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Sample records for heat spot produced

  1. Fatigue crack growth retardation in spot heated mild steel sheet

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    A fatigue crack can be effectively retarded by heating a spot near the crack tip under nil remote stress condition. The subcritical spot heating at a proper position modifies the crack growth behaviour in a way, more or less, similar to specimen subjected to overload spike. It is observed that the extent of crack growth retardation ...

  2. Crack imaging by pulsed laser spot thermography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, T; Almond, D P; Rees, D A S; Weekes, B

    2010-01-01

    A surface crack close to a spot heated by a laser beam impedes lateral heat flow and produces alterations to the shape of the thermal image of the spot that can be monitored by thermography. A full 3D simulation has been developed to simulate heat flow from a laser heated spot in the proximity of a crack. The modelling provided an understanding of the ways that different parameters affect the thermal images of laser heated spots. It also assisted in the development of an efficient image processing strategy for extracting the scanned cracks. Experimental results show that scanning pulsed laser spot thermography has considerable potential as a remote, non-contact crack imaging technique.

  3. The impact of heat waves on electricity spot markets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pechan, Anna; Eisenack, Klaus

    2014-01-01

    Thermoelectric power plants depend on cooling water drawn from water bodies. Low river run-off and/or high water temperatures limit a plant's production capacity. This problem may intensify with climate change. Our study quantifies the impact of forced capacity reductions on market prices, production costs, consumer and producer surplus, as well as emissions by means of a bottom-up power generation system model. First, we simulate the German electricity spot market during the heat wave of 2006. Then we conduct a sensitivity study that accounts for future climatic and technological conditions. We find an average price increase of 11% during the heat wave 2006, which is even more pronounced during times of peak demand. Production costs accumulate to an additional but moderate 16 m. Due to the price increase, producers gain from the heat wave, whereas consumers disproportionately bear the costs. Carbon emissions in the German electricity sector increase during the heat wave. The price and cost effects are more pronounced and increase significantly if assumptions on heat-sensitive demand, hydropower capacity, net exports, and capacity reductions are tightened. These are potential additional effects of climate change. Hence, if mitigation fails or is postponed globally, the impacts on the current energy system are very likely to rise. Increases in feed-in from renewable resources and demand-side management can counter the effects to a considerable degree. Countries with a shift toward a renewable energy supply can be expected to be much less susceptible to cooling water scarcity than those with a high share of nuclear and coal-fired power plants. - Highlights: • We quantify the impact of thermal capacity reductions on the electricity market. • German heat wave 2006 caused moderate rise in production costs. • Capacity reductions have substantial impact on prices and raise producer surplus. • Impacts on prices, production cost and surplus amplify under climate

  4. Comparison of Available Technologies for Fire Spots Detection via Linear Heat Detector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miksa František

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available It is very demanding to detect fire spots under difficult conditions with high occurrence of interfering external factors such as large distances, airflow difficultly, high dustiness, high humidity, etc. Spot fire sensors do not meet the requirements due to the aforementioned conditions as well as large distances. Therefore, the detection of a fire spot via linear heat sensing cables is utilized.

  5. Transition Heat Transfer Modeling Based on the Characteristics of Turbulent Spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Fred; Boyle, Robert

    1998-01-01

    While turbulence models are being developed which show promise for simulating the transition region on a turbine blade or vane, it is believed that the best approach with the greatest potential for practical use is the use of models which incorporate the physics of turbulent spots present in the transition region. This type of modeling results in the prediction of transition region intermittency which when incorporated in turbulence models give a good to excellent prediction of the transition region heat transfer. Some models are presented which show how turbulent spot characteristics and behavior can be employed to predict the effect of pressure gradient and Mach number on the transition region. The models predict the spot formation rate which is needed, in addition to the transition onset location, in the Narasimha concentrated breakdown intermittency equation. A simplified approach is taken for modeling turbulent spot growth and interaction in the transition region which utilizes the turbulent spot variables governing transition length and spot generation rate. The models are expressed in terms of spot spreading angle, dimensionless spot velocity, dimensionless spot area, disturbance frequency and Mach number. The models are used in conjunction with a computer code to predict the effects of pressure gradient and Mach number on the transition region and compared with VKI experimental turbine data.

  6. Online Adaptive Hyperthermia Treatment Planning During Locoregional Heating to Suppress Treatment-Limiting Hot Spots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kok, H Petra; Korshuize-van Straten, Linda; Bakker, Akke; de Kroon-Oldenhof, Rianne; Geijsen, Elisabeth D; Stalpers, Lukas J A; Crezee, Johannes

    2017-11-15

    Adequate tumor temperatures during hyperthermia are essential for good clinical response, but excessive heating of normal tissue should be avoided. This makes locoregional heating using phased array systems technically challenging. Online application of hyperthermia treatment planning could help to improve the heating quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical benefit of online treatment planning during treatment of pelvic tumors heated with the AMC-8 locoregional hyperthermia system. For online adaptive hyperthermia treatment planning, a graphical user interface was developed. Electric fields were calculated in a preprocessing step using our in-house-developed finite-difference-based treatment planning system. This allows instant calculation of the temperature distribution for user-selected phase-amplitude settings during treatment and projection onto the patient's computed tomographic scan for online visualization. Online treatment planning was used for 14 treatment sessions in 8 patients to reduce the patients' reports of hot spots while maintaining the same level of tumor heating. The predicted decrease in hot spot temperature should be at least 0.5°C, and the tumor temperature should decrease less than 0.2°C. These predictions were compared with clinical data: patient feedback about the hot spot and temperature measurements in the tumor region. In total, 17 hot spot reports occurred during the 14 sessions, and the alternative settings predicted the hot spot temperature to decrease by at least 0.5°C, which was confirmed by the disappearance of all 17 hot spot reports. At the same time, the average tumor temperature was predicted to change on average -0.01°C (range, -0.19°C to 0.34°C). The measured tumor temperature change was on average only -0.02°C (range, -0.26°C to 0.31°C). In only 2 cases the temperature decrease was slightly larger than 0.2°C, but at most it was 0.26°C. Online application of hyperthermia treatment planning is

  7. Effect of ambient humidity on the rate at which blood spots dry and the size of the spot produced.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denniff, Philip; Woodford, Lynsey; Spooner, Neil

    2013-08-01

    For shipping and storage, dried blood spot (DBS) samples must be sufficiently dry to protect the integrity of the sample. When the blood is spotted the humidity has the potential to affect the size of the spot created and the speed at which it dries. The area of DBS produced on three types of substrates were not affected by the humidity under which they were generated. DBS samples reached a steady moisture content 150 min after spotting and 90 min for humidities less than 60% relative humidity. All packaging materials examined provided some degree of protection from external extreme conditions. However, none of the packaging examined provided a total moisture barrier to extreme environmental conditions. Humidity was shown not to affect the spot area and DBS samples were ready for shipping and storage 2 h after spotting. The packing solutions examined all provided good protection from external high humidity conditions.

  8. Analysis of the Dynamic Evolutionary Behavior of American Heating Oil Spot and Futures Price Fluctuation Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huan Chen

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Heating oil is an extremely important heating fuel to consumers in northeastern United States. This paper studies the fluctuations law and dynamic behavior of heating oil spot and futures prices by setting up their complex network models based on the data of America in recent 30 years. Firstly, modes are defined by the method of coarse graining, the spot price fluctuation network of heating oil (HSPFN and its futures price fluctuation network (HFPFN in different periods are established to analyze the transformation characteristics between the modes. Secondly, several indicators are investigated: average path length, node strength and strength distribution, betweeness, etc. In addition, a function is established to measure and analyze the network similarity. The results show the cumulative time of new nodes appearing in either spot or futures price network is not random but exhibits a growth trend of straight line. Meanwhile, the power law distributions of spot and futures price fluctuations in different periods present regularity and complexity. Moreover, these prices are strongly correlated in stable fluctuation period but weak in the phase of sharp fluctuation. Finally, the time distribution characteristics of important modes in the networks and the evolution results of the topological properties mentioned above are obtained.

  9. 24 CFR 3280.707 - Heat producing appliances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Heat producing appliances. 3280.707... Systems § 3280.707 Heat producing appliances. (a) Heat-producing appliances and vents, roof jacks and... appliance, the heating appliance shall be installed by the manufacturer of the manufactured home in...

  10. The effect of dry spots on heat transfer in a locally heated liquid film moving under the action of gas flow in a channel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaitsev, D. V.; Tkachenko, E. M.; Bykovskaya, E. F.

    2017-11-01

    Intensive evaporation of a thin liquid film, moving in a flat micro-/minichannel under the action of gas flow is very promising for the use in cooling systems of modern semiconductor devices with localized heat sources of high intensity. In this work, using the high-speed visualization, the effect of the formation of dry spots on heat transfer in a locally heated liquid film shear-driven in a channel was investigated. It was found that the maximum intensity of heat removal from the heater is achieved in the mode, when the film flow continuity is broken. During the experiment the total area of dry spots increases with increasing heat flux and heater temperature, but when the heater reaches a certain temperature (≈100°C), the total area begins to decrease. However, the length of contact line increases with increasing heat flux and reaches a maximum in the pre-crisis regime. Intensive evaporation in the region of the contact line may explain the achievement of high heat fluxes in the shear-driven liquid film.

  11. Nociceptive sensations evoked from 'spots' in the skin by mild cooling and heating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Barry G; Roman, Carolyn; Schoen, Kate; Collins, Hannah

    2008-03-01

    It was recently found that nociceptive sensations (stinging, pricking, or burning) can be evoked by cooling or heating the skin to innocuous temperatures (e.g., 29 and 37 degrees C). Here, we show that this low-threshold thermal nociception (LTN) can be traced to sensitive 'spots' in the skin equivalent to classically defined warm spots and cold spots. Because earlier work had shown that LTN is inhibited by simply touching a thermode to the skin, a spatial search procedure was devised that minimized tactile stimulation by sliding small thermodes (16 and 1mm(2)) set to 28 or 36 degrees C slowly across the lubricated skin of the forearm. The procedure uncovered three types of temperature-sensitive sites (thermal, bimodal, and nociceptive) that contained one or more thermal, nociceptive, or (rarely) bimodal spots. Repeated testing indicated that bimodal and nociceptive sites were less stable over time than thermal sites, and that mechanical contact differentially inhibited nociceptive sensations. Intensity ratings collected over a range of temperatures showed that LTN increased monotonically on heat-sensitive sites but not on cold-sensitive sites. These results provide psychophysical evidence that stimulation from primary afferent fibers with thresholds in the range of warm fibers and cold fibers is relayed to the pain pathway. However, the labile nature of LTN implies that these low-threshold nociceptive inputs are subject to inhibitory controls. The implications of these findings for the roles of putative temperature receptors and nociceptors in innocuous thermoreception and thermal pain are discussed.

  12. Heat-affected zone liquation crack on resistance spot welded TWIP steels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saha, Dulal Chandra [Department of Advanced Materials Engineering, Dong-Eui University, 995 Eomgwangno, Busanjin-gu, Busan 614-714 (Korea, Republic of); Chang, InSung [Automotive Production Development Division, Hyundai Motor Company (Korea, Republic of); Park, Yeong-Do, E-mail: ypark@deu.ac.kr [Department of Advanced Materials Engineering, Dong-Eui University, 995 Eomgwangno, Busanjin-gu, Busan 614-714 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-07-01

    In this study, the heat affected zone (HAZ) liquation crack and segregation behavior of the resistance spot welded twinning induced plasticity (TWIP) steel have been reported. Cracks appeared in the post-welded joints that originated at the partially melted zone (PMZ) and propagated from the PMZ through the heat affected zone (HAZ) to the base metal (BM). The crack length and crack opening widths were observed increasing with heat input; and the welding current was identified to be the most influencing parameter for crack formation. Cracks appeared at the PMZ when nugget diameter reached at 4.50 mm or above; and the liquation cracks were found to occur along two sides of the notch tip in the sheet direction rather than in the electrode direction. Cracks were backfilled with the liquid films which has lamellar structure and supposed to be the eutectic constituent. Co-segregation of alloy elements such as, C and Mn were detected on the liquid films by electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA) line scanning and element map which suggests that the liquid film was enrich of Mn and C. The eutectic constituent was identified by analyzing the calculated phase diagram along with thermal temperature history of finite element simulation. Preliminary experimental results showed that cracks have less/no significant effect on the static cross-tensile strength (CTS) and the tensile-shear strength (TSS). In addition, possible ways to avoid cracking were discussed. - Highlights: • The HAZ liquation crack during resistance spot welding of TWIP steel was examined. • Cracks were completely backfilled and healed with divorced eutectic secondary phase. • Co-segregation of C and Mn was detected in the cracked zone. • Heat input was the most influencing factor to initiate liquation crack. • Cracks have less/no significant effect on static tensile properties.

  13. Heat-affected zone liquation crack on resistance spot welded TWIP steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saha, Dulal Chandra; Chang, InSung; Park, Yeong-Do

    2014-01-01

    In this study, the heat affected zone (HAZ) liquation crack and segregation behavior of the resistance spot welded twinning induced plasticity (TWIP) steel have been reported. Cracks appeared in the post-welded joints that originated at the partially melted zone (PMZ) and propagated from the PMZ through the heat affected zone (HAZ) to the base metal (BM). The crack length and crack opening widths were observed increasing with heat input; and the welding current was identified to be the most influencing parameter for crack formation. Cracks appeared at the PMZ when nugget diameter reached at 4.50 mm or above; and the liquation cracks were found to occur along two sides of the notch tip in the sheet direction rather than in the electrode direction. Cracks were backfilled with the liquid films which has lamellar structure and supposed to be the eutectic constituent. Co-segregation of alloy elements such as, C and Mn were detected on the liquid films by electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA) line scanning and element map which suggests that the liquid film was enrich of Mn and C. The eutectic constituent was identified by analyzing the calculated phase diagram along with thermal temperature history of finite element simulation. Preliminary experimental results showed that cracks have less/no significant effect on the static cross-tensile strength (CTS) and the tensile-shear strength (TSS). In addition, possible ways to avoid cracking were discussed. - Highlights: • The HAZ liquation crack during resistance spot welding of TWIP steel was examined. • Cracks were completely backfilled and healed with divorced eutectic secondary phase. • Co-segregation of C and Mn was detected in the cracked zone. • Heat input was the most influencing factor to initiate liquation crack. • Cracks have less/no significant effect on static tensile properties

  14. Development of core hot spot evaluation method for decay heat removal by natural circulation under transient conditions in sodium-cooled fast reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohshima, Hiroyuki; Doda, Norihiro; Kamide, Hideki; Watanabe, Osamu; Ohkubo, Yoshiyuki

    2010-01-01

    Toward the commercialization of fast reactors, a design study of Japan Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR) is being performed. In this design study, the adoption of decay heat removal system operated by fully natural circulation is being examined from viewpoints of economic competitiveness and passive safety. This paper describes a new evaluation method of core hot spot under transient conditions from forced to natural circulation operations that is necessary for confirming feasibility of the fully natural circulation decay heat removal system. The new method consists of three analysis steps in order to include effects of thermal hydraulic phenomena particular to the natural circulation decay heat removal, e.g., flow redistribution in fuel assemblies caused by buoyancy force, and therefore it enables more rational hot spot evaluation rather than conventional ones. This method was applied to a hot spot evaluation of loss-of-external-power event and the result was compared with those by conventional 1D and detailed 3D simulations. It was confirmed that the proposed method can estimate the hot spot with reasonable degree of conservativeness. (author)

  15. Jumping-droplet electronics hot-spot cooling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Junho; Birbarah, Patrick; Foulkes, Thomas; Yin, Sabrina L.; Rentauskas, Michelle; Neely, Jason; Pilawa-Podgurski, Robert C. N.; Miljkovic, Nenad

    2017-03-01

    Demand for enhanced cooling technologies within various commercial and consumer applications has increased in recent decades due to electronic devices becoming more energy dense. This study demonstrates jumping-droplet based electric-field-enhanced (EFE) condensation as a potential method to achieve active hot spot cooling in electronic devices. To test the viability of EFE condensation, we developed an experimental setup to remove heat via droplet evaporation from single and multiple high power gallium nitride (GaN) transistors acting as local hot spots (4.6 mm × 2.6 mm). An externally powered circuit was developed to direct jumping droplets from a copper oxide (CuO) nanostructured superhydrophobic surface to the transistor hot spots by applying electric fields between the condensing surface and the transistor. Heat transfer measurements were performed in ambient air (22-25 °C air temperature, 20%-45% relative humidity) to determine the effect of gap spacing (2-4 mm), electric field (50-250 V/cm) and applied heat flux (demonstrated to 13 W/cm2). EFE condensation was shown to enhance the heat transfer from the local hot spot by ≈200% compared to cooling without jumping and by 20% compared to non-EFE jumping. Dynamic switching of the electric field for a two-GaN system reveals the potential for active cooling of mobile hot spots. The opportunity for further cooling enhancement by the removal of non-condensable gases promises hot spot heat dissipation rates approaching 120 W/cm2. This work provides a framework for the development of active jumping droplet based vapor chambers and heat pipes capable of spatial and temporal thermal dissipation control.

  16. Jumping-droplet electronics hot-spot cooling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Junho; Birbarah, Patrick; Foulkes, Thomas; Yin, Sabrina L.; Rentauskas, Michelle

    2017-01-01

    Demand for enhanced cooling technologies within various commercial and consumer applications has increased in recent decades due to electronic devices becoming more energy dense. This study demonstrates jumping-droplet based electric-field-enhanced (EFE) condensation as a potential method to achieve active hot spot cooling in electronic devices. To test the viability of EFE condensation, we developed an experimental setup to remove heat via droplet evaporation from single and multiple high power gallium nitride (GaN) transistors acting as local hot spots (4.6 mm x 2.6 mm). An externally powered circuit was developed to direct jumping droplets from a copper oxide (CuO) nanostructured superhydrophobic surface to the transistor hot spots by applying electric fields between the condensing surface and the transistor. Heat transfer measurements were performed in ambient air (22-25°C air temperature, 20-45% relative humidity) to determine the effect of gap spacing (2-4 mm), electric field (50-250 V/cm), and heat flux (demonstrated to 13 W/cm"2). EFE condensation was shown to enhance the heat transfer from the local hot spot by ≈ 200% compared to cooling without jumping and by 20% compared to non-EFE jumping. Dynamic switching of the electric field for a two-GaN system reveals the potential for active cooling of mobile hot spots. The opportunity for further cooling enhancement by the removal of non-condensable gases promises hot spot heat dissipation rates approaching 120 W/cm"2. Finally, this work provides a framework for the development of active jumping droplet based vapor chambers and heat pipes capable of spatial and temporal thermal dissipation control.

  17. A comprehensive alpha-heating model for inertial confinement fusion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christopherson, A. R.; Betti, R.; Bose, A.; Howard, J.; Woo, K. M.; Campbell, E. M.; Sanz, J.; Spears, B. K.

    2018-01-01

    A comprehensive model is developed to study alpha-heating in inertially confined plasmas. It describes the time evolution of a central low-density hot spot confined by a compressible shell, heated by fusion alphas, and cooled by radiation and thermal losses. The model includes the deceleration, stagnation, and burn phases of inertial confinement fusion implosions, and is valid for sub-ignited targets with ≤10 × amplification of the fusion yield from alpha-heating. The results of radiation-hydrodynamic simulations are used to derive realistic initial conditions and dimensionless parameters for the model. It is found that most of the alpha energy (˜90%) produced before bang time is deposited within the hot spot mass, while a small fraction (˜10%) drives mass ablation off the inner shell surface and its energy is recycled back into the hot spot. Of the bremsstrahlung radiation emission, ˜40% is deposited in the hot spot, ˜40% is recycled back in the hot spot by ablation off the shell, and ˜20% leaves the hot spot. We show here that the hot spot, shocked shell, and outer shell trajectories from this analytical model are in good agreement with simulations. A detailed discussion of the effect of alpha-heating on the hydrodynamics is also presented.

  18. Hot spot formation on different tokamak wall materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nedospasov, A.V.; Bezlyudny, I.V.

    1998-01-01

    The thermal contraction phenomenon and generation of 'hot spots' due to thermoemission were described. The paper consider non-linear stages of heat contraction on the graphite, beryllium, tungsten and vanadium wall. It is shown that on the beryllium surface hot spot can't appear due to strong cooling by sublimation. For other materials the conditions of hot spot appearance due to local superheating of the wall have been calculated and their parameters were found: critical surface temperature, size of spots and their temperature profiles, heat fluxes from plasma to the spots. It have been calculated fluxes of sublimating materials from spots to the plasma. It is noticed that nominal temperature of the grafite divertor plate, accepted in ITER's project to being equal 1500 C, is lower then critical temperature of the development heat contraction due to thermoemission. (orig.)

  19. Enhanced Thermo-Optical Switching of Paraffin-Wax Composite Spots under Laser Heating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Said, Asmaa; Salah, Abeer; Fattah, Gamal Abdel

    2017-05-12

    Thermo-optical switches are of particular significance in communications networks where increasingly high switching speeds are required. Phase change materials (PCMs), in particular those based on paraffin wax, provide wealth of exciting applications with unusual thermally-induced switching properties, only limited by paraffin's rather low thermal conductivity. In this paper, the use of different carbon fillers as thermal conductivity enhancers for paraffin has been investigated, and a novel structure based on spot of paraffin wax as a thermo-optic switch is presented. Thermo-optical switching parameters are enhanced with the addition of graphite and graphene, due to the extreme thermal conductivity of the carbon fillers. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) are performed on paraffin wax composites, and specific heat capacities are calculated based on DSC measurements. Thermo-optical switching based on transmission is measured as a function of the host concentration under conventional electric heating and laser heating of paraffin-carbon fillers composites. Further enhancements in thermo-optical switching parameters are studied under Nd:YAG laser heating. This novel structure can be used in future networks with huge bandwidth requirements and electric noise free remote aerial laser switching applications.

  20. A dry-spot model of critical heat flux and transition boiling in pool and subcooled forced convection boiling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ha, Sang Jun

    1998-02-01

    A new dry-spot model for critical heat flux (CHF) is proposed. The new concept for dry area formation based on Poisson distribution of active nucleation sites and the critical active site number is introduced. The model is based on the boiling phenomena observed in nucleate boiling such as Poisson distribution of active nucleation sites and formation of dry spots on the heating surface. It is hypothesized that when the number of bubbles surrounding one bubble exceeds a critical number, the surrounding bubbles restrict the feed of liquid to the microlayer under the bubble. Then a dry spot of vapor will form on the heated surface. As the surface temperature is raised, more and more bubbles will have a population of surrounding active sites over the critical number. Consequently, the number of the spots will increase and the size of dry areas will increase due to merger of several dry spots. If this trend continues, the number of effective sites for heat transport through the wall will diminish, and CHF and transition boiling occur. The model is applicable to pool and subcooled forced convection boiling conditions, based on the common mechanism that CHF and transition boiling are caused by the accumulation and coalescences of dry spots. It is shown that CHF and heat flux in transition boiling can be determined without any empirical parameter based on information on the boiling parameters such as active site density and bubble diameter, etc., in nucleate boiling. It is also shown that the present model well represents actual phenomena on CHF and transition boiling and explains the mechanism on how parameters such as flow modes (pool or flow) and surface wettability influence CHF and transition boiling. Validation of the present model for CHF and transition boiling is achieved without any tuning parameter always present in earlier models. It is achieved by comparing the predictions of CHF and heat flux in transition boiling using measured boiling parameters in nucleate

  1. Laser based spot weld characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jonietz, Florian; Myrach, Philipp; Rethmeier, Michael; Suwala, Hubert; Ziegler, Mathias

    2016-02-01

    Spot welding is one of the most important joining technologies, especially in the automotive industry. Hitherto, the quality of spot welded joints is tested mainly by random destructive tests. A nondestructive testing technique offers the benefit of cost reduction of the testing procedure and optimization of the fabrication process, because every joint could be examined. This would lead to a reduced number of spot welded joints, as redundancies could be avoided. In the procedure described here, the spot welded joint between two zinc-coated steel sheets (HX340LAD+Z100MB or HC340LA+ZE 50/50) is heated optically on one side. Laser radiation and flash light are used as heat sources. The melted zone, the so called "weld nugget" provides the mechanical stability of the connection, but also constitutes a thermal bridge between the sheets. Due to the better thermal contact, the spot welded joint reveals a thermal behavior different from the surrounding material, where the heat transfer between the two sheets is much lower. The difference in the transient thermal behavior is measured with time resolved thermography. Hence, the size of the thermal contact between the two sheets is determined, which is directly correlated to the size of the weld nugget, indicating the quality of the spot weld. The method performs well in transmission with laser radiation and flash light. With laser radiation, it works even in reflection geometry, thus offering the possibility of testing with just one-sided accessibility. By using heating with collimated laser radiation, not only contact-free, but also remote testing is feasible. A further convenience compared to similar thermographic approaches is the applicability on bare steel sheets without any optical coating for emissivity correction. For this purpose, a proper way of emissivity correction was established.

  2. Heat transfer and fluid flow during laser spot welding of 304 stainless steel

    CERN Document Server

    He, X; Debroy, T

    2003-01-01

    The evolution of temperature and velocity fields during laser spot welding of 304 stainless steel was studied using a transient, heat transfer and fluid flow model based on the solution of the equations of conservation of mass, momentum and energy in the weld pool. The weld pool geometry, weld thermal cycles and various solidification parameters were calculated. The fusion zone geometry, calculated from the transient heat transfer and fluid flow model, was in good agreement with the corresponding experimentally measured values for various welding conditions. Dimensional analysis was used to understand the importance of heat transfer by conduction and convection and the roles of various driving forces for convection in the weld pool. During solidification, the mushy zone grew at a rapid rate and the maximum size of the mushy zone was reached when the pure liquid region vanished. The solidification rate of the mushy zone/liquid interface was shown to increase while the temperature gradient in the liquid zone at...

  3. The Influence of spot size on the expansion dynamics of nanosecond-laser-produced copper plasmas in atmosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Xingwen; Wei, Wenfu; Wu, Jian; Jia, Shenli; Qiu, Aici

    2013-01-01

    Laser produced copper plasmas of different spot sizes in air were investigated using fast photography and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The laser energy was 33 mJ. There were dramatic changes in the plasma plume expansion into the ambient air when spot sizes changed from ∼0.1 mm to ∼0.6 mm. A stream-like structure and a hemispherical structure were, respectively, observed. It appeared that the same spot size resulted in similar expansion dynamics no matter whether the target was located in the front of or behind the focal point, although laser-induced air breakdown sometimes occurred in the latter case. Plasma plume front positions agree well with the classic blast wave model for the large spot-size cases, while an unexpected stagnation of ∼80 ns occurred after the laser pulse ends for the small spot size cases. This stagnation can be understood in terms of the evolution of enhanced plasma shielding effects near the plasma front. Axial distributions of plasma components by OES revealed a good confinement effect. Electron number densities were estimated and interpreted using the recorded Intensified Charge Coupled Device (ICCD) images.

  4. Effects of small, intense laser spots on thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Estabrook, K.

    1986-01-01

    Two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations show that small diameter laser spots burn through flat foils considerably faster than larger spots. The physical mechanisms are (1) more nearly spherical divergence from the smaller spots which allows the debris to rapidly convect radially away from the small volume of laser heated plasma and (2) a variation on thermal self-focusing in which light is refracted into this volume, increasing the local heating rate

  5. Large Reduction of Hot Spot Temperature in Graphene Electronic Devices with Heat-Spreading Hexagonal Boron Nitride.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, David; Poudel, Nirakar; Park, Saungeun; Akinwande, Deji; Cronin, Stephen B; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Yao, Zhen; Shi, Li

    2018-04-04

    Scanning thermal microscopy measurements reveal a significant thermal benefit of including a high thermal conductivity hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) heat-spreading layer between graphene and either a SiO 2 /Si substrate or a 100 μm thick Corning flexible Willow glass (WG) substrate. At the same power density, an 80 nm thick h-BN layer on the silicon substrate can yield a factor of 2.2 reduction of the hot spot temperature, whereas a 35 nm thick h-BN layer on the WG substrate is sufficient to obtain a factor of 4.1 reduction. The larger effect of the h-BN heat spreader on WG than on SiO 2 /Si is attributed to a smaller effective heat transfer coefficient per unit area for three-dimensional heat conduction into the thick, low-thermal conductivity WG substrate than for one-dimensional heat conduction through the thin oxide layer on silicon. Consequently, the h-BN lateral heat-spreading length is much larger on WG than on SiO 2 /Si, resulting in a larger degree of temperature reduction.

  6. Inquiry on the valorisation of heat produced by methanization with co-generation in France. Energy and territory: Valorisation of heat produced by methanization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bazin, Florian; David, Laura; Heuraux, Thalie; Jeziorny, Thibaud; Massazza, Michael; Mosse, Noemie; Nguyen Dai, Kim Yen; Pruvost, Paul; Regimbart, Amelie; Rogee, Pierre-Emmanuel; Roy, Samuel; Segret, Emilien

    2014-01-01

    A leaflet first proposes graphs which illustrate the valorisation of heat produced by methanization with co-generation in France: material and methods, farm characterisation, plant sources, valorisation modes. The second document proposes detailed and discussed presentations of the various involved processes. Contributions address methanization as a whole, valorisation of heat produced by co-generation through heating of agricultural and domestic buildings or through digestate dehydration, digestate hygienisation, and other types of valorisation such as fodder drying, cereal drying, wood drying, compost drying, fabrication of rape seed, greenhouse crops, cultures of micro algae, and mushroom farming

  7. A dry-spot model for the prediction of critical heat flux in water boiling in bubbly flow regime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ha, Sang Jun; No, Hee Cheon

    1997-01-01

    This paper presents a prediction of critical heat flux (CHF) in bubbly flow regime using dry-spot model proposed recently by authors for pool and flow boiling CHF and existing correlations for forced convective heat transfer coefficient, active site density and bubble departure diameter in nucleate boiling region. Without any empirical constants always present in earlier models, comparisons of the model predictions with experimental data for upward flow of water in vertical, uniformly-heated round tubes are performed and show a good agreement. The parametric trends of CHF have been explored with respect to variation in pressure, tube diameter and length, mass flux and inlet subcooling

  8. Improved simulation method of automotive spot weld failure with an account of the mechanical properties of spot welds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, H.; Meng, X. M.; Fang, R.; Huang, Y. F.; Zhan, S.

    2017-12-01

    In this paper, the microstructure and mechanical properties of spot weld were studied, the hardness of nugget and heat affected zone (HAZ) were also tested by metallographic microscope and microhardness tester. The strength of the spot weld with the different parts' area has been characterized. According to the experiments result, CAE model of spot weld with HAZ structure was established, and simulation results of different lap-shear CAE models were analyzed. The results show that the spot weld model which contained the HAZ has good performance and more suitable for engineering application in spot weld simulation.

  9. Variation in Quantity of Heat Produced from Charcoal of Prosopis ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Data were collected using the copper calorimeter, a thermometer, an air tight burner and a weight balance. The results showed a gradual decrease in the quantity of heat produced as combustion time increased from 10 40 minutes in all wood species. Significant differences (p<0.05) in the quantity of heat produced both ...

  10. A dry-spot model for the prediction of critical heat flux in water boiling in bubbly flow regime

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ha, Sang Jun; No, Hee Cheon [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    1998-12-31

    This paper presents a prediction of critical heat flux (CHF) in bubbly flow regime using dry-spot model proposed recently by authors for pool and flow boiling CHF and existing correlations for forced convective heat transfer coefficient, active site density and bubble departure diameter in nucleate boiling region. Without any empirical constants always present in earlier models, comparisons of the model predictions with experimental data for upward flow of water in vertical, uniformly-heated round tubes are performed and show a good agreement. The parametric trends of CHF have been explored with respect to variations in pressure, tube diameter and length, mass flux and inlet subcooling. 16 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab. (Author)

  11. A dry-spot model for the prediction of critical heat flux in water boiling in bubbly flow regime

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ha, Sang Jun; No, Hee Cheon [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    1997-12-31

    This paper presents a prediction of critical heat flux (CHF) in bubbly flow regime using dry-spot model proposed recently by authors for pool and flow boiling CHF and existing correlations for forced convective heat transfer coefficient, active site density and bubble departure diameter in nucleate boiling region. Without any empirical constants always present in earlier models, comparisons of the model predictions with experimental data for upward flow of water in vertical, uniformly-heated round tubes are performed and show a good agreement. The parametric trends of CHF have been explored with respect to variations in pressure, tube diameter and length, mass flux and inlet subcooling. 16 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab. (Author)

  12. Statistical properties of laser hot spots produced by a random phase plate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rose, H.A.; DuBois, D.F.

    1993-01-01

    A quantitative theory of laser hot spots, which control plasma instabilities in real laser--plasma interactions, is presented in the case of random phase plate (RPP) optics. It is shown that the probability density of intense hot spots with intensity I, P hot (I), is given by P hot (I)∼(I/I 0 2 )exp(-I/I 0 ) where I 0 is the average intensity, and that the detailed amplitude and phase variation of the laser field in the vicinity of an intense hot spot is uniquely specified by the optics and is deterministic. These hot spots may be the source of below threshold stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and its variation with I 0 is shown to be super exponential. A brief preview of a quantitative nonlinear theory of hot-spot-induced laser filamentation is presented

  13. Solar 'hot spots' are still hot

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Taeil

    1990-01-01

    Longitude distributions of solar flares are not random but show evidence for active zones (or hot spots) where flares are concentrated. According to a previous study, two hot spots in the northern hemisphere, which rotate with a synodic period of about 26.72 days, produced the majority of major flares, during solar cycles 20 and 21. The more prominent of these two hot spots is found to be still active during the rising part of cycle 22, producing the majority of northern hemisphere major flares. The synodic rotation period of this hot spot is 26.727 + or - 0.007 days. There is also evidence for hot spots in the southern hemisphere. Two hot spots separated by 180 deg are found to rotate with a period of 29.407 days, with one of them having persisted in the same locations during cycles 19-22 and the other, during cycles 20-22.

  14. Heat production in an Archean crustal profile and implications for heat flow and mobilization of heat-producing elements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashwal, L. D.; Morgan, P.; Kelley, S. A.; Percival, J. A.

    1987-01-01

    Concentrations of heat producing elements (Th, U, and K) in 58 samples representative of the main lithologies in a 100-km transect of the Superior Province of the Canadian Shield have been obtained. The relatively large variation in heat production found among the silicic plutonic rocks is shown to correlate with modal abundances of accessory minerals, and these variations are interpreted as premetamorphic. The present data suggest fundamental differences in crustal radioactivity distributions between granitic and more mafic terrains, and indicate that a previously determined apparently linear heat flow-heat production relationship for the Kapuskasing area does not relate to the distribution of heat production with depth.

  15. Characterization of a multi-keV x-ray source produced by nanosecond laser irradiation of a solid target: The influence of laser focus spot and target thickness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Guangyue; Zheng Jian; Shen Baifei; Lei Anle; Xu Zhizhan; Liu Shenye; Zhang Jiyan; Yang Jiamin; Ding Yongkun; Hu Xin; Huang Yixiang; Du Huabing; Yi Rongqing

    2008-01-01

    The influence of focus spot and target thickness on multi-keV x-ray sources generated by 2 ns duration laser heated solid targets are investigated on the Shenguang II laser facility. In the case of thick-foil targets, the experimental data and theoretical analysis show that the emission volume of the x-ray sources is sensitive to the laser focus spot and proportional to the 3 power of the focus spot size. The steady x-ray flux is proportional to the 5/3 power of the focus spot size of the given laser beam in our experimental condition. In the case of thin-foil targets, experimental data show that there is an optimal foil thickness corresponding to the given laser parameters. With the given laser beam, the optimal thin-foil thickness is proportional to the -2/3 power of the focus spot size, and the optimal x-ray energy of thin foil is independent of focus spot size

  16. Heat pump assisted drying of agricultural produce-an overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Krishna Kumar; Kar, Abhijit

    2012-04-01

    This review paper included the recent progress made in heat pump assisted drying, its principle, mechanism and efficiency, type and its application for drying of agricultural produce. Heat pump assisted drying provides a controllable drying environment (temperature and humidity) for better products quality at low energy consumption. It has remarkable future prospects and revolutionaries ability. The heat pump system consists of an expansion valve, two heat exchangers (evaporator and condenser), and a compressor, which are connected by using copper tubes. In this paper we also provided a review discussion on different type of heat pump assisted drying system ready for remarkable and commercial use in different type of food industries. Here we also have given some major advantage and disadvantage of heat pump assisted drying.

  17. Solar hot spots are still hot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bai, T.

    1990-01-01

    Longitude distributions of solar flares are not random but show evidence for active zones (or hot spots) where flares are concentrated. According to a previous study, two hot spots in the northern hemisphere, which rotate with a synodic period of about 26.72 days, produced the majority of major flares, during solar cycles 20 and 21. The more prominent of these two hot spots is found to be still active during the rising part of cycle 22, producing the majority of northern hemisphere major flares. The synodic rotation period of this hot spot is 26.727 + or - 0.007 days. There is also evidence for hot spots in the southern hemisphere. Two hot spots separated by 180 deg are found to rotate with a period of 29.407 days, with one of them having persisted in the same locations during cycles 19-22 and the other, during cycles 20-22. 14 refs

  18. A comparative study of x-ray emission from laser spots in laser-heated hohlraums relative to spots on simple disk targets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ze, F.; Langer, S.H.; Kauffman, R.L.; Kilkenny, J.D.; Landen, O.; Ress, D.; Rosen, M.D.; Suter, L.J.; Wallace, R.J.; Wiedwald, J.D.

    1997-01-01

    In this paper we report the results of experiments that compare the x-ray emission from a laser spot in a radiation-filled hohlraum to that from a similar laser spot on a simple disk target. The studies were done using the Nova laser facility [J. D. Lindl, Phys. Plasmas 2, 3933 (1995)] in its 0.35 μm wavelength, 1 ns square pulse configuration. Focal spot intensities were 2 endash 3.5x10 15 W/cm 2 . X-ray images measured x-ray conversion in a hohlraum and from an isolated disk simultaneously. A laser spot inside a hohlraum emitted more x rays, after subtracting the background emission from the hohlraum walls, than a spot on a disk. Numerical models suggest the enhanced spot emission inside the hohlraum is due to an increase in lateral transport relative to the disk. Filamentation in the hohlraum will also increase the spot size. The models agree fairly well with the results on spot spreading but do not explain the overall increase in conversion efficiency. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

  19. Avoiding Carbon Bed Hot Spots in Thermal Process Off-Gas Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soelberg, Nick; Enneking, Joe

    2011-01-01

    Mercury has had various uses in nuclear fuel reprocessing and other nuclear processes, and so is often present in radioactive and mixed (radioactive and hazardous) wastes. Test programs performed in recent years have shown that mercury in off-gas streams from processes that treat radioactive wastes can be controlled using fixed beds of activated sulfur-impregnated carbon, to levels low enough to comply with air emission regulations such as the Hazardous Waste Combustor (HWC) Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards. Carbon bed hot spots or fires have occurred several times during these tests, and also during a remediation of tanks that contained mixed waste. Hot spots occur when localized areas in a carbon bed become heated to temperatures where oxidation occurs. This heating typically occurs due to heat of absorption of gas species onto the carbon, but it can also be caused through external means such as external heaters used to heat the carbon bed vessel. Hot spots, if not promptly mitigated, can grow into bed fires. Carbon bed hot spots and fires must be avoided in processes that treat radioactive and mixed waste. Hot spots are detected by (a) monitoring in-bed and bed outlet gas temperatures, and (b) more important, monitoring of bed outlet gas CO concentrations. Hot spots are mitigated by (a) designing for appropriate in-bed gas velocity, for avoiding gas flow maldistribution, and for sufficient but not excessive bed depth, (b) appropriate monitoring and control of gas and bed temperatures and compositions, and (c) prompt implementation of corrective actions if bed hot spots are detected. Corrective actions must be implemented quickly if bed hot spots are detected, using a graded approach and sequence starting with corrective actions that are simple, quick, cause the least impact to the process, and are easiest to recover from.

  20. The Effect of Contact Angle on Dynamics of Dry Spots Spreading in a Horizontal Layer of Liquid at Local Heating

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zaitsev D.V.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The effect of equilibrium contact angle on dynamics of dry spot spreading at disruption of a horizontal water layer heated locally from the substrate was studied using the high-speed Schlieren technique. Different methods of working surface processing were applied; this allowed variations of the equilibrium contact angle from 27±6° to 74±9° without a change in thermal properties of the system. It is found out that substrate wettability significantly affects the propagation velocity of dry spot and its final size. It is also found out that the velocity of contact line propagation is higher in the areas of substrate with a higher temperature.

  1. Hot spots on the neutralizer plates of a tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krasheninnikov, S.I.

    1991-01-01

    The formation of hot spots on the neutralizing surfaces of tokamaks may be one of the reasons for the entry of large impurity fluxes into the plasmas of TFTR and JET (the so-called carbon catastrophe or carbon bloom) with high auxiliary heating powers. At this time it is unclear whether these hot spots are caused just by nonuniformities on the neutralizer surface or whether their appearance is the result of some more general behavior, with the surface nonuniformities only showing up as seed perturbations. In this paper it is shown that hot spots can also develop on smooth surfaces of carbon neutralizer plates as a result of the contraction of a heat flux incident on the plates

  2. Microstructure origin of hot spots in textured laser zone melting Bi-2212 monoliths

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lera, F; Angurel, L A; Rojo, J A; Mora, M; Recuero, S; Arroyo, M P; Andres, N

    2005-01-01

    Hot spots are one of the main limitations in the development of large-scale high-power applications with superconducting materials. The application of digital speckle interferometry to detect inhomogeneous heating on ceramic superconductors allows the determining of a hot spot location in these materials before any damage is caused to the material. The technique detects deformations that are induced in the material due to dilatation, attaining a resolution of 0.45 μm /fringe. In this paper this technique has been applied to analyse the heating generation in Bi-2212 superconducting monoliths at room temperature and in operation conditions. In the first case a homogeneous heating is obtained, leading to a parallel fringe pattern. In the second case, a situation with an inhomogeneous heating origin has been detected. Once the position of this hot spot is determined, microstructure studies have been performed to determine which defects are responsible for hot spot generation

  3. Ignition and burn propagation with suprathermal electron auxiliary heating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han Shensheng; Wu Yanqing

    2000-01-01

    The rapid development in ultrahigh-intensity lasers has allowed the exploration of applying an auxiliary heating technique in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research. It is hoped that, compared with the 'standard fast ignition' scheme, raising the temperature of a hot-spot over the ignition threshold based on the shock-heated temperature will greatly reduce the required output energy of an ignition ultrahigh-intensity pulse. One of the key issues in ICF auxiliary heating is: how can we transport the exogenous energy efficiently into the hot-spot of compressed DT fuel? A scheme is proposed with three phases. First, a partial-spherical-shell capsule, such as double-conical target, is imploded as in the conventional approach to inertial fusion to assemble a high-density fuel configuration with a hot-spot of temperature lower than the ignition threshold. Second, a hole is bored through the shell outside the hot-spot by suprathermal electron explosion boring. Finally, the fuel is ignited by suprathermal electrons produced in the high-intensity ignition laser-plasma interactions. Calculations with a simple hybrid model show that the new scheme can possibly lead to ignition and burn propagation with a total drive energy of a few tens of kilojoules and an output energy as low as hundreds of joules for a single ignition ultrahigh-intensity pulse. (author)

  4. Spot formation of radiation particles by electrochemical etching

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nozaki, Tetsuya

    1999-01-01

    An electrochemical etching (ECE) spot formation from the top of chemical etching (CE) spot was confirmed by a series of experiments. One of polycarbonate (Iupilon) could not make the spot, because ECE spot had grown up before the microscope confirming the CE spot. Clear CEC spots by α-ray and neutron were found on Harzlas and Baryotrak, both improvements of CR-39. Under the same etching conditions, the growth of ECE spot on Harzlas was more rapid than Baryotrak, but both spots were almost the same. All CE spot by α-ray produced the CEC spots, but a part of CE circle spot by neutron formed them. (S.Y.)

  5. Tuning temperature and size of hot spots and hot-spot arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saïdi, Elika; Babinet, Nicolas; Lalouat, Loïc; Lesueur, Jérôme; Aigouy, Lionel; Volz, Sébastian; Labéguerie-Egéa, Jessica; Mortier, Michel

    2011-01-17

    By using scanning thermal microscopy, it is shown that nanoscale constrictions in metallic microwires deposited on an oxidized silicon substrate can be tuned in terms of temperature and confinement size. High-resolution temperature maps indeed show that submicrometer hot spots and hot-spot arrays are obtained when the SiO(2) layer thickness decreases below 100 nm. When the SiO(2) thickness becomes larger, heat is less confined in the vicinity of the constrictions and laterally spreads all along the microwire. These results are in good agreement with numerical simulations, which provide dependences between silica-layer thickness and nanodot shape and temperature. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Convective mechanism for inhibition of heat conduction in laser produced plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, P.H.Y.; Willi, O.; Trainor, R.J.

    1984-01-01

    In laser-produced plasmas, the laser energy is absorbed only below and up to the critical density. For laser fusion applications, this energy must be transported beyond the corona via electron thermal conduction towards colder, higher density regions of the target to heat up material and cause ablation, which in turn generates an inward pressure to compress the fusion fuel. If the heat conduction is inhibited, the consequences will be a weaker ablation and therefore a weaker implosion. For many years now, the inhibition of heat conduction, i.e., the reduction of heat conduction relative to classical conduction, in laser-produced plasmas at relevant irradiances has been apparent from the large body of experimental evidence. Many mechanisms, such as dc magnetic fields, ion acoustic turbulence, and Weibel instabilities, have been proposed to be the cause of inhibition of heat conduction. Even improved calculations of the classical heat flux have been carried out to solve this problem. Nevertheless, no single one of the above mentioned mechanisms can explain the large inhibition observed in the experiments

  7. Cost estimation of hydrogen and DME produced by nuclear heat utilization system II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shiina, Yasuaki; Nishihara, Tetsuo

    2004-09-01

    Utilization and production of hydrogen has been studied in order to spread utilization of the hydrogen energy in 2020 or 2030. It will take, however, many years for the hydrogen energy to be used very easily like gasoline, diesel oil and city gas in the world. During the periods, low CO 2 release liquid fuels would be used together with hydrogen. Recently, di-methyl-ether (DME). has been noticed as one of the substitute liquid fuels of petroleum. Such liquid fuels can be produced from the mixed gas such as hydrogen and carbon oxide which are produced from natural gas by steam reforming. Therefore, the system would become one of the candidates of future system of nuclear heat utilization. Following the study in 2002, we performed economic evaluation of the hydrogen and DME production by nuclear heat utilization plant where heat generated by HTGR is completely consumed for the production. The results show that hydrogen price produced by nuclear was about 17% cheaper than the commercial price by increase in recovery rate of high purity hydrogen with increased in PSA process. Price of DME in indirect method produced by nuclear heat was also about 17% cheaper than the commercial price by producing high purity hydrogen in the DME producing process. As for the DME, since price of DME produced near oil land in petroleum exporting countries is cheaper than production in Japan, production of DME by nuclear heat in Japan has disadvantage economically in this time. Trial study to estimate DME price produced by direct method was performed. From the present estimation, utilization of nuclear heat for the production of hydrogen would be more effective with coupled consideration of reduction effect of CO 2 release. (author)

  8. Investigation of Thermal Stress Distribution in Laser Spot Welding Process

    OpenAIRE

    Osamah F. Abdulateef

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this paper was to study the laser spot welding process of low carbon steel sheet. The investigations were based on analytical and finite element analyses. The analytical analysis was focused on a consistent set of equations representing interaction of the laser beam with materials. The numerical analysis based on 3-D finite element analysis of heat flow during laser spot welding taken into account the temperature dependence of the physical properties and latent heat of transf...

  9. Determination of hot-spot susceptibility of multistring photovoltaic modules in a central-station application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez, C. C.; Weaver, R. W.; Ross, R. G., Jr.; Spencer, R.; Arnett, J. C.

    1984-01-01

    Part of the effort of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Flat-Plate Solar Array Project (FSA) includes a program to improve module and array reliability. A collaborative activity with industry dealing with the problem of hot-spot heating due to the shadowing of photovoltaic cells in modules and arrays containing several paralleled cell strings is described. The use of multiparallel strings in large central-station arrays introduces the likelihood of unequal current sharing and increased heating levels. Test results that relate power dissipated, current imbalance, cross-strapping frequency, and shadow configuration to hot-spot heating levels are presented. Recommendations for circuit design configurations appropriate to central-station applications that reduce the risk of hot-spot problems are offered. Guidelines are provided for developing hot-spot tests for arrays when current imbalance is a threat.

  10. Resistance Spot Welding of dissimilar Steels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ladislav Kolařík

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents an analysis of the properties of resistance spot welds between low carbon steel and austenitic CrNi stainless steel. The thickness of the welded dissimilar materials was 2 mm. A DeltaSpot welding gun with a process tape was used for welding the dissimilar steels. Resistance spot welds were produced with various welding parameters (welding currents ranging from 7 to 8 kA. Light microscopy, microhardness measurements across the welded joints, and EDX analysis were used to evaluate the quality of the resistance spot welds. The results confirm the applicability of DeltaSpot welding for this combination of materials.

  11. Laser interaction effects of electromagnetic absorption and microstructural defects on hot-spot formation in RDX-PCTFE energetic aggregates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, Judith A; LaBarbera, Darrell A; Zikry, Mohammed A

    2014-01-01

    Hot-spot formation in energetic aggregates subjected to dynamic pressure loading and laser irradiation has been investigated. Specialized finite-element techniques with a dislocation-density-based crystalline plasticity constitutive formulation and thermo-mechanical coupling of heat conduction, adiabatic heating, laser heating and thermal decomposition were used to predict hot-spot formation in RDX–polymer aggregates subjected to dynamic pressures and laser energies. The effects of the electromagnetic absorption coefficient coupled with void distribution and spacing, grain morphology, crystal–binder interactions and dislocation densities were analyzed to determine their influence on the time, location and mechanisms of hot-spot formation. Four different mechanisms for hot-spot initiation under dynamic laser and pressure loads were identified, which depend on the localization of plastic shear strain and laser heat absorption within the aggregate. The predictions indicate that hot-spot formation is accelerated by higher absorption coefficients and by localized plastic deformations that occur in areas of significant laser heating. (paper)

  12. Some studies on weld bead geometries for laser spot welding process using finite element analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siva Shanmugam, N.; Buvanashekaran, G.; Sankaranarayanasamy, K.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: → In this study, a 2 kW Nd:YAG laser welding system is used to conduct laser spot welding trials. → The size and shape of the laser spot weld is predicted using finite element simulation. → The heat input is assumed to be a three-dimensional conical Gaussian heat source. → The result highlights the effect of beam incident angle on laser spot welds. → The achieved results of numerical simulation are almost identical with a real weldment. -- Abstract: Nd:YAG laser beam welding is a high power density welding process which has the capability to focus the beam to a very small spot diameter of about 0.4 mm. It has favorable characteristics namely, low heat input, narrow heat affected zone and lower distortions, as compared to conventional welding processes. In this study, finite element method (FEM) is applied for predicting the weld bead geometry i.e. bead length (BL), bead width (BW) and depth of penetration (DP) in laser spot welding of AISI 304 stainless steel sheet of thickness 2.5 mm. The input parameters of laser spot welding such as beam power, incident angle of the beam and beam exposure time are varied for conducting experimental trials and numerical simulations. Temperature-dependent thermal properties of AISI 304 stainless steel, the effect of latent heat of fusion, and the convective and radiative aspects of boundary conditions are considered while developing the finite element model. The heat input to the developed model is assumed to be a three-dimensional conical Gaussian heat source. Finite-element simulations of laser spot welding were carried out by using Ansys Parametric Design Language (APDL) available in finite-element code, ANSYS. The results of the numerical analysis provide the shape of the weld beads for different ranges of laser input parameters that are subsequently compared with the results obtained through experimentation and it is found that they are in good agreement.

  13. Heat flow from Io /JI/

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matson, D. L.; Ransford, G. A.; Johnson, T. V.

    1981-01-01

    The existing ground-based measurements of Io's thermal emission at infrared wavelengths of 8.4, 10.6, and 21 microns have been reexamined. Present in these data is the signature of hot spots, presumably similar to the hot spots seen by the IRIS experiment on Voyager. It is possible to extract from these data the total amount of power radiated. Since the hot spots are believed to be a result of deep-seated activity in Io and since the remainder of Io's surface is an extraordinarily poor thermal conductor, the power radiated by the hot spots is essentially the total heat flow. The analysis yields a heat flow of 2 + or - 1 W/sq m. This value is tremendously large in comparison to the average heat flow of the earth (0.06 W/sq m) and the moon (0.02 W/sq m), but is characteristic of active geothermal areas on the earth. A heat flow this large requires that the interior of Io be at least partially molten on a global scale.

  14. Heat Maps Applied to Environmental Management: An Analysis of Hot Spots in Acaraú River Basin, Ceará, 2010-2015

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ulisses Costa Oliveira

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Using maps generated through the Kernel density estimator this work analyzes the density of fire points located in the Acaraú River Basin during the years 2010-2015. Data was processed using QGIS Wien software, version 2.8. Maps were generated and heat densities were classified using a color scale, divided into five classes, represented by the colors white (very low, green (low, yellow (average, orange (high and red (very high. The results show that over the years the hot spots were concentrated in the portion of the basin which covers the low and middle reaches of the Acaraú River as well as in the areas near the Ibiapaba Plateau in its southwestern part. The year 2015 witnessed the most significant number of outbreaks of fire, totaling 3,813 hot spots, more than double the previous four years.

  15. Experimental Study of Ignition by Hot Spot in Internal Combustion Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serruys, Max

    1938-01-01

    In order to carry out the contemplated study, it was first necessary to provide hot spots in the combustion chamber, which could be measured and whose temperature could be changed. It seemed difficult to realize both conditions working solely on the temperature of the cooling water in a way so as to produce hot spots on the cylinder wall capable of provoking autoignition. Moreover, in the majority of practical cases, autoignition is produced by the spark plug, one of the least cooled parts in the engine. The first procedure therefore did not resemble that which most generally occurs in actual engine operation. All of these considerations caused us to reproduce similar hot spots at the spark plugs. The hot spots produced were of two kinds and designated with the name of thermo-electric spark plug and of metallic hot spot.

  16. Hot-Spot Ignition Mechanisms for Explosives and Propellants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Field, J. E.; Bourne, N. K.; Palmer, S. J. P.; Walley, S. M.

    1992-05-01

    This paper describes the response of explosives to stress and impact and in particular the mechanisms of `hot-spot' production. Samples in the form of single crystals, powder layers, pressed pellets, gels, polymer bonded explosives (PBXs) and propellants have been studied. Techniques used include a drop-weight facility with transparent anvils which allows photography at microsecond framing intervals, an instrumented drop-weight machine, a miniaturized Hopkinson bar system for high strain rate property measurement, laser speckle for studying the deformation and fracture of PBXs, an automated system for analysing speckle patterns and heat sensitive film for recording the positions and temperatures of hot spots. Polishing and staining methods have been developed to observe the microstructure of PBXs and failure during quasi-static loading. Ignition, when it occurred, took place at local hot-spot sites. Evidence is discussed for a variety of ignition mechanisms including adiabatic shear of the explosive, adiabatic heating of trapped gases during cavity collapse, viscous flow, friction, fracture and shear of added particles and triboluminescent discharge.

  17. Spot Size Limited Carbon Propellant Characterization for Efficient High Isp Laser Propulsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uchida, Shigeaki; Shimada, Yoshinori; Hashimoto, Kazuhisa; Yamaura, Michiteru; Birou, Tomoya; Yoshida, Minoru

    2005-01-01

    Laser propulsion has very unique advantage of producing exhausting gas (ions) of very high velocity. Specific impulse from laser plasma could easily exceed 10,000 seconds that reduce the current propellant consumption rate on space born thrusters significantly. For efficient propellant usage, it is desirable that the exhaust plasma has rather narrow velocity distribution of fast ions. In order to accomplish the requirements, thermal conduction and neutral particle losses at and vicinity of the laser heated region have to be eliminated. A concept of spot size limited propellant shape has been proposed and tested in terms of the effects of the loss reduction. Ion and neutral particle measurements from laser plasmas produced on the above mentioned carbon targets are used to characterize the performance of the propellant

  18. Current-Induced Forces and Hot Spots in Biased Nanojunctions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lu, Jing Tao; Christensen, Rasmus Bjerregaard; Wang, Jian-Sheng

    2015-01-01

    We investigate theoretically the interplay of current-induced forces (CIFs), Joule heating, and heat transport inside a current-carrying nanoconductor. We find that the CIFs, due to the electron-phonon coherence, can control the spatial heat dissipation in the conductor. This yields a significant...... asymmetric concentration of excess heating (hot spot) even for a symmetric conductor. When coupled to the electrode phonons, CIFs drive different phonon heat flux into the two electrodes. First-principles calculations on realistic biased nanojunctions illustrate the importance of the effect....

  19. Ignition of a reactive solid by an inert hot spot

    OpenAIRE

    Liñán Martínez, Amable; Kindelan Gómez, Manuel

    1981-01-01

    A theoretical analysis is presented for the description of the ignition of a reactive media by inert hot bodies of finite size, when the activation energy of the reaction is large. The analysis leads to closed-form relations for the minimum "critical" size of the hot spot resulting in ignition and for the ignition time by hot spots of supercritical size. The analysis is carried out, first, for inert spots with heat conductivities and diff usivities of the order of those of the reactive media,...

  20. Cost estimation of hydrogen and DME produced by nuclear heat utilization system. Joint research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shiina, Yasuaki; Nishihara, Tetsuo

    2003-09-01

    Research of hydrogen energy has been performed in order to spread use of the hydrogen energy in 2020 or 2030. It will take, however, many years for the hydrogen energy to be used very easily like gasoline, diesel oil and city gas in all of countries. During the periods, low CO 2 release liquid fuels would be used together with hydrogen. Recently, di-methyl-either (DME) has been noticed as one of the substitute liquid fuels of petroleum. Such liquid fuels can be produced from the mixed gas such as hydrogen and carbon oxide which are produced by steam reforming hydrogen generation system by the use of nuclear heat. Therefore, the system would be one of the candidates of future system of nuclear heat utilization. In the present study, we focused on the production of hydrogen and DME. Economic evaluation was estimated for hydrogen and DME production in commercial and nuclear heat utilization plant. At first, heat and mass balance of each process in commercial plant of hydrogen production was estimated and commercial prices of each process were derived. Then, price was estimated when nuclear heat was used instead of required heat of commercial plant. Results showed that the production prices produced by nuclear heat were cheaper by 10% for hydrogen and 3% for DME. With the consideration of reduction effect of CO 2 release, utilization of nuclear heat would be more effective. (author)

  1. Hot-spot dynamics and deceleration-phase Rayleigh-Taylor instability of imploding inertial confinement fusion capsules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Betti, R.; Umansky, M.; Lobatchev, V.; Goncharov, V.N.; McCrory, R.L.

    2001-01-01

    A model for the deceleration phase of imploding inertial confinement fusion capsules is derived by solving the conservation equations for the hot spot. It is found that heat flux leaving the hot spot goes back in the form of internal energy and pdV work of the material ablated off the inner shell surface. Though the hot-spot temperature is reduced by the heat conduction losses, the hot-spot density increases due to the ablated material in such a way that the hot-spot pressure is approximately independent of heat conduction. For direct-drive National Ignition Facility-like capsules, the ablation velocity off the shell inner surface is of the order of tens μm/ns, the deceleration of the order of thousands μm/ns2, and the density-gradient scale length of the order a few μm. Using the well-established theory of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability, it is shown that the growth rates of the deceleration phase instability are significantly reduced by the finite ablative flow and the unstable spectrum exhibits a cutoff for mode numbers of about l≅90

  2. Management adaptation of invertebrate fisheries to an extreme marine heat wave event at a global warming hot spot.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caputi, Nick; Kangas, Mervi; Denham, Ainslie; Feng, Ming; Pearce, Alan; Hetzel, Yasha; Chandrapavan, Arani

    2016-06-01

    An extreme marine heat wave which affected 2000 km of the midwest coast of Australia occurred in the 2010/11 austral summer, with sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies of 2-5°C above normal climatology. The heat wave was influenced by a strong Leeuwin Current during an extreme La Niña event at a global warming hot spot in the Indian Ocean. This event had a significant effect on the marine ecosystem with changes to seagrass/algae and coral habitats, as well as fish kills and southern extension of the range of some tropical species. The effect has been exacerbated by above-average SST in the following two summers, 2011/12 and 2012/13. This study examined the major impact the event had on invertebrate fisheries and the management adaption applied. A 99% mortality of Roei abalone ( Haliotis roei ) and major reductions in recruitment of scallops ( Amusium balloti ), king ( Penaeus latisulcatus ) and tiger ( P. esculentus ) prawns, and blue swimmer crabs were detected with management adapting with effort reductions or spatial/temporal closures to protect the spawning stock and restocking being evaluated. This study illustrates that fisheries management under extreme temperature events requires an early identification of temperature hot spots, early detection of abundance changes (preferably using pre-recruit surveys), and flexible harvest strategies which allow a quick response to minimize the effect of heavy fishing on poor recruitment to enable protection of the spawning stock. This has required researchers, managers, and industry to adapt to fish stocks affected by an extreme environmental event that may become more frequent due to climate change.

  3. Bulging of pressure tubes at hot spots under LOCA conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manu, C.; Shewfelt, R.S.W.; Wright, A.C.D.; Aboud, R.; Lau, J.H.K.; Sanderson, D.B.

    1996-01-01

    During certain postulated loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCA) in a CANDU reactor, some fuel channels can become highly voided within a very short time. Although the pressure tubes are heated mainly by convection and thermal radiation during the LOCA transient, additional heat flow occurs through the bearing pads that are in contact with the pressure tribe. This contact can lead to local hot spots and associated thermal stresses in the pressure tube wall. The two factors that affects the behavior of the pressure tubes during LOCA conditions are the internal pressure and the local heating. Although the effect of internal pressure and of axially uniform temperature has been studied elsewhere, the effect of the local heating on the pressure tube behavior has not been modelled before. This paper shows that the bulging of a pressure tube at a hot spot is the result of the thermal stresses that are developed in a pressure tube during a LOCA transient. To isolate the local heating effect from the internal pressure, a series of single-effect experiments was performed. In these experiments, sections of a CANDU pressure tube were subjected to local heating only. The thermal profile and the local deformation were measured function of time. To quantify the effect of the thermal stresses on the bulging of pressure tubes at hot spots and to develop numerical tools that can predict such bulging, finite element analyses were performed rising the ABAQUS finite element computer code. Use of the measured thermal profiles in the ABAQUS finite element analysis, resulted in very good agreement between the predicted and measured displacements. (author)

  4. Analysis and validation of laser spot weld-induced distortion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Knorovsky, G.A.; Kanouff, M.P.; Maccallum, D.O.; Fuerschbach, P.W.

