Axisymmetric single shear element combustion instability experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breisacher, Kevin J.

1993-01-01

The combustion stability characteristics of a combustor consisting of a single shear element and a cylindrical chamber utilizing LOX and gaseous hydrogen as propellants are presented. The combustor geometry and the resulting longitudinal mode instability are axisymmetric. Hydrogen injection temperature and pyrotechnic pulsing were used to determine stability boundaries. Mixture ratio, fuel annulus gap, and LOX post configuration were varied. Performance and stability data are presented for chamber pressures of 300 and 1000 psia.

40 CFR 63.8266 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., that is used in the electrolyzer as a raw material. By-product hydrogen stream means the hydrogen gas from each decomposer that passes through the hydrogen system and is burned as fuel, transferred to... cylindrical vessel), producing caustic and hydrogen gas and returning mercury to its elemental form for re-use...

40 CFR 63.8266 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., that is used in the electrolyzer as a raw material. By-product hydrogen stream means the hydrogen gas from each decomposer that passes through the hydrogen system and is burned as fuel, transferred to... cylindrical vessel), producing caustic and hydrogen gas and returning mercury to its elemental form for re-use...

Electric heater for nuclear fuel rod simulators

DOEpatents

McCulloch, Reginald W.; Morgan, Jr., Chester S.; Dial, Ralph E.

1982-01-01

The present invention is directed to an electric cartridge-type heater for use as a simulator for a nuclear fuel pin in reactor studies. The heater comprises an elongated cylindrical housing containing a longitudinally extending helically wound heating element with the heating element radially inwardly separated from the housing. Crushed cold-pressed preforms of boron nitride electrically insulate the heating element from the housing while providing good thermal conductivity. Crushed cold-pressed preforms of magnesia or a magnesia-15 percent boron nitride mixture are disposed in the cavity of the helical heating element. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the magnesia or the magnesia-boron nitride mixture is higher than that of the boron nitride disposed about the heating element for urging the boron nitride radially outwardly against the housing during elevated temperatures to assure adequate thermal contact between the housing and the boron nitride.

Canister arrangement for storing radioactive waste

DOEpatents

Lorenzo, D.K.; Van Cleve, J.E. Jr.

1980-04-23

The subject invention relates to a canister arrangement for jointly storing high level radioactive chemical waste and metallic waste resulting from the reprocessing of nuclear reactor fuel elements. A cylindrical steel canister is provided with an elongated centrally disposed billet of the metallic waste and the chemical waste in vitreous form is disposed in the annulus surrounding the billet.

Canister arrangement for storing radioactive waste

DOEpatents

Lorenzo, Donald K.; Van Cleve, Jr., John E.

1982-01-01

The subject invention relates to a canister arrangement for jointly storing high level radioactive chemical waste and metallic waste resulting from the reprocessing of nuclear reactor fuel elements. A cylindrical steel canister is provided with an elongated centrally disposed billet of the metallic waste and the chemical waste in vitreous form is disposed in the annulus surrounding the billet.

CORROSION RESISTANT JACKETED METAL BODY

DOEpatents

Brugmann, E.W.

1958-08-26

S>Metal jacketed metallic bodies of the type used as feel elements fer nuclear reactors are presented. The fuel element is comprised of a plurality of jacketed cylindrical bodies joined in end to end abutting relationship. The abutting ends of the internal fissionable bodies are provided with a mating screw and thread means for joining the two together. The jacket material is of a corrosion resistant metal and overlaps the abutting ends of the internal bodies, thereby effectively sealing these bodies from contact with exteral reactive gases and liquids.

Boron nitride insulating material

DOEpatents

Morgan, Jr., Chester S.; Cavin, O. Burl; McCulloch, Reginald W.; Clark, David L.

1978-01-01

High temperature BN-insulated heaters for use as fuel pin simulators in reactor thermal hydraulic test facility studies comprise a cylindrical housing and a concentric heating element disposed within the housing and spaced apart from the housing to define an annular region therebetween. The annular region contains BN for providing electrical resistance and thermal conductivity between the housing and the heating element. The fabrication method of this invention comprises the steps of cold pressing BN powder at a pressure of 20 to 80,000 psig and a dwell time of at least 0.1-3 seconds to provide hollow cylindrical preforms of suitable dimensions for insertion into the annular region, the BN powder having a tap density of about 0.6-1.1 g/cm.sup.3 and an orientation ratio of at least about 100/3.5. The preforms are inserted into the annular region and crushed in place.

Spatial filters for high average power lasers

DOEpatents

Erlandson, Alvin C

2012-11-27

A spatial filter includes a first filter element and a second filter element overlapping with the first filter element. The first filter element includes a first pair of cylindrical lenses separated by a first distance. Each of the first pair of cylindrical lenses has a first focal length. The first filter element also includes a first slit filter positioned between the first pair of cylindrical lenses. The second filter element includes a second pair of cylindrical lenses separated by a second distance. Each of the second pair of cylindrical lenses has a second focal length. The second filter element also includes a second slit filter positioned between the second pair of cylindrical lenses.

Spatial filters for high power lasers

DOEpatents

Erlandson, Alvin Charles; Bayramian, Andrew James

2014-12-02

A spatial filter includes a first filter element and a second filter element overlapping with the first filter element. The first filter element includes a first pair of cylindrical lenses separated by a first distance. Each of the first pair of cylindrical lenses has a first focal length. The first filter element also includes a first longitudinal slit filter positioned between the first pair of cylindrical lenses. The second filter element includes a second pair of cylindrical lenses separated by a second distance. Each of the second pair of cylindrical lenses has a second focal length. The second filter element also includes a second longitudinal slit filter positioned between the second pair of cylindrical lenses.

COMPARTMENTED REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT

DOEpatents

Cain, F.M. Jr.

1962-09-11

A method of making a nuclear reactor fuel element of the elongated red type is given wherein the fissionable fuel material is enclosed within a tubular metal cladding. The method comprises coating the metal cladding tube on its inside wall with a brazing alloy, inserting groups of cylindrical pellets of fissionable fuel material into the tube with spacing members between adjacent groups of pellets, sealing the ends of the tubes to leave a void space therewithin, heating the tube and its contents to an elevated temperature to melt the brazing alloy and to expand the pellets to their maximum dimensions under predetermined operating conditions thereby automatically positioning the spacing members along the tube, and finally cooling the tube to room temperature whereby the spacing disks become permanently fixed at their edges in the brazing alloy and define a hermetically sealed compartment for each fl group of fuel pellets. Upon cooling, the pellets contract thus leaving a space to accommodate thermal expansion of the pellets when in use in a reactor. The spacing members also provide lateral support for the tubular cladding to prevent collapse thereof when subjected to a reactor environment. (AEC)

Design of a Resistively Heated Thermal Hydraulic Simulator for Nuclear Rocket Reactor Cores

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litchford, Ron J.; Foote, John P.; Ramachandran, Narayanan; Wang, Ten-See; Anghaie, Samim

2007-01-01

A preliminary design study is presented for a non-nuclear test facility which uses ohmic heating to replicate the thermal hydraulic characteristics of solid core nuclear reactor fuel element passages. The basis for this testing capability is a recently commissioned nuclear thermal rocket environments simulator, which uses a high-power, multi-gas, wall-stabilized constricted arc-heater to produce high-temperature pressurized hydrogen flows representative of reactor core environments, excepting radiation effects. Initially, the baseline test fixture for this non-nuclear environments simulator was configured for long duration hot hydrogen exposure of small cylindrical material specimens as a low cost means of evaluating material compatibility. It became evident, however, that additional functionality enhancements were needed to permit a critical examination of thermal hydraulic effects in fuel element passages. Thus, a design configuration was conceived whereby a short tubular material specimen, representing a fuel element passage segment, is surrounded by a backside resistive tungsten heater element and mounted within a self-contained module that inserts directly into the baseline test fixture assembly. With this configuration, it becomes possible to create an inward directed radial thermal gradient within the tubular material specimen such that the wall-to-gas heat flux characteristics of a typical fuel element passage are effectively simulated. The results of a preliminary engineering study for this innovative concept are fully summarized, including high-fidelity multi-physics thermal hydraulic simulations and detailed design features.

NUCLEAR REACTOR UNLOADING APPARATUS

DOEpatents

Leverett, M.C.; Howe, J.P.

1959-01-20

An unloading device is described for a heterogeneous reactor of the type wherein the fuel elements are in the form of cylindrical slugs and are disposed in horizontal coolant tubes which traverse the reactor core, coolant fluid being circulated through the tubes. The coolant tubes have at least two inwardly protruding ribs from their lower surfaces to support the slugs in spaced relationship to the inside walls of the tubes. The unloading device consists of a ribbon-like extractor member insertable into the coolant tubes in the space between the ribs and adapted to slide under the fuel slugs thereby raising them off of the ribs and forming a slideway for removing them from the reactor. The fuel slugs are ejected by being forced out of the tubes by incoming new fuel slugs or by a push rod insentable through the inlet end of the fuel tubes.

AIR COOLED NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Fermi, E.; Szilard, L.

1958-05-27

A nuclear reactor of the air-cooled, graphite moderated type is described. The active core consists of a cubicle mass of graphite, approximately 25 feet in each dimension, having horizontal channels of square cross section extending between two of the opposite faces, a plurality of cylindrical uranium slugs disposed in end to end abutting relationship within said channels providing a space in the channels through which air may be circulated, and a cadmium control rod extending within a channel provided in the moderator. Suitable shielding is provlded around the core, as are also provided a fuel element loading and discharge means, and a means to circulate air through the coolant channels through the fuel charels to cool the reactor.

Automatic inspection system for nuclear fuel pellets or rods

DOEpatents

Miller, Jr., William H.; Sease, John D.; Hamel, William R.; Bradley, Ronnie A.

1978-01-01

An automatic inspection system is provided for determining surface defects on cylindrical objects such as nuclear fuel pellets or rods. The active element of the system is a compound ring having a plurality of pneumatic jet units directed into a central bore. These jet units are connected to provide multiple circuits, each circuit being provided with a pressure sensor. The outputs of the sensors are fed to a comparator circuit whereby a signal is generated when the difference of pressure between pneumatic circuits, caused by a defect, exceeds a pre-set amount. This signal may be used to divert the piece being inspected into a "reject" storage bin or the like.

LIGHT WATER MODERATED NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Christy, R.F.; Weinberg, A.M.

1957-09-17

A uranium fuel reactor designed to utilize light water as a moderator is described. The reactor core is in a tank at the bottom of a substantially cylindrical cross-section pit, the core being supported by an apertured grid member and comprised of hexagonal tubes each containing a pluralily of fuel rods held in a geometrical arrangement between end caps of the tubes. The end caps are apertured to permit passage of the coolant water through the tubes and the fuel elements are aluminum clad to prevent corrosion. The tubes are hexagonally arranged in the center of the tank providing an amulus between the core and tank wall which is filled with water to serve as a reflector. In use, the entire pit and tank are filled with water in which is circulated during operation by coming in at the bottom of the tank, passing upwardly through the grid member and fuel tubes and carried off near the top of the pit, thereby picking up the heat generated by the fuel elements during the fission thereof. With this particular design the light water coolant can also be used as the moderator when the uranium is enriched by fissionable isotope to an abundance of U/sup 235/ between 0.78% and 2%.

Theory of precipitation effects on dead cylindrical fuels

Treesearch

Michael A. Fosberg

1972-01-01

Numerical and analytical solutions of the Fickian diffusion equation were used to determine the effects of precipitation on dead cylindrical forest fuels. The analytical solution provided a physical framework. The numerical solutions were then used to refine the analytical solution through a similarity argument. The theoretical solutions predicted realistic rates of...

Theoretical analysis of swelling characteristics of cylindrical uranium dioxide fuel pins with a niobium - 1-percent-zirconium clad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saltsman, J. F.

1973-01-01

The relations between clad creep strain and fuel volume swelling are shown for cylindrical UO2 fuel pins with a Nb-1Zr clad. These relations were obtained by using the computer code CYGRO-2. These clad-strain - fuel-volume-swelling relations may be used with any fuel-volume-swelling model, provided the fuel volume swelling is isotropic and independent of the clad restraints. The effects of clad temperature (over a range from 118 to 1642 K (2010 to 2960 R)), pin diameter, clad thickness and central hole size in the fuel have been investigated. In all calculations the irradiation time was 500 hours. The burnup rate was varied.

Link module for a downhole drilling network

DOEpatents

Hall, David R [Provo, UT; Fox, Joe [Provo, UT

2007-05-29

A repeater is disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention as including a cylindrical housing, characterized by a proximal end and a distal end, and having a substantially cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall defining a central bore passing therethrough. The cylindrical housing is formed to define at least one recess in the cylindrical wall, into which a repeater is inserted. The cylindrical housing also includes an annular recess formed into at least one of the proximal end and the distal end. An annular transmission element, operably connected to the repeater, is located in the annular recess. In selected embodiments, the annular transmission element inductively converts electrical energy to magnetic energy. In other embodiments, the annular transmission element includes an electrical contact to transmit electrical energy directly to another contact.

Thermionic energy converters

DOEpatents

Monroe, Jr., James E.

1977-08-09

A thermionic device for converting nuclear energy into electrical energy comprising a tubular anode spaced from and surrounding a cylindrical cathode, the cathode having an outer emitting surface of ruthenium, and nuclear fuel on the inner cylindrical surface. The nuclear fuel is a ceramic composition of fissionable material in a metal matrix. An axial void is provided to collect and contain fission product gases.

High regression rate hybrid rocket fuel grains with helical port structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Sean D.

Hybrid rockets are popular in the aerospace industry due to their storage safety, simplicity, and controllability during rocket motor burn. However, they produce fuel regression rates typically 25% lower than solid fuel motors of the same thrust level. These lowered regression rates produce unacceptably high oxidizer-to-fuel (O/F) ratios that produce a potential for motor instability, nozzle erosion, and reduced motor duty cycles. To achieve O/F ratios that produce acceptable combustion characteristics, traditional cylindrical fuel ports are fabricated with very long length-to-diameter ratios to increase the total burning area. These high aspect ratios produce further reduced fuel regression rate and thrust levels, poor volumetric efficiency, and a potential for lateral structural loading issues during high thrust burns. In place of traditional cylindrical fuel ports, it is proposed that by researching the effects of centrifugal flow patterns introduced by embedded helical fuel port structures, a significant increase in fuel regression rates can be observed. The benefits of increasing volumetric efficiencies by lengthening the internal flow path will also be observed. The mechanisms of this increased fuel regression rate are driven by enhancing surface skin friction and reducing the effect of boundary layer "blowing" to enhance convective heat transfer to the fuel surface. Preliminary results using additive manufacturing to fabricate hybrid rocket fuel grains from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) with embedded helical fuel port structures have been obtained, with burn-rate amplifications up to 3.0x than that of cylindrical fuel ports.

Low-cost conformable storage to maximize vehicle range

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

Graham, R.P.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) are currently the leading fuel contenders for converting vehicles from gasoline and diesel to alternative fuels. Two factors that inhibit conversion are additional vehicle costs and reduced range compared to gasoline. In overcoming these barriers, a key element of the alternative fuel system becomes the storage tank for these pressurized fuels. Using cylindrical pressure vessels is the conventional approach, but they do not package well in the available vehicle volume. Thiokol Corporation has developed and is now producing a conformable (non-cylindrical) aluminum storage system for LPG vans. This system increases fuelmore » storage in a given rectangular envelope. The goal of this project was to develop the technology for a lower cost conformable tank made of injection-molded plastic. Much of the cost of the aluminum conformable tank is in the fabrication because several weld seams are required. The injection-molding process has the potential to greatly reduce the fabrication costs. The requirements of a pressurized fuel tank on a vehicle necessitate the proper combination of material properties. Material selection and tank design must be optimized for maximum internal volume and minimum material use to be competitive with other technologies. The material and the design must also facilitate the injection-molding process. Prototype tanks must be fabricated to reveal molding problems, prove solutions, and measure results. In production, efficient fabrication will be key to making these tanks cost competitive. The work accomplished during this project has demonstrated that conformable LPG tanks can be molded with thermoplastics. However, to achieve a competitive tank, improvements are needed in the effective material strength. If these improvements can be made, molded plastics should produce a lower cost tank that can store more LPG on a vehicle than conventional cylinders.« less

Determining Coolant Flow Rate Distribution In The Fuel-Modified TRIGA Plate Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puji Hastuti, Endiah; Widodo, Surip; Darwis Isnaini, M.; Geni Rina, S.; Syaiful, B.

2018-02-01

TRIGA 2000 reactor in Bandung is planned to have the fuel element replaced, from cylindrical uranium and zirconium-hydride (U-ZrH) alloy to U3Si2-Al plate type of low enriched uranium of 19.75% with uranium density of 2.96 gU/cm3, while the reactor power is maintained at 2 MW. This change is planned to anticipate the discontinuity of TRIGA fuel element production. The selection of this plate-type fuel element is supported by the fact that such fuel type has been produced in Indonesia and used in MPR-30 safely since 2000. The core configuration of plate-type-fuelled TRIGA reactor requires coolant flow rate through each fuel element channel in order to meet its safety function. This paper is aimed to describe the results of coolant flow rate distribution in the TRIGA core that meets the safety function at normal operation condition, physical test, shutdown, and at initial event of loss of coolant flow due power supply interruption. The design analysis to determine coolant flow rate in this paper employs CAUDVAP and COOLODN computation code. The designed coolant flow rate that meets the safety criteria of departure from nucleate boiling ratio (DNBR), onset of flow instability ratio (OFIR), and ΔΤ onset of nucleate boiling (ONB), indicates that the minimum flow rate required to cool the plate-type fuelled TRIGA core at 2 MW is 80 kg/s. Therefore, it can be concluded that the operating limitation condition (OLC) for the minimum flow rate is 80 kg/s; the 72 kg/s is to cool the active core; while the minimum flow rate for coolant flow rate drop is limited to 68 kg/s with the coolant inlet temperature 35°C. This thermohydraulic design also provides cooling for 4 positions irradiation position (IP) utilization and 1 central irradiation position (CIP) with end fitting inner diameter (ID) of 10 mm and 20 mm, respectively.

Catalytic converter for purifying exhaust gases of internal combustion engines

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

Kakinuma, A.; Oya, H.

1980-06-24

A catalytic converter for purifying the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines is comprised of a cylindrical shell comprising a pair of half shells which form an inlet chamber, a catalyst chamber, and an outlet chamber, a catalyst element provided in the catalyst chamber, a cylindrical sealing member provided in the inlet chamber, and a damper member provided between the cylindrical shell and the sealing member. The sealing member engages to the cylindrical shell for sealing the gap between the cylindrical shell and the catalyst element.

Piezoelectric particle accelerator

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

Kemp, Mark A.; Jongewaard, Erik N.; Haase, Andrew A.

2017-08-29

A particle accelerator is provided that includes a piezoelectric accelerator element, where the piezoelectric accelerator element includes a hollow cylindrical shape, and an input transducer, where the input transducer is disposed to provide an input signal to the piezoelectric accelerator element, where the input signal induces a mechanical excitation of the piezoelectric accelerator element, where the mechanical excitation is capable of generating a piezoelectric electric field proximal to an axis of the cylindrical shape, where the piezoelectric accelerator is configured to accelerate a charged particle longitudinally along the axis of the cylindrical shape according to the piezoelectric electric field.

Flow instability in particle-bed nuclear reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerrebrock, Jack L.

The particle-bed core offers mitigation of some of the problems of solid-core nuclear rocket reactors. Dividing the fuel elements into small spherical particles contained in a cylindrical bed through which the propellant flows radially, may reduce the thermal stress in the fuel elements, allowing higher propellant temperatures to be reached. The high temperature regions of the reactor are confined to the interior of cylindrical fuel assemblies, so most of the reactor can be relatively cool. This enables the use of structural and moderating materials which reduce the minimum critical size and mass of the reactor. One of the unresolved questions about this concept is whether the flow through the particle-bed will be well behaved, or will be subject to destructive flow instabilities. Most of the recent analyses of the stability of the particle-bed reactor have been extensions of the approach of Bussard and Delauer, where the bed is essentially treated as an array of parallel passages, so that the mass flow is continuous from inlet to outlet through any one passage. A more general three dimensional model of the bed is adopted, in which the fluid has mobility in three dimensions. Comparison of results of the earlier approach to the present one shows that the former does not accurately represent the stability at low Re. The more complete model presented should be capable of meeting this deficiency while accurately representing the effects of the cold and hot frits, and of heat conduction and radiation in the particle-bed. It can be extended to apply to the cylindrical geometry of particle-bed reactors without difficulty. From the exemplary calculations which were carried out, it can be concluded that a particle-bed without a cold frit would be subject to instability if operated at the high temperatures desired for nuclear rockets, and at power densities below about 4 megawatts per liter. Since the desired power density is about 40 megawatts per liter, it can be concluded that operation at design exit temperature but at reduced power could be hazardous for such a reactor. But the calculations also show that an appropriate cold frit could very likely cure the instability. More definite conclusions must await calculations for specific designs.

Flow instability in particle-bed nuclear reactors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerrebrock, Jack L.

1993-01-01

The particle-bed core offers mitigation of some of the problems of solid-core nuclear rocket reactors. Dividing the fuel elements into small spherical particles contained in a cylindrical bed through which the propellant flows radially, may reduce the thermal stress in the fuel elements, allowing higher propellant temperatures to be reached. The high temperature regions of the reactor are confined to the interior of cylindrical fuel assemblies, so most of the reactor can be relatively cool. This enables the use of structural and moderating materials which reduce the minimum critical size and mass of the reactor. One of the unresolved questions about this concept is whether the flow through the particle-bed will be well behaved, or will be subject to destructive flow instabilities. Most of the recent analyses of the stability of the particle-bed reactor have been extensions of the approach of Bussard and Delauer, where the bed is essentially treated as an array of parallel passages, so that the mass flow is continuous from inlet to outlet through any one passage. A more general three dimensional model of the bed is adopted, in which the fluid has mobility in three dimensions. Comparison of results of the earlier approach to the present one shows that the former does not accurately represent the stability at low Re. The more complete model presented should be capable of meeting this deficiency while accurately representing the effects of the cold and hot frits, and of heat conduction and radiation in the particle-bed. It can be extended to apply to the cylindrical geometry of particle-bed reactors without difficulty. From the exemplary calculations which were carried out, it can be concluded that a particle-bed without a cold frit would be subject to instability if operated at the high temperatures desired for nuclear rockets, and at power densities below about 4 megawatts per liter. Since the desired power density is about 40 megawatts per liter, it can be concluded that operation at design exit temperature but at reduced power could be hazardous for such a reactor. But the calculations also show that an appropriate cold frit could very likely cure the instability. More definite conclusions must await calculations for specific designs.

Radiation and scattering from printed antennas on cylindrically conformal platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kempel, Leo C.; Volakis, John L.; Bindiganavale, Sunil

1994-01-01

The goal was to develop suitable methods and software for the analysis of antennas on cylindrical coated and uncoated platforms. Specifically, the finite element boundary integral and finite element ABC methods were employed successfully and associated software were developed for the analysis and design of wraparound and discrete cavity-backed arrays situated on cylindrical platforms. This work led to the successful implementation of analysis software for such antennas. Developments which played a role in this respect are the efficient implementation of the 3D Green's function for a metallic cylinder, the incorporation of the fast Fourier transform in computing the matrix-vector products executed in the solver of the finite element-boundary integral system, and the development of a new absorbing boundary condition for terminating the finite element mesh on cylindrical surfaces.

Two-point method uncertainty during control and measurement of cylindrical element diameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glukhov, V. I.; Shalay, V. V.; Radev, H.

2018-04-01

The topic of the article is devoted to the urgent problem of the reliability of technical products geometric specifications measurements. The purpose of the article is to improve the quality of parts linear sizes control by the two-point measurement method. The article task is to investigate methodical extended uncertainties in measuring cylindrical element linear sizes. The investigation method is a geometric modeling of the element surfaces shape and location deviations in a rectangular coordinate system. The studies were carried out for elements of various service use, taking into account their informativeness, corresponding to the kinematic pairs classes in theoretical mechanics and the number of constrained degrees of freedom in the datum element function. Cylindrical elements with informativity of 4, 2, 1 and θ (zero) were investigated. The uncertainties estimation of in two-point measurements was made by comparing the results of of linear dimensions measurements with the functional diameters maximum and minimum of the element material. Methodical uncertainty is formed when cylindrical elements with maximum informativeness have shape deviations of the cut and the curvature types. Methodical uncertainty is formed by measuring the element average size for all types of shape deviations. The two-point measurement method cannot take into account the location deviations of a dimensional element, so its use for elements with informativeness less than the maximum creates unacceptable methodical uncertainties in measurements of the maximum, minimum and medium linear dimensions. Similar methodical uncertainties also exist in the arbitration control of the linear dimensions of the cylindrical elements by limiting two-point gauges.

A collection of edge-based elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kempel, Leo C.; Volakis, John L.

1992-01-01

Edge-based elements have proved useful in solving electromagnetic problems since they are nondivergent. Previous authors have presented several two and three dimensional elements. Herein, we present four types of elements which are suitable for modeling several types of three dimensional geometries. Distorted brick and triangular prism elements are given in cartesian coordinates as well as the specialized cylindrical shell and pie-shaped prism elements which are suitable for problems best described in polar cylindrical coordinates.

CHAIN REACTING SYSTEM

DOEpatents

Fermi, E.; Leverett, M.C.

1958-06-01

A nuclear reactor of the gas-cooled, graphitemoderated type is described. In this design, graphite blocks are arranged in a substantially cylindrical lattice having vertically orienied coolant channels in which uranium fuel elements having through passages are disposed. The active lattice is contained within a hollow body. such as a steel shell, which, in turn, is surrounded by water and concrete shields. Helium is used as the primary coolant and is circulated under pressure through the coolant channels and fuel elements. The helium is then conveyed to heat exchangers, where its heat is used to produce steam for driving a prime mover, thence to filtering means where radioactive impurities are removed. From the filtering means the helium passes to a compressor and an after cooler and is ultimately returned to the reactor for recirculation. Control and safety rods are provided to stabilize or stop the reaction. A space is provided between the graphite lattice and the internal walls of the shell to allow for thermal expansion of the lattice during operation. This space is filled with a resilient packing, such as asbestos, to prevent the passage of helium.

WATER BOILER REACTOR

DOEpatents

King, L.D.P.

1960-11-22

As its name implies, this reactor utilizes an aqueous solution of a fissionable element salt, and is also conventional in that it contains a heat exchanger cooling coil immersed in the fuel. Its novelty lies in the utilization of a cylindrical reactor vessel to provide a critical region having a large and constant interface with a supernatant vapor region, and the use of a hollow sleeve coolant member suspended from the cover assembly in coaxial relation with the reactor vessel. Cool water is circulated inside this hollow coolant member, and a gap between its outer wall and the reactor vessel is used to carry off radiolytic gases for recombination in an external catalyst chamber. The central passage of the coolant member defines a reflux condenser passage into which the externally recombined gases are returned and condensed. The large and constant interface between fuel solution and vapor region prevents the formation of large bubbles and minimizes the amount of fuel salt carried off by water vapor, thus making possible higher flux densities, specific powers and power densities.

Electrorefining cell with parallel electrode/concentric cylinder cathode

DOEpatents

Gay, Eddie C.; Miller, William E.; Laidler, James J.

1997-01-01

A cathode-anode arrangement for use in an electrolytic cell is adapted for electrochemically refining spent nuclear fuel from a nuclear reactor and recovering purified uranium for further treatment and possible recycling as a fresh blanket or core fuel in a nuclear reactor. The arrangement includes a plurality of inner anodic dissolution baskets that are each attached to a respective support rod, are submerged in a molten lithium halide salt, and are rotationally displaced. An inner hollow cylindrical-shaped cathode is concentrically disposed about the inner anodic dissolution baskets. Concentrically disposed about the inner cathode in a spaced manner are a plurality of outer anodic dissolution baskets, while an outer hollow cylindrical-shaped is disposed about the outer anodic dissolution baskets. Uranium is transported from the anode baskets and deposited in a uniform cylindrical shape on the inner and outer cathode cylinders by rotating the anode baskets within the molten lithium halide salt. Scrapers located on each anode basket abrade and remove the spent fuel deposits on the surfaces of the inner and outer cathode cylinders, with the spent fuel falling to the bottom of the cell for removal. Cell resistance is reduced and uranium deposition rate enhanced by increasing the electrode area and reducing the anode-cathode spacing. Collection efficiency is enhanced by trapping and recovery of uranium dendrites scrapped off of the cylindrical cathodes which may be greater in number than two.

Electrorefining cell with parallel electrode/concentric cylinder cathode

DOEpatents

Gay, E.C.; Miller, W.E.; Laidler, J.J.

1997-07-22

A cathode-anode arrangement for use in an electrolytic cell is adapted for electrochemically refining spent nuclear fuel from a nuclear reactor and recovering purified uranium for further treatment and possible recycling as a fresh blanket or core fuel in a nuclear reactor. The arrangement includes a plurality of inner anodic dissolution baskets that are each attached to a respective support rod, are submerged in a molten lithium halide salt, and are rotationally displaced. An inner hollow cylindrical-shaped cathode is concentrically disposed about the inner anodic dissolution baskets. Concentrically disposed about the inner cathode in a spaced manner are a plurality of outer anodic dissolution baskets, while an outer hollow cylindrical-shaped is disposed about the outer anodic dissolution baskets. Uranium is transported from the anode baskets and deposited in a uniform cylindrical shape on the inner and outer cathode cylinders by rotating the anode baskets within the molten lithium halide salt. Scrapers located on each anode basket abrade and remove the spent fuel deposits on the surfaces of the inner and outer cathode cylinders, with the spent fuel falling to the bottom of the cell for removal. Cell resistance is reduced and uranium deposition rate enhanced by increasing the electrode area and reducing the anode-cathode spacing. Collection efficiency is enhanced by trapping and recovery of uranium dendrites scrapped off of the cylindrical cathodes which may be greater in number than two. 12 figs.

Lean direct wall fuel injection method and devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Kyung J. (Inventor); Tacina, Robert (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A fuel combustion chamber, and a method of and a nozzle for mixing liquid fuel and air in the fuel combustion chamber in lean direct injection combustion for advanced gas turbine engines, including aircraft engines. Liquid fuel in a form of jet is injected directly into a cylindrical combustion chamber from the combustion chamber wall surface in a direction opposite to the direction of the swirling air at an angle of from about 50.degree. to about 60.degree. with respect to a tangential line of the cylindrical combustion chamber and at a fuel-lean condition, with a liquid droplet momentum to air momentum ratio in the range of from about 0.05 to about 0.12. Advanced gas turbines benefit from lean direct wall injection combustion. The lean direct wall injection technique of the present invention provides fast, uniform, well-stirred mixing of fuel and air. In addition, in order to further improve combustion, the fuel can be injected at a venturi located in the combustion chamber at a point adjacent the air swirler.

Fuel Injector With Shear Atomizer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beal, George W.; Mills, Virgil L.; Smith, Durward B., II; Beacom, William F.

1995-01-01

Atomizer for injecting liquid fuel into combustion chamber uses impact and swirl to break incoming stream of fuel into small, more combustible droplets. Slanted holes direct flow of liquid fuel to stepped cylindrical wall. Impact on wall atomizes liquid. Air flowing past vanes entrains droplets of liquid in swirling flow. Fuel injected at pressure lower than customarily needed.

Multicanister overpack topical report

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

Lorenz, B.D., Fluor Daniel Hanford

1997-03-25

The Spent Nuclear Fuel MCO is a single-use container that consists of a cylindrical shell, five to six fuel baskets, a shield plug, and features necessary for maintaining the structural integrity of the MCO while providing criticality control and fuel processing capability.

Optical fuel pin scanner

DOEpatents

Kirchner, Tommy L.; Powers, Hurshal G.

1983-01-01

An optical scanner for indicia arranged in a focal plane at a cylindrical outside surface by use of an optical system including a rotatable dove prism. The dove prism transmits a rotating image of an encircled cylindrical surface area to a stationary photodiode array.

Numerical analysis of nuclear power plant structure subjected to aircraft crash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saberi, Reza; Alinejad, Majid; Mahdavi, Mir Omid; Sepanloo, Kamran

2017-12-01

An aircraft crashing into a nuclear containment may induce a series of disasters related to containment capacity, including local penetration and perforation of the containment, intensive vibrations, and fire ignited after jet fuel leakage. In this study, structural safety of a reinforced concrete containment vessel (RCCV) has been studied against the direct hit of Airbus A320, Boeing 707-320 and Phantom F4 aircrafts. ABAQUS/explicit finite element code has been used to carry out the three-dimensional numerical simulations. The impact locations identified on the nuclear containment structure are mid height of containment, center of the cylindrical portion, junction of dome and cylinder, and over the cylindrical portion close to the foundation level. The loading of the aircraft has been assigned through the corresponding reaction-time response curve. The concrete damaged plasticity model was predicted to simulate the behavior of concrete while the behavior of steel reinforcement was incorporated using elastoplastic material model. Dynamic loading conditions were considered using dynamic increase factor. The mid height of containment and center of cylindrical portion have been found to experience most severe deformation against each aircraft crash. It has also been found that compression damage in concrete is not critical at none of the impact locations.

CENTRIFUGE

DOEpatents

Rushing, F.C.

1960-09-01

A vibration damping mechanism for damping vibration forces occurring during the operation of a centrifuge is described. The vibration damping mechanism comprises a plurality of nested spaced cylindrical elements surrounding the rotating shaft of the centrifuge. Some of the elements are held substantially stationary while the others are held with respect to a pair of hearings spaced along the rotating shaft. A fluid is retained about the cylindrical elements.

Full-vectorial finite element method in a cylindrical coordinate system for loss analysis of photonic wire bends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakihara, Kuniaki; Kono, Naoya; Saitoh, Kunimasa; Koshiba, Masanori

2006-11-01

This paper presents a new full-vectorial finite-element method in a local cylindrical coordinate system, to effectively analyze bending losses in photonic wires. The discretization is performed in the cross section of a three-dimensional curved waveguide, using hybrid edge/nodal elements. The solution region is truncated by anisotropic, perfectly matched layers in the cylindrical coordinate system, to deal properly with leaky modes of the waveguide. This approach is used to evaluate bending losses in silicon wire waveguides. The numerical results of the present approach are compared with results calculated with an equivalent straight waveguide approach and with reported experimental data. These comparisons together demonstrate the validity of the present approach based on the cylindrical coordinate system and also clarifies the limited validity of the equivalent straight waveguide approximation.

Parameterized Finite Element Modeling and Buckling Analysis of Six Typical Composite Grid Cylindrical Shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Changliang; Wang, Junbiao; Liu, Chuang

2014-10-01

Six typical composite grid cylindrical shells are constructed by superimposing three basic types of ribs. Then buckling behavior and structural efficiency of these shells are analyzed under axial compression, pure bending, torsion and transverse bending by finite element (FE) models. The FE models are created by a parametrical FE modeling approach that defines FE models with original natural twisted geometry and orients cross-sections of beam elements exactly. And the approach is parameterized and coded by Patran Command Language (PCL). The demonstrations of FE modeling indicate the program enables efficient generation of FE models and facilitates parametric studies and design of grid shells. Using the program, the effects of helical angles on the buckling behavior of six typical grid cylindrical shells are determined. The results of these studies indicate that the triangle grid and rotated triangle grid cylindrical shell are more efficient than others under axial compression and pure bending, whereas under torsion and transverse bending, the hexagon grid cylindrical shell is most efficient. Additionally, buckling mode shapes are compared and provide an understanding of composite grid cylindrical shells that is useful in preliminary design of such structures.

Fuel pin

DOEpatents

Christiansen, D.W.; Karnesky, R.A.; Leggett, R.D.; Baker, R.B.

1987-11-24

A fuel pin for a liquid metal nuclear reactor is provided. The fuel pin includes a generally cylindrical cladding member with metallic fuel material disposed therein. At least a portion of the fuel material extends radially outwardly to the inner diameter of the cladding member to promote efficient transfer of heat to the reactor coolant system. The fuel material defines at least one void space therein to facilitate swelling of the fuel material during fission.

Fuel pin

DOEpatents

Christiansen, David W.; Karnesky, Richard A.; Leggett, Robert D.; Baker, Ronald B.

1989-10-03

A fuel pin for a liquid metal nuclear reactor is provided. The fuel pin includes a generally cylindrical cladding member with metallic fuel material disposed therein. At least a portion of the fuel material extends radially outwardly to the inner diameter of the cladding member to promote efficient transfer of heat to the reactor coolant system. The fuel material defines at least one void space therein to facilitate swelling of the fuel material during fission.

Fuel pin

DOEpatents

Christiansen, David W.; Karnesky, Richard A.; Leggett, Robert D.; Baker, Ronald B.

1989-01-01

A fuel pin for a liquid metal nuclear reactor is provided. The fuel pin includes a generally cylindrical cladding member with metallic fuel material disposed therein. At least a portion of the fuel material extends radially outwardly to the inner diameter of the cladding member to promote efficient transfer of heat to the reactor coolant system. The fuel material defines at least one void space therein to facilitate swelling of the fuel material during fission.

Transition Induced by a Streamwise Array of Roughness Elements on a Supersonic Flat Plate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Amanda; Kegerise, Michael A.

2017-01-01

Roughness is unavoidable on practical high-speed vehicles, so it is critical to determine its impact on boundary layer transition. The flow field downstream of a streamwise array of cylindrical roughness elements is probed with hot-wire anemometry in this experiment. Mean flow distortion is examined in several measurement planes in the wake of the cylindrical roughness using the streak strength profiles and contour plots of the mass flux and total temperature. The roughness element heights and spacings were varied and their instability modes were examined. Cylindrical roughness elements approximately 140 micron tall produce an odd instability mode that grows weakly with downstream distance in the measurement range of this experiment. Cylindrical roughness elements approximately 280 micron tall produce an even instability mode that grows, becomes nonlinear, and then breaks down. Transition onset remains constant relative to the most downstream roughness in the streamwise array when the 280 micron roughness elements are spaced 2 diameters apart. Transition onset occurs at an earlier upstream location relative to the most downstream roughness in the streamwise array when the roughness elements are spaced 4 diameters appear to recover before the next downstream roughness element, so the location of transition shifts with the location of the most downstream roughness element in the array. When the rough- apart. The wake behind roughness elements spaced 2 diameters apart do not ness elements are spaced 4 diameters apart, the flow behind the first roughness element has enough space to recover before feeding into the second roughness element, and thus, moves transition forward.

Cosmic ray muon computed tomography of spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casks

DOE PAGES

Poulson, Daniel Cris; Durham, J. Matthew; Guardincerri, Elena; ...

2016-10-22

Radiography with cosmic ray muon scattering has proven to be a successful method of imaging nuclear material through heavy shielding. Of particular interest is monitoring dry storage casks for diversion of plutonium contained in spent reactor fuel. Using muon tracking detectors that surround a cylindrical cask, cosmic ray muon scattering can be simultaneously measured from all azimuthal angles, giving complete tomographic coverage of the cask interior. This article describes the first application of filtered back projection algorithms, typically used in medical imaging, to cosmic ray muon scattering imaging. The specific application to monitoring spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casksmore » is investigated via GEANT4 simulations. With a cylindrical muon tracking detector surrounding a typical spent fuel cask, simulations indicate that missing fuel bundles can be detected with a statistical significance of ~18σ in less than two days exposure and a sensitivity at 1σ to a 5% missing portion of a fuel bundle. Finally, we discuss potential detector technologies and geometries.« less

Cosmic ray muon computed tomography of spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casks

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

Poulson, Daniel Cris; Durham, J. Matthew; Guardincerri, Elena

Radiography with cosmic ray muon scattering has proven to be a successful method of imaging nuclear material through heavy shielding. Of particular interest is monitoring dry storage casks for diversion of plutonium contained in spent reactor fuel. Using muon tracking detectors that surround a cylindrical cask, cosmic ray muon scattering can be simultaneously measured from all azimuthal angles, giving complete tomographic coverage of the cask interior. This article describes the first application of filtered back projection algorithms, typically used in medical imaging, to cosmic ray muon scattering imaging. The specific application to monitoring spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casksmore » is investigated via GEANT4 simulations. With a cylindrical muon tracking detector surrounding a typical spent fuel cask, simulations indicate that missing fuel bundles can be detected with a statistical significance of ~18σ in less than two days exposure and a sensitivity at 1σ to a 5% missing portion of a fuel bundle. Finally, we discuss potential detector technologies and geometries.« less

Cosmic ray muon computed tomography of spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poulson, D.; Durham, J. M.; Guardincerri, E.; Morris, C. L.; Bacon, J. D.; Plaud-Ramos, K.; Morley, D.; Hecht, A. A.

2017-01-01

Radiography with cosmic ray muon scattering has proven to be a successful method of imaging nuclear material through heavy shielding. Of particular interest is monitoring dry storage casks for diversion of plutonium contained in spent reactor fuel. Using muon tracking detectors that surround a cylindrical cask, cosmic ray muon scattering can be simultaneously measured from all azimuthal angles, giving complete tomographic coverage of the cask interior. This paper describes the first application of filtered back projection algorithms, typically used in medical imaging, to cosmic ray muon scattering imaging. The specific application to monitoring spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casks is investigated via GEANT4 simulations. With a cylindrical muon tracking detector surrounding a typical spent fuel cask, simulations indicate that missing fuel bundles can be detected with a statistical significance of ∼ 18 σ in less than two days exposure and a sensitivity at 1σ to a 5% missing portion of a fuel bundle. Potential detector technologies and geometries are discussed.

Thermocouple, multiple junction reference oven

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leblanc, L. P. (Inventor)

1981-01-01

An improved oven for maintaining the junctions of a plurality of reference thermocouples at a common and constant temperature is described. The oven is characterized by a cylindrical body defining a heat sink with axially extended-cylindrical cavity a singularized heating element which comprises a unitary cylindrical heating element consisting of a resistance heating coil wound about the surface of metallic spool with an axial bore defined and seated in the cavity. Other features of the oven include an annular array of radially extended bores defined in the cylindrical body and a plurality of reference thermocouple junctions seated in the bores in uniformly spaced relation with the heating element, and a temperature sensing device seated in the axial bore for detecting temperature changes as they occur in the spool and circuit to apply a voltage across the coil in response to detected drops in temperatures of the spool.

Method and apparatus for reading lased bar codes on shiny-finished fuel rod cladding tubes

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

Goldenfield, M.P.; Lambert, D.V.

1990-10-02

This patent describes, in a nuclear fuel rod identification system, a method of reading a bar code etched directly on a surface of a nuclear fuel rod. It comprises: defining a pair of light diffuser surfaces adjacent one another but in oppositely inclined relation to a beam of light emitted from a light reader; positioning a fuel rod, having a cylindrical surface portion with a bar code etched directly thereon, relative to the light diffuser surfaces such that the surfaces are disposed adjacent to and in oppositely inclined relation along opposite sides of the fuel rod surface portion and themore » fuel rod surface portion is aligned with the beam of light emitted from the light reader; directing the beam of light on the bar code on fuel rod cylindrical surface portion such that the light is reflected therefrom onto one of the light diffuser surfaces; and receiving and reading the reflected light from the bar code via the one of the light diffuser surfaces to the light reader.« less

Fuel gas from biodigestion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdonald, R. C.; Wolverton, B. C.

1979-01-01

Biodigestion apparatus produces fuel gas (primarily methane) for domestic consumption, by anaerobic bacterial digestion of organic matter such as aquatic vegetation. System includes 3,786-1 cylindrical container, mechanical agitator, and simple safe gas collector for short term storage.

Ignition of an organic water-coal fuel droplet floating in a heated-air flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valiullin, T. R.; Strizhak, P. A.; Shevyrev, S. A.; Bogomolov, A. R.

2017-01-01

Ignition of an organic water-coal fuel (CWSP) droplet floating in a heated-air flow has been studied experimentally. Rank B2 brown-coal particles with a size of 100 μm, used crankcase Total oil, water, and a plasticizer were used as the main CWSP components. A dedicated quartz-glass chamber has been designed with inlet and outlet elements made as truncated cones connected via a cylindrical ring. The cones were used to shape an oxidizer flow with a temperature of 500-830 K and a flow velocity of 0.5-5.0 m/s. A technique that uses a coordinate-positioning gear, a nichrome thread, and a cutter element has been developed for discharging CWSP droplets into the working zone of the chamber. Droplets with an initial size of 0.4 to 2.0 mm were used. Conditions have been determined for a droplet to float in the oxidizer flow long enough for the sustainable droplet burning to be initiated. Typical stages and integral ignition characteristics have been established. The integral parameters (ignition-delay times) of the examined processes have been compared to the results of experiments with CWSP droplets suspended on the junction of a quick-response thermocouple. It has been shown that floating fuel droplets ignite much quicker than the ones that sit still on the thermocouple due to rotation of an CWSP droplet in the oxidizer flow, more uniform heating of the droplet, and lack of heat drainage towards the droplet center. High-speed video recording of the peculiarities of floatation of a burning fuel droplet makes it possible to complement the existing models of water-coal fuel burning. The results can be used for a more substantiated modeling of furnace CWSP burning with the ANSYS, Fluent, and Sigma-Flow software packages.

Parametric study in weld mismatch of longitudinally welded SSME HPFTP inlet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Min, J. B.; Spanyer, K. L.; Brunair, R. M.

1991-01-01

Welded joints are an essential part of pressure vessels such as the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Turbopumps. Defects produced in the welding process can be detrimental to weld performance. Recently, review of the SSME high pressure fuel turbopump (HPFTP) titanium inlet x rays revealed several weld discrepancies such as penetrameter density issues, film processing discrepancies, weld width discrepancies, porosity, lack of fusion, and weld offsets. Currently, the sensitivity of welded structures to defects is of concern. From a fatigue standpoint, weld offset may have a serious effect since local yielding, in general, aggravates cyclic stress effects. Therefore, the weld offset issue is considered. Using the finite element method and mathematical formulations, parametric studies were conducted to determine the influence of weld offsets and a variation of weld widths in longitudinally welded cylindrical structures with equal wall thickness on both sides of the joint. From the study, the finite element results and theoretical solutions are presented.

Thermal analysis of cylindrical natural-gas steam reformer for 5 kW PEMFC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jo, Taehyun; Han, Junhee; Koo, Bonchan; Lee, Dohyung

2016-11-01

The thermal characteristics of a natural-gas based cylindrical steam reformer coupled with a combustor are investigated for the use with a 5 kW polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. A reactor unit equipped with nickel-based catalysts was designed to activate the steam reforming reaction without the inclusion of high-temperature shift and low-temperature shift processes. Reactor temperature distribution and its overall thermal efficiency depend on various inlet conditions such as the equivalence ratio, the steam to carbon ratio (SCR), and the fuel distribution ratio (FDR) into the reactor and the combustor components. These experiments attempted to analyze the reformer's thermal and chemical properties through quantitative evaluation of product composition and heat exchange between the combustor and the reactor. FDR is critical factor in determining the overall performance as unbalanced fuel injection into the reactor and the combustor deteriorates overall thermal efficiency. Local temperature distribution also influences greatly on the fuel conversion rate and thermal efficiency. For the experiments, the operation conditions were set as SCR was in range of 2.5-4.0 and FDR was in 0.4-0.7 along with equivalence ratio of 0.9-1.1; optimum results were observed for FDR of 0.63 and SCR of 3.0 in the cylindrical steam reformer.

Calculation of the neutron diffusion equation by using Homotopy Perturbation Method

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

Koklu, H., E-mail: koklu@gantep.edu.tr; Ozer, O.; Ersoy, A.

The distribution of the neutrons in a nuclear fuel element in the nuclear reactor core can be calculated by the neutron diffusion theory. It is the basic and the simplest approximation for the neutron flux function in the reactor core. In this study, the neutron flux function is obtained by the Homotopy Perturbation Method (HPM) that is a new and convenient method in recent years. One-group time-independent neutron diffusion equation is examined for the most solved geometrical reactor core of spherical, cubic and cylindrical shapes, in the frame of the HPM. It is observed that the HPM produces excellent resultsmore » consistent with the existing literature.« less

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.

Ellipsoidal terrain correction based on multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection of the reference ellipsoid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardalan, A. A.; Safari, A.

2004-09-01

An operational algorithm for computation of terrain correction (or local gravity field modeling) based on application of closed-form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates in multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection of the reference ellipsoid is presented. Multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection of the reference ellipsoid has been derived and is described in detail for the first time. Ellipsoidal mass elements with various sizes on the surface of the reference ellipsoid are selected and the gravitational potential and vector of gravitational intensity (i.e. gravitational acceleration) of the mass elements are computed via numerical solution of the Newton integral in terms of geodetic coordinates {λ,ϕ,h}. Four base- edge points of the ellipsoidal mass elements are transformed into a multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection surface to build Cartesian mass elements by associating the height of the corresponding ellipsoidal mass elements to the transformed area elements. Using the closed-form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates, the gravitational potential and vector of gravitational intensity of the transformed Cartesian mass elements are computed and compared with those of the numerical solution of the Newton integral for the ellipsoidal mass elements in terms of geodetic coordinates. Numerical tests indicate that the difference between the two computations, i.e. numerical solution of the Newton integral for ellipsoidal mass elements in terms of geodetic coordinates and closed-form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates, in a multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection, is less than 1.6×10-8 m2/s2 for a mass element with a cross section area of 10×10 m and a height of 10,000 m. For a mass element with a cross section area of 1×1 km and a height of 10,000 m the difference is less than 1.5×10-4m2/s2. Since 1.5× 10-4 m2/s2 is equivalent to 1.5×10-5m in the vertical direction, it can be concluded that a method for terrain correction (or local gravity field modeling) based on closed-form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates of a multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection of the reference ellipsoid has been developed which has the accuracy of terrain correction (or local gravity field modeling) based on the Newton integral in terms of ellipsoidal coordinates.

Temperature sensor with improved thermal barrier and gas seal between the probe and housing

DOEpatents

O'Connell, David Peter; Sumner, Randall Christian

1998-01-01

A temperature sensor comprising: a hollow tube with a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is closed sealing a cavity within the tube from an environment outside of the tube and wherein the first end has an exterior cylindrical surface; a temperature responsive sensing element within the tube proximate to the second end; a glass cylinder having an inner cylindrical surface in sealing engagement with the exterior cylindrical surface of the first end of the tube; and a sensor housing having an inner cylindrical cavity bounded by an inner cylindrical wall, wherein an outer cylindrical surface of the glass cylinder is sealingly engaged with the inner cylindrical wall.

Terrain Correction on the moving equal area cylindrical map projection of the surface of a reference ellipsoid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardalan, A.; Safari, A.; Grafarend, E.

2003-04-01

An operational algorithm for computing the ellipsoidal terrain correction based on application of closed form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates in the cylindrical equal area map projected surface of a reference ellipsoid has been developed. As the first step the mapping of the points on the surface of a reference ellipsoid onto the cylindrical equal area map projection of a cylinder tangent to a point on the surface of reference ellipsoid closely studied and the map projection formulas are computed. Ellipsoidal mass elements with various sizes on the surface of the reference ellipsoid is considered and the gravitational potential and the vector of gravitational intensity of these mass elements has been computed via the solution of Newton integral in terms of ellipsoidal coordinates. The geographical cross section areas of the selected ellipsoidal mass elements are transferred into cylindrical equal area map projection and based on the transformed area elements Cartesian mass elements with the same height as that of the ellipsoidal mass elements are constructed. Using the close form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates the potential of the Cartesian mass elements are computed and compared with the same results based on the application of the ellipsoidal Newton integral over the ellipsoidal mass elements. The results of the numerical computations show that difference between computed gravitational potential of the ellipsoidal mass elements and Cartesian mass element in the cylindrical equal area map projection is of the order of 1.6 × 10-8m^2/s^2 for a mass element with the cross section size of 10 km × 10 km and the height of 1000 m. For a 1 km × 1 km mass element with the same height, this difference is less than 1.5 × 10-4 m^2}/s^2. The results of the numerical computations indicate that a new method for computing the terrain correction based on the closed form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates and with accuracy of ellipsoidal terrain correction has been achieved! In this way one can enjoy the simplicity of the solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates and at the same time the accuracy of the ellipsoidal terrain correction, which is needed for the modern theory of geoid computations.

