Measurement of tritium concentration in water by imaging plate

Concentration of tritium in water (4–400 kBq cm^?3) was measured by exposing an imaging plate without protection layer (Fujifilm, BAS-IP TR) to vapor for 2–48 h. It was found that tritium gradually penetrated into Eu-doped BaFBr phosphor and induced sufficiently intense photostimulated luminescence (PSL) even at the concentration of 4 kBq cm^?3. The intensity of PSL was proportional to tritium concentration in water. In addition, tritium absorbed in phosphor was reversibly released by keeping IP in air, and IP was able to be used repeatedly if total duration of exposure was ca. 24 h or less. The contamination of IP with tritium was not serious. It was concluded that IP technique has potential to measure tritium concentration in water without direct handling of tritiated water and with a minimum amount of radioactive waste.     

Progress of fusion nuclear technologies in the broader approach framework

In the Broader Approach framework, the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility/Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities (IFMIF/EVEDA) project, the International Fusion Energy Research Center (IFERC) project, and the Satellite Tokamak project are implemented. In the IFMIF/EVEDA project, engineering design of IFMIF and engineering R&D include the construction and tests of an IFMIF prototype accelerator system up with a 9 MeV and CW deuteron beam, a liquid lithium test loop with free surface flow, and full scale irradiation test module including temperature control instrumentation. The commissioning of the EVEDA lithium test loop was completed in March 2011, and a lithium flow of ～5 m/s was obtained. As a part of the IFERC project, R&Ds on reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels as blanket structural material, SiC_f/SiC composites as a flow channel insert material and/or alternative structural material, advanced tritium breeders and neutron multipliers, and tritium technology are carried out. At the beginning of 2011, the integrated DEMO design team was established among the IFERC project team and EU/JA home teams, where the design criteria, other design basis are discussed as an initial work. A high performance supercomputer with the peak performance of 1.3 Pflops is under installation at the Rokkasho BA site.     

Application of energy system models for designing a low-carbon society

Rising concern about the effect of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on climate change is pushing national governments and the international community to achieve sustainable development in an economy that is less dependent on carbon emitting activities - a vision that is usually termed a “low-carbon society” (LCS). Since the utilization of energy resources is the main source of GHG emissions, restructuring current energy systems in order to incorporate low-carbon energy technologies is essential for the realization of the LCS vision. Energy policies promoting the penetration of these technologies must view the role of energy in society as a system, composed of several energy resources, conversion technologies and energy demand sectors. The feasibility of the LCS in the future can be better understood by means of energy models. Energy models are valuable mathematical tools based on the systems approach. They have been applied to aid decision-making in energy planning, to analyze energy policies and to analyze the implications arising from the introduction of technologies. The design of the LCS requires innovative energy systems considering a trans-disciplinary approach that integrates multi-dimensional elements, related to social, economic, and environmental aspects. This paper reviews the application of energy models considering scenarios towards an LCS under the energy systems approach. The models reviewed consider the utilization of waste for energy, the penetration of clean coal technologies, transportation sector models as a sample of sectoral approaches, and models related to energy-for-development issues in rural areas of developing countries.     

Analysis of the market penetration of clean coal technologies and its impacts in China's electricity sector

This paper discusses policy instruments for promoting the market penetration of clean coal technologies (CCTs) into China's electricity sector and the evaluation of corresponding effects. Based on the reality that coal will remain the predominant fuel to generate electricity and conventional pulverized coal boiler power plants have serious impacts on environment degradation, development of clean coal technologies could be one alternative to meet China's fast growing demand of electricity as well as protect the already fragile environment. A multi-period market equilibrium model is applied and an electricity model of China is established to forecast changes in the electricity system up to 2030s. Three policy instruments: SO₂ emission charge, CO₂ emission charge and implementing subsidies are considered in this research. The results show that all instruments cause a significant shift in China's electricity structure, promote CCTs’ competitiveness and lead China to gain great benefit in both resource saving and environment improvement. Since resource security and environment degradation are becoming primary concerns in China, policies that could help to gain generations’ market share of advanced coal-based technologies such as CCTs’ is suitable for the current situation of China's electricity sector.     

Fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of cone orifice jet (effects of cone angle)

The use of a jet from an orifice nozzle with a saddle‐backed‐shape velocity profile and a contracted flow at the nozzle exit may improve the heat transfer characteristics on an impingement plate because of its larger centerline velocity. However, it requires more power to operate than a common nozzle because of its higher flow resistance. We therefore initially considered the use of a cone orifice nozzle to obtain better heat transfer performance as well as to decrease the flow resistance. We examined the effects of the cone angle α on the cone orifice free jet flow and heat transfer characteristics of the impinging jet. We compared two nozzles: a pipe nozzle and a quadrant nozzle. The first one provides a velocity profile of a fully developed turbulent pipe flow, and the second has a uniform velocity profile at the nozzle exit. We observed a significant enhancement of the heat transfer characteristics of the cone orifice jets at Re=1.5×10⁴. Using the cone orifice impinging jets enhanced the heat transfer rates as compared to the quadrant jet, even when the jets were supplied with the same operational power as the pipe jet. For instance, a maximum enhancement up to approximately 22% at r/d_o?0.5 is observed for α=15^°. In addition, an increase of approximately 7% is attained as compared to when the pipe jet was used. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20243     