    1999-12-09

    Laser spot welding is an ideal process for joining small parts with tight tolerances on weld size, location, and distortion, particularly those with near-by heat sensitive features. It is also key to understanding the overlapping laser spot seam welding process. Rather than attempting to simulate the laser beam-to-part coupling (particularly if a keyhole occurs), it was measured by calorimetry. This data was then used to calculate the thermal and structural response of a laser spot welded SS304 disk using the finite element method. Five combinations of process parameter values were studied. Calculations were compared to experimental data for temperature and distortion profiles measured by thermocouples and surface profiling. Results are discussed in terms of experimental and modeling factors. The authors then suggest appropriate parameters for laser spot welding.

  5. Heat production in an Archean crustal profile and implications for heat flow and mobilization of heat-producing elements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ashwal, L.D.; Morgan, P.; Kelley, S.A.; Percival, J.A.

    1987-10-01

    We have measured concentrations of heat producing elements (Th, U, and K) in 58 samples representative of the main lithologies in a 100 km transect of the Superior Province of the Canadian Shield, from the Michipicoten (Wawa) greenstone belt, near Wawa, Ontario, through a domal gneiss terrane of amphibolite grade, to the granulite belt of the Kapuskasing Structural Zone, near Foleyet. (orig./SHOE).

  6. Impacts of Implosion Asymmetry And Hot Spot Shape On Ignition Capsules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Baolian; Kwan, Thomas J. T.; Wang, Yi-Ming; Yi, S. Austin; Batha, Steve

    2017-10-01

    Implosion symmetry plays a critical role in achieving high areal density and internal energy at stagnation during hot spot formation in ICF capsules. Asymmetry causes hot spot irregularity and stagnation de-synchronization that results in lower temperatures and areal densities of the hot fuel. These degradations significantly affect the alpha heating process in the DT fuel as well as on the thermonuclear performance of the capsules. In this work, we explore the physical factors determining the shape of the hot spot late in the implosion and the effects of shape on Î+/-particle transport. We extend our ignition theory [1-4] to include the hot spot shape and quantify the effects of the implosion asymmetry on both the ignition criterion and capsule performance. We validate our theory with the NIF existing experimental data Our theory shows that the ignition criterion becomes more restrictive with the deformation of the hot spot. Through comparison with the NIF data, we demonstrate that the shape effects on the capsules' performance become more explicit as the self-heating and yield of the capsules increases. The degradation of the thermonuclear burn by the hot spot shape for high yield shots to date can be as high as 20%. Our theory is in good agreement with the NIF data. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Los Alamos National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36.

  7. Modeling deflagration waves out of hot spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Partom, Yehuda

    2017-01-01

    It is widely accepted that shock initiation and detonation of heterogeneous explosives comes about by a two-step process known as ignition and growth. In the first step a shock sweeping through an explosive cell (control volume) creates hot spots that become ignition sites. In the second step, deflagration waves (or burn waves) propagate out of those hot spots and transform the reactant in the cell into reaction products. The macroscopic (or average) reaction rate of the reactant in the cell depends on the speed of those deflagration waves and on the average distance between neighboring hot spots. Here we simulate the propagation of deflagration waves out of hot spots on the mesoscale in axial symmetry using a 2D hydrocode, to which we add heat conduction and bulk reaction. The propagation speed of the deflagration waves may depend on both pressure and temperature. It depends on pressure for quasistatic loading near ambient temperature, and on temperature at high temperatures resulting from shock loading. From the simulation we obtain deflagration fronts emanating out of the hot spots. For 8 to 13 GPa shocks, the emanating fronts propagate as deflagration waves to consume the explosive between hot spots. For higher shock levels deflagration waves may interact with the sweeping shock to become detonation waves on the mesoscale. From the simulation results we extract average deflagration wave speeds.

  8. A study of Ni-based WC composite coatings by laser induction hybrid rapid cladding with elliptical spot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Shengfeng; Huang Yongjun; Zeng Xiaoyan

    2008-01-01

    Ni-based WC composite coatings by laser induction hybrid rapid cladding (LIHRC) with elliptical spot were investigated. Results indicate that the efficiency using the elliptical spot of 6 mm x 4 mm (the major and minor axis of laser beam are 6 mm and 4 mm, respectively, the major axis is parallel to the direction of laser scanning) is higher than that using the elliptical spot of 4 mm x 6 mm (the major axis is perpendicular to the direction of laser scanning). The precipitated carbides with the blocky and bar-like shape indicate that WC particles suffer from the heat damage of 'the disintegration pattern + the growth pattern', whichever elliptical spot is used at low laser scanning speed. However, at high laser scanning speed, the blocky carbides are only formed if the elliptical spot of 6 mm x 4 mm is adopted, showing that WC particles present the heat damage of 'the disintegration pattern', whereas the fine carbides are precipitated when the elliptical spot of 4 mm x 6 mm is used, showing that WC particles take on the heat damage of 'the radiation pattern'. Especially, the efficiency of LIHRC is increased much four times higher than that of the general laser cladding and crack-free ceramic-metal coatings can be obtained

  9. Hot spots and heavily dislocated regions in multicrystalling silicon cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simo, A.; Martinuzzi, S.

    1990-01-01

    The formation mechanism and the electrical consequences of hot spots have been investigated in multicrystalline solar cells. The hot spots were revealed by means of an infrared camera when the cells are reverse biassed in the dark. The minority carrier diffusion length (L n ), the photovoltage (V oc ) and the photocurrent (J sc ) were measured in the hot spot area and far from this zone thanks to mesa diodes. Dark forward I-V curves lead to values of ideality factor (M) and reverse saturation current (J o ). It is found that J o and M are higher in the hot spot area, while J sc , V oc and at a less extent L n are smaller. Large densities of dislocations and lineages structures are revealed in the abnormally heated regions

  10. Solar heating of the produced water of petroleum; Aquecimento solar da agua produzida de petroleo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, Rogerio Pitanga; Chiavone-Filho, Osvaldo; Bezerra, Magna A. Santos; Melo, Josette Lourdes Sousa de; Oliveira, Jackson Araujo de; Ramos, Rafael E. Moura [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN (Brazil); Schuhli, Juliana Bregenski; Andrade, Vivian Tavares de [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas (CENPES)

    2008-07-01

    In this work, experimental data of solar heating for common water and saline solution were measured. The solar heater is formed by a flat-plane collector and a thermal reservoir ('boiler'). The objective is to quantify the variation of fluids' temperature, and correlate it to environment variables, especially solar irradiation. Thereby, it is possible to estimate the solar heating of produced water of petroleum. The solar heater is part of a system of treatment of produced water, and its function is to pre-heat the fluid that enters into the solar distiller, increasing the productivity of distilled water. A saline solution that represents produced water was used in the experiments, using sodium chloride (1000 ppm). The experimental data demonstrates that the solar heater is capable to heat the fluid to temperatures close to 70 deg C, reaching temperatures close to 50 deg C even during cloudy days with low solar radiation. Furthermore, the solar collector energy system provides a higher rate of heating and trough of the thermal reservoir the temperature can remain longer. These are important aspects to the integration with solar distillation. (author)

  11. Solar heating of the produced water of petroleum; Aquecimento solar da agua produzida de petroleo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, Rogerio Pitanga; Chiavone-Filho, Osvaldo; Bezerra, Magna A. Santos; Melo, Josette Lourdes Sousa de; Oliveira, Jackson Araujo de; Ramos, Rafael E. Moura [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN (Brazil); Schuhli, Juliana Bregenski; Andrade, Vivian Tavares de [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas (CENPES)

    2008-07-01

    In this work, experimental data of solar heating for common water and saline solution were measured. The solar heater is formed by a flat-plane collector and a thermal reservoir ('boiler'). The objective is to quantify the variation of fluids' temperature, and correlate it to environment variables, especially solar irradiation. Thereby, it is possible to estimate the solar heating of produced water of petroleum. The solar heater is part of a system of treatment of produced water, and its function is to pre-heat the fluid that enters into the solar distiller, increasing the productivity of distilled water. A saline solution that represents produced water was used in the experiments, using sodium chloride (1000 ppm). The experimental data demonstrates that the solar heater is capable to heat the fluid to temperatures close to 70 deg C, reaching temperatures close to 50 deg C even during cloudy days with low solar radiation. Furthermore, the solar collector energy system provides a higher rate of heating and trough of the thermal reservoir the temperature can remain longer. These are important aspects to the integration with solar distillation. (author)

  12. Heat treatment of TI-6AL-4V produced by lasercusing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Becker, Thorsten

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available LaserCUSING® is a selective laser melting (SLM process that is capable of manufacturing parts by melting powder with heat input from a laser beam. LaserCUSING demonstrates potential for producing the intricate geometries specifically required for biomedical implants and aerospace applications. One main limitation to this form of rapid prototyping is the lack of published studies on the material performance of the resulting material. Studies of the material’s performance are often complicated by dependence on several factors, including starting powder properties, laser parameters, and post-processing heat treatments. This study aims to investigate the mechanical properties of LaserCUSING-produced Ti-6Al-4V and its performance relative to the conventional wrought counterpart. A combination of conventional and LaserCUSING-tailored heat treatments is performed. The resulting microstructures are studied and linked to the properties obtained from hardness tests. The findings highlight that LaserCused Ti-6Al-4V is competitive with traditional materials, provided that optimal parameters are chosen and parts are subject to tailored post-processing. In the as-built condition, LaserCused Ti-6Al-4V displays superior strength and hardness as a result of a martensitic microstructure, and a poorer performance in ductility. However, the material performance can be improved using tailored heat treatments. Careful consideration must be given to suitable post-processing before application in critical components in the aerospace or biomedical industry can occur

  13. Inhibition of turbulence in inertial-confinement-fusion hot spots by viscous dissipation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, C R; Clark, D S; Cook, A W; Busby, L E; Robey, H F

    2014-05-01

    Achieving ignition in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) requires the formation of a high-temperature (>10 keV) central hot spot. Turbulence has been suggested as a mechanism for degrading the hot-spot conditions by altering transport properties, introducing colder, mixed material, or reducing the conversion of radially directed kinetic energy to hot-spot heating. We show, however, that the hot spot is very viscous, and the assumption of turbulent conditions in the hot spot is incorrect. This work presents the first high-resolution, three-dimensional simulations of National Ignition Facility (NIF) implosion experiments using detailed knowledge of implosion dynamics and instability seeds and including an accurate model of physical viscosity. We find that when viscous effects are neglected, the hot spot can exhibit a turbulent kinetic energy cascade. Viscous effects, however, are significant and strongly damp small-scale velocity structures, with a hot-spot Reynolds number in the range of only 10-100.

  14. Specific Genetic Immunotherapy Induced by Recombinant Vaccine Alpha-Fetoprotein-Heat Shock Protein 70 Complex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaoping; Lin, Huanping; Wang, Qiaoxia

    Purposes: To construct a recombinant vaccine alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-heat shock protein (HSP70) complex, and study its ability to induce specific CTL response and its protective effect against AFP-producing tumor. Material/Methods: A recombinant vaccine was constructed by conjugating mouse alpha-fetoprotein to heat shock protein 70. By way of intracutaneous injection, mice were primed and boosted with recombinant vaccine mAFP/HSP70, whereas single mAFP or HSP70 injection as controls. The ELISPOT and ELISA were used to measure the frequency of cells producing the cytokine IFN-γ in splenocytes and the level of anti-AFP antibody of serum from immunized mice respectively. In vivo tumor challenge were carried out to assess the immune effect of the recombinant vaccine. Results: By recombinant mAFP/HSP70 vaccine immunization, the results of ELISPOT and ELISA showed that the number of splenic cells producing IFN-γ and the level of anti-AFP antibody of serum were significantly higher in mAFP/HSP70 group than those in mAFP and HSP70 groups (108.50±11.70 IFN-γ spots/106 cells vs 41.60±10.40 IFN-γ spots/106 cells, 7.32±3.14 IFN-γ spots/106 cells, P<0.01; 156.32±10.42 μg/mL vs 66.52±7.35 μg/mL, 5.73±2.89 μg/mL, P<0.01). The tumor volume in mAFP/HSP70 group was significantly smaller than that in mAFP and HSP70 groups (42.44±7.14 mm3 vs 392.23±12.46 mm3, 838.63±13.84 mm3, P<0.01). Conclusions: The study further confirmed the function of heat shock protein 70's immune adjuvant. Sequential immunization with recombinant mAFP/HSP70 vaccine could generate effective antitumor immunity on AFP-producing tumor. The recombined mAFP/HSP70 vaccine may be suitable for serving as an immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

  15. Electricity Market Optimization of Heat Pump Portfolio

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Biegel, Benjamin; Andersen, Palle; Pedersen, Tom S.

    2013-01-01

    We consider a portfolio of domestic heat pumps controlled by an aggregator. The aggregator is able to adjust the consumption of the heat pumps without affecting the comfort in the houses and uses this ability to shift the main consumption to hours with low electricity prices. Further......, the aggregator is able to place upward and downward regulating bids in the regulating power market based on the consumption flexibility. A simulation is carried out based on data from a Danish domestic heat pump project, historical spot prices, regulating power prices, and spot price predictions. The simulations...

  16. Angle dependent focal spot size of a conical X-ray target

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saeed Raza, Hamid; Jin Kim, Hyun; Nam Kim, Hyun; Oh Cho, Sung

    2015-01-01

    Misaligned phantoms may severely affect the focal spot calculations. A method is proposed to determine the geometry of the X-ray target and the position of the image radiograph around the X-ray target to get a relatively smaller focal spot size. Results reveal that the focal spot size is not always isotropic around the target but it decreases as the point of observation shifts radially away from the center line of the conical X-ray target. This research will help in producing high quality X-ray images in multi-directions by properly aligning the phantoms and the radiograph tallies. - Highlights: • Misaligned phantoms may severely affect the focal spot calculations. • The aim of this research is to analyze systematically the angle dependent behavior of the focal spot size around a conical shaped X-ray target. • A general purpose Monte Carlo (MCNP5) computer code is used to achieve a relatively small focal spot size. • Angular distribution of the X-ray focal spot size mainly depends on the angular orientation of the phantom and its aligned FIR tally. • This research will help in producing high quality X-ray images in multi-directions

  17. Newborn screening blood spot analysis in the UK: influence of spot size, punch location and haematocrit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawson, A J; Bernstone, L; Hall, S K

    2016-03-01

    In dried blood spot analysis, punch location and variations in applied sample volume and haematocrit can produce different measured concentrations of analytes. We investigated the magnitude of these effects in newborn screening in the UK. Heparinized blood spiked with thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), phenylalanine, tyrosine, leucine, methionine, octanoyl carnitine (C8), and immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT) was spotted onto filter paper: (i) at a constant haematocrit of 50% at various volumes, and (ii) at a range of haematocrits using a constant volume. Subpunches (3.2 mm) of the dried blood spots were then analysed. Compared with a central punch from a 50 µL blood spot with 50% haematocrit, 10 µL spots can have significantly lower measured concentrations of all analytes, with decreases of 15% or more observed for leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. Punching at the edge of a spot can increase measured concentrations up to 35%. Higher haematocrit decreased measured TSH and C8 yet increased amino acids and IRT by 15% compared with 50% haematocrit. Lower haematocrits had the opposite effect, but only with higher concentrations of some analytes. Differences in blood spot size, haematocrit and punch location substantially affect measured concentrations for analytes used in the UK newborn screening programme, and this could affect false positive and negative rates. To minimize analytical bias, these variables should be controlled or adjusted for where possible. © The Author(s) 2015.

  18. Thermocouple placement and hot spots in radioactive waste tanks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barker, J.J.

    1991-06-01

    Analytical solutions available in Carslaw and Jaeger's Conduction of Heat in Solids for continuous point sources and for continuous finite sources are used to demonstrate that placement of thermocouples on a fine enough grid to detect a hot spot is impracticable for existing waste tanks but fortunately not necessary. Graphs covering ranges of diffusivities, times, temperatures and heat generation rates are included. 2 refs., 8 figs., 5 tabs

  19. Valorization of the energy potential of fossil and fissile fuels for heat production: dual-purpose power plants and heat-producing nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lavite, Michel.

    1975-07-01

    The heat market is analyzed briefly within the French context: present structures and characteristics of the market, current means of heat production, predictable trend of the demand. The possible applications of nuclear energy to heat production, through the agency of combined electricity-steam stations or heat-producing stations, are then examined. Nuclear solutions are compared with others from the technico-economic and ecological wiewpoints and an estimate fo their respective impacts on the energy balance is attempted [fr

  20. Line focus x-ray tubes-a new concept to produce high brilliance x-rays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartzsch, Stefan; Oelfke, Uwe

    2017-10-27

    Currently hard coherent x-ray radiation at high photon fluxes can only be produced with large and expensive radiation sources, such as 3[Formula: see text] generation synchrotrons. Especially in medicine, this limitation prevents various promising developments in imaging and therapy from being translated into clinical practice. Here we present a new concept of highly brilliant x-ray sources, line focus x-ray tubes (LFXTs), which may serve as a powerful and cheap alternative to synchrotrons and a range of other existing technologies. LFXTs employ an extremely thin focal spot and a rapidly rotating target for the electron beam which causes a change in the physical mechanism of target heating, allowing higher electron beam intensities at the focal spot. Monte Carlo simulations and numeric solutions of the heat equation are used to predict the characteristics of the LFXT. In terms of photon flux and coherence length, the performance of the line focus x-ray tube compares with inverse Compton scattering sources. Dose rates of up to 180 Gy [Formula: see text] can be reached in 50 cm distance from the focal spot. The results demonstrate that the line focus tube can serve as a powerful compact source for phase contrast imaging and microbeam radiation therapy. The production of a prototype seems technically feasible.

  1. Spot Ignition of Natural Fuels by Hot Metal Particles

    OpenAIRE

    Urban, James Linwood

    2017-01-01

    The spot ignition of combustible material by hot metal particles is an important pathway by which wildland and urban spot fires and smolders are started. Upon impact with a fuel, such as dry grass, duff, or saw dust, these particles can initiate spot fires by direct flaming or smoldering which can transition to a flame. These particles can be produced by processes such as welding, powerline interactions, fragments from bullet impacts, abrasive cutting, and pyrotechnics. There is little publi...

  2. Performance evaluation of micro thermoelectric module for hot spot cooling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Ook Joong; Lee, Kong Hoon

    2008-01-01

    The experimental and numerical study is carried out to investigate the availability of micro TEM for hot spot cooling of an IC chip. It is found that an acrylic plate integrating with copper plate and imbedded micro TEM represents good hot spot cooling of the IC chip when CO2 laser is used to hot spot heating. Effective active local cooling phenomena by the TEM are well investigated by experiment. The measured temperature drop in the hot spot point is compared to numerical result using the TAS program for every case. Numerical result shows good agreement with experiment using some appropriate thermal and thermoelectric properties of TEM and TIM obtained by trial and error. Measurement of thermo-physical properties such as contact thermal resistance and thickness of liquid TIM is difficult but can be estimated by numerical analysis

  3. Electro-magnetic heating in viscous oil reservoir

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Das, S. [Society of Petroleum Engineers, Richardson, TX (United States)]|[Marathon Oil Corp., Houston, TX (United States)

    2008-10-15

    This paper discussed electromagnetic (EM) heating techniques for primary and secondary enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes. Ohmic, induction, and formation resistive heating techniques were discussed. Issues related to energy equivalence and hardware requirements were reviewed. Challenges related to heat losses in vertical wellbores, well integrity, and galvanic corrosion were also outlined. A pair of 1500 foot horizontal wells in a heavy oil reservoir were then modelled in order to optimize EM recovery processes. DC current was used in a base case water flood run. Electrical conductivities were measured. The model was converted to a homogenous model in order to study injector and producer electrodes. The study showed that reservoir resistance was low, and most of the heating took place near the electrode area where electric lines diverged or converged. Results of the study suggested that EM heating in formations is not as efficient as steam-based processes. Accurate simulations of EM heating processes within reservoirs are difficult to obtain, as the amounts of estimated heat input are sensitive to grid refinement. It was concluded that hot spots in the EM electrodes have also caused failures in other field applications and studies. 11 refs., 12 figs.

  4. Utility of large spot binocular indirect laser delivery for peripheral photocoagulation therapy in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balasubramaniam, Saranya C; Mohney, Brian G; Bang, Genie M; Link, Thomas P; Pulido, Jose S

    2012-09-01

    The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the utility of the large spot size (LSS) setting using a binocular laser indirect delivery system for peripheral ablation in children. One patient with bilateral retinopathy of prematurity received photocoagulation with standard spot size burns placed adjacently to LSS burns. Using a pixel analysis program called Image J on the Retcam picture, the areas of each retinal spot size were determined in units of pixels, giving a standard spot range of 805 to 1294 pixels and LSS range of 1699 to 2311 pixels. Additionally, fluence was calculated using theoretical retinal areas produced by each spot size: the standard spot setting was 462 mJ/mm2 and the LSS setting was 104 mJ/mm2. For eyes with retinopathy of prematurity, our study shows that LSS laser indirect delivery halves the number of spots required for treatment and reduces fluence by almost one-quarter, producing more uniform spots.

  5. Estimation method for volumes of hot spots created by heavy ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanno, Ikuo; Kanazawa, Satoshi; Kajii, Yuji

    1999-01-01

    As a ratio of volumes of hot spots to cones, which have the same lengths and bottom radii with the ones of hot spots, a simple and convenient method for estimating the volumes of hot spots is described. This calculation method is useful for the study of damage producing mechanism in hot spots, and is also convenient for the estimation of the electron-hole densities in plasma columns created by heavy ions in semiconductor detectors. (author)

  6. Social vulnerability to heat in Greater Atlanta, USA: spatial pattern of heat, NDVI, socioeconomics and household composition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sim, Sunhui

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of the article is evaluating spatial patterns of social vulnerability to heat in Greater Atlanta in 2015. The social vulnerability to heat is an index of socioeconomic status, household composition, land surface temperature and normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI). Land surface temperature and NDVI were derived from the red, NIR and thermal infrared (TIR) of a Landsat OLI/TIRS images collected on September 14, 2015. The research focus is on the variation of heat vulnerability in Greater Atlanta. The study found that heat vulnerability is highly clustered spatially, resulting in "hot spots" and "cool spots". The results show significant health disparities. The hotspots of social vulnerability to heat occurred in neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic status as measured by low education, low income and more poverty, greater proportion of elderly people and young children. The findings of this study are important for identifying clusters of heat vulnerability and the relationships with social factors. These significant results provide a basis for heat intervention services.

  7. Cellular protein receptors of maculosin, a host specific phytotoxin of spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, S H; Strobel, G A

    1994-01-05

    Maculosin (the diketopiperazine, cyclo (L-Pro-L-Tyr)) is a host specific phytotoxin produced by Alternaria alternata on spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa L.). Receptors for this phytotoxin have been isolated from spotted knapweed. Knapweed leaves possess most of the maculosin-binding activity in the cytosolic fraction. However, activity was also observed in the whole membrane fraction of the leaf. The binding component of the cytosolic fraction was identified as a protein(s) because of its heat-lability and sensitivity to proteases. A 16-fold purification of a toxin-binding protein was carried out by ammonium sulfate fractionation, and Sephadex G-200, and maculosin-affinity column chromatography. The affinity column was prepared with epoxy activated Sepharose 6B to which the phenolic group of maculosin was attached. The receptor was estimated to contain more than one binding protein by native and SDS-PAGE. At least one of the maculosin-binding proteins was identified as ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase (RuBPcase).

  8. Liver spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... skin changes - liver spots; Senile or solar lentigines; Skin spots - aging; Age spots ... Liver spots are changes in skin color that occur in older skin. The coloring may be due to aging, exposure to the sun ...

  9. Design of a cost-effective laser spot tracker

    Science.gov (United States)

    Artan, Göktuǧ Gencehan; Sari, Hüseyin

    2017-05-01

    One of the most important aspects of guided systems is detection. The most convenient detection in the sense of precision can be achieved with a laser spot tracker. This study deals with a military grade, high performance and cost-effective laser spot tracker for a guided system. The aim is to develop a high field of view system that will detect a laser spot from a distance of 3 kilometers in which the target is designated from 3 kilometers with a laser. The study basically consists of the system design, modeling, producing and the conducting performance tests of the whole system.

  10. Effect of the small accessary laser spots on the harmonic emission stimulated by self-focusing of a 10-micrometer scale laser spot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Zunqi; Zhang Huihuang; He Xingfa

    1992-01-01

    A novel group of experiments has shown that single 10-micrometer-radius-scale laser spot is not able to produce the 90 deg side emitted three half harmonic efficiently in a preformed laser plasmas. However, with the help of one or two accessory laser spots with the size similar to the main one, the side emitted three half can easily built up when some position and angle conditions for the accessory spots are fulfilled. The origin of these phenomena have been analyzed in terms of the two plasmon decay theory and dynamic self-focusing model

  11. Methods of producing alkylated hydrocarbons from an in situ heat treatment process liquid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roes, Augustinus Wilhelmus Maria [Houston, TX; Mo, Weijian [Sugar Land, TX; Muylle, Michel Serge Marie [Houston, TX; Mandema, Remco Hugo [Houston, TX; Nair, Vijay [Katy, TX

    2009-09-01

    A method for producing alkylated hydrocarbons is disclosed. Formation fluid is produced from a subsurface in situ heat treatment process. The formation fluid is separated to produce a liquid stream and a first gas stream. The first gas stream includes olefins. The liquid stream is fractionated to produce at least a second gas stream including hydrocarbons having a carbon number of at least 3. The first gas stream and the second gas stream are introduced into an alkylation unit to produce alkylated hydrocarbons. At least a portion of the olefins in the first gas stream enhance alkylation.

  12. Radiation heat transfer model in a spent fuel pool by TRACE code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanchez-Saez, F.; Carlos, S.; Villanueva, J.F.; Martorell, S.

    2014-01-01

    Nuclear policies have experienced an important change since Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident and the safety of spent fuels has been in the spot issue among all the safety concerns. The work presented consists of the thermohydraulic simulation of spent fuel pool behavior after a loss of coolant throughout transfer channel with loss of cooling transient is produced. The simulation is done with the TRACE code. One of the most important variables that define the behavior of the pool is cladding temperature, which evolution depends on the heat emission. In this work convection and radiation heat transfer is considered. When both heat transfer models are considered, a clear delay in achieving the maximum peak cladding temperature (1477 K) is observed compared with the simulation in which only convection heat transfer is considered. (authors)

  13. A study of the flow boiling heat transfer in a minichannel for a heated wall with surface texture produced by vibration-assisted laser machining

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Piasecka, Magdalena; Strąk, Kinga; Grabas, Bogusław; Maciejewska, Beata

    2016-01-01

    The paper presents results concerning flow boiling heat transfer in a vertical minichannel with a depth of 1.7 mm and a width of 16 mm. The element responsible for heating FC-72, which flowed laminarly in the minichannel, was a plate with an enhanced surface. Two types of surface textures were considered. Both were produced by vibration-assisted laser machining. Infrared thermography was used to record changes in the temperature on the outer smooth side of the plate. Two-phase flow patterns were observed through a glass pane. The main aim of the study was to analyze how the two types of surface textures affect the heat transfer coefficient. A two-dimensional heat transfer approach was proposed to determine the local values of the heat transfer coefficient. The inverse problem for the heated wall was solved using a semi-analytical method based on the Trefftz functions. The results are presented as relationships between the heat transfer coefficient and the distance along the minichannel length and as boiling curves. The experimental data obtained for the two types of enhanced heated surfaces was compared with the results recorded for the smooth heated surface. The highest local values of the heat transfer coefficient were reported in the saturated boiling region for the plate with the type 1 texture produced by vibration-assisted laser machining. (paper)

  14. SpotADAPT

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaulakiene, Dalia; Thomsen, Christian; Pedersen, Torben Bach

    2015-01-01

    by Amazon Web Services (AWS). The users aiming for the spot market are presented with many instance types placed in multiple datacenters in the world, and thus it is difficult to choose the optimal deployment. In this paper, we propose the framework SpotADAPT (Spot-Aware (re-)Deployment of Analytical...... of typical analytical workloads and real spot price traces. SpotADAPT's suggested deployments are comparable to the theoretically optimal ones, and in particular, it shows good cost benefits for the budget optimization -- on average SpotADAPT is at most 0.3% more expensive than the theoretically optimal...

  15. Economic Dispatch of Hydrogen Systems in Energy Spot Markets

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    You, Shi; Nørgård, Per Bromand

    2015-01-01

    of energy spot markets. The generic hydrogen system is comprised of an electrolysis for hydrogen production, a hydrogen storage tank and a fuel cell system for cogeneration of electricity and heat. A case study is presented with information from practical hydrogen systems and the Nordic energy markets...

  16. Manipulation and simulations of thermal field profiles in laser heat-mode lithography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Tao; Wei, Jingsong; Wang, Yang; Zhang, Long

    2017-12-01

    Laser heat-mode lithography is a very useful method for high-speed fabrication of large-area micro/nanostructures. To obtain nanoscale pattern structures, one needs to manipulate the thermal diffusion channels. This work reports the manipulation of the thermal diffusion in laser heat-mode lithography and provides methods to restrain the in-plane thermal diffusion and improve the out-of-plane thermal diffusion. The thermal field profiles in heat-mode resist thin films have been given. It is found that the size of the heat-spot can be decreased by decreasing the thickness of the heat-mode resist thin films, inserting the thermal conduction layers, and shortening the laser irradiation time. The optimized laser writing strategy is also given, where the in-plane thermal diffusion is completely restrained and the out-of-plane thermal diffusion is improved. The heat-spot size is almost equal to that of the laser spot, accordingly. This work provides a very important guide to laser heat-mode lithography.

  17. Initial development of ponderomotive filaments in plasma from intense hot spots produced by a random phase plate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rose, H.A.; DuBois, D.F.

    1993-01-01

    Local intensity peaks, hot spots, in laser beams may initiate self-focusing, in lieu of linear instabilities. If the hot spot power, P, contains several times the critical power, P c , and if the plasma density, n, is small compared to the critical density, n c , then on a time scale less than an acoustic transit time across the hot spot radius, τ ia , the hot spot collapses, capturing order unity of the initial hot spot power. The collapse time is determined as a universal function of P/P c and τ ia . The focal region moves towards the laser with an initially supersonic speed, and decelerates as it propagates. The power of this back propagating focus decreases monotonically until the critical power is reached. This limiting, shallowest, focus develops on a time scale long compared to τ ia and corresponds to the focus obtained in a model with adiabatically responding ions. For low-density plasma nonlinear ion effects terminate collapse and a bound on the transient intensity amplification is obtained as a universal function of the optics f/number, F, and n/n c . The boundary between thermal and ponderomotive regimes depends upon F and not the laser intensity

  18. SPOT WELDING COPPER–1%Cr ELECTRODE TIPS PRODUCED VIA EQUAL CHANNEL ANGULAR PRESSING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luay Bakir Hussain

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available A sharp 120o Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP following rout Bc was applied at room temperature to refine the grains sizes of pure copper and copper-1%Chromium alloy for spot welding electrode tips application. Initially deformation behavior was investigated with the position using colorful plasticine as work piece followed by copper alloy. It was found the deformation at the central part of the work piece is heavily sheared than the outer part. Optical and Scanning electron microscopy were used to study the progress of grain refining under the influence of rotation and number of passes during pressing. The influnece of elongated fibrous nano graines on electrical conductivity and hardness were discussed. Shear test of spot welded 303 stainless steel indicated that nano structural Cu-1%Cr electrode tips used showed a superior results compared to commercial electrodes

  19. A novel word spotting method based on recurrent neural networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frinken, Volkmar; Fischer, Andreas; Manmatha, R; Bunke, Horst

    2012-02-01

    Keyword spotting refers to the process of retrieving all instances of a given keyword from a document. In the present paper, a novel keyword spotting method for handwritten documents is described. It is derived from a neural network-based system for unconstrained handwriting recognition. As such it performs template-free spotting, i.e., it is not necessary for a keyword to appear in the training set. The keyword spotting is done using a modification of the CTC Token Passing algorithm in conjunction with a recurrent neural network. We demonstrate that the proposed systems outperform not only a classical dynamic time warping-based approach but also a modern keyword spotting system, based on hidden Markov models. Furthermore, we analyze the performance of the underlying neural networks when using them in a recognition task followed by keyword spotting on the produced transcription. We point out the advantages of keyword spotting when compared to classic text line recognition.

  20. Orion Heat Shield Manufacturing Producibility Improvements for the EM-1 Flight Test Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koenig, William J.; Stewart, Michael; Harris, Richard F.

    2018-01-01

    This paper describes how the ORION program is incorporating improvements in the heat shield design and manufacturing processes reducing programmatic risk and ensuring crew safety in support of NASA's Exploration missions. The approach for the EFT-1 heat shield utilized a low risk Apollo heritage design and manufacturing process using an Avcoat TPS ablator with a honeycomb substrate to provide a one piece heat shield to meet the mission re-entry heating environments. The EM-1 mission will have additional flight systems installed to fly to the moon and return to Earth. Heat shield design and producibility improvements have been incorporated in the EM-1 vehicle to meet deep space mission requirements. The design continues to use the Avcoat material, but in a block configuration to enable improvements in consistant and repeatable application processes using tile bonding experience developed on the Space Shuttle Transportation System Program.

  1. Heat deposition on the first wall due to ICRF-induced loss of fast ions in JT-60U

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kusama, Y.; Tobita, K.; Kimura, H.; Hamamatsu, K.; Fujii, T.; Nemoto, M.; Saigusa, M.; Moriyama, S.; Tani, K.; Koide, Y.; Sakasai, A.; Nishitani, T.; Ushigusa, K.

    1995-01-01

    In JT-60U, the heat deposition on the first wall due to the ICRF-induced loss of fast ions was investigated by changing the position of the resonance layer in the ripple-trapping region. A heat spot appears on the first wall of the same major radius as the resonance layer of the ICRF waves. The broadening of the heat spot in the major radius direction is consistent with that of the resonance layer due to the Doppler broadening. The heat spot is considered to be formed by the ICRF-induced ripple-trapped loss of fast ions. Although the total ICRF-induced loss power to the heat spot is as low as 2% of the total ICRF power, the additional heat flux will become a new issue because of the localized heat deposition on the first wall. ((orig.))

  2. WAD, a program to calculate the heat produced by alpha decay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jarvis, R.G.; Bretzlaff, C.I.

    1982-09-01

    The FORTRAN program WAD (Watts from Alpha Decay) deals with the alpha and beta decay chains to be encountered in advanced fuel cycles for CANDU reactors. The data library covers all necessary alpha-emitting and beta-emitting nuclides and the program calculates the heat produced by alpha decay. Any permissible chain can be constructed very simply

  3. Heat penetration and thermocouple location in home canning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Etzel, Mark R; Willmore, Paola; Ingham, Barbara H

    2015-01-01

    We processed applesauce, tomato juice, and cranberries in pint jars in a boiling water canner to test thermal processing theories against home canning of high-acid foods. For each product, thermocouples were placed at various heights in the jar. Values for f h (heating), f cl (cooling), and F 82.2°C (lethality) were determined for each thermocouple location, and did not depend substantially on thermocouple location in accordance with heat transfer theory. There was a cold spot in the jar, but the cold spot during heating became the hot spot during cooling. During heating, the geometric center was the last to heat, and remained coldest the longest, but during coooling, it was also the last to cool, and remained hottest the longest. The net effect was that calculated lethality in home canning was not affected by thermocouple location. Most of the lethality during home canning occurred during air cooling, making cooling of home canned foods of great importance. Calculated lethality was far greater than the required 5-log reduction of spores in tomato juice and vegetative cells in cranberries, suggesting a wide margin of safety for approved home-canning processes for high-acid foods.

  4. Hot spot formation and stagnation properties in simulations of direct-drive NIF implosions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitt, Andrew J.; Obenschain, Stephen P.

    2016-05-01

    We investigate different proposed methods of increasing the hot spot energy and radius in inertial confinement fusion implosions. In particular, shock mistiming (preferentially heating the inner edge of the target's fuel) and increasing the initial vapor gas density are investigated as possible control mechanisms. We find that only the latter is effective in substantially increasing the hot spot energy and dimensions while achieving ignition. In all cases an increase in the hot spot energy is accompanied by a decrease in the hot spot energy density (pressure) and both the yield and the gain of the target drop substantially. 2D simulations of increased vapor density targets predict an increase in the robustness of the target with respect to surface perturbations but are accompanied by significant yield degradation.

  5. Retrieving handwriting by combining word spotting and manifold ranking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peña Saldarriaga, Sebastián; Morin, Emmanuel; Viard-Gaudin, Christian

    2012-01-01

    Online handwritten data, produced with Tablet PCs or digital pens, consists in a sequence of points (x, y). As the amount of data available in this form increases, algorithms for retrieval of online data are needed. Word spotting is a common approach used for the retrieval of handwriting. However, from an information retrieval (IR) perspective, word spotting is a primitive keyword based matching and retrieval strategy. We propose a framework for handwriting retrieval where an arbitrary word spotting method is used, and then a manifold ranking algorithm is applied on the initial retrieval scores. Experimental results on a database of more than 2,000 handwritten newswires show that our method can improve the performances of a state-of-the-art word spotting system by more than 10%.

  6. Twin-spot laser welding of advanced high-strength multiphase microstructure steel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grajcar, Adam; Morawiec, Mateusz; Różański, Maciej; Stano, Sebastian

    2017-07-01

    The study addresses the results concerning the laser welding of TRIP (TRansformation Induced Plasticity) steel using a beam focused at two spots (also referred to as twin-spot laser welding). The analysis involved the effect of variable welding thermal cycles on the properties and microstructure of welded joints. The tests were performed using a linear energy of 0.048 and 0.060 kJ/mm and the laser beam power distribution of 50%:50%, 60%:40% and 70%:30%. The tests also involved welding performed using a linear energy of 0.150 kJ/mm and the laser beam power distribution of 70%:30%. In addition, the research included observations of the microstructure of the fusion zone, heat affected zone and the transition zone using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The fusion zone was composed of blocky-lath martensite whereas the HAZ (heat-affected zone) was characterised by the lath microstructure containing martensite, bainite and retained austenite. The distribution of twin-spot laser beam power significantly affected the microstructure and hardness profiles of welded joints. The highest hardness (480-505 HV), regardless of welding variants used, was observed in the HAZ.

  7. Heat flow during sawtooth collapse in tokamak plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanada, Kazuaki

    1994-01-01

    Heat flow during sawtooth collapse was studied on the WT-3 tokamak by using temporal evolution of soft X-ray intensity profile in the poloidal cross section in a lower hybrid current driven plasma as well as an electron cyclotron heated plasma. Two phase in sawtooth collapses were observed. In the first phases, the hottest spot that is the peak of the soft X-ray distribution approaches the inversion surface and heat flows out through a narrow gate on the inversion surface. In the second phase, the hottest spot stays on the inversion surface, and heat flows out through the whole inversion surface. This suggests that magnetic reconnection as predicted by Kadomtsev's model occurs in the first phase, but in the second phase, a different mechanism dominates heat flow. (author)

  8. Generalized method for sorting Shack-Hartmann spot patterns using local similarity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, Daniel G.; Greivenkamp, John E.

    2008-01-01

    The sensitivity and dynamic range of a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor is enhanced when the spots produced by the lenslet array are allowed to shift more than one lenslet radius from their on-axis positions. However, this presents the problem of accurately and robustly associating the spots with their respective subapertures. This paper describes a method for sorting spots that takes advantage of the local spot position distortions to unwrap the spot pattern. The described algorithm is both simple and robust and also applicable to any lenslet array geometry that can be described as a two-dimensional lattice, including hexagonal arrays, which are shown here to be more efficient than square arrays

  9. Mikrostruktur udvikling i trip-stål under frictionstir spot svejsning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lomholt, Trine Colding; Pantleon, Karen; Somers, Marcel A. J.

    2010-01-01

    In this work the feasibility of joining TRIP steel by Friction Stir Spot Welding is investigated. The aim is to produce successful welds and to get a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms occurring in the microstructure during welding. One of the primary parameters in Friction Stir Spot...

  10. Single Chain Variable Fragments Produced in Escherichia coli against Heat-Labile and Heat-Stable Toxins from Enterotoxigenic E. coli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christiane Y Ozaki

    Full Text Available Diarrhea is a prevalent pathological condition frequently associated to the colonization of the small intestine by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC strains, known to be endemic in developing countries. These strains can produce two enterotoxins associated with the manifestation of clinical symptoms that can be used to detect these pathogens. Although several detection tests have been developed, minimally equipped laboratories are still in need of simple and cost-effective methods. With the aim to contribute to the development of such diagnostic approaches, we describe here two mouse hybridoma-derived single chain fragment variable (scFv that were produced in E. coli against enterotoxins of ETEC strains.Recombinant scFv were developed against ETEC heat-labile toxin (LT and heat-stable toxin (ST, from previously isolated hybridoma clones. This work reports their design, construction, molecular and functional characterization against LT and ST toxins. Both antibody fragments were able to recognize the cell-interacting toxins by immunofluorescence, the purified toxins by ELISA and also LT-, ST- and LT/ST-producing ETEC strains.The developed recombinant scFvs against LT and ST constitute promising starting point for simple and cost-effective ETEC diagnosis.

  11. Laser induced single spot oxidation of titanium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jwad, Tahseen, E-mail: taj355@bham.ac.uk; Deng, Sunan; Butt, Haider; Dimov, S.

    2016-11-30

    Highlights: • A new high resolution laser induced oxidation (colouring) method is proposed (single spot oxidation). • The method is applied to control oxide films thicknesses and hence colours on titanium substrates in micro-scale. • The method enable imprinting high resolution coloured image on Ti substrate. • Optical and morphological periodic surface structures are also produced by an array of oxide spots using the proposed method. • Colour coding of two colours into one field is presented. - Abstract: Titanium oxides have a wide range of applications in industry, and they can be formed on pure titanium using different methods. Laser-induced oxidation is one of the most reliable methods due to its controllability and selectivity. Colour marking is one of the main applications of the oxidation process. However, the colourizing process based on laser scanning strategies is limited by the relative large processing area in comparison to the beam size. Single spot oxidation of titanium substrates is proposed in this research in order to increase the resolution of the processed area and also to address the requirements of potential new applications. The method is applied to produce oxide films with different thicknesses and hence colours on titanium substrates. High resolution colour image is imprinted on a sheet of pure titanium by converting its pixels’ colours into laser parameter settings. Optical and morphological periodic surface structures are also produced by an array of oxide spots and then analysed. Two colours have been coded into one field and the dependencies of the reflected colours on incident and azimuthal angles of the light are discussed. The findings are of interest to a range of application areas, as they can be used to imprint optical devices such as diffusers and Fresnel lenses on metallic surfaces as well as for colour marking.

  12. Laser induced single spot oxidation of titanium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jwad, Tahseen; Deng, Sunan; Butt, Haider; Dimov, S.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A new high resolution laser induced oxidation (colouring) method is proposed (single spot oxidation). • The method is applied to control oxide films thicknesses and hence colours on titanium substrates in micro-scale. • The method enable imprinting high resolution coloured image on Ti substrate. • Optical and morphological periodic surface structures are also produced by an array of oxide spots using the proposed method. • Colour coding of two colours into one field is presented. - Abstract: Titanium oxides have a wide range of applications in industry, and they can be formed on pure titanium using different methods. Laser-induced oxidation is one of the most reliable methods due to its controllability and selectivity. Colour marking is one of the main applications of the oxidation process. However, the colourizing process based on laser scanning strategies is limited by the relative large processing area in comparison to the beam size. Single spot oxidation of titanium substrates is proposed in this research in order to increase the resolution of the processed area and also to address the requirements of potential new applications. The method is applied to produce oxide films with different thicknesses and hence colours on titanium substrates. High resolution colour image is imprinted on a sheet of pure titanium by converting its pixels’ colours into laser parameter settings. Optical and morphological periodic surface structures are also produced by an array of oxide spots and then analysed. Two colours have been coded into one field and the dependencies of the reflected colours on incident and azimuthal angles of the light are discussed. The findings are of interest to a range of application areas, as they can be used to imprint optical devices such as diffusers and Fresnel lenses on metallic surfaces as well as for colour marking.

  13. Modeling of the fracture behavior of spot welds using advanced micro-mechanical damage models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sommer, Silke

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents the modeling of deformation and fracture behavior of resistance spot welded joints in DP600 steel sheets. Spot welding is still the most commonly used joining technique in automotive engineering. In overloading situations like crash joints are often the weakest link in a structure. For those reasons, crash simulations need reliable and applicable tools to predict the load bearing capacity of spot welded components. Two series of component tests with different spot weld diameters have shown that the diameter of the weld nugget is the main influencing factor affecting fracture mode (interfacial or pull-out fracture), load bearing capacity and energy absorption. In order to find a correlation between nugget diameter, load bearing capacity and fracture mode, the spot welds are simulated with detailed finite element models containing base metal, heat affected zone and weld metal in lap-shear loading conditions. The change in fracture mode from interfacial to pull-out or peel-out fracture with growing nugget diameter under lap-shear loading was successfully modeled using the Gologanu-Leblond model in combination with the fracture criteria of Thomason and Embury. A small nugget diameter is identified to be the main cause for interfacial fracture. In good agreement with experimental observations, the calculated pull-out fracture initiates in the base metal at the boundary to the heat affected zone.

  14. Proteomic Profiling Comparing the Effects of Different Heat Treatments on Camel (Camelus dromedarius) Milk Whey Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benabdelkamel, Hicham; Masood, Afshan; Alanazi, Ibrahim O; Alzahrani, Dunia A; Alrabiah, Deema K; AlYahya, Sami A; Alfadda, Assim A

    2017-03-28

    Camel milk is consumed in the Middle East because of its high nutritional value. Traditional heating methods and the duration of heating affect the protein content and nutritional quality of the milk. We examined the denaturation of whey proteins in camel milk by assessing the effects of temperature on the whey protein profile at room temperature (RT), moderate heating at 63 °C, and at 98 °C, for 1 h. The qualitative and quantitative variations in the whey proteins before and after heat treatments were determined using quantitative 2D-difference in gel electrophoresis (DIGE)-mass spectrometry. Qualitative gel image analysis revealed a similar spot distribution between samples at RT and those heated at 63 °C, while the spot distribution between RT and samples heated at 98 °C differed. One hundred sixteen protein spots were determined to be significantly different ( p protein spots were decreased in common in both the heat-treated samples and an additional 25 spots were further decreased in the 98 °C sample. The proteins with decreased abundance included serum albumin, lactadherin, fibrinogen β and γ chain, lactotransferrin, active receptor type-2A, arginase-1, glutathione peroxidase-1 and, thiopurine S, etc. Eight protein spots were increased in common to both the samples when compared to RT and included α-lactalbumin, a glycosylation-dependent cell adhesion molecule. Whey proteins present in camel milk were less affected by heating at 63 °C than at 98 °C. This experimental study showed that denaturation increased significantly as the temperature increased from 63 to 98 °C.

  15. Turbulent Spot Characterization and the Modeling of Transitional Heat Transfer in Turbines

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    LaGraff, John

    2001-01-01

    .... The purpose of this research is to obtain more information on the generation. propagation and coalescence of turbulent spots in a transitional boundary layer and examine the effects of free stream turbulence pressure gradient and cross flow...

  16. FY 1986 report on research and development of super heat pump energy accumulation system. R and D of total systems (Surveys on heat sources and heat-utilization systems); 1986 nendo super heat pump energy shuseki system kenkyu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Total system no kenkyu (netsugen netsu riyokei no chosa)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1987-03-01

    The heat source systems and heat utilization systems are surveyed and studied for the super heat pump energy accumulation systems, in order to clarify effective application and application types of these systems in the domestic and industrial energy areas. These works include surveys on literature, both domestic and foreign, surveys on actual situations of the related facilities and plants and on-the-spot hearing, and numerical simulation to establish the basic data for some items. The FY 1986 program includes the literature surveys on heat source and heat utilization systems and on-the-spot hearing for the domestic energy areas, reviews of heat demand variation patterns, and studies on methodology for applying the data to the areas not investigated so far. For the industrial areas to which super heat pumps are potentially applicable, the chemical, refining, food manufacturing and plastic manufacturing/processing industries are selected, to study problems related to system structures and conditions of the heat pump systems in these areas. (NEDO)

  17. Conduction-driven cooling of LED-based automotive LED lighting systems for abating local hot spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saati, Ferina; Arik, Mehmet

    2018-02-01

    Light-emitting diode (LED)-based automotive lighting systems pose unique challenges, such as dual-side packaging (front side for LEDs and back side for driver electronics circuit), size, harsh ambient, and cooling. Packaging for automotive lighting applications combining the advanced printed circuit board (PCB) technology with a multifunctional LED-based board is investigated with a focus on the effect of thermal conduction-based cooling for hot spot abatement. A baseline study with a flame retardant 4 technology, commonly known as FR4 PCB, is first compared with a metal-core PCB technology, both experimentally and computationally. The double-sided advanced PCB that houses both electronics and LEDs is then investigated computationally and experimentally compared with the baseline FR4 PCB. Computational models are first developed with a commercial computational fluid dynamics software and are followed by an advanced PCB technology based on embedded heat pipes, which is computationally and experimentally studied. Then, attention is turned to studying different heat pipe orientations and heat pipe placements on the board. Results show that conventional FR4-based light engines experience local hot spots (ΔT>50°C) while advanced PCB technology based on heat pipes and thermal spreaders eliminates these local hot spots (ΔT<10°C), leading to a higher lumen extraction with improved reliability. Finally, possible design options are presented with embedded heat pipe structures that further improve the PCB performance.

  18. A spot-matching method using cumulative frequency matrix in 2D gel images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Chan-Myeong; Park, Joon-Ho; Chang, Chu-Seok; Ryoo, Myung-Chun

    2014-01-01

    A new method for spot matching in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis images using a cumulative frequency matrix is proposed. The method improves on the weak points of the previous method called ‘spot matching by topological patterns of neighbour spots’. It accumulates the frequencies of neighbour spot pairs produced through the entire matching process and determines spot pairs one by one in order of higher frequency. Spot matching by frequencies of neighbour spot pairs shows a fairly better performance. However, it can give researchers a hint for whether the matching results can be trustworthy or not, which can save researchers a lot of effort for verification of the results. PMID:26019609

  19. The possibilities of utilisation of heat from Tattapani Geothermal field, India

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sarolkar, P.B. [Geological Survey of India, Hyderabad (India); Pitale, U.L. [Geological Survey of India, Nagpur (India)

    1996-12-31

    The Tattapani Geothermal field produces + 1800 1pm thermal water of 100{degrees}C from five production wells. The hot water production can sustain electricity production of 300 kWe by using a binary cycle power plant. The heat energy of effluent water from power plant can be utilized for direct heat utilization on horticulture, aquaculture, cold storage, silviculture etc; to augment the economics of the power plant be spot can be developed as a centre for tourist attraction by constructing botanical park, greenhouse, geyser show and crocodile farm. The direct heat utilization shemes can be planned in cascading order to achieve maximum utility of thermal water. Additional deep drilling is essential for optimum commercial utilization of the Geothermal energy. The direct heat utilisation shemes along with binary cycle power plant may help in development of the geothermal energy and boosting the economy of this region.

  20. Matching Two-dimensional Gel Electrophoresis' Spots

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dos Anjos, António; AL-Tam, Faroq; Shahbazkia, Hamid Reza

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes an approach for matching Two-Dimensional Electrophoresis (2-DE) gels' spots, involving the use of image registration. The number of false positive matches produced by the proposed approach is small, when compared to academic and commercial state-of-the-art approaches. This ar...

  1. Bier spots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahu Yorulmaz,

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Also called as physiologic anemic macules, Bier spots are small, hypopigmented irregularly shaped macules against a background of diffuse erythema, which creates an appearance of speckled vascular mottling of the skin. Bier spots most commonly appear on distal portions of the limbs though there are case reports describing diffuse involvement, which also affect trunk and mucous membranes of the patient. Although the exact pathophysiological mechanisms underlying Bier spots still need to be elucidated, Bier spots have been suggested to be a vascular anomaly caused by vasoconstriction of small vessels. In addition, several diseases have been proposed to be associated with Bier spots, including scleroderma renal crisis, cryoglobulinemia, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, alopecia areata and hypoplasia of the aorta, although it has not been shown whether these associations are casual or coincidental. The clinical presentation of Bier spots is quite typical. These tiny whitish macules easily become prominent when the affected limb is placed in a dependent position and fade away when the limb is raised. Here we report a case of Bier spots in a 32-year-old male patient with characteristical clinical manifestations.

  2. Experimental and simulated strength of spot welds

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Chris Valentin; Bennedbæk, Rune A.K.; Larsen, Morten B.

    2014-01-01

    Weld strength testing of single spots in DP600 steel is presented for the three typical testing procedures, i.e. tensile-shear, cross-tension and peel testing. Spot welds are performed at two sets of welding parameters and strength testing under these conditions is presented by load......-elongation curves revealing the maximum load and the elongation at break. Welding and strength testing is simulated by SORPAS® 3D, which allows the two processes to be prepared in a combined simulation, such that the simulated welding properties are naturally applied to the simulation of strength testing. Besides...... the size and shape of the weld nugget, these properties include the new strength of the material in the weld and the heat affected zone based on the predicted hardness resulting from microstructural phase changes simulated during cooling of the weld before strength testing. Comparisons between overall...

  3. Free convection flow and heat transfer in pipe exposed to cooling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mme, Uduak Akpan

    2010-10-15

    One of the challenges with thermal insulation design in subsea equipment is to minimize the heat loss through cold spots during production shut down. Cold spots are system components where insulation is difficult to implement, resulting in an insulation discontinuity which creates by nature a thermal bridge. It is difficult to avoid cold spots or thermal bridges in items like sensors, valves, connectors and supporting structures. These areas of reduced or no insulation are referred to as cold spots. Heat is drained faster through these spots, resulting in an increased local fluid density resulting in an internal fluid flow due to gravity and accelerated cool- down. This natural convection flow is important for both heat loss and internal distribution of the temperature. This thesis is presenting both experimental work and modelling work. A series of cool down tests and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of these tests are presented. These tests and simulations were carried out in order to understand the flow physics involved in heat exchange processes caused by free convection flow in pipe exposed to cooling. Inclination of the pipe relative to the direction of gravity and temperature difference between cooling water and internal pipe water are the two main parameters investigated in this study. The experimental heat removal and temperature field is discussed and further interpreted by means of computational fluid dynamics. For prediction of the evolvement of the local temperature and heat flow, selection of an appropriate turbulence model is critical. Hence, different models and wall functions are investigated. The predicted temperature profiles and heat extraction rates are compered to the experiments for the selected turbulence models. Our main conclusions, supported by our experimental and CFD results, include: (i) Heat transfer from a localized cold spot in an inclined pipe is most efficient when the pipe orientation is close to horizontal. As the

  4. Damage threshold from large retinal spot size repetitive-pulse laser exposures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lund, Brian J; Lund, David J; Edsall, Peter R

    2014-10-01

    The retinal damage thresholds for large spot size, multiple-pulse exposures to a Q-switched, frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser (532 nm wavelength, 7 ns pulses) have been measured for 100 μm and 500 μm retinal irradiance diameters. The ED50, expressed as energy per pulse, varies only weakly with the number of pulses, n, for these extended spot sizes. The previously reported threshold for a multiple-pulse exposure for a 900 μm retinal spot size also shows the same weak dependence on the number of pulses. The multiple-pulse ED50 for an extended spot-size exposure does not follow the n dependence exhibited by small spot size exposures produced by a collimated beam. Curves derived by using probability-summation models provide a better fit to the data.

  5. Characterization of biomass producer gas as fuel for stationary gas engines in combined heat and power production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ahrenfeldt, Jesper

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this project has been the characterization of biomass producer gas as a fuel for stationary gas engines in heat and power production. More than 3200 hours of gas engine operation, with producer gas as fuel, has been conducted at the biomass gasification combined heat and power (CHP...... different measuring methods. Likewise, no particles were detected in the gas. Considerable amounts of NH3 were measured in the produced gas.An analysis of engine operation at varying load has been carried out. Standard emissions, load and efficiency have been measured at varying operating conditions ranging...... from 50% to 90% load. Biomass producer gas is an excellent lean burn engine fuel: Operation of a natural aspirated engine has been achieved for 1.2...

  6. Identification of measures for prevention of black spots in organically produced stored carrots

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Köhl, J.; Kastelein, P.; Elderson, J.; Blok, W.J.

    2005-01-01

    In the Netherlands winter carrot for the fresh market is a cash crop for many organic growers of field vegetables. In the last few years blackish spots have been observed during storage of carrot roots. An inventory was carried out in 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 including in total 42 carrot lots from 22

  7. Supplemental heating of conventional Inertial Confinement Fusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, B R; Hughes, S J; Garbett, W J; Sircombe, N J

    2016-01-01

    We report a new ICF scheme whereby a capsule is imploded to near ignition conditions and subsequently flooded with hot electrons generated from a short-pulse laser- plasma interaction so as to heat the whole assembly by a few hundred eV. The cold dense shell pressure is increased by a larger factor than that of the hot spot at the capsule core, so that further heating and compression of the hot spot occurs. We suggest it may be possible to drive the capsule to ignition by the pressure augmentation supplied by this extra deposition of energy. (paper)

  8. Collaboration spotting for dental science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonardi, E; Agocs, A; Fragkiskos, S; Kasfikis, N; Le Goff, J M; Cristalli, M P; Luzzi, V; Polimeni, A

    2014-10-06

    The goal of the Collaboration Spotting project is to create an automatic system to collect information about publications and patents related to a given technology, to identify the key players involved, and to highlight collaborations and related technologies. The collected information can be visualized in a web browser as interactive graphical maps showing in an intuitive way the players and their collaborations (Sociogram) and the relations among the technologies (Technogram). We propose to use the system to study technologies related to Dental Science. In order to create a Sociogram, we create a logical filter based on a set of keywords related to the technology under study. This filter is used to extract a list of publications from the Web of Science™ database. The list is validated by an expert in the technology and sent to CERN where it is inserted in the Collaboration Spotting database. Here, an automatic software system uses the data to generate the final maps. We studied a set of recent technologies related to bone regeneration procedures of oro--maxillo--facial critical size defects, namely the use of Porous HydroxyApatite (HA) as a bone substitute alone (bone graft) or as a tridimensional support (scaffold) for insemination and differentiation ex--vivo of Mesenchymal Stem Cells. We produced the Sociograms for these technologies and the resulting maps are now accessible on--line. The Collaboration Spotting system allows the automatic creation of interactive maps to show the current and historical state of research on a specific technology. These maps are an ideal tool both for researchers who want to assess the state--of--the--art in a given technology, and for research organizations who want to evaluate their contribution to the technological development in a given field. We demonstrated that the system can be used for Dental Science and produced the maps for an initial set of technologies in this field. We now plan to enlarge the set of mapped

  9. Collaboration Spotting for oral medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonardi, E; Agocs, A; Fragkiskos, S; Kasfikis, N; Le Goff, J M; Cristalli, M P; Luzzi, V; Polimeni, A

    2014-09-01

    The goal of the Collaboration Spotting project is to create an automatic system to collect information about publications and patents related to a given technology, to identify the key players involved, and to highlight collaborations and related technologies. The collected information can be visualized in a web browser as interactive graphical maps showing in an intuitive way the players and their collaborations (Sociogram) and the relations among the technologies (Technogram). We propose to use the system to study technologies related to oral medicine. In order to create a sociogram, we create a logical filter based on a set of keywords related to the technology under study. This filter is used to extract a list of publications from the Web of Science™ database. The list is validated by an expert in the technology and sent to CERN where it is inserted in the Collaboration Spotting database. Here, an automatic software system uses the data to generate the final maps. We studied a set of recent technologies related to bone regeneration procedures of oro-maxillo-facial critical size defects, namely the use of porous hydroxyapatite (HA) as a bone substitute alone (bone graft) or as a tridimensional support (scaffold) for insemination and differentiation ex vivo of mesenchymal stem cells. We produced the sociograms for these technologies and the resulting maps are now accessible on-line. The Collaboration Spotting system allows the automatic creation of interactive maps to show the current and historical state of research on a specific technology. These maps are an ideal tool both for researchers who want to assess the state-of-the-art in a given technology, and for research organizations who want to evaluate their contribution to the technological development in a given field. We demonstrated that the system can be used in oral medicine as is produced the maps for an initial set of technologies in this field. We now plan to enlarge the set of mapped technologies in

  10. Prediction of hottest spot temperature in power transformer windings with non-directed and directed oil-forced cooling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taghikhani, M.A.; Gholami, A. [Electrical Engineering Department, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Narmak, 16846 Tehran (Iran)

    2009-09-15

    Power transformer outages have a considerable economic impact on the operation of an electrical network. One of the most important parameters governing transformer's life expectancy is the hottest spot temperature (HST) value. The classical approach has been to consider the hottest spot temperature as the sum of the ambient temperature, the top-oil temperature rise, and the hottest spot to top-oil temperature gradient. The authors proposed a numerical method based on heat transfer theory using the finite element method and they only needed to solve heat conduction equation. The transformer selected for simulation was a 32 MVA transformer with non-directed oil-forced (NDOF) cooling and directed oil-forced (DOF) cooling. A comparison of the authors results with those obtained from finite integral transform and experimental test confirms the validity and accuracy of the proposed method. (author)

  11. Laser Heating of the Core-Shell Nanowires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Astefanoaei, Iordana; Dumitru, Ioan; Stancu, Alexandru

    2016-12-01

    The induced thermal stress in a heating process is an important parameter to be known and controlled in the magnetization process of core-shell nanowires. This paper analyses the stress produced by a laser heating source placed at one end of a core-shell type structure. The thermal field was computed with the non-Fourier heat transport equation using a finite element method (FEM) implemented in Comsol Multiphysics. The internal stresses are essentially due to thermal gradients and different expansion characteristics of core and shell materials. The stress values were computed using the thermo elastic formalism and are depending on the laser beam parameters (spot size, power etc.) and system characteristics (dimensions, thermal characteristics). Stresses in the GPa range were estimated and consequently we find that the magnetic state of the system can be influenced significantly. A shell material as the glass which is a good thermal insulator induces in the magnetic core, the smaller stresses and consequently the smaller magnetoelastic energy. These results lead to a better understanding of the switching process in the magnetic materials.

