Safeguards Challenges for Pebble-Bed Reactors (PBRs):Peoples Republic of China (PRC)

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

Forsberg, Charles W.; Moses, David Lewis

2009-11-01

The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) is operating the HTR-10 pebble-bed reactor (PBR) and is in the process of building a prototype PBR plant with two modular reactors (250-MW(t) per reactor) feeding steam to a single turbine-generator. It is likely to be the first modular hightemperature reactor to be ready for commercial deployment in the world because it is a highpriority project for the PRC. The plant design features multiple modular reactors feeding steam to a single turbine generator where the number of modules determines the plant output. The design and commercialization strategy are based on PRC strengths: (1) amore » rapidly growing electric market that will support low-cost mass production of modular reactor units and (2) a balance of plant system based on economics of scale that uses the same mass-produced turbine-generator systems used in PRC coal plants. If successful, in addition to supplying the PRC market, this strategy could enable China to be the leading exporter of nuclear reactors to developing countries. The modular characteristics of the reactor match much of the need elsewhere in the world. PBRs have major safety advantages and a radically different fuel. The fuel, not the plant systems, is the primary safety system to prevent and mitigate the release of radionuclides under accident conditions. The fuel consists of small (6-cm) pebbles (spheres) containing coatedparticle fuel in a graphitized carbon matrix. The fuel loading per pebble is small (~9 grams of low-enriched uranium) and hundreds of thousands of pebbles are required to fuel a nuclear plant. The uranium concentration in the fuel is an order of magnitude less than in traditional nuclear fuels. These characteristics make the fuel significantly less attractive for illicit use (weapons production or dirty bomb); but, its unusual physical form may require changes in the tools used for safeguards. This report describes PBRs, what is different, and the safeguards challenges. A series of safeguards recommendations are made based on the assumption that the reactor is successfully commercialized and is widely deployed.« less

Definition of a Robust Supervisory Control Scheme for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors

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

Ponciroli, R.; Passerini, S.; Vilim, R. B.

In this work, an innovative control approach for metal-fueled Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors is proposed. With respect to the classical approach adopted for base-load Nuclear Power Plants, an alternative control strategy for operating the reactor at different power levels by respecting the system physical constraints is presented. In order to achieve a higher operational flexibility along with ensuring that the implemented control loops do not influence the system inherent passive safety features, a dedicated supervisory control scheme for the dynamic definition of the corresponding set-points to be supplied to the PID controllers is designed. In particular, the traditional approach based onmore » the adoption of tabulated lookup tables for the set-point definition is found not to be robust enough when failures of the implemented SISO (Single Input Single Output) actuators occur. Therefore, a feedback algorithm based on the Reference Governor approach, which allows for the optimization of reference signals according to the system operating conditions, is proposed.« less

Demonstration of Robustness and Integrated Operation of a Series-Bosch System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abney, Morgan B.; Mansell, Matthew J.; Stanley, Christine; Barnett, Bill; Junaedi, Christian; Vilekar, Saurabh A.; Ryan, Kent

2016-01-01

Manned missions beyond low Earth orbit will require highly robust, reliable, and maintainable life support systems that maximize recycling of water and oxygen. Bosch technology is one option to maximize oxygen recovery, in the form of water, from metabolically-produced carbon dioxide (CO2). A two stage approach to Bosch, called Series-Bosch, reduces metabolic CO2 with hydrogen (H2) to produce water and solid carbon using two reactors: a Reverse Water-Gas Shift (RWGS) reactor and a carbon formation (CF) reactor. Previous development efforts demonstrated the stand-alone performance of a NASA-designed RWGS reactor designed for robustness against carbon formation, two membrane separators intended to maximize single pass conversion of reactants, and a batch CF reactor with both transit and surface catalysts. In the past year, Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI) developed and delivered a RWGS reactor for testing at NASA. The reactor design was based on their patented Microlith® technology and was first evaluated under a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) effort in 2010. The RWGS reactor was recently evaluated at NASA to compare its performance and operating conditions with NASA's RWGS reactor. The test results will be provided in this paper. Separately, in 2015, a semi-continuous CF reactor was designed and fabricated at NASA based on the results from batch CF reactor testing. The batch CF reactor and the semi-continuous CF reactor were individually integrated with an upstream RWGS reactor to demonstrate the system operation and to evaluate performance. Here, we compare the performance and robustness to carbon formation of both RWGS reactors. We report the results of the integrated operation of a Series-Bosch system and we discuss the technology readiness level.

Startup and operating characteristics of an external air-lift reflux partial nitritation-ANAMMOX integrative reactor.

PubMed

Li, Xiang; Huang, Yong; Yuan, Yi; Bi, Zhen; Liu, Xin

2017-08-01

The differences in the physiological characteristics between AOB and ANAMMOX bacteria lead to suboptimal performance when used in a single reactor. In this study, aerobic and anaerobic zones with different survival environments were constructed in a single reactor to realize partitioned culture of AOB and ANAMMOX bacteria. An external air-lift reflux system was formed which used the exhaust from the aeration zone as power to return the effluent to the aeration zone. The reflux system effectively alleviated the large pH fluctuations and promoted NO 2 - -N to rapidly use by ANAMMOX bacteria, effectively inhibiting the activity of NOB. After 95d of running, the nitrogen removal rate increased from the initial 0.21kg/(m 3 ·d) to 3.1kg/(m 3 ·d). FISH analyses further demonstrated that AOB and ANAMMOX bacteria acquired efficient enrichment in the corresponding zone. Thus, this type of integrative reactor may create the environments needed for the partial nitritation-ANAMMOX processing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical treatment of tannery effluent using a battery integrated DC-DC converter and solar PV power supply--an approach towards environment and energy management.

PubMed

Iyappan, K; Basha, C Ahmed; Saravanathamizhan, R; Vedaraman, N; Tahiyah Nou Shene, C A; Begum, S Nathira

2014-01-01

Electrochemical oxidation of tannery effluent was carried out in batch, batch recirculation and continuous reactor configurations under different conditions using a battery-integrated DC-DC converter and solar PV power supply. The effect of current density, electrolysis time and fluid flow rate on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and energy consumption has been evaluated. The results of batch reactor show that a COD reduction of 80.85% to 96.67% could be obtained. The results showed that after 7 h of operation at a current density of 2.5 A dm(-2) and flow rate of 100 L h(-1) in batch recirculation reactor, the removal of COD is 82.14% and the specific energy consumption was found to be 5.871 kWh (kg COD)(-1) for tannery effluent. In addition, the performance of single pass flow reactors (single and multiple reactors) system of various configurations are analyzed.

Simulation of an integrated system for the production of methane and single cell protein from biomass

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

Thomas, M.V.

1989-01-01

A numerical model was developed to simulate the operation of an integrated system for the production of methane and single-cell algal protein from a variety of biomass energy crops or waste streams. Economic analysis was performed at the end of each simulation. The model was capable of assisting in the determination of design parameters by providing relative economic information for various strategies. Three configurations of anaerobic reactors were simulated. These included fed-bed reactors, conventional stirred tank reactors, and continuously expanding reactors. A generic anaerobic digestion process model, using lumped substrate parameters, was developed for use by type-specific reactor models. Themore » generic anaerobic digestion model provided a tool for the testing of conversion efficiencies and kinetic parameters for a wide range of substrate types and reactor designs. Dynamic growth models were used to model the growth of algae and Eichornia crassipes was modeled as a function of daily incident radiation and temperature. The growth of Eichornia crassipes was modeled for the production of biomass as a substrate for digestion. Computer simulations with the system model indicated that tropical or subtropical locations offered the most promise for a viable system. The availability of large quantities of digestible waste and low land prices were found to be desirable in order to take advantage of the economies of scale. Other simulations indicated that poultry and swine manure produced larger biogas yields than cattle manure. The model was created in a modular fashion to allow for testing of a wide variety of unit operations. Coding was performed in the Pascal language for use on personal computers.« less

Moving bed reactor setup to study complex gas-solid reactions.

PubMed

Gupta, Puneet; Velazquez-Vargas, Luis G; Valentine, Charles; Fan, Liang-Shih

2007-08-01

A moving bed scale reactor setup for studying complex gas-solid reactions has been designed in order to obtain kinetic data for scale-up purpose. In this bench scale reactor setup, gas and solid reactants can be contacted in a cocurrent and countercurrent manner at high temperatures. Gas and solid sampling can be performed through the reactor bed with their composition profiles determined at steady state. The reactor setup can be used to evaluate and corroborate model parameters accounting for intrinsic reaction rates in both simple and complex gas-solid reaction systems. The moving bed design allows experimentation over a variety of gas and solid compositions in a single experiment unlike differential bed reactors where the gas composition is usually fixed. The data obtained from the reactor can also be used for direct scale-up of designs for moving bed reactors.

Comparison of two-stage thermophilic (68 degrees C/55 degrees C) anaerobic digestion with one-stage thermophilic (55 degrees C) digestion of cattle manure.

PubMed

Nielsen, H B; Mladenovska, Z; Westermann, P; Ahring, B K

2004-05-05

A two-stage 68 degrees C/55 degrees C anaerobic degradation process for treatment of cattle manure was studied. In batch experiments, an increase of the specific methane yield, ranging from 24% to 56%, was obtained when cattle manure and its fractions (fibers and liquid) were pretreated at 68 degrees C for periods of 36, 108, and 168 h, and subsequently digested at 55 degrees C. In a lab-scale experiment, the performance of a two-stage reactor system, consisting of a digester operating at 68 degrees C with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 days, connected to a 55 degrees C reactor with 12-day HRT, was compared with a conventional single-stage reactor running at 55 degrees C with 15-days HRT. When an organic loading of 3 g volatile solids (VS) per liter per day was applied, the two-stage setup had a 6% to 8% higher specific methane yield and a 9% more effective VS-removal than the conventional single-stage reactor. The 68 degrees C reactor generated 7% to 9% of the total amount of methane of the two-stage system and maintained a volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration of 4.0 to 4.4 g acetate per liter. Population size and activity of aceticlastic methanogens, syntrophic bacteria, and hydrolytic/fermentative bacteria were significantly lower in the 68 degrees C reactor than in the 55 degrees C reactors. The density levels of methanogens utilizing H2/CO2 or formate were, however, in the same range for all reactors, although the degradation of these substrates was significantly lower in the 68 degrees C reactor than in the 55 degrees C reactors. Temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis profiles (TTGE) of the 68 degrees C reactor demonstrated a stable bacterial community along with a less divergent community of archaeal species. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Entropy Production in Chemical Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kingston, Diego; Razzitte, Adrián C.

2017-06-01

We have analyzed entropy production in chemically reacting systems and extended previous results to the two limiting cases of ideal reactors, namely continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and plug flow reactor (PFR). We have found upper and lower bounds for the entropy production in isothermal systems and given expressions for non-isothermal operation and analyzed the influence of pressure and temperature in entropy generation minimization in reactors with a fixed volume and production. We also give a graphical picture of entropy production in chemical reactions subject to constant volume, which allows us to easily assess different options. We show that by dividing a reactor into two smaller ones, operating at different temperatures, the entropy production is lowered, going as near as 48 % less in the case of a CSTR and PFR in series, and reaching 58 % with two CSTR. Finally, we study the optimal pressure and temperature for a single isothermal PFR, taking into account the irreversibility introduced by a compressor and a heat exchanger, decreasing the entropy generation by as much as 30 %.

Dynamic biogas upgrading based on the Sabatier process: thermodynamic and dynamic process simulation.

PubMed

Jürgensen, Lars; Ehimen, Ehiaze Augustine; Born, Jens; Holm-Nielsen, Jens Bo

2015-02-01

This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of substitute natural gas (SNG) generation using biogas from anaerobic digestion and hydrogen from renewable energy systems. Using thermodynamic equilibrium analysis, kinetic reactor modeling and transient simulation, an integrated approach for the operation of a biogas-based Sabatier process was put forward, which was then verified using a lab scale heterogenous methanation reactor. The process simulation using a kinetic reactor model demonstrated the feasibility of the production of SNG at gas grid standards using a single reactor setup. The Wobbe index, CO2 content and calorific value were found to be controllable by the H2/CO2 ratio fed the methanation reactor. An optimal H2/CO2 ratio of 3.45-3.7 was seen to result in a product gas with high calorific value and Wobbe index. The dynamic reactor simulation verified that the process start-up was feasible within several minutes to facilitate surplus electricity use from renewable energy systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Heat Recuperation in a Concentric Hydrogen Reduction Reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linne, Diane; Kleinhenz, Julie; Hegde, Uday

2012-01-01

Heat recuperation in an ISRU reactor system involves the recovery of heat from a reacted regolith batch by transferring this energy into a batch of fresh regolith. One concept for a hydrogen reduction reactor is a concentric chamber design where heat is transferred from the inner, reaction chamber into fresh regolith in the outer, recuperation chamber. This concept was tested and analyzed to define the overall benefit compared to a more traditional single chamber batch reactor. Data was gathered for heat-up and recuperation in the inner chamber alone, simulating a single chamber design, as well as recuperation into the outer chamber, simulating a dual chamber design. Experimental data was also used to improve two analytical models, with good agreement for temperature behavior during recuperation, calculated mass of the reactor concepts, and energy required during heat-up. The five tests, performed using JSC-1A regolith simulant, also explored the effectiveness of helium gas fluidization, hydrogen gas fluidization, and vibrational fluidization. Results indicate that higher hydrogen volumetric flow rates are required compared to helium for complete fluidization and mixing, and that vibrational fluidization may provide equivalent mixing while eliminating the need to flow large amounts of excess hydrogen. Analysis of the total energy required for heat-up and steady-state operations for a variety of conditions and assumptions shows that the dual-chamber concept requires the same or more energy than the single chamber concept. With no clear energy savings, the added mass and complexity of the dual-chamber makes it unlikely that this design concept will provide any added benefit to the overall ISRU oxygen production system.

Using single-chamber microbial fuel cells as renewable power sources of electro-Fenton reactors for organic pollutant treatment.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiuping; Logan, Bruce E

2013-05-15

Electro-Fenton reactions can be very effective for organic pollutant degradation, but they typically require non-sustainable electrical power to produce hydrogen peroxide. Two-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been proposed for pollutant treatment using Fenton-based reactions, but these types of MFCs have low power densities and require expensive membranes. Here, more efficient dual reactor systems were developed using a single-chamber MFC as a low-voltage power source to simultaneously accomplish H2O2 generation and Fe(2+) release for the Fenton reaction. In tests using phenol, 75 ± 2% of the total organic carbon (TOC) was removed in the electro-Fenton reactor in one cycle (22 h), and phenol was completely degraded to simple and readily biodegradable organic acids. Compared to previously developed systems based on two-chamber MFCs, the degradation efficiency of organic pollutants was substantially improved. These results demonstrate that this system is an energy-efficient and cost-effective approach for industrial wastewater treatment of certain pollutants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Demonstration of Robustness and Integrated Operation of a Series-Bosch System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abney, Morgan B.; Mansell, J. Matthew; Barnett, Bill; Stanley, Christine M.; Junaedi, Christian; Vilekar, Saurabh A.; Kent, Ryan

2016-01-01

Manned missions beyond low Earth orbit will require highly robust, reliable, and maintainable life support systems that maximize recycling of water and oxygen. Bosch technology is one option to maximize oxygen recovery, in the form of water, from metabolically-produced carbon dioxide (CO2). A two stage approach to Bosch, called Series-Bosch, reduces metabolic CO2 with hydrogen (H2) to produce water and solid carbon using two reactors: a Reverse Water-Gas Shift (RWGS) reactor and a carbon formation (CF) reactor. Previous development efforts demonstrated the stand-alone performance of a RWGS reactor containing Incofoam(TradeMark) catalyst and designed for robustness against carbon formation, two membrane separators intended to maximize single pass conversion of reactants, and a batch CF reactor with both transit and surface catalysts. In the past year, Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI) developed and delivered a RWGS reactor for testing at NASA. The reactor design was based on their patented Microlith(TradeMark) technology and was first evaluated under a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) effort in 2010. The Microlith(TradeMark) RWGS reactor was recently evaluated at NASA to compare its performance and operating conditions with the Incofoam(TradeMark) RWGS reactor. Separately, in 2015, a fully integrated demonstration of an S-Bosch system was conducted. In an effort to mitigate risk, a second integrated test was conducted to evaluate the effect of membrane failure on a closed-loop Bosch system. Here, we report and discuss the performance and robustness to carbon formation of both RWGS reactors. We report the results of the integrated operation of a Series-Bosch system and we discuss the technology readiness level. 1

Comparison of thermophilic anaerobic digestion characteristics between single-phase and two-phase systems for kitchen garbage treatment.

PubMed

Park, YongJin; Hong, Feng; Cheon, JiHoon; Hidaka, Taira; Tsuno, Hiroshi

2008-01-01

Lab-scale single-phase and two-phase thermophilic methane fermentation systems (SPS and TPS, respectively) were operated and fed with artificial kitchen waste. In both SPS and TPS, the highest methane recovery ratio of 90%, in terms of chemical oxygen demand by dichromate (CODcr), was observed at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 15 gCODcr/(l.d). The ratio of particle CODcr remaining to total CODcr in the influent was 0.1 and the ratio of NH(4)-N concentration to the input total nitrogen concentration was 0.5 in both SPS and TPS. However, the propionate concentration in the SPS reactor fluctuated largely and was 2 gCODcr/l higher than that in TPS, indicating less stable digestion. Regardless, efficient kitchen waste degradation can be accomplished in both SPS and TPS at an OLR of <20 gCODcr/(l.d), even though TPS may be more stable and easier to maintain. Bacillus coagulans predominated with an occupied ratio of approximately 90% in the acid fermentation reactor of TPS, and then a richer microbial community with a higher Shannon index value was maintained in the methane fermentation reactor of TPS than in the SPS reactor.

78 FR 4138 - Notice of Intent To Grant Co-Exclusive Licenses

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-18

... brine solution.//Patent Application Serial No. 13/426294: Process and apparatus for the selective dimerization of terpenes and alpha-olefin oligomers with a single-stage reactor and a single-stage fractionation system.//Patent Application Serial No. 13/426347: Process and apparatus for the selective...

Space power reactor in-core thermionic multicell evolutionary (S-prime) design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Determan, William R.; Van Hagan, Tom H.

1993-01-01

A 5- to 40-kWe moderated in-core thermionic space nuclear power system (TI-SNPS) concept was developed to address the TI-SNPS program requirements. The 40-kWe baseline design uses multicell Thermionic Fuel Elements (TFEs) in a zirconium hydride moderated reactor to achieve a specific mass of 18.2 We/kg and a net end-of-mission (EOM) efficiency of 8.2%. The reactor is cooled with a single NaK-78 pumped loop, which rejects the heat through a 24 m2 heat pipe space radiator.

Plasma generators, reactor systems and related methods

DOEpatents

Kong, Peter C [Idaho Falls, ID; Pink, Robert J [Pocatello, ID; Lee, James E [Idaho Falls, ID

2007-06-19

A plasma generator, reactor and associated systems and methods are provided in accordance with the present invention. A plasma reactor may include multiple sections or modules which are removably coupled together to form a chamber. Associated with each section is an electrode set including three electrodes with each electrode being coupled to a single phase of a three-phase alternating current (AC) power supply. The electrodes are disposed about a longitudinal centerline of the chamber and are arranged to provide and extended arc and generate an extended body of plasma. The electrodes are displaceable relative to the longitudinal centerline of the chamber. A control system may be utilized so as to automatically displace the electrodes and define an electrode gap responsive to measure voltage or current levels of the associated power supply.

Performance Capability of Single-Cavity Vortex Gaseous Nuclear Rockets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ragsdale, Robert G.

1963-01-01

An analysis was made to determine the maximum powerplant thrust-to-weight ratio possible with a single-cavity vortex gaseous reactor in which all the hydrogen propellant must diffuse through a fuel-rich region. An assumed radial temperature profile was used to represent conduction, convection, and radiation heat-transfer effects. The effect of hydrogen property changes due to dissociation and ionization was taken into account in a hydrodynamic computer program. It is shown that, even for extremely optimistic assumptions of reactor criticality and operating conditions, such a system is limited to reactor thrust-to-weight ratios of about 1.2 x 10(exp -3) for laminar flow. For turbulent flow, the maximum thrust-to-weight ratio is less than 10(exp -3). These low thrusts result from the fact that the hydrogen flow rate is limited by the diffusion process. The performance of a gas-core system with a specific impulse of 3000 seconds and a powerplant thrust-to-weight ratio of 10(exp -2) is shown to be equivalent to that of a 1000-second advanced solid-core system. It is therefore concluded that a single-cavity vortex gaseous reactor in which all the hydrogen must diffuse through the nuclear fuel is a low-thrust device and offers no improvement over a solid-core nuclear-rocket engine. To achieve higher thrust, additional hydrogen flow must be introduced in such a manner that it will by-pass the nuclear fuel. Obviously, such flow must be heated by thermal radiation. An illustrative model of a single-cavity vortex system employing supplementary flow of hydrogen through the core region is briefly examined. Such a system appears capable of thrust-to-weight ratios of approximately 1 to 10. For a high-impulse engine, this capability would be a considerable improvement over solid-core performance. Limits imposed by thermal radiation heat transfer to cavity walls are acknowledged but not evaluated. Alternate vortex concepts that employ many parallel vortices to achieve higher hydrogen flow rates offer the possibility of sufficiently high thrust-to-weight ratios, if they are not limited by short thermal-radiation path lengths.

Inherently Safe and Long-Life Fission Power System for Lunar Outposts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schriener, T. M.; El-Genk, Mohamed S.

Power requirements for future lunar outposts, of 10's to 100's kWe, can be fulfilled using nuclear reactor power systems. In addition to the long life and operation reliability, safety is paramount in all phases, including fabrication and assembly, launch, emplacement below grade on the lunar surface, operation, post-operation decay heat removal and long-term storage and eventual retrieval. This paper introduces the Solid Core-Sectored Compact Reactor (SC-SCoRe) and power system with static components and no single point failures. They ensure reliable continuous operation for ~21 years and fulfill the safety requirements. The SC-SCoRe nominally generates 1.0 MWth at liquid NaK-56 coolant inlet and exit temperatures of 850 K and 900 K and the power system provides 38 kWe at high DC voltage using SiGe thermoelectric (TE) conversion assemblies. In case of a loss of coolant or cooling in a reactor core sector, the power system continues to operate; generating ~4 kWe to the outpost for emergency life support needs. The post-operation storage of the reactor below grade on the lunar surface is a safe and practical choice. The total radioactivity in the reactor drops from ~1 million Ci, immediately at shutdown, to below 164 Ci after 300 years of storage. At such time, the reactor is retrieved safely with no contamination or environmental concerns.

Dual-mode, high energy utilization system concept for mars missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Genk, Mohamed S.

2000-01-01

This paper describes a dual-mode, high energy utilization system concept based on the Pellet Bed Reactor (PeBR) to support future manned missions to Mars. The system uses proven Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) engines to partially convert the reactor thermal power to electricity. The electric power generated is kept the same during the propulsion and the power modes, but the reactor thermal power in the former could be several times higher, while maintaining the reactor temperatures almost constant. During the propulsion mode, the electric power of the system, minus ~1-5 kWe for house keeping, is used to operate a Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR). In addition, the reactor thermal power, plus more than 85% of the head load of the CBC engine radiators, are used to heat hydrogen. The hot hydrogen is mixed with the high temperature plasma in a VASIMR to provide both high thrust and Isp>35,000 N.s/kg, reducing the travel time to Mars to about 3 months. The electric power also supports surface exploration of Mars. The fuel temperature and the inlet temperatures of the He-Xe working fluid to the nuclear reactor core and the CBC turbine are maintained almost constant during both the propulsion and power modes to minimize thermal stresses. Also, the exit temperature of the He-Xe from the reactor core is kept at least 200 K below the maximum fuel design temperature. The present system has no single point failure and could be tested fully assembled in a ground facility using electric heaters in place of the nuclear reactor. Operation and design parameters of a 40-kWe prototype are presented and discussed to illustrate the operation and design principles of the proposed system. .

Gas-phase optical fiber photocatalytic reactors for indoor air application: a preliminary study on performance indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmiste, Ü.; Voll, H.

2017-10-01

The development of advanced air cleaning technologies aims to reduce building energy consumption by reduction of outdoor air flow rates while keeping the indoor air quality at an acceptable level by air cleaning. Photocatalytic oxidation is an emerging technology for gas-phase air cleaning that can be applied in a standalone unit or a subsystem of a building mechanical ventilation system. Quantitative information on photocatalytic reactor performance is required to evaluate the technical and economic viability of the advanced air cleaning by PCO technology as an energy conservation measure in a building air conditioning system. Photocatalytic reactors applying optical fibers as light guide or photocatalyst coating support have been reported as an approach to address the current light utilization problems and thus, improve the overall efficiency. The aim of the paper is to present a preliminary evaluation on continuous flow optical fiber photocatalytic reactors based on performance indicators commonly applied for air cleaners. Based on experimental data, monolith-type optical fiber reactor performance surpasses annular-type optical fiber reactors in single-pass removal efficiency, clean air delivery rate and operating cost efficiency.

Development of a proton-exchange membrane electrochemical reclaimed water post-treatment system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaba, Lamine; Verostko, Charles E.; Hitchens, G. D.; Murphy, Oliver J.

1991-01-01

A single-cell electrochemical reactor that utilizes a proton exchange membrane (PEM) as a solid electrolyte is being investigated for posttreatment of reclaimed waste waters with low or negligible electrolyte content. Posttreatment is a final 'polishing' of reclaimed waste waters prior to reuse, and involves removing organic impurities at levels as high as 100 ppm to below 500 ppb total organic carbon (TOC) content to provide disinfection. The system does not utilize or produce either expendable hardware components or chemicals and has no moving parts. Test data and kinetic analysis are presented. The feasibility and application for water reclamation processes in controlled ecological environments (e.g., lunar/Mars habitats) are also presented. Test results show that the electrochemical single cell reactor provides effective posttreatment.

Inclusion free cadmium zinc tellurium and cadmium tellurium crystals and associated growth method

DOEpatents

Bolotnikov, Aleskey E [South Setauket, NY; James, Ralph B [Ridge, NY

2010-07-20

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for crystal growth of cadmium zinc tellurium (CZT) and cadmium tellurium (CdTe) crystals with an inverted growth reactor chamber. The inverted growth reactor chamber enables growth of single, large, high purity CZT and CdTe crystals that can be used, for example, in X-ray and gamma detection, substrates for infrared detectors, or the like. The inverted growth reactor chamber enables reductions in the presence of Te inclusions, which are recognized as an important limiting factor in using CZT or CdTe as radiation detectors. The inverted growth reactor chamber can be utilized with existing crystal growth techniques such as the Bridgman crystal growth mechanism and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the inverted growth reactor chamber is a U-shaped ampoule.

Deflection Measurements of a Thermally Simulated Nuclear Core Using a High-Resolution CCD-Camera

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanojev, B. J.; Houts, M.

2004-01-01

Space fission systems under consideration for near-term missions all use compact. fast-spectrum reactor cores. Reactor dimensional change with increasing temperature, which affects neutron leakage. is the dominant source of reactivity feedback in these systems. Accurately measuring core dimensional changes during realistic non-nuclear testing is therefore necessary in predicting the system nuclear equivalent behavior. This paper discusses one key technique being evaluated for measuring such changes. The proposed technique is to use a Charged Couple Device (CCD) sensor to obtain deformation readings of electrically heated prototypic reactor core geometry. This paper introduces a technique by which a single high spatial resolution CCD camera is used to measure core deformation in Real-Time (RT). Initial system checkout results are presented along with a discussion on how additional cameras could be used to achieve a three- dimensional deformation profile of the core during test.

Two-phase anaerobic digestion of vegetable market waste fraction of municipal solid waste and development of improved technology for phase separation in two-phase reactor.

PubMed

Majhi, Bijoy Kumar; Jash, Tushar

2016-12-01

Biogas production from vegetable market waste (VMW) fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) by two-phase anaerobic digestion system should be preferred over the single-stage reactors. This is because VMW undergoes rapid acidification leading to accumulation of volatile fatty acids and consequent low pH resulting in frequent failure of digesters. The weakest part in the two-phase anaerobic reactors was the techniques applied for solid-liquid phase separation of digestate in the first reactor where solubilization, hydrolysis and acidogenesis of solid organic waste occur. In this study, a two-phase reactor which consisted of a solid-phase reactor and a methane reactor was designed, built and operated with VMW fraction of Indian MSW. A robust type filter, which is unique in its implementation method, was developed and incorporated in the solid-phase reactor to separate the process liquid produced in the first reactor. Experiments were carried out to assess the long term performance of the two-phase reactor with respect to biogas production, volatile solids reduction, pH and number of occurrence of clogging in the filtering system or choking in the process liquid transfer line. The system performed well and was operated successfully without the occurrence of clogging or any other disruptions throughout. Biogas production of 0.86-0.889m 3 kg -1 VS, at OLR of 1.11-1.585kgm -3 d -1 , were obtained from vegetable market waste, which were higher than the results reported for similar substrates digested in two-phase reactors. The VS reduction was 82-86%. The two-phase anaerobic digestion system was demonstrated to be stable and suitable for the treatment of VMW fraction of MSW for energy generation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of Active Control on Passive Safety Response Characteristics of Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors: II-Model Implementation and Simulations

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

Ponciroli, Roberto; Passerini, Stefano; Vilim, Richard B.

Advanced reactors are often claimed to be passively safe against unprotected upset events. In common practice, these events are not considered in the context of the plant control system, i.e., the reactor is subjected to classes of unprotected upset events while the normally programmed response of the control system is assumed not to be present. However, this approach constitutes an oversimplification since, depending on the upset involving the control system, an actuator does not necessarily go in the same direction as needed for safety. In this work, dynamic simulations are performed to assess the degree to which the inherent self-regulatingmore » plant response is safe from active control system override. The simulations are meant to characterize the resilience of the plant to unprotected initiators. The initiators were represented and modeled as an actuator going to a hard limit. Consideration of failure is further limited to individual controllers as there is no cross-connect of signals between these controllers. The potential for passive safety override by the control system is then relegated to the single-input single-output controllers. Here, the results show that when the plant control system is designed by taking into account and quantifying the impact of the plant control system on accidental scenarios there is very limited opportunity for the preprogrammed response of the control system to override passive safety protection in the event of an unprotected initiator.« less

Impact of Active Control on Passive Safety Response Characteristics of Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors: II-Model Implementation and Simulations

DOE PAGES

Ponciroli, Roberto; Passerini, Stefano; Vilim, Richard B.

2017-06-21

Advanced reactors are often claimed to be passively safe against unprotected upset events. In common practice, these events are not considered in the context of the plant control system, i.e., the reactor is subjected to classes of unprotected upset events while the normally programmed response of the control system is assumed not to be present. However, this approach constitutes an oversimplification since, depending on the upset involving the control system, an actuator does not necessarily go in the same direction as needed for safety. In this work, dynamic simulations are performed to assess the degree to which the inherent self-regulatingmore » plant response is safe from active control system override. The simulations are meant to characterize the resilience of the plant to unprotected initiators. The initiators were represented and modeled as an actuator going to a hard limit. Consideration of failure is further limited to individual controllers as there is no cross-connect of signals between these controllers. The potential for passive safety override by the control system is then relegated to the single-input single-output controllers. Here, the results show that when the plant control system is designed by taking into account and quantifying the impact of the plant control system on accidental scenarios there is very limited opportunity for the preprogrammed response of the control system to override passive safety protection in the event of an unprotected initiator.« less

Co-Production of Electricity and Hydrogen Using a Novel Iron-based Catalyst

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

Hilaly, Ahmad; Georgas, Adam; Leboreiro, Jose

2011-09-30

The primary objective of this project was to develop a hydrogen production technology for gasification applications based on a circulating fluid-bed reactor and an attrition resistant iron catalyst. The work towards achieving this objective consisted of three key activities: Development of an iron-based catalyst suitable for a circulating fluid-bed reactor; Design, construction, and operation of a bench-scale circulating fluid-bed reactor system for hydrogen production; Techno-economic analysis of the steam-iron and the pressure swing adsorption hydrogen production processes. This report describes the work completed in each of these activities during this project. The catalyst development and testing program prepared and iron-basedmore » catalysts using different support and promoters to identify catalysts that had sufficient activity for cyclic reduction with syngas and steam oxidation and attrition resistance to enable use in a circulating fluid-bed reactor system. The best performing catalyst from this catalyst development program was produced by a commercial catalyst toll manufacturer to support the bench-scale testing activities. The reactor testing systems used during material development evaluated catalysts in a single fluid-bed reactor by cycling between reduction with syngas and oxidation with steam. The prototype SIP reactor system (PSRS) consisted of two circulating fluid-bed reactors with the iron catalyst being transferred between the two reactors. This design enabled demonstration of the technical feasibility of the combination of the circulating fluid-bed reactor system and the iron-based catalyst for commercial hydrogen production. The specific activities associated with this bench-scale circulating fluid-bed reactor systems that were completed in this project included design, construction, commissioning, and operation. The experimental portion of this project focused on technical demonstration of the performance of an iron-based catalyst and a circulating fluid-bed reactor system for hydrogen production. Although a technology can be technically feasible, successful commercial deployment also requires that a technology offer an economic advantage over existing commercial technologies. To effective estimate the economics of this steam-iron process, a techno-economic analysis of this steam iron process and a commercial pressure swing adsorption process were completed. The results from this analysis described in this report show the economic potential of the steam iron process for integration with a gasification plant for coproduction of hydrogen and electricity.« less

A comparison of anaerobic 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid degradation in single-fed and sequencing batch reactor systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elefsiniotis, P.; Wareham, D. G.; Fongsatitukul, P.

2017-08-01

This paper compares the practical limits of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) degradation that can be obtained in two laboratory-scale anaerobic digestion systems; namely, a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and a single-fed batch reactor (SFBR) system. The comparison involved synthesizing a decade of research conducted by the lead author and drawing summative conclusions about the ability of each system to accommodate industrial-strength concentrations of 2,4-D. In the main, 2 L liquid volume anaerobic SBRs were used with glucose as a supplemental carbon source for both acid-phase and two-phase conditions. Volatile fatty acids however were used as a supplemental carbon source for the methanogenic SBRs. The anaerobic SBRs were operated at an hydraulic retention time of 48 hours, while being subjected to increasing concentrations of 2,4-D. The SBRs were able to degrade between 130 and 180 mg/L of 2,4-D depending upon whether they were operated in the acid-phase or two-phase regime. The methanogenic-only phase did not achieve 2,4-D degradation however this was primarily attributed to difficulties with obtaining a sufficiently long SRT. For the two-phase SFBR system, 3.5 L liquid-volume digesters were used and no difficulty was experienced with degrading 100 % of the 2,4-D concentration applied (300 mg/L).

Micro-reactors for characterization of nanostructure-based sensors.

PubMed

Savu, R; Silveira, J V; Flacker, A; Vaz, A R; Joanni, E; Pinto, A C; Gobbi, A L; Santos, T E A; Rotondaro, A L P; Moshkalev, S A

2012-05-01

Fabrication and testing of micro-reactors for the characterization of nanosensors is presented in this work. The reactors have a small volume (100 μl) and are equipped with gas input/output channels. They were machined from a single piece of kovar in order to avoid leaks in the system due to additional welding. The contact pins were electrically insulated from the body of the reactor using a borosilicate sealing glass and the reactor was hermetically sealed using a lid and an elastomeric o-ring. One of the advantages of the reactor lies in its simple assembly and ease of use with any vacuum/gas system, allowing the connection of more than one device. Moreover, the lid can be modified in order to fit a window for in situ optical characterization. In order to prove its versatility, carbon nanotube-based sensors were tested using this micro-reactor. The devices were fabricated by depositing carbon nanotubes over 1 μm thick gold electrodes patterned onto Si/SiO(2) substrates. The sensors were tested using oxygen and nitrogen atmospheres, in the pressure range between 10(-5) and 10(-1) mbar. The small chamber volume allowed the measurement of fast sensor characteristic times, with the sensors showing good sensitivity towards gas and pressure as well as high reproducibility.

Micro-reactors for characterization of nanostructure-based sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savu, R.; Silveira, J. V.; Flacker, A.; Vaz, A. R.; Joanni, E.; Pinto, A. C.; Gobbi, A. L.; Santos, T. E. A.; Rotondaro, A. L. P.; Moshkalev, S. A.

2012-05-01

Fabrication and testing of micro-reactors for the characterization of nanosensors is presented in this work. The reactors have a small volume (100 μl) and are equipped with gas input/output channels. They were machined from a single piece of kovar in order to avoid leaks in the system due to additional welding. The contact pins were electrically insulated from the body of the reactor using a borosilicate sealing glass and the reactor was hermetically sealed using a lid and an elastomeric o-ring. One of the advantages of the reactor lies in its simple assembly and ease of use with any vacuum/gas system, allowing the connection of more than one device. Moreover, the lid can be modified in order to fit a window for in situ optical characterization. In order to prove its versatility, carbon nanotube-based sensors were tested using this micro-reactor. The devices were fabricated by depositing carbon nanotubes over 1 μm thick gold electrodes patterned onto Si/SiO2 substrates. The sensors were tested using oxygen and nitrogen atmospheres, in the pressure range between 10-5 and 10-1 mbar. The small chamber volume allowed the measurement of fast sensor characteristic times, with the sensors showing good sensitivity towards gas and pressure as well as high reproducibility.

Update on ORNL TRANSFORM Tool: Simulating Multi-Module Advanced Reactor with End-to-End I&C

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

Hale, Richard Edward; Fugate, David L.; Cetiner, Sacit M.

2015-05-01

The Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Dynamic System Modeling Tool project is in the fourth year of development. The project is designed to support collaborative modeling and study of various advanced SMR (non-light water cooled reactor) concepts, including the use of multiple coupled reactors at a single site. The focus of this report is the development of a steam generator and drum system model that includes the complex dynamics of typical steam drum systems, the development of instrumentation and controls for the steam generator with drum system model, and the development of multi-reactor module models that reflect the full power reactormore » innovative small module design concept. The objective of the project is to provide a common simulation environment and baseline modeling resources to facilitate rapid development of dynamic advanced reactor models; ensure consistency among research products within the Instrumentation, Controls, and Human-Machine Interface technical area; and leverage cross-cutting capabilities while minimizing duplication of effort. The combined simulation environment and suite of models are identified as the TRANSFORM tool. The critical elements of this effort include (1) defining a standardized, common simulation environment that can be applied throughout the Advanced Reactors Technology program; (2) developing a library of baseline component modules that can be assembled into full plant models using available geometry, design, and thermal-hydraulic data; (3) defining modeling conventions for interconnecting component models; and (4) establishing user interfaces and support tools to facilitate simulation development (i.e., configuration and parameterization), execution, and results display and capture.« less

Summary of space nuclear reactor power systems, 1983--1992

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

Buden, D.

1993-08-11

This report summarizes major developments in the last ten years which have greatly expanded the space nuclear reactor power systems technology base. In the SP-100 program, after a competition between liquid-metal, gas-cooled, thermionic, and heat pipe reactors integrated with various combinations of thermoelectric thermionic, Brayton, Rankine, and Stirling energy conversion systems, three concepts:were selected for further evaluation. In 1985, the high-temperature (1,350 K), lithium-cooled reactor with thermoelectric conversion was selected for full scale development. Since then, significant progress has been achieved including the demonstration of a 7-y-life uranium nitride fuel pin. Progress on the lithium-cooled reactor with thermoelectrics has progressedmore » from a concept, through a generic flight system design, to the design, development, and testing of specific components. Meanwhile, the USSR in 1987--88 orbited a new generation of nuclear power systems beyond the, thermoelectric plants on the RORSAT satellites. The US has continued to advance its own thermionic fuel element development, concentrating on a multicell fuel element configuration. Experimental work has demonstrated a single cell operating time of about 1 1/2-y. Technology advances have also been made in the Stirling engine; an advanced engine that operates at 1,050 K is ready for testing. Additional concepts have been studied and experiments have been performed on a variety of systems to meet changing needs; such as powers of tens-to-hundreds of megawatts and highly survivable systems of tens-of-kilowatts power.« less

Summary of space nuclear reactor power systems, 1983 - 1992

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buden, D.

1993-08-01

This report summarizes major developments in the last ten years which have greatly expanded the space nuclear reactor power systems technology base. In the SP-100 program, after a competition between liquid-metal, gas-cooled, thermionic, and heat pipe reactors integrated with various combinations of thermoelectric thermionic, Brayton, Rankine, and Stirling energy conversion systems, three concepts were selected for further evaluation. In 1985, the high-temperature (1,350 K), lithium-cooled reactor with thermoelectric conversion was selected for full scale development. Since then, significant progress has been achieved including the demonstration of a 7-y-life uranium nitride fuel pin. Progress on the lithium-cooled reactor with thermoelectrics has progressed from a concept, through a generic flight system design, to the design, development, and testing of specific components. Meanwhile, the USSR in 1987-88 orbited a new generation of nuclear power systems beyond the, thermoelectric plants on the RORSAT satellites. The US has continued to advance its own thermionic fuel element development, concentrating on a multicell fuel element configuration. Experimental work has demonstrated a single cell operating time of about 1 1/2-y. Technology advances have also been made in the Stirling engine; an advanced engine that operates at 1,050 K is ready for testing. Additional concepts have been studied and experiments have been performed on a variety of systems to meet changing needs; such as powers of tens-to-hundreds of megawatts and highly survivable systems of tens-of-kilowatts power.

Cultivation of E. coli in single- and ten-stage tower-loop reactors.

PubMed

Adler, I; Schügerl, K

1983-02-01

E. Coli was cultivated in batch and continuous operations in the presence of an antifoam agent in stirred-tank and in single- and ten-stage airlift tower reactors with an outer loop. The maximum specific growth rate, mu(m), the substrate yield coefficient, Y(x/s), the respiratory quotient, RQ, substrate conversion, U(s), the volumetric mass transfer coefficient, K(L)a, the specific interfacial area, a, and the specific power input, P/V(L), were measured and compared. If a medium is used with a concentration of complex substrates (extracts) 2.5 times higher than that of glucose, a spectrum of C sources is available and cell regulation influences reactor performance. Both mu(m) and Y(X/S), which were evaluated in batch reactors, cannot be used for continuous reactors or, when measured in stirred-tank reactors, cannot be employed for tower-loop reactors: mu(m) is higher in the stirred-tank batch than in the tower-loop batch reactor, mu(m) and Y(x/s) are higher in the continuous reactor than in the batch single-stage tower-loop reactor. The performance of the single-stage is better than that of the ten-stage reactor due to the inefficient trays employed. A reduction of the medium recirculation rate reduces OTR, U(s), Pr, and Y(X/S) and causes cell sedimentation and flocculation. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient is reduced with increasing cultivation time; the Sauter bubble diameter, d(s), remains constant and does not depend on operational conditions. An increase in the medium recirculation rate reduces k(L)a. The specific power input, P/V(L), for the single-stage tower loop is much lower with the same k(L)a value than for a stirred tank. The relationship k(L)a vs. P/V(L) evaluated for model media in stirred tanks, can also be used for cultivations in these reactors.

Surface Catalysis and Characterization of Proposed Candidate TPS for Access-to-Space Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, David A.

1997-01-01

Surface properties have been obtained on several classes of thermal protection systems (TPS) using data from both side-arm-reactor and arc-jet facilities. Thermochemical stability, optical properties, and coefficients for atom recombination were determined for candidate TPS proposed for single-stage-to-orbit vehicles. The systems included rigid fibrous insulations, blankets, reinforced carbon carbon, and metals. Test techniques, theories used to define arc-jet and side-arm-reactor flow, and material surface properties are described. Total hemispherical emittance and atom recombination coefficients for each candidate TPS are summarized in the form of polynomial and Arrhenius expressions.

Flexible robotic entry device for a nuclear materials production reactor

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

Heckendorn, F.M. II

1988-01-01

The Savannah River Laboratory has developed and is implementing a flexible robotic entry device (FRED) for the nuclear materials production reactors now operating at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). FRED is designed for rapid deployment into confinement areas of operating reactors to assess unknown conditions. A unique smart tether method has been incorporated into FRED for simultaneous bidirectional transmission of multiple video/audio/control/power signals over a single coaxial cable. This system makes it possible to use FRED under all operating and standby conditions, including those where radio/microwave transmissions are not possible or permitted, and increases the quantity of data available.

Treatment of fruit-juice industry wastewater in a two-stage anaerobic hybrid (AH) reactor system followed by a sequencing batch reactor (SBR).

PubMed

Tawfik, A; El-Kamah, H

2012-01-01

This study has been carried out to assess the performance of a combined system consisting of an anaerobic hybrid (AH) reactor followed by a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for treatment of fruit-juice industry wastewater at a temperature of 26 degrees C. Three experimental runs were conducted in this investigation. In the first experiment, a single-stage AH reactor was operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 10.2 h and organic loading rate (OLR) of 11.8 kg COD m(-3) d(-1). The reactor achieved a removal efficiency of 42% for chemical oxygen demand (COD), 50.8% for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), 50.3% for volatile fatty acids (VFA) and 56.4% for total suspended solids (TSS). In the second experiment, two AH reactors connected in series achieved a higher removal efficiency for COD (67.4%), BOD5 (77%), and TSS (71.5%) at a total HRT of 20 h and an OLR of 5.9 kg COD m(-3) d(-1). For removal of the remaining portions of COD, BOD5 and TSS from the effluent of the two-stage AH system, a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was investigated as a post-treatment unit. The reactor achieved a substantial reduction in total COD, resulting in an average effluent concentration of 50 mg L(-1) at an HRT of 11 h and OLR of 5.3 kg COD m(-3) d(-1). Almost complete removal of total BOD5 and oil and grease was achieved, i.e. 10 mg L(-1) and 1.2 mg L(-1), respectively, remained in the final effluent of the SBR.

Co-digestion of polylactide and kitchen garbage in hyperthermophilic and thermophilic continuous anaerobic process.

PubMed

Wang, Feng; Hidaka, Taira; Tsuno, Hiroshi; Tsubota, Jun

2012-05-01

Two series of two-phase anaerobic systems, consisting of a hyperthermophilic (80°C) reactor and a thermophilic (55°C) reactor, fed with a mixture of kitchen garbage (KG) and polylactide (PLA), was compared with a single-phase thermophilic reactor for the overall performance. The result indicated that ammonia addition under hyperthermophilic condition promoted the transformation of PLA particles to lactic acid. The systems with hyperthermophilic treatment had advantages on PLA transformation and methane conversion ratio to the control system. Under the organic loading rate (OLR) of 10.3 g COD/(L day), the PLA transformation ratios of the two-phase systems were 82.0% and 85.2%, respectively, higher than that of the control system (63.5%). The methane conversion ratios of the two-phase systems were 82.9% and 80.8%, respectively, higher than 70.1% of the control system. The microbial community analysis indicated that hyperthermophilic treatment is easily installed to traditional thermophilic anaerobic digestion plants without inoculation of special bacteria. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solar photochemical process engineering for production of fuels and chemicals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biddle, J. R.; Peterson, D. B.; Fujita, T.

1984-01-01

The engineering costs and performance of a nominal 25,000 scmd (883,000 scfd) photochemical plant to produce dihydrogen from water were studied. Two systems were considered, one based on flat-plate collector/reactors and the other on linear parabolic troughs. Engineering subsystems were specified including the collector/reactor, support hardware, field transport piping, gas compression equipment, and balance-of-plant (BOP) items. Overall plant efficiencies of 10.3 and 11.6% are estimated for the flat-plate and trough systems, respectively, based on assumed solar photochemical efficiencies of 12.9 and 14.6%. Because of the opposing effects of concentration ratio and operating temperature on efficiency, it was concluded that reactor cooling would be necessary with the trough system. Both active and passive cooling methods were considered. Capital costs and energy costs, for both concentrating and non-concentrating systems, were determined and their sensitivity to efficiency and economic parameters were analyzed. The overall plant efficiency is the single most important factor in determining the cost of the fuel.

Solar photochemical process engineering for production of fuels and chemicals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biddle, J. R.; Peterson, D. B.; Fujita, T.

1985-01-01

The engineering costs and performance of a nominal 25,000 scmd (883,000 scfd) photochemical plant to produce dihydrogen from water were studied. Two systems were considered, one based on flat-plate collector/reactors and the other on linear parabolic troughs. Engineering subsystems were specified including the collector/reactor, support hardware, field transport piping, gas compression equipment, and balance-of-plant (BOP) items. Overall plant efficiencies of 10.3 and 11.6 percent are estimated for the flat-plate and trough systems, respectively, based on assumed solar photochemical efficiencies of 12.9 and 14.6 percent. Because of the opposing effects of concentration ratio and operating temperature on efficiency, it was concluded that reactor cooling would be necessary with the trough system. Both active and passive cooling methods were considered. Capital costs and energy costs, for both concentrating and non-concentrating systems, were determined and their sensitivity to efficiency and economic parameters were analyzed. The overall plant efficiency is the single most important factor in determining the cost of the fuel.

Comparison of morphology and phase composition of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles sonochemically synthesized with dual- or single-frequency ultrasonic reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Shi-ting; Yu, Hong; Liu, Di; Bi, Yong-guang

2017-10-01

To investigate how a dual- or single-frequency ultrasonic reactor changes the morphology and phase composition of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nHAPs), we designed and constructed the preparation of nHAPs using dual- or single-frequency ultrasonic devices, i.e., the single frequency ultrasonic generator with ultrasonic horn (25 kHz), the ultrasonic bath (40 kHz) and the dual-frequency sonochemical systems combined with the ultrasonic horn and the ultrasonic bath simultaneously (25 + 40 kHz). The results showed that the sonicated samples displayed a more uniform shape with less agglomeration than non-sonicated sample. The rod-shaped particles with 1.66 stoichiometry and without a second phase were synthesized successfully in the ultrasonic bath or horn systems. The nHAPs obtained from the dual-frequency ultrasonic systems exhibited a regular rod-shaped structure with better dispersion and more uniform shapes than those of obtained in either ultrasonic bath or horn systems. Additionally, the size of rod-shaped particles obtained in the dual-frequency ultrasound with a mean width of 35 nm and a mean length of 64 nm was smaller than other samples. A possible mechanism is that the dual-frequency ultrasound significantly enhances the cavitation yield over single frequency ultrasound and thus improves the dispersion of particles and reduces the size of the crystals. In addition, irregular holes can be observed in the nanoparticles obtained in the dual-frequency ultrasound. Therefore, the dual-frequency ultrasonic systems are expected to become a convenient, efficient and environmentally friendly synthetic technology to obtain well-defined nHAPs for specific biomedical applications.

A domain-specific analysis system for examining nuclear reactor simulation data for light-water and sodium-cooled fast reactors

DOE PAGES

Billings, Jay Jay; Deyton, Jordan H.; Forest Hull, S.; ...

2015-07-17

Building new fission reactors in the United States presents many technical and regulatory challenges. Chief among the technical challenges is the need to share and present results from new high- fidelity, high- performance simulations in an easily consumable way. In light of the modern multi-scale, multi-physics simulations can generate petabytes of data, this will require the development of new techniques and methods to reduce the data to familiar quantities of interest with a more reasonable resolution and size. Furthermore, some of the results from these simulations may be new quantities for which visualization and analysis techniques are not immediately availablemore » in the community and need to be developed. Our paper describes a new system for managing high-performance simulation results in a domain-specific way that naturally exposes quantities of interest for light water and sodium-cooled fast reactors. It enables easy qualitative and quantitative comparisons between simulation results with a graphical user interface and cross-platform, multi-language input- output libraries for use by developers to work with the data. One example comparing results from two different simulation suites for a single assembly in a light-water reactor is presented along with a detailed discussion of the system s requirements and design.« less

A Multispecies Fungal Biofilm Approach to Enhance the Celluloyltic Efficiency of Membrane Reactors for Consolidated Bioprocessing of Plant Biomass

PubMed Central

Xiros, Charilaos; Studer, Michael H.

2017-01-01

The constraints and advantages in cellulolytic enzymes production by fungal biofilms for a consolidated bioconversion process were investigated during this study. The biofilm cultivations were carried out in reactors designed for consolidated bioprocessing Multispecies Biofilm Membrane reactors, (MBM) where an aerobic fungal biofilm produces the lignocellulolytic enzymes while a fermenting microorganism forms the fermentation product at anaerobic conditions. It was shown that although mycelial growth was limited in the MBM reactors compared to submerged cultivations, the secretion of cellulolytic enzymes per cell dry weight was higher. When Trichoderma reesei was used as the sole enzyme producer, cellobiose accumulated in the liquid medium as the result of the deficiency of β-glucosidase in the fungal secretome. To enhance β-glucosidase activity, T. reesei was co-cultivated with A. phoenicis which is a β-glucosidase overproducer. The two fungi formed a multispecies biofilm which produced a balanced cellulolytic cocktail for the saccharification of plant biomass. The mixed biofilm reached a 2.5 fold increase in β-glucosidase production, compared to the single T. reesei biofilm. The enzymatic systems of single and mixed biofilms were evaluated regarding their efficiency on cellulosic substrates degradation. Washed solids from steam pretreated beechwood, as well as microcrystalline cellulose were used as the substrates. The enzymatic system of the multispecies biofilm released four times more glucose than the enzymatic system of T. reesei alone from both substrates and hydrolyzed 78 and 60% of the cellulose content of washed solids from beechwood and microcrystalline cellulose, respectively. PMID:29067006

Analysis on the Role of RSG-GAS Pool Cooling System during Partial Loss of Heat Sink Accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susyadi; Endiah, P. H.; Sukmanto, D.; Andi, S. E.; Syaiful, B.; Hendro, T.; Geni, R. S.

2018-02-01

RSG-GAS is a 30 MW reactor that is mostly used for radioisotope production and experimental activities. Recently, it is regularly operated at half of its capacity for efficiency reason. During an accident, especially loss of heat sink, the role of its pool cooling system is very important to dump decay heat. An analysis using single failure approach and partial modeling of RELAP5 performed by S. Dibyo, 2010 shows that there is no significant increase in the coolant temperature if this system is properly functioned. However lessons learned from the Fukushima accident revealed that an accident can happen due to multiple failures. Considering ageing of the reactor, in this research the role of pool cooling system is to be investigated for a partial loss of heat sink accident which is at the same time the protection system fails to scram the reactor when being operated at 15 MW. The purpose is to clarify the transient characteristics and the final state of the coolant temperature. The method used is by simulating the system in RELAP5 code. Calculation results shows the pool cooling systems reduce coolant temperature for about 1 K as compared without activating them. The result alsoreveals that when the reactor is being operated at half of its rated power, it is still in safe condition for a partial loss of heat sink accident without scram.

