High quality factor whispering gallery modes from self-assembled hexagonal GaN rods grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy.

PubMed

Tessarek, C; Sarau, G; Kiometzis, M; Christiansen, S

2013-02-11

Self-assembled GaN rods were grown on sapphire by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy using a simple two-step method that relies first on a nitridation step followed by GaN epitaxy. The mask-free rods formed without any additional catalyst. Most of the vertically aligned rods exhibit a regular hexagonal shape with sharp edges and smooth sidewall facets. Cathodo- and microphotoluminescence investigations were carried out on single GaN rods. Whispering gallery modes with quality factors greater than 4000 were measured demonstrating the high morphological and optical quality of the self-assembled GaN rods.

CRDM with separate SCRAM latch engagement and locking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dodd, Christopher D.; DeSantis, Paul K.; Stambaugh, Kevin J.

A control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) configured to latch onto the lifting rod of a control rod assembly and including separate latch engagement and latch holding mechanisms. A CRDM configured to latch onto the lifting rod of a control rod assembly and including a four-bar linkage closing the latch, wherein the four-bar linkage biases the latch closed under force of gravity.

Effect of out-of-roundness on the performance of a diesel engine connecting-rod bearing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vijayaraghavan, D.; Brewe, D. E.; Keith, T. G., Jr.

1993-01-01

In this paper, the dynamic performance of the Ruston and Hornsby VEB diesel engine connecting-rod bearing with circular and out-of-round profiles is analyzed. The effect of cavitation is considered by using a cavitation algorithm, which mimics JFO boundary conditions. The effect of mass inertia is accounted for by solving coupled nonlinear equations of motion. The journal profiles considered are circular, elliptical, semi-elliptical, and three lobe epicycloid. The predicted journal trajectory and other performance parameters for one complete load cycle are presented for all of the out-of-round profiles and are also compared with the predictions for the circular bearing.

Effect of out-of-roundness on the performance of a diesel engine connecting-rod bearing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vijayaraghavan, D.; Brewe, D. E.; Keith, T. G., Jr.

1991-01-01

In this paper, the dynamic performance of the Ruston and Hornsby VEB diesel engine connecting-rod bearing with circular and out-of-round profiles is analyzed. The effect of cavitation is considered by using a cavitation algorithm, which mimics JFO boundary conditions. The effect of mass inertia is accounted for by solving coupled nonlinear equations of motion. The journal profiles considered are circular, elliptical, semi-elliptical, and three lobe epicycloid. The predicted journal trajectory and other performance parameters for one complete load cycle are presented for all of the out-of-round profiles and are also compared with the predictions for the circular bearing.

Variable flow control for a nuclear reactor control rod

DOEpatents

Carleton, Richard D.; Bhattacharyya, Ajay

1978-01-01

A variable flow control for a control rod assembly of a nuclear reactor that depends on turbulent friction though an annulus. The annulus is formed by a piston attached to the control rod drive shaft and a housing or sleeve fitted to the enclosure housing the control rod. As the nuclear fuel is burned up and the need exists for increased reactivity, the control rods are withdrawn, which increases the length of the annulus and decreases the rate of coolant flow through the control rod assembly.

Prestressed elastomer for energy storage

DOEpatents

Hoppie, Lyle O.; Speranza, Donald

1982-01-01

Disclosed is a regenerative braking device for an automotive vehicle. The device includes a power isolating assembly (14), an infinitely variable transmission (20) interconnecting an input shaft (16) with an output shaft (18), and an energy storage assembly (22). The storage assembly includes a plurality of elastomeric rods (44, 46) mounted for rotation and connected in series between the input and output shafts. The elastomeric rods are prestressed along their rotational or longitudinal axes to inhibit buckling of the rods due to torsional stressing of the rods in response to relative rotation of the input and output shafts.

Modular anode assemblies and methods of using the same for electrochemical reduction

DOEpatents

Wiedmeyer, Stanley G; Barnes, Laurel A; Williamson, Mark A; Willit, James L

2015-02-17

Modular anode assemblies are used in electrolytic oxide reduction systems for scalable reduced metal production via electrolysis. Assemblies include a channel frame connected to several anode rods extending into an electrolyte. An electrical system powers the rods while being insulated from the channel frame. A cooling system removes heat from anode rods and the electrical system. An anode guard attaches to the channel frame to prevent accidental electrocution or damage during handling or repositioning. Each anode rod may be divided into upper and lower sections to permit easy repair and swapping out of lower sections. The modular assemblies may have standardized components to permit placement at multiple points within a reducing system. Example methods may operate an electrolytic oxide reduction system by positioning the modular anode assemblies in the reduction system and applying electrical power to the plurality of anode assemblies.

Piston and connecting rod assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brogdon, James William (Inventor); Gill, David Keith (Inventor); Chatten, John K. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A piston and connecting rod assembly includes a piston crown, a piston skirt, a connecting rod, and a bearing insert. The piston skirt is a component separate from the piston crown and is connected to the piston crown to provide a piston body. The bearing insert is a component separate from the piston crown and the piston skirt and is fixedly disposed within the piston body. A bearing surface of a connecting rod contacts the bearing insert to thereby movably associate the connecting rod and the piston body.

Head assembly for multiposition borehole extensometer

DOEpatents

Frank, Donald N.

1983-01-01

A head assembly for a borehole extensometer and an improved extensometer for measuring subsurface subsidence. A plurality of inflatable anchors provide discrete measurement points. A metering rod is fixed to each of the anchors which are displaced when subsidence occurs, thereby translating the attached rod. The head assembly includes a sprocket wheel rotatably mounted on a standpipe and engaged by a chain which is connected at one end to the metering rod and at the other end to a counterweight. A second sprocket wheel connected to the standpipe also engages the chain and drives a connected potentiometer. The head assembly converts the linear displacement of the metering rod to the rotary motion of the second sprocket wheel, which is measured by the potentiometer, producing a continuous electrical output.

Two-phase pressure drop reduction BWR assembly design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dix, G.E.; Crowther, R.L.; Colby, M.J.

1991-05-21

This patent describes an improved fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor. It comprises: a fuel channel; a lower tie plate; an upper tie plate; the lower tie plate and the upper tie plate defining a two-dimensional matrix; at least one water rod the fuel rods being partial length rods.

Pull rod assembly

DOEpatents

Cioletti, O.C.

1988-04-21

A pull rod assembly comprising a pull rod having three peripheral grooves, a piston device including an adaptor ring and a seal ring, said piston device being mounted on the pull rod by a split ring retainer situated in one groove and extending into an interior groove in the adaptor and a resilient split ring retained in another groove and positioned to engage the piston device and to retain the seal on its adaptor.

Hierarchical Nanostructures Self-Assembled from a Mixture System Containing Rod-Coil Block Copolymers and Rigid Homopolymers

PubMed Central

Li, Yongliang; Jiang, Tao; Lin, Shaoliang; Lin, Jiaping; Cai, Chunhua; Zhu, Xingyu

2015-01-01

Self-assembly behavior of a mixture system containing rod-coil block copolymers and rigid homopolymers was investigated by using Brownian dynamics simulations. The morphologies of formed hierarchical self-assemblies were found to be dependent on the Lennard-Jones (LJ) interaction εRR between rod blocks, lengths of rod and coil blocks in copolymer, and mixture ratio of block copolymers to homopolymers. As the εRR value decreases, the self-assembled structures of mixtures are transformed from an abacus-like structure to a helical structure, to a plain fiber, and finally are broken into unimers. The order parameter of rod blocks was calculated to confirm the structure transition. Through varying the length of rod and coil blocks, the regions of thermodynamic stability of abacus, helix, plain fiber, and unimers were mapped. Moreover, it was discovered that two levels of rod block ordering exist in the helices. The block copolymers are helically wrapped on the homopolymer bundles to form helical string, while the rod blocks are twistingly packed inside the string. In addition, the simulation results are in good agreement with experimental observations. The present work reveals the mechanism behind the formation of helical (experimentally super-helical) structures and may provide useful information for design and preparation of the complex structures. PMID:25965726

Process for producing elements from a fused bath using a metal strap and ceramic electrode body nonconsumable electrode assembly

DOEpatents

Byrne, Stephen C.

1984-01-01

A nonconsumable electrode assembly suitable for use in the production of metal by electrolytic reduction of a metal compound dissolved in a molten salt, the assembly comprising a ceramic electrode body and a metal subassembly of a metal conductor rod and at least one metal strap affixed to an end of the rod with opposing portions extending radially outwardly from the rod axis and having the ends of the strap attached to the electrode body.

Electrically conductive connection for an electrode

DOEpatents

Hornack, Thomas R.; Chilko, Robert J.

1986-01-01

An electrically conductive connection for an electrode assembly of an electrolyte cell in which aluminum is produced by electrolysis in a molten salt is described. The electrode assembly comprises an electrode flask and a conductor rod. The flask has a collar above an area of minimum flask diameter. The electrically conductive connection comprises the electrode flask, the conductor rod and a structure bearing against the collar and the conductor rod for pulling the conductor rod into compressive and electrical contact with the flask.

Electrically conductive connection for an electrode

DOEpatents

Hornack, T.R.; Chilko, R.J.

1986-09-02

An electrically conductive connection for an electrode assembly of an electrolyte cell in which aluminum is produced by electrolysis in a molten salt is described. The electrode assembly comprises an electrode flask and a conductor rod. The flask has a collar above an area of minimum flask diameter. The electrically conductive connection comprises the electrode flask, the conductor rod and a structure bearing against the collar and the conductor rod for pulling the conductor rod into compressive and electrical contact with the flask. 2 figs.

Photogeneration of Charge Carriers in Bilayer Assemblies of Conjugated Rigid-Rod Polymers

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-07-08

photoinduced electron transfer and exciplex formation at the bilayer interface. Thus photocarrier generation on photoexcitation of the conjugated rigid...rod polymers in the bilayer occurs by photoinduced electron transfer, forming intermolecular exciplexes which dissociate efficiently in electric field...photogeneration, conjugated rigid-rod polymers, is. MACI COD bilayer assemblies, electron transfer, exciplexes . 11. SEOJUTY CLASUICA 10. 51(11MIE CLASSIMIAVION

Process for producing elements from a fused bath using a metal strap and ceramic electrode body nonconsumable electrode assembly

DOEpatents

Byrne, S.C.

1984-07-03

A nonconsumable electrode assembly is described suitable for use in the production of metal by electrolytic reduction of a metal compound dissolved in a molten salt, the assembly comprising a ceramic electrode body and a metal subassembly of a metal conductor rod and at least one metal strap affixed to an end of the rod with opposing portions extending radially outwardly from the rod axis and having the ends of the strap attached to the electrode body. 7 figs.

Method and apparatus for close packing of nuclear fuel assemblies

DOEpatents

Newman, Darrell F.

1993-01-01

The apparatus of the present invention is a plate of neutron absorbing material. The plate may have a releasable locking feature permitting the plate to be secured within a nuclear fuel assembly between nuclear fuel rods during storage or transportation then removed for further use or destruction. The method of the present invention has the step of placing a plate of neutron absorbing material between nuclear fuel rods within a nuclear fuel assembly, preferably between the two outermost columns of nuclear fuel rods. Additionally, the plate may be releasably locked in place.

Method and apparatus for close packing of nuclear fuel assemblies

DOEpatents

Newman, D.F.

1993-03-30

The apparatus of the present invention is a plate of neutron absorbing material. The plate may have a releasable locking feature permitting the plate to be secured within a nuclear fuel assembly between nuclear fuel rods during storage or transportation then removed for further use or destruction. The method of the present invention has the step of placing a plate of neutron absorbing material between nuclear fuel rods within a nuclear fuel assembly, preferably between the two outermost columns of nuclear fuel rods. Additionally, the plate may be releasably locked in place.

Bacterial actin MreB assembles in complex with cell shape protein RodZ.

PubMed

van den Ent, Fusinita; Johnson, Christopher M; Persons, Logan; de Boer, Piet; Löwe, Jan

2010-03-17

Bacterial actin homologue MreB is required for cell shape maintenance in most non-spherical bacteria, where it assembles into helical structures just underneath the cytoplasmic membrane. Proper assembly of the actin cytoskeleton requires RodZ, a conserved, bitopic membrane protein that colocalises to MreB and is essential for cell shape determination. Here, we present the first crystal structure of bacterial actin engaged with a natural partner and provide a clear functional significance of the interaction. We show that the cytoplasmic helix-turn-helix motif of Thermotoga maritima RodZ directly interacts with monomeric as well as filamentous MreB and present the crystal structure of the complex. In vitro and in vivo analyses of mutant T. maritima and Escherichia coli RodZ validate the structure and reveal the importance of the MreB-RodZ interaction in the ability of cells to propagate as rods. Furthermore, the results elucidate how the bacterial actin cytoskeleton might be anchored to the membrane to help constrain peptidoglycan synthesis in the periplasm.

PWR integral tie plate and locking mechanism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flora, B.S.; Osborne, J.L.

1980-08-26

A locking mechanism for securing an upper tie plate to the tie rods of a nuclear fuel bundle is described. The mechanism includes an upper tie plate assembly and locking sleeves fixed to the ends of the tie rods. The tie plate is part of the upper tie plate assembly and is secured to the fuel bundle by securing the entire upper tie plate assembly to the locking sleeves fixed to the tie rods. The assembly includes, in addition to the tie plate, locking nuts for engaging the locking sleeves, retaining sleeves to operably connect the locking nuts to themore » assembly, a spring biased reaction plate to restrain the locking nuts in the locked position and a means to facilitate the removal of the entire assembly as a unit from the fuel bundle.« less

Two-phase pressure drop reduction BWR assembly design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dix, G.E.; Crowther, R.L.; Colby, M.J.

1992-05-12

This patent describes a boiling water reactor having discrete bundles of fuel rods confined within channel enclosed fuel assemblies, an improvement to a fuel bundle assembly for placement in the reactor. It comprises a fuel channel having vertically extending walls forming a continuous channel around a fuel assembly volume, the channel being open at the bottom end for engagement to a lower tie plate and open at the upper end for engagement to an upper tie plate; rods for placement within the chamber, each the rod containing fissile material for producing nuclear reaction when in the presence of sufficient moderatedmore » neutron flux; a lower tie plate for supporting the bundle of rods within the channel, the lower tie plate for supporting the bundle of rods within the channel, the lower tie plate joining the bottom of the channel to close the bottom end of the channel, the lower tie plate providing defined apertures for the inflow of water in the channel between the rods for the generating of steam during the nuclear reaction; the plurality of fuel rods extending from the lower tie plate wherein a single phase region of the water in the bundle is defined to an upward portion of the bundle wherein a two phase region of the water and steam in the bundle is defined during nuclear steam generating reaction in the fuel bundle.« less

Finite element simulation of gap opening between cladding tube and spacer grid in a fuel rod assembly using crystallographic models of irradiation growth and creep

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patra, Anirban; Tomé, Carlos N.

A physically-based crystal plasticity framework for modeling irradiation growth and creep is interfaced with the finite element code ABAQUS in order to study the contact forces and the gap evolution between the spacer grid and the cladding tube as a function of irradiation in a representative section of a fuel rod assembly. Deformation mechanisms governing the gap opening are identified and correlated to the texture-dependent material response. Thus, in the absence of coolant flow-induced vibrations, these simulations predict the contribution of irradiation growth and creep to the gap opening between the cladding tube and the springs and dimples on themore » spacer grid. The simulated contact forces on the springs and dimples are compared to available experimental and modeling data. Various combinations of external loads are applied on the springs and dimples to simulate fuel rods in the interior and at the periphery of the fuel rod assembly. Furthermore, we found that loading conditions representative (to a first order approximation) of fuel rods at the periphery show higher gap opening. This is in agreement with in-reactor data, where rod leakages due to the synergistic effects of gap opening and coolant flow-induced vibrations were generally found to occur at the periphery of the fuel rod assembly.« less

Finite element simulation of gap opening between cladding tube and spacer grid in a fuel rod assembly using crystallographic models of irradiation growth and creep

DOE PAGES

Patra, Anirban; Tomé, Carlos N.

2017-03-06

A physically-based crystal plasticity framework for modeling irradiation growth and creep is interfaced with the finite element code ABAQUS in order to study the contact forces and the gap evolution between the spacer grid and the cladding tube as a function of irradiation in a representative section of a fuel rod assembly. Deformation mechanisms governing the gap opening are identified and correlated to the texture-dependent material response. Thus, in the absence of coolant flow-induced vibrations, these simulations predict the contribution of irradiation growth and creep to the gap opening between the cladding tube and the springs and dimples on themore » spacer grid. The simulated contact forces on the springs and dimples are compared to available experimental and modeling data. Various combinations of external loads are applied on the springs and dimples to simulate fuel rods in the interior and at the periphery of the fuel rod assembly. Furthermore, we found that loading conditions representative (to a first order approximation) of fuel rods at the periphery show higher gap opening. This is in agreement with in-reactor data, where rod leakages due to the synergistic effects of gap opening and coolant flow-induced vibrations were generally found to occur at the periphery of the fuel rod assembly.« less

PBF Reactor Building (PER620). Fuel rod test assembly is on ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

PBF Reactor Building (PER-620). Fuel rod test assembly is on display at PBF. Date: 1982. INEEL negative no. 82-4893 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, SPERT-I & Power Burst Facility Area, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Investigation on chlorosomal antenna geometries: tube, lamella and spiral-type self-aggregates.

PubMed

Linnanto, Juha M; Korppi-Tommola, Jouko E I

2008-06-01

Molecular mechanics calculations and exciton theory have been used to study pigment organization in chlorosomes of green bacteria. Single and double rod, multiple concentric rod, lamella, and Archimedean spiral macrostructures of bacteriochlorophyll c molecules were created and their spectral properties evaluated. The effects of length, width, diameter, and curvature of the macrostructures as well as orientations of monomeric transition dipole moment vectors on the spectral properties of the aggregates were studied. Calculated absorption, linear dichroism, and polarization dependent fluorescence-excitation spectra of the studied long macrostructures were practically identical, but circular dichroism spectra turned out to be very sensitive to geometry and monomeric transition dipole moment orientations of the aggregates. The simulations for long multiple rod and spiral-type macrostructures, observed in recent high-resolution electron microscopy images (Oostergetel et al., FEBS Lett 581:5435-5439, 2007) gave shapes of circular dichroism spectra observed experimentally for chlorosomes. It was shown that the ratio of total circular dichroism intensity to integrated absorption of the Q(y) transition is a good measure of degree of tubular structures in the chlorosomes. Calculations suggest that the broad Q(y) line width of chlorosomes of sulfur bacteria could be due to (1) different orientations of the transition moment vectors in multi-walled rod structures or (2) a variety of Bchl-aggregate structures in the chlorosomes.

Improved nuclear fuel assembly grid spacer

DOEpatents

Marshall, John; Kaplan, Samuel

1977-01-01

An improved fuel assembly grid spacer and method of retaining the basic fuel rod support elements in position within the fuel assembly containment channel. The improvement involves attachment of the grids to the hexagonal channel and of forming the basic fuel rod support element into a grid structure, which provides a design which is insensitive to potential channel distortion (ballooning) at high fluence levels. In addition the improved method eliminates problems associated with component fabrication and assembly.

Development and Assessment of a New CFRP Rod Anchor System for Prestressed Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Mayah, A.; Soudki, K.; Plumtree, A.

2006-09-01

Design concepts and experimental assessment of a new wedge anchor system for prestressing CFRP rods are presented. This compact and reusable anchor consists of an outer cylinder (barrel), a number of wedges, and a soft metal sleeve. The contacting surfaces of the wedges and barrel have a circular profile along the length of the anchor. Tensile testing using different presetting loads, geometric configurations, and rod sizes was carried out. The relationship of the tensile load and displacement of the rod was established. Presetting was found unnecessary since the anchor system was found to be capable of carrying the full design strength of the rods.

Interactions regulating the head-to-tail directed assembly of biological Janus rods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greene, A. C.; Bachand, M.; Gomez, A.

We can generalize the directed, head-to-tail self-assembly of microtubule filaments in the context of Janus colloidal rods. Specifically, their assembly at the tens of micron-length scale involves a careful balance between long-range electrostatic repulsion and short-range attractive forces. We show that the addition of counterion salts increases the rate of directed assembly by screening the electrostatic forces and enhancing the effectiveness of short-range interactions at the microtubule ends.

Interactions regulating the head-to-tail directed assembly of biological Janus rods

DOE PAGES

Greene, A. C.; Bachand, M.; Gomez, A.; ...

2017-03-31

We can generalize the directed, head-to-tail self-assembly of microtubule filaments in the context of Janus colloidal rods. Specifically, their assembly at the tens of micron-length scale involves a careful balance between long-range electrostatic repulsion and short-range attractive forces. We show that the addition of counterion salts increases the rate of directed assembly by screening the electrostatic forces and enhancing the effectiveness of short-range interactions at the microtubule ends.

Self-assembled microstructures of confined rod-coil diblock copolymers by self-consistent field theory.

PubMed

Yang, Guang; Tang, Ping; Yang, Yuliang; Wang, Qiang

2010-11-25

We employ the self-consistent field theory (SCFT) incorporating Maier-Saupe orientational interactions between rods to investigate the self-assembly of rod-coil diblock copolymers (RC DBC) in bulk and especially confined into two flat surfaces in 2D space. A unit vector defined on a spherical surface for describing the orientation of rigid blocks in 3D Euclidean space is discretized with an icosahedron triangular mesh to numerically integrate over rod orientation, which is confirmed to have numerical accuracy and stability higher than that of the normal Gaussian quadrature. For the hockey puck-shaped phases in bulk, geometrical confinement, i.e., the film thickness, plays an important role in the self-assembled structures' transitions for the neutral walls. However, for the lamellar phase (monolayer smectic-C) in bulk, the perpendicular lamellae are always stable, less dependent on the film thicknesses because they can relax to the bulk spacing with less-paid coil-stretching in thin films. In particular, a very thin rod layer near the surfaces is formed even in a very thin film. When the walls prefer rods, parallel lamellae are obtained, strongly dependent on the competition between the degree of the surface fields and film geometrical confinement, and the effect of surface field on lamellar structure as a function of film thickness is investigated. Our simulation results provide a guide to understanding the self-assembly of the rod-coil films with desirable application prospects in the fabrication of organic light emitting devices.

Mass peak shape improvement of a quadrupole mass filter when operating with a rectangular wave power supply.

PubMed

Luo, Chan; Jiang, Dan; Ding, Chuan-Fan; Konenkov, Nikolai V

2009-09-01

Numeric experiments were performed to study the first and second stability regions and find the optimal configurations of a quadrupole mass filter constructed of circular quadrupole rods with a rectangular wave power supply. The ion transmission contours were calculated using ion trajectory simulations. For the first stability region, the optimal rod set configuration and the ratio r/r(0) is 1.110-1.115; for the second stability region, it is 1.128-1.130. Low-frequency direct current (DC) modulation with the parameters of m = 0.04-0.16 and nu = omega/Omega = 1/8-1/14 improves the mass peak shape of the circular rod quadrupole mass filter at the optimal r/r(0) ratio of 1.130. The amplitude modulation does not improve mass peak shape. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Second Order Accurate Finite Difference Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-08-20

34Nonlinear Modulation of Torsional Waves in Elastic Rods," 3. Phys. Soc. Japan, V. 42, No. 6, pp. 2056-2064, 1977. 10. S. S. Antman and T. Liu. "Travelling...waves in a circular rod. The equations have been solved for coupling effects in torsional and longitudinal waves. Antman and Liu (10) have studied

Wireline system for multiple direct push tool usage

DOEpatents

Bratton, Wesley L.; Farrington, Stephen P.; Shinn, II, James D.; Nolet, Darren C.

2003-11-11

A tool latching and retrieval system allows the deployment and retrieval of a variety of direct push subsurface characterization tools through an embedded rod string during a single penetration without requiring withdrawal of the string from the ground. This enables the in situ interchange of different tools, as well as the rapid retrieval of soil core samples from multiple depths during a single direct push penetration. The system includes specialized rods that make up the rod string, a tool housing which is integral to the rod string, a lock assembly, and several tools which mate to the lock assembly.

System for fuel rod removal from a reactor module

DOEpatents

Matchett, R.L.; Fodor, G.; Kikta, T.J.; Bacvinsicas, W.S.; Roof, D.R.; Nilsen, R.J.; Wilczynski, R.

1988-07-28

A robotic system for remote underwater withdrawal of the fuel rods from fuel modules of a light water breeder reactor includes a collet/grapple assembly for gripping and removing fuel rods in each module, which is positioned by use of a winch and a radial support means attached to a vertical support tube which is mounted over the fuel module. A programmable logic controller in conjunction with a microcomputer, provides control for the accurate positioning and pulling force of the rod grapple assembly. Closed circuit television cameras are provided which aid in operator interface with the robotic system. 7 figs.

System for fuel rod removal from a reactor module

DOEpatents

Matchett, Richard L.; Roof, David R.; Kikta, Thomas J.; Wilczynski, Rosemarie; Nilsen, Roy J.; Bacvinskas, William S.; Fodor, George

1990-01-01

A robotic system for remote underwater withdrawal of the fuel rods from fuel modules of a light water breeder reactor includes a collet/grapple assembly for gripping and removing fuel rods in each module, which is positioned by use of a winch and a radial support means attached to a vertical support tube which is mounted over the fuel module. A programmable logic controller in conjunction with a microcomputer, provides control for the accurate positioning and pulling force of the rod grapple assembly. Closed circuit television cameras are provided which aid in operator interface with the robotic system.

Filamentous phages as building blocks for reconfigurable and hierarchical self-assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibaud, Thomas

2017-12-01

Filamentous bacteriophages such as fd-like viruses are monodisperse rod-like colloids that have well defined properties of diameter, length, rigidity, charge and chirality. Engineering these viruses leads to a library of colloidal rods, which can be used as building blocks for reconfigurable and hierarchical self-assembly. Their condensation in an aqueous solution with additive polymers, which act as depletants to induce attraction between the rods, leads to a myriad of fluid-like micronic structures ranging from isotropic/nematic droplets, colloid membranes, achiral membrane seeds, twisted ribbons, π-wall, pores, colloidal skyrmions, Möbius anchors, scallop membranes to membrane rafts. These structures, and the way that they shape-shift, not only shed light on the role of entropy, chiral frustration and topology in soft matter, but also mimic many structures encountered in different fields of science. On the one hand, filamentous phages being an experimental realization of colloidal hard rods, their condensation mediated by depletion interactions constitutes a blueprint for the self-assembly of rod-like particles and provides a fundamental foundation for bio- or material-oriented applications. On the other hand, the chiral properties of the viruses restrict the generalities of some results but vastly broaden the self-assembly possibilities.

Mathematical models for determining the protected spaces of the vertical lightning rod

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mladenovic, I.; Vorgucic, A.

1991-01-01

Two mathematical models are presented for determining the protected spaces of the vertical lightning-rod. In the first model there was applied the circular approximation. Through the introduction of the modified striking distance in the second improved approximation there was obtained a new model for the protected space of the lightning-rod. The models are of general type, foreseen for the three-dimensional space and they are simply applied on solving the practical problems.

FUEL ROD ASSEMBLY

DOEpatents

Hutter, E.

1959-09-01

A cluster of nuclear fuel rods aod a tubular casing through which a coolant flows in heat-change contact with the ruel rods are described. The casting is of trefoil section and carries the fuel rods, each of which has two fin engaging the serrated fins of the other two fuel rods, whereby the fuel rods are held in the casing and are interlocked against relative longitudinal movement.

MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core

DOEpatents

Kantrowitz, M.L.; Rosenstein, R.G.

1998-10-13

In order to use up a stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium, the plutonium is converted into a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel form wherein it can be disposed in a plurality of different fuel assembly types. Depending on the equilibrium cycle that is required, a predetermined number of one or more of the fuel assembly types are selected and arranged in the core of the reactor in accordance with a selected loading schedule. Each of the fuel assemblies is designed to produce different combustion characteristics whereby the appropriate selection and disposition in the core enables the resulting equilibrium cycle to closely resemble that which is produced using urania fuel. The arrangement of the MOX rods and burnable absorber rods within each of the fuel assemblies, in combination with a selective control of the amount of plutonium which is contained in each of the MOX rods, is used to tailor the combustion characteristics of the assembly. 38 figs.

Mox fuel arrangement for nuclear core

DOEpatents

Kantrowitz, Mark L.; Rosenstein, Richard G.

2001-05-15

In order to use up a stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium, the plutonium is converted into a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel form wherein it can be disposed in a plurality of different fuel assembly types. Depending on the equilibrium cycle that is required, a predetermined number of one or more of the fuel assembly types are selected and arranged in the core of the reactor in accordance with a selected loading schedule. Each of the fuel assemblies is designed to produce different combustion characteristics whereby the appropriate selection and disposition in the core enables the resulting equilibrium cycle to closely resemble that which is produced using urania fuel. The arrangement of the MOX rods and burnable absorber rods within each of the fuel assemblies, in combination with a selective control of the amount of plutonium which is contained in each of the MOX rods, is used to tailor the combustion. characteristics of the assembly.

MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core

DOEpatents

Kantrowitz, Mark L.; Rosenstein, Richard G.

2001-07-17

In order to use up a stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium, the plutonium is converted into a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel form wherein it can be disposed in a plurality of different fuel assembly types. Depending on the equilibrium cycle that is required, a predetermined number of one or more of the fuel assembly types are selected and arranged in the core of the reactor in accordance with a selected loading schedule. Each of the fuel assemblies is designed to produce different combustion characteristics whereby the appropriate selection and disposition in the core enables the resulting equilibrium cycle to closely resemble that which is produced using urania fuel. The arrangement of the MOX rods and burnable absorber rods within each of the fuel assemblies, in combination with a selective control of the amount of plutonium which is contained in each of the MOX rods, is used to tailor the combustion characteristics of the assembly.

MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core

DOEpatents

Kantrowitz, Mark L.; Rosenstein, Richard G.

1998-01-01

In order to use up a stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium, the plutonium is converted into a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel form wherein it can be disposed in a plurality of different fuel assembly types. Depending on the equilibrium cycle that is required, a predetermined number of one or more of the fuel assembly types are selected and arranged in the core of the reactor in accordance with a selected loading schedule. Each of the fuel assemblies is designed to produce different combustion characteristics whereby the appropriate selection and disposition in the core enables the resulting equilibrium cycle to closely resemble that which is produced using urania fuel. The arrangement of the MOX rods and burnable absorber rods within each of the fuel assemblies, in combination with a selective control of the amount of plutonium which is contained in each of the MOX rods, is used to tailor the combustion characteristics of the assembly.

Assembly of Nanorods into Designer Superstructures: The Role of Templating, Capillary Forces, Adhesion, and Polymer Hydration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ciszek, Jacob W.; Huang, Ling; Tsonchev, Stefan

The assembly mechanism by which hundreds of thousands of two-segment gold-polypyrrole nanorods are assembled into kinetically controlled shape-directed superstructures is examined to predict the range of nanoparticle sizes and materials that can be utilized in their formation. Four processes are responsible for assembly: templating, capillary force assembly, adhesion, and polymer hydration. It is shown that templating, where rods are prepositioned for assembly, is scale invariant and that the energy-minimized state after this step is highly disordered. In addition, we predict that superstructures can be made independently from patterns of rods separated by a distance as small as six times themore » inter-rod spacing. Both modeling and experiment show that adhesion and polymer dehydration, which induces curvature in the superstructures, are applicable to other materials. However, the high surface energy and low elastic modulus of polypyrrole are advantageous toward generating three-dimensional structures, inducing curvature at gold/polypyrrole length ratios as large as 7:1.« less

Self-assembly of proteins into a three-dimensional multilayer system: investigation of the surface of the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus.

PubMed

Zykwinska, Agata; Pihet, Marc; Radji, Sadia; Bouchara, Jean-Philippe; Cuenot, Stéphane

2014-06-01

Hydrophobins are small surface active proteins that fulfil a wide spectrum of functions in fungal growth and development. The human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus expresses RodA hydrophobins that self-assemble on the outer conidial surface into tightly organized nanorods known as rodlets. AFM investigation of the conidial surface allows us to evidence that RodA hydrophobins self-assemble into rodlets through bilayers. Within bilayers, hydrophilic domains of hydrophobins point inward, thus making a hydrophilic core, while hydrophobic domains point outward. AFM measurements reveal that several rodlet bilayers are present on the conidial surface thus showing that proteins self-assemble into a complex three-dimensional multilayer system. The self-assembly of RodA hydrophobins into rodlets results from attractive interactions between stacked β-sheets, which conduct to a final linear cross-β spine structure. A Monte Carlo simulation shows that anisotropic interactions are the main driving forces leading the hydrophobins to self-assemble into parallel rodlets, which are further structured in nanodomains. Taken together, these findings allow us to propose a mechanism, which conducts RodA hydrophobins to a highly ordered rodlet structure. The mechanism of hydrophobin assembly into rodlets offers new prospects for the development of more efficient strategies leading to disruption of rodlet formation allowing a rapid detection of the fungus by the immune system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficiency of Hysteresis Rods in Small Spacecraft Attitude Stabilization

PubMed Central

Farrahi, Assal; Sanz-Andrés, Ángel

2013-01-01

A semiempirical method for predicting the damping efficiency of hysteresis rods on-board small satellites is presented. It is based on the evaluation of dissipating energy variation of different ferromagnetic materials for two different rod shapes: thin film and circular cross-section rods, as a function of their elongation. Based on this formulation, an optimum design considering the size of hysteresis rods, their cross section shape, and layout has been proposed. Finally, the formulation developed was applied to the case of four existing small satellites, whose corresponding in-flight data are published. A good agreement between the estimated rotational speed decay time and the in-flight data has been observed. PMID:24501579

Lightweight piston-rod assembly for a reciprocating machine

DOEpatents

Corey, John A.; Walsh, Michael M.

1986-01-01

In a reciprocating machine, there is provided a hollow piston including a dome portion on one end and a base portion on the opposite end. The base portion includes a central bore into which a rod is hermetically fixed in radial and angular alignment. The extending end of the rod has a reduced diameter portion adapted to fit into the central bore of a second member such as a cross-head assembly, and to be secured thereto in radial and axial alignment with the piston.

Diffraction of dust acoustic waves by a circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S.-H.; Heinrich, J. R.; Merlino, R. L.

2008-09-01

The diffraction of dust acoustic (DA) waves around a long dielectric rod is observed using video imaging methods. The DA waves are spontaneously excited in a dusty plasma produced in a direct current glow discharge plasma. The rod acquires a negative charge that produces a coaxial dust void around it. The diameter of the void is the effective size of the "obstacle" encountered by the waves. The wavelength of the DA waves is approximately the size of the void. The observations are considered in relation to the classical problem of the diffraction of sound waves from a circular cylinder, a problem first analyzed by Lord Rayleigh [Theory of Sound, 2nd ed. (MacMillan, London, 1896)].

Fuel assembly for the production of tritium in light water reactors

DOEpatents

Cawley, W.E.; Trapp, T.J.

1983-06-10

A nuclear fuel assembly is described for producing tritium in a light water moderated reactor. The assembly consists of two intermeshing arrays of subassemblies. The first subassemblies comprise concentric annular elements of an outer containment tube, an annular target element, an annular fuel element, and an inner neutron spectrums shifting rod. The second subassemblies comprise an outer containment tube and an inner rod of either fuel, target, or neutron spectrum shifting neutral.

Fuel assembly for the production of tritium in light water reactors

DOEpatents

Cawley, William E.; Trapp, Turner J.

1985-01-01

A nuclear fuel assembly is described for producing tritium in a light water moderated reactor. The assembly consists of two intermeshing arrays of subassemblies. The first subassemblies comprise concentric annular elements of an outer containment tube, an annular target element, an annular fuel element, and an inner neutron spectrums shifting rod. The second subassemblies comprise an outer containment tube and an inner rod of either fuel, target, or neutron spectrum shifting neutral.

Rodded shutdown system for a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Golden, Martin P.; Govi, Aldo R.

1978-01-01

A top mounted nuclear reactor diverse rodded shutdown system utilizing gas fed into a pressure bearing bellows region sealed at the upper extremity to an armature. The armature is attached to a neutron absorber assembly by a series of shafts and connecting means. The armature is held in an uppermost position by an electromagnet assembly or by pressurized gas in a second embodiment. Deenergizing the electromagnet assembly, or venting the pressurized gas, causes the armature to fall by the force of gravity, thereby lowering the attached absorber assembly into the reactor core.

The effect of boron and gadolinium burnable poisons on the hot-to-cold reactivity swing of a pressurized water reactor assembly

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Galperin, A.; Segev, M.; Radkowsky, A.

1986-11-01

Control requirements for advanced pressurized water reactor designs must be met with heavy loadings of burnable poison rods, the required reactivity hold-down typically amounting to 30% or more in a poisoned subassembly. Two apparent choices for poisons are natural boron rods and natural gadolinium rods. Studied and analyzed is the effect of these two poisons on the hot-to-cold reactivity upswing. Compared with an upswing of 2.9% in a nonpoisoned assembly, the upswing in the gadolinium-poisoned assembly is 3.0%, and the upswing in the boron-poisoned assembly is 8.8%. Thus the hot-to-cold control penalty is almost nil for the choice of gadoliniummore » and is considerable for the choice of boron.« less

The contractile ring coordinates curvature-dependent septum assembly during fission yeast cytokinesis

PubMed Central

Zhou, Zhou; Munteanu, Emilia Laura; He, Jun; Ursell, Tristan; Bathe, Mark; Huang, Kerwyn Casey; Chang, Fred

2015-01-01

The functions of the actin-myosin–based contractile ring in cytokinesis remain to be elucidated. Recent findings show that in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, cleavage furrow ingression is driven by polymerization of cell wall fibers outside the plasma membrane, not by the contractile ring. Here we show that one function of the ring is to spatially coordinate septum cell wall assembly. We develop an improved method for live-cell imaging of the division apparatus by orienting the rod-shaped cells vertically using microfabricated wells. We observe that the septum hole and ring are circular and centered in wild-type cells and that in the absence of a functional ring, the septum continues to ingress but in a disorganized and asymmetric manner. By manipulating the cleavage furrow into different shapes, we show that the ring promotes local septum growth in a curvature-dependent manner, allowing even a misshapen septum to grow into a more regular shape. This curvature-dependent growth suggests a model in which contractile forces of the ring shape the septum cell wall by stimulating the cell wall machinery in a mechanosensitive manner. Mechanical regulation of the cell wall assembly may have general relevance to the morphogenesis of walled cells. PMID:25355954

Elastic moduli of a smectic membrane: a rod-level scaling analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wensink, H. H.; Morales Anda, L.

2018-02-01

Chiral rodlike colloids exposed to strong depletion attraction may self-assemble into chiral membranes whose twisted director field differs from that of a 3D bulk chiral nematic. We formulate a simple microscopic variational theory to determine the elastic moduli of rods assembled into a bidimensional smectic membrane. The approach is based on a simple Onsager-Straley theory for a non-uniform director field that we apply to describe rod twist within the membrane. A microscopic approach enables a detailed estimate of the individual Frank elastic moduli (splay, twist and bend) as well as the twist penetration depth of the smectic membrane in relation to the rod density and shape. We find that the elastic moduli are distinctly different from those of a bulk nematic fluid, with the splay elasticity being much stronger and the curvature elasticity much weaker than for rods assembled in a three-dimensional nematic fluid. We argue that the use of the simplistic one-constant approximation in which all moduli are assumed to be of equal magnitude is not appropriate for modelling the structure-property relation of smectic membranes.

Experience using individually supplied heater rods in critical power testing of advanced BWR fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Majed, M.; Morback, G.; Wiman, P.

1995-09-01

The ABB Atom FRIGG loop located in Vasteras Sweden has during the last six years given a large experience of critical power measurements for BWR fuel designs using indirectly heated rods with individual power supply. The loop was built in the sixties and designed for maximum 100 bar pressure. Testing up to the mid eighties was performed with directly heated rods using a 9 MW, 80 kA power supply. Providing test data to develop critical power correlations for BWR fuel assemblies requires testing with many radial power distributions over the full range of hydraulic conditions. Indirectly heated rods give largemore » advantages for the testing procedure, particularly convenient for variation of individual rod power. A test method being used at Stern Laboratories (formerly Westinghouse Canada) since the early sixties, allows one fuel assembly to simulate all required radial power distributions. This technique requires reliable indirectly heated rods with independently controlled power supplies and uses insulated electric fuel rod simulators with built-in instrumentation. The FRIGG loop was adapted to this system in 1987. A 4MW power supply with 10 individual units was then installed, and has since been used for testing 24 and 25 rod bundles simulating one subbundle of SVEA-96/100 type fuel assemblies. The experience with the system is very good, as being presented, and it is selected also for a planned upgrading of the facility to 15 MW.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Montgomery, Rose; Scaglione, John M; Bevard, Bruce Balkcom

The High Burnup Spent Fuel Data project pulled 25 sister rods (9 from the project assemblies and 16 from similar HBU assemblies) for characterization. The 25 sister rods are all high burnup and cover the range of modern domestic cladding alloys. The 25 sister rods were shipped to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in early 2016 for detailed non-destructive and destructive examination. Examinations are intended to provide baseline data on the initial physical state of the cladding and fuel prior to the loading, drying, and long-term dry storage process. Further examinations are focused on determining the effects of temperatures encounteredmore » during and following drying. Similar tests will be performed on rods taken from the project assemblies at the end of their long-term storage in a TN-32 dry storage cask (the cask rods ) to identify any significant changes in the fuel rods that may have occurred during the dry storage period. Additionally, some of the sister rods will be used for separate effects testing to expand the applicability of the project data to the fleet, and to address some of the data-related gaps associated with extended storage and subsequent transportation of high burnup fuel. A draft test plan is being developed that describes the experimental work to be conducted on the sister rods. This paper summarizes the draft test plan and necessary coordination activities for the multi-year experimental program to supply data relevant to the assessment of the safety of long-term storage followed by transportation of high burnup spent fuel.« less

Helically assembled π-conjugated polymers with circularly polarized luminescence.

PubMed

Watanabe, Kazuyoshi; Akagi, Kazuo

2014-08-01

We review the recent progress in the field of helically assembled π -conjugated polymers, focusing on aromatic conjugated polymers with interchain helical π -stacking that exhibit circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). In Part 1, we discuss optically active polymers with white-colored CPL and the amplification of the circular polarization through liquid crystallinity. In Part 2, we focus on the stimuli-responsive CPL that results from changes in the conformation and aggregation state of π -conjugated molecules and polymers. In Part 3, we discuss the self-assembly of achiral cationic π -conjugated polymers into circularly polarized luminescent supramolecular nanostructures with the aid of other chiral molecules.

Fast Neutron Emission Tomography of Used Nuclear Fuel Assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hausladen, Paul; Iyengar, Anagha; Fabris, Lorenzo; Yang, Jinan; Hu, Jianwei; Blackston, Matthew

2017-09-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is developing a new capability to perform passive fast neutron emission tomography of spent nuclear fuel assemblies for the purpose of verifying their integrity for international safeguards applications. Most of the world's plutonium is contained in spent nuclear fuel, so it is desirable to detect the diversion of irradiated fuel rods from an assembly prior to its transfer to ``difficult to access'' storage, such as a dry cask or permanent repository, where re-verification is practically impossible. Nuclear fuel assemblies typically consist of an array of fuel rods that, depending on exposure in the reactor and consequent ingrowth of 244Cm, are spontaneous sources of as many as 109 neutrons s-1. Neutron emission tomography uses collimation to isolate neutron activity along ``lines of response'' through the assembly and, by combining many collimated views through the object, mathematically extracts the neutron emission from each fuel rod. This technique, by combining the use of fast neutrons -which can penetrate the entire fuel assembly -and computed tomography, is capable of detecting vacancies or substitutions of individual fuel rods. This paper will report on the physics design and component testing of the imaging system. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development within the National Nuclear Security Administration, under Contract Number DE-AC05-00OR22725.

Shape Optimization of Bone-Bonding Subperiosteal Devices with Finite Element Analysis.

PubMed

Ogasawara, Takeshi; Uezono, Masayoshi; Takakuda, Kazuo; Kikuchi, Masanori; Suzuki, Shoichi; Moriyama, Keiji

2017-01-01

Subperiosteal bone-bonding devices have been proposed for less invasive treatments in orthodontics. The device is osseointegrated onto a bone surface without fixation screws and is expected to rapidly attain a bone-bonding strength that successfully meets clinical performance. Hence, the device's optimum shape for rapid and strong bone bonding was examined in this study by finite element analyses. First, a stress analysis was performed for a circular rod device with an orthodontic force parallel to the bone surface, and the estimate of the bone-bonding strength based on the bone fracture criterion was verified with the results of an animal experiment. In total, four cross-sectional rod geometries were investigated: circular (Cr), elliptical (El), semicircular (Sc), and rectangular (Rc). By changing the height of the newly formed bone to mimic the progression of new bone formation, the estimation of the bone-bonding strength was repeated for each geometry. The rod with the Rc cross section exhibited the best performance, followed by those with the Sc, El, and Cr cross sections, from the aspects of the rapid acquisition of strength and the strength itself. Thus, the rectangular cross section is the best for rod-like subperiosteal devices for rapid bone bonding.

Nuclear reactor remote disconnect control rod coupling indicator

DOEpatents

Vuckovich, Michael

1977-01-01

A coupling indicator for use with nuclear reactor control rod assemblies which have remotely disengageable couplings between the control rod and the control rod drive shaft. The coupling indicator indicates whether the control rod and the control rod drive shaft are engaged or disengaged. A resistive network, utilizing magnetic reed switches, senses the position of the control rod drive mechanism lead screw and the control rod position indicating tube, and the relative position of these two elements with respect to each other is compared to determine whether the coupling is engaged or disengaged.

Control rod drive for reactor shutdown

DOEpatents

McKeehan, Ernest R.; Shawver, Bruce M.; Schiro, Donald J.; Taft, William E.

1976-01-20

A means for rapidly shutting down or scramming a nuclear reactor, such as a liquid metal-cooled fast breeder reactor, and serves as a backup to the primary shutdown system. The control rod drive consists basically of an in-core assembly, a drive shaft and seal assembly, and a control drive mechanism. The control rod is driven into the core region of the reactor by gravity and hydraulic pressure forces supplied by the reactor coolant, thus assuring that common mode failures will not interfere with or prohibit scramming the reactor when necessary.

The predominant circular form of avocado sunblotch viroid accumulates in planta as a free RNA adopting a rod-shaped secondary structure unprotected by tightly bound host proteins.

PubMed

López-Carrasco, Amparo; Flores, Ricardo

2017-07-01

Avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBVd), the type member of the family Avsunviroidae, replicates and accumulates in chloroplasts. Whether this minimal non-protein-coding circular RNA of 246-250 nt exists in vivo as a free nucleic acid or closely associated with host proteins remains unknown. To tackle this issue, the secondary structures of the monomeric circular (mc) (+) and (-) strands of ASBVd have been examined in silico by searching those of minimal free energy, and in vitro at single-nucleotide resolution by selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analysed by primer extension (SHAPE). Both approaches resulted in predominant rod-like secondary structures without tertiary interactions, with the mc (+) RNA being more compact than its (-) counterpart as revealed by non-denaturing polyacryamide gel electrophoresis. Moreover, in vivo SHAPE showed that the mc ASBVd (+) form accumulates in avocado leaves as a free RNA adopting a similar rod-shaped conformation unprotected by tightly bound host proteins. Hence, the mc ASBVd (+) RNA behaves in planta like the previously studied mc (+) RNA of potato spindle tuber viroid, the type member of nuclear viroids (family Pospiviroidae), indicating that two different viroids replicating and accumulating in distinct subcellular compartments, have converged into a common structural solution. Circularity and compact secondary structures confer to these RNAs, and probably to all viroids, the intrinsic stability needed to survive in their natural habitats. However, in vivo SHAPE has not revealed the (possibly transient or loose) interactions of the mc ASBVd (+) RNA with two host proteins observed previously by UV irradiation of infected avocado leaves.

Isotopic Details of the Spent Catawba-1 MOX Fuel Rods at ORNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ellis, Ronald James

The United States Department of Energy funded Shaw/AREVA MOX Services LLC to fabricate four MOX Lead Test Assemblies (LTA) from weapons-grade plutonium. A total of four MOX LTAs (including MX03) were irradiated in the Catawba Nuclear Station (Unit 1) Catawba-1 PWR which operated at a total thermal power of 3411 MWt and had a core with 193 total fuel assemblies. The MOX LTAs were irradiated along with Duke Energy s irradiation of eight Westinghouse Next Generation Fuel (NGF) LEU LTAs (ref.1) and the remaining 181 LEU fuel assemblies. The MX03 LTA was irradiated in the Catawba-1 PWR core (refs.2,3) duringmore » cycles C-16 and C-17. C-16 began on June 5, 2005, and ended on November 11, 2006, after 499 effective full power days (EFPDs). C-17 started on December 29, 2006, (after a shutdown of 48 days) and continued for 485 EFPDs. The MX03 and three other MOX LTAs (and other fuel assemblies) were discharged at the end of C-17 on May 3, 2008. The design of the MOX LTAs was based on the (Framatome ANP, Inc.) Mark-BW/MOX1 17 17 fuel assembly design (refs. 4,5,6) for use in Westinghouse PWRs, but with MOX fuel rods with three Pu loading ranges: the nominal Pu loadings are 4.94 wt%, 3.30 wt%, and 2.40 wt%, respectively, for high, medium, and low Pu content. The Mark-BW/MOX1 (MOX LTA) fuel assembly design is the same as the Advanced Mark-BW fuel assembly design but with the LEU fuel rods replaced by MOX fuel rods (ref. 5). The fabrication of the fuel pellets and fuel rods for the MOX LTAs was performed at the Cadarache facility in France, with the fabrication of the LTAs performed at the MELOX facility, also in France.« less

Ex vivo mammalian prions are formed of paired double helical prion protein fibrils.

PubMed

Terry, Cassandra; Wenborn, Adam; Gros, Nathalie; Sells, Jessica; Joiner, Susan; Hosszu, Laszlo L P; Tattum, M Howard; Panico, Silvia; Clare, Daniel K; Collinge, John; Saibil, Helen R; Wadsworth, Jonathan D F

2016-05-01

Mammalian prions are hypothesized to be fibrillar or amyloid forms of prion protein (PrP), but structures observed to date have not been definitively correlated with infectivity and the three-dimensional structure of infectious prions has remained obscure. Recently, we developed novel methods to obtain exceptionally pure preparations of prions from mouse brain and showed that pathogenic PrP in these high-titre preparations is assembled into rod-like assemblies. Here, we have used precise cell culture-based prion infectivity assays to define the physical relationship between the PrP rods and prion infectivity and have used electron tomography to define their architecture. We show that infectious PrP rods isolated from multiple prion strains have a common hierarchical assembly comprising twisted pairs of short fibres with repeating substructure. The architecture of the PrP rods provides a new structural basis for understanding prion infectivity and can explain the inability to systematically generate high-titre synthetic prions from recombinant PrP. © 2016 The Authors.

Premixer assembly for mixing air and fuel for combustion

DOEpatents

York, William David; Johnson, Thomas Edward; Keener, Christopher Paul

2016-12-13

A premixer assembly for mixing air and fuel for combustion includes a plurality of tubes disposed at a head end of a combustor assembly. Also included is a tube of the plurality of tubes, the tube including an inlet end and an outlet end. Further included is at least one non-circular portion of the tube extending along a length of the tube, the at least one non-circular portion having a non-circular cross-section, and the tube having a substantially constant cross-sectional area along its length

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tamburello, David A.; McWilliams, Anthony J.; Hardy, Bruce J.

Vessel assemblies, heat transfer units for prefabricated vessels, and methods for heat transfer prefabricated vessel are provided. A heat transfer unit includes a central rod, and a plurality of peripheral rods surrounding the central rod and connected to the central rod. The plurality of peripheral rods are movable between a first collapsed position and a second bowed position, wherein in the second bowed position a midpoint of each of the plurality of peripheral rods is spaced from the central rod relative to in the first position. The heat transfer unit further includes a heat transfer element connected to one ofmore » the plurality of peripheral rods.« less

Controlled self-assembly of conjugated rod-coil block copolymers for applications in organic optoelectronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Yuefei

Organic electronics are of great interest in manufacturing light weight, mechanical flexible, and inexpensive large area devices. While significant improvements have been made over the last several years and it is now clear that morphology on the lengthscale of exciton diffusion (10nm) is of crucial importance, a clear relationship between structure and device properties has not emerged. This lack of understanding largely emerges from an inability to control morphology on this lengthscale. This thesis will center around an approach, based on block copolymer self-assembly, to generate equilibrium nanostructures on the 10 nm lengthscale of exciton diffusion and study their effects on device performance. Self-assembly of semiconducting block copolymers is complicated by the non-classical chain shape of conjugated polymers. Unlike classical polymers, the chains do not assume a Gaussian coil shape which is stretched near block copolymer interfaces, instead the chains are elongated and liquid crystalline. Previous work has demonstrated how these new molecular interactions and shapes control the phase diagram of so-called rod-coil block copolymers. Here, we will focus on controlling domain size, orientation, and chemical structure. While domain size can be controlled directly through molecular weight, this requires significant additional synthesis of domain size is to be varied. Here, the domain size is controlled by blending homopolymers into a self-assembling rod-coil block copolymer. When coil-like blocks are incorporated, the domains swell, as expected. When rod-like blocks are incorporated, they interdigitate with the rods of the block copolymers. This results in an increase in interfacial area which forces the coils to rearrange and an overall decrease in domain size with increasing rod content. Control over lamellar orientation is crucial in order to design and control charge transport pathways and exciton recombination or separation interfaces. While numerous techniques have been demonstrated for classical block copolymers, the pi conjugation in the rod blocks allow for additional control mechanisms. Liquid crystals are traditionally aligned in magnetic fields. Here, it is demonstrated that if the rod-like blocks are aligned unidirectionally, the block copolymer interfaces follow to create macroscopic alignment of the nanostructures. Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are generally composed of electron transporting and hole transporting moieties to balance charge recombination. Here, a new multifunctional bipolar rod-coil block copolymer containing the hole transporting and electron transporting materials is synthesized. Self-assembly of this new block copolymer results in 15nm lamellae oriented in grains both parallel and perpendicula to the anode. The self-assembled block copolymer shows superior device performance to controls consisting of a luminescent, analogous homopolymer, and a blend of the two component homopolymers. The effects of the morphologies and chemical structure on photovoltaics is explored with a rod-coil block copolymer, (poly(3-hexylthiophene-b-acrylic perylene)). By varying the kinetics of self-assembly through processing, the block copolymer can be disordered, ordered with only short range registry between the nanodomains, or with long-range order. The short range ordered samples showed the best device performance suggesting that the connectivity that is a biproduct of poor order is beneficial for device performance.

Finite-sized one-dimensional silica microstructures (rods): Synthesis, assembly, and applications

DOE PAGES

Sharma, Jaswinder

2017-01-28

Colloidal silica structures are highly important for applications ranging from surface modifications such as superhydrophobic, oleophobic, icephobic, and anti-biofouling coatings, as reinforcements in polymer-ceramic or metal-matrix composites, and phonon management. In addition to various types of silica structures, a unique structure silica rods has been synthesized by employing the emulsion droplets made by dissolving polyvinlypyrrolidone in pentanol. While a significant progress has been made in further modifying their shape and chemistry, in their assembly, and in their applications, however, no review article compiled the progress in this field. Furthermore, this minireview intends to highlight the development in the synthesis, assembly,more » and application of these rods, and discuss the remaining challenges for precise control of size and shape, possible solutions, and potential applications.« less

Association behaviors of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide with double hydrophilic block co-polymer poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(glutamate sodium).

PubMed

Han, Yuchun; Xia, Lin; Zhu, Linyi; Zhang, Shusheng; Li, Zhibo; Wang, Yilin

2012-10-30

The association behaviors of single-chain surfactant dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) with double hydrophilic block co-polymers poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(sodium glutamate) (PEG(113)-PGlu(50) or PEG(113)-PGlu(100)) were investigated using isothermal titration microcalorimetry, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, circular dichroism, ζ potential, and particle size measurements. The electrostatic interaction between DTAB and the oppositely charged carboxylate groups of PEG-PGlu induces the formation of super-amphiphiles, which further self-assemble into ordered aggregates. Dependent upon the charge ratios between DTAB and the glutamic acid residue of the co-polymer, the mixture solutions can change from transparent to opalescent without precipitation. Dependent upon the chain length of the PGlu block, the mixture of DTAB and PEG-PGlu diblocks can form two different aggregates at their corresponding electroneutral point. Spherical and rod-like aggregates are formed in the PEG(113)-PGlu(50)/DTAB mixture, while the vesicular aggregates are observed in the PEG(113)-PGlu(100)/DTAB mixture solution. Because the PEG(113)-PGlu(100)/DTAB super-amphiphile has more hydrophobic components than that of the PEG(113)-PGlu(50)/DTAB super-amphiphile, the former prefers forming the ordered aggregates with higher curvature, such as spherical and rod aggregates, but the latter prefers forming vesicular aggregates with lower curvature.

Free piston inertia compressor

DOEpatents

Richards, W.D.C.; Bilodeau, D.; Marusak, T.; Dutram, L. Jr.; Brady, J.

A free piston inertia compressor comprises a piston assembly including a connecting rod having pistons on both ends, the cylinder being split into two substantially identical portions by a seal through which the connecting rod passes. Vents in the cylinder wall are provided near the seal to permit gas to escape the cylinder until the piston covers the vent whereupon the remaining gas in the cylinder functions as a gas spring and cushions the piston against impact on the seal. The connecting rod has a central portion of relatively small diameter providing free play of the connecting rod through the seal and end portions of relatively large diameter providing a limited tolerance between the connecting rod and the seal. Finally, the seal comprises a seal ring assembly consisting of a dampener plate, a free floating seal at the center of the dampener plate and a seal retainer plate in one face of the dampener plate.

Free piston inertia compressor

DOEpatents

Richards, William D. C.; Bilodeau, Denis; Marusak, Thomas; Dutram, Jr., Leonard; Brady, Joseph

1981-01-01

A free piston inertia compressor comprises a piston assembly including a connecting rod having pistons on both ends, the cylinder being split into two substantially identical portions by a seal through which the connecting rod passes. Vents in the cylinder wall are provided near the seal to permit gas to excape the cylinder until the piston covers the vent whereupon the remaining gas in the cylinder functions as a gas spring and cushions the piston against impact on the seal. The connecting rod has a central portion of relatively small diameter providing free play of the connecting rod through the seal and end portions of relatively large diameter providing a limited tolerance between the connecting rod and the seal. Finally, the seal comprises a seal ring assembly consisting of a dampener plate, a free floating seal at the center of the dampener plate and a seal retainer plate in one face of the dampener plate.

Proton triggered circularly polarized luminescence in orthogonal- and co-assemblies of chiral gelators with achiral perylene bisimide.

PubMed

Han, Dongxue; Han, Jianlei; Huo, Shengwei; Qu, Zuoming; Jiao, Tifeng; Liu, Minghua; Duan, Pengfei

2018-05-29

The orthogonal- or co-assembly of achiral perylene bisimide (PBI) with chiral gelators can be regulated by solvents. While the coassembly leads to the formation of chiroptical nanofibers through chirality transfer, the orthogonal assemblies could not. Moreover, protonation on the coassembled nanofibers could light up the circularly polarized luminescence (CPL).

[Novel Device for Creating Multiple Artificial Chordae Loops in Mitral Valve Repair].

PubMed

Shimamura, Yoshiei; Maisawa, Kazuma

2017-08-01

A novel device to create multiple artificial chordae loops for mitral repair is developed. The device consists of a circular metal base with a removable central rod on one end, which can easily be attached or removed by screwing into a hole located on the base, and 51 fixed rods placed radially around the central rod at distances of 10~60 mm from the central rod. A needle with CV-4 e-polytetrafluoroethylene suture is passed through a pledget, and the suture is looped from the central rod around the fixed rod located at the desired loop length. The needle is then passed back through the pledget. The suture is tied over the pledget, bringing it in contact with the central rod. When multiple loops of various lengths are required, different fixed rods located at distances corresponding to the required loop lengths are used. Following creation of the necessary loops, the central rod is unscrewed, and the loops are released from the device. Construction of artificial chordae with this device is quick, reliable, reproducible, and increases the technical possibilities for mitral valve repair.

Functional and Structural Characterization of Novel Type of Linker Connecting Capsid and Nucleocapsid Protein Domains in Murine Leukemia Virus.