  12. SU-E-T-510: Interplay Between Spots Sizes, Spot / Line Spacing and Motion in Spot Scanning Proton Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, TK

    2015-01-01

    Purpose In proton beam configuration for spot scanning proton therapy (SSPT), one can define the spacing between spots and lines of scanning as a ratio of given spot size. If the spacing increases, the number of spots decreases which can potentially decrease scan time, and so can whole treatment time, and vice versa. However, if the spacing is too large, the uniformity of scanned field decreases. Also, the field uniformity can be affected by motion during SSPT beam delivery. In the present study, the interplay between spot/ line spacing and motion is investigated. Methods We used four Gaussian-shape spot sizes with 0.5cm, 1.0cm, 1.5cm, and 2.0cm FWHM, three spot/line spacing that creates uniform field profile which are 1/3*FWHM, σ/3*FWHM and 2/3*FWHM, and three random motion amplitudes within, +/−0.3mm, +/−0.5mm, and +/−1.0mm. We planned with 2Gy uniform single layer of 10×10cm2 and 20×20cm2 fields. Then, mean dose within 80% area of given field size, contrubuting MU per each spot assuming 1cGy/MU calibration for all spot sizes, number of spots and uniformity were calculated. Results The plans with spot/line spacing equal to or smaller than 2/3*FWHM without motion create ∼100% uniformity. However, it was found that the uniformity decreases with increased spacing, and it is more pronounced with smaller spot sizes, but is not affected by scanned field sizes. Conclusion It was found that the motion during proton beam delivery can alter the dose uniformity and the amount of alteration changes with spot size which changes with energy and spot/line spacing. Currently, robust evaluation in TPS (e.g. Eclipse system) performs range uncertainty evaluation using isocenter shift and CT calibration error. Based on presented study, it is recommended to add interplay effect evaluation to robust evaluation process. For future study, the additional interplay between the energy layers and motion is expected to present volumetric effect

  13. Study on heat transfer characteristics in a mixing tee pipe to evaluate for thermal fatigue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyoshi, Koji; Nakamura, Akira; Utanohara, Yoichi

    2016-01-01

    Thermal fatigue racking may initiate at a tee pipe where high and low temperature fluids flow in from different directions and mix. Thermal stress fluctuations are caused by movement of a hot spot on the pipe inner surface. It is important to investigate the heat transfer from the fluid to the structure around the hot spot. The heat transfer characteristic in the mixing tee pipe was investigated by tests in this study. The unsteady heat transfer coefficients around the hot spot were estimated with the fluid and wall temperature, which were measured with thermocouples. The estimated heat transfer coefficient varied from 1.2 to 3.5 times of the steady state heat transfer coefficient. The heat transfer coefficient was 2.9 times of the steady state value at the position for the maximum stress fluctuation, which was calculated with the measured wall temperature distribution. (author)

  14. Plasmonic electromagnetic hot spots temporally addressed by photoinduced molecular displacement.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Juan, M. L.; Plain, J.; Bachelot, R.; Vial, A.; Royer, P.; Gray, S. K.; Montgomery, J. M.; Wiederrecht, G. P.; Univ. de Technologie de Troyes

    2009-04-23

    We report the observation of temporally varying electromagnetic hot spots in plasmonic nanostructures. Changes in the field amplitude, position, and spatial features are induced by embedding plasmonic silver nanorods in the photoresponsive azo-polymer. This polymer undergoes cis?trans isomerization and wormlike transport within resonant optical fields, producing a time-varying local dielectric environment that alters the locations where electromagnetic hot spots are produced. Finite-difference time-domain and Monte Carlo simulations that model the induced field and corresponding material response are presented to aid in the interpretation of the experimental results. Evidence for propagating plasmons induced at the ends of the rods is also presented.

  15. Leaching and heating process as alternative to produce fish protein powder from Kilka (Clupeonella cultiventris caspia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    KAVEH RAHMANIFARAH

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Rahmanifarah K, Shabanpour B, Shaviklo AR, Aalami M. 2014. Leaching and heating process as alternative to produce fish protein powder from Kilka (Clupeonella cultiventris caspia. Nusantara Bioscience 6: 1-6. The effect of protein extraction procedures (leached mince and heated suspension on selected properties of fish protein powder (proximate composition, pH, color, density, viscosity, fat adsorption, emulsifying capacity, emulsifying stability, foaming capacity, foaming stability, WBC, protein solubility in water, hygroscopicity, Trichloroacetic acid (TCA-soluble peptides and free sulfhydryl groups was investigated. Results showed that Fish protein powder (FPP produced by leaching mince (LM have higher protein, moisture, ash, pH, L*, viscosity, emulsion capacity, emulsion stability, foam capacity, foam stability, water binding capacity (WBC, protein solubility, hygroscopicity, TCA soluble peptides and free sulfhydryl group content than heated suspension (HS (P0.05. Overall, it was observed that high temperature during heating of suspension in HS method makes possible protein denaturation and aggregation. Consequently, based on functional, chemical and physical properties, extraction of fish protein by leaching process was found to be suitable for the production of fish protein powder.

  16. Ultrasonic Real-Time Quality Monitoring Of Aluminum Spot Weld Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez Regalado, Waldo Josue

    The real-time ultrasonic spot weld monitoring system, introduced by our research group, has been designed for the unsupervised quality characterization of the spot welding process. It comprises the ultrasonic transducer (probe) built into one of the welding electrodes and an electronics hardware unit which gathers information from the transducer, performs real-time weld quality characterization and communicates with the robot programmable logic controller (PLC). The system has been fully developed for the inspection of spot welds manufactured in steel alloys, and has been mainly applied in the automotive industry. In recent years, a variety of materials have been introduced to the automotive industry. These include high strength steels, magnesium alloys, and aluminum alloys. Aluminum alloys have been of particular interest due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. Resistance spot welding requirements for aluminum vary greatly from those of steel. Additionally, the oxide film formed on the aluminum surface increases the heat generation between the copper electrodes and the aluminum plates leading to accelerated electrode deterioration. Preliminary studies showed that the real-time quality inspection system was not able to monitor spot welds manufactured with aluminum. The extensive experimental research, finite element modelling of the aluminum welding process and finite difference modeling of the acoustic wave propagation through the aluminum spot welds presented in this dissertation, revealed that the thermodynamics and hence the acoustic wave propagation through an aluminum and a steel spot weld differ significantly. For this reason, the hardware requirements and the algorithms developed to determine the welds quality from the ultrasonic data used on steel, no longer apply on aluminum spot welds. After updating the system and designing the required algorithms, parameters such as liquid nugget penetration and nugget diameter were available in the ultrasonic data

  17. Inverse gene-for-gene interactions contribute additively to tan spot susceptibility in wheat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhaohui; Zurn, Jason D; Kariyawasam, Gayan; Faris, Justin D; Shi, Gongjun; Hansen, Jana; Rasmussen, Jack B; Acevedo, Maricelis

    2017-06-01

    Tan spot susceptibility is conferred by multiple interactions of necrotrophic effector and host sensitivity genes. Tan spot of wheat, caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, is an important disease in almost all wheat-growing areas of the world. The disease system is known to involve at least three fungal-produced necrotrophic effectors (NEs) that interact with the corresponding host sensitivity (S) genes in an inverse gene-for-gene manner to induce disease. However, it is unknown if the effects of these NE-S gene interactions contribute additively to the development of tan spot. In this work, we conducted disease evaluations using different races and quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis in a wheat recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between two susceptible genotypes, LMPG-6 and PI 626573. The two parental lines each harbored a single known NE sensitivity gene with LMPG-6 having the Ptr ToxC sensitivity gene Tsc1 and PI 626573 having the Ptr ToxA sensitivity gene Tsn1. Transgressive segregation was observed in the population for all races. QTL mapping revealed that both loci (Tsn1 and Tsc1) were significantly associated with susceptibility to race 1 isolates, which produce both Ptr ToxA and Ptr ToxC, and the two genes contributed additively to tan spot susceptibility. For isolates of races 2 and 3, which produce only Ptr ToxA and Ptr ToxC, only Tsn1 and Tsc1 were associated with tan spot susceptibility, respectively. This work clearly demonstrates that tan spot susceptibility in this population is due primarily to two NE-S interactions. Breeders should remove both sensitivity genes from wheat lines to obtain high levels of tan spot resistance.

  18. Nondestructive Testing of Ceramic Hip Joint Implants with Laser Spot Thermography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roemer J.

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents an application of laser spot thermography for damage detection in ceramic samples with surface breaking cracks. The measurement technique is an active thermographic approach based on an external heat delivery to a test sample, by means of a laser pulse, and signal acquisition by an infrared camera. Damage detection is based on the analysis of surface temperature distribution near the exciting laser spot. The technique is nondestructive, non-contact and allows for full-field measurements. Surface breaking cracks are a very common type of damage in ceramic materials that are introduced in the manufacturing process or during the service period. This paper briefly discusses theoretical background of laser spot thermography, describes the experimental test rig and signal processing methods involved. Damage detection results obtained with laser spot thermography are compared with reference measurements obtained with vibrothermography. This is a different modality of active thermography, that has been previously proven effective for this type of damage. We demonstrate that both measurement techniques can be effectively used for damage detection and quality control applications of ceramic materials.

  19. Sweet Spots and Door Stops

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Michael; Tsui, Stella; Leung, Chi Fan

    2011-01-01

    A sweet spot is referred to in sport as the perfect place to strike a ball with a racquet or bat. It is the point of contact between bat and ball where maximum results can be produced with minimal effort from the hand of the player. Similar physics can be applied to the less inspiring examples of door stops; the perfect position of a door stop is…

  20. Lipolytic Changes in Fermented Sausages Produced with Turkey Meat: Effects of Starter Culture and Heat Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karsloğlu, Betül; Çiçek, Ümran Ensoy; Kolsarici, Nuray; Candoğan, Kezban

    2014-01-01

    In this study, the effects of two different commercial starter culture mixes and processing methodologies (traditional and heat process) on the lipolytic changes of fermented sausages manufactured with turkey meat were evaluated during processing stages and storage. Free fatty acid (FFA) value increased with fermentation and during storage over 120 d in all fermented sausage groups produced with both processing methodologies (p<0.05). After drying stage, free fatty acid values of traditional style and heat processed fermented sausages were between 10.54-13.01% and 6.56-8.49%, respectively. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values of traditionally processed fermented sausages were between 0.220-0.450 mg·kg(-1), and TBA values of heat processed fermented sausages were in a range of 0.405-0.795 mg·kg(-1). Oleic and linoleic acids were predominant fatty acids in all fermented sausages. It was seen that fermented sausage groups produced with starter culture had lower TBA and FFA values in comparison with the control groups, and heat application inhibited the lipase enzyme activity and had an improving effect on lipid oxidation. As a result of these effects, heat processed fermented sausages had lower FFA and higher TBA values than the traditionally processed groups.

  1. Heat transfer improvement due to the imposition of non-uniform wall heating for in-tube laminar forced convection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hajmohammadi, M.R.; Poozesh, S.; Rahmani, M.; Campo, A.

    2013-01-01

    This paper explores the bearing that a non-uniform distribution of heat flux used as a wall boundary condition exerts on the heat transfer improvement in a round pipe. Because the overall heat load is considered fixed, the heat transfer improvement is viewed through a reduction in the maximum temperature (‘hot spot’) by imposing optimal distribution of heat flux. Two cases are studied in detail 1) fully developed and 2) developing flow. Peak temperatures in the heated pipe wall are calculated via an analytical approach for the fully developed case, while a numerical simulation based on CFD is employed for the developing case. By relaxing the heat flux distribution on the pipe wall, the numerical results imply that the optimum distribution of heat flux, which minimizes the peak temperatures corresponds with the ‘descending’ distribution. Given that the foregoing approach is quite different from the ‘ascending’ heat flux distribution recommended in the literature by means of the entropy generation minimization (EGM) method, it is inferred that the optimization of heat transfer and fluid flow, in comparison with the thermodynamic optimization, may bring forth quite different guidelines for the designs of thermal systems under the same constraints and circumstances. -- Highlights: • Considered the bearing of non-uniform distribution of heat flux on the hot spots. • Determined the optimal distribution of heat flux that minimizes the hot spots. • Results are compared with those obtained by EGM method

  2. Transitional–turbulent spots and turbulent–turbulent spots in boundary layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiaohua; Moin, Parviz; Wallace, James M.; Skarda, Jinhie; Lozano-Durán, Adrián; Hickey, Jean-Pierre

    2017-01-01

    Two observations drawn from a thoroughly validated direct numerical simulation of the canonical spatially developing, zero-pressure gradient, smooth, flat-plate boundary layer are presented here. The first is that, for bypass transition in the narrow sense defined herein, we found that the transitional–turbulent spot inception mechanism is analogous to the secondary instability of boundary-layer natural transition, namely a spanwise vortex filament becomes a Λ vortex and then, a hairpin packet. Long streak meandering does occur but usually when a streak is infected by a nearby existing transitional–turbulent spot. Streak waviness and breakdown are, therefore, not the mechanisms for the inception of transitional–turbulent spots found here. Rather, they only facilitate the growth and spreading of existing transitional–turbulent spots. The second observation is the discovery, in the inner layer of the developed turbulent boundary layer, of what we call turbulent–turbulent spots. These turbulent–turbulent spots are dense concentrations of small-scale vortices with high swirling strength originating from hairpin packets. Although structurally quite similar to the transitional–turbulent spots, these turbulent–turbulent spots are generated locally in the fully turbulent environment, and they are persistent with a systematic variation of detection threshold level. They exert indentation, segmentation, and termination on the viscous sublayer streaks, and they coincide with local concentrations of high levels of Reynolds shear stress, enstrophy, and temperature fluctuations. The sublayer streaks seem to be passive and are often simply the rims of the indentation pockets arising from the turbulent–turbulent spots. PMID:28630304

  3. Transitional-turbulent spots and turbulent-turbulent spots in boundary layers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiaohua; Moin, Parviz; Wallace, James M; Skarda, Jinhie; Lozano-Durán, Adrián; Hickey, Jean-Pierre

    2017-07-03

    Two observations drawn from a thoroughly validated direct numerical simulation of the canonical spatially developing, zero-pressure gradient, smooth, flat-plate boundary layer are presented here. The first is that, for bypass transition in the narrow sense defined herein, we found that the transitional-turbulent spot inception mechanism is analogous to the secondary instability of boundary-layer natural transition, namely a spanwise vortex filament becomes a [Formula: see text] vortex and then, a hairpin packet. Long streak meandering does occur but usually when a streak is infected by a nearby existing transitional-turbulent spot. Streak waviness and breakdown are, therefore, not the mechanisms for the inception of transitional-turbulent spots found here. Rather, they only facilitate the growth and spreading of existing transitional-turbulent spots. The second observation is the discovery, in the inner layer of the developed turbulent boundary layer, of what we call turbulent-turbulent spots. These turbulent-turbulent spots are dense concentrations of small-scale vortices with high swirling strength originating from hairpin packets. Although structurally quite similar to the transitional-turbulent spots, these turbulent-turbulent spots are generated locally in the fully turbulent environment, and they are persistent with a systematic variation of detection threshold level. They exert indentation, segmentation, and termination on the viscous sublayer streaks, and they coincide with local concentrations of high levels of Reynolds shear stress, enstrophy, and temperature fluctuations. The sublayer streaks seem to be passive and are often simply the rims of the indentation pockets arising from the turbulent-turbulent spots.

  4. Modeling of electric and heat processes in spot resistance welding of cross-wire steel bars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iatcheva, Ilona; Darzhanova, Denitsa; Manilova, Marina

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this work is the modeling of coupled electric and heat processes in a system for spot resistance welding of cross-wire reinforced steel bars. The real system geometry, dependences of material properties on the temperature, and changes of contact resistance and released power during the welding process have been taken into account in the study. The 3D analysis of the coupled AC electric and transient thermal field distributions is carried out using the finite element method. The novel feature is that the processes are modeled for several successive time stages, corresponding to the change of contact area, related contact resistance, and reduction of the released power, occurring simultaneously with the creation of contact between the workpieces. The values of contact resistance and power changes have been determined on the basis of preliminary experimental and theoretical investigations. The obtained results present the electric and temperature field distributions in the system. Special attention has been paid to the temperature evolution at specified observation points and lines in the contact area. The obtained information could be useful for clarification of the complicated nature of interrelated electric, thermal, mechanical, and physicochemical welding processes. Adequate modeling is also an opportunity for proper control and improvement of the system.

  5. Heat treatment of Ti6Al4V produced by Selective Laser Melting: Microstructure and mechanical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vrancken, Bey; Thijs, Lore; Kruth, Jean-Pierre; Van Humbeeck, Jan

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Responses of SLM-produced and wrought Ti6Al4V to heat treatment are compared. ► Temperature is found to be the controlling parameter for treatments in the α + β range. ► Ductility could be improved by a factor of 85%, from 7.27% to 13.59%. ► An optimal heat treatment for SLM produced Ti6Al4V is proposed. - Abstract: The present work shows that optimization of mechanical properties via heat treatment of parts produced by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) is profoundly different compared to conventionally processed Ti6Al4V. In order to obtain optimal mechanical properties, specific treatments are necessary due to the specific microstructure resulting from the SLM process. SLM is an additive manufacturing technique through which components are built by selectively melting powder layers with a focused laser beam. The process is characterized by short laser-powder interaction times and localized high heat input, which leads to steep thermal gradients, rapid solidification and fast cooling. In this research, the effect of several heat treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V processed by SLM is studied. A comparison is made with the effect of these treatments on hot forged and subsequently mill annealed Ti6Al4V with an original equiaxed microstructure. For SLM produced parts, the original martensite α′ phase is converted to a lamellar mixture of α and β for heat treating temperatures below the β-transus (995 °C), but features of the original microstructure are maintained. Treated above the β-transus, extensive grain growth occurs and large β grains are formed which transform to lamellar α + β upon cooling. Post treating at 850 °C for 2 h, followed by furnace cooling increased the ductility of SLM parts to 12.84 ± 1.36%, compared to 7.36 ± 1.32% for as-built parts.

  6. Heat-pulse flowmeter for a liquid breeder blanket

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kondo, Masatoshi; Shibano, Kyohei; Tanaka, Teruya; Muroga, Takeo

    2013-01-01

    Liquid metals Li, Pb-17Li and Sn-20Li are candidate liquid breeders in fusion reactors. The development of a flowmeter that can be applied to high-temperature liquid metals is an important issue. A heat-pulse flowmeter is proposed in the present study. Its basic performance was investigated by means of a loop experiment with Pb-17Li and a numerical simulation. The temperature distribution in flowing Pb-17Li was obtained by local transient heating of the outer surface of a loop tube. The temperature distribution gradually changed and resembled the movement of a hot spot, which had a higher temperature than its surroundings. This hot spot moved along the flow and passed through the tips of the thermocouples. The change in temperature distribution with the movement of the hot spot was monitored by three thermocouples exposed to the Pb-17Li flow. The results of the loop experiments were numerically simulated by assuming a certain flow rate, and the temperature profile obtained in the loop experiment was in agreement with the simulation results. The time taken by the hot spot to pass through the tips of the thermocouples was measured and simulated, and the correlation between this time and the average flow velocity was evaluated. The results indicated the average flow velocity can be obtained using the heat-pulse flowmeter proposed in this study. (author)

  7. Spreaders for immersion nucleate boiling cooling of a computer chip with a central hot spot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, Amir F.; El-Genk, Mohamed S.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The paper introduces a spreader concept for cooling high power chip with a hot spot. ► Spreader is comprised of a Cu substrate and copper micro-porous surface. ► Spreaders surface is cooled by nucleate boiling of PF-5060 dielectric liquid. ► Analysis demonstrated spreader effectiveness for mitigating hot spot effect. - Abstract: This paper numerically investigates the performance of composite spreaders comprised of Cu substrates and Cu micro-porous surfaces of different thicknesses for immersion cooling of 10 × 10 mm underlying computer chip with a 2 × 2 mm central hot spot. The local heat flux at the hot spot is three times the chip’s surface average outside the hot spot. The thickness of the Cu substrate changes from 1.6 to 3.2 mm and that of the Cu micro-porous surface changes from 80 to 197 μm. The spreaders are cooled by saturation nucleate boiling of PF-5060 dielectric liquid. The local values of the nucleate boiling heat transfer coefficients on the various Cu micro-porous surfaces are based on pool boiling experimental measurements. Results demonstrated the effectiveness of immersion cooling nucleate boiling for mitigating the effect of the hot spot. The spreaders decrease the maximum surface temperature and the temperature gradient on the chip surface and increase the dissipated thermal power by the chip and removed from the spreader surface. Increasing the thickness of the Cu substrate and/or decreasing the thickness of the Cu micro-porous surface increases the total thermal power removed, the chip surface temperature and the spreader’s footprint area.

  8. Analysis of laser-induced heating in optical neuronal guidance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ebbesen, Christian L.; Bruus, Henrik

    2012-01-01

    Recently, it has been shown that it is possible to control the growth direction of neuronal growth cones by stimulation with weak laser light; an effect dubbed optical neuronal guidance. The effect exists for a broad range of laser wavelengths, spot sizes, spot intensities, optical intensity...... profiles and beam modulations, but it is unknown which biophysical mechanisms govern it. Based on thermodynamic modeling and simulation using published experimental parameters as input, we argue that the guidance is linked to heating. Until now, temperature effects due to laser-induced heating...

  9. Spotted inflation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuda, Tomohiro

    2010-01-01

    We describe new scenarios for generating curvature perturbations when inflaton (curvaton) has significant interactions. We consider a ''spot'', which arises from interactions associated with an enhanced symmetric point (ESP) on the trajectory. Our first example uses the spot to induce a gap in the field equation. We observe that the gap in the field equation may cause generation of curvature perturbation if it does not appear simultaneous in space. The mechanism is similar to the scenario of inhomogeneous phase transition. Then we observe that the spot interactions may initiate warm inflation in the cold Universe. Creation of cosmological perturbation is discussed in relation to the inflaton dynamics and the modulation associated with the spot interactions

  10. [Effect of resin infiltration treatment on the colour of white spot lesions].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xiaoyi; Gao, Xuejun

    2014-06-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the effect of resin infiltration and fluoride solution on masking different demineralized white spot lesions by assessing color change. Artificial white spot lesions were produced on 60 human molars. Each sample had at least two enamel surfaces opened (named A and B). The samples were randomly divided into groups 1, 2, and 3 according to their time of demineralization (24, 48, and 72 h). After demineralization, the A spot of each sample was treated by resin infiltration. The B spot was treated with 0.1% fluoride solution daily for 30 days. After the remineralization of the B spot, resin infiltration was used again on the B spot of each sample. Color assessment was performed by a spectrophotometer in five distinct stages: baseline, after the production of artificial caries, after resin infiltration of A spots, after 30 days of fluoride solution treatment of B spots, and after resin infiltration of remineralized B spots. Before demineralization, the L* values of spots A and B in all groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05), whereas the L* values of spots A and B were significantly increased after demineralization. The L* values of A spots recovered significantly after treatment by resin infiltration (P 0.05) after fluoride treatment compared with that after demineralization. After resin infiltration on B spots, the L* values recovered but could not reach the baseline nor the level of A spots treated by resin infiltration only. Resin infiltration is a more effective treatment for masking white spot lesions than traditional fluoride treatment. The effect of masking white spot lesions has certain relationships with the degree of demineralization and activity of the lesion.

  11. Spot Weight Adaptation for Moving Target in Spot Scanning Proton Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morel, Paul; Wu, Xiaodong; Blin, Guillaume; Vialette, Stéphane; Flynn, Ryan; Hyer, Daniel; Wang, Dongxu

    2015-01-01

    This study describes a real-time spot weight adaptation method in spot-scanning proton therapy for moving target or moving patient, so that the resultant dose distribution closely matches the planned dose distribution. The method proposed in this study adapts the weight (MU) of the delivering pencil beam to that of the target spot; it will actually hit during patient/target motion. The target spot that a certain delivering pencil beam may hit relies on patient monitoring and/or motion modeling using four-dimensional (4D) CT. After the adapted delivery, the required total weight [Monitor Unit (MU)] for this target spot is then subtracted from the planned value. With continuous patient motion and continuous spot scanning, the planned doses to all target spots will eventually be all fulfilled. In a proof-of-principle test, a lung case was presented with realistic temporal and motion parameters; the resultant dose distribution using spot weight adaptation was compared to that without using this method. The impact of the real-time patient/target position tracking or prediction was also investigated. For moderate motion (i.e., mean amplitude 0.5 cm), D95% to the planning target volume (PTV) was only 81.5% of the prescription (RX) dose; with spot weight adaptation PTV D95% achieves 97.7% RX. For large motion amplitude (i.e., 1.5 cm), without spot weight adaptation PTV D95% is only 42.9% of RX; with spot weight adaptation, PTV D95% achieves 97.7% RX. Larger errors in patient/target position tracking or prediction led to worse final target coverage; an error of 3 mm or smaller in patient/target position tracking is preferred. The proposed spot weight adaptation method was able to deliver the planned dose distribution and maintain target coverage when patient motion was involved. The successful implementation of this method would rely on accurate monitoring or prediction of patient/target motion.

  12. Spot Weight Adaptation for Moving Target in Spot Scanning Proton Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul eMorel

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: This study describes a real-time spot weight adaptation method in spot-scanning proton therapy for moving target or moving patient, so that the resultant dose distribution closely matches the planned dose distribution. Materials and Methods: The method proposed in this study adapts the weight (MU of the delivering pencil beam to that of the target spot it will actually hit during patient/target motion. The target spot a certain delivering pencil beam may hit relies on patient monitoring and/or motion modeling using four-dimensional (4D CT. After the adapted delivery, the required total weight (MU for this target spot is then subtracted from the planned value. With continuous patient motion and continuous spot scanning, the planned doses to all target spots will eventually be all fulfilled. In a proof-of-principle test, a lung case was presented with realistic temporal and motion parameters; the resultant dose distribution using spot weight adaptation was compared to that without using this method. The impact of the real-time patient/target position tracking or prediction was also investigated.Results: For moderate motion (i.e., mean amplitude 0.5 cm, D95% to the planning target volume (PTV was only 81.5% of the prescription (RX dose; with spot weight adaptation PTV D95% achieves 97.7%RX. For large motion amplitude (i.e., 1.5 cm, without spot weight adaptation PTV D95% is only 42.9% of RX; with spot weight adaptation, PTV D95% achieves 97.7%RX. Larger errors in patient/target position tracking or prediction led to worse final target coverage; an error of 3mm or smaller in patient/target position tracking is preferred. Conclusion: The proposed spot weight adaptation method was able to deliver the planned dose distribution and maintain target coverage when patient motion was involved. The successful implementation of this method would rely on accurate monitoring or prediction of patient/target motion.

  13. Scanning vs. single spot laser ablation (λ=213 nm) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez, Jhanis J.; Fernandez, Alberto; Mao Xianglei; Russo, Richard E.

    2004-01-01

    Sampling strategy is defined in this work as the interaction of a repetitively pulsed laser beam with a fixed position on a sample (single spot) or with a moving sample (scan). Analytical performance of these sampling strategies was compared by using 213 nm laser ablation ICP-MS. A geological rock (Tuff) was quantitatively analyzed based on NIST series 610-616 glass standard reference materials. Laser ablation data were compared to ICP-MS analysis of the dissolved samples. The scan strategy (50 μm/s) produced a flat, steady temporal ICP-MS response whereas the single spot strategy produced a signal that decayed with time (after 60 s). Single-spot sampling provided better accuracy and precision than the scan strategy when the first 15 s of the sampling time was eliminated from the data analysis. In addition, the single spot strategy showed less matrix dependence among the four NIST glasses

  14. Bier spots

    OpenAIRE

    Ahu Yorulmaz,; Seray Kulcu Cakmak; Esra Ar?; Ferda Artuz

    2015-01-01

    Also called as physiologic anemic macules, Bier spots are small, hypopigmented irregularly shaped macules against a background of diffuse erythema, which creates an appearance of speckled vascular mottling of the skin. Bier spots most commonly appear on distal portions of the limbs though there are case reports describing diffuse involvement, which also affect trunk and mucous membranes of the patient. Although the exact pathophysiological mechanisms underlying Bier spots still need to be elu...

  15. Size distribution of salbutamol/ipratropium aerosols produced by different nebulizers in the absence and presence of heat and humidification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ssu-Han; Yang, Tsung-Ming; Lin, Hui-Ling; Tsai, Ying-Huang; Fang, Tien-Pei; Wan, Gwo-Hwa

    2018-02-01

    Few studies have evaluated the size distribution of inhaled and exhaled aerosolized drugs, or the effect of heated humidification on particle size and lung deposition. The present study evaluated these aspects of bronchodilator (salbutamol/ipratropium) delivery using a lung model in the absence and presence of heat and humidification. We positioned filters to collect and measure the initial drug, inhaled drug, and exhaled drug. Particle size distribution was evaluated using an 8-stage Marple personal cascade impactor with 0.2-μm polycarbonate filters. A greater inhaled drug mass was delivered using a vibrating mesh nebulizer (VMN) than by using a small volume nebulizer (SVN), when heated humidifiers were not employed. When heated and humidified medical gas was used, there was no significant difference between the inhaled drug mass delivered by the VMN and that delivered by the SVN. A significantly greater mass of inhaled 1.55-μm drug particles was produced by the VMN than with the SVN, under heated and humidified conditions. However, the mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMADs) of the aerosolized drug produced by the SVN and VMN did not differ significantly under the same conditions. The VMN produced more fine particles of salbutamol/ipratropium, and the drug particle size clearly increased in the presence of heat and humidification. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Ignition conditions relaxation for central hot-spot ignition with an ion-electron non-equilibrium model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Zhengfeng; Liu, Jie

    2016-10-01

    We present an ion-electron non-equilibrium model, in which the hot-spot ion temperature is higher than its electron temperature so that the hot-spot nuclear reactions are enhanced while energy leaks are considerably reduced. Theoretical analysis shows that the ignition region would be significantly enlarged in the hot-spot rhoR-T space as compared with the commonly used equilibrium model. Simulations show that shocks could be utilized to create and maintain non-equilibrium conditions within the hot spot, and the hot-spot rhoR requirement is remarkably reduced for achieving self-heating. In NIF high-foot implosions, it is observed that the x-ray enhancement factors are less than unity, which is not self-consistent and is caused by assuming Te =Ti. And from this non-consistency, we could infer that ion-electron non-equilibrium exists in the high-foot implosions and the ion temperature could be 9% larger than the equilibrium temperature.

  17. Technical Note: Spot characteristic stability for proton pencil beam scanning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chin-Cheng; Chang, Chang; Moyers, Michael F; Gao, Mingcheng; Mah, Dennis

    2016-02-01

    The spot characteristics for proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) were measured and analyzed over a 16 month period, which included one major site configuration update and six cyclotron interventions. The results provide a reference to establish the quality assurance (QA) frequency and tolerance for proton pencil beam scanning. A simple treatment plan was generated to produce an asymmetric 9-spot pattern distributed throughout a field of 16 × 18 cm for each of 18 proton energies (100.0-226.0 MeV). The delivered fluence distribution in air was measured using a phosphor screen based CCD camera at three planes perpendicular to the beam line axis (x-ray imaging isocenter and up/down stream 15.0 cm). The measured fluence distributions for each energy were analyzed using in-house programs which calculated the spot sizes and positional deviations of the Gaussian shaped spots. Compared to the spot characteristic data installed into the treatment planning system, the 16-month averaged deviations of the measured spot sizes at the isocenter plane were 2.30% and 1.38% in the IEC gantry x and y directions, respectively. The maximum deviation was 12.87% while the minimum deviation was 0.003%, both at the upstream plane. After the collinearity of the proton and x-ray imaging system isocenters was optimized, the positional deviations of the spots were all within 1.5 mm for all three planes. During the site configuration update, spot positions were found to deviate by 6 mm until the tuning parameters file was properly restored. For this beam delivery system, it is recommended to perform a spot size and position check at least monthly and any time after a database update or cyclotron intervention occurs. A spot size deviation tolerance of spot positions were <2 mm at any plane up/down stream 15 cm from the isocenter.

  18. The effect of postproduction heat treatment on γ-TiAl alloys produced by the GTAW-based additive manufacturing process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ma, Yan; Cuiuri, Dominic; Li, Huijun; Pan, Zengxi, E-mail: zengxi@uow.edu.au; Shen, Chen

    2016-03-07

    Postproduction heat treatments were carried out on additively manufactured γ-TiAl alloys that were produced by using the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process. The microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of both as-fabricated and heat-treated specimens were investigated to assess the effect of different heat treatment conditions, by using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Neutron Diffraction and tensile tests. The results indicated that heat treatment promotes the formation of the γ phase in the majority region after heat treatment at 1200 °C for 24 h, while a fully lamellar structure was formed in the near-substrate zone. The response to heat treatment at 1060 °C/24 h was markedly different, producing a fine lamellar structure with differing sizes in the majority region and near-substrate zone. These various microstructural characteristics determined the mechanical properties of the heat-treated samples. The heat-treated samples at 1200 °C/24 h exhibited lower UTS and microhardness values but higher ductility than the as-fabricated samples without heat treatment, while the 1060 °C/24 h heat treatment resulted in higher UTS and microhardness values but lower ductility. Due to the homogenous microstructure in the majority region after each postproduction heat treatment, the tensile properties were similar for both the build direction (Z) and travel direction (Y), thereby minimising the anisotropy that is exhibited by the as-fabricated alloy prior to heat treatment.

  19. Spot weld arrangement effects on the fatigue behavior of multi-spot welded joints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassanifard, Soran; Zehsaz, Mohammad; Esmaeili, Firooz

    2011-01-01

    In the present study, the effects of spot weld arrangements in multi-spot welded joints on the fatigue behavior of the joints are studied. Three different four-spot welded joints are considered: one-row four-spot parallel to the loading direction, one-row four-spot perpendicular to the loading direction and two-row four-spot weld specimens. The experimental fatigue test results reveal that the differences between the fatigue lives of three spot welded types in the low cycle regime are more considerable than those in the high cycle regime. However, all kinds of spot weld specimens have similar fatigue strength when approaching a million cycles. A non-linear finite element analysis is performed to obtain the relative stress gradients, effective distances and notch strength reduction factors based on the volumetric approach. The work here shows that the volumetric approach does a very good job in predicting the fatigue life of the multi-spot welded joints

  20. Simulations of Electron Transport in Laser Hot Spots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brunner, S.; Valeo, E.

    2001-01-01

    Simulations of electron transport are carried out by solving the Fokker-Planck equation in the diffusive approximation. The system of a single laser hot spot, with open boundary conditions, is systematically studied by performing a scan over a wide range of the two relevant parameters: (1) Ratio of the stopping length over the width of the hot spot. (2) Relative importance of the heating through inverse Bremsstrahlung compared to the thermalization through self-collisions. As for uniform illumination [J.P. Matte et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 30 (1988) 1665], the bulk of the velocity distribution functions (VDFs) present a super-Gaussian dependence. However, as a result of spatial transport, the tails are observed to be well represented by a Maxwellian. A similar dependence of the distributions is also found for multiple hot spot systems. For its relevance with respect to stimulated Raman scattering, the linear Landau damping of the electron plasma wave is estimated for such VD Fs. Finally, the nonlinear Fokker-Planck simulations of the single laser hot spot system are also compared to the results obtained with the linear non-local hydrodynamic approach [A.V. Brantov et al., Phys. Plasmas 5 (1998) 2742], thus providing a quantitative limit to the latter method: The hydrodynamic approach presents more than 10% inaccuracy in the presence of temperature variations of the order delta T/T greater than or equal to 1%, and similar levels of deformation of the Gaussian shape of the Maxwellian background

  1. Characteristics of plasma in uranium atomic beam produced by electron-beam heating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohba, Hironori; Shibata, Takemasa

    2000-08-01

    The electron temperature of plasma and the ion flux ratio in the uranium atomic beam produced by electron-beam heating were characterized with Langmuir probes. The electron temperature was 0.13 eV, which was lower than the evaporation surface temperature. The ion flux ratio to atomic beam flux was more than 3% at higher evaporation rates. The ion flux ratio has increased with decreasing acceleration energy of the electron-beam under constant electron-beam power. This is because of an increase of electron-beam current and a large ionization cross-section of uranium by electron-impact. It was confined that the plasma is produced by electron-impact ionization of the evaporated atoms at the evaporation source. (author)

  2. Heat flow anomalies and their interpretation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, David S.; Rybach, Ladislaus

    1985-12-01

    More than 10,000 heat flow determinations exist for the earth and the data set is growing steadily at about 450 observations per year. If heat flow is considered as a surface expression of geothermal processes at depth, the analysis of the data set should reveal properties of those thermal processes. They do, but on a variety of scales. For this review heat flow maps are classified by 4 different horizontal scales of 10 n km (n = 1, 2, 3 and 4) and attention is focussed on the interpretation of anomalies which appear with characteristic dimensions of 10 (n - 1) km in the respective representations. The largest scale of 10 4 km encompasses heat flow on a global scale. Global heat loss is 4 × 10 13 W and the process of sea floor spreading is the principal agent in delivering much of this heat to the surface. Correspondingly, active ocean ridge systems produce the most prominent heat flow anomalies at this scale with characteristic widths of 10 3 km. Shields, with similar dimensions, exhibit negative anomalies. The scale of 10 3 km includes continent wide displays. Heat flow patterns at this scale mimic tectonic units which have dimensions of a few times 10 2 km, although the thermal boundaries between these units are sometimes sharp. Heat flow anomalies at this scale also result from plate tectonic processes, and are associated with arc volcanism, back arc basins, hot spot traces, and continental rifting. There are major controversies about the extent to which these surface thermal provinces reflect upper mantle thermal conditions, and also about the origin and evolution of the thermal state of continental lithosphere. Beginning with map dimensions of 10 2 km thermal anomalies of scale 10 1 km, which have a definite crustal origin, become apparent. The origin may be tectonic, geologic, or hydrologic. Ten kilometers is a common wavelength of topographic relief which drives many groundwater flow systems producing thermal anomalies. The largest recognized continental

  3. Analytical modeling of the temporal evolution of hot spot temperatures in silicon solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wasmer, Sven; Rajsrima, Narong; Geisemeyer, Ino; Fertig, Fabian; Greulich, Johannes Michael; Rein, Stefan

    2018-03-01

    We present an approach to predict the equilibrium temperature of hot spots in crystalline silicon solar cells based on the analysis of their temporal evolution right after turning on a reverse bias. For this end, we derive an analytical expression for the time-dependent heat diffusion of a breakdown channel that is assumed to be cylindrical. We validate this by means of thermography imaging of hot spots right after turning on a reverse bias. The expression allows to be used to extract hot spot powers and radii from short-term measurements, targeting application in inline solar cell characterization. The extracted hot spot powers are validated at the hands of long-term dark lock-in thermography imaging. Using a look-up table of expected equilibrium temperatures determined by numerical and analytical simulations, we utilize the determined hot spot properties to predict the equilibrium temperatures of about 100 industrial aluminum back-surface field solar cells and achieve a high correlation coefficient of 0.86 and a mean absolute error of only 3.3 K.

  4. Energy is not Coffee. An assessment of blind spots on energy spot-markets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jepma, C.J.; Spijker, E.; Van der Gaast, W.; De Jong, F.; Overmars, P.

    2006-01-01

    This study was to be the first in a series of studies on the title subject. It specifically focuses on the differences and similarities with a number of other spot-markets and aims to frame the energy spot markets and their potential development into a broader perspective. Main conclusion is that energy spot-markets differ from several other physical and non-physical spot-markets in many ways. This implies that 'perfect' energy spot-markets may inherently be (much) less perfect than other spot-markets that have approximated the stage of theoretical perfection

  5. Miniature Heat Pipes

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-01-01

    Small Business Innovation Research contracts from Goddard Space Flight Center to Thermacore Inc. have fostered the company work on devices tagged "heat pipes" for space application. To control the extreme temperature ranges in space, heat pipes are important to spacecraft. The problem was to maintain an 8-watt central processing unit (CPU) at less than 90 C in a notebook computer using no power, with very little space available and without using forced convection. Thermacore's answer was in the design of a powder metal wick that transfers CPU heat from a tightly confined spot to an area near available air flow. The heat pipe technology permits a notebook computer to be operated in any position without loss of performance. Miniature heat pipe technology has successfully been applied, such as in Pentium Processor notebook computers. The company expects its heat pipes to accommodate desktop computers as well. Cellular phones, camcorders, and other hand-held electronics are forsible applications for heat pipes.

  6. Analysis of heat transfer under high heat flux nucleate boiling conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Y.; Dinh, N. [3145 Burlington Laboratories, Raleigh, NC (United States)

    2016-07-15

    Analysis was performed for a heater infrared thermometric imaging temperature data obtained from high heat flux pool boiling and liquid film boiling experiments BETA. With the OpenFOAM solver, heat flux distribution towards the coolant was obtained by solving transient heat conduction of heater substrate given the heater surface temperature data as boundary condition. The so-obtained heat flux data was used to validate them against the state-of-art wall boiling model developed by D. R. Shaver (2015) with the assumption of micro-layer hydrodynamics. Good agreement was found between the model prediction and data for conditions away from the critical heat flux (CHF). However, the data indicate a different heat transfer pattern under CHF, which is not captured by the current model. Experimental data strengthen the notion of burnout caused by the irreversible hot spot due to failure of rewetting. The observation forms a basis for a detailed modeling of micro-layer hydrodynamics under high heat flux.

  7. Analysis of heat transfer under high heat flux nucleate boiling conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Y.; Dinh, N.

    2016-01-01

    Analysis was performed for a heater infrared thermometric imaging temperature data obtained from high heat flux pool boiling and liquid film boiling experiments BETA. With the OpenFOAM solver, heat flux distribution towards the coolant was obtained by solving transient heat conduction of heater substrate given the heater surface temperature data as boundary condition. The so-obtained heat flux data was used to validate them against the state-of-art wall boiling model developed by D. R. Shaver (2015) with the assumption of micro-layer hydrodynamics. Good agreement was found between the model prediction and data for conditions away from the critical heat flux (CHF). However, the data indicate a different heat transfer pattern under CHF, which is not captured by the current model. Experimental data strengthen the notion of burnout caused by the irreversible hot spot due to failure of rewetting. The observation forms a basis for a detailed modeling of micro-layer hydrodynamics under high heat flux.

  8. Nanoimprinted polymer chips for light induced local heating of liquids in micro- and nanochannels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thamdrup, Lasse Højlund; Pedersen, Jonas Nyvold; Flyvbjerg, Henrik

    2010-01-01

    A nanoimprinted polymer chip with a thin near-infrared absorber layer that enables light-induced local heating (LILH) of liquids inside micro- and nanochannels is presented. An infrared laser spot and corresponding hot-spot could be scanned across the device. Large temperature gradients yield...... a 785 nm laser diode was focused from the backside of the chip to a spot diameter down to 5 ..m in the absorber layer, yielding a localized heating (Gaussian profile) and large temperature gradients in the liquid in the nanochannels. A laser power of 38 mW yielded a temperature of 40°C in the center...

  9. The effect of laser spot shapes on polar-direct-drive implosions on the National Ignition Facility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weilacher, F.; Radha, P. B., E-mail: rbah@lle.rochester.edu; Collins, T. J. B.; Marozas, J. A. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States)

    2015-03-15

    Ongoing polar-direct-drive (PDD) implosions on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [J. D. Lindl and E. I. Moses, Phys. Plasmas 18, 050901 (2011)] use existing NIF hardware, including indirect-drive phase plates. This limits the performance achievable in these implosions. Spot shapes are identified that significantly improve the uniformity of PDD NIF implosions; outer surface deviation is reduced by a factor of 7 at the end of the laser pulse and hot-spot distortion is reduced by a factor of 2 when the shell has converged by a factor of ∼10. As a result, the neutron yield increases by approximately a factor of 2. This set of laser spot shapes is a combination of circular and elliptical spots, along with elliptical spot shapes modulated by an additional higher-intensity ellipse offset from the center of the beam. This combination is motivated in this paper. It is also found that this improved implosion uniformity is obtained independent of the heat conduction model. This work indicates that significant improvement in performance can be obtained robustly with the proposed spot shapes.

  10. The effect of laser spot shapes on polar-direct-drive implosions on the National Ignition Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weilacher, F.; Radha, P. B.; Collins, T. J. B.; Marozas, J. A.

    2015-01-01

    Ongoing polar-direct-drive (PDD) implosions on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [J. D. Lindl and E. I. Moses, Phys. Plasmas 18, 050901 (2011)] use existing NIF hardware, including indirect-drive phase plates. This limits the performance achievable in these implosions. Spot shapes are identified that significantly improve the uniformity of PDD NIF implosions; outer surface deviation is reduced by a factor of 7 at the end of the laser pulse and hot-spot distortion is reduced by a factor of 2 when the shell has converged by a factor of ∼10. As a result, the neutron yield increases by approximately a factor of 2. This set of laser spot shapes is a combination of circular and elliptical spots, along with elliptical spot shapes modulated by an additional higher-intensity ellipse offset from the center of the beam. This combination is motivated in this paper. It is also found that this improved implosion uniformity is obtained independent of the heat conduction model. This work indicates that significant improvement in performance can be obtained robustly with the proposed spot shapes

  11. Effect of melt surface depression on the vaporization rate of a metal heated by an electron beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guilbaud, D.

    1995-01-01

    In order to produce high density vapor, a metal confined in a water cooled crucible is heated by an electron beam (eb). The energy transfer to the metal causes partial melting, forming a pool where the flow is driven by temperature induced buoyancy and capillary forces. Furthermore, when the vaporization rate is high, the free surface is depressed by the thrust of the vapor. The main objective of this paper is to analyse the combined effects of liquid flow and vapor condensation back on the liquid surface. This is done with TRIO-EF, a general purpose fluid mechanics finite element code. A suitable iterative scheme is used to calculate the free surface flow and the temperature field. The numerical simulation gives an insight about the influence of the free surface in heat transfer. The depression of the free surface induces strong effects on both liquid and vapor. As liquid is concerned, buoyancy convection in the pool is enhanced, the energy flux from electron beam is spread and constriction of heat flux under the eb spot is weakened. It results that heat transfer towards the crucible is reinforced. As vapor is concerned, its fraction that condenses back on the liquid surface is increased. These phenomena lead to a saturation of the net vaporization rate as the eb spot radius is reduced, at constant eb power. (author). 8 refs., 13 figs., 2 tabs

  12. New 40Ar/39Ar age progression for the Louisville hot spot trail and implications for inter-hot spot motion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koppers, Anthony A. P.; Gowen, Molly D.; Colwell, Lauren E.; Gee, Jeffrey S.; Lonsdale, Peter F.; Mahoney, John J.; Duncan, Robert A.

    2011-12-01

    In this study we present 42 new 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating age determinations that contribute to an updated age progression for the Louisville seamount trail. Louisville is the South Pacific counterpart to the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount trail, both trails representing intraplate volcanism over the same time interval (˜80 Ma to present) and being examples of primary hot spot lineaments. Our data provide evidence for an age-progressive trend from 71 to 21 Ma. Assuming fixed hot spots, this makes possible a direct comparison to the Hawaiian-Emperor age progression and the most recent absolute plate motion (APM) model (WK08G) of Wessel and Kroenke (2008). We observe that for the Louisville seamount trail the measured ages are systematically older relative to both the WK08G model predictions and Hawaiian seamount ages, with offsets ranging up to 6 Myr. Taking into account the uncertainty about the duration of eruption and magmatic succession at individual Louisville volcanoes, these age offsets should be considered minimum estimates, as our sampling probably tended to recover the youngest lava flows. These large deviations point to either a contribution of inter-hot spot motion between the Louisville and Hawaiian hot spots or to a more easterly location of the Louisville hot spot than the one inferred in the WK08G model. Both scenarios are investigated in this paper, whereby the more eastern hot spot location (52.0°S, 134.5°W versus 52.4°S, 137.2°W) reduces the average age offset, but still results in a relatively large maximum offset of 3.7 Myr. When comparing the new ages to the APM models (S04P, S04G) by Steinberger et al. (2004) that attempt to compensate for the motion of hot spots in the Pacific (Hawaii) or globally (Hawaii, Louisville, Reunion and Walvis), the measured and predicted ages are more in agreement, showing only a maximum offset of 2.3 Myr with respect to the S04G model. At face value these more advanced APM models, which consider both plate and

  13. Beam heating of target foils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corwin, W.C.

    1975-01-01

    A target rotator, built to reduce the effects of beam spot heating, is fully adjustable, holds three targets, is chamber independent, and takes up limited space. The expected temperature rise in the target is calculated from the Stefan--Boltzmann law

  14. Ongoing Cerebral Vasculitis During Treatment of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Lisa R; Huisman, Thierry A G M; Yeshokumar, Anusha K; Johnston, Michael V

    2015-11-01

    Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a tickborne infection that produces a systemic small-vessel vasculitis; its prognosis is excellent if appropriate treatment is initiated early. Because the advent of effective antirickettsial therapies predates the widespread use of brain magnetic resonance imaging, there are limited data on the effect of untreated Rocky Mountain spotted fever infection on neuroimaging studies. We describe a 7-year-old girl with delayed treatment of Rocky Mountain spotted fever who suffered severe neurological impairment. Serial brain magnetic resonance images revealed a progressive "starry sky appearance," which is proposed to result from the same small vessel vasculitis that causes the characteristic skin rash of this infection. Neurological injury can continue to occur despite specific antirickettsial therapy in Rocky Mountain spotted fever. This child's clinical features raise questions about the optimal management of this infection, particularly the utility of immune modulating therapies in cases of delayed treatment and neurological involvement. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Reduction of aerosols produced by ultrasonic scalers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrel, S K; Barnes, J B; Rivera-Hidalgo, F

    1996-01-01

    There is concern with decreased air quality and potential aerosol contamination in the dental operatory. This problem has been addressed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends that all sources of blood-contaminated splatter and aerosols be minimized. One of the major sources of potential aerosol contamination in the dental setting is the ultrasonic scaler. This study looks at the use of a high volume evacuator attachment for the ultrasonic scaler handpiece. Artificial teeth were mock-scaled for 1 minute with and without the evacuator attachment. The mock scaling was performed within a plastic enclosure that had a 1 cm grid laid out on 4 sides. Scaling was performed 10 times each by 2 operators. An erythrosin solution was used for the ultrasonic scaler coolant with a coolant volume of 17.5 ml/min. The number of squares containing a red erythrosin spot were counted and considered to represent aerosol contamination. The high volume evacuator attachment produced a 93% reduction in the number of contaminated squares (chi squared significant at P < 0.05). There was no increase in heat transfer to a tooth analogue when the high volume evacuator attachment was used with the ultrasonic scaler as compared to the scaler without the evacuator attachment. It is felt that the high volume evacuator attachment is capable of significantly reducing the amount of aerosol contamination produced within the test system without increased heat transfer to the tooth.

  16. Technical and economic assessment of producing hydrogen by reforming syngas from the Battelle indirectly heated biomass gasifier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mann, M.K.

    1995-08-01

    The technical and economic feasibility of producing hydrogen from biomass by means of indirectly heated gasification and steam reforming was studied. A detailed process model was developed in ASPEN Plus trademark to perform material and energy balances. The results of this simulation were used to size and cost major pieces of equipment from which the determination of the necessary selling price of hydrogen was made. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on the process to study hydrogen price as a function of biomass feedstock cost and hydrogen production efficiency. The gasification system used for this study was the Battelle Columbus Laboratory (BCL) indirectly heated gasifier. The heat necessary for the endothermic gasification reactions is supplied by circulating sand from a char combustor to the gasification vessel. Hydrogen production was accomplished by steam reforming the product synthesis gas (syngas) in a process based on that used for natural gas reforming. Three process configurations were studied. Scheme 1 is the full reforming process, with a primary reformer similar to a process furnace, followed by a high temperature shift reactor and a low temperature shift reactor. Scheme 2 uses only the primary reformer, and Scheme 3 uses the primary reformer and the high temperature shift reactor. A pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system is used in all three schemes to produce a hydrogen product pure enough to be used in fuel cells. Steam is produced through detailed heat integration and is intended to be sold as a by-product

  17. Energy transport in laser produced plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Key, M.H.

    1989-06-01

    The study of energy transport in laser produced plasmas is of great interest both because it tests and develops understanding of several aspects of basic plasma physics and also because it is of central importance in major applications of laser produced plasmas including laser fusion, the production of intense X-ray sources, and X-ray lasers. The three sections cover thermal electrons (energy transport in one dimension, plane targets and lateral transport from a focal spot, thermal smoothing, thermal instabilities), hot electrons (preheating in one dimension, lateral transport from a focal spot) and radiation (preheating in one dimension, lateral transport and smoothing, instabilities). (author)

  18. X-ray polarization studies of plasma focus experiments with a single hot spots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jakubowski, L.; Sadowski, M.J.; Baronova, E.O.

    2004-01-01

    In high current pulse discharges of the plasma focus (PF) type, inside the collapsing pinch column, there are formed local micro-regions of high-density and high-temperature plasma, so-called hot spots. Individual hot spots are separated in space and time. Each hot spot is characterized by its specific electron concentration and temperature, as well as by the emission of x-ray lines with different polarization. When numerous hot spots are produced it is impossible to determine local plasma parameters and to interpret the polarization effects. To eliminate this problem this study was devoted to the realization of PF-type discharges with single hot spot only. It has been achieved by a choice of the electrode configuration, which facilitated the formation of a single hot spot emitting intense x-ray lines. At the chosen experimental conditions it was possible to determine local plasma parameters and to demonstrate evident differences in the polarization of the observed x-ray lines. (author)

  19. Sugarbeet leaf spot disease (Cercospora beticola Sacc.)dagger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiland, John; Koch, Georg

    2004-05-01

    SUMMARY Leaf spot disease caused by Cercospora beticola Sacc. is the most destructive foliar pathogen of sugarbeet worldwide. In addition to reducing yield and quality of sugarbeet, the control of leaf spot disease by extensive fungicide application incurs added costs to producers and repeatedly has selected for fungicide-tolerant C. beticola strains. The genetics and biochemistry of virulence have been examined less for C. beticola as compared with the related fungi C. nicotianae, C. kikuchii and C. zeae-maydis, fungi to which the physiology of C. beticola is often compared. C. beticola populations generally are not characterized as having race structure, although a case of race-specific resistance in sugarbeet to C. beticola has been reported. Resistance currently implemented in the field is quantitatively inherited and exhibits low to medium heritability. Cercospora beticola Sacc.; Kingdom Fungi, Subdivision Deuteromycetes, Class Hyphomycetes, Order Hyphales, Genus Cercospora. Circular, brown to red delimited spots with ashen-grey centre, 0.5-6 mm diameter; dark brown to black stromata against grey background; pale brown unbranched sparingly septate conidiophores, hyaline acicular conidia, multiseptate, from 2.5 to 4 microm wide and 50-200 microm long. Propagative on Beta vulgaris and most species of Beta. Reported on members of the Chenopodiaceae and on Amaranthus. Disease symptoms: Infected leaves and petioles of B. vulgaris exhibit numerous circular leaf spots that coalesce in severe cases causing complete leaf collapse. Dark specks within a grey spot centre are characteristic for the disease. Older leaves exhibit a greater number of lesions with larger spot diameter. During the latter stage of severe epiphytotics, new leaf growth can be seen emerging from the plant surrounded by prostrate, collapsed leaves. Fungicides in the benzimidazole and triazole class as well as organotin derivatives and strobilurins have successfully been used to control Cercospora

  20. Dependence of high order harmonics intensity on laser focal spot position in preformed plasma plumes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singhal, H.; Ganeev, R.; Naik, P. A.; Arora, V.; Chakravarty, U.; Gupta, P. D.

    2008-01-01

    The dependence of the high-order harmonic intensity on the laser focal spot position in laser produced plasma plumes is experimentally studied. High order harmonics up to the 59th order (λ∼13.5 nm) were generated by focusing 48 fs laser pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser system in silver plasma plume produced using 300 ps uncompressed laser radiation as the prepulse. The intensity of harmonics nearly vanished when the best focus was located in the plume center, whereas it peaked on either side with unequal intensity. The focal spot position corresponding to the peak harmonic intensity moved away from the plume center for higher order harmonics. The results are explained in terms of the variation of phase mismatch between the driving laser beam and harmonics radiation produced, relativistic drift of electrons, and defocusing effect due to radial ionization gradient in the plasma for different focal spot positions

  1. Dual focal-spot imaging for phase extraction in phase-contrast radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donnelly, Edwin F.; Price, Ronald R.; Pickens, David R.

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate dual focal spot imaging as a method for extracting the phase component from a phase-contrast radiography image. All measurements were performed using a microfocus tungsten-target x-ray tube with an adjustable focal-spot size (0.01 mm to 0.045 mm). For each object, high-resolution digital radiographs were obtained with two different focal spot sizes to produce matched image pairs in which all other geometric variables as well as total exposure and tube kVp were held constant. For each image pair, a phase extraction was performed using pixel-wise division. The phase-extracted image resulted in an image similar to the standard image processing tool commonly referred to as 'unsharp masking' but with the additional edge-enhancement produced by phase-contrast effects. The phase-extracted image illustrates the differences between the two images whose imaging parameters differ only in focal spot size. The resulting image shows effects from both phase contrast as well as geometric unsharpness. In weakly attenuating materials the phase-contrast effect predominates, while in strongly attenuating materials the phase effects are so small that they are not detectable. The phase-extracted image in the strongly attenuating object reflects differences in geometric unsharpness. The degree of phase extraction depends strongly on the size of the smallest focal spot used. This technique of dual-focal spot phase-contrast radiography provides a simple technique for phase-component (edge) extraction in phase-contrast radiography. In strongly attenuating materials the phase-component is overwhelmed by differences in geometric unsharpness. In these cases the technique provides a form of unsharp masking which also accentuates the edges. Thus, the two effects are complimentary and may be useful in the detection of small objects

  2. Process of producing fuels from slates or bituminous shales. [distillation at incandescent heat

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huppenbauer, M

    1902-07-31

    A process of producing a fuel from slates or bituminous shales by saturating or impregnating them after preliminary distillation with the vapors of tars, resins, oils, etc., is given. The process is characterized by the bituminous shale being submitted in the form of fragments to distillation at incandescent heat to make the shale porous and able to absorb the vapors of the substances already mentioned.

  3. Heat Shock Protein 47: A Novel Biomarker of Phenotypically Altered Collagen-Producing Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taguchi, Takashi; Nazneen, Arifa; Al-Shihri, Abdulmonem A.; Turkistani, Khadijah A.; Razzaque, Mohammed S.

    2011-01-01

    Heat shock protein 47 (HSP47) is a collagen-specific molecular chaperone that helps the molecular maturation of various types of collagens. A close association between increased expression of HSP47 and the excessive accumulation of collagens is found in various human and experimental fibrotic diseases. Increased levels of HSP47 in fibrotic diseases are thought to assist in the increased assembly of procollagen, and thereby contribute to the excessive deposition of collagens in fibrotic areas. Currently, there is not a good universal histological marker to identify collagen-producing cells. Identifying phenotypically altered collagen-producing cells is essential for the development of cell-based therapies to reduce the progression of fibrotic diseases. Since HSP47 has a single substrate, which is collagen, the HSP47 cellular expression provides a novel universal biomarker to identify phenotypically altered collagen-producing cells during wound healing and fibrosis. In this brief article, we explained why HSP47 could be used as a universal marker for identifying phenotypically altered collagen-producing cells

  4. Technical Note: Spot characteristic stability for proton pencil beam scanning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Chin-Cheng, E-mail: chen.ccc@gmail.com; Chang, Chang; Mah, Dennis [ProCure Treatment Center, Somerset, New Jersey 08873 (United States); Moyers, Michael F. [ProCure Treatment Center, Somerset, New Jersey 08873 and Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Shanghai 201321 (China); Gao, Mingcheng [CDH Proton Center, Warrenville, Illinois 60555 (United States)

    2016-02-15

    Purpose: The spot characteristics for proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) were measured and analyzed over a 16 month period, which included one major site configuration update and six cyclotron interventions. The results provide a reference to establish the quality assurance (QA) frequency and tolerance for proton pencil beam scanning. Methods: A simple treatment plan was generated to produce an asymmetric 9-spot pattern distributed throughout a field of 16 × 18 cm for each of 18 proton energies (100.0–226.0 MeV). The delivered fluence distribution in air was measured using a phosphor screen based CCD camera at three planes perpendicular to the beam line axis (x-ray imaging isocenter and up/down stream 15.0 cm). The measured fluence distributions for each energy were analyzed using in-house programs which calculated the spot sizes and positional deviations of the Gaussian shaped spots. Results: Compared to the spot characteristic data installed into the treatment planning system, the 16-month averaged deviations of the measured spot sizes at the isocenter plane were 2.30% and 1.38% in the IEC gantry x and y directions, respectively. The maximum deviation was 12.87% while the minimum deviation was 0.003%, both at the upstream plane. After the collinearity of the proton and x-ray imaging system isocenters was optimized, the positional deviations of the spots were all within 1.5 mm for all three planes. During the site configuration update, spot positions were found to deviate by 6 mm until the tuning parameters file was properly restored. Conclusions: For this beam delivery system, it is recommended to perform a spot size and position check at least monthly and any time after a database update or cyclotron intervention occurs. A spot size deviation tolerance of <15% can be easily met with this delivery system. Deviations of spot positions were <2 mm at any plane up/down stream 15 cm from the isocenter.

  5. Technical Note: Spot characteristic stability for proton pencil beam scanning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Chin-Cheng; Chang, Chang; Mah, Dennis; Moyers, Michael F.; Gao, Mingcheng

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The spot characteristics for proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) were measured and analyzed over a 16 month period, which included one major site configuration update and six cyclotron interventions. The results provide a reference to establish the quality assurance (QA) frequency and tolerance for proton pencil beam scanning. Methods: A simple treatment plan was generated to produce an asymmetric 9-spot pattern distributed throughout a field of 16 × 18 cm for each of 18 proton energies (100.0–226.0 MeV). The delivered fluence distribution in air was measured using a phosphor screen based CCD camera at three planes perpendicular to the beam line axis (x-ray imaging isocenter and up/down stream 15.0 cm). The measured fluence distributions for each energy were analyzed using in-house programs which calculated the spot sizes and positional deviations of the Gaussian shaped spots. Results: Compared to the spot characteristic data installed into the treatment planning system, the 16-month averaged deviations of the measured spot sizes at the isocenter plane were 2.30% and 1.38% in the IEC gantry x and y directions, respectively. The maximum deviation was 12.87% while the minimum deviation was 0.003%, both at the upstream plane. After the collinearity of the proton and x-ray imaging system isocenters was optimized, the positional deviations of the spots were all within 1.5 mm for all three planes. During the site configuration update, spot positions were found to deviate by 6 mm until the tuning parameters file was properly restored. Conclusions: For this beam delivery system, it is recommended to perform a spot size and position check at least monthly and any time after a database update or cyclotron intervention occurs. A spot size deviation tolerance of <15% can be easily met with this delivery system. Deviations of spot positions were <2 mm at any plane up/down stream 15 cm from the isocenter

  6. Experimental study on steam gasification of coal using molten blast furnace slag as heat carrier for producing hydrogen-enriched syngas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duan, Wenjun; Yu, Qingbo; Wu, Tianwei; Yang, Fan; Qin, Qin

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • New method for producing HRG by gasification using BFS as heat carrier was proposed. • The continuous experiment of steam gasification in molten BFS was conducted. • The hydrogen-enriched syngas was produced by this method. • The molten BFS waste heat was utilized effectively by steam gasification. • This method could be widely used in steam gasification of different types of coal. - Abstract: The new method for producing hydrogen-enriched syngas (HRG) by steam gasification of coal using molten blast furnace slag (BFS) as heat carrier was established. In order to achieve the HRG production, a gasification system using this method was proposed and constructed. The carbon gasification efficiency (CE), hydrogen yield (YH_2) and cold gasification efficiency (CGE) in the molten slag reactor were measured, and the effects of temperature, S/C (steam to coal) ratio and coal type on the reaction performance were accessed. The results indicated that the preferred temperature was 1350 °C, which ensured the miscibility of coal–steam–slag, the diffusion of reactant in molten BFS as well as recovering waste heat. The optimal S/C ratio was 1.5–2.0 for producing HRG. Under these conditions, the hydrogen fraction was higher than 63% and the gas yield reached to 1.89 Nm"3/kg. The CE and CGE were higher than 96% and 102%, respectively. The YH_2 also reached to 1.20 Nm"3/kg. Meanwhile, different types of coal were successfully gasified in molten BFS reactor for producing HRG. The proposed method enhanced the gasification efficiency of different types of coal, recovered the BFS waste heat effectively, and had important guidance for industrial manufacture.

