HOT TEST OF A TALSPEAK PROCEDURE FOR SEPARATION OF ACTINIDES AND LANTHANIDES USING RECIRCULATING DTPA-LACTIC ACID SOLUTION

Abstract

Results are reported from a hot test of a TALSPEAK type process for separation of higher actinides (Am, Cm) from lanthanides. Actinides and lanthanides are extracted by 1 M HDEHP and separated by selective strip of the actinides, using a mixture of DTPA and lactic acid (reversed TALSPEAK process). In order to minimize the generation of secondary waste, a procedure using recirculating DTPA-Lactic acid solution has been developed. A separation factor between Am and Eu of 132 was achieved. In regard to separations of Am and Cm from commercial HLLW, this corresponds to 1.5 % of the lanthanide group remaining with the actlnldes. The loss of Am was about 0.2 %.     

Dynamic memory management methodology applied to embedded telecom network systems

Presents a new methodology for dynamic memory management of embedded telecom network systems. This methodology enables the designer to further raise the abstraction level of the initial system specification and to achieve optimized embedded system designs. This methodology is well suited for systems characterized by a set of concurrent and dynamic processes, very high-bit-rate data streams, and intensive data transfer and storage, as encountered in telecom network applications. Up to now, it has been successfully applied to four telecom network systems. This methodology can be easily integrated into any C++-based system synthesis approach that bridges the gap between a concurrent process-level system specification and an optimized (for area, performance, or power) embedded implementation of communicating hardware/software processors. This is in contrast to current system design practice, where VHDL/C is derived without room for exploration, refinement, and verification, leading to expensive late design iterations. In this paper, the main focus lies on the system-level specification model and the dynamic memory management applied to two real-life telecom network systems.     

A web-based platform for the simulation–optimization of industrial problems

This study presents a platform for industrial, real-world simulation–optimization based on web techniques. The design of the platform is intended to be generic and thereby make it possible to apply the platform in various problem domains. In the implementation of the platform, modern web techniques, such as Ajax, JavaScript, GWT, and ProtoBuf, are used. The platform is tested and evaluated on a real industrial problem of production optimization at Volvo Aero Corporation, a company that develops and manufactures high-technology components for aircraft and gas turbine engines. The results of the evaluation show that while the platform has several benefits, implementing a web-based system is not completely straightforward. At the end of the paper, possible pitfalls are discussed and some recommendations for future implementations are outlined.     

A performance bound for prediction of MIMO channels

Knowledge of future channel conditions can increase the performance of many types of wireless systems. This is especially true for radio channels with multiple transmit and receive antennas, i.e., multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. This paper derives a performance bound for MIMO channel prediction. It is assumed that prediction is based upon estimating a model for the channel and then extrapolating that model to predict future values of the channel. A vector formulation of the Crame/spl acute/r-Rao bound for functions of parameters is used to find a lower bound on the prediction error. Numerical evaluation of this bound shows that substantially longer prediction lengths are possible for MIMO channels than for single antenna channels. An intuitive interpretation of this result is that more of the channel structure is revealed when using multiple antennas at both ends. Finally, the longer prediction lengths for MIMO channels are confirmed by numerical results obtained by implementing a MIMO extension of a single-antenna prediction scheme.     

Performance Bounds for MIMO-OFDM Channel Estimation

The performance of a mobile multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal-frequency-division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) system depends on the ability of the system to accurately account for the effects of the frequency-selective time-varying channel at every symbol time and at every frequency subcarrier. Typically, pilot symbols are strategically placed at various times over various subcarriers in order to calculate sample channel estimates, and then these estimates are interpolated or extrapolated forward to provide channel estimates where no pilot data was transmitted. Performance is highly dependent on the distribution of the pilots with respect to the coherence time and coherence bandwidth of the channel, and on the chosen channel parameterization. In this paper, a vector formulation of the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) for biased estimators and for functions of parameters is used to derive a lower bound on the channel estimation and prediction error of such a system. Numerical calculations using the bound demonstrate the benefits of multiple antennas for channel estimation and prediction and illustrate the impact of modeling errors on estimation performance when using channel models based on calibrated arrays.     

