Cross-correlation detection of nonstationary signals due to a leak in the first loop of a nuclear power plant

A leak-detection system employing high-temperature microphones has been developed for RBMK and ATR (Japan) reactors. Further improvement of the system focused on using cross-correlation analysis of the spectral components of the signal to detect a small leak at an early stage of development. Frequency-time cross analysis was used to analyze nonstationary signals due to a leak, and the wavelet transformation was used to single out the envelopes corresponding to different spectral components of the signal. Since envelope processes are less affected by distortions than are wave processes, they give a higher-degree of correlation and can be used to detect leaks with lower signal/noise ratios. Many simulation tests performed at the Fugen nuclear power plant with an ATR reactor have shown that the proposed methods can be used to detect and find the location of a small leak. __________ Translated from Atomnaya énergiya, Vol. 102, No. 3, pp. 183–188, March, 2007.     

IGRIK reactor operation in a two-pulse mode

The results of investigations of the operation of the IGRIK pulsed homogeneous solution research complex in the unconventional (for pulsed reactors) two-pulse mode with successive reactivity increments with generation of prompt-or delayed-neutron pulses are presented. Experimental data which give an idea of the processes occurring in the reactor core in the two-pulse regime are obtained. These data made it possible to determine whether or not the IGRIK reactor can be operated in this regime and the limitations imposed by the physical processes and special design characteristics of the system. It is shown that are pulses can be generated in several different ways. The dependences of the fission-pulse characteristics in a given regime on the initial conditions and the methods for obtaining the pulses are investigated. Methods are proposed for increasing the operational possibilities of the reactor. __________ Translated from Atomnaya énergiya, Vol. 102, No. 3, pp. 146–151, March, 2007.     

Correlation Between Structural and Optical Properties of Composite Polymer/Fullerene Films for Organic Solar Cells

We investigate thin poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl)/[6,6]‐phenyl C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT/PCBM) films, which are widely used as active layers in plastic solar cells. Their structural properties are studied by grazing‐incidence X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The size and the orientation of crystalline P3HT nanodomains within the films are determined. PCBM crystallites are not detected in thin films by XRD. Upon annealing, the P3HT crystallinity increases, leading to an increase in the optical absorption and spectral photocurrent in the low‐photon‐energy region. As a consequence, the efficiency of P3HT/PCBM solar cells is significantly increased. A direct relation between efficiency and P3HT crystallinity is demonstrated.     

Multi-step transformation in numerical renormalization group

We compute the temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility of the single-impurity, two-channel Anderson model with an alternative multi-step numerical renormalization-group transformation, previously applied only to the two-impurity single-channel Kondo model. Compared with the traditional transformation, the new procedure requires substantially less memory and computational time, and opens therefore perspectives for the application of the numerical renormalization-group procedure to more complex Hamiltonians.     

Characterisation of inter-particle forces within agglomerated metallurgical powders

The strength of agglomerates of nickel flash furnace concentrate and dust was determined from experimental observations of agglomerates forming under controlled conditions, combined with mathematical equations from the literature. It was found that the agglomerates had a tensile strength ranging from 0.01 Pa to 38.7 Pa, while inter-particle forces ranged from 2.2 × 10^− 12 N to 1.5 × 10^− 10 N. These values were compared to the expected magnitude of van der Waals, electrostatic, magnetic and capillary forces within the agglomerates, and it was found that both electrostatic and van der Waals forces are likely to contribute to the cohesion of agglomerates, although sub-micron particles and the presence of sufficiently large asperities on the surface of particles limit the magnitude of van der Waals forces. Magnetic forces are large enough to contribute to the cohesion of dust agglomerates, which is in keeping with the high magnetite content of the recycle dust. It is postulated that electrostatic forces, acting over a longer range than van der Waals forces, may be responsible for initially bringing particles together. The methodology for determining inter-particle forces can be applied to the computer modelling of flash smelting systems, as well as other gas/particle systems such as fluidized beds.     

A source apportioned mercury mass balance across a coal-based petrochemical complex

Coal-fired power generation facilities are the largest single anthropogenic source of mercury to the atmosphere. Global mapping of anthropogenic emissions has previously estimated the mercury emission from stationary combustion from South Africa at being 82.6 tonnes per annum, but preliminary in-house calculations have placed this at a significantly lower amount. A petrochemical facility in South Africa, utilising a significant amount of coal in its gasification and steam generation processes, undertook a project to determine a mercury mass balance across the complex, and to apportion the Hg emissions from the facility.     

Combustion of bulk density powder mixtures in a coflow of nitrogen gas: 3. The Ti-(Ti + 0.5C) layered system

Explored is the filtration combustion in Ti-(Ti + 0.5C) layered powder systems in a coflow of nitrogen gas. The presence/absence of nitrogen coflow through the layered system was found to drastically affect the character of wave propagation and structure/properties of product. The obtained data can be regarded as a basis for fabrication of new layered and composite materials in the mode of dynamic filtration combustion.      

Using biochemically purified water at coke plants

The use of biochemically purified water in place of industrial-grade water for the exhaust-gas scrubbers in the drying department of the coal-enrichment shop and for irrigation of the cyclone washers in the coke shops at OAO ZSMK is considered. It is found that biochemically purified water may be used for 100% of the water needs in coke production. Using biochemically purified water in the dust-trapping equipment, the coaland coke-dust content of the atmospheric emissions may be reduced by 24.5%. Additional purification of wastewater by adsorption on coke and coal dust is possible.     

Electronic properties of dehydrogenated nanodiamonds: A first-principles study

First-principles calculations using quantum-mechanical density functional theory (DFT) are carried out to study the geometric structure and electronic properties of dehydrogenated nanodiamonds with diameters varying from 0.8 nm to 1.6 nm. The results show that the electronic properties of dehydrogenated nanodiamond are quite different from those of bulk diamond or hydrogenated nanodiamond. Surface atoms play an important role in the electronic structure, especially the states near the Fermi level, for dehydrogenated nanodiamond. In addition, it has been revealed that the size-dependent feature in the electronic properties for dehydrogenated diamonds is also contributed by the surface effect, in addition to the quantum confinement effect.     

Effect of Ammonia on the Gas-Phase Hydration of the Common Atmospheric Ion HSO4?

Hydration directly affects the mobility, thermodynamic properties, lifetime and nucleation rates of atmospheric ions. In the present study, the role of ammonia on the formation of hydrogen bonded complexes of the common atmospheric hydrogensulfate (HSO₄⁻) ion with water has been investigated using the Density Functional Theory (DFT). Our findings rule out the stabilizing effect of ammonia on the formation of negatively charged cluster hydrates and show clearly that the conventional (classical) treatment of ionic clusters as presumably more stable compared to neutrals may not be applicable to pre-nucleation clusters. These considerations lead us to conclude that not only quantitative but also qualitative assessment of the relative thermodynamic stability of atmospheric clusters requires a quantum-chemical treatment.