PubMed

Doležal, Michal; Hadravová, Romana; Kožíšek, Milan; Bednárová, Lucie; Langerová, Hana; Ruml, Tomáš; Rumlová, Michaela

2016-09-23

The assembly of immature retroviral particles is initiated in the cytoplasm by the binding of the structural polyprotein precursor Gag with viral genomic RNA. The protein interactions necessary for assembly are mediated predominantly by the capsid (CA) and nucleocapsid (NC) domains, which have conserved structures. In contrast, the structural arrangement of the CA-NC connecting region differs between retroviral species. In HIV-1 and Rous sarcoma virus, this region forms a rod-like structure that separates the CA and NC domains, whereas in Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, this region is densely packed, thus holding the CA and NC domains in close proximity. Interestingly, the sequence connecting the CA and NC domains in gammaretroviruses, such as murine leukemia virus (MLV), is unique. The sequence is called a charged assembly helix (CAH) due to a high number of positively and negatively charged residues. Although both computational and deletion analyses suggested that the MLV CAH forms a helical conformation, no structural or biochemical data supporting this hypothesis have been published. Using an in vitro assembly assay, alanine scanning mutagenesis, and biophysical techniques (circular dichroism, NMR, microcalorimetry, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay), we have characterized the structure and function of the MLV CAH. We provide experimental evidence that the MLV CAH belongs to a group of charged, E(R/K)-rich, single α-helices. This is the first single α-helix motif identified in viral proteins. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Skip residues modulate the structural properties of the myosin rod and guide thick filament assembly

DOE PAGES

Taylor, Keenan C.; Buvoli, Massimo; Korkmaz, Elif Nihal; ...

2015-07-06

The rod of sarcomeric myosins directs thick filament assembly and is characterized by the insertion of four skip residues that introduce discontinuities in the coiled-coil heptad repeats. We report in this paper that the regions surrounding the first three skip residues share high structural similarity despite their low sequence homology. Near each of these skip residues, the coiled-coil transitions to a nonclose-packed structure inducing local relaxation of the superhelical pitch. Moreover, molecular dynamics suggest that these distorted regions can assume different conformationally stable states. In contrast, the last skip residue region constitutes a true molecular hinge, providing C-terminal rod flexibility.more » Assembly of myosin with mutated skip residues in cardiomyocytes shows that the functional importance of each skip residue is associated with rod position and reveals the unique role of the molecular hinge in promoting myosin antiparallel packing. By defining the biophysical properties of the rod, the structures and molecular dynamic calculations presented here provide insight into thick filament formation, and highlight the structural differences occurring between the coiled-coils of myosin and the stereotypical tropomyosin. Finally, in addition to extending our knowledge into the conformational and biological properties of coiled-coil discontinuities, the molecular characterization of the four myosin skip residues also provides a guide to modeling the effects of rod mutations causing cardiac and skeletal myopathies.« less

Time dependent temperature distribution in pulsed Ti:sapphire lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buoncristiani, A. Martin; Byvik, Charles E.; Farrukh, Usamah O.

1988-01-01

An expression is derived for the time dependent temperature distribution in a finite solid state laser rod for an end-pumped beam of arbitrary shape. The specific case of end pumping by circular (constant) or Gaussian beam is described. The temperature profile for a single pump pulse and for repetitive pulse operation is discussed. The particular case of the temperature distribution in a pulsed titanium:sapphire rod is considered.

Calculation of flexoelectric deformations of finite-size bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yurkov, A. S.

2015-03-01

The previously developed approximate theory of flexoelectric deformations of finite-size bodies has been considered as applied to three special cases: a uniformly polarized ball, a uniformly polarized circular rod, and a uniformly polarized thin circular plate of an isotropic material. For these cases simple algebraic formulas have been derived. In the case of the ball, the solution is compared with the previously obtained exact solution.

Pulsed ultrasonic stir welding system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ding, R. Jeffrey (Inventor)

2013-01-01

An ultrasonic stir welding system includes a welding head assembly having a plate and a rod passing through the plate. The rod is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof. During a welding operation, ultrasonic pulses are applied to the rod as it rotates about its longitudinal axis. The ultrasonic pulses are applied in such a way that they propagate parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod.

Heat transfer unit and method for prefabricated vessel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tamburello, David A.; Kesterson, Matthew R; Hardy, Bruce J.

Vessel assemblies, heat transfer units for prefabricated vessels, and methods for heat transfer prefabricated vessel are provided. A heat transfer unit includes a central rod, and a plurality of peripheral rods surrounding the central rod and connected to the central rod. The plurality of peripheral rods are movable between a first collapsed position and a second bowed position, wherein in the second bowed position a midpoint of each of the plurality of peripheral rods is spaced from the central rod relative to in the first position. The heat transfer unit further includes a heat transfer element connected to one ofmore » the plurality of peripheral rods.« less

Fabrication of circular assemblies with DNA tetrahedrons: from static structures to a dynamic rotary motor

PubMed Central

Wang, Liying; Meng, Zhenyu; Martina, Felicia; Shao, Huilin

2017-01-01

Abstract DNA tetrahedron as the simplest 3D DNA nanostructure has been applied widely in biomedicine and biosensing. Herein, we design and fabricate a series of circular assemblies of DNA tetrahedron with high purity and decent yields. These circular nanostructures are confirmed by endonuclease digestion, gel electrophoresis and atomic force microscopy. Inspired by rotary protein motor, we demonstrate these circular architectures can serve as a stator for a rotary DNA motor to achieve the circular rotation. The DNA motor can rotate on the stators for several cycles, and the locomotion of the motor is monitored by the real-time fluorescent measurements. PMID:29126166

Dynamic response of RC beams strengthened with near surface mounted Carbon-FRP rods subjected to damage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capozucca, R.; Blasi, M. G.; Corina, V.

2015-07-01

Near surface mounted (NSM) technique with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) is becoming a common method in the strengthening of concrete beams. The availability of NSM FRP technique depends on many factors linked to materials and geometry - dimensions of the rods used, type of FRP material employed, rods’ surface configuration, groove size - and to adhesion between concrete and FRP rods. In this paper detection of damage is investigated measuring the natural frequency values of beam in the case of free-free ends. Damage was due both to reduction of adhesion between concrete and carbon-FRP rectangular and circular rods and cracking of concrete under static bending tests on beams. Comparison between experimental and theoretical frequency values evaluating frequency changes due to damage permits to monitor actual behaviour of RC beams strengthened by NSM CFRP rods.

Pulsed ultrasonic stir welding method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ding, R. Jeffrey (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A method of performing ultrasonic stir welding uses a welding head assembly to include a plate and a rod passing through the plate. The rod is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof. In the method, the rod is rotated about its longitudinal axis during a welding operation. During the welding operation, a series of on-off ultrasonic pulses are applied to the rod such that they propagate parallel to the rod's longitudinal axis. At least a pulse rate associated with the on-off ultrasonic pulses is controlled.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hannan, N. A.; Matos, J. E.; Stillman, J. A.

At the request of the Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague, ANL has performed independent verification calculations using the MCNP Monte Carlo code for three core configurations of the VR-1 reactor: a current core configuration B1 with HEU (36%) IRT-3M fuel assemblies and planned core configurations C1 and C2 with LEU (19.7%) IRT-4M fuel assemblies. Details of these configurations were provided to ANL by CTU. For core configuration B1, criticality calculations were performed for two sets of control rod positions provided to ANL by CTU. Fore core configurations C1 and C2, criticality calculations were done for cases with all controlmore » rods at the top positions, all control rods at the bottom positions, and two critical states of the reactor for different control rod positions. In addition, sensitivity studies for variation of the {sup 235}U mass in each fuel assembly and variation of the fuel meat and cladding thicknesses in each of the fuel tubes were doe for the C1 core configuration. The reactivity worth of the individual control rods was calculated for the B1, C1, and C2 core configurations. Finally, the reactivity feedback coefficients, the prompt neutron lifetime, and the total effective delay neutron fraction were calculated for each of the three cores.« less

77 FR 63712 - Airworthiness Directives; Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-17

... authority for Italy. We issued that AD to prevent the brake hydraulic fluid from leaking because of the brake assembly rods contacting the brake valve tubing, which could result in the inability to adequately... brake pads between pilot and copilot, a brake system rod was found deflected. The rod, in this bent...

VIEW OF WEST BANK OF “SAFETY ROD PACKAGE,” INCLUDING SAFETY ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF WEST BANK OF “SAFETY ROD PACKAGE,” INCLUDING SAFETY ROD MOTOR DRIVES (B AND C), DRUMS, AND CLUTCHES, IN A THREE-TIERED RACK IN THE PDP ROOM AT LEVEL +27’, LOOKING SOUTHWEST - Physics Assembly Laboratory, Area A/M, Savannah River Site, Aiken, Aiken County, SC

VIEW OF EAST BANK OF “SAFETY ROD PACKAGE,” INCLUDING SAFETY ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF EAST BANK OF “SAFETY ROD PACKAGE,” INCLUDING SAFETY ROD MOTOR DRIVES (B AND C), DRUMS, AND CLUTCHES, IN A THREE-TIERED RACK IN THE PDP ROOM AT LEVEL +27’, LOOKING SOUTHEAST - Physics Assembly Laboratory, Area A/M, Savannah River Site, Aiken, Aiken County, SC

Fail-safe storage rack for irradiated fuel rod assemblies

DOEpatents

Lewis, D.R.

1993-03-23

A fail-safe storage rack is provided for interim storage of spent but radioactive nuclear fuel rod assemblies. The rack consists of a checkerboard array of substantially square, elongate receiving tubes fully enclosed by a double walled container, the outer wall of which is imperforate for liquid containment and the inner wall of which is provided with perforations for admitting moderator liquid flow to the elongate receiving tubes, the liquid serving to take up waste heat from the stored nuclear assemblies and dissipate same to the ambient liquid reservoir. A perforated cover sealing the rack facilitates cooling liquid entry and dissipation.

Fail-safe storage rack for irradiated fuel rod assemblies

DOEpatents

Lewis, Donald R.

1993-01-01

A fail-safe storage rack is provided for interim storage of spent but radioactive nuclear fuel rod assemblies. The rack consists of a checkerboard array of substantially square, elongate receiving tubes fully enclosed by a double walled container, the outer wall of which is imperforate for liquid containment and the inner wall of which is provided with perforations for admitting moderator liquid flow to the elongate receiving tubes, the liquid serving to take up waste heat from the stored nuclear assemblies and dissipate same to the ambient liquid reservoir. A perforated cover sealing the rack facilitates cooling liquid entry and dissipation.

Self-Assembly of Rod-Coil Block Copolymers on Carbon Nanotubes: A Route toward Diverse Surface Nanostructures.

PubMed

Han, Yang; Cai, Chunhua; Lin, Jiaping; Gong, Shuting; Xu, Wenheng; Hu, Rui

2018-04-14

In this work, it is reported that poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PBLG-b-PEG) rod-coil block copolymers (BCPs) can disperse carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in solution and form various surface nanostructures on the CNTs via solution self-assembly. In an organic solvent that dissolves the BCPs, the PBLG rod blocks adsorb on CNT surfaces, and the BCPs form conformal coatings. Then, by the introduction of water, a selective solvent for PEG blocks, the BCPs in the coatings further self-assemble into diverse surface nanostructures, such as helices (left-handed or right-handed), gyros, spheres, and rings. The morphology of the surface nanostructure can be tailored by initial organic solvent composition, preparation temperature, feeding ratio of BCPs to CNTs, degree of polymerization of PBLG blocks, and diameter of the CNTs. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultrasonically-assisted Thermal Stir Welding System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ding, R. Jeffrey (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A welding head assembly has a work piece disposed between its containment plates' opposing surfaces with the work piece being maintained in a plastic state thereof at least in a vicinity of the welding head assembly's stir rod as the rod is rotated about its longitudinal axis. The welding head assembly and the work piece experience relative movement there between in a direction perpendicular to the rod's longitudinal axis as the work piece is subjected to a compressive force applied by the containment plates. A first source coupled to the first containment plate applies a first ultrasonic wave thereto such that the first ultrasonic wave propagates parallel to the direction of relative movement. A second source coupled to the second containment plate applies a second ultrasonic wave thereto such that the second ultrasonic wave propagates parallel to the direction of relative movement.propagates parallel to the direction of relative movement.

Drapery assembly including insulated drapery liner

DOEpatents

Cukierski, Gwendolyn

1983-01-01

A drapery assembly is disclosed for covering a framed wall opening, the assembly including drapery panels hung on a horizontal traverse rod, the rod having a pair of master slides and means for displacing the master slides between open and closed positions. A pair of insulating liner panels are positioned behind the drapery, the remote side edges of the liner panels being connected with the side portions of the opening frame, and the adjacent side edges of the liner panels being connected with a pair of vertically arranged center support members adapted for sliding movement longitudinally of a horizontal track member secured to the upper horizontal portion of the opening frame. Pivotally arranged brackets connect the center support members with the master slides of the traverse rod whereby movement of the master slides to effect opening and closing of the drapery panels effects simultaneous opening and closing of the liner panels.

Three dimensional chiral plasmon rulers based on silver nanorod trimers.

PubMed

Han, Chunrui; Yang, Lechen; Ye, Piao; Parrott, Edward P J; Pickwell-Macpherson, Emma; Tam, Wing Yim

2018-04-16

The symmetry dependences of plasmon excitation modes are studied in 3D silver nanorod trimers. The degenerate plasmon modes split into chiral modes by breaking the inversion and mirror symmetry of the nanorod trimer through translation and/or rotation of the middle rod. With a translation operation, successive evolution of the circular dichroism (CD) spectrum can be achieved through gradual breaking of the inversion symmetry. An additional rotation operation produces even dramatic spectral changes due to breaking a quasi-mirror symmetry resulted from the same angular distance of the middle rod to the top and bottom rods. Especially, pairs of new chiral modes can be excited due to the contact of the middle rod with the top-bottom rod pair. The spectral changes in the simulations, which are also demonstrated experimentally, envision the 3D chiral nanorod trimer system as plasmon ruler for spatial configuration retrieval and dynamic bio-process analysis at the single molecule level.

Modulation of the Lytic Activity of the Dedicated Autolysin for Flagellum Formation SltF by Flagellar Rod Proteins FlgB and FlgF

PubMed Central

Herlihey, Francesca A.; Osorio-Valeriano, Manuel; Dreyfus, Georges

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT SltF was identified previously as an autolysin required for the assembly of flagella in the alphaproteobacteria, but the nature of its peptidoglycan lytic activity remained unknown. Sequence alignment analyses suggest that it could function as either a muramidase, lytic transglycosylase, or β-N-acetylglucosaminidase. Recombinant SltF from Rhodobacter sphaeroides was purified to apparent homogeneity, and it was demonstrated to function as a lytic transglycosylase based on enzymatic assays involving mass spectrometric analyses. Circular dichroism (CD) analysis determined that it is composed of 83.4% α-structure and 1.48% β-structure and thus is similar to family 1A lytic transglycosylases. However, alignment of apparent SltF homologs identified in the genome database defined a new subfamily of the family 1 lytic transglycosylases. SltF was demonstrated to be endo-acting, cleaving within chains of peptidoglycan, with optimal activity at pH 7.0. Its activity is modulated by two flagellar rod proteins, FlgB and FlgF: FlgB both stabilizes and stimulates SltF activity, while FlgF inhibits it. Invariant Glu57 was confirmed as the sole catalytic acid/base residue of SltF. IMPORTANCE The bacterial flagellum is comprised of a basal body, hook, and helical filament, which are connected by a rod structure. With a diameter of approximately 4 nm, the rod is larger than the estimated pore size within the peptidoglycan sacculus, and hence its insertion requires the localized and controlled lysis of this essential cell wall component. In many beta- and gammaproteobacteria, this lysis is catalyzed by the β-N-acetylglucosaminidase domain of FlgJ. However, FlgJ of the alphaproteobacteria lacks this activity and instead it recruits a separate enzyme, SltF, for this purpose. In this study, we demonstrate that SltF functions as a newly identified class of lytic transglycosylases and that its autolytic activity is uniquely modulated by two rod proteins, FlgB and FlgF. PMID:27114466

Higher order parametric excitation modes for spaceborne quadrupole mass spectrometers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gershman, D. J.; Block, B. P.; Rubin, M.

This paper describes a technique to significantly improve upon the mass peak shape and mass resolution of spaceborne quadrupole mass spectrometers (QMSs) through higher order auxiliary excitation of the quadrupole field. Using a novel multiresonant tank circuit, additional frequency components can be used to drive modulating voltages on the quadrupole rods in a practical manner, suitable for both improved commercial applications and spaceflight instruments. Auxiliary excitation at frequencies near twice that of the fundamental quadrupole RF frequency provides the advantages of previously studied parametric excitation techniques, but with the added benefit of increased sensed excitation amplitude dynamic range and themore » ability to operate voltage scan lines through the center of upper stability islands. Using a field programmable gate array, the amplitudes and frequencies of all QMS signals are digitally generated and managed, providing a robust and stable voltage control system. These techniques are experimentally verified through an interface with a commercial Pfeiffer QMG422 quadrupole rod system. When operating through the center of a stability island formed from higher order auxiliary excitation, approximately 50% and 400% improvements in 1% mass resolution and peak stability were measured, respectively, when compared with traditional QMS operation. Although tested with a circular rod system, the presented techniques have the potential to improve the performance of both circular and hyperbolic rod geometry QMS sensors.« less

Forwardly-placed firearm fire control assembly

DOEpatents

Frickey, Steven J.

2001-12-22

A firearm fire control assembly for disposition in a forwardly placed support-hand operative relationship within a firearm having a combination of a firing pin and a firearm hammer adapted to engage and fire a cartridge, a sear assembly to alternately engage and disengage the combination of the firearm hammer and firing pin, and a trigger assembly including a movable trigger mechanism that is operable to engage the sear assembly to cause the firearm hammer firing pin combination to fire the firearm, a fire control assembly including a fire control depression member and a fire control rod operably connected to the depression member, and being positioned in a forward disposition disposed within a forestock of the firearm, and the depression member adapted to be operably engaged and depressed by the user's conventional forwardly placed support hand to maneuver the fire control rod to provide firing control of the firing of the firearm.

Nanotrumpets and circularly polarized luminescent nanotwists hierarchically self-assembled from an achiral C3-symmetric ester.

PubMed

Sang, Yutao; Duan, Pengfei; Liu, Minghua

2018-04-17

An achiral C3-symmetric molecule was found to self-assemble into various hierarchical nanostructures such as nanotwists, nanotrumpets and nanobelts, in which the twisted fibers showed supramolecular chirality as well as circularly polarized luminescence although the compound is achiral.

Activated actin-depolymerizing factor/cofilin sequesters phosphorylated microtubule-associated protein during the assembly of alzheimer-like neuritic cytoskeletal striations.

PubMed

Whiteman, Ineka T; Gervasio, Othon L; Cullen, Karen M; Guillemin, Gilles J; Jeong, Erica V; Witting, Paul K; Antao, Shane T; Minamide, Laurie S; Bamburg, James R; Goldsbury, Claire

2009-10-14

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), rod-like cofilin aggregates (cofilin-actin rods) and thread-like inclusions containing phosphorylated microtubule-associated protein (pMAP) tau form in the brain (neuropil threads), and the extent of their presence correlates with cognitive decline and disease progression. The assembly mechanism of these respective pathological lesions and the relationship between them is poorly understood, yet vital to understanding the causes of sporadic AD. We demonstrate that, during mitochondrial inhibition, activated actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin assemble into rods along processes of cultured primary neurons that recruit pMAP/tau and mimic neuropil threads. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer analysis revealed colocalization of cofilin-GFP (green fluorescent protein) and pMAP in rods, suggesting their close proximity within a cytoskeletal inclusion complex. The relationship between pMAP and cofilin-actin rods was further investigated using actin-modifying drugs and small interfering RNA knockdown of ADF/cofilin in primary neurons. The results suggest that activation of ADF/cofilin and generation of cofilin-actin rods is required for the subsequent recruitment of pMAP into the inclusions. Additionally, we were able to induce the formation of pMAP-positive ADF/cofilin rods by exposing cells to exogenous amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides. These results reveal a common pathway for pMAP and cofilin accumulation in neuronal processes. The requirement of activated ADF/cofilin for the sequestration of pMAP suggests that neuropil thread structures in the AD brain may be initiated by elevated cofilin activation and F-actin bundling that can be caused by oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, or Abeta peptides, all suspected initiators of synaptic loss and neurodegeneration in AD.

Functionalization of quantum rods with oligonucleotides for programmable assembly with DNA origami

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doane, Tennyson L.; Alam, Rabeka; Maye, Mathew M.

2015-02-01

The DNA-mediated self-assembly of CdSe/CdS quantum rods (QRs) onto DNA origami is described. Two QR types with unique optical emission and high polarization were synthesized, and then functionalized with oligonucleotides (ssDNA) using a novel protection-deprotection approach, which harnessed ssDNA's tailorable rigidity and denaturation temperature to increase DNA coverage by reducing non-specific coordination and wrapping. The QR assembly was programmable, and occurred at two different assembly zones that had capture strands in parallel alignment. QRs with different optical properties were assembled, opening up future studies on orientation dependent QR FRET. The QR-origami conjugates could be purified via gel electrophoresis and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. Assembly yields, QR stoichiometry and orientation, as well as energy transfer implications were studied in light of QR distances, origami flexibility, and conditions.The DNA-mediated self-assembly of CdSe/CdS quantum rods (QRs) onto DNA origami is described. Two QR types with unique optical emission and high polarization were synthesized, and then functionalized with oligonucleotides (ssDNA) using a novel protection-deprotection approach, which harnessed ssDNA's tailorable rigidity and denaturation temperature to increase DNA coverage by reducing non-specific coordination and wrapping. The QR assembly was programmable, and occurred at two different assembly zones that had capture strands in parallel alignment. QRs with different optical properties were assembled, opening up future studies on orientation dependent QR FRET. The QR-origami conjugates could be purified via gel electrophoresis and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. Assembly yields, QR stoichiometry and orientation, as well as energy transfer implications were studied in light of QR distances, origami flexibility, and conditions. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental conditions, DNA origami blueprint and sequences, FRET calculations. Additional Fig. S1-S13. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr07662a

Effect of double-tailed surfactant architecture on the conformation, self-assembly, and processing in polypeptide-surfactant complexes.

PubMed

Junnila, Susanna; Hanski, Sirkku; Oakley, Richard J; Nummelin, Sami; Ruokolainen, Janne; Faul, Charl F J; Ikkala, Olli

2009-10-12

This work describes the solid-state conformational and structural properties of self-assembled polypeptide-surfactant complexes with double-tailed surfactants. Poly(L-lysine) was complexed with three dialkyl esters of phosphoric acid (i.e., phosphodiester surfactants), where the surfactant tail branching and length was varied to tune the supramolecular architecture in a facile way. After complexation with the branched surfactant bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate in an aqueous solution, the polypeptide chains adopted an alpha-helical conformation. These rod-like helices self-assembled into cylindrical phases with the amorphous alkyl tails pointing outward. In complexes with dioctyl phosphate and didodecyl phosphate, which have two linear n-octyl or n-dodecyl tails, respectively, the polypeptide formed antiparallel beta-sheets separated by alkyl layers, resulting in well-ordered lamellar self-assemblies. By heating, it was possible to trigger a partial opening of the beta-sheets and disruption of the lamellar phase. After repeated heating/cooling, all of these complexes also showed a glass transition between 37 and 50 degrees C. Organic solvent treatment and plasticization by overstoichiometric amount of surfactant led to structure modification in poly(L-lysine)-dioctyl phosphate complexes, PLL(diC8)(x) (x = 1.0-3.0). Here, the alpha-helical PLL is surrounded by the surfactants and these bottle-brush-like chains self-assemble in a hexagonal cylindrical morphology. As x is increased, the materials are clearly plasticized and the degree of ordering is improved: The stiff alpha-helical backbones in a softened surfactant matrix give rise to thermotropic liquid-crystalline phases. The complexes were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and circular dichroism.

Nuclear thermionic converter. [tungsten-thorium oxide rods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, W. M.; Mondt, J. F. (Inventor)

1977-01-01

Efficient nuclear reactor thermionic converter units are described which can be constructed at low cost and assembled in a reactor which requires a minimum of fuel. Each converter unit utilizes an emitter rod with a fluted exterior, several fuel passages located in the bulges that are formed in the rod between the flutes, and a collector receiving passage formed through the center of the rod. An array of rods is closely packed in an interfitting arrangement, with the bulges of the rods received in the recesses formed between the bulges of other rods, thereby closely packing the nuclear fuel. The rods are constructed of a mixture of tungsten and thorium oxide to provide high power output, high efficiency, high strength, and good machinability.

Cryogenic support member

DOEpatents

Niemann, Ralph C.; Gonczy, John D.; Nicol, Thomas H.

1987-01-01

A cryogenic support member is comprised of a non-metallic rod having a depression in at least one end and a metallic end connection assembled to the rod. The metallic end connection comprises a metallic plug which conforms to the shape and is disposed in the depression and a metallic sleeve is disposed over the rod and plug. The plug and the sleeve are shrink-fitted to the depression in the rod to form a connection good in compression, tension and bending.

Fabrication of circular assemblies with DNA tetrahedrons: from static structures to a dynamic rotary motor.

PubMed

Wang, Liying; Meng, Zhenyu; Martina, Felicia; Shao, Huilin; Shao, Fangwei

2017-12-01

DNA tetrahedron as the simplest 3D DNA nanostructure has been applied widely in biomedicine and biosensing. Herein, we design and fabricate a series of circular assemblies of DNA tetrahedron with high purity and decent yields. These circular nanostructures are confirmed by endonuclease digestion, gel electrophoresis and atomic force microscopy. Inspired by rotary protein motor, we demonstrate these circular architectures can serve as a stator for a rotary DNA motor to achieve the circular rotation. The DNA motor can rotate on the stators for several cycles, and the locomotion of the motor is monitored by the real-time fluorescent measurements. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Large-eddy simulation, fuel rod vibration and grid-to-rod fretting in pressurized water reactors

DOE PAGES

Christon, Mark A.; Lu, Roger; Bakosi, Jozsef; ...

2016-10-01

Grid-to-rod fretting (GTRF) in pressurized water reactors is a flow-induced vibration phenomenon that results in wear and fretting of the cladding material on fuel rods. GTRF is responsible for over 70% of the fuel failures in pressurized water reactors in the United States. Predicting the GTRF wear and concomitant interval between failures is important because of the large costs associated with reactor shutdown and replacement of fuel rod assemblies. The GTRF-induced wear process involves turbulent flow, mechanical vibration, tribology, and time-varying irradiated material properties in complex fuel assembly geometries. This paper presents a new approach for predicting GTRF induced fuelmore » rod wear that uses high-resolution implicit large-eddy simulation to drive nonlinear transient dynamics computations. The GTRF fluid–structure problem is separated into the simulation of the turbulent flow field in the complex-geometry fuel-rod bundles using implicit large-eddy simulation, the calculation of statistics of the resulting fluctuating structural forces, and the nonlinear transient dynamics analysis of the fuel rod. Ultimately, the methods developed here, can be used, in conjunction with operational management, to improve reactor core designs in which fuel rod failures are minimized or potentially eliminated. Furthermore, robustness of the behavior of both the structural forces computed from the turbulent flow simulations and the results from the transient dynamics analyses highlight the progress made towards achieving a predictive simulation capability for the GTRF problem.« less

Large-eddy simulation, fuel rod vibration and grid-to-rod fretting in pressurized water reactors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christon, Mark A.; Lu, Roger; Bakosi, Jozsef

Grid-to-rod fretting (GTRF) in pressurized water reactors is a flow-induced vibration phenomenon that results in wear and fretting of the cladding material on fuel rods. GTRF is responsible for over 70% of the fuel failures in pressurized water reactors in the United States. Predicting the GTRF wear and concomitant interval between failures is important because of the large costs associated with reactor shutdown and replacement of fuel rod assemblies. The GTRF-induced wear process involves turbulent flow, mechanical vibration, tribology, and time-varying irradiated material properties in complex fuel assembly geometries. This paper presents a new approach for predicting GTRF induced fuelmore » rod wear that uses high-resolution implicit large-eddy simulation to drive nonlinear transient dynamics computations. The GTRF fluid–structure problem is separated into the simulation of the turbulent flow field in the complex-geometry fuel-rod bundles using implicit large-eddy simulation, the calculation of statistics of the resulting fluctuating structural forces, and the nonlinear transient dynamics analysis of the fuel rod. Ultimately, the methods developed here, can be used, in conjunction with operational management, to improve reactor core designs in which fuel rod failures are minimized or potentially eliminated. Furthermore, robustness of the behavior of both the structural forces computed from the turbulent flow simulations and the results from the transient dynamics analyses highlight the progress made towards achieving a predictive simulation capability for the GTRF problem.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanan, N. A.; Matos, J. E.

At The request of the Czech Technical University in Prague, ANL has performed independent verification calculations using the MCNP Monte Carlo code for three core configurations of the VR-1 reactor: a current core configuration B1 with HEU (36%) IRT-3M fuel assemblies and planned core configurations C1 and C2 with LEU (19.7%) IRT-4M fuel assemblies. Details of these configurations were provided to ANL by CTU. For core configuration B1, criticality calculations were performed for two sets of control rod positions provided to ANL by CTU. For core configurations C1 and C2, criticality calculations were done for cases with all control rodsmore » at the top positions, all control rods at the bottom positions, and two critical states of the reactor for different control rod positions. In addition, sensitivity studies for variation of the {sup 235}U mass in each fuel assembly and variation of the fuel meat and cladding thicknesses in each of the fuel tubes were done for the C1 core configuration. Finally the reactivity worth of the individual control rods was calculated for the B1, C1, and C2 core configurations.« less

Fluid driven reciprocating apparatus

DOEpatents

Whitehead, J.C.

1997-04-01

An apparatus is described comprising a pair of fluid driven pump assemblies in a back-to-back configuration to yield a bi-directional pump. Each of the pump assemblies includes a piston or diaphragm which divides a chamber therein to define a power section and a pumping section. An intake-exhaust valve is connected to each of the power sections of the pump chambers, and function to direct fluid, such as compressed air, into the power section and exhaust fluid therefrom. At least one of the pistons or diaphragms is connected by a rod assembly which is constructed to define a signal valve, whereby the intake-exhaust valve of one pump assembly is controlled by the position or location of the piston or diaphragm in the other pump assembly through the operation of the rod assembly signal valve. Each of the pumping sections of the pump assemblies are provided with intake and exhaust valves to enable filling of the pumping section with fluid and discharging fluid therefrom when a desired pressure has been reached. 13 figs.

Fluid driven recipricating apparatus

DOEpatents

Whitehead, John C.

1997-01-01

An apparatus comprising a pair of fluid driven pump assemblies in a back-to-back configuration to yield a bi-directional pump. Each of the pump assemblies includes a piston or diaphragm which divides a chamber therein to define a power section and a pumping section. An intake-exhaust valve is connected to each of the power sections of the pump chambers, and function to direct fluid, such as compressed air, into the power section and exhaust fluid therefrom. At least one of the pistons or diaphragms is connected by a rod assembly which is constructed to define a signal valve, whereby the intake-exhaust valve of one pump assembly is controlled by the position or location of the piston or diaphragm in the other pump assembly through the operation of the rod assembly signal valve. Each of the pumping sections of the pump assemblies are provided with intake and exhaust valves to enable filling of the pumping section with fluid and discharging fluid therefrom when a desired pressure has been reached.

New soliton solution to the longitudinal wave equation in a magneto-electro-elastic circular rod

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seadawy, Aly R.; Manafian, Jalil

2018-03-01

This paper examines the effectiveness of an integration scheme which called the extended trial equation method (ETEM) in exactly solving a well-known nonlinear equation of partial differential equations (PDEs). In this respect, the longitudinal wave equation (LWE) that arises in mathematical physics with dispersion caused by the transverse Poisson's effect in a magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) circular rod, which a series of exact traveling wave solutions for the aforementioned equation is formally extracted. Explicit new exact solutions are derived in different form such as dark solitons, bright solitons, solitary wave, periodic solitary wave, rational function, and elliptic function solutions of the longitudinal wave equation. The movements of obtained solutions are shown graphically, which helps to understand the physical phenomena of this longitudinal wave equation. Many other such types of nonlinear equations arising in non-destructive evaluation of structures made of the advanced MEE material can also be solved by this method.

VIEW OF CABLES AND TAPES ASSOCIATED WITH ADRIVE CONTROL ROD ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF CABLES AND TAPES ASSOCIATED WITH A-DRIVE CONTROL ROD SYSTEM, AT LEVEL +15’, DIRECTLY ABOVE PDP CONTROL ROOM, LOOKING NORTH - Physics Assembly Laboratory, Area A/M, Savannah River Site, Aiken, Aiken County, SC

Coaxial stub tuner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chern, Shy-Shiun (Inventor)

1981-01-01

A coaxial stub tuner assembly is comprised of a short circuit branch diametrically opposite an open circuit branch. The stub of the short circuit branch is tubular, and the stub of the open circuit branch is a rod which extends through the tubular stub into the open circuit branch. The rod is threaded at least at its outer end, and the tubular stub is internally threaded to receive the threads of the rod. The open circuit branch can be easily tuned by turning the threaded rod in the tubular stub to adjust the length of the rod extending into the open circuit branch.

Reactivity control assembly for nuclear reactor. [LMFBR

DOEpatents

Bollinger, L.R.

1982-03-17

This invention, which resulted from a contact with the United States Department of Energy, relates to a control mechanism for a nuclear reactor and, more particularly, to an assembly for selectively shifting different numbers of reactivity modifying rods into and out of the core of a nuclear reactor. It has been proposed heretofore to control the reactivity of a breeder reactor by varying the depth of insertion of control rods (e.g., rods containing a fertile material such as ThO/sub 2/) in the core of the reactor, thereby varying the amount of neutron-thermalizing coolant and the amount of neutron-capturing material in the core. This invention relates to a mechanism which can advantageously be used in this type of reactor control system.

Nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Pennell, William E.; Rowan, William J.

1977-01-01

A nuclear reactor in which the core components, including fuel-rod assemblies, control-rod assemblies, fertile rod-assemblies, and removable shielding assemblies, are supported by a plurality of separate inlet modular units. These units are referred to as inlet module units to distinguish them from the modules of the upper internals of the reactor. The modular units are supported, each removable independently of the others, in liners in the supporting structure for the lower internals of the reactor. The core assemblies are removably supported in integral receptacles or sockets of the modular units. The liners, units, sockets and assmblies have inlet openings for entry of the fluid. The modular units are each removably mounted in the liners with fluid seals interposed between the opening in the liner and inlet module into which the fluid enters and the upper and lower portion of the liner. Each assembly is similarly mounted in a corresponding receptacle with fluid seals interposed between the openings where the fluid enters and the lower portion of the receptacle or fitting closely in these regions. As fluid flows along each core assembly a pressure drop is produced along the fluid so that the fluid which emerges from each core assembly is at a lower pressure than the fluid which enters the core assembly. However because of the seals interposed in the mountings of the units and assemblies the pressures above and below the units and assemblies are balanced and the units are held in the liners and the assemblies are held in the receptacles by their weights as they have a higher specific gravity than the fluid. The low-pressure spaces between each module and its liner and between each core assembly and its module is vented to the low-pressure regions of the vessel to assure that fluid which leaks through the seals does not accumulate and destroy the hydraulic balance.

Optically Active CdSe-Dot/CdS-Rod Nanocrystals with Induced Chirality and Circularly Polarized Luminescence.

PubMed

Cheng, Jiaji; Hao, Junjie; Liu, Haochen; Li, Jiagen; Li, Junzi; Zhu, Xi; Lin, Xiaodong; Wang, Kai; He, Tingchao

2018-05-30

Ligand-induced chirality in semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) has attracted attention because of the tunable optical properties of the NCs. Induced circular dichroism (CD) has been observed in CdX (X = S, Se, Te) NCs and their hybrids, but circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) in these fluorescent nanomaterials has been seldom reported. Herein, we describe the successful preparation of l- and d-cysteine-capped CdSe-dot/CdS-rods (DRs) with tunable CD and CPL behaviors and a maximum anisotropic factor ( g lum ) of 4.66 × 10 -4 . The observed CD and CPL activities are sensitive to the relative absorption ratio of the CdS shell to the CdSe core, suggesting that the anisotropic g-factors in both CD and CPL increase to some extent for a smaller shell-to-core absorption ratio. In addition, the molar ratio of chiral cysteine to the DRs is investigated. Instead of enhancing the chiral interactions between the chiral molecules and DRs, an excess of cysteine molecules in aqueous solution inhibits both the CD and CPL activities. Such chiral and emissive NCs provide an ideal platform for the rational design of semiconductor nanomaterials with chiroptical properties.

Experimental study of burnout in channels with twisted fuel rods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bol'Shakov, V. V.; Bashkirtsev, S. M.; Kobzar', L. L.; Morozov, A. G.

2007-05-01

The results of experimental studies of pressure drop and critical heat flux in the models of fuel assemblies (FAs) with fuel rod simulators twisted relative to the longitudinal axis and a three-ray cross section are considered. The experimental data are compared to the results obtained with the use of techniques adopted for design calculations with fuel rod bundles of type-VVER reactors.

Development of an Ultra-Wideband Circularly Polarized Multiple Layer Dielectric Rod Antenna Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wainwright, Gregory D.

This dissertations focuses on the development of a novel Ultra-Wideband (UWB) circularly polarized dielectric rod antenna (CPDRA) which yields a constant gain, pattern, and phase center. These properties are important in many applications. Within radar systems a constant phase center is desirable to avoid errors within downrange and crossrange measurements. In a reflector antenna the illumination, spillover, and phase efficiencies will remain the same over an ultra-wideband. Lastly, near field probes require smooth amplitude and phase patterns over frequency to avoid errors during the calibration process of the antenna under test. In this dissertation a novel CP feeding network has been developed for an ultra-wideband dielectric rod antenna. Circularly-polarized antennas have a major advantage over its linearly-polarized counterpart in that the polarization mismatch loss caused by misalignment between the polarizations of the incident fields and antenna can be avoided. This is important in satellite communications and broadcasts where signal propagation through the ionosphere can experience Faraday Rotation. A circularly polarized antenna is also helpful in mobile radar and communication systems where the receiving antennas orientation is not fixed. Previous research on UWB dielectric rod antenna designs has focused on Dual linear feeds. Each polarization within the dual linear feed is excited by a pair of linear launcher arms fed with a 0°-180° hybrid balun. The proposed CPDRA design does not require the 0°-180° hybrid baluns or 0°-90° hybrid for achieving CP operation. These hybrids will increase the antennas size, weight, cost, and reduce operational bandwidth. A design technique has been developed for an UWB multilayer dielectric waveguide used in a CPDRA antenna. This design technique uses near-field Electric field data from inside the waveguide, in conjunction with a genetic algorithm optimization to yield a wideband waveguide with a near field amplitude distribution that scales with frequency. A multilayered dielectric waveguide presents many fabrication challenges. The thermal expansion rates, moisture absorption rates, and vibration properties differ within the various dielectric materials used. Therefore, the development of a wideband waveguide using one material with a low dielectric constant would be advantages since 3-D printing technology can be utilized. In this dissertation novel TE01 and TM01 mode suppressors have been developed using only a single dielectric material.

19. Detail of base of revolving lens assembly, showing bottom ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

19. Detail of base of revolving lens assembly, showing bottom of lamp at center and brass tens framework at edges of circular platform. Mercury float bearing lies in circular well just beneath lens platform. (Blurred due to lens motion.) - Block Island Southeast Light, Spring Street & Mohegan Trail at Mohegan Bluffs, New Shoreham, Washington County, RI

Management of thermal peaking factors in CONFU-B PWR assemblies using neutron poisons and tailored enrichment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Visosky, M.; Hejzlar, P.; Kazimi, M.

2006-07-01

CONFU-B assemblies are PWR assemblies containing standard Uranium fuel rods and TRU bearing inert material fuel rods and are designed to achieve net TRU destruction over a 4.5-year irradiation. These highly heterogeneous assemblies tend to exhibit large intra-assembly power peaking factors (IAPPF). Neutronic strategies to reduce IAPPF are developed. The IAPPF are calculated at the assembly level using CASMO4, and these are used to calculate the most restrictive thermal margin (the Minimum Departure from Nucleate Boiling Ratio, MDNBR) using a whole-core VIPRE-01 model. This paper examines two strategies to manage the thermal margin of a CONFU-B assembly while retaining themore » TRU destruction performance: use of neutron poisons and tailored enrichment schemes. Burnable poisons can be used to suppress BOL reactivity of fresh CONFU-B assemblies with only minor impact on MDNBR and TRU destruction performance. Tailored enrichment, along with the use of soluble boron, can achieve significant improvements in MDNBR, but at some cost to TRU destruction performance. (authors)« less

Fuel assembly design for APR1400 with low CBC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hah, Chang Joo, E-mail: changhah@kings.ac.kr

2015-04-29

APR 1400 is a PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) with rated power of 3983 MWth and 241 assemblies. Recently, demand for extremely longer cycle up to 24 months is increasing with challenge of higher critical boron concentration (CBC). In this paper, assembly design method of selecting Gd-rods is introduced to reduce CBC. The purpose of the method is to lower the critical boron concentration of the preliminary core loading pattern (PLP), and consequently to achieve more negative or less positive moderator temperature coefficient (MTC). In this method, both the ratio of the number of low-Gd rod to the number of high-Gdmore » rod (r) and assembly average Gd wt% (w) are the decision variables. The target function is the amount of soluble boron concentration reduction, which can be converted to Δk{sub TARGET}. A set of new designed fuel assembly satisfies an objective function, min [f=∑{sub i}(Δk{sub FA}−Δk{sub i})], and enables a final loading pattern to reach a target CBC. The constraints required to determine a set of Δk are physically realizable pair, (r,w), and the sum of Δk of new designed assemblies as close to Δk{sub TARGET} as possible. New Gd-bearing assemblies selected based on valid pairs of (r,w) are replaced with existing assemblies in a PLP. This design methodology is applied to Shin-Kori Unit 3 Cycle 1 used as a reference model. CASMO-3/MASTER code is used for depletion calculation. CASMO-3/MASTER calculations with new designed assemblies produce lower CBC than the expected CBC, proving that the proposed method works successful.« less

Effect of the boundary conditions and influence of the rotational inertia on the vibrational modes of an elastic ring

PubMed Central

Clauvelin, Nicolas; Olson, Wilma K.; Tobias, Irwin

2013-01-01

We present the small-amplitude vibrations of a circular elastic ring with periodic and clamped boundary conditions. We model the rod as an inextensible, isotropic, naturally straight Kirchhoff elastic rod and obtain the vibrational modes of the ring analytically for periodic boundary conditions and numerically for clamped boundary conditions. Of particular interest are the dependence of the vibrational modes on the torsional stress in the ring and the influence of the rotational inertia of the rod on the mode frequencies and amplitudes. In rescaling the Kirchhoff equations, we introduce a parameter inversely proportional to the aspect ratio of the rod. This parameter makes it possible to capture the influence of the rotational inertia of the rod. We find that the rotational inertia has a minor influence on the vibrational modes with the exception of a specific category of modes corresponding to high-frequency twisting deformations in the ring. Moreover, some of the vibrational modes over or undertwist the elastic rod depending on the imposed torsional stress in the ring. PMID:24795495

Electrorefiner system for recovering purified metal from impure nuclear feed material

DOEpatents

Berger, John F.; Williamson, Mark A.; Wiedmeyer, Stanley G.; Willit, James L.; Barnes, Laurel A.; Blaskovitz, Robert J.

2015-10-06

An electrorefiner system according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention may include a vessel configured to maintain a molten salt electrolyte and configured to receive a plurality of alternately arranged cathode and anode assemblies. The anode assemblies are configured to hold an impure nuclear feed material. Upon application of the power system, the impure nuclear feed material is anodically dissolved and a purified metal is deposited on the cathode rods of the cathode assemblies. A scraper is configured to dislodge the purified metal deposited on the cathode rods. A conveyor system is disposed at a bottom of the vessel and configured to remove the dislodged purified metal from the vessel.

Molten core retention assembly

DOEpatents

Lampe, Robert F.

1976-06-22

Molten fuel produced in a core overheating accident is caught by a molten core retention assembly consisting of a horizontal baffle plate having a plurality of openings therein, heat exchange tubes having flow holes near the top thereof mounted in the openings, and a cylindrical, imperforate baffle attached to the plate and surrounding the tubes. The baffle assembly is supported from the core support plate of the reactor by a plurality of hanger rods which are welded to radial beams passing under the baffle plate and intermittently welded thereto. Preferably the upper end of the cylindrical baffle terminates in an outwardly facing lip to which are welded a plurality of bearings having slots therein adapted to accept the hanger rods.

PLUTONIUM FUEL RODS FOR PREPARATION OF TRANSPLUTONIC ELEMENTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bailey, W.J.

1962-02-01

Production by coextrusion of metallurgically bonded, Alclad, Al-7.35 wt% Pu alloy fuel rods with integral ends is discussed. The rods had a diameter of 0.94 in., length of, 60 in., and a nominal cladding thickness of 0.070 in. The Pu concentration was maintained at 83.3 g/rod. The coextrusion billets can be assembled with fuel cores in the as-cast condition. The casting hot-tops can be returned to the process stream. The process is useful for preparing transplutonic elements and production of high-exposure Pu. (J.R.D.)

POWER BREEDER REACTOR

DOEpatents

Monson, H.O.

1960-11-22

An arrangement is offered for preventing or minimizing the contraction due to temperature rise, of a reactor core comprising vertical fuel rods in sodium. Temperature rise of the fuel rods would normally make them move closer together by inward bowing, with a resultant undesired increase in reactivity. According to the present invention, assemblies of the fuel rods are laterally restrained at the lower ends of their lower blanket sections and just above the middle of the fuel sections proper of the rods, and thus the fuel sections move apart, rather than together, with increase in temperature.

Grid-to-rod flow-induced impact study for PWR fuel in reactor

DOE PAGES

Jiang, Hao; Qu, Jun; Lu, Roger Y.; ...

2016-06-10

The source for grid-to-rod fretting in a pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR) is the dynamic contact impact from hydraulic flow-induced fuel assembly vibration. In order to support grid-to-rod fretting wear mitigation research, finite element analysis (FEA) was used to evaluate the hydraulic flow-induced impact intensity between the fuel rods and the spacer grids. Three-dimensional FEA models, with detailed geometries of the dimple and spring of the actual spacer grids along with fuel rods, were developed for flow impact simulation. The grid-to-rod dynamic impact simulation provided insights of the contact phenomena at grid-rod interface. Finally, it is an essential and effectivemore » way to evaluate contact forces and provide guidance for simulative bench fretting-impact tests.« less

A π-gel scaffold for assembling fullerene to photoconducting supramolecular rods

PubMed Central

Nair, Vishnu Sukumaran; Mukhopadhyay, Rahul Dev; Saeki, Akinori; Seki, Shu; Ajayaghosh, Ayyappanpillai

2016-01-01

Nonequilibrium self-assembly of molecules holds a huge prospect as a tool for obtaining new-generation materials for future applications. Crystallization of neutral molecules within a supramolecular gel matrix is one example in which two nonequilibrium processes occur orthogonal to each other. On the other hand, electronically interacting donor-acceptor two-component systems are expected to form phase-miscible hybrid systems. Contrary to the expectation, we report the behavior of a π-gel, derived from oligo(p-phenylenevinylene), OPVA, as a scaffold for the phase separation and crystallization of fullerene (C60) to supramolecular rods with increased transient photoconductivity (φƩμmax = 2.4 × 10−4 cm2 V−1 s−1). The C60 supramolecular rods in the π-gel medium exhibited high photocurrent in comparison to C60 loaded in a non–π-gel medium. This finding provides an opportunity for large-scale preparation of micrometer-sized photoconducting rods of fullerenes for device application. PMID:27679815

The Flagellar Hook Protein, FlgE, of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Is Posttranscriptionally Regulated in Response to the Stage of Flagellar Assembly

PubMed Central

Bonifield, Heather R.; Yamaguchi, Shigeru; Hughes, Kelly T.

2000-01-01

We investigated the posttranscriptional regulation of flgE, a class 2 gene that encodes the hook subunit protein of the flagella. RNase protection assays demonstrated that the flgE gene was transcribed at comparable levels in numerous strains defective in known steps of flagellar assembly. However, Western analyses of these strains demonstrated substantial differences in FlgE protein levels. Although wild-type FlgE levels were observed in strains with deletions of genes encoding components of the switch complex and the flagellum-specific secretion apparatus, no protein was detected in a strain with deletions of the rod, ring, and hook-associated proteins. To determine whether FlgE levels were affected by the stage of hook–basal-body assembly, Western analysis was performed on strains with mutations at individual loci encompassed by the deletion. FlgE protein was undetectable in rod mutants, intermediate in ring mutants, and wild type in hook-associated protein mutants. The lack of negative regulation in switch complex and flagellum-specific secretion apparatus deletion mutants blocked for flagellar construction prior to rod assembly suggests that these structures play a role in the negative regulation of FlgE. Quantitative Western analyses of numerous flagellar mutants indicate that FlgE levels reflect the stage at which flagellar assembly is blocked. These data provide evidence for negative posttranscriptional regulation of FlgE in response to the stage of flagellar assembly. PMID:10869084

Chirality and energy transfer amplified circularly polarized luminescence in composite nanohelix

PubMed Central

Yang, Dong; Duan, Pengfei; Zhang, Li; Liu, Minghua

2017-01-01

Transfer of both chirality and energy information plays an important role in biological systems. Here we show a chiral donor π-gelator and assembled it with an achiral π-acceptor to see how chirality and energy can be transferred in a composite donor–acceptor system. It is found that the individual chiral gelator can self-assemble into nanohelix. In the presence of the achiral acceptor, the self-assembly can also proceed and lead to the formation of the composite nanohelix. In the composite nanohelix, an energy transfer is realized. Interestingly, in the composite nanohelix, the achiral acceptor can both capture the supramolecular chirality and collect the circularly polarized energy from the chiral donor, showing both supramolecular chirality and energy transfer amplified circularly polarized luminescence (ETACPL). PMID:28585538

Chirality and energy transfer amplified circularly polarized luminescence in composite nanohelix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Dong; Duan, Pengfei; Zhang, Li; Liu, Minghua

2017-06-01

Transfer of both chirality and energy information plays an important role in biological systems. Here we show a chiral donor π-gelator and assembled it with an achiral π-acceptor to see how chirality and energy can be transferred in a composite donor-acceptor system. It is found that the individual chiral gelator can self-assemble into nanohelix. In the presence of the achiral acceptor, the self-assembly can also proceed and lead to the formation of the composite nanohelix. In the composite nanohelix, an energy transfer is realized. Interestingly, in the composite nanohelix, the achiral acceptor can both capture the supramolecular chirality and collect the circularly polarized energy from the chiral donor, showing both supramolecular chirality and energy transfer amplified circularly polarized luminescence (ETACPL).

Chiral Templating of Self-Assembling Nanostructures by Circularly Polarized Light

PubMed Central

Yeom, Jihyeon; Yeom, Bongjun; Chan, Henry; Smith, Kyle W.; Dominguez-Medina, Sergio; Bahng, Joong Hwan; Zhao, Gongpu; Chang, Wei-Shun; Chang, Sung Jin; Chuvilin, Andrey; Melnikau, Dzmitry; Rogach, Andrey L.; Zhang, Peijun; Link, Stephan; Král, Petr; Kotov, Nicholas A.

2015-01-01

Chemical reactions affected by spin angular momenta of circularly polarized photons are rare and display low enantiomeric excess. High optical and chemical activity of nanoparticles (NPs) should facilitate the transfer of spin angular momenta of photons to nanoscale materials but such processes are unknown. Here we demonstrate that circularly polarized light (CPL) strongly affects self-assembly of racemic CdTe NPs. Illumination of NP dispersions with right- and left-handed CPL induces the formation of right- and left-handed twisted nanoribbons, respectively. Enantiomeric excess of such reactions exceeds 30% which is ~10 times higher than other CPL-induced reactions. Illumination with linearly polarized light and assembly in the dark led to straight nanoribbons. The mechanism of “templation” of NP assemblies by CPL is associated with selective photoactivation of chiral NPs and clusters followed by their photooxidation. Chiral anisotropy of interactions translates into chirality of the assembled ribbons. The ability of NPs to retain polarization information, or the “imprint” of incident photons opens new pathways for the synthesis of chiral photonic materials and allows for better understanding of the origins of biomolecular homochirality. PMID:25401922

Depletion forces drive polymer-like self-assembly in vibrofluidized granular materials†

PubMed Central

Nossal, Ralph

2011-01-01

Ranging from nano- to granular-scales, control of particle assembly can be achieved by limiting the available free space, for example by increasing the concentration of particles (“crowding”) or through their restriction to 2D environments. It is unclear, however, if self-assembly principles governing thermally-equilibrated molecules can also apply to mechanically-excited macroscopic particles in non-equilibrium steady-state. Here we show that low densities of vibrofluidized steel rods, when crowded by high densities of spheres and confined to quasi-2D planes, can self-assemble into linear polymer-like structures. Our 2D Monte Carlo simulations show similar finite sized aggregates in thermally equilibrated binary mixtures. Using theory and simulations, we demonstrate how depletion interactions create oriented “binding” forces between rigid rods to form these “living polymers.” Unlike rod-sphere mixtures in 3D that can demonstrate well-defined equilibrium phases, our mixtures confined to 2D lack these transitions because lower dimensionality favors the formation of linear aggregates, thus suppressing a true phase transition. The qualitative and quantitative agreement between equilibrium and granular patterning for these mixtures suggests that entropy maximization is the determining driving force for bundling. Furthermore, this study uncovers a previously unknown patterning behavior at both the granular and nanoscales, and may provide insights into the role of crowding at interfaces in molecular assembly. PMID:22039392

Magnetic antenna using metallic glass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Desch, Michael D. (Inventor); Farrell, William M. (Inventor); Houser, Jeffrey G. (Inventor)

1996-01-01

A lightweight search-coil antenna or sensor assembly for detecting magnetic fields and including a multi-turn electromagnetic induction coil wound on a spool type coil form through which is inserted an elongated coil loading member comprised of metallic glass material wrapped around a dielectric rod. The dielectric rod consists of a plastic or a wooden dowel having a length which is relatively larger than its thickness so as to provide a large length-to-diameter ratio. A tri-axial configuration includes a housing in which is located three substantially identical mutually orthogonal electromagnetic induction coil assemblies of the type described above wherein each of the assemblies include an electromagnetic coil wound on a dielectric spool with an elongated metallic glass coil loading member projecting therethrough.

Fabrication of light water reactor tritium targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pilger, J.P.

1991-11-01

The mission of the Fabrication Development Task of the Tritium Target Development Project is: to produce a documented technology basis, including specifications and procedures for target rod fabrication; to demonstrate that light water tritium targets can be manufactured at a rate consistent with tritium production requirements; and to develop quality control methods to evaluate target rod components and assemblies, and establish correlations between evaluated characteristics and target rod performance. Many of the target rod components: cladding tubes, end caps, plenum springs, etc., have similar counterparts in LWR fuel rods. High production rate manufacture and inspection of these components has beenmore » adequately demonstrated by nuclear fuel rod manufacturers. This summary describes the more non-conventional manufacturing processes and inspection techniques developed to fabricate target rod components whose manufacturability at required production rates had not been previously demonstrated.« less

Reactivity control assembly for nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Bollinger, Lawrence R.

1984-01-01

Reactivity control assembly for nuclear reactor comprises supports stacked above reactor core for holding control rods. Couplers associated with the supports and a vertically movable drive shaft have lugs at their lower ends for engagement with the supports.

Use your head! Perception of action possibilities by means of an object attached to the head.

PubMed

Wagman, Jeffrey B; Hajnal, Alen

2016-03-01

Perceiving any environmental property requires spontaneously assembling a smart perceptual instrument-a task-specific measurement device assembled across potentially independent anatomical units. Previous research has shown that to a large degree, perception of a given environmental property is anatomically independent. We attempted to provide stronger evidence for this proposal by investigating perception by an organization of anatomical and inert components that likely requires the spontaneous assembly of a novel smart perceptual instrument-a rod attached to the head. Specifically, we compared cephalic and manual perception of whether an inclined surface affords standing on. In both conditions, perception reflected the action capabilities of the perceiver and not the appendage used to wield the rod. Such results provide stronger evidence for anatomical independence of perception within a given perceptual system and highlight that flexible task-specific detection units can be assembled across units that span the body and inert objects.

Control rod for a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Roman, Walter G.; Sutton, Jr., Harry G.

1979-01-01

A control rod assembly for a nuclear reactor is disclosed having a remotely disengageable coupling between the control rod and the control rod drive shaft. The coupling is actuated by first lowering then raising the drive shaft. The described motion causes axial repositioning of a pin in a grooved rotatable cylinder, each being attached to different parts of the drive shaft which are axially movable relative to each other. In one embodiment, the relative axial motion of the parts of the drive shaft is used either to couple or to uncouple the connection by forcing resilient members attached to the drive shaft into or out of shouldered engagement, respectively, with an indentation formed in the control rod.

Assembly of the MreB-associated cytoskeletal ring of Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Vats, Purva; Shih, Yu-Ling; Rothfield, Lawrence

2009-04-01

The Escherichia coli actin homologue MreB is part of a helical cytoskeletal structure that winds around the cell between the two poles. It has been shown that MreB redistributes during the cell cycle to form circumferential ring structures that flank the cytokinetic FtsZ ring and appear to be associated with division and segregation of the helical cytoskeleton. We show here that the MreB cytoskeletal ring also contains the MreC, MreD, Pbp2 and RodA proteins. Assembly of MreB, MreC, MreD and Pbp2 into the ring structure required the FtsZ ring but no other known components of the cell division machinery, whereas assembly of RodA into the cytoskeletal ring required one or more additional septasomal components. Strikingly, MreB, MreC, MreD and RodA were each able to independently assemble into the cytoskeletal ring and coiled cytoskeletal structures in the absence of any of the other ring components. This excludes the possibility that one or more of these proteins acts as a scaffold for incorporation of the other proteins into these structures. In contrast, incorporation of Pbp2 required the presence of MreC, which may provide a docking site for Pbp2 entry.

CONTROL RODS FOR NUCLEAR REACTOR CORES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bell, F.R.

1961-11-15

A reactor control rod is designed which has increased effectiveness as compared with the width of the aperture in the pressure vessel through which it passes. The control rod carries six fins, three on each side, and two of the fins are fixed while the other, being adjustable, is capable of movement from between the fixed fins to an extended position. Thus, the control rod assembly can be arranged so that the parts within the core form a substantially complete shell around the reactor central axis, while the apertures on the pressure vessel wall are well spaced for strength. (D.L.C.)

High Velocity Firings of Slug Projectiles in a Double-Travel 120-MM Gun System

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-01

constraints presented by TBD. This charge configuration was then tested using aluminium slug projectiles to avoid the unnecessary expenditure of APFSDS...test projectile was a depleted uranium alloy (U-.75Ti) rod with a standard, four piece, aluminum sabot assembly. The launch package had a nominal...the rod is shown in Figure 2. Figure 2. Scaled, Long Rod Penetrator. Figure 3. Aluminium Slug Projectile. The aluminium slug rounds, fired at Range 18

Hydrothermally formed three-dimensional hexagon-like P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays for high performance all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Kunzhen; Li, Shikuo; Huang, Fangzhi; Lu, Yan; Wang, Lei; Chen, Hong; Zhang, Hui

2018-01-01

Three dimensional hexagon-like phosphrous (P) doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays grown on Ni foam (NF) are fabricated by a facile and green one-step hydrothermal process. Ni foam is only reacted in a certain concentration of P containing H2O2 aqueous solution. The possible growth mechanism of the P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays is discussed. As a battery-type electrode material in situ formed on Ni foam, the binder-free P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays electrode displays a ultrahigh specific areal capacitance of 2.11C cm-2 (3.51 F cm-2) at 2 mA cm-2, and excellent cycling stability (95.5% capacitance retention after 7500 cycles). The assembled all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (AAS) based on such P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode achieves an energy density of 81.3 Wh kg-1 at the power density of 635 W kg-1. The AAS device also exhibits excellent practical performance, which can easily drive an electric fan (3 W rated power) when two AAS devices are assembled in series. Thus, our synthesized P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays has a lot of potential applications in future energy storage prospects.

Material test machine for tension-compression tests at high temperature

DOEpatents

Cioletti, Olisse C.

1988-01-01

Apparatus providing a device for testing the properties of material specimens at high temperatures and pressures in controlled water chemistries includes, inter alia, an autoclave housing the specimen which is being tested. The specimen is connected to a pull rod which couples out of the autoclave to an external assembly which includes one or more transducers, a force balance chamber and a piston type actuator. The pull rod feeds through the force balance chamber and is compensated thereby for the pressure conditions existing within the autoclave and tending to eject the pull rod therefrom. The upper end of the push rod is connected to the actuator through elements containing a transducer comprising a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT). The housing and coil assembly of the LVDT is coupled to a tube which runs through a central bore of the pull rod into the autoclave where it is connected to one side of the specimen. The movable core of the LVDT is coupled to a stem which runs through the tube where it is then connected to the other side of the specimen through a coupling member. A transducer in the form of a load cell including one or more strain gages is located on a necked-down portion of the upper part of the pull rod intermediate the LVDT and force balance chamber.

Pipe gripper

DOEpatents

Moyers, S.M.

1975-12-16

A device for gripping the exterior surface of a pipe or rod is described which has a plurality of wedges, each having a concave face which engages the outer surface of the pipe and each having a smooth face opposing the concave face. The wedges are seated on and their grooved concave faces are maintained in circular alignment by tapered axial segments of an opening extending through a wedge-seating member. The wedges are allowed to slide across the tapered axial segments so that such a sliding movement acts to vary the diameter of the circular alignment.

