Atmospheric Gas Tracers in Groundwater: Theory, Sampling. Measurement and Interpretation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayari, C.S.

2002-01-01

Some of the atmospheric gasses posses features that are sought in an environmental tracer of hydrogeologic interest. Among these, chlorofluorocarbons, sulfur hegzafluoride, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform, krypton-85 etc. have found increasing use in groundwater age dating studies during the last ten years. This paper explains the theory of their use as tracer and discusses the major concerns as related to their sampling and analyses. Factors affecting their applicability and the approach to interpret tracer gas data is briefly outlined

Appraisal of transport and deformation in shale reservoirs using natural noble gas tracers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heath, Jason E. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Kuhlman, Kristopher L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Robinson, David G. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Bauer, Stephen J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Gardner, William Payton [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of Montana, Missoula, MT (United States)

2015-09-01

This report presents efforts to develop the use of in situ naturally-occurring noble gas tracers to evaluate transport mechanisms and deformation in shale hydrocarbon reservoirs. Noble gases are promising as shale reservoir diagnostic tools due to their sensitivity of transport to: shale pore structure; phase partitioning between groundwater, liquid, and gaseous hydrocarbons; and deformation from hydraulic fracturing. Approximately 1.5-year time-series of wellhead fluid samples were collected from two hydraulically-fractured wells. The noble gas compositions and isotopes suggest a strong signature of atmospheric contribution to the noble gases that mix with deep, old reservoir fluids. Complex mixing and transport of fracturing fluid and reservoir fluids occurs during production. Real-time laboratory measurements were performed on triaxially-deforming shale samples to link deformation behavior, transport, and gas tracer signatures. Finally, we present improved methods for production forecasts that borrow statistical strength from production data of nearby wells to reduce uncertainty in the forecasts.

Quantification of Nitrous Oxide from Fugitive Emissions by Tracer Dilution Method using a Mobile Real-time Nitrous Oxide Analyzer

Science.gov (United States)

Mønster, J.; Rella, C.; Jacobson, G. A.; He, Y.; Hoffnagle, J.; Scheutz, C.

2012-12-01

Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas considered 298 times stronger than carbon dioxide on a hundred years term (Solomon et al. 2007). The increasing global concentration is of great concern and is receiving increasing attention in various scientific and industrial fields. Nitrous oxide is emitted from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Inventories of source specific fugitive nitrous oxide emissions are often estimated on the basis of modeling and mass balance. While these methods are well-developed, actual measurements for quantification of the emissions can be a useful tool for verifying the existing estimation methods as well as providing validation for initiatives targeted at lowering unwanted nitrous oxide emissions. One approach to performing such measurements is the tracer dilution method (Galle et al. 2001), in which a tracer gas is released at the source location at a known flow. The ratio of downwind concentrations of both the tracer gas and nitrous oxide gives the ratios of the emissions rates. This tracer dilution method can be done with both stationary and mobile measurements; in either case, real-time measurements of both tracer and analyte gas is required, which places high demands on the analytical detection method. To perform the nitrous oxide measurements, a novel, robust instrument capable of real-time nitrous oxide measurements has been developed, based on cavity ring-down spectroscopy and operating in the near-infrared spectral region. We present the results of the laboratory and field tests of this instrument in both California and Denmark. Furthermore, results are presented from measurements using the mobile plume method with a tracer gas (acetylene) to quantify the nitrous oxide and methane emissions from known sources such as waste water treatment plants and composting facilities. Nitrous oxide (blue) and methane (yellow) plumes downwind from a waste water treatment facility.

Accurate assessment of exposure using tracer gas measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kierat, Wojciech; Bivolarova, Mariya; Zavrl, Eva

2018-01-01

analyzers with short and long response times, respectively. The tracer gas concentration was characterized by the mean, standard deviation and 95th percentile values. The results revealed that the measurement time needed to determine, with sufficient accuracy, these parameters decreased substantially...

Gas Mass Tracers in Protoplanetary Disks: CO is Still the Best

Science.gov (United States)

Molyarova, Tamara; Akimkin, Vitaly; Semenov, Dmitry; Henning, Thomas; Vasyunin, Anton; Wiebe, Dmitri

2017-11-01

Protoplanetary disk mass is a key parameter controlling the process of planetary system formation. CO molecular emission is often used as a tracer of gas mass in the disk. In this study, we consider the ability of CO to trace the gas mass over a wide range of disk structural parameters, and we search for chemical species that could possibly be used as alternative mass tracers to CO. Specifically, we apply detailed astrochemical modeling to a large set of models of protoplanetary disks around low-mass stars to select molecules with abundances correlated with the disk mass and being relatively insensitive to other disk properties. We do not consider sophisticated dust evolution models, restricting ourselves to the standard astrochemical assumption of 0.1 μm dust. We find that CO is indeed the best molecular tracer for total gas mass, despite the fact that it is not the main carbon carrier, provided reasonable assumptions about CO abundance in the disk are used. Typically, chemical reprocessing lowers the abundance of CO by a factor of 3, compared to the case where photodissociation and freeze-out are the only ways of CO depletion. On average, only 13% C atoms reside in gas-phase CO, albeit with variations from 2% to 30%. CO2, H2O, and H2CO can potentially serve as alternative mass tracers, with the latter two only applicable if disk structural parameters are known.

Selection of tracers for oil and gas evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bjoernstad, T.

1991-08-01

The importance of tracer tests in reservoir descriptions is increasingly acknowledged by reservoir engineers as a method to obtain valuable dynamic information from the reservoir. The report describes the ''state-of-the art'' on tracer technology for interwell investigations. Experiences gained from a number of reported field tracer tests are reviewed, and results from detailed laboratory investigations on the static and dynamic behavior of various tracer molecules are discussed. A critical evaluation of the applicability of the various identified tracers is provided. Present and future trends in the development of tracer technology for reservoir description are sketched. 64 refs., 12 figs., 2 tabs

Isotopologues of dense gas tracers in NGC 1068

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Junzhi; Qiu, Jianjie [Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 80 Nandan Road, 200030, Shanghai (China); Zhang, Zhi-Yu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Shi, Yong [School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093 (China); Zhang, Jiangshui [Center For Astrophysics, GuangZhou University, 510006, GuangZhou (China); Fang, Min, E-mail: jzwang@shao.ac.cn [ESO, Karl Schwarzschild Strasse 2, D-85748 Garching bei Munich (Germany)

2014-11-20

We present observations of isotopic lines of dense gas tracers toward the nuclear region of nearby Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068 with the IRAM 30 m telescope and the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) 12 m telescope. We detected four isotopic lines (H{sup 13}CN 1-0, H{sup 13}CO{sup +} 1-0, HN{sup 13}C 1-0, and HC{sup 18}O{sup +} 1-0) at the 3 mm band with the IRAM 30 m telescope and obtained upper limits of other lines. We calculated optical depths of dense gas tracers with the detected isotopic lines of HCN 1-0, HCO{sup +} 1-0, and HNC 1-0. We find that the {sup 14}N/{sup 15}N abundance ratio is greater than 420 if we adopt the upper limit of HC{sup 15}N(1-0) emission. Combining this with fluxes of 1-0 lines from IRAM 30 m observations and the upper limit of 3-2 lines from APEX 12 m observations, we also estimated the excitation condition of molecular gas in the nuclear region of NGC 1068, which is less dense than that in the extreme starburst regions of galaxies.

Greenhouse gas emission quantification from wastewater treatment plants, using a tracer gas dispersion method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Delre, Antonio; Mønster, Jacob; Scheutz, Charlotte

2017-01-01

Plant-integrated methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission quantifications were performed at five Scandinavian wastewater treatment plants, using a ground-based remote sensing approach that combines a controlled release of tracer gas from the plant with downwind concentration measurements. CH4...... emission factors were between 1 and 21% of CH4 production, and between 0.2 and 3.2% of COD influent. The main CH4 emitting sources at the five plants were sludge treatment and energy production units. The lowest CH4 emission factors were obtained at plants with enclosed sludge treatment and storage units...... in international guidelines. This study showed that measured CH4 and N2O emission rates from wastewater treatment plants were plant-specific and that emission rates estimated using models in current guidelines, mainly meant for reporting emissions on the country scale, were unsuitable for Scandinavian plant...

Proceedings of Tracer 3. International Conference on Tracers and Tracing Methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

Tracer 3 conference is a continuation of former Tracer 1 (1998) and Tracer 2 (2001) conferences organized by CNRS - Nancy France. The objective of this 3rd conference is presentation of different aspects of tracer method applications and development of tracer methodology.The new field of activity presented at the Conference was application of stable isotopes as natural tracers for investigations of environmental processes. The conference gave the possibility for scientific information exchange between specialists from different fields of activity such as chemical engineering, chemistry, bioengineering, environmental engineering, hydrology, civil engineering, metallurgy, etc. The presentations were divided into groups covering the principal items of Conference. Section A. Fundamental development - RTD and tracer methodology, - RTD methodology and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), - New tracers and detectors. Section B. Industrial applications - Environment, - Geology, hydrogeology and oil field applications, - Civil engineering, mineral engineering and metallurgy applications, - Food engineering and bioengineering, - Material engineering, - Chemical engineering. During the Conference INIS promotion materials were exposed by INIS liaison officer for Poland

Proceedings of Tracer 3. International Conference on Tracers and Tracing Methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

Tracer 3 conference is a continuation of former Tracer 1 (1998) and Tracer 2 (2001) conferences organized by CNRS - Nancy France. The objective of this 3rd conference is presentation of different aspects of tracer method applications and development of tracer methodology.The new field of activity presented at the Conference was application of stable isotopes as natural tracers for investigations of environmental processes. The conference gave the possibility for scientific information exchange between specialists from different fields of activity such as chemical engineering, chemistry, bioengineering, environmental engineering, hydrology, civil engineering, metallurgy, etc. The presentations were divided into groups covering the principal items of Conference. Section A. Fundamental development - RTD and tracer methodology, - RTD methodology and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), - New tracers and detectors. Section B. Industrial applications - Environment, - Geology, hydrogeology and oil field applications, - Civil engineering, mineral engineering and metallurgy applications, - Food engineering and bioengineering, - Material engineering, - Chemical engineering. During the Conference INIS promotion materials were exposed by INIS liaison officer for Poland.

Statistical data analysis method for multi-zonal airflow measurement using multiple kinds of perfluorocarbon tracer gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okuyama, Hiroyasu; Onishi, Yoshinori [Institute of Technology, Shimizu Corporation, 4-17, Etchujima 3-chome, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8530 (Japan); Tanabe, Shin-ichi [School of Science and Engineering, Department of Architecture, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan); Kashihara, Seiichi [R and D Laboratories, Asahi Kasei Homes Corporation, 2-1, Samejima Fuji-shi, Shizuoka 416-8501 (Japan)

2009-03-15

Conventional multi-zonal ventilation measurement methods by multiple types of perfluorocarbon tracers use a number of different gases equal to the number of zones (n). The possible n x n+n airflows are estimated from the mass balance of the gases and the airflow balance. However, some airflows may not occur because of inter-zonal geometry, and the introduction of unnecessary, unknown parameters can impair the accuracy of the estimation. Also, various error factors often yield an irrational negative airflow rate. Conventional methods are insufficient for the evaluation of error. This study describes a way of using the least-squares technique to improve the precision of estimation and to evaluate reliability. From the equations' residual, the error variance-covariance matrix {lambda}{sub q} of the estimated airflow rate error is deduced. In addition, the coefficient of determinant using the residual sum of squares and total variation is introduced. Furthermore, the error matrix{sub m}{lambda}{sub q} from the measurement errors in the gas concentration and gas emission rate is deduced. The discrepancy ratio of the model premises is defined by dividing the diagonal elements of the former by those of the latter. Moreover, the index of irrationality of the estimated negative airflow rate is defined, based on the different results of the three estimation methods. Some numerical experiments are also carried out to verify the flow rate estimation and the reliability evaluation theory. (author)

Estimation of Fracture Porosity in an Unsaturated Fractured Welded Tuff Using Gas Tracer Testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

B.M. Freifeild

2001-01-01

Kinematic fracture porosity is an important hydrologic transport parameter for predicting the potential of rapid contaminant migration through fractured rock. The transport velocity of a solute moving within a fracture network is inversely related to the fracture porosity. Since fracture porosity is often one or two orders of magnitude smaller than matrix porosity, and fracture permeability is often orders of magnitude greater than matrix permeability, solutes may travel significantly faster in the fracture network than in the surrounding matrix. This dissertation introduces a new methodology for conducting gas tracer tests using a field portable mass spectrometer along with analytical tools for estimating fracture porosity using the measured tracer concentration breakthrough curves. Field experiments were conducted at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, consisting of air-permeability transient testing and gas-tracer-transport tests. The experiments were conducted from boreholes drilled within an underground tunnel as part of an investigation of rock mass hydrological behavior. Air-permeability pressure transients, recorded during constant mass flux injections, have been analyzed using a numerical inversion procedure to identify fracture permeability and porosity. Dipole gas tracer tests have also been conducted from the same boreholes used for air-permeability testing. Mass breakthrough data has been analyzed using a random walk particle-tracking model, with a dispersivity that is a function of the advective velocity. The estimated fracture porosity using the tracer test and air-injection test data ranges from .001 to .015. These values are an order of magnitude greater than the values estimated by others using hydraulically estimated fracture apertures. The estimates of porosity made using air-permeability test data are shown to be highly sensitive to formation heterogeneity. Uncertainty analyses performed on the gas tracer test results show high confidence in the parameter

Estimation of Fracture Porosity in an Unsaturated Fractured Welded Tuff Using Gas Tracer Testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

B.M. Freifeild

2001-10-18

Kinematic fracture porosity is an important hydrologic transport parameter for predicting the potential of rapid contaminant migration through fractured rock. The transport velocity of a solute moving within a fracture network is inversely related to the fracture porosity. Since fracture porosity is often one or two orders of magnitude smaller than matrix porosity, and fracture permeability is often orders of magnitude greater than matrix permeability, solutes may travel significantly faster in the fracture network than in the surrounding matrix. This dissertation introduces a new methodology for conducting gas tracer tests using a field portable mass spectrometer along with analytical tools for estimating fracture porosity using the measured tracer concentration breakthrough curves. Field experiments were conducted at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, consisting of air-permeability transient testing and gas-tracer-transport tests. The experiments were conducted from boreholes drilled within an underground tunnel as part of an investigation of rock mass hydrological behavior. Air-permeability pressure transients, recorded during constant mass flux injections, have been analyzed using a numerical inversion procedure to identify fracture permeability and porosity. Dipole gas tracer tests have also been conducted from the same boreholes used for air-permeability testing. Mass breakthrough data has been analyzed using a random walk particle-tracking model, with a dispersivity that is a function of the advective velocity. The estimated fracture porosity using the tracer test and air-injection test data ranges from .001 to .015. These values are an order of magnitude greater than the values estimated by others using hydraulically estimated fracture apertures. The estimates of porosity made using air-permeability test data are shown to be highly sensitive to formation heterogeneity. Uncertainty analyses performed on the gas tracer test results show high confidence in the parameter

Estimation of fracture porosity in an unsaturated fractured welded tuff using gas tracer testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freifeld, Barry Mark [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2001-12-01

Kinematic fracture porosity is an important hydrologic transport parameter for predicting the potential of rapid contaminant migration through fractured rock. The transport velocity of a solute moving within a fracture network is inversely related to the fracture porosity. Since fracture porosity is often one or two orders of magnitude smaller than matrix porosity, and fracture permeability is often orders of magnitude greater than matrix permeability, solutes may travel significantly faster in the fracture network than in the surrounding matrix. This dissertation introduces a new methodology for conducting gas tracer tests using a field portable mass spectrometer along with analytical tools for estimating fracture porosity using the measured tracer concentration breakthrough curves. Field experiments were conducted at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, consisting of air-permeability transient testing and gas-tracer-transport tests. The experiments were conducted from boreholes drilled within an underground tunnel as part of an investigation of rock mass hydrological behavior. Air-permeability pressure transients, recorded during constant mass flux injections, have been analyzed using a numerical inversion procedure to identify fracture permeability and porosity. Dipole gas tracer tests have also been conducted from the same boreholes used for air-permeability testing. Mass breakthrough data has been analyzed using a random walk particle-tracking model, with a dispersivity that is a function of the advective velocity. The estimated fracture porosity using the tracer test and air-injection test data ranges from .001 to .015. These values are an order of magnitude greater than the values estimated by others using hydraulically estimated fracture apertures. The estimates of porosity made using air-permeability test data are shown to be highly sensitive to formation heterogeneity. Uncertainty analyses performed on the gas tracer test results show high confidence in the parameter

Estimation of Knudsen diffusion coefficients from tracer experiments conducted with a binary gas system and a porous medium

Science.gov (United States)

Hibi, Yoshihiko; Kashihara, Ayumi

2018-03-01

A previous study has reported that Knudsen diffusion coefficients obtained by tracer experiments conducted with a binary gas system and a porous medium are consistently smaller than those obtained by permeability experiments conducted with a single-gas system and a porous medium. To date, however, that study is the only one in which tracer experiments have been conducted with a binary gas system. Therefore, to confirm this difference in Knudsen diffusion coefficients, we used a method we had developed previously to conduct tracer experiments with a binary carbon dioxide-nitrogen gas system and five porous media with permeability coefficients ranging from 10-13 to 10-11 m2. The results showed that the Knudsen diffusion coefficient of N2 (DN2) (cm2/s) was related to the effective permeability coefficient ke (m2) as DN2 = 7.39 × 107ke0.767. Thus, the Knudsen diffusion coefficients of N2 obtained by our tracer experiments were consistently 1/27 of those obtained by permeability experiments conducted with many porous media and air by other researchers. By using an inversion simulation to fit the advection-diffusion equation to the distribution of concentrations at observation points calculated by mathematically solving the equation, we confirmed that the method used to obtain the Knudsen diffusion coefficient in this study yielded accurate values. Moreover, because the Knudsen diffusion coefficient did not differ when columns with two different lengths, 900 and 1500 mm, were used, this column property did not influence the flow of gas in the column. The equation of the dusty gas model already includes obstruction factors for Knudsen diffusion and molecular diffusion, which relate to medium heterogeneity and tortuosity and depend only on the structure of the porous medium. Furthermore, there is no need to take account of any additional correction factor for molecular diffusion except the obstruction factor because molecular diffusion is only treated in a multicomponent

Quantification of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from various waste treatment facilities by tracer dilution method

Science.gov (United States)

Mønster, Jacob; Rella, Chris; Jacobson, Gloria; Kjeldsen, Peter; Scheutz, Charlotte

2013-04-01

Urban activities generate solid and liquid waste, and the handling and aftercare of the waste results in the emission of various compounds into the surrounding environment. Some of these compounds are emitted as gasses into the atmosphere, including methane and nitrous oxide. Methane and nitrous oxide are strong greenhouse gases and are considered to have 25 and 298 times the greenhouse gas potential of carbon dioxide on a hundred years term (Solomon et al. 2007). Global observations of both gasses have shown increasing concentrations that significantly contribute to the greenhouse gas effect. Methane and nitrous oxide are emitted from both natural and anthropogenic sources and inventories of source specific fugitive emissions from the anthropogenic sources of methane and nitrous oxide of are often estimated on the basis of modeling and mass balance. Though these methods are well-developed, actual measurements for quantification of the emissions is a very useful tool for verifying the modeling and mass balance as well as for validation initiatives done for lowering the emissions of methane and nitrous oxide. One approach to performing such measurements is the tracer dilution method (Galle et al. 2001, Scheutz et al. 2011), where the exact location of the source is located and a tracer gas is released at this source location at a known flow. The ratio of downwind concentrations of the tracer gas and the methane and nitrous oxide gives the emissions rates of the greenhouse gases. This tracer dilution method can be performed using both stationary and mobile measurements and in both cases, real-time measurements of both tracer and quantified gas are required, placing high demands on the analytical detection method. To perform the methane and nitrous oxide measurements, two robust instruments capable of real-time measurements were used, based on cavity ring-down spectroscopy and operating in the near-infrared spectral region. One instrument measured the methane and

Multimodel analysis of anisotropic diffusive tracer-gas transport in a deep arid unsaturated zone

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Christopher T.; Walvoord, Michelle Ann; Andraski, Brian J.; Striegl, Robert G.; Stonestrom, David A.

2015-01-01

Gas transport in the unsaturated zone affects contaminant flux and remediation, interpretation of groundwater travel times from atmospheric tracers, and mass budgets of environmentally important gases. Although unsaturated zone transport of gases is commonly treated as dominated by diffusion, the characteristics of transport in deep layered sediments remain uncertain. In this study, we use a multimodel approach to analyze results of a gas-tracer (SF6) test to clarify characteristics of gas transport in deep unsaturated alluvium. Thirty-five separate models with distinct diffusivity structures were calibrated to the tracer-test data and were compared on the basis of Akaike Information Criteria estimates of posterior model probability. Models included analytical and numerical solutions. Analytical models provided estimates of bulk-scale apparent diffusivities at the scale of tens of meters. Numerical models provided information on local-scale diffusivities and feasible lithological features producing the observed tracer breakthrough curves. The combined approaches indicate significant anisotropy of bulk-scale diffusivity, likely associated with high-diffusivity layers. Both approaches indicated that diffusivities in some intervals were greater than expected from standard models relating porosity to diffusivity. High apparent diffusivities and anisotropic diffusivity structures were consistent with previous observations at the study site of rapid lateral transport and limited vertical spreading of gas-phase contaminants. Additional processes such as advective oscillations may be involved. These results indicate that gases in deep, layered unsaturated zone sediments can spread laterally more quickly, and produce higher peak concentrations, than predicted by homogeneous, isotropic diffusion models.

Gas-partitioning tracer test to qualify trapped gas during recharge

Science.gov (United States)

Heilweil, Victor M.; Kip, Solomon D.; Perkins, Kim S.; Ellett, Kevin M.

2004-01-01

Dissolved helium and bromide tracers were used to evaluate trapped gas during an infiltration pond experiment. Dissolved helium preferentially partitioned into trapped gas bubbles, or other pore air, because of its low solubility in water. This produced observed helium retardation factors of as much as 12 relative to bromide. Numerical simulations of helium breakthrough with both equilibrium and kinetically limited advection/dispersion/retardation did not match observed helium concentrations. However, better fits were obtained by including a decay term representing the diffusive loss of helium through interconnected, gas-filled pores. Calculations indicate that 7% to more than 26% of the porosity beneath the pond was filled with gas. Measurements of laboratory hydraulic properties indicate that a 10% decrease in saturation would reduce the hydraulic conductivity by at least one order of magnitude in the well-sorted sandstone, but less in the overlying soils. This is consistent with in situ measurements during the experiment, which show steeper hydraulic gradients in sandstone than in soil. Intrinsic permeability of the soil doubled during the first six months of the experiment, likely caused by a combination of dissolution and thermal contraction of trapped gas. Managers of artificial recharge basins may consider minimizing the amount of trapped gas by using wet, rather than dry, tilling to optimize infiltration rates, particularly in well-sorted porous media in which reintroduced trapped gas may cause substantial reductions in permeability. Trapped gas may also inhibit the amount of focused infiltration that occurs naturally during ephemeral flood events along washes and playas.

Gas-partitioning tracer test to quantify trapped gas during recharge

Science.gov (United States)

Heilweil, V.M.; Solomon, D.K.; Perkins, K.S.; Ellett, K.M.

2004-01-01

Dissolved helium and bromide tracers were used to evaluate trapped gas during an infiltration pond experiment. Dissolved helium preferentially partitioned into trapped gas bubbles, or other pore air, because of its low solubility in water. This produced observed helium retardation factors of as much as 12 relative to bromide. Numerical simulations of helium breakthrough with both equilibrium and kinetically limited advection/dispersion/retardation did not match observed helium concentrations. However, better fits were obtained by including a decay term representing the diffusive loss of helium through interconnected, gas-filled pores. Calculations indicate that 7% to more than 26% of the porosity beneath the pond was filled with gas. Measurements of laboratory hydraulic properties indicate that a 10% decrease in saturation would reduce the hydraulic conductivity by at least one order of magnitude in the well-sorted sandstone, but less in the overlying soils. This is consistent with in situ measurements during the experiment, which show steeper hydraulic gradients in sandstone than in soil. Intrinsic permeability of the soil doubled during the first six months of the experiment, likely caused by a combination of dissolution and thermal contraction of trapped gas. Managers of artificial recharge basins may consider minimizing the amount of trapped gas by using wet, rather than dry, tilling to optimize infiltration rates, particularly in well-sorted porous media in which reintroduced trapped gas may cause substantial reductions in permeability. Trapped gas may also inhibit the amount of focused infiltration that occurs naturally during ephemeral flood events along washes and playas.

Measurements of waste tank passive ventilation rates using tracer gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huckaby, J.L.; Olsen, K.B.; Sklarew, D.S.; Evans, J.C.; Remund, K.M.

1997-09-01

This report presents the results of ventilation rate studies of eight passively ventilated high-level radioactive waste tanks using tracer gases. Head space ventilation rates were determined for Tanks A-101, AX-102, AX-103, BY-105, C-107, S-102, U-103, and U-105 using sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) and/or helium (He) as tracer gases. Passive ventilation rates are needed for the resolution of several key safety issues. These safety issues are associated with the rates of flammable gas production and ventilation, the rates at which organic salt-nitrate salt mixtures dry out, and the estimation of organic solvent waste surface areas. This tracer gas study involves injecting a tracer gas into the tank headspace and measuring its concentration at different times to establish the rate at which the tracer is removed by ventilation. Tracer gas injection and sample collection were performed by SGN Eurisys Service Corporation and/or Lockheed Martin Hanford Corporation, Characterization Project Operations. Headspace samples were analyzed for He and SF 6 by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The tracer gas method was first demonstrated on Tank S-102. Tests were conducted on Tank S-102 to verify that the tracer gas was uniformly distributed throughout the tank headspace before baseline samples were collected, and that mixing was sufficiently vigorous to maintain an approximately uniform distribution of tracer gas in the headspace during the course of the study. Headspace samples, collected from a location about 4 in away from the injection point and 15, 30, and 60 minutes after the injection of He and SF 6 , indicated that both tracer gases were rapidly mixed. The samples were found to have the same concentration of tracer gases after 1 hour as after 24 hours, suggesting that mixing of the tracer gas was essentially complete within 1 hour

Simulation and interpretation of inter-well tracer tests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dugstad Øyvind

2013-05-01

Full Text Available In inter-well tracer tests (IWTT, chemical compounds or radioactive isotopes are used to label injection water and gas to establish well connections and fluid patterns in petroleum reservoirs. Tracer simulation is an invaluable tool to ease the interpretation of IWTT results and is also required for assisted history matching application of tracer data. In this paper we present a new simulation technique to analyse and interpret tracer results. Laboratory results are used to establish and test formulations of the tracer conservation equations, and the technique is used to provide simulated tracer responses that are compared with observed tracer data from an extensive tracer program. The implemented tracer simulation methodology use a fast post-processing of previously simulated reservoir simulation runs. This provides a fast, flexible and powerful method for analysing gas tracer behaviour in reservoirs. We show that simulation time for tracers can be reduced by factor 100 compared to solving the tracer flow equations simultaneously with the reservoir fluid flow equations. The post-processing technique, combined with a flexible built-in local tracer-grid refinement is exploited to reduce numerical smearing, particularly severe for narrow tracer pulses.

The use of radioactive and other tracers in oil and gas measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edmonds, E.A.

1985-01-01

A description and critical discussion of the use of tracer techniques of flowrate measurement in the oil and gas industries. Radioactive tracers are discussed in particular, with emphasis on the practical aspects of their use. Radiotracers suitable for use in industrial environments are described and discussed. The advantages of radiotracers over conventional chemical tracers are reviewed and the logistical problems associated with the use of radioactive materials are considered. The results of measurements conducted using radiotracers on operating plant and on calibration facilities are presented with a discussion of the accuracy of measurement of flowrate which is achievable: potentially, in ideal circumstances, and in practical situations. The modification of tracer techniques of flow measurement to enable residence time distributions to be evaluated and leaks to be located and quantified on operating process plant is illustrated and discussed. The use of specially synthesized radiochemicals for tracing complex petrochemical processes involving chemical reactions and multiproduct streams is described. The use of novel non-radioactive tracers and specialized detection systems is also described, again with practical illustrations of experience in the field. The benefits offered by the use of these tracers and the limitations encountered are discussed. (author)

A new in-situ method to determine the apparent gas diffusion coefficient of soils

Science.gov (United States)

Laemmel, Thomas; Paulus, Sinikka; Schack-Kirchner, Helmer; Maier, Martin

2015-04-01

Soil aeration is an important factor for the biological activity in the soil and soil respiration. Generally, gas exchange between soil and atmosphere is assumed to be governed by diffusion and Fick's Law is used to describe the fluxes in the soil. The "apparent soil gas diffusion coefficient" represents the proportional factor between the flux and the gas concentration gradient in the soil and reflects the ability of the soil to "transport passively" gases through the soil. One common way to determine this coefficient is to take core samples in the field and determine it in the lab. Unfortunately this method is destructive and needs laborious field work and can only reflect a small fraction of the whole soil. As a consequence insecurity about the resulting effective diffusivity on the profile scale must remain. We developed a new in-situ method using new gas sampling device, tracer gas and inverse soil gas modelling. The gas sampling device contains several sampling depths and can be easily installed into vertical holes of an auger, which allows for fast installation of the system. At the lower end of the device inert tracer gas is injected continuously. The tracer gas diffuses into the surrounding soil. The resulting distribution of the tracer gas concentrations is used to deduce the diffusivity profile of the soil. For Finite Element Modeling of the gas sampling device/soil system the program COMSOL is used. We will present the results of a field campaign comparing the new in-situ method with lab measurements on soil cores. The new sampling pole has several interesting advantages: it can be used in-situ and over a long time; so it allows following modifications of diffusion coefficients in interaction with rain but also vegetation cycle and wind.

The NPE gas tracer test and the development of on-site inspection techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrigan, C.; Heinle, R.; Zucca, J.J.

1995-01-01

Tracer gases emplaced in or near the detonation cavity of the 1-kiloton Non-Proliferation Event required 1.5 and 13.5 months for sulfur hexaflouride and helium-3, respectively, to reach the surface of Rainier Mesa from an emplacement depth of 400 meters. The sites that first produced tracer gases are those located in known faults and fractures. Numerical modeling suggests that transport to the surface is accomplished within this time frame through atmospheric pumping along high permeability pathways such as fractures. The difference in travel time between the two tracers is due to differences in gas diffusivity and can also be explained by our numerical modeling. (author)

Application of radioisotope tracer techniques in evaluation of irradiation vessel of flue gas treatment system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joon-Ha Jin; Myun-Joo Lee; Sung-Hee Jung; Young-Chang Nho

1998-01-01

The proper design of the irradiation vessel of electron beam flue gases treatment plant and resultant optimum gas flow pattern is a very important factor to get a high removal efficiency of toxic materials from flue gases. Radioisotope tracer experiments were conducted to study the residence time distribution of gas flow in a cylindrical irradiation vessel. A few mCi of gaseous radioisotope tracer Ar-41 was injected to the upstream of the vessel and the input and output response were measured with two NaI scintillation detectors. The same experiment was conducted after the modification of the vessel by introducing 4 baffles. The experimental data were analyzed to calculate mean residence times and mixing characteristics of each system using the residence time distribution (RTD) analysis software. A method to estimate pollutant removal efficiencies of an irradiation vessel from the residence time distributions measured by radiotracer experiments was suggested. The analytical results were compared to evaluate the effect of the baffles on the removal efficiency of the plant

Gas transport below artificial recharge ponds: insights from dissolved noble gases and a dual gas (SF6 and 3He) tracer experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Jordan F; Hudson, G Bryant; Avisar, Dror

2005-06-01

A dual gas tracer experiment using sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and an isotope of helium (3He) and measurements of dissolved noble gases was performed at the El Rio spreading grounds to examine gas transport and trapped air below an artificial recharge pond with a very high recharge rate (approximately 4 m day(-1)). Noble gas concentrations in the groundwater were greater than in surface water due to excess air formation showing that trapped air exists below the pond. Breakthrough curves of SF6 and 3He at two nearby production wells were very similar and suggest that nonequilibrium gas transfer was occurring between the percolating water and the trapped air. At one well screened between 50 and 90 m below ground, both tracers were detected after 5 days and reached a maximum at approximately 24 days. Despite the potential dilution caused by mixing within the production well, the maximum concentration was approximately 25% of the mean pond concentration. More than 50% of the SF6 recharged was recovered by the production wells during the 18 month long experiment. Our results demonstrate that at artificial recharge sites with high infiltration rates and moderately deep water tables, transport times between recharge locations and wells determined with gas tracer experiments are reliable.

Methods of 15N tracer research in biological systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirschberg, K.; Faust, H.

1985-01-01

The application of the stable isotope 15 N is of increasing importance in different scientific disciplines, especially in medicine, agriculture, and the biosciences. The close correlation between the growing interest and improvements of analytical procedures resulted in remarkable advances in the 15 N tracer technique. On the basis of the latest results of 15 N tracer research in life sciences and agriculture methods of 15 N tracer research in biological systems are compiled. The 15 N methodology is considered under three headings: Chemical analysis with a description of methods of sample preparation (including different separation and isolation methods for N-containing substances of biological and agricultural origin) and special procedures converting ammonia to molecular nitrogen. Isotopic analysis with a review on the most important methods of isotopic analysis of nitrogen: mass spectrometry (including the GC-MS technique), emission spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, and other analytical procedures. 15 N-tracer techniques with a consideration of the role of the isotope dilution analysis as well as different labelling techniques and the mathematical interpretation of tracer data (modelling, N turnover experiments). In these chapters also sources of errors in chemical and isotopic analysis, the accuracy of the different methods and its importance on tracer experiments are discussed. Procedures for micro scale 15 N analysis and aspects of 15 N analysis on the level of natural abundance are considered. Furthermore some remarks on isotope effects in 15 N tracer experiments are made. (author)

The Shoreline Environment Atmospheric Dispersion Experiment (SEADEX): Meteorological and gas tracer data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, W.B.; Cantrell, B.K.; Morley, B.M.; Uthe, E.E.; Nitz, K.C.

1987-10-01

The SEADEX atmospheric dispersion field study was conducted during the period May 28 to June 8, 1982, in northeastern Wisconsin, the vicinity of the Kewaunee Power Plant on the western shore of Lake Michigan. The specific objectives of SEADEX were to characterize (1) the atmospheric dispersion and (2) the meteorological conditions influencing this dispersion as completely as possible during the test period. This field study included a series of controlled tracer tests utilizing state-of-the-art tracer measurement technology to determine horizontal and vertical dispersion over both land and water. Extensive meteorological measurements were obtained to thoroughly characterize the three-dimensional structure of the atmospheric boundary controlling the dispersion process. This volume presents the meteorological and gas tracer data collected during the field study. 391 figs., 32 tabs

Chemical Tracer Methods: Chapter 7

Science.gov (United States)

Healy, Richard W.

2017-01-01

Tracers have a wide variety of uses in hydrologic studies: providing quantitative or qualitative estimates of recharge, identifying sources of recharge, providing information on velocities and travel times of water movement, assessing the importance of preferential flow paths, providing information on hydrodynamic dispersion, and providing data for calibration of water flow and solute-transport models (Walker, 1998; Cook and Herczeg, 2000; Scanlon et al., 2002b). Tracers generally are ions, isotopes, or gases that move with water and that can be detected in the atmosphere, in surface waters, and in the subsurface. Heat also is transported by water; therefore, temperatures can be used to trace water movement. This chapter focuses on the use of chemical and isotopic tracers in the subsurface to estimate recharge. Tracer use in surface-water studies to determine groundwater discharge to streams is addressed in Chapter 4; the use of temperature as a tracer is described in Chapter 8.Following the nomenclature of Scanlon et al. (2002b), tracers are grouped into three categories: natural environmental tracers, historical tracers, and applied tracers. Natural environmental tracers are those that are transported to or created within the atmosphere under natural processes; these tracers are carried to the Earth’s surface as wet or dry atmospheric deposition. The most commonly used natural environmental tracer is chloride (Cl) (Allison and Hughes, 1978). Ocean water, through the process of evaporation, is the primary source of atmospheric Cl. Other tracers in this category include chlorine-36 (36Cl) and tritium (3H); these two isotopes are produced naturally in the Earth’s atmosphere; however, there are additional anthropogenic sources of them.

Determination of the solubility of low volatility liquid organic compounds in water using volatile-tracer assisted headspace gas chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shu-Xin; Chai, Xin-Sheng; Barnes, Donald G

2016-02-26

This study reports a new headspace gas chromatographic method (HS-GC) for the determination of water solubility of low volatility liquid organic compounds (LVLOs). The HS-GC analysis was performed on a set of aqueous solutions containing a range of concentrations of toluene-spiked (as a tracer) LVLOs, from under-saturation to over-saturation. A plot of the toluene tracer GC signal vs. the concentration of the LVLO results in two lines of different slopes that intersect at the concentration corresponding to the compound's solubility in water. The results showed that the HS-GC method has good precision (RSD waters of environmental and biological systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tracer gas evaluations of push-pull ventilation system performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ojima, Jun

2009-01-01

A push-pull ventilation system is effective for hazardous material exhaustion. Although a push-pull ventilation system has advantages over a local exhaust hood, some laborious adjustments are required. The pertinence of the adjustments is uncertain because it is difficult to evaluate the performance of a push-pull ventilation system quantitatively. In this study, a measurement of the capture efficiency of a push-pull ventilation system was carried out by means of a tracer gas method. The capture efficiency decreased to 39.3-78.5% when blockage material, a dummy worker and a cross draft, were set in the ventilation zone, but the efficiency was 95.1-97.9% when the cross draft was stopped. The results suggest that the uniform flow of a push-pull ventilation system will detour a blockage and the performance of the system will not be reduced unless a cross draft disturbs the uniform flow.

Quantification of methane emissions from 15 Danish landfills using the mobile tracer dispersion method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mønster, Jacob [Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Miljøvej – Building 113, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark); Samuelsson, Jerker, E-mail: jerker.samuelsson@fluxsense.se [Chalmers University of Technology/FluxSense AB, SE-41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Kjeldsen, Peter [Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Miljøvej – Building 113, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark); Scheutz, Charlotte, E-mail: chas@env.dtu.dk [Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Miljøvej – Building 113, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark)

2015-01-15

Highlights: • Quantification of whole landfill site methane emission at 15 landfills. • Multiple on-site source identification and quantification. • Quantified methane emission from shredder waste and composting. • Large difference between measured and reported methane emissions. - Abstract: Whole-site methane emissions from 15 Danish landfills were assessed using a mobile tracer dispersion method with either Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), using nitrous oxide as a tracer gas, or cavity ring-down spectrometry (CRDS), using acetylene as a tracer gas. The landfills were chosen to represent the different stages of the lifetime of a landfill, including open, active, and closed covered landfills, as well as those with and without gas extraction for utilisation or flaring. Measurements also included landfills with biocover for oxidizing any fugitive methane. Methane emission rates ranged from 2.6 to 60.8 kg h{sup −1}, corresponding to 0.7–13.2 g m{sup −2} d{sup −1}, with the largest emission rates per area coming from landfills with malfunctioning gas extraction systems installed, and the smallest emission rates from landfills closed decades ago and landfills with an engineered biocover installed. Landfills with gas collection and recovery systems had a recovery efficiency of 41–81%. Landfills where shredder waste was deposited showed significant methane emissions, with the largest emission from newly deposited shredder waste. The average methane emission from the landfills was 154 tons y{sup −1}. This average was obtained from a few measurement campaigns conducted at each of the 15 landfills and extrapolating to annual emissions requires more measurements. Assuming that these landfills are representative of the average Danish landfill, the total emission from Danish landfills were calculated at 20,600 tons y{sup −1}, which is significantly lower than the 33,300 tons y{sup −1} estimated for the national greenhouse gas inventory for

A dual tracer ratio method for comparative emission measurements in an experimental dairy housing

Science.gov (United States)

Mohn, Joachim; Zeyer, Kerstin; Keck, Margret; Keller, Markus; Zähner, Michael; Poteko, Jernej; Emmenegger, Lukas; Schrade, Sabine

2018-04-01

Agriculture, and in particular dairy farming, is an important source of ammonia (NH3) and non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This calls for the development and quantification of effective mitigation strategies. Our study presents the implementation of a dual tracer ratio method in a novel experimental dairy housing with two identical, but spatially separated housing areas. Modular design and flexible floor elements allow the assessment of structural, process engineering and organisational abatement measures at practical scale. Thereby, the emission reduction potential of specific abatement measures can be quantified in relation to a reference system. Emissions in the naturally ventilated housing are determined by continuous dosing of two artificial tracers (sulphur hexafluoride SF6, trifluoromethylsulphur pentafluoride SF5CF3) and their real-time detection in the ppt range with an optimized GC-ECD method. The two tracers are dosed into different experimental sections, which enables the independent assessment of both housing areas. Mass flow emissions of NH3 and GHGs are quantified by areal dosing of tracer gases and multipoint sampling as well as real-time analysis of both tracer and target gases. Validation experiments demonstrate that the technique is suitable for both areal and point emission sources and achieves an uncertainty of less than 10% for the mass emissions of NH3, methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), which is superior to other currently available methods. Comparative emission measurements in this experimental dairy housing will provide reliable, currently unavailable information on emissions for Swiss dairy farming and demonstrate the reduction potential of mitigation measures for NH3, GHGs and potentially other pollutants.

Application of tracer gas studies in the optimal design of soil vapor extraction systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marley, M.C.; Cody, R.J.; Polonsky, J.D.; Woodward, D.D.; Buterbaugh, G.J.

1992-01-01

In the design of an optimal, cost effective vapor extraction system (VE) for the remediation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), it is necessary to account for heterogeneities in the vadose zone. In some cases, such as those found in relatively homogeneous sands, heterogeneities can be neglected as induced air flow through the subsurface can be considered uniform. The subsurface conditions encountered at many sites (soil/bedrock interfaces, fractured bedrock) will result in preferential subsurface-air flow pathways during the operation of the VES. The use of analytical and numerical compressible fluid flow models calibrated and verified from parameter evaluation tests can be utilized to determine vadose zone permeability tensors in heterogeneous stratifications and can be used to project optimal, full scale VES performance. Model-derived estimations of the effect of uniform and/or preferential air flow pathways on subsurface induced air flow velocities can be enhanced, confirmed utilizing tracer gas studies. A vadose zone tracer gas study entails the injection of an easily detected, preferably inert gas into differing locations within the vadose zone at distances away from the VES extraction well. The VES extraction well is monitored for the detection of the gas. This is an effective field methodology to qualify and quantify the subsurface air flow pathways. It is imperative to gain an understanding of the dynamics of the air flow in the soils and lithologies of each individual site, and design quick and effective methodologies for the characterization of the subsurface to streamline remediation costs and system operations. This paper focuses on the use of compressible fluid flow models and tracer gas studies in the enhancement of the design of vapor extraction systems

Methods for conduct of atmospheric tracer studies at ANSTO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clark, G H; Stone, D J.M.; Pascoe, J H [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia). Environment Division

2000-07-01

A perfluorocarbon atmospheric tracer system has been developed to investigate atmospheric dispersion processes in the region surrounding the Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre. This report discusses the tracer release, sampling and analysis methods.

Dual-gas tracers for subsurface characterization and NAPL detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gauglitz, P.A.; Peurrung, L.M.; Mendoza, D.P.; Pillay, G.

1994-11-01

Effective design of in situ remediation technologies often requires an understanding of the mass transfer limitations that control the removal of contaminants from the soil. In addition, the presence of nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) in soils will affect the ultimate success or failure of remediation processes. Knowing the location of NAPLs within the subsurface is critical to designing the most effective remediation approach. This work focuses on demonstrating that gas tracers can detect the location of the NAPLs in the subsurface and elucidating the mass transfer limitations associated with the removal of contaminants from soils

Enhanced oil recovery methods studied by gamma tracer scanning at simulated reservoir conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eriksen, D.O.; Haugen, O.B.; Bjornstad, T.

2009-01-01

During recovery (production) of hydrocarbons pressure is maintained by injecting prepared sea water and recycled gas (lean gas) into dedicated injection wells. In one well at the Snorre field in the North Sea the injected gas was recycled too fast to enable support of pressure and squeezing of oil. To plug this high-permeable area the operator wanted to inject foam as a test of its possibilities to decrease gas permeability. As part of the project laboratory tests were included. In these tests we could for the first time map the foam inside the sandstone sample at simulated reservoir conditions. The tracers used were 22 Na + for the γ-scanning of the aqueous brine, tritiated water for permeability measurements, and 35 S-labeled organic sulfonic acid of the same compound as the surfactant. This method resulted in a 'negative' mapping of the foam, i.e. measurements of the absence or exclusion of the aqueous phase by the foam. This method was new and showed that radiotracer-based γ-scanning could give much more accurate measurements of the position of the foam than the standard method using measurements of pressure drops over parts of the core. (author)

Deactivation of tracer-flo equipment thru retrieval of its radioactive Krypton-85 gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domondon, D.B.; Rara, R.B.; Borras, A.M.

1994-01-01

Tracer-flo equipment must be cleared of Krypton-85 before these can be transported. The rules and regulations on safe transport of radioactive materials require Kr-85 gas to be transported in an approved container. A new innovative technique/procedure in deactivating tracer-flo equipment i.e., without separation of the Kr-85 from the nitrogen was developed by the authors. The developed procedure was successfully applied in four tracer-flo equipment of three (3) semiconductor firms. In the process, the three firms have saved about US$ 28,000.00 (P 800,000.00) if the deactivation were undertaken by a foreign service company. The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) retrieved about P 382,000.00 worth of Kr-85 that could be used in industrial applications such as leak tracing of buried pipes, etc. (author). 1 ref.; 5 figs

Flow-rate measurement using radioactive tracers and transit time method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turtiainen, Heikki

1986-08-01

The transit time method is a flow measurement method based on tracer techniques. Measurement is done by injecting to the flow a pulse of tracer and measuring its transit time between two detection positions. From the transit time the mean flow velosity and - using the pipe cross section area - the volume flow rate can be calculated. When a radioisotope tracer is used the measurement can be done from outside the pipe and without disturbing the process (excluding the tracer injection). The use of the transit time method has been limited because of difficulties associated with handling and availability of radioactive tracers and lack of equipment suitable for routine use in industrial environments. The purpose of this study was to find out if these difficulties may be overcome by using a portable isotope generator as a tracer source and automating the measurement. In the study a test rig and measuring equipment based on the use of a ''1''3''7Cs/''1''3''7''''mBa isotope generator were constructed. They were used to study the accuracy and error sources of the method and to compare different algorithms to calculate the transit time. The usability of the method and the equipment in industrial environments were studied by carrying out over 20 flow measurements in paper and pulp mills. On the basis of the results of the study, a project for constructing a compact radiatracer flowmeter for industrial use has been started. The application range of this kind of meter is very large. The most obvious applications are in situ calibration of flowmeters, material and energy balance studies, process equipment analyses (e.g. pump efficiency analyses). At the moment tracer techniques are the only methods applicable to these measurements on-line and with sufficient accuracy

Using Tracer Technology to Characterize Contaminated Pipelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maresca, Joseph, W., Jr., Ph.D.; Bratton, Wesley, L., Ph.D., P.E.; Dickerson, Wilhelmina; Hales, Rochelle

2005-12-30

The Pipeline Characterization Using Tracers (PCUT) technique uses conservative and partitioning, reactive or other interactive tracers to remotely determine the amount of contaminant within a run of piping or ductwork. The PCUT system was motivated by a method that has been successfully used to characterize subsurface soil contaminants and is similar in operation to that of a gas chromatography column. By injecting a ?slug? of both conservative and partitioning tracers at one end (or section) of the piping and measuring the time history of the concentration of the tracers at the other end (or another section) of the pipe, the presence, location, and amount of contaminant within the pipe or duct can be determined. The tracers are transported along the pipe or duct by a gas flow field, typically air or nitrogen, which has a velocity that is slow enough so that the partitioning tracer has time to interact with the contaminant before the tracer slug completely passes over the contaminate region. PCUT not only identifies the presence of contamination, it also can locate the contamination along the pipeline and quantify the amount of residual. PCUT can be used in support of deactivation and decommissioning (D&D) of piping and ducts that may have been contaminated with hazardous chemicals such as chlorinated solvents, petroleum products, radioactive materials, or heavy metals, such as mercury.

Analysis of volatile phase transport in soils using natural radon gas as a tracer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, C.; Thomas, D.M.

1992-01-01

We have conducted a field study of soil gas transport processes using radon gas as a naturally occurring tracer. The experiment monitored soil gas radon activity, soil moisture, and soil temperature at three depths in the shallow soil column; barometric pressure, rainfall and wind speed were monitored at the soil surface. Linear and multiple regression analysis of the data sets has shown that the gas phase radon activities under natural environmental conditions are influenced by soil moisture content, barometric pressure variations, soil temperature and soil structure. The effect of wind speed on subsurface radon activities under our field conditions has not been demonstrated

Measurement of denitrification on grassland using gas chromatography and 15N tracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lippold, H.; Foerster, I.; Hagemann, O.; Matzel, W.

1981-01-01

Alternative covering of grassland micro-plots fertilized with 15 NH 4 15 NO 3 allowed on the basis on N 2 and N 2 O quantities released within several weeks to measure denitrification and to calculate it by means of methane as gas tracer. Thus the gas exchange was rendered visible and the N quantities measured could be corrected. In some variants, the acetylene blocking technique was successfully applied by adding acetylene to the soil air. The losses measured at 6 dates are discussed together with the 15 N balance and atmospherical conditions. The method is suited for recording the high losses occurring mainly in the second quarter of the year immediately after fertilization. Under the conditions mentioned soil N losses were small (3 kg N/ha). The immobilized fertilizer N quantities reached 20 to 30 kg/ha (fertilizer rate 100 kg N/ha) and were comparably independent of the date of fertilization. (author)

Measuring gas-residence times in large municipal incinerators, by means of a pseudo-random binary signal tracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nasserzadeh, V.; Swithenbank, J.; Jones, B.

1995-01-01

The problem of measuring gas-residence time in large incinerators was studied by the pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS) stimulus tracer response technique at the Sheffield municipal solid-waste incinerator (35 MW plant). The steady-state system was disturbed by the superimposition of small fluctuations in the form of a pseudo-random binary sequence of methane pulses, and the response of the incinerator was determined from the CO 2 concentration in flue gases at the boiler exit, measured with a specially developed optical gas analyser with a high-frequency response. For data acquisition, an on-line PC computer was used together with the LAB Windows software system; the output response was then cross-correlated with the perturbation signal to give the impulse response of the incinerator. There was very good agreement between the gas-residence time for the Sheffield MSW incinerator as calculated by computational fluid dynamics (FLUENT Model) and gas-residence time at the plant as measured by the PRBS tracer technique. The results obtained from this research programme clearly demonstrate that the PRBS stimulus tracer response technique can be successfully and economically used to measure gas-residence times in large incinerator plants. It also suggests that the common commercial practice of characterising the incinerator operation by a single-residence-time parameter may lead to a misrepresentation of the complexities involved in describing the operation of the incineration system. (author)

Estimation of bias with the single-zone assumption in measurement of residential air exchange using the perfluorocarbon tracer gas method.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Ryswyk, K; Wallace, L; Fugler, D; MacNeill, M; Héroux, M È; Gibson, M D; Guernsey, J R; Kindzierski, W; Wheeler, A J

2015-12-01

Residential air exchange rates (AERs) are vital in understanding the temporal and spatial drivers of indoor air quality (IAQ). Several methods to quantify AERs have been used in IAQ research, often with the assumption that the home is a single, well-mixed air zone. Since 2005, Health Canada has conducted IAQ studies across Canada in which AERs were measured using the perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) gas method. Emitters and detectors of a single PFT gas were placed on the main floor to estimate a single-zone AER (AER(1z)). In three of these studies, a second set of emitters and detectors were deployed in the basement or second floor in approximately 10% of homes for a two-zone AER estimate (AER(2z)). In total, 287 daily pairs of AER(2z) and AER(1z) estimates were made from 35 homes across three cities. In 87% of the cases, AER(2z) was higher than AER(1z). Overall, the AER(1z) estimates underestimated AER(2z) by approximately 16% (IQR: 5-32%). This underestimate occurred in all cities and seasons and varied in magnitude seasonally, between homes, and daily, indicating that when measuring residential air exchange using a single PFT gas, the assumption of a single well-mixed air zone very likely results in an under prediction of the AER. The results of this study suggest that the long-standing assumption that a home represents a single well-mixed air zone may result in a substantial negative bias in air exchange estimates. Indoor air quality professionals should take this finding into consideration when developing study designs or making decisions related to the recommendation and installation of residential ventilation systems. © 2014 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. Indoor Air published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Health Canada.

AERMOD as a Gaussian dispersion model for planning tracer gas dispersion tests for landfill methane emission quantification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Matacchiera, F.; Manes, C.; Beaven, R. P.

2018-01-01

that measurements are taken where the plumes of a released tracer-gas and landfill-gas are well-mixed. However, the distance at which full mixing of the gases occurs is generally unknown prior to any experimental campaign. To overcome this problem the present paper demonstrates that, for any specific TDM...

