Reliability assessment for metallized film pulse capacitors with accelerated degradation test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Jianyin; Liu Fang; Xi Wenjun; He Shaobo; Wei Xiaofeng

2011-01-01

The high energy density self-healing metallized film pulse capacitor has been applied to all kinds of laser facilities for their power conditioning systems, whose reliability is straightforward affected by the reliability level of capacitors. Reliability analysis of highly reliable devices, such as metallized film capacitors, is a challenge due to cost and time restriction. Accelerated degradation test provides a way to predict its life cost and time effectively. A model and analyses for accelerated degradation data of metallized film capacitors are described. Also described is a method for estimating the distribution of failure time. The estimation values of the unknown parameters in this model are 9.066 9 x 10 -8 and 0.022 1. Both the failure probability density function (PDF) and the cumulative distribution function (CDF) can be presented by this degradation failure model. Based on these estimation values and the PDF/CDF, the reliability model of the metallized film capacitors is obtained. According to the reliability model, the probability of the capacitors surviving to 20 000 shot is 0.972 4. (authors)

Lead free solder mechanics and reliability

CERN Document Server

Pang, John Hock Lye

2012-01-01

Lead-free solders are used extensively as interconnection materials in electronic assemblies and play a critical role in the global semiconductor packaging and electronics manufacturing industry. Electronic products such as smart phones, notebooks and high performance computers rely on lead-free solder joints to connect IC chip components to printed circuit boards. Lead Free Solder: Mechanics and Reliability provides in-depth design knowledge on lead-free solder elastic-plastic-creep and strain-rate dependent deformation behavior and its application in failure assessment of solder joint reliability. It includes coverage of advanced mechanics of materials theory and experiments, mechanical properties of solder and solder joint specimens, constitutive models for solder deformation behavior; numerical modeling and simulation of solder joint failure subject to thermal cycling, mechanical bending fatigue, vibration fatigue and board-level drop impact tests. This book also: Discusses the mechanical prope...

Reliability and availability of high power proton accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Y.

1999-01-01

It has become increasingly important to address the issues of operational reliability and availability of an accelerator complex early in its design and construction phases. In this context, reliability addresses the mean time between failures and the failure rate, and availability takes into account the failure rate as well as the length of time required to repair the failure. Methods to reduce failure rates include reduction of the number of components and over-design of certain key components. Reduction of the on-line repair time can be achieved by judiciously designed hardware, quick-service spare systems and redundancy. In addition, provisions for easy inspection and maintainability are important for both reduction of the failure rate as well as reduction of the time to repair. The radiation safety exposure principle of ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) is easier to comply with when easy inspection capability and easy maintainability are incorporated into the design. Discussions of past experience in improving accelerator availability, some recent developments, and potential R and D items are presented. (author)

CERN Technical training 2008 - Learning for the LHC: Special Workshop demonstrating reliability with accelerated testing

CERN Multimedia

2008-01-01

Larry Edson’s workshop will show examples of quantitative reliability predictions based upon accelerated testing and demonstrates that reliability testing during the prototyping phase will help ascertain product shortcomings. When these weak points are addressed and the redesigned product is re-tested, the reliability of that product will become much higher. These methodologies successfully used in industry might be exceedingly useful also for component development in particle physics where reliability is of utmost importance. This training will provide participants with the skills necessary to demonstrate reliability requirements using accelerated testing methods. The workshop will focus on accelerated test design that employs increased stress levels. This approach has the advantage of reducing test time, sample size and test facility resources. The methodologies taught are applicable to all types of stresses, spanning the electro...

CERN Technical training 2008 - Learning for the LHC: Special Workshop demonstrating reliability with accelerated testing

CERN Multimedia

2008-01-01

Larry Edson’s workshop will show examples of quantitative reliability predictions based upon accelerated testing and demonstrate that reliability testing during the prototyping phase will help ascertain product shortcomings. When these weak points are addressed and the redesigned product is re-tested, the reliability of that product will become much higher. These methodologies successfully used in industry might be exceedingly useful also for component development in particle physics where reliability is of the utmost importance. This training will provide participants with the skills necessary to demonstrate reliability requirements using accelerated testing methods. The workshop will focus on accelerated test design that employs increased stress levels. This approach has the advantage of reducing test time, sample size and test facility resources. The methodologies taught are applicable to all types of stresses, spanning the elec...

CERN Technical training 2008 - Learning for the LHC: Special workshop demonstrating reliability with accelerated testing

CERN Multimedia

2008-01-01

Larry Edson’s workshop will show examples of quantitative reliability predictions based upon accelerated testing and demonstrate that reliability testing during the prototyping phase will help ascertain product shortcomings. When these weak points are addressed and the redesigned product is re-tested, the reliability of that product will become much higher. These methodologies successfully used in industry might be exceedingly useful also for component development in particle physics where reliability is of the utmost importance. This training will provide participants with the skills necessary to demonstrate reliability requirements using accelerated testing methods. The workshop will focus on accelerated test design that employs increased stress levels. This approach has the advantage of reducing test time, sample size and test facility resources. The methodologies taught are applicable to all types of stresses, spanning the elec...

Reliability enhancement of Navier-Stokes codes through convergence acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Merkle, Charles L.; Dulikravich, George S.

1995-01-01

Methods for enhancing the reliability of Navier-Stokes computer codes through improving convergence characteristics are presented. The improving of these characteristics decreases the likelihood of code unreliability and user interventions in a design environment. The problem referred to as a 'stiffness' in the governing equations for propulsion-related flowfields is investigated, particularly in regard to common sources of equation stiffness that lead to convergence degradation of CFD algorithms. Von Neumann stability theory is employed as a tool to study the convergence difficulties involved. Based on the stability results, improved algorithms are devised to ensure efficient convergence in different situations. A number of test cases are considered to confirm a correlation between stability theory and numerical convergence. The examples of turbulent and reacting flow are presented, and a generalized form of the preconditioning matrix is derived to handle these problems, i.e., the problems involving additional differential equations for describing the transport of turbulent kinetic energy, dissipation rate and chemical species. Algorithms for unsteady computations are considered. The extension of the preconditioning techniques and algorithms derived for Navier-Stokes computations to three-dimensional flow problems is discussed. New methods to accelerate the convergence of iterative schemes for the numerical integration of systems of partial differential equtions are developed, with a special emphasis on the acceleration of convergence on highly clustered grids.

Approach to assurance of reliability of linear accelerator operation observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakov, S.M.; Borovikov, A.A.; Kavkun, S.L.

1994-01-01

The system approach to solving the task of assuring reliability of observations over the linear accelerator operation is proposed. The basic principles of this method consist in application of dependences between the facility parameters, decrease in the number of the system apparatus channels for data acquisition without replacement of failed channel by reserve one. The signal commutation unit, the introduction whereof into the data acquisition system essentially increases the reliability of the measurement system on the account of active reserve, is considered detail. 8 refs. 6 figs

Reliability Models Applied to a System of Power Converters in Particle Accelerators

OpenAIRE

Siemaszko, D; Speiser, M; Pittet, S

2012-01-01

Several reliability models are studied when applied to a power system containing a large number of power converters. A methodology is proposed and illustrated in the case study of a novel linear particle accelerator designed for reaching high energies. The proposed methods result in the prediction of both reliability and availability of the considered system for optimisation purposes.

First Assessment of Reliability Data for the LHC Accelerator and Detector Cryogenic System Components

CERN Document Server

Perinic, G; Alonso-Canella, I; Balle, C; Barth, K; Bel, J F; Benda, V; Bremer, J; Brodzinski, K; Casas-Cubillos, J; Cuccuru, G; Cugnet, M; Delikaris, D; Delruelle, N; Dufay-Chanat, L; Fabre, C; Ferlin, G; Fluder, C; Gavard, E; Girardot, R; Haug, F; Herblin, L; Junker, S; Klabi , T; Knoops, S; Lamboy, J P; Legrand, D; Metselaar, J; Park, A; Perin, A; Pezzetti, M; Penacoba-Fernandez, G; Pirotte, O; Rogez, E; Suraci, A; Stewart, L; Tavian, L J; Tovar-Gonzalez, A; Van Weelderen, R; Vauthier, N; Vullierme, B; Wagner, U

2012-01-01

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) cryogenic system comprises eight independent refrigeration and distribution systems that supply the eight 3.3 km long accelerator sectors with cryogenic refrigeration power as well as four refrigeration systems for the needs of the detectors ATLAS and CMS. In order to ensure the highest possible reliability of the installations, it is important to apply a reliability centred approach for the maintenance. Even though large scale cryogenic refrigeration exists since the mid 20th century, very little third party reliability data is available today. CERN has started to collect data with its computer aided maintenance management system (CAMMS) in 2009, when the accelerator has gone into normal operation. This paper presents the reliability observations from the operation and the maintenance side, as well as statistical data collected by the means of the CAMMS system.

Lead-acid batteries for micro- and mild-hybrid applications

Science.gov (United States)

Valenciano, J.; Fernández, M.; Trinidad, F.; Sanz, L.

Car manufactures have announced the launch in coming months of vehicles with reduced emissions due to the introduction of new functions like stop-start and regenerative braking. Initial performance request of automotive lead-acid batteries are becoming more and more demanding and, in addition to this, cycle life with new accelerated ageing profiles are being proposed in order to determine the influence of the new functions on the expected battery life. This paper will show how different lead-acid battery technologies comply with these new demands, from an improved version of the conventional flooded SLI battery to the high performance of spiral wound valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery. Different approaches have been studied for improving conventional flooded batteries, i.e., either by the addition of new additives for reducing electrolyte stratification or by optimisation of the battery design to extend cycling life in partial state of charge conditions. With respect to VRLA technology, two different battery designs have been compared. Spiral wound design combines excellent power capability and cycle life under different depth of discharge (DoD) cycling conditions, but flat plate design outperform the latter in energy density due to better utilization of the space available in a prismatic enclosure. This latter design is more adequate for high end class vehicles with high electrical energy demand, whereas spiral wound is better suited for high power/long life demand of commercial vehicle. High temperature behaviour (75 °C) is rather poor for both designs due to water loss, and then VRLA batteries should preferably be located out of the engine compartment.

Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase, Biogenic Amino-Acids and Neurobehavioral Function in Lead-Exposed Workers from Lead-Acid Battery Manufacturing Process

OpenAIRE

K Ravibabu; T Barman; HR Rajmohan

2015-01-01

Background: The interaction between serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE), biogenic amino-acids and neurobehavioral function with blood lead levels in workers exposed to lead form lead-acid battery manufacturing process was not studied. Objective: To evaluate serum NSE and biogenic amino-acids (dopamine and serotonin) levels, and neurobehavioral performance among workers exposed to lead from lead-acid storage battery plant, and its relation with blood lead levels (BLLs). Methods: In a c...

Determination of SoH of Lead-Acid Batteries by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Kwiecien

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The aging mechanisms of lead-acid batteries change the electrochemical characteristics. For example, sulfation influences the active surface area, and corrosion increases the resistance. Therefore, it is expected that the state of health (SoH can be reflected through differentiable changes in the impedance of a lead-acid battery. However, for lead-acid batteries, no reliable SoH algorithm is available based on single impedance values or the spectrum. Additionally, the characteristic changes of the spectrum during aging are unknown. In this work, lead-acid test cells were aged under specific cycle regimes known as AK3.4, and periodic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS measurements and capacity tests were conducted. It was examined that single impedance values increased linearly with capacity decay, but with varying slopes depending on the pre-history of the cell and measurement frequency of impedance. Thereby, possible reasons for ineffective SoH estimation were found. The spectra were fitted to an equivalent electrical circuit containing, besides other elements, an ohmic and a charge-transfer resistance of the negative electrode. The linear increase of the ohmic resistance and the charge-transfer resistance were characterized for the performed cyclic aging test. Results from chemical analysis confirmed the expected aging process and the correlation between capacity decay and impedance change. Furthermore, the positive influence of charging on the SoH could be detected via EIS. The results presented here show that SoH estimation using EIS can be a viable technique for lead-acid batteries.

Effect of acid rain pH on leaching behavior of cement stabilized lead-contaminated soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Yan-Jun; Wei, Ming-Li; Reddy, Krishna R; Liu, Zhao-Peng; Jin, Fei

2014-04-30

Cement stabilization is a practical approach to remediate soils contaminated with high levels of lead. However, the potential for leaching of lead out of these stabilized soils under variable acid rain pH conditions is a major environmental concern. This study investigates the effects of acid rain on the leaching characteristics of cement stabilized lead contaminated soil under different pH conditions. Clean kaolin clay and the same soil spiked with 2% lead contamination are stabilized with cement contents of 12 and 18% and then cured for 28 days. The soil samples are then subjected to a series of accelerated leaching tests (or semi-dynamic leaching tests) using a simulated acid rain leachant prepared at pH 2.0, 4.0 or 7.0. The results show that the strongly acidic leachant (pH ∼2.0) significantly altered the leaching behavior of lead as well as calcium present in the soil. However, the differences in the leaching behavior of the soil when the leachant was mildly acidic (pH ∼4.0) and neutral (pH ∼7.0) prove to be minor. In addition, it is observed that the lead contamination and cement content levels can have a considerable impact on the leaching behavior of the soils. Overall, the leachability of lead and calcium is attributed to the stability of the hydration products and their consequent influence on the soil buffering capacity and structure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The lead and lead-acid battery industries during 2002 and 2007 in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, H.Y.; Li, A.J.; Finlow, D.E. [Key Lab of Electrochemical Technology on Energy Storage and Power Generation in Guangdong Universities, School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

2009-06-01

In the past 15 years, the center of the international lead market has shifted to China. China has become the largest producer of raw and refined lead, plus the largest consumer. This paper reviews the status of the lead and lead-acid battery industries in China, including lead mining, lead refining, secondary lead production, the lead-acid battery industry, new opportunities for lead-acid batteries, and the environmental problems associated with lead and lead-acid batteries. The output of raw and refined lead has increased annually in China, and now accounts for more than 30% of the world total. As a result of a change in the Chinese government's policy regarding the export of lead, plus an increase in the price of lead, the profits of Chinese lead manufacturers were significantly reduced, the trade deficit of the Chinese lead industry increased, the operating rates of lead smelter enterprises greatly reduced, and some small enterprises were forced to shut down. At the present time, an increasing number of enterprises have begun to produce secondary lead, and the scale of production has expanded from tens of tons to tens of thousands of tons. In 2006, the output of secondary lead in China reached 700,000 tons, but outdated technology and equipment limited development of the secondary lead industry. Because of serious pollution problems, raw material shortages, and fierce price competition in the battery market, changes in the development of the lead-acid battery industry have been dramatic; approximately one thousand medium-sized and small lead-acid battery producers have been closed in the past 3 years. The output of large lead-acid battery enterprises has not been reduced, however, as a result of their manufacturing technology and equipment being comparable to those in other advanced industrial countries. In China, the flourishing development of electric bicycles, electric tricycles, and photovoltaic energy systems should provide ongoing opportunities for

The lead and lead-acid battery industries during 2002 and 2007 in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, H.Y.; Li, A.J.; Finlow, D.E.

2009-01-01

In the past 15 years, the center of the international lead market has shifted to China. China has become the largest producer of raw and refined lead, plus the largest consumer. This paper reviews the status of the lead and lead-acid battery industries in China, including lead mining, lead refining, secondary lead production, the lead-acid battery industry, new opportunities for lead-acid batteries, and the environmental problems associated with lead and lead-acid batteries. The output of raw and refined lead has increased annually in China, and now accounts for more than 30% of the world total. As a result of a change in the Chinese government's policy regarding the export of lead, plus an increase in the price of lead, the profits of Chinese lead manufacturers were significantly reduced, the trade deficit of the Chinese lead industry increased, the operating rates of lead smelter enterprises greatly reduced, and some small enterprises were forced to shut down. At the present time, an increasing number of enterprises have begun to produce secondary lead, and the scale of production has expanded from tens of tons to tens of thousands of tons. In 2006, the output of secondary lead in China reached 700,000 tons, but outdated technology and equipment limited development of the secondary lead industry. Because of serious pollution problems, raw material shortages, and fierce price competition in the battery market, changes in the development of the lead-acid battery industry have been dramatic; approximately one thousand medium-sized and small lead-acid battery producers have been closed in the past 3 years. The output of large lead-acid battery enterprises has not been reduced, however, as a result of their manufacturing technology and equipment being comparable to those in other advanced industrial countries. In China, the flourishing development of electric bicycles, electric tricycles, and photovoltaic energy systems should provide ongoing opportunities for the

Sulfation in lead-acid batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Catherino, Henry A.; Feres, Fred F.; Trinidad, Francisco

Virtually, all military land vehicle systems use a lead-acid battery to initiate an engine start. The maintainability of these batteries and as a consequence, system readiness, has suffered from a lack of understanding of the reasons for battery failure. Often, the term most commonly heard for explaining the performance degradation of lead-acid batteries is the word, sulfation. Sulfation is a residual term that came into existence during the early days of lead-acid battery development. The usage is part of the legend that persists as a means for interpreting and justifying the eventual performance deterioration and failure of lead-acid batteries. The usage of this term is confined to the greater user community and, over time, has encouraged a myriad of remedies for solving sulfation problems. One can avoid the connotations associated with the all-inclusive word, sulfation by visualizing the general "sulfation" effect in terms of specific mechanistic models. Also, the mechanistic models are essential for properly understanding the operation and making proper use this battery system. It is evident that the better the model, the better the level of understanding.

Concept for a lead-ion accelerating facility at CERN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Billinge, R.; Boltezar, E.; Boussard, D.; Brouzet, E.; Cappi, R.; Raad, B. de; Doble, N.; Grafstroem, P.; Haseroth, H.; Hill, C.E.; Kissler, K.H.; Knott, J.; Linnecar, T.; Nitsch, F.; Poncet, A.; Raich, U.; Rasmussen, N.; Schoenauer, H.; Sherwood, T.R.; Siegel, N.; Tallgren, U.; Tetu, P.; Warner, D.; Weiss, M.

1990-01-01

After the successful acceleration of deuterons, alpha particles and in more recent years of oxygen and sulphur ions, interest arose for even heavier particles. This paper describes the problems associated with heavy ions. A proposal is made for a scenario which allows the CERN accelerators to cope with ions heavier than sulphur, e.g. lead. Discussed are the different options for the injector and the necessary upgrading for the circular machines. (orig.)

Enabling More than Moore: Accelerated Reliability Testing and Risk Analysis for Advanced Electronics Packaging

Science.gov (United States)

Ghaffarian, Reza; Evans, John W.

2014-01-01

For five decades, the semiconductor industry has distinguished itself by the rapid pace of improvement in miniaturization of electronics products-Moore's Law. Now, scaling hits a brick wall, a paradigm shift. The industry roadmaps recognized the scaling limitation and project that packaging technologies will meet further miniaturization needs or ak.a "More than Moore". This paper presents packaging technology trends and accelerated reliability testing methods currently being practiced. Then, it presents industry status on key advanced electronic packages, factors affecting accelerated solder joint reliability of area array packages, and IPC/JEDEC/Mil specifications for characterizations of assemblies under accelerated thermal and mechanical loading. Finally, it presents an examples demonstrating how Accelerated Testing and Analysis have been effectively employed in the development of complex spacecraft thereby reducing risk. Quantitative assessments necessarily involve the mathematics of probability and statistics. In addition, accelerated tests need to be designed which consider the desired risk posture and schedule for particular project. Such assessments relieve risks without imposing additional costs. and constraints that are not value added for a particular mission. Furthermore, in the course of development of complex systems, variances and defects will inevitably present themselves and require a decision concerning their disposition, necessitating quantitative assessments. In summary, this paper presents a comprehensive view point, from technology to systems, including the benefits and impact of accelerated testing in offsetting risk.

Accelerated life testing and reliability of high K multilayer ceramic capacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Minford, W. J.

1981-01-01

The reliability of one lot of high K multilayer ceramic capacitors was evaluated using accelerated life testing. The degradation in insulation resistance was characterized as a function of voltage and temperature. The times to failure at a voltage-temperature stress conformed to a lognormal distribution with a standard deviation approximately 0.5.

The performance of a soluble lead-acid flow battery and its comparison to a static lead-acid battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, C.P.; Sharkh, S.M.; Li, X.; Walsh, F.C.; Zhang, C.N.; Jiang, J.C.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → We compared the electrochemical characteristics of two types of the batteries. → SLAFB shows as good performance as SLAB under the same current density. → The cycle life of two batteries is strongly influenced by the depth of discharge. → The cycle life of SLAFB can be extended by treatment with hydrogen peroxide. - Abstract: The electrochemistry of static lead-acid and soluble lead-acid flow batteries is summarised and the differences between the two batteries are highlighted. A general comparison of the performance of an unoptimised soluble lead-acid flow laboratory cell and a commercial lead-acid battery during charge and discharge is reported. The influence of the depth of discharge on cycle life for both batteries is also considered. The flow battery was found to have a better charge efficiency than the static one, but the cells were found to have comparable energy efficiencies. The self-discharge characteristics of the soluble lead-acid battery were also measured and compared to reported values for a commercial static battery. Some self-discharge of the soluble lead-acid flow battery is observed during prolonged periods on open-circuit but the battery could recover its normal performance after a single charge-discharge cycle.

Lead-acid battery technologies fundamentals, materials, and applications

CERN Document Server

Jung, Joey; Zhang, Jiujun

2015-01-01

Lead-Acid Battery Technologies: Fundamentals, Materials, and Applications offers a systematic and state-of-the-art overview of the materials, system design, and related issues for the development of lead-acid rechargeable battery technologies. Featuring contributions from leading scientists and engineers in industry and academia, this book:Describes the underlying science involved in the operation of lead-acid batteriesHighlights advances in materials science and engineering for materials fabricationDelivers a detailed discussion of the mathematical modeling of lead-acid batteriesAnalyzes the

Pretreatment with oleic acid accelerates the entrance into the mitotic cycle of EGF-stimulated fibroblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Zugaza, J L; Casabiell, X A; Bokser, L; Eiras, A; Beiras, A; Casanueva, F F

1995-07-01

We have previously demonstrated that pretreatment of several cell lines with cis-unsaturated fatty acids, like oleic acid, blocks epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced early ionic signals, and in particular the [Ca2+]i rise. In the present work we show that this blockade does not alter EGF-stimulated cellular proliferation evaluated by direct cell counting, but induces a powerful enhancement in the pulsed thymidine incorporation assay. The lack of effect of oleic acid on EGF-stimulated cellular proliferation was confirmed by repeated cell counts, cumulative thymidine incorporation, and protein synthesis, but a clear synergistic effect between oleic acid and EGF was again obtained by means of time course experiments with pulsed thymidine. Combined flow cytometry analysis and cell counts at earlier times in EGF-stimulated cells showed that oleic acids accelerates the entrance of cells into the replicative cycle leading to an earlier cell division. Afterward, these oleic acid-pretreated cells became delayed by an unknown compensatory mechanism in such a way that at 48 h post-EGF, the cell count in control and oleic acid-pretreated cells was equal. In conclusion (a) oleic acid accelerates or enhances the EGF mitogenic action and (b) in the long term cells compensate the initial perturbation with respect to untreated cells. As a side observation, the widely employed pulsed thymidine incorporation method as a measure of cell division could be extremely misleading unless experimental conditions are well controlled.

Lightweight, durable lead-acid batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Lara-Curzio, Edgar; An, Ke; Kiggans, Jr., James O; Dudney, Nancy J; Contescu, Cristian I; Baker, Frederick S; Armstrong, Beth L

2013-05-21

A lightweight, durable lead-acid battery is disclosed. Alternative electrode materials and configurations are used to reduce weight, to increase material utilization and to extend service life. The electrode can include a current collector having a buffer layer in contact with the current collector and an electrochemically active material in contact with the buffer layer. In one form, the buffer layer includes a carbide, and the current collector includes carbon fibers having the buffer layer. The buffer layer can include a carbide and/or a noble metal selected from of gold, silver, tantalum, platinum, palladium and rhodium. When the electrode is to be used in a lead-acid battery, the electrochemically active material is selected from metallic lead (for a negative electrode) or lead peroxide (for a positive electrode).

Serum neuron-specific enolase, biogenic amino-acids and neurobehavioral function in lead-exposed workers from lead-acid battery manufacturing process.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravibabu, K; Barman, T; Rajmohan, H R

2015-01-01

The interaction between serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE), biogenic amino-acids and neurobehavioral function with blood lead levels in workers exposed to lead form lead-acid battery manufacturing process was not studied. To evaluate serum NSE and biogenic amino-acids (dopamine and serotonin) levels, and neurobehavioral performance among workers exposed to lead from lead-acid storage battery plant, and its relation with blood lead levels (BLLs). In a cross-sectional study, we performed biochemical and neurobehavioral function tests on 146 workers exposed to lead from lead-acid battery manufacturing process. BLLs were assessed by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Serum NSE, dopamine and serotonin were measured by ELISA. Neurobehavioral functions were assessed by CDC-recommended tests---simple reaction time (SRT), symbol digit substitution test (SDST), and serial digit learning test (SDLT). There was a significant correlation (r 0.199, pSDLT and SRT had also a significant positive correlation (r 0.238, p<0.01). NSE had a negative correlation (r -0.194, p<0.05) with serotonin level. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that both SRT and SDST had positive significant associations with BLL. SRT also had a positive significant association with age. Serum NSE cannot be used as a marker for BLL. The only domain of neurobehavioral function tests that is affected by increased BLL in workers of lead-acid battery manufacturing process is that of the "attention and perception" (SDST).

Accelerated oxygen-induced retinopathy is a reliable model of ischemia-induced retinal neovascularization.

Science.gov (United States)

Villacampa, Pilar; Menger, Katja E; Abelleira, Laura; Ribeiro, Joana; Duran, Yanai; Smith, Alexander J; Ali, Robin R; Luhmann, Ulrich F; Bainbridge, James W B

2017-01-01

Retinal ischemia and pathological angiogenesis cause severe impairment of sight. Oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) in young mice is widely used as a model to investigate the underlying pathological mechanisms and develop therapeutic interventions. We compared directly the conventional OIR model (exposure to 75% O2 from postnatal day (P) 7 to P12) with an alternative, accelerated version (85% O2 from P8 to P11). We found that accelerated OIR induces similar pre-retinal neovascularization but greater retinal vascular regression that recovers more rapidly. The extent of retinal gliosis is similar but neuroretinal function, as measured by electroretinography, is better maintained in the accelerated model. We found no systemic or maternal morbidity in either model. Accelerated OIR offers a safe, reliable and more rapid alternative model in which pre-retinal neovascularization is similar but retinal vascular regression is greater.

Reliability of segmental accelerations measured using a new wireless gait analysis system.

Science.gov (United States)

Kavanagh, Justin J; Morrison, Steven; James, Daniel A; Barrett, Rod

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the inter- and intra-examiner reliability, and stride-to-stride reliability, of an accelerometer-based gait analysis system which measured 3D accelerations of the upper and lower body during self-selected slow, preferred and fast walking speeds. Eight subjects attended two testing sessions in which accelerometers were attached to the head, neck, lower trunk, and right shank. In the initial testing session, two different examiners attached the accelerometers and performed the same testing procedures. A single examiner repeated the procedure in a subsequent testing session. All data were collected using a new wireless gait analysis system, which features near real-time data transmission via a Bluetooth network. Reliability for each testing condition (4 locations, 3 directions, 3 speeds) was quantified using a waveform similarity statistic known as the coefficient of multiple determination (CMD). CMD's ranged from 0.60 to 0.98 across all test conditions and were not significantly different for inter-examiner (0.86), intra-examiner (0.87), and stride-to-stride reliability (0.86). The highest repeatability for the effect of location, direction and walking speed were for the shank segment (0.94), the vertical direction (0.91) and the fast walking speed (0.91), respectively. Overall, these results indicate that a high degree of waveform repeatability was obtained using a new gait system under test-retest conditions involving single and dual examiners. Furthermore, differences in acceleration waveform repeatability associated with the reapplication of accelerometers were small in relation to normal motor variability.

Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase, Biogenic Amino-Acids and Neurobehavioral Function in Lead-Exposed Workers from Lead-Acid Battery Manufacturing Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Ravibabu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The interaction between serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE, biogenic amino-acids and neurobehavioral function with blood lead levels in workers exposed to lead form lead-acid battery manufacturing process was not studied. Objective: To evaluate serum NSE and biogenic amino-acids (dopamine and serotonin levels, and neurobehavioral performance among workers exposed to lead from lead-acid storage battery plant, and its relation with blood lead levels (BLLs. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we performed biochemical and neurobehavioral function tests on 146 workers exposed to lead from lead-acid battery manufacturing process. BLLs were assessed by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Serum NSE, dopamine and serotonin were measured by ELISA. Neurobehavioral functions were assessed by CDC-recommended tests—simple reaction time (SRT, symbol digit substitution test (SDST, and serial digit learning test (SDLT. Results: There was a significant correlation (r 0.199, p<0.05 between SDST and BLL. SDLT and SRT had also a significant positive correlation (r 0.238, p<0.01. NSE had a negative correlation (r –0.194, p<0.05 with serotonin level. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that both SRT and SDST had positive significant associations with BLL. SRT also had a positive significant association with age. Conclusion: Serum NSE cannot be used as a marker for BLL. The only domain of neurobehavioral function tests that is affected by increased BLL in workers of lead-acid battery manufacturing process is that of the “attention and perception” (SDST.

Primer on lead-acid storage batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-09-01

This handbook was developed to help DOE facility contractors prevent accidents caused during operation and maintenance of lead-acid storage batteries. Major types of lead-acid storage batteries are discussed as well as their operation, application, selection, maintenance, and disposal (storage, transportation, as well). Safety hazards and precautions are discussed in the section on battery maintenance. References to industry standards are included for selection, maintenance, and disposal.

Reliability and Lifetime Prediction of Remote Phosphor Plates in Solid-State Lighting Applications Using Accelerated Degradation Testing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yazdan Mehr, M.; van Driel, W.D.; Zhang, G.Q.

2015-01-01

A methodology, based on accelerated degradation testing, is developed to predict the lifetime of remote phosphor plates used in solid-state lighting (SSL) applications. Both thermal stress and light intensity are used to accelerate degradation reaction in remote phosphor plates. A reliability model,

Assessing high reliability via Bayesian approach and accelerated tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erto, Pasquale; Giorgio, Massimiliano

2002-01-01

Sometimes the assessment of very high reliability levels is difficult for the following main reasons: - the high reliability level of each item makes it impossible to obtain, in a reasonably short time, a sufficient number of failures; - the high cost of the high reliability items to submit to life tests makes it unfeasible to collect enough data for 'classical' statistical analyses. In the above context, this paper presents a Bayesian solution to the problem of estimation of the parameters of the Weibull-inverse power law model, on the basis of a limited number (say six) of life tests, carried out at different stress levels, all higher than the normal one. The over-stressed (i.e. accelerated) tests allow the use of experimental data obtained in a reasonably short time. The Bayesian approach enables one to reduce the required number of failures adding to the failure information the available a priori engineers' knowledge. This engineers' involvement conforms to the most advanced management policy that aims at involving everyone's commitment in order to obtain total quality. A Monte Carlo study of the non-asymptotic properties of the proposed estimators and a comparison with the properties of maximum likelihood estimators closes the work

Critical spare parts ordering decisions using conditional reliability and stochastic lead time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godoy, David R.; Pascual, Rodrigo; Knights, Peter

2013-01-01

Asset-intensive companies face great pressure to reduce operation costs and increase utilization. This scenario often leads to over-stress on critical equipment and its spare parts associated, affecting availability, reliability, and system performance. As these resources impact considerably on financial and operational structures, the opportunity is given by demand for decision-making methods for the management of spare parts processes. We proposed an ordering decision-aid technique which uses a measurement of spare performance, based on the stress–strength interference theory; which we have called Condition-Based Service Level (CBSL). We focus on Condition Managed Critical Spares (CMS), namely, spares which are expensive, highly reliable, with higher lead times, and are not available in store. As a mitigation measure, CMS are under condition monitoring. The aim of the paper is orienting the decision time for CMS ordering or just continuing the operation. The paper presents a graphic technique which considers a rule for decision based on both condition-based reliability function and a stochastic/fixed lead time. For the stochastic lead time case, results show that technique is effective to determine the time when the system operation is reliable and can withstand the lead time variability, satisfying a desired service level. Additionally, for the constant lead time case, the technique helps to define insurance spares. In conclusion, presented ordering decision rule is useful to asset managers for enhancing the operational continuity affected by spare parts

The refining of secondary lead for use in advanced lead-acid batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, Timothy W.; Mirza, Abbas H.

2010-01-01

Secondary lead, i.e. material produced by the recycling of lead-acid batteries has become the primary source of lead in much of the world. This has been important to the secondary lead industry as other uses have dwindled, e.g. lead based pigments, chemicals, fuel additives, solders and CRT glasses. Presently, battery manufacturing accounts for greater than 80% of lead consumption while recycled lead accounts for approximately the same market share of lead supply. These two facts strongly demonstrate the battery manufacturing and recycled lead are intimately coupled in everyday life. In this paper we will explore how recycled lead has become the material of choice for battery construction through the development of a recovery and refining process that exceeds the industries requirements. Particular focus will be on addressing the results presented by Prengaman on the effects of contaminant or tramp elements on gassing in lead-acid batteries. (author)

Evaluation of accelerated UV and thermal testing for benzene formation in beverages containing benzoate and ascorbic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyman, Patricia J; Wamer, Wayne G; Begley, Timothy H; Diachenko, Gregory W; Perfetti, Gracia A

2010-04-01

Under certain conditions, benzene can form in beverages containing benzoic and ascorbic acids. The American Beverage Assn. (ABA) has published guidelines to help manufacturers mitigate benzene formation in beverages. These guidelines recommend accelerated testing conditions to test product formulations, because exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light and elevated temperature over the shelf life of the beverage may result in benzene formation in products containing benzoic and ascorbic acids. In this study, the effects of UVA exposure on benzene formation were determined. Benzene formation was examined for samples contained in UV stabilized and non-UV stabilized packaging. Additionally, the usefulness of accelerated thermal testing to simulate end of shelf-life benzene formation was evaluated for samples containing either benzoic or ascorbic acid, or both. The 24 h studies showed that under intense UVA light benzene levels increased by as much as 53% in model solutions stored in non-UV stabilized bottles, whereas the use of UV stabilized polyethylene terephthalate bottles reduced benzene formation by about 13% relative to the non-UV stabilized bottles. Similar trends were observed for the 7 d study. Retail beverages and positive and negative controls were used to study the accelerated thermal testing conditions. The amount of benzene found in the positive controls and cranberry juice suggests that testing at 40 degrees C for 14 d may more reliably simulate end of shelf-life benzene formation in beverages. Except for cranberry juice, retail beverages were not found to contain detectable amounts of benzene (<0.05 ng/g) at the end of their shelf lives.

Advances in electrostatic accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wegner, H.E.

1975-01-01

Advances in the design and performance of electrostatic accelerators since 1969 are reviewed with special emphasis on the ''forefront'' accelerators that are currently leading in voltage capability. A comparison of the acceleration tube design offered by the National Electrostatics Corporation and the High Voltage Engineering Corporation is also made. Other methods of increasing heavy ion energy by means of dual foil stripping are discussed as well as the performance of a newly developed sputter ion source for the production of negative heavy ions with reliability and flexibility that greatly exceeds all other present systems. Finally, new developments in terms of both booster systems and very high voltage electrostatic accelerators (25 to 60 MV) are discussed. (U.S.)

Analysis and Application of Reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Hae Seong; Park, Dong Ho; Kim, Jae Ju

1999-05-01

This book tells of analysis and application of reliability, which includes definition, importance and historical background of reliability, function of reliability and failure rate, life distribution and assumption of reliability, reliability of unrepaired system, reliability of repairable system, sampling test of reliability, failure analysis like failure analysis by FEMA and FTA, and cases, accelerated life testing such as basic conception, acceleration and acceleration factor, and analysis of accelerated life testing data, maintenance policy about alternation and inspection.

Accelerated protein digestion and amino acid absorption after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bojsen-Møller, Anna Kirstine; Jacobsen, Siv H; Dirksen, Carsten

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) involves exclusion of major parts of the stomach and changes in admixture of gastro-pancreatic enzymes, which could have a major impact on protein digestion and amino acid absorption. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of RYGB on amino acid appearance......: RYGB accelerates caseinate digestion and amino acid absorption, resulting in faster and higher but more transient postprandial elevation of plasma amino acids. Changes are likely mediated by accelerated intestinal nutrient entry and clearly demonstrate that protein digestion is not impaired after RYGB...

Spent lead-acid battery recycling in China - A review and sustainable analyses on mass flow of lead.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhi; Cao, Hongbin; Zhang, Xihua; Lin, Xiao; Zheng, Wenwen; Cao, Guoqing; Sun, Yong; Zhang, Yi

2017-06-01

Lead is classified to be one of the top heavy metal pollutants in China. The corresponding environmental issues especially during the management of spent lead-acid battery have already caused significant public awareness and concern. This research gives a brief overview on the recycling situation based on an investigation of the lead industry in China and also the development of technologies for spent lead-acid batteries. The main principles and research focuses of different technologies including pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy and greener technologies are summarized and compared. Subsequently, the circulability of lead based on the entire life cycle analyses of lead-acid battery is calculated. By considering different recycling schemes, the recycling situation of spent lead-acid battery in China can be understood semi-quantitatively. According to this research, 30% of the primary lead production can be shut down that the lead production can still ensure consecutive life cycle operation of lead-acid battery, if proper management of the spent lead-acid battery is implemented according to current lead industry situation in China. This research provides a methodology on the view of lead circulability in the whole life cycle of a specific product and is aiming to contribute more quantitative guidelines for efficient organization of lead industry in China. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fundamentals of lead-free solder interconnect technology from microstructures to reliability

CERN Document Server

Lee, Tae-Kyu; Kim, Choong-Un; Ma, Hongtao

2015-01-01

This unique book provides an up-to-date overview of the fundamental concepts behind lead-free solder and interconnection technology. Readers will find a description of the rapidly increasing presence of electronic systems in all aspects of modern life as well as the increasing need for predictable reliability in electronic systems. The physical and mechanical properties of lead-free solders are examined in detail, and building on fundamental science, the mechanisms responsible for damage and failure evolution, which affect reliability of lead-free solder joints are identified based on microstructure evolution.  The continuing miniaturization of electronic systems will increase the demand on the performance of solder joints, which will require new alloy and processing strategies as well as interconnection design strategies. This book provides a foundation on which improved performance and new design approaches can be based.  In summary, this book:  Provides an up-to-date overview on lead-free soldering tech...

Recycling and management of waste lead-acid batteries: A mini-review.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Malan; Liu, Junsheng; Han, Wei

2016-04-01

As a result of the wide application of lead-acid batteries to be the power supplies for vehicles, their demand has rapidly increased owing to their low cost and high availability. Accordingly, the amount of waste lead-acid batteries has increased to new levels; therefore, the pollution caused by the waste lead-acid batteries has also significantly increased. Because lead is toxic to the environment and to humans, recycling and management of waste lead-acid batteries has become a significant challenge and is capturing much public attention. Various innovations have been recently proposed to recycle lead and lead-containing compounds from waste lead-acid batteries. In this mini-review article, different recycling techniques for waste lead-acid batteries are highlighted. The present state of such recycling and its future perspectives are also discussed. We hope that this mini-review can provide useful information on recovery and recycling of lead from waste lead-acid batteries in the field of solid waste treatment. © The Author(s) 2016.

A Bayesian reliability evaluation method with integrated accelerated degradation testing and field information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Lizhi; Pan, Rong; Li, Xiaoyang; Jiang, Tongmin

2013-01-01

Accelerated degradation testing (ADT) is a common approach in reliability prediction, especially for products with high reliability. However, oftentimes the laboratory condition of ADT is different from the field condition; thus, to predict field failure, one need to calibrate the prediction made by using ADT data. In this paper a Bayesian evaluation method is proposed to integrate the ADT data from laboratory with the failure data from field. Calibration factors are introduced to calibrate the difference between the lab and the field conditions so as to predict a product's actual field reliability more accurately. The information fusion and statistical inference procedure are carried out through a Bayesian approach and Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. The proposed method is demonstrated by two examples and the sensitivity analysis to prior distribution assumption

Blood lead levels among rural Thai children exposed to lead-acid batteries from solar energy conversion systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Swaddiwudhipong, Witaya; Tontiwattanasap, Worawit; Khunyotying, Wanlee; Sanreun, Cherd

2013-11-01

We evaluate blood lead levels among Thai children to determine if exposure to lead-acid batteries is associated with elevated blood lead levels (EBLL). We screened 254 children aged 1-14 years old from 2 rural Thai villages for blood lead levels. We also screened 18 of 92 houses in these 2 villages for the presence of environmental lead. The overall prevalence of EBLL (> or = 10 microg/dl) was 43.3% and the mean lead level among study subjects was 9.8 +/- 5.1 microg/dl. The blood lead levels significantly decreased with increasing age. Fifty point eight percent of children who lived in a house with vented lead-acid batteries had EBLL while 23.3% of children who lived in a house without vented lead-acid batteries had EBLL. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a significant positive association between the presence of vented lead-acid batteries and EBLL, after adjusting for other variables. Forty-two point nine percent of house floor dust samples collected near the batteries had elevated lead levels, 7.1% of house floor dust samples collected from other areas in the house had elevated lead levels and 0% of the house floor dust samples collected in houses without vented lead-acid batteries had elevated lead levels. In the sampled houses with vented lead-acid batteries, lead contamination was found in the drinking-water kept in household containers, but not in the tap water or other village sources of water. Improper care and placement of vented lead-acid batteries can result in lead contamination in the home environment causing EBLL in exposed children.

SureCure{sup (R)}-A new material to reduces curing time and improve curing reproducibility of lead-acid batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boden, David P.; Loosemore, Daniel V.; Botts, G. Dean [Hammond Lead Products Division, Hammond Group Inc., 2323 165th Street, Hammond, IN 46320 (United States)

2006-08-25

This paper introduces a technology that considerably reduces the time to cure the positive plates of lead-acid batteries. In each of several full-scale trials at automotive and industrial battery manufacturers, the simple replacement of 1wt.% of leady oxide with finely-divided tetrabasic lead sulfate (SureCure(TM) by Hammond Group Inc.) is shown to accelerate significantly the conversion of tribasic lead sulfate (3BS) to tetrabasic lead sulfate (4BS) in the curing process while improving crystal structure and reproducibility. Shorter curing times result in reduced labour and energy costs, as well as reduced fixed (curing chambers and plant footprint) and working (plate inventory) capital investment. (author)

Thermal properties and thermal reliability of eutectic mixtures of some fatty acids as latent heat storage materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sari, Ahmet; Sari, Hayati; Oenal, Adem

2004-01-01

The present study deals with two subjects. The first one is to determine the thermal properties of lauric acid (LA)-stearic acid (SA), myristic acid (MA)-palmitic acid (PA) and palmitic acid (PA)-stearic acid (SA) eutectic mixtures as latent heat storage material. The properties were measured by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis technique. The second one is to study the thermal reliability of these materials in view of the change in their melting temperatures and latent heats of fusion with respect to repeated thermal cycles. For this aim, the eutectic mixtures were subjected to 360 repeated melt/freeze cycles, and their thermal properties were measured after 0, 90,180 and 360 thermal cycles by the technique of DSC analysis. The DSC thermal analysis results show that the binary systems of LA-SA in the ratio of 75.5:24.5 wt.%, MA-PA in the ratio of 58:42 wt.% and PA-SA in the ratio of 64.2:35.8 wt.% form eutectic mixtures with melting temperatures of 37.0, 42.60 and 52.30 deg. C and with latent heats of fusion of 182.7, 169.7 and 181.7 J g -1 , respectively. These thermal properties make them possible for heat storage in passive solar heating applications with respect to climate conditions. The accelerated thermal cycle tests indicate that the changes in the melting temperatures and latent heats of fusion of the studied eutectic mixtures are not regular with increasing number of thermal cycles. However, these materials, latent heat energy storage materials, have good thermal reliability in terms of the change in their thermal properties with respect to thermal cycling for about a one year utility period

Monitoring sealed automotive lead-acid batteries by sparse ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

knowledge of its internal resistance, which could be estimated from electrochemical ... rechargeable battery market and, in terms of value, the present world market for lead-acid ... the importance of a suitable battery monitoring and management will increase even .... automobiles to monitor the SOH of lead-acid battery bank.

A study on the reliability evaluation of shot peened aluminium alloy using accelerated life test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Ji Hun; Cheong, Seong Kyun; Kang, Min Woo

2006-01-01

In this paper, the concept of accelerated life test, which is a popular research field nowadays, is applied to the shot peened material. To predict the efficient and exact room temperature fatigue characteristics from the high temperature fatigue data, the adequate accelerated model is investigated. Ono type rotary bending fatigue tester and high temperature chamber were used for the experiment. Room temperature fatigue lives were predicted by applying accelerated models and doing reliability evaluation. Room temperature fatigue tests were accomplished to check the effectiveness of predicted data and the adequate accelerated life test models were presented by considering errors. Experimental result using Arrhenius model, fatigue limit obtain almost 5.45% of error, inverse power law has about 1.36% of error, so we found that inverse power law is applied well to temperature-life relative of shot peended material

Reliability demonstration methodology for products with Gamma Process by optimal accelerated degradation testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Chunhua; Lu, Xiang; Tan, Yuanyuan; Wang, Yashun

2015-01-01

For products with high reliability and long lifetime, accelerated degradation testing (ADT) may be adopted during product development phase to verify whether its reliability satisfies the predetermined level within feasible test duration. The actual degradation from engineering is usually a strictly monotonic process, such as fatigue crack growth, wear, and erosion. However, the method for reliability demonstration by ADT with monotonic degradation process has not been investigated so far. This paper proposes a reliability demonstration methodology by ADT for this kind of product. We first apply Gamma process to describe the monotonic degradation. Next, we present a reliability demonstration method by converting the required reliability level into allowable cumulative degradation in ADT and comparing the actual accumulative degradation with the allowable level. Further, we suggest an analytical optimal ADT design method for more efficient reliability demonstration by minimizing the asymptotic variance of decision variable in reliability demonstration under the constraints of sample size, test duration, test cost, and predetermined decision risks. The method is validated and illustrated with example on reliability demonstration of alloy product, and is applied to demonstrate the wear reliability within long service duration of spherical plain bearing in the end. - Highlights: • We present a reliability demonstration method by ADT for products with monotonic degradation process, which may be applied to verify reliability with long service life for products with monotonic degradation process within feasible test duration. • We suggest an analytical optimal ADT design method for more efficient reliability demonstration, which differs from the existed optimal ADT design for more accurate reliability estimation by different objective function and different constraints. • The methods are applied to demonstrate the wear reliability within long service duration of

Long-Term Reliability of SiGe/Si HBTs From Accelerated Lifetime Testing

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Pallab

2001-01-01

Accelerated lifetime tests were performed on double-mesa structure Si(0.7)Ge(0.3)/Si npn heterojunction bipolar transistors, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, in the temperature range of 175 C-275 C. The transistors (with 5x20 sq micron emitter area) have DC current gains approx. 40-50 and f(sub T) and f(sub max) of up to 22 GHz and 25 GHz, respectively. It is found that a gradual degradation in these devices is caused by the recombination enhanced impurity diffusion (REID) of boron atoms from the p-type base region and the associated formation of parasitic energy barriers to electron transport from the emitter to collector layers. This REED has been quantitatively modeled and explained, to the first order of approximation, and the agreement with the measured data is good. The mean time to failure (MTTF) of these devices at room temperature under 1.35 x 10(exp 4) A/sq cm current density operation is estimated from the extrapolation of the Arrhenius plots of device lifetime versus reciprocal temperature. The results of the reliability tests offer valuable feedback for SiGe heterostructure design in order to improve the long-term reliability of the devices and circuits made with them. Hot electron induced degradation of the base-emitter junction was also observed during the accelerated lifetime testing. In order to improve the HBT reliability endangered by the hot electrons, deuterium sintered techniques have been proposed. The preliminary results from this study show that a deuterium-sintered HBT is, indeed, more resistant to hot-electron induced base-emitter junction degradation.

Inoculation of Pichia kudriavzevii RB1 degrades the organic acids present in raw compost material and accelerates composting.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakasaki, Kiyohiko; Araya, Shogo; Mimoto, Hiroshi

2013-09-01

In this study, the yeast strain Pichia kudriavzevii RB1 was used as an inoculum to accelerate organic matter degradation of rabbit food with added organic acids, which was used as a model food waste for composting. The RB1 strain rapidly degraded the organic acids present in the raw compost material, leading to an increase in pH beyond the neutral level, within 2 days. Both mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria proliferated faster in the compost with RB1 inoculation than in that without inoculation. Although the yeast died with the increase in compost temperature, it affected the early stages of composting prior to the thermophilic stage and accelerated the composting process by 2 days by eliminating the initial lag phase seen in the growth of other microorganisms. Moreover, populations of Bacillus thermoamylovorans, Bacillus foraminis, and Bacillus coagulans became dominant during the thermophilic stages of both composting with and without RB1 inoculation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability and availability considerations in the RF systems of ATW-class accelerators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tallerico, P.J.; Lynch, M.T.; Lawrence, G. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM (United States)

1995-10-01

In an RF-driven, ion accelerator for waste transmutation or nuclear material production, the overall availability is perhaps the most important specification. The synchronism requirements in an ion accelerator, as contrasted to an electron accelerator, cause a failure of an RF source to have a greater consequence. These large machines also are major capital investments, so the availability determines the return on this capital. RF system design methods to insure a high availability without paying a serious cost penalty are the subject of this paper. The overall availability goal in the present designs is 75% for the entire ATW complex, and from 25 to 35% of the unavailability is allocated to the RF system, since it is one of the most complicated subsystems in the complex. The allowed down time for the RF system (including the linac and all other systems) is then only 7 to 9% of the operating time per year, or as little as 613 hours per year, for continuous operation. Since large accelerators consume large amounts of electrical power, excellent efficiency is also required with the excellent availability. The availability also influences the sizes of the RF components; smaller components may fail and yet the accelerator may still meet all specifications. Larger components are also attractive, since the cost of an RF system usually increases as the square root of the number of RF systems utilized. In some cases, there is a reliability penalty that accompanies the cost savings from using larger components. The authors discuss these factors, and present an availability model that allows one to examine these trade offs, and make rational choices in the RF and accelerator system designs.