Sealing Assembly for Sealing a Port and the Like

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haas, Jon W. (Inventor); Haupt, Charles W. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

The sealing assembly for a port of a valve or the like is disclosed. In detail, the sealing assembly includes the port having a circular shaped end with a circular shaped knife-edge thereon. The sealing assembly further includes a hollow cap having a closed first end with an aperture therethrough and an open second end. The cap further includes internal threads adapted to mate with the external threads of the port. A gasket is mounted within the cap having flat first and second principle sides and made of a deformable metal, the first principle side of the gasket for mounting against the circular shaped knife edge of the port. A plunger having a circular shaped disc portion is adapted to fit within the hollow cap and is engagable with the first principle surface of the gasket and includes a shaft portion extending out of the aperture. The cap and shaft of the plunger include external wrenching flats. Thus when the cap is screwed onto the port and the plunger is prevented from rotating by a wrench mounted on the wrenching flats of the shaft portion of the plunger, the gasket is forced into engagement with the knife edge in pure compression and no rotation of the gasket occurs causing the knife edge to locally deform the gasket sealing of the port.

TMV nanorods with programmed longitudinal domains of differently addressable coat proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geiger, Fania C.; Eber, Fabian J.; Eiben, Sabine; Mueller, Anna; Jeske, Holger; Spatz, Joachim P.; Wege, Christina

2013-04-01

The spacing of functional nanoscopic elements may play a fundamental role in nanotechnological and biomedical applications, but is so far rarely achieved on this scale. In this study we show that tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and the RNA-guided self-assembly process of its coat protein (CP) can be used to establish new nanorod scaffolds that can be loaded not only with homogeneously distributed functionalities, but with distinct molecule species grouped and ordered along the longitudinal axis. The arrangement of the resulting domains and final carrier rod length both were governed by RNA-templated two-step in vitro assembly. Two selectively addressable TMV CP mutants carrying either thiol (TMVCys) or amino (TMVLys) groups on the exposed surface were engineered and shown to retain reactivity towards maleimides or NHS esters, respectively, after acetic acid-based purification and re-assembly to novel carrier rod types. Stepwise combination of CPCys and CPLys with RNA allowed fabrication of TMV-like nanorods with a controlled total length of 300 or 330 nm, respectively, consisting of adjacent longitudinal 100-to-200 nm domains of differently addressable CP species. This technology paves the way towards rod-shaped scaffolds with pre-defined, selectively reactive barcode patterns on the nanometer scale.The spacing of functional nanoscopic elements may play a fundamental role in nanotechnological and biomedical applications, but is so far rarely achieved on this scale. In this study we show that tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and the RNA-guided self-assembly process of its coat protein (CP) can be used to establish new nanorod scaffolds that can be loaded not only with homogeneously distributed functionalities, but with distinct molecule species grouped and ordered along the longitudinal axis. The arrangement of the resulting domains and final carrier rod length both were governed by RNA-templated two-step in vitro assembly. Two selectively addressable TMV CP mutants carrying either thiol (TMVCys) or amino (TMVLys) groups on the exposed surface were engineered and shown to retain reactivity towards maleimides or NHS esters, respectively, after acetic acid-based purification and re-assembly to novel carrier rod types. Stepwise combination of CPCys and CPLys with RNA allowed fabrication of TMV-like nanorods with a controlled total length of 300 or 330 nm, respectively, consisting of adjacent longitudinal 100-to-200 nm domains of differently addressable CP species. This technology paves the way towards rod-shaped scaffolds with pre-defined, selectively reactive barcode patterns on the nanometer scale. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Two supplementary figures, showing (a) the phenotype of different Nicotiana plant species systemically infected with TMVwt, TMVCys, or TMVLys at 9 and 15 days post-inoculation, and (b) the length distribution of partially and completely assembled VLPs with a second type of RNA template (TMVwt RNA); and one supplementary table listing the sequences of primers used for site-specific mutagenesis of the TMV CP ORF and for sequencing. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr33724c

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

S.O. Bader

The purpose of this design analysis is to specify and document the total and respirable fractions for radioactive materials that are released from an accident event at the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) involving commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF) in a dry environment. The total and respirable release fractions will be used to support the preclosure licensing basis for the MGR. The total release fraction is defined as the fraction of total CSNF assembly inventory, typically expressed as an activity inventory (e.g., curies), of a given radionuclide that is released to the environment from a waste form. The radionuclides are releasedmore » from the inside of breached fuel rods (or pins) and from the detachment of radioactive material (crud) from the outside surfaces of fuel rods and other components of fuel assemblies. The total release fraction accounts for several mechanisms that tend to retain, retard, or diminish the amount of radionuclides that are available for transport to dose receptors or otherwise can be shown to reduce exposure of receptors to radiological releases. The total release fraction includes a fraction of airborne material that is respirable and could result in inhalation doses. This subset of the total release fraction is referred to as the respirable release fraction. Potential accidents may involve waste forms that are characterized as either bare (unconfined) fuel assemblies or confined fuel assemblies. The confined CSNF assemblies at the MGR are contained in shipping casks, canisters, or disposal containers (waste packages). In contrast to the bare fuel assemblies, the container that confines the fuel assemblies has the potential of providing an additional barrier for diminishing the total release fraction should the fuel rod cladding breach during an accident. However, this analysis will not take credit for this additional bamer and will establish only the total release fractions for bare unconfined CSNF assemblies, which may however be conservatively applied to confined CSNF assemblies.« less

Joint properties of a tool machining process to guarantee fluid-proof abilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bataille, C.; Deltombe, R.; Jourani, A.; Bigerelle, M.

2017-12-01

This study addressed the impact of rod surface topography in contact with reciprocating seals. Rods were tooled with and without centreless grinding. All rods tooled with centreless grinding were fluid-proof, in contrast to rods tooled without centreless grinding that either had leaks or were fluid-proof. A method was developed to analyse the machining signature, and the software Mesrug™ was used in order to discriminate roughness parameters that can be used to characterize the sealing functionality. According to this surface roughness analysis, a fluid-proof rod tooled without centreless grinding presents aperiodic large plateaus, and the relevant roughness parameter for characterizing the sealing functionality is the density of summits S DS. Increasing the density of summits counteracts leakage, which may be because motif decomposition integrates three topographical components: circularity (perpendicular long-wave roughness), longitudinal waviness, and roughness thanks to the Wolf pruning algorithm. A 3D analytical contact model was applied to analyse the contact area of each type of sample with the seal surface. This model provides a leakage probability, and the results were consistent with the interpretation of the topographical analysis.

The contractile ring coordinates curvature-dependent septum assembly during fission yeast cytokinesis.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhou; Munteanu, Emilia Laura; He, Jun; Ursell, Tristan; Bathe, Mark; Huang, Kerwyn Casey; Chang, Fred

2015-01-01

The functions of the actin-myosin-based contractile ring in cytokinesis remain to be elucidated. Recent findings show that in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, cleavage furrow ingression is driven by polymerization of cell wall fibers outside the plasma membrane, not by the contractile ring. Here we show that one function of the ring is to spatially coordinate septum cell wall assembly. We develop an improved method for live-cell imaging of the division apparatus by orienting the rod-shaped cells vertically using microfabricated wells. We observe that the septum hole and ring are circular and centered in wild-type cells and that in the absence of a functional ring, the septum continues to ingress but in a disorganized and asymmetric manner. By manipulating the cleavage furrow into different shapes, we show that the ring promotes local septum growth in a curvature-dependent manner, allowing even a misshapen septum to grow into a more regular shape. This curvature-dependent growth suggests a model in which contractile forces of the ring shape the septum cell wall by stimulating the cell wall machinery in a mechanosensitive manner. Mechanical regulation of the cell wall assembly may have general relevance to the morphogenesis of walled cells. © 2015 Zhou et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Polythiophene-block-poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate): Synthesis and study of a new rod-rod block copolymer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Zong-Quan; Ono, Robert J.; Chen, Zheng

2011-01-01

Coupling of ethynyl terminated poly(3-hexylthiophene) with azide terminated poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate) afforded the respective block copolymer in good yield and high purity; this material was found to self assemble into hierarchal structures in solution and in the solid state.

Preloaded latching device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wesselski, Clarence J. (Inventor); Nagy, Kornel (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A latching device is disclosed which is lever operated sequentially to actuate a set of collet fingers to provide a radial expansion and to actuate a force mechanism to provide a compressive gripping force for attaching first and second devices to one another. The latching device includes a body member having elongated collet fingers which, in a deactuated condition, is insertable through bores on the first and second devices so that gripping terminal portions on the collet fingers are proximate to the end of the bore of the first device while a spring assembly on the body member is located proximate to the outer surface of a second device. A lever is rotatable through 90 deg to move a latching rod to sequentially actuate and expand collet fingers and to actuate the spring assembly by compressing it. During the first 30 deg of movement of the lever, the collet fingers are actuated by the latching rod to provide a radial expansion and during the last 60 deg of movement of the lever, the spring assembly acts as a force mechanism and is actuated to develop a compressive latching force on the devices. The latching rod and lever are connected by a camming mechanism. The amount of spring force in the spring assembly can be adjusted; the body member can be permanently attached by a telescoping assembly to one of the devices; and the structure can be used as a pulling device for removing annular bearings or the like from blind bores.

Chiral templating of self-assembling nanostructures by circularly polarized light

DOE PAGES

Yeom, Jihyeon; Yeom, Bongjun; Chan, Henry; ...

2014-11-17

Chemical reactions affected by spin angular momenta of circularly polarized photons are rare and display low enantiomeric excess. High optical and chemical activity of nanoparticles (NPs) should facilitate the transfer of spin angular momenta of photons to nanoscale materials but such processes are unknown. Here we demonstrate that circularly polarized light (CPL) strongly affects self-assembly of racemic CdTe NPs. Illumination of NP dispersions with right- and left-handed CPL induces the formation of right- and left-handed twisted nanoribbons, respectively. Enantiomeric excess of such reactions exceeds 30% which is ~10 times higher than other CPL-induced reactions. Illumination with linearly polarized light andmore » assembly in the dark led to straight nanoribbons. The mechanism of “templation” of NP assemblies by CPL is associated with selective photoactivation of chiral NPs and clusters followed by their photooxidation. Chiral anisotropy of interactions translates into chirality of the assembled ribbons. Lastly, the ability of NPs to retain polarization information, or the “imprint” of incident photons opens new pathways for the synthesis of chiral photonic materials and allows for better understanding of the origins of biomolecular homochirality.« less

Birefringent corrugated waveguide

DOEpatents

Moeller, Charles P.

1990-01-01

A corrugated waveguide having a circular bore and noncircularly symmetric corrugations, and preferably elliptical corrugations, provides birefringence for rotation of polarization in the HE.sub.11 mode. The corrugated waveguide may be fabricated by cutting circular grooves on a lathe in a cylindrical tube or rod of aluminum of a diameter suitable for the bore of the waveguide, and then cutting an approximation to ellipses for the corrugations using a cutting radius R.sub.0 from the bore axis that is greater than the bore radius, and then making two circular cuts using a radius R.sub.1 less than R.sub.0 at centers +b and -b from the axis of the waveguide bore. Alternatively, stock for the mandrel may be formed with an elliptical transverse cross section, and then only the circular grooves need be cut on a lathe, leaving elliptical corrugations between the grooves. In either case, the mandrel is first electroplated and then dissolved leaving a corrugated waveguide with noncircularly symmetric corrugations. A transition waveguide is used that gradually varies from circular to elliptical corrugations to couple a circularly corrugated waveguide to an elliptically corrugated waveguide.

Measurement of Diffusion in Entangled Rod-Coil Triblock Copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsen, B. D.; Wang, M.

2012-02-01

Although rod-coil block copolymers have attracted increasing attention for functional nanomaterials, their dynamics relevant to self-assembly and processing have not been widely investigated. Because the rod and coil blocks have different reptation behavior and persistence lengths, the mechanism by which block copolymers will diffuse is unclear. In order to understand the effect of the rigid block on reptation, tracer diffusion of a coil-rod-coil block copolymer through an entangled coil polymer matrix was experimentally measured. A monodisperse, high molecular weight coil-rod-coil triblock was synthesized using artificial protein engineering to prepare the helical rod and bioconjugaiton of poly(ethylene glycol) coils to produce the final triblock. Diffusion measurements were performed using Forced Rayleigh scattering (FRS), at varying ratios of the rod length to entanglement length, where genetic engineering is used to control the protein rod length and the polymer matrix concentration controls the entanglement length. As compared to PEO homopolymer tracers, the coil-rod-coil triblocks show markedly slower diffusion, suggesting that the mismatch between rod and coil reptation mechanisms results in hindered diffusion of these molecules in the entangled state.

High speed door assembly

DOEpatents

Shapiro, Carolyn

1993-01-01

A high speed door assembly, comprising an actuator cylinder and piston rods, a pressure supply cylinder and fittings, an electrically detonated explosive bolt, a honeycomb structured door, a honeycomb structured decelerator, and a structural steel frame encasing the assembly to close over a 3 foot diameter opening within 50 milliseconds of actuation, to contain hazardous materials and vapors within a test fixture.

Measuring the efficiency of control rods in the RBMK critical assembly using a model of RKI-1 reactimeter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhitarev, V. E., E-mail: vejitarev@yandex.ru; Lebedev, G. V.; Sergevnin, A. Yu.

2016-12-15

The efficiency of control rods of the RBMK critical assembly is measured in a series of experiments. The aim of measurements is to determine the characteristics of the model of an RKI-1 reactimeter. The RKI-1 reactimeter is intended for measuring the efficiency of control rods when, according to conditions of operation, the metrological certification of results of an experiment is required. Complications with the metrological certification of reactimeters arise owing to the fact that usually calculated corrections to the results of measurements are required. When the RKI-1 reactimeter is used, there is no need to introduce calculated corrections; the resultmore » of measurements is given with the indication of substantiated errors. In connection with this, the metrological certification of the results of measurements using the RKI-1 reactimeter is simplified.« less

ICTV virus taxonomy profile: Baculoviridae

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Baculoviridae is a family of large viruses with circular dsDNA genomes ranging from 80 to 180 kbp. Virions consist of enveloped rod-shaped nucleocapsids and are embedded in distinctive occlusion bodies measuring 0.15 to 15 µm. The occlusion bodies consist of a matrix composed of a single viral...

NEUTRONIC REACTORS

DOEpatents

Wigner, E.P.; Young, G.J.

1958-10-14

A method is presented for loading and unloading rod type fuel elements of a neutronic reactor of the heterogeneous, solld moderator, liquid cooled type. In the embodiment illustrated, the fuel rods are disposed in vertical coolant channels in the reactor core. The fuel rods are loaded and unloaded through the upper openings of the channels which are immersed in the coolant liquid, such as water. Unloading is accomplished by means of a coffer dam assembly having an outer sleeve which is placed in sealing relation around the upper opening. A radiation shield sleeve is disposed in and reciprocable through the coffer dam sleeve. A fuel rod engaging member operates through the axial bore in the radiation shield sleeve to withdraw the fuel rod from its position in the reactor coolant channel into the shield, the shield snd rod then being removed. Loading is accomplished in the reverse procedure.

Domain and network aggregation of CdTe quantum rods within Langmuir Blodgett monolayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimnitsky, Dmitry; Xu, Jun; Lin, Zhiqun; Tsukruk, Vladimir V.

2008-05-01

Control over the organization of quantum rods was demonstrated by changing the surface area at the air-liquid interface by means of the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. The LB isotherm of CdTe quantum rods capped with a mixture of alkylphosphines shows a transition point in the liquid-solid state, which is caused by the inter-rod reorganization. As we observed, at low surface pressure the quantum rods are assembled into round-shaped aggregates composed of a monolayer of nanorods packed in limited-size clusters with random orientation. The increase of the surface pressure leads to the rearrangement of these aggregates into elongated bundles composed of uniformly oriented nanorod clusters. Further compression results in denser packing of nanorods aggregates and in the transformation of monolayered domains into a continuous network of locally ordered quantum rods.

MOX fuel assembly design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reese, A.P.; Crowther, R.L. Jr.

1992-02-18

This patent describes improvement in a boiling water reactor core having a plurality of vertically upstanding fuel bundles; each fuel bundle containing longitudinally extending sealed rods with fissile material therein; the improvement comprises the fissile material including a mixture of uranium and recovered plutonium in rods of the fuel bundle at locations other than the corners of the fuel bundle; and, neutron absorbing material being located in rods of the fuel bundle at rod locations adjacent the corners of the fuel bundles whereby the neutron absorbing material has decreased shielding from the plutonium and maximum exposure to thermal neutrons formore » shaping the cold reactivity shutdown zone in the fuel bundle.« less

Autonomous motion of metallic microrods propelled by ultrasound.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Castro, Luz Angelica; Hoyos, Mauricio; Mallouk, Thomas E

2012-07-24

Autonomously moving micro-objects, or micromotors, have attracted the attention of the scientific community over the past decade, but the incompatibility of phoretic motors with solutions of high ionic strength and the use of toxic fuels have limited their applications in biologically relevant media. In this letter we demonstrate that ultrasonic standing waves in the MHz frequency range can levitate, propel, rotate, align, and assemble metallic microrods (2 μm long and 330 nm diameter) in water as well as in solutions of high ionic strength. Metallic rods levitated to the midpoint plane of a cylindrical cell when the ultrasonic frequency was tuned to create a vertical standing wave. Fast axial motion of metallic microrods at ~200 μm/s was observed at the resonant frequency using continuous or pulsed ultrasound. Segmented metal rods (AuRu or AuPt) were propelled unidirectionally with one end (Ru or Pt, respectively) consistently forward. A self-acoustophoresis mechanism based on the shape asymmetry of the metallic rods is proposed to explain this axial propulsion. Metallic rods also aligned and self-assembled into long spinning chains, which in the case of bimetallic rods had a head-to-tail alternating structure. These chains formed ring or streak patterns in the levitation plane. The diameter or distance between streaks was roughly half the wavelength of the ultrasonic excitation. The ultrasonically driven movement of metallic rods was insensitive to the addition of salt to the solution, opening the possibility of driving and controlling metallic micromotors in biologically relevant media using ultrasound.

REFLECTOR FOR NEUTRONIC REACTORS

DOEpatents

Fraas, A.P.

1963-08-01

A reflector for nuclear reactors that comprises an assembly of closely packed graphite rods disposed with their major axes substantially perpendicular to the interface between the reactor core and the reflector is described. Each graphite rod is round in transverse cross section at (at least) its interface end and is provided, at that end, with a coaxial, inwardly tapering hole. (AEC)

Exclusion of assembled MreB by anionic phospholipids at cell poles confers cell polarity for bidirectional growth.

PubMed

Kawazura, Takuma; Matsumoto, Kanon; Kojima, Koki; Kato, Fumiya; Kanai, Tomomi; Niki, Hironori; Shiomi, Daisuke

2017-05-01

Cell polarity determines the direction of cell growth in bacteria. MreB actin spatially regulates peptidoglycan synthesis to enable cells to elongate bidirectionally. MreB densely localizes in the cylindrical part of the rod cell and not in polar regions in Escherichia coli. When treated with A22, which inhibits MreB polymerization, rod-shaped cells became round and MreB was diffusely distributed throughout the cytoplasmic membrane. A22 removal resulted in restoration of the rod shape. Initially, diffuse MreB started to re-assemble, and MreB-free zones were subsequently observed in the cytoplasmic membrane. These MreB-free zones finally became cell poles, allowing the cells to elongate bidirectionally. When MreB was artificially located at the cell poles, an additional pole was created, indicating that artificial localization of MreB at the cell pole induced local peptidoglycan synthesis. It was found that the anionic phospholipids (aPLs), phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin, which were enriched in cell poles preferentially interact with monomeric MreB compared with assembled MreB in vitro. MreB tended to localize to cell poles in cells lacking both aPLs, resulting in production of Y-shaped cells. Their findings indicated that aPLs exclude assembled MreB from cell poles to establish cell polarity, thereby allowing cells to elongate in a particular direction. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

TMI-2 (Three Mile Island Unit 2) core region defueling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rodabaugh, J.M.; Cowser, D.K.

1988-01-01

In July of 1982, a video camera was inserted into the Three Mile Island Unit 2 reactor vessel providing the first visual evidence of core damage. This inspection, and numerous subsequent data acquisition tasks, revealed a central void /approx/1.5 m (5 ft) deep. This void region was surrounded by partial length fuel assemblies and ringed on the periphery by /approx/40 full-length, but partial cross-section, fuel assemblies. All of the original 177 fuel assemblies exhibited signs of damage. The bottom of the void cavity was covered with a bed of granular rubble, fuel assembly upper end fittings, control rod spiders, fuelmore » rod fragments, and fuel pellets. It was obvious that the normal plant refueling system not suitable for removing the damaged core. A new system of defueling tools and equipment was necessary to perform this task. Design of the new system was started immediately, followed by >1 yr of fabrication. Delivery and checkout of the defueling system occurred in mid-1985. Actual defueling was initiated in late 1985 with removal of the debris bed at the bottom of the core void. Obstructions to the debris, such as end fittings and fuel rod fragments ere removed first; then /approx/23,000 kg (50,000lb) of granular debris was quickly loaded into canisters. Core region defueling was completed in late 1987, /approx/2 yr after it was initiated.« less

Nuclear reactor shutdown control rod assembly

DOEpatents

Bilibin, Konstantin

1988-01-01

A temperature responsive, self-actuated nuclear reactor shutdown control rod assembly 10. The upper end 18 of a lower drive line 17 fits within the lower end of an upper drive line 12. The lower end (not shown) of the lower drive line 17 is connected to a neutron absorber. During normal temperature conditions the lower drive line 17 is supported by detent means 22,26. When an overtemperature condition occurs thermal actuation means 34 urges ring 26 upwardly sufficiently to allow balls 22 to move radially outwardly thereby allowing lower drive line 17 to move downwardly toward the core of the nuclear reactor resulting in automatic reduction of the reactor powder.

Utilization of thorium and U-ZrH1.6 fuels in various heterogeneous cores for TRIGA PUSPATI Reactor (RTP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damahuri, Abdul Hannan Bin; Mohamed, Hassan; Aziz Mohamed, Abdul; Idris, Faridah

2018-01-01

The use of thorium as nuclear fuel has been an appealing prospect for many years and will be great significance to nuclear power generation. There is an increasing need for more research on thorium as Malaysian government is currently active in the national Thorium Flagship Project, which was launched in 2014. The thorium project, which is still in phase 1, focuses on the research and development of the thorium extraction from mineral processing ore. Thus, the aim of the study is to investigate other alternative TRIGA PUSPATI Reactor (RTP) core designs that can fully utilize thorium. Currently, the RTP reactor has an average neutron flux of 2.797 x 1012 cm-2/s-1 and an effective multiplication factor, k eff, of 1.001. The RTP core has a circular array core configuration with six circular rings. Each ring consists of 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 or 36 U-ZrH1.6 fuel rods. There are three main type of uranium weight, namely 8.5, 12 and 20 wt.%. For this research, uranium zirconium hydride (U-ZrH1.6) fuel rods in the RTP core were replaced by thorium (ThO2) fuel rods. Seven core configurations with different thorium fuel rods placements were modelled in a 2D structure and simulated using Monte Carlo n-particle (MCNPX) code. Results show that the highest initial criticality obtained is around 1.35101. Additionally there is a significant discrepancy between results from previous study and the work because of the large estimated leakage probability of approximately 21.7% and 2D model simplification.

In situ self-assembly of polarizing chromogen nanofibers catalyzed with hybrid films of gold nanoparticles and cellulose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhiming; Wu, Wenjian

2017-09-01

Hybrid materials of metal nanoparticles and biopolymers with catalytic properties are very promising to be used as detectors in biochemical reactions. In this work, the catalytic properties and relevant in situ self-assembly abilities of hybrid films of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and cellulose for the oxidation of benign chromogen 3,3‧,5,5‧-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are revealed for the first time. The peroxidase-like properties of hybrid films are inherited from those of colloidal GNPs and increase with their contents of GNPs. It is discovered that the oxidized products of TMB grow in situ and assemble into rod-like and tumbleweed-like nanofiber assemblies on hybrid films. The rod-like nanofibers show a magnificent polarizing phenomenon under polarized light because of polycrystalline globular nanoparticles inside. The in situ self-assembly of polarizing nanofibers of chromogen catalyzed with hybrid films creates an opportunity for the synthesis of novel organic nanomaterials and the enhanced detection of biochemical products under polarized light.

CONTROL ROD

DOEpatents

Zinn, W.H.; Ross, H.V.

1958-11-18

A control rod is described for a nuclear reactor. In certaln reactor designs it becomes desirable to use a control rod having great width but relatively llttle thickness. This patent is addressed to such a need. The neutron absorbing material is inserted in a triangular tube, leaving volds between the circular insert and the corners of the triangular tube. The material is positioned within the tube by the use of dummy spacers to achleve the desired absorption pattern, then the ends of the tubes are sealed with suitable plugs. The tubes may be welded or soldered together to form two flat surfaces of any desired width, and covered with sheetmetal to protect the tubes from damage. This design provides a control member that will not distort under the action of outside forces or be ruptured by gases generated within the jacketed control member.

Statistical properties of a folded elastic rod

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayart, Elsa; Deboeuf, Stéphanie; Boué, Laurent; Corson, Francis; Boudaoud, Arezki; Adda-Bedia, Mokhtar

2010-03-01

A large variety of elastic structures naturally seem to be confined into environments too small to accommodate them; the geometry of folded structures span a wide range of length-scales. The elastic properties of these confined systems are further constrained by self-avoidance as well as by the dimensionality of both structures and container. To mimic crumpled paper, we devised an experimental setup to study the packing of a dimensional elastic object in 2D geometries: an elastic rod is folded at the center of a circular Hele-Shaw cell by a centripetal force. The initial configuration of the rod and the acceleration of the rotating disk allow to span different final folded configurations while the final rotation speed controls the packing intensity. Using image analysis we measure geometrical and mechanical properties of the folded configurations, focusing on length, curvature and energy distributions.

Nuclear fuel element nut retainer cup. [PWR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walton, L.A.

1977-07-19

A typical embodiment has an end fitting for a nuclear reactor fuel element that is joined to the control rod guide tubes by means of a nut plate assembly. The nut plate assembly has an array of nuts, each engaging the respective threaded end of the control rod guide tubes. The nuts, moreover, are retained on the plate during handling and before fuel element assembly by means of hollow cylindrical locking cups that are brazed to the plate and loosely circumscribe the individual enclosed nuts. After the nuts are threaded onto the respective guide tube ends, the locking cups aremore » partially deformed to prevent one or more of the nuts from working loose during reactor operation. The locking cups also prevent loose or broken end fitting parts from becoming entrained in the reactor coolant.« less

High speed door assembly

DOEpatents

Shapiro, C.

1993-04-27

A high speed door assembly is described, comprising an actuator cylinder and piston rods, a pressure supply cylinder and fittings, an electrically detonated explosive bolt, a honeycomb structured door, a honeycomb structured decelerator, and a structural steel frame encasing the assembly to close over a 3 foot diameter opening within 50 milliseconds of actuation, to contain hazardous materials and vapors within a test fixture.

In-field Calibration of a Fast Neutron Collar for the Measurement of Fresh PWR Fuel Assemblies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swinhoe, Martyn Thomas; De Baere, Paul

2015-04-17

A new neutron collar has been designed for the measurement of fresh LEU fuel assemblies. This collar uses “fast mode” measurement to reduce the effect of burnable poison rods on the assay and thus reduce the dependence on the operator’s declaration. The new collar design reduces effect of poison rods considerably. Instead of 12 pins of 5.2% Gd causing a 20.4% effect, as in the standard thermal mode collar, they only cause a 3.2% effect in the new collar. However it has higher efficiency so that reasonably precise measurements can be made in 25 minutes, rather than the 1 hourmore » of previous collars. The new collar is fully compatible with the use of the standard data collection and analysis code INCC. This report describes the calibration that was made with a mock-up assembly at Los Alamos National Laboratory and with actual assemblies at the AREVA Fuel fabrication Plant in Lingen, Germany.« less

Retractable Visual Indicator Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hackler, George R. (Inventor); Gamboa, Ronald J. (Inventor); Dominquez, Victor (Inventor)

1998-01-01

A retractable indicator assembly may be mounted on a container which transmits air through the container and removes deleterious gases with an activated charcoal medium in the container. The assembly includes: an elongate indicator housing has a chamber therein; a male adaptor with an external threads is used for sealing engagement with the container; a plug located at the upper end of the housing; a housing that includes a transparent wall portion for viewing at least a portion of the chamber; a litmus indicator, moveable by a retractable rod from a retracted position within the container to an extended position within the chamber of the housing; and an outer housing that is secured to the upper end of the rod, and protects the indicator housing while the litmus indicator is in its normally retracted position. The assembly may be manually manipulated between its extended position wherein the litmus indicator may be viewed through the transparent wall of the indicator housing, and a retracted position wherein the outer housing encloses the indicator housing and engages the exterior of the container.

Complete band gaps of phononic crystal plates with square rods.

PubMed

El-Naggar, Sahar A; Mostafa, Samia I; Rafat, Nadia H

2012-04-01

Much of previous work has been devoted in studying complete band gaps for bulk phononic crystal (PC). In this paper, we theoretically investigate the existence and widths of these gaps for PC plates. We focus our attention on steel rods of square cross sectional area embedded in epoxy matrix. The equations for calculating the dispersion relation for square rods in a square or a triangular lattice have been derived. Our analysis is based on super cell plane wave expansion (SC-PWE) method. The influence of inclusions filling factor and plate thickness on the existence and width of the phononic band gaps has been discussed. Our calculations show that there is a certain filling factor (f=0.55) below which arrangement of square rods in a triangular lattice is superior to the arrangement in a square lattice. A comparison between square and circular cross sectional rods reveals that the former has superior normalized gap width than the latter in case of a square lattice. This situation is switched in case of a triangular lattice. Moreover, a maximum normalized gap width of 0.7 can be achieved for PC plate of square rods embedded in a square lattice and having height 90% of the lattice constant. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Smart Sensing Methodology for Object Identification Using Circularly Polarized Luminescence from Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly.

PubMed

Imai, Yuki; Nakano, Yuka; Kawai, Tsuyoshi; Yuasa, Junpei

2018-05-21

This work demonstrates a potential use of circularly polarized luminescence for object identification methodology in a sensor application. Towards this aim, we have developed new luminescence probes using pyrene derivatives as sensor luminophores. The probes [(R,R)- and (S,S)-Im2Py] contain two chiral imidazole moieties at 1,6-positions through ethynyl spacers (the angle between the spacers is close to 180°). The probe molecules spontaneously self-assemble into chiral stacks (P or M helicity) upon coordination to metal ions with tetrahedral coordination preference (e.g., Zn2+). The chiral probes display neither circular dichroism (CD) nor circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) in the absence of metal ions. However, [(R,R)- and (S,S)-Im2Py] begins to exhibit intense chiroptical activity (CD and CPL) upon self-assembly with Zn2+ ions. The unique chiroptical properties of [(R,R)- and (S,S)-Im2Py] with chemical stimuli-responsibility are capable of demonstrating the new sensing methodology using the CPL signal as detection output, enabling us to discriminate between a signal from the target analyte and that from non-target species. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A modified efficient purse-string stapling technique (mEST) that uses a new metal rod for intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy in laparoscopic total gastrectomy

PubMed Central

Moon, Jeong-Ho; Yamamoto, Kazuyoshi; Yanagimoto, Yoshitomo; Sugimura, Keijirou; Miyata, Hiroshi; Yano, Masahiko; Sakon, Masato

2017-01-01

Intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy after laparoscopic total gastrectomy is technically difficult because this procedure should be performed in a narrow surgical field in the upper abdomen even when completely laparoscopic approaches are used. The placement of the anvil of a circular stapling device into the esophagus and connection the instrument to the anvil are extremely difficult steps in this surgery. Therefore, we developed a simple technique for intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy using hemi-double stapling technique; we named this technique the efficient purse-string stapling technique (EST). More recently, we have developed a modified EST (mEST) that utilizes a new stainless steel anvil rod instead of a plastic rod. Relative to the plastic rod, the steel rod is reusable and shorter; thus, it was easier to perform anvil placement into the esophagus with the steel rod. Anvil preparation for mEST: a stainless steel rod is attached to the shaft of the anvil, and the needle and thread are sutured to the tip of the rod. After complete insertion of the anvil into the esophageal cavity, the needle and thread are used to penetrate the anterior esophageal wall, and the esophagus is then clamped using a linear stapler just distal to the site penetrated by the thread. The linear stapler is fired, and anvil placement in the esophagus is simultaneously accomplished. After the rod is removed from the anvil, the instrument is intracorporeally connected to the anvil and then fired to complete the gastrojejunostomy. This technique is simple and facilitates intracorporeal reconstruction procedures in laparoscopic total gastrectomy. PMID:28815221

Defect scriber

DOEpatents

Russell, Harold C.

1979-01-01

This disclosure describes a device for repeatably scribing a V-shaped scratch having sharply defined dimensions on the interior surface of a nuclear reactor fuel rod tube. A cutting tool having a V-shaped cutting tip is supported within the fuel rod tube so that the V-shaped cutting tip can be pivoted about an axis and scribe a scratch on the interior surface of the fuel rod tube. Lengthwise the scratch runs parallel to a line drawn through the axis of the fuel rod tube and is in the shape of an arc, and widthwise the scratch is V-shaped. This shape is used because the dimensions of the scratch can be plugged into appropriate formulas to calculate stress intensity of cracks in fuel rod tubes. Since the fuel rod tubes which are to be scribed may be radioactive, the scratching assembly is designed for use in a fixture which allows it to be operated in a cave by remote control handling devices.

Modern Kaleidophones

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daffron, John A.; Greenslade, Thomas B., Jr.

2015-01-01

The Kaleidophone, invented by Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875) in 1827, is a delightful mixture of physics and art. A typical example of the device, dating from the latter part of the 19th century, is shown in Fig. 1. The upright rods, which are approximately 25 cm in length, are of variously circular, oval, square, and rectangular cross section,…

Self-Assembly of Metal Oxides into Three-Dimensional Nanostructures: Synthesis and Application in Catalysis

EPA Science Inventory

Nanostructured metal (Fe, Co, Mn, Cr, Mo) oxides were fabricated under microwave irradiation conditions in pure water without using any reducing or capping reagent. The metal oxides self-assembled into octahedron, spheres, triangular rods, pine, and hexagonal snowflake-like thre...

Experimental investigation of wavy leading edges on rod-aerofoil interaction noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Weijie; Qiao, Weiyang; Tong, Fan; Wang, Liangfeng; Wang, Xunnian

2018-05-01

Experimental studies are performed to investigate the effect of wavy leading edges on rod-aerofoil interaction noise in an open-jet anechoic wind tunnel. NACA 0012 aerofoils with straight and wavy leading edges (denoted by SLE and WLE, respectively) are embedded in the wake of a circular rod. The WLEs are in the form of sinusoidal profiles of amplitude, A, and wavelength, W. Parametric studies of the amplitude and wavelength characteristics are conducted to understand the effect of WLEs on noise reduction. It is observed that the sound power reduction level is sensitive to both the amplitude and wavelength of the WLEs. The WLE with the largest amplitude and smallest wavelength can achieve the most considerable noise reduction effect of up to 4 dB. The influences of rod diameter, d, and free-stream velocity, U0, on the noise reduction effect of the WLEs are also investigated. In addition, a parametric study of the influence of separating rod-aerofoil distance on the acoustic radiation of the SLE case and on the sound power reduction level of the WLE cases is performed. It is found that a critical spacing exists where the acoustic radiation and noise reduction can be divided into two different "modes".

Stuck fuel rod capping sleeve

DOEpatents

Gorscak, Donald A.; Maringo, John J.; Nilsen, Roy J.

1988-01-01

A stuck fuel rod capping sleeve to be used during derodding of spent fuel assemblies if a fuel rod becomes stuck in a partially withdrawn position and, thus, has to be severed. The capping sleeve has an inner sleeve made of a lower work hardening highly ductile material (e.g., Inconel 600) and an outer sleeve made of a moderately ductile material (e.g., 304 stainless steel). The inner sleeve may be made of an epoxy filler. The capping sleeve is placed on a fuel rod which is then severed by using a bolt cutter device. Upon cutting, the capping sleeve deforms in such a manner as to prevent the gross release of radioactive fuel material

Magnetic switch for reactor control rod. [LMFBR

DOEpatents

Germer, J.H.

1982-09-30

A magnetic reed switch assembly is described for activating an electromagnetic grapple utilized to hold a control rod in position above a reactor core. In normal operation the magnetic field of a permanent magnet is short-circuited by a magnetic shunt, diverting the magnetic field away from the reed switch. The magnetic shunt is made of a material having a Curie-point at the desired release temperature. Above that temperature the material loses its ferromagnetic properties, and the magnetic path is diverted to the reed switch which closes and short-circuits the control circuit for the control rod electro-magnetic grapple which allows the control rod to drop into the reactor core for controlling the reactivity of the core.

Magnetic switch for reactor control rod

DOEpatents

Germer, John H.

1986-01-01

A magnetic reed switch assembly for activating an electromagnetic grapple utilized to hold a control rod in position above a reactor core. In normal operation the magnetic field of a permanent magnet is short-circuited by a magnetic shunt, diverting the magnetic field away from the reed switch. The magnetic shunt is made of a material having a Curie-point at the desired release temperature. Above that temperature the material loses its ferromagnetic properties, and the magnetic path is diverted to the reed switch which closes and short-circuits the control circuit for the control rod electromagnetic grapple which allows the control rod to drop into the reactor core for controlling the reactivity of the core.

Self-Assembled Formation of Well-Aligned Cu-Te Nano-Rods on Heavily Cu-Doped ZnTe Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Jing; Cheng, Man Kit; Lai, Ying Hoi; Wei, Guanglu; Yang, Sean Derman; Wang, Gan; Ho, Sut Kam; Tam, Kam Weng; Sou, Iam Keong

2016-11-01

Cu doping of ZnTe, which is an important semiconductor for various optoelectronic applications, has been successfully achieved previously by several techniques. However, besides its electrical transport characteristics, other physical and chemical properties of heavily Cu-doped ZnTe have not been reported. We found an interesting self-assembled formation of crystalline well-aligned Cu-Te nano-rods near the surface of heavily Cu-doped ZnTe thin films grown via the molecular beam epitaxy technique. A phenomenological growth model is presented based on the observed crystallographic morphology and measured chemical composition of the nano-rods using various imaging and chemical analysis techniques. When substitutional doping reaches its limit, the extra Cu atoms favor an up-migration toward the surface, leading to a one-dimensional surface modulation and formation of Cu-Te nano-rods, which explain unusual observations on the reflection high energy electron diffraction patterns and apparent resistivity of these thin films. This study provides an insight into some unexpected chemical reactions involved in the heavily Cu-doped ZnTe thin films, which may be applied to other material systems that contain a dopant having strong reactivity with the host matrix.

Nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Yant, Howard W.; Stinebiser, Karl W.; Anzur, Gregory C.

1977-01-01

A nuclear reactor, particularly a liquid-metal breeder reactor, whose upper internals include outlet modules for channeling the liquid-metal coolant from selected areas of the outlet of the core vertically to the outlet plenum. The modules are composed of a highly-refractory, high corrosion-resistant alloy, for example, INCONEL-718. Each module is disposed to confine and channel generally vertically the coolant emitted from a subplurality of core-component assemblies. Each module has a grid with openings, each opening disposed to receive the coolant from an assembly of the subplurality. The grid in addition serves as a holdown for the assemblies of the corresponding subplurality preventing their excessive ejection upwardly from the core. In the region directly over the core the outlet modules are of such peripheral form that they nest forming a continuum over the core-component assemblies whose outlet coolant they confine. Each subassembly includes a chimney which confines the coolant emitted by its corresponding subassemblies to generally vertical flow between the outlet of the core and the outlet plenum. Each subplurality of assemblies whose emitted coolant is confined by an outlet module includes assemblies which emit lower-temperature coolant, for example, a control-rod assembly, or fertile assemblies, and assemblies which emit coolant of substantially higher temperature, for example, fuel-rod assemblies. The coolants of different temperatures are mixed in the chimneys reducing the effect of stripping (hot-cold temperature fluctuations) on the remainder of the upper internals which are composed typically of AISI-304 or AISI-316 stainless steel.

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING INSERTION OF ROD

DOEpatents

Beaty, B.J.

1958-10-14

A device for rapidly inserting a safety rod into a nuclear reactor upon a given signal or in the event of a power failure in order to prevent the possibility of extensive damage caused by a power excursion is described. A piston is slidably mounted within a vertical cylinder with provision for an electromagnetic latch at the top of the cylinder. This assembly, with a safety rod attached to the piston, is mounted over an access port to the core region of the reactor. The piston is normally latched at the top of the cylinder with the safety rod clear of the core area, however, when the latch is released, the piston and rod drop by their own weight to insert the rod. Vents along the side of the cylinder permit the escape of the air entrapped under the piston over the greater part of the distance, however, at the end of the fall the entrapped air is compressed thereby bringing the safety rod gently to rest, thus providing for a rapid automatic insertion of the rod with a minimum of structural shock.

Circular Permutation of a Chaperonin Protein: Biophysics and Application to Nanotechnology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paavola, Chad; Chan, Suzanne; Li, Yi-Fen; McMillan, R. Andrew; Trent, Jonathan

2004-01-01

We have designed five circular permutants of a chaperonin protein derived from the hyperthermophilic organism Sulfolobus shibatae. These permuted proteins were expressed in E. coli and are well-folded. Furthermore, all the permutants assemble into 18-mer double rings of the same form as the wild-type protein. We characterized the thermodynamics of folding for each permutant by both guanidine denaturation and differential scanning calorimetry. We also examined the assembly of chaperonin rings into higher order structures that may be used as nanoscale templates. The results show that circular permutation can be used to tune the thermodynamic properties of a protein template as well as facilitating the fusion of peptides, binding proteins or enzymes onto nanostructured templates.

75 FR 3876 - Mark Edward Leyse; Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-25

... (assembly) severe fuel damage experiments. The petitioner also requests that the NRC promulgate a regulation... aware that data from multi-rod (assembly) severe fuel damage experiments indicates that the current... fuel damage experiments indicates that the current peak cladding temperature limit contained in 10 CFR...

Cryogenic support system

DOEpatents

Nicol, Thomas H.; Niemann, Ralph C.; Gonczy, John D.

1988-01-01

A support system is disclosed for restraining large masses at very low or cryogenic temperatures. The support system employs a tie bar that is pivotally connected at opposite ends to an anchoring support member and a sliding support member. The tie bar extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cold mass assembly, and comprises a rod that lengthens when cooled and a pair of end attachments that contract when cooled. The rod and end attachments are sized so that when the tie bar is cooled to cryogenic temperature, the net change in tie bar length is approximately zero. Longitudinal force directed against the cold mass assembly is distributed by the tie bar between the anchoring support member and the sliding support member.

Analysis of two-phase flow inter-subchannel mass and momentum exchanges by the two-fluid model approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ninokata, H.; Deguchi, A.; Kawahara, A.

1995-09-01

A new void drift model for the subchannel analysis method is presented for the thermohydraulics calculation of two-phase flows in rod bundles where the flow model uses a two-fluid formulation for the conservation of mass, momentum and energy. A void drift model is constructed based on the experimental data obtained in a geometrically simple inter-connected two circular channel test sections using air-water as working fluids. The void drift force is assumed to be an origin of void drift velocity components of the two-phase cross-flow in a gap area between two adjacent rods and to overcome the momentum exchanges at themore » phase interface and wall-fluid interface. This void drift force is implemented in the cross flow momentum equations. Computational results have been successfully compared to experimental data available including 3x3 rod bundle data.« less

Fuel inspection and reconstitution experience at Surry Power Station

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brookmire, T.A.

Surry Power Station, located on the James River near Williamsburg, Virginia, has two Westinghouse pressurized water reactors. Unit 2 consistently sets a high standard of fuel performance (no indication of fuel failures in recent cycles), while unit 1, since cycle 6, has been plagued with numerous fuel failures. Both Surry units operate with Westinghouse standard 15 x 15 fuel. Virginia Power management set goals to reduce the coolant activity, thus reducing person-rem exposure and the associated costs of high coolant activity. To achieve this goal, extensive fuel examination campaigns were undertaken that included high-magnification video inspectionsa, debris cleaning, wet andmore » vacuum fuel sipping, fuel rod ultrasonic testing, and eddy current examination. In the summer of 1985, during cycle 8 operation, Kraftwerk Union reconstituted (repaired) the damage, once-burned assemblies from cycles 6 and 7 by replacing failed fuel rods with solid Zircaloy-4 rods. Currently, cycle 9 has operated for 5 months without any indication of fuel failure (the cycle 9 core has two reconstituted assemblies).« less

VIEW OF CABLES AND TAPES ASSOCIATED WITH ADRIVE CONTROL ROD ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF CABLES AND TAPES ASSOCIATED WITH A-DRIVE CONTROL ROD SYSTEM, AT LEVEL +15’, DIRECTLY ABOVE PDP CONTROL ROOM, LOOKING NORTHWEST. THE CABLES FROM THE PDP ROOM GO THROUGH THE CONCRETE WALL, MAKE A RIGHT ANGLE TURN DOWNWARD, AND DESCEND INTO THE PDP CONTROL ROOM AS VERTICAL TAPES - Physics Assembly Laboratory, Area A/M, Savannah River Site, Aiken, Aiken County, SC

Double-stator electromagnetic pump having alignment ring and spine assembly

DOEpatents

Fanning, Alan Wayne; Olich, Eugene Ellsworth; Dahl, Leslie Roy; Patel, Mahadeo Ratilal

1997-01-01

A support structure for clamping the inner coils and inner lamination rings of an inner stator column of an electromagnetic induction pump to prevent damaging vibration. A spine assembly, including a base plate, a center post and a plurality of ribs, serves as the structural frame for the inner stator. Stacked alignment rings provide structure to the lamination rings and locate them concentrically around the spine assembly central axis. The alignment rings are made of a material having a high thermal expansion coefficient to compensate for the lower expansion of the lamination rings and, overall, provide an approximate match to the expansion of the inner flow duct. The net result is that the radial clamping provided by the duct around the stator iron is maintained (approximately) over a range of temperatures and operating conditions. Axial clamping of the inner stator structure is achieved via tie rods which run through grooves in the ribs and engage the base plate at the bottom of the inner stator and engage a clamping plate at the top. Slender tie rods and a flexible clamping plate are used to provide compliance in the axial clamping system to accommodate differential thermal growth (axially) between the tie rods and lamination ring elements without losing clamping force.

Double-stator electromagnetic pump having alignment ring and spine assembly

DOEpatents

Fanning, A.W.; Olich, E.E.; Dahl, L.R.; Patel, M.R.

1997-06-24

A support structure for clamping the inner coils and inner lamination rings of an inner stator column of an electromagnetic induction pump to prevent damaging vibration is disclosed. A spine assembly, including a base plate, a center post and a plurality of ribs, serves as the structural frame for the inner stator. Stacked alignment rings provide structure to the lamination rings and locate them concentrically around the spine assembly central axis. The alignment rings are made of a material having a high thermal expansion coefficient to compensate for the lower expansion of the lamination rings and, overall, provide an approximate match to the expansion of the inner flow duct. The net result is that the radial clamping provided by the duct around the stator iron is maintained (approximately) over a range of temperatures and operating conditions. Axial clamping of the inner stator structure is achieved via tie rods which run through grooves in the ribs and engage the base plate at the bottom of the inner stator and engage a clamping plate at the top. Slender tie rods and a flexible clamping plate are used to provide compliance in the axial clamping system to accommodate differential thermal growth (axially) between the tie rods and lamination ring elements without losing clamping force. 12 figs.

Physical Sensing of Surface Properties by Microswimmers--Directing Bacterial Motion via Wall Slip.

PubMed

Hu, Jinglei; Wysocki, Adam; Winkler, Roland G; Gompper, Gerhard

2015-05-20

Bacteria such as Escherichia coli swim along circular trajectories adjacent to surfaces. Thereby, the orientation (clockwise, counterclockwise) and the curvature depend on the surface properties. We employ mesoscale hydrodynamic simulations of a mechano-elastic model of E. coli, with a spherocylindrical body propelled by a bundle of rotating helical flagella, to study quantitatively the curvature of the appearing circular trajectories. We demonstrate that the cell is sensitive to nanoscale changes in the surface slip length. The results are employed to propose a novel approach to directing bacterial motion on striped surfaces with different slip lengths, which implies a transformation of the circular motion into a snaking motion along the stripe boundaries. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated by a simulation of active Brownian rods, which also reveals a dependence of directional motion on the stripe width.

Mutations in cell elongation genes mreB, mrdA and mrdB suppress the shape defect of RodZ-deficient cells.

PubMed

Shiomi, Daisuke; Toyoda, Atsushi; Aizu, Tomoyuki; Ejima, Fumio; Fujiyama, Asao; Shini, Tadasu; Kohara, Yuji; Niki, Hironori

2013-03-01

RodZ interacts with MreB and both factors are required to maintain the rod shape of Escherichia coli. The assembly of MreB into filaments regulates the subcellular arrangement of a group of enzymes that synthesizes the peptidoglycan (PG) layer. However, it is still unknown how polymerization of MreB determines the rod shape of bacterial cells. Regulatory factor(s) are likely to be involved in controlling the function and dynamics of MreB. We isolated suppressor mutations to partially recover the rod shape in rodZ deletion mutants and found that some of the suppressor mutations occurred in mreB. All of the mreB mutations were in or in the vicinity of domain IA of MreB. Those mreB mutations changed the property of MreB filaments in vivo. In addition, suppressor mutations were found in the periplasmic regions in PBP2 and RodA, encoded by mrdA and mrdB genes. Similar to MreB and RodZ, PBP2 and RodA are pivotal to the cell wall elongation process. Thus, we found that mutations in domain IA of MreB and in the periplasmic domain of PBP2 and RodA can restore growth and rod shape to ΔrodZ cells, possibly by changing the requirements of MreB in the process. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Mutations in cell elongation genes mreB, mrdA and mrdB suppress the shape defect of RodZ-deficient cells

PubMed Central

Shiomi, Daisuke; Toyoda, Atsushi; Aizu, Tomoyuki; Ejima, Fumio; Fujiyama, Asao; Shini, Tadasu; Kohara, Yuji; Niki, Hironori

2013-01-01

RodZ interacts with MreB and both factors are required to maintain the rod shape of Escherichia coli. The assembly of MreB into filaments regulates the subcellular arrangement of a group of enzymes that synthesizes the peptidoglycan (PG) layer. However, it is still unknown how polymerization of MreB determines the rod shape of bacterial cells. Regulatory factor(s) are likely to be involved in controlling the function and dynamics of MreB. We isolated suppressor mutations to partially recover the rod shape in rodZ deletion mutants and found that some of the suppressor mutations occurred in mreB. All of the mreB mutations were in or in the vicinity of domain IA of MreB. Those mreB mutations changed the property of MreB filaments in vivo. In addition, suppressor mutations were found in the periplasmic regions in PBP2 and RodA, encoded by mrdA and mrdB genes. Similar to MreB and RodZ, PBP2 and RodA are pivotal to the cell wall elongation process. Thus, we found that mutations in domain IA of MreB and in the periplasmic domain of PBP2 and RodA can restore growth and rod shape to ΔrodZ cells, possibly by changing the requirements of MreB in the process. PMID:23301723

Surrogate fuel assembly multi-axis shaker tests to simulate normal conditions of rail and truck transport

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McConnell, Paul E.; Koenig, Greg John; Uncapher, William Leonard

2016-05-01

This report describes the third set of tests (the “DCLa shaker tests”) of an instrumented surrogate PWR fuel assembly. The purpose of this set of tests was to measure strains and accelerations on Zircaloy-4 fuel rods when the PWR assembly was subjected to rail and truck loadings simulating normal conditions of transport when affixed to a multi-axis shaker. This is the first set of tests of the assembly simulating rail normal conditions of transport.

Surrogate fuel assembly multi-axis shaker tests to simulate normal conditions of rail and truck transport

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McConnell, Paul E.; Koenig, Greg John; Uncapher, William Leonard

2016-05-12

This report describes the third set of tests (the “DCL a shaker tests”) of an instrumented surrogate PWR fuel assembly. The purpose of this set of tests was to measure strains and accelerations on Zircaloy-4 fuel rods when the PWR assembly was subjected to rail and truck loadings simulating normal conditions of transport when affixed to a multi-axis shaker. This is the first set of tests of the assembly simulating rail normal conditions of transport.

Air- coupled ultrasonic testing of CFRP rods by means of guided waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kažys, Rymantas; Raišutis, Renaldas; Žukauskas, Egidijus; Mažeika, Liudas; Vladišauskas, Alfonsas

2010-01-01

One of the most important parts of the gliders is a lightweight longeron reinforcement made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) rods. These small diameter (a few millimetres) rods during manufacturing are glued together in epoxy filled matrix in order to build the arbitrary spar profile. However, the defects presenting in the rods such as brake of fibres, lack of bonding, reduction of density affect essentially the strength of the construction and are very complicated in repairing. Therefore, appropriate non-destructive testing techniques of carbon fibber rods should be applied before gluing them together. The objective of the presented work was development of NDT technique of CFRP rods used for aerospace applications, which is based on air- coupled excitation/reception of guided waves. The regularities of ultrasonic guided waves propagating in both circular and rectangular cross-section CFRP rods immersed into water were investigated and it was shown that the guided waves propagating along sample of the rod create leaky waves which are radiated into a surrounding medium. The ultrasonic receiver scanned over the rod enables to pick-up the leaky waves and to determine the non-uniformities of propagation caused by the defects. Theoretical investigations were carried out by means of numerical simulations based on a 2D and 3D finite differences method. By modelling and experimental investigations it was demonstrated that presence of any type of the defect disturbs the leaky wave and enables to detect them. So, the spatial position of defects can be determined also. It was shown that such important defects as a disbond of the plies essentially reduce or even completely suppress the leaky wave, so they can be detected quit easily.

78 FR 3396 - Tapered Roller Bearings and Parts Thereof, Finished and Unfinished, From the People's Republic of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-16

... pillow blocks) incorporating tapered rollers, with or without spindles, whether or not for automotive use... JTEKT (Thailand) Co., Ltd. We valued CPZ/SKF's roller steel using Harmonized Tariff Schedule (``HTS... circular cross- section''), rather than HTS category 7227.90 (``Bars and rods of alloy steel (other than...

Process for producing fine and ultrafine filament superconductor wire

DOEpatents

Kanithi, H.C.

1992-02-18

A process for producing a superconductor wire made up of a large number of round monofilament rods is provided for, comprising assembling a multiplicity of round monofilaments inside each of a multiplicity of thin wall hexagonal tubes and then assembling a number of said thin wall hexagonal tubes within an extrusion can and subsequently consolidating, extruding and drawing the entire assembly down to the desired wire size. 8 figs.

Process for producing fine and ultrafine filament superconductor wire

DOEpatents

Kanithi, Hem C.

1992-01-01

A process for producing a superconductor wire made up of a large number of round monofilament rods is provided for, comprising assembling a multiplicity of round monofilaments inside each of a multiplicity of thin wall hexagonal tubes and then assembling a number of said thin wall hexagonal tubes within an extrusion can and subsequently consolidating, extruding and drawing the entire assembly down to the desired wire size.

A new method to measure the U-235 content in fresh LWR fuel assemblies via fast-neutron passive self-interrogation

DOE PAGES

Menlove, Howard Olsen; Belian, Anthony P.; Geist, William H.; ...

2017-10-07

The purpose of this paper is to provide a solution to a decades old safeguards problem in the verification of the fissile concentration in fresh light water reactor (LWR) fuel assemblies. The problem is that the burnable poison (e.g. Gd 2O 3) addition to the fuel rods decreases the active neutron assay for the fuel assemblies. This paper presents a new innovative method for the verification of the 235U linear mass density in fresh LEU fuel assemblies that is insensitive to the burnable poison content. The technique makes use of the 238U atoms in the fuel rods to self-interrogate themore » 235U mass. The innovation for the new approach is that the 238U spontaneous fission (SF) neutrons from the rods induces fission reactions (IF) in the 235U that are time correlated with the SF source neutrons. Thus, the coincidence gate counting rate benefits from both the nu-bar of the 238U SF (2.07) and the 235U IF (2.44) for a fraction of the IF reactions. Whereas, the 238U SF background has no time-correlation boost. The higher the detection efficiency, the higher the correlated boost because background neutron counts from the SF are being converted to signal doubles. This time-correlation in the IF signal increases signal/background ratio that provides a good precision for the net signal from the 235U mass. The hard neutron energy spectrum makes the technique insensitive to the burnable poison loading where a Cd or Gd liner on the detector walls is used to prevent thermal-neutron reflection back into the fuel assembly from the detector. Here, we have named the system the fast-neutron passive collar (FNPC).« less

Structure, morphology, and assembly behavior of kafirin

DOE PAGES

Xiao, Jie; Li, Yunqi; Li, Ji; ...

2014-12-15

Prolamins from grains have attracted intensive attention in recent years due to their potential in satisfying the demand for environmentally friendly (biodegradable), abundantly available (sustainable), and cost-effective biomaterials. However, for kafirin, the prolamin from sorghum, its composition, structure, morphology, and self-assembly behaviors have not been fully characterized. In this paper, kafirin was extracted from the whole sorghum grain and found to contain 68, 14, 6, and 12% of α-, β-, and γ-fractions and cross-linked kafirin, respectively. Freeze-dried kafirin contained ~49% α-helix in the solid state. When dissolved in 65% (v/v) isopropanol, 60% (v/v) tert-butanol, and 85% (v/v) ethanol aqueous solvents,more » the relative α-helix content in kafirin increased with the decrease of solvent polarity. Structural analysis using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) indicated that kafirin (2 mg/mL) took stretched and extended conformations with dimensions of 118 × 15 × 15 and 100 × 11 × 11 Å in 60% tert-butanol and 65% isopropanol, respectively. More elongated conformation of individual kafirin with high-order assembly was observed in 85% ethanol. Protein aggregation occurred as protein concentration increased in its good solvent. The morphology of kafirin assemblies captured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that kafirin protein took uniform particle morphology at low concentration, and disk-like or rod-like structures resulting from solvent evaporation induced particle interactions emerged at high concentrations. Lastly, these results suggest that both protein concentration and solvent polarity can effectively regulate kafirin assemblies from thick rod-like to slim rod-like structures, a convenient way to tune the fibrillation of prolamin-based biomaterials.« less

A new method to measure the U-235 content in fresh LWR fuel assemblies via fast-neutron passive self-interrogation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Menlove, Howard Olsen; Belian, Anthony P.; Geist, William H.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a solution to a decades old safeguards problem in the verification of the fissile concentration in fresh light water reactor (LWR) fuel assemblies. The problem is that the burnable poison (e.g. Gd 2O 3) addition to the fuel rods decreases the active neutron assay for the fuel assemblies. This paper presents a new innovative method for the verification of the 235U linear mass density in fresh LEU fuel assemblies that is insensitive to the burnable poison content. The technique makes use of the 238U atoms in the fuel rods to self-interrogate themore » 235U mass. The innovation for the new approach is that the 238U spontaneous fission (SF) neutrons from the rods induces fission reactions (IF) in the 235U that are time correlated with the SF source neutrons. Thus, the coincidence gate counting rate benefits from both the nu-bar of the 238U SF (2.07) and the 235U IF (2.44) for a fraction of the IF reactions. Whereas, the 238U SF background has no time-correlation boost. The higher the detection efficiency, the higher the correlated boost because background neutron counts from the SF are being converted to signal doubles. This time-correlation in the IF signal increases signal/background ratio that provides a good precision for the net signal from the 235U mass. The hard neutron energy spectrum makes the technique insensitive to the burnable poison loading where a Cd or Gd liner on the detector walls is used to prevent thermal-neutron reflection back into the fuel assembly from the detector. Here, we have named the system the fast-neutron passive collar (FNPC).« less

A new method to measure the U-235 content in fresh LWR fuel assemblies via fast-neutron passive self-interrogation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menlove, Howard; Belian, Anthony; Geist, William; Rael, Carlos

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide a solution to a decades old safeguards problem in the verification of the fissile concentration in fresh light water reactor (LWR) fuel assemblies. The problem is that the burnable poison (e.g. Gd2O3) addition to the fuel rods decreases the active neutron assay for the fuel assemblies. This paper presents a new innovative method for the verification of the 235U linear mass density in fresh LEU fuel assemblies that is insensitive to the burnable poison content. The technique makes use of the 238U atoms in the fuel rods to self-interrogate the 235U mass. The innovation for the new approach is that the 238U spontaneous fission (SF) neutrons from the rods induces fission reactions (IF) in the 235U that are time correlated with the SF source neutrons. Thus, the coincidence gate counting rate benefits from both the nu-bar of the 238U SF (2.07) and the 235U IF (2.44) for a fraction of the IF reactions. Whereas, the 238U SF background has no time-correlation boost. The higher the detection efficiency, the higher the correlated boost because background neutron counts from the SF are being converted to signal doubles. This time-correlation in the IF signal increases signal/background ratio that provides a good precision for the net signal from the 235U mass. The hard neutron energy spectrum makes the technique insensitive to the burnable poison loading where a Cd or Gd liner on the detector walls is used to prevent thermal-neutron reflection back into the fuel assembly from the detector. We have named the system the fast-neutron passive collar (FNPC).