Atmospheric Gas Tracers in Groundwater: Theory, Sampling. Measurement and Interpretation; Yeraltisuyunda Atmosferik Gaz Izleyiciler: Kuram, Oernekleme, Oelcuem ve Yorum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bayari, C S [Hacettepe University, Ankara(Turkey)

2002-07-01

Some of the atmospheric gasses posses features that are sought in an environmental tracer of hydrogeologic interest. Among these, chlorofluorocarbons, sulfur hegzafluoride, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform, krypton-85 etc. have found increasing use in groundwater age dating studies during the last ten years. This paper explains the theory of their use as tracer and discusses the major concerns as related to their sampling and analyses. Factors affecting their applicability and the approach to interpret tracer gas data is briefly outlined.

Single-well tracer methods for hydrogeologic evaluation of target aquifers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, S.H.

1994-11-01

Designing an efficient well field for an aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) project requires measuring local groundwater flow parameters as well as estimating horizontal and vertical inhomogeneity. Effective porosity determines the volume of aquifer needed to store a given volume of heated or chilled water. Ground-water flow velocity governs the migration of the thermal plume, and dispersion and heat exchange along the flow path reduces the thermal intensity of the recovered plume. Stratigraphic variations in the aquifer will affect plume dispersion, may bias the apparent rate of migration of the plume, and can prevent efficient hydraulic communication between wells. Single-well tracer methods using a conservative flow tracer such as bromide, along with pumping tests and water-level measurements, provide a rapid and cost-effective means for estimating flow parameters. A drift-and-pumpback tracer test yields effective porosity and flow velocity. Point-dilution tracer testing, using new instrumentation for downhole tracer measurement and a new method for calibrating the point-dilution test itself, yields depth-discrete hydraulic conductivity as it is affected by stratigraphy, and can be used to estimate well transmissivity. Experience in conducting both drift-and-pumpback and point-dilution tests at three different test sites has yielded important information that highlights both the power and the limitations of the single-well tracer methods. These sites are the University of Alabama Student Recreation Center (UASRC) ATES well field and the VA Medical Center (VA) ATES well field, both located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the Hanford bioremediation test site north of Richland, Washington

Pipeline leak detection using volatile tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, G.M.; Golding, R.D.

1993-01-01

A method of leak detection for underground storage tanks and pipelines adds volatile tracers to the products in the tanks and analyzes the surrounding shallow soil gases for tracer vapors. This method has several advantages: the success of the test is not limited by the size and structural design of the vessels, tanks can be tested at any fill level without taking the tank out of service, the location of a leak along a pipeline is clearly marked by the location of the tracer, and liquid leaks as small as 0.2 liters per hour (lph) can be detected. A limitation is: the backfill material must have some degree of air permeability in the zone above the water table. Several field tests document the success achieved using this method. A tracer leak detection system was installed at Homestead AFB after several other testing methods failed to locate a leak at a valve pit location along approximately 4 kilometers of fuel transfer piping. The leak was detected to the side of the valve pit at a depth of approximately 2.5 meters below the ground surface. Another installation of Edwards AFB involved the collection of 415 soil gas samples along approximately 3,050 meters of 15.25-centimeter fiberglass pipeline. Fourteen separate leaks were detected

A comparison between tracer gas and aerosol particles distribution indoors: The impact of ventilation rate, interaction of airflows, and presence of objects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bivolarova, Mariya Petrova; Ondráček, Jakub; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2017-01-01

for the exposure to all different-sized test particles. A change in the ventilation rate did not affect the difference in concentration distribution between tracer gas and larger particle sizes. Increasing the room surface area did not influence the similarity in the dispersion of the aerosol particles...... room with mixing ventilation. Three layouts were arranged: an empty room, an office room with an occupant sitting in front of a table, and a single-bed hospital room. The room occupant was simulated by a thermal manikin. Monodisperse particles of three sizes (0.07, 0.7, and 3.5 μm) and nitrous oxide...... tracer gas were generated simultaneously at the same location in the room. The particles and gas concentrations were measured in the bulk room air, in the breathing zone of the manikin, and in the exhaust air. Within the breathing zone of the sitting occupant, the tracer gas emerged as reliable predictor...

Seasonal Variation in Monthly Average Air Change Rates Using Passive Tracer Gas Measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frederiksen, Marie; Bergsøe, Niels Christian; Kolarik, Barbara

2011-01-01

in five dwellings in Greater Copenhagen, Denmark. A passive tracer gas technique (Perfluorocarbon) was used to measure ACR in a seven-month period. Considerable differences were observed between the dwellings with monthly ACRs ranging from 0.21 to 1.75 h-1. Only smaller seasonal variations, generally less...... driving forces for natural ventilation is partially compensated by changed occupant behaviour....

Heat tracer methods

Science.gov (United States)

Healy, Richard W.; Scanlon, Bridget R.

2010-01-01

The flow of heat in the subsurface is closely linked to the movement of water (Ingebritsen et al., 2006). As such, heat has been used as a tracer in groundwater studies for more than 100 years (Anderson, 2005). As with chemical and isotopic tracers (Chapter 7), spatial or temporal trends in surface and subsurface temperatures can be used to infer rates of water movement. Temperature can be measured accurately, economically, at high frequencies, and without the need to obtain water samples, facts that make heat an attractive tracer. Temperature measurements made over space and time can be used to infer rates of recharge from a stream or other surface water body (Lapham, 1989; Stonestrom and Constantz, 2003); measurements can also be used to estimate rates of steady drainage through depth intervals within thick unsaturated zones (Constantz et al., 2003; Shan and Bodvarsson, 2004). Several thorough reviews of heat as a tracer in hydrologic studies have recently been published (Constantz et al., 2003; Stonestrom and Constantz, 2003; Anderson, 2005; Blasch et al., 2007; Constantz et al., 2008). This chapter summarizes heat-tracer approaches that have been used to estimate recharge.Some clarification in terminology is presented here to avoid confusion in descriptions of the various approaches that follow. Diffuse recharge is that which occurs more or less uniformly across large areas in response to precipitation, infiltration, and drainage through the unsaturated zone. Estimates of diffuse recharge determined using measured temperatures in the unsaturated zone are referred to as potential recharge because it is possible that not all of the water moving through the unsaturated zone will recharge the aquifer; some may be lost to the atmosphere by evaporation or plant transpiration. Estimated fluxes across confining units in the saturated zone are referred to as interaquifer flow (Chapter 1). Focused recharge is that which occurs directly from a point or line source, such

Combining tracer flux ratio methodology with low-flying aircraft measurements to estimate dairy farm CH4 emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Daube, C.; Conley, S.; Faloona, I. C.; Yacovitch, T. I.; Roscioli, J. R.; Morris, M.; Curry, J.; Arndt, C.; Herndon, S. C.

2017-12-01

Livestock activity, enteric fermentation of feed and anaerobic digestion of waste, contributes significantly to the methane budget of the United States (EPA, 2016). Studies question the reported magnitude of these methane sources (Miller et. al., 2013), calling for more detailed research of agricultural animals (Hristov, 2014). Tracer flux ratio is an attractive experimental method to bring to this problem because it does not rely on estimates of atmospheric dispersion. Collection of data occurred during one week at two dairy farms in central California (June, 2016). Each farm varied in size, layout, head count, and general operation. The tracer flux ratio method involves releasing ethane on-site with a known flow rate to serve as a tracer gas. Downwind mixed enhancements in ethane (from the tracer) and methane (from the dairy) were measured, and their ratio used to infer the unknown methane emission rate from the farm. An instrumented van drove transects downwind of each farm on public roads while tracer gases were released on-site, employing the tracer flux ratio methodology to assess simultaneous methane and tracer gas plumes. Flying circles around each farm, a small instrumented aircraft made measurements to perform a mass balance evaluation of methane gas. In the course of these two different methane quantification techniques, we were able to validate yet a third method: tracer flux ratio measured via aircraft. Ground-based tracer release rates were applied to the aircraft-observed methane-to-ethane ratios, yielding whole-site methane emission rates. Never before has the tracer flux ratio method been executed with aircraft measurements. Estimates from this new application closely resemble results from the standard ground-based technique to within their respective uncertainties. Incorporating this new dimension to the tracer flux ratio methodology provides additional context for local plume dynamics and validation of both ground and flight-based data.

Methods and systems using encapsulated tracers and chemicals for reservoir interrogation and manipulation

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Jeffery; Aines, Roger D; Duoss, Eric B; Spadaccini, Christopher M

2014-11-04

An apparatus, method, and system of reservoir interrogation. A tracer is encapsulating in a receptacle. The receptacle containing the tracer is injected into the reservoir. The tracer is analyzed for reservoir interrogation.

Measurement of Odor-Plume Structure in a Wind Tunnel Using a Photoionization Detector and a Tracer Gas

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Justus, Kristine

2002-01-01

The patterns of stimulus available to moths flying along pheromone plumes in a 3-m-long wind tunnel were characterized using a high frequency photoionization detector in conjunction with an inert tracer gas...

Gas exchange across the air - water interface determined with man-made and natural tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wanninkhof, R.H.

1986-01-01

Gas exchange coefficients were determined on Rockland Lake, NY; Crowley Lake, CA; and Mono Lake, CA which have surface areas of 1 km 2 , 20 km 2 , and 190 km 2 , respectively, by injecting a small amount of man made tracer gas, sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) into the lake and measuring the rate of concentration decrease in the water column with time. The dependency of gas exchange on wind speed is similar for the three lakes indicating that wind fetch is not a critical parameter for the gas exchange coefficient for lakes with sizes greater than 1 km 2 . Little gas exchange occurs for wind speeds less than 2.5 m/s and gas exchange increases linearly with wind speed from 2.5 to 6 m/s. The relationship of gas exchange and wind speed for the lakes agrees well with a compilation of earlier single wind speed - exchange coefficient measurements on lakes and oceans but they are lower than most results obtained in wind tunnels

A detailed justification for the selection of a novel mine tracer gas and development of protocols for GC-ECD analysis of SPME sampling in static and turbulent conditions for assessment of underground mine ventilation systems

OpenAIRE

Underwood, Susanne Whitney

2013-01-01

Tracer gas surveys are a powerful means of assessing air quantity in underground mine ventilation circuits.  The execution of a tracer gas style ventilation survey allows for the direct measurement of air quantity in locations where this information is otherwise unattainable.  Such instances include inaccessible regions of the mine or locations of irregular flow.  However, this method of completing a mine ventilation survey is an underused tool in the industry.  This is largely due to the amo...

Contributions to hydrological tracer methods and their application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-04-01

The activities of the Institut fuer Radiohydrometrie of the GSF are mainly devoted to the field of environmental research studying the quality, use and protection from pollution of drinking water which has become scarce in many parts of the world. The knowledge and experience of a variety of scientific disciplines are combined to the common task of developing new tracer methods and selecting suitable hydrogeological methods to allow quantitative studies of the hydrological cycle, from rainfall to surface or sub-surface run-off. The tracers used in these studies are for the most part stable, natural radioisotopes occurring in the hydrological cycle, as well as fluorescent dyes or radionuclides for water labelling. The contributions collected in this volume are grouped according to the above outline of tasks and present a survey of current methods and measurements, illustrating their efficiency in solving hydrological problems. (orig./RW) [de

Quantifying greenhouse gas emissions from waste treatment facilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mønster, Jacob

to be in-stalled in any vehicle and thereby enabling measurements wherever there were roads. The validation of the measurement method was done by releasing a controlled amount of methane and quantifying the emission using the release of tracer gas. The validation test showed that even in areas with large...... treatment plants. The PhD study reviewed and evaluated previously used methane measurement methods and found the tracer dispersion method promising. The method uses release of tracer gas and the use of mobile equipment with high analytical sensitivity, to measure the downwind plumes of methane and tracer...... ranged from 10 to 92 kg per hour and was found to change in even short timescales of a few hours. The periods with large emissions correlated with a drop in methane utilization, indicating that emissions came from the digesters tanks or gas storage/use. The measurements indicated that the main emissions...

Fundamental study on the response analysis of liquid tracer in gas-liquid, two-phase steady flow in porous media; Takoshitsu sonai kieki niso teijoryu ni okeru ekiso tracer no oto kaiseki ni kansuru kisoteki kento

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haga, D; Niibori, Y; Chida, T [Tohoku University, Sendai (Japan)

1998-10-25

Fluids in geothermal reservoirs are not necessarily in the single phase but is occasionally in the gas-liquid double phase. This study aims to collect fundamental knowledge about the analysis of tracer responses in a gas-liquid two-phase flow, with special attention paid to the movement of substances in the liquid-phase portion of the two-phase flow. A tracer test is conducted in a glass bead-filled layer, and then it is found that the conventional mixture-diffusion model fails to explain the outcome of the test conducted using the said very simple apparatus. The failure is attributed to the coexistence of high-saturation and low-saturation layers throughout the glass bead-filled layer, and a mathematical model is formulated, which is a development from the two-fractured-layer (TFL) model. It turns out that the mathematical model excellently describes the test result that the mixture-diffusion model fails to explain. In the numerical solution of this problem, the validity is confirmed of the use of the SIMPLEX method for the estimation of the effect of the numerical dispersion term of the third-order accurate finite upstream difference method, and of unknown parameters. 31 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

Off-gassing induced tracer release from molten basalt pools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cronenberg, A.W.; Callow, R.A.

1994-01-01

Two in situ vitrification (ISV) field tests were conducted at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) during the summer of 1990 to assess ISV suitability for long-term stabilization of buried waste that contains transuranic and other radionuclide contaminants. The ISV process uses electrical resistance heating to melt buried waste and soil in place, which upon cooldown and resolidification fixes the waste into a vitrified (glass-like) form. In these two ISV field tests, small quantities of rare-earth oxides (tracers DY 2 O 3 , Yb 2 O 3 , and Tb 4 O 7 ) were placed in the test pits to simulate the presence of plutonium oxides and assess plutonium retention/release behavior. The analysis presented in this report indicates that dissolution of tracer oxides into basaltic melts can be expected with subsequent tracer molecular or microparticle carry-off by escaping gas bubbles, which is similar to adsorptive bubble separation and ion flotation processes employed in the chemical industry to separate dilute heavy species from liquids under gas sparging conditions. Gaseous bubble escape from the melt surface and associated aerosolization is believed to be responsible for small quantities of tracer ejection from the melt surface to the cover hood and off-gas collection system. Methods of controlling off-gassing during ISV would be expected to improve the overall retention of such heavy oxide contaminants during melting/vitrification of buried waste

Tracer verification and monitoring of containment systems (II)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, C.V.; Dunn, S.D.; Lowry, W.E.

1997-01-01

A tracer verification and monitoring system, SEAtrace trademark, has been designed and field tested which uses gas tracers to evaluate, verify, and monitor the integrity of subsurface barriers. This is accomplished using an automatic, rugged, autonomous monitoring system combined with an inverse optimization code. A gaseous tracer is injected inside the barrier and an array of wells outside the barrier are monitored. When the tracer gas is detected, a global optimization code is used to calculate the leak parameters, including leak size, location, and when the leak began. The multipoint monitoring system operates in real-time, can be used to measure both the tracer gas and soil vapor contaminants, and is capable of unattended operation for long periods of time (months). The global optimization code searches multi-dimensional open-quotes spaceclose quotes to find the best fit for all of the input parameters. These parameters include tracer gas concentration histories from multiple monitoring points, medium properties, barrier location, and the source concentration. SEAtrace trademark does not attempt to model all of the nuances associated with multi-phase, multi-component flow, but rather, the inverse code uses a simplistic forward model which can provide results which are reasonably accurate. The system has calculated leak locations to within 0.5 meters and leak radii to within 0.12 meters

Study of particle movement in conical fluidized beds using the tracer method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Penkalla, H. J.; Gyarmati, E.; Nickel, H.

1976-01-15

In the work reported here, a method is described which enables the path and speed of the particles during fluidization to be measured using a tracer particle technique. Using statistical methods, it is then possible to determine the path-time diagram, the rate of circulation of the particles, the transport capacity, the extent of mixing and the relative residence time of the particles in a given zone of the bed. Measurements were made at room temperature in a 3'' model fluidized bed as a first step in evaluating the feasibility of the test method. Criteria for the type of coating, the growth rate of the coatings and the coating potential of the coating as were correlated with the relative dwell time of the particles and the dwell-time spectrum of the coating gases in a given part of the bed. It was therefore necessary to know the streaming behavior of the fluidizing gas, and so such an analysis was first carried out.

Radio-isotopic tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolfangel, R.G.

1976-01-01

The invention concerns the dispersions that may be used for preparing radio-isotopic tracers, technetium labelled dispersions, processes for preparing these dispersions and their use as tracers. Technetium 99m sulphur colloids are utilized as scintillation tracers to give a picture of the reticulo-endothelial system, particularly the liver and spleen. A dispersion is provided which only requires the addition of a radioactive nuclide to form a radioactively labelled dispersion that can be injected as a tracer. It is formed of a colloid of tin sulphur dispersed in an aqueous buffer solution. Such a reagent has the advantage of being safe and reliable and is easier to use. The colloid can be prepared more quickly since additions of several different reagents are avoided. There is no need to heat up and no sulphuretted hydrogen, which is a toxic gas, is used [fr

An in situ method for real-time monitoring of soil gas diffusivity

Science.gov (United States)

Laemmel, Thomas; Maier, Martin; Schack-Kirchner, Helmer; Lang, Friederike

2016-04-01

Soil aeration is an important factor for the biogeochemistry of soils. Generally, gas exchange between soil and atmosphere is assumed to be governed by molecular diffusion and by this way fluxes can be calculated using by Fick's Law. The soil gas diffusion coefficient DS represents the proportional factor between the gas flux and the gas concentration gradient in the soil and reflects the ability of the soil to "transport passively" gas through the soil. One common way to determine DS is taking core samples in the field and measuring DS in the lab. Unfortunately this method is destructive and laborious and it can only reflect a small fraction of the whole soil. As a consequence, uncertainty about the resulting effective diffusivity on the profile scale, i.e. the real aeration status remains. We developed a method to measure and monitor DS in situ. The set-up consists of a custom made gas sampling device, the continuous injection of an inert tracer gas and inverse gas transport modelling in the soil. The gas sampling device has seven sampling depths (from 0 to -43 cm of depth) and can be easily installed into vertical holes drilled by an auger, which allows for fast installation of the system. Helium (He) as inert tracer gas was injected continuously at the lower end of the device. The resulting steady state distribution of He was used to deduce the DS depth distribution of the soil. For Finite Element Modeling of the gas-sampling-device/soil system the program COMSOL was used. We tested our new method both in the lab and in a field study and compared the results with a reference lab method using soil cores. DS profiles obtained by our in-situ method were consistent with DS profiles determined based on soil core analyses. Soil gas profiles could be measured with a temporal resolution of 30 minutes. During the field study, there was an important rain event and we could monitor the decrease in soil gas diffusivity in the top soil due to water infiltration. The effect

Optical methods to study the gas exchange processes in large diesel engines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gros, S.; Hattar, C. [Wartsila Diesel International Oy, Vaasa (Finland); Hernberg, R.; Vattulainen, J. [Tampere Univ. of Technology, Tampere (Finland). Plasma Technology Lab.

1996-12-01

To be able to study the gas exchange processes in realistic conditions for a single cylinder of a large production-line-type diesel engine, a fast optical absorption spectroscopic method was developed. With this method line-of-sight UV-absorption of SO{sub 2} contained in the exhaust gas was measured as a function of time in the exhaust port area in a continuously fired medium speed diesel engine type Waertsilae 6L20. SO{sub 2} formed during the combustion from the fuel contained sulphur was used as a tracer to study the gas exchange as a function of time in the exhaust channel. In this case of a 4-stroke diesel engine by assuming a known concentration of SO{sub 2} in the exhaust gas after exhaust valve opening and before inlet and exhaust valve overlap period, the measured optical absorption was used to determine the gas density and further the instantaneous exhaust gas temperature during the exhaust cycle. (author)

Use of a variable tracer infusion method to determine glucose turnover in humans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molina, J.M.; Baron, A.D.; Edelman, S.V.; Brechtel, G.; Wallace, P.; Olefsky, J.M.

1990-01-01

The single-compartment pool fraction model, when used with the hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp technique to measure rates of glucose turnover, sometimes underestimates true rates of glucose appearance (Ra) resulting in negative values for hepatic glucose output (HGO). We focused our attention on isotope discrimination and model error as possible explanations for this underestimation. We found no difference in [3-3H] glucose specific activity in samples obtained simultaneously from the femoral artery and vein (2,400 +/- 455 vs. 2,454 +/- 522 dpm/mg) in 6 men during a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp study where insulin was infused at 40 mU.m-2.min-1 for 3 h; therefore, isotope discrimination did not occur. We compared the ability of a constant (0.6 microCi/min) vs. variable tracer infusion method (tracer added to the glucose infusate) to measure non-steady-state Ra during hyperinsulinemic clamp studies. Plasma specific activity fell during the constant tracer infusion studies but did not change from base line during the variable tracer infusion studies. By maintaining a constant plasma specific activity the variable tracer infusion method eliminates uncertainty about changes in glucose pool size. This overcame modeling error and more accurately measures non-steady-state Ra (P less than 0.001 by analysis of variance vs. constant infusion method). In conclusion, underestimation of Ra determined isotopically during hyperinsulinemic clamp studies is largely due to modeling error that can be overcome by use of the variable tracer infusion method. This method allows more accurate determination of Ra and HGO under non-steady-state conditions

Using the tracer-dilution discharge method to develop streamflow records for ice-affected streams in Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Capesius, Joseph P.; Sullivan, Joseph R.; O'Neill, Gregory B.; Williams, Cory A.

2005-01-01

Accurate ice-affected streamflow records are difficult to obtain for several reasons, which makes the management of instream-flow water rights in the wintertime a challenging endeavor. This report documents a method to improve ice-affected streamflow records for two gaging stations in Colorado. In January and February 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, conducted an experiment using a sodium chloride tracer to measure streamflow under ice cover by the tracer-dilution discharge method. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of obtaining accurate ice-affected streamflow records by using a sodium chloride tracer that was injected into the stream. The tracer was injected at two gaging stations once per day for approximately 20 minutes for 25 days. Multiple-parameter water-quality sensors at the two gaging stations monitored background and peak chloride concentrations. These data were used to determine discharge at each site. A comparison of the current-meter streamflow record to the tracer-dilution streamflow record shows different levels of accuracy and precision of the tracer-dilution streamflow record at the two sites. At the lower elevation and warmer site, Brandon Ditch near Whitewater, the tracer-dilution method overestimated flow by an average of 14 percent, but this average is strongly biased by outliers. At the higher elevation and colder site, Keystone Gulch near Dillon, the tracer-dilution method experienced problems with the tracer solution partially freezing in the injection line. The partial freezing of the tracer contributed to the tracer-dilution method underestimating flow by 52 percent at Keystone Gulch. In addition, a tracer-pump-reliability test was conducted to test how accurately the tracer pumps can discharge the tracer solution in conditions similar to those used at the gaging stations. Although the pumps were reliable and consistent throughout the 25-day study period

Investigation by tracer method of water balance in filling the gob with slurries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jureczko, J.; Skowronek, E.

1977-01-01

Results of investigations on the establishment of conditions of water flow in filling old workings with mud, in order to determine the degree of water hazard for mine workings in one of mines are given. For the inspection of flow, the stable tracer method and the neutron activation analysis were used. Chromium as a complex compound with EDTA was used as tracer. Geological and mining conditions in the area of investigations by tracers are given and the disposal of diluted stowing slurry is characterized. The method of interpretation of results is discussed in order to determine the water flow rate in the gob and to draw up the water balance on the basis of the curve of tracer travel. (author)

Single well surfactant test to evaluate surfactant floods using multi tracer method

Science.gov (United States)

Sheely, Clyde Q.

1979-01-01

Data useful for evaluating the effectiveness of or designing an enhanced recovery process said process involving mobilizing and moving hydrocarbons through a hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formation from an injection well to a production well by injecting a mobilizing fluid into the injection well, comprising (a) determining hydrocarbon saturation in a volume in the formation near a well bore penetrating formation, (b) injecting sufficient mobilizing fluid to mobilize and move hydrocarbons from a volume in the formation near the well bore, and (c) determining the hydrocarbon saturation in a volume including at least a part of the volume of (b) by an improved single well surfactant method comprising injecting 2 or more slugs of water containing the primary tracer separated by water slugs containing no primary tracer. Alternatively, the plurality of ester tracers can be injected in a single slug said tracers penetrating varying distances into the formation wherein the esters have different partition coefficients and essentially equal reaction times. The single well tracer method employed is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,842. This method designated the single well surfactant test (SWST) is useful for evaluating the effect of surfactant floods, polymer floods, carbon dioxide floods, micellar floods, caustic floods and the like in subterranean formations in much less time and at much reduced cost compared to conventional multiwell pilot tests.

Device and method for traditional chinese medicine diagnosis using radioactive tracer method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Shanling; Shen, Miaohe

1997-05-29

Disclosed is a device and method for traditional chinese medicine diagnosis using radioactive-tracer method. At least two nuclear radiation probes are arranged apart along the channels to detect the changing with time and on space of the intensity of radioactivity of the nuclear radioactive tracer which has been injected into the body in the channel position. The detected signals are amplified by amplifiers, and the outputs of the amplifiers are applied to data processing means which monitor the whole detecting process in real time and analyse and process the detected information about the changing of the intensity of radioactivity with time and on space indicating the operating of vital energy and blood, and obtain state parameters about operating of vital energy and blood in the body which is then output through data output means. (author) figs.

Measuring seasonal variations of moisture in a landfill with the partitioning gas tracer test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Byunghyun; Jafarpour, Behnam; Gallagher, Victoria N.; Imhoff, Paul T.; Chiu, Pei C.; Fluman, Daniel A.

2006-01-01

Seven pilot-scale partitioning gas tracer tests (PGTTs) were conducted to assess the accuracy and reproducibility of this method for measuring water in municipal solid waste landfills. Tests were conducted in the same location over a 12-month period, and measured moisture conditions ranged from possible dry waste to refuse with a moisture content of 24.7%. The final moisture content of 24.7% was in reasonable agreement with gravimetric measurements of excavated refuse, where the moisture content was 26.5 ± 6.0CI%. Laboratory tests were used to assess the utility of the PGTT for measuring water in small pores, water sorbed to solid surfaces, and the influence of dry waste on PGTTs. These experiments indicated that when refuse surfaces are not completely solvated with water, PGTTs may produce misleading results (negative estimates) of water saturation and moisture content

Quantifying Reaeration Rates in Alpine Streams Using Deliberate Gas Tracer Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Benson

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Gas exchange across the air-water interface is a critical process that maintains adequate dissolved oxygen (DO in the water column to support life. Oxygen reaeration rates can be accurately measured using deliberate gas tracers, like sulfur hexafluoride (SF6 or xenon (Xe. Two continuous release experiments were conducted in different creeks in the Sierra Nevada of California: Sagehen Creek in September, 2009, using SF6 and Martis Creek in August, 2012, using both SF6 and Xe. Measuring gas loss along the creek, which was approximated with the one-dimensional advection-dispersion equation, allows for the estimation of the SF6 or Xe reaeration coefficient (KSF6, KXe, which is converted to DO reaeration (KDO or K2 using Schmidt numbers. Mean KSF6 for upper and lower Sagehen and Martis Creeks were, respectively, 34 day−1, 37 day−1 and 33 day−1, with corresponding KDOs of 61 day−1, 66 day−1 and 47 day−1. In Martis Creek, KXe was slightly higher (21% than KSF6, but the calculated KDO from SF6 agreed with the calculated KDO from Xe within about 15%; this difference may be due to bubble-enhanced gas transfer. Established empirical equations of KDO using stream characteristics did a poor job predicting KDO for both creeks.

The use of a radioactive tracer for the determination of distillation end point in a coke oven

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burgio, N.; Capannesi, G.; Ciavola, C.; Sedda, F.

1995-01-01

A novel high precision detection method for the determination of the distillation end point of the coking process (usually in the 950 deg C range) has been developed. The system is based on the use of a metallic capsule that melts at a fixed temperature and releases a radioactive gas tracer ( 133 Xe) in the stream of the distillation gas. A series of tests on a pilot oven confirmed the feasibility of the method on industrial scale. Application of the radioactive tracer method to the staging and monitoring in the coking process appears to be possible. (author). 6 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs

Double tracer autoradiographic method for sequential evaluation of regional cerebral perfusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, H.; Tsuji, S.; Oba, H.; Kinuya, K.; Terada, H.; Sumiya, H.; Shiba, K.; Mori, H.; Hisada, K.; Maeda, T.

1989-01-01

A new double tracer autoradiographic method for the sequential evaluation of altered regional cerebral perfusion in the same animal is presented. This method is based on the sequential injection of two tracers, 99m Tc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime and N-isopropyl-( 125 I)p-iodoamphetamine. This method is validated in the assessment of brovincamine effects on regional cerebral perfusion in an experimental model of chronic brain ischemia in the rat. The drug enhanced perfusion recovery in low-flow areas, selectively in surrounding areas of infarction. The results suggest that this technique is of potential use in the study of neuropharmacological effects applied during the experiment

Elevated source SF6-tracer dispersion experiments in the Copenhagen area. Preliminary results II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gryning, S.E.; Lyck, E.

1980-01-01

The results from 10 experiments, performed in neutral to unstable meteorological conditions, are reported from an ongoing series of elevated-source, urban-scale tracer dispersion experiments in the Copenhagen area. The tracer is released at a height of 115 m from the TV-tower in GLADSAXE, a suburb of Copenhagen, with tracer sampling units positioned at ground-level in 1 to 3 crosswind series, 2 to 6 km downwind of the tower. The lateral dispersion parameter, sigma(y), was estimated from the measured tracer concentration distribution and compared with values of sigma(y), computed by 1) methods based on wind variance measured during the experiments and 2) methods based on a stability classification of the atmospheric conditions. The wind-variance based methods proved superior in predicting the variation of sigma(y) compared with the stability based methods. Moreover, some of the former methods produced significantly biased estimates of sigma(y). The measured tracer concentration distributions were also crosswind integrated, chi(CWI). Estimates of chi(CWI) were computed using sigma (z) -values derived from the aforementioned computations assuming a Gaussian-type vertical tracer concentration distribution. A comparison is measured and calculated values of chi(CWI) showed no significant differences in the ability of the methods to predict the variation of chi(CWI). Only one method, the EPA, came out with a mean fractional error outside the range +-20% which constitutes the uncertainty in the absolute tracer concentration associated with the calibration of the gas chromatograph for tracer analysis

Spatial variability of mixing ratios of ammonia and tracer gases in a naturally ventilated dairy cow barn

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mendes, Luciano B.; Edouard, Nadège; Ogink, Nico W.M.; Dooren, van Hendrik Jan C.; Fátima F. TinÔco, de Ilda; Mosquera Losada, Julio

2015-01-01

The use of the tracer gas ratio method to estimate emissions from naturally ventilated (NV) livestock barns excludes the need of monitoring ventilation rates. However, it requires accurate measurement of tracer release rate (Q_T) and a representative estimate of the mixing ratio between

Measurements of industrial fugitive emissions by the FTIR Tracer Method (FTM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mellqvist, J.; Arlander, B.; Galle, B.; Bergqvist, B.

1996-01-01

A new method called the FTIR Tracer Method (FTM), has been developed for measuring and quantifying fugitive (diffuse) emissions of hydrocarbons. The method has been evaluated in field experiments which were conducted in the vicinity of several petrochemical plants and an oil refinery during 1993-1995. The technique is based on concentration measurements with infrared remote sensing by Long Path Fourier Transform InfraRed (LPFTIR), combined with tracer releases. The field experiments show the FTM to be very useful for mass flux measurements of both alkanes and alkenes and that the measurements are consistent with the conventional SF 6 method. However, the technique needs to be further validated and a more thorough understanding of the measurement uncertainties have to be achieved

An Efficient Method for Detection of Outliers in Tracer Curves Derived from Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linning Ye

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Presence of outliers in tracer concentration-time curves derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging can adversely affect the analysis of the tracer curves by model-fitting. A computationally efficient method for detecting outliers in tracer concentration-time curves is presented in this study. The proposed method is based on a piecewise linear model and implemented using a robust clustering algorithm. The method is noniterative and all the parameters are automatically estimated. To compare the proposed method with existing Gaussian model based and robust regression-based methods, simulation studies were performed by simulating tracer concentration-time curves using the generalized Tofts model and kinetic parameters derived from different tissue types. Results show that the proposed method and the robust regression-based method achieve better detection performance than the Gaussian model based method. Compared with the robust regression-based method, the proposed method can achieve similar detection performance with much faster computation speed.

Journal: Efficient Hydrologic Tracer-Test Design for Tracer ...

Science.gov (United States)

Hydrological tracer testing is the most reliable diagnostic technique available for the determination of basic hydraulic and geometric parameters necessary for establishing operative solute-transport processes. Tracer-test design can be difficult because of a lack of prior knowledge of the basic hydraulic and geometric parameters desired and the appropriate tracer mass to release. A new efficient hydrologic tracer-test design (EHTD) methodology has been developed to facilitate the design of tracer tests by root determination of the one-dimensional advection-dispersion equation (ADE) using a preset average tracer concentration which provides a theoretical basis for an estimate of necessary tracer mass. The method uses basic measured field parameters (e.g., discharge, distance, cross-sectional area) that are combined in functional relatipnships that descrive solute-transport processes related to flow velocity and time of travel. These initial estimates for time of travel and velocity are then applied to a hypothetical continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) as an analog for the hydrological-flow system to develop initial estimates for tracer concentration, tracer mass, and axial dispersion. Application of the predicted tracer mass with the hydraulic and geometric parameters in the ADE allows for an approximation of initial sample-collection time and subsequent sample-collection frequency where a maximum of 65 samples were determined to be necessary for descri

Tracer gas experiment to verify the dispersion from a tall stack

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivertsen, B.; Irwin, J.S.

1996-01-01

At the request of the Ministerios de Obras Publicas y Urbanismo (MOPU) in Madrid, the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) planned and carried out a comprehensive field experiment at the Andorra (Teruel) power plant in Spain. All together, eleven releases of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer were carried out at the 1,200 MW electric coal fired power plant. The tracer was emitted into the atmosphere from the 343 m high stack, stack exit diameter of 9 m. The stack gas emission characteristics were nearly constant during the period having an exit temperature of 175.1 C (1.9), exit velocity of 35.5 m/s (0.14) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) emission rate of 46.1 x 10 3 kg/hr (5.15 x 10 3 ); standard deviations are listed in parentheses. Samples were taken at the surface along sampling arcs located approximately 8, 23, 43 and 75 km downwind. The releases were undertaken during typical late spring daytime conditions. The synoptic weather conditions were dominated by a large high pressure system on the Atlantic, west of Spain. Fronts were passing the area from the north and a low pressure system was developing over central Europe (Germany). Winds at the surface were generally brisk from the northwest at 7 to 12 m/s

Radon as a natural tracer for gas transport within uranium waste rock piles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, N.C.; Chagas, E.G.L.; Dias, D.C.S.; Guerreiro, E.T.Z.; Alberti, H.L.C.; Braz, M.L.; Abreu, C.B.; Lopez, D.; Branco, O.; Fleming, P.

2014-01-01

Acid mine drainage (AMD) has been identified as the main cause for outflow of acid water and radioactive/non-radioactive contaminants. AMD encompasses pyrites oxidation when water and oxygen are available. AMD was identified in uranium waste rock piles (WRPs) of Industrias Nucleares do Brasil-Caldas facility (Brazilian uranium mine), resulting in high costs for water treatment. AMD reduction is the main challenge, and scientific investigation has been conducted to understand oxygen and water transportation within WRPs, where 222 Rn is used as natural tracer for oxygen transportation. The study consists of soil radon gas mapping in the top layer of WRP4 using active soil gas pumping, radon adsorption in active charcoal and 222 Rn determination using high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. A sampling network of 71 points was built where samples were collected at a depth of 40 cm. Soil radon gas concentration ranged from 33.7 to 1484.2 kBq m -3 with mean concentration of 320.7±263.3 kBq m -3 . (authors)

Advancing Reactive Tracer Methods for Measurement of Thermal Evolution in Geothermal Reservoirs: Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitchell A. Plummer; Carl D. Palmer; Earl D. Mattson; Laurence C. Hull; George D. Redden

2011-07-01

The injection of cold fluids into engineered geothermal system (EGS) and conventional geothermal reservoirs may be done to help extract heat from the subsurface or to maintain pressures within the reservoir (e.g., Rose et al., 2001). As these injected fluids move along fractures, they acquire heat from the rock matrix and remove it from the reservoir as they are extracted to the surface. A consequence of such injection is the migration of a cold-fluid front through the reservoir (Figure 1) that could eventually reach the production well and result in the lowering of the temperature of the produced fluids (thermal breakthrough). Efficient operation of an EGS as well as conventional geothermal systems involving cold-fluid injection requires accurate and timely information about thermal depletion of the reservoir in response to operation. In particular, accurate predictions of the time to thermal breakthrough and subsequent rate of thermal drawdown are necessary for reservoir management, design of fracture stimulation and well drilling programs, and forecasting of economic return. A potential method for estimating migration of a cold front between an injection well and a production well is through application of reactive tracer tests, using chemical whose rate of degradation is dependent on the reservoir temperature between the two wells (e.g., Robinson 1985). With repeated tests, the rate of migration of the thermal front can be determined, and the time to thermal breakthrough calculated. While the basic theory behind the concept of thermal tracers has been understood for some time, effective application of the method has yet to be demonstrated. This report describes results of a study that used several methods to investigate application of reactive tracers to monitoring the thermal evolution of a geothermal reservoir. These methods included (1) mathematical investigation of the sensitivity of known and hypothetical reactive tracers, (2) laboratory testing of novel

Environmental assessment of the use of radionuclides as tracers in the enhanced recovery of oil and gas. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, Y.C.; Cederwall, R.T.; Anspaugh, L.R.

1983-01-01

An environmental assessment of the use of radioisotopes as interwell tracers in field flooding for the enhanced recovery of oil and natural gas was performed. A typical operation using radioisotopes for interwell tracing was analyzed from the standpoint of three stages of operation: aboveground, subsurface, and recovery and disposal. Doses to workers who handle radioactive tracers and to members of the public were estimated for normal and accidental exposure scenarios. On the basis of estimates of the total quantity of tracer radionuclides injected in a year, the annual number of projects, the average number of injections per project, and assumed values of accident frequency, the collective dose equivalent is estimated to be 1.1 man-rem/y to workers and 15 man-rem/y to members of the public. The national radiological impact of the use of radioisotopes as interwell tracers in EOR projects is estimated to be a total collective dose equivalent of <16 man-rem/y. Accidential exposures are estimated to contribute relatively little to the total. 47 references, 8 figures, 43 tables

Use of tracer technique in estimation of methane (green house gas) from ruminant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, G.P.

1996-01-01

Several methods developed to estimate the methane emission by ruminant livestock like feed fermentation based technique, using radioisotope as tracer, respiration chamber, etc. have been discussed. 6 refs., 3 figs

An injected gamma-tracer method for soil-moisture movement investigations in arid zones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nair, A.R.; Navada, S.V.; Rao, S.M.

1980-01-01

A method for the in-situ determination of soil-moisture transport rates using K 3 60 Co(CN) 6 is discussed. The tracer compares well with tritiated water in laboratory investigations and the results obtained in limited field studies are very encouraging. The method promises to be of specific interest in arid-zone investigations where the soil-moisture fluxes in liquid and vapour phases could cause complications for tritium tracer data interpretation. (author)

A volatile tracer-assisted headspace analytical technique for determining the swelling capacity of superabsorbent polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shu-Xin; Jiang, Ran; Chai, Xin-Sheng

2017-09-01

This paper reports on a new method for the determination of swelling capacity of superabsorbent polymers by a volatile tracer-assisted headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC). Toluene was used as a tracer and added to the solution for polymers swelling test. Based on the differences of the tracer partitioned between the vapor and hydrogel phase before and after the polymer's swelling capacity, a transition point (corresponding to the material swelling capacity) can be observed when plotting the GC signal of toluene vs. the ratio of solution added to polymers. The present method has good precision (RSDpolymers at the elevated temperatures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tracer theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Margrita, R.

1988-09-01

Tracers are used in many fields of science to investigate mass transfer. The scope of tracers applications in Service of Applications Radioisotopes (S.A.R.-France) is large and concerns natural and industrial systems such as Sciences of earth: hydrology - civil engineering - Sedimentology - environmental studies. Industrial field: chemical engineering - mechanical engineering. A general tracer methodology has been developed in our laboratories from these different applications fields and this paper shows these different points of view in using tracers; our wish is that the methods used in an experimental field can be employed in an another one

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Tracer Gas Methodology in the Case of a Naturally Cross-Ventilated Building

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nikolopoulos, Nikos; Nikolopoulos, Aristeidis; Larsen, Tine Steen

2012-01-01

The paper presents the investigation of a naturally cross – ventilated building using both experimental and numerical methods with the parameters being the free-stream and the incidence angle of the wind to the openings of the building. The experimental methodology calculates the air change rate......, focusing on the time dependent character of the induced flow field. The numerical results are compared with corresponding experimental data for the three aforementioned experimental methodologies in the case of a full scale building inside a wind-tunnel. The numerical investigation reveals that for large...... based either on measurements of the inlet velocity profile, the outlet velocity profile or the descending rate of the tracer gas concentration using the decay method. The numerical investigation is based on the solution of the governing Navier-Stokes equations in their full three dimensional expression...

Noble gas and hydrocarbon tracers in multiphase unconventional hydrocarbon systems: Toward integrated advanced reservoir simulators

Science.gov (United States)

Darrah, T.; Moortgat, J.; Poreda, R. J.; Muehlenbachs, K.; Whyte, C. J.

2015-12-01

Although hydrocarbon production from unconventional energy resources has increased dramatically in the last decade, total unconventional oil and gas recovery from black shales is still less than 25% and 9% of the totals in place, respectively. Further, the majority of increased hydrocarbon production results from increasing the lengths of laterals, the number of hydraulic fracturing stages, and the volume of consumptive water usage. These strategies all reduce the economic efficiency of hydrocarbon extraction. The poor recovery statistics result from an insufficient understanding of some of the key physical processes in complex, organic-rich, low porosity formations (e.g., phase behavior, fluid-rock interactions, and flow mechanisms at nano-scale confinement and the role of natural fractures and faults as conduits for flow). Noble gases and other hydrocarbon tracers are capably of recording subsurface fluid-rock interactions on a variety of geological scales (micro-, meso-, to macro-scale) and provide analogs for the movement of hydrocarbons in the subsurface. As such geochemical data enrich the input for the numerical modeling of multi-phase (e.g., oil, gas, and brine) fluid flow in highly heterogeneous, low permeability formations Herein we will present a combination of noble gas (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe abundances and isotope ratios) and molecular and isotopic hydrocarbon data from a geographically and geologically diverse set of unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs in North America. Specifically, we will include data from the Marcellus, Utica, Barnett, Eagle Ford, formations and the Illinois basin. Our presentation will include geochemical and geological interpretation and our perspective on the first steps toward building an advanced reservoir simulator for tracer transport in multicomponent multiphase compositional flow (presented separately, in Moortgat et al., 2015).

A Systematic Method For Tracer Test Analysis: An Example Using Beowawe Tracer Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

G. Michael Shook

2005-01-01

Quantitative analysis of tracer data using moment analysis requires a strict adherence to a set of rules which include data normalization, correction for thermal decay, deconvolution, extrapolation, and integration. If done correctly, the method yields specific information on swept pore volume, flow geometry and fluid velocity, and an understanding of the nature of reservoir boundaries. All calculations required for the interpretation can be done in a spreadsheet. The steps required for moment analysis are reviewed in this paper. Data taken from the literature is used in an example calculation.

Statistical atmospheric inversion of local gas emissions by coupling the tracer release technique and local-scale transport modelling: a test case with controlled methane emissions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Ars

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study presents a new concept for estimating the pollutant emission rates of a site and its main facilities using a series of atmospheric measurements across the pollutant plumes. This concept combines the tracer release method, local-scale atmospheric transport modelling and a statistical atmospheric inversion approach. The conversion between the controlled emission and the measured atmospheric concentrations of the released tracer across the plume places valuable constraints on the atmospheric transport. This is used to optimise the configuration of the transport model parameters and the model uncertainty statistics in the inversion system. The emission rates of all sources are then inverted to optimise the match between the concentrations simulated with the transport model and the pollutants' measured atmospheric concentrations, accounting for the transport model uncertainty. In principle, by using atmospheric transport modelling, this concept does not strongly rely on the good colocation between the tracer and pollutant sources and can be used to monitor multiple sources within a single site, unlike the classical tracer release technique. The statistical inversion framework and the use of the tracer data for the configuration of the transport and inversion modelling systems should ensure that the transport modelling errors are correctly handled in the source estimation. The potential of this new concept is evaluated with a relatively simple practical implementation based on a Gaussian plume model and a series of inversions of controlled methane point sources using acetylene as a tracer gas. The experimental conditions are chosen so that they are suitable for the use of a Gaussian plume model to simulate the atmospheric transport. In these experiments, different configurations of methane and acetylene point source locations are tested to assess the efficiency of the method in comparison to the classic tracer release technique in coping

Statistical atmospheric inversion of local gas emissions by coupling the tracer release technique and local-scale transport modelling: a test case with controlled methane emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Ars, Sébastien; Broquet, Grégoire; Yver Kwok, Camille; Roustan, Yelva; Wu, Lin; Arzoumanian, Emmanuel; Bousquet, Philippe

2017-12-01

This study presents a new concept for estimating the pollutant emission rates of a site and its main facilities using a series of atmospheric measurements across the pollutant plumes. This concept combines the tracer release method, local-scale atmospheric transport modelling and a statistical atmospheric inversion approach. The conversion between the controlled emission and the measured atmospheric concentrations of the released tracer across the plume places valuable constraints on the atmospheric transport. This is used to optimise the configuration of the transport model parameters and the model uncertainty statistics in the inversion system. The emission rates of all sources are then inverted to optimise the match between the concentrations simulated with the transport model and the pollutants' measured atmospheric concentrations, accounting for the transport model uncertainty. In principle, by using atmospheric transport modelling, this concept does not strongly rely on the good colocation between the tracer and pollutant sources and can be used to monitor multiple sources within a single site, unlike the classical tracer release technique. The statistical inversion framework and the use of the tracer data for the configuration of the transport and inversion modelling systems should ensure that the transport modelling errors are correctly handled in the source estimation. The potential of this new concept is evaluated with a relatively simple practical implementation based on a Gaussian plume model and a series of inversions of controlled methane point sources using acetylene as a tracer gas. The experimental conditions are chosen so that they are suitable for the use of a Gaussian plume model to simulate the atmospheric transport. In these experiments, different configurations of methane and acetylene point source locations are tested to assess the efficiency of the method in comparison to the classic tracer release technique in coping with the distances

Exploring Hydrofluorocarbons as Groundwater Age Tracers (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Haase, K. B.; Busenberg, E.; Plummer, L. N.; Casile, G.; Sanford, W. E.

2013-12-01

Groundwater dating tracers are an essential tool for analyzing hydrologic conditions in groundwater systems. Commonly used tracers for dating post-1940's groundwater include sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), 3H-3He, and other isotopic tracers (85Kr, δ2H and δ18O isotopes, etc.). Each tracer carries a corresponding set of advantages and limitations imposed by field, analytical, and interpretive methods. Increasing the number available tracers is appealing, particularly if they possess inert chemical properties and unique temporal emission histories from other tracers. Atmospherically derived halogenated trace gases continue to hold untapped potential for new tracers, as they are generally inert and their emission histories are well documented. SF5CF3, and CFC-13 were previously shown to have application as dating tracers, though their low mixing ratios and low solubility require large amounts of water to be degassed for their quantification. Two related groups of compounds, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are hypothesized to be potential age tracers, having similar mixing ratios to the CFCs and relatively high solubility. However, these compounds yield gas chromatography electron capture detector (GC-ECD) responses that are 10-2 -10-5 less than CFC-12, making purge and trap or field stripping GC-ECD approaches impractical. Therefore, in order to use dissolved HCFCs and HFCs as age tracers, different approaches are needed. To solve this problem, we developed an analytical method that uses an atomic emission detector (GC-AED) in place of an ECD to detect fluorinated compounds. In contrast to the ECD, the AED is a universally sensitive, highly linear, elementally specific detector. The new GC-AED system is being used to measure chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a), and other fluorinated compounds in one liter water samples to study their potential as age dating tracers. HCFC-22 is a

Recover Act. Verification of Geothermal Tracer Methods in Highly Constrained Field Experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becker, Matthew W. [California State University, Long Beach, CA (United States)

2014-05-16

The prediction of the geothermal system efficiency is strong linked to the character of the flow system that connects injector and producer wells. If water flow develops channels or “short circuiting” between injection and extraction wells thermal sweep is poor and much of the reservoir is left untapped. The purpose of this project was to understand how channelized flow develops in fracture geothermal reservoirs and how it can be measured in the field. We explored two methods of assessing channelization: hydraulic connectivity tests and tracer tests. These methods were tested at a field site using two verification methods: ground penetrating radar (GPR) images of saline tracer and heat transfer measurements using distributed temperature sensing (DTS). The field site for these studies was the Altona Flat Fractured Rock Research Site located in northeastern New York State. Altona Flat Rock is an experimental site considered a geologic analog for some geothermal reservoirs given its low matrix porosity. Because soil overburden is thin, it provided unique access to saturated bedrock fractures and the ability image using GPR which does not effectively penetrate most soils. Five boreholes were drilled in a “five spot” pattern covering 100 m2 and hydraulically isolated in a single bedding plane fracture. This simple system allowed a complete characterization of the fracture. Nine small diameter boreholes were drilled from the surface to just above the fracture to allow the measurement of heat transfer between the fracture and the rock matrix. The focus of the hydraulic investigation was periodic hydraulic testing. In such tests, rather than pumping or injection in a well at a constant rate, flow is varied to produce an oscillating pressure signal. This pressure signal is sensed in other wells and the attenuation and phase lag between the source and receptor is an indication of hydraulic connection. We found that these tests were much more effective than constant

Characterization of a Gas-Purge Method to Access 11C-Carbon-Dioxide Radioactivity in Blood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, Y.; Green, M.A.

2014-01-01

Carbon-11 (t 1/2 : 20 minutes) labeled radiotracers, such as 11 C-acetate and 11 C-palmitate are widely used in positron emission tomography (PET) for noninvasive evaluation of myocardial metabolism under varied physiological conditions. These tracers are attractive probes of tissue physiology, because they are simply radiolabeled versions of the native biochemical substrates. One of the major metabolites generated by these tracers upon the administration is 11 CO 2 produced via the citric acid cycle. In quantitative modeling of 11 C-acetate and 11 C-palmitate PET data, the fraction of blood 11 C radioactivity present as 11 CO 2 needs to be measured to obtain a correct radiotracer arterial input function. Accordingly, the literature describes a method whereby the total blood 11 C-activity is counted in blood samples treated with base solution, while the fraction of 11 CO 2 is measured after the blood is treated with acid followed by a 10 minutes gas-purge. However, a detailed description of the experimental validation of this method was not provided. The goal of this study was to test the reliability of a 10-minute gas purging method used to assay 11 CO 2 radioactivity in blood. (author)

Diurnal and seasonal variation in air exchange rates and interzonal flows measured by active tracer gas in five Danish homes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Geo; Bekö, Gabriel; Toftum, Jørn

2016-01-01

We measured the air exchange rates (AER) in up to six rooms in five naturally ventilated dwellings across four seasons using active tracer gas. Night time AER was also estimated in all bedrooms based on occupant-generated CO2. Additionally, we studied the pollutant distribution across the dwellin...

Local study of pollutants dispersion by a real time tracer method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faivre-Pierret, R.X.; Sestier-Carlin, R.; Berne, P.

1992-01-01

It is possible to use a Gaussian mathematical model of atmospheric dispersion for calculating atmospheric transfer coefficient (ATC) in long range model, but for proximity models, an experimental model using a tracer technic has to take in account ground effects and natural or artificial obstacles. SF 6 tracer method gives the true plume ground trace in real time. The measured ATC shows a larger ground trace, lower concentration in the axis, and a displacement of the maximum concentration with regard to wind axis in comparison with the calculated ATC. (A.B.). 14 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Determination of the Absolute Disintegration Rate of Cs-137 sources by the Tracer Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hellstroem, S; Brune, D

1963-07-15

{sup 137}Cs - sources were absolutely measured by the 'tracer method', with {sup 82}Br as a tracer nuclide and with application of the 4{pi} {beta}-{gamma} coincidence technique. A self-absorption of 6 % was found in sources obtained from a solution with a carrier-content of 400 {mu}g/ml. The precision of the method for the determination of the {beta}-emission rate was estimated to {+-} 1 %. The results were compared with those of other works.

Determination of the Absolute Disintegration Rate of Cs-137 sources by the Tracer Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellstroem, S.; Brune, D.

