics. This is independent of the mode of financing. Optimal thermal insulation exceeds the values given in the thermal insulation ordinance.

Panels of microporous insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McWilliams, J.A.; Morgan, D.E.; Jackson, J.D.J.

1990-08-07

Microporous thermal insulation materials have a lattice structure in which the average interstitial dimension is less than the mean free path of the molecules of air or other gas in which the material is arranged. This results in a heat flow which is less than that attributable to the molecular heat diffusion of the gas. According to this invention, a method is provided for manufacturing panels of microporous thermal insulation, in particular such panels in which the insulation material is bonded to a substrate. The method comprises the steps of applying a film of polyvinyl acetate emulsion to a non-porous substrate, and compacting powdery microporous thermal insulation material against the film so as to cause the consolidated insulation material to bond to the substrate and form a panel. The polyvinyl acetate may be applied by brushing or spraying, and is preferably allowed to dry prior to compacting the insulation material. 1 fig.

Surface potential measurement of the insulator with secondary electron caused by negative ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuji, Hiroshi; Toyota, Yoshitaka; Nagumo, Syoji; Gotoh, Yasuhito; Ishikawa, Junzo; Sakai, Shigeki; Tanjyo, Masayasu; Matsuda, Kohji.

1994-01-01

Ion implantation has the merit of the good controllability of implantation profile and low temperature process, and has been utilized for the impurity introduction in LSI production. However, positive ion implantation is carried out for insulator or insulated conductor substrates, their charged potential rises, which is a serious problem. As the requirement for them advanced, charge compensation method is not the effective means for resolving it. The negative ion implantation in which charging is little was proposed. When the experiment on the negative ion implantation into insulated conductors was carried out, it was verified that negative ion implantation is effective as the implantation process without charging. The method of determining the charged potential of insulators at the time of negative ion implantation by paying attention to the energy distribution of the secondary electrons emitted from substrates at the time was devised. The energy analyzer for measuring the energy distribution of secondary electrons was made, and the measurement of the charged potential of insulators was carried out. The principle of the measurement, the measuring system and the experimental results are reported. (K.I.)

Total dose hardening of buried insulator in implanted silicon-on-insulator structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, B.Y.; Chen, C.E.; Pollack, G.; Hughes, H.L.; Davis, G.E.

1987-01-01

Total dose characteristics of the buried insulator in implanted silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates have been studied using MOS transistors. The threshold voltage shift of the parasitic back channel transistor, which is controlled by charge trapping in the buried insulator, is reduced by lowering the oxygen dose as well as by an additional nitrogen implant, without degrading the front channel transistor characteristics. The improvements in the radiation characteristics of the buried insulator are attributed to the decrease in the buried oxide thickness or to the presence of the interfacial oxynitride layer formed by the oxygen and nitrogen implants

Monitoring of tritium-contaminated surfaces, including skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surette, R.A.; Wood, M.J.

1994-05-01

We have examined various commercially available tritium surface contamination monitors along with different swipe media and techniques for direct and indirect (swipe) monitoring of contaminated surfaces, including skin. None of the methods or instruments evaluated were more sensitive than the swipe and liquid scintillation counting (LSC) method. Swipe measurements with open-window proportional counters were, in general, less than half as sensitive as LSC, but have the advantages of having the results available almost immediately, and no sample preparation is required. The Nuclear Measurement Corporation's PC-55 is the most suitable instrument we tested for the analysis of routine swipe measurement. The PC-55 was about one third as sensitive as LSC when used with Ontario Hydro filter paper swipe media. Surface contamination measurement results can be obtained within minutes using the PC-55, compared to hours using LSC. The selection of swipe media for use with proportional counter-based instruments is critical. A medium that is electrically insulating can develop an electrostatic charge on its surface; this may alter the field gradient in the detector and may adversely influence the results. Although the PC-55 is sufficiently sensitive and very convenient, operational experience with the instrument is needed before recommending that it replace current LSC methods. The PC-55's susceptibility to internal tritium contamination may limit its practical usefulness. Because of the complexity of using live animals to evaluate direct and indirect methods for assessing skin contamination, pig skin was investigated as a possible substitute. We concluded that, for the first few hours post-exposure, pig skin mimics the kinetics of animal skin that has contacted a tritium-contaminated surface. (author). 30 refs., 1 tab., 7 figs

Managing long-term polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminated soils: a risk-based approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Luchun; Naidu, Ravi; Thavamani, Palanisami; Meaklim, Jean; Megharaj, Mallavarapu

2015-06-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a family of contaminants that consist of two or more aromatic rings fused together. Soils contaminated with PAHs pose significant risk to human and ecological health. Over the last 50 years, significant research has been directed towards the cleanup of PAH-contaminated soils to background level. However, this achieved only limited success especially with high molecular weight compounds. Notably, during the last 5-10 years, the approach to remediate PAH-contaminated soils has changed considerably. A risk-based prioritization of remediation interventions has become a valuable step in the management of contaminated sites. The hydrophobicity of PAHs underlines that their phase distribution in soil is strongly influenced by factors such as soil properties and ageing of PAHs within the soil. A risk-based approach recognizes that exposure and environmental effects of PAHs are not directly related to the commonly measured total chemical concentration. Thus, a bioavailability-based assessment using a combination of chemical analysis with toxicological assays and nonexhaustive extraction technique would serve as a valuable tool in risk-based approach for remediation of PAH-contaminated soils. In this paper, the fate and availability of PAHs in contaminated soils and their relevance to risk-based management of long-term contaminated soils are reviewed. This review may serve as guidance for the use of site-specific risk-based management methods.

Survey of thermal insulation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinoshita, Izumi

1983-01-01

Better thermal insulations have been developed to meet the growing demands of industry, and studies on thermal insulation at both high temperature and low temperature have been widely performed. The purpose of this survey is to summarize data on the performances and characteristics of thermal insulation materials and thermal insulation structures (for instance, gas cooled reactors, space vehicles and LNG storage tanks), and to discuss ravious problems regarding the design of thermal insulation structures of pool-type LMFBRs. (author)

Insulated Wire Fed Floating Monopole Antenna for Coastal Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. M. Loni

2018-04-01

Full Text Available A thin, flexible, insulated wire submerged in seawater forms a coaxial cable which has attenuation at ultra-high frequency (UHF dependent on the operating frequency, the diameter of the insulating material and the diameter of the inner conductor. An extension of the insulated wire above the surface through a spherical float forms a monopole antenna. Attenuation through the wire depends on the conductivity and temperature of seawater. This paper reports the effect of electromagnetic (EM wave propagation at 433 MHz through insulated wires with different radii of the insulating material and inner conductor. The attenuation was calculated and measured in the range of 32-47 dB/m. The propagation from the monopole antenna to a fixed shore based receiver was measured to be approximately equal to 1 dB/m. The propagation measurements were compared with a shielded coaxial cable. Results show that the propagation range depends on the ratio of the insulation radius to conductor radius for insulated wire, however, a shielded coaxial cable showed no significant attenuation. The technique has applications in coastal wireless sensor networks where the water depth changes continually due to tide and wave motion.

Thermal insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinsky, G.P.

1977-01-01

Thermal insulation for vessels and piping within the reactor containment area of nuclear power plants is disclosed. The thermal insulation of this invention can be readily removed and replaced from the vessels and piping for inservice inspection, can withstand repeated wettings and dryings, and can resist high temperatures for long periods of time. 4 claims, 3 figures

Wrapped Multilayer Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Dye, Scott A.

2015-01-01

New NASA vehicles, such as Earth Departure Stage (EDS), Orion, landers, and orbiting fuel depots, need improved cryogenic propellant transfer and storage for long-duration missions. Current cryogen feed line multilayer insulation (MLI) performance is 10 times worse per area than tank MLI insulation. During each launch, cryogenic piping loses approximately 150,000 gallons (equivalent to $300,000) in boil-off during transfer, chill down, and ground hold. Quest Product Development Corp., teaming with Ball Aerospace, developed an innovative advanced insulation system, Wrapped MLI (wMLI), to provide improved thermal insulation for cryogenic feed lines. wMLI is high-performance multilayer insulation designed for cryogenic piping. It uses Quest's innovative discrete-spacer technology to control layer spacing/ density and reduce heat leak. The Phase I project successfully designed, built, and tested a wMLI prototype with a measured heat leak 3.6X lower than spiral-wrapped conventional MLI widely used for piping insulation. A wMLI prototype had a heat leak of 7.3 W/m2, or 27 percent of the heat leak of conventional MLI (26.7 W/m2). The Phase II project is further developing wMLI technology with custom, molded polymer spacers and advancing the product toward commercialization via a rigorous testing program, including developing advanced vacuuminsulated pipe for ground support equipment.

Infrared circular photogalvanic effect in topological insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Siyuan

2018-04-01

Topological insulators have attracted a lot of attention in recent years due to its unique phenomena. Circular photogalvanic effect (CPGE) is one of the important phenomena in topological insulators. Bi2Se3, as one of the 3D topological insulators, consist of a single Dirac cone at the Γ point in k-space [1], corresponding to the surface states. Controlled by the Berry curvature of the surface band, the dominant photo response due to the interband transition is helicity dependent [2]. In addition, due to the spin-momentum locking in topological insulators' surface, the sign of spin-angular-momentum of obliquely incident light and photo currents are locked together. On the other hand, Bi2Se3 consists of quintuple layers which make it possible to be exfoliated and transferred based on graphene fabrication. In this paper, Bi2Se3 devices were fabricated and Ohm contact was achieved. We experimentally demonstrated the CPGE in Bi2Se3 using 1550nm incident laser.

PCB management at Manitoba Hydro's Waverley Service Centre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rempel, R.G.; Engstrom, T.

1996-01-01

Manitoba Hydro was the first Canadian utility to initiate a program to decontaminate insulating oil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). This paper describes Manitoba Hydro's recovery, reuse and recycling program, operated out of the utility's Waverley Service Centre (WSC). The WSC is a central facility serving to phase out and and destroy PCBs which remain in Manitoba Hydro's electrical system. Several hundred thousand litres of PCB-contaminated insulating oil are decontaminated annually at the WSC. The decontaminated oil is then reconditioned for reuse within the system operations. A PCBX unit was purchased from Sun Ohio for the decontamination of insulating oils containing PCBs. PCB decontamination is achieved through a chemical dechlorination treatment process. The PCBX treatment unit and the PCB storage building were described. 18 refs., 8 figs

Waste Contaminants at Military Bases Working Group report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

The Waste Contaminants at Military Bases Working Group has screened six prospective demonstration projects for consideration by the Federal Advisory Committee to Develop On-Site Innovative Technologies (DOIT). These projects include the Kirtland Air Force Base Demonstration Project, the March Air Force Base Demonstration Project, the McClellan Air Force Base Demonstration Project, the Williams Air Force Base Demonstration Project, and two demonstration projects under the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence. A seventh project (Port Hueneme Naval Construction Battalion Center) was added to list of prospective demonstrations after the September 1993 Working Group Meeting. This demonstration project has not been screened by the working group. Two additional Air Force remediation programs are also under consideration and are described in Section 6 of this document. The following information on prospective demonstrations was collected by the Waste Contaminants at Military Bases Working Group to assist the DOIT Committee in making Phase 1 Demonstration Project recommendations. The remainder of this report is organized into seven sections: Work Group Charter's mission and vision; contamination problems, current technology limitations, and institutional and regulatory barriers to technology development and commercialization, and work force issues; screening process for initial Phase 1 demonstration technologies and sites; demonstration descriptions -- good matches;demonstration descriptions -- close matches; additional candidate demonstration projects; and next steps

Low Permeability Polyimide Insulation, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Resodyn Technologies proposes a new technology that enables the application of polyimide based cryogenic insulation with low hydrogen permeability. This effort...

Beyond insulation and isolation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Højlund, Marie Koldkjær

2016-01-01

are insulation and isolation strategies to reduce measurable and perceptual noise levels. However, these strategies do not actively support the need to feel like an integral part of the shared hospital environment, which is a key element in creating healing environments, according to the paradigm of Evidence-Based...

Optimization of insulation of a linear Fresnel collector

Science.gov (United States)

Ardekani, Mohammad Moghimi; Craig, Ken J.; Meyer, Josua P.

2017-06-01

This study presents a simulation based optimization study of insulation around the cavity receiver of a Linear Fresnel Collector. This optimization study focuses on minimizing heat losses from a cavity receiver (maximizing plant thermal efficiency), while minimizing insulation cross-sectional area (minimizing material cost and cavity dead load), which leads to a cheaper and thermally more efficient LFC cavity receiver.

Load-deflection characteristics of small-bore insulated-pipe clamps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severud, L.K.; Clark, G.L.

1981-12-01

The special insulated clamps used on both FFTF and CRBR piping utilize a Belleville spring arrangement to compensate for pipe thermal expansion. Analysis indicates that this produces a non-linear, directionally sensitive clamp spring rate. Since these spring rates influence the seismic response of a supported piping system, it was deemed necessary to evaluate them further by test. This has been accomplished for the FFTF clamps. A more standard insulated pipe clamp, which does not incorporate Belleville springs to accommodate thermal expansion, was also tested. This type clamp is simple in design, and economically attractive. It may have wide application prospects for use in LMFBR small bore auxiliary piping operating at temperatures below 427 0 C. Load deflection tests were conducted on 2.54 CM and 7.62 CM diameter samples of these commercial clamps

Magnetically self-insulated transformers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novac, B.M.; Smith, I.R.; Brown, J.

2002-01-01

Magnetic insulation is the only practicable form of insulation for much equipment used in ultrahigh pulsed-power work, including transmission lines and plasma opening switches. It has not however so far been successfully exploited in the transformers that are necessarily involved, and the first proposed design that appeared more than 30 years ago raised apparently insuperable problems. The two novel arrangements for a magnetically insulated transformer described in this paper overcome the problems faced by the earlier designs and also offer considerable scope for development in a number of important areas. Theoretical justification is given for their insulating properties, and this is confirmed by proof-of-principle results obtained from a small-scale experimental prototype in which magnetic insulation was demonstrated at up to 100 kV. (author)

An Insulating Glass Knowledge Base

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michael L. Doll; Gerald Hendrickson; Gerard Lagos; Russell Pylkki; Chris Christensen; Charlie Cureija

2005-08-01

This report will discuss issues relevant to Insulating Glass (IG) durability performance by presenting the observations and developed conclusions in a logical sequential format. This concluding effort discusses Phase II activities and focuses on beginning to quantifying IG durability issues while continuing the approach presented in the Phase I activities (Appendix 1) which discuss a qualitative assessment of durability issues. Phase II developed a focus around two specific IG design classes previously presented in Phase I of this project. The typical box spacer and thermoplastic spacer design including their Failure Modes and Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Fault Tree diagrams were chosen to address two currently used IG design options with varying components and failure modes. The system failures occur due to failures of components or their interfaces. Efforts to begin quantifying the durability issues focused on the development and delivery of an included computer based IG durability simulation program. The focus/effort to deliver the foundation for a comprehensive IG durability simulation tool is necessary to address advancements needed to meet current and future building envelope energy performance goals. This need is based upon the current lack of IG field failure data and the lengthy field observation time necessary for this data collection. Ultimately, the simulation program is intended to be used by designers throughout the current and future industry supply chain. Its use is intended to advance IG durability as expectations grow around energy conservation and with the growth of embedded technologies as required to meet energy needs. In addition the tool has the immediate benefit of providing insight for research and improvement prioritization. Included in the simulation model presentation are elements and/or methods to address IG materials, design, process, quality, induced stress (environmental and other factors), validation, etc. In addition, acquired data

Needle-Bonded Electromagnetic Shielding Thermally Insulating Nonwoven Composite Boards: Property Evaluations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia-Horng Lin

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Complicated environmental problems inevitably arise when technology advances. One major environmental problem is the presence of electromagnetic radiation. Long-term exposure to electromagnetic radiation can damage people’s health in many ways. Therefore, this study proposes producing composite boards with electromagnetic shielding effectiveness and thermal insulation by utilizing the structures and properties of materials. Different combinations of flame-retardant polyester fiber (FR fiber, recycled far-infrared polyester fiber (FI fiber, and 4D low-melting-point fibers (LM fiber were made into flame-retardant and thermally insulating matrices. The matrices and carbon fiber (CF woven fabric in a sandwich-structure were needle-punched in order to be tightly compact, and then circularly heat dried in order to have a heat set and reinforced structure. The test results indicate that Polyester (PET/CF composite boards are mechanically strong and have thermal insulation and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness at a frequency between 0.6 MHz and 3 GHz.

Parametric Investigation of Optimum Thermal Insulation Thickness for External Walls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omer Kaynakli

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Numerous studies have estimated the optimum thickness of thermal insulation materials used in building walls for different climate conditions. The economic parameters (inflation rate, discount rate, lifetime and energy costs, the heating/cooling loads of the building, the wall structure and the properties of the insulation material all affect the optimum insulation thickness. This study focused on the investigation of these parameters that affect the optimum thermal insulation thickness for building walls. To determine the optimum thickness and payback period, an economic model based on life-cycle cost analysis was used. As a result, the optimum thermal insulation thickness increased with increasing the heating and cooling energy requirements, the lifetime of the building, the inflation rate, energy costs and thermal conductivity of insulation. However, the thickness decreased with increasing the discount rate, the insulation material cost, the total wall resistance, the coefficient of performance (COP of the cooling system and the solar radiation incident on a wall. In addition, the effects of these parameters on the total life-cycle cost, payback periods and energy savings were also investigated.

Tetradymites as thermoelectrics and topological insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Heremans, Joseph P.; Cava, Robert J.; Samarth, Nitin

2017-10-01

Tetradymites are M2X3 compounds — in which M is a group V metal, usually Bi or Sb, and X is a group VI anion, Te, Se or S — that crystallize in a rhombohedral structure. Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 are archetypical tetradymites. Other mixtures of M and X elements produce common variants, such as Bi2Te2Se. Because tetradymites are based on heavy p-block elements, strong spin-orbit coupling greatly influences their electronic properties, both on the surface and in the bulk. Their surface electronic states are a cornerstone of frontier work on topological insulators. The bulk energy bands are characterized by small energy gaps, high group velocities, small effective masses and band inversion near the centre of the Brillouin zone. These properties are favourable for high-efficiency thermoelectric materials but make it difficult to obtain an electrically insulating bulk, which is a requirement of topological insulators. This Review outlines recent progress made in bulk and thin-film tetradymite materials for the optimization of their properties both as thermoelectrics and as topological insulators.

Direct current insulator based dielectrophoresis (DC-iDEP) microfluidic chip for blood plasma separation

OpenAIRE

Mohammadi, Mahdi

2015-01-01

Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) integrated microfluidics has been a powerful tool for new developments in analytical chemistry. These microfluidic systems enable the miniaturization, integration and automation of complex biochemical assays through the reduction of reagent use and enabling portability.Cell and particle separation in microfluidic systems has recently gained significant attention in many sample preparations for clinical procedures. Direct-current insulator-based dielectrophoresis (DC-iDEP) ...

To minimized power outage by the application of 'RTV' (room temperature vulcanizing) silicon on high voltage porcelain insulators in Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hafiz Tehzeeb ul Hassan

2003-01-01

In Pakistan power network comprises of 500KV, 220KV, 132KV, 66KV and 33KV transmission lines and 11KV power distribution systems. Number of insulators are used in connected units in the shape of strings with transmission line as per insulation requirements with proper design according to the various kinds of pollution stresses. The transmission lines are passing from or near polluted areas and very dusty plains of Punjab and Sindh provinces. Practices are being used in these transmission lines for removal of accumulated contamination of insulators by periodic cleaning twice a year or de-energized transmission lines. Even then discontinuation of supply takes place in the polluted areas in foggy weather. Special technique of using water repellent (Room Temperature Vulcanizing) silicone coating/paint has been introduced on high voltage disc Insulators to minimize the outage in power net work in Pakistan. Especially in high pollution areas near chemical factories and near brick kilns etc comparison study of coated and uncoated disc Insulators have been carried out by ESDD (Equal Salt Deposit Density) measurement in salt fog chamber. (author)

Hot Leg Piping Materials Issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

V. Munne

2006-01-01

With Naval Reactors (NR) approval of the Naval Reactors Prime Contractor Team (NRPCT) recommendation to develop a gas cooled reactor directly coupled to a Brayton power conversion system as the space nuclear power plant (SNPP) for Project Prometheus (References a and b) the reactor outlet piping was recognized to require a design that utilizes internal insulation (Reference c). The initial pipe design suggested ceramic fiber blanket as the insulation material based on requirements associated with service temperature capability within the expected range, very low thermal conductivity, and low density. Nevertheless, it was not considered to be well suited for internal insulation use because its very high surface area and proclivity for holding adsorbed gases, especially water, would make outgassing a source of contaminant gases in the He-Xe working fluid. Additionally, ceramic fiber blanket insulating materials become very friable after relatively short service periods at working temperatures and small pieces of fiber could be dislodged and contaminate the system. Consequently, alternative insulation materials were sought that would have comparable thermal properties and density but superior structural integrity and greatly reduced outgassing. This letter provides technical information regarding insulation and materials issues for the Hot Leg Piping preconceptual design developed for the Project Prometheus space nuclear power plant (SNPP)

Isolation of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria from different ecological sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iqbal, M.J.; Choudri, S.F.; Hameed, A.

1991-01-01

Among the various samples from different ecological sources oil contaminated soil samples and waste from sugar processing industry were found to have bacterial populations with ability of utilizing oil. In addition to oil, molasses base medium was also used to study the utilizing ability. Selection was made on the basis on the high gas production, decrease in pH, percentage of oil consumed and bacterial counts. Fermented scum and oil contaminated soil from Sehala (Islamabad) were found to contain microbes having maximum oil degrading ability. The bacterial isolates belong to the genera of Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter and Escherichia. (author)

Research on vacuum insulation for cryocables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graneau, P.

1974-01-01

Vacuum insulation, as compared with solid insulation, simplifies the construction of both resistive or superconducting cryogenic cables. The common vacuum space in the cable can furnish thermal insulation between the environment and the cryogenic coolant, provide electrical insulation between conductors, and establish thermal isolation between go- and return-coolant streams. The differences between solid and vacuum high voltage insulation are discussed, and research on the design, materials selection, and testing of vacuum insulated cryogenic cables is described

Memory window engineering of Ta2O5-x oxide-based resistive switches via incorporation of various insulating frames

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ah Rahm; Baek, Gwang Ho; Kim, Tae Yoon; Ko, Won Bae; Yang, Seung Mo; Kim, Jongmin; Im, Hyun Sik; Hong, Jin Pyo

2016-07-01

Three-dimensional (3D) stackable memory frames, including nano-scaled crossbar arrays, are one of the most reliable building blocks to meet the demand of high-density non-volatile memory electronics. However, their utilization has the disadvantage of introducing issues related to sneak paths, which can negatively impact device performance. We address the enhancement of complementary resistive switching (CRS) features via the incorporation of insulating frames as a generic approach to extend their use; here, a Pt/Ta2O5-x/Ta/Ta2O5-x/Pt frame is chosen as the basic CRS cell. The incorporation of Ta/Ta2O5-x/Ta or Pt/amorphous TaN/Pt insulting frames into the basic CRS cell ensures the appreciably advanced memory features of CRS cells including higher on/off ratios, improved read margins, and increased selectivity without reliability degradation. Experimental observations identified that a suitable insulating frame is crucial for adjusting the abrupt reset events of the switching element, thereby facilitating the enhanced electrical characteristics of CRS cells that are suitable for practical applications.

Sound Insulation between Dwellings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Birgit

2011-01-01

Regulatory sound insulation requirements for dwellings exist in more than 30 countries in Europe. In some countries, requirements have existed since the 1950s. Findings from comparative studies show that sound insulation descriptors and requirements represent a high degree of diversity...... and initiate – where needed – improvement of sound insulation of new and existing dwellings in Europe to the benefit of the inhabitants and the society. A European COST Action TU0901 "Integrating and Harmonizing Sound Insulation Aspects in Sustainable Urban Housing Constructions", has been established and runs...... 2009-2013. The main objectives of TU0901 are to prepare proposals for harmonized sound insulation descriptors and for a European sound classification scheme with a number of quality classes for dwellings. Findings from the studies provide input for the discussions in COST TU0901. Data collected from 24...

Spray Foam Exterior Insulation with Stand-Off Furring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herk, Anastasia [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Baker, Richard [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Prahl, Duncan [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

2014-03-01

IBACOS, in collaboration with GreenHomes America, was contracted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to research exterior wall insulation solutions. This research investigated cost-effective deep energy retrofit (DER) solutions for improving the building shell exterior while achieving a cost-reduction goal, including reduced labor costs to reach a 50/50 split between material and labor. The strategies included exterior wall insulation plus energy upgrades as needed in the attic, mechanical and ventilation systems, and basement band joist, walls, and floors. The work can be integrated with other home improvements such as siding or window replacement. This strategy minimizes physical connections to existing wall studs, encapsulates existing siding materials (including lead paint) with spray foam, and creates a vented rain screen assembly to promote drying. GreenHomes America applied construction details created by IBACOS to a test home. 2x4 framing members were attached to the wall at band joists and top plates using 'L' clips, with spray foam insulating the wall after framing was installed. Windows were installed simultaneously with the framing, including extension jambs. The use of clips in specific areas provided the best strength potential, and 'picture framing' the spray foam held the 2x4s in place. Short-term testing was performed at this house, with monitoring equipment installed for long-term testing. Testing measurements will be provided in a later report, as well as utility impact (before and after), costs (labor and materials), construction time, standard specifications, and analysis for the exterior wall insulation strategy.

Spray Foam Exterior Insulation with Stand-Off Furring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herk, Anatasia [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Baker, Richard [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Prahl, Duncan [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

2014-03-01

IBACOS, in collaboration with GreenHomes America, was contracted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to research exterior wall insulation solutions. This research investigated cost-effective deep energy retrofit (DER) solutions for improving the building shell exterior while achieving a cost-reduction goal, including reduced labor costs to reach a 50/50 split between material and labor. The strategies included exterior wall insulation plus energy upgrades as needed in the attic, mechanical and ventilation systems, and basement band joist, walls, and floors. The work can be integrated with other home improvements such as siding or window replacement. This strategy minimizes physical connections to existing wall studs, encapsulates existing siding materials (including lead paint) with spray foam, and creates a vented rain screen assembly to promote drying. GreenHomes America applied construction details created by IBACOS to a test home. 2x4 framing members were attached to the wall at band joists and top plates using "L" clips, with spray foam insulating the wall after framing was installed. Windows were installed simultaneously with the framing, including extension jambs. The use of clips in specific areas provided the best strength potential, and "picture framing" the spray foam held the 2x4s in place. Short-term testing was performed at this house, with monitoring equipment installed for long-term testing. Testing measurements will be provided in a later report, as well as utility impact (before and after), costs (labor and materials), construction time, standard specifications, and analysis for the exterior wall insulation strategy.

Advanced-fueled fusion reactors suitable for direct energy conversion. Project note: temperature-gradient enhancement of electrical fields in insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blum, A.S.; Mancebo, L.

1976-01-01

Direct energy converters for use on controlled fusion reactors utilize electrodes operated at elevated voltages and temperatures. The insulating elements that position these electrodes must support large voltages and under some circumstances large thermal gradients. It is shown that even modest thermal gradients can cause major alterations of the electric-field distribution within the insulating element

Absorption Voltages and Insulation Resistance in Ceramic Capacitors with Cracks

Science.gov (United States)

Teverovsky, Alexander

2016-01-01

Time dependence of absorption voltages (Vabs) in different types of low-voltage X5R and X7R ceramic capacitors was monitored for a maximum duration of hundred hours after polarization. To evaluate the effect of mechanical defects on Vabs, cracks in the dielectric were introduced either mechanically or by thermal shock. The maximum absorption voltage, time to roll-off, and the rate of voltage decrease are shown to depend on the crack-related leakage currents and insulation resistance in the parts. A simple model that is based on the Dow equivalent circuit for capacitors with absorption has been developed to assess the insulation resistance of capacitors. Standard measurements of the insulation resistance, contrary to the measurements based on Vabs, are not sensitive to the presence of mechanical defects and fail to reveal capacitors with cracks. Index Terms: Ceramic capacitor, insulation resistance, dielectric absorption, cracking.

The topological Anderson insulator phase in the Kane-Mele model

Science.gov (United States)

Orth, Christoph P.; Sekera, Tibor; Bruder, Christoph; Schmidt, Thomas L.

2016-04-01

It has been proposed that adding disorder to a topologically trivial mercury telluride/cadmium telluride (HgTe/CdTe) quantum well can induce a transition to a topologically nontrivial state. The resulting state was termed topological Anderson insulator and was found in computer simulations of the Bernevig-Hughes-Zhang model. Here, we show that the topological Anderson insulator is a more universal phenomenon and also appears in the Kane-Mele model of topological insulators on a honeycomb lattice. We numerically investigate the interplay of the relevant parameters, and establish the parameter range in which the topological Anderson insulator exists. A staggered sublattice potential turns out to be a necessary condition for the transition to the topological Anderson insulator. For weak enough disorder, a calculation based on the lowest-order Born approximation reproduces quantitatively the numerical data. Our results thus considerably increase the number of candidate materials for the topological Anderson insulator phase.