Surviving the Lead Reliability Engineer Role in High Unit Value Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Reinaldo J.

2011-01-01

A project with a very high unit value within a company is defined as a project where a) the project constitutes one of a kind (or two-of-a-kind) national asset type of project, b) very large cost, and c) a mission failure would be a very public event that will hurt the company's image. The Lead Reliability engineer in a high visibility project is by default involved in all phases of the project, from conceptual design to manufacture and testing. This paper explores a series of lessons learned, over a period of ten years of practical industrial experience by a Lead Reliability Engineer. We expand on the concepts outlined by these lessons learned via examples. The lessons learned are applicable to all industries.

Characterization and re-activation of oxygen sensors for use in liquid lead-bismuth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurata, Yuji; Abe, Yuji; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Oigawa, Hiroyuki

2010-01-01

Control of oxygen concentration in liquid lead-bismuth is one of the most important tasks to develop accelerator driven systems. In order to improve the reliability of oxygen sensors, re-activation treatments were investigated as well as characterization of oxygen sensors for use in liquid lead-bismuth. The oxygen sensor with a solid electrolyte of yttria-stabilized zirconia and a Pt/gas reference electrode showed almost the same electromotive force values in gas and liquid lead-bismuth, respectively, as the theoretical ones at temperatures above 400 deg. C or 450 deg. C. After long-term use of 6500 h, the outputs of the sensor became incorrect in liquid lead-bismuth. The state of the sensor that indicated incorrect outputs could not be recovered by cleaning with a nitric acid. However, it was found that the oxygen sensor became a correct sensor indicating theoretical values in liquid lead-bismuth after re-activation by the Pt-treatment of the outer surface of the sensor.

Rotational accelerations stabilize leading edge vortices on revolving fly wings.

Science.gov (United States)

Lentink, David; Dickinson, Michael H

2009-08-01

The aerodynamic performance of hovering insects is largely explained by the presence of a stably attached leading edge vortex (LEV) on top of their wings. Although LEVs have been visualized on real, physically modeled, and simulated insects, the physical mechanisms responsible for their stability are poorly understood. To gain fundamental insight into LEV stability on flapping fly wings we expressed the Navier-Stokes equations in a rotating frame of reference attached to the wing's surface. Using these equations we show that LEV dynamics on flapping wings are governed by three terms: angular, centripetal and Coriolis acceleration. Our analysis for hovering conditions shows that angular acceleration is proportional to the inverse of dimensionless stroke amplitude, whereas Coriolis and centripetal acceleration are proportional to the inverse of the Rossby number. Using a dynamically scaled robot model of a flapping fruit fly wing to systematically vary these dimensionless numbers, we determined which of the three accelerations mediate LEV stability. Our force measurements and flow visualizations indicate that the LEV is stabilized by the ;quasi-steady' centripetal and Coriolis accelerations that are present at low Rossby number and result from the propeller-like sweep of the wing. In contrast, the unsteady angular acceleration that results from the back and forth motion of a flapping wing does not appear to play a role in the stable attachment of the LEV. Angular acceleration is, however, critical for LEV integrity as we found it can mediate LEV spiral bursting, a high Reynolds number effect. Our analysis and experiments further suggest that the mechanism responsible for LEV stability is not dependent on Reynolds number, at least over the range most relevant for insect flight (100wind turbines at much higher Reynolds numbers suggest that even large flying animals could potentially exploit LEV-based force augmentation during slow hovering flight, take-offs or landing

Microdroplet fusion mass spectrometry: accelerated kinetics of acid-induced chlorophyll demetallation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jae Kyoo; Nam, Hong Gil; Zare, Richard N

2017-01-01

Kinetics of acid-induced chlorophyll demetallation was recorded in microdroplets by fusing a stream of microdroplets containing 40 µM chlorophyll a or b dissolved in methanol with a stream of aqueous microdroplets containing 35 mM hydrochloric acid (pH = 1·46). The kinetics of the demetallation of chlorophyll in the fused microdroplets (14 ± 6 µm diameter; 84 ± 18 m s-1 velocity) was recorded by controlling the traveling distance of the fused microdroplets between the fusion region and the inlet of a mass spectrometer. The rate of acid-induced chlorophyll demetallation was about 960 ± 120 times faster in the charged microdroplets compared with that reported in bulk solution. If no voltage was applied to the sprayed microdroplets, then the acceleration factor was about 580 ± 90, suggesting that the applied voltage is not a major factor determining the acceleration. Chlorophyll a was more rapidly demetallated than chlorophyll b by a factor of ~26 in bulk solution and ~5 in charged microdroplets. The demetallation kinetics was second order in the H+ concentration, but the acceleration factor of microdroplets compared with bulk solution appeared to be unchanged in going from pH = 1·3 to 7·0. The water:methanol ratio of the fused microdroplets was varied from 7:3 to 3:7 causing an increase in the reaction rate of chlorophyll a demetallation by 20%. This observation demonstrates that the solvent composition, which has different evaporation rates, does not significantly affect the acceleration. We believe that a major portion of the acceleration can be attributed to confinement effects involving surface reactions rather than either to evaporation of solvents or to the introduction of charges to the microdroplets.

Finding an acceleration function for calculating the reliability of redundant systems - Application to common mode failures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonnot, R.

1975-01-01

While it may be reasonable to assume that the reliability of a system - the design of which is perfectly known - can be evaluated, it seems less easy to be sure that overall reliability is correctly estimated in the case of multiple redundancies arranged in sequence. Framatome is trying to develop a method of evaluating overall reliability correctly for its installations. For example, the protection systems in its power stations considered as a whole are such that several scram signals may be relayed in sequence when an incident occurs. These signals all involve the same components for a given type of action, but the components themselves are in fact subject to different stresses and constraints, which tend to reduce their reliability. Whatever the sequence in which these signals are transmitted (in a fast-developing accident, for example), it is possible to evaluate the actual reliability of a given system (or component) for different constraints, as the latter are generally obtained via the transient codes. By applying the so-called ''equal probability'' hypothesis one can estimate a reliability acceleration function taking into account the constraints imposed. This function is linear for the principal failure probability distribution laws. By generalizing such a method one can: (1) Perform failure calculations for redundant systems (or components) in a more general way than is possible with event trees, since one of the main parameters is the constraint exercised on that system (or component); (2) Determine failure rates of components on the basis of accelerated tests (up to complete failure of the component) which are quicker than the normal long-term tests (statistical results of operation); (3) Evaluate the multiplication factor for the reliability of a system or component in the case of common mode failures. The author presents the mathematical tools required for such a method and described their application in the cases mentioned above

Lead identification in soil surrounding a used lead acid battery smelter area in Banten, Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adventini, N; Santoso, M; Lestiani, D D; Syahfitri, W Y N; Rixson, L

2017-01-01

A used lead acid battery smelter generates particulates containing lead that can contaminate the surrounding environment area. Lead is a heavy metal which is harmful to health if it enters the human body through soil, air, or water. An identification of lead in soil samples surrounding formal and informal used lead acid battery smelters area in Banten, Indonesia using EDXRF has been carried out. The EDXRF accuracy and precision evaluated from marine sediment IAEA 457 gave a good agreement to the certified value. A number of 16 soil samples from formal and informal areas and 2 soil samples from control area were taken from surface and subsurface soils. The highest lead concentrations from both lead smelter were approximately 9 folds and 11 folds higher than the reference and control samples. The assessment of lead contamination in soils described in C f index was in category: moderately and strongly polluted by lead for formal and informal lead smelter. Daily lead intake of children in this study from all sites had exceeded the recommended dietary allowance. The HI values for adults and children living near both lead smelter areas were greater than the value of safety threshold 1. This study finding confirmed that there is a potential health risk for inhabitants surrounding the used lead acid battery smelter areas in Banten, Indonesia. (paper)

A Study on the Storage Reliability of LSINS Based on Step-stress Accelerated Life Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teng Fei

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Based on the step-stress accelerated life test and the laser strap-down inertial navigation system, this paper studies the accelerated life model and the test method, provides the likelihood function, the likelihood equation and the two-order derivative when the stress level is k, evaluates the effectiveness of the method with the simulation test model established by MATLAB, applies the research findings in the storage reliability study of the XX laser strap-down inertial navigation system, and puts forward an effective evaluation method of the storage life of the inertial navigation system.

A multifunctional energy-storage system with high-power lead-acid batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, R.; Schroeder, M.; Stephanblome, T.; Handschin, E.

A multifunctional energy storage system is presented which is used to improve the utilization of renewable energy supplies. This system includes three different functions: (i) uninterruptible power supply (UPS); (ii) improvement of power quality; (iii) peak-load shaving. The UPS application has a long tradition and is used whenever a reliable power supply is needed. Additionally, nowadays, there is a growing demand for high quality power arising from an increase of system perturbation of electric grids. Peak-load shaving means in this case the use of renewable energy stored in a battery for high peak-load periods. For such a multifunctional application large lead-acid batteries with high power and good charge acceptance, as well as good cycle life are needed. OCSM batteries as with positive tubular plates and negative copper grids have been used successfully for a multitude of utility applications. This paper gives two examples where multifunctional energy storage systems have started operation recently in Germany. One system was installed in combination with a 1 MW solar plant in Herne and another one was installed in combination with a 2 MW wind farm in Bocholt. At each place, a 1.2 MW h (1 h-rate) lead-acid battery has been installed. The batteries consist of OCSM cells with the standard design but modified according to the special demand of a multifunctional application.

Lead-acid batteries in micro-hybrid applications. Part II. Test proposal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaeck, S.; Stoermer, A.O. [BMW Group, 80788 Muenchen (Germany); Albers, J. [Johnson Controls Power Solutions EMEA, 30419 Hannover (Germany); Weirather-Koestner, D. [ZSW Ulm, 89081 Ulm (Germany); Kabza, H. [Universitaet Ulm, Institut fuer Energiewandlung und -speicherung, 89081 Ulm (Germany)

2011-02-01

In the first part of this work selected key parameters for applying lead-acid (LA) batteries in micro-hybrid power systems (MHPS) were investigated. Main results are integrated in an accelerated, comprehensive test proposal presented here. The test proposal aims at a realistic representation of the pSoC operation regime, which is described in Refs. The test is designed to be sensitive with respect to dynamic charge acceptance (DCA) at partially discharged state (critical for regenerative braking) and the internal resistance at high-rate discharge (critical for idling stop applications). First results are presented for up-to-date valve-regulated LA batteries with absorbent glass mat (AGM) separators. The batteries are close to the limits of the first proposal of pass/fail-criteria. Also flooded batteries were tested; the first out of ten units failed already. (author)

Lead-acid batteries in micro-hybrid applications. Part II. Test proposal

Science.gov (United States)

Schaeck, S.; Stoermer, A. O.; Albers, J.; Weirather-Koestner, D.; Kabza, H.

In the first part of this work [1] selected key parameters for applying lead-acid (LA) batteries in micro-hybrid power systems (MHPS) were investigated. Main results are integrated in an accelerated, comprehensive test proposal presented here. The test proposal aims at a realistic representation of the pSoC operation regime, which is described in Refs. [1,6]. The test is designed to be sensitive with respect to dynamic charge acceptance (DCA) at partially discharged state (critical for regenerative braking) and the internal resistance at high-rate discharge (critical for idling stop applications). First results are presented for up-to-date valve-regulated LA batteries with absorbent glass mat (AGM) separators. The batteries are close to the limits of the first proposal of pass/fail-criteria. Also flooded batteries were tested; the first out of ten units failed already.

An injector system of a NDZ-20 medical electron linear accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Houwen; Lai Qiji; Zhu Yizhang; Yang Fangxin

1987-01-01

The structure and characteristic of an injector system of a NDZ-20 medical electron linear accelerator are described. A bombarded type of Pierce electron gun is used. There are pre-focusing coil, deflecting coil, steering coil and beam pulse lead cutting coil in drift tube region. They control electron beam efficiently for ARC, ADC and BLC of the accelerator. ARC and ADC can increase stability and reliability of the accelerator operation, and BLC improves energy spectrum of the back feed accelerator

Gallic acid induces apoptosis in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancers by accelerating EGFR turnover.

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Boas; Rho, Jin Kyung; Shin, Dong-Myung; Son, Jaekyoung

2016-10-01

Gallic acid is a common botanic phenolic compound, which is present in plants and foods worldwide. Gallic acid is implicated in various biological processes such as cell growth and apoptosis. Indeed, gallic acid has been shown to induce apoptosis in many cancer types. However, the molecular mechanisms of gallic acid-induced apoptosis in cancer, particularly lung cancer, are still unclear. Here, we report that gallic acid induces apoptosis in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, but not in EGFR-WT NSCLC cells. Treatment with gallic acid resulted in a significant reduction in proliferation and induction of apoptosis, only in EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells. Interestingly, treatment with gallic acid led to a robust decrease in EGFR levels, which is critical for NSCLC survival. Treatment with gallic acid had no significant effect on transcription, but induced EGFR turnover. Indeed, treatment with a proteasome inhibitor dramatically reversed gallic acid-induced EGFR downregulation. Moreover, treatment with gallic acid induced EGFR turnover leading to apoptosis in EGFR-TKI (tyrosine kinase inhibitor)-resistant cell lines, which are dependent on EGFR signaling for survival. Thus, these studies suggest that gallic acid can induce apoptosis in EGFR-dependent lung cancers that are dependent on EGFR for growth and survival via acceleration of EGFR turnover. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental lead intoxication in dogs: a comparison of blood lead and urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid following intoxication and chelation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, R A; Selby, L A; Zumwalt, R W

1978-01-01

Intravenous lead administration to dogs produced an acute syndrome of lead intoxication charcterized by depression, vomiting, anorexia and weight loss. The effect of chelation therapy with calcium disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate, penicillamine or both was determined by serially monitoring changes in blood lead and urine delta-aminolevulinic acid. Following therapy, blood lead values were significantly lower in chelated dogs than non-treated lead exposed dogs on days 7 and 10. Urine delta-aminolevulinic acid at day 7 was significantly higher in untreated lead exposed dogs than in other groups. There was no significant difference in blood lead or urine delta-aminolevulinic acid between lead intoxicated dogs which underwent the indicated chelation therapy protocols. There was, however, a trend for higher urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid excretion in those intoxicated dogs undergoing calcium disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate therapy as opposed to those undergoing penicilamine therapy. There was no significant correlation between blood lead and urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid previous to lead exposure. However, after lead exposure significant correlation was present at days 4, 7, 10 and 14. Certain lead exposed dogs following chelation therapy were noted to have normal blood lead levels but elevated urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid suggesting that blood lead does not always correlate with metabolic effects of lead in the body. Urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid was therefore recommended as an additional laboratory parameter which improved assessment of lead exposure in dogs, particularly in determining adequacy of chelation therapy. PMID:667707

An accelerated stress testing program for determining the reliability sensitivity of silicon solar cells to encapsulation and metallization systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lathrop, J. W.; Davis, C. W.; Royal, E.

1982-01-01

The use of accelerated testing methods in a program to determine the reliability attributes of terrestrial silicon solar cells is discussed. Different failure modes are to be expected when cells with and without encapsulation are subjected to accelerated testing and separate test schedules for each are described. Unencapsulated test cells having slight variations in metallization are used to illustrate how accelerated testing can highlight different diffusion related failure mechanisms. The usefulness of accelerated testing when applied to encapsulated cells is illustrated by results showing that moisture related degradation may be many times worse with some forms of encapsulation than with no encapsulation at all.

Influence of acid diffusion on the performance of lead-acid cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kappus, W.; Bohmann, J.

1983-11-01

A model for the discharge performance of the lead-acid cell is proposed. Diffusion of acid into the porous electrodes, which is connected with diffusional polarization, is considered as the principal factor in the transport process. The end of discharge is determined either by acid depletion inside the electrodes or by exhaustion of the active material, where utilization of the active material as a function of the acid density and the specific current is determined from empirical expressions. Curves of diffusional polarizations as a function of the discharge time are presented. Calculated discharge capacities show the influence of various parameters such as electrode thickness, current, and acid density. Tubular and pasted plates are considered.

Lead isotope results of acid leaching experiments on acid volcanics and black shales in an ore environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gulson, B.L.

1977-01-01

In the volcanogenic Woodlawn Cu-Pb-Zn deposit, where pyrite is the dominant sulphide phase in the ore and a ubiquitous mineral in the host volcanics and shales, leaching experiments using HNO 3 -HCl to overcome the ore/rock lead dominance, resulted in highly complex lead isotopic data, dependent mainly on the original lead concentration in the rock. For samples with higher (> 5 ppm) lead concentrations, the acid leaches are less radiogenic than the rocks or residues whereas for samples with 15 ppm lead, the data arrays are those expected for a dominance of ore/rock lead. In all except the very high lead samples (> 100 ppm), lead is derived from sources other than sulphides. Furthermore, in only the highest lead sample is the acid leach isotopic value compatible with that of the ore lead. As found in previous leaching investigations, the dominant component of lead and uranium is extracted in the acid leach. Acid-leaching experiments of this type may have possible applications in prospecting for basemetal sulphides. (auth.)

Lead/acid batteries in systems to improve power quality

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, P.; Butler, P.; Nerbun, W.

Increasing dependence on computer technology is driving needs for extremely high-quality power to prevent loss of information, material, and workers' time that represent billions of dollars annually. This cost has motivated commercial and Federal research and development of energy storage systems that detect and respond to power-quality failures in milliseconds. Electrochemical batteries are among the storage media under investigation for these systems. Battery energy storage systems that employ either flooded lead/acid or valve-regulated lead/acid battery technologies are becoming commercially available to capture a share of this emerging market. Cooperative research and development between the US Department of Energy and private industry have led to installations of lead/acid-based battery energy storage systems to improve power quality at utility and industrial sites and commercial development of fully integrated, modular battery energy storage system products for power quality. One such system by AC Battery Corporation, called the PQ2000, is installed at a test site at Pacific Gas and Electric Company (San Ramon, CA, USA) and at a customer site at Oglethorpe Power Corporation (Tucker, GA, USA). The PQ2000 employs off-the-shelf power electronics in an integrated methodology to control the factors that affect the performance and service life of production-model, low-maintenance, flooded lead/acid batteries. This system, and other members of this first generation of lead/acid-based energy storage systems, will need to compete vigorously for a share of an expanding, yet very aggressive, power quality market.

Failure modes of valve-regulated lead-acid batteries for electric bicycle applications in deep discharge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Yonglang; Tang, Shengqun [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108 (China); Meng, Gang; Yang, Shijun [Hubei Camel Storage Battery Co. Ltd., Gucheng 441705 (China)

2009-06-01

The 36 or 48 V valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery packs have been widely applied to the power sources of electric bicycles or light electric scooters in China. The failure modes of the 12 V/10 Ah VRLA batteries have been studied by the cycle life test at C{sub 2} discharge rate and 100% depth of discharge (DOD). It indicates that the main cause of the battery failure in this cycle duty is the softening and shedding of positive active mass (PAM) rather than individual water loss, recombination efficiency or sulfation, etc. When the electrolyte saturation falls to a certain extent, the high oxygen recombination current leads to the depolarization of the negative plate and the shift of the positive plate to a higher potential. The violent oxygen evolution accelerates the softening of PAM and the end of cycle life. (author)

The influence of acid diffusion on the performance of lead-acid cells

Science.gov (United States)

Kappus, W.; Bohmann, J.

1983-11-01

A model for the discharge performance of the lead-acid cell is proposed. Diffusion of acid into the porous electrodes, which is connected with diffusio Curves of diffusional polarizations as a function of the discharge time are presented. Calculated discharge capacities show the influence of various pa

Grid Connected Power Supplies for Particle Accelerator Magnets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Rasmus Ørndrup

Power supplies play a large role in particle accelerators, for creating, accelerating, steering and shaping the beam. This thesis covers the power supplies for steering and shaping the beam, namely the magnet power supplies. These power supplies have a special set of requirements regarding output...... on this topology is constructed using a single power module on the grid side of the transformer, consisting of a boost rectifier and a dual half-bridge isolated DC/DC converter. It is shown that it is possible to create a power supply using a single module and that this approach can lead to improved layout...... and smaller converter size. A high efficiency converter based on Silicon Carbide switching devices is also presented exhibiting above 96 % efficiency for the entire power range. Finally reliability issues are considered as the reliability of a particle accelerator supply is of utmost importance. Particle...

Changing corporate culture within the European lead/acid battery industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayer, M.G.

1994-01-01

Recent economic and political factors have had a strong influence on the lead/acid battery industry in both West and East Europe. Since the publication in 1989 by Batteries International and the Lead Development Association of a map of European battery factories, the number of battery companies has declined. By 1992, a significant shift had taken place in the share of the lead/acid battery market in Europe with the result that a few companies came to influence a major proportion of battery production and sales. The reasons for this relatively fast structural change are examined. Under the pressure from continuing internal and external forces, likely outcomes for battery business in Europe are proposed as the lead/acid industry changes to meet new challenges. (orig.)

Abolition Of The Lead-Acid Battery Consumption Tax Is Suggested

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2016-01-01

Zhang Tianren,an NPC representative and chairman of Tianneng Group suggests cessation or deferment in the collection or differentiated collection of lead-acid battery consumption taxes.Lead-acid batteries play a fundamental role in China’s transport,communications,power generation and wind energy storage,smart grid

Lead cooled heterogeneous accelerator driven molten-fluoride blanket for incineration of long-lived radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopatkin, A.V.; Matyushechkin, V.M.; Tretyakov, I.T.; Blagovolin, P.P.; Kazaritsky, V.D.

1997-01-01

This paper presents a tentative design description and evaluation of the basic parameters of a lead cooled heterogeneous accelerator driven molten fluoride blanket. The proton beam of a 1 GeV accelerator strikes the blanket from below and generates spallation neutrons in the flow of lead, which serves as a target. These neutrons leave the target zone and get into a heterogeneous blanket with separated volumes of molten salts and lead. Fissile materials are dissolved in the salt. On getting into the molten salt volume the neutrons cause fission (transmutation) of the actinides, the produced heat being removed by circulation of molten lead. Two versions of the blanket design are examined. The first version: molten salt circulates in the fuel channels, while lead cools the channels flowing through the interchannel space (the salt channel design). The second version: it is lead that circulates in the channels, while molten salt takes up the interchannel space (the lead channel design). A preliminary blanket design study showed that both blanket designs possess a potential for improving performance. At present time the blanket design, mentioned above as the salt channel design, seems to be more promising. 1 ref., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Investigation of reliability attributes and accelerated stress factors on terrestrial solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Lathrop, J. W.; Prince, J. L.

1980-04-01

Three tasks were undertaken to investigate reliability attributes of terrestrial solar cells: (1) a study of the electrical behavior of cells in the second (reverse) quadrant; (2) the accelerated stress testing of three new state-of-the-art cells; and (3) the continued bias-temperature testing of four block 2 type silicon cells at 78 C and 135 C. Electrical characteristics measured in the second quadrant were determined to be a function of the cell's thermal behavior with breakdown depending on the initiation of localized heating. This implied that high breakdown cells may be more fault tolerant when forced to operate in the second quadrant, a result contrary to conventional thinking. The accelerated stress tests used in the first (power) quadrant were bias-temperature, bias-temperature-humidity, temperature-humidity, thermal shock, and thermal cycle. The new type cells measured included an EFG cell, a polycrystalline cell, and a Czochralski cell. Significant differences in the response to the various tests were observed between cell types. A microprocessed controlled, short interval solar cell tester was designed and construction initiated on a prototype.

Residual learning rates in lead-acid batteries: Effects on emerging technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matteson, Schuyler; Williams, Eric

2015-01-01

The low price of lead-acid, the most popular battery, is often used in setting cost targets for emerging energy storage technologies. Future cost reductions in lead acid batteries could increase investment and time scales needed for emerging storage technologies to reach cost-parity. In this paper the first documented model of cost reductions for lead-acid batteries is developed. Regression to a standard experience curve using 1989–2012 data yield a poor fit, with R 2 values of 0.17 for small batteries and 0.05 for larger systems. To address this problem, battery costs are separated into material and residual costs, and experience curves developed for residual costs. Depending on the year, residual costs account for 41–86% of total battery cost. Using running-time averages to address volatility in material costs, a 4-year time average experience curve for residual costs yield much higher R 2 , 0.78 for small and 0.74 for large lead-acid batteries. The learning rate for residual costs in lead-acid batteries is 20%, a discovery with policy implications. Neglecting to consider cost reductions in lead-acid batteries could result in failure of energy storage start-ups and public policy programs. Generalizing this result, learning in incumbent technologies must be understood to assess the potential of emerging ones. -- Highlights: •We analyze potential cost reductions in lead-acid batteries. •Modified experience curve for non-material costs gives good empirical fit. •Historical learning rate for non-material costs from 1985–2012 is 19–24%. •Progress in incumbent technology raises barrier to new entrants

Lifetime prediction and reliability estimation methodology for Stirling-type pulse tube refrigerators by gaseous contamination accelerated degradation testing

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Fubin; Tan, Yuanyuan; Jiang, Zhenhua; Chen, Xun; Wu, Yinong; Zhao, Peng

2017-12-01

Lifetime and reliability are the two performance parameters of premium importance for modern space Stirling-type pulse tube refrigerators (SPTRs), which are required to operate in excess of 10 years. Demonstration of these parameters provides a significant challenge. This paper proposes a lifetime prediction and reliability estimation method that utilizes accelerated degradation testing (ADT) for SPTRs related to gaseous contamination failure. The method was experimentally validated via three groups of gaseous contamination ADT. First, the performance degradation model based on mechanism of contamination failure and material outgassing characteristics of SPTRs was established. Next, a preliminary test was performed to determine whether the mechanism of contamination failure of the SPTRs during ADT is consistent with normal life testing. Subsequently, the experimental program of ADT was designed for SPTRs. Then, three groups of gaseous contamination ADT were performed at elevated ambient temperatures of 40 °C, 50 °C, and 60 °C, respectively and the estimated lifetimes of the SPTRs under normal condition were obtained through acceleration model (Arrhenius model). The results show good fitting of the degradation model with the experimental data. Finally, we obtained the reliability estimation of SPTRs through using the Weibull distribution. The proposed novel methodology enables us to take less than one year time to estimate the reliability of the SPTRs designed for more than 10 years.

Preventive maintenance basis: Volume 24 -- Battery -- flooded lead-acid (lead-calcium, lead antimony, plante). Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worledge, D.; Hinchcliffe, G.

1997-12-01

US nuclear power plants are implementing preventive maintenance (PM) tasks with little documented basis beyond fundamental vendor information to support the tasks or their intervals. The Preventive Maintenance Basis project provides utilities with the technical basis for PM tasks and task intervals associated with 40 specific components such as valves, electric motors, pumps, and HVAC equipment. This document provides a program of preventive maintenance tasks suitable for application to flooded lead-acid batteries. The PM tasks that are recommended provide a cost-effective way to intercept the causes and mechanisms that lead to degradation and failure. They can be used in conjunction with material from other sources, to develop a complete PM program or to improve an existing program. This document provides a program of preventive maintenance (PM) tasks suitable for application to flooded lead-acid batteries. The PM tasks that are recommended provide a cost-effective way to intercept the causes and mechanisms that lead to degradation and failure. They can be used, in conjunction with material from other sources, to develop a complete PM program or to improve an existing program. Users of this information will be utility managers, supervisors, system engineers, craft technicians, and training instructors responsible for developing, optimizing, or fine-tuning PM programs

Designing reliability into accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutton, A.

1992-08-01

For the next generation of high performance, high average luminosity colliders, the ''factories,'' reliability engineering must be introduced right at the inception of the project and maintained as a central theme throughout the project. There are several aspects which will be addressed separately: Concept; design; motivation; management techniques; and fault diagnosis

Accelerator-Driven Thorium Cycle: New Technology Makes It Feasible

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, Marvin; Best, Fred; Kurwitz, Cable; McInturff, Al; McIntyre, Peter; Rogers, Bob; Sattarov, Akhdior; Wu Zeyun; Yavuz, Mustafa; Meitzler, Charles

2002-01-01

We have developed a conceptual design for an accelerator-driven thorium cycle power reactor which addresses the issues of accelerator performance, reliability, and neutronics that limited earlier designs. The proton drive beam is provided by a flux-coupled stack of isochronous cyclotrons, occupying the same footprint as a single cyclotron but providing 7 independent beams from 7 separate accelerating structures within a common magnetic envelope. The core is arranged in a hexagonal lattice, and the 7 beams are used to provide a hexagonal drive beam pattern so that the effective neutron gain is relatively uniform over the entire core volume. Reliability is achieved by redundancy: if any drive beam is interrupted, the other 6 suffice to maintain reactor operation. A new approach to fuel cladding should make it possible to operate with lead moderator at temperatures ∼ 800 C, enabling access to advanced heat cycles and perhaps to a Brayton cycle for hydrogen production. (authors)

Association of Lead Exposure, Serum Uric Acid and Parameters of Renal Function in Nigerian Lead-Exposed Workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DD Alasia

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The presence of hyperuricemia and renal function impairment, especially in the absence of urate stone formation is strongly suggestive of lead nephropathy. The evaluation of this association is essential in areas where lead exposure is still prevalent and uncontrolled. Objective: To determine the relationship between serum uric acid and renal function indices in lead-exposed workers. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 190 adults with occupational lead exposure and 80 adults (comparison group, matched for age and sex was performed in Port Harcourt, South-south Nigeria. Blood lead was used as the biomarker of lead exposure while serum urea, serum creatinine, urine albumin (using urine albumin:creatinine ratio, estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR and serum uric acid were the renal function indices measured. Results: Occupationally lead-exposed subjects had a significantly (p = 0.008 higher mean±SD blood lead levels (50.37±24.58 μg/dL than the comparison group (41.40±26.85. The mean±SD serum urea (8.6±2.3 mg/dL, creatinine (1.0±0.2 mg/dL and serum uric acid (4.6±1.2 mg/dL were significantly (p < 0.01 higher in the study subjects than the comparison group (7.6±2.4, 0.9±0.2, and 3.9±1.1 mg/dL, respectively. The mean±SD creatinine clearance was significantly (p = 0.002 lower in the study subjects than the comparison group (98.9±21.3 vs. 108.2±25.2 mL/min/1.72 m2. Serum uric acid level correlated positively with serum creatinine (r = 0.134 and negatively with GFR (r = ‑0.151. Conclusion: People with occupational lead exposure are at risk of developing hyperuricemia and renal impairment.

Thermo-physical stability of fatty acid eutectic mixtures subjected to accelerated aging for thermal energy storage (TES) application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fauzi, Hadi; Metselaar, Hendrik S.C.; Mahlia, T.M.I.; Silakhori, Mahyar

2014-01-01

The thermo-physical stability of fatty acids eutectic mixtures subjected to accelerated number of melting/solidification processes has been identified using thermal cycling test in this study. Myristic acid/palmitic acid (MA/PA) (70/30, wt.%) and myristic acid/palmitic acid/sodium stearate (MA/PA/SS) (70/30/5, wt.%) were selected as eutectic phase change materials (PCMs) to evaluate their stability of phase transition temperature, latent heat of fusion, chemical structure, and volume changes after 200, 500, 1000, and 1500 thermal cycles. The thermal properties of each eutectic PCMs measured by differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) indicated the phase transition temperature and latent heat of fusion values of MA/PA/SS has a smallest changes after 1500 thermal cycles than MA/PA eutectic mixture. MA/PA/SS also has a better chemical structure stability and smaller volume change which is 1.2%, compared to MA/PA with a volume change of 1.6% after 1500 cycles. Therefore, it is concluded that the MA/PA/SS eutectic mixture is suitable for use as a phase change material in thermal energy storage (TES) such as solar water heating and solar space heating applications. - Highlights: •The prepared MA/PA and MA/PA/SS were used as eutectic phase change materials (PCM). •Thermo-physical reliability of eutectic PCMs evaluated using a thermal cycling test. •MA/PA/SS has a great thermo-physical stability than MA/PA after 1500 thermal cycles

Reliability of solid-state lighting electrical drivers subjected to WHTOL accelerated aging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lall, Pradeep; Sakalauku, Peter; Davis, Lynn

2014-05-27

An investigation of a solid-state lighting (SSL) luminaire with the focus on the electronic driver which has been exposed to a standard wet hot temperature operating life (WHTOL) of 85% RH and 85°C in order to assess reliability of prolonged exposer to a harsh environment has been conducted. SSL luminaires are beginning introduced as head lamps in some of today's luxury automobiles and may also be fulfilling a variety of important outdoor applications such as overhead street lamps, traffic signals and landscape lighting. SSL luminaires in these environments are almost certain to encounter excessive moisture from humidity and high temperatures for a persistent period of time. The lack of accelerated test methods for LEDs to assess long-term reliability prior to introduction into the marketplace, a need for SSL physics based PHM modeling indicators for assessment and prediction of LED life, as well as the U.S. Department of Energy's R&D roadmap to replace todays lighting with SSL luminaires makes it important to increase the understanding of the reliability of SSL devices, specifically, in harsh environment applications. In this work, a set of SSL electrical drivers were investigated to determine failure mechanisms that occur during prolonged harsh environment applications. Each driver consists of four aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) of three different types and was considered the weakest component inside the SSL electrical driver. The reliability of the electrical driver was assessed by monitoring the change in capacitance and the change in equivalent series resistance for each AEC, as well as monitoring the luminous flux of the SSL luminaire or the output of the electrical driver. The luminous flux of a pristine SSL electrical driver was also monitored in order to detect minute changes in the electrical drivers output and to aid in the investigation of the SSL luminaires reliability. The failure mechanisms of the electrical drivers have been

[Inhibition rate of gamma-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity in erythrocytes as a reliable index for individual workers of low lead exposure].

Science.gov (United States)

Hirano, H; Omichi, M; Ohishi, H; Ishikawa, K; Hirashima, N

1983-09-01

As the delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity in erythrocytes is decreased by lead exposure, we considered that a net reduction of ALAD activity by lead in blood should be the difference between the activity fully activated with zinc (Zn2+) and dithiothreitol (DTT) and that without activation. The optimal condition of activation of ALAD was found by addition of 0.25 mM of Zn2+ and 10 mM of DTT in the reaction mixture. Judging from our previous results that the amount of inhibition of ALAD activity can be represented as the rate of inhibition and is closely correlated with the dose of lead administered to rabbits, the inhibition rate of ALAD activity and lead content in blood (Pb-B) of lead workers were measured. The scatter diagram obtained from the inhibition rate and lead content in blood has two groups being divided at 50 micrograms/ml of Pb-B. In one group less than 50 micrograms/100 ml of Pb-B, the inhibition rate has been closely related to Pb-B., the regression equation being Y = 1.82 X + 11.7, and the correlation coefficient + 0.926. In another group more than 50 micrograms/100 ml of Pb-B the inhibition rate remained constant at the 90% level. Measurement of the inhibition rate suggests to have practical validity for monitoring lead exposure in workers, and by means of a nomograph lead content in blood can be estimated from the inhibition rate.

Feasibility study concerning a possible layout for a lead-ion injector for the CERN accelerator complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haseroth, H.; Lombardi, A.; Weiss, M.

1987-01-01

A possible machine layout for acceleration of lead ions is presented, based on the experience gained with the successful - but painful - acceleration of oxygen ions in the CERN Linac. The scenario consists of an ECR source, a RFQ and an Alvarez Linac. One has tried to optimize the parameters within the restrictions of the space available, keeping in mind the requirements and desiderata of the subsequent machines

Reliability data collection on IC and VLSI devices tested under accelerated life conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barry, D.M.; Meniconi, M.

1986-01-01

As part of a more general investigation into the reliability and failure causes of semiconductor devices, statistical samples of integrated circuit devices (LM741C) and dynamic random access memory devices (TMS4116) were tested destructively to failure using elevated temperature as the accelerating stress. The devices were operated during the life test and the failure data generated were collected automatically using a multiple question-and-answer program and a process control computer. The failure data were modelled from the lognormal, inverse Gaussian and Weibull distribution using an Arrhenius reaction rate model. The failed devices were later decapsulated for failure cause determination. (orig./DG)

Recycling of spent lead/acid batteries. The case of Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zabaniotou, A.; Kouskoumvekaki, E.; Sanopoulos, D.

1999-01-01

In this study, the application of modern recycling technologies in accordance with the European and Greek legislation, aiming at the recovery of lead, polypropylene and sulfuric acid from spent lead (Pb)/acid batteries, is presented. The present state of their disposal and exploitation is also depicted. The international situation is reviewed, the general trends are marked and the main technologies related to lead/acid battery treatment are reported. General recommendations are given regarding the collection of spent batteries and the installation of a recycling plant in Greece. A sensitivity analysis is carried out in order to define the most significant parameters affecting the viability of a recycling scheme. The present study proves that a possible installation of a Pb/acid batteries recycling process unit, treating 17 000 t/year (estimated total quantity) and situated in the industrial area of the greater Athens region, seems to be economically profitable. The already existing operation of small-scale battery recycling plants, common in small countries, should be discouraged as they demonstrate a rather not environmentally acceptable recycling operation

Leveraging accelerated testing of LED drivers to model the reliability of two-stage and multi-channel drivers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, Lynn; Perkins, Curtis; Smith, Aaron; Clark, Terry; Mills, Karmann

2017-05-30

The next wave of LED lighting technology is likely to be tunable white lighting (TWL) devices which can adjust the colour of the emitted light between warm white (~ 2700 K) and cool white (~ 6500 K). This type of lighting system uses LED assemblies of two or more colours each controlled by separate driver channels that independently adjust the current levels to achieve the desired lighting colour. Drivers used in TWL devices are inherently more complex than those found in simple SSL devices, due to the number of electrical components in the driver required to achieve this level of control. The reliability of such lighting systems can only be studied using accelerated stress tests (AST) that accelerate the aging process to time frames that can be accommodated in laboratory testing. This paper describes AST methods and findings developed from AST data that provide insights into the lifetime of the main components of one-channel and multi-channel LED devices. The use of AST protocols to confirm product reliability is necessary to ensure that the technology can meet the performance and lifetime requirements of the intended application.

Elution of lead from lead zirconate titanate ceramics to acid rain

Science.gov (United States)

Tsurumi, Takaaki; Takezawa, Shuhei; Hoshina, Takuya; Takeda, Hiroaki

2017-10-01

The amount of lead that eluted from lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics to artificial acid rain was evaluated. Four kinds of PZT ceramics, namely, pure PZT at MPB composition, CuO-added PZT, PZT with 10 mol % substitution of Ba for Pb, and CuO-added PZT with 10 mol % substitution of Ba for Pb, were used as samples of the elution test. These PZT ceramics of 8 mm2 and 1.1-1.2 mm thickness were suspended in 300 ml of H2SO4 solution of pH 4.0. The concentration of lead eluted from PZT was in the range from 0.2 to 0.8 ppm. It was found that both liquid phase formation by the addition of CuO and the substitution of Ba for Pb were effective to reduce the amount of lead that eluted. By fitting the leaching out curve with a classical equation, a master curve assuming no sampling effect was obtained. The lead concentration evaluated from the amount of lead that eluted from a commercial PZT plate to H2SO4 solution of pH 5.3 was almost the same as the limit in city water. It is concluded that PZT is not harmful to health and the environment and the amount of lead that eluted from PZT can be controlled by modifying PZT composition.

The impact of the new 36 V lead-acid battery systems on lead consumption

Science.gov (United States)

Prengaman, R. David

The production of vehicles utilizing 36 V battery systems has begun with the introduction of the Toyota Crown. Other vehicles with 36 V batteries are in the near horizon. These vehicles may contain single or dual battery systems. These vehicles will most likely contain valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries. The battery systems developed to date utilize significantly more lead than conventional 12 V batteries. This paper will evaluate the different proposed 36 V battery systems and estimate the lead requirements for each of the competing systems. It will also project the penetration of and resultant increased lead usage of these new batteries into the future.

The lead-acid eloflux cell. Research tool and candidate for advanced batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kullmeine, U.; Kappus, W.

1982-12-01

The discharge capacity of usual lead-acid cells is limited by several mechanisms among which acid depletion is the most incisive. It is shown that the use of the so-called eloflux principle which is characterized by the flow of electrolyte through the porous electrodes, allows a significant deepe discharge and that by avoiding acid depletion the study of the other limiting processes and their functional dependence on the discharge conditions is possible. From the results it is concluded that an eloflux lead-acid cell is a promising candidate for advanced batteries with high energy density and performance.

Requirements of a proton beam accelerator for an accelerator-driven reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, H.; Zhao, Y.; Tsoupas, N.; An, Y.; Yamazaki, Y.

1997-01-01

When the authors first proposed an accelerator-driven reactor, the concept was opposed by physicists who had earlier used the accelerator for their physics experiments. This opposition arose because they had nuisance experiences in that the accelerator was not reliable, and very often disrupted their work as the accelerator shut down due to electric tripping. This paper discusses the requirements for the proton beam accelerator. It addresses how to solve the tripping problem and how to shape the proton beam

Betatron radiation from a laser-plasma accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnell, Michael

2014-01-01

The presented thesis investigates the processes which lead to the generation of highenergetic X-ray radiation, also known as ''betatron radiation'', by means of a relativistic laser-plasma interaction. The generated betatron radiation has been extensively characterized by measuring its radiated intensity, energy distribution, far-field beam profile, and source size. It was shown for the first time that betatron radiation can be used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to retrieve very subtle information on the electron acceleration dynamics within the plasma wave. Furthermore, a compact polarimeter setup has been developed in a unique experiment in which the polarization state of the laser-plasma generated betatron radiation was measured in single-shot mode. This lead to a detailed study of the orientation of the electron trajectory within the plasma interaction. By controlling the injection of the electrons into the plasma wave it was demonstrated that one can tune the polarization state of the emitted X-rays. This result is very promising for further applications, particularly for feeding the electrons into an additional conventional accelerator or a permanent magnet based undulator for the production of intense X-ray beams. During this work, the experimental setup for accelerating electrons and generating high-energy X-ray beams was consistently improved: to enhance both its reliability and stability. Subsequently, the betatron radiation was used as a reliable diagnostic tool of the electron dynamics within the plasma. Parallel to the experimental work, 3-Dimensional Particle-In-Cell (3D-PlC) simulations were performed together with colleagues from the University of Duesseldorf. The simulations included the electron acceleration and the X-ray generation processes together with the recoil force acting on an accelerating electron caused by the emitted radiation during which one can also ascertain its polarization state. The simulations proved to be in good agreement

Accelerated anaerobic dechlorination of DDT in slurry with Hydragric Acrisols using citric acid and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS).

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Cuiying; Xu, Xianghua; Fan, Jianling

2015-12-01

The application of electron donor and electron shuttle substances has a vital influence on electron transfer, thus may affect the reductive dechlorination of 1,1,1-trichoro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) in anaerobic reaction systems. To evaluate the roles of citric acid and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) in accelerating the reductive dechlorination of DDT in Hydragric Acrisols that contain abundant iron oxide, a batch anaerobic incubation experiment was conducted in a slurry system with four treatments of (1) control, (2) citric acid, (3) AQDS, and (4) citric acid+AQDS. Results showed that DDT residues decreased by 78.93%-92.11% of the initial quantities after 20days of incubation, and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-ethane (DDD) was the dominant metabolite. The application of citric acid accelerated DDT dechlorination slightly in the first 8days, while the methanogenesis rate increased quickly, and then the acceleration effect improved after the 8th day while the methanogenesis rate decreased. The amendment by AQDS decreased the Eh value of the reaction system and accelerated microbial reduction of Fe(III) oxides to generate Fe(II), which was an efficient electron donor, thus enhancing the reductive dechlorination rate of DDT. The addition of citric acid+AQDS was most efficient in stimulating DDT dechlorination, but no significant interaction between citric acid and AQDS on DDT dechlorination was observed. The results will be of great significance for developing an efficient in situ remediation strategy for DDT-contaminated sites. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Reversible surface binding of cadmium and lead by lactic acid and bifidobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Teemu, Halttunen; Seppo, Salminen; Jussi, Meriluoto; Raija, Tahvonen; Kalle, Lertola

2008-07-15

Extensive cadmium and lead contamination of water has been reported to occur locally as a result of human activities. Lactic acid bacteria have been reported to remove cadmium and lead from water. The aim of this work was to clarify the mechanisms of cadmium and lead removal from water. In addition, the effect of other metals, reversibility of binding and recyclability of the biomass was assessed. Based on our earlier data, the two most promising lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus fermentum ME3 and Bifidobacterium longum 46, were selected for these experiments. The results showed that the presence of other cationic metals and blocking of carboxyl and phosphoryl groups reduced cadmium and lead removal. These results suggest involvement of electrostatic interactions in cadmium and lead removal, and support our earlier findings. Transmission electron micrographs showed large deposits of lead on the bacterial surface suggesting formation of metallic lead precipitates. Both cadmium and lead removal were reversible processes established by full recovery of removed metal after desorption with dilute solutions of EDTA and HNO(3). Resorption capacity of both biomasses tested was reduced after regeneration with 10 mM EDTA and 15 mM HNO(3). Taken together, the results suggest involvement of several reversible mechanisms such as ion exchange and precipitation in cadmium and lead binding by lactic acid bacteria. The results show that specific lactic acid bacteria have the potential for removal of cadmium and lead from water although reduction in resorption capacity after regeneration of the biomass may form a problem. Since the studies so far have mainly focused on removal of single metals from pure water, metal removal in conditions of natural waters should be assessed in further experiments.

Selection of flowing liquid lead target structural materials for accelerator driven transmutation applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, J.J.; Buksa, J.J.

1994-01-01

The beam entry window and container for a liquid lead spallation target will be exposed to high fluxes of protons and neutrons that are both higher in magnitude and energy than have been experienced in proton accelerators and fission reactors, as well as in a corrosive environment. The structural material of the target should have a good compatibility with liquid lead, a sufficient mechanical strength at elevated temperatures, a good performance under an intense irradiation environment, and a low neutron absorption cross section; these factors have been used to rank the applicability of a wide range of materials for structural containment Nb-1Zr has been selected for use as the structural container for the LANL ABC/ATW molten lead target. Corrosion and mass transfer behavior for various candidate structural materials in liquid lead are reviewed, together with the beneficial effects of inhibitors and various coatings to protect substrate against liquid lead corrosion. Mechanical properties of some candidate materials at elevated temperatures and the property changes resulting from 800 MeV proton irradiation are also reviewed

A low-cost lead-acid battery with high specific-energy

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Lightweight grids for lead-acid battery grids have been prepared from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) copolymer followed by coating with lead. Subsequently, the grids have been electrochemically coated with a conductive and corrosion-resistant layer of polyaniline. These grids are about 75% lighter than those ...

A low-cost lead-acid battery with high specific-energy

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

Abstract. Lightweight grids for lead-acid battery grids have been prepared from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) copolymer followed by coating with lead. Subsequently, the grids have been electro- chemically coated with a conductive and corrosion-resistant layer of polyaniline. These grids are about. 75% lighter than ...

Bipolar lead-acid battery for hybrid electric vehicles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schmal, D.; Saakes, M.; Veen, W.R. ter; Raadschelders, J.W.; Have, P.T.J.H. ten

2000-01-01

In hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) the requirements on batteries are very different from those for battery electric vehicles (BEV). A high power (bipolar) lead-acid battery could be a good alternative for other types of batteries under development for this application. It is potentially cheap and

Accelerated stress testing of terrestrial solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Lathrop, J. W.; Hawkins, D. C.; Prince, J. L.; Walker, H. A.

1982-01-01

The development of an accelerated test schedule for terrestrial solar cells is described. This schedule, based on anticipated failure modes deduced from a consideration of IC failure mechanisms, involves bias-temperature testing, humidity testing (including both 85-85 and pressure cooker stress), and thermal-cycle thermal-shock testing. Results are described for 12 different unencapsulated cell types. Both gradual electrical degradation and sudden catastrophic mechanical change were observed. These effects can be used to discriminate between cell types and technologies relative to their reliability attributes. Consideration is given to identifying laboratory failure modes which might lead to severe degradation in the field through second quadrant operation. Test results indicate that the ability of most cell types to withstand accelerated stress testing depends more on the manufacturer's design, processing, and worksmanship than on the particular metallization system. Preliminary tests comparing accelerated test results on encapsulated and unencapsulated cells are described.

Reliability of lead-free solder joints with different PCB surface finishes under thermal cycling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia Yanghua [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)], E-mail: xia_yanghua@hotmail.com; Xie Xiaoming [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2008-04-24

The reliability of lead-free electronic assemblies under thermal cycling was investigated. Thin small outline package (TSOP) devices with FeNi leads were reflow soldered on FR4 PCB (printed circuit board) with Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu (wt%) solder. The effects of different PCB finishes (organic solderability preservative (OSP) and electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG)) were studied. The results show that OSP finish reveals better performance than its ENIG counterparts. The crack originates at the fringe of heel fillet in both cases. The propagation of crack in the ENIG case is along the device/solder interface, while in the case of OSP, the crack extends parallel to the solder/PCB interface. When the OSP finishes are employed, many Cu6Sn5 precipitates form inside the bulk solder and have a strengthening effect on the solder joint, resulting in better reliability performance as compared to those with ENIG finishes.

Adjoint sensitivity analysis procedure of Markov chains with applications on reliability of IFMIF accelerator-system facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balan, I.