1963-07-01

137 Cs - sources were absolutely measured by the 'tracer method', with 82 Br as a tracer nuclide and with application of the 4π β-γ coincidence technique. A self-absorption of 6 % was found in sources obtained from a solution with a carrier-content of 400 μg/ml. The precision of the method for the determination of the β-emission rate was estimated to ± 1 %. The results were compared with those of other works

Tracer Methods for Characterizing Fracture Creation in Engineered Geothermal Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rose, Peter [Energy & Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Harris, Joel [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

2014-05-08

The aim of this proposal is to develop, through novel high-temperature-tracing approaches, three technologies for characterizing fracture creation within Engineered Geothermal Systems (EGS). The objective of a first task is to identify, develop and demonstrate adsorbing tracers for characterizing interwell reservoir-rock surface areas and fracture spacing. The objective of a second task is to develop and demonstrate a methodology for measuring fracture surface areas adjacent to single wells. The objective of a third task is to design, fabricate and test an instrument that makes use of tracers for measuring fluid flow between newly created fractures and wellbores. In one method of deployment, it will be used to identify qualitatively which fractures were activated during a hydraulic stimulation experiment. In a second method of deployment, it will serve to measure quantitatively the rate of fluid flowing from one or more activated fracture during a production test following a hydraulic stimulation.

Radioisotope tracers in industrial flow studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Easey, J.F.

1987-01-01

The scope of radioisotope tracer work carried out by ANSTO has involved most sectors of Australian industry including iron and steel coal, chemical, petrochemical, natural gas, metallurgical, mineral, power generation, liquified air plant, as well as port authorities, water and sewerage instrumentalities, and environmental agencies. A major class of such studies concerns itself with flow and wear studies involving industrial equipment. Some examples are discussed which illustrate the utility of radioisotope tracer techniques in these applications

Standardized 15N tracer method for the determination of parameters of the whole-body protein metabolism in clinical practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Junghans, P.; Jung, K.; Matkowitz, R.

1984-01-01

A standardized 15 N tracer method is described for the assessment of nitrogen and protein metabolism in healthy and pathological changed organisms. The method represents an isotope technical procedure for the application in clinical research and practice. The clinical preparation of the patient/proband by means of a standardized nutritional regime, the tracer administration (single dose) and the sampling (urine, blood), the 15 N tracer technique (sample chemistry, emissionsspectrometric isotope analysis) and the mathematical evaluation of 15 N tracer data are described. (author)

Predictions of PuO2 and tracer compound release from ISV melts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cronenberg, A.W.; Callow, R.A.

1992-04-01

Two field tests were conducted at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) to assess in situ vitrification (ISV) suitability for long-term stabilization of buried radioactive waste. Both tests contained rare-earth oxide tracers (DY 2 O 3 , Yb 2 O 3 , and Tb 4 O 7 ) to simulate the presence of plutonium in the form of PuO 2 . In the first test, Intermediate Field Test (IFT)-l, approximately 4-% release of tracer material occurred during soil melting and associated off-gassing, while essentially nil release was observed for the second experiment (IFT-2) for which off-gassing was much reduced. This report presents an evaluation of the IFT test data in terms of governing release processes. Prediction of tracer release during ISV melting centered on an assessment of three potential transport mechanisms, (a) tracer diffusion through stagnant pool, (b) tracer transport by convective currents, and (c) tracer carry-off by escaping gas bubbles. Analysis indicates that tracer release by escaping gas is the dominant release mechanism, which is consistent with video records of gas bubble escape from the ISV melt surface. Quantitative mass transport predictions were also made for the IFT-I test conditions, indicating similarity between the 4-% release data and calculational results at viscosities of ∼ poise and tracer diffusivities of ∼10 -6 CM 2 /s. Since PuO 2 has similar chemical and transport (diffusivity) properties as the rare-earth tracers used in the rare earth tracers used in the IFT experiments, release of PuO 2 is predicted for similar off-gassing conditions. Reduced off-gassing during ISV would thus be expected to improve the overall retention of heavy-oxides within vitrified soil

A method to investigate inter-aquifer leakage using hydraulics and multiple environmental tracers

Science.gov (United States)

Priestley, Stacey; Love, Andrew; Wohling, Daniel; Post, Vincent; Shand, Paul; Kipfer, Rolf; Tyroller, Lina

2016-04-01

Informed aquifer management decisions regarding sustainable yields or potential exploitation require an understanding of the groundwater system (Alley et al. 2002, Cherry and Parker 2004). Recently, the increase in coal seam gas (CSG) or shale gas production has highlighted the need for a better understanding of inter-aquifer leakage and contaminant migration. In most groundwater systems, the quantity or location of inter-aquifer leakage is unknown. Not taking into account leakage rates in the analysis of large scale flow systems can also lead to significant errors in the estimates of groundwater flow rates in aquifers (Love et al. 1993, Toth 2009). There is an urgent need for robust methods to investigate inter-aquifer leakage at a regional scale. This study builds on previous groundwater flow and inter-aquifer leakage studies to provide a methodology to investigate inter-aquifer leakage in a regional sedimentary basin using hydraulics and a multi-tracer approach. The methodology incorporates geological, hydrogeological and hydrochemical information in the basin to determine the likelihood and location of inter-aquifer leakage. Of particular benefit is the analysis of hydraulic heads and environmental tracers at nested piezometers, or where these are unavailable bore couplets comprising bores above and below the aquitard of interest within a localised geographical area. The proposed methodology has been successful in investigating inter-aquifer leakage in the Arckaringa Basin, South Australia. The suite of environmental tracers and isotopes used to analyse inter-aquifer leakage included the stable isotopes of water, radiocarbon, chloride-36, 87Sr/86Sr and helium isotopes. There is evidence for inter-aquifer leakage in the centre of the basin ~40 km along the regional flow path. This inter-aquifer leakage has been identified by a slight draw-down in the upper aquifer during pumping in the lower aquifer, overlap in Sr isotopes, δ2H, δ18O and chloride

Enhancing the activation of silicon carbide tracer particles for PEPT applications using gas-phase deposition of alumina at room temperature and atmospheric pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valdesueiro, D. [Delft University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, 2628 BL Delft (Netherlands); Garcia-Triñanes, P., E-mail: p.garcia@surrey.ac.uk [Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Meesters, G.M.H.; Kreutzer, M.T. [Delft University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, 2628 BL Delft (Netherlands); Gargiuli, J.; Leadbeater, T.W.; Parker, D.J. [Positron Imaging Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom); Seville, J.P.K. [Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Ommen, J.R. van, E-mail: j.r.vanommen@tudelft.nl [Delft University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, 2628 BL Delft (Netherlands)

2016-01-21

We have enhanced the radio-activation efficiency of SiC (silicon carbide) particles, which by nature have a poor affinity towards {sup 18}F ions, to be employed as tracers in studies using PEPT (Positron Emission Particle Tracking). The resulting SiC–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} core–shell structure shows a good labelling efficiency, comparable to γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} tracer particles, which are commonly used in PEPT. The coating of the SiC particles was carried at 27±3 °C and 1 bar in a fluidized bed reactor, using trimethylaluminium and water as precursors, by a gas phase technique similar to atomic layer deposition. The thickness of the alumina films, which ranged from 5 to 500 nm, was measured by elemental analysis and confirmed with FIB-TEM (focused ion beam – transmission electron microscope), obtaining consistent results from both techniques. By depositing such a thin film of alumina, properties that influence the hydrodynamic behaviour of the SiC particles, such as size, shape and density, are hardly altered, ensuring that the tracer particle shows the same flow behaviour as the other particles. The paper describes a general method to improve the activation efficiency of materials, which can be applied for the production of tracer particles for many other applications too. - Highlights: • We deposited Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films on SiC particles at ambient conditions in a fluidized bed. • The affinity of {sup 18}F ions towards Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}–SiC particle was improved compared to SiC. • We used the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}–SiC activated particle as tracer in a PEPT experiment. • Tracer particles have suitable activity for accurate tracking. • The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film is thin enough not to alter the particle size, shape and density.

Measuring serotonin synthesis: from conventional methods to PET tracers and their (pre)clinical implications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Visser, Anniek K.D.; Waarde, Aren van; Willemsen, Antoon T.M. [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Groningen (Netherlands); Bosker, Fokko J. [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University Center of Psychiatry, Groningen (Netherlands); Luiten, Paul G.M. [University of Groningen, Center for Behavior and Neurosciences, Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Haren (Netherlands); Boer, Johan A. den [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Groningen (Netherlands); University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University Center of Psychiatry, Groningen (Netherlands); Kema, Ido P. [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Groningen (Netherlands); Dierckx, Rudi A.J.O. [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Groningen (Netherlands); University Hospital Ghent, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ghent (Belgium)

2011-03-15

The serotonergic system of the brain is complex, with an extensive innervation pattern covering all brain regions and endowed with at least 15 different receptors (each with their particular distribution patterns), specific reuptake mechanisms and synthetic processes. Many aspects of the functioning of the serotonergic system are still unclear, partially because of the difficulty of measuring physiological processes in the living brain. In this review we give an overview of the conventional methods of measuring serotonin synthesis and methods using positron emission tomography (PET) tracers, more specifically with respect to serotonergic function in affective disorders. Conventional methods are invasive and do not directly measure synthesis rates. Although they may give insight into turnover rates, a more direct measurement may be preferred. PET is a noninvasive technique which can trace metabolic processes, like serotonin synthesis. Tracers developed for this purpose are {alpha}-[{sup 11}C]methyltryptophan ([{sup 11}C]AMT) and 5-hydroxy-L-[{beta}-{sup 11}C]tryptophan ([{sup 11}C]5-HTP). Both tracers have advantages and disadvantages. [{sup 11}C]AMT can enter the kynurenine pathway under inflammatory conditions (and thus provide a false signal), but this tracer has been used in many studies leading to novel insights regarding antidepressant action. [{sup 11}C]5-HTP is difficult to produce, but trapping of this compound may better represent serotonin synthesis. AMT and 5-HTP kinetics are differently affected by tryptophan depletion and changes of mood. This may indicate that both tracers are associated with different enzymatic processes. In conclusion, PET with radiolabelled substrates for the serotonergic pathway is the only direct way to detect changes of serotonin synthesis in the living brain. (orig.)

An experimental study of tracers for labelling of injection gas in oil reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dugstad, Oe.

1992-01-01

This work demonstrates the feasibility of the PMCP and PMCH as tracers in field experiments. These compounds have properties which make them as well suited for well to well studies as the more common tracers CH 3 T and 85 Kr. In an injection project carried out at the Gullfaks field in the North Sea the two PFCs verified communication between wells. This implies communication between different geological layers in the reservoir and also communication across faults within the same layers. Laboratory studies carried out have focused on the retention of the tracers in dynamic flooding experiments under conditions comparable with those in the petroleum reservoirs. Simultaneous injection of a variety of tracers has shown individual variations in tracer retention which are caused by important reservoir parameters as fluid saturation and rock properties. By proper design of field injection programs the tracers response may therefore be used to estimate fluid saturation if actual rock properties are known. 45 refs., 20 figs., 13 tabs

Radon as geological tracer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lacerda, T.; Anjos, R.M. [Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niteroi, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica; Valladares, D.L.; Rizzotto, M.; Velasco, H.; Ayub, J. Juri [Universidad Nacional de San Luis (Argentina). Inst. de Matematica Aplicada San Luis (IMASL); Silva, A.A.R. da; Yoshimura, E.M. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (IF/USP), SP (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

2012-07-01

Full text: This work presents measurements of {sup 222}Rn levels performed in La Carolina gold mine and Los Condores tungsten mine at the province of San Luis, Argentina, today used for tourist visitation, and can evaluate the potential use of such radioactive noble gas as tracer or marker for geological processes in underground environments. By concentrations of {sup 40}K, {sup 232}Th and {sup 23}'8U were also measured in the walls of tunnels were determined the rocks mineral composition, what indicated that the mines have the same composition. In this sense, we used nuclear trace plastic detectors CR-39, gamma spectrometry of rock samples and Geiger-Muller (GM) monitors The patterns of radon gas transportation processes revealed that La Carolina could be interpreted through a model based on a radioactive gas confined into a single entrance tube, with constant cross section and air velocity. Los Condores, which has a second main entrance, could be interpreted through a model based on a radioactive gas confined into a two entrance tube, allowing a chimney effect for air circulation. The results showed the high potential of using {sup 222}Rn as a geological tracer. In what concerns the occupational hazard, in summer (time of more intense tourist activity in the mine) La Carolina presented a mean concentration of the radioactive noble gas that exceeds in four times the action level of 1,5 kBq m{sup -3} recommended by the International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP). The chimney effect shows the low mean concentration of radon in Los Condores. (author)

Radon as geological tracer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacerda, T.; Anjos, R.M.; Silva, A.A.R. da; Yoshimura, E.M.

2012-01-01

Full text: This work presents measurements of 222 Rn levels performed in La Carolina gold mine and Los Condores tungsten mine at the province of San Luis, Argentina, today used for tourist visitation, and can evaluate the potential use of such radioactive noble gas as tracer or marker for geological processes in underground environments. By concentrations of 40 K, 232 Th and 23 '8U were also measured in the walls of tunnels were determined the rocks mineral composition, what indicated that the mines have the same composition. In this sense, we used nuclear trace plastic detectors CR-39, gamma spectrometry of rock samples and Geiger-Muller (GM) monitors The patterns of radon gas transportation processes revealed that La Carolina could be interpreted through a model based on a radioactive gas confined into a single entrance tube, with constant cross section and air velocity. Los Condores, which has a second main entrance, could be interpreted through a model based on a radioactive gas confined into a two entrance tube, allowing a chimney effect for air circulation. The results showed the high potential of using 222 Rn as a geological tracer. In what concerns the occupational hazard, in summer (time of more intense tourist activity in the mine) La Carolina presented a mean concentration of the radioactive noble gas that exceeds in four times the action level of 1,5 kBq m -3 recommended by the International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP). The chimney effect shows the low mean concentration of radon in Los Condores. (author)

Method of an apparatus for analysing gas flows inside hollow bodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, P.A.E.

1981-01-01

In order to produce a visual image on a screen of the movement of gas flows inside hollow bodies, e.g. gas turbine or internal combustion engines, or wind tunnels, a gaseous tracer material including a short-lived radio-active isotope is injected into the hollow body. One suitable isotope is produced by irradiating carbon tetrafluoride using a stream of deuterons from a cyclotron. The resulting reaction produces an isotope of Fluorine which has a half-life of 11.56 seconds, and decays producing radiation at approximately 1.6 Mev. The activity of the isotope is raised to the highest feasible level by continually irradiating the tracer material in a chamber as it is pumped around a circuit prior to injection. The half lives of the isotopes used are in the range 3 seconds to 2 minutes. (author)

Tracer Testing for Estimating Heat Transfer Area in Fractured Reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pruess, Karsten; van Heel, Ton; Shan, Chao

2004-05-12

A key parameter governing the performance and life-time of a Hot Fractured Rock (HFR) reservoir is the effective heat transfer area between the fracture network and the matrix rock. We report on numerical modeling studies into the feasibility of using tracer tests for estimating heat transfer area. More specifically, we discuss simulation results of a new HFR characterization method which uses surface-sorbing tracers for which the adsorbed tracer mass is proportional to the fracture surface area per unit volume. Sorption in the rock matrix is treated with the conventional formulation in which tracer adsorption is volume-based. A slug of solute tracer migrating along a fracture is subject to diffusion across the fracture walls into the adjacent rock matrix. Such diffusion removes some of the tracer from the fluid in the fractures, reducing and retarding the peak in the breakthrough curve (BTC) of the tracer. After the slug has passed the concentration gradient reverses, causing back-diffusion from the rock matrix into the fracture, and giving rise to a long tail in the BTC of the solute. These effects become stronger for larger fracture-matrix interface area, potentially providing a means for estimating this area. Previous field tests and modeling studies have demonstrated characteristic tailing in BTCs for volatile tracers in vapor-dominated reservoirs. Simulated BTCs for solute tracers in single-phase liquid systems show much weaker tails, as would be expected because diffusivities are much smaller in the aqueous than in the gas phase, by a factor of order 1000. A much stronger signal of fracture-matrix interaction can be obtained when sorbing tracers are used. We have performed simulation studies of surface-sorbing tracers by implementing a model in which the adsorbed tracer mass is assumed proportional to the fracture-matrix surface area per unit volume. The results show that sorbing tracers generate stronger tails in BTCs, corresponding to an effective

TU-AB-202-11: Tumor Segmentation by Fusion of Multi-Tracer PET Images Using Copula Based Statistical Methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lapuyade-Lahorgue, J; Ruan, S; Li, H; Vera, P

2016-01-01

Purpose: Multi-tracer PET imaging is getting more attention in radiotherapy by providing additional tumor volume information such as glucose and oxygenation. However, automatic PET-based tumor segmentation is still a very challenging problem. We propose a statistical fusion approach to joint segment the sub-area of tumors from the two tracers FDG and FMISO PET images. Methods: Non-standardized Gamma distributions are convenient to model intensity distributions in PET. As a serious correlation exists in multi-tracer PET images, we proposed a new fusion method based on copula which is capable to represent dependency between different tracers. The Hidden Markov Field (HMF) model is used to represent spatial relationship between PET image voxels and statistical dynamics of intensities for each modality. Real PET images of five patients with FDG and FMISO are used to evaluate quantitatively and qualitatively our method. A comparison between individual and multi-tracer segmentations was conducted to show advantages of the proposed fusion method. Results: The segmentation results show that fusion with Gaussian copula can receive high Dice coefficient of 0.84 compared to that of 0.54 and 0.3 of monomodal segmentation results based on individual segmentation of FDG and FMISO PET images. In addition, high correlation coefficients (0.75 to 0.91) for the Gaussian copula for all five testing patients indicates the dependency between tumor regions in the multi-tracer PET images. Conclusion: This study shows that using multi-tracer PET imaging can efficiently improve the segmentation of tumor region where hypoxia and glucidic consumption are present at the same time. Introduction of copulas for modeling the dependency between two tracers can simultaneously take into account information from both tracers and deal with two pathological phenomena. Future work will be to consider other families of copula such as spherical and archimedian copulas, and to eliminate partial volume

The method of radioactive tracer for measuring the amount of inorganic nanoparticles in biological samples

Science.gov (United States)

Buzulukov, Yu; Antsiferova, A.; Demin, V. A.; Demin, V. F.; Kashkarov, P.

2015-11-01

The method to measure the mass of inorganic nanoparticles in biological (or any other samples) using nanoparticles labeled with radioactive tracers is developed and applied to practice. The tracers are produced in original nanoparticles by radioactive activation of some of their atomic nuclei. The method of radioactive tracers demonstrates a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy equal or better than popular methods of optical and mass spectrometry, or electron microscopy and has some specific advantages. The method can be used for study of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion in living organism, as well as in ecological and fundamental research. It was used in practice to study absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of nanoparticles of Ag, Au, Se, ZnO, TiO2 as well as to study transportation of silver nanoparticles through the barriers of blood-brain, placenta and milk gland of rats. Brief descriptions of data obtained in experiments with application of this method included in the article. The method was certified in Russian Federation standard system GOST-R and recommended by the Russian Federation regulation authority ROSPOTREBNADZOR for measuring of toxicokinetic and organotropy parameters of nanoparticles.

Determination of biomass burning tracers in air samples by GC/MS

Science.gov (United States)

Janoszka, Katarzyna

2018-01-01

Levoglucosan (LG) as a main cellulose burning product at 300°C is a biomass burning tracer. LG characterize by relatively high molar mass and it is sorbed by particulate matter. In the study of air pollution monitoring LG is mainly analyzed in particulate matter, PM1 and PM2,5. The tracer create relatively high O-H…O bond and weaker C-H…O bond. Due to the hydrogen bond, LG dissolves very well in water. Analytical procedure of LG determination include: extraction, derivatization and analysis by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detector. In water samples levoglucosan is determined by liquid chromatography. The paper presents a methodology for particulate matter samples determination their analysis by gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometry detector. Determination of LG content in particulate matter was performed according to an analytical method based on simultaneous pyridine extraction and derivatization using N,O-bis (trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide and trimethylchlorosilane mixture (BSTFA: TMCS, 99: 1).

Determination of biomass burning tracers in air samples by GC/MS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janoszka Katarzyna

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Levoglucosan (LG as a main cellulose burning product at 300°C is a biomass burning tracer. LG characterize by relatively high molar mass and it is sorbed by particulate matter. In the study of air pollution monitoring LG is mainly analyzed in particulate matter, PM1 and PM2,5. The tracer create relatively high O-H…O bond and weaker C-H…O bond. Due to the hydrogen bond, LG dissolves very well in water. Analytical procedure of LG determination include: extraction, derivatization and analysis by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detector. In water samples levoglucosan is determined by liquid chromatography. The paper presents a methodology for particulate matter samples determination their analysis by gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometry detector. Determination of LG content in particulate matter was performed according to an analytical method based on simultaneous pyridine extraction and derivatization using N,O-bis (trimethylsilyl trifluoroacetamide and trimethylchlorosilane mixture (BSTFA: TMCS, 99: 1.

Certification of flow measurement methods and calibration of flowmeters in oil and gas industry using radioactive tracers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brandao, L. E. E.; Kenup, H.O. [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Nóbrega, Armi W.; Gonçalves, E.R.; Dualibi Filho, J.C.; Malheiro, R.L., E-mail: brandaos@ien.gov.br, E-mail: atomum@atomum.com.br [ATOMUM Serviços Tecnológicos Ltda, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2017-07-01

Oil and gas, mineral and water supply plants are the typical example of industrial facilities where they need accuracy in fluid flow measurement's procedures. In these installations, large quantities of materials are moving daily inside pipes, and one of the major problems of these industries is the safety of operations in transport of these materials. In order to monitor the transference processes many flowmeters are installed in the pipes to measure constantly the condition of the transported fluid. These flowmeters must be periodically calibrated, and one of the problems in this standardization is that these instruments need to be removed from the pipelines where they are operating and transported to the accredited laboratories to be calibrated. To remove a flowmeter from a pipe is not an easy operation, and in most of the cases, it is a very expensive operation, and in addition, any changes in the pipeline configuration can provoke leaks and when a leak occurs, it is impossible to operate the whole line and provokes accidents. Radiotracer technique is noninvasive fluid flow measure and using proper radiotracers is possible to measure organic, aqueous and gaseous flows without any disturbance in the normal operation of the pipeline. In this work, we present the ATOMUM{sub T}RACER, a software used to determine geometrical and technical procedures to calculate the Residence Time Curves using radiotracer techniques to accurately measure flow of fluids in pipelines with uncertainties around 0.7%. (author)

Development of Standardized Mobile Tracer Correlation Approach for Large Area Emission Measurements (DRAFT UNDER EPA REVIEW)

Science.gov (United States)

Foster-wittig, T. A.; Thoma, E.; Green, R.; Hater, G.; Swan, N.; Chanton, J.

2013-12-01

Improved understanding of air emissions from large area sources such as landfills, waste water ponds, open-source processing, and agricultural operations is a topic of increasing environmental importance. In many cases, the size of the area source, coupled with spatial-heterogeneity, make direct (on-site) emission assessment difficult; methane emissions, from landfills for example, can be particularly complex [Thoma et al, 2009]. Recently, whole-facility (remote) measurement approaches based on tracer correlation have been utilized [Scheutz et al, 2011]. The approach uses a mobile platform to simultaneously measure a metered-release of a conservative gas (the tracer) along with the target compound (methane in the case of landfills). The known-rate tracer release provides a measure of atmospheric dispersion at the downwind observing location allowing the area source emission to be determined by a ratio calculation [Green et al, 2010]. Although powerful in concept, the approach has been somewhat limited to research applications due to the complexities and cost of the high-sensitivity measurement equipment required to quantify the part-per billion levels of tracer and target gas at kilometer-scale distances. The advent of compact, robust, and easy to use near-infrared optical measurement systems (such as cavity ring down spectroscopy) allow the tracer correlation approach to be investigated for wider use. Over the last several years, Waste Management Inc., the U.S. EPA, and collaborators have conducted method evaluation activities to determine the viability of a standardized approach through execution of a large number of field measurement trials at U.S. landfills. As opposed to previous studies [Scheutz et al, 2011] conducted at night (optimal plume transport conditions), the current work evaluated realistic use-scenarios; these scenarios include execution by non-scientist personnel, daylight operation, and full range of atmospheric condition (all plume transport

Evaluating 10B-enriched Boric Acid, Bromide, and Heat as Tracers of Recycled Groundwater Flow near MAR Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, T.; Clark, J. F.

2012-12-01

Coupled with the unpredictability of a changing climate, the projected growth in human population over the next century requires new and innovative ways to augment already-depleted water supplies. An increasingly popular and promising development is managed aquifer recharge (MAR), a cost-effective method of intentionally storing potable water in groundwater aquifers at engineered sites worldwide. Reclaimed (or recycled) water, defined as cleaned and treated wastewater, will account for a larger portion of MAR water in future years. A crucial component for managing groundwater recharged with reclaimed water is its subsurface travel time. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH), with the most recent draft of regulations issued on November 21, 2011, requires the application of groundwater tracers to demonstrate subsurface residence time. Residence time increases the quality of reclaimed water via soil-aquifer treatment (SAT), which includes mechanisms such as sorption, biological degradation, and microbial inactivation to remove potential contaminants or pathogens. This study addresses the need for an appropriate tracer to determine groundwater residence times near MAR facilities. Standard shallow groundwater dating techniques, such as T/3He and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) methods, cannot be used because their uncertainties are typically ± 2 years, longer than the target CDPH retention time of ~6 months. These methods also cannot map preferential flow paths. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), a nonreactive synthetic gas, is well-established as a deliberate tracer for determining subsurface travel time; however, SF6 is a very strong greenhouse gas and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is regulating its emission. Other tracers, such as noble gas isotopes, that have successfully determined subsurface retention times are impractical due to their high cost. A multi-tracer experiment at the San Gabriel Spreading Grounds test basin (Montebello Forebay, Los Angeles

Tracers application method for the quantitative determination of the source of oxygenic inclusions in steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rewienska-Kosciukowa, B.; Dalecki, W.; Michalik, J.S.

1976-01-01

The sense and the possibility of radioactive and nonradioactive isotopic tracers application in investigations of the origin of oxygenic nonmetalic inclusions is presented. The discussed methods touch the investigations such as the origin of egzogenic inclusions which passed from external sources (fireproof lining, slag) to the steel or as the endogenic ones formed during the process of steel deoxidisation. The question of the tracers choice for refractory material and the further investigations concerned the determination of the origin of nonmetallic inclusions are discussed. The question of so called isotopic replacement tracers for the main steel deoxidizing agents is considered. The criterion of determination of oxygenic inclusions formed during the process of steel deoxidization is also discussed. Several results of laboratory and industrial investigations and also the examples of application of the discussed methods in the industrial scale are presented. (author)

A Comparison between Tracer Gas and Aerosol Particles Distribution Indoors: The Impact of Ventilation Rate, Interaction of Airflows, and Presence of Objects.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bivolarova, M.; Ondráček, Jakub; Melikov, A.; Ždímal, Vladimír

2017-01-01

Roč. 27, č. 6 (2017), s. 1201-1212 ISSN 0905-6947 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 315760 - HEXACOMM Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : tracer gas * particles * transport behaviour Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality OBOR OECD: Public and environmental health Impact factor: 4.383, year: 2016

Count rate balance method of measuring sediment transport of sand beds by radioactive tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauzay, G.

1968-01-01

Radioactive tracers are applied to the direct measurement of the sediment transport rate of sand beds. The theoretical measurement formula is derived: the variation of the count rate balance is inverse of that of the transport thickness. Simultaneously the representativeness of the tracer is critically studied. The minimum quantity of tracer which has to be injected in order to obtain a correct statistical definition of count rate given by a low number of grains 'seen' by the detector is then studied. A field experiment was made and has let to study the technological conditions for applying this method: only the treatment of results is new, the experiment itself is carried out with conventional techniques applied with great care. (author) [fr

Tracer research in process engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iller, E.

1992-01-01

The book is a review of modern applications of tracer techniques in chemical and process engineering studies. The next topics have been extensively presented: 1) media flow through apparatus; 2) the tracers in the study of media flow dynamics through apparatus; 3) mathematical interpretation of experimental data from impulse-response method; 4) the models of media flow through chemical reactors and apparatus; 5) radiotracers in mass transport study; 6) examples of practical applications of tracer methods in industrial objects. 84 refs, 96 figs, 31 tabs

Optimizing the mercury mass measurement in industrial electrolytic cells by the radio-tracer method at ININ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valle R, J.; Angeles C, A.

2014-10-01

One method used in the production of chlorine and sodium is the use of electrolytic cells for the separation of chlorine and sodium from the brine; the industries apply very intense electromagnetic fields in this process. The electrolytic cells use mercury as electrode. In a chlorine production plant inventories are determined by total amount of mercury in the plant annually, since mercury losses are large and a very important parameter is to control the mass of mercury for it is necessary to measure with great precision the losses made. There are several methods to determine the mass of mercury ranging from take samples and weigh, but this involves continuous interruption of the process creating downtimes which in turn represent economic losses giving a result delimiting productivity for the industrial sector. An alternative and attractive method is to use a radioactive tracer whose principle has a similar behavior to study objective. The inert mercury has to be neutron activated in a nuclear reactor to having the characteristics of a tracer; the result makes one of the isotopes of mercury. The tracer is transported taking into account the recommendations of the Comision Nacional de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardias (Mexico), then it is injected into the electrolytic cells mixing with the mercury in the system. By a relative radioactivity measurement and one sample by gamma spectrometry per interest cell, the mass of mercury without stopping the process is obtained. For optimal use of radio-tracer method must be taken into account as important features: irradiation time of mercury, counting conditions, vial geometry, sample volume, sample cells, mixing time and half-life of the tracer. (Author)

Tracer techniques in microelectronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flachowsky, J.; Freyer, K.

1981-01-01

Tracer technique and neutron activation analysis are capable of measuring impurities in semiconductor material or on the semiconductor surface in a very low concentration range. The methods, combined with autoradiography, are also suitable to determine dopant distributions in silicon. However, both techniques suffer from certain inherent experimental difficulties and/or limitations which are discussed. Methods of tracer technique practicable in the semiconductor field are described. (author)

Proceedings of the atmospheric tracers and tracer application workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barr, S.; Gedayloo, T.

1979-12-01

In addition to presentations by participating members a general discussion was held in order to summarize and outline the goals and objectives of the workshop. A number of new low level background tracers such as heavy methanes, perfluorocarbons, multiply labeled isotopes such as 13 C 18 O 2 , helium 3, in addition to sample collection techniques and analytical methods for various tracers were discussed. This report is a summary of discussions and papers presented at this workshop

Tracer dispersion - experiment and CFD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zitny, R.

2004-01-01

Description of tracer distribution by means of dispersion models is a method successfully used in process engineering for fifty years. Application of dispersion models in reactor engineering for characterization of flows in column apparatus, heat exchangers, etc. is summarized and experimental tracer techniques as well as CFD methods for dispersion coefficients evaluation are discussed. Possible extensions of thermal axial dispersion model (ADM) and a core-wall ADM model suitable for description of tracer dispersion in laminar flows are suggested as well as CFD implementation as 1D finite elements. (author)

Tracer methods to quantify nutrient uptake from plough layer, sub-soil and fertilizer: implications on sustainable nutrient management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haak, E.

1996-01-01

Two soils injection methods are presented. The first method consists of homogeneously labelling the whole plough layer with carrier free tracers. this is done in two treatments, (1) a reference treatment without connection with the sub-soil and (2) an experimental treatment where the sub-soil is freely accessible for root penetration. The second method, which is now under development, consists of using isotope labelled fertilizers instead of carrier free tracers. By application of the A-value concept it is possible to quantify (by the first method) the plant uptake of nutrients from plough layer and sub-soil, and from the second method, the uptake of nutrients from the applied fertilizer. A fertilizer strategy for phosphorus is discussed based on data obtained from tracer experiment in the field, and soil survey of specific field sites. (author). 7 refs, 2 figs, 1 tab

Tracer methods to quantify nutrient uptake from plough layer, sub-soil and fertilizer: implications on sustainable nutrient management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haak, E [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden). Dept. of Radioecology

1996-07-01

Two soils injection methods are presented. The first method consists of homogeneously labelling the whole plough layer with carrier free tracers. this is done in two treatments, (1) a reference treatment without connection with the sub-soil and (2) an experimental treatment where the sub-soil is freely accessible for root penetration. The second method, which is now under development, consists of using isotope labelled fertilizers instead of carrier free tracers. By application of the A-value concept it is possible to quantify (by the first method) the plant uptake of nutrients from plough layer and sub-soil, and from the second method, the uptake of nutrients from the applied fertilizer. A fertilizer strategy for phosphorus is discussed based on data obtained from tracer experiment in the field, and soil survey of specific field sites. (author). 7 refs, 2 figs, 1 tab.

Suitability of tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klotz, D.

1999-01-01

Hydrological tracer techniques are a means of making statements on the direction and speed of underground water. One of the simpler tasks is to find out whether there is hydrological communication between two given points. This requires a determination of the direction of flow, which places less exacting demands on the properties of the tracer than does the task of determining the flow velocity of underground water. Tracer methods can serve to infer from flow velocity the distance (flow) velocity, which is defined as the ratio between the distance between two points located in flow direction and the actual time it takes water to flow from one to the other [de

Novel S-35 Intrinsic Tracer Method for Determining Groundwater Travel Time near Managed Aquifer Recharge Facilities

Science.gov (United States)

Urióstegui, S. H.; Bibby, R. K.; Esser, B. K.; Clark, J. F.

2013-12-01

Identifying groundwater travel times near managed aquifer recharge (MAR) facilities is a high priority for protecting public and environmental health. For MAR facilities in California that incorporate tertiary wastewater into their surface-spreading recharge practices, the target subsurface residence time is >9 months to allow for the natural inactivation and degradation of potential contaminants (less time is needed for full advanced treated water). Established intrinsic groundwater tracer techniques such as tritium/helium-3 dating are unable to resolve timescales of method using a naturally occurring radioisotope of sulfur, sulfur-35 (S-35). After its production in the atmosphere by cosmic ray interaction with argon, S-35 enters the hydrologic cycle as dissolved sulfate through precipitation The short half-life of S-35 (3 months) is ideal for investigating recharge and transport of MAR groundwater on the method, however, has not been applied to MAR operations because of the difficulty in measuring S-35 with sufficient sensitivity in high-sulfate waters. We have developed a new method and have applied it at two southern California MAR facilities where groundwater travel times have previously been characterized using deliberate tracers: 1) Rio Hondo Spreading Grounds in Los Angeles County, and 2) Orange County Groundwater Recharge Facilities in Orange County. Reasonable S-35 travel times of method also identified seasonal patterns in subsurface travel times, which may not be revealed by a deliberate tracer study that is dependent on the hydrologic conditions during the tracer injection period.

Natural gas facility methane emissions: measurements by tracer flux ratio in two US natural gas producing basins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tara I. Yacovitch

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Methane (CH4 emission rates from a sample of natural gas facilities across industry sectors were quantified using the dual tracer flux ratio methodology. Measurements were conducted in study areas within the Fayetteville shale play, Arkansas (FV, Sept–Oct 2015, 53 facilities, and the Denver-Julesburg basin, Colorado, (DJ, Nov 2014, 21 facilities. Distributions of methane emission rates at facilities by type are computed and statistically compared with results that cover broader geographic regions in the US (Allen et al., 2013, Mitchell et al., 2015. DJ gathering station emission rates (kg CH4 hr–1 are lower, while FV gathering and production sites are statistically indistinguishable as compared to these multi-basin results. However, FV gathering station throughput-normalized emissions are statistically lower than multi-basin results (0.19% vs. 0.44%. This implies that the FV gathering sector is emitting less per unit of gas throughput than would be expected from the multi-basin distribution alone. The most common emission rate (i.e. mode of the distribution for facilities in this study is 40 kg CH4 hr–1 for FV gathering stations, 1.0 kg CH4 hr–1 for FV production pads, and 11 kg CH4 hr–1 for DJ gathering stations. The importance of study design is discussed, including the benefits of site access and data sharing with industry and of a scientist dedicated to measurement coordination and site choice under evolving wind conditions.

Quadratic tracer dynamical models tobacco growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiang Jiyi; Hua Cuncai; Wang Shaohua

2011-01-01

In order to study the non-uniformly transferring process of some tracer dosages, we assume that the absorption of some tracer by tobacco is a quadratic function of the tracer quantity of the tracer in the case of fast absorption, whereas the exclusion of the tracer from tobacco is a linear function of the tracer quantity in the case of slow exclusion, after the tracer is introduced into tobacco once at zero time. A single-compartment quadratic dynamical model of Logistic type is established for the leaves of tobacco. Then, a two-compartment quadratic dynamical model is established for leaves and calms of the tobacco. Qualitative analysis of the models shows that the tracer applied to the leaves of the tobacco is excluded finally; however, the tracer stays at the tobacco for finite time. Two methods are also given for computing the parameters in the models. Finally, the results of the models are verified by the 32 P experiment for the absorption of tobacco. (authors)

IMAGE Project: Results of Laboratory Tests on Tracers for Supercritical Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandvoll, Øyvind; Opsahl Viig, Sissel; Nardini, Isabella; Muller, Jiri

2016-04-01

The use of tracers is a well-established technique for monitoring dynamic behaviour of water and gas through a reservoir. In geothermal reservoirs special challenges are encountered due to high temperatures and pressures. In this work, tracer candidates for monitoring water at supercritical conditions (temperature > 374°C, pressure ca 218 bar), are tested in laboratory experiments. Testing of tracers at supercritical water conditions requires experimental set-ups which tolerate harsh conditions with respect to high temperature and pressure. In addition stringent HES (health, environment and safety) factors have to be taken into consideration when designing and performing the experiments. The setup constructed in this project consists of a pressure vessel, high pressure pump, instrumentation for pressure and temperature control and instrumentation required for accurate sampling of tracers. In order to achieve accurate results, a special focus has been paid to the development of the tracer sampling technique. Perfluorinated cyclic hydrocarbons (PFCs) have been selected as tracer candidates. This group of compounds is today commonly used as gas tracers in oil reservoirs. According to the literature they are stable at temperatures up to 400°C. To start with, five PFCs have been tested for thermal stability in static experiments at 375°C and 108 bar in the experimental setup described above. The tracer candidates will be further tested for several months at the relevant conditions. Preliminary results indicate that some of the PFC compounds show stability after three months. However, in order to arrive at conclusive results, the experiments have to be repeated over a longer period and paying special attention to more accurate sampling procedures.

Comparing the weight method and the use of the tracer Uranine for assessing pesticide drift on soils

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Santos, G.; Scheiben, D.; Leuenberger, F.; Binder, C. R.

2009-04-01

Drift from pesticide backpack-spraying is of major importance in the highlands of Colombia, where more than 20% be drifted by wind effects. This study assesses the usefulness of the weight method and the use of the tracer Uranine for assessing pesticide drift distribution on soils. The weight method has been used in developing countries and consists of weighing previously dried papers, installed close to the soil surface, before and after spraying a known amount of water. Relative humidity, temperature, direction and speed of the wind were monitored during the experiments. The tracer Uranine is often used for groundwater studies. Uranine was added to the water and sprayed by the farmer in the same way he would spray any pesticide mixture. The same papers used in the previous method were stored after the spraying and weighing. The tracer was extracted in water and analyzed using a fluorescent spectrometer. The advantage of Uranine over other tracers is its easy extraction with water and low detectable concentration. No solvents are required for the extraction. The experiments were performed during two months in the wet season in the region of Vereda la Hoya, Boyaca, Colombia at an altitude of 2800 m a.s.l., from September to October. Each experiment lasted about 30 min. The fast-changing meteorological conditions in the region affected the success of the weight method. The paper's weight was very sensitive to atmospheric high relative humidity and different evaporative conditions in grass and bare ground. Location of the blanks was essential and had to represent each of the different experimental evaporative conditions. Although the method was easy to implement, we consider that it is not appropriate for areas characterized by high evapotranspiration rates, and fast-changing climatic conditions as found in the Colombian highlands above 2800 m a.s.l. Whereas Uranine was not sensitive to different evapotranspiration rates nor fast changing climatic conditions, this

Mathematical basis for the measurement of absolute and fractional cardiac output with diffusible tracers by compartmental analysis methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charkes, N.D.

1984-01-01

Using compartmental analysis methods, a mathematical basis is given for the measurement of absolute and fractional cardiac output with diffusible tracers. Cardiac output is shown to be the product of the blood volume and the sum of the rate constants of tracer egress from blood, modified by a factor reflecting transcapillary diffusibility, the transfer fraction. The return of tracer to the blood and distant (intracellular) events are shown to play no role in the solution. Fractional cardiac output is the ratio of the rate constant of tracer egress from blood to an organ, divided by the sum of the egress constants from blood. Predominantly extracellular ions such as sodium or bromide are best suited for this technique, although theoretically any diffusible tracer whose compartmental model can be solved may be used. It is shown that fractional cardiac output is independent of the transfer fraction, and therefore can be measured accurately by tracers which are not freely diffusible

Natural tracer test simulation by stochastic particle tracking method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackerer, P.; Mose, R.; Semra, K.

1990-01-01

Stochastic particle tracking methods are well adapted to 3D transport simulations where discretization requirements of other methods usually cannot be satisfied. They do need a very accurate approximation of the velocity field. The described code is based on the mixed hybrid finite element method (MHFEM) to calculated the piezometric and velocity field. The random-walk method is used to simulate mass transport. The main advantages of the MHFEM over FD or FE are the simultaneous calculation of pressure and velocity, which are considered as unknowns; the possibility of interpolating velocities everywhere; and the continuity of the normal component of the velocity vector from one element to another. For these reasons, the MHFEM is well adapted for particle tracking methods. After a general description of the numerical methods, the model is used to simulate the observations made during the Twin Lake Tracer Test in 1983. A good match is found between observed and simulated heads and concentrations. (Author) (12 refs., 4 figs.)

Optical Depth Estimates and Effective Critical Densities of Dense Gas Tracers in the Inner Parts of Nearby Galaxy Discs

OpenAIRE

Jimenez-Donaire, M. J.; Bigiel, F.; Leroy, A. K.; Cormier, D.; Gallagher, M.; Usero, A.; Bolatto, A.; Colombo, D.; Garcia-Burillo, S.; Hughes, A.; Kramer, C.; Krumholz, M. R.; Meier, D. S.; Murphy, E.; Pety, J.

2016-01-01

High critical density molecular lines like HCN(1-0) or HCO+(1-0) represent our best tool to study currently star-forming, dense molecular gas at extragalactic distances. The optical depth of these lines is a key ingredient to estimate the effective density required to excite emission. However, constraints on this quantity are even scarcer in the literature than measurements of the high density tracers themselves. Here, we combine new observations of HCN, HCO+ and HNC(1-0) and their optically ...

Technical note: A simple back-mounted harness for grazing dairy cows to facilitate the sulfur hexafluoride tracer gas technique.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wyngaard, Josef D V; Meeske, Robin; Erasmus, Lourens J

2018-03-01

We describe here a cattle harness to attach a gas collection vessel to facilitate the sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) tracer gas technique. The harness consists of 2 major components: (1) a lightweight, robust body fabricated from an equine surcingle or lunge roller with padded thoracic trapezius pressure points, a bespoke shaping shaft for spine support, and adjustable buckles on both sides; and (2) an elastic flank-strap to prevent the harness from dislodging. The spine support consists of stainless steel laminated with carbon fiber. This support minimizes the contact area with the animal's skin, relieves the spine area of pressure, and creates free flow of ambient air below the platform, reducing sweat accumulation and hence preventing skin lesions. The harness weighs approximately 1.2 kg, allows for attachment of 2 gas collection vessels (animal and background sample), and is cost effective. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecules as tracers of galaxy evolution : an EMIR survey I. Presentation of the data and first results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Costagliola, F.; Aalto, S.; Rodriguez, M. I.; Muller, S.; Spoon, H. W. W.; Martin, S.; Perez-Torres, M. A.; Alberdi, A.; Lindberg, J. E.; Batejat, F.; Juette, E.; Lahuis, F.; van der Werf, Paul P.

Aims. We investigate the molecular gas properties of a sample of 23 galaxies in order to find and test chemical signatures of galaxy evolution and to compare them to IR evolutionary tracers. Methods. Observation at 3 mm wavelengths were obtained with the EMIR broadband receiver, mounted on the IRAM

Tracer Equivalent Latitude: A Diagnostic Tool for Isentropic Transport Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Douglas R.; Nakamura, Noboru

2003-01-01

Area equivalent latitude based on potential vorticity (PV) is a widely used diagnostic for isentropic transport in the stratosphere and upper troposphere. Here, an alternate method for calculating equivalent latitude is explored, namely, a numerical synthesis of a PV-like tracer from a long-term integration of the advection-diffusion equation on isentropic surfaces. It is found that the tracer equivalent latitude (TrEL) behaves much like the traditional PV equivalent latitude (PVEL) despite the simplified governing physics; this is evidenced by examining the kinematics of the Arctic lower stratospheric vortex. Yet in some cases TrEL performs markedly better as a coordinate for long-lived trace species such as ozone. These instances include analysis of lower stratospheric ozone during the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE) campaign and three-dimensional reconstruction of total column ozone during November-December 1999 from fitted ozone-equivalent latitude relationship. It is argued that the improvement is due to the tracer being free from the diagnostic errors and certain diabatic processes that affect PV. The sensitivity of TrEL to spatial and temporal resolution, advection scheme, and driving winds is also examined.

Detection of leaks for radioactive tracer in marine duct for transport of liquefied petroleum gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robles P, E. F.; Benitez S, J. A.; Torre O, J. de la; Cruz S, E. de la; Molina, G.; Hernandez C, J. E.; Flores M, J. . e mail: efrp@nuclear.inin.mx

2008-01-01

In this work the aplication in the oil industry of the technique of radioactive tracer appears for the detection of internal leaks in a submarine duct that gives service as it lines of receipt of liquefied petroleum gas (Gas LP) located in the Mexican coast of the Pacific Ocean. This system of marine pipe is a consistent arrangement of a duct interior of 0.254 m (10 inches) of nominal diameter (N.D.) of steel to the carbon for cryogenic service ASTM A 333, Grade 6, schedule 30, isolated thermally with foam of polyurethane and shielding in a steel tube to the carbon ASTM A 53 Grade A, of 0.508 m (20 inches) N. D., schedule 20, which is recovered by a ballast encircling of concrete of 0.0508 m (2 inches) of thickness, reinforced with mesh metallic, and that 1315 m runs on the marine stratum to a maximum depth of 12.5 m. For the detection of leaks by radiotracer it was used as tracer the radioactive isotope La-140 produced in the TRIGA Mark III Experimental Reactor of the National Institute of Nuclear Research, starting from stable lanthanum nitrate (La(NO 3 ) 3 6H 2 O), with an activity of 100 mCi, the one which after having been made logistics tasks, given very particular sea maneuvers and due to the conditions of the work place, in the interior tube was injected in two subsequent stages to cover both duct senses; from earth and from the marine end respectively, there being used fresh water like transport way and submergible sodium iodide detectors (NaI) for the rake of the La-140. At the end of the journeys of pursuit of the radiotracer, it was determine the presence of three leaks points located in the break area of the marine surf to 360 m, 450 m and 495 m of distance of a reference point located in the beach section named Trap of Devils. (Author)

Fracture Characterization in Reactive Fluid-Fractured Rock Systems Using Tracer Transport Data

Science.gov (United States)

Mukhopadhyay, S.

2014-12-01

Fractures, whether natural or engineered, exert significant controls over resource exploitation from contemporary energy sources including enhanced geothermal systems and unconventional oil and gas reserves. Consequently, fracture characterization, i.e., estimating the permeability, connectivity, and spacing of the fractures is of critical importance for determining the viability of any energy recovery program. While some progress has recently been made towards estimating these critical fracture parameters, significant uncertainties still remain. A review of tracer technology, which has a long history in fracture characterization, reveals that uncertainties exist in the estimated parameters not only because of paucity of scale-specific data but also because of knowledge gaps in the interpretation methods, particularly in interpretation of tracer data in reactive fluid-rock systems. We have recently demonstrated that the transient tracer evolution signatures in reactive fluid-rock systems are significantly different from those in non-reactive systems (Mukhopadhyay et al., 2013, 2014). For example, the tracer breakthrough curves in reactive fluid-fractured rock systems are expected to exhibit a long pseudo-state condition, during which tracer concentration does not change by any appreciable amount with passage of time. Such a pseudo-steady state condition is not observed in a non-reactive system. In this paper, we show that the presence of this pseudo-steady state condition in tracer breakthrough patterns in reactive fluid-rock systems can have important connotations for fracture characterization. We show that the time of onset of the pseudo-steady state condition and the value of tracer concentration in the pseudo-state condition can be used to reliably estimate fracture spacing and fracture-matrix interface areas.

Process Analysis in Chemical Plant by Means of Radioactive Tracers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirayama, T.; Hamada, K.; Osada, K. [Showa Denko K.K., Tokyo (Japan)

1967-06-15

Following the movement of solids and fluids is important in chemical processes to determine mixing efficiency and residence time. Since it is necessary to follow many complex substances such as raw materials, intermediates and reactants in plant investigations, it is often necessary to ascertain whether the behaviour of the radioisotope tracer and the substance to be traced are identical. The most difficult problem is to determine the best method of labelling, a factor which is a substantial key to the success of an experiment. Usually, there are three labelling techniques: radioisotope labelling, pre-.activation of the material and post-activation of the material. This paper deals with practical examples of the double-tracer technique, a combination of conventional radioisotope labelling and post-activation methods by means of activation analysis. In process analysis by means of tracers, a practical measurement method should also be devised and developed for each experiment. Phosphorus-32 and gold (non-radioactive) were used to measure retention time in a carbon-black plant. The radioisotope was pumped into a feed-stock pipe positioned before the reactor and samples were taken from each process of the plant, including the bag filter, mixer and product tank. After sampling from each step of the process, {sup 32}P in a semi-infinite powder sample was measured in situ by beta counting, and the gold was measured by gamma counting after activating the sample in a reactor. The experiment showed that both tracers had the same residence time, which was shorter than expected. Useful data were also obtained from the dispersion pattern of the material flow for future operation controls, including the time required to change from one grade of product to another. Practical tracer techniques to measure mixing characteristics in high-speed gas flows using {sup 85}Kr have been developed. A study of the measurement method was conducted by calculating the differential values of

Tumoral tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camargo, E.E.

1979-01-01

Direct tumor tracers are subdivided in the following categories:metabolite tracers, antitumoral tracers, radioactive proteins and cations. Use of 67 Ga-citrate as a clinically important tumoral tracer is emphasized and gallium-67 whole-body scintigraphy is discussed in detail. (M.A.) [pt

Method of determining the characteristics of circulatory systems using tracer particles, making the particles and radioactive particles for use in the method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pratt, F.P.; Gagnon, D.L.

1981-01-01

In the method described tracer particles consist of ion exchange resin cores labelled with suitable radioactive ions or with a nuclide excitable by X-rays, and have a non-leaching polymeric coating. The particles are introduced into the system and are detected by visual inspection, radiation detection or X-ray fluorescence techniques. The cores are labelled using conventional batch ion exchange techniques. Coated tracers are produced by contacting a monomer, preferably furfuryl alcohol, with cores bearing catalytic ions (hydroxyl or hydrogen) on the surface which catalyse the monomer to form a polymer. The tracer particles in a physiologically acceptable liquid carrier are useful in clinical and medical investigations of blood flow. They can also be used for flow measurement in chemical process control streams. (U.K.)

Direct inversion of circulation and mixing from tracer measurements – Part 1: Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. von Clarmann

2016-11-01

Full Text Available From a series of zonal mean global stratospheric tracer measurements sampled in altitude vs. latitude, circulation and mixing patterns are inferred by the inverse solution of the continuity equation. As a first step, the continuity equation is written as a tendency equation, which is numerically integrated over time to predict a later atmospheric state, i.e., mixing ratio and air density. The integration is formally performed by the multiplication of the initially measured atmospheric state vector by a linear prediction operator. Further, the derivative of the predicted atmospheric state with respect to the wind vector components and mixing coefficients is used to find the most likely wind vector components and mixing coefficients which minimize the residual between the predicted atmospheric state and the later measurement of the atmospheric state. Unless multiple tracers are used, this inversion problem is under-determined, and dispersive behavior of the prediction further destabilizes the inversion. Both these problems are addressed by regularization. For this purpose, a first-order smoothness constraint has been chosen. The usefulness of this method is demonstrated by application to various tracer measurements recorded with the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS. This method aims at a diagnosis of the Brewer–Dobson circulation without involving the concept of the mean age of stratospheric air, and related problems like the stratospheric tape recorder, or intrusions of mesospheric air into the stratosphere.

Plan for radionuclide tracer studies of the residence time distribution in the Wilsonville dissolver and preheater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jolley, R.L.; Begovich, J.M.; Brashear, H.R.