Defect Pattern Recognition Based on Partial Discharge Characteristics of Oil-Pressboard Insulation for UHVDC Converter Transformer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen Si

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The ultra high voltage direct current (UHVDC transmission system has advantages in delivering electrical energy over long distance at high capacity. UHVDC converter transformer is a key apparatus and its insulation state greatly affects the safe operation of the transmission system. Partial discharge (PD characteristics of oil-pressboard insulation under combined AC-DC voltage are the foundation for analyzing the insulation state of UHVDC converter transformers. The defect pattern recognition based on PD characteristics is an important part of the state monitoring of converter transformers. In this paper, PD characteristics are investigated with the established experimental platform of three defect models (needle-plate, surface discharge and air gap under 1:1 combined AC-DC voltage. The different PD behaviors of three defect models are discussed and explained through simulation of electric field strength distribution and discharge mechanism. For the recognition of defect types when multiple types of sources coexist, the Random Forests algorithm is used for recognition. In order to reduce the computational layer and the loss of information caused by the extraction of traditional features, the preprocessed single PD pulses and phase information are chosen to be the features for learning and test. Zero-padding method is discussed for normalizing the features. Based on the experimental data, Random Forests and Least Squares Support Vector Machine are compared in the performance of computing time, recognition accuracy and adaptability. It is proved that Random Forests is more suitable for big data analysis.

Remediation of a uranium-contaminated quarry utilizing submersible, remotely operated vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleming, K.N.

1992-01-01

The Kerr Hollow Quarry (KHQ) Disposal Site on the Oak Ridge (Tennessee) Reservation was previously used to treat and dispose of pyrophoric and water-reactive wastes contaminated with small quantities of radioactive materials (almost exclusively uranium and uranium daughters) from processes at the Department of Energy-owned, Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This paper describes remediation techniques utilizing a small, remotely operated submarine with an attached camera to visually locate waste containers, determine whether containers have been breached, transport small containers, and direct a larger remotely operated grappling machine to move larger waste for shredding operations. Most of the solid waste is reduced under water by a metal shredder. Non-shreddable items (e. g. , gas cylinders and larger structures) are mechanically breached under water to allow the contents to fully react. The waste is then removed from the water, monitored, the material is segregated, and transported to a temporary waste storage area until disposal

Interaction effects and quantum phase transitions in topological insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varney, Christopher N.; Sun Kai; Galitski, Victor; Rigol, Marcos

2010-01-01

We study strong correlation effects in topological insulators via the Lanczos algorithm, which we utilize to calculate the exact many-particle ground-state wave function and its topological properties. We analyze the simple, noninteracting Haldane model on a honeycomb lattice with known topological properties and demonstrate that these properties are already evident in small clusters. Next, we consider interacting fermions by introducing repulsive nearest-neighbor interactions. A first-order quantum phase transition was discovered at finite interaction strength between the topological band insulator and a topologically trivial Mott insulating phase by use of the fidelity metric and the charge-density-wave structure factor. We construct the phase diagram at T=0 as a function of the interaction strength and the complex phase for the next-nearest-neighbor hoppings. Finally, we consider the Haldane model with interacting hard-core bosons, where no evidence for a topological phase is observed. An important general conclusion of our work is that despite the intrinsic nonlocality of topological phases their key topological properties manifest themselves already in small systems and therefore can be studied numerically via exact diagonalization and observed experimentally, e.g., with trapped ions and cold atoms in optical lattices.

Improvement of methods for calculation of sound insulation in buildings

OpenAIRE

Mašović, Draško B.

2015-01-01

The main object of this work are the methods for calculation of sound insulation based on the classical model of sound propagation in buildings and single-number rating of sound insulation. The aim of the work is inspection of the possibilities for improvement of standard methods for quantification and calculation of sound insulation, in order to achieve higher accuracy of the obtained numerical values and their correlation with subjective impression of the acoustic comfort in buildings. Proc...

Economic Analysis of Installing Fixed and Removable Insulation for Pipe Wall Thinning Management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Kyeongmo; Yun, Hun [KEPCO E and C, Gimcheon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-15

To perform ultrasonic testing (UT) thickness measurement of the secondary side piping installed in nuclear power plants, the insulation for preventing heat loss should be removed. The type of insulation can be divided into fixed and removable insulation. Fixed and removable insulation have their own strengths and weaknesses. Removable insulation has been installed in the components susceptible to wall thinning caused by FAC and erosion from Shin-Kori unit 1, which commenced its commercial operation in 2011. In this paper, the number of repeated inspections of components and the number of replacements of fixed insulation were estimated and a more economical way was identified based on the manufacturing and installation costs for fixed and removable insulation.

The inaccuracy of heat transfer characteristics for non-insulated and insulated spherical containers neglecting the influence of heat radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, King-Leung; Salazar, Jose Luis Leon; Prasad, Leo; Chen, Wen-Lih

2011-01-01

In this investigation, the differences of heat transfer characteristics for insulated and non-insulated spherical containers between considering and neglecting the influence of heat radiation are studied by the simulations in some practical situations. It is found that the heat radiation effect cannot be ignored in conditions of low ambient convection heat coefficients (such ambient air) and high surface emissivities, especially for the non-insulated and thin insulated cases. In most practical situations when ambient temperature is different from surroundings temperature and the emissivity of insulation surface is different from that of metal wall surface, neglecting heat radiation will result in inaccurate insulation effect and heat transfer errors even with very thick insulation. However, the insulation effect considering heat radiation will only increase a very small amount after some dimensionless insulated thickness (such insulation thickness/radius ≥0.2 in this study), thus such dimensionless insulated thickness can be used as the optimum thickness in practical applications. Meanwhile, wrapping a material with low surface emissivity (such as aluminum foil) around the oxidized metal wall or insulation layer (always with high surface emissivity) can achieve very good insulated effect for the non-insulated or thin insulated containers.

Exposure to perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA accelerates insulitis development in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanna Bodin

Full Text Available Perfluoralkylated substances (PFAS are classified as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances and are widespread environmental contaminants. Humans are exposed through food, drinking water and air. We have previously reported that bisphenol A accelerates spontaneous diabetes development in non-obese diabetic (NOD mice and observed in the present study that perfluoroundecanoic acid, PFUnDA, increased insulitis development, a prerequisite for diabetes development in NOD mice. We exposed NOD mice to PFUnDA in drinking water (3, 30 and 300 μg/l at mating, during gestation and lactation and until 30 weeks of age. After 300 μg/l PFUnDA exposure, we report (i increased pancreatic insulitis, (ii increased number of apoptotic cells in pancreatic islets prior to insulitis and (iii decreased phagocytosis in peritoneal macrophages. There was also a trend of decreased number of tissue resident macrophages in pancreatic islets prior to insulitis after exposure to 300 μg/l, and altered cytokine secretion in activated splenocytes after exposure to 3 μg/l PFUnDA. Although insulitis is a prerequisite for autoimmune diabetes, the accelerated insulitis was not associated with accelerated diabetes development. Instead, the incidence of diabetes tended to be reduced in the animals exposed to 3 and 30 μg/l PFUnDA, suggesting a non-monotonic dose response. The effects of PFUnDA exposure on increased apoptosis in pancreas and reduced macrophage function as well as accelerated insulitis development in NOD mice, may also be relevant for human insulitis. Further observational autoimmune diabetes clinical cohort studies and animal experiments for PFUnDA as well as other PFASs are therefore encouraged. Keywords: Perfluoralkylated substances, PFUnDA, T1DM, Diabetes, NOD mice, Insulitis

Biodegradation performance of environmentally-friendly insulating oil

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jun; He, Yan; Cai, Shengwei; Chen, Cheng; Wen, Gang; Wang, Feipeng; Fan, Fan; Wan, Chunxiang; Wu, Liya; Liu, Ruitong

2018-02-01

In this paper, biodegradation performance of rapeseed insulating oil (RDB) and FR3 insulating oil (FR3) was studied by means of ready biodegradation method which was performed with Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 301B. For comparison, the biodegradation behaviour of 25# mineral insulating oil was also characterized with the same method. The testing results shown that the biodegradation degree of rapeseed insulating oil, FR3 insulating oil and 25# mineral insulating oil was 95.8%, 98.9% and 38.4% respectively. Following the “new chemical risk assessment guidelines” (HJ/T 154 - 2004), which illustrates the methods used to identify and assess the process safety hazards inherent. The guidelines can draw that the two vegetable insulating oils, i.e. rapeseed insulating oil and FR3 insulating oil are easily biodegradable. Therefore, the both can be classified as environmentally-friendly insulating oil. As expected, 25# mineral insulating oil is hardly biodegradable. The main reason is that 25# mineral insulating oil consists of isoalkanes, cyclanes and a few arenes, which has few unsaturated bonds. Biodegradation of rapeseed insulating oil and FR3 insulating oil also remain some difference. Biodegradation mechanism of vegetable insulating oil was revealed from the perspective of hydrolysis kinetics.

Dynamically Babinet-invertible metasurface: a capacitive-inductive reconfigurable filter for terahertz waves using vanadium-dioxide metal-insulator transition

Science.gov (United States)

Urade, Yoshiro; Nakata, Yosuke; Okimura, Kunio; Nakanishi, Toshihiro; Miyamaru, Fumiaki; Takeda, Mitsuo W.; Kitano, Masao

2016-03-01

This paper proposes a reconfigurable planar metamaterial that can be switched between capacitive and inductive responses using local changes in the electrical conductivity of its constituent material. The proposed device is based on Babinet's principle and exploits the singular electromagnetic responses of metallic checkerboard structures, which are dependent on the local electrical conductivity. Utilizing the heating-induced metal-insulator transition of vanadium dioxide ($\\mathrm{VO}_2$), the proposed metamaterial is designed to compensate for the effect of the substrate and is experimentally characterized in the terahertz regime. This reconfigurable metamaterial can be utilized as a switchable filter and as a switchable phase shifter for terahertz waves.

Interfacial Coatings for Inorganic Composite Insulation Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hooker, M. W.; Fabian, P. E.; Stewart, M. W.; Grandlienard, S. D.; Kano, K. S.

2006-01-01

Inorganic (ceramic) insulation materials are known to have good radiation resistance and desirable electrical and mechanical properties at cryogenic and elevated temperatures. In addition, ceramic materials can withstand the high-temperature reaction cycle used with Nb3Sn superconductor materials, allowing the insulation to be co-processed with the superconductor in a wind-and-react fabrication process. A critical aspect in the manufacture of ceramic-based insulation systems is the deposition of suitable fiber-coating materials that prevent chemical reaction of the fiber and matrix materials, and thus provide a compliant interface between the fiber and matrix, which minimizes the impact of brittle failure of the ceramic matrix. Ceramic insulation produced with CTD-FI-202 fiber interfaces have been found to exhibit very high shear and compressive strengths. However, this material is costly to produce. Thus, the goal of the present work is to evaluate alternative, lower-cost materials and processes. A variety of oxide and polyimide coatings were evaluated, and one commercially available polyimide coating has been shown to provide some improvement as compared to uncoated and de-sized S2 glass

Infrared plasmonic nano-lasers based on Metal Insulator Metal waveguides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hill, M.T.

2010-01-01

We will present our latest results on metal-insulator-metal waveguide devices, in particular reducing the dimensions of devices and distributed feedback lasers. Also we will examine potential useful applications for metal nano-lasers.

Monitoring of tritium-contaminated surfaces, including skin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surette, R A; Wood, M J

1994-05-01

We have examined various commercially available tritium surface contamination monitors along with different swipe media and techniques for direct and indirect (swipe) monitoring of contaminated surfaces, including skin. None of the methods or instruments evaluated were more sensitive than the swipe and liquid scintillation counting (LSC) method. Swipe measurements with open-window proportional counters were, in general, less than half as sensitive as LSC, but have the advantages of having the results available almost immediately, and no sample preparation is required. The Nuclear Measurement Corporation`s PC-55 is the most suitable instrument we tested for the analysis of routine swipe measurement. The PC-55 was about one third as sensitive as LSC when used with Ontario Hydro filter paper swipe media. Surface contamination measurement results can be obtained within minutes using the PC-55, compared to hours using LSC. The selection of swipe media for use with proportional counter-based instruments is critical. A medium that is electrically insulating can develop an electrostatic charge on its surface; this may alter the field gradient in the detector and may adversely influence the results. Although the PC-55 is sufficiently sensitive and very convenient, operational experience with the instrument is needed before recommending that it replace current LSC methods. The PC-55`s susceptibility to internal tritium contamination may limit its practical usefulness. Because of the complexity of using live animals to evaluate direct and indirect methods for assessing skin contamination, pig skin was investigated as a possible substitute. We concluded that, for the first few hours post-exposure, pig skin mimics the kinetics of animal skin that has contacted a tritium-contaminated surface. (author). 30 refs., 1 tab., 7 figs.

Insulation structure of thermonuclear device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Takayuki; Usami, Saburo; Tsukamoto, Hideo; Kikuchi, Mitsuru

1998-01-01

The present invention provides an insulating structure of a thermonuclear device, in which insulation materials between toroidal coils are not broken even if superconductive toroidal coils are used. Namely, a tokamak type thermonuclear device of an insulating structure type comprises superconductive toroidal coils for confining plasmas arranged in a circular shape directing the center each at a predetermined angle, and the toroidal coils are insulated from each other. The insulation materials are formed by using a biaxially oriented fiber reinforced plastics. The contact surface of the toroidal coils and the insulating materials are arranged so that they are contact at a woven surface of the fiber reinforced plastics. Either or both of the contact surfaces of the fiber reinforced plastics and the toroidal coils are coated with a high molecular compound having a low friction coefficient. With such a constitution, since the interlayer shearing strength of the biaxially oriented fiber reinforced plastics is about 1/10 of the compression strength, the shearing stress exerted on the insulation material is reduced. Since a static friction coefficient on the contact surface is reduced to provide a structure causing slipping, shearing stress does not exceeds a predetermined limit. As a result, breakage of the insulation materials between the toroidal coils can be prevented. (I.S.)

Chemically Designed Metallic/Insulating Hybrid Nanostructures with Silver Nanocrystals for Highly Sensitive Wearable Pressure Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Haneun; Lee, Seung-Wook; Joh, Hyungmok; Seong, Mingi; Lee, Woo Seok; Kang, Min Su; Pyo, Jun Beom; Oh, Soong Ju

2018-01-10

With the increase in interest in wearable tactile pressure sensors for e-skin, researches to make nanostructures to achieve high sensitivity have been actively conducted. However, limitations such as complex fabrication processes using expensive equipment still exist. Herein, simple lithography-free techniques to develop pyramid-like metal/insulator hybrid nanostructures utilizing nanocrystals (NCs) are demonstrated. Ligand-exchanged and unexchanged silver NC thin films are used as metallic and insulating components, respectively. The interfaces of each NC layer are chemically engineered to create discontinuous insulating layers, i.e., spacers for improved sensitivity, and eventually to realize fully solution-processed pressure sensors. Device performance analysis with structural, chemical, and electronic characterization and conductive atomic force microscopy study reveals that hybrid nanostructure based pressure sensor shows an enhanced sensitivity of higher than 500 kPa -1 , reliability, and low power consumption with a wide range of pressure sensing. Nano-/micro-hierarchical structures are also designed by combining hybrid nanostructures with conventional microstructures, exhibiting further enhanced sensing range and achieving a record sensitivity of 2.72 × 10 4 kPa -1 . Finally, all-solution-processed pressure sensor arrays with high pixel density, capable of detecting delicate signals with high spatial selectivity much better than the human tactile threshold, are introduced.

Thermal Transport in High-Strength Polymethacrylimide (PMI) Foam Insulations

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, L.; Zheng, X. H.; Zhu, J.; Tang, D. W.; Yang, S. Y.; Hu, A. J.; Wang, L. L.; Li, S. S.

2015-11-01

Thermal transport in high-strength polymethacrylimide (PMI) foam insulations is described, with special emphasis on the density and temperature effects on the thermal transport performance. Measurements of the effective thermal conductivity are performed by a freestanding sensor-based 3ω method. A linear relationship between the density and the effective thermal conductivity is observed. Based on the analysis of the foam insulation morphological structures and the corresponding geometrical cell model, the quantitative contribution of the solid conductivity and the gas conductivity as well as the radiative conductivity to the total effective thermal conductivity as a function of the density and temperature is calculated. The agreement between the curves of the results from the developed model and experimental data indicate the model can be used for PMI foam insulating performance optimization.

Design principles for handmade electrical insulation of superconducting joints in W7-X

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rummel, K., E-mail: kerstin.rummel@ipp.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, EURATOM Association, Wendelsteinstr. 1, 17491 Greifswald (Germany); John, A. [Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, EURATOM Association, Wendelsteinstr. 1, 17491 Greifswald (Germany); Sulek, Z. [Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Radzikowskiego 152 (Poland)

2013-10-15

Highlights: ► In W-7X there are several types of handmade electrical insulation. ► In general insulation based on impregnated glass tapes and special G10 pieces. ► A proper overlapping of glass tapes turned out to be mandatory. ► Detailed qualification and training helps to minimize the failure rate. ► Visual inspection and Paschen tests after every insulation steps are important. -- Abstract: The superconducting magnet system of the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) experiment consists of 50 non-planar and 20 planar coils, 121 bus bars and 14 current leads. The connection between bus bars, coils and current leads will be provided by 198 joints. The joints have to be insulated manually during the assembly of the machine in constraint positions and a tight environment. In general the insulation is based on glass tapes impregnated with epoxy resin and special G10 insulating pieces embedded in the glass tape insulation. In critical areas Kapton{sup ®}-foils are embedded in the insulation. All types of insulation were qualified at mock-ups in a 1:1 model of the expected environment in W7-X. The qualification programme comprises thermal cycling between room temperature and 77 K and high voltage tests under air, under vacuum and under reduced pressure (Paschen test). The paper describes the main principles used for different types of handmade Paschen-tight insulations in W7-X and the visual and electrical tests during and after assembly.

Improved Thermal-Insulation Systems for Low Temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Fesmire, James E.; Augustynowicz, Stanislaw D.

2003-01-01

Improved thermal-insulation materials and structures and the techniques for manufacturing them are undergoing development for use in low-temperature applications. Examples of low-temperature equipment for which these thermal insulation systems could provide improved energy efficiency include storage tanks for cryogens, superconducting electric-power-transmission equipment, containers for transport of food and other perishable commodities, and cold boxes for low-temperature industrial processes. These systems could also be used to insulate piping used to transfer cryogens and other fluids, such as liquefied natural gas, refrigerants, chilled water, crude oil, or low-pressure steam. The present thermal-insulation systems are layer composites based partly on the older class of thermal-insulation systems denoted generally as multilayer insulation (MLI). A typical MLI structure includes an evacuated jacket, within which many layers of radiation shields are stacked or wrapped close together. Low-thermal-conductivity spacers are typically placed between the reflection layers to keep them from touching. MLI can work very well when a high vacuum level (less than 10(exp-4) torr) is maintained and utmost care is taken during installation, but its thermal performance deteriorates sharply as the pressure in the evacuated space rises into the soft vacuum range [pressures greater than 0.1 torr (greater than 13 Pa)]. In addition, the thermal performance of MLI is extremely sensitive to mechanical compression and edge effects and can easily decrease from one to two orders of magnitude from its ideal value even when the MLI is kept under high vacuum condition. The present thermal-insulation systems are designed to perform well under soft vacuum level, in particular the range of 1 to 10 torr. They are also designed with larger interlayer spacings to reduce vulnerability to compression (and consequent heat leak) caused by installation and use. The superiority of these systems is the

Thermal insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durston, J.G.; Birch, W.; Facer, R.I.; Stuart, R.A.

1977-01-01

Reference is made to liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors. In the arrangement described the reactor vessel is clad with thermal insulation comprising a layer of insulating blocks spaced from the wall and from each other; each block is rigidly secured to the wall, and the interspaces are substantially closed against convectional flow of liquid by resilient closure members. A membrane covering is provided for the layer of blocks, with venting means to allow liquid from the reactor vessel to penetrate between the covering and the layer of blocks. The membrane covering may comprise a stainless steel sheet ribbed in orthogonal pattern to give flexibility for the accommodation of thermal strain. The insulating blocks may be comprised of stainless steel or cellular or porous material and may be hollow shells containing ceramic material or gas fillings. (U.K.)

Airborne sound insulation evaluation and flanking path prediction of coupled room

Science.gov (United States)

Tassia, R. D.; Asmoro, W. A.; Arifianto, D.

2016-11-01

One of the parameters to review the acoustic comfort is based on the value of the insulation partition in the classroom. The insulation value can be expressed by the sound transmission loss which converted into a single value as weighted sound reduction index (Rw, DnTw) and also have an additional sound correction factor in low frequency (C, Ctr) .In this study, the measurements were performed in two positions at each point using BSWA microphone and dodecahedron speaker as the sound source. The results of field measurements indicate the acoustic insulation values (DnT w + C) is 19.6 dB. It is noted that the partition wall not according to the standard which the DnTw + C> 51 dB. Hence the partition wall need to be redesign to improve acoustic insulation in the classroom. The design used gypsum board, plasterboard, cement board, and PVC as the replacement material. Based on the results, all the material is simulated in accordance with established standards. Best insulation is cement board with the insulation value is 69dB, the thickness of 12.5 mm on each side and the absorber material is 50 mm. Many factors lead to increase the value of acoustic insulation, such as the thickness of the panel, the addition of absorber material, density, and Poisson's ratio of a material. The prediction of flanking path can be estimated from noise reduction values at each measurement point in the class room. Based on data obtained, there is no significant change in noise reduction from each point so that the pathway of flanking is not affect the sound transmission in the classroom.

Cardboard Based Packaging Materials as Renewable Thermal Insulation of Buildings: Thermal and Life Cycle Performance

OpenAIRE

Čekon, Miroslav; Struhala, Karel; Slávik, Richard

2017-01-01

Cardboard based packaging components represent a material with a significant potential of renewable exploitation in buildings. This study presents the results of thermal and environmental analysis of existing packaging materials compared with standard conventional thermal insulations. Experimental measurements were performed to identify the thermal performance of studied cardboard packaging materials. Real-size samples were experimentally tested in laboratory measurements. The thermal resi...

Effect of Nanoclay on Mechanical Properties and Ablation Behavior of a Nitrile-Based Heat Insulator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Arabgol

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Thermal insulation of rocket motor chamber is one of the most important functions of elastomeric ablative material. Combustion of solid rocket motor propellant produces turbulent media containing gases with a velocity more than 1000 m/s, temperature and pressure more than 3000°C and 10 MPa, respectively,which destroys all metallic alloys. Elastomeric nanocomposite heat insulators are more attractive subjects in comparison to their non-elastomeric counterparts, due to their excellent thermal stresses and larger deformation bearing capacity. Nitrile rubber with high thermal properties is a proper candidate in such applications. Development in ablation performance of these heat shields is considered as an important challenge nowadays. A few works have been recently carried out using organoclay to enhancethe ablation and mechanical properties of heat insulators. In this work, an elastomeric heat insulator with superior ablative and mechanical properties was presented using nanotechnology. The results showed that an elastomeric nanocomposite heat insulator containing 15 wt% organoclay exhibits superior characteristics compared to its composite counterpart such as: 46% more tensile strength, 60% more elongationat-break, 1.7 times higher modulus (at 100% strain, 62% higher “insulating index number” and 36% lower mass ablation and erosion rates under a standard test with a heat flux of 2500 kW/m2 for 15 s.

THE ELECTROSTATIC CHARACTERISTICS OF LINEAR INSULATORS FOR CONTACT NETWORKS OF RAILWAYS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ye. D. Kim

2009-03-01

Full Text Available On the base of numeric investigations on mathematical models of stationary electric field the basic electric performances of insulating suspensions from porcelain and polymeric insulators for contact nets of alternating and direct current are compared.

Chiral topological insulator on Nambu 3-algebraic geometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuki Hasebe

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Chiral topological insulator (AIII-class with Landau levels is constructed based on the Nambu 3-algebraic geometry. We clarify the geometric origin of the chiral symmetry of the AIII-class topological insulator in the context of non-commutative geometry of 4D quantum Hall effect. The many-body groundstate wavefunction is explicitly derived as a (l,l,l−1 Laughlin–Halperin type wavefunction with unique K-matrix structure. Fundamental excitation is identified with anyonic string-like object with fractional charge 1/(2(l−12+1. The Hall effect of the chiral topological insulators turns out be a color version of Hall effect, which exhibits a dual property of the Hall and spin-Hall effects.

Ferromagnetic-insulators-modulated transport properties on the surface of a topological insulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Jun-Ji; Liao Wen-Hu

2014-01-01

Transport properties on the surface of a topological insulator (TI) under the modulation of a two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnet/ferromagnet junction are investigated by the method of wave function matching. The single ferromagnetic barrier modulated transmission probability is expected to be a periodic function of the polarization angle and the planar rotation angle, that decreases with the strength of the magnetic proximity exchange increasing. However, the transmission probability for the double ferromagnetic insulators modulated n—n junction and n—p junction is not a periodic function of polarization angle nor planar rotation angle, owing to the combined effects of the double ferromagnetic insulators and the barrier potential. Since the energy gap between the conduction band and the valence band is narrowed and widened respectively in ranges of 0 ≤ θ < π/2 and π/2 < θ ≤ π, the transmission probability of the n—n junction first increases rapidly and then decreases slowly with the increase of the magnetic proximity exchange strength. While the transmission probability for the n—p junction demonstrates an opposite trend on the strength of the magnetic proximity exchange because the band gaps contrarily vary. The obtained results may lead to the possible realization of a magnetic/electric switch based on TIs and be useful in further understanding the surface states of TIs

Growing and testing mycelium bricks as building insulation materials

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Yangang; Brewer, Matthew; El-Gharabawy, Hoda; Griffith, Gareth; Jones, Phil

2018-02-01

In order to improve energy performance of buildings, insulation materials (such as mineral glass and rock wools, or fossil fuel-based plastic foams) are being used in increasing quantities, which may lead to potential problem with materials depletions and landfill disposal. One sustainable solution suggested is the use of bio-based, biodegradable materials. A number of attempts have been made to develop biomaterials, such as sheep wood, hemcrete or recycled papers. In this paper, a novel type of bio insulation materials - mycelium is examined. The aim is to produce mycelium materials that could be used as insulations. The bio-based material was required to have properties that matched existing alternatives, such as expanded polystyrene, in terms of physical and mechanical characteristics but with an enhanced level of biodegradability. The testing data showed mycelium bricks exhibited good thermal performance. Future work is planned to improve growing process and thermal performance of the mycelium bricks.

Insulating materials for optoelectronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agullo-Lopez, F.

1990-01-01

Optoelectronics is an interdisciplinary field. Basic functions of an optoelectronic system include the generator of the optical signal, its transmission and handling and, finally, its detection, storage and display. A large variety of semiconductor and insulating materials are used or are being considered to perform those functions. The authors focus on insulating materials, mostly oxides. For signal generation, tunable solid state lasers, either vibronic or those based oon colour centres are briefly described, and their main operating parameters summarized. Reference is made to some developments on fiber and waveguide lasers. Relevant physical features of the silica fibres used for low-loss, long-band, optical transmission are reviewed, as well as present efforts to further reduce attenuation in the mid-infrared range. Particular attention is paid to photorefractive materials (LiNbO 3 , BGO, BSO, etc.), which are being investigated

Composite Behavior of Insulated Concrete Sandwich Wall Panels Subjected to Wind Pressure and Suction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Insub Choi

2015-03-01

Full Text Available A full-scale experimental test was conducted to analyze the composite behavior of insulated concrete sandwich wall panels (ICSWPs subjected to wind pressure and suction. The experimental program was composed of three groups of ICSWP specimens, each with a different type of insulation and number of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP shear grids. The degree of composite action of each specimen was analyzed according to the load direction, type of the insulation, and number of GFRP shear grids by comparing the theoretical and experimental values. The failure modes of the ICSWPs were compared to investigate the effect of bonds according to the load direction and type of insulation. Bonds based on insulation absorptiveness were effective to result in the composite behavior of ICSWP under positive loading tests only, while bonds based on insulation surface roughness were effective under both positive and negative loading tests. Therefore, the composite behavior based on surface roughness can be applied to the calculation of the design strength of ICSWPs with continuous GFRP shear connectors.