2005-05-01

This work presents the implementation of the Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Procedure (ASAP) for the Continuous Time, Discrete Space Markov chains (CTMC), as an alternative to the other computational expensive methods. In order to develop this procedure as an end product in reliability studies, the reliability of the physical systems is analyzed using a coupled Fault-Tree - Markov chain technique, i.e. the abstraction of the physical system is performed using as the high level interface the Fault-Tree and afterwards this one is automatically converted into a Markov chain. The resulting differential equations based on the Markov chain model are solved in order to evaluate the system reliability. Further sensitivity analyses using ASAP applied to CTMC equations are performed to study the influence of uncertainties in input data to the reliability measures and to get the confidence in the final reliability results. The methods to generate the Markov chain and the ASAP for the Markov chain equations have been implemented into the new computer code system QUEFT/MARKOMAGS/MCADJSEN for reliability and sensitivity analysis of physical systems. The validation of this code system has been carried out by using simple problems for which analytical solutions can be obtained. Typical sensitivity results show that the numerical solution using ASAP is robust, stable and accurate. The method and the code system developed during this work can be used further as an efficient and flexible tool to evaluate the sensitivities of reliability measures for any physical system analyzed using the Markov chain. Reliability and sensitivity analyses using these methods have been performed during this work for the IFMIF Accelerator System Facilities. The reliability studies using Markov chain have been concentrated around the availability of the main subsystems of this complex physical system for a typical mission time. The sensitivity studies for two typical responses using ASAP have been

Enhanced dimethyl phthalate biodegradation by accelerating phthalic acid di-oxygenation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yingxia; Zhang, Yongming; Jiang, Ling; Yang, Chao; Rittmann, Bruce E

2017-12-01

The aerobic biodegradation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) is initiated with two hydrolysis reactions that generate an intermediate, phthalic acid (PA), that is further biodegraded through a two-step di-oxygenation reaction. DMP biodegradation is inhibited when PA accumulates, but DMP's biodegradation can be enhanced by adding an exogenous electron donor. We evaluated the effect of adding succinate, acetate, or formate as an exogenous electron donor. PA removal rates were increased by 15 and 30% for initial PA concentrations of 0.3 and 0.6 mM when 0.15 and 0.30 mM succinate, respectively, were added as exogenous electron donor. The same electron-equivalent additions of acetate and formate had the same acceleration impacts on PA removal. Consequently, the DMP-removal rate, even PA coexisting with DMP simultaneously, was accelerated by 37% by simultaneous addition of 0.3 mM succinate. Thus, lowering the accumulation of PA by addition of an electron increased the rate of DMP biodegradation.

Reliable gastric tonometry after coronary artery surgery : need for acid secretion suppression despite transient failure of acid secretion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bams, JL; Kolkman, JJ; Roukens, MP; Douma, DPN; Loef, BG; Meuwissen, SGM; Groeneveld, ABJ

1998-01-01

Objective:To study the need for suppression of gastric acid secretion for reliable intragastric partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) tonometry by evaluating the effect of an oral dose of: sodium bicarbonate before and after administration of the H-2-blocker ranitidine to mimic CO2 generation

Reliable gastric tonometry after coronary artery surgery : need for acid secretion suppression despite transient failure of acid secretion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bams, JL; Kolkman, JJ; Roukens, MP; Douma, DPN; Loef, BG; Meuwissen, SGM; Groeneveld, ABJ

Objective:To study the need for suppression of gastric acid secretion for reliable intragastric partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) tonometry by evaluating the effect of an oral dose of: sodium bicarbonate before and after administration of the H-2-blocker ranitidine to mimic CO2 generation

Tissue depletion of taurine accelerates skeletal muscle senescence and leads to early death in mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takashi Ito

Full Text Available Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid is found in milimolar concentrations in mammalian tissues. One of its main functions is osmoregulation; however, it also exhibits cytoprotective activity by diminishing injury caused by stress and disease. Taurine depletion is associated with several defects, many of which are found in the aging animal, suggesting that taurine might exert anti-aging actions. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the hypothesis that taurine depletion accelerates aging by reducing longevity and accelerating aging-associated tissue damage. Tissue taurine depletion in taurine transporter knockout (TauTKO mouse was found to shorten lifespan and accelerate skeletal muscle histological and functional defects, including an increase in central nuclei containing myotubes, a reduction in mitochondrial complex 1 activity and an induction in an aging biomarker, Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 inhibitor A (p16INK4a. Tissue taurine depletion also enhances unfolded protein response (UPR, which may be associated with an improvement in protein folding by taurine. Our data reveal that tissue taurine depletion affects longevity and cellular senescence; an effect possibly linked to a disturbance in protein folding.

Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon ages of amino acid extracts from Californian palaeoindian skeletons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bada, J.L.; Gillespie, R.; Gowlett, J.A.J.; Hedges, R.E.M.

1984-01-01

The authors have used accelerator mass spectrometry to determine the radiocarbon ages of the amino acid extracts used in the original racemization studies of skeletal remains found in California. The studies indicate that some of the controversial Californian skeletons, which had been assigned to the Upper Pleistocene, are in fact Holocene. (author)

Studies of doped negative valve-regulated lead-acid battery electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Micka, K. [J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, ASCR, 182 23 Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Calabek, M.; Baca, P.; Krivak, P.; Labus, R.; Bilko, R. [Department of Electrotechnology, University of Technology, 602 00 Brno (Czech Republic)

2009-06-01

Accelerated cycling in the partial state of charge regime showed conclusively that the improvement in cycle life of negative lead accumulator electrodes can be brought about not only by the addition of various sorts of powdered carbon into the active mass but also by the addition of other powdered inert materials like glass fibers, alumina, or titanium dioxide. Steric hindrance of the crystallization of lead sulfate in the electrode pores evidenced by ESEM microphotographs is considered as the main reason for this effect. The added powdered substances were practically without influence on the hydrogen overpotential; and their effect on the active material resistance was also negligible. (author)

Acids with an equivalent taste lead to different erosion of human dental enamel.

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, Markus; Reichert, Jörg; Bossert, Jörg; Sigusch, Bernd W; Watts, David C; Jandt, Klaus D

2011-10-01

The consumption of acidic soft drinks may lead to demineralization and softening of human dental enamel, known as dental erosion. The aims of this in vitro study were to determine: (i) if different acids with a similar sensorial acidic taste lead to different hardness loss of enamel and (ii) if the fruit acids tartaric, malic, lactic or ascorbic acid lead to less hardness loss of enamel than citric or phosphoric acid when their concentration in solution is based on an equivalent sensorial acidic taste. Enamel samples of non-erupted human third molars were treated with acidic solutions of tartaric (TA), malic (MA), lactic (LA), ascorbic (AA), phosphoric (PA) and citric (CA) acids with a concentration that gave an equivalent sensorial acidic taste. The acidic solutions were characterized by pH value and titratable acidity. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) based nanoindentation was used to study the nano mechanical properties and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study the morphology of the treated enamel samples and the untreated control areas, respectively. The investigated acids fell into two groups. The nano hardnesses of MA, TA and CA treated enamel samples (group I) were statistically significantly greater (penamel samples (group II). Within each group the nano hardness was not statistically significantly different (p>0.05). The SEM micrographs showed different etch prism morphologies depending on the acid used. In vitro, the acids investigated led to different erosion effects on human dental enamel, despite their equivalent sensorial acidic taste. This has not been reported previously. Copyright © 2011 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RAMI analysis and modeling for the LANSCE accelerator systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macek, R.J.; Wilkinson, C.A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM (United States)

1995-10-01

Reliability, availability, maintainability, and inspectability (RAMI) have become important issues for the high-power machines being planned for applications such as accelerator transmutation of nuclear waste (ATW), accelerator production of tritium (APT) and the next generation spallation neutron source. Beam reliability and beam availability are vitally important specifications to the present users of accelerator-driven spallation neutron sources, synchrotron light sources and medical accelerators. At Los Alamos, improved beam availability is a key goal in the planned LANSCE improvement program. Clearly, the capability to adequately model and predict the reliability and availability of complex accelerator systems will be of great value in assessing and optimizing RAMI measures in accelerator design and improvement programs. To date, no major accelerator project has developed comprehensive reliability models although the Advance Photon Source at ANL has started work on reliability analysis for selected subsystems. In this paper the authors discuss their experience in developing RAMI analysis and modeling for the LANSCE Accelerator Systems. Progress has been made in developing suitable measures and functions to characterize user risk, in logging of needed data on failure rates and repair/down times, and in developing a first-pass RAMI model for selected subsystems. Plans have been made for a more complete RAMI model. In addition, the authors discuss their experience in the use of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methodology for estimation of the reliability of active, instrumentation-based, radiation safety systems at LANSCE.

Hybrid systems with lead-acid battery and proton-exchange membrane fuel cell

Science.gov (United States)

Jossen, Andreas; Garche, Juergen; Doering, Harry; Goetz, Markus; Knaupp, Werner; Joerissen, Ludwig

Hybrid systems, based on a lead-acid battery and a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) give the possibility to combine the advantages of both technologies. The benefits for different applications are discussed and the practical realisation of such systems is shown. Furthermore a numerical model for such a hybrid system is described and results are shown and discussed. The results show that the combination of lead-acid batteries and PEMFC shows advantages in case of applications with high peak power requirements (i.e. electric scooter) and applications where the fuel cell is used as auxiliary power supply to recharge the battery. The high efficiency of fuel cells at partial load operation results in a good fuel economy for recharging of lead-acid batteries with a fuel cell system.

Lecture 8: Data Reliability at CERN and Ideas on How to Improve it

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2013-01-01

The talk will give an overview of data management activities at CERN focusing on the ongoing research activities aiming to improve data and service reliability. Alberto Pace is a member if the IT department at CERN where he leads the Data and Storage services group ensuring a coherent development process for Physics Data management activities, strongly driven by operational and user needs. He has more than 25 years experience in computing services, infrastructure, software engineering, accelerator control and accelerator operation. He graduated in Electronic Engineering from Politecnico di Milano (Italy).

Predicting state of charge of lead-acid batteries for hybrid electric vehicles by extended Kalman filter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasebi, A.; Bathaee, S.M.T.; Partovibakhsh, M.

2008-01-01

This paper describes and introduces a new nonlinear predictor and a novel battery model for estimating the state of charge (SoC) of lead-acid batteries for hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). Many problems occur for a traditional SoC indicator, such as offset, drift and long term state divergence, therefore this paper proposes a technique based on the extended Kalman filter (EKF) in order to overcome these problems. The underlying dynamic behavior of each cell is modeled using two capacitors (bulk and surface) and three resistors (terminal, surface and end). The SoC is determined from the voltage present on the bulk capacitor. In this new model, the value of the surface capacitor is constant, whereas the value of the bulk capacitor is not. Although the structure of the model, with two constant capacitors, has been previously reported for lithium-ion cells, this model can also be valid and reliable for lead-acid cells when used in conjunction with an EKF to estimate SoC (with a little variation). Measurements using real-time road data are used to compare the performance of conventional internal resistance (R int ) based methods for estimating SoC with those predicted from the proposed state estimation schemes. The results show that the proposed method is superior to the more traditional techniques, with accuracy in estimating the SoC within 3%

Exploration of multi-fold symmetry element-loaded superconducting radio frequency structure for reliable acceleration of low- & medium-beta ion species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Shichun; Geng, Rongli

2015-09-01

Reliable acceleration of low- to medium-beta proton or heavy ion species is needed for future high-current superconducting radio frequency (SRF) accelerators. Due to the high-Q nature of an SRF resonator, it is sensitive to many factors such as electron loading (from either the accelerated beam or from parasitic field emitted electrons), mechanical vibration, and liquid helium bath pressure fluctuation etc. To increase the stability against those factors, a mechanically strong and stable RF structure is desirable. Guided by this consideration, multi-fold symmetry element-loaded SRF structures (MFSEL), cylindrical tanks with multiple (n>=3) rod-shaped radial elements, are being explored. The top goal of its optimization is to improve mechanical stability. A natural consequence of this structure is a lowered ratio of the peak surface electromagnetic field to the acceleration gradient as compared to the traditional spoke cavity. A disadvantage of this new structure is an increased size for a fixed resonant frequency and optimal beta. This paper describes the optimization of the electro-magnetic (EM) design and preliminary mechanical analysis for such structures.

Lead/acid batteries for photovoltaic applications. Test results and modelling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Copetti, J B [CIEMAT, Inst. de Energias Renovables, Madrid (Spain); Chenlo, F [CIEMAT, Inst. de Energias Renovables, Madrid (Spain)

1994-01-01

This work presents the results of experiments carried out on lead/acid batteries during charge and discharge processes at different currents and temperatures, selected to a cover a large range of operating conditions, including those encountered in photovoltaic (PV) system applications. The results allow us to verify the relations among the battery external parameters (voltage, current, state-of-charge and temperature), the behaviour of the internal resistance, and to deduce a model that represents the discharge and charge processes, including the overcharge. Finally, normalized equations with respect to the battery capacity are proposed, which allow us to fix the values of parameters and hence the model is valid for any type and size of lead/acid battery. (orig.)

Exploration of reliability databases and comparison of former IFMIF's results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tapia, Carlos; Dies, Javier; Abal, Javier; Ibarra, Angel; Arroyo, Jose M.

2011-01-01

There is an uncertainty issue about the applicability of industrial databases to new designs, such as the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF), as they usually contain elements for which no historical statistics exist. The exploration of common components reliability data in Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) and Liquid Metal Technologies (LMT) frameworks is the milestone to analyze the data used in IFMIF reliability's reports and for future studies. The comparison between the reliability accelerator results given in the former IFMIF's reports and the databases explored has been made by means of a new accelerator Reliability, Availability, Maintainability (RAM) analysis. The reliability database used in this analysis is traceable.

Performance and Reliability of Bonded Interfaces for High-Temperature Packaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paret, Paul P [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-08-02

Sintered silver has proven to be a promising candidate for use as a die-attach and substrate-attach material in automotive power electronics components. It holds promise of greater reliability than lead-based and lead-free solders, especially at higher temperatures (>200 degrees C). Accurate predictive lifetime models of sintered silver need to be developed and its failure mechanisms thoroughly characterized before it can be deployed as a die-attach or substrate-attach material in wide-bandgap device-based packages. Mechanical characterization tests that result in stress-strain curves and accelerated tests that produce cycles-to-failure result will be conducted. Also, we present a finite element method (FEM) modeling methodology that can offer greater accuracy in predicting the failure of sintered silver under accelerated thermal cycling. A fracture mechanics-based approach is adopted in the FEM model, and J-integral/thermal cycle values are computed.

Scaled CMOS Technology Reliability Users Guide

Science.gov (United States)

White, Mark

2010-01-01

The desire to assess the reliability of emerging scaled microelectronics technologies through faster reliability trials and more accurate acceleration models is the precursor for further research and experimentation in this relevant field. The effect of semiconductor scaling on microelectronics product reliability is an important aspect to the high reliability application user. From the perspective of a customer or user, who in many cases must deal with very limited, if any, manufacturer's reliability data to assess the product for a highly-reliable application, product-level testing is critical in the characterization and reliability assessment of advanced nanometer semiconductor scaling effects on microelectronics reliability. A methodology on how to accomplish this and techniques for deriving the expected product-level reliability on commercial memory products are provided.Competing mechanism theory and the multiple failure mechanism model are applied to the experimental results of scaled SDRAM products. Accelerated stress testing at multiple conditions is applied at the product level of several scaled memory products to assess the performance degradation and product reliability. Acceleration models are derived for each case. For several scaled SDRAM products, retention time degradation is studied and two distinct soft error populations are observed with each technology generation: early breakdown, characterized by randomly distributed weak bits with Weibull slope (beta)=1, and a main population breakdown with an increasing failure rate. Retention time soft error rates are calculated and a multiple failure mechanism acceleration model with parameters is derived for each technology. Defect densities are calculated and reflect a decreasing trend in the percentage of random defective bits for each successive product generation. A normalized soft error failure rate of the memory data retention time in FIT/Gb and FIT/cm2 for several scaled SDRAM generations is

Note: An online testing method for lifetime projection of high power light-emitting diode under accelerated reliability test.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qi; Chen, Quan; Luo, Xiaobing

2014-09-01

In recent years, due to the fast development of high power light-emitting diode (LED), its lifetime prediction and assessment have become a crucial issue. Although the in situ measurement has been widely used for reliability testing in laser diode community, it has not been applied commonly in LED community. In this paper, an online testing method for LED life projection under accelerated reliability test was proposed and the prototype was built. The optical parametric data were collected. The systematic error and the measuring uncertainty were calculated to be within 0.2% and within 2%, respectively. With this online testing method, experimental data can be acquired continuously and sufficient amount of data can be gathered. Thus, the projection fitting accuracy can be improved (r(2) = 0.954) and testing duration can be shortened.

The linear proton accelerator for the MYRRHA-ADS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandeplassche, D.; Medeiros Ramao, L.

2013-01-01

The article discusses the development of a linear proton accelerator for the MYRRHA Accelerator Driven System (ADS). The linear proton accelerator provides a high energy and high intensity proton beam that is directed to a spallation target, which will deliver neutrons to a subcritical nuclear reactor core. The article describes the MYRRHA linear accelerator, which mainly consists of a sequence of superconducting accelerating radiofrequent cavities that are positioned in a linear configuration. The beam requirements for MYRRHA are discussed involving, amongst others, a continuous wave beam delivery mode with a high reliability goal. The key concepts to increase the reliability of the accelerator are described.

Study of the influence of carbon on the negative lead-acid battery electrodes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bača, P.; Micka, Karel; Křivík, P.; Tonar, K.; Tošer, P.

2011-01-01

Roč. 196, č. 8 (2011), s. 3988-3992 ISSN 0378-7753 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40400503 Keywords : lead battery electrodes * doping with carbon * accelerated testing Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 4.951, year: 2011

A convenient catalyst system for microwave accelerated cross-coupling of a range of aryl boronic acids with aryl chlorides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milton Edward J

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract A convenient microwave accelerated cross-coupling procedure between aryl chlorides with a range of boronic acids has been developed. An explanation for the low reactivity of highly fluorinated boronic acids in Suzuki coupling is provided.

Accelerating the life of transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi Haochun; Lü Changzhi; Zhang Xiaoling; Xie Xuesong

2013-01-01

Choosing small and medium power switching transistors of the NPN type in a 3DK set as the study object, the test of accelerating life is conducted in constant temperature and humidity, and then the data are statistically analyzed with software developed by ourselves. According to degradations of such sensitive parameters as the reverse leakage current of transistors, the lifetime order of transistors is about more than 10 4 at 100 °C and 100% relative humidity (RH) conditions. By corrosion fracture of transistor outer leads and other failure modes, with the failure truncated testing, the average lifetime rank of transistors in different distributions is extrapolated about 10 3 . Failure mechanism analyses of degradation of electrical parameters, outer lead fracture and other reasons that affect transistor lifetime are conducted. The findings show that the impact of external stress of outer leads on transistor reliability is more serious than that of parameter degradation. (semiconductor devices)

Dimensionally stable PbO{sub 2} electrodes for lead acid batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Devilliers, D.; Devos, B.; Groult, H. [Pierre et Marie Curie Univ., Paris (France). Laboratoire LI2C-Electrochimie

2007-07-15

Dimensionally stable anodes (DSAs) are regularly used in industrial electrolytic cells. The titanium substrate in these electrodes is covered by an electrocatalytic layer containing a precious metal oxide. The concept of PbO{sub 2}-dimensionally stable electrodes with a light metal substrate may also be applied to generators, particularly for bipolar lead acid batteries. However, one of the issues with bipolar lead-acid batteries is the stability of the bipolar electrode substrate, particularly on the side onto which the positive active mass is deposited. This article presented the results of a study that characterized the performance of different electrode substrates onto which PbO{sub 2} was electrodeposited using cyclic voltammetry performed with PbO{sub 2} in sulphuric acid. The article discussed the experiment with reference to the titanium substrates; modification of the substrates; x-ray diffraction; and cyclic voltammetry experiments with PbO{sub 2} electrodes. It also presented a discussion of the results. The study concluded that titanium covered by the mixed oxides layer titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2})-tin dioxide (SnO{sub 2})-antimony oxide (Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3}) constitutes a suitable substrate for PbO{sub 2} electrodes. It can be used in lead acid batteries and allows the preparation of compact bipolar batteries. 36 refs., 1 tab., 5 figs.

Multipurpose 5-MeV linear induction accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birx, D.L.; Hawkins, S.A.; Poor, S.E.; Reginato, L.L.; Smith, M.W.

1984-01-01

Although linear induction accelerators (LIAs) are quite reliable by most standards, they are limited in repeating rate, average power, and reliability because the final stage of energy delivery is based on spark gap performance. In addition, they have a low duty factor of operation. To provide a higher burst rate and greater reliability, the researchers used new technology to develop a magnetic pulse compression scheme that eliminates all spark gaps and exceeds requirements. The paper describes the scheme. The magnetic drive system can be tailored to drive induction cells from a few kA to over 10 kA at 500 kV, with average beam power levels in the megawatts. This new 5-MeV, 2.5-kA LIA under construction at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) will be used for the development of high brightness sources and will provide a test bed for the new technology, which should lead to LIAs that surpass the radio frequency linacs for efficiency and reliability, as well as fit other industrial applications, such as sewage sterilization

Sialic acid accelerates the electrophoretic velocity of injured dorsal root ganglion neurons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen-xu Li

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Peripheral nerve injury has been shown to result in ectopic spontaneous discharges on soma and injured sites of sensory neurons, thereby inducing neuropathic pain. With the increase of membrane proteins on soma and injured site neurons, the negatively charged sialic acids bind to the external domains of membrane proteins, resulting in an increase of this charge. We therefore speculate that the electrophoretic velocity of injured neurons may be faster than non-injured neurons. The present study established rat models of neuropathic pain via chronic constriction injury. Results of the cell electrophoresis test revealed that the electrophoretic velocity of injured neuronal cells was faster than that of non-injured (control cells. We then treated cells with divalent cations of Ca 2+ and organic compounds with positive charges, polylysine to counteract the negatively charged sialic acids, or neuraminidase to specifically remove sialic acids from the membrane surface of injured neurons. All three treatments significantly reduced the electrophoretic velocity of injured neuronal cells. These findings suggest that enhanced sialic acids on injured neurons may accelerate the electrophoretic velocity of injured neurons.

Effect of antimony on lead-acid battery negative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahato, B.K.; Bullock, K.R.; Strebe, J.L.; Wilkinson, D.F.

1985-01-01

The role of antimony on the lead-acid battery negative in terms of its effect on charge efficiency, its effect on gassing overpotential, its interactive influence with lignin expander in controlling the charge efficiency, and its retentive behavior or purging characteristics as SbH 3 in the overcharge gas stream was investigated. Linear potential sweep (LPS) cycling of Plante-type lead electrodes were used to determine the effect of antimony on gassing overpotential and to monitor its concentration either in the active material or the exit gas stream. Results showed a significant contribution of antimony in decreasing charge efficiency and an overwhelming role of lignin expander in suppressing the effect of antimony on charge efficiency. The critical lead-electrode potential for purging antimony from the electrode is close to -1275 mV (vs. Hg/Hg 2 SO 4 )

Humic Acids as Therapeutic Compounds in Lead Intoxication.

Science.gov (United States)

Krempaská, Klára; Vaško, Ladislav; Vašková, Janka

2016-01-01

The toxicity of lead and its compounds is well known, causing anemia by inhibiting the synthesis of porphyrins. The neurotoxic effects, particularly in the young, alter the structure of cell membranes and DNA. Chronic exposure to lead has adverse effects on the body by disrupting the mechanisms of energy production and tissue damage, in particular in its links with thiol groups and competition for binding sites with zinc. This review is therefore a description of the mechanism of lead toxicity as well as of possible interventions for the detoxification of the body. Part of the clinical intervention is the provision of chelates that form insoluble complexes with lead and eliminate the load in tissues. Most of these chelating agents have a number of side effects. It is therefore not surprising that active compounds with distinctive antioxidant and chelating properties are being sought after. The possibility of administering lower amounts, and the corresponding decrease in side effects, would be important for clinical practice. Both prospective studies and our initial studies on humic acids have highlighted positive effects based on their antioxidant and chelating properties.

Studies of doped negative valve-regulated lead-acid battery electrodes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Micka, Karel; Calábek, M.; Bača, P.; Křivák, P.; Lábus, R.; Bilko, R.

2009-01-01

Roč. 191, č. 1 (2009), s. 154-158 ISSN 0378-7753 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40400503 Keywords : lead-acid * negative electrode * sulfation suppression Subject RIV: CG - Electrochemistry Impact factor: 3.792, year: 2009

Important requirements for RF generators for Accelerator-Driven Transmutation Technologies (ADTT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynch, M.T.; Tallerico, P.J.; Lawrence, G.P.

1994-01-01

All Accelerator-Driven Transmutation applications require very large amounts of RF Power. For example, one version of a Plutonium burning system requires an 800-MeV, 80-mA, proton accelerator running at 100% duty factor. This accelerator requires approximately 110-MW of continuous RF power if one assumes only 10% reserve power for control of the accelerator fields. In fact, to minimize beam spill, the RF controls may need as much as 15 to 20% of reserve power. In addition, unlike an electron accelerator in which the beam is relativistic, a failed RF station can disturb the synchronism of the beam, possibly shutting down the entire accelerator. These issues and more lead to a set of requirements for the RF generators which are stringent, and in some cases, conflicting. In this paper, we will describe the issues and requirements, and outline a plan for RF generator development to meet the needs of the Accelerator-Driven Transmutation Technologies. The key issues which will be discussed include: operating efficiency, operating linearity, effect on the input power grid, bandwidth, gain, reliability, operating voltage, and operating current

Reliability

OpenAIRE

Condon, David; Revelle, William

2017-01-01

Separating the signal in a test from the irrelevant noise is a challenge for all measurement. Low test reliability limits test validity, attenuates important relationships, and can lead to regression artifacts. Multiple approaches to the assessment and improvement of reliability are discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of several different approaches to reliability are considered. Practical advice on how to assess reliability using open source software is provided.

Investigation of crafting polymerization of acrylic acid to cellulose materials under the action of accelerated electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valiev, A.; Bazhenov, L.G.; Asamov, M.K.; Sagatov, Eh.A.

1996-01-01

Crafting polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) to cellulose materials in the presence of copper, zinc and silver salts under the action of accelerated electrons has been investigated with the aim to attach anti microbe properties to these materials. (author). 2 refs., 1 tab

Eco-Balance analysis of the disused lead-acid-batteries recycling technology

Science.gov (United States)

Kamińska, Ewa; Kamiński, Tomasz

2017-10-01

The article presents the results of the eco-balance analysis of the disused lead-acid batteries recycling process. Test-dedicated technology offers the possibility to recover other elements, for example, polypropylene of the battery case or to obtain crystalline sodium sulphate. The life cycle assessment was made using ReCiPe and IMPACT2002 + methods. The results are shown as environmental points [Pt]. The results are shown in the environmental categories, specific for each of the methods grouped in the impact categories. 1 Mg of the processed srap was a dopted as the functional unit. The results of the analyses indicate that recycling processes may provide the environmental impact of recycling technology less harmful. Repeated use of lead causes that its original sources are not explored. Similarly, the use of granule production-dedicated polypropylene extracted from battery casings that are used in the plastics industry, has environmental benefits. Due to the widespread use of lead-acid batteries, the attention should be paid to their proper utilization, especially in terms of heavy metals, especially lead. According to the calculations, the highest level of environmental benefits from the use of lead from secondary sources in the production of new products, was observed in the refining process.

Eco-Balance analysis of the disused lead-acid-batteries recycling technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamińska Ewa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of the eco-balance analysis of the disused lead-acid batteries recycling process. Test-dedicated technology offers the possibility to recover other elements, for example, polypropylene of the battery case or to obtain crystalline sodium sulphate. The life cycle assessment was made using ReCiPe and IMPACT2002 + methods. The results are shown as environmental points [Pt]. The results are shown in the environmental categories, specific for each of the methods grouped in the impact categories. 1 Mg of the processed srap was a dopted as the functional unit. The results of the analyses indicate that recycling processes may provide the environmental impact of recycling technology less harmful. Repeated use of lead causes that its original sources are not explored. Similarly, the use of granule production-dedicated polypropylene extracted from battery casings that are used in the plastics industry, has environmental benefits. Due to the widespread use of lead-acid batteries, the attention should be paid to their proper utilization, especially in terms of heavy metals, especially lead. According to the calculations, the highest level of environmental benefits from the use of lead from secondary sources in the production of new products, was observed in the refining process.

Accelerated benzene polycarboxylic acid analysis by liquid chromatography-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry for the determination of petrogenic and pyrogenic carbon.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindersmann, Benjamin; Achten, Christine

2017-08-11

Pyrogenic carbon species are of particular interest due to their ubiquitous occurrence in the environment and their high sorption capacities for nonpolar organic compounds. It has recently been shown that the analysis of the molecular markers for complex aromatic carbon structures, benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCA), has a high potential for aid in the identification of different carbon sources. In this study, the first LC method using mass spectrometry (MS) for reliable and accelerated (carbon by BPCA analysis has been developed. The main advantage of LC-MS compared to previous methods is the higher sensitivity, which is important if only small sample amounts are available. Sample pre-treatment could be reduced to a minimum. Deuterated phthalic acid was introduced as internal standard due to its structural similarity to BPCA and its lack of occurrence in the environment. Linear quantification with r 2 ≥0997 was accomplished for all BPCA. Method validation showed an excellent quantification reproducibility (mean CVcarbon, large amounts of petrogenic carbon species can also be present in urban soils and river sediments, especially in mining regions. They also to a large degree consist of aromatic carbon structures and therefore have an impact on source identification by BPCA analysis. Comparison of petrogenic and pyrogenic carbon samples shows similarities in the BPCA concentrations and patterns, in their aromaticity and degree of aromatic condensation. Thus, a differentiation between petrogenic and pyrogenic carbon only by BPCA analysis of samples with unknown carbon sources is not possible. For reliable source identification of the carbon species, the combination with other methods, such as e. g. analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may be successful. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mass lead intoxication from informal used lead-acid battery recycling in dakar, senegal.

Science.gov (United States)

Haefliger, Pascal; Mathieu-Nolf, Monique; Lociciro, Stephanie; Ndiaye, Cheikh; Coly, Malang; Diouf, Amadou; Faye, Absa Lam; Sow, Aminata; Tempowski, Joanna; Pronczuk, Jenny; Filipe Junior, Antonio Pedro; Bertollini, Roberto; Neira, Maria

2009-10-01

Between November 2007 and March 2008, 18 children died from a rapidly progressive central nervous system disease of unexplained origin in a community involved in the recycling of used lead-acid batteries (ULAB) in the suburbs of Dakar, Senegal. We investigated the cause of these deaths. Because autopsies were not possible, the investigation centered on clinical and laboratory assessments performed on 32 siblings of deceased children and 23 mothers and on 18 children and 8 adults living in the same area, complemented by environmental health investigations. All 81 individuals investigated were poisoned with lead, some of them severely. The blood lead level of the 50 children tested ranged from 39.8 to 613.9 microg/dL with a mean of 129.5 microg/dL. Seventeen children showed severe neurologic features of toxicity. Homes and soil in surrounding areas were heavily contaminated with lead (indoors, up to 14,000 mg/kg; outdoors, up to 302,000 mg/kg) as a result of informal ULAB recycling. Our investigations revealed a mass lead intoxication that occurred through inhalation and ingestion of soil and dust heavily contaminated with lead as a result of informal and unsafe ULAB recycling. Circumstantial evidence suggested that most or all of the 18 deaths were due to encephalopathy resulting from severe lead intoxication. Findings also suggest that most habitants of the contaminated area, estimated at 950, are also likely to be poisoned. This highlights the severe health risks posed by informal ULAB recycling, in particular in developing countries, and emphasizes the need to strengthen national and international efforts to address this global public health problem.

Organic Acid Characteristics and Tolerance of Sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria L Nielsen to Lead

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luluk Setyaningsih

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to find out the lead tolerance of sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria seedling based on growth performance, tolerance index, and secretion and accumulation of organic acids content. Seedlings were exposed to lead (Pb with the concentration of 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 5, and 10 mM in liquid nutrient culture for 4 days in order to investigate secretion and accumulation  of  oxalic, malic, and citric content, and for 15 days to examine growth performance and tolerance index. The result showed that tolerance index and growth performance of sengon seedling were insignificant (p > 0.05 to the rising of Pb concentration up to 1.5 mM with tolerance index at least 95%, and even caused an increase of fresh weight.  However, the tolerance index and growth of sengon  decreased significantly due to Pb exposure of 5 and 10 mM.  Among the three organic acids, citrate was most dominant as compared to malate and oxalate.  Secretion of citrate increased significantly (p < 0.05 with the rising concentration of Pb 0.5, 1 and 1.5 mM,  reaching to 0.464, 0.540, and 0.587 µg mℓ-1, respectively, or rising according linear line (r = 0.9, p < 0.5.  Citrate accumulation showed inconsistent pattern with the rising Pb exposure.  The result suggested that sengon seedling have a slightly tolerance to lead by secretion of organic acid especially citric acid.Keywords: lead, sengon, tolerance, organic acid, liquid nutrient culture

Silicon Carbide (SiC) Device and Module Reliability, Performance of a Loop Heat Pipe Subjected to a Phase-Coupled Heat Input to an Acceleration Field

Science.gov (United States)

2016-05-01

AFRL-RQ-WP-TR-2016-0108 SILICON CARBIDE (SiC) DEVICE AND MODULE RELIABILITY Performance of a Loop Heat Pipe Subjected to a Phase-Coupled...CARBIDE (SiC) DEVICE AND MODULE RELIABILITY Performance of a Loop Heat Pipe Subjected to a Phase-Coupled Heat Input to an Acceleration Field 5a...Shukla, K., “Thermo-fluid dynamics of Loop Heat Pipe Operation,” International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer , Vol. 35, No. 8, 2008, pp

Obestatin Accelerates the Healing of Acetic Acid-Induced Colitis in Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandra Matuszyk

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Obestatin, a 23-amino acid peptide derived from the proghrelin, has been shown to exhibit some protective and therapeutic effects in the gut. The aim of present study was to determine the effect of obestatin administration on the course of acetic acid-induced colitis in rats. Materials and Methods. Studies have been performed on male Wistar rats. Colitis was induced by a rectal enema with 3.5% acetic acid solution. Obestatin was administered intraperitoneally twice a day at a dose of 8 nmol/kg, starting 24 h after the induction of colitis. Seven or 14 days after the induction of colitis, the healing rate of the colon was evaluated. Results. Treatment with obestatin after induction of colitis accelerated the healing of colonic wall damage and this effect was associated with a decrease in the colitis-evoked increase in mucosal activity of myeloperoxidase and content of interleukin-1β. Moreover, obestatin administration significantly reversed the colitis-evoked decrease in mucosal blood flow and DNA synthesis. Conclusion. Administration of exogenous obestatin exhibits therapeutic effects in the course of acetic acid-induced colitis and this effect is related, at least in part, to the obestatin-evoked anti-inflammatory effect, an improvement of local blood flow, and an increase in cell proliferation in colonic mucosa.

Adjoint sensitivity analysis of dynamic reliability models based on Markov chains - II: Application to IFMIF reliability assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cacuci, D. G. [Commiss Energy Atom, Direct Energy Nucl, Saclay, (France); Cacuci, D. G.; Balan, I. [Univ Karlsruhe, Inst Nucl Technol and Reactor Safetly, Karlsruhe, (Germany); Ionescu-Bujor, M. [Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Fus Program, D-76021 Karlsruhe, (Germany)

2008-07-01

In Part II of this work, the adjoint sensitivity analysis procedure developed in Part I is applied to perform sensitivity analysis of several dynamic reliability models of systems of increasing complexity, culminating with the consideration of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) accelerator system. Section II presents the main steps of a procedure for the automated generation of Markov chains for reliability analysis, including the abstraction of the physical system, construction of the Markov chain, and the generation and solution of the ensuing set of differential equations; all of these steps have been implemented in a stand-alone computer code system called QUEFT/MARKOMAG-S/MCADJSEN. This code system has been applied to sensitivity analysis of dynamic reliability measures for a paradigm '2-out-of-3' system comprising five components and also to a comprehensive dynamic reliability analysis of the IFMIF accelerator system facilities for the average availability and, respectively, the system's availability at the final mission time. The QUEFT/MARKOMAG-S/MCADJSEN has been used to efficiently compute sensitivities to 186 failure and repair rates characterizing components and subsystems of the first-level fault tree of the IFMIF accelerator system. (authors)

Adjoint sensitivity analysis of dynamic reliability models based on Markov chains - II: Application to IFMIF reliability assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cacuci, D. G.; Cacuci, D. G.; Balan, I.; Ionescu-Bujor, M.

2008-01-01

In Part II of this work, the adjoint sensitivity analysis procedure developed in Part I is applied to perform sensitivity analysis of several dynamic reliability models of systems of increasing complexity, culminating with the consideration of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) accelerator system. Section II presents the main steps of a procedure for the automated generation of Markov chains for reliability analysis, including the abstraction of the physical system, construction of the Markov chain, and the generation and solution of the ensuing set of differential equations; all of these steps have been implemented in a stand-alone computer code system called QUEFT/MARKOMAG-S/MCADJSEN. This code system has been applied to sensitivity analysis of dynamic reliability measures for a paradigm '2-out-of-3' system comprising five components and also to a comprehensive dynamic reliability analysis of the IFMIF accelerator system facilities for the average availability and, respectively, the system's availability at the final mission time. The QUEFT/MARKOMAG-S/MCADJSEN has been used to efficiently compute sensitivities to 186 failure and repair rates characterizing components and subsystems of the first-level fault tree of the IFMIF accelerator system. (authors)

Progress and challenges in bipolar lead-acid battery development

Science.gov (United States)

Bullock, Kathryn R.

1995-05-01

Bipolar lead-acid batteries have higher power densities than any other aqueous battery system. Predicted specific powers based on models and prototypes range from 800 kW/kg for 100 ms discharge times to 1.6 kW/kg for 10 s. A 48 V automotive bipolar battery could have 2 1/2 times the cold cranking rate of a monopolar 12 V design in the same size. Problems which have precluded the development of commercial bipolar designs include the instability of substrate materials and enhanced side reactions. Design approaches include pseudo-bipolar configurations, as well as true bipolar designs in planar and tubular configurations. Substrate materials used include lead and lead alloys, carbons, conductive ceramics, and tin-oxide-coated glass fibers. These approaches are reviewed and evaluated.

Radiation protection in large linear accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliva, Jose de Jesus Rivero

2013-01-01

The electron linear accelerators can be used in industrial applications that require powerful sources of ionizing radiation. They have the important characteristic of not representing a radiation hazard when the accelerators remain electrically disconnected. With the plant in operation, a high reliability defense in depth reduces the risk of radiological accidents to extremely small levels. It is practically impossible that a person could enter into the radiation bunker with the accelerators connected. Aceletron Irradiacao Industrial, located in Rio de Janeiro, offers services of irradiation by means of two powerful electron linear accelerators, with 15 kW power and 10 MeV electron energy. Despite the high level of existing radiation safety, a simplified risk study is underway to identify possible sequences of radiological accidents. The study is based on the combined application of the event and fault trees techniques. Preliminary results confirm that there is a very small risk of entering into the irradiation bunker with the accelerators in operation, but the risk of an operator entering into the bunker during a process interruption and remaining there without notice after the accelerators were restarted may be considerably larger. Based on these results the Company is considering alternatives to reduce the likelihood of human error of this type that could lead to a radiological accident. The paper describes the defense in depth of the irradiation process in Aceletron Irradiacao Industrial, as well as the models and preliminary results of the ongoing risk analysis, including the additional safety measures which are being evaluated. (author)

A study of operational and testing reliability in software reliability analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, B.; Xie, M.

2000-01-01

Software reliability is an important aspect of any complex equipment today. Software reliability is usually estimated based on reliability models such as nonhomogeneous Poisson process (NHPP) models. Software systems are improving in testing phase, while it normally does not change in operational phase. Depending on whether the reliability is to be predicted for testing phase or operation phase, different measure should be used. In this paper, two different reliability concepts, namely, the operational reliability and the testing reliability, are clarified and studied in detail. These concepts have been mixed up or even misused in some existing literature. Using different reliability concept will lead to different reliability values obtained and it will further lead to different reliability-based decisions made. The difference of the estimated reliabilities is studied and the effect on the optimal release time is investigated

Contemporary Trends in Research and Development of Lead-Acid Batteries

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Micka, Karel

2004-01-01

Roč. 8, - (2004), s. 932-933 ISSN 1432-8488 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA102/02/0794 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4040901 Keywords : lead-acid batteries * electrical system * trends Subject RIV: CG - Electrochemistry Impact factor: 0.984, year: 2004

Accelerating Innovation that Enhances Resource Recovery in the Wastewater Sector: Advancing a National Testbed Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Mihelcic, James R; Ren, Zhiyong Jason; Cornejo, Pablo K; Fisher, Aaron; Simon, A J; Snyder, Seth W; Zhang, Qiong; Rosso, Diego; Huggins, Tyler M; Cooper, William; Moeller, Jeff; Rose, Bob; Schottel, Brandi L; Turgeon, Jason

2017-07-18

This Feature examines significant challenges and opportunities to spur innovation and accelerate adoption of reliable technologies that enhance integrated resource recovery in the wastewater sector through the creation of a national testbed network. The network is a virtual entity that connects appropriate physical testing facilities, and other components needed for a testbed network, with researchers, investors, technology providers, utilities, regulators, and other stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies and processes that are needed for the water resource recovery facility of the future. Here we summarize and extract key issues and developments, to provide a strategy for the wastewater sector to accelerate a path forward that leads to new sustainable water infrastructures.

A Statistical Perspective on Highly Accelerated Testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, Edward V. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2015-02-01

Highly accelerated life testing has been heavily promoted at Sandia (and elsewhere) as a means to rapidly identify product weaknesses caused by flaws in the product's design or manufacturing process. During product development, a small number of units are forced to fail at high stress. The failed units are then examined to determine the root causes of failure. The identification of the root causes of product failures exposed by highly accelerated life testing can instigate changes to the product's design and/or manufacturing process that result in a product with increased reliability. It is widely viewed that this qualitative use of highly accelerated life testing (often associated with the acronym HALT) can be useful. However, highly accelerated life testing has also been proposed as a quantitative means for "demonstrating" the reliability of a product where unreliability is associated with loss of margin via an identified and dominating failure mechanism. It is assumed that the dominant failure mechanism can be accelerated by changing the level of a stress factor that is assumed to be related to the dominant failure mode. In extreme cases, a minimal number of units (often from a pre-production lot) are subjected to a single highly accelerated stress relative to normal use. If no (or, sufficiently few) units fail at this high stress level, some might claim that a certain level of reliability has been demonstrated (relative to normal use conditions). Underlying this claim are assumptions regarding the level of knowledge associated with the relationship between the stress level and the probability of failure. The primary purpose of this document is to discuss (from a statistical perspective) the efficacy of using accelerated life testing protocols (and, in particular, "highly accelerated" protocols) to make quantitative inferences concerning the performance of a product (e.g., reliability) when in fact there is lack-of-knowledge and uncertainty concerning

Summary report on large HVEC accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thieberger, P.

1981-01-01

The main features are described of the ten presently operating large HVEC tandem accelerators and of four additional HVEC accelerators which are in different stages of testing, construction or planning. Present performance characteristics are discussed as well as available information about long term reliability. Some recent improvements are mentioned and comparisons are drawn for acceleration tube gradients in various different configurations and accelerators. Finally, some possible future developments are indicated

Rejuvenating CERN's Accelerators

CERN Multimedia

2004-01-01

In the coming years and especially in 2005, CERN's accelerators are going to receive an extensive renovation programme to ensure they will perform reliably and effectively when the LHC comes into service.

Evaluation of the electrode performance for PAFC by using acid absorption, acceleration and ac-impedance measurement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Chang-Soo; Song, Rak-Hyun; Choi, Byung-Woo [Korea Institute of Energy Research, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)] [and others

1996-12-31

In PAFC, the degradation on cathode electrode caused by carbon corrosion, platinum dissolution and growth is especially severe. An acceleration test is a good technique for evaluating the degradation of electrode performance, because it does not need long time. Coleman et al used thermal cycling and on-off cycling as an acceleration test. Song et al showed that hydrogen shortage decreased the electrode performance more rapidly than that of air shortage in gas shortage test. Honji et al reported that the rate of coarsening of Pt particle is rapid in open circuit potential and this is one of major causes on the performance degradation of electrode. The cathode performance has been studied by using acid absorption, acceleration and ac-impedance measurements as functions of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) contents and sintering temperatures of the electrode.

Selective Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Lead Ions Using Newly Synthesized Extractant 2-(Dibutylcarbamoylbenzoic Acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Soltani

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A new carboxylic acid extractant, named 2-(dibutylcarbamoylbenzoic acid, is prepared and its potential for selective solvent extraction and recovery of lead ions from industrial samples was investigated. The slope analysis indicated that the lead ions are extracted by formation of 1:2 metal to ligand complexes. The effect of the parameters influencing the extraction efficiency including kind of the organic diluent, extractant concentration, type of the salt used for ionic strength adjustment, contact time and temperature was evaluated and discussed. Under optimized conditions (aqueous phase: 5 ml, initial lead concentration 1 × 10-4 M, pH 4, sodium chloride 0.1 M; organic phase: 5 ml dichloromethane, ligand concentration 0.05 M, a quantitative (75.2 ± 0.8% and highly selective extraction of lead ions in the presence of zinc, nickel, cobalt and cadmium ions (each 1 × 10-4 M was achieved, after 20 min. magnetically stirring of the phases, at      25 °C. The extracted lead ions were stripped from the organic phase by diluted nitric acid (0.1 M solution. The proposed method was successfully applied for separation of lead from industrial samples. The study of the effect of temperature allowed evaluating the thermodynamic parameters of the extraction process of lead ions by the studied extractant into dichloromethane.

Fuzzy Control of a Lead Acid Battery Charger

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. DAOUD

2005-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, an alternative battery charging control technique based on fuzzy logic for photovoltaic (PV applications is presented. A PV module is connected to a buck type DC/DC power converter and a microcontroller based unit is used to control the lead acid battery charging voltage. The fuzzy control is used due to the simplicity of implementation, robustness and independence from the complex mathematical representation of the battery. The usefulness of this control method is confirmed by experiments.

Estimation of acceptable beam trip frequencies of accelerators for ADS and comparison with performances of existing accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takei, Hayanori; Tsujimoto, Kazufumi; Nishihara, Kenji; Furukawa, Kazuro; Yano, Yoshiharu; Ogawa, Yujiro; Oigawa, Hiroyuki

2009-09-01

Frequent beam trips as experienced in existing high power proton accelerators may cause thermal fatigue problems in ADS components which may lead to degradation of their structural integrity and reduction of their lifetime. Thermal transient analyses were performed to investigate the effects of beam trips on the reactor components, with the objective of formulating ADS design that had higher engineering possibilities and determining the requirements for accelerator reliability. These analyses were made on the thermal responses of four parts of the reactor components; the beam window, the cladding tube, the inner barrel and the reactor vessel. Our results indicated that the acceptable frequency of beam trips ranged from 50 to 2x10 4 times per year depending on the beam trip duration. As the beam trips for durations exceeding five minutes were assumed to make the plant shut down and restart, the plant availability was estimated to be 70%. In order to consider measures to reduce the frequency of beam trips on the high power accelerator for ADS, we compared the acceptable frequency of beam trips with the operation data of existing accelerators. The result of this comparison showed that for typical conditions the beam trip frequency for durations of 10 seconds or less was within the acceptable level, while that exceeding five minutes should be reduced to about 1/30 to satisfy the thermal stress conditions. (author)

Characterization of Crystals for Steering of Protons through Channelling in Hadronic Accelerators

CERN Document Server

Guidi, V; Boscolo-Marchi, E; Carnera, A; Chesnokov, Yu A; Della Mea, G; De Salvador, D; Fiorini, M; Ivanov, Y M; Martinelli, G; Mazzolari, A; Milan, E; Milan, R; Sambo, A; Scandale, Walter; Todros, S; Vomiero, A

2006-01-01

Channeling of relativistic particles through a crystal may be useful for many applications in accelerators, and particularly for collimation in hadronic colliders. Efficiency proved to be dependent on the state of the crystal surface and hence on the method used for preparation. We investigated the morphology and structure of the surface of the samples that have been used in accelerators with high efficiency. We found that crystal fabrication by only mechanical methods (dicing, lapping, and others) leads to a superficial damaged layer, which is correlated to performance limitation in accelerators. A planar chemical etching was studied and applied in order to remove the superficial damaged layer. RBS channeling analysis with low-energy protons and 4He+ highlighted better crystal perfection at surface, as a result of the etching. A protocol for preparation and characterization of crystal for channelling has been developed, which may be of interest for reliable operation with crystals in accelerators.

The possibility of using 5-aminolevulinic acid in lead phytoextraction process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zbigniew Jarosz

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Studies conducted in the greenhouse involving a sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. grown in medium containing 200 mg Pb ∙ dm -3 which were designed to evaluate the impact of foliar nutrition with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA on the chemical composition of sunflower in reference to possible use of this plant in the process of induced phytoextraction. The study revealed from 4.8% to 34.1% increase in aboveground matter of sunflower which was sprayed by 5-ALA solution at concentrations of 0.01-0.1 ppm in comparison with plants grown in a medium containing 200 mg Pb ∙ dm -3 with no 5-ALA spraying. The sunflower leaves sprayed by 5-ALA solution contained from 3.78% to 27.1% more lead in comparison to plants not sprayed by this agent. As well as remarkable decrease in lead content from 17.4 to 33.4% was recorded in the roots of sunflower sprayed by 5-ALA solution. The lead content in plant shoots was independent from foliar application of 5-aminolevulinic acid

The use of electron accelerators for fresh fruit irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferdes, O.; Minea, R.

