Rehabilitation of the radioactively contaminated objects and territory of the Russian Science Center Kurchatov Institute

This article is devoted to work done in 2002–2006 as part of the unified project Reabilitatsiya to rehabilitate radiation hazardous objects and sections of the radioactively contaminated territory of the Russian Science Center Kurchatov Institute. The main objects of the rehabilitation work were old storage sites built for radioactive wastes on the territory of the Institute when military and civilian nuclear technologies were under development. The structural features of the storage sites, including the volumes and characteristics of the wastes stored, are presented. The salient aspects of the disposal sites, taken into account during the rehabilitation work, are discussed. The organization of the rehabilitation operations and the sequence in which they are performed, the special features of the technical design solutions used, the technological methods, and ways for conducting the work are described. __________ Translated from Atomnaya énergiya, Vol. 102, No. 5, pp. 300–306, May, 2007.     

Hydrogen production in solid electrolyte membrane reactors (SEMRs)

In the present work, the prospects and trends of solid electrolyte membrane reactors (SEMRs) towards hydrogen production, are discussed. Initially, an overview of the principles, the properties and the techniques related to the usage of the SEMRs, are presented. In the following, a literature survey covering earlier and recent developments of the various methods (e.g. reforming or partial oxidation or dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons, steam electrolysis) employed in the SEMRs for the production of hydrogen, is performed. Finally, the current status of this research field is analyzed and future research topics are proposed.     

Amtshaftung bei Bauführung im Hochwassergebiet; fehlerhafter Flächenwidmungsplan; Nachforschungspflichten der Gemeinde

Bestehen ausreichende Anhaltspunkte für die Hochwassergef?hrdung, ist die Gemeinde verpflichtet, sich durch Nachforschungen Gewissheit über das Vorliegen oder Nichtvorliegen eines Hochwasserabflussgebietes gem § 38 Abs 3 WRG zu verschaffen. Liegt ein solches vor, hat sie gem § 12 Abs 1 Z 2 krnt GplG dieses im Fl?chenwidmungsplan ersichtlich zu machen. Erteilt die Gemeinde eine Baubewilligung ohne diese von der Erteilung einer wasserrechtlichen Bewilligung abh?ngig zu machen, haftet sie für die Kosten der Bauführung, die bei gesetzes-konformer Vorgangsweise unterlassen worden w?re.     

Architectural,construction and environmental matters of Bahrain's International Formula 1 Circuit

The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) is considered as one of the best international racing car track in terms of technical aspects and architectural quality. Two Formula 1 races have been hosted in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in 2004 and 2005, at BIC. The BIC had recently won the award of the best international racing car circuit.     

Effect of the oxygen partial pressure on the kinetics of decomposition of the Ba<Subscript>2</Subscript>YCu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>7−δ</Subscript> phase at temperatures <400°C

The effect of the oxygen partial pressure on the spinodal decomposition in the Ba₂YCu₃O₆—Ba₂YCu₃O₇ system has been studied. A decrease in the oxygen partial pressure was found to increase the decomposition rate. The most probable cause of the effect consists in the decrease of oxygen concentration in the near-boundary regions of grains.     

Optical properties of doped bismuth telluride crystals in the region of plasma effects

The optical properties of bismuth telluride crystals doped with donor-and acceptor-type impurities are studied. The fact that energy corresponding to the resonance frequency of plasma oscillations of free charge carriers (plasmons) approaches the band-gap energy is detected in the infrared spectral region, where the main elementary excitations in the electronic system of these materials are observed. The mentioned approach of energies varies the intensity of electron-plasmon interaction, which affects the recombination processes in the materials widely used for the fabrication of thermoelectric energy converters.     

A successive approximation technique for displaying gray shades in liquid crystal displays (LCDs).

A successive approximation technique that is based on the conventional line-by-line-addressing is proposed. A large number of gray shades can be displayed without flicker by using low-cost liquid crystal display drivers that are designed to drive the pixels to either ON or OFF states in bilevel displays.     

Effects of thermal and mechanical treatments on a titanium-based conversion coating for aluminium alloys

The influence of mechanical deformation and heating on the protective performance of a chromium-free conversion treatment for aluminium alloys has been assessed by polarisation and AC impedance measurements. Protection is unlikely to be seriously compromised by typical production operations.     

A Digital Scintillation Detector for the MEDIANA Medical Diagnostic Station

A digital position-sensitive X-ray imaging scintillation detector has been designed for the MEDIANA medical diagnostic station of the Kurchatov Synchrotron Radiation Center (the Kurchatov Institute). A single-crystal CsI(Tl) scintillator 8 mm thick is used as a screen with approximately 100% detection efficiency for X rays with energies as high as 100 keV. A CCD matrix of dimensions 1024 × 1024 pixels is the photodetector. The spatial resolution is five line pairs per mm in a field of vision of 35 × 35 mm for 100-keV X rays.     

Effect of vibration condition and inter-particle frictions on the packing of uniform spheres

We present a numerical study of the packing of uniform spheres under three-dimensional vibration using the discrete element method (DEM), focusing on the effects of vibration condition (amplitude and frequency) and inter-particle frictions (sliding and rolling frictions). The results are analysed in terms of packing density, coordination number (CN), radial distribution function (RDF) and pore structure. It is shown that increasing either the vibration amplitude or frequency causes packing density to increase initially to a maximum and then decrease. Both vibration frequency and amplitude should be considered to characterize the effect of vibration process on packing structure. The sliding and rolling frictions between particles can decrease packing density since they dissipate energy, although the effect of rolling friction is less significant. In line with the change of packing density, microstructural properties such as CN, RDF and pore distribution also change: a looser packing often corresponds to smaller CN, less peaked RDF and larger but more widely distributed pores.