Contamination-remedying technology based on biotechnology. ; Bioremediation. Biotechnology wo mochiita osen shufuku gijutsu. ; Bioremediation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishimura, M [The Japan Research Institute, Ltd., Osaka (Japan)

1993-08-01

Bioremediation technology is outlined. The bioremediation technology is a contamination-remedying technology for the injurious chemical matter discharged in the environment to be made innocuous by utilizing the decomposing ability of microorganisms. That technology is characterized by its energywise economical performance, secondary waste which is not producible and remedy which is possible on site against the contamination. As a treatment system, that technology comprises solid phase bioremediation (The contaminated soil is purified in a soil treatment unit.), slurry phase bioremediation (The contaminated soil is made slurry and decomposed by microorganisms.) and in-situ bioremediation (The treatment is made by injecting nutrients and microorganisms underground.). As for how to use the microorganisms, there are two methods: One in which living groups of microorganisms are activated and the other in which microorganisms are artificially cultivated. As contaminants in the US, listed are organic solvent, wood preservative, high-molecular aromatic halide, agricultural chemical, military waste, heavy metal waste and radioactive waste. 11 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

Aerogel-Based Insulation for High-Temperature Industrial Processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dr. Owen Evans

2011-10-13

Under this program, Aspen Aerogels has developed an industrial insulation called Pyrogel HT, which is 4-5 times more thermally efficient than current non-aerogel technology. Derived from nanoporous silica aerogels, Pyrogel HT was specifically developed to address a high temperature capability gap not currently met with Aspen Aerogels{trademark} flagship product, Pyrogel XT. Pyrogel XT, which was originally developed on a separate DOE contract (DE-FG36-06GO16056), was primarily optimized for use in industrial steam processing systems, where application temperatures typically do not exceed 400 C. At the time, further improvements in thermal performance above 400 C could not be reasonably achieved for Pyrogel XT without significantly affecting other key material properties using the current technology. Cumulative sales of Pyrogel HT into domestic power plants should reach $125MM through 2030, eventually reaching about 10% of the total insulation market share in that space. Global energy savings would be expected to scale similarly. Over the same period, these sales would reduce domestic energy consumption by more than 65 TBtu. Upon branching out into all industrial processes in the 400 C-650 C regime, Pyrogel HT would reach annual sales levels of $150MM, with two-thirds of that being exported.

New Method for Shallow and Deep Trap Distribution Analysis in Oil Impregnated Insulation Paper Based on the Space Charge Detrapping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Hao

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Space charge has close relation with the trap distribution in the insulation material. The phenomenon of charges trapping and detrapping has attracted significant attention in recent years. Space charge and trap parameters are effective parameters for assessing the ageing condition of the insulation material qualitatively. In this paper, a new method for calculating trap distribution based on the double exponential fitting analysis of charge decay process and its application on characterizing the trap distribution of oil impregnated insulation paper was investigated. When compared with the common first order exponential fitting analysis method, the improved dual-level trap method could obtain the energy level range and density of both shallow traps and deep traps, simultaneously. Space charge decay process analysis of the insulation paper immersed with new oil and aged oil shows that the improved trap distribution calculation method can distinguish the physical defects and chemical defects. The trap density shows an increasing trend with the oil ageing, especially for the deep traps mainly related to chemical defects. The greater the energy could be filled by the traps, the larger amount of charges could be trapped, especially under higher electric field strength. The deep trap energy level and trap density could be used to characterize ageing. When one evaluates the ageing condition of oil-paper insulation using trap distribution parameters, the influence of oil performance should not be ignored.

A real-time insulation detection method for battery packs used in electric vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Jiaqiang; Wang, Yujie; Yang, Duo; Zhang, Xu; Chen, Zonghai

2018-05-01

Due to the energy crisis and environmental pollution, electric vehicles have become more and more popular. Compared to traditional fuel vehicles, the electric vehicles are integrated with more high-voltage components, which have potential security risks of insulation. The insulation resistance between the chassis and the direct current bus of the battery pack is easily affected by factors such as temperature, humidity and vibration. In order to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the electric vehicles, it is necessary to detect the insulation resistance of the battery pack. This paper proposes an insulation detection scheme based on low-frequency signal injection method. Considering the insulation detector which can be easily affected by noises, the algorithm based on Kalman filter is proposed. Moreover, the battery pack is always in the states of charging and discharging during driving, which will lead to frequent changes in the voltage of the battery pack and affect the estimation accuracy of insulation detector. Therefore the recursive least squares algorithm is adopted to solve the problem that the detection results of insulation detector mutate with the voltage of the battery pack. The performance of the proposed method is verified by dynamic and static experiments.

Nanostructured hydrophobic DC sputtered inorganic oxide coating for outdoor glass insulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dave, V. [Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667 (India); Institute Instrumentation Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, Roorkee 247667 (India); Gupta, H.O. [Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667 (India); Chandra, R., E-mail: ramesfic@gmail.com [Institute Instrumentation Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, Roorkee 247667 (India)

2014-03-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Deposition of contamination on outdoor glass insulators and its physical and economical consequences were discussed. • Synthesis of nanostructured hydrophobic HfO{sub 2} film on glass as a remedial measure by varying DC sputtering power. • Investigated and correlated structural, optical, electrical and hydrophobic properties of HfO{sub 2} films with respect to power. • Optimum results were obtained at a 50 W DC sputtering power. - Abstract: We report the structural, optical and electrical properties of nanostructured hydrophobic inorganic hafnium oxide coating for outdoor glass insulator using DC sputtering technique to combat contamination problem. The properties were studied as a function of DC power. The characterization of the films was done using X-ray diffraction, EDS, surface profilometer, AFM, impedance analyser and water contact angle measurement system. The DC power was varied from 30 to 60 W and found to have a great impact on the properties of hafnium oxide. All the deposited samples were polycrystalline with nanostructured hydrophobic surfaces. The intensity of crystallinity of the film was found to be dependent on sputtering power and hydrophobicity was correlated to the nanoscale roughness of the films. The optical property reveals 80% average transmission for all the samples. The refractive index was found in the range of 1.85–1.92, near to the bulk value. The band gap calculated from transmission data was >5.3 eV for all deposited samples ensuring dielectric nature of the films. Surface energy calculated by two methods was found minimum for the film deposited at 50 W sputtering power. The resistivity was also high enough (∼10{sup 4} Ω cm) to hinder the flow of leakage current through the film. The dielectric constant (ε) was found to be thickness dependent and also high enough (ε{sub max} = 23.12) to bear the large electric field of outdoor insulators.

Multi-scale cellulose based new bio-aerogel composites with thermal super-insulating and tunable mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Seantier, Bastien; Bendahou, Dounia; Bendahou, Abdelkader; Grohens, Yves; Kaddami, Hamid

2016-03-15

Bio-composite aerogels based on bleached cellulose fibers (BCF) and cellulose nanoparticles having various morphological and physico-chemical characteristics are prepared by a freeze-drying technique and characterized. The various composite aerogels obtained were compared to a BCF aerogel used as the reference. Severe changes in the material morphology were observed by SEM and AFM due to a variation of the cellulose nanoparticle properties such as the aspect ratio, the crystalline index and the surface charge density. BCF fibers form a 3D network and they are surrounded by the cellulose nanoparticle thin films inducing a significant reduction of the size of the pores in comparison with a neat BCF based aerogel. BET analyses confirm the appearance of a new organization structure with pores of nanometric sizes. As a consequence, a decrease of the thermal conductivities is observed from 28mWm(-1)K(-1) (BCF aerogel) to 23mWm(-1)K(-1) (bio-composite aerogel), which is below the air conductivity (25mWm(-1)K(-1)). This improvement of the insulation properties for composite materials is more pronounced for aerogels based on cellulose nanoparticles having a low crystalline index and high surface charge (NFC-2h). The significant improvement of their insulation properties allows the bio-composite aerogels to enter the super-insulating materials family. The characteristics of cellulose nanoparticles also influence the mechanical properties of the bio-composite aerogels. A significant improvement of the mechanical properties under compression is obtained by self-organization, yielding a multi-scale architecture of the cellulose nanoparticles in the bio-composite aerogels. In this case, the mechanical property is more dependent on the morphology of the composite aerogel rather than the intrinsic characteristics of the cellulose nanoparticles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Formation of electrically insulating coatings on aluminided vanadium-base alloys in liquid lithium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, J.H.; Dragel, G.

1993-01-01

Aluminide coatings were produced on vanadium and vanadium-base alloys by exposure of the materials to liquid lithium that contained 3-5 at.% dissolved aluminum in sealed capsules at temperatures between 775 and 880 degrees C. Reaction of the aluminide layer with dissolved nitrogen in liquid lithium provides a means of developing an in-situ electrical insulator coating on the surface of the alloys. The electrical resistivity of A1N coatings on aluminided V and V-20 wt.% Ti was determined in-situ

Cooper Pairs in Insulators?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valles, James

2008-01-01

Nearly 50 years elapsed between the discovery of superconductivity and the emergence of the microscopic theory describing this zero resistance state. The explanation required a novel phase of matter in which conduction electrons joined in weakly bound pairs and condensed with other pairs into a single quantum state. Surprisingly, this Cooper pair formation has also been invoked to account for recently uncovered high-resistance or insulating phases of matter. To address this possibility, we have used nanotechnology to create an insulating system that we can probe directly for Cooper pairs. I will present the evidence that Cooper pairs exist and dominate the electrical transport in these insulators and I will discuss how these findings provide new insight into superconductor to insulator quantum phase transitions.

Flashover of a vacuum-insulator interface: A statistical model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. A. Stygar

2004-07-01

Full Text Available We have developed a statistical model for the flashover of a 45° vacuum-insulator interface (such as would be found in an accelerator subject to a pulsed electric field. The model assumes that the initiation of a flashover plasma is a stochastic process, that the characteristic statistical component of the flashover delay time is much greater than the plasma formative time, and that the average rate at which flashovers occur is a power-law function of the instantaneous value of the electric field. Under these conditions, we find that the flashover probability is given by 1-exp(-E_{p}^{β}t_{eff}C/k^{β}, where E_{p} is the peak value in time of the spatially averaged electric field E(t, t_{eff}≡∫[E(t/E_{p}]^{β}dt is the effective pulse width, C is the insulator circumference, k∝exp(λ/d, and β and λ are constants. We define E(t as V(t/d, where V(t is the voltage across the insulator and d is the insulator thickness. Since the model assumes that flashovers occur at random azimuthal locations along the insulator, it does not apply to systems that have a significant defect, i.e., a location contaminated with debris or compromised by an imperfection at which flashovers repeatedly take place, and which prevents a random spatial distribution. The model is consistent with flashover measurements to within 7% for pulse widths between 0.5 ns and 10   μs, and to within a factor of 2 between 0.5 ns and 90 s (a span of over 11 orders of magnitude. For these measurements, E_{p} ranges from 64 to 651  kV/cm, d from 0.50 to 4.32 cm, and C from 4.96 to 95.74 cm. The model is significantly more accurate, and is valid over a wider range of parameters, than the J. C. Martin flashover relation that has been in use since 1971 [J. C. Martin on Pulsed Power, edited by T. H. Martin, A. H. Guenther, and M. Kristiansen (Plenum, New York, 1996]. We have generalized the statistical model to estimate the total-flashover probability of an

Particle Swarm Optimization-based BP Neural Network for UHV DC Insulator Pollution Forecasting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fangcheng Lü

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In order to realize the forecasting of the UHV DC insulator's pollution conditions, we introduced a PSOBP algorithm. A BP neural network (BPNN with leakage current, temperature, relative humidity and dew point as input neurons, and ESDD as output neuron was built to forecast the ESDD. The PSO was used to optimize the the BPNN, which had great improved the convergence rate of the BP neural network. The dew point as a brand new input unit has improved the iteration speed of the PSOBP algorithm in this study. It was the first time that the PSOBP algorithm was applied to the UHV DC insulator pollution forecasting. The experiment results showed that the method had great advantages in accuracy and speed of convergence. The research showed that this algorithm was suitable for the UHV DC insulator pollution forecasting.

Silicon-on-insulator-based polarization-independent 1×3 broadband beam splitter with adiabatic coupling

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Yuanhao; Liu, Lei; Chang, Limin; Li, Zhiyong; Tan, Manqing; Yu, Yude

2017-10-01

We propose and numerically simulate a polarization-independent 1×3 broadband beam splitter based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology with adiabatic coupling. The designed structure is simulated by beam-propagation-method (BPM) and gets simulated transmission uniformity of three outputs better than 0.3dB for TE-polarization and 0.8dB for TM-polarization in a broadband of 180nm.

Environmental safety providing during heat insulation works and using thermal insulation materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Velichko Evgeny

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article considers the negative effect of thermal insulating materials and products on human health and environment pollution, particularly in terms of the composition of environmentally hazardous construction products. The authors have analyzed the complex measures for providing ecological safety, sanitary and epidemiological requirements, rules and regulations both during thermal insulation works and throughout the following operation of buildings and premises. The article suggests the protective and preventive measures to reduce and eliminate the negative impact of the proceeding of thermal insulation works on the natural environment and on human health.

Thermal highly porous insulation materials made of mineral raw materials

Science.gov (United States)

Mestnikov, A.

2015-01-01

The main objective of the study is to create insulating foam based on modified mineral binders with rapid hardening. The results of experimental studies of the composition and properties of insulating foam on the basis of rapidly hardening Portland cement (PC) and gypsum binder composite are presented in the article. The article proposes technological methods of production of insulating foamed concrete and its placement to the permanent shuttering wall enclosures in monolithic-frame construction and individual energy-efficient residential buildings, thus reducing foam shrinkage and improving crack-resistance.

16 CFR 460.18 - Insulation ads.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Commercial Practices FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION TRADE REGULATION RULES LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF HOME INSULATION § 460.18 Insulation ads. (a) If your ad gives an R-value, you must give the type of insulation and... your ad gives a price, you must give the type of insulation, the R-value at a specific thickness, the...

Insulation system in an integrated motor compressor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sihvo, V.

2010-07-01

A high-speed and high-voltage solid-rotor induction machine provides beneficial features for natural gas compressor technology. The mechanical robustness of the machine enables its use in an integrated motor-compressor. The technology uses a centrifugal compressor, which is mounted on the same shaft with the high-speed electrical machine driving it. No gearbox is needed as the speed is determined by the frequency converter. The cooling is provided by the process gas, which flows through the motor and is capable of transferring the heat away from the motor. The technology has been used in the compressors in the natural gas supply chain in the central Europe. New areas of application include natural gas compressors working at the wellheads of the subsea gas reservoir. A key challenge for the design of such a motor is the resistance of the stator insulation to the raw natural gas from the well. The gas contains water and heavy hydrocarbon compounds and it is far harsher than the sales gas in the natural gas supply network. The objective of this doctoral thesis is to discuss the resistance of the insulation to the raw natural gas and the phenomena degrading the insulation. The presence of partial discharges is analyzed in this doctoral dissertation. The breakdown voltage of the gas is measured as a function of pressure and gap distance. The partial discharge activity is measured on small samples representing the windings of the machine. The electrical field behavior is also modeled by finite element methods. Based on the measurements it has been concluded that the discharges are expected to disappear at gas pressures above 4 - 5 bar. The disappearance of discharges is caused by the breakdown strength of the gas, which increases as the pressure increases. Based on the finite element analysis, the physical length of a discharge seen in the PD measurements at atmospheric pressure was approximated to be 40 - 120 mum. The chemical aging of the insulation when exposed to raw

High-insulated glass house, Egebjerggaard, Ballerup; Det hoejisolerede glashus. Egebjerggaard, Ballerup

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wittchen, K.B.; Aggerholm, S.

1999-11-01

New, super-insulating transparent and translucent glazing offers new perspectives for use of glass in architecture to achieve new facade idioms, spatial and light effects and low energy consumption. The new types of glazing are being tested in practice through the construction of a super-insulated glass house for Ballerup Ejendomsselskab in the district of Egebjerggaard west of Copenhagen. The project is based on SBI Report 220, Super-insulated glass houses (1993), in which use of new, super-insulating transparent and translucent glazing is analysed in relation to architecture, light conditions, indoor climate and energy consumption - for a detached house and a terraced house. (EHS)

Electrical insulators for the theta-pinch fusion reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clinard, F.W. Jr.

1976-01-01

The five major applications for electrical insulators in the Reference Theta Pinch Reactor are as follows: (1) first-wall insulator, (2) blanket intersegment insulator, (3) graphite encapsulating insulator, (4) implosion coil insulator, and (5) compression coil insulator. Insulator design proposals and some preliminary test results are given for each application

Study of heat insulated turbo compound engine. Shanetsugata tabo konpaundo engine to tomoni ayumu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirai, K [Isuzu Motors Ltd., Tokyo (Japan). Ceramics Research Lab.

1994-02-01

For a main purpose of development of the heat insulated turbo compound engine using the ceramics, the Isuzu Ceramics Inst. Co., Ltd. was established by the Isuzu Motors Ltd. in 1988. The main study subjects take up various topics such as a development of the new engine system for actualizing a low fuel consumption and low emission, an improvement of deteriorated combustion caused by the insulation, a development of energy recovery facility for utilizing effectively the exhaust energy from the engines, a development of power electronics technology for controlling the recovery facility, a study and development of ceramics as the insulation material and so forth. The outstanding characteristics of this institute are that a development of the heat insulated turbo compound engine is set as the main study subject, but at the same time that a commercialization of the various derivation technology derived from this study. Even just the main study subjects currently under way are counted up to a number close to 10 items, and consequently the efforts are being continued in each field assigned for solving the subjects. 6 figs.

Hydrogen storage in insulated pressure vessels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aceves, S.M.; Garcia-Villazana, O. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

1998-08-01

Insulated pressure vessels are cryogenic-capable pressure vessels that can be fueled with liquid hydrogen (LH{sub 2}) or ambient-temperature compressed hydrogen (CH{sub 2}). Insulated pressure vessels offer the advantages of liquid hydrogen tanks (low weight and volume), with reduced disadvantages (lower energy requirement for hydrogen liquefaction and reduced evaporative losses). This paper shows an evaluation of the applicability of the insulated pressure vessels for light-duty vehicles. The paper shows an evaluation of evaporative losses and insulation requirements and a description of the current analysis and experimental plans for testing insulated pressure vessels. The results show significant advantages to the use of insulated pressure vessels for light-duty vehicles.

Semiconductor of spinons: from Ising band insulator to orthogonal band insulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Farajollahpour, T; Jafari, S A

2018-01-10

We use the ionic Hubbard model to study the effects of strong correlations on a two-dimensional semiconductor. The spectral gap in the limit where on-site interactions are zero is set by the staggered ionic potential, while in the strong interaction limit it is set by the Hubbard U. Combining mean field solutions of the slave spin and slave rotor methods, we propose two interesting gapped phases in between: (i) the insulating phase before the Mott phase can be viewed as gapping a non-Fermi liquid state of spinons by the staggered ionic potential. The quasi-particles of underlying spinons are orthogonal to physical electrons, giving rise to the 'ARPES-dark' state where the ARPES gap will be larger than the optical and thermal gap. (ii) The Ising insulator corresponding to ordered phase of the Ising variable is characterized by single-particle excitations whose dispersion is controlled by Ising-like temperature and field dependences. The temperature can be conveniently employed to drive a phase transition between these two insulating phases where Ising exponents become measurable by ARPES and cyclotron resonance. The rare earth monochalcogenide semiconductors where the magneto-resistance is anomalously large can be a candidate system for the Ising band insulator. We argue that the Ising and orthogonal insulating phases require strong enough ionic potential to survive the downward renormalization of the ionic potential caused by Hubbard U.

Semiconductor of spinons: from Ising band insulator to orthogonal band insulator

Science.gov (United States)

Farajollahpour, T.; Jafari, S. A.

2018-01-01

We use the ionic Hubbard model to study the effects of strong correlations on a two-dimensional semiconductor. The spectral gap in the limit where on-site interactions are zero is set by the staggered ionic potential, while in the strong interaction limit it is set by the Hubbard U. Combining mean field solutions of the slave spin and slave rotor methods, we propose two interesting gapped phases in between: (i) the insulating phase before the Mott phase can be viewed as gapping a non-Fermi liquid state of spinons by the staggered ionic potential. The quasi-particles of underlying spinons are orthogonal to physical electrons, giving rise to the ‘ARPES-dark’ state where the ARPES gap will be larger than the optical and thermal gap. (ii) The Ising insulator corresponding to ordered phase of the Ising variable is characterized by single-particle excitations whose dispersion is controlled by Ising-like temperature and field dependences. The temperature can be conveniently employed to drive a phase transition between these two insulating phases where Ising exponents become measurable by ARPES and cyclotron resonance. The rare earth monochalcogenide semiconductors where the magneto-resistance is anomalously large can be a candidate system for the Ising band insulator. We argue that the Ising and orthogonal insulating phases require strong enough ionic potential to survive the downward renormalization of the ionic potential caused by Hubbard U.

Secondary electron emission from insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanaya, K.; Ono, S.; Ishigaki, F.

1978-01-01

The high yield of secondary electron emission from insulators due to electron bombardment may be the result of an increase of the depth of escape. The free-electron scattering theory is applied to the high energy of primary beams, but cannot be applied to the low energy of secondary escaping beams because of the large energy gap of the insulators. The plasmon loss with the valence electron is considered when the secondary electrons escape. Based on the energy retardation power formula of the penetration and energy loss of an electron probe into solid targets, secondary electron emissions from insulators are calculated from the assumptions that the distribution of the secondary electrons due to both incident and back-scattered electrons within the target is isotropic and that it follows the absorption law of the Lenard type. The universal yield-energy curve of the secondary electron emission, which is deduced as a function of three parameters such as ionisation potential, valence electron and the back-scattered coefficient in addition to the free-electron density effect, is found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. (author)

Cladding Attachment Over Thick Exterior Insulating Sheathing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baker, P. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Eng, P. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Lepage, R. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2014-01-01

The addition of insulation to the exterior of buildings is an effective means of increasing the thermal resistance of both wood framed walls as well as mass masonry wall assemblies. For thick layers of exterior insulation (levels greater than 1.5 inches), the use of wood furring strips attached through the insulation back to the structure has been used by many contractors and designers as a means to provide a convenient cladding attachment location (Straube and Smegal 2009, Pettit 2009, Joyce 2009, Ueno 2010). The research presented in this report is intended to help develop a better understanding of the system mechanics involved and the potential for environmental exposure induced movement between the furring strip and the framing. BSC sought to address the following research questions: 1. What are the relative roles of the mechanisms and the magnitudes of the force that influence the vertical displacement resistance of the system? 2. Can the capacity at a specified deflection be reliably calculated using mechanics based equations? 3. What are the impacts of environmental exposure on the vertical displacement of furring strips attached directly through insulation back to a wood structure?

Cleanup of contaminated areas; La bonifica di aree contaminate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beone, G; Carbone, A I; Zagaroli, M [ENEA - Dipartimento Protezione Ambientale e Salute dell' Uomo, Centro Ricerche Energia, Casaccia (Italy)

1989-01-15

The paper deals with the problem of contaminated areas cleanup, in order to eliminate every possible damage for man safety and environment and to site recovery for some utilization, The first step of cleanup operation is site characterization, that is followed by a pianificazion activity for a better definition of staff qualification, technology to be used, protection and prevention instruments for the risks due to contaminants handling. The second section describes the different remedial technologies for contaminated sites. Remedial technologies may be divided into on-site/off-site and in-situ treatments, according to whether materials (waste, soil, water) are moved to another location or not, respectively. Finally, it is outlined that contaminated areas cleanup is a typical multidisciplinary activity because very different competences are required. (author)

Raman spectroscopy-based detection of chemical contaminants in food powders

Science.gov (United States)

Raman spectroscopy technique has proven to be a reliable method for qualitative detection of chemical contaminants in food ingredients and products. For quantitative imaging-based detection, each contaminant particle in a food sample must be detected and it is important to determine the necessary sp...

Stator insulation systems for medium voltage PWM drives fed motors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, G.; Chen, W.

2005-01-01

This paper presents the partial results of a research project that studied the impact of medium voltage PWM ASD (adjustable speed drives) on motor stator insulation system. The findings from this study/ investigation have aided designers to improve the robustness of the insulation system used for ASD-fed motors, based on accelerated laboratory tests. (author)

Metal-insulator-semiconductor photodetectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chu-Hsuan; Liu, Chee Wee

2010-01-01

The major radiation of the sun can be roughly divided into three regions: ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light. Detection in these three regions is important to human beings. The metal-insulator-semiconductor photodetector, with a simpler process than the pn-junction photodetector and a lower dark current than the MSM photodetector, has been developed for light detection in these three regions. Ideal UV photodetectors with high UV-to-visible rejection ratio could be demonstrated with III-V metal-insulator-semiconductor UV photodetectors. The visible-light detection and near-infrared optical communications have been implemented with Si and Ge metal-insulator-semiconductor photodetectors. For mid- and long-wavelength infrared detection, metal-insulator-semiconductor SiGe/Si quantum dot infrared photodetectors have been developed, and the detection spectrum covers atmospheric transmission windows.

Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Photodetectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chu-Hsuan Lin

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The major radiation of the Sun can be roughly divided into three regions: ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light. Detection in these three regions is important to human beings. The metal-insulator-semiconductor photodetector, with a simpler process than the pn-junction photodetector and a lower dark current than the MSM photodetector, has been developed for light detection in these three regions. Ideal UV photodetectors with high UV-to-visible rejection ratio could be demonstrated with III-V metal-insulator-semiconductor UV photodetectors. The visible-light detection and near-infrared optical communications have been implemented with Si and Ge metal-insulator-semiconductor photodetectors. For mid- and long-wavelength infrared detection, metal-insulator-semiconductor SiGe/Si quantum dot infrared photodetectors have been developed, and the detection spectrum covers atmospheric transmission windows.

Determination of copper in liquid and solid insulation for large electrical equipment by ICP-OES. Application to copper contamination assessment in power transformers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruzzoniti, Maria Concetta; De Carlo, Rosa Maria; Sarzanini, Corrado; Maina, Riccardo; Tumiatti, Vander

2012-09-15

Copper is one of the main constituents of the components in power transformers and its presence both in liquid (mineral oil) and in solid (Kraft paper) insulators can lead to enhanced dielectric losses and to the subsequent deterioration of their insulating properties. Recently the latter have been correlated to plant failures which in turn may have severe impact on the environment. This paper describes the direct analysis of copper in insulating mineral oil by ICP-OES and how it was first optimized compared to the official American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D7151 method. Detection and quantification limits of 8.8 μg kg(-1) and 29.3 μg kg(-1) were obtained. Secondly, copper determination was improved by coupling a microwave assisted dissolution procedure of the mineral oil which avoided the problems, in the real samples, due to the presence of solid species of copper which cannot be nebulized following traditional methods described in literature. Sixteen mineral insulating oils sampled from transformers in service were analyzed before and after dissolution. In order to evaluate copper speciation, size fractionation was performed by filtration on PTFE filters (0.45, 1 and 5 μm). This test was performed on all the oil samples. Finally, because of the key role of the solid insulator in failed transformers, the Authors applied the developed method to study the copper deposition tendency onto the insulating Kraft paper tapes exerted by two unused oils (a corrosive and a non-corrosive one) under defined ageing conditions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Levels of surface contamination with radioactive materials at workplaces of nuclear research centre at Rez

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoelgye, Z.; Nemcova, I.; Kasikova, M.; Popper, J.; Chysky, J.

1983-01-01

A hygiene supervision unit at workplaces of the nuclear Research Institute in Rez monitored on a long-term basis surface contamination with radioactive substances. Surface contamination was found at workplaces with open sources. Of the 4343 monitored places action levels were only exceeded in 13 cases. The obtained data were used for typifying workplaces with the highest level of surface contamination, to determine in certain instances the mechanism of the escape of radioactive substances from insulating facilities and to determine the rate of the spread of the radioactive substance into adjacent non-active workplaces. (author)

Determinação de ascarel em óleo isolante de transformadores Ascarel determination in insulating oil of transformers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izoldir Antonello

2007-06-01

Full Text Available The contamination level of silicon oil used as insulation liquid in high-voltage transformers by ascarel (PCBs is above those permitted by the Brazilian law. Thus new techniques able to detect ascarel, with low operational costs, are very attractive. The present work proposes an analysis of the contamination levels of silicon oil using the following techniques: naphthalene anion radical reaction for ascarel dechlorination; and potentiometry with an ion-selective electrode for chloride ion determination. The data obtained with the proposed methodology agree well with those from the official methodology, (method IEC 61619.

The organic contamination level based on the total soil mass is not a proper index of the soil contamination intensity

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, H.-W.; Daniel, Sheng G.; Lin, T.-F.; Su, Y.; Chiou, C.T.

2009-01-01

Concentrations of organic contaminants in common productive soils based on the total soil mass give a misleading account of actual contamination effects. This is attributed to the fact that productive soils are essentially water-saturated, with the result that the soil uptake of organic compounds occurs principally by partition into the soil organic matter (SOM). This report illustrates that the soil contamination intensity of a compound is governed by the concentration in the SOM (Com) rather than by the concentration in whole soil (Cs). Supporting data consist of the measured levels and toxicities of many pesticides in soils of widely differing SOM contents and the related levels in in-situ crops that defy explanation by the Cs values. This SOM-based index is timely needed for evaluating the contamination effects of food crops grown in different soils and for establishing a dependable priority ranking for intended remediation of numerous contamination sites.