1983-12-01

Stimulus-response measurements using radiotracers to measure residence time distribution (RTD) and hydrodynamic parameters for the preheaters and dissolvers at the Ft. Lewis Solvent Refined Coal (SRC) and the Exxon Donor Solvent (EDS) coal conversion pilot plants are reviewed. A plan is also presented for a series of radioactive tracer studies proposed for the Advanced Coal Liquefaction Facility at Wilsonville, Alabama, to measure the RTD for the preheater and dissolvers in the SRC-I mode. The tracer for the gas phase will be 133 Xe, and 198 Au (on carbonized resin or as an aqueous colloidal suspension) will be used as the slurry tracer. Four experimental phases are recommended for the RTD tracer studies: (1) preheater; (2) dissolver with 100% takeoff; (3) dissolver with 100% takeoff and solids withdrawal; and (4) dissolver with 50% takeoff. Eighteen gas-tracer and 22 liquid-tracer injections are projected to accomplish the four experimental phases. Two to four tracer injections are projected for preliminary tests to ensure the capability of safe injection of the radiotracers and the collection of statistically significant data. A complete projected cost and time schedule is provided, including procurement of necessary components, preparation of the radiotracers, assembly and testing of tracer injection apparatus and detection systems, onsite work and tracer injections, laboratory experimentation, data analysis, and report writing

Diffusion of iron in β-iron telluride (Fe1.12Te) by Moessbauer spectroscopy and tracer method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magara, Masaaki; Tsuji, Toshihide; Naito, Keiji

1993-01-01

The diffusion coefficient of iron in a β-iron telluride (Fe 1.12 Te) polycrystalline sample was measured by Moessbauer diffusional line broadening method which relates to the collapse of coherence in gamma-ray photon by the atomic jump at local sites. The diffusion coefficient of iron along the c-axis in nearly single crystal of β-iron telluride was also measured by tracer technique which shows the results of an atom transport in long distance. The activation energies for the diffusion of iron in Fe 1.12 Te obtained by the Moessbauer spectroscopy and the tracer method were 91.5±5.4 and 106±23 kJ/mol, respectively. The diffusion coefficients of iron in β-iron telluride obtained by Moessbauer line broadening are in fair agreement with the values averaged from that along c-axis obtained by tracer method and that along a- and b-axes obtained from reaction rate constant between iron and tellurium by the previous study of the present authors. (orig.)

Radon as tracer to identify discharge sections at Juatuba basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chagas, Claudio Jose; Ferreira, Vinicius Verna Magalhaes; Fonseca, Raquel Luisa Mageste; Rocha, Zildete; Moreira, Rubens Martins; Lemos, Nayron Cosme; Menezes, Angela de Barros Correia; Santos, Talita Oliveira

2015-01-01

The use of natural tracers in hydrological studies is a very useful tool, being applied in several studies. One of these tracers is the radon, 222 Rn, noble gas derived from natural sources, been found in all underground waters, as a product of radioactive decay of the 226 Ra. This gas can be found in the air, water, rocks or soil. In this paper, the 222 Rn detection in surface water was used as tracer in order to identify aquifer discharge sections in surface water at the Fundao stream, which belongs to the Juatuba river basin, through the second semester of 2014 and the first semester of 2015, in three sampling campaigns. The 222 Rn measurements at Fundao stream were carried out using the equipment RAD 7. The results showed that 222 Rn is present in some sections of the water course suggesting that there is a connection between groundwater and surface water. It also justifies the variation in the water level in the stream, recorded by a fluviometric station. (author)

Radon as tracer to identify discharge sections at Juatuba basin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chagas, Claudio Jose; Ferreira, Vinicius Verna Magalhaes; Fonseca, Raquel Luisa Mageste; Rocha, Zildete; Moreira, Rubens Martins; Lemos, Nayron Cosme; Menezes, Angela de Barros Correia, E-mail: vvmf@cdtn.br, E-mail: rlmf@cdtn.br, E-mail: cjc@cdtn.br, E-mail: rochaz@cdtn.br, E-mail: rubens@cdtn.br, E-mail: menezes@cdtn.br, E-mail: lemosnc@cdtn.br [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Santos, Talita Oliveira, E-mail: talitaolsantos@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Escola de Engenharia. Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear. Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Ciencias e Tecnicas Nucleares

2015-07-01

The use of natural tracers in hydrological studies is a very useful tool, being applied in several studies. One of these tracers is the radon, {sup 222}Rn, noble gas derived from natural sources, been found in all underground waters, as a product of radioactive decay of the {sup 226}Ra. This gas can be found in the air, water, rocks or soil. In this paper, the {sup 222}Rn detection in surface water was used as tracer in order to identify aquifer discharge sections in surface water at the Fundao stream, which belongs to the Juatuba river basin, through the second semester of 2014 and the first semester of 2015, in three sampling campaigns. The {sup 222}Rn measurements at Fundao stream were carried out using the equipment RAD 7. The results showed that {sup 222}Rn is present in some sections of the water course suggesting that there is a connection between groundwater and surface water. It also justifies the variation in the water level in the stream, recorded by a fluviometric station. (author)

Radioisotope tracer applications in industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, S.M.

1987-01-01

Radioisotope tracers have many advantages in industrial trouble-shooting and studies on process kinetics. The applications are mainly of two types: one leading to qualitative (Yes or No type) information and the other to quantitative characterisation of flow processes through mass balance considerations and flow models. ''Yes or No'' type methods are mainly used for leakage and blockage locations in pipelines and in other industrial systems and also for location of water seepage zones in oil wells. Flow measurements in pipelines and mercury inventory in electrolytic cells are good examples of tracer methods using the mass balance approach. Axial dispersion model and Tanks-in-Series model are the two basic flow models commonly used with tracer methods for the characterisation of kinetic processes. Examples include studies on flow processes in sugar crystallisers as well as in a precalcinator in a cement plant. (author). 18 figs

A novel headspace gas chromatographic method for in situ monitoring of monomer conversion during polymerization in an emulsion environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chai, Xin-Sheng; Zhong, Jin-Feng; Hu, Hui-Chao

2012-05-18

This paper describes a novel multiple-headspace extraction/gas chromatographic (MHE-GC) technique for monitoring monomer conversion during a polymerization reaction in a water-based emulsion environment. The polymerization reaction of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in an aqueous emulsion is used as an example. The reaction was performed in a closed headspace sample vial (as a mini-reactor), with pentane as a tracer. In situ monitoring of the vapor concentration of the tracer, employing a multiple headspace extraction (sampling) scheme, coupled to a GC, makes it possible to quantitatively follow the conversion of MMA during the early stages of polymerization. Data on the integrated amount of the tracer vapor released from the monomer droplet phase during the polymerization is described by a mathematic equation from which the monomer conversion can be calculated. The present method is simple, automated and economical, and provides an efficient tool in the investigation of the reaction kinetics and effects of the reaction conditions on the early stage of polymerization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Behavior of water of crystallization in CuSO4·5H2O studied by the tritium tracer method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Tetsuya; Jiao, Yurong; Imaizumi, Hiroshi; Kano, Naoki

2011-01-01

Tritium (T) is one of hydrogen isotopes, and its chemical behavior is similar to other hydrogen isotopes. Therefore tritium is used as one of tracers in chemical experimental tracer. As one of applications, we tried to apply this method to clarifying the behavior of water of crystallization in an inorganic material. The sample used was copper sulfate pentahydrate. First, this compound was tritiated, then desorbed the water of crystallization from the tritiated compound. Comparing the behavior of amount of substance with the specific activity, the following four matters have been found. (1) There is no relation between each T concentration of HTO water and the mass of the compound within the T concentration used. (2) It can be confirmed that copper sulfate pentahydrate has three kinds of energetically different water of crystallization by T tracer method. (3) Each T concentration of water of crystallization is different at the coordinate position, and the HTO molecule is hard to coordinate at the position having weak binding force. (4) The T tracer method is useful to analyze the behavior of the combined water in materials. (author)

Field measurement of mixing degree in coal mixer by later activable tracer method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokooji, Makoto; Uemura, Katsumi; Adachi, Syoichi

1975-01-01

Mixing effectiveness in a rotary drum mixer for coke production was examined. Though the method to use the dispersion of characteristic values such as ash content or volatile components is common for measuring the mixing effectiveness, here the later activable tracer method with radioisotopes was employed, because the former method includes the dispersion of the characteristic values for raw materials themselves, and is poor in detectability. In a preliminary test, the expression for mixing degree was determined, and the tracer nuclide was selected. Coal mixture was irradiated in the TRIGA II reactor of St. Paul University for 4 hours at 100 kW. then further preliminary test was performed for La and Mn which were selected among the typical usable elements listed up by reviewing their γ-spectra. Finally, Mn was adopted by comparing both elements regarding their time required for activation analysis and economy. Manganese concentration originally contained in the coal mixture was 38 ppm. Mixing degree after passing through the coal mixer was 99.8%. The results of the regular test are shown in a table, and indicate that the mixer fully attained its aim. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Measurement of protein digestibility in humans by a dual-tracer method.

Science.gov (United States)

Devi, Sarita; Varkey, Aneesia; Sheshshayee, M S; Preston, Thomas; Kurpad, Anura V

2018-06-01

Recent evaluations of the risk of dietary protein deficiency have indicated that protein digestibility may be a key limiting factor in the provision of indispensable amino acids (IAAs), particularly for vulnerable populations living in challenging environments where intestinal dysfunction may exist. Since the digestion of protein occurs only in the small intestine, and the metabolic activity of colonic bacteria confounds measurements at the fecal level, there is a need to develop noninvasive protein digestibility measurements at the ileal level. We used a dual-tracer method with stable isotopes to characterize the digestibility of uniformly labeled [13C]-spirulina protein as a standard protein, in comparison to a mixture of 2H-labeled crystalline amino acids, and then demonstrated the use of this standard protein to measure the digestibility of selected legumes (chick pea and mung bean) through the use of proteins that were intrinsically labeled with 2H. The digestibility of uniformly labeled [13C]-spirulina was first measured in 6 healthy volunteers (3 males and 3 females) by feeding it along with a standard mixture of 2H-labeled amino acids, in a dual-tracer, plateau-fed test meal approach. Next, intrinsically labeled legume protein digestibility was studied with a similar dual-tracer approach, with uniformly labeled [13C]-spirulina as the standard, when processed differently before consumption. The average digestibility of IAA in spirulina protein was 85.2%. The average IAA digestibility of intrinsically 2H-labeled chick pea and mung bean protein was 56.6% and 57.7%, respectively. Dehulling of mung bean before ingestion increased the average IAA digestibility by 9.9% in comparison to whole mung bean digestibility. An innovative, minimally invasive "dual-stable-isotope" method was developed to measure protein digestibility, in which the ingestion of an intrinsically 2H-labeled test protein along with a 13C-labeled standard protein of known digestibility allows

A novel Kr-83m tracer method for characterizing xenon gas and cryogenic distillation systems

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rosendahl, S.; Bokeloh, K.; Brown, E.; Cristescu, R.; Fieguth, A.; Huhmann, C.; Lebeda, Ondřej; Levy, C.; Murra, M.; Schneider, S.; Vénos, Drahoslav; Weinheimer, C.

2014-01-01

Roč. 9, OCT (2014), p10010 ISSN 1748-0221 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP203/12/1896; GA MŠk(XE) LM2011019 Institutional support: RVO:61389005 Keywords : photon detectors for UV * visible and IR photons (gas) * gas systems and purification * scintillators, scintillation and light emission processes (solid, gas and liquid scintillators) * very low-energy charged particle detectors Subject RIV: JB - Sensors, Measurment, Regulation Impact factor: 1.399, year: 2014

In-situ testing methods using radioactive tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauzay, G.

1976-01-01

Some typical applications of tracer techniques in hydrology are presented: study of the extraction of sands and gravels in a estuary; in-situ study of the transport of sediments by the swell at a depth ranging from 8 to 22m; study of the transport of sands on the site Bonne Anse - Saint Palais [fr

Inverse modelling of atmospheric tracers: non-Gaussian methods and second-order sensitivity analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Bocquet

2008-02-01

Full Text Available For a start, recent techniques devoted to the reconstruction of sources of an atmospheric tracer at continental scale are introduced. A first method is based on the principle of maximum entropy on the mean and is briefly reviewed here. A second approach, which has not been applied in this field yet, is based on an exact Bayesian approach, through a maximum a posteriori estimator. The methods share common grounds, and both perform equally well in practice. When specific prior hypotheses on the sources are taken into account such as positivity, or boundedness, both methods lead to purposefully devised cost-functions. These cost-functions are not necessarily quadratic because the underlying assumptions are not Gaussian. As a consequence, several mathematical tools developed in data assimilation on the basis of quadratic cost-functions in order to establish a posteriori analysis, need to be extended to this non-Gaussian framework. Concomitantly, the second-order sensitivity analysis needs to be adapted, as well as the computations of the averaging kernels of the source and the errors obtained in the reconstruction. All of these developments are applied to a real case of tracer dispersion: the European Tracer Experiment [ETEX]. Comparisons are made between a least squares cost function (similar to the so-called 4D-Var approach and a cost-function which is not based on Gaussian hypotheses. Besides, the information content of the observations which is used in the reconstruction is computed and studied on the application case. A connection with the degrees of freedom for signal is also established. As a by-product of these methodological developments, conclusions are drawn on the information content of the ETEX dataset as seen from the inverse modelling point of view.

Tracer SWIW tests in propped and un-propped fractures: parameter sensitivity issues, revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Ghergut, Julia; Behrens, Horst; Sauter, Martin

2017-04-01

Single-well injection-withdrawal (SWIW) or 'push-then-pull' tracer methods appear attractive for a number of reasons: less uncertainty on design and dimensioning, and lower tracer quantities required than for inter-well tests; stronger tracer signals, enabling easier and cheaper metering, and shorter metering duration required, reaching higher tracer mass recovery than in inter-well tests; last not least: no need for a second well. However, SWIW tracer signal inversion faces a major issue: the 'push-then-pull' design weakens the correlation between tracer residence times and georeservoir transport parameters, inducing insensitivity or ambiguity of tracer signal inversion w. r. to some of those georeservoir parameters that are supposed to be the target of tracer tests par excellence: pore velocity, transport-effective porosity, fracture or fissure aperture and spacing or density (where applicable), fluid/solid or fluid/fluid phase interface density. Hydraulic methods cannot measure the transport-effective values of such parameters, because pressure signals correlate neither with fluid motion, nor with material fluxes through (fluid-rock, or fluid-fluid) phase interfaces. The notorious ambiguity impeding parameter inversion from SWIW test signals has nourished several 'modeling attitudes': (i) regard dispersion as the key process encompassing whatever superposition of underlying transport phenomena, and seek a statistical description of flow-path collectives enabling to characterize dispersion independently of any other transport parameter, as proposed by Gouze et al. (2008), with Hansen et al. (2016) offering a comprehensive analysis of the various ways dispersion model assumptions interfere with parameter inversion from SWIW tests; (ii) regard diffusion as the key process, and seek for a large-time, asymptotically advection-independent regime in the measured tracer signals (Haggerty et al. 2001), enabling a dispersion-independent characterization of multiple

Tracer a application in marine outfall studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genders, S.

1979-01-01

The applicability of radioactive and fluorescent tracers for field studies to predict or investigate waste water transport and dispersion from marine outfalls is evaluated. The application of either instantaneous or continuous tracer release, 'in situ' detection of tracers and data processing are considered. The necessity of a combined use of tracer techniques and conventional hydrographic methods for a statistical prediction of transport and dillution of waste water are pointed out. A procedure to determine an outlet distance from the coast, which satisfy bathing water criteria is outlined. (M.A.) [pt

Using radioactive tracer technique in municipal hygiene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yurasova, O.I.

1974-01-01

Work of the A. N. Syrsin Institute of General and Municiapl Hygiene using raidoactive tracers is reviewed. The studies include research on protein metabolism in the living organism following action of unfavorable factors of the environment; determination of the paths of introduction into the organism of substances with an alien composition; and study of the rate of resorption of subcutaneous papuli. Results are shown of radioactive-tracer studies on the mechanism of action of poisonous substances on the living organism and of migration of alien chemical compounds in the organism and in objects in the environment. It is concluded that the radioactive tracer method has wide application in municipal hygiene and sanitary microbiology. The absence of laborious operations, economy of time, precision of the experiments, and the possibility of obtaining additional information on the mechanism of action of poisonous substances on the organism and the low cost of such studies compared with other methods makes the radioactive tracer method economically attractive. The studies made show the various types of use of the method in municipal hygiene and sanitary microbiology

Using radioactive tracer technique in municipal hygiene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yurasova, O I [Institut Obshchej i Kommunal' noj Gigieny, Moscow (USSR)

1974-01-01

Work of the A. N. Syrsin Institute of General and Municiapl Hygiene using raidoactive tracers is reviewed. The studies include research on protein metabolism in the living organism following action of unfavorable factors of the environment; determination of the paths of introduction into the organism of substances with an alien composition; and study of the rate of resorption of subcutaneous papuli. Results are shown of radioactive-tracer studies on the mechanism of action of poisonous substances on the living organism and of migration of alien chemical compounds in the organism and in objects in the environment. It is concluded that the radioactive tracer method has wide application in municipal hygiene and sanitary microbiology. The absence of laborious operations, economy of time, precision of the experiments, and the possibility of obtaining additional information on the mechanism of action of poisonous substances on the organism and the low cost of such studies compared with other methods makes the radioactive tracer method economically attractive. The studies made show the various types of use of the method in municipal hygiene and sanitary microbiology.

Tracer-tracer relations as a tool for research on polar ozone loss

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueller, Rolf

2010-07-01

The report includes the following chapters: (1) Introduction: ozone in the atmosphere, anthropogenic influence on the ozone layer, polar stratospheric ozone loss; (2) Tracer-tracer relations in the stratosphere: tracer-tracer relations as a tool in atmospheric research; impact of cosmic-ray-induced heterogeneous chemistry on polar ozone; (3) quantifying polar ozone loss from ozone-tracer relations: principles of tracer-tracer correlation techniques; reference ozone-tracer relations in the early polar vortex; impact of mixing on ozone-tracer relations in the polar vortex; impact of mesospheric intrusions on ozone-tracer relations in the stratospheric polar vortex calculation of chemical ozone loss in the arctic in March 2003 based on ILAS-II measurements; (4) epilogue.

Instantaneous axial velocity of a radioactive tracer determined with radioactive particle tracking

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fraguio, Maria Sol; Cassanello, Miryan C., E-mail: miryan@di.fcen.uba.a [Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina). Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Programa de Investigacion y Desarrollo de Fuentes Alternativas de Materias Primas y Energia (PINMATE); Cardona, Maria Angelica; Hojman, Daniel, E-mail: cardona@tandar.cnea.gov.a [CONICET, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Somacal, Hector [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA), Buenos Aires (Argentina). Centro Atomico Constituyentes. Dept. de Fisica

2009-07-01

Radioactive Particle Tracking (RPT) is a technique that has been successfully used to get features of the liquid and/or the solid motion in multiphase contactors. It is one of the rare techniques able to provide experimental data in dense and strongly turbulent multiphase media. Validation of the technique has always been based on comparing the estimated mean velocity to an imposed mean velocity although the extracted features are frequently related to the instantaneous velocities. The present work pursues the analysis, through calibration experiments, of the ability of RPT to get the actual tracer instantaneous velocities. With this purpose, the motion of a radioactive tracer attached to a moving rod driven by a pneumatic system is reconstructed from the combined response of an array of 10 NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors. Simultaneously, the tracer motion is registered through an encoder able to establish the axial tracer coordinate with high precision and high time resolution. The tracer is a gold particle, activated by neutron bombardment. The rod is moved at different velocities and it travels upwards and downwards close to the column centre. A mini-pilot scale bubble column is used as the test facility. The model liquid is tap water in batch mode and the gas is air, flowing at different gas velocities, spanning the homogeneous and the heterogeneous flow regimes. Time series of the entirety response of all the detectors, while the rod is moving at different imposed velocities within the two phase emulsion, are measured with a sampling period of 0.03 s during about 2 minutes. The instantaneous tracer positions and velocities reconstructed from RPT and the one obtained from the encoder response are compared under different operating conditions and for different tracer velocities. (author)

Nanoparticle tracers in calcium carbonate porous media

KAUST Repository

Li, Yan Vivian

2014-07-15

Tracers are perhaps the most direct way of diagnosing subsurface fluid flow pathways for ground water decontamination and for natural gas and oil production. Nanoparticle tracers could be particularly effective because they do not diffuse away from the fractures or channels where flow occurs and thus take much less time to travel between two points. In combination with a chemical tracer they can measure the degree of flow concentration. A prerequisite for tracer applications is that the particles are not retained in the porous media as the result of aggregation or sticking to mineral surfaces. By screening eight nanoparticles (3-100 nm in diameter) for retention when passed through calcium carbonate packed laboratory columns in artificial oil field brine solutions of variable ionic strength we show that the nanoparticles with the least retention are 3 nm in diameter, nearly uncharged, and decorated with highly hydrophilic polymeric ligands. The details of these column experiments and the tri-modal distribution of zeta potential of the calcite sand particles in the brine used in our tests suggests that parts of the calcite surface have positive zeta potential and the retention of negatively charged nanoparticles occurs at these sites. Only neutral nanoparticles are immune to at least some retention. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media.

Method for assessment of stormwater treatment facilities - Synthetic road runoff addition including micro-pollutants and tracer.

Science.gov (United States)

Cederkvist, Karin; Jensen, Marina B; Holm, Peter E

2017-08-01

Stormwater treatment facilities (STFs) are becoming increasingly widespread but knowledge on their performance is limited. This is due to difficulties in obtaining representative samples during storm events and documenting removal of the broad range of contaminants found in stormwater runoff. This paper presents a method to evaluate STFs by addition of synthetic runoff with representative concentrations of contaminant species, including the use of tracer for correction of removal rates for losses not caused by the STF. A list of organic and inorganic contaminant species, including trace elements representative of runoff from roads is suggested, as well as relevant concentration ranges. The method was used for adding contaminants to three different STFs including a curbstone extension with filter soil, a dual porosity filter, and six different permeable pavements. Evaluation of the method showed that it is possible to add a well-defined mixture of contaminants despite different field conditions by having a flexibly system, mixing different stock-solutions on site, and use bromide tracer for correction of outlet concentrations. Bromide recovery ranged from only 12% in one of the permeable pavements to 97% in the dual porosity filter, stressing the importance of including a conservative tracer for correction of contaminant retention values. The method is considered useful in future treatment performance testing of STFs. The observed performance of the STFs is presented in coming papers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leakage detection of Marcellus Shale natural gas at an Upper Devonian gas monitoring well: a 3-d numerical modeling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Liwei; Anderson, Nicole; Dilmore, Robert; Soeder, Daniel J; Bromhal, Grant

2014-09-16

Potential natural gas leakage into shallow, overlying formations and aquifers from Marcellus Shale gas drilling operations is a public concern. However, before natural gas could reach underground sources of drinking water (USDW), it must pass through several geologic formations. Tracer and pressure monitoring in formations overlying the Marcellus could help detect natural gas leakage at hydraulic fracturing sites before it reaches USDW. In this study, a numerical simulation code (TOUGH 2) was used to investigate the potential for detecting leaking natural gas in such an overlying geologic formation. The modeled zone was based on a gas field in Greene County, Pennsylvania, undergoing production activities. The model assumed, hypothetically, that methane (CH4), the primary component of natural gas, with some tracer, was leaking around an existing well between the Marcellus Shale and the shallower and lower-pressure Bradford Formation. The leaky well was located 170 m away from a monitoring well, in the Bradford Formation. A simulation study was performed to determine how quickly the tracer monitoring could detect a leak of a known size. Using some typical parameters for the Bradford Formation, model results showed that a detectable tracer volume fraction of 2.0 × 10(-15) would be noted at the monitoring well in 9.8 years. The most rapid detection of tracer for the leak rates simulated was 81 days, but this scenario required that the leakage release point was at the same depth as the perforation zone of the monitoring well and the zones above and below the perforation zone had low permeability, which created a preferred tracer migration pathway along the perforation zone. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the time needed to detect CH4 leakage at the monitoring well was very sensitive to changes in the thickness of the high-permeability zone, CH4 leaking rate, and production rate of the monitoring well.

Quantifying methane emission from fugitive sources by combining tracer release and downwind measurements – A sensitivity analysis based on multiple field surveys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mønster, Jacob; Samuelsson, Jerker; Kjeldsen, Peter

2014-01-01

Using a dual species methane/acetylene instrument based on cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS), the dynamic plume tracer dispersion method for quantifying the emission rate of methane was successfully tested in four measurement campaigns: (1) controlled methane and trace gas release with differe...

Use of K360Co(CN)6 and 114mInEDTA tracers determined by liquid scintillators method in hydrogeologic studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lebecka, J.; Tomza, I.; Trzebicka, B.; Soltyk, W.

1986-01-01

The sensitive methods of K 3 60 Co(CN) 6 and 114m InEDTA tracers detection using the measurements by liquid scintillators method were elaborated to broaden the range of their use. The radiochemical separation of radioisotopes from investigated water samples and the measurement of their activity as well as double labelled samples are described. The practical uses of tracers are given. (A.S.)

Fully automated preparation of [11C]choline and [18F]fluoromethylcholine using TracerLab synthesis modules and facilitated quality control using analytical HPLC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao Xia; Hockley, Brian G.; Hoareau, Raphael; Schnau, Paul L.; Scott, Peter J.H.

2011-01-01

Modifications of a GE TracerLab FX C-Pro , which can be implemented for solid-phase [ 11 C]methylation are described. The simplified procedure for synthesis of [ 11 C]choline uses a single Sep-Pak CM-Light cation-exchange cartridge for both solid-supported reaction and purification. Compared with the commonly used two Sep-Pak method, the low back-pressure of this Sep-Pak enables efficient and reliable production of [ 11 C]choline using a TracerLab FX C-Pro without requirement for any gas pressure adjustment. Typical radiochemical yields (RCY) are >60%, radiochemical purity (RCP) is 99.9% and levels of residual precursor in the final product, which may inhibit the uptake of [ 11 C]choline, are reduced to 1 μg/mL. Similarly, modification of a GE TracerLab FX FN is reported which enables gas-phase production of [ 18 F]fluoromethylcholine, suitable for pre-clinical use, (in 4-6% RCY and >99.7% RCP) using a related Sep-Pak method. These modifications can be utilized for solid-phase [ 11 C]methylation and [ 18 F]fluoromethylation of other radiotracers, and allow straightforward switching to other module configurations for solution-phase radiochemistry or loop chemistry. In addition, we report a convenient HPLC ion chromatography method, which can monitor residual precursor and the radiochemical purity of product at the same time, providing highly efficient quality control for routine clinical application. The reported HPLC method is appropriate for analysis of doses of both [ 11 C]choline and [ 18 F]fluoromethylcholine, and eliminates the need for a GC method to determine residual precursor levels. -- Graphical abstract: Simplified procedures for the automated synthesis of [ 11 C]choline and [ 18 F]fluoromethylcholine using TracerLab FX C-Pro and TracerLab FX FN synthesis modules are presented. In addition, we report a convenient HPLC ion chromatography method, which can monitor residual precursor and radiochemical purity of the product at the same time. Display Omitted

Use of radioactive tracers in dynamic sedimentology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tola, Francois.

1982-01-01

In the first part, developments in the use of radioactive tracers in sedimentology are recalled together with the corresponding fields of application and the identities of the main users. The state-of-the-art in France is also discussed; The main characteristics of the method are then described and compared with those of more classical methods. The results that can be obtained with tracer methods are then outlined. The criteria employed to establish the granulometry characteristics of the tracer, the particular radioisotope to be used, and the masses and activities involved, are treated. A list is then given of the main isotopes available in France and their characteristics. The various different labelling techniques employed are studied together with their respective advantages and disadvantages. The special case of pelitic sediments is mentioned. The use of reduced model isotope generators, double labelling and applications to studies of the mud plug in the Gironde Estuary are also discussed. The methods and materials used for injecting and detecting tracers are described, emphasis being given to the economic factors associated with the use of radioactive tracers in sedimentology. The second part of the report contains two chapters: - studies of transport by driftage: presentation and analysis of results and the application of the Count Rate Balance method to obtain quantitative information on transport; - studies of in-suspension transport of fine sediments in the sea: the procedures adopted from the moment when the tracer is introduced up to the time when the results are analyzed and interpreted, enables the trajectories and mean velocities of the transported sediments to be determined together with their degree of dilution and their settling speeds and rates; it is also possible to investigate the evolution and horizontal dispersion of the sediments in this way. Results from recent experiments are presented in both parts of the report

Characterization of two-phase flow regimes in horizontal tubes using 81mKr tracer experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Oriol, Jean; Leclerc, Jean Pierre; Berne, Philippe; Gousseau, Georges; Jallut, Christian; Tochon, Patrice; Clement, Patrice

2008-10-01

The diagnosis of heat exchangers on duty with respect to flow mal-distributions needs the development of non-intrusive inlet-outlet experimental techniques in order to perform an online fault diagnosis. Tracer experiments are an example of such techniques. They can be applied to mono-phase heat exchangers but also to multi-phase ones. In this case, the tracer experiments are more difficult to perform. In order to check for the capabilities of tracer experiments to be used for the flow mal-distribution diagnosis in the case of multi-phase heat exchangers, we present here a preliminary study on the simplest possible system: two-phase flows in a horizontal tube. (81m)Kr is used as gas tracer and properly collimated NaI (TI) crystal scintillators as detectors. The specific shape of the tracer response allows two-phase flow regimes to be characterized. Signal analysis allows the estimation of the gas phase real average velocity and consequently of the liquid phase real average velocity as well as of the volumetric void fraction. These results are compared successfully to those obtained with liquid phase tracer experiments previously presented by Oriol et al. 2007. Characterization of the two-phase flow regimes and liquid dispersion in horizontal and vertical tubes using coloured tracer and no intrusive optical detector. Chem. Eng. Sci. 63(1), 24-34, as well as to those given by correlations from literature.

Characterization of two-phase flow regimes in horizontal tubes using 81mKr tracer experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oriol, Jean; Leclerc, Jean Pierre; Berne, Philippe; Gousseau, Georges; Jallut, Christian; Tochon, Patrice; Clement, Patrice

2008-01-01

The diagnosis of heat exchangers on duty with respect to flow mal-distributions needs the development of non-intrusive inlet-outlet experimental techniques in order to perform an online fault diagnosis. Tracer experiments are an example of such techniques. They can be applied to mono-phase heat exchangers but also to multi-phase ones. In this case, the tracer experiments are more difficult to perform. In order to check for the capabilities of tracer experiments to be used for the flow mal-distribution diagnosis in the case of multi-phase heat exchangers, we present here a preliminary study on the simplest possible system: two-phase flows in a horizontal tube. 81m Kr is used as gas tracer and properly collimated NaI (TI) crystal scintillators as detectors. The specific shape of the tracer response allows two-phase flow regimes to be characterized. Signal analysis allows the estimation of the gas phase real average velocity and consequently of the liquid phase real average velocity as well as of the volumetric void fraction. These results are compared successfully to those obtained with liquid phase tracer experiments previously presented by Oriol et al. 2007. Characterization of the two-phase flow regimes and liquid dispersion in horizontal and vertical tubes using coloured tracer and no intrusive optical detector. Chem. Eng. Sci. 63(1), 24-34, as well as to those given by correlations from literature

In Situ Tracer method for establishing the presence and predicting the activity of heavy metal-reducing microbes in the subsurface. Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hatfield, K.

2003-07-01

Tracer method to establish presence and distribution of chromium reducing microbes. The primary objective of this research was to establish an in situ tracer method for detecting the presence. distribution. and activity of subsurface heavy metal-reducing microorganisms. Research focused on microbial systems responsible for the reduction of chromium and a suite of biotracers coupled to the reduction process. The tracer method developed may be used to characterize sites contaminated with chromium or expedite bioremediation: and although research focused on chromium. the method can be easily extended to other metals, organics, and radionuclides. This brief final report contains three major sections. The first identifies specific products of the research effort such as students supported and publications. The second section briefly presents major research findings, while the last section summarizes the overall research effort.

Transport of Perfluorocarbon Tracers in the Cranfield Geological Carbon Sequestration Project

Science.gov (United States)

Moortgat, J.; Soltanian, M. R.; Amooie, M. A.; Cole, D. R.; Graham, D. E.; Pfiffner, S. M.; Phelps, T.

2017-12-01

A field-scale carbon dioxide (CO2) injection pilot project was conducted by the Southeast Regional Sequestration Partnership (SECARB) at Cranfield, Mississippi. Two associated campaigns in 2009 and 2010 were carried out to co-inject perfluorocarbon tracers (PFTs) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) with CO2. Tracers in gas samples from two observation wells were analyzed to construct breakthrough curves. We present the compiled field data as well as detailed numerical modeling of the flow and transport of CO2, brine, and introduced tracers. A high-resolution static model of the formation geology in the Detailed Area Study (DAS) was used in order to capture the impact of connected flow pathways created by fluvial channels on breakthrough curves and breakthrough times of PFTs and SF6 tracers. We use the cubic-plus-association (CPA) equation of state, which takes into account the polar nature of water molecules, to describe the phase behavior of CO2-brine-tracer mixtures. We show how the combination of multiple tracer injection pulses with detailed numerical simulations provide a powerful tool in constraining both formation properties and how complex flow pathways develop over time.

Tracers vs. trajectories in a coastal region

Science.gov (United States)

Engqvist, A.; Döös, K.

2008-12-01

Two different methods of estimating the water exchange through a Baltic coastal region have been used, consisting of particle trajectories and passive tracers. Water is traced from and to a small discharge region near the coast. The discharge material in this region is treated as zero dimensional particles or tracers with neutral buoyancy. The real discharge material could be a leakage of radio-nuclides through the sea floor from an underground repository of nuclear waste. Water exchange rates between the discharge region and the model domain are estimated using both forward and backward trajectories as well as passive tracers. The Lagrangian trajectories can account for the time evolution of the water exchange while the tracers give one average age per model grid box. Water exchange times such as residence time, age and transient times have been calculated with trajectories but only the average age (AvA) for tracers. The trajectory calculations provide a more detailed time evolution than the tracers. On the other hand the tracers are integrated "on-line" simultaneously in the sea circulation model with the same time step while the Lagrangian trajectories are integrated "off-line" from the stored model velocities with its inherent temporal resolution, presently one hour. The sub-grid turbulence is parameterised as a Laplacian diffusion for the passive tracers and with an extra stochastic velocity for trajectories. The importance of the parameterised sub-grid turbulence for the trajectories is estimated to give an extra diffusion of the same order as the Laplacian diffusion by comparing the Lagrangian dispersions with and without parameterisation. The results of the different methods are similar but depend on the chosen diffusivity coefficient with a slightly higher correlation between trajectories and tracers when integrated with a lower diffusivity coefficient.

The CO Transition from Diffuse Molecular Gas to Dense Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Johnathan S.; Federman, Steven

2017-06-01

The atomic to molecular transitions occurring in diffuse interstellar gas surrounding molecular clouds are affected by the local physical conditions (density and temperature) and the radiation field penetrating the material. Our optical observations of CH, CH^{+}, and CN absorption from McDonald Observatory and the European Southern Observatory are useful tracers of this gas and provide the velocity structure needed for analyzing lower resolution ultraviolet observations of CO and H_{2} absorption from Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer. We explore the changing environment between diffuse and dense gas by using the column densities and excitation temperatures from CO and H_{2} to determine the gas density. The resulting gas densities from this method are compared to densities inferred from other methods such as C_{2} and CN chemistry. The densities allow us to interpret the trends from the combined set of tracers. Groupings of sight lines, such as those toward h and χ Persei or Chameleon provide a chance for further characterization of the environment. The Chameleon region in particular helps illuminate CO-dark gas, which is not associated with emission from H I at 21 cm or from CO at 2.6 mm. Expanding this analysis to include emission data from the GOT C+ survey allows the further characterization of neutral diffuse gas, including CO-dark gas.

In-vessel source term analysis code TRACER version 2.3. User's manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toyohara, Daisuke; Ohno, Shuji; Hamada, Hirotsugu; Miyahara, Shinya

2005-01-01

A computer code TRACER (Transport Phenomena of Radionuclides for Accident Consequence Evaluation of Reactor) version 2.3 has been developed to evaluate species and quantities of fission products (FPs) released into cover gas during a fuel pin failure accident in an LMFBR. The TRACER version 2.3 includes new or modified models shown below. a) Both model: a new model for FPs release from fuel. b) Modified model for FPs transfer from fuel to bubbles or sodium coolant. c) Modified model for bubbles dynamics in coolant. Computational models, input data and output data of the TRACER version 2.3 are described in this user's manual. (author)

Materials For Gas Capture, Methods Of Making Materials For Gas Capture, And Methods Of Capturing Gas

KAUST Repository

Polshettiwar, Vivek

2013-06-20

In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure, in one aspect, relate to materials that can be used for gas (e.g., CO.sub.2) capture, methods of making materials, methods of capturing gas (e.g., CO.sub.2), and the like, and the like.

An evaluation of an improved method for computing histograms in dynamic tracer studies using positron-emission tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ollinger, J.M.; Snyder, D.L.

1986-01-01

A method for computing approximate minimum-mean-square-error estimates of histograms from list-mode data for use in dynamic tracer studies is evaluated. Parameters estimated from these histograms are significantly more accurate than those estimated from histograms computed by a commonly used method

Halon-1301, a new Groundwater Age Tracer

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, Monique; van der Raaij, Rob; Morgenstern, Uwe; Jackson, Bethanna

2015-04-01

Groundwater dating is an important tool to assess groundwater resources in regards to direction and time scale of groundwater flow and recharge and to assess contamination risks and manage remediation. To infer groundwater age information, a combination of different environmental tracers, such as tritium and SF6, are commonly used. However ambiguous age interpretations are often faced, due to a limited set of available tracers and limitations of each tracer method when applied alone. There is a need for additional, complementary groundwater age tracers. We recently discovered that Halon-1301, a water soluble and entirely anthropogenic gaseous substance, may be a promising candidate [Beyer et al, 2014]. Halon-1301 can be determined along with SF6, SF5CF3 and CFC-12 in groundwater using a gas chromatography setup with attached electron capture detector developed by Busenberg and Plummer [2008]. Halon-1301 has not been assessed in groundwater. This study assesses the behaviour of Halon-1301 in water and its suitability as a groundwater age tracer. We determined Halon-1301 in 17 groundwater and various modern (river) waters sites located in 3 different groundwater systems in the Wellington Region, New Zealand. These waters have been previously dated with tritium, CFC-12, CFC-11 and SF6 with mean residence times ranging from 0.5 to over 100 years. The waters range from oxic to anoxic and some show evidence of CFC contamination or degradation. This allows us to assess the different properties affecting the suitability of Halon-1301 as groundwater age tracer, such as its conservativeness in water and local contamination potential. The samples are analysed for Halon-1301 and SF6simultaneously, which allows identification of issues commonly faced when using gaseous tracers such as contamination with modern air during sampling. Overall we found in the assessed groundwater samples Halon-1301 is a feasible new groundwater tracer. No sample indicated significantly elevated

Characterization of two-phase flow regimes in horizontal tubes using {sup 81m}Kr tracer experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oriol, Jean [LPAC, CEA Grenoble, 17, rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Leclerc, Jean Pierre [Laboratoire des Sciences du Genie Chimique (LSGC), Nancy-Universite, CNRS, BP 20451, F-54001 Nancy (France)], E-mail: leclerc@ensic.inpl-nancy.fr; Berne, Philippe; Gousseau, Georges [L2T, CEA Grenoble, 17, rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Jallut, Christian [Universite de Lyon, Universite Lyon 1, LAGEP, UMR CNRS 5007, ESCPE, 43 Bd du 11 novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Tochon, Patrice; Clement, Patrice [GRETh, CEA Grenoble, 17, rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)

2008-10-15

The diagnosis of heat exchangers on duty with respect to flow mal-distributions needs the development of non-intrusive inlet-outlet experimental techniques in order to perform an online fault diagnosis. Tracer experiments are an example of such techniques. They can be applied to mono-phase heat exchangers but also to multi-phase ones. In this case, the tracer experiments are more difficult to perform. In order to check for the capabilities of tracer experiments to be used for the flow mal-distribution diagnosis in the case of multi-phase heat exchangers, we present here a preliminary study on the simplest possible system: two-phase flows in a horizontal tube. {sup 81m}Kr is used as gas tracer and properly collimated NaI (TI) crystal scintillators as detectors. The specific shape of the tracer response allows two-phase flow regimes to be characterized. Signal analysis allows the estimation of the gas phase real average velocity and consequently of the liquid phase real average velocity as well as of the volumetric void fraction. These results are compared successfully to those obtained with liquid phase tracer experiments previously presented by Oriol et al. 2007. Characterization of the two-phase flow regimes and liquid dispersion in horizontal and vertical tubes using coloured tracer and no intrusive optical detector. Chem. Eng. Sci. 63(1), 24-34, as well as to those given by correlations from literature.

Examination of tracer method using 43K produced with a cyclotron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuida, Koichi; Kawarazaki, Yuji; Shibuya, Masao; Nozaki, Tadashi.

1980-01-01

The 43 K tracer produced with a cyclotron is contaminated with about the same amount of 42 K. During first 43 hours after the production, the rate of attenuation of its radioactivity was greater than the theoretical value of 43 K (half-life 22.4 hours) because of the rapid attenuation of radioactivity of the contaminating 42 K (half-life 12.4 hours). After that, however, the rate of attenuation in the radioactivity of 43 K tracer followed the attenuation curve of 22.4 hr half-life, i.e., the radioactivity of the contaminating 42 K was negligible. The potassium chloride fertilizer labelled with 43 K-tracer (or 42 K-tracer) was applied for 8 days (or 4.5 days in case of 42 K) to 2-month-old rice plants grown by hydroponics, and for 7 days to rice plants grown on soil (at ripening stage). The rice plants were then dried for 24 hours at 70 deg C, and the radioactivity was measured by a scintillation counter. 43 K was able to be traced for 13.3 days in the plants grown by hydroponics, and 42 K for 5.4 days, but 43 K was able to be traced only for 7.4 days in the plants grown on soil which absorb 43 K poorly. Since 43 K and 42 K are γ-ray emittors, and the energy is not low, microautoradiograms were not able to be made, but macroautoradiograms were made. The autoradiograms for 43 K and 42 K did not differ in resolution, and both were clear. The radioactivity of 43 K did not diminish so rapidly as 42 K, but was lost in one month. Such character of 43 K is beneficial both for tracer experiments and for the prevention of environmental pollution. (Kaihara, S.)

Molecules as tracers of galaxy evolution: an EMIR survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Costagliola, F.; Aalto, S.; I. Rodriguez, M.

2011-01-01

We investigate the molecular gas properties of a sample of 23 galaxies in order to find and test chemical signatures of galaxy evolution and to compare them to IR evolutionary tracers. Observation at 3 mm wavelengths were obtained with the EMIR broadband receiver, mounted on the IRAM 30 m telesco...

The new equation of steam quality and the evaluation of nonradioactive tracer method in PWR steam generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ki Bang, Sung; Young Jin, Chang

2001-01-01

The performance of steam turbines is tested as ANSI/ASME-PTC 6. This code provides rules for the accurate testing of steam turbines for the purpose of obtaining the level of performance with a minimum uncertainty. Only the relevant portion of this code needs to process any individual case, In some case the procedure is simple. However, in complex turbines or complex operation modes, more procedures are required to test the involved provisions. Anyway, to measure the steam quality in the Wolsong PHWR with 4 SGs in Korea by the methods in the section ''Measure of steam quality methods'' of ANSI/ASME PTC 6, the result was not good though the steam generators are efficient. So, the new testing method was developed and the sophisticated equation of steam quality was introduced and uses the nonradioactive chemical tracer, Lithium hydroxide(LiOH) instead of the radioactive tracer, Na-24. (author)

Relationships among ventilation-perfusion distribution, multiple inert gas methodology and metabolic blood-gas tensions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, A S; Patterson, R W; Kaufman, R D

1987-12-01

The retention equations upon which the Multiple Inert Gas Method is based are derived from basic principles using elementary algebra. It is shown that widely disparate distributions produce indistinguishable sets of retentions. The limits of resolution of perfused compartments in the VA/Q distribution obtainable by the use of the multiple inert gas method are explored mathematically, and determined to be at most shunt and two alveolar compartments ("tripartite" distribution). Every continuous distribution studied produced retentions indistinguishable from those of its unique "matching" tripartite distribution. When a distribution is minimally specified, it is unique. Any additional specification (increased resolution--more compartments) of the distribution results in the existence of an infinitude of possible distributions characterized by indistinguishable sets of retention values. No further increase in resolution results from the use of more tracers. When sets of retention values were extracted from published multiple inert gas method continuous distributions, and compared with the published "measured" retention sets, substantial differences were found. This illustrates the potential errors incurred in the practical, in vivo application of the multiple inert gas method. In preliminary studies, the tripartite distribution could be determined with at least comparable accuracy by blood-gas (oxygen, carbon dioxide) measurements.

Individual Tracer Atoms in an Ultracold Dilute Gas

Science.gov (United States)

Hohmann, Michael; Kindermann, Farina; Lausch, Tobias; Mayer, Daniel; Schmidt, Felix; Lutz, Eric; Widera, Artur

2017-06-01

We report on the experimental investigation of individual Cs atoms impinging on a dilute cloud of ultracold Rb atoms with variable density. We study the relaxation of the initial nonthermal state and detect the effect of single collisions which has so far eluded observation. We show that, after few collisions, the measured spatial distribution of the tracer atoms is correctly described by a Langevin equation with a velocity-dependent friction coefficient, over a large range of Knudsen numbers. Our results extend the simple and effective Langevin treatment to the realm of light particles in dilute gases. The experimental technique developed opens up the microscopic exploration of a novel regime of diffusion at the level of individual collisions.

Simultaneous determination of glucose turnover, alanine turnover, and gluconeogenesis in human using a double stable-isotope-labeled tracer infusion and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martineau, A.; Lecavalier, L.; Falardeau, P.; Chiasson, J.L.

1985-01-01

We have developed and validated a new method to measure simultaneously glucose turnover, alanine turnover, and gluconeogenesis in human, in steady and non-steady states, using a double stable-isotope-labeled tracer infusion and GC-MS analysis. The method is based on the concomitant infusion and dilution of D-[2,3,4,6,6-2H5]glucose and L-[1,2,3-13C3]alanine. The choice of the tracers was done on the basis of a minimal overlap between the ions of interest and those arising from natural isotopic abundances. Alanine was chosen as the gluconeogenic substrate because it is the major gluconeogenic amino acid extracted by the liver and, with lactate, constitutes the bulk of the gluconeogenic precursors. The method was validated by comparing the results obtained during simultaneous infusion of trace amounts of both stable isotope labeled compounds with the radioactive tracers (D-[3-3H]glucose and L-[1,2,3-14C3]alanine) in a normal and a diabetic subject; the radiolabeled tracers were used as the accepted reference procedure. A slight overestimation of glucose turnover (7.3 versus 6.8 in normal and 10.8 versus 9.2 mumol/kg min in diabetic subject) was noticed when the stable isotope-labeled tracers were used. For the basal turnover rate of alanine, similar values were obtained with both methods (6.2 mumol/kg min). For gluconeogenesis, higher values were observed in the basal state with the stable isotopes (0.42 versus 0.21 mumol/kg min); however, these differences disappeared in the postprandial period after the ingestion of a mixed meal. Despite those minor differences, the overall correlation with the reference method was excellent for glucose turnover (r = 0.87) and gluconeogenesis (r = 0.86)

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: a new method to estimate molecular gas surface densities from star formation rates

Science.gov (United States)

Federrath, Christoph; Salim, Diane M.; Medling, Anne M.; Davies, Rebecca L.; Yuan, Tiantian; Bian, Fuyan; Groves, Brent A.; Ho, I.-Ting; Sharp, Robert; Kewley, Lisa J.; Sweet, Sarah M.; Richards, Samuel N.; Bryant, Julia J.; Brough, Sarah; Croom, Scott; Scott, Nicholas; Lawrence, Jon; Konstantopoulos, Iraklis; Goodwin, Michael

2017-07-01

Stars form in cold molecular clouds. However, molecular gas is difficult to observe because the most abundant molecule (H2) lacks a permanent dipole moment. Rotational transitions of CO are often used as a tracer of H2, but CO is much less abundant and the conversion from CO intensity to H2 mass is often highly uncertain. Here we present a new method for estimating the column density of cold molecular gas (Σgas) using optical spectroscopy. We utilize the spatially resolved Hα maps of flux and velocity dispersion from the Sydney-AAO Multi-object Integral field spectrograph (SAMI) Galaxy Survey. We derive maps of Σgas by inverting the multi-freefall star formation relation, which connects the star formation rate surface density (ΣSFR) with Σgas and the turbulent Mach number (M). Based on the measured range of ΣSFR = 0.005-1.5 {M_{⊙} yr^{-1} kpc^{-2}} and M=18-130, we predict Σgas = 7-200 {M_{⊙} pc^{-2}} in the star-forming regions of our sample of 260 SAMI galaxies. These values are close to previously measured Σgas obtained directly with unresolved CO observations of similar galaxies at low redshift. We classify each galaxy in our sample as 'star-forming' (219) or 'composite/AGN/shock' (41), and find that in 'composite/AGN/shock' galaxies the average ΣSFR, M and Σgas are enhanced by factors of 2.0, 1.6 and 1.3, respectively, compared to star-forming galaxies. We compare our predictions of Σgas with those obtained by inverting the Kennicutt-Schmidt relation and find that our new method is a factor of 2 more accurate in predicting Σgas, with an average deviation of 32 per cent from the actual Σgas.

237 Np analytical method using 239 Np tracers and application to a contaminated nuclear disposal facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Snow, Mathew S.; Morrison, Samuel S.; Clark, Sue B.; Olson, John E.; Watrous, Matthew G.

2017-06-01

Environmental 237Np analyses are challenged by low 237Np concentrations and lack of an available yield tracer; we report a rapid, inexpensive 237Np analytical approach employing the short lived 239Np (t1/2 = 2.3 days) as a chemical yield tracer followed by 237Np quantification using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. 239Np tracer is obtained via separation from a 243Am stock solution and standardized using gamma spectrometry immediately prior to sample processing. Rapid digestions using a commercial, 900 watt “Walmart” microwave and Parr microwave vessels result in 99.8 ± 0.1% digestion yields, while chromatographic separations enable Np/U separation factors on the order of 106 and total Np yields of 95 ± 4% (2σ). Application of this method to legacy soil samples surrounding a radioactive disposal facility (the Subsurface Disposal Area at Idaho National Laboratory) reveal the presence of low level 237Np contamination within 600 meters of this site, with maximum 237Np concentrations on the order of 103 times greater than nuclear weapons testing fallout levels.

An independent method for input accountability in reprocessing plants : magnesium tracer technique for the accountability of plutonium (MAGTRAP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathews, C.K.; Jain, H.C.; Chitambar, S.A.; Kavimandan, V.D.; Aggarwal, S.K.

1975-01-01

A new technique 'MAGTRAP' for the measurement of the total plutonium in an accountability tank is described which does not require knowledge of either the total volume of solution in the tank or the size of the sample aliquot. The method depends on the addition of natural magnesium as a tracer and the subsequent isotope dilution of an aliquot using a spike with known 26 Mg/ 242 Pu ratio. Using only the isotopic ratios of 26 Mg/ 24 Mg and 239 Pu/ 242 Pu in the mixture, the quantity of the plutonium in the accountability tank can be calculated. In order to correct for magnesium blank, an additional measurement is required before tracer addition. The magnesium tracer technique can also be used to check the volume (or weight) calibration of the tank. Several experiments were carried out in the input accountability tank of the Fuel Reprocessing Plant at Tarapur to assess the accuracy of this method. The weight (or volume) of the solution in the tank could be measured independently with an accuracy of better than 0.5%. An experiment was also conducted to measure the total uranium in the accountability tank using MAGTRAP. The accuracy was better than 1%. The tracer technique was also used to arrive at optimum sparging times to ensure the homogeneity of the solution in the tank. Chemical procedures developed for the separation of plutonium and magnesium from dissolver solutions are also discussed. (author)

Tracer concentration contours in grain lattice and grain boundary diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Y. S.; Olander, D. R.

1997-01-01

Grain boundary diffusion plays a significant role in fission gas release, which is one of the crucial processes dominating nuclear fuel performance. Gaseous fission products such as Xe and Kr generated during nuclear fission have to diffuse in the grain lattice and the boundary inside fuel pellets before they reach the open spaces in a fuel rod. These processes can be studied by 'tracer diffusion' techniques, by which grain boundary diffusivity can be estimated and directly used for low burn-up fission gas release analysis. However, only a few models accounting for the both processes are available and mostly handle them numerically due to mathematical complexity. Also the numerical solution has limitations in a practical use. In this paper, an approximate analytical solution in case of stationary grain boundary in a polycrystalline solid is developed for the tracer diffusion techniques. This closed-form solution is compared to available exact and numerical solutions and it turns out that it makes computation not only greatly easier but also more accurate than previous models. It can be applied to theoretical modelings for low burn-up fission gas release phenomena and experimental analyses as well, especially for PIE (post irradiation examination). (author)

Estimating the Spatial Distribution of Groundwater Age Using Synoptic Surveys of Environmental Tracers in Streams

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, W. P.

