Control strategies for transients of hydrogen production plant in VHTR cogeneration systems

Operability of Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) hydrogen cogeneration systems in response to abnormal transients initiated by the hydrogen production plant is one of the important concerns from economical and safety points of views. The abnormal events in the hydrogen production plant could initiate load changes and induce temperature variations in a primary cooling system. Excessive temperature increase in the primary cooling system would cause reactor scrams since the temperature increase in the primary cooling system is restricted in order to prevent undue thermal stresses from reactor structures. Also, temperature decrease has a potential propagation path for reactor scrams by reactivity insertions as a consequence of the reactivity feedbacks. Since suspensions of reactor operation and electricity generation should be avoided even in case of abnormal events in the hydrogen production plant from an economical point of view, an establishment of a control scheme against abnormal transients of hydrogen production plant is required for plant system design.In the present study, basic controls and their integration for the GTHTR300C, a VHTR cogeneration system designed by JAEA with a direct Brayton cycle power conversion unit and thermochemical Iodine-Sulfur process hydrogen production plant (IS hydrogen production plant), against abnormal transients of IS hydrogen production plant are presented. Transient simulations for selected load change events in the IS hydrogen production plants are performed by an original system analysis code which enables to evaluate major phenomena assumed in process heat exchangers of the IS hydrogen production plant.It is shown that abnormal load change events are successfully simulated by the system analysis code developed. The results demonstrated the technical feasibility of proposed controls for continuous operation of the reactor and power conversion unit against load change events in the IS hydrogen production plant.     

Sampling Rate Evaluation Of NO2 Badge: (I) In Indoor Environments

The sampling rate of a nitrogen dioxide (NO²) passive sampling badge was evaluated in indoor environments including an unoccupied research house, residential houses, and an office. Measurements from the NO² badges were compared with those of a chemiluminescent analyzer the EPA reference method, by placing them near to the sample inlet of the chemiluminescent analyzer In this study, we used a new sampling rate for the NO² badge placed in indoor environments (an overall mass transfer coefficient of 0.10 cm/s) smaller than the rate previously reported for the badge when used outdoors. The new rate provides more accurate measurements of NO, concentrations in indoor environments. Indoor NO² concentrations were also measured with the NO² badges exposed to a constant wind velocity provided by a wind tunnel. Since the measurements of the badge with a constant wind velocity agreed well with the reference method, the badges could be assumed to be a secondary reference measurement. With the badges used as the secondary reference measurement, we developed a portable wind tunnel to evaluate a personal exposure measurement by the badge. The results are presented in Environment International (Lee et al., 1993). Precision of the badge measurements was as good as an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.9779. It was determined that placement of the badge should be at least 10 cm out from an indoor wall surface to avoid undersampling due to NO² gradients near the surface.     

Effect of cross-flow on the frequency of bubble formation from a single-hole nozzle

Bubble formation from a single-hole nozzle placed vertically upward in a rotating water bath was investigated using a high-speed video camera. Air was used as the working gas. The measured values of the frequency of bubble formation, f _B, were compared with those observed in a stationary bath, f _B0. The velocity of cross-flow, ν_θ, affected the bubble formation significantly when it exceeded a critical value, ν_θc . The ratio of f _B to f _B0 was unity for ν_θ≦ν_θc , but it changed in a complex manner for ν_θ>ν_θc . In the latter case, when the air flow rate Q _g was relatively low, f _B/f _B0 became larger than unity irrespective of Q _g, and an empirical correlation of f _B/f _B0 was proposed as a function of ν_θ and the inner diameter of the nozzle, d _ni. As the gas flow rate increased, f _B/f _B0 decreased monotonically and became smaller than unity, and an empirical correlation of f _B/f _B0 was derived as a function of Q _g, ν_θ, and d _ni. These empirical correlations could approximate the measured values of f _B/f _B0 within a scatter of −15 to +20 pct.     

Impaired autoregulation in an experimental model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To verify the hypothesis that impaired autoregulation may contribute to cerebral swelling or hemorrhage after a sudden recovery of perfusion pressure, we studied the chronic effects of cerebral hypoperfusion on the autoregulatory responses of the pial arterioles in situ. METHODS: Eight to 12 weeks after a carotid-jugular fistula was created in rats, experiments were performed under alpha-chloralose and urethane anesthesia. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was determined by the hydrogen clearance method, and carotid pressure was measured. Using a closed cranial window, we determined the autoregulatory responses of the arterioles (30 to 50 microns) to both hypertension induced by norepinephrine and sudden fistula closure at various mean arterial pressures (MAPs). RESULTS: rCBF on the fistula side was reduced by 27%. Carotid pressure was significantly lower than normal but was immediately increased by fistula closure. The pial arterioles showed marked elongation and enlargement. During induced hypertension, the arterioles in the fistula group started to dilate at an MAP lower than that of the control group (130 versus 180 mm Hg, respectively). The arterioles constricted when the fistula was occluded at normal MAP. However, when the fistula was occluded at an MAP higher than 130 mm Hg, the vessels dilated. CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated that (1) chronic hypoperfusion induced impairment of the upper limit of autoregulation and (2) sudden fistula closure under hypertensive conditions caused vasodilation of the arterioles. These findings suggest that rapid restoration of perfusion pressure is possibly followed by a pressure breakthrough phenomenon in a chronically hypoperfused cerebrovasculature.     