Development of electrical insulation and conduction coating for fusion experimental devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Onozuka, M. [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Yokohama (Japan); Tsujimura, S. [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Yokohama (Japan); Toyoda, M. [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Yokohama (Japan); Inoue, M. [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Yokohama (Japan); Abe, T. [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka (Japan); Murakami, Y. [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka (Japan)

1995-12-31

Development of electrical insulation and conduction methods that can be applied for large components have been investigated for future large fusion experimental devices. A thermal spraying method is employed to coat the insulation or conduction materials on the structural components. Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} has been selected as an insulation material, while Cr{sub 3}C{sub 2}-NiCr and WC-NiCr have been chosen as conduction materials. These materials were coated on stainless steel base plates to examine the basic characteristics of the coated layers, such as their adhesive strength to the base plate and electrical resistance. It was found that they have sufficient electrical insulation and conduction properties, respectively. In addition, the sliding tests of the coated layers showed sufficient frictional properties. The applicability of the spraying method was examined on a 100mm x 1000mm surface and found to be applicable for large surfaces in fusion experimental devices. (orig.).

Development of electrical insulation and conduction coating for fusion experimental devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onozuka, M.; Tsujimura, S.; Toyoda, M.; Inoue, M.; Abe, T.; Murakami, Y.

1995-01-01

Development of electrical insulation and conduction methods that can be applied for large components have been investigated for future large fusion experimental devices. A thermal spraying method is employed to coat the insulation or conduction materials on the structural components. Al 2 O 3 has been selected as an insulation material, while Cr 3 C 2 -NiCr and WC-NiCr have been chosen as conduction materials. These materials were coated on stainless steel base plates to examine the basic characteristics of the coated layers, such as their adhesive strength to the base plate and electrical resistance. It was found that they have sufficient electrical insulation and conduction properties, respectively. In addition, the sliding tests of the coated layers showed sufficient frictional properties. The applicability of the spraying method was examined on a 100mm x 1000mm surface and found to be applicable for large surfaces in fusion experimental devices. (orig.)

Improving the reliability of stator insulation system in rotating machines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, G.K.; Sedding, H.G.; Culbert, I.M.

1997-01-01

Reliable performance of rotating machines, especially generators and primary heat transport pump motors, is critical to the efficient operation on nuclear stations. A significant number of premature machine failures have been attributed to the stator insulation problems. Ontario Hydro has attempted to assure the long term reliability of the insulation system in critical rotating machines through proper specifications and quality assurance tests for new machines and periodic on-line and off-line diagnostic tests on machines in service. The experience gained over the last twenty years is presented in this paper. Functional specifications have been developed for the insulation system in critical rotating machines based on engineering considerations and our past experience. These specifications include insulation stress, insulation resistance and polarization index, partial discharge levels, dissipation factor and tip up, AC and DC hipot tests. Voltage endurance tests are specified for groundwall insulation system of full size production coils and bars. For machines with multi-turn coils, turn insulation strength for fast fronted surges in specified and verified through tests on all coils in the factory and on samples of finished coils in the laboratory. Periodic on-line and off-line diagnostic tests were performed to assess the condition of the stator insulation system in machines in service. Partial discharges are measured on-line using several techniques to detect any excessive degradation of the insulation system in critical machines. Novel sensors have been developed and installed in several machines to facilitate measurements of partial discharges on operating machines. Several off-line tests are performed either to confirm the problems indicated by the on-line test or to assess the insulation system in machines which cannot be easily tested on-line. Experience with these tests, including their capabilities and limitations, are presented. (author)

Characterization of silicon-on-insulator wafers

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Ki Hoon

The silicon-on-insulator (SOI) is attracting more interest as it is being used for an advanced complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) and a base substrate for novel devices to overcome present obstacles in bulk Si scaling. Furthermore, SOI fabrication technology has improved greatly in recent years and industries produce high quality wafers with high yield. This dissertation investigated SOI material properties with simple, yet accurate methods. The electrical properties of as-grown wafers such as electron and hole mobilities, buried oxide (BOX) charges, interface trap densities, and carrier lifetimes were mainly studied. For this, various electrical measurement techniques were utilized such as pseudo-metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor (PseudoMOSFET) static current-voltage (I-V) and transient drain current (I-t), Hall effect, and MOS capacitance-voltage/capacitance-time (C-V/C-t). The electrical characterization, however, mainly depends on the pseudo-MOSFET method, which takes advantage of the intrinsic SOI structure. From the static current-voltage and pulsed measurement, carrier mobilities, lifetimes and interface trap densities were extracted. During the course of this study, a pseudo-MOSFET drain current hysteresis regarding different gate voltage sweeping directions was discovered and the cause was revealed through systematic experiments and simulations. In addition to characterization of normal SOI, strain relaxation of strained silicon-on-insulator (sSOI) was also measured. As sSOI takes advantage of wafer bonding in its fabrication process, the tenacity of bonding between the sSOI and the BOX layer was investigated by means of thermal treatment and high dose energetic gamma-ray irradiation. It was found that the strain did not relax with processes more severe than standard CMOS processes, such as anneals at temperature as high as 1350 degree Celsius.

Effects of insulation on potted superconducting coils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeller, A.F.; DeKamp, J.C.; Magsig, C.T.; Nolen, J.A.; McInturff, A.D.

1989-01-01

Test coils using identical wire but with either Formvar or Polyesterimid insulation were fabricated to determine the effects of insulation on training behavior. It was found that the type of insulation did not affect the training behavior. While considerable attention has been paid to epoxy formulations used for superconducting coils, little study has been devoted to the effects of the wire insulation on training behavior. If the insulation does not bind well with the epoxy, the wires will not be held securely in place, and training will be required to make the coil operate at its design limit. In fact, the coil may never reach its design current, showing considerable degredation. Conversely, if the epoxy-insulation reaction is to soften or weaken the insulation, then shorts and/or training may result. The authors have undertaken a study of the effects of the insulation on potted coils wet wound with Stycast 2850 FT epoxy. The wire was insulated with one of two insulting varnishes: Formvar (a polyvinyl formal resin) or Polyesterimid (a phenolic resin). Formvar is the standard insulation in the United States while Polyesterimid the European standard

Vacuum foil insulation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanson, J.P.; Sabolcik, R.E.; Svedberg, R.C.

1976-01-01

In a multifoil thermal insulation package having a plurality of concentric cylindrical cups, means are provided for reducing heat loss from the penetration region which extends through the cups. At least one cup includes an integral skirt extending from one end of the cup to intersection with the penetration means. Assembly of the insulation package with the skirted cup is facilitated by splitting the cup to allow it to be opened up and fitted around the other cups during assembly. The insulation is for an implantable nuclear powered artificial heart

Topological insulators

CERN Document Server

Franz, Marcel

2013-01-01

Topological Insulators, volume six in the Contemporary Concepts of Condensed Matter Series, describes the recent revolution in condensed matter physics that occurred in our understanding of crystalline solids. The book chronicles the work done worldwide that led to these discoveries and provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of the field. Starting in 2004, theorists began to explore the effect of topology on the physics of band insulators, a field previously considered well understood. However, the inclusion of topology brings key new elements into this old field. Whereas it was

PD-pulse characteristics in rotating machine insulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holbøll, Joachim; Henriksen, Mogens; Jensen, A

1994-01-01

In this paper results are presented from investigations on partial discharges (PD) in insulation systems, resembling the stator insulation in high voltage rotating machines. A model, simulating a stator winding in a slot, has been developed, consisting of simple rotating machine insulation test...... bars with epoxy/mica insulation, mounted between steel sheets forming a dot, in order to investigate the fundamental behaviour of PD in insulation defects in epoxy/mica insulation and the characteristics of the resulting electrical pulses. Stator slot couplers (SSC) were used to detect pulses coming...

Interior thermal insulation systems for historical building envelopes

Science.gov (United States)

Jerman, Miloš; Solař, Miloš; Černý, Robert

2017-11-01

The design specifics of interior thermal insulation systems applied for historical building envelopes are described. The vapor-tight systems and systems based on capillary thermal insulation materials are taken into account as two basic options differing in building-physical considerations. The possibilities of hygrothermal analysis of renovated historical envelopes including laboratory methods, computer simulation techniques, and in-situ tests are discussed. It is concluded that the application of computational models for hygrothermal assessment of interior thermal insulation systems should always be performed with a particular care. On one hand, they present a very effective tool for both service life assessment and possible planning of subsequent reconstructions. On the other, the hygrothermal analysis of any historical building can involve quite a few potential uncertainties which may affect negatively the accuracy of obtained results.

Voltage- and current-activated metal–insulator transition in VO2-based electrical switches: a lifetime operation analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurelian Crunteanu, Julien Givernaud, Jonathan Leroy, David Mardivirin, Corinne Champeaux, Jean-Christophe Orlianges, Alain Catherinot and Pierre Blondy

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Vanadium dioxide is an intensively studied material that undergoes a temperature-induced metal–insulator phase transition accompanied by a large change in electrical resistivity. Electrical switches based on this material show promising properties in terms of speed and broadband operation. The exploration of the failure behavior and reliability of such devices is very important in view of their integration in practical electronic circuits. We performed systematic lifetime investigations of two-terminal switches based on the electrical activation of the metal–insulator transition in VO2 thin films. The devices were integrated in coplanar microwave waveguides (CPWs in series configuration. We detected the evolution of a 10 GHz microwave signal transmitted through the CPW, modulated by the activation of the VO2 switches in both voltage- and current-controlled modes. We demonstrated enhanced lifetime operation of current-controlled VO2-based switching (more than 260 million cycles without failure compared with the voltage-activated mode (breakdown at around 16 million activation cycles. The evolution of the electrical self-oscillations of a VO2-based switch induced in the current-operated mode is a subtle indicator of the material properties modification and can be used to monitor its behavior under various external stresses in sensor applications.

INSUL, Calculation of Thermal Insulation of Various Materials Immersed in He

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinkead, A.N.; Pitchford, B.E.

1977-01-01

1 - Nature of the physical problem solved: Performance of thermal insulation immersed in helium. 2 - Method of solution: Mineral fibre, metal fibre and metallic multi-layer foils are studied. An approximate analysis for performance evaluation of multi-layer insulation in vertical gas spaces including the regime between fully suppressed natural convection and that for which an accepted power relationship applies is included

Cadmium contamination in cereal-based diets and diet ingredients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siitonen, P.H.; Thompson, H.C. Jr.

1990-01-01

Cereal-based diet and/or diet ingredient cadmium levels were determined by graphite furnace AAS. Cadmium contamination was 88.3 and 447 ppb in two cereal-based diets, 44.6 and 48.9 ppb in two purified diets, and ranged from less than 1.1 to 22,900 ppb in the ingredients of one cereal-based diet. The major source of cadmium contamination was attributed to the calcium supplement used for diet formulation. Comparative analyses of two purified diet samples and one cereal-based diet by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, formerly the National Bureau of Standards) and the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) gave virtually identical results for Cd. A comparative study of Cd levels determined by flame and furnace AAS was also made by the NCTR and the NIST

Radiation protection of radioactively contaminated large areas by phytoremediation and subsequent utilization of the contaminated plant residues (PHYTOREST); Massnahmen zur Strahlenschutzvorsorge radioaktiv belasteter Grossflaechen durch Sanierung mittels Phytoremediation und anschliessende Verwertung der belasteten Pflanzenreststoffe (PHYTOREST)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mirgorodsky, Daniel; Ollivier, Delphine; Merten, Dirk; Bergmann, Hans; Buechel, Georg [Jena Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Geowissenschaften; Willscher, Sabine; Wittig, Juliane; Jablonski, Lukasz; Werner, Peter [Technische Univ. Dresden, Pirna (Germany). Inst. fuer Abfallwirtschaft und Altlasten

2010-12-15

Much progress has been achieved over the past 20 years in remediating sites contaminated by heavy metal. However, very large contaminated areas have presented major problems to this day because of remediation costs. Phytoremediation is a new, emerging, sustainable technique of remediating areas with low heavy-metal contamination. One advantage of phytoremediation is the comparatively low cost of the process, which may make it usable also on large areas with low levels of contamination. Besides extracting and immobilizing metals, respectively, phytoremediation among other things also contributes to improving soil quality in terms of physics, chemistry, and ecology. Consequently, phytoremediation offers a great potential for the future. Research into phytoremediation of an area contaminated by heavy metals and radionuclides is carried out on a site in a former uranium mining district in Eastern Thuringia jointly by the Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, and the Technical University of Dresden in a project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research. The project serves to promote the introduction of soft, biocompatible methods of long-term remediation and to develop conceptual solutions to the subsequent utilization of contaminated plant residues. Optimizing area management is in the focus of phytoremediation studies. (orig.)

Integrated Multilayer Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Dye, Scott

2009-01-01

Integrated multilayer insulation (IMLI) is being developed as an improved alternative to conventional multilayer insulation (MLI), which is more than 50 years old. A typical conventional MLI blanket comprises between 10 and 120 metallized polymer films separated by polyester nets. MLI is the best thermal- insulation material for use in a vacuum, and is the insulation material of choice for spacecraft and cryogenic systems. However, conventional MLI has several disadvantages: It is difficult or impossible to maintain the desired value of gap distance between the film layers (and consequently, it is difficult or impossible to ensure consistent performance), and fabrication and installation are labor-intensive and difficult. The development of IMLI is intended to overcome these disadvantages to some extent and to offer some additional advantages over conventional MLI. The main difference between IMLI and conventional MLI lies in the method of maintaining the gaps between the film layers. In IMLI, the film layers are separated by what its developers call a micro-molded discrete matrix, which can be loosely characterized as consisting of arrays of highly engineered, small, lightweight, polymer (typically, thermoplastic) frames attached to, and placed between, the film layers. The term "micro-molded" refers to both the smallness of the frames and the fact that they are fabricated in a process that forms precise small features, described below, that are essential to attainment of the desired properties. The term "discrete" refers to the nature of the matrix as consisting of separate frames, in contradistinction to a unitary frame spanning entire volume of an insulation blanket.

THE SCENARIOS APPROACH TO ATTENUATION-BASED REMEDIES FOR INORGANIC AND RADIONUCLIDE CONTAMINANTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vangelas, K.; Rysz, M.; Truex, M.; Brady, P.; Newell, C.; Denham, M.

2011-08-04

Guidance materials based on use of conceptual model scenarios were developed to assist evaluation and implementation of attenuation-based remedies for groundwater and vadose zones contaminated with inorganic and radionuclide contaminants. The Scenarios approach is intended to complement the comprehensive information provided in the US EPA's Technical Protocol for Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) of Inorganic Contaminants by providing additional information on site conceptual models and extending the evaluation to consideration of Enhanced Attenuation approaches. The conceptual models incorporate the notion of reactive facies, defined as units with hydrogeochemical properties that are different from surrounding units and that react with contaminants in distinct ways. The conceptual models also incorporate consideration of biogeochemical gradients, defined as boundaries between different geochemical conditions that have been induced by waste disposal or other natural phenomena. Gradients can change over time when geochemical conditions from one area migrate into another, potentially affecting contaminant mobility. A recognition of gradients allows the attenuation-affecting conditions of a site to be projected into the future. The Scenarios approach provides a stepwise process to identify an appropriate category of conceptual model and refine it for a specific site. Scenario materials provide links to pertinent sections in the EPA technical protocol and present information about contaminant mobility and important controlling mechanism for attenuation-based remedies based on the categories of conceptual models.

ASRM case insulation design and development

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Matthew S.; Tam, William F. S.

1992-10-01

This paper describes the achievements made on the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) case insulation design and development program. The ASRM case insulation system described herein protects the metal case and joints from direct radiation and hot gas impingement. Critical failure of solid rocket systems is often traceable to failure of the insulation design. The wide ranging accomplishments included the development of a nonasbestos insulation material for ASRM that replaced the existing Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) asbestos-filled nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) along with a performance gain of 300 pounds, and improved reliability of all the insulation joint designs, i.e., segmented case joint, case-to-nozzle and case-to-igniter joint. The insulation process development program included the internal stripwinding process. This process advancement allowed Aerojet to match to exceed the capability of other propulsion companies.

Prediction of breakdown voltages in novel gases for high voltage insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, M.

2015-01-01

This thesis submitted to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH in Zurich examines the use of sulphur hexafluoride (SF_6) and similar gases as important insulation media for high voltage equipment. Due to its superior insulation properties, SF_6 is widely used in gas-insulated switchgear. However, the gas also has a very high global warming potential and the content of SF_6 in the atmosphere is constantly increasing. The search for new insulation gases using classical breakdown experiments is discussed. A model for SF_6 based on the stepped leader model is described. This calculates the breakdown voltages in arbitrary electrode configurations and under standard voltage waveforms. Thus, the thesis provides a method for the prediction of breakdown voltages of arbitrary field configurations under standard voltage waveforms for gases with electron-attaching properties. With this, further gases can be characterized for usage as high voltage insulation media

Experimental demonstration of anomalous Floquet topological insulator for sound

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Yu-Gui; Qin, Cheng-Zhi; Zhao, De-Gang; Shen, Ya-Xi; Xu, Xiang-Yuan; Bao, Ming; Jia, Han; Zhu, Xue-Feng

2016-11-01

Time-reversal invariant topological insulator is widely recognized as one of the fundamental discoveries in condensed matter physics, for which the most fascinating hallmark is perhaps a spin-based topological protection, the absence of scattering of conduction electrons with certain spins on matter surface. Recently, it has created a paradigm shift for topological insulators, from electronics to photonics, phononics and mechanics as well, bringing about not only involved new physics but also potential applications in robust wave transport. Despite the growing interests in topologically protected acoustic wave transport, T-invariant acoustic topological insulator has not yet been achieved. Here we report experimental demonstration of anomalous Floquet topological insulator for sound: a strongly coupled metamaterial ring lattice that supports one-way propagation of pseudo-spin-dependent edge states under T-symmetry. We also demonstrate the formation of pseudo-spin-dependent interface states due to lattice dislocations and investigate the properties of pass band and band gap states.

Spin-transport-phenomena in metals, semiconductors, and insulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Althammer, Matthias Klaus

2012-07-19

Assuming that one could deterministically inject, transport, manipulate, store and detect spin information in solid state devices, the well-established concepts of charge-based electronics could be transferred to the spin realm. This thesis explores the injection, transport, manipulation and storage of spin information in metallic conductors, semiconductors, as well as electrical insulators. On the one hand, we explore the spin-dependent properties of semiconducting zinc oxide thin films deposited via laser-molecular beam epitaxy (laser-MBE). After demonstrating that the zinc oxide films fabricated during this thesis have excellent structural, electrical, and optical properties, we investigate the spin-related properties by optical pump/probe, electrical injection/optical detection, and all electrical spin valve-based experiments. The two key results from these experiments are: (i) Long-lived spin states with spin dephasing times of 10 ns at 10 K related to donor bound excitons can be optically addressed. (ii) The spin dephasing times relevant for electrical transport-based experiments are {<=} 2 ns at 10 K and are correlated with structural quality. On the other hand we focus on two topics of current scientific interest: the comparison of the magnetoresistance to the magnetothermopower of conducting ferromagnets, and the investigation of pure spin currents generated in ferromagnetic insulator/normal metal hybrid structures. We investigate the magnetoresistance and magnetothermopower of gallium manganese arsenide and Heusler thin films as a function of external magnetic field orientation. Using a series expansion of the resistivity and Seebeck tensors and the inherent symmetry of the sample's crystal structure, we show that a full quantitative extraction of the transport tensors from such experiments is possible. Regarding the spin currents in ferromagnetic insulator/normal metal hybrid structures we studied the spin mixing conductance in yttrium iron garnet

Multi-criteria thermal evaluation of wall enclosures of high-rise buildings insulated products based on modified fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlov, Alexey; Pavlova, Larisa; Pavlova, Lyudmila

2018-03-01

In article results of research of versions of offered types of heaters on the basis of products from the modified fibers for designing energy efficient building enclosures residential high-rise buildings are presented. Traditional building materials (reinforced concrete, brick, wood) are not able to provide the required value of thermal resistance in areas with a temperate and harsh Russia climate in a single-layered enclosing structure. It can be achieved in a multi-layered enclosing structure, where the decisive role is played by new insulating materials with high thermal properties. In general, modern design solutions for external walls are based on the use of new effective thermal insulation materials with the use of the latest technology. The relevance of the proposed topic is to research thermoinsulation properties of new mineral heaters. Theoretical researches of offered heaters from mineral wool on slime-colloidal binder, bentocolloid and microdispersed binders are carried out. In addition, theoretical studies were carried out with several types of facade systems. Comprehensive studies were conducted on the resistance to heat transfer, resistance to vapor permeation and air permeability. According to the received data, recommendations on the use of insulation types depending on the number of storeys of buildings are proposed.

Optimisation of Multilayer Insulation an Engineering Approach

CERN Document Server

Chorowski, M; Parente, C; Riddone, G

2001-01-01

A mathematical model has been developed to describe the heat flux through multilayer insulation (MLI). The total heat flux between the layers is the result of three distinct heat transfer modes: radiation, residual gas conduction and solid spacer conduction. The model describes the MLI behaviour considering a layer-to-layer approach and is based on an electrical analogy, in which the three heat transfer modes are treated as parallel thermal impedances. The values of each of the transfer mode vary from layer to layer, although the total heat flux remains constant across the whole MLI blanket. The model enables the optimisation of the insulation with regard to different MLI parameters, such as residual gas pressure, number of layers and boundary temperatures. The model has been tested with experimental measurements carried out at CERN and the results revealed to be in a good agreement, especially for insulation vacuum between 10-5 Pa and 10-3 Pa.

Cuprous sulfide as a film insulation for superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, G.R.; Uphoff, J.H.; Vecchio, P.D.

1982-01-01

The LCP test coil utilizes a conductor of forced-flow design having 486 strands of multifilametary Nb 3 Sn compacted in a stainless steel sheath. The impetus for the work reported here stemmed from the need for some form of insulation for those strands to prevent sintering during reaction and to reduce ac losses. The work reported here experimented with cuprous sulfide coatings at various coating rates and thicknesses. Two solenoids that were wound with cuprous sulfide-coated wires and heat-treated at 700 degrees C were found to demonstrate that the film is effective in providing turn-to-turn insulation for less than about 0.5V between turns. The sulfide layer provided a metal-semiconductor junction which became conducting at roughly 0.5V. Repeated cycling of the coil voltage in excess of that value produced no damage to the sulfide layer. The junction provided self-protection for the coil as long as the upper allowable current density in the sulfide was not exceeded. No training was apparent up to 6.4 T

Two methodologies for optical analysis of contaminated engine lubricants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aghayan, Hamid; Yang, Jun; Bordatchev, Evgueni

2012-01-01

The performance, efficiency and lifetime of modern combustion engines significantly depend on the quality of the engine lubricants. However, contaminants, such as gasoline, moisture, coolant and wear particles, reduce the life of engine mechanical components and lubricant quality. Therefore, direct and indirect measurements of engine lubricant properties, such as physical-mechanical, electro-magnetic, chemical and optical properties, are intensively utilized in engine condition monitoring systems and sensors developed within the last decade. Such sensors for the measurement of engine lubricant properties can be used to detect a functional limit of the in-use lubricant, increase drain interval and reduce the environmental impact. This paper proposes two new methodologies for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the presence of contaminants in the engine lubricants. The methodologies are based on optical analysis of the distortion effect when an object image is obtained through a thin random optical medium (e.g. engine lubricant). The novelty of the proposed methodologies is in the introduction of an object with a known periodic shape behind a thin film of the contaminated lubricant. In this case, an acquired image represents a combined lubricant–object optical appearance, where an a priori known periodic structure of the object is distorted by a contaminated lubricant. In the object shape-based optical analysis, several parameters of an acquired optical image, such as the gray scale intensity of lubricant and object, shape width at object and lubricant levels, object relative intensity and width non-uniformity coefficient are newly proposed. Variations in the contaminant concentration and use of different contaminants lead to the changes of these parameters measured on-line. In the statistical optical analysis methodology, statistical auto- and cross-characteristics (e.g. auto- and cross-correlation functions, auto- and cross-spectrums, transfer function

Forming Refractory Insulation On Copper Wire

Science.gov (United States)

Setlock, J.; Roberts, G.

1995-01-01

Alternative insulating process forms flexible coat of uncured refractory insulating material on copper wire. Coated wire formed into coil or other complex shape. Wire-coating apparatus forms "green" coat on copper wire. After wire coiled, heating converts "green" coat to refractory electrical insulator. When cured to final brittle form, insulating material withstands temperatures above melting temperature of wire. Process used to make coils for motors, solenoids, and other electrical devices to be operated at high temperatures.

High-Performance Slab-on-Grade Foundation Insulation Retrofits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldberg, Louise F. [NorthernSTAR, St. Paul, MN (United States); Mosiman, Garrett E. [NorthernSTAR, St. Paul, MN (United States)

2015-09-01

A more accurate assessment of slab-on-grade foundation insulation energy savings than traditionally possible is now feasible. This has been enabled by advances in whole building energy simulation with 3-dimensional foundation modelling integration at each time step together with an experimental measurement of the site energy savings of SOG foundation insulation. Ten SOG insulation strategies were evaluated on a test building to identify an optimum retrofit insulation strategy in a zone 6 climate (Minneapolis, MN). The optimum insulation strategy in terms of energy savings and cost effectiveness consisted of two components: (a) R-20 XPS insulation above grade, and, (b) R-20 insulation at grade (comprising an outer layer of R-10 insulation and an interior layer of R-12 poured polyurethane insulation) tapering to R-10 XPS insulation at half the below-grade wall height (the lower half of the stem wall was uninsulated).

Drinking Water Contamination Due To Lead-based Solder

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, N.; Bartelt, E.; Cuff, K. E.

2004-12-01

The presence of lead in drinking water creates many health hazards. Exposure to lead-contaminated water can affect the brain, the central nervous system, blood cells, and kidneys, causing such problems as mental retardation, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, and death. One way in which lead can contaminate our water supply is through the use of lead solder to join pipes. Lead solder was widely used in the past because of its ease of application as well as its low cost. Lead contamination in residential areas has previously been found to be a particularly serious problem in first-draw samples, of water that has sat stagnant in pipes overnight. To investigate the time-dependence of drinking water lead contamination, we analyzed samples taken hourly of water exposed to lead solder. While our preliminary data was insufficient to show more than a rough correlation between time of exposure and lead concentration over short periods (1-3 hours), we were able to confirm that overnight exposure of water to lead-based solder results in the presence high levels of lead. We also investigated other, external factors that previous research has indicated contribute to increased concentrations of lead. Our analysis of samples of lead-exposed water at various pH and temperatures suggests that these factors can be equally significant in terms of their contribution to elevated lead concentration levels. In particular, water that is slightly corrosive appears to severely impact the solubility of lead. As this type of water is common in much of the Northeast United States, the presence of lead-based solder in residential areas there is especially problematic. Although lead-based solder has been banned since the 1980s, it remains a serious concern, and a practical solution still requires further research.

Study of high field Nb3Sn superconducting dipoles: electrical insulation based made of ceramic and magnetic design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rochepault, E.

2012-01-01

In the framework of LHC upgrades, significant efforts are provided to design accelerator magnets using the superconducting alloy Nb 3 Sn, which allows to reach higher magnetic fields (≥12 T). The aim of this thesis is to propose new computation and manufacturing methods for high field Nb 3 Sn dipoles. A ceramic insulation, previously designed at CEA Saclay, has been tested for the first time on cables, in an accelerator magnet environment. Critical current measures, under magnetic field and mechanical stress, have been carried out in particular. With this test campaign, the current ceramic insulation has been shown to be too weak mechanically and the critical current properties are degraded. Then a study has been conducted, with the objective to improve the mechanical strength of the insulation and better distribute the stress inside the cable. Methods of magnetic design have also been proposed, in order to optimize the coils shape, while fulfilling constraints of field homogeneity, operational margins, forces minimization... Consequently, several optimization codes have been set up. They are based on new methods using analytical formulas. A 2D code has first been written for block designs. Then two 3D codes have been realized for the optimization of dipole ends. The former consists in modeling the coil with elementary blocs and the latter is based on a modeling of the superconducting cables with ribbons. These optimization codes allowed to propose magnetic designs for high field accelerator magnets. (author) [fr

The inaccuracy of heat transfer characteristics of insulated and non-insulated circular duct while neglecting the influence of heat radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsien, T.-L.; Wong, K.-L.; Yu, S.-J.

2009-01-01

The non-insulated and insulated ducts are commonly applied in the industries and various buildings, because the heat radiation equation contains the 4th order exponential of temperature which is very complicate in calculations. Most heat transfer experts recognized from their own experiences that the heat radiation effect can be ignored due to the small temperature difference between insulated and non-insulated surface and surroundings. This paper studies in detail to check the inaccuracies of heat transfer characteristics non-insulated and insulated duct by comparing the results between considering and neglecting heat radiation effect. It is found that neglecting the heat radiation effect is likely to produce large errors of non-insulated and thin-insulated ducts in situations of ambient air with low external convection heat coefficients and larger surface emissivity, especially while the ambient air temperature is different from that of surroundings and greater internal fluid convection coefficients. It is also found in this paper that using greater duct surface emissivity can greatly improve the heat exchanger effect and using smaller insulated surface emissivity can obtain better insulation.

Linear accelerator with x-ray absorbing insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rose, P.H.

