Considerations in application and selection of unit substationtransformers

This paper discusses secondary unit substations transformers (USTs) ranging from 300 up through 2500 kVA with 34.5-kV maximum primary voltages and with secondary voltages 600 V and below. Pad-mounted (compartmentalized) transformers are not considered in this paper. The first part of this paper discusses USTs belonging to two general categories, liquid type and dry type (nonliquid type). Liquid types include a discussion of the presently available insulating fluids: mineral oil, high-temperature hydrocarbon fluid, silicone fluids, and the new vegetable-based fluids. Dry types include a discussion of vacuum pressure impregnated polyester, vacuum pressure encapsulated silicone, partial cast, and full cast insulation systems. The National Electric Code (1999) requirements as they affect both liquid- and dry-type USTs for both outdoor and indoor locations are considered. The paper discusses the relative advantages of each UST within each category with respect to the following: (1) first cost; (2) operating costs (losses); (3) overload capability; (4) fan cooling; (5) space factor; (6) environmental factors; (7) sound levels; and (8) maintenance     

Half-bridge inverter using 4H-SiC gate turn-off thyristors

This paper reports on the first demonstration of a half-bridge power inverter constructed from silicon carbide gate turn-off thyristors (GTOs) operated in the conventional GTO mode. This circuit was characterized with input bus voltages of up to 600 VDC and 2 A (peak current density of 540 A/cm²) with resistive loads using a pulse-width modulated switching frequency of 2 kHz. We discuss the implications of the thyristor's electrical characteristics and the circuit topology on the overall operation of the half-bridge circuit. This work has determined the conservative critical rate of rise value of the off-state voltage to be 200 V/μs in these devices     

A short recipe for seashell synthesis

Several artistic examples of seashell-like forms produced on a graphics supercomputer are provided. The shapes were created using a simple graphics primitive and rendered using lighting and shading facilities of 3-D extensions to X Windows or the PHIGS+ proposed standard. It is expected that the techniques, equations, and systems will provide useful tools and stimulate future studies in the graphics characterization of morphologically rich spiral shapes produced by relatively simple generating formulas     

International statements and definitions of the precautionary principle

The precautionary principle (PP), according to one of its definitions, says that lack of certainty, given the current scientific and technological knowledge, shall not delay effective and proportionate actions to prevent hazards, taking into account cost-benefit considerations. Rather than being a single principle, a variety of statements of the PP are found in international treaties and other documents. Apart from any specific legal force of the documents, countries (e.g., France) have used these statements as a starting point for their own guidance documents and regulations for addressing specific environmental and health issues, for example regulation of genetically modified organisms. Thus, any discussion of the precautionary principle must address a complex legal and regulatory situation. We briefly review different statements of the PP and important commentary, largely from the European Union. We provide references to the original source documents (many of which are found in English on the World Wide Web).     

Experimental Electronuclear Setup at the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics

The purpose and current construction status, at the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, of an experimental electronuclear setup, combining a pulsed proton linear accelerator (36 MeV, 0.5 mA) and a subcritical blanket thermal-power assembly 100 kW, are discussed. The main equipment is already available or is being built in industry. The setup can be used to investigate the dynamics of the interaction of a linac–driver and a subcritical reactor and problems concerning the accelerator–driver and the target–blanket assembly. The proton beams and neutron fluxes will be used for applied purposes. In the future it will be possible to increase substantially the current and energy of the proton beam.     

Improvement in hydrolytic procedure for GLC determination of non-indolyl glucosinolates in rapeseed as isothiocyanates

Some methods determine the non-indolyl glucosinolates content in rapeseed as their hydrolysates: the isothiocyanates and the oxazolidinethiones. These methods in their present form underestimate the amount of the glucosinolates content. In this investigation, a modified method was developed to give a better quantitative estimate, indicating a glucosinolate level five times that obtained by a typical existing method.