RPV material investigations of the former VVER-440 Greifswald NPP

The real toughness response of RPV material can only be determined after the final shut down of the NPP. Such a chance is given now by investigating material from the former Greifswald NPP (VVER-440/230).In the first part the paper deals with fast neutron fluence calculations and retrospective dosimetry based on Niobium. Unfortunately, a second neutron reaction besides ⁹³Nb(n,n’) leading to ^93mNb-activity is the reaction ⁹²Mo(n,γ)⁹³Mo. Based on the found Nb and Mo contents in the RPV material, it turned out that the ^93mNb generation on the Mo path mostly dominates over the fast neutron induced generation from Nb.The comparison between the calculated and the measured ^93mNb activities typically resulted in deviations of 50%. Possible reasons for the observed differences are discussed.In the second part first results of fracture mechanic investigations are reported. SE(B) specimens from three thickness positions were tested and evaluated according to the test standard ASTM E1921-05. Cleavage fracture toughness values, K_Jc, were determined and Master Curve based reference temperatures (T₀) were evaluated. The T₀ measured at the inner surface of the RPV did not represent the conservative condition. The T₀ of disc 1-1.3 located between the surface and 1/4 thickness is about 40K higher compared with those of the surface.The measured K_Jc values are not enveloped by the 5% fractile indexed with T₀ according to the Master Curve concept. However, the 5% fractile indexed with the VERLIFE reference temperature RTT_o that includes an additional margin envelops the measured K_Jc values. Therefore the VERLIFE lower bound curve conservatively describes the fracture toughness of the investigated weld metal.     

Reconfigurable CMOS with undoped silicon nanowire midgap Schottky-barrier FETs

In this paper we report on a newly developed multi-gate nanowire-field-effect device (NWFET) in which the transistor type (i.e. PMOS and NMOS) is freely selectable by the application of a control-voltage. This significantly adds to flexibility in design of integrated circuits and their fabrication, respectively. We will show, that the use of midgap Schottky-barrier source and drain contacts are the key enabler for this device concept to be functional. A fully functional freely configurable CMOS-NWFET inverter circuit is presented, demonstrating the capability of this SOI technology platform. All this makes the presented NWFET-technology suitable for the fabrication multi-purpose devices for many applications.     

Non-monotonic lattice parameter variation with crystallite size in nanocrystalline solids

An anomalous dependence of the lattice parameter on the crystallite size of nanocrystalline ball-milled powders of metals was observed: lattice contraction followed by lattice expansion with decreasing crystallite size. These data were determined by application of detailed X-ray diffraction measurements. To this end the lattice parameters of the metals investigated – nickel, copper, iron and tungsten – were precisely determined by correcting for influences of stacking faults, in the face-centred cubic metals, as well as by correcting for instrument-related aberrations. The non-monotonic variation of the lattice constant was interpreted as the result of two competing mechanisms: interface-stress-induced contraction vs. expansion as a result of the stress field generated at the crystallite boundary due to the increased excess free volume in the crystallite boundary upon decreasing crystallite size.     

On the use of peak-force tapping atomic force microscopy for quantification of the local elastic modulus in hardened cement paste

A surface of epoxy-impregnated hardened cement paste was investigated using a novel atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging mode that allows for the quantitative mapping of the local elastic modulus. The analyzed surface was previously prepared using focussed ion beam milling. The same surface was also characterized by electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.We demonstrate the capability of this quantitative nanomechanical mapping to provide information on the local distribution of the elastic modulus (from about 1 to about 100 GPa) with a spatial resolution in the range of decananometers, that corresponds to that of low-keV back-scattered electron imaging. Despite some surface roughness which affects the measured nanomechanical properties it is shown that topography, adhesion and Young's modulus can be clearly distinguished.The quantitative mapping of the local elastic modulus is able to discriminate between phases in the cement paste microstructure that cannot be distinguished from the corresponding back-scattered electron images.     

Simulation of Fluid Flow and Oscillation of the Argon Oxygen Decarburization (AOD) Process

The oscillation of argon oxygen decarburization (AOD) converters is flow related and depends on the process parameters (e.g., vessel geometry, melt fill height, process gas type and blowing rate, vessel tilting angle, as well as geometry, number, and arrangement of the side-wall nozzles). For a 120-ton AOD converter with seven submerged side-wall nozzles, plant tests, physical simulations on a 1:4 scale water model, and computational fluid dynamics simulations have been done. The investigations show that the penetration depth of an inert gas jet into the melt does not exceed approximately 0.4 m. The plumes are located close to the nozzle-side converter wall and induce a large-scale primary vortex as well as intensive surface movements; both are responsible for the oscillation. Several process mechanisms were investigated. The oscillation is highest in the last stage of the dynamic blow and is still high during the reduction stage. As the amount of inert gas increases, the vibration level also increases. Inert gas has a greater influence on the oscillation than oxygen. Tilting the converter around 8 deg clearly leads to more intensive oscillations. Increasing the blowing rate increases the forces and torques acting on the vessel, whereas the oscillation frequency remains nearly constant. A varying fill level does not influence the vibration level the same way as the blowing rate. The operational test shows, for example, that the maximum torque does not depend on the heat size when the latter varies between –8 pct and +21 pct of the nominal heat size. The water model test shows decreasing forces and torques with a rising fill level.     