1975-01-01

Annular insulators for supporting successive annular electrodes in a linear accelerator have embedded x-ray absorbing shield structures extending around the accelerating path. The shield members are disposed to intercept x-ray radiation without disrupting the insulative effect of the insulator members. In preferred forms, the structure comprises a plurality of annular members of heavy metal disposed in an x-ray blocking array, spaced from each other by the insulating substance of the insulator member. (auth)

A Non-Ventilated Solar Façade Concept Based on Selective and Transparent Insulation Material Integration: An Experimental Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav Čekon

2017-06-01

Full Text Available A new solar façade concept based on transparent insulation and a selective absorber is proposed, tested and compared with conventional insulation and a non-selective type of absorber, respectively. The presented study focuses on an experimental non-ventilated solar type of façade exposed to solar radiation both in the laboratory and in outdoor tests. Due to the high solar absorbance level of the façade, high- and low-emissivity contributions were primarily analysed. All of the implemented materials were contrasted from the thermal and optical point of view. An analysis was made of both thermodynamic and steady state procedures affecting the proposed solar façade concept. Experimental full scale tests on real building components were additionally involved during summer monitoring. An indicator of the temperature response generated by solar radiation exposure demonstrates the outdoor performance of the façade is closely related to overheating phenomena. From the thermal point of view, the proposed transparent insulation and selective absorber concept corresponds to the performance of conventional thermal insulation of identical material thickness; however, the non-selective prototype only provides 50% thermal performance. The results of the solar-based experiments show that with a small-scale experimental prototype, approximately no significant difference is measured when compared with a non-selective absorber type. The only difference was achieved at the maximum of 2.5 K, when the lower temperature was obtained in the solar selective concept. At the full-scale outdoor mode, the results indicate a maximum of 3.0 K difference, however the lower temperature achieves a non-selective approach. This solar façade can actively contribute to the thermal performance of building components during periods of heating.

Insulator applications in a Tokamak reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leger, D.

1986-06-01

Insulators, among which insulators ceramics, have great potential applications in fusion reactors. They will be used for all plasma-facing components as protection and, magnetic fusion devices being subject to large electrical currents flowing in any parts of the device, for their electrical insulating properties

Improving thermal insulation of TC4 using YSZ-based coating and SiO2 aerogel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Jin

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, air plasmas spray (APS was used to prepare YSZ and Sc2O3–YSZ (ScYSZ coating in order to improve the thermal insulation ability of TC4 alloy. SiO2 aerogel was also synthesized and affixed on TC4 titanium alloy to inhabit thermal flow. The microstructures, phase compositions and thermal insulation performance of three coatings were analyzed in detail. The results of thermal diffusivity test by a laser flash method showed that the thermal diffusivities of YSZ, Sc2O3–YSZ and SiO2 aerogel are 0.553, 0.539 and 0.2097×10−6 m2/s, respectively. Then, the thermal insulation performances of three kinds of coating were investigated from 20 °C to 400 °C using high infrared radiation heat flux technology. The experimental results indicated that the corresponding temperature difference between the top TC4 alloy (400 °C and the bottom surface of YSZ is 41.5 °C for 0.6 mm thickness coating. For 1 mm thickness coating, the corresponding temperature difference between the top TC4 alloys (400 °C and the bottom surface of YSZ, ScYSZ, SiO2 aerogel three specimens is 54, 54.6 and 208 °C, respectively. The coating thickness and species were found to influence the heat insulation ability. In these materials, YSZ and ScYSZ exhibited a little difference for heat insulation behavior. However, SiO2 aerogel was the best one among them and it can be taken as protection material on TC4 alloys. In outer space, SiO2 aerogel can meet the need of thermal insulation of TC4 of high-speed aircraft.

A Labview Based Leakage Current Monitoring System For HV Insulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Mavrikakis

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a Labview based leakage current monitoring system for High Voltage insulators is described. The system uses a general purpose DAQ system with the addition of different current sensors. The DAQ system consists of a chassis and hot-swappable modules. Through the proper design of current sensors, low cost modules operating with a suitable input range can be employed. Fully customizable software can be developed using Labview, allowing on-demand changes and incorporation of upgrades. Such a system provides a low cost alternative to specially designed equipment with the added advantage of maximum flexibility. Further, it can be modified to satisfy the specifications (technical and economical set under different scenarios. In fact, the system described in this paper has already been installed in the HV Lab of the TEI of Crete whereas a variation of it is currently in use in TALOS High Voltage Test Station.

Spin-dependent Peltier effect in 3D topological insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta, Parijat; Kubis, Tillmann; Povolotskyi, Michael; Klimeck, Gerhard

2013-03-01

The Peltier effect represents the heat carrying capacity of a certain material when current passes through it. When two materials with different Peltier coefficients are placed together, the Peltier effect causes heat to flow either towards or away from the interface between them. This work utilizes the spin-polarized property of 3D topological insulator (TI) surface states to describe the transport of heat through the spin-up and spin-down channels. It has been observed that the spin channels are able to carry heat independently of each other. Spin currents can therefore be employed to supply or extract heat from an interface between materials with spin-dependent Peltier coefficients. The device is composed of a thin film of Bi2Se3 sandwiched between two layers of Bi2Te3. The thin film of Bi2Se3serves both as a normal and topological insulator. It is a normal insulator when its surfaces overlap to produce a finite band-gap. Using an external gate, Bi2Se3 film can be again tuned in to a TI. Sufficiently thick Bi2Te3 always retain TI behavior. Spin-dependent Peltier coefficients are obtained and the spin Nernst effect in TIs is shown by controlling the temperature gradient to convert charge current to spin current.

Vacuum-insulated catalytic converter

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, David K.

2001-01-01

A catalytic converter has an inner canister that contains catalyst-coated substrates and an outer canister that encloses an annular, variable vacuum insulation chamber surrounding the inner canister. An annular tank containing phase-change material for heat storage and release is positioned in the variable vacuum insulation chamber a distance spaced part from the inner canister. A reversible hydrogen getter in the variable vacuum insulation chamber, preferably on a surface of the heat storage tank, releases hydrogen into the variable vacuum insulation chamber to conduct heat when the phase-change material is hot and absorbs the hydrogen to limit heat transfer to radiation when the phase-change material is cool. A porous zeolite trap in the inner canister absorbs and retains hydrocarbons from the exhaust gases when the catalyst-coated substrates and zeolite trap are cold and releases the hydrocarbons for reaction on the catalyst-coated substrate when the zeolite trap and catalyst-coated substrate get hot.

Prediction of breakdown voltages in novel gases for high voltage insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koch, M.

2015-07-01

This thesis submitted to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH in Zurich examines the use of sulphur hexafluoride (SF{sub 6}) and similar gases as important insulation media for high voltage equipment. Due to its superior insulation properties, SF{sub 6} is widely used in gas-insulated switchgear. However, the gas also has a very high global warming potential and the content of SF{sub 6} in the atmosphere is constantly increasing. The search for new insulation gases using classical breakdown experiments is discussed. A model for SF{sub 6} based on the stepped leader model is described. This calculates the breakdown voltages in arbitrary electrode configurations and under standard voltage waveforms. Thus, the thesis provides a method for the prediction of breakdown voltages of arbitrary field configurations under standard voltage waveforms for gases with electron-attaching properties. With this, further gases can be characterized for usage as high voltage insulation media.

Solar Development on Contaminated and Disturbed Lands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macknick, Jordan [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Lee, Courtney [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Mosey, Gail [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Melius, Jenny [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2013-12-01

Land classified as contaminated and disturbed across the United States has the potential to host developments of utility-scale solar power. This report examines the prospect of developing utility- and commercial-scale concentrated solar power (CSP) and solar photovoltaics (PV) technologies on degraded and environmentally contaminated lands. The potential for solar development on contaminated anddisturbed lands was assessed, and for the largest and highest solar resource sites, the economic impacts and feasibility were evaluated. Developing solar power on contaminated and disturbed lands can help create jobs and revitalize local and state economies, and selecting these sites over greenfield sites can potentially have permitting and environmental mitigation advantages. The U.S.Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot goals call for 632 GW of PV and 83 GW of CSP to be deployed by 2050. Conservative land-use estimates of this study (10 acres per megawatt) show that there are disturbed and environmentally contaminated lands throughout the country that could be suitable for utility-scale solar power, and, that there is sufficient land area to meet SunShot solar deployment goals. The purpose of this assessment is to improve the understanding of these sites and facilitate solar developers' selection of contaminated and disturbed sites for development.

Handleable shapes of thermal insulation material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hughes, J. T.

1989-01-17

Handleable and machineable shapes of thermal insulation material are made by compacting finely divided thermal insulation material into the cells of a reinforcing honeycomb insulation material into the cells of a reinforcing honeycomb structure. The finely divided thermal insulation material may be, for example, silica aerogel, pyrogenic silica, carbon black, silica gel, volatilised silica, calcium silicate, vermiculate or perlite, or finely divided metal oxides such as alumina or titania. The finely divided thermal insulation material may include an infra-red opacifier and/or reinforcing fibres. The reinforcing honeycomb structure may be made from, for example, metals such as aluminium foil, inorganic materials such as ceramics, organic materials such as plastics materials, woven fabrics or paper. A rigidiser may be employed. The shapes of thermal insulation material are substantially rigid and may be machines, for example by mechanical or laser cutting devices, or may be formed, for example by rolling, into curved or other shaped materials. 12 figs.

Reusable Surface Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

1997-01-01

Advanced Flexible Reusable Surface Insulation, developed by Ames Research Center, protects the Space Shuttle from the searing heat that engulfs it on reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. Initially integrated into the Space Shuttle by Rockwell International, production was transferred to Hi-Temp Insulation Inc. in 1974. Over the years, Hi-Temp has created many new technologies to meet the requirements of the Space Shuttle program. This expertise is also used commercially, including insulation blankets to cover aircrafts parts, fire barrier material to protect aircraft engine cowlings and aircraft rescue fire fighter suits. A Fire Protection Division has also been established, offering the first suit designed exclusively by and for aircraft rescue fire fighters. Hi-Temp is a supplier to the Los Angeles City Fire Department as well as other major U.S. civil and military fire departments.

Two dimensional topological insulator in quantizing magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Olshanetsky, E. B.; Kvon, Z. D.; Gusev, G. M.; Mikhailov, N. N.; Dvoretsky, S. A.

2018-05-01

The effect of quantizing magnetic field on the electron transport is investigated in a two dimensional topological insulator (2D TI) based on a 8 nm (013) HgTe quantum well (QW). The local resistance behavior is indicative of a metal-insulator transition at B ≈ 6 T. On the whole the experimental data agrees with the theory according to which the helical edge states transport in a 2D TI persists from zero up to a critical magnetic field Bc after which a gap opens up in the 2D TI spectrum.

The Role of Electrode Contamination and the Effects of Cleaning and Conditioning on the Performance of High-Energy, Pulsed-Power Devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuneo, M.E.

1998-11-10

High-energy pulsed-power devices routinely access field strengths above those at which broad-area, cathode-initiated, high-voltage vacuum-breakdown occur. Examples include magnetically-insulated-transmission lines and current convolutes, high-current-density electron and ion diodes, high-power microwave devices, and cavities and other structures for electrostatic and RF accelerators. Energy deposited in anode surfaces may exceed anode plasma thermal-desorption creation thresholds on the time-scale of the pulse. Stimulated resorption by electron or photon bombardment can also lead to plasma formation on electrode or insulator surfaces. Device performance is limited above these thresholds, particularly impulse length and energy, by the formation and expansion of neutral and plasma layers formed, primarily from electrode contaminants. In-situ conditioning tech&ques to modify and eliminate the contaminants through multiple high-voltage pukes, low base pressures, RF discharge cleaning, heating, surface coatings, and ion- and electron-beam surface treatment allow access to new regimes of performance through control of plasma formation and modification of the plasma properties. Experimental and theoretical progress from a variety of devices and small scale experiments with a variety of treatment methods will be reviewed and recommendations given for future work.

Translucent insulating building envelope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rahbek, Jens Eg

1997-01-01

A new type of translucent insulating material has been tested. This material is made of Celulose-Acetat and have a honey-comb structure. The material has a high solar transmittance and is highly insulating. The material is relatively cheap to produce. Danish Title: Translucent isolerende klimaskærm....

Electrical actuation of electrically conducting and insulating droplets using ac and dc voltages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumari, N; Bahadur, V; Garimella, S V

2008-01-01

Electrical actuation of liquid droplets at the microscale offers promising applications in the fields of microfluidics and lab-on-chip devices. Much prior research has targeted the electrical actuation of electrically conducting liquid droplets using dc voltages (classical electrowetting). Electrical actuation of conducting droplets using ac voltages and the actuation of insulating droplets (using dc or ac voltages) has remained relatively unexplored. This paper utilizes an energy-minimization-based analytical framework to study the electrical actuation of a liquid droplet (electrically conducting or insulating) under ac actuation. It is shown that the electromechanical regimes of classical electrowetting, electrowetting under ac actuation and insulating droplet actuation can be extracted from the generic electromechanical actuation framework, depending on the electrical properties of the droplet, the underlying dielectric layer and the frequency of the actuation voltage. This paper also presents experiments which quantify the influence of the ac frequency and the electrical properties of the droplet on its velocity under electrical actuation. The velocities of droplets moving between two parallel plates under ac actuation are experimentally measured; these velocities are then related to the actuation force on the droplet which is predicted by the electromechanical model developed in this work. It is seen that the droplet velocities are strongly dependent on the frequency of the ac actuation voltage; the cut-off ac frequency, above which the droplet fails to actuate, is experimentally determined and related to the electrical conductivity of the liquid. This paper then analyzes and directly compares the various electromechanical regimes for the actuation of droplets in microfluidic applications

A solution to water vapor in the National Transonic Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Gloss, Blair B.; Bruce, Robert A.

1989-01-01

As cryogenic wind tunnels are utilized, problems associated with the low temperature environment are being discovered and solved. Recently, water vapor contamination was discovered in the National Transonic Facility, and the source was shown to be the internal insulation which is a closed-cell polyisocyanurate foam. After an extensive study of the absorptivity characteristics of the NTF thermal insulation, the most practical solution to the problem was shown to be the maintaining of a dry environment in the circuit at all times. Utilizing a high aspect ratio transport model, it was shown that the moisture contamination effects on the supercritical wing pressure distributions were within the accuracy of setting test conditions and as such were considered negligible for this model.

Insulators for fusion applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-04-01

Design studies for fusion devices and reactors have become more detailed in recent years and with this has come a better understanding of requirements and operating conditions for insulators in these machines. Ceramic and organic insulators are widely used for many components of fusion devices and reactors namely: radio frequency (RF) energy injection systems (BeO, Al 2 O 3 , Mg Al 2 O 4 , Si 3 N 4 ); electrical insulation for the torus structure (SiC, Al 2 O 3 , MgO, Mg Al 2 O 4 , Si 4 Al 2 O 2 N 6 , Si 3 N 4 , Y 2 O 3 ); lightly-shielded magnetic coils (MgO, MgAl 2 O 4 ); the toroidal field coil (epoxies, polyimides), neutron shield (B 4 C, TiH 2 ); high efficiency electrical generation; as well as the generation of very high temperatures for high efficiency hydrogen production processes (ZrO 2 and Al 2 O 3 - mat, graphite and carbon - felt). Timely development of insulators for fusion applications is clearly necessary. Those materials to be used in fusion machines should show high resistance to radiation damage and maintain their structural integrity. Now the need is urgent for a variety of radiation resistant materials, but much effort in these areas is required for insulators to be considered seriously by the design community. This document contains 14 papers from an IAEA meeting. It was the objective of this meeting to identify existing problems in analysing various situations of applications and requirements of electrical insulators and ceramics in fusion and to recommend strategies and different stages of implementation. This meeting was endorsed by the International Fusion Research Council

Soil management planning for military installations: Strategy for identifying contaminated soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makdisi, R.S.; Baskin, D.A.; Downey, D.; Taffinder, S.A.

1992-01-01

Numerous federal and state regulations mandate the proper handling and disposal and/or treatment of contaminated soils. The Land Disposal Ban and the increasing lack of new or proximal land disposal facilities, coupled with the increasing liability of off-site disposal, have created a need for altering the traditional methods of managing contaminated sods. To delineate soil management decisions, a Soil Management Plan (SMP) was developed which incorporates the substantive requirements of CERCLA/SARA and RCRA into the ongoing base activities (i.e., construction projects, utility repairs and maintenance) and other environmental projects (i.e., underground storage tank removals) that may involve contaminated soils. The decision-making process is developed to guide base personnel in recognizing contamination, following proper sampling and temporary storage procedures, preventing unnecessary human exposure and isolating soils for removal off-site or treatment on-site. The SMP also contains a comprehensive review of soil remediation technologies, such as biological treatment, soil vapor extraction, soil washing, biofiltering, thermal desorption, soil stabilization/solidification, chemical/physical treatment and incineration. Contaminant types expected at the federal military facility are cross-referenced to the appropriate remediation technologies to determine the specific base needs for a soil treatment unit. An example of a conceptual design for a hydrocarbon-contaminated soil treatment unit is presented for a base where underground fuel tanks are the principal source of soil contamination

High Performance Slab-on-Grade Foundation Insulation Retrofits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldberg, Louise F. [NorthernSTAR, St. Paul, MN (United States); Mosiman, Garrett E. [NorthernSTAR, St. Paul, MN (United States)

2015-09-01

?A more accurate assessment of SOG foundation insulation energy savings than traditionally possible is now feasible. This has been enabled by advances in whole building energy simulation with 3-dimensional foundation modelling integration at each time step together with an experimental measurement of the site energy savings of SOG foundation insulation. Ten SOG insulation strategies were evaluated on a test building to identify an optimum retrofit insulation strategy in a zone 6 climate (Minneapolis, MN). The optimum insulation strategy in terms of energy savings and cost effectiveness consisted of two components: (a) R-20 XPS insulation above grade, and, (b) R-20 insulation at grade (comprising an outer layer of R-10 insulation and an interior layer of R-12 poured polyurethane insulation) tapering to R-10 XPS insulation at half the below-grade wall height (the lower half of the stem wall was uninsulated). The optimum insulation strategy was applied to single and multi-family residential buildings in climate zone 4 - 7. The highest site energy savings of 5% was realized for a single family home in Duluth, MN, and the lowest savings of 1.4 % for a 4-unit townhouse in Richmond, VA. SOG foundation insulation retrofit simple paybacks ranged from 18 to 47 years. There are other benefits of SOG foundation insulation resulting from the increase in the slab surface temperatures. These include increased occupant thermal comfort, and a decrease in slab surface condensation particularly around the slab perimeter.

Development of Insulation Diagnostic Data Base in High Voltage Rotating Machine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ju, Y.H.; Lee, Y.J.; Kong, T.S. [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Taejon (Korea)

2002-07-01

Since 1999, Kepri has been performed insulation diagnostic test, has about 3,000 test result data, so we need to manage the data efficiently. this study aims at developing of test data management program. (author). 7 refs., 19 figs., 11 tabs.

Process insulation. Isolation thermique des equipements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1987-01-01

A manual is presented to assist managers and operating personnel to recognize industrial energy management opportunities, and provides mathematical equations, general information on proven techniques and technology, and examples. It deals with process insulation, focusing on the insulation of mechanical systems such as piping, process vessels, equipment, and ductwork. The manual describes the effects of insulation materials; commonly encountered types of insulation, coverings and protective finishes as well as common applications; energy management opportunities, divided into housekeeping, low cost, and retrofit; and includes worked examples of each. Includes glossary. 17 figs., 8 tabs.

Metal-insulator transitions

Science.gov (United States)

Imada, Masatoshi; Fujimori, Atsushi; Tokura, Yoshinori

1998-10-01

Metal-insulator transitions are accompanied by huge resistivity changes, even over tens of orders of magnitude, and are widely observed in condensed-matter systems. This article presents the observations and current understanding of the metal-insulator transition with a pedagogical introduction to the subject. Especially important are the transitions driven by correlation effects associated with the electron-electron interaction. The insulating phase caused by the correlation effects is categorized as the Mott Insulator. Near the transition point the metallic state shows fluctuations and orderings in the spin, charge, and orbital degrees of freedom. The properties of these metals are frequently quite different from those of ordinary metals, as measured by transport, optical, and magnetic probes. The review first describes theoretical approaches to the unusual metallic states and to the metal-insulator transition. The Fermi-liquid theory treats the correlations that can be adiabatically connected with the noninteracting picture. Strong-coupling models that do not require Fermi-liquid behavior have also been developed. Much work has also been done on the scaling theory of the transition. A central issue for this review is the evaluation of these approaches in simple theoretical systems such as the Hubbard model and t-J models. Another key issue is strong competition among various orderings as in the interplay of spin and orbital fluctuations. Experimentally, the unusual properties of the metallic state near the insulating transition have been most extensively studied in d-electron systems. In particular, there is revived interest in transition-metal oxides, motivated by the epoch-making findings of high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates and colossal magnetoresistance in manganites. The article reviews the rich phenomena of anomalous metallicity, taking as examples Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Ru compounds. The diverse phenomena include strong spin and

Using model-based screening to help discover unknown environmental contaminants.

Science.gov (United States)

McLachlan, Michael S; Kierkegaard, Amelie; Radke, Michael; Sobek, Anna; Malmvärn, Anna; Alsberg, Tomas; Arnot, Jon A; Brown, Trevor N; Wania, Frank; Breivik, Knut; Xu, Shihe

2014-07-01

Of the tens of thousands of chemicals in use, only a small fraction have been analyzed in environmental samples. To effectively identify environmental contaminants, methods to prioritize chemicals for analytical method development are required. We used a high-throughput model of chemical emissions, fate, and bioaccumulation to identify chemicals likely to have high concentrations in specific environmental media, and we prioritized these for target analysis. This model-based screening was applied to 215 organosilicon chemicals culled from industrial chemical production statistics. The model-based screening prioritized several recognized organosilicon contaminants and generated hypotheses leading to the selection of three chemicals that have not previously been identified as potential environmental contaminants for target analysis. Trace analytical methods were developed, and the chemicals were analyzed in air, sewage sludge, and sediment. All three substances were found to be environmental contaminants. Phenyl-tris(trimethylsiloxy)silane was present in all samples analyzed, with concentrations of ∼50 pg m(-3) in Stockholm air and ∼0.5 ng g(-1) dw in sediment from the Stockholm archipelago. Tris(trifluoropropyl)trimethyl-cyclotrisiloxane and tetrakis(trifluoropropyl)tetramethyl-cyclotetrasiloxane were found in sediments from Lake Mjøsa at ∼1 ng g(-1) dw. The discovery of three novel environmental contaminants shows that models can be useful for prioritizing chemicals for exploratory assessment.

Labeling and advertising of home insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-07-01

This staff report, prepared by the F.T.C.'s Bureau of Consumer Protection for Commission review, includes recommendations as to the final form of a trade regulation rule relating to the labeling and advertising of home insulation. Because of marketing abuses which accompanied the rising demand for home insulation, there has been broad support for a rule requiring information disclosures to help purchasers of home insulation to make an informed decision. The Commission, to provide such rule as quickly as possible, undertook its rulemaking proceeding under its new expedited rulemaking procedure. The rule was proposed on November 18, 1977, and, following a two-month period for written comments, four weeks of hearings were held in Washington, D.C. in February 1978. The record, contributed to by a variety of interests, shows that consumers do not know how to shop for home insulation. The staff-recommended rule, among other things, would require that insulation be tested and R-values (a measure of insulation's ability to retain heat) disclosed on labels and in advertising. To facilitate comparison shopping, the industry would also be required to furnish consumers with fact sheets describing, on a product-to-product basis, factors that can reduce the R-value of insulation.

High performance thermal insulation systems (HiPTI). Vacuum insulated products (VIP). Proceedings of the international conference and workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zimmermann, M.; Bertschinger, H.

2001-07-01

These are the proceedings of the International Conference and Workshop held at EMPA Duebendorf, Switzerland, in January 2001. The papers presented at the conference's first day included contributions on the role of high-performance insulation in energy efficiency - providing an overview of available technologies and reviewing physical aspects of heat transfer and the development of thermal insulation as well as the state of the art of glazing technologies such as high-performance and vacuum glazing. Also, vacuum-insulated products (VIP) with fumed silica, applications of VIP systems in technical building systems, nanogels, VIP packaging materials and technologies, measurement of physical properties, VIP for advanced retrofit solutions for buildings and existing and future applications for advanced low energy building are discussed. Finally, research and development concerning VIP for buildings are reported on. The workshops held on the second day covered a preliminary study on high-performance thermal insulation materials with gastight porosity, flexible pipes with high performance thermal insulation, evaluation of modern insulation systems by simulation methods as well as the development of vacuum insulation panels with a stainless steel envelope.

Incipient Stator Insulation Fault Detection of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Wind Generators Based on Hilbert–Huang Transformation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Chao; Liu, Xiao; Chen, Zhe

2014-01-01

of insulation degradation of one turn in the winding of a PMSWG. Cosimulation method by combining finite element model and external circuits is used. Hilbert–Huang transformation is applied to detect the very early stage fault in interturn insulation by analyzing the stator current. Detection results show...

The fabrication of a vanadium-stainless steel test section for MHD testing of insulator coatings in flowing lithium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reed, C.B.; Mattas, R.F.; Smith, D.L.; Chung, H.; Tsai, H.-C.; Morgan, G.D.; Wille, G.W.; Young, C.

1996-01-01

To test the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pressure drop reduction performance of candidate insulator coatings for the ITER Vanadium/Lithium Breeding Blanket, a test section comprised of a V- 4Cr-4Ti liner inside a stainless steel pipe was designed and fabricated. Theoretically, the MHD pressure drop reduction benefit resulting, from an electrically insulating coating on a vanadium- lined pipe is identical to the benefit derived from an insulated pipe fabricated of vanadium alone. A duplex test section design consisting of a V alloy liner encased in a SS pressure boundary provided protection for vanadium from atmospheric contamination during operation at high temperature and obviated any potential problems with vanadium welding while also minimizing the amount of V alloy material required. From the MHD and insulator coating- point of view, the test section outer SS wall and inner V alloy liner can be modeled simply as a wall having a sandwich construction. Two 52.3 mm OD x 2.9 m long V-alloy tubes were fabricated by Century Tubes from 64 mm x 200 mm x 1245 mm extrusions produced by Teledyne Wah Chang. The test section's duplex structure was subsequently fabricated at Century Tubes by drawing down a SS pipe (2 inch schedule 10) over one of the 53.2 mm diameter V tubes

An open-structure sound insulator against low-frequency and wide-band acoustic waves

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhe; Fan, Li; Zhang, Shu-yi; Zhang, Hui; Li, Xiao-juan; Ding, Jin

2015-10-01

To block sound, i.e., the vibration of air, most insulators are based on sealed structures and prevent the flow of the air. In this research, an acoustic metamaterial adopting side structures, loops, and labyrinths, arranged along a main tube, is presented. By combining the accurately designed side structures, an extremely wide forbidden band with a low cut-off frequency of 80 Hz is produced, which demonstrates a powerful low-frequency and wide-band sound insulation ability. Moreover, by virtue of the bypass arrangement, the metamaterial is based on an open structure, and thus air flow is allowed while acoustic waves can be insulated.

A consideration on internal dose evaluation and intervention based on a surface contamination concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasuda, H.

1997-01-01

Long-term radiation doses received by the inhabitants after the Chernobyl accident have been evaluated according to the surface contamination levels on the ground surface. The health effects have also been discussed by comparison between the surface-contaminated area and the uncontaminated control area. Selected protective measures were carried out in accordance with the contamination level of surface soil. These have been based on the 'surface contamination concept' which assumes that the radiation risk to inhabitants is proportional to the level of ground-surface contamination. The observations collected in regions around Chernobyl, however, show that the internal radiation doses to the inhabitants poorly correlate with the surface contamination level. This fact poses a question on the suitability of dose evaluations and interventions based on this concept

A lime based mortar for thermal insulation of medieval church vaults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, P.K.; Hansen, Tessa Kvist

A new mortar for thermal insulation of medieval church vaults was tested in a full scale experiment in Annisse Church, DK. The mortar consists of perlite, a highly porous aggregate, mixed with slaked lime. These materials are compatible with the fired clay bricks and the lime mortar joints....... The lambda-value of the insulation mortar is 0.08 W/m K or twice the lambda-value for mineral wool. The water vapour permeability is equal to a medieval clay brick, and it has three times higher capacity for liquid water absorption. The mortar was applied to the top side of the vaults in a thickness of 10 cm......, despite a water vapour pressure gradient up to 500 Pa between the nave and attic. There was no reduction in energy consumption the first winter, possibly due to the increased heat loss related to the drying of the mortar....

