Critical Review of the Thermophysical Properties of Fast-Reactor Fuel

This paper identifies the fuel properties for which more data are needed for fast-reactor safety analysis. In addition, a brief review is given of current research on the vapor pressure over liquid UO₂ and (U, Pu)O_2-x the solid-solid phase transition in actinide oxides, and the thermal conductivity of molten urania.     

Monitoring of human enteric viruses and coliform bacteria in waters after urban flood in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Floodwaters in Kampung Melayu village, Jakarta, Indonesia, as well as river water and consumable water (including groundwater and tap water) samples in flooded and non-flooded areas, were quantitatively analysed to assess occurrence of viruses and total coliforms and E. coli as bacterial indicators after flooding event. High numbers of enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, norovirus (G1, G2) and adenovirus were detected at high concentration in floodwaters and waters sampled from Ciliwung River which runs across metropolitan Jakarta and is used widely for agriculture and domestic purposes by poor residents. One out of three groundwater wells in the flooded area was contaminated with all viruses tested while no viruses were found in groundwater samples in non-flooded areas and tap water samples. The results revealed that human enteric viruses, especially hepatitis A virus and adenovirus, were prevalent in Jakarta, Indonesia. This study suggested that flooding posed a higher risk of viral infection to the people through contamination of drinking water sources or direct contact with floodwaters.     

Boosting nitrification by membrane-attached biofilm.

Nitrification is a key step for reliable biological nitrogen removal. In order to enhance nitrification in the activated sludge (AS) process, membrane-attached biofilm (MAB) was incorporated in a conventional activated sludge tank. Simultaneous organic carbon removal and nitrification of the MAB incorporated activated sludge (AS + MAB) process was investigated with continuous wastewater treatment. The effluent TOC concentration of AS and the AS + MAB processes were about 6.3 mg/L and 7.9 mg/L, respectively. The TOC removal efficiency of both AS and AS + MAB were above 95% during the wastewater treatment, indicating excellent organic carbon removal performance in both processes. Little nitrification occurred in the AS process. On the contrary, successful nitrification was obtained with the AS + MAB process with nitrification efficiency of about 90%. The volumetric and surface nitrification rates were about 0.14 g/Ld and 6.5 g/m2d, respectively. The results clearly demonstrated that nitrification in the conventional AS process was boosted by MAB. Furthermore, the microfaunal population in the AS + MAB process was different from that in the AS process. The high concentration of rotifers in the AS + MAB process was expected to decrease the generation of excess sludge in the process.     

Effect of temperature and cyclic heating on the structure and strength of glass textolite

The article established the regularities of change of the physicomechanical characteristics and strength of glass textolites in single and repeated thermal loading. It shows that under multiple loading the intense loss of strength of the investigated materials is due to increased porosity on account of the large number of microcracks appearing in the structure. A correlation is obtained between the elastic and strength characteristics and porosity in dependence on the temperature of multiple heating which in the first approximation is described by a polynomial of second degree with respect to temperature, multiplied by the reciprocal of porosity.Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 6, pp. 53–58, June, 1991.     

Comfort limits for asymmetric thermal radiation

Groups of 32 and 16 subjects of both sexes were exposed in an environmental chamber to radiant asymmetry caused by a cool wall, a warm wall, and a cool ceiling. Each subject was tested individually while seated and clothed at 0.6 clo. During each 3.5-hour experiment the subject was exposed to six radiant temperature asymmetries. He was asked whether and where he experienced any local cool or warm sensation, and whether it was felt to be uncomfortable. During the entire experiment he was kept thermally neutral by changing the air temperature according to his wishes.For cool walls, warm walls, and cool ceilings curves have been established showing the percentage of dissatisfied subjects as a function of the radiant asymmetry. Radiant asymmetry at a warm wall caused less discomfort than a cool wall. A cool ceiling caused less discomfort than a warm ceiling. Accepting that 5% of the subjects may feel uncomfortable. a radiant temperature asymmetry of 10°C is allowable at a cool wall, 23°C at a warm wall, and 14°C under a cool ceiling. A previous study showed that 4°C is allowable under a warm ceiling. Radiant asymmetry had no significant impact on the operative temperatures preferred by the subjects. No significant differences were observed between the responses of men and women exposed to radiant asymmetry.     

Hydrologic regionalisation impacts on wet-weather control selection.

Continuous simulation is performed using the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) to evaluate regional differences around the United States in hydrologic and water quality performance of wet-weather controls. Controls are characterised as being limited by peak inflow rate (i.e. any device with little or no storage, such as screens, filters and some proprietary devices) or by storage capacity (e.g., ponds, tanks). For flow-limited devices, results are presented in the form of percentage of annual runoff volume captured (passing through the device) for a given inflow capacity. For storage-limited devices, results are presented in two forms: percentage of annual runoff volume captured as a function of unit basin size and drawdown (drain) time, and as a percentage of total suspended solids captured, for the same two variables. Regional differences are apparent, driven mainly by variations in rainfall patterns around the country.     

Determination of precompression and compression force levels to minimize tablet friability using simplex

Pilot simplex experiments for improving the tablet strength of three aspirin tablet formulations based on precompression and compression forces were presented. As each simplex moved towards the direction of the optimum, the friability was being minimized and the crushing strength was concomittantly being maximized. Because it followed a systematic direction, simplex process would locate a local optimum rapidly. The appropriate levels of precompression and compression forces that produced tablets with the desired strength were attained in five trials. By contrast, random search for this force combination required at least ten trials. Simplex technique is a cost and time effective means for determining the precompression and compression forces that will reduce the friability or increase the hardness of a tablet formulation. Results appeared to also indicate that crushing strength might be a more reliable measure of tablet strength than friability.     

Criteria for evaluation of the hardening factor of machine parts

V. Ya. Chubar' Zaporozhe Machine Building Institute. Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 3, pp. 62–65, March, 1989.