2017-12-01

A model which simulates tracer concentration in surface water as a function the age distribution of groundwater discharge is used to characterize groundwater flow systems at a variety of spatial scales. We develop the theory behind the model and demonstrate its application in several groundwater systems of local to regional scale. A 1-D stream transport model, which includes: advection, dispersion, gas exchange, first-order decay and groundwater inflow is coupled a lumped parameter model that calculates the concentration of environmental tracers in discharging groundwater as a function of the groundwater residence time distribution. The lumped parameters, which describe the residence time distribution, are allowed to vary spatially, and multiple environmental tracers can be simulated. This model allows us to calculate the longitudinal profile of tracer concentration in streams as a function of the spatially variable groundwater age distribution. By fitting model results to observations of stream chemistry and discharge, we can then estimate the spatial distribution of groundwater age. The volume of groundwater discharge to streams can be estimated using a subset of environmental tracers, applied tracers, synoptic stream gauging or other methods, and the age of groundwater then estimated using the previously calculated groundwater discharge and observed environmental tracer concentrations. Synoptic surveys of SF6, CFC's, 3H and 222Rn, along with measured stream discharge are used to estimate the groundwater inflow distribution and mean age for regional scale surveys of the Berland River in west-central Alberta. We find that groundwater entering the Berland has observable age, and that the age estimated using our stream survey is of similar order to limited samples from groundwater wells in the region. Our results show that the stream can be used as an easily accessible location to constrain the regional scale spatial distribution of groundwater age.

A feature point identification method for positron emission particle tracking with multiple tracers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiggins, Cody, E-mail: cwiggin2@vols.utk.edu [University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 1408 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States); Santos, Roque [University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Department of Nuclear Engineering (United States); Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Departamento de Ciencias Nucleares (Ecuador); Ruggles, Arthur [University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Department of Nuclear Engineering (United States)

2017-01-21

A novel detection algorithm for Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) with multiple tracers based on optical feature point identification (FPI) methods is presented. This new method, the FPI method, is compared to a previous multiple PEPT method via analyses of experimental and simulated data. The FPI method outperforms the older method in cases of large particle numbers and fine time resolution. Simulated data show the FPI method to be capable of identifying 100 particles at 0.5 mm average spatial error. Detection error is seen to vary with the inverse square root of the number of lines of response (LORs) used for detection and increases as particle separation decreases. - Highlights: • A new approach to positron emission particle tracking is presented. • Using optical feature point identification analogs, multiple particle tracking is achieved. • Method is compared to previous multiple particle method. • Accuracy and applicability of method is explored.

Identification of fentanyl metabolites in rat urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with stable-isotope tracers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goromaru, T.; Matsuura, H.; Furuta, T.; Baba, S.; Yoshimura, N.; Miyawaki, T.; Sameshima, T.

The metabolites of fentanyl (l), which has been widely used as a neuroleptic analgesic agent, were identified in urine of rats by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with a stable-isotope tracer technique. After the oral administration of an equimolar mixture of l and deuterium-labeled l (l/l-d5), the urinary metabolites were extracted with chloroform at pH 9.0. Extracts were derivatized and analyzed by GC/MS. Metabolites were identified by the presence of doublet ion peaks separated by 5 amu, and chemical structures were established from analyses of fragmentation pathways. The metabolites were identified as 4-N-(N-propionylanilino)-piperidine, 4-N-(N-hydroxypropionylanilino)piperidine, 4-N-(N-propionylanilino) hydroxypiperidine, 1-(2-phenethyl)-4-N-(N-hydroxypropionylanilino)piperidine and 1-(2-phenethyl)-4-N-(N-propionylanilino)hydroxypiperidine. These metabolites, together with unchanged l, were also detected in urine of rats receiving l/l-d5 intravenously, by selected-ion monitoring of the specific cluster ions.

A pilot study of the behavior of gas- and particle-phase ETS tracers in residences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apte, Michael; Gundel, Lara; Dod, Raymond; Chang, Gee-Min; Sextro, Richard

2002-01-01

Our previous study of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in a three-room environmental chamber showed that smoking history significantly influenced inter-room ETS transport, particularly of gas-phase nicotine. We conducted a three-home pilot study where smoking was limited to one room. Single-smoker residences were monitored during five one-week periods while the smoker participated in a smoking cessation program. Nicotine traced ETS particles were detected reliably in the smoking rooms (SRs) and unreliably in the non-smoking rooms (NSRs). On average, the ventilation- and volume-normalized smoking rate, 0.1 Cigarette-h(sup -1) m(sup -3), added about 17 and 4(micro)g m(sup -3) of ETS particles into the SR and NSR, while average nicotine concentration increases were 2 and 0.06(micro)g m(sup -3), respectively. Thus, nicotine tracers may underestimate ETS particle exposure in a NSR (e.g., a child's bedroom) by a factor of 2 to 8. In other words, ETS exposure predicted from nicotine concentrations could be almost an order of magnitude lower than actual exposure

Tracer preparate and method for its production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pratt, F.P.; Gagnon, D.

1978-01-01

The injectable tracer preparate for investigations to determine the blood flow in organs or the effect of drugs on the blood flow consists of a core of ion exchanger resin coated with polyfuran or a polymer which is the reaction product of a monomer catalysable by acid or base. The nuclei have a diameter of 10 to 200 micron, the coating thickness is between 1 and 3 micron. Ions of Ce 141, Cr 51, Sr 85, Sr 46 or Co 57 of strength 0.1-100 millicurie are adsorbed on the nucleus. (DG) [de

Laplace transform in tracer kinetic modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hauser, Eliete B., E-mail: eliete@pucrs.br [Instituto do Cerebro (InsCer/FAMAT/PUC-RS), Porto Alegre, RS, (Brazil). Faculdade de Matematica

2013-07-01

The main objective this paper is to quantify the pharmacokinetic processes: absorption, distribution and elimination of radiopharmaceutical(tracer), using Laplace transform method. When the drug is administered intravenously absorption is complete and is available in the bloodstream to be distributed throughout the whole body in all tissues and fluids, and to be eliminated. Mathematical modeling seeks to describe the processes of distribution and elimination through compartments, where distinct pools of tracer (spatial location or chemical state) are assigned to different compartments. A compartment model is described by a system of differential equations, where each equation represents the sum of all the transfer rates to and from a specific compartment. In this work a two-tissue irreversible compartment model is used for description of tracer, [{sup 18}F]2-fluor-2deoxy-D-glucose. In order to determine the parameters of the model, it is necessary to have information about the tracer delivery in the form of an input function representing the time-course of tracer concentration in arterial blood or plasma. We estimate the arterial input function in two stages and apply the Levenberg-Marquardt Method to solve nonlinear regressions. The transport of FDG across de arterial blood is very fast in the first ten minutes and then decreases slowly. We use de Heaviside function to represent this situation and this is the main contribution of this study. We apply the Laplace transform and the analytical solution for two-tissue irreversible compartment model is obtained. The only approach is to determinate de arterial input function. (author)

Effect of wind and currents on gas exchange in an estuarine system. Final technical report, 1 August 1986-31 July 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broecker, W.S.; Ledwell, J.R.; Bopp, R.

1987-11-01

The objectives were to develop a non-volatile tracer to use in gas exchange experiments in laterally unconfined systems and to study applications of deliberate tracers in limnology and oceanography. Progress was made on both fronts but work on the development of the non-volatile tracer proved to be more difficult and labor intensive that anticipated so no field experiments using non-volatile tracers was performed as yet. In the search for a suitable non-volatile tracer for an ocean scale gas exchange experiment a tracer was discovered which does not have the required sensitivity for a large scale experiment, but is very easy to analyze and will be well suited for smaller experiments such as gas exchange determinations on rivers and streams. Sulfur hexafluoride, SF 6 , was used successfully as a volatile tracer along with tritium as a non-volatile tracer to study gas exchange rates from a primary stream. This is the first gas exchange experiment in which gas exchange rates were determined on a head water stream where significant groundwater input occurs along the reach. In conjunction with SF 6 , Radon-222 measurements were performed on the groundwater and in the stream. The feasibility of using a combination of SF 6 and radon is being studied to determine groundwater inputs and gas exchange of rates in streams with significant groundwater input without using a non-volatile tracer

237Np analytical method using 239Np tracers and application to a contaminated nuclear disposal facility.

Science.gov (United States)

Snow, Mathew S; Morrison, Samuel S; Clark, Sue B; Olson, John E; Watrous, Matthew G

2017-06-01

Environmental 237 Np analyses are challenged by low 237 Np concentrations and lack of an available yield tracer; we report a rapid, inexpensive 237 Np analytical approach employing the short lived 239 Np (t 1/2  = 2.3 days) as a chemical yield tracer followed by 237 Np quantification using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. 239 Np tracer is obtained via separation from a 243 Am stock solution and standardized using gamma spectrometry immediately prior to sample processing. Rapid digestions using a commercial, 900 W "Walmart" microwave and Parr microwave vessels result in 99.8 ± 0.1% digestion yields, while chromatographic separations enable Np/U separation factors on the order of 10 6 and total Np yields of 95 ± 4% (2σ). Application of this method to legacy soil samples surrounding a radioactive disposal facility (the Subsurface Disposal Area at Idaho National Laboratory) reveal the presence of low level 237 Np contamination within 600 m of this site, with maximum 237 Np concentrations on the order of 10 3 times greater than nuclear weapons testing fallout levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methods of natural gas liquefaction and natural gas liquefaction plants utilizing multiple and varying gas streams

Science.gov (United States)

Wilding, Bruce M; Turner, Terry D

2014-12-02

A method of natural gas liquefaction may include cooling a gaseous NG process stream to form a liquid NG process stream. The method may further include directing the first tail gas stream out of a plant at a first pressure and directing a second tail gas stream out of the plant at a second pressure. An additional method of natural gas liquefaction may include separating CO.sub.2 from a liquid NG process stream and processing the CO.sub.2 to provide a CO.sub.2 product stream. Another method of natural gas liquefaction may include combining a marginal gaseous NG process stream with a secondary substantially pure NG stream to provide an improved gaseous NG process stream. Additionally, a NG liquefaction plant may include a first tail gas outlet, and at least a second tail gas outlet, the at least a second tail gas outlet separate from the first tail gas outlet.

Compilation and analyses of results from cross-hole tracer tests with conservative tracers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hjerne, Calle; Nordqvist, Rune; Harrstroem, Johan (Geosigma AB (Sweden))

2010-09-15

Radionuclide transport in hydrogeological formations is one of the key factors for the safety analysis of a future repository of nuclear waste. Tracer tests have therefore been an important field method within the SKB investigation programmes at several sites since the late 1970's. This report presents a compilation and analyses of results from cross-hole tracer tests with conservative tracers performed within various SKB investigations. The objectives of the study are to facilitate, improve and reduce uncertainties in predictive tracer modelling and to provide supporting information for SKB's safety assessment of a final repository of nuclear waste. More specifically, the focus of the report is the relationship between the tracer mean residence time and fracture hydraulic parameters, i.e. the relationship between mass balance aperture and fracture transmissivity, hydraulic diffusivity and apparent storativity. For 74 different combinations of pumping and injection section at six different test sites (Studsvik, Stripa, Finnsjoen, Aespoe, Forsmark, Laxemar), estimates of mass balance aperture from cross-hole tracer tests as well as transmissivity were extracted from reports or in the SKB database Sicada. For 28 of these combinations of pumping and injection section, estimates of hydraulic diffusivity and apparent storativity from hydraulic interference tests were also found. An empirical relationship between mass balance aperture and transmissivity was estimated, although some uncertainties for individual data exist. The empirical relationship between mass balance aperture and transmissivity presented in this study deviates considerably from other previously suggested relationships, such as the cubic law and transport aperture as suggested by /Dershowitz and Klise 2002/, /Dershowitz et al. 2002/ and /Dershowitz et al. 2003/, which also is discussed in this report. No clear and direct empirical relationship between mass balance aperture and hydraulic

Development of a new quantitative gas permeability method for dental implant-abutment connection tightness assessment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Most dental implant systems are presently made of two pieces: the implant itself and the abutment. The connection tightness between those two pieces is a key point to prevent bacterial proliferation, tissue inflammation and bone loss. The leak has been previously estimated by microbial, color tracer and endotoxin percolation. Methods A new nitrogen flow technique was developed for implant-abutment connection leakage measurement, adapted from a recent, sensitive, reproducible and quantitative method used to assess endodontic sealing. Results The results show very significant differences between various sealing and screwing conditions. The remaining flow was lower after key screwing compared to hand screwing (p = 0.03) and remained different from the negative test (p = 0.0004). The method reproducibility was very good, with a coefficient of variation of 1.29%. Conclusions Therefore, the presented new gas flow method appears to be a simple and robust method to compare different implant systems. It allows successive measures without disconnecting the abutment from the implant and should in particular be used to assess the behavior of the connection before and after mechanical stress. PMID:21492459

Measurement and simulation of the turbulent dispersion of a radioactive tracer in a two-phase flow system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hensel, F; Rohde, U

1998-10-01

The turbulent dispersion of a radiotracer in an experimental setup with a natural convection liquid-gaseous flow was investigated. A liquid-gaseous bubbly flow was generated in a narrow tank by injection of pressurized air into water or by catalytic disintegration of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. Turbulent Prandtl numbers for gas and tracer dispersion were varied. In the case of higher gas superficial velocities (J{sub gas}{approx}5-15 mm/s), a reasonable agreement was achieved between calculated and measured tracer transport velocity and dispersion coefficient values. A nearly linear correlation between j{sub gas} and D was found in agreement with other authors. The calculation results contribute to a better understanding of the phenomena and interpretation of the measurement results as well as to the validation of the CFD code for turbulent two-phase flow applications. Further investigations are necessary to improve the agreement in the cases of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} disintegration and low gas superficial velocities. (orig.)

Measurement and simulation of the turbulent dispersion of a radioactive tracer in a two-phase flow system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hensel, F.; Rohde, U.

1998-01-01

The turbulent dispersion of a radiotracer in an experimental setup with a natural convection liquid-gaseous flow was investigated. A liquid-gaseous bubbly flow was generated in a narrow tank by injection of pressurized air into water or by catalytic disintegration of H 2 O 2 . Turbulent Prandtl numbers for gas and tracer dispersion were varied. In the case of higher gas superficial velocities (J gas ∼5-15 mm/s), a reasonable agreement was achieved between calculated and measured tracer transport velocity and dispersion coefficient values. A nearly linear correlation between j gas and D was found in agreement with other authors. The calculation results contribute to a better understanding of the phenomena and interpretation of the measurement results as well as to the validation of the CFD code for turbulent two-phase flow applications. Further investigations are necessary to improve the agreement in the cases of H 2 O 2 disintegration and low gas superficial velocities. (orig.)

Application of artificial radioactive tracers for groundwater flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamza, M.S.; Aly, A.I.M.; Swailem, F.M.; Nada, A.A.; Awad, M.A.

1989-01-01

In this work, the groundwater velocity was estimated by applying radioactive tracer techniques: the single well and the multiple well methods. In the first single well method, radioactive iodine-131 was injected in the well and the radioactivity was monitored with time. The groundwater flow was estimated as a function of the concentration dilution factor of the tracer taking into consideration the permeability of the filter screen and the aquifer. The second method (the multiple well technique) is based on direct measuring of the period of time the tracer needs to disperse from the injection well to one of receptor well arranged in a circle around the injection. The latter method was found to be more accurate and reliable and has also the advantage of determining the groundwater velocity and direction of flow as well. The limitations of the single well technique are discussed and a detailed comparison between single and multi-well techniques is given

A new method for calculating gas saturation of low-resistivity shale gas reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinyan Zhang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The Jiaoshiba shale gas field is located in the Fuling area of the Sichuan Basin, with the Upper Ordovician Wufeng–Lower Silurian Longmaxi Fm as the pay zone. At the bottom of the pay zone, a high-quality shale gas reservoir about 20 m thick is generally developed with high organic contents and gas abundance, but its resistivity is relatively low. Accordingly, the gas saturation calculated by formulas (e.g. Archie using electric logging data is often much lower than the experiment-derived value. In this paper, a new method was presented for calculating gas saturation more accurately based on non-electric logging data. Firstly, the causes for the low resistivity of shale gas reservoirs in this area were analyzed. Then, the limitation of traditional methods for calculating gas saturation based on electric logging data was diagnosed, and the feasibility of the neutron–density porosity overlay method was illustrated. According to the response characteristics of neutron, density and other porosity logging in shale gas reservoirs, a model for calculating gas saturation of shale gas was established by core experimental calibration based on the density logging value, the density porosity and the difference between density porosity and neutron porosity, by means of multiple methods (e.g. the dual-porosity overlay method by optimizing the best overlay coefficient. This new method avoids the effect of low resistivity, and thus can provide normal calculated gas saturation of high-quality shale gas reservoirs. It works well in practical application. This new method provides a technical support for the calculation of shale gas reserves in this area. Keywords: Shale gas, Gas saturation, Low resistivity, Non-electric logging, Volume density, Compensated neutron, Overlay method, Reserves calculation, Sichuan Basin, Jiaoshiba shale gas field

Environmental Tracers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trevor Elliot

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Environmental tracers continue to provide an important tool for understanding the source, flow and mixing dynamics of water resource systems through their imprint on the system or their sensitivity to alteration within it. However, 60 years or so after the first isotopic tracer studies were applied to hydrology, the use of isotopes and other environmental tracers are still not routinely necessarily applied in hydrogeological and water resources investigations where appropriate. There is therefore a continuing need to promote their use for developing sustainable management policies for the protection of water resources and the aquatic environment. This Special Issue focuses on the robustness or fitness-for-purpose of the application and use of environmental tracers in addressing problems and opportunities scientifically, to promote their wider use and to address substantive issues of vulnerability, sustainability, and uncertainty in (groundwater resources systems and their management.

Radioactive tracer system to indicate drill bit wear or failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fries, B.A.

1975-01-01

A radioactive tracer system for indicating drill bit wear or failure utilizing radioactive krypton 85 in clathrate form, in the form of water-soluble kryptonates, or dissolved grease, is described. Preferably the radioactive krypton is placed so that when drill bit wear or failure occurs, the radioactive krypton 85 is relased and effectively becomes diffused in the circulating drilling fluid. At the surface, the radioactive krypton 85 gas is separated from the circulating drilling fluid by gas-mud separating means and is transported as a gas to a counting chamber where an accurate radioactivity count of beta rays released from the krypton is obtained. (Patent Office Record)

Tracer monitoring of enhanced oil recovery projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kleven R.

2013-05-01

Full Text Available In enhanced oil recovery (EOR, chemicals are injected into the oil reservoir, either to increase macroscopic sweep efficiency, or to reduce remaining oil saturation in swept zones. Tracers can be used to identify reservoirs that are specifically suited for EOR operations. Injection of a selection of partitioning tracers, combined with frequent sample analysis of produced fluids, provides information suited for estimation of residual oil saturation. Tracers can also be used to evaluate and optimize the application of EOR chemicals in the reservoir. Suitable tracers will follow the EOR chemicals and assist in evaluation of retention, degradation or trapping. In addition to field applications, tracers also have a large potential as a tool to perform mechanistic studies of EOR chemicals in laboratory experiments. By labelling EOR chemicals with radioactive isotopes of elements such as H, C and S, detailed studies of transport mechanisms can be carried out. Co-injection of labelled compounds in dynamic flooding experiments in porous media will give information about retention or separation of the unique compounds constituting the chemical formulation. Separation of such compounds may be detrimental to obtaining the EOR effect expected. The paper gives new information of specific methods, and discusses current status for use of tracers in EOR operations.

Application of multiple tracers (SF6 and chloride) to identify the transport by characteristics of contaminant at two separate contaminated sites

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, K. K.; Lee, S. S.; Kim, H. H.; Koh, E. H.; Kim, M. O.; Lee, K.; Kim, H. J.

2016-12-01

Multiple tracers were applied for source and pathway detection at two different sites. CO2 gas injected in the subsurface for a shallow-depth CO2 injection and leak test can be regarded as a potential contaminant source. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the migration pattern of CO2 gas. Also, at a DNAPL contaminated site, it is important to figure out the characteristics of plume evolution from the source zone. In this study, multiple tracers (SF6 and chloride) were used to evaluate the applicability of volatile and non-volatile tracers and to identify the characteristics of contaminant transport at each CO2 injection and leak test site and DNAPL contaminated site. Firstly, at the CO2 test site, multiple tracers were used to perform the single well push-drift-pull tracer test at total 3 specific depth zones. As results of tests, volatile and non-volatile tracers showed different mass recovery percentage. Most of chloride mass was recovered but less than half of SF6 mass was recovered due to volatile property. This means that only gaseous SF6 leak out to unsaturated zone. However, breakthrough curves of both tracers indicated similar peak time, effective porosity, and regional groundwater velocity. Also, at both contaminated sites, natural gradient tracer tests were performed with multiple tracers. With the results of natural gradient tracer test, it was possible to confirm the applicability of multiple tracers and to understand the contaminant transport in highly heterogeneous aquifer systems through the long-term monitoring of tracers. Acknowledgement: financial support was provided by the R&D Project on Environmental Management of Geologic CO2 Storage)" from the KEITI (Project Number: 2014001810003) and Korea Ministry of Environment as "The GAIA project (2014000540010)".

Using predictive uncertainty analysis to optimise tracer test design and data acquisition

Science.gov (United States)

Wallis, Ilka; Moore, Catherine; Post, Vincent; Wolf, Leif; Martens, Evelien; Prommer, Henning

2014-07-01

Tracer injection tests are regularly-used tools to identify and characterise flow and transport mechanisms in aquifers. Examples of practical applications are manifold and include, among others, managed aquifer recharge schemes, aquifer thermal energy storage systems and, increasingly important, the disposal of produced water from oil and shale gas wells. The hydrogeological and geochemical data collected during the injection tests are often employed to assess the potential impacts of injection on receptors such as drinking water wells and regularly serve as a basis for the development of conceptual and numerical models that underpin the prediction of potential impacts. As all field tracer injection tests impose substantial logistical and financial efforts, it is crucial to develop a solid a-priori understanding of the value of the various monitoring data to select monitoring strategies which provide the greatest return on investment. In this study, we demonstrate the ability of linear predictive uncertainty analysis (i.e. “data worth analysis”) to quantify the usefulness of different tracer types (bromide, temperature, methane and chloride as examples) and head measurements in the context of a field-scale aquifer injection trial of coal seam gas (CSG) co-produced water. Data worth was evaluated in terms of tracer type, in terms of tracer test design (e.g., injection rate, duration of test and the applied measurement frequency) and monitoring disposition to increase the reliability of injection impact assessments. This was followed by an uncertainty targeted Pareto analysis, which allowed the interdependencies of cost and predictive reliability for alternative monitoring campaigns to be compared directly. For the evaluated injection test, the data worth analysis assessed bromide as superior to head data and all other tracers during early sampling times. However, with time, chloride became a more suitable tracer to constrain simulations of physical transport

A new method for measuring aerosol nebulizers output using radioactive tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gatnash, A.A.; Connolly, C.K.; Chandler, S.T.

1998-01-01

Reproducibility and comparability of bronchial challenge tests depends critically on accurate assessment of nebulizers output. Evaporation during nebulization means that simple weighing is inaccurate, overestimating the delivered dose of active ingredient. We wanted to quantify this effect in the context of intermittent nebulization, using a dosimeter as used in bronchial provocation tests. Output of three types of nebulizers, from the MEFAR dosimeter, was measured by radioactive tracer, using a standard solution of technetium-99m-pertechnetate (1.5 kBq x mL -1 ) in 4 mL of normal saline. The aerosol was impacted by suction onto a micro filter, and the radioactivity measured. Nebulizers were weighed before and after nebulization. Ratio of nebulized volume calculated from the radioactivity on the filter, to the total volume loss by weight, was expressed as nebulized ratio. The effect on output of two concentrations of methacholine, two tracers of different weights, and change in temperature, were assessed. Nebulized ratio varied between 44.1-71.6%. Results were more consistent within the same type of nebulizer than between different makes. Neither changes in molar concentration nor molecular weight affected nebulizer output or nebulized ratio. Mean nebulized ratio was 58.5%, showing that calibration by weighing, overestimates the delivered dose by a factor of approximately two. Measuring radioactivity eluted from a micro filter, onto which nebulized output had been impacted proved to be a satisfactory method of calibration. (au)

Tidal volume single breath washout of two tracer gases--a practical and promising lung function test.

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Florian Singer

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Small airway disease frequently occurs in chronic lung diseases and may cause ventilation inhomogeneity (VI, which can be assessed by washout tests of inert tracer gas. Using two tracer gases with unequal molar mass (MM and diffusivity increases specificity for VI in different lung zones. Currently washout tests are underutilised due to the time and effort required for measurements. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a simple technique for a new tidal single breath washout test (SBW of sulfur hexafluoride (SF(6 and helium (He using an ultrasonic flowmeter (USFM. METHODS: The tracer gas mixture contained 5% SF(6 and 26.3% He, had similar total MM as air, and was applied for a single tidal breath in 13 healthy adults. The USFM measured MM, which was then plotted against expired volume. USFM and mass spectrometer signals were compared in six subjects performing three SBW. Repeatability and reproducibility of SBW, i.e., area under the MM curve (AUC, were determined in seven subjects performing three SBW 24 hours apart. RESULTS: USFM reliably measured MM during all SBW tests (n = 60. MM from USFM reflected SF(6 and He washout patterns measured by mass spectrometer. USFM signals were highly associated with mass spectrometer signals, e.g., for MM, linear regression r-squared was 0.98. Intra-subject coefficient of variation of AUC was 6.8%, and coefficient of repeatability was 11.8%. CONCLUSION: The USFM accurately measured relative changes in SF(6 and He washout. SBW tests were repeatable and reproducible in healthy adults. We have developed a fast, reliable, and straightforward USFM based SBW method, which provides valid information on SF(6 and He washout patterns during tidal breathing.

Tidal Volume Single Breath Washout of Two Tracer Gases - A Practical and Promising Lung Function Test

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Florian; Stern, Georgette; Thamrin, Cindy; Fuchs, Oliver; Riedel, Thomas; Gustafsson, Per; Frey, Urs; Latzin, Philipp

2011-01-01

Background Small airway disease frequently occurs in chronic lung diseases and may cause ventilation inhomogeneity (VI), which can be assessed by washout tests of inert tracer gas. Using two tracer gases with unequal molar mass (MM) and diffusivity increases specificity for VI in different lung zones. Currently washout tests are underutilised due to the time and effort required for measurements. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a simple technique for a new tidal single breath washout test (SBW) of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and helium (He) using an ultrasonic flowmeter (USFM). Methods The tracer gas mixture contained 5% SF6 and 26.3% He, had similar total MM as air, and was applied for a single tidal breath in 13 healthy adults. The USFM measured MM, which was then plotted against expired volume. USFM and mass spectrometer signals were compared in six subjects performing three SBW. Repeatability and reproducibility of SBW, i.e., area under the MM curve (AUC), were determined in seven subjects performing three SBW 24 hours apart. Results USFM reliably measured MM during all SBW tests (n = 60). MM from USFM reflected SF6 and He washout patterns measured by mass spectrometer. USFM signals were highly associated with mass spectrometer signals, e.g., for MM, linear regression r-squared was 0.98. Intra-subject coefficient of variation of AUC was 6.8%, and coefficient of repeatability was 11.8%. Conclusion The USFM accurately measured relative changes in SF6 and He washout. SBW tests were repeatable and reproducible in healthy adults. We have developed a fast, reliable, and straightforward USFM based SBW method, which provides valid information on SF6 and He washout patterns during tidal breathing. PMID:21423739

Reduction of gas flow nonuniformity in gas turbine engines by means of gas-dynamic methods

Science.gov (United States)

Matveev, V.; Baturin, O.; Kolmakova, D.; Popov, G.

2017-08-01

Gas flow nonuniformity is one of the main sources of rotor blade vibrations in the gas turbine engines. Usually, the flow circumferential nonuniformity occurs near the annular frames, located in the flow channel of the engine. This leads to the increased dynamic stresses in blades and as a consequence to the blade damage. The goal of the research was to find an acceptable method of reducing the level of gas flow nonuniformity as the source of dynamic stresses in the rotor blades. Two different methods were investigated during this research. Thus, this study gives the ideas about methods of improving the flow structure in gas turbine engine. On the basis of existing conditions (under development or existing engine) it allows the selection of the most suitable method for reducing gas flow nonuniformity.

A refinement of the potassium tracer method for residential wood smoke

Science.gov (United States)

Calloway, C. P.; Li, S.; Buchanan, J. W.; Stevens, R. K.

Potassium has been used as a tracer for the mass of fine particles emitted to the air from residential wood burning stoves and fireplaces. The technique involves measurement by x-ray fluorescence of the total K collected on fine particle filters. Since wind blown soil particles also contain K, a correction for this contribution is made based upon soil analysis or an assumed K/Fe ratio in local soil. K in excess of this ratio is considered to be from wood smoke. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate an alternative method for determining wood smoke K. The underlying assumption is that wood smoke K is water soluble but that K in crustal particles is in a mineralized form and only slightly water soluble. Results from analyses of particle samples indicate the two methods yield essentially the same amount of wood smoke K.

Utilizing laser spectroscopy of noble gas tracers for mapping oil and gas deposits. Final technical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuessler, H.A.

1998-01-01

The research results have demonstrated that extending collinear fast beam laser spectroscopy to resonance-excitation field-ionization spectroscopy yielded a novel ultrasensitive method to identify minute amounts of radioactive and stable isotopes. The authors have mainly performed measurements involving the trace detection of the various isotopes of Kr, Tl and Xe. In particular the technique is capable to monitor the long-lived radioactive isotopes used as tracers in the well logging industry and also in the biosphere in a range, where nuclear radiation counting techniques do not have the required isotopic selectivity and sensitivity. The authors are working in two directions. Both applications are based on the ultra sensitive detection of 85 Kr, namely: trace detection of 85 Kr to map the reservoir structure of large oil fields; trace detection of 85 Kr in environmental air samples to monitor nuclear activities and nuclear materials processing on a global scale. The authors are in contact with the BP company for practically implementing the oil field related work and have asked for samples from their Alaskan fields

Tracer technology modeling the flow of fluids

CERN Document Server

Levenspiel, Octave

2012-01-01

A vessel’s behavior as a heat exchanger, absorber, reactor, or other process unit is dependent upon how fluid flows through the vessel.  In early engineering, the designer would assume either plug flow or mixed flow of the fluid through the vessel.  However, these assumptions were oftentimes inaccurate, sometimes being off by a volume factor of 100 or more.  The result of this unreliable figure produced ineffective products in multiple reaction systems.   Written by a pioneering researcher in the field of chemical engineering, the tracer method was introduced to provide more accurate flow data.  First, the tracer method measured the actual flow of fluid through a vessel.  Second, it developed a suitable model to represent the flow in question.  Such models are used to follow the flow of fluid in chemical reactors and other process units, like in rivers and streams, or solid and porous structures.  In medicine, the tracer method is used to study the flow of chemicals—harmful  and harmless—in the...

Assessing the Influence of Seasonal and Spatial Variations on the Estimation of Secondary Organic Carbon in Urban Particulate Matter by Applying the EC-Tracer Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Wagener

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The elemental carbon (EC-tracer method was applied to PM10 and PM1 data of three sampling sites in the City of Berlin from February to October 2010. The sites were characterized by differing exposure to traffic and vegetation. The aim was to determine the secondary organic carbon (SOC concentration and to describe the parameters influencing the application of the EC-tracer method. The evaluation was based on comparisons with results obtained from positive matrix factorization (PMF applied to the same samples. To obtain site- and seasonal representative primary OC/EC-ratios ([OC/EC]p, the EC-tracer method was performed separately for each station, and additionally discrete for samples with high and low contribution of biomass burning. Estimated SOC-concentrations for all stations were between 11% and 33% of total OC. SOC-concentrations obtained with PMF exceeded EC-tracer results more than 100% at the park in the period with low biomass burning emissions in PM10. The deviations were besides others attributed to the high ratio of biogenic to combustion emissions and to direct exposure to vegetation. The occurrences of biomass burning emissions in contrast lead to increased SOC-concentrations compared to PMF in PM10. The obtained results distinguish that the EC-tracer-method provides well comparable results with PMF if sites are strongly influenced by one characteristic primary combustion source, but was found to be adversely influenced by direct and relatively high biogenic emissions.

Tracer studies with aortic infusion result in improper tracer distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wisneski, J.A.; Brooks, G.A.; Neese, R.A.; Stanley, W.C.; Morris, D.L.; Gertz, E.W.

1986-01-01

It has been suggested that lactate turnover can be accurately assessed by infusing radioactive lactate tracer into the aorta and sampling blood in the vena cava. However, there may be streaming of newly infused tracer in the aorta, resulting in a nonuniform arterial specific activity (SA). Furthermore vena caval blood may not be representative of mixed venous blood. The authors examined this problem in 7 anesthetized dogs with sampling catheters in the pulmonary (PA), carotid (CA), and femoral (FA) arteries, and the superior (SVC) and inferior (IVC) vena cavi. [1- 14 C]lactate was continuously infused into the left ventricle through a catheter introduced through the femoral artery. The same SA (dpm/μmol) was found in the CA and FA, indicating adequate mixing of newly infused tracer with trace. Three dogs showed differences between SVC, IVC and PA, suggesting a mixed venous sample can not be obtained from the VC. When the catheter was moved into the aorta, wide differences in SA appeared between the CA and FA, clearly reflecting streaming of tracer. These differences also appeared in the SVC and IVC. In conclusion, adequate mixing does not occur between tracer and trace in arterial blood with aortic infusion. Further, VC sampling will not give a consistent mixed venous SA. Therefore, for practical reasons, aortic tracer infusion with vena caval sampling will lead to erroneous turnover values

Guidebook on radioisotope tracers in industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

The idea of using tracers (chemical, dyes, etc.) in the investigation of complex physical phenomena has always attracted the attention of scientists and engineers. When radioactive isotopes became available it was immediately recognized that they offered an almost ideal solution to tracer selection. This book is devoted to reviewing the present status of the tracer method as such and to its applications to those branches of industry which have derived large benefits from the use of this modern technology. The main objectives of the IAEA's Industrial Applications and Chemistry Section is to help Member States in introducing to their own industries the different isotope and radiation techniques which have become available as a result of developments in the nuclear sciences. This section proposed the preparation of this guidebook, putting together various radiotracer methods and the experience obtained so far in their industrial use. Chapters 2 to 4 cover the general concept of tracers, technology and safety aspects, as well as data evaluation and interpretation. In chapter 5, therefore, general applications are discussed. In chapter 6, specialists in selected fields discuss their experience in radiotracer applications in various types of industrial activity. Most case studies are illustrated by at least one detailed example of an experiment carried out at an industrial installation. Current trends in the development of radiotracer methods are discussed in chapter 7, from both a theoretical and a practical viewpoint. Some possible new RTT applications in the future are also discussed here. Sealed radioactive sources are used almost as often as radioisotope tracers in industrial measurements. Annex I gives a short review of these techniques. Readers who are interested in the basic principles of radioisotope production will find the necessary information in Annex II. Annexes III, V and VI provide a demonstration of fundamental relations and properties; useful

Gas-Dynamic Methods to Reduce Gas Flow Nonuniformity from the Annular Frames of Gas Turbine Engines

Science.gov (United States)

Kolmakova, D.; Popov, G.

2018-01-01

Gas flow nonuniformity is one of the main sources of rotor blade vibrations in the gas turbine engines. Usually, the flow circumferential nonuniformity occurs near the annular frames, located in the flow channel of the engine. This leads to the increased dynamic stresses in blades and consequently to the blade damage. The goal of the research was to find an acceptable method of reducing the level of gas flow nonuniformity. Two different methods were investigated during this research. Thus, this study gives the ideas about methods of improving the flow structure in gas turbine engine. Based on existing conditions (under development or existing engine) it allows the selection of the most suitable method for reducing gas flow nonuniformity.

Tracer techniques for urine volume determination and urine collection and sampling back-up system

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, R. V.

1971-01-01

The feasibility, functionality, and overall accuracy of the use of lithium were investigated as a chemical tracer in urine for providing a means of indirect determination of total urine volume by the atomic absorption spectrophotometry method. Experiments were conducted to investigate the parameters of instrumentation, tracer concentration, mixing times, and methods for incorporating the tracer material in the urine collection bag, and to refine and optimize the urine tracer technique to comply with the Skylab scheme and operational parameters of + or - 2% of volume error and + or - 1% accuracy of amount of tracer added to each container. In addition, a back-up method for urine collection and sampling system was developed and evaluated. This back-up method incorporates the tracer technique for volume determination in event of failure of the primary urine collection and preservation system. One chemical preservative was selected and evaluated as a contingency chemical preservative for the storage of urine in event of failure of the urine cooling system.

TECHNOLOGY OF RADIATION MONITORING: TRACERS-INDICATORS OF DANGEROUS NATURAL AND TECHNOGENIC PHENOMENA

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V. S. Yakovleva

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The analysis of results of experimental investigation concerning the influence of natural and technogenic events on radioactive gas and aerosols dynamics as well as structure and dynamics of different types of ionizing radiation in soil and ground atmosphere was performed. The results of the analysis were used to carry out of classification of revealed radiation tracersindicators of dangerous natural and technogenic phenomena. The algorithm of monitoring of optimum set of radiation tracers-indicators, which are measured simultaneously, of dangerous phenomena was developed. This algorithm uses the “2+1” rule for determining the optimum set of radiation tracers-indicators.

Predictive value of tracer studies for 131I treatment in hyperthyroid cats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broome, M.R.; Turrel, J.M.; Hays, M.T.

1988-01-01

In 76 cats with hyperthyroidism, peak thyroidal radioiodine ( 131 I) uptakes and effective half-lives were determined after administration of tracer and therapeutic activities of 131 I. In 6 additional hyperthyroid cats, only peak thyroidal uptakes after administration of tracer and therapeutic activities of 131 I were determined. Good correlation was found between peak thyroidal uptakes of tracer and therapeutic 131 I; however, only fair correlation was observed between effective half-lives. In 79% of the cats, the effective half-life for therapeutic 131 I was longer than that for tracer 131 I. After administration of therapeutic activity of 131 I, monoexponential and biphasic decay curves were observed in 51 and 16 cats, respectively. Using therapeutic kinetic data, radiation doses to the thyroid gland were calculated retrospectively on the basis of 2 methods for determining the activity of 131 I administered: (1) actual administration of tracer-compensated activity and (2) hypothetic administration of uniform activity (3 mCi). Because of the good predictive ability of tracer kinetic data for the therapeutic kinetic data, the tracer-compensated radiation doses came significantly (P = 0.008) closer to the therapeutic goal than did the uniform-activity doses. In addition, the use of tracer kinetic information reduced the extent of the tendency for consistently high uniform-activity doses. A manual method for acquiring tracer kinetic data was developed and was an acceptable alternative to computerized techniques. Adoption of this method gives individuals and institutions with limited finances the opportunity to characterize the iodine kinetics in cats before proceeding with administration of therapeutic activities of 131 I

Principle of cerebral hemodynamic perfusion in SPECT and new evaluation method of hemodynamic reserve capacity using {sup 99m}Tc tracer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hashimoto, Masaaki; Mukai, Hironobu; Tada, Motoyuki; Miyazaki, Yoshiharu; Takimoto, Masamori; Shiozaki, Jun; Inoue, Hisashi [Noto General Hospital, Nanao, Ishikawa (Japan)

2002-07-01

We performed quantitative measurements of cerebral blood flow (CBF) using {sup 99m}Tc tracer by the Patlak Plot method with reference to normal aging and cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) capacity and then investigated a new evaluation method of CVR. Aging and decrease of ADL were significantly associated with reduction of the mean hemispheric CBF. In the acetazolamide (ACZ) stress test, these retrospective data showed some overlap in each ischemic grade on the relationship between rCBF and CVR response for the predictability of EC/IC bypass surgery. In these controversial problems, we must reconfirm the principle of cerebral hemodynamic perfusion in SPECT. First, retention tracer is distributed via the microcirculatory system to brain tissue. Second, therefore, we should understand not only the circulation of major vessels, but also the dynamics and rheology in parenchymal microcirculation to determine brain SPECT and CVR capacity. In the next step, we approached the new evaluation method of CVR capacity using {sup 99m}Tc tracer by a serial dynamic SPECT with a slip-ring rotational gamma camera. These preliminally findings suggest that a serial dynamic SPECT may be more useful for analyzing the pathophysiology on brain circulation and CVR than conventional approaches. (author)

The constant rate injection tracer method - principle and application of a useful system for the investigation of single- and two-phase flows in thermal power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ederhof, A.; Lindberg, G.

1985-01-01

The ''tracer technique'', developed by Brown, Boveri and Company, permits measurement of water (liquid) mass flows, as part of the requested steam wetness, in steam turbine cycles. The additionally required steam mass flows can be calculated from mass flow balances (e.g. after condensation in a heater and subsequent measuring of the condensate flow) or energy balances. This measuring method is basically a dilution measurement using a radioactive or inactive tracer. If the radionuclide 24 Na is used, the measuring uncertainties will be typically 0.5-1.0%. The tracer technique was developed for largely automated parallel measurements on up to 30 lines of large capacity steam turbines. The example of the Ringhals 3 nuclear power plant illustrates that the tracer measuring method, applied during an acceptance test, yields better information on the functioning of the turbine cycle. (orig./GL) [de

Estimation of the dilution field near a marine outfall by using effluent turbidity as an environmental tracer and comparison with dye tracer data.

Science.gov (United States)

Pecly, José Otavio Goulart

2018-01-01

The alternative use of effluent turbidity to determine the dilution field of a domestic marine outfall located off the city of Rio de Janeiro was evaluated through field work comprising fluorescent dye tracer injection and tracking with simultaneous monitoring of sea water turbidity. A preliminary laboratory assessment was carried out with a sample of the outfall effluent whose turbidity was measured by the nephelometric method before and during a serial dilution process. During the field campaign, the dye tracer was monitored with field fluorometers and the turbidity was observed with an optical backscattering sensor interfaced to an OEM data acquisition system. About 4,000 samples were gathered, covering an area of 3 km × 3 km near the outfall diffusers. At the far field - where a drift towards the coastline was observed - the effluent plume was adequately labeled by the dye tracer. The turbidity plume was biased due to the high and variable background turbidity of sea water. After processing the turbidity dataset with a baseline detrending method, the plume presented high correlation with the dye tracer plume drawn on the near dilution field. However, dye tracer remains more robust than effluent turbidity.

Elucidation of hydrodesulfurization mechanism using 35S radioisotope pulse tracer methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kabe, Toshiaki; Qian, Weihua; Ishihara, Atsushi

1997-01-01

Molybdenum-based catalysts as hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalysts are among the most important industrial catalysts. One of the new approaches characterizing the structure of such catalysts and the behavior of sulfur over the 'working' catalyst is a 35S radioisotope pulse tracer method (RPTM). By tracing the behavior of sulfur in the HDS reaction and sulfur exchange reaction over the sulfided Mo/Al 2 O 3 and Co-Mo/Al 2 O 3 catalysts under practical reaction conditions, it becomes possible for us to observe the catalytic behavior of the catalyst in situ. The formation process of active sites, the important role that H 2 S plays in this process, and the promotion by cobalt for Mo/Al 2 O 3 catalyst have become better understood

Preconcentration method using an activatable yield tracer for neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsukada, Masamichi; Yamamoto, Daijiro; Endo, Kazutoyo; Nakahara, Hiromichi

1991-01-01

Previously, the use of an enriched stable isotope as an activatable yield tracer in preconcentration steps has been tested by use of commercially available enriched 116 Cd and 156 Dy for biological standard reference materials. In the present work, this method has been further applied to the determination of lanthanoid contents in various kinds of samples: one coal fly-ash, three Japanese standard rocks, and eight standard soils. Samples were decomposed by alkali fusion in the preconcentration step. Thirteen elements were determined for coal fly-ash and soil samples, and 14 elements for rocks. The data obtained for coal fly-ash and standard rocks are compared with the data reported in literature. The data for soil samples have been newly determined in the present work. The ordinary instrumental neutron activation analysis and radiochemical neutron activation analysis were also performed to confirm the accuracy and usefulness of the present method. (author) 10 refs.; 4 tabs

Quantification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wastewater treatment plants using a ground-based remote sensing approach

Science.gov (United States)

Delre, Antonio; Mønster, Jacob; Scheutz, Charlotte

2016-04-01

The direct release of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) is important because it contributes to the global greenhouse gases (GHGs) release and strongly effects the WWTP carbon footprint. Biological nitrogen removal technologies could increase the direct emission of N2O (IPCC, 2006), while CH4 losses are of environmental, economic and safety concern. Currently, reporting of N2O and CH4 emissions from WWTPs are performed mainly using methods suggested by IPCC which are not site specific (IPCC, 2006). The dynamic tracer dispersion method (TDM), a ground based remote sensing approach implemented at DTU Environment, was demonstrated to be a novel and successful tool for full-scale CH4 and N2O quantification from WWTPs. The method combines a controlled release of tracer gas from the facility with concentration measurements downwind of the plant (Mønster et al., 2014; Yoshida et al., 2014). TDM in general is based on the assumption that a tracer gas released at an emission source, in this case a WWTP, disperses into the atmosphere in the same way as the GHG emitted from process units. Since the ratio of their concentrations remains constant along their atmospheric dispersion, the GHG emission rate can be calculated using the following expression when the tracer gas release rate is known: EGHG=Qtr*(CGHG/Ctr)*(MWGHG/MWtr) EGHG is the GHG emission in mass per time, Qtr is the tracer release in mass per time, CGHG and Ctr are the concentrations measured downwind in parts per billion subtracted of their background values and integrated over the whole plume, and MWGHG and MWtr are the molar weights of GHG and tracer gas respectively (Mønster et al. 2014). In this study, acetylene (C2H2) was used as tracer. Downwind plume concentrations were measured driving along transects with two cavity ring down spectrometers (Yoshida et al., 2014). TDM was successfully applied in different seasons at several Scandinavian WWTPs characterized by

Statistical dynamic imaging of RI-labeled tracer from list-mode PET data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanimoto, Michiaki; Kuroda, Yoshihiro; Oshiro, Osamu; Watabe, Hiroshi; Kuroda, Tomohiro

2009-01-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) can be used in physiological analysis to illustrate physiological states by visualizing the accumulation of radioisotope (RI)-labeled tracer in specific organs or tissues. PET obtains spatio-temporal statistics in the form of list-mode data. However, conventional imaging techniques, which sum up list-mode data over a given time period, cannot depict detailed temporal dynamics of the RI-labeled tracer. In this study, a spatio-temporal analysis approach was employed to visualize the temporal flow dynamics of RI-labeled tracer from the obtained list-mode data. Experiments to assess the visualization of simulated RI-labeled tracer dynamics as well as RI-labeled tracer dynamics in a vascular phantom showed that the proposed method successfully depicted detailed temporal flow dynamics that could not be visualized using conventional methods. (author)

Tracer techniques for determination of groundwater flow parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drost, W.; Klotz, D.

1988-05-01

The most common one-borehole and multiple borehole methods using tracers for the direct determination of the groundwater flow parameters (velocity of flow, flow direction) and for the indirect determination of characteristic quantities of the aquifer (effective porosity, dispersivity, transmissivity) are presented methodically and their value is documented by practical examples. Especially, the properties of and measuring technique with suitable tracers are considered (e.g. T, Na-24, Cr-51, Co-58, Co-60, Br-82, Tc-99, I-125, I-131, Au-198). (orig./HP) [de

Development of activable tracers for application in secondary recovering in petroleum reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, Polyana Fabricia Fernandes; Moreira, Rubens Martins . Servico de Meio Ambiente e Tecnicas Nucleares.

2007-01-01

Nuclear methods are instrumental in describing detailed flow patterns and other features of oil reservoirs that are unattainable to other methods. Tracer studies in oil fields are performed in a net of injection and producing wells. Thus, the use of only one tracer species would not discriminate the contributions of distinct injection wells to the output of a given production well. Hence, a multi-tracer experiment is required, and the use of activable tracers, capable of being measured by neutron activation analysis (NAA) is here proposed. As additional tracer choices lanthanum (La) and europium (Eu) were chosen from the rare earth series due to their large neutron cross sections and general availability. In order to decrease losses to the oil phase and the retardation of the tracer relatively to the aqueous phase, these elements were complexed with organic chelating ligands: the polyaminocarboxylic acids EDTA, DTPA and DOTA. Infrared spectrometry was used to check complexation. In order to check the partition of the tracer between the aqueous and organic phases, tests were carried stirring the two phases together and measuring the tracer concentrations in the aqueous phase; the partition coefficient (Kao) was then calculated for all the combinations of the two lanthanides and the three ligands. Tests in which the tracer was continuously pumped through reservoir rock samples were also carried out using tritiated water as a reference tracer and the complexed lanthanides. (author)

Detection of leaks for radioactive tracer in marine duct for transport of liquefied petroleum gas; Deteccion de fugas por radiotrazado en ducto marino para transporte de gas LP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robles P, E. F.; Benitez S, J. A.; Torre O, J. de la; Cruz S, E. de la; Molina, G.; Hernandez C, J. E.; Flores M, J. [ININ, 52750 La Marquesa, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)]. e mail: efrp@nuclear.inin.mx

2008-07-01

In this work the aplication in the oil industry of the technique of radioactive tracer appears for the detection of internal leaks in a submarine duct that gives service as it lines of receipt of liquefied petroleum gas (Gas LP) located in the Mexican coast of the Pacific Ocean. This system of marine pipe is a consistent arrangement of a duct interior of 0.254 m (10 inches) of nominal diameter (N.D.) of steel to the carbon for cryogenic service ASTM A 333, Grade 6, schedule 30, isolated thermally with foam of polyurethane and shielding in a steel tube to the carbon ASTM A 53 Grade A, of 0.508 m (20 inches) N. D., schedule 20, which is recovered by a ballast encircling of concrete of 0.0508 m (2 inches) of thickness, reinforced with mesh metallic, and that 1315 m runs on the marine stratum to a maximum depth of 12.5 m. For the detection of leaks by radiotracer it was used as tracer the radioactive isotope La-140 produced in the TRIGA Mark III Experimental Reactor of the National Institute of Nuclear Research, starting from stable lanthanum nitrate (La(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} 6H{sub 2}O), with an activity of 100 mCi, the one which after having been made logistics tasks, given very particular sea maneuvers and due to the conditions of the work place, in the interior tube was injected in two subsequent stages to cover both duct senses; from earth and from the marine end respectively, there being used fresh water like transport way and submergible sodium iodide detectors (NaI) for the rake of the La-140. At the end of the journeys of pursuit of the radiotracer, it was determine the presence of three leaks points located in the break area of the marine surf to 360 m, 450 m and 495 m of distance of a reference point located in the beach section named Trap of Devils. (Author)

Helium Tracer Tests for Assessing Air Recovery and Air Distribution During In Situ Air Sparging

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Johnson, Richard

2001-01-01

...) systems for capturing contaminant vapors liberated by in situ air sparging (IAS). The tracer approach is simple to conduct and provides more direct and reliable measures than the soil-gas pressure approach...

In situ measurement of methane oxidation in groundwater by using natural-gradient tracer tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R.L.; Howes, B.L.; Garabedian, S.P.

1991-01-01

Methane oxidation was measured in an unconfined sand and gravel aquifer (Cape Cod, Mass.) by using in situ natural-gradient tracer tests at both a pristine, oxygenated site and an anoxic, sewage-contaminated site. The tracer sites were equipped with multilevel sampling devices to create target grids of sampling points; the injectate was prepared with groundwater from the tracer site to maintain the same geochemical conditions. Methane oxidation was calculated from breakthrough curves of methane relative to halide and inert gas (hexafluoroethane) tracers and was confirmed by the appearance of 13 C-enriched carbon dioxide in experiments in which 13 C-enriched methane was used as the tracer. A V max for methane oxidation could be calculated when the methane concentration was sufficiently high to result in zero-order kinetics throughout the entire transport interval. Methane breakthrough curves could be simulated by modifying a one-dimensional advection-dispersion transport model to include a Michaelis-Menten-based consumption term for methane oxidation. The K m values for methane oxidation that gave the best match for the breakthrough curve peaks were 6.0 and 9.0 μM for the uncontaminated and contaminated sites, respectively. Natural-gradient tracer tests are a promising approach for assessing microbial processes and for testing in situ bioremediation potential in groundwater systems

A membrane inlet mass spectrometry system for noble gases at natural abundances in gas and water samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Visser, Ate; Singleton, Michael J; Hillegonds, Darren J; Velsko, Carol A; Moran, Jean E; Esser, Bradley K

2013-11-15

Noble gases dissolved in groundwater can reveal paleotemperatures, recharge conditions, and precise travel times. The collection and analysis of noble gas samples are cumbersome, involving noble gas purification, cryogenic separation and static mass spectrometry. A quicker and more efficient sample analysis method is required for introduced tracer studies and laboratory experiments. A Noble Gas Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry (NG-MIMS) system was developed to measure noble gases at natural abundances in gas and water samples. The NG-MIMS system consists of a membrane inlet, a dry-ice water trap, a carbon-dioxide trap, two getters, a gate valve, a turbomolecular pump and a quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an electron multiplier. Noble gases isotopes (4)He, (22)Ne, (38)Ar, (84)Kr and (132)Xe are measured every 10 s. The NG-MIMS system can reproduce measurements made on a traditional noble gas mass spectrometer system with precisions of 2%, 8%, 1%, 1% and 3% for He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe, respectively. Noble gas concentrations measured in an artificial recharge pond were used to monitor an introduced xenon tracer and to reconstruct temperature variations to within 2 °C. Additional experiments demonstrated the capability to measure noble gases in gas and in water samples, in real time. The NG-MIMS system is capable of providing analyses sufficiently accurate and precise for introduced noble gas tracers at managed aquifer recharge facilities, groundwater fingerprinting based on excess air and noble gas recharge temperature, and field and laboratory studies investigating ebullition and diffusive exchange. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Gas-Absorption/Chemical-Reaction Method for Measuring Air-Water Interfacial Area in Natural Porous Media

Science.gov (United States)

Lyu, Ying; Brusseau, Mark L.; El Ouni, Asma; Araujo, Juliana B.; Su, Xiaosi

2017-11-01

The gas-absorption/chemical-reaction (GACR) method used in chemical engineering to quantify gas-liquid interfacial area in reactor systems is adapted for the first time to measure the effective air-water interfacial area of natural porous media. Experiments were conducted with the GACR method, and two standard methods (X-ray microtomographic imaging and interfacial partitioning tracer tests) for comparison, using model glass beads and a natural sand. The results of a series of experiments conducted under identical conditions demonstrated that the GACR method exhibited excellent repeatability for measurement of interfacial area (Aia). Coefficients of variation for Aia were 3.5% for the glass beads and 11% for the sand. Extrapolated maximum interfacial areas (Am) obtained with the GACR method were statistically identical to independent measures of the specific solid surface areas of the media. For example, the Am for the glass beads is 29 (±1) cm-1, compared to 32 (±3), 30 (±2), and 31 (±2) cm-1 determined from geometric calculation, N2/BET measurement, and microtomographic measurement, respectively. This indicates that the method produced accurate measures of interfacial area. Interfacial areas determined with the GACR method were similar to those obtained with the standard methods. For example, Aias of 47 and 44 cm-1 were measured with the GACR and XMT methods, respectively, for the sand at a water saturation of 0.57. The results of the study indicate that the GACR method is a viable alternative for measuring air-water interfacial areas. The method is relatively quick, inexpensive, and requires no specialized instrumentation compared to the standard methods.