Buckling of Cracked Laminated Composite Cylindrical Shells Subjected to Combined Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allahbakhsh, Hamidreza; Shariati, Mahmoud

2013-10-01

A series of finite element analysis on the cracked composite cylindrical shells under combined loading is carried out to study the effect of loading condition, crack size and orientation on the buckling behavior of laminated composite cylindrical shells. The interaction buckling curves of cracked laminated composite cylinders subject to different combinations of axial compression, bending, internal pressure and external pressure are obtained, using the finite element method. Results show that the internal pressure increases the critical buckling load of the CFRP cylindrical shells and bending and external pressure decrease it. Numerical analysis show that axial crack has the most detrimental effect on the buckling load of a cylindrical shell and results show that for lower values of the axial compressive load and higher values of the external pressure, the buckling is usually in the global mode and for higher values of axial compressive load and lower levels of external pressure the buckling mode is mostly in the local mode.

Pulsed-power-driven cylindrical liner implosions of laser preheated fuel magnetized with an axial field

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

Slutz, S. A.; Herrmann, M. C.; Vesey, R. A.

2010-05-15

The radial convergence required to reach fusion conditions is considerably higher for cylindrical than for spherical implosions since the volume is proportional to r{sup 2} versus r{sup 3}, respectively. Fuel magnetization and preheat significantly lowers the required radial convergence enabling cylindrical implosions to become an attractive path toward generating fusion conditions. Numerical simulations are presented indicating that significant fusion yields may be obtained by pulsed-power-driven implosions of cylindrical metal liners onto magnetized (>10 T) and preheated (100-500 eV) deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel. Yields exceeding 100 kJ could be possible on Z at 25 MA, while yields exceeding 50 MJ could bemore » possible with a more advanced pulsed power machine delivering 60 MA. These implosions occur on a much shorter time scale than previously proposed implosions, about 100 ns as compared to about 10 mus for magnetic target fusion (MTF) [I. R. Lindemuth and R. C. Kirkpatrick, Nucl. Fusion 23, 263 (1983)]. Consequently the optimal initial fuel density (1-5 mg/cc) is considerably higher than for MTF (approx1 mug/cc). Thus the final fuel density is high enough to axially trap most of the alpha-particles for cylinders of approximately 1 cm in length with a purely axial magnetic field, i.e., no closed field configuration is required for ignition. According to the simulations, an initial axial magnetic field is partially frozen into the highly conducting preheated fuel and is compressed to more than 100 MG. This final field is strong enough to inhibit both electron thermal conduction and the escape of alpha-particles in the radial direction. Analytical and numerical calculations indicate that the DT can be heated to 200-500 eV with 5-10 kJ of green laser light, which could be provided by the Z-Beamlet laser. The magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability poses the greatest threat to this approach to fusion. Two-dimensional Lasnex simulations indicate that the liner walls must have a substantial initial thickness (10-20% of the radius) so that they maintain integrity throughout the implosion. The Z and Z-Beamlet experiments are now being planned to test the various components of this concept, e.g., the laser heating of the fuel and the robustness of liner implosions to the MRT instability.« less

Further Results in Bend-Buckling Analysis of Ring Stiffened Cylindrical Shells.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-08-01

Submerged Shell Targets, NSWC TR 84-380, Dec 1984. 2. Moussouros, M., "Finite Element Modeling Techniques for Buckling Analysis of Cylindrical Shells...KCR, MBR , M0 , F0 , and I, R is the mean radius as given by R0 ) R0 - Mean radius of circular cylindrical shell (perfect shell or radius of

Design Study of Modular Nuclear Power Plant with Small Long Life Gas Cooled Fast Reactors Utilizing MOX Fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilham, Muhammad; Su'ud, Zaki

2017-01-01

Growing energy needed due to increasing of the world’s population encourages development of technology and science of nuclear power plant in its safety and security. In this research, it will be explained about design study of modular fast reactor with helium gas cooling (GCFR) small long life reactor, which can be operated over 20 years. It had been conducted about neutronic design GCFR with Mixed Oxide (UO2-PuO2) fuel in range of 100-200 MWth NPPs of power and 50-60% of fuel fraction variation with cylindrical pin cell and cylindrical balance of reactor core geometry. Calculation method used SRAC-CITATION code. The obtained results are the effective multiplication factor and density value of core reactor power (with geometry optimalization) to obtain optimum design core reactor power, whereas the obtained of optimum core reactor power is 200 MWth with 55% of fuel fraction and 9-13% of percentages.

Integrated Fuel Injection and Mixing System with Impingement Cooling Face

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mansour, Adel B. (Inventor); Harvey, Rex J. (Inventor); Tacina, Robert R. (Inventor); Laing, Peter (Inventor)

2003-01-01

An atomizing injector includes a metering set having a swirl chamber, a spray orifice and one or more feed slots etched in a thin plate. The swirl chamber is etched in a first side of the plate and the spray orifice is etched through a second side to the center of the swirl chamber. Fuel feed slots extend non-radially to the swirl chamber. The injector also includes integral swirler structure. The swirler structure includes a cylindrical air swirler passage, also shaped by etching, through at least one other thin plate. The cylindrical air swirler passage is located in co-axial relation to the spray orifice of the plate of the fuel metering set such that fuel directed through the spray orifice passes through the air swirler passage and swirling air is imparted to the fuel such that the fuel has a swirling component of motion. At least one air feed slot is provided in fluid communication with the air swirler passage and extends in non-radial relation thereto. Air supply passages extend through the plates of the metering set and the swirler structure to feed the air feed slot in each plate of the swirler structure.

Temperature sensor with improved thermal barrier and gas seal between the probe and housing

DOEpatents

O`Connell, D.P.; Sumner, R.C.

1998-04-28

A temperature sensor is disclosed comprising: a hollow tube with a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is closed sealing a cavity within the tube from an environment outside of the tube and wherein the first end has an exterior cylindrical surface; a temperature responsive sensing element within the tube proximate to the second end; a glass cylinder having an inner cylindrical surface in sealing engagement with the exterior cylindrical surface of the first end of the tube; and a sensor housing having an inner cylindrical cavity bounded by an inner cylindrical wall, wherein an outer cylindrical surface of the glass cylinder is sealingly engaged with the inner cylindrical wall. 1 fig.

GARLIC, A SHIELDING PROGRAM FOR GAMMA RADIATION FROM LINE- AND CYLINDER- SOURCES

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

Roos, M.

1959-06-01

GARLlC is a program for computing the gamma ray flux or dose rate at a shielded isotropic point detector, due to a line source or the line equivalent of a cylindrical source. The source strength distribution along the line must be either uniform or an arbitrary part of the positive half-cycle of a cosine function The line source can be orierted arbitrarily with respect to the main shield and the detector, except that the detector must not be located on the line source or on its extensionThe main source is a homogeneous plane slab in which scattered radiation is accountedmore » for by multiplying each point element of the line source by a point source buildup factor inside the integral over the point elements. Between the main shield and the line source additional shields can be introduced, which are either plane slabs, parallel to the main shield, or cylindrical rings, coaxial with the line source. Scattered radiation in the additional shields can only be accounted for by constant build-up factors outside the integral. GARLlC-xyz is an extended version particularly suited for the frequently met problem of shielding a room containing a large number of line sources in diHerent positions. The program computes the angles and linear dimensions of a problem for GARLIC when the positions of the detector point and the end points of the line source are given as points in an arbitrary rectangular coordinate system. As an example the isodose curves in water are presented for a monoenergetic cosine-distributed line source at several source energies and for an operating fuel element of the Swedish reactor R3, (auth)« less

High-Performance Multi-Fuel AMTEC Power System

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-12-01

AMTEC technology has demonstrated thermal to electric conversion efficiencies and power densities which make it an attractive option for meso-scaic...power generation. This report details development of an integrated, logistics-fueled, 500 W AMTEC power supply. The development targeted 2O% AMTEC ...cylindrical multi-tube/single cell AMTEC configuration with effective management of alkali metal flow; scaling down and integrating a multi-fuel micro-combustor

On sound transmission into a stiffened cylindrical shell with rings and stringers treated as discrete elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koval, L. R.

1980-01-01

In the context of the transmission of airborne noise into an aircraft fuselage, a mathematical model is presented for the transmission of an oblique plane sound wave into a finite cylindrical shell stiffened by stringers and ring frames. The rings and stringers are modeled as discrete structural elements. The numerical case studied was typical of a narrow-bodied jet transport fuselage. The numerical results show that the ring-frequency dip in the transmission loss curve that is present for a monocoque shell is still present in the case of a stiffened shell. The ring frequency effect is a result of the cylindrical geometry of the shell. Below the ring frequency, stiffening does not appear to have any significant effect on transmission loss, but above the ring frequency, stiffeners can enhance the transmission loss of a cylindrical shell.

Free and Forced Vibrations of Thick-Walled Anisotropic Cylindrical Shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchuk, A. V.; Gnedash, S. V.; Levkovskii, S. A.

2017-03-01

Two approaches to studying the free and forced axisymmetric vibrations of cylindrical shell are proposed. They are based on the three-dimensional theory of elasticity and division of the original cylindrical shell with concentric cross-sectional circles into several coaxial cylindrical shells. One approach uses linear polynomials to approximate functions defined in plan and across the thickness. The other approach also uses linear polynomials to approximate functions defined in plan, but their variation with thickness is described by the analytical solution of a system of differential equations. Both approaches have approximation and arithmetic errors. When determining the natural frequencies by the semi-analytical finite-element method in combination with the divide and conqure method, it is convenient to find the initial frequencies by the finite-element method. The behavior of the shell during free and forced vibrations is analyzed in the case where the loading area is half the shell thickness

Cantilever clamp fitting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melton, Patrick B. (Inventor)

1989-01-01

A device is disclosed for sealing and clamping a cylindrical element which is to be attached to an object such as a wall, a pressurized vessel or another cylindrical element. The device includes a gland having an inner cylindrical wall, which is threaded at one end and is attached at a bendable end to a deformable portion, which in turn is attached to one end of a conical cantilever structure. The other end of the cantilever structure connects at a bendable area to one end of an outer cylindrical wall. The opposite end of cylindrical wall terminates in a thickened portion, the radially outer surface of which is adapted to accommodate a tool for rotating the gland. The terminal end of cylindrical wall also includes an abutment surface, which is adapted to engage a seal, which in turn engages a surface of a receiver. The receiver further includes a threaded portion for engagement with the threaded portion of gland whereby a tightening rotation of gland relative to receiver will cause relative movement between cylindrical walls and of gland. This movement causes a rotation of the conical structure and thus a bending action at bending area and at the bending end of the upper end of inner cylindrical wall. These rotational and bending actions result in a forcing of the deformable portion radially inwardly so as to contact and deform a pipe. This forcible contact creates a seal between gland and pipe, and simultaneously clamps the pipe in position.

Shielded resistive electromagnets of arbitrary surface geometry using the boundary element method and a minimum energy constraint.

PubMed

Harris, Chad T; Haw, Dustin W; Handler, William B; Chronik, Blaine A

2013-09-01

Eddy currents are generated in MR by the use of rapidly switched electromagnets, resulting in time varying and spatially varying magnetic fields that must be either minimized or corrected. This problem is further complicated when non-cylindrical insert magnets are used for specialized applications. Interruption of the coupling between an insert coil and the MR system is typically accomplished using active magnetic shielding. A new method of actively shielding insert gradient and shim coils of any surface geometry by use of the boundary element method for coil design with a minimum energy constraint is presented. This method was applied to shield x- and z-gradient coils for two separate cases: a traditional cylindrical primary gradient with cylindrical shield and, to demonstrate its versatility in surface geometry, the same cylindrical primary gradients with a rectangular box-shaped shield. For the cylindrical case this method produced shields that agreed with analytic solutions. For the second case, the rectangular box-shaped shields demonstrated very good shielding characteristics despite having a different geometry than the primary coils. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fuel cell arrangement

DOEpatents

Isenberg, A.O.

1987-05-12

A fuel cell arrangement is provided wherein cylindrical cells of the solid oxide electrolyte type are arranged in planar arrays where the cells within a plane are parallel. Planes of cells are stacked with cells of adjacent planes perpendicular to one another. Air is provided to the interior of the cells through feed tubes which pass through a preheat chamber. Fuel is provided to the fuel cells through a channel in the center of the cell stack; the fuel then passes the exterior of the cells and combines with the oxygen-depleted air in the preheat chamber. 3 figs.

Fuel cell arrangement

DOEpatents

Isenberg, Arnold O.

1987-05-12

A fuel cell arrangement is provided wherein cylindrical cells of the solid oxide electrolyte type are arranged in planar arrays where the cells within a plane are parallel. Planes of cells are stacked with cells of adjacent planes perpendicular to one another. Air is provided to the interior of the cells through feed tubes which pass through a preheat chamber. Fuel is provided to the fuel cells through a channel in the center of the cell stack; the fuel then passes the exterior of the cells and combines with the oxygen-depleted air in the preheat chamber.

A Jacobian-free Newton Krylov method for mortar-discretized thermomechanical contact problems

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

Hansen, Glen, E-mail: Glen.Hansen@inl.gov

2011-07-20

Multibody contact problems are common within the field of multiphysics simulation. Applications involving thermomechanical contact scenarios are also quite prevalent. Such problems can be challenging to solve due to the likelihood of thermal expansion affecting contact geometry which, in turn, can change the thermal behavior of the components being analyzed. This paper explores a simple model of a light water reactor nuclear fuel rod, which consists of cylindrical pellets of uranium dioxide (UO{sub 2}) fuel sealed within a Zircalloy cladding tube. The tube is initially filled with helium gas, which fills the gap between the pellets and cladding tube. Themore » accurate modeling of heat transfer across the gap between fuel pellets and the protective cladding is essential to understanding fuel performance, including cladding stress and behavior under irradiated conditions, which are factors that affect the lifetime of the fuel. The thermomechanical contact approach developed here is based on the mortar finite element method, where Lagrange multipliers are used to enforce weak continuity constraints at participating interfaces. In this formulation, the heat equation couples to linear mechanics through a thermal expansion term. Lagrange multipliers are used to formulate the continuity constraints for both heat flux and interface traction at contact interfaces. The resulting system of nonlinear algebraic equations are cast in residual form for solution of the transient problem. A Jacobian-free Newton Krylov method is used to provide for fully-coupled solution of the coupled thermal contact and heat equations.« less

A Jacobian-Free Newton Krylov Method for Mortar-Discretized Thermomechanical Contact Problems

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

Glen Hansen

2011-07-01

Multibody contact problems are common within the field of multiphysics simulation. Applications involving thermomechanical contact scenarios are also quite prevalent. Such problems can be challenging to solve due to the likelihood of thermal expansion affecting contact geometry which, in turn, can change the thermal behavior of the components being analyzed. This paper explores a simple model of a light water reactor nuclear reactor fuel rod, which consists of cylindrical pellets of uranium dioxide (UO2) fuel sealed within a Zircalloy cladding tube. The tube is initially filled with helium gas, which fills the gap between the pellets and cladding tube. Themore » accurate modeling of heat transfer across the gap between fuel pellets and the protective cladding is essential to understanding fuel performance, including cladding stress and behavior under irradiated conditions, which are factors that affect the lifetime of the fuel. The thermomechanical contact approach developed here is based on the mortar finite element method, where Lagrange multipliers are used to enforce weak continuity constraints at participating interfaces. In this formulation, the heat equation couples to linear mechanics through a thermal expansion term. Lagrange multipliers are used to formulate the continuity constraints for both heat flux and interface traction at contact interfaces. The resulting system of nonlinear algebraic equations are cast in residual form for solution of the transient problem. A Jacobian-free Newton Krylov method is used to provide for fully-coupled solution of the coupled thermal contact and heat equations.« less

Feasibility of Using Lateral Mode Coupling Method for a Large Scale Ultrasound Phased Array for Noninvasive Transcranial Therapy

PubMed Central

Song, Junho; Hynynen, Kullervo

2009-01-01

A hemispherical-focused, ultrasound phased array was designed and fabricated using 1372 cylindrical piezoelectric transducers that utilize lateral coupling for noninvasive transcranial therapy. The cylindrical transducers allowed the electrical impedance to be reduced by at least an order of magnitude, such that effective operation could be achieved without electronic matching circuits. In addition, the transducer elements generated the maximum acoustic average surface intensity of 27 W/cm2. The array, driven at the low (306 kHz) or high frequency (840 kHz), achieved excellent focusing through an ex vivo human skull and an adequate beam steering range for clinical brain treatments. It could electronically steer the ultrasound beam over cylindrical volumes of 100 mm in diameter and 60 mm in height at 306 kHz, and 30-mm in diameter and 30-mm in height at 840 kHz. A scanning laser vibrometer was used to investigate the radial and length mode vibrations of the element. The maximum pressure amplitudes through the skull at the geometric focus were predicted to be 5.5 MPa at 306 kHz and 3.7 MPa at 840 kHz for RF power of 1 W on each element. This is the first study demonstrating the feasibility of using cylindrical transducer elements and lateral coupling in construction of ultrasound phased arrays. PMID:19695987

The Cylindrical Component Methodology Evaluation Module for MUVES-S2

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-01

ARL-TR-7990 ● APR 2017 US Army Research Laboratory The Cylindrical Component Methodology Evaluation Module for MUVES-S2 by...Laboratory The Cylindrical Component Methodology Evaluation Module for MUVES-S2 by David S Butler, Marianne Kunkel, and Brian G Smith...Methodology Evaluation Module for MUVES-S2 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) David S Butler, Marianne

Bio-oil production from biomass via supercritical fluid extraction

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

Durak, Halil, E-mail: halildurak@yyu.edu.tr

2016-04-18

Supercritical fluid extraction is used for producing bio-fuel from biomass. Supercritical fluid extraction process under supercritical conditions is the thermally disruption process of the lignocellulose or other organic materials at 250-400 °C temperature range under high pressure (4-5 MPa). Supercritical fluid extraction trials were performed in a cylindrical reactor (75 mL) in organic solvents (acetone, ethanol) under supercritical conditions with (calcium hydroxide, sodium carbonate) and without catalyst at the temperatures of 250, 275 and 300 °C. The produced liquids at 300 °C in supercritical liquefaction were analyzed and characterized by elemental, GC-MS and FT-IR. 36 and 37 different types of compounds weremore » identified by GC-MS obtained in acetone and ethanol respectively.« less

Fem Formulation of Heat Transfer in Cylindrical Porous Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azeem; Khaleed, H. M. T.; Soudagar, Manzoor Elahi M.

2017-08-01

Heat transfer in porous medium can be derived from the fundamental laws of flow in porous region ass given by Henry Darcy. The fluid flow and energy transport inside the porous medium can be described with the help of momentum and energy equations. The heat transfer in cylindrical porous medium differs from its counterpart in radial and axial coordinates. The present work is focused to discuss the finite element formulation of heat transfer in cylindrical porous medium. The basic partial differential equations are derived using Darcy law which is the converted into a set of algebraic equations with the help of finite element method. The resulting equations are solved by matrix method for two solution variables involved in the coupled equations.

Photovoltaic modules with cylindrical waveguides in a system for the secondary concentration of solar radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreev, V. M.; Davidyuk, N. Yu.; Ionova, E. A.; Rumyantsev, V. D.

2013-09-01

The parameters of the concentrating photoelectric modules with triple-junction (InGaP/GaAs/Ge) solar cells whose focusing system contains an original secondary optical element are studied. The element consists of a plane-convex lens in optical contact with the front surface of an intermediate glass plate and a cylindrical waveguide that is located on the rear side of the glass plate above the surface of the solar element. It is demonstrated that the structure of the secondary optical element provides a wide misorientation characteristic of the concentrator and the cylindrical waveguide allows a more uniform radiation density over the surface of the solar cell. The effect of chromatic aberration in the primary and secondary optical systems on the parameters of photoelectric modules is analyzed. It is demonstrated that the presence of waveguides with a length of 3-5 mm leads to effective redistribution of radiation over the surface of the solar cell whereas shorter and longer waveguides provide the local concentration of radiation at the center of the photodetecting area.

Stem geometry changes initial femoral fixation stability of a revised press-fit hip prosthesis: A finite element study.

PubMed

Russell, Robert D; Huo, Michael H; Rodrigues, Danieli C; Kosmopoulos, Victor

2016-11-14

Stable femoral fixation during uncemented total hip arthroplasty is critical to allow for subsequent osseointegration of the prosthesis. Varying stem designs provide surgeons with multiple options to gain femoral fixation. The purpose of this study was to compare the initial fixation stability of cylindrical and tapered stem implants using two different underreaming techniques (press-fit conditions) for revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). A finite element femur model was created from three-dimensional computed tomography images simulating a trabecular bone defect commonly observed in revision THA. Two 18-mm generic femoral hip implants were modeled using the same geometry, differing only in that one had a cylindrical stem and the other had a 2 degree tapered stem. Surgery was simulated using a 0.05-mm and 0.01-mm press-fit and tested with a physiologically relevant loading protocol. Mean contact pressure was influenced more by the surgical technique than by the stem geometry. The 0.05-mm press-fit condition resulted in the highest contact pressures for both the cylindrical (27.35 MPa) and tapered (20.99 MPa) stems. Changing the press-fit to 0.01-mm greatly decreased the contact pressure by 79.8% and 78.5% for the cylindrical (5.53 MPa) and tapered (4.52 MPa) models, respectively. The cylindrical stem geometry consistently showed less relative micromotion at all the cross-sections sampled as compared to the tapered stem regardless of press-fit condition. This finite element analysis study demonstrates that tapered stem results in lower average contact pressure and greater micromotion at the implant-bone interface than a cylindrical stem geometry. More studies are needed to establish how these different stem geometries perform in such non-ideal conditions encountered in revision THA cases where less bone stock is available.

Nuclear light bulb

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Latham, Tom

1991-01-01

The nuclear light bulb engine is a closed cycle concept. The nuclear light bulb concept provides containment by keeping the nuclear fuel fluid mechanically suspended in a cylindrical geometry. Thermal heat passes through an internally cooled, fused-silica, transparent wall and heats hydrogen propellant. The seeded hydrogen propellant absorbs radiant energy and is expanded through a nozzle. Internal moderation was used in the configuration which resulted in a reduced critical density requirement. This result was supported by criticality experiments. A reference engine was designed that had seven cells and was sized to fit in what was then predicted to be the shuttle bay mass and volume limitations. There were studies done of nozzle throat cooling schemes to remove the radiant heat. Elements of the nuclear light bulb program included closed loop critical assembly tests done at Los Alamos with UF6 confined by argon buffer gas. It was shown that the fuel region could be seeded with constituents that would block UV radiation from the uranium plasma. A combination of calculations and experiments showed that internal moderation produced a critical mass reduction. Other aspects of the research are presented.

Scale interaction and arrangement in a turbulent boundary layer perturbed by a wall-mounted cylindrical element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Zhanqi; Jiang, Nan

2018-05-01

This study reports the modifications of scale interaction and arrangement in a turbulent boundary layer perturbed by a wall-mounted circular cylinder. Hot-wire measurements were executed at multiple streamwise and wall-normal wise locations downstream of the cylindrical element. The streamwise fluctuating signals were decomposed into large-, small-, and dissipative-scale signatures by corresponding cutoff filters. The scale interaction under the cylindrical perturbation was elaborated by comparing the small- and dissipative-scale amplitude/frequency modulation effects downstream of the cylinder element with the results observed in the unperturbed case. It was obtained that the large-scale fluctuations perform a stronger amplitude modulation on both the small and dissipative scales in the near-wall region. At the wall-normal positions of the cylinder height, the small-scale amplitude modulation coefficients are redistributed by the cylinder wake. The similar observation was noted in small-scale frequency modulation; however, the dissipative-scale frequency modulation seems to be independent of the cylindrical perturbation. The phase-relationship observation indicated that the cylindrical perturbation shortens the time shifts between both the small- and dissipative-scale variations (amplitude and frequency) and large-scale fluctuations. Then, the integral time scale dependence of the phase-relationship between the small/dissipative scales and large scales was also discussed. Furthermore, the discrepancy of small- and dissipative-scale time shifts relative to the large-scale motions was examined, which indicates that the small-scale amplitude/frequency leads the dissipative scales.

Axially symmetrical stresses measurement in the cylindrical tube using DIC with hole-drilling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Yinji; Yao, Xuefeng; Zhang, Danwen

2015-03-01

In this paper, a new method combining the digital image correlation (DIC) with the hole-drilling technology to characterize the axially symmetrical stresses of the cylindrical tube is developed. First, the theoretical expressions of the axially symmetrical stresses in the cylindrical tube are derived based on the displacement or strain fields before and after hole-drilling. Second, the release of the axially symmetrical stresses for the cylindrical tube caused by hole-drilling is simulated by the finite element method (FEM), which indicates that the axially symmetrical stresses of the cylindrical tube calculated by the cylindrical solution is more accuracy than that for traditionally planar solution. Finally, both the speckle image information and the displacement field of the cylindrical tube before and after hole-drilling are extracted by combining the DIC with the hole-drilling technology, then the axially symmetrical loading induced stresses of the cylindrical tube are obtained, which agree well with the results from the strain gauge method.

Locking support for nuclear fuel assemblies

DOEpatents

Ledin, Eric

1980-01-01

A locking device for supporting and locking a nuclear fuel assembly within a cylindrical bore formed by a support plate, the locking device including a support and locking sleeve having upwardly extending fingers forming wedge shaped contact portions arranged for interaction between an annular tapered surface on the fuel assembly and the support plate bore as well as downwardly extending fingers having wedge shaped contact portions arranged for interaction between an annularly tapered surface on the support plate bore and the fuel assembly whereby the sleeve tends to support and lock the fuel assembly in place within the bore by its own weight while facilitating removal and/or replacement of the fuel assembly.

Transient heat and mass transfer analysis in a porous ceria structure of a novel solar redox reactor

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

Chandran, RB; Bader, R; Lipinski, W

2015-06-01

Thermal transport processes are numerically analyzed for a porous ceria structure undergoing reduction in a novel redox reactor for solar thermochemical fuel production. The cylindrical reactor cavity is formed by an array of annular reactive elements comprising the porous ceria monolith integrated with gas inlet and outlet channels. Two configurations are considered, with the reactor cavity consisting of 10 and 20 reactive elements, respectively. Temperature dependent boundary heat fluxes are obtained on the irradiated cavity wall by solving for the surface radiative exchange using the net radiation method coupled to the heat and mass transfer model of the reactive element.more » Predicted oxygen production rates are in the range 40-60 mu mol s(-1) for the geometries considered. After an initial rise, the average temperature of the reactive element levels off at 1660 and 1680 K for the two geometries, respectively. For the chosen reduction reaction rate model, oxygen release continues after the temperature has leveled off which indicates that the oxygen release reaction is limited by chemical kinetics and/or mass transfer rather than by the heating rate. For a fixed total mass of ceria, the peak oxygen release rate is doubled for the cavity with 20 reactive elements due to lower local oxygen partial pressure. (C) 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.« less

Square lattice honeycomb reactor for space power and propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouw, Reza; Anghaie, Samim

2000-01-01

The most recent nuclear design study at the Innovative Nuclear Space Power and Propulsion Institute (INSPI) is the Moderated Square-Lattice Honeycomb (M-SLHC) reactor design utilizing the solid solution of ternary carbide fuels. The reactor is fueled with solid solution of 93% enriched (U,Zr,Nb)C. The square-lattice honeycomb design provides high strength and is amenable to the processing complexities of these ultrahigh temperature fuels. The optimum core configuration requires a balance between high specific impulse and thrust level performance, and maintaining the temperature and strength limits of the fuel. The M-SLHC design is based on a cylindrical core that has critical radius and length of 37 cm and 50 cm, respectively. This design utilized zirconium hydrate to act as moderator. The fuel sub-assemblies are designed as cylindrical tubes with 12 cm in diameter and 10 cm in length. Five fuel subassemblies are stacked up axially to form one complete fuel assembly. These fuel assemblies are then arranged in the circular arrangement to form two fuel regions. The first fuel region consists of six fuel assemblies, and 18 fuel assemblies for the second fuel region. A 10-cm radial beryllium reflector in addition to 10-cm top axial beryllium reflector is used to reduce neutron leakage from the system. To perform nuclear design analysis of the M-SLHC design, a series of neutron transport and diffusion codes are used. To optimize the system design, five axial regions are specified. In each axial region, temperature and fuel density are varied. The axial and radial power distributions for the system are calculated, as well as the axial and radial flux distributions. Temperature coefficients of the system are also calculated. A water submersion accident scenario is also analyzed for these systems. Results of the nuclear design analysis indicate that a compact core can be designed based on ternary uranium carbide square-lattice honeycomb fuel, which provides a relatively high thrust to weight ratio. .

CONSTRUCTION OF NUCLEAR FUEL ELEMENTS

DOEpatents

Weems, S.J.

1963-09-24

>A rib arrangement and an end construction for nuclearfuel elements laid end to end in a coolant tube are described. The rib arrangement is such that each fuel element, when separated from other fuel elements, fits loosely in the coolant tube and so can easily be inserted or withdrawn from the tube. The end construction of the fuel elements is such that the fuel elements when assembled end to end are keyed against relative rotation, and the ribs of each fuel element cooperate with the ribs of the adjacent fuel elements to give the assembled fuel elements a tight fit with the coolant tube. (AEC)

Monitoring arrangement for vented nuclear fuel elements

DOEpatents

Campana, Robert J.

1981-01-01

In a nuclear fuel reactor core, fuel elements are arranged in a closely packed hexagonal configuration, each fuel element having diametrically opposed vents permitting 180.degree. rotation of the fuel elements to counteract bowing. A grid plate engages the fuel elements and forms passages for communicating sets of three, four or six individual vents with respective monitor lines in order to communicate vented radioactive gases from the fuel elements to suitable monitor means in a manner readily permitting detection of leakage in individual fuel elements.

The effect of cover use on plastic pyrolysis reactor heating process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armadi, Benny H.; Rangkuti, Chalilullah; Fauzi, M. D.; Permatasari, R.

2017-03-01

Plastic pyrolysis process to produce liquid fuel is an endothermic process that uses heat from the combustion of fuel as heat source. The reactor used is usually a vertical cylindrical in shape, with LPG fuel combustion under the flat bottom of the reactor, and the combustion gases is dispersed into the surrounding environment, so that heat transferred to the plastic inside the reactor is not effective, causing high LPG consumption. In this study, the reactor is made of stainless steel plate, with a vertical cylindrical shape, with a basic cylindrical conical truncated by a pit pass hot flue gas in the middle that serves to deliver flue gas into the chimney. The contact area between the hot combusted LPG gases to the processed plastic inside the reactor becomes bigger and gets better heat transfer, and required less LPG consumption. For more effective heat transfer process, an outer cover of this reactor was made and the relatively hot combustion gases are used to heat the outside of the reactor by directing the flow of the flue gas from the chimney down along the outer wall of the reactor and out the bottom lid. This construction makes the heating process to be faster and the LPG fuel is used more efficiently. From the measurements, it was found to raise 1°C of temperature inside the covered reactor, the LPG consumed is 0.59 gram, and if the reactor cover is removed, the gas demand will rise nearly threefold to 1.43 grams. With this method, in addition to reducing the rate of heat loss will also help reduce LPG consumption significantly.

Credit BG. View looks south southeast toward tank farm, Rogers ...

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

Credit BG. View looks south southeast toward tank farm, Rogers Dry Lake is in the background. Each cylindrical tank is labeled for jet fuel grade JP5. Two 2,000 gallon capacity rectangular tanks in midground are fabricated of concrete for storing hydrocarbons; they were constructed in 1993. Structure at extreme right of view is Building 4515, Jet Fuel Testing Laboratory - Edwards Air Force Base, North Base, Aircraft Fuel Tank Farm, Northeast of A Street, Boron, Kern County, CA

Finite Element Analysis of Geodesically Stiffened Cylindrical Composite Shells Using a Layerwise Theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerhard, Craig Steven; Gurdal, Zafer; Kapania, Rakesh K.

1996-01-01

Layerwise finite element analyses of geodesically stiffened cylindrical shells are presented. The layerwise laminate theory of Reddy (LWTR) is developed and adapted to circular cylindrical shells. The Ritz variational method is used to develop an analytical approach for studying the buckling of simply supported geodesically stiffened shells with discrete stiffeners. This method utilizes a Lagrange multiplier technique to attach the stiffeners to the shell. The development of the layerwise shells couples a one-dimensional finite element through the thickness with a Navier solution that satisfies the boundary conditions. The buckling results from the Ritz discrete analytical method are compared with smeared buckling results and with NASA Testbed finite element results. The development of layerwise shell and beam finite elements is presented and these elements are used to perform the displacement field, stress, and first-ply failure analyses. The layerwise shell elements are used to model the shell skin and the layerwise beam elements are used to model the stiffeners. This arrangement allows the beam stiffeners to be assembled directly into the global stiffness matrix. A series of analytical studies are made to compare the response of geodesically stiffened shells as a function of loading, shell geometry, shell radii, shell laminate thickness, stiffener height, and geometric nonlinearity. Comparisons of the structural response of geodesically stiffened shells, axial and ring stiffened shells, and unstiffened shells are provided. In addition, interlaminar stress results near the stiffener intersection are presented. First-ply failure analyses for geodesically stiffened shells utilizing the Tsai-Wu failure criterion are presented for a few selected cases.

Role of fuel chemical properties on combustor radiative heat load

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosfjord, T. J.

1984-01-01

In an attempt to rigorously study the fuel chemical property influence on combustor radiative heat load, United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) has conducted an experimental program using 25 test fuels. The burner was a 12.7-cm dia cylindrical device fueled by a single pressure-atomizing injector. Fuel physical properties were de-emphasized by selecting injectors which produced high-atomized, and hence rapidly-vaporizing sprays. The fuels were specified to cover the following wide ranges of chemical properties; hydrogen, 9.1 to 15- (wt) pct; total aromatics, 0 to 100 (vol) pct; and naphthalene, 0 to 30 (vol) pct. They included standard fuels, specialty products and fuel blends. Fuel naphthalene content exhibited the strongest influence on radiation of the chemical properties investigated. Smoke point was a good global indicator of radiation severity.

SOLID GAS SUSPENSION NUCLEAR FUEL ASSEMBLY

DOEpatents

Schluderberg, D.C.; Ryon, J.W.

1962-05-01

A fuel assembly is designed for use in a gas-suspension cooled nuclear fuel reactor. The coolant fluid is an inert gas such as nitrogen or helium with particles such as carbon suspended therein. The fuel assembly is contained within an elongated pressure vessel extending down into the reactor. The fuel portion is at the lower end of the vessel and is constructed of cylindrical segments through which the coolant passes. Turbulence promotors within the passageways maintain the particles in agitation to increase its ability to transfer heat away from the outer walls. Shielding sections and alternating passageways above the fueled portion limit the escape of radiation out of the top of the vessel. (AEC)

Simulation Analysis and Performance Study of CoCrMo Porous Structure Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guoqing, Zhang; Junxin, Li; Jin, Li; Chengguang, Zhang; Zefeng, Xiao

2018-04-01

To fabricate porous implants with improved biocompatibility and mechanical properties that are matched to their application using selective laser melting (SLM), flow within the mold and compressive properties and performance of the porous structures must be comprehensively studied. Parametric modeling was used to build 3D models of octahedron and hexahedron structures. Finite element analysis was used to evaluate the mold flow and compressive properties of the parametric porous structures. A DiMetal-100 SLM molding apparatus was used to manufacture the porous structures and the results evaluated by light microscopy. The results showed that parametric modeling can produce robust models. Square structures caused higher blood cell adhesion than cylindrical structures. "Vortex" flow in square structures resulted in chaotic distribution of blood elements, whereas they were mostly distributed around the connecting parts in the cylindrical structures. No significant difference in elastic moduli or compressive strength was observed in square and cylindrical porous structures of identical characteristics. Hexahedron, square and cylindrical porous structures had the same stress-strain properties. For octahedron porous structures, cylindrical structures had higher stress-strain properties. Using these modeling and molding results, an important basis for designing and the direct manufacture of fixed biological implants is provided.

Simulation Analysis and Performance Study of CoCrMo Porous Structure Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guoqing, Zhang; Junxin, Li; Jin, Li; Chengguang, Zhang; Zefeng, Xiao

2018-05-01

To fabricate porous implants with improved biocompatibility and mechanical properties that are matched to their application using selective laser melting (SLM), flow within the mold and compressive properties and performance of the porous structures must be comprehensively studied. Parametric modeling was used to build 3D models of octahedron and hexahedron structures. Finite element analysis was used to evaluate the mold flow and compressive properties of the parametric porous structures. A DiMetal-100 SLM molding apparatus was used to manufacture the porous structures and the results evaluated by light microscopy. The results showed that parametric modeling can produce robust models. Square structures caused higher blood cell adhesion than cylindrical structures. "Vortex" flow in square structures resulted in chaotic distribution of blood elements, whereas they were mostly distributed around the connecting parts in the cylindrical structures. No significant difference in elastic moduli or compressive strength was observed in square and cylindrical porous structures of identical characteristics. Hexahedron, square and cylindrical porous structures had the same stress-strain properties. For octahedron porous structures, cylindrical structures had higher stress-strain properties. Using these modeling and molding results, an important basis for designing and the direct manufacture of fixed biological implants is provided.

Winding for linear pump

DOEpatents

Kliman, G.B.; Brynsvold, G.V.; Jahns, T.M.

1989-08-22

A winding and method of winding for a submersible linear pump for pumping liquid sodium are disclosed. The pump includes a stator having a central cylindrical duct preferably vertically aligned. The central vertical duct is surrounded by a system of coils in slots. These slots are interleaved with magnetic flux conducting elements, these magnetic flux conducting elements forming a continuous magnetic field conduction path along the stator. The central duct has placed therein a cylindrical magnetic conducting core, this core having a cylindrical diameter less than the diameter of the cylindrical duct. The core once placed to the duct defines a cylindrical interstitial pumping volume of the pump. This cylindrical interstitial pumping volume preferably defines an inlet at the bottom of the pump, and an outlet at the top of the pump. Pump operation occurs by static windings in the outer stator sequentially conveying toroidal fields from the pump inlet at the bottom of the pump to the pump outlet at the top of the pump. The winding apparatus and method of winding disclosed uses multiple slots per pole per phase with parallel winding legs on each phase equal to or less than the number of slots per pole per phase. The slot sequence per pole per phase is chosen to equalize the variations in flux density of the pump sodium as it passes into the pump at the pump inlet with little or no flux and acquires magnetic flux in passage through the pump to the pump outlet. 4 figs.

Winding for linear pump

DOEpatents

Kliman, Gerald B.; Brynsvold, Glen V.; Jahns, Thomas M.

1989-01-01

A winding and method of winding for a submersible linear pump for pumping liquid sodium is disclosed. The pump includes a stator having a central cylindrical duct preferably vertically aligned. The central vertical duct is surrounded by a system of coils in slots. These slots are interleaved with magnetic flux conducting elements, these magnetic flux conducting elements forming a continuous magnetic field conduction path along the stator. The central duct has placed therein a cylindrical magnetic conducting core, this core having a cylindrical diameter less than the diameter of the cylindrical duct. The core once placed to the duct defines a cylindrical interstitial pumping volume of the pump. This cylindrical interstitial pumping volume preferably defines an inlet at the bottom of the pump, and an outlet at the top of the pump. Pump operation occurs by static windings in the outer stator sequentially conveying toroidal fields from the pump inlet at the bottom of the pump to the pump outlet at the top of the pump. The winding apparatus and method of winding disclosed uses multiple slots per pole per phase with parallel winding legs on each phase equal to or less than the number of slots per pole per phase. The slot sequence per pole per phase is chosen to equalize the variations in flux density of the pump sodium as it passes into the pump at the pump inlet with little or no flux and acquires magnetic flux in passage through the pump to the pump outlet.

Eigenvalue computations with the QUAD4 consistent-mass matrix

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Thomas A.

1990-01-01

The NASTRAN user has the option of using either a lumped-mass matrix or a consistent- (coupled-) mass matrix with the QUAD4 shell finite element. At the Sixteenth NASTRAN Users' Colloquium (1988), Melvyn Marcus and associates of the David Taylor Research Center summarized a study comparing the results of the QUAD4 element with results of other NASTRAN shell elements for a cylindrical-shell modal analysis. Results of this study, in which both the lumped-and consistent-mass matrix formulations were used, implied that the consistent-mass matrix yielded poor results. In an effort to further evaluate the consistent-mass matrix, a study was performed using both a cylindrical-shell geometry and a flat-plate geometry. Modal parameters were extracted for several modes for both geometries leading to some significant conclusions. First, there do not appear to be any fundamental errors associated with the consistent-mass matrix. However, its accuracy is quite different for the two different geometries studied. The consistent-mass matrix yields better results for the flat-plate geometry and the lumped-mass matrix seems to be the better choice for cylindrical-shell geometries.

Journal bearing

DOEpatents

Menke, John R.; Boeker, Gilbert F.

1976-05-11

1. An improved journal bearing comprising in combination a non-rotatable cylindrical bearing member having a first bearing surface, a rotatable cylindrical bearing member having a confronting second bearing surface having a plurality of bearing elements, a source of lubricant adjacent said bearing elements for supplying lubricant thereto, each bearing element consisting of a pair of elongated relatively shallowly depressed surfaces lying in a cylindrical surface co-axial with the non-depressed surface and diverging from one another in the direction of rotation and obliquely arranged with respect to the axis of rotation of said rotatable member to cause a flow of lubricant longitudinally along said depressed surfaces from their distal ends toward their proximal ends as said bearing members are rotated relative to one another, each depressed surface subtending a radial angle of less than 360.degree., and means for rotating said rotatable bearing member to cause the lubricant to flow across and along said depressed surfaces, the flow of lubricant being impeded by the non-depressed portions of said second bearing surface to cause an increase in the lubricant pressure.

Method of and apparatus for collecting solar radiation utilizing variable curvature cylindrical reflectors

DOEpatents

Treytl, William J.; Slemmons, Arthur J.; Andeen, Gerry B.

1979-01-01

A heliostat apparatus includes a frame which is rotatable about an axis which is parallel to the aperture plane of an elongate receiver. A plurality of flat flexible mirror elements are mounted to the frame between several parallel, uniformly spaced resilient beams which are pivotally connected at their ends to the frame. Channels are mounted to the sides of the beams for supporting the edges of the mirror elements. Each of the beams has a longitudinally varying configuration designed to bow into predetermined, generally circular curvatures of varying radii when the center of the beam is deflected relative to the pivotally connected ends of the beams. All of the parallel resilient beams are simultaneously deflected by a cam shaft assembly extending through openings in the centers of the beams, whereby the mirror elements together form an upwardly concave, cylindrical reflecting surface. The heliostat is rotated about its axis to track the apparent diurnal movement of the sun, while the reflecting surface is substantially simultaneously bowed into a cylindrical trough having a radius adapted to focus incident light at the plane of the receiver aperture.

Thermal breeder fuel enrichment zoning

DOEpatents

Capossela, Harry J.; Dwyer, Joseph R.; Luce, Robert G.; McCoy, Daniel F.; Merriman, Floyd C.

1992-01-01

A method and apparatus for improving the performance of a thermal breeder reactor having regions of higher than average moderator concentration are disclosed. The fuel modules of the reactor core contain at least two different types of fuel elements, a high enrichment fuel element and a low enrichment fuel element. The two types of fuel elements are arranged in the fuel module with the low enrichment fuel elements located between the high moderator regions and the high enrichment fuel elements. Preferably, shim rods made of a fertile material are provided in selective regions for controlling the reactivity of the reactor by movement of the shim rods into and out of the reactor core. The moderation of neutrons adjacent the high enrichment fuel elements is preferably minimized as by reducing the spacing of the high enrichment fuel elements and/or using a moderator having a reduced moderating effect.

Stress concentration factors for circular, reinforced penetrations in pressurized cylindrical shells. Ph.D. Thesis - Virginia Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramsey, J. W., Jr.

1975-01-01

The effect on stresses in a cylindrical shell with a circular penetration subject to internal pressure was investigated in thin, shallow linearly, elastic cylindrical shells. Results provide numerical predictions of peak stress concentration factors around nonreinforced and reinforced penetrations in pressurized cylindrical shells. Analytical results were correlated with published formulas, as well as theoretical and experimental results. An accuracy study was made of the finite element program for each of the configurations considered important in pressure vessel technology. A formula is developed to predict the peak stress concentration factor for analysis and/or design in conjunction with the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.

A Comparison of Materials Issues for Cermet and Graphite-Based NTP Fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Mark E.; Schnitzler, Bruce G.

2013-01-01

This paper compares material issues for cermet and graphite fuel elements. In particular, two issues in NTP fuel element performance are considered here: ductile to brittle transition in relation to crack propagation, and orificing individual coolant channels in fuel elements. Their relevance to fuel element performance is supported by considering material properties, experimental data, and results from multidisciplinary fluid/thermal/structural simulations. Ductile to brittle transition results in a fuel element region prone to brittle fracture under stress, while outside this region, stresses lead to deformation and resilience under stress. Poor coolant distribution between fuel element channels can increase stresses in certain channels. NERVA fuel element experimental results are consistent with this interpretation. An understanding of these mechanisms will help interpret fuel element testing results.

Low temperature chemical processing of graphite-clad nuclear fuels

DOEpatents

Pierce, Robert A.

2017-10-17

A reduced-temperature method for treatment of a fuel element is described. The method includes molten salt treatment of a fuel element with a nitrate salt. The nitrate salt can oxidize the outer graphite matrix of a fuel element. The method can also include reduced temperature degradation of the carbide layer of a fuel element and low temperature solubilization of the fuel in a kernel of a fuel element.

Research report: User's manual for computer program AT81y003 SHABERTH. Steady state and transient thermal analysis of a shaft bearing system including ball, cylindrical and tapered roller bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hadden, G. B.; Kleckner, R. J.; Ragen, M. A.; Sheynin, L.

1981-01-01

The SHABERTH program is capable of simulating the thermomechanical performance of a load support system consisting of a flexible shaft supported by up to five rolling element bearings. Any combination of ball, cylindrical, and tapered roller bearings can be used to support the shaft. The user can select models in calculating lubricant film thickness and traction forces. The formulation of the cage pocket/rolling element interaction model was revised to improve solution numerical convergence characteristics.

Rigorous Electromagnetic Analysis of the Focusing Action of Refractive Cylindrical Microlens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Juan; Gu, Ben-Yuan; Dong, Bi-Zhen; Yang, Guo-Zhen

The focusing action of refractive cylindrical microlens is investigated based on the rigorous electromagnetic theory with the use of the boundary element method. The focusing behaviors of these refractive microlenses with continuous and multilevel surface-envelope are characterized in terms of total electric-field patterns, the electric-field intensity distributions on the focal plane, and their diffractive efficiencies at the focal spots. The obtained results are also compared with the ones obtained by Kirchhoff's scalar diffraction theory. The present numerical and graphical results may provide useful information for the analysis and design of refractive elements in micro-optics.

The finite element simulation analysis research of 38CrSi cylindrical power spinning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Wei; Lv, Qiongying; Zhao, Yujuan; Lv, Yunxia

2018-01-01

In order to grope for the influence of the main cylindrical spinning process parameters on the spinning process, this paper combines with real tube power spinning process and uses ABAQUS finite element analysis software to simulate the tube power spinning process of 38CrSi steel materials, through the analysis of the stress, strain of the part forming process, analyzes the influence of the thickness reduction and the feed rate to the forming process, and analyzes the variation of the spinning force, finally determines the reasonable main spinning process parameters combination.

Note: Device for obtaining volumetric, three-component velocity fields inside cylindrical cavities.

PubMed

Ramírez, G; Núñez, J; Hernández, G N; Hernández-Cruz, G; Ramos, E

2015-11-01

We describe a device designed and built to obtain the three-component, steady state velocity field in the whole volume occupied by a fluid in motion contained in a cavity with cylindrical walls. The prototype comprises a two-camera stereoscopic particle image velocimetry system mounted on a platform that rotates around the volume under analysis and a slip ring arrangement that transmits data from the rotating sensors to the data storage elements. Sample observations are presented for natural convection in a cylindrical container but other flows can be analyzed.

Shaping of parabolic cylindrical membrane reflectors for the Dart Precision Test Bed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, R.; Agnes, Gregory S.; Dragovan, M.; Barber, D.; Marcin, M.; White, C.; Dooley, J.; Hatheway, A.

2004-01-01

The DART is a new telescope architecture consisting of a single aperture formed from two cylindrical parabolic reflectors. The system is ideally suited to using tensioned membranes for the reflective surfaces, owing to the zero Gaussian curvature of a cylindrical parabola. In this paper, we present experimental measurements for shaping the membranes by using curved boundary elements to achieve coarse shaping, and a pair of precision rails shaped by moments and forces at the ends, and lightly pushed into the surface, to provide fine shape control.

Low-frequency vibrations of a cylindrical shell rotating on rollers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filippov, S. B.

2018-05-01

Small free low-frequency vibrations of a rotating closed cylindrical shell which is in a contact with rigid cylindrical rollers are considered. Assumptions of semi-momentless shell theory are used. By means of the expansion of solutions in truncated Fourier series in circumference coordinate the system of the algebraic equations for the approximate calculation of the vibration frequencies and the mode shapes is obtained. The algorithm for the evaluation of frequencies and vibration modes based on analytical solution is developed. In particular, the lowest frequencies of thin cylindrical shell, representing greatest interest for applications, were found. Approximate results are compared with results of numerical calculations carried out by the Finite Elements Analysis. It is shown that the semi-momentless theory can be used for the evaluation of the low frequencies of a cylindrical shell rotating on rollers.

Analysis of thermal stresses and metal movement during welding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muraki, T.; Pattee, F. M.; Masubuchi, K.

1974-01-01

Finite element computer programs were developed to determine thermal stresses and metal movement during butt welding of flat plates and bead-on-plate welding along the girth of a cylindrical shell. Circular cylindrical shells of 6061 aluminum alloy were used for the tests. Measurements were made of changes in temperature and thermal strains during the welding process.

A macroscopic model of proton transport through the membrane-ionomer interface of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell.

PubMed

Kumar, Milan; Edwards, Brian J; Paddison, Stephen J

2013-02-14

The membrane-ionomer interface is the critical interlink of the electrodes and catalyst to the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM); together forming the membrane electrode assembly in current state-of-the-art PEM fuel cells. In this paper, proton conduction through the interface is investigated to understand its effect on the performance of a PEM fuel cell. The water containing domains at this interface were modeled as cylindrical pores/channels with the anionic groups (i.e., -SO(3)(-)) assumed to be fixed on the pore wall. The interactions of each species with all other species and an applied external field were examined. Molecular-based interaction potential energies were computed in a small test element of the pore and were scaled up in terms of macroscopic variables. Evolution equations of the density and momentum of the species (water molecules and hydronium ions) were derived within a framework of nonequilibrium thermodynamics. The resulting evolution equations for the species were solved analytically using an order-of-magnitude analysis to obtain an expression for the proton conductivity. Results show that the conductivity increases with increasing water content and pore radius, and strongly depends on the separation distance between the sulfonate groups and their distribution on the pore wall. It was also determined that the conductivity of two similar pores of different radii in series is limited by the pore with the smaller radius.

77 FR 5418 - Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-03

... aft fuel system 40 micron fuel filter element with a 10 micron fuel filter element. This proposed AD... fuel filter element, part number (P/N) 52-0505-2 or 52-01064-1. This proposed AD would require replacing each forward and aft fuel system 40 micron fuel filter element with a 10 micron fuel filter...

Effect of standing transverse acoustic oscillations on fuel-oxidant mixing in cylindrical combustion chambers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mickelsen, William R

1957-01-01

Vapor fuel-oxidant mixing is analyzed for standing transverse acoustic fields simulating those existing in screeching or screaming combustors. The additional mixing due to the acoustic field is shown to be a function of sound pressure and frequency, stream velocity, and turbulence. The effects of these parameters are shown graphically for a realistic range of combustor conditions. The fuel-oxidant ratio at various combustor stations is shown to have a cyclic fluctuation which is in phase with the pressure fluctuations. Possible mechanisms contributing to screech and scream are discussed.

