Three-dimensional pin power reconstruction for the axially heterogeneous region in BWR

A three-dimensional pin power reconstruction method was proposed and verified by applying to the axially heterogeneous region problem of the BWR core calculation. Because the production assembly calculation has been carried out by two-dimensional deterministic calculation methods like current coupling collision probability or the method of characteristics, it has been difficult to predict the detailed three-dimensional heterogeneous pin power distribution of the axially heterogeneous region. Consequently, only radial intranodal homogeneous power distributions have been considered, and axial intranodal homogeneous power distributions have not been considered in the estimation of linear-heat-generation-ratio at common BWR core calculations.     

Non-linear current–voltage characteristics related to native defects in SrTiO3 and ZnO bicrystals

SrTiO₃ and ZnO bicrystals with various types of boundaries were fabricated in order to examine their current–voltage characteristics across single grain boundaries. Their grain boundary structures were also investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. In Nb-doped SrTiO₃, electron transport behaviors depend on the type of boundaries. Random type boundaries exhibit highly non-linear current–voltage characteristics, while low angle boundaries show a slight non-linearity. On the contrary, undoped ZnO does not exhibit non-linear current–voltage characteristics in any type of boundaries including random ones. It is suggested that the differences observed in current–voltage properties between the two systems are mainly due to the difference in the accumulation behavior of acceptor-like native defects at grain boundaries. A clear non-linearity is obtained by means of Co-doping even for the highly coherent Σ1 boundary in a ZnO bicrystal. This is considered to result from the production of acceptor-like native defects by Co-doping.     

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Structural Relaxation of Asphaltene Aggregates

For asphaltene obtained from vacuum residue of Khafji crude oil, the energy-minimum conformation calculated by molecular mechanics-dynamics simulations showed that aggregated structures of asphaltene molecules through noncovalent interactions are more stable. Changes induced in aggregated structures by pretreatment with solvents were investigated using molecular dynamics calculations. The simulation showed that in quinolin at 573 K, some staking interactions could be disrupted, while, in 1-methylnaphthalene it was not observed. Autoclave experiments showed that the coke yield after pyrolysis at 713 K was decreased when the asphaltene was pretreated with quinoline at 573 K for 1 h, compared to the yield without the pretreatment. While, in the case of pretreatment in 1-methylnaphthalene, the coke yield did not change significantly. The simulation's results above can be related to the difference in coke yield between two solvents; in quinoline some aromatic-aromatic stacking interactions could be disrupted and mobility of molecules was increased. This resulted in prevention of the asphaltenes from polymerizing, as in condensation reactions among aromatic rings. Consequently, the coke yield after the pretreatment with quinoline was decreased.     

Effects of surrounding brightness on visual search for safety colors

The present article reports the investigation of the effects of surrounding brightness on a visual search for three safety colors: red, orange, and yellow. Images of visual stimuli consisting of an array of colored circles placed on a large visual field (a visual angle of 40°) were displayed on an 80‐in. screen with a DLP projector. Experiment I examined the search efficiency under three levels of background luminance that were equivalent to the three target luminances. The results showed that the search efficiency for the orange target decreased as the number of distractors increased, under each of the background luminance levels, whereas the efficiency scarcely decreased for the red and yellow targets. Although a reduction in background luminance increased the search efficiency for the orange target, it is suggested that the effect of background luminance is smaller than the effect of the target color in search efficiency. Experiment II examined the search efficiency under three conditions of low levels of incident illuminance, which were matched with a linear regression to the luminance of color chips of safety colors measured twilight conditions. The results showed that the search efficiency for the orange target decreased as the number of distractors increased under each of the different illuminance conditions, whereas the efficiency scarcely decreased for red and yellow targets. Furthermore, as illuminance decreased, the search time for the orange target was more greatly impacted than for red or yellow. These results imply that the recognition of orange tends to be influenced by the surrounding brightness. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 30, 400–409, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.20152     

Improvement of emission efficiency in polymer light-emitting devices based on phosphorescent polymers

We report improvement of emission efficiency in polymer light-emitting devices (PLEDs) employing phosphorescent polymers. A hole-blocking layer was inserted between the emissive layer and the cathode to enhance recombination efficiency for the injected holes and electrons. Aluminum(III)bis(2-methyl-8-quinolinato)4-phenylphenolato (BAlq) was used for the hole-blocking layer. The resultant PLEDs exhibited significant improvement of emission efficiency. The respective external quantum efficiencies for red, green and blue PLEDs were 6.6, 11 and 6.9%. These values are very high compared with those based on conventional fluorescent polymers.     

