Economic perspectives of SMSNRs in the energy market of Japan

The marginal values of the investment cost were analyzed for each of five types of SMSNRs to penetrate into the energy system optimized by minimizing the total system cost. The results showed the upper values of the investment cost as 1.4, 1.35, and 1.45 times that of a large-scale LWR for a medium-sized LWR, a small-sized LWR, and a LWR for cogeneration, respectively. The economic conditions for SMSNRs to be adopted by electric utilities were analyzed through comparison of the financial performance of a Japan's typical electric utility in the two cases of selecting a large-scale LWR and a small-sized LWR. The results indicated that the upper limit of the construction cost is 1.4 times that of a large-scale LWR.     

Three-dimensional reconstruction of echocardiograms based on orthogonal sections

In order to obtain three-dimensional ultrasound images of the heart, a scanner with easy operation is required. This paper describes a three-dimensional cardiac imaging method with motion based on orthogonal sectional images. These original sectional images may be taken by a transesophageal approach using two miniature phased array transducers mounted on the tip of a gastroscope or simultaneous bi-frequency method using two mechanical scanning transducers set on the thorax. The latter scanner is now commercially available. Images are recorded on video tapes. Contour curves of 2-D echocardiograms are extracted and reconstructed as a 3-D moving heart image. The cardiac volume curve vs. time is also evaluated based on these three-dimensional data.     

Characterization of cellulose acetate in acetone solution. Studies on prehump II in GPC pattern

Cellulose acetate in acetone solution is known to show some peaks in its chromatogram as measured by gel-permeation chromatography. These peaks are named from the shorter elution time as prehump I, prehump II, and main hump. In our previous paper, we characterized prehump I. In this study, the second peak, prehump II, was fractionated by using the large-scale GPC column and its molecular properties were investigated. The results have shown that the molecules of prehump II are not aggregated but molecularly dispersed with some anionic residues. These anionic groups may be sulfuric acid groups introduced during the acetylation process as a catalyst that interact repulsively with the anionic groups of the GPC column gel. This resulted in the phenomenon that the prehump II elutes earlier than the main hump in the GPC chromatogram. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Pneumatically-Driven Fast Closing Valve System for Synchrotron Radiation Sources

A fast closing valve (FCV) system has been built to protect the vacuum of the electron storage ring against sudden vacuum failures during synchrotron radiation experiments. An electronic control detects the failure, and closes a 140 × 17 mm aperture within 32 ms with a guillotine blade driven by pneumatic pressure. This pressure is gated by a magnetic valve which is operated by an explosive charge from a capacitor bank. The design of the FCV itself is very simple; it is operated directly by a single pneumatic piston. The FCV system has a long operating lifetime and the blade can be readily rearmed in 0.5 s.     

Proposal of a new estimation method of thermal ratchetting behavior of fast breeder reactor components

A new method for estimating the thermal ratchetting behavior of a cylinder subjected to an axially moving temperature distribution is proposed in this paper. This method considers the contribution of both the hoop membrane stress and the axial bending stress to the ratchetting behavior. Work hardening of the material also is considered for the stress-strain behavior which is assumed in the estimation method. Results predicted by this method agree well with the results obtained by finite element modelling and experimental results.     

Morphological modification of β-FeSi2 on Si(111) by high temperature growth and post-thermal annealing

β-FeSi₂ crystals have been grown on Si(111) substrates, and morphological modification of the β-FeSi₂/Si(111) by high temperature growth and post-thermal annealing was investigated. The morphological feature of the β-FeSi₂ crystals significantly depends on the growth conditions, especially, substrate temperature during growth. The β-FeSi₂ continuous layers with relatively smooth surfaces were grown at the low substrate temperatures of 650-700 °C with exposure of the grown layers to Sb flux during the growth. On the other hand, nano-scaled islands have been grown at the higher substrate temperature of 850 °C. The structural property, interfacial morphology and growth evolution of the β-FeSi₂ islands were examined, and compared with those for the layers grown at a lower substrate temperature. In addition, the morphological evolution of the β-FeSi₂/Si layers by post-thermal annealing was examined, and it was found that the interfacial smoothness between the β-FeSi₂ layers and the Si(111) substrates was improved by the post-thermal annealing on condition that a thin SiO_x amorphous overlayer should be formed on the β-FeSi₂ layer during the post-thermal annealing. The mechanisms of the morphological modification at the β-FeSi₂/Si(111) interface by the post-thermal annealing will also be discussed.     

Research and development on accelerator-driven transmutation system at JAERI

Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute carries out research and development on accelerator-driven system (ADS) to transmute minor actinides and long-lived fission products in high-level radioactive waste. The system is composed of high intensity proton accelerator, lead-bismuth spallation target and lead-bismuth cooled subcritical core with nitride fuel. About 2500 kg of minor actinide is loaded into the subcritical core. Annual transmutation amount using this system is 250 kg with 800 MW of thermal output. This transmutation amount corresponds to the amount of minor actinides produced from 10 units of 1GWe power reactors annually. A superconducting linear accelerator with the beam power of 20–30 MW is connected to drive the subcritical core. To maximize the transmutation efficiency, the nitride fuel without uranium, such as (Np, Am, Pu)N, is selected. The nitride fuel irradiated in the ADS is reprocessed by pyrochemical process followed by the re-fabrication of nitride fuel. Many research and development activities are under way and planned in the fields of subcritical core design, spallation target technology, lead-bismuth handling technology, accelerator development, and minor actinide fuel development. Especially, to study and evaluate the feasibility of the ADS from physics and engineering aspects, the transmutation experimental facility (TEF) is proposed under a framework of the High-Intensity Proton Accelerator Project.     

Economic Impact of Software Patching and Optimal Release Scheduling

Because of highly distributed nature of software products, the task of improving software reliability is becoming a complex job. Specialized tools and techniques are being used to isolate the risky software modules. In order to retain in market, firms are required not only to provide the software on time but also to endow with continuous processing. Product updating is the process that comes to safeguard the firm's image at this point of time. And one such attribute of updating is providing software patches. Today, almost all software firms are providing either patching, module exchange or service pack application processes consequent to a release. This paper proposes a scheduling policy for a software product and shows the importance of patching in lowering the system outages and making the system more cost effective. Validation on the proposed policy has been done using real life software failure data set of Tandem Computers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.