Size Effect and Cylinder test on Several Commercial Explosives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauderbach, Lisa; Moua, Kou; Garza, Raul; Souers, Clark

2011-06-01

The size (diameter) effect and the Cylinder test results for ammonium nitrate/nitromethane, some ammonium nitrate/fuel oil mixes, Red Dot shotgun powder, Semtex 1A and Semtex H will be presented. A generalized detonation velocity format, valid for all detonation rates, will be discussed. A shot in cylindrical symmetry will be compared with the 1-D cylindrical size effect data. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Selecting optimal structure of burners for tubular cylindrical furnaces by the mathematical experiment planning method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katin, Viktor; Kosygin, Vladimir; Akhtiamov, Midkhat

2017-10-01

This paper substantiates the method of mathematical planning for experimental research in the process of selecting the most efficient types of burning devices for tubular refinery furnaces of vertical-cylindrical design. This paper provides detailed consideration of an experimental plan of a 4×4 Latin square type when studying the impact of three factors with four levels of variance. On the basis of the experimental research we have developed practical recommendations on the employment of optimal burners for two-step fuel combustion.

Auxiliary reactor for a hydrocarbon reforming system

DOEpatents

Clawson, Lawrence G.; Dorson, Matthew H.; Mitchell, William L.; Nowicki, Brian J.; Bentley, Jeffrey M.; Davis, Robert; Rumsey, Jennifer W.

2006-01-17

An auxiliary reactor for use with a reformer reactor having at least one reaction zone, and including a burner for burning fuel and creating a heated auxiliary reactor gas stream, and heat exchanger for transferring heat from auxiliary reactor gas stream and heat transfer medium, preferably two-phase water, to reformer reaction zone. Auxiliary reactor may include first cylindrical wall defining a chamber for burning fuel and creating a heated auxiliary reactor gas stream, the chamber having an inlet end, an outlet end, a second cylindrical wall surrounding first wall and a second annular chamber there between. The reactor being configured so heated auxiliary reactor gas flows out the outlet end and into and through second annular chamber and conduit which is disposed in second annular chamber, the conduit adapted to carry heat transfer medium and being connectable to reformer reaction zone for additional heat exchange.

Analysis of Tank PMD Rewetting Following Thrust Resettling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weislogel, M. M.; Sala, M. A.; Collicott, S. H.

2002-10-01

Recent investigations have successfully demonstrated closed-form analytical solutions of spontaneous capillary flows in idealized cylindrical containers with interior corners. In this report, the theory is extended and applied to complex containers modeling spacecraft fuel tanks employing propellant management devices (PMDs). The specific problem investigated is one of spontaneous rewetting of a typical partially filled liquid fuel/cryogen tank with PMD after thrust resettling. The transients of this flow impact the logistics of orbital maneuvers and potentially tank thermal control. The general procedure to compute the initial condition (mean radius of curvature for the interface) for the closed-form transient flows is first outlined then solved for several 'complex' cylindrical tanks exhibiting symmetry. The utility and limitations of the technique as a design tool are discussed in a summary, which also highlights comparisons with NASA flight data of a model propellant tank with PMD.

Analysis of Tank PMD Rewetting Following Thrust Resettling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weislogel, M. M.; Sala, M. A.; Collicott, S. H.; Rame, Enrique (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Recent investigations have successfully demonstrated closed-form analytical solutions of spontaneous capillary flows in idealized cylindrical containers with interior corners. In this report, the theory is extended and applied to complex containers modeling spacecraft fuel tanks employing propellant management devices (PMDs). The specific problem investigated is one of spontaneous rewetting of a typical partially filled liquid fuel/cryogen tank with PMD after thrust resettling. The transients of this flow impact the logistics of orbital maneuvers and potentially tank thermal control. The general procedure to compute the initial condition (mean radius of curvature for the interface) for the closed-form transient flows is first outlined then solved for several 'complex' cylindrical tanks exhibiting symmetry. The utility and limitations of the technique as a design tool are discussed in a summary, which also highlights comparisons with NASA flight data of a model propellant tank with PMD.

NUCLEAR REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT

DOEpatents

Wheelock, C.W.; Baumeister, E.B.

1961-09-01

A reactor fuel element utilizing fissionable fuel materials in plate form is described. This fuel element consists of bundles of fuel-bearing plates. The bundles are stacked inside of a tube which forms the shell of the fuel element. The plates each have longitudinal fins running parallel to the direction of coolant flow, and interspersed among and parallel to the fins are ribs which position the plates relative to each other and to the fuel element shell. The plate bundles are held together by thin bands or wires. The ex tended surface increases the heat transfer capabilities of a fuel element by a factor of 3 or more over those of a simple flat plate.

Joining Tubes With Adhesive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bateman, W. A.

1984-01-01

Cylindrical tubes joined together, end to end, by method employing adhesive, tapered ends, and spacing wires. Tapered joint between tubular structural elements provides pressure between bonding surfaces during adhesive curing. Spacing wires prevent adhesive from being scraped away when one element inserted in other. Method developed for assembling structural elements made of composite materials.

Low cost, lightweight fuel cell elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kindler, Andrew (Inventor)

2001-01-01

New fuel cell elements for use in liquid feed fuel cells are provided. The elements including biplates and endplates are low in cost, light in weight, and allow high efficiency operation. Electrically conductive elements are also a part of the fuel cell elements.

Design and verification of a novel hollow vibrating module for laser machining.

PubMed

Wang, Zhaozhao; Jang, Seungbong; Kim, EunHee; Jeon, Yongho; Lee, Soo-Hun; Lee, Moon G

2015-04-01

If a vibration module is added on laser machining system, the quality of surface finish and aspect ratio on metals can be significantly enhanced. In this study, a single mobility model of vibrating laser along the path of laser beam was put forward. In order to realize the desired unidirectional motion, a resonance type vibration module with optical lens was designed and manufactured. This cylindrical module was composed of curved-beam flexure elements. The cylindrical coordinate system was established to describe the relationship of a curved-beam flexure element's motion and deformation. In addition, the stiffness matrix of the curved-beam element was obtained. Finite element method and dynamical modeling were provided to analyze the resonance frequency and the displacement of the motion. The feasibility of the design was demonstrated with the help of experiments on frequency response. Experimental results show good agreement with theoretical analysis and simulation predictions.

Design and initial results from a kilojoule level Dense Plasma Focus with hollow anode and cylindrically symmetric gas puff.

PubMed

Ellsworth, J L; Falabella, S; Tang, V; Schmidt, A; Guethlein, G; Hawkins, S; Rusnak, B

2014-01-01

We have designed and built a Dense Plasma Focus (DPF) Z-pinch device using a kJ-level capacitor bank and a hollow anode, and fueled by a cylindrically symmetric gas puff. Using this device, we have measured peak deuteron beam energies of up to 400 keV at 0.8 kJ capacitor bank energy and pinch lengths of ∼6 mm, indicating accelerating fields greater than 50 MV/m. Neutron yields of on the order of 10(7) per shot were measured during deuterium operation. The cylindrical gas puff system permitted simultaneous operation of DPF with a radiofrequency quadrupole accelerator for beam-into-plasma experiments. This paper describes the machine design, the diagnostic systems, and our first results.

Nuclear reactor composite fuel assembly

DOEpatents

Burgess, Donn M.; Marr, Duane R.; Cappiello, Michael W.; Omberg, Ronald P.

1980-01-01

A core and composite fuel assembly for a liquid-cooled breeder nuclear reactor including a plurality of elongated coextending driver and breeder fuel elements arranged to form a generally polygonal bundle within a thin-walled duct. The breeder elements are larger in cross section than the driver elements, and each breeder element is laterally bounded by a number of the driver elements. Each driver element further includes structure for spacing the driver elements from adjacent fuel elements and, where adjacent, the thin-walled duct. A core made up of the fuel elements can advantageously include fissile fuel of only one enrichment, while varying the effective enrichment of any given assembly or core region, merely by varying the relative number and size of the driver and breeder elements.

Modeling of molecular and particulate transport in dry spent nuclear fuel canisters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casella, Andrew M.

2007-09-01

The transportation and storage of spent nuclear fuel is one of the prominent issues facing the commercial nuclear industry today, as there is still no general consensus regarding the near- and long-term strategy for managing the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle. The debate continues over whether the fuel cycle should remain open, in which case spent fuel will be stored at on-site reactor facilities, interim facilities, or a geologic repository; or if the fuel cycle should be closed, in which case spent fuel will be recycled. Currently, commercial spent nuclear fuel is stored at on-site reactor facilities either in pools or in dry storage containers. Increasingly, spent fuel is being moved to dry storage containers due to decreased costs relative to pools. As the number of dry spent fuel containers increases and the roles they play in the nuclear fuel cycle increase, more regulations will be enacted to ensure that they function properly. Accordingly, they will have to be carefully analyzed for normal conditions, as well as any off-normal conditions of concern. This thesis addresses the phenomena associated with one such concern; the formation of a microscopic through-wall breach in a dry storage container. Particular emphasis is placed on the depressurization of the canister, release of radioactivity, and plugging of the breach due to deposition of suspended particulates. The depressurization of a dry storage container upon the formation of a breach depends on the temperature and quantity of the fill gas, the pressure differential across the breach, and the size of the breach. The first model constructed in this thesis is capable of determining the depressurization time for a breached container as long as the associated parameters just identified allow for laminar flow through the breach. The parameters can be manipulated to quantitatively determine their effect on depressurization. This model is expanded to account for the presence of suspended particles. If these particles are transported with the fill gas into the breach, they may be deposited, leading to a restriction of flow and eventually to the plugging of the breach. This model uses an analytical solution to the problem of particle deposition in convective-diffusive fully-developed laminar flow through a straight cylindrical tube. Since the cylindrical flow geometry is a requirement for the use of this equation, it is assumed that all deposited particles are distributed uniformly both axially and circumferentially along the breach. The model is capable of monitoring the pressure, temperature, quantity of fill gas, breach radius, particle transmission fraction, and flow velocity through the breach as functions of time. The depressurization time can be significantly affected by the release of fission gases or helium generated from alpha decay if the cladding of a fuel rod within the canister is breached. To better quantify this phenomenon, a Monte Carlo model of molecular transport through nano-scale flow pathways in the spent fuel is developed in this thesis. This model is applied to cylindrical, conical, elliptical, and helical pathways. Finally, in order to remove some of the restrictions of the model of canister depressurization accounting for suspended particles, a Monte Carlo program was written to model the movement of particles through the breach. This program is capable of accounting for any transport mechanism specified but is focused in this work on laminar convective-diffusive flow. Each test particle is tracked as it is carried through the breach and if it impacts the breach wall, the three-dimensional location of the impact is recorded. In this way, the axial and circumferential deposition patterns can be recorded. This program can model any flow geometry as long as a velocity profile can be provided. In this thesis, the program is expanded to account for flow through straight and torroidal cylindrical tubes.

Determination of transverse elastic constants of wood using a cylindrically orthotropic model

Treesearch

John C. Hermanson

2003-01-01

The arrangement of anatomical elements in the cross section of a tree can be characterized, at least to a first approximation, with a cylindrical coordinate system. It seems reasonable that the physical properties of wood in the transverse plane, therefore, would exhibit behaviour that is associated with this anatomical alignment. Most of the transverse properties of...

Numerical and experimental study on buckling and postbuckling behavior of cracked cylindrical shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saemi, J.; Sedighi, M.; Shariati, M.

2015-09-01

The effect of crack on load-bearing capacity and buckling behavior of cylindrical shells is an essential consideration in their design. In this paper, experimental and numerical buckling analysis of steel cylindrical shells of various lengths and diameters with cracks have been studied using the finite element method, and the effect of crack position, crack orientation and the crack length-to-cylindrical shell perimeter ( λ = a/(2 πr)) and shell length-to-diameter ( L/ D) ratios on the buckling and post-buckling behavior of cylindrical shells has been investigated. For several specimens, buckling test was performed using an INSTRON 8802 servo hydraulic machine, and the results of experimental tests were compared to numerical results. A very good correlation was observed between numerical simulation and experimental results. Finally, based on the experimental and numerical results, sensitivity of the buckling load to the shell length, crack length and orientation has also been investigated.

Reduction of the Radiating Sound of a Submerged Finite Cylindrical Shell Structure by Active Vibration Control

PubMed Central

Kim, Heung Soo; Sohn, Jung Woo; Jeon, Juncheol; Choi, Seung-Bok

2013-01-01

In this work, active vibration control of an underwater cylindrical shell structure was investigated, to suppress structural vibration and structure-borne noise in water. Finite element modeling of the submerged cylindrical shell structure was developed, and experimentally evaluated. Modal reduction was conducted to obtain the reduced system equation for the active feedback control algorithm. Three Macro Fiber Composites (MFCs) were used as actuators and sensors. One MFC was used as an exciter. The optimum control algorithm was designed based on the reduced system equations. The active control performance was then evaluated using the lab scale underwater cylindrical shell structure. Structural vibration and structure-borne noise of the underwater cylindrical shell structure were reduced significantly by activating the optimal controller associated with the MFC actuators. The results provide that active vibration control of the underwater structure is a useful means to reduce structure-borne noise in water. PMID:23389344

Reduction of the radiating sound of a submerged finite cylindrical shell structure by active vibration control.

PubMed

Kim, Heung Soo; Sohn, Jung Woo; Jeon, Juncheol; Choi, Seung-Bok

2013-02-06

In this work, active vibration control of an underwater cylindrical shell structure was investigated, to suppress structural vibration and structure-borne noise in water. Finite element modeling of the submerged cylindrical shell structure was developed, and experimentally evaluated. Modal reduction was conducted to obtain the reduced system equation for the active feedback control algorithm. Three Macro Fiber Composites (MFCs) were used as actuators and sensors. One MFC was used as an exciter. The optimum control algorithm was designed based on the reduced system equations. The active control performance was then evaluated using the lab scale underwater cylindrical shell structure. Structural vibration and structure-borne noise of the underwater cylindrical shell structure were reduced significantly by activating the optimal controller associated with the MFC actuators. The results provide that active vibration control of the underwater structure is a useful means to reduce structure-borne noise in water.

Synthesis of Conformal Phased Antenna Arrays With A Novel Multiobjective Invasive Weed Optimization Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wen Tao; Hei, Yong Qiang; Shi, Xiao Wei

2018-04-01

By virtue of the excellent aerodynamic performances, conformal phased arrays have been attracting considerable attention. However, for the synthesis of patterns with low/ultra-low sidelobes of the conventional conformal arrays, the obtained dynamic range ratios of amplitude excitations could be quite high, which results in stringent requirements on various error tolerances for practical implementation. Time-modulated array (TMA) has the advantages of low sidelobe and reduced dynamic range ratio requirement of amplitude excitations. This paper takes full advantages of conformal antenna arrays and time-modulated arrays. The active-element-pattern, including element mutual coupling and platform effects, is employed in the whole design process. To optimize the pulse durations and the switch-on instants of the time-modulated elements, multiobjective invasive weed optimization (MOIWO) algorithm based on the nondominated sorting of the solutions is proposed. A S-band 8-element cylindrical conformal array is designed and a S-band 16-element cylindrical-parabolic conformal array is constructed and tested at two different steering angles.

Method of locating a leaking fuel element in a fast breeder power reactor

DOEpatents

Honekamp, John R.; Fryer, Richard M.

1978-01-01

Leaking fuel elements in a fast reactor are identified by measuring the ratio of .sup.134 Xe to .sup.133 Xe in the reactor cover gas following detection of a fuel element leak, this ratio being indicative of the power and burnup of the failed fuel element. This procedure can be used to identify leaking fuel elements in a power breeder reactor while continuing operation of the reactor since the ratio measured is that of the gases stored in the plenum of the failed fuel element. Thus, use of a cleanup system for the cover gas makes it possible to identify sequentially a multiplicity of leaking fuel elements without shutting the reactor down.

Compression testing of flammable liquids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briles, O. M.; Hollenbaugh, R. P.

1979-01-01

Small cylindrical test chamber determines catalytic effect of given container material on fuel that might contribute to accidental deflagration or detonation below expected temperature under adiabatic compression. Device is useful to producers and users of flammable liquids and to safety specialists.

NRC approves spent-fuel cask for general use: Who needs Yucca Mountain?

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

Simpson, J.

1993-07-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on April 7, 1993, added Pacific Sierra Nuclear Associates`s (PSNA`s) VSC-24 spent-fuel container to its list of approved storage casks. Unlike previously approved designs, however, the cask was made available for use by utilities without site-specific approval. The VSC-24 (ventilated storage cask) is a 130-ton, 16-foot high vertical storage container composed of a ventilated concrete cask (VCC) housing a steel multi-assembly sealed basket (MSB). A third component, a transfer cask (MTC), shields, supports, and protects the MSB during fuel loading and VCC loading operations. The VCC is a cylindrical reinforced-concrete cask 29 inches thick, withmore » a 1.75-inch-thick A 36 steel liner. The cask contains eight vents-four on the top and four on the bottom-to provide for MSB (and fuel rod) cooling. Its concrete shell provides protection against shearing and penetration by tornado projectiles, protects the MSB in the event of a drop or tipover, and is designed to withstand internal temperatures of 350 degrees Farenheit. The VCC is closed with a bolted-down cover of 0.75-inch-thick A 36 steel. The MSB, which provides the primary boundary for 24 spent fuel rods, is a cylindrical steel shell with a thick shield plug and steel cover plates welded at each end. The shell and covers are constructed from SA 516 Grade 70 pressure vessel steel. Fuel is housed in a basket fabricated from SA 516 Grade 70 sheet steel. Penetrations in the MSB`s structural and shield lids allow for vacuum drying and backfilling with helium after fuel loading. Although its manufacturer claims a design life of 50 years, the NRC has licensed the VSC-24 cask for 20 years.« less

Constitutive Modeling of Superalloy Single Crystals and Directionally Solidified Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, K. P.; Jordan, E. H.

1985-01-01

A unified viscoplastic constitutive relation based on crystallographic slip theory was developed for the deformation analysis of nickel base face centered cubic superalloy single crystals at elevated temperature. The single crystal theory is embedded in a self consistent method to derive a constitutive relation for a directionally solidified material comprised of a polycrystalline aggregate of columnar cylindrical grains. One of the crystallographic axes of the cylindrical crystals points in the columnar direction while the remaining crystallographic axes are oriented at random in the basal plane perpendicular to the columnar direction. These constitutive formulations are coded in FORTRAN for use in nonlinear finite element and boundary element programs.

CONCENTRIC TUBE FUEL ELEMENT SPRING ALIGNMENT SPACER DEVICE

DOEpatents

Weems, S.J.

1963-09-24

A rib construction for a nuclear-fuel element is described, in which one of three peripherally spaced ribs adjacent to each end of the fuel element is mounted on a radially yielding spring that embraces the fuel element. This spring enables the fuel element to have a good fit with a coolant tube and yet to be easily inserted in and withdrawn from the tube. (AEC)

Determination of effects of turbulence flow in a cathode environment on electricity generation using a tidal mud-based cylindrical-type sediment microbial fuel cell.

PubMed

An, Junyeong; Lee, Soo-Jin; Ng, How Yong; Chang, In Seop

2010-12-01

We examined the possibility of harvesting electricity from the surface of a tidal mud flat using a cylindrical-type sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC), a marine mud battery (MMB), which can be applied in a sea environment where the ebb and flow occur due to tidal difference. In addition, we indirectly investigated the influence of ebb and flow in a lab, using aeration, argon gassing, and by agitating the cathodic solution. The MMBs consisted of cylindrical acrylic compartments containing a nylon membrane, an anode, and a cathode in a single body. The MMBs were stuck vertically into an artificial tidal mud flat such that the anode electrode was in direct contact with the tidal mud surface. As a result, the maximum current and power density generated were 35 mA/m(2) and 9 mW/m(2), respectively, thus verifying that it is possible to harvest electricity from the surface of a tidal mud flat using an MMB without burying the anode electrode in the tidal mud. Furthermore, the results of tests using an artificial turbulence flow showed the flow induced by the tidal ebb and flow could allow the performance of MMBs to be enhanced. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

STUDIES OF FAST REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT BEHAVIOR UNDER TRANSIENT HEATING TO FAILURE. I. INITIAL EXPERIMENTS ON METALLIC SAMPLES IN THE ABSENCE OF COOLANT

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

Dickerman, C. E.; Sowa, E. S.; Okrent, D.

1961-08-01

Meltdown tests on single metallic unirradiated fuel elements in TREAT are described. The fuel elements (EBRII Mark I fuel pins, EBR-II fuel pins with retractory Nb or Ta cladding, and Fermi-I fuel pins) are tested in an inert atmosphere, with no coolant. The fuel elements are exposed to reactor power bursts of 200 msec to 25 sec duration, under conditions simulating fast reactor operations. For these tests, the type of power burst, the integrated power, the fuel enrichment, the maximum cladding temperature, and the effects of the test on the fuel element are recorded. ( T.F.H.)

High frequency, multi-axis dynamic stiffness analysis of a fractionally damped elastomeric isolator using continuous system theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fredette, Luke; Singh, Rajendra

2017-02-01

A spectral element approach is proposed to determine the multi-axis dynamic stiffness terms of elastomeric isolators with fractional damping over a broad range of frequencies. The dynamic properties of a class of cylindrical isolators are modeled by using the continuous system theory in terms of homogeneous rods or Timoshenko beams. The transfer matrix type dynamic stiffness expressions are developed from exact harmonic solutions given translational or rotational displacement excitations. Broadband dynamic stiffness magnitudes (say up to 5 kHz) are computationally verified for axial, torsional, shear, flexural, and coupled stiffness terms using a finite element model. Some discrepancies are found between finite element and spectral element models for the axial and flexural motions, illustrating certain limitations of each method. Experimental validation is provided for an isolator with two cylindrical elements (that work primarily in the shear mode) using dynamic measurements, as reported in the prior literature, up to 600 Hz. Superiority of the fractional damping formulation over structural or viscous damping models is illustrated via experimental validation. Finally, the strengths and limitations of the spectral element approach are briefly discussed.

NUCLEAR REACTOR FUEL-BREEDER FUEL ELEMENT

DOEpatents

Currier, E.L. Jr.; Nicklas, J.H.

1962-08-14

A fuel-breeder fuel element was developed for a nuclear reactor wherein discrete particles of fissionable material are dispersed in a matrix of fertile breeder material. The fuel element combines the advantages of a dispersion type and a breeder-type. (AEC)

15. VIEW OF DUMMY FUEL ELEMENT ON FUEL ELEMENT HOLDER. ...

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

15. VIEW OF DUMMY FUEL ELEMENT ON FUEL ELEMENT HOLDER. SHOWS AIR FORCE MAN AT EDGE OF TANK. INEL PHOTO NUMBER 65-6176, TAKEN NOVEMBER 10, 1965. - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Advanced Reentry Vehicle Fusing System, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Radiative flux from a planar multiple point source within a cylindrical enclosure reaching a coaxial circular plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tryka, Stanislaw

2007-04-01

A general formula and some special integral formulas were presented for calculating radiative fluxes incident on a circular plane from a planar multiple point source within a coaxial cylindrical enclosure perpendicular to the source. These formula were obtained for radiation propagating in a homogeneous isotropic medium assuming that the lateral surface of the enclosure completely absorbs the incident radiation. Exemplary results were computed numerically and illustrated with three-dimensional surface plots. The formulas presented are suitable for determining fluxes of radiation reaching planar circular detectors, collectors or other planar circular elements from systems of laser diodes, light emitting diodes and fiber lamps within cylindrical enclosures, as well as small biological emitters (bacteria, fungi, yeast, etc.) distributed on planar bases of open nontransparent cylindrical containers.

Transition Core Properties during Conversion of the NBSR from HEU to LEU Fuel

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

Hanson, A. L.; Diamond, D.

2013-10-31

The transition of the NBSR from HEU to LEU fuel is challenging due to reactivity constraints and the need to maintain an uninterrupted science program, the mission of the NBSR. The transition cannot occur with a full change of HEU to LEU fuel elements since the excess reactivity would be large enough that the NBSR would violate the technical specification for shutdown margin. Manufacturing LEU fuel elements to represent irradiated fuel elements would be cost prohibitive since 26 one-of-a-kind fuel elements would need to be manufactured. For this report a gradual transition from the present HEU fuel to the proposedmore » LEU fuel was studied. The gradual change approach would follow the present fuel management scheme and replace four HEU fuel elements with four LEU fuel elements each cycle. This manuscript reports the results of a series of calculations to predict the neutronic characteristics and how the neutronics will change during the transition from HEU to LEU in the NBSR.« less

Collision of plane thermonuclear detonation waves in a preliminarily compressed DT mixture

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

Khishchenko, K. V., E-mail: konst@ihed.ras.ru; Charakhch’yan, A. A., E-mail: chara@ccas.ru

2015-03-15

The paper deals with a one-dimensional problem on symmetric irradiation of a plane DT fuel layer with a thickness 2H and density ρ{sub 0} ⩽ 100ρ{sub s} (where ρ{sub s} is the density of the DT fuel in the solid state at atmospheric pressure and a temperature of 4 K) by two identical monoenergetic proton beams with a kinetic energy of 1 MeV, an intensity of 10{sup 19} W/cm{sup 2}, and a duration of 50 ps. The problem is solved in the framework of one-fluid two-temperature hydrodynamic model that takes into account the equation of state for hydrogen, electron andmore » ion heat conductivities, kinetics of the DT reaction, plasma self-radiation, and plasma heating by α-particles. The irradiation of the fuel results in the appearance of two counterpropagating detonation waves to the fronts of which rarefaction waves are adjacent. The efficiency of the DT reaction after the collision (reflection from the plane of symmetry) of the detonation waves depends on the spatial homogeneity of thermodynamic functions between the fronts of the reflected detonation waves. At Hρ{sub 0} ≈ 1 g/cm{sup 2}, the gain factor is G ≈ 200, whereas at Hρ{sub 0} ≈ 5 g/cm{sup 2}, it is G > 2000. As applied to a cylindrical target that is ignited from ends and in which the cylinder with the fuel is surrounded by a heavy magnetized shell, the obtained values of the burn-up and gain factors are maximum possible. To estimate the ignition energy E{sub ig} of a cylindrical target by using solutions to the one-dimensional problem, a quasi-one-dimensional model is developed. The model assumes that the main mechanism of target ignition is fuel heating by α-particles. The trajectories of α-particles are limited by a cylindrical surface with a given radius, which is a parameter of the model and is identified with the fuel radius in the target and the radii of the irradiating proton beams. This model reproduces the well-known theoretical dependence E{sub ig} ∼ ρ{sub 0}{sup −2} and yields E{sub ig} = 160 kJ as a lower estimate of the ignition energy for ρ{sub 0} = 100ρ{sub s} ≈ 22 g/cm{sup 3}.« less

Hydrogen rich gas generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houseman, J.; Rupe, J. H.; Kushida, R. O. (Inventor)

1976-01-01

A process and apparatus is described for producing a hydrogen rich gas by injecting air and hydrocarbon fuel at one end of a cylindrically shaped chamber to form a mixture and igniting the mixture to provide hot combustion gases by partial oxidation of the hydrocarbon fuel. The combustion gases move away from the ignition region to another region where water is injected to be turned into steam by the hot combustion gases. The steam which is formed mixes with the hot gases to yield a uniform hot gas whereby a steam reforming reaction with the hydrocarbon fuel takes place to produce a hydrogen rich gas.

A high-performance magnetic shield with large length-to-diameter ratio.

PubMed

Dickerson, Susannah; Hogan, Jason M; Johnson, David M S; Kovachy, Tim; Sugarbaker, Alex; Chiow, Sheng-wey; Kasevich, Mark A

2012-06-01

We have demonstrated a 100-fold improvement in the magnetic field uniformity on the axis of a large aspect ratio, cylindrical, mumetal magnetic shield by reducing discontinuities in the material of the shield through the welding and re-annealing of a segmented shield. The three-layer shield reduces Earth's magnetic field along an 8 m region to 420 μG (rms) in the axial direction, and 460 and 730 μG (rms) in the two transverse directions. Each cylindrical shield is a continuous welded tube which has been annealed after manufacture and degaussed in the apparatus. We present both experiments and finite element analysis that show the importance of uniform shield material for large aspect ratio shields, favoring a welded design over a segmented design. In addition, we present finite element results demonstrating the smoothing of spatial variations in the applied magnetic field by cylindrical magnetic shields. Such homogenization is a potentially useful feature for precision atom interferometric measurements.

Propagation of flexural and membrane waves with fluid loaded NASTRAN plate and shell elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalinowski, A. J.; Wagner, C. A.

1983-01-01

Modeling of flexural and membrane type waves existing in various submerged (or in vacuo) plate and/or shell finite element models that are excited with steady state type harmonic loadings proportioned to e(i omega t) is discussed. Only thin walled plates and shells are treated wherein rotary inertia and shear correction factors are not included. More specifically, the issue of determining the shell or plate mesh size needed to represent the spatial distribution of the plate or shell response is of prime importance towards successfully representing the solution to the problem at hand. To this end, a procedure is presented for establishing guide lines for determining the mesh size based on a simple test model that can be used for a variety of plate and shell configurations such as, cylindrical shells with water loading, cylindrical shells in vacuo, plates with water loading, and plates in vacuo. The procedure for doing these four cases is given, with specific numerical examples present only for the cylindrical shell case.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Ohlinger, L.A.; Wigner, E.P.; Weinberg, A.M.; Young, G.J.

1958-09-01

This patent relates to neutronic reactors of the heterogeneous water cooled type, and in particular to a fuel element charging and discharging means therefor. In the embodiment illustrated the reactor contains horizontal, parallel coolant tubes in which the fuel elements are disposed. A loading cart containing a magnzine for holding a plurality of fuel elements operates along the face of the reactor at the inlet ends of the coolant tubes. The loading cart is equipped with a ram device for feeding fuel elements from the magazine through the inlot ends of the coolant tubes. Operating along the face adjacent the discharge ends of the tubes there is provided another cart means adapted to receive irradiated fuel elements as they are forced out of the discharge ends of the coolant tubes by the incoming new fuel elements. This cart is equipped with a tank coataining a coolant, such as water, into which the fuel elements fall, and a hydraulically operated plunger to hold the end of the fuel element being discharged. This inveation provides an apparatus whereby the fuel elements may be loaded into the reactor, irradiated therein, and unloaded from the reactor without stopping the fiow of the coolant and without danger to the operating personnel.

Neutronic fuel element fabrication

DOEpatents

Korton, George

2004-02-24

This disclosure describes a method for metallurgically bonding a complete leak-tight enclosure to a matrix-type fuel element penetrated longitudinally by a multiplicity of coolant channels. Coolant tubes containing solid filler pins are disposed in the coolant channels. A leak-tight metal enclosure is then formed about the entire assembly of fuel matrix, coolant tubes and pins. The completely enclosed and sealed assembly is exposed to a high temperature and pressure gas environment to effect a metallurgical bond between all contacting surfaces therein. The ends of the assembly are then machined away to expose the pin ends which are chemically leached from the coolant tubes to leave the coolant tubes with internal coolant passageways. The invention described herein was made in the course of, or under, a contract with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. It relates generally to fuel elements for neutronic reactors and more particularly to a method for providing a leak-tight metal enclosure for a high-performance matrix-type fuel element penetrated longitudinally by a multiplicity of coolant tubes. The planned utilization of nuclear energy in high-performance, compact-propulsion and mobile power-generation systems has necessitated the development of fuel elements capable of operating at high power densities. High power densities in turn require fuel elements having high thermal conductivities and good fuel retention capabilities at high temperatures. A metal clad fuel element containing a ceramic phase of fuel intimately mixed with and bonded to a continuous refractory metal matrix has been found to satisfy the above requirements. Metal coolant tubes penetrate the matrix to afford internal cooling to the fuel element while providing positive fuel retention and containment of fission products generated within the fuel matrix. Metal header plates are bonded to the coolant tubes at each end of the fuel element and a metal cladding or can completes the fuel-matrix enclosure by encompassing the sides of the fuel element between the header plates.

Superluminal antenna

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

Singleton, John; Earley, Lawrence M.; Krawczyk, Frank L.

A superluminal antenna element integrates a balun element to better impedance match an input cable or waveguide to a dielectric radiator element, thus preventing stray reflections and consequent undesirable radiation. For example, a dielectric housing material can be used that has a cutout area. A cable can extend into the cutout area. A triangular conductor can function as an impedance transition. An additional cylindrical element functions as a sleeve balun to better impedance match the radiator element to the cable.

Superluminal antenna

DOEpatents

Singleton, John; Earley, Lawrence M.; Krawczyk, Frank L.; Potter, James M.; Romero, William P.; Wang, Zhi-Fu

2018-04-17

A superluminal antenna element integrates a balun element to better impedance match an input cable or waveguide to a dielectric radiator element, thus preventing stray reflections and consequent undesirable radiation. For example, a dielectric housing material can be used that has a cutout area. A cable can extend into the cutout area. A triangular conductor can function as an impedance transition. An additional cylindrical element functions as a sleeve balun to better impedance match the radiator element to the cable.

Numerical Determination of Natural Frequencies and Modes of the Vibrations of a Thick-Walled Cylindrical Shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigorenko, A. Ya.; Borisenko, M. Yu.; Boichuk, E. V.; Prigoda, A. P.

2018-01-01

The dynamic characteristics of a thick-walled cylindrical shell are determined numerically using the finite-element method implemented with licensed FEMAR software. The natural frequencies and modes are compared with those obtained earlier experimentally by the method of stroboscopic holographic interferometry. Frequency coefficients demonstrating how the natural frequency depends on the physical and mechanical parameters of the material are determined.

Vibrations of cantilevered circular cylindrical shells Shallow versus deep shell theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J. K.; Leissa, A. W.; Wang, A. J.

1983-01-01

Free vibrations of cantilevered circular cylindrical shells having rectangular planforms are studied in this paper by means of the Ritz method. The deep shell theory of Novozhilov and Goldenveizer is used and compared with the usual shallow shell theory for a wide range of shell parameters. A thorough convergence study is presented along with comparisons to previously published finite element solutions and experimental results. Accurately computed frequency parameters and mode shapes for various shell configurations are presented. The present paper appears to be the first comprehensive study presenting rigorous comparisons between the two shell theories in dealing with free vibrations of cantilevered cylindrical shells.

Finite element method formulation in polar coordinates for transient heat conduction problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duda, Piotr

2016-04-01

The aim of this paper is the formulation of the finite element method in polar coordinates to solve transient heat conduction problems. It is hard to find in the literature a formulation of the finite element method (FEM) in polar or cylindrical coordinates for the solution of heat transfer problems. This document shows how to apply the most often used boundary conditions. The global equation system is solved by the Crank-Nicolson method. The proposed algorithm is verified in three numerical tests. In the first example, the obtained transient temperature distribution is compared with the temperature obtained from the presented analytical solution. In the second numerical example, the variable boundary condition is assumed. In the last numerical example the component with the shape different than cylindrical is used. All examples show that the introduction of the polar coordinate system gives better results than in the Cartesian coordinate system. The finite element method formulation in polar coordinates is valuable since it provides a higher accuracy of the calculations without compacting the mesh in cylindrical or similar to tubular components. The proposed method can be applied for circular elements such as boiler drums, outlet headers, flux tubes. This algorithm can be useful during the solution of inverse problems, which do not allow for high density grid. This method can calculate the temperature distribution in the bodies of different properties in the circumferential and the radial direction. The presented algorithm can be developed for other coordinate systems. The examples demonstrate a good accuracy and stability of the proposed method.

Nuclear reactor control

DOEpatents

Cawley, William E.; Warnick, Robert F.

1982-01-01

1. In a nuclear reactor incorporating a plurality of columns of tubular fuel elements disposed in horizontal tubes in a mass of graphite wherein water flows through the tubes to cool the fuel elements, the improvement comprising at least one control column disposed in a horizontal tube including fewer fuel elements than in a normal column of fuel elements and tubular control elements disposed at both ends of said control column, and means for varying the horizontal displacement of the control column comprising a winch at the upstream end of the control column and a cable extending through the fuel and control elements and attached to the element at the downstream end of the column.

77 FR 16868 - Quality Verification for Plate-Type Uranium-Aluminum Fuel Elements for Use in Research and Test...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-22

... Fuel Elements for Use in Research and Test Reactors AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION... Plate-Type Uranium-Aluminum Fuel Elements for Use in Research and Test Reactors.'' This guide describes... plate-type uranium-aluminum fuel elements used in research and test reactors (RTRs). DATES: Submit...

A mathematical model of microalgae growth in cylindrical photobioreactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakeri, Noorhadila Mohd; Jamaian, Siti Suhana

2017-08-01

Microalgae are unicellular organisms, which exist individually or in chains or groups but can be utilized in many applications. Researchers have done various efforts in order to increase the growth rate of microalgae. Microalgae have a potential as an effective tool for wastewater treatment, besides as a replacement for natural fuel such as coal and biodiesel. The growth of microalgae can be estimated by using Geider model, which this model is based on photosynthesis irradiance curve (PI-curve) and focused on flat panel photobioreactor. Therefore, in this study a mathematical model for microalgae growth in cylindrical photobioreactor is proposed based on the Geider model. The light irradiance is the crucial part that affects the growth rate of microalgae. The absorbed photon flux will be determined by calculating the average light irradiance in a cylindrical system illuminated by unidirectional parallel flux and considering the cylinder as a collection of differential parallelepipeds. Results from this study showed that the specific growth rate of microalgae increases until the constant level is achieved. Therefore, the proposed mathematical model can be used to estimate the rate of microalgae growth in cylindrical photobioreactor.

Agitation apparatus. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Beets, A.L.; Lewis, B.E. Jr.

1982-03-12

Agitation apparatus includes a tank with a cylindrical upper portion, a frustoconical intermediate portion, and a cylindrical lower portion, a lift tube extending from the upper portion of the tank to a point near an end cap attached to the lower portion of the tank, the lift tube being concentric with the lower portion of the tank to provide a flow passage there between, and a plurality of air supply conduits extending along the lift tube and spaced apart around its perimeter, these air supply conduits terminating adjacent the lower end of the lift tube. Air discharged from the lower ends of the air supply conduits causes liquid in the tank to flow upwardly through the lift tube and out of apertures in the upper portion thereof. Due to the unique properties of nuclear fuel dissolver solutions and the constraint placed on the amount of air that can be injected therein by conventional apparatus, there has been a need for a more effective means for agitating liquid in nuclear fuel digester tanks.

Studies of thermionic materials for space power applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The effect of microstructures of tungsten cladding on the transport rates of carbide fuel components was studied at 2073 K. hyperstoichiometric 90UC-10ZrC containing 4 wt% tungsten was clad with six types of tungsten material of 40 mil thickness. Screening tests of 1000 hours were carried out, and then selected samples were subjected to long-term tests up to 10,000 hours. The results indicate that the microstructures strongly affect the transport rates of carbide fuel components. The conditions for preparing (110) oriented cylindrical chloride tungsten emitters of high vacuum work functions were also investigated. Specimen sets were deposited on fluoride tungsten substrates for evaluating the effects of various deposition parameters on the degree and uniformity of the (110) preferred orientation and the vacuum work function. Long-term tests showed that the high vacuum work function of a cylindrical emitter was stable and the chloride tungsten to fluoride tungsten bond remained in excellent shape after 4850 hours at 2073 K.

Analytical modeling of conformal mantle cloaks for cylindrical objects using sub-wavelength printed and slotted arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padooru, Yashwanth R.; Yakovlev, Alexander B.; Chen, Pai-Yen; Alù, Andrea

2012-08-01

Following the idea of "cloaking by a surface" [A. Alù, Phys. Rev. B 80, 245115 (2009); P. Y. Chen and A. Alù, Phys. Rev. B 84, 205110 (2011)], we present a rigorous analytical model applicable to mantle cloaking of cylindrical objects using 1D and 2D sub-wavelength conformal frequency selective surface (FSS) elements. The model is based on Lorenz-Mie scattering theory which utilizes the two-sided impedance boundary conditions at the interface of the sub-wavelength elements. The FSS arrays considered in this work are composed of 1D horizontal and vertical metallic strips and 2D printed (patches, Jerusalem crosses, and cross dipoles) and slotted structures (meshes, slot-Jerusalem crosses, and slot-cross dipoles). It is shown that the analytical grid-impedance expressions derived for the planar arrays of sub-wavelength elements may be successfully used to model and tailor the surface reactance of cylindrical conformal mantle cloaks. By properly tailoring the surface reactance of the cloak, the total scattering from the cylinder can be significantly reduced, thus rendering the object invisible over the range of frequencies of interest (i.e., at microwaves and far-infrared). The results obtained using our analytical model for mantle cloaks are validated against full-wave numerical simulations.

Assembly for facilitating inservice inspection of a reactor coolant pump rotor

DOEpatents

Veronesi, Luciano

1990-01-01

A reactor coolant pump has an outer casing with an internal cavity holding a coolant and a rotor rotatably mounted in the cavity within the coolant. An assembly for permitting inservice inspection of the pump rotor without first draining the coolant from the casing cavity is attached to an end of the pump. A cylindrical bore is defined through the casing in axial alignment with an end of pump rotor and opening into the internal cavity. An extension attached on the rotor end and rotatable therewith has a cylindrical coupler member extending into the bore. An outer end of the coupler member has an element configured to receive a tool for performance of inservice rotor inspection. A hollow cylindrical member is disposed in the bore and surrounds the coupler member. The cylindrical member is slidably movable relative to the coupler member along the bore between a retracted position wherein the cylindrical member is stored for normal pump operation and an extended position wherein the cylindrical member is extended for permitting inservice rotor inspection. A cover member is detachably and sealably attached to the casing across the bore for closing the bore and retaining the cylindrical member at its retracted position for normal pump operation. Upon detachment of the cover member, the cylindrical member can be extended to permit inservice rotor inspection.

Fuel pumping system and method

DOEpatents

Shafer, Scott F [Morton, IL; Wang, Lifeng ,

2006-12-19

A fuel pumping system that includes a pump drive is provided. A first pumping element is operatively connected to the pump drive and is operable to generate a first flow of pressurized fuel. A second pumping element is operatively connected to the pump drive and is operable to generate a second flow of pressurized fuel. A first solenoid is operatively connected to the first pumping element and is operable to vary at least one of a fuel pressure and a fuel flow rate of the first flow of pressurized fuel. A second solenoid is operatively connected to the second pumping element and is operable to vary at least one of a fuel pressure and a fuel flow rate of the second flow of pressurized fuel.

Fuel Pumping System And Method

DOEpatents

Shafer, Scott F.; Wang, Lifeng

2005-12-13

A fuel pumping system that includes a pump drive is provided. A first pumping element is operatively connected to the pump drive and is operable to generate a first flow of pressurized fuel. A second pumping element is operatively connected to the pump drive and is operable to generate a second flow of pressurized fuel. A first solenoid is operatively connected to the first pumping element and is operable to vary at least one of a fuel pressure and a fuel flow rate of the first flow of pressurized fuel. A second solenoid is operatively connected to the second pumping element and is operable to vary at least one of a fuel pressure and a fuel flow rate of the second flow of pressurized fuel.

Universal fuel basket for use with an improved oxide reduction vessel and electrorefiner vessel

DOEpatents

Herrmann, Steven D.; Mariani, Robert D.

2002-01-01

A basket, for use in the reduction of UO.sub.2 to uranium metal and in the electrorefining of uranium metal, having a continuous annulus between inner and outer perforated cylindrical walls, with a screen adjacent to each wall. A substantially solid bottom and top plate enclose the continuous annulus defining a fuel bed. A plurality of scrapers are mounted adjacent to the outer wall extending longitudinally thereof, and there is a mechanism enabling the basket to be transported remotely.

Pressure distribution under flexible polishing tools. II - Cylindrical (conical) optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, Pravin K.

1990-10-01

A previously developed eigenvalue model is extended to determine polishing pressure distribution by rectangular tools with unequal stiffness in two directions on cylindrical optics. Tool misfit is divided into two simplified one-dimensional problems and one simplified two-dimensional problem. Tools with nonuniform cross-sections are treated with a new one-dimensional eigenvalue algorithm, permitting evaluation of tool designs where the edge is more flexible than the interior. This maintains edge pressure variations within acceptable parameters. Finite element modeling is employed to resolve upper bounds, which handle pressure changes in the two-dimensional misfit element. Paraboloids and hyperboloids from the NASA AXAF system are treated with the AXAFPOD software for this method, and are verified with NASTRAN finite element analyses. The maximum deviation from the one-dimensional azimuthal pressure variation is predicted to be 10 percent and 20 percent for paraboloids and hyperboloids, respectively.

Gasket Assembly for Sealing Mating Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Melvin A., III (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A pair of substantially opposed mating surfaces are joined to each other and sealed in place by means of an electrically-conductive member which is placed in proximity to the mating surfaces. The electrically-conductive member has at least one element secured thereto which is positioned to contact the mating surfaces, and which softens when the electrically-conductive member is heated by passing an electric current therethrough. The softened element conforms to the mating surfaces, and upon cooling of the softened element the mating surfaces are joined together in an effective seal. Of particular significance is an embodiment of the electrically-conductive member which is a gasket having an electrically-conductive gasket base and a pair of the elements secured to opposite sides of the gasket base. This embodiment is positioned between the opposed mating surfaces to be joined to each other. Also significant is an embodiment of the electrically-conductive member which is an electrically-conductive sleeve having an element secured to its inner surface. This embodiment surrounds cylindrical members the bases of which are the substantially opposed mating surfaces to be joined, and the element on the inner surface of the sleeve contacts the outer surfaces of the cylindrical members.

Modal element method for potential flow in non-uniform ducts: Combining closed form analysis with CFD

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baumeister, Kenneth J.; Baumeister, Joseph F.

1994-01-01

An analytical procedure is presented, called the modal element method, that combines numerical grid based algorithms with eigenfunction expansions developed by separation of variables. A modal element method is presented for solving potential flow in a channel with two-dimensional cylindrical like obstacles. The infinite computational region is divided into three subdomains; the bounded finite element domain, which is characterized by the cylindrical obstacle and the surrounding unbounded uniform channel entrance and exit domains. The velocity potential is represented approximately in the grid based domain by a finite element solution and is represented analytically by an eigenfunction expansion in the uniform semi-infinite entrance and exit domains. The calculated flow fields are in excellent agreement with exact analytical solutions. By eliminating the grid surrounding the obstacle, the modal element method reduces the numerical grid size, employs a more precise far field boundary condition, as well as giving theoretical insight to the interaction of the obstacle with the mean flow. Although the analysis focuses on a specific geometry, the formulation is general and can be applied to a variety of problems as seen by a comparison to companion theories in aeroacoustics and electromagnetics.

Means for supporting fuel elements in a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Andrews, Harry N.; Keller, Herbert W.

1980-01-01

A grid structure for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly comprising a plurality of connecting members forming at least one longitudinally extending opening peripheral and inner fuel element openings through each of which openings at least one nuclear fuel element extends, said connecting members forming wall means surrounding said each peripheral and inner fuel element opening, a pair of rigid projections longitudinally spaced from one another extending from a portion of said wall means into said each peripheral and inner opening for rigidly engaging said each fuel element, respectively, yet permit individual longitudinal slippage thereof, and resilient means formed integrally on and from said wall means and positioned in said each peripheral and inner opening in opposed relationship with said projections and located to engage said fuel element to bias the latter into engagement with said rigid projections, respectively

Fuel assembly for nuclear reactors

DOEpatents

Creagan, Robert J.; Frisch, Erling

1977-01-01

A new and improved fuel assembly is formed to minimize the amount of parasitic structural material wherein a plurality of hollow tubular members are juxtaposed to the fuel elements of the assembly. The tubular members may serve as guide tubes for control elements and are secured to a number of longitudinally spaced grid members along the fuel assembly. The grid members include means thereon engaging each of the fuel elements to laterally position the fuel elements in a predetermined array. Openings in the bottom of each hollow member serve as a shock absorber to cushion shock transmitted to the structure when the control elements are rapidly inserted in their corresponding tubular members.

FUEL ELEMENT FOR NUCLEAR REACTORS

DOEpatents

Dickson, J.J.

1963-09-24

A method is described whereby fuel tubes or pins are cut, loaded with fuel pellets and a heat transfer medium, sealed at each end with slotted fittings, and assembled into a rectangular tube bundle to form a fuel element. The tubes comprising the fuel element are laterally connected between their ends by clips and tabs to form a linear group of spaced parallel tubes, which receive their vertical support by resting on a grid. The advantages of this method are that it permits elimination of structural material (e.g., fuel-element cans) within the reactor core, and removal of at least one fuel pin from an element and replacement thereof so that a burnable poison may be utilized during the core lifetime. (AEC)

Grooved Fuel Rings for Nuclear Thermal Rocket Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emrich, William

2009-01-01

An alternative design concept for nuclear thermal rocket engines for interplanetary spacecraft calls for the use of grooved-ring fuel elements. Beyond spacecraft rocket engines, this concept also has potential for the design of terrestrial and spacecraft nuclear electric-power plants. The grooved ring fuel design attempts to retain the best features of the particle bed fuel element while eliminating most of its design deficiencies. In the grooved ring design, the hydrogen propellant enters the fuel element in a manner similar to that of the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR) fuel element.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Daniels, F.

1962-12-18

A power plant is described comprising a turbine and employing round cylindrical fuel rods formed of BeO and UO/sub 2/ and stacks of hexagonal moderator blocks of BeO provided with passages that loosely receive the fuel rods so that coolant may flow through the passages over the fuels to remove heat. The coolant may be helium or steam and fiows through at least one more heat exchanger for producing vapor from a body of fluid separate from the coolant, which fluid is to drive the turbine for generating electricity. By this arrangement the turbine and directly associated parts are free of particles and radiations emanating from the reactor. (AEC)

Current status of the development of high density LEU fuel for Russian research reactors

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

Vatulin, A.; Dobrikova, I.; Suprun, V.

2008-07-15

One of the main directions of the Russian RERTR program is to develop U-Mo fuel and fuel elements/FA with this fuel. The development is carried out both for existing reactors, and for new advanced designs of reactors. Many organizations in Russia, i.e. 'TVEL', RDIPE, RIAR, IRM, NPCC participate in the work. Two fuels are under development: dispersion and monolithic U-Mo fuel, as well two types of FA to use the dispersion U-Mo fuel: with tubular type fuel elements and with pin type fuel elements. The first stage of works was successfully completed. This stage included out-pile, in-pile and post irradiationmore » examinations of U-Mo dispersion fuel in experimental tubular and pin fuel elements under parameters similar to operation conditions of Russian design pool-type research reactors. The results received both in Russia and abroad enabled to go on to the next stage of development which includes irradiation tests both of full-scale IRT pin-type and tube-type fuel assemblies with U-Mo dispersion fuel and of mini-fuel elements with modified U-Mo dispersion fuel and monolithic fuel. The paper gives a generalized review of the results of U-Mo fuel development accomplished by now. (author)« less

Thermal-Hydraulic Transient Analysis of a Packed Particle Bed Reactor Fuel Element

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

long fuel elements, arranged to form a core , were analyzed for an up-power transient from 0 MWt to approximately 18 MWt. The simple model significantly...VARIATIONS IN FUEL ELEMENT GEOMETRY ............. 60 4.4 VARIATIONS IN THE MANNER OF TRANSIENT CONTROL ..... 62 4.5 CORE REPRESENTATION BY MULTIPLE FUEL ...the HTGR , however, the PBR packs small fuel particles between inner and outer retention elements, designated as frits. The PBR is appropriate for a

Tool Measures Depths of Defects on a Case Tang Joint

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ream, M. Bryan; Montgomery, Ronald B.; Mecham, Brent A.; Keirstead, Bums W.

2005-01-01

A special-purpose tool has been developed for measuring the depths of defects on an O-ring seal surface. The surface lies in a specially shaped ringlike fitting, called a capture feature tang, located on an end of a cylindrical segment of a case that contains a solid-fuel booster rocket motor for launching a space shuttle. The capture feature tang is a part of a tang-and-clevis, O-ring joint between the case segment and a similar, adjacent cylindrical case segment. When the segments are joined, the tang makes an interference fit with the clevis and squeezes the O-ring at the side of the gap.

Nuclear fuel elements and method of making same

DOEpatents

Schweitzer, Donald G.