Configurations of high-frequency ultrasonics complex vibration systems for packaging in microelectronics.

PubMed

Tsujino, Jiromaru; Harada, Yoshiki; Ihara, Shigeru; Kasahara, Kohei; Shimizu, Masanori; Ueoka, Tetsugi

2004-04-01

Ultrasonic high-frequency complex vibrations are effective for various ultrasonic high-power applications. Three types of ultrasonic complex vibration system with a welding tip vibrating elliptical to circular locus for packaging in microelectronics were studied. The complex vibration sources are using (1) a longitudinal-torsional vibration converter with diagonal slits that is driven only by a longitudinal vibration source, (2) a complex transverse vibration rod with several stepped parts that is driven by two longitudinal vibration source crossed at a right angle and (3) a longitudinal vibration circular disk and three longitudinal transducers that are installed at the circumference of the disk.

The saturation of monochromatic lights obliquely incident on the retina.

PubMed Central

Alpern, M; Tamaki, R

1983-01-01

Foveal dark-adaptation undertaken to test the hypothesis that the excitation of rods causes the desaturation of 'yellow' lights in a 1 degree field traversing the margin of the pupil, fails to exclude that possibility. The desaturation is largest for a 1 degree outside diameter annular test, is still measurable with a 0.5 degree circular disk, but disappears for a 0.29 degree disk. The supersaturation of obliquely incident 501.2 nm test light follows the opposite pattern; it disappears with an annulus and is largest for a 0.29 degree circular field. It is unlikely that rods replace short-wave sensitive cones in the trichromatic match of an obliquely incident test with normally incident primaries. If rods as well as all three cones species are involved, the matches might not be trichromatic in the strong sense. Grassmann's law of scalar multiplication was tested and shown not to hold for the match of an obliquely incident test with normally incident primaries, though it remains valid whenever, both primaries and test strike the retina at the same angle of incidence (independent of that angle). The result in section 3 (above) cannot be due to rod intrusion. It persists (and becomes more conspicuous) on backgrounds (4.0 log scotopic td) which saturate rods. Moreover obliquely incident 'yellow' lights remain desaturated in intervals in the dark after a full bleach, whilst the test field is below rod threshold. The amount of desaturation does not differ appreciably from that normally found. The assumption of the unified theory of Alpern, Kitahara & Tamaki (1983) that the outer segments of only a single set of three cone species (with acceptance angles wide enough to include the entire exit pupil) contain the visual pigments absorbing both the normally incident primaries and the obliquely incident test is disproved by these results. Failure of Grassmann's law is most conspicuous under the conditions for which the changes in saturation upon changing from normal to oblique incidence are greatest and least when the saturation changes are the smallest. Either all unified theories of the Stiles-Crawford effects are wrong or all the effects of oblique incidence operate at a stage in the visual process at which the effects of radiation of different wave-lengths are no longer compounded by the simple linear laws. PMID:6875976

Biomechanical stability according to different configurations of screws and rods.

PubMed

Ha, Kee-Yong; Hwang, Sung-Chul; Whang, Tae-Hyuk

2013-05-01

Comparison of biomechanical strength according to 2 different configurations of screws and rods. To compare the biomechanical strength of different configurations of screws and rods composed of the same material and of the same size. Many complications related to instrumentation have been reported. The incidence of metallic failure would differ according to the materials and configurations of the assembly of the screws and rods used. However, to our knowledge, the biomechanical effects of implant assembly rods and screws with different configurations and different contours have not been reported. Biomechanical testing was conducted to compare top tightening (TT) screw-rod configuration with side tightening (ST) screw-rod configuration. All tests were conducted using a hydraulic all-purpose testing machine. All data were acquired at a rate of 10 Hz. Both screw systems used spinal rods of 6 mm diameter and were made of TiAl4V ELI material. Among 5 types of tests, 3 were conducted on the basis of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F 1798 to 97 and F1717-10. The other 2 tests were conducted for comparing the characteristics between TT and ST pedicle screws according to modified methods from ASTM F 1717-10 and ASTM F 1798-97. All results including axial gripping capacity and yield forces were obtained using the same methods on the basis of the mentioned ASTM standards. In the axial gripping capacity test, the mean axial gripping capacity of the TT screw-rod configuration was 3332 ± 118 N and that of ST was 2222 ± 147 N in straight rods (P = 0.019). In 15-degree contoured rods, TT was 2988 ± 199 N and ST was 2116 ± 423 N (P = 0.014). In 30-degree contoured rods, TT was 2227 ± 408 N and ST was 1814 ± 285 N (P = 0.009). In the pulling-out test, the pulling-out force of ST was 8695 ± 1616 N and that of TT was 6106 ± 195 N (P = 0.014). In the rod-pushing test, the failure force of ST was 4131 ± 205 N and that of TT was 5639 ± 105 N. In the compressive fatigue test, the maximum load was 145 N in ST and 119 N in TT. In the cycle fatigue test, the fatigue strength of ST was higher than that of TT. In the rod-pushing test, the failure force of ST was 4131 ± 205 N and that of TT was 5639 ± 105 N (P=0.046). Two different configurations of rod-screw systems found statistically significant differences with axial gripping, pulling out, and fatigue failures. ST constructs improved fixation stability over TT constructs. It was concluded that ST configuration may reduce complications related to implantation.

Study and characterization of tobacco mosaic virus head-to-tail assembly assisted by aniline polymerization.

PubMed

Niu, Zhongwei; Bruckman, Michael; Kotakadi, Venkata S; He, Jinbo; Emrick, Todd; Russell, Thomas P; Yang, Lin; Wang, Qian

2006-07-28

One-dimensional composite nanofibres with narrow dispersity, high aspect ratio and high processibility have been fabricated by head-to-tail self-assembly of rod-like tobacco mosaic virus assisted by aniline polymerization, which can promote many potential applications including electronics, optics, sensing and biomedical engineering.

Tank tread assemblies with track-linking mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, Earl R., Jr. (Inventor)

1986-01-01

The proposed tank tread assembly has adjacent tank tread segments joined by a link bearing tapered pins retained by clips inserted through the tread shells perpendicular to the axes of the pin. It also has highway pads attached by a release rod bearing tapered, grooved cams which interlockingly engage tabs inserted into the tread shells.

Self-Assembly at the Colloidal Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Xiao

The existence of self-assembly, the phenomenon of spontaneous structural formation from building blocks, transcends many orders of magnitude, ranging from molecular to cosmic. It is arguably the most common, important, and complex question in science. This thesis aims for understanding a spectrum of self-assembly-self assembly at the colloidal scale. Of the whole spectrum of self-assembly, the colloidal scale is of particular interest and importance to researchers, for not only comprehensive tools for colloidal scale studies have been well established, but also the various promising applications colloidal self-assembly can facilitate. In this thesis, a high throughput technique-Polymer Pen Lithography (PPL) is modified and its potential for creating corrals for colloidal assembly is evaluated. Then two different approaches of assembling colloids are explored in depth. One of them is by using a phenomenon called dielectrophoresis (DEP) as driving force to manipulate colloidal nucleation and crystal growth. And the other takes advantage of the Pt-catalyzed H2O 2 redox reaction to drive micrometer-scaled, rod-shaped colloids to swim and assemble. Lastly, an optical method called Holographic Video Microscopy (HVM) is used to monitor and characterize "bad" self-assembly of proteins, that is their aggregations. The four studies discussed in this thesis represent advancements in the colloidal scale from different aspects. The PPL technique enriched the toolbox for colloidal self-assembly. The DEP driven colloidal nucleation and crystal growth shed light on deeper understanding the mechanism of crystallization. And the swimming and assembly of micro-scale rods leads to kinetics reminiscent of bacterial run-and-tumble motion. Finally, the HVM technique for monitoring and understanding protein aggregation could potentially lead to better quality assurance for therapeutic proteins and could be a powerful tool for assessing their shelf lives.

Achiral symmetry breaking and positive Gaussian modulus lead to scalloped colloidal membranes

PubMed Central

Gibaud, Thomas; Kaplan, C. Nadir; Sharma, Prerna; Zakhary, Mark J.; Ward, Andrew; Oldenbourg, Rudolf; Meyer, Robert B.; Kamien, Randall D.; Powers, Thomas R.; Dogic, Zvonimir

2017-01-01

In the presence of a nonadsorbing polymer, monodisperse rod-like particles assemble into colloidal membranes, which are one-rod-length–thick liquid-like monolayers of aligned rods. Unlike 3D edgeless bilayer vesicles, colloidal monolayer membranes form open structures with an exposed edge, thus presenting an opportunity to study elasticity of fluid sheets. Membranes assembled from single-component chiral rods form flat disks with uniform edge twist. In comparison, membranes composed of a mixture of rods with opposite chiralities can have the edge twist of either handedness. In this limit, disk-shaped membranes become unstable, instead forming structures with scalloped edges, where two adjacent lobes with opposite handedness are separated by a cusp-shaped point defect. Such membranes adopt a 3D configuration, with cusp defects alternatively located above and below the membrane plane. In the achiral regime, the cusp defects have repulsive interactions, but away from this limit we measure effective long-ranged attractive binding. A phenomenological model shows that the increase in the edge energy of scalloped membranes is compensated by concomitant decrease in the deformation energy due to Gaussian curvature associated with scalloped edges, demonstrating that colloidal membranes have positive Gaussian modulus. A simple excluded volume argument predicts the sign and magnitude of the Gaussian curvature modulus that is in agreement with experimental measurements. Our results provide insight into how the interplay between membrane elasticity, geometrical frustration, and achiral symmetry breaking can be used to fold colloidal membranes into 3D shapes. PMID:28411214

Soil sampling device with latch assembly having a variable circumferential shape

DOEpatents

Meyer, R.D.

1996-12-24

The invention relates to an improved sampler which can be operated in any orientation. The design features a positive gripping of the operating rod in a manner to reduce point loads so as to reduce any possibility of jamming of the rod on a retraction stroke until such time as it is positively retained in the fully withdrawn position. In the preferred embodiment, a pair of mating cylindrical latch pieces, held together by a circumferential spring, are used for positive actuation. The inner rod has an angular cut-out which provides the base for the latch when aligned with the latch. A release fixture can be used to free the latch from the cone rod after actuation. The latches are formed in such a manner as they may support themselves within the housing of the sampler until they engage the operating rod. 11 figs.

Soil sampling device with latch assembly having a variable circumferential shape

DOEpatents

Meyer, Robert D.

1996-01-01

The invention relates to an improved sampler which can be operated in any orientation. The design features a positive gripping of the operating rod in a manner to reduce point loads so as to reduce any possibility of jamming of the rod on a retraction stroke until such time as it is positively retained in the fully withdrawn position. In the preferred embodiment, a pair of mating cylindrical latch pieces, held together by a circumferential spring, are used for positive actuation. The inner rod has an angular cut-out which provides the base for the latch when aligned with the latch. A release fixture can be used to free the latch from the cone rod after actuation. The latches are formed in such a manner as they may support themselves within the housing of the sampler until they engage the operating rod.

In Planta Synthesis of Designer-Length Tobacco Mosaic Virus-Based Nano-Rods That Can Be Used to Fabricate Nano-Wires.

PubMed

Saunders, Keith; Lomonossoff, George P

2017-01-01

We have utilized plant-based transient expression to produce tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-based nano-rods of predetermined lengths. This is achieved by expressing RNAs containing the TMV origin of assembly sequence (OAS) and the sequence of the TMV coat protein either on the same RNA molecule or on two separate constructs. We show that the length of the resulting nano-rods is dependent upon the length of the RNA that possesses the OAS element. By expressing a version of the TMV coat protein that incorporates a metal-binding peptide at its C-terminus in the presence of RNA containing the OAS we have been able to produce nano-rods of predetermined length that are coated with cobalt-platinum. These nano-rods have the properties of defined-length nano-wires that make them ideal for many developing bionanotechnological processes.

In Planta Synthesis of Designer-Length Tobacco Mosaic Virus-Based Nano-Rods That Can Be Used to Fabricate Nano-Wires

PubMed Central

Saunders, Keith; Lomonossoff, George P.

2017-01-01

We have utilized plant-based transient expression to produce tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-based nano-rods of predetermined lengths. This is achieved by expressing RNAs containing the TMV origin of assembly sequence (OAS) and the sequence of the TMV coat protein either on the same RNA molecule or on two separate constructs. We show that the length of the resulting nano-rods is dependent upon the length of the RNA that possesses the OAS element. By expressing a version of the TMV coat protein that incorporates a metal-binding peptide at its C-terminus in the presence of RNA containing the OAS we have been able to produce nano-rods of predetermined length that are coated with cobalt-platinum. These nano-rods have the properties of defined-length nano-wires that make them ideal for many developing bionanotechnological processes. PMID:28878782

Ionic liquids-mediated interactions between nanorods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Zhou; Zhang, Fei; Huang, Jingsong

Surface forces mediated by room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) play an essential role in diverse applications including self-assembly, lubrication, and electrochemical energy storage. In this work, using molecular simulations we study the interactions between two nanorods immersed in model RTILs at rod-rod separations where both structural and double layer forces are important. The interaction force between neutral rods oscillates as the two rods approach each other, similar to the classical structural forces. Such oscillatory force originates from the density oscillation of RTILs near each rod and is affected by the packing constraints imposed by the neighboring rods. The oscillation period andmore » decay length of the oscillatory force are mainly dictated by the ion density distribution near isolated nanorods. When charges are introduced on the rods, the interaction force remains short-range and oscillatory, similar to the interactions between planar walls mediated by some protic RTILs reported earlier. Nevertheless, introducing net charges to the rods greatly changes the rod-rod interactions, e.g., by delaying the appearance of the first force trough and increasing the oscillation period and decay length of the interaction force. The oscillation period and decay length of the oscillatory force and free energy are commensurate with those of the space charge density near an isolated, charged rod. The free energy of rod-rod interactions reaches local minima (maxima) at rod-rod separations when the space charges near the two rods interfere constructively (destructively). Here, the insight on the short-range interactions between nanorods in RTILs helps guide the design of novel materials, e.g., crystalline ion gels based on rigid-rod polyanions and RTILs.« less

Ionic liquids-mediated interactions between nanorods

DOE PAGES

Yu, Zhou; Zhang, Fei; Huang, Jingsong; ...

2017-10-06

Surface forces mediated by room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) play an essential role in diverse applications including self-assembly, lubrication, and electrochemical energy storage. In this work, using molecular simulations we study the interactions between two nanorods immersed in model RTILs at rod-rod separations where both structural and double layer forces are important. The interaction force between neutral rods oscillates as the two rods approach each other, similar to the classical structural forces. Such oscillatory force originates from the density oscillation of RTILs near each rod and is affected by the packing constraints imposed by the neighboring rods. The oscillation period andmore » decay length of the oscillatory force are mainly dictated by the ion density distribution near isolated nanorods. When charges are introduced on the rods, the interaction force remains short-range and oscillatory, similar to the interactions between planar walls mediated by some protic RTILs reported earlier. Nevertheless, introducing net charges to the rods greatly changes the rod-rod interactions, e.g., by delaying the appearance of the first force trough and increasing the oscillation period and decay length of the interaction force. The oscillation period and decay length of the oscillatory force and free energy are commensurate with those of the space charge density near an isolated, charged rod. The free energy of rod-rod interactions reaches local minima (maxima) at rod-rod separations when the space charges near the two rods interfere constructively (destructively). Here, the insight on the short-range interactions between nanorods in RTILs helps guide the design of novel materials, e.g., crystalline ion gels based on rigid-rod polyanions and RTILs.« less

Benchmark Evaluation of the HTR-PROTEUS Absorber Rod Worths (Core 4)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

John D. Bess; Leland M. Montierth

2014-06-01

PROTEUS was a zero-power research reactor at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland. The critical assembly was constructed from a large graphite annulus surrounding a central cylindrical cavity. Various experimental programs were investigated in PROTEUS; during the years 1992 through 1996, it was configured as a pebble-bed reactor and designated HTR-PROTEUS. Various critical configurations were assembled with each accompanied by an assortment of reactor physics experiments including differential and integral absorber rod measurements, kinetics, reaction rate distributions, water ingress effects, and small sample reactivity effects [1]. Four benchmark reports were previously prepared and included in the March 2013 editionmore » of the International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments (IRPhEP Handbook) [2] evaluating eleven critical configurations. A summary of that effort was previously provided [3] and an analysis of absorber rod worth measurements for Cores 9 and 10 have been performed prior to this analysis and included in PROTEUS-GCR-EXP-004 [4]. In the current benchmark effort, absorber rod worths measured for Core Configuration 4, which was the only core with a randomly-packed pebble loading, have been evaluated for inclusion as a revision to the HTR-PROTEUS benchmark report PROTEUS-GCR-EXP-002.« less

On-line detection of key radionuclides for fuel-rod failure in a pressurized water reactor.

PubMed

Qin, Guoxiu; Chen, Xilin; Guo, Xiaoqing; Ni, Ning

2016-08-01

For early on-line detection of fuel rod failure, the key radionuclides useful in monitoring must leak easily from failing rods. Yield, half-life, and mass share of fission products that enter the primary coolant also need to be considered in on-line analyses. From all the nuclides that enter the primary coolant during fuel-rod failure, (135)Xe and (88)Kr were ultimately chosen as crucial for on-line monitoring of fuel-rod failure. A monitoring system for fuel-rod failure detection for pressurized water reactor (PWR) based on the LaBr3(Ce) detector was assembled and tested. The samples of coolant from the PWR were measured using the system as well as a HPGe γ-ray spectrometer. A comparison showed the method was feasible. Finally, the γ-ray spectra of primary coolant were measured under normal operations and during fuel-rod failure. The two peaks of (135)Xe (249.8keV) and (88)Kr (2392.1keV) were visible, confirming that the method is capable of monitoring fuel-rod failure on-line. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Six hydrophobins are involved in hydrophobin rodlet formation in Aspergillus nidulans and contribute to hydrophobicity of the spore surface.

PubMed

Grünbacher, André; Throm, Tanja; Seidel, Constanze; Gutt, Beatrice; Röhrig, Julian; Strunk, Timo; Vincze, Paul; Walheim, Stefan; Schimmel, Thomas; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Fischer, Reinhard

2014-01-01

Hydrophobins are amphiphilic proteins able to self-assemble at water-air interphases and are only found in filamentous fungi. In Aspergillus nidulans two hydrophobins, RodA and DewA, have been characterized, which both localize on the conidiospore surface and contribute to its hydrophobicity. RodA is the constituent protein of very regularly arranged rodlets, 10 nm in diameter. Here we analyzed four more hydrophobins, DewB-E, in A. nidulans and found that all six hydrophobins contribute to the hydrophobic surface of the conidiospores but only deletion of rodA caused loss of the rodlet structure. Analysis of the rodlets in the dewB-E deletion strains with atomic force microscopy revealed that the rodlets appeared less robust. Expression of DewA and DewB driven from the rodA promoter and secreted with the RodA secretion signal in a strain lacking RodA, restored partly the hydrophobicity. DewA and B were able to form rodlets to some extent but never reached the rodlet structure of RodA. The rodlet-lacking rodA-deletion strain opens the possibility to systematically study rodlet formation of other natural or synthetic hydrophobins.

Six Hydrophobins Are Involved in Hydrophobin Rodlet Formation in Aspergillus nidulans and Contribute to Hydrophobicity of the Spore Surface

PubMed Central

Seidel, Constanze; Gutt, Beatrice; Röhrig, Julian; Strunk, Timo; Vincze, Paul; Walheim, Stefan; Schimmel, Thomas; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Fischer, Reinhard

2014-01-01

Hydrophobins are amphiphilic proteins able to self-assemble at water-air interphases and are only found in filamentous fungi. In Aspergillus nidulans two hydrophobins, RodA and DewA, have been characterized, which both localize on the conidiospore surface and contribute to its hydrophobicity. RodA is the constituent protein of very regularly arranged rodlets, 10 nm in diameter. Here we analyzed four more hydrophobins, DewB-E, in A. nidulans and found that all six hydrophobins contribute to the hydrophobic surface of the conidiospores but only deletion of rodA caused loss of the rodlet structure. Analysis of the rodlets in the dewB-E deletion strains with atomic force microscopy revealed that the rodlets appeared less robust. Expression of DewA and DewB driven from the rodA promoter and secreted with the RodA secretion signal in a strain lacking RodA, restored partly the hydrophobicity. DewA and B were able to form rodlets to some extent but never reached the rodlet structure of RodA. The rodlet-lacking rodA-deletion strain opens the possibility to systematically study rodlet formation of other natural or synthetic hydrophobins. PMID:24722460

Cryogenic support system

DOEpatents

Nicol, T.H.; Niemann, R.C.; Gonczy, J.D.

1988-11-01

A support system is disclosed for restraining large masses at very low or cryogenic temperatures. The support system employs a tie bar that is pivotally connected at opposite ends to an anchoring support member and a sliding support member. The tie bar extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cold mass assembly, and comprises a rod that lengthens when cooled and a pair of end attachments that contract when cooled. The rod and end attachments are sized so that when the tie bar is cooled to cryogenic temperature, the net change in tie bar length is approximately zero. Longitudinal force directed against the cold mass assembly is distributed by the tie bar between the anchoring support member and the sliding support member. 7 figs.

Fretting wear behaviors of a dual-cooled nuclear fuel rod under a simulated rod vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Young-Ho; Kim, Hyung-Kyu; Kang, Heung-Seok; Yoon, Kyung-Ho; Kim, Jae-Yong; Lee, Kang-Hee

2012-06-01

Recently, a dual-cooled fuel (i.e., annular fuel) that is compatible with current operating PWR plants has been proposed in order to realize both a considerable amount of power uprating and an increase of safety margins. As the design concept should be compatible with current operating PWR plants, however, it shows a narrow gap between the fuel rods when compared with current solid nuclear fuel arrays and needs to modify the spacer grid shapes and their positions. In this study, fretting wear tests have been performed to evaluate the wear resistance of a dual-cooled fuel by using a proposed spring and dimple of spacer grids that have a cantilever type and hemispherical shape, respectively. As a result, the wear volume of the spring specimen gradually increases as the contact condition is changed from a certain gap, just contact to positive force. However, in the dimple specimen, just contact condition shows a large wear volume. In addition, a circular rod motion at upper region of contact surface is gradually increased and its diametric size depends on the wear depth increase. Based on the test results, the fretting wear resistance of the proposed spring and dimple is analyzed by comparing the wear measurement results and rod motion in detail.

Comparative analysis of international standards for the fatigue testing of posterior spinal fixation systems: the importance of preload in ISO 12189.

PubMed

La Barbera, Luigi; Ottardi, Claudia; Villa, Tomaso

2015-10-01

Preclinical evaluation of the mechanical reliability of fixation devices is a mandatory activity before their introduction into market. There are two standardized protocols for preclinical testing of spinal implants. The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) recommends the F1717 standard, which describes a vertebrectomy condition that is relatively simple to implement, whereas the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) suggests the 12189 standard, which describes a more complex physiological anterior support-based setup. Moreover, ASTM F1717 is nowadays well established, whereas ISO 12189 has received little attention: A few studies tried to accurately describe the ISO experimental procedure through numeric models, but these studies totally neglect the recommended precompression step. This study aimed to build up a reliable, validated numeric model capable of describing the stress on the rods of a spinal fixator assembled according to ISO 12189 standard procedure. Such a model would more adequately represent the in vitro testing condition. This study used finite element (FE) simulations and experimental validation testing. An FE model of the ISO setup was built to calculate the stress on the rods. Simulation was validated by comparison with experimental strain gauges measurements. The same fixator has been previously virtually mounted in an L2-L4 FE model of the lumbar spine, and stresses in the rods were calculated when the spine was subjected to physiological forces and moments. The comparison between the FE predictions and experimental measurements is in good agreement, thus confirming the suitability of the FE method to evaluate the stresses in the device. The initial precompression induces a significant extension of the assembled construct. As the applied load increases, the initial extension is gradually compensated, so that at peak load the rods are bent in flexion: The final stress value predicted is thus reduced to about 50%, if compared with the previous model where the precompression was not considered. Neglecting the initial preload due to the assembly of the overall construct according to ISO 12189 standard could lead to an overestimation of the stress on the rods up to 50%. To correctly describe the state of stress on the posterior spinal fixator, tested according to the ISO procedure, it is important to take into account the initial preload due to the assembly of the overall construct. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High temperature control rod assembly

DOEpatents

Vollman, Russell E.

1991-01-01

A high temperature nuclear control rod assembly comprises a plurality of substantially cylindrical segments flexibly joined together in succession by ball joints. The segments are made of a high temperature graphite or carbon-carbon composite. The segment includes a hollow cylindrical sleeve which has an opening for receiving neutron-absorbing material in the form of pellets or compacted rings. The sleeve has a threaded sleeve bore and outer threaded surface. A cylindrical support post has a threaded shaft at one end which is threadably engaged with the sleeve bore to rigidly couple the support post to the sleeve. The other end of the post is formed with a ball portion. A hollow cylindrical collar has an inner threaded surface engageable with the outer threaded surface of the sleeve to rigidly couple the collar to the sleeve. the collar also has a socket portion which cooperates with the ball portion to flexibly connect segments together to form a ball and socket-type joint. In another embodiment, the segment comprises a support member which has a threaded shaft portion and a ball surface portion. The threaded shaft portion is engageable with an inner threaded surface of a ring for rigidly coupling the support member to the ring. The ring in turn has an outer surface at one end which is threadably engageably with a hollow cylindrical sleeve. The other end of the sleeve is formed with a socket portion for engagement with a ball portion of the support member. In yet another embodiment, a secondary rod is slidably inserted in a hollow channel through the center of the segment to provide additional strength. A method for controlling a nuclear reactor utilizing the control rod assembly is also included.

Physical Sensing of Surface Properties by Microswimmers – Directing Bacterial Motion via Wall Slip

PubMed Central

Hu, Jinglei; Wysocki, Adam; Winkler, Roland G.; Gompper, Gerhard

2015-01-01

Bacteria such as Escherichia coli swim along circular trajectories adjacent to surfaces. Thereby, the orientation (clockwise, counterclockwise) and the curvature depend on the surface properties. We employ mesoscale hydrodynamic simulations of a mechano-elastic model of E. coli, with a spherocylindrical body propelled by a bundle of rotating helical flagella, to study quantitatively the curvature of the appearing circular trajectories. We demonstrate that the cell is sensitive to nanoscale changes in the surface slip length. The results are employed to propose a novel approach to directing bacterial motion on striped surfaces with different slip lengths, which implies a transformation of the circular motion into a snaking motion along the stripe boundaries. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated by a simulation of active Brownian rods, which also reveals a dependence of directional motion on the stripe width. PMID:25993019

Taylor bubbles in liquid filled annuli: Some new observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, V.; Jana, A. K.; Das, G.; Das, P. K.

2007-10-01

Taylor bubbles rising through a vertical concentric annulus do not wrap around the inner tube completely. The two edges of the bubble are separated by a liquid bridge which increases with an increase of the inner radius. However, the change in the shape of the Taylor bubbles in annuli with extremely small inner diameter has not yet been reported. In the present investigation, several experiments have been performed in circular and noncircular annuli to understand the influence of the inner and outer wall on the bubble shape. The bubble has been observed to assume a completely different shape in both circular and square annuli with a very thin inner rod. Nevertheless, the rise velocity for such situations agree with the prediction of the model proposed by Das et al. [Chem. Eng. Sci. 53, 977 (1998)] when the outer pipe is circular but fails for a square outer pipe.

Neutron Collar Evolution and Fresh PWR Assembly Measurements with a New Fast Neutron Passive Collar

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Menlove, Howard Olsen; Geist, William H.; Root, Margaret A.

The passive neutron collar approach removes the effect of poison rods when using a 1mm Gd liner. This project sets out to solve the following challenges: BWR fuel assemblies have less mass and less neutron multiplication than PWR; and effective removal of cosmic ray spallation neutron bursts needed via QC tests.

GREEN AND CONTROLLED SYNTHESIS OF GOLD AND PLATINUM NANOMATERIALS USING VITAMIN B2: DENSITY-ASSISTED SELF-ASSEMBLY OF NANOSPHERES, WIRES AND RODS

EPA Science Inventory

For the first time, we report density-assisted self-assembly and efficient synthesis of gold (Au) and platinum (Pt) nanospheres, nanowires and nanorods using vitamin B₂ (riboflavin) without employing any special capping or dispersing agent at room temperature; this env...

Inverse thermoreversible mechanical stiffening and birefringence in methylcellulose/cellulose nanocrystal hydrogel.

PubMed

Hynninen, Ville; Hietala, Sami; McKee, Jason Robert; Murtomäki, Lasse; Rojas, Orlando J; Ikkala, Olli; Nonappa, Nonappa

2018-05-07

We show that composite hydrogels comprising methyl cellulose (MC) and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) colloidal rods display a reversible and enhanced rheological storage modulus and optical birefringence upon heating, i.e., inverse thermoreversibility. Dynamic rheology, quantitative polarized optical microscopy (POM), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), circular dichroism (CD), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) were used for characterization. The concentration of CNC in aqueous media was varied up to 3.5 wt % (i.e, keeping the concentration below the critical aq. concentration) while maintaining the MC aq. concentration at 1.0 wt %. At 20 °C, MC/CNC underwent gelation upon passing the CNC concentration of 1.5 wt %. At this point the storage modulus (G´) reached a plateau, and the birefringence underwent a stepwise increase, thus suggesting a percolative phenomenon. The storage modulus (G´) of the composite gels was an order of magnitude higher at 60 °C compared to that at 20 °C. ITC results suggested that at 60 °C, the CNC rods were entropically driven to interact with MC chains, which according to recent studies, collapse at this temperature into ring-like, colloidal-scale persistent fibrils with hollow cross-section. Consequently, the increased requirement for space and mutual alignment of components results in enhanced birefringence. At room temperature, ITC shows enthalpic binding between CNCs and MC with the latter comprising an aqueous, molecularly dispersed polymer chains that lead to looser and less birefringent material. TEM, SEM, and CD indicated CNC chiral fragments within MC/CNC composite gel. Thus, their space-filling, thermoreversible assembly within the MC network can be used to tune the rheological properties and to access liquid crystalline properties at low CNC concentrations.

Thin walled channel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crowther, R.L.; Johansson, E.B.

1988-06-07

A fuel assembly is described comprising fuel rods positioned in a spaced array by upper and lower tie-plates, an open ended flow channel surrounding the array for conducting coolant upward about the fuel rods, the open ended channel having a polygon shaped cross section with flat side sections connected between the corner sections; means separate from the channel connecting the upper and lower tie-plates together and maintaining the fuel rods in spaced array independent of the flow channel, improvement in the flow channel comprising: four corners having a first thickness; four sides having a second and reduced thickness from themore » corner thickness, the sides welded to the corner sections.« less

Holliday Triangle Hunter (HolT Hunter): Efficient Software for Identifying Low Strain DNA Triangular Configurations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sherman, W.B.

2012-04-16

Synthetic DNA nanostructures are typically held together primarily by Holliday junctions. One of the most basic types of structures possible to assemble with only DNA and Holliday junctions is the triangle. To date, however, only equilateral triangles have been assembled in this manner - primarily because it is difficult to figure out what configurations of Holliday triangles have low strain. Early attempts at identifying such configurations relied upon calculations that followed the strained helical paths of DNA. Those methods, however, were computationally expensive, and failed to find many of the possible solutions. I have developed a new approach to identifyingmore » Holliday triangles that is computationally faster, and finds well over 95% of the possible solutions. The new approach is based on splitting the problem into two parts. The first part involves figuring out all the different ways that three featureless rods of the appropriate length and diameter can weave over and under one another to form a triangle. The second part of the computation entails seeing whether double helical DNA backbones can fit into the shape dictated by the rods in such a manner that the strands can cross over from one domain to the other at the appropriate spots. Structures with low strain (that is, good fit between the rods and the helices) on all three edges are recorded as promising for assembly.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gauld, Ian C.; Giaquinto, J. M.; Delashmitt, J. S.

Destructive radiochemical assay measurements of spent nuclear fuel rod segments from an assembly irradiated in the Three Mile Island unit 1 (TMI-1) pressurized water reactor have been performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Assay data are reported for five samples from two fuel rods of the same assembly. The TMI-1 assembly was a 15 X 15 design with an initial enrichment of 4.013 wt% 235U, and the measured samples achieved burnups between 45.5 and 54.5 gigawatt days per metric ton of initial uranium (GWd/t). Measurements were performed mainly using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after elemental separation via highmore » performance liquid chromatography. High precision measurements were achieved using isotope dilution techniques for many of the lanthanides, uranium, and plutonium isotopes. Measurements are reported for more than 50 different isotopes and 16 elements. One of the two TMI-1 fuel rods measured in this work had been measured previously by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), and these data have been widely used to support code and nuclear data validation. Recently, ORNL provided an important opportunity to independently cross check results against previous measurements performed at ANL. The measured nuclide concentrations are used to validate burnup calculations using the SCALE nuclear systems modeling and simulation code suite. These results show that the new measurements provide reliable benchmark data for computer code validation.« less

Unified Strouhal-Reynolds number relationship for laminar vortex streets generated by different-shaped obstacles.

PubMed

Kim, Ildoo; Wu, X L

2015-10-01

A structure-based Strouhal-Reynolds number relationship, St=1/(A+B/Re), has been recently proposed based on observations of laminar vortex shedding from circular cylinders in a flowing soap film. Since the new St-Re relation was derived from a general physical consideration, it raises the possibility that it may be applicable to vortex shedding from bodies other than circular ones. The work presented herein provides experimental evidence that this is the case. Our measurements also show that, in the asymptotic limit (Re→∞), St(∞)=1/A≃0.21 is constant independent of rod shapes, leaving B the only parameter that is shape dependent.

Experimental development of rod pinch diode radiographic source using modified KALI 1000 pulsed power system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Satyanarayana, N.; Basu, Shibaji; Rajawat, R.K., E-mail: satya_3026@yahoo.com

2014-07-01

This paper highlights the development of Rod Pinch (RP) diode for flash X-ray generation as intense radiographic source at BARC, Vizag. The typical RP diode employed used a small diameter (1-2 mm) anode rod extended through a cathode circular aperture (5-6 mm inner diameter). The diode chamber is maintained at 10{sup -5} Torr vacuum by a rotary backed diffusion pump. Experiments performed on a modified Kali 1000 Pulsed Power System (300 kV, 30 kA, 100 ns) were aimed at optimizing the source by maximizing the figure of merit (dose @ 1m in rad/spot diameter{sup 2} in mm{sup 2}) with minimizingmore » of the diode impedance. The typical electron beam parameters used in the experiments are 240-270 kV, 20-25 kA, 100 ns, with a few hundreds of kA/cm{sup 2} current density. The optimization resulted in a configuration with tungsten anode rod having dimensions of a 1.6 mm diameter, tapering extension length 5-25 mm beyond the graphite cathode aperture (Cathode disk ID = 5 mm, thickness = 3mm) to produce a radiation dose of 150-200 milli rad at 1 m distance having an estimated spot-size of 1-2 mm. The radiation emitted from a rod-pinch diode is measured using Thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs) at an angular interval of 15° on either side of the rod in horizontal and vertical plane. (author)« less

Optical chirality of achiral three-dimensional photonic crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanov, Sergei G.

2017-04-01

Extrinsic optical chirality in a form of the asymmetric transmission of circularly polarized light at the oblique light incidence has been observed in three-dimensional opal photonic crystals assembled from monodisperse polymer spheres in the closely packed face-centered-cubic lattice. This effect has been assigned to the translation-rotation symmetry of the lattice. The cross-polarization conversion of the circularly polarized light and the related asymmetry of the transmission of the inverted circularly polarized light have been demonstrated.

Analysis of features of hydrodynamics and heat transfer in the fuel assembly of prospective sodium reactor with a high rate of reproduction in the uranium-plutonium fuel cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubina, A. S.; Subbotin, A. S.; Sedov, A. A.; Frolov, A. A.

2016-12-01

The fast sodium reactor fuel assembly (FA) with U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel is described. In comparison with a "classical" fast reactor, this FA contains thin fuel rods and a wider fuel rod grid. Studies of the fluid dynamics and the heat transfer were carried out for such a new FA design. The verification of the ANSYS CFX code was provided for determination of the velocity, pressure, and temperature fields in the different channels. The calculations in the cells and in the FA were carried out using the model of shear stress transport (SST) selected at the stage of verification. The results of the hydrodynamics and heat transfer calculations have been analyzed.

Video flowmeter

DOEpatents

Lord, D.E.; Carter, G.W.; Petrini, R.R.

1983-08-02

A video flowmeter is described that is capable of specifying flow nature and pattern and, at the same time, the quantitative value of the rate of volumetric flow. An image of a determinable volumetric region within a fluid containing entrained particles is formed and positioned by a rod optic lens assembly on the raster area of a low-light level television camera. The particles are illuminated by light transmitted through a bundle of glass fibers surrounding the rod optic lens assembly. Only particle images having speeds on the raster area below the raster line scanning speed may be used to form a video picture which is displayed on a video screen. The flowmeter is calibrated so that the locus of positions of origin of the video picture gives a determination of the volumetric flow rate of the fluid. 4 figs.

Bound states in the continuum and polarization singularities in periodic arrays of dielectric rods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulgakov, Evgeny N.; Maksimov, Dmitrii N.

2017-12-01

We consider optical bound states in the continuum (BICs) in periodic arrays of dielectric rods. The full classification of BICs in the above system is provided, including the modes propagating along the axes of the rods and bidirectional BICs propagating both along the axes of the rods and the axis of periodicity. It is shown that the leaky zones supporting the BICs generally have elliptically polarized far-field radiation patterns, with the polarization ellipses collapsing on approach to the BICs in momentum space. That allowed us to apply the concept of polarization singularities and demonstrate that the BICs possess a topological charge defined as the winding number of the polarization direction [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 257401 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.257401]. It is found that the evolution of the BICs, including their creation and annihilation, under variation of geometric parameters is controlled by the topological charge. Three scenarios of such evolution for different leaky zones are described. Finally, it is shown that the topological properties of the BICs can be extracted from transmission spectra when the system is illuminated by a plane wave of circular polarization.

Remedial investigation work plan for Bear Creek Valley Operable Unit 1 (S-3 Ponds, Boneyard/Burnyard, Oil Landfarm, Sanitary Landfill 1, and the Burial Grounds, including Oil Retention Ponds 1 and 2) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Volume 1, Main text

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-09-01

The intent and scope of the work plan are to assemble all data necessary to facilitate selection of remediation alternatives for the sites in Bear Creek Valley Operable Unit 1 (BCV OU 1) such that the risk to human health and the environment is reduced to acceptable levels based on agreements with regulators. The ultimate goal is to develop a final Record Of Decision (ROD) for all of the OUs in BCV, including the integrator OU. However, the initial aim of the source OUs is to develop a ROD for interim measures. For source OUs such as BCV OU 1,more » data acquisition will not be carried out in a single event, but will be carried out in three stages that accommodate the schedule for developing a ROD for interim measures and the final site-wide ROD. The three stages are as follows: Stage 1, Assemble sufficient data to support decisions such as the need for removal actions, whether to continue with the remedial investigation (RI) process, or whether no further action is required. If the decision is made to continue the RI/FS process, then: Stage 2, Assemble sufficient data to allow for a ROD for interim measures that reduce risks to the human health and the environment. Stage 3, Provide input from the source OU that allows a final ROD to be issued for all OUs in the BCV hydrologic regime. One goal of the RI work plan will be to ensure that sampling operations required for the initial stage are not repeated at later stages. The overall goals of this RI are to define the nature and extent of contamination so that the impact of leachate, surface water runoff, and sediment from the OU I sites on the integrator OU can be evaluated, the risk to human health and the environment can be defined, and the general physical characteristics of the subsurface can be determined such that remedial alternatives can be screened.« less

Driven assembly with multiaxial fields: Creating a soft mode in assemblies of anisometric induced dipoles

DOE PAGES

Martin, James E.; Swol, Frank Van

2015-07-10

We show that multiaxial fields can induce time-averaged, noncentrosymmetric interactions between particles having polarization anisotropy, yet the multiaxial field itself does not exert either a force or a torque on an isolated particle. These induced interactions lead to particle assemblies whose energy is strongly dependent on both the translational and orientational degrees of freedom of the system. The situation is similar to a collection of permanent dipoles, but the symmetry of the time-averaged interaction is quite distinct, and the scale of the system energy can be dynamically controlled by the magnitude of the applied multiaxial field. In our paper, themore » case of polarizable rods is considered in detail, and it is suggested that collections of rods embedded in spheres can be used to create a material with a dynamically tunable magnetic permeability or dielectric permittivity. We report on Monte Carlo simulations performed to investigate the behavior of assemblies of both multiaxial-field induced dipoles and permanent dipoles arranged onto two-dimensional lattices. Lastly, the ground state of the induced dipoles is an orientational soft mode of aligned dipoles, whereas that of the permanent dipoles is a vortex state.« less

Three-dimensional plasmonic chiral tetramers assembled by DNA origami.

PubMed

Shen, Xibo; Asenjo-Garcia, Ana; Liu, Qing; Jiang, Qiao; García de Abajo, F Javier; Liu, Na; Ding, Baoquan

2013-05-08

Molecular chemistry offers a unique toolkit to draw inspiration for the design of artificial metamolecules. For a long time, optical circular dichroism has been exclusively the terrain of natural chiral molecules, which exhibit optical activity mainly in the UV spectral range, thus greatly hindering their significance for a broad range of applications. Here we demonstrate that circular dichroism can be generated with artificial plasmonic chiral nanostructures composed of the minimum number of spherical gold nanoparticles required for three-dimensional (3D) chirality. We utilize a rigid addressable DNA origami template to precisely organize four nominally identical gold nanoparticles into a three-dimensional asymmetric tetramer. Because of the chiral structural symmetry and the strong plasmonic resonant coupling between the gold nanoparticles, the 3D plasmonic assemblies undergo different interactions with left and right circularly polarized light, leading to pronounced circular dichroism. Our experimental results agree well with theoretical predictions. The simplicity of our structure geometry and, most importantly, the concept of resorting on biology to produce artificial photonic functionalities open a new pathway to designing smart artificial plasmonic nanostructures for large-scale production of optically active metamaterials.

Cathode power distribution system and method of using the same for power distribution

DOEpatents

Williamson, Mark A; Wiedmeyer, Stanley G; Koehl, Eugene R; Bailey, James L; Willit, James L; Barnes, Laurel A; Blaskovitz, Robert J

2014-11-11

Embodiments include a cathode power distribution system and/or method of using the same for power distribution. The cathode power distribution system includes a plurality of cathode assemblies. Each cathode assembly of the plurality of cathode assemblies includes a plurality of cathode rods. The system also includes a plurality of bus bars configured to distribute current to each of the plurality of cathode assemblies. The plurality of bus bars include a first bus bar configured to distribute the current to first ends of the plurality of cathode assemblies and a second bus bar configured to distribute the current to second ends of the plurality of cathode assemblies.

Thermal and Fluid Mechanical Investigation of an Internally Cooled Piston Rod

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klotsche, K.; Thomas, C.; Hesse, U.

2017-08-01

The Internal Cooling of Reciprocating Compressor Parts (ICRC) is a promising technology to reduce the temperature of the thermally stressed piston and piston rod of process gas compressors. The underlying heat transport is based on the flow of a two-phase cooling medium that is contained in the hollow reciprocating assembly. The reciprocating motion forces the phases to mix, enabling an enhanced heat transfer. In order to investigate this heat transfer, experimental results from a vertically reciprocating hollow rod are presented that show the influence of different liquid charges for different working temperatures. In addition, pressure sensors are used for a crank angle dependent analysis of the fluid mechanical processes inside the rod. The results serve to investigate the two-phase flow in terms of the velocity and distribution of the liquid and vapour phase for different liquid fractions.

DIRECT-CYCLE, BOILING-WATER NUCLEAR REACTOR

DOEpatents

Harrer, J.M.; Fromm, L.W. Jr.; Kolba, V.M.

1962-08-14

A direct-cycle boiling-water nuclear reactor is described that employs a closed vessel and a plurality of fuel assemblies, each comprising an outer tube closed at its lower end, an inner tube, fuel rods in the space between the tubes and within the inner tube. A body of water lying within the pressure vessel and outside the fuel assemblies is converted to saturated steam, which enters each fuel assembly at the top and is converted to superheated steam in the fuel assembly while it is passing therethrough first downward through the space between the inner and outer tubes of the fuel assembly and then upward through the inner tube. (AEC)

JPRS Report Science and Technology, Japan: Atomic Energy Society 1989 Annual Meeting.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-10-13

Control Rod Hole in VHTRC-1 Core [F, Akino, T, Yamane, et al.] ,,, 5 Measurement of MEU [Medium Enriched Uranium ] Fuel Element Characteristics in...K. Yoshida, K. Kobayashi, I. Kimura , C. Yamanaka, and S. Nakai, Laser Laboratory,, Osaka University. Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, Kyoto University...1 core loaded with 278 fuel rods (4 percent enriched uranium ). The PNS target was placed at the back center of the 1/2 assembly on the fixed side

Chiral transcription in self-assembled tetrahedral Eu 4L 6 chiral cages displaying sizable circularly polarized luminescence

DOE PAGES

Yeung, Chi -Tung; Yim, King -Him; Wong, Ho -Yin; ...

2017-10-24

Predictable stereoselective formation of supramolecular assembly is generally believed to be an important but complicated process. Here, we show that point chirality of a ligand decisively influences its supramolecular assembly behavior. We designed three closely related chiral ligands with different point chiralities, and observe their self-assembly into europium (Eu) tetrametallic tetrahedral cages. One ligand exhibits a highly diastereoselective assembly into homochiral (either ΔΔΔΔ or ΛΛΛΛ) Eu tetrahedral cages whereas the two other ligands, with two different approaches of loosened point chirality, lead to a significant breakdown of the diastereoselectivity to generate a mixture of (ΔΔΔΔ and ΛΛΛΛ) isomers. The cagesmore » are highly emissive (luminescence quantum yields of 16(1) to 18(1)%) and exhibit impressive circularly polarized luminescence properties (|g lum |: up to 0.16). With in-depth studies, we present an example that correlates the nonlinear enhancement of the chiroptical response to the nonlinearity dependence on point chirality.« less

Mid-infrared Plasmonic Circular Dichroism Generated by Graphene Nanodisk Assemblies.

PubMed

Kong, Xiang-Tian; Zhao, Runbo; Wang, Zhiming; Govorov, Alexander O

2017-08-09

It is very interesting to bring plasmonic circular dichroism spectroscopy to the mid-infrared spectral interval, and there are two reasons for this. This spectral interval is very important for thermal bioimaging, and simultaneously, this spectral range includes vibrational lines of many chiral biomolecules. Here we demonstrate that graphene plasmons indeed offer such opportunity. In particular, we show that chiral graphene assemblies consisting of a few graphene nanodisks can generate strong circular dichroism (CD) in the mid-infrared interval. The CD signal is generated due to the plasmon-plasmon coupling between adjacent nanodisks in the specially designed chiral graphene assemblies. Because of the large dimension mismatch between the thickness of a graphene layer and the incoming light's wavelength, three-dimensional configurations with a total height of a few hundred nanometers are necessary to obtain a strong CD signal in the mid-infrared range. The mid-infrared CD strength is mainly governed by the total dimensions (total height and helix scaffold radius) of the graphene nanodisk assembly and by the plasmon-plasmon interaction strength between its constitutive nanodisks. Both positive and negative CD bands can be observed in the graphene assembly array. The frequency interval of the plasmonic CD spectra overlaps with the vibrational modes of some important biomolecules, such as DNA and many different peptides, giving rise to the possibility of enhancing the vibrational optical activity of these molecular species by attaching them to the graphene assemblies. Simultaneously the spectral range of chiral mid-infrared plasmons in our structures appears near the typical wavelength of the human-body thermal radiation, and therefore, our chiral metastructures can be potentially utilized as optical components in thermal imaging devices.

Highly selective and sensitive method for Cu2 + detection based on chiroptical activity of L-Cysteine mediated Au nanorod assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasi, Shahryar; Khani, Hamzeh

2017-11-01

Herein, we demonstrated a simple and efficient method to detect Cu2 + based on amplified optical activity in the chiral nanoassemblies of gold nanorods (Au NRs). L-Cysteine can induce side-by-side or end-to-end assembly of Au NRs with an evident plasmonic circular dichroism (PCD) response due to coupling between surface plasmon resonances (SPR) of Au NRs and the chiral signal of L-Cys. Because of the obvious stronger plasmonic circular dichrosim (CD) response of the side-by-side assembly compared with the end-to-end assemblies, SS assembled Au NRs was selected as a sensitive platform and used for Cu2 + detection. In the presence of Cu2 +, Cu2 + can catalyze O2 oxidation of cysteine to cystine. With an increase in Cu2 + concentration, the L-Cysteine-mediated assembly of Au NRs decreased because of decrease in the free cysteine thiol groups, and the PCD signal decreased. Taking advantage of this method, Cu2 + could be detected in the concentration range of 20 pM-5 nM. Under optimal conditions, the calculated detection limit was found to be 7 pM.

An efficient approach for the assembly of mass and stiffness matrices of structures with modifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Andreas; Spelsberg-Korspeter, Gottfried

2013-09-01

The finite element method is one of the most common tools for the comprehensive analysis of structures with applications reaching from static, often nonlinear stress-strain, to transient dynamic analyses. For single calculations the expense to generate an appropriate mesh is often insignificant compared to the analysis time even for complex geometries and therefore negligible. However, this is not the case for certain other applications, most notably structural optimization procedures, where the (re-)meshing effort is very important with respect to the total runtime of the procedure. Thus it is desirable to find methods to efficiently generate mass and stiffness matrices allowing to reduce this effort, especially for structures with modifications of minor complexity, e.g. panels with cutouts. Therefore, a modeling approach referred to as Energy Modification Method is proposed in this paper. The underlying idea is to model and discretize the basis structure, e.g. a plate, and the modifications, e.g. holes, separately. The discretized energy expressions of the modifications are then subtracted from (or added to) the energy expressions of the basis structure and the coordinates are related to each other by kinematical constraints leading to the mass and stiffness matrices of the complete structure. This approach will be demonstrated by two simple examples, a rod with varying material properties and a rectangular plate with a rectangular or circular hole, using a finite element discretization as basis. Convergence studies of the method based on the latter example follow demonstrating the rapid convergence and efficiency of the method. Finally, the Energy Modification Method is successfully used in the structural optimization of a circular plate with holes, with the objective to split all its double eigenfrequencies.

Synthesis, optical properties, and helical self-assembly of a bivaline-containing tetraphenylethene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hongkun; Zheng, Xiaoyan; Su, Huimin; Lam, Jacky W. Y.; Sing Wong, Kam; Xue, Shan; Huang, Xuejiao; Huang, Xuhui; Li, Bing Shi; Tang, Ben Zhong

2016-01-01

A chiral tetraphenylethene derivative with two valine-containing attachments (TPE-DVAL), was synthesized by Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne “click” reaction. The optical properties and self-assembling behaviours of TPE-DVAL were investigated. The molecule is non-emissive and circular dichroism (CD)-silent in solution, but shows strong fluorescence and Cotton effects in the aggregation state, demonstrating aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and CD (AICD) characteristics. TPE-DVAL exhibits good circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) when depositing on the surface of quartz to allow the evaporation of its 1,2-dichloroethane solution. SEM and TEM images of the molecule show that the molecule readily self-assembles into right-handed helical nanofibers upon the evaporation of its solvent of DCE. The molecular alignments and interactions in assembling process are further explored through XRD analysis and computational simulation. The driving forces for the formation of the helical fibers were from the cooperative effects of intermolecular hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions and steric effect.

Amino Acid Substitutions of Coiled-Coil Protein Tpr Abrogate Anchorage to the Nuclear Pore Complex but Not Parallel, In-Register Homodimerization

PubMed Central

Hase, Manuela E.; Kuznetsov, Nikolai V.; Cordes, Volker C.

2001-01-01

Tpr is a protein component of nuclear pore complex (NPC)-attached intranuclear filaments. Secondary structure predictions suggest a bipartite structure, with a large N-terminal domain dominated by heptad repeats (HRs) typical for coiled-coil–forming proteins. Proposed functions for Tpr have included roles as a homo- or heteropolymeric architectural element of the nuclear interior. To gain insight into Tpr's ultrastructural properties, we have studied recombinant Tpr segments by circular dichroism spectroscopy, chemical cross-linking, and rotary shadowing electron microscopy. We show that polypeptides of the N-terminal domain homodimerize in vitro and represent α-helical molecules of extended rod-like shape. With the use of a yeast two-hybrid approach, arrangement of the coiled-coil is found to be in parallel and in register. To clarify whether Tpr can self-assemble further into homopolymeric filaments, the full-length protein and deletion mutants were overexpressed in human cells and then analyzed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, cell fractionation, and immuno-electron microscopy. Surplus Tpr, which does not bind to the NPC, remains in a soluble state of ∼7.5 S and occasionally forms aggregates of entangled molecules but neither self-assembles into extended linear filaments nor stably binds to other intranuclear structures. Binding to the NPC is shown to depend on the integrity of individual HRs; amino acid substitutions within these HRs abrogate NPC binding and render the protein soluble but do not abolish Tpr's general ability to homodimerize. Possible contributions of Tpr to the structural organization of the nuclear periphery in somatic cells are discussed. PMID:11514627

On the characteristics of centrifugal-reciprocating machines. [cryogenic coolers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higa, W. H.

1980-01-01

A method of compressing helium gas for cryogenic coolers is presented which uses centrifugal force to reduce the forces on the connecting rod and crankshaft in the usual reciprocating compressor. This is achieved by rotating the piston-cylinder assembly at a speed sufficient for the centrifugal force on the piston to overcome the compressional force due to the working fluid. The rotating assembly is dynamically braked in order to recharge the working space with fluid. The intake stroke consists of decelerating the rotating piston-cylinder assembly and the exhaust stroke consists of accelerating the assembly.

Diversification of Protein Cage Structure Using Circularly Permuted Subunits.

PubMed

Azuma, Yusuke; Herger, Michael; Hilvert, Donald

2018-01-17

Self-assembling protein cages are useful as nanoscale molecular containers for diverse applications in biotechnology and medicine. To expand the utility of such systems, there is considerable interest in customizing the structures of natural cage-forming proteins and designing new ones. Here we report that a circularly permuted variant of lumazine synthase, a cage-forming enzyme from Aquifex aeolicus (AaLS) affords versatile building blocks for the construction of nanocompartments that can be easily produced, tailored, and diversified. The topologically altered protein, cpAaLS, self-assembles into spherical and tubular cage structures with morphologies that can be controlled by the length of the linker connecting the native termini. Moreover, cpAaLS proteins integrate into wild-type and other engineered AaLS assemblies by coproduction in Escherichia coli to form patchwork cages. This coassembly strategy enables encapsulation of guest proteins in the lumen, modification of the exterior through genetic fusion, and tuning of the size and electrostatics of the compartments. This addition to the family of AaLS cages broadens the scope of this system for further applications and highlights the utility of circular permutation as a potentially general strategy for tailoring the properties of cage-forming proteins.

Rotatable electric cable connecting system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manges, D. R. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

A cable reel assembly is described which is particularly adapted for, but not limited to, a system for providing electrical connection of power and data signals between an orbiter vehicle, such as a space shuttle, and a recovered satellite. The assembly is comprised of two mutually opposing ring type structures having 180 deg relative rotation with one of the structures being held in fixed position while the other structure is rotatable. Motor controlled berthing latches and umbilical cable connectors for the satellite are located on the rim of the rotatable ring structure. The electrical cable assembly is fed in two sections from the orbiter vehicle into the outer rim portion of the fixed ring structure where they are directed inwardly and attached to two concentrically coiled metal bands whose respective ends are secured to inner and outer post members of circular sets of guide pins located on opposing circular plate members, one rotatable and one fixed. The cable sections are fed out as three output cable sections through openings in the central portion of the circular plate of the rotatable ring structure where they are directed to the latches and connectors located on its rim.

Analysis of features of hydrodynamics and heat transfer in the fuel assembly of prospective sodium reactor with a high rate of reproduction in the uranium-plutonium fuel cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lubina, A. S., E-mail: lubina-as@nrcki.ru; Subbotin, A. S.; Sedov, A. A.

2016-12-15

The fast sodium reactor fuel assembly (FA) with U–Pu–Zr metallic fuel is described. In comparison with a “classical” fast reactor, this FA contains thin fuel rods and a wider fuel rod grid. Studies of the fluid dynamics and the heat transfer were carried out for such a new FA design. The verification of the ANSYS CFX code was provided for determination of the velocity, pressure, and temperature fields in the different channels. The calculations in the cells and in the FA were carried out using the model of shear stress transport (SST) selected at the stage of verification. The resultsmore » of the hydrodynamics and heat transfer calculations have been analyzed.« less

Video flowmeter

DOEpatents

Lord, David E.; Carter, Gary W.; Petrini, Richard R.

1983-01-01

A video flowmeter is described that is capable of specifying flow nature and pattern and, at the same time, the quantitative value of the rate of volumetric flow. An image of a determinable volumetric region within a fluid (10) containing entrained particles (12) is formed and positioned by a rod optic lens assembly (31) on the raster area of a low-light level television camera (20). The particles (12) are illuminated by light transmitted through a bundle of glass fibers (32) surrounding the rod optic lens assembly (31). Only particle images having speeds on the raster area below the raster line scanning speed may be used to form a video picture which is displayed on a video screen (40). The flowmeter is calibrated so that the locus of positions of origin of the video picture gives a determination of the volumetric flow rate of the fluid (10).

Re-evaluation of Spent Nuclear Fuel Assay Data for the Three Mile Island Unit 1 Reactor and Application to Code Validation

DOE PAGES

Gauld, Ian C.; Giaquinto, J. M.; Delashmitt, J. S.; ...

2016-01-01

Destructive radiochemical assay measurements of spent nuclear fuel rod segments from an assembly irradiated in the Three Mile Island unit 1 (TMI-1) pressurized water reactor have been performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Assay data are reported for five samples from two fuel rods of the same assembly. The TMI-1 assembly was a 15 X 15 design with an initial enrichment of 4.013 wt% 235U, and the measured samples achieved burnups between 45.5 and 54.5 gigawatt days per metric ton of initial uranium (GWd/t). Measurements were performed mainly using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after elemental separation via highmore » performance liquid chromatography. High precision measurements were achieved using isotope dilution techniques for many of the lanthanides, uranium, and plutonium isotopes. Measurements are reported for more than 50 different isotopes and 16 elements. One of the two TMI-1 fuel rods measured in this work had been measured previously by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), and these data have been widely used to support code and nuclear data validation. Recently, ORNL provided an important opportunity to independently cross check results against previous measurements performed at ANL. The measured nuclide concentrations are used to validate burnup calculations using the SCALE nuclear systems modeling and simulation code suite. These results show that the new measurements provide reliable benchmark data for computer code validation.« less

Magnetic and magneto elastic properties of cobalt ferrite ceramic compacted through cold isostatic pressing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Indla, Srinivas; Das, Dibakar, E-mail: ddse@uohyd.ernet.in; Chelvane, Arout

2016-05-06

Nano crystalline CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} powder was prepared by combustion synthesis method. As synthesized powder was calcined at an appropriate condition to remove the impurities and to promote phase formation. Phase pure CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} powder was pressed into cylindrical rod at an applied pressure of 200 MPa using a cold isostatic pressing. Sintering of the green compact at 1350°c for 12 hrs resulted in sintered cylindrical rod with ~85% of the theoretical density. Single phase cubic spinel structure was observed in the powder x-ray diffraction pattern of the sintered pellet. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of the as sintered pelletmore » revealed the microstructure to be composed of ferrite grains of average size ~4 µm. Saturation magnetization of 72 emu/g and coercivity of 355 Oe were observed for cobalt ferrite sample. The magnetostriction was measured on a circular disc (12 mm diameter and 12 mm length) with the strain gauge (350 Ω) mounted on the flat surface of the circular disc. Magnetostriciton of 180 ppm and strain derivative of 1 × 10{sup −9} m/A were observed for the sintered CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} sample.« less

NUT SCREW MECHANISMS

DOEpatents

Glass, J.A.F.

1958-07-01

A reactor control mechanism is described wherein the control is achieved by the partial or total withdrawal of the fissile material which is in the form of a fuel rod. The fuel rod is designed to be raised and lowered from the reactor core area by means of two concentric ball nut and screw assemblies that may telescope one within the other. These screw mechanisms are connected through a magnetic clutch to a speed reduction gear and an accurately controllable prime motive source. With the clutch energized, the fuel rod may be moved into the reactor core area, and fine adjustments may be made through the reduction gearing. However, in the event of a power failure or an emergency signal, the magnetic clutch will become deenergized, and the fuel rod will drop out of the core area by the force of gravity, thus shutting down the operation of the reactor.