Evaluation of Strength for Borosilicate Glass Coated with Ceramic Materials by Sputtering

The durability of coated materials with high performance should be adequately evaluated prior to their application. This study aims at establishing a procedure to estimate the durability of such materials. In this study, a borosilicate glass was coated with ceramic films by a radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method, and mechanical properties of materials coated with single ceramic materials, alumina (Al₂O₃), silicon carbide (SiC), or titanium nitride (TiN), were investigated. Roughness and hardness were measured as surface characteristics of coated glass. The strength of coated glass was evaluated under three-point bending mode. It was found that the strength properties were improved by coating ceramic materials on glass. As for the strength properties, TiN-coated glass was superior to Al₂O₃- or SiC-coated glass, although the surface of TiN-coated glass was rougher compared with that of Al₂O₃- or SiC-coated glass. A new procedure to estimate the strength of coated materials was proposed by incorporating relative hardness and roughness variations with sputtering time. The strength in experiments was adequately estimated by using the proposed procedure.     

Performance of nano-hydraulic turbine utilizing waterfalls

The aim of this investigation was to develop an environmentally friendly nano-hydraulic turbine utilizing waterfalls. A model of an impulse type hydraulic turbine constructed and tested with an indoor type waterfall to arrive at an optimum installation condition. Effects of an installation parameter, namely distance between the rotor and the waterfall on the power performance were studied. The flow field around the rotor was examined visually to clarify influences of installation conditions on the flow field. The flow visualization showed differences of flow pattern around the rotor by the change of flow rate and rotational speed of the rotor. From this study it was found that the power performances of the rotor were changed with the distance between the rotor and the waterfalls. The maximum power coefficient of this turbine is approximately 60%. Also, to respond to changes in the waterfall flow rate, we placed a flat plate on the upper side of the rotor to control the water flow direction. As a result, we found that the coefficient of this turbine is increased with the flow rate and power could be obtained even when the flow rate changed by 3.5 times if the plate was placed on the upper side of the rotor. Although the power coefficient decreased when the plate was installed, the power coefficient still is from 53 to 58%.     

Identification of molecular target of AMP-activated protein kinase activator by affinity purification and mass spectrometry

We show an efficient method to identify molecular targets of small molecular compounds by affinity purification and mass spectrometry. Binding proteins were isolated from target cell lysate using affinity columns, which immobilized the active and inactive compounds. All proteins bound to these affinity columns were eluted by digestion using trypsin and then were identified by mass spectrometry. The specific binding proteins to the active compound, a candidate for molecular targets, were determined by subtracting the identified proteins in an inactive compound-immobilized affinity column from that in an active compound-immobilized affinity column. This method was applied to identification of molecular targets of D942, a furancarboxylic acid derivative, which increases glucose uptake in L6 myocytes through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. To elucidate the mechanism of AMPK activation by D942, affinity columns that immobilized D942 and its inactive derivative, D768, were prepared, and the binding proteins were purified from L6 cell lysate. NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 (complex I), which was shown as one of the specific binding proteins to D942 by subtracting the binding proteins to D768, was partially inhibited by D942, not D768. Because inhibition of complex I activity led to a decrease in the ATP/AMP ratio, and the change in the ATP/AMP ratio triggered AMPK activation, we identified complex I as a potential protein target of AMPK activation by D942. This result shows our approach can provide crucial information about the molecular targets of small molecular compounds, especially target proteins not yet identified.     

Imaging saponin-induced structural changes in neural processes with atomic force microscopy

Temporal changes in the structure of neuronal processes in the presence of saponin were studied by atomic force microscopy in a fluid medium. After saponin treatment, concavities were formed on the surface of some neurites and fibrous structures in other neurites were splayed. The vertical height of these splayed fibrils or fibrillar bundles ranged from 13 to 370 nm, and the horizontal width was less than 500 nm. These findings suggest that formation of concavities and separation of bundled fibrils occurred simultaneously in saponin-treated neurites.     

Simultaneous measurement of current and voltage by use of one bismuth germanate crystal

An optical fiber sensor is presented that allows current and voltage to be measured simultaneously by use of only one block of bismuth germanate crystal. The polarized light from the sensing crystal is split into two light beams: One beam is utilized for current measurement based on the Faraday effect, and the other one is utilized for voltage measurement based on the Pockels effect. Compared with the existing optical sensors that can measure current and voltage simultaneously, this sensor is simple and inexpensive and allows measurement of electric power. The simultaneous measurements of ac electric current from 0.05 to 10 A, voltage from 1 to 235 V, and power from 2 to 1000 W have been achieved with good linear-response characteristics. The input characteristics and measurement uncertainties that are due to the nonlinear error of the sensing system are also discussed.