Dry transfer system for spent fuel: Project report, A system designed to achieve the dry transfer of bare spent fuel between two casks. Final report

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

Dawson, D.M.; Guerra, G.; Neider, T.

1995-12-01

This report describes the system developed by EPRI/DOE for the dry transfer of spent fuel assemblies outside the reactor spent fuel pool. The system is designed to allow spent fuel assemblies to be removed from a spent fuel pool in a small cask, transported to the transfer facility, and transferred to a larger cask, either for off-site transportation or on-site storage. With design modifications, this design is capable of transferring single spent fuel assemblies from dry storage casks to transportation casks or visa versa. One incentive for the development of this design is that utilities with limited lifting capacity ormore » other physical or regulatory constraints are limited in their ability to utilize the current, more efficient transportation and storage cask designs. In addition, DOE, in planning to develop and implement the multi-purpose canister (MPC) system for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management System, included the concept of an on-site dry transfer system to support the implementation of the MPC system at reactors with limitations that preclude the handling of the MPC system transfer casks. This Dry Transfer System can also be used at reactors wi decommissioned spent fuel pools and fuel in dry storage in non-MPC systems to transfer fuel into transportation casks. It can also be used at off-reactor site interim storage facilities for the same purpose.« less

Fuel processing in integrated micro-structured heat-exchanger reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolb, G.; Schürer, J.; Tiemann, D.; Wichert, M.; Zapf, R.; Hessel, V.; Löwe, H.

Micro-structured fuel processors are under development at IMM for different fuels such as methanol, ethanol, propane/butane (LPG), gasoline and diesel. The target application are mobile, portable and small scale stationary auxiliary power units (APU) based upon fuel cell technology. The key feature of the systems is an integrated plate heat-exchanger technology which allows for the thermal integration of several functions in a single device. Steam reforming may be coupled with catalytic combustion in separate flow paths of a heat-exchanger. Reactors and complete fuel processors are tested up to the size range of 5 kW power output of a corresponding fuel cell. On top of reactor and system prototyping and testing, catalyst coatings are under development at IMM for numerous reactions such as steam reforming of LPG, ethanol and methanol, catalytic combustion of LPG and methanol, and for CO clean-up reactions, namely water-gas shift, methanation and the preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide. These catalysts are investigated in specially developed testing reactors. In selected cases 1000 h stability testing is performed on catalyst coatings at weight hourly space velocities, which are sufficiently high to meet the demands of future fuel processing reactors.

Design of energy-storage reactors for single-winding constant-frequency dc-to-dc converters operating in the discontinuous-reactor-current mode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, D. Y.; Owen, H. A., Jr.; Wilson, T. G.

1980-01-01

This paper presents an algorithm and equations for designing the energy-storage reactor for dc-to-dc converters which are constrained to operate in the discontinuous-reactor-current mode. This design procedure applied to the three widely used single-winding configurations: the voltage step-up, the current step-up, and the voltage-or-current step-up converters. A numerical design example is given to illustrate the use of the design algorithm and design equations.

Extension of the supercritical carbon dioxide brayton cycle to low reactor power operation: investigations using the coupled anl plant dynamics code-SAS4A/SASSYS-1 liquid metal reactor code system.

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

Moisseytsev, A.; Sienicki, J. J.

2012-05-10

Significant progress has been made on the development of a control strategy for the supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO{sub 2}) Brayton cycle enabling removal of power from an autonomous load following Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) down to decay heat levels such that the S-CO{sub 2} cycle can be used to cool the reactor until decay heat can be removed by the normal shutdown heat removal system or a passive decay heat removal system such as Direct Reactor Auxiliary Cooling System (DRACS) loops with DRACS in-vessel heat exchangers. This capability of the new control strategy eliminates the need for use of amore » separate shutdown heat removal system which might also use supercritical CO{sub 2}. It has been found that this capability can be achieved by introducing a new control mechanism involving shaft speed control for the common shaft joining the turbine and two compressors following reduction of the load demand from the electrical grid to zero. Following disconnection of the generator from the electrical grid, heat is removed from the intermediate sodium circuit through the sodium-to-CO{sub 2} heat exchanger, the turbine solely drives the two compressors, and heat is rejected from the cycle through the CO{sub 2}-to-water cooler. To investigate the effectiveness of shaft speed control, calculations are carried out using the coupled Plant Dynamics Code-SAS4A/SASSYS-1 code for a linear load reduction transient for a 1000 MWt metallic-fueled SFR with autonomous load following. No deliberate motion of control rods or adjustment of sodium pump speeds is assumed to take place. It is assumed that the S-CO{sub 2} turbomachinery shaft speed linearly decreases from 100 to 20% nominal following reduction of grid load to zero. The reactor power is calculated to autonomously decrease down to 3% nominal providing a lengthy window in time for the switchover to the normal shutdown heat removal system or for a passive decay heat removal system to become effective. However, the calculations reveal that the compressor conditions are calculated to approach surge such that the need for a surge control system for each compressor is identified. Thus, it is demonstrated that the S-CO{sub 2} cycle can operate in the initial decay heat removal mode even with autonomous reactor control. Because external power is not needed to drive the compressors, the results show that the S-CO{sub 2} cycle can be used for initial decay heat removal for a lengthy interval in time in the absence of any off-site electrical power. The turbine provides sufficient power to drive the compressors. Combined with autonomous reactor control, this represents a significant safety advantage of the S-CO{sub 2} cycle by maintaining removal of the reactor power until the core decay heat falls to levels well below those for which the passive decay heat removal system is designed. The new control strategy is an alternative to a split-shaft layout involving separate power and compressor turbines which had previously been identified as a promising approach enabling heat removal from a SFR at low power levels. The current results indicate that the split-shaft configuration does not provide any significant benefits for the S-CO{sub 2} cycle over the current single-shaft layout with shaft speed control. It has been demonstrated that when connected to the grid the single-shaft cycle can effectively follow the load over the entire range. No compressor speed variation is needed while power is delivered to the grid. When the system is disconnected from the grid, the shaft speed can be changed as effectively as it would be with the split-shaft arrangement. In the split-shaft configuration, zero generator power means disconnection of the power turbine, such that the resulting system will be almost identical to the single-shaft arrangement. Without this advantage of the split-shaft configuration, the economic benefits of the single-shaft arrangement, provided by just one turbine and lower losses at the design point, are more important to the overall cycle performance. Therefore, the single-shaft configuration shall be retained as the reference arrangement for S-CO{sub 2} cycle power converter preconceptual designs. Improvements to the ANL Plant Dynamics Code have been carried out. The major code improvement is the introduction of a restart capability which simplifies investigation of control strategies for very long transients. Another code modification is transfer of the entire code to a new Intel Fortran complier; the execution of the code using the new compiler was verified by demonstrating that the same results are obtained as when the previous Compaq Visual Fortran compiler was used.« less

454-Pyrosequencing analysis of highly adapted azo dye-degrading microbial communities in a two-stage anaerobic-aerobic bioreactor treating textile effluent.

PubMed

Köchling, Thorsten; Ferraz, Antônio Djalma Nunes; Florencio, Lourdinha; Kato, Mario Takayuki; Gavazza, Sávia

2017-03-01

Azo dyes, which are widely used in the textile industry, exhibit significant toxic characteristics for the environment and the human population. Sequential anaerobic-aerobic reactor systems are efficient for the degradation of dyes and the mineralization of intermediate compounds; however, little is known about the composition of the microbial communities responsible for dye degradation in these systems. 454-Pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was employed to assess the bacterial biodiversity and composition of a two-stage (anaerobic-aerobic) pilot-scale reactor that treats effluent from a denim factory. The anaerobic reactor was inoculated with anaerobic sludge from a domestic sewage treatment plant. Due to the selective composition of the textile wastewater, after 210 days of operation, the anaerobic reactor was dominated by the single genus Clostridium, affiliated with the Firmicutes phylum. The aerobic biofilter harbored a diverse bacterial community. The most abundant phylum in the aerobic biofilter was Proteobacteria, which was primarily represented by the Gamma, Delta and Epsilon classes followed by Firmicutes and other phyla. Several bacterial genera were identified that most likely played an essential role in azo dye degradation in the investigated system.

Operator Support System Design forthe Operation of RSG-GAS Research Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoso, S.; Situmorang, J.; Bakhri, S.; Subekti, M.; Sunaryo, G. R.

2018-02-01

The components of RSG-GAS main control room are facing the problem of material ageing and technology obsolescence as well, and therefore the need for modernization and refurbishment are essential. The modernization in control room can be applied on the operator support system which bears the function in providing information for assisting the operator in conducting diagnosis and actions. The research purpose is to design an operator support system for RSG-GAS control room. The design was developed based on the operator requirement in conducting task operation scenarios and the reactor operation characteristics. These scenarios include power operation, low power operation and shutdown/scram reactor. The operator support system design is presented in a single computer display which contains structure and support system elements e.g. operation procedure, status of safety related components and operational requirements, operation limit condition of parameters, alarm information, and prognosis function. The prototype was developed using LabView software and consisted of components structure and features of the operator support system. Information of each component in the operator support system need to be completed before it can be applied and integrated in the RSG-GAS main control room.

The Phase Behavior Effect on the Reaction Engineering of Transesterification Reactions and Reactor Design for Continuous Biodiesel Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Csernica, Stephen N.

The demand for renewable forms of energy has increased tremendously over the past two decades. Of all the different forms of renewable energy, biodiesel, a liquid fuel, has emerged as one of the more viable possibilities. This is in large part due to the fact that biodiesel can readily be used in modern day diesel engines with nearly no engine modifications. It is commonly blended with conventional petroleum-derived diesel but it can also be used neat. As a result of the continued growth of the industry, there has been a correspondingly large increase in the scientific and technical research conducted on the subject. Much of the research has been conducted on the feasibility of using different types of feedstocks, which generally vary with respect to geographic locale, as well as different types of catalysts. Much of the work of the present study was involved with the investigation of the binary liquid-liquid nature of the system and its effects on the reaction kinetics. Initially, the development of an analytical method for the analysis of the compounds present in transesterification reaction mixtures using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed. The use of UV(205 nm) as well as refractive index detection (RID) were shown capable to detect the various different types of components associated with transesterification reactions. Reversed-phase chromatography with isocratic elution was primarily used. Using a unique experimental apparatus enabling the simultaneous analysis of both liquid phases throughout the reaction, an experimental method was developed for measuring the reaction rate under both mass transfer control and reaction control. The transesterification reaction rate under each controlling mechanism was subsequently evaluated and compared. It was determined that the reaction rate is directly proportional to the concentration of triglycerides in the methanol phase. Furthermore, the reaction rate accelerates rapidly as the system transitions from two phases to a single phase, or pseudo-single phase. The transition to a single phase or pseudo-single phase is a function of the methanol content. Regardless, the maximum observed reaction rate occurs at the point of the phase transition, when the concentration of triglycerides in the methanol phase is largest. The phase transition occurs due to the accumulation of the primary product, biodiesel methyl esters. Through various experiments, it was determined that the rate of the triglyceride mass transfer into the methanol phase, as well as the solubility of triglycerides in methanol, increases with increasing methyl ester concentration. Thus, there exists some critical methyl ester concentration which favors the formation of a single or pseudo-single phase system. The effect of the by-product glycerol on the reaction kinetics was also investigated. It was determined that at low methanol to triglyceride molar ratios, glycerol acts to inhibit the reaction rate and limit the overall triglyceride conversion. This occurs because glycerol accumulates in the methanol phase, i.e. the primary reaction volume. When glycerol is at relatively high concentrations within the methanol phase, triglycerides become excluded from the reaction volume. This greatly reduces the reaction rate and limits the overall conversion. As the concentration of methanol is increased, glycerol becomes diluted and the inhibitory effects become dampened. Assuming pseudo-homogeneous phase behavior, a simple kinetic model incorporating the inhibitory effects of glycerol was proposed based on batch reactor data. The kinetic model was primarily used to theoretically compare the performance of different types of continuous flow reactors for continuous biodiesel production. It was determined that the inhibitory effects of glycerol result in the requirement of very large reactor volumes when using continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR). The reactor volume can be greatly reduced using tubular style plug flow reactors (PFR). Despite this fact, the use of CSTRs is more common than the use of PFRs. This is mostly due to the fact that the two initial reactant phases are relatively immiscible and significant agitation is generally supplied to initiate the reaction. Based on the theoretical results, however, the use of a packed-bed tubular flow reactor was investigated experimentally. A series of two tubular flow reactors was built in the laboratory. The first reactor was of the shell and tube variety and also functioned as a preheater. The second reactor was larger and contained a packed-bed. Two different flow configurations were invested, upflow-upflow and downflow-downflow. It was determined that the downflow-downflow configuration provided significantly better triglyceride conversions that the upflow-upflow configuration.

Laser anemometry measurements of natural circulation flow in a scale model PWR reactor system. [Pressurized Water Reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kadambi, J. R.; Schneider, S. J.; Stewart, W. A.

1986-01-01

The natural circulation of a single phase fluid in a scale model of a pressurized water reactor system during a postulated grade core accident is analyzed. The fluids utilized were water and SF6. The design of the reactor model and the similitude requirements are described. Four LDA tests were conducted: water with 28 kW of heat in the simulated core, with and without the participation of simulated steam generators; water with 28 kW of heat in the simulated core, with the participation of simulated steam generators and with cold upflow of 12 lbm/min from the lower plenum; and SF6 with 0.9 kW of heat in the simulated core and without the participation of the simulated steam generators. For the water tests, the velocity of the water in the center of the core increases with vertical height and continues to increase in the upper plenum. For SF6, it is observed that the velocities are an order of magnitude higher than those of water; however, the velocity patterns are similar.

Demand-driven biogas production from sugar beet silage in a novel fixed bed disc reactor under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions.

PubMed

Terboven, Christiane; Ramm, Patrice; Herrmann, Christiane

2017-10-01

A newly developed fixed bed disc reactor (FBDR) which combines biofilm formation on biofilm carriers and reactor agitation in one single system was assessed for its applicability to demand-driven biogas production by variable feeding of sugar beet silage. Five different feeding patterns were studied at an organic loading of 4g VS L -1 d -1 under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. High methane yields of 449-462L N kg VS were reached. Feeding variable punctual loadings caused immediate response with 1.2- to 3.5-fold increase in biogas production rates within 15min. Although variable feeding did not induce process instability, a temporary decrease in pH-value and methane concentration below 40% occurred. Thermophilic temperature was advantageous as it resulted in a more rapid, higher methane production and less pronounced decrease in methane content after feeding. The FBDR was demonstrated to be well-suited for flexible biogas production, but further research and comparison with traditional reactor systems are required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-unit Operations in Non-Nuclear Systems: Lessons Learned for Small Modular Reactors

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

OHara J. M.; Higgins, J.; DAgostino, A.

2012-01-17

The nuclear-power community has reached the stage of proposing advanced reactor designs to support power generation for decades to come. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are one approach to meet these energy needs. While the power output of individual reactor modules is relatively small, they can be grouped to produce reactor sites with different outputs. Also, they can be designed to generate hydrogen, or to process heat. Many characteristics of SMRs are quite different from those of current plants and may be operated quite differently. One difference is that multiple units may be operated by a single crew (or a singlemore » operator) from one control room. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is examining the human factors engineering (HFE) aspects of SMRs to support licensing reviews. While we reviewed information on SMR designs to obtain information, the designs are not completed and all of the design and operational information is not yet available. Nor is there information on multi-unit operations as envisioned for SMRs available in operating experience. Thus, to gain a better understanding of multi-unit operations we sought the lesson learned from non-nuclear systems that have experience in multi-unit operations, specifically refineries, unmanned aerial vehicles and tele-intensive care units. In this paper we report the lessons learned from these systems and the implications for SMRs.« less

Comparing the performance and operation stability of an SBR and MBBR for single-stage nitritation-anammox treating wastewater with high organic load.

PubMed

Lackner, Susanne; Horn, Harald

2013-01-01

Single stage nitritation-anammox reactors have gained increasing attention for their application in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment. The most commonly used system in municipal reject water treatment is at present the sequencing batch reactor (SBR), the moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) is the second most common. However, little is known about their applicability to industrial wastewaters with high C/N ratios. This study presents a comparative approach to evaluate the performance of these two systems by changing the influent from reject water (C:N ratio 1:1) stepwise to an industrial wastewater (C:N ratio 3:1). An intentionally induced temperature drop that led to nitrite accumulation was also tested. The results showed that the MBBR (1.9 kg-N m(-3) d(-1)) was superior to the SBR (0.5 kg-N m(-3) d(-1)) with at maximum up to four times higher volumetric nitrogen removal rates. Both systems accumulated nitrite (> 100 mg-N L(-1)) during the temperature drop from 30 degrees C to as low as 18 degrees C (MBBR) and 20 degrees C (SBR), which subsequently resulted in almost complete loss in the removal capacities. However, the previous removal rates could be re-established in both systems within approximately 40 days. In comparison, the MBBR showed the more stable and higher performance even though higher nitrite concentrations (up to 500 mg-N L(-1)) were encountered. Overall, MBBR operation and handling was also easier and the system was more robust to disturbances compared to the SBR.

Feasibility Study of a Nuclear-Stirling Power Plant for the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitz, Paul C.; Schreiber, Jeffrey G.; Penswick, L. Barry

2005-02-01

NASA is undertaking the design of a new spacecraft to explore the planet Jupiter and its three moons Calisto, Ganymede and Europa. This proposed mission, known as Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) would use a nuclear reactor and an associated electrical generation system (Reactor Power Plant - RPP) to provide power to the spacecraft. The JIMO spacecraft is envisioned to use this power for science and communications as well as Electric Propulsion (EP). Among other potential power-generating concepts, previous studies have considered Thermoelectric and Brayton power conversion systems, coupled to a liquid metal reactor for the JIMO mission. This paper will explore trades in system mass and radiator area for a nuclear reactor power conversion system, however this study will focus on Stirling power conversion. Stirling convertors have a long heritage operating in both power generation and the cooler industry, and are currently in use in a wide variety of applications. The Stirling convertor modeled in this study is based upon the Component Test Power Convertor design that was designed and operated successfully under the Civil Space Technology Initiative for use with the SP-100 nuclear reactor in the 1980's and early 1990's. The baseline RPP considered in this study consists of four dual-opposed Stirling convertors connected to the reactor by a liquid lithium loop. The study design is such that two of the four convertors would operate at any time to generate the 100 kWe while the others are held in reserve. For this study the Stirling convertors hot-side temperature is 1050 K, would operate at a temperature ratio of 2.4 for a minimum mass system and would have a system efficiency of 29%. The Stirling convertor would generate high voltage (400 volt), 100 Hz single phase AC that is supplied to the Power Management and Distribution system. The waste heat is removed from the Stirling convertors by a flowing liquid sodium-potassium eutectic and then rejected by a shared radiator. The radiator consists of two coplanar wings, which would be deployed after the reactor is in space. For this study design, the radiators would be located behind the conical radiation shield of the reactor and fan out as the radiator's distance from the reactor increases. System trades were performed to vary cycle state point temperatures and convertor design as well as power output. Other redundancy combinations were considered to understand the affects of convertor size and number of spares to the system mass.

Feasibility Study of a Nuclear-Stirling Power Plant for the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter

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

Schmitz, Paul C.; Schreiber, Jeffrey G.; Penswick, L. Barry

2005-02-06

NASA is undertaking the design of a new spacecraft to explore the planet Jupiter and its three moons Calisto, Ganymede and Europa. This proposed mission, known as Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) would use a nuclear reactor and an associated electrical generation system (Reactor Power Plant - RPP) to provide power to the spacecraft. The JIMO spacecraft is envisioned to use this power for science and communications as well as Electric Propulsion (EP). Among other potential power-generating concepts, previous studies have considered Thermoelectric and Brayton power conversion systems, coupled to a liquid metal reactor for the JIMO mission. This papermore » will explore trades in system mass and radiator area for a nuclear reactor power conversion system, however this study will focus on Stirling power conversion. Stirling convertors have a long heritage operating in both power generation and the cooler industry, and are currently in use in a wide variety of applications. The Stirling convertor modeled in this study is based upon the Component Test Power Convertor design that was designed and operated successfully under the Civil Space Technology Initiative for use with the SP-100 nuclear reactor in the 1980's and early 1990's. The baseline RPP considered in this study consists of four dual-opposed Stirling convertors connected to the reactor by a liquid lithium loop. The study design is such that two of the four convertors would operate at any time to generate the 100 kWe while the others are held in reserve. For this study the Stirling convertors hot-side temperature is 1050 K, would operate at a temperature ratio of 2.4 for a minimum mass system and would have a system efficiency of 29%. The Stirling convertor would generate high voltage (400 volt), 100 Hz single phase AC that is supplied to the Power Management and Distribution system. The waste heat is removed from the Stirling convertors by a flowing liquid sodium-potassium eutectic and then rejected by a shared radiator. The radiator consists of two coplanar wings, which would be deployed after the reactor is in space. For this study design, the radiators would be located behind the conical radiation shield of the reactor and fan out as the radiator's distance from the reactor increases. System trades were performed to vary cycle state point temperatures and convertor design as well as power output. Other redundancy combinations were considered to understand the affects of convertor size and number of spares to the system mass.« less

Conceptual design and issues of the laser inertial fusion test (LIFT) reactor—targets and chamber systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norimatsu, T.; Kozaki, Y.; Shiraga, H.; Fujita, H.; Okano, K.; Members of LIFT Design Team

2017-11-01

We present the conceptual design of an experimental laser fusion plant known as the laser inertial fusion test (LIFT) reactor. The conceptual design aims at technically connecting a single-shot experiment and a commercial power plant. The LIFT reactor is designed on a three-phase scheme, where each phase has specific goals and the dedicated chambers of each phase are driven by the same laser. Technical issues related to the chamber technology including radiation safety to repeat burst mode operation are discussed in this paper.

Westinghouse Small Modular Reactor balance of plant and supporting systems design

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

Memmott, M. J.; Stansbury, C.; Taylor, C.

2012-07-01

The Westinghouse Small Modular Reactor (SMR) is an 800 MWt (>225 MWe) integral pressurized water reactor (iPWR), in which all of the components typically associated with the nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) of a nuclear power plant are incorporated within a single reactor pressure vessel. This paper is the second in a series of four papers which describe the design and functionality of the Westinghouse SMR. It focuses, in particular, upon the supporting systems and the balance of plant (BOP) designs of the Westinghouse SMR. Several Westinghouse SMR systems are classified as safety, and are critical to the safe operationmore » of the Westinghouse SMR. These include the protection and monitoring system (PMS), the passive core cooling system (PXS), and the spent fuel cooling system (SFS) including pools, valves, and piping. The Westinghouse SMR safety related systems include the instrumentation and controls (I and C) as well as redundant and physically separated safety trains with batteries, electrical systems, and switch gears. Several other incorporated systems are non-safety related, but provide functions for plant operations including defense-in-depth functions. These include the chemical volume control system (CVS), heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems, component cooling water system (CCS), normal residual heat removal system (RNS) and service water system (SWS). The integrated performance of the safety-related and non-safety related systems ensures the safe and efficient operation of the Westinghouse SMR through various conditions and transients. The turbine island consists of the turbine, electric generator, feedwater and steam systems, moisture separation systems, and the condensers. The BOP is designed to minimize assembly time, shipping challenges, and on-site testing requirements for all structures, systems, and components. (authors)« less

Analysis of steam generator tube rupture transients with single failure

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

Trambauer, K.

The Gesellschaft fuer Reaktorsicherheit is engaged in the collection and evaluation of light water reactor operating experience as well as analyses for the risk study of the pressurized water reactor (PWR). Within these activities, thermohydraulic calculations have been performed to show the influence of different boundary conditions and disturbances on the steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) transients. The analyses of these calculations have focused on the measures and systems needed to cope with an SGTR. The reference plant for this analysis is a 1300-MW(e) PWR of Kraftwerk Union design with four loops, each containing a U-tube steam generator (SG) andmore » a reactor cooling pump (RCP). The thermal-hydraulic code DRUFAN-02 was used for the transient calculations.« less

Cultivation of aerobic granular sludge for rubber wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Rosman, Noor Hasyimah; Nor Anuar, Aznah; Othman, Inawati; Harun, Hasnida; Sulong Abdul Razak, Muhammad Zuhdi; Elias, Siti Hanna; Mat Hassan, Mohd Arif Hakimi; Chelliapan, Shreesivadass; Ujang, Zaini

2013-02-01

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) was successfully cultivated at 27±1 °C and pH 7.0±1 during the treatment of rubber wastewater using a sequential batch reactor system mode with complete cycle time of 3 h. Results showed aerobic granular sludge had an excellent settling ability and exhibited exceptional performance in the organics and nutrients removal from rubber wastewater. Regular, dense and fast settling granule (average diameter, 1.5 mm; settling velocity, 33 m h(-1); and sludge volume index, 22.3 mL g(-1)) were developed in a single reactor. In addition, 96.5% COD removal efficiency was observed in the system at the end of the granulation period, while its ammonia and total nitrogen removal efficiencies were up to 94.7% and 89.4%, respectively. The study demonstrated the capabilities of AGS development in a single, high and slender column type-bioreactor for the treatment of rubber wastewater. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a Research Reactor Protocol for Neutron Multiplication Measurements

DOE PAGES

Arthur, Jennifer Ann; Bahran, Rian Mustafa; Hutchinson, Jesson D.; ...

2018-03-20

A new series of subcritical measurements has been conducted at the zero-power Walthousen Reactor Critical Facility (RCF) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) using a 3He neutron multiplicity detector. The Critical and Subcritical 0-Power Experiment at Rensselaer (CaSPER) campaign establishes a protocol for advanced subcritical neutron multiplication measurements involving research reactors for validation of neutron multiplication inference techniques, Monte Carlo codes, and associated nuclear data. There has been increased attention and expanded efforts related to subcritical measurements and analyses, and this work provides yet another data set at known reactivity states that can be used in the validation of state-of-the-art Montemore » Carlo computer simulation tools. The diverse (mass, spatial, spectral) subcritical measurement configurations have been analyzed to produce parameters of interest such as singles rates, doubles rates, and leakage multiplication. MCNP ®6.2 was used to simulate the experiment and the resulting simulated data has been compared to the measured results. Comparison of the simulated and measured observables (singles rates, doubles rates, and leakage multiplication) show good agreement. This work builds upon the previous years of collaborative subcritical experiments and outlines a protocol for future subcritical neutron multiplication inference and subcriticality monitoring measurements on pool-type reactor systems.« less

Development of a Research Reactor Protocol for Neutron Multiplication Measurements

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

Arthur, Jennifer Ann; Bahran, Rian Mustafa; Hutchinson, Jesson D.

A new series of subcritical measurements has been conducted at the zero-power Walthousen Reactor Critical Facility (RCF) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) using a 3He neutron multiplicity detector. The Critical and Subcritical 0-Power Experiment at Rensselaer (CaSPER) campaign establishes a protocol for advanced subcritical neutron multiplication measurements involving research reactors for validation of neutron multiplication inference techniques, Monte Carlo codes, and associated nuclear data. There has been increased attention and expanded efforts related to subcritical measurements and analyses, and this work provides yet another data set at known reactivity states that can be used in the validation of state-of-the-art Montemore » Carlo computer simulation tools. The diverse (mass, spatial, spectral) subcritical measurement configurations have been analyzed to produce parameters of interest such as singles rates, doubles rates, and leakage multiplication. MCNP ®6.2 was used to simulate the experiment and the resulting simulated data has been compared to the measured results. Comparison of the simulated and measured observables (singles rates, doubles rates, and leakage multiplication) show good agreement. This work builds upon the previous years of collaborative subcritical experiments and outlines a protocol for future subcritical neutron multiplication inference and subcriticality monitoring measurements on pool-type reactor systems.« less

Continuous alkaline pretreatment of Miscanthus sacchariflorus using a bench-scale single screw reactor.

PubMed

Cha, Young-Lok; Yang, Jungwoo; Park, Yuri; An, Gi Hong; Ahn, Jong-Woong; Moon, Youn-Ho; Yoon, Young-Mi; Yu, Gyeong-Dan; Choi, In-Hu

2015-04-01

Miscanthus sacchariflorus 'Goedae-Uksae 1' (GU) was developed as an energy crop of high productivity in Korea. For the practical use of GU for bioethanol production, a bench-scale continuous pretreatment system was developed. The reactor performed screw extrusion, soaking and thermochemical pretreatment at the following operating conditions: 3 mm particle size, 22% moisture content, 140 °C reaction temperature, 8 min residence time, 15 g/min biomass feeding and 120 mL/min NaOH input. As a result of minimizing NaOH concentration and enzyme dosage, 90.8±0.49% glucose yield was obtained from 0.5 M NaOH-pretreated GU containing 3% glucan with 10 FPU cellulase/g cellulose at 50 °C for 72 h. The separate hydrolysis and fermentation of 0.5 M NaOH-pretreated GU containing 10% glucan with 10-30 FPU for 102 h produced 43.0-49.6 g/L bioethanol (theoretical yield, 75.8-87.6%). Thus, this study demonstrated that continuous pretreatment using a single screw reactor is effective for bioethanol production from Miscanthus biomass. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance Evaluation of Staged Bosch Process for CO2 Reduction to Produce Life Support Consumables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vilekar, Saurabh A.; Hawley, Kyle; Junaedi, Christian; Walsh, Dennis; Roychoudhury, Subir; Abney. Morgan B.; Mansell, James M.

2012-01-01

Utilizing carbon dioxide to produce water and hence oxygen is critical for sustained manned missions in space, and to support both NASA's cabin Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) and In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) concepts. For long term missions beyond low Earth orbit, where resupply is significantly more difficult and costly, open loop ARS, like Sabatier, consume inputs such as hydrogen. The Bosch process, on the other hand, has the potential to achieve complete loop closure and is hence a preferred choice. However, current single stage Bosch reactor designs suffer from a large recycle penalty due to slow reaction rates and the inherent limitation in approaching thermodynamic equilibrium. Developmental efforts are seeking to improve upon the efficiency (hence reducing the recycle penalty) of current single stage Bosch reactors which employ traditional steel wool catalysts. Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI), with support from NASA, has investigated the potential for utilizing catalysts supported over short-contact time Microlith substrates for the Bosch reaction to achieve faster reaction rates, higher conversions, and a reduced recycle flows. Proof-of-concept testing was accomplished for a staged Bosch process by splitting the chemistry in two separate reactors, first being the reverse water-gas-shift (RWGS) and the second being the carbon formation reactor (CFR) via hydrogenation and/or Boudouard. This paper presents the results from this feasibility study at various operating conditions. Additionally, results from two 70 hour durability tests for the RWGS reactor are discussed.

Novel recirculating loop reactor for studies on model catalysts: CO oxidation on Pt/TiO2(110)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenney, Samuel A.; Xie, Kangmin; Monnier, John R.; Rodriguez, Abraham; Galhenage, Randima P.; Duke, Audrey S.; Chen, Donna A.

2013-10-01

A novel recirculating loop microreactor coupled to an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber has been constructed for the kinetic evaluation of model catalysts, which can be fully characterized by UHV surface science techniques. The challenge for this reactor design is to attain sufficient sensitivity to detect reactions on model single-crystal surfaces, which have a low number of active sites compared to conventional catalysts of equivalent mass. To this end, the total dead volume of the reactor system is minimized (32 cm3), and the system is operated in recirculation mode so that product concentrations build up to detectable levels over time. The injection of gas samples into the gas chromatography column and the refilling of the recirculation loop with fresh feed gas are achieved with computer-controlled, automated switching valves. In this manner, product concentrations can be followed over short time intervals (15 min) for extended periods of time (24 h). A proof of principle study in this reactor for CO oxidation at 145-165 °C on Pt clusters supported on a rutile TiO2(110) single crystal yields kinetic parameters that are comparable to those reported in the literature for CO oxidation on Pt clusters on powdered oxide supports, as well as on Pt(100). The calculated activation energy is 16.4 ± 0.7 kcal/mol, the turnover frequency is 0.03-0.06 molecules/(site.s) over the entire temperature range, and the reaction orders in O2 and CO at 160 °C are 0.9 ± 0.2 and -0.82 ± 0.03, respectively.

Numerical study of slip system activity and crystal lattice rotation under wedge nanoindents in tungsten single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volz, T.; Schwaiger, R.; Wang, J.; Weygand, S. M.

2018-05-01

Tungsten is a promising material for plasma facing components in future nuclear fusion reactors. In the present work, we numerically investigate the deformation behavior of unirradiated tungsten (a body-centered cubic (bcc) single crystal) underneath nanoindents. A finite element (FE) model is presented to simulate wedge indentation. Crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) simulations were performed for face-centered and body-centered single crystals accounting for the slip system family {110} <111> in the bcc crystal system and the {111} <110> slip family in the fcc system. The 90° wedge indenter was aligned parallel to the [1 ¯01 ]-direction and indented the crystal in the [0 1 ¯0 ]-direction up to a maximum indentation depth of 2 µm. In both, the fcc and bcc single crystals, the activity of slip systems was investigated and compared. Good agreement with the results from former investigations on fcc single crystals was observed. Furthermore, the in-plane lattice rotation in the material underneath an indent was determined and compared for the fcc and bcc single crystals.

Reactor/Brayton power systems for nuclear electric spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Layton, J. P.

1980-01-01

Studies are currently underway to assess the technological feasibility of a nuclear-reactor-powered spacecraft propelled by electric thrusters. This vehicle would be capable of performing detailed exploration of the outer planets of the solar system during the remainder of this century. The purpose of this study was to provide comparative information on a closed cycle gas turbine power conversion system. The results have shown that the performance is very competitive and that a 400 kWe space power system is dimensionally compatible with a single Space Shuttle launch. Performance parameters of system mass and radiator area were determined for systems from 100 to 1000 kWe. A 400 kWe reference system received primary attention. The components of this system were defined and a conceptual layout was developed with encouraging results. The preliminary mass determination for the complete power system was very close to the desired goal of 20 kg/kWe. Use of more advanced technology (higher turbine inlet temperature) will substantially improve system performance characteristics.

The Bosch Process-Performance of a Developmental Reactor and Experimental Evaluation of Alternative Catalysts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abney, Morgan B.; Mansell, J. Matthew

2010-01-01

Bosch-based reactors have been in development at NASA since the 1960's. Traditional operation involves the reduction of carbon dioxide with hydrogen over a steel wool catalyst to produce water and solid carbon. While the system is capable of completely closing the loop on oxygen and hydrogen for Atmosphere Revitalization, steel wool requires a reaction temperature of 650C or higher for optimum performance. The single pass efficiency of the reaction over steel wool has been shown to be less than 10% resulting in a high recycle stream. Finally, the formation of solid carbon on steel wool ultimately fouls the catalyst necessitating catalyst resupply. These factors result in high mass, volume and power demands for a Bosch system. Interplanetary transportation and surface exploration missions of the moon, Mars, and near-earth objects will require higher levels of loop closure than current technology cannot provide. A Bosch system can provide the level of loop closure necessary for these long-term missions if mass, volume, and power can be kept low. The keys to improving the Bosch system lie in reactor and catalyst development. In 2009, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration refurbished a circa 1980's developmental Bosch reactor and built a sub-scale Bosch Catalyst Test Stand for the purpose of reactor and catalyst development. This paper describes the baseline performance of two commercially available steel wool catalysts as compared to performance reported in the 1960's and 80's. Additionally, the results of sub-scale testing of alternative Bosch catalysts, including nickel- and cobalt-based catalysts, are discussed.

Feasibility Study of a Nuclear-Stirling Plant for the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmitz, Paul C.; Schreiber, Jeffrey G.; Penswick, L. Barry

2005-01-01

NASA is undertaking the design of a new spacecraft to explore the planet Jupiter and its three moons Calisto, Ganymede and Europa. This proposed mission, known as Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) would use a nuclear reactor and an associated electrical generation system (Reactor Power Plant-RPP) to provide power to the spacecraft. The JIMO spacecraft is envisioned to use this power for science and communications as well as Electric Propulsion (EP). Among other potential power-generating concepts, previous studies have considered Thermoelectric and Brayton Power conversion systems, coupled to a liquid metal reactor for the JIMO mission. This paper will explore trades in system mass and radiator area for a nuclear reactor power conversion system, however this study will focus on Stirling power conversion. The Stirling convertor modeled in this study is based upon the Component Test Power Convertor design that was designed and operated successfully under the Civil Space Technology Initiative for use with the SP-100 nuclear reactor i the 1980's and early 1990's. The study design is such that two of the four convertors would operate at any time to generate the 100 kWe while the others are held in reserve. For this study the Stirling convertors hot-side temperature is 1050 K, would operate at a temperature ratio of 2.4 for a minimum mass system and would have a system efficiency of 29%. The Stirling convertor would generate high voltage (400 volt), 100 Hz single phase AC that is supplied to the Power Management and Distribution system. The waste hear is removed from the Stirling convertors by a flowing liquid sodium-potassium eutectic and then rejected by a shared radiator. The radiator consists of two coplanar wings, which would be deployed after the reactor is in space. System trades were performed to vary cycle state point temperatures and convertor design as well as power output. Other redundancy combinations were considered to understand the affects of convertor size and number of spares to the system mass.

Influence of temperature on the single-stage ATAD process predicted by a thermal equilibrium model.

PubMed

Cheng, Jiehong; Zhu, Jun; Kong, Feng; Zhang, Chunyong

2015-06-01

Autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) is a promising biological process that will produce an effluent satisfying the Class A requirements on pathogen control and land application. The thermophilic temperature in an ATAD reactor is one of the critical factors that can affect the satisfactory operation of the ATAD process. This paper established a thermal equilibrium model to predict the effect of variables on the auto-rising temperature in an ATAD system. The reactors with volumes smaller than 10 m(3) could not achieve temperatures higher than 45 °C under ambient temperature of -5 °C. The results showed that for small reactors, the reactor volume played a key role in promoting auto-rising temperature in the winter. Thermophilic temperature achieved in small ATAD reactors did not entirely depend on the heat release from biological activities during degrading organic matters in sludges, but was related to the ambient temperature. The ratios of surface area-to-effective volume less than 2.0 had less impact on the auto-rising temperature of an ATAD reactor. The influence of ambient temperature on the auto-rising reactor temperature decreased with increasing reactor volumes. High oxygen transfer efficiency had a significant influence on the internal temperature rise in an ATAD system, indicating that improving the oxygen transfer efficiency of aeration devices was a key factor to achieve a higher removal rate of volatile solids (VS) during the ATAD process operation. Compared with aeration using cold air, hot air demonstrated a significant effect on maintaining the internal temperature (usually 4-5 °C higher). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Economic Potential of Two Nuclear-Renewable Hybrid Energy Systems

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

Ruth, Mark; Cutler, Dylan; Flores-Espino, Francisco

Tightly coupled nuclear-renewable hybrid energy systems (N-R HESs) are an option that can generate zero-carbon, dispatchable electricity and provide zero-carbon energy for industrial processes at a lower cost than alternatives. N-R HESs are defined as systems that are managed by a single entity and link a nuclear reactor that generates heat, a thermal power cycle for heat to electricity conversion, at least one renewable energy source, and an industrial process that uses thermal and/or electrical energy. This report provides results of an analysis of two N-R HES scenarios. The first is a Texas-synthetic gasoline scenario that includes four subsystems: amore » nuclear reactor, thermal power cycle, wind power plant, and synthetic gasoline production technology. The second is an Arizona-desalination scenario with its four subsystems a nuclear reactor, thermal power cycle, solar photovoltaics, and a desalination plant. The analysis focuses on the economics of the N-R HESs and how they compare to other options, including configurations without all the subsystems in each N-R HES and alternatives where the energy is provided by natural gas.« less

Application of a redox gradostat reactor for assessing rhizosphere microorganism activity on lambda-cyhalothrin.

PubMed

Peacock, T J; Mikell, A T; Moore, M T; Smith, S

2014-03-01

Bacterial activity on pesticides can lead to decreased toxicity or persistence in aquatic systems. Rhizosphere activity is difficult to measure in situ. To mimic rhizosphere properties of the soft rush, Juncus effusus, a single-stage gradostat reactor was developed to study cycling of lambda-cyhalothrin by rhizobacteria and the effects of Fe(III) and citrate, both common in wetland soil, on lambda-cyhalothrin degradation. Redox gradient changes, greater than ± 10 mV, were apparent within days 5-15 both in the presence and absence of ferric citrate. Through the production of a redox gradient (p < 0.05) by rhizobacteria and the ability to measure pesticide loss over time (p < 0.05), reactors were useful in expanding knowledge on this active environment.

75 FR 54961 - Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Single Nuclear Unit at the Bellefonte Plant...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-09

... facility, a wind farm, a methane- gas cofiring facility, and several small solar photovoltaic facilities... maintenance of select plant systems and other regulatory compliance activities. Major buildings and plant... the plant cooling towers and the reactor, auxiliary, control, turbine, office, and service buildings...

Low-cost solar array project task 1: Silicon material. Gaseous melt replenishment system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jewett, D. N.; Bates, H. E.; Hill, D. M.

1980-01-01

The operation of a silicon production technique was demonstrated. The essentials of the method comprise chemical vapor deposition of silicon, by hydrogen reduction of chlorosilanes, on the inside of a quartz reaction vessel having large internal surface area. The system was designed to allow successive deposition-melting cycles, with silicon removal being accomplished by discharging the molten silicon. The liquid product would be suitable for transfer to a crystal growth process, casting into solid form, or production of shots. A scaled-down prototype reactor demonstrated single pass conversion efficiency of 20 percent and deposition rates and energy consumption better than conventional Siemens reactors, via deposition rates of 365 microns/hr. and electrical consumption of 35 Kwhr/kg of silicon produced.

Performance of a natural gas fuel processor for residential PEFC system using a novel CO preferential oxidation catalyst

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echigo, Mitsuaki; Shinke, Norihisa; Takami, Susumu; Tabata, Takeshi

Natural gas fuel processors have been developed for 500 W and 1 kW class residential polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) systems. These fuel processors contain all the elements—desulfurizers, steam reformers, CO shift converters, CO preferential oxidation (PROX) reactors, steam generators, burners and heat exchangers—in one package. For the PROX reactor, a single-stage PROX process using a novel PROX catalyst was adopted. In the 1 kW class fuel processor, thermal efficiency of 83% at HHV was achieved at nominal output assuming a H 2 utilization rate in the cell stack of 76%. CO concentration below 1 ppm in the product gas was achieved even under the condition of [O 2]/[CO]=1.5 at the PROX reactor. The long-term durability of the fuel processor was demonstrated with almost no deterioration in thermal efficiency and CO concentration for 10,000 h, 1000 times start and stop cycles, 25,000 cycles of load change.

SAFSIM theory manual: A computer program for the engineering simulation of flow systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobranich, Dean

1993-12-01

SAFSIM (System Analysis Flow SIMulator) is a FORTRAN computer program for simulating the integrated performance of complex flow systems. SAFSIM provides sufficient versatility to allow the engineering simulation of almost any system, from a backyard sprinkler system to a clustered nuclear reactor propulsion system. In addition to versatility, speed and robustness are primary SAFSIM development goals. SAFSIM contains three basic physics modules: (1) a fluid mechanics module with flow network capability; (2) a structure heat transfer module with multiple convection and radiation exchange surface capability; and (3) a point reactor dynamics module with reactivity feedback and decay heat capability. Any or all of the physics modules can be implemented, as the problem dictates. SAFSIM can be used for compressible and incompressible, single-phase, multicomponent flow systems. Both the fluid mechanics and structure heat transfer modules employ a one-dimensional finite element modeling approach. This document contains a description of the theory incorporated in SAFSIM, including the governing equations, the numerical methods, and the overall system solution strategies.

Failure Detecting Method of Fault Current Limiter System with Rectifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokuda, Noriaki; Matsubara, Yoshio; Asano, Masakuni; Ohkuma, Takeshi; Sato, Yoshibumi; Takahashi, Yoshihisa

A fault current limiter (FCL) is extensively needed to suppress fault current, particularly required for trunk power systems connecting high-voltage transmission lines, such as 500kV class power system which constitutes the nucleus of the electric power system. We proposed a new type FCL system (rectifier type FCL), consisting of solid-state diodes, DC reactor and bypass AC reactor, and demonstrated the excellent performances of this FCL by developing the small 6.6kV and 66kV model. It is important to detect the failure of power devices used in the rectifier under the normal operating condition, for keeping the excellent reliability of the power system. In this paper, we have proposed a new failure detecting method of power devices most suitable for the rectifier type FCL. This failure detecting system is simple and compact. We have adapted the proposed system to the 66kV prototype single-phase model and successfully demonstrated to detect the failure of power devices.

Chemical vapor deposition of epitaxial silicon

DOEpatents

Berkman, Samuel

1984-01-01

A single chamber continuous chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor is described for depositing continuously on flat substrates, for example, epitaxial layers of semiconductor materials. The single chamber reactor is formed into three separate zones by baffles or tubes carrying chemical source material and a carrier gas in one gas stream and hydrogen gas in the other stream without interaction while the wafers are heated to deposition temperature. Diffusion of the two gas streams on heated wafers effects the epitaxial deposition in the intermediate zone and the wafers are cooled in the final zone by coolant gases. A CVD reactor for batch processing is also described embodying the deposition principles of the continuous reactor.

Excitability in chemical and biochemical pH-autocatalytic systems.

PubMed

Zagora, J; Voslar, M; Schreiberová, L; Schreiber, I

2001-01-01

Using two different kinds of pH systems--the papain catalyzed hydrolysis of N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester in a membrane reactor and the bromate-sulfite-ferrocyanide (BSF) reaction in the CSTR--we study the relation among excitability, oscillations and bistability, and the ability of the system to respond to external periodic perturbations. Excitable properties of dynamical systems are examined in terms of a threshold set which is used to characterise dynamics in the reactor subject to external periodic stimuli. A precise definition and a method of calculating the threshold set are formulated. Two kinds of excitability distinguished by either direct or indirect initiation of the activatory process are found in both pH systems. Periodic pulsed perturbations of the BSF system display a nontrivial dependence of an excitation number on the forcing period. We examined this system also in oscillatory mode by looking at the phase shifts caused by single-pulse perturbations and constructing the phase transition curves (PTCs).

Numerical and Experimental Thermal Responses of Single-cell and Differential Calorimeters: from Out-of-Pile Calibration to Irradiation Campaigns

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

Brun, J.; Reynard-Carette, C.; Carette, M.

2015-07-01

The nuclear radiation energy deposition rate (usually expressed in W.g{sup -1}) is a key parameter for the thermal design of experiments, on materials and nuclear fuel, carried out in experimental channels of irradiation reactors such as the French OSIRIS reactor in Saclay or inside the Polish MARIA reactor. In particular the quantification of the nuclear heating allows to predicting the heat and thermal conditions induced in the irradiation devices or/and structural materials. Various sensors are used to quantify this parameter, in particular radiometric calorimeters also called in-pile calorimeters. Two main kinds of in-pile calorimeter exist with in particular specific designs:more » single-cell calorimeter and differential calorimeter. The present work focuses on these two calorimeter kinds from their out-of-pile calibration step (transient and steady experiments respectively) to comparison between numerical and experimental results obtained from two irradiation campaigns (MARIA reactor and OSIRIS reactor respectively). The main aim of this paper is to propose a steady numerical approach to estimate the single-cell calorimeter response under irradiation conditions. (authors)« less

'Bugs' used to treat FGD wastewater

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

Blankinship, S.

2009-09-15

Tough regulation of heavy metals may justify a bioreactor approach in addition to chemical treatment of FGD wastewater. Two of Duke Energy' coal-fired plants, Belews Creek and Allen (in North Carolina) have installed new biological reactor systems to increase selenium removal to levels not achievable by existing scrubber waste water systems. The ABMet system removes nitrate and selenium in a single step. Progress Energy has installed the system at Roxboro and Mayo Stations, also in North Carolina. 1 fig., 2 photos.

Fabrication and Testing of a Modular Micro-Pocket Fission Detector Instrumentation System for Test Nuclear Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichenberger, Michael A.; Nichols, Daniel M.; Stevenson, Sarah R.; Swope, Tanner M.; Hilger, Caden W.; Roberts, Jeremy A.; Unruh, Troy C.; McGregor, Douglas S.

2018-01-01

Advancements in nuclear reactor core modeling and computational capability have encouraged further development of in-core neutron sensors. Measurement of the neutron-flux distribution within the reactor core provides a more complete understanding of the operating conditions in the reactor than typical ex-core sensors. Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors have been developed and tested previously but have been limited to single-node operation and have utilized highly specialized designs. The development of a widely deployable, multi-node Micro-Pocket Fission Detector assembly will enhance nuclear research capabilities. A modular, four-node Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array was designed, fabricated, and tested at Kansas State University. The array was constructed from materials that do not significantly perturb the neutron flux in the reactor core. All four sensor nodes were equally spaced axially in the array to span the fuel-region of the reactor core. The array was filled with neon gas, serving as an ionization medium in the small cavities of the Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors. The modular design of the instrument facilitates the testing and deployment of numerous sensor arrays. The unified design drastically improved device ruggedness and simplified construction from previous designs. Five 8-mm penetrations in the upper grid plate of the Kansas State University TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor were utilized to deploy the array between fuel elements in the core. The Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array was coupled to an electronic support system which has been specially developed to support pulse-mode operation. The Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array composed of four sensors was used to monitor local neutron flux at a constant reactor power of 100 kWth at different axial locations simultaneously. The array was positioned at five different radial locations within the core to emulate the deployment of multiple arrays and develop a 2-dimensional measurement of neutron flux in the reactor core.

Nuclear Energy Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-10

Small Modular Reactors Rising cost estimates for large conventional nuclear power plants—widely projected to be $6 billion or more—have contributed to growing interest in proposals for smaller, modular reactors. Ranging from about 40 to 350 megawatts of electrical capacity, such reactors would be only a fraction of the size of current commercial reactors. Several modular reactors would be installed together to make up a power block with a single control room, under most concepts. Modular reactor concepts would use a variety of technologies,

10 CFR 50.46a - Acceptance criteria for reactor coolant system venting systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Acceptance criteria for reactor coolant system venting... criteria for reactor coolant system venting systems. Each nuclear power reactor must be provided with high point vents for the reactor coolant system, for the reactor vessel head, and for other systems required...

10 CFR 50.46a - Acceptance criteria for reactor coolant system venting systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Acceptance criteria for reactor coolant system venting... criteria for reactor coolant system venting systems. Each nuclear power reactor must be provided with high point vents for the reactor coolant system, for the reactor vessel head, and for other systems required...

RELAP-7 Development Updates

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

Zhang, Hongbin; Zhao, Haihua; Gleicher, Frederick Nathan

RELAP-7 is a nuclear systems safety analysis code being developed at the Idaho National Laboratory, and is the next generation tool in the RELAP reactor safety/systems analysis application series. RELAP-7 development began in 2011 to support the Risk Informed Safety Margins Characterization (RISMC) Pathway of the Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program. The overall design goal of RELAP-7 is to take advantage of the previous thirty years of advancements in computer architecture, software design, numerical methods, and physical models in order to provide capabilities needed for the RISMC methodology and to support nuclear power safety analysis. The code is beingmore » developed based on Idaho National Laboratory’s modern scientific software development framework – MOOSE (the Multi-Physics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment). The initial development goal of the RELAP-7 approach focused primarily on the development of an implicit algorithm capable of strong (nonlinear) coupling of the dependent hydrodynamic variables contained in the 1-D/2-D flow models with the various 0-D system reactor components that compose various boiling water reactor (BWR) and pressurized water reactor nuclear power plants (NPPs). During Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, the RELAP-7 code has been further improved with expanded capability to support boiling water reactor (BWR) and pressurized water reactor NPPs analysis. The accumulator model has been developed. The code has also been coupled with other MOOSE-based applications such as neutronics code RattleSnake and fuel performance code BISON to perform multiphysics analysis. A major design requirement for the implicit algorithm in RELAP-7 is that it is capable of second-order discretization accuracy in both space and time, which eliminates the traditional first-order approximation errors. The second-order temporal is achieved by a second-order backward temporal difference, and the one-dimensional second-order accurate spatial discretization is achieved with the Galerkin approximation of Lagrange finite elements. During FY-2015, we have done numerical verification work to verify that the RELAP-7 code indeed achieves 2nd-order accuracy in both time and space for single phase models at the system level.« less

EXPERIMENTAL AND ANALYTICAL STUDIES OF REFLECTRO CONTROL FOR THE ADVANCED ENGINEERING TEST REACTOR. PART A. EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES WITH THE REFLECTOR CONTROL SYSTEM MODEL. PART B. ANALYTICAL STUDIES OF REFLECTOR CONTROL

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

Bertelson, P.C.; Francis, T.L.

1959-10-21

Studies of reflector control for the Advanced Engineering Test Reactor were made. The performance of various parts of the reflector control system model such as the safety reflector and the water jet educator, boric acid injection, and demineralizer systems is discussed. The experimental methods and results obtained are discussed. Four reflector control schemes were studied. The schemes were a single-region and three-region reflector schemes two separate reflectors, and two connected reflectors. Calculations were made of shim and safety reflector worth for a variety of parameters. Safety reflector thickness was varied from 7.75 to 0 inches, with and without boron. Boricmore » acid concentration was varied from 100 to 2% of saturation in the shim reflectors. Neutron flux plots are presented (C.J.G.)« less

Design consideration for a nuclear electric propulsion system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, W. M.; Pawlik, E. V.

1978-01-01

A study is currently underway to design a nuclear electric propulsion vehicle capable of performing detailed exploration of the outer-planets. Primary emphasis is on the power subsystem. Secondary emphasis includes integration into a spacecraft, and integration with the thrust subsystem and science package or payload. The results of several design iterations indicate an all-heat-pipe system offers greater reliability, elimination of many technology development areas and a specific weight of under 20 kg/kWe at the 400 kWe power level. The system is compatible with a single Shuttle launch and provides greater safety than could be obtained with designs using pumped liquid metal cooling. Two configurations, one with the reactor and power conversion forward on the spacecraft with the ion engines aft and the other with reactor, power conversion and ion engines aft were selected as dual baseline designs based on minimum weight, minimum required technology development and maximum growth potential and flexibility.

Numerical Simulations of a 96-rod Polysilicon CVD Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guoqiang, Tang; Cong, Chen; Yifang, Cai; Bing, Zong; Yanguo, Cai; Tihu, Wang

2018-05-01

With the rapid development of the photovoltaic industry, pressurized Siemens belljar-type polysilicon CVD reactors have been enlarged from 24 rods to 96 rods in less than 10 years aimed at much greater single-reactor productivity. A CFD model of an industry-scale 96-rod CVD reactor was established to study the internal temperature distribution and the flow field of the reactor. Numerical simulations were carried out and compared with actual growth results from a real CVD reactor. Factors affecting polysilicon depositions such as inlet gas injections, flow field, and temperature distribution in the CVD reactor are studied.

