Life cycle assessment of nuclear hydrogen production processes based on high temperature gas-cooled reactor

Conventional hydrogen production technologies mostly fossil fuels as energy and material basis. The rapid development of nuclear energy in recent years offers a new opportunity. Clean electricity and process heat generated by nuclear reactors can provide energy for hydrogen production, effectively reducing the environmental burden. This study used life cycle assessment (LCA) method to sort out the inputs and outputs of the nuclear hydrogen production processes and analyze the environmental impacts based on local data in China. In this study, we constructed frameworks for two nuclear energy-based processes and created four different scenarios to compare the effect of energy efficiency. Six indicators were used to quantify the environmental impact. The results showed that: (1) electrolysis cell manufacturing and spent fuel disposal generate the largest emissions in hydrogen production. (2) S–I cycle is sensitive to heat transfer efficiency, while high-temperature electrolysis is more sensitive to power generation efficiency; (3) The environmental impact of high-temperature electrolysis (without carrier gas) is slightly lower than that of S–I cycle, but the advantage will disappear as energy efficiency increases. At present, high-temperature electrolysis offers a clean alternative to conventional technologies for hydrogen energy and hydrogen economy. The S–I cycle might have a better prospect in the future. Our study results will provide a scientific assessment of the possibilities of developing nuclear energy for hydrogen production in China and help to make some decisions and policies.     

Sn-58Bi-0.5Ce/Cu界面金属间化合物的性能研究

研究了Sn-58Bi-0.5Ce/Cu钎焊接头在120℃时效过程中界面组织形貌及金属间化合物层(IMC)的厚度变化。结果表明:在Sn-58Bi-0.5Ce/Cu钎焊接头界面处形成了较为平坦的双层金属间化合物,靠近钎料的上层为Cu6Sn5相,邻近Cu基板的下层为Cu3Sn相。等温时效处理后,IMC层逐渐凸起,且随着时效时间的增加,IMC层不断增厚。通过对实验数据进行拟合,得到钎焊接头界面IMC层的生长速度常数为5.77×10–17m2/s。     

Microwave hydrothermal synthesis of nanocrystalline rutile

Titanium dioxide of the rutile phase has been synthesized using titanium tetrachloride and hydrochloric acid by means of microwave hydrothermal method. The mixture solution is processed in microwave hydrothermal autoclave first at 120 °C for 1.5 h and then at 180 °C for 1 h to precipitate rutile powders. It was revealed that well-dispersed and shuttle-like rutile TiO₂ with the average diameter of 10 nm was formed by means of XRD and TEM.     

Influence of platinum foil impurities on sintering of functional ceramics

Impurities in ceramic powders or in the sintering atmosphere can have a strong influence on the densification and microstructure development during sintering. Our sintering studies have shown that the presence of bulk platinum and adsorbed minor amounts of adsorbed impurities during the sintering process can affect the microstructural and property development of materials via the gas phase. Four different oxide powders were shaped into green bodies and sintered in presence and absence of bulk platinum. Analyses of the materials after sintering show clear differences in the microstructure and the electronic properties between samples sintered in a furnace environment and those sintered in contact or in the close vicinity of platinum foil. When Pt foil had been present in the sintering set-up, trace chemical analysis detected accumulations of the platinum metal and other trace impurities at crucible surfaces which had not been in direct physical contact with Pt foil.     

Study on the microstructure and mechanical properties of diffusion brazing joint of C17200 Copper Beryllium alloy

In order to study the microstructure and mechanical properties of Copper Beryllium alloy, spreadability test was carried out at two temperatures under Argon atmosphere for different filler metals of Ag content. The results show that BAg2a (Ag–26Cu–21Zn–19Cd) and BAg1a (Ag–18.5Cu–17Zn–14.5Cd) are the best choice for brazing of Copper Beryllium. Zn affects the wetting of interlayer because it spreads preferentially. The bonding process was carried out at a temperature ranging of 650–800 °C for various times under Argon atmosphere using of BAg2a (Ag–26Cu–21Zn–19Cd) film with 100 μm thickness as interlayer.Interfacial microstructures were examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The eutectic and intermetallic compounds such as CuZn, AgZn3 and AgCd3 were formed at the interfaces between the interlayer and substrate. Microhardness and tensile tests were used for evaluating the mechanical properties. Average of hardness at the center of brazed seam decreased with increasing time and temperature that associated with diffusion of main elements to substrate and intermetallic formation at the interface. Maximum tensile strength of 170 MPa was obtained at 750 °C for 20 min for filler metal BAg2a without heat treatment and 227 MPa with heat treatment.     