  7. Effects of surface coating on weld growth of resistance spot-welded hot-stamped boron steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ji, Chang Wook; Lee, Hyun Ju; Kim, Yang Do; Jo, Il Guk; Choi, Il Dong; Park, Yeong Do

    2014-01-01

    Aluminum-silicon-based and zinc-based metallic coatings have been widely used for hot-stamped boron steel in automotive applications. In this study, resistance spot weldability was explored by investigating the effects of the properties of metallic coating layers on heat development and nugget growth during resistance spot welding. In the case of the aluminum-silicon-coated hot-stamped boron steel, the intermetallic coating transformed into a liquid film that covered the faying interface. A wide, weldable current range was obtained with slow heat development because of low contact resistance and large current passage. In the case of the zinc-coated hot-stamped boron steel, a buildup of liquid and vapor formation under large vapor pressure was observed at the faying interface because of the high contact resistance and low vaporization temperature of the intermetallic layers. With rapid heat development, the current passage was narrow because of the limited continuous layer at the faying interface. A more significant change in nugget growth was observed in the zinc coated hot-stamped boron steel than in the aluminum-silicon-coated hot-stamped boron steel.

  8. Angular distributions of atomic vapor stream produced by electron beam heating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohba, Hironori; Amekawa, Kazuhiro; Shibata, Takemasa

    1997-03-01

    The angular distributions were measured as a function of deposition rate for aluminium, copper, gadolinium and cerium vapor stream produced by an electron beam gun with water-cooled copper crucible. The distributions were recorded on the mounted on a semicircular (120mm in radius) mask over the evaporation source. The measured distributions were able to be described by a simple cosine law, that is cos n θ, except for the case of extremely high evaporation rate with a porous material, where n is a rate-dependent beaming exponent, θ is the angle from the vertical. For many kinds of evaporants, it was confirmed that the beaming exponents increase continuously from unity to 3 or 4 with increasing deposition rate and are approximately proportional to R 0.25 where R is the deposition rate. Moreover, it was found that the beaming exponents n are able to be expressed as n = α Kn 0 -0.25 , where Kn 0 -1 is the inverse of Knudsen number, which is defined by the mean free path of evaporated atoms and the evaporation spot size, and α is the constant. (author)

  9. Angular distributions of atomic vapor stream produced by electron beam heating

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ohba, Hironori; Amekawa, Kazuhiro; Shibata, Takemasa [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

    1997-03-01

    The angular distributions were measured as a function of deposition rate for aluminium, copper, gadolinium and cerium vapor stream produced by an electron beam gun with water-cooled copper crucible. The distributions were recorded on the mounted on a semicircular (120mm in radius) mask over the evaporation source. The measured distributions were able to be described by a simple cosine law, that is cos{sup n} {theta}, except for the case of extremely high evaporation rate with a porous material, where n is a rate-dependent beaming exponent, {theta} is the angle from the vertical. For many kinds of evaporants, it was confirmed that the beaming exponents increase continuously from unity to 3 or 4 with increasing deposition rate and are approximately proportional to R{sup 0.25} where R is the deposition rate. Moreover, it was found that the beaming exponents n are able to be expressed as n = {alpha} Kn{sub 0}{sup -0.25}, where Kn{sub 0}{sup -1} is the inverse of Knudsen number, which is defined by the mean free path of evaporated atoms and the evaporation spot size, and {alpha} is the constant. (author)

  10. Effect of laser spot size on fusion neutron yield in laser–deuterium cluster interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Guanglong; Lu Haiyang; Wang Cheng; Liu Jiansheng; Li Ruxin; Ni Guoquan; Xu Zhizhan

    2008-01-01

    The effect of the laser spot size on the neutron yield of table-top nuclear fusion from explosions of a femtosecond intense laser pulse heated deuterium clusters is investigated by using a simplified model, in which the cluster size distribution and the energy attenuation of the laser as it propagates through the cluster jet are taken into account. It has been found that there exists a proper laser spot size for the maximum fusion neutron yield for a given laser pulse and a specific deuterium gas cluster jet. The proper spot size, which is dependent on the laser parameters and the cluster jet parameters, has been calculated and compared with the available experimental data. A reasonable agreement between the calculated results and the published experimental results is found

  11. Effect of the small-scale auxiliary laser spots on the 3ω0/2 harmonic emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, Z.; Zhang, H.; He, X.; Lin, K.; Wang, X.; Zhuang, Y.; Wang, L.; Wei, X.; Lu, Q.; Shi, A.; Dai, M.; Tian, L.; Fan, G.; Li, J.

    1992-01-01

    Experiments have shown that a single 10-μm-radius laser spot is not able to produce the 90 degree side-emitted 3/2 harmonic efficiently in a preformed laser plasma. However, with the help of one or two auxiliary laser spots with a size similar to that of the main spot, the side-emitted 3/2 harmonic can frequently be detected when some positional and angular conditions for the auxiliary spots are met. The origin of these phenomena has been analyzed in terms of a proposed reflected laser photon-coupling model

  12. [Environmental and health impacts of wood combustion to produce heat and power].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valerio, Federico

    2012-01-01

    Toxic chemicals such as benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, and ultra fine particles were found in the smoke produced by wood combustion. Emission factors confirm that, to produce the same energy amount, many more pollutants are emitted by wood than by natural gas. Biomass burning produces a relevant deterioration of air quality inside and outside houses, notably due to emissions of fine and ultra fine dust (PM10, PM2.5) according to reviewed studies. Important improvements in emission quality are obtained with the use of more efficient household heating systems, both in developed and in developing countries. Numerous studies have assessed the possible health effects produced by wood smoke, providing sufficient evidence that the indoor exposure to wood smoke, even in developed countries, can have adverse effects on human health. In 2010 IARC classified wood smoke as a possible human carcinogen. In Europe, electricity generation from biomass combustion is increasing (12% each year) thanks to incentives provided to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use of fossil fuels.Today adequate studies to assess the environmental and health effects of emissions from power plants fuelled by solid biomasses are still needed.

  13. Effect of micrometric hot spots on surface temperature measurement and flux calculation in the middle and long infrared

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delchambre, E; Counsell, G; Kirk, A

    2009-01-01

    The non-uniformity of the target temperature due to micrometric hot spots (Hermann et al 2004 Phys. Scr. T 111 98) is an explanation for the experimental fact that near-infrared measurements yield higher temperature values than mid-infrared measurements (Hildebrandt et al 2003 InfraMation 2003 Proc. (Las Vegas, USA, October 2003), Delchambre et al 2005 J. Nucl. Mater. 337-339 1069). The issue of micrometric hot spot disturbance in the surface temperature (T surf ) measurement and heat load calculation is addressed in this paper. The theoretical investigation at 3, 5 and 12 μm and experiments in the range 3.5-5 μm indicate that the surface state can play an important role in the non-uniform heating surface and consequently in the overestimation of the bulk temperature. The contribution of the hot spots to temperature measurements and flux calculations has been simulated at different wavelengths. Calculations show that (1) the overestimation of the bulk temperature decreases with the wavelength and (2) the overestimation depends on the temperature difference, ΔT, between the bulk and the micrometric hot spots. In addition, experiments have been carried out in order to compare the flux calculations at different wavelengths on different graphite (polished, dusty). The results obtained are very sensitive to the surface state pointing out the difficulties in improving the heat flux calculation model, since the surface state can change during the plasma discharges. This paper shows that the problem of non-homogenous surface temperature can be significantly diminished on working at longer wavelengths.

  14. Rocky Mountain spotted fever

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... spotted fever on the foot Rocky Mountain spotted fever, petechial rash Antibodies Deer and dog tick References McElligott SC, Kihiczak GG, Schwartz RA. Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other rickettsial infections. In: Lebwohl MG, Heymann ...

  15. New methods to cope with temperature elevations in heated segments of flat plates cooled by boundary layer flow

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hajmohammadi Mohammad R.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper documents two reliable methods to cope with the rising temperature in an array of heated segments with a known overall heat load and exposed to forced convective boundary layer flow. Minimization of the hot spots (peak temperatures in the array of heated segments constitutes the primary goal that sets the platform to develop the methods. The two proposed methods consist of: 1 Designing an array of unequal heaters so that each heater has a different size and generates heat at different rates, and 2 Distancing the unequal heaters from each other using an insulated spacing. Multi-scale design based on constructal theory is applied to estimate the optimal insulated spacing, heaters size and heat generation rates, such that the minimum hot spots temperature is achieved when subject to space constraint and fixed overall heat load. It is demonstrated that the two methods can considerably reduce the hot spot temperatures and consequently, both can be utilized with confidence in industry to achieve optimized heat transfer.

  16. Characterization of LIL laser UV focal spot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mangeant, M.; Dubois, J.L.; Behar, G.; Arroyo, P.; Durand, V.; Lahonde, C.

    2006-01-01

    One way to get the fusion of hydrogen in laboratory consists in heating and compressing a DT fuel capsule by using a laser. To reach this aim requires a new generation of high power laser facility. Cea (French board for atomic energy) is developing for this purpose a new 240 laser line facility, the LMJ facility. The LIL which is the prototype of four LMJ laser lines is operational now. In order to confirm the technical choices, a systematic characterization of LIL was carried out. A particular effort has been provided to measure the 3ω high energy focal spot (1.5 kJ/700 ps and 5 ns for one beam) and the synchronization of laser beams onto the target, which are key issues for the plasma production. An experimental device, SAT-3ω (a 3ω laser focal spot analysis) has been designed to perform these measures. That diagnostic which is located at the end of the laser lines delivered its first results during the 2004 quadruplet qualification campaigns. The near field imaging showed no diaphony and vignetting. Low power spots allowed us to control we had no ghost. The energy measurement quality showed the photometric transfer function was perfectly known. Our caustic image are given with an average dynamic range of 800, a spatial resolution of 10 μm and diameter accuracy about 1% for 50% and 3% for 90% of encircled energy. The high energy focal spot diameters are in agreement with low and very low energy diameters. The phase plate and 14 GHz effects are similar to what we had expected. For a laser shot completed with a continuous phase plate at 14 GHz, and for an energy level of 1.5 kJ per beam at 351 nm, the focal beam diameter at 3% of the peak level is (875 ± 45) μm

  17. Microstructure and fatigue properties of Mg-to-steel dissimilar resistance spot welds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, L.; Xiao, L.; Chen, D.L.; Feng, J.C.; Kim, S.; Zhou, Y.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Mg/steel dissimilar spot weld had the same fatigue strength as Mg/Mg similar weld. ► Crack propagation path of Mg/Mg and Mg/steel welds was the same. ► Penetration of Zn into the Mg base metal led to crack initiation of Mg/steel weld. ► HAZ weakening and stress concentration led to crack initiation of Mg/Mg weld. -- Abstract: The structural application of lightweight magnesium alloys in the automotive industry inevitably involves dissimilar welding with steels and the related durability issues. This study was aimed at evaluating the microstructural change and fatigue resistance of Mg/steel resistance spot welds, in comparison with Mg/Mg welds. The microstructure of Mg/Mg spot welds can be divided into: base metal, heat affected zone and fusion zone (nugget). However, the microstructure of Mg/steel dissimilar spot welds had three different regions along the joined interface: weld brazing, solid-state joining and soldering. The horizontal and vertical Mg hardness profiles of Mg/steel and Mg/Mg welds were similar. Both Mg/steel and Mg/Mg welds were observed to have an equivalent fatigue resistance due to similar crack propagation characteristics and failure mode. Both Mg/steel and Mg/Mg welds failed through thickness in the magnesium sheet under stress-controlled cyclic loading, but fatigue crack initiation of the two types of welds was different. The crack initiation of Mg/Mg welds was occurred due to a combined effect of stress concentration, grain growth in the heat affected zone (HAZ), and the presence of Al-rich phases at HAZ grain boundaries, while the penetration of small amounts of Zn coating into the Mg base metal stemming from the liquid metal induced embrittlement led to crack initiation in the Mg/steel welds.

  18. Trace-fossil assemblages with a new ichnogenus in "spotted"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šimo, Vladimír; Tomašových, Adam

    2013-10-01

    Highly-bioturbated "spotted" limestones and marls (Fleckenmergel-Fleckenkalk facies) of the Early Jurassic, which were deposited in broad and recurrent deep-shelf habitats of the Northern Tethys, are characterized by rare benthic carbonate-producing macroinvertebrates. To address this paradox, we analyse trace-fossil assemblages in a ~85 m-thick succession of Pliensbachian spotted deposits (Zliechov Basin, Western Carpathians). They are dominated by infaunal and semi-infaunal deposit-feeders, with 9 ichnogenera and pyritized tubes of the semi-infaunal foraminifer Bathysiphon, being dominated by Chondrites, Lamellaeichnus (new ichnogenus), and Teichichnus. Lamellaeichnus, represented by a horizontal basal cylindrical burrow and an upper row of stacked convex-up gutters, was produced by a mobile deposit-feeder inhabiting shallow tiers because it is crossed by most other trace fossils. We show that the spotty appearance of the deposits is generated by a mixture of (1) dark, organic-rich shallow- and deep-tier traces (TOC = 0.16-0.36), and (2) light grey, organic-poor mottled or structurless sediment (TOC = 0.09-0.22). The higher TOC in shallow-tier burrows of Lamellaeichnus demonstrates that uppermost sediment layers were affected by poor redox cycling. Such conditions imply a limited mixed-layer depth and inefficient nutrient recycling conditioned by hypoxic bottom-waters, allowed by poor circulation and high sedimentation rates in depocenters of the Zliechov Basin. Hypoxic conditions are further supported by (1) dominance of trace-fossils produced by infaunal deposit feeders, (2) high abundance of hypoxiatolerant agglutinated foraminifer Bathysiphon, and (3) high abundance of Chondrites with ~0.5 mm-sized branches. Oxygen-deficient bottom-conditions can thus simultaneously explain the rarity of benthic carbonate-producing macroinvertebrates and high standing abundance of tolerant soft-shell and agglutinated organisms in spotted deposits.

  19. Selective Laser Melting Produced Ti-6Al-4V: Post-Process Heat Treatments to Achieve Superior Tensile Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ter Haar, Gerrit M; Becker, Thorsten H

    2018-01-17

    Current post-process heat treatments applied to selective laser melting produced Ti-6Al-4V do not achieve the same microstructure and therefore superior tensile behaviour of thermomechanical processed wrought Ti-6Al-4V. Due to the growing demand for selective laser melting produced parts in industry, research and development towards improved mechanical properties is ongoing. This study is aimed at developing post-process annealing strategies to improve tensile behaviour of selective laser melting produced Ti-6Al-4V parts. Optical and electron microscopy was used to study α grain morphology as a function of annealing temperature, hold time and cooling rate. Quasi-static uniaxial tensile tests were used to measure tensile behaviour of different annealed parts. It was found that elongated α'/α grains can be fragmented into equiaxial grains through applying a high temperature annealing strategy. It is shown that bi-modal microstructures achieve a superior tensile ductility to current heat treated selective laser melting produced Ti-6Al-4V samples.

  20. The Spotting Distribution of Wildfires

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan Martin

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available In wildfire science, spotting refers to non-local creation of new fires, due to downwind ignition of brands launched from a primary fire. Spotting is often mentioned as being one of the most difficult problems for wildfire management, because of its unpredictable nature. Since spotting is a stochastic process, it makes sense to talk about a probability distribution for spotting, which we call the spotting distribution. Given a location ahead of the fire front, we would like to know how likely is it to observe a spot fire at that location in the next few minutes. The aim of this paper is to introduce a detailed procedure to find the spotting distribution. Most prior modelling has focused on the maximum spotting distance, or on physical subprocesses. We will use mathematical modelling, which is based on detailed physical processes, to derive a spotting distribution. We discuss the use and measurement of this spotting distribution in fire spread, fire management and fire breaching. The appendix of this paper contains a comprehensive review of the relevant underlying physical sub-processes of fire plumes, launching fire brands, wind transport, falling and terminal velocity, combustion during transport, and ignition upon landing.

  1. Life Cycle Analysis of High Quality Recycled Aggregate Produced byHeating and Rubbing Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shima, Hirokazu; Matsuhashi, Ryuji; Yoshida, Yoshikuni; Tateyashiki, Hisashi

    Most of demolished concrete is recycled as road subbase, but its generation is expected to increase rapidly and exceed the demand of road subbase in a near future. To promote the recycling of concrete, the technology to produce high quality recycled aggregate by the heating and rubbing method has been developed. In this method, demolished concrete is heated up to about 300°C in a heater to make cement paste brittle with its dehydration. The heated concrete is then rubbed in two mills to recover the recycled aggregate, while the paste is removed from the surface of aggregate and collected as cement fine powder. In this method, much energy is consumed to heat and rub concrete; however, the cement fine powder is utilized for a soil stabilizer and cement raw materials, so that the environmental load is reduced in cement manufacturing. The life cycle analysis of the recycled aggregate is carried out to evaluate this technology. As a result, the life cycle CO2 is a negative value because the deduction of CO2 emission in cement manufacturing by the powder is much large. This technology is proved to be very effective to reduce CO2.

  2. Relationship between hot spot residues and ligand binding hot spots in protein-protein interfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zerbe, Brandon S; Hall, David R; Vajda, Sandor; Whitty, Adrian; Kozakov, Dima

    2012-08-27

    In the context of protein-protein interactions, the term "hot spot" refers to a residue or cluster of residues that makes a major contribution to the binding free energy, as determined by alanine scanning mutagenesis. In contrast, in pharmaceutical research, a hot spot is a site on a target protein that has high propensity for ligand binding and hence is potentially important for drug discovery. Here we examine the relationship between these two hot spot concepts by comparing alanine scanning data for a set of 15 proteins with results from mapping the protein surfaces for sites that can bind fragment-sized small molecules. We find the two types of hot spots are largely complementary; the residues protruding into hot spot regions identified by computational mapping or experimental fragment screening are almost always themselves hot spot residues as defined by alanine scanning experiments. Conversely, a residue that is found by alanine scanning to contribute little to binding rarely interacts with hot spot regions on the partner protein identified by fragment mapping. In spite of the strong correlation between the two hot spot concepts, they fundamentally differ, however. In particular, while identification of a hot spot by alanine scanning establishes the potential to generate substantial interaction energy with a binding partner, there are additional topological requirements to be a hot spot for small molecule binding. Hence, only a minority of hot spots identified by alanine scanning represent sites that are potentially useful for small inhibitor binding, and it is this subset that is identified by experimental or computational fragment screening.

  3. SPOT Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Jason T.; Welsh, Sam J.; Farinetti, Antonio L.; Wegner, Tim; Blakeslee, James; Deboeck, Toni F.; Dyer, Daniel; Corley, Bryan M.; Ollivierre, Jarmaine; Kramer, Leonard; hide

    2010-01-01

    A Spacecraft Position Optimal Tracking (SPOT) program was developed to process Global Positioning System (GPS) data, sent via telemetry from a spacecraft, to generate accurate navigation estimates of the vehicle position and velocity (state vector) using a Kalman filter. This program uses the GPS onboard receiver measurements to sequentially calculate the vehicle state vectors and provide this information to ground flight controllers. It is the first real-time ground-based shuttle navigation application using onboard sensors. The program is compact, portable, self-contained, and can run on a variety of UNIX or Linux computers. The program has a modular objec-toriented design that supports application-specific plugins such as data corruption remediation pre-processing and remote graphics display. The Kalman filter is extensible to additional sensor types or force models. The Kalman filter design is also strong against data dropouts because it uses physical models from state and covariance propagation in the absence of data. The design of this program separates the functionalities of SPOT into six different executable processes. This allows for the individual processes to be connected in an a la carte manner, making the feature set and executable complexity of SPOT adaptable to the needs of the user. Also, these processes need not be executed on the same workstation. This allows for communications between SPOT processes executing on the same Local Area Network (LAN). Thus, SPOT can be executed in a distributed sense with the capability for a team of flight controllers to efficiently share the same trajectory information currently being computed by the program. SPOT is used in the Mission Control Center (MCC) for Space Shuttle Program (SSP) and International Space Station Program (ISSP) operations, and can also be used as a post -flight analysis tool. It is primarily used for situational awareness, and for contingency situations.

  4. Thermoluminescence fast neutron dosimetry by laser heating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathur, V.K.; Brown, M.D.; Braeunlich, P.

    1984-01-01

    Heating rates in excess of 10 4 K.sec -1 have been achieved for thin layers of TL dosemeters by laser heating. The high heating rate improves the signal to noise ratio up to a factor of 10 3 . Thus sensitive thin film fast neutron dosemeters with negligible self-shielding have become a practical reality. Thin samples of CaSO 4 :Dy have been investigated for their response to fast neutrons from a Pu-Be source and a 14.6 MeV neutron generator by using a hydrogenous radiator. A 15 watt CO 2 laser was focussed on the thin TLD layer to a spot size of less than 1 mm to heat it. An exposure of a few tens of milliseconds was sufficient to obtain a TLD curve, which was displayed and processed by a wave form digitiser. The laser spot could be scanned over the TLD sample by a x-y positioner and a large number of observations were obtained on each sample. Preliminary results show that it is possible to obtain a figure of merit of approx. 5% in a mixed n, γ field. A practical design for a fast neutron dosemeter is proposed. (author)

  5. Assessment of Nugget Size of Spot Weld using Neutron Radiography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Triyono

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Resistance spot welding (RSW has been widely used for many years in the fabrication of car body structures, mainly due to the cost and time considerations. The weld quality as well as the nugget size is an issue in various manufacturing and processes due to the strong link between the weld quality and safety. It has led to the development of various destructive and non-destructive tests for spot welding such as peel testing, ultrasonic inspections, digital shearography, and infrared thermography. However, such methods cannot show spot weld nugget visually and the results are very operator’s skill dependent. The present work proposes a method to visualize the nugget size of spot welds using neutron radiography. Water, oil and various concentrations of gadolinium oxide-alcohol mixture were evaluated as a contrast media to obtain the best quality of radiography. Results show that mixture of 5 g gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3 in 25 ml alcohol produces the best contrast. It provides the possibility to visualize the shape and size of the nugget spot weld. Furthermore, it can discriminate between nugget and corona bond. The result of neutron radiography evaluation shows reasonable agreement with that of destructive test.

  6. Generation and characterization of mutants of tomato spotted wilt virus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oliveira Resende, de R.

    1993-01-01

    In nature, tospoviruses like tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) are exclusively transmitted by thrips species (Sakimura, 1962) producing numerous enveloped virions during infection, which accumulate in the cisternae of the endoplasmatic. reticulum. system (Kitajima, 1965; Milne, 1970; Ie,

  7. Heat pump cycle by hydrogen-absorbing alloys to assist high-temperature gas-cooled reactor in producing hydrogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Satoshi, Fukada; Nobutaka, Hayashi

    2010-01-01

    A chemical heat pump system using two hydrogen-absorbing alloys is proposed to utilise heat exhausted from a high-temperature source such as a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), more efficiently. The heat pump system is designed to produce H 2 based on the S-I cycle more efficiently. The overall system proposed here consists of HTGR, He gas turbines, chemical heat pumps and reaction vessels corresponding to the three-step decomposition reactions comprised in the S-I process. A fundamental research is experimentally performed on heat generation in a single bed packed with a hydrogen-absorbing alloy that may work at the H 2 production temperature. The hydrogen-absorbing alloy of Zr(V 1-x Fe x ) 2 is selected as a material that has a proper plateau pressure for the heat pump system operated between the input and output temperatures of HTGR and reaction vessels of the S-I cycle. Temperature jump due to heat generated when the alloy absorbs H 2 proves that the alloy-H 2 system can heat up the exhaust gas even at 600 deg. C without any external mechanical force. (authors)

  8. Models of spots and flares

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mullan, D.J.

    1983-01-01

    Laboratory experiments in recent years have shown that there are many more ways to drive a plasma out of equilibrium than to preserve equilibrium. In that sense, it is perhaps easier to understand why flares should occur in a stellar atmosphere than why a long-lived feature such as a dark spot should persist. The author summarizes work on the equilibrium structure of cool spots in the sun and stars. Since spots involve complex interactions between convective flows and magnetic fields, he needs to refer to observations for help in identifying the dominant processes which should enter into the modelling. His summary therefore begins by discussing certain relevant properties of spots in the solar atmosphere. The next sections deal with the magnetic fields in spots, the stability of spots, spot cooling and missing flux. The author concludes that spots should be viewed not simply as cool areas, but rather as engines which do the work of converting the energy of convective flows into flare-compatible form. (Auth.)

  9. High-Density Spot Seeding for Tissue Model Formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marquette, Michele L. (Inventor); Sognier, Marguerite A. (Inventor)

    2016-01-01

    A model of tissue is produced by steps comprising seeding cells at a selected concentration on a support to form a cell spot, incubating the cells to allow the cells to partially attach, rinsing the cells to remove any cells that have not partially attached, adding culture medium to enable the cells to proliferate at a periphery of the cell spot and to differentiate toward a center of the cell spot, and further incubating the cells to form the tissue. The cells may be C2C12 cells or other subclones of the C2 cell line, H9c2(2-1) cells, L6 cells, L8 cells, QM7 cells, Sol8 cells, G-7 cells, G-8 cells, other myoblast cells, cells from other tissues, or stem cells. The selected concentration is in a range from about 1 x 10(exp 5) cells/ml to about 1 x 10(exp 6) cells/ml. The tissue formed may be a muscle tissue or other tissue depending on the cells seeded.

  10. Effects of spot size and spot spacing on lateral penumbra reduction when using a dynamic collimation system for spot scanning proton therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hyer, Daniel E; Hill, Patrick M; Wang, Dongxu; Smith, Blake R; Flynn, Ryan T

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this work was to investigate the reduction in lateral dose penumbra that can be achieved when using a dynamic collimation system (DCS) for spot scanning proton therapy as a function of two beam parameters: spot size and spot spacing. This is an important investigation as both values impact the achievable dose distribution and a wide range of values currently exist depending on delivery hardware. Treatment plans were created both with and without the DCS for in-air spot sizes (σ air ) of 3, 5, 7, and 9 mm as well as spot spacing intervals of 2, 4, 6 and 8 mm. Compared to un-collimated treatment plans, the plans created with the DCS yielded a reduction in the mean dose to normal tissue surrounding the target of 26.2–40.6% for spot sizes of 3–9 mm, respectively. Increasing the spot spacing resulted in a decrease in the time penalty associated with using the DCS that was approximately proportional to the reduction in the number of rows in the raster delivery pattern. We conclude that dose distributions achievable when using the DCS are comparable to those only attainable with much smaller initial spot sizes, suggesting that the goal of improving high dose conformity may be achieved by either utilizing a DCS or by improving beam line optics. (note)

  11. On the origin of delta spots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, F.

    1983-01-01

    Mount Wilson sunspot drawings from 1966 through 1980 were used in conjunction with Hα filtergrams from Big Bear Solar Observatory to examine the origin of delta spots, spots with bipolar umbrae within one penumbra. Of the six cases we studied, five were formed by the union of non-paired spots. They are either shoved into one another by two neighboring growing bipoles or by a new spot born piggy-back style on an existing spot of opposite polarity. Proper motions of the growing spots take on curvilinear paths around one another to avoid a collision. This is the shear motion observed in delta spots (Tanaka, 1979). In the remaining case, the delta spot was formed by spots that emerged as a pair. Our findings indicate no intrinsic differences in the formation or the behavior between delta spots of normal magnetic configuration. (orig.)

  12. Proteomic analysis of heat treated bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L. var. Hong Kong Green) using 2D-DIGE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Zhi Xiang; Chua, Kek Heng; Kuppusamy, Umah Rani

    2014-04-01

    This study aimed to investigate the changes in the proteome of bitter gourd prior to and after subjecting to boiling and microwaving. A comparative analysis of the proteome profiles of raw and thermally treated bitter gourds was performed using 2D-DIGE. The protein content and number of protein spots in raw sample was higher when compared to the cooked samples. Qualitative analysis revealed that 103 (boiled sample) and 110 (microwaved sample) protein spots were up regulated whereas 120 (boiled sample) and 107 (microwaved sample) protein spots were down regulated. Ten protein spots with the highest significant fold change in the cooked samples were involved in carbohydrate/energy metabolisms and stress responses. Small heat shock proteins, superoxide dismutase, quinone oxidoreductase, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and phosphoglycerate kinase play a role in heat-stress-mediated protection of bitter gourd. This study suggests that appropriate heat treatment (cooking methods) can lead to induction of selected proteins in bitter gourd. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Manipulation of heat-diffusion channel in laser thermal lithography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Jingsong; Wang, Yang; Wu, Yiqun

    2014-12-29

    Laser thermal lithography is a good alternative method for forming small pattern feature size by taking advantage of the structural-change threshold effect of thermal lithography materials. In this work, the heat-diffusion channels of laser thermal lithography are first analyzed, and then we propose to manipulate the heat-diffusion channels by inserting thermal conduction layers in between channels. Heat-flow direction can be changed from the in-plane to the out-of-plane of the thermal lithography layer, which causes the size of the structural-change threshold region to become much smaller than the focused laser spot itself; thus, nanoscale marks can be obtained. Samples designated as "glass substrate/thermal conduction layer/thermal lithography layer (100 nm)/thermal conduction layer" are designed and prepared. Chalcogenide phase-change materials are used as thermal lithography layer, and Si is used as thermal conduction layer to manipulate heat-diffusion channels. Laser thermal lithography experiments are conducted on a home-made high-speed rotation direct laser writing setup with 488 nm laser wavelength and 0.90 numerical aperture of converging lens. The writing marks with 50-60 nm size are successfully obtained. The mark size is only about 1/13 of the focused laser spot, which is far smaller than that of the light diffraction limit spot of the direct laser writing setup. This work is useful for nanoscale fabrication and lithography by exploiting the far-field focusing light system.

  14. Nuclear district heating. 1. Process heat reactors and transmission and distribution networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caizergues, R.

    1979-01-01

    Three kinds of production station are considered: joint electricity and heat-producing stations, heat-producing stations with CAS reactors and heat-producing stations with Thermos reactors. The thermal energy supply possibilities of these stations, the cost price of this energy and the cost price per therm produced by the district heating source and conveyed to the user are studied [fr

  15. Selective Laser Melting Produced Ti-6Al-4V: Post-Process Heat Treatments to Achieve Superior Tensile Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerrit M. Ter Haar

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Current post-process heat treatments applied to selective laser melting produced Ti-6Al-4V do not achieve the same microstructure and therefore superior tensile behaviour of thermomechanical processed wrought Ti-6Al-4V. Due to the growing demand for selective laser melting produced parts in industry, research and development towards improved mechanical properties is ongoing. This study is aimed at developing post-process annealing strategies to improve tensile behaviour of selective laser melting produced Ti-6Al-4V parts. Optical and electron microscopy was used to study α grain morphology as a function of annealing temperature, hold time and cooling rate. Quasi-static uniaxial tensile tests were used to measure tensile behaviour of different annealed parts. It was found that elongated α’/α grains can be fragmented into equiaxial grains through applying a high temperature annealing strategy. It is shown that bi-modal microstructures achieve a superior tensile ductility to current heat treated selective laser melting produced Ti-6Al-4V samples.

  16. Heat pipe heat exchangers in heat recovery systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stulc, P; Vasiliev, L L; Kiseljev, V G; Matvejev, Ju N

    1985-01-01

    The results of combined research and development activities of the National Research Institute for Machine Design, Prague, C.S.S.R. and the Institute for Heat and Mass Transfer, Minsk, U.S.S.R. concerning intensification heat pipes used in heat pipe heat exchangers are presented. This sort of research has been occasioned by increased interest in heat power economy trying to utilise waste heat produced by various technological processes. The developed heat pipes are deployed in construction of air-air, gas-air or gas-gas heat recovery exchangers in the field of air-engineering and air-conditioning. (author).

  17. Analysis of normal zone propagation and hot spot temperature on ITER CS insert coil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suwa, Tomone; Ozeki, Hidemasa; Nabara, Yoshihiro; Saito, Toru; Kawano, Katsumi; Takahashi, Yoshikazu; Isono, Takaaki; Nunoya, Yoshihiko

    2016-01-01

    The Central Solenoid (CS) insert coil consists of a 42-m-long CS conductor, of which the specifications are the same as that of the ITER CS. In order to investigate normal zone propagation and hot spot temperature, a quench test was carried out on the CS insert under End-of-Burn condition at 12.5 T and 45.1 kA of after 16,000 cycles. External heat was applied at nearly the center of the CS insert using an inductive heater, and quench was induced. A current of 45.1 kA was dumped 9.5 s (7 s) after voltage generation (Quench detection, QD). The Normal zone propagation length reached 23.4 m, and the maxim propagation velocity was 3.1 m/s just before dumping. Considering the distribution of temperature, which is calculated by GANDALF, hot spot temperature was expected to reach 227 K. As the result, it was found that the hot spot temperature exceeded the criteria of 150 K which is designed on ITER. However, heating the CS insert to 227 K did not influence conductor performance, because the current sharing temperature was maintained after the quench test. Therefore, the quench detection has a margin of approximately 9.5 s (7 s) after voltage generation (QD) in view of the conductor performance under the conditions applied in this quench test. If the hot spot temperature is kept to less than 150 K, the current should be dumped 7.5 s (5 s) before voltage generation (QD). These results are very useful for designing quench protection of the ITER CS. (author)

  18. Spot market for uranium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colhoun, C.

    1982-01-01

    The spot market is always quoted for the price of uranium because little information is available about long-term contracts. A review of the development of spot market prices shows the same price curve swings that occur with all raw materials. Future long-term contracts will probably be lower to reflect spot market prices, which are currently in the real-value range of $30-$35. An upswing in the price of uranium could come in the next few months as utilities begin making purchases and trading from stockpiles. The US, unlike Europe and Japan, has already reached a supply and demand point where the spot market share is increasing. Forecasters cannot project the market price, they can only predict the presence of an oscillating spot or a secondary market. 5 figures

  19. Effect of γ-Aminobutyric Acid-producing Strain on Laying Performance, Egg Quality and Serum Enzyme Activity in Hy-Line Brown Hens under Heat Stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Z. Zhu

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Heat-stress remains a costly issue for animal production, especially for poultry as they lack sweat glands, and alleviating heat-stress is necessary for ensuring animal production in hot environment. A high γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA-producer Lactobacillus strain was used to investigate the effect of dietary GABA-producer on laying performance and egg quality in heat-stressed Hy-line brown hens. Hy-Line brown hens (n = 1,164 at 280 days of age were randomly divided into 4 groups based on the amount of freeze-dried GABA-producer added to the basal diet as follows: i 0 mg/kg, ii 25 mg/kg, iii 50 mg/kg, and iv 100 mg/kg. All hens were subjected to heat-stress treatment through maintaining the temperature and the relative humidity at 28.83±3.85°C and 37% to 53.9%, respectively. During the experiment, laying rate, egg weight and feed intake of hens were recorded daily. At the 30th and 60th day after the start of the experiment, biochemical parameters, enzyme activity and immune activity in serum were measured. Egg production, average egg weight, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio and percentage of speckled egg, soft shell egg and misshaped egg were significantly improved (p<0.05 by the increasing supplementation of the dietary GABA-producer. Shape index, eggshell thickness, strength and weight were increased linearly with increasing GABA-producer supplementation. The level of calcium, phosphorus, glucose, total protein and albumin in serum of the hens fed GABA-producing strain supplemented diet was significantly higher (p<0.05 than that of the hens fed the basal diet, whereas cholesterol level was decreased. Compared with the basal diet, GABA-producer strain supplementation increased serum level of glutathione peroxidase (p = 0.009 and superoxide dismutase. In conclusion, GABA-producer played an important role in alleviating heat-stress, the isolated GABA-producer strain might be a potential natural and safe probiotic to use to

  20. Analysis of ripple formation in single crystal spot welds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rappaz, M. [Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (Switzerland). Lab de Metallurgie Physique; Corrigan, D.; Boatner, L.A. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States). Solid State Div.

    1997-10-01

    Stationary spot welds have been made at the (001) surface of Fe-l5%Ni-15%Cr single crystals using a Gas Tungsten Arc (GTA). On the top surface of the spot welds, very regular and concentric ripples were observed after solidification by differential interference color microscopy. Their height (typically 1--5 {micro}m) and spacing (typically {approximately} 60 {micro}m) decreased with the radius of the pool. These ripples were successfully accounted for in terms of capillary-wave theory using the fundamental mode frequency f{sub 0} given by the first zero of the zero-order Bessel function. The spacing d between the ripples was then equated to v{sub s}/f{sub 0}, where v{sub s} is the solidification rate. From the measured ripple spacing, the velocity of the pool was deduced as a function of the radius, and this velocity was in good agreement with the results of a heat-flow simulation.

  1. Operation of heat pumps for smart grid integrated buildings with thermal energy storage

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Finck, C.J.; Li, R.; Zeiler, W.

    2017-01-01

    A small scale office building consisting of radiant heating, a heat pump, and a water thermal energy storage tank is implemented in an optimal control framework. The optimal control aims to minimize operational electricity costs of the heat pump based on real-time power spot market prices. Optimal

  2. Evidence of an Unidentified Extracellular Heat-Stable Factor Produced by Lysobacter enzymogenes (OH11) that Degrade Fusarium graminearum PH1 Hyphae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odhiambo, Benard Omondi; Xu, Gaoge; Qian, Guoliang; Liu, Fengquan

    2017-04-01

    Lysobacter enzymogenes OH11 produces heat-stable antifungal factor (HSAF) and lytic enzymes possessing antifungal activity. This study bio-prospected for other potential antifungal factors besides those above. The cells and extracellular metabolites of L. enzymogenes OH11 and the mutants ΔchiA, ΔchiB, ΔchiC, Δclp, Δpks, and ΔpilA were examined for antifungal activity against Fusarium graminearum PH1, the causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB). Results evidenced that OH11 produces an unidentified extracellular heat-stable degrading metabolite (HSDM) that exhibit degrading activity on F. graminearum PH1 chitinous hyphae. Interestingly, both heat-treated and non-heat-treated extracellular metabolites of OH11 mutants exhibited hyphae-degrading activity against F. graminearum PH1. Enzyme activity detection of heat-treated metabolites ruled out the possibility of enzyme degradation activity. Remarkably, the PKS-NRPS-deficient mutant Δpks cannot produce HSAF or analogues, yet its metabolites exhibited hyphae-degrading activity. HPLC analysis confirmed no HSAF production by Δpks. Δclp lacks hyphae-degrading ability. Therefore, clp regulates HSDM and extracellular lytic enzymes production in L. enzymogenes OH11. ΔpilA had impaired surface cell motility and significantly reduced antagonistic properties. ΔchiA, ΔchiB, and ΔchiC retained hyphae-degrading ability, despite having reduced abilities to produce chitinase enzymes. Ultimately, L. enzymogenes OH11 can produce other unidentified HSDM independent of the PKS-NRPS genes. This suggests HSAF and lytic enzymes production are a fraction of the antifungal mechanisms in OH11. Characterization of HSDM, determination of its biosynthetic gene cluster and understanding its mode of action will provide new leads in the search for effective drugs for FHB management.

  3. Numerical simulation of the unsteady heat-transfer in a turbine-rotor in consideration of hot-spot effects. Final report; AG-Turbo-Vorhaben 1.324: Numerische Simulation des instationaeren Waermeuebergangs an einem Turbinenrotor unter Einschluss von Heissstellen. Abschlussbericht

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nuernberger, D.

    2001-07-01

    In this research project the influence of hot-gas effects, so called hot-spots, to the thermal load of high pressure turbine rotors was investigated in. Generally the total process efficiency can massively be improved by an increase of the temperature level at turbine entrance. However the temperatures of modern gas turbines can only be realized by efficient cooling techniques of the turbine blade materials. Furthermore the turbine stages close to the combustion chamber are exposed to an additional thermal loading due to the so called hot-spots. These streaks of unburned fuel entering the first turbine passages can cause a dramatic increase of local temperature in their afterburning process. For an optimized thermal design a detailed knowledge of these hot-streaks and their interaction with the unsteady flow through the turbomachinery flow is necessary. With this research program time accurate numerical investigations were performed to analyze the interaction process between the occurring hot gases and the high loaded turbine rotors. The numerical simulations started with fundamental investigation of the hot-spot and heat transfer modeling. Based on these developements threedimensional time accurate simulations for a realistic high pressure turbine configuration were performed. Herein the unsteady mechanisms of the hot gases and their influence on the heat transfer of the blade material was analyzed. In total the hot-streaks lead to a massiv increase of the thermal loading mainly on the pressure sides. (orig.) [German] Im Rahmen dieses Forschungsvorhabens wurden der Einfluss von Heissgaseffekten, sogenannten Hot-Spots auf die thermische Belastung von Turbinenrotoren numerisch untersucht. Gemeinhin sind die sehr hohen Turbineneintrittstemperaturen, deren Erhoehung einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur Verbesserung des gesamten Prozesswirkungsgrades leisten, nur durch effektive Kuehlungsmassnahmen der Schaufelwerkstoffe realisierbar. Zudem erfahren diese unmittelbar dem

  4. Roth spots in pernicious anaemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macauley, Mavin; Nag, Satyajit

    2011-04-19

    Roth spots are white-centred retinal haemorrhages, previously thought to be pathognomonic for subacute bacterial endocarditis. A number of other conditions can be associated with Roth spots. In this case, the authors describe the association of Roth spots and pernicious anaemia. This association has been rarely described in the medical literature. Correct diagnosis and treatment with intramuscular vitamin B(12) injections resulted in complete resolution of the anaemia and Roth spots. The authors hope to alert clinicians to think of various differentials of Roth spots, and initiate prompt investigation and management.

  5. Resistance spot welding of AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel: Phase transformations and mechanical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alizadeh-Sh, M.; Marashi, S.P.H.; Pouranvari, M.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Phase transformations during RSW of AISI430 are detailed. • Grain growth, martensite formation and carbide precipitation are dominant phase transformations. • Failure mode of AISI430 resistance spot welded joints are analyzed. • Larger FZ size provided improved load bearing capacity and energy absorption capability. - Abstract: The paper aims at investigating the process–microstructure–performance relationship in resistance spot welding of AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel. The phase transformations which occur during weld thermal cycle were analyzed in details, based on the physical metallurgy of welding of the ferritic stainless steels. It was found that the microstructure of the fusion zone and the heat affected zone is influenced by different phenomena including grain growth, martensite formation and carbide precipitation. The effects of welding cycle on the mechanical properties of the spot welds in terms of peak load, energy absorption and failure mode are discussed

  6. Comparison of outcomes between overlapping-spot and single-spot photodynamic therapy for circumscribed choroidal hemangioma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhao-An Su

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available AIM:To compare the efficacy and safety of photodynamic therapy (PDT with overlapping multiple spots and single spot for treating circumscribed choroidal hemangioma.METHODS:Twenty-two patients (22 eyes with symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangioma received PDT treatment. Fourteen patients received overlapping spots (two to three spots PDT, whereas eight patients received single-spot PDT. Laser was used at 50J/cm2 for 83s in the overlapping-spot group and 50J/cm2 for 166s in the single-spot group. Clinical examination, funduscopy, fluorescein angiography, and ultrasonography were performed at baseline and after treatment.RESULTS:The mean follow-up time was 28.5±8.0 months in the overlapping-spot group and 27.0±5.0 months in the single-spot group. Nine patients (64.2% had their vision improved over two lines on the Snellen chart, and five patients showed stable visual acuity in the overlapping-spot group. The mean thickness of tumor decreased from 2.7±0.8mm to 1.2±0.9mm, and the mean greatest tumor linear dimension decreased from 7.4±1.5mm to 4.5±3.5mm after treatment. In the single-spot group, two patients (25% had their vision improved over two lines on the Snellen chart, and six patients had unchanged stable vision. The mean tumor thickness in this group decreased from 2.5±0.7mm to 1.4±1.0mm, and the mean greatest tumor linear dimension decreased from 7.2±1.3mm to 4.7±3.6mm. No significant differences in visual improvement and tumor regression were found between the two groups.CONCLUSION: Overlapping-spot PDT under appropriate treatment parameters and strategies is as effective and safe as single-spot PDT for treating symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangioma. Improved or stabilized visual acuity was achieved as a result of tumor regression.

  7. Target spot localization at neutron producing accelerators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medveczki, L.; Bornemisza-Pauspertl, P.

    1980-01-01

    In the application of neutron producing accelerators it is required to know the actual position and the homogeneity of distribution of the emitted neutrons. Solid state nuclear track detectors offer a good possibility to get precise information on these without any disturbing influence on them. LR 115 2 type cellulose nitrate Kodak-Pathe Foils were irradiated with fast neutrons. When track density is higher than about 104 tracks cm -2 the damaged area can be observed with the naked eye, too. To get quantitative information the track densities were counted with manual technique. (author)

  8. Heat pipe turbine vane cooling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Langston, L.; Faghri, A. [Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)

    1995-10-01

    The applicability of using heat pipe principles to cool gas turbine vanes is addressed in this beginning program. This innovative concept involves fitting out the vane interior as a heat pipe and extending the vane into an adjacent heat sink, thus transferring the vane incident heat transfer through the heat pipe to heat sink. This design provides an extremely high heat transfer rate and an uniform temperature along the vane due to the internal change of phase of the heat pipe working fluid. Furthermore, this technology can also eliminate hot spots at the vane leading and trailing edges and increase the vane life by preventing thermal fatigue cracking. There is also the possibility of requiring no bleed air from the compressor, and therefore eliminating engine performance losses resulting from the diversion of compressor discharge air. Significant improvement in gas turbine performance can be achieved by using heat pipe technology in place of conventional air cooled vanes. A detailed numerical analysis of a heat pipe vane will be made and an experimental model will be designed in the first year of this new program.

  9. Spotřební a ekologické daně

    OpenAIRE

    Křížová, Helena

    2009-01-01

    Diplomová práce Spotřební a ekologické daně 94 Excise duties (diploma work) SUMMARY Excise duties are indirect taxes on the consumption or the use of certain products. In contrast to value added tax, they are mainly specific taxes, i.e. expressed as a monetary amount per quantity of the product. The most commonly applied excise duties are those on alcoholic beverages, manufactured tobacco products and energy products (motor fuels and heating fuels, such as petrol and gasoline, electrici...

  10. The combustion heat of power producing shale based on individual deliveries for the years 1968 to 1981

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yyspuu, L M; Rayur, K W; Sits, Kh I

    1983-01-01

    The results are cited of a retrospective study of the specific combustion heat of power producing shale relative to the geological and mining technological conditions for nine mines and four open pits of the Baltic Sea Basin. In 1981 the maximal mean annual combustion heatQsigma-c of 12.44 megajoules per kilogram was held by the shales from the Tammiku mine, while the minimum of 10.12 megajoules per kilogram was held by the shales from the Leningradskaya mine. The results are used in a predictive evaluation of the heat creativity of the total fuel of the Baltic Sea region and the Estonian state regional electric power plants (GRES) for the coming years.

  11. Studying the Dynamics of Breakdown of Thin Horizontal Liquid Layers with Local Heating

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Spesivtsev Serafim

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Experimental study of liquid layers breakdown when heated locally from the substrate side was made. Water and ethanol were used as working liquids with a layer thickness of 300 μm. Basic steps of the breakdown process were found and mean velocities of the dry spot formation were determined; the values are 0.06 mm/sec for ethanol and 5.15 mm/sec for water. The formation of residual layer over the hot-spot before the breakdown has been found for both liquids. The creation of a droplet cluster near the heating region is observed when using water as a working fluid. It was shown that evaporation is one of the general factors influencing the process of layer breakdown and dry spot formation as well as thermocapillary effect.

  12. Brillouin scatter in laser-produced plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Phillion, D.W.; Kruer, W.L.; Rupert, V.C.

    1977-01-01

    The absorption of intense laser light is found to be reduced when targets are irradiated by 1.06 μm light with long pulse widths (150-400 psec) and large focal spots (100-250 μm). Estimates of Brillouin scatter which account for the finite heat capacity of the underdense plasma predict this reduction. Spectra of the back reflected light show red shifts indicative of Brillouin scattering

  13. Effects of Hot-Spot Geometry on Backscattering and Down-Scattering Neutron Spectra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, Z. L.; Mannion, O. M.; Forrest, C. J.; Knauer, J. P.; Anderson, K. S.; Radha, P. B.

    2017-10-01

    The measured neutron spectrum produced by a fusion experiment plays a key role in inferring observable quantities. One important observable is the areal density of an implosion, which is inferred by measuring the scattering of neutrons. This project seeks to use particle-transport simulations to model the effects of hot-spot geometry on backscattering and down-scattering neutron spectra along different lines of sight. Implosions similar to those conducted at the Laboratory of Laser Energetics are modeled by neutron transport through a DT plasma and a DT ice shell using the particle transport codes MCNP and IRIS. Effects of hot-spot geometry are obtained by ``detecting'' scattered neutrons along different lines of sight. This process is repeated for various hot-spot geometries representing known shape distortions between the hot spot and the shell. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Award Number DE-NA0001944.

  14. Mapping Nearby Terrain in 3D by Use of a Grid of Laser Spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padgett, Curtis; Liebe, Carl; Chang, Johnny; Brown, Kenneth

    2007-01-01

    A proposed optoelectronic system, to be mounted aboard an exploratory robotic vehicle, would be used to generate a three-dimensional (3D) map of nearby terrain and obstacles for purposes of navigating the vehicle across the terrain and avoiding the obstacles. The difference between this system and the other systems would lie in the details of implementation. In this system, the illumination would be provided by a laser. The beam from the laser would pass through a two-dimensional diffraction grating, which would divide the beam into multiple beams propagating in different, fixed, known directions. These beams would form a grid of bright spots on the nearby terrain and obstacles. The centroid of each bright spot in the image would be computed. For each such spot, the combination of (1) the centroid, (2) the known direction of the light beam that produced the spot, and (3) the known baseline would constitute sufficient information for calculating the 3D position of the spot.

  15. Variation within Lactuca for resistance to Impatiens necrotic spot virus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production in coastal California, one of the major lettuce-producing areas of the US, is affected by outbreaks of Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) from the genus Tospovirus. Transmission of INSV among lettuce crops in this growing region has been attributed mostly to ...

  16. Influence of heat treatments on the microstructure and tensile behaviour of selective laser melting-produced TI-6AL-4V parts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ter Haar, Gerrit Matthys

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available In industry, post-process heat treatments of Ti-6Al-4V are performed with the aim of improving its tensile behaviour. While heat treatments of wrought Ti6Al4V have been standardised (e.g., Aerospace Material Specification H-81200, heat treatments of selective laser melting (SLM-produced Ti-6Al-4V lacks research and understanding. Significant concern exists about SLM Ti6-Al-4V’s achievable ductility attributed to its martensitic (α’ phase. In this research, heat treatments at a range of temperatures are applied to SLM-produced Ti-6Al-4V tensile samples. Microstructural analysis (both optically and through electron backscatter diffraction was used to identify links between heat treatments and microstructure. Subsequently, uniaxial tensile tests were performed to determine the respective tensile properties of all samples. Correlations in the data show a significant loss in strength with respect to an increase in annealing temperature due to grain growth, while no noticeable trend was observed for fracture strain with regard to annealing temperatures.

  17. SpotCaliper: fast wavelet-based spot detection with accurate size estimation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Püspöki, Zsuzsanna; Sage, Daniel; Ward, John Paul; Unser, Michael

    2016-04-15

    SpotCaliper is a novel wavelet-based image-analysis software providing a fast automatic detection scheme for circular patterns (spots), combined with the precise estimation of their size. It is implemented as an ImageJ plugin with a friendly user interface. The user is allowed to edit the results by modifying the measurements (in a semi-automated way), extract data for further analysis. The fine tuning of the detections includes the possibility of adjusting or removing the original detections, as well as adding further spots. The main advantage of the software is its ability to capture the size of spots in a fast and accurate way. http://bigwww.epfl.ch/algorithms/spotcaliper/ zsuzsanna.puspoki@epfl.ch Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. A mass-spring-damper model of a pulsating heat pipe with asymmetric filling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gursel, G.; Frijns, A.J.H.; Homburg, F.G.A.; van Steenhoven, A.A.; Tadrist, L.; Graur, I.

    2014-01-01

    A pulsating heat pipe (PHP) is a device that transfers heat from a hot spot to a cold side by oscillating liquid slugs and vapor plugs. Its working principle is based on interplay between convective heat transfer, evaporation of the liquid at the hot side and condensation of the vapor at the cold

  19. Effect of Crossflow on Hot Spot Fuel Temperature in Prismatic VHTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sung Nam; Tak, Nam-il; Kim, Min Hwan; Noh, Jae Man; Park, Goon-Cherl

    2014-01-01

    Various studies have been conducted to predict the thermal-hydraulics of a prismatic gas-cooled reactor. However, most previous studies have concentrated on the nominal-designed core. The fuel assembly of a high temperature gas-cooled reactor consists of a fuel compact and graphite block used as a moderator. This graphite faces a dimensional change due to irradiation or heating during normal operation. This size change might affect the coolant flow distribution in the active core. Therefore, the hot spot fuel temperature position or value could vary. There are two types of flows by the size change of graphite. One is the bypass flow and the other is the crossflow. The crossflow occurs at the crossflow gap between the vertical stacks of fuel blocks. In this study, the effect of the crossflow on the hot spot fuel temperature has been intensively investigated. (author)

  20. Mutant of Japanese pear resistant to Black Spot Disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanada, T.; Nishida, T.; Ikeda, F.

    1987-01-01

    Full text: Nijisseike is one of the leading cultivars of Japanese pear (Pyrus serotinea Rehd.), but susceptible to black spot disease. Farmers try to prevent this disease by wrapping the fruit with a paper bag and by repeated spraying of fungicides. The disease is caused by a Japanese pear pathotype of Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler. Susceptibility is controlled by a single dominant gene. In 1962, grafted trees of this cultivar were planted at a distance between 53 and 93 m from the 60 Co source in the gamma-field (daily dose 15-4 rad). One branch on a tree planted at 53 m was detected as resistant in 1981. Under field conditions, black spots were observed on many fruits and leaves of the original trees by natural infection in early July, however, they were not observed on the mutant. To examine the resistance of the mutant, artificial inoculations were made using spores of the pathogen and the host specific toxin produced by germinating spores. When some drops of the spore suspension are placed on leaves, the formation of black spots depends upon the leaf age. In a resistant cv. as Chojuro, black spot symptoms are formed only when inoculated on young leaves. An intermediate reaction was observed in the mutant, whereas the original Nijisseiki showed severe symptoms. When inoculation was made on matured fruit skins, no black spot was formed on the mutant just like on the resistant cv. Chojuro, while many small black spots were formed and grew into large spots overlapping each other on the susceptible cv. Nijisseiki. In case of the crude toxin inoculation (4-0.04 ppm) of cv. Nijisseiki black spots were formed on the surface of the susceptible fruit skin, and necrotic lesions at the cut end of detached small pieces of leaves, although reaction on fruit skins was weaker compared with inoculation by spores. However, no symptoms were observed from the toxin application on the mutant and the resistant cv. Chojuro. That the resistance of the mutant is classified as

  1. Effect of γ-Aminobutyric Acid-producing Lactobacillus Strain on Laying Performance, Egg Quality and Serum Enzyme Activity in Hy-Line Brown Hens under Heat Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Y Z; Cheng, J L; Ren, M; Yin, L; Piao, X S

    2015-07-01

    Heat-stress remains a costly issue for animal production, especially for poultry as they lack sweat glands, and alleviating heat-stress is necessary for ensuring animal production in hot environment. A high γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producer Lactobacillus strain was used to investigate the effect of dietary GABA-producer on laying performance and egg quality in heat-stressed Hy-line brown hens. Hy-Line brown hens (n = 1,164) at 280 days of age were randomly divided into 4 groups based on the amount of freeze-dried GABA-producer added to the basal diet as follows: i) 0 mg/kg, ii) 25 mg/kg, iii) 50 mg/kg, and iv) 100 mg/kg. All hens were subjected to heat-stress treatment through maintaining the temperature and the relative humidity at 28.83±3.85°C and 37% to 53.9%, respectively. During the experiment, laying rate, egg weight and feed intake of hens were recorded daily. At the 30th and 60th day after the start of the experiment, biochemical parameters, enzyme activity and immune activity in serum were measured. Egg production, average egg weight, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio and percentage of speckled egg, soft shell egg and misshaped egg were significantly improved (pGABA-producer. Shape index, eggshell thickness, strength and weight were increased linearly with increasing GABA-producer supplementation. The level of calcium, phosphorus, glucose, total protein and albumin in serum of the hens fed GABA-producing strain supplemented diet was significantly higher (plevel was decreased. Compared with the basal diet, GABA-producer strain supplementation increased serum level of glutathione peroxidase (p = 0.009) and superoxide dismutase. In conclusion, GABA-producer played an important role in alleviating heat-stress, the isolated GABA-producer strain might be a potential natural and safe probiotic to use to improve laying performance and egg quality in heat-stressed hens.

  2. Roth spots in pernicious anaemia

    OpenAIRE

    Macauley, Mavin; Nag, Satyajit

    2011-01-01

    Roth spots are white-centred retinal haemorrhages, previously thought to be pathognomonic for subacute bacterial endocarditis. A number of other conditions can be associated with Roth spots. In this case, the authors describe the association of Roth spots and pernicious anaemia. This association has been rarely described in the medical literature. Correct diagnosis and treatment with intramuscular vitamin B12 injections resulted in complete resolution of the anaemia and Roth spots. The author...

  3. Solar Flux Deposition And Heating Rates In Jupiter's Atmosphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez-Hoyos, Santiago; Sánchez-Lavega, A.

    2009-09-01

    We discuss here the solar downward net flux in the 0.25 - 2.5 µm range in the atmosphere of Jupiter and the associated heating rates under a number of vertical cloud structure scenarios focusing in the effect of clouds and hazes. Our numerical model is based in the doubling-adding technique to solve the radiative transfer equation and it includes gas absorption by CH4, NH3 and H2, in addition to Rayleigh scattering by a mixture of H2 plus He. Four paradigmatic Jovian regions have been considered (hot-spots, belts, zones and Polar Regions). The hot-spots are the most transparent regions with downward net fluxes of 2.5±0.5 Wm-2 at the 6 bar level. The maximum solar heating is 0.04±0.01 K/day and occurs above 1 bar. Belts and zones characterization result in a maximum net downward flux of 0.5 Wm-2 at 2 bar and 0.015 Wm-2 at 6 bar. Heating is concentrated in the stratospheric and tropospheric hazes. Finally, Polar Regions are also explored and the results point to a considerable stratospheric heating of 0.04±0.02 K/day. In all, these calculations suggest that the role of the direct solar forcing in the Jovian atmospheric dynamics is limited to the upper 1 - 2 bar of the atmosphere except in the hot-spot areas. Acknowledgments: This work has been funded by Spanish MEC AYA2006-07735 with FEDER support and Grupos Gobierno Vasco IT-464-07.

  4. Beyond the G-spot: clitourethrovaginal complex anatomy in female orgasm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jannini, Emmanuele A; Buisson, Odile; Rubio-Casillas, Alberto

    2014-09-01

    The search for the legendary, highly erogenous vaginal region, the Gräfenberg spot (G-spot), has produced important data, substantially improving understanding of the complex anatomy and physiology of sexual responses in women. Modern imaging techniques have enabled visualization of dynamic interactions of female genitals during self-sexual stimulation or coitus. Although no single structure consistent with a distinct G-spot has been identified, the vagina is not a passive organ but a highly dynamic structure with an active role in sexual arousal and intercourse. The anatomical relationships and dynamic interactions between the clitoris, urethra, and anterior vaginal wall have led to the concept of a clitourethrovaginal (CUV) complex, defining a variable, multifaceted morphofunctional area that, when properly stimulated during penetration, could induce orgasmic responses. Knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the CUV complex might help to avoid damage to its neural, muscular, and vascular components during urological and gynaecological surgical procedures.

  5. Spot size and pulse number dependence of femtosecond laser ablation thresholds of silicon and stainless steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Armbruster, Oskar; Naghilou, Aida [University of Vienna, Department of Physical Chemistry, Währinger Straße 42, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Kitzler, Markus [TU Wien, Photonics Institute, Gusshausstraße 27-29, A-1040 Vienna (Austria); Kautek, Wolfgang, E-mail: wolfgang.kautek@univie.ac.at [University of Vienna, Department of Physical Chemistry, Währinger Straße 42, A-1090 Vienna (Austria)

    2017-02-28

    Highlights: • Influence of laser spot size and pulse number on the ablation of solids. • An extended defect model describes the dependence of the threshold fluence on the basis of high and low density defects. • Successfully applied to silicon and stainless steel. - Abstract: Laser spot size and pulse number are two major parameters influencing the ablation of solids. The extended defect model describes the dependence of the threshold fluence on the basis of high and low density defects. This model was successfully applied to silicon and stainless steel. It is demonstrated that heat accumulation cannot describe the experimental results.

  6. Diagnosis of Soft Spot Short Defects in Analog Circuits Considering the Thermal Behaviour of the Chip

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tadeusiewicz Michał

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with fault diagnosis of nonlinear analogue integrated circuits. Soft spot short defects are analysed taking into account variations of the circuit parameters due to physical imperfections as well as self-heating of the chip. A method enabling to detect, locate and estimate the value of a spot defect has been developed. For this purpose an appropriate objective function was minimized using an optimization procedure based on the Fibonacci method. The proposed approach exploits DC measurements in the test phase, performed at a limited number of accessible points. For illustration three numerical examples are given.