EPRI/DOE High Burnup Fuel Sister Pin Test Plan Simplification and Visualization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saltzstein, Sylvia J.; Sorenson, Ken B.; Hanson, Brady

The EPRI/DOE High Burnup Confirmatory Data Project (herein called the "Demo") is a multi-year, multi-entity confirmation demonstration test with the purpose of providing quantitative and qualitative data to show how high-burnup fuel ages in dry storage over a ten-year period. The Demo involves obtaining 32 assemblies of high-burnup PWR fuel of four common cladding alloys from the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant, drying them according to standard plant procedures, and then storing them in an NRC-licensed TN-3 2B cask on the North Anna dry storage pad for ten years. After the ten-year storage time, the cask will be opened andmore » the rods will be examined for signs of aging. Twenty-five rods from assemblies of similar claddings, in-reactor placement, and burnup histories (herein called "sister rods") have been shipped from the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant and are currently being nondestructively tested at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. After the non-destructive testing has been completed for each of the twenty-five rods, destructive analysis will be performed at ORNL, PNNL, and ANL to obtain mechanical data. Opinions gathered from the expert interviews, ORNL and PNNL Sister Rod Test Plans, and numerous meetings has resulted in the Simplified Test Plan described in this document. Some of the opinions and discussions leading to the simplified test plan are included here. Detailed descriptions and background are in the ORNL and PNNL plans in the appendices . After the testing described in this simplified test plan h as been completed , the community will review all the collected data and determine if additional testing is needed.« less

Unknown Aspects of Self-Assembly of PbS Microscale Superstructures

PubMed Central

Querejeta-Fernández, Ana; Hernández-Garrido, Juan C.; Yang, Hengxi; Zhou, Yunlong; Varela, Aurea; Parras, Marina; Calvino-Gámez, José J.; González-Calbet, Jose M.; Green, Peter F.; Kotov, Nicholas A.

2012-01-01

A lot of interesting and sophisticated examples of nanoparticle (NP) self-assembly (SA) are known. From both fundamental and technological standpoints this field requires advancements in three principle directions: a) understanding the mechanism and driving forces of three-dimensional (3D) SA with both nano- and micro-levels of organization; b) understanding of disassembly/deconstruction processes; and c) finding synthetic methods of assembly into continuous superstructures without insulating barriers. From this perspective, we investigated the formation of well-known star-like PbS superstructures and found a number of previously unknown or overlooked aspects that can advance the knowledge of NP self-assembly in these three directions. The primary one is that the formation of large seemingly monocrystalline PbS superstructures with multiple levels of octahedral symmetry can be explained only by SA of small octahedral NPs. We found five distinct periods in the formation PbS hyperbranched stars: 1) nucleation of early PbS NPs with an average diameter of 31 nm; 2) assembly into 100–500 nm octahedral mesocrystals; 3) assembly into 1000–2500 nm hyperbranched stars; 4) assembly and ionic recrystallization into six-arm rods accompanied by disappearance of fine nanoscale structure; 5) deconstruction into rods and cubooctahedral NPs. The switches in assembly patterns between the periods occur due to variable dominance of pattern–determining forces that include vander Waals and electrostatic (charge-charge, dipole-dipole, and polarization) interactions. The superstructure deconstruction is triggered by chemical changes in the deep eutectic solvent (DES) used as the media. PbS superstructures can be excellent models for fundamental studies of nanoscale organization and SA manufacturing of (opto)electronics and energy harvesting devices which require organization of PbS components at multiple scales. PMID:22515512

Unknown aspects of self-assembly of PbS microscale superstructures.

PubMed

Querejeta-Fernández, Ana; Hernández-Garrido, Juan C; Yang, Hengxi; Zhou, Yunlong; Varela, Aurea; Parras, Marina; Calvino-Gámez, José J; González-Calbet, Jose M; Green, Peter F; Kotov, Nicholas A

2012-05-22

A lot of interesting and sophisticated examples of nanoparticle (NP) self-assembly (SA) are known. From both fundamental and technological standpoints, this field requires advancements in three principle directions: (a) understanding the mechanism and driving forces of three-dimensional (3D) SA with both nano- and microlevels of organization; (b) understanding disassembly/deconstruction processes; and (c) finding synthetic methods of assembly into continuous superstructures without insulating barriers. From this perspective, we investigated the formation of well-known star-like PbS superstructures and found a number of previously unknown or overlooked aspects that can advance the knowledge of NP self-assembly in these three directions. The primary one is that the formation of large seemingly monocrystalline PbS superstructures with multiple levels of octahedral symmetry can be explained only by SA of small octahedral NPs. We found five distinct periods in the formation PbS hyperbranched stars: (1) nucleation of early PbS NPs with an average diameter of 31 nm; (2) assembly into 100-500 nm octahedral mesocrystals; (3) assembly into 1000-2500 nm hyperbranched stars; (4) assembly and ionic recrystallization into six-arm rods accompanied by disappearance of fine nanoscale structure; (5) deconstruction into rods and cuboctahedral NPs. The switches in assembly patterns between the periods occur due to variable dominance of pattern-determining forces that include van der Waals and electrostatic (charge-charge, dipole-dipole, and polarization) interactions. The superstructure deconstruction is triggered by chemical changes in the deep eutectic solvent (DES) used as the media. PbS superstructures can be excellent models for fundamental studies of nanoscale organization and SA manufacturing of (opto)electronics and energy-harvesting devices which require organization of PbS components at multiple scales.

The novel support structure design of high stability for space borne primary reflector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Fei; Ding, Lin; Tan, Ting; Pei, Jing-yang.; Zhao, Xue-min; Bai, Shao-jun

2018-01-01

The novel support structure design of high stability for space borne primary mirror is presented. The structure is supported by a ball head support rod, for statically determinate support of reflector. The ball head assembly includes the supporting rod, nesting, bushing and other important parts. The liner bushing of the resistant material is used to fit for ball head approximated with the reflector material, and then the bad impact of thermal mismatch could be minimized to minimum. In order to ensure that the structure of the support will not be damaged, the glue spots for limitation is added around the reflector, for position stability of reflector. Through analysis and calculation, it can be seen that the novel support structure would not transfer the external stresses to the reflector, and the external stresses usually result from thermal mismatch and assembly misalignment. The novel method is useful for solving the problem of the bad influence form thermal stress and assembly force. In this paper, the supporting structure is introduced and analyzed in detail. The simulation results show that the ball head support reflector works more stably.

Directionally Interacting Spheres and Rods Form Ordered Phases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Wenyan; Mahynski, Nathan A.; Gang, Oleg

The structures formed by mixtures of dissimilarly shaped nanoscale objects can significantly enhance our ability to produce nanoscale architectures. However, understanding their formation is a complex problem due to the interplay of geometric effects (entropy) and energetic interactions at the nanoscale. Spheres and rods are perhaps the most basic geometrical shapes and serve as convenient models of such dissimilar objects. The ordered phases formed by each of these individual shapes have already been explored, but, when mixed, spheres and rods have demonstrated only limited structural organization to date. We show using experiments and theory that the introduction of directional attractionsmore » between rod ends and isotropically interacting spherical nanoparticles (NPs) through DNA base pairing leads to the formation of ordered three-dimensional lattices. The spheres and rods arrange themselves in a complex alternating manner, where the spheres can form either a face-centered cubic (FCC) or hexagonal close-packed (HCP) lattice, or a disordered phase, as observed by in situ X-ray scattering. Increasing NP diameter at fixed rod length yields an initial transition from a disordered phase to the HCP crystal, energetically stabilized by rod-rod attraction across alternating crystal layers, as revealed by theory. In the limit of large NPs, the FCC structure is instead stabilized over the HCP by rod entropy. Thus, we propose that directionally specific attractions in mixtures of anisotropic and isotropic objects offer insight into unexplored self-assembly behavior of noncomplementary shaped particles.« less

Directionally Interacting Spheres and Rods Form Ordered Phases

DOE PAGES

Liu, Wenyan; Mahynski, Nathan A.; Gang, Oleg; ...

2017-05-10

The structures formed by mixtures of dissimilarly shaped nanoscale objects can significantly enhance our ability to produce nanoscale architectures. However, understanding their formation is a complex problem due to the interplay of geometric effects (entropy) and energetic interactions at the nanoscale. Spheres and rods are perhaps the most basic geometrical shapes and serve as convenient models of such dissimilar objects. The ordered phases formed by each of these individual shapes have already been explored, but, when mixed, spheres and rods have demonstrated only limited structural organization to date. We show using experiments and theory that the introduction of directional attractionsmore » between rod ends and isotropically interacting spherical nanoparticles (NPs) through DNA base pairing leads to the formation of ordered three-dimensional lattices. The spheres and rods arrange themselves in a complex alternating manner, where the spheres can form either a face-centered cubic (FCC) or hexagonal close-packed (HCP) lattice, or a disordered phase, as observed by in situ X-ray scattering. Increasing NP diameter at fixed rod length yields an initial transition from a disordered phase to the HCP crystal, energetically stabilized by rod-rod attraction across alternating crystal layers, as revealed by theory. In the limit of large NPs, the FCC structure is instead stabilized over the HCP by rod entropy. Thus, we propose that directionally specific attractions in mixtures of anisotropic and isotropic objects offer insight into unexplored self-assembly behavior of noncomplementary shaped particles.« less

Rod- versus cone-driven ERGs at different stimulus sizes in normal subjects and retinitis pigmentosa patients.

PubMed

Aher, Avinash J; McKeefry, Declan J; Parry, Neil R A; Maguire, John; Murray, I J; Tsai, Tina I; Huchzermeyer, Cord; Kremers, Jan

2018-02-01

To study how rod- and cone-driven responses depend on stimulus size in normal subjects and patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and to show that comparisons between responses to full-field (FF) and smaller stimuli can be useful in diagnosing and monitoring disorders of the peripheral retina without the need for lengthy dark adaptation periods. The triple silent substitution technique was used to isolate L-cone-, M-cone- and rod-driven ERGs with 19, 18 and 33% photoreceptor contrasts, respectively, under identical mean luminance conditions. Experiments were conducted on five normal subjects and three RP patients. ERGs on control subjects were recorded at nine different temporal frequencies (between 2 and 60 Hz) for five different stimulus sizes: FF, 70°, 60°, 50° and 40° diameter circular stimuli. Experiments on RP patients involved rod- and L-cone-driven ERG measurements with FF and 40° stimuli at 8 and 48 Hz. Response amplitudes were defined as those of the first harmonic component after Fourier analysis. In normal subjects, rod-driven responses displayed a fundamentally different behavior than cone-driven responses, particularly at low temporal frequencies. At low and intermediate temporal frequencies (≤ 12 Hz), rod-driven signals increased by a factor of about four when measured with smaller stimuli. In contrast, L- and M-cone-driven responses in this frequency region did not change substantially with stimulus size. At high temporal frequencies (≥ 24 Hz), both rod- and cone-driven response amplitudes decreased with decreasing stimulus size. Signals obtained from rod-isolating stimuli under these conditions are likely artefactual. Interestingly, in RP patients, both rod-driven and L-cone-driven ERGs were similar using 40° and FF stimuli. The increased responses with smaller stimuli in normal subjects to rod-isolating stimuli indicate that a fundamentally different mechanism drives the ERGs in comparison with the cone-driven responses. We propose that the increased responses are caused by stray light stimulating the peripheral retina, thereby allowing peripheral rod-driven function to be studied using the triple silent substitution technique at photopic luminances. The method is effective in studying impaired peripheral rod- and cone- function in RP patients.

Heat transfer enhancement with mixing vane spacers using the field synergy principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Lixin; Zhou, Mengjun; Tian, Zihao

2017-01-01

The single-phase heat transfer characteristics in a PWR fuel assembly are important. Many investigations attempt to obtain the heat transfer characteristics by studying the flow features in a 5 × 5 rod bundle with a spacer grid. The field synergy principle is used to discuss the mechanism of heat transfer enhancement using mixing vanes according to computational fluid dynamics results, including a spacer grid without mixing vanes, one with a split mixing vane, and one with a separate mixing vane. The results show that the field synergy principle is feasible to explain the mechanism of heat transfer enhancement in a fuel assembly. The enhancement in subchannels is more effective than on the rod's surface. If the pressure loss is ignored, the performance of the split mixing vane is superior to the separate mixing vane based on the enhanced heat transfer. Increasing the blending angle of the split mixing vane improves heat transfer enhancement, the maximum of which is 7.1%. Increasing the blending angle of the separate mixing vane did not significantly enhance heat transfer in the rod bundle, and even prevented heat transfer at a blending angle of 50°. This finding testifies to the feasibility of predicting heat transfer in a rod bundle with a spacer grid by field synergy, and upon comparison with analyzed flow features only, the field synergy method may provide more accurate guidance for optimizing the use of mixing vanes.

Fracture modes under uniaxial compression in hydroxyapatite scaffolds fabricated by robocasting.

PubMed

Miranda, Pedro; Pajares, Antonia; Saiz, Eduardo; Tomsia, Antoni P; Guiberteau, Fernando

2007-12-01

The fracture modes of hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds fabricated by direct-write assembly (robocasting) are analyzed in this work. Concentrated HA inks with suitable viscoelastic properties were developed to enable the fabrication of prototype structures consisting of a 3-D square mesh of interpenetrating rods. The fracture behavior of these model scaffolds under compressive stresses is determined from in situ uniaxial tests performed in two different directions: perpendicular to the rods and along one of the rod directions. The results are analyzed in terms of the stress field calculated by finite element modeling (FEM). This analysis provides valuable insight into the mechanical behavior of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications fabricated by robocasting. Copyright 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Highly selective and sensitive method for Cu2+ detection based on chiroptical activity of L-Cysteine mediated Au nanorod assemblies.

PubMed

Abbasi, Shahryar; Khani, Hamzeh

2017-11-05

Herein, we demonstrated a simple and efficient method to detect Cu 2+ based on amplified optical activity in the chiral nanoassemblies of gold nanorods (Au NRs). L-Cysteine can induce side-by-side or end-to-end assembly of Au NRs with an evident plasmonic circular dichroism (PCD) response due to coupling between surface plasmon resonances (SPR) of Au NRs and the chiral signal of L-Cys. Because of the obvious stronger plasmonic circular dichrosim (CD) response of the side-by-side assembly compared with the end-to-end assemblies, SS assembled Au NRs was selected as a sensitive platform and used for Cu 2+ detection. In the presence of Cu 2+ , Cu 2+ can catalyze O 2 oxidation of cysteine to cystine. With an increase in Cu 2+ concentration, the L-Cysteine-mediated assembly of Au NRs decreased because of decrease in the free cysteine thiol groups, and the PCD signal decreased. Taking advantage of this method, Cu 2+ could be detected in the concentration range of 20pM-5nM. Under optimal conditions, the calculated detection limit was found to be 7pM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From molecular to macroscopic engineering: shaping hydrogen-bonded organic nanomaterials.

PubMed

Yoosaf, K; Llanes-Pallas, Anna; Marangoni, Tomas; Belbakra, Abdelhalim; Marega, Riccardo; Botek, Edith; Champagne, Benoît; Bonifazi, Davide; Armaroli, Nicola

2011-03-07

The self-assembly and self-organization behavior of chromophoric acetylenic scaffolds bearing 2,6-bis(acetylamino)pyridine (1, 2) or uracyl-type (3-9) terminal groups has been investigated by photophysical and microscopic methods. Systematic absorption and luminescence studies show that 1 and 2, thanks to a combination of solvophilic/solvophobic forces and π-π stacking interactions, undergo self-organization in apolar solvents (i.e., cyclohexane) and form spherical nanoparticles, as evidenced by wide-field optical microscopy, TEM, and AFM analysis. For the longer molecular module, 2, a more uniform size distribution is found (80-200 nm) compared to 1 (20-1000 nm). Temperature scans in the range 283-353 K show that the self-organized nanoparticles are reversibly formed and destroyed, being stable at lower temperatures. Molecular modules 1 and 2 were then thoroughly mixed with the complementary triply hydrogen-bonding units 3-9. Depending on the specific geometrical structure of 3-9, different nanostructures are evidenced by microscopic investigations. Combination of modules 1 or 2 with 3, which bears only one terminal uracyl unit, leads to the formation of vesicular structures; instead, when 1 is combined with bis-uracyl derivative 4 or 5, a structural evolution from nanoparticles to nanowires is observed. The length of the wires obtained by mixing 1 and 4 or 1 and 5 can be controlled by addition of 3, which prompts transformation of the wires into shorter rods. The replacement of linear system 5 with the related angular modules 6 and 7 enables formation of helical nanostructures, unambiguously evidenced by AFM. Finally, thermally induced self-assembly was studied in parallel with modules 8 and 9, in which the uracyl recognition sites are protected with tert-butyloxycarbonyl (BOC) groups. This strategy allows further control of the self-assembly/self-organization process by temperature, since the BOC group is completely removed on heating. Microscopy studies show that the BOC-protected ditopic modules 8 self-assemble and self-organize with 1 into ordered linear nanostructures, whereas BOC-protected tritopic system 9 gives rise to extended domains of circular nano-objects in combination with 1. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Some methods for achieving more efficient performance of fuel assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boltenko, E. A.

2014-07-01

More efficient operation of reactor plant fuel assemblies can be achieved through the use of new technical solutions aimed at obtaining more uniform distribution of coolant over the fuel assembly section, more intense heat removal on convex heat-transfer surfaces, and higher values of departure from nucleate boiling ratio (DNBR). Technical solutions using which it is possible to obtain more intense heat removal on convex heat-transfer surfaces and higher DNBR values in reactor plant fuel assemblies are considered. An alternative heat removal arrangement is described using which it is possible to obtain a significantly higher power density in a reactor plant and essentially lower maximal fuel rod temperature.

LMFBR fuel assembly design for HCDA fuel dispersal

DOEpatents

Lacko, Robert E.; Tilbrook, Roger W.

1984-01-01

A fuel assembly for a liquid metal fast breeder reactor having an upper axial blanket region disposed in a plurality of zones within the fuel assembly. The characterization of a zone is dependent on the height of the axial blanket region with respect to the active fuel region. The net effect of having a plurality of zones is to establish a dispersal flow path for the molten materials resulting during a core meltdown accident. Upward flowing molten material can escape from the core region and/or fuel assembly without solidifying on the surface of fuel rods due to the heat sink represented by blanket region pellets.

The Cryoelectron Microscopy Structure of the Type 1 Chaperone-Usher Pilus Rod.

PubMed

Hospenthal, Manuela K; Zyla, Dawid; Costa, Tiago R D; Redzej, Adam; Giese, Christoph; Lillington, James; Glockshuber, Rudi; Waksman, Gabriel

2017-12-05

Adhesive chaperone-usher pili are long, supramolecular protein fibers displayed on the surface of many bacterial pathogens. The type 1 and P pili of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) play important roles during urinary tract colonization, mediating attachment to the bladder and kidney, respectively. The biomechanical properties of the helical pilus rods allow them to reversibly uncoil in response to flow-induced forces, allowing UPEC to retain a foothold in the unique and hostile environment of the urinary tract. Here we provide the 4.2-Å resolution cryo-EM structure of the type 1 pilus rod, which together with the previous P pilus rod structure rationalizes the remarkable "spring-like" properties of chaperone-usher pili. The cryo-EM structure of the type 1 pilus rod differs in its helical parameters from the structure determined previously by a hybrid approach. We provide evidence that these structural differences originate from different quaternary structures of pili assembled in vivo and in vitro. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Underwater characterization of control rods for waste disposal using SMOPY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gallozzi-Ulmann, A.; Couturier, P.; Amgarou, K.

Storage of spent fuel assemblies in cooling ponds requires careful control of the geometry and proximity of adjacent assemblies. Measurement of the fuel burnup makes it possible to optimise the storage arrangement of assemblies taking into account the effect of the burnup on the criticality safety margins ('burnup credit'). Canberra has developed a measurement system for underwater measurement of spent fuel assemblies. This system, known as 'SMOPY', performs burnup measurements based on gamma spectroscopy (collimated CZT detector) and neutron counting (fission chamber). The SMOPY system offers a robust and waterproof detection system as well as the needed capability of performingmore » radiometric measurements in the harsh high dose - rate environments of the cooling ponds. The gamma spectroscopy functionality allows powerful characterization measurements to be performed, in addition to burnup measurement. Canberra has recently performed waste characterisation measurements at a Nuclear Power Plant. Waste activity assessment is important to control costs and risks of shipment and storage, to ensure that the activity level remains in the range allowed by the facility, and to declare activity data to authorities. This paper describes the methodology used for the SMOPY measurements and some preliminary results of a radiological characterisation of AIC control rods. After describing the features and normal operation of the SMOPY system, we describe the approach used for establishing an optimum control rod geometric scanning approach (optimum count time and speed) and the method of the gamma spectrometry measurements as well as neutron check measurements used to verify the absence of neutron sources in the waste. We discuss the results obtained including {sup 60}Co, {sup 110m}Ag and {sup 108m}Ag activity profiles (along the length of the control rods) and neutron results including Total Measurement Uncertainty evaluations. Full self-consistency checks were performed and these demonstrate the validity of the techniques. The results are described and analysed in the context of the measurement performance of the equipment. Different casks were fully characterized using a 60 mm{sup 3} CZT detector, to determine the total activities and spatial profiles. A total activity range measurement of 1x10{sup 8} - 1x10{sup 13} Bq/cm was found to be achievable. Finally, comments are made, based on our measurements, on the ability of this equipment for performing in-situ characterisation of wastes in the harsh environments typical of fuel assembly and waste storage ponds and silos. (authors)« less

Effect of rod gap spacing on a suction panel for laminar flow and noise control in supersonic wind tunnels. M.S. Thesis - Old Dominion Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvey, W. D.

1975-01-01

Results are presented of a coordinated experimental and theoretical study of a sound shield concept which aims to provide a means of noise reduction in the test section of supersonic wind tunnels at high Reynolds numbers. The model used consists of a planar array of circular rods aligned with the flow, with adjustable gaps between them for boundary layer removal by suction, i.e., laminar flow control. One of the basic requirements of the present sound shield concept is to achieve sonic cross flow through the gaps in order to prevent lee-side flow disturbances from penetrating back into the shielded region. Tests were conducted at Mach 6 over a local unit Reynolds number range from about 1.2 x 10 to the 6th power to 13.5 x 10 to the 6th power per foot. Measurements of heat transfer, static pressure, and sound levels were made to establish the transition characteristics of the boundary layer on the rod array and the sound shielding effectiveness.

Variable-energy collimator for high-energy radiation

DOEpatents

Hill, R.A.

1982-03-03

An apparatus is disclosed providing a variable aperture energy beam collimator. A plurality of beam opaque blocks are in sliding interface edge contact to form a variable aperture. The blocks may be offset at the apex angle to provide a non-equilateral aperture. A plurality of collimator block assemblies may be employed for providing a channel defining a collimated beam. Adjacent assemblies are inverted front-to-back with respect to one another for preventing noncollimated ;energy from emergine from the apparatus. An adjustment mechanism comprises a cable attached to at least one block and a hand wheel mechanism for operating the cable. The blocks are supported by guide rods engaging slide brackets on the blocks. The guide rods are pivotally connected at each end to intermediate actuators supported on rotatable shafts to change the shape of the aperture. A divergent collimated beam may be obtained by adjusting the apertures of adjacent stages to be unequal.

Variable aperture collimator for high energy radiation

DOEpatents

Hill, Ronald A.

1984-05-22

An apparatus is disclosed providing a variable aperture energy beam collimator. A plurality of beam opaque blocks are in sliding interface edge contact to form a variable aperture. The blocks may be offset at the apex angle to provide a non-equilateral aperture. A plurality of collimator block assemblies may be employed for providing a channel defining a collimated beam. Adjacent assemblies are inverted front-to-back with respect to one another for preventing noncollimated energy from emerging from the apparatus. An adjustment mechanism comprises a cable attached to at least one block and a hand wheel mechanism for operating the cable. The blocks are supported by guide rods engaging slide brackets on the blocks. The guide rods are pivotally connected at each end to intermediate actuators supported on rotatable shafts to change the shape of the aperture. A divergent collimated beam may be obtained by adjusting the apertures of adjacent stages to be unequal.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carneiro, Karina M. M.; Zhai, Halei; Zhu, Li

We report that enamel, the outermost layer of teeth, is an acellular mineralized tissue that cannot regenerate; the mature tissue is composed of high aspect ratio apatite nanocrystals organized into rods and inter-rod regions. Amelogenin constitutes 90% of the protein matrix in developing enamel and plays a central role in guiding the hierarchical organization of apatite crystals observed in mature enamel. To date, a convincing link between amelogenin supramolecular structures and mature enamel has yet to be described, in part because the protein matrix is degraded during tissue maturation. Here we show compelling evidence that amelogenin self-assembles into an amyloid-likemore » structure in vitro and in vivo. We show that enamel matrices stain positive for amyloids and we identify a specific region within amelogenin that self-assembles into β-sheets. Lastly, we propose that amelogenin nanoribbons template the growth of apatite mineral in human enamel. This is a paradigm shift from the current model of enamel development.« less

Circularly Polarized Luminescence from a Pyrene-Cyclodextrin Supra-Dendron.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuening; Yang, Dong; Han, Jianlei; Zhou, Jin; Jin, Qingxian; Liu, Minghua; Duan, Pengfei

2018-05-22

Soft nanomaterials with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) have been currently attracting great interest. Here, we report a pyrene-containing π-peptide dendron hydrogel, which shows 1D and 2D nanostructures with varied CPL activities. It was found that the individual dendrons formed hydrogels in a wide pH range (3-12) and self-assembled into helices with pH-tuned pitches. Through chirality transfer, the pyrene unit could show CPL originated from both the monomer and excimer bands. When cyclodextrin was introduced, different supra-dendrons were obtained with β-cyclodextrin (PGAc@β-CD) and γ-cyclodextrin (PGAc@γ-CD) through host-guest interactions, respectively. Interestingly, the PGAc@β-CD and PGAc@γ-CD supra-dendrons self-assembled into 2D nanosheet and entangled nanofibers, respectively, showing cyclodextrin induced circularly polarized emission from both the monomer and excimer bands of the pyrene moiety. Thus, through a simple host-guest interaction, both the nanostructures and the chiroptical activities could be modulated.

Atomistic simulation of hydrophobin HFBII conformation in aqueous and fluorous media and at the water/vacuum interface.

PubMed

Raffaini, Giuseppina; Milani, Roberto; Ganazzoli, Fabio; Resnati, Giuseppe; Metrangolo, Pierangelo

2016-01-01

Hydrophobins are proteins of interest for numerous applications thanks to their unique conformational and surface properties and their ability to self-assemble at interfaces. Here we report fully atomistic molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics results together with circular dichroism experimental data, aimed to study the conformational properties of the hydrophobin HFBII in a fluorinated solvent in comparison with a water solution and/or at an aqueous/vacuum interface. Both the atomistic simulations and the circular dichroism data show the remarkable structural stability of HFBII at all scales in all these environments, with no significant structural change, although a small cavity is formed in the fluorinated solvent. The combination of theoretical calculations and circular dichroism data can describe in detail the protein conformation and flexibility in different solvents and/or at an interface, and constitutes a first step towards the study of their self-assembly. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic Structural Health Monitoring to Assess the Integrity of Spinal Growing Rods In Vitro.

PubMed

Oetgen, Matthew E; Goodley, Addison; Yoo, Byungseok; Pines, Darryll J; Hsieh, Adam H

2016-01-01

Rod fracture is a common complication of growing rods and can result in loss of correction, patient discomfort, and unplanned revision surgery. The ability to quantitate rod integrity at each lengthening would be advantageous to avoid this complication. We investigate the feasibility of applying structural health monitoring to evaluate the integrity of growing rods in vitro. Single-rod titanium 4.5-mm growing rod constructs (n = 9), one screw proximally and one distally connected by in-line connectors, were assembled with pedicle screws fixed in polyethylene blocks. Proximal and distal ends were loaded and constructs subjected to cyclic axial compression (0-100 N at 1 Hz), with incrementally increasing maximum compressive loads of 10 N every 9k cycles until failure. Four piezoceramic transducers (PZTs) were mounted along the length the constructs to interrogate the integrity of the rods with an ultrasonic, guided lamb wave approach. Every 9k cycles, an 80 V excitatory voltage was applied to a PZT to generate high-frequency vibrations, which, after propagating through the construct, was detected by the remaining PZTs. Amplitude differences between pre- and postload waveform signals were calculated until rod failure. Average construct lifetime was 88,991 ± 13,398 cycles. All constructs failed due to rod fracture within 21 mm (mean = 15 ± 4.5 mm) of a screw or connector. Amplitude differences between pre- and postload increased in a stepwise fashion as constructs were cycled. Compared to baseline, we found a 1.8 ± 0.6-fold increase in amplitude 18k cycles before failure, a 2.2 ± 1.0-fold increase in amplitude 9k cycles before failure, and a 2.75 ± 1.5-fold increase in amplitude immediately before rod fracture. We describe a potential method for assessing the structural integrity of growing rods using ultrasonic structural health monitoring. These preliminary data demonstrate the ability of periodic rod assessment to detect structural changes in cycled growing rods, which appear to correspond to subclinical rod fatigue before rod fracture. Copyright © 2016 Scoliosis Research Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thermoelectric generator having a resiliently mounted removable thermoelectric module

DOEpatents

Purdy, David L.; Shapiro, Zalman M.; Hursen, Thomas F.; Maurer, Gerould W.

1976-11-02

An electrical generator having an Isotopic Heat Capsule including radioactive fuel rod 21 as a primary heat source and Thermoelectric Modules 41 and 43 as converters. The Biological Shield for the Capsule is suspended from Spiders at each end each consisting of pretensioned rods 237 and 239 defining planes at right angles to each other. The Modules are mounted in cups 171 of transition members 173 of a heat rejection Fin Assembly whose fins 195 and 197 extend from both sides of the transition member 173 for effective cooling.

Controlled Assembly of Rod-Like Particles

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-29

Thompson, Shaojin You, Qian Wang. M13 bacteriophage-polymer nanoassemblies as drug delivery vehicles, Nano Research, (02 2011): 483. doi: 10.1007...virus-based composite nanofibers , Journal of Materials Chemistry, (06 2011): 0. doi: 10.1039/c1jm00078k 10/20/2011 8.00 Sumit Kewalramani, Suntao Wang...exploited to dictate the order that emerges in many-body assemblies. (2) Incorporation of TMV into alginate hydrogels As shown in Figure 1, we recently

Heater for Combustible-Gas Tanks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ingle, Walter B.

1987-01-01

Proposed heater for pressurizing hydrogen, oxygen, or another combustible liquid or gas sealed in immersion cup in pressurized tank. Firmly supported in finned cup, coiled rod transfers heat through liquid metal to gas tank. Heater assembly welded or bolted to tank flange.

Interim status report on lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) research and development.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tzanos, C. P.; Sienicki, J. J.; Moisseytsev, A.

2008-03-31

This report discusses the status of Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) research and development carried out during the first half of FY 2008 under the U.S. Department of Energy Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative. Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor research and development has recently been transferred from Generation IV to the Reactor Campaign of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). Another status report shall be issued at the end of FY 2008 covering all of the LFR activities carried out in FY 2008 for both Generation IV and GNEP. The focus of research and development in FY 2008 is an initial investigationmore » of a concept for a LFR Advanced Recycling Reactor (ARR) Technology Pilot Plant (TPP)/demonstration test reactor (demo) incorporating features and operating conditions of the European Lead-cooled SYstem (ELSY) {approx} 600 MWe lead (Pb)-cooled LFR preconceptual design for the transmutation of waste and central station power generation, and which would enable irradiation testing of advanced fuels and structural materials. Initial scoping core concept development analyses have been carried out for a 100 MWt core composed of sixteen open-lattice 20 by 20 fuel assemblies largely similar to those of the ELSY preconceptual fuel assembly design incorporating fuel pins with mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, central control rods in each fuel assembly, and cooled with Pb coolant. For a cycle length of three years, the core is calculated to have a conversion ratio of 0.79, an average discharge burnup of 108 MWd/kg of heavy metal, and a burnup reactivity swing of about 13 dollars. With a control rod in each fuel assembly, the reactivity worth of an individual rod would need to be significantly greater than one dollar which is undesirable for postulated rod withdrawal reactivity insertion events. A peak neutron fast flux of 2.0 x 10{sup 15} (n/cm{sup 2}-s) is calculated. For comparison, the 400 MWt Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) achieved a peak neutron fast flux of 7.2 x 10{sup 15} (n/cm{sup 2}-s) and the initially 563 MWt PHENIX reactor attained 2.0 x 10{sup 15} (n/cm{sup 2}-s) before one of three intermediate cooling loops was shut down due to concerns about potential steam generator tube failures. The calculations do not assume a test assembly location for advanced fuels and materials irradiation in place of a fuel assembly (e.g., at the center of the core); the calculations have not examined whether it would be feasible to replace the central assembly by a test assembly location. However, having only fifteen driver assemblies implies a significant effect due to perturbations introduced by the test assembly. The peak neutron fast flux is low compared with the fast fluxes previously achieved in FFTF and PHENIX. Furthermore, the peak neutron fluence is only about half of the limiting value (4 x 10{sup 23} n/cm{sup 2}) typically used for ferritic steels. The results thus suggest that a larger power level (e.g., 400 MWt) and a larger core would be better for a TPP based upon the ELSY fuel assembly design and which can also perform irradiation testing of advanced fuels and materials. In particular, a core having a higher power level and larger dimensions would achieve a suitable average discharge burnup, peak fast flux, peak fluence, and would support the inclusion of one or more test assembly locations. Participation in the Generation IV International Forum Provisional System Steering Committee for the LFR is being maintained throughout FY 2008. Results from the analysis of samples previously exposed to flowing lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) in the DELTA loop are summarized and a model for the oxidation/corrosion kinetics of steels in heavy liquid metal coolants was applied to systematically compare the calculated long-term (i.e., following several years of growth) oxide layer thicknesses of several steels.« less

Designing broad phononic band gaps for in-plane modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yang Fan; Meng, Fei; Li, Shuo; Jia, Baohua; Zhou, Shiwei; Huang, Xiaodong

2018-03-01

Phononic crystals are known as artificial materials that can manipulate the propagation of elastic waves, and one essential feature of phononic crystals is the existence of forbidden frequency range of traveling waves called band gaps. In this paper, we have proposed an easy way to design phononic crystals with large in-plane band gaps. We demonstrated that the gap between two arbitrarily appointed bands of in-plane mode can be formed by employing a certain number of solid or hollow circular rods embedded in a matrix material. Topology optimization has been applied to find the best material distributions within the primitive unit cell with maximal band gap width. Our results reveal that the centroids of optimized rods coincide with the point positions generated by Lloyd's algorithm, which deepens our understandings on the formation mechanism of phononic in-plane band gaps.

Mirror image DNA nanostructures for chiral supramolecular assemblies.

PubMed

Lin, Chenxiang; Ke, Yonggang; Li, Zhe; Wang, James H; Liu, Yan; Yan, Hao

2009-01-01

L-DNA, the mirror image of natural D-DNA, can be readily self-assembled into designer discrete or periodic nanostructures. The assembly products are characterized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, circular dichroism spectrum, atomic force microscope, and fluorescence microscope. We found that the use of enantiomer DNA as building material leads to the formation of DNA supramolecules with opposite chirality. Therefore, the L-DNA self-assembly is a substantial complement to the structural DNA nanotechnology. Moreover, the L-DNA architectures feature superior nuclease resistance thus are appealing for in vivo medical applications.

Head-Tail Asymmetry Determines the Formation of Polymer Cubosomes or Hexasomes in a Rod-Coil Amphiphilic Block Copolymer.

PubMed

Lyu, Xiaolin; Xiao, Anqi; Zhang, Wei; Hou, Pingping; Gu, Kehua; Tang, Zhehao; Pan, Hongbing; Wu, Fan; Shen, Zhihao; Fan, Xinghe

2018-06-08

In this report, Im-3m and Pn-3m polymer cubosomes and p6mm polymer hexasomes are obtained through the self-assembly of a rod-coil amphiphilic block copolymer (ABCP). This is the first time that these structures are observed in a rod-coil system. By varying the hydrophobic chain length, the initial concentration of the polymer solution, or the solubility parameter of the mixed solvent, head-tail asymmetry is adjusted to control the formation of polymer cubosomes or hexasomes. The formation mechanism of the polymer cubosomes was also studied. This research opens up a new way for further study of the bicontinuous and inverse phases in different ABCP systems. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Neutron Tomography Using Mobile Neutron Generators for Assessment of Void Distributions in Thermal Hydraulic Test Loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersson, P.; Bjelkenstedt, T.; Sundén, E. Andersson; Sjöstrand, H.; Jacobsson-Svärd, S.

Detailed knowledge of the lateral distribution of steam (void) and water in a nuclear fuel assembly is of great value for nuclear reactor operators and fuel manufacturers, with consequences for both reactor safety and economy of operation. Therefore, nuclear relevant two-phase flows are being studied at dedicated thermal-hydraulic test loop, using two-phase flow systems ranging from simplified geometries such as heated circular pipes to full scale mock-ups of nuclear fuel assemblies. Neutron tomography (NT) has been suggested for assessment of the lateral distribution of steam and water in such test loops, motivated by a good ability of neutrons to penetrate the metallic structures of metal pipes and nuclear fuel rod mock-ups, as compared to e.g. conventional X-rays, while the liquid water simultaneously gives comparatively good contrast. However, these stationary test loops require the measurement setup to be mobile, which is often not the case for NT setups. Here, it is acknowledged that fast neutrons of 14 MeV from mobile neutron generators constitute a viable option for a mobile NT system. We present details of the development of neutron tomography for this purpose at the division of Applied Nuclear Physics at Uppsala University. Our concept contains a portable neutron generator, exploiting the fusion reaction of deuterium and tritium, and a detector with plastic scintillator elements designed to achieveadequate spatial and energy resolution, all mounted in a light-weight frame without collimators or bulky moderation to allow for a mobile instrument that can be moved about the stationary thermal hydraulic test sections. The detector system stores event-to-event pulse-height information to allow for discrimination based on the energy deposition in the scintillator elements.

Examining the Self-Assembly of Rod-Coil Block Copolymers via Physics Based Polymer Models and Polarized X-Ray Scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hannon, Adam; Sunday, Daniel; Windover, Donald; Liman, Christopher; Bowen, Alec; Khaira, Gurdaman; de Pablo, Juan; Delongchamp, Dean; Kline, R. Joseph

Photovoltaics, flexible electronics, and stimuli-responsive materials all require enhanced methodology to examine their nanoscale molecular orientation. The mechanical, electronic, optical, and transport properties of devices made from these materials are all a function of this orientation. The polymer chains in these materials are best modeled as semi-flexible to rigid rods. Characterizing the rigidity and molecular orientation of these polymers non-invasively is currently being pursued by using polarized resonant soft X-ray scattering (P-RSoXS). In this presentation, we show recent work on implementing such a characterization process using a rod-coil block copolymer system in the rigid-rod limit. We first demonstrate how we have used physics based models such as self-consistent field theory (SCFT) in non-polarized RSoXS work to fit scattering profiles for thin film coil-coil PS- b-PMMA block copolymer systems. We then show by using a wormlike chain partition function in the SCFT formulism to model the rigid-rod block, the methodology can be used there as well to extract the molecular orientation of the rod block from a simulated P-RSoXS experiment. The results from the work show the potential of the technique to extract thermodynamic and morphological sample information.

Research on the Mechanical Properties of a Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer-Steel Combined Truss Structure

PubMed Central

Liu, Pengfei; Zhao, Qilin; Li, Fei; Liu, Jinchun; Chen, Haosen

2014-01-01

An assembled plane truss structure used for vehicle loading is designed and manufactured. In the truss, the glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) tube and the steel joint are connected by a new technology featuring a pretightened tooth connection. The detailed description for the rod and node design is introduced in this paper, and a typical truss panel is fabricated. Under natural conditions, the short-term load test and long-term mechanical performance test for one year are performed to analyze its performance and conduct a comparative analysis for a reasonable FEM model. The study shows that the design and fabrication for the node of an assembled truss panel are convenient, safe, and reliable; because of the creep control design of the rods, not only does the short-term structural stiffness meet the design requirement but also the long-term creep deformation tends towards stability. In addition, no significant change is found in the elastic modules, so this structure can be applied in actual engineering. Although the safety factor for the strength of the composite rods is very large, it has a lightweight advantage over the steel truss for the low density of GFRP. In the FEM model, simplifying the node as a hinge connection relatively conforms to the actual status. PMID:25247203

ANALYSIS AND EXAMINATION OF MOX FUEL FROM NONPROLIFERATION PROGRAMS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCoy, Kevin; Machut, Dr McLean; Morris, Robert Noel

The U.S. Department of Energy has decided to dispose of a portion of the nation s surplus plutonium by reconstituting it into mixed oxide (MOX) fuel and irradiating it in commercial power reactors. Four lead assemblies were manufactured and irradiated to a maximum fuel rod burnup of 47.3 MWd/kg heavy metal. This was the first commercial irradiation of MOX fuel with a 240Pu/239Pu ratio of less than 0.10. Five fuel rods with varying burnups and plutonium contents were selected from one of the assemblies and shipped to Oak Ridge National Laboratory for hot cell examination. The performance of the rodsmore » was analyzed with AREVA s next-generation GALILEO code. The results of the analysis confirmed that the fuel rods had performed safely and predictably, and that GALILEO is applicable to MOX fuel with a low 240Pu/239Pu ratio as well as to standard MOX. The results are presented and compared to the GALILEO database. In addition, the fuel cladding was tested to confirm that traces of gallium in the fuel pellets had not affected the mechanical properties of the cladding. The irradiated cladding was found to remain ductile at both room temperature and 350 C for both the axial and circumferential directions.« less

Technical activities report: Heat, water, and mechanical studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alexander, W.K.

1951-10-04

Topics in the heat studies section include: front and rear face reflector shields at the C-pile; process tube channel thermocouples; water temperature limits for horizontal rods; slug temperature and thermal conductivity calculations; maximum slug-end cap temperature; boiling consideration studies; scram time limit for Panellit alarm; heat transfer test; slug stresses; thermal insulation of bottom tube row at C-pile; flow tests; present pile enrichment; electric analog; and measurement of thermal contact resistance. Topics in the water studies section include: 100-D flow laboratory; process water studies; fundamental studies on film formation; coatings on tip-offs; can difference tests; slug jacket abrasion at highmore » flow rates; corrosion studies; front tube dummy slugs; metallographic examination of tubes from H-pile; fifty-tube mock-up; induction heating facility; operational procedures and standards; vertical safety rod dropping time tests; recirculation; and power recovery. Mechanical development studies include: effect of Sphincter seal and lubricant VSR drop time; slug damage; slug bubble tester; P-13 removal; chemical slug stripper; effect of process tube rib spacing and width; ink facility installation; charging and discharging machines; process tube creep; flapper nozzle assembly test; test of single gun barrel assembly; pigtail fixture test; horizontal rod gland seal test; function test of C-pile; and intermediate test of Ball 3-X and VSR systems.« less

Research on the mechanical properties of a glass fiber reinforced polymer-steel combined truss structure.

PubMed

Liu, Pengfei; Zhao, Qilin; Li, Fei; Liu, Jinchun; Chen, Haosen

2014-01-01

An assembled plane truss structure used for vehicle loading is designed and manufactured. In the truss, the glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) tube and the steel joint are connected by a new technology featuring a pretightened tooth connection. The detailed description for the rod and node design is introduced in this paper, and a typical truss panel is fabricated. Under natural conditions, the short-term load test and long-term mechanical performance test for one year are performed to analyze its performance and conduct a comparative analysis for a reasonable FEM model. The study shows that the design and fabrication for the node of an assembled truss panel are convenient, safe, and reliable; because of the creep control design of the rods, not only does the short-term structural stiffness meet the design requirement but also the long-term creep deformation tends towards stability. In addition, no significant change is found in the elastic modules, so this structure can be applied in actual engineering. Although the safety factor for the strength of the composite rods is very large, it has a lightweight advantage over the steel truss for the low density of GFRP. In the FEM model, simplifying the node as a hinge connection relatively conforms to the actual status.

Three demonstrations of degeneracy lifting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrison, Andrew

2005-09-01

Two normal modes of vibration of a single object having exactly the same frequency are said to be degenerate modes. Certain simple systems, such as a circular membrane, have predictable degenerate modes. A lack of isotropy in the material or a geometric asymmetry can separate the frequencies and lift the degeneracy. Demonstration of this effect is easily accomplished in the classroom. Three methods of showing the effect are presented using a handbell, a short metal rod, and a coffee mug.

Sequence Identification, Recombinant Production, and Analysis of the Self-Assembly of Egg Stalk Silk Proteins from Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea.

PubMed

Neuenfeldt, Martin; Scheibel, Thomas

2017-06-13

Egg stalk silks of the common green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea likely comprise at least three different silk proteins. Based on the natural spinning process, it was hypothesized that these proteins self-assemble without shear stress, as adult lacewings do not use a spinneret. To examine this, the first sequence identification and determination of the gene expression profile of several silk proteins and various transcript variants thereof was conducted, and then the three major proteins were recombinantly produced in Escherichia coli encoded by their native complementary DNA (cDNA) sequences. Circular dichroism measurements indicated that the silk proteins in aqueous solutions had a mainly intrinsically disordered structure. The largest silk protein, which we named ChryC1, exhibited a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior and self-assembled into fibers or film morphologies, depending on the conditions used. The second silk protein, ChryC2, self-assembled into nanofibrils and subsequently formed hydrogels. Circular dichroism and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed conformational changes of both proteins into beta sheet rich structures upon assembly. ChryC3 did not self-assemble into any morphology under the tested conditions. Thereby, through this work, it could be shown that recombinant lacewing silk proteins can be produced and further used for studying the fiber formation of lacewing egg stalks.

Water driven turbine/brush pipe cleaner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Werlink, Rudy J. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

Assemblies are disclosed for cleaning the inside walls of pipes and tubes. A first embodiment includes a small turbine with angled blades axially mounted on one end of a standoff support. An O-ring for stabilizing the assembly within the pipe is mounted in a groove within the outer ring. A replaceable circular brush is fixedly mounted on the opposite end of the standoff support and can be used for cleaning tubes and pipes of various diameters, lengths and configurations. The turbine, standoff support, and brush spin in unison relative to a hub bearing that is fixedly attached to a wire upstream of the assembly. The nonrotating wire is for retaining the assembly in tension and enabling return of the assembly to the pipe entrance. The assembly is initially placed in the pipe or tube to be cleaned. A pressurized water or solution source is provided at a required flow-rate to propel the assembly through the pipe or tube. The upstream water pressure propels and spins the turbine, standoff support and brush. The rotating brush combined with the solution cleans the inside of the pipe. The solution flows out of the other end of the pipe with the brush rotation controlled by the flow-rate. A second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment but instead includes a circular shaped brush with ring backing mounted in the groove of the exterior ring of the turbine, and also reduces the size of the standoff support or eliminates the standoff support.

Rail-Cask Tests: Normal-Conditionsof- Transport Tests of Surrogate PWR Fuel Assemblies in an ENSA ENUN 32P Cask.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McConnell, Paul E.; Ross, Steven; Grey, Carissa Ann

This report describes tests conducted using a full-size rail cask, the ENSA ENUN 32P, involving handling of the cask and transport of the cask via truck, ships, and rail. The purpose of the tests was to measure strains and accelerations on surrogate pressurized water reactor fuel rods when the fuel assemblies were subjected to Normal Conditions of Transport within the rail cask. In addition, accelerations were measured on the transport platform, the cask cradle, the cask, and the basket within the cask holding the assemblies. These tests were an international collaboration that included Equipos Nucleares S.A., Sandia National Laboratories, Pacificmore » Northwest National Laboratory, Coordinadora Internacional de Cargas S.A., the Transportation Technology Center, Inc., the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency, and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. All test results in this report are PRELIMINARY – complete analyses of test data will be completed and reported in FY18. However, preliminarily: The strains were exceedingly low on the surrogate fuel rods during the rail-cask tests for all the transport and handling modes. The test results provide a compelling technical basis for the safe transport of spent fuel.« less

Requirements to the procedure and stages of innovative fuel development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troyanov, V.; Zabudko, L.; Grachyov, A.; Zhdanova, O.

2016-04-01

According to the accepted current understanding under the nuclear fuel we will consider the assembled active zone unit (Fuel assembly) with its structural elements, fuel rods, pellet column, structural materials of fuel rods and fuel assemblies. The licensing process includes justification of safe application of the proposed modifications, including design-basis and experimental justification of the modified items under normal operating conditions and in violation of normal conditions, including accidents as well. Besides the justification of modified units itself, it is required to show the influence of modifications on the performance and safety of the other Reactor Unit’ and Nuclear Plant’ elements (e.g. burst can detection system, transportation and processing operations during fuel handling), as well as to justify the new standards of fuel storage etc. Finally, the modified fuel should comply with the applicable regulations, which often becomes a very difficult task, if only because those regulations, such as the NP-082-07, are not covered modification issues. Making amendments into regulations can be considered as the only solution, but the process is complicated and requires deep grounds for amendments. Some aspects of licensing new nuclear fuel are considered the example of mixed nitride uranium -plutonium fuel application for the BREST reactor unit.

Teaching light scattering spectroscopy: the dimension and shape of tobacco mosaic virus.

PubMed Central

Santos, N C; Castanho, M A

1996-01-01

The tobacco mosaic virus is used as a model molecular assembly to illustrate the basic potentialities of light scattering techniques (both static and dynamic) to undergraduates. The work has two objectives: a pedagogic one (introducing light scattering to undergraduate students) and a scientific one (stabilization of the virus molecular assembly structure by the nucleic acid). Students are first challenged to confirm the stabilization of the cylindrical shape of the virus by the nucleic acid, at pH and ionic strength conditions where the coat proteins alone do not self-assemble. The experimental intramolecular scattering factor is compared with the theoretical ones for several model geometries. The data clearly suggest that the geometry is, in fact, a rod. Comparing the experimental values of gyration radius and hydrodynamic radius with the theoretical expectations further confirms this conclusion. Moreover, the rod structure is maintained over a wider range of pH and ionic strength than that valid for the coat proteins alone. The experimental values of the diffusion coefficient and radius of gyration are compared with the theoretical expectations assuming the dimensions detected by electron microscopy techniques. In fact, both values are in agreement (length approximately 300 nm, radius approximately 20 nm). PMID:8874039

Morphology and Pattern Control of Diphenylalanine Self-Assembly via Evaporative Dewetting.

PubMed

Chen, Jiarui; Qin, Shuyu; Wu, Xinglong; Chu, And Paul K

2016-01-26

Self-assembled peptide nanostructures have unique physical and biological properties and promising applications in electrical devices and functional molecular recognition. Although solution-based peptide molecules can self-assemble into different morphologies, it is challenging to control the self-assembly process. Herein, controllable self-assembly of diphenylalanine (FF) in an evaporative dewetting solution is reported. The fluid mechanical dimensionless numbers, namely Rayleigh, Marangoni, and capillary numbers, are introduced to control the interaction between the solution and FF molecules in the self-assembly process. The difference in the film thickness reflects the effects of Rayleigh and Marangoni convection, and the water vapor flow rate reveals the role of viscous fingering in the emergence of aligned FF flakes. By employing dewetting, various FF self-assembled patterns, like concentric and spokelike, and morphologies, like strips and hexagonal tubes/rods, can be produced, and there are no significant lattice structural changes in the FF nanostructures.

Inductive coupler for downhole components and method for making same

DOEpatents

Hall, David R.; Hall, Jr., H. Tracy; Pixton, David S.; Dahlgren, Scott; Briscoe, Michael A.; Sneddon, Cameron; Fox, Joe

2006-05-09

The present invention includes a method of making an inductive coupler for downhole components. The method includes providing an annular housing, preferably made of steel, the housing having a recess. A conductor, preferably an insulated wire, is also provided along with a plurality of generally U-shaped magnetically conducting, electrically insulating (MCEI) segments. Preferably, the MCEI segments comprise ferrite. An assembly is formed by placing the plurality of MCEI segments within the recess in the annular housing. The segments are aligned to form a generally circular trough. A first portion of the conductor is placed within the circular trough. This assembly is consolidated with a meltable polymer which fills spaces between the segments, annular housing and the first portion of the conductor. The invention also includes an inductive coupler including an annular housing having a recess defined by a bottom portion and two opposing side wall portions. At least one side wall portion includes a lip extending toward but not reaching the other side wall portion. A plurality of generally U-shaped MCEI segments, preferably comprised of ferrite, are disposed in the recess and aligned so as to form a circular trough. The coupler further includes a conductor disposed within the circular trough and a polymer filling spaces between the segments, the annular housing and the conductor.

Measurement station for interim inspections of Lightbridge metallic fuel rods at the Halden Boiling Water Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, C.; Totemeier, A.; Holcombe, S.; Liverud, J.; Limi, M.; Hansen, J. E.; Navestad, E. AB(; )

2018-01-01

Lightbridge Corporation has developed a new Uranium-Zirconium based metallic fuel. The fuel rods aremanufactured via a co-extrusion process, and are characterized by their multi-lobed (cruciform-shaped) cross section. The fuel rods are also helically-twisted in the axial direction. Two experimental fuel assemblies, each containing four Lightbridge fuel rods, are scheduled to be irradiated in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR) starting in 2018. In addition to on-line monitoring of fuel rod elongation and critical assembly conditions (e.g. power, flow rates, coolant temperatures, etc.) during the irradiation, several key parameters of the fuel will be measured out-of-core during interim inspections. An inspection measurement station for use in the irradiated fuel handling compartment at the HBWR has therefore been developed for this purpose. The multi-lobed cladding cross section combined with the spiral shape of the Lightbridge metallic fuel rods requires a high-precision guiding system to ensure good position repeatability combined with low-friction guiding. The measurement station is equipped with a combination of instruments and equipment supplied from third-party vendors and instruments and equipment developed at Institute for Energy Technology (IFE). Two sets of floating linear voltage differential transformer (LVDT) pairs are used to measure swelling and diameter changes between the lobes and the valleys over the length of the fuel rods. Eddy current probes are used to measure the thickness of oxide layers in the valleys and on the lobe tips and also to detect possible surface cracks/pores. The measurement station also accommodates gamma scans. Additionally, an eddy-current probe has been developed at IFE specifically to detect potential gaps or discontinuities in the bonding layer between the metallic fuel and the Zirconium alloy cladding. Potential gaps in the bonding layer will be hidden behind a 0.5-1.0 mm thick cladding wall. It has therefore been necessary to perform a careful design study of the probe geometry. For this, finite element analysis (FEA) has been performed in combination with practical validation tests on representative fuel dummies with machined flaws to find the probe geometry that best detects a hidden flaw. Tests performed thus far show that gaps down to 25 μm thickness can be detected with good repeatability and good discrimination from lift-off signals.

Structures Self-Assembled Through Directional Solidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dynys, Frederick W.; Sayir, Ali

2005-01-01

Nanotechnology has created a demand for new fabrication methods with an emphasis on simple, low-cost techniques. Directional solidification of eutectics (DSE) is an unconventional approach in comparison to low-temperature biomimetic approaches. A technical challenge for DSE is producing microstructural architectures on the nanometer scale. In both processes, the driving force is the minimization of Gibb's free energy. Selfassembly by biomimetic approaches depends on weak interaction forces between organic molecules to define the architectural structure. The architectural structure for solidification depends on strong chemical bonding between atoms. Constituents partition into atomic-level arrangements at the liquid-solid interface to form polyphase structures, and this atomic-level arrangement at the liquid-solid interface is controlled by atomic diffusion and total undercooling due to composition (diffusion), kinetics, and curvature of the boundary phases. Judicious selection of the materials system and control of the total undercooling are the keys to producing structures on the nanometer scale. The silicon-titanium silicide (Si-TiSi2) eutectic forms a rod structure under isothermal cooling conditions. At the NASA Glenn Research Center, directional solidification was employed along with a thermal gradient to promote uniform rods oriented with the thermal gradient. The preceding photomicrograph shows the typical transverse microstructure of a solidified Si-TiSi2 eutectic composition. The dark and light gray regions are Si and TiSi2, respectively. Preferred rod orientation along the thermal gradient was poor. The ordered TiSi2 rods have a narrow distribution in diameter of 2 to 3 m, as shown. The rod diameter showed a weak dependence on process conditions. Anisotropic etch behavior between different phases provides the opportunity to fabricate structures with high aspect ratios. The photomicrographs show the resulting microstructure after a wet chemical etch and a dry plasma etch. The wet chemical etches the silicon away, exposing the TiSi2 rods, whereas plasma etching preferentially etches the Si-TiSi2 interface to form a crater. The porous architectures are applicable to fabricating microdevices or creating templates for part fabrication. The porous rod structure can serve as a platform for fabricating microplasma devices for propulsion or microheat exchangers and for fabricating microfilters for miniatured chemical reactors. Although more work is required, self-assembly from DSE can have a role in microdevice fabrication.

Tunable graded rod laser assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

AuYeung, John C. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

A tunable laser assembly including a pair of radially graded indexed optical segments aligned to focus the laser to form an external resonant cavity with an optical axis, the respective optical segments are retativity moveable along the optical axis and provide a variable et aion gap sufficient to permit variable tuning of the laser wavelength without altering the effective length of the resonant cavity. The gap also include a saturable absorbing material providing a passive mode-locking of the laser.

Shaping of the axial power density distribution in the core to minimize the vapor volume fraction at the outlet of the VVER-1200 fuel assemblies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Savander, V. I.; Shumskiy, B. E., E-mail: borisshumskij@yandex.ru; Pinegin, A. A.

The possibility of decreasing the vapor fraction at the VVER-1200 fuel assembly outlet by shaping the axial power density field is considered. The power density field was shaped by axial redistribution of the concentration of the burnable gadolinium poison in the Gd-containing fuel rods. The mathematical modeling of the VVER-1200 core was performed using the NOSTRA computer code.

A switchable self-assembling and disassembling chiral system based on a porphyrin-substituted phenylalanine-phenylalanine motif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charalambidis, Georgios; Georgilis, Evangelos; Panda, Manas K.; Anson, Christopher E.; Powell, Annie K.; Doyle, Stephen; Moss, David; Jochum, Tobias; Horton, Peter N.; Coles, Simon J.; Linares, Mathieu; Beljonne, David; Naubron, Jean-Valère; Conradt, Jonas; Kalt, Heinz; Mitraki, Anna; Coutsolelos, Athanassios G.; Balaban, Teodor Silviu

2016-09-01

Artificial light-harvesting systems have until now not been able to self-assemble into structures with a large photon capture cross-section that upon a stimulus reversibly can switch into an inactive state. Here we describe a simple and robust FLFL-dipeptide construct to which a meso-tetraphenylporphyrin has been appended and which self-assembles to fibrils, platelets or nanospheres depending on the solvent composition. The fibrils, functioning as quenched antennas, give intense excitonic couplets in the electronic circular dichroism spectra which are mirror imaged if the unnatural FDFD-analogue is used. By slightly increasing the solvent polarity, these light-harvesting fibres disassemble to spherical structures with silent electronic circular dichroism spectra but which fluoresce. Upon further dilution with the nonpolar solvent, the intense Cotton effects are recovered, thus proving a reversible switching. A single crystal X-ray structure shows a head-to-head arrangement of porphyrins that explains both their excitonic coupling and quenched fluorescence.

Crystal-Structure-Guided Design of Self-Assembling RNA Nanotriangles.

PubMed

Boerneke, Mark A; Dibrov, Sergey M; Hermann, Thomas

2016-03-14

RNA nanotechnology uses RNA structural motifs to build nanosized architectures that assemble through selective base-pair interactions. Herein, we report the crystal-structure-guided design of highly stable RNA nanotriangles that self-assemble cooperatively from short oligonucleotides. The crystal structure of an 81 nucleotide nanotriangle determined at 2.6 Å resolution reveals the so-far smallest circularly closed nanoobject made entirely of double-stranded RNA. The assembly of the nanotriangle architecture involved RNA corner motifs that were derived from ligand-responsive RNA switches, which offer the opportunity to control self-assembly and dissociation. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Internal absorber solar collector

DOEpatents

Sletten, Carlyle J.; Herskovitz, Sheldon B.; Holt, F. S.; Sletten, E. J.

1981-01-01

Thin solar collecting panels are described made from arrays of small rod collectors consisting of a refracting dielectric rod lens with an absorber imbedded within it and a reflecting mirror coated on the back side of the dielectric rod. Non-tracking collector panels on vertical walls or roof tops receive approximately 90% of solar radiation within an acceptance zone 60.degree. in elevation angle by 120.degree. or more in the azimuth sectors with a collector concentration ratio of approximately 3.0. Miniaturized construction of the circular dielectric rods with internal absorbers reduces the weight per area of glass, plastic and metal used in the collector panels. No external parts or insulation are needed as heat losses are low due to partial vacuum or low conductivity gas surrounding heated portions of the collector. The miniature internal absorbers are generally made of solid copper with black selective surface and the collected solar heat is extracted at the collector ends by thermal conductivity along the absorber rods. Heat is removed from end fittings by use of liquid circulants. Several alternate constructions are provided for simplifying collector panel fabrication and for preventing the thermal expansion and contraction of the heated absorber or circulant tubes from damaging vacuum seals. In a modified version of the internal absorber collector, oil with temperature dependent viscosity is pumped through a segmented absorber which is now composed of closely spaced insulated metal tubes. In this way the circulant is automatically diverted through heated portions of the absorber giving higher collector concentration ratios than theoretically possible for an unsegmented absorber.

Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation of Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) During Large-Scale Load Testing and Rod Push-Out Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Patrick H.; Juarez, Peter D.