Effect of microscopic tissue on three-body abrasion in cell structure of wood

Three-body abrasion of softwood and hardwood was performed by rubbing the wood with different sizes of abrasive grain. The effect of microscopic tissue in a cellular solid, such as wood, on three-body abrasion was investigated. We found the following abrasion properties. The wear rate after rubbing perpendicularly to the fiber and annual ring tended to be larger than the wear rate after rubbing in parallel. Also, this abrasion property particularly affected fiber with a different direction for each surface and an annual ring with a cell wall of a different thickness. When hardwood was rubbed with a particular grain size, there was a maximum peak at which the wear rate increased irregularly, and this dependence on the abrasive grain size was different from that of softwood. The peculiar dependence on the abrasive grain size corresponds to the value of the vessel cell size, and a highly positive correlation was observed between the abrasive grain size and vessel cell size.     

水蒸气处理对钛合金表面羟基磷灰石涂层结构的影响

目的 制备结晶度较高且裂纹较少的羟基磷灰石涂层。方法 采用等离子喷涂法,在不同功率下,于钛合金表面制备羟基磷灰石涂层。通过水蒸气处理法,在不同温度下处理羟基磷灰石涂层。使用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和X射线衍射仪（XRD）分析羟基磷灰石的表面形貌和晶体结构。结果 当等离子喷涂功率从20 kW增大到29 kW时,羟基磷灰石涂层的沉积效率先增大后稳定,涂层结晶度先增大后减小,涂层中氧化钙的含量先增大后稳定。当喷涂功率为23 kW时,羟基磷灰石涂层结晶度较高。水蒸气处理能明显去除涂层中的α-磷酸三钙、β-磷酸三钙和氧化钙,当水蒸气处理温度从140 ℃增大到200 ℃时,羟基磷灰石涂层晶粒由棒状向颗粒状转变,涂层结晶度不断增大,涂层中磷酸四钙的含量先减小后增大,较高的温度会造成涂层表面微裂纹的产生。在模拟体液中浸泡后,经过水蒸气处理的涂层表面会诱导生成较纯的羟基磷灰石。180 ℃水蒸气处理后的涂层表面会沉积一层均匀的羟基磷灰石,生物活性较高。结论 羟基磷灰石涂层的结晶度随等离子喷涂功率的增大,先增大后减小,随水蒸气处理温度的上升而增大。在合适条件下制得的羟基磷灰石涂层具有较高的生物活性。     

Synthesis of high-purity ultrafine tungsten and tungsten carbide powders

High-purity ultrafine W or WC powder was prepared via a two-step process composed of the carbothermic pre-reduction of WO_2.9 and the following deep reduction with H₂ or carbonization with CH₄+H₂ mixed gases. The effects of C/WO_2.9 molar ratio and temperature on phase composition, morphology, particle size, and impurity content of products were investigated. The results revealed that when the C/WO_2.9 ratio was in the range from 2.1:1 to 2.5:1, the carbothermic pre-reduction products consisted of W and a small amount of WO₂. With changing C/WO_2.9 ratio from 2.1:1 to 2.5:1, the particle sizes were gradually decreased. In order to prepare ultrafine W or WC powder, a relatively high C/WO_2.9 ratio and a lower reaction temperature at this stage were preferred. After the second reaction, the final products of ultrafine W and WC powders with a high purity could be obtained, respectively.     

半固态Cu-Ni-Si合金压缩变形工艺的研究

采用Gleeblel 500热模拟机对半固态Cu-Ni-Si合金进行了压缩变形工艺的研究,分析了不同微量元素、不同变形速率对该合金变形性能的影响。研究表明：添加0．05％铈元素对该合金的变形改善作用较好,微量硼元素则对合金的变形有阻碍作用。该半固态合金压缩变形的较佳工艺参数为：添加0．05％铈元素,保温温度1048℃,保温时间15s,变形速率为2S^-1。