1992-01-01

A nuclear fuel element for a high temperature gas nuclear reactor that has an average operating temperature in excess of 2000.degree. C., and a method of making such a fuel element. The fuel element is characterized by having fissionable fuel material localized and stabilized within pores of a carbon or graphite member by melting the fissionable material to cause it to chemically react with the carbon walls of the pores. The fissionable fuel material is further stabilized and localized within the pores of the graphite member by providing one or more coatings of pyrolytic carbon or diamond surrounding the porous graphite member so that each layer defines a successive barrier against migration of the fissionable fuel from the pores, and so that the outermost layer of pyrolytic carbon or diamond forms a barrier between the fissionable material and the moderating gases used in an associated high temperature gas reactor. The method of the invention provides for making such new elements either as generally spherically elements, or as flexible filaments, or as other relatively small-sized fuel elements that are particularly suited for use in high temperature gas reactors.

78 FR 17591 - Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-22

... aft fuel system 40 micron fuel filter element with a 10 micron nominal (40 micron absolute) fuel filter element. This AD was prompted by a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) review of in... helicopters with a fuel system 40 micron fuel filter element, part number (P/N) 52-0505-2 or 52-01064-1. That...

Pulse-actuated fuel-injection spark plug

DOEpatents

Murray, Ian; Tatro, Clement A.

1978-01-01

A replacement spark plug for reciprocating internal combustion engines that functions as a fuel injector and as a spark plug to provide a "stratified-charge" effect. The conventional carburetor is retained to supply the main fuel-air mixture which may be very lean because of the stratified charge. The replacement plug includes a cylindrical piezoelectric ceramic which contracts to act as a pump whenever an ignition pulse is applied to a central rod through the ceramic. The rod is hollow at its upper end for receiving fuel, it is tapered along its lower length to act as a pump, and it is flattened at its lower end to act as a valve for fuel injection from the pump into the cylinder. The rod also acts as the center electrode of the plug, with the spark jumping from the plug base to the lower end of the rod to thereby provide spark ignition that has inherent proper timing with the fuel injection.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR AND FUEL ELEMENT THEREFOR

DOEpatents

Szilard, L.; Young, G.J.

1958-03-01

This patent relates to a reactor design of the type which employs solid fuel elements disposed in channels within the moderator through which channels and around the fuel elements is conveyed a coolant fiuid. The coolant channels are comprised of aluminum tubes extending through a solid moderator such as graphite and the fuel elements are comprised of an elongated solid body of natural uranium jacketed in an aluminum jacket with the ends thereof closed by aluminum caps of substantially greater thickness than the jacket was and in good thermal contact with the fuel material to facilitate the conduction of heat from the central portion of said ends to the coolant surrounding the fuel element to prevent overheating of said central portion.

Criticality safety evaluation for the Advanced Test Reactor enhanced low enriched uranium fuel elements

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

Montierth, Leland M.

2016-07-19

The Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) convert program is developing a high uranium density fuel based on a low enriched uranium (LEU) uranium-molybdenum alloy. Testing of prototypic GTRI fuel elements is necessary to demonstrate integrated fuel performance behavior and scale-up of fabrication techniques. GTRI Enhanced LEU Fuel (ELF) elements based on the ATR-Standard Size elements (all plates fueled) are to be fabricated for testing in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). While a specific ELF element design will eventually be provided for detailed analyses and in-core testing, this criticality safety evaluation (CSE) is intended to evaluate a hypothetical ELF element designmore » for criticality safety purposes. Existing criticality analyses have analyzed Standard (HEU) ATR elements from which controls have been derived. This CSE documents analysis that determines the reactivity of the hypothetical ELF fuel elements relative to HEU ATR elements and whether the existing HEU ATR element controls bound the ELF element. The initial calculations presented in this CSE analyzed the original ELF design, now referred to as Mod 0.1. In addition, as part of a fuel meat thickness optimization effort for reactor performance, other designs have been evaluated. As of early 2014 the most current conceptual designs are Mk1A and Mk1B, that were previously referred to as conceptual designs Mod 0.10 and Mod 0.11, respectively. Revision 1 evaluates the reactivity of the ATR HEU Mark IV elements for a comparison with the Mark VII elements.« less

Turbulence and Cavitation Suppression by Quaternary Ammonium Salt Additives.

PubMed

Naseri, Homa; Trickett, Kieran; Mitroglou, Nicholas; Karathanassis, Ioannis; Koukouvinis, Phoevos; Gavaises, Manolis; Barbour, Robert; Diamond, Dale; Rogers, Sarah E; Santini, Maurizio; Wang, Jin

2018-05-16

We identify the physical mechanism through which newly developed quaternary ammonium salt (QAS) deposit control additives (DCAs) affect the rheological properties of cavitating turbulent flows, resulting in an increase in the volumetric efficiency of clean injectors fuelled with diesel or biodiesel fuels. Quaternary ammonium surfactants with appropriate counterions can be very effective in reducing the turbulent drag in aqueous solutions, however, less is known about the effect of such surfactants in oil-based solvents or in cavitating flow conditions. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) investigations show that in traditional DCA fuel compositions only reverse spherical micelles form, whereas reverse cylindrical micelles are detected by blending the fuel with the QAS additive. Moreover, experiments utilising X-ray micro computed tomography (micro-CT) in nozzle replicas, quantify that in cavitation regions the liquid fraction is increased in the presence of the QAS additive. Furthermore, high-flux X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) measurements identify a flow stabilization effect in the region of vortex cavitation by the QAS additive. The effect of the formation of cylindrical micelles is reproduced with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations by including viscoelastic characteristics for the flow. It is demonstrated that viscoelasticity can reduce turbulence and suppress cavitation, and subsequently increase the injector's volumetric efficiency.

Contact interaction of thin-walled elements with an elastic layer and an infinite circular cylinder under torsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanetsyan, E. G.; Mkrtchyan, M. S.; Mkhitaryan, S. M.

2018-04-01

We consider a class of contact torsion problems on interaction of thin-walled elements shaped as an elastic thin washer – a flat circular plate of small height – with an elastic layer, in particular, with a half-space, and on interaction of thin cylindrical shells with a solid elastic cylinder, infinite in both directions. The governing equations of the physical models of elastic thin washers and thin circular cylindrical shells under torsion are derived from the exact equations of mathematical theory of elasticity using the Hankel and Fourier transforms. Within the framework of the accepted physical models, the solution of the contact problem between an elastic washer and an elastic layer is reduced to solving the Fredholm integral equation of the first kind with a kernel representable as a sum of the Weber–Sonin integral and some integral regular kernel, while solving the contact problem between a cylindrical shell and solid cylinder is reduced to a singular integral equation (SIE). An effective method for solving the governing integral equations of these problems are specified.

Thermocryogenic buckling and stress analyses of a partially filled cryogenic tank subjected to cylindrical strip heating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, William L.

1994-01-01

Thermocryogenic buckling and stress analyses were conducted on a horizontally oriented cryogenic tank using the finite element method. The tank is a finite-length circular cylindrical shell with its two ends capped with hemispherical shells. The tank is subjected to cylindrical strip heating in the region above the liquid-cryogen fill level and to cryogenic cooling below the fill level (i.e., under thermocryogenic loading). The effects of cryogen fill level on the buckling temperature and thermocryogenic stress field were investigated in detail. Both the buckling temperature and stress magnitudes were relatively insensitive to the cryogen fill level. The buckling temperature, however, was quite sensitive to the radius-to-thickness ratio. A mechanical stress analysis of the tank also was conducted when the tank was under: (1) cryogen liquid pressure loading; (2) internal pressure loading; and (3) tank-wall inertia loading. Deformed shapes of the cryogenic tanks under different loading conditions were shown, and high-stress domains were mapped on the tank wall for the strain-gage installations. The accuracies of solutions from different finite element models were compared.

FUEL-BREEDER FUEL ELEMENT FOR NUCLEAR REACTOR

DOEpatents

Abbott, W.E.; Balent, R.

1958-09-16

A fuel element design to facilitate breeding reactor fuel is described. The fuel element is comprised of a coatainer, a central core of fertile material in the container, a first bonding material surrounding the core, a sheet of fissionable material immediately surrounding the first bonding material, and a second bonding material surrounding the fissionable material and being in coniact with said container.

Evaluation of the finite element fuel rod analysis code (FRANCO)

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

Lee, K.; Feltus, M.A.

1994-12-31

Knowledge of temperature distribution in a nuclear fuel rod is required to predict the behavior of fuel elements during operating conditions. The thermal and mechanical properties and performance characteristics are strongly dependent on the temperature, which can vary greatly inside the fuel rod. A detailed model of fuel rod behavior can be described by various numerical methods, including the finite element approach. The finite element method has been successfully used in many engineering applications, including nuclear piping and reactor component analysis. However, fuel pin analysis has traditionally been carried out with finite difference codes, with the exception of Electric Powermore » Research Institute`s FREY code, which was developed for mainframe execution. This report describes FRANCO, a finite element fuel rod analysis code capable of computing temperature disrtibution and mechanical deformation of a single light water reactor fuel rod.« less

Radial flow nuclear thermal rocket (RFNTR)

DOEpatents

Leyse, Carl F.

1995-11-07

A radial flow nuclear thermal rocket fuel assembly includes a substantially conical fuel element having an inlet side and an outlet side. An annular channel is disposed in the element for receiving a nuclear propellant, and a second, conical, channel is disposed in the element for discharging the propellant. The first channel is located radially outward from the second channel, and separated from the second channel by an annular fuel bed volume. This fuel bed volume can include a packed bed of loose fuel beads confined by a cold porous inlet frit and a hot porous exit frit. The loose fuel beads include ZrC coated ZrC-UC beads. In this manner, nuclear propellant enters the fuel assembly axially into the first channel at the inlet side of the element, flows axially across the fuel bed volume, and is discharged from the assembly by flowing radially outward from the second channel at the outlet side of the element.

Radial flow nuclear thermal rocket (RFNTR)

DOEpatents

Leyse, Carl F.

1995-01-01

A radial flow nuclear thermal rocket fuel assembly includes a substantially conical fuel element having an inlet side and an outlet side. An annular channel is disposed in the element for receiving a nuclear propellant, and a second, conical, channel is disposed in the element for discharging the propellant. The first channel is located radially outward from the second channel, and separated from the second channel by an annular fuel bed volume. This fuel bed volume can include a packed bed of loose fuel beads confined by a cold porous inlet frit and a hot porous exit frit. The loose fuel beads include ZrC coated ZrC-UC beads. In this manner, nuclear propellant enters the fuel assembly axially into the first channel at the inlet side of the element, flows axially across the fuel bed volume, and is discharged from the assembly by flowing radially outward from the second channel at the outlet side of the element.

All-theoretical prediction of cabin noise due to impingement of propeller vortices on a wing structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martinez, R.; Cole, J. E., III; Martini, K.; Westagard, A.

1987-01-01

Reported calculations of structure-borne cabin noise for a small twin engine aircraft powered by tractor propellers rely on the following three-stage methodological breakup of the problem: (1) the unsteady-aerodynamic prediction of wing lift harmonics caused by the whipping action of the vortex system trailed from each propeller; (2) the associated wing/fuselage structural response; (3) the cabin noise field for the computed wall vibration. The first part--the estimate of airloads--skirts a full-fledged aeroelastic situation by assuming the wing to be fixed in space while cancelling the downwash field of the cutting vortices. The model is based on an approximate high-frequency lifting-surface theory justified by the blade rate and flight Mach number of application. Its results drive a finite-element representation of the wing accounting for upper and lower skin surfaces, spars, ribs, and the presence of fuel. The fuselage, modeled as a frame-stiffened cylindrical shell, is bolted to the wing.

Current Status of Superheat Spray Modeling With NCC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raju, M. S.; Bulzan, Dan L.

2012-01-01

An understanding of liquid fuel behavior at superheat conditions is identified to be a topic of importance in the design of modern supersonic engines. As a part of the NASA's supersonics project office initiative on high altitude emissions, we have undertaken an effort to assess the accuracy of various existing CFD models used in the modeling of superheated sprays. As a part of this investigation, we have completed the implementation of a modeling approach into the national combustion code (NCC), and then applied it to investigate the following three cases: (1) the validation of a flashing jet generated by the sudden release of pressurized R134A from a cylindrical nozzle, (2) the differences between two superheat vaporization models were studied based on both hot and cold flow calculations of a Parker-Hannifin pressure swirl atomizer, (3) the spray characteristics generated by a single-element LDI (Lean Direct Injector) experiment were studied to investigate the differences between superheat and non-superheat conditions. Further details can be found in the paper.

Sensitivity Analysis of Fuel Centerline Temperatures in SuperCritical Water-cooled Reactors (SCWRs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdalla, Ayman

SuperCritical Water-cooled Reactors (SCWRs) are one of the six nuclear-reactor concepts currently being developed under the Generation-IV International Forum (GIF). A main advantage of SCW Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) is that they offer higher thermal efficiencies compared to those of current conventional NPPs. Unlike today's conventional NPPs, which have thermal efficiencies between 30 - 35%, SCW NPPs will have thermal efficiencies within a range of 45 - 50%, owing to high operating temperatures and pressures (i.e., coolant temperatures as high as 625°C at 25 MPa pressure). The use of current fuel bundles with UO2 fuel at the high operating parameters of SCWRs may cause high fuel centerline temperatures, which could lead to fuel failure and fission gas release. Studies have shown that when the Variant-20 (43-element) fuel bundle was examined at SCW conditions, the fuel centerline temperature industry limit of 1850°C for UO2 and the sheath temperature design limit of 850°C might be exceeded. Therefore, new fuel-bundle designs, which comply with the design requirements, are required for future use in SCWRs. The main objective of this study to conduct a sensitivity analysis in order to identify the main factors that leads to fuel centerline temperature reduction. Therefore, a 54-element fuel bundle with smaller diameter of fuel elements compared to that of the 43-element bundle was designed and various nuclear fuels are examined for future use in a generic Pressure Tube (PT) SCWR. The 54-element bundle consists of 53 heated fuel elements with an outer diameter of 9.5 mm and one central unheated element of 20-mm outer diameter which contains burnable poison. The 54-element fuel bundle has an outer diameter of 103.45 mm, which is the same as the outer diameter of the 43-element fuel bundle. After developing the 54-element fuel bundle, one-dimensional heat-transfer analysis was conducted using MATLAB and NIST REFPROP programs. As a result, the Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC), bulk-fluid, sheath and fuel centerline temperature profiles were generated along the heated length of 5.772 m for a generic fuel channel. The fuel centerline and sheath temperature profiles have been determined at four Axial Heat Flux Profiles (AHFPs) using an average thermal power per channel of 8.5 MWth. The four examined AHFPs are the uniform, cosine, upstream-skewed and downstream-skewed profiles. Additionally, this study focuses on investigating a possibility of using low, enhanced and high thermal-conductivity fuels. The low thermal-conductivity fuels, which have been examined in this study, are uranium dioxide (UO 2), Mixed Oxide (MOX) and Thoria (ThO2) fuels. The examined enhanced thermal-conductivity fuels are uranium dioxide - silicon carbide (UO2 - SiC) and uranium dioxide - beryllium oxide (UO2 - BeO). Lastly, uranium carbide (UC), uranium dicarbide (UC2) and uranium nitride (UN) are the selected high thermal-conductivity fuels, which have been proposed for use in SCWRs. A comparison has been made between the low, enhanced and high thermal-conductivity fuels in order to identify the fuel centerline temperature behaviour when different nuclear fuels are used. Also, in the process of conducting the sensitivity analysis, the HTC was calculated using the Mokry et al. correlation, which is the most accurate supercritical water heat-transfer correlation so far. The sheath and the fuel centerline temperature profiles were determined for two cases. In Case 1, the HTC was calculated based on the Mokry et al. correlation, while in Case 2, the HTC values calculated for Case 1 were multiplied by a factor of 2. This factor was used in order to identify the amount of decrease in temperatures if the heat transfer is enhanced with appendages. Results of this analysis indicate that the use of the newly developed 54-element fuel bundle along with the proposed fuels is promising when compared with the Variant-20 (43-element) fuel bundle. Overall, the fuel centerline and sheath temperatures were below the industry and design limits when most of the proposed fuels were examined in the 54-element fuel bundle, however, the fuel centerline temperature limit was exceeded while MOX fuel was examined. Keywords: SCWRs, Fuel Centerline Temperature, Sheath Temperature, High Thermal Conductivity Fuels, Low Thermal Conductivity Fuels, HTC.

Computer Analysis Of High-Speed Roller Bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coe, H.

1988-01-01

High-speed cylindrical roller-bearing analysis program (CYBEAN) developed to compute behavior of cylindrical rolling-element bearings at high speeds and with misaligned shafts. With program, accurate assessment of geometry-induced roller preload possible for variety of out-ring and housing configurations and loading conditions. Enables detailed examination of bearing performance and permits exploration of causes and consequences of bearing skew. Provides general capability for assessment of designs of bearings supporting main shafts of engines. Written in FORTRAN IV.

Adjustable bias column end joint assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallsom, Richard E. (Inventor); Bush, Harold G. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

An adjustable mechanical end joint system for connecting structural column elements and eliminating the possibility of free movement between joint halves during loading or vibration has a node joint body having a cylindrical engaging end and a column end body having a cylindrical engaging end. The column end joint body has a compressible preload mechanism and plunger means housed therein. The compressible preload mechanism may be adjusted from the exterior of the column end joint body through a port.

Multidisciplinary Simulation of Graphite-Composite and Cermet Fuel Elements for NTP Point of Departure Designs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Mark E.; Schnitzler, Bruce G.

2015-01-01

This paper compares the expected performance of two Nuclear Thermal Propulsion fuel types. High fidelity, fluid/thermal/structural + neutronic simulations help predict the performance of graphite-composite and cermet fuel types from point of departure engine designs from the Nuclear Thermal Propulsion project. Materials and nuclear reactivity issues are reviewed for each fuel type. Thermal/structural simulations predict thermal stresses in the fuel and thermal expansion mis-match stresses in the coatings. Fluid/thermal/structural/neutronic simulations provide predictions for full fuel elements. Although NTP engines will utilize many existing chemical engine components and technologies, nuclear fuel elements are a less developed engine component and introduce design uncertainty. Consequently, these fuel element simulations provide important insights into NTP engine performance.

NUCLEAR REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT ASSEMBLY

DOEpatents

Stengel, F.G.

1963-12-24

A method of fabricating nuclear reactor fuel element assemblies having a plurality of longitudinally extending flat fuel elements in spaced parallel relation to each other to form channels is presented. One side of a flat side plate is held contiguous to the ends of the elements and a welding means is passed along the other side of the platertransverse to the direction of the longitudinal extension of the elements. The setting and speed of travel of the welding means is set to cause penetration of the side plate with welds at bridge the gap in each channel between adjacent fuel elements with a weld-through bubble of predetermined size. The fabrication of a high strength, dependable fuel element is provided, and the reduction of distortion and high production costs are facilitated by this method. (AEC)

Thermal Hydraulic Analysis of a Packed Bed Reactor Fuel Element

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-05-25

Engineer and Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering. ABSTRACT A model of the behavior of a packed bed nuclear reactor fuel element is developed . It...RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION .................... 150 APPENDIX A FUEL ELEMENT MODEL PROGRAM DESIGN AND OPERA- T IO N...follow describe the details of the packed bed reactor and then discuss the development of the mathematical representations of the fuel element. These are

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING NEUTRON DENSITY

DOEpatents

Wigner, E.P.; Young, G.J.; Weinberg, A.M.

1961-06-27

A neutronic reactor comprising a moderator containing uniformly sized and spaced channels and uniformly dimensioned fuel elements is patented. The fuel elements have a fissionable core and an aluminum jacket. The cores and the jackets of the fuel elements in the central channels of the reactor are respectively thinner and thicker than the cores and jackets of the fuel elements in the remainder of the reactor, producing a flattened flux.

FUEL ELEMENT FOR NUCLEAR REACTORS

DOEpatents

Bassett, C.H.

1961-05-16

A fuel element particularly adapted for use in nuclear reactors of high power density is offered. It has fissionable fuel pellet segments mounted in a tubular housing and defining a central passage in the fuel element. A burnable poison element extends through the central passage, which is designed to contain more poison material at the median portion than at the end portions thereby providing a more uniform hurnup and longer reactivity life.

Spent nuclear fuel assembly inspection using neutron computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pope, Chad Lee

The research presented here focuses on spent nuclear fuel assembly inspection using neutron computed tomography. Experimental measurements involving neutron beam transmission through a spent nuclear fuel assembly serve as benchmark measurements for an MCNP simulation model. Comparison of measured results to simulation results shows good agreement. Generation of tomography images from MCNP tally results was accomplished using adapted versions of built in MATLAB algorithms. Multiple fuel assembly models were examined to provide a broad set of conclusions. Tomography images revealing assembly geometric information including the fuel element lattice structure and missing elements can be obtained using high energy neutrons. A projection difference technique was developed which reveals the substitution of unirradiated fuel elements for irradiated fuel elements, using high energy neutrons. More subtle material differences such as altering the burnup of individual elements can be identified with lower energy neutrons provided the scattered neutron contribution to the image is limited. The research results show that neutron computed tomography can be used to inspect spent nuclear fuel assemblies for the purpose of identifying anomalies such as missing elements or substituted elements. The ability to identify anomalies in spent fuel assemblies can be used to deter diversion of material by increasing the risk of early detection as well as improve reprocessing facility operations by confirming the spent fuel configuration is as expected or allowing segregation if anomalies are detected.

SLUG HANDLING DEVICES

DOEpatents

Gentry, J.R.

1958-09-16

A device is described for handling fuel elements of a neutronic reactor. The device consists of two concentric telescoped contalners that may fit about the fuel element. A number of ratchet members, equally spaced about the entrance to the containers, are pivoted on the inner container and spring biased to the outer container so thnt they are forced to hear against and hold the fuel element, the weight of which tends to force the ratchets tighter against the fuel element. The ratchets are released from their hold by raising the inner container relative to the outer memeber. This device reduces the radiation hazard to the personnel handling the fuel elements.

FUEL ELEMENTS FOR NUCLEAR REACTORS

DOEpatents

Blainey, A.; Lloyd, H.

1961-07-11

A method of sheathing a tubular fuel element for a nuclear reactor is described. A low melting metal core member is centered in a die, a layer of a powdered sheathing substance is placed on the bottom of the die, the tubular fuel element is inserted in the die, the space between the tubular fuel element and the die walls and core member is filled with the same powdered sheathing substance, a layer of the same substance is placed over the fissile material, and the charge within the die is subjected to pressure in the direction of the axis of the fuel element at the sintering temperature of the protective substance.

Recapturing Graphite-Based Fuel Element Technology for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

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

Trammell, Michael P; Jolly, Brian C; Miller, James Henry

ORNL is currently recapturing graphite based fuel forms for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP). This effort involves research and development on materials selection, extrusion, and coating processes to produce fuel elements representative of historical ROVER and NERVA fuel. Initially, lab scale specimens were fabricated using surrogate oxides to develop processing parameters that could be applied to full length NTP fuel elements. Progress toward understanding the effect of these processing parameters on surrogate fuel microstructure is presented.

Fuel element concept for long life high power nuclear reactors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdonald, G. E.; Rom, F. E.

1969-01-01

Nuclear reactor fuel elements have burnups that are an order of magnitude higher than can currently be achieved by conventional design practice. Elements have greater time integrated power producing capacity per unit volume. Element design concept capitalizes on known design principles and observed behavior of nuclear fuel.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT

DOEpatents

Shackleford, M.H.

1958-12-16

A fuel element possessing good stability and heat conducting properties is described. The fuel element comprises an outer tube formed of material selected from the group consisting of stainhess steel, V, Ti. Mo. or Zr, a fuel tube concentrically fitting within the outer tube and containing an oxide of an isotope selected from the group consisting of U/sup 235/, U/sup 233/, and Pu/sup 239/, and a hollow, porous core concentrically fitting within the fuel tube and formed of an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Be, and Zr.

35. DETAILS AND SECTIONS OF FUEL ELEMENT SUPPORT PLATFORM, FUEL ...

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

35. DETAILS AND SECTIONS OF FUEL ELEMENT SUPPORT PLATFORM, FUEL ELEMENT HOLDER, TRIP MECHANISM COVER, AND OTHER DETAILS. F.C. TORKELSON DRAWING NUMBER 842-ARVFS-701-S-3. INEL INDEX CODE NUMBER: 075 0701 60 851 151977. - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Advanced Reentry Vehicle Fusing System, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Possible consequences of operation with KIVN fuel elements in K Zircaloy process tubes

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

Carlson, P.A.

1963-08-06

From considerations of the results of experimental simulations of non-axial placement of fuel elements in process tubes and in-reactor experience, it is concluded that the ultimate outcome of a charging error which results in operation with one or more unsupported fuel elements in a K Zircaloy-2 process tube would be multiple fuel failure and failure of the process tube. The outcome of the accident is determined by the speed with which the fuel failure is detected and the reactor is shut down. The release of fission products would be expected to be no greater than that which has occurred followingmore » severe fuel failure incidents. The highest probability for fission product release occurs during the discharge of failed fuel elements, when a small fraction of the exposed uranium of the fuel element may be oxidized when exposed to air before the element falls into the water-filled discharge chute. The confinement and fog spray facilities were installed to reduce the amount of fission products which might escape from the reactor building after such an event.« less

Evidence-Based Evaluation of Inferior Vena Cava Filter Complications Based on Filter Type

PubMed Central

Deso, Steven E.; Idakoji, Ibrahim A.; Kuo, William T.

2016-01-01

Many inferior vena cava (IVC) filter types, along with their specific risks and complications, are not recognized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the various FDA-approved IVC filter types to determine device-specific risks, as a way to help identify patients who may benefit from ongoing follow-up versus prompt filter retrieval. An evidence-based electronic search (FDA Premarket Notification, MEDLINE, FDA MAUDE) was performed to identify all IVC filter types and device-specific complications from 1980 to 2014. Twenty-three IVC filter types (14 retrievable, 9 permanent) were identified. The devices were categorized as follows: conical (n = 14), conical with umbrella (n = 1), conical with cylindrical element (n = 2), biconical with cylindrical element (n = 2), helical (n = 1), spiral (n = 1), and complex (n = 1). Purely conical filters were associated with the highest reported risks of penetration (90–100%). Filters with cylindrical or umbrella elements were associated with the highest reported risk of IVC thrombosis (30–50%). Conical Bard filters were associated with the highest reported risks of fracture (40%). The various FDA-approved IVC filter types were evaluated for device-specific complications based on best current evidence. This information can be used to guide and optimize clinical management in patients with indwelling IVC filters. PMID:27247477

Fabrication and properties of radially <001>C textured PMN-PT cylinders for transducer applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poterala, Stephen F.; Meyer, Richard J.; Messing, Gary L.

2012-07-01

<001>C Textured PMN-PT ceramics have electromechanical properties (d33 = 850-1050 pm/V, k33 = 0.79-0.83) between those of conventional PZT ceramics and relaxor PMN-PT crystals. In this work, we tailor crystallographic orientation in textured PMN-PT ceramics for transducer designs with non-planar poling surfaces. Specifically, omni-directional cylindrical transducer elements were fabricated using monolithic, radially <001>C textured and poled PMN-PT ceramic. Texture was produced by templated grain growth using NBT-PT templates, which were oriented radially by wrapping green ceramic tapes around a cylindrical mandrel. Finished transducer elements measure ˜5 cm in diameter by ˜2.5 cm in height and demonstrate scalability of textured ceramic fabrication techniques. The fabricated cylinders are ˜50 vol. % textured and show high 31-mode electromechanical properties compared to PZT ceramics (d31 = -259 pm/V, k31 = 0.43, ɛT33 = 3000, and Qm = 350). Frequency bandwidth is related to the square of the hoop mode coupling coefficient kh2, which is ˜60% higher in textured PMN-PT cylinders compared to PZT 5H. Finite element simulations show that this parameter may be further increased by improving texture quality to ≥90 vol. %. Radially textured PMN-PT may thus improve performance in omni-directional cylindrical transducers while avoiding the need for segmented single crystal designs.

Cup Cylindrical Waveguide Antenna

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Acosta, Roberto J.; Darby, William G.; Kory, Carol L.; Lambert, Kevin M.; Breen, Daniel P.

2008-01-01

The cup cylindrical waveguide antenna (CCWA) is a short backfire microwave antenna capable of simultaneously supporting the transmission or reception of two distinct signals having opposite circular polarizations. Short backfire antennas are widely used in mobile/satellite communications, tracking, telemetry, and wireless local area networks because of their compactness and excellent radiation characteristics. A typical prior short backfire antenna contains a half-wavelength dipole excitation element for linear polarization or crossed half-wavelength dipole elements for circular polarization. In order to achieve simultaneous dual circular polarization, it would be necessary to integrate, into the antenna feed structure, a network of hybrid components, which would introduce significant losses. The CCWA embodies an alternate approach that entails relatively low losses and affords the additional advantage of compactness. The CCWA includes a circular cylindrical cup, a circular disk subreflector, and a circular waveguide that serves as the excitation element. The components that make it possible to obtain simultaneous dual circular polarization are integrated into the circular waveguide. These components are a sixpost polarizer and an orthomode transducer (OMT) with two orthogonal coaxial ports. The overall length of the OMT and polarizer (for the nominal middle design frequency of 2.25 GHz) is about 11 in. (approximately equal to 28 cm), whereas the length of a commercially available OMT and polarizer for the same frequency is about 32 in. (approximately equal to 81 cm).

Interactions of bluff-body obstacles with turbulent airflows affecting evaporative fluxes from porous surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haghighi, Erfan; Or, Dani

2015-11-01

Bluff-body obstacles interacting with turbulent airflows are common in many natural and engineering applications (from desert pavement and shrubs over natural surfaces to cylindrical elements in compact heat exchangers). Even with obstacles of simple geometry, their interactions within turbulent airflows result in a complex and unsteady flow field that affects surface drag partitioning and transport of scalars from adjacent evaporating surfaces. Observations of spatio-temporal thermal patterns on evaporating porous surfaces adjacent to bluff-body obstacles depict well-defined and persistent zonation of evaporation rates that were used to construct a simple mechanistic model for surface-turbulence interactions. Results from evaporative drying of sand surfaces with isolated cylindrical elements (bluff bodies) subjected to constant turbulent airflows were in good agreement with model predictions for localized exchange rates. Experimental and theoretical results show persistent enhancement of evaporative fluxes from bluff-rough surfaces relative to smooth flat surfaces under similar conditions. The enhancement is attributed to formation of vortices that induce a thinner boundary layer over part of the interacting surface footprint. For a practical range of air velocities (0.5-4.0 m/s), low-aspect ratio cylindrical bluff elements placed on evaporating sand surfaces enhanced evaporative mass losses (relative to a flat surface) by up to 300% for high density of elements and high wind velocity, similar to observations reported in the literature. Concepts from drag partitioning were used to generalize the model and upscale predictions to evaporation from surfaces with multiple obstacles for potential applications to natural bluff-rough surfaces.

Generator configuration for solid oxide fuel cells

DOEpatents

Reichner, Philip

1989-01-01

Disclosed are improvements in a solid oxide fuel cell generator 1 having a multiplicity of electrically connected solid oxide fuel cells 2, where a fuel gas is passed over one side of said cells and an oxygen-containing gas is passed over the other side of said cells resulting in the generation of heat and electricity. The improvements comprise arranging the cells in the configuration of a circle, a spiral, or folded rows within a cylindrical generator, and modifying the flow rate, oxygen concentration, and/or temperature of the oxygen-containing gases that flow to those cells that are at the periphery of the generator relative to those cells that are at the center of the generator. In these ways, a more uniform temperature is obtained throughout the generator.

Testing and Analysis of a Composite Non-Cylindrical Aircraft Fuselage Structure . Part II; Severe Damage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Przekop, Adam; Jegley, Dawn C.; Lovejoy, Andrew E.; Rouse, Marshall; Wu, Hsi-Yung T.

2016-01-01

The Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project aimed to develop aircraft technologies enabling significant fuel burn and community noise reductions. Small incremental changes to the conventional metallic alloy-based 'tube and wing' configuration were not sufficient to achieve the desired metrics. One airframe concept identified by the project as having the potential to dramatically improve aircraft performance was a composite-based hybrid wing body configuration. Such a concept, however, presented inherent challenges stemming from, among other factors, the necessity to transfer wing loads through the entire center fuselage section which accommodates a pressurized cabin confined by flat or nearly flat panels. This paper discusses a finite element analysis and the testing of a large-scale hybrid wing body center section structure developed and constructed to demonstrate that the Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure concept can meet these challenging demands of the next generation airframes. Part II of the paper considers the final test to failure of the test article in the presence of an intentionally inflicted severe discrete source damage under the wing up-bending loading condition. Finite element analysis results are compared with measurements acquired during the test and demonstrate that the hybrid wing body test article was able to redistribute and support the required design loads in a severely damaged condition.

Rack for storing spent nuclear fuel elements

DOEpatents

Rubinstein, Herbert J.; Clark, Philip M.; Gilcrest, James D.

1978-06-20

A rack for storing spent nuclear fuel elements in which a plurality of aligned rows of upright enclosures of generally square cross-sectional areas contain vertically disposed fuel elements. The enclosures are fixed at the lower ends thereof to a base. Pockets are formed between confronting walls of adjacent enclosures for receiving high absorption neutron absorbers, such as Boral, cadmium, borated stainless steel and the like for the closer spacing of spent fuel elements.

METHOD OF OPERATING NUCLEAR REACTORS

DOEpatents

Untermyer, S.

1958-10-14

A method is presented for obtaining enhanced utilization of natural uranium in heavy water moderated nuclear reactors by charging the reactor with an equal number of fuel elements formed of natural uranium and of fuel elements formed of uranium depleted in U/sup 235/ to the extent that the combination will just support a chain reaction. The reactor is operated until the rate of burnup of plutonium equals its rate of production, the fuel elements are processed to recover plutonium, the depleted uranium is discarded, and the remaining uranium is formed into fuel elements. These fuel elements are charged into a reactor along with an equal number of fuel elements formed of uranium depleted in U/sup 235/ to the extent that the combination will just support a chain reaction, and reuse of the uranium is continued as aforesaid until it wlll no longer support a chain reaction when combined with an equal quantity of natural uranium.

Fabrication and characterization of joined silicon carbide cylindrical components for nuclear applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalifa, H. E.; Deck, C. P.; Gutierrez, O.; Jacobsen, G. M.; Back, C. A.

2015-02-01

The use of silicon carbide (SiC) composites as structural materials in nuclear applications necessitates the development of a viable joining method. One critical application for nuclear-grade joining is the sealing of fuel within a cylindrical cladding. This paper demonstrates cylindrical joint feasibility using a low activation nuclear-grade joint material comprised entirely of β-SiC. While many papers have considered joining material, this paper takes into consideration the joint geometry and component form factor, as well as the material performance. Work focused specifically on characterizing the strength and permeability performance of joints between cylindrical SiC-SiC composites and monolithic SiC endplugs. The effects of environment and neutron irradiation were not evaluated in this study. Joint test specimens of different geometries were evaluated in their as-fabricated state, as well as after being subjected to thermal cycling and partial mechanical loading. A butted scarf geometry supplied the best combination of high strength and low permeability. A leak rate performance of 2 × 10-9 mbar l s-1 was maintained after thermal cycling and partial mechanical loading and sustained applied force of 3.4 kN, or an apparent strength of 77 MPa. This work shows that a cylindrical SiC-SiC composite tube sealed with a butted scarf endplug provides out-of-pile strength and permeability performance that meets light water reactor design requirements.

Nuclear fuel element with axially aligned fuel pellets and fuel microspheres therein

DOEpatents

Sease, J.D.; Harrington, F.E.

1973-12-11

Elongated single- and multi-region fuel elements are prepared by replacing within a cladding container a coarse fraction of fuel material which includes plutonium and uranium in the appropriate regions of the fuel element and then infiltrating with vibration a fine-sized fraction of uranium-containing microspheres throughout all interstices in the coarse material in a single loading. The fine, rigid material defines a thin annular layer between the coarse fraction and the cladding to reduce adverse mechanical and chemical interactions. (Official Gazette)

Continuous spin detonation of poorly detonable fuel-air mixtures in annular combustors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bykovskii, F. A.; Zhdan, S. A.

2017-09-01

This paper reports on the results of experimental investigations of continuous spin detonation of three fuel-air mixtures (syngas-air, CH4/H2-air, and kerosene/H2-air in a flow-type annular cylindrical combustor 503 mm in diameter. The limits of existence of continuous detonation in terms of the specific flow rates of the mixtures (minimum values) are determined. It is found that all gas mixtures, including the least detonable methane-air mixture, with addition of hydrogen can be burned in the continuous spin detonation regime.

Ion Scattering in a Self-Consistent Cylindrical Plasma Sheath

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-01

ELEMENT NUMBER 61102F 6. AUTHORS 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Shana S. Figueroa , D.L. Cooke, and Nikos A. Gatsonis* 5021 59. TASK NUMBER RS 5f. WORK UNIT... Adrian WheelockPAGES 19B. TELEPHONE NUMBER (include area code) UNCL UNCL UNCL Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8/98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 AFRL-VS-HA-TR...1007-1095 Ion scattering in a Self-consistent Cylindrical Plasma Sheath Shana S. Figueroa and David L. Cooke Air Force Research Laboratory, Space

Analysis of Wood Structure Connections Using Cylindrical Steel and Carbon Fiber Dowel Pins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vodiannikov, Mikhail A.; Kashevarova, Galina G., Dr.

2017-06-01

In this paper, the results of the statistical analysis of corrosion processes and moisture saturation of glued laminated timber structures and their joints in corrosive environment are shown. This paper includes calculation results for dowel connections of wood structures using steel and carbon fiber reinforced plastic cylindrical dowel pins in accordance with applicable regulatory documents by means of finite element analysis in ANSYS software, as well as experimental findings. Dependence diagrams are shown; comparative analysis of the results obtained is conducted.

Design Evolutuion of Hot Isotatic Press Cans for NTP Cermet Fuel Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mireles, O. R.; Broadway, J.; Hickman, R.

2014-01-01

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) is under consideration for potential use in deep space exploration missions due to desirable performance properties such as a high specific impulse (> 850 seconds). Tungsten (W)-60vol%UO2 cermet fuel elements are under development, with efforts emphasizing fabrication, performance testing and process optimization to meet NTP service life requirements [1]. Fuel elements incorporate design features that provide redundant protection from crack initiation, crack propagation potentially resulting in hot hydrogen (H2) reduction of UO2 kernels. Fuel erosion and fission product retention barriers include W coated UO2 fuel kernels, W clad internal flow channels and fuel element external W clad resulting in a fully encapsulated fuel element design as shown.

Effects of Shell-Buckling Knockdown Factors in Large Cylindrical Shells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hrinda, Glenn A.

2012-01-01

Shell-buckling knockdown factors (SBKF) have been used in large cylindrical shell structures to account for uncertainty in buckling loads. As the diameter of the cylinder increases, achieving the manufacturing tolerances becomes increasingly more difficult. Knockdown factors account for manufacturing imperfections in the shell geometry by decreasing the allowable buckling load of the cylinder. In this paper, large-diameter (33 ft) cylinders are investigated by using various SBKF's. An investigation that is based on finite-element analysis (FEA) is used to develop design sensitivity relationships. Different manufacturing imperfections are modeled into a perfect cylinder to investigate the effects of these imperfections on buckling. The analysis results may be applicable to large- diameter rockets, cylindrical tower structures, bulk storage tanks, and silos.

Analysis of shear buckling of cylindrical shells. II - Effects of combined loadings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokubo, Kunio; Nagashima, Hideaki; Takayanagi, Masaaki; Madokoro, Manabu; Mochizuki, Akira; Ikeuchi, Hisaaki

1992-03-01

Cylindrical shells subjected to lateral loads buckle in shear or bending buckling modes. The effects of combined loadings are investigated by developing a special-purpose FEM program using the 8-node isoparametric shell element. Three types of loading, lateral and axial loads, and pure bending moments are considered. For short cylindrical shells, shear buckling modes are dominant, but elephant-foot bulges take place with an increase in bending moments. Effects of axial loads on shear buckling and the elephant-foot bulge are investigated. In the case of shear buckling the axial load affects the buckling mode as well as the buckling load. For bending bucklings, the axial loads have a great effect on the buckling load.

Coupled mixed-field laminate theory and finite element for smart piezoelectric composite shell structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saravanos, Dimitris A.

1996-01-01

Mechanics for the analysis of laminated composite shells with piezoelectric actuators and sensors are presented. A new mixed-field laminate theory for piezoelectric shells is formulated in curvilinear coordinates which combines single-layer assumptions for the displacements and a layerwise representation for the electric potential. The resultant coupled governing equations for curvilinear piezoelectric laminates are described. Structural mechanics are subsequently developed and an 8-node finite-element is formulated for the static and dynamic analysis of adaptive composite structures of general laminations containing piezoelectric layers. Evaluations of the method and comparisons with reported results are presented for laminated piezoelectric-composite plates, a closed cylindrical shell with a continuous piezoceramic layer and a laminated composite semi-circular cantilever shell with discrete cylindrical piezoelectric actuators and/or sensors.

Preparation of high temperature gas-cooled reactor fuel element

DOEpatents

Bradley, Ronnie A.; Sease, John D.

1976-01-01

This invention relates to a method for the preparation of high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) fuel elements wherein uncarbonized fuel rods are inserted in appropriate channels of an HTGR fuel element block and the entire block is inserted in an autoclave for in situ carbonization under high pressure. The method is particularly applicable to remote handling techniques.

Nuclear fuel element

DOEpatents

Zocher, Roy W.

1991-01-01

A nuclear fuel element and a method of manufacturing the element. The fuel element is comprised of a metal primary container and a fuel pellet which is located inside it and which is often fragmented. The primary container is subjected to elevated pressure and temperature to deform the container such that the container conforms to the fuel pellet, that is, such that the container is in substantial contact with the surface of the pellet. This conformance eliminates clearances which permit rubbing together of fuel pellet fragments and rubbing of fuel pellet fragments against the container, thus reducing the amount of dust inside the fuel container and the amount of dust which may escape in the event of container breach. Also, as a result of the inventive method, fuel pellet fragments tend to adhere to one another to form a coherent non-fragmented mass; this reduces the tendency of a fragment to pierce the container in the event of impact.

Attitude motion of a non-attitude-controlled cylindrical satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkinson, C. K.

1988-01-01

In 1985, two non-attitude-controlled satellites were each placed in a low earth orbit by the Scout Launch Vehicle. The satellites were cylindrical in shape and contained reservoirs of hydrazine fuel. Three-axis magnetometer measurements, telemetered in real time, were used to derive the attitude motion of each satellite. Algorithms are generated to deduce possible orientations (and magnitudes) of each vehicle's angular momentum for each telemetry contact. To resolve ambiguities at each contact, a force model was derived to simulate the significant long-term effects of magnetic, gravity gradient, and aerodynamic torques on the angular momentum of the vehicles. The histories of the orientation and magnitude of the angular momentum are illustrated.

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.

Reflight of the Solid Surface Combustion Experiment: Opposed-Flow Flame Spread Over Cylindrical Fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhattacharjee, Subrata; Altenkirch, Robert A.; Worley, Regis; Tang, Lin; Bundy, Matt; Sacksteder, Kurt; Delichatsios, Michael A.

1997-01-01

The effort described here is a reflight of the Solid Surface Combustion Experiment (SSCE), with extension of the flight matrix first and then experiment modification. The objectives of the reflight are to extend the understanding of the interplay of the radiative processes that affect the flame spread mechanisms.

Photoionization in a Numerical Simulation of a Spark Discharge in Air

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

thunder , exploding thin conductors, and ignition of a fuel/air mixture in an internal combustion engine. All of these arcs have a circular cylindrical...that this arc resistance can be questioned. A detailed numerical study of an arc came from the research on thunder and lightning.4 This study is

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

Konyashov, Vadim V.; Krasnov, Alexander M.

Results are provided of the experimental investigation of radioactive fission product (RFP) release, i.e., krypton, xenon, and iodine radionuclides from fuel elements with initial defects during long-term (3 to 5 yr) irradiation under low linear power (5 to 12 kW/m) and during special experiments in the VK-50 vessel-type boiling water reactor.The calculation model for the RFP release from the fuel-to-cladding gap of the defective fuel element into coolant was developed. It takes into account the convective transport in the fuel-to-cladding gap and RFP sorption on the internal cladding surface and is in good agreement with the available experimental data. Anmore » approximate analytical solution of the transport equation is given. The calculation dependencies of the RFP release coefficients on the main parameters such as defect size, fuel-to-cladding gap, temperature of the internal cladding surface, and radioactive decay constant were analyzed.It is shown that the change of the RFP release from the fuel elements with the initial defects during long-term irradiation is, mainly, caused by fuel swelling followed by reduction of the fuel-to-cladding gap and the fuel temperature. The calculation model for the RFP release from defective fuel elements applicable to light water reactors (LWRs) was developed. It takes into account the change of the defective fuel element parameters during long-term irradiation. The calculation error according to the program does not exceed 30% over all the linear power change range of the LWR fuel elements (from 5 to 26 kW/m)« less

Analysis of cylindrical wrap-around and doubly conformal patch antennas by way of the finite element-artificial absorber method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volakis, J. L.; Kempel, L. C.; Sliva, R.; Wang, H. T. G.; Woo, A. G.

1994-01-01

The goal of this project was to develop analysis codes for computing the scattering and radiation of antennas on cylindrically and doubly conformal platforms. The finite element-boundary integral (FE-BI) method has been shown to accurately model the scattering and radiation of cavity-backed patch antennas. Unfortunately extension of this rigorous technique to coated or doubly curved platforms is cumbersome and inefficient. An alternative approximate approach is to employ an absorbing boundary condition (ABC) for terminating the finite element mesh thus avoiding use of a Green's function. A FE-ABC method is used to calculate the radar cross section (RCS) and radiation pattern of a cavity-backed patch antenna which is recessed within a metallic surface. It is shown that this approach is accurate for RCS and antenna pattern calculations with an ABC surface displaced as little as 0.3 lambda from the cavity aperture. These patch antennas may have a dielectric overlay which may also be modeled with this technique.

Photographic combustion characterization of LOX/Hydrocarbon type propellants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Judd, D. C.

1980-01-01

One hundred twenty-seven tests were conducted over a chamber pressure range of 125-1500 psia, a fuel temperature range of -245 F to 158 F, and a fuel velocity range of 48-707 ft/sec to demonstrate the advantages and limitations of using high speed photography to identify potential combustion anomalies such as pops, fuel freezing, reactive stream separation and carbon formations. Combustion evaluation criteria were developed to guide selection of the fuels, injector elements, and operating conditions for testing. Separate criteria were developed for fuel and injector element selection and evaluation. The photographic test results indicated conclusively that injector element type and design directly influence carbon formation. Unlike spray fan, impingement elements reduce carbon formation because they induce a relatively rapid near zone fuel vaporization rate. Coherent jet impingement elements, on the other hand, exhibit increased carbon formation.

VENTED FUEL ELEMENT FOR GAS-COOLED NEUTRONIC REACTORS

DOEpatents

Furgerson, W.T.

1963-12-17

A hollow, porous-walled fuel element filled with fissionable fuel and provided with an outlet port through its wall is described. In operation in a gas-cooled reactor, the element is connected, through its outlet port, to the vacuum side of a pump that causes a portion of the coolant gas flowing over the exterior surface of the element to be drawn through the porous walls thereof and out through the outlet port. This continuous purging gas flow sweeps away gaseous fission products as they are released by the fissioning fuel. (AEC) A fuel element for a nuclear reactor incorporating a body of metal of melting point lower than the temperature of operation of the reactor and a nuclear fuel in finely divided form dispersed in the body of metal as a settled slurry is presented. (AEC)

Experimental fatigue life investigation of cylindrical thrust chambers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quentmeyer, R. J.

1977-01-01

Twenty-two cylindrical test sections of a cylindrical rocket thrust chamber were fabricated and 21 of them were cycled to failure to explore the failure mechanisms, determine the effects of wall temperature on cyclic life, and to rank the material life characteristics for comparison with results from isothermal tests of 12 alloys at 538 C. Cylinder liners were fabricated from OFHC copper, Amzirc, and NAR1loy-Z. Tests were conducted at a chamber pressure of 4.14 MW/sq m using hydrogen-oxygen propellants at an oxidant-fuel ratio of 6.0, which resulted in an average throat heat flux of 54 MW/sq m. The cylinders were cooled with liquid hydrogen at an average rate of 0.91 Kg/sec. All failures were characterized by a thinning of the cooling channel wall at the centerline and eventual failure by tensile rupture. Cyclic life rankings of the materials based on temperature do not agree with published rankings based on uniaxial, isothermal strain tests.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR CHARGING AND DISCHARGING

DOEpatents

Zinn, W.H.

1959-07-14

A method and arrangement is presented for removing a fuel element from a neutronic reactor tube through which a liquid coolant is being circulaled. The fuel element is moved into a section of the tube beyond the reactor proper, and then the coolant in the tube between the fuel element and the reactor proper is frozen, so that the fuel element may be removed from the tube without loss of the coolant therein. The method is particularly useful in the case of a liquid metal- cooled reactor.

Plasma-Arc Torch For Welding Ducts In Place

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gangl, Kenneth J.; Bayless, Ernest; Looney, Alan

1991-01-01

Plasma-arc-welding torch redesigned, more suitable for applications in which moved in circular or other orbits about stationary cylindrical workpieces. Preserves elements of original design critical to performance and endurance, but modifies other elements to decrease overall size of torch. Electrode collet and collet nut installed and removed through hole in top; makes installation and removal easier.

CORROSION RESISTANT JACKETED METAL BODY

DOEpatents

Brugmann, E.W.

1958-08-26

Reactor faul elements of the elongated cylindrical type which are jacketed in a corrosion resistant material are described. Each feel element is comprised of a plurality of jacketed cylinders of fissionable material in end to end abutting relationship, the jackets being welded together at their adjoining ends to retain the individual segments together and seat the interior of the jackets.

Fuel handling apparatus for a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Hawke, Basil C.

1987-01-01

Fuel handling apparatus for transporting fuel elements into and out of a nuclear reactor and transporting them within the reactor vessel extends through a penetration in the side of the reactor vessel. A lateral transport device carries the fuel elements laterally within the vessel and through the opening in the side of the vessel, and a reversible lifting device raises and lowers the fuel elements. In the preferred embodiment, the lifting device is supported by a pair of pivot arms.

Drying results of K-Basin fuel element 1990 (Run 1)

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

Marschman, S.C.; Abrefah, J.; Klinger, G.S.

1998-06-01

The water-filled K-Basins in the Hanford 100-Area have been used to store N-Reactor spent nuclear fuel (SNF) since the 1970s. Because some leaks in the basins have been detected and some of the fuel is breached due to handling damage and corrosion, efforts are underway to remove the fuel elements from wet storage. An Integrated Process Strategy (IPS) has been developed to package, dry, transport, and store these metallic uranium fuels in an interim storage facility on the Hanford Site (WHC 1995). Information required to support the development of the drying processes, and the required safety analyses, is being obtainedmore » from characterization tests conducted on fuel elements removed from the K-Basins. A series of whole element drying tests (reported in separate documents, see Section 8.0) have been conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) on several intact and damaged fuel elements recovered from both the K-East and K-West Basins. This report documents the results of the first of those tests (Run 1), which was conducted on an N-Reactor inner fuel element (1990) that had been stored underwater in the K-West Basin (see Section 2.0). This fuel element was subjected to a combination of low- and high-temperature vacuum drying treatments that were intended to mimic, wherever possible, the fuel treatment strategies of the IPS. The testing was conducted in the Whole Element Furnace Testing System, described in Section 3.0, located in the Postirradiation Testing Laboratory (PTL, 327 Building). The test conditions and methodology are given in Section 4.0, and the experimental results provided in Section 5.0. These results are further discussed in Section 6.0.« less

FUEL ELEMENT FOR NEUTRONIC REACTORS

DOEpatents

Evans, T.C.; Beasley, E.G.