  7. Ionospheric hot spot at high latitudes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schunk, R.W.; Sojka, J.J.

    1982-01-01

    A hot spot (or spots) can occur in the high-latitude ionosphere depending on the plasma convection pattern. The hot spot corresponds to a small magnetic local time-magnetic latitude region of elevated ion temperatures located near the dusk and/or dawn meridians. For asymmetric convection electric field patterns, with enhanced flow in either the dusk or dawn sector of the polar cap, a single hot spot should occur in association with the strong convection cell. However, on geomagnetically disturbed days, two strong convection cells can occur, and hence, two hot spots should exist. The hot spot should be detectable when the electric field in the strong convection cell exceeds about 40 mV m -1 . For electric fields of the order of 100 mV m -1 in the convection cell, the ion temperature in the hot spot is greatest at low altitudes, reaching 4000 0 K at 160 km, and decreases with altitude in the F-region. An ionospheric hot spot (or spots) can be expected at all seasons and for a wide range of solar cycle conditions

  8. Variable-spot ion beam figuring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Lixiang; Qiu, Keqiang; Fu, Shaojun

    2016-01-01

    This paper introduces a new scheme of ion beam figuring (IBF), or rather variable-spot IBF, which is conducted at a constant scanning velocity with variable-spot ion beam collimated by a variable diaphragm. It aims at improving the reachability and adaptation of the figuring process within the limits of machine dynamics by varying the ion beam spot size instead of the scanning velocity. In contrast to the dwell time algorithm in the conventional IBF, the variable-spot IBF adopts a new algorithm, which consists of the scan path programming and the trajectory optimization using pattern search. In this algorithm, instead of the dwell time, a new concept, integral etching time, is proposed to interpret the process of variable-spot IBF. We conducted simulations to verify its feasibility and practicality. The simulation results indicate the variable-spot IBF is a promising alternative to the conventional approach.

  9. Charge-Spot Model for Electrostatic Forces in Simulation of Fine Particulates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walton, Otis R.; Johnson, Scott M.

    2010-01-01

    The charge-spot technique for modeling the static electric forces acting between charged fine particles entails treating electric charges on individual particles as small sets of discrete point charges, located near their surfaces. This is in contrast to existing models, which assume a single charge per particle. The charge-spot technique more accurately describes the forces, torques, and moments that act on triboelectrically charged particles, especially image-charge forces acting near conducting surfaces. The discrete element method (DEM) simulation uses a truncation range to limit the number of near-neighbor charge spots via a shifted and truncated potential Coulomb interaction. The model can be readily adapted to account for induced dipoles in uncharged particles (and thus dielectrophoretic forces) by allowing two charge spots of opposite signs to be created in response to an external electric field. To account for virtual overlap during contacts, the model can be set to automatically scale down the effective charge in proportion to the amount of virtual overlap of the charge spots. This can be accomplished by mimicking the behavior of two real overlapping spherical charge clouds, or with other approximate forms. The charge-spot method much more closely resembles real non-uniform surface charge distributions that result from tribocharging than simpler approaches, which just assign a single total charge to a particle. With the charge-spot model, a single particle may have a zero net charge, but still have both positive and negative charge spots, which could produce substantial forces on the particle when it is close to other charges, when it is in an external electric field, or when near a conducting surface. Since the charge-spot model can contain any number of charges per particle, can be used with only one or two charge spots per particle for simulating charging from solar wind bombardment, or with several charge spots for simulating triboelectric charging

  10. Producers give prices a boost

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1992-01-01

    Uranium producers came alive in August, helping spot prices crack the $8.00 barrier for the first time since March. The upper end of NUKEM's price range actually finished the month at $8.20. Scrambling to fulfill their long-term delivery contracts, producers dominate the market. In the span of three weeks, five producers came out for 2 million lbs U3O8, ultimately buying nearly 1.5 million lbs. One producer accounted for over half this volume. The major factor behind rising prices was that producers required specific origins to meet contract obligations. Buyers willing to accept open origins created the lower end of NUKEM's price range

  11. Mixture for producing fracture-resistant, fiber-reinforced ceramic material by microwave heating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meek, T.T.; Blake, R.D.

    1985-04-03

    A fracture-resistant, fiber-reinforced ceramic substrate is produced by a method which involves preparing a ceramic precursor mixture comprising glass material, a coupling agent, and resilient fibers, and then exposing the mixture to microwave energy. The microwave field orients the fibers in the resulting ceramic material in a desired pattern wherein heat later generated in or on the substrate can be dissipated in a desired geometric pattern parallel to the fiber pattern. Additionally, the shunt capacitance of the fracture-resistant, fiber-reinforced ceramic substrate is lower which provides for a quicker transit time for electronic pulses in any conducting pathway etched into the ceramic substrate.

  12. [Study on Hexagonal Super-Lattice Pattern with Light Spot and Dim Spot in Dielectric Barrier Discharge by Optical Emission Spectra].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ying; Dong, Li-fang; Niu, Xue-jiao; Zhang, Chao

    2016-02-01

    The hexagonal super-lattice pattern composed of the light spot and the dim spot is firstly observed and investigated in the discharge of gas mixture of air and argon by using the dielectric barrier discharge device with double water electrodes. It is found that the dim spot is located at the center of its surrounding three light spots by observing the discharge image. Obviously, the brightness of the light spot and the dim spot are different, which indicates that the plasma states of the light spot and the dim spot may be different. The optical emission spectrum method is used to further study the several plasma parameters of the light spot and the dim spot in different argon content. The emission spectra of the N₂ second positive band (C³IIu --> B³IIg) are measured, from which the molecule vibration temperatures of the light spot and the dim spot are calculated. Based on the relative intensity ratio of the line at 391.4 nm and the N₂ line at 394.1 nm, the average electron energies of the light spot and the dim spot are investigated. The broadening of spectral line 696.57 nm (2P₂-1S₅) is used to study the electron densities of the light spot and the dim spot. The experiment shows that the molecule vibration temperature, average electron energy and the electron density of the dim spot are higher than those of the light spot in the same argon content. The molecule vibration temperature and electron density of the light spot and dim spot increase with the argon content increasing from 70% to 95%, while average electron energies of the light spot and dim spot decrease gradually. The short-exposure image recorded by a high speed video camera shows that the dim spot results from the surface discharges (SDs). The surface discharge induced by the volume discharge (VD) has the decisive effect on the formation of the dim spot. The experiment above plays an important role in studying the formation mechanism of the hexagonal super-lattice pattern with light spot and

  13. Numerical optimisation in spot detector design

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Heijden, Ferdinand; Apperloo, W.; Spreeuwers, Lieuwe Jan

    1997-01-01

    Spots are image details resulting from objects, the projections of which are so small that the inner structure of these objects cannot be resolved from their image. Spot detectors are image operators aiming at the detection and localisation of spots in the image. Most spot detectors can be tuned

  14. 9 CFR 149.4 - Spot audit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Spot audit. 149.4 Section 149.4... LIVESTOCK IMPROVEMENT VOLUNTARY TRICHINAE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM § 149.4 Spot audit. (a) In addition to regularly scheduled site audits, certified production sites will be subject to spot audits. (1) Random spot...

  15. SPOTS4. Group data library and computer code, preparing ENDF/B-4 data for input to LEOPARD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, J.D.; Lee, J.T.

    1981-09-01

    The magnetic tape SPOTS4 contains in file 1 a data library to be used as input to the SPOTS4 program which is contained in file 2. The data library is based on ENDF/B-4 and consists of two parts in TEMPEST format (246 groups) and MUFT format (54 groups) respectively. From this library the SPOTS4 program produces a 172 + 54 group library for LEOPARD input. A copy of the magnetic tape is available from the IAEA Nuclear Data Section. (author)

  16. Simulation of surface cracks measurement in first walls by laser spot array thermography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pei, Cuixiang; Qiu, Jinxin; Liu, Haocheng; Chen, Zhenmao, E-mail: chenzm@mail.xjtu.edu.cn

    2016-11-01

    The inspection of surface cracks in first walls (FW) is very important to ensure the safe operation of the fusion reactors. In this paper, a new laser excited thermography technique with using laser spot array source is proposed for the surface cracks imaging and evaluation in the FW with an intuitive and non-contact measurement method. Instead of imaging a crack by scanning a single laser spot and superimposing the local discontinuity images with the present laser excited thermography methods, it can inspect a relatively large area at one measurement. It does not only simplify the measurement system and data processing procedure, but also provide a faster measurement for FW. In order to investigate the feasibility of this method, a numerical code based on finite element method (FEM) is developed to simulate the heat flow and the effect of the crack geometry on the thermal wave fields. An imaging method based on the gradient of the thermal images is proposed for crack measurement with the laser spot array thermography method.

  17. Evidence of hot spot formation on carbon limiters due to thermal electron emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Philipps, V.; Samm, U.; Tokar, M.Z.; Unterberg, B.; Pospieszczyk, A.; Schweer, B.

    1993-01-01

    Carbon test limiters have been exposed in TEXTOR to high heat loads up to about 30 MW/m 2 . The evolutions of the surface temperature distribution and of the carbon release have been observed by means of local diagnostics. A sudden acceleration of the rise of the surface temperature has been found at a critical temperature of approx. 2400 deg. C. The increase of the rate of the temperature rise is consistent with an enhancement of the power loading by a factor of 2.5-3. Following the temperature jump (hot spot), a quasi-equilibrium temperature establishes at approx. 2700 deg. C. The development of the hot spot is explained by an increase of the local power loading to the breakdown of the sheath potential by thermal emission of electrons from the carbon surface. Simultaneously with the appearance of the hot spot, the carbon release from the surface increases sharply. This increase can be explained by normal thermal sublimation. Sublimation cooling contributes to the establishment of the quasi-equilibrium temperature at about 2700 deg. C. (author). 16 refs, 10 figs

  18. Investigation of Hardness Change for Spot Welded Tailored Blank in Hot Stamping Using CCT and Deformation-CCT Diagrams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yogo, Yasuhiro; Kurato, Nozomi; Iwata, Noritoshi

    2018-04-01

    When an outer panel of a B-pillar is manufactured with the hot stamping process, reinforcements are spot welded on its inner side. Before reinforcements are added, the microstructure of the outer panel is martensite. However, reheating during spot welding changes the martensite to ferrite, which has a lower hardness in the heat-affected zone than in other areas. If spot welding is conducted before hot stamping for making a spot welded tailored blank, the microstructure in the spot welded tailored blank after hot stamping is martensite. This sequence of processes avoids hardness reduction due to spot welding. In this study, the hardness and microstructure around spot welded parts of the tailored blank were investigated. The results clearly showed that areas close to the spot welded parts are severely stretched during hot stamping. In addition, stretching suppresses the martensitic phase transformation and reduces the hardness. To characterize this phenomenon, a simulation was conducted that considered the effects of pre-strain on the phase transformation. A continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagram and a deformation continuous cooling transformation (DCCT) diagram were made in order to quantify the effect of the cooling rate and pre-strain on the phase transformation and hardness. The hardness was then calculated using the experimentally measured CCT and DCCT diagrams and the finite element analysis results. The calculated hardness was compared with the experimental hardness. Good agreement was found between the calculated and experimental results.

  19. Investigation of Hardness Change for Spot Welded Tailored Blank in Hot Stamping Using CCT and Deformation-CCT Diagrams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yogo, Yasuhiro; Kurato, Nozomi; Iwata, Noritoshi

    2018-06-01

    When an outer panel of a B-pillar is manufactured with the hot stamping process, reinforcements are spot welded on its inner side. Before reinforcements are added, the microstructure of the outer panel is martensite. However, reheating during spot welding changes the martensite to ferrite, which has a lower hardness in the heat-affected zone than in other areas. If spot welding is conducted before hot stamping for making a spot welded tailored blank, the microstructure in the spot welded tailored blank after hot stamping is martensite. This sequence of processes avoids hardness reduction due to spot welding. In this study, the hardness and microstructure around spot welded parts of the tailored blank were investigated. The results clearly showed that areas close to the spot welded parts are severely stretched during hot stamping. In addition, stretching suppresses the martensitic phase transformation and reduces the hardness. To characterize this phenomenon, a simulation was conducted that considered the effects of pre-strain on the phase transformation. A continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagram and a deformation continuous cooling transformation (DCCT) diagram were made in order to quantify the effect of the cooling rate and pre-strain on the phase transformation and hardness. The hardness was then calculated using the experimentally measured CCT and DCCT diagrams and the finite element analysis results. The calculated hardness was compared with the experimental hardness. Good agreement was found between the calculated and experimental results.

  20. Structural dynamics of fore-crisis area on a heat emission surface of a fuel element's

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharaevskij, I.G.; Fialko, N.M.; Sharaevskaya, E.I.

    2011-01-01

    The known theoretical and experimental data regarding the nature of dry spots evolution are reviewed and the idea regarding the mechanism of heat emission from the heated surface in fore-crisis area are defined more precisely.

  1. Kalman Filtered Bio Heat Transfer Model Based Self-adaptive Hybrid Magnetic Resonance Thermometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yuxin; Chen, Shuo; Deng, Kexin; Chen, Bingyao; Wei, Xing; Yang, Jiafei; Wang, Shi; Ying, Kui

    2017-01-01

    To develop a self-adaptive and fast thermometry method by combining the original hybrid magnetic resonance thermometry method and the bio heat transfer equation (BHTE) model. The proposed Kalman filtered Bio Heat Transfer Model Based Self-adaptive Hybrid Magnetic Resonance Thermometry, abbreviated as KalBHT hybrid method, introduced the BHTE model to synthesize a window on the regularization term of the hybrid algorithm, which leads to a self-adaptive regularization both spatially and temporally with change of temperature. Further, to decrease the sensitivity to accuracy of the BHTE model, Kalman filter is utilized to update the window at each iteration time. To investigate the effect of the proposed model, computer heating simulation, phantom microwave heating experiment and dynamic in-vivo model validation of liver and thoracic tumor were conducted in this study. The heating simulation indicates that the KalBHT hybrid algorithm achieves more accurate results without adjusting λ to a proper value in comparison to the hybrid algorithm. The results of the phantom heating experiment illustrate that the proposed model is able to follow temperature changes in the presence of motion and the temperature estimated also shows less noise in the background and surrounding the hot spot. The dynamic in-vivo model validation with heating simulation demonstrates that the proposed model has a higher convergence rate, more robustness to susceptibility problem surrounding the hot spot and more accuracy of temperature estimation. In the healthy liver experiment with heating simulation, the RMSE of the hot spot of the proposed model is reduced to about 50% compared to the RMSE of the original hybrid model and the convergence time becomes only about one fifth of the hybrid model. The proposed model is able to improve the accuracy of the original hybrid algorithm and accelerate the convergence rate of MR temperature estimation.

  2. Analysis of Functional Constituents in Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Twigs by Different Cultivars, Producing Areas, and Heat Processings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Sang Won; Jang, Yeon Jeong; Lee, Yu Jin; Leem, Hyun Hee; Kim, Eun Ok

    2013-01-01

    Four functional constituents, oxyresveratrol 3′-O-β-D-glucoside (ORTG), oxyresveratrol (ORT), t-resveratrol (RT), and moracin (MC) were isolated from the ethanolic extract of mulberry (Morus alba L.) twigs by a series of isolation procedures, including solvent fractionation, and silica-gel, ODS-A, and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies. Their chemical structures were identified by NMR and FABMS spectral analysis. Quantitative changes of four phytochemicals in mulberry twigs were determined by HPLC according to cultivar, producing area, and heat processing. ORTG was a major abundant compound in the mulberry twigs, and its levels ranged from 23.7 to 105.5 mg% in six different mulberry cultivars. Three other compounds were present in trace amounts (<1 mg/100 g) or were not detected. Among mulberry cultivars examined, “Yongcheon” showed the highest level of ORTG, whereas “Somok” had the least ORTG content. Levels of four phytochemicals in the mulberry twigs harvested in early September were higher than those harvested in early July. Levels of ORTG and ORT in the “Cheongil” mulberry twigs produced in the Uljin area were higher than those produced in other areas. Generally, levels of ORTG and ORT in mulberry twigs decreased with heat processing, such as steaming, and microwaving except roasting, whereas those of RT and MC did not considerably vary according to heat processing. These results suggest that the roasted mulberry twigs may be useful as potential sources of functional ingredients and foods. PMID:24551827

  3. Managing emerging threats to spotted owls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho Yi Wan; Joseph L. Ganey; Christina D. Vojta; Samuel A. Cushman

    2018-01-01

    The 3 spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) subspecies in North America (i.e., northern spotted owl [S. o. caurina], California spotted owl [S. o. occidentalis], Mexican spotted owl [S. o. lucida]) have all experienced population declines over the past century due to habitat loss and fragmentation from logging. Now, the emerging influences of climate change, high-severity...

  4. Computational Prediction of Hot Spot Residues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrow, John Kenneth; Zhang, Shuxing

    2013-01-01

    Most biological processes involve multiple proteins interacting with each other. It has been recently discovered that certain residues in these protein-protein interactions, which are called hot spots, contribute more significantly to binding affinity than others. Hot spot residues have unique and diverse energetic properties that make them challenging yet important targets in the modulation of protein-protein complexes. Design of therapeutic agents that interact with hot spot residues has proven to be a valid methodology in disrupting unwanted protein-protein interactions. Using biological methods to determine which residues are hot spots can be costly and time consuming. Recent advances in computational approaches to predict hot spots have incorporated a myriad of features, and have shown increasing predictive successes. Here we review the state of knowledge around protein-protein interactions, hot spots, and give an overview of multiple in silico prediction techniques of hot spot residues. PMID:22316154

  5. Poisson Spot with Magnetic Levitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoover, Matthew; Everhart, Michael; D'Arruda, Jose

    2010-01-01

    In this paper we describe a unique method for obtaining the famous Poisson spot without adding obstacles to the light path, which could interfere with the effect. A Poisson spot is the interference effect from parallel rays of light diffracting around a solid spherical object, creating a bright spot in the center of the shadow.

  6. Time Resolved X-Ray Spot Size Diagnostic

    CERN Document Server

    Richardson, Roger; Falabella, Steven; Guethlein, Gary; Raymond, Brett; Weir, John

    2005-01-01

    A diagnostic was developed for the determination of temporal history of an X-ray spot. A pair of thin (0.5 mm) slits image the x-ray spot to a fast scintillator which is coupled to a fast detector, thus sampling a slice of the X-Ray spot. Two other scintillator/detectors are used to determine the position of the spot and total forward dose. The slit signal is normalized to the dose and the resulting signal is analyzed to get the spot size. The position information is used to compensate for small changes due to spot motion and misalignment. The time resolution of the diagnostic is about 1 ns and measures spots from 0.5 mm to over 3 mm. The theory and equations used to calculate spot size and position are presented, as well as data. The calculations assume a symmetric, Gaussian spot. The spot data is generated by the ETA II accelerator, a 2kA, 5.5 MeV, 60ns electron beam focused on a Tantalum target. The spot generated is typically about 1 mm FWHM. Comparisons are made to an X-ray pinhole camera which images th...

  7. Statistical hot spot analysis of reactor cores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schaefer, H.

    1974-05-01

    This report is an introduction into statistical hot spot analysis. After the definition of the term 'hot spot' a statistical analysis is outlined. The mathematical method is presented, especially the formula concerning the probability of no hot spots in a reactor core is evaluated. A discussion with the boundary conditions of a statistical hot spot analysis is given (technological limits, nominal situation, uncertainties). The application of the hot spot analysis to the linear power of pellets and the temperature rise in cooling channels is demonstrated with respect to the test zone of KNK II. Basic values, such as probability of no hot spots, hot spot potential, expected hot spot diagram and cumulative distribution function of hot spots, are discussed. It is shown, that the risk of hot channels can be dispersed equally over all subassemblies by an adequate choice of the nominal temperature distribution in the core

  8. Methane hydrate dissociation using inverted five-spot water flooding method in cubic hydrate simulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Gang; Li, Xiao-Sen; Li, Bo; Wang, Yi

    2014-01-01

    The combination forms of the hydrate dissociation methods in different well systems are divided into 6 main patterns. Dissociation processes of methane hydrate in porous media using the inverted five-spot water flooding method (Pattern 4) are investigated by the experimental observation and numerical simulation. In situ methane hydrate is synthesized in the Cubic Hydrate Simulator (CHS), a 5.832-L cubic reactor. A center vertical well is used as the hot water injection well, while the four vertical wells at the corner are the gas and water production wells. The gas production begins simultaneously with the hot water injection, while after approximately 20 min of compression, the water begins to be produced. One of the common characteristics of the inverted five-spot water flooding method is that both the gas and water production rates decrease with the reduction of the hydrate dissociation rate. The evaluation of the energy efficiency ratio might indicate the inverted five-spot water flooding as a promising gas producing method from the hydrate reservoir. - Highlights: • A three-dimensional 5.8-L cubic pressure vessel is developed. • Gas production of hydrate using inverted five-spot flooding method is studied. • Water/gas production rate and energy efficiency ratio are evaluated. • Temperature distributions of numerical simulation and experiment agree well. • Hydrate dissociation process is a moving boundary problem in this study

  9. Hot Spot Removal System: System description

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-09-01

    Hazardous wastes contaminated with radionuclides, chemicals, and explosives exist across the Department of Energy complex and need to be remediated due to environmental concerns. Currently, an opportunity is being developed to dramatically reduce remediation costs and to assist in the acceleration of schedules associated with these wastes by deploying a Hot Spot Removal System. Removing the hot spot from the waste site will remove risk driver(s) and enable another, more cost effective process/option/remedial alternative (i.e., capping) to be applied to the remainder of the site. The Hot Spot Removal System consists of a suite of technologies that will be utilized to locate and remove source terms. Components of the system can also be used in a variety of other cleanup activities. This Hot Spot Removal System Description document presents technologies that were considered for possible inclusion in the Hot Spot Removal System, technologies made available to the Hot Spot Removal System, industrial interest in the Hot Spot Removal System`s subsystems, the schedule required for the Hot Spot Removal System, the evaluation of the relevant technologies, and the recommendations for equipment and technologies as stated in the Plan section.

  10. Hot Spot Removal System: System description

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-09-01

    Hazardous wastes contaminated with radionuclides, chemicals, and explosives exist across the Department of Energy complex and need to be remediated due to environmental concerns. Currently, an opportunity is being developed to dramatically reduce remediation costs and to assist in the acceleration of schedules associated with these wastes by deploying a Hot Spot Removal System. Removing the hot spot from the waste site will remove risk driver(s) and enable another, more cost effective process/option/remedial alternative (i.e., capping) to be applied to the remainder of the site. The Hot Spot Removal System consists of a suite of technologies that will be utilized to locate and remove source terms. Components of the system can also be used in a variety of other cleanup activities. This Hot Spot Removal System Description document presents technologies that were considered for possible inclusion in the Hot Spot Removal System, technologies made available to the Hot Spot Removal System, industrial interest in the Hot Spot Removal System''s subsystems, the schedule required for the Hot Spot Removal System, the evaluation of the relevant technologies, and the recommendations for equipment and technologies as stated in the Plan section

  11. Thermal analysis of continuous and patterned multilayer films in the presence of a nanoscale hot spot

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juang, Jia-Yang; Zheng, Jinglin

    2016-10-01

    Thermal responses of multilayer films play essential roles in state-of-the-art electronic systems, such as photo/micro-electronic devices, data storage systems, and silicon-on-insulator transistors. In this paper, we focus on the thermal aspects of multilayer films in the presence of a nanoscale hot spot induced by near field laser heating. The problem is set up in the scenario of heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), the next-generation technology to overcome the data storage density limit imposed by superparamagnetism. We characterized thermal responses of both continuous and patterned multilayer media films using transient thermal modeling. We observed that material configurations, in particular, the thermal barriers at the material layer interfaces crucially impact the temperature field hence play a key role in determining the hot spot geometry, transient response and power consumption. With a representative generic media model, we further explored the possibility of optimizing thermal performances by designing layers of heat sink and thermal barrier. The modeling approach demonstrates an effective way to characterize thermal behaviors of micro and nano-scale electronic devices with multilayer thin film structures. The insights into the thermal transport scheme will be critical for design and operations of such electronic devices.

  12. Central heating pipes cause unwanted heating; CV-leidingen zorgen voor ongewenste opwarming

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wessels, R. [biq-stadsontwerp, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Nuijten, O. [ISSO, Rotterdam (Netherlands)

    2011-12-15

    Research has shown that the risk of hot spots in the drinking water pipes is very high. Hot spots are, for example, caused by central heating pipes that are too close to the water pipes. The water pipes may be 25 C for a long period, thus creating the risk of legionella growth. The various disciplines need to be careful in the design stage and building stage to prevent such situations from occurring. [Dutch] Onderzoek heeft uitgewezen dat het risico op 'hotspots' in de drinkwaterleidingen erg groot is. Hotspots worden bijvoorbeeld veroorzaakt door cv-leidingen die te dicht in de buurt van waterleidingen lopen. Die waterleidingen kunnen dan langdurig warmer zijn dan 25C en daardoor gevaar opleveren voor legionellagroei. Het vereist zorg van meerdere disciplines in de ontwerpfase en de bouwfase om deze situaties te vermijden.

  13. Modelling the transient analysis of flat miniature heat pipes in printed circuit boards using a control volume approacht

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wits, W.W.; Kok, J.B.W.; van Steenhoven, A.A.; van der Meer, T.H.; Stoffels, G.G.M.

    2008-01-01

    The heat pipe is a two-phase cooling solution, offering very high thermal coefficients, for heat transport. Therefore, it is increasingly used in the design of electronic products. Flat miniature heat pipes are able to effectively remove heat from several hot spots on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

  14. Producing standard damaged DNA samples by heating: pitfalls and suggestions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fattorini, Paolo; Marrubini, Giorgio; Bonin, Serena; Bertoglio, Barbara; Grignani, Pierangela; Recchia, Elisa; Pitacco, Paola; Procopio, Francesca; Cantoni, Carolina; Pajnič, Irena Zupanič; Sorçaburu-Cigliero, Solange; Previderè, Carlo

    2018-05-15

    Heat-mediated hydrolysis of DNA is a simple and inexpensive method for producing damaged samples in vitro. Despite heat-mediated DNA hydrolysis is being widely used in forensic and clinical validation procedures, the lack of standardized procedures makes it impossible to compare the intra and inter-laboratory outcomes of the damaging treatments. In this work, a systematic approach to heat induced DNA hydrolysis was performed at 70 °C for 0-18 h to test the role both of the hydrolysis buffer and of the experimental conditions. Specifically, a trial DNA sample, resuspended in three different media (ultrapure water, 0.1% DEPC-water and, respectively, TE) was treated both in Eppendorf tubes ("Protocol P") and in Eppendorf tubes provided with screwcaps ("Protocol S"). The results of these comparative tests were assessed by normalization of the qPCR results. DEPC-water increased the degradation of the samples up to about 100 times when compared to the ultrapure water. Conversely, the TE protected the DNA from degradation whose level was about 1700 times lower than in samples treated in ultrapure water. Even the employment of the "Protocol S" affected the level of degradation, by consistently increasing it (up to about 180 times in DEPC-water). Thus, this comparative approach showed that even seemingly apparently trivial and often underestimated parameters modify the degradation level up to 2-3 orders of magnitude. The chemical-physical reasons of these findings are discussed together with the role of potential factors such as enhanced reactivity of CO 2 , ROS, NO x and pressure, which are likely to be involved. Since the intra and inter-laboratory comparison of the outcomes of the hydrolytic procedure is the first step toward its standardization, the normalization of the qPCR data by the UV/qPCR ratio seems to be the simplest and most reliable way to allow this. Finally, the supplying (provided with the commercial qPCR kits) of a DNA sample whose degree of

  15. Ultrasonic diagnosis of spot welding in thin plates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, No You; Hong, Min Sung

    2005-01-01

    Spot welding widely used in automotive and aerospace industries has made it possible to produce more precise and smaller electric part by robotization and systemization of welding process. The quality of welding depends upon the size of nugget between the overlapped steel plates. Recently, the thickness of the steel plates becomes much thinner and hence, it introduces the smaller size of nugget. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the criterion to evaluate the quality of weld in order to obtain the optimal welding conditions for the better performance. In this paper, a thin steel plates, 0.1 mm through 0.3 mm thickness, have been spot-welded at different welding conditions and the nugget sizes are examined by defocused scanning microscopy. The relationships between nugget sizes and weldability have been investigated experimentally. The result of ultrasonic technique shows the good agreement with that of the tensile test.

  16. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... with facebook share with twitter share with linkedin Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Credit: CDC A male cayenne tick, Amblyomma cajennense, ... and New Mexico. Why Is the Study of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever a Priority for NIAID? Tickborne diseases are becoming ...

  17. Lipolytic Changes in Fermented Sausages Produced with Turkey Meat: Effects of Starter Culture and Heat Treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Karslo?lu, Bet?l; ?i?ek, ?mran Ensoy; Kolsarici, Nuray; Cando?an, Kezban

    2014-01-01

    In this study, the effects of two different commercial starter culture mixes and processing methodologies (traditional and heat process) on the lipolytic changes of fermented sausages manufactured with turkey meat were evaluated during processing stages and storage. Free fatty acid (FFA) value increased with fermentation and during storage over 120 d in all fermented sausage groups produced with both processing methodologies (p

  18. Quantification in positron emission mammography (PEM) with planar detectors: contrast resolution measurements using a custom breast phantom and novel spherical hot-spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murthy, K.; Jolly, D.; Aznar, M.; Thompson, C. J.; Sciascia, P.; Loutfi, A.; Lisbona, R.; Gagnon, J. H.

    1999-12-01

    The authors have previously demonstrated that their Positron Emission Mammography-1 (PEM-1) system can successfully detect small (water. The heated solution is poured into spherical molds which are separated upon congealing to yield robust wall-less radioactive hot-spots. The hot-spots were uniform to within 1-5 parts in 100. Less than 0.1% of the total hot-spot activity leaked into the background in 30 minutes. Contrast resolution experiments have been performed with 12 mm and 16 mm diameter hot-spots in the breast phantom containing water with various amounts of background activity. In both cases, the observed contrast values agree well with the ideal values. In the case of the 12 mm hot-spot with a 350-650 keV energy window, image contrast differed from the ideal by an average of 11%. The image contrast for 12 mm hot-spot improved by 40% and the number of detected events decreased by 35% when the low energy threshold was increased from 300 keV to 450 keV.

  19. Laser Pyrometer For Spot Temperature Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elleman, D. D.; Allen, J. L.; Lee, M. C.

    1988-01-01

    Laser pyrometer makes temperature map by scanning measuring spot across target. Scanning laser pyrometer passively measures radiation emitted by scanned spot on target and calibrated by similar passive measurement on blackbody of known temperature. Laser beam turned on for active measurements of reflectances of target spot and reflectance standard. From measurements, temperature of target spot inferred. Pyrometer useful for non-contact measurement of temperature distributions in processing of materials.

  20. Novel Zero-Heat-Flux Deep Body Temperature Measurement in Lower Extremity Vascular and Cardiac Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mäkinen, Marja-Tellervo; Pesonen, Anne; Jousela, Irma; Päivärinta, Janne; Poikajärvi, Satu; Albäck, Anders; Salminen, Ulla-Stina; Pesonen, Eero

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to compare deep body temperature obtained using a novel noninvasive continuous zero-heat-flux temperature measurement system with core temperatures obtained using conventional methods. A prospective, observational study. Operating room of a university hospital. The study comprised 15 patients undergoing vascular surgery of the lower extremities and 15 patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Zero-heat-flux thermometry on the forehead and standard core temperature measurements. Body temperature was measured using a new thermometry system (SpotOn; 3M, St. Paul, MN) on the forehead and with conventional methods in the esophagus during vascular surgery (n = 15), and in the nasopharynx and pulmonary artery during cardiac surgery (n = 15). The agreement between SpotOn and the conventional methods was assessed using the Bland-Altman random-effects approach for repeated measures. The mean difference between SpotOn and the esophageal temperature during vascular surgery was+0.08°C (95% limit of agreement -0.25 to+0.40°C). During cardiac surgery, during off CPB, the mean difference between SpotOn and the pulmonary arterial temperature was -0.05°C (95% limits of agreement -0.56 to+0.47°C). Throughout cardiac surgery (on and off CPB), the mean difference between SpotOn and the nasopharyngeal temperature was -0.12°C (95% limits of agreement -0.94 to+0.71°C). Poor agreement between the SpotOn and nasopharyngeal temperatures was detected in hypothermia below approximately 32°C. According to this preliminary study, the deep body temperature measured using the zero-heat-flux system was in good agreement with standard core temperatures during lower extremity vascular and cardiac surgery. However, agreement was questionable during hypothermia below 32°C. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The Sweet Spot in Professional Learning: When Student Learning Goals and Educator Performance Standards Align, Everything Is Possible

    Science.gov (United States)

    Killion, Joellen; Kennedy, Jacqueline

    2012-01-01

    A sweet spot is a place where a combination of factors comes together to produce the best results with greatest efficiency. As school systems around the world are increasing expectations for what students learn and what educators do to support their learning, they must aim for the sweet spot to achieve maximum results for their efforts. When…

  2. Predicting the Geothermal Heat Flux in Greenland: A Machine Learning Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rezvanbehbahani, Soroush; Stearns, Leigh A.; Kadivar, Amir; Walker, J. Doug; van der Veen, C. J.

    2017-12-01

    Geothermal heat flux (GHF) is a crucial boundary condition for making accurate predictions of ice sheet mass loss, yet it is poorly known in Greenland due to inaccessibility of the bedrock. Here we use a machine learning algorithm on a large collection of relevant geologic features and global GHF measurements and produce a GHF map of Greenland that we argue is within ˜15% accuracy. The main features of our predicted GHF map include a large region with high GHF in central-north Greenland surrounding the NorthGRIP ice core site, and hot spots in the Jakobshavn Isbræ catchment, upstream of Petermann Gletscher, and near the terminus of Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden glacier. Our model also captures the trajectory of Greenland movement over the Icelandic plume by predicting a stripe of elevated GHF in central-east Greenland. Finally, we show that our model can produce substantially more accurate predictions if additional measurements of GHF in Greenland are provided.

  3. Solar heat storages in district heating networks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ellehauge, K. (Ellehauge og Kildemoes, AArhus (DK)); Engberg Pedersen, T. (COWI A/S, Kgs. Lyngby (DK))

    2007-07-15

    This report gives information on the work carried out and the results obtained in Denmark on storages for large solar heating plants in district heating networks. Especially in Denmark the share of district heating has increased to a large percentage. In 1981 around 33% of all dwellings in DK were connected to a district heating network, while the percentage in 2006 was about 60% (in total 1.5 mio. dwellings). In the report storage types for short term storage and long term storages are described. Short term storages are done as steel tanks and is well established technology widely used in district heating networks. Long term storages are experimental and used in connection with solar heating. A number of solar heating plants have been established with either short term or long term storages showing economy competitive with normal energy sources. Since, in the majority of the Danish district heating networks the heat is produced in co-generation plants, i.e. plants producing both electricity and heat for the network, special attention has been put on the use of solar energy in combination with co-generation. Part of this report describes that in the liberalized electricity market central solar heating plants can also be advantageous in combination with co-generation plants. (au)

  4. How can we constrain the amount of heat producing elements in the interior of Mars?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grott, M.; Plesa, A.; Breuer, D.

    2013-12-01

    The InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) mission to be launched in 2016 will study Mars' deep interior and help improving our knowledge about the interior structure and the thermal evolution of the planet - the latter is also directly linked to its volcanic history and atmospheric evolution. Measurements planned with the two main instruments, SEIS (Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure) and HP3 (Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package) aim to constrain the main structure of the planet, i.e. core, mantle and crust as well as the rate at which the planet loses the interior heat over its surface. Since the surface heat flow depends on the amount of radiogenic heat elements (HPE) present in the interior, it offers a measurable quantity which could constrain the heat budget. Being the principal agent regulating the heat budget which in turn influences partial melting in the interior, crustal and atmospheric evolution, the heat producing elements have a major impact on the entire the present temperature thermal history of the planet. To constrain the radiogenic heat elements of the planet from the surface heat flow is possible assuming that the urey number of the planet, which describes the contribution of internal heat production to the surface heat loss, is known. We have tested this assumption by calculating the thermal evolution of the planet with fully dynamical numerical simulations and by comparing the obtained present-day urey number for a set of different models/parameters (Fig. 1). For one-plate planets like Mars, numerical models show - in contrast to models for the Earth, where plate tectonics play a major role adding more complexity to the system - that the urey ratio is mainly sensitive to two effects: the efficiency of cooling due to the temperature-dependence of the viscosity and the mean half-life time of the long lived radiogenic isotopes. The temperature-dependence of the viscosity results in the

  5. Heat exchanger for transfering heat produced in a high temperature reactor to an intermediate circuit gas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barchewitz, E.; Baumgaertner, H.

    1985-01-01

    The invention is concerned with improving the arrangement of a heat exchanger designed to transfer heat from the coolant gas circuit of a high temperature reactor to a gas which is to be used for a process heat plant. In the plant the material stresses are to be kept low at high differential pressures and temperatures. According to the invention the tube bundles designed as boxes are fixed within the heat exchanger closure by means of supply pipes having got loops. For conducting the hot gas the heat exchanger has got a central pipe leading out of the reactor vessel through the pod closure and having got only one point of fixation, lying in this closure. Additional advantageous designs are mentioned. (orig./PW)

  6. On the Science-Policy Bridge: Do Spatial Heat Vulnerability Assessment Studies Influence Policy?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanja Wolf

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Human vulnerability to heat varies at a range of spatial scales, especially within cities where there can be noticeable intra-urban differences in heat risk factors. Mapping and visualizing intra-urban heat vulnerability offers opportunities for presenting information to support decision-making. For example the visualization of the spatial variation of heat vulnerability has the potential to enable local governments to identify hot spots of vulnerability and allocate resources and increase assistance to people in areas of greatest need. Recently there has been a proliferation of heat vulnerability mapping studies, all of which, to varying degrees, justify the process of vulnerability mapping in a policy context. However, to date, there has not been a systematic review of the extent to which the results of vulnerability mapping studies have been applied in decision-making. Accordingly we undertook a comprehensive review of 37 recently published papers that use geospatial techniques for assessing human vulnerability to heat. In addition, we conducted an anonymous survey of the lead authors of the 37 papers in order to establish the level of interaction between the researchers as science information producers and local authorities as information users. Both paper review and author survey results show that heat vulnerability mapping has been used in an attempt to communicate policy recommendations, raise awareness and induce institutional networking and learning, but has not as yet had a substantive influence on policymaking or preventive action.

  7. On the Science-Policy Bridge: Do Spatial Heat Vulnerability Assessment Studies Influence Policy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Tanja; Chuang, Wen-Ching; McGregor, Glenn

    2015-10-23

    Human vulnerability to heat varies at a range of spatial scales, especially within cities where there can be noticeable intra-urban differences in heat risk factors. Mapping and visualizing intra-urban heat vulnerability offers opportunities for presenting information to support decision-making. For example the visualization of the spatial variation of heat vulnerability has the potential to enable local governments to identify hot spots of vulnerability and allocate resources and increase assistance to people in areas of greatest need. Recently there has been a proliferation of heat vulnerability mapping studies, all of which, to varying degrees, justify the process of vulnerability mapping in a policy context. However, to date, there has not been a systematic review of the extent to which the results of vulnerability mapping studies have been applied in decision-making. Accordingly we undertook a comprehensive review of 37 recently published papers that use geospatial techniques for assessing human vulnerability to heat. In addition, we conducted an anonymous survey of the lead authors of the 37 papers in order to establish the level of interaction between the researchers as science information producers and local authorities as information users. Both paper review and author survey results show that heat vulnerability mapping has been used in an attempt to communicate policy recommendations, raise awareness and induce institutional networking and learning, but has not as yet had a substantive influence on policymaking or preventive action.

  8. On the relationships between electron spot size, focal spot size, and virtual source position in Monte Carlo simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sterpin, E.; Chen, Y.; Lu, W.; Mackie, T. R.; Olivera, G. H.; Vynckier, S.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: Every year, new radiotherapy techniques including stereotactic radiosurgery using linear accelerators give rise to new applications of Monte Carlo (MC) modeling. Accurate modeling requires knowing the size of the electron spot, one of the few parameters to tune in MC models. The resolution of integrated megavoltage imaging systems, such as the tomotherapy system, strongly depends on the photon spot size which is closely related to the electron spot. The aim of this article is to clarify the relationship between the electron spot size and the photon spot size (i.e., the focal spot size) for typical incident electron beam energies and target thicknesses. Methods: Three electron energies (3, 5.5, and 18 MeV), four electron spot sizes (FWHM=0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 mm), and two tungsten target thicknesses (0.15 and 1 cm) were considered. The formation of the photon beam within the target was analyzed through electron energy deposition with depth, as well as photon production at several phase-space planes placed perpendicular to the beam axis, where only photons recorded for the first time were accounted for. Photon production was considered for ''newborn'' photons intersecting a 45x45 cm 2 plane at the isocenter (85 cm from source). Finally, virtual source position and ''effective'' focal spot size were computed by backprojecting all the photons from the bottom of the target intersecting a 45x45 cm 2 plane. The virtual source position and focal spot size were estimated at the plane position where the latter is minimal. Results: In the relevant case of considering only photons intersecting the 45x45 cm 2 plane, the results unambiguously showed that the effective photon spot is created within the first 0.25 mm of the target and that electron and focal spots may be assumed to be equal within 3-4%. Conclusions: In a good approximation photon spot size equals electron spot size for high energy X-ray treatments delivered by linear accelerators.

  9. Evaluation of Dark Spots Formated on the High Temperature Metal Filter Elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Seung Chul; Hwang, Tae Won; Moon, Chan Kook

    2008-01-01

    Metal filter elements were newly introduced to the high temperature filter (HTF) system in the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste vitrification plant. In order to evaluate the performance of various metal materials as filter media, elements made of AISI 316L, AISI 904L, and Inconel 600 were included to the test set of filter elements. At the visual inspection to the elements performed after completion of each test, a few dark spots were observed on the surface of some elements. Especially they were found much more at the AISI 316L elements than others. To check the dark spots are the corrosion phenomena or not, two kinds of analyses were performed to the tested filter elements. Firstly, the surfaces or the cross sections of filter specimens cut out from both normal area and dark spot area of elements were analyzed by SEM/EDS. The results showed that the dark spots were not evidences of corrosion but the deposition of sodium, sulfur and silica compounds volatilized from waste or molten glass. Secondly, the ring tensile strength were analyzed for the ring-shape filter specimens cut out from each kind of element. The result obtained from the strength tested showed no evidence of corrosion as well. Conclusionally, depending on the two kinds of analysis, no evidences of corrosion were found at the tested metal filter elements. But the dark spots formed on the surface could reduce the effective filtering area and increase the overall pressure drop of HTF system. Thus, continuous heating inside filter housing up to dew point will be required normally. And a few long-period test should be followed for the exact evaluation of corrosion of the metal filter elements.

  10. Butterfly Wings Are Three-Dimensional: Pupal Cuticle Focal Spots and Their Associated Structures in Junonia Butterflies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taira, Wataru; Otaki, Joji M

    2016-01-01

    Butterfly wing color patterns often contain eyespots, which are developmentally determined at the late larval and early pupal stages by organizing activities of focal cells that can later form eyespot foci. In the pupal stage, the focal position of a future eyespot is often marked by a focal spot, one of the pupal cuticle spots, on the pupal surface. Here, we examined the possible relationships of the pupal focal spots with the underneath pupal wing tissues and with the adult wing eyespots using Junonia butterflies. Large pupal focal spots were found in two species with large adult eyespots, J. orithya and J. almana, whereas only small pupal focal spots were found in a species with small adult eyespots, J. hedonia. The size of five pupal focal spots on a single wing was correlated with the size of the corresponding adult eyespots in J. orithya. A pupal focal spot was a three-dimensional bulge of cuticle surface, and the underside of the major pupal focal spot exhibited a hollowed cuticle in a pupal case. Cross sections of a pupal wing revealed that the cuticle layer shows a curvature at a focal spot, and a positional correlation was observed between the cuticle layer thickness and its corresponding cell layer thickness. Adult major eyespots of J. orithya and J. almana exhibited surface elevations and depressions that approximately correspond to the coloration within an eyespot. Our results suggest that a pupal focal spot is produced by the organizing activity of focal cells underneath the focal spot. Probably because the focal cell layer immediately underneath a focal spot is thicker than that of its surrounding areas, eyespots of adult butterfly wings are three-dimensionally constructed. The color-height relationship in adult eyespots might have an implication in the developmental signaling for determining the eyespot color patterns.

  11. Butterfly Wings Are Three-Dimensional: Pupal Cuticle Focal Spots and Their Associated Structures in Junonia Butterflies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wataru Taira

    Full Text Available Butterfly wing color patterns often contain eyespots, which are developmentally determined at the late larval and early pupal stages by organizing activities of focal cells that can later form eyespot foci. In the pupal stage, the focal position of a future eyespot is often marked by a focal spot, one of the pupal cuticle spots, on the pupal surface. Here, we examined the possible relationships of the pupal focal spots with the underneath pupal wing tissues and with the adult wing eyespots using Junonia butterflies. Large pupal focal spots were found in two species with large adult eyespots, J. orithya and J. almana, whereas only small pupal focal spots were found in a species with small adult eyespots, J. hedonia. The size of five pupal focal spots on a single wing was correlated with the size of the corresponding adult eyespots in J. orithya. A pupal focal spot was a three-dimensional bulge of cuticle surface, and the underside of the major pupal focal spot exhibited a hollowed cuticle in a pupal case. Cross sections of a pupal wing revealed that the cuticle layer shows a curvature at a focal spot, and a positional correlation was observed between the cuticle layer thickness and its corresponding cell layer thickness. Adult major eyespots of J. orithya and J. almana exhibited surface elevations and depressions that approximately correspond to the coloration within an eyespot. Our results suggest that a pupal focal spot is produced by the organizing activity of focal cells underneath the focal spot. Probably because the focal cell layer immediately underneath a focal spot is thicker than that of its surrounding areas, eyespots of adult butterfly wings are three-dimensionally constructed. The color-height relationship in adult eyespots might have an implication in the developmental signaling for determining the eyespot color patterns.

  12. Effects of heat stress on bovine preimplantation embryos produced in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakatani, Miki

    2017-08-19

    Summer heat stress decreases the pregnancy rate in cattle and has been thought to be associated with the early embryonic death caused by the elevation of maternal body temperature. In vitro cultures have been widely used for the evaluation of effects of heat stress on oocytes, fertilization, preimplantation, and embryonic development. Susceptibility to heat stress is present in developmental stages from oocytes to cleavage-stage (before embryonic gene activation, EGA) embryos, leading to a consequent decrease in developmental competence. On the other hand, advanced-stage embryos such as morula or blastocysts have acquired thermotolerance. The mechanism for the developmental stage-dependent change in thermotolerance is considered to be the accumulation of antioxidants in embryos in response to heat-inducible production of reactive oxygen species. The supplementation of antioxidants to the culture media has been known to neutralize the detrimental effects of heat stress. Besides, EGA could be involved in acquisition of thermotolerance in later stages of embryos. Morulae or blastocysts can repair heat-induced unfolded proteins or prevent DNA damage occurring in processes such as apoptosis. Therefore, embryo transfer (ET) that can bypass the heat-sensitive stage could be a good solution to improve the pregnancy rate under heat stress. However, frozen-thawed ET could not improve the pregnancy rate as expected. Frozen-thawed blastocysts were more sensitive to heat stress and showed less proliferation upon heat exposure, compared to fresh blastocysts. Therefore, further research is required to improve the reduction in pregnancy rates due to summer heat stress.

  13. Arc cathode spots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schrade, H.O.

    1989-01-01

    Arc spots are usually highly unstable and jump statistically over the cathode surface. In a magnetic field parallel to the surface, preferably they move in the retrograde direction; i.e., opposite to the Lorentzian rule. If the field is inclined with respect to the surface, the spots drift away at a certain angle with respect to the proper retrograde direction (Robson drift motion). These well-known phenomena are explained by one stability theory

  14. 7 CFR 28.413 - Middling Light Spotted Color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Middling Light Spotted Color. 28.413 Section 28.413... Spotted Color. Middling Light Spotted Color is color which in spot or color, or both, is between Middling Color and Middling Spotted Color. ...

  15. Competitive interactions and resource partitioning between northern spotted owls and barred owls in western Oregon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiens, J. David; Anthony, Robert G.; Forsman, Eric D.

    2014-01-01

    species, accounting for 81% and 49% of total dietary biomass for spotted owls and barred owls, respectively. Mean dietary overlap between pairs of spotted and barred owls in adjacent territories was moderate (42%; range = 28–70%). Barred owls displayed demographic superiority over spotted owls; annual survival probability of spotted owls from known-fate analyses (0.81, SE = 0.05) was lower than that of barred owls (0.92, SE = 0.04), and pairs of barred owls produced an average of 4.4 times more young than pairs of spotted owls over a 3-year period. We found a strong, positive relationship between seasonal (6-month) survival probabilities of both species and the proportion of old (>120 yr) conifer forest within individual home ranges, which suggested that availability of old forest was a potential limiting factor in the competitive relationship between these 2 species. The annual number of young produced by spotted owls increased linearly with increasing distance from a territory center of a pair of barred owls, and all spotted owls that attempted to nest within 1.5 km of a nest used by barred owls failed to successfully produce young. We identified strong associations between the presence of barred owls and the behavior and fitness potential of spotted owls, as shown by changes in movements, habitat use, and reproductive output of spotted owls exposed to different levels of spatial overlap with territorial barred owls. When viewed collectively, our results support the hypothesis that interference competition with barred owls for territorial space can constrain the availability of critical resources required for successful recruitment and reproduction of spotted owls. Availability of old forests and associated prey species appeared to be the most strongly limiting factors in the competitive relationship between these species, indicating that further loss of these conditions can lead to increases in competitive pressure. Our findings have broad implications

  16. 7 CFR 28.423 - Middling Spotted Color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Middling Spotted Color. 28.423 Section 28.423... REGULATIONS COTTON CLASSING, TESTING, AND STANDARDS Standards Spotted Cotton § 28.423 Middling Spotted Color. Middling Spotted Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of...

  17. Computer simulation for improving radio frequency (RF) heating uniformity of food products: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Zhi; Marra, Francesco; Subbiah, Jeyamkondan; Wang, Shaojin

    2018-04-13

    Radio frequency (RF) heating has great potential for achieving rapid and volumetric heating in foods, providing safe and high-quality food products due to deep penetration depth, moisture self-balance effects, and leaving no chemical residues. However, the nonuniform heating problem (usually resulting in hot and cold spots in the heated product) needs to be resolved. The inhomogeneous temperature distribution not only affects the quality of the food but also raises the issue of food safety when the microorganisms or insects may not be controlled in the cold spots. The mathematical modeling for RF heating processes has been extensively studied in a wide variety of agricultural products recently. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent progresses in computer simulation for RF heating uniformity improvement and the offered solutions to reduce the heating nonuniformity. It provides a brief introduction on the basic principle of RF heating technology, analyzes the applications of numerical simulation, and discusses the factors influencing the RF heating uniformity and the possible methods to improve heating uniformity. Mathematical modeling improves the understanding of RF heating of food and is essential to optimize the RF treatment protocol for pasteurization and disinfestation applications. Recommendations for future research have been proposed to further improve the accuracy of numerical models, by covering both heat and mass transfers in the model, validating these models with sample movement and mixing, and identifying the important model parameters by sensitivity analysis.

  18. TV spots' impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-bakly, S

    1994-09-01

    The Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Center of the State Information Service was established in 1979 for the purpose of providing information to the people on the population issue. The Ministry of Information has accorded the State Information Service free TV and radio air time for family planning dramas and spots. In the early years information campaigns were organized to make people aware of the population problem by slogans, songs, and cartoons. Around 1984 misconceptions about family planning and contraceptives were attacked through a number of TV and radio spots. A few years later 21 spots on specific contraceptive methods were broadcast which were aired for three years over 3000 times. They were extremely successful. The impact of these TV spots was one of the major reasons why the contraceptive prevalence rate increased from 30% in 1984 to 38% in 1988 and 47% in 1992. Spots were also broadcast about the social implications of large families. The TV soap opera "And The Nile Flows On", with the family planning message interwoven into it, was very well received by the target audience. A program entitled "Wedding of the Month" features couples who know family planning well. The most successful radio program is a 15-20 minute long quiz show for residents of the villages where the Select Villages Project is being implemented. The State Information Service has 60 local information centers in the 26 governorates of Egypt that make plans for the family planning campaign. In 1992 the Minya Initiative, a family planning project was implemented in the Minya Governorate. As a result, the contraceptive prevalence rate rose from 22% to 30% over 18 months. A new project, the Select Village Project, was developed in 1993 that replicates the Minya Initiative on the village level in other governorates. This new project that was implemented in sixteen governorates.

  19. Black-spot poison ivy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schram, Sarah E; Willey, Andrea; Lee, Peter K; Bohjanen, Kimberly A; Warshaw, Erin M

    2008-01-01

    In black-spot poison ivy dermatitis, a black lacquerlike substance forms on the skin when poison ivy resin is exposed to air. Although the Toxicodendron group of plants is estimated to be the most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis in the United States, black-spot poison ivy dermatitis is relatively rare.

  20. Estimation of transient heat flux density during the heat supply of a catalytic wall steam methane reformer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Settar, Abdelhakim; Abboudi, Saïd; Madani, Brahim; Nebbali, Rachid

    2018-02-01

    Due to the endothermic nature of the steam methane reforming reaction, the process is often limited by the heat transfer behavior in the reactors. Poor thermal behavior sometimes leads to slow reaction kinetics, which is characterized by the presence of cold spots in the catalytic zones. Within this framework, the present work consists on a numerical investigation, in conjunction with an experimental one, on the one-dimensional heat transfer phenomenon during the heat supply of a catalytic-wall reactor, which is designed for hydrogen production. The studied reactor is inserted in an electric furnace where the heat requirement of the endothermic reaction is supplied by electric heating system. During the heat supply, an unknown heat flux density, received by the reactive flow, is estimated using inverse methods. In the basis of the catalytic-wall reactor model, an experimental setup is engineered in situ to measure the temperature distribution. Then after, the measurements are injected in the numerical heat flux estimation procedure, which is based on the Function Specification Method (FSM). The measured and estimated temperatures are confronted and the heat flux density which crosses the reactor wall is determined.

  1. Computational prediction of protein hot spot residues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrow, John Kenneth; Zhang, Shuxing

    2012-01-01

    Most biological processes involve multiple proteins interacting with each other. It has been recently discovered that certain residues in these protein-protein interactions, which are called hot spots, contribute more significantly to binding affinity than others. Hot spot residues have unique and diverse energetic properties that make them challenging yet important targets in the modulation of protein-protein complexes. Design of therapeutic agents that interact with hot spot residues has proven to be a valid methodology in disrupting unwanted protein-protein interactions. Using biological methods to determine which residues are hot spots can be costly and time consuming. Recent advances in computational approaches to predict hot spots have incorporated a myriad of features, and have shown increasing predictive successes. Here we review the state of knowledge around protein-protein interactions, hot spots, and give an overview of multiple in silico prediction techniques of hot spot residues.

  2. In situ characterization of thermal conductivities of irradiated solids by using ion beam heating and infrared imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mondrik, Nicholas; Gigax, Jonathan; Wang, Xuemei; Price, Lloyd [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Wei, Chaochen [Materials Science and Engineering Department, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Shao, Lin, E-mail: lshao@tamu.edu [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering Department, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States)

    2014-08-01

    We propose a method to characterize thermal properties of ion irradiated materials. This method uses an ion beam as a heating source to create a hot spot on sample surface. Infrared imaging is used as a surface temperature mapping tool to record hot zone spreading. Since ion energy, ion flux, and ion penetration depth can be precisely controlled, the beam heating data is highly reliable and repeatable. Using a high speed infrared camera to capture lateral spreading of the hot zone, thermal diffusivity can be readily extracted. The proposed method has advantages in studying radiation induced thermal property changes, for which radiation damage can be introduced by using an irradiating beam over a relatively large beam spot and beam heating can be introduced by using a focused testing beam over a relatively small beam spot. These two beams can be switched without breaking vacuum. Thus thermal conductivity changes can be characterized in situ with ion irradiation. The feasibility of the technique is demonstrated on a single crystal quartz substrate.

  3. In situ characterization of thermal conductivities of irradiated solids by using ion beam heating and infrared imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mondrik, Nicholas; Gigax, Jonathan; Wang, Xuemei; Price, Lloyd; Wei, Chaochen; Shao, Lin

    2014-01-01

    We propose a method to characterize thermal properties of ion irradiated materials. This method uses an ion beam as a heating source to create a hot spot on sample surface. Infrared imaging is used as a surface temperature mapping tool to record hot zone spreading. Since ion energy, ion flux, and ion penetration depth can be precisely controlled, the beam heating data is highly reliable and repeatable. Using a high speed infrared camera to capture lateral spreading of the hot zone, thermal diffusivity can be readily extracted. The proposed method has advantages in studying radiation induced thermal property changes, for which radiation damage can be introduced by using an irradiating beam over a relatively large beam spot and beam heating can be introduced by using a focused testing beam over a relatively small beam spot. These two beams can be switched without breaking vacuum. Thus thermal conductivity changes can be characterized in situ with ion irradiation. The feasibility of the technique is demonstrated on a single crystal quartz substrate

  4. 7 CFR 1421.11 - Spot checks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Spot checks. 1421.11 Section 1421.11 Agriculture... ASSISTANCE LOANS AND LOAN DEFICIENCY PAYMENTS FOR 2008 THROUGH 2012 General § 1421.11 Spot checks. (a) CCC... CCC access to the farm and storage facility as necessary to conduct collateral inspections, or “spot...

  5. 21 CFR 886.1435 - Maxwell spot.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Maxwell spot. 886.1435 Section 886.1435 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES OPHTHALMIC DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 886.1435 Maxwell spot. (a) Identification. A Maxwell spot is an AC...

  6. A mass-spring-damper model of a pulsating heat pipe with a non-uniform and asymmetric filling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gursel, G.; Frijns, A.J.H.; Homburg, F.G.A.; Steenhoven, van A.A.

    2015-01-01

    A pulsating heat pipe (PHP) is a device that transfers heat from a hot spot to a cold side by oscillating liquid slugs and vapor plugs. Its working principle is based on interplay between convective heat transfer, evaporation of the liquid at the hot side and condensation of the vapor at the cold

  7. Comparing the spot prices from Powernext and EEX

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galli, A.; Armstrong, M.

    2005-01-01

    Powernext SA is a Multilateral Trading Facility in charge of managing the French power exchange through an optional and anonymous organised exchange. Powernext started operating on 27 November 2001. Although the German exchange, EEX, has been functioning for much longer, the two have many common points. Both use the same system for fixing the day-ahead spot price, the one developed by NordPool. In contrast to Omel in Spain, power producers in France and Germany are not obliged to sell through the exchange. In addition, the cross-border transmission lines that physically link the French and German grids, not only make the electricity supply more reliable they also allow cross-border commercial transactions which should homogenize prices in both countries. So after nearly a year of operation it is interesting to compare the spot prices on the two exchanges in order to have a better understanding of the statistical properties of the prices in the two markets and the relationship between them. This information will be used when modelling the structure of the day-ahead spot prices. The data used to carry out the study consists of the (hourly) spot prices for electricity from Powernext and EEX, for the period from 1 January 2002 to 2 December 2002. Data from the first five weeks of trading were not included because traded volumes were relatively low initially and so these data are not necessarily representative. This report is divided into four sections. The first one presents the basic statistics, starting with the histograms of all the 8064 spot prices in the 336 days, for both exchanges. In time series data, it is usual to find three types of seasonality: daily, weekly and annual. As the available data cover less than one calendar year, it is too early to attempt to study annual trends. So we limit ourselves to studying daily and weekly fluctuations. Plotting the hourly average prices for each day of the week shows some interesting differences between Powernext and

  8. Computation of spot prices and congestion costs in large interconnected power systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mukerji, R.; Jordan, G.A.; Clayton, R.; Haringa, G.E.

    1995-01-01

    Foremost among the new paradigms for the US utility industry is the ''poolco'' concept proposed by Prof. William W. Hogan of Harvard University. This concept uses a central pool or power exchange in which physical power is traded based on spot prices or market clearing prices. The rapid and accurate calculation of these ''spot'' prices and associated congestion costs for large interconnected power systems is the central tenet upon which the poolco concept is based. The market clearing price would be the same throughout the system if there were no system losses and transmission limitations did not exist. System losses cause small differences in market clearing prices as the cost of supplying a MW at various load buses includes the cost of losses. Transmission limits may cause large differences in market clearing prices between regions as low cost generation is blocked by the transmission constraints from serving certain loads. In models currently in use in the electric power industry spot price calculations range from ''bubble diagram'' type contract path models to full electrical representation such as GE-MAPS. The modeling aspects of the full electrical representation are included in the Appendix. The problem with the bubble diagram representation is that these models are liable to produce unacceptably large errors in the calculation of spot prices and congestion costs. The subtleties of the calculation of spot prices and congestion costs are illustrated in this paper

  9. Utilising heat from nuclear waste for space heating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deacon, D.

    1982-01-01

    A heating unit utilising the decay heat from irradiated material comprises a storage envelope for the material associated with a heat exchange system, means for producing a flow of air over the heat exchange system to extract heat from the material, an exhaust duct capable of discharging the heated air to the atmosphere, and means for selectively diverting at least some of the heated air to effect the required heating. With the flow of air over the heat exchange system taking place by a natural thermosyphon process the arrangement is self regulating and inherently reliable. (author)

  10. Environmental and energy efficiency evaluation of residential gas and heat pump heating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ganji, A.R.

    1993-01-01

    Energy efficiency and source air pollutant emission factors of gas heaters, gas engine heat pumps, and electric heat pumps for domestic heating have been evaluated and compared. The analysis shows that with the present state of technology, gas engine heat pumps have the highest energy efficiency followed by electric heat pumps and then gas heaters. Electric heat pumps produce more than twice as much NO x , and comparable CO 2 and CO per unit of useful heating energy compared to natural gas heaters. CO production per unit of useful heating energy from gas engine heat pumps without any emission control is substantially higher than electric heat pumps and natural gas heaters. NO x production per unit of useful heating energy from natural gas engine heat pumps (using lean burn technology) without any emission control is about the same as effective NO x production from electric heat pumps. Gas engine heat pumps produce about one-half CO 2 compared to electric heat pumps

  11. Production Contracts and the Spot Market Price of Hogs

    OpenAIRE

    Key, Nigel D.

    2010-01-01

    The increasing use of production contracts in the hog sector has reduced the number of spot market transactions, raised concerns about price manipulation and helped to spur legislation requiring price reporting by packers. Using data from the 2002 and 2007 Censuses of Agriculture, this study looks for evidence of market manipulation by examining whether the local prevalence of contracting affects the average price received by independent producers. The empirical approach uses a fixed-effects ...