Possibilities of gas-phase radio-chromatography application to permanent-gas analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupuis, M.C.; Charrier, G.; Alba, C.; Massimino, D.

1970-01-01

The gas-phase radio-chromatography technique has been applied to the rapid analysis of permanent gases (H 2 , O 2 , N 2 , A, Kr, Xe, CO, CH 4 ) labelled with radioactive indicators ( 3 H, 37 A, 85 Kr, 133 Xe). After calibration, the components of such a mixture can be identified and their concentrations measured in less than two hours, using a sample volume of from 0.1 to 10 cm 3 . The minimum detectable activity is of the order of 10 -4 μC for each radioactive isotope. The measurements are reproducible to about 2 to 3 per cent. This work has been mainly concerned with the influence of parameters affecting the response of the radioactivity detector (ionization chamber or gas flow proportional counter). The method has very numerous applications both theoretically, for the study of chromatographic phenomena under ideal conditions (infinitesimal concentrations made possible by the use of radioactive tracers), and practically, for rapid and accurate radiochemical analysis of radioactive gas mixtures. (authors) [fr

Quantifying methane emission from fugitive sources by combining tracer release and downwind measurements - a sensitivity analysis based on multiple field surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Mønster, Jacob G; Samuelsson, Jerker; Kjeldsen, Peter; Rella, Chris W; Scheutz, Charlotte

2014-08-01

Using a dual species methane/acetylene instrument based on cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS), the dynamic plume tracer dispersion method for quantifying the emission rate of methane was successfully tested in four measurement campaigns: (1) controlled methane and trace gas release with different trace gas configurations, (2) landfill with unknown emission source locations, (3) landfill with closely located emission sources, and (4) comparing with an Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) instrument using multiple trace gasses for source separation. The new real-time, high precision instrument can measure methane plumes more than 1.2 km away from small sources (about 5 kg h(-1)) in urban areas with a measurement frequency allowing plume crossing at normal driving speed. The method can be used for quantification of total methane emissions from diffuse area sources down to 1 kg per hour and can be used to quantify individual sources with the right choice of wind direction and road distance. The placement of the trace gas is important for obtaining correct quantification and uncertainty of up to 36% can be incurred when the trace gas is not co-located with the methane source. Measurements made at greater distances are less sensitive to errors in trace gas placement and model calculations showed an uncertainty of less than 5% in both urban and open-country for placing the trace gas 100 m from the source, when measurements were done more than 3 km away. Using the ratio of the integrated plume concentrations of tracer gas and methane gives the most reliable results for measurements at various distances to the source, compared to the ratio of the highest concentration in the plume, the direct concentration ratio and using a Gaussian plume model. Under suitable weather and road conditions, the CRDS system can quantify the emission from different sources located close to each other using only one kind of trace gas due to the high time resolution, while the FTIR

Isotopic mass-dependence of noble gas diffusion coefficients inwater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bourg, I.C.; Sposito, G.

2007-06-25

Noble gas isotopes are used extensively as tracers inhydrologic and paleoclimatic studies. These applications requireknowledge of the isotopic mass (m) dependence of noble gas diffusioncoefficients in water (D), which has not been measured but is estimatedusing experimental D-values for the major isotopes along with an untestedrelationship from kinetic theory, D prop m-0.5. We applied moleculardynamics methods to determine the mass dependence of D for four noblegases at 298 K, finding that D prop m-beta with beta<0.2, whichrefutes the kinetic theory model underlying all currentapplications.

Systems approach to tracer data in groundwater hydrology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saxena, R.K.

1977-01-01

A brief review of current mathematical methods for the analysis of tracer data in groundwater hydrology has been given. The description of the hydrological cycle as a whole or in part, by a system (compartment) or sub-system under linear and stationary conditions is discussed. Basic concepts of transit time, residence time, their distributions in time and response characteristics of a system are outlined. From the knowledge of tracer input, output and systems response function for a generalised system, reservoir capacity and storage for given period can be estimated. Use of a time series model for environmental tracer data in discreet time scale aimed at the solution of hydrological problems e.g. mean transit time and reservoir capacity is also explored. It is concluded that the combination of tracer data with systems approach can go a long way in the study of some complex hydrological problems. (author)

TracerLPM (Version 1): An Excel® workbook for interpreting groundwater age distributions from environmental tracer data

Science.gov (United States)

Jurgens, Bryant C.; Böhlke, J.K.; Eberts, Sandra M.

2012-01-01

TracerLPM is an interactive Excel® (2007 or later) workbook program for evaluating groundwater age distributions from environmental tracer data by using lumped parameter models (LPMs). Lumped parameter models are mathematical models of transport based on simplified aquifer geometry and flow configurations that account for effects of hydrodynamic dispersion or mixing within the aquifer, well bore, or discharge area. Five primary LPMs are included in the workbook: piston-flow model (PFM), exponential mixing model (EMM), exponential piston-flow model (EPM), partial exponential model (PEM), and dispersion model (DM). Binary mixing models (BMM) can be created by combining primary LPMs in various combinations. Travel time through the unsaturated zone can be included as an additional parameter. TracerLPM also allows users to enter age distributions determined from other methods, such as particle tracking results from numerical groundwater-flow models or from other LPMs not included in this program. Tracers of both young groundwater (anthropogenic atmospheric gases and isotopic substances indicating post-1940s recharge) and much older groundwater (carbon-14 and helium-4) can be interpreted simultaneously so that estimates of the groundwater age distribution for samples with a wide range of ages can be constrained. TracerLPM is organized to permit a comprehensive interpretive approach consisting of hydrogeologic conceptualization, visual examination of data and models, and best-fit parameter estimation. Groundwater age distributions can be evaluated by comparing measured and modeled tracer concentrations in two ways: (1) multiple tracers analyzed simultaneously can be evaluated against each other for concordance with modeled concentrations (tracer-tracer application) or (2) tracer time-series data can be evaluated for concordance with modeled trends (tracer-time application). Groundwater-age estimates can also be obtained for samples with a single tracer measurement at one

USE OF PERFLUOROCARBON TRACER (PFT) TECHNOLOGY FOR SUBSURFACE BARRIER INTEGRITY VERIFICATION AT THE WALDO TEST SITE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

SULLIVAN,T.; HEISER,J.; SENUM,G.; MILLIAN,L.

2000-02-27

Researchers from Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) tested perfluorocarbon (PFT) gas tracers on a subsurface barrier with known flaws at the Waldo test facility [operated by Science and Engineering Associates, Inc (SEA)]. The tests involved the use of five unique PFT tracers with a different tracer injected along the interior of each wall of the barrier. A fifth tracer was injected exterior to the barrier to examine the validity of diffusion controlled transport of the PFTs. The PFTs were injected for three days at a nominal flow rate of 15 cm{sup 3}/min and a concentrations in the range of a few hundred ppm. Approximately 65 liters of air laced with tracer was injected for each tracer. The tracers were able to accurately detect the presence of the engineered flaws. Two flaws were detected on the north and east walls and lane flaw was detected on the south and west walls. In addition, one non-engineered flaw at the seam between the north and east walls was also detected. The use of multiple tracers provided independent confirmation of the flaws and permitted a distinction between tracers arriving at a monitoring port after being released from a nearby flaw and non-engineered flaws. The PFTs detected the smallest flaw, 0.5 inches in diameter. Visual inspection of the data showed excellent agreement with the known flaw locations and the relative size of the flaws was accurately estimated.

Development and validation of I x V curve tracer for photovoltaic modules

OpenAIRE

MÃrcio Leal Macedo Luna

2016-01-01

The IxV curves tracers for PV modules are used as a method of diagnosis of problems such as shadowing, faulty connections and degradation conditions. There are several types and brands tracers commercially available, but their costs are quite high in the Brazilian market due to the need to import. This thesis describes the development and validation of a IxV curve tracer for PV modules based on the electronic load method using MOSFET as load to the module. By appropriate variation of the MOSF...

Dynamic dual-tracer PET reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Fei; Liu, Huafeng; Jian, Yiqiang; Shi, Pengcheng

2009-01-01

Although of important medical implications, simultaneous dual-tracer positron emission tomography reconstruction remains a challenging problem, primarily because the photon measurements from dual tracers are overlapped. In this paper, we propose a simultaneous dynamic dual-tracer reconstruction of tissue activity maps based on guidance from tracer kinetics. The dual-tracer reconstruction problem is formulated in a state-space representation, where parallel compartment models serve as continuous-time system equation describing the tracer kinetic processes of dual tracers, and the imaging data is expressed as discrete sampling of the system states in measurement equation. The image reconstruction problem has therefore become a state estimation problem in a continuous-discrete hybrid paradigm, and H infinity filtering is adopted as the estimation strategy. As H infinity filtering makes no assumptions on the system and measurement statistics, robust reconstruction results can be obtained for the dual-tracer PET imaging system where the statistical properties of measurement data and system uncertainty are not available a priori, even when there are disturbances in the kinetic parameters. Experimental results on digital phantoms, Monte Carlo simulations and physical phantoms have demonstrated the superior performance.

Methane emission quantification from landfills using a double tracer approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheutz, Charlotte; Samuelsson, J.; Fredenslund, Anders Michael

2007-01-01

A tracer method was successfully used for quantification of the whole methane (CH4) emission from Fakse landfill. By using two different tracers the emission from different sections of the landfill could be quantified. Furthermore, is was possible to determine the emissions from local on site...

Assessing preferential flow by simultaneously injecting nanoparticle and chemical tracers

KAUST Repository

Subramanian, S. K.; Li, Yan; Cathles, L. M.

2013-01-01

The exact manner in which preferential (e.g., much faster than average) flow occurs in the subsurface through small fractures or permeable connected pathways of other kinds is important to many processes but is difficult to determine, because most chemical tracers diffuse quickly enough from small flow channels that they appear to move more uniformly through the rock than they actually do. We show how preferential flow can be assessed by injecting 2 to 5 nm carbon particles (C-Dots) and an inert KBr chemical tracer at different flow rates into a permeable core channel that is surrounded by a less permeable matrix in laboratory apparatus of three different designs. When the KBr tracer has a long enough transit through the system to diffuse into the matrix, but the C-Dot tracer does not, the C-Dot tracer arrives first and the KBr tracer later, and the separation measures the degree of preferential flow. Tracer sequestration in the matrix can be estimated with a Peclet number, and this is useful for experiment design. A model is used to determine the best fitting core and matrix dispersion parameters and refine estimates of the core and matrix porosities. Almost the same parameter values explain all experiments. The methods demonstrated in the laboratory can be applied to field tests. If nanoparticles can be designed that do not stick while flowing through the subsurface, the methods presented here could be used to determine the degree of fracture control in natural environments, and this capability would have very wide ranging value and applicability.

Development of radioisotope tracer technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Joon Ha; Lee, Myun Joo; Jung, Sung Hee; Park, Soon Chul; Lim, Dong Soon; Kim, Jae Ho; Lee, Jae Choon; Lee, Doo Sung; Cho, Yong Suk; Shin, Sung Kuan

2000-04-01

The purpose of this study is to develop the radioisotope tracer technology, which can be used in solving industrial and environmental problems and to build a strong tracer group to support the local industries. In relation to the tracer technology in 1999, experiments to estimate the efficiencies of a sludge digester of a waste water treatment plant and a submerged biological reactor of a dye industry were conducted. As a result, the tracer technology for optimization of facilities related to wastewater treatment has been developed and is believed to contribute to improve their operation efficiency. The quantification of the experimental result was attempted to improve the confidence of tracer technology by ECRIN program which basically uses the MCNP simulation principle. Using thin layer activation technique, wear of tappet shim was estimated. Thin layer surface of a tappet shim was irradiated by proton beam and the correlation between the measured activity loss and the amount of wear was established. The equipment was developed to adjust the energy of proton which collides with the surface of tappet. The tracer project team has participated into the tracer test for estimating the efficiency of RFCC system in SK cooperation. From the experiment the tracer team has obtained the primary elements to be considered for judging the efficiency of RFCC unit. By developing the tracer techniques to test huge industrial units like RFCC, the tracer team will be able to support the local industries that require technical services to solve any urgent trouble. (author)

Enhanced Oil Recovery: Aqueous Flow Tracer Measurement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joseph Rovani; John Schabron

2009-02-01

A low detection limit analytical method was developed to measure a suite of benzoic acid and fluorinated benzoic acid compounds intended for use as tracers for enhanced oil recovery operations. Although the new high performance liquid chromatography separation successfully measured the tracers in an aqueous matrix at low part per billion levels, the low detection limits could not be achieved in oil field water due to interference problems with the hydrocarbon-saturated water using the system's UV detector. Commercial instrument vendors were contacted in an effort to determine if mass spectrometry could be used as an alternate detection technique. The results of their work demonstrate that low part per billion analysis of the tracer compounds in oil field water could be achieved using ultra performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

Using 222Rn as a tracer of geophysical processes in underground environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacerda, T.; Anjos, R. M.; Valladares, D. L.; Rizzotto, M.; Velasco, H.; Rosas, J. P. de; Ayub, J. Juri; Silva, A. A. R. da; Yoshimura, E. M.

2014-01-01

Radon levels in two old mines in San Luis, Argentina, are reported and analyzed. These mines are today used for touristic visitation. Our goal was to assess the potential use of such radioactive noble gas as tracer of geological processes in underground environments. CR-39 nuclear track detectors were used during the winter and summer seasons. The findings show that the significant radon concentrations reported in this environment are subject to large seasonal modulations, due to the strong dependence of natural ventilation on the variations of outside temperature. The results also indicate that radon pattern distribution appear as a good method to localize unknown ducts, fissures or secondary tunnels in subterranean environments

Fluorescence characteristics of the fuel tracers triethylamine and trimethylamine for the investigation of fuel distribution in internal combustion engines.

Science.gov (United States)

Lind, Susanne; Aßmann, Simon; Zigan, Lars; Will, Stefan

2016-03-01

Laser-induced fluorescence based on fuel tracers like amines is a suitable measurement technique for mixing studies in internal combustion (IC) engines. Triethylamine has often been used in gasoline IC engines; however, no detailed fluorescence characterization for excitation at 263 or 266 nm is available. Trimethylamine (TMA) exhibits high potential as a gaseous fuel tracer but little information about TMA fluorescence is currently available. A picosecond laser source combined with a streak camera equipped with a spectrograph was used to determine the spectral fluorescence emission and fluorescence decay time of both tracers. The tracers were investigated at various temperatures and pressures in a calibration cell with nitrogen as bath gas. The results provide an in-depth understanding of the fluorescence characteristics of both tracers and allow assessment of their application to the investigation of fuel distribution in IC engines.

Method for the determination of the radon entry rate inside buildings; Methodik zur Bestimmung der Radonquellstaerke in Gebaeuden

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neugebauer, T.; Hingmann, H.; Buermeyer, J.; Grimm, V.; Spruck, K.; Breckow, J. [Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM), Giessen (Germany). Inst. fuer Medizinische Physik und Strahlenschutz (IMPS)

2016-07-01

The radon entry rate describes the radon characteristics of a building, which are defined by its constructional condition (tightness of building envelope) and the geological realities (radon soil gas concentration). All possible radon sources of a building are considered. The determination of the radon entry rate is based on the measurement of the radon concentration inside a building and the determination of the air change rate. The air change rate can be calculated via several approaches, VDI 4300-7 provides the most common methods. The main approaches are based on the use of a tracer gas, which concentration is measured over the time. In a first attempt, a one-time and punctual injection of a tracer gas was used. A disadvantage was that the air change rate could be determined only for short periods. In the follow-up, the constant injection of a tracer gas at multiple spots was executed. With this method, it is possible to calculate the air change rate over several weeks on a continuous base; the data can be used to determine the radon entry rate. Based on those series of measurements a first analysis of possible dependencies of the radon entry rate was performed.

Acupuncture meridians demythified. A study using the radioactive tracer method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, J.; Esquerre, J.P.; Guiraud, R.; Guiraud, G.; Lazorthes, Y.

1988-01-01

Radioactive trajectories can be visualized by injecting a radioactive tracer, technetium 99 m, at the site of acupuncture points. To determine the exact nature of these trajectories we performed several experiments on healthy volunteers, and our results may be summarized as follows. The target organs of technetium 99 m, and notably the thyroid gland, were always visualized. The circulating radioactivity, visible on scintiscans and confirmed by venous blood counts, was not negligible. The radioactive trajectories we observed were often divided at their starting point and did not extend along the whole length of the acupuncture meridians they might have made visible. The radioactive trajectories disappeared after venous blockade to reappear when the blockade was lifted. Finally, the radioactive trajectories obtained were very similar after injection at the acupuncture point and at a control point. These findings indicate a lymphatic and venous drainage of the radioactive tracer at the site of injection followed by transportation through the veins, rather than visualization of acupuncture meridians as suggested by some authors [fr

Acupuncture meridians demythified. A study using the radioactive tracer method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simon, J.; Esquerre, J.P.; Guiraud, R.; Guiraud, G.; Lazorthes, Y.

1988-07-01

Radioactive trajectories can be visualized by injecting a radioactive tracer, technetium 99 m, at the site of acupuncture points. To determine the exact nature of these trajectories we performed several experiments on healthy volunteers, and our results may be summarized as follows. The target organs of technetium 99 m, and notably the thyroid gland, were always visualized. The circulating radioactivity, visible on scintiscans and confirmed by venous blood counts, was not negligible. The radioactive trajectories we observed were often divided at their starting point and did not extend along the whole length of the acupuncture meridians they might have made visible. The radioactive trajectories disappeared after venous blockade to reappear when the blockade was lifted. Finally, the radioactive trajectories obtained were very similar after injection at the acupuncture point and at a control point. These findings indicate a lymphatic and venous drainage of the radioactive tracer at the site of injection followed by transportation through the veins, rather than visualization of acupuncture meridians as suggested by some authors.

Comparative Study of Gas Reconstruction Robust Methods for Multicomponent Gas Mixtures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Gorodnichev

2015-01-01

Full Text Available When using laser methods of gas analysis, one of the arising problems is instability in results of defining a quantitative composition of gases under control of multicomponent mixes in the conditions of real noise of measurements. It leads to demand for using the special algorithms to process results of laser measurements.For multicomponent gaseous mixes, when solving a problem of quantitative gas analysis based on the results of multispectral laser measurements, use of methods for solving incorrect mathematical tasks is efficient.If mix is stationary (i.e. there is a possibility for a series of measurements it is possible to use a much simpler method to determine concentration of gases, i.e. the least-squares method based on the minimization of residual function.However, the estimates obtained by the least-squares method are effective if distribution of measurement errors is according to the normal law. In practice, the law of errors distribution is often non-normal, and loss of estimate efficiency achieved by the least-squares method occurs even at a small share of bursts.With bursts available in the measuring signal, it is necessary to use the stationary estimation methods allowing the significantly reduced impact on the estimate of considerable bursts.To estimate an efficiency of the robust methods for defining a quantitative composition of the multicomponent stationary gas mixes from multispectral laser measurements a mathematical simulation was performed. A gas mixture was considered to be stationary, and n measurements (at each wavelength were taken ( n were specified from 2 to 6 to define a quantitative composition of gases in the mixture. Simulation was implemented for gas mixes with the number of components from 4 to 6.Results of mathematical simulation show that the robust estimate based on the residual function ( x  arctg x , allows us, in conditions of the bursts of a variable signal, to reduce significantly the error of

Suitability of tracers; Eignung von Tracern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klotz, D. [GSF - Forschungszentrum fuer Umwelt und Gesundheit GmbH, Neuherberg (Germany). Inst. fuer Hydrologie

1999-02-01

Hydrological tracer techniques are a means of making statements on the direction and speed of underground water. One of the simpler tasks is to find out whether there is hydrological communication between two given points. This requires a determination of the direction of flow, which places less exacting demands on the properties of the tracer than does the task of determining the flow velocity of underground water. Tracer methods can serve to infer from flow velocity the distance (flow) velocity, which is defined as the ratio between the distance between two points located in flow direction and the actual time it takes water to flow from one to the other. [Deutsch] Mit Hilfe der hydrologischen Markierungstechniken koennen Aussagen ueber die Richtung und die Geschwindigkeit von Bewegungen des unterirdischen Wassers gemacht werden. Der einfachere Fall liegt vor, wenn festgestellt werden soll, ob zwischen zwei Punkten eine hydrologische Verbindung besteht. Bei dieser Fliessrichtungsbestimmung sind die Forderungen an die Eigenschaften der einzusetzenden Tracer geringer als bei der Bestimmung der Geschwindigkeit des unterirdischen Wassers. Von den Geschwindigkeiten des unterirdischen Wassers ist die Abstands-(Fliess)geschwindigkeit, die definiert ist durch das Verhaeltnis aus dem Abstand und der wahren Fliesszeit zwischen zwei in Bewegungsrichtung gelegenen Punkten, durch Tracermethoden zu bestimmen. (orig.)

Test plan for determining breathing rates in single shell tanks using tracer gases. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersen, J.A.

1997-01-01

This test plan specifies the requirements and conditions for the injection of tracer gas (Helium (He)) into single shell tanks to determine breathing rates using periodic sampling. The eight tanks which have been selected at the time this Test Plan was developed are A-101, AX-102, AX-103, BY-105, C-107, U-103 (U-103 is counted twice, once during the winter months and once during the summer), and U-105. Other tanks to be sampled will be assigned by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) at a later date in the study process as resources allow, the document shall be revised as required. The sampling of headspace for each of these tanks shall be performed using available risers or the Standard Hydrogen Monitoring System (SHMS) cabinet as available. The tank farm vapor cognizant engineer shall assign the injection and sample testing point for each tank and document the point in the field work package. SUMMA TMI canisters, equipped in-line with dual particulate air filters and two silica gel sorbent traps will be used to collect the gas samples. The purpose of dual particulate air filters is to ensure no radioactive particulates are transferred to the SUMMA TMI canisters. The silica gel sorbent traps will effectively eliminate any tritiated water vapor that may be present in the sample gas stream. PNNL shall supply the tracer gases injection system and shall perform the analysis on the headspace samples. TWRS Characterization project shall inject the tracer gas and perform the sampling. Refer to Engineering Task Plan HNF-SD-TWR-ETP-002 for a detailed description of the responsibilities for this task

Comparison of gas dehydration methods based on energy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Comparison of gas dehydration methods based on energy consumption. ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... This study compares three conventional methods of natural gas (Associated Natural Gas) dehydration to carry out ...

On-line measurements of liquid carry-over from scrubbers using radioactive tracers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haugan, A; Hassfjell, S [Institute for Energy Technology, Kjeller (Norway); Finborud, A [Mator, Porsgrunn (Norway)

2004-07-01

A method to measure liquid carry-over from scrubbers using gamma-emitting tracers is described and results from field tests at two onshore installations are presented. One water/1,2-ethanediol (MEG) and two hydrocarbon liquid (condensate) tracers have been used in the tests. One of the condensate tracers deposited to some extent inside the process pipe, while the other had a too high vapor pressure. The water/MEG tracer showed no MEG carry-over while the carry-over of MEG was documented to be considerable. (author)

On-line measurements of liquid carry-over from scrubbers using radioactive tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haugan, A.; Hassfjell, S.; Finborud, A.

2004-01-01

A method to measure liquid carry-over from scrubbers using gamma-emitting tracers is described and results from field tests at two onshore installations are presented. One water/1,2-ethanediol (MEG) and two hydrocarbon liquid (condensate) tracers have been used in the tests. One of the condensate tracers deposited to some extent inside the process pipe, while the other had a too high vapor pressure. The water/MEG tracer showed no MEG carry-over while the carry-over of MEG was documented to be considerable. (author)

Tracer dating and ocean ventilation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thiele, G.; Sarmiento, J.L.

1990-01-01

The interpretation of transient tracer observations depends on difficult to obtain information on the evolution in time of the tracer boundary conditions and interior distributions. Recent studies have attempted to circumvent this problem by making use of a derived quantity, age, based on the simultaneous distribution of two complementary tracers, such as tritium and its daughter, helium 3. The age is defined with reference to the surface such that the boundary condition takes on a constant value of zero. The authors use a two-dimensional model to explore the circumstances under which such a combination of conservation equations for two complementary tracers can lead to a cancellation of the time derivative terms. An interesting aspect of this approach is that mixing can serve as a source or sink of tracer based age. The authors define an idealized ventilation age tracer that is conservative with respect to mixing, and they explore how its behavior compares with that of the tracer-based ages over a range of advective and diffusive parameters

Diurnal and seasonal variation in air exchange rates and interzonal airflows measured by active and passive tracer gas in homes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bekö, Gabriel; Gustavsen, Sine; Frederiksen, Marie

2016-01-01

Outdoor air delivery to buildings is an important parameter in the assessment of pollutant exposure indoors. Detailed and well controlled measurements of air exchange rates (AER) and interzonal airflows in residential environment are scarce. We measured the outdoor AERs in up to six rooms in five...... rooms. Window opening behavior had a strong influence on AERs, which were highest during occupied daytime periods, lowest in the night; highest in the summer, lowest in the winter. Significant differences were found between AERs measured by the different techniques. The median nighttime AER in all...... studied the pollutant distribution from one room (source room) and interzonal airflows across the dwellings. The air within a given floor was well mixed, with the average tracer gas concentration in the non-source rooms reaching approximately 70% of the source room concentration. There was less air...

Tracer techniques in food industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pertsovskij, E.S.; Sakharov, Eh.V.; Dolinin, V.A.

1980-01-01

The appicability of radioactive tracer techniques to process control in food industry are considered. Investigations in the field of food industry carried out using the above method are classified. The 1 class included investigations with preliminary preparation of a radioactive indicator and its following introduction in the system studied. The 2 class includes investigations based on the introduction in the system studied of a non-active indicator which is activated in a neutron flux being in samples selected in or after the process investigated. The 3 class includes studies based on investigations of natural radioactivity of certain nuclides in food stuff. The application of tracer techniques to the above classes of investigations in various fields of food industry and the equipment applied are considered in detail [ru

CH+ and SH+ in the diffuse interstellar medium: Tracers of turbulent dissipation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edith, Falgarone; Maryvonne, Gerin; Massimo, De Luca; Benjamin, Godard

2015-01-01

Absorption spectroscopy performed with Herschel/HIFI against the dust continuum emission of bright galactic star-forming regions has allowed the detection of the ground-state transitions of several hydride cations, CH + , OH + , H 2 O + , and SH + in the intervening diffuse medium. These hydrides, that need H 2 to form but are also destroyed by H 2 , appear to be most sensitive tracers of a poorly known component of the interstellar medium (ISM): molecular gas weakly shielded from UV radiation. Among them, because their formation routes are so highly endoenergic, the CH + and SH + cations are proposed to be specific tracers of turbulent dissipation occurring in diffuse gas. Their elusive origin in the diffuse ISM is therefore much more than a chemical riddle: it is rooted in the physics of the diffuse ISM, its turbulent dissipation rate and connects with the far broader issue of galaxy evolution. The Herschel/HIFI observations of CH + and SH + are compared with the predictions of chemical models that include the non-equilibrium effects of turbulent dissipation

The use of tracer techniques to measure water flow rates in steam turbines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitfield, O.J.; Blaylock, G.; Gale, R.W.

1979-01-01

Radioactive and chemical tracers offer some unique advantages in detailed flow measurement on steam turbine plant. A series of experiments on a nuclear power station are reported where tracers successfully measured water flow rates and the initial steam moisture with an accuracy suitable for performance and commissioning tests. Both radioactive and chemical tracer methods produced identical results. Straightforward practical procedures were evolved that ensured repeatable accuracy and in addition a quantitative method of detecting heater leaks on load was established. (author)

Our experience of blood flow measurements using radioactive tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danet, Bernard.

1974-01-01

A critical study of blood flow measuring methods is proposed. After a review of the various diffusible and non-diffusible radioactive tracers and the corresponding detector systems, the principles which allow to measure blood flow from the data so obtained, are studied. There is a different principle of flow measurement for each type of tracer. The theory of flow measurement using non-diffusible tracers (human serum albumin labelled with 131 I or sup(99m)Tc, 113 In-labelled siderophiline) and its application to cardiac flow measurement are described first. Then the theory of flow measurement using diffusible tracers ( 133 Xe, 85 Kr) and its application to measurement of blood flow through tissues (muscles and kidney particularly) are described. A personal experience of this various flow measurements is reported. The results obtained, the difficulties encountered and the improvments proposed are developed [fr

A radioactive tracer dilution method to determine the mass of molten salt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lei Cao; Jarrell, Josh; Hardtmayer, D.E.; White, Susan; Herminghuysen, Kevin; Kauffman, Andrew; Sanders, Jeff; Li, Shelly

2017-01-01

A new technique for molten salt mass determination, termed radioactive tracer dilution, that uses 22 Na as a tracer was validated at bench scale. It has been a challenging problem to determine the mass of molten salt in irregularly shaped containers, where a highly radioactive, high-temperature molten salt was used to process nuclear spent/used fuel during electrochemical recycling (pyro-processing) or for coolant/fuel salt from molten salt reactors. A radioactive source with known activity is dissolved into the salt. After a complete mixture, a small amount of the salt is sampled and measured in terms of its mass and radioactivity. By finding the ratio of the mass to radioactivity, the unknown salt mass in the original container can be precisely determined. (author)

The fluorescent tracer experiment on Holiday Beach near Mugu Canyon, Southern California

Science.gov (United States)

Kinsman, Nicole; Xu, J. P.

2012-01-01

After revisiting sand tracer techniques originally developed in the 1960s, a range of fluorescent coating formulations were tested in the laboratory. Explicit steps are presented for the preparation of the formulation evaluated to have superior attributes, a thermoplastic pigment/dye in a colloidal mixture with a vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer. In September 2010, 0.59 cubic meters of fluorescent tracer material was injected into the littoral zone about 4 kilometers upcoast of Mugu submarine canyon in California. The movement of tracer was monitored in three dimensions over the course of 4 days using manual and automated techniques. Detailed observations of the tracer's behavior in the coastal zone indicate that this tracer successfully mimicked the native beach sand and similar methods could be used to validate models of tracer movement in this type of environment. Recommendations including how to time successful tracer studies and how to scale the field of view of automated camera systems are presented along with the advantages and disadvantages of the described tracer methodology.

Leak detection and localization in natural and artificial dams using tracer techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molinari, J.

1975-01-01

Leak detection and localization procedures using often-unknown techniques of identification by natural or artificial tracers are reported. From the analysis of data supplied by natural tracers, or by artificial tracer methods which involve the direct observation of warning phenomena, it is possible to estimate the extent of the infiltrations, define their origin and under certain circumstances determine the main hydrodynamic flow parameters so that their development may be followed. The examples of application and interpretation were taken from the numerous studies carried out in this field by the CEA, where many original investigation methods have been employed [fr

Standardized 15N tracer methods for the evaluation of the plasma protein turnover in clinical practice. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bornhak, H.

1984-01-01

Methods for quantitative isolation of plasma proteins or groups of proteins (total plasma or serum proteins, fibrin, total globulines, α, β, γ-globolines, albumin) are described based on combination of chromatography with precipitation and extraction techniques. These methods are adapted to the special requirements of 15 N analysis. They can be performed in clinic-chemical standard laboratories without special apparatuses or devices. The described procedures are the biochemico-analytical basis for the quantitative evaluation of tracer kinetics data by means of mathematic modelling. (author)

Control room inleakage testing using tracer gases at Zion Generating station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagus, P.L.; Brown, J.H.; Dubois, L.J.; Fleming, K.M.

1993-01-01

In order to assess the amount of air inleakage into the Control Room Envelope at Zion Generating Station (ZGS), a series of tracer gas tests using sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) were performed on the Control Room ventilation system (PV system) and the Computer Room/Miscellaneous Area ventilation system (OV system) during February, 1991. Two redundant trains, denoted A and B comprise the PV system. Inleakage was measured for each train. An OV supply duct passes through the Control Room Envelope. Leakage from this duct into the Control Room would constitute air leakage into the Control room Envelope and hence any potential leakage had to be quantified. Each test attempted to measure the contribution (if any) of a particular section of PV return duct or OV supply duct to the total air inleakage into the Control Room. This paper reviews the tracer gas tests. Described here are the control room inleakage testing, HVAC equipment room duct inleakage, purge plenum inleakage, OV duct leakage into the control room envelope, vestibule PV return inleakage, TSC duct inleakage, and cable spreading room inleakage. Conclusions from the testing are presented. 5 refs., 4 figs., 7 tabs

Simulation of trace gas redistribution by convective clouds - Liquid phase processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Yin

2001-01-01

Full Text Available A two-dimensional dynamic cloud model with detailed microphysics and a spectral treatment of gas scavenging was used to simulate trace gas vertical redistribution in precipitating continental and maritime clouds. A general picture of gas transport in such clouds has been developed by examining the sensitivity to a range of parameters, including cloud dynamic and microphysical structure, gas solubility, and the method of calculating gas uptake by droplets. Gases with effective Henry's law constants (H* ranging from zero to greater than 109 mol dm-3 atm-1 were simulated. The abundance of highly soluble gases in the uppermost parts (top 1 km or so of continental precipitating clouds was found to be as much as 20-50% of that of the insoluble tracer under conditions where the mixing ratio of the tracer was approximately 5% of its boundary layer value. The abundance of highly soluble gases was approximately 6 times higher in the uppermost parts of the continental cloud than in the maritime cloud, due to differences in wet removal efficiency in the two cloud types. A fully kinetic calculation of gas uptake, as opposed to assuming Henry's law equilibrium, was found to have a significant effect on gas transport, with the abundance of highly soluble gases in the uppermost parts of the cloud being a factor of 5 lower in the equilibrium simulations. The temperature dependence of the Henry's law constant was also found to be an important parameter in determining the abundance of soluble gases at cloud top, with the abundance of moderately soluble gases being as much as 70% lower when the temperature dependence of H* was included. This reduction in abundance was found to be equivalent to increasing the temperature-independent solubility by a factor of 7. The vertical transport of soluble gases could be parameterized in large-scale models by normalizing against the transport of tracers. However, our results suggest that there is no straightforward scaling

Packet Tracer network simulator

CERN Document Server

Jesin, A

2014-01-01

A practical, fast-paced guide that gives you all the information you need to successfully create networks and simulate them using Packet Tracer.Packet Tracer Network Simulator is aimed at students, instructors, and network administrators who wish to use this simulator to learn how to perform networking instead of investing in expensive, specialized hardware. This book assumes that you have a good amount of Cisco networking knowledge, and it will focus more on Packet Tracer rather than networking.

Using {sup 222}Rn as a tracer of geophysical processes in underground environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lacerda, T.; Anjos, R. M. [LARA - Laboratório de Radioecologia e Alterações Ambientais, Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Av. Gal Milton Tavares de Souza, s/no, Gragoatá, 24210-346, Niterói, RJ (Brazil); Valladares, D. L.; Rizzotto, M.; Velasco, H.; Rosas, J. P. de; Ayub, J. Juri [GEA - Instituto de Matemática Aplicada San Luis (IMASL), Universidad Nacional de San Luis, CCT-San Luis CONICET, Ej. de los Andes 950, D5700HHW San Luis (Argentina); Silva, A. A. R. da; Yoshimura, E. M. [Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, P.O. Box 66318, 05314-970, São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2014-11-11

Radon levels in two old mines in San Luis, Argentina, are reported and analyzed. These mines are today used for touristic visitation. Our goal was to assess the potential use of such radioactive noble gas as tracer of geological processes in underground environments. CR-39 nuclear track detectors were used during the winter and summer seasons. The findings show that the significant radon concentrations reported in this environment are subject to large seasonal modulations, due to the strong dependence of natural ventilation on the variations of outside temperature. The results also indicate that radon pattern distribution appear as a good method to localize unknown ducts, fissures or secondary tunnels in subterranean environments.

Gas centrifuge purge method

Science.gov (United States)

Theurich, Gordon R.

1976-01-01

1. In a method of separating isotopes in a high speed gas centrifuge wherein a vertically oriented cylindrical rotor bowl is adapted to rotate about its axis within an evacuated chamber, and wherein an annular molecular pump having an intake end and a discharge end encircles the uppermost portion of said rotor bowl, said molecular pump being attached along its periphery in a leak-tight manner to said evacuated chamber, and wherein end cap closure means are affixed to the upper end of said rotor bowl, and a process gas withdrawal and insertion system enters said bowl through said end cap closure means, said evacuated chamber, molecular pump and end cap defining an upper zone at the discharge end of said molecular pump, said evacuated chamber, molecular pump and rotor bowl defining a lower annular zone at the intake end of said molecular pump, a method for removing gases from said upper and lower zones during centrifuge operation with a minimum loss of process gas from said rotor bowl, comprising, in combination: continuously measuring the pressure in said upper zone, pumping gas from said lower zone from the time the pressure in said upper zone equals a first preselected value until the pressure in said upper zone is equal to a second preselected value, said first preselected value being greater than said second preselected value, and continuously pumping gas from said upper zone from the time the pressure in said upper zone equals a third preselected value until the pressure in said upper zone is equal to a fourth preselected value, said third preselected value being greater than said first, second and fourth preselected values.

A multi-tracer approach to delineate groundwater dynamics in the Rio Actopan Basin, Veracruz State, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez Quezadas, Juan; Heilweil, Victor M.; Cortés Silva, Alejandra; Araguas, Luis; Salas Ortega, María del Rocío

2016-12-01

Geochemistry and environmental tracers were used to understand groundwater resources, recharge processes, and potential sources of contamination in the Rio Actopan Basin, Veracruz State, Mexico. Total dissolved solids are lower in wells and springs located in the basin uplands compared with those closer to the coast, likely associated with rock/water interaction. Geochemical results also indicate some saltwater intrusion near the coast and increased nitrate near urban centers. Stable isotopes show that precipitation is the source of recharge to the groundwater system. Interestingly, some high-elevation springs are more isotopically enriched than average annual precipitation at higher elevations, indicating preferential recharge during the drier but cooler winter months when evapotranspiration is reduced. In contrast, groundwater below 1,200 m elevation is more isotopically depleted than average precipitation, indicating recharge occurring at much higher elevation than the sampling site. Relatively cool recharge temperatures, derived from noble gas measurements at four sites (11-20 °C), also suggest higher elevation recharge. Environmental tracers indicate that groundwater residence time in the basin ranges from 12,000 years to modern. While this large range shows varying groundwater flowpaths and travel times, ages using different tracer methods (14C, 3H/3He, CFCs) were generally consistent. Comparing multiple tracers such as CFC-12 with CFC-113 indicates piston-flow to some discharge points, yet binary mixing of young and older groundwater at other points. In summary, groundwater within the Rio Actopan Basin watershed is relatively young (Holocene) and the majority of recharge occurs in the basin uplands and moves towards the coast.

Tracer techniques in karst hydrogeology. Application to the location of karst aquifers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mangin, A.; Molinari, J.

1976-01-01

From the recent progress in karst aquifer simulation techniques and the improved knowledge of tracers, the old-established tracer technique has become an invaluable instrument for hydrogeological survey work. Typical information obtainable includes karst system boundaries features and location of hydrodynamic discontinuities, flow variation in both space and time. Tracer methods are a basic requirement for investigation of karst groundwater supplies and determining protection zones for water supply points [fr

TRACER - TRACING AND CONTROL OF ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, P. R.

1994-01-01

TRACER (Tracing and Control of Engineering Requirements) is a database/word processing system created to document and maintain the order of both requirements and descriptive material associated with an engineering project. A set of hierarchical documents are normally generated for a project whereby the requirements of the higher level documents levy requirements on the same level or lower level documents. Traditionally, the requirements are handled almost entirely by manual paper methods. The problem with a typical paper system, however, is that requirements written and changed continuously in different areas lead to misunderstandings and noncompliance. The purpose of TRACER is to automate the capture, tracing, reviewing, and managing of requirements for an engineering project. The engineering project still requires communications, negotiations, interactions, and iterations among people and organizations, but TRACER promotes succinct and precise identification and treatment of real requirements separate from the descriptive prose in a document. TRACER permits the documentation of an engineering project's requirements and progress in a logical, controllable, traceable manner. TRACER's attributes include the presentation of current requirements and status from any linked computer terminal and the ability to differentiate headers and descriptive material from the requirements. Related requirements can be linked and traced. The program also enables portions of documents to be printed, individual approval and release of requirements, and the tracing of requirements down into the equipment specification. Requirement "links" can be made "pending" and invisible to others until the pending link is made "binding". Individuals affected by linked requirements can be notified of significant changes with acknowledgement of the changes required. An unlimited number of documents can be created for a project and an ASCII import feature permits existing documents to be incorporated

Tidal volume single breath washout of two tracer gases--a practical and promising lung function test.

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Florian; Stern, Georgette; Thamrin, Cindy; Fuchs, Oliver; Riedel, Thomas; Gustafsson, Per; Frey, Urs; Latzin, Philipp

2011-03-10

Small airway disease frequently occurs in chronic lung diseases and may cause ventilation inhomogeneity (VI), which can be assessed by washout tests of inert tracer gas. Using two tracer gases with unequal molar mass (MM) and diffusivity increases specificity for VI in different lung zones. Currently washout tests are underutilised due to the time and effort required for measurements. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a simple technique for a new tidal single breath washout test (SBW) of sulfur hexafluoride (SF(6)) and helium (He) using an ultrasonic flowmeter (USFM). The tracer gas mixture contained 5% SF(6) and 26.3% He, had similar total MM as air, and was applied for a single tidal breath in 13 healthy adults. The USFM measured MM, which was then plotted against expired volume. USFM and mass spectrometer signals were compared in six subjects performing three SBW. Repeatability and reproducibility of SBW, i.e., area under the MM curve (AUC), were determined in seven subjects performing three SBW 24 hours apart. USFM reliably measured MM during all SBW tests (n = 60). MM from USFM reflected SF(6) and He washout patterns measured by mass spectrometer. USFM signals were highly associated with mass spectrometer signals, e.g., for MM, linear regression r-squared was 0.98. Intra-subject coefficient of variation of AUC was 6.8%, and coefficient of repeatability was 11.8%. The USFM accurately measured relative changes in SF(6) and He washout. SBW tests were repeatable and reproducible in healthy adults. We have developed a fast, reliable, and straightforward USFM based SBW method, which provides valid information on SF(6) and He washout patterns during tidal breathing.

Quantitative Visualization of Dynamic Tracer Transportation in the Extracellular Space of Deep Brain Regions Using Tracer-Based Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Jin; Wang, Wei; Quan, Xianyue; Liang, Wen; Li, Zhiming; Han, Hongbin; Chen, Deji

2017-01-01

Background This study assessed an innovative tracer-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to visualize the dynamic transportation of tracers in regions of deep brain extracellular space (ECS) and to measure transportation ability and ECS structure. Material/Methods Gadolinium-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) was the chosen tracer and was injected into the caudate nucleus and thalamus. Real-time dynamic transportation of Gd-DTPA in ECS was observed and the results were verified by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Using Transwell assay across the blood-brain barrier, a modified diffusion equation was further simplified. Effective diffusion coefficient D* and tortuosity λ were calculated. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis were used to investigate the extracellular matrix contributing to ECS structure. Results Tracers injected into the caudate nucleus were transported to the ipsilateral frontal and temporal cortices away from the injection points, while both of them injected into the thalamus were only distributed on site. Although the caudate nucleus was closely adjacent to the thalamus, tracer transportation between partitions was not observed. In addition, D* and the λ showed statistically significant differences between partitions. ECS was shown to be a physiologically partitioned system, and its division is characterized by the unique distribution territory and transportation ability of substances located in it. Versican and Tenascin R are possible contributors to the tortuosity of ECS. Conclusions Tracer-based MRI will improve our understanding of the brain microenvironment, improve the techniques for local delivery of drugs, and highlight brain tissue engineering fields in the future. PMID:28866708

Quantitative Visualization of Dynamic Tracer Transportation in the Extracellular Space of Deep Brain Regions Using Tracer-Based Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Jin; Wang, Wei; Quan, Xianyue; Liang, Wen; Li, Zhiming; Chen, Deji; Han, Hongbin

2017-09-03

BACKGROUND This study assessed an innovative tracer-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to visualize the dynamic transportation of tracers in regions of deep brain extracellular space (ECS) and to measure transportation ability and ECS structure. MATERIAL AND METHODS Gadolinium-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) was the chosen tracer and was injected into the caudate nucleus and thalamus. Real-time dynamic transportation of Gd-DTPA in ECS was observed and the results were verified by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Using Transwell assay across the blood-brain barrier, a modified diffusion equation was further simplified. Effective diffusion coefficient D* and tortuosity λ were calculated. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis were used to investigate the extracellular matrix contributing to ECS structure. RESULTS Tracers injected into the caudate nucleus were transported to the ipsilateral frontal and temporal cortices away from the injection points, while both of them injected into the thalamus were only distributed on site. Although the caudate nucleus was closely adjacent to the thalamus, tracer transportation between partitions was not observed. In addition, D* and the λ showed statistically significant differences between partitions. ECS was shown to be a physiologically partitioned system, and its division is characterized by the unique distribution territory and transportation ability of substances located in it. Versican and Tenascin R are possible contributors to the tortuosity of ECS. CONCLUSIONS Tracer-based MRI will improve our understanding of the brain microenvironment, improve the techniques for local delivery of drugs, and highlight brain tissue engineering fields in the future.

Method of processing radioactive gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Masayuki.

1978-01-01

Purpose: To reduce the quantity of radioactive gas discharged at the time of starting a nuclear power plant. Method: After the stoppage of a nuclear power plant air containing a radioactive gas is extracted from a main condenser by operating an air extractor. The air is sent into a gaseous waste disposal device, and then introduced into the activated carbon adsorptive tower of a rare gas holdup device where xenon and krypton are trapped. Thereafter, the air passes through pipelines and returned to the main condenser. In this manner, the radioactive gas contained in air within the main condenser is removed during the stoppage of the operation of the nuclear power plant. After the plant has been started, when it enters the normal operation, a flow control valve is closed and another valve is opened, and a purified gas exhausted from the rare gas holdup device is discharged into the atmosphere through an exhaust cylinder. (Aizawa, K.)

Use of artificial tracers in hydrology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-05-01

The IAEA has convened an Advisory Group Meeting with the following objectives: To define the role of artificial radioactive tracers for water tracing in comparison with other non-radioactive tracers. To evaluate the real needs of artificial radioactive tracers in hydrology. To identify the fields for which artificial radioactive tracers are useful as well as those in which they can be substituted by other tracers. To discuss the strategy to be adopted to overcome the difficulties derived from the restrictions on the use of radioactive tracers in hydrology. The meeting was held at IAEA Headquarters from 19 to 22 March 1990, and was attended by 30 participants from 15 Member States. The conclusions and recommendations are that the use of artificial radioactive tracers should be restricted to cases where other tracers cannot be used or do not provide the same quality of information. Tritium, iodine-131, bromine-82, chromium-51 in the form of Cr-EDTA, technetium-99m obtained from 99 Mo-generators and gold-198 as an adsorbable tracer are, practically, the only radionuclides used for water tracing. The use of other radionuclides for this purpose does not appear to be necessary, possible and/or convenient. Refs, figs and tabs

Quantifying solute transport processes: are chemically "conservative" tracers electrically conservative?

Science.gov (United States)

Singha, Kamini; Li, Li; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Regberg, Aaron B.

2012-01-01

The concept of a nonreactive or conservative tracer, commonly invoked in investigations of solute transport, requires additional study in the context of electrical geophysical monitoring. Tracers that are commonly considered conservative may undergo reactive processes, such as ion exchange, thus changing the aqueous composition of the system. As a result, the measured electrical conductivity may reflect not only solute transport but also reactive processes. We have evaluated the impacts of ion exchange reactions, rate-limited mass transfer, and surface conduction on quantifying tracer mass, mean arrival time, and temporal variance in laboratory-scale column experiments. Numerical examples showed that (1) ion exchange can lead to resistivity-estimated tracer mass, velocity, and dispersivity that may be inaccurate; (2) mass transfer leads to an overestimate in the mobile tracer mass and an underestimate in velocity when using electrical methods; and (3) surface conductance does not notably affect estimated moments when high-concentration tracers are used, although this phenomenon may be important at low concentrations or in sediments with high and/or spatially variable cation-exchange capacity. In all cases, colocated groundwater concentration measurements are of high importance for interpreting geophysical data with respect to the controlling transport processes of interest.

Materials For Gas Capture, Methods Of Making Materials For Gas Capture, And Methods Of Capturing Gas

KAUST Repository

Polshettiwar, Vivek; Patil, Umesh

2013-01-01

In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure, in one aspect, relate to materials that can be used for gas (e.g., CO.sub.2) capture, methods of making

Reducing errors in aircraft atmospheric inversion estimates of point-source emissions: the Aliso Canyon natural gas leak as a natural tracer experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Gourdji, S. M.; Yadav, V.; Karion, A.; Mueller, K. L.; Conley, S.; Ryerson, T.; Nehrkorn, T.; Kort, E. A.

2018-04-01

Urban greenhouse gas (GHG) flux estimation with atmospheric measurements and modeling, i.e. the ‘top-down’ approach, can potentially support GHG emission reduction policies by assessing trends in surface fluxes and detecting anomalies from bottom-up inventories. Aircraft-collected GHG observations also have the potential to help quantify point-source emissions that may not be adequately sampled by fixed surface tower-based atmospheric observing systems. Here, we estimate CH4 emissions from a known point source, the Aliso Canyon natural gas leak in Los Angeles, CA from October 2015–February 2016, using atmospheric inverse models with airborne CH4 observations from twelve flights ≈4 km downwind of the leak and surface sensitivities from a mesoscale atmospheric transport model. This leak event has been well-quantified previously using various methods by the California Air Resources Board, thereby providing high confidence in the mass-balance leak rate estimates of (Conley et al 2016), used here for comparison to inversion results. Inversions with an optimal setup are shown to provide estimates of the leak magnitude, on average, within a third of the mass balance values, with remaining errors in estimated leak rates predominantly explained by modeled wind speed errors of up to 10 m s‑1, quantified by comparing airborne meteorological observations with modeled values along the flight track. An inversion setup using scaled observational wind speed errors in the model-data mismatch covariance matrix is shown to significantly reduce the influence of transport model errors on spatial patterns and estimated leak rates from the inversions. In sum, this study takes advantage of a natural tracer release experiment (i.e. the Aliso Canyon natural gas leak) to identify effective approaches for reducing the influence of transport model error on atmospheric inversions of point-source emissions, while suggesting future potential for integrating surface tower and

Transfer function analysis of positron-emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS) data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keutgen, N.; Matsuhashi, S.; Mizuniwa, C.; Ito, T.; Fujimura, T.; Ishioka, N.S.; Watanabe, S.; Sekine, T.; Uchida, H.; Hashimoto, S.

2002-01-01

Quantitative analysis of the two-dimensional image data obtained with the positron-emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS) for plant physiology has been carried out using a transfer function analysis method. While a cut leaf base of Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum Rottler) or a cut stem of soybean (Glycine max L.) was immersed in an aqueous solution containing the [ 18 F] F - ion or [ 13 N]NO 3 - ion, tracer images of the leaf of Chinese chive and the trifoliate of soybean were recorded with PETIS. From the time sequence of images, the tracer transfer function was estimated from which the speed of tracer transport and the fraction moved between specified image positions were deduced

Barometric gas transport along faults and its application to nuclear test-ban monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrigan, C.R.; Heinle, R.A.; Hudson, G.M.; Nitao, J.J.; Zucca, J.J.