1961-01-17

A fuel element for neutronic reactors, particularly the gas-cooled type of reactor, is described. The element comprises a fuel-bearing plate rolled to form a cylinder having a spiral passageway passing from its periphery to its center. In operation a coolant is admitted to the passageway at the periphery of the element, is passed through the spiral passageway, and emerges into a central channel defined by the inner turn of the rolled plate. The advantage of the element is that the fully heated coolant (i.e., coolant emerging into the central channel) is separated and thus insulated from the periphery of the element, which may be in contact with a low-temperature moderator, by the intermediate turns of the spiral fuel element.

Ducted fuel injection: A new approach for lowering soot emissions from direct-injection engines

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

Mueller, Charles J.; Nilsen, Christopher W.; Ruth, Daniel J.

Designers of direct-injection compression-ignition engines use a variety of strategies to improve the fuel/charge-gas mixture within the combustion chamber for increased efficiency and reduced pollutant emissions. Strategies include the use of high fuel-injection pressures, multiple injections, small injector orifices, flow swirl, long-ignition-delay conditions, and oxygenated fuels. This is the first journal publication paper on a new mixing-enhancement strategy for emissions reduction: ducted fuel injection. The concept involves injecting fuel along the axis of a small cylindrical duct within the combustion chamber, to enhance the mixture in the autoignition zone relative to a conventional free-spray configuration (i.e., a fuel spray thatmore » is not surrounded by a duct). Finally, the results described herein, from initial proof-of-concept experiments conducted in a constant-volume combustion vessel, show dramatically lower soot incandescence from ducted fuel injection than from free sprays over a range of charge-gas conditions that are representative of those in modern direct-injection compression-ignition engines.« less

Ducted fuel injection: A new approach for lowering soot emissions from direct-injection engines

DOE PAGES

Mueller, Charles J.; Nilsen, Christopher W.; Ruth, Daniel J.; ...

2017-07-18

Designers of direct-injection compression-ignition engines use a variety of strategies to improve the fuel/charge-gas mixture within the combustion chamber for increased efficiency and reduced pollutant emissions. Strategies include the use of high fuel-injection pressures, multiple injections, small injector orifices, flow swirl, long-ignition-delay conditions, and oxygenated fuels. This is the first journal publication paper on a new mixing-enhancement strategy for emissions reduction: ducted fuel injection. The concept involves injecting fuel along the axis of a small cylindrical duct within the combustion chamber, to enhance the mixture in the autoignition zone relative to a conventional free-spray configuration (i.e., a fuel spray thatmore » is not surrounded by a duct). Finally, the results described herein, from initial proof-of-concept experiments conducted in a constant-volume combustion vessel, show dramatically lower soot incandescence from ducted fuel injection than from free sprays over a range of charge-gas conditions that are representative of those in modern direct-injection compression-ignition engines.« less

Stability Analysis of Intertank Formed Skin/Stringer Compression Panel with Simulated Damage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harper, David W.; Wingate, Robert J.

2012-01-01

The External Tank (ET) is a component of the Space Shuttle launch vehicle that contains fuel and oxidizer. During launch, the ET supplies the space shuttle main engines with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. In addition to supplying fuel and oxidizer, it is the backbone structural component of the Space Shuttle. It is comprised of a liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank and a liquid oxygen (LOX) tank, which are separated by an Intertank. The Intertank is a stringer-stiffened cylindrical structure with hat-section stringers that are roll formed from aluminum-lithium alloy Al-2090. Cracks in the Intertank stringers of the STS-133 ET were noticed after a November 5, 2010 launch attempt. The cracks were approximately nine inches long and occurred on the forward end of the Intertank (near the LOX tank), along the fastener line, and were believed to have occurred while loading the ET with the cryogenic propellants. These cracks generated questions about the structural integrity of the Intertank. In order to determine the structural capability of the Intertank with varying degrees of damage, a finite element model (FEM) simulating a 1995 compression panel test was analyzed and correlated to test data. Varying degrees of damage were simulated in the FEM, and non-linear stability analyses were performed. The high degree of similarity between the compression panel and the Intertank provided confidence that the ET Intertank would have similar capabilities.

HYDRA-II: A hydrothermal analysis computer code: Volume 2, User's manual

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

McCann, R.A.; Lowery, P.S.; Lessor, D.L.

1987-09-01

HYDRA-II is a hydrothermal computer code capable of three-dimensional analysis of coupled conduction, convection, and thermal radiation problems. This code is especially appropriate for simulating the steady-state performance of spent fuel storage systems. The code has been evaluated for this application for the US Department of Energy's Commercial Spent Fuel Management Program. HYDRA-II provides a finite-difference solution in cartesian coordinates to the equations governing the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. A cylindrical coordinate system may also be used to enclose the cartesian coordinate system. This exterior coordinate system is useful for modeling cylindrical cask bodies. The difference equations formore » conservation of momentum incorporate directional porosities and permeabilities that are available to model solid structures whose dimensions may be smaller than the computational mesh. The equation for conservation of energy permits modeling of orthotropic physical properties and film resistances. Several automated methods are available to model radiation transfer within enclosures and from fuel rod to fuel rod. The documentation of HYDRA-II is presented in three separate volumes. Volume 1 - Equations and Numerics describes the basic differential equations, illustrates how the difference equations are formulated, and gives the solution procedures employed. This volume, Volume 2 - User's Manual, contains code flow charts, discusses the code structure, provides detailed instructions for preparing an input file, and illustrates the operation of the code by means of a sample problem. The final volume, Volume 3 - Verification/Validation Assessments, provides a comparison between the analytical solution and the numerical simulation for problems with a known solution. 6 refs.« less

Simulation on reactor TRIGA Puspati core kinetics fueled with thorium (Th) based fuel element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammed, Abdul Aziz; Pauzi, Anas Muhamad; Rahman, Shaik Mohmmed Haikhal Abdul; Zin, Muhamad Rawi Muhammad; Jamro, Rafhayudi; Idris, Faridah Mohamad

2016-01-01

In confronting global energy requirement and the search for better technologies, there is a real case for widening the range of potential variations in the design of nuclear power plants. Smaller and simpler reactors are attractive, provided they can meet safety and security standards and non-proliferation issues. On fuel cycle aspect, thorium fuel cycles produce much less plutonium and other radioactive transuranic elements than uranium fuel cycles. Although not fissile itself, Th-232 will absorb slow neutrons to produce uranium-233 (233U), which is fissile. By introducing Thorium, the numbers of highly enriched uranium fuel element can be reduced while maintaining the core neutronic performance. This paper describes the core kinetic of a small research reactor core like TRIGA fueled with a Th filled fuel element matrix using a general purpose Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code.

Simulation on reactor TRIGA Puspati core kinetics fueled with thorium (Th) based fuel element

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

Mohammed, Abdul Aziz, E-mail: azizM@uniten.edu.my; Rahman, Shaik Mohmmed Haikhal Abdul; Pauzi, Anas Muhamad, E-mail: anas@uniten.edu.my

2016-01-22

In confronting global energy requirement and the search for better technologies, there is a real case for widening the range of potential variations in the design of nuclear power plants. Smaller and simpler reactors are attractive, provided they can meet safety and security standards and non-proliferation issues. On fuel cycle aspect, thorium fuel cycles produce much less plutonium and other radioactive transuranic elements than uranium fuel cycles. Although not fissile itself, Th-232 will absorb slow neutrons to produce uranium-233 ({sup 233}U), which is fissile. By introducing Thorium, the numbers of highly enriched uranium fuel element can be reduced while maintainingmore » the core neutronic performance. This paper describes the core kinetic of a small research reactor core like TRIGA fueled with a Th filled fuel element matrix using a general purpose Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code.« less

BOILER-SUPERHEATED REACTOR

DOEpatents

Heckman, T.P.

1961-05-01

A nuclear power reactor of the type in which a liquid moderator-coolant is transformed by nuclear heating into a vapor that may be used to drive a turbo- generator is described. The core of this reactor comprises a plurality of freely suspended tubular fuel elements, called fuel element trains, within which nonboiling pressurized liquid moderator-coolant is preheated and sprayed through orifices in the walls of the trains against the outer walls thereof to be converted into vapor. Passage of the vapor ovcr other unwetted portions of the outside of the fuel elements causes the steam to be superheated. The moderatorcoolant within the fuel elements remains in the liqUid state, and that between the fuel elements remains substantiaily in the vapor state. A unique liquid neutron-absorber control system is used. Advantages expected from the reactor design include reduced fuel element failure, increased stability of operation, direct response to power demand, and circulation of a minimum amount of liquid moderatorcoolant. (A.G.W.)

Rolling dry-coupled transducers for ultrasonic inspections of aging aircraft structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komsky, Igor N.

2004-07-01

Some advanced aircraft materials or coatings are porous or otherwise sensitive to the application of water, gel, or some other ultrasonic couplants. To overcome the problems associated with the liquid coupling medium, dry-coupled rolling modules were developed at Northwestern University for the transmission of both longitudinal and transverse ultrasonic waves at frequencies up to 10 MHz. Dry-coupled ultrasonic modules contain solid core internal stators and solid or flexible external rotors with the flexible polymer substrates. Two types of the dry-coupled modules are under development. Cylindrical base transducer modules include solid core cylindrical rotors with flexible polymer substrates that rotate around the stators with ultrasonic elements. Dry-coupled modules with elongated bases contain solid core stators and flexible track-like polymer substrates that rotate around the stators as rotors of the modules. The elongated base modules have larger contact interfaces with the inspection surface in comparison with the cylindrical base modules. Some designs of the dry-coupled rolling modules contain several ultrasonic elements with different incident angles or a variable angle unit for rapid adjustments of incident angles. The prototype dry-coupled rolling modules were integrated with the portable ultrasonic inspection systems and tested on a number of Boeing aircraft structures.

Research on soundproof properties of cylindrical shells of generalized phononic crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ru; Shu, Haisheng; Wang, Xingguo

2017-04-01

Based on the previous studies, the concept of generalized phononic crystals (GPCs) is further introduced into the cylindrical shell structures in this paper. And a type of cylindrical shells of generalized phononic crystals (CS-GPCs) is constructed, the structural field and acoustic-structural coupled field of the composite cylindrical shells are examined respectively. For the structural field, the transfer matrix method of mechanical state vector is adopted to build the transfer matrix of radial waves propagating from inside to outside. For the acoustic-structural coupled field, the expressions of the acoustic transmission/reflection coefficients and the sound insulation of acoustic waves with the excitation of center line sound source are set up. And the acoustic transmission coefficient and the frequency response of sound insulation in this mode were numerical calculated. Furthermore, the theoretical analysis results are verified by using the method of combining the numerical calculation and finite element simulation. Finally, the effects of inner and outer fluid parameters on the transmission/reflection coefficients of CS-GPCs are analyzed in detail.

Enhanced Low-Enriched Uranium Fuel Element for the Advanced Test Reactor

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

Pope, M. A.; DeHart, M. D.; Morrell, S. R.

2015-03-01

Under the current US Department of Energy (DOE) policy and planning scenario, the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) and its associated critical facility (ATRC) will be reconfigured to operate on low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. This effort has produced a conceptual design for an Enhanced LEU Fuel (ELF) element. This fuel features monolithic U-10Mo fuel foils and aluminum cladding separated by a thin zirconium barrier. As with previous iterations of the ELF design, radial power peaking is managed using different U-10Mo foil thicknesses in different plates of the element. The lead fuel element design, ELF Mk1A, features only three fuel meat thicknesses,more » a reduction from the previous iterations meant to simplify manufacturing. Evaluation of the ELF Mk1A fuel design against reactor performance requirements is ongoing, as are investigations of the impact of manufacturing uncertainty on safety margins. The element design has been evaluated in what are expected to be the most demanding design basis accident scenarios and has met all initial thermal-hydraulic criteria.« less

Neutron source, linear-accelerator fuel enricher and regenerator and associated methods

DOEpatents

Steinberg, Meyer; Powell, James R.; Takahashi, Hiroshi; Grand, Pierre; Kouts, Herbert

1982-01-01

A device for producing fissile material inside of fabricated nuclear elements so that they can be used to produce power in nuclear power reactors. Fuel elements, for example, of a LWR are placed in pressure tubes in a vessel surrounding a liquid lead-bismuth flowing columnar target. A linear-accelerator proton beam enters the side of the vessel and impinges on the dispersed liquid lead-bismuth columns and produces neutrons which radiate through the surrounding pressure tube assembly or blanket containing the nuclear fuel elements. These neutrons are absorbed by the natural fertile uranium-238 elements and are transformed to fissile plutonium-239. The fertile fuel is thus enriched in fissile material to a concentration whereby they can be used in power reactors. After use in the power reactors, dispensed depleted fuel elements can be reinserted into the pressure tubes surrounding the target and the nuclear fuel regenerated for further burning in the power reactor.

Calculation of Heat-Bearing Agent’s Steady Flow in Fuel Bundle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amosova, E. V.; Guba, G. G.

2017-11-01

This paper introduces the result of studying the heat exchange in the fuel bundle of the nuclear reactor’s fuel magazine. The article considers the fuel bundle of the infinite number of fuel elements, fuel elements are considered in the checkerboard fashion (at the tops of a regular triangle a fuel element is a plain round rod. The inhomogeneity of volume energy release in the rod forms the inhomogeneity of temperature and velocity fields, and pressure. Computational methods for studying hydrodynamics in magazines and cores with rod-shape fuel elements are based on a significant simplification of the problem: using basic (averaged) equations, isobaric section hypothesis, porous body model, etc. This could be explained by the complexity of math description of the three-dimensional fluid flow in the multi-connected area with the transfer coefficient anisotropy, curved boundaries and technical computation difficulties. Thus, calculative studying suggests itself as promising and important. There was developed a method for calculating the heat-mass exchange processes of inter-channel fuel element motions, which allows considering the contribution of natural convection to the heat-mass exchange based on the Navier-Stokes equations and Boussinesq approximation.

Thermocouple split follower

DOEpatents

Howell, deceased, Louis J.

1980-01-01

Thermoelectric generator assembly accommodating differential thermal expansion between thermoelectric elements by means of a cylindrical split follower forming a slot and having internal spring loaded wedges that permit the split follower to open and close across the slot.

Acoustic transducer

DOEpatents

Drumheller, Douglas S.

2000-01-01

An active acoustic transducer tool for use down-hole applications. The tool includes a single cylindrical mandrel including a shoulder defining the boundary of a narrowed portion over which is placed a sandwich-style piezoelectric tranducer assembly. The piezoelectric transducer assembly is prestressed by being placed in a thermal interference fit between the shoulder of the mandrel and the base of an anvil which is likewise positioned over the narrower portion of the mandrel. In the preferred embodiment, assembly of the tool is accomplished using a hydraulic jack to stretch the mandrel prior to emplacement of the cylindrical sandwich-style piezoelectric transducer assembly and anvil. After those elements are positioned and secured, the stretched mandrel is allowed to return substantially to its original (pre-stretch) dimensions with the result that the piezoelectric transducer elements are compressed between the anvil and the shoulder of the mandrel.

Spin-foam models and the physical scalar product

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

Alesci, Emanuele; Centre de Physique Theorique de Luminy, Universite de la Mediterranee, F-13288 Marseille; Noui, Karim

2008-11-15

This paper aims at clarifying the link between loop quantum gravity and spin-foam models in four dimensions. Starting from the canonical framework, we construct an operator P acting on the space of cylindrical functions Cyl({gamma}), where {gamma} is the four-simplex graph, such that its matrix elements are, up to some normalization factors, the vertex amplitude of spin-foam models. The spin-foam models we are considering are the topological model, the Barrett-Crane model, and the Engle-Pereira-Rovelli model. If one of these spin-foam models provides a covariant quantization of gravity, then the associated operator P should be the so-called ''projector'' into physical statesmore » and its matrix elements should give the physical scalar product. We discuss the possibility to extend the action of P to any cylindrical functions on the space manifold.« less

Electroelastic fields in a layered piezoelectric cylindrical shell under dynamic load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saviz, M. R.; Shakeri, M.; Yas, M. H.

2007-10-01

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate layerwise theory for the analysis of thick laminated piezoelectric shell structures. A general finite element formulation using the layerwise theory is developed for a laminated cylindrical shell with piezoelectric layers, subjected to dynamic loads. The quadratic approximation of the displacement and electric potential in the thickness direction is considered. The governing equations are reduced to two-dimensional (2D) differential equations. The three-dimensional (3D) elasticity solution is also presented. The resulting equations are solved by a proper finite element method. The numerical results for static loading are compared with exact solutions of benchmark problems. Numerical examples of the dynamic problem are presented. The convergence is studied, as is the influence of the electromechanical coupling on the axisymmetric free-vibration characteristics of a thick cylinder.

Collapse of composite tubes under end moments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stockwell, Alan E.; Cooper, Paul A.

1992-01-01

Cylindrical tubes of moderate wall thickness such as those proposed for the original space station truss, may fail due to the gradual collapse of the tube cross section as it distorts under load. Sometimes referred to as the Brazier instability, it is a nonlinear phenomenon. This paper presents an extension of an approximate closed form solution of the collapse of isotropic tubes subject to end moments developed by Reissner in 1959 to include specially orthotropic material. The closed form solution was verified by an extensive nonlinear finite element analysis of the collapse of long tubes under applied end moments for radius to thickness ratios and composite layups in the range proposed for recent space station truss framework designs. The finite element analysis validated the assumption of inextensional deformation of the cylindrical cross section and the approximation of the material as specially orthotropic.

Monte Carlo Simulations Comparing the Response of a Novel Hemispherical Tepc to Existing Spherical and Cylindrical Tepcs for Neutron Monitoring and Dosimetry.

PubMed

Broughton, David P; Waker, Anthony J

2017-05-01

Neutron dosimetry in reactor fields is currently mainly conducted with unwieldy flux monitors. Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counters (TEPCs) have been shown to have the potential to improve the accuracy of neutron dosimetry in these fields, and Multi-Element Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counters (METEPCs) could reduce the size of instrumentation required to do so. Complexity of current METEPC designs has inhibited their use beyond research. This work proposes a novel hemispherical counter with a wireless anode ball in place of the traditional anode wire as a possible solution for simplifying manufacturing. The hemispherical METEPC element was analyzed as a single TEPC to first demonstrate the potential of this new design by evaluating its performance relative to the reference spherical TEPC design and a single element from a cylindrical METEPC. Energy deposition simulations were conducted using the Monte Carlo code PHITS for both monoenergetic 2.5 MeV neutrons and the neutron energy spectrum of Cf-D2O moderated. In these neutron fields, the hemispherical counter appears to be a good alternative to the reference spherical geometry, performing slightly better than the cylindrical counter, which tends to underrespond to H*(10) for the lower neutron energies of the Cf-D2O moderated field. These computational results are promising, and if follow-up experimental work demonstrates the hemispherical counter works as anticipated, it will be ready to be incorporated into an METEPC design.

Finite element analysis of stress transfer mechanism from matrix to the fiber in SWCN reinforced nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Günay, E.

2017-02-01

This study defined as micromechanical finite element (FE) approach examining the stress transfer mechanism in single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCN) reinforced composites. In the modeling, 3D unit-cell method was evaluated. Carbon nanotube reinforced composites were modeled as three layers which comprises CNT, interface and matrix material. Firstly; matrix, fiber and interfacial materials all together considered as three layered cylindrical nanocomposite. Secondly, the cylindrical matrix material was assumed to be isotropic and also considered as a continuous medium. Then, fiber material was represented with zigzag type SWCNs. Finally, SWCN was combined with the elastic medium by using springs with different constants. In the FE modeling of SWCN reinforced composite model springs were modeled by using ANSYS spring damper element COMBIN14. The developed interfacial van der Waals interaction effects between the continuous matrix layer and the carbon nanotube fiber layer were simulated by applying these various spring stiffness values. In this study, the layered composite cylindrical FE model was presented as the equivalent mechanical properties of SWCN structures in terms of Young's modulus. The obtained results and literature values were presented and discussed. Figures, 16, 17, and 18 of the original article PDF file, as supplied to AIP Publishing, were affected by a PDF-processing error. Consequently, a solid diamond symbol appeared instead of a Greek tau on the y axis labels for these three figures. This article was updated on 17 March 2017 to correct the PDF-processing error, with the scientific content remaining unchanged.

Enhanced control of light and sound trajectories with three-dimensional gradient index lenses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, T. M.; Dupont, G.; Enoch, S.; Guenneau, S.

2012-03-01

We numerically study the focusing and bending effects of light and sound waves through heterogeneous isotropic cylindrical and spherical devices. We first point out that transformation optics and acoustics show that the control of light requires spatially varying anisotropic permittivity and permeability, while the control of sound is achieved via spatially anisotropic density and isotropic compressibility. Moreover, homogenization theory applied to electromagnetic and acoustic periodic structures leads to such artificial (although not spatially varying) anisotropic permittivity, permeability and density. We stress that homogenization is thus a natural mathematical tool for the design of structured metamaterials. To illustrate the two-step geometric transform-homogenization approach, we consider the design of cylindrical and spherical electromagnetic and acoustic lenses displaying some artificial anisotropy along their optical axis (direction of periodicity of the structural elements). Applications are sought in the design of Eaton and Luneburg lenses bending light at angles ranging from 90° to 360°, or mimicking a Schwartzchild metric, i.e. a black hole. All of these spherical metamaterials are characterized by a refractive index varying inversely with the radius which is approximated by concentric layers of homogeneous material. We finally propose some structured cylindrical metamaterials consisting of infinitely conducting or rigid toroidal channels in a homogeneous bulk material focusing light or sound waves. The functionality of these metamaterials is demonstrated via full-wave three-dimensional computations using nodal elements in the context of acoustics, and finite edge-elements in electromagnetics.

THE MANUFACTURE OF FUEL ELEMENTS OF THE ARGONAUT TYPE

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

Kittl, J.; Machado, R.E.; Mazza, J.A.

1958-06-10

The conditions required for the manufacture of the RA-1 Argonant type fuel elements are investigated. The fuel elements are in the form of a plate which is manufactured by the extrusion of a presintered mass of U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ (20% enriched) in an aluminum matrix. Steps in the investigation were obtention and specification of U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ and Al in powder form for testing, filling, and extrusion tests, finishing of the fuel elements, and computation of U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ content. (W.D.M.)

Multiphysics Modeling of a Single Channel in a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Grooved Ring Fuel Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Tony; Emrich, William J., Jr.; Barkett, Laura A.; Mathias, Adam D.; Cassibry, Jason T.

2013-01-01

In the past, fuel rods have been used in nuclear propulsion applications. A new fuel element concept that reduces weight and increases efficiency uses a stack of grooved discs. Each fuel element is a flat disc with a hole on the interior and grooves across the top. Many grooved ring fuel elements for use in nuclear thermal propulsion systems have been modeled, and a single flow channel for each design has been analyzed. For increased efficiency, a fuel element with a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio is ideal. When grooves are shallower, i.e., they have a lower surface area, the results show that the exit temperature is higher. By coupling the physics of turbulence with those of heat transfer, the effects on the cooler gas flowing through the grooves of the thermally excited solid can be predicted. Parametric studies were done to show how a pressure drop across the axial length of the channels will affect the exit temperatures of the gas. Geometric optimization was done to show the behaviors that result from the manipulation of various parameters. Temperature profiles of the solid and gas showed that more structural optimization is needed to produce the desired results. Keywords: Nuclear Thermal Propulsion, Fuel Element, Heat Transfer, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Coupled Physics Computations, Finite Element Analysis

NUCLEAR REACTORS

DOEpatents

Koch, L.J.; Rice, R.E. Jr.; Denst, A.A.; Rogers, A.J.; Novick, M.

1961-12-01

An active portion assembly for a fast neutron reactor is described wherein physical distortions resulting in adverse changes in the volume-to-mass ratio are minimized. A radially expandable locking device is disposed within a cylindrical tube within each fuel subassembly within the active portion assembly, and clamping devices expandable toward the center of the active portion assembly are disposed around the periphery thereof. (AEC)

Novel fuelbed characteristics associated with mechanical mastication treatments in northern California and south-western Oregon, USA

Treesearch

Jeffrey M. Kane; J. Morgan Varner; Eric E. Knapp

2009-01-01

Mechanically masticated fuelbeds are distinct from natural or logging slash fuelbeds, with different particle size distributions, bulk density, and particle shapes, leading to challenges in predicting fire behavior and effects. Our study quantified some physical properties of fuel particles (e.g. squared quadratic mean diameter, proportion of non-cylindrical particles...

COVERING A CORE BY EXTRUSION

DOEpatents

Karnie, A.J.

1963-07-16

A method of covering a cylindrical fuel core with a cladding metal ms described. The metal is forced between dies around the core from both ends in two opposing skirts, and as these meet the ends turn outward into an annular recess in the dics. By cutting off the raised portion formed by the recess, oxide impurities are eliminated. (AEC)

40 CFR 79.56 - Fuel and fuel additive grouping system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... further testing under the provisions of Tier 3 or to support regulatory decisions affecting that fuel or... elements or classes of compounds other than those permitted in the base fuel for the respective fuel family... all of the following criteria: (1) Contain no elements other than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen...

Elastoplastic State of an Elliptical Cylindrical Shell with a Circular Hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Storozhuk, E. A.; Chernyshenko, I. S.; Pigol', O. V.

2017-11-01

Static problems for an elastoplastic elliptical cylindrical shell with a circular hole are formulated and a numerical method for solving it is developed. The basic equations are derived using the Kirchhoff-Love theory of deep shells and the theory of small elastoplastic strains. The method employs the method of additional stresses and the finite-element method. The influence of plastic strains and geometrical parameters of the shell subject to internal pressure on the distributions of stresses, strains, and displacements in the zone of their concentration is studied.

Kinematic correction for roller skewing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Savage, M.; Loewenthal, S. H.

1980-01-01

A theory of kinematic stabilization of rolling cylinders is developed for high-speed cylindrical roller bearings. This stabilization requires race and roller crowning to produce changes in the rolling geometry as the roller shifts axially. These changes put a reverse skew in the rolling elements by changing the rolling taper. Twelve basic possible bearing modifications are identified in this paper. Four have single transverse convex curvature in the rollers while eight have rollers with compound transverse curvature composed of a central cylindrical band of constant radius surrounded by symmetric bands with both slope and transverse curvature.

Vibrations of a thin cylindrical shell stiffened by rings with various stiffness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nesterchuk, G. A.

2018-05-01

The problem of vibrations of a thin-walled elastic cylindrical shell reinforced by frames of different rigidity is investigated. The solution for the case of the clamped shell edges was obtained by asymptotic methods and refined by the finite element method. Rings with zero eccentricity and stiffness varying along the generatrix of the shell cylinder are considered. Varying the optimal coefficients of the distribution functions of the rigidity of the frames and finding more precise parameters makes it possible to find correction factors for analytical formulas of approximate calculation.

Kinematic correction for roller skewing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Savage, M.; Loewenthal, S. H.

1980-01-01

A theory of kinematic stabilization of rolling cylinders is developed for high-speed cylindrical roller bearings. This stabilization requires race and roller crowning to product changes in the rolling geometry as the roller shifts axially. These changes put a reverse skew in the rolling elements by changing the rolling taper. Twelve basic possible bearing modifications are identified in this paper. Four have single transverse convex curvature in the rollers while eight have rollers with compound transverse curvature composed of a central cylindrical band of constant radius surrounded by symmetric bands with both slope and transverse curvature.

Micromachined edge illuminated optically transparent automotive light guide panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronny, Rahima Afrose; Knopf, George K.; Bordatchev, Evgueni; Tauhiduzzaman, Mohammed; Nikumb, Suwas

2012-03-01

Edge-lit backlighting has been used extensively for a variety of small and medium-sized liquid crystal displays (LCDs). The shape, density and spatial distribution pattern of the micro-optical elements imprinted on the surface of the flat light-guide panel (LGP) are often "optimized" to improve the overall brightness and luminance uniformity. A similar concept can be used to develop interior convenience lighting panels and exterior tail lamps for automotive applications. However, costly diffusive sheeting and brightness enhancement films are not be considered for these applications because absolute luminance uniformity and the minimization of Moiré fringe effects are not significant factors in assessing quality of automotive lighting. A new design concept that involves micromilling cylindrical micro-optical elements on optically transparent plastic substrates is described in this paper. The variable parameter that controls illumination over the active regions of the panel is the depth of the individual cylindrical micro-optical elements. LightTools™ is the optical simulation tool used to explore how changing the micro-optical element depth can alter the local and global luminance. Numerical simulation and microfabrication experiments are performed on several (100mmx100mmx6mm) polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) test samples in order to verify the illumination behavior.

Shock and vibration tests of uranium mononitride fuel pellets for a space power nuclear reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, D. W.

1972-01-01

Shock and vibration tests were conducted on cylindrically shaped, depleted, uranium mononitride (UN) fuel pellets. The structural capabilities of the pellets were determined under exposure to shock and vibration loading which a nuclear reactor may encounter during launching into space. Various combinations of diametral and axial clearances between the pellets and their enclosing structures were tested. The results of these tests indicate that for present fabrication of UN pellets, a diametral clearance of 0.254 millimeter and an axial clearance of 0.025 millimeter are tolerable when subjected to launch-induced loads.

HOT CELL SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING FISSION GAS RETENTION IN METALLIC FUELS

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

Sell, D. A.; Baily, C. E.; Malewitz, T. J.

2016-09-01

A system has been developed to perform measurements on irradiated, sodium bonded-metallic fuel elements to determine the amount of fission gas retained in the fuel material after release of the gas to the element plenum. During irradiation of metallic fuel elements, most of the fission gas developed is released from the fuel and captured in the gas plenums of the fuel elements. A significant amount of fission gas, however, remains captured in closed porosities which develop in the fuel during irradiation. Additionally, some gas is trapped in open porosity but sealed off from the plenum by frozen bond sodium aftermore » the element has cooled in the hot cell. The Retained fission Gas (RFG) system has been designed, tested and implemented to capture and measure the quantity of retained fission gas in characterized cut pieces of sodium bonded metallic fuel. Fuel pieces are loaded into the apparatus along with a prescribed amount of iron powder, which is used to create a relatively low melting, eutectic composition as the iron diffuses into the fuel. The apparatus is sealed, evacuated, and then heated to temperatures in excess of the eutectic melting point. Retained fission gas release is monitored by pressure transducers during the heating phase, thus monitoring for release of fission gas as first the bond sodium melts and then the fuel. A separate hot cell system is used to sample the gas in the apparatus and also characterize the volume of the apparatus thus permitting the calculation of the total fission gas release from the fuel element samples along with analysis of the gas composition.« less

Lateral mode coupling to reduce the electrical impedance of small elements required for high power ultrasound therapy phased arrays.

PubMed

Hynynen, Kullervo; Yin, Jianhua

2009-03-01

A method that uses lateral coupling to reduce the electrical impedance of small transducer elements in generating ultrasound waves was tested. Cylindrical, radially polled transducer elements were driven at their length resonance frequency. Computer simulation and experimental studies showed that the electrical impedance of the transducer element could be controlled by the cylinder wall thickness, while the operation frequency was determined by the cylinder length. Acoustic intensity (averaged over the cylinder diameter) over 10 W / cm(2) (a therapeutically relevant intensity) was measured from these elements.

Piezoelectrostatic generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robertson, Glen A. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A piezoelectrostatic generator includes a plurality of elongated piezoelectric elements having first and second ends, with the first ends fixedly mounted in a cylindrical housing and the second extending radially inwardly toward an axis. A shaft movable along the axis is connected to the inner ends of the elements to produce bending forces in piezoelectric strips within the elements. Each element includes a pair of strips mounted in surface contact and in electrical series to produce a potential upon bending. Electrodes spaced from the strips by a solid dielectric material act as capacitor plates to collect the potential charge.

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.

DISSOLUTION OF ZIRCONIUM-CONTAINING FUEL ELEMENTS

DOEpatents

Horn, F.L.

1961-12-12

Uranium is recovered from spent uranium fuel elements containing or clad with zirconium. These fuel elements are placed in an anhydrous solution of hydrogen fluoride and nitrogen dioxide. Within this system uranium forms a soluble complex and zirconium forms an insoluble complex. The uranium can then be separated, treated, and removed from solution as uranium hexafluoride. (AEC)

Nuclear fuel elements having a composite cladding

DOEpatents

Gordon, Gerald M.; Cowan, II, Robert L.; Davies, John H.

1983-09-20

An improved nuclear fuel element is disclosed for use in the core of nuclear reactors. The improved nuclear fuel element has a composite cladding of an outer portion forming a substrate having on the inside surface a metal layer selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, iron and alloys of the foregoing with a gap between the composite cladding and the core of nuclear fuel. The nuclear fuel element comprises a container of the elongated composite cladding, a central core of a body of nuclear fuel material disposed in and partially filling the container and forming an internal cavity in the container, an enclosure integrally secured and sealed at each end of said container and a nuclear fuel material retaining means positioned in the cavity. The metal layer of the composite cladding prevents perforations or failures in the cladding substrate from stress corrosion cracking or from fuel pellet-cladding interaction or both. The substrate of the composite cladding is selected from conventional cladding materials and preferably is a zirconium alloy.

Initial Operation of the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emrich, William J., Jr.; Pearson, J. Boise; Schoenfeld, Michael P.

2015-01-01

The Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) facility is designed to perform realistic non-nuclear testing of nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) fuel elements and fuel materials. Although the NTREES facility cannot mimic the neutron and gamma environment of an operating NTR, it can simulate the thermal hydraulic environment within an NTR fuel element to provide critical information on material performance and compatibility. The NTREES facility has recently been upgraded such that the power capabilities of the facility have been increased significantly. At its present 1.2 MW power level, more prototypical fuel element temperatures nay now be reached. The new 1.2 MW induction heater consists of three physical units consisting of a transformer, rectifier, and inverter. This multiunit arrangement facilitated increasing the flexibility of the induction heater by more easily allowing variable frequency operation. Frequency ranges between 20 and 60 kHz can accommodated in the new induction heater allowing more representative power distributions to be generated within the test elements. The water cooling system was also upgraded to so as to be capable of removing 100% of the heat generated during testing In this new higher power configuration, NTREES will be capable of testing fuel elements and fuel materials at near-prototypic power densities. As checkout testing progressed and as higher power levels were achieved, several design deficiencies were discovered and fixed. Most of these design deficiencies were related to stray RF energy causing various components to encounter unexpected heating. Copper shielding around these components largely eliminated these problems. Other problems encountered involved unexpected movement in the coil due to electromagnetic forces and electrical arcing between the coil and a dummy test article. The coil movement and arcing which were encountered during the checkout testing effectively destroyed the induction coil in use at the time and resulted in NTREES being out of commission for a couple of months while a new stronger coil was procured. The new coil includes several additional pieces of support structure to prevent coil movement in the future. In addition, new insulating test article support components have been fabricated to prevent unexpected arcing to the test articles. Additional activities are also now underway to address ways in which the radial temperature profiles across test articles may be controlled such that they are more prototypical of what they would encounter in an operating nuclear engine. The causes of the temperature distribution problem are twofold. First, the fuel element test article is isolated in NTREES as opposed to being in the midst of many other mostly identical fuel elements in a nuclear engine. As a result, the fuel element heat flux boundary conditions in NTREES are far from adiabatic as would normally be the case in a reactor. Second, induction heating skews the power distribution such that power is preferentially deposited near the outside of the fuel element. Nuclear heating, conversely, deposits its power much more uniformly throughout the fuel element. Current studies are now looking at various schemes to adjust the amount of thermal radiation emitted from the fuel element surface so as to essentially vary the thermal boundary conditions on the test article. It is hoped that by properly adjusting the thermal boundary conditions on the fuel element test article, it may be possible to substantially correct for the inappropriate radial power distributions resulting from the induction heating so as to yield a more nearly correct temperature distribution throughout the fuel element.

Analysis of Accidents at the Pakistan Research Reactor-1 Using Proposed Mixed-Fuel (HEU and LEU) Core

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

Bokhari, Ishtiaq H.

2004-12-15

The Pakistan Research Reactor-1 (PARR-1) was converted from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel in 1991. The reactor is running successfully, with an upgraded power level of 10 MW. To save money on the purchase of costly fresh LEU fuel elements, the use of less burnt HEU spent fuel elements along with the present LEU fuel elements is being considered. The proposal calls for the HEU fuel elements to be placed near the thermal column to gain the required excess reactivity. In the present study the safety analysis of a proposed mixed-fuel core has been carried outmore » at a calculated steady-state power level of 9.8 MW. Standard computer codes and correlations were employed to compute various parameters. Initiating events in reactivity-induced accidents involve various modes of reactivity insertion, namely, start-up accident, accidental drop of a fuel element on the core, flooding of a beam tube with water, and removal of an in-pile experiment during reactor operation. For each of these transients, time histories of reactor power, energy released, temperature, and reactivity were determined.« less

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING RADIOACTIVE PRODUCTS

DOEpatents

Nicoll, D.

1959-02-24

A device is described for handling fuel elements being discharged from a nuclear reactor. The device is adapted to be disposed beneath a reactor within the storage canal for spent fuel elements. The device is comprised essentially of a cylinder pivotally mounted to a base for rotational motion between a vertical position. where the mouth of the cylinder is in the top portion of the container for receiving a fuel element discharged from a reactor into the cylinder, and a horizontal position where the mouth of the cylinder is remote from the top portion of the container and the fuel element is discharged from the cylinder into the storage canal. The device is operated by hydraulic pressure means and is provided with a means to prevent contaminated primary liquid coolant in the reactor system from entering the storage canal with the spent fuel element.

Fuel cell elements with improved water handling capacity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kindler, Andrew (Inventor); Lee, Albany (Inventor)

2001-01-01

New fuel cell components for use in liquid feed fuel cell systems are provided. The components include biplates and endplates, having a hydrophilic surface and allow high efficiency operation. Conductive elements and a wicking device also form a part of the fuel cell components of the invention.

Phase characteristics of rare earth elements in metallic fuel for a sodium-cooled fast reactor by injection casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuk, Seoung Woo; Kim, Ki Hwan; Kim, Jong Hwan; Song, Hoon; Oh, Seok Jin; Park, Jeong-Yong; Lee, Chan Bock; Youn, Young-Sang; Kim, Jong-Yun

2017-04-01

Uranium-zirconium-rare earth (U-Zr-RE) fuel slugs for a sodium-cooled fast reactor were manufactured using a modified injection casting method, and investigated with respect to their uniformity, distribution, composition, and phase behavior according to RE content. Nd, Ce, Pr, and La were chosen as four representative lanthanide elements because they are considered to be major RE components of fuel ingots after pyroprocessing. Immiscible layers were found on the top layers of the melt-residue commensurate with higher fuel slug RE content. Scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) data showed that RE elements in the melt-residue were distributed uniformly throughout the fuel slugs. RE element agglomeration did not contaminate the fuel slugs but strongly affected the RE content of the slugs.

78 FR 33132 - Quality Verification for Plate-Type Uranium-Aluminum Fuel Elements for Use in Research and Test...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-03

... Fuel Elements for Use in Research and Test Reactors AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION... Research and Test Reactors.'' This guide describes a method that the staff of the NRC considers acceptable... assurance program for verifying the quality of plate-type uranium-aluminum fuel elements used in research...

Seasonal control skylight glazing panel with passive solar energy switching

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

Miller, J.V.

1983-10-25

A substantially transparent one-piece glazing panel is provided for generally horizontal mounting in a skylight. The panel is comprised of an repeated pattern of two alternating and contiguous linear optical elements; a first optical element being an upstanding generally right-triangular linear prism, and the second optical element being an upward-facing plano-cylindrical lens in which the planar surface is reflectively opaque and is generally in the same plane as the base of the triangular prism.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Metcalf, H.E.

1957-10-01

A reactor of the type which preferably uses plutonium as the fuel and a liquid moderator, preferably ordinary water, and which produces steam within the reactor core due to the heat of the chain reaction is described. In the reactor shown the fuel elements are essentially in the form of trays and are ventically stacked in spaced relationship. The water moderator is continuously supplied to the trays to maintain a constant level on the upper surfaces of the fuel element as it is continually evaporated by the heat. The steam passes out through the spaces between the fuel elements and is drawn off at the top of the core. The fuel elements are clad in aluminum to prevent deterioration thereof with consequent contamimation of the water.

Omnidirectional, circularly polarized, cylindrical microstrip antenna

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanton, Philip H. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

A microstrip cylindrical antenna comprised of two concentric subelements on a ground cylinder, a vertically polarized (E-field parallel to the axis of the antenna cylinder) subelement on the inside and a horizontally polarized (E-field perpendicular to the axis) subelement on the outside. The vertical subelement is a wraparound microstrip radiator. A Y-shaped microstrip patch configuration is used for the horizontally polarized radiator that is wrapped 1.5 times to provide radiating edges on opposite sides of the cylindrical antenna for improved azimuthal pattern uniformity. When these subelements are so fed that their far fields are equal in amplitude and phased 90.degree. from each other, a circularly polarized EM wave results. By stacking a plurality of like antenna elements on the ground cylinder, a linear phased array antenna is provided that can be beam steered to the desired elevation angle.

HYDRA-II: A hydrothermal analysis computer code: Volume 3, Verification/validation assessments

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

McCann, R.A.; Lowery, P.S.

1987-10-01

HYDRA-II is a hydrothermal computer code capable of three-dimensional analysis of coupled conduction, convection, and thermal radiation problems. This code is especially appropriate for simulating the steady-state performance of spent fuel storage systems. The code has been evaluated for this application for the US Department of Energy's Commercial Spent Fuel Management Program. HYDRA-II provides a finite difference solution in cartesian coordinates to the equations governing the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. A cylindrical coordinate system may also be used to enclose the cartesian coordinate system. This exterior coordinate system is useful for modeling cylindrical cask bodies. The difference equationsmore » for conservation of momentum are enhanced by the incorporation of directional porosities and permeabilities that aid in modeling solid structures whose dimensions may be smaller than the computational mesh. The equation for conservation of energy permits modeling of orthotropic physical properties and film resistances. Several automated procedures are available to model radiation transfer within enclosures and from fuel rod to fuel rod. The documentation of HYDRA-II is presented in three separate volumes. Volume I - Equations and Numerics describes the basic differential equations, illustrates how the difference equations are formulated, and gives the solution procedures employed. Volume II - User's Manual contains code flow charts, discusses the code structure, provides detailed instructions for preparing an input file, and illustrates the operation of the code by means of a model problem. This volume, Volume III - Verification/Validation Assessments, provides a comparison between the analytical solution and the numerical simulation for problems with a known solution. This volume also documents comparisons between the results of simulations of single- and multiassembly storage systems and actual experimental data. 11 refs., 55 figs., 13 tabs.« less

Momentum Transfer in a Spinning Fuel Tank Filled with Xenon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peugeot, John W.; Dorney, Daniel J.

2006-01-01

Transient spin-up and spin-down flows inside of spacecraft fuel tanks need to be analyzed in order to properly design spacecraft control systems. Knowledge of the characteristics of angular momentum transfer to and from the fuel is used to size the de-spin mechanism that places the spacecraft in a controllable in-orbit state. In previous studies, several analytical models of the spin-up process were developed. However, none have accurately predicted all of the flow dynamics. Several studies have also been conducted using Navier-Stokes based methods. These approaches have been much more successful at simulating the dynamic processes in a cylindrical container, but have not addressed the issue of momentum transfer. In the current study, the spin-up and spin-down of a fuel tank filled with gaseous xenon has been investigated using a three-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes code. Primary interests have been concentrated on the spin-up/spin-down time constants and the initial torque imparted on the system. Additional focus was given to the relationship between the dominant flow dynamics and the trends in momentum transfer. Through the simulation of both a cylindrical and a spherical tank, it was revealed that the transfer of angular momentum is nonlinear at early times and tends toward a linear pattern at later times. Further investigation suggests that the nonlinear spin up is controlled by the turbulent transport of momentum, while the linear phase is controlled by a Coriolis driven (Ekman) flow along the outer wall. These results indicate that the spinup and spin-down processes occur more quickly in tanks with curved surfaces than those with defined top, bottom, and side walls. The results also provide insights for the design of spacecraft de-spin mechanisms.

Effect of Silicon Nitride Balls and Rollers on Rolling Bearing Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaretsky, Erwin V.; Vlcek, Brian L.; Hendricks, Robert C.

2005-01-01

Three decades have passed since the introduction of silicon nitride rollers and balls into conventional rolling-element bearings. For a given applied load, the contact (Hertz) stress in a hybrid bearing will be higher than an all-steel rolling-element bearing. The silicon nitride rolling-element life as well as the lives of the steel races were used to determine the resultant bearing life of both hybrid and all-steel bearings. Life factors were determined and reported for hybrid bearings. Under nominal operating speeds, the resultant calculated lives of the deep-groove, angular-contact, and cylindrical roller hybrid bearings with races made of post-1960 bearing steel increased by factors of 3.7, 3.2, and 5.5, respectively, from those calculated using the Lundberg-Palmgren equations. An all-steel bearing under the same load will have a longer life than the equivalent hybrid bearing under the same conditions. Under these conditions, hybrid bearings are predicted to have a lower fatigue life than all-steel bearings by 58 percent for deep-groove bearings, 41 percent for angular-contact bearings, and 28 percent for cylindrical roller bearings.

Modelling of single walled carbon nanotube cylindrical structures with finite element method simulations

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

Günay, E.

In this study, the modulus of elasticity and shear modulus values of single-walled carbon nanotubes SWCNTs were modelled by using both finite element method and the Matlab code. Initially, cylindrical armchair and zigzag single walled 3D space frames were demonstrated as carbon nanostructures. Thereafter, macro programs were written by the Matlab code producing the space truss for zigzag and armchair models. 3D space frames were introduced to the ANSYS software and then tension, compression and additionally torsion tests were performed on zigzag and armchair carbon nanotubes with BEAM4 element in obtaining the exact values of elastic and shear modulus values.more » In this study, two different boundary conditions were tested and especially used in torsion loading. The equivalent shear modulus data was found by averaging the corresponding values obtained from ten different nodal points on the nanotube path. Finally, in this study it was determined that the elastic constant values showed proportional changes by increasing the carbon nanotube diameters up to a certain level but beyond this level these values remained stable.« less

Numerical analysis of the cylindrical rigidity of the vertical steel tank shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chirkov, Sergey; Tarasenko, Alexander; Chepur, Petr

2017-10-01

The paper deals with the study of rigidity of a vertical steel cylindrical tank and its structural elements with the development of inhomogeneous subsidence in ANSYS software complex. The limiting case is considered in this paper: a complete absence of a base sector that varies along an arc of a circle. The subsidence zone is modeled by the parameter n. A finite-element model of vertical 20000 m3 steel tank has been created, taking into account all structural elements of tank metal structures, including the support ring, beam frame and roof sheets. Various combinations of vertical steel tank loading are analyzed. For operational loads, the most unfavorable combination is considered. Calculations were performed for the filled and emptied tank. Values of the maximum possible deformations of the outer contour of the bottom are obtained with the development of inhomogeneous base subsidence for the given tank size. The obtained parameters of intrinsic rigidity (deformability) of vertical steel tank can be used in the development of new regulatory and technical documentation for tanks.

Practical Sun Power: 5 Projects to Help Free You from Depending on Any Fuel Other Than the Sun.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rankins, William H., III; Wilson, David A.

This publication describes in detail projects for using solar energy; five major projects and five mini-projects. The major projects are: (1) Parabolic reflectors, both cylindrical and spherical; (2) Solar oven; (3) Hot water heater; (4) House heating; and (5) Conversion to electricity. Mini-projects investigate: (1) Solar computers; (2) Fresnel…

Mathematical simulation of bearing ring grinding process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koltunov, I. I.; Gorbunova, T. N.; Tumanova, M. B.

2018-03-01

The paper suggests the method of forming a solid finite element model of the bearing ring. Implementation of the model allowed one to evaluate the influence of the inner cylindrical surface grinding scheme on the ring shape error.

Analysis of granular flow in a pebble-bed nuclear reactor.

PubMed

Rycroft, Chris H; Grest, Gary S; Landry, James W; Bazant, Martin Z

2006-08-01

Pebble-bed nuclear reactor technology, which is currently being revived around the world, raises fundamental questions about dense granular flow in silos. A typical reactor core is composed of graphite fuel pebbles, which drain very slowly in a continuous refueling process. Pebble flow is poorly understood and not easily accessible to experiments, and yet it has a major impact on reactor physics. To address this problem, we perform full-scale, discrete-element simulations in realistic geometries, with up to 440,000 frictional, viscoelastic 6-cm-diam spheres draining in a cylindrical vessel of diameter 3.5m and height 10 m with bottom funnels angled at 30 degrees or 60 degrees. We also simulate a bidisperse core with a dynamic central column of smaller graphite moderator pebbles and show that little mixing occurs down to a 1:2 diameter ratio. We analyze the mean velocity, diffusion and mixing, local ordering and porosity (from Voronoi volumes), the residence-time distribution, and the effects of wall friction and discuss implications for reactor design and the basic physics of granular flow.

A study of air breathing rockets. 3: Supersonic mode combustors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuya, G.; Chinzel, N.; Kudo, K.; Murakami, A.; Komuro, T.; Ishii, S.

An experimental study was made on supersonic mode combustors of an air breathing rocket engine. Supersonic streams of room-temperature air and hot fuel-rich rocket exhaust were coaxially mixed and burned in a concially diverging duct of 2 deg half-angle. The effect of air inlet Mach number and excess air ratio was investigated. Axial wall pressure distribution was measured to calculate one dimensional change of Mach number and stagnation temperature. Calculated results showed that supersonic combustion occurred in the duct. At the exit of the duct, gas sampling and Pitot pressure measurement was made, from which radial distributions of various properties were deduced. The distribution of mass fraction of elements from rocket exhaust showed poor mixing performance in the supersonic mode combustors compared with the previously investigated cylindrical subsonic mode combustors. Secondary combustion efficiency correlated well with the centerline mixing parameter, but not with Annushkin's non-dimensional combustor length. No major effect of air inlet Mach number or excess air ratio was seen within the range of conditions under which the experiment was conducted.

Plasma jet ignition device

DOEpatents

McIlwain, Michael E.; Grant, Jonathan F.; Golenko, Zsolt; Wittstein, Alan D.

1985-01-15

An ignition device of the plasma jet type is disclosed. The device has a cylindrical cavity formed in insulating material with an electrode at one end. The other end of the cylindrical cavity is closed by a metal plate with a small orifice in the center which plate serves as a second electrode. An arc jumping between the first electrode and the orifice plate causes the formation of a highly-ionized plasma in the cavity which is ejected through the orifice into the engine cylinder area to ignite the main fuel mixture. Two improvements are disclosed to enhance the operation of the device and the length of the plasma plume. One improvement is a metal hydride ring which is inserted in the cavity next to the first electrode. During operation, the high temperature in the cavity and the highly excited nature of the plasma breaks down the metal hydride, liberating hydrogen which acts as an additional fuel to help plasma formation. A second improvement consists of a cavity insert containing a plurality of spaced, metal rings. The rings act as secondary spark gap electrodes reducing the voltage needed to maintain the initial arc in the cavity.

Analysis, Design and Optimization of Non-Cylindrical Fuselage for Blended-Wing-Body (BWB) Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mukhopadhyay, V.; Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, J.; Kosaka, I.; Quinn, G.; Charpentier, C.

2002-01-01

Initial results of an investigation towards finding an efficient non-cylindrical fuselage configuration for a conceptual blended-wing-body flight vehicle were presented. A simplified 2-D beam column analysis and optimization was performed first. Then a set of detailed finite element models of deep sandwich panel and ribbed shell construction concepts were analyzed and optimized. Generally these concepts with flat surfaces were found to be structurally inefficient to withstand internal pressure and resultant compressive loads simultaneously. Alternatively, a set of multi-bubble fuselage configuration concepts were developed for balancing internal cabin pressure load efficiently, through membrane stress in inner-stiffened shell and inter-cabin walls. An outer-ribbed shell was designed to prevent buckling due to external resultant compressive loads. Initial results from finite element analysis appear to be promising. These concepts should be developed further to exploit their inherent structurally efficiency.

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) Fuel Element Testing in the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emrich, William J., Jr.

2017-01-01

To satisfy the Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) testing milestone, a graphite composite fuel element using a uranium simulant was received from the Oakridge National Lab and tested in the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) at various operating conditions. The nominal operating conditions required to satisfy the milestone consisted of running the fuel element for a few minutes at a temperature of at least 2000 K with flowing hydrogen. This milestone test was successfully accomplished without incident.