2000-01-01

There are presented the results of tests concerning the effects of accelerated electron-beam to some early fresh fruits like strawberries, cherries, sour-cherries and apples. The irradiation were performed on common varieties, in normal conditions, to the NILPRP-Electron Accelerator Laboratory facility consisting in electron-beam accelerators which have the following parameters: - mean beam current, 5 μA; - electron mean energy approximately, 7 MeV; - pulse period, 3.5 μs. The doses varied between 0.5-3.0 kGy and the dose rate was about 1500 Gy/min. It was determined the fruit shelf life and there were analysed the main organoleptic and nutritional properties, as: size, shape, colour, dry weight, acidity, total and reducing sugars, ascorbic acid content and other. For the electron-beam treated fruits it was pointed out an increase in freshness and shelf life extension by 5-7 days for strawberries and more than two weeks for cherries. Otherwise, for the applied doses, the electron-beam irradiation did not produce any significant changes in the fruit characteristic values. These results lead to the conclusion that the electron accelerators could be successfully used as a technological solution for the fresh fruits processing, in view of shelf life extension. There are presented also some technical and economical considerations on the feasibility of this technology and on the use of electron-beam machines for food irradiation. (authors)

Accelerated life testing of spacecraft subsystems

Science.gov (United States)

Wiksten, D.; Swanson, J.

1972-01-01

The rationale and requirements for conducting accelerated life tests on electronic subsystems of spacecraft are presented. A method for applying data on the reliability and temperature sensitivity of the parts contained in a sybsystem to the selection of accelerated life test parameters is described. Additional considerations affecting the formulation of test requirements are identified, and practical limitations of accelerated aging are described.

Research, development, and demonstration of lead-acid batteries for electric vehicle propulsion. Annual report for 1980

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-03-01

Work performed during Oct. 1, 1979 to Sept. 30, 1980 for the development of lead-acid batteries for electric vehicle propulsion is described. During this report period many of the results frpm Globe Battery's design, materials and process development programs became evident in the achievement of the ISOA (Improved State of Art) specific energy, specific power, and energy efficiency goals while testing in progress also indicates that the cycle life goal can be met. These programs led to the establishment of a working pilot assembly line which produced the first twelve volt ISOA modules. Five of these modules were delivered to the National Battery Test Laboratory during the year for capacity, power and life testing, and assembly is in progress of three full battery systems for installation in vehicles. In the battery subsystem area, design of the acid circulation system for a ninety-six volt ISOA battery pack was completed and assembly of the first such system was initiated. Charger development has been slowed by problems encountered with reliability of some circuits but a prototype unit is being prepared which will meet the charging requirements of our ninety-six volt pack. This charger will be available during the 1981 fiscal year.

Lead-Bismuth Eutectic cooled experimental Accelerator Driven System. Windowless target unit thermal-hydraulic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianchi, F.; Ferri, R.; Moreau, V.

2004-01-01

A main concern related to the peaceful use of nuclear energy is the safe management of nuclear wastes, with particular attention to long-lived fission products. An increasing attention has recently been addressed to transmutation systems (Accelerator Driven System: ADS) able to 'burn' the actinides and some of the long-lived fission products (High-Level Waste: HLW), transforming them in short or medium-lived wastes that may be easier managed and stored in the geological disposal, with the consequent easier acceptability by population. An ADS consists of a subcritical-core coupled with an accelerator by means of a target. This paper deals with the thermal-hydraulic analysis, performed with STAR-CD and RELAP5 codes for the windowless target unit of Lead-Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) cooled experimental ADS (XADS), both to assess its behaviour during operational and accident sequences and to provide input data for the thermal-mechanical analyses. It also reports a description of modifications properly implemented in the codes used for the assessment of this kind of plants. (author)

Dynamics of three organic acids (malic, acetic and succinic acid) in sunflower exposed to cadmium and lead.

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Zhixin; Li, Xiaodong; Sun, Lina; Sun, Tieheng

2013-01-01

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) has been considered as a good candidate for bioaccumulation of heavy metals. In the present study, sunflower was used to enrich the cadmium and lead in sand culture during 90 days. Biomass, Cd and Pb uptake, three organic acids and pH in cultures were investigated. Results showed that the existence of Cd and Pb showed different interactions on the organic acids exudation. In single Cd treatments, malic and acetic acids in Cd10 showed an incremental tendency with time. In the mixed treatments of Cd and Pb, malic acids increased when 10 and 40 mg x L(-1) Cd were added into Pb50, but acetic acids in Pb50 were inhibited by Cd addition. The Cd10 supplied in Pb10 stimulated the secretion of malic and succinic acids. Moreover, the Cd or Pb uptake in sunflower showed various correlations with pH and some organic acids, which might be due to the fact that the Cd and Pb interfere with the organic acids secretion in rhizosphere of sunflower, and the changes of organic acids altered the form and bioavailability of Cd and Pb in cultures conversely.

Reliability of soldered joints for automotive electronic devices; Denso buhin ni okeru handa setsugo no shinraisei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kita, T; Mukaibo, N; Ando, K; Moriyama, M [Honda R and D Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1997-10-01

Concerning the tin and lead eutectic solder, we have evaluated the reliability of three factors of intermetallic compound layer, creep and vibration which cause solder degradation. First, the stress factor was extracted from investigating the mechanism of degradation, and the best acceleration test method was fixed. Next, the acceleration test was executed to find the stress dependency and the tendency of solder degradation was modeled numerically. While the environmental stress frequency was obtained and they were put together by using a minor method, which enabled us to predict the life span of solder on the market with precision. 5 refs., 13 figs.

Lead/tin resonator development at the Stony Brook heavy-ion linac

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sikora, J.; Ben-Zvi, I.; Brennan, J.M.; Cole, M.; Noe, J.W.

1988-01-01

The Stony Brook Nuclear Structure Laboratory (NSL) has operated a superconducting heavy-ion booster linac since April 1983. The 40 copper split-loop resonators were developed and fabricated at Cal-Tech and plated with lead at Stony Brook. These original lead surfaces have given stable performance for the last 4 years, at an average accelerating gradient of about 2.5 MV/m in the high-β section. The low-β resonators however have never run reliably on-line much better than 2.0 MV/m, due to excessive vibration of their rather soft loop arms in the working accelerator environment. For the last 2-3 years the efforts of the Stony Brook accelerator development group have been focused on (1) a retrofit of the low-beta section of the linac with new QWRs and (2) the further development of plated superconducting surfaces. In particular a Sn/Pb alloy has been shown to give resonator performance at least comparable to that obtained with pure Pb but with a greatly simplified plating technique, as discussed below. Recently a possible heavy-ion injector based on superconducting RF quadrupole (RFQ) structures has also been studied. 13 references, 3 figures, 1 table

A novel flow battery: A lead acid battery based on an electrolyte with soluble lead(II). Part IX: Electrode and electrolyte conditioning with hydrogen peroxide

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, John; Li, Xiaohong; Pletcher, Derek; Tangirala, Ravichandra; Stratton-Campbell, Duncan; Walsh, Frank C.; Zhang, Caiping

Extended cycling of a soluble lead acid battery can lead to problems due to an imbalance in the coulombic efficiency leading to deposits of Pb and PbO2 on the electrodes. Periodic addition of hydrogen peroxide to the electrolyte of the soluble lead acid flow battery largely overcomes several operational problems seen during extended cycling, using a 10 cm × 10 cm parallel plate flow cell. It is shown that this treatment greatly extends the number of cycles that can be achieved with a reasonable energy-, voltage-, and charge efficiency of 54-66%, 71%, and 77-91%.

A novel flow battery: A lead acid battery based on an electrolyte with soluble lead(II). Part IX: Electrode and electrolyte conditioning with hydrogen peroxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collins, John; Stratton-Campbell, Duncan [C-Tech Innovation Ltd., Capenhurst, Chester CH1 6EH (United Kingdom); Li, Xiaohong; Tangirala, Ravichandra; Walsh, Frank C.; Zhang, Caiping [Energy Technology Research Group, School of Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield, University Road, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Pletcher, Derek [Electrochemistry and Surface Science Group, School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom)

2010-05-01

Extended cycling of a soluble lead acid battery can lead to problems due to an imbalance in the coulombic efficiency leading to deposits of Pb and PbO2 on the electrodes. Periodic addition of hydrogen peroxide to the electrolyte of the soluble lead acid flow battery largely overcomes several operational problems seen during extended cycling, using a 10 cm x 10 cm parallel plate flow cell. It is shown that this treatment greatly extends the number of cycles that can be achieved with a reasonable energy-, voltage-, and charge efficiency of 54-66%, 71%, and 77-91%. (author)

Simultaneous Removal of Lindane, Lead and Cadmium from Soils by Rhamnolipids Combined with Citric Acid

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Tao; Ying, Rongrong; Ye, Mao; Zhang, Shengtian; Li, Qun; Zhou, Yan; Lin, Yusuo

2015-01-01

This study investigated the performance of rhamnolipids-citric acid mixed agents in simultaneous desorption of lindane and heavy metals from soils. The capacity of the mixed agents to solubilize lindane, lead and cadmium in aqueous solution was also explored. The results showed that the presence of citric acid greatly enhanced the solubilization of lindane and cadmium by rhamnolipids. A combined effect of the mixed agents on lindane and heavy metals removal from soils was observed. The maximum desorption ratios for lindane, cadmium and lead were 85.4%, 76.4% and 28.1%, respectively, for the mixed agents containing 1% rhamnolipidsand 0.1 mol/L citric acid. The results also suggest that the removal efficiencies of lead and cadmium were strongly related to their speciations in soils, and metals in the exchangeable and carbonate forms were easier to be removed. Our study suggests that the combining use of rhamnolipids and citric acid is a promising alternative to simultaneously remove organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals from soils. PMID:26087302

Unsaturated Fatty Acids Supplementation Reduces Blood Lead Level in Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Skoczyńska, Anna; Wojakowska, Anna; Nowacki, Dorian; Bobak, Łukasz; Turczyn, Barbara; Smyk, Beata; Szuba, Andrzej; Trziszka, Tadeusz

2015-01-01

Some dietary factors could inhibit lead toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary compounds rich in unsaturated fatty acids (FA) on blood lead level, lipid metabolism, and vascular reactivity in rats. Serum metallothionein and organs' lead level were evaluated with the aim of assessing the possible mechanism of unsaturated FA impact on blood lead level. For three months, male Wistar rats that were receiving drinking water with (100 ppm Pb) or without lead acetate were supplemented per os daily with virgin olive oil or linseed oil (0.2 mL/kg b.w.) or egg derived lecithin fraction: “super lecithin” (50 g/kg b.w.). Mesenteric artery was stimulated ex vivo by norepinephrine (NE) administered at six different doses. Lecithin supplementation slightly reduced pressor responses of artery to NE. Lead administered to rats attenuated the beneficial effect of unsaturated FA on lipid metabolism and vascular reactivity to adrenergic stimulation. On the other hand, the super lecithin and linseed oil that were characterized by low omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (about 1) reduced the blood lead concentration. This effect was observed in lead poisoned rats (p < 0.0001) and also in rats nonpoisoned with lead (p < 0.05). PMID:26075218

Delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) polymorphism in lead exposed Bangladeshi children and its effect on urinary aminolevulinic acid (ALA)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tasmin, Saira, E-mail: rimzim1612@yahoo.com [Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Furusawa, Hana [Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Ahmad, Sk. Akhtar [Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences, 125/1, Darus Salam, Mirpur, Dhaka 1216 (Bangladesh); Faruquee, M.H. [Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh, 77 Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205 (Bangladesh); Watanabe, Chiho [Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

2015-01-15

Background and objective: Lead has long been recognized as a harmful environmental pollutant. People in developing countries like Bangladesh still have a higher risk of lead exposure. Previous research has suggested that the delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) genotype can modify lead toxicity and individual susceptibility. As children are more susceptible to lead-induced toxicity, this study investigated whether the ALAD genotype influenced urinary excretion of delta-aminolevulinic acid (U-ALA) among children exposed to environmental lead in Bangladesh. Methods: Subjects were elementary schoolchildren from a semi-urban industrialized area in Bangladesh. A total of 222 children were studied. Blood and urine were collected to determine ALAD genotypes, blood lead levels and urinary aminolevulinic acid (U-ALA). Results: The mean BPb level was 9.7 µg/dl for the study children. BPb was significantly positively correlated with hemoglobin (p<0.01). In total, allele frequency for ALAD 1 and 2 was 0.83 and 0.17 respectively. The mean U-ALA concentration was lower in ALAD1-2/2-2 carriers than ALAD1-1 carriers for boys (p=0.001). But for girls, U-ALA did not differ significantly by genotype (p=0.26). When U-ALA was compared by genotype at the same exposure level in a multiple linear regression analysis, boys who were ALAD1-2/2-2 carriers still had a lower level of U-ALA compared to ALAD1-1carriers. Conclusion: This study provides information about the influence of ALAD polymorphism and its association with U-ALA in Bangladeshi children. Our results indicate that the ALAD1-2/2-2 genotype may have a protective effect in terms of U-ALA for environmentally lead exposed boys. - Highlights: • High blood lead level for the environmentally exposed schoolchildren. • BPb was significantly correlated with U-ALA and Hb. • Effect of ALAD genotype on U-ALA is differed by sex. • Lower U-ALA in ALAD2 than ALAD1 carriers only for boys at same exposure.

Electrochemical Studies of Lead Telluride Behavior in Acidic Nitrate Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rudnik E.

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Electrochemistry of lead telluride stationary electrode was studied in nitric acid solutions of pH 1.5-3.0. E-pH diagram for Pb-Te-H2O system was calculated. Results of cyclic voltammetry of Pb, Te and PbTe were discussed in correlation with thermodynamic predictions. Anodic dissolution of PbTe electrode at potential approx. -100÷50 mV (SCE resulted in tellurium formation, while above 300 mV TeO2 was mainly produced. The latter could dissolve to HTeO+2 under acidic electrolyte, but it was inhibited by increased pH of the bath.

Lifetime modelling of lead acid batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bindner, H.; Cronin, T.; Lundsager, P.

2005-04-01

The performance and lifetime of energy storage in batteries are an important part of many renewable based energy systems. Not only do batteries impact on the system performance but they are also a significant expenditure when considering the whole life cycle costs. Poor prediction of lifetime can, therefore, lead to uncertainty in the viability of the system in the long term. This report details the work undertaken to investigate and develop two different battery life prediction methodologies with specific reference to their use in hybrid renewable energy systems. Alongside this, results from battery tests designed to exercise batteries in similar modes to those that they experience in hybrid systems have also been analysed. These have yielded battery specific parameters for use in the prediction software and the first results in the validation process of the software are also given. This work has been part of the European Union Benchmarking research project (ENK6-CT-2001-80576), funded by the European Union, the United States and Australian governments together with other European states and other public and private financing bodies. The project has concentrated on lead acid batteries as this technology is the most commonly used. Through this work the project partner institutions have intended to provide useful tools to improve the design capabilities of organizations, private and public, in remote power systems. (au)

Influence of residual elements in lead on oxygen- and hydrogen-gassing rates of lead-acid batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, L. T.; Ceylan, H.; Haigh, N. P.; Lwin, T.; Rand, D. A. J.

Raw lead materials contain many residual elements. With respect to setting 'safe' levels for these elements, each country has its own standard, but the majority of the present specifications for the lead used to prepare battery oxide apply to flooded batteries that employ antimonial grids. In these batteries, the antimony in the positive and negative grids dominates gassing characteristics so that the influence of residual elements is of little importance. This is, however, not the case for valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries, which use antimony-free grids and less sulfuric acid solution. Thus, it is necessary to specify 'acceptable' levels of residual elements for the production of VRLA batteries. In this study, 17 elements are examined, namely: antimony, arsenic, bismuth, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, germanium, iron, manganese, nickel, selenium, silver, tellurium, thallium, tin, and zinc. The following strategy has been formulated to determine the acceptable levels: (i) selection of a control oxide; (ii) determination of critical float, hydrogen and oxygen currents; (iii) establishment of a screening plan for the elements; (iv) development of a statistical method for analysis of the experimental results. The critical values of the float, hydrogen and oxygen currents are calculated from a field survey of battery failure data. The values serve as a base-line for comparison with the corresponding measured currents from cells using positive and negative plates produced either from the control oxide or from oxide doped with different levels of the 17 elements in combination. The latter levels are determined by means of a screening plan which is based on the Plackett-Burman experimental design. Following this systematic and thorough exercise, two specifications are proposed for the purity of the lead to be used in oxide production for VRLA technology.

Health hazards of China's lead-acid battery industry: a review of its market drivers, production processes, and health impacts.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Kuijp, Tsering Jan; Huang, Lei; Cherry, Christopher R

2013-08-03

Despite China's leaded gasoline phase out in 2000, the continued high rates of lead poisoning found in children's blood lead levels reflect the need for identifying and controlling other sources of lead pollution. From 2001 to 2007, 24% of children in China studied (N = 94,778) were lead poisoned with levels exceeding 100 μg/L. These levels stand well above the global average of 16%. These trends reveal that China still faces significant public health challenges, with millions of children currently at risk of lead poisoning. The unprecedented growth of China's lead-acid battery industry from the electric bike, automotive, and photovoltaic industries may explain these persistently high levels, as China remains the world's leading producer, refiner, and consumer of both lead and lead-acid batteries.This review assesses the role of China's rising lead-acid battery industry on lead pollution and exposure. It starts with a synthesis of biological mechanisms of lead exposure followed by an analysis of the key technologies driving the rapid growth of this industry. It then details the four main stages of lead battery production, explaining how each stage results in significant lead loss and pollution. A province-level accounting of each of these industrial operations is also included. Next, reviews of the literature describe how this industry may have contributed to mass lead poisonings throughout China. Finally, the paper closes with a discussion of new policies that address the lead-acid battery industry and identifies policy frameworks to mitigate exposure.This paper is the first to integrate the market factors, production processes, and health impacts of China's growing lead-acid battery industry to illustrate its vast public health consequences. The implications of this review are two-fold: it validates calls for a nationwide assessment of lead exposure pathways and levels in China as well as for a more comprehensive investigation into the health impacts of the lead-acid

Acceleration of curing period of pastrami manufactured from buffalo meat: II-Fatty acids, amino acids, nutritional value and sensory evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim, Hayam M.A.

2001-04-01

Full Text Available Upon accelerating the curing period of pastrami (dry cured meat prepared from buffalo lean round muscles using heat treatment (~71ºC internally, the results indicated that: the peroxide and thiobarbituric acid (TBA values increased with increasing the aging period. Percentage of the released free fatty acids was 1.21 after heat treatment and increased gradually to reach 1.47 after hanging in air at room temperature for drying and complete curing up to 6 days. The major saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in all of the pastrami samples were palmitic (16:0, oleic (18:1 and linoleic (18:2 fatty acids. The main three identified polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic were of high percentages in the accelerated cured samples than in the control one. The ratio of the unsaturated: saturated fatty acids was similar in either the heat treated (1.28:1 and the control (1.27: 1 pastrami samples. Similar findings were found for the ratio of total essential amino acids (EAAS: total amino acids (AAS. The Essential Amino Acids Index (EAAI that possesses higher percentage for the heat treated sample than that for the control one proved the higher biological acceptance of the heat accelerated cured pastrami sample. The predicted protein efficiency ratio (PER of all the investigated samples reached more than 2.42 of casein. Sensory evaluation of the pastrami sample processed to an internal temperature of ~71ºC proved by the panelists to be of attractive color, more tasty, of good characteristic odor and more tender than the control samples which were prepared and cured for 3 weeks without using heat treatment.En relación a la aceleración del período de cura del pastrami (carne curada en seco preparada a partir de carne magra de búfalo usando un tratamiento térmico (~71ºC internamente, los resultados indicaron que los valores de peróxido y ácido tiobarbitúrico (TBA aumentaron con el envejecimiento. El porcentaje de �

Reliability design of mechanical systems a guide for mechanical and civil engineers

CERN Document Server

Woo, Seongwoo

2017-01-01

This book describes basic reliability concepts – parametric ALT plan, failure mechanism and design, and reliability testing with acceleration factor and sample size equation. A generalized life-stress failure model with a new effort concept has been derived and recommended to calculate the acceleration factor of the mechanical system. The new sample size equation with the acceleration factor has also been derived to carry out the parametric ALT. This new parametric ALT should help a mechanical/civil engineer to uncover the design parameters affecting reliability during the design process of the mechanical system. Consequently, it should help companies to improve product reliability and avoid recalls due to the product/structure failures in the field. As the improper or missing design parameters in the design phase are experimentally identified by this new reliability design method - parametric ALT, the mechanical/civil engineering system might improve in reliability by the increase in lifetime and the reduc...

APT accelerator technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, J. David

1996-01-01

The proposed accelerator production of tritium (APT) project requires an accelerator that provides a cw proton beam of 100 m A at 1300 MeV. Since the majority of the technical risk of a high-current cw (continuous-wave, 100% DF) accelerator resides in the low-energy section, Los Alamos is building a 20 MeV duplicate of the accelerator front end to confirm design codes, beam performance, and demonstrate operational reliability. We report on design details of this low-energy demonstration accelerator (LEDA) and discuss the integrated design of the full accelerator for the APT plant. LEDA's proton injector is under test and has produced more than 130 mA at 75 keV. Fabrication is proceeding on a 6.7- MeV, 8-meter-long RFQ, and detailed design is underway on coupled-cavity drift-tube linac (CCDTL) structures. In addition, detailed design and technology experiments are underway on medium-beta superconducting cavities to assess the feasibility of replacing the conventional (room-temperature copper) high-energy linac with a linac made of niobium superconducting RF cavities. (author)

Frontiers of reliability

CERN Document Server

Basu, Asit P; Basu, Sujit K

1998-01-01

This volume presents recent results in reliability theory by leading experts in the world. It will prove valuable for researchers, and users of reliability theory. It consists of refereed invited papers on a broad spectrum of topics in reliability. The subjects covered include Bayesian reliability, Bayesian reliability modeling, confounding in a series system, DF tests, Edgeworth approximation to reliability, estimation under random censoring, fault tree reduction for reliability, inference about changes in hazard rates, information theory and reliability, mixture experiment, mixture of Weibul

Thermal properties and reliability of eutectic mixture of stearic acid-acetamide as phase change material for latent heat storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Guixiang; Han, Lipeng; Sun, Jinhe; Jia, Yongzhong

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The system of stearic acid-acetamide binary mixtures were studied as phase change material. • The eutectic mixtures featured low melting temperatures and high latent heats of fusion for latent heat storage. • Solid-liquid phase diagrams for the system were constructed. • Negligible change in stability after 500 heating/cooling cycles. - Abstract: The thermal properties and reliability of the stearic acid (SA) with acetamide (AC) binary mixture were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The phase diagrams for the SA-AC binary mixture with AC in the metastable and the stable form were constructed. The eutectic system with stable AC is 0.604 mol fraction SA, and displayed a melting temperature (T m ) of 64.55 °C and latent heat of melting (ΔH m ) of 193.87 J·g −1 . The eutectic systems with metastable AC are 0.397 and 0.604 mol fraction SA. The melting temperatures are 62.23 °C and 62.54 °C, and latent heats of fusion are 222.10 J·g −1 and 194.28 J·g −1 , respectively. Following accelerated thermal cycling tests, TG and FT-IR analysis indicate that the eutectic mixture (χ SA = 0.397) with the metastable AC has good cyclic and thermal stability. The results show that the SA-AC eutectic mixture use as phase change material (PCM) possess good prospect for low temperature thermal energy storage (TES) applications.

Working Group summary reports from the Advanced Photon Source reliability workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-05-01

A workshop was held at APS to address reliability goals for accelerator systems. Seventy-one individuals participated in the workshop, including 30 from other institutions. The goals of the workshop were to: (1) Give attendees an introduction to the basic concepts of reliability analysis. (2) Exchange information on operating experience at existing accelerator facilities and strategies for achieving reliability at facilities under design or in construction. (3) Discuss reliability goals for APS and the means of their achievement. This report contains the working group summary report an APS's following systems: RF Systems; Power Supplies; Magnet Systems; Interlock and Diagnostics; and Vacuum Systems

Software engineering practices for control system reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

S. K. Schaffner; K. S White

1999-01-01

This paper will discuss software engineering practices used to improve Control System reliability. The authors begin with a brief discussion of the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model (CMM) which is a framework for evaluating and improving key practices used to enhance software development and maintenance capabilities. The software engineering processes developed and used by the Controls Group at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), using the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) for accelerator control, are described. Examples are given of how their procedures have been used to minimized control system downtime and improve reliability. While their examples are primarily drawn from their experience with EPICS, these practices are equally applicable to any control system. Specific issues addressed include resource allocation, developing reliable software lifecycle processes and risk management

Role of ascorbic acid supplement in reducing oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in lead intoxication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farooq, Y.; Hussain, M.M.; Aleem, S.B.

2013-01-01

Objective: The present study was conducted to measure the oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in lead intoxicated sprague dawley rats with and without supplementation of ascorbic acid. Study Design: Randomized Control Trial. Place of Study: Physiology Department, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi. (From Oct 2007 to Sep 2008) Material and Methods: One hundred and five male rats (age, 90-120 days; weight 200 - 250 gm) were divided into three groups each having 35 rats. Rats of group 1 and group 2 were given weekly injections of sodium acetate (10 mg /kg body weight) and lead acetate (10 mg /kg body weight) respectively, whereas rats of group 3 were administered lead acetate(10 mg /kg body weight) through weekly injections and ascorbic acid in drinking water (500 mg/l). After 6 weeks, 4 ml of blood was drawn from each rat by cardiac puncture. The blood was allowed to clot and serum was separated for estimation of serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels on spectrophotometer; and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels on Merck Micorlab 200. Results: Lead intoxication of rats revealed that serum MDA levels were raised to 7.8 +- 0.48 micro mol/l (control, 3.2 +-0.39 micro mol/l), ALT levels to 76.26 +- 5.88 IU/l (control, 44.1 +- 3.26) and AST levels to 258.06 +- 13.30 IU/l (control, 156.2 +- 4.97). Ascorbic acid supplementation significantly lowered serum MDA levels (3.8 +- 0.34 micro mol/l), ALT levels (52.26 +-4.57 IU/l) and AST levels (188.13 +- 12.91 IU/l). Conclusion: Ascorbic acid supplementation ameliorates lead intoxication probably by reducing the oxidative stress, thus preventing the development of hepatotoxicity, but this amelioration is not equal to the control. (author)

Monitoring of lead levels in spices and food colors using atomic absorption spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, S.; Khalid, N.; Ahmad, S.

2001-01-01

The concentration of lead has been monitored in various commercial brands of spices and food colours using atomic absorption spectrometry after digestion in a mixture of nitric acid and perchloric acid. The reliability of the procedure used was checked by analyzing the standard reference materials namely wheat flour (NBS-1567) and rice flour (NBS-1568), for their lead contents. The determined concentration of lead ranged from 5.60 to 10.12 mg g-1 in food spices and from 1.62 to 1.81 mg g-1 in food colours. The study revealed that the piper nigrum contains higher lead contents as compared to capsicum. The effect of processing/milling on the concentration of lead in spices was also studied and discussed. The daily intake of lead by adults through spices and food colours was estimated and was found to be within the recommended WHO tolerance levels. (author)

Development of Power System for Medium Energy Accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Hyeok Jung; Kim, Dae Il; Kim, Han Sung; Seol, Kyung Tae; Jang, Ji Ho; Cho, Yong Sub; Hong, In Seok; Kim, Kyung Ryul

2008-05-01

The main goal of the studies are to develop a power supply system used for 100MeV proton accelerator and to operate 20MeV accelerator which has been installed in KAERI site. The 100MeV proton accelerator uses RF cavity to accelerate beams and need RF amplifier, klystron. To operate the klystron, a high power pulse power supply is required and the power supply system should have high quality because the reliability of the power supply has critical impact on the overall reliability of accelerator system. Therefore, high power pulse power system and related technology development are inevitable for 100MeV accelerator system development. 20MeV accelerator system has been developed and installed in KAERI site, which will be used as an injector for 100MeV accelerator and supply 20MeV beam to users. A study on the 20MeV accelerator characteristics should be performed to operate the machine efficiently. In addition, this machine can be used as a test bench for developing the 100MeV accelerator components. Therefore, not only the hardware so called 'high voltage power supply', but the related technology of the high quality high voltage power system and man power can be obtained from the results of this studies. The test results of the 20MeV accelerator can be utilized as a basis for efficient operation of 100MeV accelerator and these are the ultimate objective and necessities of the study

Screening and assessment of solidification/stabilization amendments suitable for soils of lead-acid battery contaminated site.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhuo; Guo, Guanlin; Teng, Yanguo; Wang, Jinsheng; Rhee, Jae Seong; Wang, Sen; Li, Fasheng

2015-05-15

Lead exposure via ingestion of soil and dust generally occurs at lead-acid battery manufacturing and recycling sites. Screening solidification/stabilization (S/S) amendments suitable for lead contaminated soil in an abandoned lead-acid battery factory site was conducted based on its chemical forms and environmental risks. Twelve amendments were used to immobilize the Pb in soil and assess the solidification/stabilization efficiency by toxicity leaching tests. The results indicated that three amendments, KH₂PO₄ (KP), KH₂PO₄:oyster shell power=1:1 (by mass ratio; SPP), and KH₂PO₄:sintered magnesia=1:1 (by mass ratio; KPM) had higher remediation efficiencies that led to a 92% reduction in leachable Pb with the addition of 5% amendments, while the acid soluble fraction of Pb (AS-Pb) decreased by 41-46% and the residual fraction (RS-Pb) increased by 16-25%. The S/S costs of the three selected amendments KP, SPP, and KPM could be controlled to $22.3 per ton of soil when the Pb concentration in soil ranged from 2000 to 3000 mg/kg. The results of this study demonstrated that KP, SPP, and KPM can effectively decrease bioavailability of Pb. These findings could provide basis for decision-making of S/S remediation of lead-acid battery contaminated sites. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

2014 NREL Photovoltaic Reliability Workshops | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Failure Field Imaging Inverter Reliability Thin Film Technologies Packaging Materials and Accelerated . Introduction and Plenary Welcome-Bill Tumas, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Welcome-Shubhra Bansal Reliability Analysis of Microinverters-Paul Parker, SolarBridge Technologies Back to top Thin Film

An overview of the development of lead/acid traction batteries for electric vehicles in India

Science.gov (United States)

Sivaramaiah, G.; Subramanian, V. R.

Electric vehicles (EVs) made an entry into the Indian scene quite recently in the area of passenger transportation, milk floats and other similar applications. The industrial EV market, with various models of fork-lift trucks and platform trucks already in wide use all over India, is a better understood application of EV batteries. The lead/acid traction batteries available in India are not of high-energy density. The best available indigenous lead/acid traction battery has an energy density ( C/5 rate) of 30 W h kg -1 as against 39 W h kg -1 available abroad. This paper reviews the developmental efforts relating to lead/acid traction batteries for electric vehicle applications in India, such as prototype road vehicles, commercial vehicles, rail cars, and locomotives. Due to the need for environmental protection and recognition of exhaustible, finite supplies of petroleum fuel, the Indian government is presently taking active interest in EV projects.

Bayes approach in RDT using accelerated and long-term life data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bris, R.

2000-01-01

A common problem of reliability demonstration testing (RDT) is the magnitude of total time on test required to demonstrate reliability to the consumer's satisfaction, particularly in the case of high reliability components. One solution is the use of accelerated life testing (ALT) techniques. Another is to incorporate prior beliefs, engineering experience, or previous data into the testing framework. This may have the effect of reducing the amount of testing required in the RDT in order to reach a decision regarding conformance to the reliability specification. It is in this spirit that the use of a Bayesian approach can, in many cases, significantly reduce the amount of testing required. We demonstrate the use of this approach to estimate the acceleration factor in the Arrhenius reliability model based on long-term data given by a manufacturer of electronic components (EC). Using the Bayes approach we consider failure rate and acceleration factor to vary randomly according to some prior distributions. Bayes approach enables for a given type of technology the optimal choice of test plan for RDT under accelerated conditions when exacting reliability requirements must be met. These requirements are given by a hypothetical consumer by two different ways. The calculation of posterior consumer's risk is demonstrated in both cases. The test plans are optimum in that they take into account Var{λ vertical bar data}, posterior risk, E{λ vertical bar data}, Median λ or other percentiles of λ at data observed at the accelerated conditions. The test setup assumes testing of units with time censoring

Mobilized plasma lead as an index of lead body burden and its relation to the heme-related indices.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, T; Ushio, K; Ikeya, Y

1998-07-01

Plasma lead (Pb-P) from workers were distributed in two main fractions: a protein bound fraction and low molecular weight fractions. Lead mobilized into plasma by CaEDTA was mainly observed in the low molecular weight fraction corresponding to lead disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (PbEDTA). The peak levels of Pb-P was attained around 1.5 and 2.5 hours after the start of CaEDTA injection. Pb-P and blood lead levels (Pb-B) at 2 h after the injection were 4.26 (+/- 2.84) and 0.96 (+/- 0.27) fold of the initial levels just before the injection. Pb-P concentrations at 2 hours after the start of CaEDTA injection (MPb-P) were well correlated (r = 0.740) with amounts of lead excreted in urine for 24 h thereafter (MPb-U). log MPb-P as well as log MPb-U were correlated with Pb-B (r = 0.765 and 0.817, respectively). Correlation coefficients of lead body burden (MPb-P or MPb-U) vs the logarithms of the effect indices (delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) dehydratase, ALA in urine, coproporphyrin in urine, and erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin) were higher than the correlation coefficients of exposure indices (Pb-B or Pb-U) vs the logarithms of the effect indices. Thus the biological effect monitoring is significant and reliable for evaluating the functional components of lead body burden (MPb-P or MPb-U).

Neutronics design for lead-bismuth cooled accelerator-driven system for transmutation of minor actinide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsujimoto, Kazufumi; Sasa, Toshinobu; Nishihara, Kenji; Oigawa, Hiroyuki; Takano, Hideki

2004-01-01

Neutronics design study was performed for lead-bismuth cooled accelerator-driven system (ADS) to transmute minor actinides. Early study for ADS indicated two problems: a large burnup reactivity swing and a significant peaking factor. To solve these problems, effect of design parameters on neutronics characteristics were searched. The design parameters were initial plutonium loading, buffer region between spallation target and core, and zone fuel loading. Parametric survey calculations were performed considering fuel cycle consisting of burnup and recycle. The results showed that burnup reactivity swing depends on the plutonium fraction in the initial fuel loading, and the lead-bismuth buffer region and the two-zone loading were effective for solving the problems. Moreover, an optimum value for the effective multiplication factor was also evaluated using reactivity coefficients. From the result, the maximum allowable value of the effective multiplication factor for a practical ADS can be set at 0.97. Consequently, a new core concept combining the buffer region and the two-zone loading was proposed base on the results of the parametric survey. (author)

Separation of Rhenium from Lead-Rich Molybdenite Concentrate via Hydrochloric Acid Leaching Followed by Oxidative Roasting

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Guanghui Li

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Lead-rich molybdenite is a typical rhenium-bearing molybdenum resource in China, which has not been efficiently utilized due to its high contents of lead and gangue minerals. In this study, hydrochloric acid was used for preliminarily removing lead and calcite from a lead-rich molybdenite concentrate. Oxidative roasting-ammonia leaching was then carried out for separation of rhenium and extraction of molybdenum. The hydrochloric acid leaching experiments revealed that 93.6% Pb and 97.4% Ca were removed when the leaching was performed at 95 °C for 10 min with HCl concentration of 8 wt. % and liquid-solid ratio of 5 (mL/g. The results of direct oxidative roasting indicated that 89.3% rhenium was volatilized from the raw concentrate after roasting at 600 °C for 120 min in air. In contrast, the rhenium volatilization was enhanced distinctly to 98.0% after the acid-leached concentrate (leaching residue was roasted at 550 °C for 100 min. By the subsequent ammonia leaching, 91.5% molybdenum was leached out from the calcine produced from oxidative roasting of the acid-leached concentrate, while only 79.3% Mo was leached from the calcine produced by roasting molybdenite concentrate without pretreatment.

Boric Acid as an Accelerator of Cerium Surface Treatment on Aluminum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Cruz-Hernández

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aluminum pieces are often used in various industrial processes like automotive and aerospace manufacturing, as well as in ornamental applications, so it is necessary to develop processes to protect these materials, processes that can be industrialized to protect the aluminum as well or better than chromate treatments. The purpose of this research is to evaluate boric acid as an accelerator by optimizing its concentration in cerium conversion coatings (CeCC with 10-minute immersion time with a concentration of 0.1 g L−1 over aluminum to protect it. The evaluation will be carried out by measuring anticorrosion properties with electrochemical techniques (polarization resistance, Rp, polarization curves, PC, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, EIS in NaCl 3.5% wt. aqueous solution and surface characterization with scanning electron microscopy (SEM.

Availability, reliability and logistic support studies of the RF power system design options for the IFMIF accelerator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bargallo, E., E-mail: enric.bargallo-font@upc.edu [Fusion Energy Engineering Laboratory (FEEL), Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) Barcelona-Tech, Barcelona (Spain); Giralt, A.; Martinez, G. [Fusion Energy Engineering Laboratory (FEEL), Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) Barcelona-Tech, Barcelona (Spain); Weber, M.; Regidor, D.; Arroyo, J.M. [Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Madrid (Spain); Abal, J.; Dies, J.; Tapia, C.; De Blas, A. [Fusion Energy Engineering Laboratory (FEEL), Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) Barcelona-Tech, Barcelona (Spain); Mendez, P.; Ibarra, A.; Molla, J. [Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Madrid (Spain)

2013-10-15

Highlights: ► Current RF system design based on tetrodes chains is evaluated. ► Alternative solid state power amplifiers RF system design is analyzed. ► Both designs are compared in terms of availability, logistics and cost. ► It is concluded that solid state option presents relevant improvements. -- Abstract: The current design of the radio frequency (RF) power system for the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) is based upon tetrodes technology. Due to the improvement in the solid state amplifiers technology, the possibility of using this option for IFMIF RF system is becoming a very competitive alternative presenting from the beginning several advantages in terms of availability, reliability and logistics. The current design based on RF tetrodes chains leads no room for substantial improvements in terms of availability being the requirement for the RF system hard to achieve. The principal goals of this paper are to use RAMI (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Inspectionability) analysis in the solid state amplifier design, and to compare the availability, reliability and logistic performances for both alternatives.

Availability, reliability and logistic support studies of the RF power system design options for the IFMIF accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bargallo, E.; Giralt, A.; Martinez, G.; Weber, M.; Regidor, D.; Arroyo, J.M.; Abal, J.; Dies, J.; Tapia, C.; De Blas, A.; Mendez, P.; Ibarra, A.; Molla, J.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Current RF system design based on tetrodes chains is evaluated. ► Alternative solid state power amplifiers RF system design is analyzed. ► Both designs are compared in terms of availability, logistics and cost. ► It is concluded that solid state option presents relevant improvements. -- Abstract: The current design of the radio frequency (RF) power system for the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) is based upon tetrodes technology. Due to the improvement in the solid state amplifiers technology, the possibility of using this option for IFMIF RF system is becoming a very competitive alternative presenting from the beginning several advantages in terms of availability, reliability and logistics. The current design based on RF tetrodes chains leads no room for substantial improvements in terms of availability being the requirement for the RF system hard to achieve. The principal goals of this paper are to use RAMI (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Inspectionability) analysis in the solid state amplifier design, and to compare the availability, reliability and logistic performances for both alternatives

Optimization of the reliability of ADS accelerators in the framework of the EUROTRANS project; Optimisation de la fiabilite des accelerateurs ADS dans le cadre du projet EUROTRANS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucija, Lukovac

2007-07-01

In order to limit the number of thermal shocks in the spallation targets and in the core of an ADS (Accelerator Driven System), it is necessary to limit the number of failures of the beam accelerating system. This article presents the improvements in terms of reliability for 2 sub-systems of the ADS: the control system that is in charge of the RF power equipment that delivers the energy necessary to the accelerating system and the power coupler whose purpose is to transfer energy from RF generator to the accelerating cavities. The digitalization of the control system has allowed the application of a compensation method: if one of the cavities fails, the neighbouring cavities are regulated to limit the consequences of the failure on the beam. As for the power coupler, the ceramic window has been designed with great care. The improvements will be tested on 2 prototypes that are being built. (A.C.)

Synthesis of uniform nano-structured lead oxide by sonochemical method and its application as cathode and anode of lead-acid batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karami, Hassan; Karimi, Mohammad Ali; Haghdar, Saeed

2008-01-01

This paper discusses the results of a research aimed at investigating the synthesis of nano-structured lead oxide through reaction of lead nitrate solution and sodium carbonate solution by the sonochemical method. At the first, lead carbonate was obtained in a synthesized solution and then, after filtration, it was calcinated at the temperature of 320 deg. C so that nano-structured lead oxide can be produced. The effects of different parameters on particle size and morphology of final lead oxide powder were optimized by a 'one at a time' method. The prepared lead oxide powder was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Under optimum conditions, uniformed and homogeneous nano-structured lead oxide powder with more spongy morphology and particle size of 20-40 nm was obtained. The synthesized lead oxide, as anode and cathode of lead-acid batteries, showed an excellent discharge capacity (140 mA h/g)

Reaction mechanism of the acidic hydrolysis of highly twisted amides: Rate acceleration caused by the twist of the amide bond.

Science.gov (United States)

Mujika, Jon I; Formoso, Elena; Mercero, Jose M; Lopez, Xabier

2006-08-03

We present an ab initio study of the acid hydrolysis of a highly twisted amide and a planar amide analogue. The aim of these studies is to investigate the effect that the twist of the amide bond has on the reaction barriers and mechanism of acid hydrolysis. Concerted and stepwise mechanisms were investigated using density functional theory and polarizable continuum model calculations. Remarkable differences were observed between the mechanism of twisted and planar amide, due mainly to the preference for N-protonation of the former and O-protonation of the latter. In addition, we were also able to determine that the hydrolytic mechanism of the twisted amide will be pH dependent. Thus, there is a preference for a stepwise mechanism with formation of an intermediate in the acid hydrolysis, whereas the neutral hydrolysis undergoes a concerted-type mechanism. There is a nice agreement between the characterized intermediate and available X-ray data and a good agreement with the kinetically estimated rate acceleration of hydrolysis with respect to analogous undistorted amide compounds. This work, along with previous ab initio calculations, describes a complex and rich chemistry for the hydrolysis of highly twisted amides as a function of pH. The theoretical data provided will allow for a better understanding of the available kinetic data of the rate acceleration of amides upon twisting and the relation of the observed rate acceleration with intrinsic differential reactivity upon loss of amide bond resonance.

Transient analysis for lead-bismuth-cooled accelerator-driven system proposed by JAEA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugawara, T.; Nishihara, K.; Tsujimoto, K.

2015-01-01

It is supposed that an Accelerator-driven System (ADS) is safer than conventional critical reactors since an ADS is driven by the external neutron source in the subcritical state. In this study, the transient analyses for the lead-bismuth cooled ADS proposed by JAEA were performed using the SIMMER-III and RELAP5/mod3.2 codes to investigate the possibility of core damage. In this research, 3 accidents: the protected loss of heat sink, the protected overcooling and the unprotected blockage accident were considered as typical ADS accidents. Through these calculations, it was confirmed that all calculation results, except for the protected loss of heat sink, fulfilled the no-damage criteria. In the protected loss of heat sink, the cladding tube temperature reached its melting temperature after 18-21 hours, although the calculation condition was very conservative. These results have led to requirements to design a safety system of the ADS to decrease the frequencies of accidents. (authors)

Health hazards of China’s lead-acid battery industry: a review of its market drivers, production processes, and health impacts

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Despite China’s leaded gasoline phase out in 2000, the continued high rates of lead poisoning found in children’s blood lead levels reflect the need for identifying and controlling other sources of lead pollution. From 2001 to 2007, 24% of children in China studied (N = 94,778) were lead poisoned with levels exceeding 100 μg/L. These levels stand well above the global average of 16%. These trends reveal that China still faces significant public health challenges, with millions of children currently at risk of lead poisoning. The unprecedented growth of China’s lead-acid battery industry from the electric bike, automotive, and photovoltaic industries may explain these persistently high levels, as China remains the world’s leading producer, refiner, and consumer of both lead and lead-acid batteries. This review assesses the role of China’s rising lead-acid battery industry on lead pollution and exposure. It starts with a synthesis of biological mechanisms of lead exposure followed by an analysis of the key technologies driving the rapid growth of this industry. It then details the four main stages of lead battery production, explaining how each stage results in significant lead loss and pollution. A province-level accounting of each of these industrial operations is also included. Next, reviews of the literature describe how this industry may have contributed to mass lead poisonings throughout China. Finally, the paper closes with a discussion of new policies that address the lead-acid battery industry and identifies policy frameworks to mitigate exposure. This paper is the first to integrate the market factors, production processes, and health impacts of China’s growing lead-acid battery industry to illustrate its vast public health consequences. The implications of this review are two-fold: it validates calls for a nationwide assessment of lead exposure pathways and levels in China as well as for a more comprehensive investigation into the health

Dependent systems reliability estimation by structural reliability approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kostandyan, Erik; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard

2014-01-01

Estimation of system reliability by classical system reliability methods generally assumes that the components are statistically independent, thus limiting its applicability in many practical situations. A method is proposed for estimation of the system reliability with dependent components, where...... the leading failure mechanism(s) is described by physics of failure model(s). The proposed method is based on structural reliability techniques and accounts for both statistical and failure effect correlations. It is assumed that failure of any component is due to increasing damage (fatigue phenomena...... identification. Application of the proposed method can be found in many real world systems....

Role of failure-mechanism identification in accelerated testing

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, J. M.; Barker, D.; Dasgupta, A.; Arora, A.

1993-01-01

Accelerated life testing techniques provide a short-cut method to investigate the reliability of electronic devices with respect to certain dominant failure mechanisms that occur under normal operating conditions. However, accelerated tests have often been conducted without knowledge of the failure mechanisms and without ensuring that the test accelerated the same mechanism as that observed under normal operating conditions. This paper summarizes common failure mechanisms in electronic devices and packages and investigates possible failure mechanism shifting during accelerated testing.

Accelerator breeder concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartholomew, G.A.; Fraser, J.S.; Garvey, P.M.

1978-10-01

The principal components and functions of an accelerator breeder are described. The role of the accelerator breeder as a possible long-term fissile production support facility for CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) thorium advanced fuel cycles and the Canadian research and development program leading to such a facility are outlined. (author)

The Next Linear Collider Test Accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruth, R.D.; Adolphsen, C.; Bane, K.

1993-04-01

During the past several years, there has been tremendous progress the development of the RF system and accelerating structures for a Next Linear Collider (NLC). Developments include high-power klystrons, RF pulse compression systems and damped/detuned accelerator structures to reduce wakefields. In order to integrate these separate development efforts into an actual X-band accelerator capable of accelerating the electron beams necessary for an NLC, we are building an NLC Test Accelerator (NLCTA). The goal of the NLCTA is to bring together all elements of the entire accelerating system by constructing and reliably operating an engineered model of a high-gradient linac suitable for the NLC. The NLCTA will serve as a testbed as the design of the NLC evolves. In addition to testing the RF acceleration system, the NLCTA is designed to address many questions related to the dynamics of the beam during acceleration. In this paper, we will report oil the status of the design, component development, and construction of the NLC Test Accelerator

Lifetime validation of high-reliability (>30,000hr) rotary cryocoolers for specific customer profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Cauquil, Jean-Marc; Seguineau, Cédric; Vasse, Christophe; Raynal, Gaetan; Benschop, Tonny

2018-05-01

The cooler reliability is a major performance requested by the customers, especially for 24h/24h applications, which are a growing market. Thales has built a reliability policy based on accelerate ageing and tests to establish a robust knowledge on acceleration factors. The current trend seems to prove that the RM2 mean time to failure is now higher than 30,000hr. Even with accelerate ageing; the reliability growth becomes hardly manageable for such large figures. The paper focuses on these figures and comments the robustness of such a method when projections over 30,000hr of MTTF are needed.

Accelerated Testing with Multiple Failure Modes under Several Temperature Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zongyue Yu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A complicated device may have multiple failure modes, and some of the failure modes are sensitive to low temperatures. To assess the reliability of a product with multiple failure modes, this paper presents an accelerated testing in which both of the high temperatures and the low temperatures are applied. Firstly, an acceleration model based on the Arrhenius model but accounting for the influence of both the high temperatures and low temperatures is proposed. Accordingly, an accelerated testing plan including both the high temperatures and low temperatures is designed, and a statistical analysis method is developed. The reliability function of the product with multiple failure modes under variable working conditions is given by the proposed statistical analysis method. Finally, a numerical example is studied to illustrate the proposed accelerated testing. The results show that the proposed accelerated testing is rather efficient.

The relationship between cost estimates reliability and BIM adoption: SEM analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, N. A. A.; Idris, N. H.; Ramli, H.; Rooshdi, R. R. Raja Muhammad; Sahamir, S. R.

2018-02-01

This paper presents the usage of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) approach in analysing the effects of Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology adoption in improving the reliability of cost estimates. Based on the questionnaire survey results, SEM analysis using SPSS-AMOS application examined the relationships between BIM-improved information and cost estimates reliability factors, leading to BIM technology adoption. Six hypotheses were established prior to SEM analysis employing two types of SEM models, namely the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) model and full structural model. The SEM models were then validated through the assessment on their uni-dimensionality, validity, reliability, and fitness index, in line with the hypotheses tested. The final SEM model fit measures are: P-value=0.000, RMSEA=0.0790.90, TLI=0.956>0.90, NFI=0.935>0.90 and ChiSq/df=2.259; indicating that the overall index values achieved the required level of model fitness. The model supports all the hypotheses evaluated, confirming that all relationship exists amongst the constructs are positive and significant. Ultimately, the analysis verified that most of the respondents foresee better understanding of project input information through BIM visualization, its reliable database and coordinated data, in developing more reliable cost estimates. They also perceive to accelerate their cost estimating task through BIM adoption.