Electronic properties of InAs-based metal-insulator-semiconductor structures

CERN Document Server

Kuryshev, G L; Valisheva, N A

2001-01-01

The peculiarities of electronic processes in InAs-based MIS structures operating in the charge injection device mode and using as photodetectors in spectral range 2.5-3.05 mu m are investigated. A two-layer system consisting of anodic oxide and low-temperature silicon dioxide is used as an insulator. It is shown that fluoride-containing components that is introduced into the electrolyte decreases the value of the built-in charge and the surface state static density down to minimal measurable values <= 2 x 10 sup 1 sup 0 cm sup - sup 2 eV sup - sup 2. Physical and chemical characteristics of the surface states at the InAs-dielectric interface are discussed on the basis of data on phase composition of anodic oxides obtained by means of X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy. Anomalous field generation was also observed under the semiconductor non-equilibrium depletion. The processes of tunnel generation and the noise behavior of MIS structures under non-equilibrium depletion are investigated

CERTIFICATION OF THE RADIATION RESISTANCE OF COIL INSULATION MATERIAL

CERN Document Server

Polinski, J; Bogdan, P

2013-01-01

The goal of the WP 7.2.1 sub-task of the EuCARD program has been to determine the Nb$_{3}$Sn based accelerator magnet coil electrical insulation resistance against irradiation, which will occur in future accelerators. The scope of the certification covers determination of mechanical, electrical and thermal properties changes due to irradiation. The report presents a selection of the insulation material candidates for future accelerator magnets as well as the definition of the radiation certification methodology with respect of radiation type, energy, doses and irradiation conditions. The test methods and results of the electrical and mechanical insulation materials properties degradation due to irradiation are presented. Thermal conductivity and Kapitza resistance at temperature range from 1.5 K to 2.0 K (superfluid helium conditions) are given.

Laser-based characterization and decontamination of contaminated facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leong, K.H.; Hunter, B.V.; Grace, J.E.; Pellin, M.J.; Leidich, H.F.; Kugler, T.R.

1996-01-01

This study examines the application of laser ablation to the characterization and decontamination of painted and unpainted concrete and metal surfaces that are typical of many facilities within the US Department of Energy complex. The utility of this promising technology is reviewed and the essential requirements for efficient ablation extracted. Recent data obtained on the ablation of painted steel surfaces and concrete are presented. The affects of beam irradiance, ablation speed and efficiency, and characteristics of the aerosol effluent are discussed. Characterization of the ablated components of the surface offers the ability of concurrent determination of the level of contamination. This concept can be applied online where the ablation endpoint can be determined. A conceptual system for the characterization and decontamination of surfaces is proposed

Bio-based polyurethane foams toward applications beyond thermal insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gama, Nuno V.; Soares, Belinda; Freire, Carmen S.R.; Silva, Rui; Neto, Carlos P.; Barros-Timmons, Ana; Ferreira, Artur

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Coffee grounds wastes were successfully liquefied yielding a bio-based polyol. • Coffee grounds derived foams formulations were optimized by tuning reagents’ contents. • The viscoelastic properties of these foams are promising to expand their applications. - Abstract: In this work the preparation of viscoelastic bio-based polyurethane foams (PUFs) using polyols obtained via acid liquefaction of coffee grounds wastes has been optimized. In a first stage, the effect of different ratios of isocyanate content to hydroxyl number (0.6, 0.7 and 0.8) and of three distinct percentages of catalyst (3%, 5% and 7%) on the extent of the polymerization reaction was studied by infrared spectroscopy. Next, different percentages of surfactant (14%, 16% and 18%) and blowing agent (12%, 14% and 16%) were used to assess their effect on the density, thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of the foams, including their recovery time. The mechanical properties of the ensuing foams proved to be very interesting due to their viscoelastic behavior. PUFs were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealing a typical cellular structure and by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) which proved that these materials are thermally stable up to 190 °C. These results suggest other potential applications for these materials beyond heat insulation in areas where damping properties can be an added value

Ground-water contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, J.R.; Cummings, T.R.; Twenter, F.R.

1983-01-01

A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. The water table is about 10 feet below land surface in the western part of the Base and about 25 feet below land surface in the eastern part. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to southeast. South of the divide, ground water flows to the Au Sable River; north of the divide, it flows to Van Etten Creek and Van Etten Lake. Mathematical models were used to aid in calculating rates of groundwater flow. Rates range from about 0.8 feet per day in the eastern part of the Base to about 0.3 feet per day in the western part. Models also were used as an aid in making decisions regarding purging of contaminated water from the aquifer. In 1977, trichloroethylene was detected in the Air Force Base water-supply system. It had leaked from a buried storage tank near Building 43 in the southeastern part of the Base and moved northeastward under the influence of the natural ground-water gradient and the pumping of Base water-supply wells. In the most highly contaminated part of the plume, concentrations are greater than 1,000 micrograms per liter. Current purge pumping is removing some of the trichloroethylene, and seems to have arrested its eastward movement. Pumping of additional purge wells could increase the rate of removal. Trichloroethylene has also been detected in ground water in the vicinity of the Base alert apron, where a plume from an unknown source extends northeastward off Base. A smaller, less well-defined area of contamination also occurs just north of the larger plume. Trichloroethylene, identified near the waste-treatment plant, seepage lagoons, and the northern landfill area, is related to activities and operations in these areas. Dichloroethylene and trichloroethylene occur in significant quantities westward of Building 43, upgradient from the major

Mechanical engineering and design criteria for the Magnetically Insulated Transmission Experiment Accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staller, G.E.; Hamilton, I.D.; Aker, M.F.; Fifer, H.G.

1978-02-01

A single-unit electron beam accelerator was designed, fabricated, and assembled in Sandia's Technical Area V to conduct magnetically insulated transmission experiments. Results of these experiments will be utilized in the future design of larger, more complex accelerators. This design makes optimum use of existing facilities and equipment. When designing new components, possible future applications were considered as well as compatibility with existing facilities and hardware

Combined Heat Transfer in High-Porosity High-Temperature Fibrous Insulations: Theory and Experimental Validation

Science.gov (United States)

Daryabeigi, Kamran; Cunnington, George R.; Miller, Steve D.; Knutson, Jeffry R.

2010-01-01

Combined radiation and conduction heat transfer through various high-temperature, high-porosity, unbonded (loose) fibrous insulations was modeled based on first principles. The diffusion approximation was used for modeling the radiation component of heat transfer in the optically thick insulations. The relevant parameters needed for the heat transfer model were derived from experimental data. Semi-empirical formulations were used to model the solid conduction contribution of heat transfer in fibrous insulations with the relevant parameters inferred from thermal conductivity measurements at cryogenic temperatures in a vacuum. The specific extinction coefficient for radiation heat transfer was obtained from high-temperature steady-state thermal measurements with large temperature gradients maintained across the sample thickness in a vacuum. Standard gas conduction modeling was used in the heat transfer formulation. This heat transfer modeling methodology was applied to silica, two types of alumina, and a zirconia-based fibrous insulation, and to a variation of opacified fibrous insulation (OFI). OFI is a class of insulations manufactured by embedding efficient ceramic opacifiers in various unbonded fibrous insulations to significantly attenuate the radiation component of heat transfer. The heat transfer modeling methodology was validated by comparison with more rigorous analytical solutions and with standard thermal conductivity measurements. The validated heat transfer model is applicable to various densities of these high-porosity insulations as long as the fiber properties are the same (index of refraction, size distribution, orientation, and length). Furthermore, the heat transfer data for these insulations can be obtained at any static pressure in any working gas environment without the need to perform tests in various gases at various pressures.

Influence of void defects on partial discharge behavior of superconducting busbar insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Chunyu; Huang, Xiongyi, E-mail: huangxy@ipp.ac.cn; Lu, Kun; Li, Guoliang; Zhu, Haisheng; Wang, Jun; Wang, Cao; Dai, Zhiheng; Fang, Linlin; Song, Yuntao

2017-06-15

Highlights: • PD detection method was used to check the quality of the superconducting busbar insulation. • The samples with different void fraction were manufactured for comparing. • The discharge inception voltage, PRPD pattern was tested and studied for the samples with different void content. • The PD behaviors in oil bath and air condition were compared. - Abstract: For a magnetic confinement fusion device, the superconducting magnets and busbars need to be insulated with one layer of solid insulation to isolate the high voltage potential from the ground. The insulation layer commonly consists of several interleaved layers of epoxy resin-impregnated glass fiber tapes and polyimide films. The traditional electrical inspection methods for such solidified insulation on the magnet and busbar are a DC voltage test or a Paschen test. These tests measure the quality of the insulation based on the value of leakage currents. However, even if there is a larger quantity of high dielectric strength material implemented, if there are some microcavities or delaminations in the insulation system, the leakage current may be limited to microampere levels under testing levels over dozens of kilovolts. Therefore, it is difficult to judge the insulation quality just by the magnitudes of leakage current. Under long-term operation, such imperceptible defects will worsen and finally completely break down the insulation because of partial discharge (PD) incidents. Therefore, a PD detection test is an important complement to the DC voltage and Paschen tests for magnet and busbar insulations in the field of fusion. It is known that the PD detection test is a mature technique in the electric power industry. In this paper, the PD characteristics of samples containing glass fiber-reinforced composite insulations for use with the superconducting busbar were presented and discussed. Various samples with different void contents were prepared and the PD behaviors were tested.

Influence of void defects on partial discharge behavior of superconducting busbar insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Chunyu; Huang, Xiongyi; Lu, Kun; Li, Guoliang; Zhu, Haisheng; Wang, Jun; Wang, Cao; Dai, Zhiheng; Fang, Linlin; Song, Yuntao

2017-01-01

Highlights: • PD detection method was used to check the quality of the superconducting busbar insulation. • The samples with different void fraction were manufactured for comparing. • The discharge inception voltage, PRPD pattern was tested and studied for the samples with different void content. • The PD behaviors in oil bath and air condition were compared. - Abstract: For a magnetic confinement fusion device, the superconducting magnets and busbars need to be insulated with one layer of solid insulation to isolate the high voltage potential from the ground. The insulation layer commonly consists of several interleaved layers of epoxy resin-impregnated glass fiber tapes and polyimide films. The traditional electrical inspection methods for such solidified insulation on the magnet and busbar are a DC voltage test or a Paschen test. These tests measure the quality of the insulation based on the value of leakage currents. However, even if there is a larger quantity of high dielectric strength material implemented, if there are some microcavities or delaminations in the insulation system, the leakage current may be limited to microampere levels under testing levels over dozens of kilovolts. Therefore, it is difficult to judge the insulation quality just by the magnitudes of leakage current. Under long-term operation, such imperceptible defects will worsen and finally completely break down the insulation because of partial discharge (PD) incidents. Therefore, a PD detection test is an important complement to the DC voltage and Paschen tests for magnet and busbar insulations in the field of fusion. It is known that the PD detection test is a mature technique in the electric power industry. In this paper, the PD characteristics of samples containing glass fiber-reinforced composite insulations for use with the superconducting busbar were presented and discussed. Various samples with different void contents were prepared and the PD behaviors were tested.

Field based plastic contamination sensing

Science.gov (United States)

The United States has a long-held reputation of being a dependable source of high quality, contaminant-free cotton. Recently, increased incidence of plastic contamination from sources such as shopping bags, vegetable mulch, surface irrigation tubing, and module covers has threatened the reputation o...

Improvements to the electrical insulation resistance of high quality magnesia insulated cables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauger, R.A.; Goodings, A.

1984-03-01

Mineral insulated signal cables for nuclear reactor instrumentation schemes have to meet stringent electrical insulation requirements at high temperatures. This report discusses the factors which influence the attainment of this objective and the way in which it has been reached under industrial manufacturing conditions. It emphasises the importance of moisture and gives details of the improvements achieved as a result of moisture reduction. (author)

Electrically tuned magnetic order and magnetoresistance in a topological insulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zuocheng; Feng, Xiao; Guo, Minghua; Li, Kang; Zhang, Jinsong; Ou, Yunbo; Feng, Yang; Wang, Lili; Chen, Xi; He, Ke; Ma, Xucun; Xue, Qikun; Wang, Yayu

2014-09-15

The interplay between topological protection and broken time reversal symmetry in topological insulators may lead to highly unconventional magnetoresistance behaviour that can find unique applications in magnetic sensing and data storage. However, the magnetoresistance of topological insulators with spontaneously broken time reversal symmetry is still poorly understood. In this work, we investigate the transport properties of a ferromagnetic topological insulator thin film fabricated into a field effect transistor device. We observe a complex evolution of gate-tuned magnetoresistance, which is positive when the Fermi level lies close to the Dirac point but becomes negative at higher energies. This trend is opposite to that expected from the Berry phase picture, but is intimately correlated with the gate-tuned magnetic order. The underlying physics is the competition between the topology-induced weak antilocalization and magnetism-induced negative magnetoresistance. The simultaneous electrical control of magnetic order and magnetoresistance facilitates future topological insulator based spintronic devices.

Foam insulated transfer line test report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Squier, D.M.

1994-06-01

Miles of underground insulated piping will be installed at the Hanford site to transfer liquid waste. Significant cost savings may be realized by using pre-fabricated polyurethane foam insulated piping. Measurements were made on sections of insulated pipe to determine the insulation's resistance to axial expansion of the pipe, the force required to compress the foam in the leg of an expansion loop and the time required for heat up and cool down of a buried piping loop. These measurements demonstrated that the peak axial force increases with the amount of adhesion between the encasement pipe and the insulation. The compressive strength of the foam is too great to accommodate the thermal growth of long straight pipe sections into the expansion loops. Mathematical models of the piping system's thermal behavior can be refined by data from the heated piping loop

Lightweight, Thermally Insulating Structural Panels

Science.gov (United States)

Eisen, Howard J.; Hickey, Gregory; Wen, Liang-Chi; Layman, William E.; Rainen, Richard A.; Birur, Gajanana C.

1996-01-01

Lightweight, thermally insulating panels that also serve as structural members developed. Honeycomb-core panel filled with low-thermal-conductivity, opacified silica aerogel preventing convection and minimizes internal radiation. Copper coating on face sheets reduces radiation. Overall thermal conductivities of panels smaller than state-of-art commercial non-structurally-supporting foam and fibrous insulations. On Earth, panels suitable for use in low-air-pressure environments in which lightweight, compact, structurally supporting insulation needed; for example, aboard high-altitude aircraft or in partially evacuated panels in refrigerators.

Evaluation of mechanical and thermal properties of insulation materials for HTS power devices at liquid nitrogen temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Hyung Seop; Diaz, Mark Angelo [Dept. of Mechanical Design Engineering, Andong National University, Andong (Korea, Republic of)

2017-06-15

In superconducting power devices including power cables in which high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes are utilized, a reliable electrical insulation should be achieved for its maximum performance. For an efficient design of HTS superconducting devices, a comparative evaluation of the mechanical and thermal propperties for various insulation materials at cryogenic temperatures is required. Especially, in the process of the property evaluation of the sheet-shaped insulation materials, anisotropy according to the machining direction should be considered because the mechanical and thermal properties are significantly influenced by the sample orientation. In this study, the cryogenic thermal and mechanical properties of various insulation material sheets such as PPLP, Cryoflex, Teflon, and Kapton were determined considering sample orientation. All samples tested at cryogenic temperature showed significantly higher tensile strength as compared with that of room temperature. The ultimate tensile strength at both temperature conditions significantly depended upon the sample orientation. The thermal properties of the insulation materials exhibited a slight difference among samples depending on the orientation: for the PPLP and Cryoflex, the CD orientation showed larger thermal contraction up to 77 K as compared to the MD one. MD samples in PPLP and Cryoflex showed a lower CTE and thermal contraction which made it more promising as an insulation material due to its comparable CTE with HTS CC tapes.

Peculiar ferromagnetic insulator state in the low-hole-doped manganites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Algarabel, P.A.; Teresa, J.M. de; Blasco, J.; Ibarra, M.R.; Kapusta, Cz.; Sikora, M.; Zajac, D.; Riedi, P.C.; Ritter, C.

2003-01-01

In this work we show the very different nature of the ferromagnetic state of the low-hole-doped manganites with respect to other manganites showing colossal magnetoresistance. High-field measurements definitively prove the coexistence of ferromagnetic-metallic and ferromagnetic-insulating regions even when the sample is magnetically saturated, with the ground state being inhomogeneous. We have investigated La 0.9 Ca 0.1 MnO 3 as a prototype compound. A wide characterization by means of magnetic and magnetotransport measurements, neutron diffraction, small-angle neutron scattering, and nuclear magnetic resonance has allowed us to establish that the ground state is based on the existence of disordered nanometric double-exchange metallic clusters that coexist with long-range superexchange-based ferromagnetic insulating regions. Under high magnetic field the system reaches magnetization saturation by aligning the magnetic clusters and the insulating matrix, but even if they grow in size, they do not reach the percolation limit

Aharonov–Bohm interference in topological insulator nanoribbons

KAUST Repository

Peng, Hailin; Lai, Keji; Kong, Desheng; Meister, Stefan; Chen, Yulin; Qi, Xiao-Liang; Zhang, Shou-Cheng; Shen, Zhi-Xun; Cui, Yi

2009-01-01

Topological insulators represent unusual phases of quantum matter with an insulating bulk gap and gapless edges or surface states. The two-dimensional topological insulator phase was predicted in HgTe quantum wells and confirmed by transport

Optimization design for SST-1 Tokamak insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yuanbin; Pan Wanjiang

2012-01-01

With the help of ANSYS FEA technique, high voltage and cryogenic proper- ties of the SST-1 Tokamak insulators were obtained, and the structure of the insulators was designed and modified by taking into account the simulation results. The simulation results indicate that the optimization structure has better high voltage insulating property and cryogenic mechanics property, and also can fulfill the qualification criteria of the SST-1 Tokamak insulators. (authors)

Topological Insulator Bi2Se3/Si-Nanowire-Based p-n Junction Diode for High-Performance Near-Infrared Photodetector.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Biswajit; Das, Nirmalya S; Sarkar, Samrat; Chatterjee, Biplab K; Chattopadhyay, Kalyan K

2017-07-12

Chemically derived topological insulator Bi 2 Se 3 nanoflake/Si nanowire (SiNWs) heterojunctions were fabricated employing all eco-friendly cost-effective chemical route for the first time. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed proper phase formation of Bi 2 Se 3 nanoflakes. The morphological features of the individual components and time-evolved hybrid structures were studied using field emission scanning electron microscope. High resolution transmission electron microscopic studies were performed to investigate the actual nature of junction whereas elemental distributions at junction, along with overall stoichiometry of the samples were analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray studies. Temperature dependent current-voltage characteristics and variation of barrier height and ideality factor was studied between 50 and 300 K. An increase in barrier height and decrease in the ideality factor were observed with increasing temperature for the sample. The rectification ratio (I + /I - ) for SiNWs substrate over pristine Si substrate under dark and near-infrared (NIR) irradiation of 890 nm was found to be 3.63 and 10.44, respectively. Furthermore, opto-electrical characterizations were performed for different light power intensities and highest photo responsivity and detectivity were determined to be 934.1 A/W and 2.30 × 10 13 Jones, respectively. Those values are appreciably higher than previous reports for topological insulator based devices. Thus, this work establishes a hybrid system based on topological insulator Bi 2 Se 3 nanoflake and Si nanowire as the newest efficient candidate for advanced optoelectronic materials.

Biological technologies for the remediation of co-contaminated soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Shujing; Zeng, Guangming; Wu, Haipeng; Zhang, Chang; Dai, Juan; Liang, Jie; Yu, Jiangfang; Ren, Xiaoya; Yi, Huan; Cheng, Min; Zhang, Chen

2017-12-01

Compound contamination in soil, caused by unreasonable waste disposal, has attracted increasing attention on a global scale, particularly since multiple heavy metals and/or organic pollutants are entering natural ecosystem through human activities, causing an enormous threat. The remediation of co-contaminated soil is more complicated and difficult than that of single contamination, due to the disparate remediation pathways utilized for different types of pollutants. Several modern remediation technologies have been developed for the treatment of co-contaminated soil. Biological remediation technologies, as the eco-friendly methods, have received widespread concern due to soil improvement besides remediation. This review summarizes the application of biological technologies, which contains microbial technologies (function microbial remediation and composting or compost addition), biochar, phytoremediation technologies, genetic engineering technologies and biochemical technologies, for the remediation of co-contaminated soil with heavy metals and organic pollutants. Mechanisms of these technologies and their remediation efficiencies are also reviewed. Based on this study, this review also identifies the future research required in this field.

Wireless Sensor Network Based Subsurface Contaminant Plume Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-16

Sensor Network (WSN) to monitor contaminant plume movement in naturally heterogeneous subsurface formations to advance the sensor networking based...time to assess the source and predict future plume behavior. This proof-of-concept research aimed at demonstrating the use of an intelligent Wireless

Slab edge insulating form system and methods

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Brain E [Corral de Tierra, CA; Barsun, Stephan K [Davis, CA; Bourne, Richard C [Davis, CA; Hoeschele, Marc A [Davis, CA; Springer, David A [Winters, CA

2009-10-06

A method of forming an insulated concrete foundation is provided comprising constructing a foundation frame, the frame comprising an insulating form having an opening, inserting a pocket former into the opening; placing concrete inside the foundation frame; and removing the pocket former after the placed concrete has set, wherein the concrete forms a pocket in the placed concrete that is accessible through the opening. The method may further comprise sealing the opening by placing a sealing plug or sealing material in the opening. A system for forming an insulated concrete foundation is provided comprising a plurality of interconnected insulating forms, the insulating forms having a rigid outer member protecting and encasing an insulating material, and at least one gripping lip extending outwardly from the outer member to provide a pest barrier. At least one insulating form has an opening into which a removable pocket former is inserted. The system may also provide a tension anchor positioned in the pocket former and a tendon connected to the tension anchor.

High-performance insulator structures for accelerator applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sampayan, S.E.; Caporaso, G.J.; Sanders, D.M.; Stoddard, R.D.; Trimble, D.O.; Elizondo, J.; Krogh, M.L.; Wieskamp, T.F.

1997-05-01

A new, high gradient insulator technology has been developed for accelerator systems. The concept involves the use of alternating layers of conductors and insulators with periods of order 1 mm or less. These structures perform many times better (about 1.5 to 4 times higher breakdown electric field) than conventional insulators in long pulse, short pulse, and alternating polarity applications. We describe our ongoing studies investigating the degradation of the breakdown electric field resulting from alternate fabrication techniques, the effect of gas pressure, the effect of the insulator-to-electrode interface gap spacing, and the performance of the insulator structure under bi-polar stress

Efficient Bayesian experimental design for contaminant source identification

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jiangjiang; Zeng, Lingzao; Chen, Cheng; Chen, Dingjiang; Wu, Laosheng

2015-01-01

In this study, an efficient full Bayesian approach is developed for the optimal sampling well location design and source parameters identification of groundwater contaminants. An information measure, i.e., the relative entropy, is employed to quantify the information gain from concentration measurements in identifying unknown parameters. In this approach, the sampling locations that give the maximum expected relative entropy are selected as the optimal design. After the sampling locations are determined, a Bayesian approach based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is used to estimate unknown parameters. In both the design and estimation, the contaminant transport equation is required to be solved many times to evaluate the likelihood. To reduce the computational burden, an interpolation method based on the adaptive sparse grid is utilized to construct a surrogate for the contaminant transport equation. The approximated likelihood can be evaluated directly from the surrogate, which greatly accelerates the design and estimation process. The accuracy and efficiency of our approach are demonstrated through numerical case studies. It is shown that the methods can be used to assist in both single sampling location and monitoring network design for contaminant source identifications in groundwater.

Note: A high-energy-density Tesla-type pulse generator with novel insulating oil

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Sheng; Su, Jiancang; Fan, Xuliang

2017-09-01

A 10-GW high-energy-density Tesla-type pulse generator is developed with an improved insulating liquid based on a modified Tesla pulser—TPG700, of which the pulse forming line (PFL) is filled with novel insulating oil instead of transformer oil. Properties of insulating oil determining the stored energy density of the PFL are analyzed, and a criterion for appropriate oil is proposed. Midel 7131 is chosen as an application example. The results of insulating property experiment under tens-of-microsecond pulse charging demonstrate that the insulation capability of Midel 7131 is better than that of KI45X transformer oil. The application test in Tesla pulser TPG700 shows that the output power is increased to 10.5 GW with Midel 7131. The output energy density of TPG700 increases for about 60% with Midel 7131.

Plastic Materials for Insulating Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, S. F.; Grossman, S. J.

1987-01-01

Discusses the production and use of polymer materials as thermal insulators. Lists several materials that provide varying degrees of insulation. Describes the production of polymer foam and focuses on the major applications of polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, and polyisocyanurate foam. (TW)

Failure criteria for low-temperature irradiated organic composite insulation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schutz, J.B.; Fabian, P.E.

1997-01-01

Composite insulation systems in fusion magnet applications are often subjected to conditions of combined through thickness compression and shear at varying stress ratios. Characterization of insulation system strength under these conditions requires unidirectional shear and compression tests, as well as biaxial shear/compression testing to define the systems failure envelope. An appropriate failure criteria would reduce the number of tests required to define this envelope, and would give designers a better estimate of material strengths at intermediate stress ratios. Biaxial shear/compression testing requires the use of metallic sandwich specimens, which are susceptible to activation during irradiation. A reliable failure criteria which eliminates the need for biaxial characterization would also reduce the difficulty and expense involved in radiation effects characterization while still providing a complete failure envelope. Several generalized failure criteria, taken from classical composites analysis, were reformulated for application in the shear/compression quadrant. The maximum stress and Tsai-Hill criteria were found to be inadequate to represent the biaxial failure envelope. The generalized Tsai-Wu tensor quadratic failure criterion was also examined. Application of this criterion requires through thickness tensile strength data. Through thickness tensile strengths of insulation systems have not been routinely characterized, but limited data are available. Utilizing unidirectional through thickness tension, compression, and interlaminar shear strength data, the Tsai-Wu failure criteria was found to agree well with biaxial shear/compression test data

Structural and proximity-induced ferromagnetic properties of topological insulator-magnetic insulator heterostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zilong Jiang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The spontaneously broken time reversal symmetry can lead to the formation of an energy gap in the Dirac spectrum of the surface states of a topological insulator (TI which can consequently give rise to a variety of interesting phenomena potentially useful for spintronics. In this work, we couple a non-magnetic TI to a high Curie temperature TC magnetic insulator to induce strong exchange interaction via the proximity effect. We have successfully grown 5 quintuple layer thick ternary TI (BixSb1-x2Te3 films on atomically flat yttrium iron garnet (YIG film with the combination of molecular beam epitaxy and pulsed laser deposition, in which the Fermi level position relative to the Dirac point is varied by controlling the Bi:Sb ratio. The anomalous Hall effect (AHE and suppressed weak antilocalization (WAL measured under out of plane magnetic fields reveal that the TI surface in contact with YIG is magnetized. Our high-quality (BixSb1-x2Te3/Y IG heterostructure provides a tunable system for exploring the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE at higher temperatures in TI-based spintronic devices.

Corrosion monitoring of insulated pipe using radiographic technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azali Muhammad; Abd Aziz Mohamed; Abd Razak Hamzah; Mohd Pauzi Ismail; Abd Nassir Ibrahim; Shaharudin Sayuti; Shukri Ahmad

2001-01-01

In petrochemical and power plants, detection of corrosion and evaluation of deposit in insulated pipes using radiographic technique are considered as very challenging tasks. In general this degradation problem is attributed to water condensation. It causes the formation of deposit and scale inside the pipe, as well as between the insulation and pipe in cold temperature pipes. On the other hand, for hot temperature pipes the main problem is mainly due to corrosion/erosion attack inside the pipe. In the study of corrosion in pipelines, one of the most important parameters to be monitored and measured is he wall thickness. Currently, most pipeline corrosion monitoring and evaluation for both insulated and non-insulated pipes is performed using an ultrasonic method. The most common technique is that based on the A-Scan, using either a normal flaw detector or some form of dedicated equipment. However, with recent development of ultrasonic technology, more advance method, namely B-Scan and C-scan techniques are also available. The most notable disadvantage of using this method is that the insulation covering the pipe has to be removed before the inspection can be carried out and this is considered as not so cost effective. Due to this reason, the possibility of employing other alternative NDT method, namely radiographic testing method was studied. The technique used in this studied are known as tangential technique. In this study it was found that the result found using tangential technique is consistent with the actual thickness of the pipe. Result of this study is presented and discussed in this paper. (Author)

Wafer scale formation of monocrystalline silicon-based Mie resonators via silicon-on-insulator dewetting.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbarchi, Marco; Naffouti, Meher; Vial, Benjamin; Benkouider, Abdelmalek; Lermusiaux, Laurent; Favre, Luc; Ronda, Antoine; Bidault, Sébastien; Berbezier, Isabelle; Bonod, Nicolas

2014-11-25

Subwavelength-sized dielectric Mie resonators have recently emerged as a promising photonic platform, as they combine the advantages of dielectric microstructures and metallic nanoparticles supporting surface plasmon polaritons. Here, we report the capabilities of a dewetting-based process, independent of the sample size, to fabricate Si-based resonators over large scales starting from commercial silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates. Spontaneous dewetting is shown to allow the production of monocrystalline Mie-resonators that feature two resonant modes in the visible spectrum, as observed in confocal scattering spectroscopy. Homogeneous scattering responses and improved spatial ordering of the Si-based resonators are observed when dewetting is assisted by electron beam lithography. Finally, exploiting different thermal agglomeration regimes, we highlight the versatility of this technique, which, when assisted by focused ion beam nanopatterning, produces monocrystalline nanocrystals with ad hoc size, position, and organization in complex multimers.