2016-01-01

The Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) is a structural concept developed by the Boeing Company to address the complex structural design aspects associated with a pressurized hybrid wing body (HWB) aircraft configuration. The HWB has long been a focus of NASA's environmentally responsible aviation (ERA) project, following a building block approach to structures development, culminating with the testing of a nearly full-scale multi-bay box (MBB), representing a segment of the pressurized, non-circular fuselage portion of the HWB. PRSEUS is an integral structural concept wherein skins, frames, stringers and tear straps made of variable number of layers of dry warp-knit carbon-fiber stacks are stitched together, then resin-infused and cured in an out-of-autoclave process. The PRSEUS concept has the potential for reducing the weight and cost and increasing the structural efficiency of transport aircraft structures. A key feature of PRSEUS is the damage-arresting nature of the stitches, which enables the use of fail-safe design principles. During the load testing of the MBB, ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) was used to monitor several sites of intentional barely-visible impact damage (BVID) as well as to survey the areas surrounding the failure cracks after final loading to catastrophic failure. The damage-arresting ability of PRSEUS was confirmed by the results of NDE. In parallel with the large-scale structural testing of the MBB, mechanical tests were conducted of the PRSEUS rod-to-overwrap bonds, as measured by pushing the rod axially from a short length of stringer.

Circularity measuring system: A shape gauge designed especially for use on large objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rohrkaste, G. R.

1990-01-01

The Circularity Measuring System (CMS) was developed to make an in-situ determination of shape similarity for selected fit large cylinders (RSRM segments). It does this to a repeatable accuracy of 0.10 mm (0.004 inch). This is less that the goal of 0.07 mm (0.003 inch), but was determined adequate because of the addition of an assembly aid that increased the entry chamfer of the clevis side of the joint. The usefulness of the CMS is demonstrated by the application to measurements other than its specified design purpose, such as submarine hull circularity, SRM mid-case circularity, as well as circularity of interfacing SRM tooling, specifically the rounding devices and horizontal disassembly devices. Commercialization of the tool is being pursued, since it is an enhancement of metrology technology for circularity determination. The most accurate in-situ technology it replaces is determined from a template. The CMS is an improvement in accuracy and operation.

Atomic structure of the vimentin central α-helical domain and its implications for intermediate filament assembly.

PubMed

Chernyatina, Anastasia A; Nicolet, Stefan; Aebi, Ueli; Herrmann, Harald; Strelkov, Sergei V

2012-08-21

Together with actin filaments and microtubules, intermediate filaments (IFs) are the basic cytoskeletal components of metazoan cells. Over 80 human diseases have been linked to mutations in various IF proteins to date. However, the filament structure is far from being resolved at the atomic level, which hampers rational understanding of IF pathologies. The elementary building block of all IF proteins is a dimer consisting of an α-helical coiled-coil (CC) "rod" domain flanked by the flexible head and tail domains. Here we present three crystal structures of overlapping human vimentin fragments that comprise the first half of its rod domain. Given the previously solved fragments, a nearly complete atomic structure of the vimentin rod has become available. It consists of three α-helical segments (coils 1A, 1B, and 2) interconnected by linkers (L1 and L12). Most of the CC structure has a left-handed twist with heptad repeats, but both coil 1B and coil 2 also exhibit untwisted, parallel stretches with hendecad repeats. In the crystal structure, linker L1 was found to be α-helical without being involved in the CC formation. The available data allow us to construct an atomic model of the antiparallel tetramer representing the second level of vimentin assembly. Although the presence of the nonhelical head domains is essential for proper tetramer stabilization, the precise alignment of the dimers forming the tetramer appears to depend on the complementarity of their surface charge distribution patterns, while the structural plasticity of linker L1 and coil 1A plays a role in the subsequent IF assembly process.

Machining of Silicon-Ribbon-Forming Dies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menna, A. A.

1985-01-01

Carbon extension for dies used in forming silicon ribbon crystals machined precisely with help of special tool. Die extension has edges beveled toward narrow flats at top, with slot precisely oriented and centered between flats and bevels. Cutting tool assembled from standard angle cutter and circular saw or saws. Angle cutters cuts bevels while slot saw cuts slot between them. In alternative version, custom-ground edges or additional circular saws also cut flats simultaneously.

Thermally Robust Polymer Dielectric Systems for Air Force Wide-Temperature Power Electronics Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

power supply, a temperature controller and a vacuum controller. A vacuum of < 1 )1 torr is achieved with a combination of a turbo pump and a... scroll pump system. The sanlple probing is accomplished with a 3-axis molybdenum probing rod test fixture .. The dielectric measurements on the...water. The films were dried at ~ 0.1 torr vacuum and 80-85°C in an oven for several days. Circular films varying in diameter from 2" to 4" were

Development of an Experimental Test Section for Forcing Unsteady Flow in a Linear Compressor Cascade using Circular Rods

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

to be moved while the tunnel was running, reducing the need for tunnel shut-down and allowing for thermal equilibrium to be maintained during the high ...rather quickly. However, for the high speed runs, the tunnel heats up greatly, so data cannot be taken until the tunnel reaches thermal steady-state...January 1992. 10. Wilson, David G. and Korakianitis, Theodosius. The Design of High - Efficiency Turbo- machinery and Gas Turbines , 317—322. Upper Saddle

Structured Light in Structured Media: From Classical to Quantum Optics Incubator, OSA Workshop, Washington, DC 28 September-1 October 2013. Abstracts

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-29

recent works on optical metasurfaces consisting of an array of plasmonic rods with spatially varying orientations, where the local phase profile is...the concept of interfacial phase discontinuity for circularly polarizations on a metasurface to the design of a novel type of helicity dependent SPP...realization of three dimensional (3D) holography by using metasurfaces . As the phase can be controlled locally at each subwavelength unit cell by the

Dielectric millimeter waveguides. Volume 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Cavour

1988-03-01

This report summarizes the result of the research carried out for the Postdoctoral Task E-6-7108 administered by the University of Dayton under contract F30602-81-C-0206 with RADC. The primary objectives of this research program were to learn whether there exists a dielectric waveguide configuration which offers a lower loss figure than a circular dielectric rod and to establish an experimental technique to measure the guiding characteristics of waves on dielectric structures. These objectives were met. Future research areas are also described in this report.

Configuration study of new low-loss MM (Millimeter) wave guiding structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, C.

1985-11-01

The result of the research carried out at EMtec Engineering, Inc., Los Angeles, under Contract DAAG 29-84-C-0025 with the Army Research Office is discussed. The primary objective was to learn whether there exists a dielectric waveguide configuration which offers lower loss figure than a circular dielectric rod. Important evidence was found which showed that it is feasible to optimize a configuration to achieve low-loss guidance of mm waves. Future research areas are also described.

Effect of background dielectric on TE-polarized photonic bandgap of metallodielectric photonic crystals using Dirichlet-to-Neumann map method.

PubMed

Sedghi, Aliasghar; Rezaei, Behrooz

2016-11-20

Using the Dirichlet-to-Neumann map method, we have calculated the photonic band structure of two-dimensional metallodielectric photonic crystals having the square and triangular lattices of circular metal rods in a dielectric background. We have selected the transverse electric mode of electromagnetic waves, and the resulting band structures showed the existence of photonic bandgap in these structures. We theoretically study the effect of background dielectric on the photonic bandgap.

Parametric control of maneuver of a space tether system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezglasnyi, S. P.; Piyakina, E. E.

2015-07-01

Planar motion of a space tether system (STS) simulated by a massless rod with two masses fixed on its edges and a third mass moving along the rod is considered. An equation of the pendulum-controlled motion of the system in an elliptical orbit is obtained. Problems of parametric control that takes the STS from one stable radial equilibrium state to another and stabilizes it with respect to planar excitations of two diametrically opposite positions of the relative equilibrium of the STS in a circular orbit are investigated. The control is a continuous law of motion for a moving mass along the tether on the swing principle. The solution is obtained in a closed form based on the second method of the classical stability theory by the construction of the corresponding Lyapunov functions. Asymptotic convergence of solutions is confirmed by the results of numerical modeling of the system motion.

Modeling chain folding in protein-constrained circular DNA.

PubMed Central

Martino, J A; Olson, W K

1998-01-01

An efficient method for sampling equilibrium configurations of DNA chains binding one or more DNA-bending proteins is presented. The technique is applied to obtain the tertiary structures of minimal bending energy for a selection of dinucleosomal minichromosomes that differ in degree of protein-DNA interaction, protein spacing along the DNA chain contour, and ring size. The protein-bound portions of the DNA chains are represented by tight, left-handed supercoils of fixed geometry. The protein-free regions are modeled individually as elastic rods. For each random spatial arrangement of the two nucleosomes assumed during a stochastic search for the global minimum, the paths of the flexible connecting DNA segments are determined through a numerical solution of the equations of equilibrium for torsionally relaxed elastic rods. The minimal energy forms reveal how protein binding and spacing and plasmid size differentially affect folding and offer new insights into experimental minichromosome systems. PMID:9591675

BORAX V EXPONENTIAL EXPERIMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirn, F.S.; Hagen, J.I.

1963-04-01

The cadmium ratio was measured in an exponential mockup of Borax V as a function of the void fraction. The extent of voids, simulated by lengths of closed polyethylene tubes, ranged from 0 to 40%. The corresponding cadmium ratios ranged from 6.1 to 4.6. The exponential was also used to determine the radial flux pattern across a Borax-type fuel assembly and the fine flux detail in and around fuel rods. For a normal loading the maximum-to-average power generation across an assembly was 1.24. (auth)

10 CFR 32.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Definitions. 32.2 Section 32.2 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SPECIFIC DOMESTIC LICENSES TO MANUFACTURE OR TRANSFER CERTAIN ITEMS CONTAINING BYPRODUCT MATERIAL... disposal, or nuclear material contained in any fuel assembly, subassembly, fuel rod, or fuel pellet...

10 CFR 32.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Definitions. 32.2 Section 32.2 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SPECIFIC DOMESTIC LICENSES TO MANUFACTURE OR TRANSFER CERTAIN ITEMS CONTAINING BYPRODUCT MATERIAL... disposal, or nuclear material contained in any fuel assembly, subassembly, fuel rod, or fuel pellet...

Mounting Systems for Structural Members, Fastening Assemblies Thereof, and Vibration Isolation Systems Including the Same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Ken (Inventor); Hindle, Timothy (Inventor); Barber, Tim Daniel (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Mounting systems for structural members, fastening assemblies thereof, and vibration isolation systems including the same are provided. Mounting systems comprise a pair of mounting brackets, each clamped against a fastening assembly forming a mounting assembly. Fastening assemblies comprise a spherical rod end comprising a spherical member having a through opening and an integrally threaded shaft, first and second seating members on opposite sides of the spherical member and each having a through opening that is substantially coaxial with the spherical member through opening, and a partially threaded fastener that threadably engages each mounting bracket forming the mounting assembly. Structural members have axial end portions, each releasably coupled to a mounting bracket by the integrally threaded shaft. Axial end portions are threaded in opposite directions for permitting structural member rotation to adjust a length thereof to a substantially zero strain position. Structural members may be vibration isolator struts in vibration isolation systems.

Amyloid-like ribbons of amelogenins in enamel mineralization

DOE PAGES

Carneiro, Karina M. M.; Zhai, Halei; Zhu, Li; ...

2016-03-24

We report that enamel, the outermost layer of teeth, is an acellular mineralized tissue that cannot regenerate; the mature tissue is composed of high aspect ratio apatite nanocrystals organized into rods and inter-rod regions. Amelogenin constitutes 90% of the protein matrix in developing enamel and plays a central role in guiding the hierarchical organization of apatite crystals observed in mature enamel. To date, a convincing link between amelogenin supramolecular structures and mature enamel has yet to be described, in part because the protein matrix is degraded during tissue maturation. Here we show compelling evidence that amelogenin self-assembles into an amyloid-likemore » structure in vitro and in vivo. We show that enamel matrices stain positive for amyloids and we identify a specific region within amelogenin that self-assembles into β-sheets. Lastly, we propose that amelogenin nanoribbons template the growth of apatite mineral in human enamel. This is a paradigm shift from the current model of enamel development.« less

Structural basis of the 9-fold symmetry of centrioles.

PubMed

Kitagawa, Daiju; Vakonakis, Ioannis; Olieric, Natacha; Hilbert, Manuel; Keller, Debora; Olieric, Vincent; Bortfeld, Miriam; Erat, Michèle C; Flückiger, Isabelle; Gönczy, Pierre; Steinmetz, Michel O

2011-02-04

The centriole, and the related basal body, is an ancient organelle characterized by a universal 9-fold radial symmetry and is critical for generating cilia, flagella, and centrosomes. The mechanisms directing centriole formation are incompletely understood and represent a fundamental open question in biology. Here, we demonstrate that the centriolar protein SAS-6 forms rod-shaped homodimers that interact through their N-terminal domains to form oligomers. We establish that such oligomerization is essential for centriole formation in C. elegans and human cells. We further generate a structural model of the related protein Bld12p from C. reinhardtii, in which nine homodimers assemble into a ring from which nine coiled-coil rods radiate outward. Moreover, we demonstrate that recombinant Bld12p self-assembles into structures akin to the central hub of the cartwheel, which serves as a scaffold for centriole formation. Overall, our findings establish a structural basis for the universal 9-fold symmetry of centrioles. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Probabilistic analysis on the failure of reactivity control for the PWR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sony Tjahyani, D. T.; Deswandri; Sunaryo, G. R.

2018-02-01

The fundamental safety function of the power reactor is to control reactivity, to remove heat from the reactor, and to confine radioactive material. The safety analysis is used to ensure that each parameter is fulfilled during the design and is done by deterministic and probabilistic method. The analysis of reactivity control is important to be done because it will affect the other of fundamental safety functions. The purpose of this research is to determine the failure probability of the reactivity control and its failure contribution on a PWR design. The analysis is carried out by determining intermediate events, which cause the failure of reactivity control. Furthermore, the basic event is determined by deductive method using the fault tree analysis. The AP1000 is used as the object of research. The probability data of component failure or human error, which is used in the analysis, is collected from IAEA, Westinghouse, NRC and other published documents. The results show that there are six intermediate events, which can cause the failure of the reactivity control. These intermediate events are uncontrolled rod bank withdrawal at low power or full power, malfunction of boron dilution, misalignment of control rod withdrawal, malfunction of improper position of fuel assembly and ejection of control rod. The failure probability of reactivity control is 1.49E-03 per year. The causes of failures which are affected by human factor are boron dilution, misalignment of control rod withdrawal and malfunction of improper position for fuel assembly. Based on the assessment, it is concluded that the failure probability of reactivity control on the PWR is still within the IAEA criteria.

Conformational assembly and biological properties of collagen mimetic peptides and their thermally responsive polymer conjugates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna, Ohm Divyam

2011-12-01

Collagens are one of the most abundant proteins found in body tissues and organs, endowing structural integrity, mechanical strength, and multiple biological functions. Destabilized collagen inside human body leads to various degenerative diseases (ex. osteoarthritis) and ageing. This has continued to motivate the design of synthetic peptides and bio-synthetic polypeptides to closely mimic the native collagens in terms of triple helix structure and stability, potential for higher order assembly, and biological properties. However, the widespread application of de novo collagens has been limited in part by the need for hydroxylated proline in the formation of stable triple helical structures. To address this continued need, a hydroxyproline-free, thermally stable collagen-mimetic peptide (CLP-Cys) was rationally designed via the incorporation of electrostatically stabilized amino acid triplets. CLP-Cys was synthesized via solid phase peptide synthesis. The formation and stability of the triple helical structure were indicated via circular dichroism (CD) experiments and confirmed via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results. CLP-Cys also self-assembled into nano-rods and micro-fibrils, as evidenced via a combination of dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Given the high thermal stability and its propensity for higher-order assembly, CLP-Cys was further functionalized at both the ends with a thermally responsive polymer, poly(diethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate), (PDEGMEMA) to synthesize a biohybrid triblock copolymer. The CD results indicated that the triple helical form is retained, the thermal unfolding is sustained and helix to coil transition is reversible in the triblock hybrid context. The LCST of PDEGMEMA homopolymer (26 °C) is increased (to 35 °C) upon conjugation to the hydrophilic collagen peptide domain. Further, a combination of static light scattering, Cryo-SEM, TEM and confocal microscopy elucidated that the collapse of the thermo-responsive polymer upon heating (to above the LCST) leads to the assembly of these hybrid materials as micrometer sized spheres. At 75 °C a morphological transformation from spheres to fibrils were observed. These studies provided unique perspectives about the impact of stimuli-responsive polymers and the triple-helix forming peptides on each other; and how temperature as a stimulus can be employed to sequentially guide the assembly. The development of self-assembling hybrid materials with multiple sensitivities to temperature would offer useful opportunities in the design of stimuli-responsive nano-materials. The CLP-Cys peptide sequence has been designed to incorporate biologically relevant amino acid triplets (GEKGER) and its positive impact was seen via recruitment of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) for adhesion, spreading and proliferation on CLP-Cys functionalized glass and hyaluronic acid based hydrogel surfaces. Therefore, the prospects of these materials in biomedical applications including wound healing and tissue engineering are promising.

Circular on controlling the outflow of labourers, March 1989.

PubMed

1989-01-01

In early March 1989, China's General Office of the State Council issued an urgent Circular demanding that various local governmental bodies "do a good job in strictly controlling the blind outflow of laborers." The circular pointed out that "since the Spring Festival, large numbers of laborers from Sichuan, Henan, Hubei, Shandong, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, and other provinces have concentrated in large numbers in regions such as the northwest, the northwest, and Guangdong Province, causing a huge increase in railroad passenger traffic. There has been a large pile-up of passengers on some main railroad lines and stations, and trains have been seriously overcrowded. This has put tremendous pressure on railroad transport. After arriving in the above mentioned regions, some of these laborers hang around the streets because they cannot find work, and their life is extremely difficult. The large influx of laborers into these regions has caused confusion in local social order." In order to resolve this problem satisfactorily, the circular makes the following demands: "The people's government at all levels must rapidly get under control the blind outflow of laborers and their assembly in large numbers for moving elsewhere. It is necessary to organize forces to admonish and stop those laborers who have already assembled at the railroad stations, so that they will not blindly move elsewhere. They should also be mobilized to return to their home towns." full text

Selected techniques and protocols in American foulbrood research

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

American foulbrood is one of the most devastating diseases of the honey bee caused by the spore-forming, Gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. The recent updated genome assembly and annotation of this pathogen now permits in depth molecular studies. In the present paper, selecte...

78 FR 72834 - Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-04

... modification 70-0334-32, embodied in production to secure rod/piston assembly through addition of a pin and to.... Subtitle I, section 106, describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. ``Subtitle VII: Aviation... under the authority described in ``Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General...

Recent developments in multidimensional transport methods for the APOLLO 2 lattice code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zmijarevic, I.; Sanchez, R.

1995-12-31

A usual method of preparation of homogenized cross sections for reactor coarse-mesh calculations is based on two-dimensional multigroup transport treatment of an assembly together with an appropriate leakage model and reaction-rate-preserving homogenization technique. The actual generation of assembly spectrum codes based on collision probability methods is capable of treating complex geometries (i.e., irregular meshes of arbitrary shape), thus avoiding the modeling error that was introduced in codes with traditional tracking routines. The power and architecture of current computers allow the treatment of spatial domains comprising several mutually interacting assemblies using fine multigroup structure and retaining all geometric details of interest.more » Increasing safety requirements demand detailed two- and three-dimensional calculations for very heterogeneous problems such as control rod positioning, broken Pyrex rods, irregular compacting of mixed- oxide (MOX) pellets at an MOX-UO{sub 2} interface, and many others. An effort has been made to include accurate multi- dimensional transport methods in the APOLLO 2 lattice code. These include extension to three-dimensional axially symmetric geometries of the general-geometry collision probability module TDT and the development of new two- and three-dimensional characteristics methods for regular Cartesian meshes. In this paper we discuss the main features of recently developed multidimensional methods that are currently being tested.« less

Neutronic safety parameters and transient analyses for Poland's MARIA research reactor.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bretscher, M. M.; Hanan, N. A.; Matos, J. E.

1999-09-27

Reactor kinetic parameters, reactivity feedback coefficients, and control rod reactivity worths have been calculated for the MARIA Research Reactor (Swierk, Poland) for M6-type fuel assemblies with {sup 235}U enrichments of 80% and 19.7%. Kinetic parameters were evaluated for family-dependent effective delayed neutron fractions, decay constants, and prompt neutron lifetimes and neutron generation times. Reactivity feedback coefficients were determined for fuel Doppler coefficients, coolant (H{sub 2}O) void and temperature coefficients, and for in-core and ex-core beryllium temperature coefficients. Total and differential control rod worths and safety rod worths were calculated for each fuel type. These parameters were used to calculate genericmore » transients for fast and slow reactivity insertions with both HEU and LEU fuels. The analyses show that the HEU and LEU cores have very similar responses to these transients.« less

Measuring the equation of state for a 2D colloidal membrane: A microfluidic approach to buffer exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balchunas, Andrew; Cabanas, Rafael; Fraden, Seth; Dogic, Zvonimir

Previous work has shown that monodisperse rod-like colloidal particles, such as a filamentous bacteriophage, self assemble into a 2D monolayer smectic in the presence of a non-adsorbing depleting polymer. These structures have the same functional form of bending rigidity and lateral compressibility as conventional lipid bi-layers, so we name the monolayer smectic a colloidal membrane. We have developed a microfluidic device such that the osmotic pressure acting on a colloidal membrane may be controlled via a full in situ buffer exchange. Rod density within individual colloidal membranes was measured as a function of osmotic pressure and a first order phase transition, from 2D fluid to 2D solid, was observed. kon and koff rates of rod to membrane binding were measured by lowering the osmotic pressure until membrane evaporation occurred.

Portable 90 degree proof loading device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bird, R. G.; Berson, L. A. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

A hydraulically actuated device is described for applying a test load to a bearing or the like to prove the integrity of its mounting or staking within a bore in a housing such as gear case. To accommodate limited access situations, the device is constructed in a right angle configuration in which a hydraulic cylinder applies axial pressure to a first thrust rod assemly which includes a first thrust rod through a threated spindle driving a linearly translated cam. Cam follower wheel transfers the translation to a second thrust rod assembly which includes a horizontal shaft and a spindle within a cross-arm housing portion and a tubular housing portion. The same second thrust direction applies the bearing loading in either of two directions depending upon the shape of the interface parts. The interface parts can bear on the bearing from either side with respect to the bearing mounting structural part.

Validation of MCNP: SPERT-D and BORAX-V fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crawford, C.; Palmer, B.

1992-11-01

This report discusses critical experiments involving SPERT-D{sup 1,2} fuel elements and BORAX-V{sup 3-8} fuel which have been modeled and calculations performed with MCNP. MCNP is a Monte Carlo based transport code. For this study continuous-energy nuclear data from the ENDF/B-V cross section library was used. The SPERT-D experiments consisted of various arrays of fuel elements moderated and reflected with either water or a uranyl nitrate solution. Some SPERT-D experiments used cadmium as a fixed neutron poison, while others were poisoned with various concentrations of boron in the moderating/reflecting solution. ne BORAX-V experiments were arrays of either boiling fuel rod assembliesmore » or superheater assemblies, both types of arrays were moderated and reflected with water. In one boiling fuel experiment, two fuel rods were replaced with borated stainless steel poison rods.« less

Validation of MCNP: SPERT-D and BORAX-V fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crawford, C.; Palmer, B.

1992-11-01

This report discusses critical experiments involving SPERT-D[sup 1,2] fuel elements and BORAX-V[sup 3-8] fuel which have been modeled and calculations performed with MCNP. MCNP is a Monte Carlo based transport code. For this study continuous-energy nuclear data from the ENDF/B-V cross section library was used. The SPERT-D experiments consisted of various arrays of fuel elements moderated and reflected with either water or a uranyl nitrate solution. Some SPERT-D experiments used cadmium as a fixed neutron poison, while others were poisoned with various concentrations of boron in the moderating/reflecting solution. ne BORAX-V experiments were arrays of either boiling fuel rod assembliesmore » or superheater assemblies, both types of arrays were moderated and reflected with water. In one boiling fuel experiment, two fuel rods were replaced with borated stainless steel poison rods.« less

Apparatus and methods for aligning holes through wheels and spacers and stacking the wheels and spacers to form a turbine rotor

DOEpatents

Berry, Robert Randolph; Palmer, Gene David; Wilson, Ian David

2000-01-01

A gas turbine rotor stacking fixture includes upstanding bolts for reception in aligned bolt holes in superposed aft disk, wheels and spacers and upstanding alignment rods received in openings of the disk, wheels and spacers during the rotor stacking assembly. The axially registering openings enable insertion of thin-walled tubes circumferentially about the rim of the rotor, with tight tolerances to the openings to provide supply and return steam for cooling buckets. The alignment rods have radial dimensions substantially less than their dimensions in a circumferential direction to allow for radial opening misalignment due to thermal expansion, tolerance stack-up and wheel-to-spacer mismatch due to rabbet mechanical growth. The circumferential dimension of the alignment rods affords tightly toleranced alignment of the openings through which the cooling tubes are installed.

Nucleotide sequence and proposed secondary structure of Columnea latent viroid: a natural mosaic of viroid sequences.

PubMed Central

Hammond, R; Smith, D R; Diener, T O

1989-01-01

The Columnea latent viroid (CLV) occurs latently in certain Columnea erythrophae plants grown commercially. In potato and tomato, CLV causes potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTV)-like symptoms. Its nucleotide sequence and proposed secondary structure reveal that CLV consists of a single-stranded circular RNA of 370 nucleotides which can assume a rod-like structure with extensive base-pairing characteristic of all known viroids. The electrophoretic mobility of circular CLV under nondenaturing conditions suggests a potential tertiary structure. CLV contains extensive sequence homologies to the PSTV group of viroids but contains a central conserved region identical to that of hop stunt viroid (HSV). CLV also shares some biological properties with each of the two types of viroids. Most probably, CLV is the result of intracellular RNA recombination between an HSV-type and one or more PSTV-type viroids replicating in the same plant. Images PMID:2602114

Commutating Feed Assembly.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

AD-AOBS 567 ITT GILFILLAN VAN NUYS CA F/6 17/9 CONF4UTATING FEED ASSEMBLY. 1W DEC 79 R WOL.FSON F19628-79-C-OOSS UNCLASSIFIED RADC -TR79303 NI. 1i.ll...INTRODUCTION 9 2 COMMUTATING FEED ASSEMBLY REQUIREMENTS 10 . 3 TECHNICAL PROBLEMS 11 1: 3.1 System Design 12 3.1.1 Radius of Circular Array 12 3.1.2 Design...Support Structure 16 3.3 Annular Rotary Coupler 16 3.4 Stripline Feed Network 17 w V.3.4.1 Range of Coupling Values vs. Percent Power into Load 17 3.4.2

Controlling self-assembly of diphenylalanine peptides at high pH using heterocyclic capping groups.

PubMed

Martin, Adam D; Wojciechowski, Jonathan P; Robinson, Andrew B; Heu, Celine; Garvey, Christopher J; Ratcliffe, Julian; Waddington, Lynne J; Gardiner, James; Thordarson, Pall

2017-03-08

Using small angle neutron scattering (SANS), it is shown that the existence of pre-assembled structures at high pH for a capped diphenylalanine hydrogel is controlled by the selection of N-terminal heterocyclic capping group, namely indole or carbazole. At high pH, changing from a somewhat hydrophilic indole capping group to a more hydrophobic carbazole capping group results in a shift from a high proportion of monomers to self-assembled fibers or wormlike micelles. The presence of these different self-assembled structures at high pH is confirmed through NMR and circular dichroism spectroscopy, scanning probe microscopy and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy.

Integrated head package for top mounted nuclear instrumentation

DOEpatents

Malandra, Louis J.; Hornak, Leonard P.; Meuschke, Robert E.

1993-01-01

A nuclear reactor such as a pressurized water reactor has an integrated head package providing structural support and increasing shielding leading toward the vessel head. A reactor vessel head engages the reactor vessel, and a control rod guide mechanism over the vessel head raises and lowers control rods in certain of the thimble tubes, traversing penetrations in the reactor vessel head, and being coupled to the control rods. An instrumentation tube structure includes instrumentation tubes with sensors movable into certain thimble tubes disposed in the fuel assemblies. Couplings for the sensors also traverse penetrations in the reactor vessel head. A shroud is attached over the reactor vessel head and encloses the control rod guide mechanism and at least a portion of the instrumentation tubes when retracted. The shroud forms a structural element of sufficient strength to support the vessel head, the control rod guide mechanism and the instrumentation tube structure, and includes radiation shielding material for limiting passage of radiation from retracted instrumentation tubes. The shroud is thicker at the bottom adjacent the vessel head, where the more irradiated lower ends of retracted sensors reside. The vessel head, shroud and contents thus can be removed from the reactor as a unit and rested safely and securely on a support.

Stimulus-Responsive Plasmonic Chiral Signals of Gold Nanorods Organized on DNA Origami.

PubMed

Jiang, Qiao; Liu, Qing; Shi, Yuefeng; Wang, Zhen-Gang; Zhan, Pengfei; Liu, Jianbing; Liu, Chao; Wang, Hui; Shi, Xinghua; Zhang, Li; Sun, Jiashu; Ding, Baoquan; Liu, Minghua

2017-11-08

In response to environmental variations, living cells need to arrange the conformational changes of macromolecules to achieve the specific biofunctions. Inspired by natural molecular machines, artificial macromolecular assemblies with controllable nanostructures and environmentally responsive functions can be designed. By assembling macromolecular nanostructures with noble metal nanoparticles, environmental information could be significantly amplified and modulated. However, manufacturing dynamic plasmonic nanostructures that are efficiently responsive to different stimuli is still a challenging task. Here we demonstrate a stimulus-responsive plasmonic nanosystem based on DNA origami-organized gold nanorods (GNRs). L-shaped GNR dimers were assembled on rhombus-shaped DNA origami templates. The geometry and chiral signals of the GNR nanoarchitectures respond to multiple stimuli, including glutathione reduction, restriction enzyme action, pH change, or photoirradiation. While the glutathione reduction or restriction enzyme caused irreversible changes in the plasmonic circular dichroism (CD) signals, both pH and light irradiation triggered reversible changes in the plasmonic CD. Our system transduces external stimuli into conformational changes and circular dichroism responses in near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. By this approach, programmable optical reporters for essential biological signals can be fabricated.

"Push-Through" Rod Passage Technique for the Improvement of Lumbar Lordosis and Sagittal Balance in Minimally Invasive Adult Degenerative Scoliosis Surgery.

PubMed

Haque, Raqeeb M; Uddin, Omar M; Ahmed, Yousef; El Ahmadieh, Tarek Y; Hashmi, Sohaib Z; Shah, Amir; Fessler, Richard G

2016-10-01

Traditional open surgical techniques for correction of adult degenerative scoliosis (ADS) are often associated with increased blood loss, postoperative pain, and complications. Minimally invasive (MIS) techniques have been utilized to address these issues; however, concerns regarding improving certain alignment parameters have been raised. A new "push-through" technique for MIS correction of ADS has been developed wherein a rod is bent before its placement into the screw heads and then contoured further to yield improved correction of radiographic parameters. Preoperative and postoperative radiographic measurements of 3 patients who underwent MIS correction of scoliosis using the "push-through" technique were compared with 22 prior patients who had received traditional MIS correction. All patients received staged correction of scoliosis. The first stage involved insertion of lateral lumbar interbodies. Standing x-rays were then evaluated for overall global balance. The second stage involved appropriate MIS facetectomies, facet fusions, posterior transforaminal interbodies at lower lumbar segments, and finally the placement of rods.TECHNIQUE OVERVIEW:: (1) A long rod composed of titanium is bent with a mild lordosis and passed through the extensions of the screw heads cephalad to caudad. (2) The rod is passed fully through the incision so it extrudes from the caudal end of the construct. At this point, further lordosis is bent into the rods. (3) The rod is then pulled back into the appropriate position. (4) The unnecessary cephalad rod is then cut to appropriate length with a circular saw. (5) Rod reducers are then sequentially lowered and tightened to achieve the desired correction. Mean age for all patients was 66.02 years. Preoperative coronal Cobb, sagittal vertical axis (SVA), and pelvic incidence (PI) were similar in all patients, whereas lumbar lordosis (LL) was smaller (15.27 vs. 29.85 degrees, P=0.00389) and pelvic tilt (PT) was larger (37.00 vs. 27.00 degrees, P=0.00011) in "push-through" patients. Postoperatively, "pushthrough" patients experienced greater correction of LL (21.93 vs. 3.70 degrees, P=0.00001), PI-LL (-18.57 vs. -0.26 degrees, P=0.00471), PT (-7.67 vs. -0.40 degrees, P=0.00341), SVA (-40.67 mm vs. 0.95 mm, P=0.05846), and coronal Cobb (-20.23 vs. -18.76 degrees, P=0.75). This new method of contouring a rod enables improved LL. This technique is easy to perform and can be a valuable tool in treating ADS using MIS techniques.

77 FR 42454 - Airworthiness Directives; Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-19

... the brake hydraulic fluid from leaking because of the brake assembly rods contacting the brake valve... session during which conflicting inputs were given to the brake pads between pilot and copilot, a brake... tubings connected to the brake valves, with consequent fluid leakage. Prompted by these findings, PAI...

152. Photographic copy of original construction drawing dated October 24, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

152. Photographic copy of original construction drawing dated October 24, 1930 (from Record Group 115, Denver Branch of the National Archives, Denver). 60 x 12 RING GATE CONTROL; FLOAT WELL ASSEMBLY AND COVER HOIST STEM-CONNECTION ROD-SLEEVE. - Owyhee Dam, Across Owyhee River, Nyssa, Malheur County, OR

Analytic Optimization of Near-Field Optical Chirality Enhancement

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

We present an analytic derivation for the enhancement of local optical chirality in the near field of plasmonic nanostructures by tuning the far-field polarization of external light. We illustrate the results by means of simulations with an achiral and a chiral nanostructure assembly and demonstrate that local optical chirality is significantly enhanced with respect to circular polarization in free space. The optimal external far-field polarizations are different from both circular and linear. Symmetry properties of the nanostructure can be exploited to determine whether the optimal far-field polarization is circular. Furthermore, the optimal far-field polarization depends on the frequency, which results in complex-shaped laser pulses for broadband optimization. PMID:28239617

Photovoltaic assemblies and methods for transporting

DOEpatents

Almy, Charles; Campbell, Matt; Sandler, Reuben; Wares, Brian; Wayman, Elizabeth

2014-08-05

A PV assembly including framework, PV laminate(s), and a stiffening device. The framework includes a perimeter frame at least 10 feet in length and at least 5 feet in width. The PV laminate(s) are assembled to the perimeter frame to define a receiving zone having a depth of not more than 8 inches. The stiffening device is associated with the framework and is configured to provide a first state and a second state. In the first state, an entirety of the stiffening device is maintained within the receiving zone. In the second state, at least a portion of the stiffening device projects from the receiving zone. The stiffening device enhances a stiffness of the PV assembly in a plane of the perimeter frame, and can include rods defining truss structures.

Photovoltaic assemblies and methods for transporting

DOEpatents

Almy, Charles; Campbell, Matt; Sandler, Reuben; Wares, Brian; Wayman, Elizabeth

2013-09-17

A PV assembly including framework, PV laminate(s), and a stiffening device. The framework includes a perimeter frame at least 10 feet in length and at least 5 feet in width. The PV laminate(s) are assembled to the perimeter frame to define a receiving zone having a depth of not more than 8 inches. The stiffening device is associated with the framework and is configured to provide a first state and a second state. In the first state, an entirety of the stiffening device is maintained within the receiving zone. In the second state, at least a portion of the stiffening device projects from the receiving zone. The stiffening device enhances a stiffness of the PV assembly in a plane of the perimeter frame, and can include rods defining truss structures.

Evaluation of circularity error in drilling of syntactic foam composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashrith H., S.; Doddamani, Mrityunjay; Gaitonde, Vinayak

2018-04-01

Syntactic foams are widely used in structural applications of automobiles, aircrafts and underwater vehicles due to their lightweight properties combined with high compression strength and low moisture absorption. Structural application requires drilling of holes for assembly purpose. In this investigation response surface methodology based mathematical models are used to analyze the effects of cutting speed, feed, drill diameter and filler content on circularity error both at entry and exit level in drilling of glass microballoon reinforced epoxy syntactic foam. Experiments are conducted based on full factorial design using solid coated tungsten carbide twist drills. The parametric analysis reveals that circularity error is highly influenced by drill diameter followed by spindle speed at the entry and exit level. Parametric analysis also reveals that increasing filler content decreases circularity error by 13.65 and 11.96% respectively at entry and exit levels. Average circularity error at the entry level is found to be 23.73% higher than at the exit level.

System and method for injecting fuel

DOEpatents

Uhm, Jong Ho; Johnson, Thomas Edward

2012-12-04

According to various embodiments, a system includes a staggered multi-nozzle assembly. The staggered multi-nozzle assembly includes a first fuel nozzle having a first axis and a first flow path extending to a first downstream end portion, wherein the first fuel nozzle has a first non-circular perimeter at the first downstream end portion. The staggered multi-nozzle assembly also includes a second fuel nozzle having a second axis and a second flow path extending to a second downstream end portion, wherein the first and second downstream end portions are axially offset from one another relative to the first and second axes. The staggered multi-nozzle assembly further includes a cap member disposed circumferentially about at least the first and second fuel nozzles to assemble the staggered multi-nozzle assembly.

High efficiency gas burner

DOEpatents

Schuetz, Mark A.

1983-01-01

A burner assembly provides for 100% premixing of fuel and air by drawing the air into at least one high velocity stream of fuel without power assist. Specifically, the nozzle assembly for injecting the fuel into a throat comprises a plurality of nozzles in a generally circular array. Preferably, swirl is imparted to the air/fuel mixture by angling the nozzles. The diffuser comprises a conical primary diffuser followed by a cusp diffuser.

Corrosion and hydrogen pick-up behaviors of cladding and structural components in BWR high burnup 9x9 lead use assemblies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miyashita, Toshiyasu; Nakae, Nobuo; Ogata, Keizo

The high burnup BWR 9x9 lead use fuel assemblies, which have been designed for maximum assembly burnup of 55 GWd/t in Japan, have been examined after irradiations to confirm the reliability of the current safety evaluation methodology, and to accumulate data to judge the adequacy to apply it to the future higher burnup fuel. After 3 and 5 cycle irradiations, post irradiation examinations were performed for both 9x9 Type-A and Type-B fuel assemblies. Both Type LUAs utilize Zry-2 claddings, while there are deviation in the contents of impurity and alloying elements between Type-A and Type-B, especially in Fe and Simore » concentration. Measured oxide thicknesses of fuel rods showed no significant difference between after 3 and 5 cycle irradiation except for some rods at corner position in Type B LUA. The axial profile of hydrogen concentration and oxide thickness for the corner rods in Type B LUA after 5 cycle irradiation had peaks at the second lowest span from the bottom. The maximum oxide thickness is about 50 {mu}m on the surface facing the bundle outside at the second lowest span and dense hydrides layer (Hydride rim) is observed in peripheral region of cladding showing unexpected high hydrogen concentration. The results of calculated thermal-hydraulic conditions show that the thermal neutron flux at the corner position was higher than the other position. On the other hand, the void fraction and the mass flux were relatively lower at the corner position. The oxide thickness on spacer band and spacer cell of Zry-2 increases from 3 to 5 cycle irradiations. Spacer band of Zry-4 showed significantly thick oxide after 5 cycle irradiations but Hydrogen concentration was relatively small in contrast its obviously thick oxide in comparison with Zry-2 spacer bands. The large increase in hydrogen concentration was measured in Zry-2 spacers after 5 cycle irradiations and the evaluated hydrogen pick-up rate also increased remarkably. (authors)« less

Self-assembled nanostructures of linear arylacetylenes and their aza-substituted analogues

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Jia-Ju; Department of Physics and Materials Science and Centre of Super Diamond and Advanced Films; Yang, Xiong-Bo

2016-06-15

A series of linear phenylene ethynylene molecules have been synthesized, and aza-substitution has been used as a strategy to fine-tune the properties of the molecules. All the compounds exhibited pure blue emission both in solution and solid state, and fluorescence quantum yields as high as 0.66, 0.63 and 0.82 were found in chloroform solutions. The well-defined nanostructures such as quasi-cubes, cubes and rods were fabricated by self-assembly method from these compounds. The photophysical properties and aggregation behavior of self-assembled structures were analyzed in detail. The morphology as well as photophysical properties of these nanostructures have been tuned with selective requirements.

Colloidal alloys with preassembled clusters and spheres.

PubMed

Ducrot, Étienne; He, Mingxin; Yi, Gi-Ra; Pine, David J

2017-06-01

Self-assembly is a powerful approach for constructing colloidal crystals, where spheres, rods or faceted particles can build up a myriad of structures. Nevertheless, many complex or low-coordination architectures, such as diamond, pyrochlore and other sought-after lattices, have eluded self-assembly. Here we introduce a new design principle based on preassembled components of the desired superstructure and programmed nearest-neighbour DNA-mediated interactions, which allows the formation of otherwise unattainable structures. We demonstrate the approach using preassembled colloidal tetrahedra and spheres, obtaining a class of colloidal superstructures, including cubic and tetragonal colloidal crystals, with no known atomic analogues, as well as percolating low-coordination diamond and pyrochlore sublattices never assembled before.

Structural Determination of Biomolecules in Microfluidic Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, John C.; Menard, Etienne; Rogers, John A.; Wong, Gerard C. L.

2004-03-01

Supramolecular biological complexes are often too large to be crystallized for structural studies. Here, we explore the use of microfluidic arrays to order a model self-assembled cytoskeletal system. Filamentous actin (F-actin) is a negatively charged protein rod and is a key structural component in the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. In this context, F-actin can self-assemble with actin binding proteins (ABP) in a highly regulated manner to dynamically form structures for a wide range of biomechanical functions. In this work, we will systematically study the action of 3 types of actin binding proteins (a-actinin, fimbrin, cofilin) on the self-assembled structures of F-actin that have been aligned in microfluidic arrays.

Self Assembled Structures by Directional Solidification of Eutectics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dynys, Frederick W.; Sayir, Ali

2004-01-01

Interest in ordered porous structures has grown because of there unique properties such as photonic bandgaps, high backing packing density and high surface to volume ratio. Inspired by nature, biometric strategies using self assembled organic molecules dominate the development of hierarchical inorganic structures. Directional solidification of eutectics (DSE) also exhibit self assembly characteristics to form hierarchical metallic and inorganic structures. Crystallization of diphasic materials by DSE can produce two dimensional ordered structures consisting of rods or lamella. By selective removal of phases, DSE is capable to fabricate ordered pore arrays or ordered pin arrays. Criteria and limitations to fabricate hierarchical structures will be presented. Porous structures in silicon base alloys and ceramic systems will be reported.

VAB Sway Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Youngquist, Robert c.; Ihlefeld, Curtis M.; Lane, John E.; Starr, Stanley O.

2013-01-01

The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) was constructed in the mid-1960s to house the Saturn V moon rocket while it was being assembled. Designed to withstand hurricanes and tropical storms, the V AB has a foundation consisting of 30,000 cubic yards of concrete strengthened by 4,225 steel rods driven 160 feet into limestone bedrock. The goal of the VAB Sway Investigation, which began collecting data in April 201 0 and ended in November 2012, was to quantify the displacement or sway of the VAB as a function of wind loading.

High Energy Absorption Top Nozzle For A Nuclaer Fuel Assembly

DOEpatents

Sparrow, James A.; Aleshin, Yuriy; Slyeptsov, Aleksey

2004-05-18

A high energy absorption top nozzle for a nuclear fuel assembly that employs an elongated upper tubular housing and an elongated lower tubular housing slidable within the upper tubular housing. The upper and lower housings are biased away from each other by a plurality of longitudinally extending springs that are restrained by a longitudinally moveable piston whose upward travel is limited within the upper housing. The energy imparted to the nozzle by a control rod scram is mostly absorbed by the springs and the hydraulic affect of the piston within the nozzle.

Automatic thermocouple positioner for use in vacuum furnaces

DOEpatents

Mee, D.K.; Stephens, A.E.

1980-06-06

The invention is a simple and reliable mechanical arrangement for automatically positioning a thermocouple-carrying rod in a vacuum-furnace assembly of the kind including a casing, a furnace mounted in the casing, and a charge-containing crucible mounted in the furnace for vertical movement between a lower (loading) position and a raised (charge-melting) position. In a preferred embodiment, a welded-diaphragm metal bellows is mounted above the furnace, the upper end of the bellows being fixed against movement and the lower end of the bellows being affixed to support means for a thermocouple-carrying rod which is vertically oriented and extends freely through the furnace lid toward the mouth of the crucible. The support means and rod are mounted for relative vertical movement. Before pumpdown of the furnace, the differential pressure acting on the bellows causes it to contract and lift the thermocouple rod to a position where it will not be contacted by the crucible charge when the crucible is elevated to its raised position. During pumpdown, the bellows expands downward, lowering the thermocouple rod and its support. The bellows expands downward beyond a point where downward movement of the thermocouple rod is arrested by contact with the crucible charge and to a point where the upper end of the thermocouple extends well above the thermocouple support. During subsequent melting of the charge, the thermocouple sinks into the melt to provide an accurate measurement of melt temperatures.

Automatic thermocouple positioner for use in vacuum furnaces

DOEpatents

Mee, David K.; Stephens, Albert E.

1981-01-01

The invention is a simple and reliable mechanical arrangement for automatically positioning a thermocouple-carrying rod in a vacuum-furnace assembly of the kind including a casing, a furnace mounted in the casing, and a charge-containing crucible mounted in the furnace for vertical movement between a lower (loading) position and a raised (charge-melting) position. In a preferred embodiment, a welded-diaphragm metal bellows is mounted above the furnace, the upper end of the bellows being fixed against movement and the lower end of the bellows being affixed to support means for a thermocouple-carrying rod which is vertically oriented and extends freely through the furnace lid toward the mouth of the crucible. The support means and rod are mounted for relative vertical movement. Before pumpdown of the furnace, the differential pressure acting on the bellows causes it to contract and lift the thermocouple rod to a position where it will not be contacted by the crucible charge when the crucible is elevated to its raised position. During pumpdown, the bellows expands downward, lowering the thermocouple rod and its support. The bellows expands downward beyond a point where downward movement of the thermocouple rod is arrested by contact with the crucible charge and to a point where the upper end of the thermocouple extends well above the thermocouple support. During subsequent melting of the charge, the thermocouple sinks into the melt to provide an accurate measurement of melt temperatures.

Predicted lattice-misfit stresses in a gallium-nitride (GaN) film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suhir, E.; Yi, S.

2017-02-01

Effective, easy-to-use and physically meaningful analytical predictive models are developed for the evaluation the lattice-misfit stresses (LMS) in a semiconductor film grown on a circular substrate (wafer). The two-dimensional (plane-stress) theory-of-elasticity approximation (TEA) is employed. First of all, the interfacial shearing stresses are evaluated. These stresses might lead to the occurrence and growth of dislocations, as well as to possible delaminations (adhesive strength of the assembly) and the elevated stress and strain in the buffering material, if any (cohesive strength of the assembly). Second of all, the normal radial and circumferential (tangential) stresses acting in the film cross-sections are determined. These stresses determine the short- and long-term strength (fracture toughness) of the film material. It is shown that while the normal stresses in the semiconductor film are independent of its thickness, the interfacial shearing stresses increase with an increase in the induced force (not stress!) acting in the film cross-sections, and that this force increases with an increase in the film thickness. This leads, for a thick enough film, to the occurrence, growth and propagation of dislocations. These start at the assembly ends and propagate, when the film thickness increases, inwards the structure. The TEA data are compared with the results obtained using a simplified strength-of-materials approach (SMA). This approach considers, instead of an actual circular assembly, an elongated bi-material rectangular strip of unit width and of finite length equal to the wafer diameter. The analysis, although applicable to any semiconductor crystal growth (SCG) technology is geared in this analysis to the Gallium-Nitride (GaN) technology. The numerical example is carried out for a GaN film grown on a Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrate. It is concluded that the SMA model is acceptable for understanding the physics of the state of stress and for the prediction of the normal stresses acting in the major mid-portion of the assembly. The SMA model underestimates, however, the maximum interfacial shearing stress at the assembly periphery, and, because of the very nature of the SMA, is unable to address the circumferential stress. This stress can be quite high at the circular boundary of the assembly. At the assembly edge the circumferential stress is as high as σθ = (2-ν1)σ1, i.e., by the factor of 2-ν1 higher than the normal stress, σ1, in the mid-portion of the film. In this formula, ν1 is Poisson's ratio of the film material.

Achondroplasia and Macular Coloboma.

PubMed

Ahoor, M H; Amizadeh, Y; Sorkhabi, R

2015-01-01

Achondroplasia is an autosomal dominant congenital disorder of enchondral ossification. It is clinically characterized by low stature, craniofacial deformity, and vertebral malformation. Associated ophthalmic features include telecanthus, exotropia, angle anomalies, and cone-rod dystrophy. A 24-year-old male presented with decreased vision bilaterally and typical achondroplasia. The best corrected visual acuity was 20/70 in both eyes. Anterior segment examination was normal. Fundus examination revealed a well-demarcated circular paramacular lesion in both eyes. As macular coloboma and achondroplasia are developmental disorders, the funduscopic examination is required in patients with achondroplasia.

Achondroplasia and Macular Coloboma

PubMed Central

Ahoor, M. H.; Amizadeh, Y.; Sorkhabi, R.

2015-01-01

Achondroplasia is an autosomal dominant congenital disorder of enchondral ossification. It is clinically characterized by low stature, craniofacial deformity, and vertebral malformation. Associated ophthalmic features include telecanthus, exotropia, angle anomalies, and cone-rod dystrophy. A 24-year-old male presented with decreased vision bilaterally and typical achondroplasia. The best corrected visual acuity was 20/70 in both eyes. Anterior segment examination was normal. Fundus examination revealed a well-demarcated circular paramacular lesion in both eyes. As macular coloboma and achondroplasia are developmental disorders, the funduscopic examination is required in patients with achondroplasia. PMID:26692730

Transmission properties of 2D metamaterial photonic crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mejía-Salazar, Jorge; Porras-Montenegro, Nelson

2014-03-01

By using the finite difference time domain technique, we have performed a theoretical study of the transmission properties in 2D photonic crystals composed by circular cilyndrical metamaterial rods. Numerical transmission spectra was compared with its corresponding photonic band structure in the case of an infinite periodic 2D array obtaining a very good agreement. On the other hand, we have characterized the corresponding symmetries for this system and the results were compared with its corresponding conventional plasmonic metamaterial counterpart. J.R. M-S is funded by the Colombian Agency COLCIENCIAS.

A spectroscopic and thermodynamic study of porphyrin/DNA supramolecular assemblies.

PubMed Central

Pasternack, R F; Goldsmith, J I; Szép, S; Gibbs, E J

1998-01-01

Assemblies of trans-bis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)diphenylporphine ions on the surface of calf thymus DNA have been studied using several spectroscopic techniques: absorbance, circular dichroism, and resonance light scattering. The aggregation equilibrium can be treated as a two-state system-monomer and assembly-each bound to the nucleic acid template. The aggregate absorption spectrum in the Soret region is resolved into two bands of Lorentzian line shape, while the DNA-bound monomer spectrum in this region is composed of two Gaussian bands. The Beer-Lambert law is obeyed by both porphyrin forms. The assembly is also characterized by an extremely large, bisignate induced circular dichroism (CD) profile and by enhanced resonance light scattering (RLS). Both the CD and RLS intensities depend linearly on aggregate concentration. The RLS result is consistent with a model for the aggregates as being either of a characteristic size or of a fixed distribution of sizes, independent of total porphyrin concentration or ionic strength. Above threshold values of concentration and ionic strength, the mass action expression for the equilibrium has a particularly simple form: K' = cac-1; where cac is defined as the "critical assembly concentration."offe dependence of the cac upon temperature and ionic strength (NaCl) has been investigated at a fixed DNA concentration. The value of the cac scales as the inverse square of the sodium chloride concentration and, from temperature dependence studies, the aggregation process is shown to be exothermic. PMID:9675203

Hierarchical self-assembly of chiral rod-like molecules as a model for peptide β-sheet tapes, ribbons, fibrils, and fibers

PubMed Central

Aggeli, A.; Nyrkova, I. A.; Bell, M.; Harding, R.; Carrick, L.; McLeish, T. C. B.; Semenov, A. N.; Boden, N.

2001-01-01

A generic statistical mechanical model is presented for the self-assembly of chiral rod-like units, such as β-sheet-forming peptides, into helical tapes, which with increasing concentration associate into twisted ribbons (double tapes), fibrils (twisted stacks of ribbons), and fibers (entwined fibrils). The finite fibril width and helicity is shown to stem from a competition between the free energy gain from attraction between ribbons and the penalty because of elastic distortion of the intrinsically twisted ribbons on incorporation into a growing fibril. Fibers are stabilized similarly. The behavior of two rationally designed 11-aa residue peptides, P11-I and P11-II, is illustrative of the proposed scheme. P11-I and P11-II are designed to adopt the β-strand conformation and to self-assemble in one dimension to form antiparallel β-sheet tapes, ribbons, fibrils, and fibers in well-defined solution conditions. The energetic parameters governing self-assembly have been estimated from the experimental data using the model. The 8-nm-wide fibrils consist of eight tapes, are extremely robust (scission energy ≈200 kBT), and sufficiently rigid (persistence length l̃fibril ≈ 20–70 μm) to form nematic solutions at peptide concentration c ≈ 0.9 mM (volume fraction ≈0.0009 vol/vol), which convert to self-supporting nematic gels at c > 4 mM. More generally, these observations provide a new insight into the generic self-assembling properties of β-sheet-forming peptides and shed new light on the factors governing the structures and stability of pathological amyloid fibrils in vivo. The model also provides a prescription of routes to novel macromolecules based on a variety of self-assembling chiral units, and protocols for extraction of the associated energy changes. PMID:11592996

Improved Tensile Test for Ceramics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Osiecki, R. A.

1982-01-01

For almost-nondestructive tensile testing of ceramics, steel rod is bonded to sample of ceramic. Assembly is then pulled apart in conventional tensile-test machine. Test destroys only shallow surface layer which can be machined away making specimen ready for other uses. Method should be useful as manufacturing inspection procedure for low-strength brittle materials.

Designing Birefringent Filters For Solid-State Lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monosmith, Bryan

1992-01-01

Mathematical model enables design of filter assembly of birefringent plates as integral part of resonator cavity of tunable solid-state laser. Proper design treats polarization eigenstate of entire resonator as function of wavelength. Program includes software modules for variety of optical elements including Pockels cell, laser rod, quarter- and half-wave plates, Faraday rotator, and polarizers.

Complete Structure of an Epithelial Keratin Dimer: Implications for Intermediate Filament Assembly.

PubMed

Bray, David J; Walsh, Tiffany R; Noro, Massimo G; Notman, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Keratins are cytoskeletal proteins that hierarchically arrange into filaments, starting with the dimer sub-unit. They are integral to the structural support of cells, in skin, hair and nails. In skin, keratin is thought to play a critical role in conferring the barrier properties and elasticity of skin. In general, the keratin dimer is broadly described by a tri-domain structure: a head, a central rod and a tail. As yet, no atomistic-scale picture of the entire dimer structure exists; this information is pivotal for establishing molecular-level connections between structure and function in intermediate filament proteins. The roles of the head and tail domains in facilitating keratin filament assembly and function remain as open questions. To address these, we report results of molecular dynamics simulations of the entire epithelial human K1/K10 keratin dimer. Our findings comprise: (1) the first three-dimensional structural models of the complete dimer unit, comprising of the head, rod and tail domains; (2) new insights into the chirality of the rod-domain twist gained from analysis of the full domain structure; (3) evidence for tri-subdomain partitioning in the head and tail domains; and, (4) identification of the residue characteristics that mediate non-covalent contact between the chains in the dimer. Our findings are immediately applicable to other epithelial keratins, such as K8/K18 and K5/K14, and to intermediate filament proteins in general.

Effects of nanoparticle shape on the morphology and properties of porous CdSe assemblies (aerogels).

PubMed

Yu, Hongtao; Brock, Stephanie L

2008-08-01

We demonstrate the effect of differently shaped CdSe nanoscale building blocks (dots, rods, branched nanoparticles, and hyperbranched nanoparticles) on the morphologies, surface characteristics, and optical properties of resultant porous CdSe nanostructured aerogels. Monolithic CdSe aerogels were produced by controlled oxidative removal of surface thiolate ligands from differently shaped CdSe nanoparticles to yield a wet gel, followed by CO(2) supercritical drying. The X-ray diffraction data show that the resultant CdSe aerogels maintain the crystalline phase of the building blocks without significant grain growth. However, the transmission electron microscopy images indicate that the morphology of CdSe aerogels changes from a colloid-type morphology to a polymer-type morphology when the building block changes from dot to rod or the branched nanoparticle. The morphology of the CdSe aerogel assembled from hyperbranched nanoparticles appears to be intermediate between the colloid-type and the polymer-type. Nitrogen physisorption measurements suggest that the surface areas and porosity are a direct function of the shape of the primary building blocks, with aerogels formed from rods or branched particles exhibiting the greatest surface areas (>200 m(2)/g) and those prepared from hyperbranched nanoparticles exhibiting the least (<100 m(2)/g). Band gap measurements and photoluminescence studies show that the as-prepared CdSe aerogels retain to a large extent the intrinsic quantum confinement of the differently shaped building blocks, despite being connected into a 3D network.

Nuclear-radiation-actuated valve. [Patent application; for increasing coolant flow to blanket

DOEpatents

Christiansen, D.W.; Schively, D.P.

1982-01-19

The present invention relates to a breeder reactor blanket fuel assembly coolant system valve which increases coolant flow to the blanket fuel assembly to minimize long-term temperature increases caused by fission of fissile fuel created from fertile fuel through operation of the breeder reactor. The valve has a valve first part (such as a valve rod with piston) and a valve second part (such as a valve tube surrounding the valve rod, with the valve tube having side slots surrounding the piston). Both valve parts have known nuclear radiation swelling characteristics. The valve's first part is positioned to receive nuclear radiation from the nuclear reactor's fuel region. The valve's second part is positioned so that its nuclear radiation induced swelling is different from that of the valve's first part. The valve's second part also is positioned so that the valve's first and second parts create a valve orifice which changes in size due to the different nuclear radiation caused swelling of the valve's first part compared to the valve's second part. The valve may be used in a nuclear reactor's core coolant system.

Testing of molded high temperature plastic actuator road seals for use in advanced aircraft hydraulic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waterman, A. W.; Huxford, R. L.; Nelson, W. G.

1976-01-01

Molded high temperature plastic first and second stage rod seal elements were evaluated in seal assemblies to determine performance characteristics. These characteristics were compared with the performance of machined seal elements. The 6.35 cm second stage Chevron seal assembly was tested using molded Chevrons fabricated from five molding materials. Impulse screening tests conducted over a range of 311 K to 478 K revealed thermal setting deficiencies in the aromatic polyimide molding materials. Seal elements fabricated from aromatic copolyester materials structurally failed during impulse cycle calibration. Endurance testing of 3.85 million cycles at 450 K using MIL-H-83283 fluid showed poorer seal performance with the unfilled aromatic polyimide material than had been attained with seals machined from Vespel SP-21 material. The 6.35 cm first stage step-cut compression loaded seal ring fabricated from copolyester injection molding material failed structurally during impulse cycle calibration. Molding of complex shape rod seals was shown to be a potentially controllable technique, but additional molding material property testing is recommended.

Experience in estimating neutron poison worths

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chiang, R.T.; Congdon, S.P.

1989-01-01

Gadolinia, {sup 135}Xe, {sup 149}Sm, control rod, and soluble boron are five neutron poisons that may appear in light water reactor assemblies. Reliable neutron poison worth estimation is useful for evaluating core operating strategies, fuel cycle economics, and reactor safety design. Based on physical presence, neutron poisons can be divided into two categories: local poisons and global poisons. Gadolinia and control rod are local poisons, and {sup 135}Xe, {sup 149}Sm, and soluble boron are global poisons. The first-order perturbation method is commonly used to estimate nuclide worths in fuel assemblies. It is well known, however, that the first-order perturbation methodmore » was developed for small perturbations, such as the perturbation due to weak absorbers, and that neutron poisons are not weak absorbers. The authors have developed an improved method to replace the first-order perturbation method, which yields very poor results, for estimating local poison worths. It has also been shown that the first-order perturbation method seems adequate to estimate worths for global poisons caused by flux compensation.« less

Phenomenology of BWR fuel assembly degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurata, Masaki; Barrachin, Marc; Haste, Tim; Steinbrueck, Martin

2018-03-01

Severe accidents occurred at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) which required an immediate re-examination of fuel degradation phenomenology. The present paper reviews the updated knowledge on the phenomenology of the fuel degradation, focusing mainly on the BWR fuel assembly degradation at the macroscopic scale and that of the individual interactions at the meso-scale. Oxidation of boron carbide (B4C) control rods potentially generates far larger amounts of heat and hydrogen under BWR accident conditions. All integral tests with B4C control rods or control blades have shown early failure, liquefaction, relocation and oxidation of B4C starting at temperatures around 1250 °C, well below the significant interaction temperatures of UO2-Zry. These interactions or reactions potentially influence the progress of fuel degradation in the early phase. The steam-starved conditions, which are being discussed as a likely scenario at the FDNPS accident, highly influence the individual interactions and potentially lead the fuel degradation in non-prototypical directions. The detailed phenomenology of individual interactions and their influence on the transient and on the late phase of the severe accidents are also discussed.