Design and performance testing of a DNA extraction assay for sensitive and reliable quantification of acetic acid bacteria directly in red wine using real time PCR

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Cédric eLONGIN

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Although strategies exist to prevent AAB contamination, the increased interest for wines with low sulfite addition leads to greater AAB spoilage. Hence there is a real need for a rapid, specific, sensitive and reliable method for detecting these spoilage bacteria. All these requirements are met by real time Polymerase Chain Reaction (or quantitative PCR; qPCR. Here, we compare existing methods of isolating DNA and their adaptation to a red wine matrix. Two different protocols for isolating DNA and three PCR mix compositions were tested to select the best method. The addition of insoluble polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP at 1% (v/v during DNA extraction using a protocol succeeded in eliminating PCR inhibitors from red wine. We developed a bacterial internal control which was efficient in avoiding false negative results due to decreases in the efficiency of DNA isolation and/or amplification. The specificity, linearity, repeatability and reproducibility of the method were evaluated. A standard curve was established for the enumeration of AAB inoculated into red wines. The limit of quantification in red wine was 3.7 log AAB/mL and about 2.8 log AAB/mL when the volume of the samples was increased from 1 mL to 10 mL. Thus the DNA extraction method developed in this paper allows sensitive and reliable AAB quantification without underestimation thanks to the presence of an internal control. Moreover, monitoring of both the AAB population and the amount of acetic acid in ethanol medium and red wine highlighted that a minimum about 6.0 log cells/mL of AAB is needed to significantly increase the production of acetic acid leading to spoilage.

Physics design of an accelerator for an accelerator-driven subcritical system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhihui Li

2013-08-01

Full Text Available An accelerator-driven subcritical system (ADS program was launched in China in 2011, which aims to design and build an ADS demonstration facility with the capability of more than 1000 MW thermal power in multiple phases lasting about 20 years. The driver linac is defined to be 1.5 GeV in energy, 10 mA in current and in cw operation mode. To meet the extremely high reliability and availability, the linac is designed with much installed margin and fault tolerance, including hot-spare injectors and local compensation method for key element failures. The accelerator complex consists of two parallel 10-MeV injectors, a joint medium-energy beam transport line, a main linac, and a high-energy beam transport line. The superconducting acceleration structures are employed except for the radio frequency quadrupole accelerators (RFQs which are at room temperature. The general design considerations and the beam dynamics design of the driver linac complex are presented here.

Copper electrodeposition from an acidic plating bath containing accelerating and inhibiting organic additives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasquale, M.A.; Gassa, L.M.; Arvia, A.J.

2008-01-01

Copper electrodeposition on copper from still plating solutions of different compositions was investigated utilising electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). An acid copper sulphate plating base solution was employed either with or without sodium chloride in the presence of a single additive, either polyethylene glycol (PEG) or 3-mercapto-2-propanesulphonic acid (MPSA), and their mixture. Thallium underpotential deposition/anodic stripping was employed to determine the adsorption capability of additives on copper. In the absence of chloride ions, MPSA shows a moderate adsorption on copper, whereas PEG is slightly adsorbed. At low cathodic overpotentials, the simultaneous presence of MPSA and chloride ions accelerates copper electrodeposition through the formation of an MPSA-chloride ion complex in the solution, particularly for about 220 μM sodium chloride. The reverse effect occurs in PEG-sodium chloride plating solutions. In this case, from EIS data the formation of a film that interferes with copper electrodeposition can be inferred. At higher cathodic overpotentials, when copper electrodeposition is under mass transport control, the cathode coverage by a PEG-copper chloride-mediated film becomes either partially or completely detached as the concentration of chloride ions at the negatively charged copper surface diminishes. The copper cathode grain topography at the μm scale depends on the cathodic overpotential, plating solution composition and average current density. Available data about the solution constituents and their adsorption on copper make it possible to propose a likely complex mechanism to understand copper electrodeposition from these media, including the accelerating effect of MPSA and the dynamics of PEG-copper chloride complex adsorbate interfering with the surface mobility of depositing copper ad-ions/ad-atoms

Eliminación del plomo por curado casero Lead elimination by traditional acidic curing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luisa Torres-Sánchez

1999-11-01

Full Text Available Objetivo. Evaluar el curado ácido como medida preventiva para reducir el contenido de plomo en vasijas de barro vidriadas. Material y métodos. En 27 vasijas de barro procedentes de cuatro estados de México se determinó, mediante espectrofotometría de absorción atómica, el nivel de plomo residual, después de cuatro lavados con ácido acético al 3%. Resultados. El contenido de plomo en el ácido acético utilizado para lavar las vasijas disminuyó proporcionalmente con el número de lavados, aunque se conservó por arriba de los niveles permisibles (2.5-7.0 p.p.m.. Conclusiones. El curado ácido de piezas de barro no es una medida preventiva útil para reducir la exposición a plomo.Objective. To evaluate traditional acidic curing as a preventive method for reducing lead content of glazed ceramic ware. Material and methods. In 27 ceramic ware pieces from four states in Mexico, the level of residual lead was determined through atomic absorption spectrophotometry after four washings with acetic acid 3%. Results. The lead content of the vinegar washing diminished proportionally with the number of washings, although it remained highly above the permissible levels of this metal (2.5-7.0 p.p.m.. Conclusions. Traditional acidic curing of glazed ceramic ware is not a useful preventive measure for reducing lead exposure.

Determination of 15 isomers of chlorobenzoic acid in soil samples using accelerated sample extraction followed by liquid chromatography

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Křesinová, Zdena; Muzikář, Milan; Olšovská, Jana; Cajthaml, Tomáš

2011-01-01

Roč. 84, č. 4 (2011), s. 1141-1147 ISSN 0039-9140 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B06156; GA ČR GA525/09/1058 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : Chlorobenzoic acid * hplc * Accelerated solvent extraction Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 3.794, year: 2011

78 FR 15753 - Maintenance, Testing, and Replacement of Vented Lead-Acid Storage Batteries for Nuclear Power Plants

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-12

...-Acid Storage Batteries for Nuclear Power Plants AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Draft...-Acid Storage Batteries for Nuclear Power Plants.'' The draft guide describes methods that the NRC staff..., testing, and replacement of vented lead-acid storage batteries in nuclear power plants. DATES: Submit...

Reliability model of SNS linac (spallation neutron source-ORNL)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitigoi, A.; Fernandez, P.

2015-01-01

A reliability model of SNS LINAC (Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory) has been developed using risk spectrum reliability analysis software and the analysis of the accelerator system's reliability has been performed. The analysis results have been evaluated by comparing them with the SNS operational data. This paper presents the main results and conclusions focusing on the definition of design weaknesses and provides recommendations to improve reliability of the MYRRHA ( linear accelerator. The reliability results show that the most affected SNS LINAC parts/systems are: 1) SCL (superconducting linac), front-end systems: IS, LEBT (low-energy beam transport line), MEBT (medium-energy beam transport line), diagnostics and controls; 2) RF systems (especially the SCL RF system); 3) power supplies and PS controllers. These results are in line with the records in the SNS logbook. The reliability issue that needs to be enforced in the linac design is the redundancy of the systems, subsystems and components most affected by failures. For compensation purposes, there is a need for intelligent fail-over redundancy implementation in controllers. Enough diagnostics has to be implemented to allow reliable functioning of the redundant solutions and to ensure the compensation function

An inproved synthesis of 24- 13C-labeled bile acids using formyl esters and a modified lead tetraacetate procedure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tserng, K.Y.; Klein, P.D.

1977-01-01

An improved synthesis of 24- 13 C-labeled bile acids has been achieved using formyl derivatives of bile acids and a modified lead tetraacetate procedure. The formylated bile acids were degraded by lead tetraacetate and lithium chloride to formylated 23-chloronorcholanes in 72 to 83% yield. Formylated 23-chloronorcholanes were converted to nitriles in dimethylformamide, which were then hydrolyzed to obtain C-24 labeled bile acids in yield of 80 to 90% of labeled sodium cyanide used. This method results in a higher yield and a purer product with less manipulation than previously reported procedures for synthesis of labeled bile acids

A comparison of portable XRF and ICP-OES analysis for lead on air filter samples from a lead ore concentrator mill and a lead-acid battery recycler.

Science.gov (United States)

Harper, Martin; Pacolay, Bruce; Hintz, Patrick; Andrew, Michael E

2006-03-01

Personal and area samples for airborne lead were taken at a lead mine concentrator mill, and at a lead-acid battery recycler. Lead is mined as its sulfidic ore, galena, which is often associated with zinc and silver. The ore typically is concentrated, and partially separated, on site by crushing and differential froth flotation of the ore minerals before being sent to a primary smelter. Besides lead, zinc and iron are also present in the airborne dusts, together with insignificant levels of copper and silver, and, in one area, manganese. The disposal of used lead-acid batteries presents environmental issues, and is also a waste of recoverable materials. Recycling operations allow for the recovery of lead, which can then be sold back to battery manufacturers to form a closed loop. At the recycling facility lead is the chief airborne metal, together with minor antimony and tin, but several other metals are generally present in much smaller quantities, including copper, chromium, manganese and cadmium. Samplers used in these studies included the closed-face 37 mm filter cassette (the current US standard method for lead sampling), the 37 mm GSP or "cone" sampler, the 25 mm Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) inhalable sampler, the 25 mm Button sampler, and the open-face 25 mm cassette. Mixed cellulose-ester filters were used in all samplers. The filters were analyzed after sampling for their content of the various metals, particularly lead, that could be analyzed by the specific portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer under study, and then were extracted with acid and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The 25 mm filters were analyzed using a single XRF reading, while three readings on different parts of the filter were taken from the 37 mm filters. For lead at the mine concentrate mill, all five samplers gave good correlations (r2 > 0.96) between the two analytical methods over the entire range of found lead mass

High power electron accelerators for flue gas treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimek, Z.

2011-01-01

Flue gas treatment process based on electron beam application for SO 2 and NO x removal was successfully demonstrated in number of laboratories, pilot plants and industrial demonstration facilities. The industrial scale application of an electron beam process for flue gas treatment requires accelerators modules with a beam power 100-500 kW and electron energy range 0.8-1.5 MeV. The most important accelerator parameters for successful flue gas radiation technology implementation are related to accelerator reliability/availability, electrical efficiency and accelerator price. Experience gained in high power accelerators exploitation in flue gas treatment industrial demonstration facility was described and high power accelerator constructions have been reviewed. (author)

System Reliability for LED-Based Products

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, J Lynn; Mills, Karmann; Lamvik, Michael; Yaga, Robert; Shepherd, Sarah D; Bittle, James; Baldasaro, Nick; Solano, Eric; Bobashev, Georgiy; Johnson, Cortina; Evans, Amy

2014-04-07

Results from accelerated life tests (ALT) on mass-produced commercially available 6” downlights are reported along with results from commercial LEDs. The luminaires capture many of the design features found in modern luminaires. In general, a systems perspective is required to understand the reliability of these devices since LED failure is rare. In contrast, components such as drivers, lenses, and reflector are more likely to impact luminaire reliability than LEDs.

Bootstrap analysis of designed experiments for reliability improvement with a non-constant scale parameter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Guodong; He, Zhen; Xue, Li; Cui, Qingan; Lv, Shanshan; Zhou, Panpan

2017-01-01

Factors which significantly affect product reliability are of great interest to reliability practitioners. This paper proposes a bootstrap-based methodology for identifying significant factors when both location and scale parameters of the smallest extreme value distribution vary over experimental factors. An industrial thermostat experiment is presented, analyzed, and discussed as an illustrative example. The analysis results show that 1) the misspecification of a constant scale parameter may lead to misidentify spurious effects; 2) the important factors identified by different bootstrap methods (i.e., percentile bootstrapping, bias-corrected percentile bootstrapping, and bias-corrected and accelerated percentile bootstrapping) are different; 3) the number of factors affecting 10th percentile lifetime significantly is less than the number of important factors identified at 63.21th percentile. - Highlights: • Product reliability is improved by design of experiments under both scale and location parameters of smallest extreme value distribution vary with experimental factors. • A bootstrap-based methodology is proposed to identify important factors which affect 100pth lifetime percentile significantly. • Bootstrapping confidence intervals associating experimental factors are obtained by using three bootstrap methods (i.e., percentile bootstrapping, bias-corrected percentile bootstrapping, and bias-corrected and accelerated percentile bootstrapping). • The important factors identified by different bootstrap methods are different. • The number of factors affecting 10th percentile significantly is less than the number of important factors identified at 63.21th percentile.

Synthesis and application of a novel Cu/RGO@Pb alloy for lead-acid batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Yumeng; Zhao, Ruirui; Zhou, Huawen; Zhang, Dejing; Zhao, Wei; Chen, Hongyu

2016-01-01

In this work, a novel Cu/RGO@Pb alloy was prepared successfully and tested in the simulated lead-acid battery environment. In preparing the novel alloy, Cu/RGO composite was firstly synthesized in order to increase the wettability of RGO to Pb, and then the composite was added to the molten lead to obtain the target alloy. Scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometer, X-ray diffraction as well as electrochemical measurements were employed to evaluate the performance of the obtained composite and alloy. Results show that the prepared Cu/RGO@Pb possessed higher oxygen evolution over-potential and lower hydrogen evolution over-potential than the contrast alloy, indicating this novel alloy was more suitable for using as positive grids in lead acid batteries. Moreover, the RGO additive could inhibit the formation of Pb(II) and Pb(IV) film on the surface of the alloy, which could enhance the deep-charge/discharge performance of the grids and improve the corrosion resistance.

Development strategy and conceptual design of China Lead-based Research Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Yican; Bai, Yunqing; Song, Yong; Huang, Qunying; Zhao, Zhumin; Hu, Liqin

2016-01-01

Highlights: • China LEAd-based Reactor (CLEAR) proposed by Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology (INEST) is selected as the ADS reference reactor. • The Chinese ADS development program consists of three stages, and during the first stage, a 10 MW th lead-based research reactor named CLEAR-I will be built with subcritical and critical dual-mode operation capability for validation of ADS transmutation system and lead cooled fast reactor technology. • Major design principles of CLEAR-I are oriented at technology feasibility, safety reliability, experiment flexibility and technology continuity. Followed by the development strategy and design principles, CLEAR-I design options and conceptual design scenarios are presented. - Abstract: Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) launched an engineering project to develop an Accelerator Driven System (ADS) for nuclear waste transmutation since 2011, and China LEAd-based Reactor (CLEAR) proposed by Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology (INEST) is selected as the ADS reference reactor. In this paper, the development strategy and conceptual design of China Lead-based Research Reactor are proposed. The Chinese ADS development program consists of three stages, and during the first stage, a 10 MW th lead-based research reactor named CLEAR-I will be built with subcritical and critical dual-mode operation capability for validation of ADS transmutation system and lead cooled fast reactor technology. Major design principles of CLEAR-I are oriented at technology feasibility, safety reliability, experiment flexibility and technology continuity. Followed by the development strategy and design principles, CLEAR-I design options and conceptual design scenarios are presented.

Rapid acceleration leads to rapid weakening in earthquake-like laboratory experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, J. C.; Lockner, D. A.; Reches, Z.

2012-12-01

We simulated the slip of a fault-patch during a large earthquake by rapidly loading an experimental, ring-shaped fault with energy stored in a spinning flywheel. The flywheel abruptly delivers a finite amount of energy by spinning the fault-patch that spontaneously dissipates the energy without operator intervention. We conducted 42 experiments on Sierra White granite (SWG) samples, and 24 experiments on Kasota dolomite (KD) samples. Each experiment starts by spinning a 225 kg disk-shaped flywheel to a prescribed angular velocity. We refer to this experiment as an "earthquake-like slip-event" (ELSE). The strength-evolution in ELSE experiments is similar to the strength-evolution proposed for earthquake models and observed in stick-slip experiments. Further, we found that ELSE experiments are similar to earthquakes in at least three ways: (1) slip driven by the release of a finite amount of stored energy; (2) pattern of fault strength evolution; and (3) seismically observed values, such as average slip, peak-velocity and rise-time. By assuming that the measured slip, D, in ELSE experiments is equivalent to the average slip during an earthquake, we found that ELSE experiments (D = 0.003-4.6 m) correspond to earthquakes in moment-magnitude range of Mw = 4-8. In ELSE experiments, the critical-slip-distance, dc, has mean values of 2.7 cm and 1.2 cm for SWG and KD, that are much shorter than the 1-10 m in steady-state classical experiments in rotary shear systems. We attribute these dc values, to ELSE loading in which the fault-patch is abruptly loaded by impact with a spinning flywheel. Under this loading, the friction-velocity relations are strikingly different from those under steady-state loading on the same rock samples with the same shear system (Reches and Lockner, Nature, 2010). We further note that the slip acceleration in ELSE evolves systematically with fault strength and wear-rate, and that the dynamic weakening is restricted to the period of intense

Neutron dose measurements with the GSI ball at high energy accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fehrenbacher, G.; Gutermuth, F.; Radon, T.; Kozlova, E.

2005-01-01

Full text: At high energy particle accelerators the production of neutron radiation dominates radiation protection. For the radiation survey at accelerators there is a need for reliable detection systems (passive radiation monitors), which can measure the dose for a wide range of neutron energies independently on the beam pulse structure of the produced radiation. In this work a passive neutron dosemeter for the measurement of the ambient dose equivalent is presented. The dosemeter is suitable for measurements of the emerging neutron radiation at accelerators for the whole energy range up to about 10 GeV. The dosemeter consists of a polyethylene sphere, TL elements (pairs of TLD600/700) and an additional lead layer (PE/Pb) in neutron fields at high energy accelerators is investigated in this work. Results of dose measurements which were performed in realistic neutron fields at the high energy accelerator SPS at CERN (CERF facility) and in Cave A at the heavy ion synchrotron SIS at GSI are presented. The results of these measurements are compared with the expected dose values from the neutron spectra determined for the measurement positions at CERF and in Cave A (FLUKA) and with the dosemeter response derived by the calculated response functions (FLUKA) folded with the neutron spectra. The comparisons show that the additional lead layer in the PE/Pb-sphere improves significantly the response of the dosemeter. The response of the PE/Pb-sphere is 40 to 50 % higher at CERF and Cave A in comparison to the bare PE-sphere. At CERF the dose values of the PE/Pb-sphere is about 25 % lower than the expected dose value, whilst for Cave A, a rather good agreement was found (2 % deviation). (author)

Spallator - accelerator breeder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steinberg, M.

1985-01-01

The concept involves the use of spallation neutrons produced by interaction of a high energy proton (1 to 2 GeV) from a linear accelerator (LINAC) with a heavy metal target (uranium). The principal spallator concept is based on generating fissile fuel for use in LWR nuclear power plants. The spallator functions in conjunction with a reprocessing plant to regenerate and produce the Pu-239 or U-233 for fabrication into fresh LWR reactor fuel elements. Advances in proton accelerator technology has provided a solid base for predicting performance and optimizing the design of a reliable, continuous wave, high-current LINAC required by a fissile fuel production machine

A reticle retrofit and dosimetric consideration for a linear accelerator.

Science.gov (United States)

Krithivas, V

1996-01-01

An imperfect reticle system in an accelerator causes uncertainties in source-skin distance (SSD), off-axis distance (OAD), isocenter, and so forth. A reticle was designed and fabricated, and its implications on x-ray and electron beam dosimetry were investigated. A new reticle frame was dimensioned to fit snugly in the accelerator. The frame was fabricated to carry a pair of adjustable cross wires and to allow the machine operation in the photon and electron modes. The impact of the cross wires on 6 MV photon and 5-10 MeV electron beam parameters such as dose rate (Gy/monitor unit), beam uniformity, surface dose, and so forth, were studied using suitable ion chambers and phantoms. The retrofitted system offered long-term mechanical stability leading to precise SSD, OAD, and isocenter measurements. Changes introduced by the cross wires on the 6 MV photon and 5-10 MeV electron beams are presented. Long-term stability of a reticle in an accelerator is important for an accurate patient setup and for making reliable dosimetric measurements. Beam characteristrics have to be studied whenever modifications on a reticle system are made.

Molecular dynamics of palmitic acid and lead palmitate in cross-linked linseed oil films: Implications from deuterium magnetic resonance for lead soap formation in traditional oil paintings.

Science.gov (United States)

Catalano, Jaclyn; Murphy, Anna; Yao, Yao; Zumbulyadis, Nicholas; Centeno, Silvia A; Dybowski, Cecil

2018-02-01

Many oil paintings, dating from the 15th century to the present, are affected by the formation of heavy-metal carboxylates (soaps) that alter the structural integrity and appearance of the works. Through transport phenomena not yet understood, free fatty acids formed from oils used as binders migrate through the paint film and react with heavy-metal ions that are constituents of pigments and/or driers, forming metal carboxylates. The local molecular dynamics of fatty acids and metal carboxylates are factors influencing material transport in these systems. We report temperature-dependent 2 H NMR spectra of palmitic acid and lead palmitate as pure materials, in cross-linked linseed oil films, and in a lead white linseed oil paint film as part of our broader research into metal soap formation. Local dynamics at the α carbon, at the terminal methyl group, and at the middle of the fatty acid chain were observed in specifically deuterated materials. Changes in the dynamic behavior with temperature were observed by the appearance of two species, a solid-like material and a liquid-like material. The relative amounts of the two phases and their deuterium NMR parameters indicate that the amount of liquid-like material and the local dynamics at that site increase with temperature. At the three locations along the chain and at all temperatures, there is a larger percentage of acyl chains of both palmitic acid and lead palmitate that are "mobile" or liquid-like in linseed oil films than there are in the pure materials. However, the percentage of liquid-like species is decreased in a lead white paint film, as compared to a linseed oil matrix. In addition, these experiments indicate that there is a larger percentage of liquid-like acyl chains of palmitic acid than of lead palmitate under identical conditions in these model paint systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SSC accelerator availability allocation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixon, K.T.; Franciscovich, J.

1991-03-01

Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) operational availability is an area of major concern, judged by the Central Design Group to present such risk that use of modern engineering tools would be essential to program success. Experience has shown that as accelerator beam availability falls below about 80%, efficiency of physics experiments degrades rapidly due to inability to maintain adequate coincident accelerator and detector operation. For this reason, the SSC availability goal has been set at 80%, even though the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory accelerator, with a fraction of the SSC's complexity, has only recently approached that level. This paper describes the allocation of the top-level goal to part-level reliability and maintainability requirements, and it gives the results of parameter sensitivity studies designed to help identify the best approach to achieve the needed system availability within funding and schedule constraints. 1 ref., 12 figs., 4 tabs

Highly Conductive and Reliable Copper-Filled Isotropically Conductive Adhesives Using Organic Acids for Oxidation Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wenjun; Deng, Dunying; Cheng, Yuanrong; Xiao, Fei

2015-07-01

The easy oxidation of copper is one critical obstacle to high-performance copper-filled isotropically conductive adhesives (ICAs). In this paper, a facile method to prepare highly reliable, highly conductive, and low-cost ICAs is reported. The copper fillers were treated by organic acids for oxidation prevention. Compared with ICA filled with untreated copper flakes, the ICA filled with copper flakes treated by different organic acids exhibited much lower bulk resistivity. The lowest bulk resistivity achieved was 4.5 × 10-5 Ω cm, which is comparable to that of commercially available Ag-filled ICA. After 500 h of 85°C/85% relative humidity (RH) aging, the treated ICAs showed quite stable bulk resistivity and relatively stable contact resistance. Through analyzing the results of x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis, we found that, with the assistance of organic acids, the treated copper flakes exhibited resistance to oxidation, thus guaranteeing good performance.

Novel Approach to Linear Accelerator Superconducting Magnet System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashikhin, Vladimir

2011-01-01

Superconducting Linear Accelerators include a superconducting magnet system for particle beam transportation that provides the beam focusing and steering. This system consists of a large number of quadrupole magnets and dipole correctors mounted inside or between cryomodules with SCRF cavities. Each magnet has current leads and powered from its own power supply. The paper proposes a novel approach to magnet powering based on using superconducting persistent current switches. A group of magnets is powered from the same power supply through the common, for the group of cryomodules, electrical bus and pair of current leads. Superconducting switches direct the current to the chosen magnet and close the circuit providing the magnet operation in a persistent current mode. Two persistent current switches were fabricated and tested. In the paper also presented the results of magnetic field simulations, decay time constants analysis, and a way of improving quadrupole magnetic center stability. Such approach substantially reduces the magnet system cost and increases the reliability.

Reliability and Validity of a New Test of Change-of-Direction Speed for Field-Based Sports: the Change-of-Direction and Acceleration Test (CODAT).

Science.gov (United States)

Lockie, Robert G; Schultz, Adrian B; Callaghan, Samuel J; Jeffriess, Matthew D; Berry, Simon P

2013-01-01

Field sport coaches must use reliable and valid tests to assess change-of-direction speed in their athletes. Few tests feature linear sprinting with acute change- of-direction maneuvers. The Change-of-Direction and Acceleration Test (CODAT) was designed to assess field sport change-of-direction speed, and includes a linear 5-meter (m) sprint, 45° and 90° cuts, 3- m sprints to the left and right, and a linear 10-m sprint. This study analyzed the reliability and validity of this test, through comparisons to 20-m sprint (0-5, 0-10, 0-20 m intervals) and Illinois agility run (IAR) performance. Eighteen Australian footballers (age = 23.83 ± 7.04 yrs; height = 1.79 ± 0.06 m; mass = 85.36 ± 13.21 kg) were recruited. Following familiarization, subjects completed the 20-m sprint, CODAT, and IAR in 2 sessions, 48 hours apart. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) assessed relative reliability. Absolute reliability was analyzed through paired samples t-tests (p ≤ 0.05) determining between-session differences. Typical error (TE), coefficient of variation (CV), and differences between the TE and smallest worthwhile change (SWC), also assessed absolute reliability and test usefulness. For the validity analysis, Pearson's correlations (p ≤ 0.05) analyzed between-test relationships. Results showed no between-session differences for any test (p = 0.19-0.86). CODAT time averaged ~6 s, and the ICC and CV equaled 0.84 and 3.0%, respectively. The homogeneous sample of Australian footballers meant that the CODAT's TE (0.19 s) exceeded the usual 0.2 x standard deviation (SD) SWC (0.10 s). However, the CODAT is capable of detecting moderate performance changes (SWC calculated as 0.5 x SD = 0.25 s). There was a near perfect correlation between the CODAT and IAR (r = 0.92), and very large correlations with the 20-m sprint (r = 0.75-0.76), suggesting that the CODAT was a valid change-of-direction speed test. Due to movement specificity, the CODAT has value for field sport

Electroplated reticulated vitreous carbon current collectors for lead-acid batteries: opportunities and challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Gyenge, Elod; Jung, Joey; Mahato, Basanta

Reticulated, open-cell structures based on vitreous carbon substrates electroplated with a Pb-Sn (1 wt.%) alloy were investigated as current collectors for lead-acid batteries. Scanning and backscattered electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, anodic polarization and flooded 2 V single-cell battery testing was employed to characterize the performance of the proposed collectors. A battery equipped with pasted electroplated reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) electrodes of 137 cm 2 geometric area, at the time of manuscript submission, completed 500 cycles and over 1500 h of continuous operation. The cycling involved discharges at 63 A kg PAM-1 corresponding to a nominal 0.75 h rate and a positive active mass (PAM) utilization efficiency of 21%. The charging protocol was composed of two voltage limited (i.e. 2.6 V/cell), constant current steps of 35 and 9.5 A kg PAM-1, respectively, with a total duration of about 2 h. The charge factor was 1.05-1.15. The observed cycling behavior in conjunction with the versatility of electrodeposition to produce application-dependent optimized lead alloy coating thickness and composition shows promise for the development of lead-acid batteries using electroplated reticulated vitreous carbon collectors.

Poly(acrylic acid) modifying bentonite with in-situ polymerization for removing lead ions.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Y F; Zhang, L; Yan, D Z; Liu, S L; Wang, H; Li, H R; Wang, R M

2012-01-01

In this paper, a new kind of poly(acrylic acid) modified clay adsorbent, the poly(acrylic acid)/bentonite composite (PAA/HB) was prepared by in-situ polymerization, and utilized to remove lead(II) ions from solutions. The maximum adsorption of adsorbent is at pH 5 for metal ions, whereas the adsorption starts at pH 2. The effects of contact time (5-60 min), initial concentration of metal ions (200-1,000 mg/L) and adsorbent dosage (0.04-0.12 g/100 mL) have been reported in this article. The experimental data were investigated by means of kinetic and equilibrium adsorption isotherms. The kinetic data were analyzed by the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equation. The experimental data fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetic model very well. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were tried for the system to better understand the adsorption isotherm process. The maximal adsorption capacity of the lead(II) ions on the PAA/HB, as calculated from the Langmuir model, was 769.2 mg/g. The results in this study indicated that PAA/HB was an attractive candidate for removing lead(II) (99%).

Advanced Accelerated Power Cycling Test for Reliability Investigation of Power Device Modules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choi, Uimin; Jørgensen, Søren; Blaabjerg, Frede

2016-01-01

This paper presents an apparatus and methodology for an advanced accelerated power cycling test of insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules. In this test, the accelerated power cycling test can be performed under more realistic electrical operating conditions with online wear-out monitoring...... of tested power IGBT module. The various realistic electrical operating conditions close to real three-phase converter applications can be achieved by the simple control method. Further, by the proposed concept of applying the temperature stress, it is possible to apply various magnitudes of temperature...... swing in a short cycle period and to change the temperature cycle period easily. Thanks to a short temperature cycle period, test results can be obtained in a reasonable test time. A detailed explanation of apparatus such as configuration and control methods for the different functions of accelerated...

SLAC accelerator operations report: 1995--1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erickson, R.; Allen, C.W.; Anderson, S.; Linebarger, W.; Stanek, M.

1997-05-01

Operational statistics for the linear accelerator programs at SLAC are presented, including run-time records for SLC and the fixed-target programs. Also included are summaries of reliability and maintenance-related statistics

Acceleration of magnetized plasma rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, D.; Eddleman, J.; Hammer, J.H.

1982-01-01

One scheme is considered, acceleration of a ring between coaxial electrodes by a B/sub theta/ field as in a coaxial rail-gun. If the electrodes are conical, a ring accelerated towards the apex of the cone undergoes self-similar compression (focussing) during acceleration. Because the allowable acceleration force F/sub a/ = kappa U/sub m//R (kappa - 2 , the accelerating distance for conical electrodes is considerably shortened over that required for coaxial electrodes. In either case however, since the accelerating flux can expand as the ring moves, most of the accelerating field energy can be converted into kinetic energy of the ring leading to high efficiency

Effect of polysulfone concentration on the performance of membrane-assisted lead acid battery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Fauzi Ismail

2002-11-01

Full Text Available The application of lead acid battery in tropical countries normally faces the problem of water decomposition. This phenomenon is due to the factor of charge-discharge reaction in the battery and heat accumulation caused by hot tropical climate and heat generated from engine compartment. The objective of this study is to analyze the effect of polysulfone concentration on the performance of membrane-assisted lead-acid battery. Gas separation membranes, prepared through wet-dry phase inversion method and using various polysulfone concentrated formulations, were applied on the battery vent holes, for the purpose of preventing electrolyte from evaporating to the atmosphere. The best membrane, which retains the most electrolyte, will be chosen to be applied on the soon-to-be-developed “membrane-assisted maintenance- free battery”. This maintenance-free battery will need no topping up of deionized water every time the electrolyte level goes low.

Preliminary tests of the electrostatic plasma accelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Aston, G.; Acker, T.

1990-01-01

This report describes the results of a program to verify an electrostatic plasma acceleration concept and to identify those parameters most important in optimizing an Electrostatic Plasma Accelerator (EPA) thruster based upon this thrust mechanism. Preliminary performance measurements of thrust, specific impulse and efficiency were obtained using a unique plasma exhaust momentum probe. Reliable EPA thruster operation was achieved using one power supply.

An exploratory study of lead recovery in lead-acid battery lifecycle in US market: An evidence-based approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genaidy, A.M.; Sequeira, R.; Tolaymat, T.; Kohler, J.; Rinder, M.

2008-01-01

Background: This research examines lead recovery and recycling in lead-acid batteries (LAB) which account for 88% of US lead consumption. We explore strategies to maximize lead recovery and recycling in the LAB lifecycle. Currently, there is limited information on recycling rates for LAB in the published literature and is derived from a single source. Therefore, its recycling efforts in the US has been unclear so as to determine the maximum opportunities for metal recovery and recycling in the face of significant demands for LAB particularly in the auto industry. Objectives: The research utilizes an evidence-based approach to: (1) determine recycling rates for lead recovery in the LAB product lifecycle for the US market; and (2) quantify and identify opportunities where lead recovery and recycling can be improved. Methods: A comprehensive electronic search of the published literature was conducted to gather information on different LAB recycling models and actual data used to calculate recycling rates based on product lifecycle for the US market to identify strategies for increasing lead recovery and recycling. Results: The electronic search yielded five models for calculating LAB recycling rates. The description of evidence was documented for each model. Furthermore, an integrated model was developed to identify and quantify the maximum opportunities for lead recovery and recycling. Results showed that recycling rates declined during the period spanning from 1999 to 2006. Opportunities were identified for recovery and recycling of lead in the LAB product lifecycle. Concluding remarks: One can deduce the following from the analyses undertaken in this report: (1) lead recovery and recycling has been stable between 1999 and 2006; (2) lead consumption has increased at an annual rate of 2.25%, thus, the values derived in this study for opportunities dealing with lead recovery and recycling underestimate the amount of lead in scrap and waste generated; and (3) the

High power electron accelerators for flue gas treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zimek, Z. [Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Warsaw (Poland)

2011-07-01

Flue gas treatment process based on electron beam application for SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} removal was successfully demonstrated in number of laboratories, pilot plants and industrial demonstration facilities. The industrial scale application of an electron beam process for flue gas treatment requires accelerators modules with a beam power 100-500 kW and electron energy range 0.8-1.5 MeV. The most important accelerator parameters for successful flue gas radiation technology implementation are related to accelerator reliability/availability, electrical efficiency and accelerator price. Experience gained in high power accelerators exploitation in flue gas treatment industrial demonstration facility was described and high power accelerator constructions have been reviewed. (author)

Measuring reliability under epistemic uncertainty: Review on non-probabilistic reliability metrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kang Rui

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a systematic review of non-probabilistic reliability metrics is conducted to assist the selection of appropriate reliability metrics to model the influence of epistemic uncertainty. Five frequently used non-probabilistic reliability metrics are critically reviewed, i.e., evidence-theory-based reliability metrics, interval-analysis-based reliability metrics, fuzzy-interval-analysis-based reliability metrics, possibility-theory-based reliability metrics (posbist reliability and uncertainty-theory-based reliability metrics (belief reliability. It is pointed out that a qualified reliability metric that is able to consider the effect of epistemic uncertainty needs to (1 compensate the conservatism in the estimations of the component-level reliability metrics caused by epistemic uncertainty, and (2 satisfy the duality axiom, otherwise it might lead to paradoxical and confusing results in engineering applications. The five commonly used non-probabilistic reliability metrics are compared in terms of these two properties, and the comparison can serve as a basis for the selection of the appropriate reliability metrics.

Effect of acid catalysts and accelerated aging on the reaction of methanol with hydroxy-acetaldehyde in bio-oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhattacharya, P.

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Bio-oil is a promising alternative source of energy produced from fast pyrolysis of biomass. Increasing the viscosity of bio-oil during storage is a major problem that can be controlled by the addition of methanol or other alcohols. This paper reports the results of our investigation of the reactions of short chain alcohols with aldehydes and acids in bio-oil. The reaction of methanol with hydroxyacetaldehyde (HA to form the acetal was catalyzed by the addition of 7 x 10-4 M strong acids such as sulfuric, hydrochloric, p-toluene sulfonic acid, and methanesulfonic acid. HA formed 2,2-dimethoxyethanol (DME, and at 60 oC the equilibrium was reached in less than one hour. Smaller amounts of DME were formed in the absence of strong acid. HA, acetaldehyde, and propanal formed their corresponding acetals when reacted with methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol or 1-butanol. Esters of acetic acid and hydroxyacetic acid were observed from reactions with these same four alcohols. Other acetals and esters were observed by GC/MS analysis of the reaction products. The results from accelerated aging experiments at 90 oC suggest that the presence of methanol slows polymerization by formation of acetals and esters from low molecular weight aldehydes and organic acids.

Injury Surveillance and Safety Considerations for Large-Format Lead-Acid Batteries Used in Mining Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, Miguel Angel; Novak, Thomas

2016-03-01

Large lead-acid batteries are predominantly used throughout the mining industry to power haulage, utility, and personnel-carrier vehicles. Without proper operation and maintenance, the use of these batteries can introduce mechanical and electrical hazards, particularly in the confined, and potentially dangerous, environment of an underground coal mine. A review of the Mine Safety and Health Administration accident/illness/injury database reveals that a significant number of injuries occur during the maintenance and repair of lead-acid batteries. These injuries include burns from electrical arcing and acid exposure, as well as strained muscles and crushed hands. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health investigated the design and implementation of these batteries to identify safety interventions that can mitigate these inherent hazards. This paper promotes practical design modifications, such as reducing the size and weight of battery assembly lids in conjunction with lift assists, as well as using five-pole cable connectors to improve safety.

Ionic liquid as an electrolyte additive for high performance lead-acid batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Deyab, M. A.

2018-06-01

The performance of lead-acid battery is improved in this work by inhibiting the corrosion of negative battery electrode (lead) and hydrogen gas evolution using ionic liquid (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium diethyl phosphate). The results display that the addition of ionic liquid to battery electrolyte (5.0 M H2SO4 solution) suppresses the hydrogen gas evolution to very low rate 0.049 ml min-1 cm-2 at 80 ppm. Electrochemical studies show that the adsorption of ionic liquid molecules on the lead electrode surface leads to the increase in the charge transfer resistance and the decrease in the double layer capacitance. I also notice a noteworthy improvement of battery capacity from 45 mAh g-1 to 83 mAh g-1 in the presence of ionic liquid compound. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis confirm the adsorption of ionic liquid molecules on the battery electrode surface.

Studies of accelerated compact toruses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, C.W.; Eddleman, J.; Hammer, J.H.

1983-01-01

In an earlier publication we considered acceleration of plasma rings (Compact Torus). Several possible accelerator configurations were suggested and the possibility of focusing the accelerated rings was discussed. In this paper we consider one scheme, acceleration of a ring between coaxial electrodes by a B/sub theta/ field as in a coaxial rail-gun. If the electrodes are conical, a ring accelerated towards the apex of the cone undergoes self-similar compression (focusing) during acceleration. Because the allowable acceleration force, F/sub a/ = kappaU/sub m//R where (kappa - 2 , the accelerating distance for conical electrodes is considerably shortened over that required for coaxial electrodes. In either case, however, since the accelerating flux can expand as the ring moves, most of the accelerating field energy can be converted into kinetic energy of the ring leading to high efficiency

Enhanced performance of starter lighting ignition type lead-acid batteries with carbon nanotubes as an additive to the active mass

Science.gov (United States)

Marom, Rotem; Ziv, Baruch; Banerjee, Anjan; Cahana, Beni; Luski, Shalom; Aurbach, Doron

2015-11-01

Addition of various carbon materials into lead-acid battery electrodes was studied and examined in order to enhance the power density, improve cycle life and stability of both negative and positive electrodes in lead acid batteries. High electrical-conductivity, high-aspect ratio, good mechanical properties and chemical stability of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT, unmodified and mofified with carboxylic groups) position them as viable additives to enhance the electrodes' electrical conductivity, to mitigate the well-known sulfation failure mechanism and improve the physical integration of the electrodes. In this study, we investigated the incorporation-effect of carbon nanotubes (CNT) to the positive and the negative active materials in lead-acid battery prototypes in a configuration of flooded cells, as well as gelled cells. The cells were tested at 25% and 30% depth-of-discharge (DOD). The positive effect of the carbon nanotubes (CNT) utilization as additives to both positive and negative electrodes of lead-acid batteries was clearly demonstrated and is explained herein based on microscopic studies.

Effects of lead arsenate sprays on the fruit growth and sugar and acid contents in Natsudaidai (Citrus natsudaidai Hayata)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kadoya, K; Kuraoka, T; Matsumoto, K

1965-01-01

The juice of the fruit of Citrus natsudaidai is characterized by high acidity. The acidity of the juice was most effectively reduced by treatment with lead arsenate spray at an early fruit growth stage when the acids were being most actively formed. The water-soluble organic acid content of leaves was not affected. The sugar content of the juice was increased by the treatment. The activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase was lowered in the vesicles of fruit sprayed with lead arsenate. It was also much depressed in the extracts from normal fruit when arsenic trioxide was added. Arsenic was detected in the vesicles of treated fruit. 15 references, 9 figures.

The addition of red lead to flat plate and tubular valve regulated miners cap lamp lead-acid batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferg, E.E.; Loyson, P. [Department of Chemistry, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Poorun, A. [Willard Batteries, P.O. Box 1844, Port Elizabeth 6000 (South Africa)

2006-04-21

The study looked at the use of red lead in the manufacturing of valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) miners cap lamp (MCL) batteries that were made with either flat plate or tubular positive electrodes. A problem with using only grey oxide in the manufacture of thick flat plate or tubular electrodes is the poor conversion of the active material to the desired lead dioxide. The addition of red lead to the initial starting material improves the formation efficiency but is considerably more expensive thereby increasing the cost of manufacturing. The study showed that by carefully controlling the formation conditions in terms of the voltage and temperature of a battery, good capacity performance can be achieved for cells made with flat plate electrodes that contain up to 25% red lead. The small amount of red lead in the active cured material reduces the effect of electrode surface sulphate formation and allows the battery to achieve its rated capacity within the first few cycles. Batteries made with flat plate positive electrodes that contained more that 50% red lead showed good initial capacity but had poor structural active material bonding. The study showed that MCL batteries made with tubular positive electrodes that contained less than 75% red lead resulted in a poorly formed electrode with limited capacity utilization. Pickling and soaking times of the tubular electrodes should be kept at a minimum thereby allowing higher active material utilization during subsequent capacity cycling. The study further showed that it is beneficial to use higher formation rates in order to reduce manufacturing time and to improve the active material characteristics. (author)

The Comparative Performance of Batteries: The Lead-Acid and the Aluminum-Air Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

LeRoux, Xavier; And Others

1996-01-01

Describes a teaching program that shows how electrochemical principles can be conveyed by means of hands-on experiences of student-centered teaching experiments. Employs the readily available lead-acid cell and the simple aluminum-air cell. Discusses the batteries, equilibrium cell potential, performance comparison, current, electrode separation,…

Lipoic acid in combination with a chelator ameliorates lead-induced peroxidative damages in rat kidney

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sivaprasad, R.; Nagaraj, M.; Varalakshmi, P. [Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Madras (Taramani), Chennai 600 113 (India)

2002-08-01

The deleterious effect of lead has been attributed to lead-induced oxidative stress with the consequence of lipid peroxidation. The present study was designed to investigate the combined effect of DL-{alpha}-lipoic acid (LA) and meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) on lead-induced peroxidative damages in rat kidney. The increase in peroxidated lipids in lead-poisoned rats was accompanied by alterations in antioxidant defence systems. Lead acetate (Pb, 0.2%) was administered in drinking water for 5 weeks to induce lead toxicity. LA (25 mg/kg body weight per day i.p) and DMSA (20 mg/kg body weight per day i.p) were administered individually and also in combination during the sixth week. Nephrotoxic damage was evident from decreases in the activities of {gamma}-glutamyl transferase and N-acetyl {beta}-D-glucosaminidase, which were reversed upon combined treatment with LA and DMSA. Rats subjected to lead intoxication showed a decline in the thiol capacity of the cell, accompanied by high malondialdehyde levels along with lowered activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione metabolizing enzymes (glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glutathione-S-transferase). Supplementation with LA as a sole agent showed considerable changes over oxidative stress parameters. The study has highlighted the combined effect of both drugs as being more effective in reversing oxidative damage by bringing about an improvement in the reductive status of the cell. (orig.)

78 FR 58574 - Maintenance, Testing, and Replacement of Vented Lead-Acid Storage Batteries for Nuclear Power Plants

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-24

...-Acid Storage Batteries for Nuclear Power Plants AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION... for Nuclear Power Plants.'' The guide describes methods that the NRC staff considers acceptable for... replacement of vented lead-acid storage batteries in nuclear power plants. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket...

The accelerator breeder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, E.

1986-01-01

Interactions of high-energy particles with atomic nuclei, in particular heavy ones, leads to a strong emission of neutrons. Preferably these high-energy particles are protons or deuterons obtained from a linear accelerator. The neutrons emitted are utilized in the conversion of U238 to Pu239 or of Th232 to U233. The above is the basis of the accelerator breeder, a concept studied abroad in many variants. No such breeder has, however, so far been built, but there exists vast practical experience on the neutron production and on the linear accelerator. Some of the variants mentioned are described in the report, after a presentation of general characteristics for the particle-nucleus interaction and for the linear accelerator. (author)

The effect of different acid-treatments on the age spectrum of organic matter in sediments determined by Ramped PyrOx/accelerator mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

McNichol, A. P.; Bao, R.

2016-02-01

Studies of the radiocarbon and stable carbon isotopes of organic matter (OM) in sediments have become common and are an effective way to understand the fate of sedimentary OM burial in the aquatic environment. In practice, obtaining the radiocarbon and stable carbon isotopic composition in sediments requires first removing inorganic carbon by acid treatment. Two common treatments are acid rinsing and fumigation. The radiocarbon ages and stable carbon isotopic values obtained using the different acid-treatments can differ significantly, but the details of the change of organic components have received much less attention. A new approach was recently developed for radiocarbon dating of carbonate -poor and/or rich sediments using a so-called ramped pyrolysis/oxidation ("Ramped PyrOx") method in combination with accelerator mass spectrometry. Radiocarbon and stable carbon isotopic analysis of the CO2 that evolves under a linear temperature program allows separation of OC components in sediments based on their thermochemical stability (Rosenheim et al., 2008). In this preliminary study, we explore the utility of the Ramped PyrOx method for determining the effect of different acid-treatments on radiocarbon ages and carbon isotopic compositions of OM in sediments. The observations indicate that the HCl rinsing method alters OM more than fumigation in lower carbonate samples while the opposite occurs in the high carbonate samples. This result has implications for studies of the transfer of carbon from the terrestrial to the marine environment because these are samples that contain low amounts of carbonate material. Recommendations for the most appropriate way to treat these samples will be made. The loss of organic matter during the HCl rinsing in the marine carbonate poor sediments could be one of the reasons that radiocarbon ages in the labile thermal fractions were older than that processed by fumigation, whereas younger in the resistant thermal fractions. The distinct

Electron accelerators for radiation processing: Criterions of selection and exploitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimek, Zbigniew

2001-01-01

The progress in accelerator technology is tightly attached to the continuously advanced development in many branches of technical activity. Although the present level of accelerators development can satisfy most of the commercial requirements, this field continues to expand and improve quality by offering efficient, cheap, reliable, high average beam power commercial units. Accelerator construction must be a compromised between size, efficiency and cost with respect to the field of its application. High power accelerators have been developed to meet specific demands of flue gas treatment and other high throughput to increase the capacity of the progress and reduced unit cost of operation. Automatic control, reliability and reduced maintenance, adequate adoption to process conditions, suitable electron energy and beam power are the basic features of modern accelerator construction. Accelerators have the potential to serve as industrial radiation sources and eventually may replace the isotope sources in future. Electron beam plants can transfer much higher amounts of energy into the irradiated objects than other types of facilities including gamma plants. This provides the opportunity to construct technological lines with high capacity that are more technically and economically suitable with high throughputs, short evidence time and grate versatility

Role of ascorbic acid supplement in amelioration of anaemia in lead intoxication.

Science.gov (United States)

Farooq, Yasir; Farooq, Muhammad Asif; Hussain, Aamir

2016-09-01

To assess anaemia and oxidative stress in rats that were injected lead and to evaluate the possible effects of ascorbic acid supplementation on these parameters. This randomised control trial study was conducted at the Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from October 2007 to September 2008, and comprised Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were randomly divided into three groups. The rats in Group 1 were given weekly injections of sodium acetate, and rats of Group 2 and 3 were given weekly injections of lead acetate. Ascorbic acid was supplemented in the drinking water of rats of Group 3. At the end of six weeks, terminal sampling was done and blood obtained was used to assess the serum malondialdehyde levels and red cell parameters. Of the 105 rats, each group had 35(33.33%). The overall mean age was 105±15 days and the mean weight was 225±25gm. The mean malondialdehyde level was 3.2±0.39 µmol /L in Group 1, 7.8±0.48 in Group 2 and 3.8±0.34 in Group 3 (plead intoxication.

High folic acid consumption leads to pseudo-MTHFR deficiency, altered lipid metabolism, and liver injury in mice.

OpenAIRE

Christensen, K. E.; Mikael, L. G.; Leung, K. Y.; Lévesque, N.; Deng, L.; Wu, Q.; Malysheva, O. V.; Best, A.; Caudill, M. A.; Greene, N. D.; Rozen, R.

2015-01-01

Increased consumption of folic acid is prevalent, leading to concerns about negative consequences. The effects of folic acid on the liver, the primary organ for folate metabolism, are largely unknown. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) provides methyl donors for S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) synthesis and methylation reactions.