1997-05-01

Underground nuclear explosions produce a unique but evanescent set of radionuclide gases that potentially can be used in the context of an on-site, test-ban monitoring program to differentiate them from other detected events such as earthquakes or mining activity. In Part I of this report we describe an experiment to evaluate the upward transport of gases from an underground explosion using two gas tracers with very different diffusivities that were released in a 400-m-deep, chemical explosive detonation. The less diffusive (more massive) tracer was detected on a nearby geologic fault 50 days following the detonation while the more diffusive tracer was detected 375 days after release. Computer simulations indicate that the arrival time and the chromatographic behavior of transport are characteristic of barometrically induced flow in a fractured, porous matrix regime. For a hypothetical 1-kiloton fission explosion subject to the same weather and gas transport conditions of the chemical explosion, simulations predict the detectability of argon-37 after 80 days in spite of depletion by radioactive decay. Largely because of the earlier arrival of xenon-133, owing to its lower binary gas diffusivity, the exceedingly short lived isotope should also be detectable - arriving about 30 days earlier than argon. In Part II we consider that our prediction of the detectability of argon and xenon is based upon the small volume (0.00001 m 3 ) sampling technique of the NPE tracer-gas sampling study while actual sampling for radionuclides would involve drawing much larger volume (possibly 0.1-1 m 3 ) gas samples from the near-surface. Extraction of such a large volume of gas from 1-5 meter depths in the soil raises the possibility of significant atmospheric infiltration, leading to substantial dilution of the extracted gas sample. However, an infiltration experiment suggests that significant dilution would not, in fact, occur at the most prolific sampling stations of the earlier gas-tracer

Evaluation of Oceanic Transport Statistics By Use of Transient Tracers and Bayesian Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Trossman, D. S.; Thompson, L.; Mecking, S.; Bryan, F.; Peacock, S.

2013-12-01

Key variables that quantify the time scales over which atmospheric signals penetrate into the oceanic interior and their uncertainties are computed using Bayesian methods and transient tracers from both models and observations. First, the mean residence times, subduction rates, and formation rates of Subtropical Mode Water (STMW) and Subpolar Mode Water (SPMW) in the North Atlantic and Subantarctic Mode Water (SAMW) in the Southern Ocean are estimated by combining a model and observations of chlorofluorocarbon-11 (CFC-11) via Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA), statistical technique that weights model estimates according to how close they agree with observations. Second, a Bayesian method is presented to find two oceanic transport parameters associated with the age distribution of ocean waters, the transit-time distribution (TTD), by combining an eddying global ocean model's estimate of the TTD with hydrographic observations of CFC-11, temperature, and salinity. Uncertainties associated with objectively mapping irregularly spaced bottle data are quantified by making use of a thin-plate spline and then propagated via the two Bayesian techniques. It is found that the subduction of STMW, SPMW, and SAMW is mostly an advective process, but up to about one-third of STMW subduction likely owes to non-advective processes. Also, while the formation of STMW is mostly due to subduction, the formation of SPMW is mostly due to other processes. About half of the formation of SAMW is due to subduction and half is due to other processes. A combination of air-sea flux, acting on relatively short time scales, and turbulent mixing, acting on a wide range of time scales, is likely the dominant SPMW erosion mechanism. Air-sea flux is likely responsible for most STMW erosion, and turbulent mixing is likely responsible for most SAMW erosion. Two oceanic transport parameters, the mean age of a water parcel and the half-variance associated with the TTD, estimated using the model's tracers as

Radioactive or natural tracer techniques for leak determining of dam abutment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jiansheng; Du Guoping; Zheng Zheng; Sun Jing

1995-01-01

Infiltration and localization of preferential infiltration zones at the dam abutment are measured using radioactive tracer tests of flow in boreholes, meanwhile interconnection between boreholes and the observing water points is analysed. The theory and practice of radioactive tracer synthetic detective method are described to give methods and calculation formulae used under the condition of stable flow in single well to measure permeability coefficient and hydrostatic heads. Major single hole techniques including measurement for seepage line, velocity, rate of seepage flow and relationship of recharge of groundwater in aquifers are introduced briefly. The possibilities offered by natural tracers are analysed, including electric-conduct, ph-value and temperature of water as well as stable isotopes (D, 18 O) and tritium. Furthermore, the sensibilities of this theory and methods were confirmed by detecting seepage flow field of Xinanjiang Dam

Tests of regional elemental tracers of pollution aerosols. 1. Distinctness of regional signatures, stability during transport, and empirical validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowenthal, D.H.; Wunschel, K.R.; Rahn, K.A.

1988-01-01

The two major requirements for a successful regional tracer system are distinctness of signatures and stability of signatures during transport. Dissimilarity of the five regional signatures from eastern North America is shown by collinearity diagnostics and by apportionment of synthetic samples generated randomly. Stability of regional signatures during transport is shown first by use of tracer elements in coarse and fine aerosol to predict the maximum possible change of ratios from particle-size effects alone and then by examination of actual changes in signatures during transport from the Midwest to Underhill, VT. Two recent empirical validations of the tracer system are presented: qualitative agreement of pulses of mid-western aerosol in Vermont with pulses of perfluorocarbon tracer gas released in Ohio during CAPTEX '83 and reproduction of our three major northeastern and mid-western signatures by other investigators. The tracer system currently uses the seven elements As, Se, Sb, Zn, In, noncrustal Mn, and noncrustal V as measured by instrumental neutron activation

Tracer diffusion in an ordered alloy: application of the path probability and Monte Carlo methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Hiroshi; Akbar, S.A.; Murch, G.E.

1984-01-01

Tracer diffusion technique has been extensively utilized to investigate diffusion phenomena and has contributed a great deal to the understanding of the phenomena. However, except for self diffusion and impurity diffusion, the meaning of tracer diffusion is not yet satisfactorily understood. Here we try to extend the understanding to concentrated alloys. Our major interest here is directed towards understanding the physical factors which control diffusion through the comparison of results obtained by the Path Probability Method (PPM) and those by the Monte Carlo simulation method (MCSM). Both the PPM and the MCSM are basically in the same category of statistical mechanical approaches applicable to random processes. The advantage of the Path Probability method in dealing with phenomena which occur in crystalline systems has been well established. However, the approximations which are inevitably introduced to make the analytical treatment tractable, although their meaning may be well-established in equilibrium statistical mechanics, sometimes introduce unwarranted consequences the origin of which is often hard to trace. On the other hand, the MCSM which can be carried out in a parallel fashion to the PPM provides, with care, numerically exact results. Thus a side-by-side comparison can give insight into the effect of approximations in the PPM. It was found that in the pair approximation of the CVM, the distribution in the completely random state is regarded as homogeneous (without fluctuations), and hence, the fluctuation in distribution is not well represented in the PPM. These examples thus show clearly how the comparison of analytical results with carefully carried out calculations by the MCSM guides the progress of theoretical treatments and gives insights into the mechanism of diffusion

Measurement of slurry droplets in coal-fired flue gas after WFGD.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xue-Cheng; Zhao, Hua-Feng; Zhang, Yong-Xin; Zheng, Cheng-Hang; Gao, Xiang

2015-10-01

China owns the world's largest capacity of coal-fired power units. By the end of 2012, the capacity of installed national thermal power has been 819.68 million kilowatts. The latest standard requires that newly built power plants emit SO2 in no more than 100 mg/m(3) and the emission of old ones be lower than 200 mg/m(3) while in some key areas the emission should be controlled under 50 mg/m(3). So by the end of 2012, 90% of the active coal-fired units have been equipped with flue gas desulfurization devices. Among the desulfurization methods adopted, limestone-gypsum wet flue gas desulphurization accounts for 92%, causing the problem of fine droplets in the exhaust gas after defogger, which may even form "gypsum rain." At present, sampling methods are widely used at home and abroad, such as magnesium ion tracer method, modified magnesium ion tracer method and chemical analysis. In addition, some scholars use aerodynamic methods, such as ELPI, to measure the diameter distribution and concentration. The methods mentioned above all have their own demerits, such as the inability to on-line, continuous measurements and the need of prolonged measuring time. Thus, in this paper some potential optical on-line methods are presented, such as Fraunhofer diffraction pattern analysis and wavelength-multiplexed laser extinction. Also brought up are their measuring scope and merits. These methods have already been utilized to measure small liquid droplets and their demonstrations and evaluations are as well stated. Finally, a 3D imaging method based on digital holographic microscope is proposed for in-line measurement of size and concentration of slurry droplets. The feasibility of this method is demonstrated by preliminary experimental investigation.

Engineering task plan for determining breathing rates in single shell tanks using tracer gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersen, J.A.

1997-01-01

The testing of single shell tanks to determine breathing rates. Inert tracer gases helium, and sulfur hexafluoride will be injected into the tanks AX-103, BY-105, C-107 and U-103. Periodic samples will be taken over a three month interval to determine actual headspace breathing rates

Double tracer experiments to evaluate atmospheric transport and dose models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, S.P.; Gryning, S.-E.; Thykier-Nielsen, S.; Karlberg, O.; Lyck, E.

1986-05-01

Two tracers, sulphurhexafluoride (SF 6 ) and radioactive noble gases, were released simultaneously from a 110-m stack and detected downwind at distances of 3-4 km. The experiments were made at the Swedish nuclear power plant Ringhals in 1981. The radioactive tracer was routine emissions from unit 1 (BWR). The one-hour measurements yielded crosswind profiles at ground level of SF 6 -concentrations and of gamma radiation from the plume. The measured profiles were compared to profiles calculated with computer models. The comparison showed that the models sometimes underestimate and sometimes overestimate the results, which seems to indicate that the models within their limited accuracy yield unbiased results. The ratios between measured and calculated values range from 0.2 to 3. The measurements revealed a surplus of gamma radiations from the noble gas daughters compared to those from the gases. This was interpreted as due to ground desposition and the estimated deposition velocities range from 2 to 10 cm/s. The meteorological conditions were monitored from a 100-m meteorological tower and from an 11-m mast. Measurements were made of wind speed, wind direction, and temperatures at different heights, and during each experiment a mini-radiosonde was released giving information on a possible inversion layer. The SF 6 -tracer was injected to the stack prior to the experiments. Air-samples were collected downwind in plastic bags by radio-controlled sampling units. The SF 6 -concentrations in the bags were determined with gas chromatography. Measurements of the gamma radiation from the plume were made with ionisation chambers and GM-counters. Furthermore, a few mobile gamma spectrometers were available giving information on the unscattered gamma radiation, thereby permitting identification of the radioactive isotopes. The work was partly financed by the Nuclear Safety Board of the Swedish Utilities and by the Danish association of utilities in Jutland and on Funen, Elsam

Radioactive tracers in Sedimentology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, H.T.

1973-01-01

First is given a broad description of the uses of radioactive tracers in Sedimentology. The general method is established, including determinations of probability and standard deviation. Following are determined: the response law of the detector, the minimum mass for statistical detection, and the minimum mass for dynamic detection. The granularity is an important variable in these calculations. Final conclusions are given, and results are compared with existing theories

Measuring methane emissions from a UK landfill using the tracer dispersion method and the influence of operational and environmental factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rees-White, T.; Mønster, Jacob; Beaven, R. P.

2018-01-01

The methane emissions from a landfill in south-east, UK were successfully quantified during a six-day measurement campaign using the tracer dispersion method. The fair weather conditions made it necessary to perform measurements in the late afternoon and in the evening when the lower solar flux...

Xanthine tracers and their preparation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groman, E.V.; Cabelli, M.D.

1980-01-01

Compounds useful as tracers in the radioimmunoassay of xanthine derivatives such as theophylline and pharmacologically related drugs are described. They are substituted xanthines in which at least one substituted radical contains radioiodine. The tracers are made by linking radioiodinatable or preradioiodinated radicals to the xanthine derivative which is to be assayed. The tracers may be employed in known radioimmunoassay techniques. (author)

System and method for treatment of a flue gas

Science.gov (United States)

Spiry, Irina Pavlovna; Wood, Benjamin Rue; Singh, Surinder Prabhjot; Perry, Robert James; McDermott, John Brian

2017-09-19

A method for treatment of a flue gas involves feeding the flue gas and a lean solvent to an absorber. The method further involves reacting the flue gas with the lean solvent within the absorber to generate a clean flue gas and a rich solvent. The method also involves feeding the clean flue gas from the absorber and water from a source, to a wash tower to separate a stripped portion of the lean solvent from the clean flue gas to generate a washed clean flue gas and a mixture of the water and the stripped portion of the lean solvent. The method further involves treating at least a portion of the mixture of the water and the stripped portion of the lean solvent via a separation system to separate the water from the stripped portion of the lean solvent.

[Drainage characteristic of the brain interstitial fluid detected by using fluorescence and magnetic tracer method].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Y; Li, Y Q; Li, H Y; Li, Y L; Liu, L X; Yuan, L; Zhang, S J; Han, H B

2017-04-18

Compare the results of molecular diffusion and mass flow in the interstitial space(ISS) displayed by using optical and magnetic probes and study partitioned drainage of the brain interstitial fluid (ISF). In the study, 36 male SD rats were randomly divided into fluorescent inspection group (18), magnetic tracer group (18). Then they were divided equally into caudate nucleus (Cn), thalamus (T) and substantia nigra (Sn) subgroup, 6 rats in each subgroup. Referencing the brain stereotaxic atlas, the coronal globus pallidus as center level, Cn, T or Sn were acted as puncture positioning target. A 10 μL microsyringe was stereotaxically positioned and the lucifer yellow (LY) solution of 2 μL 10 mmol/L was infused into centric position. The coronary slices undergo cardiac perfusion and fix respectively in time point Cn 3 h, T 2 h and Sn 1 h. The rat brain was placed in rat stainless steel brain matrices and cut backward along visual intersection. The injection point of coronal slice as the center level, take 3 slices in front of the center level and 2 slices behind of it. 1 mm for each slice and 6 slices in total. Then slices were detected by laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM). Simultaneous, in the same coordinate brain regions of another three groups, a gadolinium-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acidm (Gd-DTPA) solution of 2 μL 10 mmol/L was infused into different injection and detected by MRI tracer-based method. Then the Radiant can be used to measure distribution area of Gd-DTPA. LY and Gd-DTPA have different distribution regions in Cn, T and Sn. After LY and Gd-DTPA were introduced into the Cn subgroup 3 h, compare the 1 to 6 levels distribution area of LY and Gd-DTPA as follows: (10.95±4.27) mm 2 vs. (8.33±2.25) mm 2 , (18.16±4.74) mm 2 vs. (16.42±2.88) mm 2 , (24.57±3.65) mm 2 vs. (20.75±2.29) mm 2 , (34.81±3.32) mm 2 vs. (28.88±1.51) mm 2 , (30.53±3.12) mm 2 vs. (20.92±2.75) mm 2 , (12.15±4.92) mm 2 vs. (10.00±1.89) mm 2 . The statistical

Identification and characterization of conservative organic tracers for use as hydrologic tracers for the Yucca Mountain site characterization study. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stetzenbach, K.; Farnham, I.

1996-01-01

Extensive tracer testing is expected to take place at the C-well complex in the Nevada Test Site as part of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project. The C-well complex consists of one pumping well, C3, and two injection wells, C1 and C2 into which tracer will be introduced. The goal of this research was to provide USGS with numerous tracers to completed these tests. Several classes of fluorinated organic acids have been evaluated. These include numerous isomers of fluorinated benzoic acids, cinnamic acids, and salicylic acids. Also several derivatives of 2-hydroxy nicotinic acid (pyridone) have been tested. The stability of these compounds was determined using batch and column tests. Ames testing (mutagenicity/carcinogenicity) was conducted on the fluorinated benzoic acids and a literature review of toxicity of the fluorobenzoates and three perfluoro aliphatic acids was prepared. Solubilities were measured and method development work was performed to optimize the detection of these compounds. A Quality Assurance (QA) Program was developed under existing DOE and USGS guidelines. The program includes QA procedures and technical standard operating procedures. A tracer test, using sodium iodide, was performed at the C-well complex. HRC chemists performed analyses on site, to provide real time data for the USGS hydrologists and in the laboratories at UNLV. Over 2,500 analyses were performed. This report provides the results of the laboratory experiments and literature reviews used to evaluate the potential tracers and reports on the results of the iodide C-well tracer test

Identification and characterization of conservative organic tracers for use as hydrologic tracers for the Yucca Mountain site characterization study. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stetzenbach, K.; Farnham, I.

1996-06-01

Extensive tracer testing is expected to take place at the C-well complex in the Nevada Test Site as part of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project. The C-well complex consists of one pumping well, C3, and two injection wells, C1 and C2 into which tracer will be introduced. The goal of this research was to provide USGS with numerous tracers to completed these tests. Several classes of fluorinated organic acids have been evaluated. These include numerous isomers of fluorinated benzoic acids, cinnamic acids, and salicylic acids. Also several derivatives of 2-hydroxy nicotinic acid (pyridone) have been tested. The stability of these compounds was determined using batch and column tests. Ames testing (mutagenicity/carcinogenicity) was conducted on the fluorinated benzoic acids and a literature review of toxicity of the fluorobenzoates and three perfluoro aliphatic acids was prepared. Solubilities were measured and method development work was performed to optimize the detection of these compounds. A Quality Assurance (QA) Program was developed under existing DOE and USGS guidelines. The program includes QA procedures and technical standard operating procedures. A tracer test, using sodium iodide, was performed at the C-well complex. HRC chemists performed analyses on site, to provide real time data for the USGS hydrologists and in the laboratories at UNLV. Over 2,500 analyses were performed. This report provides the results of the laboratory experiments and literature reviews used to evaluate the potential tracers and reports on the results of the iodide C-well tracer test.

Separation of input function for rapid measurement of quantitative CMRO2 and CBF in a single PET scan with a dual tracer administration method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kudomi, Nobuyuki; Watabe, Hiroshi; Hayashi, Takuya; Iida, Hidehiro

2007-01-01

Cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO 2 ), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) images can be quantified using positron emission tomography (PET) by administrating 15 O-labelled water (H 15 2 O) and oxygen ( 15 O 2 ). Conventionally, those images are measured with separate scans for three tracers C 15 O for CBV, H 15 2 O for CBF and 15 O 2 for CMRO 2 , and there are additional waiting times between the scans in order to minimize the influence of the radioactivity from the previous tracers, which results in a relatively long study period. We have proposed a dual tracer autoradiographic (DARG) approach (Kudomi et al 2005), which enabled us to measure CBF, OEF and CMRO 2 rapidly by sequentially administrating H 15 2 O and 15 O 2 within a short time. Because quantitative CBF and CMRO 2 values are sensitive to arterial input function, it is necessary to obtain accurate input function and a drawback of this approach is to require separation of the measured arterial blood time-activity curve (TAC) into pure water and oxygen input functions under the existence of residual radioactivity from the first injected tracer. For this separation, frequent manual sampling was required. The present paper describes two calculation methods: namely a linear and a model-based method, to separate the measured arterial TAC into its water and oxygen components. In order to validate these methods, we first generated a blood TAC for the DARG approach by combining the water and oxygen input functions obtained in a series of PET studies on normal human subjects. The combined data were then separated into water and oxygen components by the present methods. CBF and CMRO 2 were calculated using those separated input functions and tissue TAC. The quantitative accuracy in the CBF and CMRO 2 values by the DARG approach did not exceed the acceptable range, i.e., errors in those values were within 5%, when the area under the curve in the input function of the second tracer

A model for C-14 tracer evaporative rate analysis (ERA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardner, R.P.; Verghese, K.

1993-01-01

A simple model has been derived and tested for the C-14 tracer evaporative rate analysis (ERA) method. It allows the accurate determination of the evaporative rate coefficient of the C-14 tracer detector in the presence of variable evaporation rates of the detector solvent and variable background counting rates. The evaporation rate coefficient should be the most fundamental parameter available in this analysis method and, therefore, its measurements with the proposed model should allow the most direct correlations to be made with the system properties of interest such as surface cleanliness. (author)

Reassessment of primed constant-infusion tracer method to measure urea kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jahoor, F.; Wolfe, R.R.

1987-01-01

The validity of the primed constant-infusion tracer technique to make short-term measurements of urea production rates (R/sub a/) in humans in a physiological steady state and during disruption of steady state was evaluated. Four subjects received a primed constant infusion (P/I = 560 min) of [ 13 C]urea for 8 h. A plateau in urea enrichment was reached after 2 h and maintained throughout. When [ 13 C]- and [ 18 O]urea were simultaneously infused into four subjects at P/I ratios of 560:1 and 360:1, respectively, both tracers reached plateau enrichment at the same time (2-4 h). The enrichment at plateau was a function of the infusion rate rather than the priming dose, and calculated urea R/sub a/ was the same with either prime. In five additional experiments the technique responded acutely to a physiological perturbation (alanine infusion) in a dose-dependent manner. The results confirm that this technique is appropriate for short-term measurements of urea R/sub a/, and the requirement for accuracy in estimating the priming dose is not impractically stringent

Tracer dispersion in two-dimensional rough fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Drazer, G; Koplik, J

2001-05-01

Tracer diffusion and hydrodynamic dispersion in two-dimensional fractures with self-affine roughness are studied by analytic and numerical methods. Numerical simulations were performed via the lattice-Boltzmann approach, using a boundary condition for tracer particles that improves the accuracy of the method. The reduction in the diffusive transport, due to the fractal geometry of the fracture surfaces, is analyzed for different fracture apertures. In the limit of small aperture fluctuations we derive the correction to the diffusive coefficient in terms of the tortuosity, which accounts for the irregular geometry of the fractures. Dispersion is studied when the two fracture surfaces are simply displaced normally to the mean fracture plane and when there is a lateral shift as well. Numerical results are analyzed using the Lambda parameter, related to convective transport within the fracture, and simple arguments based on lubrication approximation. At very low Péclet number, in the case where fracture surfaces are laterally shifted, we show using several different methods that convective transport reduces dispersion.

Ventilation distribution in rats: Part I - The effect of gas composition as measured with electrical impedance tomography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dunster Kimble R

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract The measurement of ventilation distribution is currently performed using inhaled tracer gases for multiple breath inhalation studies or imaging techniques to quantify spatial gas distribution. Most tracer gases used for these studies have properties different from that of air. The effect of gas density on regional ventilation distribution has not been studied. This study aimed to measure the effect of gas density on regional ventilation distribution. Methods Ventilation distribution was measured in seven rats using electrical impedance tomography (EIT in supine, prone, left and right lateral positions while being mechanically ventilated with either air, heliox (30% oxygen, 70% helium or sulfur hexafluoride (20% SF6, 20% oxygen, 60% air. The effect of gas density on regional ventilation distribution was assessed. Results Gas density did not impact on regional ventilation distribution. The non-dependent lung was better ventilated in all four body positions. Gas density had no further impact on regional filling characteristics. The filling characteristics followed an anatomical pattern with the anterior and left lung showing a greater impedance change during the initial phase of the inspiration. Conclusion It was shown that gas density did not impact on convection dependent ventilation distribution in rats measured with EIT.

Use of tracers for locating and designing sea outfalls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gauthier, M.; Quetin, B.

1976-01-01

Various tracers are used for investigating the propagation of substances in solution or suspension (radioactive, biological, chemical substances and floats). Floats and dyes are the most employed. The main problems associated with the use of such tracers and data interpretation are discussed and it is shown how effective quantitative data can be obtained, especially as regards estimation of turbulent diffusion parameters and identification of suitable dispersion methods for purposes of determining pollutant concentration and areas affected thereby [fr

Isotopic marking and tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morel, F.

1997-01-01

The use of radioactive isotopes as tracers in biology has been developed thanks to the economic generation of the required isotopes in accelerators and nuclear reactors, and to the multiple applications of tracers in the life domain; the most usual isotopes employed in biology are carbon, hydrogen, phosphorus and sulfur isotopes, because these elements are present in most of organic molecules. Most of the life science knowledge appears to be dependent to the extensive use of nuclear tools and radioactive tracers; the example of the utilization of radioactive phosphorus marked ATP to study the multiple reactions with proteins, nucleic acids, etc., is given

MESYST, Simulation of 3-D Tracer Dispersion in Atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mastrangelo, V.; Mehilli, I.

2000-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: Mesyst code is used for the simulation of 3D tracer dispersion in atmosphere. Three packages are part of this system: Cre-topo: prepares the terrain data for the Mesyst. Noabl: code calculates three- dimensional free divergence wind fields over complex terrain. Pas: Computing of tracer concentrations and depositions on a given domain. 2 - Method of solution: NOABL - Line Over Relaxation + Special adaptation of Gauss procedure. PAS - Monte Carlo Method. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: Computations: Mesh size: variable from some meters to some hundreds meters Mesh number: variable depending on available real data (some hundreds points on each directions)

Radon as a tracer for soil-gas entry into a house located next to a contaminated dry-cleaning property

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersen, C.E.

2001-07-01

This study applies the naturally occurring radioactive gas radon-222 as a tracer for soil-gas entry into a house located next to a dry-cleaners shop. This is possible because the concentration of radon in the soil below the house is about 1000 times higher than the concentration in outdoor air. The study is based on continuous indoor measurement of radon, differential pressures, barometric pressure and temperatures and grab samples of radon below the slab and in the soil in the vicinity of the house. During the investigation, vacuum extraction were used to remove chlorinated solvents (perchloroethylene, PCE) from the unsaturated zone. The study shows that the vacuum extraction influences the radon concentration in and below the house. When the vacuum pump is on, the indoor radon concentration is only 10 Bq/m 3 corresponding to the contribution from radon in outdoor air and exhalation from building materials. When the vacuum pump is set off, the average indoor radon concentration increases to 30 Bq/m 3 . It is believed that the increase is caused by radon entry from the soil. Regression analysis demonstrates that changes in the indoor radon concentration can be explained by changes in indoor-outdoor pressure differences and changes in the atmospheric pressure. This suggests that advection is the primary mode of entry. Under some highly simplifying assumptions the soil-gas entry is found to be around 1 m 3 /h. This, however, is most likely an overestimate. Based on the measured radon concentration in the exhaust air from the vacuum system and a typical radon emanation rate for Danish soil, it is estimated that the soil vapor extraction system ventilates about 10000 m 3 of soil. The investigation is supported by numerical model calculations with the finite-volume model Rnmod3d. (au)

Direct measurement of gaseous activities by diffusion-in long proportional counter method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, M.; Yamamoto, T.; Wu, Y.; Aratani, T.; Uritani, A.; Mori, C.

1993-01-01

Direct measurement of gaseous activities by the diffusion-in long proportional counter method (DLPC method) was studied. The measuring time without end effect was estimated by observing the behavior of 37 Ar in the counter and was long enough to carry out the accurate activity measurement. The correction for wall effect was also examined on the basis of the measured and calculated correction factors. Among the tested gases of methane, P10 gas and propane, P10 gas was made clear to be a suitable counting gas for the DLPC method because of good diffusion properties and small wall effect. This method is quite effective for standardization of gaseous activities used for tracer experiments and calibration works of radioactive gas monitoring instruments. (orig.)

Relative distance between tracers as a measure of diffusivity within moving aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Pönisch, Wolfram; Zaburdaev, Vasily

2018-02-01

Tracking of particles, be it a passive tracer or an actively moving bacterium in the growing bacterial colony, is a powerful technique to probe the physical properties of the environment of the particles. One of the most common measures of particle motion driven by fluctuations and random forces is its diffusivity, which is routinely obtained by measuring the mean squared displacement of the particles. However, often the tracer particles may be moving in a domain or an aggregate which itself experiences some regular or random motion and thus masks the diffusivity of tracers. Here we provide a method for assessing the diffusivity of tracer particles within mobile aggregates by measuring the so-called mean squared relative distance (MSRD) between two tracers. We provide analytical expressions for both the ensemble and time averaged MSRD allowing for direct identification of diffusivities from experimental data.

Evaluation of short-term tracer fluctuations in groundwater and soil air in a two year study

Science.gov (United States)

Jenner, Florian; Mayer, Simon; Aeschbach, Werner; Weissbach, Therese

2016-04-01

The application of gas tracers like noble gases (NGs), SF6 or CFCs in groundwater studies such as paleo temperature determination requires a detailed understanding of the dynamics of reactive and inert gases in the soil air with which the infiltrating water equilibrates. Due to microbial gas consumption and production, NG partial pressures in soil air can deviate from atmospheric air, an effect that could bias noble gas temperatures estimates if not taken into account. So far, such an impact on NG contents in groundwater has not been directly demonstrated. We provide the first long-term study of the above mentioned gas tracers and physical parameters in both the saturated and unsaturated soil zone, sampled continuously for more than two years near Mannheim (Germany). NG partial pressures in soil air correlate with soil moisture and the sum value of O2+CO2, with a maximal significant enhancement of 3-6% with respect to atmospheric air during summer time. Observed seasonal fluctuations result in a mass dependent fractionation of NGs in soil air. Concentrations of SF6 and CFCs in soil air are determined by corresponding fluctuations in local atmospheric air, caused by industrial emissions. Arising concentration peaks are damped with increasing soil depth. Shallow groundwater shows short-term NG fluctuations which are smoothed within a few meters below the water table. A correlation between NG contents of soil air and of groundwater is observable during strong recharge events. However, there is no evidence for a permanent influence of seasonal variations of soil air composition on shallow groundwater. Fluctuating NG contents in shallow groundwater are rather determined by variations of soil temperature and water table level. Our data gives evidence for a further temperature driven equilibration of groundwater with entrapped air bubbles within the topmost saturated zone, which permanently occurs even some years after recharge. Local subsurface temperature fluctuations

Determining Near-Bottom Fluxes of Passive Tracers in Aquatic Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Bluteau, Cynthia E.; Ivey, Gregory N.; Donis, Daphne; McGinnis, Daniel F.

2018-03-01

In aquatic systems, the eddy correlation method (ECM) provides vertical flux measurements near the sediment-water interface. The ECM independently measures the turbulent vertical velocities w' and the turbulent tracer concentration c' at a high sampling rate (> 1 Hz) to obtain the vertical flux w'c'¯ from their time-averaged covariance. This method requires identifying and resolving all the flow-dependent time (and length) scales contributing to w'c'¯. With increasingly energetic flows, we demonstrate that the ECM's current technology precludes resolving the smallest flux-contributing scales. To avoid these difficulties, we show that for passive tracers such as dissolved oxygen, w'c'¯ can be measured from estimates of two scalar quantities: the rate of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation ɛ and the rate of tracer variance dissipation χc. Applying this approach to both laboratory and field observations demonstrates that w'c'¯ is well resolved by the new method and can provide flux estimates in more energetic flows where the ECM cannot be used.

Bayesian inverse modeling of the atmospheric transport and emissions of a controlled tracer release from a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucas, Donald D.; Simpson, Matthew; Cameron-Smith, Philip; Baskett, Ronald L.

2017-01-01

Probability distribution functions (PDFs) of model inputs that affect the transport and dispersion of a trace gas released from a coastal California nuclear power plant are quantified using ensemble simulations, machine-learning algorithms, and Bayesian inversion. The PDFs are constrained by observations of tracer concentrations and account for uncertainty in meteorology, transport, diffusion, and emissions. Meteorological uncertainty is calculated using an ensemble of simulations of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model that samples five categories of model inputs (initialization time, boundary layer physics, land surface model, nudging options, and reanalysis data). The WRF output is used to drive tens of thousands of FLEXPART dispersion simulations that sample a uniform distribution of six emissions inputs. Machine-learning algorithms are trained on the ensemble data and used to quantify the sources of ensemble variability and to infer, via inverse modeling, the values of the 11 model inputs most consistent with tracer measurements. We find a substantial ensemble spread in tracer concentrations (factors of 10 to 10 3 ), most of which is due to changing emissions inputs (about 80 %), though the cumulative effects of meteorological variations are not negligible. The performance of the inverse method is verified using synthetic observations generated from arbitrarily selected simulations. When applied to measurements from a controlled tracer release experiment, the inverse method satisfactorily determines the location, start time, duration and amount. In a 2 km x 2 km area of possible locations, the actual location is determined to within 200 m. The start time is determined to within 5 min out of 2 h, and the duration to within 50 min out of 4 h. Over a range of release amounts of 10 to 1000 kg, the estimated amount exceeds the actual amount of 146 kg by only 32 kg. The inversion also estimates probabilities of different WRF configurations. To best match

Bayesian inverse modeling of the atmospheric transport and emissions of a controlled tracer release from a nuclear power plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucas, Donald D.; Simpson, Matthew; Cameron-Smith, Philip; Baskett, Ronald L. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-07-01

Probability distribution functions (PDFs) of model inputs that affect the transport and dispersion of a trace gas released from a coastal California nuclear power plant are quantified using ensemble simulations, machine-learning algorithms, and Bayesian inversion. The PDFs are constrained by observations of tracer concentrations and account for uncertainty in meteorology, transport, diffusion, and emissions. Meteorological uncertainty is calculated using an ensemble of simulations of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model that samples five categories of model inputs (initialization time, boundary layer physics, land surface model, nudging options, and reanalysis data). The WRF output is used to drive tens of thousands of FLEXPART dispersion simulations that sample a uniform distribution of six emissions inputs. Machine-learning algorithms are trained on the ensemble data and used to quantify the sources of ensemble variability and to infer, via inverse modeling, the values of the 11 model inputs most consistent with tracer measurements. We find a substantial ensemble spread in tracer concentrations (factors of 10 to 10{sup 3}), most of which is due to changing emissions inputs (about 80 %), though the cumulative effects of meteorological variations are not negligible. The performance of the inverse method is verified using synthetic observations generated from arbitrarily selected simulations. When applied to measurements from a controlled tracer release experiment, the inverse method satisfactorily determines the location, start time, duration and amount. In a 2 km x 2 km area of possible locations, the actual location is determined to within 200 m. The start time is determined to within 5 min out of 2 h, and the duration to within 50 min out of 4 h. Over a range of release amounts of 10 to 1000 kg, the estimated amount exceeds the actual amount of 146 kg by only 32 kg. The inversion also estimates probabilities of different WRF configurations. To best

Development of radioisotope tracer technology and nucleonic control system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Joon Ha; Lee, Myun Joo; Jung, Sung Hee and others

1999-04-01

The purpose of this study is to develop the radioisotope tracer technology, which can be used in solving industrial and environmental problems and basic technology of nuclear control systems that are widely used for automation of industrial plants, and to build a strong tracer group to support the local industries. In relation to the tracer technology, the data acquisition system, the column scanning equipment and the detection pig for a leakage test have been developed. In order to use in analyzing data of tracer experiments, a computer program for the analysis of residence time distribution has been created as well. These results were utilized in developing the tracer technologies, such as the column scanning, the flow measurement using the dilution method, the simultaneous monitoring rotational movement of piston rings and the optimization of a waste water treatment facility, and the technologies were successfully demonstrated in the local industrial. The stripper of RFCC reactor has been examined to find an unwanted structure in it by imminent request from the industry. Related to the development of nucleonic control system, the state of art report on the technology has been written and an equipment for the analysis of asphalt content has been developed. (author)

Gas-phase naphthalene concentration data recovery in ambient air and its relevance as a tracer of sources of volatile organic compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Uria-Tellaetxe, Iratxe; Navazo, Marino; de Blas, Maite; Durana, Nieves; Alonso, Lucio; Iza, Jon

2016-04-01

Despite the toxicity of naphthalene and the fact that it is a precursor of atmospheric photooxidants and secondary aerosol, studies on ambient gas-phase naphthalene are generally scarce. Moreover, as far as we are concerned, this is the first published one using long-term hourly ambient gas-phase naphthalene concentrations. In this work, it has been also demonstrated the usefulness of ambient gas-phase naphthalene to identify major sources of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in complex scenarios. Initially, in order to identify main benzene emission sources, hourly ambient measurements of 60 VOC were taken during a complete year together with meteorological data in an urban/industrial area. Later, due to the observed co-linearity of some of the emissions, a procedure was developed to recover naphthalene concentration data from recorded chromatograms to use it as a tracer of the combustion and distillation of petroleum products. The characteristic retention time of this compound was determined comparing previous GC-MS and GC-FID simultaneous analysis by means of relative retention times, and its concentration was calculated by using relative response factors. The obtained naphthalene concentrations correlated fairly well with ethene (r = 0.86) and benzene (r = 0.92). Besides, the analysis of daily time series showed that these compounds followed a similar pattern, very different from that of other VOC, with minimum concentrations at day-time. This, together with the results from the assessment of the meteorological dependence pointed out a coke oven as the major naphthalene and benzene emitting sources in the study area.

Carbon cycling and gas exchange in soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trumbore, S.E.

1989-01-01

This thesis summaries three independent projects, each of which describes a method which can be used to study the role of soils in regulating the atmospheric concentrations of CO 2 and other trace gases. The first chapter uses the distribution of natural and bomb produced radiocarbon in fractionated soil organic matter to quantify the turnover of carbon in soils. A comparison of 137 Cs and 14 C in the modern soil profiles indicates that carbon is transported vertically in the soil as dissolved organic material. The remainder of the work reported is concerned with the use of inert trace gases to explore the physical factors which control the seasonal to diel variability in the fluxes of CO 2 and other trace gases from soils. Chapter 2 introduces a method for measuring soil gas exchange rates in situ using sulfur hexafluoride as a purposeful tracer. The measurement method uses standard flux box technology, and includes simultaneous determination of the fluxes and soil atmosphere concentrations of CO 2 and CH 4 . In Chapter 3, the natural tracer 222 Rn is used as an inert analog for exchange both in the soils and forest canopy of the Amazon rain forest

Using REE tracers to measure sheet erosion changing to rill erosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Puling; Xue Yazhou; Song Wei; Wang Mingyi; Ju Tongjun

2004-01-01

Rare Earth Elements (REE) tracer method was used to study sheet erosion changing to rill erosion on slope land. By placing different rare earth elements of different soil depth across a slope in an indoor plot, two simulated rainfalls were applied to study the change of erosion type and the rill erosion process. The results indicate that the main erosion type is sheet erosion at the beginning of the rainfalls, and serious erosion happens after rill erosion appears. Accumulated sheet and rill erosion amounts increase with the rainfalls time. The percentage of sheet erosion amount decreases and rill erosion percentage increases with time. At the end of the rainfalls, the total rill erosion amounts are 4-5 times more than sheet erosion. In this paper, a new REE tracer method was used to quantitatively distinguish sheet and rill erosion amounts. The new REE tracer method should be useful to future studying of erosion processes on slope lands. (authors)

Bromide as a tracer for studying water movement and nitrate displacement in soils: comparison with stable isotope tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russow, R.; Knappe, S.

1999-01-01

Tracers are an ideal means of studying water movement and associated nitrate displacement. Often bromide is preferred as a tracer because it is considered a representative tracer for water and because, being a conservative tracer (i.e. not involved in chemical and biological soil processes), it can be used for studying anion transport in soils. Moreover, it is less expensive and easier to measure than the stable isotopes deuterium and 15 N. Its great advantage over radioactive tracers (e.g. tritium), which outweighs their extreme sensitivity and ease of measurement and which it has in common with stable isotopes, is that it does not require radiation protection measures. However, there are also constraints on the use of bromide as a tracer in soil/water/plant systems. Our own studies on different soils using D 2 O, bromide and [ 15 N]-nitrate in lysimeters suggest that the above assumptions on bromide tracers need not always be valid under conditions as they prevail in biologically active soils. As the present paper shows, these studies permit a good assessment of the possibilities and limits to these tracers [de

Method of detecting leakage from geologic formations used to sequester CO.sub.2

Science.gov (United States)

White, Curt [Pittsburgh, PA; Wells, Arthur [Bridgeville, PA; Diehl, J Rodney [Pittsburgh, PA; Strazisar, Brian [Venetia, PA

2010-04-27

The invention provides methods for the measurement of carbon dioxide leakage from sequestration reservoirs. Tracer moieties are injected along with carbon dioxide into geological formations. Leakage is monitored by gas chromatographic analyses of absorbents. The invention also provides a process for the early leak detection of possible carbon dioxide leakage from sequestration reservoirs by measuring methane (CH.sub.4), ethane (C.sub.2H.sub.6), propane (C.sub.3H.sub.8), and/or radon (Rn) leakage rates from the reservoirs. The invention further provides a method for branding sequestered carbon dioxide using perfluorcarbon tracers (PFTs) to show ownership.

Measurement of open streams by using tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos, German F.; Tarquino, W.; Curcuy, H.; Orozco, C.

1999-01-01

This paper presents an intercomparison study to be carried out between flux measurements by using tracers and moulinet. This intercomparison is scheduled to be performed at the measurement station belonging to the National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology (SENAMHI). Two techniques of tracer dilution are outstanded: total evaluation with tracer punctual injection and punctual evaluation with tracer continuous injection. Total evaluation with tracer punctual injection has been used since this technique is considered to be more suitable for hydrology purposes

CH{sup +} and SH{sup +} in the diffuse interstellar medium: Tracers of turbulent dissipation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edith, Falgarone; Maryvonne, Gerin; Massimo, De Luca [Observatoire de Paris and Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris (France); Benjamin, Godard [Centro de Astrobiologia, CSIC-INTA, Madrid (Spain)

2015-01-22

Absorption spectroscopy performed with Herschel/HIFI against the dust continuum emission of bright galactic star-forming regions has allowed the detection of the ground-state transitions of several hydride cations, CH{sup +}, OH{sup +}, H{sub 2}O{sup +}, and SH{sup +} in the intervening diffuse medium. These hydrides, that need H{sub 2} to form but are also destroyed by H{sub 2}, appear to be most sensitive tracers of a poorly known component of the interstellar medium (ISM): molecular gas weakly shielded from UV radiation. Among them, because their formation routes are so highly endoenergic, the CH{sup +} and SH{sup +} cations are proposed to be specific tracers of turbulent dissipation occurring in diffuse gas. Their elusive origin in the diffuse ISM is therefore much more than a chemical riddle: it is rooted in the physics of the diffuse ISM, its turbulent dissipation rate and connects with the far broader issue of galaxy evolution. The Herschel/HIFI observations of CH{sup +} and SH{sup +} are compared with the predictions of chemical models that include the non-equilibrium effects of turbulent dissipation.

Development of an oil tracer labelled with 137mBa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haugan A.

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The extraction of barium ions by isooctane solutions of di-nonyl naphthalene sulfonic acid (HDNNS and di-cyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DC18C6 from aqueous solutions of hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride has been investigated. The extraction and the associated back extraction results suggest that this barium complex is a suitable oil tracer for petroleum related applications, such as measurement of Residence Time Distribution (RTD and oil carry-over to the gas outlet in multiphase separators and scrubbers.

Tracer technique for measuring specific activity of 63 Ni, using 4πβ-γ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwahara, A.

1979-01-01

The specific activity of a 6 3 Ni solution has been measured by an efficiency tracer technique using a 4 π β - γ coincidence system. 6 3 Ni was chosen. Because it's a very low energy pure beta emitter. Due to chemical compatibility and beta spectral shapes, 6 0 Co has been chosen as tracer. In the determination of 6 3 Ni, the specific activity. As the efficiency tracer techniques requires a previous knowledge of tracer activity, this has been measured by a conventional 4 π β -γ coincidence method. (author)

Tracer attenuation in groundwater

Science.gov (United States)

Cvetkovic, Vladimir

2011-12-01

The self-purifying capacity of aquifers strongly depends on the attenuation of waterborne contaminants, i.e., irreversible loss of contaminant mass on a given scale as a result of coupled transport and transformation processes. A general formulation of tracer attenuation in groundwater is presented. Basic sensitivities of attenuation to macrodispersion and retention are illustrated for a few typical retention mechanisms. Tracer recovery is suggested as an experimental proxy for attenuation. Unique experimental data of tracer recovery in crystalline rock compare favorably with the theoretical model that is based on diffusion-controlled retention. Non-Fickian hydrodynamic transport has potentially a large impact on field-scale attenuation of dissolved contaminants.

Flow-rate measurements in closed-conduits by tracer techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lund Plantat, C.

1982-01-01

This paper presents the study of the precision obtained measuring flow-rates in closed-conduits by tracer techniques. The flow-rates analyzed were in the range of 10 to 20 l/s and Reynolds numbers from 10 5 to 2 x 10 5 . Tracer used were fluoresceine and In-113 m; and the measurements were performed with the dilution method (punctual and continuous injection) and the Allen method. Precisions for the method of punctual and continuous injections were 6.25% and 9.45% for fluoresceine and 9.3% and 3% for In-113, respectively. For Allen method with In-113 m a precision of 5% was obtained; probably this value was affected by the short distance between detectors. In all cases the error corresponds with the expected value except in one measurement at a 68.3% confidence level. (I.V.)

Evolution of the Interstellar Gas Fraction Over Cosmic Time

Science.gov (United States)

Wiklind, Tommy; CANDELS

2018-01-01

Galaxies evolve by transforming gas into stars. The gas is acquired through accretion and mergers and is a highly intricate process where feed-back processes play an important role. Directly measuring the gas content in distant galaxies is, however, both complicated and time consuming. A direct observations involves either observing neutral hydrogen using the 21cm line or observing the molecular gas component using tracer molecules such as CO. The former method is impeded by man-made radio interference, and the latter is time consuming even with sensitive instruments such s ALMA. An indirect method is to observe the Raleigh-Jeans part of the dust SED and from this infer the gas mass. Here we present the results from a project using ALMA to measure the RJ part of the dust SED in a carefully selected sample of 70 galaxies at redshifts z=2-5. The galaxies are selected solely based on their redshift and stellar mass and therefore represents an unbiased sample. The stellar masses are selected using the MEAM method and thus the sample corresponds to progenitors of a z=0 galaxy of a particular stellar mass. Preliminary results show that the average gas fraction increases with redshift over the range z=2-3 in accordance with theoretical models, but at z≥4 the observed gas fraction is lower.

Extracting a respiratory signal from raw dynamic PET data that contain tracer kinetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Schleyer, P J; Thielemans, K; Marsden, P K

2014-08-07

Data driven gating (DDG) methods provide an alternative to hardware based respiratory gating for PET imaging. Several existing DDG approaches obtain a respiratory signal by observing the change in PET-counts within specific regions of acquired PET data. Currently, these methods do not allow for tracer kinetics which can interfere with the respiratory signal and introduce error. In this work, we produced a DDG method for dynamic PET studies that exhibit tracer kinetics. Our method is based on an existing approach that uses frequency-domain analysis to locate regions within raw PET data that are subject to respiratory motion. In the new approach, an optimised non-stationary short-time Fourier transform was used to create a time-varying 4D map of motion affected regions. Additional processing was required to ensure that the relationship between the sign of the respiratory signal and the physical direction of movement remained consistent for each temporal segment of the 4D map. The change in PET-counts within the 4D map during the PET acquisition was then used to generate a respiratory curve. Using 26 min dynamic cardiac NH3 PET acquisitions which included a hardware derived respiratory measurement, we show that tracer kinetics can severely degrade the respiratory signal generated by the original DDG method. In some cases, the transition of tracer from the liver to the lungs caused the respiratory signal to invert. The new approach successfully compensated for tracer kinetics and improved the correlation between the data-driven and hardware based signals. On average, good correlation was maintained throughout the PET acquisitions.

Measurements of HFC-134a and HCFC-22 in groundwater and unsaturated-zone air: implications for HFCs and HCFCs as dating tracers

Science.gov (United States)

Haase, Karl B.; Busenberg, Eurybiades; Plummer, Niel; Casile, Gerolamo; Sanford, Ward E.

2014-01-01

A new analytical method using gas chromatography with an atomic emission detector (GC–AED) was developed for measurement of ambient concentrations of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in soil, air, and groundwater, with the goal of determining their utility as groundwater age tracers. The analytical detection limits of HCFC-22 (difluorochloromethane, CHClF2) and HFC-134a (1,2,2,2-tetrafluoroethane, C2H2F4) in 1 L groundwater samples are 4.3 × 10− 1 and 2.1 × 10− 1 pmol kg− 1, respectively, corresponding to equilibrium gas-phase mixing ratios of approximately 5–6 parts per trillion by volume (pptv). Under optimal conditions, post-1960 (HCFC-22) and post-1995 (HFC-134a) recharge could be identified using these tracers in stable, unmixed groundwater samples. Ambient concentrations of HCFC-22 and HFC-134a were measured in 50 groundwater samples from 27 locations in northern and western parts of Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina (USA), and 3 unsaturated-zone profiles were collected in northern Virginia. Mixing ratios of both HCFC-22 and HFC-134a decrease with depth in unsaturated-zone gas profiles with an accompanying increase in CO2 and loss of O2. Apparently, ambient concentrations of HCFC-22 and HFC-134a are readily consumed by methanotrophic bacteria under aerobic conditions in the unsaturated zone. The results of this study indicate that soils are a sink for these two greenhouse gases. These observations contradict the previously reported results from microcosm experiments that found that degradation was limited above-ambient HFC-134a. The groundwater HFC and HCFC concentrations were compared with concentrations of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs, CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). Nearly all samples had measured HCFC-22 or HFC-134a that were below concentrations predicted by the CFCs and SF6, with many samples showing a complete loss of HCFC-22 and HFC-134a. This study indicates that HCFC-22 and HFC-134

Determination of optimum mixing time for raw materials with the tracer method in the glass industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gallyas, M; Gemesi, J; Kurinka, J

1983-02-01

The authors explain how the optimum mixing time for the raw materials for glass manufacture can be determined with the aid of the radioactive tracer method. Basing themselves on measurements, they indicate the change in the degree of mixing of the individual components (soda (Na-24), sodium sulphate, coke (La-140) and bone meal (P-32) as a function of mixing time. The optimum degree of mixing and mixing time for dry and for wet mixing are determined. Finally, data for determining the permissible storage time of the mixture are given.

Gas Analysis and Control Methods for Thermal Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-01

when using highly efficient microporous thermal insulation packages. An easily implemented method of H2 gas removal from vendor thermal batteries is... microporous thermal insulation packages (1, 4, 5) or reduce volume requirements significantly. More rigorous gas control methods combined with...measured from the DCM pressures and known internal volumes of the 3 GHS that were measured using the ideal gas law with a 10-cc internal volume SS

Coefficients of tracer transfer through membranes. Pt. 7

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dorabialska, A; Hawlicka, E; Plonka, A [Politechnika Lodzka (Poland)

1974-01-01

The doubled value of the tracer transfer coefficient in the self-diffusion process is equal to the sum of tracer transfer coefficients in the diffusion and interfusion processes. The fundamental phenomenological relation can be deduced for the coefficients of tracer transfer between two phases of electrolyte solutions spearated by a virtual boundary. Indeed, the doubled value of the tracer mobility in the self-diffusion experiment (no concentration gradient of the traced substance) is equal to the sum of the tracer mobilities in the diffusion (tracer movement along with the concentration gradient of the traced substance) and interfusion experiments (tracer movement against the concentration gradient of the traced substance). Thus the doubled value of the tracer transfer coefficient in the self-diffusion process should be equal to the sum of tracer transfer coefficients in the diffusion and interfusion processes. The experimental verification of that fundamental relation is presented.

Use of radioactive tracers in the semiconductor industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akerman, Karol

1975-01-01

Manufacture of the semiconductor materials comprises production and purification of the raw materials (GeC14 or SiHC13), purification of the elemental semiconductors by metallurgical methods (including zone melting), production and doping of single crystals, dividing the crystals into slices of suitable size, formation of p-n junctions and fabrication of the finished semiconductor devices. In the sequence of operations, the behavior of very small quantities of an element must be monitored, and radioactive tracers are often used to solve these problems. Examples are given of the use of radioactive tracers in the semiconductor industry

Determination of dispersion coefficients and average flow velocities in rivers radioactive tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, M.A.G. de; Moreira, R.M.

1984-01-01

The determination of the dispersion characteristics and residence time distribution in a series of adjoining stretches of a river with one single tracer injection, are presented. The method allows minimizing the amount of work and tracer expenditure in the measurement of fluvial transport over long or heterogeneous river courses. (M.A.C.) [pt

Effect of gas type on foam film permeability and its implications for foam flow in porous media.

Science.gov (United States)

Farajzadeh, R; Muruganathan, R M; Rossen, W R; Krastev, R

2011-10-14

The aim of this paper is to provide a perspective on the effect of gas type on the permeability of foam films stabilized by different types of surfactant and to present a critical overview of the tracer gas experiments, which is the common approach to determine the trapped fraction of foam in porous media. In these experiments some part of the gas is replaced by a "tracer gas" during the steady-state stage of the experiments and trapped fraction of foam is determined by fitting the effluent data to a capacitance mass-transfer model. We present the experimental results on the measurement of the gas permeability of foam films stabilized with five surfactants (non-ionic, anionic and cationic) and different salt concentrations. The salt concentrations assure formation of either common black (CBF) or Newton black films (NBF). The experiments are performed with different single gasses. The permeability of the CBF is in general higher than that of the NBF. This behavior is explained by the higher density of the surfactant molecules in the NBF compared to that of CBF. It is also observed that the permeability coefficient, K(cm/s), of CBF and NBF for non-ionic and cationic surfactants are similar and K is insensitive to film thickness. Compared to anionic surfactants, the films made by the non-ionic surfactant have much lower permeability while the films made by the cationic surfactant have larger permeability. This conclusion is valid for all gasses. For all types of surfactant the gas permeability of foam film is largely dependent on the dissolution of gas in the surfactant solution and increases with increasing gas solubility in the bulk liquid. The measured values of K are consistent with rapid diffusion of tracer gasses through trapped gas adjacent to flowing gas in porous media, and difficulties in interpreting the results of tracer-foam experiments with conventional capacitance models. The implications of the results for foam flow in porous media and factors leading

Using tracer methods and experimental design approach for examination of hydrodynamic conditions in membrane separation modules

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miskiewicz, Agnieszka, E-mail: a.miskiewicz@ichtj.waw.pl [Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, 03-195 Warsaw (Poland); Zakrzewska-Trznadel, Grazyna; Dobrowolski, Andrzej; Jaworska-Sobczak, Agnieszka [Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, 03-195 Warsaw (Poland)

2012-05-15

The possibility of application of fluorescein and radioactive 99mTc as tracers for determination of residence time distribution of liquid phase and for diagnosing hydrodynamic conditions in apparatuses for membrane separation was studied. Two different ultrafiltration systems with diverse arrangement of liquid flow: the apparatus with helical flow generated by the movable element (inner cylinder) and the tubular module with cross flow filtration, were tested by the RTD technique. The tracer studies were supplemented with modelling. The optimal conditions enabling to handle the plug flow-like structure in the helical apparatus were determined. The minimum of dimensionless variance (vard) was obtained at P=0.765 bar, Q{sub R}=121.88 l/h and {Omega}=2887.5 rpm. In spite of higher linear velocities attained in the tubular cross-flow module, the flow structure in the helical apparatus was more similar to the ideal plug flow pattern that was demonstrated by higher Peclet numbers and lower values of the dimensionless variance. Application of movable part and Couette-Taylor flow in the membrane apparatus may balance the advantages coming from high flow rates applied in cross-flow filtration systems minimising formation of the deposit on the membrane surface and reducing membrane fouling. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Application of RTD method with modelling for testing the membrane modules. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The use of generator isotope, as convenient tracer for the membrane modules studies. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Application of RSM with experimental design for testing interactions between parameters. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Assessment of the hydrodynamic conditions in two arrangements of the membrane modules. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Demonstration of the advantage of dynamic filtration over the cross-flow arrangement.