Novel, Integrated Reactor/Power Conversion System (LMR-AMTEC)

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

Dmitry V. Paramonov, Lead Collaborator

2001-07-31

The overall objective of NERI Project Number 99-0198 is to assess the technical and economic feasibility, develop engineering solutions and determine a range of potential applications for ''Novel Integrated Reactor/Energy conversion Systems''. The near term goal is the design of a power supply for developing countries in remote locations in a proliferation resistant, reliable and economical way. The heart of the concept is the use of a single loop liquid metal fast reactor (LMR) with conversion of the heat directly into electricity in a Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Converter (AMTEC). The first year of the project focused on themore » feasibility issues with a long life, high temperature liquid metal-cooled core; selection of the working fluid, core-to-AMTEC coupling scheme and interface parameters; and, energy conversion systems design and performance. Report Number STD-ES-01-0028, Revision 0, dated July 31, 2001, summarizes the work performed by Westinghouse personnel in Year One and report number UNM-ISNPS-3-2000, dated October 2000, summarizes the work performed by the Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies at the University of New Mexico in Year One.« less

A Single-Granule-Level Approach Reveals Ecological Heterogeneity in an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor

PubMed Central

Mei, Ran; Narihiro, Takashi; Bocher, Benjamin T. W.; Yamaguchi, Takashi; Liu, Wen-Tso

2016-01-01

Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor has served as an effective process to treat industrial wastewater such as purified terephthalic acid (PTA) wastewater. For optimal UASB performance, balanced ecological interactions between syntrophs, methanogens, and fermenters are critical. However, much of the interactions remain unclear because UASB have been studied at a “macro”-level perspective of the reactor ecosystem. In reality, such reactors are composed of a suite of granules, each forming individual micro-ecosystems treating wastewater. Thus, typical approaches may be oversimplifying the complexity of the microbial ecology and granular development. To identify critical microbial interactions at both macro- and micro- level ecosystem ecology, we perform community and network analyses on 300 PTA–degrading granules from a lab-scale UASB reactor and two full-scale reactors. Based on MiSeq-based 16S rRNA gene sequencing of individual granules, different granule-types co-exist in both full-scale reactors regardless of granule size and reactor sampling depth, suggesting that distinct microbial interactions occur in different granules throughout the reactor. In addition, we identify novel networks of syntrophic metabolic interactions in different granules, perhaps caused by distinct thermodynamic conditions. Moreover, unseen methanogenic relationships (e.g. “Candidatus Aminicenantes” and Methanosaeta) are observed in UASB reactors. In total, we discover unexpected microbial interactions in granular micro-ecosystems supporting UASB ecology and treatment through a unique single-granule level approach. PMID:27936088

Overview of the Westinghouse Small Modular Reactor building layout

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

Cronje, J. M.; Van Wyk, J. J.; Memmott, M. J.

The Westinghouse Small Modular Reactor (SMR) is an 800 MWt (>225 MWe) integral pressurized water reactor (iPWR), in which all of the components typically associated with the nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) of a nuclear power plant are incorporated within a single reactor pressure vessel. This paper is the third in a series of four papers, which describe the design and functionality of the Westinghouse SMR. It focuses in particular upon the plant building layout and modular design of the Westinghouse SMR. In the development of small modular reactors, the building layout is an area where the safety of themore » plant can be improved by applying new design approaches. This paper will present an overview of the Westinghouse SMR building layout and indicate how the design features improve the safety and robustness of the plant. The Westinghouse SMR is designed with no shared systems between individual reactor units. The main buildings inside the security fence are the nuclear island, the rad-waste building, the annex building, and the turbine building. All safety related equipment is located in the nuclear island, which is a seismic class 1 building. To further enhance the safety and robustness of the design, the reactor, containment, and most of the safety related equipment are located below grade on the nuclear island. This reduces the possibility of severe damage from external threats or natural disasters. Two safety related ultimate heat sink (UHS) water tanks that are used for decay heat removal are located above grade, but are redundant and physically separated as far as possible for improved safety. The reactor and containment vessel are located below grade in the center of the nuclear island. The rad-waste and other radioactive systems are located on the bottom floors to limit the radiation exposure to personnel. The Westinghouse SMR safety trains are completely separated into four unconnected quadrants of the building, with access between quadrants only allowed above grade. This is an improvement to conventional reactor design since it prevents failures of multiple trains during floods or fires and other external events. The main control room is located below grade, with a remote shutdown room in a different quadrant. All defense in depth systems are placed on the nuclear island, primarily above grade, while the safety systems are located on lower floors. The economics of the Westinghouse SMR challenges the established approach of large Light Water Reactors (LWR) that utilized the economies of scale to reach economic competitiveness. To serve the market expectation of smaller capital investment and cost competitive energy, a modular design approach is implemented within the Westinghouse SMR. The Westinghouse SMR building layout integrates the three basic design constraints of modularization; transportation, handling and module-joining technology. (authors)« less

Westinghouse Small Modular Reactor nuclear steam supply system design

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

Memmott, M. J.; Harkness, A. W.; Van Wyk, J.

2012-07-01

The Westinghouse Small Modular Reactor (SMR) is an 800 MWt (>225 MWe) integral pressurized water reactor (iPWR), in which all of the components typically associated with the nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) of a nuclear power plant are incorporated within a single reactor pressure vessel. This paper is the first in a series of four papers which describe the design and functionality of the Westinghouse SMR. Also described in this series are the key drivers influencing the design of the Westinghouse SMR and the unique passive safety features of the Westinghouse SMR. Several critical motivators contributed to the development andmore » integration of the Westinghouse SMR design. These design driving motivators dictated the final configuration of the Westinghouse SMR to varying degrees, depending on the specific features under consideration. These design drivers include safety, economics, AP1000{sup R} reactor expertise and experience, research and development requirements, functionality of systems and components, size of the systems and vessels, simplicity of design, and licensing requirements. The Westinghouse SMR NSSS consists of an integral reactor vessel within a compact containment vessel. The core is located in the bottom of the reactor vessel and is composed of 89 modified Westinghouse 17x17 Robust Fuel Assemblies (RFA). These modified fuel assemblies have an active core length of only 2.4 m (8 ft) long, and the entirety of the core is encompassed by a radial reflector. The Westinghouse SMR core operates on a 24 month fuel cycle. The reactor vessel is approximately 24.4 m (80 ft) long and 3.7 m (12 ft) in diameter in order to facilitate standard rail shipping to the site. The reactor vessel houses hot and cold leg channels to facilitate coolant flow, control rod drive mechanisms (CRDM), instrumentation and cabling, an intermediate flange to separate flow and instrumentation and facilitate simpler refueling, a pressurizer, a straight tube, recirculating steam generator, and eight reactor coolant pumps (RCP). The containment vessel is 27.1 m (89 ft) long and 9.8 m (32 ft) in diameter, and is designed to withstand pressures up to 1.7 MPa (250 psi). It is completely submerged in a pool of water serving as a heat sink and radiation shield. Housed within the containment are four combined core makeup tanks (CMT)/passive residual heat removal (PRHR) heat exchangers, two in-containment pools (ICP), two ICP tanks and four valves which function as the automatic depressurization system (ADS). The PRHR heat exchangers are thermally connected to two different ultimate heat sink (UHS) tanks which provide transient cooling capabilities. (authors)« less

Inactivation and injury assessment of Escherichia coli during solar and photocatalytic disinfection in LDPE bags.

PubMed

Dunlop, P S M; Ciavola, M; Rizzo, L; Byrne, J A

2011-11-01

Solar disinfection (SODIS) of Escherichia coli suspensions in low-density polyethylene bag reactors was investigated as a low-cost disinfection method suitable for application in developing countries. The efficiency of a range of SODIS reactor configurations was examined (single skin (SS), double skin, black-backed single skin, silver-backed single skin (SBSS) and composite-backed single skin) using E. coli suspended in model and real surface water. Titanium dioxide was added to the reactors to improve the efficiency of the SODIS process. The effect of turbidity was also assessed. In addition to viable counts, E. coli injury was characterised through spread-plate analysis using selective and non-selective media. The optimal reactor configuration was determined to be the SBSS bag (t(50)=9.0min) demonstrating the importance of UVA photons, as opposed to infrared in the SODIS disinfection mechanism. Complete inactivation (6.5-log) was achieved in the presence of turbidity (50NTU) using the SBSS bag within 180min simulated solar exposure. The addition of titanium dioxide (0.025gL(-1)) significantly enhanced E. coli inactivation in the SS reactor, with 6-log inactivation observed within 90min simulated solar exposure. During the early stages of both SODIS and photocatalytic disinfection, injured E. coli were detected; however, irreversible injury was caused and re-growth was not observed. Experiments under solar conditions were undertaken with total inactivation (6.5-log) observed in the SS reactor within 240min, incomplete inactivation (4-log) was observed in SODIS bottles exposed to the same solar conditions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-electric applications for magneto-inertial fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slough, John

2016-10-01

In addition to the generation of commercial electric power, there are several other applications for an intense pulse of neutrons that would be produced by magneto-inertial fusion (MIF) systems. Many of these applications can be achieved without the need for a fully developed reactor at high gain, and could thus be pursued at a much earlier stage of development which would dramatically reduce the risk of the long-term development and concern for the expense of an all-encompassing, single use system such as the tokamak or stellerator. A short list of applications well suited for MIF would include: (1) production of radioisotopes for medical applications and research, (2) efficient, high power propulsion through direct fusion heating of lithium propellants (3) Noninvasive interrogation of objects for homeland security (4) neutron radiography and tomography (5) destruction of long-lived radioactive waste, and (6) breeding of proliferation proof fissile fuel for existing nuclear reactors. These applications could all be pursued at lower neutron yield, but clearly the energy goals are by far the most significant and far reaching such as applying fusion energy as a hybrid to enable thorium cycle reactors which produce very little waste compared to the current uranium reactors. A discussion of how MIF could be configured and utilized to realize several of these uses will be discussed.

Development of an advanced antineutrino detector for reactor monitoring

DOE PAGES

Classen, T.; Bernstein, A.; Bowden, N. S.; ...

2014-11-05

We present the development of a compact antineutrino detector for the purpose of nuclear reactor monitoring, improving upon a previously successful design. Our paper will describe the design improvements of the detector which increases the antineutrino detection efficiency threefold over the previous effort. There are two main design improvements over previous generations of detectors for nuclear reactor monitoring: dual-ended optical readout and single volume detection mass. The dual-ended optical readout eliminates the need for fiducialization and increases the uniformity of the detector's optical response. The containment of the detection mass in a single active volume provides more target mass permore » detector footprint, a key design criteria for operating within a nuclear power plant. This technology could allow for real-time monitoring of the evolution of a nuclear reactor core, independent of reactor operator declarations of fuel inventories, and may be of interest to the safeguards community.« less

Single Aerosol Particle Studies Using Optical Trapping Raman And Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Z.; Wang, C.; Pan, Y. L.; Videen, G.

2017-12-01

Due to the physical and chemical complexity of aerosol particles and the interdisciplinary nature of aerosol science that involves physics, chemistry, and biology, our knowledge of aerosol particles is rather incomplete; our current understanding of aerosol particles is limited by averaged (over size, composition, shape, and orientation) and/or ensemble (over time, size, and multi-particles) measurements. Physically, single aerosol particles are the fundamental units of any large aerosol ensembles. Chemically, single aerosol particles carry individual chemical components (properties and constituents) in particle ensemble processes. Therefore, the study of single aerosol particles can bridge the gap between aerosol ensembles and bulk/surface properties and provide a hierarchical progression from a simple benchmark single-component system to a mixed-phase multicomponent system. A single aerosol particle can be an effective reactor to study heterogeneous surface chemistry in multiple phases. Latest technological advances provide exciting new opportunities to study single aerosol particles and to further develop single aerosol particle instrumentation. We present updates on our recent studies of single aerosol particles optically trapped in air using the optical-trapping Raman and cavity ringdown spectroscopy.

Research and Development Roadmaps for Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Reactors

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

Kim, T. K.; Grandy, C.; Natesan, K.

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) commissioned the development of technology roadmaps for advanced (non-light water reactor) reactor concepts to help focus research and development funding over the next five years. The roadmaps show the research and development needed to support demonstration of an advanced (non-LWR) concept by the early 2030s, consistent with DOE’s Vision and Strategy for the Development and Deployment of Advanced Reactors. The intent is only to convey the technical steps that would be required to achieve such a goal; the means by which DOE will determine whether to invest in specific tasks will be treatedmore » separately. The starting point for the roadmaps is the Technical Readiness Assessment performed as part of an Advanced Test and Demonstration Reactor study released in 2016. The roadmaps were developed based upon a review of technical reports and vendor literature summarizing the technical maturity of each concept and the outstanding research and development needs. Critical path tasks for specific systems were highlighted on the basis of time and resources needed to complete the tasks and the importance of the system to the performance of the reactor concept. The roadmaps are generic, i.e. not specific to a particular vendor’s design but vendor design information may have been used as representative of the concept family. In the event that both near-term and more advanced versions of a concept are being developed, either a single roadmap with multiple branches or separate roadmaps for each version were developed. In each case, roadmaps point to a demonstration reactor (engineering or commercial) and show the activities that must be completed in parallel to support that demonstration in the 2030-2035 window. This report provides the roadmaps for two fast reactor concepts, the Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) and the Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR). The SFR technology is mature enough for commercial demonstration by the early 2030s, and the remaining critical paths and R&D needs are generally related to the completion of qualification of fuel and structural materials, validation of reactor design codes and methods, and support of the licensing frameworks. The LFR’s technology is instead less-mature compared to the SFR’s, and will be at the engineering demonstration stage by the early 2030s. Key LFR technology development activities will focus on resolving remaining design challenges and demonstrating the viability of systems and components in the integral system, which will be done in parallel with addressing the gaps shared with SFR technology. The approach and timeline presented here assume that, for the first module demonstration, vendors would pursue a two-step licensing process based on 10CFR Part 50.« less

Multi-physics design and analyses of long life reactors for lunar outposts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schriener, Timothy M.

Future human exploration of the solar system is likely to include establishing permanent outposts on the surface of the Moon. These outposts will require reliable sources of electrical power in the range of 10's to 100's of kWe to support exploration and resource utilization activities. This need is best met using nuclear reactor power systems which can operate steadily throughout the long ˜27.3 day lunar rotational period, irrespective of location. Nuclear power systems can potentially open up the entire lunar surface for future exploration and development. Desirable features of nuclear power systems for the lunar surface include passive operation, the avoidance of single point failures in reactor cooling and the integrated power system, moderate operating temperatures to enable the use of conventional materials with proven irradiation experience, utilization of the lunar regolith for radiation shielding and as a supplemental neutron reflector, and safe post-operation decay heat removal and storage for potential retrieval. In addition, it is desirable for the reactor to have a long operational life. Only a limited number of space nuclear reactor concepts have previously been developed for the lunar environment, and these designs possess only a few of these desirable design and operation features. The objective of this research is therefore to perform design and analyses of long operational life lunar reactors and power systems which incorporate the desirable features listed above. A long reactor operational life could be achieved either by increasing the amount of highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel in the core or by improving the neutron economy in the reactor through reducing neutron leakage and parasitic absorption. The amount of fuel in surface power reactors is constrained by the launch safety requirements. These include ensuring that the bare reactor core remains safely subcritical when submerged in water or wet sand and flooded with seawater in the unlikely event of a launch abort accident. Increasing the amount of fuel in the reactor core, and hence its operational life, would be possible by launching the reactor unfueled and fueling it on the Moon. Such a reactor would, thus, not be subject to launch criticality safety requirements. However, loading the reactor with fuel on the Moon presents a challenge, requiring special designs of the core and the fuel elements, which lend themselves to fueling on the lunar surface. This research investigates examples of both a solid core reactor that would be fueled at launch as well as an advanced concept which could be fueled on the Moon. Increasing the operational life of a reactor fueled at launch is exercised for the NaK-78 cooled Sectored Compact Reactor (SCoRe). A multi-physics design and analyses methodology is developed which iteratively couples together detailed Monte Carlo neutronics simulations with 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and thermal-hydraulics analyses. Using this methodology the operational life of this compact, fast spectrum reactor is increased by reconfiguring the core geometry to reduce neutron leakage and parasitic absorption, for the same amount of HEU in the core, and meeting launch safety requirements. The multi-physics analyses determine the impacts of the various design changes on the reactor's neutronics and thermal-hydraulics performance. The option of increasing the operational life of a reactor by loading it on the Moon is exercised for the Pellet Bed Reactor (PeBR). The PeBR uses spherical fuel pellets and is cooled by He-Xe gas, allowing the reactor core to be loaded with fuel pellets and charged with working fluid on the lunar surface. The performed neutronics analyses ensure the PeBR design achieves a long operational life, and develops safe launch canister designs to transport the spherical fuel pellets to the lunar surface. The research also investigates loading the PeBR core with fuel pellets on the Moon using a transient Discrete Element Method (DEM) analysis in lunar gravity. In addition, this research addresses the post-operation storage of the SCoRe and PeBR concepts, below the lunar surface, to determine the time required for the radioactivity in the used fuel to decrease to a low level to allow for its safe recovery. The SCoRe and PeBR concepts are designed to operate at coolant temperatures ≤ 900 K and use conventional stainless steels and superalloys for the structure in the reactor core and power system. They are emplaced below grade on the Moon to take advantage of the regolith as a supplemental neutron reflector and as shielding of the lunar outpost from the reactors' neutron and gamma radiation.

Method of preparing gas tags for identification of single and multiple failures of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies

DOEpatents

McCormick, Norman J.

1976-01-01

For use in the identification of failed fuel assemblies in a nuclear reactor, the ratios of the tag gas isotopic concentrations are located on curved surfaces to enable the ratios corresponding to failure of a single fuel assembly to be distinguished from those formed from any combination of two or more failed assemblies.

Flow tests of a single fuel element coolant channel for a compact fast reactor for space power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Springborn, R. H.

1971-01-01

Water flow tests were conducted on a single-fuel-element cooling channel for a nuclear concept to be used for space power. The tests established a method for measuring coolant flow rate which is applicable to water flow testing of a complete mockup of the reference reactor. The inlet plenum-to-outlet plenum pressure drop, which approximates the overall core pressure drop, was measured and correlated with flow rate. This information can be used for reactor coolant flow and heat transfer calculations. An analytical study of the flow characteristics was also conducted.

Exploring the hydraulic fracturing parameter space: a novel high-pressure, high-throughput reactor system for investigating subsurface chemical transformations.

PubMed

Sumner, Andrew J; Plata, Desiree L

2018-02-21

Hydraulic fracturing coupled with horizontal drilling (HDHF) involves the deep-well injection of a fracturing fluid composed of diverse and numerous chemical additives designed to facilitate the release and collection of natural gas from shale plays. Analyses of flowback wastewaters have revealed organic contamination from both geogenic and anthropogenic sources. The additional detections of undisclosed halogenated chemicals suggest unintended in situ transformation of reactive additives, but the formation pathways for these are unclear in subsurface brines. To develop an efficient experimental framework for investigating the complex shale-well parameter space, we have reviewed and synthesized geospatial well data detailing temperature, pressure, pH, and halide ion values as well as industrial chemical disclosure and concentration data. Our findings showed subsurface conditions can reach pressures up to 4500 psi (310 bars) and temperatures up to 95 °C, while at least 588 unique chemicals have been disclosed by industry, including reactive oxidants and acids. Given the extreme conditions necessary to simulate the subsurface, we briefly highlighted existing geochemical reactor systems rated to the necessary pressures and temperatures, identifying throughput as a key limitation. In response, we designed and developed a custom reactor system capable of achieving 5000 psi (345 bars) and 90 °C at low cost with 15 individual reactors that are readily turned over. To demonstrate the system's throughput, we simultaneously tested 12 disclosed HDHF chemicals against a radical initiator compound in simulated subsurface conditions, ruling out a dozen potential transformation pathways in a single experiment. This review outlines the dynamic and diverse parameter range experienced by HDHF chemical additives and provides an optimized framework and novel reactor system for the methodical study of subsurface transformation pathways. Ultimately, enabling such studies will provide urgently needed clarity for water treatment downstream or releases to the environment.

Instrumentation, control, and automation for submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors.

PubMed

Robles, Ángel; Durán, Freddy; Ruano, María Victoria; Ribes, Josep; Rosado, Alfredo; Seco, Aurora; Ferrer, José

2015-01-01

A submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) demonstration plant with two commercial hollow-fibre ultrafiltration systems (PURON®, Koch Membrane Systems, PUR-PSH31) was designed and operated for urban wastewater treatment. An instrumentation, control, and automation (ICA) system was designed and implemented for proper process performance. Several single-input-single-output (SISO) feedback control loops based on conventional on-off and PID algorithms were implemented to control the following operating variables: flow-rates (influent, permeate, sludge recycling and wasting, and recycled biogas through both reactor and membrane tanks), sludge wasting volume, temperature, transmembrane pressure, and gas sparging. The proposed ICA for AnMBRs for urban wastewater treatment enables the optimization of this new technology to be achieved with a high level of process robustness towards disturbances.

Evaluating the Cost, Safety, and Proliferation Risks of Small Floating Nuclear Reactors.

PubMed

Ford, Michael J; Abdulla, Ahmed; Morgan, M Granger

2017-11-01

It is hard to see how our energy system can be decarbonized if the world abandons nuclear power, but equally hard to introduce the technology in nonnuclear energy states. This is especially true in countries with limited technical, institutional, and regulatory capabilities, where safety and proliferation concerns are acute. Given the need to achieve serious emissions mitigation by mid-century, and the multidecadal effort required to develop robust nuclear governance institutions, we must look to other models that might facilitate nuclear plant deployment while mitigating the technology's risks. One such deployment paradigm is the build-own-operate-return model. Because returning small land-based reactors containing spent fuel is infeasible, we evaluate the cost, safety, and proliferation risks of a system in which small modular reactors are manufactured in a factory, and then deployed to a customer nation on a floating platform. This floating small modular reactor would be owned and operated by a single entity and returned unopened to the developed state for refueling. We developed a decision model that allows for a comparison of floating and land-based alternatives considering key International Atomic Energy Agency plant-siting criteria. Abandoning onsite refueling is beneficial, and floating reactors built in a central facility can potentially reduce the risk of cost overruns and the consequences of accidents. However, if the floating platform must be built to military-grade specifications, then the cost would be much higher than a land-based system. The analysis tool presented is flexible, and can assist planners in determining the scope of risks and uncertainty associated with different deployment options. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

High aspect ratio catalytic reactor and catalyst inserts therefor

DOEpatents

Lin, Jiefeng; Kelly, Sean M.

2018-04-10

The present invention relates to high efficient tubular catalytic steam reforming reactor configured from about 0.2 inch to about 2 inch inside diameter high temperature metal alloy tube or pipe and loaded with a plurality of rolled catalyst inserts comprising metallic monoliths. The catalyst insert substrate is formed from a single metal foil without a central supporting structure in the form of a spiral monolith. The single metal foil is treated to have 3-dimensional surface features that provide mechanical support and establish open gas channels between each of the rolled layers. This unique geometry accelerates gas mixing and heat transfer and provides a high catalytic active surface area. The small diameter, high aspect ratio tubular catalytic steam reforming reactors loaded with rolled catalyst inserts can be arranged in a multi-pass non-vertical parallel configuration thermally coupled with a heat source to carry out steam reforming of hydrocarbon-containing feeds. The rolled catalyst inserts are self-supported on the reactor wall and enable efficient heat transfer from the reactor wall to the reactor interior, and lower pressure drop than known particulate catalysts. The heat source can be oxygen transport membrane reactors.

Characterizations of the radioactive waste by the remotely-controlled collimated spectrometric system

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

Stepanov, Vyacheslav E.; Potapov, Victor N.; Smirnov, Sergey V.

Decontamination and decommissioning of the research reactors MR (Testing Reactor) and RFT (Reactor of Physics and Technology) has recently been initiated in the National Research Center (NRC) 'Kurchatov institute', Moscow. In the building, neighboring to the reactor, the storage of HLRW is located. The storage is made of monolithic concrete in which steel cells depth 4 m are located. In cells of storage the HLRW packed into cases are placed. These the radioactive waste are also subject to export on long storage in the specialized organization. For characterization of the radioactive waste in cases the remote-controlled collimated spectrometer system wasmore » used. The system consists of a spectrometric collimated gamma-ray detector, a color video camera and a control unit, mounted on a rotator, which are mounted on a tripod with the host computer. For determination of specific activity of radionuclides in cases, it is developed programs of calculation of coefficients of proportionality of specific activity to the corresponding speeds of the account in peaks of full absorption at single specific activity of radionuclides in cases. For determination of these coefficients the mathematical model of spectrometer system based on the Monte-Carlo method was used. Dependences of calibration coefficients for various radionuclides from distance between the detector and a case at various values of the radioactive waste density in cases are given. Measurements of specific activity in cases are taken and are discussed. By results of measurements decisions on the appeal of the radioactive waste being in cases are made. (authors)« less

Novel windows for "solar commodities": a device for CO2 reduction using plasmonic catalyst activation.

PubMed

Navarrete, Alexander; Muñoz, Sergio; Sanz-Moral, Luis M; Brandner, Juergen J; Pfeifer, Peter; Martín, Ángel; Dittmeyer, Roland; Cocero, María J

2015-01-01

A novel plasmonic reactor concept is proposed and tested to work as a visible energy harvesting device while allowing reactions to transform CO2 to be carried out. Particularly the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction has been tested as a means to introduce renewable energy into the economy. The development of the new reactor concept involved the synthesis of a new composite capable of plasmonic activation with light, the development of an impregnation method to create a single catalyst reactor entity, and finally the assembly of a reaction system to test the reaction. The composite developed was based on a Cu/ZnO catalyst dispersed into transparent aerogels. This allows efficient light transmission and a high surface area for the catalyst. An effective yet simple impregnation method was developed that allowed introduction of the composites into glass microchannels. The activation of the reaction was made using LEDs that covered all the sides of the reactor allowing a high power delivery. The results of the reaction show a stable process capable of low temperature transformations.

TUNABLE IRRADIATION TESTBED

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

Wootan, David W.; Casella, Andrew M.; Asner, David M.

PNNL has developed and continues to develop innovative methods for characterizing irradiated materials from nuclear reactors and particle accelerators for various clients and collaborators around the world. The continued development of these methods, in addition to the ability to perform unique scientific investigations of the effects of radiation on materials could be greatly enhanced with easy access to irradiation facilities. A Tunable Irradiation Testbed with customized targets (a 30 MeV, 1mA cyclotron or similar coupled to a unique target system) is shown to provide a much more flexible and cost-effective source of irradiating particles than a test reactor or isotopicmore » source. The configuration investigated was a single shielded building with multiple beam lines from a small, flexible, high flux irradiation source. Potential applications investigated were the characterization of radiation damage to materials applicable to advanced reactors, fusion reactor, legacy waste, (via neutron spectra tailored to HTGR, molten salt, LWR, LMR, fusion environments); 252Cf replacement; characterization of radiation damage to materials of interest to High Energy Physics to enable the neutrino program; and research into production of short lived isotopes for potential medical and other applications.« less

Pre-Conceptual Design for Northstar ⁹⁹Mo Process Tritium Removal System

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

Nobile, Arthur; Reichert, Heidi; Hollis, William Kirk

2016-01-12

In this report we describe a preliminary concept for a Tritium Removal System (TRS) to remove tritium that is generated in the ⁹⁹Mo production process. Preliminary calculations have been performed to evaluate an approximate size for the system. The concept described utilizes well-established detritiation technology based on catalytic oxidation of tritium and tritiated hydrocarbons to water in a high temperature (400 °C) reactor and capture of water in a molecular sieve bed. The TRS concept involves use of a single system that would cycle through each of the seven online target systems and remove tritium that has been accumulated aftermore » one week’s run time. The TRS would perform cleanup operations on each target system for a period of approximately 24 hours. This would occur while the system is still online and just prior to target replacement, so tritium levels would at their minimum values for target replacement. In the concept, during normal operation a small fraction (1%) of the helium recirculating in the system would be diverted through the TRS and returned to the flow loop. With this approach sufficient levels of detritiation can be accomplished in a 24 hour period. In the study it was found that because of the need to maintain low oxygen levels in the system (<100 ppm) this increases the size of the catalytic reactor. As a result of this finding, consideration should be given to other methods for removing tritium from the system. Other methods such as catalytic exchange of tritium with an unsaturated organic compound and subsequent trapping on activated carbon or molecular sieve could offer advantages of reducing reactor size and operation at lower reactor temperature. However the most significant advantage of such an approach would be the ability to operate in very low oxygen environments, which would eliminate any concerns for oxidation of the target.« less

The Entrance and Exit Effects in Small Electrochemical Filter-Press Reactors Used in the Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frias-Ferrer, Angel; Gonzalez-Garcia, Jose; Saez, Veronica; Exposito, Eduardo; Sanchez-Sanchez, Carlos M.; Mantiel, Vicente; Walsh, Frank C.; Aldaz, Antonio; Walsh, Frank C.

2005-01-01

A laboratory experiment designed to examine the entrance and exit effects in small electrochemical filter-press reactors used in the laboratory is presented. The single compartment of the filter-press reactor is filled with different turbulence promoters to study their influence as compared to the empty configuration.

Fabrication and testing of a 4-node micro-pocket fission detector array for the Kansas State University TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichenberger, Michael A.; Nichols, Daniel M.; Stevenson, Sarah R.; Swope, Tanner M.; Hilger, Caden W.; Unruh, Troy C.; McGregor, Douglas S.; Roberts, Jeremy A.

2017-08-01

Advancements in nuclear reactor core modeling and computational capability have encouraged further development of in-core neutron sensors. Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors (MPFDs) have been fabricated and tested previously, but successful testing of these prior detectors was limited to single-node operation with specialized designs. Described in this work is a modular, four-node MPFD array fabricated and tested at Kansas State University (KSU). The four sensor nodes were equally spaced to span the length of the fuel-region of the KSU TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor core. The encapsulated array was filled with argon gas, serving as an ionization medium in the small cavities of the MPFDs. The unified design improved device ruggedness and simplified construction over previous designs. A 0.315-in. (8-mm) penetration in the upper grid plate of the KSU TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor was used to deploy the array between fuel elements in the core. The MPFD array was coupled to an electronic support system which has been developed to support pulse-mode operation. Neutron-induced pulses were observed on all four sensor channels. Stable device operation was confirmed by testing under steady-state reactor conditions. Each of the four sensors in the array responded to changes in reactor power between 10 kWth and full power (750 kWth). Reactor power transients were observed in real-time including positive transients with periods of 5, 15, and 30 s. Finally, manual reactor power oscillations were observed in real-time.

Precipitation behavior of AlxCoCrFeNi high entropy alloys under ion irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tengfei; Xia, Songqin; Liu, Shi; Wang, Chenxu; Liu, Shaoshuai; Fang, Yuan; Zhang, Yong; Xue, Jianming; Yan, Sha; Wang, Yugang

2016-08-01

Materials performance is central to the satisfactory operation of current and future nuclear energy systems due to the severe irradiation environment in reactors. Searching for structural materials with excellent irradiation tolerance is crucial for developing the next generation nuclear reactors. Here, we report the irradiation responses of a novel multi-component alloy system, high entropy alloy (HEA) AlxCoCrFeNi (x = 0.1, 0.75 and 1.5), focusing on their precipitation behavior. It is found that the single phase system, Al0.1CoCrFeNi, exhibits a great phase stability against ion irradiation. No precipitate is observed even at the highest fluence. In contrast, numerous coherent precipitates are present in both multi-phase HEAs. Based on the irradiation-induced/enhanced precipitation theory, the excellent structural stability against precipitation of Al0.1CoCrFeNi is attributed to the high configurational entropy and low atomic diffusion, which reduces the thermodynamic driving force and kinetically restrains the formation of precipitate, respectively. For the multiphase HEAs, the phase separations and formation of ordered phases reduce the system configurational entropy, resulting in the similar precipitation behavior with corresponding binary or ternary conventional alloys. This study demonstrates the structural stability of single-phase HEAs under irradiation and provides important implications for searching for HEAs with higher irradiation tolerance.

Secondary Heat Exchanger Design and Comparison for Advanced High Temperature Reactor

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

Piyush Sabharwall; Ali Siahpush; Michael McKellar

2012-06-01

The goals of next generation nuclear reactors, such as the high temperature gas-cooled reactor and advance high temperature reactor (AHTR), are to increase energy efficiency in the production of electricity and provide high temperature heat for industrial processes. The efficient transfer of energy for industrial applications depends on the ability to incorporate effective heat exchangers between the nuclear heat transport system and the industrial process heat transport system. The need for efficiency, compactness, and safety challenge the boundaries of existing heat exchanger technology, giving rise to the following study. Various studies have been performed in attempts to update the secondarymore » heat exchanger that is downstream of the primary heat exchanger, mostly because its performance is strongly tied to the ability to employ more efficient conversion cycles, such as the Rankine super critical and subcritical cycles. This study considers two different types of heat exchangers—helical coiled heat exchanger and printed circuit heat exchanger—as possible options for the AHTR secondary heat exchangers with the following three different options: (1) A single heat exchanger transfers all the heat (3,400 MW(t)) from the intermediate heat transfer loop to the power conversion system or process plants; (2) Two heat exchangers share heat to transfer total heat of 3,400 MW(t) from the intermediate heat transfer loop to the power conversion system or process plants, each exchanger transfers 1,700 MW(t) with a parallel configuration; and (3) Three heat exchangers share heat to transfer total heat of 3,400 MW(t) from the intermediate heat transfer loop to the power conversion system or process plants. Each heat exchanger transfers 1,130 MW(t) with a parallel configuration. A preliminary cost comparison will be provided for all different cases along with challenges and recommendations.« less

High Fidelity, Fuel-Like Thermal Simulators for Non-Nuclear Testing: Analysis and Initial Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Dickens, Ricky; Dixon, David; Kapernick, Richard

2007-01-01

Non-nuclear testing can be a valuable tool in the development of a space nuclear power system, providing system characterization data and allowing one to work through various fabrication, assembly and integration issues without the cost and time associated with a full ground nuclear test. In a non-nuclear test bed, electric heaters are used to simulate the heat from nuclear fuel. Testing with non-optimized heater elements allows one to assess thermal, heat transfer. and stress related attributes of a given system, but fails to demonstrate the dynamic response that would be present in an integrated, fueled reactor system. High fidelity thermal simulators that match both the static and the dynamic fuel pin performance that would be observed in an operating, fueled nuclear reactor can vastly increase the value of non-nuclear test results. With optimized simulators, the integration of thermal hydraulic hardware tests with simulated neutronic response provides a bridge between electrically heated testing and fueled nuclear testing. By implementing a neutronic response model to simulate the dynamic response that would be expected in a fueled reactor system, one can better understand system integration issues, characterize integrated system response times and response characteristics and assess potential design improvements at relatively small fiscal investment. Initial conceptual thermal simulator designs are determined by simple one-dimensional analysis at a single axial location and at steady state conditions; feasible concepts are then input into a detailed three-dimensional model for comparison to expected fuel pin performance. Static and dynamic fuel pin performance for a proposed reactor design is determined using SINDA/FLUINT thermal analysis software, and comparison is made between the expected nuclear performance and the performance of conceptual thermal simulator designs. Through a series of iterative analyses, a conceptual high fidelity design is developed: this is followed by engineering design, fabrication, and testing to validate the overall design process. Test results presented in this paper correspond to a "first cut" simulator design for a potential liquid metal (NaK) cooled reactor design that could be applied for Lunar surface power. Proposed refinements to this simulator design are also presented.

Multi input single output model predictive control of non-linear bio-polymerization process

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

Arumugasamy, Senthil Kumar; Ahmad, Z.

This paper focuses on Multi Input Single Output (MISO) Model Predictive Control of bio-polymerization process in which mechanistic model is developed and linked with the feedforward neural network model to obtain a hybrid model (Mechanistic-FANN) of lipase-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) for Poly (ε-caprolactone) production. In this research, state space model was used, in which the input to the model were the reactor temperatures and reactor impeller speeds and the output were the molecular weight of polymer (M{sub n}) and polymer polydispersity index. State space model for MISO created using System identification tool box of Matlab™. This state spacemore » model is used in MISO MPC. Model predictive control (MPC) has been applied to predict the molecular weight of the biopolymer and consequently control the molecular weight of biopolymer. The result shows that MPC is able to track reference trajectory and give optimum movement of manipulated variable.« less

Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals in hospital wastewater by a hybrid biofilm and activated sludge system (Hybas).

PubMed

Escolà Casas, Mònica; Chhetri, Ravi Kumar; Ooi, Gordon; Hansen, Kamilla M S; Litty, Klaus; Christensson, Magnus; Kragelund, Caroline; Andersen, Henrik R; Bester, Kai

2015-10-15

Hospital wastewater contributes a significant input of pharmaceuticals into municipal wastewater. The combination of suspended activated sludge and biofilm processes, as stand-alone or as hybrid process (hybrid biofilm and activated sludge system (Hybas™)) has been suggested as a possible solution for hospital wastewater treatment. To investigate the potential of such a hybrid system for the removal of pharmaceuticals in hospital wastewater a pilot plant consisting of a series of one activated sludge reactor, two Hybas™ reactors and one moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) has been established and adapted during 10 months of continuous operation. After this adaption phase batch and continuous experiments were performed for the determination of degradation of pharmaceuticals. Removal of organic matter and nitrification mainly occurred in the first reactor. Most pharmaceuticals were removed significantly. The removal of pharmaceuticals (including X-ray contrast media, β-blockers, analgesics and antibiotics) was fitted to a single first-order kinetics degradation function, giving degradation rate constants from 0 to 1.49 h(-1), from 0 to 7.78 × 10(-1)h(-1), from 0 to 7.86 × 10(-1)h(-1) and from 0 to 1.07 × 10(-1)h(-1) for first, second, third and fourth reactors respectively. Generally, the highest removal rate constants were found in the first and third reactors while the lowest were found in the second one. When the removal rate constants were normalized to biomass amount, the last reactor (biofilm only) appeared to have the most effective biomass in respect to removing pharmaceuticals. In the batch experiment, out of 26 compounds, 16 were assessed to degrade more than 20% of the respective pharmaceutical within the Hybas™ train. In the continuous flow experiments, the measured removals were similar to those estimated from the batch experiments, but the concentrations of a few pharmaceuticals appeared to increase during the first treatment step. Such increase could be attributed to de-conjugation or formation from other metabolites. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Small space reactor power systems for unmanned solar system exploration missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, Harvey S.

1987-01-01

A preliminary feasibility study of the application of small nuclear reactor space power systems to the Mariner Mark II Cassini spacecraft/mission was conducted. The purpose of the study was to identify and assess the technology and performance issues associated with the reactor power system/spacecraft/mission integration. The Cassini mission was selected because study of the Saturn system was identified as a high priority outer planet exploration objective. Reactor power systems applied to this mission were evaluated for two different uses. First, a very small 1 kWe reactor power system was used as an RTG replacement for the nominal spacecraft mission science payload power requirements while still retaining the spacecraft's usual bipropellant chemical propulsion system. The second use of reactor power involved the additional replacement of the chemical propulsion system with a small reactor power system and an electric propulsion system. The study also provides an examination of potential applications for the additional power available for scientific data collection. The reactor power system characteristics utilized in the study were based on a parametric mass model that was developed specifically for these low power applications. The model was generated following a neutronic safety and operational feasibility assessment of six small reactor concepts solicited from U.S. industry. This assessment provided the validation of reactor safety for all mission phases and generatad the reactor mass and dimensional data needed for the system mass model.

Integrated Ceramic Membrane System for Hydrogen Production

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

Schwartz, Joseph; Lim, Hankwon; Drnevich, Raymond

2010-08-05

Phase I was a technoeconomic feasibility study that defined the process scheme for the integrated ceramic membrane system for hydrogen production and determined the plan for Phase II. The hydrogen production system is comprised of an oxygen transport membrane (OTM) and a hydrogen transport membrane (HTM). Two process options were evaluated: 1) Integrated OTM-HTM reactor – in this configuration, the HTM was a ceramic proton conductor operating at temperatures up to 900°C, and 2) Sequential OTM and HTM reactors – in this configuration, the HTM was assumed to be a Pd alloy operating at less than 600°C. The analysis suggestedmore » that there are no technical issues related to either system that cannot be managed. The process with the sequential reactors was found to be more efficient, less expensive, and more likely to be commercialized in a shorter time than the single reactor. Therefore, Phase II focused on the sequential reactor system, specifically, the second stage, or the HTM portion. Work on the OTM portion was conducted in a separate program. Phase IIA began in February 2003. Candidate substrate materials and alloys were identified and porous ceramic tubes were produced and coated with Pd. Much effort was made to develop porous substrates with reasonable pore sizes suitable for Pd alloy coating. The second generation of tubes showed some improvement in pore size control, but this was not enough to get a viable membrane. Further improvements were made to the porous ceramic tube manufacturing process. When a support tube was successfully coated, the membrane was tested to determine the hydrogen flux. The results from all these tests were used to update the technoeconomic analysis from Phase I to confirm that the sequential membrane reactor system can potentially be a low-cost hydrogen supply option when using an existing membrane on a larger scale. Phase IIB began in October 2004 and focused on demonstrating an integrated HTM/water gas shift (WGS) reactor to increase CO conversion and produce more hydrogen than a standard water gas shift reactor would. Substantial improvements in substrate and membrane performance were achieved in another DOE project (DE-FC26-07NT43054). These improved membranes were used for testing in a water gas shift environment in this program. The amount of net H2 generated (defined as the difference of hydrogen produced and fed) was greater than would be produced at equilibrium using conventional water gas shift reactors up to 75 psig because of the shift in equilibrium caused by continuous hydrogen removal. However, methanation happened at higher pressures, 100 and 125 psig, and resulted in less net H2 generated than would be expected by equilibrium conversion alone. An effort to avoid methanation by testing in more oxidizing conditions (by increasing CO2/CO ratio in a feed gas) was successful and net H2 generated was higher (40-60%) than a conventional reactor at equilibrium at all pressures tested (up to 125 psig). A model was developed to predict reactor performance in both cases with and without methanation. The required membrane area depends on conditions, but the required membrane area is about 10 ft2 to produce about 2000 scfh of hydrogen. The maximum amount of hydrogen that can be produced in a membrane reactor decreased significantly due to methanation from about 2600 scfh to about 2400 scfh. Therefore, it is critical to eliminate methanation to fully benefit from the use of a membrane in the reaction. Other modeling work showed that operating a membrane reactor at higher temperature provides an opportunity to make the reactor smaller and potentially provides a significant capital cost savings compared to a shift reactor/PSA combination.« less

Positive direct current corona discharges in single wire-duct electrostatic precipitators

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

Yehia, Ashraf, E-mail: yehia30161@yahoo.com; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Arab Republic of Egypt; Abdel-Fattah, E.

This paper is aimed to study the characteristics of the positive dc corona discharges in single wire-duct electrostatic precipitators. Therefore, the corona discharges were formed inside dry air fed single wire-duct reactor under positive dc voltage at the normal atmospheric conditions. The corona current-voltage characteristics curves have been measured in parallel with the ozone concentration generated inside the reactor under different discharge conditions. The corona current-voltage characteristics curves have agreed with a semi empirical equation derived from the previous studies. The experimental results of the ozone concentration generated inside the reactor were formulated in the form of an empirical equationmore » included the different parameters that were studied experimentally. The obtained equations are valid to expect both the current-voltage characteristics curves and the corresponding ozone concentration that generates with the positive dc corona discharges inside single wire-duct electrostatic precipitators under any operating conditions in the same range of the present study.« less

Single-Step Syngas-to-Distillates (S2D) Process Based on Biomass-Derived Syngas – A Techno-Economic Analysis

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

Zhu, Yunhua; Jones, Susanne B.; Biddy, Mary J.

2012-08-01

This study reports the comparison of biomass gasification based syngas-to-distillate (S2D) systems using techno-economic analysis (TEA). Three cases, state of technology (SOT) case, goal case, and conventional case, were compared in terms of performance and cost. The SOT case and goal case represent technology being developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for a process starting with syngas using a single-step dual-catalyst reactor for distillate generation (S2D process). The conventional case mirrors the two-step S2D process previously utilized and reported by Mobil using natural gas feedstock and consisting of separate syngas-to-methanol and methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) processes. Analysis of the three cases revealedmore » that the goal case could indeed reduce fuel production cost over the conventional case, but that the SOT was still more expensive than the conventional. The SOT case suffers from low one-pass yield and high selectivity to light hydrocarbons, both of which drive up production cost. Sensitivity analysis indicated that light hydrocarbon yield, single pass conversion efficiency, and reactor space velocity are the key factors driving the high cost for the SOT case.« less

Operating characteristic analysis of a 400 mH class HTS DC reactor in connection with a laboratory scale LCC type HVDC system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sung-Kyu; Kim, Kwangmin; Park, Minwon; Yu, In-Keun; Lee, Sangjin

2015-11-01

High temperature superconducting (HTS) devices are being developed due to their advantages. Most line commutated converter based high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems for long-distance transmission require large inductance of DC reactor; however, generally, copper-based reactors cause a lot of electrical losses during the system operation. This is driving researchers to develop a new type of DC reactor using HTS wire. The authors have developed a 400 mH class HTS DC reactor and a laboratory scale test-bed for line-commutated converter type HVDC system and applied the HTS DC reactor to the HVDC system to investigate their operating characteristics. The 400 mH class HTS DC reactor is designed using a toroid type magnet. The HVDC system is designed in the form of a mono-pole system with thyristor-based 12-pulse power converters. In this paper, the investigation results of the HTS DC reactor in connection with the HVDC system are described. The operating characteristics of the HTS DC reactor are analyzed under various operating conditions of the system. Through the results, applicability of an HTS DC reactor in an HVDC system is discussed in detail.

The effects of stainless steel radial reflector on core reactivity for small modular reactor

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

Kang, Jung Kil, E-mail: jkkang@email.kings.ac.kr; Hah, Chang Joo, E-mail: changhah@kings.ac.kr; Cho, Sung Ju, E-mail: sungju@knfc.co.kr

Commercial PWR core is surrounded by a radial reflector, which consists of a baffle and water. Radial reflector is designed to reflect neutron back into the core region to improve the neutron efficiency of the reactor and to protect the reactor vessels from the embrittling effects caused by irradiation during power operation. Reflector also helps to flatten the neutron flux and power distributions in the reactor core. The conceptual nuclear design for boron-free small modular reactor (SMR) under development in Korea requires to have the cycle length of 4∼5 years, rated power of 180 MWth and enrichment less than 5more » w/o. The aim of this paper is to analyze the effects of stainless steel radial reflector on the performance of the SMR using UO{sub 2} fuels. Three types of reflectors such as water, water/stainless steel 304 mixture and stainless steel 304 are selected to investigate the effect on core reactivity. Additionally, the thickness of stainless steel and double layer reflector type are also investigated. CASMO-4/SIMULATE-3 code system is used for this analysis. The results of analysis show that single layer stainless steel reflector is the most efficient reflector.« less

An RF-Powered Micro-Reactor for Efficient Extraction and Hydrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, V.

2014-12-01

An RF sample-processing micro-reactor that was developed as part of potential in situ Exploration Missions to inner- and outer-planetary bodies was designed to utilize aqueous solutions subjected to 60 GHz radiation at 730 mW of input power to extract target organic compounds and molecular and inorganic ions as well as to hydrolyze complex polymeric materials. Successful identification and characterization of these molecules relies on the sample-processing techniques utilized alongside state-of-the-art detection and analysis. For mass and power restrictions put on space exploration missions, smaller and more efficient instruments are highly desirable. The RF micro-reactor potentially offers a simplified alternative to the typical gold-standard extractions that often use solvents, chemicals, and conditions that can vary wildly and depend on the targeted molecules. Instead, this instrument uses a single solvent ­— water — that can be "tuned" under the different experimental conditions, leveraging the operating principles of the Sub-Critical Water Extractor. Proof-of-concept experiments examining the hydrolysis of glycosidic and peptide bonds were successful in demonstrating the RF micro-reactor's capabilities. Progress toward coupling the reactor with a micro-scale sample-handling system enabling slurry delivery has been made and preliminary results on heterogeneous reactions and extractions will be presented.

Massively parallel polymerase cloning and genome sequencing of single cells using nanoliter microwells

PubMed Central

Gole, Jeff; Gore, Athurva; Richards, Andrew; Chiu, Yu-Jui; Fung, Ho-Lim; Bushman, Diane; Chiang, Hsin-I; Chun, Jerold; Lo, Yu-Hwa; Zhang, Kun

2013-01-01

Genome sequencing of single cells has a variety of applications, including characterizing difficult-to-culture microorganisms and identifying somatic mutations in single cells from mammalian tissues. A major hurdle in this process is the bias in amplifying the genetic material from a single cell, a procedure known as polymerase cloning. Here we describe the microwell displacement amplification system (MIDAS), a massively parallel polymerase cloning method in which single cells are randomly distributed into hundreds to thousands of nanoliter wells and simultaneously amplified for shotgun sequencing. MIDAS reduces amplification bias because polymerase cloning occurs in physically separated nanoliter-scale reactors, facilitating the de novo assembly of near-complete microbial genomes from single E. coli cells. In addition, MIDAS allowed us to detect single-copy number changes in primary human adult neurons at 1–2 Mb resolution. MIDAS will further the characterization of genomic diversity in many heterogeneous cell populations. PMID:24213699

Modeling Geometric Arrangements of TiO2-Based Catalyst Substrates and Isotropic Light Sources to Enhance the Efficiency of a Photocatalystic Oxidation (PCO) Reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richards, Jeffrey T.; Levine, Lanfang H.; Husk, Geoffrey K.

2011-01-01

The closed confined environments of the ISS, as well as in future spacecraft for exploration beyond LEO, provide many challenges to crew health. One such challenge is the availability of a robust, energy efficient, and re-generable air revitalization system that controls trace volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) to levels below a specified spacecraft maximum allowable concentration (SMAC). Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO), which is capable of mineralizing VOCs at room temperature and of accommodating a high volumetric flow, is being evaluated as an alternative trace contaminant control technology. In an architecture of a combined air and water management system, placing a PCO unit before a condensing heat exchanger for humidity control will greatly reduce the organic load into the humidity condensate loop ofthe water processing assembly (WPA) thereby enhancing the life cycle economics ofthe WPA. This targeted application dictates a single pass efficiency of greater than 90% for polar VOCs. Although this target was met in laboratory bench-scaled reactors, no commercial or SBIR-developed prototype PCO units examined to date have achieved this goal. Furthermore, the formation of partial oxidation products (e.g., acetaldehyde) was not eliminated. It is known that single pass efficiency and partial oxidation are strongly dependent upon the contact time and catalyst illumination, hence the requirement for an efficient reactor design. The objective of this study is to maximize the apparent contact time and illuminated catalyst surface area at a given reactor volume and volumetric flow. In this study, a Ti02-based photocatalyst is assumed to be immobilized on porous substrate panels and illumination derived from linear isotropic light sources. Mathematical modeling using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses were performed to investigate the effect of: 1) the geometry and configuration of catalyst-coated substrate panels, 2) porosity of the supporting substrate, and 3) varying the light source and spacing on contact time and illuminated catalyst area.

Serial completely stirred tank reactors for improving biogas production and substance degradation during anaerobic digestion of corn stover.

PubMed

Li, YuQian; Liu, ChunMei; Wachemo, Akiber Chufo; Yuan, HaiRong; Zou, DeXun; Liu, YanPing; Li, XiuJin

2017-07-01

Several completely stirred tank reactors (CSTR) connected in series for anaerobic digestion of corn stover were investigated in laboratory scale. Serial anaerobic digestion systems operated at a total HRT of 40days, and distribution of HRT are 10+30days (HRT10+30d), 20+20days (HRT20+20d), and 30+10days (HRT30+10d) were compared to a conventional one-step CSTR at the same HRT of 40d. The results showed that in HRT10+30d serial system, the process became very unstable at organic load of 50gTS·L -1 . The HRT20+20d and HRT30+10d serial systems improved methane production by 8.3-14.6% compared to the one-step system in all loads of 50, 70, 90gTS·L -1 . The conversion rates of total solid, cellulose, and hemicellulose were increased in serial anaerobic digestion systems compared to single system. The serial systems showed more stable process performance in high organic load. HRT30+10d system showed the best biogas production and conversions among all systems. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Steel slag carbonation in a flow-through reactor system: the role of fluid-flux.

PubMed

Berryman, Eleanor J; Williams-Jones, Anthony E; Migdisov, Artashes A

2015-01-01

Steel production is currently the largest industrial source of atmospheric CO2. As annual steel production continues to grow, the need for effective methods of reducing its carbon footprint increases correspondingly. The carbonation of the calcium-bearing phases in steel slag generated during basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steel production, in particular its major constituent, larnite {Ca2SiO4}, which is a structural analogue of olivine {(MgFe)2SiO4}, the main mineral subjected to natural carbonation in peridotites, offers the potential to offset some of these emissions. However, the controls on the nature and efficiency of steel slag carbonation are yet to be completely understood. Experiments were conducted exposing steel slag grains to a CO2-H2O mixture in both batch and flow-through reactors to investigate the impact of temperature, fluid flux, and reaction gradient on the dissolution and carbonation of steel slag. The results of these experiments show that dissolution and carbonation of BOF steel slag are more efficient in a flow-through reactor than in the batch reactors used in most previous studies. Moreover, they show that fluid flux needs to be optimized in addition to grain size, pressure, and temperature, in order to maximize the efficiency of carbonation. Based on these results, a two-stage reactor consisting of a high and a low fluid-flux chamber is proposed for CO2 sequestration by steel slag carbonation, allowing dissolution of the slag and precipitation of calcium carbonate to occur within a single flow-through system. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effect of initiator concentration to low-density polyethylene production in a tubular reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azmi, A.; Aziz, N.