Space shuttle orbit maneuvering engine, reusable thrust chamber program. Task 6: Data dump hot fuel element investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nurick, W. H.

1974-01-01

An evaluation of reusable thrust chambers for the space shuttle orbit maneuvering engine was conducted. Tests were conducted using subscale injector hot-fire procedures for the injector configurations designed for a regenerative cooled engine. The effect of operating conditions and fuel temperature on combustion chamber performance was determined. Specific objectives of the evaluation were to examine the optimum like-doublet element geometry for operation at conditions consistent with a fuel regeneratively cooled engine (hot fuel, 200 to 250 F) and the sensitivity of the triplet injector element to hot fuels.

Tag gas capsule with magnetic piercing device

DOEpatents

Nelson, Ira V.

1976-06-22

An apparatus for introducing a tag (i.e., identifying) gas into a tubular nuclear fuel element. A sealed capsule containing the tag gas is placed in the plenum in the fuel tube between the fuel and the end cap. A ferromagnetic punch having a penetrating point is slidably mounted in the plenum. By external electro-magnets, the punch may be caused to penetrate a thin rupturable end wall of the capsule and release the tag gas into the fuel element. Preferably the punch is slidably mounted within the capsule, which is in turn loaded as a sealed unit into the fuel element.

Inert matrix fuel in dispersion type fuel elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savchenko, A. M.; Vatulin, A. V.; Morozov, A. V.; Sirotin, V. L.; Dobrikova, I. V.; Kulakov, G. V.; Ershov, S. A.; Kostomarov, V. P.; Stelyuk, Y. I.

2006-06-01

The advantages of using inert matrix fuel (IMF) as a dispersion fuel in an aluminium alloy matrix are considered, in particular, low temperatures in the fuel centre, achievable high burn-ups, serviceability in transients and an environmentally friendly process of fuel rod fabrication. Two main versions of IMF are under development at A.A. Bochvar Institute, i.e. heterogeneous or isolated distribution of plutonium. The out-of-pile results on IMF loaded with uranium dioxide as plutonium simulator are presented. Fuel elements with uranium dioxide composition fabricated at A.A. Bochvar Institute are currently under MIR tests (RIAR, Dimitrovgrad). The fuel elements reached a burn-up of 88 MW d kg-1 (equivalent to the burn up of the standard uranium dioxide pelletized fuel) without loss of leak-tightness of the cladding. The feasibility of fabricating IMF of these particular types with plutonium dioxide is considered with a view to in-pile irradiation.

Nuclear reactor fuel element having improved heat transfer

DOEpatents

Garnier, J.E.; Begej, S.; Williford, R.E.; Christensen, J.A.

1982-03-03

A nuclear reactor fuel element having improved heat transfer between fuel material and cladding is described. The element consists of an outer cladding tube divided into an upper fuel section containing a central core of fissionable or mixed fissionable and fertile fuel material, slightly smaller in diameter than the inner surface of the cladding tube and a small lower accumulator section, the cladding tube being which is filled with a low molecular weight gas to transfer heat from fuel material to cladding during irradiation. A plurality of essentially vertical grooves in the fuel section extend downward and communicate with the accumulator section. The radial depth of the grooves is sufficient to provide a thermal gradient between the hot fuel surface and the relatively cooler cladding surface to allow thermal segregation to take place between the low molecular weight heat transfer gas and high molecular weight fission product gases produced by the fuel material during irradiation.

Design of a Hybrid Propulsion System for Orbit Raising Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boman, N.; Ford, M.

2004-10-01

A trade off between conventional liquid apogee engines used for orbit raising applications and hybrid rocket engines (HRE) has been performed using a case study approach. Current requirements for lower cost and enhanced safety places hybrid propulsion systems in the spotlight. For evaluating and design of a hybrid rocket engine a parametric engineering code is developed, based on the combustion chamber characteristics of selected propellants. A single port cylindrical section of fuel grain is considered. Polyethylene (PE) and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) represents the fuels investigated. The engine design is optimized to minimize the propulsion system volume and mass, while keeping the system as simple as possible. It is found that the fuel grain L/D ratio boundary condition has a major impact on the overall hybrid rocket engine design.

Conceptual design study of small long-life PWR based on thorium cycle fuel

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

Subkhi, M. Nurul; Su'ud, Zaki; Waris, Abdul

2014-09-30

A neutronic performance of small long-life Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) using thorium cycle based fuel has been investigated. Thorium cycle which has higher conversion ratio in thermal region compared to uranium cycle produce some significant of {sup 233}U during burn up time. The cell-burn up calculations were performed by PIJ SRAC code using nuclear data library based on JENDL 3.3, while the multi-energy-group diffusion calculations were optimized in whole core cylindrical two-dimension R-Z geometry by SRAC-CITATION. this study would be introduced thorium nitride fuel system which ZIRLO is the cladding material. The optimization of 350 MWt small long life PWRmore » result small excess reactivity and reduced power peaking during its operation.« less

Initial decay of flow properties of planar, cylindrical and spherical blast waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadek, H. S. I.; Gottlieb, J. J.

1983-10-01

Analytical expressions are presented for the initial decay of all major flow properties just behind planar, cylindrical, and spherical shock wave fronts whose trajectories are known as a function of either distance versus time or shock overpressure versus distance. These expressions give the time and/or distance derivatives of the flow properties not only along constant time and distance lines but also along positive and negative characteristic lines and a fluid-particle path. Conventional continuity, momentum and energy equations for the nonstationary motion of an inviscid, non-heat conducting, compressible gas are used in their derivation, along with the equation of state of a perfect gas. All analytical expressions are validated by comparing the results to those obtained indirectly from known self-similar solutions for planar, cylindrical and spherical shock-wave flows generated both by a sudden energy release and by a moving piston. Futhermore, time derivatives of pressure and flow velocity are compared to experimental data from trinitrotoluene (TNT), pentolite, ammonium nitrate-fuel oil (ANFO) and propane-oxygen explosions, and good agreement is obtained.

Fabrication of High Performing PEMFC Catalyst-Coated Membranes with a Low Cost Air-Assisted Cylindrical Liquid Jets Spraying System

DOE PAGES

Peng, Xiong; Omasta, Travis; Rigdon, William; ...

2016-11-15

In this paper, a low cost air-assisted cylindrical liquid jets spraying (ACLJS) system was developed to prepare high-performance catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The catalyst ink was flowed from a cylindrical orifice and was atomized by an air stream fed from a coaxial slit and sprayed directly onto the membrane, which was suctioned to a heated aluminum vacuum plate. The CCM pore architecture including size, distribution and volume can be controlled using various flow parameters, and the impact of spraying conditions on electrode structure and PEMFC performance was investigated. CCMs fabricated in the fiber-type break-upmore » regime by ACLJS achieved very high performance during PEMFC testing, with the top-performing cells having a current density greater than 1900 mA/cm 2 at 0.7 V under H 2/O 2 flows and 700 mA/cm 2 under H 2/Air at 1.5 bar(absolute) pressure and 60% gas RH, and 80°C cell temperature.« less

Fabrication of High Performing PEMFC Catalyst-Coated Membranes with a Low Cost Air-Assisted Cylindrical Liquid Jets Spraying System

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

Peng, Xiong; Omasta, Travis; Rigdon, William

In this paper, a low cost air-assisted cylindrical liquid jets spraying (ACLJS) system was developed to prepare high-performance catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The catalyst ink was flowed from a cylindrical orifice and was atomized by an air stream fed from a coaxial slit and sprayed directly onto the membrane, which was suctioned to a heated aluminum vacuum plate. The CCM pore architecture including size, distribution and volume can be controlled using various flow parameters, and the impact of spraying conditions on electrode structure and PEMFC performance was investigated. CCMs fabricated in the fiber-type break-upmore » regime by ACLJS achieved very high performance during PEMFC testing, with the top-performing cells having a current density greater than 1900 mA/cm 2 at 0.7 V under H 2/O 2 flows and 700 mA/cm 2 under H 2/Air at 1.5 bar(absolute) pressure and 60% gas RH, and 80°C cell temperature.« less

NEUTRON REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT UTILIZING ZIRCONIUM-BASE ALLOYS

DOEpatents

Saller, H.A.; Keeler, J.R.; Szumachowski, E.R.

1957-11-12

This patent relates to clad fuel elements for use in neutronic reactors and is drawn to such a fuel element which consists of a core of fissionable material, comprised of an alloy of zirconium and U/sup 235/ enriched uranium, encased in a jacket of a binary zirconium-tin alloy in which the tin content ranges between 1 and 15% by weight.

MRT fuel element inspection at Dounreay

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

Gibson, J.

1997-08-01

To ensure that their production and inspection processes are performed in an acceptable manner, ie. auditable and traceable, the MTR Fuel Element Fabrication Plant at Dounreay operates to a documented quality system. This quality system, together with the fuel element manufacturing and inspection operations, has been independently certified to ISO9002-1987, EN29002-1987 and BS5750:Pt2:1987 by Lloyd`s Register Quality Assurance Limited (LRQA). This certification also provides dual accreditation to the relevant German, Dutch and Australian certification bodies. This paper briefly describes the quality system, together with the various inspection stages involved in the manufacture of MTR fuel elements at Dounreay.

Direct carbon fuel cell and stack designs

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

Gorte, Raymond J.; Oh, Tae-Sik

Disclosed are novel configurations of Direct Carbon Fuel Cells (DCFCs), which optionally comprise a liquid anode. The liquid anode comprises a molten salt/metal, preferably Sb, and a fuel, which has significant elemental carbon content (coal, bio-mass, etc.). The supply of fuel is continuously replenished in the anode. In addition, a stack configuration is suggested where combining a large number of planar or tubular fuel elements.

Nuclear breeder reactor fuel element with axial tandem stacking and getter

DOEpatents

Gibby, Ronald L.; Lawrence, Leo A.; Woodley, Robert E.; Wilson, Charles N.; Weber, Edward T.; Johnson, Carl E.

1981-01-01

A breeder reactor fuel element having a tandem arrangement of fissile and fertile fuel with a getter for fission product cesium disposed between the fissile and fertile sections. The getter is effective at reactor operating temperatures to isolate the cesium generated by the fissile material from reacting with the fertile fuel section.

Design of a reconfigurable liquid hydrogen fuel tank for use in the Genii unmanned aerial vehicle

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

Adam, Patrick; Leachman, Jacob

2014-01-29

Long endurance flight, on the order of days, is a leading flight performance characteristic for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Liquid hydrogen (LH2) is well suited to providing multi-day flight times with a specific energy 2.8 times that of conventional kerosene based fuels. However, no such system of LH2 storage, delivery, and use is currently available for commercial UAVs. In this paper, we develop a light weight LH2 dewar for integration and testing in the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell powered, student designed and constructed, Genii UAV. The fuel tank design is general for scaling to suit various UAV platforms.more » A cylindrical vacuum-jacketed design with removable end caps was chosen to incorporate various fuel level gauging, pressurizing, and slosh mitigation systems. Heat and mechanical loadings were modeled to compare with experimental results. Mass performance of the fuel tank is characterized by the fraction of liquid hydrogen to full tank mass, and the insulation performance was characterized by effective thermal conductivity and boil-off rate.« less

Design of a reconfigurable liquid hydrogen fuel tank for use in the Genii unmanned aerial vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, Patrick; Leachman, Jacob

2014-01-01

Long endurance flight, on the order of days, is a leading flight performance characteristic for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Liquid hydrogen (LH2) is well suited to providing multi-day flight times with a specific energy 2.8 times that of conventional kerosene based fuels. However, no such system of LH2 storage, delivery, and use is currently available for commercial UAVs. In this paper, we develop a light weight LH2 dewar for integration and testing in the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell powered, student designed and constructed, Genii UAV. The fuel tank design is general for scaling to suit various UAV platforms. A cylindrical vacuum-jacketed design with removable end caps was chosen to incorporate various fuel level gauging, pressurizing, and slosh mitigation systems. Heat and mechanical loadings were modeled to compare with experimental results. Mass performance of the fuel tank is characterized by the fraction of liquid hydrogen to full tank mass, and the insulation performance was characterized by effective thermal conductivity and boil-off rate.

Two-Dimensional Diffusion Theory Analysis of Reactivity Effects of a Fuel-Plate-Removal Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gotsky, Edward R.; Cusick, James P.; Bogart, Donald

1959-01-01

Two-dimensional two-group diffusion calculations were performed on the NASA reactor simulator in order to evaluate the reactivity effects of fuel plates removed successively from the center experimental fuel element of a seven- by three-element core loading at the Oak Ridge Bulk Shielding Facility. The reactivity calculations were performed by two methods: In the first, the slowing-down properties of the experimental fuel element were represented by its infinite media parameters; and, in the second, the finite size of the experimental fuel element was recognized, and the slowing-down properties of the surrounding core were attributed to this small region. The latter calculation method agreed very well with the experimented reactivity effects; the former method underestimated the experimental reactivity effects.

A numerical comparison with an exact solution for the transient response of a cylinder immersed in a fluid. [computer simulated underwater tests to determine transient response of a submerged cylindrical shell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giltrud, M. E.; Lucas, D. S.

1979-01-01

The transient response of an elastic cylindrical shell immersed in an acoustic media that is engulfed by a plane wave is determined numerically. The method applies to the USA-STAGS code which utilizes the finite element method for the structural analysis and the doubly asymptotic approximation for the fluid-structure interaction. The calculations are compared to an exact analysis for two separate loading cases: a plane step wave and an exponentially decaying plane wave.

Thermo-elastoviscoplastic snapthrough behavior of cylindrical panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Song, Y.; Simitses, G. J.

1992-01-01

The thermo-elastoviscoplastic snapthrough behavior of simply supported cylindrical panels is investigated. The analysis is based on nonlinear kinematic relations and nonlinear rate-dependent unified constitutive equations which include both Bodner-Partom's and Walker's material models. A finite element approach is employed to predict the inelastic buckling behavior. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effects of several parameters which include the temperature, thickness and flatness of the panel. Comparisons of buckling responses between Bodner-Partom's model and Walker's model are given. The creep buckling behavior, as an example of time-dependent inelastic deformation, is also presented.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT

DOEpatents

Picklesimer, M.L.; Thurber, W.C.

1961-01-01

A chemically nonreactive fuel composition for incorporation in aluminum- clad, plate type fuel elements for neutronic reactors is described. The composition comprises a mixture of aluminum and uranium carbide particles, the uranium carbide particles containing at least 80 wt.% UC/sub 2/.

Toxicity of irradiated advanced heavy water reactor fuels.

PubMed

Priest, N D; Richardson, R B; Edwards, G W R

2013-02-01

The good neutron economy and online refueling capability of the CANDU® heavy water moderated reactor (HWR) enable it to use many different fuels such as low enriched uranium (LEU), plutonium, or thorium, in addition to its traditional natural uranium (NU) fuel. The toxicity and radiological protection methods for these proposed fuels, unlike those for NU, are not well established. This study uses software to compare the fuel composition and toxicity of irradiated NU fuel against those of two irradiated advanced HWR fuel bundles as a function of post-irradiation time. The first bundle investigated is a CANFLEX® low void reactor fuel (LVRF), of which only the dysprosium-poisoned central element, and not the outer 42 LEU elements, is specifically analyzed. The second bundle investigated is a heterogeneous high-burnup (LEU,Th)O(2) fuelled bundle, whose two components (LEU in the outer 35 elements and thorium in the central eight elements) are analyzed separately. The LVRF central element was estimated to have a much lower toxicity than that of NU at all times after shutdown. Both the high burnup LEU and the thorium fuel had similar toxicity to NU at shutdown, but due to the creation of such inhalation hazards as (238)Pu, (240)Pu, (242)Am, (242)Cm, and (244)Cm (in high burnup LEU), and (232)U and (228)Th (in irradiated thorium), the toxicity of these fuels was almost double that of irradiated NU after 2,700 d of cooling. New urine bioassay methods for higher actinoids and the analysis of thorium in fecal samples are recommended to assess the internal dose from these two fuels.

Moment free toroidal magnet

DOEpatents

Bonanos, Peter

1983-01-01

A toroidal magnet for confining a high magnetic field for use in fusion reactor research and nuclear particle detection. The magnet includes a series of conductor elements arranged about and fixed at its small major radius portion to the outer surface of a central cylindrical support each conductor element having a geometry such as to maintain the conductor elements in pure tension when a high current flows therein, and a support assembly which redistributes all or part of the tension which would otherwise arise in the small major radius portion of each coil element to the large major radius portion thereof.

Autonomous long-range open area fire detection and reporting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engelhaupt, Darell E.; Reardon, Patrick J.; Blackwell, Lisa; Warden, Lance; Ramsey, Brian D.

2005-03-01

Approximately 5 billion dollars in US revenue was lost in 2003 due to open area fires. In addition many lives are lost annually. Early detection of open area fires is typically performed by manned observatories, random reporting and aerial surveillance. Optical IR flame detectors have been developed previously. They typically have experienced high false alarms and low flame detection sensitivity due to interference from solar and other causes. Recently a combination of IR detectors has been used in a two or three color mode to reduce false alarms from solar, or background sources. A combination of ultra-violet C (UVC) and near infra-red (NIR) detectors has also been developed recently for flame discrimination. Relatively solar-blind basic detectors are now available but typically detect at only a few tens of meters at ~ 1 square meter fuel flame. We quantify the range and solar issues for IR and visible detectors and qualitatively define UV sensor requirements in terms of the mode of operation, collection area issues and flame signal output by combustion photochemistry. We describe innovative flame signal collection optics for multiple wavelengths using UV and IR as low false alarm detection of open area fires at long range (8-10 km/m2) in daylight (or darkness). A circular array detector and UV-IR reflective and refractive devices including cylindrical or toroidal lens elements for the IR are described. The dispersion in a refractive cylindrical IR lens characterizes the fire and allows a stationary line or circle generator to locate the direction and different flame IR "colors" from a wide FOV. The line generator will produce spots along the line corresponding to the fire which can be discriminated with a linear detector. We demonstrate prototype autonomous sensors with RF digital reporting from various sites.

Analysis of thin-walled cylindrical composite shell structures subject to axial and bending loads: Concept development, analytical modeling and experimental verification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahadev, Sthanu

Continued research and development efforts devoted in recent years have generated novel avenues towards the advancement of efficient and effective, slender laminated fiber-reinforced composite members. Numerous studies have focused on the modeling and response characterization of composite structures with particular relevance to thin-walled cylindrical composite shells. This class of shell configurations is being actively explored to fully determine their mechanical efficacy as primary aerospace structural members. The proposed research is targeted towards formulating a composite shell theory based prognosis methodology that entails an elaborate analysis and investigation of thin-walled cylindrical shell type laminated composite configurations that are highly desirable in increasing number of mechanical and aerospace applications. The prime motivation to adopt this theory arises from its superior ability to generate simple yet viable closed-form analytical solution procedure to numerous geometrically intense, inherent curvature possessing composite structures. This analytical evaluative routine offers to acquire a first-hand insight on the primary mechanical characteristics that essentially govern the behavior of slender composite shells under typical static loading conditions. Current work exposes the robustness of this mathematical framework via demonstrating its potential towards the prediction of structural properties such as axial stiffness and bending stiffness respectively. Longitudinal ply-stress computations are investigated upon deriving the global stiffness matrix model for composite cylindrical tubes with circular cross-sections. Additionally, this work employs a finite element based numerical technique to substantiate the analytical results reported for cylindrically shaped circular composite tubes. Furthermore, this concept development is extended to the study of thin-walled, open cross-sectioned, curved laminated shells that are geometrically distinguished with respect to the circumferential arc angle, thickness-to-mean radius ratio and total laminate thickness. The potential of this methodology is challenged to analytically determine the location of the centroid. This precise location dictates the decoupling of extension-bending type deformational response in tension loaded composite structures. Upon the cross-validation of the centroidal point through the implementation of an ANSYS based finite element routine, influence of centroid is analytically examined under the application of a concentrated longitudinal tension and bending type loadings on a series of cylindrical shells characterized by three different symmetric-balanced stacking sequences. In-plane ply-stresses are computed and analyzed across the circumferential contour. An experimental investigation has been incorporated via designing an ad-hoc apparatus and test-up that accommodates the quantification of in-plane strains, computation of ply-stresses and addresses the physical characteristics for a set of auto-clave fabricated cylindrical shell articles. Consequently, this work is shown to essentially capture the mechanical aspects of cylindrical shells, thus facilitating structural engineers to design and manufacture viable structures.

Space reactor fuel element testing in upgraded TREAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todosow, M.; Bezler, P.; Ludewig, H.; Kato, W. Y.

The testing of candidate fuel elements at prototypic operating conditions with respect to temperature, power density, hydrogen coolant flow rate, etc.; a crucial component in the development and qualification of nuclear rocket engines based on the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR); NERVA-derivative; and other concepts are discussed. Such testing may be performed at existing reactors, or at new facilities. A scoping study has been performed to assess the feasibility of testing PBR based fuel elements at the TREAT reactor. Initial results suggest that full-scale PBR elements could be tested at an average energy deposition of approximately 60-80 MW-s/L in the current TREAT reactor. If the TREAT reactor was upgraded to include fuel elements with a higher temperature limit, average energy deposition of approximately 100 MW/L may be achievable.

Space reactor fuel element testing in upgraded TREAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todosow, Michael; Bezler, Paul; Ludewig, Hans; Kato, Walter Y.

1993-01-01

The testing of candidate fuel elements at prototypic operating conditions with respect to temperature, power density, hydrogen coolant flow rate, etc., is a crucial component in the development and qualification of nuclear rocket engines based on the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR), NERVA-derivative, and other concepts. Such testing may be performed at existing reactors, or at new facilities. A scoping study has been performed to assess the feasibility of testing PBR based fuel elements at the TREAT reactor. Initial results suggests that full-scale PBR elements could be tested at an average energy deposition of ˜60-80 MW-s/L in the current TREAT reactor. If the TREAT reactor was upgraded to include fuel elements with a higher temperture limit, average energy deposition of ˜100 MW/L may be achievable.

Diagnostic Analysis Of Ultrasound Data

DOEpatents

Chambers, David H.; Mast, Jeffrey; Azevedo, Stephen G.; Wuebbeling, Frank; Natterer, Frank; Duric, Neb; Littrup, Peter J.; Holsapple, Earle

2006-01-10

A method and apparatus are provided for investigating tissue in which acoustic data are derived from scattering a plurality of pulsed spherical or cylindrical acoustic waves from a plurality of transmission elements through the tissue to a plurality of receiving elements. The acoustic data, which include a mix of reflected and transmitted acoustic waves, are received and digitized, and a representation of a portion of the tissue is generated from the digitized acoustic data.

Ring stability of underground toroidal tanks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubis, Asnawi; Su'udi, Ahmad

2017-06-01

The design of pressure vessels subjected to internal pressure is governed by its strength, while the design of pressure vessels subjected to external pressure is governed by its stability, which is for circular cross-section is called the ring stability. This paper presented the results of finite element study of ring stability of circular toroidal tank without stiffener under external pressure. The tank was placed underground and external pressure load from soil was simulated as pressure at the top of the vessel along 30° circumferentially. One might ask the reason for choosing toroidal rather than cylindrical tank. Preliminary finite element studies showed that toroidal shells can withstand higher external pressure than cylindrical shells. In this study, the volume of the tank was fixed for 15,000 litters. The buckling external pressure (pL) was calculated for radius ratio (R/r) of 2, 3, and 4. The corresponding cross-section radiuses were 724.3 mm, 632.7 mm, and 574.9 mm, respectively. The selected element type was SHELL 281 from the ANSYS element library. To obtain the buckling load, the arc-length method was used in the nonlinear analysis. Both material and geometric nonlinearities were activated during the analysis. The conclusion of this study is that short-radius and thin-walled toroidal shell produces higher buckling load.

REACTOR FUEL ELEMENTS TESTING CONTAINER

DOEpatents

Whitham, G.K.; Smith, R.R.

1963-01-15

This patent shows a method for detecting leaks in jacketed fuel elements. The element is placed in a sealed tank within a nuclear reactor, and, while the reactor operates, the element is sparged with gas. The gas is then led outside the reactor and monitored for radioactive Xe or Kr. (AEC)

Life assessment of structural components using inelastic finite element analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arya, Vinod K.; Halford, Gary R.

1993-01-01

The need for enhanced and improved performance of structural components subject to severe cyclic thermal/mechanical loadings, such as in the aerospace industry, requires development of appropriate solution technologies involving time-dependent inelastic analyses. Such analyses are mandatory to predict local stress-strain response and to assess more accurately the cyclic life time of structural components. The NASA-Lewis Research Center is cognizant of this need. As a result of concerted efforts at Lewis during the last few years, several such finite element solution technologies (in conjunction with the finite element program MARC) were developed and successfully applied to numerous uniaxial and multiaxial problems. These solution technologies, although developed for use with MARC program, are general in nature and can easily be extended for adaptation with other finite element programs such as ABAQUS, ANSYS, etc. The description and results obtained from two such inelastic finite element solution technologies are presented. The first employs a classical (non-unified) creep-plasticity model. An application of this technology is presented for a hypersonic inlet cowl-lip problem. The second of these technologies uses a unified creep-plasticity model put forth by Freed. The structural component for which this finite element solution technology is illustrated, is a cylindrical rocket engine thrust chamber. The advantages of employing a viscoplastic model for nonlinear time-dependent structural analyses are demonstrated. The life analyses for cowl-lip and cylindrical thrust chambers are presented. These analyses are conducted by using the stress-strain response of these components obtained from the corresponding finite element analyses.

A semi-analytical solution for elastic analysis of rotating thick cylindrical shells with variable thickness using disk form multilayers.

PubMed

Zamani Nejad, Mohammad; Jabbari, Mehdi; Ghannad, Mehdi

2014-01-01

Using disk form multilayers, a semi-analytical solution has been derived for determination of displacements and stresses in a rotating cylindrical shell with variable thickness under uniform pressure. The thick cylinder is divided into disk form layers form with their thickness corresponding to the thickness of the cylinder. Due to the existence of shear stress in the thick cylindrical shell with variable thickness, the equations governing disk layers are obtained based on first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT). These equations are in the form of a set of general differential equations. Given that the cylinder is divided into n disks, n sets of differential equations are obtained. The solution of this set of equations, applying the boundary conditions and continuity conditions between the layers, yields displacements and stresses. A numerical solution using finite element method (FEM) is also presented and good agreement was found.

A Semi-Analytical Solution for Elastic Analysis of Rotating Thick Cylindrical Shells with Variable Thickness Using Disk Form Multilayers

PubMed Central

Zamani Nejad, Mohammad; Jabbari, Mehdi; Ghannad, Mehdi

2014-01-01

Using disk form multilayers, a semi-analytical solution has been derived for determination of displacements and stresses in a rotating cylindrical shell with variable thickness under uniform pressure. The thick cylinder is divided into disk form layers form with their thickness corresponding to the thickness of the cylinder. Due to the existence of shear stress in the thick cylindrical shell with variable thickness, the equations governing disk layers are obtained based on first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT). These equations are in the form of a set of general differential equations. Given that the cylinder is divided into n disks, n sets of differential equations are obtained. The solution of this set of equations, applying the boundary conditions and continuity conditions between the layers, yields displacements and stresses. A numerical solution using finite element method (FEM) is also presented and good agreement was found. PMID:24719582

Dispersion analysis and measurement of circular cylindrical wedge-like acoustic waveguides.

PubMed

Yu, Tai-Ho

2015-09-01

This study investigated the propagation of flexural waves along the outer edge of a circular cylindrical wedge, the phase velocities, and the corresponding mode displacements. Thus far, only approximate solutions have been derived because the corresponding boundary-value problems are complex. In this study, dispersion curves were determined using the bi-dimensional finite element method and derived through the separation of variables and the Hamilton principle. Modal displacement calculations clarified that the maximal deformations appeared at the outer edge of the wedge tip. Numerical examples indicated how distinct thin-film materials deposited on the outer surface of the circular cylindrical wedge influenced the dispersion curves. Additionally, dispersion curves were measured using a laser-induced guided wave, a knife-edge measurement scheme, and a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform method. Both the numerical and experimental results correlated closely, thus validating the numerical solution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of trace elements in automotive fuels by filter furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anselmi, Anna; Tittarelli, Paolo; Katskov, Dmitri A.

2002-03-01

The determination of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Ni was performed in gasoline and diesel fuel samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using the Transverse Heated Filter Atomizer (THFA). Thermal conditions were experimentally defined for the investigated elements. The elements were analyzed without addition of chemical modifiers, using organometallic standards for the calibration. Forty-microliter samples were injected into the THFA. Gasoline samples were analyzed directly, while diesel fuel samples were diluted 1:4 with n-heptane. The following characteristic masses were obtained: 0.8 pg Cd, 6.4 pg Cr, 12 pg Cu, 17 pg Pb and 27 pg Ni. The limits of determination for gasoline samples were 0.13 μg/kg Cd, 0.4 μg/kg Cr, 0.9 μg/kg Cu, 1.5 μg/kg Pb and 2.5 μg/kg Ni. The corresponding limit of determination for diesel fuel samples was approximately four times higher for all elements. The element recovery was performed using the addition of organometallic compounds to gasoline and diesel fuel samples and was between 85 and 105% for all elements investigated.

Fuel Regression Characteristics of Cascaded Multistage Impinging-Jet (CAMUI) Type Hybrid Rocket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Mitsunori; Maeda, Takenori; Kakikura, Akihito; Kaneko, Yudai; Mori, Kazuhiro; Nakashima, Takuji; Wakita, Masashi; Uematsu, Tsutomu; Totani, Tsuyoshi; Oshima, Nobuyuki; Nagata, Harunori

A series of lab-scale firing tests was conducted to investigate the fuel regression characteristics of Cascaded Multistage Impinging-jet (CAMUI) type hybrid rocket. The alternative fuel grain used in this rocket consists of a number of cylindrical fuel blocks with two ports, which were aligned along the axis of the combustion chamber with a small gap. The ports are aligned staggered with respect to ones of neighboring blocks so that the combustion gas flow impinges on the forward-end surface of each block. In this fuel grain, forward-end surfaces, back-end surfaces and ports of fuel blocks contribute as burning surfaces. Polyethylene and LOX were used as a propellant, and the tests were conducted at the chamber pressure of 0.5 2MPa and the mass flux of 50 200kg/m2s. Main results obtained in this study are in the followings: The regression rate of each surface was obtained as a function of the propellant mass flux and local equivalent ratio of the combustion gas. At back-end surfaces the regression rate has a high sensitivity on the gap height of neighboring fuel blocks. These fuel regression characteristics will contribute as fundamental data to improve the optimum design of the fuel grain.

FUEL ELEMENT

DOEpatents

Bean, R.W.

1963-11-19

A ceramic fuel element for a nuclear reactor that has improved structural stability as well as improved cooling and fission product retention characteristics is presented. The fuel element includes a plurality of stacked hollow ceramic moderator blocks arranged along a tubular raetallic shroud that encloses a series of axially apertured moderator cylinders spaced inwardly of the shroud. A plurality of ceramic nuclear fuel rods are arranged in the annular space between the shroud and cylinders of moderator and appropriate support means and means for directing gas coolant through the annular space are also provided. (AEC)

DART model for irradiation-induced swelling of dispersion fuel elements including aluminum-fuel interaction

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

Rest, J.; Hofman, G.L.

1997-12-01

The Dispersion Analysis Research Tool (DART) contains models for fission-gas-induced fuel swelling, interaction of fuel with the matrix aluminum, for the resultant reaction-product swelling, and for the calculation of the stress gradient within the fuel particle. The effects of an aluminide shell on fuel particle swelling are evaluated. Validation of the model is demonstrated by a comparison of DART calculations of fuel swelling of U{sub 3}SiAl-Al and U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}-Al for various dispersion fuel element designs with the data.

Reduced size fuel cell for portable applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayanan, Sekharipuram R. (Inventor); Valdez, Thomas I. (Inventor); Clara, Filiberto (Inventor); Frank, Harvey A. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A flat pack type fuel cell includes a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies. Each membrane electrode assembly is formed of an anode, an electrolyte, and an cathode with appropriate catalysts thereon. The anode is directly into contact with fuel via a wicking element. The fuel reservoir may extend along the same axis as the membrane electrode assemblies, so that fuel can be applied to each of the anodes. Each of the fuel cell elements is interconnected together to provide the voltage outputs in series.

Coolant mass flow equalizer for nuclear fuel

DOEpatents

Betten, Paul R.

1978-01-01

The coolant mass flow distribution in a liquid metal cooled reactor is enhanced by restricting flow in sub-channels defined in part by the peripheral fuel elements of a fuel assembly. This flow restriction, which results in more coolant flow in interior sub-channels, is achieved through the use of a corrugated liner positioned between the bundle of fuel elements and the inner wall of the fuel assembly coolant duct. The corrugated liner is expandable to accommodate irradiation induced growth of fuel assembly components.

An experimental study of unsteady sprays at very high injection pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reggiori, A.; Mariani, F.; Parigi, G.; Carlevaro, R.

An experimental study of the development of fuel sprays under very high injection pressures is described. A gas gun capable of generating pressure pulses up to 10,000 bar has been employed as an injection pump. Tests have been carried out with simple cylindrical nozzles, injecting diesel oil in ambient air. The development of the jet has been visualized by means of flash shadowgraphy.

MEANS FOR COOLING REACTORS

DOEpatents

Wheeler, J.A.

1957-11-01

A design of a reactor is presented in which the fuel elements may be immersed in a liquid coolant when desired without the necessity of removing them from the reactor structure. The fuel elements, containing the fissionable material are in plate form and are disposed within spaced slots in a moderator material, such as graphite to form the core. Adjacent the core is a tank containing the liquid coolant. The fuel elements are mounted in spaced relationship on a rotatable shaft which is located between the core and the tank so that by rotation of the shaft the fuel elements may be either inserted in the slots in the core to sustain a chain reaction or immersed in the coolant.

The ultimate intrinsic signal-to-noise ratio of loop- and dipole-like current patterns in a realistic human head model.

PubMed

Pfrommer, Andreas; Henning, Anke

2018-03-13

The ultimate intrinsic signal-to-noise ratio (UISNR) represents an upper bound for the achievable SNR of any receive coil. To reach this threshold a complete basis set of equivalent surface currents is required. This study systematically investigated to what extent either loop- or dipole-like current patterns are able to reach the UISNR threshold in a realistic human head model between 1.5 T and 11.7 T. Based on this analysis, we derived guidelines for coil designers to choose the best array element at a given field strength. Moreover, we present ideal current patterns yielding the UISNR in a realistic body model. We distributed generic current patterns on a cylindrical and helmet-shaped surface around a realistic human head model. We excited electromagnetic fields in the human head by using eigenfunctions of the spherical and cylindrical Helmholtz operator. The electromagnetic field problem was solved by a fast volume integral equation solver. At 7 T and above, adding curl-free current patterns to divergence-free current patterns substantially increased the SNR in the human head (locally >20%). This was true for the helmet-shaped and the cylindrical surface. On the cylindrical surface, dipole-like current patterns had high SNR performance in central regions at ultra-high field strength. The UISNR increased superlinearly with B0 in most parts of the cerebrum but only sublinearly in the periphery of the human head. The combination of loop and dipole elements could enhance the SNR performance in the human head at ultra-high field strength. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Diverter/bop system and method for a bottom supported offshore drilling rig

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

Roche, J.R.; Alexander, G.G.; Carbaugh, W.L.

1986-07-01

A system is described adapted for alternative use as a diverter or a blowout preventer for a bottom supported drilling rig and adapted for connection to a permanent housing attached to rig structural members beneath a drilling rig rotary table, the permanent housing having an outlet connectable to a rig fluid system flow line. The system consists of: a fluid flow controller having a controller housing with a lower cylindrical opening and an upper cylindrical opening and a vertical path therebetween and a first outlet passage and a second outlet passage provided in its wall, a packing element disposed withinmore » the controller housing, and annular piston means adapted for moving from a first position to a second position, whereby in the first position the piston means wall prevents interior fluid from communicating with the outlet passages in the controller housing wall and in the second position the piston means wall allows fluid communication of interior fluid with the outlet passages and urges the annular packing element to close about an object extending through the bore of the controller housing or to close the vertical flow path through through the controller housing in the absence of any object in the vertical flow path, means for connecting a vent line to the outlet passage provided in the controller housing wall, a lower telescoping spool having a lower joining means at its lower end for joining alternatively to structural casing or to a mandrel connected to a conductor string cemented within the structural casing and an upper connection means at its upper end for connection to the lower cylindrical opening of the fluid flow controller, and an upper telescoping spool having a lower connection means for connection to the upper cylindrical opening of the fluid flow controller.« less

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.

Thermionic nuclear reactor with internal heat distribution and multiple duct cooling

DOEpatents

Fisher, C.R.; Perry, L.W. Jr.

1975-11-01

A Thermionic Nuclear Reactor is described having multiple ribbon-like coolant ducts passing through the core, intertwined among the thermionic fuel elements to provide independent cooling paths. Heat pipes are disposed in the core between and adjacent to the thermionic fuel elements and the ribbon ducting, for the purpose of more uniformly distributing the heat of fission among the thermionic fuel elements and the ducts.

JACKETED FUEL ELEMENT

DOEpatents

Wigner, E.P.; Szilard, L.; Creutz, E.C.

1959-02-01

These fuel elements are comprised of a homogeneous metallic uranium body completely enclosed and sealed in an aluminum cover. The uranium body and aluminum cover are bonded together by a layer of zinc located between them. The bonding layer serves to improve transfer of heat, provides an additional protection against corrosion of the uranium by the coolant, and also localizes any possible corrosion by preventing travel of corrosive material along the surface of the fuel element.

Comprehensive Fuel Spray Modeling and Impacts on Chamber Acoustics in Combustion Dynamics Simulations

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

multiple swirler configurations and fuel injector locations at atmospheric pressure con- ditions. Both single-element and multiple-element LDI...the swirl number, Reynolds’ number and injector location in the LDI element. Besides the multi-phase flow characteristics, several experimen- tal...region downstream of the fuel injector on account of a sta- ble and compact precessing vortex core. Recent ex- periments conducted by the Purdue group have

FUEL ELEMENTS FOR THERMAL-FISSION NUCLEAR REACTORS

DOEpatents

Flint, O.

1961-01-10

Fuel elements for thermal-fission nuclear reactors are described. The fuel element is comprised of a core of alumina, a film of a metal of the class consisting of copper, silver, and nickel on the outer face of the core, and a coating of an oxide of a metal isotope of the class consisting of Un/sup 235/, U/ sup 233/, and Pu/sup 239/ on the metal f ilm.

Countercurrent flow limited (CCFL) heat flux in the high flux isotope reactor (HFIR) fuel element

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

Ruggles, A.E.

1990-10-12

The countercurrent flow (CCF) performance in the fuel element region of the HFIR is examined experimentally and theoretically. The fuel element consists of two concentric annuli filled with aluminum clad fuel plates of 1.27 mm thickness separated by 1.27 mm flow channels. The plates are curved as they go radially outward to accomplish constant flow channel width and constant metal-to-coolant ratio. A full-scale HFIR fuel element mock-up is studied in an adiabatic air-water CCF experiment. A review of CCF models for narrow channels is presented along with the treatment of CCFs in system of parallel channels. The experimental results aremore » related to the existing models and a mechanistic model for the annular'' CCF in a narrow channel is developed that captures the data trends well. The results of the experiment are used to calculate the CCFL heat flux of the HFIR fuel assembly. It was determined that the HFIR fuel assembly can reject 0.62 Mw of thermal power in the CCFL situation. 31 refs., 17 figs.« less

Improvement of graphite crystal analyzer for light elements on X-ray fluorescence holography measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Happo, Naohisa; Hada, Takuma; Kubota, Atsushi; Ebisu, Yoshihiro; Hosokawa, Shinya; Kimura, Koji; Tajiri, Hiroo; Matsushita, Tomohiro; Hayashi, Kouichi

2018-05-01

Using a graphite crystal analyzer, focused monochromatic fluorescent X-rays can be obtained on an X-ray fluorescence holography (XFH) measurement. To measure the holograms of elements lighter than Ti, we improved a cylindrical-type crystal analyzer and constructed a small C-shaped analyzer. Using the constructed C-shaped analyzer, a Ca Kα hologram of a fluorite single crystal was obtained, from which we reconstructed a clear atomic image. The XFH measurements for the K, Ca, and Sc elements become possible using the presently constructed analyzer.

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

Sarta, Jose A.; Castiblanco, Luis A

With cooperation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) of the United States, several calculations and tasks related to the waste disposal of spent MTR fuel enriched nominally to 93% were carried out for the conversion of the IAN-R1 Research Reactor from MTR-HEU fuel to TRIGA-LEU fuel. In order to remove the spent MTR-HEU fuel of the core and store it safely a program was established at the Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares y Energias Alternativas (INEA). This program included training, acquisition of hardware and software, design and construction of a decay pool, transfer ofmore » the spent HEU fuel elements into the decay pool and his final transport to Savannah River in United States. In this paper are presented data of activities calculated for each relevant radionuclide present in spent MTR-HEU fuel elements of the IAN-R1 Research Reactor and the total activity. The total activity calculated takes in consideration contributions of fission, activation and actinides products. The data obtained were the base for shielding calculations for the decay pool concerning the storage of spent MTR-HEU fuel elements and the respective dosimetric evaluations in the transferring operations of fuel elements into the decay pool.« less

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

Potter, David Charles; Taylor, Craig Michael; Coons, James Elmer

The percent void of the Fort Saint Vrain (FSV) material is estimated to be 21.1% based on the volume of the gap at the top of the drums, the volume of the coolant channels in the FSV fuel element, and the volume of the fuel handling channel in the FSV fuel element.

Space reactor fuel element testing in upgraded TREAT

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

Todosow, M.; Bezler, P.; Ludewig, H.

1993-01-14

The testing of candidate fuel elements at prototypic operating conditions with respect to temperature, power density, hydrogen coolant flow rate, etc., a crucial component in the development and qualification of nuclear rocket engines based on the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR), NERVA-derivative, and other concepts. Such testing may be performed at existing reactors, or at new facilities. A scoping study has been performed to assess the feasibility of testing PBR based fuel elements at the TREAT reactor. initial results suggest that full-scale PBR, elements could be tested at an average energy deposition of {approximately}60--80 MW-s/L in the current TREAT reactor. Ifmore » the TREAT reactor was upgraded to include fuel elements with a higher temperature limit, average energy deposition of {approximately}100 MW/L may be achievable.« less

Space reactor fuel element testing in upgraded TREAT

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

Todosow, M.; Bezler, P.; Ludewig, H.

1993-05-01

The testing of candidate fuel elements at prototypic operating conditions with respect to temperature, power density, hydrogen coolant flow rate, etc., a crucial component in the development and qualification of nuclear rocket engines based on the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR), NERVA-derivative, and other concepts. Such testing may be performed at existing reactors, or at new facilities. A scoping study has been performed to assess the feasibility of testing PBR based fuel elements at the TREAT reactor. initial results suggest that full-scale PBR, elements could be tested at an average energy deposition of {approximately}60--80 MW-s/L in the current TREAT reactor. Ifmore » the TREAT reactor was upgraded to include fuel elements with a higher temperature limit, average energy deposition of {approximately}100 MW/L may be achievable.« less

PROCESS OF DISSOLVING FUEL ELEMENTS OF NUCLEAR REACTORS

DOEpatents

Wall, E.M.V.; Bauer, D.T.; Hahn, H.T.

1963-09-01

A process is described for dissolving stainless-steelor zirconium-clad uranium dioxide fuel elements by immersing the elements in molten lead chloride, adding copper, cuprous chloride, or cupric chloride as a catalyst and passing chlorine through the salt mixture. (AEC)

Reduction of gaseous pollutant emissions from gas turbine combustors using hydrogen-enriched jet fuel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clayton, R. M.

1976-01-01

Recent progress in an evaluation of the applicability of the hydrogen enrichment concept to achieve ultralow gaseous pollutant emission from gas turbine combustion systems is described. The target emission indexes for the program are 1.0 for oxides of nitrogen and carbon monoxide, and 0.5 for unburned hydrocarbons. The basic concept utilizes premixed molecular hydrogen, conventional jet fuel, and air to depress the lean flammability limit of the mixed fuel. This is shown to permit very lean combustion with its low NOx production while simulataneously providing an increased flame stability margin with which to maintain low CO and HC emission. Experimental emission characteristics and selected analytical results are presented for a cylindrical research combustor designed for operation with inlet-air state conditions typical for a 30:1 compression ratio, high bypass ratio, turbofan commercial engine.

Improved Electrostatic Optical System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, B. F.

1984-01-01

Device suitable for molecular epitaxial formation of semiconductor components. Improved electrostatic lens system uses cylindrical mirror as central element between two tubular lenses. Abberations introduced by mirror tend to cancel those introduced by tubular lenses. Result is order-of-magnitude improvement in chromatic or spherical compensation.

Fuel shipment experience, fuel movements from the BMI-1 transport cask

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

Bauer, Thomas L.; Krause, Michael G

1986-07-01

The University of Texas at Austin received two shipments of irradiated fuel elements from Northrup Aircraft Corporation on April 11 and 16, 1985. A total of 59 elements consisting of standard and instrumented TRIGA fuel were unloaded from the BMI-1 shipping cask. At the time of shipment, the Northrup core burnup was approximately 50 megawatt days with fuel element radiation levels, after a cooling time of three months, of approximately 1.75 rem/hr at 3 feet. In order to facilitate future planning of fuel shipment at the UT facility and other facilities, a summary of the recent transfer process including severalmore » factors which contributed to its success are presented. Numerous color slides were made of the process for future reference by UT and others involved in fuel transfer and handling of the BMI-1 cask.« less

The Finite Element Modelling and Dynamic Characteristics Analysis about One Kind of Armoured Vehicles’ Fuel Tanks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yang; Ge, Zhishang; Zhai, Weihao; Tan, Shiwang; Zhang, Feng

2018-01-01

The static and dynamic characteristics of fuel tank are studied for the armoured vehicle in this paper. The CATIA software is applied to build the CAD model of the armoured vehicles’ fuel tank, and the finite element model is established in ANSYS Workbench. The finite element method is carried out to analyze the static and dynamic mechanical properties of the fuel tank, and the first six orders of mode shapes and their frequencies are also computed and given in the paper, then the stress distribution diagram and the high stress areas are obtained. The results of the research provide some references to the fuel tanks’ design improvement, and give some guidance for the installation of the fuel tanks on armoured vehicles, and help to improve the properties and the service life of this kind of armoured vehicles’ fuel tanks.

Thermodynamic and kinetic modelling of fuel oxidation behaviour in operating defective fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, operating defective fuel B. J.; Thompson, W. T.; Akbari, F.; Thompson, D. M.; Thurgood, C.; Higgs, J.

2004-07-01

A theoretical treatment has been developed to predict the fuel oxidation behaviour in operating defective nuclear fuel elements. The equilibrium stoichiometry deviation in the hyper-stoichiometric fuel has been derived from thermodynamic considerations using a self-consistent set of thermodynamic properties for the U-O system, which emphasizes replication of solubilities and three-phase invariant conditions displayed in the U-O binary phase diagram. The kinetics model accounts for multi-phase transport including interstitial oxygen diffusion in the solid and gas-phase transport of hydrogen and steam in the fuel cracks. The fuel oxidation model is further coupled to a heat conduction model to account for the feedback effect of a reduced thermal conductivity in the hyper-stoichiometric fuel. A numerical solution has been developed using a finite-element technique with the FEMLAB software package. The model has been compared to available data from several in-reactor X-2 loop experiments with defective fuel conducted at the Chalk River Laboratories. The model has also been benchmarked against an O/U profile measurement for a spent defective fuel element discharged from a commercial reactor.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT AND CORE SYSTEM

DOEpatents

Moore, W.T.

1958-09-01

This patent relates to neutronic reactors and in particular to an improved fuel element and a novel reactor core system for facilitating removal of contaminating fission products, as they are fermed, from association with the flssionable fuel, so as to mitigate the interferent effects of such fission products during reactor operation. The fuel elements are comprised of tubular members impervious to fluid and contatning on their interior surfaces a thin layer of fissionable material providing a central void. The core structure is comprised of a plurality of the tubular fuel elements arranged in parallel and a closed manifold connected to their ends. In the reactor the core structure is dispersed in a water moderator and coolant within a pressure vessel, and a means connected to said manifuld is provided for withdrawing and disposing of mobile fission product contamination from the interior of the feel tubes and manifold.

REACTOR UNLOADING

DOEpatents

Leverett, M.C.

1958-02-18

This patent is related to gas cooled reactors wherein the fuel elements are disposed in vertical channels extending through the reactor core, the cooling gas passing through the channels from the bottom to the top of the core. The invention is a means for unloading the fuel elements from the core and comprises dump values in the form of flat cars mounted on wheels at the bottom of the core structure which support vertical stacks of fuel elements. When the flat cars are moved, either manually or automatically, for normal unloading purposes, or due to a rapid rise in the reproduction ratio within the core, the fuel elements are permtted to fall by gravity out of the core structure thereby reducing the reproduction ratio or stopping the reaction as desired.

PROTECTIVELY COVERED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

DOEpatents

Plott, R.F.

1958-10-28

A method of casting a protective jacket about a ura nium fuel element that will bond completely to the uranium without the use of stringers or supports that would ordinarily produce gaps in the cast metal coating and bond is presented. Preformed endcaps of alumlnum alloyed with 13% silicon are placed on the ends of the uranium fuel element. These caps will support the fuel element when placed in a mold. The mold is kept at a ing alloy but below that of uranium so the cast metal jacket will fuse with the endcaps forming a complete covering and bond to the fuel element, which would otherwise oxidize at the gaps or discontinuities lefi in the coating by previous casting methods.

URANIUM OXIDE-CONTAINING FUEL ELEMENT COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

DOEpatents

Handwerk, J.H.; Noland, R.A.; Walker, D.E.

1957-09-10

In the past, bodies formed of a mixture of uranium dioxide and aluminum powder have been used in fuel elements; however, these mixtures were found not to be suitable when exposed to temperatures of about 600 deg C, because at such high temperatures the fuel elements were distorted. If uranosic oxide, U/sub 3/O/sub 8/, is substituted for UO/sub 2/, the mechanical properties are not impaired when these materials are used at about 600 deg C and no distortion takes place. The uranosic oxide and aluminum, both in powder form, are first mixed, and after a homogeneous mixture has been obtained, are shaped into fuel elements by extrusion at elevated temperature. Magnesium powder may be used in place of the aluminum.

NUCLEAR REACTOR

DOEpatents

Moore, R.V.; Bowen, J.H.; Dent, K.H.

1958-12-01

A heterogeneous, natural uranium fueled, solid moderated, gas cooled reactor is described, in which the fuel elements are in the form of elongated rods and are dlsposed within vertical coolant channels ln the moderator symmetrically arranged as a regular lattice in groups. This reactor employs control rods which operate in vertical channels in the moderator so that each control rod is centered in one of the fuel element groups. The reactor is enclosed in a pressure vessel which ls provided with access holes at the top to facilitate loading and unloadlng of the fuel elements, control rods and control rod driving devices.

U-Mo Plate Blister Anneal Interim Report

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

Francine J. Rice; Daniel M. Wachs; Adam B. Robinson

2010-10-01

Blister thresholds in fuel elements have been a longstanding performance parameter for fuel elements of all types. This behavior has yet to be fully defined for the RERTR U-Mo fuel types. Blister anneal studies that began in 2007 have been expanded to include plates from more recent RERTR experiments. Preliminary data presented in this report encompasses the early generations of the U-Mo fuel systems and the most recent but still developing fuel system. Included is an overview of relevant dispersion fuel systems for the purposes of comparison.

Numerical simulation of temperature distribution in cylindrical ilmenite (FeTiO3) due to microwave heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidayat, Mas Irfan P.; Fellicia, Dian Mughni; Rafandi, Ferdiansyah Iqbal

2018-04-01

Microwave assisted heating has been extensively used in materials processing particularly in extraction of TiO2 from Ilmenite (FeTiO3) minerals. Nevertheless, this method could generate non-uniform temperature distribution during the heating process. The observation of this phenomena in cylindrical ilmenite has been conducted by numerical simulation using finite element method according to the Poynthing's theorem. Four different cylinders with variation on its height were simulated in ANSYS 17 with input microwave power of 5.5 Kw. The results indicated that height of heated object could vigorously influence the uniformity of temperature inside the body.