Thermal insulation properties of walls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhukov Aleksey Dmitrievich

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Heat-protective qualities of building structures are determined by the qualities of the used materials, adequate design solutions and construction and installation work of high quality. This rule refers both to the structures made of materials similar in their structure and nature and mixed, combined by a construction system. The necessity to ecaluate thermal conductivity is important for a product and for a construction. Methods for evaluating the thermal protection of walls are based on the methods of calculation, on full-scale tests in a laboratory or on objects. At the same time there is a reason to believe that even deep and detailed calculation may cause deviation of the values from real data. Using finite difference method can improve accuracy of the results, but it doesn’t solve all problems. The article discusses new approaches to evaluating thermal insulation properties of walls. The authors propose technique of accurate measurement of thermal insulation properties in single blocks and fragments of walls and structures.

Insulation Progress since the Mid-1950s

Science.gov (United States)

Timmerhaus, K. D.

Storage vessel and cryostat design for modern cryogenic systems has become rather routine as the result of the wide use of and application of cryogenic fluids. Such vessels for these fluids range in size from 1 L flasks used in the laboratory for liquid nitrogen to the more than 200,000 m3 double-walled tanks used for temporary storage of liquefied natural gas before being transported overseas to their final destination. These storage vessels for cryogenic fluids range in type from low-performance containers insulated with rigid foam or fibrous insulation to high-performance containers insulated with evacuated multilayer insulations. The overriding factors in the type of container selected normally are of economics and safety. This paper will consider various insulation concepts used in such cryogenic storage systems and will review the progress that has been made over the past 50 years in these insulation systems.

Microscopic Void Detection for Predicting Remaining Life in Electric Cable Insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horvath, David A.; Avila, Steven M.

2003-01-01

A reliable method of testing for remaining life in electric cable insulation has continued to elude the nuclear industry as it seeks to extend the life and license of its nuclear stations. Until recently, a trendable, measurable electrical property has not been found, and unexpected cable failures continue to be reported. Most reliable approaches to date rely on monitoring mechanical properties, which are assumed to degrade faster than the insulation's electrical properties. This paper introduces a promising technique based on void characterization, which is dependent on an electrical property related to dielectric strength. A relationship between insulation void characteristics (size and density) and the onset of partial discharge is known to exist. A similar relationship can be shown between void characteristics and unacceptable leakage currents (another typical cable failure criterion). For low-voltage cables, it is believed void content can be correlated to mechanical property degradation.This paper will report on an approach for using void information, research results showing the existence of trendable void characteristics in commonly used electric insulation materials, and techniques for detecting the voids (both laboratory- and field-based techniques). Acoustical microscopy was found to be potentially more suitable than conventional ultrasound for nondestructive in situ detection and monitoring of void characteristics in jacketed multiconductor insulation while ignoring the jacket. Also, optical and scanning electron microscope techniques will play an essential role in establishing the database necessary for continued development and implementation of this promising technique

Development of an ecological risk assessment framework based on contaminant availability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menzie, C.; Linz, D.G.; Nakles, D.V.

1995-01-01

The Gas Research Institute (GRI) of Chicago, Illinois, recently completed the first phase of a research program to develop a methodology to determine environmentally acceptable endpoints or EAEs in soil. The results of this effort are being published by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers in a text, Environmentally Acceptable Endpoints in Soil: A Risk-Based Approach to Contaminated Site Management Based on Availability of Chemicals in Soil. This presentation will review the key technical findings of this first phase of research with an emphasis on the sequestration and bioavailability of organic compounds in soil and the effect of treatment on contaminant availability, mobility, and toxicity. A strawman protocol for the tiered evaluation of the ecological risk of a contaminated site based upon contaminant availability will also be examined. The use, refinement, and possible replacement of this protocol with alternative approaches is currently being discussed with a consortia of government, academia, and industrial representatives in the states of Washington and Texas and in the New England region. The results of these discussions will be presented and the critical technical and regulatory issues that have been identified by these consortia will be summarized. Possible alternative approaches to resolve the more significant issues will also be suggested

Economic and Environmental Optimization of an Airport Terminal Building’s Wall and Roof Insulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Kadri Akyüz

2017-10-01

Full Text Available HVAC systems use the largest share of energy consumption in airport terminal buildings. Thus, the efficiency of the HVAC system and the performance of the building envelope have great importance in reducing the energy used for heating and cooling purposes. In this study, the application of thermal insulation on the walls and roof of the Hasan Polatkan Airport terminal building was investigated from energy, environment and cost aspects. This study determined the optimum insulation thickness and assessed its effects on environmental performance based on energy flows. Environmental payback periods were calculated depending on the optimum insulation thickness. The life cycle assessment (LCA method was used to assess whether the decrease in energy consumption after applying the insulation balanced the environmental effects during the period between the production and application of the thermal insulation material. The global warming potential (GWP based on IPCC100, and the effects on human health (HH, the ecosystem and natural resources were evaluated according to the ReCiPe method. LCA results were obtained by processing data taken from ecoinvent 3 database present in the Sima Pro 8.3.0.0 software. Applying thermal insulation on the walls and roof of the terminal building was found to decrease heat loss by 48% and 56%, respectively. In addition, the analyses showed that the environmental payback periods for the thermal insulation were shorter than the economic payback periods.

Weak antilocalization and universal conductance fluctuations in bismuth telluro-sulfide topological insulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trivedi, Tanuj, E-mail: tanuj@utexas.edu; Sonde, Sushant; Movva, Hema C. P.; Banerjee, Sanjay K., E-mail: banerjee@ece.utexas.edu [Microelectronics Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758 (United States)

2016-02-07

We report on van der Waals epitaxial growth, materials characterization, and magnetotransport experiments in crystalline nanosheets of Bismuth Telluro-Sulfide (BTS). Highly layered, good-quality crystalline nanosheets of BTS are obtained on SiO{sub 2} and muscovite mica. Weak-antilocalization (WAL), electron-electron interaction-driven insulating ground state and universal conductance fluctuations are observed in magnetotransport experiments on BTS devices. Temperature, thickness, and magnetic field dependence of the transport data indicate the presence of two-dimensional surface states along with bulk conduction, in agreement with theoretical models. An extended-WAL model is proposed and utilized in conjunction with a two-channel conduction model to analyze the data, revealing a surface component and evidence of multiple conducting channels. A facile growth method and detailed magnetotransport results indicating BTS as an alternative topological insulator material system are presented.

Insulation measurement and supervision in live AC and DC unearthed systems

CERN Document Server

Olszowiec, Piotr

2014-01-01

Low voltage unearthed (IT) AC and DC systems are commonly applied for supply of power and control circuits in industry, transportation, medical objects etc. The main reasons for their use are high reliability and numerous advantages offered by isolating them against ground. Insulation level is a decisive factor for networks operational reliability and safety. Insufficient insulation-to-ground resistance can cause various disturbances. Though ground faults in IT systems do not make networks operation impossible, they may cause severe problems with their safe functioning. In this book the most important issues concerning normal operation and ground fault phenomena are described in concise form. Numerous methods of insulation resistance and capacitance measurement in live circuits are presented. Important other procedures of  these parameters determination based on measurement and calculation are explained and reviews of selected insulation resistance measurement devices as well as earth fault locating systems ...

Insulation measurement and supervision in live AC and DC unearthed systems

CERN Document Server

Olszowiec, Piotr

2013-01-01

Low voltage unearthed (IT) AC and DC systems are commonly applied for supply of power and control circuits in industry, transportation, medical objects etc. The main reasons for their use are high reliability and numerous advantages offered by isolating them against ground. Insulation level is a decisive factor for networks operational reliability and safety. Insufficient insulation-to-ground resistance can cause various disturbances. Though ground faults in IT systems do not make networks operation impossible, they may cause severe problems with their safe functioning. In this book the most important issues concerning normal operation and ground fault phenomena are described in concise form. Numerous methods of insulation resistance and capacitance measurement in live circuits are presented. Important other procedures of  these parameters determination based on measurement and calculation are explained and reviews of selected insulation resistance measurement devices as well as earth fault locating systems ...

Modelling of a DBR laser based on Raman effect in a silicon-on-insulator rib waveguide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Leonardis, Francesco; Dimastrodonato, Valeria; Passaro, Vittorio M N

2008-01-01

In this paper, third-order nonlinearities in silicon-on-insulator rib waveguides are investigated to obtain complete modelling, describing the behaviour of a stimulated Raman scattering based laser. The simulations of a distributed Bragg reflector laser operation in a time domain allow for the first time to study in detail the dependence of threshold and output powers on different device parameters. Both continuous wave and pulsed laser operations are theoretically demonstrated, as well as their dependence on device parameters

Vacuum insulation panels for building applications: A review and beyond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baetens, Ruben [Department of Building Materials and Structures, SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, NO-7465 Trondheim (Norway); Department of Civil and Transport Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim (Norway); Laboratory of Building Physics, Department of Civil Engineering, Catholic University of Leuven (KUL), BE-3001 Heverlee (Belgium); Jelle, Bjoern Petter [Department of Building Materials and Structures, SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, NO-7465 Trondheim (Norway); Department of Civil and Transport Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim (Norway); Thue, Jan Vincent [Department of Civil and Transport Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim (Norway); Tenpierik, Martin J. [Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 134, 2628 BL Delft (Netherlands); Grynning, Steinar; Uvsloekk, Sivert [Department of Building Materials and Structures, SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, NO-7465 Trondheim (Norway); Gustavsen, Arild [Department of Architectural Design, History and Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim (Norway)

2010-02-15

Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) are regarded as one of the most promising high performance thermal insulation solutions on the market today. Thermal performances three to six times better than still-air are achieved by applying a vacuum to an encapsulated micro-porous material, resulting in a great potential for combining the reduction of energy consumption in buildings with slim constructions. However, thermal bridging due to the panel envelope and degradation of thermal performance through time occurs with current technology. Furthermore, VIPs cannot be cut on site and the panels are fragile towards damaging. These effects have to be taken into account for building applications as they may diminish the overall usability and thermal performance. This paper is as far as the authors know the first comprehensive review on VIPs. Properties, requirements and possibilities of foil encapsulated VIPs for building applications are studied based on available literature, emphasizing thermal bridging and degradation through time. An extension is made towards gas-filled panels and aerogels, showing that other high performance thermal insulation solutions do exist. Combining the technology of these solutions and others may lead to a new leap forward. Feasible paths beyond VIPs are investigated and possibilities such as vacuum insulation materials (VIMs) and nano insulation materials (NIMs) are proposed. (author)

TFIIIC bound DNA elements in nuclear organization and insulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkland, Jacob G; Raab, Jesse R; Kamakaka, Rohinton T

2013-01-01

tRNA genes (tDNAs) have been known to have barrier insulator function in budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for over a decade. tDNAs also play a role in genome organization by clustering at sites in the nucleus and both of these functions are dependent on the transcription factor TFIIIC. More recently TFIIIC bound sites devoid of pol III, termed Extra-TFIIIC sites (ETC) have been identified in budding yeast and these sites also function as insulators and affect genome organization. Subsequent studies in Schizosaccharomyces pombe showed that TFIIIC bound sites were insulators and also functioned as Chromosome Organization Clamps (COC); tethering the sites to the nuclear periphery. Very recently studies have moved to mammalian systems where pol III genes and their associated factors have been investigated in both mouse and human cells. Short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) that bind TFIIIC, function as insulator elements and tDNAs can also function as both enhancer - blocking and barrier insulators in these organisms. It was also recently shown that tDNAs cluster with other tDNAs and with ETCs but not with pol II transcribed genes. Intriguingly, TFIIIC is often found near pol II transcription start sites and it remains unclear what the consequences of TFIIIC based genomic organization are and what influence pol III factors have on pol II transcribed genes and vice versa. In this review we provide a comprehensive overview of the known data on pol III factors in insulation and genome organization and identify the many open questions that require further investigation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Transcription by Odd Pols. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insulated transcriptional elements enable precise design of genetic circuits.

Science.gov (United States)

Zong, Yeqing; Zhang, Haoqian M; Lyu, Cheng; Ji, Xiangyu; Hou, Junran; Guo, Xian; Ouyang, Qi; Lou, Chunbo

2017-07-03

Rational engineering of biological systems is often complicated by the complex but unwanted interactions between cellular components at multiple levels. Here we address this issue at the level of prokaryotic transcription by insulating minimal promoters and operators to prevent their interaction and enable the biophysical modeling of synthetic transcription without free parameters. This approach allows genetic circuit design with extraordinary precision and diversity, and consequently simplifies the design-build-test-learn cycle of circuit engineering to a mix-and-match workflow. As a demonstration, combinatorial promoters encoding NOT-gate functions were designed from scratch with mean errors of 96% using our insulated transcription elements. Furthermore, four-node transcriptional networks with incoherent feed-forward loops that execute stripe-forming functions were obtained without any trial-and-error work. This insulation-based engineering strategy improves the resolution of genetic circuit technology and provides a simple approach for designing genetic circuits for systems and synthetic biology.Unwanted interactions between cellular components can complicate rational engineering of biological systems. Here the authors design insulated minimal promoters and operators that enable biophysical modeling of bacterial transcription without free parameters for precise circuit design.

Complex studies of mockups of electric insulators of cryoresistive coils of the T-15 device electromagnet system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aksenov, O.E.; Gringof, V.G.; Il'in, G.V.; Lapenas, A.A.; Stepanov, A.N.; Ulmanis, U.A.

1982-01-01

The test results are presented for multilayer electrical insulation of coils in the T-15 thermonuclear device electromagnet system. The insulation is made ion the base of polyimide tape with adhesive coating. In the 77-93 K range the tape insulating strength is 35 MV/m, the dielectric loss tangent is less than 10 -5 , dielectric permeability is 2.5, volume resistivity is more than 10 5 Ohmxcm. The insulation has been tested for radiation effects in the IRT-2000 nuclear reactor. Different batches of insulation mockups 0.7 mm thick have been irradiated up to the integral fast neutron flux within the 10 16 -5x10 18 neutr./cm 2 range (E >= 0.1 MeV), (J=10 11 -10 12 neutr./cm 2 xs) at the corresponding temperature between 390 and 420 K. The given data on insulating strength point to a high radiation resistance of the multilayer polyimide insulation. To make sure finally that the developed insulation system meets the requirements of the operating conditions for thermonuclear device electromagnet system coils the device has been tested for operational life. On the basis of the test results a conclusion can be made that at the present development stage the multilayer polyimide insulation based on the adhesive tape meets to the utmost degree the requirements corresponding to the complicated operating conditions of the T-15 thermonuclear devices

Topological insulators/superconductors: Potential future electronic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hor, Y. S.

2014-01-01

A new material called topological insulator has been discovered and becomes one of the fastest growing field in condensed matter physics. Topological insulator is a new quantum phase of matter which has Dirac-like conductivity on its surface, but bulk insulator through its interior. It is considered a challenging problem for the surface transport measurements because of dominant internal conductance due to imperfections of the existing crystals of topological insulators. By a proper method, the internal bulk conduction can be suppressed in a topological insulator, and permit the detection of the surface currents which is necessary for future fault-tolerant quantum computing applications. Doped topological insulators have depicted a large variety of bulk physical properties ranging from magnetic to superconducting behaviors. By chemical doping, a TI can change into a bulk superconductor. Nb x Bi 2 Se 3 is shown to be a superconductor with T c ∼ 3.2 K, which could be a potential candidate for a topological superconductor

Assessment of the risk of failure of high voltage substations due to environmental conditions and pollution on insulators.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo Sierra, Rafael; Oviedo-Trespalacios, Oscar; Candelo, John E; Soto, Jose D

2015-07-01

Pollution on electrical insulators is one of the greatest causes of failure of substations subjected to high levels of salinity and environmental pollution. Considering leakage current as the main indicator of pollution on insulators, this paper focuses on establishing the effect of the environmental conditions on the risk of failure due to pollution on insulators and determining the significant change in the magnitude of the pollution on the insulators during dry and humid periods. Hierarchical segmentation analysis was used to establish the effect of environmental conditions on the risk of failure due to pollution on insulators. The Kruskal-Wallis test was utilized to determine the significant changes in the magnitude of the pollution due to climate periods. An important result was the discovery that leakage current was more common on insulators during dry periods than humid ones. There was also a higher risk of failure due to pollution during dry periods. During the humid period, various temperatures and wind directions produced a small change in the risk of failure. As a technical result, operators of electrical substations can now identify the cause of an increase in risk of failure due to pollution in the area. The research provides a contribution towards the behaviour of the leakage current under conditions similar to those of the Colombian Caribbean coast and how they affect the risk of failure of the substation due to pollution.

Sheath insulator final test report, TFE Verification Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-07-01

The sheath insulator in a thermionic cell has two functions. First, the sheath insulator must electrically isolate the collector form the outer containment sheath tube that is in contact with the reactor liquid metal coolant. Second, The sheath insulator must provide for high uniform thermal conductance between the collector and the reactor coolant to remove away waste heat. The goals of the sheath insulator test program were to demonstrate that suitable ceramic materials and fabrication processes were available, and to validate the performance of the sheath insulator for TFE-VP requirements. This report discusses the objectives of the test program, fabrication development, ex-reactor test program, in-reactor test program, and the insulator seal specifications.

Sheath insulator final test report, TFE Verification Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-07-01

The sheath insulator in a thermionic cell has two functions. First, the sheath insulator must electrically isolate the collector form the outer containment sheath tube that is in contact with the reactor liquid metal coolant. Second, The sheath insulator must provide for high uniform thermal conductance between the collector and the reactor coolant to remove away waste heat. The goals of the sheath insulator test program were to demonstrate that suitable ceramic materials and fabrication processes were available, and to validate the performance of the sheath insulator for TFE-VP requirements. This report discusses the objectives of the test program, fabrication development, ex-reactor test program, in-reactor test program, and the insulator seal specifications

Linking field-based metabolomics and chemical analyses to prioritize contaminants of emerging concern in the Great Lakes basin

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, John M.; Ekman, Drew R.; Teng, Quincy; Ankley, Gerald T.; Berninger, Jason P.; Cavallin, Jenna E.; Jensen, Kathleen M.; Kahl, Michael D.; Schroeder, Anthony L.; Villeneuve, Daniel L.; Jorgenson, Zachary G.; Lee, Kathy E.; Collette, Timothy W.

2016-01-01

The ability to focus on the most biologically relevant contaminants affecting aquatic ecosystems can be challenging because toxicity-assessment programs have not kept pace with the growing number of contaminants requiring testing. Because it has proven effective at assessing the biological impacts of potentially toxic contaminants, profiling of endogenous metabolites (metabolomics) may help screen out contaminants with a lower likelihood of eliciting biological impacts, thereby prioritizing the most biologically important contaminants. The authors present results from a study that utilized cage-deployed fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) at 18 sites across the Great Lakes basin. They measured water temperature and contaminant concentrations in water samples (132 contaminants targeted, 86 detected) and used 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure endogenous metabolites in polar extracts of livers. They used partial least-squares regression to compare relative abundances of endogenous metabolites with contaminant concentrations and temperature. The results indicated that profiles of endogenous polar metabolites covaried with at most 49 contaminants. The authors identified up to 52% of detected contaminants as not significantly covarying with changes in endogenous metabolites, suggesting they likely were not eliciting measurable impacts at these sites. This represents a first step in screening for the biological relevance of detected contaminants by shortening lists of contaminants potentially affecting these sites. Such information may allow risk assessors to prioritize contaminants and focus toxicity testing on the most biologically relevant contaminants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2493–2502.

Correlations in hydrothermal properties of building insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonyová, A

2013-01-01

The contribution comprises analysis that is based on scientific work as a part of participation on the international research project carried out at the University of Prešov in Prešov and Vienna University of Technology entitled 'Detection and Management of Risk Processes in Building Insulation' and numbered SRDA SK-AT-0008-10. Statistical approach with correlations among humidity, time and temperature values in the space between the wall and building insulation uses the set of data obtained during the measurement series as testing using a new technology with equipment that does not influence the environment properties in the space. Therefore such real mapping can bring a real picture of possible condensation as a risk process in the building envelope.

Insulation systems of the building construtions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rumiantcev Boris

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Constructions of the exterior insulation and decoration combines materials of different functionality and constructive solutions allows to these materials to demonstrate their efficiency to the great extent. Fire safety of buildings is mandatory requirement for building systems. Some insulating material may belong to the group of combustible, but their use in structures so as to minimize the risk of fire. On the other hand, there are special designs, in which non-flammable insulation acts as a flame retardant barrier. In the article carried systematization of construction systems used in the flat and pitched roof during the insulation and wall covering and facades. Taking into account the experience of leading firms were considered the application features of using exterior finish systems: construction solutions, requirements for materials and recommendations about the installation these systems.The article deals with the construction ventilated roofing system of two types: flat roof and pitched roof seam. In the first case, the ventilation system is created using milled insulation boards in the second - by a ventilated gap. In both cases the natural convection of air in the air cavities. Ensuring operational stability insulation is laid on the stages of production of heat-insulating materials. It is important: firstly responsible execution of all process operations associated with providing regulatory properties of materials and secondly, the performance of additional operations associated with the produc-tion of materials, working in a specific design. An example of a material whose properties can modify for a particular application, are milled mineral wool (with air channels for systems of ventilated flat roof.

A Facile Approach to Evaluate Thermal Insulation Performance of Paper Cups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yudi Kuang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Paper cups are ubiquitous in daily life for serving water, soup, coffee, tea, and milk due to their convenience, biodegradability, recyclability, and sustainability. The thermal insulation performance of paper cups is of significance because they are used to supply hot food or drinks. Using an effective thermal conductivity to accurately evaluate the thermal insulation performance of paper cups is complex due to the inclusion of complicated components and a multilayer structure. Moreover, an effective thermal conductivity is unsuitable for evaluating thermal insulation performance of paper cups in the case of fluctuating temperature. In this work, we propose a facile approach to precisely analyze the thermal insulation performance of paper cups in a particular range of temperature by using an evaluation model based on the MISO (Multiple-Input Single-Output technical theory, which includes a characterization parameter (temperature factor and a measurement apparatus. A series of experiments was conducted according to this evaluation model, and the results show that this evaluation model enables accurate characterization of the thermal insulation performance of paper cups and provides an efficient theoretical basis for selecting paper materials for paper cups.

Development of a Moisture-in-Solid-Insulation Sensor for Power Transformers

Science.gov (United States)

García, Belén; García, Diego; Robles, Guillermo

2015-01-01

Moisture is an important variable that must be kept under control to guarantee a safe operation of power transformers. Because of the hydrophilic character of cellulose, water mainly remains in the solid insulation, while just a few parts per million are dissolved in oil. The distribution of moisture between paper and oil is not static, but varies depending on the insulation temperature, and thus, water migration processes take place continuously during transformers operation. In this work, a sensor is presented that allows the determination of the moisture content of the transformer solid insulation in the steady state and during the moisture migration processes. The main objective of the design is that the electrodes of the sensor should not obstruct the movement of water from the solid insulation to the oil, so the proposed prototype uses a metallic-mesh electrode to do the measurements. The measurement setup is based on the characterization of the insulation dielectric response by means of the frequency dielectric spectroscopy (FDS) method. The sensitivity of the proposed sensor has been tested on samples with a moisture content within 1% to 5%, demonstrating the good sensitivity and repeatability of the measurements. PMID:25658393

Development of a moisture-in-solid-insulation sensor for power transformers.

Science.gov (United States)

García, Belén; García, Diego; Robles, Guillermo

2015-02-04

Moisture is an important variable that must be kept under control to guarantee a safe operation of power transformers. Because of the hydrophilic character of cellulose, water mainly remains in the solid insulation, while just a few parts per million are dissolved in oil. The distribution of moisture between paper and oil is not static, but varies depending on the insulation temperature, and thus, water migration processes take place continuously during transformers operation. In this work, a sensor is presented that allows the determination of the moisture content of the transformer solid insulation in the steady state and during the moisture migration processes. The main objective of the design is that the electrodes of the sensor should not obstruct the movement of water from the solid insulation to the oil, so the proposed prototype uses a metallic-mesh electrode to do the measurements. The measurement setup is based on the characterization of the insulation dielectric response by means of the frequency dielectric spectroscopy (FDS) method. The sensitivity of the proposed sensor has been tested on samples with a moisture content within 1% to 5%, demonstrating the good sensitivity and repeatability of the measurements.

Utilization of fly ash for stabilization/solidification of heavy metal contaminated soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dermatas, D.; Meng, X. [Stevens Inst. of Technology, Hoboken, NJ (United States)

1995-12-01

Pozzolanic-based stabilization/solidification (S/S) is an effective, yet economic technological alternative to immobilize heavy metals in contaminated soils and sludges. Fly ash waste materials were used along with quicklime (CaO) to immobilize lead, trivalent and hexavalent chromium present in contaminated clayey sand soils. The degree of heavy metal immobilization was evaluated using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) as well as controlled extraction experiments. These leaching test results along with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive x-ray (SEM-EDX) analyses were also implemented to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for immobilization of the heavy metals under study. Finally, the reusability of the stabilized waste forms in construction applications was also investigated by performing unconfined compressive strength and swell tests. Results suggest that the controlling mechanism for both lead and hexavalent chromium immobilization is surface adsorption, whereas for trivalent chromium it is hydroxide precipitation. Addition of fly ash to the contaminated soils effectively reduced heavy metal leachability well below the non-hazardous regulatory limits. However, quicklime addition was necessary in order to attain satisfactory immobilization levels. Overall, fly ash addition increases the immobilization pH region for all heavy metals tested, and significantly improves the stress-strain properties of the treated solids, thus allowing their reuse as readily available construction materials. The only potential problem associated with this quicklime/fly ash treatment is the excessive formation of the pozzolanic product ettringite in the presence of sulfates. Ettringite, when brought in contact with water, may cause significant swelling and subsequent deterioration of the stabilized matrix. Addition of minimum amounts of barium hydroxide was shown to effectively eliminate ettringite formation.

Cleanup of contaminated areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beone, G.; Carbone, A.I.; Zagaroli, M.

1989-01-01

The paper deals with the problem of contaminated areas cleanup, in order to eliminate every possible damage for man safety and environment and to site recovery for some utilization, The first step of cleanup operation is site characterization, that is followed by a pianificazion activity for a better definition of staff qualification, technology to be used, protection and prevention instruments for the risks due to contaminants handling. The second section describes the different remedial technologies for contaminated sites. Remedial technologies may be divided into on-site/off-site and in-situ treatments, according to whether materials (waste, soil, water) are moved to another location or not, respectively. Finally, it is outlined that contaminated areas cleanup is a typical multidisciplinary activity because very different competences are required. (author)

CO2 Insulation for Thermal Control of the Mars Science Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Bhandari, Pradeep; Karlmann, Paul; Anderson, Kevin; Novak, Keith

2011-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is sending a large (>850 kg) rover as part of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission to Mars in 2011. The rover's primary power source is a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) that generates roughly 2000 W of heat, which is converted to approximately 110 W of electrical power for use by the rover electronics, science instruments, and mechanism-actuators. The large rover size and extreme thermal environments (cold and hot) for which the rover is designed for led to a sophisticated thermal control system to keep it within allowable temperature limits. The pre-existing Martian atmosphere of low thermal conductivity CO2 gas (8 Torr) is used to thermally protect the rover and its components from the extremely cold Martian environment (temperatures as low as -130 deg C). Conventional vacuum based insulation like Multi Layer Insulation (MLI) is not effective in a gaseous atmosphere, so engineered gaps between the warm rover internal components and the cold rover external structure were employed to implement this thermal isolation. Large gaps would lead to more thermal isolation, but would also require more of the precious volume available within the rover. Therefore, a balance of the degree of thermal isolation achieved vs. the volume of rover utilized is required to reach an acceptable design. The temperature differences between the controlled components and the rover structure vary from location to location so each gap has to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to arrive at an optimal thickness. For every configuration and temperature difference, there is a critical thickness below which the heat transfer mechanism is dominated by simple gaseous thermal conduction. For larger gaps, the mechanism is dominated by natural convection. In general, convection leads to a poorer level of thermal isolation as compared to conduction. All these considerations play important roles in the

A Non-Destructive Optical Method for the DP Measurement of Paper Insulation Based on the Free Fibers in Transformer Oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Peng

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In order to explore a non-destructive method for measuring the polymerization degree (DP of paper insulation in transformer, a new method that based on the optical properties of free fiber particles in transformer oil was studied. The chromatic dispersion images of fibers with different aging degree were obtained by polarizing microscope, and the eigenvalues (r, b, and Mahalanobis distance of the images were extracted by the RGB (red, blue, and green tricolor analysis method. Then, the correlation between the three eigenvalues and DP of paper insulation were simulated respectively. The results showed that the color of images changed from blue-purple to orange-yellow gradually with the increase of aging degree. For the three eigenvalues, the relationship between Mahalanobis distance and DP had the best goodness of fit (R2 = 0.98, higher than that of r (0.94 and b (0.94. The mean square error of the relationship between Mahalanobis distance and DP (52.17 was also significantly lower than that of r and b (97.58, 98.05. Therefore, the DP of unknown paper insulation could be calculated by the simulated relationship of Mahalanobis distance and DP.