2016-11-01

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is one of the most widely used polymers in the world, which is produced in high-capacity tubular and autoclave reactors. As the LDPE industry turn into more competitive and its market profit margins become tighter, manufacturers have to develop solutions to debottleneck the reactor output while abiding to the stringent product specification. A single polyolefin plant producing ten to forty grades of LDPE with various melt flow index (MFI), therefore understanding the reaction mechanism, the operating conditions as well as the dynamic behavior of tubular reactor is essential before any improvement can take place. In the present work, a steady state mathematical model representing a tubular reactor for the production of LDPE is simulated using MATLAB R2015a®. The model developed is a function of feed inlet, reactor jacket, single initiator injector and outlet stream. Analysis on the effect of initiator concentration (CI) shows sudden declining trend of initiator's concentration which indicates that all of the initiators are exhausted after polymerization reaction and no further reaction occur from this point onwards. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the concentration of initiator gives significant impact on reactor temperature's profile and monomer conversion rate, since higher initiator concentration promotes greater polymerization rate, and therefore leads to higher monomer conversion throughput.

Dechlorination of PCBs in the rhizosphere of Switchgrass and Poplar

PubMed Central

Meggo, Richard E.; Schnoor, Jerald L.; Hu, Dingfei

2014-01-01

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (PCB 52, 77, and 153) singly and in mixture were spiked and aged in soil microcosms and subsequently planted with switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) or poplar (Populus deltoids x nigra DN34). The planted reactors showed significantly greater reductions in PCB parent compounds when compared to unplanted systems after 32 weeks. There was evidence of reductive dechlorination in both planted and unplanted systems, but the planted microcosms with fully developed roots and rhizospheres showed greater biotransformation than the unplanted reactors. These dechlorination products accounted for approximately all of the molar mass of parent compound lost. Based on the transformation products, reductive dechlorination pathways are proposed for rhizospheric biotransformation of PCB 52, 77, and 153. This is the first report of rhizosphere biotransformation pathways for reductive dechlorination in marginally aerobic, intermittently flooded soil as evidenced by a mass balance on transformation products. PMID:23603468

Optimality of affine control system of several species in competition on a sequential batch reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez, J. C.; Ramírez, H.; Gajardo, P.; Rapaport, A.

2014-09-01

In this paper, we analyse the optimality of affine control system of several species in competition for a single substrate on a sequential batch reactor, with the objective being to reach a given (low) level of the substrate. We allow controls to be bounded measurable functions of time plus possible impulses. A suitable modification of the dynamics leads to a slightly different optimal control problem, without impulsive controls, for which we apply different optimality conditions derived from Pontryagin principle and the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. We thus characterise the singular trajectories of our problem as the extremal trajectories keeping the substrate at a constant level. We also establish conditions for which an immediate one impulse (IOI) strategy is optimal. Some numerical experiences are then included in order to illustrate our study and show that those conditions are also necessary to ensure the optimality of the IOI strategy.

Preliminary comparative assessment of land use for the Satellite Power System (SPS) and alternative electric energy technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newsom, D. E.; Wolsko, T.

1980-01-01

A preliminary comparative assessment of land use for the satellite power system (SPS), other solar technologies, and alternative electric energy technologies was conducted. The alternative technologies are coal gasification/combined-cycle, coal fluidized-bed combustion (FBC), light water reactor (LWR), liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR), terrestrial photovoltaics (TPV), solar thermal electric (STE), and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC). The major issues of a land use assessment are the quantity, purpose, duration, location, and costs of the required land use. The phased methodology described treats the first four issues, but not the costs. Several past efforts are comparative or single technology assessment are reviewed briefly. The current state of knowledge about land use is described for each technology. Conclusions are drawn regarding deficiencies in the data on comparative land use and needs for further research.

In Situ Measurements of Spectral Emissivity of Materials for Very High Temperature Reactors

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

G. Cao; S. J. Weber; S. O. Martin

2011-08-01

An experimental facility for in situ measurements of high-temperature spectral emissivity of materials in environments of interest to the gas-cooled very high temperature reactor (VHTR) has been developed. The facility is capable of measuring emissivities of seven materials in a single experiment, thereby enhancing the accuracy in measurements due to even minor systemic variations in temperatures and environments. The system consists of a cylindrical silicon carbide (SiC) block with seven sample cavities and a deep blackbody cavity, a detailed optical system, and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The reliability of the facility has been confirmed by comparing measured spectral emissivitiesmore » of SiC, boron nitride, and alumina (Al2O3) at 600 C against those reported in literature. The spectral emissivities of two candidate alloys for VHTR, INCONEL{reg_sign} alloy 617 (INCONEL is a registered trademark of the Special Metals Corporation group of companies) and SA508 steel, in air environment at 700 C were measured.« less

Cascading pressure reactor and method for solar-thermochemical reactions

DOEpatents

Ermanoski, Ivan

2017-11-14

Reactors and methods for solar thermochemical reactions are disclosed. The reactors and methods include a cascade of reduction chambers at successively lower pressures that leads to over an order of magnitude pressure decrease compared to a single-chambered design. The resulting efficiency gains are substantial, and represent an important step toward practical and efficient solar fuel production on a large scale.

Fission Product Sorptivity in Graphite

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

Tompson, Jr., Robert V.; Loyalka, Sudarshan; Ghosh, Tushar

Both adsorption and absorption (sorption) of fission product (FP) gases on/into graphite are issues of interest in very high temperature reactors (VHTRs). In the original proposal, we proposed to use packed beds of graphite particles to measure sorption at a variety of temperatures and to use an electrodynamic balance (EDB) to measure sorption onto single graphite particles (a few μm in diameter) at room temperature. The use of packed beds at elevated temperature is not an issue. However, the TPOC requested revision of this initial proposal to included single particle measurements at elevated temperatures up to 1100 °C. To accommodatemore » the desire of NEUP to extend the single particle EDB measurements to elevated temperatures it was necessary to significantly revise the plan and the budget. These revisions were approved. In the EDB method, we levitate a single graphite particle (the size, surface characteristics, morphology, purity, and composition of the particle can be varied) or agglomerate in the balance and measure the sorption of species by observing the changes in mass. This process involves the use of an electron stepping technique to measure the total charge on a particle which, in conjunction with the measured suspension voltages for the particle, allows for determinations of mass and, hence, of mass changes which then correspond to measurements of sorption. Accommodating elevated temperatures with this type of system required a significant system redesign and required additional time that ultimately was not available. These constraints also meant that the grant had to focus on fewer species as a result. Overall, the extension of the original proposed single particle work to elevated temperatures added greatly to the complexity of the proposed project and added greatly to the time that would eventually be required as well. This means that the bulk of the experimental progress was made using the packed bed sorption systems. Only being able to recruit one graduate student meant that data acquisition with the packed bed systems ended up competing for the graduate student’s available time with the electrodynamic balance redesign and assembly portions of the project. This competition for available time was eventually mitigated to some extent by the later recruitment of an undergraduate student to help with data collection using the packed bed system. It was only the recruitment of the second student that allowed the single particle balance design and construction efforts to proceed as far as they did during the project period. It should be added that some significant time was also spent by the graduate student cataloging previous work involving graphite. This eventually resulted in a review paper being submitted and accepted (“Adsorption of Iodine on Graphite in High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Systems: A Review,” Kyle L. Walton, Tushar K. Ghosh, Dabir S. Viswanath, Sudarshan K. Loyalka, Robert V. Tompson). Our specific revised objectives in this project were as follows: Experimentally obtain isotherms of Iodine for reactor grade IG-110 samples of graphite particles over a range of temperatures and pressures using an EDB and a temperature controlled EDB; Experimentally obtain isotherms of Iodine for reactor grade IG-110 samples of graphite particles over a range of temperatures and pressures using a packed column bed apparatus; Explore the effect that charge has on the adsorption isotherms of iodine by varying the charges on and the voltages used to suspend the microscopic particles in the EDB; and To interpret these results in terms of the existing models (Langmuir, BET, Freundlich, and others) which we will modify as necessary to include charge related effects.« less

A novel plant protection strategy for transient reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharyya, Samit K.; Lipinski, Walter C.; Hanan, Nelson A.

A novel plant protection system designed for use in the TREAT Upgrade (TU) reactor is described. The TU reactor is designed for controlled transient operation in the testing of reactor fuel behavior under simulated reactor accident conditions. Safe operation of the reactor is of paramount importance and the Plant Protection System (PPS) had to be designed to exacting requirements. Researchers believe that the strategy developed for the TU has potential application to the multimegawatt space reactors and represents the state of the art in terrestrial transient reactor protection systems.

Immobilization patterns and dynamics of acetate-utilizing methanogens immobilized in sterile granular sludge in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors.

PubMed

Schmidt, J E; Ahring, B K

1999-03-01

Sterile granular sludge was inoculated with either Methanosarcina mazeii S-6, Methanosaeta concilii GP-6, or both species in acetate-fed upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors to investigate the immobilization patterns and dynamics of aceticlastic methanogens in granular sludge. After several months of reactor operation, the methanogens were immobilized, either separately or together. The fastest immobilization was observed in the reactor containing M. mazeii S-6. The highest effluent concentration of acetate was observed in the reactor with only M. mazeii S-6 immobilized, while the lowest effluent concentration of acetate was observed in the reactor where both types of methanogens were immobilized together. No changes were observed in the kinetic parameters (Ks and mumax) of immobilized M. concilii GP-6 or M. mazeii S-6 compared with suspended cultures, indicating that immobilization does not affect the growth kinetics of these methanogens. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using polyclonal antibodies against either M. concilii GP-6 or M. mazeii S-6 showed significant variations in the two methanogenic populations in the different reactors. Polyclonal antibodies were further used to study the spatial distribution of the two methanogens. M. concilii GP-6 was immobilized only on existing support material without any specific pattern. M. mazeii S-6, however, showed a different immobilization pattern: large clumps were formed when the concentration of acetate was high, but where the acetate concentration was low this strain was immobilized on support material as single cells or small clumps. The data clearly show that the two aceticlastic methanogens immobilize differently in UASB systems, depending on the conditions found throughout the UASB reactor.

Isotopic evidence for nitrous oxide production pathways in a partial nitritation-anammox reactor.

PubMed

Harris, Eliza; Joss, Adriano; Emmenegger, Lukas; Kipf, Marco; Wolf, Benjamin; Mohn, Joachim; Wunderlin, Pascal

2015-10-15

Nitrous oxide (N2O) production pathways in a single stage, continuously fed partial nitritation-anammox reactor were investigated using online isotopic analysis of offgas N2O with quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy (QCLAS). N2O emissions increased when reactor operating conditions were not optimal, for example, high dissolved oxygen concentration. SP measurements indicated that the increase in N2O was due to enhanced nitrifier denitrification, generally related to nitrite build-up in the reactor. The results of this study confirm that process control via online N2O monitoring is an ideal method to detect imbalances in reactor operation and regulate aeration, to ensure optimal reactor conditions and minimise N2O emissions. Under normal operating conditions, the N2O isotopic site preference (SP) was much higher than expected - up to 40‰ - which could not be explained within the current understanding of N2O production pathways. Various targeted experiments were conducted to investigate the characteristics of N2O formation in the reactor. The high SP measurements during both normal operating and experimental conditions could potentially be explained by a number of hypotheses: i) unexpectedly strong heterotrophic N2O reduction, ii) unknown inorganic or anammox-associated N2O production pathway, iii) previous underestimation of SP fractionation during N2O production from NH2OH, or strong variations in SP from this pathway depending on reactor conditions. The second hypothesis - an unknown or incompletely characterised production pathway - was most consistent with results, however the other possibilities cannot be discounted. Further experiments are needed to distinguish between these hypotheses and fully resolve N2O production pathways in PN-anammox systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Immobilization Patterns and Dynamics of Acetate-Utilizing Methanogens Immobilized in Sterile Granular Sludge in Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactors

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Jens Ejbye; Ahring, Birgitte Kjær

1999-01-01

Sterile granular sludge was inoculated with either Methanosarcina mazeii S-6, Methanosaeta concilii GP-6, or both species in acetate-fed upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors to investigate the immobilization patterns and dynamics of aceticlastic methanogens in granular sludge. After several months of reactor operation, the methanogens were immobilized, either separately or together. The fastest immobilization was observed in the reactor containing M. mazeii S-6. The highest effluent concentration of acetate was observed in the reactor with only M. mazeii S-6 immobilized, while the lowest effluent concentration of acetate was observed in the reactor where both types of methanogens were immobilized together. No changes were observed in the kinetic parameters (Ks and μmax) of immobilized M. concilii GP-6 or M. mazeii S-6 compared with suspended cultures, indicating that immobilization does not affect the growth kinetics of these methanogens. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using polyclonal antibodies against either M. concilii GP-6 or M. mazeii S-6 showed significant variations in the two methanogenic populations in the different reactors. Polyclonal antibodies were further used to study the spatial distribution of the two methanogens. M. concilii GP-6 was immobilized only on existing support material without any specific pattern. M. mazeii S-6, however, showed a different immobilization pattern: large clumps were formed when the concentration of acetate was high, but where the acetate concentration was low this strain was immobilized on support material as single cells or small clumps. The data clearly show that the two aceticlastic methanogens immobilize differently in UASB systems, depending on the conditions found throughout the UASB reactor. PMID:10049862

Innovative self-powered submersible microbial electrolysis cell (SMEC) for biohydrogen production from anaerobic reactors.

PubMed

Zhang, Yifeng; Angelidaki, Irini

2012-05-15

A self-powered submersible microbial electrolysis cell (SMEC), in which a specially designed anode chamber and external electricity supply were not needed, was developed for in situ biohydrogen production from anaerobic reactors. In batch experiments, the hydrogen production rate reached 17.8 mL/L/d at the initial acetate concentration of 410 mg/L (5 mM), while the cathodic hydrogen recovery ( [Formula: see text] ) and overall systemic coulombic efficiency (CE(os)) were 93% and 28%, respectively, and the systemic hydrogen yield ( [Formula: see text] ) peaked at 1.27 mol-H(2)/mol-acetate. The hydrogen production increased along with acetate and buffer concentration. The highest hydrogen production rate of 32.2 mL/L/d and [Formula: see text] of 1.43 mol-H(2)/mol-acetate were achieved at 1640 mg/L (20 mM) acetate and 100 mM phosphate buffer. Further evaluation of the reactor under single electricity-generating or hydrogen-producing mode indicated that further improvement of voltage output and reduction of electron losses were essential for efficient hydrogen generation. In addition, alternate exchanging the electricity-assisting and hydrogen-producing function between the two cell units of the SMEC was found to be an effective approach to inhibit methanogens. Furthermore, 16S rRNA genes analysis showed that this special operation strategy resulted same microbial community structures in the anodic biofilms of the two cell units. The simple, compact and in situ applicable SMEC offers new opportunities for reactor design for a microbial electricity-assisted biohydrogen production system. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transport Reactor Facility

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

Berry, D.A.; Shoemaker, S.A.

1996-12-31

The Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) is currently evaluating hot gas desulfurization (HGD)in its on-site transport reactor facility (TRF). This facility was originally constructed in the early 1980s to explore advanced gasification processes with an entrained reactor, and has recently been modified to incorporate a transport riser reactor. The TRF supports Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power systems, one of METC`s advanced power generation systems. The HGD subsystem is a key developmental item in reducing the cost and increasing the efficiency of the IGCC concept. The TRF is a unique facility with high-temperature, high-pressure, and multiple reactant gas composition capability.more » The TRF can be configured for reacting a single flow pass of gas and solids using a variety of gases. The gas input system allows six different gas inputs to be mixed and heated before entering the reaction zones. Current configurations allow the use of air, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, methane, nitrogen, oxygen, steam, or any mixture of these gases. Construction plans include the addition of a coal gas input line. This line will bring hot coal gas from the existing Fluidized-Bed Gasifier (FBG) via the Modular Gas Cleanup Rig (MGCR) after filtering out particulates with ceramic candle filters. Solids can be fed either by a rotary pocket feeder or a screw feeder. Particle sizes may range from 70 to 150 micrometers. Both feeders have a hopper that can hold enough solid for fairly lengthy tests at the higher feed rates, thus eliminating the need for lockhopper transfers during operation.« less

Coupled reactor kinetics and heat transfer model for heat pipe cooled reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Steven A.; Houts, Michael

2001-02-01

Heat pipes are often proposed as cooling system components for small fission reactors. SAFE-300 and STAR-C are two reactor concepts that use heat pipes as an integral part of the cooling system. Heat pipes have been used in reactors to cool components within radiation tests (Deverall, 1973); however, no reactor has been built or tested that uses heat pipes solely as the primary cooling system. Heat pipe cooled reactors will likely require the development of a test reactor to determine the main differences in operational behavior from forced cooled reactors. The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of a systems code capable of modeling the coupling between the reactor kinetics and heat pipe controlled heat transport. Heat transport in heat pipe reactors is complex and highly system dependent. Nevertheless, in general terms it relies on heat flowing from the fuel pins through the heat pipe, to the heat exchanger, and then ultimately into the power conversion system and heat sink. A system model is described that is capable of modeling coupled reactor kinetics phenomena, heat transfer dynamics within the fuel pins, and the transient behavior of heat pipes (including the melting of the working fluid). This paper focuses primarily on the coupling effects caused by reactor feedback and compares the observations with forced cooled reactors. A number of reactor startup transients have been modeled, and issues such as power peaking, and power-to-flow mismatches, and loading transients were examined, including the possibility of heat flow from the heat exchanger back into the reactor. This system model is envisioned as a tool to be used for screening various heat pipe cooled reactor concepts, for designing and developing test facility requirements, for use in safety evaluations, and for developing test criteria for in-pile and out-of-pile test facilities. .

A HUMAN AUTOMATION INTERACTION CONCEPT FOR A SMALL MODULAR REACTOR CONTROL ROOM

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

Le Blanc, Katya; Spielman, Zach; Hill, Rachael

Many advanced nuclear power plant (NPP) designs incorporate higher degrees of automation than the existing fleet of NPPs. Automation is being introduced or proposed in NPPs through a wide variety of systems and technologies, such as advanced displays, computer-based procedures, advanced alarm systems, and computerized operator support systems. Additionally, many new reactor concepts, both full scale and small modular reactors, are proposing increased automation and reduced staffing as part of their concept of operations. However, research consistently finds that there is a fundamental tradeoff between system performance with increased automation and reduced human performance. There is a need to addressmore » the question of how to achieve high performance and efficiency of high levels of automation without degrading human performance. One example of a new NPP concept that will utilize greater degrees of automation is the SMR concept from NuScale Power. The NuScale Power design requires 12 modular units to be operated in one single control room, which leads to a need for higher degrees of automation in the control room. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) researchers and NuScale Power human factors and operations staff are working on a collaborative project to address the human performance challenges of increased automation and to determine the principles that lead to optimal performance in highly automated systems. This paper will describe this concept in detail and will describe an experimental test of the concept. The benefits and challenges of the approach will be discussed.« less

Agarose droplet microfluidics for highly parallel and efficient single molecule emulsion PCR.

PubMed

Leng, Xuefei; Zhang, Wenhua; Wang, Chunming; Cui, Liang; Yang, Chaoyong James

2010-11-07

An agarose droplet method was developed for highly parallel and efficient single molecule emulsion PCR. The method capitalizes on the unique thermoresponsive sol-gel switching property of agarose for highly efficient DNA amplification and amplicon trapping. Uniform agarose solution droplets generated via a microfluidic chip serve as robust and inert nanolitre PCR reactors for single copy DNA molecule amplification. After PCR, agarose droplets are gelated to form agarose beads, trapping all amplicons in each reactor to maintain the monoclonality of each droplet. This method does not require cocapsulation of primer labeled microbeads, allows high throughput generation of uniform droplets and enables high PCR efficiency, making it a promising platform for many single copy genetic studies.

Chemical Vapor Deposition Of Silicon Carbide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, J. Anthony; Larkin, David J.; Matus, Lawrence G.; Petit, Jeremy B.

1993-01-01

Large single-crystal SiC boules from which wafers of large area cut now being produced commerically. Availability of wafers opens door for development of SiC semiconductor devices. Recently developed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process produces thin single-crystal SiC films on SiC wafers. Essential step in sequence of steps used to fabricate semiconductor devices. Further development required for specific devices. Some potential high-temperature applications include sensors and control electronics for advanced turbine engines and automobile engines, power electronics for electromechanical actuators for advanced aircraft and for space power systems, and equipment used in drilling of deep wells. High-frequency applications include communication systems, high-speed computers, and microwave power transistors. High-radiation applications include sensors and controls for nuclear reactors.

Mathematical modeling of a continuous alcoholic fermentation process in a two-stage tower reactor cascade with flocculating yeast recycle.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Samuel Conceição; de Castro, Heizir Ferreira; Visconti, Alexandre Eliseu Stourdze; Giudici, Reinaldo

2015-03-01

Experiments of continuous alcoholic fermentation of sugarcane juice with flocculating yeast recycle were conducted in a system of two 0.22-L tower bioreactors in series, operated at a range of dilution rates (D 1 = D 2 = 0.27-0.95 h(-1)), constant recycle ratio (α = F R /F = 4.0) and a sugar concentration in the feed stream (S 0) around 150 g/L. The data obtained in these experimental conditions were used to adjust the parameters of a mathematical model previously developed for the single-stage process. This model considers each of the tower bioreactors as a perfectly mixed continuous reactor and the kinetics of cell growth and product formation takes into account the limitation by substrate and the inhibition by ethanol and biomass, as well as the substrate consumption for cellular maintenance. The model predictions agreed satisfactorily with the measurements taken in both stages of the cascade. The major differences with respect to the kinetic parameters previously estimated for a single-stage system were observed for the maximum specific growth rate, for the inhibition constants of cell growth and for the specific rate of substrate consumption for cell maintenance. Mathematical models were validated and used to simulate alternative operating conditions as well as to analyze the performance of the two-stage process against that of the single-stage process.

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

Pomorski, Michal; Mer-Calfati, Christine; Foulon, Francois

Diamond exhibits a combination of properties which makes it attractive for neutron detection in hostile conditions. In the particular case of detection in a nuclear reactor, it is resilient to radiation, exhibits a natural low sensitivity to gamma rays, and its small size (as compared with that of gas ionisation chambers) enables fluency monitoring with a high position resolution. We report here on the use of synthetic CVD diamond as a solid state micro-fission chamber with U-235 converting material for in-core thermal neutron monitoring. Two types of thin diamond detectors were developed for this application. The first type of detectormore » is fabricated using thin diamond membrane obtained by etching low-cost commercially available single crystal CVD intrinsic diamond, so called 'optical grade' material. Starting from a few hundred of micrometre thick samples, the sample is sliced with a laser and then plasma etched down to a few tenths of micrometre. Here we report the result obtained with a 17 μm thick device. The detection surface of this detector is equal to 1 mm{sup 2}. Detectors with surfaces up to 1 cm{sup 2} can be fabricated with this technique. The second type of detector is fabricated by growing successively two thin films of diamond, by the microwave enhanced chemical vapour deposition technique, on HPHT single crystal diamond. A first, a film of boron doped (p+) single crystal diamond, a few microns thick, is deposited. Then a second film of intrinsic diamond with a thickness of a few tens of microns is deposited. This results in a P doped, Intrinsic, Metal structure (PIM) structure in which the intrinsic volume id the active part of the detector. Here we report the results obtained with a 20 μm thick intrinsic whose detection surface is equal to 0.5 mm{sup 2}, with the possibility to enlarge the surface of the detector up to 1 cm{sup 2}. These two types of detector were tested at the VR-1 research reactor at the Czech Technical University in Prague. The Training Reactor VR-1 is a pool type (light water) reactor based on UO{sub 2} low enriched uranium. It has a nominal power of 1 kW, and can be operated for a short period up to 5 kW. The arrangement of the reactor pool reactor facilitates access to the core, setting and removal of various experimental samples and detectors, and safe and easy handling of fuel assemblies. The reactor is equipped with two horizontal channels (radial and tangential) and 10 vertical channels, of varying diameters, which can be loaded into various core positions, and one pneumatic transfer system. It is also equipped with several specifically designed educational instrumentation systems that can be used to supply complementary measurements and characterization around the reactor. The reactor is operated by the Department of Nuclear Reactors of the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague. The two detectors were placed in-core through one of the vertical insertion channel. They were coupled to remote placed (5 m BNC cable) classical nuclear charge sensitive electronics. Detection properties of both sensors, including: pulse height spectra of U-235 fission fragments (response linearity with neutron flux, count rate, gamma background, were evaluated varying the power of the reactor from 0.005 W to 500 W. The evolution of the counting rate of the thinned optical grade detector as a function of counting rate of a gas ionization chamber used currently for reactor monitoring shows the very good linearity of the detector over the 5 decades. Similar results were obtained with the PIM detector. Additionally fast transient current signals of the detectors were recorded on a digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) using broad-band amplifier and with a simple bias-T, showing potential use of such sensors for neutron counting with no need of an amplification stage, since non-amplified signals from fission fragments exceeded 4 mV in amplitude. Therefore, one can think of simple neutron counting system by feeding diamond detectors signals directly to the low threshold discriminators. The results obtained on the VR1 will be described and discussed in detail in the paper and associated presentation. The results demonstrate that diamond micro-fission chambers can be used for in-core neutron monitoring, where robust, simple and compact devices are required.« less

Preliminary analysis of loss-of-coolant accident in Fukushima nuclear accident

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

Su'ud, Zaki; Anshari, Rio

Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA) in Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) especially on Fukushima Nuclear Accident will be discussed in this paper. The Tohoku earthquake triggered the shutdown of nuclear power reactors at Fukushima Nuclear Power station. Though shutdown process has been completely performed, cooling process, at much smaller level than in normal operation, is needed to remove decay heat from the reactor core until the reactor reach cold-shutdown condition. If LOCA happen at this condition, it will cause the increase of reactor fuel and other core temperatures and can lead to reactor core meltdown and exposure of radioactive material to the environmentmore » such as in the Fukushima Dai Ichi nuclear accident case. In this study numerical simulation has been performed to calculate pressure composition, water level and temperature distribution on reactor during this accident. There are two coolant regulating system that operational on reactor unit 1 at this accident, Isolation Condensers (IC) system and Safety Relief Valves (SRV) system. Average mass flow of steam to the IC system in this event is 10 kg/s and could keep reactor core from uncovered about 3,2 hours and fully uncovered in 4,7 hours later. There are two coolant regulating system at operational on reactor unit 2, Reactor Core Isolation Condenser (RCIC) System and Safety Relief Valves (SRV). Average mass flow of coolant that correspond this event is 20 kg/s and could keep reactor core from uncovered about 73 hours and fully uncovered in 75 hours later. There are three coolant regulating system at operational on reactor unit 3, Reactor Core Isolation Condenser (RCIC) system, High Pressure Coolant Injection (HPCI) system and Safety Relief Valves (SRV). Average mass flow of water that correspond this event is 15 kg/s and could keep reactor core from uncovered about 37 hours and fully uncovered in 40 hours later.« less

Preliminary analysis of loss-of-coolant accident in Fukushima nuclear accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su'ud, Zaki; Anshari, Rio

2012-06-01

Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA) in Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) especially on Fukushima Nuclear Accident will be discussed in this paper. The Tohoku earthquake triggered the shutdown of nuclear power reactors at Fukushima Nuclear Power station. Though shutdown process has been completely performed, cooling process, at much smaller level than in normal operation, is needed to remove decay heat from the reactor core until the reactor reach cold-shutdown condition. If LOCA happen at this condition, it will cause the increase of reactor fuel and other core temperatures and can lead to reactor core meltdown and exposure of radioactive material to the environment such as in the Fukushima Dai Ichi nuclear accident case. In this study numerical simulation has been performed to calculate pressure composition, water level and temperature distribution on reactor during this accident. There are two coolant regulating system that operational on reactor unit 1 at this accident, Isolation Condensers (IC) system and Safety Relief Valves (SRV) system. Average mass flow of steam to the IC system in this event is 10 kg/s and could keep reactor core from uncovered about 3,2 hours and fully uncovered in 4,7 hours later. There are two coolant regulating system at operational on reactor unit 2, Reactor Core Isolation Condenser (RCIC) System and Safety Relief Valves (SRV). Average mass flow of coolant that correspond this event is 20 kg/s and could keep reactor core from uncovered about 73 hours and fully uncovered in 75 hours later. There are three coolant regulating system at operational on reactor unit 3, Reactor Core Isolation Condenser (RCIC) system, High Pressure Coolant Injection (HPCI) system and Safety Relief Valves (SRV). Average mass flow of water that correspond this event is 15 kg/s and could keep reactor core from uncovered about 37 hours and fully uncovered in 40 hours later.

1985 Nuclear Science Symposium, 32nd, and 1985 Symposium on Nuclear Power Systems, 17th, San Francisco, CA, October 23-25, 1985, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

The present conference ranges over topics in high energy physics instrumentation, detectors, nuclear medical applications, health physics and environmental monitoring, reactor instrumentation, nuclear spacecraft instrumentation, the 'Fastbus' data acquisition system, circuits and systems for nuclear research facilities, and the development status of nuclear power systems. Specific attention is given to CCD high precision detectors, a drift chamber preamplifier, a Cerenkov ring imaging detector, novel scintillation glasses and scintillating fibers, a modular multidrift vertex detector, radial wire drift chambers, liquid argon polarimeters, a multianode photomultiplier, the reliability of planar silicon detectors, the design and manufacture of wedge and strip anodes, ultrafast triode photodetectors, photomultiplier tubes, a barium fluoride plastic scintillator, a fine grained neutron hodoscope, the stability of low leakage silicon photodiodes for crystal calorimeters, and X-ray proportional counters. Also considered are positron emission tomography, single photon emission computed tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, Geiger-Muller detectors, nuclear plant safeguards, a 32-bit Fastbus computer, an advanced light water reactor, and nuclear plant maintenance.

Design of an integrated fuel processor for residential PEMFCs applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Yu Taek; Seo, Dong Joo; Jeong, Jin Hyeok; Yoon, Wang Lai

KIER has been developing a novel fuel processing system to provide hydrogen rich gas to residential PEMFCs system. For the effective design of a compact hydrogen production system, each unit process for steam reforming and water gas shift, has a steam generator and internal heat exchangers which are thermally and physically integrated into a single packaged hardware system. The newly designed fuel processor (prototype II) showed a thermal efficiency of 78% as a HHV basis with methane conversion of 89%. The preferential oxidation unit with two staged cascade reactors, reduces, the CO concentration to below 10 ppm without complicated temperature control hardware, which is the prerequisite CO limit for the PEMFC stack. After we achieve the initial performance of the fuel processor, partial load operation was carried out to test the performance and reliability of the fuel processor at various loads. The stability of the fuel processor was also demonstrated for three successive days with a stable composition of product gas and thermal efficiency. The CO concentration remained below 10 ppm during the test period and confirmed the stable performance of the two-stage PrOx reactors.

The Use of Case History Studies to Differentiate Potentially Infected from Potentially Noninfected Herds with Reactors to Brucella abortus Antigens

PubMed Central

Martin, S. W.; Gerrow, A. F.

1978-01-01

Data on farm characteristics and the results of the first herd test for brucellosis were collected for 74 reactor and 74 negative herds in Wellington County, Ontario. Each reactor herd was classified as either probably infected or probably not infected using the occurrence of abortions prior to the first herd test or during the testing period, the total number of cattle removed and/or the spread of reactors within the herd as criteria of infection. Statistical techniques were used to select variables which were good “discriminators” between probably infected and noninfected herds. In general, reactor herds were primarily dairy herds and were somewhat larger than negative herds. The presence of only single suspicious reactors on the first test appeared to be a good predictor of lack of infection with Brucella abortus. Among the 37 farms in this category the single reactor was removed from only eight farms and no evidence o fthe spread of infection was observed. The presence of one or more positive reactors on the first herd test appeared to be a good predictor of the presence of infection. Of the 24 farms in this category, evidence of the spread of infection was present in ten farms and seven of these ten farms were eventually depopulated. The brucella milk ring test appeared to be the most effective means of identifying infected herds under the conditions present in Wellington County. PMID:417777

Heat Pipe Solar Receiver for Oxygen Production of Lunar Regolith

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartenstine, John R.; Anderson, William G.; Walker, Kara L.; Ellis, Michael C.

2009-03-01

A heat pipe solar receiver operating in the 1050° C range is proposed for use in the hydrogen reduction process for the extraction of oxygen from the lunar soil. The heat pipe solar receiver is designed to accept, isothermalize and transfer solar thermal energy to reactors for oxygen production. This increases the available area for heat transfer, and increases throughput and efficiency. The heat pipe uses sodium as the working fluid, and Haynes 230 as the heat pipe envelope material. Initial design requirements have been established for the heat pipe solar receiver design based on information from the NASA In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) program. Multiple heat pipe solar receiver designs were evaluated based on thermal performance, temperature uniformity, and integration with the solar concentrator and the regolith reactor(s). Two designs were selected based on these criteria: an annular heat pipe contained within the regolith reactor and an annular heat pipe with a remote location for the reactor. Additional design concepts have been developed that would use a single concentrator with a single solar receiver to supply and regulate power to multiple reactors. These designs use variable conductance or pressure controlled heat pipes for passive power distribution management between reactors. Following the design study, a demonstration heat pipe solar receiver was fabricated and tested. Test results demonstrated near uniform temperature on the outer surface of the pipe, which will ultimately be in contact with the regolith reactor.

Enhanced elementary sulfur recovery in integrated sulfate-reducing, sulfur-producing rector under micro-aerobic condition.

PubMed

Xu, Xi-jun; Chen, Chuan; Wang, Ai-jie; Fang, Ning; Yuan, Ye; Ren, Nan-qi; Lee, Duu-jong

2012-07-01

Biological treatment of sulfate-laden wastewater consists of two separate reactors to reduce sulfate to sulfide by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and to oxidize sulfide to sulfur (S(0)) by sulfide oxidation bacteria (SOB). To have SRB+SOB in a single reactor faced difficulty of low S(0) conversion. This study for the first time revealed that dissolved oxygen (DO) level can be used to manipulate SRB+SOB reactions in a single reactor. This work demonstrated successful operation of an integrated SRB+SOB reactor under micro-aerobic condition. At DO = 0.10-0.12 mg l(-1), since the activities of SOB were enhanced by limited oxygen, the removal efficiency for sulfate reached 81.5% and the recovery of S(0) peaked at 71.8%, higher than those reported in literature. At increased DO, chemical oxidation of sulfide with molecular oxygen competed with SOB so conversion of S(0) started to decline. At DO>0.30 mg l(-1) activities of SRB were inhibited, leading to failure of the SRB+SOB reactor. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In situ H2O and temperature detection close to burning biomass pellets using calibration-free wavelength modulation spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Zhechao; Schmidt, Florian M.

2015-04-01

The design and application of an H2O/temperature sensor based on scanned calibration-free wavelength modulation spectroscopy (CF-WMS) and a single tunable diode laser at 1.4 µm is presented. The sensor probes two H2O absorption peaks in a single scan and simultaneously retrieves H2O concentration and temperature by least-squares fitting simulated 1f-normalized 2f-WMS spectra to measured 2f/ 1f-WMS signals, with temperature, concentration and nonlinear modulation amplitude as fitting parameters. Given a minimum detectable absorbance of 1.7 × 10-5 cm-1 Hz-1/2, the system is applicable down to an H2O concentration of 0.1 % at 1,000 K and 20 cm path length (200 ppm·m). The temperature in a water-seeded laboratory-scale reactor (670-1220 K at 4 % H2O) was determined within an accuracy of 1 % by comparison with the reactor thermocouple. The CF-WMS sensor was applied to real time in situ measurements of H2O concentration and temperature time histories (0.25-s time resolution) in the hot gases 2-11 mm above biomass pellets during atmospheric combustion in the reactor. Temperatures between 1,200 and 1,600 K and H2O concentrations up to 40 % were detected above the biofuels.

Decay heat power of spent nuclear fuel of power reactors with high burnup at long-term storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ternovykh, Mikhail; Tikhomirov, Georgy; Saldikov, Ivan; Gerasimov, Alexander

2017-09-01

Decay heat power of actinides and fission products from spent nuclear fuel of power VVER-1000 type reactors at long-term storage is calculated. Two modes of storage are considered: mode in which single portion of actinides or fission products is loaded in storage facility, and mode in which actinides or fission products from spent fuel of one VVER reactor are added every year in storage facility during 30 years and then accumulated nuclides are stored without addition new nuclides. Two values of fuel burnup 40 and 70 MW·d/kg are considered for the mode of storage of single fuel unloading. For the mode of accumulation of spent fuel with subsequent storage, one value of burnup of 70 MW·d/kg is considered. Very long time of storage 105 years accepted in calculations allows to simulate final geological disposal of radioactive wastes. Heat power of fission products decreases quickly after 50-100 years of storage. The power of actinides decreases very slow. In passing from 40 to 70 MW·d/kg, power of actinides increases due to accumulation of higher fraction of 244Cm. These data are important in the back end of fuel cycle when improved cooling system of the storage facility will be required along with stronger radiation protection during storage, transportation and processing.

Evaluation of various cheese whey treatment scenarios in single-chamber microbial electrolysis cells for improved biohydrogen production.

PubMed

Rivera, Isaac; Bakonyi, Péter; Cuautle-Marín, Manuel Alejandro; Buitrón, Germán

2017-05-01

In this study single-chamber microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) were applied to treat cheese whey (CW), an industrial by-product, and recover H 2 gas. Firstly, this substrate was fed directly to the MEC to get the initial feedback about its H 2 generation potential. The results indicated that the direct application of CW requires an adequate pH control to realize bioelectrohydrogenesis and avoid operational failure due to the loss of bioanode activity. In the second part of the study, the effluents of anaerobic (methanogenic) digester and hydrogenogenic (dark fermentative H 2 -producing) reactor utilizing the CW were tested in the MEC process (representing the concept of a two-stage technology). It turned out that the residue of the methanogenic reactor - with its relatively lower carbohydrate- and higher volatile fatty acid contents - was more suitable to produce hydrogen bioelectrochemically. The MEC operated with the dark fermentation effluent, containing a high portion of carbohydrates and low amount of organic acids, produced significant amount of undesired methane simultaneously with H 2 . Overall, the best MEC behavior was attained using the effluent of the methanogenic reactor and therefore, considering a two-stage system, methanogenesis is an advisable pretreatment step for the acidic CW to enhance the H 2 formation in complementary microbial electrohydrogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High Fidelity Thermal Simulators for Non-Nuclear Testing: Analysis and Initial Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Dickens, Ricky; Dixon, David

2007-01-01

Non-nuclear testing can be a valuable tool in the development of a space nuclear power system, providing system characterization data and allowing one to work through various fabrication, assembly and integration issues without the cost and time associated with a full ground nuclear test. In a non-nuclear test bed, electric heaters are used to simulate the heat from nuclear fuel. Testing with non-optimized heater elements allows one to assess thermal, heat transfer, and stress related attributes of a given system, but fails to demonstrate the dynamic response that would be present in an integrated, fueled reactor system. High fidelity thermal simulators that match both the static and the dynamic fuel pin performance that would be observed in an operating, fueled nuclear reactor can vastly increase the value of non-nuclear test results. With optimized simulators, the integration of thermal hydraulic hardware tests with simulated neutronie response provides a bridge between electrically heated testing and fueled nuclear testing, providing a better assessment of system integration issues, characterization of integrated system response times and response characteristics, and assessment of potential design improvements' at a relatively small fiscal investment. Initial conceptual thermal simulator designs are determined by simple one-dimensional analysis at a single axial location and at steady state conditions; feasible concepts are then input into a detailed three-dimensional model for comparison to expected fuel pin performance. Static and dynamic fuel pin performance for a proposed reactor design is determined using SINDA/FLUINT thermal analysis software, and comparison is made between the expected nuclear performance and the performance of conceptual thermal simulator designs. Through a series of iterative analyses, a conceptual high fidelity design can developed. Test results presented in this paper correspond to a "first cut" simulator design for a potential liquid metal (NaK) cooled reactor design that could be applied for Lunar surface power. Proposed refinements to this simulator design are also presented.

Computer study of emergency shutdowns of a 60-kilowatt reactor Brayton space power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tew, R. C.; Jefferies, K. S.

1974-01-01

A digital computer study of emergency shutdowns of a 60-kWe reactor Brayton power system was conducted. Malfunctions considered were (1) loss of reactor coolant flow, (2) loss of Brayton system gas flow, (3)turbine overspeed, and (4) a reactivity insertion error. Loss of reactor coolant flow was the most serious malfunction for the reactor. Methods for moderating the reactor transients due to this malfunction are considered.

Passive cooling safety system for liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

DOEpatents

Hunsbedt, Anstein; Boardman, Charles E.; Hui, Marvin M.; Berglund, Robert C.

1991-01-01

A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor having a passive cooling system for removing residual heat resulting from fuel decay during reactor shutdown. The passive cooling system comprises a plurality of partitions surrounding the reactor vessel in spaced apart relation forming intermediate areas for circulating heat transferring fluid which remove and carry away heat from the reactor vessel. The passive cooling system includes a closed primary fluid circuit through the partitions surrounding the reactor vessel and a partially adjoining secondary open fluid circuit for carrying transferred heat out into the atmosphere.

Indirect passive cooling system for liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

DOEpatents

Hunsbedt, Anstein; Boardman, Charles E.

1990-01-01

A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor having a passive cooling system for removing residual heat resulting from fuel decay during reactor shutdown. The passive cooling system comprises a plurality of partitions surrounding the reactor vessel in spaced apart relation forming intermediate areas for circulating heat transferring fluid which remove and carry away heat from the reactor vessel. The passive cooling system includes a closed primary fluid circuit through the partitions surrounding the reactor vessel and a partially adjoining secondary open fluid circuit for carrying transferred heat out into the atmosphere.

Nuclear Science Symposium, 31st and Symposium on Nuclear Power Systems, 16th, Orlando, FL, October 31-November 2, 1984, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biggerstaff, J. A. (Editor)

1985-01-01

Topics related to physics instrumentation are discussed, taking into account cryostat and electronic development associated with multidetector spectrometer systems, the influence of materials and counting-rate effects on He-3 neutron spectrometry, a data acquisition system for time-resolved muscle experiments, and a sensitive null detector for precise measurements of integral linearity. Other subjects explored are concerned with space instrumentation, computer applications, detectors, instrumentation for high energy physics, instrumentation for nuclear medicine, environmental monitoring and health physics instrumentation, nuclear safeguards and reactor instrumentation, and a 1984 symposium on nuclear power systems. Attention is given to the application of multiprocessors to scientific problems, a large-scale computer facility for computational aerodynamics, a single-board 32-bit computer for the Fastbus, the integration of detector arrays and readout electronics on a single chip, and three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation of the electron avalanche in a proportional counter.

The comparative performance of the single intradermal test and the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test in Irish cattle, using tuberculin PPD combinations of differing potencies.

PubMed

Good, M; Clegg, T A; Costello, E; More, S J

2011-11-01

In national bovine tuberculosis (BTB) control programmes, testing is generally conducted using a single source of bovine purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculin. Alternative tuberculin sources should be identified as part of a broad risk management strategy as problems of supply or quality cannot be discounted. This study was conducted to compare the impact of different potencies of a single bovine PPD tuberculin on the field performance of the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test (SICTT) and single intradermal test (SIT). Three trial potencies of bovine PPD tuberculin, as assayed in naturally infected bovines, namely, low (1192IU/dose), normal (6184IU/dose) and high (12,554IU/dose) were used. Three SICTTs (using) were conducted on 2102 animals. Test results were compared based on reactor-status and changes in skin-thickness at the bovine tuberculin injection site. There was a significant difference in the number of reactors detected using the high and low potency tuberculins. In the SICTT, high and low potency tuberculin detected 40% more and 50% fewer reactors, respectively, than normal potency tuberculin. Furthermore, use of the low potency tuberculin in the SICTT failed to detect 20% of 35 animals with visible lesions, and in the SIT 11% of the visible lesion animals would have been classified as negative. Tuberculin potency is critical to the performance of both the SICTT and SIT. Tuberculin of different potencies will affect reactor disclosure rates, confounding between-year or between-country comparisons. Independent checks of tuberculin potency are an important aspect of quality control in national BTB control programmes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent upgrades and new scientific infrastructure of MARIA research reactor, Otwock-Swierk, Poland

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

NONE

The MARIA reactor is open-pool type, water and beryllium moderated. It has two independent primary cooling systems: fuel and pool cooling system. Each fuel assembly is cooled down separately in pressurized channels with individual performances characterization. The fuel assemblies consist of five layers of bent plates or six concentric tubes. Currently it is one of the most powerful research reactors in Europe with operation availability at least up to 2030. Its nominal thermal power is 30 MW. It is characterized by high neutron flux density: up to 3x10{sup 14} n cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} in case of thermal neutrons, andmore » up to 2x10{sup 13} n cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} in case of fast neutrons. The reactor is operated for ca. 4000 h per year. The reactor facility is equipped with fully equipped three hot cells with shielding up to 10{sup 15} Bq. Adjacent to the reactor facility, the radio-pharmaceutics plant (POLATOM) and Material Research Laboratory are located. They are equipped with a number of hot cells with instrumentation. The transport system of radioactive materials from reactor facility to Material Research Laboratory is available. During 2014 the MARIA reactor has been operated with three different types of fuel the same time: previous 36% enriched fuel, and two types of new LEU fuels. In the meantime, molybdenum irradiation programme has been developed. Maria is a multifunctional research tool, with a notable application in production of radioisotopes, radio-pharmaceutics manufacturing (ca. 600 TBq/y), {sup 99}Mo for medical scintigraphy (ca. 6000 TBq/y), neutron transmutation doping of silicon single crystals, wide scientific research based on neutron beams utilization. From the beginning MARIA reactor was intended for loop and fuel testing research activities. Currently it is used mostly as material testing and irradiation facility and for that reason it has wide experimental capabilities. There are eight horizontal irradiation channels from among whom six of them are equipped with instrumentation for condensed matter physics research: - H3 - spectrometer and diffractometer with double monochromator; - H4 - small angle scattering spectrometer; - H5 - polarized neutrons spectrometer; - H6, H7 - two 3-axial crystal neutron spectrometers; - H8 - neutron radiography stand. For two horizontal channels are ongoing exploitation programs: - H2 - station with epithermal neutron beam produced in uranium converter is being developed. Intelligent converter will be installed on the periphery of reactor core. The intensity of the beam will be at the level 2x10{sup 9} n cm{sup -2}s{sup -1} what makes the beam unique in the Europe. - H1 - special pneumatic horizontal mail is being developed for irradiation material samples in the vicinity of the core i.e. in the distal part of the H1 channel. The number of neutron irradiation facilities in MARIA reactor is increasing every year. Numerous of thermal neutron irradiation channels including fast hydraulic rabbit system and large size channels for fast neutron irradiation are used routinely. Recently new in-pile facility with ITER-like neutron energy spectrum for 14 MeV neutron irradiation has been constructed. Taking into account its performance and ability of almost incessant operation the facility appears as one of the most powerful 14 MeV neutron sources. The facility shall be used for material research connected with thermonuclear devices (ITER) and 4. generation nuclear reactors. The system of independent fuels channels used in MARIA reactor appear to be very flexible and very convenient to be used as irradiation channels for uranium targets for {sup 99}Mo production. Currently, MARIA reactor supplies ca. 18% world production of {sup 99}Mo. The MARIA reactor research activities are still extended. The current scientific projects are connected e.g. with silicon neutron transmutation doping, in-pile gamma heating measurements, French calculation codes implementation (TRIPOLI4, APOLLO2). The horizontal neutron beams utilization is also developed. The MARIA reactor, due to its primary application connected with loop and fuel testing, is very convenient for testing the nuclear instrumentation, control and measurement systems.« less

Study of microbial community and biodegradation efficiency for single- and two-phase anaerobic co-digestion of brown water and food waste.

PubMed

Lim, J W; Chen, C-L; Ho, I J R; Wang, J-Y

2013-11-01

The objective of this work was to study the microbial community and reactor performance for the anaerobic co-digestion of brown water and food waste in single- and two-phase continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs). Bacterial and archaeal communities were analyzed after 150 days of reactor operation. As compared to single-phase CSTR, methane production in two-phase CSTR was found to be 23% higher. This was likely due to greater extent of solubilization and acidification observed in the latter. These findings could be attributed to the predominance of Firmicutes and greater bacterial diversity in two-phase CSTR, and the lack of Firmicutes in single-phase CSTR. Methanosaeta was predominant in both CSTRs and this correlated to low levels of acetate in their effluent. Insights gained from this study would enhance the understanding of microorganisms involved in co-digestion of brown water and food waste as well as the complex biochemical interactions promoting digester stability and performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solvent refined coal reactor quench system

DOEpatents

Thorogood, Robert M.

1983-01-01

There is described an improved SRC reactor quench system using a condensed product which is recycled to the reactor and provides cooling by evaporation. In the process, the second and subsequent reactors of a series of reactors are cooled by the addition of a light oil fraction which provides cooling by evaporation in the reactor. The vaporized quench liquid is recondensed from the reactor outlet vapor stream.

Solvent refined coal reactor quench system

DOEpatents

Thorogood, R.M.

1983-11-08

There is described an improved SRC reactor quench system using a condensed product which is recycled to the reactor and provides cooling by evaporation. In the process, the second and subsequent reactors of a series of reactors are cooled by the addition of a light oil fraction which provides cooling by evaporation in the reactor. The vaporized quench liquid is recondensed from the reactor outlet vapor stream. 1 fig.

System and method for air temperature control in an oxygen transport membrane based reactor

DOEpatents

Kelly, Sean M

2016-09-27

A system and method for air temperature control in an oxygen transport membrane based reactor is provided. The system and method involves introducing a specific quantity of cooling air or trim air in between stages in a multistage oxygen transport membrane based reactor or furnace to maintain generally consistent surface temperatures of the oxygen transport membrane elements and associated reactors. The associated reactors may include reforming reactors, boilers or process gas heaters.

System and method for temperature control in an oxygen transport membrane based reactor

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

Kelly, Sean M.

A system and method for temperature control in an oxygen transport membrane based reactor is provided. The system and method involves introducing a specific quantity of cooling air or trim air in between stages in a multistage oxygen transport membrane based reactor or furnace to maintain generally consistent surface temperatures of the oxygen transport membrane elements and associated reactors. The associated reactors may include reforming reactors, boilers or process gas heaters.

Method for passive cooling liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors, and system thereof

DOEpatents

Hunsbedt, Anstein; Busboom, Herbert J.

1991-01-01

A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor having a passive cooling system for removing residual heat resulting from fuel decay during reactor shutdown. The passive cooling system comprises a plurality of partitions surrounding the reactor vessel in spaced apart relation forming intermediate areas for circulating heat transferring fluid which remove and carry away heat from the reactor vessel.

OAST Space Theme Workshop. Volume 2: Theme summary. 4: Solar system exploration (no. 10). A: Statement of theme: B. 26 April 1976 Presentation. C. Summary. D. Initiative actions (form 5)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Major strategies for exploring the solar system focus on the return of information and the return of matter. Both the planetary exploration facility, and an orbiting automated space station, and the sample return and exploration facility have similar requirements. The single most essential need to enable intensive study of the outer solar system is nuclear propulsion and power capability. New initiatives in 1978 related to the reactor, data and sample acquisition and return, navigation, and environmental protection are examined.

Phenol degradation by TiO2 photocatalysts combined with different pulsed discharge systems.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi; Lu, Jiani; Wang, Xiaoping; Xin, Qing; Cong, Yanqing; Wang, Qi; Li, Chunjuan

2013-11-01

Films of TiO2 nanotubes distributed over the inner surface of a discharge reactor cylinder (CTD) or adhered to a stainless steel electrode surface (PTD) in a discharge reactor were compared with a single-discharge (SD) system to investigate their efficiencies in phenol degradation. Morphology studies indicated that the TiO2 film was destroyed in the PTD system, but that there was no change in the CTD system after discharge. X-ray diffraction results revealed that the anatase phase of the original sample was preserved in the CTD system, but that an anatase-to-rutile phase transformation occurred in the PTD system after discharge. The highest efficiencies of phenol degradation and total organic carbon (TOC) mineralization were observed in the CTD system, and there was no decrease in phenol degradation efficiency upon reuse of a TiO2 film, indicating high catalysis activity and stability of the TiO2 photocatalysts in the combined treatment. TiO2 photocatalysts favored the formation of hydrogen peroxide and disfavored the formation of ozone. A greater degree of oxidation of intermediates and higher energy efficiency in phenol oxidation were observed with the TiO2-plasma systems, especially in the CTD system, compared to those with the SD system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploitation of olive mill wastewater and liquid cow manure for biogas production

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

Dareioti, Margarita A.; Dokianakis, Spyros N.; Stamatelatou, Katerina

2010-10-15

Co-digestion of organic waste streams is an innovative technology for the reduction of methane/greenhouse gas emissions. Different organic substrates are combined to generate a homogeneous mixture as input to the anaerobic reactor in order to increase process performance, realize a more efficient use of equipment and cost-sharing by processing multiple waste streams in a single facility. In this study, the potential of anaerobic digestion for the treatment of a mixture containing olive mill wastewater (OMW) and liquid cow manure (LCM) using a two-stage process has been evaluated by using two continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) under mesophilic conditions (35 {supmore » o}C) in order to separately monitor and control the processes of acidogenesis and methanogenesis. The overall process was studied with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 19 days. The digester was continuously fed with an influent composed (v/v) of 20% OMW and 80% LCM. The average removal of dissolved and total COD was 63.2% and 50%, respectively. The volatile solids (VS) removal was 34.2% for the examined mixture of feedstocks operating the system at an overall OLR of 3.63 g CODL{sub reactor}{sup -1}d{sup -1}. Methane production rate at the steady state reached 0.91 L CH{sub 4}L{sub reactor}{sup -1}d{sup -1} or 250.9 L CH{sub 4} at standard temperature and pressure conditions (STP) per kg COD fed to the system.« less

Process for direct conversion of reactive metals to glass

DOEpatents

Rajan, John B.; Kumar, Romesh; Vissers, Donald R.

1990-01-01

Radioactive alkali metal is introduced into a cyclone reactor in droplet form by an aspirating gas. In the cyclone metal reactor the aspirated alkali metal is contacted with silica powder introduced in an air stream to form in one step a glass. The sides of the cyclone reactor are preheated to ensure that the initial glass formed coats the side of the reactor forming a protective coating against the reactants which are maintained in excess of 1000.degree. C. to ensure the formation of glass in a single step.

Titer-plate formatted continuous flow thermal reactors: Design and performance of a nanoliter reactor

PubMed Central

Chen, Pin-Chuan; Park, Daniel S.; You, Byoung-Hee; Kim, Namwon; Park, Taehyun; Soper, Steven A.; Nikitopoulos, Dimitris E.; Murphy, Michael C.