Crush analysis of the foam-filled bitubal circular tube under oblique impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djamaluddin, F.; Abdullah, S.; Arrifin, A. K.; Nopiah, Z. M.

2018-02-01

This paper presents crashworthiness analysis of bitubal cylindrical tubes under different impact angular. The numerical solution of double cylindrical tubes are determined by finite element analysis (FEA). Moreover, the structure was impacted by mass block as impactor respect to longitudinal direction of the tubes. The model of structure was developed by non-linear ABAQUS sofware with variations of load angle and dimensions of tube. The outcome of this study is the respons parameters such as the peak crusing force (PCF), energy absorption (EA) and specific energy absorption (SEA), thus it can be expected this tube as the great energy absorber.

Annular and Cylindrical Phased Array Geometries for Transrectal High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) using PZT and Piezocomposite Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seip, Ralf; Chen, Wohsing; Carlson, Roy; Frizzell, Leon; Warren, Gary; Smith, Nadine; Saleh, Khaldon; Gerber, Gene; Shung, Kirk; Guo, Hongkai; Sanghvi, Narendra T.

2005-03-01

This paper presents engineering progress and the latest in-vitro and in-vivo results obtained with a 4.0 MHz, 20 element, PZT annular transrectal HIFU array and several 4.0 MHz, 211 element, PZT and piezocomposite cylindrical transrectal HIFU arrays for the treatment of prostate cancer. The geometries of both arrays were designed and analyzed to steer the HIFU beams to the desired sites in the prostate volume using multi-channel electronic drivers, with the intent to increase treatment efficiency and reliability for the next generation of HIFU systems. The annular array is able to focus in depth from 25 mm to 50 mm, generate total acoustic powers in excess of 60W, and has been integrated into a modified Sonablate®500 HIFU system capable of controlling such an applicator through custom treatment planning and execution software. Both PZT- and piezocomposite cylindrical arrays were constructed and their characteristics were compared for the transrectal applications. These arrays have been installed into appropriate transducer housings, and have undergone characterization tests to determine their total acoustic power output, focusing range (in depth and laterally), focus quality, efficiency, and comparison tests to determine the material and technology of choice (PZT or piezocomposite) for intra-cavity HIFU applications. Array descriptions, characterization results, in-vitro and in-vivo results, and an overview of their intended use through the application software is shown.

A small, 1400 deg Kelvin, reactor for Brayton space power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lantz, E.; Mayo, W.

1972-01-01

A preliminary cost estimate for a small reactor in Brayton space power systems with (u-233)n or (pu-239)n as the fuel in the T-111 fuel elements totaled to about four million dollars; considered is a 22.8 in. diameter reactor with 247 fuel elements.

Fretting Fatigue with Cylindrical-On-Flat Contact: Crack Nucleation, Crack Path and Fatigue Life

PubMed Central

Noraphaiphipaksa, Nitikorn; Manonukul, Anchalee; Kanchanomai, Chaosuan

2017-01-01

Fretting fatigue experiments and finite element analysis were carried out to investigate the influence of cylindrical-on-flat contact on crack nucleation, crack path and fatigue life of medium-carbon steel. The location of crack nucleation was predicted using the maximum shear stress range criterion and the maximum relative slip amplitude criterion. The prediction using the maximum relative slip amplitude criterion gave the better agreement with the experimental result, and should be used for the prediction of the location of crack nucleation. Crack openings under compressive bulk stresses were found in the fretting fatigues with flat-on-flat contact and cylindrical-on-flat contacts, i.e., fretting-contact-induced crack openings. The crack opening stress of specimen with flat-on-flat contact was lower than those of specimens with cylindrical-on-flat contacts, while that of specimen with 60-mm radius contact pad was lower than that of specimen with 15-mm radius contact pad. The fretting fatigue lives were estimated by integrating the fatigue crack growth curve from an initial propagating crack length to a critical crack length. The predictions of fretting fatigue life with consideration of crack opening were in good agreement with the experimental results. PMID:28772522

Fiber optic sensors for gas turbine control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shu, Emily Yixie (Inventor); Petrucco, Louis Jacob (Inventor); Daum, Wolfgang (Inventor)

2005-01-01

An apparatus for detecting flashback occurrences in a premixed combustor system having at least one fuel nozzle includes at least one photodetector and at least one fiber optic element coupled between the at least one photodetector and a test region of the combustor system wherein a respective flame of the fuel nozzle is not present under normal operating conditions. A signal processor monitors a signal of the photodetector. The fiber optic element can include at least one optical fiber positioned within a protective tube. The fiber optic element can include two fiber optic elements coupled to the test region. The optical fiber and the protective tube can have lengths sufficient to situate the photodetector outside of an engine compartment. A plurality of fuel nozzles and a plurality of fiber optic elements can be used with the fiber optic elements being coupled to respective fuel nozzles and either to the photodetector or, wherein a plurality of photodetectors are used, to respective ones of the plurality of photodetectors. The signal processor can include a digital signal processor.

Fiber optic sensors for gas turbine control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shu, Emily Yixie (Inventor); Brown, Dale Marius (Inventor); Petrucco, Louis Jacob (Inventor); Lovett, Jeffery Allan (Inventor); Daum, Wolfgang (Inventor); Dunki-Jacobs, Robert John (Inventor)

2003-01-01

An apparatus for detecting flashback occurrences in a premixed combustor system having at least one fuel nozzle includes at least one photodetector and at least one fiber optic element coupled between the at least one photodetector and a test region of the combustor system wherein a respective flame of the fuel nozzle is not present under normal operating conditions. A signal processor monitors a signal of the photodetector. The fiber optic element can include at least one optical fiber positioned within a protective tube. The fiber optic element can include two fiber optic elements coupled to the test region. The optical fiber and the protective tube can have lengths sufficient to situate the photodetector outside of an engine compartment. A plurality of fuel nozzles and a plurality of fiber optic elements can be used with the fiber optic elements being coupled to respective fuel nozzles and either to the photodetector or, wherein a plurality of photodetectors are used, to respective ones of the plurality of photodetectors. The signal processor can include a digital signal processor.

Fiber optic sensors for gas turbine control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shu, Emily Yixie (Inventor); Brown, Dale Marius (Inventor); Petrucco, Louis Jacob (Inventor); Lovett, Jeffery Allan (Inventor); Daum, Wolfgang (Inventor); Dunki-Jacobs, Robert John (Inventor)

1999-01-01

An apparatus for detecting flashback occurrences in a premixed combustor system having at least one fuel nozzle includes at least one photodetector and at least one fiber optic element coupled between the at least one photodetector and a test region of the combustor system wherein a respective flame of the fuel nozzle is not present under normal operating conditions. A signal processor monitors a signal of the photodetector. The fiber optic element can include at least one optical fiber positioned within a protective tube. The fiber optic element can include two fiber optic elements coupled to the test region. The optical fiber and the protective tube can have lengths sufficient to situate the photodetector outside of an engine compartment. A plurality of fuel nozzles and a plurality of fiber optic elements can be used with the fiber optic elements being coupled to respective fuel nozzles and either to the photodetector or, wherein a plurality of photodetectors are used, to respective ones of the plurality of photodetectors. The signal processor can include a digital signal processor.

Effects of pressure, oxygen concentration, and forced convection on flame spread rate of Plexiglas, Nylon and Teflon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Notardonato, J. J.; Burkhardt, L. A.; Cochran, T. H.

1974-01-01

Experiments were conducted in which the burning of cylindrical materials in a flowing oxidant stream was studied. Plexiglas, Nylon, and Teflon fuel specimens were oriented such that the flames spread along the surface in a direction opposed to flowing gas. Correlations of flame spread rate were obtained that were power law relations in terms of pressure, oxygen concentration, and gas velocity.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Fraas, A.P.; Mills, C.B.

1961-11-21

A neutronic reactor in which neutron moderation is achieved primarily in its reflector is described. The reactor structure consists of a cylindrical central "island" of moderator and a spherical moderating reflector spaced therefrom, thereby providing an annular space. An essentially unmoderated liquid fuel is continuously passed through the annular space and undergoes fission while contained therein. The reactor, because of its small size, is particularly adapted for propulsion uses, including the propulsion of aircraft. (AEC)

Local Burn-Up Effects in the NBSR Fuel Element

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

Brown N. R.; Hanson A.; Diamond, D.

2013-01-31

This study addresses the over-prediction of local power when the burn-up distribution in each half-element of the NBSR is assumed to be uniform. A single-element model was utilized to quantify the impact of axial and plate-wise burn-up on the power distribution within the NBSR fuel elements for both high-enriched uranium (HEU) and low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. To validate this approach, key parameters in the single-element model were compared to parameters from an equilibrium core model, including neutron energy spectrum, power distribution, and integral U-235 vector. The power distribution changes significantly when incorporating local burn-up effects and has lower power peakingmore » relative to the uniform burn-up case. In the uniform burn-up case, the axial relative power peaking is over-predicted by as much as 59% in the HEU single-element and 46% in the LEU single-element with uniform burn-up. In the uniform burn-up case, the plate-wise power peaking is over-predicted by as much as 23% in the HEU single-element and 18% in the LEU single-element. The degree of over-prediction increases as a function of burn-up cycle, with the greatest over-prediction at the end of Cycle 8. The thermal flux peak is always in the mid-plane gap; this causes the local cumulative burn-up near the mid-plane gap to be significantly higher than the fuel element average. Uniform burn-up distribution throughout a half-element also causes a bias in fuel element reactivity worth, due primarily to the neutronic importance of the fissile inventory in the mid-plane gap region.« less

A feasibility study of reactor-based deep-burn concepts.

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

Kim, T. K.; Taiwo, T. A.; Hill, R. N.

2005-09-16

A systematic assessment of the General Atomics (GA) proposed Deep-Burn concept based on the Modular Helium-Cooled Reactor design (DB-MHR) has been performed. Preliminary benchmarking of deterministic physics codes was done by comparing code results to those from MONTEBURNS (MCNP-ORIGEN) calculations. Detailed fuel cycle analyses were performed in order to provide an independent evaluation of the physics and transmutation performance of the one-pass and two-pass concepts. Key performance parameters such as transuranic consumption, reactor performance, and spent fuel characteristics were analyzed. This effort has been undertaken in close collaborations with the General Atomics design team and Brookhaven National Laboratory evaluation team.more » The study was performed primarily for a 600 MWt reference DB-MHR design having a power density of 4.7 MW/m{sup 3}. Based on parametric and sensitivity study, it was determined that the maximum burnup (TRU consumption) can be obtained using optimum values of 200 {micro}m and 20% for the fuel kernel diameter and fuel packing fraction, respectively. These values were retained for most of the one-pass and two-pass design calculations; variation to the packing fraction was necessary for the second stage of the two-pass concept. Using a four-batch fuel management scheme for the one-pass DB-MHR core, it was possible to obtain a TRU consumption of 58% and a cycle length of 286 EFPD. By increasing the core power to 800 MWt and the power density to 6.2 MW/m{sup 3}, it was possible to increase the TRU consumption to 60%, although the cycle length decreased by {approx}64 days. The higher TRU consumption (burnup) is due to the reduction of the in-core decay of fissile Pu-241 to Am-241 relative to fission, arising from the higher power density (specific power), which made the fuel more reactivity over time. It was also found that the TRU consumption can be improved by utilizing axial fuel shuffling or by operating with lower material temperatures (colder core). Results also showed that the transmutation performance of the one-pass deep-burn concept is sensitive to the initial TRU vector, primarily because longer cooling time reduces the fissile content (Pu-241 specifically.) With a cooling time of 5 years, the TRU consumption increases to 67%, while conversely, with 20-year cooling the TRU consumption is about 58%. For the two-pass DB-MHR (TRU recycling option), a fuel packing fraction of about 30% is required in the second pass (the recycled TRU). It was found that using a heterogeneous core (homogeneous fuel element) concept, the TRU consumption is dependent on the cooling interval before the 2nd pass, again due to Pu-241 decay during the time lag between the first pass fuel discharge and the second pass fuel charge. With a cooling interval of 7 years (5 and 2 years before and after reprocessing) a TRU consumption of 55% is obtained. With an assumed ''no cooling'' interval, the TRU consumption is 63%. By using a cylindrical core to reduce neutron leakage, TRU consumption of the case with 7-year cooling interval increases to 58%. For a two-pass concept using a heterogeneous fuel element (and homogeneous core) with first and second pass volume ratio of 2:1, the TRU consumption is 62.4%. Finally, the repository loading benefits arising from the deep-burn and Inert Matrix Fuel (IMF) concepts were estimated and compared, for the same initial TRU vector. The DB-MHR concept resulted in slightly higher TRU consumption and repository loading benefit compared to the IMF concept (58.1% versus 55.1% for TRU consumption and 2.0 versus 1.6 for estimated repository loading benefit).« less

NUCLEAR REACTOR COMPENENT CLADDING MATERIAL

DOEpatents

Draley, J.E.; Ruther, W.E.

1959-01-27

Fuel elements and coolant tubes used in nuclear reactors of the heterogeneous, water-cooled type are described, wherein the coolant tubes extend through the moderator and are adapted to contain the fuel elements. The invention comprises forming the coolant tubes and the fuel element cladding material from an alloy of aluminum and nickel, or an alloy of aluminum, nickel, alloys are selected to prevent intergranular corrosion of these components by water at temperatures up to 35O deg C.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR WITH ACCESSIBLE THIMBLE AND EMERGENCY COOLING FEATURES

DOEpatents

McCorkle, W.H.

1960-02-23

BS>A safety system for a water-moderated reactor is described. The invention comprises a reservoir system for spraying the fuel elements within a fuel assembly with coolant and keeping them in a continuous bath even if the coolant moderator is lost from the reactor vessel. A reservoir gravity feeds one or more nozzels positioned within each fuel assembly which continually forces water past the fuel elements.

Apparatus and Method for Generating Thrust Using a Two Dimensional, Asymmetrical Capacitor Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Jonathan W. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A capacitor module system is provided for creating a thrust force. The system includes a capacitor module provided with a first conductive element having a cylindrical geometry. The first conductive element can be a hollow cylinder or a solid cylinder. The capacitor module also includes a second conductive element axially spaced from the first conductive element and of smaller axial extent. The second conductive element can be a flat disk, a dome, or a conductive tip at the end of a dielectric rod. A dielectric element is disposed between the first conductive element and the second conductive element. The system also includes a high voltage source having first and second terminals connected respectively to the first and second conductive elements. The high voltage source applies a high voltage to the conductive elements of sufficient value to create a thrust force on the module inducing movement thereof.

Cylindrical Asymmetrical Capacitor Devices for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Jonathan W. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

An asymmetrical capacitor system is provided which creates a thrust force. The system is adapted for use in space applications and includes a capacitor device provided with a first conductive element and a second conductive element axially spaced from the first conductive element and of smaller axial extent. A shroud supplied with gas surrounds the capacitor device. The second conductive element can be a wire ring or mesh mounted on dielectric support posts affixed to a dielectric member which separates the conductive elements or a wire or mesh annulus surrounding a barrel-shaped dielectric member on which the h t element is also mounted. A high voltage source is connected across the conductive elements and applies a high voltage to the conductive elements of sufficient value to create a thrust force on the system inducing movement thereof.

FUEL ELEMENT

DOEpatents

Fortescue, P.; Zumwalt, L.R.

1961-11-28

A fuel element was developed for a gas cooled nuclear reactor. The element is constructed in the form of a compacted fuel slug including carbides of fissionable material in some cases with a breeder material carbide and a moderator which slug is disposed in a canning jacket of relatively impermeable moderator material. Such canned fuel slugs are disposed in an elongated shell of moderator having greater gas permeability than the canning material wherefore application of reduced pressure to the space therebetween causes gas diffusing through the exterior shell to sweep fission products from the system. Integral fission product traps and/or exterior traps as well as a fission product monitoring system may be employed therewith. (AEC)

FUEL ELEMENT CONSTRUCTION

DOEpatents

Simnad, M.T.

1961-08-15

A method of preventing diffusible and volatile fission products from diffusing through a fuel element container and contaminating reactor coolant is described. More specifically, relatively volatile and diffusible fission products either are adsorbed by or react with magnesium fluoride or difluoride to form stable, less volatile, less diffusible forms. The magnesium fluoride or difluoride is disposed anywhere inwardly from the outer surface of the fuel element container in order to be contacted by the fission products before they reach and contaminate the reactor coolant. (AEC)

The Guardian: The Source for Antiterrorism Information. Volume 9, Number 1, April 2007

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-01

the fuel in these research reactors is generally not highly radioactive . Unlike the fuel rods in a nuclear power plant, these fuel elements would...NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND...practices and lessons learned. In addition, we will include Service and issue-specific breakout sessions that will focus on critical AT program elements

Low Cost Nuclear Thermal Rocket Cermet Fuel Element Environment Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bradley, David E.; Mireles, Omar R.; Hickman, Robert R.

2011-01-01

Deep space missions with large payloads require high specific impulse (Isp) and relatively high thrust in order to achieve mission goals in reasonable time frames. Conventional, storable propellants produce average Isp. Nuclear thermal rockets (NTR) capable of high Isp thrust have been proposed. NTR employs heat produced by fission reaction to heat and therefore accelerate hydrogen which is then forced through a rocket nozzle providing thrust. Fuel element temperatures are very high (up to 3000K) and hydrogen is highly reactive with most materials at high temperatures. Data covering the effects of high temperature hydrogen exposure on fuel elements is limited. The primary concern is the mechanical failure of fuel elements which employ high-melting-point metals, ceramics or a combination (cermet) as a structural matrix into which the nuclear fuel is distributed. It is not necessary to include fissile material in test samples intended to explore high temperature hydrogen exposure of the structural support matrices. A small-scale test bed designed to heat fuel element samples via non-contact RF heating and expose samples to hydrogen is being developed to assist in optimal material and manufacturing process selection without employing fissile material. This paper details the test bed design and results of testing conducted to date.

PATHFINDER ATOMIC POWER PLANT TECHNICAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR JULY 1, 1959- SEPTEMBER 30, 1959

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

None

1960-10-31

ABS>Fuel Element Research and Development. Dynamic and static corrosion tests on 8001 Al were completed. Annealmmmg of 1100 cladding on 5083 and M400 cladding on X2219 were tested at 500 deg C, and investigation continued on producing X8101 Al alloy cladding in tube plates by extrusion. Boiler fuel element capsule irradiation tests and subassembly tests are described Heat transfer loop studies and fuel fabrication for the critical facility are reported. Boiler fuel element mechanical design and testing progress is desc ribed. and the superheater fuel element temperature evaluating routine is discussed. Low- enrichment superheater fuel element development included design studiesmore » and stainless steel powder and UO/sub 2/ powder fabrication studies Reactor Mechanical Studies. Research is reported on vessel and structure design, fabrication, and testing, recirculation system design, steam separator tests, and control rod studies. Nuclear Analysis. Reactor physics studies are reported on nuclear constants, baffle plate analysis, comparison of core representations, delayed neutron fraction. and shielding analysis of the reactor building. Reactor and system dynamics and critical experiments were also studied. Chemistry. Progress is reported on recombiner. radioactive gas removal and storage, ion exchanger and radiochemical processing. (For preceding period see ACNP-5915.) (T.R.H.)« less

Compact Fuel Element Environment Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bradley, D. E.; Mireles, O. R.; Hickman, R. R.; Broadway, J. W.

2012-01-01

Deep space missions with large payloads require high specific impulse (I(sub sp)) and relatively high thrust to achieve mission goals in reasonable time frames. Conventional, storable propellants produce average I(sub sp). Nuclear thermal rockets (NTRs) capable of high I(sub sp) thrust have been proposed. NTR employs heat produced by fission reaction to heat and therefore accelerate hydrogen, which is then forced through a rocket nozzle providing thrust. Fuel element temperatures are very high (up to 3,000 K) and hydrogen is highly reactive with most materials at high temperatures. Data covering the effects of high-temperature hydrogen exposure on fuel elements are limited. The primary concern is the mechanical failure of fuel elements that employ high melting point metals, ceramics, or a combination (cermet) as a structural matrix into which the nuclear fuel is distributed. It is not necessary to include fissile material in test samples intended to explore high-temperature hydrogen exposure of the structural support matrices. A small-scale test bed designed to heat fuel element samples via noncontact radio frequency heating and expose samples to hydrogen for typical mission durations has been developed to assist in optimal material and manufacturing process selection without employing fissile material. This Technical Memorandum details the test bed design and results of testing conducted to date.

AN EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL LINER MATERIALS FOR ELIMINATING FCCI IN IRRADIATED METALLIC NUCLEAR FUEL ELEMENTS

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

D. D. Keiser; J. I. Cole

2007-09-01

Metallic nuclear fuels are being looked at as part of the Global Nuclear Energy Program for transmuting longlive transuranic actinide isotopes contained in spent nuclear fuel into shorter-lived fission products. In order to optimize the performance of these fuels, the concept of using liners to eliminate the fuel/cladding chemical interactions that can occur during irradiation of a fuel element has been investigated. The potential liner materials Zr and V have been tested using solid-solid diffusion couples, consisting of liner materials butted against fuel alloys and against cladding materials. The couples were annealed at the relatively high temperature of 700°C. Thismore » temperature would be the absolute maximum temperature present at the fuel/cladding interface for a fuel element in-reactor. Analysis was performed using a scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive and wavelengthdispersive spectrometers (SEM/EDS/WDS) to evaluate any developed diffusion structures. At 700°C, minimal interaction was observed between the metallic fuels and either Zr or V. Similarly, limited interaction was observed between the Zr and V and the cladding materials. The best performing liner material appeared to be the V, based on amounts of interaction.« less

Dart model for irradiation-induced swelling of dispersion fuel elements including aluminum-fuel interaction

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

Rest, J.; Hofman, G.L.

1997-06-01

The Dispersion Analysis Research Tool (DART) contains models for fission-gas induced fuel swelling, interaction of fuel with the matrix aluminum, resultant reaction-product swelling, and calculation of the stress gradient within the fuel particle. The effects of an aluminide shell on fuel particle swelling are evaluated. Validation of the model is demonstrated by a comparison of DART calculations of fuel swelling of U{sub 3}SiAl-Al and U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}-Al for various dispersion fuel element designs with the data. DART results are compared with data for fuel swelling Of U{sub 3}SiAl-Al in plate, tube, and rod configurations as a function of fission density.more » Plate and tube calculations were performed at a constant fuel temperature of 373 K and 518 K, respectively. An irradiation temperature of 518 K results in a calculated aluminide layer thickness for the Russian tube that is in the center of the measured range (16 {mu}m). Rod calculations were performed with a temperature gradient across the rod characterized by surface and central temperatures of 373 K and 423 K, respectively. The effective yield stress of irradiated Al matrix material and the aluminide was determined by comparing the results of DART calculations with postirradiation immersion volume measurement of U{sub 3}SiAl plates. The values for the effective yield stress were used in all subsequent simulations. The lower calculated fuel swelling in the rod-type element is due to an assumed biaxial stress state. Fuel swelling in plates results in plate thickness increase only. Likewise, in tubes, only the wall thickness increases. Irradiation experiments have shown that plate-type dispersion fuel elements can develop blisters or pillows at high U-235 burnup when fuel compounds exhibiting breakaway swelling are used at moderate to high fuel volume fractions. DART-calculated interaction layer thickness and fuel swelling follows the trends of the observations. 3 refs., 2 figs.« less

IRRADIATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

DOEpatents

Cabell, C.P.

1962-12-18

A method and apparatus are described for changing fuel bodies into a process tube of a reactor. According to this method fresh fuel elements are introduced into one end of the tube forcing used fuel elements out the other end. When sufficient fuel has been discharged, a reel and tape arrangement is employed to pull the column of bodies back into the center of the tube. Due provision is made for providing shielding in the tube. (AEC)

Yttrium and rare earth stabilized fast reactor metal fuel

DOEpatents

Guon, Jerold; Grantham, LeRoy F.; Specht, Eugene R.

1992-01-01

To increase the operating temperature of a reactor, the melting point and mechanical properties of the fuel must be increased. For an actinide-rich fuel, yttrium, lanthanum and/or rare earth elements can be added, as stabilizers, to uranium and plutonium and/or a mixture of other actinides to raise the melting point of the fuel and improve its mechanical properties. Since only about 1% of the actinide fuel may be yttrium, lanthanum, or a rare earth element, the neutron penalty is low, the reactor core size can be reduced, the fuel can be burned efficiently, reprocessing requirements are reduced, and the nuclear waste disposal volumes reduced. A further advantage occurs when yttrium, lanthanum, and/or other rare earth elements are exposed to radiation in a reactor, they produce only short half life radioisotopes, which reduce nuclear waste disposal problems through much shorter assured-isolation requirements.

Comparison of radiated noise from shrouded and unshrouded propellers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eversman, Walter

1992-01-01

The ducted propeller in a free field is modeled using the finite element method. The generation, propagation, and radiation of sound from a ducted fan is described by the convened wave equation with volumetric body forces. Body forces are used to introduce the blade loading for rotating blades and stationary exit guide vanes. For an axisymmetric nacelle or shroud, the problem is formulated in cylindrical coordinates. For a specified angular harmonic, the angular coordinate is eliminated, resulting in a two-dimensional representation. A finite element discretization based on nine-node quadratic isoparametric elements is used.

Current status of U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} fuel element fabrication in Brazil

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

Durazzo, M.; Carvalho, E.F. Urano de; Saliba-Silva, A.M.

2008-07-15

IPEN has been working for increasing radioisotope production in order to supply the expanding demand for radiopharmaceutical medicines requested by the Brazilian welfare. To reach this objective, the IEA-R1 research reactor power capacity was recently increased from 2 MW to 4 MW. Since 1988 IPEN has been manufacturing its own fuel element, initially based on U{sub 3}O{sub 8}-Al dispersion fuel plates with 2.3 gU/cm{sup 3}. To support the reactor power increase, higher uranium density in the fuel plate meat had to be achieved for better irradiation flux and also to minimize the irradiated fuel elements to be stored. Uranium silicidemore » was the chosen option and the fuel fabrication development started with the support of the IAEA BRA/4/047 Technical Cooperation Project. This paper describes the results of this program and the current status of silicide fuel fabrication and its qualification. (author)« less

Axially staggered seed-blanket reactor-fuel-module construction. [LWBR

DOEpatents

Cowell, G.K.; DiGuiseppe, C.P.

1982-10-28

A heterogeneous nuclear reactor of the seed-blanket type is provided wherein the fissile (seed) and fertile (blanket) nuclear fuels are segregated axially within each fuel element such that fissile and fertile regions occur in an alternating pattern along the length of the fuel element. Further, different axial stacking patterns are used for the fuel elements of at least two module types such that when modules of different types are positioned adjacent to one another, the fertile regions of the modules are offset or staggered. Thus, when a module of one type is surrounded by modules of the second type the fertile regions thereof will be surrounded on all sides by fissile material. This provides enhanced neutron communication both radially and axially, thereby resulting in greater power oscillation stability than other axial arrangements.

PREIRRADIATION MEASUREMENTS OF PIQUA FUEL ELEMENTS NO. P-1111, P-1113, P- 1114, AND P-1120

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

Hubbell, H.J.

1962-11-01

Results of preirradiation measurements and tests performed during the processing and assembly of the individual fuel cylinders contained in Piqua Fuel Elements No. P-1111, P-1113, P-1114, and P-1120 are presented. A description of the techniques and equipment used in obtaining the data is also included. (auth)

Aluminum hydroxide coating thickness measurements and brushing tests on K West Basin fuel elements

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

Pitner, A.L.

1998-09-11

Aluminum hydroxide coating thicknesses were measured on fuel elements stored in aluminum canisters in K West Basin using specially developed eddy current probes . The results were used to estimate coating inventories for MCO fuel,loading. Brushing tests successfully demonstrated the ability to remove the coating if deemed necessary prior to MCO loading.

Seismic behavior of a low-rise horizontal cylindrical tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiore, Alessandra; Rago, Carlo; Vanzi, Ivo; Greco, Rita; Briseghella, Bruno

2018-05-01

Cylindrical storage tanks are widely used for various types of liquids, including hazardous contents, thus requiring suitable and careful design for seismic actions. The study herein presented deals with the dynamic analysis of a ground-based horizontal cylindrical tank containing butane and with its safety verification. The analyses are based on a detailed finite element (FE) model; a simplified one-degree-of-freedom idealization is also set up and used for verification of the FE results. Particular attention is paid to sloshing and asynchronous seismic input effects. Sloshing effects are investigated according to the current literature state of the art. An efficient methodology based on an "impulsive-convective" decomposition of the container-fluid motion is adopted for the calculation of the seismic force. The effects of asynchronous ground motion are studied by suitable pseudo-static analyses. Comparison between seismic action effects, obtained with and without consideration of sloshing and asynchronous seismic input, shows a rather important influence of these conditions on the final results.

Analysis of the sound field in finite length infinite baffled cylindrical ducts with vibrating walls of finite impedance.

PubMed

Shao, Wei; Mechefske, Chris K

2005-04-01

This paper describes an analytical model of finite cylindrical ducts with infinite flanges. This model is used to investigate the sound radiation characteristics of the gradient coil system of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The sound field in the duct satisfies both the boundary conditions at the wall and at the open ends. The vibrating cylindrical wall of the duct is assumed to be the only sound source. Different acoustic conditions for the wall (rigid and absorptive) are used in the simulations. The wave reflection phenomenon at the open ends of the finite duct is described by general radiation impedance. The analytical model is validated by the comparison with its counterpart in a commercial code based on the boundary element method (BEM). The analytical model shows significant advantages over the BEM model with better numerical efficiency and a direct relation between the design parameters and the sound field inside the duct.

Optical analysis of cylindrical-parabolic concentrators: validity limits for models of solar disk intensity.

PubMed

Nicolás, R O

1987-09-15

Different optical analysis of cylindrical-parabolic concentrators were made by utilizing four models of intensity distribution of the solar disk, i.e., square, uniform, real, and Gaussian. In this paper, the validity conditions using such distributions are determined by calculating each model of the intensity distribution on the receiver plane of perfect and nonperfect cylindrical-parabolic concentrators. We call nonperfect concentrators those in which the normal to each differential element of the specular surface departs from its correct position by an angle sigma(epsilon), the possible values of which follow a Gaussian distribution of mean value epsilon and standard deviation sigma(epsilon). In particular, the results obtained with the models considered for a concentrator with an aperture half-angle of 45 degrees are shown and compared. An important conclusion is that for sigma(epsilon) greater, similar 4 mrad, in some cases for sigma(epsilon) greater, similar 2 mrad, the results obtained are practically independent of the model used.

Dispersion, Mixing, and Combustion in Uniform- and Variable-Density Air-Breathing High-Speed Propulsion Flows

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-28

and dispersion whose behavior is relevant to fuel-injection in propulsion devices. The latter investigations were conducted in water that allows...initially sharp scalar gradients in this high Schmidt-number fluid medium ( water : ⁄ ). Generally, such scalar plumes re reported to exhibit... Flowmetering : The Characteristics of Cylindrical Nozzles with Sharp Upstream Edges. Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow 1(3):123-132. 3. Research personnel

Particle cloud mixing in microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, H.; Facca, L.; Tangirala, V.; Berlad, A. L.

1989-01-01

Quasi-steady flame propagation through clouds of combustible particles requires quasi-steady transport properties and quasi-steady particle number density. Microgravity conditions may be employed to help achieve the conditions of quiescent, uniform clouds needed for such combustion studies. Joint experimental and theoretical NASA-UCSD studies were concerned with the use of acoustic, electrostatic, and other methods of dispersion of fuel particulates. Results of these studies are presented for particle clouds in long cylindrical tubes.

Plasma Torch for Plasma Ignition and Combustion of Coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ustimenko, Alexandr; Messerle, Vladimir

2015-09-01

Plasma-fuel systems (PFS) have been developed to improve coal combustion efficiency. PFS is a pulverized coal burner equipped with arc plasma torch producing high temperature air stream of 4000 - 6000 K. Plasma activation of coal at the PFS increases the coal reactivity and provides more effective ignition and ecologically friendly incineration of low-rank coal. The main and crucial element of PFS is plasma torch. Simplicity and reliability of the industrial arc plasma torches using cylindrical copper cathode and air as plasma forming gas predestined their application at heat and power engineering for plasma aided coal combustion. Life time of these plasma torches electrodes is critical and usually limited to 200 hours. Considered in this report direct current arc plasma torch has the cathode life significantly exceeded 1000 hours. To ensure the electrodes long life the process of hydrocarbon gas dissociation in the electric arc discharge is used. In accordance to this method atoms and ions of carbon from near-electrode plasma deposit on the active surface of the electrodes and form electrode carbon condensate which operates as ``actual'' electrode. Complex physicochemical investigation showed that deposit consists of nanocarbon material.

Active Control of Fan Noise: Feasibility Study. Volume 5; Numerical Computation of Acoustic Mode Reflection Coefficients for an Unflanged Cylindrical Duct

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kraft, R. E.

1996-01-01

A computational method to predict modal reflection coefficients in cylindrical ducts has been developed based on the work of Homicz, Lordi, and Rehm, which uses the Wiener-Hopf method to account for the boundary conditions at the termination of a thin cylindrical pipe. The purpose of this study is to develop a computational routine to predict the reflection coefficients of higher order acoustic modes impinging on the unflanged termination of a cylindrical duct. This effort was conducted wider Task Order 5 of the NASA Lewis LET Program, Active Noise Control of aircraft Engines: Feasibility Study, and will be used as part of the development of an integrated source noise, acoustic propagation, ANC actuator coupling, and control system algorithm simulation. The reflection coefficient prediction will be incorporated into an existing cylindrical duct modal analysis to account for the reflection of modes from the duct termination. This will provide a more accurate, rapid computation design tool for evaluating the effect of reflected waves on active noise control systems mounted in the duct, as well as providing a tool for the design of acoustic treatment in inlet ducts. As an active noise control system design tool, the method can be used preliminary to more accurate but more numerically intensive acoustic propagation models such as finite element methods. The resulting computer program has been shown to give reasonable results, some examples of which are presented. Reliable data to use for comparison is scarce, so complete checkout is difficult, and further checkout is needed over a wider range of system parameters. In future efforts the method will be adapted as a subroutine to the GEAE segmented cylindrical duct modal analysis program.

Photographic combustion characterization of LOX/hydrocarbon type propellants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Judd, D. C.

1979-01-01

Single element injectors and two fuels were tested with the aim of photographically characterizing observed combustion phenomena. The three injectors tested were the O-F-O triplet, the transverse like on like (TLOL), and the rectangular unlike doublet (RUD). The fuels tested were RP-1 and propane. The hot firings were conducted in a specifically constructed chamber fitted with quartz windows for photographically viewing the impingement spray field. All LOX/HC testing demonstrated coking with the RP-1 fuel leaving far more soot than the propane fuel. No fuel freezing or popping was experienced under the test conditions evaluated. Carbon particle emission and combustion light brilliance increased with Pc for both fuels although RP-1 was far more energetic in this respect. The RSS phenomena appear to be present in the high Pc tests as evidenced by striations in the spray pattern and by separate fuel rich and oxidizer rich areas. The RUD element was also tested as a fuel rich gas generator element by switching the propellant circuits. Excessive sooting occurred at this low mixture ratio (0.55), precluding photographic data.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR CONTROL ELEMENT

DOEpatents

Newson, H.W.

1960-09-13

A novel composite neutronic reactor control element is offered. The element comprises a multiplicity of sections arranged in end-to-end relationship, each of the sections having a markedly different neutron-reactive characteristic. For example, a three-section control element could contain absorber, moderator, and fuel sections. By moving such an element longitudinally through a reactor core, reactivity is decreased by the absorber, increased slightly by the moderator, or increased substantially by the fuel. Thus, control over a wide reactivity range is provided.

Aeroelastic analysis of circular cylindrical and truncated conical shells subjected to a supersonic flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabri, Farhad

Shells of revolution, particularly cylindrical and conical shells, are one of the basic structural elements in the aerospace structures. With the advent of high speed aircrafts, these shells can show dynamic instabilities when they are exposed to a supersonic flow. Therefore, aeroelastic analysis of these elements is one of the primary design criteria which aeronautical engineers are dealing with. This analysis can be done with the help of finite element method (FEM) coupled with the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) or by experimental methods but it is time consuming and very expensive. The purpose of this dissertation is to develop such a numerical tool to do aeroelastic analysis in a fast and precise way. Meanwhile during the design stage, where the different configurations, loading and boundary conditions may need to be analyzed, this numerical method can be used very easily with the high order of reliability. In this study structural modeling is a combination of linear Sanders thin shell theory and classical finite element method. Based on this hybrid finite element method, the shell displacements are found from the exact solutions of shell theory rather than approximating by polynomial function done in traditional finite element method. This leads to a precise and fast convergence. Supersonic aerodynamic modeling is done based on the piston theory and modified piston theory with the shell curvature term. The stress stiffening due to lateral pressure and axial compression are also taken into accounts. Fluid-structure interaction in the presence of inside quiescent fluid is modeled based on the potential theory. In this method, fluid is considered as a velocity potential variable at each node of the shell element where its motion is expressed in terms of nodal elastic displacements at the fluid-structure interface. This proposed hybrid finite element has capabilities to do following analysis: (i) Buckling and vibration of an empty or partially fluid filled circular cylindrical shell or truncated conical shell subjected to internal/external pressure and axial compression loading. This is a typical example of external liquid propellant tanks of space shuttles and re-entry vehicles where they may experience this kind of loading during the flight. In the current work, different end boundary conditions of a circular cylindrical shell with different filling ratios were analyzed. To the best author' knowledge this is the first study where this kind of complex loading and boundary conditions are treated together during such an analysis. Only static instability, divergence, was observed where it showed that the fluid filling ratio does not have any effect on the critical buckling pressure and axial compression. It only reduces the vibration frequencies. It also revealed that the pressurized shell loses its stability at a higher critical axial load. (ii) Aeroelastic analysis of empty or partially liquid filled circular cylindrical and conical shells. Different boundary conditions with different geometries of shells subjected to supersonic air flow are studied here. In all of cases shell loses its stability though the coupled mode flutter. The results showed that internal pressure has a stabilizing effect and increases the critical flutter speed. It is seen that the value of critical dynamic pressure changes rapidly and widely as the filling ratio increases from a low value. In addition, by increasing the length ratio the decrement of flutter speed is decreased and vanishes. This rapid change in critical dynamic pressure at low filling ratios and its almost steady behaviour at large filling ratios indicate that the fluid near the bottom of the shell is largely influenced by elastic deformation when a shell is subjected to external subsonic flow. Based on comparison with the existing numerical, analytical and experimental data and the power of capabilities of this hybrid finite element method to model different boundary conditions and complex loadings, this FEM package can be used effectively for the design of advanced aerospace structures. It provides the results at less computational cost compare to the commercial FEM software, which imposes some restrictions when such an analysis is done.

ELECTROLYTIC SEPARATION PROCESS AND APPARATUS

DOEpatents

McLain, M.E. Jr.; Roberts, M.W.

1962-03-01

A method is given for dissolving stainless steel-c lad fuel elements in dilute acids such as half normal sulfuric acid. The fuel element is made the anode in a Y-shaped electrolytic cell which has a flowing mercury cathode; the stainless steel elements are entrained in the mercury and stripped therefrom by a continuous process. (AEC)

Nuclear breeder reactor fuel element with silicon carbide getter

DOEpatents

Christiansen, David W.; Karnesky, Richard A.

1987-01-01

An improved cesium getter 28 is provided in a breeder reactor fuel element or pin in the form of an extended surface area, low density element formed in one embodiment as a helically wound foil 30 located with silicon carbide, and located at the upper end of the fertile material upper blanket 20.

Designing cylindrical implosion experiments on NIF to study deceleration phase of Rayleigh-Taylor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vazirani, N.; Kline, J. L.; Loomis, E.; Sauppe, J. P.; Palaniyappan, S.; Flippo, K.; Srinivasan, B.; Malka, E.; Bose, A.; Shvarts, D.

2017-10-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) hydrodynamic instability occurs when a lower density fluid pushes on a higher density fluid. This occurs in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions at each of the capsule interfaces during the initial acceleration and the deceleration as it stagnates. The RT instabilities mix capsule material into the fusion fuel degrading the Deuterium-Tritium reactivity and ultimately play a key role in limiting target performance. While significant effort has focused on understanding RT at the outer capsule surface, little work has gone into understanding the inner surface RT instability growth during the deceleration phase. Direct measurements of the RT instability are difficult to make at high convergence in a spherical implosion. Here we present the design of a cylindrical implosion system for the National Ignition Facility for studying deceleration phase RT. We will discuss the experimental design, the estimated instability growth, and our outstanding concerns.

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

Rice, Neal G.; Vu, M.; Kong, C.

Capsule drive in National Ignition Facility (NIF) indirect drive implosions is generated by x-ray illumination from cylindrical hohlraums. The cylindrical hohlraum geometry is axially symmetric but not spherically symmetric causing capsule-fuel drive asymmetries. We hypothesize that fabricating capsules asymmetric in wall thickness (shimmed) may compensate for drive asymmetries and improve implosion symmetry. Simulations suggest that for high compression implosions Legendre mode P 4 hohlraum flux asymmetries are the most detrimental to implosion performance. General Atomics has developed a diamond turning method to form a GDP capsule outer surface to a Legendre mode P 4 profile. The P 4 shape requiresmore » full capsule surface coverage. Thus, in order to avoid tool-lathe interference flipping the capsule part way through the machining process is required. This flipping process risks misalignment of the capsule causing a vertical step feature on the capsule surface. Recent trials have proven this step feature height can be minimized to ~0.25 µm.« less

DISSOLUTION OF ZIRCONIUM AND ALLOYS THEREFOR

DOEpatents

Swanson, J.L.

1961-07-11

The dissolution of zirconium cladding in a water solution of ammonium fluoride and ammonium nitrate is described. The method finds particular utility in processing spent fuel elements for nuclear reactors. The zirconium cladding is first dissolved in a water solution of ammonium fluoride and ammonium nitrate; insoluble uranium and plutonium fiuorides formed by attack of the solvent on the fuel materiai of the fuel element are then separated from the solution, and the fuel materiai is dissolved in another solution.

Advanced Ceramics for Use as Fuel Element Materials in Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valentine, Peter G.; Allen, Lee R.; Shapiro, Alan P.

2012-01-01

With the recent start (October 2011) of the joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) Program, there is renewed interest in developing advanced ceramics for use as fuel element materials in nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) systems. Three classes of fuel element materials are being considered under the NCPS Program: (a) graphite composites - consisting of coated graphite elements containing uranium carbide (or mixed carbide), (b) cermets (ceramic/metallic composites) - consisting of refractory metal elements containing uranium oxide, and (c) advanced carbides consisting of ceramic elements fabricated from uranium carbide and one or more refractory metal carbides [1]. The current development effort aims to advance the technology originally developed and demonstrated under Project Rover (1955-1973) for the NERVA (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application) [2].

Vibration analysis and sound field characteristics of a tubular ultrasonic radiator.

PubMed

Liang, Zhaofeng; Zhou, Guangping; Zhang, Yihui; Li, Zhengzhong; Lin, Shuyu

2006-12-01

A sort of tubular ultrasonic radiator used in ultrasonic liquid processing is studied. The frequency equation of the tubular radiator is derived, and its radiated sound field in cylindrical reactor is calculated using finite element method and recorded by means of aluminum foil erosion. The results indicate that sound field of tubular ultrasonic radiator in cylindrical reactor appears standing waves along both its radial direction and axial direction, and amplitudes of standing waves decrease gradually along its radial direction, and the numbers of standing waves along its axial direction are equal to the axial wave numbers of tubular radiator. The experimental results are in good agreement with calculated results.

Asymptotic behavior of curvature of surface elements in isotropic turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Girimaji, S. S.

1991-01-01

The asymptotic behavior of the curvature of material elements in turbulence is investigated using Lagrangian velocity-gradient time series obtained from direct numerical simulations of isotropic turbulence. Several material-element ensembles of different initial curvatures and shapes are studied. It is found that, at long times, the (first five) moments of the logarithm of characteristic curvature and shape factor asymptote to values that are independent of the initial curvature or shape. This evidence strongly suggests that the asymptotic pdf's of the curvature and shape of material elements are stationary and independent of initial conditions. Irrespective of initial curvature or shape, the asymptotic shape of a material surface is cylindrical with a high probability.

Initial Operation and Shakedown of the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emrich, William J., Jr.

2014-01-01

To support the on-going nuclear thermal propulsion effort, a state-of-the-art non nuclear experimental test setup has been constructed to evaluate the performance characteristics of candidate fuel element materials and geometries in representative environments. The facility to perform this testing is referred to as the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environment Simulator (NTREES). This device can simulate the environmental conditions (minus the radiation) to which nuclear rocket fuel components will be subjected during reactor operation. Prototypical fuel elements mounted in the simulator are inductively heated in such a manner so as to accurately reproduce the temperatures and heat fluxes which would normally occur as a result of nuclear fission in addition to being exposed to flowing hydrogen. Recent upgrades to NTREES now allow power levels 24 times greater than those achievable in the previous facility configuration. This higher power operation will allow near prototypical power densities and flows to finally be achieved in most prototypical fuel elements.

Liquid fuel injection elements for rocket engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, George B., Jr. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

Thrust chambers for liquid propellant rocket engines include three principal components. One of these components is an injector which contains a plurality of injection elements to meter the flow of propellants at a predetermined rate, and fuel to oxidizer mixture ratio, to introduce the mixture into the combustion chamber, and to cause them to be atomized within the combustion chamber so that even combustion takes place. Evolving from these injectors are tube injectors. These tube injectors have injection elements for injecting the oxidizer into the combustion chamber. The oxidizer and fuel must be metered at predetermined rates and mixture ratios in order to mix them within the combustion chamber so that combustion takes place smoothly and completely. Hence tube injectors are subject to improvement. An injection element for a liquid propellant rocket engine of the bipropellant type is provided which includes tangential fuel metering orifices, and a plurality of oxidizer tube injection elements whose injection tubes are also provided with tangential oxidizer entry slots and internal reed valves.

FLUID MODERATED REACTOR

DOEpatents

Wigner, E.P.; Ohlinger, L.A.; Young, G.J.; Weinberg, A.M.

1957-10-22

A reactor which utilizes fissionable fuel elements in rod form immersed in a moderator or heavy water and a means of circulating the heavy water so that it may also function as a coolant to remove the heat generated by the fission of the fuel are described. In this design, the clad fuel elements are held in vertical tubes immersed in heavy water in a tank. The water is circulated in a closed system by entering near the tops of the tubes, passing downward through the tubes over the fuel elements and out into the tank, where it is drawn off at the bottom, passed through heat exchangers to give up its heat and then returned to the tops of the tubes for recirculation.

Nuclear fuel elements made from nanophase materials

DOEpatents

Heubeck, Norman B.

1998-01-01

A nuclear reactor core fuel element is composed of nanophase high temperature materials. An array of the fuel elements in rod form are joined in an open geometry fuel cell that preferably also uses such nanophase materials for the cell structures. The particular high temperature nanophase fuel element material must have the appropriate mechanical characteristics to avoid strain related failure even at high temperatures, in the order of about 3000.degree. F. Preferably, the reactor type is a pressurized or boiling water reactor and the nanophase material is a high temperature ceramic or ceramic composite. Nanophase metals, or nanophase metals with nanophase ceramics in a composite mixture, also have desirable characteristics, although their temperature capability is not as great as with all-ceramic nanophase material. Combinations of conventional or nanophase metals and conventional or nanophase ceramics can be employed as long as there is at least one nanophase material in the composite. The nuclear reactor so constructed has a number of high strength fuel particles, a nanophase structural material for supporting a fuel rod at high temperature, a configuration to allow passive cooling in the event of a primary cooling system failure, an ability to retain a coolable geometry even at high temperatures, an ability to resist generation of hydrogen gas, and a configuration having good nuclear, corrosion, and mechanical characteristics.

Nuclear fuel elements made from nanophase materials

DOEpatents

Heubeck, N.B.

1998-09-08

A nuclear reactor core fuel element is composed of nanophase high temperature materials. An array of the fuel elements in rod form are joined in an open geometry fuel cell that preferably also uses such nanophase materials for the cell structures. The particular high temperature nanophase fuel element material must have the appropriate mechanical characteristics to avoid strain related failure even at high temperatures, in the order of about 3000 F. Preferably, the reactor type is a pressurized or boiling water reactor and the nanophase material is a high temperature ceramic or ceramic composite. Nanophase metals, or nanophase metals with nanophase ceramics in a composite mixture, also have desirable characteristics, although their temperature capability is not as great as with all-ceramic nanophase material. Combinations of conventional or nanophase metals and conventional or nanophase ceramics can be employed as long as there is at least one nanophase material in the composite. The nuclear reactor so constructed has a number of high strength fuel particles, a nanophase structural material for supporting a fuel rod at high temperature, a configuration to allow passive cooling in the event of a primary cooling system failure, an ability to retain a coolable geometry even at high temperatures, an ability to resist generation of hydrogen gas, and a configuration having good nuclear, corrosion, and mechanical characteristics. 5 figs.

Induction Heating Model of Cermet Fuel Element Environmental Test (CFEET)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gomez, Carlos F.; Bradley, D. E.; Cavender, D. P.; Mireles, O. R.; Hickman, R. R.; Trent, D.; Stewart, E.

2013-01-01

Deep space missions with large payloads require high specific impulse and relatively high thrust to achieve mission goals in reasonable time frames. Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR) are capable of producing a high specific impulse by employing heat produced by a fission reactor to heat and therefore accelerate hydrogen through a rocket nozzle providing thrust. Fuel element temperatures are very high (up to 3000 K) and hydrogen is highly reactive with most materials at high temperatures. Data covering the effects of high-temperature hydrogen exposure on fuel elements are limited. The primary concern is the mechanical failure of fuel elements due to large thermal gradients; therefore, high-melting-point ceramics-metallic matrix composites (cermets) are one of the fuels under consideration as part of the Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) Advance Exploration System (AES) technology project at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The purpose of testing and analytical modeling is to determine their ability to survive and maintain thermal performance in a prototypical NTR reactor environment of exposure to hydrogen at very high temperatures and obtain data to assess the properties of the non-nuclear support materials. The fission process and the resulting heating performance are well known and do not require that active fissile material to be integrated in this testing. A small-scale test bed; Compact Fuel Element Environmental Tester (CFEET), designed to heat fuel element samples via induction heating and expose samples to hydrogen is being developed at MSFC to assist in optimal material and manufacturing process selection without utilizing fissile material. This paper details the analytical approach to help design and optimize the test bed using COMSOL Multiphysics for predicting thermal gradients induced by electromagnetic heating (Induction heating) and Thermal Desktop for radiation calculations.

Improved gas tagging and cover gas combination for nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Gross, K.C.; Laug, M.T.

1983-09-26

The invention discloses the use of stable isotopes of neon and argon, sealed as tags in different cladding nuclear fuel elements to be used in a liquid metal fast breeder reactor. Cladding failure allows fission gases and these tag isotopes to escape and to combine with the cover gas. The isotopes are Ne/sup 20/, Ne/sup 21/ and Ne/sup 22/ and Ar/sup 36/, Ar/sup 38/ and Ar/sup 40/, and the cover gas is He. Serially connected cryogenically operated charcoal beds are used to clean the cover gas and to separate out the tags. The first or cover gas cleanup bed is held between 0 and -25/sup 0/C to remove the fission gases from the cover gas and tags, and the second or tag recovery system bed between -170 and -185/sup 0/C to isolate the tags from the cover gas. Spectrometric analysis is used to identify the specific tags that are recovered, and thus the specific leaking fuel element. By cataloging the fuel element tags to the location of the fuel elements in the reactor, the location of the leaking fuel element can then be determined.

Review of Rover fuel element protective coating development at Los Alamos

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, Terry C.

