Effect of europium doping levels on photoluminescence and thermoluminescence of strontium yttrium oxide phosphor

The present paper deals with the effect of europium (Eu³⁺) doping concentration (0.1–2.5 mol%) on photoluminescence (PL) and thermoluminescence (TL) of strontium yttrium oxide (SrY₂O₄) phosphor. The sample was prepared by the modified solid state reaction method, which is the most suitable method for large-scale production. The prepared phosphor sample was characterized by using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), field emission gun scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence, thermoluminescence and commission internationale de I׳Eclairage techniques. The PL emission was observed in the range of 410–630 nm for the SrY₂O₄ phosphor doped with Eu³⁺. Excitation spectrum was found at 254 and 325 nm, sharp peaks were found around 593, 615 and 625 nm with high intensity. From the XRD data, using Scherrer׳s formula, calculated average crystallite size of Eu³⁺ doped SrY₂O₄ phosphor is around 32 nm. Thermoluminescence study was carried out for the phosphor with UV and gamma irradiation. The TL response of SrY₂O₄:Eu³⁺ phosphor for two different radiations was compared and studied in detail. The present phosphor can act as a single host for white light emission in display devices. The detailed process and possible mechanisms for PL and TL are studied and discussed. For the variable concentration of Eu³⁺ on PL studies the PL intensity increases with increasing the concentration of dopant and the concentration quenching found after 2 mol% of Eu³⁺ the optimized concentration was 2 mol%, which is suitable for the display device application. In TL glow curve the optimized concentration was 1 mol% for the UV irradiated sample and 0.2 mol% of Eu³⁺ for the gamma irradiated sample and beta irradiated sample for 10 Gy dose. The kinetic parameters were calculated by the computerized glow curve deconvolution (CGCD) technique.     

面向拜登政府的过渡期网络安全建议

美国网络空间日光浴委员会为新上任的拜登政府提出的网络安全建议。重点建议拜登政府在上任头100天内组建国家网络总监办公室,制定和颁布国家网络战略,改善当前政府网络安全工作的连贯性和影响力,并进一步加强与私营部门的合作关系。同时阐述了拜登政府此后应优先开展的七项工作,以及白宫和国会应围绕网络安全展开立法合作的六个领域。     

The 2013 reforms of the Flemish renewable electricity support: Missed opportunities

The Flemish renewable electricity support system has struggled to address a number of problematic issues in the past. These included excessive profit margins and general malfunctioning of the green certificate market, as well as a lack of qualification of various existing renewable energy technologies. The Flemish government responded to these issues by introducing major reforms in 2013, including “banding” to differentiate the support for various technologies. However, reliable methods for differentiating renewable electricity technologies and calculating support levels have not been sufficiently developed. The main objective of the 2013 reforms was to reduce support costs, but application of German feed-in tariffs on 18 reference technologies has shown that most projects in Flanders continue to receive high levels of support. The 2013 reforms did not succeed in addressing malfunctioning of the green certificate market. On the contrary, the confidence of investors in renewable electricity plants has decreased as the terms of support can be altered retroactively by adjusting remuneration levels and through political interventions. Future adaptations are likely to be made which will further decrease the overall stability and effectiveness of the system.     

Assessment of thermal aging embrittlement in a cast stainless steel valve and its effect on the structural integrity

This paper analyzes the thermal aging embrittlement occurred in a cast stainless steel valve, which is part of the reactor water clean-up (RWCU) system of a Spanish boiling water reactor (BWR) nuclear power plant. The aim is to estimate the current and future state of the material and the corresponding structural integrity of the valve. Given that there is no data available for the experimental characterization of the material, the evolution of the mechanical properties (fracture toughness, yield stress, flow stress and Ramberg-Osgood parameters) has been estimated using the ANL procedure.With the obtained estimations, the critical crack size has been calculated using the European procedure FITNET FFS and the ASME Code.This analysis considers not only the evolution of the mechanical properties up to now but also its future evolution in case there is a life extension of the plant until year 2029.     

番禺35-2气田投产过程井口水合物防治方案研究

番禺35-2气田是我国南海深水天然气田,在投产过程中,当天然气经过水下井口油嘴进行节流时,会产生较大的温降,存在水合物生成风险。针对如何防治投产过程中井口水合物的问题,以A1H井为对象,采用统计热力学模型计算了水合物生成温度、压力条件;以OLGA7.1软件为基础,建立了投产过程仿真模型;分析了投产过程中井口油嘴出口处的压力、温度变化规律,以及在投产的不同阶段水合物的生成风险。针对投产初期存在的水合生成问题,提出了综合采用甲醇、乙二醇作为抑制剂进行水合物防控的方案,并确定了水合物抑制剂的注入浓度和注入速率。     

Entry into force of the UN Watercourses Convention: why should it matter?