2010-01-01

Arrays of continuous flow thermal reactors were designed, configured, and fabricated in a 96-device (12 × 8) titer-plate format with overall dimensions of 120 mm × 96 mm, with each reactor confined to a 8 mm × 8 mm footprint. To demonstrate the potential, individual 20-cycle (740 nL) and 25-cycle (990 nL) reactors were used to perform the continuous flow polymerase chain reaction (CFPCR) for amplification of DNA fragments of different lengths. Since thermal isolation of the required temperature zones was essential for optimal biochemical reactions, three finite element models, executed with ANSYS (v. 11.0, Canonsburg, PA), were used to characterize the thermal performance and guide system design: (1) a single device to determine the dimensions of the thermal management structures; (2) a single CFPCR device within an 8 mm × 8 mm area to evaluate the integrity of the thermostatic zones; and (3) a single, straight microchannel representing a single loop of the spiral CFPCR device, accounting for all of the heat transfer modes, to determine whether the PCR cocktail was exposed to the proper temperature cycling. In prior work on larger footprint devices, simple grooves between temperature zones provided sufficient thermal resistance between zones. For the small footprint reactor array, 0.4 mm wide and 1.2 mm high fins were necessary within the groove to cool the PCR cocktail efficiently, with a temperature gradient of 15.8°C/mm, as it flowed from the denaturation zone to the renaturation zone. With temperature tolerance bands of ±2°C defined about the nominal temperatures, more than 72.5% of the microchannel length was located within the desired temperature bands. The residence time of the PCR cocktail in each temperature zone decreased and the transition times between zones increased at higher PCR cocktail flow velocities, leading to less time for the amplification reactions. Experiments demonstrated the performance of the CFPCR devices as a function of flow velocity, fragment length, and copy number. A 99 bp DNA fragment was successfully amplified at flow velocities from 1 mm/s to 3 mm/s, requiring from 8.16 minutes for 20 cycles (24.48 s/cycle) to 2.72 minutes for 20 cycles (8.16 s/cycle), respectively. Yield compared to the same amplification sequence performed using a bench top thermal cycler decreased nonlinearly from 73% (at 1 mm/s) to 13% (at 3 mm/s) with shorter residence time at the optimal temperatures for the reactions due to increased flow rate primarily responsible. Six different DNA fragments with lengths between 99 bp and 997 bp were successfully amplified at 1 mm/s. Repeatable, successful amplification of a 99 bp fragment was achieved with a minimum of 8000 copies of the DNA template. This is the first demonstration and characterization of continuous flow thermal reactors within the 8 mm × 8 mm footprint of a 96-well micro-titer plate and is the smallest continuous flow PCR to date. PMID:20871807

Reactor design and integration into a nuclear electric spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, W. M.; Koenig, D. R.

1978-01-01

One of the well-defined applications for nuclear power in space is nuclear electric propulsion (NEP). Mission studies have identified the optimum power level (400 kWe). A single Shuttle launch requirement and science-package integration have added additional constraints to the design. A reactor design which will meet these constraints has been studied. The reactor employs 90 fuel elements, each heat pipe cooled. Reactor control is obtained with BeO/B4C drums in a BeO reflector. The balance of the spacecraft is shielded from the reactor with LiH. Power conditioning and reactor control drum drives are located behind the LiH with the power conditioning. Launch safety, mechanical design and integration with the power conversion subsystem are discussed.

DOE-GO-14154-1 OHIO FINAL report Velocys 30Sept08

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

Terry J. Mazanec

2008-09-30

The overall goal of the OHIO project was to develop a commercially viable high intensity process to produce ethylene by controlled catalytic reaction of ethane with oxygen in a microchannel reactor. Microchannel technology provides a breakthrough solution to the challenges identified in earlier development work on catalytic ethane oxidation. Heat and mass transfer limitations at the catalyst surface create destructively high temperatures that are responsible for increased production of waste products (CO, CO2, and CH4). The OHIO project focused on microscale energy and mass transfer management, designed to alleviate these transport limitations, thereby improving catalyst selectivity and saving energy-rich feedstock.more » The OHIO project evaluated ethane oxidation in small scale microchannel laboratory reactors including catalyst test units, and full commercial length single- and multi-channel reactors. Small scale catalyst and single channel results met target values for ethylene yields, demonstrating that the microchannel concept improves mass and heat transport compared to conventional reactors and results in improved ethylene yield. Earlier economic sensitivity studies of ethane oxidation processes suggested that only modest improvements were necessary to provide a system that provides significant feedstock, energy, and capital benefits compared to conventional steam ethane cracking. The key benefit derived from the OHIO process is energy savings. Ethylene production consumes more energy than any other U.S. chemical process.1 The OHIO process offers improved feedstock utilization and substantial energy savings due to a novel reaction pathway and the unique abilities of microchannel process technology to control the reaction temperature and other critical process parameters. Based on projected economic benefits of the process, the potential energy savings could reach 150 trillion Btu/yr by the year 2020, which is the equivalent of over 25 million barrels of oil.« less

Development of toroid-type HTS DC reactor series for HVDC system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kwangmin; Go, Byeong-Soo; Park, Hea-chul; Kim, Sung-kyu; Kim, Seokho; Lee, Sangjin; Oh, Yunsang; Park, Minwon; Yu, In-Keun

2015-11-01

This paper describes design specifications and performance of a toroid-type high-temperature superconducting (HTS) DC reactor. The first phase operation targets of the HTS DC reactor were 400 mH and 400 A. The authors have developed a real HTS DC reactor system during the last three years. The HTS DC reactor was designed using 2G GdBCO HTS wires. The HTS coils of the toroid-type DC reactor magnet were made in the form of a D-shape. The electromagnetic performance of the toroid-type HTS DC reactor magnet was analyzed using the finite element method program. A conduction cooling method was adopted for reactor magnet cooling. The total system has been successfully developed and tested in connection with LCC type HVDC system. Now, the authors are studying a 400 mH, kA class toroid-type HTS DC reactor for the next phase research. The 1500 A class DC reactor system was designed using layered 13 mm GdBCO 2G HTS wire. The expected operating temperature is under 30 K. These fundamental data obtained through both works will usefully be applied to design a real toroid-type HTS DC reactor for grid application.

High-intensity power-resolved radiation imaging of an operational nuclear reactor.

PubMed

Beaumont, Jonathan S; Mellor, Matthew P; Villa, Mario; Joyce, Malcolm J

2015-10-09

Knowledge of the neutron distribution in a nuclear reactor is necessary to ensure the safe and efficient burnup of reactor fuel. Currently these measurements are performed by in-core systems in what are extremely hostile environments and in most reactor accident scenarios it is likely that these systems would be damaged. Here we present a compact and portable radiation imaging system with the ability to image high-intensity fast-neutron and gamma-ray fields simultaneously. This system has been deployed to image radiation fields emitted during the operation of a TRIGA test reactor allowing a spatial visualization of the internal reactor conditions to be obtained. The imaged flux in each case is found to scale linearly with reactor power indicating that this method may be used for power-resolved reactor monitoring and for the assay of ongoing nuclear criticalities in damaged nuclear reactors.

High-intensity power-resolved radiation imaging of an operational nuclear reactor

PubMed Central

Beaumont, Jonathan S.; Mellor, Matthew P.; Villa, Mario; Joyce, Malcolm J.

2015-01-01

Knowledge of the neutron distribution in a nuclear reactor is necessary to ensure the safe and efficient burnup of reactor fuel. Currently these measurements are performed by in-core systems in what are extremely hostile environments and in most reactor accident scenarios it is likely that these systems would be damaged. Here we present a compact and portable radiation imaging system with the ability to image high-intensity fast-neutron and gamma-ray fields simultaneously. This system has been deployed to image radiation fields emitted during the operation of a TRIGA test reactor allowing a spatial visualization of the internal reactor conditions to be obtained. The imaged flux in each case is found to scale linearly with reactor power indicating that this method may be used for power-resolved reactor monitoring and for the assay of ongoing nuclear criticalities in damaged nuclear reactors. PMID:26450669

Thermionic switched self-actuating reactor shutdown system

DOEpatents

Barrus, Donald M.; Shires, Charles D.; Brummond, William A.

1989-01-01

A self-actuating reactor shutdown system incorporating a thermionic switched electromagnetic latch arrangement which is responsive to reactor neutron flux changes and to reactor coolant temperature changes. The system is self-actuating in that the sensing thermionic device acts directly to release (scram) the control rod (absorber) without reference or signal from the main reactor plant protective and control systems. To be responsive to both temperature and neutron flux effects, two detectors are used, one responsive to reactor coolant temperatures, and the other responsive to reactor neutron flux increase. The detectors are incorporated into a thermionic diode connected electrically with an electromagnetic mechanism which under normal reactor operating conditions holds the the control rod in its ready position (exterior of the reactor core). Upon reaching either a specified temperature or neutron flux, the thermionic diode functions to short-circuit the electromagnetic mechanism causing same to lose its holding power and release the control rod, which drops into the reactor core region under gravitational force.

Integral reactor system and method for fuel cells

DOEpatents

Fernandes, Neil Edward; Brown, Michael S.; Cheekatamaria, Praveen; Deng, Thomas; Dimitrakopoulos, James; Litka, Anthony F.

2017-03-07

A reactor system is integrated internally within an anode-side cavity of a fuel cell. The reactor system is configured to convert higher hydrocarbons to smaller species while mitigating the lower production of solid carbon. The reactor system may incorporate one or more of a pre-reforming section, an anode exhaust gas recirculation device, and a reforming section.

Integral reactor system and method for fuel cells

DOEpatents

Fernandes, Neil Edward; Brown, Michael S; Cheekatamarla, Praveen; Deng, Thomas; Dimitrakopoulos, James; Litka, Anthony F

2013-11-19

A reactor system is integrated internally within an anode-side cavity of a fuel cell. The reactor system is configured to convert hydrocarbons to smaller species while mitigating the lower production of solid carbon. The reactor system may incorporate one or more of a pre-reforming section, an anode exhaust gas recirculation device, and a reforming section.

Removal of several pesticides in a falling water film DBD reactor with activated carbon textile: Energy efficiency.

PubMed

Vanraes, Patrick; Ghodbane, Houria; Davister, Dries; Wardenier, Niels; Nikiforov, Anton; Verheust, Yannick P; Van Hulle, Stijn W H; Hamdaoui, Oualid; Vandamme, Jeroen; Van Durme, Jim; Surmont, Pieter; Lynen, Frederic; Leys, Christophe

2017-06-01

Bio-recalcitrant micropollutants are often insufficiently removed by modern wastewater treatment plants to meet the future demands worldwide. Therefore, several advanced oxidation techniques, including cold plasma technology, are being investigated as effective complementary water treatment methods. In order to permit industrial implementation, energy demand of these techniques needs to be minimized. To this end, we have developed an electrical discharge reactor where water treatment by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is combined with adsorption on activated carbon textile and additional ozonation. The reactor consists of a DBD plasma chamber, including the adsorptive textile, and an ozonation chamber, where the DBD generated plasma gas is bubbled. In the present paper, this reactor is further characterized and optimized in terms of its energy efficiency for removal of the five pesticides α-HCH, pentachlorobenzene, alachlor, diuron and isoproturon, with initial concentrations ranging between 22 and 430 μg/L. Energy efficiency of the reactor is found to increase significantly when initial micropollutant concentration is decreased, when duty cycle is decreased and when oxygen is used as feed gas as compared to air and argon. Overall reactor performance is improved as well by making it work in single-pass operation, where water is flowing through the system only once. The results are explained with insights found in literature and practical implications are discussed. For the used operational conditions and settings, α-HCH is the most persistent pesticide in the reactor, with a minimal achieved electrical energy per order of 8 kWh/m 3 , while a most efficient removal of 3 kWh/m 3 or lower was reached for the four other pesticides. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE COOLING REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS SYSTEMS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN RESEARCH REACTOR, SAFARI 1

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

Colley, J.R.

1962-12-01

The SAFARI 1 research reactor is cooled and moderated by light water. There are three process systems, a primary water system which cools the reactor core and surroundings, a pool water system, and a secondary water system which removes the heat from the primary and pool systems. The cooling requirements for the reactor core and experimental facilities are outlined, and the cooling and purification functions of the three process systems are described. (auth)

Thermochemical reactor systems and methods

DOEpatents

Lipinski, Wojciech; Davidson, Jane Holloway; Chase, Thomas Richard

2016-11-29

Thermochemical reactor systems that may be used to produce a fuel, and methods of using the thermochemical reactor systems, utilizing a reactive cylindrical element, an optional energy transfer cylindrical element, an inlet gas management system, and an outlet gas management system.

HORIZONTAL BOILING REACTOR SYSTEM

DOEpatents

Treshow, M.

1958-11-18

Reactors of the boiling water type are described wherein water serves both as the moderator and coolant. The reactor system consists essentially of a horizontal pressure vessel divided into two compartments by a weir, a thermal neutronic reactor core having vertical coolant passages and designed to use water as a moderator-coolant posltioned in one compartment, means for removing live steam from the other compartment and means for conveying feed-water and water from the steam compartment to the reactor compartment. The system further includes auxiliary apparatus to utilize the steam for driving a turbine and returning the condensate to the feed-water inlet of the reactor. The entire system is designed so that the reactor is self-regulating and has self-limiting power and self-limiting pressure features.

Feasibility Study of Supercritical Light Water Cooled Reactors for Electric Power Production, Nuclear Energy Research Initiative Project 2001-001, Westinghouse Electric Co. Grant Number: DE-FG07-02SF22533, Final Report

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

Philip E. MacDonald

2005-01-01

The supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR) is one of the six reactor technologies selected for research and development under the Generation IV program. SCWRs are promising advanced nuclear systems because of their high thermal efficiency (i.e., about 45% versus about 33% efficiency for current Light Water Reactors [LWRs]) and considerable plant simplification. SCWRs are basically LWRs operating at higher pressure and temperatures with a direct once-through cycle. Operation above the critical pressure eliminates coolant boiling, so the coolant remains single-phase throughout the system. Thus, the need for a pressurizer, steam generators, steam separators, and dryers is eliminated. The main mission ofmore » the SCWR is generation of low-cost electricity. It is built upon two proven technologies: LWRs, which are the most commonly deployed power generating reactors in the world, and supercritical fossil-fired boilers, a large number of which are also in use around the world. The reference SCWR design for the U.S. program is a direct cycle system operating at 25.0 MPa, with core inlet and outlet temperatures of 280 and 500 C, respectively. The coolant density decreases from about 760 kg/m3 at the core inlet to about 90 kg/m3 at the core outlet. The inlet flow splits with about 10% of the inlet flow going down the space between the core barrel and the reactor pressure vessel (the downcomer) and about 90% of the inlet flow going to the plenum at the top of the rector pressure vessel, to then flow down through the core in special water rods to the inlet plenum. Here it mixes with the feedwater from the downcomer and flows upward to remove the heat in the fuel channels. This strategy is employed to provide good moderation at the top of the core. The coolant is heated to about 500 C and delivered to the turbine. The purpose of this NERI project was to assess the reference U.S. Generation IV SCWR design and explore alternatives to determine feasibility. The project was organized into three tasks: Task 1. Fuel-cycle Neutronic Analysis and Reactor Core Design Task 2. Fuel Cladding and Structural Material Corrosion and Stress Corrosion Cracking Task 3. Plant Engineering and Reactor Safety Analysis. moderator rods. materials.« less

Modeling Chilled-Water Storage System Components for Coupling to a Small Modular Reactor in a Nuclear Hybrid Energy System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misenheimer, Corey Thomas

The intermittency of wind and solar power puts strain on electric grids, often forcing carbonbased and nuclear sources of energy to operate in a load-follow mode. Operating nuclear reactors in a load-follow fashion is undesirable due to the associated thermal and mechanical stresses placed on the fuel and other reactor components. Various Thermal Energy Storage (TES) elements and ancillary energy applications can be coupled to nuclear (or renewable) power sources to help absorb grid instabilities caused by daily electric demand changes and renewable intermittency, thereby forming the basis of a candidate Nuclear Hybrid Energy System (NHES). During the warmer months of the year in many parts of the country, facility air-conditioning loads are significant contributors to the increase in the daily peak electric demand. Previous research demonstrated that a stratified chilled-water storage tank can displace peak cooling loads to off-peak hours. Based on these findings, the objective of this work is to evaluate the prospect of using a stratified chilled-water storage tank as a potential TES reservoir for a nuclear reactor in a NHES. This is accomplished by developing time-dependent models of chilled-water system components, including absorption chillers, cooling towers, a storage tank, and facility cooling loads appropriate for a large office space or college campus, as a callable FORTRAN subroutine. The resulting TES model is coupled to a high-fidelity mPower-sized Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Simulator, with the goal of utilizing excess reactor capacity to operate several sizable chillers in order to keep reactor power constant. Chilled-water production via single effect, lithium bromide (LiBr) absorption chillers is primarily examined in this study, although the use of electric chillers is briefly explored. Absorption chillers use hot water or low-pressure steam to drive an absorption-refrigeration cycle. The mathematical framework for a high-fidelity dynamic absorption chiller model is presented. The transient FORTRAN model is grounded on time-dependent mass, species, and energy conservation equations. Due to the vast computational costs of the high-fidelity model, a low-fidelity absorption chiller model is formulated and calibrated to mimic the behavior of the high-fidelity model. Stratified chilled-water storage tank performance is characterized using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The geometry employed in the CFD model represents a 5-million-gallon storage tank currently in use at a North Carolina college campus. Simulation results reveal the laminar numerical model most closely aligns with actual tank charging and discharging data. A subsequent parametric study corroborates storage tank behavior documented throughout literature and industry. Two absorption chiller configurations are considered. The first involves bypassing lowpressure steam from the low-pressure turbine to absorption chillers during periods of excess reactor capacity in order to keep reactor power constant. Simulation results show steam conditions downstream of the turbine control valves are a strong function of turbine load, and absorption chiller performance is hindered by reduced turbine impulse pressures at reduced turbine demands. A more suitable configuration entails integrating the absorption chillers into a flash vessel system that is thermally coupled to a sensible heat storage system. The sensible heat storage system is able to maintain reactor thermal output constant at 100% and match turbine output with several different electric demand profiles. High-pressure condensate in the sensible heat storage system is dropped across a let-down orifice and flashed in an ideal separator. Generated steam is sent to a bank of absorption chillers. Simulation results show enough steam is available during periods of reduced turbine demand to power four large absorption chillers to charge a 5-million-gallon stratified chilled-water storage tank, which is used to offset cooling loads in an adjacent facility. The coupled TES systems operating in conjunction with an SMR comprise the foundation of a tightly coupled NHES.

Autonomous Control of Space Nuclear Reactors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merk, John

2013-01-01

Nuclear reactors to support future robotic and manned missions impose new and innovative technological requirements for their control and protection instrumentation. Long-duration surface missions necessitate reliable autonomous operation, and manned missions impose added requirements for failsafe reactor protection. There is a need for an advanced instrumentation and control system for space-nuclear reactors that addresses both aspects of autonomous operation and safety. The Reactor Instrumentation and Control System (RICS) consists of two functionally independent systems: the Reactor Protection System (RPS) and the Supervision and Control System (SCS). Through these two systems, the RICS both supervises and controls a nuclear reactor during normal operational states, as well as monitors the operation of the reactor and, upon sensing a system anomaly, automatically takes the appropriate actions to prevent an unsafe or potentially unsafe condition from occurring. The RPS encompasses all electrical and mechanical devices and circuitry, from sensors to actuation device output terminals. The SCS contains a comprehensive data acquisition system to measure continuously different groups of variables consisting of primary measurement elements, transmitters, or conditioning modules. These reactor control variables can be categorized into two groups: those directly related to the behavior of the core (known as nuclear variables) and those related to secondary systems (known as process variables). Reliable closed-loop reactor control is achieved by processing the acquired variables and actuating the appropriate device drivers to maintain the reactor in a safe operating state. The SCS must prevent a deviation from the reactor nominal conditions by managing limitation functions in order to avoid RPS actions. The RICS has four identical redundancies that comply with physical separation, electrical isolation, and functional independence. This architecture complies with the safety requirements of a nuclear reactor and provides high availability to the host system. The RICS is intended to interface with a host computer (the computer of the spacecraft where the reactor is mounted). The RICS leverages the safety features inherent in Earth-based reactors and also integrates the wide range neutron detector (WRND). A neutron detector provides the input that allows the RICS to do its job. The RICS is based on proven technology currently in use at a nuclear research facility. In its most basic form, the RICS is a ruggedized, compact data-acquisition and control system that could be adapted to support a wide variety of harsh environments. As such, the RICS could be a useful instrument outside the scope of a nuclear reactor, including military applications where failsafe data acquisition and control is required with stringent size, weight, and power constraints.

Passive cooling system for liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors with backup coolant flow path

DOEpatents

Hunsbedt, Anstein; Boardman, Charles E.

1993-01-01

A liquid metal cooled nuclear fission reactor plant having a passive auxiliary safety cooling system for removing residual heat resulting from fuel decay during reactor shutdown, or heat produced during a mishap. This reactor plant is enhanced by a backup or secondary passive safety cooling system which augments the primary passive auxiliary cooling system when in operation, and replaces the primary system when rendered inoperable.

Flexible Robotic Entry Device for nuclear materials production reactor

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

Heckendorn, F.M.

1988-01-01

The Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) has developed and is implementing a Flexible Robotic Entry Device (FRED) for the nuclear materials production reactors at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). FRED is designed for rapid deployment into confinement areas of operating reactors to assess unknown conditions. A unique ''smart tether'' method has been incorporated into FRED for simultaneous bidirectional transmission of multiple video/audio/control/power signals over a single coaxial cable. 3 figs.

EXPERIMENTAL MOLTEN-SALT-FUELED 30-Mw POWER REACTOR

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

Alexander, L.G.; Kinyon, B.W.; Lackey, M.E.

1960-03-24

A preliminary design study was made of an experimental molten-salt- fueled power reactor. The reactor considered is a single-region homogeneous burner coupled with a Loeffler steam-generating cycle. Conceptual plant layouts, basic information on the major fuel circuit components, a process flowsheet, and the nuclear characteristics of the core are presented. The design plant electrical output is 10 Mw, and the total construction cost is estimated to be approximately ,000,000. (auth)

Assessment of Space Power Related Measurement Requirements of the Strategic Defense Initiative

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-01

calibration techniques are available and estimated uncertainties vary between 5 and 10%. At low rf power levels (~ 10mW ), NIST maintains standard calibration... bands single or dual six-port automatic network analyzers [24] are used as transfer systems with detectors calibrated using the NIST micro calorimeter...Probable designs for the multimegawatt space reactor program indicate the need to measure neutron fluxes up to 1016 neutrons/cm2- s (1019 neutrons

Numerical Study on Crossflow Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger for Advanced Small Modular Reactors

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

Yoon, Su-Jong; Sabharwall, Piyush; Kim, Eung-Soo

2014-03-01

Various fluids such as water, gases (helium), molten salts (FLiNaK, FLiBe) and liquid metal (sodium) are used as a coolant of advanced small modular reactors (SMRs). The printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) has been adopted as the intermediate and/or secondary heat exchanger of SMR systems because this heat exchanger is compact and effective. The size and cost of PCHE can be changed by the coolant type of each SMR. In this study, the crossflow PCHE analysis code for advanced small modular reactor has been developed for the thermal design and cost estimation of the heat exchanger. The analytical solution ofmore » single pass, both unmixed fluids crossflow heat exchanger model was employed to calculate a two dimensional temperature profile of a crossflow PCHE. The analytical solution of crossflow heat exchanger was simply implemented by using built in function of the MATLAB program. The effect of fluid property uncertainty on the calculation results was evaluated. In addition, the effect of heat transfer correlations on the calculated temperature profile was analyzed by taking into account possible combinations of primary and secondary coolants in the SMR systems. Size and cost of heat exchanger were evaluated for the given temperature requirement of each SMR.« less

Shutdown system for a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Groh, E.F.; Olson, A.P.; Wade, D.C.; Robinson, B.W.

1984-06-05

An ultimate shutdown system is provided for termination of neutronic activity in a nuclear reactor. The shutdown system includes bead chains comprising spherical containers suspended on a flexible cable. The containers are comprised of mating hemispherical shells which provide a ruggedized enclosure for reactor poison material. The bead chains, normally suspended above the reactor core on storage spools, are released for downward travel upon command from an external reactor monitor. The chains are capable of horizontal movement, so as to flow around obstructions in the reactor during their downward motion. 8 figs.

Shutdown system for a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Groh, Edward F.; Olson, Arne P.; Wade, David C.; Robinson, Bryan W.

1984-01-01

An ultimate shutdown system is provided for termination of neutronic activity in a nuclear reactor. The shutdown system includes bead chains comprising spherical containers suspended on a flexible cable. The containers are comprised of mating hemispherical shells which provide a ruggedized enclosure for reactor poison material. The bead chains, normally suspended above the reactor core on storage spools, are released for downward travel upon command from an external reactor monitor. The chains are capable of horizontal movement, so as to flow around obstructions in the reactor during their downward motion.

Digital computer study of nuclear reactor thermal transients during startup of 60-kWe Brayton power conversion system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jefferies, K. S.; Tew, R. C.

1974-01-01

A digital computer study was made of reactor thermal transients during startup of the Brayton power conversion loop of a 60-kWe reactor Brayton power system. A startup procedure requiring the least Brayton system complication was tried first; this procedure caused violations of design limits on key reactor variables. Several modifications of this procedure were then found which caused no design limit violations. These modifications involved: (1) using a slower rate of increase in gas flow; (2) increasing the initial reactor power level to make the reactor respond faster; and (3) appropriate reactor control drum manipulation during the startup transient.

Surveillance application using patten recognition software at the EBR-II Reactor Facility

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

Olson, D.L.

1992-01-01

The System State Analyzer (SSA) is a software based pattern recognition system. For the past several year this system has been used at Argonne National Laboratory's Experimental Breeder Reactor 2 (EBR-2) reactor for detection of degradation and other abnormalities in plant systems. Currently there are two versions of the SSA being used at EBR-2. One version of SSA is used for daily surveillance and trending of the reactor delta-T and startups of the reactor. Another version of the SSA is the QSSA which is used to monitor individual systems of the reactor such as the Secondary Sodium System, Secondary Sodiummore » Pumps, and Steam Generator. This system has been able to detect problems such as signals being affected by temperature variations due to a failing temperature controller.« less

Surveillance application using patten recognition software at the EBR-II Reactor Facility

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

Olson, D.L.

1992-05-01

The System State Analyzer (SSA) is a software based pattern recognition system. For the past several year this system has been used at Argonne National Laboratory`s Experimental Breeder Reactor 2 (EBR-2) reactor for detection of degradation and other abnormalities in plant systems. Currently there are two versions of the SSA being used at EBR-2. One version of SSA is used for daily surveillance and trending of the reactor delta-T and startups of the reactor. Another version of the SSA is the QSSA which is used to monitor individual systems of the reactor such as the Secondary Sodium System, Secondary Sodiummore » Pumps, and Steam Generator. This system has been able to detect problems such as signals being affected by temperature variations due to a failing temperature controller.« less

Comparing the new generation accelerator driven subcritical reactor system (ADS) to traditional critical reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kemah, Elif; Akkaya, Recep; Tokgöz, Seyit Rıza

2017-02-01

In recent years, the accelerator driven subcritical reactors have taken great interest worldwide. The Accelerator Driven System (ADS) has been used to produce neutron in subcritical state by the external proton beam source. These reactors, which are hybrid systems, are important in production of clean and safe energy and conversion of radioactive waste. The ADS with the selection of reliability and robust target materials have been the new generation of fission reactors. In addition, in the ADS Reactors the problems of long-lived radioactive fission products and waste actinides encountered in the fission process of the reactor during incineration can be solved, and ADS has come to the forefront of thorium as fuel for the reactors.

Liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor plant system

DOEpatents

Hunsbedt, Anstein; Boardman, Charles E.

1993-01-01

A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor having a passive cooling system for removing residual heat resulting for fuel decay during reactor shutdown, or heat produced during a mishap. The reactor system is enhanced with sealing means for excluding external air from contact with the liquid metal coolant leaking from the reactor vessel during an accident. The invention also includes a silo structure which resists attack by leaking liquid metal coolant, and an added unique cooling means.

Morphological evolution of copper nanoparticles: Microemulsion reactor system versus batch reactor system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Ming; Tang, Zengmin; Kim, Woo-Sik; Yu, Taekyung; Park, Bum Jun

2017-07-01

In the synthesis of nanoparticles, the reaction rate is important to determine the morphology of nanoparticles. We investigated morphology evolution of Cu nanoparticles in this two different reactors, microemulsion reactor and batch reactor. In comparison with the batch reactor system, the enhanced mass and heat transfers in the emulsion system likely led to the relatively short nucleation time and the highly homogeneous environment in the reaction mixture, resulting in suppressing one or two dimensional growth of the nanoparticles. We believe that this work can offer a good model system to quantitatively understand the crystal growth mechanism that depends strongly on the local monomer concentration, the efficiency of heat transfer, and the relative contribution of the counter ions (Br- and Cl-) as capping agents.

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

NONE

Digital instrumentation and controls system technique is being introduced in new constructed research reactor or life extension of older research reactor. Digital systems are easy to change and optimize but the validated process for them is required. Also, to reduce project risk or cost, we have to make it sure that configuration and control functions is right before the commissioning phase on research reactor. For this purpose, simulators have been widely used in developing control systems in automotive and aerospace industries. In these literatures, however, very few of these can be found regarding test on the control system of researchmore » reactor with simulator. Therefore, this paper proposes a simulation platform to verify the performance of RRS (Reactor Regulating System) for research reactor. This simulation platform consists of the reactor simulation model and the interface module. This simulation platform is applied to I and C upgrade project of TRIGA reactor, and many problems of RRS configuration were found and solved. And it proved that the dynamic performance testing based on simulator enables significant time saving and improves economics and quality for RRS in the system test phase. (authors)« less

Engineering and Fabrication Considerations for Cost-Effective Space Reactor Shield Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berg, Thomas A.; Disney, Richard K.

2004-02-01

Investment in developing nuclear power for space missions cannot be made on the basis of a single mission. Current efforts in the design and fabrication of the reactor module, including the reactor shield, must be cost-effective and take into account scalability and fabricability for planned and future missions. Engineering considerations for the shield need to accommodate passive thermal management, varying radiation levels and effects, and structural/mechanical issues. Considering these challenges, design principles and cost drivers specific to the engineering and fabrication of the reactor shield are presented that contribute to lower recurring mission costs.

Engineering and Fabrication Considerations for Cost-Effective Space Reactor Shield Development

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

Berg, Thomas A.; Disney, Richard K.

Investment in developing nuclear power for space missions cannot be made on the basis of a single mission. Current efforts in the design and fabrication of the reactor module, including the reactor shield, must be cost-effective and take into account scalability and fabricability for planned and future missions. Engineering considerations for the shield need to accommodate passive thermal management, varying radiation levels and effects, and structural/mechanical issues. Considering these challenges, design principles and cost drivers specific to the engineering and fabrication of the reactor shield are presented that contribute to lower recurring mission costs.

Influence of denitrification reactor retention time distribution (RTD) on dissolved oxygen control and nitrogen removal efficiency.

PubMed

Raboni, Massimo; Gavasci, Renato; Viotti, Paolo

2015-01-01

Low concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) are usually found in biological anoxic pre-denitrification reactors, causing a reduction in nitrogen removal efficiency. Therefore, the reduction of DO in such reactors is fundamental for achieving good nutrient removal. The article shows the results of an experimental study carried out to evaluate the effect of the anoxic reactor hydrodynamic model on both residual DO concentration and nitrogen removal efficiency. In particular, two hydrodynamic models were considered: the single completely mixed reactor and a series of four reactors that resemble plug-flow behaviour. The latter prove to be more effective in oxygen consumption, allowing a lower residual DO concentration than the former. The series of reactors also achieves better specific denitrification rates and higher denitrification efficiency. Moreover, the denitrification food to microrganism (F:M) ratio (F:MDEN) demonstrates a relevant synergic action in both controlling residual DO and improving the denitrification performance.

Anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and landfill leachate in single-phase batch reactors

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

Liao, Xiaofeng; Zhu, Shuangyan; Zhong, Delai

Highlights: • Anaerobic co-digestion strategy for food waste treatment at OLR 41.8 g VS/L. • A certain amount of raw leachate effectively relieved acidic inhibition. • The study showed that food waste was completely degraded. - Abstract: In order to investigate the effect of raw leachate on anaerobic digestion of food waste, co-digestions of food waste with raw leachate were carried out. A series of single-phase batch mesophilic (35 ± 1 °C) anaerobic digestions were performed at a food waste concentration of 41.8 g VS/L. The results showed that inhibition of biogas production by volatile fatty acids (VFA) occurred withoutmore » raw leachate addition. A certain amount of raw leachate in the reactors effectively relieved acidic inhibition caused by VFA accumulation, and the system maintained stable with methane yield of 369–466 mL/g VS. Total ammonia nitrogen introduced into the digestion systems with initial 2000–3000 mgNH{sub 4}–N/L not only replenished nitrogen for bacterial growth, but also formed a buffer system with VFA to maintain a delicate biochemical balance between the acidogenic and methanogenic microorganisms. UV spectroscopy and fluorescence excitation–emission matrix spectroscopy data showed that food waste was completely degraded. We concluded that using raw leachate for supplement water addition and pH modifier on anaerobic digestion of food waste was effective. An appropriate fraction of leachate could stimulate methanogenic activity and enhance biogas production.« less

Validation of the U.S. NRC NGNP evaluation model with the HTTR

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

Saller, T.; Seker, V.; Downar, T.

2012-07-01

The High Temperature Test Reactor (HTTR) was modeled with TRITON/PARCS. Traditional light water reactor (LWR) homogenization methods rely on the short mean free paths of neutrons in LWR. In gas-cooled, graphite-moderated reactors like the HTTR neutrons have much longer mean free paths and penetrate further into neighboring assemblies than in LWRs. Because of this, conventional lattice calculations with a single assembly may not be valid. In addition to difficulties caused by the longer mean free paths, the HTTR presents unique axial and radial heterogeneities that require additional modifications to the single assembly homogenization method. To handle these challenges, the homogenizationmore » domain is decreased while the computational domain is increased. Instead of homogenizing a single hexagonal fuel assembly, the assembly is split into six triangles on the radial plane and five blocks axially in order to account for the placement of burnable poisons. Furthermore, the radial domain is increased beyond a single fuel assembly to account for spectrum effects from neighboring fuel, reflector, and control rod assemblies. A series of five two-dimensional cases, each closer to the full core, were calculated to evaluate the effectiveness of the homogenization method and cross-sections. (authors)« less

A liquid-metal filling system for pumped primary loop space reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crandall, D. L.; Reed, W. C.

Some concepts for the SP-100 space nuclear power reactor use liquid metal as the primary coolant in a pumped loop. Prior to filling ground engineering test articles or reactor systems, the liquid metal must be purified and circulated through the reactor primary system to remove contaminants. If not removed, these contaminants enhance corrosion and reduce reliability. A facility was designed and built to support Department of Energy Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor tests conducted at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. This test program used liquid sodium to cool nuclear fuel in in-pile experiments; thus, a system was needed to store and purify sodium inventories and fill the experiment assemblies. This same system, with modifications and potential changeover to lithium or sodium-potassium (NaK), can be used in the Space Nuclear Power Reactor Program. This paper addresses the requirements, description, modifications, operation, and appropriateness of using this liquid-metal system to support the SP-100 space reactor program.

Cost-Effective Systems for Atomic Layer Deposition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubitz, Michael; Medina, Phillip A., IV; Antic, Aleks; Rosin, Joseph T.; Fahlman, Bradley D.

2014-01-01

Herein, we describe the design and testing of two different home-built atomic layer deposition (ALD) systems for the growth of thin films with sub-monolayer control over film thickness. The first reactor is a horizontally aligned hot-walled reactor with a vacuum purging system. The second reactor is a vertically aligned cold-walled reactor with a…

10 CFR 50.46 - Acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems for light-water nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... light-water nuclear power reactors. 50.46 Section 50.46 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC... reactors. (a)(1)(i) Each boiling or pressurized light-water nuclear power reactor fueled with uranium oxide... behavior of the reactor system during a loss-of-coolant accident. Comparisons to applicable experimental...

Comparison of Analysis Results Between 2D/1D Synthesis and RAPTOR-M3G in the Korea Standard Nuclear Plant (KSNP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joung Lim, Mi; Maeng, Young Jae; Fero, Arnold H.; Anderson, Stanwood L.

2016-02-01

The 2D/1D synthesis methodology has been used to calculate the fast neutron (E > 1.0 MeV) exposure to the beltline region of the reactor pressure vessel. This method uses the DORT 3.1 discrete ordinates code and the BUGLE-96 cross-section library based on ENDF/B-VI. RAPTOR-M3G (RApid Parallel Transport Of Radiation-Multiple 3D Geometries) which performs full 3D calculations was developed and is based on domain decomposition algorithms, where the spatial and angular domains are allocated and processed on multi-processor computer architecture. As compared to traditional single-processor applications, this approach reduces the computational load as well as the memory requirement per processor. Both methods are applied to surveillance test results for the Korea Standard Nuclear Plant (KSNP)-OPR (Optimized Power Reactor) 1000 MW. The objective of this paper is to compare the results of the KSNP surveillance program between 2D/1D synthesis and RAPTOR-M3G. Each operating KSNP has a reactor vessel surveillance program consisting of six surveillance capsules located between the core and the reactor vessel in the downcomer region near the reactor vessel wall. In addition to the In-Vessel surveillance program, an Ex-Vessel Neutron Dosimetry (EVND) program has been implemented. In order to estimate surveillance test results, cycle-specific forward transport calculations were performed by 2D/1D synthesis and by RAPTOR-M3G. The ratio between measured and calculated (M/C) reaction rates will be discussed. The current plan is to install an EVND system in all of the Korea PWRs including the new reactor type, APR (Advanced Power Reactor) 1400 MW. This work will play an important role in establishing a KSNP-specific database of surveillance test results and will employ RAPTOR-M3G for surveillance dosimetry location as well as positions in the KSNP reactor vessel.

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

Hale, Richard Edward; Cetiner, Sacit M.; Fugate, David L.

The Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Dynamic System Modeling Tool project is in the third year of development. The project is designed to support collaborative modeling and study of various advanced SMR (non-light water cooled) concepts, including the use of multiple coupled reactors at a single site. The objective of the project is to provide a common simulation environment and baseline modeling resources to facilitate rapid development of dynamic advanced reactor SMR models, ensure consistency among research products within the Instrumentation, Controls, and Human-Machine Interface (ICHMI) technical area, and leverage cross-cutting capabilities while minimizing duplication of effort. The combined simulation environmentmore » and suite of models are identified as the Modular Dynamic SIMulation (MoDSIM) tool. The critical elements of this effort include (1) defining a standardized, common simulation environment that can be applied throughout the program, (2) developing a library of baseline component modules that can be assembled into full plant models using existing geometry and thermal-hydraulic data, (3) defining modeling conventions for interconnecting component models, and (4) establishing user interfaces and support tools to facilitate simulation development (i.e., configuration and parameterization), execution, and results display and capture.« less

Analytic expressions for Atomic Layer Deposition: coverage, throughput, and materials utilization in cross-flow, particle coating, and spatial ALD

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

Yanguas-Gil, Angel; Elam, Jeffrey W.

2014-05-01

In this work, the authors present analytic models for atomic layer deposition (ALD) in three common experimental configurations: cross-flow, particle coating, and spatial ALD. These models, based on the plug-flow and well-mixed approximations, allow us to determine the minimum dose times and materials utilization for all three configurations. A comparison between the three models shows that throughput and precursor utilization can each be expressed by universal equations, in which the particularity of the experimental system is contained in a single parameter related to the residence time of the precursor in the reactor. For the case of cross-flow reactors, the authorsmore » show how simple analytic expressions for the reactor saturation profiles agree well with experimental results. Consequently, the analytic model can be used to extract information about the ALD surface chemistry (e. g., the reaction probability) by comparing the analytic and experimental saturation profiles, providing a useful tool for characterizing new and existing ALD processes. (C) 2014 American Vacuum Society« less

Electrochemical processing of solid waste

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bockris, J. OM.; Hitchens, G. D.; Kaba, L.

1988-01-01

The investigation into electrolysis as a means of waste treatment and recycling on manned space missions is described. The electrochemical reactions of an artificial fecal waste mixture was examined. Waste electrolysis experiments were performed in a single compartment reactor, on platinum electrodes, to determine conditions likely to maximize the efficiency of oxidation of fecal waste material to CO2. The maximum current efficiencies for artificial fecal waste electrolysis to CO2 was found to be around 50 percent in the test apparatus. Experiments involving fecal waste oxidation on platinum indicates that electrodes with a higher overvoltage for oxygen evolution such as lead dioxide will give a larger effective potential range for organic oxidation reactions. An electrochemical packed column reactor was constructed with lead dioxide as electrode material. Preliminary experiments were performed using a packed-bed reactor and continuous flow techniques showing this system may be effective in complete oxidation of fecal material. The addition of redox mediator Ce(3+)/Ce(4+) enhances the oxidation process of biomass components. Scientific literature relevant to biomass and fecal waste electrolysis were reviewed.

Development of OTM Syngas Process and Testing of Syngas Derived Ultra-clean Fuels in Diesel Engines and Fuel Cells

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

E.T. Robinson; John Sirman; Prasad Apte

2005-05-01

This final report summarizes work accomplished in the Program from January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2004. Most of the key technical objectives for this program were achieved. A breakthrough material system has lead to the development of an OTM (oxygen transport membrane) compact planar reactor design capable of producing either syngas or hydrogen. The planar reactor shows significant advantages in thermal efficiency and a step change reduction in costs compared to either autothermal reforming or steam methane reforming with CO{sub 2} recovery. Syngas derived ultra-clean transportation fuels were tested in the Nuvera fuel cell modular pressurized reactor and inmore » International Truck and Engine single cylinder test engines. The studies compared emission and engine performance of conventional base fuels to various formulations of ultra-clean gasoline or diesel fuels. A proprietary BP oxygenate showed significant advantage in both applications for reducing emissions with minimal impact on performance. In addition, a study to evaluate new fuel formulations for an HCCI engine was completed.« less

Trench fast reactor design using the microcomputer

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

Rohach, A.F.; Sankoorikal, J.T.; Schmidt, R.R.

1987-01-01

This project is a study of alternative liquid-metal-cooled fast power reactor system concepts. Specifically, an unconventional primary system is being conceptually designed and evaluated. The project design is based primarily on microcomputer analysis through the use of computational modules. The reactor system concept is a long, narrow pool with a long, narrow reactor called a trench-type pool reactor in it. The reactor consists of five core-blanket modules in a line. Specific power is to be modest, permitting long fuel residence time. Two fuel cycles are currently being considered. The reactor design philosophy is that of the inherently safe concept. Thismore » requires transient analysis dependent on reactivity coefficients: prompt fuel, including Doppler and expansion, fuel expansion, sodium temperature and void, and core expansion. Conceptual reactor design is done on a microcomputer. A part of the trench reactor project is to develop a microcomputer-based system that can be used by the user for scoping studies and design. Current development includes the neutronics and fuel management aspects of the design. Thermal-hydraulic analysis and economics are currently being incorporated into the microcomputer system. The system is menu-driven including preparation of program input data and of output data for displays in graphics form.« less

Analysis of boron dilution in a four-loop PWR

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

Sun, J.G.; Sha, W.T.

1995-03-01

Thermal mixing and boron dilution in a pressurized water reactor were analyzed with COMMIX codes. The reactor system was the four-loop Zion reactor. Two boron dilution scenarios were analyzed. In the first scenario, the plant is in cold shutdown and the reactor coolant system has just been filled after maintenance on the steam generators. To flush the air out of the steam generator tubes, a reactor coolant pump (RCP) is started, with the water in the pump suction line devoid of boron and at the same temperature as the coolant in the system. In the second scenario, the plant ismore » at hot standby and the reactor coolant system has been heated to operating temperature after a long outage. It is assumed that an RCP is started, with the pump suction line filled with cold unborated water, forcing a slug of diluted coolant down the downcomer and subsequently through the reactor core. The subsequent transient thermal mixing and boron dilution that would occur in the reactor system is simulated for these two scenarios. The reactivity insertion rate and the total reactivity are evaluated and a sensitivity study is performed to assess the accuracy of the numerical modeling of the geometry of the reactor coolant system.« less

The Rockwell SR-100G reactor turboelectric space power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, R. V.

1985-01-01

During FY 1982 and 1983, Rockwell International performed system and subsystem studies for space reactor power systems. These studies drew on the expertise gained from the design and flight of the SNAP-10A space nuclear reactor system. These studies, performed for the SP-100 Program, culminated in the selection of a reactor-turboelectric (gas Brayton) system for the SP-100 application; this system is called the SR-100G. This paper describes the features of the system and provides references where more detailed information can be obtained.

Exploratory study of several advanced nuclear-MHD power plant systems.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, J. R.; Clement, J. D.; Rosa, R. J.; Yang, Y. Y.

1973-01-01

In order for efficient multimegawatt closed cycle nuclear-MHD systems to become practical, long-life gas cooled reactors with exit temperatures of about 2500 K or higher must be developed. Four types of nuclear reactors which have the potential of achieving this goal are the NERVA-type solid core reactor, the colloid core (rotating fluidized bed) reactor, the 'light bulb' gas core reactor, and the 'coaxial flow' gas core reactor. Research programs aimed at developing these reactors have progressed rapidly in recent years so that prototype power reactors could be operating by 1980. Three types of power plant systems which use these reactors have been analyzed to determine the operating characteristics, critical parameters and performance of these power plants. Overall thermal efficiencies as high as 80% are projected, using an MHD turbine-compressor cycle with steam bottoming, and slightly lower efficiencies are projected for an MHD motor-compressor cycle.

Discrete ordinates-Monte Carlo coupling: A comparison of techniques in NERVA radiation analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindstrom, D. G.; Normand, E.; Wilcox, A. D.

1972-01-01

In the radiation analysis of the NERVA nuclear rocket system, two-dimensional discrete ordinates calculations are sufficient to provide detail in the pressure vessel and reactor assembly. Other parts of the system, however, require three-dimensional Monte Carlo analyses. To use these two methods in a single analysis, a means of coupling was developed whereby the results of a discrete ordinates calculation can be used to produce source data for a Monte Carlo calculation. Several techniques for producing source detail were investigated. Results of calculations on the NERVA system are compared and limitations and advantages of the coupling techniques discussed.

Jacking mechanism for upper internals structure of a liquid metal nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Gillett, James E.; Wineman, Arthur L.

1984-01-01

A jacking mechanism for raising the upper internals structure of a liquid metal nuclear reactor which jacking mechanism uses a system of gears and drive shafts to transmit force from a single motor to four mechanically synchronized ball jacks to raise and lower support columns which support the upper internals structure. The support columns have a pin structure which rides up and down in a slot in a housing fixed to the reactor head. The pin has two locking plates which can be rotated around the pin to bring bolt holes through the locking plates into alignment with a set of bolt holes in the housing, there being a set of such housing bolt holes corresponding to both a raised and a lowered position of the support column. When the locking plate is so aligned, a surface of the locking plate mates with a surface in the housing such that the support column is then supported by the locking plate and not by the ball jacks. Since the locking plates are to be installed and bolted to the housing during periods of reactor operation, the ball jacks need not be sized to react the large forces which occur or potentially could occur on the upper internals structure of the reactor during operation. The locking plates react these loads. The ball jacks, used only during refueling, can be smaller, which enable conventionally available equipment to fulfill the precision requirements for the task within available space.

Study on bubbly flow behavior in natural circulation reactor by thermal-hydraulic simulation tests with SF6-Gas and ethanol liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondo, Yoshiyuki; Suga, Keishi; Hibi, Koki; Okazaki, Toshihiko; Komeno, Toshihiro; Kunugi, Tomoaki; Serizawa, Akimi; Yoneda, Kimitoshi; Arai, Takahiro

2009-02-01

An advanced experimental technique has been developed to simulate two-phase flow behavior in a light water reactor (LWR). The technique applies three kinds of methods; (1) use of sulfur-hexafluoride (SF6) gas and ethanol (C2H5OH) liquid at atmospheric temperature and a pressure less than 1.0MPa, where the fluid properties are similar to steam-water ones in the LWR, (2) generation of bubble with a sintering tube, which simulates bubble generation on heated surface in the LWR, (3) measurement of detailed bubble distribution data with a bi-optical probe (BOP), (4) and measurement of liquid velocities with the tracer liquid. This experimental technique provides easy visualization of flows by using a large scale experimental apparatus, which gives three-dimensional flows, and measurement of detailed spatial distributions of two-phase flow. With this technique, we have carried out experiments simulating two-phase flow behavior in a single-channel geometry, a multi-rod-bundle one, and a horizontal-tube-bundle one on a typical natural circulation reactor system. Those experiments have clarified a) a flow regime map in a rod bundle on the transient region between bubbly and churn flow, b) three-dimensional flow behaviour in rod-bundles where inter-subassembly cross-flow occurs, c) bubble-separation behavior with consideration of reactor internal structures. The data have given analysis models for the natural circulation reactor design with good extrapolation.

Creaming enhancement in a liter scale ultrasonic reactor at selected transducer configurations and frequencies.

PubMed

Juliano, Pablo; Temmel, Sandra; Rout, Manoj; Swiergon, Piotr; Mawson, Raymond; Knoerzer, Kai

2013-01-01

Recent research has shown that high frequency ultrasound (0.4-3 MHz), can enhance milkfat separation in small scale systems able to treat only a few milliliters of sample. In this work, the effect of ultrasonic standing waves on milkfat creaming was studied in a 6L reactor and the influence of different frequencies and transducer configurations in direct contact with the fluid was investigated. A recombined coarse milk emulsion with fat globules stained with oil-red-O dye was selected for the separation trials. Runs were performed with one or two transducers placed in vertical (parallel or perpendicular) and horizontal positions (at the reactor base) at 0.4, 1 and/or 2 MHz (specific energy 8.5 ± 0.6 kJ/kg per transducer). Creaming behavior was assessed by measuring the thickness of the separated cream layer. Other methods supporting this assessment included the measurement of fat content, backscattering, particle size distribution, and microscopy of samples taken at the bottom and top of the reactor. Most efficient creaming was found after treatment at 0.4 MHz in single and double vertical transducer configurations. Among these configurations, a higher separation rate was obtained when sonicating at 0.4 MHz in a vertical perpendicular double transducer setup. The horizontal transducer configuration promoted creaming at 2 MHz only. Fat globule size increase was observed when creaming occurred. This research highlights the potential for enhanced separation of milkfat in larger scale systems from selected transducer configurations in contact with a dairy emulsion, or emulsion splitting in general. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microwave Plasma Hydrogen Recovery System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atwater, James; Wheeler, Richard, Jr.; Dahl, Roger; Hadley, Neal

2010-01-01

A microwave plasma reactor was developed for the recovery of hydrogen contained within waste methane produced by Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA), which reclaims oxygen from CO2. Since half of the H2 reductant used by the CRA is lost as CH4, the ability to reclaim this valuable resource will simplify supply logistics for longterm manned missions. Microwave plasmas provide an extreme thermal environment within a very small and precisely controlled region of space, resulting in very high energy densities at low overall power, and thus can drive high-temperature reactions using equipment that is smaller, lighter, and less power-consuming than traditional fixed-bed and fluidized-bed catalytic reactors. The high energy density provides an economical means to conduct endothermic reactions that become thermodynamically favorable only at very high temperatures. Microwave plasma methods were developed for the effective recovery of H2 using two primary reaction schemes: (1) methane pyrolysis to H2 and solid-phase carbon, and (2) methane oligomerization to H2 and acetylene. While the carbon problem is substantially reduced using plasma methods, it is not completely eliminated. For this reason, advanced methods were developed to promote CH4 oligomerization, which recovers a maximum of 75 percent of the H2 content of methane in a single reactor pass, and virtually eliminates the carbon problem. These methods were embodied in a prototype H2 recovery system capable of sustained high-efficiency operation. NASA can incorporate the innovation into flight hardware systems for deployment in support of future long-duration exploration objectives such as a Space Station retrofit, Lunar outpost, Mars transit, or Mars base. The primary application will be for the recovery of hydrogen lost in the Sabatier process for CO2 reduction to produce water in Exploration Life Support systems. Secondarily, this process may also be used in conjunction with a Sabatier reactor employed to stockpile life-support oxygen as well as propellant and fuel production from Martian atmospheric CO2

Megawatt Class Nuclear Space Power Systems (MCNSPS) conceptual design and evaluation report. Volume 1: Objectives, summary results and introduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wetch, J. R.

1988-01-01

The objective was to determine which reactor, conversion, and radiator technologies would best fulfill future Megawatt Class Nuclear Space Power System Requirements. Specifically, the requirement was 10 megawatts for 5 years of full power operation and 10 years systems life on orbit. A variety of liquid metal and gas cooled reactors, static and dynamic conversion systems, and passive and dynamic radiators were considered. Four concepts were selected for more detailed study. The concepts are: a gas cooled reactor with closed cycle Brayton turbine-alternator conversion with heat pipe and pumped tube-fin heat rejection; a lithium cooled reactor with a free piston Stirling engine-linear alternator and a pumped tube-fin radiator; a lithium cooled reactor with potassium Rankine turbine-alternator and heat pipe radiator; and a lithium cooled incore thermionic static conversion reactor with a heat pipe radiator. The systems recommended for further development to meet a 10 megawatt long life requirement are the lithium cooled reactor with the K-Rankine conversion and heat pipe radiator, and the lithium cooled incore thermionic reactor with heat pipe radiator.

Analysis of boron dilution in a four-loop PWR

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

Sun, J.G.; Sha, W.T.