1991-01-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) entered the nuclear propulsion field in 1955 and began work on all aspects of a nuclear propulsion program with a target exhaust temperature of about 2750 K. A very extensive chemical vapor deposition coating technology for preventing catastrophic corrosion of reactor core components by the high temperature, high pressure hydrogen propellant gas was developed. Over the 17-year term of the program, more than 50,000 fuel elements were coated and evaluated. Advances in performance were achieved only through closely coupled interaction between the developing fuel element fabrication and protective coating technologies. The endurance of fuel elements in high temperature, high pressure hydrogen environment increased from several minutes at 2000 K exit gas temperature to 2 hours at 2440 K exit gas temperature in a reactor test and 10 hours at 2350 K exit gas temperature in a hot gas test. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the rationale for selection of coating materials used (NbC and ZrC), identify critical fuel element-coat interactions that had to be modified to increase system performance, and review the evolution of protective coating technology.

The application of the least squares finite element method to Abel's integral equation. [with application to glow discharge problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramanian, R.; Norrie, D. H.; De Vries, G.

1979-01-01

Abel's integral equation is the governing equation for certain problems in physics and engineering, such as radiation from distributed sources. The finite element method for the solution of this non-linear equation is presented for problems with cylindrical symmetry and the extension to more general integral equations is indicated. The technique was applied to an axisymmetric glow discharge problem and the results show excellent agreement with previously obtained solutions

Implementation of a decoupled controller for a magnetic suspension system using electromagnets mounted in a planar array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, D. E.; Groom, N. J.

1994-01-01

An implementation of a decoupled, single-input/single-output control approach for a large angle magnetic suspension test fixture is described. Numerical and experimental results are presented. The experimental system is a laboratory model large gap magnetic suspension system which provides five degree-of-freedom control of a cylindrical suspended element. The suspended element contains a core composed of permanent magnet material and is levitated above five electromagnets mounted in a planar array.

Thrust Augmented Nozzle for a Hybrid Rocket with a Helical Fuel Port

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, Joel H.

A thrust augmented nozzle for hybrid rocket systems is investigated. The design lever-ages 3-D additive manufacturing to embed a helical fuel port into the thrust chamber of a hybrid rocket burning gaseous oxygen and ABS plastic as propellants. The helical port significantly increases how quickly the fuel burns, resulting in a fuel-rich exhaust exiting the nozzle. When a secondary gaseous oxygen flow is injected into the nozzle downstream of the throat, all of the remaining unburned fuel in the plume spontaneously ignites. This secondary reaction produces additional high pressure gases that are captured by the nozzle and significantly increases the motor's performance. Secondary injection and combustion allows a high expansion ratio (area of the nozzle exit divided by area of the throat) to be effective at low altitudes where there would normally be significantly flow separation and possibly an embedded shock wave due. The result is a 15 percent increase in produced thrust level with no loss in engine efficiency due to secondary injection. Core flow efficiency was increased significantly. Control tests performed using cylindrical fuel ports with secondary injection, and helical fuel ports without secondary injection did not exhibit this performance increase. Clearly, both the fuel-rich plume and secondary injection are essential features allowing the hybrid thrust augmentation to occur. Techniques for better design optimization are discussed.

FUEL ELEMENTS FOR NEUTRONIC REACTORS

DOEpatents

Foote, F.G.; Jette, E.R.

1963-05-01

A fuel element for a nuclear reactor is described that consists of a jacket containing a unitary core of fissionable material and a filling of a metal of the group consisting of sodium and sodium-potassium alloys. (AEC)

Combustor with two stage primary fuel tube with concentric members and flow regulating

DOEpatents

Parker, David Marchant; Whidden, Graydon Lane; Zolyomi, Wendel

1999-01-01

A combustor for a gas turbine having a centrally located fuel nozzle and inner, middle and outer concentric cylindrical liners, the inner liner enclosing a primary combustion zone. The combustor has an air inlet that forms two passages for pre-mixing primary fuel and air to be supplied to the primary combustion zone. Each of the pre-mixing passages has a circumferential array of swirl vanes. A plurality of primary fuel tube assemblies extend through both pre-mixing passages, with each primary fuel tube assembly located between a pair of swirl vanes. Each primary fuel tube assembly is comprised of two tubular members. The first member supplies fuel to the first pre-mixing passage, while the second member, which extends through the first member, supplies fuel to the second pre-mixing passage. An annular fuel manifold is divided into first and second chambers by a circumferentially extending baffle. The proximal end of the first member is attached to the manifold itself while the proximal end of the second member is attached to the baffle. The distal end of the first member is attached directly to the second member at around its mid-point. The inlets of the first and second members are in flow communication with the first and second manifold chambers, respectively. Control valves separately regulate the flow of fuel to the two chambers and, therefore, to the two members of the fuel tube assemblies, thereby allowing the flow of fuel to the first and second pre-mixing passages to be separately controlled.

Method and apparatus for diagnosing breached fuel elements

DOEpatents

Gross, K.C.; Lambert, J.D.B.; Nomura, S.

1987-03-02

The invention provides an apparatus and method for diagnosing breached fuel elements in a nuclear reactor. A detection system measures the activity of isotopes from the cover gas in the reactor. A data acquisition and processing system monitors the detection system and corrects for the effects of the cover-gas clean up system on the measured activity and further calculates the derivative curve of the corrected activity as a function of time. A plotting system graphs the derivative curve, which represents the instantaneous release rate of fission gas from a breached fuel element. 8 figs.

JACKETED FUEL ELEMENTS FOR GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS

DOEpatents

Szilard, L.; Wigner, E.P.; Creutz, E.C.

1959-05-12

Fuel elements for a heterogeneous, fluid cooled, graphite moderated reactor are described. The fuel elements are comprised of a body of natural uranium hermetically sealed in a jacket of corrosion resistant material. The jacket, which may be aluminum or some other material which is non-fissionable and of a type having a low neutron capture cross-section, acts as a barrier between the fissioning isotope and the coolant or moderator or both. The jacket minimizes the tendency of the moderator and coolant to become radioactive and/or contaminated by fission fragments from the fissioning isotope.

Numerical Computations of Hypersonic Boundary-Layer over Surface Irregularities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Chau-Lyan; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Li, Fei

2010-01-01

Surface irregularities such as protuberances inside a hypersonic boundary layer may lead to premature transition on the vehicle surface. Early transition in turn causes large localized surface heating that could damage the thermal protection system. Experimental measurements as well as numerical computations aimed at building a knowledge base for transition Reynolds numbers with respect to different protuberance sizes and locations have been actively pursued in recent years. This paper computationally investigates the unsteady wake development behind large isolated cylindrical roughness elements and the scaled wind-tunnel model of the trip used in a recent flight measurement during the reentry of space shuttle Discovery. An unstructured mesh, compressible flow solver based on the space-time conservation element, solution element (CESE) method is used to perform time-accurate Navier-Stokes calculations for the flow past a roughness element under several wind-tunnel conditions. For a cylindrical roughness element with a height to the boundary-layer thickness ratio from 0.8 to 2.5, the wake flow is characterized by a mushroom-shaped centerline streak and horse-shoe vortices. While time-accurate solutions converged to a steady-state for a ratio of 0.8, strong flow unsteadiness is present for a ratio of 1.3 and 2.5. Instability waves marked by distinct disturbance frequencies were found in the latter two cases. Both the centerline streak and the horse-shoe vortices become unstable downstream. The oscillatory vortices eventually reach an early breakdown stage for the largest roughness element. Spectral analyses in conjunction with the computed root mean square variations suggest that the source of the unsteadiness and instability waves in the wake region may be traced back to possible absolute instability in the front-side separation region.

CFD simulation of coaxial injectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landrum, D. Brian

1993-01-01

The development of improved performance models for the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) is an important, ongoing program at NASA MSFC. These models allow prediction of overall system performance, as well as analysis of run-time anomalies which might adversely affect engine performance or safety. Due to the complexity of the flow fields associated with the SSME, NASA has increasingly turned to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques as modeling tools. An important component of the SSME system is the fuel preburner, which consists of a cylindrical chamber with a plate containing 264 coaxial injector elements at one end. A fuel rich mixture of gaseous hydrogen and liquid oxygen is injected and combusted in the chamber. This process preheats the hydrogen fuel before it enters the main combustion chamber, powers the hydrogen turbo-pump, and provides a heat dump for nozzle cooling. Issues of interest include the temperature and pressure fields at the turbine inlet and the thermal compatibility between the preburner chamber and injector plate. Performance anomalies can occur due to incomplete combustion, blocked injector ports, etc. The performance model should include the capability to simulate the effects of these anomalies. The current approach to the numerical simulation of the SSME fuel preburner flow field is to use a global model based on the MSFC sponsored FNDS code. This code does not have the capabilities of modeling several aspects of the problem such as detailed modeling of the coaxial injectors. Therefore, an effort has been initiated to develop a detailed simulation of the preburner coaxial injectors and provide gas phase boundary conditions just downstream of the injector face as input to the FDNS code. This simulation should include three-dimensional geometric effects such as proximity of injectors to baffles and chamber walls and interaction between injectors. This report describes an investigation into the numerical simulation of GH2/LOX coaxial injectors. The following sections will discuss the physical aspects of injectors, the CFD code employed, and preliminary results of a simulation of a single coaxial injector for which experimental data is available. It is hoped that this work will lay the foundation for the development of a unique and useful tool to support the SSME program.

Enrichment Zoning Options for the Small Nuclear Rocket Engine (SNRE)

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

Bruce G. Schnitzler; Stanley K. Borowski

2010-07-01

Advancement of U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program requires high performance propulsion systems to support a variety of robotic and crewed missions beyond low Earth orbit. In NASA’s recent Mars Design Reference Architecture (DRA) 5.0 study (NASA-SP-2009-566, July 2009), nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) was again selected over chemical propulsion as the preferred in-space transportation system option because of its high thrust and high specific impulse (-900 s) capability, increased tolerance to payload mass growth and architecture changes, and lower total initial mass in low Earth orbit. An extensive nuclear thermal rocket technology development effortmore » was conducted from 1955-1973 under the Rover/NERVA Program. The Small Nuclear Rocket Engine (SNRE) was the last engine design studied by the Los Alamos National Laboratory during the program. At the time, this engine was a state-of-the-art design incorporating lessons learned from the very successful technology development program. Past activities at the NASA Glenn Research Center have included development of highly detailed MCNP Monte Carlo transport models of the SNRE and other small engine designs. Preliminary core configurations typically employ fuel elements with fixed fuel composition and fissile material enrichment. Uniform fuel loadings result in undesirable radial power and temperature profiles in the engines. Engine performance can be improved by some combination of propellant flow control at the fuel element level and by varying the fuel composition. Enrichment zoning at the fuel element level with lower enrichments in the higher power elements at the core center and on the core periphery is particularly effective. Power flattening by enrichment zoning typically results in more uniform propellant exit temperatures and improved engine performance. For the SNRE, element enrichment zoning provided very flat radial power profiles with 551 of the 564 fuel elements within 1% of the average element power. Results for this and alternate enrichment zoning options for the SNRE are compared.« less

Steady groundwater flow through many cylindrical inhomogeneities in a multi-aquifer system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakker, Mark

2003-06-01

A new approach is presented for the simulation of steady-state groundwater flow in multi-aquifer systems that contain many cylindrical inhomogeneities. The hydraulic conductivity of all aquifers and the resistance of all leaky layers may be different inside each cylinder. The approach is based on separation of variables and combines principles of the theory for multi-aquifer flow with principles of the analytic element method. The solution fulfills the governing differential equations exactly everywhere; the head, flow, and leakage between aquifers may be computed analytically at any point in the aquifer system. The boundary conditions along the circumference of the cylinder are satisfied approximately, but may be met at any precision. Two examples are discussed to illustrate the accuracy of the approach and the significance of inhomogeneities in multi-aquifer systems. The first application simulates the vertical and horizontal, advective spreading of a conservative tracer in a homogeneous aquifer that is overlain by an aquifer with cylindrical inclusions of higher permeability. The second application concerns the three-dimensional shape of the capture zone of a well that is screened in the bottom aquifer of a three-aquifer system. The capture zone extends to the top aquifer due to cylindrical holes of lower resistance in the separating clay layers.

FUEL ELEMENT CONSTRUCTION

DOEpatents

Zumwalt, L.R.

1961-08-01

Fuel elements having a solid core of fissionable material encased in a cladding material are described. A conversion material is provided within the cladding to react with the fission products to form stable, relatively non- volatile compounds thereby minimizing the migration of the fission products into the coolant. The conversion material is preferably a metallic fluoride, such as lead difluoride, and may be in the form of a coating on the fuel core or interior of the cladding, or dispersed within the fuel core. (AEC)

Development of transducer arrays for ultrasound-computer tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stotzka, Rainer; Gobel, Georg; Schlote-Holubek, Klaus

2003-05-01

Ultrasound computer-tomography (USCT) is a novel ultrasound imaging method capable of producing volume images with both high spatial and temporal resolution. Several thousand ultrasound transducers are arranged in a cylindrical array around a tank containing the object to be examined coupled by water. Every single transducer is small enough to emit an almost spherical sound-wave. While one transducer is transmitting, all others receive simultaneously. Our experimental setup, using only a few transducers simulating a ring-shaped geometry, showed even nylon threads (0.1 mm) with an image quality superior to clinical in-use ultrasound scanners. In order to build a complete circular array several thousand transducers, with cylindrical sound field characteristics, are needed. Since such transducer arrays are hardly available and expensive, we developed inexpensive transducer arrays consisting of 8 elements. Each array is based on a plate of lead titanate zirconate ceramics (PZT) sawn into 8 elements of 0.3 mm width, 3.8 mm height and 0.5 mm pitch. Each element has a mean frequency of 3.8 MHz and can be triggered separately. The main challenge was the development of production steps with reproducible results. Our transducer arrays show only small variances in the sound field characteristics which are strongly required for ultrasound tomography.

NUCLEAR REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

DOEpatents

Brooks, H.

1960-04-26

A description is given for a fuel element comprising a body of uranium metal or an uranium compound dispersed in a matrix material made from magnesium, calcium, or barium and a stainless steel jacket enclosing the body.

Ion chromatographic determination of sulfur in fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mizisin, C. S.; Kuivinen, D. E.; Otterson, D. A.

1978-01-01

The sulfur content of fuels was determined using an ion chromatograph to measure the sulfate produced by a modified Parr bomb oxidation. Standard Reference Materials from the National Bureau of Standards, of approximately 0.2 + or - 0.004% sulfur, were analyzed resulting in a standard deviation no greater than 0.008. The ion chromatographic method can be applied to conventional fuels as well as shale-oil derived fuels. Other acid forming elements, such as fluorine, chlorine and nitrogen could be determined at the same time, provided that these elements have reached a suitable ionic state during the oxidation of the fuel.

DART model for irradiation-induced swelling of uranium silicide dispersion fuel elements

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

Rest, J.; Hofman, G.L.

1999-04-01

Models for the interaction of uranium silicide dispersion fuels with an aluminum matrix, for the resultant reaction product swelling, and for the calculation of the stress gradient within the fuel particles are described within the context of DART fission-gas-induced swelling models. The effects of an aluminide shell on fuel particle swelling are evaluated. Validation of the model is demonstrated by comparing DART calculations with irradiation data for the swelling of U{sub 3}SiAl-Al and U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}-Al in variously designed dispersion fuel elements.

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

Yates, K.R.; Schreiber, A.M.; Rudolph, A.W.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has initiated the Fuel Cycle Risk Assessment Program to provide risk assessment methods for assistance in the regulatory process for nuclear fuel cycle facilities other than reactors. Both the once-through cycle and plutonium recycle are being considered. A previous report generated by this program defines and describes fuel cycle facilities, or elements, considered in the program. This report, the second from the program, describes the survey and computer compilation of fuel cycle risk-related literature. Sources of available information on the design, safety, and risk associated with the defined set of fuel cycle elements were searchedmore » and documents obtained were catalogued and characterized with respect to fuel cycle elements and specific risk/safety information. Both US and foreign surveys were conducted. Battelle's computer-based BASIS information management system was used to facilitate the establishment of the literature compilation. A complete listing of the literature compilation and several useful indexes are included. Future updates of the literature compilation will be published periodically. 760 annotated citations are included.« less

Indirect drive targets for fusion power

DOEpatents

Amendt, Peter A.; Miles, Robin R.

2016-10-11

A hohlraum for an inertial confinement fusion power plant is disclosed. The hohlraum includes a generally cylindrical exterior surface, and an interior rugby ball-shaped surface. Windows over laser entrance holes at each end of the hohlraum enclose inert gas. Infrared reflectors on opposite sides of the central point reflect fusion chamber heat away from the capsule. P2 shields disposed on the infrared reflectors help assure an enhanced and more uniform x-ray bath for the fusion fuel capsule.

MERCHANT MARINE SHIP REACTOR

DOEpatents

Mumm, J.F.; North, D.C. Jr.; Rock, H.R.; Geston, D.K.

1961-05-01

A nuclear reactor is described for use in a merchant marine ship. The reactor is of pressurized light water cooled and moderated design in which three passes of the water through the core in successive regions of low, intermediate, and high heat generation and downflow in a fuel region are made. The foregoing design makes a compact reactor construction with extended core life. The core has an egg-crate lattice containing the fuel elements confined between a lower flow baffle and upper grid plate, with the latter serving also as part of a turn- around manifold from which the entire coolant is distributed into the outer fuel elements for the second pass through the core. The inner fuel elements are cooled in the third pass.

Merchant Marine Ship Reactor

DOEpatents

Sankovich, M. F.; Mumm, J. F.; North, Jr, D. C.; Rock, H. R.; Gestson, D. K.

1961-05-01

A nuclear reactor for use in a merchant marine ship is described. The reactor is of pressurized, light water cooled and moderated design in which three passes of the water through the core in successive regions of low, intermediate, and high heat generation and downflow in a fuel region are made. The design makes a compact reactor construction with extended core life. The core has an egg-crate lattice containing the fuel elements that are confined between a lower flow baffle and upper grid plate, with the latter serving also as part of a turn- around manifold from which the entire coolant is distributed into the outer fuel elements for the second pass through the core. The inner fuel elements are cooled in the third pass. (AEC)

Methods for making a porous nuclear fuel element

DOEpatents

Youchison, Dennis L; Williams, Brian E; Benander, Robert E

2014-12-30

Porous nuclear fuel elements for use in advanced high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors (HTGR's), and to processes for fabricating them. Advanced uranium bi-carbide, uranium tri-carbide and uranium carbonitride nuclear fuels can be used. These fuels have high melting temperatures, high thermal conductivity, and high resistance to erosion by hot hydrogen gas. Tri-carbide fuels, such as (U,Zr,Nb)C, can be fabricated using chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) to simultaneously deposit each of the three separate carbides, e.g., UC, ZrC, and NbC in a single CVI step. By using CVI, the nuclear fuel may be deposited inside of a highly porous skeletal structure made of, for example, reticulated vitreous carbon foam.

Downhole steam generator with improved preheating/cooling features

DOEpatents

Donaldson, A. Burl; Hoke, Donald E.; Mulac, Anthony J.

1983-01-01

An apparatus for downhole steam generation employing dual-stage preheaters for liquid fuel and for the water. A first heat exchange jacket for the fuel surrounds the fuel/oxidant mixing section of the combustor assembly downstream of the fuel nozzle and contacts the top of the combustor unit of the combustor assembly, thereby receiving heat directly from the combustion of the fuel/oxidant. A second stage heat exchange jacket surrounds an upper portion of the oxidant supply line adjacent the fuel nozzle receiving further heat from the compression heat which results from pressurization of the oxidant. The combustor unit includes an inner combustor sleeve whose inner wall defines the combustion zone. The inner combustor sleeve is surrounded by two concentric water channels, one defined by the space between the inner combustor sleeve and an intermediate sleeve, and the second defined by the space between the intermediate sleeve and an outer cylindrical housing. The channels are connected by an annular passage adjacent the top of the combustor assembly and the countercurrent nature of the water flow provides efficient cooling of the inner combustor sleeve. An annular water ejector with a plurality of nozzles is provided to direct water downwardly into the combustor unit at the boundary of the combustion zone and along the lower section of the intermediate sleeve.

Downhole steam generator with improved preheating/cooling features. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Donaldson, A.B.; Hoke, D.E.; Mulac, A.J.

1980-10-10

An apparatus is described for downhole steam generation employing dual-stage preheaters for liquid fuel and for the water. A first heat exchange jacket for the fuel surrounds the fuel/oxidant mixing section of the combustor assembly downstream of the fuel nozzle and contacts the top of the combustor unit of the combustor assembly, thereby receiving heat directly from the combustion of the fuel/oxidant. A second stage heat exchange jacket surrounds an upper portion of the oxidant supply line adjacent the fuel nozzle receiving further heat from the compression heat which results from pressurization of the oxidant. The combustor unit includes an inner combustor sleeve whose inner wall defines the combustion zone. The inner combustor sleeve is surrounded by two concentric water channels, one defined by the space between the inner combustor sleeve and an intermediate sleeve, and the second defined by the space between the intermediate sleeve and an outer cylindrical housing. The channels are connected by an annular passage adjacent the top of the combustor assembly and the countercurrent nature of the water flow provides efficient cooling of the inner combustor sleeve. An annular water ejector with a plurality of nozzles is provided to direct water downwardly into the combustor unit at the boundary of the combustion zone and along the lower section of the intermediate sleeve.

Upgraded HFIR Fuel Element Welding System

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

Sease, John D

2010-02-01

The welding of aluminum-clad fuel plates into aluminum alloy 6061 side plate tubing is a unique design feature of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) fuel assemblies as 101 full-penetration circumferential gas metal arc welds (GMAW) are required in the fabrication of each assembly. In a HFIR fuel assembly, 540 aluminum-clad fuel plates are assembled into two nested annular fuel elements 610 mm (24-inches) long. The welding process for the HFIR fuel elements was developed in the early 1960 s and about 450 HFIR fuel assemblies have been successfully welded using the GMAW process qualified in the 1960 s. Inmore » recent years because of the degradation of the electronic and mechanical components in the old HFIR welding system, reportable defects in plate attachment or adapter welds have been present in almost all completed fuel assemblies. In October 2008, a contract was awarded to AMET, Inc., of Rexburg, Idaho, to replace the old welding equipment with standard commercially available welding components to the maximum extent possible while maintaining the qualified HFIR welding process. The upgraded HFIR welding system represents a major improvement in the welding system used in welding HFIR fuel elements for the previous 40 years. In this upgrade, the new inner GMAW torch is a significant advancement over the original inner GMAW torch previously used. The innovative breakthrough in the new inner welding torch design is the way the direction of the cast in the 0.762 mm (0.030-inch) diameter aluminum weld wire is changed so that the weld wire emerging from the contact tip is straight in the plane perpendicular to the welding direction without creating any significant drag resistance in the feeding of the weld wire.« less

Tomographic PIV investigation of roughness-induced transition in a hypersonic boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avallone, F.; Ye, Q.; Schrijer, F. F. J.; Scarano, F.; Cardone, G.

2014-11-01

The disturbance generated by roughness elements in a hypersonic laminar boundary layer is investigated, with attention to its three-dimensional properties. The transition of the boundary layer is inspected with tomographic particle image velocimetry that is applied for the first time at Mach 7.5 inside a short duration hypersonic wind tunnel. A low aspect ratio cylindrical roughness element is installed on a flat plate, and experiments are conducted downstream of the element describing the mean velocity field and the turbulent fluctuations. Details of the experimental procedure needed to realize these measurements are discussed, along with the fluid dynamic behaviour of the perturbed hypersonic boundary layer.

An Assessment on Temperature Profile of Jet-A/Biodiesel Mixture in a Simple Combustion Chamber with Plain Orifice Atomiser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, W. X.; Mazlan, N. M.; Ismail, M. A.; Rajendran, P.

2018-05-01

The preliminary study to evaluate influence of biodiesel/kerosene mixtures on combustion temperature profile is explored. A simple cylindrical combustion chamber configuration with plain orifice atomiser is used for the evaluation. The evaluation is performed under stoichiometric air to fuel ratio. Six samples of fuels are used: 100BD (pure biodiesel), 100KE (pure Jet-A), 20KE80BD (20% Jet-A/80% Biodiesel), 40KE60BD (40% Jet-A/60% Biodiesel), 60KE40BD (60% Jet-A/40% Biodiesel), and 80KE20BD (80% Jet-A/20% Biodiesel). Results showed that the oxygen content, viscosity, and lower heating value are key parameters in affecting the temperature profile inside the chamber. Biodiesel is known to have higher energy content, higher viscosity and lower heating value compared to kerosene. Mixing biodiesel with kerosene improves viscosity and caloric value but reduces oxygen content of the fuel. High oxygen content of the biodiesel resulted to the highest flame temperature. However the flame temperature reduce as the percentage of biodiesel in the fuel mixture reduces.

Optical and probe determination of soot concentrations in a model gas turbine combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckerle, W. A.; Rosfjord, T. J.

1986-01-01

An experimental program was conducted to track the variation in soot loading in a generic gas turbine combustor. The burner is a 12.7-cm dia cylindrical device consisting of six sheet-metal louvers. Determination of soot loading along the burner length is achieved by measurement at the exit of the combustor and then at upstream stations by sequential removal of liner louvers to shorten burner length. Alteration of the flow field approaching and within the shortened burners is minimized by bypassing flow in order to maintain a constant linear pressure drop. The burner exhaust flow is sampled at the burner centerline to determine soot mass concentration and smoke number. Characteristic particle size and number density, transmissivity of the exhaust flow, and local radiation from luminous soot particles in the exhaust are determined by optical techniques. Four test fuels are burned at three fuel-air ratios to determine fuel chemical property and flow temperature influences. Particulate concentration data indicate a strong oxidation mechanism in the combustor secondary zone, though the oxidation is significantly affected by flow temperature. Soot production is directly related to fuel smoke point.

A New Innovative Spherical Cermet Nuclear Fuel Element to Achieve an Ultra-Long Core Life for use in Grid-Appropriate LWRs

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

Senor, David J.; Painter, Chad L.; Geelhood, Ken J.

2007-12-01

Spherical cermet fuel elements are proposed for use in the Atoms For Peace Reactor (AFPR-100) concept. AFPR-100 is a small-scale, inherently safe, proliferation-resistant reactor that would be ideal for deployment to nations with emerging economies that decide to select nuclear power for the generation of carbon-free electricity. The basic concept of the AFPR core is a water-cooled fixed particle bed, randomly packed with spherical fuel elements. The flow of coolant within the particle bed is at such a low rate that the bed does not fluidize. This report summarizes an approach to fuel fabrication, results associated with fuel performance modeling,more » core neutronics and thermal hydraulics analyses demonstrating a ~20 year core life, and a conclusion that the proliferation resistance of the AFPR reactor concept is high.« less

Apollo 12 Mission image - Alan Bean unloads ALSEP RTG fuel element

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-11-19

AS12-46-6790 (19 Nov. 1969) --- Astronaut Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot, is photographed at quadrant II of the Lunar Module (LM) during the first Apollo 12 extravehicular activity (EVA) on the moon. This picture was taken by astronaut Charles Conrad Jr., commander. Here, Bean is using a fuel transfer tool to remove the fuel element from the fuel cask mounted on the LM's descent stage. The fuel element was then placed in the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG), the power source for the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) which was deployed on the moon by the two astronauts. The RTG is next to Bean's right leg. While astronauts Conrad and Bean descended in the LM "Intrepid" to explore the Ocean of Storms region of the moon, astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Yankee Clipper" in lunar orbit.

Reliability analysis of dispersion nuclear fuel elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Shurong; Jiang, Xin; Huo, Yongzhong; Li, Lin an

2008-03-01

Taking a dispersion fuel element as a special particle composite, the representative volume element is chosen to act as the research object. The fuel swelling is simulated through temperature increase. The large strain elastoplastic analysis is carried out for the mechanical behaviors using FEM. The results indicate that the fission swelling is simulated successfully; the thickness increments grow linearly with burnup; with increasing of burnup: (1) the first principal stresses at fuel particles change from tensile ones to compression ones, (2) the maximum Mises stresses at the particles transfer from the centers of fuel particles to the location close to the interfaces between the matrix and the particles, their values increase with burnup; the maximum Mises stresses at the matrix exist in the middle location between the two particles near the mid-plane along the length (or width) direction, and the maximum plastic strains are also at the above region.

Method for recovering catalytic elements from fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies

DOEpatents

Shore, Lawrence [Edison, NJ; Matlin, Ramail [Berkeley Heights, NJ; Heinz, Robert [Ludwigshafen, DE

2012-06-26

A method for recovering catalytic elements from a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly is provided. The method includes converting the membrane electrode assembly into a particulate material, wetting the particulate material, forming a slurry comprising the wetted particulate material and an acid leachate adapted to dissolve at least one of the catalytic elements into a soluble catalytic element salt, separating the slurry into a depleted particulate material and a supernatant containing the catalytic element salt, and washing the depleted particulate material to remove any catalytic element salt retained within pores in the depleted particulate material.

Variable gas leak rate valve

DOEpatents

Eernisse, Errol P.; Peterson, Gary D.

1976-01-01

A variable gas leak rate valve which utilizes a poled piezoelectric element to control opening and closing of the valve. The gas flow may be around a cylindrical rod with a tubular piezoelectric member encircling the rod for seating thereagainst to block passage of gas and for reopening thereof upon application of suitable electrical fields.

Combined catalysts for the combustion of fuel in gas turbines

DOEpatents

Anoshkina, Elvira V.; Laster, Walter R.

2012-11-13

A catalytic oxidation module for a catalytic combustor of a gas turbine engine is provided. The catalytic oxidation module comprises a plurality of spaced apart catalytic elements for receiving a fuel-air mixture over a surface of the catalytic elements. The plurality of catalytic elements includes at least one primary catalytic element comprising a monometallic catalyst and secondary catalytic elements adjacent the primary catalytic element comprising a multi-component catalyst. Ignition of the monometallic catalyst of the primary catalytic element is effective to rapidly increase a temperature within the catalytic oxidation module to a degree sufficient to ignite the multi-component catalyst.

A Mathematical Model Development for the Lateral Collapse of Octagonal Tubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghazali Kamardan, M.; Sufahani, Suliadi; Othman, M. Z. M.; Che-Him, Norziha; Khalid, Kamil; Roslan, Rozaini; Ali, Maselan; Zaidi, A. M. A.

2018-04-01

Many researches has been done on the lateral collapse of tube. However, the previous researches only focus on cylindrical and square tubes. Then a research has been done discovering the collapse behaviour of hexagonal tube and the mathematic model of the deformation behaviour had been developed [8]. The purpose of this research is to study the lateral collapse behaviour of symmetric octagonal tubes and hence to develop a mathematical model of the collapse behaviour of these tubes. For that, a predictive mathematical model was developed and a finite element analysis procedure was conducted for the lateral collapse behaviour of symmetric octagonal tubes. Lastly, the mathematical model was verified by using the finite element analysis simulation results. It was discovered that these tubes performed different deformation behaviour than the cylindrical tube. Symmetric octagonal tubes perform 2 phases of elastic - plastic deformation behaviour patterns. The mathematical model had managed to show the fundamental of the deformation behaviour of octagonal tubes. However, further studies need to be conducted in order to further improve on the proposed mathematical model.

Design of Semi-composite Pressure Vessel using Fuzzy and FEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabour, Mohammad H.; Foghani, Mohammad F.

2010-04-01

The present study attempts to present a new method to design a semi-composite pressure vessel (known as hoop-wrapped composite cylinder) using fuzzy decision making and finite element method. A metal-composite vessel was designed based on ISO criteria and then the weight of the vessel was optimized for various fibers of carbon, glass and Kevlar in the cylindrical vessel. Failure criteria of von-Mises and Hoffman were respectively employed for the steel liner and the composite reinforcement to characterize the yielding/ buckling of the cylindrical pressure vessel. The fuzzy decision maker was used to estimate the thickness of the steel liner and the number of composite layers. The ratio of stresses on the composite fibers and the working pressure as well as the ratio of stresses on the composite fibers and the burst (failure) pressure were assessed. ANSYS nonlinear finite element solver was used to analyze the residual stress in the steel liner induced due to an auto-frettage process. Result of analysis verified that carbon fibers are the most suitable reinforcement to increase strength of cylinder while the weight stayed appreciably low.

THE FUEL ELEMENT GRAPHITE. Project DRAGON.

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

Graham, L.W.; Price, M.S.T.

1963-01-15

The main requirements of a fuel element graphite for reactors based on the Dragon concept are low transmission coefficient for fission products, dimensional stability under service conditions, high strength, high thermal conductivity, high purity, and high resistance to oxidation. Since conclusions reached in early 1960, a considerable amount of information has accumulated concerning the likely behaviour of graphites in high temperature reactor systems, particularly data on dimensional stability under irradiation. The influence of this new knowledge on the development of fuel element graphite with the Dragon Project is discussed in detail in the final section of this paper.

Low exchange element for nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Brogli, Rudolf H.; Shamasunder, Bangalore I.; Seth, Shivaji S.

1985-01-01

A flow exchange element is presented which lowers temperature gradients in fuel elements and reduces maximum local temperature within high temperature gas-cooled reactors. The flow exchange element is inserted within a column of fuel elements where it serves to redirect coolant flow. Coolant which has been flowing in a hotter region of the column is redirected to a cooler region, and coolant which has been flowing in the cooler region of the column is redirected to the hotter region. The safety, efficiency, and longevity of the high temperature gas-cooled reactor is thereby enhanced.

Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) Upgrade Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emrich, William J., Jr.

2014-01-01

Over the past year the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) has been undergoing a significant upgrade beyond its initial configuration. The NTREES facility is designed to perform realistic non-nuclear testing of nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) fuel elements and fuel materials. Although the NTREES facility cannot mimic the neutron and gamma environment of an operating NTR, it can simulate the thermal hydraulic environment within an NTR fuel element to provide critical information on material performance and compatibility. The first phase of the upgrade activities which was completed in 2012 in part consisted of an extensive modification to the hydrogen system to permit computer controlled operations outside the building through the use of pneumatically operated variable position valves. This setup also allows the hydrogen flow rate to be increased to over 200 g/sec and reduced the operation complexity of the system. The second stage of modifications to NTREES which has just been completed expands the capabilities of the facility significantly. In particular, the previous 50 kW induction power supply has been replaced with a 1.2 MW unit which should allow more prototypical fuel element temperatures to be reached. The water cooling system was also upgraded to so as to be capable of removing 100% of the heat generated during. This new setup required that the NTREES vessel be raised onto a platform along with most of its associated gas and vent lines. In this arrangement, the induction heater and water systems are now located underneath the platform. In this new configuration, the 1.2 MW NTREES induction heater will be capable of testing fuel elements and fuel materials in flowing hydrogen at pressures up to 1000 psi at temperatures up to and beyond 3000 K and at near-prototypic reactor channel power densities. NTREES is also capable of testing potential fuel elements with a variety of propellants, including hydrogen with additives to inhibit corrosion of certain potential NTR fuel forms. Additional diagnostic upgrades included in the present NTREES set up include the addition of a gamma ray spectrometer located near the vent filter to detect uranium fuel particles exiting the fuel element in the propellant exhaust stream to provide additional information any material loss occurring during testing. Other aspects of the upgrade included reworking NTREES to reduce the operational complexity of the system despite the increased complexity of the induction heating system. To this end, many of the controls were consolidated on fewer panels. As part of this upgrade activity, the Safety Assessment (SA) and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for NTREES were extensively rewritten. The new 1.2 MW induction heater consists of three physical units consisting of a transformer, rectifier, and inverter. This multiunit arrangement facilitated increasing the flexibility of the induction heater by more easily allowing variable frequency operation. Frequency ranges between 20 and 60 kHz can be accommodated in the new induction heater allowing more representative power distributions to be generated within the test elements.

NUCLEAR REACTOR CORE

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

Bell, F.R.

1963-02-01

A nuclear reactor core composed of a number of identical elements of solid moderator material fitted together was designed. Each moderator element is apertured to provide channels for fuel and coolant. The elements have an external shape which permits them to be stacked in layers with similar elements, with the surfaces of adjacent elements fitting and in contact with each other. The cross section of the element is of a general hexagonal shape with identations and protrusions, so that the elements can be fitted together. The described core should not be liable to fracture under transverse loading. Specific arrangements ofmore » moderator elements and fuel and coolant apertures are described. (M.P.G.)« less

Pellet Cladding Mechanical Interaction Modeling Using the Extended Finite Element Method

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

Spencer, Benjamin W.; Jiang, Wen; Dolbow, John E.

As a brittle material, the ceramic UO2 used as light water reactor fuel experiences significant fracturing throughout its life, beginning with the first rise to power of fresh fuel. This has multiple effects on the thermal and mechanical response of the fuel/cladding system. One such effect that is particularly important is that when there is mechanical contact between the fuel and cladding, cracks that extending from the outer surface of the fuel into the volume of the fuel cause elevated stresses in the adjacent cladding, which can potentially lead to cladding failure. Modeling the thermal and mechanical response of themore » cladding in the vicinity of these surface-breaking cracks in the fuel can provide important insights into this behavior to help avoid operating conditions that could lead to cladding failure. Such modeling has traditionally been done in the context of finite-element-based fuel performance analysis by modifying the fuel mesh to introduce discrete cracks. While this approach is effective in capturing the important behavior at the fuel/cladding interface, there are multiple drawbacks to explicitly incorporating the cracks in the finite element mesh. Because the cracks are incorporated in the original mesh, the mesh must be modified for cracks of specified location and depth, so it is difficult to account for crack propagation and the formation of new cracks at other locations. The extended finite element method (XFEM) has emerged in recent years as a powerful method to represent arbitrary, evolving, discrete discontinuities within the context of the finite element method. Development work is underway by the authors to implement XFEM in the BISON fuel performance code, and this capability has previously been demonstrated in simulations of fracture propagation in ceramic nuclear fuel. These preliminary demonstrations have included only the fuel, and excluded the cladding for simplicity. This paper presents initial results of efforts to apply XFEM to model stress concentrations induced by fuel fractures at the fuel/cladding interface during pellet cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI). This is accomplished by enhancing the thermal and mechanical contact enforcement algorithms employed by BISON to permit their use in conjunction with XFEM. The results from this methodology are demonstrated to be equivalent to those from using meshed discrete cracks. While the results of the two methods are equivalent for the case of a stationary crack, it is demonstrated that XFEM provides the additional flexibility of allowing arbitrary crack initiation and propagation during the analysis, and minimizes model setup effort for cases with stationary cracks.« less

Trace element partitioning in ashes from boilers firing pure wood or mixtures of solid waste with respect to fuel composition, chlorine content and temperature.

PubMed

Saqib, Naeem; Bäckström, Mattias

2014-12-01

Trace element partitioning in solid waste (household waste, industrial waste, waste wood chips and waste mixtures) incineration residues was investigated. Samples of fly ash and bottom ash were collected from six incineration facilities across Sweden including two grate fired and four fluidized bed incinerators, to have a variation in the input fuel composition (from pure biofuel to mixture of waste) and different temperature boiler conditions. As trace element concentrations in the input waste at the same facilities have already been analyzed, the present study focuses on the concentration of trace elements in the waste fuel, their distribution in the incineration residues with respect to chlorine content of waste and combustion temperature. Results indicate that Zn, Cu and Pb are dominating trace elements in the waste fuel. Highly volatile elements mercury and cadmium are mainly found in fly ash in all cases; 2/3 of lead also end up in fly ash while Zn, As and Sb show a large variation in distribution with most of them residing in the fly ash. Lithophilic elements such as copper and chromium are mainly found in bottom ash from grate fired facilities while partition mostly into fly ash from fluidized bed incinerators, especially for plants fuelled by waste wood or ordinary wood chips. There is no specific correlation between input concentration of an element in the waste fuel and fraction partitioned to fly ash. Temperature and chlorine content have significant effects on partitioning characteristics by increasing the formation and vaporization of highly volatile metal chlorides. Zinc and cadmium concentrations in fly ash increase with the incineration temperature. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Snap-through twinkling energy generation through frequency up-conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panigrahi, Smruti R.; Bernard, Brian P.; Feeny, Brian F.; Mann, Brian P.; Diaz, Alejandro R.

2017-07-01

A novel experimental energy harvester is investigated for its energy harvesting capability by frequency up-conversion using snap-through structures. In particular, a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) experimental energy harvester model is built using a snap-through nonlinear element. The snap-through dynamics is facilitated by the experimental setup of a twinkling energy generator (TEG) consisting of linear springs and attracting cylindrical bar magnets. A cylindrical coil of enamel-coated magnet wire is used as the energy generator. The governing equations are formulated mathematically and solved numerically for a direct comparison with the experimental results. The experimental TEG and the numerical simulation results show 25-fold frequency up-conversion and the power harvesting capacity of the SDOF TEG.

Focusing properties of cylindrical vector vortex beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiaoqiang, Zhang; Ruishan, Chen; Anting, Wang

2018-05-01

In this paper, following Richards and Wolf vectorial diffraction theory, the focusing properties of cylindrical vector vortex beams (CVVB) are investigated, and a diffractive optical element (DOE) is designed to spatially modulate the amplitude of the CVVB. Simulated results show that the CVVB focused by an objective also carry orbital angular momentum (OAM), and the optical fields near the focal region can be modulated by changing the topological charge of the CVVB. We numerically simulate the focus properties of radially and azimuthally polarized beams with topological charge equal to 0, 1, 2 and 10 respectively. As a result, a dark channel with a length about 20 λ can be obtained. These new properties have the potential applications such as particle acceleration, optical trapping and material processing.

FUEL ELEMENT FOR NUCLEAR REACTORS

DOEpatents

Bassett, C.H.

1961-05-01

A nuclear reactor fuel element comprising high density ceramic fissionable material enclosed in a tubular cladding of corrosion-resistant material is described. The fissionable material is in the form of segments of a tube which have cooperating tapered interfaces which produce outward radial displacement when the segments are urged axially together. A resilient means is provided within the tubular housing to constantly urge the fuel segments axially. This design maintains the fuel material in tight contacting engagement against the inner surface of the outer cladding tube to eliminate any gap therebetween which may be caused by differential thermal expansion between the fuel material and the material of the tube.

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Fuel Design and Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickman, Robert; Broadway, Jeramie; Mireles, Omar; Webb, Jon; Qualls, Lou

2012-01-01

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) is a game changing technology for space exploration. Goal of assessing the affordability and viability of an NCPS includes these overall tasks: (1) Pre-conceptual design of the NCPS and architecture integration (2) NCPS Fuel Design and Testing (3) Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) (4) Affordable NCPS Development and Qualification Strategy (5) Second Generation NCPS Concepts. There is a critical need for fuels development. Fuel task objectives are to demonstrate capabilities and critical technologies using full scale element fabrication and testing.

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Fuel Design and Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickman, Robert; Broadway, Jeramie; Mireles, Omar; Webb, Jon; Qualls, Lou

2012-01-01

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) is a game changing technology for space exploration. Goal of assessing the affordability and viability of an NCPS includes thses overall tasks: (1) Pre-conceptual design of the NCPS and architecture integration (2) NCPS Fuel Design and Testing (3) Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) (4) Affordable NCPS Development and Qualification Strategy (5) Second Generation NCPS Concepts. There is a critical need for fuels development. Fuel task objectives are to demonstrate capabilities and critical technologies using full scale element fabrication and testing.

Final Report: Contractor Readiness Assessment (CRA) for TREAT Fuel Movement and Control Rod Drives Isolation

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

Rowsell, David Leon

This report documents the Contractor Readiness Assessment (CRA) for TREAT Fuel Movement and Control Rod Drives Isolation. The review followed the approved Plan of Action (POA) and Implementation Plan (IP) using the identified core requirements. The activity was limited scope focusing on the control rod drives functional isolation and fuel element movement. The purpose of this review is to ensure the facility's readiness to move fuel elements thus supporting inspection and functionally isolate the control rod drives to maintain the required shutdown margin.

Demonstration of Subscale Cermet Fuel Specimen Fabrication Approach Using Spark Plasma Sintering and Diffusion Bonding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, Marvin W.; Tucker, Dennis S.; Benensky, Kelsa M.

2018-01-01

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) has the potential to expand the limits of human space exploration by enabling crewed missions to Mars and beyond. The viability of NTP hinges on the development of a robust nuclear fuel material that can perform in the harsh operating environment (> or = 2500K, reactive hydrogen) of a nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) engine. Efforts are ongoing to develop fuel material and to assemble fuel elements that will be stable during the service life of an NTR. Ceramic-metal (cermet) fuels are being actively pursued by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) due to their demonstrated high-temperature stability and hydrogen compatibility. Building on past cermet fuel development research, experiments were conducted to investigate a modern fabrication approach for cermet fuel elements. The experiments used consolidated tungsten (W)-60vol%zirconia (ZrO2) compacts that were formed via spark plasma sintering (SPS). The consolidated compacts were stacked and diffusion bonded to assess the integrity of the bond lines and internal cooling channel cladding. The assessment included hot hydrogen testing of the manufactured surrogate fuel and pure W for 45 minutes at 2500 K in the compact fuel element environmental test (CFEET) system. Performance of bonded W-ZrO2 rods was compared to bonded pure W rods to access bond line integrity and composite stability. Bonded surrogate fuels retained structural integrity throughout testing and incurred minimal mass loss.

The manufacture of LEU fuel elements at Dounreay

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

Gibson, J.

1997-08-01

Two LEU test elements are being manufactured at Dounreay for test irradiation in the HFR at Petten, The Netherlands. This paper describes the installation of equipment and the development of the fabrication and inspection techniques necessary for the manufacture of LEU fuel plates. The author`s experience in overcoming the technical problems of stray fuel particles, dog-boning, uranium homogeneity and the measurement of uranium distribution is also described.

Corrosion protected, multi-layer fuel cell interface

DOEpatents

Feigenbaum, Haim; Pudick, Sheldon; Wang, Chiu L.

1986-01-01

An improved interface configuration for use between adjacent elements of a fuel cell stack. The interface is impervious to gas and liquid and provides resistance to corrosion by the electrolyte of the fuel cell. The multi-layer configuration for the interface comprises a non-cupreous metal-coated metallic element to which is film-bonded a conductive layer by hot pressing a resin therebetween. The multi-layer arrangement provides bridging electrical contact.

A numerical investigation of the influence of radiation and moisture content on pyrolysis and ignition of a leaf-like fuel element

Treesearch

B.L. Yashwanth; B. Shotorban; S. Mahalingam; C.W. Lautenberger; David Weise

2016-01-01

The effects of thermal radiation and moisture content on the pyrolysis and gas phase ignition of a solid fuel element containing high moisture content were investigated using the coupled Gpyro3D/FDS models. The solid fuel has dimensions of a typical Arctostaphylos glandulosa leaf which is modeled as thin cellulose subjected to radiative heating on...

AST Critical Propulsion and Noise Reduction Technologies for Future Commercial Subsonic Engines Area of Interest 1.0: Reliable and Affordable Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, William; Winter, Steve

2006-01-01

The General Electric Reliable and Affordable Controls effort under the NASA Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Program has designed, fabricated, and tested advanced controls hardware and software to reduce emissions and improve engine safety and reliability. The original effort consisted of four elements: 1) a Hydraulic Multiplexer; 2) Active Combustor Control; 3) a Variable Displacement Vane Pump (VDVP); and 4) Intelligent Engine Control. The VDVP and Intelligent Engine Control elements were cancelled due to funding constraints and are reported here only to the state they progressed. The Hydraulic Multiplexing element developed and tested a prototype which improves reliability by combining the functionality of up to 16 solenoids and servo-valves into one component with a single electrically powered force motor. The Active Combustor Control element developed intelligent staging and control strategies for low emission combustors. This included development and tests of a Controlled Pressure Fuel Nozzle for fuel sequencing, a Fuel Multiplexer for individual fuel cup metering, and model-based control logic. Both the Hydraulic Multiplexer and Controlled Pressure Fuel Nozzle system were cleared for engine test. The Fuel Multiplexer was cleared for combustor rig test which must be followed by an engine test to achieve full maturation.

Steady-State Thermal-Hydraulics Analyses for the Conversion of BR2 to Low Enriched Uranium Fuel

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

Licht, J.; Bergeron, A.; Dionne, B.

The code PLTEMP/ANL version 4.2 was used to perform the steady-state thermal-hydraulic analyses of the BR2 research reactor for conversion from Highly-Enriched to Low Enriched Uranium fuel (HEU and LEU, respectively). Calculations were performed to evaluate different fuel assemblies with respect to the onset of nucleate boiling (ONB), flow instability (FI), critical heat flux (CHF) and fuel temperature at beginning of cycle conditions. The fuel assemblies were characteristic of fresh fuel (0% burnup), highest heat flux (16% burnup), highest power (32% burnup) and highest burnup (46% burnup). Results show that the high heat flux fuel element is limiting for ONB,more » FI, and CHF, for both HEU and LEU fuel, but that the high power fuel element produces similar margin in a few cases. The maximum fuel temperature similarly occurs in both the high heat flux and high power fuel assemblies for both HEU and LEU fuel. A sensitivity study was also performed to evaluate the variation in fuel temperature due to uncertainties in the thermal conductivity degradation associated with burnup.« less

Welding of unique and advanced alloys for space and high-temperature applications: welding and weldability of iridium and platinum alloys

DOE PAGES

David, Stan A.; Miller, Roger G.; Feng, Zhili

2016-08-31

Advances have been made in developing alloys for space power systems for spacecraft that travel long distances to various planets. The spacecraft are powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and the fuel element in RTGs is plutonia. For safety and containment of the radioactive fuel element, the heat source is encapsulated in iridium or platinum alloys. Ir and Pt alloys are the alloys of choice for encapsulating radioisotope fuel pellets. Ir and Pt alloys were chosen because of their high-temperature properties and compatibility with the oxide fuel element and the graphite impact shells. This review addresses the alloy design andmore » welding and weldability of Ir and Pt alloys for use in RTGs.« less

Welding of unique and advanced alloys for space and high-temperature applications: welding and weldability of iridium and platinum alloys

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

David, Stan A.; Miller, Roger G.; Feng, Zhili

Advances have been made in developing alloys for space power systems for spacecraft that travel long distances to various planets. The spacecraft are powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and the fuel element in RTGs is plutonia. For safety and containment of the radioactive fuel element, the heat source is encapsulated in iridium or platinum alloys. Ir and Pt alloys are the alloys of choice for encapsulating radioisotope fuel pellets. Ir and Pt alloys were chosen because of their high-temperature properties and compatibility with the oxide fuel element and the graphite impact shells. This review addresses the alloy design andmore » welding and weldability of Ir and Pt alloys for use in RTGs.« less

Methods for manufacturing porous nuclear fuel elements for high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors

DOEpatents

Youchison, Dennis L [Albuquerque, NM; Williams, Brian E [Pocoima, CA; Benander, Robert E [Pacoima, CA

2010-02-23

Methods for manufacturing porous nuclear fuel elements for use in advanced high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors (HTGR's). Advanced uranium bi-carbide, uranium tri-carbide and uranium carbonitride nuclear fuels can be used. These fuels have high melting temperatures, high thermal conductivity, and high resistance to erosion by hot hydrogen gas. Tri-carbide fuels, such as (U,Zr,Nb)C, can be fabricated using chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) to simultaneously deposit each of the three separate carbides, e.g., UC, ZrC, and NbC in a single CVI step. By using CVI, a thin coating of nuclear fuel may be deposited inside of a highly porous skeletal structure made, for example, of reticulated vitreous carbon foam.

Porous nuclear fuel element for high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors

DOEpatents

Youchison, Dennis L [Albuquerque, NM; Williams, Brian E [Pacoima, CA; Benander, Robert E [Pacoima, CA

2011-03-01

Porous nuclear fuel elements for use in advanced high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors (HTGR's), and to processes for fabricating them. Advanced uranium bi-carbide, uranium tri-carbide and uranium carbonitride nuclear fuels can be used. These fuels have high melting temperatures, high thermal conductivity, and high resistance to erosion by hot hydrogen gas. Tri-carbide fuels, such as (U,Zr,Nb)C, can be fabricated using chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) to simultaneously deposit each of the three separate carbides, e.g., UC, ZrC, and NbC in a single CVI step. By using CVI, the nuclear fuel may be deposited inside of a highly porous skeletal structure made of, for example, reticulated vitreous carbon foam.