A cellular automata model considering diversity associated with HIV infection

The diversity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vivo has been reported. In this article, we propose a cellular automata (CA) model describing the interactions between the immune system and HIV, and examine the effect of the diversity of these interactions. The novel aspects of our CA model are that it not only considers four states (HIV, virgin, dead, infect) but also the diversity exhibited by both HIV and T cells. We simulated maximum diversities for these states by simulating CA on a computer. The model revealed that increased diversity had the effect of increasing the HIV population and simulation steps. In addition, we observed that the CA model accurately reflects the occurrence of infection, incubation period, and the development of AIDS. The CA model demonstrated that the diversity of the virus is the major factor affecting the success rate of the escape of HIV from the immune response. This work was presented in part at the 10th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, February 4–6, 2005     

Radiation heat transfer in three‐dimensional closed space including diffuse and specular surfaces

A method of numerical calculation for radiation heat transfer in a three‐dimensional closed space including diffuse and specular surfaces was developed. To enable an analysis of the radiation heat exchange on each surface considering multiple specular reflections and obstacles to radiation in the space, an improved heat ray‐tracing method was presented to calculate view factors accurately. The method was determined to be applicable to complicated problems in test calculations using models with specular surfaces and obstacles. Continuing efforts are being applied to more realistic problems. The example examined in this paper is an infrared emitter with a parabolic specular reflector, which is a conventional electric heating apparatus. The measured result for radiant power distribution agrees well with the calculated one. The practical validity of our method was verified. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 32(2): 108–129, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.10074     

An experimental study on bubble growth within a narrow space under an interference‐piece

An experimental study was performed on the nucleate boiling of water in the narrow space formed between an interference piece and the heating surface of heat‐proof glass. A past study analyzed the bubble growth due to the conduction of heat through the thinner liquid layer under a growing bubble; however, the thickness of the liquid layer was not shown experimentally. This study investigates the thickness of this thinner layer by the interference method. Almost no change was found on the thickness of the liquid layer under both the interference‐piece and on the heating surface. The experimental results indicate the great contribution of superheating of the test liquid to bubble growth. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 35(2): 165–177, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience. wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20100     

Routing design of tree‐shaped local public communication networks with high reliability and low cost

This paper discusses reliability problems for local public communication networks such as cable television networks and the subscriber‐loops of telecommunication networks. They have tree‐shapes and expand continuously as new customers join. By introducing a simple model, it is shown that most principal reliability measures and cost measures for such networks can be described through the networks' graphical characteristic quantities. Extensive simulations show that the prior provision of trunk pipes and a suitable choice of the route selecting rule for new customers are effective in constructing a highly reliable network with low cost. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Polymers degradable under environmental conditions through end-modification of poly(α-methylstyrene) derivatives

To induce degradabilities in polymers in response to environmental conditions, the end-modification reactions of poly(α-methylstyrene) derivatives were carried out. When diphenylphosphine chloride was used as a modifier for the living end of para-substituted PMS, the coupling efficiency was ca. 50%. 2-Phenylallyl halide derivatives such as 2-phenylallyl bromide, 2-(4-tolyl)allyl bromide, and α-trifluoromethylstyrene were found to be suitable end-modification agents. For example, ω-2-phenylallyl PMS was prepared with almost quantitative functionality by the reaction of the living PMS with 2-phenylallyl bromide. In a similar way, ω-3,3-difluoro-2-phenylallyl and ω-2-(4-tolyl)allyl PMS derivatives were synthesized. Based on thermogravimetric analysis, onset of the degradation temperature of the end-modified PMS derivatives decreased in the following order: ω-hydrogen- > ω-3,3-difluoro-2-phenylallyl- > ω-2-phenylallyl- > ω-2-(4-tolyl)allyl-PMS. Actually, the onset temperature of ω-2-(4-tolyl)allyl-PMS derivatives was 50°C lower than that of ω-H-PMS derivatives. These results indicate that the active species is produced effectively at the end unsaturated bond, which initiates the depolymerization of the polymer at rather low temperatures. Ionic degradation of these polymers was also investigated using butyllithium as an anionic initiator and methanesulfonic acid as a cationic initiator. Tendencies similar to the thermal degradation were observed. Therefore, it is concluded that a 2-phenylallyl substituent at the end of the PMS chain induces effective degradation through several mechanisms such as radical, anionic and cationic depolymerization reactions.