The United Nations Watercourses Convention entered into force on 17 August 2014, following a long and complex journey that dates back to 1970 when the UN referred the matter to its legal arm, the International Law Commission. This article follows the Convention through that long and turbulent road, examines its main provisions and analyses the reasons for the delay of its entry into force. It concludes by answering the question of why entry into force of the Convention should indeed matter.     

海委引滦局信息化建设的几点体会

2002年12月海委引滦局开始进行信息化建设.分析了海委引滦局信息化建设的必要性和有利条件,概述了引滦工程管理局信息化建设的现状,介绍了信息化建设的基本内容,总结了海委引滦局在信息化建设中的经验和运行中存在的问题,希望对类似工程有一定借鉴.     

Energy use, cost and CO2 emissions of electric cars

We examine efficiency, costs and greenhouse gas emissions of current and future electric cars (EV), including the impact from charging EV on electricity demand and infrastructure for generation and distribution.Uncoordinated charging would increase national peak load by 7% at 30% penetration rate of EV and household peak load by 54%, which may exceed the capacity of existing electricity distribution infrastructure. At 30% penetration of EV, off-peak charging would result in a 20% higher, more stable base load and no additional peak load at the national level and up to 7% higher peak load at the household level. Therefore, if off-peak charging is successfully introduced, electric driving need not require additional generation capacity, even in case of 100% switch to electric vehicles.GHG emissions from electric driving depend most on the fuel type (coal or natural gas) used in the generation of electricity for charging, and range between 0 g km⁻¹ (using renewables) and 155 g km⁻¹ (using electricity from an old coal-based plant). Based on the generation capacity projected for the Netherlands in 2015, electricity for EV charging would largely be generated using natural gas, emitting 35-77 g CO_2 eq km⁻¹.We find that total cost of ownership (TCO) of current EV are uncompetitive with regular cars and series hybrid cars by more than 800 € year⁻¹. TCO of future wheel motor PHEV may become competitive when batteries cost 400 € kWh⁻¹, even without tax incentives, as long as one battery pack can last for the lifespan of the vehicle. However, TCO of future battery powered cars is at least 25% higher than of series hybrid or regular cars. This cost gap remains unless cost of batteries drops to 150 € kWh⁻¹ in the future. Variations in driving cost from charging patterns have negligible influence on TCO.GHG abatement costs using plug-in hybrid cars are currently 400-1400 € tonne⁻¹ CO_2 eq and may come down to −100 to 300 € tonne⁻¹. Abatement cost using battery powered cars are currently above 1900 € tonne⁻¹ and are not projected to drop below 300-800 € tonne⁻¹.     

The Great Lakes Region and Bulk Water Exports

Abstract

The article provides an overview of the latest developments in the debate concerning the bulk water export of Great Lakes water. It examines the policy and legal dimensions of this new debate. The policy dimension focuses on the public attention and concern, in Canada, regarding bulk water removals from the Great Lakes basin. This concern has triggered the new Canadian federal legislation banning water exports from the region (Bill C-15). Is this a sign that the Canadian government now embraces a water conservation ethic? Is its position in line with the recent recommendations on the issue of the International Joint Commission (IJC), the joint body created by the United States and Canada to manage its shared waters? The attempt by investors to export water from the Great Lakes basin raises issues regarding Canada's obligations under international and regional trade agreements, most notably the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The article examines the provisions of those two trade agreements in the context of the water export debate in Canada and concludes that increased clarity on Canada/US transboundary water issues is required.     

Sharing Rivers for Peace,Development, and Security

Abstract

Water is a finite resource, and with the considerable upsurge in population, urbanization, and industrialization, it is also becoming an increasingly scarce resource. Many countries in the world rely on river waters, and many of those rivers are shared by two or more countries. Dams on those rivers have been a major source of tensions, disputes, and, in some cases, even conflict between riparian countries because dams could result in massive diversion of river flows. Those developments have, inter alia, highlighted the relevance and importance of the principles of international water law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses. The World Commission on Dams has also underscored the importance of, and elaborated on, those principles with regard to dams on shared rivers. This article discusses and analyzes the recommendations of the Commission in this area, and compares them with the principles of international water law as enunciated in the United Nations Convention