1995-12-31

Thermal mixing and boron dilution in a pressurized water reactor were analyzed with COMMIX codes. The reactor system was the four loop Zion reactor. Two boron dilution scenarios were analyzed. In the first scenario, the plant is in cold shutdown and the reactor coolant system has just been filled after maintenance on the steam generators. To flush the air out of the steam generator tubes, a reactor coolant pump (RCP) is started, with the water in the pump suction line devoid of boron and at the same temperature as the coolant in the system. In the second scenario, the plantmore » is at hot standby and the reactor coolant system has been heated up to operating temperature after a long outage. It is assumed that an RCP is started, with the pump suction line filled with cold unborated water, forcing a slug of diluted coolant down the downcomer and subsequently through the reactor core. The subsequent transient thermal mixing and boron dilution that would occur in the reactor system is simulated for these two scenarios. The reactivity insertion rate and the total reactivity are evaluated.« less

The Experimental Breeder Reactor II seismic probabilistic risk assessment

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

Roglans, J; Hill, D J

1994-02-01

The Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) is a US Department of Energy (DOE) Category A research reactor located at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)-West in Idaho. EBR-II is a 62.5 MW-thermal Liquid Metal Reactor (LMR) that started operation in 1964 and it is currently being used as a testbed in the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) Program. ANL has completed a Level 1 Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) for EBR-II. The Level 1 PRA for internal events and most external events was completed in June 1991. The seismic PRA for EBR-H has recently been completed. The EBR-II reactor building contains the reactor, themore » primary system, and the decay heat removal systems. The reactor vessel, which contains the core, and the primary system, consisting of two primary pumps and an intermediate heat exchanger, are immersed in the sodium-filled primary tank, which is suspended by six hangers from a beam support structure. Three systems or functions in EBR-II were identified as the most significant from the standpoint of risk of seismic-induced fuel damage: (1) the reactor shutdown system, (2) the structural integrity of the passive decay heat removal systems, and (3) the integrity of major structures, like the primary tank containing the reactor that could threaten both the reactivity control and decay heat removal functions. As part of the seismic PRA, efforts were concentrated in studying these three functions or systems. The passive safety response of EBR-II reactor -- both passive reactivity shutdown and passive decay heat removal, demonstrated in a series of tests in 1986 -- was explicitly accounted for in the seismic PRA as it had been included in the internal events assessment.« less

SNAP 10A FS-3 reactor performance

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

Hawley, J.P.; Johnson, R.A.

1966-08-15

SNAP 10FS-3 was the first flight-qualified SNAP reactor system to be operated in a simulated space environment. Prestart-up qualification testing, automatic start-up, endurance period performance, extended operation test and reactor shutdown are described as they affected, or were affected by, overall reactor performance. Performance of the reactor control system and the diagnostic instrumentation is critically evaluted.

Weld monitor and failure detector for nuclear reactor system

DOEpatents

Sutton, Jr., Harry G.

1987-01-01

Critical but inaccessible welds in a nuclear reactor system are monitored throughout the life of the reactor by providing small aperture means projecting completely through the reactor vessel wall and also through the weld or welds to be monitored. The aperture means is normally sealed from the atmosphere within the reactor. Any incipient failure or cracking of the weld will cause the environment contained within the reactor to pass into the aperture means and thence to the outer surface of the reactor vessel where its presence is readily detected.

Aerosol reactor production of uniform submicron powders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flagan, Richard C. (Inventor); Wu, Jin J. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A method of producing submicron nonagglomerated particles in a single stage reactor includes introducing a reactant or mixture of reactants at one end while varying the temperature along the reactor to initiate reactions at a low rate. As homogeneously small numbers of seed particles generated in the initial section of the reactor progress through the reactor, the reaction is gradually accelerated through programmed increases in temperature along the length of the reactor to promote particle growth by chemical vapor deposition while minimizing agglomerate formation by maintaining a sufficiently low number concentration of particles in the reactor such that coagulation is inhibited within the residence time of particles in the reactor. The maximum temperature and minimum residence time is defined by a combination of temperature and residence time that is necessary to bring the reaction to completion. In one embodiment, electronic grade silane and high purity nitrogen are introduced into the reactor and temperatures of approximately 770.degree. K. to 1550.degree. K. are employed. In another embodiment silane and ammonia are employed at temperatures from 750.degree. K. to 1800.degree. K.

Aerosol reactor production of uniform submicron powders

DOEpatents

Flagan, Richard C.; Wu, Jin J.

1991-02-19

A method of producing submicron nonagglomerated particles in a single stage reactor includes introducing a reactant or mixture of reactants at one end while varying the temperature along the reactor to initiate reactions at a low rate. As homogeneously small numbers of seed particles generated in the initial section of the reactor progress through the reactor, the reaction is gradually accelerated through programmed increases in temperature along the length of the reactor to promote particle growth by chemical vapor deposition while minimizing agglomerate formation by maintaining a sufficiently low number concentration of particles in the reactor such that coagulation is inhibited within the residence time of particles in the reactor. The maximum temperature and minimum residence time is defined by a combination of temperature and residence time that is necessary to bring the reaction to completion. In one embodiment, electronic grade silane and high purity nitrogen are introduced into the reactor and temperatures of approximately 770.degree. K. to 1550.degree. K. are employed. In another embodiment silane and ammonia are employed at temperatures from 750.degree. K. to 1800.degree. K.

Stimulation of the hydrolytic stage for biogas production from cattle manure in an electrochemical bioreactor.

PubMed

Samani, Saeed; Abdoli, Mohammad Ali; Karbassi, Abdolreza; Amin, Mohammad Mehdi

Electrical current in the hydrolytic phase of the biogas process might affect biogas yield. In this study, four 1,150 mL single membrane-less chamber electrochemical bioreactors, containing two parallel titanium plates were connected to the electrical source with voltages of 0, -0.5, -1 and -1.5 V, respectively. Reactor 1 with 0 V was considered as a control reactor. The trend of biogas production was precisely checked against pH, oxidation reduction potential and electrical power at a temperature of 37 ± 0.5°C amid cattle manure as substrate for 120 days. Biogas production increased by voltage applied to Reactors 2 and 3 when compared with the control reactor. In addition, the electricity in Reactors 2 and 3 caused more biogas production than Reactor 4. Acetogenic phase occurred more quickly in Reactor 3 than in the other reactors. The obtained results from Reactor 4 were indicative of acidogenic domination and its continuous behavior under electrical stimulation. The results of the present investigation clearly revealed that phasic electrical current could enhance the efficiency of biogas production.

Live single cell functional phenotyping in droplet nano-liter reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konry, Tania; Golberg, Alexander; Yarmush, Martin

2013-11-01

While single cell heterogeneity is present in all biological systems, most studies cannot address it due to technical limitations. Here we describe a nano-liter droplet microfluidic-based approach for stimulation and monitoring of surfaceand secreted markers of live single immune dendritic cells (DCs) as well as monitoring the live T cell/DC interaction. This nano-liter in vivo simulating microenvironment allows delivering various stimuli reagents to each cell and appropriate gas exchanges which are necessary to ensure functionality and viability of encapsulated cells. Labeling bioassay and microsphere sensors were integrated into nano-liter reaction volume of the droplet to monitor live single cell surface markers and secretion analysis in the time-dependent fashion. Thus live cell stimulation, secretion and surface monitoring can be obtained simultaneously in distinct microenvironment, which previously was possible using complicated and multi-step in vitro and in vivo live-cell microscopy, together with immunological studies of the outcome secretion of cellular function.

Hybrid Plasma Reactor/Filter for Transportable Collective Protection Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

protection. The key premise of the hybrid system is to couple a nonthermal plasma (NTP) reactor with reactive adsorption to provide a broader envelope of...conventional methods for collective protection. The key premise of the hybrid system is to couple a nonthermal plasma (NTP) reactor with reactive adsorption to...protection. The key premise of the hybrid system is to couple a nonthermal plasma (NTP) reactor with reactive adsorption to provide a broader

Training courses on neutron detection systems on the ISIS research reactor: on-site and through internet training

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

Lescop, B.; Badeau, G.; Ivanovic, S.

Today, ISIS research reactor is an essential tool for Education and Training programs organized by the National Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN) from CEA. In the field of nuclear instrumentation, the INSTN offers both, theoretical courses and training courses on the use of neutron detection systems taking advantage of the ISIS research reactor for the supply of a wide range of neutron fluxes. This paper describes the content of the training carried out on the use of neutron detectors and detection systems, on-site or remote. The ISIS reactor is a 700 kW open core pool type reactor. Themore » facility is very flexible since neutron detectors can be inserted into the core or its vicinity, and be used at different levels of power according to the needs of the course. Neutron fluxes, typically ranging from 1 to 10{sup 12} n/cm{sup 2}.s, can be obtained for the characterisation of the neutron detectors and detection systems. For the monitoring of the neutron density at low level of power, the Instrumentation and Control (I and C) system of the reactor is equipped with two detection systems, named BN1 and BN2. Each way contains a fission chamber, type CFUL01, connected to an electronic system type SIREX.The system works in pulse mode and exhibits two outputs: the counting rate and the doubling time. For the high level of power, the I and C is equipped with two detection systems HN1 and HN2.Each way contain a boron ionization chamber (type CC52) connected to an electronics system type SIREX. The system works in current mode and has two outputs: the current and the doubling time. For each mode, the trainees can observe and measure the signal at the different stages of the electronic system, with an oscilloscope. They can understand the role of each component of the detection system: detector, cable and each electronic block. The limitation of the detection modes and their operating range can be established from the measured signal. The trainees can also modify the settings of the electronic system, such as the high voltage and the discrimination level in order to obtain all the characteristic curves of the detectors. These curves are used to define the right setting of the electronic system and to discuss the expected degradation of the detector signal resulting from the detector damage under the integrated neutron and gamma fluxes. Moreover, in addition to the study of the neutron detection systems itself, the integration of the measurements made by these detection systems in the logic of the safety system of the nuclear reactor is also addressed. Providing the trainees with an extensive overview of each part of the neutron monitoring instrumentation apply to a nuclear reactor, hands-on measurements on the ISIS reactor play a major role in ensuring a practical and comprehensive understanding of the neutron detection system and their integration in the safety system of nuclear reactors. It also gives a solid background for the follow up and the development of the neutron detection systems. In addition to on-reactor training, Internet Reactor Laboratory capability has been implemented on the ISIS reactor in 2014. For the Internet Reactor Laboratory an extensive video conference system has been implemented on ISIS reactor. The system includes 4 cameras and the transmission of the video signal given by the supervision system of the reactor which records and processes the data of the reactor. According to the pedagogic needs during the training courses, the lecturer on the ISIS reactor chooses to broadcast the relevant information at each stage of the course. For example, graph showing the histogram of the counting and current as a function of the time, or the electrical signal observed on the oscilloscope, can be broadcasted trough internet. By interacting through the video conference, the remote classroom is able to ask for changes in the reactor power or settings of the detection systems. They can also ask for the broadcast of some particular information. At the guest institution, the information is displayed in two parts or screens, as shown in the Figure 3. Concerning the interaction with - and the feedback from - the remote classroom, the camera of the video system in the remote classroom is used to ensure the contact between the trainees and the lecturer and reactor operators. Thus, the Internet Reactor Laboratory is complementary to the on reactor training courses. It allows distant learning, reducing the overall cost of the course when this is necessary. It can efficiently be used for the development of the human resources needed by the nuclear industry and the nuclear programs in countries without research reactors.« less

Microbial removal of alkanes from dilute gaseous waste streams: kinetics and mass transfer considerations.

PubMed

Barton, J W; Klasson, K T; Koran, L J; Davison, B H

1997-01-01

Treatment of dilute gaseous hydrocarbon waste streams remains a current need for many industries, particularly as increasingly stringent environmental regulations and oversight force emission reduction. Biofiltration systems hold promise for providing low-cost alternatives to more traditional, energy-intensive treatment methods such as incineration and adsorption. Elucidation of engineering principles governing the behavior of such systems, including mass transfer limitations, will broaden their applicability. Our processes exploit a microbial consortium to treat a mixture of 0.5% n-pentane and 0.5% isobutane in air. Since hydrocarbon gases are sparingly soluble in water, good mixing and high surface area between the gas and liquid phases are essential for biodegradation to be effective. One liquid-continuous columnar bioreactor was operated for more than 30 months with continued degradation of n-pentane and isobutane as sole carbon and energy sources. The maximum degradation rate observed in this gas-recycle system was 2 g of volatile organic compounds (VOC)/(m3.h). A trickle-bed bioreactor was operated continuously for over 24 months to provide a higher surface area (using a structured packing) with increased rates. Degradation rates consistently achieved were approximately 50 g of VOC/(m3.h) via single pass in this gas-continuous columnar system. Effective mass transfer coefficients comparable to literature values were also measured for this reactor; these values were substantially higher than those found in the gas-recycle reactor. Control of biomass levels was implemented by limiting the level of available nitrogen in the recirculating aqueous media, enabling long-term stability of reactor performance.

Design of a single chambered microbial electrolytic cell reactor for production of biohydrogen from rice straw hydrolysate.

PubMed

Gupta, Pratima; Parkhey, Piyush

2015-06-01

Rice straw was pretreated using a microwave-assisted alkali pretreatment method. Cellulose recovery was approximately 82 %. This material was hydrolysed in an optimized enzymatic saccharification reaction using cellulase from Lysinibacillus sphaericus. This resulted in saccharification of 49 % of cellulosic biomass into glucose. A single chambered microbial electrolytic cell reactor of volume 2l was built using acrylic plastic sheets with graphite sheet as anode and a stainless-steel mesh as cathode. Shewanella putrefaciens was used as exoelectrogen to oxidize rice straw hydrolysate in the reactor for electrohydrogenesis. The maximum H2 yield obtained was 801 ml H2 g(-1) COD removal. Coulombic efficiency of 88 %, cathodic H2 recovery of 58 % and total H2 recovery of 51 % with an energy efficiency of 74 % were recorded.

Modeling and simulation of CANDU reactor and its regulating system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javidnia, Hooman

Analytical computer codes are indispensable tools in design, optimization, and control of nuclear power plants. Numerous codes have been developed to perform different types of analyses related to the nuclear power plants. A large number of these codes are designed to perform safety analyses. In the context of safety analyses, the control system is often neglected. Although there are good reasons for such a decision, that does not mean that the study of control systems in the nuclear power plants should be neglected altogether. In this thesis, a proof of concept code is developed as a tool that can be used in the design. optimization. and operation stages of the control system. The main objective in the design of this computer code is providing a tool that is easy to use by its target audience and is capable of producing high fidelity results that can be trusted to design the control system and optimize its performance. Since the overall plant control system covers a very wide range of processes, in this thesis the focus has been on one particular module of the the overall plant control system, namely, the reactor regulating system. The center of the reactor regulating system is the CANDU reactor. A nodal model for the reactor is used to represent the spatial neutronic kinetics of the core. The nodal model produces better results compared to the point kinetics model which is often used in the design and analysis of control system for nuclear reactors. The model can capture the spatial effects to some extent. although it is not as detailed as the finite difference methods. The criteria for choosing a nodal model of the core are: (1) the model should provide more detail than point kinetics and capture spatial effects, (2) it should not be too complex or overly detailed to slow down the simulation and provide details that are extraneous or unnecessary for a control engineer. Other than the reactor itself, there are auxiliary models that describe dynamics of different phenomena related to the transfer of the energy from the core. The main function of the reactor regulating system is to control the power of the reactor. This is achieved by using a set of detectors. reactivity devices. and digital control algorithms. Three main reactivity devices that are activated during short-term or intermediate-term transients are modeled in this thesis. The main elements of the digital control system are implemented in accordance to the program specifications for the actual control system in CANDU reactors. The simulation results are validated against requirements of the reactor regulating system. actual plant data. and pre-validated data from other computer codes. The validation process shows that the simulation results can be trusted in making engineering decisions regarding the reactor regulating system and prediction of the system performance in response to upset conditions or disturbances. KEYWORDS: CANDU reactors. reactor regulating system. nodal model. spatial kinetics. reactivity devices. simulation.

Potential of Electric Power Production from Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) in Evapotranspiration Reactor for Leachate Treatment Using Alocasia macrorrhiza Plant and Eleusine indica Grass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman, Badrus; Wardhana, Irawan Wisnu

2018-02-01

Microbial fuel cell is one of attractive electric power generator from nature bacterial activity. While, Evapotranspiration is one of the waste water treatment system which developed to eliminate biological weakness that utilize the natural evaporation process and bacterial activity on plant roots and plant media. This study aims to determine the potential of electrical energy from leachate treatment using evapotranspiration reactor. The study was conducted using local plant, namely Alocasia macrorrhiza and local grass, namely Eleusine Indica. The system was using horizontal MFC by placing the cathodes and anodes at different chamber (i.e. in the leachate reactor and reactor with plant media). Carbon plates was used for chatode-anodes material with size of 40 cm x 10 cm x1 cm. Electrical power production was measure by a digital multimeter for 30 days reactor operation. The result shows electric power production was fluctuated during reactor operation from all reactors. The electric power generated from each reactor was fluctuated, but from the reactor using Alocasia macrorrhiza plant reach to 70 μwatt average. From the reactor using Eleusine Indica grass was reached 60 μwatt average. Electric power production fluctuation is related to the bacterial growth pattern in the soil media and on the plant roots which undergo the adaptation process until the middle of the operational period and then in stable growth condition until the end of the reactor operation. The results indicate that the evapotranspiration reactor using Alocasia macrorrhiza plant was 60-95% higher electric power potential than using Eleusine Indica grass in short-term (30-day) operation. Although, MFC system in evapotranspiration reactor system was one of potential system for renewable electric power generation.

Reactor Operations Monitoring System

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

Hart, M.M.

1989-01-01

The Reactor Operations Monitoring System (ROMS) is a VME based, parallel processor data acquisition and safety action system designed by the Equipment Engineering Section and Reactor Engineering Department of the Savannah River Site. The ROMS will be analyzing over 8 million signal samples per minute. Sixty-eight microprocessors are used in the ROMS in order to achieve a real-time data analysis. The ROMS is composed of multiple computer subsystems. Four redundant computer subsystems monitor 600 temperatures with 2400 thermocouples. Two computer subsystems share the monitoring of 600 reactor coolant flows. Additional computer subsystems are dedicated to monitoring 400 signals from assortedmore » process sensors. Data from these computer subsystems are transferred to two redundant process display computer subsystems which present process information to reactor operators and to reactor control computers. The ROMS is also designed to carry out safety functions based on its analysis of process data. The safety functions include initiating a reactor scram (shutdown), the injection of neutron poison, and the loadshed of selected equipment. A complete development Reactor Operations Monitoring System has been built. It is located in the Program Development Center at the Savannah River Site and is currently being used by the Reactor Engineering Department in software development. The Equipment Engineering Section is designing and fabricating the process interface hardware. Upon proof of hardware and design concept, orders will be placed for the final five systems located in the three reactor areas, the reactor training simulator, and the hardware maintenance center.« less

Approach to numerical safety guidelines based on a core melt criterion. [PWR; BWR

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

Azarm, M.A.; Hall, R.E.

1982-01-01

A plausible approach is proposed for translating a single level criterion to a set of numerical guidelines. The criterion for core melt probability is used to set numerical guidelines for various core melt sequences, systems and component unavailabilities. These guidelines can be used as a means for making decisions regarding the necessity for replacing a component or improving part of a safety system. This approach is applied to estimate a set of numerical guidelines for various sequences of core melts that are analyzed in Reactor Safety Study for the Peach Bottom Nuclear Power Plant.

Tailor-made resealable micro(bio)reactors providing easy integration of in situ sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viefhues, Martina; Sun, Shiwen; Valikhani, Donya; Nidetzky, Bernd; Vrouwe, Elwin X.; Mayr, Torsten; Bolivar, Juan M.

2017-06-01

Flow microreactors utilizing immobilized enzymes are of great interest in biocatalysis development. Most of the common devices are permanently closed, single-use systems, which allow limited physical and chemical surface modifications and evaluation methods. In this paper we will present resealable flowcells that overcome these limitations and moreover allow a quick and easy integration of sensor systems, because of the use of modular building blocks. The devices were utilized to study the enzyme activity of glucose oxidase immobilized on chemically modified glass surfaces under flow conditions, employing integrated optical oxygen sensors for on-line monitoring.

Activation energy for diamond growth from the carbon-hydrogen gas system at low substrate temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stiegler, J.; Lang, T.; von Kaenel, Y.; Michler, J.; Blank, E.

1997-01-01

The growth kinetics of diamond films deposited at low substrate temperatures (600-400 °C) from the carbon-hydrogen gas system have been studied. When the substrate temperature alone was varied, independently of all other process parameters in the microwave plasma reactor, an activation energy in the order of 7 kcal/mol was observed. This value did not change with different carbon concentrations in hydrogen. It is supposed that growth kinetics in this temperature range are controlled by a single chemical reaction, probably the abstraction of surface bonded hydrogen by gas phase atomic hydrogen.

Control of autothermal reforming reactor of diesel fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolanc, Gregor; Pregelj, Boštjan; Petrovčič, Janko; Pasel, Joachim; Kolb, Gunther

2016-05-01

In this paper a control system for autothermal reforming reactor for diesel fuel is presented. Autothermal reforming reactors and the pertaining purification reactors are used to convert diesel fuel into hydrogen-rich reformate gas, which is then converted into electricity by the fuel cell. The purpose of the presented control system is to control the hydrogen production rate and the temperature of the autothermal reforming reactor. The system is designed in such a way that the two control loops do not interact, which is required for stable operation of the fuel cell. The presented control system is a part of the complete control system of the diesel fuel cell auxiliary power unit (APU).

Fundamentals, current state of the development of, and prospects for further improvement of the new-generation thermal-hydraulic computational HYDRA-IBRAE/LM code for simulation of fast reactor systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alipchenkov, V. M.; Anfimov, A. M.; Afremov, D. A.; Gorbunov, V. S.; Zeigarnik, Yu. A.; Kudryavtsev, A. V.; Osipov, S. L.; Mosunova, N. A.; Strizhov, V. F.; Usov, E. V.

2016-02-01

The conceptual fundamentals of the development of the new-generation system thermal-hydraulic computational HYDRA-IBRAE/LM code are presented. The code is intended to simulate the thermalhydraulic processes that take place in the loops and the heat-exchange equipment of liquid-metal cooled fast reactor systems under normal operation and anticipated operational occurrences and during accidents. The paper provides a brief overview of Russian and foreign system thermal-hydraulic codes for modeling liquid-metal coolants and gives grounds for the necessity of development of a new-generation HYDRA-IBRAE/LM code. Considering the specific engineering features of the nuclear power plants (NPPs) equipped with the BN-1200 and the BREST-OD-300 reactors, the processes and the phenomena are singled out that require a detailed analysis and development of the models to be correctly described by the system thermal-hydraulic code in question. Information on the functionality of the computational code is provided, viz., the thermalhydraulic two-phase model, the properties of the sodium and the lead coolants, the closing equations for simulation of the heat-mass exchange processes, the models to describe the processes that take place during the steam-generator tube rupture, etc. The article gives a brief overview of the usability of the computational code, including a description of the support documentation and the supply package, as well as possibilities of taking advantages of the modern computer technologies, such as parallel computations. The paper shows the current state of verification and validation of the computational code; it also presents information on the principles of constructing of and populating the verification matrices for the BREST-OD-300 and the BN-1200 reactor systems. The prospects are outlined for further development of the HYDRA-IBRAE/LM code, introduction of new models into it, and enhancement of its usability. It is shown that the program of development and practical application of the code will allow carrying out in the nearest future the computations to analyze the safety of potential NPP projects at a qualitatively higher level.

CO2 Reduction Assembly Prototype Using Microlith-Based Sabatier Reactor for Ground Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Junaedi, Christian; Hawley, Kyle; Walsh, Dennis; Roychoudhury, Subir; Abney, Morgan B.; Perry, Jay L.

2014-01-01

The utilization of CO2 to produce life support consumables, such as O2 and H2O, via the Sabatier reaction is an important aspect of NASA's cabin Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) and In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) architectures for both low-earth orbit and long-term manned space missions. Carbon dioxide can be reacted with H2, obtained from the electrolysis of water, via Sabatier reaction to produce methane and H2O. Methane can be stored and utilized as propellant while H2O can be either stored or electrolyzed to produce oxygen and regain the hydrogen atoms. Depending on the application, O2 can be used to replenish the atmosphere in human-crewed missions or as an oxidant for robotic and return missions. Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI), with support from NASA, has previously developed an efficient and compact Sabatier reactor based on its Microlith® catalytic technology and demonstrated the capability to achieve high CO2 conversion and CH4 selectivity (i.e., =90% of the thermodynamic equilibrium values) at high space velocities and low operating temperatures. This was made possible through the use of high-heat-transfer and high-surface-area Microlith catalytic substrates. Using this Sabatier reactor, PCI designed, developed, and demonstrated a stand-alone CO2 Reduction Assembly (CRA) test system for ground demonstration and performance validation. The Sabatier reactor was integrated with the necessary balance-of-plant components and controls system, allowing an automated, single "push-button" start-up and shutdown. Additionally, the versatility of the test system prototype was demonstrated by operating it under H2-rich (H2/CO2 of >4), stoichiometric (ratio of 4), and CO2-rich conditions (ratio of <4) without affecting its performance and meeting the equilibrium-predicted water recovery rates. In this paper, the development of the CRA test system for ground demonstration will be discussed. Additionally, the performance results from testing the system at various operating conditions and the results from durability testing will be presented.

A novel plant protection strategy for transient reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharyya, Samit K.; Lipinski, Walter C.; Hanan, Nelson A.

The present plant protection system (PPS) has been defined for use in the TREAT-upgrade (TU) reactor for controlled transient operation of reactor-fuel behavior testing under simulated reactor-accident conditions. A PPS with energy-dependent trip set points lowered worst-case clad temperatures by as much as 180 K, relative to the use of conventional fixed-level trip set points. The multilayered multilevel protection strategy represents the state-of-the-art in terrestrial transient reactor protection systems, and should be applicable to multi-MW space reactors.

77 FR 55877 - Initial Test Program of Condensate and Feedwater Systems for Light-Water Reactors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-11

...-492- 3668; email: [email protected] . NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System... Systems for Light-Water Reactors AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Regulatory guide; issuance... Systems for Boiling Water Reactor Power Plants.'' This regulatory guide is being revised to: (1) Expand...

Entering the Two-Detector Phase of Double Chooz: First Near Detector Data and Prospects for Future Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Rachel; Double Chooz Collaboration

2015-04-01

In 2011, Double Chooz reported the first evidence for θ13-driven reactor antineutrino oscillation, derived from observations of inverse beta decay (IBD) events in a single detector located ~ 1 km from two nuclear reactors. Since then, the collaboration has honed the precision of its sin2 2θ13 measurement by reducing backgrounds, improving detection efficiency and systematics, and including additional statistics from IBD events with neutron captures on hydrogen. By 2014, the overwhelmingly dominant contribution to sin2 2θ13 uncertainty was reactor flux uncertainty, which is irreducible in a single-detector experiment. Now, as Double Chooz collects the first data with a near detector, we can begin to suppress that uncertainty and approach the experiment's full potential. In this talk, we show quality checks on initial data from the near detector. We also present our two-detector sensitivity to both sin2 2θ13 and sterile neutrino mixing, which are enhanced by analysis strategies developed in our single-detector phase. In particular, we discuss prospects for the first two-detector results from Double Chooz, expected in 2015.

Reforming results of a novel radial reactor for a solid oxide fuel cell system with anode off-gas recirculation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosch, Timo; Carré, Maxime; Heinzel, Angelika; Steffen, Michael; Lapicque, François

2017-12-01

A novel reactor of a natural gas (NG) fueled, 1 kW net power solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system with anode off-gas recirculation (AOGR) is experimentally investigated. The reactor operates as pre-reformer, is of the type radial reactor with centrifugal z-flow, has the shape of a hollow cylinder with a volume of approximately 1 L and is equipped with two different precious metal wire-mesh catalyst packages as well as with an internal electric heater. Reforming investigations of the reactor are done stand-alone but as if the reactor would operate within the total SOFC system with AOGR. For the tests presented here it is assumed that the SOFC system runs on pure CH4 instead of NG. The manuscript focuses on the various phases of reactor operation during the startup process of the SOFC system. Startup process reforming experiments cover reactor operation points at which it runs on an oxygen to carbon ratio at the reactor inlet (ϕRI) of 1.2 with air supplied, up to a ϕRI of 2.4 without air supplied. As confirmed by a Monte Carlo simulation, most of the measured outlet gas concentrations are in or close to equilibrium.

An Evolutionary Optimization of the Refueling Simulation for a CANDU Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Do, Q. B.; Choi, H.; Roh, G. H.

2006-10-01

This paper presents a multi-cycle and multi-objective optimization method for the refueling simulation of a 713 MWe Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU-6) reactor based on a genetic algorithm, an elitism strategy and a heuristic rule. The proposed algorithm searches for the optimal refueling patterns for a single cycle that maximizes the average discharge burnup, minimizes the maximum channel power and minimizes the change in the zone controller unit water fills while satisfying the most important safety-related neutronic parameters of the reactor core. The heuristic rule generates an initial population of individuals very close to a feasible solution and it reduces the computing time of the optimization process. The multi-cycle optimization is carried out based on a single cycle refueling simulation. The proposed approach was verified by a refueling simulation of a natural uranium CANDU-6 reactor for an operation period of 6 months at an equilibrium state and compared with the experience-based automatic refueling simulation and the generalized perturbation theory. The comparison has shown that the simulation results are consistent from each other and the proposed approach is a reasonable optimization method of the refueling simulation that controls all the safety-related parameters of the reactor core during the simulation

Process intensification for the production of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castro, Filipa Juliana Fernandes

Precipitation processes are widely used in chemical industry for the production of particulate solids. In these processes, the chemical and physical nature of synthesized particles is of key importance. The traditional stirred tank batch reactors are affected by non-uniform mixing of reactants, often resulting in broad particle size distribution. The main objective of this thesis was to apply meso and microreactors for the synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles under near-physiological conditions of pH and temperature, in order to overcome the limitations associated with stirred tank batch reactors. Meso and microreactors offer unique features in comparison with conventional chemical reactors. Their high surface-to-volume ratio enables enhanced heat and mass transfer, as well as rapid and efficient mixing. In addition to low consumption of reagents, meso and microreactors are usually operated in continuous flow, making them attractive tools for high throughput experimentation. Precipitation of HAp was first studied in a stirred tank batch reactor, mixing being assured by a novel metal stirrer. HAp was synthetized by mixing diluted aqueous solutions of calcium hydroxide and orthophosphoric acid at 37 °C. After process optimization, a suspension of HAp nanoparticles with pH close to 7 was obtained for a mixing molar ratio Ca/P=1.33. The precipitation process was characterized by three stages: precipitation of amorphous calcium phosphate, transformation of amorphous calcium phosphate into HAp and growth of HAp crystals. The reaction system was further characterized based on equilibrium equations. The resolution of the system, which was possible with the knowledge of three process variables (temperature, pH and calcium concentration), allowed identifying and quantifying all the chemical species present in solution. The proposed model was validated by comparing the experimental and theoretical conductivity. Precipitation of HAp was then investigated in a meso oscillatory flow reactor (meso-OFR). The mesoreactor was first operated batchwise in a vertical tube and experiments were performed under the same conditions of temperature, reactants concentration and power density applied in the stirred tank batch reactor. Despite hydrodynamic conditions being not directly comparable, it was possible to assess the effectiveness of both reactors in terms of mixing and quality of the precipitated particles. The experimental results show the advantages of the meso-OFR over the stirred tank due to the production, about four times faster, of smaller and more uniform HAp nanoparticles. Afterwards, continuous-flow precipitation of HAp was carried out in one meso-OFR and in a series of eight meso-OFRs. Experiments were carried out using fixed frequency (f) and amplitude (x0), varying only the residence time. HAp nanoparticles were successfully obtained in both systems, mean particle size and aggregation degree of the prepared HAp particles decreasing with decreasing residence time. In the present work continuous-flow precipitation of HAp was also investigated in two ultrasonic microreactors. Initially, the process was carried out in a tubular microreactor immersed in an ultrasonic bath, where single-phase (laminar) and gas-liquid flow experiments were both performed. Continuous-flow precipitation of HAp in single-phase flow was then done in a Teflon microreactor with integrated piezoelectric actuator. Rod-like shape HAp nanoparticles were yielded in both reactors under near-physiological conditions of pH and temperature. Further, particles showed improved characteristics, namely in terms of size, shape, particle aggregation and crystallinity. In summary, scale-down of the HAp precipitation process has resulted in the formation of HAp nanoparticles with improved characteristics when compared with HAp particles prepared in a stirred tank batch reactor. Therefore, we believe that the work developed can be a useful contribution to the development of a platform for the continuous production of high quality HAp nanoparticles.

NUCLEAR REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEM

DOEpatents

Epler, E.P.; Hanauer, S.H.; Oakes, L.C.

1959-11-01

A control system is described for a nuclear reactor using enriched uranium fuel of the type of the swimming pool and other heterogeneous nuclear reactors. Circuits are included for automatically removing and inserting the control rods during the course of normal operation. Appropriate safety circuits close down the nuclear reactor in the event of emergency.

Vapor phase synthesis of compound semiconductors, from thin films to nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarigiannis, Demetrius

A counterflow jet reactor was developed to study the gas-phase decomposition kinetics of organometallics used in the vapor phase synthesis of compound semiconductors. The reactor minimized wall effects by generating a reaction zone near the stagnation point of two vertically opposed counterflowing jets. Smoke tracing experiments were used to confirm the stability of the flow field and validate the proposed heat, mass and flow models of the counterflow jet reactor. Transport experiments using ethyl acetate confirmed the overall mass balance for the system and verified the ability of the model to predict concentrations at various points in the reactor under different flow conditions. Preliminary kinetic experiments were performed with ethyl acetate and indicated a need to redesign the reactor. The counterflow jet reactor was adapted for the synthesis of ZnSe nanoparticles. Hydrogen selenide was introduced through one jet and dimethylzinc-triethylamine through the other. The two precursors reacted in a region near the stagnation zone and polycrystalline particles of zinc selenide were reproducibly synthesized at room temperature and collected for analysis. Raman spectroscopy confirmed that the particles were crystalline zinc selenide, Morphological analysis using SEM clearly showed the presence of aggregates of particles, 40 to 60 nanometers in diameter. Analysis by TEM showed that the particles were polycrystalline in nature and composed of smaller single crystalline nanocrystallites, five to ten nanometers in diameter. The particles in the aggregate had the appearance of being sintered together. To prevent this sintering, a split inlet lower jet was designed to introduce dimethylzinc through the inner tube and a surface passivator through the outer one. This passivating agent appeared to prevent the particles from agglomerating. An existing MOVPE reactor for II-VI thin film growth was modified to grow III-V semiconductors. A novel new heater was designed and built around an easily replaceable, economical, 650-watt, tungsten-halogen lamp. The heater was successfully tested to temperatures up to 1500°F. The deposition reactor was successfully tested by growing a thin film of GaP on GaAs <100>. The film surface was imperfect but the experiments proved that the reactor was ready for service.

Utilization of Stop-flow Micro-tubing Reactors for the Development of Organic Transformations.

PubMed

Toh, Ren Wei; Li, Jie Sheng; Wu, Jie

2018-01-04

A new reaction screening technology for organic synthesis was recently demonstrated by combining elements from both continuous micro-flow and conventional batch reactors, coined stop-flow micro-tubing (SFMT) reactors. In SFMT, chemical reactions that require high pressure can be screened in parallel through a safer and convenient way. Cross-contamination, which is a common problem in reaction screening for continuous flow reactors, is avoided in SFMT. Moreover, the commercially available light-permeable micro-tubing can be incorporated into SFMT, serving as an excellent choice for light-mediated reactions due to a more effective uniform light exposure, compared to batch reactors. Overall, the SFMT reactor system is similar to continuous flow reactors and more superior than batch reactors for reactions that incorporate gas reagents and/or require light-illumination, which enables a simple but highly efficient reaction screening system. Furthermore, any successfully developed reaction in the SFMT reactor system can be conveniently translated to continuous-flow synthesis for large scale production.

Axi-symmetrical flow reactor for .sup.196 Hg photochemical enrichment

DOEpatents

Grossman, Mark W.

1991-01-01

The present invention is directed to an improved photochemical reactor useful for the isotopic enrichment of a predetermined isotope of mercury, especially, .sup.196 Hg. Specifically, two axi-symmetrical flow reactors were constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. These reactors improve the mixing of the reactants during the photochemical enrichment process, affording higher yields of the desired .sup.196 Hg product. Measurements of the variation of yield (Y) and enrichment factor (E) along the flow axis of these reactors indicates very substantial improvement in process uniformity compared to previously used photochemical reactor systems. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the photoreactor system was built such that the reactor chamber was removable from the system without disturbing the location of either the photochemical lamp or the filter employed therewith.

Applications of plasma core reactors to terrestrial energy systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Latham, T. S.; Biancardi, F. R.; Rodgers, R. J.

1974-01-01

Plasma core reactors offer several new options for future energy needs in addition to space power and propulsion applications. Power extraction from plasma core reactors with gaseous nuclear fuel allows operation at temperatures higher than conventional reactors. Highly efficient thermodynamic cycles and applications employing direct coupling of radiant energy are possible. Conceptual configurations of plasma core reactors for terrestrial applications are described. Closed-cycle gas turbines, MHD systems, photo- and thermo-chemical hydrogen production processes, and laser systems using plasma core reactors as prime energy sources are considered. Cycle efficiencies in the range of 50 to 65 percent are calculated for closed-cycle gas turbine and MHD electrical generators. Reactor advantages include continuous fuel reprocessing which limits inventory of radioactive by-products and thorium-U-233 breeder configurations with about 5-year doubling times.-

Catalytic wet oxidation: mathematical modeling of multicompound destruction.

PubMed

Yang, J; Hand, D W; Hokanson, D R; Crittenden, J C; Oman, E J

2003-01-01

A mathematical model of a three-phase catalytic reactor, CatReac, was developed for analysis and optimization of a catalytic oxidation reactor that is used in the International Space Station potable water processor. The packed-bed catalytic reactor, known as the volatile reactor assembly (VRA), is operated as a three-phase reactor and contains a proprietary catalyst, a pure-oxygen gas phase, and the contaminated water. The contaminated water being fed to the VRA primarily consists of acetic acid, acetone, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, and propionic acid ranging in concentration from 1 to 10 mg/L. The Langmuir-Hinshelwood Hougen-Watson (L-H) (Hougen, 1943) expression was used to describe the surface reaction rate for these compounds. Single and multicompound short-column experiments were used to determine the L-H rate parameters and calibrate the model. The model was able to predict steady-state multicomponent effluent profiles for short and full-scale reactor experiments.

Megawatt Class Nuclear Space Power Systems (MCNSPS) conceptual design and evaluation report. Volume 4: Concepts selection, conceptual designs, recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wetch, J. R.

1988-01-01

A study was conducted by NASA Lewis Research Center for the Triagency SP-100 program office. The objective was to determine which reactor, conversion and radiator technologies would best fulfill future Megawatt Class Nuclear Space Power System Requirements. The requirement was 10 megawatts for 5 years of full power operation and 10 years system life on orbit. A variety of liquid metal and gas cooled reactors, static and dynamic conversion systems, and passive and dynamic radiators were considered. Four concepts were selected for more detailed study: (1) a gas cooled reactor with closed cycle Brayton turbine-alternator conversion with heatpipe and pumped tube fin rejection, (2) a Lithium cooled reactor with a free piston Stirling engine-linear alternator and a pumped tube-fin radiator,(3) a Lithium cooled reactor with a Potassium Rankine turbine-alternator and heat pipe radiator, and (4) a Lithium cooled incore thermionic static conversion reactor with a heat pipe radiator. The systems recommended for further development to meet a 10 megawatt long life requirement are the Lithium cooled reactor with the K-Rankine conversion and heat pipe radiator, and the Lithium cooled incore thermionic reactor with heat pipe radiator.

Advantages of Production of New Fissionable Nuclides for the Nuclear Power Industry in Hybrid Fusion-Fission Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsibulskiy, V. F.; Andrianova, E. A.; Davidenko, V. D.; Rodionova, E. V.; Tsibulskiy, S. V.

2017-12-01

A concept of a large-scale nuclear power engineering system equipped with fusion and fission reactors is presented. The reactors have a joint fuel cycle, which imposes the lowest risk of the radiation impact on the environment. The formation of such a system is considered within the framework of the evolution of the current nuclear power industry with the dominance of thermal reactors, gradual transition to the thorium fuel cycle, and integration into the system of the hybrid fusion-fission reactors for breeding nuclear fuel for fission reactors. Such evolution of the nuclear power engineering system will allow preservation of the existing structure with the dominance of thermal reactors, enable the reprocessing of the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) with low burnup, and prevent the dangerous accumulation of minor actinides. The proposed structure of the nuclear power engineering system minimizes the risk of radioactive contamination of the environment and the SNF reprocessing facilities, decreasing it by more than one order of magnitude in comparison with the proposed scheme of closing the uranium-plutonium fuel cycle based on the reprocessing of SNF with high burnup from fast reactors.

Applicability of 100kWe-class of space reactor power systems to NASA manned space station missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverman, S. W.; Willenberg, H. J.; Robertson, C.

1985-01-01

An assessment is made of a manned space station operating with sufficiently high power demands to require a multihundred kilowatt range electrical power system. The nuclear reactor is a competitor for supplying this power level. Load levels were selected at 150kWe and 300kWe. Interactions among the reactor electrical power system, the manned space station, the space transportation system, and the mission were evaluated. The reactor shield and the conversion equipment were assumed to be in different positions with respect to the station; on board, tethered, and on a free flyer platform. Mission analyses showed that the free flyer concept resulted in unacceptable costs and technical problems. The tethered reactor providing power to an electrolyzer for regenerative fuel cells on the space station, results in a minimum weight shield and can be designed to release the reactor power section so that it moves to a high altitude orbit where the decay period is at least 300 years. Placing the reactor on the station, on a structural boom is an attractive design, but heavier than the long tethered reactor design because of the shield weight for manned activity near the reactor.

Dynamic Modeling and Control of Nuclear Reactors Coupled to Closed-Loop Brayton Cycle Systems using SIMULINK{sup TM}

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

Wright, Steven A.; Sanchez, Travis

2005-02-06

The operation of space reactors for both in-space and planetary operations will require unprecedented levels of autonomy and control. Development of these autonomous control systems will require dynamic system models, effective control methodologies, and autonomous control logic. This paper briefly describes the results of reactor, power-conversion, and control models that are implemented in SIMULINK{sup TM} (Simulink, 2004). SIMULINK{sup TM} is a development environment packaged with MatLab{sup TM} (MatLab, 2004) that allows the creation of dynamic state flow models. Simulation modules for liquid metal, gas cooled reactors, and electrically heated systems have been developed, as have modules for dynamic power-conversion componentsmore » such as, ducting, heat exchangers, turbines, compressors, permanent magnet alternators, and load resistors. Various control modules for the reactor and the power-conversion shaft speed have also been developed and simulated. The modules are compiled into libraries and can be easily connected in different ways to explore the operational space of a number of potential reactor, power-conversion system configurations, and control approaches. The modularity and variability of these SIMULINK{sup TM} models provides a way to simulate a variety of complete power generation systems. To date, both Liquid Metal Reactors (LMR), Gas Cooled Reactors (GCR), and electric heaters that are coupled to gas-dynamics systems and thermoelectric systems have been simulated and are used to understand the behavior of these systems. Current efforts are focused on improving the fidelity of the existing SIMULINK{sup TM} modules, extending them to include isotopic heaters, heat pipes, Stirling engines, and on developing state flow logic to provide intelligent autonomy. The simulation code is called RPC-SIM (Reactor Power and Control-Simulator)« less

Reactor water cleanup system

DOEpatents

Gluntz, Douglas M.; Taft, William E.

1994-01-01

A reactor water cleanup system includes a reactor pressure vessel containing a reactor core submerged in reactor water. First and second parallel cleanup trains are provided for extracting portions of the reactor water from the pressure vessel, cleaning the extracted water, and returning the cleaned water to the pressure vessel. Each of the cleanup trains includes a heat exchanger for cooling the reactor water, and a cleaner for cleaning the cooled reactor water. A return line is disposed between the cleaner and the pressure vessel for channeling the cleaned water thereto in a first mode of operation. A portion of the cooled water is bypassed around the cleaner during a second mode of operation and returned through the pressure vessel for shutdown cooling.

Summary of NR Program Prometheus Efforts

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

J Ashcroft; C Eshelman

2006-02-08

The Naval Reactors Program led work on the development of a reactor plant system for the Prometheus space reactor program. The work centered on a 200 kWe electric reactor plant with a 15-20 year mission applicable to nuclear electric propulsion (NEP). After a review of all reactor and energy conversion alternatives, a direct gas Brayton reactor plant was selected for further development. The work performed subsequent to this selection included preliminary nuclear reactor and reactor plant design, development of instrumentation and control techniques, modeling reactor plant operational features, development and testing of core and plant material options, and development ofmore » an overall project plan. Prior to restructuring of the program, substantial progress had been made on defining reference plant operating conditions, defining reactor mechanical, thermal and nuclear performance, understanding the capabilities and uncertainties provided by material alternatives, and planning non-nuclear and nuclear system testing. The mission requirements for the envisioned NEP missions cannot be accommodated with existing reactor technologies. Therefore concurrent design, development and testing would be needed to deliver a functional reactor system. Fuel and material performance beyond the current state of the art is needed. There is very little national infrastructure available for fast reactor nuclear testing and associated materials development and testing. Surface mission requirements may be different enough to warrant different reactor design approaches and development of a generic multi-purpose reactor requires substantial sacrifice in performance capability for each mission.« less

Comprehensive kinetic model for the low-temperature oxidation of hydrocarbons

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

Gaffuri, P.; Faravelli, T.; Ranzi, E.

1997-05-01

The oxidation chemistry in the low- and intermediate-temperature regimes (600--900 K) is important and plays a significant role in the overall combustion process. Autoignition in diesel engines as well as end-gas autoignition and knock phenomena in s.i. engines are initiated at these low temperatures. The low-temperature oxidation chemistry of linear and branched alkanes is discussed with the aim of unifying their complex behavior in various experimental systems using a single detailed kinetic model. New experimental data, obtained in a pressurized flow reactor, as well as in batch- and jet-stirred reactors, are useful for a better definition of the region ofmore » cool flames and negative temperature coefficient (NTC) for pure hydrocarbons from propane up to isooctane. Thermochemical oscillations and the NTC region of the reaction rate of the low-temperature oxidation of n-heptane and isooctane in a jet-stirred flow reactor are reproduced quite well by the model, not only in a qualitative way but in terms of the experimental frequencies and intensities of cool flames. Very good agreement is also observed for fuel conversion and intermediate-species formation. Irrespective of the experimental system, the same critical reaction steps always control these phenomena. The results contribute to the definition of a limited set of fundamental kinetic parameters that should be easily extended to model heavier alkanes.« less

Disturbance Frequency Determines Morphology and Community Development in Multi-Species Biofilm at the Landscape Scale

PubMed Central

Milferstedt, Kim; Santa-Catalina, Gaëlle; Godon, Jean-Jacques; Escudié, Renaud; Bernet, Nicolas

2013-01-01

Many natural and engineered biofilm systems periodically face disturbances. Here we present how the recovery time of a biofilm between disturbances (expressed as disturbance frequency) shapes the development of morphology and community structure in a multi-species biofilm at the landscape scale. It was hypothesized that a high disturbance frequency favors the development of a stable adapted biofilm system while a low disturbance frequency promotes a dynamic biofilm response. Biofilms were grown in laboratory-scale reactors over a period of 55-70 days and exposed to the biocide monochloramine at two frequencies: daily or weekly pulse injections. One untreated reactor served as control. Biofilm morphology and community structure were followed on comparably large biofilm areas at the landscape scale using automated image analysis (spatial gray level dependence matrices) and community fingerprinting (single-strand conformation polymorphisms). We demonstrated that a weekly disturbed biofilm developed a resilient morphology and community structure. Immediately after the disturbance, the biofilm simplified but recovered its initial complex morphology and community structure between two biocide pulses. In the daily treated reactor, one organism largely dominated a morphologically simple and stable biofilm. Disturbances primarily affected the abundance distribution of already present bacterial taxa but did not promote growth of previously undetected organisms. Our work indicates that disturbances can be used as lever to engineer biofilms by maintaining a biofilm between two developmental states. PMID:24303024

SIKA—the multiplexing cold-neutron triple-axis spectrometer at ANSTO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, C.-M.; Deng, G.; Gardner, J. S.; Vorderwisch, P.; Li, W.-H.; Yano, S.; Peng, J.-C.; Imamovic, E.

2016-10-01

SIKA is a new cold-neutron triple-axis spectrometer receiving neutrons from the cold source CG4 of the 20MW Open Pool Australian Light-water reactor. As a state-of-the-art triple-axis spectrometer, SIKA is equipped with a large double-focusing pyrolytic graphite monochromator, a multiblade pyrolytic graphite analyser and a multi-detector system. In this paper, we present the design, functions, and capabilities of SIKA, and discuss commissioning experimental results from powder and single-crystal samples to demonstrate its performance.

Reactor vessel support system. [LMFBR

DOEpatents

Golden, M.P.; Holley, J.C.

1980-05-09

A reactor vessel support system includes a support ring at the reactor top supported through a box ring on a ledge of the reactor containment. The box ring includes an annular space in the center of its cross-section to reduce heat flow and is keyed to the support ledge to transmit seismic forces from the reactor vessel to the containment structure. A coolant channel is provided at the outside circumference of the support ring to supply coolant gas through the keyways to channels between the reactor vessel and support ledge into the containment space.

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion: A Joint NASA/DOE/DOD Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, John S. (Editor)

1991-01-01

Papers presented at the joint NASA/DOE/DOD workshop on nuclear thermal propulsion are compiled. The following subject areas are covered: nuclear thermal propulsion programs; Rover/NERVA and NERVA systems; Low Pressure Nuclear Thermal Rocket (LPNTR); particle bed reactor nuclear rocket; hybrid propulsion systems; wire core reactor; pellet bed reactor; foil reactor; Droplet Core Nuclear Rocket (DCNR); open cycle gas core nuclear rockets; vapor core propulsion reactors; nuclear light bulb; Nuclear rocket using Indigenous Martian Fuel (NIMF); mission analysis; propulsion and reactor technology; development plans; and safety issues.

TREAT Reactor Control and Protection System

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

Lipinski, W.C.; Brookshier, W.K.; Burrows, D.R.

1985-01-01

The main control algorithm of the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) Automatic Reactor Control System (ARCS) resides in Read Only Memory (ROM) and only experiment specific parameters are input via keyboard entry. Prior to executing an experiment, the software and hardware of the control computer is tested by a closed loop real-time simulation. Two computers with parallel processing are used for the reactor simulation and another computer is used for simulation of the control rod system. A monitor computer, used as a redundant diverse reactor protection channel, uses more conservative setpoints and reduces challenges to the Reactor Trip System (RTS).more » The RTS consists of triplicated hardwired channels with one out of three logic. The RTS is automatically tested by a digital Dedicated Microprocessor Tester (DMT) prior to the execution of an experiment. 6 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.« less

Safety approach to the selection of design criteria for the CRBRP reactor refueling system

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

Meisl, C J; Berg, G E; Sharkey, N F

1979-01-01

The selection of safety design criteria for Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) refueling systems required the extrapolation of regulations and guidelines intended for Light Water Reactor refueling systems and was encumbered by the lack of benefit from a commercially licensed predecessor other than Fermi. The overall approach and underlying logic are described for developing safety design criteria for the reactor refueling system (RRS) of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP). The complete selection process used to establish the criteria is presented, from the definition of safety functions to the finalization of safety design criteria in the appropriate documents.more » The process steps are illustrated by examples.« less

Axi-symmetrical flow reactor for [sup 196]Hg photochemical enrichment

DOEpatents

Grossman, M.W.

1991-04-30

The present invention is directed to an improved photochemical reactor useful for the isotopic enrichment of a predetermined isotope of mercury, especially, [sup 196]Hg. Specifically, two axi-symmetrical flow reactors were constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. These reactors improve the mixing of the reactants during the photochemical enrichment process, affording higher yields of the desired [sup 196]Hg product. Measurements of the variation of yield (Y) and enrichment factor (E) along the flow axis of these reactors indicates very substantial improvement in process uniformity compared to previously used photochemical reactor systems. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the photoreactor system was built such that the reactor chamber was removable from the system without disturbing the location of either the photochemical lamp or the filter employed therewith. 10 figures.

Single chamber microbial fuel cell with Ni-Co cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Włodarczyk, Barbara; Włodarczyk, Paweł P.; Kalinichenko, Antonina

2017-10-01

The possibility of wastewater treatment and the parallel energy production using the Ni-Co alloy as cathode catalyst for single chamber microbial fuel cells is presented in this research. The research included a preparation of catalyst and comparison of COD, NH4+ and NO3- reduction in the reactor without aeration, with aeration and with using a single chamber microbial fuel cell with Ni-Co cathode. The reduction time for COD with the use of microbial fuel cell with the Ni-Co catalyst is similar to the reduction time with aeration. The current density (2.4 A·m-2) and amount of energy (0.48 Wh) obtained in MFC is low, but the obtained amount of energy allows elimination of the energy needed for reactor aeration. It has been shown that the Ni-Co can be used as cathode catalyst in single chamber microbial fuel cells.

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

Wichman, K.; Tsao, J.; Mayfield, M.

The regulatory application of leak before break (LBB) for operating and advanced reactors in the U.S. is described. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved the application of LBB for six piping systems in operating reactors: reactor coolant system primary loop piping, pressurizer surge, safety injection accumulator, residual heat removal, safety injection, and reactor coolant loop bypass. The LBB concept has also been applied in the design of advanced light water reactors. LBB applications, and regulatory considerations, for pressurized water reactors and advanced light water reactors are summarized in this paper. Technology development for LBB performed by the NRCmore » and the International Piping Integrity Research Group is also briefly summarized.« less

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

Fitzpatrick, F.C.; Gray, D.D.; Hyndman, J.R.

The thermal, ecological, and social impacts of a 40-reactor NEC are compared to impacts from four 10-reactor NECs and ten 4-reactor power plants. The comparison was made for surrogate sites in western Tennessee. The surrogate site for the 40-reactor NEC is located on Kentucky Lake. A layout is postulated for ten clusters of four reactors each with 2.5-mile spacing between clusters. The plants use natural-draft cooling towers. A transmission system is proposed for delivering the power (48,000 MW) to five load centers. Comparable transmission systems are proposed for the 10-reactor NECs and the 4-reactor dispersed sites delivering power to themore » same load centers. (auth)« less

Test Results from a Direct Drive Gas Reactor Simulator Coupled to a Brayton Power Conversion Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hervol, David S.; Briggs, Maxwell H.; Owen, Albert K.; Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Godfroy, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

Component level testing of power conversion units proposed for use in fission surface power systems has typically been done using relatively simple electric heaters for thermal input. These heaters do not adequately represent the geometry or response of proposed reactors. As testing of fission surface power systems transitions from the component level to the system level it becomes necessary to more accurately replicate these reactors using reactor simulators. The Direct Drive Gas-Brayton Power Conversion Unit test activity at the NASA Glenn Research Center integrates a reactor simulator with an existing Brayton test rig. The response of the reactor simulator to a change in Brayton shaft speed is shown as well as the response of the Brayton to an insertion of reactivity, corresponding to a drum reconfiguration. The lessons learned from these tests can be used to improve the design of future reactor simulators which can be used in system level fission surface power tests.