Tracer test method and process data reconciliation based on VDI 2048. Comparison of two methods for highly accurate determination of feedwater massflow at NPP Beznau

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hungerbuehler, T.; Langenstein, M.

2007-01-01

The feedwater mass flow is the key measured variable used to determine the thermal reactor output in a nuclear power plant. Usually this parameter is recorded via venturi nozzles of orifice plates. The problem with both principles of measurement, however, is that an accuracy of below 1% cannot be reached. In order to make more accurate statements about the feedwater amounts recirculated in the water-steam cycle, tracer measurements that offer an accuracy of up to 0.2% are used. In the NPP Beznau both methods have been used in parallel to determine the feedwater flow rates in 2004 (unit 1) and 2005 (unit 2). Comparison of the results shows that a high level of agreement is obtained between the results of the reconciliation and the results of the tracer measurements. As a result of the findings of this comparison, a high level of acceptance of process data reconciliation based on VDI 2048 was achieved. (orig.)

Long residence times - bad tracer tests?

Science.gov (United States)

Ghergut, Julia; Behrens, Horst; Sauter, Martin

2015-04-01

Tracer tests conducted at geothermal well doublets or triplets in the Upper Rhine Rift Valley [1] all face, with very few exceptions so far, one common issue: lack of conclusive tracer test results, or tracer signals still undetectable for longer than one or two years after tracer injection. While the reasons for this surely differ from site to site (Riehen, Landau, Insheim, Bruchsal, ...), its effects on how the usefulness of tracer tests is perceived by the non-tracer community are pretty much the same. The 'poor-signal' frustration keeps nourishing two major 'alternative' endeavours : (I) design and execute tracer tests in single-well injection-withdrawal (push-pull), 'instead of' inter-well flow-path tracing configurations; (II) use 'novel' tracer substances instead of the 'old' ones which have 'obviously failed'. Frustration experienced with most inter-well tracer tests in the Upper Rhine Rift Valley has also made them be regarded as 'maybe useful for EGS' ('enhanced', or 'engineered' geothermal systems, whose fluid RTD typically include a major share of values below one year), but 'no longer worthwhile a follow-up sampling' in natural, large-scale hydrothermal reservoirs. We illustrate some of these arguments with the ongoing Bruchsal case [2]. The inter-well tracer test conducted at Bruchsal was (and still is!) aimed at assessing inter-well connectivity, fluid residence times, and characterizing the reservoir structure [3]. Fluid samples taken at the geothermal production well after reaching a fluid turnover of about 700,000 m3 showed tracer concentrations in the range of 10-8 Minj per m3, in the liquid phase of each sample (Minj being the total quantity of tracer injected as a short pulse at the geothermal re-injection well). Tracer signals might actually be higher, owing to tracer amounts co-precipitated and/or adsorbed onto the solid phase whose accumulation in the samples was unavoidable (due to pressure relief and degassing during the very sampling

Wairakei tracer tests 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCabe, W.J.; Barry, B.J.

1984-05-01

Tracer tests, with and without, hot water reinjection into WK213 showed returns of tracer iodine-131; in wells in both the Waiora Valley and the eastern end of the field. The effect of reinjection at a rate of 200 cu. m/h was to reduce the arrived time from 15 to 7 days. Increasing the rate of reinjection into WK62 from 30 cu. m/h to 200 cu. m/h seemed to increase the initial velocity of the tracer wave and the distance it moved. However, returns were recorded only in the adjacent wells WK61 and WK63 with a very small, and three days delayed, response in WK43

A Lagrangian View of Stratospheric Trace Gas Distributions

Science.gov (United States)

Schoeberl, M. R.; Sparling, L.; Dessler, A.; Jackman, C. H.; Fleming, E. L.

1998-01-01

As a result of photochemistry, some relationship between the stratospheric age-of-air and the amount of tracer contained within an air sample is expected. The existence of such a relationship allows inferences about transport history to be made from observations of chemical tracers. This paper lays down the conceptual foundations for the relationship between age and tracer amount, developed within a Lagrangian framework. In general, the photochemical loss depends not only on the age of the parcel but also on its path. We show that under the "average path approximation" that the path variations are less important than parcel age. The average path approximation then allows us to develop a formal relationship between the age spectrum and the tracer spectrum. Using the relation between the tracer and age spectra, tracer-tracer correlations can be interpreted as resulting from mixing which connects parts of the single path photochemistry curve, which is formed purely from the action of photochemistry on an irreducible parcel. This geometric interpretation of mixing gives rise to constraints on trace gas correlations, and explains why some observations are do not fall on rapid mixing curves. This effect is seen in the ATMOS observations.

Selective gas exhaustion method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirano, Yoichi

1998-01-01

The present invention provides a method capable of evacuating gases at an exhaustion rate which varies depending on the kind of gases. For example, in a thermonuclear experimental device, a hydrogen gas exhaustion rate is determined to 0 and an exhaustion rate for other impure gases is made greater. Namely, a baffle plate is cooled to a temperature to a level at which the vapor pressure of gases to evacuate a baffle plate is required in a pump incorporating a baffle plate, for example, a cryopump or a sorption pump. In this case, the level of the vapor pressure required for evacuating the exhaustion gas ingredients is 1 x 10 -8 Torr or less, preferably, 1 x 10 -9 Torr. In a thermonuclear experimental device, a gas having a lower boiling point next to hydrogen is neon, but neon is scarcely present in natural world. Nitrogen has a lower boiling point next thereto, and if the temperature is lowered to such a level that the vapor pressure for evacuating gases such as nitrogen, and carbon monoxide, oxygen, fluorine, argon or methane having a boiling point at or lower than nitrogen is required. Then, evacuation rate sufficient for gases other than hydrogen gas can be obtained. (I.S.)

Air leakage test of reactor hall using tracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Yanqiu; Yang Liang; Yang Tongzai

2011-01-01

The leakage ratios of three related reactor halls were tested by sulfur hexafluoride gaseous tracer technique. Moreover, the accumulation intensities of leak gas and its retention time in some important working rooms, the crossroads of corridors and anteroom of the building were detected. The results show that the air leakage ratios of the three reactor halls are (7.30±0.16) x 10 -4 , (1.88±0.12) x 10 -4 and (2.07±0.07) x 10 -4 h -1 . The leak gas accumulates in all the detected working rooms fast, and the retention time to various rooms is about 5 h. The heaviest intensities are in the clothes change rooms on the first floor. However, the retention time to the crossroads and the anteroom is about 10 h, and the accumulation intensities are much small. (authors)

Use of radon as tracer for identification of aquifer discharge along the Matinha stream, MG, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chagas, Claudio Jose

2017-01-01

Within the framework of 'Nuclear Techniques' is the use of natural and artificial isotopes as tracers for the study of the environment. The use of natural tracers in hydrology is a very useful tool that has been used in several scenarios. One such tracer is the isotope of radon, "2"2"2Rn, a noble gas from natural sources as a consequence of alpha decay of "2"2"6Ra. Radon can be found, to a greater or lesser degree, in all groundwater, as well as in soils and rocks from where it exudes into the atmosphere through spaces arising from fissures and or nanopores present. It can emerge into the water bodies by the leaching of water or other liquids through these interstices. In this research, the "2"2"2Rn gas diluted naturally by the leaching of the water that infiltrated the soils and rocks of the aquifers was used as a tracer in order to identify sections of discharge of these aquifers along the Stream of Matinha. The study area is about 70 km from Belo Horizonte and is in the city of Itauna, MG. The Matinha stream is about 2,200 m in length and is part of the network of tributaries of the water reservoir called Serra Azul, in the Juatuba River Basin, MG. The results presented express the studies that occurred between the second half of 2014 and the first half of 2016, in ten campaigns for water sampling, flow and natural gamma radiation measurements. Water samples were collected near the bottom and very close to the thalweg in the watercourse using syringe and or peristaltic suction pump at low flow to avoid gas leakage. The "2"2"2Rn analyzes were performed in the field during the collections and in the laboratory of the CDTN - Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear, all of which were carried out with the radon detector RAD 7. The flow measurements counted on the use of the fluorescent tracer's technique: rhodamine and fluorescein were used for injection at points upstream and downstream of sections with higher "2"2"2Rn activities. The fluorimeter used to

Tritium as tracer of flow in constructed wetlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wachniew, P.; Czuprynski, P.; Maloszewski, P.

2005-01-01

Constructed wetlands technology is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method used world-wide to treat waste waters of different origins. The soluble pollutants are transformed and removed mainly through the processes that occur at surfaces of plants, plant debris or filtering media. The efficiency of soluble pollutants removal is thus primarily related to the extent of contact between waste waters and the reactive surfaces. Residence time distributions function (RTD)is basic characteristic of wetland hydraulic properties and can be obtained by combined use of tracer technique and mathematical modelling. Tritium was used as to obtain RTD's of three parallel cells of a sub-surface flow constructed wetland overgrown with Pharagmites australis in Nowa Slupia. Tritium as a part of water molecule, is an ideal tracer of flow in the highly reactive environment of constructed wetlands. Results of the tracer test interpreted by the assumed model (Multi Flow Dispersion Model) of conservative solute transport revealed a complex structure of flow through the wetland. (author)

Study on adsorption of activated carbon fiber to background-level xenon in air by the method of 133Xe tracer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Haitao; Wang Yalong; Zhang Lixing; Wang Xuhui; Zhang Xiaolin

2001-01-01

The adsorption behaviors of the different activated carbon fibers to ultra-trace xenon in air are studied using the method of 133 Xe as tracer. The efficiency equation of adsorption columns are determined. The comparison of adsorptive capacity between activated carbon fibers and activated carbon indicates that activated carbon fibers are better than activated carbon under low temperature

Statistically Based Morphodynamic Modeling of Tracer Slowdown

Science.gov (United States)

Borhani, S.; Ghasemi, A.; Hill, K. M.; Viparelli, E.

2017-12-01

Tracer particles are used to study bedload transport in gravel-bed rivers. One of the advantages associated with using of tracer particles is that they allow for direct measures of the entrainment rates and their size distributions. The main issue in large scale studies with tracer particles is the difference between tracer stone short term and long term behavior. This difference is due to the fact that particles undergo vertical mixing or move to less active locations such as bars or even floodplains. For these reasons the average virtual velocity of tracer particle decreases in time, i.e. the tracer slowdown. In summary, tracer slowdown can have a significant impact on the estimation of bedload transport rate or long term dispersal of contaminated sediment. The vast majority of the morphodynamic models that account for the non-uniformity of the bed material (tracer and not tracer, in this case) are based on a discrete description of the alluvial deposit. The deposit is divided in two different regions; the active layer and the substrate. The active layer is a thin layer in the topmost part of the deposit whose particles can interact with the bed material transport. The substrate is the part of the deposit below the active layer. Due to the discrete representation of the alluvial deposit, active layer models are not able to reproduce tracer slowdown. In this study we try to model the slowdown of tracer particles with the continuous Parker-Paola-Leclair morphodynamic framework. This continuous, i.e. not layer-based, framework is based on a stochastic description of the temporal variation of bed surface elevation, and of the elevation specific particle entrainment and deposition. Particle entrainment rates are computed as a function of the flow and sediment characteristics, while particle deposition is estimated with a step length formulation. Here we present one of the first implementation of the continuum framework at laboratory scale, its validation against

Boundary integral method application in the transportation modeling of radioactive tracers in porous ways; Aplicacao do metodo da integral de contorno na modelagem do transporte de tracadores radioativos em meios porosos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferroni, Jose Geraldo

1996-03-01

This work describes a method for estimating the effluent concentrations of radioactive tracers in production wells, considering well to well injection tests and piston-like displacements of fluids in the reservoir. The model for tracer transportation takes into account effects of convection and hydrodynamic dispersion. (author)

Asian Tracer Experiment and Atmospheric Modeling (TEAM) Project: Draft Field Work Plan for the Asian Long-Range Tracer Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allwine, K Jerry; Flaherty, Julia E.

2007-08-01

This report provides an experimental plan for a proposed Asian long-range tracer study as part of the international Tracer Experiment and Atmospheric Modeling (TEAM) Project. The TEAM partners are China, Japan, South Korea and the United States. Optimal times of year to conduct the study, meteorological measurements needed, proposed tracer release locations, proposed tracer sampling locations and the proposed durations of tracer releases and subsequent sampling are given. Also given are the activities necessary to prepare for the study and the schedule for completing the preparation activities leading to conducting the actual field operations. This report is intended to provide the TEAM members with the information necessary for planning and conducting the Asian long-range tracer study. The experimental plan is proposed, at this time, to describe the efforts necessary to conduct the Asian long-range tracer study, and the plan will undoubtedly be revised and refined as the planning goes forward over the next year.

Meteorological tracers in regional planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, K.H.

1974-11-01

Atmospheric tracers can be used as indicators to study both the ventilation of an urban region and its dispersion meteorology for air pollutants. A correlation analysis applied to the space-time dependent tracer concentrations is able to give transfer functions, the structure and characteristic parameters of which describe the meteorological and topographical situation of the urban region and its surroundings in an integral manner. To reduce the number of persons usually involved in a tracer experiment an automatic air sampling system had to be developed

Plutonium as a tracer for soil erosion assessment in northeast China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Yihong [School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Qiao, Jixin [Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Pan, Shaoming, E-mail: span@nju.edu.cn [School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Hou, Xiaolin, E-mail: xiho@dtu.dk [Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Xi' an AMS Center, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, CAS, Xi' an 710075 (China); Roos, Per [Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Cao, Liguo [School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China)

2015-04-01

Soil erosion is one of the most serious environmental and agricultural problems faced by human society. Assessing intensity is an important issue for controlling soil erosion and improving eco-environmental quality. The suitability of the application of plutonium (Pu) as a tracer for soil erosion assessment in northeast China was investigated by comparing with that of {sup 137}Cs. Here we build on preliminary work, in which we investigated the potential of Pu as a soil erosion tracer by sampling additional reference sites and potential erosive sites, along the Liaodong Bay region in northeast China, for Pu isotopes and {sup 137}Cs. {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu atomic ratios in all samples were approximately 0.18, which indicated that the dominant source of Pu was the global fallout. Pu showed very similar distribution patterns to those of {sup 137}Cs at both uncultivated and cultivated sites. {sup 239+240}Pu concentrations in all uncultivated soil cores followed an exponential decline with soil depth, whereas at cultivated sites, Pu was homogenously distributed in plow horizons. Factors such as planted crop types, as well as methods and frequencies of irrigation and tillage were suggested to influence the distribution of radionuclides in cultivated land. The baseline inventories of {sup 239+240}Pu and {sup 137}Cs were 88.4 and 1688 Bq m{sup −2} respectively. Soil erosion rates estimated by {sup 239+240}Pu tracing method were consistent with those obtained by the {sup 137}Cs method, confirming that Pu is an effective tracer with a similar tracing behavior to that of {sup 137}Cs for soil erosion assessment. - Highlights: • The potential for the use of Pu as a soil erosion tracer was investigated. • Pu would be a good tracer given its long half-life. • Depth profiles of Pu in soils were systematically studied and compared to {sup 137}Cs. • Pu is an effective soil erosion tracer with behavior similar to that of {sup 137}Cs. • Thus, Pu provides a means of

PIV tracer behavior on propagating shock fronts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glazyrin, Fyodor N; Mursenkova, Irina V; Znamenskaya, Irina A

2016-01-01

The present work was aimed at the quantitative particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurement of a velocity field near the front of a propagating shock wave and the study of the dynamics of liquid tracers crossing the shock front. For this goal, a shock tube with a rectangular cross-section (48  ×  24 mm) was used. The flat shock wave with Mach numbers M  =  1.4–2.0 propagating inside the tube channel was studied as well as an expanding shock wave propagating outside the channel with M  =  1.2–1.8 at its main axis. The PIV imaging of the shock fronts was carried out with an aerosol of dioctyl sebacate (DEHS) as tracer particles. The pressures of the gas in front of the shock waves studied ranged from 0.013 Mpa to 0.1 MPa in the series of experiments. The processed PIV data, compared to the 1D normal shock theory, yielded consistent values of wake velocity immediately behind the plain shock wave. Special attention was paid to the blurring of the velocity jump on the shock front due to the inertial particle lag and peculiarities of the PIV technique. A numerical algorithm was developed for analysis and correction of the PIV data on the shock fronts, based on equations of particle-flow interaction. By application of this algorithm, the effective particle diameter of the DEHS aerosol tracers was estimated as 1.03  ±  0.12 μm. A number of different formulations for particle drag were tested with this algorithm, with varying success. The results show consistency with previously reported experimental data obtained for cases of stationary shock waves. (paper)

New SPECT tracers: Example of tracers of proteoglycans and melanin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cachin, F.; Mestas, D.; Kelly, A.; Merlin, C.; Veyre, A.; Maublant, J.; Cachin, F.; Chezal, J.M.; Miot-Noirault, E.; Moins, N.; Auzeloux, P.; Vidal, A.; Bonnet-Duquennoy, M.; Boisgard, S.; D'Incan, M.; Madelmont, J.C.; Maublant, J.; Boisgard, S.; D'Incan, M.; Redini, F.; Filaire, M.

2009-01-01

The majority of research program on new radiopharmaceuticals turn to tracers used for positron emission tomography (PET). Only a few teams work on new non fluorine labeled tracers. However, the coming of SPECT/CT gamma cameras, the arrival of semi-conductors gamma cameras should boost the development of non-PET tracers. We exhibit in this article the experience acquired by our laboratory in the conception and design of two new non fluorine labelled compounds. The 99m Tc-N.T.P. 15-5 (N.T.P. 15-5 for N-[tri-ethyl-ammonium]-3-propyl-[15]ane-N5) which binds to proteoglycans could be used for the diagnosis and staging of osteoarthritis and chondrosarcoma. The iodo benzamides, specific to the melanin, are nowadays compared to 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose in a phase III clinical trial for the diagnosis and detection of melanoma metastasis. Our last development focus on N-[2-(diethyl-amino)ethyl]-4 and 2-iodo benzamides respectively B.Z.A. and B.Z.A.2 hetero-aromatic analogues usable for melanoma treatment. (authors)

Neonatal blood gas sampling methods | Goenka | South African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

There is little published guidance that systematically evaluates the different methods of neonatal blood gas sampling, where each method has its individual benefits and risks. This review critically surveys the available evidence to generate a comparison between arterial and capillary blood gas sampling, focusing on their ...

Tracer transport in fractures: analysis of field data based on a variable - aperture channel model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, C.F.; Tsang, Y.W.; Hale, F.V.

1991-06-01

A variable-aperture channel model is used as the basis to interpret data from a three-year tracer transport experiment in fractured rocks. The data come from the so-called Stripa-3D experiment performed by Neretnieks and coworkers. Within the framework of the variable-aperture channel conceptual model, tracers are envisioned as travelling along a number of variable-aperture flow channels, whose properties are related to the mean b - and standard deviation σ b of the fracture aperture distribution. Two methods are developed to address the presence of strong time variation of the tracer injection flow rate in this experiment. The first approximates the early part of the injection history by an exponential decay function and is applicable to the early time tracer breakthrough data. The second is a deconvolution method involving the use of Toeplitz matrices and is applicable over the complete period of variable injection of the tracers. Both methods give consistent results. These results include not only estimates of b and σ, but also ranges of Peclet numbers, dispersivity and an estimate of the number of channels involved in the tracer transport. An interesting and surprising observation is that the data indicate that the Peclet number increases with the mean travel time: i.e., dispersivity decreasing with mean travel time. This trend is consistent with calculated results of tracer transport in multiple variable-aperture fractures in series. The meaning of this trend is discussed in terms of the strong heterogeneity of the flow system. (au) (22 refs.)

Extracting a respiratory signal from raw dynamic PET data that contain tracer kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schleyer, P J; Thielemans, K; Marsden, P K

2014-01-01

Data driven gating (DDG) methods provide an alternative to hardware based respiratory gating for PET imaging. Several existing DDG approaches obtain a respiratory signal by observing the change in PET-counts within specific regions of acquired PET data. Currently, these methods do not allow for tracer kinetics which can interfere with the respiratory signal and introduce error. In this work, we produced a DDG method for dynamic PET studies that exhibit tracer kinetics. Our method is based on an existing approach that uses frequency-domain analysis to locate regions within raw PET data that are subject to respiratory motion. In the new approach, an optimised non-stationary short-time Fourier transform was used to create a time-varying 4D map of motion affected regions. Additional processing was required to ensure that the relationship between the sign of the respiratory signal and the physical direction of movement remained consistent for each temporal segment of the 4D map. The change in PET-counts within the 4D map during the PET acquisition was then used to generate a respiratory curve. Using 26 min dynamic cardiac NH 3 PET acquisitions which included a hardware derived respiratory measurement, we show that tracer kinetics can severely degrade the respiratory signal generated by the original DDG method. In some cases, the transition of tracer from the liver to the lungs caused the respiratory signal to invert. The new approach successfully compensated for tracer kinetics and improved the correlation between the data-driven and hardware based signals. On average, good correlation was maintained throughout the PET acquisitions. (paper)

Radioactive tracers in the sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenkins, W.J.; Livingston, H.D.

1980-01-01

Artificial radionuclides introduced to the oceans during the last four decades have proved invaluable tools for study of many processes in marine water columns and sediments. Both global and close-in fallout of radioactivity from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing have distributed these radionuclides widely, and in amounts sufficient to be useful as tracers. An additional source of considerable significance and tracer potential comes from coastal discharges of European nuclear fuel reprocessing wastes. The nature of these sources, types and amounts of radionuclides introduced and the time histories of their introduction generate a variety of tracer distributions which illuminate a broad spectrum of physical and chemical processes active over a wide range of timescales. Depending on their respective chemistries, artificial radionuclides have been demonstrated to exhibit both conservative and non-conservative properties in the oceans. Some examples are given of the uses made of soluble, conservative tracers for the study of oceanic transport processes and of non-conservative tracers for studies of processes which move them to, and mix them within, marine sediments. Sampling and measurement techniques which have been used in these studies are described

Tracer filamentation at an unstable ocean front

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yen Chia; Mahadevan, Amala; Thiffeault, Jean-Luc; Yecko, Philip

2017-11-01

A front, where two bodies of ocean water with different physical properties meet, can become unstable and lead to a flow with high strain rate and vorticity. Phytoplankton and other oceanic tracers are stirred into filaments by such flow fields, as can often be seen in satellite imagery. The stretching and folding of a tracer by a two-dimensional flow field has been well studied. In the ocean, however, the vertical shear of horizontal velocity is typically two orders of magnitude larger than the horizontal velocity gradient. Theoretical calculations show that vertical shear alters the way in which horizontal strain affects the tracer, resulting in thin, sloping structures in the tracer field. Using a non-hydrostatic ocean model of an unstable ocean front, we simulate tracer filamentation to identify the effect of vertical shear on the deformation of the tracer. In a complementary laboratory experiment, we generate a simple, vertically sheared strain flow and use dye and particle image velocimetry to quantify the filamentary structures in terms of the strain and shear. We identify how vertical shear alters the tracer filaments and infer how the evolution of tracers in the ocean will differ from the idealized two-dimensional paradigm. Support of NSF DMS-1418956 is acknowledged.

A thermodynamic view of tracer plume evolution: Complete mixing condition evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constain A.

2013-05-01

Full Text Available One of most controversial issues of modern tracer theory is the “complete mixing condition” because of its importance in evolution of hazardous solutes in natural flows. This condition named also as “Mixing length” measures the distance from pouring point when tracer particles have spread uniformly on cross section of stream. The point is that until now there is no rational, complete and easy to use formula to calculate it. Rather, this condition is evaluated mostly by means of empirical relationships; among them Ruthven's is one of current usage. Also there are statistical methods that applied by software packages allow to characterize this condition. However a new focus on this issue is important, because is necessary to tie together, generality, easiness and accuracy. This paper puts on discussion a thermodynamics method to understand when a tracer is in this remarkable condition. Herein it is developed the conditions when this method may be applied. It is shown also how the resulting formula is convergent with Ruthven's equation. An experimental demonstration is presented.

Application of a NAPL partitioning interwell tracer test (PITT) to support DNAPL remediation at the Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico chemical waste landfill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Studer, J.E.; Mariner, P.; Jin, M.

1996-01-01

Chlorinated solvents as dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) are present at a large number of hazardous waste sites across the U.S. and world. DNAPL is difficult to detect in the subsurface, much less characterize to any degree of accuracy. Without proper site characterization, remedial decisions are often difficult to make and technically effective, cost-efficient remediations are even more difficult to obtain. A new non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) characterization technology that is superior to conventional technologies has been developed and applied at full-scale. This technology, referred to as the Partitioning Interwell Tracer Test (PITT), has been adopted from oil-field practices and tailored to environmental application in the vadose and saturated zones. A PITT has been applied for the first time at full-scale to characterize DNAPL in the vadose zone. The PITT was applied in December 1995 beneath two side-by-side organic disposal pits at Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) RCRA Interim Status Chemical Waste Landfill (CWL), located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. DNAPL, consisting of a mixture of chlorinated solvents, aromatic hydrocarbons, and PCE oils, is known to exist in at least one of the two buried pits. The vadose zone PITT was conducted by injecting a slug of non-partitioning and NAPL-partitioning tracers into and through a zone of interest under a controlled forced gradient. The forced gradient was created by a balanced extraction of soil gas at a location 55 feet from the injector. The extracted gas stream was sampled over time to define tracer break-through curves. Soil gas sampling ports from multilevel monitoring installations were sampled to define break-through curves at specific locations and depths. Analytical instrumentation such as gas chromatographs and a photoacoustical analyzers operated autonomously, were used for tracer detection

Method of determining the depth of gas entry into the lifter of a gas lift well

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mishalov, N F; Popov, V A

1981-01-01

A method is proposed for determining the depth of gas entry into the lifter of a gas lift well, based on the data for measuring downhole and effective pressures. The method is used when analyzing and selecting operating conditions for gas lift wells at the Pravdinsk field.

Tracer concentration curves and residence time analysis in technological flow systems. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pippel, W.

1976-01-01

Tracer concentration curves measured in flow systems by means of radioactive isotopes are treated as a two dimensional random process. Comparing them with the family distribution functions described in part I, it follows that only in case of ergodic behaviour of the system tracer curves can be considered as age distribution functions. The conception of ergodicity in residence time systems has been explained with the aid of a time function measurable by a special method of radioactive tracer technique and by the mean value of the residence time obtainable from this function. Furthermore, technological consequences in evaluating tracer concentration curves of real flow systems are discussed with respect to supposed ergodic or nonergodic behaviour. These considerations are of special importance for flow systems with temporary fluctuations in structure. (author)

A stream-based methane monitoring approach for evaluating groundwater impacts associated with unconventional gas development.

Science.gov (United States)

Heilweil, Victor M; Stolp, Bert J; Kimball, Briant A; Susong, David D; Marston, Thomas M; Gardner, Philip M

2013-01-01

Gaining streams can provide an integrated signal of relatively large groundwater capture areas. In contrast to the point-specific nature of monitoring wells, gaining streams coalesce multiple flow paths. Impacts on groundwater quality from unconventional gas development may be evaluated at the watershed scale by the sampling of dissolved methane (CH4 ) along such streams. This paper describes a method for using stream CH4 concentrations, along with measurements of groundwater inflow and gas transfer velocity interpreted by 1-D stream transport modeling, to determine groundwater methane fluxes. While dissolved ionic tracers remain in the stream for long distances, the persistence of methane is not well documented. To test this method and evaluate CH4 persistence in a stream, a combined bromide (Br) and CH4 tracer injection was conducted on Nine-Mile Creek, a gaining stream in a gas development area in central Utah. A 35% gain in streamflow was determined from dilution of the Br tracer. The injected CH4 resulted in a fivefold increase in stream CH4 immediately below the injection site. CH4 and δ(13) CCH4 sampling showed it was not immediately lost to the atmosphere, but remained in the stream for more than 2000 m. A 1-D stream transport model simulating the decline in CH4 yielded an apparent gas transfer velocity of 4.5 m/d, describing the rate of loss to the atmosphere (possibly including some microbial consumption). The transport model was then calibrated to background stream CH4 in Nine-Mile Creek (prior to CH4 injection) in order to evaluate groundwater CH4 contributions. The total estimated CH4 load discharging to the stream along the study reach was 190 g/d, although using geochemical fingerprinting to determine its source was beyond the scope of the current study. This demonstrates the utility of stream-gas sampling as a reconnaissance tool for evaluating both natural and anthropogenic CH4 leakage from gas reservoirs into groundwater and surface water

Natural tracer profiles across argillaceous formations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazurek, Martin; Alt-Epping, Peter; Bath, Adrian; Gimmi, Thomas; Niklaus Waber, H.; Buschaert, Stephane; Canniere, Pierre De; Craen, Mieke De; Gautschi, Andreas; Savoye, Sebastien; Vinsot, Agnes; Wemaere, Isabelle; Wouters, Laurent

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Solute transport processes in clay and shale formations at nine sites are examined. → Conservative pore-water tracers (e.g. Cl - , δ 18 O, δ 2 H, He) show regular profiles. → These indicate the dominance of diffusive transport over times of 10 5 -10 6 years. → The contribution of vertical advection to transport is limited or negligible. → Modelled evolution times are in line with independent palaeo-hydrogeological data. - Abstract: Argillaceous formations generally act as aquitards because of their low hydraulic conductivities. This property, together with the large retention capacity of clays for cationic contaminants, has brought argillaceous formations into focus as potential host rocks for the geological disposal of radioactive and other waste. In several countries, programmes are under way to characterise the detailed transport properties of such formations at depth. In this context, the interpretation of profiles of natural tracers in pore waters across the formations can give valuable information about the large-scale and long-term transport behaviour of these formations. Here, tracer-profile data, obtained by various methods of pore-water extraction for nine sites in central Europe, are compiled. Data at each site comprise some or all of the conservative tracers: anions (Cl - , Br - ), water isotopes (δ 18 O, δ 2 H) and noble gases (mainly He). Based on a careful evaluation of the palaeo-hydrogeological evolution at each site, model scenarios are derived for initial and boundary pore-water compositions and an attempt is made to numerically reproduce the observed tracer distributions in a consistent way for all tracers and sites, using transport parameters derived from laboratory or in situ tests. The comprehensive results from this project have been reported in . Here the results for three sites are presented in detail, but the conclusions are based on model interpretations of the entire data set. In essentially all cases, the

Mixed gamma emitting gas standard and method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McFarland, R.C.; McFarland, P.A.

1986-01-01

The invention in one aspect pertains to a method of calibrating gamma spectroscopy systems for gas counting in a variety of counting containers comprising withdrawing a precision volume of a mixed gamma-emitting gas standard from a precision volume vial and delivering the withdrawn precision volume of the gas standard to the interior of a gas counting container. Another aspect of the invention pertains to a mixed gamma-emitting gas standard, comprising a precision spherical vial of predetermined volume, multiple mixed emitting gas components enclosed within the vial, and means for withdrawing from the vial a predetermined amount of the components wherein the gas standard is used to calibrate a gamma spectrometer system for gas counting over a wide energy range without the use of additional standards. A third aspect comprehends a gamma spectrometer calibration system for gas counting, comprising a precision volume spherical glass vial for receiving mixed multiisotope gas components, and two tubular arms extending from the vial. A ground glass stopcock is positioned on each arm, and the outer end of one arm is provided with a rubber septum port

Recent and ancient recharge deciphered by multi-dating tracer technique

Science.gov (United States)

Dogramaci, Shawan; Cook, Peter; Mccallum, Jimes; Purtchert, Roland

2017-04-01

Determining groundwater residence time from environmental tracer concentrations obtained from open bores or long screened intervals is fraught with difficulty because the sampled water represents variety of ages. Information on the distribution of groundwater age is commonly obtained by measuring more than one tracer. We examined the use of the multi-tracer technique representing different time frames (39Ar, 85Kr, 14C, 3H, CFC 11- CFC-12 CFC-113, SF6 and Cl,) to decipher the groundwater ages sampled from long screened bores in a regional aquifer in the Pilbara region of northwest Australia. We then applied a technique that assumes limited details of the form of the age distribution. Tracer concentrations suggest that groundwater samples are a mixture of young and old water - the former is inferred to represent localised recharge from an adjacent creek, and the latter to be diffuse recharge. Using our method, we were able to identify distinct age components in the groundwater. The results suggest the presence of four distinct age groups; zero and 20 years, 50 to 100 years, 100 to 600 years and approximately 1000 years old. These relatively high recharge events were consistent with local recharge sources (50-100 years) and confirmed by palaeo-climate record obtained from lake sediments. We found that although the ages of these components were well constrained, the relative proportions of each component was highly sensitive to errors of environmental tracer data. Our results show that the method we implemented can identify distinct age groups in groundwater samples without prior knowledge of the age distribution. The presence of distinct recharge times gives insight into groundwater flow conditions over long periods of time.

An improved method for analysis of In-EDTA, I- and Br- used as active tracers in hydrological studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanescu, S.P.; Spiridon, S.

1992-01-01

Neutron activation analysis combined with chemical preconcentration of the elements in water samples can give a high sensitivity in the determination of concentrations for In-EDTA, I - and Br - used as active tracers in hydrological studies. The authors have developed an improved method of analysis which is sensitive, selective and applicable to a wide range of underground and surface water samples including those having a high concentration of manganese ions. (author) 6 refs.; 2 figs.; 1 tab

Method of controlling weld chamber purge and cover gas atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeo, D.

1992-01-01

A method of controlling the gas atmosphere in a welding chamber includes detecting the absence of a fuel rod from the welding chamber and, in response thereto, initiating the supplying of a flow of argon gas to the chamber to purge air therefrom. Further, the method includes detecting the entry of a fuel rod in the welding chamber and, in response thereto, terminating the supplying of the flow of argon gas to the chamber and initiating the supplying of a flow of helium gas to the chamber to purge argon gas therefrom and displace the argon gas in the chamber. Also, the method includes detecting the withdrawal of the fuel rod from the welding chamber and, in response thereto, terminating the supplying of the flow of helium gas to the chamber and initiating the supplying of argon to the chamber to purge the air therefrom. The method also includes detecting the initiation of a weld cycle and, in response thereto, momentarily supplying a flow of argon gas to the welding electrode tip for initiating the welding arc. (Author)

Use of argon to measure gas exchange in turbulent mountain streams

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Robert O., Jr.; Madinger, Hilary L.

2018-05-01

Gas exchange is a parameter needed in stream metabolism and trace gas emissions models. One way to estimate gas exchange is via measuring the decline of added tracer gases such as sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). Estimates of oxygen (O2) gas exchange derived from SF6 additions require scaling via Schmidt number (Sc) ratio, but this scaling is uncertain under conditions of high gas exchange via bubbles because scaling depends on gas solubility as well as Sc. Because argon (Ar) and O2 have nearly identical Schmidt numbers and solubility, Ar may be a useful tracer gas for estimating stream O2 exchange. Here we compared rates of gas exchange measured via Ar and SF6 for turbulent mountain streams in Wyoming, USA. We measured Ar as the ratio of Ar : N2 using a membrane inlet mass spectrometer (MIMS). Normalizing to N2 confers higher precision than simply measuring [Ar] alone. We consistently enriched streams with Ar from 1 to 18 % of ambient Ar concentration and could estimate gas exchange rate using an exponential decline model. The mean ratio of gas exchange of Ar relative to SF6 was 1.8 (credible interval 1.1 to 2.5) compared to the theoretical estimate 1.35, showing that using SF6 would have underestimated exchange of Ar. Steep streams (slopes 11-12 %) had high rates of gas exchange velocity normalized to Sc = 600 (k600, 57-210 m d-1), and slope strongly predicted variation in k600 among all streams. We suggest that Ar is a useful tracer because it is easily measured, requires no scaling assumptions to estimate rates of O2 exchange, and is not an intense greenhouse gas as is SF6. We caution that scaling from rates of either Ar or SF6 gas exchange to CO2 is uncertain due to solubility effects in conditions of bubble-mediated gas transfer.

Tracer transport in fractured rocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, C.F.; Tsang, Y.W.; Hale, F.V.

1988-07-01

Recent interest in the safety of toxic waste underground disposal and nuclear waste geologic repositories has motivated many studies of tracer transport in fractured media. Fractures occur in most geologic formations and introduce a high degree of heterogeneity. Within each fracture, the aperture is not constant in value but strongly varying. Thus for such media, tracer tends to flow through preferred flowpaths or channels within the fractures. Along each of these channels, the aperture is also strongly varying. A detailed analysis is carried out on a 2D single fracture with variable apertures and the flow through channels is demonstrated. The channels defined this way are not rigidly set pathways for tracer transport, but are the preferred flow paths in the sense of stream-tubes in the potential theory. It is shown that such variable-aperture channels can be characterized by an aperture probability distribution function, and not by the exact deterministic geometric locations. We also demonstrate that the 2D tracer transport in a fracture can be calculated by a model of a system of 1D channels characterized by this distribution function only. Due to the channeling character of tracer transport in fractured rock, random point measurements of tracer breakthrough curves may give results with a wide spread in value due to statistical fluctuations. The present paper suggests that such a wide spread can probably be greatly reduced by making line/areal (or multiple) measurements covering a few spatial correlation lengths. 13 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab

Measurement of Gas Velocities in the Presence of Solids in the Riser of a Cold Flow Circulating Fluidized Bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spenik, J.; Ludlow, J.C.; Compston, R.; Breault, R.W.

2007-01-01

The local gas velocity and the intensity of the gas turbulence in a gas/solid flow are a required measurement in validating the gas and solids flow structure predicted by computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models in fluid bed and transport reactors. The high concentration and velocities of solids, however, make the use of traditional gas velocity measurement devices such as pitot tubes, hot wire anemometers and other such devices difficult. A method of determining these velocities has been devised at the National Energy Technology Laboratory employing tracer gas. The technique developed measures the time average local axial velocity gas component of a gas/solid flow using an injected tracer gas which induces changes in the heat transfer characteristics of the gas mixture. A small amount of helium is injected upstream a known distance from a self-heated thermistor. The thermistor, protected from the solids by means of a filter, is exposed to gases that are continuously extracted from the flow. Changes in the convective heat transfer characteristics of the gas are indicated by voltage variations across a Wheatstone bridge. When pulsed injections of helium are introduced to the riser flow the change in convective heat transfer coefficient of the gas can be rapidly and accurately determined with this instrument. By knowing the separation distance between the helium injection point and the thermistor extraction location as well as the time delay between injection and detection, the gas velocity can easily be calculated. Variations in the measured gas velocities also allow the turbulence intensity of the gas to be estimated

Method and apparatus for preventing overspeed in a gas turbine

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, William E.

1976-01-01

A method and apparatus for preventing overspeed in a gas turbine in response to the rapid loss of applied load is disclosed. The method involves diverting gas from the inlet of the turbine, bypassing the same around the turbine and thereafter injecting the diverted gas at the turbine exit in a direction toward or opposing the flow of gas through the turbine. The injected gas is mixed with the gas exiting the turbine to thereby minimize the thermal shock upon equipment downstream of the turbine exit.

Method for improved gas-solids separation

Science.gov (United States)

Kusik, C.L.; He, B.X.

1990-11-13

Methods are disclosed for the removal of particulate solids from a gas stream at high separation efficiency, including the removal of submicron size particles. The apparatus includes a cyclone separator type of device which contains an axially mounted perforated cylindrical hollow rotor. The rotor is rotated at high velocity in the same direction as the flow of an input particle-laden gas stream to thereby cause enhanced separation of particulate matter from the gas stream in the cylindrical annular space between the rotor and the sidewall of the cyclone vessel. Substantially particle-free gas passes through the perforated surface of the spinning rotor and into the hollow rotor, from where it is discharged out of the top of the apparatus. Separated particulates are removed from the bottom of the vessel. 4 figs.

Regional specific mean expiratory gas flow from Slmsub(Kr) equilibrium inhalation data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, D.; Causer, D.A.; McIntosh, J.A.; Godfrey, K.R.

1985-01-01

A new method of analysing the data available from routine sup(81m) Kr equilibrium inhalation investigations has been developed. The data for analysis are acquired from a gamma camera in the form of a sequential series of images from which multiple breath activity-time curves are generated for eight regions in the lung. The method is based on a description of the behaviour of the radioactive gas in the lung using a mathematical model. Values of specific mean expiratory gas flow, that is mean expiratory gas flow per unit lung volume, are calculated from the application of the model to the expiratory phase only only of a single breath activity-time curve which is generated from the multiple breath activity-time curve using post-acquisition gating. This method overcomes the problem of non-uniform inspiratory concentration of tracer gas experienced in previously reported techniques of analysing inhalation data obtained using poorly soluble radioactive gases. The model is shown, in simulation studies, to be an adequate description of the behaviour of radioactive gas in the lung and the analysis technique is shown, in clinical studies, to be both reproducible and sensitive to disease state. (orig.)

Tracer experiment by using radioisotope in surface water environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suh, K.S.; Kim, K.C.; Chun, I.Y.; Jung, S.H.; Lee, C.W.

2007-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. 1. Objective An expansion of industrial activities and urbanization result in still increasing amount of pollutants discharged into surface water. Discharged pollutants in surface water have harmful effects on the ecology of a river system and human beings. Pollutants discharged into surface water is transported and dispersed under conditions characteristic to particular natural water receiver. Radiotracer method is a useful tool for monitoring the pollutant dispersion and description of mixing process taking place in natural streams. A tracer experiment using radioisotope was carried out to investigate the characteristics of a pollutant transport and a determination of the diffusion coefficients in a river system. 2. Methods The upper area of the Keum river was selected for the tracer experiment, which is located in a mid west of Korea. The measurements of the velocity and bathymetry before a tracer experiment were performed to select the sampling lines for a detection of the radioisotope. The radioisotope was instantaneously injected into a flow as a point source by an underwater glass-vial crusher. The detection was made with 60 2inch NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors at 3 transverse lines at a downstream position. The multi-channel data acquisition systems were used to collect and process the signals transmitted from the detectors. Two-dimensional numerical models were used to simulate the hydraulic parameters and the concentration distributions of the radioisotope injected into the river. 3. Results and Conclusion The calculated results such as velocity and concentrations were compared with the measured ones. The dispersion characteristics of the radioisotope were analyzed according to a variation of the flow rate, water level and diffusion coefficients. Also, the diffusion coefficients were calculated by using the measured concentrations and the coefficients obtained from the field experiment were compared with the ones

Methods for Gas Sensing with Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Kaul, Anupama B. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

Methods for gas sensing with single-walled carbon nanotubes are described. The methods comprise biasing at least one carbon nanotube and exposing to a gas environment to detect variation in temperature as an electrical response.

Supercompressibility factor program. A new calculation method for real gas factors developed by the American Gas Association/Gas Research Institute

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luebbe, D.

1987-07-01

The innovative US calculation method for natural gas real gas factors is applicable to great pressure and temperature ranges and does not involve any restrictions as to the quality of natural gas. The results obtained for natural gas coming from Northern Germany or for imported natural gas are well consistent with actual measuring results. The model can therefore be applied as a rule for computing in a new technical recommendation and determine real gas factors whenever they are relevant to trading. The respective calculations must be preceded by a complete analysis characterizing the quality of gases. However, the new method allows for the alternative calculation of real gas factors on the basis of a small number of easily measurable factors (for example H/sub 0/, d, CO/sub 2/). This quality seams to be all the more attractive as it allows for an automatic translation of parametric sets at changing gas qualities which for the first time can manage without an expensive online gas chromatography or density translators, respectively.

Evaluation of the transport matrix method for simulation of ocean biogeochemical tracers

Science.gov (United States)

Kvale, Karin F.; Khatiwala, Samar; Dietze, Heiner; Kriest, Iris; Oschlies, Andreas

2017-06-01

Conventional integration of Earth system and ocean models can accrue considerable computational expenses, particularly for marine biogeochemical applications. Offline numerical schemes in which only the biogeochemical tracers are time stepped and transported using a pre-computed circulation field can substantially reduce the burden and are thus an attractive alternative. One such scheme is the transport matrix method (TMM), which represents tracer transport as a sequence of sparse matrix-vector products that can be performed efficiently on distributed-memory computers. While the TMM has been used for a variety of geochemical and biogeochemical studies, to date the resulting solutions have not been comprehensively assessed against their online counterparts. Here, we present a detailed comparison of the two. It is based on simulations of the state-of-the-art biogeochemical sub-model embedded within the widely used coarse-resolution University of Victoria Earth System Climate Model (UVic ESCM). The default, non-linear advection scheme was first replaced with a linear, third-order upwind-biased advection scheme to satisfy the linearity requirement of the TMM. Transport matrices were extracted from an equilibrium run of the physical model and subsequently used to integrate the biogeochemical model offline to equilibrium. The identical biogeochemical model was also run online. Our simulations show that offline integration introduces some bias to biogeochemical quantities through the omission of the polar filtering used in UVic ESCM and in the offline application of time-dependent forcing fields, with high latitudes showing the largest differences with respect to the online model. Differences in other regions and in the seasonality of nutrients and phytoplankton distributions are found to be relatively minor, giving confidence that the TMM is a reliable tool for offline integration of complex biogeochemical models. Moreover, while UVic ESCM is a serial code, the TMM can

Improvement of gas entrainment prediction method. Introduction of surface tension effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Kei; Sakai, Takaaki; Ohshima, Hiroyuki; Uchibori, Akihiro; Eguchi, Yuzuru; Monji, Hideaki; Xu, Yongze

2010-01-01

A gas entrainment (GE) prediction method has been developed to establish design criteria for the large-scale sodium-cooled fast reactor (JSFR) systems. The prototype of the GE prediction method was already confirmed to give reasonable gas core lengths by simple calculation procedures. However, for simplification, the surface tension effects were neglected. In this paper, the evaluation accuracy of gas core lengths is improved by introducing the surface tension effects into the prototype GE prediction method. First, the mechanical balance between gravitational, centrifugal, and surface tension forces is considered. Then, the shape of a gas core tip is approximated by a quadratic function. Finally, using the approximated gas core shape, the authors determine the gas core length satisfying the mechanical balance. This improved GE prediction method is validated by analyzing the gas core lengths observed in simple experiments. Results show that the analytical gas core lengths calculated by the improved GE prediction method become shorter in comparison to the prototype GE prediction method, and are in good agreement with the experimental data. In addition, the experimental data under different temperature and surfactant concentration conditions are reproduced by the improved GE prediction method. (author)

Thiocyanate use as radioactive tracer in a petroleum field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, Elaine Henriques Teixeira; Souza, Fabiane Ferreira de; Pinto, Amenonia Maria Ferreira; Moreira, Rubens Martins

2002-01-01

Currently, most of the oil exploration in reservoirs is made out if the assistance of the injection of different fluids, waters in particular, to increase production. For this reason it has been largely spread the application of chemical and/or radioactive tracers in the study of the characteristics of transport of the injected fluid between injection and production wells. K 35 SCN is considered a good tracer due to its higher solubility in water and low adsorption. This work presents a brief review of the methods described in literature for obtain S-35. It was found out to be the most appropriate method the synthesis of thiocyanate starting from the reaction of KCN and S-35. It was also investigated the efficiency of the reaction for the obtention of KSCN. (author)

Simplification of complex kinetic models used for the quantitative analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance or radioactive tracer studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuster, R.; Schuster, S.; Holzhuetter, H.-G.

1992-01-01

A method for simplifying the mathematical models describing the dynamics of tracers (e.g. 13 C, 31 P, 14 C, as used in NMR studies or radioactive tracer experiments) in (bio-)chemical reaction systems is presented. This method is appropriate in the cases where the system includes reactions, the rates of which differ by several orders of magnitude. The basic idea is to adapt the rapid-equilibrium approximation to tracer systems. It is shown with the aid of the Perron-Frobenius theorem that for tracer systems, the conditions for applicability of this approximation are satisfied whenever some reactions are near equilibrium. It turns out that the specific enrichments of all of the labelled atoms that are connected by fast reversible reactions can be grouped together as 'pool variables'. The reduced system contains fewer parameters and can, thus, be fitted more easily to experimental data. Moreover, the method can be employed for identifying non-equilibrium and near-equilibrium reactions from experimentally measured specific enrichments of tracer. The reduction algorithm is illustrated by studying a model of the distribution of 13 C-tracers in the pentose phosphate pathway. (author)

RPC gas recovery by open loop method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joshi, Avinash [Alpha Pneumatics, 11, Krishna Kutir, Madanlal Dhigra Road, Panch Pakhadi (India)], E-mail: alpha_pneumatics@hotmail.com

2009-05-01

RPC detectors require to be flushed with small but continuous flow of gas mixture. Dealing with large number of detectors, gas consumption to very large volumes. Gas flow is a running expense and constituent gases are too expensive to be treated as consumables. Exhaust gas mixture from detectors is a potential environmental hazard if discharged directly into the atmosphere. Storage of gases on a large scale also leads to inventory- and safety-related problems. A solution to these problems is the recovery and reuse of exhaust gas mixture from RPC detectors. Close loop method employs recirculation of exhausted gas mixture after purification, analysis and addition of top-up quantities. In open loop method, under consideration here, individual component gases are separated from gas mixture and reused as source. During open loop process, gases liquefiable at low pressures are separated from ones liquefiable at high pressure. The gas phase components within each group are successively separated by either fractional condensation or gravity separation. Gas mixture coming from RPC exhaust is first desiccated by passage through molecular sieve adsorbent type (3A+4A). Subsequent scrubbing over basic activated alumina removes toxic and acidic contaminants such as S{sub 2}F{sub 10} produced during corona (arcing) discharge. In the first stage of separation isobutane and freon are concentrated by diffusion and liquefied by fractional condensation by cooling upto -30 deg. C. Liquefied gases are returned to source tanks. In the second stage of separation, argon and sulphur hexafluoride, the residual gases, are concentrated by settling due to density difference. SF{sub 6} is stored for recovery by condensation at high pressure while argon is further purified by thermal cracking of crossover impurities at 1000 deg. C followed by wet scrubbing.

RPC gas recovery by open loop method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Avinash

2009-01-01

RPC detectors require to be flushed with small but continuous flow of gas mixture. Dealing with large number of detectors, gas consumption to very large volumes. Gas flow is a running expense and constituent gases are too expensive to be treated as consumables. Exhaust gas mixture from detectors is a potential environmental hazard if discharged directly into the atmosphere. Storage of gases on a large scale also leads to inventory- and safety-related problems. A solution to these problems is the recovery and reuse of exhaust gas mixture from RPC detectors. Close loop method employs recirculation of exhausted gas mixture after purification, analysis and addition of top-up quantities. In open loop method, under consideration here, individual component gases are separated from gas mixture and reused as source. During open loop process, gases liquefiable at low pressures are separated from ones liquefiable at high pressure. The gas phase components within each group are successively separated by either fractional condensation or gravity separation. Gas mixture coming from RPC exhaust is first desiccated by passage through molecular sieve adsorbent type (3A+4A). Subsequent scrubbing over basic activated alumina removes toxic and acidic contaminants such as S 2 F 10 produced during corona (arcing) discharge. In the first stage of separation isobutane and freon are concentrated by diffusion and liquefied by fractional condensation by cooling upto -30 deg. C. Liquefied gases are returned to source tanks. In the second stage of separation, argon and sulphur hexafluoride, the residual gases, are concentrated by settling due to density difference. SF 6 is stored for recovery by condensation at high pressure while argon is further purified by thermal cracking of crossover impurities at 1000 deg. C followed by wet scrubbing.

Use of labeled compounds in tracer experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

The use of radiotracers in research has become common. This chapter looks at some of the underlying assumptions and advantages of labeled compounds: advantages of radiotracers; availability of suitable tracers and labeled compounds; purity of labeled compounds; autoradiolysis; storage of labeled compounds; detection systems for chromatography and electrophoretic methods. 14 refs., 2 figs