Measurement of Auger recombination in silicon by laser excitation

A new experimental arrangement for the study of Auger recombination in silicon is described and analyzed. A relatively weakly absorbed YAG:Nd laser beam was used for excitation. The decay of the carrier concentration after the injection pulse was studied by measuring the recombination radiation in a direction perpendicular to the laser beam. At some distance from the injection surface the influence of surface recombination and diffusion is then negligible. It has previously been shown that in this geometry the carrier concentration distribution after the laser excitation is accurately described by an analytical expression which accounts for attentuation of the laser beam by both interband and free carrier absorption. Thus the local carrier concentration in the sample can be computed to a high degree of accuracy, which is essential in the determination of the Auger recombination coefficient from decay measurements. Furthermore, this experimental geometry eliminates the problems with laser stray light. Assumptions regarding the influence of surface recombination and diffusion are not necessary in the interpretation of the experiments. The method is usable for silicon in the temperature interval 150–400 K. Preliminary measurements of the Auger coefficient at room temperature are reported.     

Determination of boron-containing compounds in urine and blood plasma from boron neutron capture therapy patients. The importance of using coupled techniques

The necessity of using coupled techniques to analyze samples from boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) patients prior to element-specific detection has been demonstrated. BNCT patients were infused with p-boronophenylalanine (BPA)-fructose complex before the therapy started. Urine and blood plasma samples were collected at different times after the start of the BPA administration and were run on a porous graphitic carbon column coupled on-line to an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) and an ICP time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS). In addition to BPA, a possible metabolite to BPA and some minor boron-containing compounds, eluting close to the front, were also found in the urine and plasma samples. Because only the total concentration of boron has been measured so far in earlier studies, the suspected metabolite could not be detected, and this is the first report indicating its presence in urine and plasma of BNCT patients. The abundance of 10B in urine was about the same for BPA and its possible metabolite (98-99%). The ratio between the possible metabolite and BPA was found to differ in the urine from different patients. Most of the patients had a metabolite concentration of approximately 10 mol % of the BPA content in their urine 5-11 h after the start of the BPA administration. This ratio increased to between 30 and 80% when 24 h had passed. The ratio of metabolite to BPA was found to be lower in the plasma than in the urine samples at comparable time after the start of BPA infusion. Preliminary results from micro-LC-electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS/MS measurements on four urine samples indicate that the metabolite has a higher mass than BPA.     

A Study of Ni-5wt.% Al coatings produced from different feedstock powder

Ten different Ni-5wt.%Al powders—three clad, done sintered, three water atomized, and three gas atomized—have been evaluated and plasma sprayed. The study focused on how manufacturing method, chemical composition, and particle size distribution of the powders affect the quality of the coating. Properties such as microstructure and mechanical behavior, as well as oxidation and corrosion resistance, are discussed. In conclusion, recommendations concerning the selection of powders for different applications are presented.     

Correlation and channel capacity of MIMO systems employing multimode antennas

A novel way of exploiting higher modes of antennas as diversity branches in multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems is introduced. Essentially, antennas employing multiple modes offer characteristics similar to an antenna array, through multiple modes and using only a single element. The physical mechanism that yields different received signals is the fact that each mode has a different radiation pattern. Analytical expressions for the correlation between signals received by different modes are presented for a biconical and a circular microstrip antenna that employs higher order modes. It is found that the correlation is low enough to yield a significant diversity gain. Furthermore, the channel capacity of a MIMO system using a multimode antenna, i.e., an antenna employing multiple modes, is found to be comparable to the capacity of an array. Since only one element is needed, the multimode antenna offers several advantages over traditional arrays, and is an interesting antenna solution for future high capacity MIMO systems.