  12. District heating in Switzerland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herzog, F.

    1991-01-01

    District heating has been used in Switzerland for more than 50 years. Its share of the heat market is less than 3% today. An analysis of the use of district heating in various European countries shows that a high share of district heating in the heat market is always dependent on ideal conditions for its use. Market prospects and possible future developments in the use of district heating in Switzerland are described in this paper. The main Swiss producers and distributors of district heating are members of the Association of District Heating Producers and Distributors. This association supports the installation of district heating facilities where ecological, energetical and economic aspects indicate that district heating would be a good solution. (author) 2 tabs., 6 refs

  13. Dynamics of heating oil market prices in Europe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Indjehagopian, J.P.; Lantz, F.; Simon, V.

    2000-01-01

    This paper concerns the German and French heating oil market and attempts to establish long- and short-term relationships between German and French monthly heating oil prices in dollars, the Rotterdam spot price for the same product and the DM/US$ and FF/US$ exchange rates during the period from January 1987 to December 1997. To model the market over the period under consideration, incorporating the Gulf War, we have used conventional unit root tests and sequential tests allowing structural changes. Long-term relationships, with shifts in regime detected by cointegration tests taking structural breaks into consideration, are estimated. The short-term dynamics defined by a vector error correction (VEC) mechanism is derived in a classic manner when in presence of a cointegrated VAR system. The econometric results obtained are commented on from an economic point of view. Weak exogeneity tests are performed and the conditional VEC model is deduced, enabling measurement of the instantaneous impact of variations in weakly exogenous exchange rates on variations in heating oil prices in Germany and France. Lastly, a study is made of the asymmetric reaction of domestic prices to positive and negative variations in exchange rates and the Rotterdam spot quotation. 25 refs

  14. Jovian longitudinal asymmetry in Io-related and Europa-related auroral hot spots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dessler, A.J.; Chamberlain, J.W.

    1979-01-01

    Jupiter's internal magnetic field is markedly non-dipolar. We propose that Io- or Europa-generated auroral emissions (originating at the foot of either Io's or Europa's magnetic flux tube) are largely restricted to longitudes where Jupiter's ionospheric conductivity is enhanced. Trapped, energetic electrons that drift into Jupiter's atmosphere, in regions where the Jovian magnetic field is anomalously weak, produce the increased conductivity. The longitude range of enchanced auroral hot-spot emissions is thus restricted to an active sector that is determined from dekametric radio emission to lie in the northern hemisphere in the Jovian System III (1965) longitude range of 205 0 +- 30 0 . Relatively weaker auroral hot spots should occur in the southern hemisphere along the mgnetic conjugate trace covering the longitude range of 215 0 +- 55 0 . At other longitudes, the brightness of the hot spot should decrease by at least one order of magnitude. These results, with respect to both brightness and longitude, are in accord with the observations of Jovian auroral hot spots reported by Atreya et al. We show that the northern hemisphere foot of either Io's or Europa's magnetic flux tube was in the preferred longitude range (the active sector) at the time of each observation

  15. Acoustic monitoring indicates a correlation between calling and spawning in captive spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric W. Montie

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background Fish sound production is widespread throughout many families. Territorial displays and courtship are the most common reasons for fish sound production. Yet, there is still some questions on how acoustic signaling and reproduction are correlated in many sound-producing species. In the present study, our aim was to determine if a quantitative relationship exists between calling and egg deposition in captive spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus. This type of data is essential if passive acoustics is to be used to identify spawning aggregations over large spatial scales and monitor reproductive activity over annual and decadal timeframes. Methods Acoustic recorders (i.e., DSG-Oceans were placed in three laboratory tanks to record underwater sound over an entire, simulated reproductive season. We enumerated the number of calls, calculated the received sound pressure level, and counted the number of eggs every morning in each tank. Results Spotted seatrout produced three distinct call types characterized as “drums,” “grunts,” and “staccatos.” Spotted seatrout calling increased as the light cycle shifted from 13.5 to 14.5 h of light, and the temperature increased to 27.7 °C. Calling decreased once the temperature fell below 27.7 °C, and the light cycle shifted to 12 h of light. These temperature and light patterns followed the natural reproductive season observed in wild spotted seatrout in the Southeast United States. Spotted seatrout exhibited daily rhythms in calling. Acoustic signaling began once the lights turned off, and calling reached maximum activity approximately 3 h later. Eggs were released only on evenings in which spotted seatrout were calling. In all tanks, spotted seatrout were more likely to spawn when male fish called more frequently. A positive relationship between SPL and the number of eggs collected was found in Tanks 1 and 3. Discussion Our findings indicate that acoustic metrics can predict spawning

  16. Heating and conduction in laser-produced plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shay, H.D.; Zimmerman, G.B.; Nuckolls, J.H.

    1974-01-01

    A series of experiments conducted by G. McCall of LASL provides important clues concerning the electron distributions heated in the absorption of intense (less than or approximately equal to 10/sup lb/ W/cm 2 ) laser radiation and the thermal transport of energy. Presented here is a tentative interpretation of these experiments obtained from LASNEX calculations. (U.S.)

  17. Integration of Thermoelectric Generators and Wood Stove to Produce Heat, Hot Water, and Electrical Power

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goudarzi, A. M.; Mazandarani, P.; Panahi, R.; Behsaz, H.; Rezania, A.; Rosendahl, L. A.

    2013-07-01

    Traditional fire stoves are characterized by low efficiency. In this experimental study, the combustion chamber of the stove is augmented by two devices. An electric fan can increase the air-to-fuel ratio in order to increase the system's efficiency and decrease air pollution by providing complete combustion of wood. In addition, thermoelectric generators (TEGs) produce power that can be used to satisfy all basic needs. In this study, a water-based cooling system is designed to increase the efficiency of the TEGs and also produce hot water for residential use. Through a range of tests, an average of 7.9 W was achieved by a commercial TEG with substrate area of 56 mm × 56 mm, which can produce 14.7 W output power at the maximum matched load. The total power generated by the stove is 166 W. Also, in this study a reasonable ratio of fuel to time is described for residential use. The presented prototype is designed to fulfill the basic needs of domestic electricity, hot water, and essential heat for warming the room and cooking.

  18. Advances in spot curing technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burga, R.

    1999-01-01

    A brief review of spot curing technology was presented. The process which a spot of energy of a specific wavelength bandwidth and irradiance is used to cause a coating, encapsulant or adhesive to change from a liquid to a solid state

  19. Building A Simulation Model For The Prediction Of Temperature Distribution In Pulsed Laser Spot Welding Of Dissimilar Low Carbon Steel 1020 To Aluminum Alloy 6061

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yousef, Adel K. M.; Taha, Ziad A.; Shehab, Abeer A.

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes the development of a computer model used to analyze the heat flow during pulsed Nd: YAG laser spot welding of dissimilar metal; low carbon steel (1020) to aluminum alloy (6061). The model is built using ANSYS FLUENT 3.6 software where almost all the environments simulated to be similar to the experimental environments. A simulation analysis was implemented based on conduction heat transfer out of the key hole where no melting occurs. The effect of laser power and pulse duration was studied.Three peak powers 1, 1.66 and 2.5 kW were varied during pulsed laser spot welding (keeping the energy constant), also the effect of two pulse durations 4 and 8 ms (with constant peak power), on the transient temperature distribution and weld pool dimension were predicated using the present simulation. It was found that the present simulation model can give an indication for choosing the suitable laser parameters (i.e. pulse durations, peak power and interaction time required) during pulsed laser spot welding of dissimilar metals.

  20. Vacuum arc cathode spot motion in oblique magnetic fields: An interpretation of the Robson experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beilis, I. I. [Electrical Discharge and Plasma Laboratory, School of Electrical Engineering, Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, P.O.B. 39040, Tel Aviv 69978 (Israel)

    2016-09-15

    A model was developed of vacuum arc cathode spot motion in a magnetic field that obliquely intercepts the cathode surface. The model takes into account a force under an electric field caused by retrograde spot motion across the normal component of the magnetic field, producing a drift velocity component in the direction of the acute angle between the magnetic field and the cathode surface. The relationship between velocity of the retrograde direction and drift velocity of the cathode spot motion to the acute angle was developed. The dependencies of the drift angle θ on the acute angle φ, magnetic field strength B, and arc current I were calculated. It was found that the calculated θ increased with φ, B, and I in accordance with Robson's measurements.

  1. The fractal nature of vacuum arc cathode spots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anders, Andre

    2005-01-01

    Cathode spot phenomena show many features of fractals, for example self-similar patterns in the emitted light and arc erosion traces. Although there have been hints on the fractal nature of cathode spots in the literature, the fractal approach to spot interpretation is underutilized. In this work, a brief review of spot properties is given, touching the differences between spot type 1 (on cathodes surfaces with dielectric layers) and spot type 2 (on metallic, clean surfaces) as well as the known spot fragment or cell structure. The basic properties of self-similarity, power laws, random colored noise, and fractals are introduced. Several points of evidence for the fractal nature of spots are provided. Specifically power laws are identified as signature of fractal properties, such as spectral power of noisy arc parameters (ion current, arc voltage, etc) obtained by fast Fourier transform. It is shown that fractal properties can be observed down to the cutoff by measurement resolution or occurrence of elementary steps in physical processes. Random walk models of cathode spot motion are well established: they go asymptotically to Brownian motion for infinitesimal step width. The power spectrum of the arc voltage noise falls as 1/f 2 , where f is frequency, supporting a fractal spot model associated with Brownian motion

  2. Spot sale of uncommitted LNG from Middle East: Japan or the UK?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nikhalat-Jahromi, Hamed; Bell, Michael G.H.; Fontes, Dalila B.M.M.; Cochrane, Robert A.; Angeloudis, Panagiotis

    2016-01-01

    The importance of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is rising as demand for it grows rapidly and steadily due to growth in energy demand, the transition to a low carbon economy and the longer distances over which natural gas is now traded. Given its importance, this work proposes an optimization model that assists to decide on when and where LNG should be delivered by coordinating tanker type, assignment and routing, inventory management, contract obligations, arbitrage and uncommitted LNG. The model maximizes the profit mainly by taking advantage of price differences between different markets. The contributions of this work are twofold. First, following the analysis of expenses and revenues, a new mixed integer programming model for LNG liquefaction and shipping is proposed from a corporate finance perspective. Furthermore, a solution approach for it is implemented and tested. Second, the model is used to derive a short term trade policy for the Middle Eastern LNG producers regarding the spot sale of their uncommitted product to Japan or to the UK, namely to: dispatch to whichever market has the higher current spot price, regardless of the variability of the transport expenses. - Highlights: •The cash-flow of an LNG producer in operational planning is examined. •An LNG inventory routing problem for EBITDA maximization is formulated. •A project in Middle East for studying the spot sale of uncommitted LNG is created. •In sale to Japan and the UK the market with the higher price should be picked.

  3. Multi-image acquisition-based distance sensor using agile laser spot beam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riza, Nabeel A; Amin, M Junaid

    2014-09-01

    We present a novel laser-based distance measurement technique that uses multiple-image-based spatial processing to enable distance measurements. Compared with the first-generation distance sensor using spatial processing, the modified sensor is no longer hindered by the classic Rayleigh axial resolution limit for the propagating laser beam at its minimum beam waist location. The proposed high-resolution distance sensor design uses an electronically controlled variable focus lens (ECVFL) in combination with an optical imaging device, such as a charged-coupled device (CCD), to produce and capture different laser spot size images on a target with these beam spot sizes different from the minimal spot size possible at this target distance. By exploiting the unique relationship of the target located spot sizes with the varying ECVFL focal length for each target distance, the proposed distance sensor can compute the target distance with a distance measurement resolution better than the axial resolution via the Rayleigh resolution criterion. Using a 30 mW 633 nm He-Ne laser coupled with an electromagnetically actuated liquid ECVFL, along with a 20 cm focal length bias lens, and using five spot images captured per target position by a CCD-based Nikon camera, a proof-of-concept proposed distance sensor is successfully implemented in the laboratory over target ranges from 10 to 100 cm with a demonstrated sub-cm axial resolution, which is better than the axial Rayleigh resolution limit at these target distances. Applications for the proposed potentially cost-effective distance sensor are diverse and include industrial inspection and measurement and 3D object shape mapping and imaging.

  4. Induction heating of rotating nonmagnetic billet in magnetic field produced by high-parameter permanent magnets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivo Doležel

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available An advanced way of induction heating of nonmagnetic billets is discussed and modeled. The billet rotates in a stationary magnetic field produced by unmoving high-parameter permanent magnets fixed on magnetic circuit of an appropriate shape. The mathematical model of the problem consisting of two coupled partial differential equations is solved numerically, in the monolithic formulation. Computations are carried out using our own code Agros2D based on a fully adaptive higher-order finite element method. The most important results are verified experimentally on our own laboratory device.

  5. Retrospective Study on Laser Treatment of Oral Vascular Lesions Using the "Leopard Technique": The Multiple Spot Irradiation Technique with a Single-Pulsed Wave.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyazaki, Hidetaka; Ohshiro, Takafumi; Romeo, Umberto; Noguchi, Tadahide; Maruoka, Yutaka; Gaimari, Gianfranco; Tomov, Georgi; Wada, Yoshitaka; Tanaka, Kae; Ohshiro, Toshio; Asamura, Shinichi

    2018-06-01

    This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of laser treatment of oral vascular lesions using the multiple spot irradiation technique with a single-pulsed wave. In laser therapy for vascular lesions, heat accumulation induced by excessive irradiation can cause adverse events postoperatively, including ulcer formation, resultant scarring, and severe pain. To prevent heat accumulation and side effects, we have applied a multiple pulsed spot irradiation technique, the so-called "leopard technique" (LT) to oral vascular lesions. This approach was originally proposed for laser treatment of nevi. It can avoid thermal concentration at the same spot and spare the epithelium, which promotes smooth healing. The goal of the study was to evaluate this procedure and treatment outcomes. The subjects were 46 patients with 47 oral vascular lesions treated with the LT using a Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm), including 24 thick lesions treated using a combination of the LT and intralesional photocoagulation. All treatment outcomes were satisfactory without serious complications such as deep ulcer formation, scarring, bleeding, or severe swelling. Laser therapy with the LT is a promising less-invasive treatment for oral vascular lesions.

  6. What's new in Rocky Mountain spotted fever?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Luke F; Sexton, Daniel J

    2008-09-01

    Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) remains an important illness despite an effective therapy because it is difficult to diagnose and is capable of producing a fatal outcome. The pathogenesis of RMSF remains, in large part, an enigma. However, recent research has helped shed light on this mystery. Importantly, the diagnosis of RMSF must be considered in all febrile patients who have known or possible exposure to ticks, especially if they live in or have traveled to endemic regions during warmer months. Decisions about giving empiric therapy to such patients are difficult and require skill and careful judgement.

  7. Equipment for the emplacement of heat-producing waste in long horizontal boreholes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Young, K.D.; Scully, L.W.; Fisk, A.; deBakker, P.; Friant, J.; Anderson, A.

    1983-01-01

    Emplacement of heat-producing waste in long horizontal holes may offer several technical and economic advantages over shallow vertical hole emplacement. Less of the host rock suffers damage as a result of drift construction; the heat from the waste can be isolated from the access drifts for long periods of time; and the amount of rock which must be excavated is much less than in traditional disposal scenarios. One of the major reasons that has been used to reject the long hole concept in the past and adhere to the shallow vertical hole concept is the equipment required to drill the holes and to emplace and retrieve the waste. Such equipment does not currently exist. It clearly is more difficult to drill a 600 to 1000 foot horizontal hole, possibly 3 to 4 feet in diameter, and place a canister of waste at the end of it than to drill a 30 foot vertical hole and lower the waste to the bottom. A liner, for emplacement hole stabilization, appears to be feasible by adapting existing technology for concrete slip forming or jacking in a steel liner. The conceptual design of the equipment to drill long horizontal holes, emplace waste and retrieve waste will be discussed. Various options in concept will be presented as well as their advantages and disadvantages. The operating scenario of the selected concept will be described as well as solutions to potential problems encountered

  8. Equipment for the emplacement of heat-producing waste in long horizontal boreholes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Young, K.D.; Fisk, A.; Friant, J.; Scully, L.W.

    1983-01-01

    Emplacement of heat-producing waste in long horizontal holes may offer several technical and economic advantages over shallow vertical hole emplacement. Less of the host rock suffers damage as a resul of drift construction; the heat from the waste can be isolated from the access drifts for long periods of time; and the amount of rock which must be excavated is much less than in traditional disposal scenarios. One of the major reasons that has been used to reject the long hole concept in the past and adhere to the shallow vertical hole concept is the equipment required to drill the holes and to emplace and retrieve the waste. Such equipment does not currently exist. It clearly is more difficult to drill a 600 to 100 foot horizontal hole, possibly 3 to 4 feet in diameter, and place a canister of waste at the end of it than to drill a 30 foot vertical hole and lower the waste to the bottom. A liner, for emplacement hole stabilization, appears to be feasible by adapting existing technology for concrete slip forming or jacking in a steel liner. The conceptual design of the equipment to drill long horizontal holes, emplace waste and retrieve waste is discussed. Various options in concept are presented as well as their advantages and disadvantages. The operating scenario of the selected concept is described as well as solutions to potential problems encountered

  9. Safety characteristics of small heat producing reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seifritz, W.

    1987-10-01

    The primary objectives of protection in nuclear power plants are the possibility to shut the reactor down in case of emergency and keep it subcritical in the long run, the existence of a heat sink for post-decay heat removal in order to avoid overheating, let alone core meltdown, and the containment of radioactivity within the barriers designed for this purpose, thus preventing significant activity release. In principle, these objectives can be met in various ways, namely by active, passive or inherent technical safeguards systems. In practice, a mixture of these approaches is employed in almost all cases. What matters in the end is the assessment of the overall concept, not of some outstanding feature. Inherent characteristics are easier to achieve in small reactors. However, also in this case, inherent safety does not mean absolute safety. If inherent safety characteristics were all encompassing, they would have to include self-healing effects. However, inanimate matter is incapable of such self-organization. Consequently, inherent characteristics in nuclear technology by definition should include the increased use of dissipative processes in the thermal part of the plant. (author)

  10. A comparison of creatinine concentration with 40K radioactivity in spot urine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoo, Jaeryong; Park, Minjeong; Park, Seyoung; Ha, Wiho; Lee, Seungsook; Kim, Kwangpyo; Yoo, Jaeryong; Park, Minjeong

    2013-01-01

    24 hour urine collection is technically difficult to carry out and inconvenience for subjects. Also the result of 24 hour urine may vary from collection date. The spot urine assessment has large uncertainty that some spot urine concentrated or some spot urine diluted. Hence, it needs to apply normalization method for minimizing result of measurement the spot urine. In radiation emergency, specific gravity method was proposed which method use portable density meter for measuring density of urine and then normalization. The creatinine test recommend by ICRP (1968) and IAEA (1999) is the most common method for urine normalization. However, the creatinine result was various which depends upon sex, age, race and health conditions. Thus it needs to supplementary method for urine normalization. Natural potassium has isotopes those are K-39, K-40, and K-41, in the percentages of 93.08, 0.0118 and 6.91, respectively. Especially, the K-40 emits relatively high energy (1.46 MeV gamma ray) with a half life of 1.248 Χ 10 9 γ. The potassium is an essential element in human which works as homeostatic regulation. Thus human which works as homeostatic regulation. Thus human which works as homeostatic regulation. Thus human body contains specific amount of the potassium and then excreted regularly. And then K-40 is measurable in urine sample using HPGs detector. The purpose of this study is to estimate the variability of spot urine normalization method for assessing the internal exposure dose of hospital workers who work related with radiopharmaceutical produce. The use of creatinine as normalization of spot urine samples for internal dosimetry is possible to reduce level of uncertainty. However, creatinine range is wide which means the creatinine is not exactly correct reference value for normalization. Or some malfunction in creatinine analysis, it need to another supplementary method for normalization for adequately assessing the activity in spot urine samples. In this study

  11. Laser Spot Detection Based on Reaction Diffusion

    OpenAIRE

    Alejandro Vázquez-Otero; Danila Khikhlukha; J. M. Solano-Altamirano; Raquel Dormido; Natividad Duro

    2016-01-01

    Center-location of a laser spot is a problem of interest when the laser is used for processing and performing measurements. Measurement quality depends on correctly determining the location of the laser spot. Hence, improving and proposing algorithms for the correct location of the spots are fundamental issues in laser-based measurements. In this paper we introduce a Reaction Diffusion (RD) system as the main computational framework for robustly finding laser spot centers. The method presente...

  12. 7 CFR 28.415 - Low Middling Light Spotted Color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Low Middling Light Spotted Color. 28.415 Section 28... Spotted Color. Low Middling Light Spotted Color is color which in spot or color, or both, is between Low Middling Color and Low Middling Spotted Color. ...

  13. PyTranSpot: A tool for multiband light curve modeling of planetary transits and stellar spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juvan, Ines G.; Lendl, M.; Cubillos, P. E.; Fossati, L.; Tregloan-Reed, J.; Lammer, H.; Guenther, E. W.; Hanslmeier, A.

    2018-02-01

    Several studies have shown that stellar activity features, such as occulted and non-occulted starspots, can affect the measurement of transit parameters biasing studies of transit timing variations and transmission spectra. We present PyTranSpot, which we designed to model multiband transit light curves showing starspot anomalies, inferring both transit and spot parameters. The code follows a pixellation approach to model the star with its corresponding limb darkening, spots, and transiting planet on a two dimensional Cartesian coordinate grid. We combine PyTranSpot with a Markov chain Monte Carlo framework to study and derive exoplanet transmission spectra, which provides statistically robust values for the physical properties and uncertainties of a transiting star-planet system. We validate PyTranSpot's performance by analyzing eleven synthetic light curves of four different star-planet systems and 20 transit light curves of the well-studied WASP-41b system. We also investigate the impact of starspots on transit parameters and derive wavelength dependent transit depth values for WASP-41b covering a range of 6200-9200 Å, indicating a flat transmission spectrum.

  14. Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paddock, Christopher D; Fernandez, Susana; Echenique, Gustavo A; Sumner, John W; Reeves, Will K; Zaki, Sherif R; Remondegui, Carlos E

    2008-04-01

    We describe the first molecular confirmation of Rickettsia rickettsii, the cause of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), from a tick vector, Amblyomma cajennense, and from a cluster of fatal spotted fever cases in Argentina. Questing A. cajennense ticks were collected at or near sites of presumed or confirmed cases of spotted fever rickettsiosis in Jujuy Province and evaluated by polymerase chain reaction assays for spotted fever group rickettsiae. DNA of R. rickettsii was amplified from a pool of A. cajennense ticks and from tissues of one of four patients who died during 2003-2004 after illnesses characterized by high fever, severe headache, myalgias, and petechial rash. The diagnosis of spotted fever rickettsiosis was confirmed in the other patients by indirect immunofluorescence antibody and immunohistochemical staining techniques. These findings show the existence of RMSF in Argentina and emphasize the need for clinicians throughout the Americas to consider RMSF in patients with febrile rash illnesses.

  15. Spot Welding of Honeycomb Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohal, V.

    2017-08-01

    Honeycomb structures are used to prepare meals water jet cutting machines for textile. These honeycomb structures are made of stainless steel sheet thickness of 0.1-0.2 mm. Corrugated sheet metal strips are between two gears with special tooth profile. Hexagonal cells for obtaining these strips are welded points between them. Spot welding device is three electrodes in the upper part, which carries three welding points across the width of the strip of corrugated sheet metal. Spot welding device filled with press and advance mechanisms. The paper presents the values of the regime for spot welding.

  16. 7 CFR 28.412 - Strict Middling Light Spotted Color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Strict Middling Light Spotted Color. 28.412 Section 28... Light Spotted Color. Strict Middling Light Spotted Color is color which in spot or color, or both, is between Strict Middling Color and Strict Middling Spotted Color. ...

  17. 7 CFR 28.411 - Good Middling Light Spotted Color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good Middling Light Spotted Color. 28.411 Section 28... Light Spotted Color. Good Middling Light Spotted Color is color which in spot or color, or both, is between Good Middling Color and Good Middling Spotted Color. ...

  18. Evaluation of market samples of ′Yashada bhasma′ using ′Namburi Phased Spot Test′

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santhosh Bhojashettar

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Yashada bhasma (Calx of Yashada i.e. Zinc which has its main indication in Prameha (Diabetes and Netra vikaras (Eye disorders was prepared according to the prescription in the Ayurvedic classics and subjected to various bhasma parikshas, including the Namburi Phased Spot Test (NPST, one of the qualitative tests described for various Ayurvedic preparations. NPST helps differentiate between, and thus identify, various bhasmas. It depends upon the pattern of the spot, which develops after a specific chemical reaction. Three market samples of Yashada bhasma, which were said to be Parada marita (incinerated using Mercury, were also subjected to the above tests and results compared. The various bhasmas exhibited marked differences in colour, and though NPST yielded desired results for all the samples, there were differences in their spot patterns and colour. The bhasma prepared in our department produced the most accurate results.

  19. The impact of Australian ETS news on wholesale spot electricity prices. An exploratory analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chevallier, Julien

    2010-01-01

    This article investigates the impact of news concerning the development of emissions trading in Australia (such as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS)) on wholesale electricity spot prices, by using a database of 117 news announcements from December 1, 1998 to July 1, 2009. As power producers constitute the bulk of the participants of the proposed Australian emissions trading scheme, regulatory changes (about allocation, banking, coverage, targets) are indeed likely to affect the five interconnected electricity markets in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania. We assess these effects with an ARMA(1,1)-GARCH(1,1) model, where daily electricity spot prices are regressed against exogenous variables in the mean and variance equations. This article constitutes the first empirical analysis of Australian ETS news effects on electricity wholesale spot prices. Our results show two asymmetric types of news effects, depending on their information content. (author)

  20. The impact of Australian ETS news on wholesale spot electricity prices. An exploratory analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chevallier, Julien [Universite Paris Dauphine, Place du Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny, 75775 Paris Cedex 16 (France)

    2010-08-15

    This article investigates the impact of news concerning the development of emissions trading in Australia (such as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS)) on wholesale electricity spot prices, by using a database of 117 news announcements from December 1, 1998 to July 1, 2009. As power producers constitute the bulk of the participants of the proposed Australian emissions trading scheme, regulatory changes (about allocation, banking, coverage, targets) are indeed likely to affect the five interconnected electricity markets in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania. We assess these effects with an ARMA(1,1)-GARCH(1,1) model, where daily electricity spot prices are regressed against exogenous variables in the mean and variance equations. This article constitutes the first empirical analysis of Australian ETS news effects on electricity wholesale spot prices. Our results show two asymmetric types of news effects, depending on their information content. (author)

  1. The impact of Australian ETS news on wholesale spot electricity prices: An exploratory analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chevallier, Julien, E-mail: julien.chevallier@dauphine.f [Universite Paris Dauphine, Place du Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny, 75775 Paris Cedex 16 (France)

    2010-08-15

    This article investigates the impact of news concerning the development of emissions trading in Australia (such as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS)) on wholesale electricity spot prices, by using a database of 117 news announcements from December 1, 1998 to July 1, 2009. As power producers constitute the bulk of the participants of the proposed Australian emissions trading scheme, regulatory changes (about allocation, banking, coverage, targets) are indeed likely to affect the five interconnected electricity markets in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania. We assess these effects with an ARMA(1,1)-GARCH(1,1) model, where daily electricity spot prices are regressed against exogenous variables in the mean and variance equations. This article constitutes the first empirical analysis of Australian ETS news effects on electricity wholesale spot prices. Our results show two asymmetric types of news effects, depending on their information content.

  2. Demography of Northern Spotted Owls in southwestern Oregon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zabel, Cynthia J.; Salmons, Susan E.; Forsman, Eric D.; DeStefano, Stephen; Raphael, Martin G.; Gutierrez, R.J.

    1996-01-01

    Northern Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) are associated with lower elevation, commercially valuable, late-successional coniferous forests in the Pacific Northwest. Meta-analyses of demographic parameters indicate that Northern Spotted Owl populations are declining throughout their range (Anderson and Burnham 1992, Burnham et al. this volume). Recent research has attempted to determine whether management activities have affected the viability of Spotted Owl populations, and results have led to development of conservation plans for the species (Dawson et al. 1987, Thomas et al. 1990, Murphy and Noon 1992, USDI 1992, Thomas et al. 1993b).In the Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl (USDI 1992b) threats to the species were identified as small population sizes, declining populations, limited amounts of habitat, continued loss and fragmentation of habitat, geographically isolated populations, and predation and competition from other avian species. Weather and fire are natural processes that also may affect reproductive success of Spotted Owls. Weather may be a factor in the high annual variability in fecundity of Spotted Owls, as has been suggested for other predatory bird species (Newton, 1979, 1986). However, these factors have not been addressed in previous studies of Spotted Owls.Our objectives were to estimate survival, fecundity, and annual rates of population change (l) for resident, territorial female Spotted Owls at two study areas in the coastal mountains of southwestern Oregon. We tested if the amount of rainfall was correlated with reproduction of Spotted Owls. While surveying for Spotted Owls, we documented the increased presence of Barred Owls (Strix varia), a potential competitor of Spotted Owls.

  3. Unblinding the dark matter blind spots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Tao; Kling, Felix

    2017-01-01

    The dark matter (DM) blind spots in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) refer to the parameter regions where the couplings of the DM particles to the Z-boson or the Higgs boson are almost zero, leading to vanishingly small signals for the DM direct detections. In this paper, we carry out comprehensive analyses for the DM searches under the blind-spot scenarios in MSSM. Guided by the requirement of acceptable DM relic abundance, we explore the complementary coverage for the theory parameters at the LHC, the projection for the future underground DM direct searches, and the indirect searches from the relic DM annihilation into photons and neutrinos. We find that (i) the spin-independent (SI) blind spots may be rescued by the spin-dependent (SD) direct detection in the future underground experiments, and possibly by the indirect DM detections from IceCube and SuperK neutrino experiments; (ii) the detection of gamma rays from Fermi-LAT may not reach the desirable sensitivity for searching for the DM blind-spot regions; (iii) the SUSY searches at the LHC will substantially extend the discovery region for the blind-spot parameters. As a result, the dark matter blind spots thus may be unblinded with the collective efforts in future DM searches.

  4. High-resolution autoradiography of nuclear modifications during and after heat treatment of neurospora crassa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ton-That, C.; Turian, G. (Geneva Univ. (Switzerland))

    1984-01-01

    The appearance of perinucleolar electron-dense spots in the nuclei of macroconidia of Neurospora crassa incubated at 46/sup 0/C and their disaggregation after shift-down to 25/sup 0/C have been investigated by high-resolution autoradiography after (5-/sup 3/H) uridine pulses with or without chase periods. The RNA of these ribonucleoprotein-rich dense spots has been found to originate mainly from the heat-sensitive nucleolus; after return to 25/sup 0/C, the nucleolar activity was recovered and the RNA material stored either in an unprocessed or a mature rRNA form in the dense spots was found to be progressively extruded into the cytoplasm.

  5. High-resolution autoradiography of nuclear modifications during and after heat treatment of neurospora crassa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ton-That, C.; Turian, G.

    1984-01-01

    The appearance of perinucleolar electron-dense spots in the nuclei of macroconidia of Neurospora crassa incubated at 46 0 C and their disaggregation after shift-down to 25 0 C have been investigated by high-resolution autoradiography after (5- 3 H) uridine pulses with or without chase periods. The RNA of these ribonucleoprotein-rich dense spots has been found to originate mainly from the heat-sensitive nucleolus; after return to 25 0 C, the nucleolar activity was recovered and the RNA material stored either in an unprocessed or a mature rRNA form in the dense spots was found to be progressively extruded into the cytoplasm. (Author)

  6. Online Adaptive Hyperthermia Treatment Planning During Locoregional Heating to Suppress Treatment-Limiting Hot Spots

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kok, H. Petra; Korshuize-van Straten, Linda; Bakker, Akke; de Kroon-Oldenhof, Rianne; Geijsen, Elisabeth D.; Stalpers, Lukas J. A.; Crezee, Johannes

    2017-01-01

    Adequate tumor temperatures during hyperthermia are essential for good clinical response, but excessive heating of normal tissue should be avoided. This makes locoregional heating using phased array systems technically challenging. Online application of hyperthermia treatment planning could help to

  7. The effect of urban heat island on Izmir's city ecosystem and climate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corumluoglu, Ozsen; Asri, Ibrahim

    2015-03-01

    Depending on the researches done on urban landscapes, it is found that the heat island intensity caused by the activities in any city has some impact on the ecosystem of the region and on the regional climate. Urban areas located in arid and semiarid lands somehow represent heat increase when it is compared with the heat in the surrounding rural areas. Thus, cities located amid forested and temperate climate regions show moderate temperatures. The impervious surfaces let the rainfall leave the city lands faster than undeveloped areas. This effect reduces water's cooling effects on these lands. More significantly, if trees and other vegetations are rare in any region, it means less evapotranspiration-the process by which trees "exhale" water. Trees also contribute to the cooling of urban lands by their shade. Land cover and land use maps can easily be produced by processing of remote sensing satellites' images, like processing of Landsat's images. As a result of this process, urban regions can be distinguished from vegetation. Analyzed GIS data produced and supported by these images can be utilized to determine the impact of urban land on energy, water, and carbon balances at the Earth's surface. Here in this study, it is found that remote sensing technique with thermal images is a liable technique to asses where urban heat islands and hot spots are located in cities. As an application area, in Izmir, it was found that the whole city was in high level of surface temperature as it was over 28 °C during the summer times. Beside this, the highest temperature values which go up to 47 °C are obtained at industrial regions especially where the iron-steel factories and the related industrial activities are.

  8. Development of producing equipment of mixed butane-air with low dew point. Energy saving dewatering apparatus and 6A-Gas producing apparatus utilizing vaporization latent heat of butane and potential heat of air

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Komine, Jin; Okada, Hiroto; Taniue, Nobuo; Tanoue, Keiju; Yamada, Tatsuhiko; Maekawa, Hisami; Murakami, Keiji

    1988-02-10

    A producing equipment of mixed butane-air with low dew point was developed. The dewatering was made during the period from the middle of May to the middle of October with high atmospheric humidity. The production capacity of the mixed gas is 3000 Nm/sup 3/ of 22% of butane and 78% of air per hour. The designed dew point is 18/sup 0/C or less under the pressure of 0.7 kg/cm/sup 2/G. The saturation temperature is 7.5/sup 0/C after the liquid butane is evacuated by a regulating valve. The air introduced into the dehumidifier through finned tubes is cooled to dewater based on those data. The partially vaporized butane is completely gasified by hot water in a vaporizer and mixed with the dewatered air by a venture mixer to produce the mixed butane-air. When the dewatering is incomplete, the spray nozzle must be just exchanged. The dew point of the produced gas was sufficiently below the designed value. The investment cost is low. The total operating cost is reduced by the remarkably decreased fuel cost though the power cost is increased. The noise level is low and the heat control is easy. (11 figs, 4 tabs, 1 photo)

  9. Evaluation of actual vs expected photodynamic therapy spot size.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranchod, Tushar M; Brucker, Alexander J; Liu, Chengcheng; Cukras, Catherine A; Hopkins, Tim B; Ying, Gui-Shuang

    2009-05-01

    To determine the accuracy of the photodynamic therapy (PDT) laser spot size on the retina as generated by 2 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved lasers. Prospective observational case series. Fundus photographs were taken of 1 eye of each of 10 subjects with the WinStation 4000 fundus photography system (OIS; Ophthalmic Imaging Systems, Sacramento, California, USA); disc size was calculated using OIS software. Slit-lamp photographs were taken of the PDT laser spot focused on the retina adjacent to the optic disc, using various spot sizes in combination with 3 different contact lenses and 2 different lasers. Spot size at the retina was determined by measuring the ratio of disc diameter to spot diameter in Adobe Photoshop (San Jose, California, USA) and applying this ratio to the OIS disc measurements. Spot size at the retina averaged 87% of expected spot size for the Coherent Opal laser (Coherent Inc, Santa Clara, California, USA) and 104% of expected spot size for the Zeiss Visulas laser (Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc, Dublin, California, USA)(P = .002). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that percentage of expected spot size decreased with larger spot diameter (P = .01 for Coherent laser; P = .02 for Zeiss laser). PDT spot size at the retina appears to be consistently smaller than expected for the Coherent laser while the spot size was consistently within 10% of expected size for the Zeiss laser. The deviation from expected size increased with larger spot size using the Coherent laser.

  10. Laser Spot Detection Based on Reaction Diffusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vázquez-Otero, Alejandro; Khikhlukha, Danila; Solano-Altamirano, J M; Dormido, Raquel; Duro, Natividad

    2016-03-01

    Center-location of a laser spot is a problem of interest when the laser is used for processing and performing measurements. Measurement quality depends on correctly determining the location of the laser spot. Hence, improving and proposing algorithms for the correct location of the spots are fundamental issues in laser-based measurements. In this paper we introduce a Reaction Diffusion (RD) system as the main computational framework for robustly finding laser spot centers. The method presented is compared with a conventional approach for locating laser spots, and the experimental results indicate that RD-based computation generates reliable and precise solutions. These results confirm the flexibility of the new computational paradigm based on RD systems for addressing problems that can be reduced to a set of geometric operations.

  11. Microstructure and Tensile-Shear Properties of Resistance Spot-Welded Medium Mn Steel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiang Jia

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The medium Mn steels are gaining increasing attention due to their excellent combination of mechanical properties and material cost. A cold-rolled 0.1C5Mn medium Mn steel with a ferrite matrix plus metastable austenite duplex microstructure was resistance spot-welded with various welding currents and times. The nugget size rose with the increase of heat input, but when the welding current exceeded the critical value, the tensile-shear load increased slowly and became unstable due to metal expulsion. The fusion zone exhibited a lath martensite microstructure, and the heat-affected zone was composed of a ferrite/martensite matrix with retained austenite. The volume fraction of retained austenite decreased gradually from the base metal to the fusion zone, while the microhardness presented a reverse varying trend. Interfacial failure occurred along the interface of the steel sheets with lower loading capacity. Sufficient heat input along with serious expulsion brought about high stress concentration around the weld nugget, and the joint failed in partial interfacial mode. Pull-out failure was absent in this study.

  12. Heat flux to the limiter during disruptions and neutral beam injection in Doublet-III

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hino, T.; DeGrassie, J.; Taylor, T.S.; Hopkins, G.; Meyer, C.; Petrie, T.W.; Kahn, C.L.; Ejima, S.

    1984-01-01

    The heat flux to the Doublet-III primary limiter has been monitored during plasma disruptions and during neutral beam injection. The surface temperature of the movable TiC-coated graphite limiter was measured with an Inframetrics thermal imaging system and a suitably filtered silicon photodiode spot detector. In addition, the floating electric potential of the limiter with respect to the vacuum vessel was measured. The heat pulse duration to the limiter was measured by the spot detector with a time response of x approx.= 10 μs and these times were correlated with the plasma parameters. In limiter discharges, 20% of the plasma kinetic stored energy goes to the limiter during disruptions. The power balance during disruptions is also discussed. During neutral beam injection, the limiter is not heated uniformly; the ion drift side receives much more thermal flux than the electron drift side. The fraction of beam power going to the limiter is as high as approx.= 35% in normal limiter discharges. (orig.)

  13. Insights from ecological niche modeling on the taxonomic distinction and niche differentiation between the black-spotted and red-spotted tokay geckoes (Gekko gecko)

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, Yueyun; Chen, Chongtao; Li, Li; Zhao, Chengjian; Chen, Weicai; Huang, Yong

    2014-01-01

    The black-spotted tokay and the red-spotted tokay are morphologically distinct and have largely allopatric distributions. The black-spotted tokay is characterized by a small body size and dark skin with sundry spots, while the red-spotted tokay has a relatively large body size and red spots. Based on morphological, karyotypic, genetic, and distribution differences, recent studies suggested their species status; however, their classifications remain controversial, and additional data such as e...

  14. Small laser spot versus standard laser spot photodynamic therapy for idiopathic choroidal neovascularization: a randomized controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiao-xin; Tao, Yong

    2012-12-01

    Idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (ICNV) affects young patients and thus may have a significant impact on vision and life quality over a patient's lifespan. This study was designed to compare the visual outcome and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) damage after photodynamic therapy (PDT) with small laser spot and PDT with standard laser spot for idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (ICNV). This was a randomized controlled study. Fifty-two patients with ICNV were enrolled and randomly divided into a study group (small laser spot PDT, n = 27) and a control group (standard laser spot PDT, n = 25). Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optic coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescein angiography (FA) findings were the main measurements. The patients were followed up 1 week, 1, 3, 6, 9 months and 1 year after PDT. BCVA improvement was statistically significantly higher in the study group than the control group at 6-month ((25.53 ± 15.01) letters vs. (14.71 ± 11.66) letters, P = 0.025) and 9-month follow-ups ((27.53 ± 17.78) letters vs. (15.59 ± 12.21) letters, P = 0.039). At 3- and 6-month follow-ups, the quadrants of RPE damage between the two groups varied significantly (P laser spot PDT group than in the standard laser spot PDT group for ICNV.

  15. Integration of a wood pellet burner and a Stirling engine to produce residential heat and power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cardozo, Evelyn; Erlich, Catharina; Malmquist, Anders; Alejo, Lucio

    2014-01-01

    The integration a Stirling engine with a pellet burner is a promising alternative to produce heat and power for residential use. In this context, this study is focused on the experimental evaluation of the integration of a 20 kW th wood pellet burner and a 1 kW e Stirling engine. The thermal power not absorbed by the engine is used to produce hot water. The evaluation highlights the effects of pellet type, combustion chamber length and cycling operation on the Stirling engine temperatures and thermal power absorbed. The results show that the position of the Stirling engine is highly relevant in order to utilize as much as possible of the radiative heat from the burner. Within this study, only a 5 cm distance change between the Stirling engine and the pellet burner could result in an increase of almost 100 °C in the hot side of the engine. However, at a larger distance, the temperature of the hot side is almost unchanged suggesting dominating convective heat transfer from the hot flue gas. Ash accumulation decreases the temperature of the hot side of the engine after some cycles of operation when a commercial pellet burner is integrated. The temperature ratio, which is the relation between the minimum and maximum temperatures of the engine, decreases when using Ø8 mm wood pellets in comparison to Ø6 mm pellets due to higher measured temperatures on the hot side of the engine. Therefore, the amount of heat supplied to the engine is increased for Ø8 mm wood pellets. The effectiveness of the engine regenerator is increased at higher pressures. The relation between temperature of the hot side end and thermal power absorbed by the Stirling engine is nearly linear between 500 °C and 660 °C. Higher pressure inside the Stirling engine has a positive effect on the thermal power output. Both the chemical and thermal losses increase somewhat when integrating a Stirling engine in comparison to a stand-alone boiler for only heat production. The overall efficiency

  16. PENGARUH KURS SPOT DAN KURS FORWARD DALAM MEMPREDIKSI FUTURE SPOT PADA PASAR VALAS KAWASAN ASIA TENGGARA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I Gusti Ayu Kade Diana Yanthi

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The importance of the activity in foreign exchange occur as the result of the development of international trading and increased international money and capital movement. The vast development of international economic  caused  economic relationship  among  countries  will  be  linked  to  each other  and  subsequently improve trading activities in their goods, money and capital flows. The variables used in this study are spot, forward  and future  spot. Based  on  the result  of Regression  Estimation  applied in  hypothesis on foreign currencies exchange which done simultaneously are proven able to predict future spot. The investor and international economic  actor could use spot  exchange rate and forward  exchange rate as a  short terms predictor for the next trimester in 2011.

  17. Study on Laser Induced Plasma Produced in Liquid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuda, N.; Yamada, J.

    2003-01-01

    When an intense laser light is focused in liquid, a hot plasma is produced at the focal spot. The breakdown threshold and the transmittance of sodium choroids solution are observed using excimer laser or YAG laser. The breakdown threshold decreases with increasing NaCl concentration. Threshold intensity of plasma produced by YAG laser is lower than excimer laser. The behavior of plasma development is observed by a streak camera. The plasma produced by a YAG laser develops only backward. However, the plasma produced by excimer laser develops not only backward but also forward same as the plasma development in high-pressure gases

  18. Laser Spot Detection Based on Reaction Diffusion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro Vázquez-Otero

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Center-location of a laser spot is a problem of interest when the laser is used for processing and performing measurements. Measurement quality depends on correctly determining the location of the laser spot. Hence, improving and proposing algorithms for the correct location of the spots are fundamental issues in laser-based measurements. In this paper we introduce a Reaction Diffusion (RD system as the main computational framework for robustly finding laser spot centers. The method presented is compared with a conventional approach for locating laser spots, and the experimental results indicate that RD-based computation generates reliable and precise solutions. These results confirm the flexibility of the new computational paradigm based on RD systems for addressing problems that can be reduced to a set of geometric operations.

  19. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colombia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hidalgo, Marylin; Orejuela, Leonora; Fuya, Patricia; Carrillo, Pilar; Hernandez, Jorge; Parra, Edgar; Keng, Colette; Small, Melissa; Olano, Juan P; Bouyer, Donald; Castaneda, Elizabeth; Walker, David; Valbuena, Gustavo

    2007-07-01

    We investigated 2 fatal cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever that occurred in 2003 and 2004 near the same locality in Colombia where the disease was first reported in the 1930s. A retrospective serosurvey of febrile patients showed that > 21% of the serum samples had antibodies aaainst spotted fever group rickettsiae.

  20. Age Spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... for Every Season How to Choose the Best Skin Care Products In This Section Dermatologic Surgery What is dermatologic ... for Every Season How to Choose the Best Skin Care Products Age Spots Treatment Options Learn more about treatment ...

  1. Splitting of turbulent spot in transitional pipe flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiaohua; Moin, Parviz; Adrian, Ronald J.

    2017-11-01

    Recent study (Wu et al., PNAS, 1509451112, 2015) demonstrated the feasibility and accuracy of direct computation of the Osborne Reynolds' pipe transition problem without the unphysical, axially periodic boundary condition. Here we use this approach to study the splitting of turbulent spot in transitional pipe flow, a feature first discovered by E.R. Lindgren (Arkiv Fysik 15, 1959). It has been widely believed that spot splitting is a mysterious stochastic process that has general implications on the lifetime and sustainability of wall turbulence. We address the following two questions: (1) What is the dynamics of turbulent spot splitting in pipe transition? Specifically, we look into any possible connection between the instantaneous strain rate field and the spot splitting. (2) How does the passive scalar field behave during the process of pipe spot splitting. In this study, the turbulent spot is introduced at the inlet plane through a sixty degree wide numerical wedge within which fully-developed turbulent profiles are assigned over a short time interval; and the simulation Reynolds numbers are 2400 for a 500 radii long pipe, and 2300 for a 1000 radii long pipe, respectively. Numerical dye is tagged on the imposed turbulent spot at the inlet. Splitting of the imposed turbulent spot is detected very easily. Preliminary analysis of the DNS results seems to suggest that turbulent spot slitting can be easily understood based on instantaneous strain rate field, and such spot splitting may not be relevant in external flows such as the flat-plate boundary layer.

  2. Dynamic fracture and hot-spot modeling in energetic composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grilli, Nicolò; Duarte, Camilo A.; Koslowski, Marisol

    2018-02-01

    Defects such as cracks, pores, and particle-matrix interface debonding affect the sensitivity of energetic materials by reducing the time-to-ignition and the threshold pressure to initiate an explosion. Frictional sliding of preexisting cracks is considered to be one of the most important causes of localized heating. Therefore, understanding the dynamic fracture of crystalline energetic materials is of extreme importance to assess the reliability and safety of polymer-bonded explosives. Phase field damage model simulations, based on the regularization of the crack surface as a diffuse delta function, are used to describe crack propagation in cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine crystals embedded in a Sylgard matrix. A thermal transport model that includes heat generation by friction at crack interfaces is coupled to the solution of crack propagation. 2D and 3D dynamic compression simulations are performed with different boundary velocities and initial distributions of cracks and interface defects to understand their effect on crack propagation and heat generation. It is found that, at an impact velocity of 400 m/s, localized damage at the particle-binder interface is of key importance and that the sample reaches temperatures high enough to create a hot-spot that will lead to ignition. At an impact velocity of 10 m/s, preexisting cracks advanced inside the particle, but the increase of temperature will not cause ignition.

  3. Advanced spot quality analysis in two-colour microarray experiments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vetter Guillaume

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Image analysis of microarrays and, in particular, spot quantification and spot quality control, is one of the most important steps in statistical analysis of microarray data. Recent methods of spot quality control are still in early age of development, often leading to underestimation of true positive microarray features and, consequently, to loss of important biological information. Therefore, improving and standardizing the statistical approaches of spot quality control are essential to facilitate the overall analysis of microarray data and subsequent extraction of biological information. Findings We evaluated the performance of two image analysis packages MAIA and GenePix (GP using two complementary experimental approaches with a focus on the statistical analysis of spot quality factors. First, we developed control microarrays with a priori known fluorescence ratios to verify the accuracy and precision of the ratio estimation of signal intensities. Next, we developed advanced semi-automatic protocols of spot quality evaluation in MAIA and GP and compared their performance with available facilities of spot quantitative filtering in GP. We evaluated these algorithms for standardised spot quality analysis in a whole-genome microarray experiment assessing well-characterised transcriptional modifications induced by the transcription regulator SNAI1. Using a set of RT-PCR or qRT-PCR validated microarray data, we found that the semi-automatic protocol of spot quality control we developed with MAIA allowed recovering approximately 13% more spots and 38% more differentially expressed genes (at FDR = 5% than GP with default spot filtering conditions. Conclusion Careful control of spot quality characteristics with advanced spot quality evaluation can significantly increase the amount of confident and accurate data resulting in more meaningful biological conclusions.

  4. Gastrointestinal digital fluoroscopy: Comparison of digital pulsed progressive readout images with 100-mm spot films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steiner, E.; Ferrucci, J.T.; Mueller, P.R.; Hahn, P.F.

    1987-01-01

    New developments in pulsed progressive readout (PPR) techniques allow short, extremely intense pulses of radiation to be used to produce a latent image which is then progressively read off the video camera and placed in 1,024 x 1,024-pixel digital storage. The resulting image is produced by a 10-20-msec pulse, reducing motion artifact to below that achievable with conventional spot film techniques, with a potential for 50%-95% dose reduction. This technique of reducing motion artifact is ideal for digital applications in gastrointestinal radiology. The authors compared 10-mm spot films and PPR digital radiographs of 86 anatomic regions in 43 patients undergoing routine barium enema and cholangiographic examinations. Parameters evaluated included display of normal and pathologic features, image contrast, and resolution. The benefits of the PPR technique include postprocessing to evaluate low contrast region and the potential for significant dose reduction

  5. Solar Heating System with Building-Integrated Heat Storage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heller, Alfred

    1996-01-01

    Traditional solar heating systems cover between 5 and 10% of the heat demand fordomestic hot water and comfort heating. By applying storage capacity this share can beincreased much. The Danish producer of solar heating systems, Aidt-Miljø, markets such a system including storage of dry sand heated...... by PP-pipe heat exchanger. Heat demand is reduced due to direct solar heating, and due to storage. Heat demand is reduced due to direct solar heating, due to storage and due to lower heat losses through the ground. In theory, by running the system flow backwards through the sand storage, active heating...... can be achieved.The objective of the report is to present results from measured system evaluation andcalculations and to give guidelines for the design of such solar heating systems with building integrated sand storage. The report is aimed to non-technicians. In another report R-006 the main results...

  6. Shielding implications for secondary neutrons and photons produced within the patient during IMPT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeMarco, J.; Kupelian, P.; Santhanam, A.; Low, D.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) uses a combination of computer controlled spot scanning and spot-weight optimized planning to irradiate the tumor volume uniformly. In contrast to passive scattering systems, secondary neutrons and photons produced from inelastic proton interactions within the patient represent the major source of emitted radiation during IMPT delivery. Various published studies evaluated the shielding considerations for passive scattering systems but did not directly address secondary neutron production from IMPT and the ambient dose equivalent on surrounding occupational and nonoccupational work areas. Thus, the purpose of this study was to utilize Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate the energy and angular distributions of secondary neutrons and photons following inelastic proton interactions within a tissue-equivalent phantom for incident proton spot energies between 70 and 250 MeV.Methods: Monte Carlo simulation methods were used to calculate the ambient dose equivalent of secondary neutrons and photons produced from inelastic proton interactions in a tissue-equivalent phantom. The angular distribution of emitted neutrons and photons were scored as a function of incident proton energy throughout a spherical annulus at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 m from the phantom center. Appropriate dose equivalent conversion factors were applied to estimate the total ambient dose equivalent from secondary neutrons and photons.Results: A reference distance of 1 m from the center of the patient was used to evaluate the mean energy distribution of secondary neutrons and photons and the resulting ambient dose equivalent. For an incident proton spot energy of 250 MeV, the total ambient dose equivalent (3.6 × 10 −3 mSv per proton Gy) was greatest along the direction of the incident proton spot (0°–10°) with a mean secondary neutron energy of 71.3 MeV. The dose equivalent decreased by a factor of 5 in the backward direction (170°–180°) with a mean

  7. Shielding implications for secondary neutrons and photons produced within the patient during IMPT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DeMarco, J.; Kupelian, P.; Santhanam, A.; Low, D. [UCLA Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States)

    2013-07-15

    Purpose: Intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) uses a combination of computer controlled spot scanning and spot-weight optimized planning to irradiate the tumor volume uniformly. In contrast to passive scattering systems, secondary neutrons and photons produced from inelastic proton interactions within the patient represent the major source of emitted radiation during IMPT delivery. Various published studies evaluated the shielding considerations for passive scattering systems but did not directly address secondary neutron production from IMPT and the ambient dose equivalent on surrounding occupational and nonoccupational work areas. Thus, the purpose of this study was to utilize Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate the energy and angular distributions of secondary neutrons and photons following inelastic proton interactions within a tissue-equivalent phantom for incident proton spot energies between 70 and 250 MeV.Methods: Monte Carlo simulation methods were used to calculate the ambient dose equivalent of secondary neutrons and photons produced from inelastic proton interactions in a tissue-equivalent phantom. The angular distribution of emitted neutrons and photons were scored as a function of incident proton energy throughout a spherical annulus at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 m from the phantom center. Appropriate dose equivalent conversion factors were applied to estimate the total ambient dose equivalent from secondary neutrons and photons.Results: A reference distance of 1 m from the center of the patient was used to evaluate the mean energy distribution of secondary neutrons and photons and the resulting ambient dose equivalent. For an incident proton spot energy of 250 MeV, the total ambient dose equivalent (3.6 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} mSv per proton Gy) was greatest along the direction of the incident proton spot (0 Degree-Sign -10 Degree-Sign ) with a mean secondary neutron energy of 71.3 MeV. The dose equivalent decreased by a factor of 5 in the

  8. Detecting hot spots at hazardous-waste sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zirschky, J.; Gilbert, R.O.

    1984-01-01

    Evaluating the need for remedial cleanup at a waste site involves both finding the average contaminant concentration and identifying highly contaminated areas, or hot spots. A nomographic procedure to determine the sample configuration needed to locate a hot spot is presented. The technique can be used to develop a waste-site sampling plant - to determine either the grid spacing required to detect a hot spot at a given level of confidence, or the probability of finding a hot spot of a certain size, given a particular grid spacing. The method and computer program (ELIPGRID) were developed for locating geologic deposits, but the basic procedure can also be used to detect hot spots at chemical- or nuclear-waste disposal sites. Nomographs based on the original program are presented for three sampling-grid configurations - square, rectangular and triangular

  9. A comparison of creatinine concentration with {sup 40}K radioactivity in spot urine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoo, Jaeryong; Park, Minjeong; Park, Seyoung; Ha, Wiho; Lee, Seungsook [Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Kwangpyo; Yoo, Jaeryong; Park, Minjeong [Kyung Hee Univ., Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-05-15

    24 hour urine collection is technically difficult to carry out and inconvenience for subjects. Also the result of 24 hour urine may vary from collection date. The spot urine assessment has large uncertainty that some spot urine concentrated or some spot urine diluted. Hence, it needs to apply normalization method for minimizing result of measurement the spot urine. In radiation emergency, specific gravity method was proposed which method use portable density meter for measuring density of urine and then normalization. The creatinine test recommend by ICRP (1968) and IAEA (1999) is the most common method for urine normalization. However, the creatinine result was various which depends upon sex, age, race and health conditions. Thus it needs to supplementary method for urine normalization. Natural potassium has isotopes those are K-39, K-40, and K-41, in the percentages of 93.08, 0.0118 and 6.91, respectively. Especially, the K-40 emits relatively high energy (1.46 MeV gamma ray) with a half life of 1.248 Χ 10{sup 9}γ. The potassium is an essential element in human which works as homeostatic regulation. Thus human which works as homeostatic regulation. Thus human which works as homeostatic regulation. Thus human body contains specific amount of the potassium and then excreted regularly. And then K-40 is measurable in urine sample using HPGs detector. The purpose of this study is to estimate the variability of spot urine normalization method for assessing the internal exposure dose of hospital workers who work related with radiopharmaceutical produce. The use of creatinine as normalization of spot urine samples for internal dosimetry is possible to reduce level of uncertainty. However, creatinine range is wide which means the creatinine is not exactly correct reference value for normalization. Or some malfunction in creatinine analysis, it need to another supplementary method for normalization for adequately assessing the activity in spot urine samples. In this

  10. Environment-friendly heat supply with natural refrigerants. Large heat pumps use industrial waste heat and waste water; Umweltschonende Waermeversorgung mit natuerlichen Kaeltemitteln. Grosswaermepumpen nutzen industrielle Abwaerme und Abwaesser

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anon.

    2011-01-15

    Everywhere, where industrial processes occur or coldness is produced, simultaneously heat is produced. While many private houses use geothermal energy or ambient air for the production of heat, waste water and waste heat prove to be optimal energy sources for the industrial need due to higher output temperatures. By means of large heat pumps the residual heat is used for heating or the supply of hot water for example in local heat supply grids and makes an important contribution to climate protection.

  11. Judging a salmon by its spots: environmental variation is the primary determinant of spot patterns in Salmo salar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jørgensen, Katarina M; Solberg, Monica F; Besnier, Francois; Thorsen, Anders; Fjelldal, Per Gunnar; Skaala, Øystein; Malde, Ketil; Glover, Kevin A

    2018-04-12

    In fish, morphological colour changes occur from variations in pigment concentrations and in the morphology, density, and distribution of chromatophores in the skin. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unresolved in most species. Here, we describe the first investigation into the genetic and environmental basis of spot pattern development in one of the world's most studied fishes, the Atlantic salmon. We reared 920 salmon from 64 families of domesticated, F1-hybrid and wild origin in two contrasting environments (Hatchery; tanks for the freshwater stage and sea cages for the marine stage, and River; a natural river for the freshwater stage and tanks for the marine stage). Fish were measured, photographed and spot patterns evaluated. In the Hatchery experiment, significant but modest differences in spot density were observed among domesticated, F1-hybrid (1.4-fold spottier than domesticated) and wild salmon (1.7-fold spottier than domesticated). A heritability of 6% was calculated for spot density, and a significant QTL on linkage group SSA014 was detected. In the River experiment, significant but modest differences in spot density were also observed among domesticated, F1-hybrid (1.2-fold spottier than domesticated) and wild salmon (1.8-fold spottier than domesticated). Domesticated salmon were sevenfold spottier in the Hatchery vs. River experiment. While different wild populations were used for the two experiments, on average, these were 6.2-fold spottier in the Hatchery vs. River experiment. Fish in the Hatchery experiment displayed scattered to random spot patterns while fish in the River experiment displayed clustered spot patterns. These data demonstrate that while genetics plays an underlying role, environmental variation represents the primary determinant of spot pattern development in Atlantic salmon.

  12. Impact of spot charge inaccuracies in IMPT treatments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraan, Aafke C; Depauw, Nicolas; Clasie, Ben; Giunta, Marina; Madden, Tom; Kooy, Hanne M

    2017-08-01

    Spot charge is one parameter of pencil-beam scanning dose delivery system whose accuracy is typically high but whose required value has not been investigated. In this work we quantify the dose impact of spot charge inaccuracies on the dose distribution in patients. Knowing the effect of charge errors is relevant for conventional proton machines, as well as for new generation proton machines, where ensuring accurate charge may be challenging. Through perturbation of spot charge in treatment plans for seven patients and a phantom, we evaluated the dose impact of absolute (up to 5× 10 6 protons) and relative (up to 30%) charge errors. We investigated the dependence on beam width by studying scenarios with small, medium and large beam sizes. Treatment plan statistics included the Γ passing rate, dose-volume-histograms and dose differences. The allowable absolute charge error for small spot plans was about 2× 10 6 protons. Larger limits would be allowed if larger spots were used. For relative errors, the maximum allowable error size for small, medium and large spots was about 13%, 8% and 6% for small, medium and large spots, respectively. Dose distributions turned out to be surprisingly robust against random spot charge perturbation. Our study suggests that ensuring spot charge errors as small as 1-2% as is commonly aimed at in conventional proton therapy machines, is clinically not strictly needed. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

  13. Spot: A Programming Language for Verified Flight Software

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bocchino, Robert L., Jr.; Gamble, Edward; Gostelow, Kim P.; Some, Raphael R.

    2014-01-01

    The C programming language is widely used for programming space flight software and other safety-critical real time systems. C, however, is far from ideal for this purpose: as is well known, it is both low-level and unsafe. This paper describes Spot, a language derived from C for programming space flight systems. Spot aims to maintain compatibility with existing C code while improving the language and supporting verification with the SPIN model checker. The major features of Spot include actor-based concurrency, distributed state with message passing and transactional updates, and annotations for testing and verification. Spot also supports domain-specific annotations for managing spacecraft state, e.g., communicating telemetry information to the ground. We describe the motivation and design rationale for Spot, give an overview of the design, provide examples of Spot's capabilities, and discuss the current status of the implementation.