Validity and reliability of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire for the JPHC study: The assessment of amino acid intake.

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Chika; Iso, Hiroyasu; Ishihara, Junko; Maruyama, Koutatsu; Sawada, Norie; Tsugane, Shoichiro

2017-05-01

The Japanese database of food amino acid composition was revised in 2010 after a 24-year interval. To examine the impact of the 2010 revision compared with that of the 1986 revision, we evaluated the validity and reliability of amino acid intakes assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). A FFQ including 138 food items was compared with 7-day dietary records, completed during each distinct season, to assess validity and administered twice at approximately a 1-year interval, to assess reliability. We calculated amino acid intakes using a database that compensated for missing food items via the substitution method. Subjects were a subsample of two cohorts of the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study. A total of 102 men and 113 women in Cohort I and 174 men and 176 women in Cohort II provided complete dietary records and the FFQ, of whom 101 men and 108 women of Cohort I and 143 men and 146 women of Cohort II completed the FFQ twice. In the comparison of the FFQ with dietary records, the medians (ranges) of energy-adjusted correlation coefficients for validity were 0.35 (0.25-0.43) among men and 0.29 (0.19-0.40) among women in Cohort I, and 0.37 (0.21-0.52) and 0.38 (0.24-0.59), respectively, in Cohort II. Values for reliability were 0.47 (0.42-0.52) among men and 0.43 (0.38-0.50) among women in Cohort I, and 0.59 (0.52-0.70) and 0.54 (0.45-0.61), respectively, in Cohort II. The FFQ used in our prospective cohort study is a suitable tool for estimating amino acid intakes. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pulse Generator Exchange Does Not Accelerate the Rate of Electrical Failure in a Recalled Small Caliber ICD Lead.

Science.gov (United States)

Lovelock, Joshua D; Premkumar, Ajay; Levy, Mathew R; Mengistu, Andenet; Hoskins, Michael H; El-Chami, Mikhael F; Lloyd, Michael S; Leon, Angel R; Langberg, Jonathan J; Delurgio, David B

2015-12-01

St. Jude Riata/Riata ST defibrillator leads (St. Jude Medical, Sylmar, CA, USA) were recalled by the Food and Drug Administration in 2011 for an increased rate of failure. More than 227,000 leads were implanted and at least 79,000 patients still have active Riata leads. Studies have examined clinical predictors of lead failure in Riata leads, but none have addressed the effect of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) generator exchange on lead failure. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of ICD generator exchange on the rate of electrical failure in the Riata lead at 1 year. A retrospective chart review was conducted in patients who underwent implantation of a Riata/Riata ST lead at one center. Patients with a functioning Riata lead (with/without externalized conductor) at the time of ICD exchange were compared to controls with Riata leads implanted for a comparable amount of time who did not undergo generator replacement. Riata leads were implanted in 1,042 patients prior to the recall and 153 of these patients underwent generator exchange without lead replacement. Conductor externalization was noted in 21.5% of Riata leads in the ICD exchange cohort, which was not different from the control group (19.2%; P = 0.32). Two leads failed in the first year after generator replacement (1.5%) which did not significantly differ from the control group (2.0%; P = 0.57). At change-out, 54% received a commanded shock (18.6 ± 0.9 J) that did not result in any change in the high-voltage lead impedance (46.1 ± 1.1 ohms). Conductor externalization was seen frequently in our cohort of patients. ICD generator exchange did not accelerate the rate of Riata lead failure at 1 year. Although both the control and the change-out cohorts failed at a rate much greater than nonrecalled leads, generator exchange did not appear to add to the problem. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE STORAGE ARCHITECTURE FOR RHIC.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

BINELLO,S.; KATZ, R.A.; MORRIS, J.T.

2007-10-15

Software used to operate the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) resides on one operational RAID storage system. This storage system is also used to store data that reflects the status and recent history of accelerator operations. Failure of this system interrupts the operation of the accelerator as backup systems are brought online. In order to increase the reliability of this critical control system component, the storage system architecture has been upgraded to use Storage Area Network (SAN) technology and to introduce redundant components and redundant storage paths. This paper describes the evolution of the storage system, the contributions to reliability that each additional feature has provided, further improvements that are being considered, and real-life experience with the current system.

SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE STORAGE ARCHITECTURE FOR RHIC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BINELLO, S.; KATZ, R.A.; MORRIS, J.T.

2007-01-01

Software used to operate the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) resides on one operational RAID storage system. This storage system is also used to store data that reflects the status and recent history of accelerator operations. Failure of this system interrupts the operation of the accelerator as backup systems are brought online. In order to increase the reliability of this critical control system component, the storage system architecture has been upgraded to use Storage Area Network (SAN) technology and to introduce redundant components and redundant storage paths. This paper describes the evolution of the storage system, the contributions to reliability that each additional feature has provided, further improvements that are being considered, and real-life experience with the current system

Using Acid Number as a Leading Indicator of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning System Performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dennis Cartlidge; Hans Schellhase

2003-07-31

This report summarizes a literature review to assess the acidity characteristics of the older mineral oil and newer polyolester (POE) refrigeration systems as well as to evaluate acid measuring techniques used in other non-aqueous systems which may be applicable for refrigeration systems. Failure in the older chlorofluorocarbon/hydrochlorofluorocarbon (CFC/HCFC) / mineral oil systems was primarily due to thermal degradation of the refrigerant which resulted in the formation of hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids. These are strong mineral acids, which can, over time, severely corrode the system metals and lead to the formation of copper plating on iron surfaces. The oil lubricants used in the older systems were relatively stable and were not prone to hydrolytic degradation due to the low solubility of water in oil. The refrigerants in the newer hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)/POE systems are much more thermally stable than the older CFC/HCFC refrigerants and mineral acid formation is negligible. However, acidity is produced in the new systems by hydrolytic decomposition of the POE lubricants with water to produce the parent organic acids and alcohols used to prepare the POE. The individual acids can therefore vary but they are generally C5 to C9 carboxylic acids. Organic acids are much weaker and far less corrosive to metals than the mineral acids from the older systems but they can, over long time periods, react with metals to form carboxylic metal salts. The salts tend to accumulate in narrow areas such as capillary tubes, particularly if residual hydrocarbon processing chemicals are present in the system, which can lead to plugging. The rate of acid production from POEs varies on a number of factors including chemical structure, moisture levels, temperature, acid concentration and metals. The hydrolysis rate of reaction can be reduced by using driers to reduce the free water concentration and by using scavenging chemicals which react with the system acids. Total acid

The effects of dopants on the electrical resistivity in lead magnesium niobate multilayer ceramic capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, D.D.; Ling, H.C.

1989-01-01

Electrical resistivity studies were performed on multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLC) based on lead magnesium niobate and containing dopants of lead titanate, lead zinc niobate, and lead cobalt niobate. The results showed that lead titanate and/or lead zinc niobate had no effect on the electrical resistivity while lead cobalt niobate decreased the resistivity. In samples without lead cobalt niobate, we observed a conduction mechanism with an activation energy of --1 eV, which is commonly observed in barium titanate based dielectrics. This is attributed to ionic conduction via the motion of oxygen vacancies. The increase in conductivity (or decrease in resistivity) resulting from the addition of lead cobalt niobate was rationalized as due to electronic conduction through charge hopping among the cations. This conduction mechanism was characterized by an activation energy of --0.5 eV. Since the activation energy associated with the long-term failure was previously determined by a matrix of temperature and voltage accelerated life tests to be -- 1 eV, they conclude that conduction through charge hopping is not affecting the long-term reliability of these devices

SLAC modulator operation and reliability in the SLC Era

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donaldson, A.R.; Ashton, J.R.

1992-06-01

A discussion of the operation and reliability of the 244 modulators in the SLAC linac with an emphasis on the past three years of operation. The linac modulators were designed and built in the 60's, upgraded for the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC) in the mid 80s, and despite their age are still reliable accelerator components. The 60s modulator operated at 65 MW peak and 83 kW average power. The upgrade resulted in 150 MW peak output at an average power of 87 kW, a modest increase since the repetition rate was dropped from 360 to 120 Hz. In the present accelerator configuration, the Linac operates as a source of electrons and positrons to a single pass coillider. The classic collider is a storage ring filled with oppositely charged, counter-rotating particles which are allowed to collide until an accelerator fault occurs and the stored beams are aborted. A reasonable storage ring can store and collide particles for as long as eight hours with a 10 or 20 minute filling time. A single pass collider, + on the other hand, can only produce e - and e + collisions at whatever rate the source operates. To be effective the SLC must operate at 120 Hz with a very high degree of reliability and on a continuous basis. Fortunately, the linac has a modest excess of modulator/klystron systems which allows some measure of redundancy and hence some freedom from the constraint that all 244 modulator/klystrons operate simultaneously. Nonetheless, high importance is placed on modulator MTBF and MTRR or, in the parlance of reliability experts and accelerator physicists, availability. This is especially true of the modulators associated with the fundamental requirements of a collider such as injection, compression and positron production

Development and testing of a bipolar lead-acid battery for hybrid electric vehicles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Saakes, M.; Kluiters, E.; Schmal, D.; Mourad, S.; Have, P.T.J.H. ten

1999-01-01

An 80 V bipolar lead-acid battery was constructed and tested using hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) drive cycles. Drive cycles with a peak power of 6.7 kW, equal to 1/5 of the total power profile required for the HEV studied, were run successfully. Model calculations showed that the 80 V module

Prospects for Accelerator Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Todd, Alan

2011-02-01

Accelerator technology today is a greater than US$5 billion per annum business. Development of higher-performance technology with improved reliability that delivers reduced system size and life cycle cost is expected to significantly increase the total accelerator technology market and open up new application sales. Potential future directions are identified and pitfalls in new market penetration are considered. Both of the present big market segments, medical radiation therapy units and semiconductor ion implanters, are approaching the "maturity" phase of their product cycles, where incremental development rather than paradigm shifts is the norm, but they should continue to dominate commercial sales for some time. It is anticipated that large discovery-science accelerators will continue to provide a specialty market beset by the unpredictable cycles resulting from the scale of the projects themselves, coupled with external political and economic drivers. Although fraught with differing market entry difficulties, the security and environmental markets, together with new, as yet unrealized, industrial material processing applications, are expected to provide the bulk of future commercial accelerator technology growth.

Introduction to quality and reliability engineering

CERN Document Server

Jiang, Renyan

2015-01-01

This book presents the state-of-the-art in quality and reliability engineering from a product life cycle standpoint. Topics in reliability include reliability models, life data analysis and modeling, design for reliability and accelerated life testing, while topics in quality include design for quality, acceptance sampling and supplier selection, statistical process control, production tests such as screening and burn-in, warranty and maintenance. The book provides comprehensive insights into two closely related subjects, and includes a wealth of examples and problems to enhance reader comprehension and link theory and practice. All numerical examples can be easily solved using Microsoft Excel. The book is intended for senior undergraduate and post-graduate students in related engineering and management programs such as mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering and engineering management programs, as well as for researchers and engineers in the quality and reliability fields. D...

Acceleration of the herbicide isoproturon degradation in wheat by glycosyltransferases and salicylic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yi Chen; Zhang, Shuang; Yang, Hong

2015-01-01

Isoproturon (IPU) is a herbicide widely used to prevent weeds in cereal production. Due to its extensive use in agriculture, residues of IPU are often detected in soils and crops. Overload of IPU to crops is associated with human health risks. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop an approach to mitigate its accumulation in crops. In this study, the IPU residues and its degradation products in wheat were characterized using ultra performance liquid chromatography-time of fight tandem-mass spectrometer/mass spectrometer (UPLC-TOF-MS/MS). Most detected IPU-derivatives were sugar-conjugated. Degradation and glycosylation of IPU-derivatives could be enhanced by applying salicylic acid (SA). While more sugar-conjugated IPU-derivatives were identified in wheat with SA application, lower levels of IPU were detected, indicating that SA is able to accelerate intracellular IPU catabolism. All structures of IPU-derivatives and sugar-conjugated products were characterized. Comparative data were provided with specific activities and gene expression of certain glucosyltransferases. A pathway with IPU degradation and glucosylation was discussed. Our work indicates that SA-accelerated degradation is practically useful for wheat crops growing in IPU-contaminated soils because such crops with SA application can potentially lower or minimize IPU accumulation in levels below the threshold for adverse effects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular ion acceleration using tandem accelerator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saito, Yuichi; Mizuhashi, Kiyoshi; Tajima, Satoshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki, Gunma (Japan). Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment

1996-12-01

In TIARA compound beam radiation system, cluster beams have been produced using 3 MV tandem accelerator (9SDH-2) to supply them to various radiation on injection experiments. Till now, productions of C{sub 2-8}, Si{sub 2-4} and O{sub 2} and their accelerations up to 6 MeV have been succeeded. This study aimed at production and acceleration of B{sub 2-4} and LiF. Anion clusters were produced using the conventional ion source of cesium sputter type. The proportions of atoms, molecules and clusters elicited from the ion source were varied depending on the material`s properties and the operating conditions of ion source such as sample temperature, sputter voltage and the shape of sample. The anion clusters were accelerated toward the high voltage terminal in the center of tandem accelerator, leading to cations through losing their electrons by the collision to N{sub 2} gas in a charge conversion cell at the terminal. Positively charged cluster ions could be obtained by modulating the pressure of N{sub 2} gas. Thus, B{sub 2} (64 nA), B{sub 3} (4.4 nA) and B{sub 4} (2.7 nA) have been produced and their maximum survival probabilities were higher than those of carbon or silicon clusters. In addition, the relationship between beam current and gas pressure was investigated for Bn (n = 2-4) and LiF. (M.N.)

Lead-acid batteries in micro-hybrid applications. Part I. Selected key parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Schaeck, S.; Stoermer, A. O.; Kaiser, F.; Koehler, L.; Albers, J.; Kabza, H.

Micro-hybrid electric vehicles were launched by BMW in March 2007. These are equipped with brake energy regeneration (BER) and the automatic start and stop function (ASSF) of the internal combustion engine. These functions are based on common 14 V series components and lead-acid (LA) batteries. The novelty is given by the intelligent onboard energy management, which upgrades the conventional electric system to the micro-hybrid power system (MHPS). In part I of this publication the key factors for the operation of LA batteries in the MHPS are discussed. Especially for BER one is high dynamic charge acceptance (DCA) for effective boost charging. Vehicle rest time is identified as a particular negative parameter for DCA. It can be refreshed by regular fully charging at elevated charge voltage. Thus, the batteries have to be outstandingly robust against overcharge and water loss. This can be accomplished for valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries at least if they are mounted in the trunk. ASSF goes along with frequent high-rate loads for warm cranking. The internal resistance determines the drop of the power net voltage during cranking and is preferably low for reasons of power net stability even after years of operation. Investigations have to be done with aged 90 Ah VRLA-absorbent glass mat (AGM) batteries. Battery operation at partial state-of-charge gives a higher risk of deep discharging (overdischarging). Subsequent re-charging then is likely to lead to the formation of micro-short circuits in the absorbent glass mat separator.

2017 NREL Photovoltaic Reliability Workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurtz, Sarah [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-08-15

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Reliability Workshop (PVRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology -- both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

Minimising the economic cost and risk to accelerator-driven subcritical reactor technology: The case of designing for flexibility: Part 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steer, Steven J.; Cardin, Michel-Alexandre; Nuttall, William J.; Parks, Geoffrey T.; Gonçalves, Leonardo V.N.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Accelerator performance is a risk to ADSR reactor technology demonstration. ► Sensitivity of ADSR economic value to accelerator performance is assessed. ► Economic value of ADSRs with and without accelerator redundancy is tested. ► Real options identify design flexibility to accelerator performance uncertainty. ► Multiple ADSR “park” with a single integrated accelerator system is proposed. - Abstract: Demonstrating the generation of electricity for commercial markets with accelerator-driven subcritical reactor (ADSR) technology will incur substantial financial risk. This risk will arise from traditional uncertainties associated with the construction of nuclear power stations and also from new technology uncertainties such as the reliability of the required accelerator system. The sensitivity of the economic value of ADSRs to the reliability of the accelerator system is assessed. Using linear accelerators as an example of choice for the accelerator technology, the economic assessment considers an ADSR with either one or two accelerators driving it. The extent to which a second accelerator improves the accelerator system reliability is determined, as are the costs for that reliability improvement. Two flexible designs for the accelerator system are also considered, derived from the real options analysis technique. One seeks to achieve the benefits of both the single and dual accelerator ADSR configurations through initially planning to build a second accelerator, but only actually constructing it once it is determined to be economically beneficial to do so. The other builds and tests an accelerator before committing to constructing a reactor. Finally, a phased multiple-reactor park with an integrated system of accelerators is suggested and discussed. The park uses the principles of redundancy as for the Dual accelerator ADSR and flexibility as for the real options design, but for a lower cost per unit of electricity produced.

Parametric study of emerging high power accelerator applications using Accelerator Systems Model (ASM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berwald, D.H.; Mendelsohn, S.S.; Myers, T.J.; Paulson, C.C.; Peacock, M.A.; Piaszczyk, CM.; Rathke, J.W.; Piechowiak, E.M.

1996-01-01

Emerging applications for high power rf linacs include fusion materials testing, generation of intense spallation neutrons for neutron physics and materials studies, production of nuclear materials and destruction of nuclear waste. Each requires the selection of an optimal configuration and operating parameters for its accelerator, rf power system and other supporting subsystems. Because of the high cost associated with these facilities, economic considerations become paramount, dictating a full evaluation of the electrical and rf performance, system reliability/availability, and capital, operating, and life cycle costs. The Accelerator Systems Model (ASM), expanded and modified by Northrop Grumman during 1993-96, provides a unique capability for detailed layout and evaluation of a wide variety of normal and superconducting accelerator and rf power configurations. This paper will discuss the current capabilities of ASM, including the available models and data base, and types of trade studies that can be performed for the above applications. (author)

RF linear accelerators for medical and industrial applications

CERN Document Server

Hanna, Samy

2012-01-01

This unique resource offers you a clear overview of medical and industrial accelerators. Using minimal mathematics, this book focuses on offering thorough explanations of basic concepts surrounding the operation of accelerators. you find well illustrated discussions designed to help you use accelerator-based systems in a safer, more productive, and more reliable manner.This practical book details the manufacturing process for producing accelerators for medical and industrial applications. You become knowledgeable about the commonly encountered real-world manufacturing issues and potential sources of defects which help you avoid costly production problems. From principles of operation and the role of accelerators in cancer radiation therapy, to manufacturing techniques and future trends in accelerator design and applications, this easy-to-comprehend volume quickly brings you up-to-speed with the critical concepts you need to understand for your work in the field.

Molasses melanoidin-like products enhance phytoextraction of lead through three Brassica species.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatano, Ken-Ichi; Yamatsu, Takeshi

2018-05-12

Previously, it has been suggested that melanoidin-like products (MLP) from sugarcane molasses may accelerate copper phytoextraction. In this study, we evaluated the facilitatory effect of MLP on phytoextraction in a medium including cadmium or lead, the concentrations of which were adjusted around the regulation values of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act in Japan. Three Brassica species were tested based on their fast growth, high biomass productivity, and high heavy metal absorption. Both biomass and lead uptake in the nutrient medium with 1 mM lead nitrate were significantly increased by the addition of MLP, and almost all of the lead was accumulated in the root tissue. Therefore, MLP were able both to detoxify lead ions and to improve their bioavailability in Brassica species. In contrast, only these species with MLP or citric acid survived in the nutrient medium with 1 mM cadmium sulfate. The phytoextraction of cadmium using these species was therefore impractical under the Act.

Accelerator requirments for strategic defense

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gullickson, R.L.

1987-01-01

The authors discuss how directed energy applications require accelerators with high brightness and large gradients to minimize size and weight for space systems. Several major directed energy applications are based upon accelerator technology. The radio-frequency linear accelerator is the basis for both space-based neutral particle beam (NPB) and free electron laser (FEL) devices. The high peak current of the induction linac has made it a leading candidate for ground based free electron laser applications

Research on SOC Calibration of Large Capacity Lead Acid Battery

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, W. Q.; Guo, Y. X.

2018-05-01

Large capacity lead-acid battery is used in track electric locomotive, and State of Charge (SOC) is an important quantitative parameter of locomotive power output and operating mileage of power emergency recovery vehicle. But State of Charge estimation has been a difficult part in the battery management system. In order to reduce the SOC estimation error better, this paper uses the linear relationship of Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) and State of Charge to fit the SOC-OCV curve equation by MATLAB. The method proposed in this paper is small, easy to implement and can be used in the battery non-working state SOC estimation correction, improve the estimation accuracy of SOC.

The importance of glutamate, glycine, and γ-aminobutyric acid transport and regulation in manganese, mercury and lead neurotoxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitsanakis, Vanessa A.; Aschner, Michael

2005-01-01

Historically, amino acids were studied in the context of their importance in protein synthesis. In the 1950s, the focus of research shifted as amino acids were recognized as putative neurotransmitters. Today, many amino acids are considered important neurochemicals. Although many amino acids play a role in neurotransmission, glutamate (Glu), glycine (Gly), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are among the more prevalent and better understood. Glu, the major excitatory neurotransmitter, and Gly and GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitters, in the central nervous system, are known to be tightly regulated. Prolonged exposure to environmental toxicants, such as manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), or lead (Pb), however, can lead to dysregulation of these neurochemicals and subsequent neurotoxicity. While the ability of these metals to disrupt the regulation of Glu, Gly and GABA have been studied, few articles have examined the collective role of these amino acids in the respective metal's mechanism of toxicity. For each of the neurotransmitters above, we will provide a brief synopsis of their regulatory function, including the importance of transport and re-uptake in maintaining their optimal function. Additionally, the review will address the hypothesis that aberrant homeostasis of any of these amino acids, or a combination of the three, plays a role in the neurotoxicity of Mn, Hg, or Pb

Accelerator mass analysis at tandem accelerator in Kyoto University

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamura, Masanobu; Tazawa, Yuji; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Hirose, Masanori [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Science; Ogino, Koya; Kohno, Masuchika; Funaba, Hiroyuki

1996-12-01

Tandem accelerator in Science Faculty, Kyoto University was renewed from 5 MV in the highest terminal voltage of Van de Graaff to 8 MV of Peletron in 1992. And, AMS effective for cosmic ray, dating, environment measurement and so forth is determined to a column of collaborative studies by universities and institutes in Japan. On this renewal, because of using high energy beam transportation of the present tandem accelerator, super high sensitivity measurement of long half-life radioactive isotopes of heavy elements such as {sup 36}Cl, {sup 41}Ca, {sup 129}I and so forth is aimed, although having some limitations due to small magnet. The accelerator is active in characteristics of the middle size tandem accelerator, and developing {sup 14}C measurement for its standard technology, as aiming at {sup 36}Cl measurement, at first. As a result, in this tandem accelerator stable and high beam transmittance could be obtained by adding a slit at negative ion source to make emittance of incident beam smaller. {sup 14}C/{sup 12}C ratio of Modan`s sample obtained by graphitizing NBS oxalic acid and Ded`s sample consisting of mineral graphite produced in Sri Lanka are measured to confirm better reproductivity of this system. Future development of successive incident method is planned to test actual carbon samples. (G.K.)

Low brain ascorbic acid increases susceptibility to seizures in mouse models of decreased brain ascorbic acid transport and Alzheimer’s disease

OpenAIRE

Warner, Timothy A; Kang, Jing-Qiong; Kennard, John A; Harrison, Fiona E

2014-01-01

Seizures are a known co-occurring symptom of Alzheimer’s disease, and they can accelerate cognitive and neuropathological dysfunction. Sub-optimal vitamin C (ascorbic acid) deficiency, that is low levels that do not lead the sufferer to present with clinical signs of scurvy (e.g. lethargy, hemorrhage, hyperkeratosis), are easily obtainable with insufficient dietary intake, and may contribute to the oxidative stress environment of both Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy. The purpose of this stud...

Modeling the dynamics of the lead bismuth eutectic experimental accelerator driven system by an infinite impulse response locally recurrent neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zio, Enrico; Pedroni, Nicola; Broggi, Matteo; Golea, Lucia Roxana

2009-01-01

In this paper, an infinite impulse response locally recurrent neural network (IIR-LRNN) is employed for modelling the dynamics of the Lead Bismuth Eutectic eXperimental Accelerator Driven System (LBE-XADS). The network is trained by recursive back-propagation (RBP) and its ability in estimating transients is tested under various conditions. The results demonstrate the robustness of the locally recurrent scheme in the reconstruction of complex nonlinear dynamic relationships

Resolving beam transport problems in electrostatic accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larson, J.D.

1977-01-01

This paper reviews problem areas in beam transmission which are frequently encountered during the design, operation and upgrading of electrostatic accelerators. Examples are provided of analytic procedures that clarify accelerator ion optics and lead to more effective beam transport. Suggestions are made for evaluating accelerator design with the goal of improved performance

Minimisation of the LCOE for the hybrid power supply system with the lead-acid battery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kasprzyk Leszek

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the methodology of minimisation of the unit cost of production of energy generated in the hybrid system compatible with the lead-acid battery, and used to power a load with the known daily load curve. For this purpose, the objective function in the form of the LCOE and the genetic algorithm method were used. Simulation tests for three types of load with set daily load characteristics were performed. By taking advantage of the legal regulations applicable in the territory of Poland, regarding the energy storing in the power system, the optimal structure of the prosumer solar-wind system including the lead-acid battery, which meets the condition of maximum rated power, was established. An assumption was made that the whole solar energy supplied to the load would be generated in the optimised system.

A Comparative Study of Lithium Ion to Lead Acid Batteries for use in UPS Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stan, Ana-Irina; Swierczynski, Maciej Jozef; Stroe, Daniel Ioan

2014-01-01

Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems have incorporated in their structure an electrochemical battery which allows for smooth power supply when a power failure occurs. In general, UPS systems are based on lead acid batteries; mainly a valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery. Recently, lithium...... ion batteries are getting more and more attention for their use in the back-up power systems and UPSs, because of their superior characteristics, which include increased safety and higher gravimetric and volumetric energy densities. This fact allows them to be smaller in size and weight less than VRLA...... batteries, which are currently used in UPS applications. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze how Li-ion batteries can become a useful alternative to present VRLA. In this study, three different electrochemical battery technologies were investigated; two of the most appealing Li-ion chemistries...

A Reliability Model for Ni-BaTiO3-Based (BME) Ceramic Capacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Donhang

2014-01-01

The evaluation of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) with base-metal electrodes (BMEs) for potential NASA space project applications requires an in-depth understanding of their reliability. The reliability of an MLCC is defined as the ability of the dielectric material to retain its insulating properties under stated environmental and operational conditions for a specified period of time t. In this presentation, a general mathematic expression of a reliability model for a BME MLCC is developed and discussed. The reliability model consists of three parts: (1) a statistical distribution that describes the individual variation of properties in a test group of samples (Weibull, log normal, normal, etc.), (2) an acceleration function that describes how a capacitors reliability responds to external stresses such as applied voltage and temperature (All units in the test group should follow the same acceleration function if they share the same failure mode, independent of individual units), and (3) the effect and contribution of the structural and constructional characteristics of a multilayer capacitor device, such as the number of dielectric layers N, dielectric thickness d, average grain size r, and capacitor chip size S. In general, a two-parameter Weibull statistical distribution model is used in the description of a BME capacitors reliability as a function of time. The acceleration function that relates a capacitors reliability to external stresses is dependent on the failure mode. Two failure modes have been identified in BME MLCCs: catastrophic and slow degradation. A catastrophic failure is characterized by a time-accelerating increase in leakage current that is mainly due to existing processing defects (voids, cracks, delamination, etc.), or the extrinsic defects. A slow degradation failure is characterized by a near-linear increase in leakage current against the stress time; this is caused by the electromigration of oxygen vacancies (intrinsic defects). The

The hydrogen economy: a threat or an opportunity for lead-acid batteries?

Science.gov (United States)

Rand, D. A. J.; Dell, R. M.

There is mounting concern over the sustainability of global energy supplies. Among the key drivers are: (i) global warming, ocean surface acidification and air pollution, which imply the need to control and reduce anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, especially emissions from transportation and thermal power stations; (ii) the diminishing reserves of oil and natural gas; (iii) the need for energy security adapted to each country, such as decreasing the dependence on fossil fuel imports (in particular, the vulnerability to volatile oil prices) from regions where there is political or economic instability; (iv) the expected growth in world population with the ever-increasing aspiration for an improved standard-of-living for all, especially in developing and poor nations. Hydrogen is being promoted world-wide as a total panacea for energy problems. As a versatile carrier for storing and transporting energy from any one of a myriad of sources to an electricity generator, it is argued that hydrogen will eventually replace, or at least greatly reduce, the reliance on fossil fuels. Not unexpectedly, the building of a 'hydrogen economy' presents great scientific and technological challenges in production, delivery, storage, conversion, and end-use. In addition, there are many policy, regulatory, economic, financial, investment, environmental and safety questions to be addressed. Notwithstanding these obstacles, it is indeed plausible that hydrogen will become increasingly deployed and will compete with traditional systems of energy storage and supply. Moreover, the case for hydrogen will be greatly strengthened if fuel cells, which are the key enabling technology, become more reliable, more durable, and less expensive. This paper examines the prospects for hydrogen as a universal energy-provider and considers the impact that its introduction might have on the present deployment of lead-acid batteries in mobile, stationary and road transportation applications.

Resolving beam transport problems in electrostatic accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larson, J.D.

1977-01-01

A review is given of problem areas in beam transmission which are frequently encountered during the design, operation and upgrading of electrostatic accelerators. Examples are provided of analytic procedures that clarify accelerator ion optics and lead to more effective beam transport. Suggestions are made for evaluating accelerator design with the goal of improved performance

Analysis of lead/acid battery life cycle factors: their impact on society and the lead industry

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, J. G. S.; Wood, J. R.; Ralph, B.; Fenn, R.

The underlying theme of this paper is that society, globally, is undergoing a fundamental conceptual shift in the way it views the environment and the role of industry within it. There are views in certain quarters that this could result in the virtual elimination of the lead industry's entire product range. Despite these threats, it is argued that the prospects for the lead industry appear to be relatively favourable in a number of respects. The industry's future depends to a significant degree, however, upon its ability to argue its case in a number of key areas. It is contended, therefore, that if appropriate strategies and means are promulgated, the prospects of the industry would appear to be relatively healthy. But, for this to happen with optimal effectiveness, a conceptual change will be necessary within the industry. New strategies and tools will have to be developed. These will require a significantly more integrated, holistically based and 'reflexive' approach than previously. The main elements of such an approach are outlined. With reference to the authors' ongoing research into automotive lead/acid starting lighting ignition (SLI) batteries, the paper shows how the technique of in-depth life cycle assessment (LCA), appropriately adapted to the needs of the industry, will provide a crucial role in this new approach. It also shows how it may be used as an internal design and assessment tool to identify those stages in the battery life cycle that give rise to the greatest environmental burdens, and to assess the effects of changes in the cycle to those burdens. It is argued that the development of this approach requires the serious and urgent attention of the whole of the lead industry. Also to make the LCA tool fully effective, it must be based on a 'live' database that is produced, maintained and continually updated by the industry.

Rapid acceleration leads to rapid weakening in earthquake-like laboratory experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Jefferson C.; Lockner, David A.; Reches, Z.

2012-01-01

After nucleation, a large earthquake propagates as an expanding rupture front along a fault. This front activates countless fault patches that slip by consuming energy stored in Earth’s crust. We simulated the slip of a fault patch by rapidly loading an experimental fault with energy stored in a spinning flywheel. The spontaneous evolution of strength, acceleration, and velocity indicates that our experiments are proxies of fault-patch behavior during earthquakes of moment magnitude (Mw) = 4 to 8. We show that seismically determined earthquake parameters (e.g., displacement, velocity, magnitude, or fracture energy) can be used to estimate the intensity of the energy release during an earthquake. Our experiments further indicate that high acceleration imposed by the earthquake’s rupture front quickens dynamic weakening by intense wear of the fault zone.

Adapting capillary gel electrophoresis as a sensitive, high-throughput method to accelerate characterization of nucleic acid metabolic enzymes.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenough, Lucia; Schermerhorn, Kelly M; Mazzola, Laurie; Bybee, Joanna; Rivizzigno, Danielle; Cantin, Elizabeth; Slatko, Barton E; Gardner, Andrew F

2016-01-29

Detailed biochemical characterization of nucleic acid enzymes is fundamental to understanding nucleic acid metabolism, genome replication and repair. We report the development of a rapid, high-throughput fluorescence capillary gel electrophoresis method as an alternative to traditional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to characterize nucleic acid metabolic enzymes. The principles of assay design described here can be applied to nearly any enzyme system that acts on a fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide substrate. Herein, we describe several assays using this core capillary gel electrophoresis methodology to accelerate study of nucleic acid enzymes. First, assays were designed to examine DNA polymerase activities including nucleotide incorporation kinetics, strand displacement synthesis and 3'-5' exonuclease activity. Next, DNA repair activities of DNA ligase, flap endonuclease and RNase H2 were monitored. In addition, a multicolor assay that uses four different fluorescently labeled substrates in a single reaction was implemented to characterize GAN nuclease specificity. Finally, a dual-color fluorescence assay to monitor coupled enzyme reactions during Okazaki fragment maturation is described. These assays serve as a template to guide further technical development for enzyme characterization or nucleoside and non-nucleoside inhibitor screening in a high-throughput manner. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Reliability analysis of different structure parameters of PCBA under drop impact

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, P. S.; Fan, G. M.; Liu, Y. H.

2018-03-01

The establishing process of PCBA is modelled by finite element analysis software ABAQUS. Firstly, introduce the Input-G method and the fatigue life under drop impact are introduced and the mechanism of the solder joint failure in the process of drop is analysed. The main reason of solder joint failure is that the PCB component is suffering repeated tension and compression stress during the drop impact. Finally, the equivalent stress and peel stress of different solder joint and plate-level components under different impact acceleration are also analysed. The results show that the reliability of tin-silver copper joint is better than that of tin- lead solder joint, and the fatigue life of solder joint expectancy decrease as the impact pulse amplitude increases.

A review of physical properties of separators for valve-regulated lead/acid batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zguris, G.C. [Hovosorb Separators, Hollingsworth and Vose Co., West Groton, MA (United States)

1996-03-01

The microglass separator has been used from the conception of valve-regulated lead/acid (VRLA) technology. There is increasing recognition that the separator has a critical role in battery performance. Research is supporting the position that compression exerted by the separator has an important role in premature capacity loss. Some companies have suggested that the separator compression set/creep plays a critical role in the battery failure mechanism in float applications. ALABC studies have shown that designs with higher compression improve the cycle life of batteries. Increasing numbers of manufacturers are designing their separators around the end-application of the battery. The separator in a VRLA battery is not an inactive spacer/barrier, as in a flooded lead/acid cell. Instead, these separators function as a key element, the third electrode. This paper reviews aspects of the microglass separator used in VRLA batteries. Information is provided to make a better separator selection, since a 100% microglass media, or any recombinant battery separator mat (RBSM) for a VRLA battery has a critical role in assuring the performance of the battery. A poor design can thus decrease the expected life of the battery. (orig.)

The project SPES at LNL: Accelerator challenges

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

accelerator driven system for waste transmutation. .... a 30 mA (equivalent to 3 MW power), cw proton beam, with high reliability required by the ADS .... maximum achievable surface electric field, related to the onset of field emission, and since.

Assessment of the transmutation capability an accelerator driven system cooled by lead bismuth eutectic alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianchi, F.; Peluso, V.; Calabrese; Chen, X.; Maschek, W.

2007-01-01

1. PURPOSE The reduction of long-lived fission products (LLFP) and minor actinides (MA) is a key point for the public acceptability and economy of nuclear energy. In principle, any nuclear fast reactor is able to burn and transmute MA, but the amount of MA content has to be limited a few percent, having unfavourable consequences on the coolant void reactivity, Doppler effect, and delayed neutron fraction, and therefore on the dynamic behaviour and control. Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) are instead able to safely burn and/or transmute a large quantity of actinides and LLFP, as they do not rely on delayed neutrons for control or power change and the reactivity feedbacks have very little importance during accidents. Such systems are very innovative being based on the coupling of an accelerator with a subcritical system by means of a target system, where the neutronic source needed to maintain the neutron reaction chain is produced by spallation reactions. To this end the PDS-XADS (Preliminary Design Studies on an experimental Accelerator Driven System) project was funded by the European Community in the 5th Framework Program in order both to demonstrate the feasibility of the coupling between an accelerator and a sub-critical core loaded with standard MOX fuel and to investigate the transmutation capability in order to achieve values suitable for an Industrial Scale Transmuter. This paper summarizes and compares the results of neutronic calculations aimed at evaluating the transmutation capability of cores cooled by Lead-Bismuth Eutectic alloy and loaded with assemblies based on (Pu, Am, Cm) oxide dispersed in a molybdenum metal (CERMET) or magnesia (CERCER) matrices. It also describes the constraints considered in the design of such cores and describes the thermo-mechanical behaviour of these innovative fuels along the cycle. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK: The U-free composite fuels (CERMET and CERCER) were selected for this study, being considered at European level

THIOGLYCOLIC ACID ESTERIFIED IN TO RICE STRAW FOR REMOVING LEAD FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Gong

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Thiol rice straw (TRS was prepared by esterifying thioglycolic acid onto rice straw in the medium of acetic anhydride and acetic acid with sulfuric acid as catalyst. The sorption of lead (Pb on TRS from aqueous solution was subsequently investigated. The batch experiments showed that Pb removal was dependent on initial pH, sorbent dose, Pb concentration, contact time, and temperature. The maximum value of Pb removal appeared at pH 5. For 100 mg/L of Pb solution, a removal ratio of greater than 98% could be achieved with 2.0 g/L or more of TRS. The isothermal data of Pb sorption conformed well to the Langmuir model, and the maximum sorption capacity (Qm of TRS for Pb was 104.17 mg/g. The equilibrium of Pb removal was reached within 120 min. The Pb removal process could be described by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The thermodynamic study indicated that the Pb removal process was spontaneous and endothermic.

Accelerated Testing with Multiple Failure Modes under Several Temperature Conditions

OpenAIRE

Zongyue Yu; Zhiqian Ren; Junyong Tao; Xun Chen

2014-01-01

A complicated device may have multiple failure modes, and some of the failure modes are sensitive to low temperatures. To assess the reliability of a product with multiple failure modes, this paper presents an accelerated testing in which both of the high temperatures and the low temperatures are applied. Firstly, an acceleration model based on the Arrhenius model but accounting for the influence of both the high temperatures and low temperatures is proposed. Accordingly, an accelerated testi...

Method of handling of scrap lead from lead-acid batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sytschev, A P; Kim, G V; Larin, V F; Sidorova, G D; Vicharev, I G; Kuur, V P; Achmetov, R S; Moiseev, G L; Maslov, V I; Kabatschek, V G

1979-12-13

Scrap lead and the casings of accumulators are mined and molten together in oxidixing atmosphere at a temperature of 1300 to 1500/sup 0/C. The lead oxide contained in the melt is then reduced to blue lead. Due to the combustion of the accumulator casings consisting of organic substances the fuel consumption in the melting process is reduced in accordance. The oxidizing atmosphere in the melting process is produced by use of air or oxygen.

Practical applications of age-dependent reliability models and analysis of operational data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lannoy, A.; Nitoi, M.; Backstrom, O.; Burgazzi, L.; Couallier, V.; Nikulin, M.; Derode, A.; Rodionov, A.; Atwood, C.; Fradet, F.; Antonov, A.; Berezhnoy, A.; Choi, S.Y.; Starr, F.; Dawson, J.; Palmen, H.; Clerjaud, L

2005-07-01

The purpose of the workshop was to present the experience of practical application of time-dependent reliability models. The program of the workshop comprises the following sessions: -) aging management and aging PSA (Probabilistic Safety Assessment), -) modeling, -) operation experience, and -) accelerating aging tests. In order to introduce time aging effect of particular component to the PSA model, it has been proposed to use the constant unavailability values on the short period of time (one year for example) calculated on the basis of age-dependent reliability models. As for modeling, it appears that the problem of too detailed statistical models for application is the lack of data for required parameters. As for operating experience, several methods of operating experience analysis have been presented (algorithms for reliability data elaboration and statistical identification of aging trend). As for accelerated aging tests, it is demonstrated that a combination of operating experience analysis with the results of accelerated aging tests of naturally aged equipment could provide a good basis for continuous operation of instrumentation and control systems.

Practical applications of age-dependent reliability models and analysis of operational data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lannoy, A.; Nitoi, M.; Backstrom, O.; Burgazzi, L.; Couallier, V.; Nikulin, M.; Derode, A.; Rodionov, A.; Atwood, C.; Fradet, F.; Antonov, A.; Berezhnoy, A.; Choi, S.Y.; Starr, F.; Dawson, J.; Palmen, H.; Clerjaud, L.

2005-01-01

The purpose of the workshop was to present the experience of practical application of time-dependent reliability models. The program of the workshop comprises the following sessions: -) aging management and aging PSA (Probabilistic Safety Assessment), -) modeling, -) operation experience, and -) accelerating aging tests. In order to introduce time aging effect of particular component to the PSA model, it has been proposed to use the constant unavailability values on the short period of time (one year for example) calculated on the basis of age-dependent reliability models. As for modeling, it appears that the problem of too detailed statistical models for application is the lack of data for required parameters. As for operating experience, several methods of operating experience analysis have been presented (algorithms for reliability data elaboration and statistical identification of aging trend). As for accelerated aging tests, it is demonstrated that a combination of operating experience analysis with the results of accelerated aging tests of naturally aged equipment could provide a good basis for continuous operation of instrumentation and control systems

Neural network based expert system for fault diagnosis of particle accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewidar, M.M.

1997-01-01

Particle accelerators are generators that produce beams of charged particles, acquiring different energies, depending on the accelerator type. The MGC-20 cyclotron is a cyclic particle accelerator used for accelerating protons, deuterons, alpha particles, and helium-3 to different energies. Its applications include isotope production, nuclear reaction, and mass spectroscopy studies. It is a complicated machine, it consists of five main parts, the ion source, the deflector, the beam transport system, the concentric and harmonic coils, and the radio frequency system. The diagnosis of this device is a very complex task. it depends on the conditions of 27 indicators of the control panel of the device. The accurate diagnosis can lead to a high system reliability and save maintenance costs. so an expert system for the cyclotron fault diagnosis is necessary to be built. In this thesis , a hybrid expert system was developed for the fault diagnosis of the MGC-20 cyclotron. Two intelligent techniques, multilayer feed forward back propagation neural network and the rule based expert system, are integrated as a pre-processor loosely coupled model to build the proposed hybrid expert system. The architecture of the developed hybrid expert system consists of two levels. The first level is two feed forward back propagation neural networks, used for isolating the faulty part of the cyclotron. The second level is the rule based expert system, used for troubleshooting the faults inside the isolated faulty part. 4-6 tabs., 4-5 figs., 36 refs

Improving lead adsorption through chemical modification of wheat straw by lactic acid

Science.gov (United States)

Mu, Ruimin; Wang, Minxiang; Bu, Qingwei; Liu, Dong; Zhao, Yanli

2018-01-01

This work describes the creation of a new cellulosic material derived from wheat straw modified by lactic acid for adsorption of lead in aqueous solution, called 0.3LANS (the concentration of the lactic acid were 0.3mol/L). Batch experiments were conducted to study the effects of initial pH value, contact time, adsorbent dose, initial concentration and temperature. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Elemental analysis, BET surface area and Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) analysis were used to investigate the chemical modification. Adsorption isotherm models namely, Langmuir, Freundlich were used to analyse the equilibrium data, and the Langmuir isotherm model provided the best correlation, means that the adsorption was chemical monolayer adsorption and the adsorption capacity qm was increased with increasing temperature, and reached 51.49mg/g for 0.3LANS at 35°C, showing adsorption was exothermic.

Estimating The Reliability of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Flash X-ray (FXR) Machine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ong, M M; Kihara, R; Zentler, J M; Kreitzer, B R; DeHope, W J

2007-01-01

At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), our flash X-ray accelerator (FXR) is used on multi-million dollar hydrodynamic experiments. Because of the importance of the radiographs, FXR must be ultra-reliable. Flash linear accelerators that can generate a 3 kA beam at 18 MeV are very complex. They have thousands, if not millions, of critical components that could prevent the machine from performing correctly. For the last five years, we have quantified and are tracking component failures. From this data, we have determined that the reliability of the high-voltage gas-switches that initiate the pulses, which drive the accelerator cells, dominates the statistics. The failure mode is a single-switch pre-fire that reduces the energy of the beam and degrades the X-ray spot-size. The unfortunate result is a lower resolution radiograph. FXR is a production machine that allows only a modest number of pulses for testing. Therefore, reliability switch testing that requires thousands of shots is performed on our test stand. Study of representative switches has produced pre-fire statistical information and probability distribution curves. This information is applied to FXR to develop test procedures and determine individual switch reliability using a minimal number of accelerator pulses

Ion sources for medical accelerators

Science.gov (United States)

Barletta, W. A.; Chu, W. T.; Leung, K. N.

1998-02-01

Advanced injector systems for proton synchrotrons and accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy systems are being developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Multicusp ion sources, particularly those driven by radio frequency, have been tested for these applications. The use of a radio frequency induction discharge provides clean, reliable, and long-life source operation. It has been demonstrated that the multicusp ion source can provide good-quality positive hydrogen ion beams with a monatomic ion fraction higher than 90%. The extractable ion current densities from this type of source can meet the injector requirements for both proton synchrotron and accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy projects.

Technology of magnetically driven accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brix, D.L.; Hawkins, S.A.; Poor, S.E.; Reginato, L.L.; Smith, M.W.

1985-01-01

The marriage of Induction Linac technology with Nonlinear Magnetic Modulators has produced some unique capabilities. It appears possible to produce electron beams with average currents measured in amperes, at gradients exceeding 1 MeV/meter, and with power efficiencies approaching 50%. A 2 MeV, 5 kA electron accelerator has been constructed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to demonstrate these concepts and to provide a test facility for high brightness sources. The pulse drive for the accelerator is based on state-of-the-art magnetic pulse compressors with very high peak power capability, repetition rates exceeding a kilohertz and excellent reliability

Technology of magnetically driven accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birx, D.L.; Hawkins, S.A.; Poor, S.E.; Reginato, L.L.; Smith, M.W.

1985-01-01

The marriage of Induction Linac technology with Nonlinear Magnetic Modulators has produced some unique capabilities. It appears possible to produce electron beams with average currents measured in amperes, at gradients exceeding 1 MeV/meter, and with power efficiencies approach 50%. A 2 MeV, 5 kA electron accelerator has been constructed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to demonstrate these concepts and to provide a test facility for high brightness sources. The pulse drive for the accelerator is based on state-of-the-art magnetic pulse compressors with very high peak power capability, repetition rates exceeding a kilohertz and excellent reliability

Linear induction accelerators for fusion and neutron production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barletta, W.A.; California Univ., Los Angeles, CA

1993-08-01

Linear induction accelerators (LIA) with pulsed power drives can produce high energy, intense beams or electrons, protons, or heavy ions with megawatts of average power. The continuing development of highly reliable LIA components permits the use such accelerators as cost-effective beam sources to drive fusion pellets with heavy ions, to produce intense neutron fluxes using proton beams, and to generate with electrons microwave power to drive magnetic fusion reactors and high gradient, rf-linacs

The Environmental Burdens of Lead-Acid Batteries in China: Insights from an Integrated Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Lead

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sha Chen

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Lead-acid batteries (LABs, a widely used energy storage equipment in cars and electric vehicles, are becoming serious problems due to their high environmental impact. In this study, an integrated method, combining material flow analysis with life cycle assessment, was developed to analyze the environmental emissions and burdens of lead in LABs. The environmental burdens from other materials in LABs were not included. The results indicated that the amount of primary lead used in LABs accounted for 77% of the total lead production in 2014 in China. The amount of discharged lead into the environment was 8.54 × 105 tonnes, which was mainly from raw material extraction (57.2%. The largest environmental burden was from the raw materials extraction and processing, which accounted for 81.7% of the total environmental burdens. The environmental burdens of the environmental toxicity potential, human toxicity potential-cancer, human toxicity potential-non-cancer, water footprint and land use accounted for more than 90% at this stage. Moreover, the environmental burdens from primary lead was much more serious than regenerated lead. On the basis of the results, main practical measures and policies were proposed to reduce the lead emissions and environmental burdens of LABs in China, namely establishing an effective LABs recycling system, enlarging the market share of the legal regenerated lead, regulating the production of regenerated lead, and avoiding the long-distance transportation of the waste LABs.

Planning the research and development necessary for accelerator transmutation of waste, leading to integrated proof of performance testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, D.R.; Pasamehmetoglu, K.; Finck, P.; Pitcher, E.; Khalil, H.; Todosow, M.; Hill, R.; Van Tuyle, G.; Laidler, J.; Crawford, D.; Thomas, K.

