Production of power using underground coal gasification

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is a process that converts deep, un-mineable coal resources into syngas, which can then be converted into valuable end products such as electric power. This paper provides a summary of the options to combine UCG with electric power production and focuses on commercial-scale applications using a combined-cycle power plant including integration options and syngas cleanup steps. Simulation results for a UCG power plant with carbon capture are compared against the results for an equivalent Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant using the same feedstock. Relative capital cost savings for a UCG power plant are estimated based on published IGCC process unit costs. The UCG power plant with carbon capture is shown to provide a higher thermal efficiency, lower CO₂ intensity, and lower capital cost than an equivalent IGCC plant. Finally, the potential of UCG as a method for producing cost-effective, low-emissions electrical power from deep coal is discussed and some of the challenges and opportunities are summarized.     

Influence of Bias Parameters and Plasma Density on Vacuum Arc Macroparticle Accumulation

Several regularities of the accumulation of vacuum arc metal macroparticles (MP) on the sample on repetitively pulsed biasing (10⁵ Hz, 7 µs, ?0.5 kV to ?3.5 kV) have been investigated. It has been shown that the substrate temperature plays a very important role in controlling the MP amounts on the sample. A possibility to change the metal particle number density on the substrate in the range from 10⁵/cm² to 10⁷/cm², depending on bias pulse parameters, sample temperature, and ion plasma saturation current density, has been demonstrated. The shape of MPs and their adhesion to the substrate surface depends strongly on the MP energy balance in a high-voltage space charge sheath.     

évaluation du traitement des traits perceptifs des concepts vivants et non vivants lors du vieillissement normal et de la maladie d'Alzheimer.

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the way in which adults process animate and inanimate objects is impacted by the distinctiveness of the object and whether processing ability varies with age and with the quality of aging (e.g. normal aging versus pathological aging). We examined the perceptual functioning of young adults, elderly subjects and patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Generally, the results do not support the distributed model of conceptual representation. However, they do demonstrate that the ability to recognize objects by their distinctiveness is affected by normal and pathological aging. A gradual deterioration in the ability to correctly perceive animate objects was also observed as pathological aging progressed. These results, as well as our methods of assessing semantic memory, are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Model of fracture for the Zry cladding of nuclear fuel rods included in the code DIONISIO 1.0

The DIONISIO code describes most of the main phenomena occurring in a fuel rod during normal operation of a nuclear power reactor. Starting from the irradiation history, the code predicts the temperature distribution, elastic and plastic stress and strain, creep, swelling and densification, release of fission gases, caesium and iodine to the internal rod volume, gas mixing, pressure increase, irradiation growth of the cladding, development of an oxide layer on its surface and hydrogen uptake, restructuring and grain growth in the pellet.This work presents the model of Zircaloy fracture included in the code DIONISIO 1.0. The model of pellet-cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI) provides the forces caused by the solid-solid contact which add to the changing internal pressure and to the constant external pressure. Besides, the program evaluates the effects of a corrosive atmosphere (stress corrosion cracking, SCC) internal or external. With these data, the code calculates the J integral around the tip of an initiated crack, and proceeds to analyze, according to the quantity of corrosive substance dissolved and the cladding stress field, if the crack remains unchanged, if it grows due to the I-SCC mechanism, or if propagation is ductile, following the R curve of the material.Results corresponding to different PHWR and PWR reactors are presented and compared with code results. In particular, good agreement is obtained in the simulation of MOX experiments, where the cladding failed due to propagation of cracks originated in SCC.     