Simultaneous saccharification and extractive fermentation of lignocellulosic materials into lactic acid in a two-zone fermentor-extractor system.

PubMed

Iyer, P V; Lee, Y Y

1999-01-01

Simultaneous saccharification and extractive fermentation of lignocellulosic materials into lactic acid was investigated using a two-zone bioreactor. The system is composed of an immobilized cell reactor, a separate column reactor containing the lignocellulosic substrate and a hollow-fiber membrane. It is operated by recirculating the cell free enzyme (cellulase) solution from the immobilized cell reactor to the column reactor through the membrane. The enzyme and microbial reactions thus occur at separate locations, yet simultaneously. This design provides flexibility in reactor operation as it allows easy separation of the solid substrate from the microorganism, in situ removal of the product and, if desired, different temperatures in the two reactor sections. This reactor system was tested using pretreated switchgrass as the substrate. It was operated under a fed-batch mode with continuous removal of lactic acid by solvent extraction. The overall lactic acid yield obtainable from this bioreactor system is 77% of the theoretical.

Loss-of-flow-without-scram tests in Experimental Breeder Reactor-II and comparison with pretest predictions

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

Chang, L.K.; Mohr, D.; Planchon, H.P.

This article discusses a series of successful loss-of-flow-without-scram tests conducted in Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II), a metal-fueled, sodium-cooled fast reactor. These May 1985 tests demonstrated the capability of the EBR to reduce reactor power passively during a loss of flow and to maintain reactor temperatures within bounds without any reliance on an active safety system. The tests were run from reduced power to ensure that temperatures could be maintained well below the fuel-clad eutectic temperature. Good agreement was found between selected test data and pretest predictions made with the EBR-II system analysis code NATDEMO and the hot channel analysis codemore » HOTCHAN. The article also discusses safety assessments of the tests as well as modifications required on the EBR-II reactor safety system for conducting required on the EBR-II reactor safety system for the conducting the tests.« less

SiC layer microstructure in AGR-1 and AGR-2 TRISO fuel particles and the influence of its variation on the effective diffusion of key fission products

DOE PAGES

Gerczak, Tyler J.; Hunn, John D.; Lowden, Richard A.; ...

2016-08-15

Tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated particle fuel is a promising fuel form for advanced reactor concepts such as high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGR) and is being developed domestically under the US Department of Energy’s Nuclear Reactor Technologies Initiative in support of Advanced Reactor Technologies. The fuel development and qualification plan includes a series of fuel irradiations to demonstrate fuel performance from the laboratory to commercial scale. The first irradiation campaign, AGR-1, included four separate TRISO fuel variants composed of multiple, laboratory-scale coater batches. The second irradiation campaign, AGR-2, included TRISO fuel particles fabricated by BWX Technologies with a larger coater representativemore » of an industrial-scale system. The SiC layers of as-fabricated particles from the AGR-1 and AGR-2 irradiation campaigns have been investigated by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) to provide key information about the microstructural features relevant to fuel performance. The results of a comprehensive study of multiple particles from all constituent batches are reported. The observations indicate that there were microstructural differences between variants and among constituent batches in a single variant. Finally, insights on the influence of microstructure on the effective diffusivity of key fission products in the SiC layer are also discussed.« less

Reactor water cleanup system

DOEpatents

Gluntz, D.M.; Taft, W.E.

1994-12-20

A reactor water cleanup system includes a reactor pressure vessel containing a reactor core submerged in reactor water. First and second parallel cleanup trains are provided for extracting portions of the reactor water from the pressure vessel, cleaning the extracted water, and returning the cleaned water to the pressure vessel. Each of the cleanup trains includes a heat exchanger for cooling the reactor water, and a cleaner for cleaning the cooled reactor water. A return line is disposed between the cleaner and the pressure vessel for channeling the cleaned water thereto in a first mode of operation. A portion of the cooled water is bypassed around the cleaner during a second mode of operation and returned through the pressure vessel for shutdown cooling. 1 figure.

Intelligent process control of fiber chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, John Gregory

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) is a widely used process for the application of thin films. In this case, CVD is being used to apply a thin film interface coating to single crystal monofilament sapphire (Alsb2Osb3) fibers for use in Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC's). The hot-wall reactor operates at near atmospheric pressure which is maintained using a venturi pump system. Inert gas seals obviate the need for a sealed system. A liquid precursor delivery system has been implemented to provide precise stoichiometry control. Neural networks have been implemented to create real-time process description models trained using data generated based on a Navier-Stokes finite difference model of the process. Automation of the process to include full computer control and data logging capability is also presented. In situ sensors including a quadrupole mass spectrometer, thermocouples, laser scanner, and Raman spectrometer have been implemented to determine the gas phase reactants and coating quality. A fuzzy logic controller has been developed to regulate either the gas phase or the in situ temperature of the reactor using oxygen flow rate as an actuator. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of various samples are shown. A hierarchical control structure upon which the control structure is based is also presented.

Parameterized data-driven fuzzy model based optimal control of a semi-batch reactor.

PubMed

Kamesh, Reddi; Rani, K Yamuna

2016-09-01

A parameterized data-driven fuzzy (PDDF) model structure is proposed for semi-batch processes, and its application for optimal control is illustrated. The orthonormally parameterized input trajectories, initial states and process parameters are the inputs to the model, which predicts the output trajectories in terms of Fourier coefficients. Fuzzy rules are formulated based on the signs of a linear data-driven model, while the defuzzification step incorporates a linear regression model to shift the domain from input to output domain. The fuzzy model is employed to formulate an optimal control problem for single rate as well as multi-rate systems. Simulation study on a multivariable semi-batch reactor system reveals that the proposed PDDF modeling approach is capable of capturing the nonlinear and time-varying behavior inherent in the semi-batch system fairly accurately, and the results of operating trajectory optimization using the proposed model are found to be comparable to the results obtained using the exact first principles model, and are also found to be comparable to or better than parameterized data-driven artificial neural network model based optimization results. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved vortex reactor system

DOEpatents

Diebold, James P.; Scahill, John W.

1995-01-01

An improved vortex reactor system for affecting fast pyrolysis of biomass and Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) feed materials comprising: a vortex reactor having its axis vertically disposed in relation to a jet of a horizontally disposed steam ejector that impels feed materials from a feeder and solids from a recycle loop along with a motive gas into a top part of said reactor.

Seismic attenuation system for a nuclear reactor

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

Liszkai, Tamas; Cadell, Seth

A system for attenuating seismic forces includes a reactor pressure vessel containing nuclear fuel and a containment vessel that houses the reactor pressure vessel. Both the reactor pressure vessel and the containment vessel include a bottom head. Additionally, the system includes a base support to contact a support surface on which the containment vessel is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation. An attenuation device is located between the bottom head of the reactor pressure vessel and the bottom head of the containment vessel. Seismic forces that travel from the base support to the reactor pressure vessel via the containment vesselmore » are attenuated by the attenuation device in a direction that is substantially lateral to the vertical orientation of the containment vessel.« less

Cooling system for a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Amtmann, Hans H.

1982-01-01

A cooling system for a gas-cooled nuclear reactor is disclosed which includes at least one primary cooling loop adapted to pass coolant gas from the reactor core and an associated steam generator through a duct system having a main circulator therein, and at least one auxiliary cooling loop having communication with the reactor core and adapted to selectively pass coolant gas through an auxiliary heat exchanger and circulator. The main and auxiliary circulators are installed in a common vertical cavity in the reactor vessel, and a common return duct communicates with the reactor core and intersects the common cavity at a junction at which is located a flow diverter valve operative to effect coolant flow through either the primary or auxiliary cooling loops.

A coupled nuclear reactor thermal energy storage system for enhanced load following operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alameri, Saeed A.

Nuclear power plants usually provide base-load electric power and operate most economically at a constant power level. In an energy grid with a high fraction of renewable energy sources, future nuclear reactors may be subject to significantly variable power demands. These variable power demands can negatively impact the effective capacity factor of the reactor and result in severe economic penalties. Coupling the reactor to a large Thermal Energy Storage (TES) block will allow the reactor to better respond to variable power demands. In the system described in this thesis, a Prismatic-core Advanced High Temperature Reactor (PAHTR) operates at constant power with heat provided to a TES block that supplies power as needed to a secondary energy conversion system. The PAHTR is designed to have a power rating of 300 MW th, with 19.75 wt% enriched Tri-Structural-Isotropic UO 2 fuel and a five year operating cycle. The passive molten salt TES system will operate in the latent heat region with an energy storage capacity of 150 MWd. Multiple smaller TES blocks are used instead of one large block to enhance the efficiency and maintenance complexity of the system. A transient model of the coupled reactor/TES system is developed to study the behavior of the system in response to varying load demands. The model uses six-delayed group point kinetics and decay heat models coupled to thermal-hydraulic and heat transfer models of the reactor and TES system. Based on the transient results, the preferred TES design consists of 1000 blocks, each containing 11000 LiCl phase change material tubes. A safety assessment of major reactor events demonstrates the inherent safety of the coupled system. The loss of forced circulation study determined the minimum required air convection heat removal rate from the reactor core and the lowest possible reduced primary flow rate that can maintain the reactor in a safe condition. The loss of ultimate heat sink study demonstrated the ability of the TES to absorb the decay heat of the reactor fuel while cooling the PAHTR after an emergency shutdown. The simulated reactivity insertion accident assessment determined the maximum allowable reactivity insertion to the PAHTR as a function of shutdown response times.

Feasibility of an on-line fission-gas-leak detection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lustig, P. H.

1973-01-01

Calculations were made to determine if a cladding failure could be detected in a 100-kW zirconium hydride reactor primary system by monitoring the highly radioactive NaK coolant for the presence of I-131. The system is to be completely sealed. A leak of 0.01 percent from a single fuel pin was postulated. The 0.364-MeV gamma of I-131 could be monitored on an almost continuous basis, while its presence could be varified by using a longer counting time for the 0.638-MeV gamma. A lithium-drifted germanium detector would eliminate radioactive corrosion product interference that could occur with a sodium iodide scintillation detector.

Nuclear reactor cavity floor passive heat removal system

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

Edwards, Tyler A.; Neeley, Gary W.; Inman, James B.

A nuclear reactor includes a reactor core disposed in a reactor pressure vessel. A radiological containment contains the nuclear reactor and includes a concrete floor located underneath the nuclear reactor. An ex vessel corium retention system includes flow channels embedded in the concrete floor located underneath the nuclear reactor, an inlet in fluid communication with first ends of the flow channels, and an outlet in fluid communication with second ends of the flow channels. In some embodiments the inlet is in fluid communication with the interior of the radiological containment at a first elevation and the outlet is in fluidmore » communication with the interior of the radiological containment at a second elevation higher than the first elevation. The radiological containment may include a reactor cavity containing a lower portion of the pressure vessel, wherein the concrete floor located underneath the nuclear reactor is the reactor cavity floor.« less

Kinetics of gas phase formic acid decomposition on platinum single crystal and polycrystalline surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Detwiler, Michael D.; Milligan, Cory A.; Zemlyanov, Dmitry Y.; Delgass, W. Nicholas; Ribeiro, Fabio H.

2016-06-01

Formic acid dehydrogenation turnover rates (TORs) were measured on Pt(111), Pt(100), and polycrystalline Pt foil surfaces at a total pressure of 800 Torr between 413 and 513 K in a batch reactor connected to an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) system. The TORs, apparent activation energies, and reaction orders are not sensitive to the structure of the Pt surface, within the precision of the measurements. CO introduced into the batch reactor depressed the formic acid dehydrogenation TOR and increased the reaction's apparent activation energies on Pt(111) and Pt(100), consistent with behavior predicted by the Temkin equation. Two reaction mechanisms were explored which explain the formic acid decomposition mechanism on Pt, both of which include dissociative adsorption of formic acid, rate limiting formate decomposition, and quasi-equilibrated hydrogen recombination and CO adsorption. No evidence was found that catalytic supports used in previous studies altered the reaction kinetics or mechanism.

28. A typical main control panel in a 105 reactor ...

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

28. A typical main control panel in a 105 reactor building, in this case 105-F in February 1945. A single operator sat at the controls to regulate the pile's rate of reaction and monitor it for safety. The galvanometer screens (the two horizontal bars just below the nine round gauges that showed the positions of the control rods) showed the pile's current power setting. With that information, the operator could set the control rod positions to increase, decrease, or maintain the power. D-8310 - B Reactor, Richland, Benton County, WA

Mitigation of steam generator tube rupture in a pressurized water reactor with passive safety systems

DOEpatents

McDermott, D.J.; Schrader, K.J.; Schulz, T.L.

1994-05-03

The effects of steam generator tube ruptures in a pressurized water reactor are mitigated by reducing the pressure in the primary loop by diverting reactor coolant through the heat exchanger of a passive heat removal system immersed in the in containment refueling water storage tank in response to a high feed water level in the steam generator. Reactor coolant inventory is maintained by also in response to high steam generator level introducing coolant into the primary loop from core make-up tanks at the pressure in the reactor coolant system pressurizer. The high steam generator level is also used to isolate the start-up feed water system and the chemical and volume control system to prevent flooding into the steam header. 2 figures.

Mitigation of steam generator tube rupture in a pressurized water reactor with passive safety systems

DOEpatents

McDermott, Daniel J.; Schrader, Kenneth J.; Schulz, Terry L.

1994-01-01

The effects of steam generator tube ruptures in a pressurized water reactor are mitigated by reducing the pressure in the primary loop by diverting reactor coolant through the heat exchanger of a passive heat removal system immersed in the in containment refueling water storage tank in response to a high feed water level in the steam generator. Reactor coolant inventory is maintained by also in response to high steam generator level introducing coolant into the primary loop from core make-up tanks at the pressure in the reactor coolant system pressurizer. The high steam generator level is also used to isolate the start-up feed water system and the chemical and volume control system to prevent flooding into the steam header. 2 figures.

Systems and methods for managing shared-path instrumentation and irradiation targets in a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Heinold, Mark R.; Berger, John F.; Loper, Milton H.; Runkle, Gary A.

2015-12-29

Systems and methods permit discriminate access to nuclear reactors. Systems provide penetration pathways to irradiation target loading and offloading systems, instrumentation systems, and other external systems at desired times, while limiting such access during undesired times. Systems use selection mechanisms that can be strategically positioned for space sharing to connect only desired systems to a reactor. Selection mechanisms include distinct paths, forks, diverters, turntables, and other types of selectors. Management methods with such systems permits use of the nuclear reactor and penetration pathways between different systems and functions, simultaneously and at only distinct desired times. Existing TIP drives and other known instrumentation and plant systems are useable with access management systems and methods, which can be used in any nuclear plant with access restrictions.

High rate mesophilic, thermophilic, and temperature phased anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge: A pilot scale study

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

Bolzonella, David, E-mail: david.bolzonella@univr.it; Cavinato, Cristina, E-mail: cavinato@unive.it; Fatone, Francesco, E-mail: francesco.fatone@univr.it

2012-06-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High temperatures were tested in single and two-stage anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The increased temperature demonstrated the possibility of improving typical yields of the conventional mesophilic process. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The temperature phased anaerobic digestion process (65 + 55 Degree-Sign C) showed the best performances with yields of 0.49 m{sup 3}/kgVS{sub fed}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ammonia and phosphate released from solids destruction determined the precipitation of struvite in the reactor. - Abstract: The paper reports the findings of a two-year pilot scale experimental trial for the mesophilic (35 Degree-Sign C), thermophilic (55 Degree-Sign C) and temperature phased (65 +more » 55 Degree-Sign C) anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge. During the mesophilic and thermophilic runs, the reactor operated at an organic loading rate of 2.2 kgVS/m{sup 3}d and a hydraulic retention time of 20 days. In the temperature phased run, the first reactor operated at an organic loading rate of 15 kgVS/m{sup 3}d and a hydraulic retention time of 2 days while the second reactor operated at an organic loading rate of 2.2 kgVS/m{sup 3}d and a hydraulic retention time of 18 days (20 days for the whole temperature phased system). The performance of the reactor improved with increases in temperature. The COD removal increased from 35% in mesophilic conditions, to 45% in thermophilic conditions, and 55% in the two stage temperature phased system. As a consequence, the specific biogas production increased from 0.33 to 0.45 and to 0.49 m{sup 3}/kgVS{sub fed} at 35, 55, and 65 + 55 Degree-Sign C, respectively. The extreme thermophilic reactor working at 65 Degree-Sign C showed a high hydrolytic capability and a specific yield of 0.33 gCOD (soluble) per gVS{sub fed}. The effluent of the extreme thermophilic reactor showed an average concentration of soluble COD and volatile fatty acids of 20 and 9 g/l, respectively. Acetic and propionic acids were the main compounds found in the acids mixture. Because of the improved digestion efficiency, organic nitrogen and phosphorus were solubilised in the bulk. Their concentration, however, did not increase as expected because of the formation of salts of hydroxyapatite and struvite inside the reactor.« less

Simultaneous removal of aniline, nitrogen and phosphorus in aniline-containing wastewater treatment by using sequencing batch reactor.

PubMed

Jiang, Yu; Wang, Hongyu; Shang, Yu; Yang, Kai

2016-05-01

The high removal efficiencies of traditional biological aniline-degrading systems always lead to accumulation of ammonium. In this study, simultaneous removal of aniline, nitrogen and phosphorus in a single sequencing batch reactor was achieved by using anaerobic/aerobic/anoxic (A/O/A) operational process. The removal efficiencies of COD, NH4(+)-N, TN, TP were over 95.80%, 83.03%, 87.13%, 90.95%, respectively in most cases with 250mgL(-1) of initial aniline at 6h cycle when DO was 5.5±0.5mgL(-1). Aniline was able to be completely degraded when initial concentrations were less than 750mgL(-1). When DO increased, the removal rate of NH4(+)-N and TP slightly increased along with the moderate decrease of removal efficiencies of TN. The variation of HRT had obvious influence on removal performance of pollutants. The system showed high removal efficiencies of aniline, COD and nutrients during the variation of operating conditions, which might contribute to disposal of aniline-rich industrial wastewater. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical Limitations of Nuclear Propulsion for Earth to Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blevins, John A.; Patton, Bruce; Rhys, Noah O.; Schafer, Charles F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

An assessment of current nuclear propulsion technology for application in Earth to Orbit (ETO) missions has been performed. It can be shown that current nuclear thermal rocket motors are not sufficient to provide single stage performance as has been stated by previous studies. Further, when taking a systems level approach, it can be shown that NTRs do not compete well with chemical engines where thrust to weight ratios of greater than I are necessary, except possibly for the hybrid chemical/nuclear LANTR (LOX Augmented Nuclear Thermal Rocket) engine. Also, the ETO mission requires high power reactors and consequently large shielding weights compared to NTR space missions where shadow shielding can be used. In the assessment, a quick look at the conceptual ASPEN vehicle proposed in 1962 in provided. Optimistic NTR designs are considered in the assessment as well as discussion on other conceptual nuclear propulsion systems that have been proposed for ETO. Also, a quick look at the turbulent, convective heat transfer relationships that restrict the exchange of nuclear energy to thermal energy in the working fluid and consequently drive the reactor mass is included.

Reactor application of an improved bundle divertor

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

Yang, T.F.; Ruck, G.W.; Lee, A.Y.

1978-11-01

A Bundle Divertor was chosen as the impurity control and plasma exhaust system for the beam driven Demonstration Tokamak Hybrid Reactor - DTHR. In the context of a preconceptual design study of the reactor and associated facility a bundle divertor concept was developed and integrated into the reactor system. The overall system was found feasible and scalable for reactors with intermediate torodial field strengths on axis. The important design characteristics are: the overall average current density of the divertor coils is 0.73 kA for each tesla of toroidal field on axis; the divertor windings are made from super-conducting cables supportedmore » by steel structures and are designed to be maintainable; the particle collection assembly and auxiliary cryosorption vacuum pump are dual systems designed such that they can be reactivated alterntively to allow for continuous reactor operation; and the power requirement for energizing and operating the divertor is about 5 MW.« less

Self-actuating reactor shutdown system

DOEpatents

Barrus, Donald M.; Brummond, Willian A; Peterson, Leslie F.

1988-01-01

A control system for the automatic or self-actuated shutdown or "scram" of a nuclear reactor. The system is capable of initiating scram insertion by a signal from the plant protection system or by independent action directly sensing reactor conditions of low-flow or over-power. Self-actuation due to a loss of reactor coolant flow results from a decrease of pressure differential between the upper and lower ends of an absorber element. When the force due to this differential falls below the weight of the element, the element will fall by gravitational force to scram the reactor. Self-actuation due to high neutron flux is accomplished via a valve controlled by an electromagnet and a thermionic diode. In a reactor over-power, the diode will be heated to a change of state causing the electromagnet to be shorted thereby actuating the valve which provides the changed flow and pressure conditions required for scramming the absorber element.

Design of a 25-kWe Surface Reactor System Based on SNAP Reactor Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dixon, David D.; Hiatt, Matthew T.; Poston, David I.; Kapernick, Richard J.

2006-01-01

A Hastelloy-X clad, sodium-potassium (NaK-78) cooled, moderated spectrum reactor using uranium zirconium hydride (UZrH) fuel based on the SNAP program reactors is a promising design for use in surface power systems. This paper presents a 98 kWth reactor for a power system the uses multiple Stirling engines to produce 25 kWe-net for 5 years. The design utilizes a pin type geometry containing UZrHx fuel clad with Hastelloy-X and NaK-78 flowing around the pins as coolant. A compelling feature of this design is its use of 49.9% enriched U, allowing it to be classified as a category III-D attractiveness and reducing facility costs relative to highly-enriched space reactor concepts. Presented below are both the design and an analysis of this reactor's criticality under various safety and operations scenarios.

Kinetics of D-lactic acid production by Sporolactobacillus sp. strain CASD using repeated batch fermentation.

PubMed

Zhao, Bo; Wang, Limin; Li, Fengsong; Hua, Dongliang; Ma, Cuiqing; Ma, Yanhe; Xu, Ping

2010-08-01

D-lactic acid was produced by Sporolactobacillus sp. strain CASD in repeated batch fermentation with one- and two-reactor systems. The strain showed relatively high energy consumption in its growth-related metabolism in comparison with other lactic acid producers. When the fermentation was repeated with 10% (v/v) of previous culture to start a new batch, D-lactic acid production shifted from being cell-maintenance-dependent to cell-growth-dependent. In comparison with the one-reactor system, D-lactic acid production increased approximately 9% in the fourth batch of the two-reactor system. Strain CASD is an efficient D-lactic acid producer with increased growth rate at the early stage of repeated cycles, which explains the strain's physiological adaptation to repeated batch culture and improved performance in the two-reactor fermentation system. From a kinetic point of view, two-reactor fermentation system was shown to be an alternative for conventional one-reactor repeated batch operation. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The results of systems tests of the 500 kV busbar controllable shunting reactor in the Tavricheskaya substation

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

Gusev, S. I.; Karpov, V. N.; Kiselev, A. N.

2009-09-15

The results of systems tests of the 500 kV busbar magnetization-controllable shunting reactor (CSR), set up in the Tavricheskaya substation, including measurements of the quality of the electric power, the harmonic composition of the network currents of the reactor for different values of the reactive power consumed, the determination of the regulating characteristics of the reactor, the speed of response of the shunting reactor in the current and voltage stabilization modes, and also the operation of the reactor under dynamic conditions for different perturbations, are presented. The results obtained are analyzed.

Verification of RELAP5-3D code in natural circulation loop as function of the initial water inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertani, C.; Falcone, N.; Bersano, A.; Caramello, M.; Matsushita, T.; De Salve, M.; Panella, B.

2017-11-01

High safety and reliability of advanced nuclear reactors, Generation IV and Small Modular Reactors (SMR), have a crucial role in the acceptance of these new plants design. Among all the possible safety systems, particular efforts are dedicated to the study of passive systems because they rely on simple physical principles like natural circulation, without the need of external energy source to operate. Taking inspiration from the second Decay Heat Removal system (DHR2) of ALFRED, the European Generation IV demonstrator of the fast lead cooled reactor, an experimental facility has been built at the Energy Department of Politecnico di Torino (PROPHET facility) to study single and two-phase flow natural circulation. The facility behavior is simulated using the thermal-hydraulic system code RELAP5-3D, which is widely used in nuclear applications. In this paper, the effect of the initial water inventory on natural circulation is analyzed. The experimental time behaviors of temperatures and pressures are analyzed. The experimental matrix ranges between 69 % and 93%; the influence of the opposite effects related to the increase of the volume available for the expansion and the pressure raise due to phase change is discussed. Simulations of the experimental tests are carried out by using a 1D model at constant heat power and fixed liquid and air mass; the code predictions are compared with experimental results. Two typical responses are observed: subcooled or two phase saturated circulation. The steady state pressure is a strong function of liquid and air mass inventory. The numerical results show that, at low initial liquid mass inventory, the natural circulation is not stable but pulsated.

Rate dependent fractionation of sulfur isotopes in through-flowing systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannetta, M.; Sanford, R. A.; Druhan, J. L.

2017-12-01

The fidelity of reactive transport models in quantifying microbial activity in the subsurface is often improved through the use stable isotopes. However, the accuracy of current predictions for microbially mediated isotope fractionations within open through-flowing systems typically depends on nutrient availability. This disparity arises from the common application of a single `effective' fractionation factor assigned to a given system, despite extensive evidence for variability in the fractionation factor between eutrophic environments and many naturally occurring, nutrient-limited environments. Here, we demonstrate a reactive transport model with the capacity to simulate a variable fractionation factor over a range of microbially mediated reduction rates and constrain the model with experimental data for nutrient limited conditions. Two coupled isotope-specific Monod rate laws for 32S and 34S, constructed to quantify microbial sulfate reduction and predict associated S isotope partitioning, were parameterized using a series of batch reactor experiments designed to minimize microbial growth. In the current study, we implement these parameterized isotope-specific rate laws within an open, through-flowing system to predict variable fractionation with distance as a function of sulfate reduction rate. These predictions are tested through a supporting laboratory experiment consisting of a flow-through column packed with homogenous porous media inoculated with the same species of sulfate reducing bacteria used in the previous batch reactors, Desulfovibrio vulgaris. The collective results of batch reactor and flow-through column experiments support a significant improvement for S isotope predictions in isotope-sensitive multi-component reactive transport models through treatment of rate-dependent fractionation. Such an update to the model will better equip reactive transport software for isotope informed characterization of microbial activity within energy and nutrient limited environments.

Hydrogasification reactor and method of operating same

DOEpatents

Hobbs, Raymond; Karner, Donald; Sun, Xiaolei; Boyle, John; Noguchi, Fuyuki

2013-09-10

The present invention provides a system and method for evaluating effects of process parameters on hydrogasification processes. The system includes a hydrogasification reactor, a pressurized feed system, a hopper system, a hydrogen gas source, and a carrier gas source. Pressurized carbonaceous material, such as coal, is fed to the reactor using the carrier gas and reacted with hydrogen to produce natural gas.

Zirconium Hydride Space Power Reactor design.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asquith, J. G.; Mason, D. G.; Stamp, S.

1972-01-01

The Zirconium Hydride Space Power Reactor being designed and fabricated at Atomics International is intended for a wide range of potential applications. Throughout the program a series of reactor designs have been evaluated to establish the unique requirements imposed by coupling with various power conversion systems and for specific applications. Current design and development emphasis is upon a 100 kilowatt thermal reactor for application in a 5 kwe thermoelectric space power generating system, which is scheduled to be fabricated and ground tested in the mid 70s. The reactor design considerations reviewed in this paper will be discussed in the context of this 100 kwt reactor and a 300 kwt reactor previously designed for larger power demand applications.

Improved vortex reactor system

DOEpatents

Diebold, J.P.; Scahill, J.W.

1995-05-09

An improved vortex reactor system is described for affecting fast pyrolysis of biomass and Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) feed materials comprising: a vortex reactor having its axis vertically disposed in relation to a jet of a horizontally disposed steam ejector that impels feed materials from a feeder and solids from a recycle loop along with a motive gas into a top part of said reactor. 12 figs.

Nitrogen removal performance and loading capacity of a novel single-stage nitritation-anammox system with syntrophic micro-granules.

PubMed

Wang, Shaopo; Liu, Yuan; Niu, Qigui; Ji, Jiayuan; Hojo, Toshimasa; Li, Yu-You

2017-07-01

The operation performance of a novel micro-granule based syntrophic system of nitritation and anammox was studied by controlling the oxygen concentration and maintaining a constant temperature of 25°C. With the oxygen concentration of around 0.11 (<0.15)mg/L, the single-stage nitritation-anammox system was startup successfully at a nitrogen loading rate (NLR) of 1.5kgN/m 3 /d. The reactor was successfully operated at volumetric N loadings ranging from 0.5 to 2.5kgN/m 3 /d with a high nitrogen removal of 82%. The microbial community was composed by ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and anammox bacteria forming micro-granules with an average diameter of 0.8mm and good settleability. Results from pyrosequencing analysis revealed that Ca. Kuenenia and Nitrosomonas were selected and enriched in the community over the startup period, and these were identified as the dominant anammox bacteria and AOB species, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The 5-kwe reactor thermoelectric system summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanosdol, J. H. (Editor)

1973-01-01

Design of the 5-kwe reactor thermoelectric system was initiated in February 1972 and extended through the conceptual design phase into the preliminary design phase. Design effort was terminated in January, 1973. This report documents the system and component requirements, design approaches, and performance and design characteristics for the 5-kwe system. Included is summary information on the reactor, radiation shields, power conversion systems, thermoelectric pump, radiator/structure, liquid metal components, and the control system.

Exhaust system with emissions storage device and plasma reactor

DOEpatents

Hoard, John W.

1998-01-01

An exhaust system for a combustion system, comprising a storage device for collecting NO.sub.x, hydrocarbon, or particulate emissions, or mixture of these emissions, and a plasma reactor for destroying the collected emissions is described. After the emission is collected in by the storage device for a period of time, the emission is then destroyed in a non-thermal plasma generated by the plasma reactor. With respect to the direction of flow of the exhaust stream, the storage device must be located before the terminus of the plasma reactor, and it may be located wholly before, overlap with, or be contained within the plasma reactor.

Gaseous fuel reactors for power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kendall, J. S.; Rodgers, R. J.

1977-01-01

Gaseous-fuel nuclear reactors have significant advantages as energy sources for closed-cycle power systems. The advantages arise from the removal of temperature limits associated with conventional reactor fuel elements, the wide variety of methods of extracting energy from fissioning gases, and inherent low fissile and fission product in-core inventory due to continuous fuel reprocessing. Example power cycles and their general performance characteristics are discussed. Efficiencies of gaseous fuel reactor systems are shown to be high with resulting minimal environmental effects. A technical overview of the NASA-funded research program in gaseous fuel reactors is described and results of recent tests of uranium hexafluoride (UF6)-fueled critical assemblies are presented.

Nuclear electric propulsion reactor control systems status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferg, D. A.

1973-01-01

The thermionic reactor control system design studies conducted over the past several years for a nuclear electric propulsion system are described and summarized. The relevant reactor control system studies are discussed in qualitative terms, pointing out the significant advantages and disadvantages including the impact that the various control systems would have on the nuclear electric propulsion system design. A recommendation for the reference control system is made, and a program for future work leading to an engineering model is described.

HOMOGENEOUS NUCLEAR POWER REACTOR

DOEpatents

King, L.D.P.

1959-09-01

A homogeneous nuclear power reactor utilizing forced circulation of the liquid fuel is described. The reactor does not require fuel handling outside of the reactor vessel during any normal operation including complete shutdown to room temperature, the reactor being selfregulating under extreme operating conditions and controlled by the thermal expansion of the liquid fuel. The liquid fuel utilized is a uranium, phosphoric acid, and water solution which requires no gus exhaust system or independent gas recombining system, thereby eliminating the handling of radioiytic gas.

New 5 Kilowatt Free-piston Stirling Space Convertor Developments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brandhorst, Henry W., Jr.; Chapman, Peter A., Jr.

2007-01-01

The NASA Vision for Exploration of the moon may someday require a nuclear reactor coupled with a free-piston Stirling convertor at a power level of 30-40 kW. In the 1990s, Mechanical Technology Inc. s Stirling Engine Systems Division (some of whose Stirling personnel are now at Foster-Miller, Inc.) developed a 25 kW free piston Stirling Space Power Demonstrator Engine under the SP-100 program. This system consisted of two 12.5 kW engines connected at their hot ends and mounted in tandem to cancel vibration. Recently, NASA and DoE have been developing dual 55 W and 80 W Stirling convertor systems for potential use with radioisotope heat sources. Total test times of all convertors in this effort exceed 120,000 hours. Recently, NASA began a new project with Auburn University to develop a 5 kW, single convertor for potential use in a lunar surface reactor power system. Goals of this development program include a specific power in excess of 140 W/kg at the convertor level, lifetime in excess of five years and a control system that will safely manage the convertors in case of an emergency. Auburn University awarded a subcontract to Foster-Miller, Inc. to undertake development of the 5 kW Stirling Convertor Assembly. The characteristics of the design along with progress in developing the system will be described.

New 5 kW free-piston Stirling space convertor developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandhorst, Henry W., Jr.; Chapman, Peter A., Jr.

2008-07-01

The NASA Vision for Exploration of the moon may someday require a nuclear reactor coupled with a free-piston Stirling convertor at a power level of 30-40 kW. In the 1990s, Mechanical Technology Inc.'s Stirling Engine Systems Division (some of whose Stirling personnel are now at Foster-Miller, Inc.) developed a 25 kW free-piston Stirling Space Power Demonstrator Engine under the SP-100 program. This system consisted of two 12.5 kW engines connected at their hot ends and mounted in tandem to cancel vibration. Recently, NASA and DoE have been developing dual 55 and 80 W Stirling convertor systems for potential use with radioisotope heat sources. Total test times of all convertors in this effort exceed 120,000 h. Recently, NASA began a new project with Auburn University to develop a 5 kW, single convertor for potential use in a lunar surface reactor power system. Goals of this development program include a specific power in excess of 140 W/kg at the convertor level, lifetime in excess of five years and a control system that will safely manage the convertors in case of an emergency. Auburn University awarded a subcontract to Foster-Miller, Inc. to undertake development of the 5 kW Stirling convertor assembly. The characteristics of the design along with progress in developing the system will be described.

Novel duplex vapor: Electrochemical method for silicon solar cells. [chemical reactor for a silicon sodium reaction system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nanis, L.; Sanjurjo, A.; Sancier, K.

1979-01-01

The scaled up chemical reactor for a SiF4-Na reaction system is examined for increased reaction rate and production rate. The reaction system which now produces 5 kg batches of mixed Si and NaF is evaluated. The reactor design is described along with an analysis of the increased capacity of the Na chip feeder. The reactor procedure is discussed and Si coalescence in the reaction products is diagnosed.

REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEM

DOEpatents

MacNeill, J.H.; Estabrook, J.Y.

1960-05-10

A reactor control system including a continuous tape passing through a first coolant passageway, over idler rollers, back through another parallel passageway, and over motor-driven rollers is described. Discrete portions of fuel or poison are carried on two opposed active sections of the tape. Driving the tape in forward or reverse directions causes both active sections to be simultaneously inserted or withdrawn uniformly, tending to maintain a more uniform flux within the reactor. The system is particularly useful in mobile reactors, where reduced inertial resistance to control rod movement is important.

78 FR 64029 - Cost-Benefit Analysis for Radwaste Systems for Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Reactors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-25

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2013-0237] Cost-Benefit Analysis for Radwaste Systems for Light... (RG) 1.110, ``Cost-Benefit Analysis for Radwaste Systems for Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Reactors... components for light water nuclear power reactors. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2013-0237 when...

Application of a Self-Actuating Shutdown System (SASS) to a Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GCFR)

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

Germer, J.H.; Peterson, L.F.; Kluck, A.L.

1980-09-01

The application of a SASS (Self-Actuated Shutdown System) to a GCFR (Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor) is compared with similar systems designed for an LMFBR (Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor). A comparison of three basic SASS concepts is given: hydrostatic holdup, fluidic control, and magnetic holdup.

78 FR 63516 - Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for New Boiling-Water Reactors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-24

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0134] Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling....79.1, ``Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for New Boiling-Water Reactors.'' This... emergency core cooling systems (ECCSs) for boiling- water reactors (BWRs) whose licenses are issued after...

Switching power pulse system

DOEpatents

Aaland, K.

1983-08-09

A switching system for delivering pulses of power from a source to a load using a storage capacitor charged through a rectifier, and maintained charged to a reference voltage level by a transistor switch and voltage comparator. A thyristor is triggered to discharge the storage capacitor through a saturable reactor and fractional turn saturable transformer having a secondary to primary turn ratio N of n:l/n = n[sup 2]. The saturable reactor functions as a soaker'' while the thyristor reaches saturation, and then switches to a low impedance state. The saturable transformer functions as a switching transformer with high impedance while a load coupling capacitor charges, and then switches to a low impedance state to dump the charge of the storage capacitor into the load through the coupling capacitor. The transformer is comprised of a multilayer core having two secondary windings tightly wound and connected in parallel to add their output voltage and reduce output inductance, and a number of single turn windings connected in parallel at nodes for the primary winding, each single turn winding linking a different one of the layers of the multilayer core. The load may be comprised of a resistive beampipe for a linear particle accelerator and capacitance of a pulse forming network. To hold off discharge of the capacitance until it is fully charged, a saturable core is provided around the resistive beampipe to isolate the beampipe from the capacitance until it is fully charged. 5 figs.

STATUS OF TRISO FUEL IRRADIATIONS IN THE ADVANCED TEST REACTOR SUPPORTING HIGH-TEMPERATURE GAS-COOLED REACTOR DESIGNS

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

Davenport, Michael; Petti, D. A.; Palmer, Joe

2016-11-01

The United States Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program is irradiating up to seven low enriched uranium (LEU) tri-isotopic (TRISO) particle fuel (in compact form) experiments in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) located at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). These irradiations and fuel development are being accomplished to support development of the next generation reactors in the United States. The experiments will be irradiated over the next several years to demonstrate and qualify new TRISO coated particle fuel for use in high temperature gas reactors. The goals of the experimentsmore » are to provide irradiation performance data to support fuel process development, to qualify fuel for normal operating conditions, to support development and validation of fuel performance and fission product transport models and codes, and to provide irradiated fuel and materials for post irradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing. The experiments, which will each consist of several independent capsules, will be irradiated in an inert sweep gas atmosphere with individual on-line temperature monitoring and control of each capsule. The sweep gas will also have on-line fission product monitoring on its effluent to track performance of the fuel in each individual capsule during irradiation. The first experiment (designated AGR-1) started irradiation in December 2006 and was completed in November 2009. The second experiment (AGR-2) started irradiation in June 2010 and completed in October 2013. The third and fourth experiments have been combined into a single experiment designated (AGR-3/4), which started its irradiation in December 2011 and completed in April 2014. Since the purpose of this experiment was to provide data on fission product migration and retention in the NGNP reactor, the design of this experiment was significantly different from the first two experiments, though the control and monitoring systems are very similar. The final experiment, AGR-5/6/7, is scheduled to begin irradiation in early summer 2017.« less

A low-cost municipal sewage treatment system with a combination of UASB and the "fourth-generation" downflow hanging sponge reactors.

PubMed

Tandukar, M; Uemura, S; Machdar, I; Ohashi, A; Harada, H

2005-01-01

This paper presents an evaluation of the process performance of a pilot-scale "fourth generation" downflow hanging sponge (DHS) post-treatment system combined with a UASB pretreatment unit treating municipal wastewater. After the successful operation of the second- and third-generation DHS reactors, the fourth-generation DHS reactor was developed to overcome a few shortcomings of its predecessors. This reactor was designed to further enhance the treatment efficiency and simplify the construction process in real scale, especially for the application in developing countries. Configuration of the reactor was modified to enhance the dissolution of air into the wastewater and to avert the possible clogging of the reactor especially during sudden washout from the UASB reactor. The whole system was operated at a total hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 8 h (UASB: 6 h and DHS: 2 h) for a period of over 600 days. The combined system was able to remove 96% of unfiltered BOD with only 9 mg/L remaining in the final effluent. Likewise, F. coli were removed by 3.45 log with the final count of 10(3) to 10(4) MPN/100 ml. Nutrient removal by the system was also satisfactory.

Multi-Megawatt Power System Trade Study

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

Longhurst, Glen Reed; Schnitzler, Bruce Gordon; Parks, Benjamin Travis

2001-11-01

As part of a larger task, the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) was tasked to perform a trade study comparing liquid-metal cooled reactors having Rankine power conversion systems with gas-cooled reactors having Brayton power conversion systems. This report summarizes the approach, the methodology, and the results of that trade study. Findings suggest that either approach has the possibility to approach the target specific mass of 3-5 kg/kWe for the power system, though it appears either will require improvements to achieve that. Higher reactor temperatures have the most potential for reducing the specific mass of gas-cooled reactors but domore » not necessarily have a similar effect for liquid-cooled Rankine systems. Fuels development will be the key to higher reactor operating temperatures. Higher temperature turbines will be important for Brayton systems. Both replacing lithium coolant in the primary circuit with gallium and replacing potassium with sodium in the power loop for liquid systems increase system specific mass. Changing the feed pump turbine to an electric motor in Rankine systems has little effect. Key technologies in reducing specific mass are high reactor and radiator operating temperatures, low radiator areal density, and low turbine/generator system masses. Turbine/generator mass tends to dominate overall power system mass for Rankine systems. Radiator mass was dominant for Brayton systems.« less

A Review of Study on Thermal Energy Transport System by Synthesis and Decomposition Reactions of Methanol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qiusheng; Yabe, Akira; Kajiyama, Shiro; Fukuda, Katsuya

The study on thermal energy transport system by synthesis and decomposition reactions of methanol was reviewed. To promote energy conservation and global environment protection, a two-step liquid-phase methanol synthesis process, which starts with carbonylation of methanol to methyl formate, then followed by the hydrogenolysis of the formate, was studied to recover wasted or unused discharged heat from industrial sources for the thermal energy demands of residential and commercial areas by chemical reactions. The research and development of the system were focused on the following three points. (1) Development of low-temperature decomposition and synthetic catalysts, (2) Development of liquid phase reactor (heat exchanger accompanying chemical reaction), (3) Simulation of the energy transport efficiency of entire system which contains heat recovery and supply sections. As the result of the development of catalyst, promising catalysts which agree with the development purposes for the methyl formate decomposition reaction and the synthetic reaction are being developed though some studies remain for the methanol decomposition and synthetic reactions. In the fundamental development of liquid phase reactor, the solubilities of CO and H2 gases in methanol and methyl formate were measured by the method of total pressure decrease due to absorption under pressures up to 1500kPa and temperatures up to 140°C. The diffusivity of CO gas in methanol was determined by measuring the diameter and solution time of single CO bubbles in methanol. The chemical reaction rate of methanol synthesis by hydrogenolysis of methyl formate was measured using a plate-type of Raney copper catalyst in a reactor with rectangular channel and in an autoclave reactor. The reaction characteristics were investigated by carrying out the experiments at various temperatures, flow rates and at various catalyst development conditions. We focused on the effect of Raney copper catalyst thickness on the liquid-phase chemical reaction by varying the development time of the catalyst. Investigation results of the catalyst such as surface area, pore radius, lattice size, and photographs of scanning electron microscope (SEM) were also given. In the simulation of energy transport efficiency of this system, by simulating the energy transfer system using two-step liquid phase methanol decomposition and synthetic reactions, and comparing with the technology so far, it can be expected that an innovative energy transfer system is possible to realize.

Comparison of reactivity in a flow reactor and a single cylinder engine

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

Natelson, Robert H.; Johnson, Rodney O.; Kurman, Matthew S.

2010-10-15

The relative reactivity of 2:1:1 and 1:1:1 mixtures of n-decane:n-butylcyclohexane:n-butylbenzene and an average sample of JP-8 were evaluated in a single cylinder engine and compared to results obtained in a pressurized flow reactor. At compression ratios of 14:1, 15:1, and 16:1, inlet temperature of 500 K, inlet pressure of 0.1 MPa, equivalence ratio of 0.23, and engine speed of 800 RPM, the autoignition delay times were, from shortest to longest, the 2:1:1, followed by the 1:1:1, and then the JP-8. This order corresponded with recent results in a pressurized flow reactor, where the preignition oxidation chemistry was monitored at temperaturesmore » of 600-800 K, 0.8 MPa pressure, and an equivalence ratio of 0.30, and where the preignition reactivity from highest to lowest was the 2:1:1, followed by the 1:1:1, and the JP-8. This shows that the relative reactivity at low temperatures in the flow reactor tracks the autoignition tendencies in the engine for these particular fuels. (author) the computed experimental error. (author)« less

On the Effectiveness of Wastewater Cylindrical Reactors: an Analysis Through Steiner Symmetrization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz, J. I.; Gómez-Castro, D.

2016-03-01

The mathematical analysis of the shape of chemical reactors is studied in this paper through the research of the optimization of its effectiveness η such as introduced by R. Aris around 1960. Although our main motivation is the consideration of reactors specially designed for the treatment of wastewaters our results are relevant also in more general frameworks. We simplify the modeling by assuming a single chemical reaction with a monotone kinetics leading to a parabolic equation with a non-necessarily differentiable function. In fact we consider here the case of a single, non-reversible catalysis reaction of chemical order q, 00). We assume the chemical reactor of cylindrical shape Ω =G× (0,H) with G and open regular set of {R}2 not necessarily symmetric. We show that among all the sections G with prescribed area the ball is the set of lowest effectiveness η (t,G). The proof uses the notions of Steiner rearrangement. Finally, we show that if the height H is small enough then the effectiveness can be made as close to 1 as desired.

Benchmark Simulation of Natural Circulation Cooling System with Salt Working Fluid Using SAM

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

Ahmed, K. K.; Scarlat, R. O.; Hu, R.

Liquid salt-cooled reactors, such as the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR), offer passive decay heat removal through natural circulation using Direct Reactor Auxiliary Cooling System (DRACS) loops. The behavior of such systems should be well-understood through performance analysis. The advanced system thermal-hydraulics tool System Analysis Module (SAM) from Argonne National Laboratory has been selected for this purpose. The work presented here is part of a larger study in which SAM modeling capabilities are being enhanced for the system analyses of FHR or Molten Salt Reactors (MSR). Liquid salt thermophysical properties have been implemented in SAM, as well as properties ofmore » Dowtherm A, which is used as a simulant fluid for scaled experiments, for future code validation studies. Additional physics modules to represent phenomena specific to salt-cooled reactors, such as freezing of coolant, are being implemented in SAM. This study presents a useful first benchmark for the applicability of SAM to liquid salt-cooled reactors: it provides steady-state and transient comparisons for a salt reactor system. A RELAP5-3D model of the Mark-1 Pebble-Bed FHR (Mk1 PB-FHR), and in particular its DRACS loop for emergency heat removal, provides steady state and transient results for flow rates and temperatures in the system that are used here for code-to-code comparison with SAM. The transient studied is a loss of forced circulation with SCRAM event. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first application of SAM to FHR or any other molten salt reactors. While building these models in SAM, any gaps in the code’s capability to simulate such systems are identified and addressed immediately, or listed as future improvements to the code.« less

Pyrolysis of coal

DOEpatents

Babu, Suresh P.; Bair, Wilford G.

1992-01-01

A method for mild gasification of crushed coal in a single vertical elongated reaction vessel providing a fluidized bed reaction zone, a freeboard reaction zone, and an entrained reaction zone within the single vessel. Feed coal and gas may be fed separately to each of these reaction zones to provide different reaction temperatures and conditions in each reaction zone. The reactor and process of this invention provides for the complete utilization of a coal supply for gasification including utilization of caking and non-caking or agglomerating feeds in the same reactor. The products may be adjusted to provide significantly greater product economic value, especially with respect to desired production of char having high surface area.

The combined hybrid system: A symbiotic thermal reactor/fast reactor system for power generation and radioactive waste toxicity reduction

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

Hollaway, W.R.

1991-08-01

If there is to be a next generation of nuclear power in the United States, then the four fundamental obstacles confronting nuclear power technology must be overcome: safety, cost, waste management, and proliferation resistance. The Combined Hybrid System (CHS) is proposed as a possible solution to the problems preventing a vigorous resurgence of nuclear power. The CHS combines Thermal Reactors (for operability, safety, and cost) and Integral Fast Reactors (for waste treatment and actinide burning) in a symbiotic large scale system. The CHS addresses the safety and cost issues through the use of advanced reactor designs, the waste management issuemore » through the use of actinide burning, and the proliferation resistance issue through the use of an integral fuel cycle with co-located components. There are nine major components in the Combined Hybrid System linked by nineteen nuclear material mass flow streams. A computer code, CHASM, is used to analyze the mass flow rates CHS, and the reactor support ratio (the ratio of thermal/fast reactors), IFR of the system. The primary advantages of the CHS are its essentially actinide-free high-level radioactive waste, plus improved reactor safety, uranium utilization, and widening of the option base. The primary disadvantages of the CHS are the large capacity of IFRs required (approximately one MW{sub e} IFR capacity for every three MW{sub e} Thermal Reactor) and the novel radioactive waste streams produced by the CHS. The capability of the IFR to burn pure transuranic fuel, a primary assumption of this study, has yet to be proven. The Combined Hybrid System represents an attractive option for future nuclear power development; that disposal of the essentially actinide-free radioactive waste produced by the CHS provides an excellent alternative to the disposal of intact actinide-bearing Light Water Reactor spent fuel (reducing the toxicity based lifetime of the waste from roughly 360,000 years to about 510 years).« less

Analysis of space reactor system components: Investigation through simulation and non-nuclear testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.

The use of fission energy in space power and propulsion systems offers considerable advantages over chemical propulsion. Fission provides over six orders of magnitude higher energy density, which translates to higher vehicle specific impulse and lower specific mass. These characteristics enable ambitious space exploration missions. The natural space radiation environment provides an external source of protons and high energy, high Z particles that can result in the production of secondary neutrons through interactions in reactor structures. Applying the approximate proton source in geosynchronous orbit during a solar particle event, investigation using MCNPX 2.5.b for proton transport through the SAFE-400 heat pipe cooled reactor indicates an incoming secondary neutron current of (1.16 +/- 0.03) x 107 n/s at the core-reflector interface. This neutron current may affect reactor operation during low power maneuvers (e.g., start-up) and may provide a sufficient reactor start-up source. It is important that a reactor control system be designed to automatically adjust to changes in reactor power levels, maintaining nominal operation without user intervention. A robust, autonomous control system is developed and analyzed for application during reactor start-up, accounting for fluctuations in the radiation environment that result from changes in vehicle location or to temporal variations in the radiation field. Development of a nuclear reactor for space applications requires a significant amount of testing prior to deployment of a flight unit. High confidence in fission system performance can be obtained through relatively inexpensive non-nuclear tests performed in relevant environments, with the heat from nuclear fission simulated using electric resistance heaters. A series of non-nuclear experiments was performed to characterize various aspects of reactor operation. This work includes measurement of reactor core deformation due to material thermal expansion and implementation of a virtual reactivity feedback control loop; testing and thermal hydraulic characterization of the coolant flow paths for two space reactor concepts; and analysis of heat pipe operation during start-up and steady state operation.

An adaptive load-following control system for a space nuclear power system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metzger, John D.; El-Genk, Mohamed S.

An adaptive load-following control system is proposed for a space nuclear power system. The conceptual design of the SP-100 space nuclear power system proposes operating the nuclear reactor at a base thermal power and accommodating changes in the electrical power demand with a shunt regulator. It is necessary to increase the reactor thermal power if the payload electrical demand exceeds the peak system electrical output for the associated reactor power. When it is necessary to change the nuclear reactor power to meet a change in the power demand, the power ascension or descension must be accomplished in a predetermined manner to avoid thermal stresses in the system and to achieve the desired reactor period. The load-following control system described has the ability to adapt to changes in the system and to changes in the satellite environment. The application is proposed of the model reference adaptive control (MRAC). The adaptive control system has the ability to control the dynamic response of nonlinear systems. Three basic subsets of adaptive control are: (1) gain scheduling, (2) self-tuning regulators, and (3) model reference adaptive control.

Reference Reactor Module for the Affordable Fission Surface Power System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poston, David I.; Kapernick, Richard J.; Dixon, David D.; Amiri, Benjamin W.; Marcille, Thomas F.

2008-01-01

Surface fission power systems on the Moon and Mars may provide the first US application of fission reactor technology in space since 1965. The requirements of many surface power applications allow the consideration of systems with much less development risk than most other space reactor applications, because of modest power (10s of kWe) and no driving need for minimal mass (allowing temperatures <1000 K). The Affordable Fission Surface Power System (AFSPS) study was completed by NASA/DOE to determine the cost of a modest performance, low-technical risk surface power system. This paper describes the reference AFSPS reactor module concept, which is designed to provide a net power of 40 kWe for 8 years on the lunar surface; note, the system has been designed with technologies that are fully compatible with a Martian surface application. The reactor concept uses stainless-steel based, UO2-fueled, liquid metal-cooled fission reactor coupled to free-piston Stirling converters. The reactor shielding approach utilizes both in-situ and launched shielding to keep the dose to astronauts much lower than the natural background radiation on the lunar surface. One of the important ``affordability'' attributes is that the concept has been designed to minimize both the technical and programmatic safety risk.

A Comparison of Fission Power System Options for Lunar and Mars Surface Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, Lee S.

2006-01-01

This paper presents a comparison of reactor and power conversion design options for 50 kWe class lunar and Mars surface power applications with scaling from 25 to 200 kWe. Design concepts and integration approaches are provided for three reactor-converter combinations: gas-cooled Brayton, liquid-metal Stirling, and liquid-metal thermoelectric. The study examines the mass and performance of low temperature, stainless steel based reactors and higher temperature refractory reactors. The preferred system implementation approach uses crew-assisted assembly and in-situ radiation shielding via installation of the reactor in an excavated hole. As an alternative, self-deployable system concepts that use earth-delivered, on-board radiation shielding are evaluated. The analyses indicate that among the 50 kWe stainless steel reactor options, the liquid-metal Stirling system provides the lowest mass at about 5300 kg followed by the gas-cooled Brayton at 5700 kg and the liquid-metal thermoelectric at 8400 kg. The use of a higher temperature, refractory reactor favors the gas-cooled Brayton option with a system mass of about 4200 kg as compared to the Stirling and thermoelectric options at 4700 and 5600 kg, respectively. The self-deployed concepts with on-board shielding result in a factor of two system mass increase as compared to the in-situ shielded concepts.

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

Buitrago, Paula A.; Morrill, Mike; Lighty, JoAnn S.