  14. The effect of heat treatment on the antimicrobial properties of honey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cuilan eChen

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available There is increasing interest in the antimicrobial properties of honey. In most honey samples, antimicrobial activity is due to the generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 by the bee-derived enzyme glucose oxidase, however the amount of H2O2 produced can vary greatly among samples. In addition, honey is a complex product, and other components may contribute to or modulate this activity, which may be further affected by processing procedures used in large-scale commercial production. In this study we examined honey derived from three native Australian floral sources that had previously been associated with H2O2-dependent activity: spotted gum (Eucalyptus maculata, red stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorrhyncha and yellowbox (Eucalyptus melliodora. Antimicrobial activity was measured using standardized assays against the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Antibacterial activity was only seen in four of the six red stringybark samples and ranged from 12-21.1% phenol equivalence. No antibacterial activity was detected in the spotted gum or yellowbox samples. Antifungal activity ranged from MIC values of 19-38.3 % (w/v, and although all samples were significantly more active than an osmotically equivalent sugar solution, most had relatively low activity. All honey samples were provided unprocessed and underwent standard heating and filtration procedures (45˚C for 8 hours followed by filtration with a 100 µm filter, allowing the effects of commercial heating and filtration methods on antimicrobial activity and H2O2 levels to be assessed. Average antibacterial and antifungal activities decreased, but while processing was usually detrimental, occasionally the reverse was seen and antimicrobial activity increased. Significant activity was eliminated from all samples by the addition of catalase, indicating that H2O2 was chiefly responsible for their antimicrobial action, and H2O2 production was measured in the

  15. A study of dynamic resistance during small scale resistance spot welding of thin Ni sheets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan, W; Zhou, Y; Kerr, H W; Lawson, S

    2004-01-01

    The dynamic resistance has been investigated during small scale resistance spot welding (SSRSW) of Ni sheets. Electrical measurements have been correlated with scanning electron microscope images of joint development. The results show that the dynamic resistance curve can be divided into the following stages based on physical change in the workpieces: asperity heating, surface breakdown, asperity softening, partial surface melting, nugget growth and expulsion. These results are also compared and contrasted with dynamic resistance behaviour in large scale RSW

  16. Susceptibility of Bunch Grape and Muscadine Cultivars to Berry Splitting and Spotted-Wing Drosophila Oviposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    One of the main disorders that widely reduces fruit quality and commercial value is fruit splitting. Fruit splitting is a physiological disorder that produces surface cracks that promotes disease and insect damage. Moreover, the spotted wing Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), is a spe...

  17. A Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Pinellia ternata Leaves Exposed to Heat Stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zuoyi Liu

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Pinellia ternata is an important traditional Chinese medicinal plant. The growth of P. ternata is sensitive to high temperatures. To gain a better understanding of heat stress responses in P. ternata, we performed a comparative proteomic analysis. P. ternata seedlings were subjected to a temperature of 38 °C and samples were collected 24 h after treatment. Increased relative ion leakage and lipid peroxidation suggested that oxidative stress was frequently generated in rice leaves exposed to high temperature. Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE was used to analyze heat-responsive proteins. More than 600 protein spots were reproducibly detected on each gel; of these spots, 20 were up-regulated, and 7 were down-regulated. A total of 24 proteins and protein species were successfully identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. These proteins and protein species were found to be primarily small heat shock proteins (58% as well as proteins involved in RNA processing (17%, photosynthesis (13%, chlorophyll biosynthetic processes (4%, protein degradation (4% and defense (4%. Using 2-DE Western blot analysis, we confirmed the identities of the cytosolic class II small heat shock protein (sHSPs-CII identified by MS. The expression levels of four different proteins [cytosolic class I small heat shock protein (sHSPs-CI, sHSPs-CII, mitochondrial small heat shock protein (sHSPs-MIT, glycine-rich RNA-binding protein (GRP] were analyzed at the transcriptional level by quantitative real-time PCR. The mRNA levels of three sHSPs correlated with the corresponding protein levels. However, GRP was down-regulated at the beginning of heat stress but then increased substantially to reach a peak after 24 h of heat stress. Our study provides valuable new insight into the responses of P. ternata to heat stress.

  18. New terrestrial heat flow measurements on the Nazca Plate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderson, R N [Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY; Langseth, M G; Vacquier, V; Francheteau, J

    1976-03-01

    Sixty-seven new heat flow measurements on the Nazca Plate are reported, and the thermal regimes of three specific areas on the plate are examined. The Nazca Ridge is an aseismic ridge which may have been generated as an ''island trail'' from the Easter Island ''hot spot'' and/or may be a fossil transform fault. The Nazca Ridge has lower heat flow than the surrounding sea floor implying that the ridge might have low ''effective'' thermal conductivity causing heat to preferentially flow or refract to surrounding ocean crust which has higher conductivity, or, the low heat flow values may be caused by hydrothermal circulation on the ridge. The Carnegie Plateau is an elevated region south of the Carnegie Ridge on the northeastern Nazca Plate with high heat flow and shallow topography consistent with an age of less than 20 m.y. B.P. The central Nazca Plate is an area of highly variable heat flow which is possibly related to thin sediment and to rough regional topography.

  19. Morphological spot counting from stacked images for automated analysis of gene copy numbers by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grigoryan, Artyom M; Dougherty, Edward R; Kononen, Juha; Bubendorf, Lukas; Hostetter, Galen; Kallioniemi, Olli

    2002-01-01

    Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a molecular diagnostic technique in which a fluorescent labeled probe hybridizes to a target nucleotide sequence of deoxyribose nucleic acid. Upon excitation, each chromosome containing the target sequence produces a fluorescent signal (spot). Because fluorescent spot counting is tedious and often subjective, automated digital algorithms to count spots are desirable. New technology provides a stack of images on multiple focal planes throughout a tissue sample. Multiple-focal-plane imaging helps overcome the biases and imprecision inherent in single-focal-plane methods. This paper proposes an algorithm for global spot counting in stacked three-dimensional slice FISH images without the necessity of nuclei segmentation. It is designed to work in complex backgrounds, when there are agglomerated nuclei, and in the presence of illumination gradients. It is based on the morphological top-hat transform, which locates intensity spikes on irregular backgrounds. After finding signals in the slice images, the algorithm groups these together to form three-dimensional spots. Filters are employed to separate legitimate spots from fluorescent noise. The algorithm is set in a comprehensive toolbox that provides visualization and analytic facilities. It includes simulation software that allows examination of algorithm performance for various image and algorithm parameter settings, including signal size, signal density, and the number of slices.

  20. Microbiological and biochemical changes in pearl spot (Etroplus suratensis Bloch) stored under modified atmospheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalitha, K V; Sonaji, E R; Manju, S; Jose, L; Gopal, T K S; Ravisankar, C N

    2005-01-01

    This study aimed to determine the effect of packaging [air, modified atmosphere (MA)] on microbial growth, sensory and chemical parameters and also on shelf life of fresh pearl spot (Etroplus suratensis Bloch) and on the selection of microbial association. Fresh pearl spot (whole, gutted) were packaged under both 100% air and MAs (40%CO(2)/60% O(2), 50%CO(2)/50%O(2), 60% CO(2)/40%O(2), 70% CO(2)/30% O(2) and 40% CO(2)/30% O(2)/30% N(2)) and stored at 0 degrees C. Microbial growth (counts of total aerobic bacteria, H(2)S-producing bacteria, Lactic acid bacteria, Brochothrix thermosphacta, yeast and mould), chemical spoilage indicators (pH, total volatile basic nitrogen) and sensory characteristics were monitored. Microbial changes in Pearl spot packed under 100% air and 40% CO(2)/30%O(2)/30% N(2) were similar. The total volatile basic nitrogen values increased, but the values never exceeded the acceptability limit of 25 mg 100 g(-1). MA 60% CO(2) : 40%O(2) was found to be better with a shelf life of 21 days whereas air stored samples had a shelf-life of 12-14 days only. Storage of pearl spot under MAs 60% CO(2) : 40%O(2) is a promising method to extend shelf-life. Longer shelf life expands the market potential of pearl spot and reduces waste during distribution and retail display.

  1. The effect of ethanol listing on corn prices: Evidence from spot and futures markets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demirer, Rıza; Kutan, Ali M.; Shen, Fanglin

    2012-01-01

    The use of corn for ethanol has been the topic of heated discussions in the media and among policy makers. As part of this debate, some observers have argued that the use of corn in the production of ethanol has had adverse effects on corn prices. This paper contributes to this reviving debate by examining the impact of the listing of ethanol futures in the Chicago Board of Trade on the spot and futures prices for corn. We find a significant listing effect, indicating that the listing of ethanol has had a positive contribution to both price and volatility in the corn market, especially in the spot and the shorter maturity futures contracts, and mostly through its interaction with trading volume in the corn market. We discuss the policy implications of the findings for investors and its relevance for the ongoing debate on US energy policy. We conclude with some suggestions for future research.

  2. Volume higher; spot price ranges widen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1994-01-01

    This article is the October 1994 uranium market summary. During this reporting period, volume on the spot concentrates market doubled. Twelve deals took place: three in the spot concentrates market, one in the medium and long-term market, four in the conversion market, and four in the enrichment market. The restricted price range widened due to higher prices at the top end of the range, while the unrestricted price range widened because of lower prices at the bottom end. Spot conversion prices were higher, and enrichment prices were unchanged

  3. Space-time modeling of electricity spot prices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abate, Girum Dagnachew; Haldrup, Niels

    In this paper we derive a space-time model for electricity spot prices. A general spatial Durbin model that incorporates the temporal as well as spatial lags of spot prices is presented. Joint modeling of space-time effects is necessarily important when prices and loads are determined in a network...... in the spot price dynamics. Estimation of the spatial Durbin model show that the spatial lag variable is as important as the temporal lag variable in describing the spot price dynamics. We use the partial derivatives impact approach to decompose the price impacts into direct and indirect effects and we show...... that price effects transmit to neighboring markets and decline with distance. In order to examine the evolution of the spatial correlation over time, a time varying parameters spot price spatial Durbin model is estimated using recursive estimation. It is found that the spatial correlation within the Nord...

  4. X-ray focal spot reconstruction by circular penumbra analysis-Application to digital radiography systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Domenico, Giovanni; Cardarelli, Paolo; Contillo, Adriano; Taibi, Angelo; Gambaccini, Mauro

    2016-01-01

    The quality of a radiography system is affected by several factors, a major one being the focal spot size of the x-ray tube. In fact, the measurement of such size is recognized to be of primary importance during acceptance tests and image quality evaluations of clinical radiography systems. The most common device providing an image of the focal spot emission distribution is a pin-hole camera, which requires a high tube loading in order to produce a measurable signal. This work introduces an alternative technique to obtain an image of the focal spot, through the processing of a single radiograph of a simple test object, acquired with a suitable magnification. The radiograph of a magnified sharp edge is a well-established method to evaluate the extension of the focal spot profile along the direction perpendicular to the edge. From a single radiograph of a circular x-ray absorber, it is possible to extract simultaneously the radial profiles of several sharp edges with different orientations. The authors propose a technique that allows to obtain an image of the focal spot through the processing of these radial profiles by means of a pseudo-CT reconstruction technique. In order to validate this technique, the reconstruction has been applied to the simulated radiographs of an ideal disk-shaped absorber, generated by various simulated focal spot distributions. Furthermore, the method has been applied to the focal spot of a commercially available mammography unit. In the case of simulated radiographs, the results of the reconstructions have been compared to the original distributions, showing an excellent agreement for what regards both the overall distribution and the full width at half maximum measurements. In the case of the experimental test, the method allowed to obtain images of the focal spot that have been compared with the results obtained through standard techniques, namely, pin-hole camera and slit camera. The method was proven to be effective for simulated

  5. X-ray focal spot reconstruction by circular penumbra analysis—Application to digital radiography systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Di Domenico, Giovanni, E-mail: didomenico@fe.infn.it; Cardarelli, Paolo; Taibi, Angelo; Gambaccini, Mauro [Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, via Saragat 1, FE I-44122, Italy and INFN - sezione di Ferrara, via Saragat 1, FE I-44122 (Italy); Contillo, Adriano [Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, via Saragat 1, FE I-44122 (Italy)

    2016-01-15

    Purpose: The quality of a radiography system is affected by several factors, a major one being the focal spot size of the x-ray tube. In fact, the measurement of such size is recognized to be of primary importance during acceptance tests and image quality evaluations of clinical radiography systems. The most common device providing an image of the focal spot emission distribution is a pin-hole camera, which requires a high tube loading in order to produce a measurable signal. This work introduces an alternative technique to obtain an image of the focal spot, through the processing of a single radiograph of a simple test object, acquired with a suitable magnification. Methods: The radiograph of a magnified sharp edge is a well-established method to evaluate the extension of the focal spot profile along the direction perpendicular to the edge. From a single radiograph of a circular x-ray absorber, it is possible to extract simultaneously the radial profiles of several sharp edges with different orientations. The authors propose a technique that allows to obtain an image of the focal spot through the processing of these radial profiles by means of a pseudo-CT reconstruction technique. In order to validate this technique, the reconstruction has been applied to the simulated radiographs of an ideal disk-shaped absorber, generated by various simulated focal spot distributions. Furthermore, the method has been applied to the focal spot of a commercially available mammography unit. Results: In the case of simulated radiographs, the results of the reconstructions have been compared to the original distributions, showing an excellent agreement for what regards both the overall distribution and the full width at half maximum measurements. In the case of the experimental test, the method allowed to obtain images of the focal spot that have been compared with the results obtained through standard techniques, namely, pin-hole camera and slit camera. Conclusions: The method was

  6. Ignition of dust clouds by sparks and heated surfaces; Inflammation des nuages de poussieres par des etincelles et des surfaces chauffees

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Proust, C.; Boudalaa, M. [Institut National de l' Environnement Industriel et des Risques, 60 - Verneuil en Halatte (INERIS) (France)

    2001-07-01

    The three types of ignition sources described in this article are the sources of mechanical origin, the heated surfaces and the sparks of electrostatic origin. These 3 categories should be at the origin of 75% of the referenced dust explosions. The approach retained is mainly experimental. Hot spots are produced by the impact of a laser beam (Nd-YAG) on a target located inside the cloud. For relatively long delays of ignition (1 to 2 mn), the characteristic ignition parameter is the thermal power supplied by the target to the mixture, at least when the hot-spot size is small enough (less than 2 or 3 mm). Above this size, the ignition parameter would rather be a critical temperature of the hot spot which can be linked to the 'standard' ignition temperature of the cloud. For electrostatic sparks, measurements of current-voltage characteristics have been performed with some measurements of dimensions. Most possible types have been examined, like the discharges between conductive materials (A), between a conductive material and an insulating material (B), and between a conductive material and an insulating material lined with a conductor connected to the ground (C). It appears that the most powerful sparks (several joules) encountered in the industrial environment are those of type A and C. Measurements have shown that the efficiency of the conversion of the energy stored on the surface of the material into electrical energy inside the spark is very high. Finally, a first approach of the examination of the ignition risk has been tempted with a hot spot created during a lapse of time compatible with a mechanical impact. This leads to an ignition criterion in the form of energy. This energy remains at least two scales of size greater than the minimum spark ignition energy. This difference should come from the absorption of heat by solid materials. (J.S.)

  7. Industrial Heat Pump for a High Temperature District Heating Application

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Claus Nørgaard

    by excess thermal energy from thermal solar panels. An industrial heat pump system using the natural refrigerant ammonia, is extracting the thermal energy from the storage when needed, and produce hot water at 85°C, for the district heating grid. The heat pump also acts as contributor to electricity grid...

  8. Reply to the ''Comment on 'The significance of the distribution of hot spots on the interpretation of laser-produced plasma experiments' ''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arad, B.; Eliezer, S.

    1979-01-01

    We disagree with the conclusion reached by Goel, Gupta, and Bhatnagar that the effect of hot spots is not significant in analyzing scaling laws using transformed variables. We believe they have overlooked the main points of our analysis

  9. Plasma parameters of the cathode spot explosive electron emission cell obtained from the model of liquid-metal jet tearing and electrical explosion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsventoukh, M. M.

    2018-05-01

    A model has been developed for the explosive electron emission cell pulse of a vacuum discharge cathode spot that describes the ignition and extinction of the explosive pulse. The pulse is initiated due to hydrodynamic tearing of a liquid-metal jet which propagates from the preceding cell crater boundary and draws the ion current from the plasma produced by the preceding explosion. Once the jet neck has been resistively heated to a critical temperature (˜1 eV), the plasma starts expanding and decreasing in density, which corresponds to the extinction phase. Numerical and analytical solutions have been obtained that describe both the time behavior of the pulse plasma parameters and their average values. For the cell plasma, the momentum per transferred charge has been estimated to be some tens of g cm/(s C), which is consistent with the known measurements of ion velocity, ion erosion rate, and specific recoil force. This supports the model of the pressure-gradient-driven plasma acceleration mechanism for the explosive cathode spot cells. The ohmic electric field within the explosive current-carrying plasma has been estimated to be some tens of kV/cm, which is consistent with the known experimental data on cathode potential fall and explosive cell plasma size. This supports the model that assumes the ohmic nature of the cathode potential fall in a vacuum discharge.

  10. Second Sound for Heat Source Localization

    CERN Document Server

    Vennekate, Hannes; Uhrmacher, Michael; Quadt, Arnulf; Grosse-Knetter, Joern

    2011-01-01

    Defects on the surface of superconducting cavities can limit their accelerating gradient by localized heating. This results in a phase transition to the normal conduction state | a quench. A new application, involving Oscillating Superleak Transducers (OST) to locate such quench inducing heat spots on the surface of the cavities, has been developed by D. Hartill et al. at Cornell University in 2008. The OSTs enable the detection of heat transfer via second sound in super uid helium. This thesis presents new results on the analysis of their signal. Its behavior has been studied for dierent circumstances at setups at the University of Gottingen and at CERN. New approaches for an automated signal processing have been developed. Furthermore, a rst test setup for a single-cell Superconducting Proton Linac (SPL) cavity has been prepared. Recommendations of a better signal retrieving for its operation are presented.

  11. Poisson's spot and Gouy phase

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Paz, I. G.; Soldati, Rodolfo; Cabral, L. A.; de Oliveira, J. G. G.; Sampaio, Marcos

    2016-12-01

    Recently there have been experimental results on Poisson spot matter-wave interferometry followed by theoretical models describing the relative importance of the wave and particle behaviors for the phenomenon. We propose an analytical theoretical model for Poisson's spot with matter waves based on the Babinet principle, in which we use the results for free propagation and single-slit diffraction. We take into account effects of loss of coherence and finite detection area using the propagator for a quantum particle interacting with an environment. We observe that the matter-wave Gouy phase plays a role in the existence of the central peak and thus corroborates the predominantly wavelike character of the Poisson's spot. Our model shows remarkable agreement with the experimental data for deuterium (D2) molecules.

  12. 3-D thermoelastic analysis of the straight section of a PWR hot leg containing a hot spot using BEM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bains, R.S.; Sugimoto, J.

    1995-01-01

    A 3-D steady state thermoelastic analysis using the boundary element method has been successfully employed to investigate the structural response of the straight section of a pressurised water reactor hot leg containing a localised hot spot. With the present severe accident thermal boundary conditions, the analysis produces a nonuniform expansion across the hot leg thickness. This expansion was most predominant on the inner surface, especially at the hot spot location where surface swelling was obtained. Furthermore, the hot spot generates large tangential and axial tensile stresses on the outer surface. These could be detrimental to the integrity of the hot leg by acting as potential sites of crack initiation and subsequent propagation. (orig.)

  13. Kekuatan Geser dan Pola Patahan Loop Space Maintainer yang Dibuat dengan Teknik Spot Welding Elektrik

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elin Karlina

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was to study the effect of spot variations on shear strength of spot welds in an electric loop space maintainer. Stainless steel wire of 0.8 mm diameter and nickel chromium crwon for lower second molar of temporary teeth were used. A loop 1 cm wide, made of 3.5 cm stainless steel wire, was welded with 3 dots on the crown using an electric spot welder. Each dot for each group took different spot variations from 1 X – 4 X. A loop space maintainer made with the usual materials and techniques as applied at the IKGA FKG UI Clinic was used as a control, with a torch as heat source. Ten specimens each were prepared for shear testing and three spesimens each for metallography. Universal testing machine was used for shear strength testing at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min, and SEM/EDS was used for metallography and fractography. The data were statistically analyzed with one-way ANOVA at p = 0.05, and Tukey post hoc test. The results show that the shear strength of the welded loop space maintainer was higher than that of a soldered loop space maintainer, although the difference was not statistically significant with spot variation 1 X. SEM/EDS analysis suggests that a new alloy forms at the contact area of welded and soldered loop space maintainer. Fractography of the joints suggests that welds are better than soldered joints, with higher ductility and toughness, as can be seen from the dimpled pattern of the welded joint and cleavage patterns in the control joints. In conclusion, the loop space maintainer is better made by welding than by soldering.

  14. Morphological and molecular characterization, sexual reproduction, and pathogenicity of Setosphaeria rostrata isolates from rice leaf spot.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusai, Nor Azizah; Azmi, Madihah Mior Zakuan; Zainudin, Nur Ain Izzati Mohd; Yusof, Mohd Termizi; Razak, Azmi Abd

    2016-09-01

    Setosphaeria rostrata, a common plant pathogen causing leaf spot disease, affects a wide range of plant species, mainly grasses. Fungi were isolated from brown spots on rice leaves throughout Peninsular Malaysia, and 45 isolates were identified as Setosphaeria rostrata The isolates were then characterized using morphological and molecular approaches. The mating type was determined using PCR amplification of the mating type alleles, and isolates of opposite mating types were crossed to examine sexual reproduction. Based on nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region (ITS) and beta-tubulin (BT2) sequences, two phylogenetic trees were constructed using the maximum likelihood method; S. rostrata was clustered in one well-supported clade. Pathogenicity tests showed that S. rostrata isolates are pathogenic, suggesting that it is the cause of the symptoms. Mating-type analyses indicated that three isolates carried the MAT1-1 allele, and the other 42 isolates carried MAT1-2 After isolates with opposite mating types were crossed on Sach's medium and incubated for 3 wk, six crosses produced pseudothecia that contained eight mature ascospores, and 12 other crosses produced numerous pseudothecia with no ascospores. To our knowledge, this is the first report on S. rostrata isolated from leaf spots on rice. © 2016 by The Mycological Society of America.

  15. 7 CFR 28.421 - Good Middling Spotted Color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good Middling Spotted Color. 28.421 Section 28.421 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards... Color. Good Middling Spotted Color is color which is better than Strict Middling Spotted Color. ...

  16. Spatiotemporal chaos of self-replicating spots in reaction-diffusion systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hongli; Ouyang, Qi

    2007-11-23

    The statistical properties of self-replicating spots in the reaction-diffusion Gray-Scott model are analyzed. In the chaotic regime of the system, the spots that dominate the spatiotemporal chaos grow and divide in two or decay into the background randomly and continuously. The rates at which the spots are created and decay are observed to be linearly dependent on the number of spots in the system. We derive a probabilistic description of the spot dynamics based on the statistical independence of spots and thus propose a characterization of the spatiotemporal chaos dominated by replicating spots.

  17. MICROSTRUCTURE AND FATIGUE PROPERTIES OF DISSIMILAR SPOT WELDED JOINTS OF AISI 304 AND AISI 1008

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nachimani Charde

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Carbon steel and stainless steel composites are being more frequently used for applications requiring a corrosion resistant and attractive exterior surface and a high strength structural substrate. Spot welding is a potentially useful and efficient jointing process for the production of components consisting of these two materials. The spot welding characteristics of weld joints between these two materials are discussed in this paper. The experiment was conducted on dissimilar weld joints using carbon steel and 304L (2B austenitic stainless steel by varying the welding currents and electrode pressing forces. Throughout the welding process; the electrical signals from the strain sensor, current transducer and terminal voltage clippers are measured in order to understand each and every millisecond of the welding process. In doing so, the dynamic resistances, heat distributions and forging forces are computed for various currents and force levels within the good welds’ regions. The other process controlling parameters, particularly the electrode tip and weld time, remained constant throughout the experiment. The weld growth was noted for the welding current increment, but in the electrode force increment it causes an adverse reaction to weld growth. Moreover, the effect of heat imbalance was clearly noted during the welding process due to the different electrical and chemical properties. The welded specimens finally underwent tensile, hardness and metallurgical testing to characterise the weld growth.

  18. Application of probabilistic event attribution in the summer heat extremes in the western US to emissions traced to major industrial carbon producers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mera, R. J.; Allen, M. R.; Mote, P.; Ekwurzel, B.; Frumhoff, P. C.; Rupp, D. E.

    2015-12-01

    Heat waves in the western US have become progressively more severe due to increasing relative humidity and nighttime temperatures, increasing the health risks of vulnerable portions of the population, including Latino farmworkers in California's Central Valley and other socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Recent research has shown greenhouse gas emissions doubled the risk of the hottest summer days during the 2000's in the Central Valley, increasing public health risks and costs, and raising the question of which parties are responsible for paying these costs. It has been argued that these costs should not be taken up solely by the general public through taxation, but that additional parties can be considered, including multinational corporations who have extracted and marketed a large proportion of carbon-based fuels. Here, we apply probabilistic event attribution (PEA) to assess the contribution of emissions traced to the world's 90 largest major industrial carbon producers to the severity and frequency of these extreme heat events. Our research uses very large ensembles of regional climate model simulations to calculate fractional attribution of policy-relevant extreme heat variables. We compare a full forcings world with observed greenhouse gases, sea surface temperatures and sea ice extent to a counter-factual world devoid of carbon pollution from major industrial carbon producers. The results show a discernable fraction of record-setting summer temperatures in the western US during the 2000's can be attributed to emissions sourced from major carbon producers.

  19. Eutectic structures in friction spot welding joint of aluminum alloy to copper

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, Junjun; Suhuddin, Uceu F. H.; Cardillo, Maria E. B.; Santos, Jorge F. dos

    2014-01-01

    A dissimilar joint of AA5083 Al alloy and copper was produced by friction spot welding. The Al-MgCuAl 2 eutectic in both coupled and divorced manners were found in the weld. At a relatively high temperature, mass transport of Cu due to plastic deformation, material flow, and atomic diffusion, combined with the alloy system of AA5083 are responsible for the ternary eutectic melting

  20. High-resolution UV-visible spectroscopy of lunar red spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruno, B. C.; Lucey, P. G.; Hawke, B. R.

    1991-01-01

    A spectral reflectance study of selected lunar 'red spots', highland areas characterized by an absorption in the ultraviolet relative to the visible was conducted. Some red spots were suggested to be the sites of ancient highland volcanism. High-resolution spectral data of eight red spots on the western portion of the moon over the wavelength region 0.39-0.82 micron were obtained. Much spectral variation among these red spots in the magnitude as well as the wavelength position of the ultraviolet absorption were found. Spectral structure at visible and near-infrared wavelength were also identified. These spectral differences indicate that red spots do not have a single mineralogical composition, which in turn suggests that red spots may have multiple origins. Additional imaging spectroscopic observations were taken of the Herigonius red spot, a morphologically complex region northeast of Mare Humorum. These data reveal significant spectral differences among the various morphological units within the Herigonius red spot. Although some of these are likely due to the effects of the maturation process, others appear to reflect differences in mineral abundances and composition.

  1. The spot market and the spot price: applicability and limitations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    White, G. Jr.

    1987-01-01

    The subject of spot prices and their relationship to long-term contracting is addressed. The author is associated with Nuexco, which originally was called the Nuclear Exchange Corporation. They use the term Exchange Value which originated in the idea that Nuexco operated an exchange 'bank' - those with too much uranium could 'bank it', those with short-term needs could borrow from the 'bank'. If the borrower repaid slightly more or less the difference was settled using the 'exchange value'. This became used for longer-term transactions and now settling the monthly value is an important part of Nuexco's activities. The exact nature of the Exchange Value is defined. Now more and more buyers are insisting on spot market related pricing even where this is not meaningfully related to uranium production costs. (U.K.)

  2. Use of waste heat from a dairy for heating of a community house

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rehn, C

    1976-01-01

    In a dairy, a lot of cooling capacity is needed. This article describes how this waste heat can be used for heating a community house including a sport establishment and producing hot water for that house. Four different technical solutions are discussed; (1) floor heat, (2) heat transfer connected to the ventilation, (3) regenerative heat exchanger, and (4) use of heat pumps.

  3. Direct currents produced by hf heating of plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klima, R.

    1974-01-01

    In addition to the well-known diffusion currents, toroidal direct currents arise in h.f. heated plasmas as a result of a momentum transfer from the h.f. field to plasma particles. The estimates of steady-state conditions are given for these currents. Particularly, the possibility of stationary operation of a Tokamak device is analyzed. (author)

  4. Is this Red Spot the Blue Spot (locus ceruleum)?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choe, Won Sick; Lee, Yu Kyung; Lee, Min Kyung; Hwang, Kyung Hoon [Gachon University Gil Hospital, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-06-15

    The authors report brain images of 18F-FDG-PET in a case of schizophrenia. The images showed strikingly increased bilateral uptake in the locus ceruleum. The locus ceruleum is called the blue spot and known to be a center of the norepinephrinergic system.

  5. Is this Red Spot the Blue Spot (locus ceruleum)?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choe, Won Sick; Lee, Yu Kyung; Lee, Min Kyung; Hwang, Kyung Hoon

    2010-01-01

    The authors report brain images of 18F-FDG-PET in a case of schizophrenia. The images showed strikingly increased bilateral uptake in the locus ceruleum. The locus ceruleum is called the blue spot and known to be a center of the norepinephrinergic system.

  6. Full melting of a two-dimensional complex plasma crystal triggered by localized pulsed laser heating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Couëdel, L.; Nosenko, V.; Rubin-Zuzic, M.; Zhdanov, S.; Elskens, Y.; Hall, T.; Ivlev, A. V.

    2018-04-01

    The full melting of a two-dimensional plasma crystal was induced in a principally stable monolayer by localized laser stimulation. Two distinct behaviors of the crystal after laser stimulation were observed depending on the amount of injected energy: (i) below a well-defined threshold, the laser melted area recrystallized; (ii) above the threshold, it expanded outwards in a similar fashion to mode-coupling instability-induced melting, rapidly destroying the crystalline order of the whole complex plasma monolayer. The reported experimental observations are due to the fluid mode-coupling instability, which can pump energy into the particle monolayer at a rate surpassing the heat transport and damping rates in the energetic localized melted spot, resulting in its further growth. This behavior exhibits remarkable similarities with impulsive spot heating in ordinary reactive matter.

  7. Mapping Geological Structures In Wadi Ghoweibaarea, Northwest Gulf Of Suez, Egypt, Using Aster-Spot Data Fusion And Aster DEM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdeen, M.M.; Hassan, S.M.; EL-Kazzaz, Y.A.H.A.; Attia, G.M.; Yehia, M.A.

    2009-01-01

    Practical and economical constraints prompt the need of obtaining lithological and structural information for development of desert areas with reduced field effort. The fusion of multi-sensor satellite data is an effective mean of exploiting the complimentary nature of different data types. This technique allows fusion of spectral-spectral information of multi-source data with high accuracy. In the present study, fusion of SPOT and ASTER data was applied to test the potentiality of this technique in mapping geological formations and structural lineaments in Wadi Ghoweiba area, to the west of the northwestern tip of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt. ASTER data is characterized by a wide range of spectral bands (14 bands), while SPOT panchromatic data is characterized by high (10 meters) spatial resolution. Based on spectral characteristic analysis (SCA) of the 3 VNIR and the 6 SWIR bands of ASTER data, two false-color band-ratio images (1/3, 2/5, and 4/ 9) and (1/5, 8/9, and 4/6) in R, G, B were produced for better lithological discrimination. SPOT panchromatic image data was fused with ASTER band ratio images data using principal component (PC) and color normalization or Brovey transformation techniques. The fused images proved to be excellent for lithological discrimination. ASTER data includes bands 3N (Nadir) and 3B (Backward) that are acquired in the spectral range of near infrared region (from 0.78 to 0.86 microns) allowing extraction of digital elevation model (DEM). Three-dimensional perspective views were generated by draping SPOT-ASTER ratio fused images over ASTER DEM. This technique was used to enhance morphologically-defined structures. The fused images and the 3D perspective views were interpreted to produce a photo geological-structural map that was verified using the available geological maps and subsequent field check. The produced photo geological map indicates that fusion of SPOT and ASTER ratio image's data is a reliable technique for geological mapping

  8. Impact of focal spot size on radiologic image quality: A visual grading analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gorham, Sinead [Diagnostic Imaging, Biological Imaging Research, UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science, Health Science, Belfield, UCD, Dublin 4 (Ireland); Brennan, Patrick C., E-mail: patrick.brennan@ucd.i [Diagnostic Imaging, Biological Imaging Research, UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science, Health Science, Belfield, UCD, Dublin 4 (Ireland)

    2010-11-15

    Fine and broad focal spot sizes are available on general X-ray tubes. Excessive use of fine focus can impact on tube life and whilst it is established that fine focal spot size reduces geometric unsharpness, the extent of this benefit on clinical image quality is unclear. The current cadaver-based work compares images produced with effective focal sizes of 0.8 mm and 1.8 mm. Four projection types were included, lateral ankle, antero-posterior (AP) knee, AP thoracic spine and horizontal beam lateral (HBL) lumbar spine, and a visual grading analysis was used to assess visibility of anatomical criteria. Five clinicians scored each image using a 1-4 scoring scale, a reference image was employed for standardization and a Mann-Whitney U statistical test compared results derived from each focus. Radiation doses were monitored using a dose area product (DAP) meter. Statistical analyses demonstrated no significant differences between images produced at each focus, although a relationship between body part thickness and number of criteria with a higher (non-significant) score for the fine focus compared with the broad focal spot size was demonstrated. Choice of focus had no radiation dose implications. Fine foci X-ray sources are used predominantly for extremity imaging to enhance visualization of fine detail such as trabecular patterns, yet there is no evidence to support this practice. The argument for regular employment of fine foci, particularly for the type of acquisition and display devices used in this study, needs to be revisited.

  9. Characterization of a high performance ultra-thin heat pipe cooling module for mobile hand held electronic devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahamed, Mohammad Shahed; Saito, Yuji; Mashiko, Koichi; Mochizuki, Masataka

    2017-11-01

    In recent years, heat pipes have been widely used in various hand held mobile electronic devices such as smart phones, tablet PCs, digital cameras. With the development of technology these devices have different user friendly features and applications; which require very high clock speeds of the processor. In general, a high clock speed generates a lot of heat, which needs to be spreaded or removed to eliminate the hot spot on the processor surface. However, it is a challenging task to achieve proper cooling of such electronic devices mentioned above because of their confined spaces and concentrated heat sources. Regarding this challenge, we introduced an ultra-thin heat pipe; this heat pipe consists of a special fiber wick structure named as "Center Fiber Wick" which can provide sufficient vapor space on the both sides of the wick structure. We also developed a cooling module that uses this kind of ultra-thin heat pipe to eliminate the hot spot issue. This cooling module consists of an ultra-thin heat pipe and a metal plate. By changing the width, the flattened thickness and the effective length of the ultra-thin heat pipe, several experiments have been conducted to characterize the thermal properties of the developed cooling module. In addition, other experiments were also conducted to determine the effects of changes in the number of heat pipes in a single module. Characterization and comparison of the module have also been conducted both experimentally and theoretically.

  10. Alpha Heating and Burning Plasmas in Inertial Confinement Fusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betti, R; Christopherson, A R; Spears, B K; Nora, R; Bose, A; Howard, J; Woo, K M; Edwards, M J; Sanz, J

    2015-06-26

    Estimating the level of alpha heating and determining the onset of the burning plasma regime is essential to finding the path towards thermonuclear ignition. In a burning plasma, the alpha heating exceeds the external input energy to the plasma. Using a simple model of the implosion, it is shown that a general relation can be derived, connecting the burning plasma regime to the yield enhancement due to alpha heating and to experimentally measurable parameters such as the Lawson ignition parameter. A general alpha-heating curve is found, independent of the target and suitable to assess the performance of all laser fusion experiments whether direct or indirect drive. The onset of the burning plasma regime inside the hot spot of current implosions on the National Ignition Facility requires a fusion yield of about 50 kJ.

  11. Spot Pricing When Lagrange Multipliers Are Not Unique

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Feng, Donghan; Xu, Zhao; Zhong, Jin

    2012-01-01

    Classical spot pricing theory is based on multipliers of the primal problem of an optimal market dispatch, i.e., the solution of the dual problem. However, the dual problem of market dispatch may yield multiple solutions. In these circumstances, spot pricing or any standard pricing practice based...... on a strict extension of the principles of spot pricing and surplus allocation, we propose a new pricing methodology that can yield unique, impartial, and robust solution. The new method has been analyzed and compared with other pricing approaches in accordance with spot pricing theory. Case studies support...

  12. Optimal operation strategies of compressed air energy storage (CAES) on electricity spot markets with fluctuating prices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, Henrik; Salgi, Georges; Elmegaard, Brian

    2009-01-01

    on electricity spot markets by storing energy when electricity prices are low and producing electricity when prices are high. In order to make a profit on such markets, CAES plant operators have to identify proper strategies to decide when to sell and when to buy electricity. This paper describes three...... plants will not be able to achieve such optimal operation, since the fluctuations of spot market prices in the coming hours and days are not known. Consequently, two simple practical strategies have been identified and compared to the results of the optimal strategy. This comparison shows that...... independent computer-based methodologies which may be used for identifying the optimal operation strategy for a given CAES plant, on a given spot market and in a given year. The optimal strategy is identified as the one which provides the best business-economic net earnings for the plant. In practice, CAES...

  13. Hot spot in GdBa2Cu3O7-δ-based composite ceramics rods and their applications for oxygen sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okamoto, T; Takata, M

    2011-01-01

    A hot spot, which is a local area glowing orange, appears in a LnBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (Ln: rare earth element) ceramic rod when a voltage exceeding a certain value is applied to the rod at room temperature. After the appearance of the hot spot, the current changes according to the oxygen partial pressure in ambient atmosphere, which acts as an oxygen sensor without the need for any heating system. The GdBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ rod tended to be melted and broken by a sustained presence of the hot spot in a high oxygen partial pressure Po 2 (∼100 kPa). The composite rod containing high melting point materials, such as BaAl 2 O 4 , BaZrO 3 and Gd 2 BaCuO 5 , showed a remarkable high durability in O 2 atmosphere. In a low Po 2 ( 2 Cu3O 7-δ rod decreases to almost zero and the hot spot disappeared, resulting in an insensitive rod to oxygen. The composite rod containing CuO detected oxygen even in Po 2 < 0.002 kPa.

  14. ESA uncovers Geminga's `hot spot'

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-07-01

    16 July 2004 Astronomers using ESA’s X-ray observatory XMM-Newton have detected a small, bright ‘hot spot’ on the surface of the neutron star called Geminga, 500 light-years away. The hot spot is the size of a football field and is caused by the same mechanism producing Geminga’s X-ray tails. This discovery identifies the missing link between the X-ray and gamma-ray emission from Geminga. hi-res Size hi-res: 1284 kb Credits: ESA, P. Caraveo (IASF, Milan) Geminga's hot spot This figure shows the effects of charged particles accelerated in the magnetosphere of Geminga. Panel (a) shows an image taken with the EPIC instrument on board the XMM-Newton observatory. The bright tails, made of particles kicked out by Geminga’s strong magnetic field, trail the neutron star as it moves about in space. Panel (b) shows how electrically charged particles interact with Geminga’s magnetic field. For example, if electrons (blue) are kicked out by the star, positrons (in red) hit the star’s magnetic poles like in an ‘own goal’. Panel (c) illustrates the size of Geminga’s magnetic field (blue) compared to that of the star itself at the centre (purple). The magnetic field is tilted with respect to Geminga’s rotation axis (red). Panel (d) shows the magnetic poles of Geminga, where charged particles hit the surface of the star, creating a two-million degrees hot spot, a region much hotter than the surroundings. As the star spins on its rotation axis, the hot spot comes into view and then disappears, causing the periodic colour change seen by XMM-Newton. An animated version of the entire sequence can be found at: Click here for animated GIF [low resolution, animated GIF, 5536 KB] Click here for AVI [high resolution, AVI with DIVX compression, 19128 KB] hi-res Size hi-res: 371 kb Credits: ESA, P. Caraveo (IASF, Milan) Geminga's hot spot, panel (a) Panel (a) shows an image taken with the EPIC instrument on board the XMM-Newton observatory. The bright tails, made of

  15. Metallography of Battery Resistance Spot Welds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez, J. E.; Johannes, L. B.; Gonzalez, D.; Yayathi, S.; Figuered, J. M.; Darcy, E. C.; Bilc, Z. M.

    2015-01-01

    Li-ion cells provide an energy dense solution for systems that require rechargeable electrical power. However, these cells can undergo thermal runaway, the point at which the cell becomes thermally unstable and results in hot gas, flame, electrolyte leakage, and in some cases explosion. The heat and fire associated with this type of event is generally violent and can subsequently cause damage to the surrounding system or present a dangerous risk to the personnel nearby. The space flight environment is especially sensitive to risks particularly when it involves potential for fire within the habitable volume of the International Space Station (ISS). In larger battery packs such as Robonaut 2 (R2), numerous Li-ion cells are placed in parallel-series configurations to obtain the required stack voltage and desired run-time or to meet specific power requirements. This raises a second and less obvious concern for batteries that undergo certification for space flight use: the joining quality at the resistance spot weld of battery cells to component wires/leads and battery tabs, bus bars or other electronic components and assemblies. Resistance spot welds undergo materials evaluation, visual inspection, conductivity (resistivity) testing, destructive peel testing, and metallurgical examination in accordance with applicable NASA Process Specifications. Welded components are cross-sectioned to ensure they are free of cracks or voids open to any exterior surface. Pore and voids contained within the weld zone but not open to an exterior surface, and are not determined to have sharp notch like characteristics, shall be acceptable. Depending on requirements, some battery cells are constructed of aluminum canisters while others are constructed of steel. Process specific weld schedules must be developed and certified for each possible joining combination. The aluminum canisters' positive terminals were particularly difficult to weld due to a bi-metal strip that comes ultrasonically

  16. Microstructure and wear resistance of laser cladded composite coatings prepared from pre-alloyed WC-NiCrMo powder with different laser spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Jianhua; Zhang, Jie; Wu, Guolong; Wang, Liang; Zhang, Qunli; Liu, Rong

    2018-05-01

    The distribution of WC particles in laser cladded composite coatings can significantly affect the wear resistance of the coatings under aggressive environments. In this study, pre-alloyed WC-NiCrMo powder is deposited on SS316L via laser cladding with circular spot and wide-band spot, respectively. The microstructure and WC distribution of the coatings are investigated with optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The wear behavior of the coatings is investigated under dry sliding-wear test. The experimental results show that the partially dissolved WC particles are uniformly distributed in both coatings produced with circular spot and wide-band spot, respectively, and the microstructures consist of WC and M23C6 carbides and γ-(Ni, Fe) solid solution matrix. However, due to Fe dilution, the two coatings have different microstructural characteristics, resulting in different hardness and wear resistance. The wide-band spot laser prepared coating shows better performance than the circular spot laser prepared coating.

  17. Flexibility of Large-Scale Solar Heating Plant with Heat Pump and Thermal Energy Storage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Luc, Katarzyna Marta; Heller, Alfred; Rode, Carsten

    2017-01-01

    to decrease biomass use in a district heating system. The paper focuses on the renewable energy-based district heating system in Marstal, Denmark, with heat produced in central solar heating plant, wood pellet boiler, heat pump and bio-oil boiler. The plant has been the object of research and developments...

  18. Intraday price dynamics in spot and derivatives markets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jun Sik; Ryu, Doojin

    2014-01-01

    This study examines intraday relationships among the spot index, index futures, and the implied volatility index based on the VAR(1)-asymmetric BEKK-MGARCH model. Analysis of a high-frequency dataset from the Korean financial market confirms that there is a strong intraday market linkage between the spot index, KOSPI200 futures, and VKOSPI and that asymmetric volatility behaviour is clearly present in the Korean market. The empirical results indicate that the futures return shock affects the spot market more severely than the spot return shock affects the futures market, though there is a bi-directional causal relationship between the spot and futures markets. Our results, based on a high-quality intraday dataset, satisfy both the positive risk-return relationship and asymmetric volatility effect, which are not reconciled in the frameworks of previous studies.

  19. Development of liquid-nitrogen-cooling friction stir spot welding for AZ31 magnesium alloy joints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Dong; Shen, Jun; Zhou, Meng-bing; Cheng, Liang; Sang, Jia-xing

    2017-10-01

    A liquid-nitrogen-cooling friction stir spot welding (C-FSSW) technology was developed for welding AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets. The liquid-nitrogen cooling degraded the deformability of the welded materials such that the width of interfacial cracks increased with increasing cooling time. The grain size of the stirred zone (SZ) and the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the C-FSSW-welded joints decreased, whereas that of the thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ) increased with increasing cooling time. The maximum tensile shear load of the C-FSSW-welded joints welded with a cooling time of 5 or 7 s was larger than that of the friction stir spot welding (FSSW)-welded joint, and the tensile shear load decreased with increasing cooling time. The microhardness of the C-FSSW-welded joints was greater than that of the FSSW-welded joint. Moreover, the microhardness of the SZ and the HAZ of the C-FSSW-welded joints increased, whereas that of the TMAZ decreased, with increasing cooling time.

  20. 3D modelling of plug failure in resistance spot welded shear-lab specimens (DP600-steel)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Kim Lau

    2008-01-01

    are based on uni-axial tensile testing of the basis material, while the modelled tensile response of the shear-lab specimens is compared to experimental results for the case of a ductile failure near the heat affected zone (HAZ). A parametric study for a range of weld diameters is carried out, which makes......Ductile plug failure of resistance spot welded shear-lab specimens is studied by full 3D finite element analysis, using an elastic-viscoplastic constitutive relation that accounts for nucleation and growth of microvoids to coalescence (The Gurson model). Tensile properties and damage parameters...... it possible to numerically relate the weld diameter to the tensile shear force (TSF) and the associated displacement, u (TSF) , respectively. Main focus in the paper is on modelling the localization of plastic flow and the corresponding damage development in the vicinity of the spot weld, near the HAZ...

  1. Review on advanced of solar assisted chemical heat pump dryer for agriculture produce

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fadhel, M.I.; Sopian, K.; Daud, W.R.W.; Alghoul, M.A.

    2011-01-01

    Over the past three decades there has been nearly exponential growth in drying R and D on a global scale. Improving of the drying operation to save energy, improve product quality as well as reduce environmental effect remained as the main objectives of any development of drying system. A solar assisted chemical heat pump dryer is a new solar drying system, which have contributed to better cost-effectiveness and better quality dried products as well as saving energy. A solar collector is adapted to provide thermal energy in a reactor so a chemical reaction can take place. This reduces the dependency of the drying technology on fossil energy for heating. In this paper a review on advanced of solar assisted chemical heat pump dryer is presented (the system model and the results from experimental studies on the system performance are discussed). The review of heat pump dryers and solar assisted heat pump dryer is presented. Description of chemical heat pump types and the overview of chemical heat pump dryer are discussed. The combination of chemical heat pump and solar technology gives extra efficiency in utilizing energy. (author)

  2. Model for calculation of spot prices and uncertainties integration; Modelo de calculo de precos spot e integracao de incertezas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saraiva, J. Tome [Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores (INESC), Porto (Portugal). E-mail: jsaraiva@inescn.pt

    1999-07-01

    This paper presents a model for systematic and structured impact evaluation of the uncertainties existent in the load powers, on the spot prices on the various bars of a electric power system. The application developed allows the specification of load power as inaccurate trapezoidal numbers and adopts the DC model for the representation of system exploration conditions. Considering the influence of the loss power on the formulation of a spot prices spatial distribution, the model allows the inclusion of transmission network loss estimation. The results correspond to appurtenance functions of spot prices in each barm, consisting of a discrete set of ordered pais which integrates the spot price values and the appurtenance or compatibility level, in accordance with Fuzzy Sets.

  3. Mononucleosis spot test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monospot test; Heterophile antibody test; Heterophile agglutination test; Paul-Bunnell test; Forssman antibody test ... The mononucleosis spot test is done when symptoms of mononucleosis are ... Fatigue Fever Large spleen (possibly) Sore throat Tender ...

  4. A heat receiver design for solar dynamic space power systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Karl W.; Dustin, Miles O.; Crane, Roger

    1990-01-01

    An advanced heat pipe receiver designed for a solar dynamic space power system is described. The power system consists of a solar concentrator, solar heat receiver, Stirling heat engine, linear alternator and waste heat radiator. The solar concentrator focuses the sun's energy into a heat receiver. The engine and alternator convert a portion of this energy to electric power and the remaining heat is rejected by a waste heat radiator. Primary liquid metal heat pipes transport heat energy to the Stirling engine. Thermal energy storage allows this power system to operate during the shade portion of an orbit. Lithium fluoride/calcium fluoride eutectic is the thermal energy storage material. Thermal energy storage canisters are attached to the midsection of each heat pipe. The primary heat pipes pass through a secondary vapor cavity heat pipe near the engine and receiver interface. The secondary vapor cavity heat pipe serves three important functions. First, it smooths out hot spots in the solar cavity and provides even distribution of heat to the engine. Second, the event of a heat pipe failure, the secondary heat pipe cavity can efficiently transfer heat from other operating primary heat pipes to the engine heat exchanger of the defunct heat pipe. Third, the secondary heat pipe vapor cavity reduces temperature drops caused by heat flow into the engine. This unique design provides a high level of reliability and performance.

  5. Comparative Evaluation of Marginal Adaptation and Fracture Strength of Different Ceramic Inlays Produced by CEREC Omnicam and Heat-Pressed Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. D. Oz

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate marginal adaptation and fracture strength of inlays produced by CEREC Omnicam using different types of blocs and heat-pressed technique. Methods: Seventy-five extracted human mandibular molars were divided randomly into 5 groups (n=15. 60 molars in four groups received MOD inlay preparations. Experimental groups were CO: Intact teeth, EC: IPS e.max CAD and CEREC, LU: Lava Ultimate and CEREC, EL: IPS Empress CAD and CEREC, EP: IPS Empress Esthetic ingots and heat-pressed technique. Marginal gap measurements were taken with a stereomicroscope. Restorations were cemented with Variolink N and stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 hours. All samples were subjected to thermocycling. The fracture strength of specimens was determined at a 0.5 mm/min crosshead speed until fracture. Fracture modes were determined. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way analysis of variance for fracture strength data and Kruskal–Wallis for marginal gap data (p=0.05. Results. The mean marginal gap size of EC, LU, EL, and EP were 33.54 µm, 33.77 µm, 34.23 µm, and 85.34 µm, respectively. EP had statistically higher values than other groups. The fracture strength values were significantly higher in the intact teeth group (3959,00 ± 1279,79 N than those of restored groups EC (2408,00 ± 607,97 N, LU (2206,73 ± 675,16, EL (2573.27 ± 644,73 ve EP (2879,53 ± 897,30. Conclusion. Inlays fabricated using CEREC Omnicam demonstrated better marginal adaptation than inlays produced with heat-pressed technique, whereas fracture strength values of inlays fabricated with different type of blocks using CEREC Omnicam exhibited similarity to those fabricated with heat-pressed technique.

  6. Comparative Evaluation of Marginal Adaptation and Fracture Strength of Different Ceramic Inlays Produced by CEREC Omnicam and Heat-Pressed Technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oz, F D; Bolay, S

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate marginal adaptation and fracture strength of inlays produced by CEREC Omnicam using different types of blocs and heat-pressed technique. Methods: Seventy-five extracted human mandibular molars were divided randomly into 5 groups ( n =15). 60 molars in four groups received MOD inlay preparations. Experimental groups were CO: Intact teeth, EC: IPS e.max CAD and CEREC, LU: Lava Ultimate and CEREC, EL: IPS Empress CAD and CEREC, EP: IPS Empress Esthetic ingots and heat-pressed technique. Marginal gap measurements were taken with a stereomicroscope. Restorations were cemented with Variolink N and stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 hours. All samples were subjected to thermocycling. The fracture strength of specimens was determined at a 0.5 mm/min crosshead speed until fracture. Fracture modes were determined. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way analysis of variance for fracture strength data and Kruskal-Wallis for marginal gap data ( p =0.05). The mean marginal gap size of EC, LU, EL, and EP were 33.54  µ m, 33.77  µ m, 34.23  µ m, and 85.34  µ m, respectively. EP had statistically higher values than other groups. The fracture strength values were significantly higher in the intact teeth group (3959,00 ± 1279,79 N) than those of restored groups EC (2408,00 ± 607,97 N), LU (2206,73 ± 675,16), EL (2573.27 ± 644,73) ve EP (2879,53 ± 897,30). Inlays fabricated using CEREC Omnicam demonstrated better marginal adaptation than inlays produced with heat-pressed technique, whereas fracture strength values of inlays fabricated with different type of blocks using CEREC Omnicam exhibited similarity to those fabricated with heat-pressed technique.

  7. W-1% La2O3 Submitted to a Single Laser Pulse: Effect of Particles on Heat Transfer and Surface Morphology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pasquale Gaudio

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available W-1% La2O3 has been irradiated by a single laser pulse (λ = 1064 nm, pulse duration τ ≈ 15 ns, pulse energy Ep ≈ 4 J, spot size Φ = 200 μm, surface power density I = 8.5 × 1011 W·cm−2 to simulate the effects of transient thermal loads of high energy occurring in a tokamak under operative conditions. The samples have been then examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM observations to investigate erosion effects and surface morphological features. A surface depression forms in the spot central area surrounded by a ridge due to the movement of molten metal. Owing to the burst of gas bubbles, hemispherical cavities of about 10 μm and deposited droplets are observed in the ridge while the zones surrounding the ridge thermal stresses arising from fast heating and successive cooling produce an extended network of micro-cracks that often follow grain boundaries. The results are discussed and compared to those obtained in a previous work on pure bulk W.

  8. SPOTTED STAR LIGHT CURVES WITH ENHANCED PRECISION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, R. E.

    2012-01-01

    The nearly continuous timewise coverage of recent photometric surveys is free of the large gaps that compromise attempts to follow starspot growth and decay as well as motions, thereby giving incentive to improve computational precision for modeled spots. Due to the wide variety of star systems in the surveys, such improvement should apply to light/velocity curve models that accurately include all the main phenomena of close binaries and rotating single stars. The vector fractional area (VFA) algorithm that is introduced here represents surface elements by small sets of position vectors so as to allow accurate computation of circle-triangle overlap by spherical geometry. When computed by VFA, spots introduce essentially no noticeable scatter in light curves at the level of one part in 10,000. VFA has been put into the Wilson-Devinney light/velocity curve program and all logic and mathematics are given so as to facilitate entry into other such programs. Advantages of precise spot computation include improved statistics of spot motions and aging, reduced computation time (intrinsic precision relaxes needs for grid fineness), noise-free illustration of spot effects in figures, and help in guarding against false positives in exoplanet searches, where spots could approximately mimic transiting planets in unusual circumstances. A simple spot growth and decay template quantifies time profiles, and specifics of its utilization in differential corrections solutions are given. Computational strategies are discussed, the overall process is tested in simulations via solutions of synthetic light curve data, and essential simulation results are described. An efficient time smearing facility by Gaussian quadrature can deal with Kepler mission data that are in 30 minute time bins.

  9. X-ray spot film device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-01-01

    Improvements are described in an X-ray spot film device which is used in conjunction with an X-ray table to make a selected number of radiographic exposures on a single film and to perform fluoroscopic examinations. To date, the spot film devices consist of two X-ray field defining masks, one of which is moved manually. The present device is more convenient to use and speeds up the procedure. (U.K.)

  10. A multi-functional testing instrument for heat assisted magnetic recording media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, H. Z.; Chen, Y. J.; Leong, S. H.; An, C. W.; Ye, K. D.; Hu, J. F.; Yin, M. J.

    2014-01-01

    With recent developments in heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), characterization of HAMR media is becoming very important. We present a multi-functional instrument for testing HAMR media, which integrates HAMR writing, reading, and a micro-magneto-optic Kerr effect (μ-MOKE) testing function. A potential application of the present instrument is to make temperature dependent magnetic property measurement using a pump-probe configuration. In the measurement, the media is heated up by a heating (intense) beam while a testing (weak) beam is overlapped with the heating beam for MOKE measurement. By heating the media with different heating beam power, magnetic measurements by MOKE at different temperatures can be performed. Compared to traditional existing tools such as the vibrating sample magnetometer, the present instrument provides localized and efficient heating at the measurement spot. The integration of HAMR writing and μ-MOKE system can also facilitate a localized full investigation of the magnetic media by potential correlation of HAMR head independent write/read performance to localized magnetic properties

  11. Hot spot manifestation in eclipsing dwarf nova HT Cassiopeiae

    OpenAIRE

    Bakowska, K.; Olech, A.

    2014-01-01

    We report the detection of the hot spot in light curves of the eclipsing dwarf nova HT Cassiopeiae during its superoutburst in 2010 November. Analysis of eight reconstructed light curves of the hot spot eclipses showed directly that the brightness of the hot spot was changing significantly during the superoutburst. Thereby, detected hot spot manifestation in HT Cas is the newest observational evidence for the EMT model for dwarf novae.

  12. Integrating sustainable hunting in biodiversity protection in Central Africa: hot spots, weak spots, and strong spots.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John E Fa

    Full Text Available Wild animals are a primary source of protein (bushmeat for people living in or near tropical forests. Ideally, the effect of bushmeat harvests should be monitored closely by making regular estimates of offtake rate and size of stock available for exploitation. However, in practice, this is possible in very few situations because it requires both of these aspects to be readily measurable, and even in the best case, entails very considerable time and effort. As alternative, in this study, we use high-resolution, environmental favorability models for terrestrial mammals (N = 165 in Central Africa to map areas of high species richness (hot spots and hunting susceptibility. Favorability models distinguish localities with environmental conditions that favor the species' existence from those with detrimental characteristics for its presence. We develop an index for assessing Potential Hunting Sustainability (PHS of each species based on their ecological characteristics (population density, habitat breadth, rarity and vulnerability, weighted according to restrictive and permissive assumptions of how species' characteristics are combined. Species are classified into five main hunting sustainability classes using fuzzy logic. Using the accumulated favorability values of all species, and their PHS values, we finally identify weak spots, defined as high diversity regions of especial hunting vulnerability for wildlife, as well as strong spots, defined as high diversity areas of high hunting sustainability potential. Our study uses relatively simple models that employ easily obtainable data of a species' ecological characteristics to assess the impacts of hunting in tropical regions. It provides information for management by charting the geography of where species are more or less likely to be at risk of extinction from hunting.

  13. Investigation on Solar Heating System with Building-Integrated Heat Storage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heller, Alfred

    1996-01-01

    Traditional solar heating systems cover between 5 and 10% of the heat demand fordomestic hot water and comfort heating. By applying storage capacity this share can beincreased much. The Danish producer of solar heating systems, Aidt-Miljø, markets such a system including storage of dry sand heated...... by PP-pipe heat exchanger. Heat demand is reduced due to direct solar heating and due to storage. The storage affects the heat demand passively due to higher temperatures. Hence heat loss is reduced and passive heating is optioned. In theory, by running the system flow backwards, active heating can...... solar collector area of the system, was achieved. Active heating from the sand storage was not observed. The pay-back time for the system can be estimated to be similar to solar heated domestic hot water systems in general. A number of minor improvements on the system could be pointed out....

  14. Influence of the Laser Spot Size, Focal Beam Profile, and Tissue Type on the Lipid Signals Obtained by MALDI-MS Imaging in Oversampling Mode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiegelmann, Marcel; Dreisewerd, Klaus; Soltwisch, Jens

    2016-12-01

    To improve the lateral resolution in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) beyond the dimensions of the focal laser spot oversampling techniques are employed. However, few data are available on the effect of the laser spot size and its focal beam profile on the ion signals recorded in oversampling mode. To investigate these dependencies, we produced 2 times six spots with dimensions between ~30 and 200 μm. By optional use of a fundamental beam shaper, square flat-top and Gaussian beam profiles were compared. MALDI-MSI data were collected using a fixed pixel size of 20 μm and both pixel-by-pixel and continuous raster oversampling modes on a QSTAR mass spectrometer. Coronal mouse brain sections coated with 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid matrix were used as primary test systems. Sizably higher phospholipid ion signals were produced with laser spots exceeding a dimension of ~100 μm, although the same amount of material was essentially ablated from the 20 μm-wide oversampling pixel at all spot size settings. Only on white matter areas of the brain these effects were less apparent to absent. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that these findings can presumably be attributed to different matrix morphologies depending on tissue type. We propose that a transition in the material ejection mechanisms from a molecular desorption at large to ablation at smaller spot sizes and a concomitant reduction in ion yields may be responsible for the observed spot size effects. The combined results indicate a complex interplay between tissue type, matrix crystallization, and laser-derived desorption/ablation and finally analyte ionization. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

  15. Biological control of rice brown spot with native isolates of three Trichoderma species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elham Khalili

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Brown spot caused by Bipolaris oryzae is an important rice disease in Southern coast of Caspian Sea, the major rice growing region in Iran. A total of 45 Trichoderma isolates were obtained from rice paddy fields in Golestan and Mazandaran provinces which belonged to Trichoderma harzianum, T. virens and T. atroviride species. Initially, they were screened against B. oryzae by antagonism tests including dual culture, volatile and nonvolatile metabolites and hyperparasitism. Results showed that Trichoderma isolates can significantly inhibit mycelium growth of pathogen in vitro by producing volatile and nonvolatile metabolites Light microscopic observations showed no evidence of mycoparasitic behaviour of the tested isolates of Trichoderma spp. such as coiling around the B. oryzae. According to in vitro experiments, Trichoderma isolates were selected in order to evaluate their efficacy in controlling brown spot in glasshouse using seed treatment and foliar spray methods. Concerning the glasshouse tests, two strains of T. harzianum significantly controlled the disease and one strain of T. atroviride increased the seedling growth. It is the first time that the biological control of rice brown spot and increase of seedling growth with Trichoderma species have been studied in Iran.

  16. Fusion yield rate recovery by escaping hot-spot fast ions in the neighboring fuel layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Xian-Zhu; McDevitt, C. J.; Guo, Zehua; Berk, H. L.

    2014-02-01

    Free-streaming loss by fast ions can deplete the tail population in the hot spot of an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) target. Escaping fast ions in the neighboring fuel layer of a cryogenic target can produce a surplus of fast ions locally. In contrast to the Knudsen layer effect that reduces hot-spot fusion reactivity due to tail ion depletion, the inverse Knudsen layer effect increases fusion reactivity in the neighboring fuel layer. In the case of a burning ICF target in the presence of significant hydrodynamic mix which aggravates the Knudsen layer effect, the yield recovery largely compensates for the yield reduction. For mix-dominated sub-ignition targets, the yield reduction is the dominant process.

  17. Proteomics analysis of alfalfa response to heat stress.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weimin Li

    Full Text Available The proteome responses to heat stress have not been well understood. In this study, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. Huaiyin seedlings were exposed to 25 °C (control and 40 °C (heat stress in growth chambers, and leaves were collected at 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment, respectively. The morphological, physiological and proteomic processes were negatively affected under heat stress. Proteins were extracted and separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE, and differentially expressed protein spots were identified by mass spectrometry (MS. Totally, 81 differentially expressed proteins were identified successfully by MALDI-TOF/TOF. These proteins were categorized into nine classes: including metabolism, energy, protein synthesis, protein destination/storage, transporters, intracellular traffic, cell structure, signal transduction and disease/defence. Five proteins were further analyzed for mRNA levels. The results of the proteomics analyses provide a better understanding of the molecular basis of heat-stress responses in alfalfa.