A new bubble-point-pressure correlation for the binary LiBr/H2O solution

In accord with the increasing concern about the global environmental issues, the absorption refrigeration heat-pump systems are currently being considered very promising and attractive. For the purpose of supporting the advanced R&D technology in this area, we have developed a novel correlation to represent the bubble-point pressures of LiBr H₂O solutions. The developed correlation covers the most extensive range of validity ever proposed: 273–483 K for temperatures, 0.05 kPa to 1.0 MPa for pressures. and 29 76 wt% LiBr for concentrations.Paper presented at the Twelfth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 19–24, 1994. Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

Reinjection experiment at the matsukawa vapor-dominated geothermal field: Increase in steam production and secondary heat recovery from the reservoir

A reinjection experiment has been conducted in an attempt to sustain reservoir pressure and steam production and to extract remaining heat energy in the superheated reservoir in the Matsukawa vapor-dominated geothermal field. This experiment was undertaken because the increase in superheat of produced steam and the decline of steam production are the current major issues for stable operation of the power plant. Almost all the reinjected fluid into well MR 1 was recovered from well M5, and the steam production of well M5 has increased by approximately 67%.     

Dynamic bandwidth control of the virtual path in an asynchronoustransfer mode network

The virtual path concept has several valuable features to construct an economical and efficient asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network. One of them is bandwidth control which affords transmission efficiency improvement through statistical sharing of capacity. An effective bandwidth control algorithm and its calculated performance are described. Network performance with the algorithm is evaluated, and the bandwidth control is shown to successfully improve network transmission efficiency with only a slight increase in processing load compared to the fixed bandwidth scheme. A method is also proposed to equalize call loss probability for each virtual path. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated by analysis     

Bubble-point pressures and liquid densities of binary R-125 + R-143a System

Bubble-point pressures and saturated-liquid densities of the binary R-135 (pentafuoroethane) + R- 143a ( 1, 1, 1-trifluoroethane) system have been measured for several compositions at temperatures from 280 to 330 K by means of a magnetic densimeter coupled with a variable-volume cell mounted with a metallic bellows. The experimental uncertainties of the temperature, pressure. and density measurements and the composition determination were estimated to be within ±15 mK, ±13 k Pa, ±0.2%, and ±0.1 wt%, respectively. The purities of the samples used throughout the measurements are 99.98 wt% for R-125 and 99.0 mol % for R- 143a. Based on the present data, the thermodynamic behavior of the vapor-liquid equilibria of this binary refrigerant mixture has been evaluated by using the Peng-Robinson equation for the bubble-point pressures, and the modified Hankinson-Brobst-Thomson equation for the saturated-liquid densities. This was done to identify the optimized binary interaction parameters.Paper presented at the Twelfth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 19–24, 1994, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

Coating of hydroxyapatite on metal plates using thermal dissociation of calcium-EDTA chelate in phosphate solutions under hydrothermal conditions

Coating of hydroxyapatite on various metal plates was carried out by a homogeneous precipitation technique using hydrothermal reactions in Ca(edta)^2-–NaH₂PO₄ at 140–200°C and pH 3.4–10.0. Hydroxyapatite films were formed on the surface of the iron plates in solutions at an initial pH above 4.7, whereas aggregates consisting of needle-like hydroxyapatite crystal radiating from a point in the form of flower deposited as islands on the surface of aluminum, copper and titanium plates. The upper part of the film formed on the surface of the iron plates consisted of needle-like hydroxyapatite particles whereas the bottom of the film consisted of spherical hydroxyapatite particles. The length of the needle-like hydroxyapatite particles increased with decreasing concentration of Ca(edta)^2-.