Quenched phosphorescence detection in cyclodextrin-based electrokinetic chromatography

Quenched phosphorescence detection is a sensitive detection method recently introduced in capillary zone electrophoresis. It is based on the dynamic quenching interaction of the analytes (quenchers) with a phosphorophore, 1-bromo-4-naphthalenesulfonate (BrNS), present in the separation buffer. In this study, it is shown that this detection method can also be used in cyclodextrin-based electrokinetic chromatography (CD-EKC) despite the presence in the buffer solution of cyclodextrins, which are known to reduce the luminescence quenching rate constants. Experiments indicate that BrNS mainly resides in the aqueous phase, while the analytes are distributed between both phases. In principle, the observed quenching might arise from the interaction of BrNS with uncomplexed as well as complexed analytes. However, from the dependence of the fractional quenching on the capacity factor (the normalized fractional quenching was found to be equal to the fraction of analyte in the aqueous phase), it was concluded that only aqueous-phase quenching contributes significantly to the observed quenching. Nevertheless, separation and detection can be regarded as fully compatible, because the capacity factors encountered in CD-EKC are generally low (in this study they ranged from about 0.1 to 2.5). Indeed, with nitroaromatic compounds as the target analytes, limits of detection in the 10(-8) M range were achieved.     

The determinants of the critical success factors of information systems downsizing

Competitive advantage in the information age is based, in large part, on a firm's capability to acquire and use quality information as well as effective and efficient services, with its information technology resources at the least possible cost. One possible strategy for improving the cost-performance ratio of information technology resources is known as downsizing. The downsizing effort is a strategic move that is believed by many organizations to be capable of yielding significant benefits. It can also be a costly endeavour which may leave a firm worse off. Therefore, careful planning and control must be exercised if information systems downsizing is to succeed. This paper reports the results of a study whose purpose is to identify and explain the critical success factors for a downsizing effort. Results of the study show that information systems downsizing may produce benefits such as improved information systems, improved organizational structure, higher productivity, and lower cost. The results also indicate that downsizing success is dependent upon complex linkages of communications, action plans, needs for downsizing as perceived by employees, and the specific method of downsizing used.     

Intercalibration of SUMER and CDS on SOHO. III. SUMER and CDS-GIS. Solar and Heliospheric Observatory

Simultaneous observation of the same solar sources with different instruments is one way to test prelaunch radiometric calibrations and to detect changes in responsivity with time of extreme-ultraviolet instruments in space. Here we present the results of intercalibration of the SUMER (Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation) spectrometer (detectors A and B) and the GIS (Grazing Incidence Spectrometer), one of two spectrometers that compose the CDS (Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer) on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The two instruments observed simultaneously radiances of emission lines at or near the center of the solar disk. The emission line chosen for intercomparison was Ne VIII at 770 A. However, such an intercomparison of the SUMER and CDS-GIS measurements means comparing two data sets with large differences in resolution and field of view. The latter difference, especially, introduces differences in the measured intensities caused by the solar variability that is relatively strong in the 770-A line. Using a statistical approach to overcome this problem, we found that the ratio of the GIS to the SUMER average radiances amounted to 2.6 +/- 0.9 before the SOHO's loss of attitude and to 2.1 +/- 0.7 afterward. These findings confirm earlier estimates of the GIS's responsivity being too low, and an update of the GIS calibration is recommended. Despite the large differences in resolution and field of view of the two instruments, the shapes of their normalized and rescaled histograms of the radiances agree well and therefore represent characteristic features of the Ne VIII line.     

Particle Monte Carlo and lattice-Boltzmann methods for simulations of gas-particle flows

A numerical solution concept is presented for simulating the transport and deposition to surfaces of discrete, small (nano-)particles. The motion of single particles is calculated from the Langevin equation by Lagrangian integration under consideration of different forces such as drag force, van der Waals forces, electrical Coulomb forces and not negligible for small particles, under stochastic diffusion (Brownian diffusion). This so-called particle Monte Carlo method enables the computation of macroscopic filter properties as well the detailed resolution of the structure of the deposited particles. The flow force and the external forces depend on solutions of continuum equations, as the Navier-Stokes equations for viscous, incompressible flows or a Laplace equation of the electrical potential. Solutions of the flow and potential fields are computed here using lattice-Boltzmann methods. Essential advantage of these methods are the easy and efficient treatment of three-dimensional complex geometries, given by filter geometries or particle covered surfaces. A number of numerical improvements, as grid refinement or boundary fitting, were developed for lattice-Boltzmann methods in previous studies and applied to the present problem. The interaction between the deposited particle layer and the fluid field or the external forces is included by recomputing of these fields with changed boundaries. A number of simulation results show the influence of different effects on the particle motion and deposition.