Available Prediction Methods for Corrosion under Insulation (CUI: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burhani Nurul Rawaida Ain

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Corrosion under insulation (CUI is an increasingly important issue for the piping in industries especially petrochemical and chemical plants due to its unexpected catastrophic disaster. Therefore, attention towards the maintenance and prediction of CUI occurrence, particularly in the corrosion rates, has grown in recent years. In this study, a literature review in determining the corrosion rates by using various prediction models and method of the corrosion occurrence between the external surface piping and its insulation was carried out. The results, prediction models and methods available were presented for future research references. However, most of the prediction methods available are based on each local industrial data only which might be different based on the plant location, environment, temperature and many other factors which may contribute to the difference and reliability of the model developed. Thus, it is more reliable if those models or method supported by laboratory testing or simulation which includes the factors promoting CUI such as environment temperature, insulation types, operating temperatures, and other factors.

Similarity Analysis of Cable Insulations by Chemical Test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jong Seog [Central Research Institute of Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

As result of this experiment, it was found that FT-IR test for material composition, TGA test for aging trend are applicable for similarity analysis of cable materials. OIT is recommended as option if TGA doesn't show good trend. Qualification of new insulation by EQ report of old insulation should be based on higher activation energy of new insulation than that of old one in the consideration of conservatism. In old nuclear power plant, it is easy to find black cable which has no marking of cable information such as manufacturer, material name and voltage. If a type test is required for qualification of these cables, how could I select representative cable? How could I determine the similarity of these cables? If manufacturer has qualified a cable for nuclear power plant more than a decade ago and composition of cable material is changed with similar one, is it acceptable to use the old EQ report for recently manufactured cable? It is well known to use FT-IR method to determine the similarity of cable materials. Infrared ray is easy tool to compare compositions of each material. But, it is not proper to compare aging trend of these materials. Study for similarity analysis of cable insulation by chemical test is described herein. To study a similarity evaluation method for polymer materials, FT-IR, TGA and OIT tests were performed for two cable insulation(old and new) which were supplied from same manufacturer. FT-IR shows good result to compare material compositions while TGA and OIT show good result to compare aging character of materials.

Similarity Analysis of Cable Insulations by Chemical Test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Seog

2013-01-01

As result of this experiment, it was found that FT-IR test for material composition, TGA test for aging trend are applicable for similarity analysis of cable materials. OIT is recommended as option if TGA doesn't show good trend. Qualification of new insulation by EQ report of old insulation should be based on higher activation energy of new insulation than that of old one in the consideration of conservatism. In old nuclear power plant, it is easy to find black cable which has no marking of cable information such as manufacturer, material name and voltage. If a type test is required for qualification of these cables, how could I select representative cable? How could I determine the similarity of these cables? If manufacturer has qualified a cable for nuclear power plant more than a decade ago and composition of cable material is changed with similar one, is it acceptable to use the old EQ report for recently manufactured cable? It is well known to use FT-IR method to determine the similarity of cable materials. Infrared ray is easy tool to compare compositions of each material. But, it is not proper to compare aging trend of these materials. Study for similarity analysis of cable insulation by chemical test is described herein. To study a similarity evaluation method for polymer materials, FT-IR, TGA and OIT tests were performed for two cable insulation(old and new) which were supplied from same manufacturer. FT-IR shows good result to compare material compositions while TGA and OIT show good result to compare aging character of materials

Knowledge-based utility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chwalowski, M.

1997-01-01

This presentation provides industry examples of successful marketing practices by companies facing deregulation and competition. The common thread through the examples is that long term survival of today's utility structure is dependent on the strategic role of knowledge. As opposed to regulated monopolies which usually own huge physical assets and have very little intelligence about their customers, unregulated enterprises tend to be knowledge-based, characterized by higher market value than book value. A knowledge-based enterprise gathers data, creates information and develops knowledge by leveraging it as a competitive weapon. It institutionalizes human knowledge as a corporate asset for use over and over again by the use of databases, computer networks, patents, billing, collection and customer services (BCCS), branded interfaces and management capabilities. Activities to become knowledge-based such as replacing inventory/fixed assets with information about material usage to reduce expenditure and achieve more efficient operations, and by focusing on integration and value-adding delivery capabilities, were reviewed

Field evaluation of reflective insulation in south east Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Teh, Khar San; Yarbrough, David W.; Lim, Chin Haw; Salleh, Elias

2017-12-01

The objective of this research was to obtain thermal performance data for reflective insulations in a South East Asia environment. Thermal resistance data (RSI, m2 ṡ K/W) for reflective insulations are well established from 1-D steady-state tests, but thermal data for reflective insulation in structures like those found in South East Asia are scarce. Data for reflective insulations in South East Asia will add to the worldwide database for this type of energy-conserving material. RSI were obtained from heat flux and temperature data of three identical structures in the same location. One unit did not have insulation above the ceiling, while the second and third units were insulated with reflective insulation with emittance less than 0.05. RSI for the uninsulated test unit varied from 0.37 to 0.40 m2 ṡ K/W. RSI for a single-sheet reflective insulation (woven foil) varied from 2.15 to 2.26 m2 ṡ K/W, while bubble-foil insulation varied from 2.69 to 3.09 m2 ṡ K/W. The range of RSI values resulted from differences in the spacing between the reflective insulation and the roof. In addition, the reflective insulation below the roof lowered attic temperatures by as much as 9.7° C. Reductions in ceiling heat flux of 80 to 90% relative to the uninsulated structure, due to the reflective insulation, were observed.

Condition based maintenance of a 20 kV-PE/XLPE-insulated cable network using the IRC-Analysis; Zustandsorientierte Instandhaltung eines polymerisolierten 20-kV-Kabelnetzes mit der IRC-Analyse. Moderne Diagnostik reduziert Stoerungsrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoff, G.; Kranz, H.G. [BUGH Wuppertal (Germany). Labs. fuer Hochspannungstechnik; Beigert, M.; Petzold, F. [Seba Dynatronic Mess- und Ortungstechnik GmbH, Baunach (Germany); Kneissl, C. [Bereich Konzeption und Messtechnik, Lech Elektrizitaetswerke AG, Augsburg (Germany)

2001-10-22

For a preventive maintenance of a polymer insulated cable network a destruction free estimation of the status of the buried PE/XLPE-cables is needed. This contribution presents a condition based maintenance concept which is based on the IRC-Analysis. With this concept a major German utility was able to reduce the amount of failures in a part of the 20kV-cable network. The general tendency of increasing faults was broken. (orig.) [German] Die praeventive Instandhaltung in polymerisolierten Kabelnetzen setzt eine zerstoerungsfreie Zustandbestimmung von gelegten PE/VPE-isolierten Kabeln voraus. Die-Verfasser beschreiben ein zustandsorientiertes Wartungskonzept auf Basis der IRC-Analyse, mit dem es gelungen ist, in einem Teil des 20-kV-Kabelnetzes eines Energieversorgers die in der Vergangenheit stetig steigende Stoerungsrate drastisch zu reduzieren. (orig.)

Tunable complex-valued multi-tap microwave photonic filter based on single silicon-on-insulator microring resonator.

Science.gov (United States)

Lloret, Juan; Sancho, Juan; Pu, Minhao; Gasulla, Ivana; Yvind, Kresten; Sales, Salvador; Capmany, José

2011-06-20

A complex-valued multi-tap tunable microwave photonic filter based on single silicon-on-insulator microring resonator is presented. The degree of tunability of the approach involving two, three and four taps is theoretical and experimentally characterized, respectively. The constraints of exploiting the optical phase transfer function of a microring resonator aiming at implementing complex-valued multi-tap filtering schemes are also reported. The trade-off between the degree of tunability without changing the free spectral range and the number of taps is studied in-depth. Different window based scenarios are evaluated for improving the filter performance in terms of the side-lobe level.

Load responsive multilayer insulation performance testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dye, S.; Kopelove, A. [Quest Thermal Group, 6452 Fig Street Suite A, Arvada, CO 80004 (United States); Mills, G. L. [Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp, 1600 Commerce Street, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States)

2014-01-29

Cryogenic insulation designed to operate at various pressures from one atmosphere to vacuum, with high thermal performance and light weight, is needed for cryogenically fueled space launch vehicles and aircraft. Multilayer insulation (MLI) performs well in a high vacuum, but the required vacuum shell for use in the atmosphere is heavy. Spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) is often used in these systems because of its light weight, but can have a higher heat flux than desired. We report on the continued development of Load Responsive Multilayer Insulation (LRMLI), an advanced thermal insulation system that uses dynamic beam discrete spacers that provide high thermal performance both in atmosphere and vacuum. LRMLI consists of layers of thermal radiation barriers separated and supported by micromolded polymer spacers. The spacers have low thermal conductance, and self-support a thin, lightweight vacuum shell that provides internal high vacuum in the insulation. The dynamic load responsive spacers compress to support the external load of a vacuum shell in one atmosphere, and decompress under reduced atmospheric pressure for lower heat leak. Structural load testing was performed on the spacers with various configurations. LRMLI was installed on a 400 liter tank and boil off testing with liquid nitrogen performed at various chamber pressures from one atmosphere to high vacuum. Testing was also performed with an MLI blanket on the outside of the LRMLI.

Load responsive multilayer insulation performance testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dye, S.; Kopelove, A.; Mills, G. L.

2014-01-01

Cryogenic insulation designed to operate at various pressures from one atmosphere to vacuum, with high thermal performance and light weight, is needed for cryogenically fueled space launch vehicles and aircraft. Multilayer insulation (MLI) performs well in a high vacuum, but the required vacuum shell for use in the atmosphere is heavy. Spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) is often used in these systems because of its light weight, but can have a higher heat flux than desired. We report on the continued development of Load Responsive Multilayer Insulation (LRMLI), an advanced thermal insulation system that uses dynamic beam discrete spacers that provide high thermal performance both in atmosphere and vacuum. LRMLI consists of layers of thermal radiation barriers separated and supported by micromolded polymer spacers. The spacers have low thermal conductance, and self-support a thin, lightweight vacuum shell that provides internal high vacuum in the insulation. The dynamic load responsive spacers compress to support the external load of a vacuum shell in one atmosphere, and decompress under reduced atmospheric pressure for lower heat leak. Structural load testing was performed on the spacers with various configurations. LRMLI was installed on a 400 liter tank and boil off testing with liquid nitrogen performed at various chamber pressures from one atmosphere to high vacuum. Testing was also performed with an MLI blanket on the outside of the LRMLI

Effect of thermal insulation on the electrical characteristics of NbOx threshold switches

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ziwen; Kumar, Suhas; Wong, H.-S. Philip; Nishi, Yoshio

2018-02-01

Threshold switches based on niobium oxide (NbOx) are promising candidates as bidirectional selector devices in crossbar memory arrays and building blocks for neuromorphic computing. Here, it is experimentally demonstrated that the electrical characteristics of NbOx threshold switches can be tuned by engineering the thermal insulation. Increasing the thermal insulation by ˜10× is shown to produce ˜7× reduction in threshold current and ˜45% reduction in threshold voltage. The reduced threshold voltage leads to ˜5× reduction in half-selection leakage, which highlights the effectiveness of reducing half-selection leakage of NbOx selectors by engineering the thermal insulation. A thermal feedback model based on Poole-Frenkel conduction in NbOx can explain the experimental results very well, which also serves as a piece of strong evidence supporting the validity of the Poole-Frenkel based mechanism in NbOx threshold switches.

Defect design of insulation systems for photovoltaic modules

Science.gov (United States)

Mon, G. R.

1981-01-01

A defect-design approach to sizing electrical insulation systems for terrestrial photovoltaic modules is presented. It consists of gathering voltage-breakdown statistics on various thicknesses of candidate insulation films where, for a designated voltage, module failure probabilities for enumerated thickness and number-of-layer film combinations are calculated. Cost analysis then selects the most economical insulation system. A manufacturing yield problem is solved to exemplify the technique. Results for unaged Mylar suggest using fewer layers of thicker films. Defect design incorporates effects of flaws in optimal insulation system selection, and obviates choosing a tolerable failure rate, since the optimization process accomplishes that. Exposure to weathering and voltage stress reduces the voltage-withstanding capability of module insulation films. Defect design, applied to aged polyester films, promises to yield reliable, cost-optimal insulation systems.

Thermic insulation in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nicolaon, G. (Ambassade de France a New York (USA)); Atlas, O. (Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, (USA))

1984-01-30

At present, thermic insulation accounts for 13% of the savings which have been made and this percentage should increase substantially in the future. The ideal insulation material must have low thermic conductivity, but also be light, have a low dilatation coefficient, good mechanical resistance and be fireproof and non-toxic. Rock wool and above all glass wool have the major portion in the insulation market with about 75% of the total. The prospects for an increase in sales are average: 6 to 7% per year until 1990 with a stabilization or a decrease after this date. Production is concentrated in the hands of about ten producers. The insulation with a cellulose base -with the addition of a combustion inhibitor, usually borax- represent about 15% of the market. Manufacturers are numerous and the production units are small. Any serious evaluation of the future of this product is difficult to make. However, it should be noted that combustion inhibition is one of the main factors of success of this product and constitutes a relatively active field of research. Perlite and vermiculite have a marginal part of the market which is concentrated in the hands of a few dozen producers. Their future seems promising and their production should double between now and the end of the century. There is also the field of plastics which has to be considered and notably polystyrene, polyurethanes and polyisocyanates. These can be injected and moulded in situ. To the extent that toxicity studies can definitively conclude that they are not harmful (urea-formol resins have just been prohibited), their future is brillant and their growth rate could reach about 200% per year. The big chemical and pharmaceutical companies are interested in these products and their portion of the market can rapidly go beyond their present 6 to 8%.

Plasmonic reflectors and high-Q nano-cavities based on coupled metal-insulator-metal waveguides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Chen

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Based on the contra-directional coupling, a composite structure consisting of two coupled metal-insulator-metal (MIM waveguides is proposed to act as an attractive plasmonic reflector. By introducing a defect into one of the MIM waveguides, we show that such a composite structure can be operated as a plasmonic nanocavity with a high quality factor. Both symmetric and anti-symmetric cavity modes are supported in the plasmonic cavity, and their resonance frequencies can be tuned by controlling the defect width. The present structures could have a significant impact for potential applications such as surface plasmon mirrors, filters and solid-state cavity quantum electrodynamics.

Measure Guideline. Hybrid Foundation Insulation Retrofits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ueno, K. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Lstiburek, J. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2012-05-01

This measure guideline provides recommendations for designs and variations for retrofit hybrid assemblies in improving interior foundation insulation and water management of basements. Variations include closed cell spray foam (ccSPF) with membrane waterproofing or air gap membrane drainage layers, rigid board foam insulation at flat walls (cast concrete or CMU block), a “partial drainage” detail making use of the bulk water drainage that occurs through the field of a rubble stone wall, and non-drained spray foam assemblies (including slab insulation).

Interaction between a pair of gypsy insulators or between heterologous gypsy and Wari insulators modulates Flp site-specific recombination in Drosophila melanogaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Krivega, Margarita; Savitskaya, Ekaterina; Krivega, Ivan; Karakozova, Marina; Parshikov, Aleksander; Golovnin, Anton; Georgiev, Pavel

2010-08-01

Chromatin insulators block the action of transcriptional enhancers when interposed between an enhancer and a promoter. An Flp technology was used to examine interactions between Drosophila gypsy and Wari insulators in somatic and germ cells. The gypsy insulator consists of 12 binding sites for the Su(Hw) protein, while the endogenous Wari insulator, located on the 3' side of the white gene, is independent from the Su(Hw) protein. Insertion of the gypsy but not Wari insulator between FRT sites strongly blocks recombination between Flp dimers bound to FRT sites located on the same chromatid (recombination in cis) or in sister chromatids (unequal recombination in trans). At the same time, the interaction between Wari and gypsy insulators regulates the efficiency of Flp-mediated recombination. Thus, insulators may have a role in controlling interactions between distantly located protein complexes (not only those involved in transcriptional gene regulation) on the same chromosome or on sister chromatids in somatic and germ cells. We have also found that the frequency of Flp-mediated recombination between FRT sites is strongly dependent on the relative orientation of gypsy insulators. Taken together, our results indicate that the interactions between insulators can be visualized by Flp technology and that insulators may be involved in blocking undesirable interactions between proteins at the two-chromatid phase of the cell cycle.

Thermal spray coating for corrosion under insulation (CUI) prevention

Science.gov (United States)

Fuad, Mohd Fazril Irfan Ahmad; Razak, Khalil Abdul; Alias, Nur Hashimah; Othman, Nur Hidayati; Lah, Nik Khairul Irfan Nik Ab

2017-12-01

Corrosion under insulation (CUI) is one of the predominant issues affecting process of Oil and Gas and Petrochemical industries. CUI refers to external corrosion, but it is difficult to be detected as the insulation cover masks the corrosion problem. One of the options to prevent CUI is by utilizing the protective coating systems. Thermal spray coating (TSC) is an advanced coating system and it shows promising performance in harsh environment, which could be used to prevent CUI. However, the application of TSC is not attractive due to the high initial cost. This work evaluates the potential of TSC based on corrosion performance using linear polarization resistance (LPR) method and salt spray test (SST). Prior to the evaluation, the mechanical performance of TSC was first investigated using adhesion test and bend test. Microstructure characterization of the coating was investigated using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The LPR test results showed that low corrosion rate of 0.05 mm/years was obtained for TSC in compared to the bare steel especially at high temperature of 80 °C, where usually normal coating would fail. For the salt spray test, there was no sign of corrosion products especially at the center (fully coated region) was observed. From SEM images, no corrosion defects were observed after 336 hours of continuous exposure to salt fog test. This indicates that TSC protected the steel satisfactorily by acting as a barrier from a corrosive environment. In conclusion, TSC can be a possible solution to minimize the CUI in a long term. Further research should be done on corrosion performance and life cycle cost by comparing TSC with other conventional coating technology.

Simultaneous removal of selected oxidized contaminants in groundwater using a continuously stirred hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Siqing; Liang, Jun; Xu, Xiaoyin; Shen, Shuang

2013-01-01

A laboratory trial was conducted for evaluating the capability of a continuously stirred hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor to simultaneously reduce nitrate (NO(3-)-N), sulfate (SO4(2-)), bromate (BrO3-), hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and parachloronitrobenzene (p-CNB). The reactor contained two bundles of hollow fiber membranes functioning as an autotrophic biofilm carrier and hydrogen pipe as well. On the condition that hydrogen was supplied as electron donor and diffused into water through membrane pores, autohydrogenotrophic bacteria were capable of reducing contaminants to forms with lower toxicity. Reduction occurred within 1 day and removal fluxes for NO(3-)-N, SO4(2-), BrO3-, Cr(VI), and p-CNB reached 0.641, 2.396, 0.008, 0.016 and 0.031 g/(day x m2), respectively after 112 days of continuous operation. Except for the fact that sulfate was 37% removed under high surface loading, the other four contaminants were reduced by over 95%. The removal flux comparison between phases varying in surface loading and H2 pressure showed that decreasing surface loading or increasing H2 pressure would promote removal flux. Competition for electrons occurred among the five contaminants. Electron-equivalent flux analysis showed that the amount of utilized hydrogen was mainly controlled by NO(3-)-N and SO4(2-) reduction, which accounted for over 99% of the electron flux altogether. It also indicated the electron acceptor order, showing that nitrate was the most prior electron acceptor while suIfate was the second of the five contaminants.

Simulation of loss electron in vacuum magnetically insulated transmission lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Pengfei; Li Yongdong; Liu Chunliang; Wang Hongguang; Guo Fan; Yang Hailiang; Qiu Aici; Su Zhaofeng; Sun Jianfeng; Sun Jiang; Gao Yi

2011-01-01

In the beginning of magnetic insulated period, loss electron in coaxial vacuum magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) strikes anode and the bremsstrahlung photons are generated in the mean time. Based on the self-limited flow model, velocity in direction of energy transport, energy spectrum and angular distribution of loss electron are simulated by PIC code, energy spectrum of bremsstrahlung photons as well calculated though Monte Carlo method. Computational results show that the velocity of loss electron is less than 2.998 x 108 m/s, the angular excursion of electron is not much in a board extent of energy spectrum. These results show an indirect diagnosis of vacuum insulted transmission line working status based on loss electron bremsstrahlung. (authors)

Fabrication of insulator nanocapillaries from diatoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bereczky, R.J.; Tokesi, K.

2006-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Diatoms are unicellular microscopic organisms with silicon-dioxide based skeleton enveloped with an organic material, which composes essentially polysaccharides and proteins (see Fig. 1a.). As it was shown, the valva of the diatoms build up almost from clean silicondioxide [1]. Therefore, removing the organic compounds from the diatom, we can have in our hand an ideal, about 100 μ m-sized, and almost cylindrical shaped insulating nanostructure. There are various techniques available to disembarrass the diatom from its organic compounds. We used the so called hydrogen peroxide method. The advantageous properties of this method are the followings: a) this is one of the fastest procedures among the possible methods, b) do not require special equipment, c) cheap, and last but not least it is less harmful for health compared to other methods. This procedure can be an alternative way of the fabrication of insulator nanocapillaries. In this case the preparation of the nanocapillaries is simple and quick. Moreover, we do not need to invest expensive special techniques, (like micromachining-, electrochemical etching technique, moulding process etc) as it was necessary for the case of previously developed method producing insulator nanocapillaries [2,3]. Fig. 1b and Fig. 1c. show the scanning electron micrograph of the skeleton of the diatoms. The size of the cylindrical holes are roughly 200 nm (see Fig. 1c). (author)

Effect of insulation thickness on the productivity of basin type solar stills: An experimental verification under local climate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalifa, Abdul Jabbar N.; Hamood, Ahmad M.

2009-01-01

To achieve a high efficiency of a solar still, heat losses from the sides and base should be minimized by adequate insulation to insure the storage of the absorbed thermal energy. The effect of insulation on the productivity of a basin type solar still is verified in this study. Solar stills with insulation thickness of 30, 60 and 100 mm are investigated and the results are compared with those obtained for a still without insulation. It was found that the insulation thickness has a significant impact on the productivity of the still up to a thickness of 60 mm. The insulation thickness could influence the productivity of the still by over 80%. A performance correlation for the effect of insulation on productivity is also developed.

Understanding metal–insulator transition in sodium tungsten bronze

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2015-05-20

May 20, 2015 ... We have carried out angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and spectromicroscopy studies to understand the metal–insulator transition (MIT) observed in sodium tungsten bronzes, NaWO3. The experimentally determined band structure is compared with the theoretical calculation based ...

Modeling of Dynamic Responses in Building Insulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Antonyová

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In this research a measurement systemwas developedfor monitoring humidity and temperature in the cavity between the wall and the insulating material in the building envelope. This new technology does not disturb the insulating material during testing. The measurement system can also be applied to insulation fixed ten or twenty years earlier and sufficiently reveals the quality of the insulation. A mathematical model is proposed to characterize the dynamic responses in the cavity between the wall and the building insulation as influenced by weather conditions.These dynamic responses are manifested as a delay of both humidity and temperature changes in the cavity when compared with the changes in the ambient surrounding of the building. The process is then modeled through numerical methods and statistical analysis of the experimental data obtained using the new system of measurement.

Nonvolatile Solid-State Charged-Polymer Gating of Topological Insulators into the Topological Insulating Regime

Science.gov (United States)

Ireland, R. M.; Wu, Liang; Salehi, M.; Oh, S.; Armitage, N. P.; Katz, H. E.

2018-04-01

We demonstrate the ability to reduce the carrier concentration of thin films of the topological insulator (TI) Bi2 Se3 by utilizing a nonvolatile electrostatic gating via corona charging of electret polymers. Sufficient electric field can be imparted to a polymer-TI bilayer to result in significant electron density depletion, even without the continuous connection of a gate electrode or the chemical modification of the TI. We show that the Fermi level of Bi2 Se3 is shifted toward the Dirac point with this method. Using terahertz spectroscopy, we find that the surface chemical potential is lowered into the bulk band gap (approximately 50 meV above the Dirac point and 170 meV below the conduction-band minimum), and it is stabilized in the intrinsic regime while enhancing electron mobility. The mobility of surface state electrons is enhanced to a value as high as approximately 1600 cm2/V s at 5 K.

Health Risk-Based Assessment and Management of Heavy Metals-Contaminated Soil Sites in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zueng-Sang Chen

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Risk-based assessment is a way to evaluate the potential hazards of contaminated sites and is based on considering linkages between pollution sources, pathways, and receptors. These linkages can be broken by source reduction, pathway management, and modifying exposure of the receptors. In Taiwan, the Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Act (SGWPR Act uses one target regulation to evaluate the contamination status of soil and groundwater pollution. More than 600 sites contaminated with heavy metals (HMs have been remediated and the costs of this process are always high. Besides using soil remediation techniques to remove contaminants from these sites, the selection of possible remediation methods to obtain rapid risk reduction is permissible and of increasing interest. This paper discusses previous soil remediation techniques applied to different sites in Taiwan and also clarified the differences of risk assessment before and after soil remediation obtained by applying different risk assessment models. This paper also includes many case studies on: (1 food safety risk assessment for brown rice growing in a HMs-contaminated site; (2 a tiered approach to health risk assessment for a contaminated site; (3 risk assessment for phytoremediation techniques applied in HMs-contaminated sites; and (4 soil remediation cost analysis for contaminated sites in Taiwan.

Health Risk-Based Assessment and Management of Heavy Metals-Contaminated Soil Sites in Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Hung-Yu; Hseu, Zeng-Yei; Chen, Ting-Chien; Chen, Bo-Ching; Guo, Horng-Yuh; Chen, Zueng-Sang

2010-01-01

Risk-based assessment is a way to evaluate the potential hazards of contaminated sites and is based on considering linkages between pollution sources, pathways, and receptors. These linkages can be broken by source reduction, pathway management, and modifying exposure of the receptors. In Taiwan, the Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Act (SGWPR Act) uses one target regulation to evaluate the contamination status of soil and groundwater pollution. More than 600 sites contaminated with heavy metals (HMs) have been remediated and the costs of this process are always high. Besides using soil remediation techniques to remove contaminants from these sites, the selection of possible remediation methods to obtain rapid risk reduction is permissible and of increasing interest. This paper discusses previous soil remediation techniques applied to different sites in Taiwan and also clarified the differences of risk assessment before and after soil remediation obtained by applying different risk assessment models. This paper also includes many case studies on: (1) food safety risk assessment for brown rice growing in a HMs-contaminated site; (2) a tiered approach to health risk assessment for a contaminated site; (3) risk assessment for phytoremediation techniques applied in HMs-contaminated sites; and (4) soil remediation cost analysis for contaminated sites in Taiwan. PMID:21139851

Electrical insulator requirements for mirror fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Condit, R.H.; Van Konynenburg, R.A.

1977-01-01

The requirements for mirror fusion electrical insulators are discussed. Insulators will be required at the neutral beam injectors, injector power supplies, direct converters, and superconducting magnets. Insulators placed at the neutral beam injectors will receive the greatest radiation exposure, 10 14 to 10 16 neutrons/m 2 .s and 0.3 to 3 Gy/s (10 5 to 10 6 R/h) of gamma rays, with shielding. Direct converter insulators may receive the highest temperature (up to 1300 0 K), but low voltage holding requirements. Insulators made from organic materials (e.g., plastics) for the magnet coils may be satisfactory. Immediate conductivity increases of all insulators result from gamma irradiation. With an upper limit to gamma flux exposures of 300 Gy/s in a minimally shielded region, the conductivity could reach 10 -6 S/m. Damage from neutron irradiation may not be serious during several years' exposure. Surface changes in ceramics at the neutral beam injector may be serious. The interior of the injector will contain atomic hydrogen, and sputtering may transfer material away from or onto the ceramic insulators. Unknown and potentially damaging interactions between irradiation, electric fields, temperature gradients, cycling of temperature, surface and joint reactions, sputtering, polarization, and electrotransport in the dielectrics are of concern. Materials research to deal with these problems is needed

Measure Guideline: Hybrid Foundation Insulation Retrofits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ueno, K.; Lstiburek, J.

2012-05-01

This measure guideline provides recommendations for designs and variations for retrofit hybrid assemblies in improving interior foundation insulation and water management of basements. Variations include closed cell spray foam (ccSPF) with membrane waterproofing or air gap membrane drainage layers, rigid board foam insulation at flat walls (cast concrete or CMU block), a 'partial drainage' detail making use of the bulk water drainage that occurs through the field of a rubble stone wall, and non-drained spray foam assemblies (including slab insulation).

Obtaining and utilizing contaminant arrival distributions in transient flow systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

The versatility of the new contaminant arrival distributions for determining environmental consequences of subsurface pollution problems is demonstrated through application to a transient flow system. Though some of the four phases of the hydrologic evaluations are more complicated because of the time-dependence of the flow and input contaminant concentrations, the arrival distributions still effectively summarize the data required to determine the environmental implications. These arrival distributions yield two graphs or tabular sets of data giving the consequences of the subsurface pollution problems in a simple and direct form. Accordingly, the public control authorities would be able to use these results to choose alternatives or initiate corrective actions, depending on the indicated environmental consequences

Condition Assessment of Paper Insulation in Oil-Immersed Power Transformers Based on the Iterative Inversion of Resistivity