Controlling self-assembly of diphenylalanine peptides at high pH using heterocyclic capping groups

PubMed Central

Martin, Adam D.; Wojciechowski, Jonathan P.; Robinson, Andrew B.; Heu, Celine; Garvey, Christopher J.; Ratcliffe, Julian; Waddington, Lynne J.; Gardiner, James; Thordarson, Pall

2017-01-01

Using small angle neutron scattering (SANS), it is shown that the existence of pre-assembled structures at high pH for a capped diphenylalanine hydrogel is controlled by the selection of N-terminal heterocyclic capping group, namely indole or carbazole. At high pH, changing from a somewhat hydrophilic indole capping group to a more hydrophobic carbazole capping group results in a shift from a high proportion of monomers to self-assembled fibers or wormlike micelles. The presence of these different self-assembled structures at high pH is confirmed through NMR and circular dichroism spectroscopy, scanning probe microscopy and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. PMID:28272523

Self-Assembled Polystyrene Beads for Templated Covalent Functionalization of Graphitic Substrates Using Diazonium Chemistry.

PubMed

Van Gorp, Hans; Walke, Peter; Bragança, Ana M; Greenwood, John; Ivasenko, Oleksandr; Hirsch, Brandon E; De Feyter, Steven

2018-04-11

A network of self-assembled polystyrene beads was employed as a lithographic mask during covalent functionalization reactions on graphitic surfaces to create nanocorrals for confined molecular self-assembly studies. The beads were initially assembled into hexagonal arrays at the air-liquid interface and then transferred to the substrate surface. Subsequent electrochemical grafting reactions involving aryl diazonium molecules created covalently bound molecular units that were localized in the void space between the nanospheres. Removal of the bead template exposed hexagonally arranged circular nanocorrals separated by regions of chemisorbed molecules. Small molecule self-assembly was then investigated inside the resultant nanocorrals using scanning tunneling microscopy to highlight localized confinement effects. Overall, this work illustrates the utility of self-assembly principles to transcend length scale gaps in the development of hierarchically patterned molecular materials.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Pressure Drop in Silicon Carbide Fuel Rod for Application in Pressurized Water Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abir, Ahmed Musafi

Spacer grids are used in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) fuel assemblies which enhances heat transfer from fuel rods. However, there remain regions of low turbulence in between the spacer grids. To enhance turbulence in these regions surface roughness is applied on the fuel rod walls. Meyer [1] used empirical correlations to predict heat transfer and friction factor for artificially roughened fuel rod bundles at High Performance Light Water Reactors (LWRs). Their applicability was tested by Carrilho at University of South Carolina's (USC) Single Heated Element Loop Tester (SHELT). He attained a heat transfer and friction factor enhancement of 50% and 45% respectively, using Inconel nuclear fuel rods with square transverse ribbed surface. Following him Najeeb conducted a similar study due to three dimensional diamond shaped blocks in turbulent flow. He recorded a maximum heat transfer enhancement of 83%. At present, several types of materials are being used for fuel rod cladding including Zircaloy, Uranium oxide, etc. But researchers are actively searching for new material that can be a more practical alternative. Silicon Carbide (SiC) has been identified as a material of interest for application as fuel rod cladding [2]. The current study deals with the experimental investigation to find out the friction factor increase of a SiC fuel rod with 3D surface roughness. The SiC rod was tested at USC's SHELT loop. The experiment was conducted in turbulent flowing Deionized (DI) water at steady state conditions. Measurements of Flow rate and pressure drop were made. The experimental results were also validated by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis in ANSYS Fluent. To simplify the CFD analysis and to save computational resources the 3D roughness was approximated as a 2D one. The friction factor results of the CFD investigation was found to lie within +/-8% of the experimental results. A CFD model was also run with the energy equation turned on, and a heat generation of 8 kW applied to the rod. A maximum heat transfer enhancement of 18.4% was achieved at the highest flow rate investigated (i.e. Re=109204).

Steam generator support system

DOEpatents

Moldenhauer, J.E.

1987-08-25

A support system for connection to an outer surface of a J-shaped steam generator for use with a nuclear reactor or other liquid metal cooled power source is disclosed. The J-shaped steam generator is mounted with the bent portion at the bottom. An arrangement of elongated rod members provides both horizontal and vertical support for the steam generator. The rod members are interconnected to the steam generator assembly and a support structure in a manner which provides for thermal distortion of the steam generator without the transfer of bending moments to the support structure and in a like manner substantially minimizes forces being transferred between the support structure and the steam generator as a result of seismic disturbances. 4 figs.

Weld Nugget Temperature Control in Thermal Stir Welding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ding, R. Jeffrey (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A control system for a thermal stir welding system is provided. The control system includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is coupled to the welding system's containment plate assembly and generates signals indicative of temperature of a region adjacent and parallel to the welding system's stir rod. The controller is coupled to the sensor and generates at least one control signal using the sensor signals indicative of temperature. The controller is also coupled to the welding system such that at least one of rotational speed of the stir rod, heat supplied by the welding system's induction heater, and feed speed of the welding system's weld material feeder are controlled based on the control signal(s).

Partially-reflected water-moderated square-piteched U(6.90)O 2 fuel rod lattices with 0.67 fuel to water volume ratio (0.800 CM Pitch)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harms, Gary A.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Energy Research Initiative funded the design and construction of the Seven Percent Critical Experiment (7uPCX) at Sandia National Laboratories. The start-up of the experiment facility and the execution of the experiments described here were funded by the DOE Nuclear Criticality Safety Program. The 7uPCX is designed to investigate critical systems with fuel for light water reactors in the enrichment range above 5% 235U. The 7uPCX assembly is a water-moderated and -reflected array of aluminum-clad square-pitched U(6.90%)O 2 fuel rods.

Six-degree-of-freedom multi-axes positioning apparatus

DOEpatents

Bieg, L.F.X.

1999-05-11

A six-degree-of-freedom multi-axes positioning apparatus is comprised of a geometry of six independent angle connectors. Each angle connector connects two fixed length rods to a pivot on one of two opposing platforms. The combination of an angle connector, at least two pivots and at least two rods having free ends connected to the pivots comprises a leg assembly. The spatial location of the upper platform is changed in relation to the lower platform by angular changes within each angle connector. This angular change results in degrees of motion within the apparatus defined as X, Y, Z, Tip, Tilt, and Rotation, or a combination of the above. This invention is known as a ROTOPOD. 9 figs.

Six-degree-of-freedom multi-axes positioning apparatus

DOEpatents

Bieg, Lothar F. X.

1999-01-01

A six-degree-of-freedom multi-axes positioning apparatus is comprised of a geometry of six independent angle connectors. Each angle connector connects two fixed length rods to a pivot on one of two opposing platforms. The combination of an angle connector, at least two pivots and at least two rods having free ends connected to the pivots comprises a leg assembly. The spatial location of the upper platform is changed in relation to the lower platform by angular changes within each angle connector. This angular change results in degrees of motion within the apparatus defined as X, Y, Z, Tip, Tilt, and Rotation, or a combination of the above. This invention is known as a ROTOPOD.

Steam generator support system

DOEpatents

Moldenhauer, James E.

1987-01-01

A support system for connection to an outer surface of a J-shaped steam generator for use with a nuclear reactor or other liquid metal cooled power source. The J-shaped steam generator is mounted with the bent portion at the bottom. An arrangement of elongated rod members provides both horizontal and vertical support for the steam generator. The rod members are interconnected to the steam generator assembly and a support structure in a manner which provides for thermal distortion of the steam generator without the transfer of bending moments to the support structure and in a like manner substantially minimizes forces being transferred between the support structure and the steam generator as a result of seismic disturbances.

Numerical analysis of residual stresses in preforms of stress applying part for PANDA-type polarization maintaining optical fibers in view of technological imperfections of the doped zone geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trufanov, Aleksandr N.; Trufanov, Nikolay A.; Semenov, Nikita V.

2016-09-01

The experimental data analysis of the stress applying rod section geometry for the PANDA-type polarization maintaining optical fiber has been performed. The dependencies of the change in the radial dimensions of the preform and the doping boundary on the angular coordinate have been obtained. The original algorithm of experimental data statistic analysis, which enables determination of the specimens' characteristic form of section, has been described. The influence of actual doped zone geometry on the residual stress fields formed during the stress rod preform fabrication has been investigated. It has been established that the deviation of the boundary between pure silica and the doped zone from the circular shape results in dissymmetry and local concentrations of the residual stress fields along the section, which can cause preforms destruction at high degrees of doping. The observed geometry deviations of up to 10% lead to the increase of the maximum stress intensity value by over 20%.

Dispersion of Rod-like Particles of Nafion in Salt-Free Water/1-Propanol and Water/Ethanol Solutions.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Makoto; Matsunaga, Takuro; Amemiya, Kazuki; Ohira, Akihiro; Hasegawa, Naoki; Shinohara, Kazuhiko; Ando, Masaki; Yoshida, Toshihiko

2014-12-26

The dispersion of perfluorinated sulfonic acid ionomers in catalyst inks is an important factor controlling the performance of catalyst layers in membrane electrode assemblies of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The effect of water/alcohol composition on the dispersion of H-Nafion in water/1-propanol and water/ethanol solutions was studied by dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and (19)F nuclear magnetic resonance ((19)F NMR) spectroscopy. Hydrodynamic radii calculated from DLS decay profiles and the radii and interparticle distance of rod-like particles derived from SAXS profiles showed almost the same dependence on alcohol concentration. 1-Propanol was more effective than ethanol to induce changes in the characteristic lengths of the rod-like particles. The motional narrowing in the (19)F NMR spectra by addition of 1-propanol indicates selective solvation of the rod-like particles. We suppose this might have decreased their radii and induced their elongation, which eventually led to extension of the ordered regions as observed in the hydrodynamic radii. Our study helps to clarify the dispersion of Nafion in aqueous alcohol solutions, which has implications for the performance of PEMFCs.

Coupling procedure for TRANSURANUS and KTF codes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jimenez, J.; Alglave, S.; Avramova, M.

2012-07-01

The nuclear industry aims to ensure safe and economic operation of each single fuel rod introduced in the reactor core. This goal is even more challenging nowadays due to the current strategy of going for higher burn-up (fuel cycles of 18 or 24 months) and longer residence time. In order to achieve that goal, fuel modeling is the key to predict the fuel rod behavior and lifetime under thermal and pressure loads, corrosion and irradiation. In this context, fuel performance codes, such as TRANSURANUS, are used to improve the fuel rod design. The modeling capabilities of the above mentioned toolsmore » can be significantly improved if they are coupled with a thermal-hydraulic code in order to have a better description of the flow conditions within the rod bundle. For LWR applications, a good representation of the two phase flow within the fuel assembly is necessary in order to have a best estimate calculation of the heat transfer inside the bundle. In this paper we present the coupling methodology of TRANSURANUS with KTF (Karlsruhe Two phase Flow subchannel code) as well as selected results of the coupling proof of principle. (authors)« less

Molecular dynamics study of di-CF4 based reverse micelles in supercritical CO2.

PubMed

Liu, Bing; Tang, Xinpeng; Fang, Wenjing; Li, Xiaoqi; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Zhiliang; Shen, Yue; Yan, Youguo; Sun, Xiaoli; He, Jianying

2016-10-26

Reverse micelles (RMs) in supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ) are promising alternatives for organic solvents, especially when both polar and non-polar components are involved. Fluorinated surfactants, particularly double-chain fluorocarbon surfactants, are able to form well-structured RMs in scCO 2 . The inherent self-assembly mechanisms of surfactants in scCO 2 are still subject to discussion. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the self-aggregation behavior of di-CF4 based RMs in scCO 2 , and stable and spherical RMs are formed. The dynamics process and the self-assembly structure in the RMs reveal a three-step mechanism to form the RMs, that is, small RMs, rod-like RMs and fusion of the rod-like RMs. Hydrogen-bonds between headgroups and water molecules, and salt bridges linking Na + ions, headgroups and water molecules enhance the interfacial packing efficiency of the surfactant. The results show that di-CF4 molecules have a high surfactant coverage at the RM interface, implying a high CO 2 -philicity. This mainly results from bending of the short chain (C-COO-CH 2 -(CF2) 3 -CF3) due to the flexible carboxyl group. The microscopic insight provided in this study is helpful in understanding surfactant self-assembly phenomena and designing new CO 2 -philic surfactants.

Analytical structure, dynamics, and coarse graining of a kinetic model of an active fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Tong; Betterton, Meredith D.; Jhang, An-Sheng; Shelley, Michael J.

2017-09-01

We analyze one of the simplest active suspensions with complex dynamics: a suspension of immotile "extensor" particles that exert active extensile dipolar stresses on the fluid in which they are immersed. This is relevant to several experimental systems, such as recently studied tripartite rods that create extensile flows by consuming a chemical fuel. We first describe the system through a Doi-Onsager kinetic theory based on microscopic modeling. This theory captures the active stresses produced by the particles that can drive hydrodynamic instabilities, as well as the steric interactions of rodlike particles that lead to nematic alignment. This active nematic system yields complex flows and disclination defect dynamics very similar to phenomenological Landau-deGennes Q -tensor theories for active nematic fluids, as well as by more complex Doi-Onsager theories for polar microtubule-motor-protein systems. We apply the quasiequilibrium Bingham closure, used to study suspensions of passive microscopic rods, to develop a nonstandard Q -tensor theory. We demonstrate through simulation that this B Q -tensor theory gives an excellent analytical and statistical accounting of the suspension's complex dynamics, at a far reduced computational cost. Finally, we apply the B Q -tensor model to study the dynamics of extensor suspensions in circular and biconcave domains. In circular domains, we reproduce previous results for systems with weak nematic alignment, but for strong alignment we find unusual dynamics with activity-controlled defect production and absorption at the boundaries of the domain. In biconcave domains, a Fredericks-like transition occurs as the width of the neck connecting the two disks is varied.

General view of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) assembly ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

General view of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) assembly with the expansion nozzle removed and resting on a cushioned mat on the floor of the SSME Processing Facility. The most prominent features in this view are the Low-pressure oxidizer Turbopump discharge Duct looping from the upper left side of the engine assembly to the lower left side of the assembly, the Low-Pressure Fuel Turbopump (LPFTP) is on the upper left of the assembly in this view and the LPFTP Discharge Duct loops from the upper left to upper right then turns back and down the assembly to the High-Pressure Fuel Turbopump on the lower right of the assembly. The Engine Controller and the Main fuel Valve Hydraulic Actuator are on the lower left portion of the assembly. The vertical rod that is in the approximate center of the engine assembly is a piece of ground support equipment call a Gimbal Actuator Replacement Strut which are used on the SSMEs when they are not installed in an orbiter. - Space Transportation System, Space Shuttle Main Engine, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, Harris County, TX

Development of Optimized Core Design and Analysis Methods for High Power Density BWRs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirvan, Koroush

Increasing the economic competitiveness of nuclear energy is vital to its future. Improving the economics of BWRs is the main goal of this work, focusing on designing cores with higher power density, to reduce the BWR capital cost. Generally, the core power density in BWRs is limited by the thermal Critical Power of its assemblies, below which heat removal can be accomplished with low fuel and cladding temperatures. The present study investigates both increases in the heat transfer area between ~he fuel and coolant and changes in operating parameters to achieve higher power levels while meeting the appropriate thermal as well as materials and neutronic constraints. A scoping study is conducted under the constraints of using fuel with cylindrical geometry, traditional materials and enrichments below 5% to enhance its licensability. The reactor vessel diameter is limited to the largest proposed thus far. The BWR with High power Density (BWR-HD) is found to have a power level of 5000 MWth, equivalent to 26% uprated ABWR, resulting into 20% cheaper O&M and Capital costs. This is achieved by utilizing the same number of assemblies, but with wider 16x16 assemblies and 50% shorter active fuel than that of the ABWR. The fuel rod diameter and pitch are reduced to just over 45% of the ABWR values. Traditional cruciform form control rods are used, which restricts the assembly span to less than 1.2 times the current GE14 design due to limitation on shutdown margin. Thus, it is possible to increase the power density and specific power by 65%, while maintaining the nominal ABWR Minimum Critical Power Ratio (MCPR) margin. The plant systems outside the vessel are assumed to be the same as the ABWR-Il design, utilizing a combination of active and passive safety systems. Safety analyses applied a void reactivity coefficient calculated by SIMULA TE-3 for an equilibrium cycle core that showed a 15% less negative coefficient for the BWR-HD compared to the ABWR. The feedwater temperature was kept the same for the BWR-HD and ABWR which resulted in 4 °K cooler core inlet temperature for the BWR-HD given that its feedwater makes up a larger fraction of total core flow. The stability analysis using the STAB and S3K codes showed satisfactory results for the hot channel, coupled regional out-of-phase and coupled core-wide in-phase modes. A RELAPS model of the ABWR system was constructed and applied to six transients for the BWR-HD and ABWR. The 6MCPRs during all the transients were found to be equal or less for the new design and the core remained covered for both. The lower void coefficient along with smaller core volume proved to be advantages for the simulated transients. Helical Cruciform Fuel (HCF) rods were proposed in prior MIT studies to enhance the fuel surface to volume ratio. In this work, higher fidelity models (e.g. CFD instead of subchannel methods for the hydraulic behaviour) are used to investigate the resolution needed for accurate assessment of the HCF design. For neutronics, conserving the fuel area of cylindrical rods results in a different reactivity level with a lower void coefficient for the HCF design. In single-phase flow, for which experimental results existed, the friction factor is found to be sensitive to HCF geometry and cannot be calculated using current empirical models. A new approach for analysis of flow crisis conditions for HCF rods in the context of Departure from Nucleate Boiling (DNB) and dryout using the two phase interface tracking method was proposed and initial results are presented. It is shown that the twist of the HCF rods promotes detachment of a vapour bubble along the elbows which indicates no possibility for an early DNB for the HCF rods and in fact a potential for a higher DNB heat flux. Under annular flow conditions, it was found that the twist suppressed the liquid film thickness on the HCF rods, at the locations of the highest heat flux, which increases the possibility of reaching early dryout. It was also shown that modeling the 3D heat and stress distribution in the HCF rods is necessary for accurate steady state and transient analyses. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, libraries.mit.edu/docs - docs mit.edu)

Helical gears with circular arc teeth: Generation, geometry, precision and adjustment to errors, computer aided simulation of conditions of meshing and bearing contact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litvin, Faydor L.; Tsay, Chung-Biau

1987-01-01

The authors have proposed a method for the generation of circular arc helical gears which is based on the application of standard equipment, worked out all aspects of the geometry of the gears, proposed methods for the computer aided simulation of conditions of meshing and bearing contact, investigated the influence of manufacturing and assembly errors, and proposed methods for the adjustment of gears to these errors. The results of computer aided solutions are illustrated with computer graphics.

An Ultrasonic Frequency Sweep Interferometer For Sound Speed Measurements On Liquids At High Temperature And Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ai, Y.; Lange, R. A.

2003-12-01

One of the most direct methods for obtaining melt compressibility is through measurements of sound speed via acoustic interferometry. This technique may be applied to silicate melts by either varying the path length or the frequency of the acoustic wave through the melt. To date, only the variable path length (VPL) technique has been applied, which restricts measurements to atmospheric pressure owing to the requirement of mechanical movement of the upper buffer rod. This, in turn, precludes the study of volatile-bearing liquids at pressure and a systematic study of how melt compressibility varies with pressure. We have developed a frequency sweep (FS) interferometer that can be applied at high pressure, which is based on frequency spectrum analysis on mirror reflection waves from high-temperature liquids. First, a theoretical acoustic model for a rod-liquid-rod (RLR) interferometer is proposed and solutions to the resultant wave equations are obtained. The solutions demonstrate that only two kinds of non-dispersive waves exist within the upper buffer rod. They have computable group velocities and waveform patterns that are entirely dependent on the material and diameter of the buffer rods. Experimental tests verify the theoretical model and indicate that buffer rods made of molybdenum metal and > 1.9 cm diameter are ideal for sound speed measurements in silicate melts with the FS interferometer. On the basis of the theoretical acoustic model, a mechanical assembly and signal-processing algorithm was designed to implement the FS interferometer. A very short pulse (e.g. 1 microsecond) encompassing a range of frequencies that span about 1 MHz is sent down the upper buffer rod and the first two mirror reflections from the liquid are collected and stored. Because they have the same waveform and have 180o phase difference, Fourier spectrum analysis can be performed to find the frequency response function of the two reflections, which is related to the sound speed and thickness of the melt. From the obtained frequency response function, the sound speed is calculated. We have applied this newly designed FS interferometer to two liquids with well-known sound speeds from the literature: NaCl liquid at 930o C and 1026 o C and a sodium aluminosilicate liquid at 1436 o C. Sound speeds were measured for these liquids at three center frequencies (4.5 MHz, 5.0 MHz, and 5.8 MHz). Our results are less than 0.6 % off the literature values and demonstrate the accuracy and precision of the FS interferometer. The principal advantage of the FS interferometer over the VPL method is that it requires no physical intervention or mechanical movement of the micrometer-transducer-rod assembly during a measurement. Thus, the FS method has considerable promise for adaption to high-pressure conditions in an internally-heated pressure vessel.

Investigation of guanosine-quartet assemblies by vibrational and electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy, a novel approach for studying supramolecular entities.

PubMed

Setnicka, Vladimír; Urbanová, Marie; Volka, Karel; Nampally, Sreenivasachary; Lehn, Jean-Marie

2006-11-24

The self-assembly of guanosine-5'-hydrazide G-1 in D(2)O, in the presence and absence of sodium cations, has been investigated by chiroptical techniques: electronic (ECD) and the newly introduced vibrational (VCD) circular dichroism spectroscopy. Using a combination of ECD and VCD with other methods such as IR, electron microscopy, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) it was found that G-1 produces long-range chiral aggregates consisting of G-quartets, (G-1)(4), subsequently stacked into columns, [(G-1)(4)](n), induced by binding of metal cations between the (G-1)(4) species. This process, accompanied by gelation of the sample, is highly efficient in the presence of an excess of sodium cations, leading to aggregates with strong quartet-quartet interaction. Thermally induced conformational changes and conformational stability of guanosine-5'-hydrazide assemblies were studied by chiroptical techniques and the melting temperature of the hydrogels formed was obtained. The temperature-dependent experiments indicate that the long-range supramolecular aggregates are dissociated by increasing temperature into less ordered species, monomers, or other intermediates in equilibrium, as indicated by MS experiments.

Large-eddy simulations of turbulent flow for grid-to-rod fretting in nuclear reactors

DOE PAGES

Bakosi, J.; Christon, M. A.; Lowrie, R. B.; ...

2013-07-12

The grid-to-rod fretting (GTRF) problem in pressurized water reactors is a flow-induced vibration problem that results in wear and failure of the fuel rods in nuclear assemblies. In order to understand the fluid dynamics of GTRF and to build an archival database of turbulence statistics for various configurations, implicit large-eddy simulations of time-dependent single-phase turbulent flow have been performed in 3 × 3 and 5 × 5 rod bundles with a single grid spacer. To assess the computational mesh and resolution requirements, a method for quantitative assessment of unstructured meshes with no-slip walls is described. The calculations have been carriedmore » out using Hydra-TH, a thermal-hydraulics code developed at Los Alamos for the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light water reactors, a United States Department of Energy Innovation Hub. Hydra-TH uses a second-order implicit incremental projection method to solve the singlephase incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The simulations explicitly resolve the large scale motions of the turbulent flow field using first principles and rely on a monotonicity-preserving numerical technique to represent the unresolved scales. Each series of simulations for the 3 × 3 and 5 × 5 rod-bundle geometries is an analysis of the flow field statistics combined with a mesh-refinement study and validation with available experimental data. Our primary focus is the time history and statistics of the forces loading the fuel rods. These hydrodynamic forces are believed to be the key player resulting in rod vibration and GTRF wear, one of the leading causes for leaking nuclear fuel which costs power utilities millions of dollars in preventive measures. As a result, we demonstrate that implicit large-eddy simulation of rod-bundle flows is a viable way to calculate the excitation forces for the GTRF problem.« less

Distributed friction damping of travelling wave vibration in rods.

PubMed

Tangpong, Xiangqing W; Wickert, Jonathan A; Akay, Adnan

2008-03-13

A ring damper can be affixed to a rotating base structure such as a gear, an automotive brake rotor or a gas turbine's labyrinth air seal. Depending on the frequency range, wavenumber and level of preload, vibration of the base structure can be effectively and passively attenuated by friction that develops along the interface between it and the damper. The assembly is modelled as two rods that couple in longitudinal vibration through spatially distributed hysteretic friction, with each rod having periodic boundary conditions in a manner analogous to an unwrapped ring and disc. As is representative of rotating machinery applications, the system is driven by a travelling wave disturbance, and for that form of excitation, the base structure's and the damper's responses are determined without the need for computationally intensive simulation. The damper's performance can be optimized with respect to normal preload, and its effectiveness is insensitive to variations in preload or the excitation's magnitude when its natural frequency is substantially lower than the base structure's in the absence of contact.

Patterns of Carbon Nanotubes by Flow-Directed Deposition on Substrates with Architectured Topographies.

PubMed

K Jawed, M; Hadjiconstantinou, N G; Parks, D M; Reis, P M

2018-03-14

We develop and perform continuum mechanics simulations of carbon nanotube (CNT) deployment directed by a combination of surface topography and rarefied gas flow. We employ the discrete elastic rods method to model the deposition of CNT as a slender elastic rod that evolves in time under two external forces, namely, van der Waals (vdW) and aerodynamic drag. Our results confirm that this self-assembly process is analogous to a previously studied macroscopic system, the "elastic sewing machine", where an elastic rod deployed onto a moving substrate forms nonlinear patterns. In the case of CNTs, the complex patterns observed on the substrate, such as coils and serpentines, result from an intricate interplay between van der Waals attraction, rarefied aerodynamics, and elastic bending. We systematically sweep through the multidimensional parameter space to quantify the pattern morphology as a function of the relevant material, flow, and geometric parameters. Our findings are in good agreement with available experimental data. Scaling analysis involving the relevant forces helps rationalize our observations.

Barium and manganese-doped zinc silicate rods prepared by mesoporous template route and their luminescence property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dang, Lingyan; Tian, Chen; Zhao, Shifeng; Lu, Qingshan

2018-06-01

Barium and manganese-doped zinc silicates was prepared under hydrothermal treatment by mesoporous template route employing mesoporous silica as an active template. The sample displays a rod-like morphology with a mean diameter of ∼40 nm and a mean length of ∼450 nm, which inherits the characteristics of mesoporous silica. The individual rods show single crystalline and assemble into bundle-like hierarchical structure along the channels of the mesoporous silica. When barium ions together with manganese ions are co-doped in zinc silicate, the green emission corresponding to manganese ions display a significant enhancement, especially for the sample with the barium doping concentration of 0.08, which indicates that an energy transfer from barium to manganese ions takes place. With further increasing barium concentration from 0.08 to 0.10, the recombination between the defects related to barium and the excitation states of the manganese dominates accompanying non-radiative transitions which can reduce the emission efficiency.

A coolant flow simulation in fast reactor wire-wrapped assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volkov, V. Yu.; Belova, O. V.; Krutikov, A. A.; Skibin, A. P.

2013-06-01

A CFD model of a 19-rod wire-wrapped fuel assembly is developed. The effect the size of computation mesh in the calculated region and the type of turbulence models have on the pressure drop between the inlet to and outlet from the calculated region is investigated. The possibility of shifting from low-Reynolds to high-Reynolds turbulence models is substantiated. Such a shift allows the mesh size in the calculated region to be reduced by approximately a factor of 18. The obtained results are in good agreement with the empirical dependences and international calculations.

Note: A unibody NIR transmission probe for in situ liquid detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huijie; Wang, Yang; Ma, Xiangyun; Zhao, Yang; Chen, Da; Chen, Wenliang; Xu, Kexin; Li, Qifeng

2018-03-01

The transmission probe is widely used for in situ spectroscopic detection in various fields. Conventional transmission probes are always assembled from parts, which require accurate assembly and good sealing. In this paper, a universal and reliable near-infrared (NIR) transmission probe is proposed, which is simply made up of a unibody fused silica rod. The proposed NIR transmission probe has been successfully used to measure the alcohol by volume of the Chinese spirit for quality control. This unibody NIR transmission probe has great potential for the detection of corrosive substances, owing to the good chemical resistance.

KSC-05PD-1090

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. On Orbiter Atlantis in NASAs Orbiter Processing Facility, bay 1, a retract link assembly (upper and lower white rods) is on the left-hand main landing gear. Last week a small crack was found on the right-hand assembly. To lower the main landing gear, a mechanical linkage released by each gear actuates the doors to the open position. The landing gear reach the full-down and extended position with 10 seconds and are locked in the down position by spring-loaded downlock bungees Atlantis is scheduled to launch in September 2005 on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121.

Design of a fuel element for a lead-cooled fast reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobolev, V.; Malambu, E.; Abderrahim, H. Aït

2009-03-01

The options of a lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) of the fourth generation (GEN-IV) reactor with the electric power of 600 MW are investigated in the ELSY Project. The fuel selection, design and optimization are important steps of the project. Three types of fuel are considered as candidates: highly enriched Pu-U mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for the first core, the MOX containing between 2.5% and 5.0% of the minor actinides (MA) for next core and Pu-U-MA nitride fuel as an advanced option. Reference fuel rods with claddings made of T91 ferrite-martensitic steel and two alternative fuel assembly designs (one uses a closed hexagonal wrapper and the other is an open square variant without wrapper) have been assessed. This study focuses on the core variant with the closed hexagonal fuel assemblies. Based on the neutronic parameters provided by Monte-Carlo modeling with MCNP5 and ALEPH codes, simulations have been carried out to assess the long-term thermal-mechanical behaviour of the hottest fuel rods. A modified version of the fuel performance code FEMAXI-SCK-1, adapted for fast neutron spectrum, new fuels, cladding materials and coolant, was utilized for these calculations. The obtained results show that the fuel rods can withstand more than four effective full power years under the normal operation conditions without pellet-cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI). In a variant with solid fuel pellets, a mild PCMI can appear during the fifth year, however, it remains at an acceptable level up to the end of operation when the peak fuel pellet burnup ∼80 MW d kg-1 of heavy metal (HM) and the maximum clad damage of about 82 displacements per atom (dpa) are reached. Annular pellets permit to delay PCMI for about 1 year. Based on the results of this simulation, further steps are envisioned for the optimization of the fuel rod design, aiming at achieving the fuel burnup of 100 MW d kg-1 of HM.

Counteranion Driven Homochiral Assembly of a Cationic C3-Symmetric Gelator through Ion-Pair Assisted Hydrogen Bond.

PubMed

Maity, Arunava; Gangopadhyay, Monalisa; Basu, Arghya; Aute, Sunil; Babu, Sukumaran Santhosh; Das, Amitava

2016-09-07

The helical handedness in achiral self-assemblies is mostly complex due to spontaneous symmetry breaking or kinetically controlled random assembly formation. Here an attempt has been made to address this issue through chiral anion exchange. A new class of cationic achiral C3-symmetric gelator devoid of any conventional gelation assisting functional units is found to form both right- and left-handed helical structures. A chiral counteranion exchange-assisted approach is successfully introduced to control the chirality sign and thereby to obtain preferred homochiral assemblies. Formation of anion-assisted chiral assembly was confirmed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, microscopic images, and crystal structure. The X-ray crystal structure reveals the construction of helical assemblies with opposite handedness for (+)- and (-)-chiral anion reformed gelators. The appropriate counteranion driven ion-pair-assisted hydrogen-bonding interactions are found responsible for the helical bias control in this C3-symmetric gelator.

A Versatile Platform for Nanotechnology Based on Circular Permutation of a Chaperonin Protein

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paavola, Chad; McMillan, Andrew; Trent, Jonathan; Chan, Suzanne; Mazzarella, Kellen; Li, Yi-Fen

2004-01-01

A number of protein complexes have been developed as nanoscale templates. These templates can be functionalized using the peptide sequences that bind inorganic materials. However, it is difficult to integrate peptides into a specific position within a protein template. Integrating intact proteins with desirable binding or catalytic activities is an even greater challenge. We present a general method for modifying protein templates using circular permutation so that additional peptide sequence can be added in a wide variety of specific locations. Circular permutation is a reordering of the polypeptide chain such that the original termini are joined and new termini are created elsewhere in the protein. New sequence can be joined to the protein termini without perturbing the protein structure and with minimal limitation on the size and conformation of the added sequence. We have used this approach to modify a chaperonin protein template, placing termini at five different locations distributed across the surface of the protein complex. These permutants are competent to form the double-ring structures typical of chaperonin proteins. The permuted double-rings also form the same assemblies as the unmodified protein. We fused a fluorescent protein to two representative permutants and demonstrated that it assumes its active structure and does not interfere with assembly of chaperonin double-rings.

Protein machines and self assembly in muscle organization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barral, J. M.; Epstein, H. F.

1999-01-01

The remarkable order of striated muscle is the result of a complex series of protein interactions at different levels of organization. Within muscle, the thick filament and its major protein myosin are classical examples of functioning protein machines. Our understanding of the structure and assembly of thick filaments and their organization into the regular arrays of the A-band has recently been enhanced by the application of biochemical, genetic, and structural approaches. Detailed studies of the thick filament backbone have shown that the myosins are organized into a tubular structure. Additional protein machines and specific myosin rod sequences have been identified that play significant roles in thick filament structure, assembly, and organization. These include intrinsic filament components, cross-linking molecules of the M-band and constituents of the membrane-cytoskeleton system. Muscle organization is directed by the multistep actions of protein machines that take advantage of well-established self-assembly relationships. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Strong circularly polarized luminescence from the supramolecular gels of an achiral gelator: tunable intensity and handedness.

PubMed

Shen, Zhaocun; Wang, Tianyu; Shi, Lin; Tang, Zhiyong; Liu, Minghua

2015-07-01

Although the importance of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) materials has been widely recognized, the CPL responses of supramolecular gels are still rarely studied. Moreover, developing CPL materials based on supramolecular gels is of great significance, due to their special advantages and important applications. Herein, we report the first circularly polarized supramolecular gels self-assembled exclusively from a simple achiral C 3 -symmetric molecule. Most importantly, the excellent tunability of these novel CPL materials, which benefits from achiral molecular building blocks as well as the nature of supramolecular gels, has been investigated. Thus, the CPL intensity of these supramolecular gels is easily enhanced by mechanical stirring or doping chiral amines. The handedness of CPL signals is controlled by the chirality of organic amines.

Experimental Study of Two Phase Flow Behavior Past BWR Spacer Grids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ratnayake, Ruwan K.; Hochreiter, L.E.; Ivanov, K.N.

2002-07-01

Performance of best estimate codes used in the nuclear industry can be significantly improved by reducing the empiricism embedded in their constitutive models. Spacer grids have been found to have an important impact on the maximum allowable Critical Heat Flux within the fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor core. Therefore, incorporation of suitable spacer grids models can improve the critical heat flux prediction capability of best estimate codes. Realistic modeling of entrainment behavior of spacer grids requires understanding the different mechanisms that are involved. Since visual information pertaining to the entrainment behavior of spacer grids cannot possibly be obtained frommore » operating nuclear reactors, experiments have to be designed and conducted for this specific purpose. Most of the spacer grid experiments available in literature have been designed in view of obtaining quantitative data for the purpose of developing or modifying empirical formulations for heat transfer, critical heat flux or pressure drop. Very few experiments have been designed to provide fundamental information which can be used to understand spacer grid effects and phenomena involved in two phase flow. Air-water experiments were conducted to obtain visual information on the two-phase flow behavior both upstream and downstream of Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) spacer grids. The test section was designed and constructed using prototypic dimensions such as the channel cross-section, rod diameter and other spacer grid configurations of a typical BWR fuel assembly. The test section models the flow behavior in two adjacent sub channels in the BWR core. A portion of a prototypic BWR spacer grid accounting for two adjacent channels was used with industrial mild steel rods for the purpose of representing the channel internals. Symmetry was preserved in this practice, so that the channel walls could effectively be considered as the channel boundaries. Thin films were established on the rod surfaces by injecting water through a set of perforations at the bottom ends of the rods, ensuring that the flow upstream of the bottom-most spacer grid is predominantly annular. The flow conditions were regulated such that they represent typical BWR operating conditions. Photographs taken during experiments show that the film entrainment increases significantly at the spacer grids, since the points of contact between the rods and the grids result in a peeling off of large portions of the liquid film from the rod surfaces. Decreasing the water flow resulted in eventual drying out, beginning at positions immediately upstream of the spacer grids. (authors)« less

Construction of a Holliday Junction in Small Circular DNA Molecules for Stable Motifs and Two-Dimensional Lattices.

PubMed

Guo, Xin; Wang, Xue-Mei; Wei, Shuai; Xiao, Shou-Jun

2018-04-12

Design rules for DNA nanotechnology have been mostly learnt from using linear single-stranded (ss) DNA as the source material. For example, the core structure of a typical DAO (double crossover, antiparallel, odd half-turns) tile for assembling 2D lattices is constructed from only two linear ss-oligonucleotide scaffold strands, similar to two ropes making a square knot. Herein, a new type of coupled DAO (cDAO) tile and 2D lattices of small circular ss-oligonucleotides as scaffold strands and linear ss-oligonucleotides as staple strands are reported. A cDAO tile of cDAO-c64nt (c64nt: circular 64 nucleotides), shaped as a solid parallelogram, is constructed with a Holliday junction (HJ) at the center and two HJs at both poles of a c64nt; similarly, cDAO-c84nt, shaped as a crossed quadrilateral composed of two congruent triangles, is formed with a HJ at the center and four three-way junctions at the corners of a c84nt. Perfect 2D lattices were assembled from cDAO tiles: infinite nanostructures of nanoribbons, nanotubes, and nanorings, and finite nanostructures. The structural relationship between the visible lattices imaged by AFM and the corresponding invisible secondary and tertiary molecular structures of HJs, inclination angle of hydrogen bonds against the double-helix axis, and the chirality of the tile can be interpreted very well. This work could shed new light on DNA nanotechnology with unique circular tiles. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Avsunviroidae.

PubMed

Di Serio, Francesco; Li, Shi-Fang; Matoušek, Jaroslav; Owens, Robert A; Pallás, Vicente; Randles, John W; Sano, Teruo; Verhoeven, Jacobus Th J; Vidalakis, Georgios; Flores, Ricardo; Ictv Report Consortium

2018-05-01

Members of the family Avsunviroidae have a single-stranded circular RNA genome that adopts a rod-like or branched conformation and can form, in the strands of either polarity, hammerhead ribozymes involved in their replication in plastids through a symmetrical RNA-RNA rolling-circle mechanism. These viroids lack the central conserved region typical of members of the family Pospiviroidae. The family Avsunviroidae includes three genera, Avsunviroid, Pelamoviroid and Elaviroid, with a total of four species. This is a summary of the ICTV Report on the taxonomy of the family Avsunviroidae, which is available at http://www.ictv.global/report/avsunviroidae.

A novel in vivo model of focal light emitting diode-induced cone-photoreceptor phototoxicity: neuroprotection afforded by brimonidine, BDNF, PEDF or bFGF.

PubMed

Ortín-Martínez, Arturo; Valiente-Soriano, Francisco Javier; García-Ayuso, Diego; Alarcón-Martínez, Luis; Jiménez-López, Manuel; Bernal-Garro, José Manuel; Nieto-López, Leticia; Nadal-Nicolás, Francisco Manuel; Villegas-Pérez, María Paz; Wheeler, Larry A; Vidal-Sanz, Manuel

2014-01-01

We have investigated the effects of light-emitting diode (LED)-induced phototoxicity (LIP) on cone-photoreceptors and their protection with brimonidine (BMD), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) or basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). In anesthetized, dark adapted, adult albino rats a blue (400 nm) LED was placed perpendicular to the cornea (10 sec, 200 lux) and the effects were investigated using Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) and/or analysing the retina in oriented cross-sections or wholemounts immune-labelled for L- and S-opsin and counterstained with the nuclear stain DAPI. The effects of topical BMD (1%) or, intravitreally injected BDNF (5 µg), PEDF (2 µg), CNTF (0.4 µg) or bFGF (1 µg) after LIP were examined on wholemounts at 7 days. SD-OCT showed damage in a circular region of the superotemporal retina, whose diameter varied from 1,842.4±84.5 µm (at 24 hours) to 1,407.7±52.8 µm (at 7 days). This region had a progressive thickness diminution from 183.4±5 µm (at 12 h) to 114.6±6 µm (at 7 d). Oriented cross-sections showed within the light-damaged region of the retina massive loss of rods and cone-photoreceptors. Wholemounts documented a circular region containing lower numbers of L- and S-cones. Within a circular area (1 mm or 1.3 mm radius, respectively) in the left and in its corresponding region of the contralateral-fellow-retina, total L- or S-cones were 7,118±842 or 661±125 for the LED exposed retinas (n = 7) and 14,040±1,860 or 2,255±193 for the fellow retinas (n = 7), respectively. BMD, BDNF, PEDF and bFGF but not CNTF showed significant neuroprotective effects on L- or S-cones. We conclude that LIP results in rod and cone-photoreceptor loss, and is a reliable, quantifiable model to study cone-photoreceptor degeneration. Intravitreal BDNF, PEDF or bFGF, or topical BMD afford significant cone neuroprotection in this model.

Rod-cone interaction in light adaptation

PubMed Central

Latch, M.; Lennie, P.

1977-01-01

1. The increment-threshold for a small test spot in the peripheral visual field was measured against backgrounds that were red or blue. 2. When the background was a large uniform field, threshold over most of the scotopic range depended exactly upon the background's effect upon rods. This confirms Flamant & Stiles (1948). But when the background was small, threshold was elevated more by a long wave-length than a short wave-length background equated for its effect on rods. 3. The influence of cones was explored in a further experiment. The scotopic increment-threshold was established for a short wave-length test spot on a large, short wave-length background. Then a steady red circular patch, conspicuous to cones, but below the increment-threshold for rod vision, was added to the background. When it was small, but not when it was large, this patch substantially raised the threshold for the test. 4. When a similar experiment was made using, instead of a red patch, a short wave-length one that was conspicuous in rod vision, threshold varied similarly with patch size. These results support the notion that the influence of small backgrounds arises in some size-selective mechanism that is indifferent to the receptor system in which visual signals originate. Two corollaries of this hypothesis were tested in further experiments. 5. A small patch was chosen so as to lift scotopic threshold substantially above its level on a uniform field. This threshold elevation persisted for minutes after extinction of the patch, but only when the patch was small. A large patch made bright enough to elevate threshold by as much as the small one gave rise to no corresponding after-effect. 6. Increment-thresholds for a small red test spot, detected through cones, followed the same course whether a large uniform background was long- or short wave-length. When the background was small, threshold upon the short wave-length one began to rise for much lower levels of background illumination, suggesting the influence of rods. This was confirmed by repeating the experiment after a strong bleach when the cones, but not rods, had fully recovered their sensitivity. Increment-thresholds upon small backgrounds of long or short wave-lengths then followed the same course. PMID:894602

Self-assembly of Nano-rods in Photosensitive Phase Separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ya; Kuksenok, Olga; Maresov, Egor; Balazs, Anna

2012-02-01

Computer simulations reveal how photo-induced chemical reactions in polymeric mixtures can be exploited to create long-range order in materials whose features range from the sub-micron to the nanoscale. The process is initiated by shining a spatially uniform light on a photosensitive AB binary blend, which thereby undergoes both a reversible chemical reaction and phase separation. When a well-collimated, higher intensity light is rastered over the sample, the system forms defect-free, spatially periodic structures. We now build on this approach by introducing nanorods that have a preferential affinity for one the phases in a binary mixture. By rastering over the sample with the higher intensity light, we can create ordered arrays of rods within periodically ordered materials in essentially one processing step.

Laser space communication experiment: Modulator technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodwin, F. E.

1973-01-01

Results are presented of a contractual program to develop the modulator technology necessary for a 10.6 micron laser communication system using cadmium telluride as the modulator material. The program consisted of the following tasks: (1) The growth of cadmium telluride crystals of sufficient size and purity and with the necessary optical properties for use as laser modulator rods. (2) Develop a low loss antireflection coating for the cadmium telluride rods. (3) Design and build a modulator capable of 300 MHz modulation. (4) Develop a modulator driver capable of a data rate of 300 MBits/sec, 12 W rms output power, and 40 percent efficiency. (5) Assemble and test the modulator system. All design goals were met and the system was built and tested.

Extensions of the MCNP5 and TRIPOLI4 Monte Carlo Codes for Transient Reactor Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoogenboom, J. Eduard; Sjenitzer, Bart L.

2014-06-01

To simulate reactor transients for safety analysis with the Monte Carlo method the generation and decay of delayed neutron precursors is implemented in the MCNP5 and TRIPOLI4 general purpose Monte Carlo codes. Important new variance reduction techniques like forced decay of precursors in each time interval and the branchless collision method are included to obtain reasonable statistics for the power production per time interval. For simulation of practical reactor transients also the feedback effect from the thermal-hydraulics must be included. This requires coupling of the Monte Carlo code with a thermal-hydraulics (TH) code, providing the temperature distribution in the reactor, which affects the neutron transport via the cross section data. The TH code also provides the coolant density distribution in the reactor, directly influencing the neutron transport. Different techniques for this coupling are discussed. As a demonstration a 3x3 mini fuel assembly with a moving control rod is considered for MCNP5 and a mini core existing of 3x3 PWR fuel assemblies with control rods and burnable poisons for TRIPOLI4. Results are shown for reactor transients due to control rod movement or withdrawal. The TRIPOLI4 transient calculation is started at low power and includes thermal-hydraulic feedback. The power rises about 10 decades and finally stabilises the reactor power at a much higher level than initial. The examples demonstrate that the modified Monte Carlo codes are capable of performing correct transient calculations, taking into account all geometrical and cross section detail.

Circular non-coding RNA ANRIL modulates ribosomal RNA maturation and atherosclerosis in humans

PubMed Central

Holdt, Lesca M.; Stahringer, Anika; Sass, Kristina; Pichler, Garwin; Kulak, Nils A.; Wilfert, Wolfgang; Kohlmaier, Alexander; Herbst, Andreas; Northoff, Bernd H.; Nicolaou, Alexandros; Gäbel, Gabor; Beutner, Frank; Scholz, Markus; Thiery, Joachim; Musunuru, Kiran; Krohn, Knut; Mann, Matthias; Teupser, Daniel

2016-01-01

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are broadly expressed in eukaryotic cells, but their molecular mechanism in human disease remains obscure. Here we show that circular antisense non-coding RNA in the INK4 locus (circANRIL), which is transcribed at a locus of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease on chromosome 9p21, confers atheroprotection by controlling ribosomal RNA (rRNA) maturation and modulating pathways of atherogenesis. CircANRIL binds to pescadillo homologue 1 (PES1), an essential 60S-preribosomal assembly factor, thereby impairing exonuclease-mediated pre-rRNA processing and ribosome biogenesis in vascular smooth muscle cells and macrophages. As a consequence, circANRIL induces nucleolar stress and p53 activation, resulting in the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation, which are key cell functions in atherosclerosis. Collectively, these findings identify circANRIL as a prototype of a circRNA regulating ribosome biogenesis and conferring atheroprotection, thereby showing that circularization of long non-coding RNAs may alter RNA function and protect from human disease. PMID:27539542

The step-wise pathway of septin hetero-octamer assembly in budding yeast.

PubMed

Weems, Andrew; McMurray, Michael

2017-05-25

Septin proteins bind guanine nucleotides and form rod-shaped hetero-oligomers. Cells choose from a variety of available septins to assemble distinct hetero-oligomers, but the underlying mechanism was unknown. Using a new in vivo assay, we find that a stepwise assembly pathway produces the two species of budding yeast septin hetero-octamers: Cdc11/Shs1-Cdc12-Cdc3-Cdc10-Cdc10-Cdc3-Cdc12-Cdc11/Shs1. Rapid GTP hydrolysis by monomeric Cdc10 drives assembly of the core Cdc10 homodimer. The extended Cdc3 N terminus autoinhibits Cdc3 association with Cdc10 homodimers until prior Cdc3-Cdc12 interaction. Slow hydrolysis by monomeric Cdc12 and specific affinity of Cdc11 for transient Cdc12•GTP drive assembly of distinct trimers, Cdc11-Cdc12-Cdc3 or Shs1-Cdc12-Cdc3. Decreasing the cytosolic GTP:GDP ratio increases the incorporation of Shs1 vs Cdc11, which alters the curvature of filamentous septin rings. Our findings explain how GTP hydrolysis controls septin assembly, and uncover mechanisms by which cells construct defined septin complexes.

A method for development of efficient 3D models for neutronic calculations of ASTRA critical facility using experimental information

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Balanin, A. L.; Boyarinov, V. F.; Glushkov, E. S.

The application of experimental information on measured axial distributions of fission reaction rates for development of 3D numerical models of the ASTRA critical facility taking into account azimuthal asymmetry of the assembly simulating a HTGR with annular core is substantiated. Owing to the presence of the bottom reflector and the absence of the top reflector, the application of 2D models based on experimentally determined buckling is impossible for calculation of critical assemblies of the ASTRA facility; therefore, an alternative approach based on the application of the extrapolated assembly height is proposed. This approach is exemplified by the numerical analysis ofmore » experiments on measurement of efficiency of control rods mockups and protection system (CPS).« less

Peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates as nanoscale building blocks for assembly of an artificial three-helix protein mimic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lou, Chenguang; Martos-Maldonado, Manuel C.; Madsen, Charlotte S.; Thomsen, Rasmus P.; Midtgaard, Søren Roi; Christensen, Niels Johan; Kjems, Jørgen; Thulstrup, Peter W.; Wengel, Jesper; Jensen, Knud J.

2016-07-01

Peptide-based structures can be designed to yield artificial proteins with specific folding patterns and functions. Template-based assembly of peptide units is one design option, but the use of two orthogonal self-assembly principles, oligonucleotide triple helix and a coiled coil protein domain formation have never been realized for de novo protein design. Here, we show the applicability of peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates for self-assembly of higher-ordered protein-like structures. The resulting nano-assemblies were characterized by ultraviolet-melting, gel electrophoresis, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. These studies revealed the formation of the desired triple helix and coiled coil domains at low concentrations, while a dimer of trimers was dominating at high concentration. CD spectroscopy showed an extraordinarily high degree of α-helicity for the peptide moieties in the assemblies. The results validate the use of orthogonal self-assembly principles as a paradigm for de novo protein design.

Validation of updated neutronic calculation models proposed for Atucha-II PHWR. Part I: Benchmark comparisons of WIMS-D5 and DRAGON cell and control rod parameters with MCNP5

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mollerach, R.; Leszczynski, F.; Fink, J.

2006-07-01

In 2005 the Argentine Government took the decision to complete the construction of the Atucha-II nuclear power plant, which has been progressing slowly during the last ten years. Atucha-II is a 745 MWe nuclear station moderated and cooled with heavy water, of German (Siemens) design located in Argentina. It has a pressure-vessel design with 451 vertical coolant channels, and the fuel assemblies (FA) are clusters of 37 natural UO{sub 2} rods with an active length of 530 cm. For the reactor physics area, a revision and update calculation methods and models (cell, supercell and reactor) was recently carried out coveringmore » cell, supercell (control rod) and core calculations. As a validation of the new models some benchmark comparisons were done with Monte Carlo calculations with MCNP5. This paper presents comparisons of cell and supercell benchmark problems based on a slightly idealized model of the Atucha-I core obtained with the WIMS-D5 and DRAGON codes with MCNP5 results. The Atucha-I core was selected because it is smaller, similar from a neutronic point of view, and more symmetric than Atucha-II Cell parameters compared include cell k-infinity, relative power levels of the different rings of fuel rods, and some two-group macroscopic cross sections. Supercell comparisons include supercell k-infinity changes due to the control rods (tubes) of steel and hafnium. (authors)« less

Structure-dependent performance of TiO 2/C as anode material for Na-ion batteries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He, Hanna; Gan, Qingmeng; Wang, Haiyan

The performance of energy storage materials is highly dependent on their nanostructures. Herein, hierarchical rod-in-tube TiO 2 with a uniform carbon coating is synthesized as the anode material for sodium-ion batteries by a facile solvothermal method. This unique structure consists of a tunable nanorod core, interstitial hollow spaces, and a functional nanotube shell assembled from two-dimensional nanosheets. By adjusting the types of solvents used and reaction time, the morphologies of TiO 2/C composites can be tuned to nanoparticles, microrods, rod-in-tube structures, or microtubes. Among these materials, rod-in-tube TiO 2 with a uniform carbon coating shows the highest electronic conductivity, specificmore » surface area (336.4 m(2) g(-1)), and porosity, and these factors lead to the best sodium storage capability. Benefiting from the unique structural features and improved electronic/ionic conductivity, the as-obtained rod-in-tube TiO2/C in coin cell tests exhibits a high discharge capacity of 277.5 and 153.9 mAh g(-1) at 50 and 5000 mA g(-1), respectively, and almost 100% capacity retention over 14,000 cycles at 5000 mA g(-1). In operando high-energy X-ray diffraction further confirms the stable crystal structure of the rod-in-tube TiO 2/C during Na+ insertion/extraction. This work highlights that nanostructure design is an effective strategy to achieve advanced energy storage materials.« less

Enhancements to BISON U-Zr Metallic Fuel X447 Example Problem

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Galloway, Jack D.; Matthews, Christopher; Unal, Cetin

As development of a metallic fuel modeling capability in BISON has progressed, the need for an example problem used as a comparison basis was observed. Collaborative work between researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) then proceeded to determine a viable rod to use as the basis and create a BISON input deck utilizing as many metallic fuel models as feasible. The basis chosen was what would be considered a generic rod from subassembly X447, an assembly irradiated in EBR-II towards the end of its operating life, heavily based on reported data for fuel pinmore » DP11. Thus, the approach was adopted to use flow characteristics from subassembly X447 as a basis for the convective heat transfer solution, power history and axial power profiles that are representative of rod DP11 from subassembly X447. The rod simulated is a U-10Zr wt% (U-22.5Zr at%) composition. A 2D-RZ mesh would be used to capture axial thermal hydraulic effects, axial swelling and stress-strain calculations over the full length of the rod. After initial work was invested, a refinement of the various models and input parameters was conducted to ensure consistency between operator-declared conditions, model input requirements and those represented in the example problem. This report serves as a synopsis of the enhancements and refinements to the example problem conducted throughout the 2016 fiscal year.« less

Normal-Mode Analysis of Circular DNA at the Base-Pair Level. 2. Large-Scale Configurational Transformation of a Naturally Curved Molecule.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Atsushi; Tobias, Irwin; Olson, Wilma K

2005-01-01

Fine structural and energetic details embedded in the DNA base sequence, such as intrinsic curvature, are important to the packaging and processing of the genetic material. Here we investigate the internal dynamics of a 200 bp closed circular molecule with natural curvature using a newly developed normal-mode treatment of DNA in terms of neighboring base-pair "step" parameters. The intrinsic curvature of the DNA is described by a 10 bp repeating pattern of bending distortions at successive base-pair steps. We vary the degree of intrinsic curvature and the superhelical stress on the molecule and consider the normal-mode fluctuations of both the circle and the stable figure-8 configuration under conditions where the energies of the two states are similar. To extract the properties due solely to curvature, we ignore other important features of the double helix, such as the extensibility of the chain, the anisotropy of local bending, and the coupling of step parameters. We compare the computed normal modes of the curved DNA model with the corresponding dynamical features of a covalently closed duplex of the same chain length constructed from naturally straight DNA and with the theoretically predicted dynamical properties of a naturally circular, inextensible elastic rod, i.e., an O-ring. The cyclic molecules with intrinsic curvature are found to be more deformable under superhelical stress than rings formed from naturally straight DNA. As superhelical stress is accumulated in the DNA, the frequency, i.e., energy, of the dominant bending mode decreases in value, and if the imposed stress is sufficiently large, a global configurational rearrangement of the circle to the figure-8 form takes place. We combine energy minimization with normal-mode calculations of the two states to decipher the configurational pathway between the two states. We also describe and make use of a general analytical treatment of the thermal fluctuations of an elastic rod to characterize the motions of the minicircle as a whole from knowledge of the full set of normal modes. The remarkable agreement between computed and theoretically predicted values of the average deviation and dispersion of the writhe of the circular configuration adds to the reliability in the computational approach. Application of the new formalism to the computed modes of the figure-8 provides insights into macromolecular motions which are beyond the scope of current theoretical treatments.

The Influence of the Size Styles for the Touching Probe for the Roundness of the Deviation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizera, Ondrej; Cepova, Lenka

2017-12-01

The article deals with the influence of the sensing touch on the deviation of circularity on the WENZEL LH 65 X3M on 3D machining and using the Metrosoft QUARTIZ R6 software at the VŠB-TU Ostrava Laboratory, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Machining, Assembly and engineering metrology. The aim was to analyze the influence of individual sensors on the different lengths of the pin and the diameter of the sensing metod on the accuracy of the measurement of the variance of the circularity.

Smart Nanofibers Self-Assembled from Dumbbell-Shaped Rod Amphiphiles

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

using JEOL-JEM 2100. MALDI-TOF-MS was performed on a Bruker Microflex LRF20 using α-cyano-4-hydroxy cinnamic acid (CHCA) as matrix. Preparative high...and 4,4’-biphenyl diboronic acid (28.8 mg, 0.12 mmol) were dissolved in degassed THF (25 ml). Degassed 2 M aqueous Na2CO3 (25 ml) was added to the

78 FR 56655 - Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 203-Moses Lake, Washington; Notification of Proposed Production Activity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-13

... choose the duty rate during customs entry procedures that applies to fuel rod assemblies (duty rate--3.3... plates; channels; spacers; end caps; springs; top and bottom nozzles; cages; guide tubes; and tubes, bar stocks, wires and plates of zirconium (duty rate ranges from 3.3 to 3.7%). Public comment is invited from...

PBF Reactor Building (PER620). Camera is facing east and down ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

PBF Reactor Building (PER-620). Camera is facing east and down into canal and storage pit for fuel rod assemblies. Stainless steel liner is being applied, temporarily covered with plywood for protection. Photographer: John Capek. Date: August 29, 1969. INEEL negative no. 69-4641 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, SPERT-I & Power Burst Facility Area, Scoville, Butte County, ID

49 CFR Appendix D to Part 173 - Test Methods for Dynamite (Explosive, Blasting, Type A)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... weighed to determine the percent of weight loss. 3. Test method D-3—Compression Exudation Test The entire... from the glass tube and weighed to determine the percent of weight loss. EC02MR91.067 ... assembly is placed under the compression rod, and compression is applied by means of the weight on the...

Interaction of 4.1G and cGMP-gated channels in rod photoreceptor outer segments.

PubMed

Cheng, Christiana L; Molday, Robert S

2013-12-15

In photoreceptors, the assembly of signaling molecules into macromolecular complexes is important for phototransduction and maintaining the structural integrity of rod outer segments (ROSs). However, the molecular composition and formation of these complexes are poorly understood. Using immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, 4.1G was identified as a new interacting partner for the cyclic-nucleotide gated (CNG) channels in ROSs. 4.1G is a widely expressed multifunctional protein that plays a role in the assembly and stability of membrane protein complexes. Multiple splice variants of 4.1G were cloned from bovine retina. A smaller splice variant of 4.1G selectively interacted with CNG channels not associated with peripherin-2-CNG channel complex. A combination of truncation studies and domain-binding assays demonstrated that CNG channels selectively interacted with 4.1G through their FERM and CTD domains. Using immunofluorescence, labeling of 4.1G was seen to be punctate and partially colocalized with CNG channels in the ROS. Our studies indicate that 4.1G interacts with a subset of CNG channels in the ROS and implicate this protein-protein interaction in organizing the spatial arrangement of CNG channels in the plasma membrane of outer segments.

Crystallographic Studies of Intermediate Filament Proteins.

PubMed

Guzenko, Dmytro; Chernyatina, Anastasia A; Strelkov, Sergei V

Intermediate filaments (IFs), together with microtubules and actin microfilaments, are the three main cytoskeletal components in metazoan cells. IFs are formed by a distinct protein family, which is made up of 70 members in humans. Most IF proteins are tissue- or organelle-specific, which includes lamins, the IF proteins of the nucleus. The building block of IFs is an elongated dimer, which consists of a central α-helical 'rod' domain flanked by flexible N- and C-terminal domains. The conserved rod domain is the 'signature feature' of the IF family. Bioinformatics analysis reveals that the rod domain of all IF proteins contains three α-helical segments of largely conserved length, interconnected by linkers. Moreover, there is a conserved pattern of hydrophobic repeats within each segment, which includes heptads and hendecads. This defines the presence of both left-handed and almost parallel coiled-coil regions along the rod length. Using X-ray crystallography on multiple overlapping fragments of IF proteins, the atomic structure of the nearly complete rod domain has been determined. Here, we discuss some specific challenges of this procedure, such as crystallization and diffraction data phasing by molecular replacement. Further insights into the structure of the coiled coil and the terminal domains have been obtained using electron paramagnetic resonance measurements on the full-length protein, with spin labels attached at specific positions. This atomic resolution information, as well as further interesting findings, such as the variation of the coiled-coil stability along the rod length, provide clues towards interpreting the data on IF assembly, collected by a range of methods. However, a full description of this process at the molecular level is not yet at hand.