Cloud point and solvent extraction study of uranium(VI) by 8‐hydroxyquinoline

BACKGROUND: Cloud point extraction (CPE) is an attractive alternative to solvent extraction. However, comparisons between both techniques are lacking. In this paper, the extraction of uranium(VI) using 8‐hydroxyquinoline (HQ) as chelating agent was studied by CPE using Triton X‐114 as non‐ionic surfactant and by solvent extraction using CHCl₃ as diluent. RESULTS: Using CPE, a quantitative extraction was observed for pH higher than 4.5 with a HQ/U ratio of 10. Using solvent extraction an increase in the HQ/U ratio up to 50 is necessary to obtain a near quantitative extraction. Both extraction systems were then compared with respect to the nature of extracted species, and the extraction constants determined using log‐log analysis of the extraction data. In the solvent extraction system, the extracted species were identified as UO₂Q₂ and the corresponding extraction constant was found to be log k_ex = ? 3.6 ± 0.2 on the molar scale. Considering that UO₂Q₂ is also the extracted species in CPE, a slightly higher extraction constant, i.e. log k_ex = ? 2.5 ± 0.3, was found. CONCLUSION: Such a small difference in favour of the CPE system may arise from the combination of various phenomena, including effects of temperature and effects of ‘extractant environment’. However, a change in the nature of the extracted species, namely from UO₂Q₂ in the solvent extraction system to the formation of adducts, i.e. UO₂Q₂(HQ) and UO₂Q₂(HQ)₂ in the CPE system, due to higher HQ concentration in the surfactant‐rich phase compared with chloroform, cannot be precluded, but requires confirmation. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Action compatibility effects are hedonically marked and have incidental consequences on affective judgment.

Recent results from Cannon, Hayes, and Tipper (2010) have established that the Action Compatibility Effect (ACE) is hedonically marked and elicits a genuine positive reaction. In this work, we aim to show that the hedonic marking of the ACE has incidental consequences on affective judgment. For this, we used the affective priming paradigm principle (for a review, see Musch & Klauer, 2003): participants have to respond, as quickly as they can, regarding the pleasantness or unpleasantness character of a target word. In the priming phase, we do not present an affective stimulus; however, we present two different graspable objects, one after the other. The handles of the graspable objects are shown either both on the same side (i.e., perceptual action compatibility) or not (i.e., perceptual action incompatibility). In addition, the orientation of the handles of the objects are either compatible (i.e., action compatibility) or not (i.e., action compatibility) with the response hand used for the word evaluation. Consistent with our hypothesis, participants responded faster to positive words after perceptual action compatibility and action compatibility (thus demonstrating the ACE) than after incompatibility conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Manifold-based surfaces with boundaries

We present a manifold-based surface construction extending the C^∞ construction of Ying and Zorin (2004). Our surfaces allow for piecewise-smooth boundaries and have an improved derivative and visual behavior. Their degree of smoothness can be controlled by the user. Two-flexibility of our surface construction is confirmed numerically for a range of local mesh configurations.     

Contracting preference relations for database applications

The binary relation framework has been shown to be applicable to many real-life preference handling scenarios. Here we study preference contraction: the problem of discarding selected preferences. We argue that the property of minimality and the preservation of strict partial orders are crucial for contractions. Contractions can be further constrained by specifying which preferences should be protected. We consider preference relations that are finite or finitely representable using preference formulas. We present algorithms for computing minimal and preference-protecting minimal contractions for finite as well as finitely representable preference relations. We study relationships between preference change in the binary relation framework and belief change in the belief revision theory. We evaluate the proposed algorithms experimentally and present the results.     

Measurement of caffeic and ferulic acid equivalents in plasma after coffee consumption: Small intestine and colon are key sites for coffee metabolism

Previous studies on coffee examined absorption of phenolic acids (PA) in the small intestine, but not the contribution of the colon to absorption. Nine healthy volunteers ingested instant soluble coffee (～335 mg total chlorogenic acids (CGAs)) in water. Blood samples were taken over 12 h, and at 24 h to assess return to baseline. Many previous studies, which used glucuronidase and sulfatase, measured only PA and did not rigorously assess CGAs. To improve this, plasma samples were analyzed after full hydrolysis by chlorogenate esterase, glucuronidase and sulfatase to release aglycone equivalents of PA followed by liquid–liquid extraction and ESI‐LC‐ESI‐MS/MS detection. Ferulic, caffeic and isoferulic acid equivalents appeared rapidly in plasma, peaking at 1–2 h. Dihydrocaffeic and dihydroferulic acids appeared in plasma 6–8 h after ingestion (T_max=8–12 h). Substantial variability in maximum plasma concentration and T_max was also observed between individuals. This study confirms that the small intestine is a significant site for absorption of PA, but shows for the first time that the colon/microflora play the major role in absorption and metabolism of CGAs and PA from coffee.