  18. Experimental investigation into methane hydrate production during three-dimensional thermal stimulation with five-spot well system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Yi; Li, Xiao-Sen; Li, Gang; Zhang, Yu; Li, Bo; Chen, Zhao-Yang

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • The production behaviors of methane hydrate are obtained in the 3-D simulator. • The thermal stimulation method with a five-spot well is used for hydrate production. • The water and gas production, efficiency, recovery, production rate are analyzed. • The effect of injection rate change on the production behavior is investigated. - Abstract: The cubic hydrate simulator (CHS) is used to study the methane hydrate production behaviors in porous media by the thermal stimulation with a five-spot well system. The hot water injection rates range from 10.0 to 40.0 ml/min. The thermal stimulation process is analyzed, and the conclusions are that the hydrate decomposition boundary moves from the central point to the surroundings gradually and finally covers almost the entire hydrate field in the CHS during the thermal stimulation process. The heat conduction plays a more significant role than the convection for the heat diffusion in the thermal stimulation process. The increasing injection rate of the hot water enhances the rate of hydrate decomposition, shortens the production time, and decreases the water production volumes, while it has little influence on the final gas production volumes. Furthermore, the change of the hot water injection rate (R inj ) has little influence on the final gas recovery, however, the higher R inj leads to the higher average production rate and the lower energy efficiency

  19. 7 CFR 27.94 - Spot markets for contract settlement purposes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Spot markets for contract settlement purposes. 27.94... CONTAINER REGULATIONS COTTON CLASSIFICATION UNDER COTTON FUTURES LEGISLATION Regulations Spot Markets § 27.94 Spot markets for contract settlement purposes. The following are designated as spot markets for...

  20. Influence of transverse mode on retinal spot size and retinal injury effect: A theoretical analysis on 532-nm laser

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jia-Rui Wang

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The fundamental transverse mode (TEM00 is preferable for experimental and theoretical study on the laser-induced retinal injury effect, for it can produce the minimal retinal image and establish the most strict laser safety standards. But actually lasers with higher order mode were frequently used in both earlier and recent studies. Generally higher order mode leads to larger retinal spot size and so higher damage threshold, but there are few quantitative analyses on this problem. In this paper, a four-surface schematic eye model is established for human and macaque. The propagation of 532-nm laser in schematic eye is analyzed by the ABCD law of Gaussian optics. It is shown that retinal spot size increases with laser transverse mode order. For relative lower mode order, the retinal spot diameter will not exceed the minimum laser-induced retinal lesion (25 ~ 30 μm in diameter, and so has little effect on retinal damage threshold. While for higher order mode, the larger retinal spot requires more energy to induce injury and so the damage threshold increases. When beam divergence is lowered, the retinal spot size decreases correspondingly, so the effect of mode order can be compensated. The retinal spot size of macaque is slightly smaller than that of human and the ratio between them is independent of mode order. We conclude that the laser mode order has significant influence on retinal spot size but limited influence on the retinal injury effect.

  1. The rise and fall of a human recombination hot spot.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffreys, Alec J; Neumann, Rita

    2009-05-01

    Human meiotic crossovers mainly cluster into narrow hot spots that profoundly influence patterns of haplotype diversity and that may also affect genome instability and sequence evolution. Hot spots also seem to be ephemeral, but processes of hot-spot activation and their subsequent evolutionary dynamics remain unknown. We now analyze the life cycle of a recombination hot spot. Sperm typing revealed a polymorphic hot spot that was activated in cis by a single base change, providing evidence for a primary sequence determinant necessary, though not sufficient, to activate recombination. This activating mutation occurred roughly 70,000 y ago and has persisted to the present, most likely fortuitously through genetic drift despite its systematic elimination by biased gene conversion. Nonetheless, this self-destructive conversion will eventually lead to hot-spot extinction. These findings define a subclass of highly transient hot spots and highlight the importance of understanding hot-spot turnover and how it influences haplotype diversity.

  2. Assessing genotoxicity of diuron on Drosophila melanogaster by the wing-spot test and the wing imaginal disk comet assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peraza-Vega, Ricardo I; Castañeda-Sortibrán, América N; Valverde, Mahara; Rojas, Emilio; Rodríguez-Arnaiz, Rosario

    2017-05-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxicity of the herbicide diuron in the wing-spot test and a novel wing imaginal disk comet assay in Drosophila melanogaster. The wing-spot test was performed with standard (ST) and high-bioactivation (HB) crosses after providing chronic 48 h treatment to third instar larvae. A positive dose-response effect was observed in both crosses, but statistically reduced spot frequencies were registered for the HB cross compared with the ST. This latter finding suggests that metabolism differences play an important role in the genotoxic effect of diuron. To verify diuron's ability to produce DNA damage, a wing imaginal disk comet assay was performed after providing 24 h diuron treatment to ST and HB third instar larvae. DNA damage induced by the herbicide had a significantly positive dose-response effect even at very low concentrations in both strains. However, as noted for the wing-spot test, a significant difference between strains was not observed that could be related to the duration of exposure between both assays. A positive correlation between the comet assay and the wing-spot test was found with regard to diuron genotoxicity.

  3. The 2010 Saturn's Great White Spot: Observations and models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanchez-Lavega, A.

    2011-12-01

    On December 5, 2010, a major storm erupted in Saturn's northern hemisphere at a planetographic latitude of 37.7 deg [1]. These phenomena are known as "Great White Spots" (GWS) and they have been observed once per Saturn year since the first case confidently reported in 1876. The last event occurred at Saturn's Equator in 1990 [2]. A GWS differs from similar smaller-scale storms in that it generates a planetary-scale disturbance that spreads zonally spanning the whole latitude band. We report on the evolution and motions of the 2010 GWS and its associated disturbance during the months following the outbreak, based mainly on high quality images obtained in the visual range submitted to the International Outer Planet Watch PVOL database [3], with the 1m telescope at Pic-du-Midi Observatory and the 2.2 m telescope at Calar Alto Observatory. The GWS "head source" extinguished by June 2011 implying that it survived about 6 months. Since this source is assumed to be produced by water moist convection, a reservoir of water vapor must exist at a depth of 10 bar and at the same time a disturbance producing the necessary convergence to trigger the ascending motions. The high temporal sampling and coverage allowed us to study the dynamics of the GWS in detail and the multi-wavelength observations provide information on its cloud top structure. We present non-linear simulations using the EPIC code of the evolution of the potential vorticity generated by a continuous Gaussian heat source extending from 10 bar to about 1 bar, that compare extraordinary well to the observed cloud field evolution. Acknowledgements: This work has been funded by Spanish MICIIN AYA2009-10701 with FEDER support and Grupos Gobierno Vasco IT-464-07. The presentation is done on behalf of the team listed in Reference [1]. [1]Sánchez-Lavega A., et al., Nature, 475, 71-74 (2011) [2]Sánchez-Lavega A., et al., Nature, 353, 397-401 (1991) [3]Hueso R., et al., Planet. Space Sci., 58, 1152-1159 (2010).

  4. Motion Interplay as a Function of Patient Parameters and Spot Size in Spot Scanning Proton Therapy for Lung Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grassberger, Clemens; Dowdell, Stephen; Lomax, Antony; Sharp, Greg; Shackleford, James; Choi, Noah; Willers, Henning; Paganetti, Harald

    2013-01-01

    Purpose Quantify the impact of respiratory motion on the treatment of lung tumors with spot scanning proton therapy. Methods and Materials 4D Monte Carlo simulations were used to assess the interplay effect, which results from relative motion of the tumor and the proton beam, on the dose distribution in the patient. Ten patients with varying tumor sizes (2.6-82.3cc) and motion amplitudes (3-30mm) were included in the study. We investigated the impact of the spot size, which varies between proton facilities, and studied single fractions and conventionally fractionated treatments. The following metrics were used in the analysis: minimum/maximum/mean dose, target dose homogeneity and 2-year local control rate (2y-LC). Results Respiratory motion reduces the target dose homogeneity, with the largest effects observed for the highest motion amplitudes. Smaller spot sizes (σ≈3mm) are inherently more sensitive to motion, decreasing target dose homogeneity on average by a factor ~2.8 compared to a larger spot size (σ≈13mm). Using a smaller spot size to treat a tumor with 30mm motion amplitude reduces the minimum dose to 44.7% of the prescribed dose, decreasing modeled 2y-LC from 87.0% to 2.7%, assuming a single fraction. Conventional fractionation partly mitigates this reduction, yielding a 2y-LC of 71.6%. For the large spot size, conventional fractionation increases target dose homogeneity and prevents a deterioration of 2y-LC for all patients. No correlation with tumor volume is observed. The effect on the normal lung dose distribution is minimal: observed changes in mean lung dose and lung V20 are interplay using a large spot size and conventional fractionation. For treatments employing smaller spot sizes and/or in the delivery of single fractions, interplay effects can lead to significant deterioration of the dose distribution and lower 2y-LC. PMID:23462423

  5. Motion Interplay as a Function of Patient Parameters and Spot Size in Spot Scanning Proton Therapy for Lung Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grassberger, Clemens; Dowdell, Stephen; Lomax, Antony; Sharp, Greg; Shackleford, James; Choi, Noah; Willers, Henning; Paganetti, Harald

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: To quantify the impact of respiratory motion on the treatment of lung tumors with spot scanning proton therapy. Methods and Materials: Four-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations were used to assess the interplay effect, which results from relative motion of the tumor and the proton beam, on the dose distribution in the patient. Ten patients with varying tumor sizes (2.6-82.3 cc) and motion amplitudes (3-30 mm) were included in the study. We investigated the impact of the spot size, which varies between proton facilities, and studied single fractions and conventionally fractionated treatments. The following metrics were used in the analysis: minimum/maximum/mean dose, target dose homogeneity, and 2-year local control rate (2y-LC). Results: Respiratory motion reduces the target dose homogeneity, with the largest effects observed for the highest motion amplitudes. Smaller spot sizes (σ ≈ 3 mm) are inherently more sensitive to motion, decreasing target dose homogeneity on average by a factor 2.8 compared with a larger spot size (σ ≈ 13 mm). Using a smaller spot size to treat a tumor with 30-mm motion amplitude reduces the minimum dose to 44.7% of the prescribed dose, decreasing modeled 2y-LC from 87.0% to 2.7%, assuming a single fraction. Conventional fractionation partly mitigates this reduction, yielding a 2y-LC of 71.6%. For the large spot size, conventional fractionation increases target dose homogeneity and prevents a deterioration of 2y-LC for all patients. No correlation with tumor volume is observed. The effect on the normal lung dose distribution is minimal: observed changes in mean lung dose and lung V 20 are <0.6 Gy(RBE) and <1.7%, respectively. Conclusions: For the patients in this study, 2y-LC could be preserved in the presence of interplay using a large spot size and conventional fractionation. For treatments using smaller spot sizes and/or in the delivery of single fractions, interplay effects can lead to significant deterioration of the

  6. Efficacy of 'fine' focal spot imaging in CT abdominal angiography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oh, Lawrence Chia Wei; Devapalasundaram, Ashwini; Ardley, Nicholas [Monash Health, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Clayton, Victoria (Australia); Lau, Kenneth K. [Monash Health, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Clayton, Victoria (Australia); Monash University, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences, Victoria (Australia); Buchan, Kevin [Phillips Healthcare, Clinical Science, PO Box 312, Mont Albert, Victoria (Australia); Huynh, Minh [RMIT University, School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences, Victoria (Australia)

    2014-12-15

    To assess the efficacy of fine focal spot imaging in calcification beam-hardening artefact reduction and vessel clarity on CT abdominal angiography (CTAA). Adult patients of any age and gender who presented for CTAA were included. Thirty-nine patients were examined with a standard focal spot size (SFSS) of 1 x 1 mm in the first 3 months while 31 consecutive patients were examined with a fine focal spot size (FFSS) of 1 x 0.5 mm in the following 3 months. Vessel clarity and calcification beam-hardening artefacts of the abdominal aorta, celiac axis, superior mesenteric artery, inferior mesenteric artery, renal arteries, and iliac arteries were assessed using a 5-point grading scale by two blinded radiologists randomly. Cohen's Kappa test indicated that on average, there was substantial agreement among reviewers for vessel wall clarity and calcification artefact grading. Mann-Whitney test showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups, with FFSS performing significantly better for vessel clarity (U, 6481.50; p < 0.001; r, 0.73) and calcification artefact reduction (U, 1916; p < 0.001; r, 0.77). Fine focus CT angiography produces images with better vessel wall clarity and less vessel calcification beam-hardening artefact. (orig.)

  7. Modeling and Control of Heat Networks with Storage : the Single-Producer Multiple-Consumer Case

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scholten, Tjeert Wobko; De Persis, Claudio; Tesi, Pietro

    2015-01-01

    In heat networks, energy storage is a viable approach to balance demand and supply. In such a network, a heat carrier is used in the form of water, where heat is injected and extracted through heat exchangers. The network can transport and store heated water in stratification tanks to shift loads in

  8. Modeling and control of heat networks with storage: The single-producer multiple-consumer case.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scholten, Tjardo; De Persis, Claudio; Tesi, Pietro

    2015-01-01

    In heat networks, energy storage is a viable approach to balance demand and supply. In such a network, a heat carrier is used in the form of water, where heat is injected and extracted through heat exchangers. The network can transport and store heated water in stratification tanks to shift loads in

  9. Complete mitochondrial genome of the red-spotted tokay gecko (Gekko gecko, Reptilia: Gekkonidae): comparison of red- and black-spotted tokay geckos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Xin-Min; Qian, Fang; Zeng, De-Long; Liu, Xiao-Can; Li, Hui-Min

    2011-10-01

    Here, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of the red-spotted tokay gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae). The genome is 16,590 bp in size. Its gene arrangement pattern was identical with that of black-spotted tokay gecko. We compared the mitochondrial genome of red-spotted tokay gecko with that of the black-spotted tokay gecko. Nucleotide sequence of the two whole mitochondrial genomes was 97.99% similar, and the relatively high similarity seems to indicate that they may be separated at the subspecies level. The information of mitochondrial genome comparison of the two morphological types of tokay gecko is discussed in detail.

  10. Acoustic heating produced in the thermoviscous flow of a Bingham plastic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perelomova, Anna

    2011-02-01

    This study is devoted to the instantaneous acoustic heating of a Bingham plastic. The model of the Bingham plastic's viscous stress tensor includes the yield stress along with the shear viscosity, which differentiates a Bingham plastic from a viscous Newtonian fluid. A special linear combination of the conservation equations in differential form makes it possible to reduce all acoustic terms in the linear part of of the final equation governing acoustic heating, and to retain those belonging to the thermal mode. The nonlinear terms of the final equation are a result of interaction between sounds and the thermal mode. In the field of intense sound, the resulting nonlinear acoustic terms form a driving force for the heating. The final governing dynamic equation of the thermal mode is valid in a weakly nonlinear flow. It is instantaneous, and does not imply that sounds be periodic. The equations governing the dynamics of both sounds and the thermal mode depend on sign of the shear rate. An example of the propagation of a bipolar initially acoustic pulse and the evolution of the heating induced by it is illustrated and discussed.

  11. Parametric investigation of heating due to magnetic fluid hyperthermia in a tumor with blood perfusion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liangruksa, Monrudee [Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 (United States); Ganguly, Ranjan [Department of Power Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700098 (India); Puri, Ishwar K., E-mail: ikpuri@vt.ed [Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 (United States)

    2011-03-15

    by healthy tissue. Model results agree with clinical data. > Key dimensionless parameters influencing thermotherapy include the Peclet (Pe), Fourier (Fo), and Joule (J) numbers. > MFH for tumors having larger Pe due to higher heat loss through blood perfusion requires higher magnetic heating (Fo/J). At low (Fo/J) values, tissue heterogeneities exert a strong influence on the treatment time. > The fraction of the tumor heated above a threshold treatment temperature improves upon increasing (Fo/J) but this can also damage the surrounding healthy tissue. > The distribution of magnetic nanoparticles in the tumor matters. Compared to a homogeneous distribution, a Gaussian distribution reduces the possibility of generating a hot-spot at the tumor center while an exponential distribution produces more damage to the surrounding normal tissue.

  12. Parametric investigation of heating due to magnetic fluid hyperthermia in a tumor with blood perfusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liangruksa, Monrudee; Ganguly, Ranjan; Puri, Ishwar K.

    2011-01-01

    . Model results agree with clinical data. →Key dimensionless parameters influencing thermotherapy include the Peclet (Pe), Fourier (Fo), and Joule (J) numbers. → MFH for tumors having larger Pe due to higher heat loss through blood perfusion requires higher magnetic heating (Fo/J). At low (Fo/J) values, tissue heterogeneities exert a strong influence on the treatment time. →The fraction of the tumor heated above a threshold treatment temperature improves upon increasing (Fo/J) but this can also damage the surrounding healthy tissue. →The distribution of magnetic nanoparticles in the tumor matters. Compared to a homogeneous distribution, a Gaussian distribution reduces the possibility of generating a hot-spot at the tumor center while an exponential distribution produces more damage to the surrounding normal tissue.

  13. Rocky Mountain spotted fever in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, Charles R

    2013-04-01

    Rocky Mountain spotted fever is typically undifferentiated from many other infections in the first few days of illness. Treatment should not be delayed pending confirmation of infection when Rocky Mountain spotted fever is suspected. Doxycycline is the drug of choice even for infants and children less than 8 years old. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Effects of fluid flow on heat transfer in large rotating electrical machines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lancial, Nicolas

    2014-01-01

    EDF operates a large number of electrical rotating machines in its electricity generation capacity. Thermal stresses which affect them can cause local heating, sufficient to damage their integrity. The present work contributes to provide methodologies for detecting hot spots in these machines, better understanding the topology of rotating flows and identifying their effects on heat transfer. Several experimental scale model were used by increasing their complexity to understand and validate the numerical simulations. A first study on a turbulent wall jet over a non-confined backward-facing step (half-pole hydro-generator) notes significant differences compared to results from confined case: both of them are present in an hydro-generator. A second study was done on a small confined rotating scale model to determinate the effects of a Taylor-Couette-Poiseuille on temperature distribution and position of hot spots on the heated rotor, by studying the overall flow regimes flow. These studies have helped to obtain a reliable method based on conjugate heat transfer (CHT) simulations. Another method, based on FEM coupled with the use of an inverse method, has been studied on a large model of hydraulic generator so as to solve the computation time issue of the first methodology. It numerically calculates the convective heat transfer from temperature measurements, but depends on the availability of experimental data. This work has also developed new no-contact measurement techniques as the use of a high-frequency pyrometer which can be applied on rotating machines for monitoring temperature. (author)

  15. Assessment of Gas Production Potential from Hydrate Reservoir in Qilian Mountain Permafrost Using Five-Spot Horizontal Well System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yun-Pei Liang

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of this study is to investigate the production behaviors of gas hydrate at site DK-2 in the Qilian Mountain permafrost using the novel five-spot well (5S system by means of numerical simulation. The whole system is composed of several identical units, and each single unit consists of one injection well and four production wells. All the wells are placed horizontally in the hydrate deposit. The combination method of depressurization and thermal stimulation is employed for hydrate dissociation in the system. Simulation results show that favorable gas production and hydrate dissociation rates, gas-to-water ratio, and energy ratio can be acquired using this kind of multi-well system under suitable heat injection and depressurization driving forces, and the water production rate is manageable in the entire production process under current technology. In addition, another two kinds of two-spot well (2S systems have also been employed for comparison. It is found that the 5S system will be more commercially profitable than the 2S configurations for gas production under the same operation conditions. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the gas production performance is dependent on the heat injection rate and the well spacing of the 5S system.

  16. Spot på samtalen:

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Danneris, Sophie; Jensen, Tanja Dall; Caswell, Dorte

    Spot på samtalen sætter fokus på det, der konkret foregår i samtaler mellem borgere og de beskæftigelsesfaglige medarbejdere i jobcentrene. Da de udsatte grupper i mange tilfælde er langt fra arbejdsmarkedet, er interessen rettet mod, hvilke forhold i kontakten med beskæftigelsessystemet, der...... har betydning hvilke indsatser ledige modtager, men også hvordan de modtager dem. Her rettes blikket mod den centrale del af den beskæftigelsespolitiske indsats som samtalerne udgør. I Spot på samtalen er blikket rettet mod de dynamikker, mønstre og mekanismer, der kommer i spil i samtalerne i...

  17. Using geothermal energy to heat a portion of a formation for an in situ heat treatment process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pieterson, Roelof; Boyles, Joseph Michael; Diebold, Peter Ulrich

    2010-06-08

    Methods of using geothermal energy to treat subsurface formations are described herein. Methods for using geothermal energy to treat a subsurface treatment area containing or proximate to hydrocarbons may include producing geothermally heated fluid from at least one subsurface region. Heat from at least a portion of the geothermally heated fluid may be transferred to the subsurface treatment area to heat the subsurface treatment area. At least some hydrocarbon fluids may be produced from the formation.

  18. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: Statistics and Epidemiology

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Search Form Controls Cancel Submit Search the CDC Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) Note: Javascript is disabled or is not ... message, please visit this page: About CDC.gov . Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) Transmission Signs and Symptoms Diagnosis and Testing ...

  19. Motion-Dependent Filling-In of Spatiotemporal Information at the Blind Spot.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maus, Gerrit W; Whitney, David

    2016-01-01

    We usually do not notice the blind spot, a receptor-free region on the retina. Stimuli extending through the blind spot appear filled in. However, if an object does not reach through but ends in the blind spot, it is perceived as "cut off" at the boundary. Here we show that even when there is no corresponding stimulation at opposing edges of the blind spot, well known motion-induced position shifts also extend into the blind spot and elicit a dynamic filling-in process that allows spatial structure to be extrapolated into the blind spot. We presented observers with sinusoidal gratings that drifted into or out of the blind spot, or flickered in counterphase. Gratings moving into the blind spot were perceived to be longer than those moving out of the blind spot or flickering, revealing motion-dependent filling-in. Further, observers could perceive more of a grating's spatial structure inside the blind spot than would be predicted from simple filling-in of luminance information from the blind spot edge. This is evidence for a dynamic filling-in process that uses spatiotemporal information from the motion system to extrapolate visual percepts into the scotoma of the blind spot. Our findings also provide further support for the notion that an explicit spatial shift of topographic representations contributes to motion-induced position illusions.

  20. Heat-resistant, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in endoscope-mediated outbreak

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, S.B.; Bojer, Martin Saxtorph; Boll, E.J.

    2016-01-01

    disinfection in a decontaminator designated for such use. The genetic marker clpK, which increases microbial heat resistance, has previously been described in K. pneumoniae outbreak strains. Aim To investigate the role of clpK in biofilm formation and heat-shock stability in the outbreak strain. Methods...... construction and heat-shock assays. Findings Five patients and one intubation endoscope contained K. pneumoniae with the same amplified fragment length polymorphism pattern. The outbreak strain contained the clpK genetic marker, which rendered the strain its increased heat resistance. The survival rate....... Heat resistance of certain K. pneumoniae strains may facilitate survival in biofilms on medical equipment and hence increase the potential of those strains to persist and disperse in the hospital environment....

  1. 7 CFR 27.96 - Quotations in bona fide spot markets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Quotations in bona fide spot markets. 27.96 Section 27... Differences § 27.96 Quotations in bona fide spot markets. The price or value and differences between the price... determined by the sale of spot cotton in such spot market. Quotations shall be determined and maintained in...

  2. The physics of open-quotes vacuumclose quotes breakdown

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwirzke, F.; Hallal, M.P. Jr.; Maruyama, X.K.

    1993-01-01

    The initial plasma formation on the surface of a cathode of a vacuum diode, vacuum arc, and many other discharges is highly non-uniform. Micron-sized cathode spots form within nanoseconds. Despite the fundamental importance of cathode spots for the breakdown process, their structure, and the source of the required high energy density were not well understood. When an increasing voltage is applied, enhanced field emission of electrons begins from a growing number of small spots or whiskers. This and the impact of ions stimulate desorption of weakly bound adsorbates from the surface of a whisker. The cross section for ionization of the neutrals has a maximum for ∼ 100 eV electrons. As the diode voltage increases, the 100 V equipotential surface which moves towards the cathode is met by the desorbed neutrals moving away from the cathode. These two regions proceed from no overlap to a significant amount of overlap on a nanosecond time scale. This results in the sharp risetime for the onset of ionization. Ions produced in the ionization region, a few μm from the electron emitting spot are accelerated back. This bombardment with ∼ 100 eV ions leads to surface heating of the spot. Since the ion energy is deposited only within a few atomic layers at a time, the onset of breakdown by this mechanism requires much less current than the joule heating mechanism. Ion surface heating is initially orders of magnitude larger than joule heating. As more ions are produced, a positive space charge layer forms which enhances the electric field and thus strongly enhances the field emitted electron current. The localized build-up of plasma above the electron emitting spot then naturally leads to pressure and electric field distributions which ignite unipolar arcs. The high current density of the unipolar arc and the associated surface heating by ions provide the open-quotes explosiveclose quotes formation of a cathode spot plasma

  3. Jump if you can't take the heat: three escape gaits of Paramecium swimming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baroud, Charles N.; Hamel, Amandine; Fisch, Cathy; Combettes, Laurent; Dupuys-Williams, Pascale

    2010-11-01

    Paramecium is able to swim at velocities reaching several times its body size per second, by beating its thousands of cilia in an organized fashion. Here we show that Paramecium has in fact three distinct swimming gaits to escape from an aggression in the form of localized heating, depending on the magnitude of the aggression: For a weak agression, normal swimming is sufficient and produces a steady swimming velocity through cilia beating. As the heating amplitude is increased, a higher acceleration and faster swimming are achieved through synchronized beating of the cilia, which later give way to the usual metachronal waves. The synchronized beating yields high initial accelerations but requires the cell to coast through the synchrnized recovery. Finally, escape from a life-threatening agression is achieved by a "jumping" gait which does not rely on the cilia but is achieved from the explosive release of a rod-like organelles in the direction of the hot spot. Measurements through high-speed video explain the role of these rods in defending Paramecium. They also show that the zero-Reynolds number assumption is unverified in most cases.

  4. Thermal input control and enhancement for laser based residual stress measurements using liquid temperature indicating coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pechersky, Martin J.

    1999-01-01

    An improved method for measuring residual stress in a material comprising the steps of applying a spot of temperature indicating coating to the surface to be studied, establishing a speckle pattern surrounds the spot of coating with a first laser then heating the spot of coating with a far infrared laser until the surface plastically deforms. Comparing the speckle patterns before and after deformation by subtracting one pattern from the other will produce a fringe pattern that serves as a visual and quantitative indication of the degree to which the plasticized surface responded to the stress during heating and enables calculation of the stress.

  5. Computational analysis of coupled fluid, heat, and mass transport in ferrocyanide single-shell tanks: FY 1994 interim report. Ferrocyanide Tank Safety Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McGrail, B.P.

    1994-11-01

    A computer modeling study was conducted to determine whether natural convection processes in single-shell tanks containing ferrocyanide wastes could generate localized precipitation zones that significantly concentrate the major heat-generating radionuclide, 137 Cs. A computer code was developed that simulates coupled fluid, heat, and single-species mass transport on a regular, orthogonal finite-difference grid. The analysis showed that development of a ''hot spot'' is critically dependent on the temperature dependence for the solubility of Cs 2 NiFe(CN) 6 or CsNaNiFe(CN) 6 . For the normal case, where solubility increases with increasing temperature, the net effect of fluid flow, heat, and mass transport is to disperse any local zones of high heat generation rate. As a result, hot spots cannot physically develop for this case. However, assuming a retrograde solubility dependence, the simulations indicate the formation of localized deposition zones that concentrate the 137 Cs near the bottom center of the tank where the temperatures are highest. Recent experimental studies suggest that Cs 2 NiFe(CN) 6 (c) does not exhibit retrograde solubility over the temperature range 25 degree C to 90 degree C and NaOH concentrations to 5 M. Assuming these preliminary results are confirmed, no natural mass transport process exists for generating a hot spot in the ferrocyanide single-shell tanks

  6. Plasma spot welding of ferritic stainless steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lesnjak, A.; Tusek, J.

    2002-01-01

    Plasma spot wedding of ferritic stainless steels studied. The study was focused on welding parameters, plasma and shieldings and the optimum welding equipment. Plasma-spot welded overlap joints on a 0.8 mm thick ferritic stainless steel sheet were subjected to a visual examination and mechanical testing in terms of tension-shear strength. Several macro specimens were prepared Plasma spot welding is suitable to use the same gas as shielding gas and as plasma gas , i. e. a 98% Ar/2% H 2 gas mixture. Tension-shear strength of plasma-spot welded joint was compared to that of resistance sport welded joints. It was found that the resistance welded joints withstand a somewhat stronger load than the plasma welded joints due to a large weld sport diameter of the former. Strength of both types of welded joints is approximately the same. (Author) 32 refs

  7. 7 CFR 28.426 - Strict Good Ordinary Spotted Color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Strict Good Ordinary Spotted Color. 28.426 Section 28.426 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards... Spotted Color. Strict Good Ordinary Spotted Color is color which is within the range represented by a set...

  8. 7 CFR 28.424 - Strict Low Middling Spotted Color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Strict Low Middling Spotted Color. 28.424 Section 28.424 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards... Spotted Color. Strict Low Middling Spotted Color is color which is within the range represented by a set...

  9. Development of a nonazeotropic heat pump for crew hygiene water heating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, David H.; Deming, Glenn I.

    1991-01-01

    A heat pump system is currently under development to produce hot water for crew hygiene on future manned space missions. The heat pump uses waste heat sources and a nonazeotropic working fluid in a highly efficient cycle. The potential benefits include a reduction in peak power draw from 2 to 5 kW for electric cartridge heaters to just more than 100 W for the heat pump. As part of the heat pump development project, a unique high efficiency compressor was developed to maintain lubrication in a zero-gravity environment.

  10. Effects of spot parameters in pencil beam scanning treatment planning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraan, Aafke Christine; Depauw, Nicolas; Clasie, Ben; Giunta, Marina; Madden, Tom; Kooy, Hanne M

    2018-01-01

    Spot size σ (in air at isocenter), interspot spacing d, and spot charge q influence dose delivery efficiency and plan quality in Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) treatment planning. The choice and range of parameters varies among different manufacturers. The goal of this work is to demonstrate the influence of the spot parameters on dose quality and delivery in IMPT treatment plans, to show their interdependence, and to make practitioners aware of the spot parameter values for a certain facility. Our study could help as a guideline to make the trade-off between treatment quality and time in existing PBS centers and in future systems. We created plans for seven patients and a phantom, with different tumor sites and volumes, and compared the effect of small-, medium-, and large-spot widths (σ = 2.5, 5, and 10 mm) and interspot distances (1σ, 1.5σ, and 1.75σ) on dose, spot charge, and treatment time. Moreover, we quantified how postplanning charge threshold cuts affect plan quality and the total number of spots to deliver, for different spot widths and interspot distances. We show the effect of a minimum charge (or MU) cutoff value for a given proton delivery system. Spot size had a strong influence on dose: larger spots resulted in more protons delivered outside the target region. We observed dose differences of 2-13 Gy (RBE) between 2.5 mm and 10 mm spots, where the amount of extra dose was due to dose penumbra around the target region. Interspot distance had little influence on dose quality for our patient group. Both parameters strongly influence spot charge in the plans and thus the possible impact of postplanning charge threshold cuts. If such charge thresholds are not included in the treatment planning system (TPS), it is important that the practitioner validates that a given combination of lower charge threshold, interspot spacing, and spot size does not result in a plan degradation. Low average spot charge occurs for small spots, small interspot

  11. Heating tokamaks by parametric decay of intense extraordinary mode radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elder, G.B.; Perkins, F.W.

    1979-08-01

    Intense electron beam technology has developed coherent, very high power (350 megawatts) microwave sources at frequencies which are a modest fraction of the electron cyclotron frequency in tokamaks. Propagation into a plasma occurs via the extraordinary mode which is subject to parametric decay instabilities in the density range ω/sub o/ 2 2 < ω/sub o/(ω/sub o/ + Ω/sub e/). For an incident wave focused onto a hot spot by a dish antenna of radius rho, the effective threshold power P/sub o/ required to induced effective parametric heating is P/sub o/ approx. = 10 MW x/rho Ω/sub e//ω/sub o/ (T/sub e//1 keV)/sup 3/2/ where x denotes the distance to the hot spot

  12. Mapping of potential heat sources for heat pumps for district heating in Denmark

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lund, Rasmus; Persson, Urban

    2016-01-01

    The ambitious policy in Denmark on having a 100% renewable energy supply in 2050 requires radical changes to the energy systems to avoid an extensive and unsustainable use of biomass resources. Currently, wind power is being expanded and the increasing supply of electricity is slowly pushing the CHP (combined heat and power) plants out of operation, reducing the energy efficiency of the DH (district heating) supply. Here, large heat pumps for district heating is a frequently mentioned solution as a flexible demand for electricity and an energy efficient heat producer. The idea is to make heat pump use a low temperature waste or ambient heat source, but it has so far been very unclear which heat sources are actually available for this purpose. In this study eight categories of heat sources are analysed for the case of Denmark and included in a detailed spatial analysis where the identified heat sources are put in relation to the district heating areas and the corresponding demands. The analysis shows that potential heat sources are present near almost all district heating areas and that sea water most likely will have to play a substantial role as a heat source in future energy systems in Denmark. - Highlights: • The availability of heat sources for heat pumps in Denmark are mapped and quantified. • A novel methodology for assessment of low temperature industrial excess heat is presented. • There are heat sources available for 99% of district heating networks in Denmark. • The concentration of heat sources is generally bigger around bigger cities than smaller. • Ambient temperature heat sources will be more needed in district heating of big cities.

  13. TSH IRMA of dried blood spots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tojinda, N.; Pattanachak, C.; Chongchirasiri, S.; Pattanachak, S.; Putrasreni, N.; Pleehachinda, R.; Suwanik, R.

    1990-01-01

    TSH determination is most useful for screening of neonatal hypothyroid in the population in iodine deficient areas. The NETRIA IRMA method for serum TSH was applied for blood-spot TSH. Cord blood on SS No. 903 filter paper was left dry overnight. The spot of 6 mm diameter, one/tube, was mixed with an assay buffer, diluted labelled m-anti-TSH, and diluted anti-TSH-solid phase. The mixture was rotated for 22-24 hours. After washing twice with wash buffer, it was counted for 1 minute. The standard curve with 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 mIU/L whole blood was obtained with the maximum binding of 25%. The precision profile was satisfactory with %CV of 0 C) or 4 0 C or -20 0 C. The correlation between serum and blood-spot TSH values (n=120) showed r of 0.9541 and y=1.6123 (BS-TSH) +1.382. The mean of normal cord blood spot TSH (n=142) was 5.27 mIU/L. The technique was found to be precise, sensitive and easy to perform. Mass screening with this developed method is underway

  14. Load-Displacement Curves of Spot Welded, Bonded, and Weld-Bonded Joints for Dissimilar Materials and Thickness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.A. Al-Bahkali

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Three-dimensional finite element models of spot welded, bonded and weld-bonded joints are developed using ABAQUS software. Each model consists of two strips with dissimilar materials and thickness and is subjected to an axial loading. The bonded and weld-bonded joints have specific adhesive thickness. A detailed experimental plan to define many properties and quantities such as, the elastic - plastic properties, modulus of elasticity, fracture limit, and properties of the nugget and heat affected zones are carried out. Experiments include standard testing of the base metal, the adhesive, the nugget and heat affected zone. They also include employing the indentation techniques, and ductile fracture limits criteria, using the special notch tests. Complete load-displacement curves are obtained for all joining models and a comparison is made to determine the best combination.

  15. Time-resolved x-ray laser induced photoelectron spectroscopy of isochoric heated copper

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, A.J.; Dunn, J.; Hunter, J.; Widmann, K.

    2005-01-01

    Time-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to probe the nonsteady-state evolution of the valence band electronic structure of laser heated ultrathin (50 nm) copper. A metastable phase is studied using a 527 nm wavelength 400 fs laser pulse containing 0.1-2.5 mJ laser energy focused in a large 500x700 μm 2 spot to create heated conditions of 0.07-1.8x10 12 W cm -2 intensity. Valence band photoemission spectra are presented showing the changing occupancy of the Cu 3d level with heating are presented. These picosecond x-ray laser induced time-resolved photoemission spectra of laser-heated ultrathin Cu foil show dynamic changes in the electronic structure. The ultrafast nature of this technique lends itself to true single-state measurements of shocked and heated materials

  16. New types of contracts. Part 1. Too high prices on the spot market for electricity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Gelder, J.W.

    1999-01-01

    In two articles, the state of the art of new types of contract such as swaps, futures and spot contracts is covered. What is the situation of the Dutch deregulating market in this respect? In this first article the focus is on the spot market for electricity, while the second article in the next month's issue will deal with the gas market. Four foreign brokers are active in the Dutch electricity market in addition to Amsterdam Power Exchange (APX). The four major power producing companies, being subject to a Protocol, are not allowed to trade their power directly on the APX. That's why most of the power traded through the APX comes from outside the Netherlands. Thus, the foreign brokers complement the service package of the APX

  17. Economic and safety aspects of using moderator heat for feed water heating in a nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patwegar, I.A.; Dutta, Anu; Chaki, S.K.; Venkat Raj, V.

    2002-01-01

    Full text: In the proposed advanced heavy water reactor (AHWR), coolant and moderator are separated by the coolant channel. The coolant absorbs most of the fission heat produced in the reactor core. However, the moderator absorbs about 5 to 6 % of the fission heat. In a reactor producing 750 MW(th) power, this moderator heat is about 40 MW. In the present Indian PHWR (pressurized heavy water reactor) systems, this moderator heat is lost to a sink through the moderator heat exchangers, which are cooled by process water. This paper presents the results of the steam cycle analysis carried out for AHWR using moderator heat exchangers as part of the feed heating system. The present study is an attempt to determine the gain in electrical output (MW) if moderator heat is utilized for feed water heating. The operational and safety aspects of using moderator heat are also discussed in the paper

  18. Particle-wave discrimination in Poisson spot experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reisinger, T; Bracco, G; Holst, B

    2011-01-01

    Matter-wave interferometry has been used extensively over the last few years to demonstrate the quantum-mechanical wave nature of increasingly larger and more massive particles. We have recently suggested the use of the historical Poisson spot setup to test the diffraction properties of larger objects. In this paper, we present the results of a classical particle van der Waals (vdW) force model for a Poisson spot experimental setup and compare these to Fresnel diffraction calculations with a vdW phase term. We include the effect of disc-edge roughness in both models. Calculations are performed with D 2 and with C 70 using realistic parameters. We find that the sensitivity of the on-axis interference/focus spot to disc-edge roughness is very different in the two cases. We conclude that by measuring the intensity on the optical axis as a function of disc-edge roughness, it can be determined whether the objects behave as de Broglie waves or classical particles. The scaling of the Poisson spot experiment to larger molecular masses is, however, not as favorable as in the case of near-field light-grating-based interferometers. Instead, we discuss the possibility of studying the Casimir-Polder potential using the Poisson spot setup.

  19. Molecular and histological characterization of age spots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Wonseon; Yin, Lanlan; Smuda, Christoph; Batzer, Jan; Hearing, Vincent J.; Kolbe, Ludger

    2016-01-01

    Age spots, also called solar lentigines and lentigo senilis, are light brown to black pigmented lesions of various sizes that typically develop in chronically sun-exposed skin. It is well known that age spots are strongly related to chronic sun exposure and are associated with photodamage and an increased risk for skin cancer, however, the mechanism(s) underlying their development remain poorly understood. We used immunohistochemical analysis and microarray analysis to investigate the processes involved in their formation, focusing on specific markers associated with the functions and proliferation of melanocytes and keratinocytes. A total of 193 genes were differentially expressed in age spots but melanocyte pigment genes were not among them. The increased expression of keratins 5 and 10, markers of basal and suprabasal keratinocytes, respectively, in age spots suggests that the increased proliferation of basal keratinocytes combined with the decreased turnover of suprabasal keratinocytes leads to the exaggerated formation of rete ridges in lesional epidermis which in turn disrupts the normal processing of melanin upwards from the basal layer. Based on our results, we propose a model for the development of age spots that explains the accumulation of melanin and the development of extensive rete ridges in those hyperpigmented lesions. PMID:27621222

  20. Plutonium spot of mixed oxide fuel, 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Yukio; Maruishi, Yoshihiro; Satoh, Masaichi; Aoki, Toshimasa; Muto, Tadashi

    1974-01-01

    In a fast reactor, the specification for the homogeneity of plutonium in plutonium-uranium mixed-oxide fuel is mainly dependent on the nuclear characteristics, whereas in a thermal reactor, on thermal characteristics. This homogeneity is measured by autoradiography as the plutonium spot size of the specimens which are arbitrarily chosen fuel pellets from a lot. Although this is a kind of random sampling, it is difficult to apply this method to conventional digital standards including JIS standards. So a special sampling inspection method was studied. First, it is assumed that the shape of plutonium spots is spherical, the size distribution is logarithmic normal, and the standard deviation is constant. Then, if standard deviation and mean spot size are given, the logarithmic normal distribution is decided unitarily, and further if the total weight of plutonium spots for a lot of pellets is known, the number of the spots (No) which does not conform to the specification can be obtained. Then, the fraction defective is defined as No devided by the number of pellets per lot. As to the lot with such fraction defective, the acceptance coefficient of the lot was obtained through calculation, in which the number of sampling, acceptable diameter limit observed and acceptable conditions were used as parameters. (Tai, I.)

  1. Differences of hormones involved in adipose metabolism and lactation between high and low producing Holstein cows during heat stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingzi Qu

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The experiment was conducted to evaluate hormonal involvement in the adipose metabolism and lactation between high and low producing dairy cows in a hot environment. Forty Holstein healthy cows with a similar parity were used and assigned into high producing group (average production 41.44 ± 2.25 kg/d and low producing group (average production 29.92 ± 1.02 kg/d with 20 cows in each group. Blood samples were collected from caudal vein to determine the difference of hormones related to adipose metabolism and lactation. The highest, lowest, and average temperature humidity index (THI, recorded as 84.02, 79.35 and 81.89, respectively, indicated that cows were at the state of high heat stress. No significant differences between high and low producing groups were observed in the levels of nonestesterified fatty acid (NEFA, β-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB, total cholesterol (TCHO, and insulin (INS (P > 0.05. However, the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL, apolipoprotein B100 (apoB-100, high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C and estrogen (E2 concentrations in high producing group were significantly higher than those of low producing group (P  0.05, whereas high producing group had a rise in the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1 level compared with low producing group (P < 0.05. These results indicated that, during summer, high and low producing dairy cows have similar levels of lipid catabolism, but high producing dairy cows have advantages in outputting hepatic triglyceride (TG.

  2. Cellular localization of the Escherichia coli SpoT protein.

    OpenAIRE

    Gentry, D R; Cashel, M

    1995-01-01

    The SpoT protein of Escherichia coli serves as a source of degradation as well as an apparent source of synthesis of (p)ppGpp. Since the subcellular localization of SpoT might be a clue to its function, we have used SpoT-specific antisera to analyze cell extracts fractionated on sucrose gradients. We find that the SpoT protein is not bound to ribosomes or to either inner or outer membrane fractions. Although the SpoT protein is found in large aggregates, its localization is probably cytosolic.

  3. The role of heat pump technologies in the design of future sustainable energy systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blarke, Morten Boje; Lund, Henrik

    2005-01-01

    source results in an 8% cost reduction. Furthermore, the operational analysis shows that when a large-scale heat pump is integrated with an existing CHP unit, the projected spot market situation in Nord Pool, which reflects a growing share of wind power and heat-bound power generation electricity......In this paper, it is shown that in support of its ability to improve the overall economic cost-effectiveness and flexibility of the Danish energy system, the financially feasible integration of large-scale heat pumps with existing CHP units, is critically sensitive to the operational mode...... of the heat pump vis-à-vis the operational coefficient of performance (COP), which is set by the temperature level of the heat source. When using only ambient air as the heat source, the total heat production costs increases by about 10%, while the partial use of condensed flue gas from the CHP unit as a heat...

  4. IR-based spot weld NDT in automotive applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jian; Feng, Zhili

    2015-05-01

    Today's auto industry primarily relies on destructive teardown evaluation to ensure the quality of the resistance spot welds (RSWs) due to their criticality in crash resistance and performance of vehicles. The destructive teardown evaluation is labor intensive and costly. The very nature of the destructive test means only a few selected welds will be sampled for quality. Most of the welds in a car are never checked. There are significant costs and risks associated with reworking and scrapping the defective welded parts made between the teardown tests. IR thermography as a non-destructive testing (NDT) tool has its distinct advantage — its non-intrusive and non-contact nature. This makes the IR based NDT especially attractive for the highly automated assembly lines. IR for weld quality inspection has been explored in the past, mostly limited to the offline post-processing manner in a laboratory environment. No online real-time RSW inspection using IR thermography has been reported. Typically for postprocessing inspection, a short-pulse heating via xenon flash lamp light (in a few milliseconds) is applied to the surface of a spot weld. However, applications in the auto industry have been unsuccessful, largely due to a critical drawback that cannot be implemented in the high-volume production line - the prerequisite of painting the weld surface to eliminate surface reflection and other environmental interference. This is due to the low signal-to-noise ratio resulting from the low/unknown surface emissivity and the very small temperature changes (typically on the order of 0.1°C) induced by the flash lamp method. An integrated approach consisting of innovations in both data analysis algorithms and hardware apparatus that effectively solved the key technical barriers for IR NDT. The system can be used for both real-time (during welding) and post-processing inspections (after welds have been made). First, we developed a special IR thermal image processing method that

  5. Detecting Blind Spot By Using Ultrasonic Sensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. S. Ajay

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Safety remains a top concern for automobile industries and new-car shoppers. Detection of Blind Spots is a major concern for safety issues. So automobiles have been constantly updating their products with new technologies to detect blind spots so that they can add more safety to the vehicle and also reduce the road accidents. Almost 1.5 million people die in road accidents each year. Blind spot of an automobile is the region of the vehicle which cannot be observed properly while looking either through side or rear mirror view. To meet the above requirements this paper describes detecting blind spot by using ultrasonic sensor and controlling the direction of car by automatic steering. The technology embedded in the system is capable of automatically steer the vehicle away from an obstacle if the system determines that a collision is impending or if the vehicle is in the vicinity of our car.

  6. El spot electoral negativo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Palma Peña-Jiménez

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available l spot político tiene durante la campaña un objetivo final inequívoco: la consecución del voto favorable. Se dirige al cuerpo electoral a través de la televisión y de Internet, y presenta, en muchos casos, un planteamiento negativo, albergando mensajes destinados a la crítica frontal contra el adversario, más que a la exposición de propuestas propias. Este artículo se centra en el análisis del spot electoral negativo, en aquellas producciones audiovisuales construidas sin más causa que la reprobación del contrincante. Se trata de vídeos que, lejos de emplearse en difundir las potencialidades de la organización y las virtudes de su candidato –además de su programa electoral–, consumen su tiempo en descalificar al oponente mediante la transmisión de mensajes, muchas veces, ad hominem. Repasamos el planteamiento negativo del spot electoral desde su primera manifestación, que en España data de 1996, año de emisión del conocido como vídeo del dóberman, sin olvidar otros ejemplos que completan el objeto de estudio.

  7. Fundus autofluorescence and optical coherence tomography of congenital grouped albinotic spots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, David Y; Hwang, John C; Moore, Anthony T; Bird, Alan C; Tsang, Stephen H

    2010-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe the findings of fundus autofluores-cence (FAF) and optical coherence tomography in a series of patients with congenital grouped albinotic spots. Three eyes of three patients with congenital grouped albinotic spots were evaluated with FAF and optical coherence tomography imaging to evaluate the nature of the albinotic spots. In all three eyes with congenital grouped albinotic spots, FAF imaging showed autofluorescent spots corresponding to the albinotic spots seen on stereo biomicroscopy. One eye also had additional spots detected on FAF imaging that were not visible on stereo biomicroscopy or color fundus photographs. Fundus autofluorescence imaging of the spots showed decreased general autofluorescence and decreased peripheral autofluorescence surrounding central areas of retained or increased autofluorescence. Optical coherence tomography showed a disruption in signal from the hyperreflective layer corresponding to the inner and outer segment junction and increased signal backscattering from the choroid in the area of the spots. Fluorescein angiography showed early and stable hyperfluorescence of the spots without leakage. In this case series, FAF showed decreased autofluorescence of the spots consistent with focal retinal pigment epithelium atrophy or abnormal material blocking normal autofluorescence and areas of increased autofluorescence suggesting retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction. The findings of optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography suggest photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium layer abnormalities. Fundus autofluorescence and optical coherence tomography are useful noninvasive diagnostic adjuncts that can aid in the diagnosis of congenital grouped albinotic spots, help determine extent of disease, and contribute to our understanding of its pathophysiology.

  8. Changes in protein expression in testes of L2 strain Taiwan country chickens in response to acute heat stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shih-Han; Cheng, Chuen-Yu; Chen, Chao-Jung; Chen, Hsin-Hsin; Tang, Pin-Chi; Chen, Chih-Feng; Lee, Yen-Pai; Huang, San-Yuan

    2014-07-01

    Heat stress causes a decrease of fertility in roosters. Yet, the way acute heat stress affects protein expression remains poorly understood. This study investigated differential protein expression in testes of the L2 strain of Taiwan country chickens following acute heat stress. Twelve 45-week-old roosters were allocated into four groups, including control roosters kept at 25 °C, roosters subjected to 38 °C acute heat stress for 4 hours without recovery, with 2 hours of recovery, and with 6 hours of recovery. Testis samples were collected for morphologic assay and protein analysis. Some of the differentially expressed proteins were validated by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Abnormal and apoptotic spermatogenic cells were observed at 2 hours of recovery after acute heat stress, especially among the spermatocytes. Two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis revealed that 119 protein spots were differentially expressed in chicken testes following heat stress, and peptide mass fingerprinting revealed that these spots contained 92 distinct proteins. In the heat-stressed samples, the heat shock proteins, chaperonin containing t-complex, and proteasome subunits were downregulated, and glutathione S-transferase, transgelin, and DJ-1 were upregulated. Our results demonstrate that acute heat stress impairs the processes of translation, protein folding, and protein degradation, and thus results in apoptosis and interferes with spermatogenesis. On the other hand, the increased expression of antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione S-transferase and DJ-1, may attenuate heat-induced damage. These findings may have implications for breeding chickens that can tolerate more extreme conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Damage tolerance reliability analysis of automotive spot-welded joints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahadevan, Sankaran; Ni Kan

    2003-01-01

    This paper develops a damage tolerance reliability analysis methodology for automotive spot-welded joints under multi-axial and variable amplitude loading history. The total fatigue life of a spot weld is divided into two parts, crack initiation and crack propagation. The multi-axial loading history is obtained from transient response finite element analysis of a vehicle model. A three-dimensional finite element model of a simplified joint with four spot welds is developed for static stress/strain analysis. A probabilistic Miner's rule is combined with a randomized strain-life curve family and the stress/strain analysis result to develop a strain-based probabilistic fatigue crack initiation life prediction for spot welds. Afterwards, the fatigue crack inside the base material sheet is modeled as a surface crack. Then a probabilistic crack growth model is combined with the stress analysis result to develop a probabilistic fatigue crack growth life prediction for spot welds. Both methods are implemented with MSC/NASTRAN and MSC/FATIGUE software, and are useful for reliability assessment of automotive spot-welded joints against fatigue and fracture

  10. Duodenal White Spots Mimicking Intestinal Candidiasis: Report of Case

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ozgur Turk

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Duodenal white spots are mentioned in these nonspecific lesions until recently. Although there is not enough studies about duedonal white spots yet; these lesions described in a separate syndrome. Here now we reported a case that we diagnosed multiple Duodenal white spots mimicking intestinal candidiasis. Clinical manifestation and endoscopic appearance of lesions gave rise to thought intestinal candidiasis histopathological examination revealed us several duodenitis. There was no evidence of fungal infection in PAS staining. Early after endoscopy patient took treatment of Lansoprozole at the 30 mg dose and bismuth salicylate. Patients compliant declined and control endoscopy exposed white duodenal spots cleared away three months later. Duodenal white spots are becoming to be designated as a separate disease even a syndrome. Etiology of duodenal white spots must be determined carefully during endoscopy. Sometimes it is difficult to make the correct diagnosis by appearance of lesion; in such cases histopathological examination can be useful both differential diagnosis of disease and determination of etiological factor. [J Contemp Med 2015; 5(4.000: 249-252

  11. Finite Element and Experimental Study of Shunting in Resistance Spot Welding

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Seyyedian Choobi, M.; Nielsen, C. V.; Bay, N.

    2015-01-01

    This research is focused on one of the problems frequently encountered in spot welding in industry. In many applications several spot welds are made close to each other. The spots made after the first spot may become smaller in size due to shunt effect. A numerical and experimental study has been...... conducted to investigate the effect of shunting on nugget size in spot welding of HSLA steel sheets. Different cases with different spacing between weld spots have been examined. The nugget sizes have been measured by metallographic examination and have been compared with 3D finite element simulations...

  12. Does contrast between eggshell ground and spot coloration affect egg rejection?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dainson, Miri; Hauber, Mark E; López, Analía V; Grim, Tomáš; Hanley, Daniel

    2017-08-01

    Obligate avian brood parasitic species impose the costs of incubating foreign eggs and raising young upon their unrelated hosts. The most common host defence is the rejection of parasitic eggs from the nest. Both egg colours and spot patterns influence egg rejection decisions in many host species, yet no studies have explicitly examined the role of variation in spot coloration. We studied the American robin Turdus migratorius, a blue-green unspotted egg-laying host of the brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater, a brood parasite that lays non-mimetic spotted eggs. We examined host responses to model eggs with variable spot coloration against a constant robin-mimetic ground colour to identify patterns of rejection associated with perceived contrast between spot and ground colours. By using avian visual modelling, we found that robins were more likely to reject eggs whose spots had greater chromatic (hue) but not achromatic (brightness) contrast. Therefore, egg rejection decision rules in the American robin may depend on the colour contrast between parasite eggshell spot and host ground coloration. Our study also suggests that egg recognition in relation to spot coloration, like ground colour recognition, is tuned to the natural variation of avian eggshell spot colours but not to unnatural spot colours.

  13. Fast spot-based multiscale simulations of granular drainage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rycroft, Chris H.; Wong, Yee Lok; Bazant, Martin Z.

    2009-05-22

    We develop a multiscale simulation method for dense granular drainage, based on the recently proposed spot model, where the particle packing flows by local collective displacements in response to diffusing"spots'" of interstitial free volume. By comparing with discrete-element method (DEM) simulations of 55,000 spheres in a rectangular silo, we show that the spot simulation is able to approximately capture many features of drainage, such as packing statistics, particle mixing, and flow profiles. The spot simulation runs two to three orders of magnitude faster than DEM, making it an appropriate method for real-time control or optimization. We demonstrateextensions for modeling particle heaping and avalanching at the free surface, and for simulating the boundary layers of slower flow near walls. We show that the spot simulations are robust and flexible, by demonstrating that they can be used in both event-driven and fixed timestep approaches, and showing that the elastic relaxation step used in the model can be applied much less frequently and still create good results.

  14. Thermally-Driven Mantle Plumes Reconcile Hot-spot Observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, D.; Davies, J.

    2008-12-01

    Hot-spots are anomalous regions of magmatism that cannot be directly associated with plate tectonic processes (e.g. Morgan, 1972). They are widely regarded as the surface expression of upwelling mantle plumes. Hot-spots exhibit variable life-spans, magmatic productivity and fixity (e.g. Ito and van Keken, 2007). This suggests that a wide-range of upwelling structures coexist within Earth's mantle, a view supported by geochemical and seismic evidence, but, thus far, not reproduced by numerical models. Here, results from a new, global, 3-D spherical, mantle convection model are presented, which better reconcile hot-spot observations, the key modification from previous models being increased convective vigor. Model upwellings show broad-ranging dynamics; some drift slowly, while others are more mobile, displaying variable life-spans, intensities and migration velocities. Such behavior is consistent with hot-spot observations, indicating that the mantle must be simulated at the correct vigor and in the appropriate geometry to reproduce Earth-like dynamics. Thermally-driven mantle plumes can explain the principal features of hot-spot volcanism on Earth.

  15. Temporary heat storage by using combined heat and power in supplementary lighted greenhouses Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Artificial Lighting in Horticulture

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huijs, J.P.G.

    1997-01-01

    Because of better utilization possibilities of the produced heat, decentrally located combined heat and power installations achieve a higher energetic efficiency than producing heat and power separately. However, efficiency depends considerably on synchronism of heat and electricity demand. Using a

  16. Measurement of PuO2 spot in the mixed-oxide fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yokosuka, Yoshifumi; Kaneda, Kenichiro; Ishikawa, Eiji; Nakajima, Katsuaki; Kashima, Sadamitsu

    1974-01-01

    The homogeneity of mixed-oxide fuel is evaluated with the maximum diameter of PuO 2 spots. PuO 2 spot distribution is influenced by fuel production process and raw materials used. Analytical measurement of the PuO 2 spot distribution was carried out. α-autoradiograph was taken with nitrocellulose film as a detector. The film was exposed for 15 and 30 minutes to the sample pellets, and etched in 10% NaOH for 2 minutes at 60 0 C. Measurement of PuO 2 spots was performed manually with a projector. PuO 2 spot distribution was measured. There is no difference of spot distribution owing to the location in a pellet. However some discrepancy exists in spot number and maximum diameter between surface and inner part. This phenomenon is explained by considering that the diffusion on surface is more effective than in inner part in sintering process. Three pellets were taken out from a lot at random, and α-autoradiograph was taken longitudinally with a pellet and transversely with the others. PuO 2 spot number counted from three autoradiographs was about 150/cm 2 , and the standard deviation was about 1.5. No difference was observed among them. Concerning the influence of mixing method on PuO 2 spot formation, three methods were examined; ball mill mixing (with and without lining) and Kneader mixing. Kneader mixing gave the worst results in maximum spot diameter and spot distribution range. (Tai, I.)

  17. Hot spots on Tc-99m MAA perfusion lung scan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Seok Tae; Sohn, Myung Hee

    2001-01-01

    A 61 year-old woman underwent perfusion and inhalation lung scan for the evaluation of pulmonary thromboembolism. Tc-99m MAA perfusion lung scan showed multiple round hot spots in both lung fields. Tc-99m DTPA aerosol inhalation lung scan and chest radiography taken at the same time showed normal findings. A repeated perfusion lung scan taken 24 hours later demonstrated no abnormalities. Hot spots on perfusion lung scan can be caused by microsphere clumping due to faulty injection technique by radioactive embolization from upper extremity thrombophlebitis after injection. Focal hot spots can signify zones of atelectasis, where the hot spots probably represent a failure of hypoxic vasoconstriction. Artifactual hot spots due to microsphere clumping usually appear to be round and in peripheral location, and the lesions due to a loss of hypoxic vasoconstriction usually appear to be hot uptakes having linear borders. Although these artifactual hot spots have been well-known, we rarely encounter them. This report presents a case with artifactual hot spots due to microsphere clumping on Tc-99m MAA perfusion lung scan

  18. Carbonate Precipitates During Heat Evolution in FP-Type Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruce L. Cain

    2000-01-01

    In previous work, we reported measurement of large amounts of heat generated during experiments using an FP-type open cell with concentrated LiOH/D 2 O electrolytes and thin-film Pd cathodes. During the heat evolution in several runs, which produced >100 W for more than 20 h, we consistently observed the concomitant evolution of gases from the electrolyte and the precipitation of large amounts of lithium carbonate. The carbonate production was clearly visible during production of heat, creating an opaque electrolyte even during long periods with no electrolysis current. These results indicated an unusual chemical reaction, either catalyzed by the heating process or possibly creating the heat itself. The total energy released during the earlier experiments was ∼7 MJ, while the heat of formation for the lithium carbonate in the cell was only 0.8 MJ. Hence, only ∼10% of the heat signatures from these experiments can be attributed to the precipitate formation, the balance of the heat presumably arising from nonchemical sources in the cells. The earlier experiments that produced heat also suffered from problems of reproducibility, with only 5 of 38 runs producing any heat at all. The unsuccessful runs also did not produce precipitates, and the only gas produced in these cells was due to the normal electrolysis of D 2 O to produce oxygen and deuterium in the electrodes. Recent work has focused on recreating the chemical precipitation reaction, in efforts to understand and/or trigger the heat production process. With findings from these experiments, new experiments were conducted using larger (1 L LiOH/D 2 O) cells with Pt anodes and Pd film cathodes immersed but left open-circuited. After the addition of H 2 O 2 , and subsequent heating and cooling, these cells visually reproduced the precipitation and gas evolution of the earlier heat-producing runs. However, these new runs only produced a few watts of power for several minutes, consistent with the normal exothermal

  19. Molecular variability in the maize grey leaf spot pathogens in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kátia R. Brunelli

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Isolates of Cercospora species from leaves displaying symptoms of grey leaf spot were collected in maize-producing areas of south-central Brazil in 2001 and 2002. Restriction digests of the internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA detected the presence of the same two Cercospora species described on maize in the United States, namely C. zeae-maydis and the recently described species, C. zeina . Genetic variability among isolates was assessed by analysing 104 amplified fragment length polymorphism loci. Cluster analysis confirmed the genetic separation of isolates into two species with a mean similarity of 35%. Similarity levels within species were high, averaging 93% and 92% among isolates of C. zeae-maydis and C. zeina , respectively. The mean genetic similarity between C. zeae-maydis and C. zeina and two isolates of C. sorghi f. sp. maydis was 45% and 35%, respectively. Results of this study showed that populations of the grey leaf spot pathogens in Brazil are similar to those in the United States regarding species composition and that C. zeina is also present in Brazil.

  20. Silver Nanoparticle-Decorated Shape-Memory Polystyrene Sheets as Highly Sensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates with a Thermally Inducible Hot Spot Effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mengesha, Zebasil Tassew; Yang, Jyisy

    2016-11-15

    In this study, an active surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate with a thermally inducible hot spot effect for sensitive measurement of Raman-active molecules was successfully fabricated from silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-decorated shape-memory polystyrene (SMP) sheets. To prepare the SERS substrate, SMP sheets were first pretreated with n-octylamine for effective decoration with AgNPs. By varying the formulation and condition of the reduction reaction, AgNP-decorated SMP (Ag@SMP) substrates were successfully prepared with optimized particle gaps to produce inducible hot spot effects on thermal shrink. High-quality SERS spectra were easily obtained with enhancement factors higher than 10 8 by probing with aromatic thiols. Several Ag@SMP substrates produced under different reaction conditions were explored for the creation of inducible hot spot effects. The results indicated that AgNP spacing is crucial for strong hot spot effects. The suitability of Ag@SMP substrates for quantification was also evaluated according to the detection of adenine. Results confirmed that prepared Ag@SMP substrates were highly suitable for quantitative analysis because they yielded an estimated limit of detection as low as 120 pg/cm 2 , a linear range of up to 7 ng/cm 2 , and a regression coefficient (R 2 ) of 0.9959. Ag@SMP substrates were highly reproducible; the average relative standard deviation for all measurements was less than 10%.