Measurement of the 235U Induced Fission Gamma-ray Spectrum as an Active Non-destructive Assay of Fresh Nucleear Fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarnoski, Sarah E.; Fast, James E.; Fulsom, Bryan G.

2017-07-17

Non-destructive assay is a powerful tool the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) employs to verify adherence to safeguards agreements. Current IAEA veri- cation techniques for fresh nuclear fuel include passive gamma-ray spectroscopy to determine fuel enrichment. This technique suers from self-shielding and lakes the percision to detect diversion of central fuel rods. The aim of this research is to develop a new, more capable non-destructive analysis technique using active neutron interroga- tion of fuel assemblies and determining the yields of short-lived ssion products from high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy using high-purity germanium (HPGe). This paper reports results from irradiation of a onemore » meter tall mock fresh fuel assembly with low enriched uranium (LEU) or depleted uranium (DU) rods using a down-scattered deuterium-tritium (D-T) neutron source. Both prompt and delayed gamma-ray spec- tra were collected as time-stamped list-mode data in a coax detector and without list mode data in a planar strip detector. No dierentiating signatures were observed in the prompt spectra in either detector; however, both detectors observed several short-lived ssion product signatures in LEU and not DU fuel, indicating that this technique has potential for determination of enrichment of fresh fuel assemblies. There were eight unique ssion products observed in the LEU spectra with the coax detector spectra, and three ssion products were observed in the LEU spectra with the strip detector.« less

Validation of the U.S. NRC NGNP evaluation model with the HTTR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saller, T.; Seker, V.; Downar, T.

2012-07-01

The High Temperature Test Reactor (HTTR) was modeled with TRITON/PARCS. Traditional light water reactor (LWR) homogenization methods rely on the short mean free paths of neutrons in LWR. In gas-cooled, graphite-moderated reactors like the HTTR neutrons have much longer mean free paths and penetrate further into neighboring assemblies than in LWRs. Because of this, conventional lattice calculations with a single assembly may not be valid. In addition to difficulties caused by the longer mean free paths, the HTTR presents unique axial and radial heterogeneities that require additional modifications to the single assembly homogenization method. To handle these challenges, the homogenizationmore » domain is decreased while the computational domain is increased. Instead of homogenizing a single hexagonal fuel assembly, the assembly is split into six triangles on the radial plane and five blocks axially in order to account for the placement of burnable poisons. Furthermore, the radial domain is increased beyond a single fuel assembly to account for spectrum effects from neighboring fuel, reflector, and control rod assemblies. A series of five two-dimensional cases, each closer to the full core, were calculated to evaluate the effectiveness of the homogenization method and cross-sections. (authors)« less

Validation de schemas de calcul APOLLO3 pour assemblages de type RNR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berche, Simon

The next generation nuclear reactors are already under construction or under development in the R&D labs around the world. The 3rd and 4th generation nuclear reactors will need a neutronic calculation code able to deal with any kind of technology (FBR or PWR for example). APOLLO3, a new neutronic code developped by the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, will receive the heritage of his two predecessors, APOLLO2 (PWR) and ECCO/ERANOS (FBR), and to play a major role in the design of the next nuclear reactors. Validation is an essential step along the development of a deterministic neutronic code. It comes right after implementation and verification and it gives the team in charge of the calculation models in Cadarache the necessary feedbacks on the code's behaviour in various situations. This thesis goal is to suggest a validation (without evolution) of the current APOLLO3 reference calculation route used for FBR. This validation is supposed to be as complete as possible and to cover various configurations. This work will be a preparatory work for the complete validation which will be performed by the APOLLO3 project team in Cadarache. This validation is based on a study of various configurations composed of basic elements like pincells or assemblies. To complete this task, we study different aspects : geometry, sodium void effect, AEMC-RNR-1200 energy mesh, JEFF3.2 nuclear data evaluation for Pu239. We conduct a macroscopical study (multiplication factor, reactivity, neutron flux,...) and an isotopical study (fission and capture rates for Pu239 and U238 for example). We use TRIPOLI4, a Monte-Carlo simulation code, as a reference for all of our APOLLO3 calculations. We consider an infinite lattice (no neutron leakage model keff = kinfinity). This first validation phase led us to several conclusions. First of all, we observed that the geometrical configuration defined for the single pincell used in ASTRID predefinition studies is heterogeneous enough. Indeed, void media are really important to approve the behaviour of the APOLLO3 flux solver. The first issue we had was the treatment of the Pu239 fission rate with the ECCO-1968 energy mesh (important difference between APOLLO3 and TRIPOLI4 around 10 keV). Nonetheless, using the new evaluation of Pu239 fission in JEFF3.2 allowed to reduce significantly compensations concerning Pu239 fission rate. Another possibility to bridge this gap is use a new energetic mesh, more adapted to the fast spectra, AEMC-RNR-1200. Finally, the sodium void effect study conducted on more or less diluted configurations of the single pincell confirms the right behaviour adopted by APOLLO3 when the sodium void is significant. As a matter of fact, reactivity errors (void coefficient) are quite the same for TRIPOLI4 and APOLLO3 for different values of Na23 dilution. We tried to come to the same conclusions with the assemblies. Actually, Pu239 fission's treatment is still an issue in this case : the error on Pu239 fission rate is even larger than in the pincell case. That is why we decided to take a look at the fuel tube which is composed of steel and other isotopes. The fuel tube is the only structure differenciating the fuel rod (fuel pincell) from the fuel assembly. As a matter of fact, the diffusion by Fe56 in the fuel tube is calculated by APOLLO3 with an important relative error compared to TRIPOLI4. So we decided to go down different paths to investigate this error. Unfortunately, in spite of replacing EM10 (fuel tube) by Na23 (sodium), the cumulated error on Pu239 fission rate stayed roughly the same. The next configuration is an neutron absorber assembly called the B4C cluster. It is composed of an ensemble of neutron absorber rods inserted in a steel tube surrounded by 6 fuel assemblies. This study showed us the necessity of using at least a P3 to approximate anisotropy of the scattering law, in order to reduce significantly the error on the B4C absorption rate. To finish the assembly study, we decided to take a look on a 2D fissile / fertile configuration called the fissile-fertile cluster. It is basically a fertile fuel assembly surrounded by 6 fissile fuel assemblies. Our main purpose was to focus on the neutronic flux variation along a "traverse" inside the cluster (it is a segment of fissile and fertile rods crossing the cluster in his geometric center). The variation of the flux for each energy group along this segment is not significant. The neutronic flux is maximal in fissile fuel rods and minimal in fertile rods considering the first groups of the energy mesh, but for energies <100 keV, the flux is flat, and it becomes minimal in fissile fuel rods and maximal in fertile rods. Finally, we had the opportunity to test a 3D-MOC solver, which is a big technological leap for APOLLO3. We could observe the flux variation along an interface composed of several fissile and fertile fuel layers based on a pincell 2D configuration. It showed us the necessity of using a fine spatial mesh because the flux calculated by the MOC solver is supposed to be constant in each layer. For high energies (2 MeV -> 100 keV), the neutronic flux is at his highest level in the fissile layers, and at his lowest level in the fertile layers. For lower energies (< 40 keV), the flux becomes flat (group 13) and then the flux variation is reversed. After this study, a polynomial development of the flux along the z axis has been considered.

Pathology in a tube step 2: simple rapid fabrication of curved circular cross section millifluidic channels for biopsy preparation/3D imaging towards pancreatic cancer detection and diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Ronnie; Burfeind, Chris W.; Lim, Saniel D.; Patle, Shubham; Seibel, Eric J.

2018-02-01

3D pathology is intrinsically dependent on 3D microscopy, or the whole tissue imaging of patient tissue biopsies (TBs). Consequently, unsectioned needle specimens must be processed whole: a procedure which cannot necessarily be accomplished through manual methods, or by retasking automated pathology machines. Thus "millifluidic" devices (for millimeter-scale biopsies) are an ideal solution for tissue handling/preparation. TBs are large, messy and a solid-liquid mixture; they vary in material, geometry and structure based on the organ biopsied, the clinician skill and the needle type used. As a result, traditional microfluidic devices are insufficient to handle such mm-sized samples and their associated fabrication techniques are impractical and costly with respect to time/efficiency. Our research group has devised a simple, rapid fabrication process for millifluidic devices using jointed skeletal molds composed of machined, reusable metal rods, segmented rods and stranded wire as structural cores; these cores are surrounded by Teflon outer housing. We can therefore produce curving, circular-cross-section (CCCS) millifluidic channels in rapid fashion that cannot normally be achieved by microfabrication, micro-/CNC-machining, or 3D printing. The approach has several advantages. CLINICAL: round channels interface coring needles. PROCESSING: CCCS channels permit multi-layer device designs for additional (processing, monitoring, testing) stages. REUSABILITY: for a biopsy/needle diameter, molding (interchangeable) components may be produced one-time then reused for other designs. RAPID: structural cores can be quickly removed due to Teflon®'s ultra-low friction; housing may be released with ethanol; PDMS volumes cure faster since metal skeleton molds conduct additional heat from within the curing elastomer.

CAPS and Munc13: CATCHRs that SNARE Vesicles.

PubMed

James, Declan J; Martin, Thomas F J

2013-12-04

CAPS (Calcium-dependent Activator Protein for Secretion, aka CADPS) and Munc13 (Mammalian Unc-13) proteins function to prime vesicles for Ca(2+)-triggered exocytosis in neurons and neuroendocrine cells. CAPS and Munc13 proteins contain conserved C-terminal domains that promote the assembly of SNARE complexes for vesicle priming. Similarities of the C-terminal domains of CAPS/Munc13 proteins with Complex Associated with Tethering Containing Helical Rods domains in multi-subunit tethering complexes (MTCs) have been reported. MTCs coordinate multiple interactions for SNARE complex assembly at constitutive membrane fusion steps. We review aspects of these diverse tethering and priming factors to identify common operating principles.

Applicability of out-of-pile fretting wear tests to in-reactor fretting wear-induced failure time prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kyu-Tae

2013-02-01

In order to investigate whether or not the grid-to-rod fretting wear-induced fuel failure will occur for newly developed spacer grid spring designs for the fuel lifetime, out-of-pile fretting wear tests with one or two fuel assemblies are to be performed. In this study, the out-of-pile fretting wear tests were performed in order to compare the potential for wear-induced fuel failure in two newly-developed, Korean PWR spacer grid designs. Lasting 20 days, the tests simulated maximum grid-to-rod gap conditions and the worst flow induced vibration effects that might take place over the fuel life time. The fuel rod perforation times calculated from the out-of-pile tests are greater than 1933 days for 2 μm oxidized fuel rods with a 100 μm grid-to-rod gap, whereas those estimated from in-reactor fretting wear failure database may be about in the range of between 60 and 100 days. This large discrepancy in fuel rod perforation may occur due to irradiation-induced cladding oxide microstructure changes on the one hand and a temperature gradient-induced hydrogen content profile across the cladding metal region on the other hand, which may accelerate brittleness in the grid-contacting cladding oxide and metal regions during the reactor operation. A three-phase grid-to-rod fretting wear model is proposed to simulate in-reactor fretting wear progress into the cladding, considering the microstructure changes of the cladding oxide and the hydrogen content profile across the cladding metal region combined with the temperature gradient. The out-of-pile tests cannot be directly applicable to the prediction of in-reactor fretting wear-induced cladding perforations but they can be used only for evaluating a relative wear resistance of one grid design against the other grid design.

Nonlinear chiro-optical amplification by plasmonic nanolens arrays formed via directed assembly of gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Biswas, Sushmita; Liu, Xiaoying; Jarrett, Jeremy W; Brown, Dean; Pustovit, Vitaliy; Urbas, Augustine; Knappenberger, Kenneth L; Nealey, Paul F; Vaia, Richard A

2015-03-11

Metal nanoparticle assemblies are promising materials for nanophotonic applications due to novel linear and nonlinear optical properties arising from their plasmon modes. However, scalable fabrication approaches that provide both precision nano- and macroarchitectures, and performance commensurate with design and model predictions, have been limiting. Herein, we demonstrate controlled and efficient nanofocusing of the fundamental and second harmonic frequencies of incident linearly and circularly polarized light using reduced symmetry gold nanoparticle dimers formed by surface-directed assembly of colloidal nanoparticles. Large ordered arrays (>100) of these C∞v heterodimers (ratio of radii R1/R2 = 150 nm/50 nm = 3; gap distance l = 1 ± 0.5 nm) exhibit second harmonic generation and structure-dependent chiro-optic activity with the circular dichroism ratio of individual heterodimers varying less than 20% across the array, demonstrating precision and uniformity at a large scale. These nonlinear optical properties were mediated by interparticle plasmon coupling. Additionally, the versatility of the fabrication is demonstrated on a variety of substrates including flexible polymers. Numerical simulations guide architecture design as well as validating the experimental results, thus confirming the ability to optimize second harmonic yield and induce chiro-optical responses for compact sensors, optical modulators, and tunable light sources by rational design and fabrication of the nanostructures.

Self-assembly of gold nanorods into symmetric superlattices directed by OH-terminated hexa(ethylene glycol) alkanethiol.

PubMed

Xie, Yong; Guo, Shengming; Ji, Yinglu; Guo, Chuanfei; Liu, Xinfeng; Chen, Ziyu; Wu, Xiaochun; Liu, Qian

2011-09-20

The self-assembly of anisotropic gold nanorods (GNRs) into ordered phases remains a challenge. Herein, we demonstrated the fabrication of symmetric circular- or semicircular-like self-assembled superlattices composed of multilayers of standing GNRs by fine-tuning the repulsive interactions among GNRs. The repulsive force is tailored from electrostatic interaction to steric force by replacing the surface coating of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) (ζ potential of 20-50 mV) with an OH-terminated hexa(ethylene glycol) alkanethiol (here termed as EG(6)OH, ζ potential of -10 mV). The assembly mechanism is discussed via theoretical analyses of the major interactions, and an effective balance between the repulsive steric and attractive depletion interactions is the main driving force for the self-assembly. The real-time observations of solution assembly (UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy) supports the mechanism that we suggested. The superlattices obtained here not only enrich the categories of the self-assembled structures but more importantly deepen the insight of the self-assembly process and pave the way for various potential applications. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Comprehensive circular RNA profiling reveals that circular RNA100783 is involved in chronic CD28-associated CD8(+)T cell ageing.

PubMed

Wang, Yu-Hong; Yu, Xu-Hui; Luo, Shan-Shun; Han, Hui

2015-01-01

Ageing brings about the gradual deterioration of the immune system, also known as immunosenescence. The role of non-coding circular RNA in immunosenescence is under studied. Using circular RNA microarray data, we assembled Comparison groups (C1, C2, C3 and C4) that allowed us to compare the circular RNA expression profiles between CD28(+)CD8(+) T cells and CD28(-)CD8(+) T cells isolated from healthy elderly or adult control subjects. Using a step-wise biomathematical strategy, the differentially-expressed circRNAs were identified in C1 (CD28(+)CD8(+) vs CD28(-)CD8(+)T cells in the elderly) and C4 (CD28(-)CD8(+)T cells in the elderly vs in the adult), and the commonly-expressed circRNA species from these profiles were optimized as immunosenescence biomarkers. Four overlapping upregulated circular RNAs (100550, 100783, 101328 and 102592) expressed in cross-comparison between C1 and C4 were validated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Of these, only circular RNA100783 exhibited significant validation. None of the down-regulated circular RNAs were expressed in the C1 and the C4 cross-comparisons. Therefore, we further predicted circular RNA100783-targeted miRNA-gene interactions using online DAVID annotation. The analysis revealed that a circular RNA100783-targeted miRNA-mRNA network may be involved in alternative splicing, the production of splice variants, and in the regulation of phosphoprotein expression. Considering the hypothesis of splicing-related biogenesis of circRNAs, we propose that circular RNA100783 may play a role in phosphoprotein-associated functions duringCD28-related CD8(+) T cell ageing. This study is the first to employ circular RNA profiling to investigate circular RNA-micro RNA interactions in ageing human CD8(+)T cell populations and the accompanying loss of CD28 expression. The overlapping expression of circular RNA100783 may represent a novel biomarker for the longitudinal tracking ofCD28-related CD8(+) T cell ageing and global immunosenescence.

Unitary Shaft-Angle and Shaft-Speed Sensor Assemblies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alhorn, Dean C.; Howard, David E.; Smith, Dennis A.

2006-01-01

The figure depicts a unit that contains a rotary-position or a rotary-speed sensor, plus electronic circuitry necessary for its operation, all enclosed in a single housing with a shaft for coupling to an external rotary machine. This rotation sensor unit is complete: when its shaft is mechanically connected to that of the rotary machine and it is supplied with electric power, it generates an output signal directly indicative of the rotary position or speed, without need for additional processing by other circuitry. The incorporation of all of the necessary excitatory and readout circuitry into the housing (in contradistinction to using externally located excitatory and/or readout circuitry) in a compact arrangement is the major difference between this unit and prior rotation-sensor units. The sensor assembly inside the housing includes excitatory and readout integrated circuits mounted on a circular printed-circuit board. In a typical case in which the angle or speed transducer(s) utilize electromagnetic induction, the assembly also includes another circular printed-circuit board on which the transducer windings are mounted. A sheet of high-magnetic permeability metal ("mu metal") is placed between the winding board and the electronic-circuit board to prevent spurious coupling of excitatory signals from the transducer windings to the readout circuits. The housing and most of the other mechanical hardware can be common to a variety of different sensor designs. Hence, the unit can be configured to generate any of variety of outputs by changing the interior sensor assembly. For example, the sensor assembly could contain an analog tachometer circuit that generates an output proportional (in both magnitude and sign or in magnitude only) to the speed of rotation.

The application of chiroptical spectroscopy (circular dichroism) in quantifying binding events in lanthanide directed synthesis of chiral luminescent self-assembly structures† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. CCDC 999267–999270 and 1026036. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c4sc02474e Click here for additional data file. Click here for additional data file.

PubMed Central

Blasco, Salvador; Twamley, Brendan; O'Brien, John; Peacock, Robert D.; Kitchen, Jonathan A.; Martínez-Calvo, Miguel

2015-01-01

The binding of asymmetrical and optically pure tridentate ligands (L = 1(S) and 1(R)) containing one carboxylic group and 2-naphthyl as an antenna to lanthanide ions (M = La(iii) and Eu(iii)) was studied in CH3CN, showing the successive formation of M:L, M:L2 and M:L3 stoichiometric species in solution. The europium complexes EuL3 were also synthesised, structurally characterised and their photophysical properties probed in CH3OH and CH3CN. The changes in the chiroptical properties of both 1(S) and 1(R) were used (by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy) to monitor the formation of these chiral self-assemblies in solution. While circularly polarised luminescence (CPL) showed the formation of Eu(1(S))3 and Eu(1(R))3 as enantiomers, with high luminescence dissymmetry factors (g lum), fitting the CD changes allowed for binding constants to be determined that were comparable to those seen in the analyses of absorbance and luminescence changes. PMID:28936303

The improvement of the method of equivalent cross section in HTR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guo, J.; Li, F.

The Method of Equivalence Cross-Sections (MECS) is a combined transport-diffusion method. By appropriately adjusting the diffusion coefficient of homogenized absorber region, the diffusion theory could yield satisfactory results for the full core model with strong neutron absorber material, for example the control rod in High temperature gas cooled reactor (HTR). Original implementation of MECS based on 1-D cell transport model has some limitation on accuracy and applicability, a new implementation of MECS based on 2-D transport model are proposed and tested in this paper. This improvement can extend the MECS to the calculation of twin small absorber ball system whichmore » have a non-circular boring in graphite reflector and different radial position. A least-square algorithm for the calculation of equivalent diffusion coefficient is adopted, and special treatment for diffusion coefficient for higher energy group is proposed in the case that absorber is absent. Numerical results to adopt MECS into control rod calculation in HTR are encouraging. However, there are some problems left. (authors)« less

Colloidal aggregation and structural assembly of aspect ratio variant goethite (α-FeOOH) with nC60 fullerene in environmental media.

PubMed

Ghosh, Saikat; Pradhan, Nihar R; Mashayekhi, Hamid; Zhang, Qiu; Pan, Bo; Xing, Baoshan

2016-12-01

Environmental mobility of C 60 fullerene can be significantly affected in the presence of naturally abundant α-FeOOH. However, α-FeOOH vary significantly in sizes, shapes and associated properties that can greatly influence the fate and transport of C 60 fullerene in environmental media. Therefore, colloidal hetero-association between well crystallized low aspect (L Asp ) α-FeOOH and nC 60 fullerene may differ substantially to weakly crystallized high-aspect (H Asp ) counterpart. In contrast to L Asp α-FeOOH, inherent crystal defects and surface charge generation in H Asp α-FeOOH facilitated strong Coulombic attraction and aggregation with fullerene in acidic pH. However, L Asp α-FeOOH demonstrated subtle entropic depletion mediated interaction with fullerene prevalent in hard rods. Humic acid (HA) encapsulation of H Asp α-FeOOH substantially blocked fullerene attachment. Minute enhancement in colloidal stability was detected for HA-coated H Asp α-FeOOH and fullerene mixture to HA-coated H Asp α-FeOOH alone. To investigate the interfacial assembly of α-FeOOH with fullerene "in situ" differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopic investigations were employed. This study showed significantly different interface behavior of the binary mixtures of fullerene and H Asp α-FeOOH NPs, and L Asp particles. On air-water interface, bare H Asp α-FeOOH displayed liquid crystalline packing. However, addition of fullerene to H Asp α-FeOOH suspension at pH5 produced closed-loop polygonal and circular ring structures. Head-to-tail alignment of magnetic dipoles as well as fullerene hydrophobicity facilitated such assembly formation. "Ex situ" AFM investigation revealed further the presence of magnetically derived ring structure which asserts that the formed "in situ" ensembles were not transient, hence, may abate fullerene transport through environmental interfaces. Barring hydrophobicity assisted attachment of fullerene to L Asp α-FeOOHs, the absence of any close-packed structures may unlikely abate fullerene transport as envisaged in case of H Asp α-FeOOH. Thus, aspect ratio variation and associated material properties of naturally abundant α-FeOOH may significantly impact fullerene transport through environmental media. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Axially shaped channel and integral flow trippers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crowther, R.L.; Johansson, E.B.; Matzner, B.

1988-06-07

A fuel assembly is described comprising fuel rods positioned in spaced array by upper and lower tie-plates, an open ended flow channel surrounding the array for conducting coolant upward between a lower support plate having coolant communicated thereto to an upper support grid having a steam/water outlet communicated thereto. The flow channel surrounds the array for conducting coolant about the fuel rods. The open ended channel has a polygon shaped cross section with the channel constituting a closed conduit with flat side sections connected at corners to form the enclosed conduit; means separate from the channel for connecting the uppermore » and lower tie-plates together and maintaining the fuel rods in spaced array independent of the flow channel. The improvement in the flow channel comprises tapered side walls. The tapered side walls extend from an average thick cross section adjacent the lower support plate to an average thin cross section adjacent the upper core grid whereby the channel is reduced in thickness adjacent the upper core grid to correspond with the reduced pressure adjacent the upper core grid.« less

Axially shaped channel and integral flow trippers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crowther, R.L. Jr.; Johansson, E.B.; Matzner, B.

1992-02-11

This patent describes a fuel assembly. It comprises: fuel rods positioned in spaced array by upper and lower tie-plates, and open ended flow channel surrounding the array for conducting coolant upward between a lower support plate having coolant communicated thereto to an upper support grid having a steam/water outlet communicated thereto. The flow channel surrounding the array for conducting coolant about the fuel rods; the open ended channel having a polygon shaped cross section with the channel constituting a closed conduit with flat side sections connected at corners to form the enclosed conduit; means separate from the channel for connectingmore » the upper and lower tie-plates together and maintaining the fuel rods in spaced array independent of the flow channel, the improvement in the flow channel comprising tapered side walls, the tapered side walls extending from an average thick cross section adjacent the lower support plate to an average thin cross section adjacent the upper core grid whereby the channel is reduced in thickness adjacent the upper core grid to correspond with the reduced pressure adjacent the upper core grid.« less

Numerical Tests for the Problem of U-Pu Fuel Burnup in Fuel Rod and Polycell Models Using the MCNP Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muratov, V. G.; Lopatkin, A. V.

An important aspect in the verification of the engineering techniques used in the safety analysis of MOX-fuelled reactors, is the preparation of test calculations to determine nuclide composition variations under irradiation and analysis of burnup problem errors resulting from various factors, such as, for instance, the effect of nuclear data uncertainties on nuclide concentration calculations. So far, no universally recognized tests have been devised. A calculation technique has been developed for solving the problem using the up-to-date calculation tools and the latest versions of nuclear libraries. Initially, in 1997, a code was drawn up in an effort under ISTC Project No. 116 to calculate the burnup in one VVER-1000 fuel rod, using the MCNP Code. Later on, the authors developed a computation technique which allows calculating fuel burnup in models of a fuel rod, or a fuel assembly, or the whole reactor. It became possible to apply it to fuel burnup in all types of nuclear reactors and subcritical blankets.

Multifunctional magnetic-optical nanoparticle probes for simultaneous detection, separation, and thermal ablation of multiple pathogens.

PubMed

Wang, Chungang; Irudayaraj, Joseph

2010-01-01

Multifunctional nanoparticles possessing magnetization and near-infrared (NIR) absorption have warranted interest due to their significant applications in magnetic resonance imaging, diagnosis, bioseparation, target delivery, and NIR photothermal ablation. Herein, the site-selective assembly of magnetic nanoparticles onto the ends or ends and sides of gold nanorods with different aspect ratios (ARs) to create multifunctional nanorods decorated with varying numbers of magnetic particles is described for the first time. The resulting hybrid nanoparticles are designated as Fe(3)O(4)-Au(rod)-Fe(3)O(4) nanodumbbells and Fe(3)O(4)-Au(rod) necklacelike constructs with tunable optical and magnetic properties, respectively. These hybrid nanomaterials can be used for multiplex detection and separation because of their tunable magnetic and plasmonic functionality. More specifically, Fe(3)O(4)-Au(rod) necklacelike probes of different ARs are utilized for simultaneous optical detection based on their plasmon properties, magnetic separation, and photokilling of multiple pathogens from a single sample at one time. The combined functionalities of the synthesized probes will open up many exciting opportunities in dual imaging for targeted delivery and photothermal therapy.

Quick release latch for reactor scram

DOEpatents

Johnson, Melvin L.; Shawver, Bruce M.

1976-01-01

A simple, reliable, and fast-acting means for releasing a control element and allowing it to be inserted rapidly into the core region of a nuclear reactor for scram purposes. A latch mechanism grips a coupling head on a nuclear control element to connect the control element to the control drive assembly. The latch mechanism is closed by tensioning a cable or rod with an actuator. The control element is released by de-energizing the actuator, providing fail-safe, rapid release of the control element to effect reactor shutdown. A sensing rod provides indication that the control element is properly positioned in the latch. Two embodiments are illustrated, one involving a collet-type latch mechanism, the other a pliers-type latch mechanism with the actuator located inside the reactor vessel.

Quick release latch for reactor scram

DOEpatents

Johnson, M.L.; Shawver, B.M.

1975-09-16

A simple, reliable, and fast-acting means for releasing a control element and allowing it to be inserted rapidly into the core region of a nuclear reactor for scram purposes is described. A latch mechanism grips a coupling head on a nuclear control element to connect the control element to the control drive assembly. The latch mechanism is closed by tensioning a cable or rod with an actuator. The control element is released by de-energizing the actuator, providing fail-safe, rapid release of the control element to effect reactor shutdown. A sensing rod provides indication that the control element is properly positioned in the latch. Two embodiments are illustrated, one involving a collet- type latch mechanism, the other a pliers-type latch mechanism with the actuator located inside the reactor vessel. (auth)

EPRI/DOE High-Burnup Fuel Sister Rod Test Plan Simplification and Visualization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saltzstein, Sylvia J.; Sorenson, Ken B.; Hanson, B. D.

The EPRI/DOE High-Burnup Confirmatory Data Project (herein called the “Demo”) is a multi-year, multi-entity test with the purpose of providing quantitative and qualitative data to show if high-burnup fuel mechanical properties change in dry storage over a ten-year period. The Demo involves obtaining 32 assemblies of high-burnup PWR fuel of common cladding alloys from the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant, loading them in an NRC-licensed TN-32B cask, drying them according to standard plant procedures, and then storing them on the North Anna dry storage pad for ten years. After the ten-year storage time, the cask will be opened and themore » mechanical properties of the rods will be tested and analyzed.« less

Water ordering controls the dynamic equilibrium of micelle-fibre formation in self-assembly of peptide amphiphiles.

PubMed

Deshmukh, Sanket A; Solomon, Lee A; Kamath, Ganesh; Fry, H Christopher; Sankaranarayanan, Subramanian K R S

2016-08-24

Understanding the role of water in governing the kinetics of the self-assembly processes of amphiphilic peptides remains elusive. Here, we use a multistage atomistic-coarse-grained approach, complemented by circular dichroism/infrared spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering experiments to highlight the dual nature of water in driving the self-assembly of peptide amphiphiles (PAs). We show computationally that water cage formation and breakage near the hydrophobic groups control the fusion dynamics and aggregation of PAs in the micellar stage. Simulations also suggest that enhanced structural ordering of vicinal water near the hydrophilic amino acids shifts the equilibrium towards the fibre phase and stimulates structure and order during the PA assembly into nanofibres. Experiments validate our simulation findings; the measured infrared O-H bond stretching frequency is reminiscent of an ice-like bond which suggests that the solvated water becomes increasingly ordered with time in the assembled peptide network, thus shedding light on the role of water in a self-assembly process.

Edge-following algorithm for tracking geological features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tietz, J. C.

1977-01-01

Sequential edge-tracking algorithm employs circular scanning to point permit effective real-time tracking of coastlines and rivers from earth resources satellites. Technique eliminates expensive high-resolution cameras. System might also be adaptable for application in monitoring automated assembly lines, inspecting conveyor belts, or analyzing thermographs, or x ray images.

Tuning the nature and stability of self-assemblies formed by ester benzene 1,3,5-tricarboxamides: the crucial role played by the substituents.

PubMed

Desmarchelier, Alaric; Alvarenga, Bruno Giordano; Caumes, Xavier; Dubreucq, Ludovic; Troufflard, Claire; Tessier, Martine; Vanthuyne, Nicolas; Idé, Julien; Maistriaux, Thomas; Beljonne, David; Brocorens, Patrick; Lazzaroni, Roberto; Raynal, Matthieu; Bouteiller, Laurent

2016-09-20

As the benzene 1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTA) moiety is commonly used as the central assembling unit for the construction of functionalized supramolecular architectures, strategies to tailor the nature and stability of BTA assemblies are needed. The assembly properties of a library of structurally simple BTAs derived from amino dodecyl esters (ester BTAs, 13 members) have been studied, either in the bulk or in cyclohexane solutions, by means of a series of analytical methods (NMR, DSC, POM, FT-IR, UV-Vis, CD, ITC, high-sensitivity DSC, SANS). Two types of hydrogen-bonded species have been identified and characterized: the expected amide-bonded helical rods (or stacks) that are structurally similar to those formed by BTAs with simple alkyl side chains (alkyl BTAs), and ester-bonded dimers in which the BTAs are connected by means of hydrogen bonds linking the amide N-H and the ester C[double bond, length as m-dash]O. MM/MD calculations coupled with simulations of CD spectra allow for the precise determination of the molecular arrangement and of the hydrogen bond pattern of these dimers. Our study points out the crucial influence of the substituent attached on the amino-ester α-carbon on the relative stability of the rod-like versus dimeric assemblies. By varying this substituent, one can precisely tune the nature of the dominant hydrogen-bonded species (stacks or dimers) in the neat compounds and in cyclohexane over a wide range of temperatures and concentrations. In the neat BTAs, stacks are stable up to 213 °C and dimers above 180 °C whilst in cyclohexane stacks form at c* > 3 × 10 -5 M at 20 °C and dimers are stable up to 80 °C at 7 × 10 -6 M. Ester BTAs that assemble into stacks form a liquid-crystalline phase and yield gels or viscous solutions in cyclohexane, demonstrating the importance of controlling the structure of these assemblies. Our systematic study of these structurally similar ester BTAs also allows for a better understanding of how a single atom or moiety can impact the nature and stability of BTA aggregates, which is of importance for the future development of functionalized BTA supramolecular polymers.

Analysis of new measurements of Calvert Cliffs spent fuel samples using SCALE 6.2

DOE PAGES

Hu, Jianwei; Giaquinto, J. M.; Gauld, I. C.; ...

2017-04-28

High quality experimental data for isotopic compositions in irradiated fuel are important to spent fuel applications, including nuclear safeguards, spent fuel storage, transportation, and final disposal. The importance of these data has been increasingly recognized in recent years, particularly as countries like Finland and Sweden plan to open the world’s first two spent fuel geological repositories in 2020s, while other countries, including the United States, are considering extended dry fuel storage options. Destructive and nondestructive measurements of a spent fuel rod segment from a Combustion Engineering 14 × 14 fuel assembly of the Calvert Cliffs Unit 1 nuclear reactor havemore » been recently performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). These ORNL measurements included two samples selected from adjacent axial locations of a fuel rod with initial enrichment of 3.038 wt% 235U, which achieved burnups close to 43.5 GWd/MTU. More than 50 different isotopes of 16 elements were measured using high precision measurement methods. Various investigations have assessed the quality of the new ORNL measurement data, including comparison to previous measurements and to calculation results. Previous measurement data for samples from the same fuel rod measured at ORNL are available from experiments performed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the United States and the Khoplin Radium Institute in Russia. Detailed assembly models were developed using the newly released SCALE 6.2 code package to simulate depletion and decay of the measured fuel samples. Furthermore, results from this work show that the new ORNL measurements provide a good quality radiochemical assay data set for spent fuel with relatively high burnup and long cooling time, and they can serve as good benchmark data for nuclear burnup code validation and spent fuel studies.« less

Analysis of new measurements of Calvert Cliffs spent fuel samples using SCALE 6.2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Jianwei; Giaquinto, J. M.; Gauld, I. C.

High quality experimental data for isotopic compositions in irradiated fuel are important to spent fuel applications, including nuclear safeguards, spent fuel storage, transportation, and final disposal. The importance of these data has been increasingly recognized in recent years, particularly as countries like Finland and Sweden plan to open the world’s first two spent fuel geological repositories in 2020s, while other countries, including the United States, are considering extended dry fuel storage options. Destructive and nondestructive measurements of a spent fuel rod segment from a Combustion Engineering 14 × 14 fuel assembly of the Calvert Cliffs Unit 1 nuclear reactor havemore » been recently performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). These ORNL measurements included two samples selected from adjacent axial locations of a fuel rod with initial enrichment of 3.038 wt% 235U, which achieved burnups close to 43.5 GWd/MTU. More than 50 different isotopes of 16 elements were measured using high precision measurement methods. Various investigations have assessed the quality of the new ORNL measurement data, including comparison to previous measurements and to calculation results. Previous measurement data for samples from the same fuel rod measured at ORNL are available from experiments performed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the United States and the Khoplin Radium Institute in Russia. Detailed assembly models were developed using the newly released SCALE 6.2 code package to simulate depletion and decay of the measured fuel samples. Furthermore, results from this work show that the new ORNL measurements provide a good quality radiochemical assay data set for spent fuel with relatively high burnup and long cooling time, and they can serve as good benchmark data for nuclear burnup code validation and spent fuel studies.« less

Eddy current heating in magnetic refrigerators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kittel, Peter

1990-01-01

Eddy current heating can be a significant source of parasitic heating in low temperature magnetic refrigerators. To study this problem a technique to approximate the heating due to eddy currents has been developed. A formula is presented for estimating the heating within a variety of shapes commonly found in magnetic refrigerators. These shapes include circular, square, and rectangular rods; cylindrical and split cylindrical shells; wire loops; and 'coil foil. One set of components evaluated are different types of thermal radiation shields. This comparison shows that a simple split shield is almost as effective (only 23 percent more heating) as using a shield, with the same axial thermal conductivity, made of 'coil foil'.

Self-assembling semiconducting polymers--rods and gels from electronic materials.

PubMed

Clark, Andrew P-Z; Shi, Chenjun; Ng, Benny C; Wilking, James N; Ayzner, Alexander L; Stieg, Adam Z; Schwartz, Benjamin J; Mason, Thomas G; Rubin, Yves; Tolbert, Sarah H

2013-02-26

In an effort to favor the formation of straight polymer chains without crystalline grain boundaries, we have synthesized an amphiphilic conjugated polyelectrolyte, poly(fluorene-alt-thiophene) (PFT), which self-assembles in aqueous solutions to form cylindrical micelles. In contrast to many diblock copolymer assemblies, the semiconducting backbone runs parallel, not perpendicular, to the long axis of the cylindrical micelle. Solution-phase micelle formation is observed by X-ray and visible light scattering. The micelles can be cast as thin films, and the cylindrical morphology is preserved in the solid state. The effects of self-assembly are also observed through spectral shifts in optical absorption and photoluminescence. Solutions of higher-molecular-weight PFT micelles form gel networks at sufficiently high aqueous concentrations. Rheological characterization of the PFT gels reveals solid-like behavior and strain hardening below the yield point, properties similar to those found in entangled gels formed from surfactant-based micelles. Finally, electrical measurements on diode test structures indicate that, despite a complete lack of crystallinity in these self-assembled polymers, they effectively conduct electricity.

The R&D PERFROI Project on Thermal Mechanical and Thermal Hydraulics Behaviors of a Fuel Rod Assembly during a Loss of Coolant Accident

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Repetto, G.; Dominguez, C.; Durville, B.

The safety principle in case of a LOCA is to preserve the short and long term coolability of the core. The associated safety requirements are to ensure the resistance of the fuel rods upon quench and post-quench loads and to maintain a coolable geometry in the core. An R&D program has been launched by IRSN with the support of EDF, to perform both experimental and modeling activities in the frame of the LOCA transient, on technical issues such as: - flow blockage within a fuel rods bundle and its potential impact on coolability, - fuel fragment relocation in the balloonedmore » areas: its potential impact on cladding PCT (Peak Cladding Temperature) and on the maximum oxidation rate, - potential loss of cladding integrity upon quench and post-quench loads. The PERFROI project (2014-2019) focusing on the first above issue, is structured in two axes: 1. axis 1: thermal mechanical behavior of deformation and rupture of cladding taking into account the contact between fuel rods; specific research at LaMCoS laboratory focus on the hydrogen behavior in cladding alloys and its impact on the mechanical behavior of the rod; and, 2. axis 2: thermal hydraulics study of a partially blocked region of the core (ballooned area taking into account the fuel relocation with local over power), during cooling phase by water injection; More detailed activities foreseen in collaboration with LEMTA laboratory will focus on the characterization of two phase flows with heat transfer in deformed structures.« less

Structure of the RZZ complex and molecular basis of its interaction with Spindly

PubMed Central

Mosalaganti, Shyamal; Keller, Jenny; Altenfeld, Anika; Rombaut, Pascaline; Petrovic, Arsen; Wohlgemuth, Sabine; Müller, Franziska; Herzog, Franz; Waldmann, Herbert

2017-01-01

Kinetochores are macromolecular assemblies that connect chromosomes to spindle microtubules (MTs) during mitosis. The metazoan-specific ≈800-kD ROD–Zwilch–ZW10 (RZZ) complex builds a fibrous corona that assembles on mitotic kinetochores before MT attachment to promote chromosome alignment and robust spindle assembly checkpoint signaling. In this study, we combine biochemical reconstitutions, single-particle electron cryomicroscopy, cross-linking mass spectrometry, and structural modeling to build a complete model of human RZZ. We find that RZZ is structurally related to self-assembling cytosolic coat scaffolds that mediate membrane cargo trafficking, including Clathrin, Sec13–Sec31, and αβ’ε-COP. We show that Spindly, a dynein adaptor, is related to BicD2 and binds RZZ directly in a farnesylation-dependent but membrane-independent manner. Through a targeted chemical biology approach, we identify ROD as the Spindly farnesyl receptor. Our results suggest that RZZ is dynein’s cargo at human kinetochores. PMID:28320825

Responsive and Hybrid Nanostructures through Self-Assembly of Polymeric Macroions, Inorganic Nanoclusters and Dyes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groehn, Franziska; Duering, Jasmin; Moldenhauer, Daniel; Interdisciplinary CenterMolecular Materials Team

2013-03-01

Recently we have introduced a novel type of self-assembled ``nano-objects'' in solution: From the association of macroions and multivalent counterions well-defined and stable structures in the shape of spheres, rod, rings, hollow spheres and networks can form in solution. Using light-addressable counterions, it is possible to switch the particle size through UV irradiation. Building blocks can be of organic or inorganic nature: Using gold or cadmium sulphide nanoclusters results in hybrid assemblies which also functionally combine nanoparticle and dye. Thermodynamic studies in combination with a detailed structural characterization yield insight into driving forces and structural control in the self-assembly process. Crucial is the delicate interplay of ionic, π - π , and Hamaker interaction. The concept is particularly attractive, as it relies on general physical effects - that is the combination of different non-covalent interactions - and hence is very versatile. Great potential of the structures presented lies in areas such as catalysis and energy conversion.

GTPase activity, structure, and mechanical properties of filaments assembled from bacterial cytoskeleton protein MreB.

PubMed

Esue, Osigwe; Wirtz, Denis; Tseng, Yiider

2006-02-01

MreB, a major component of the recently discovered bacterial cytoskeleton, displays a structure homologous to its eukaryotic counterpart actin. Here, we study the assembly and mechanical properties of Thermotoga maritima MreB in the presence of different nucleotides in vitro. We found that GTP, not ADP or GDP, can mediate MreB assembly into filamentous structures as effectively as ATP. Upon MreB assembly, both GTP and ATP release the gamma phosphate at similar rates. Therefore, MreB is an equally effective ATPase and GTPase. Electron microscopy and quantitative rheology suggest that the morphologies and micromechanical properties of filamentous ATP-MreB and GTP-MreB are similar. In contrast, mammalian actin assembly is favored in the presence of ATP over GTP. These results indicate that, despite high structural homology of their monomers, T. maritima MreB and actin filaments display different assembly, morphology, micromechanics, and nucleotide-binding specificity. Furthermore, the biophysical properties of T. maritima MreB filaments, including high rigidity and propensity to form bundles, suggest a mechanism by which MreB helical structure may be involved in imposing a cylindrical architecture on rod-shaped bacterial cells.

Strong circularly polarized luminescence from the supramolecular gels of an achiral gelator: tunable intensity and handedness† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Additional figures. See DOI: 10.1039/c5sc01056j Click here for additional data file.

PubMed Central

Shen, Zhaocun; Shi, Lin; Tang, Zhiyong

2015-01-01

Although the importance of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) materials has been widely recognized, the CPL responses of supramolecular gels are still rarely studied. Moreover, developing CPL materials based on supramolecular gels is of great significance, due to their special advantages and important applications. Herein, we report the first circularly polarized supramolecular gels self-assembled exclusively from a simple achiral C 3-symmetric molecule. Most importantly, the excellent tunability of these novel CPL materials, which benefits from achiral molecular building blocks as well as the nature of supramolecular gels, has been investigated. Thus, the CPL intensity of these supramolecular gels is easily enhanced by mechanical stirring or doping chiral amines. The handedness of CPL signals is controlled by the chirality of organic amines. PMID:29218194

Test facility for the evaluation of microwave transmission components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fong, C. G.; Poole, B. R.

1985-10-01

A Low Power Test Facility (LPTF) was developed to evaluate the performance of Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) microwave transmission components for the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF-B). The facility generates 26 to 60 GHz in modes of TE01, TE02, or TE03 launched at power levels of 1/2 milliwatt. The propagation of the RF as it radiates from either transmitting or secondary reflecting microwave transmission components is recorded by a discriminating crystal detector mechanically manipulated at constant radius in spherical coordinates. The facility is used to test, calibrate, and verify the design of overmoded, circular waveguide components, quasi-optical reflecting elements before high power use. The test facility consists of microwave sources and metering components, such as VSWR, power and frequency meters, a rectangular TE10 to circular TE01 mode transducer, mode filter, circular TE01 to 2.5 in. diameter overmoded waveguide with mode converters for combination of TE01 to TE03 modes. This assembly then connects to a circular waveguide launcher or the waveguide component under test.

Elucidating dominant pathways of the nano-particle self-assembly process.

PubMed

Zeng, Xiangze; Li, Bin; Qiao, Qin; Zhu, Lizhe; Lu, Zhong-Yuan; Huang, Xuhui

2016-09-14

Self-assembly processes play a key role in the fabrication of functional nano-structures with widespread application in drug delivery and micro-reactors. In addition to the thermodynamics, the kinetics of the self-assembled nano-structures also play an important role in determining the formed structures. However, as the self-assembly process is often highly heterogeneous, systematic elucidation of the dominant kinetic pathways of self-assembly is challenging. Here, based on mass flow, we developed a new method for the construction of kinetic network models and applied it to identify the dominant kinetic pathways for the self-assembly of star-like block copolymers. We found that the dominant pathways are controlled by two competing kinetic parameters: the encounter time Te, characterizing the frequency of collision and the transition time Tt for the aggregate morphology change from rod to sphere. Interestingly, two distinct self-assembly mechanisms, diffusion of an individual copolymer into the aggregate core and membrane closure, both appear at different stages (with different values of Tt) of a single self-assembly process. In particular, the diffusion mechanism dominates the middle-sized semi-vesicle formation stage (with large Tt), while the membrane closure mechanism dominates the large-sized vesicle formation stage (with small Tt). Through the rational design of the hydrophibicity of the copolymer, we successfully tuned the transition time Tt and altered the dominant self-assembly pathways.

Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis of Plutonium and Cesium Isotopes in Modeling of BR3 Reactor Spent Fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conant, Andrew; Erickson, Anna; Robel, Martin

Nuclear forensics has a broad task to characterize recovered nuclear or radiological material and interpret the results of investigation. One approach to isotopic characterization of nuclear material obtained from a reactor is to chemically separate and perform isotopic measurements on the sample and verify the results with modeling of the sample history, for example, operation of a nuclear reactor. The major actinide plutonium and fission product cesium are commonly measured signatures of the fuel history in a reactor core. This study investigates the uncertainty of the plutonium and cesium isotope ratios of a fuel rod discharged from a research pressurizedmore » water reactor when the location of the sample is not known a priori. A sensitivity analysis showed overpredicted values for the 240Pu/ 239Pu ratio toward the axial center of the rod and revealed a lower probability of the rod of interest (ROI) being on the periphery of the assembly. The uncertainty analysis found the relative errors due to only the rod position and boron concentration to be 17% to 36% and 7% to 15% for the 240Pu/ 239Pu and 137Cs/ 135Cs ratios, respectively. Lastly, this study provides a method for uncertainty quantification of isotope concentrations due to the location of the ROI. Similar analyses can be performed to verify future chemical and isotopic analyses.« less

Fuel rod with annular nuclear fuel pellets having same U-235 enrichment and different annulus sizes for graduated enrichment loading

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mildrum, C.M.

1987-08-18

A fuel rod is described for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly, comprising: (a) a hollow cladding tube; (b) a pair of end plugs connected to and sealing the cladding tube at opposite ends thereof; (c) a plurality of fuel pellets contained on the tube and being composed of fissile material having a single enrichment the value of which is at the level of the maximum enrichment loading of the rod, the pellets having provided in a stack having one end disposed adjacent to one of the end plugs and an opposite end disposed remote from the other of the endmore » plugs; and (d) a plenum spring disposed in the tube between the other end plug and the opposite end of the pellet stack for retaining the pellets in a stack form; (e) at least some of the fuel pellets having an annular configuration and at least other of the fuel pellets having a solid configuration; (f) each of some of the annular fuel pellets having an annulus of a first size; (e) each of other of the annual fuel pellets having an annulus of a second size different from the first size, whereby graduation of axial enrichment loading is provided between the annual fuel pellets of the fuel rod.« less

Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis of Plutonium and Cesium Isotopes in Modeling of BR3 Reactor Spent Fuel

DOE PAGES

Conant, Andrew; Erickson, Anna; Robel, Martin; ...

2017-02-03

Nuclear forensics has a broad task to characterize recovered nuclear or radiological material and interpret the results of investigation. One approach to isotopic characterization of nuclear material obtained from a reactor is to chemically separate and perform isotopic measurements on the sample and verify the results with modeling of the sample history, for example, operation of a nuclear reactor. The major actinide plutonium and fission product cesium are commonly measured signatures of the fuel history in a reactor core. This study investigates the uncertainty of the plutonium and cesium isotope ratios of a fuel rod discharged from a research pressurizedmore » water reactor when the location of the sample is not known a priori. A sensitivity analysis showed overpredicted values for the 240Pu/ 239Pu ratio toward the axial center of the rod and revealed a lower probability of the rod of interest (ROI) being on the periphery of the assembly. The uncertainty analysis found the relative errors due to only the rod position and boron concentration to be 17% to 36% and 7% to 15% for the 240Pu/ 239Pu and 137Cs/ 135Cs ratios, respectively. Lastly, this study provides a method for uncertainty quantification of isotope concentrations due to the location of the ROI. Similar analyses can be performed to verify future chemical and isotopic analyses.« less

Effects of anchoring and arc structure on the control authority of a rail plasma actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Young-Joon; Gray, Miles; Sirohi, Jayant; Raja, Laxminarayan L.

2017-09-01

Experiments were conducted on a rail plasma actuator (RailPAc) with different electrode cross sections (rails or rods) to assess methods to improve the actuation authority, defined as the impulse generated for a given electrical input. The arc was characterized with electrical measurements and high-speed images, while impulse measurements quantified the actuation authority. A RailPAc power supply capable of delivering  ∼1 kA of current at  ∼100 V was connected to rod electrodes (free-floating with circular cross-section) and rail electrodes (flush-mounted in a flat plate with rectangular cross-section). High-speed images show that the rail electrodes cause the arc to anchor itself to the anode electrode and transit in discrete jumps, while rod electrodes permit the arc to transit smoothly without anchoring. The impulse measurements reveal that the anchoring reduces the actuation authority by  ∼21% compared to a smooth transit, and the effect of anchoring can be suppressed by reducing the gap between the rails to 2 mm. The study further demonstrates that if a smooth transit is achieved, the control authority can be increased with a larger gap and larger arc current. In conclusion, the actuation authority of a RailPAc can be maximized by carefully choosing a gap width that prevents anchoring. Further study is warranted to increase the RailPAc actuation authority by introducing multiple turns of wires beneath the RailPAc to augment the induced magnetic field.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING TUBULAR UNITS

DOEpatents

Haldeman, G.W.

1959-02-24

A method and apparatus are described for fabricating tubular assemblies such as clad fuel elements for nuclear reactors. According to this method, a plurality of relatively short cylindrical slug-shaped members are inserted in an outer protective tubular jacket, and the assembly is passed through a reducing die to draw the outer tubular member into tight contact with the slug members, the slugs being automatically spaced with respect to each other and helium being inserted during the drawing operation to fill the spaces. The apparatus includes a pusher rod which functions to space the slugelements equidistantly by pushing on them in the direction of drawing but traveling at a slower rate than that of the tubular member.

Cooperative light-induced molecular movements of highly ordered azobenzene self-assembled monolayers.

PubMed

Pace, Giuseppina; Ferri, Violetta; Grave, Christian; Elbing, Mark; von Hänisch, Carsten; Zharnikov, Michael; Mayor, Marcel; Rampi, Maria Anita; Samorì, Paolo

2007-06-12

Photochromic systems can convert light energy into mechanical energy, thus they can be used as building blocks for the fabrication of prototypes of molecular devices that are based on the photomechanical effect. Hitherto a controlled photochromic switch on surfaces has been achieved either on isolated chromophores or within assemblies of randomly arranged molecules. Here we show by scanning tunneling microscopy imaging the photochemical switching of a new terminally thiolated azobiphenyl rigid rod molecule. Interestingly, the switching of entire molecular 2D crystalline domains is observed, which is ruled by the interactions between nearest neighbors. This observation of azobenzene-based systems displaying collective switching might be of interest for applications in high-density data storage.

KSC-04pd2129

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - External Tank 118 (ET-118) is lowered from its cell in the Vehicle Assembly Building in order to place it on a transporter. The tank will be transferred to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The tank is being installed with an improved bipod fitting, which connects the external fuel tank to the Shuttle during launch. The new design, a significant milestone in the effort to return the Shuttle to safe flight, replaces the foam that was used to prevent ice buildup on the tank’s bipod fittings with four rod-shaped heaters. The heaters are being retrofitted on the 11 existing tanks and incorporated into the manufacture of all new tanks.

KSC-04pd2132

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - External Tank 118 (ET-118) is slowly moved above the transporter in the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building before being lowered. The tank will be transferred to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The tank is being installed with an improved bipod fitting, which connects the external fuel tank to the Shuttle during launch. The new design, a significant milestone in the effort to return the Shuttle to safe flight, replaces the foam that was used to prevent ice buildup on the tank’s bipod fittings with four rod-shaped heaters. The heaters are being retrofitted on the 11 existing tanks and incorporated into the manufacture of all new tanks.

KSC-04pd2133

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building check the progress of External Tank 118 (ET-118) as it is lowered onto the transporter below it. The tank will be transferred to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The tank is being installed with an improved bipod fitting, which connects the external fuel tank to the Shuttle during launch. The new design, a significant milestone in the effort to return the Shuttle to safe flight, replaces the foam that was used to prevent ice buildup on the tank’s bipod fittings with four rod-shaped heaters. The heaters are being retrofitted on the 11 existing tanks and incorporated into the manufacture of all new tanks.

KSC-04pd2128

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - External Tank 118 (ET-118) is lifted from its cell in the Vehicle Assembly Building in order to place it on a transporter. The tank will be transferred to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The tank is being installed with an improved bipod fitting, which connects the external fuel tank to the Shuttle during launch. The new design, a significant milestone in the effort to return the Shuttle to safe flight, replaces the foam that was used to prevent ice buildup on the tank’s bipod fittings with four rod-shaped heaters. The heaters are being retrofitted on the 11 existing tanks and incorporated into the manufacture of all new tanks.

Intra- and intermolecular nonenzymatic ligations occur within transcripts derived from the peach latent mosaic viroid.

PubMed

Lafontaine, D; Beaudry, D; Marquis, P; Perreault, J P

1995-10-01

We report here the nonenzymatic self-ligation of transcripts corresponding to the peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd). This is the first description of this process with viroid sequences, although it has been reported to occur with human hepatitis delta virus RNA. Self-ligation occurs when the 5'-hydroxyl and the 2',3'-cyclic phosphate termini produced by the hammerhead self-cleavage of the viroid RNA are juxtaposed by the viroid rod-like structure, and a phosphodiester bond is formed between the two following hydrolysis of the cyclic phosphate. Unit-length transcripts undergo intramolecular folding, and their subsequent self-ligation produces circular molecules. The self-ligation observed in vitro may contribute to PLMVd circularization during rolling circle replication; however, this does not exclude the possibility that a host RNA ligase catalyzes the ligation steps in vivo. Like self-cleavage, self-ligation is probably an ancestral reaction, and the enzyme-catalyzed ligation most likely evolved from this primitive mechanism. Furthermore, the intermolecular self-ligation of annealed transcripts derived from PLMVd is demonstrated, suggesting a possible mechanism for sequence reassortment in viroids.

Cellular architecture mediates DivIVA ultrastructure and regulates min activity in Bacillus subtilis | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Min system in rod-shaped bacteria restricts improper assembly of the division septum. In Escherichia coli, the Min system localizes to the cell poles, but in Bacillus subtilis, it is recruited to nascent cell division sites at mid-cell to prevent aberrant septation events immediately adjacent to a constricting septum. How does the cell spatially and temporally restrict the

The bacterial actin MreB rotates, and rotation depends on cell-wall assembly.

PubMed

van Teeffelen, Sven; Wang, Siyuan; Furchtgott, Leon; Huang, Kerwyn Casey; Wingreen, Ned S; Shaevitz, Joshua W; Gitai, Zemer

2011-09-20

Bacterial cells possess multiple cytoskeletal proteins involved in a wide range of cellular processes. These cytoskeletal proteins are dynamic, but the driving forces and cellular functions of these dynamics remain poorly understood. Eukaryotic cytoskeletal dynamics are often driven by motor proteins, but in bacteria no motors that drive cytoskeletal motion have been identified to date. Here, we quantitatively study the dynamics of the Escherichia coli actin homolog MreB, which is essential for the maintenance of rod-like cell shape in bacteria. We find that MreB rotates around the long axis of the cell in a persistent manner. Whereas previous studies have suggested that MreB dynamics are driven by its own polymerization, we show that MreB rotation does not depend on its own polymerization but rather requires the assembly of the peptidoglycan cell wall. The cell-wall synthesis machinery thus either constitutes a novel type of extracellular motor that exerts force on cytoplasmic MreB, or is indirectly required for an as-yet-unidentified motor. Biophysical simulations suggest that one function of MreB rotation is to ensure a uniform distribution of new peptidoglycan insertion sites, a necessary condition to maintain rod shape during growth. These findings both broaden the view of cytoskeletal motors and deepen our understanding of the physical basis of bacterial morphogenesis.

Homochiral Evolution in Self-Assembled Chiral Polymers and Block Copolymers.

PubMed

Wen, Tao; Wang, Hsiao-Fang; Li, Ming-Chia; Ho, Rong-Ming

2017-04-18

The significance of chirality transfer is not only involved in biological systems, such as the origin of homochiral structures in life but also in man-made chemicals and materials. How the chiral bias transfers from molecular level (molecular chirality) to helical chain (conformational chirality) and then to helical superstructure or phase (hierarchical chirality) from self-assembly is vital for the chemical and biological processes in nature, such as communication, replication, and enzyme catalysis. In this Account, we summarize the methodologies for the examination of homochiral evolution at different length scales based on our recent studies with respect to the self-assembly of chiral polymers and chiral block copolymers (BCPs*). A helical (H*) phase to distinguish its P622 symmetry from that of normal hexagonally packed cylinder phase was discovered in the self-assembly of BCPs* due to the chirality effect on BCP self-assembly. Enantiomeric polylactide-containing BCPs*, polystyrene-b-poly(l-lactide) (PS-PLLA) and polystyrene-b-poly(d-lactide) (PS-PDLA), were synthesized for the examination of homochiral evolution. The optical activity (molecular chirality) of constituted chiral repeating unit in the chiral polylactide is detected by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) whereas the conformational chirality of helical polylactide chain can be explicitly determined by vibrational circular dichroism (VCD). The H* phases of the self-assembled polylactide-containing BCPs* can be directly visualized by 3D transmission electron microscopy (3D TEM) technique at which the handedness (hierarchical chirality) of the helical nanostructure is thus determined. The results from the ECD, VCD, and 3D TEM for the investigated chirality at different length scales suggest the homochiral evolution in the self-assembly of the BCPs*. For chiral polylactides, twisted lamellae in crystalline banded spherulite can be formed by dense packing scheme and effective interactions upon helical chains from self-assembly. The handedness of the twisted lamella can be determined by using rotation experiment of polarized light microscopy (PLM). Similar to the self-assembly of BCPs*, the examined results suggest the homochiral evolution in the crystallized chiral polylactides. The results presented in this Account demonstrate the notable progress in the spectral and morphological determination for the examination of molecular, conformational, and hierarchical chirality in self-assembled twisted superstructures of chiral polymers and helical phases of block copolymers and suggest the attainability of homochiral evolution in the self-assembly of chiral homopolymers and BCPs*. The suggested methodologies for the understanding of the mechanisms of the chirality transfer at different length scales provide the approaches to give Supporting Information for disclosing the mysteries of the homochiral evolution from molecular level.

One-step assembly and targeted integration of multigene constructs assisted by the I-SceI meganuclease in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Kuijpers, Niels GA; Chroumpi, Soultana; Vos, Tim; Solis-Escalante, Daniel; Bosman, Lizanne; Pronk, Jack T; Daran, Jean-Marc; Daran-Lapujade, Pascale

2013-01-01

In vivo assembly of overlapping fragments by homologous recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a powerful method to engineer large DNA constructs. Whereas most in vivo assembly methods reported to date result in circular vectors, stable integrated constructs are often preferred for metabolic engineering as they are required for large-scale industrial application. The present study explores the potential of combining in vivo assembly of large, multigene expression constructs with their targeted chromosomal integration in S. cerevisiae. Combined assembly and targeted integration of a ten-fragment 22-kb construct to a single chromosomal locus was successfully achieved in a single transformation process, but with low efficiency (5% of the analyzed transformants contained the correctly assembled construct). The meganuclease I-SceI was therefore used to introduce a double-strand break at the targeted chromosomal locus, thus to facilitate integration of the assembled construct. I-SceI-assisted integration dramatically increased the efficiency of assembly and integration of the same construct to 95%. This study paves the way for the fast, efficient, and stable integration of large DNA constructs in S. cerevisiae chromosomes. PMID:24028550