2001-01-01

The Research and Development (R and D) Plan for the Accelerator Transmutation of Waste (ATW) Program has been developed for the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE/NE) to serve as a focus and progressional guide in developing critical transmutation technologies. It is intended that the Plan will serve as a logical reference considering all elements of an integrated accelerator-driven transmutation system, and will maximize the use of resources by identifying and prioritizing research, design, development and trade activities. The R and D Plan provides a structured framework for identifying and prioritizing activities leading to technically-justifiable integrated Proof of Performance testing within ten years and ultimate demonstration of Accelerator Transmutation of Waste (ATW). The Plan builds from the decision objectives specified for ATW, utilizes informational input from the ATW Roadmap and programmatic System Point Design efforts, and employs the knowledge and expertise provided by professionals familiar with ATW technologies. With the firm intent of understanding what, why and when information is needed, including critical interfaces, the Plan then develops a progressional strategy for developing ATW technologies with the use of a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale. The TRL approach is first used to develop a comprehensive, yet generic, listing of experimental, analytical and trade study activities critical to developing ATW technologies. Technology-specific and concept-specific aspects are then laid over the generic mapping to gage readiness levels. Prioritization criteria for reducing technical uncertainty, providing information to decision points, and levering off of international collaborations are then applied to focus analytical, experimental and trade activities. (author)

Statistical Bayesian method for reliability evaluation based on ADT data

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Dawei; Wang, Lizhi; Sun, Yusheng; Wang, Xiaohong

2018-05-01

Accelerated degradation testing (ADT) is frequently conducted in the laboratory to predict the products’ reliability under normal operating conditions. Two kinds of methods, degradation path models and stochastic process models, are utilized to analyze degradation data and the latter one is the most popular method. However, some limitations like imprecise solution process and estimation result of degradation ratio still exist, which may affect the accuracy of the acceleration model and the extrapolation value. Moreover, the conducted solution of this problem, Bayesian method, lose key information when unifying the degradation data. In this paper, a new data processing and parameter inference method based on Bayesian method is proposed to handle degradation data and solve the problems above. First, Wiener process and acceleration model is chosen; Second, the initial values of degradation model and parameters of prior and posterior distribution under each level is calculated with updating and iteration of estimation values; Third, the lifetime and reliability values are estimated on the basis of the estimation parameters; Finally, a case study is provided to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method. The results illustrate that the proposed method is quite effective and accuracy in estimating the lifetime and reliability of a product.

Finite Element-Assisted Assessment of the Thermo-cyclic Characteristics of Leads Soldered with SnAgCu(+Bi,In) Alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Lis, Adrian; Nakanishi, Kohei; Matsuda, Tomoki; Sano, Tomokazu; Minagawa, Madoka; Okamoto, Masahide; Hirose, Akio

2017-07-01

Solder joints between leads and printed circuit boards in thin small outline packages were produced with conventional Sn1.0Ag0.7Cu (SAC107) and Sn3.0Ag0.7Cu (SAC305) solders as well as various solder alloys with gradually increasing amounts of Bi (up to 3.0 wt.%) and In (up to 1.0 wt.%) within the SAC107 base solder. The reliability of soldered leads in temperature cycle (TC) tests improved most with solder alloys containing both Bi (1.6 wt.%) and In (0.5 wt.%). Microindentation and electron probe microanalysis mappings revealed that the effect originates from a combination of solution and precipitation strengthening of the initial SAC alloy. The distribution of inelastic strain accumulation (ISA), as a measure for degradation, was determined in the solder joints by finite element calculations. It was shown that defects in the solder proximal to the lead (60-75 μm), which was underpinned by similar cracking characteristics along the lead-solder interface. The ISA was confirmed to be lower in SAC+Bi/In alloys owing to their enhanced elasto-plastic properties. Moreover, the addition of a thin Cu coating on the leads could improve the joint reliability, as suggested by the calculation of the ISA and the acceleration factor.

Community Petascale Project for Accelerator Science and Simulation: Advancing Computational Science for Future Accelerators and Accelerator Technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spentzouris, P.; /Fermilab; Cary, J.; /Tech-X, Boulder; McInnes, L.C.; /Argonne; Mori, W.; /UCLA; Ng, C.; /SLAC; Ng, E.; Ryne, R.; /LBL, Berkeley

2011-11-14

for software development and applications accounts for the natural domain areas (beam dynamics, electromagnetics, and advanced acceleration), and all areas depend on the enabling technologies activities, such as solvers and component technology, to deliver the desired performance and integrated simulation environment. The ComPASS applications focus on computationally challenging problems important for design or performance optimization to all major HEP, NP, and BES accelerator facilities. With the cost and complexity of particle accelerators rising, the use of computation to optimize their designs and find improved operating regimes becomes essential, potentially leading to significant cost savings with modest investment.

Comparison of accelerator technologies for use in ADSS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weng, W.T.; Ludewig, H.; Raparia, D.; Trbojevic, D.; Todosow, M.; McIntyre, P.; Sattarov, A.

2011-01-01

Accelerator Driven Subcritical (ADS) fission is an interesting candidate basis for nuclear waste transmutation and for nuclear power generation. ADS can use either thorium or depleted uranium as fuel, operate below criticality, and consume rather than produce long-lived actinides. A case study with a hypothetical, but realistic nuclear core configuration is used to evaluate the performance requirements of the driver proton accelerator in terms of beam energy, beam current, duty factor, beam distribution delivered to the fission core, reliability, and capital and operating cost. Comparison between a CW IC and that of a SRF proton linac is evaluated. Future accelerator R and D required to improve each candidate accelerator design is discussed. ADS fission has interesting potential for electric power generation and also for destruction of long-lived actinide waste produced by conventional critical reactors. ADS systems offer several interesting advantages in comparison to critical reactors: (1) ADS provides greater flexibility for the composition and placement of fissile, fertile, or fission product waste within the core, and require less enrichment of fissile content; (2) The core can be operated with a reactivity k eff that cannot reach criticality by any failure mode; (3) When the beam is shut off fission ceases in the core; (4) Coupling the fast neutron spectrum of the spallation drive to fast core neutronics offers a basis for more complete burning of long-lived actinides; and (5) ADS designs can provide sufficient thermal mass that meltdown cannot occur from radioactive heat after fission is stopped. In order to drive a ∼GW e fission core a CW proton beam of >700 MeV and ∼15 MW beam power is required. A previous study of the accelerator performance required for ADS systems concluded that present accelerator performance is approaching those requirements, but accelerator system cost and reliability remain particular concerns. The obvious candidates for

Using Diagnostic Assessment to Help Teachers Understand the Chemistry of the Lead-Acid Battery

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Derek

2011-01-01

Nineteen pre-service and in-service teachers taking a chemistry teaching methods course at a university in Hong Kong were asked to take a diagnostic assessment. It consisted of seven multiple-choice questions about the chemistry of the lead-acid battery. Analysis of the teachers' responses to the questions indicated that they had difficulty in…

Structural reliability analysis and seismic risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, H.; Reich, M.; Shinozuka, M.

1984-01-01

This paper presents a reliability analysis method for safety evaluation of nuclear structures. By utilizing this method, it is possible to estimate the limit state probability in the lifetime of structures and to generate analytically the fragility curves for PRA studies. The earthquake ground acceleration, in this approach, is represented by a segment of stationary Gaussian process with a zero mean and a Kanai-Tajimi Spectrum. All possible seismic hazard at a site represented by a hazard curve is also taken into consideration. Furthermore, the limit state of a structure is analytically defined and the corresponding limit state surface is then established. Finally, the fragility curve is generated and the limit state probability is evaluated. In this paper, using a realistic reinforced concrete containment as an example, results of the reliability analysis of the containment subjected to dead load, live load and ground earthquake acceleration are presented and a fragility curve for PRA studies is also constructed

Evaluation of microwave oven heating for prediction of drug-excipient compatibilities and accelerated stability studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Schou-Pedersen, Anne Marie V; Østergaard, Jesper; Cornett, Claus; Hansen, Steen Honoré

2015-05-15

Microwave ovens have been used extensively in organic synthesis in order to accelerate reaction rates. Here, a set up comprising a microwave oven combined with silicon carbide (SiC) plates for the controlled microwave heating of model formulations has been applied in order to investigate, if a microwave oven is applicable for accelerated drug stability testing. Chemical interactions were investigated in three selected model formulations of drug and excipients regarding the formation of ester and amide reaction products. In the accelerated stability studies, a design of experiments (DoE) approach was applied in order to be able to rank excipients regarding reactivity: Study A: cetirizine with PEG 400, sorbitol, glycerol and propylene glycol. Study B: 6-aminocaproic acid with citrate, acetate, tartrate and gluconate. Study C: atenolol with citric, tartaric, malic, glutaric, and sorbic acid. The model formulations were representative for oral solutions (co-solvents), parenteral solutions (buffer species) and solid dosage forms (organic acids applicable for solubility enhancement). The DoE studies showed overall that the same impurities were generated by microwave oven heating leading to temperatures between 150°C and 180°C as compared to accelerated stability studies performed at 40°C and 80°C using a conventional oven. Ranking of the reactivity of the excipients could be made in the DoE studies performed at 150-180°C, which was representative for the ranking obtained after storage at 40°C and 80°C. It was possible to reduce the time needed for drug-excipient compatibility testing of the three model formulations from weeks to less than an hour in the three case studies. The microwave oven is therefore considered to be an interesting alternative to conventional thermal techniques for the investigation of drug-excipient interactions during preformulation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accelerators in industrial electron beam processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, R.C.

1984-01-01

High power electron beam accelerators are being used for a variety of industrial processes. Such machines can process a wide range of products at very high thruput rates and at very low unit processing costs. These industrial accelerators are now capable of producing up to 200 kW of electron beam power at 4.0 MV and 100 kW at 5.0 MV. At this writing, even larger units are contemplated. The reliability of these high power devices also makes it feasible to consider bremsstrahlung (x-ray) processing as well. In addition to the advance of accelerator technology, microprocessor control systems now provide the capability to coordinate all the operations of the irradiation facility, including the accelerator, the material handling system, the personnel safety system and various auxiliary services. Facility designs can be adapted to many different industrial processes, including use of the dual purpose electron/x-ray accelerator, to ensure satisfactory product treatment with good dose uniformity, high energy efficiency and operational safety and simplicity. In addition, equipment manufacturers like RDI are looking beyond their conventional DC accelerator technology; looking at high power 10-12 MeV linear accelerators with power levels up to 25 kW or more. These high power linear accelerators could be the ideal processing tool for many sterilization and food irradiation applications. (author)

Generation of monoenergetic ion beams with a laser accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfotenhauer, Sebastian M.

2009-01-01

A method for the generation of monoenergetic proton and ion beams from a laser-based particle accelerator is presented. This method utilizes the unique space-charge effects occurring during relativistic laser-plasma interactions on solid targets in combination with a dot-like particle source. Due to this unique interaction geometry, MeV proton beams with an intrinsically narrow energy spectrum were obtained, for the first time, from a micrometer-scale laser accelerator. Over the past three years, the acceleration scheme has been consistently improved to enhance both the maximum particle energy and the reliability of the setup. The achieved degree of reliability allowed to derive the first scaling laws specifically for monoenergetic proton beams. Furthermore, the acceleration scheme was expanded on other target materials, enabling the generation of monoenergetic carbon beams. The experimental work was strongly supported by the parallel development of a complex theoretical model, which fully accounts for the observations and is in excellent agreement with numerical simulations. The presented results have an extraordinarily broad scope way beyond the current thesis: The availability of monoenergetic ion beams from a compact laser-plasma beam source - in conjunction with the unique properties of laser-produced particle beams - addresses a number of outstanding applications in fundamental research, material science and medical physics, and will help to shape a new generation of accelerators. (orig.)

Generation of monoenergetic ion beams with a laser accelerator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pfotenhauer, Sebastian M.

2009-01-29

A method for the generation of monoenergetic proton and ion beams from a laser-based particle accelerator is presented. This method utilizes the unique space-charge effects occurring during relativistic laser-plasma interactions on solid targets in combination with a dot-like particle source. Due to this unique interaction geometry, MeV proton beams with an intrinsically narrow energy spectrum were obtained, for the first time, from a micrometer-scale laser accelerator. Over the past three years, the acceleration scheme has been consistently improved to enhance both the maximum particle energy and the reliability of the setup. The achieved degree of reliability allowed to derive the first scaling laws specifically for monoenergetic proton beams. Furthermore, the acceleration scheme was expanded on other target materials, enabling the generation of monoenergetic carbon beams. The experimental work was strongly supported by the parallel development of a complex theoretical model, which fully accounts for the observations and is in excellent agreement with numerical simulations. The presented results have an extraordinarily broad scope way beyond the current thesis: The availability of monoenergetic ion beams from a compact laser-plasma beam source - in conjunction with the unique properties of laser-produced particle beams - addresses a number of outstanding applications in fundamental research, material science and medical physics, and will help to shape a new generation of accelerators. (orig.)

Proton beam therapy: reliability of the synchrocyclotron at the Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sisterson, J.M.; Cascio, E.; Koehler, A.M.; Johnson, K.N.

1991-01-01

The reliability of the synchrocyclotron at Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory has been studied over the period 1980-1989 to see if proton beam therapy can compare in reliability to linear accelerators used in radiation therapy departments. Breakdowns in relation to patient load are reviewed in outline. (U.K.)

Development of Flow Accelerated Corrosion Reduction Technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heo, Min Bum; Choi, Won Yeol; Lee, Jong Chan; Lim, Dong Seok; Kwon, Byung Il; Ku, Hee Kwon; Kim, Jong Uk [FNC Tech, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

Development of flow accelerated corrosion reduction technology is necessary for prevent this kind of accidents. This study deals with development of flow accelerated corrosion reduction technology through platinum injection and developed of flow accelerated corrosion reduction technology by imitating water chemical condition in PWR secondary system in practice. In addition, in order to get reliability of water chemical simulator in PWR secondary system, analyzed and compared with test result through CFD analysis. This study composed test device that can simulate water chemical environment in PWR secondary system, in order to develop flow accelerated corrosion reduction , and evaluated the ratio of corrosion in water chemical environment in PWR secondary system. In conclusion, corrosion ratio of low alloy steel material that includes more Cr and Mo was lower. And the results were confirmed to be the maximum corrosion rate in the case that replicate the 90 elbow. Additionally, inserted Pt nano particle for developing flow accelerated corrosion rate reduction technology, the test results, it was confirmed for about 80% of the flow accelerated corrosion rate reduction than before input.

Some practical observations on the accelerated testing of Nickel-Cadmium Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Mcdermott, P. P.

1979-01-01

A large scale test of 6.0 Ah Nickel-Cadmium Cells conducted at the Naval Weapons Support Center, Crane, Indiana has demonstrated a methodology for predicting battery life based on failure data from cells cycled in an accelerated mode. After examining eight variables used to accelerate failure, it was determined that temperature and depth of discharge were the most reliable and efficient parameters for use in accelerating failure and for predicting life.

Modeling the effect of succimer (DMSA; dimercaptosuccinic acid) chelation therapy in patients poisoned by lead.

Science.gov (United States)

van Eijkeren, Jan C H; Olie, J Daniël N; Bradberry, Sally M; Vale, J Allister; de Vries, Irma; Clewell, Harvey J; Meulenbelt, Jan; Hunault, Claudine C

2017-02-01

Kinetic models could assist clinicians potentially in managing cases of lead poisoning. Several models exist that can simulate lead kinetics but none of them can predict the effect of chelation in lead poisoning. Our aim was to devise a model to predict the effect of succimer (dimercaptosuccinic acid; DMSA) chelation therapy on blood lead concentrations. We integrated a two-compartment kinetic succimer model into an existing PBPK lead model and produced a Chelation Lead Therapy (CLT) model. The accuracy of the model's predictions was assessed by simulating clinical observations in patients poisoned by lead and treated with succimer. The CLT model calculates blood lead concentrations as the sum of the background exposure and the acute or chronic lead poisoning. The latter was due either to ingestion of traditional remedies or occupational exposure to lead-polluted ambient air. The exposure duration was known. The blood lead concentrations predicted by the CLT model were compared to the measured blood lead concentrations. Pre-chelation blood lead concentrations ranged between 99 and 150 μg/dL. The model was able to simulate accurately the blood lead concentrations during and after succimer treatment. The pattern of urine lead excretion was successfully predicted in some patients, while poorly predicted in others. Our model is able to predict blood lead concentrations after succimer therapy, at least, in situations where the duration of lead exposure is known.

SLAC accelerator operations report: 1992-1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erickson, R.; Allen, C.W.; Inman, T.K.; Linebarger, W.; Stanek, M.

1995-05-01

Operational statistics for the linear accelerator programs at SLAC are presented, including run-time records for the SLC, FFTB, and fixed target programs. Also included are summaries of reliability and maintenance-related statistics and a discussion of the analysis tools used to study error messages generated by the control system

Reliability And Maintainability Issues for the Next Linear Collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, Zane J.; Gold, Saul L.; Koontz, Ron F.; Lavine, Ted L.

2011-01-01

Large accelerators for high energy physics research traditionally have been designed using informal best design, engineering, and management practices to achieve acceptable levels of operational availability. However, the Next Linear Collider(NLC) project presents a particular challenge for operational availability due to the unprecedented size and complexity of the accelerator systems required to achieve the physics goals of high center-of-mass energy and high luminosity. Formal reliability and maintainability analysis, design, and implementation will be required to achieve acceptable operational availability for the high energy physics research program. This paper introduces some of the basic concepts of reliability analysis and applies them to the 2.6-cm microwave power system of the two 10-km-long, 250-GeV linacs that are currently proposed for the NLC design.

Colloidal 3-Mercaptopropionic Acid Capped Lead Sulfide Quantum Dots in a Low Boiling Point Solvent.

Science.gov (United States)

Reinhart, Chase C; Johansson, Erik

2017-04-26

Colloidal 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) capped lead sulfide quantum dots were prepared in a variety of organic solvents stabilized with a quaternary ammonium halide salt. The stabilized colloids' optical properties were studied through optical absorption and emission spectroscopy and found to be dependent on both the concentration of a new ligand and stabilizer, and sample age. Nanocrystal ligand chemistry was studied through a combination of 1 H NMR and two-dimensional Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy (NOESY) which revealed full displacement of the original oleate ligand to form a dynamically exchanging ligand shell. The colloids were studied optically and via NMR as they aged and revealed a quantitative conversion of monomeric 3-mercaptopropionic acid to its dimer, dithiodipropionic acid (dTdPA).

Uric Acid Stimulates Fructokinase and Accelerates Fructose Metabolism in the Development of Fatty Liver

Science.gov (United States)

Lanaspa, Miguel A.; Sanchez-Lozada, Laura G.; Cicerchi, Christina; Li, Nanxing; Roncal-Jimenez, Carlos A.; Ishimoto, Takuji; Le, Myphuong; Garcia, Gabriela E.; Thomas, Jeffrey B.; Rivard, Christopher J.; Andres-Hernando, Ana; Hunter, Brandi; Schreiner, George; Rodriguez-Iturbe, Bernardo; Sautin, Yuri Y.; Johnson, Richard J.

2012-01-01

Excessive dietary fructose intake may have an important role in the current epidemics of fatty liver, obesity and diabetes as its intake parallels the development of these syndromes and because it can induce features of metabolic syndrome. The effects of fructose to induce fatty liver, hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance, however, vary dramatically among individuals. The first step in fructose metabolism is mediated by fructokinase (KHK), which phosphorylates fructose to fructose-1-phosphate; intracellular uric acid is also generated as a consequence of the transient ATP depletion that occurs during this reaction. Here we show in human hepatocytes that uric acid up-regulates KHK expression thus leading to the amplification of the lipogenic effects of fructose. Inhibition of uric acid production markedly blocked fructose-induced triglyceride accumulation in hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism whereby uric acid stimulates KHK expression involves the activation of the transcription factor ChREBP, which, in turn, results in the transcriptional activation of KHK by binding to a specific sequence within its promoter. Since subjects sensitive to fructose often develop phenotypes associated with hyperuricemia, uric acid may be an underlying factor in sensitizing hepatocytes to fructose metabolism during the development of fatty liver. PMID:23112875

Polarization behavior of new and used lead alloys in acid sulfate solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, P.; O' Keefe, T.J. [Univ. of Missouri-Rolla, Materials Research Center and Dept. of Metallurgical Engineering, Rolla, Missouri (United States)

2001-07-01

Polarization and Electrochemical impedance were used to study various lead alloys commercially used to electrowin zinc and copper from acidic sulfate solutions. Anode specimens that had been in service at several electrowinning operations were tested and their electrochemical performance was compared to that obtained from new anode samples. Tests were conducted in sulfuric acid. Cyclic voltammetry was used in a potential range in which both Pb{sup +2} and Pb{sup +4} formed stable phases. Selected polarization tests were also made to study a number of variables, including changes in the concentration of cobalt and manganese in the electrolyte. Results showed that the phases formed on the surface of the anode were critical in defining the electrochemical behavior of the anodes. In particular, certain active phases, which were depolarizing were identified on some of the used anodes. It was possible to duplicate some of these phases in the laboratory. (author)

Accelerator waste, what to do?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beer, H.-F.

2001-01-01

Full text: The problem of radioactive waste and its management is realised by the public mostly in connection with the controversies surrounding nuclear energy. In this context the waste generated by medicine, industry and research is very often overlooked. In practice the waste management community does not realise the problem of radioactive materials generated in accelerator facilities. This waste is part of the waste from medicine, industry and research. Only a few contributions at international meetings have discussed the theme of accelerator waste, and these few were focused on radiation protection problems rather than on waste management. Beside nuclear and non nuclear related energy research at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen/Switzerland a proton accelerator complex has been in operation since 1964. In the PSI facility hydrogen is ionised and the resulting protons are accelerated to 72 MeV for injection into a ring cyclotron were they are accelerated to 590 MeV. They are then used for many different physical and medical purposes. The beam current has increased from some μA. in the beginning to 2 mA today. Primary beam protons hit the targets and beam dumps where they cause nuclear reactions, including spallation, which produces secondary protons and neutrons and lighter nuclei. The secondary radiation activates construction and shielding material. - Copper, carbon and lead are typical target and beam dump materials, while steel, cast iron and aluminium are used for construction along with copper and PVC in electrical wiring. Normal and heavy concrete arc used as shielding materials. During the long activation period a nuclide inventory is built up not only from the primary materials but also from additives and impurities. High activities are produced in the relatively small volumes of targets and beam dumps. In comparison the large volumes of the construction and shielding materials result in activated materials with low specific activity. The

Model-based accelerator controls: What, why and how

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidhu, S.S.

1987-01-01

Model-based control is defined as a gamut of techniques whose aim is to improve the reliability of an accelerator and enhance the capabilities of the operator, and therefore of the whole control system. The aim of model-based control is seen as gradually moving the function of model-reference from the operator to the computer. The role of the operator in accelerator control and the need for and application of model-based control are briefly summarized

2015 NREL Photovoltaic Module Reliability Workshops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurtz, Sarah [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-09-14

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Module Reliability Workshop (PVMRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology--both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

2016 NREL Photovoltaic Module Reliability Workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurtz, Sarah [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-09-07

NREL's Photovoltaic (PV) Module Reliability Workshop (PVMRW) brings together PV reliability experts to share information, leading to the improvement of PV module reliability. Such improvement reduces the cost of solar electricity and promotes investor confidence in the technology - both critical goals for moving PV technologies deeper into the electricity marketplace.

Radiation protection in large linear accelerators; Seguranca radiologica de aceleradores lineares de grande porte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliva, Jose de Jesus Rivero, E-mail: rivero@con.ufrj.br [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear; Sousa, Fernando Nuno Carneiro de, E-mail: fernandonunosousa@gmail.com [Aceletron Irradiacao lndustrial, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2013-07-01

The electron linear accelerators can be used in industrial applications that require powerful sources of ionizing radiation. They have the important characteristic of not representing a radiation hazard when the accelerators remain electrically disconnected. With the plant in operation, a high reliability defense in depth reduces the risk of radiological accidents to extremely small levels. It is practically impossible that a person could enter into the radiation bunker with the accelerators connected. Aceletron Irradiacao Industrial, located in Rio de Janeiro, offers services of irradiation by means of two powerful electron linear accelerators, with 15 kW power and 10 MeV electron energy. Despite the high level of existing radiation safety, a simplified risk study is underway to identify possible sequences of radiological accidents. The study is based on the combined application of the event and fault trees techniques. Preliminary results confirm that there is a very small risk of entering into the irradiation bunker with the accelerators in operation, but the risk of an operator entering into the bunker during a process interruption and remaining there without notice after the accelerators were restarted may be considerably larger. Based on these results the Company is considering alternatives to reduce the likelihood of human error of this type that could lead to a radiological accident. The paper describes the defense in depth of the irradiation process in Aceletron Irradiacao Industrial, as well as the models and preliminary results of the ongoing risk analysis, including the additional safety measures which are being evaluated. (author)

Accelerated Test Method for Corrosion Protective Coatings Project

Science.gov (United States)

Falker, John; Zeitlin, Nancy; Calle, Luz

2015-01-01

This project seeks to develop a new accelerated corrosion test method that predicts the long-term corrosion protection performance of spaceport structure coatings as accurately and reliably as current long-term atmospheric exposure tests. This new accelerated test method will shorten the time needed to evaluate the corrosion protection performance of coatings for NASA's critical ground support structures. Lifetime prediction for spaceport structure coatings has a 5-year qualification cycle using atmospheric exposure. Current accelerated corrosion tests often provide false positives and negatives for coating performance, do not correlate to atmospheric corrosion exposure results, and do not correlate with atmospheric exposure timescales for lifetime prediction.

Failure mechanism dependence and reliability evaluation of non-repairable system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Ying; Yang, Liu; Ye, Cui; Kang, Rui

2015-01-01

Reliability study of electronic system with the physics-of-failure method has been promoted due to the increase knowledge of electronic failure mechanisms. System failure initiates from independent failure mechanisms, have effect on or affect by other failure mechanisms and finally result in system failure. Failure mechanisms in a non-repairable system have many kinds of correlation. One failure mechanism developing to a certain degree will trigger, accelerate or inhibit another or many other failure mechanisms, some kind of failure mechanisms may have the same effect on the failure site, component or system. The destructive effect will be accumulated and result in early failure. This paper presents a reliability evaluation method considering correlativity among failure mechanisms, which includes trigger, acceleration, inhibition, accumulation, and competition. Based on fundamental rule of physics of failure, decoupling methods of these correlations are discussed. With a case, reliability of electronic system is evaluated considering failure mechanism dependence. - Highlights: • Five types of failure mechanism correlations are described. • Decoupling methods of these correlations are discussed. • A reliability evaluation method considering mechanism dependence is proposed. • Results are quite different to results under failure independence assumption

On the application of design of experiments to accelerated life testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakim-Mashhadi, M.

1992-01-01

Today, there is an increasing demand for improved quality and reliability due to increasing system complexity and increasing demands from customer. Continuous improvement of quality is not only a means of competition but also a matter of staying in the market. Accelerated life testing and statistical design of experiments are two needed methods for improvement of quality. The combined use of them is very advantageous and increases the test efficiency. Accelerated life testing is a quick way to provide information on the life distribution of materials and products. By subjecting the test unit to conditions more severe than those at normal usage, the test time can be highly reduced. Estimates of life at normal stress levels are obtained by extrapolating the available information through a reasonable acceleration model. Accelerated life testing has mostly been used to measure reliability but it is high time to use it for improvement of quality. Design of experiments serves to find out the effect of design parameters and other interesting factors on performance measure and its variability. The obtained information is essential for a continuous improvement of quality. As an illustration, two sets of experiment are designed and performed at highly increased stress levels. The results are analysed and discussed and a time saving alternative is proposed. The combination of experimental design and accelerated life testing is discussed and illustrated. The combined use of these methods can be argued for in two different cases. One is for an exploratory improvement investigation and the other is for verification of reliability. In either case, the combined use is advantageous and improves the testing efficiency. Some general conclusions are drawn to be used for planning and performance of statistically designed accelerated life testing experiments. (70 refs.) (au)

A NOVEL GEL ELECTROLYTE FOR VALVE-REGULATED LEAD ACID BATTERY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Metin GENÇTEN

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A novel gel electrolyte system used in lead-acid batteries was investigated in this work. The gel systems were prepared by addition different amount of Al2O3, TiO2 and B2O3 into the gelled system consisting of 6 wt% fumed silica and 30 wt% sulfuric acid solution. The anodic peak currents and peak redox capacities of the gel electrolytes were characterized by cyclic voltammetric method. They decreased by the time B2O3 and Al2O3 were used as additives in fumed silica based gel electrolyte system. However, these values increased by the adding 3.0 wt% of TiO2. The solution and charge transfer resistances of the gel electrolytes were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. While the solution resistances were lower in gel systems having different amount additives than pure fumed silica based gel, the charge transfer resistance was the lowest in gel electrolytes consisting fumed silica and fumed silica-TiO2. The battery performances were studied by obtaining discharge curves of prepared gel electrolytes. The performance of gelled systems were higher than that of non-gelled electrolyte at room temperature. The mixture of fumed silica-TiO2 was suggested an alternative gel formulation for gel VRLA batteries.

Twisted Acceleration-Enlarged Newton-Hooke Hopf Algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daszkiewicz, M.

2010-01-01

Ten Abelian twist deformations of acceleration-enlarged Newton-Hooke Hopf algebra are considered. The corresponding quantum space-times are derived as well. It is demonstrated that their contraction limit τ → ∞ leads to the new twisted acceleration-enlarged Galilei spaces. (author)

Linear accelerator accelerating module to suppress back-acceleration of field-emitted particles

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, Stephen V.; Marhauser, Frank; Douglas, David R.; Ament, Lucas J. P.

2017-12-05

A method for the suppression of upstream-directed field emission in RF accelerators. The method is not restricted to a certain number of cavity cells, but requires similar operating field levels in all cavities to efficiently annihilate the once accumulated energy. Such a field balance is desirable to minimize dynamic RF losses, but not necessarily achievable in reality depending on individual cavity performance, such as early Q.sub.0-drop or quench field. The method enables a significant energy reduction for upstream-directed electrons within a relatively short distance. As a result of the suppression of upstream-directed field emission, electrons will impact surfaces at rather low energies leading to reduction of dark current and less issues with heating and damage of accelerator components as well as radiation levels including neutron generation and thus radio-activation.

A General Accelerated Degradation Model Based on the Wiener Process.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Le; Li, Xiaoyang; Sun, Fuqiang; Wang, Ning

2016-12-06

Accelerated degradation testing (ADT) is an efficient tool to conduct material service reliability and safety evaluations by analyzing performance degradation data. Traditional stochastic process models are mainly for linear or linearization degradation paths. However, those methods are not applicable for the situations where the degradation processes cannot be linearized. Hence, in this paper, a general ADT model based on the Wiener process is proposed to solve the problem for accelerated degradation data analysis. The general model can consider the unit-to-unit variation and temporal variation of the degradation process, and is suitable for both linear and nonlinear ADT analyses with single or multiple acceleration variables. The statistical inference is given to estimate the unknown parameters in both constant stress and step stress ADT. The simulation example and two real applications demonstrate that the proposed method can yield reliable lifetime evaluation results compared with the existing linear and time-scale transformation Wiener processes in both linear and nonlinear ADT analyses.

A General Accelerated Degradation Model Based on the Wiener Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Le Liu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Accelerated degradation testing (ADT is an efficient tool to conduct material service reliability and safety evaluations by analyzing performance degradation data. Traditional stochastic process models are mainly for linear or linearization degradation paths. However, those methods are not applicable for the situations where the degradation processes cannot be linearized. Hence, in this paper, a general ADT model based on the Wiener process is proposed to solve the problem for accelerated degradation data analysis. The general model can consider the unit-to-unit variation and temporal variation of the degradation process, and is suitable for both linear and nonlinear ADT analyses with single or multiple acceleration variables. The statistical inference is given to estimate the unknown parameters in both constant stress and step stress ADT. The simulation example and two real applications demonstrate that the proposed method can yield reliable lifetime evaluation results compared with the existing linear and time-scale transformation Wiener processes in both linear and nonlinear ADT analyses.

Big data analytics for the Future Circular Collider reliability and availability studies

Science.gov (United States)

Begy, Volodimir; Apollonio, Andrea; Gutleber, Johannes; Martin-Marquez, Manuel; Niemi, Arto; Penttinen, Jussi-Pekka; Rogova, Elena; Romero-Marin, Antonio; Sollander, Peter

2017-10-01

Responding to the European Strategy for Particle Physics update 2013, the Future Circular Collider study explores scenarios of circular frontier colliders for the post-LHC era. One branch of the study assesses industrial approaches to model and simulate the reliability and availability of the entire particle collider complex based on the continuous monitoring of CERN’s accelerator complex operation. The modelling is based on an in-depth study of the CERN injector chain and LHC, and is carried out as a cooperative effort with the HL-LHC project. The work so far has revealed that a major challenge is obtaining accelerator monitoring and operational data with sufficient quality, to automate the data quality annotation and calculation of reliability distribution functions for systems, subsystems and components where needed. A flexible data management and analytics environment that permits integrating the heterogeneous data sources, the domain-specific data quality management algorithms and the reliability modelling and simulation suite is a key enabler to complete this accelerator operation study. This paper describes the Big Data infrastructure and analytics ecosystem that has been put in operation at CERN, serving as the foundation on which reliability and availability analysis and simulations can be built. This contribution focuses on data infrastructure and data management aspects and presents case studies chosen for its validation.

Inducible arginase 1 deficiency in mice leads to hyperargininemia and altered amino acid metabolism.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan Yan Sin

Full Text Available Arginase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder resulting from a loss of the liver arginase isoform, arginase 1 (ARG1, which is the final step in the urea cycle for detoxifying ammonia. ARG1 deficiency leads to hyperargininemia, characterized by progressive neurological impairment, persistent growth retardation and infrequent episodes of hyperammonemia. Using the Cre/loxP-directed conditional gene knockout system, we generated an inducible Arg1-deficient mouse model by crossing "floxed" Arg1 mice with CreER(T2 mice. The resulting mice (Arg-Cre die about two weeks after tamoxifen administration regardless of the starting age of inducing the knockout. These treated mice were nearly devoid of Arg1 mRNA, protein and liver arginase activity, and exhibited symptoms of hyperammonemia. Plasma amino acid analysis revealed pronounced hyperargininemia and significant alterations in amino acid and guanidino compound metabolism, including increased citrulline and guanidinoacetic acid. Despite no alteration in ornithine levels, concentrations of other amino acids such as proline and the branched-chain amino acids were reduced. In summary, we have generated and characterized an inducible Arg1-deficient mouse model exhibiting several pathologic manifestations of hyperargininemia. This model should prove useful for exploring potential treatment options of ARG1 deficiency.

Reliability determination of aluminium electrolytic capacitors by the mean of various methods application to the protection system of the LHC

CERN Document Server

Perisse, F; Rojat, G

2004-01-01

The lifetime of power electronic components is often calculated from reliability reports, but this method can be discussed. We compare in this article the results of various reliability reports to an accelerated ageing test of component and introduced the load-strength concept. Large aluminium electrolytic capacitors are taken here in example in the context of the protection system of LHC (Large Hadron Collider) in CERN where the level of reliability is essential. We notice important differences of MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) according to the reliability report used. Accelerating ageing tests carried out prove that a Weibull law is more adapted to determinate failure rates of components. The load-strength concept associated with accelerated ageing tests can be a solution to determine the lifetime of power electronic components.

C-w operation of a 2-MeV RFQ accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornelius, W.D.

1986-01-01

We have achieved reliable cw operation of the Fusion Materials Irradiation Test (FMIT) radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) accelerator and have accelerated 40 mA of H 2 + beam to an energy of 2 MeV. The technical considerations for future cw accelerator designs, based on our experience in achieving cw operation, will be presented. Also to be discussed are measurements of beam emittance, matching into the RFQ, and beam transmission through the accelerator. These measurements will be compared with results of theoretical simulations of the device. The diagnostics instrumentation developed for characterizing intense cw beams also will be discussed, as well as the performance of those devices

Role of accelerated segment switch in exons to alter targeting (ASSET in the molecular evolution of snake venom proteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kini R Manjunatha

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Snake venom toxins evolve more rapidly than other proteins through accelerated changes in the protein coding regions. Previously we have shown that accelerated segment switch in exons to alter targeting (ASSET might play an important role in its functional evolution of viperid three-finger toxins. In this phenomenon, short sequences in exons are radically changed to unrelated sequences and hence affect the folding and functional properties of the toxins. Results Here we analyzed other snake venom protein families to elucidate the role of ASSET in their functional evolution. ASSET appears to be involved in the functional evolution of three-finger toxins to a greater extent than in several other venom protein families. ASSET leads to replacement of some of the critical amino acid residues that affect the biological function in three-finger toxins as well as change the conformation of the loop that is involved in binding to specific target sites. Conclusion ASSET could lead to novel functions in snake venom proteins. Among snake venom serine proteases, ASSET contributes to changes in three surface segments. One of these segments near the substrate binding region is known to affect substrate specificity, and its exchange may have significant implications for differences in isoform catalytic activity on specific target protein substrates. ASSET therefore plays an important role in functional diversification of snake venom proteins, in addition to accelerated point mutations in the protein coding regions. Accelerated point mutations lead to fine-tuning of target specificity, whereas ASSET leads to large-scale replacement of multiple functionally important residues, resulting in change or gain of functions.

Electron accelerators: History, applications, and perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, M. N.; Silva, T. F.

2014-02-01

This paper will present an outlook on sources of radiation, focusing on electron accelerators. We will review advances that were important for the development of particle accelerators, concentrating on those that led to modern electron accelerators. Electron accelerators are multipurpose machines that deliver beams with energies spanning five orders of magnitude, and are used in applications that range from fundamental studies of particle interactions to cross-linking polymer chains in industrial plants. Each accelerator type presents specific characteristics that make it more suitable for certain applications. Our work will focus on radiation sources for medical applications, dominated by electron linacs (linear accelerators), and those used for research, field where electron rings dominate. We will outline the main technological advances that occurred in the past decades, which made possible the construction of machines fit for clinical environments. Their compactness, efficiency and reliability have been key to their acceptance in clinical applications. This outline will include advances that allowed for the construction of brighter synchrotron light sources, where the relevant beam characteristics are good optical quality and high beam current. The development of insertion devices will also be discussed, as well the development of Free Electron Lasers (FEL). We conclude the review with an outline of the new developments of electron accelerators and the expectations for Energy Recovery Linacs.

Particle Accelerators for PET radionuclides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Mikael

2012-01-01

The requirements set for particle accelerators for production of radioactive isotopes for PET can easily be derived from first principles. The simple general need is for proton beams with energy in the region 10–20 MeV and current 20–100 microAmps. This is most reliably and cost-effectively achie......The requirements set for particle accelerators for production of radioactive isotopes for PET can easily be derived from first principles. The simple general need is for proton beams with energy in the region 10–20 MeV and current 20–100 microAmps. This is most reliably and cost......-effectively achieved by the well proven technology of the compact medical cyclotron, presently available from several companies. The main features of these cyclotrons are essential similar: resistive, sector focused iron magnets, internal negative ion sources and stripping extraction. The remaining differences between...... different manufacturers will be discussed the light of what is actually needed for a given PET site operation. Alternatives to the conventional cyclotron have been proposed and tested but have at present very limited use. These alternatives will be discussed, as well as the future possibilities of supplying...

Differential pulse polarography of cadmium-and lead-urate and adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of uric acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Gandour, M A; Ensaf-Aboul-Kasim; Amrallah, A H; Farghaly, O A

1994-03-01

The complex formation between uric acid and zinc, cadmium and lead ions has been investigated using differential pulse polarography in 0.01M NaNO(3). It is found that the complexes formed by Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions with uric acid have the stoichiometry of 1:2 and the logarithmic values of the apparent stability constant are 9.47 and 11.7, respectively. On the other hand, zinc(II) ions do not give any indication of complexation with uric acid. A sensitive voltammetric method is developed for the quantitative determination of uric acid. This method is based on controlled adsorptive preconcentration of uric acid on the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE), followed by tracing the voltammogram in the cathodic going potential scan. The modes used are direct current stripping voltammetry (DCSV) and differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV). The detection limits found were 8 x 10(-9)M (quiescent period 15 sec) by DPSV and 1.6 x 10(-8)M by DCSV.

Acquisition of reliable vacuum hardware for large accelerator systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welch, K.M.

1996-01-01

Credible and effective communications prove to be the major challenge in the acquisition of reliable vacuum hardware. Technical competence is necessary but not sufficient. We must effectively communicate with management, sponsoring agencies, project organizations, service groups, staff and with vendors. Most of Deming's 14 quality assurance tenets relate to creating an enlightened environment of good communications. All projects progress along six distinct, closely coupled, dynamic phases; all six phases are in a state of perpetual change. These phases and their elements are discussed, with emphasis given to the acquisition phase and its related vocabulary. (author)

Reliability and mechanical design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemaire, Maurice

1997-01-01

A lot of results in mechanical design are obtained from a modelisation of physical reality and from a numerical solution which would lead to the evaluation of needs and resources. The goal of the reliability analysis is to evaluate the confidence which it is possible to grant to the chosen design through the calculation of a probability of failure linked to the retained scenario. Two types of analysis are proposed: the sensitivity analysis and the reliability analysis. Approximate methods are applicable to problems related to reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS)

Reliability issues : a Canadian perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konow, H.

2004-01-01

A Canadian perspective of power reliability issues was presented. Reliability depends on adequacy of supply and a framework for standards. The challenges facing the electric power industry include new demand, plant replacement and exports. It is expected that demand will by 670 TWh by 2020, with 205 TWh coming from new plants. Canada will require an investment of $150 billion to meet this demand and the need is comparable in the United States. As trade grows, the challenge becomes a continental issue and investment in the bi-national transmission grid will be essential. The 5 point plan of the Canadian Electricity Association is to: (1) establish an investment climate to ensure future electricity supply, (2) move government and industry towards smart and effective regulation, (3) work to ensure a sustainable future for the next generation, (4) foster innovation and accelerate skills development, and (5) build on the strengths of an integrated North American system to maximize opportunity for Canadians. The CEA's 7 measures that enhance North American reliability were listed with emphasis on its support for a self-governing international organization for developing and enforcing mandatory reliability standards. CEA also supports the creation of a binational Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to identify and solve reliability issues in the context of a bi-national grid. tabs., figs

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanna Bodin

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

Accelerator driven light water fast reactor (revisiting to the accelerator LWR fuel regenerator)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, H.; Zhang, J.

1999-01-01

A tight-latticed, high-enriched Pu fuel reactor cooled by water or by super-critical steam has a high neutron economy, similar to that of Na-or Pb-cooled fast reactor. Operating in a subcritical condition by providing spallation neutrons, this Pu-fueled reactor can run safely, despite the positive coolant void coefficients. It can be used to transmute the proliferation-prone Pu into proliferation-resistive U-233 fuel using thorium as the fertile material. Rather than employing the large linear accelerator proposed for the LWR fuel regenerator studied in the INFCE program, a small circular accelerator, such as a cyclotron or a Fixed Field Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (FFAG), can run a large power reactor in a slightly subcritical reactor using control rods, on-line fuel reshuffling, and slightly graded proton-beam injection. Some thoughts on improving the reliability of the proton accelerator, on transmutation of the long-lived fission products of Tc-99, and I-129, and the future direction of the development of the fast reactor are discussed. (author)

Bio-toxicological supervision op workers exposed to lead poisoning hazard. Systematic examination of amino acids, in urine and plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harduin, Jean-Claude

1971-01-01

A bio-toxicological chart was established for the workers in a firm handling lead. The known facts concerning professional lead poisoning are outlined, after which the importance of lead work in a nuclear center is discussed. The work station of each man is described and the results of analyses made during atmospheric checks on the site are given with sampling techniques. Since the biological chart is centered on the chromatographic exploration of amino acids in blood and urine, the analytical technique used is described and the different technical modifications made to the standard technique reported. The results obtained on reference subjects are compared with those found in the specialized literature. The results found in lead workers are then presented in the form of histograms, which better illustrate the differences observed with respect to the reference subjects. An hematological and toxicological balance-sheet is drawn up and the correlation existing between the results of coproporphyrine, lead and delta-aminolevulinic acid analyses in urine is checked. Biological detection of lead-poisoning has the advantage of providing an early diagnosis, thus enabling the works doctor to forestall the effects of this professional disease before any clinical symptoms appear. (author) [fr

Features of the low-power charge controller of lead-acid current sources charged by solar batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tukfatullin, O.F.; Yuldoshev, I.A.; Solieva, N.A.

2008-01-01

Influence of different factors on exploitations characteristics of solar photoelectric plant is investigated by field-performance data. A construction of charge controller of the lead-acid accumulator battery charging by means of solar battery is analyzed taking into account these factors. (authors)

Co-remediation of the lead-polluted garden soil by exogenous natural zeolite and humic acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Wei-yu; Shao, Hong-bo; Li, Hua; Shao, Ming-an; Du, Sheng

2009-08-15

The current study reported the co-remediation effect on the lead-polluted garden soil by zeolite and humic acids (HA), which was from comparing with the remediation of single zeolite in term of the lead fraction of sequential extraction in the soil and the distribution of lead in different parts of rape. Mixed treatment (zeolite and HA) and single treatment (zeolite) were, respectively, applied to the artificially polluted garden soil to examine the difference of their remediation effects in pot experiment. Results indicated that the co-remediation led to significantly greater (plead concentration in plants than by singly adding to zeolite. The co-application of zeolite and HA reduced the available fraction of lead compounds, but slightly increased (plead compounds in the garden soil, compared with the application of single zeolite, especially in the severe lead-polluted soil (> or =1000 mg kg(-1)). This method might be an efficient way to remediate the lead-polluted soils on a large scale, although zeolite is a kind of hazardous material.

Protective effects of lipoic acid against oxidative stress induced by lead acetate and gamma-irradiation in the kidney and lung in albino rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rezk, R.G.; Abdel-Rahman, N.A.

2013-01-01

Lipoic acid is widely used as antioxidant that protects tissues against a range of oxidative stress. The present study was designed to determine the protective effect of lipoic acid against oxidative organ damage induced by lead intoxication and/or gamma-irradiation. Rats were treated daily intrapritonealy (i. p.) with lipoic acid( 200 mg/kg/b.w.) for 15 consecutive days before lead acetate injection(30 mg/kg/b.w) i.p. for 5 days and/ or whole body. gamma-irradiation (3 Gy). Animals were sacrificed on the 3rd day post the last treatment. Histological examination of kidney and lung tissues through light microscope showed that lead acetate injection and/or exposure to gamma radiation has provoked severe architectural damage in both tissues as necrotic lesions, atrophoid glomerulei and degenerated proximal and distal convoluted tubules, severe bronchiole fibrosis, decreased ciliated bronchioles and dilated and widened pulmonary artery. Histological damage was associated with significant biochemical. changes as increase in lead, copper, iron, zinc and calcium levels in both kidney and lung tissues. Kidney and lung of rats treated with lipoic acid before lead intoxication and/or gamma-irradiation showed significant regenerated glomerulei structure, well-defined structure of proximal and distal convoluted tubules, regenerated ciliated bronchiole structure and improved pulmonary artery. Tissue regeneration was associated with significant decrease in Pb, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Ca levels in kidney and lung and prevented the accumulation of metals in these organs. It could be concluded that lipoic acid administration before lead and/or whole body gamma-irradiation might be capable to attenuate lead and/or gamma radiation induced organ injury and organ metals disruption

Preparation of rhodium target for cyclone-30 accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng Xuesong; Li Dakang; Xie Xiangqian; Li Chao

2002-01-01

The rhodium target for Cyclone-30 accelerator is prepared by pulse electroplating method. The effects of pulse parameters, rhodium concentration, acidity and temperature on the properties of the target layer are studied, and the optimal process is determined. The rhodium target, mass thickness is more than 150 mg/cm 2 , adapts to producing 103 Pd on Cyclone-30 accelerator

High Gradient Accelerator Research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Temkin, Richard

2016-01-01

The goal of the MIT program of research on high gradient acceleration is the development of advanced acceleration concepts that lead to a practical and affordable next generation linear collider at the TeV energy level. Other applications, which are more near-term, include accelerators for materials processing; medicine; defense; mining; security; and inspection. The specific goals of the MIT program are: • Pioneering theoretical research on advanced structures for high gradient acceleration, including photonic structures and metamaterial structures; evaluation of the wakefields in these advanced structures • Experimental research to demonstrate the properties of advanced structures both in low-power microwave cold test and high-power, high-gradient test at megawatt power levels • Experimental research on microwave breakdown at high gradient including studies of breakdown phenomena induced by RF electric fields and RF magnetic fields; development of new diagnostics of the breakdown process • Theoretical research on the physics and engineering features of RF vacuum breakdown • Maintaining and improving the Haimson / MIT 17 GHz accelerator, the highest frequency operational accelerator in the world, a unique facility for accelerator research • Providing the Haimson / MIT 17 GHz accelerator facility as a facility for outside users • Active participation in the US DOE program of High Gradient Collaboration, including joint work with SLAC and with Los Alamos National Laboratory; participation of MIT students in research at the national laboratories • Training the next generation of Ph. D. students in the field of accelerator physics.

Particle-beam accelerators for radiotherapy and radioisotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyd, T.J.; Crandall, K.R.; Hamm, R.W.

1981-01-01

The philosophy used in developing the new PIGMI technology was that the parameters chosen for physics research machines are not necessarily the right ones for a dedicated therapy or radioisotope machine. In particular, the beam current and energy can be optimized, and the design should emphasize minimum size, simplicity and reliability of operation, and economy in capital and operating costs. A major part of achieving these goals lay in raising the operating frequency and voltage gradient of the accelerator, which shrinks the diameter and length of the components. Several other technical innovations resulted in major system improvements. One of these is a radically new type of accelerator structure named the radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) accelerator. This allowed us to eliminate the large, complicated ion source used in previous ion accelerators, and to achieve a very high quality accelerated beam. Also, by using advanced permanent magnet materials to make the focusing elements, the system becomes much simpler. Other improvements have been made in all of the accelerator components and in the methods for operating them. These will be described, and design and costing information examples given for several possible therapy and radioisotope production machines

Remediation of lead contaminated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urban, W.; Krishnamurthy, S.

1992-01-01

Lead contaminated soil in urban area is of major concern because of the potential health risk to children. Many studies have established a direct correlation between lead in soil and elevated blood lead levels in children. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mielke et al. (1983) reported that 50% of the Hmong children with lead poisioning were in areas where soil lead levels were between 500 and 1000 micrograms per gram (ug/g), and 40% of the children suffering from lead poisioning lived in areas where soil lead levels exceeded 1000 ug/g. In urban areas, lead pollution in soil has come from many different sources. The sources include lead paint, lead batteries and automobile exhaust. Olson and Skogerbee (1975) found the following lead compounds in soils where the primary source of pollution was from automobiles: lead sulfate, lead oxide, lead dioxide, lead sulfide, and metallic lead. The primary form of lead found was lead sulfate. Lead sulfate, lead tetraoxide, white lead, and other forms of lead have been used in the manufacture of paints for houses. At present, two remediation techniques, solidification and Bureau of Mines fluosilicic acid leaching, are available for lead-contaminated sites. The objective of the present investigation at the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory (RREL), Edison, was to try to solubilize the lead species by appropriate reagents and then recover the contaminants by precipitation as lead sulfate, using environmentally acceptable methods. The apparatus used for mixing was a LabMaster mixer, with variable speed and high-shear impeller. Previous work had used nitric acid for dissolving metallic lead. Owing to the environmental concerns, it was decided to use acetic acid in the presence of oxygen. The theoretical justification for this approach is the favorable redox potential for the reaction between metallic lead, acetic acid, and gaseous oxygen

Okadaic Acid, a Bioactive Fatty Acid from Halichondria okadai, Stimulates Lipolysis in Rat Adipocytes: The Pivotal Role of Perilipin Translocation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nen-Chung Chang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Lipid metabolism in visceral fat cells is correlated with metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. Okadaic-acid, a 38-carbon fatty acid isolated from the black sponge Halichondria okadai, can stimulate lipolysis by promoting the phosphorylation of several proteins in adipocytes. However, the mechanism of okadaic acid-induced lipolysis and the effects of okadaic acid on lipid-droplet-associated proteins (perilipins and beta-actin remain unclear. We isolated adipocytes from rat epididymal fat pads and treated them with isoproterenol and/or okadaic acid to estimate lipolysis by measuring glycerol release. Incubating adipocytes with okadaic acid stimulated time-dependent lipolysis. Lipid-droplet-associated perilipins and beta-actin were analyzed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence, and the association of perilipin A and B was found to be decreased in response to isoproterenol or okadaic acid treatment. Moreover, okadaic-acid treatment could enhance isoproterenol-mediated lipolysis, whereas treatment of several inhibitors such as KT-5720 (PKA inhibitor, calphostin C (PKC inhibitor, or KT-5823 (PKG inhibitor did not attenuate okadaic-acid-induced lipolysis. By contrast, vanadyl acetylacetonate (tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor blocked okadaic-acid-dependent lipolysis. These results suggest that okadaic acid induces the phosphorylation and detachment of lipid-droplet-associated perilipin A and B from the lipid droplet surface and thereby leads to accelerated lipolysis.

Dietary stearic acid leads to a reduction of visceral adipose tissue in athymic nude mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming-Che Shen

Full Text Available Stearic acid (C18:0 is a long chain dietary saturated fatty acid that has been shown to reduce metastatic tumor burden. Based on preliminary observations and the growing evidence that visceral fat is related to metastasis and decreased survival, we hypothesized that dietary stearic acid may reduce visceral fat. Athymic nude mice, which are used in models of human breast cancer metastasis, were fed a stearic acid, linoleic acid (safflower oil, or oleic acid (corn oil enriched diet or a low fat diet ad libitum. Total body weight did not differ significantly between dietary groups over the course of the experiment. However visceral fat was reduced by ∼70% in the stearic acid fed group compared to other diets. In contrast total body fat was only slightly reduced in the stearic acid diet fed mice when measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and quantitative magnetic resonance. Lean body mass was increased in the stearic acid fed group compared to all other groups by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Dietary stearic acid significantly reduced serum glucose compared to all other diets and increased monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1 compared to the low fat control. The low fat control diet had increased serum leptin compared to all other diets. To investigate possible mechanisms whereby stearic acid reduced visceral fat we used 3T3L1 fibroblasts/preadipocytes. Stearic acid had no direct effects on the process of differentiation or on the viability of mature adipocytes. However, unlike oleic acid and linoleic acid, stearic acid caused increased apoptosis (programmed cell death and cytotoxicity in preadipocytes. The apoptosis was, at least in part, due to increased caspase-3 activity and was associated with decreased cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein-2 (cIAP2 and increased Bax gene expression. In conclusion, dietary stearic acid leads to dramatically reduced visceral fat likely by causing the apoptosis of preadipocytes.

Development of an accelerated reliability test schedule for terrestrial solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Lathrop, J. W.; Prince, J. L.

1981-01-01

An accelerated test schedule using a minimum amount of tests and a minimum number of cells has been developed on the basis of stress test results obtained from more than 1500 cells of seven different cell types. The proposed tests, which include bias-temperature, bias-temperature-humidity, power cycle, thermal cycle, and thermal shock tests, use as little as 10 and up to 25 cells, depending on the test type.

Gas-filled capillaries for plasma-based accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippi, F; Anania, M P; Brentegani, E; Biagioni, A; Chiadroni, E; Ferrario, M; Pompili, R; Romeo, S; Cianchi, A; Zigler, A

2017-01-01

Plasma Wakefield Accelerators are based on the excitation of large amplitude plasma waves excited by either a laser or a particle driver beam. The amplitude of the waves, as well as their spatial dimensions and the consequent accelerating gradient depend strongly on the background electron density along the path of the accelerated particles. The process needs stable and reliable plasma sources, whose density profile must be controlled and properly engineered to ensure the appropriate accelerating mechanism. Plasma confinement inside gas filled capillaries have been studied in the past since this technique allows to control the evolution of the plasma, ensuring a stable and repeatable plasma density distribution during the interaction with the drivers. Moreover, in a gas filled capillary plasma can be pre-ionized by a current discharge to avoid ionization losses. Different capillary geometries have been studied to allow the proper temporal and spatial evolution of the plasma along the acceleration length. Results of this analysis obtained by varying the length and the number of gas inlets will be presented. (paper)

Gas-filled capillaries for plasma-based accelerators

Science.gov (United States)

Filippi, F.; Anania, M. P.; Brentegani, E.; Biagioni, A.; Cianchi, A.; Chiadroni, E.; Ferrario, M.; Pompili, R.; Romeo, S.; Zigler, A.

2017-07-01

Plasma Wakefield Accelerators are based on the excitation of large amplitude plasma waves excited by either a laser or a particle driver beam. The amplitude of the waves, as well as their spatial dimensions and the consequent accelerating gradient depend strongly on the background electron density along the path of the accelerated particles. The process needs stable and reliable plasma sources, whose density profile must be controlled and properly engineered to ensure the appropriate accelerating mechanism. Plasma confinement inside gas filled capillaries have been studied in the past since this technique allows to control the evolution of the plasma, ensuring a stable and repeatable plasma density distribution during the interaction with the drivers. Moreover, in a gas filled capillary plasma can be pre-ionized by a current discharge to avoid ionization losses. Different capillary geometries have been studied to allow the proper temporal and spatial evolution of the plasma along the acceleration length. Results of this analysis obtained by varying the length and the number of gas inlets will be presented.

Electron accelerators: History, applications, and perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, M.N.; Silva, T.F.

2014-01-01

This paper will present an outlook on sources of radiation, focusing on electron accelerators. We will review advances that were important for the development of particle accelerators, concentrating on those that led to modern electron accelerators. Electron accelerators are multipurpose machines that deliver beams with energies spanning five orders of magnitude, and are used in applications that range from fundamental studies of particle interactions to cross-linking polymer chains in industrial plants. Each accelerator type presents specific characteristics that make it more suitable for certain applications. Our work will focus on radiation sources for medical applications, dominated by electron linacs (linear accelerators), and those used for research, field where electron rings dominate. We will outline the main technological advances that occurred in the past decades, which made possible the construction of machines fit for clinical environments. Their compactness, efficiency and reliability have been key to their acceptance in clinical applications. This outline will include advances that allowed for the construction of brighter synchrotron light sources, where the relevant beam characteristics are good optical quality and high beam current. The development of insertion devices will also be discussed, as well the development of Free Electron Lasers (FEL). We conclude the review with an outline of the new developments of electron accelerators and the expectations for Energy Recovery Linacs. - Highlights: ► We present an outlook on sources of radiation, focusing on electron accelerators. ► We review important advances for the development of modern electron accelerators. ► We outline advances that allowed for brighter synchrotron light sources. ► We describe the history of the development of electron accelerators in Brazil

31P NMR Chemical Shifts of Phosphorus Probes as Reliable and Practical Acidity Scales for Solid and Liquid Catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Anmin; Liu, Shang-Bin; Deng, Feng

2017-10-11

Acid-base catalytic reaction, either in heterogeneous or homogeneous systems, is one of the most important chemical reactions that has provoked a wide variety of industrial catalytic processes for production of chemicals and petrochemicals over the past few decades. In view of the fact that the catalytic performances (e.g., activity, selectivity, and reaction mechanism) of acid-catalyzed reactions over acidic catalysts are mostly dictated by detailed acidic features, viz. type (Brønsted vs Lewis acidity), amount (concentration), strength, and local environments (location) of acid sites, information on and manipulation of their structure-activity correlation are crucial for optimization of catalytic performances as well as innovative design of novel effective catalysts. This review aims to summarize recent developments on acidity characterization of solid and liquid catalysts by means of experimental 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy using phosphorus probe molecules such as trialkylphosphine (TMP) and trialkylphosphine oxides (R 3 PO). In particular, correlations between the observed 31 P chemical shifts (δ 31 P) of phosphorus (P)-containing probes and acidic strengths have been established in conjuction with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, rendering practical and reliable acidity scales for Brønsted and Lewis acidities at the atomic level. As illustrated for a variety of different solid and liquid acid systems, such as microporous zeolites, mesoporous molecular sieves, and metal oxides, the 31 P NMR probe approaches were shown to provide important acid features of various catalysts, surpassing most conventional methods such as titration, pH measurement, Hammett acidity function, and some other commonly used physicochemical techniques, such as calorimetry, temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH 3 -TPD), Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR), and 1 H NMR spectroscopies.

Reliability and fault tolerance in the European ADS project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biarrotte, Jean-Luc

2013-01-01

After an introduction to the theory of reliability, this paper focuses on a description of the linear proton accelerator proposed for the European ADS demonstration project. Design issues are discussed and examples of cases of fault tolerance are given. (author)

Quality Control of Lead-Acid Battery according to Its Condition Test for UPS Supplier and Manufacturers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsung-Chih Hsiao

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The risk of insufficient petroleum resources has forced human beings to emphasize the acquisition and storage of energy. To avoid such situation, this study tends to explore the effective management of lead-acid batteries for effective utilization conforming to the industrial requirements.

Micro-hybrid electric vehicle application of valve-regulated lead-acid batteries in absorbent glass mat technology: Testing a partial-state-of-charge operation strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaeck, S.; Stoermer, A.O.; Hockgeiger, E. [BMW Group, Powertrain Development, Energy Storage, Hufelandstrasse 4, 80788 Muenchen (Germany)

2009-05-01

The BMW Group has launched two micro-hybrid functions in high volume models in order to contribute to reduction of fuel consumption in modern passenger cars. Both the brake energy regeneration (BER) and the auto-start-stop function (ASSF) are based on the conventional 14 V vehicle electrical system and current series components with only little modifications. An intelligent control algorithm of the alternator enables recuperative charging in braking and coasting phases, known as BER. By switching off the internal combustion engine at a vehicle standstill the idling fuel consumption is effectively reduced by ASSF. By reason of economy and package a lead-acid battery is used as electrochemical energy storage device. The BMW Group assembles valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries in absorbent glass mat (AGM) technology in the micro-hybrid electrical power system since special challenges arise for the batteries. By field data analysis a lower average state-of-charge (SOC) due to partial state-of-charge (PSOC) operation and a higher cycling rate due to BER and ASSF are confirmed in this article. Similar to a design of experiment (DOE) like method we present a long-term lab investigation. Two types of 90 Ah VRLA AGM batteries are operated with a test bench profile that simulates the micro-hybrid vehicle electrical system under varying conditions. The main attention of this lab testing is focused on capacity loss and charge acceptance over cycle life. These effects are put into context with periodically refresh charging the batteries in order to prevent accelerated battery aging due to hard sulfation. We demonstrate the positive effect of refresh chargings concerning preservation of battery charge acceptance. Furthermore, we observe moderate capacity loss over 90 full cycles both at 25 C and at 3 C battery temperature. (author)

Micro-hybrid electric vehicle application of valve-regulated lead-acid batteries in absorbent glass mat technology: Testing a partial-state-of-charge operation strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Schaeck, S.; Stoermer, A. O.; Hockgeiger, E.

The BMW Group has launched two micro-hybrid functions in high volume models in order to contribute to reduction of fuel consumption in modern passenger cars. Both the brake energy regeneration (BER) and the auto-start-stop function (ASSF) are based on the conventional 14 V vehicle electrical system and current series components with only little modifications. An intelligent control algorithm of the alternator enables recuperative charging in braking and coasting phases, known as BER. By switching off the internal combustion engine at a vehicle standstill the idling fuel consumption is effectively reduced by ASSF. By reason of economy and package a lead-acid battery is used as electrochemical energy storage device. The BMW Group assembles valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries in absorbent glass mat (AGM) technology in the micro-hybrid electrical power system since special challenges arise for the batteries. By field data analysis a lower average state-of-charge (SOC) due to partial state-of-charge (PSOC) operation and a higher cycling rate due to BER and ASSF are confirmed in this article. Similar to a design of experiment (DOE) like method we present a long-term lab investigation. Two types of 90 Ah VRLA AGM batteries are operated with a test bench profile that simulates the micro-hybrid vehicle electrical system under varying conditions. The main attention of this lab testing is focused on capacity loss and charge acceptance over cycle life. These effects are put into context with periodically refresh charging the batteries in order to prevent accelerated battery aging due to hard sulfation. We demonstrate the positive effect of refresh chargings concerning preservation of battery charge acceptance. Furthermore, we observe moderate capacity loss over 90 full cycles both at 25 °C and at 3 °C battery temperature.

Electron accelerator technology research in food irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin Jianqiao; Ye Mingyang; Zhang Yue; Yang Bin; Xu Tao; Kong Xiangshan

2014-01-01

Electronic accelerator was applied to instead of cobalt sources for food irradiation, to keep food quality and to improve the effect of the treatment. Appropriate accelerator parameters lead to optimal technique. The irradiation effect is associated with the relationship between uniformity and irradiating speed, the effect of cargo size on radiation penetration, as well as other factors that affect the irradiation effects. Industrialization of electron accelerator irradiation will be looked to the future. (authors)

An in situ generated carbon as integrated conductive additive for hierarchical negative plate of lead-acid battery

Science.gov (United States)

Saravanan, M.; Ganesan, M.; Ambalavanan, S.

2014-04-01

In this work, we report an in situ generated carbon from sugar as additive in the Negative Active Mass (NAM) which enhances the charge-discharge characteristics of the lead-acid cells. In situ formed sugar derived carbon (SDC) with leady oxide (LO) provides a conductive network and excellent protection against NAM irreversible lead sulfation. The effect of SDC and carbon black (CB) added negative plates are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), galvanostatic charge-discharge, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), respectively. The results show that subtle changes in the addition of carbon to NAM led to subsequent changes on the performance during partial-state-of-charge (PSoC) operations in lead-acid cells. Furthermore, SDC added cells exhibit remarkable improvement in the rate capability, active material utilization, cycle performance and charge acceptance compared to that of the conventional CB added cells. The impact of SDC with LO at various synthesis conditions on the electrochemical performance of the negative plate is studied systematically.

Accelerators for Medical Applications What is so Special?

CERN Document Server

Schippers, J.M.

2016-01-01

Specific requirements of accelerators for radiation therapy with protons or ions will be discussed. The focus will be on accelerator design, operational and formal aspects. We will discuss the special requirements to reach a high reliability for patient treatments as well as an accurate delivery of the dose at the correct position in the patient using modern techniques like pencil beam scanning. It will be shown that the requirements of the accelerated beam differ from those in a nuclear physics laboratory. The way of operating such a medical device requires not only operators, but also the possibility to have a safe machine operation by non accelerator specialists at different operating sites (treatment rooms). It will be shown that the organisation and role of the control/interlock system can be considered as being the most dedicated in a particle-therapy providing facility.

Beyond-one-loop quantum gravity action yielding both inflation and late-time acceleration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Elizalde

2017-08-01

Full Text Available A unified description of early-time inflation with the current cosmic acceleration is achieved by means of a new theory that uses a quadratic model of gravity, with the inclusion of an exponential F(R-gravity contribution for dark energy. High-curvature corrections of the theory come from higher-derivative quantum gravity and yield an effective action that goes beyond the one-loop approximation. It is shown that, in this theory, viable inflation emerges in a natural way, leading to a spectral index and tensor-to-scalar ratio that are in perfect agreement with the most reliable Planck results. At low energy, late-time accelerated expansion takes place. As exponential gravity, for dark energy, must be stabilized during the matter and radiation eras, we introduce a curing term in order to avoid nonphysical singularities in the effective equation of state parameter. The results of our analysis are confirmed by accurate numerical simulations, which show that our model does fit the most recent cosmological data for dark energy very precisely.

An accelerator controls network designed for reliability and flexibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDowell, W. P.; Sidorowicz, K. V.

1997-01-01

The APS accelerator control system is a typical modern system based on the standard control system model, which consists of operator interfaces to a network and computer-controlled interfaces to hardware. The network provides a generalized communication path between the host computers, operator workstations, input/output crates, and other hardware that comprise the control system. The network is an integral part of all modern control systems and network performance will determine many characteristics of a control system. This paper describes the methods used to provide redundancy for various network system components as well as methods used to provide comprehensive monitoring of this network. The effect of archiving tens of thousands of data points on a regular basis and the effect on the controls network will be discussed. Metrics are provided on the performance of the system under various conditions

Development of a RAMI model for LANSCE and high power APT accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tallerico, P.J.

1994-01-01

Assessment of the reliability, availability, maintainability and inspectability (RAMI) of all high power, high cost systems is important to justify and improve the cost effectiveness of these systems. For the very large (over 100 MW) accelerator systems associated with APT, a RAMI model is very valuable in guiding the design and allocation of resources. A RAMI model of an existing machine is also valuable, since machine improvement funds must be allocated to increase the availability by the largest amount. The authors have developed a RAMI model using the critical subsystems of the LANSCE accelerator and beam delivery complex as an example and to evaluate the effectiveness for estimating reliability and beam availability. LAMPF and LANSCE together provide most of the features required for the accelerator and beam delivery part of a high-power APT machine, but LANSCE is pulsed, rather than CW. This complex is capable of a 1-MW average power H - beam, and it is the most powerful proton accelerator in the US built to date

Possible role of rf melted microparticles on the operation of high-gradient accelerating structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. S. Nusinovich

2009-10-01

Full Text Available High-gradient accelerating structures should operate reliably for a long time. Therefore studies of various processes which may lead to disruption of such an operation are so important. In the present paper, the dissipation of rf electromagnetic energy in metallic microparticles is analyzed accounting for the temperature dependence of the skin depth. Such particles may appear in structures, for example, due to mechanical fracture of irises in strong rf electric fields. It is shown that such microparticles with dimensions on the order of the skin depth, being immersed in the region of strong rf magnetic field, can absorb enough energy in long-pulse operation to be melted. Then, the melted clumps can impinge on the surface of a structure and create nonuniformities leading to field enhancement and corresponding emission of dark current. Results are given for several geometries and materials of microparticles.

A green lead hydrometallurgical process based on a hydrogen-lead oxide fuel cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Junqing; Sun, Yanzhi; Li, Wei; Knight, James; Manthiram, Arumugam

2013-01-01

The automobile industry consumed 9 million metric tons of lead in 2012 for lead-acid batteries. Recycling lead from spent lead-acid batteries is not only related to the sustainable development of the lead industry, but also to the reduction of lead pollution in the environment. The existing lead pyrometallurgical processes have two main issues, toxic lead emission into the environment and high energy consumption; the developing hydrometallurgical processes have the disadvantages of high electricity consumption, use of toxic chemicals and severe corrosion of metallic components. Here we demonstrate a new green hydrometallurgical process to recover lead based on a hydrogen-lead oxide fuel cell. High-purity lead, along with electricity, is produced with only water as the by-product. It has a >99.5% lead yield, which is higher than that of the existing pyrometallurgical processes (95-97%). This greatly reduces lead pollution to the environment.

Electric fields in accelerating conductors: measurement of the EMF in rotationally accelerating coils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moorhead, G.F.; Opat, G.I.

1996-06-06

The acceleration of an electric conductor is predicted to produce an electric filed proportional to m/q where `m`is the free mass and `q` the charge of the carriers of the electric current. In certain configurations this leads to a measurable electromagnetic field (EMF). In this paper is reported a measurement of the EMF induced by rotationally accelerating coils of aluminium and copper wire. The measured EMFs are found to agree with the theoretical predictions to within the error estimates. 23 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs.

Electric fields in accelerating conductors: measurement of the EMF in rotationally accelerating coils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moorhead, G.F.; Opat, G.I.

1996-01-01

The acceleration of an electric conductor is predicted to produce an electric filed proportional to m/q where 'm'is the free mass and 'q' the charge of the carriers of the electric current. In certain configurations this leads to a measurable electromagnetic field (EMF). In this paper is reported a measurement of the EMF induced by rotationally accelerating coils of aluminium and copper wire. The measured EMFs are found to agree with the theoretical predictions to within the error estimates. 23 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs

Radio-frequency system of the linear accelerator of a meson factory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polyakov, B.I.; Ivanov, Yu.D.; Mishchenko, A.V.; Uksusov, N.I.; Cherkashin, Yu.S.; Romanov, B.V.; Lopatnikov, Yu. M.; Malinin, I.A.; Trebukhin, V.M.

1976-01-01

HF power supply circuits of two portions of the ''meson factory'' linear accelerator, their control and monitoring are described to improve reliability of the accelerator, provision is made for one spare amplification channel in the 1st portion and three spare amplification channels in the 2nd portion of the accelerator, one for each of three sectors of the accelerator. The total number of the operating and spare amplification channels amounts to 38. All the amplification channels are excited by a common powerful master device with the frequency of 19.2 MHz for the first portion, and 991 MHz for the second portion of the accelerator. Frequency stability is not worse than 10 -6 . The use of the spare channels will reduce the outage of the accelerator by 4-5 times

IMPELA electron accelerators for industrial radiation processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hare, G.E.

1990-01-01

IMPELA electron accelerators are derived from a common basic design of rf accelerating structure which is capable of handling beams with powers from 20 to 250 kW at 5 to 18 MeV. A prototype has been built which operates at 50 kW and 10 MeV. The paper describes the major elements of the system with particular reference to features which assist in maintaining irradiation quality, simple operation and high reliability. A cost model based on the prototype is used to demonstrate the economies of scale available and the impact of local prices for utilities. (author)

Preliminary simulation studies of accelerator cavity loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faehl, R.J.

1980-06-01

Two-dimensional simulations of loading effects in a 350 MHz accelerator cavity have been performed. Electron currents of 1-10 kA have been accelerated in 5 MV/m fields. Higher order cavity modes induced by the beam may lead to emittance growth. Operation in an autoaccelerator mode has been studied

Quercetin, ascorbic acid, caffeine and ellagic acid are more efficient than rosiglitazone, metformin and glimepiride in interfering with pathways leading to the development of neurological complications associated with diabetes: A comparative in-vitro study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vineet Mehta

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Neuropathy is the least understood and most devastating complication associated with diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy develops in patients despite of regular therapy, indicating that marketed drugs has minimal effect on pathways leading to the development and progression of these complications. Present study was aimed to evaluate natural compounds for their ability to interfere with pathways leading to the development of diabetes mediated neurological complications and compare their efficacy with marketed anti-diabetic drugs. Anti-diabetic potential of ascorbic acid, gallic acid, quercetin, ellagic acid, cinnamic acid, caffeine and piperine was predicted by evaluating in-silico interaction energy (kcal/mol of these compounds with insulin receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-γ and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 proteins. Ascorbic acid, gallic acid, quercetin and ellagic acid showed excellent in-vitro antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging and inhibition of lipid peroxidation assay, which was 1.5–3 folds better than the marketed drugs. Quercetin, gallic acid, cinnamic acid, piperine and caffeine efficiently prevented H2O2 induced genotoxicity, which commercial drugs failed to prevent. Further, quercetin, ellagic acid, caffeine and ascorbic acid were 3–4.7 folds better than marketed drugs in inhibiting α-amylase activity. Herbal molecules and rosiglitazone showed comparable results for glucose uptake, which may be attributed to enhanced GLUT4 translocation into primary neuronal culture under hyperglycemic conditions. In conclusion, currently available marketed anti-diabetic drugs have minimal effect on the pathways leading to diabetic neuropathy and supplementing diabetic therapeutics with quercetin, ascorbic acid, caffeine and ellagic acid may be better suited to counter diabetic neuropathy through inhibiting oxidative stress, genotoxicity and improving neuronal glucose utilization.

Project of compact accelerator for cancer proton therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picardi, L.; Ronsivalle, C.; Vignati, A.

1995-04-01

The status of the sub-projetc 'Compact Accelerator' in the framework of the Hadrontherapy Project leaded by Prof. Amaldi is described. Emphasis is given to the reasons of the use of protons for radiotherapy applications, to the results of the preliminary design studies of four types of accelerators as possible radiotherapy dedicated 'Compact Accelerator' and to the scenario of the fonts of financial resources

Influence of 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid on gastrointestinal lead absorption and whole-body lead retention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kapoor, S.C.; Wielopolski, L.; Graziano, J.H.; LoIacono, N.J.

1989-01-01

2,3-Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is a new orally active heavy metal chelator for the treatment of childhood Pb intoxication on an outpatient basis. The influence of DMSA, as well as other chelating agents, on gastrointestinal 203Pb absorption and whole-body 203 Pb retention was examined. Groups of Sprague-Dawley rats (230-260 g) were gavaged with a solution containing approximately 25 mg/kg Pb [as Pb(NO 3 )2] plus 15 microCi 203 Pb. Some groups were then immediately given 0.11 mmol/kg of either DMSA, CaNa2EDTA, D-penicillamine, or BAL by oral gavage, while other groups received the same drugs by ip injection. Control groups received solutions of the drug vehicles po or ip. Whole-body Pb retention and gastrointestinal Pb absorption (whole body retention + urinary Pb excretion) were significantly decreased in rats that received DMSA po. This finding implies that the use of DMSA to treat childhood lead intoxication on an outpatient basis is not associated with a risk for increased Pb absorption

Particle acceleration near Halley's comet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Somogyi, Antal

1987-01-01

Vega and Giotto space probes observed energetic ions of cometary origin near Halley's comet. The water molecules evaporating from the cometary nucleus were ionized by the solar UV radiation. These 'standing' ions were accelerated from 1 km/s to a few 1000 km/s. Present paper analyses the possible mechanisms of acceleration based on the data of TUENDE detector (constructed by CRIP, Hungary) working on board of Vega probes. The basic mechanism is the ExB Lorentz acceleration by interplanetary magnetic field and electric field induced by magnetic field frozen into solar wind plasma. It is followed by an acceleration caused by the adiabatic compression of the plasma at shock wave front. These processes can not explain the observed velocity of ions. It is shown that the second order Fermi acceleration which dissipates the ion distribution in the velocity space can lead to the observed velocities. The circumstances required to the occurrence of this process are present at the cometary environment. (D.G.) 2 figs

PWR system reliability improvement activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshikawa, Yuichiro

1985-01-01

In Japan lacking in energy resources, it is our basic energy policy to accelerate the development program of nuclear power, thereby reducing our dependence. As referred to in the foregoing, every effort has been exerted on our part to improve the PWR system reliability by dint of the so-called 'HOMEMADE' TQC activities, which is our brain-child as a result of applying to the energy industry the quality control philosophy developed in the field of manufacturing industry

Influence of antimony on the elctrochemical behaviour and the structure of the lead dioxide active mass of lead/acid batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavlov, D. (Central Lab. of Electrochemical Power Sources, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (Bulgaria)); Dakhouche, A. (Central Lab. of Electrochemical Power Sources, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (Bulgaria)); Rogachev, T. (Central Lab. of Electrochemical Power Sources, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (Bulgaria))

1993-01-29

The effect of antimony on the formation of the skeleton structure of tubular electrodes filled with lead dioxide active mass (PAM) is investigated. Antimony is added as ions to the solution, as Sb[sub 2]O[sub 3] or Sb[sub 2]O[sub 5] to PAM, or as an additive to the electrode spine alloy. The effect of antimony on the crystallinity of PAM particles and agglomerates is examined. It is established that antimony increases the capacity of tubular powder electrodes when added either to the alloy or as antimony oxide to the PAM. It accelerates the processes of formation of the PAM skeleton structure and decreases the crystallinity of PAM particles and agglomerates. These effects of antimony are explained based on the concept of a gel-crystal structure for the PAM. Antimony improves the electron conductivity of gel zones. Its effect depends on the type and valency of the antimony ions, and on the density of the PAM. (orig.)

Kinetics of oil saponification by lead salts in ancient preparations of pharmaceutical lead plasters and painting lead mediums.

Science.gov (United States)

Cotte, M; Checroun, E; Susini, J; Dumas, P; Tchoreloff, P; Besnard, M; Walter, Ph

2006-12-15

Lead soaps can be found in archaeological cosmetics as well as in oil paintings, as product of interactions of lead salts with oil. In this context, a better understanding of the formation of lead soaps allows a follow-up of the historical evolution of preparation recipes and provides new insights into conservation conditions. First, ancient recipes of both pharmaceutical lead plasters and painting lead mediums, mixtures of oil and lead salts, were reconstructed. The ester saponification by lead salts is determined by the preparation parameters which were quantified by FT-IR spectrometry. In particular, ATR/FT-IR spectrometer was calibrated by the standard addition method to quantitatively follow the kinetics of this reaction. The influence of different parameters such as temperature, presence of water and choice of lead salts was assessed: the saponification is clearly accelerated by water and heating. This analysis provides chemical explanations to the historical evolution of cosmetic and painting preparation recipes.

Advanced Test Accelerator (ATA) pulse power technology development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reginato, L.L.; Branum, D.; Cook, E.

1981-01-01

The Advanced Test Accelerator (ATA) is a pulsed linear induction accelerator with the following design parameters: 50 MeV, 10 kA, 70 ns, and 1 kHz in a ten-pulse burst. Acceleration is accomplished by means of 190 ferrite-loaded cells, each capable of maintaining a 250 kV voltage pulse for 70 ns across a 1-inch gap. The unique characteristic of this machine is its 1 kHz burst mode capability at very high currents. This paper dscribes the pulse power development program which used the Experimental Test Accelerator (ETA) technology as a starting base. Considerable changes have been made both electrically and mechanically in the pulse power components with special consideration being given to the design to achieve higher reliability. A prototype module which incorporates all the pulse power components has been built and tested for millions of shots. Prototype components and test results are described

Reliability and Engineering of Thin-Film Photovoltaic Modules. Research forum proceedings

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, R. G., Jr. (Editor); Royal, E. L. (Editor)

1985-01-01

A Research Forum on Reliability and Engineering of Thin Film Photovoltaic Modules, under sponsorship of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Flat Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project and the U.S. Department of Energy, was held in Washington, D.C., on March 20, 1985. Reliability attribute investigations of amorphous silicon cells, submodules, and modules were the subjects addressed by most of the Forum presentations. Included among the reliability research investigations reported were: Arrhenius-modeled accelerated stress tests on a Si cells, electrochemical corrosion, light induced effects and their potential effects on stability and reliability measurement methods, laser scribing considerations, and determination of degradation rates and mechanisms from both laboratory and outdoor exposure tests.

Positive synergistic effect of the reuse and the treatment of hazardous waste on pyrometallurgical process of lead recovery from waste lead-acid batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marija Štulović

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Modification and optimization of the pyrometallurgical process of lead recovering from the waste lead-acid batteries have been studied in this paper. The aim of this research is to develop a cleaner production in the field of the secondary lead metallurgy. Lead smelting process with the addition of flux (sodium(I-carbonate and reducing agents (coke, iron has been followed. The modified smelting process with the addition of hazardous waste (activated carbon as alternative reducing agents has shown positive results on the quality of the secondary lead, the generated slag and the process gases. Filtration efficiency of the gases, the return of baghouse dust to the process and use of oxygen burners have positive effect on the environment protection and energy efficiency. Optimization of the recycling process has been based on the properties of the slag. Stabilization of slag is proposed in the furnace with addition of waste dust from the recycling of cathode ray tube (CRT monitors. Phosphorus compounds from dust reduce leachability of toxic elements from the generated slag. Reduction the slag amount and its hazardous character through the elimination of migratory heavy metals and valorization of useful components have been proposed in the patented innovative device - cylindrical rotating washer/separator.

Cw operation of the FMIT RFQ accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornelius, W.D.

1985-01-01

Recently, we have achieved reliable cw operation of the Fusion Materials Irradiation Test (FMIT) radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) accelerator. In addition to the operational experiences in achieving this status, some of the modifications of the vacuum system, cooling system, and rf structure are discussed. Preliminary beam-characterization results are presented. 10 refs., 8 figs

Studies on mechanisms of the laser particle acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aurand, Bastian

2012-01-01

Within the last decade, many developments towards higher energies and particle numbers paved the way of particle acceleration performed by high intensity laser systems. Up to now, the process of a field-induced acceleration process (Target-Normal-Sheath-Acceleration (TNSA)) is investigated the most. Acceleration occurs as a consequence of separation of charges on a surface potential. Here, the broad energy spectrum is a problem not yet overcome although many improvements were achieved. Calculations for intensities higher than 10 20..21 W/cm 2 give hint that Radiation-Pressure-Acceleration (RPA) may lead to a sharper, monoenergetic energy spectrum. Within the framework of this thesis, the investigation of the acceleration mechanism is studied experimentally in the intensity range of 10 19 W/cm 2 . Suitable targets were developed and applied for patent. A broad range of parameters was scanned by means of high repetition rates together with an adequate laser system to provide high statistics of several thousands of shots, and the dependence of target material, intensity, laser polarisation and pre plasma-conditions was verified. Comparisons with 2-d numeric simulations lead to a model of the acceleration process which was analyzed by several diagnostic methods, giving clear evidence for a new, not field-induced acceleration process. In addition, a system for a continuous variation of the polarization based on reflective optics was developed in order to overcome the disadvantages of retardation plates, and their practicability of high laser energies can be achieved.

DOGBONE GEOMETRY FOR RECIRCULATING ACCELERATORS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BERG, J.S.; JOHNSTONE, C.; SUMMERS, D.

2001-01-01

Most scenarios for accelerating muons require recirculating acceleration. A racetrack shape for the accelerator requires particles with lower energy in early passes to traverse almost the same length of arc as particles with the highest energy. This extra arc length may lead to excess decays and excess cost. Changing the geometry to a dogbone shape, where there is a single linac and the beam turns completely around at the end of the linac, returning to the same end of the linac from which it exited, addresses this problem. In this design, the arc lengths can be proportional to the particle's momentum. This paper proposes an approximate cost model for a recirculating accelerator, attempts to make cost-optimized designs for both racetrack and dogbone geometries, and demonstrates that the dogbone geometry does appear to be more cost effective

Accelerated healing of cutaneous leishmaniasis in non-healing BALB/c mice using water soluble amphotericin B-polymethacrylic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Corware, Karina; Harris, Debra; Teo, Ian; Rogers, Matthew; Naresh, Kikkeri; Müller, Ingrid; Shaunak, Sunil

2011-11-01

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical disease that causes prominent skin scaring. No water soluble, non-toxic, short course and low cost treatment exists. We developed a new water soluble amphotericin B-polymethacrylic acid (AmB-PMA) using established and scalable chemistries. AmB-PMA was stable for 9 months during storage. In vitro, it was effective against Leishmania spp. promastigotes and amastigote infected macrophages. It was also less toxic and more effective than deoxycholate-AmB, and similar to liposomal AmB. Its in vivo activity was determined in both early and established CL lesion models of Leishmania major infection in genetically susceptible non-healing BALB/c mice. Intradermal AmB-PMA at a total dose of 18 mg of AmB/kg body weight led to rapid parasite killing and lesion healing. No toxicity was seen. No parasite relapse occurred after 80 days follow-up. Histological studies confirmed rapid parasite clearance from macrophages followed by accelerated fibroblast mediated tissue repair, regeneration and cure of the infection. Quantitative mRNA studies of the CL lesions showed that accelerated healing was associated with increased Tumour Necrosis Factor-α and Interferon-γ, and reduced Interleukin-10. These results suggest that a cost-effective AmB-PMA could be used to pharmacologically treat and immuno-therapeutically accelerate the healing of CL lesions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability of the Quench Protection System for the LHC Superconducting Elements

OpenAIRE

Vergara-Fernández, A; Rodríguez-Mateos, F

2003-01-01

The huge energy stored in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) could potentially cause severe damage when the superconducting state disappears (quench) if precautions are not taken. Most of the superconducting elements in this accelerator require protection in case of resistive transition. The reliability of the Quench Protection System will have a very important impact on the overall LHC performance. Existing high energy accelerators were conceived as prototypes whose main objective was not the e...

Reliability impact of RF tube technology for the NPB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bueck, J.C.

1989-01-01

Two reliability options, redundancy and operating margin, are examined to determine their effect on power system configurations using RF tube technology (klystron and klystrode) powered Neutral Particle Beam weapons. Redundance is addressed by providing an additional identical RF tube to the tubes required to power an accelerator RF element (DTL section, RFQ, or CCL). RF elements do not share RF power with other RF elements. Operating margin provides increased reliability by sizing the RF tubes such that tube operating levels may be increased compensate for the loss of a tube. It is shown that power system mass is affected by the choice of reliability measures, that higher power tubes coupled with higher power RF elements may mitigate mass increases, and that redundancy appears preferable to operating margin as a method of improving RF system reliability

Demonstration of the hollow channel plasma wakefield accelerator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gessner, Spencer J.

2016-09-17

A plasma wakefield accelerator is a device that converts the energy of a relativistic particle beam into a large-amplitude wave in a plasma. The plasma wave, or wakefield, supports an enormous electricfield that is used to accelerate a trailing particle beam. The plasma wakefield accelerator can therefore be used as a transformer, transferring energy from a high-charge, low-energy particle beam into a high-energy, low-charge particle beam. This technique may lead to a new generation of ultra-compact, high-energy particle accelerators. The past decade has seen enormous progress in the field of plasma wakefield acceleration with experimental demonstrations of the acceleration of electron beams by several gigaelectron-volts. The acceleration of positron beams in plasma is more challenging, but also necessary for the creation of a high-energy electron-positron collider. Part of the challenge is that the plasma responds asymmetrically to electrons and positrons, leading to increased disruption of the positron beam. One solution to this problem, first proposed over twenty years ago, is to use a hollow channel plasma which symmetrizes the response of the plasma to beams of positive and negative charge, making it possible to accelerate positrons in plasma without disruption. In this thesis, we describe the theory relevant to our experiment and derive new results when needed. We discuss the development and implementation of special optical devices used to create long plasma channels. We demonstrate for the first time the generation of meter-scale plasma channels and the acceleration of positron beams therein.

Effect of lead on heme synthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neuberger, A.

1975-01-01

Recently, a fair amount of work has been done on the effect of lead on porphobilinogen dehydratase, which has been used as a sensitive indicator of lead poisoning. How far this is in itself harmful depends on the Michaelis constants of both the aminolaevulinic synthetase and of the dehydratase, and in addition on the relative activities of the two enzymes in a cell and also on the tissue concentration of glycine. Information on some of these points is still fragmentary, and a reliable judgement is at the present not very easy. Another step in the heme synthesis, which is sensitive to low concentrations of lead, is the incorporation of iron into protoporphyrin. Inhibition of this step may be important in accounting to a large extent for the anaemia found in individuals with lead poisoning. Reduction in the tissue concentration of heme or of heme-like compounds may also explain, through the mechanism of de-repression, the excretion of increased amounts of aminolaevulinic acid in the urine observed in cases of lead poisoning. A third step in heme synthesis, which might be sensitive to lead, is the oxidative decarboxylation of coproporphyrin to protoporphyrin, and this may explain why the former derivative is excreted in the urine. Recent work of the Harvard Medical School has indicated that greatly reduced levels of ALA dehydratase may be found in most cases of severe liver damage due to alcoholism. In most of these cases the level of lead in the blood is within normal limits, and there is no history of exposure to toxic amounts of lead. We therefore have to assume that a reduction in the blood level of this enzyme is not necessarily an indication of lead poisoning.

Accelerated approach of discovering plant-derived drug leads for treatment of tuberculosis

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Naidoo, D

2010-09-01

Full Text Available the repeated discovery of known and undesired compounds, thereby saving time and resources. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the accelerated approach, one of the organic plant extracts that displayed good anti-TB activity (MIC ≤ 250 μg/ml) was fractionated...

Reliability assessment of Indian Point Unit 3 containment structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawakami, J.; Hwang, H.; Chang, M.T.; Reich, M.

1984-01-01

In the current design criteria, the load combinations specified for design of concrete containment structures are in the deterministic formats. However, by applying the probability-based reliability method developed by BNL to the concrete containment structures designed according to the criteria, it is possible to evaluate the reliability levels implied in the current design criteria. For this purpose, the reliability analysis is applied to the Indian Point Unit No. 3 containment. The details of the containment structure such as the geometries and the rebar arrangements, etc., are taken from the working drawings and the final safety analysis reports. Three kinds of loads are considered in the reliability analysis. They are, dead load (D), accidental pressure due to a large LOCA (P), and earthquake ground acceleration (E). Reliability analysis of the containment subjected to all combinations of loads is performed. Results are presented in this report

High folic acid consumption leads to pseudo-MTHFR deficiency, altered lipid metabolism, and liver injury in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Karen E; Mikael, Leonie G; Leung, Kit-Yi; Lévesque, Nancy; Deng, Liyuan; Wu, Qing; Malysheva, Olga V; Best, Ana; Caudill, Marie A; Greene, Nicholas D E; Rozen, Rima

2015-03-01

Increased consumption of folic acid is prevalent, leading to concerns about negative consequences. The effects of folic acid on the liver, the primary organ for folate metabolism, are largely unknown. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) provides methyl donors for S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) synthesis and methylation reactions. Our goal was to investigate the impact of high folic acid intake on liver disease and methyl metabolism. Folic acid-supplemented diet (FASD, 10-fold higher than recommended) and control diet were fed to male Mthfr(+/+) and Mthfr(+/-) mice for 6 mo to assess gene-nutrient interactions. Liver pathology, folate and choline metabolites, and gene expression in folate and lipid pathways were examined. Liver and spleen weights were higher and hematologic profiles were altered in FASD-fed mice. Liver histology revealed unusually large, degenerating cells in FASD Mthfr(+/-) mice, consistent with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. High folic acid inhibited MTHFR activity in vitro, and MTHFR protein was reduced in FASD-fed mice. 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate, SAM, and SAM/S-adenosylhomocysteine ratios were lower in FASD and Mthfr(+/-) livers. Choline metabolites, including phosphatidylcholine, were reduced due to genotype and/or diet in an attempt to restore methylation capacity through choline/betaine-dependent SAM synthesis. Expression changes in genes of one-carbon and lipid metabolism were particularly significant in FASD Mthfr(+/-) mice. The latter changes, which included higher nuclear sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1, higher Srepb2 messenger RNA (mRNA), lower farnesoid X receptor (Nr1h4) mRNA, and lower Cyp7a1 mRNA, would lead to greater lipogenesis and reduced cholesterol catabolism into bile. We suggest that high folic acid consumption reduces MTHFR protein and activity levels, creating a pseudo-MTHFR deficiency. This deficiency results in hepatocyte degeneration, suggesting a 2-hit mechanism whereby mutant hepatocytes cannot

High average power linear induction accelerator development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayless, J.R.; Adler, R.J.

1987-07-01

There is increasing interest in linear induction accelerators (LIAs) for applications including free electron lasers, high power microwave generators and other types of radiation sources. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has developed LIA technology in combination with magnetic pulse compression techniques to achieve very impressive performance levels. In this paper we will briefly discuss the LIA concept and describe our development program. Our goals are to improve the reliability and reduce the cost of LIA systems. An accelerator is presently under construction to demonstrate these improvements at an energy of 1.6 MeV in 2 kA, 65 ns beam pulses at an average beam power of approximately 30 kW. The unique features of this system are a low cost accelerator design and an SCR-switched, magnetically compressed, pulse power system. 4 refs., 7 figs

Light-current-induced acceleration of degradation of methylammonium lead iodide perovskite solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Yuren; Zhang, Fan; He, Junjie; Lian, Jiarong; Zeng, Pengju; Song, Jun; Qu, Junle

2018-04-01

The photo-conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has been improved considerably in recent years, but the poor stability of PSCs still prevents their commercialization. In this report, we use the rate of the integrated short-circuit current change (Drate) to investigate the performance degradation kinetics and identify the degradation of PSCs that is accelerated by the light current. The value of Drate increases by an order of magnitude from about 0.02 to 0.35 mA cm-2·min-1 after light-IV testing. The accelerated degradation progress is proven to be dominated by the hydration process and the migration of the iodine ions of the light current. The migration of the iodine ions enhances the hydration process through a chain reaction, enabling the formation of fast diffusion channels for both H2O and O2, which induce the rapid decomposition of the perovskite film and increase the density of the trap state. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement data also indicate that the super oxygen may be formed due to the PCBM damage caused by the migration iodine ions. An understanding of the degradation acceleration mechanism would provide an insight into the effect of ion migration on the stability of PSCs.

High-performance control system for a heavy-ion medical accelerator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lancaster, H.D.; Magyary, S.B.; Sah, R.C.

1983-03-01

A high performance control system is being designed as part of a heavy ion medical accelerator. The accelerator will be a synchrotron dedicated to clinical and other biomedical uses of heavy ions, and it will deliver fully stripped ions at energies up to 800 MeV/nucleon. A key element in the design of an accelerator which will operate in a hospital environment is to provide a high performance control system. This control system will provide accelerator modeling to facilitate changes in operating mode, provide automatic beam tuning to simplify accelerator operations, and provide diagnostics to enhance reliability. The control system being designed utilizes many microcomputers operating in parallel to collect and transmit data; complex numerical computations are performed by a powerful minicomputer. In order to provide the maximum operational flexibility, the Medical Accelerator control system will be capable of dealing with pulse-to-pulse changes in beam energy and ion species.

High-performance control system for a heavy-ion medical accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lancaster, H.D.; Magyary, S.B.; Sah, R.C.

1983-03-01

A high performance control system is being designed as part of a heavy ion medical accelerator. The accelerator will be a synchrotron dedicated to clinical and other biomedical uses of heavy ions, and it will deliver fully stripped ions at energies up to 800 MeV/nucleon. A key element in the design of an accelerator which will operate in a hospital environment is to provide a high performance control system. This control system will provide accelerator modeling to facilitate changes in operating mode, provide automatic beam tuning to simplify accelerator operations, and provide diagnostics to enhance reliability. The control system being designed utilizes many microcomputers operating in parallel to collect and transmit data; complex numerical computations are performed by a powerful minicomputer. In order to provide the maximum operational flexibility, the Medical Accelerator control system will be capable of dealing with pulse-to-pulse changes in beam energy and ion species

A certified urea reference material (NMIJ CRM 6006-a) as a reliable calibrant for the elemental analyses of amino acids and food samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Itoh, Nobuyasu; Yamazaki, Taichi; Sato, Ayako; Numata, Masahiko; Takatsu, Akiko

2014-01-01

We examined the reliability of a certified reference material (CRM) for urea (NMIJ CRM 6006-a) as a calibrant for N, C, and H in elemental analyzers. Only the N content for this CRM is provided as an indicative value. To estimate the C and H contents of the urea CRM, we took into account the purity of the urea and the presence of other identified impurities. When we examined the use of various masses of the calibrant (0.2 to 2 mg), we unexpectedly observed low signal intensities for small masses of H and N, but these plateaued at about 2 mg. We therefore analyzed four amino acid CRMs and four food CRMs on a 2-mg scale with the urea CRM as the calibrant. For the amino acid CRMs, the differences in the analytical and theoretical contents (≤0.0026 kg/kg) were acceptable with good repeatability (≤0.0013 kg/kg in standard deviation; n = 4). For food CRMs, comparable repeatabilities to those obtained with amino acid CRMs (≤0.0025 kg/kg in standard deviation; n = 4) were obtained. The urea CRM can therefore be used as a reliable calibrant for C, H, and N in an elemental analyzer.

Operating experience with the Fermilab 500-GeV accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urban, G.S.; Gannon, J.C.

1977-01-01

The Fermilab accelerator has been operating for more than four years. It has been improved so that it is now capable of operating at an energy of 500 GeV and an intensity in excess of 2.0 x 10 13 protons per pulse. The accelerator is manned on a 24 hour a day basis by an operating team of five persons. This is possible in part, because almost all of the hardware systems have status monitoring and control through an advanced computer control system. A discussion is given of the operation of the accelerator with emphasis on person to machine interface, operator training techniques used at Fermilab, and the keeping of records and reliability information

Induction-linear accelerators for food processing with ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagunas-Solar, M.C.

1985-01-01

Electron accelerators with sufficient beam power and reliability of operation will be required for applications in the large-scale radiation processing of food. Electron beams can be converted to the more penetrating bremsstrahlung radiation (X-rays), although at a great expense in useful X-ray power due to small conversion efficiencies. Recent advances in the technology of pulse-power accelerators indicates that Linear Induction Electron Accelerators (LIEA) are capable of sufficiently high-beam current and pulse repetition rate, while delivering ultra-short pulses of high voltage. The application of LIEA systems in food irradiation provides the potential for high product output and compact, modular-type systems readily adaptable to food processing facilities. (orig.)