This report presents experimental and modeling mercury oxidation and adsorption data. Fixed-bed and single-particle models of mercury adsorption were developed. The experimental data were obtained with two reactors: a 300-W, methane-fired, tubular, quartz-lined reactor for studying homogeneous oxidation reactions and a fixed-bed reactor, also of quartz, for studying heterogeneous reactions. The latter was attached to the exit of the former to provide realistic combustion gases. The fixed-bed reactor contained one gram of coconut-shell carbon and remained at a temperature of 150°C. All methane, air, SO 2, and halogen species were introduced through the burner to produce a radical pool representativemore » of real combustion systems. A Tekran 2537A Analyzer coupled with a wet conditioning system provided speciated mercury concentrations. At 150°C and in the absence of HCl or HBr, the mercury uptake was about 20%. The addition of 50 ppm HCl caused complete capture of all elemental and oxidized mercury species. In the absence of halogens, SO 2 increased the mercury adsorption efficiency to up to 30 percent. The extent of adsorption decreased with increasing SO 2 concentration when halogens were present. Increasing the HCl concentration to 100 ppm lessened the effect of SO 2. The fixed-bed model incorporates Langmuir adsorption kinetics and was developed to predict adsorption of elemental mercury and the effect of multiple flue gas components. This model neglects intraparticle diffusional resistances and is only applicable to pulverized carbon sorbents. It roughly describes experimental data from the literature. The current version includes the ability to account for competitive adsorption between mercury, SO 2, and NO 2. The single particle model simulates in-flight sorbent capture of elemental mercury. This model was developed to include Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, rate equations, sorbent feed rate, and intraparticle diffusion. The Freundlich isotherm more accurately described in-flight mercury capture. Using these parameters, very little intraparticle diffusion was evident. Consistent with other data, smaller particles resulted in higher mercury uptake due to available surface area. Therefore, it is important to capture the particle size distribution in the model. At typical full-scale sorbent feed rates, the calculations under-predicted adsorption, suggesting that wall effects can account for as much as 50 percent of the removal, making it an important factor in entrained-mercury adsorption models.« less

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

Buitrago, Paula A.; Morrill, Mike; Lighty, JoAnn S.

This report presents experimental and modeling mercury oxidation and adsorption data. Fixed-bed and single-particle models of mercury adsorption were developed. The experimental data were obtained with two reactors: a 300-W, methane-fired, tubular, quartz-lined reactor for studying homogeneous oxidation reactions and a fixed-bed reactor, also of quartz, for studying heterogeneous reactions. The latter was attached to the exit of the former to provide realistic combustion gases. The fixed-bed reactor contained one gram of coconut-shell carbon and remained at a temperature of 150°C. All methane, air, SO 2, and halogen species were introduced through the burner to produce a radical pool representativemore » of real combustion systems. A Tekran 2537A Analyzer coupled with a wet conditioning system provided speciated mercury concentrations. At 150°C and in the absence of HCl or HBr, the mercury uptake was about 20%. The addition of 50 ppm HCl caused complete capture of all elemental and oxidized mercury species. In the absence of halogens, SO 2 increased the mercury adsorption efficiency to up to 30 percent. The extent of adsorption decreased with increasing SO 2 concentration when halogens were present. Increasing the HCl concentration to 100 ppm lessened the effect of SO 2. The fixed-bed model incorporates Langmuir adsorption kinetics and was developed to predict adsorption of elemental mercury and the effect of multiple flue gas components. This model neglects intraparticle diffusional resistances and is only applicable to pulverized carbon sorbents. It roughly describes experimental data from the literature. The current version includes the ability to account for competitive adsorption between mercury, SO 2, and NO 2. The single particle model simulates in-flight sorbent capture of elemental mercury. This model was developed to include Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, rate equations, sorbent feed rate, and intraparticle diffusion. The Freundlich isotherm more accurately described in-flight mercury capture. Using these parameters, very little intraparticle diffusion was evident. Consistent with other data, smaller particles resulted in higher mercury uptake due to available surface area. Therefore, it is important to capture the particle size distribution in the model. At typical full-scale sorbent feed rates, the calculations underpredicted adsorption, suggesting that wall effects can account for as much as 50 percent of the removal, making it an important factor in entrained-mercury adsorption models.« less

SP-100 Program: space reactor system and subsystem investigations

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

Harty, R.B.

1983-09-30

For a space reactor power system, a comprehensive safety program will be required to assure that no undue risk is present. This report summarizes the nuclear safety review/approval process that will be required for a space reactor system. The documentation requirements are presented along with a summary of the required contents of key documents. Finally, the aerospace safety program conducted for the SNAP-10A reactor system is summarized. The results of this program are presented to show the type of program that can be expected and to provide information that could be usable in future programs.

SP-100 program: Space reactor system and subsystem investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harty, R. B.

1983-09-01

For a space reactor power system, a comprehensive safety program will be required to assure that no undue risk is present. The nuclear safety review/approval process that is required for a space reactor system is summarized. The documentation requirements are presented along with a summary of the required contents of key documents. Finally, the aerospace safety program conducted for the SNAP-10A reactor system is summarized. The results of this program are presented to show the type of program that is expected and to provide information that could be usable in future programs.

Dynamic Response Testing in an Electrically Heated Reactor Test Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Morton, T. J.

2006-01-01

Non-nuclear testing can be a valuable tool in the development of a space nuclear power or propulsion system. In a non-nuclear test bed, electric heaters are used to simulate the heat from nuclear fuel. Standard testing allows one to fully assess thermal, heat transfer, and stress related attributes of a given system, but fails to demonstrate the dynamic response that would be present in an integrated, fueled reactor system. The integration of thermal hydraulic hardware tests with simulated neutronic response provides a bridge between electrically heated testing and fueled nuclear testing. By implementing a neutronic response model to simulate the dynamic response that would be expected in a fueled reactor system, one can better understand system integration issues, characterize integrated system response times and response characteristics, and assess potential design improvements at a relatively small fiscal investment. Initial system dynamic response testing was demonstrated on the integrated SAFE-100a heat pipe (HP) cooled, electrically heated reactor and heat exchanger hardware, utilizing a one-group solution to the point kinetics equations to simulate the expected neutronic response of the system. Reactivity feedback calculations were then based on a bulk reactivity feedback coefficient and measured average core temperature. This paper presents preliminary results from similar dynamic testing of a direct drive gas cooled reactor system (DDG), demonstrating the applicability of the testing methodology to any reactor type and demonstrating the variation in system response characteristics in different reactor concepts. Although the HP and DDG designs both utilize a fast spectrum reactor, the method of cooling the reactor differs significantly, leading to a variable system response that can be demonstrated and assessed in a non-nuclear test facility. Planned system upgrades to allow implementation of higher fidelity dynamic testing are also discussed. Proposed DDG testing will utilize a higher fidelity point kinetics model to control core power transients, and reactivity feedback will be based on localized feedback coefficients and several independent temperature measurements taken within the core block. This paper presents preliminary test results and discusses the methodology that will be implemented in follow-on DDG testing and the additional instrumentation required to implement high fidelity dynamic testing.

Application of a fluidized bed reactor charged with aragonite for control of alkalinity, pH and carbon dioxide in marine recirculating aquaculture systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paul S Wills, PhD; Pfeiffer, Timothy; Baptiste, Richard; Watten, Barnaby J.

2016-01-01

Control of alkalinity, dissolved carbon dioxide (dCO2), and pH are critical in marine recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) in order to maintain health and maximize growth. A small-scale prototype aragonite sand filled fluidized bed reactor was tested under varying conditions of alkalinity and dCO2 to develop and model the response of dCO2 across the reactor. A large-scale reactor was then incorporated into an operating marine recirculating aquaculture system to observe the reactor as the system moved toward equilibrium. The relationship between alkalinity dCO2, and pH across the reactor are described by multiple regression equations. The change in dCO2 across the small-scale reactor indicated a strong likelihood that an equilibrium alkalinity would be maintained by using a fluidized bed aragonite reactor. The large-scale reactor verified this observation and established equilibrium at an alkalinity of approximately 135 mg/L as CaCO3, dCO2 of 9 mg/L, and a pH of 7.0 within 4 days that was stable during a 14 day test period. The fluidized bed aragonite reactor has the potential to simplify alkalinity and pH control, and aid in dCO2 control in RAS design and operation. Aragonite sand, purchased in bulk, is less expensive than sodium bicarbonate and could reduce overall operating production costs.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR SYSTEM

DOEpatents

Goett, J.J.

1961-01-24

A system is described which includes a neutronic reactor containing a dispersion of fissionable material in a liquid moderator as fuel and a conveyor to which a portion of the dispersion may be passed and wherein the self heat of the slurry evaporates the moderator. Means are provided for condensing the liquid moderator and returning it to the reactor and for conveying the dried fissionable material away from the reactor.

The influence of pH adjustment on kinetics parameters in tapioca wastewater treatment using aerobic sequencing batch reactor system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulyani, Happy; Budianto, Gregorius Prima Indra; Margono, Kaavessina, Mujtahid

2018-02-01

The present investigation deals with the aerobic sequencing batch reactor system of tapioca wastewater treatment with varying pH influent conditions. This project was carried out to evaluate the effect of pH on kinetics parameters of system. It was done by operating aerobic sequencing batch reactor system during 8 hours in many tapioca wastewater conditions (pH 4.91, pH 7, pH 8). The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Mixed Liquor Volatile Suspended Solids (MLVSS) of the aerobic sequencing batch reactor system effluent at steady state condition were determined at interval time of two hours to generate data for substrate inhibition kinetics parameters. Values of the kinetics constants were determined using Monod and Andrews models. There was no inhibition constant (Ki) detected in all process variation of aerobic sequencing batch reactor system for tapioca wastewater treatment in this study. Furthermore, pH 8 was selected as the preferred aerobic sequencing batch reactor system condition in those ranging pH investigated due to its achievement of values of kinetics parameters such µmax = 0.010457/hour and Ks = 255.0664 mg/L COD.

In-Pile Instrumentation Multi- Parameter System Utilizing Photonic Fibers and Nanovision

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

Burgett, Eric

2015-10-13

An advanced in-pile multi-parameter reactor monitoring system is being proposed in this funding opportunity. The proposed effort brings cutting edge, high fidelity optical measurement systems into the reactor environment in an unprecedented fashion, including in-core, in-cladding and in-fuel pellet itself. Unlike instrumented leads, the proposed system provides a unique solution to a multi-parameter monitoring need in core while being minimally intrusive in the reactor core. Detector designs proposed herein can monitor fuel compression and expansion in both the radial and axial dimensions as well as monitor linear power profiles and fission rates during the operation of the reactor. In additionmore » to pressure, stress, strain, compression, neutron flux, neutron spectra, and temperature can be observed inside the fuel bundle and fuel rod using the proposed system. The proposed research aims at developing radiation-hard, harsh-environment multi-parameter systems for insertion into the reactor environment. The proposed research holds the potential to drastically increase the fidelity and precision of in-core instrumentation with little or no impact in the neutron economy in the reactor environment while providing a measurement system capable of operation for entire operating cycles.« less

Long lifetime fast spectrum reactor for lunar surface power system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kambe, Mitsuru

1993-01-01

In the framework of innovative reactor research activities, a conceptual design study of fast spectrum reactor and primary system for 800 kWe lunar surface power system to be combined with potassium Rankine cycle power conversion has been conducted to meet the power requirements of the lunar base activities in the next century. The reactor subsystem is characterized by RAPID (Refueling by All Pins Integrated Design) concept to enhance inherent safety and to enable quick and simplifed refueling in every 10 years. RAPID concept affords power plant design lifetime of up to 30 years. Integrity of the reactor structure and replacement of failed primary circuits are also discussed. Substantial reduction in per-kWh cost on considering launch, emplacement, and final disposition can be expected by a long system lifetime.

Component and System Sensitivity Considerations for Design of a Lunar ISRU Oxygen Production Plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linne, Diane L.; Gokoglu, Suleyman; Hegde, Uday G.; Balasubramaniam, Ramaswamy; Santiago-Maldonado, Edgardo

2009-01-01

Component and system sensitivities of some design parameters of ISRU system components are analyzed. The differences between terrestrial and lunar excavation are discussed, and a qualitative comparison of large and small excavators is started. The effect of excavator size on the size of the ISRU plant's regolith hoppers is presented. Optimum operating conditions of both hydrogen and carbothermal reduction reactors are explored using recently developed analytical models. Design parameters such as batch size, conversion fraction, and maximum particle size are considered for a hydrogen reduction reactor while batch size, conversion fraction, number of melt zones, and methane flow rate are considered for a carbothermal reduction reactor. For both reactor types the effect of reactor operation on system energy and regolith delivery requirements is presented.

Microprocessor tester for the treat upgrade reactor trip system

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

Lenkszus, F.R.; Bucher, R.G.

1984-01-01

The upgrading of the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility at ANL-Idaho has been designed to provide additional experimental capabilities for the study of core disruptive accident (CDA) phenomena. In addition, a programmable Automated Reactor Control System (ARCS) will permit high-power transients up to 11,000 MW having a controlled reactor period of from 15 to 0.1 sec. These modifications to the core neutronics will improve simulation of LMFBR accident conditions. Finally, a sophisticated, multiply-redundant safety system, the Reactor Trip System (RTS), will provide safe operation for both steady state and transient production operating modes. To insure that this complex safety systemmore » is functioning properly, a Dedicated Microprocessor Tester (DMT) has been implemented to perform a thorough checkout of the RTS prior to all TREAT operations.« less

Liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors with passive cooling system

DOEpatents

Hunsbedt, Anstein; Fanning, Alan W.

1991-01-01

A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor having a passive cooling system for removing residual heat resulting from fuel decay during reactor shutdown. The passive cooling system comprises a plurality of cooling medium flow circuits which cooperate to remove and carry heat away from the fuel core upon loss of the normal cooling flow circuit to areas external thereto.

10 CFR 50.69 - Risk-informed categorization and treatment of structures, systems and components for nuclear...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., systems and components for nuclear power reactors. 50.69 Section 50.69 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY..., systems and components for nuclear power reactors. (a) Definitions. Risk-Informed Safety Class (RISC)-1... holder of a license to operate a light water reactor (LWR) nuclear power plant under this part; a holder...

10 CFR 50.69 - Risk-informed categorization and treatment of structures, systems and components for nuclear...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., systems and components for nuclear power reactors. 50.69 Section 50.69 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY..., systems and components for nuclear power reactors. (a) Definitions. Risk-Informed Safety Class (RISC)-1... holder of a license to operate a light water reactor (LWR) nuclear power plant under this part; a holder...

10 CFR 50.69 - Risk-informed categorization and treatment of structures, systems and components for nuclear...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., systems and components for nuclear power reactors. 50.69 Section 50.69 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY..., systems and components for nuclear power reactors. (a) Definitions. Risk-Informed Safety Class (RISC)-1... holder of a license to operate a light water reactor (LWR) nuclear power plant under this part; a holder...

Exploratory development of a glass ceramic automobile thermal reactor. [anti-pollution devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gould, R. E.; Petticrew, R. W.

1973-01-01

This report summarizes the design, fabrication and test results obtained for glass-ceramic (CER-VIT) automotive thermal reactors. Several reactor designs were evaluated using both engine-dynamometer and vehicle road tests. A maximum reactor life of about 330 hours was achieved in engine-dynamometer tests with peak gas temperatures of about 1065 C (1950 F). Reactor failures were mechanically induced. No evidence of chemical degradation was observed. It was concluded that to be useful for longer times, the CER-VIT parts would require a mounting system that was an improvement over those tested in this program. A reactor employing such a system was designed and fabricated.

Live single cell functional phenotyping in droplet nano-liter reactors.

PubMed

Konry, Tania; Golberg, Alexander; Yarmush, Martin

2013-11-11

While single cell heterogeneity is present in all biological systems, most studies cannot address it due to technical limitations. Here we describe a nano-liter droplet microfluidic-based approach for stimulation and monitoring of surface and secreted markers of live single immune dendritic cells (DCs) as well as monitoring the live T cell/DC interaction. This nano-liter in vivo simulating microenvironment allows delivering various stimuli reagents to each cell and appropriate gas exchanges which are necessary to ensure functionality and viability of encapsulated cells. Labeling bioassay and microsphere sensors were integrated into nano-liter reaction volume of the droplet to monitor live single cell surface markers and secretion analysis in the time-dependent fashion. Thus live cell stimulation, secretion and surface monitoring can be obtained simultaneously in distinct microenvironment, which previously was possible using complicated and multi-step in vitro and in vivo live-cell microscopy, together with immunological studies of the outcome secretion of cellular function.

Comparative performance of fixed-film biological filters: Application of reactor theory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watten, B.J.; Sibrell, P.L.

2006-01-01

Nitrification is classified as a two-step consecutive reaction where R1 represents the rate of formation of the intermediate product NO2-N and R2 represents the rate of formation of the final product NO3-N. The relative rates of R1 and R2 are influenced by reactor type characterized hydraulically as plug-flow, plug-flow with dispersion and mixed-flow. We develop substrate conversion models for fixed-film biofilters operating in the first-order kinetic regime based on application of chemical reactor theory. Reactor type, inlet conditions and the biofilm kinetic constants Ki (h-1) are used to predict changes in NH4-N, NO2-N, NO3-N and BOD5. The inhibiting effects of the latter on R1 and R2 were established based on the ?? relation, e.g.:{A formula is presented}where BOD5,max is the concentration that causes nitrification to cease and N is a variable relating Ki to increasing BOD5. Conversion models were incorporated in spreadsheet programs that provided steady-state concentrations of nitrogen and BOD5 at several points in a recirculating aquaculture system operating with input values for fish feed rate, reactor volume, microscreen performance, make-up and recirculating flow rates. When rate constants are standardized, spreadsheet use demonstrates plug-flow reactors provide higher rates of R1 and R2 than mixed-flow reactors thereby reducing volume requirements for target concentrations of NH4-N and NO2-N. The benefit provided by the plug-flow reactor varies with hydraulic residence time t as well as the effective vessel dispersion number, D/??L. Both reactor types are capable of providing net increases in NO2-N during treatment but the rate of decrease in the mixed-flow case falls well behind that predicted for plug-flow operation. We show the potential for a positive net change in NO2-N increases with decreases in the dimensionless ratios K2, (R2 )/K1,( R1 ) and [NO2-N]/[NH4-N] and when the product K1, (R1) t provides low to moderate NH4-N conversions. Maintaining high levels of the latter reduces the effective reactor utilization rate (%) defined here as (RNavg/RNmax)100 where RNavg is the mean reactive nitrogen concentration ([NH4-N] + [NO2-N]) within the reactor, and RNmax represents the feed concentration of the same. Low utilization rates provide a hedge against unexpected increases in substrate loading and reduce water pumping requirements but force use of elevated reactor volumes. Further ?? effects on R1 and R2 can be reduced through use of a tanks-in-series versus a single mixed-flow reactor configuration and by improving the solids removal efficiency of microscreen treatment.

JEN-1 Reactor Control System; SISTEMA DE CONTROL DEL REACTOR JEN-1

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

Cantillo, M.F.; Nuno, C.M.; Andreu, J.L.M.

1963-01-01

ABS>The JEN-1 3Mw power swimming pool reactor electrical control circuits are described. Start-up, power generation in the core, and shutdown are controlled by the reactor control system. This control system guarantees in each moment the safety conditions during reactor operation. Each circuit was represented by a scheme, complemented with a description of its function, components, and operation theory. Components described include: scram circuit; fission counter control circuit; servo control circuit; control circuit of safety sheets; control circuits of primary, secondary, and clean-up pump motors and tower fan motor; primary valve motor circuit; center cubicle alarm circuit; and process alarm circuit.more » (auth)« less

Method of producing gaseous products using a downflow reactor

DOEpatents

Cortright, Randy D; Rozmiarek, Robert T; Hornemann, Charles C

2014-09-16

Reactor systems and methods are provided for the catalytic conversion of liquid feedstocks to synthesis gases and other noncondensable gaseous products. The reactor systems include a heat exchange reactor configured to allow the liquid feedstock and gas product to flow concurrently in a downflow direction. The reactor systems and methods are particularly useful for producing hydrogen and light hydrocarbons from biomass-derived oxygenated hydrocarbons using aqueous phase reforming. The generated gases may find used as a fuel source for energy generation via PEM fuel cells, solid-oxide fuel cells, internal combustion engines, or gas turbine gensets, or used in other chemical processes to produce additional products. The gaseous products may also be collected for later use or distribution.

In-reactor performance of LWR-type tritium target rods

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

Lanning, D.D.; Paxton, M.M.; Crumbaugh, L.

Pacific Northwest Laboratory has conducted several 1-yr irradiation tests of light water reactor-type tritium target rods. These tests have been sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of New Production Reactors. The first test, designated water capsule-1 (WC-1), was conducted in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory from November 1989 to December 1990. The test vehicle contained a single 4-ft target rod within a pressurized water capsule. The capsule maintained the rod at pressurized water reactor (PWR)-type water temperature and pressure conditions. Posttest nondestructive examinations of the WC-1 rod involved visual examinations, dimensional checks,more » gamma scanning, and neutron radiography. The results indicate that the rod maintained the integrity of its pressure seal and was otherwise unaltered both mechanically and dimensionally by its irradiation and posttest handling.« less

Progress in space nuclear reactor power systems technology development - The SP-100 program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, H. S.

1984-01-01

Activities related to the development of high-temperature compact nuclear reactors for space applications had reached a comparatively high level in the U.S. during the mid-1950s and 1960s, although only one U.S. nuclear reactor-powered spacecraft was actually launched. After 1973, very little effort was devoted to space nuclear reactor and propulsion systems. In February 1983, significant activities toward the development of the technology for space nuclear reactor power systems were resumed with the SP-100 Program. Specific SP-100 Program objectives are partly related to the determination of the potential performance limits for space nuclear power systems in 100-kWe and 1- to 100-MW electrical classes. Attention is given to potential missions and applications, regimes of possible space power applicability, safety considerations, conceptual system designs, the establishment of technical feasibility, nuclear technology, materials technology, and prospects for the future.

Deployment history and design considerations for space reactor power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Genk, Mohamed S.

2009-05-01

The history of the deployment of nuclear reactors in Earth orbits is reviewed with emphases on lessons learned and the operation and safety experiences. The former Soviet Union's "BUK" power systems, with SiGe thermoelectric conversion and fast neutron energy spectrum reactors, powered a total of 31 Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellites (RORSATs) from 1970 to 1988 in 260 km orbit. Two of the former Soviet Union's TOPAZ reactors, with in-core thermionic conversion and epithermal neutron energy spectrum, powered two Cosmos missions launched in 1987 in ˜800 km orbit. The US' SNAP-10A system, with SiGe energy conversion and a thermal neutron energy spectrum reactor, was launched in 1965 in 1300 km orbit. The three reactor systems used liquid NaK-78 coolant, stainless steel structure and highly enriched uranium fuel (90-96 wt%) and operated at a reactor exit temperature of 833-973 K. The BUK reactors used U-Mo fuel rods, TOPAZ used UO 2 fuel rods and four ZrH moderator disks, and the SNAP-10A used moderated U-ZrH fuel rods. These low power space reactor systems were designed for short missions (˜0.5 kW e and ˜1 year for SNAP-10A, <3.0 kW e and <6 months for BUK, and ˜5.5 kW e and up to 1 year for TOPAZ). The deactivated BUK reactors at the end of mission, which varied in duration from a few hours to ˜4.5 months, were boosted into ˜800 km storage orbit with a decay life of more than 600 year. The ejection of the last 16 BUK reactor fuel cores caused significant contamination of Earth orbits with NaK droplets that varied in sizes from a few microns to 5 cm. Power systems to enhance or enable future interplanetary exploration, in-situ resources utilization on Mars and the Moon, and civilian missions in 1000-3000 km orbits would generate significantly more power of 10's to 100's kW e for 5-10 years, or even longer. A number of design options to enhance the operation reliability and safety of these high power space reactor power systems are presented and discussed.

An experimental study of catalytic and non-catalytic reaction in heat recirculating reactors and applications to power generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Jeongmin

An experimental study of the performance of a Swiss roll heat exchanger and reactor was conducted, with emphasis on the extinction limits and comparison of results with and without Pt catalyst. At Re<40, the catalyst was required to sustain reaction; with the catalyst self-sustaining reaction could be obtained at Re less than 1. Both lean and rich extinction limits were extended with the catalyst, though rich limits were extended much further. At low Re, the lean extinction limit was rich of stoichiometric and rich limit had equivalence ratios 80 in some cases. Non-catalytic reaction generally occurred in a flameless mode near the center of the reactor. With or without catalyst, for sufficiently robust conditions, a visible flame would propagate out of the center, but this flame could only be re-centered with catalyst. Gas chromatography indicated that at low Re, CO and non-C3 H8 hydrocarbons did not form. For higher Re, catalytic limits were slightly broader but had much lower limit temperatures. At sufficiently high Re, catalytic and gas-phase limits merged. Experiments with titanium Swiss rolls have demonstrated reducing wall thermal conductivity and thickness leads to lower heat losses and therefore increases operating temperatures and extends flammability limits. By use of Pt catalysts, reaction of propane-air mixtures at temperatures 54°C was sustained. Such low temperatures suggest that polymers may be employed as a reactor material. A polyimide reactor was built and survived prolonged testing at temperatures up to 500°C. Polymer reactors may prove more practical for microscale devices due to their lower thermal conductivity and ease of manufacturing. Since the ultimate goal of current efforts is to develop combustion driven power generation devices at MEMS like scales, a thermally self-sustaining miniature power generation device was developed utilizing a single-chamber solid-oxide-fuel-cell (SOFC) placed in a Swiss roll. With the single-chamber design, fuel/oxygen crossover due to cracking of seals via thermal cycling is irrelevant and coking on the anode is practically eliminated. SOFC power densities up to 420mW/cm2 were observed at low Re. These results suggest that single-chamber SOFC's integrated with heat-recirculating reactors may be a viable approach for small-scale power generation devices.

Impact of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on wastewater microbial communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goyal, Deepankar

Aim: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hold great promise in advancing our future, with potential applications such as adsorbents, conductive composites, energy storage devices, and more. Despite of numerous potential applications of CNTs, almost nothing so far is known about how such carbon-based nanomaterials would in future impact environmental processes such as wastewater treatment. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the impact of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on microbial communities and wastewater treatment processes in activated sludge bioreactors. Method: Closed system batch-scale reactors were used to simulate the activated sludge process. Two sets of triplicate reactors were analyzed to determine the effects of SWNTs and associated impurities compared to control reactors that contained no CNTs. Sub-samples for microbial community analyses were aseptically removed periodically from the bioreactors every ˜1 hour 15 minutes and held at -80°C until analyzed. Genomic DNA was extracted from bioreactor samples, and molecular profiles of the bacterial communities were determined using automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA). The clones for the ARISA profiles having distinct ARISA peaks were picked and sequenced. Result: ARISA profiles revealed adverse changes in CNT-exposed bacterial communities compared to control reactors associated with CNTs. The phylogenetic analysis of cloned insert containing Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region plus the 16S rRNA genes identified them belonging to taxonomic groups of the families Sphingomonadaceae and Cytophagacaceae , and the genus Zoogloea. Changes in community structure were observed in both SWNT-exposed and control reactors over the experimental time period. Also the date on which activated sludge was obtained from a wastewater treatment plant facility seemed to play a critical role in changing the community structure altogether, indicating the importance of analyzing microbial community structure in addition to abiotic and bulk biological factors when evaluating the potential impact of contaminants. In parallel to this study, another peer group made simultaneous measurements of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and abiotic factors, which indicated that while SWNTs adsorbed organic carbon (measured as COD), they did not significantly impact its degradation by the microbial community. Conclusion: These results indicate that SWNTs differentially impact members of the activated sludge reactor bacterial community. Significance of the Study: The finding that community structure was affected by SWNTs indicates that this emerging contaminant differentially impacted members of the activated sludge bacterial community, even on a short time period of exposure. These results raise the concern of SWNT impact on biological functions carried out by the activated sludge process and a question about their environmental impact in coming era of nanotechnology.

Persistence in a single species CSTR model with suspended flocs and wall attached biofilms.

PubMed

Mašić, Alma; Eberl, Hermann J

2012-04-01

We consider a mathematical model for a bacterial population in a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with wall attachment. This is a modification of the Freter model, in which we model the sessile bacteria as a microbial biofilm. Our analysis indicates that the results of the algebraically simpler original Freter model largely carry over. In a computational simulation study, we find that the vast majority of bacteria in the reactor will eventually be sessile. However, we also find that suspended biomass is relatively more efficient in removing substrate from the reactor than biofilm bacteria.

Production assurance program strategy for N Reactor balance of plant systems

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

House, R.D.; Bitten, E.J.; Keenan, J.P.

1986-03-18

A production assurance program has been established for N Reactor, a dual purpose reactor plant, operated to produce special nuclear materials and steam for electricity. N Reactor, which began operation in December 1963, is now approaching the end of its design life. This paper describes the two phase program for Balance of Plant (BOP) systems. The Phase I evaluation has been completed and indications are that the lifetime of systems and components could be extended by implementing appropriate surveillance, operations and maintenance strategies. In Phase II, a thorough evaluation of components and systems is underway and action items are beingmore » identified which will allow component and system extended operation.« less

Small Reactor for Deep Space Exploration

ScienceCinema

none,

2018-06-06

This is the first demonstration of a space nuclear reactor system to produce electricity in the United States since 1965, and an experiment demonstrated the first use of a heat pipe to cool a small nuclear reactor and then harvest the heat to power a Stirling engine at the Nevada National Security Site's Device Assembly Facility confirms basic nuclear reactor physics and heat transfer for a simple, reliable space power system.

Small reactor power system for space application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shirbacheh, M.

1987-01-01

A development history and comparative performance capability evaluation is presented for spacecraft nuclear powerplant Small Reactor Power System alternatives. The choice of power conversion technology depends on the reactor's operating temperature; thermionic, thermoelectric, organic Rankine, and Alkali metal thermoelectric conversion are the primary power conversion subsystem technology alternatives. A tabulation is presented for such spacecraft nuclear reactor test histories as those of SNAP-10A, SP-100, and NERVA.

PRELIMINARY HAZARDS SUMMARY REPORT FOR THE VALLECITOS SUPERHEAT REACTOR

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

Murray, J.L.

1961-02-01

BS>The Vallecitos Superheat Reactor (VSR) is a light-watermoderated, thermal-spectrum reactor, cooled by a combination of moderator boiling and forced convection cooling with saturated steam. The reactor core consists of 32 fuel hurdles containing 5300 lb of UO/sub 2/ enriched in U/sub 235/ to 3.6%. The fuel elements are arranged in individual process tubes that direct the cooling steam flow and separate the steam from the water moderator. The reactor vessel is designed for 1250 psig and operates at 960 to 1000 psig. With the reactor operating at 12.5 Mw(t), the maximum fuel cladding temperature is 1250 deg F and themore » cooling steam is superheated to an average temperature of about 810 deg F at 905 psig. Nu clear operation of the reactor is controlled by 12 control rods, actuated by drives mounted on the bottom of the reactor vessel. The water moderator recirculates inside the reactor vessel and through the core region by natural convection. Inherent safety features of the reactor include the negative core reactivity effects upon heating the UO/sub 2/ fuel (Doppler effect), upon increasing the temperature or void content of the moderator in the operating condition, and upon unflooding the fuel process tubes in the hot condition. Snfety features designed into the reactor and plant systems include a system of sensors and devices to detect petentially unsafe operating conditions and to initiate automatically the appropriate countermeasures, a set of fast and reliable control rods for scramming the reactor if a potentially unsafe condition occurs, a manually-actuated liquid neutron poison system, and an emergency cooling system to provide continued steam flow through the reactor core in the event the reactor becomes isolated from either its normal source of steam supply or discharge. The release of radioactivity to unrestricted areas is maintained within permissible limits by monitoring the radioactivity of wastes and controlling their release. The reactor and many of its auxiliaries are housed within a high-integrity essentially leak-tight containment vessel. (auth)« less

System Analysis for Decay Heat Removal in Lead-Bismuth Cooled Natural Circulated Reactors

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

Takaaki Sakai; Yasuhiro Enuma; Takashi Iwasaki

2002-07-01

Decay heat removal analyses for lead-bismuth cooled natural circulation reactors are described in this paper. A combined multi-dimensional plant dynamics code (MSG-COPD) has been developed to conduct the system analysis for the natural circulation reactors. For the preliminary study, transient analysis has been performed for a 100 MWe lead-bismuth-cooled reactor designed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). In addition, decay heat removal characteristics of a 400 MWe lead-bismuth-cooled natural circulation reactor designed by Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) has been evaluated by using MSG-COPD. PRACS (Primary Reactor Auxiliary Cooling System) is prepared for the JNC's concept to get sufficient heatmore » removal capacity. During 2000 sec after the transient, the outlet temperature shows increasing tendency up to the maximum temperature of 430 Centigrade, because the buoyancy force in a primary circulation path is temporary reduced. However, the natural circulation is recovered by the PRACS system and the out let temperature decreases successfully. (authors)« less

System Analysis for Decay Heat Removal in Lead-Bismuth-Cooled Natural-Circulation Reactors

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

Sakai, Takaaki; Enuma, Yasuhiro; Iwasaki, Takashi

2004-03-15

Decay heat removal analyses for lead-bismuth-cooled natural-circulation reactors are described in this paper. A combined multidimensional plant dynamics code (MSG-COPD) has been developed to conduct the system analysis for the natural-circulation reactors. For the preliminary study, transient analysis has been performed for a 300-MW(thermal) lead-bismuth-cooled reactor designed by Argonne National Laboratory. In addition, decay heat removal characteristics of a 400-MW(electric) lead-bismuth-cooled natural-circulation reactor designed by the Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) has been evaluated by using MSG-COPD. The primary reactor auxiliary cooling system (PRACS) is prepared for the JNC concept to get sufficient heat removal capacity. During 2000 smore » after the transient, the outlet temperature shows increasing tendency up to the maximum temperature of 430 deg. C because the buoyancy force in a primary circulation path is temporarily reduced. However, the natural circulation is recovered by the PRACS system, and the outlet temperature decreases successfully.« less

Estimates of power requirements for a Manned Mars Rover powered by a nuclear reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morley, Nicholas J.; El-Genk, Mohamed S.; Cataldo, Robert; Bloomfield, Harvey

1991-01-01

This paper assesses the power requirement for a Manned Mars Rover vehicle. Auxiliary power needs are fulfilled using a hybrid solar photovoltaic/regenerative fuel cell system, while the primary power needs are meet using an SP-100 type reactor. The primary electric power needs, which include 30-kW(e) net user power, depend on the reactor thermal power and the efficiency of the power conversion system. Results show that an SP-100 type reactor coupled to a Free Piston Stirling Engine yields the lowest total vehicle mass and lowest specific mass for the power system. The second lowest mass was for a SP-100 reactor coupled to a Closed Brayton Cycle using He/Xe as the working fluid. The specific mass of the nuclear reactor power system, including a man-rated radiation shield, ranged from 150-kg/kW(e) to 190-kg/KW(e) and the total mass of the Rover vehicle varied depend upon the cruising speed.

CHARACTERISTIC QUALITIES OF SOME ATOMIC POWER STATIONS (in Hungarian)

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

Ligeti, G.

1962-04-01

Mostly as the result of economic factors, the current rate of construction of public atomic power stations has slowed down. The use of atomic energy is considered economical only in a few special cases, such as ship propulsion or supplying power to remote regions. For this reason, many reactors were designed especially for the construction of such midget'' power stations, operating at power levels ranging from 10 to 70 Mw. Technical details are given of such already-built or proposed systems, including the following: pressurized- water reactors such as the Babcock and Wilcox 60-Mw reactor, using 2.4% U/sup 235/ fuel; themore » Humphrey-Glasow Company's 20 Mw reactor; the gascooled system of the de Havilland Company; the organicmoderated reactor of the English Electric Company; the organic-moderated system of the Hawker-Siddeley Nuclear Power Company; the boiling-water reactor of the Mitchell Engineering Company and the steam-cooled, heavy-water reactor of the Rolls-Royce & Vickers Company. (TTT)« less

Passive cooling system for top entry liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

DOEpatents

Boardman, Charles E.; Hunsbedt, Anstein; Hui, Marvin M.

1992-01-01

A liquid metal cooled nuclear fission reactor plant having a top entry loop joined satellite assembly with a passive auxiliary safety cooling system for removing residual heat resulting from fuel decay during shutdown, or heat produced during a mishap. This satellite type reactor plant is enhanced by a backup or secondary passive safety cooling system which augments the primary passive auxiliary cooling system when in operation, and replaces the primary cooling system when rendered inoperative.

76 FR 55718 - Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS); Meeting of the ACRS Subcommittee on Materials...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-08

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS); Meeting of the ACRS Subcommittee on Materials, Metallurgy & Reactor Fuels The ACRS Subcommittee on Materials, Metallurgy & Reactor...'' for reactor coolant system (RCS) components, as mentioned in 10 CFR 50 Appendix A, GDC-4. The...

Closed Brayton Cycle power system with a high temperature pellet bed reactor heat source for NEP applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juhasz, Albert J.; El-Genk, Mohamed S.; Harper, William B., Jr.

1992-01-01

Capitalizing on past and future development of high temperature gas reactor (HTGR) technology, a low mass 15 MWe closed gas turbine cycle power system using a pellet bed reactor heating helium working fluid is proposed for Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) applications. Although the design of this directly coupled system architecture, comprising the reactor/power system/space radiator subsystems, is presented in conceptual form, sufficient detail is included to permit an assessment of overall system performance and mass. Furthermore, an attempt is made to show how tailoring of the main subsystem design characteristics can be utilized to achieve synergistic system level advantages that can lead to improved reliability and enhanced system life while reducing the number of parasitic load driven peripheral subsystems.

Advanced Pellet-Cladding Interaction Modeling using the US DOE CASL Fuel Performance Code: Peregrine

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

Montgomery, Robert O.; Capps, Nathan A.; Sunderland, Dion J.

The US DOE’s Consortium for Advanced Simulation of LWRs (CASL) program has undertaken an effort to enhance and develop modeling and simulation tools for a virtual reactor application, including high fidelity neutronics, fluid flow/thermal hydraulics, and fuel and material behavior. The fuel performance analysis efforts aim to provide 3-dimensional capabilities for single and multiple rods to assess safety margins and the impact of plant operation and fuel rod design on the fuel thermo-mechanical-chemical behavior, including Pellet-Cladding Interaction (PCI) failures and CRUD-Induced Localized Corrosion (CILC) failures in PWRs. [1-3] The CASL fuel performance code, Peregrine, is an engineering scale code thatmore » is built upon the MOOSE/ELK/FOX computational FEM framework, which is also common to the fuel modeling framework, BISON [4,5]. Peregrine uses both 2-D and 3-D geometric fuel rod representations and contains a materials properties and fuel behavior model library for the UO2 and Zircaloy system common to PWR fuel derived from both open literature sources and the FALCON code [6]. The primary purpose of Peregrine is to accurately calculate the thermal, mechanical, and chemical processes active throughout a single fuel rod during operation in a reactor, for both steady state and off-normal conditions.« less

Advanced Pellet Cladding Interaction Modeling Using the US DOE CASL Fuel Performance Code: Peregrine

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

Jason Hales; Various

The US DOE’s Consortium for Advanced Simulation of LWRs (CASL) program has undertaken an effort to enhance and develop modeling and simulation tools for a virtual reactor application, including high fidelity neutronics, fluid flow/thermal hydraulics, and fuel and material behavior. The fuel performance analysis efforts aim to provide 3-dimensional capabilities for single and multiple rods to assess safety margins and the impact of plant operation and fuel rod design on the fuel thermomechanical- chemical behavior, including Pellet-Cladding Interaction (PCI) failures and CRUD-Induced Localized Corrosion (CILC) failures in PWRs. [1-3] The CASL fuel performance code, Peregrine, is an engineering scale codemore » that is built upon the MOOSE/ELK/FOX computational FEM framework, which is also common to the fuel modeling framework, BISON [4,5]. Peregrine uses both 2-D and 3-D geometric fuel rod representations and contains a materials properties and fuel behavior model library for the UO2 and Zircaloy system common to PWR fuel derived from both open literature sources and the FALCON code [6]. The primary purpose of Peregrine is to accurately calculate the thermal, mechanical, and chemical processes active throughout a single fuel rod during operation in a reactor, for both steady state and off-normal conditions.« less

Effects of size and thermophilic pre-hydrolysis of banana peel during anaerobic digestion, and biomethanation potential of key tropical fruit wastes.

PubMed

Odedina, Mary Jesuyemi; Charnnok, Boonya; Saritpongteeraka, Kanyarat; Chaiprapat, Sumate

2017-10-01

Methane production potential of tropical fruit wastes, namely lady-finger banana peel, rambutan waste and longan waste were compared using BMP assay and stoichiometric modified Buswell and Mueller equation. Methane yields based on volatile solid (VS) were in the order of ground banana peel, chopped banana peel, chopped longan waste, and chopped rambutan waste (330.6, 268.3, 234.6 and 193.2 mLCH 4 /gVS) that corresponded to their calculated biodegradability. In continuous operations of banana peel digestion at feed concentrations based on total solid (TS) 1-2%, mesophilic single stage digester run at 20-day hydraulic retention time (20-day HRT) failed at 2%TS, but successfully recovered at 1.5%TS. Pre-hydrolysis thermophilic reactor (4-d HRT) was placed as pre-treatment to mesophilic reactor (20-d HRT). Higher biogas (with an evolution of H 2 ) and energy yields were obtained and greater system stability was achieved over the single stage digestion, particularly at higher solid feedstock. The best performance of two stage digestion was 68.5% VS destruction and energy yield of 2510.9kJ/kgVS added at a feed concentration of 2%TS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing pretreatment reactor scaling through empirical analysis

DOE PAGES

Lischeske, James J.; Crawford, Nathan C.; Kuhn, Erik; ...

2016-10-10

Pretreatment is a critical step in the biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels and chemicals. Due to the complexity of the physicochemical transformations involved, predictively scaling up technology from bench- to pilot-scale is difficult. This study examines how pretreatment effectiveness under nominally similar reaction conditions is influenced by pretreatment reactor design and scale using four different pretreatment reaction systems ranging from a 3 g batch reactor to a 10 dry-ton/d continuous reactor. The reactor systems examined were an Automated Solvent Extractor (ASE), Steam Explosion Reactor (SER), ZipperClave(R) reactor (ZCR), and Large Continuous Horizontal-Screw Reactor (LHR). To our knowledge, thismore » is the first such study performed on pretreatment reactors across a range of reaction conditions (time and temperature) and at different reactor scales. The comparative pretreatment performance results obtained for each reactor system were used to develop response surface models for total xylose yield after pretreatment and total sugar yield after pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. Near- and very-near-optimal regions were defined as the set of conditions that the model identified as producing yields within one and two standard deviations of the optimum yield. Optimal conditions identified in the smallest-scale system (the ASE) were within the near-optimal region of the largest scale reactor system evaluated. A reaction severity factor modeling approach was shown to inadequately describe the optimal conditions in the ASE, incorrectly identifying a large set of sub-optimal conditions (as defined by the RSM) as optimal. The maximum total sugar yields for the ASE and LHR were 95%, while 89% was the optimum observed in the ZipperClave. The optimum condition identified using the automated and less costly to operate ASE system was within the very-near-optimal space for the total xylose yield of both the ZCR and the LHR, and was within the near-optimal space for total sugar yield for the LHR. This indicates that the ASE is a good tool for cost effectively finding near-optimal conditions for operating pilot-scale systems, which may be used as starting points for further optimization. Additionally, using a severity-factor approach to optimization was found to be inadequate compared to a multivariate optimization method. As a result, the ASE and the LHR were able to enable significantly higher total sugar yields after enzymatic hydrolysis relative to the ZCR, despite having similar optimal conditions and total xylose yields. This underscores the importance of incorporating mechanical disruption into pretreatment reactor designs to achieve high enzymatic digestibilities.« less

Assessing pretreatment reactor scaling through empirical analysis

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

Lischeske, James J.; Crawford, Nathan C.; Kuhn, Erik

Pretreatment is a critical step in the biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels and chemicals. Due to the complexity of the physicochemical transformations involved, predictively scaling up technology from bench- to pilot-scale is difficult. This study examines how pretreatment effectiveness under nominally similar reaction conditions is influenced by pretreatment reactor design and scale using four different pretreatment reaction systems ranging from a 3 g batch reactor to a 10 dry-ton/d continuous reactor. The reactor systems examined were an Automated Solvent Extractor (ASE), Steam Explosion Reactor (SER), ZipperClave(R) reactor (ZCR), and Large Continuous Horizontal-Screw Reactor (LHR). To our knowledge, thismore » is the first such study performed on pretreatment reactors across a range of reaction conditions (time and temperature) and at different reactor scales. The comparative pretreatment performance results obtained for each reactor system were used to develop response surface models for total xylose yield after pretreatment and total sugar yield after pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. Near- and very-near-optimal regions were defined as the set of conditions that the model identified as producing yields within one and two standard deviations of the optimum yield. Optimal conditions identified in the smallest-scale system (the ASE) were within the near-optimal region of the largest scale reactor system evaluated. A reaction severity factor modeling approach was shown to inadequately describe the optimal conditions in the ASE, incorrectly identifying a large set of sub-optimal conditions (as defined by the RSM) as optimal. The maximum total sugar yields for the ASE and LHR were 95%, while 89% was the optimum observed in the ZipperClave. The optimum condition identified using the automated and less costly to operate ASE system was within the very-near-optimal space for the total xylose yield of both the ZCR and the LHR, and was within the near-optimal space for total sugar yield for the LHR. This indicates that the ASE is a good tool for cost effectively finding near-optimal conditions for operating pilot-scale systems, which may be used as starting points for further optimization. Additionally, using a severity-factor approach to optimization was found to be inadequate compared to a multivariate optimization method. As a result, the ASE and the LHR were able to enable significantly higher total sugar yields after enzymatic hydrolysis relative to the ZCR, despite having similar optimal conditions and total xylose yields. This underscores the importance of incorporating mechanical disruption into pretreatment reactor designs to achieve high enzymatic digestibilities.« less

When Do Commercial Reactors Permanently Shut Down?

EIA Publications

2011-01-01

For those wishing to obtain current data, the following resources are available: U.S. reactors, go to the Energy Information Administration's nuclear reactor shutdown list. (Note: As of April 30, 2010, the last U.S. reactor to permanently shut down was Big Rock Point in 1997.) Foreign Reactors, go to the Power Reactor Information System (PRIS) on the International Atomic Energy Agency's website.

Implementation of New Reactivity Measurement System and New Reactor Noise Analysis Equipment in a VVER-440 Nuclear Power Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vegh, János; Kiss, Sándor; Lipcsei, Sándor; Horvath, Csaba; Pos, István; Kiss, Gábor

2010-10-01

The paper deals with two recently developed, high-precision nuclear measurement systems installed at the VVER-440 units of the Hungarian Paks NPP. Both developments were motivated by the reactor power increase to 108%, and by the planned plant service time extension. The first part describes the RMR start-up reactivity measurement system with advanced services. High-precision picoampere meters were installed at each reactor unit and measured ionization chamber current signals are handled by a portable computer providing data acquisition and online reactivity calculation service. Detailed offline evaluation and analysis of reactor start-up measurements can be performed on the portable unit, too. The second part of the paper describes a new reactor noise diagnostics system using state-of-the-art data acquisition hardware and signal processing methods. Details of the new reactor noise measurement evaluation software are also outlined. Noise diagnostics at Paks NPP is a standard tool for core anomaly detection and for long-term noise trend monitoring. Regular application of these systems is illustrated by real plant data, e.g., results of standard reactivity measurements during a reactor startup session are given. Noise applications are also illustrated by real plant measurements; results of core anomaly detection are presented.

Heterogeneous Oxidation of Laboratory-generated Mixed Composition and Biomass Burning Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, C. Y.; Sugrue, R. A.; Hagan, D. H.; Cappa, C. D.; Kroll, J. H.; Browne, E. C.

2016-12-01

Heterogeneous oxidation of organic aerosol (OA) can significantly transform the chemical and physical properties of particulate matter in the atmosphere, leading to changes to the chemical composition of OA and potential volatilization of organic compounds. It has become increasingly apparent that the heterogeneous oxidation kinetics of OA depend on the phase and morphology of the particles. However, most laboratory experiments to date have been performed on single-component, purely organic precursors, which may exhibit fundamentally different behavior than more complex particles in the atmosphere. Here we present laboratory studies of the heterogeneous oxidation of two more complex chemical systems: thin, organic coatings on inorganic seed particles and biomass burning OA. In the first system, squalane (C30H62), a model compound for reduced OA, is coated onto dry ammonium sulfate particles at various thicknesses (10-20 nm) and exposed to hydroxyl radical (OH) in a flow tube reactor. In the second, we use a semi-batch reactor to study the heterogeneous OH-initiated oxidation of biomass burning particles as a part of the 2016 FIREX campaign in Missoula, MT. The resulting changes in chemical composition are monitored with an Aerodyne High Resolution Time-of-flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) and a soot-particle AMS for the non-refractory and refractory systems, respectively. We show that the heterogeneous oxidation kinetics of these multicomponent particles are substantially different than that of the single-component particles. The oxidation of organic coatings is rapid, undergoing dramatic changes to carbon oxidation state and losing a significant amount of organic mass after relatively low OH exposures (equivalent to several days of atmospheric processing). In the case of biomass burning particles, the kinetics are complex, with different components (inferred by aerosol mass spectrometry) undergoing oxidation at different rates.

Performance comparison of tin oxide anodes to commercially available dimensionally stable anodes.

PubMed

Watts, Richard J; Finn, Dennis D; Wyeth, Megan S; Teel, Amy L

2008-06-01

Dimensionally stable anodes (DSAs) demonstrate potential for the electrochemical treatment of industrial waste streams and disinfection of effluent. Oxidation by laboratory-prepared tin oxide DSAs was compared with that of commercially available ruthenium oxide, iridium oxide, and mixed metal oxide DSAs, using hexanol as a probe molecule. The performance of the four anodes was similar in two-chamber reactors, in which the anode cell was separated from the cathode cell by a Nafion membrane, which allows transmission of current between the chambers, but not passage of chemical constituents. The anodes were then evaluated in single-cell reactors, which are more representative of potential treatment and disinfection applications. However, in the single-cell reactors, the tin oxide anodes were significantly more effective at oxidation and generated higher quality cyclic voltammograms than the other DSAs. These results suggest that tin oxide anodes have greater potential than the three commercially available DSAs tested for industrial waste stream treatment and effluent disinfection.

Study of reactor Brayton power systems for nuclear electric spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The feasibility of using Brayton power systems for nuclear electric spacecraft was investigated. The primary performance parameters of systems mass and radiator area were determined for systems from 100 to 1000 kW sub e. Mathematical models of all system components were used to determine masses and volumes. Two completely independent systems provide propulsion power so that no single-point failure can jeopardize a mission. The waste heat radiators utilize armored heat pipes to limit meteorite puncture. The armor thickness was statistically determined to achieve the required probability of survival. A 400 kW sub e reference system received primary attention as required by the contract. The components of this system were defined and a conceptual layout was developed with encouraging results. An arrangement with redundant Brayton power systems having a 1500 K (2240 F) turbine inlet temperature was shown to be compatible with the dimensions of the space shuttle orbiter payload bay.

TRAC-PF1/MOD1 support calculations for the MIST/OTIS program

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

Fujita, R.K.; Knight, T.D.

1984-01-01

We are using the Transient Reactor Analysis Code (TRAC), specifically version TRAC-PF1/MOD1, to perform analyses in support of the MultiLoop Integral-System Test (MIST) and the Once-Through Integral-System (OTIS) experiment program. We have analyzed Geradrohr Dampferzeuger Anlage (GERDA) Test 1605AA to benchmark the TRAC-PF1/MOD1 code against phenomena expected to occur in a raised-loop B and W plant during a small-break loss-of-coolant accident (SBLOCA). These results show that the code can calculate both single- and two-phase natural circulation, flow interruption, boiler-condenser-mode (BCM) heat transfer, and primary-system refill in a B and W-type geometry with low-elevation auxiliary feedwater. 19 figures, 7 tables.

Dominant Overall Chemical Reaction in a Chlorine Trifluoride Silicon Nitrogen System at Atmospheric Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habuka, Hitoshi; Otsuka, Toru; Qu, Wei-Feng

1999-11-01

This study evaluates the overall chemical reaction in a chlorine trifluoride silicon nitrogen system at atmospheric pressure, based on the observation of the dominant chemical species in the gas phase using a quadrupole mass spectra analyzer coupled with a horizontal cold-wall single-wafer epitaxial reactor. Chlorine trifluoride gas etches the silicon surface, producing two major products, silicon tetrafluoride gas and chlorine gas, at room temperature and 530 K. The production of chlorosilanes was not observed in this study. The results obtained in this study indicate that the dominant overall chemical reaction in a chlorine trifluoride silicon nitrogen system is 3Si + 4ClF3 →3SiF4 ↑+ 2Cl2 ↑.

Carbon monoxide oxidation rates computed for automobile thermal reactor conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brokaw, R. S.; Bittker, D. A.

1972-01-01

Carbon monoxide oxidation rates in thermal reactors for exhaust manifolds are computed by integrating differential equations for system of twenty-nine reversible chemical reactions. Reactors are noncatalytic replacements for conventional exhaust manifolds and are a system for reducing carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in automobile exhausts.

Modeling of a Reaction-Distillation-Recycle System to Produce Dimethyl Ether through Methanol Dehydration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muharam, Y.; Zulkarnain, L. M.; Wirya, A. S.

2018-03-01

The increase in the dimethyl ether yield through methanol dehydration due to a recycle integration to a reaction-distillation system was studied in this research. A one-dimensional phenomenological model of a methanol dehydration reactor and a shortcut model of distillation columns were used to achieve the aim. Simulation results show that 10.7 moles/s of dimethyl ether is produced in a reaction-distillation system with the reactor length being 4 m, the reactor inlet pressure being 18 atm, the reactor inlet temperature being 533 K, the reactor inlet velocity being 0.408 m/s, and the distillation pressure being 8 atm. The methanol conversion is 90% and the dimethyl ether yield is 48%. The integration of the recycle stream to the system increases the dimethyl ether yield by 8%.

Testing of an Integrated Reactor Core Simulator and Power Conversion System with Simulated Reactivity Feedback

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Hervol, David S.; Godfroy, Thomas J.

2009-01-01

A Direct Drive Gas-Cooled (DDG) reactor core simulator has been coupled to a Brayton Power Conversion Unit (BPCU) for integrated system testing at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, OH. This is a closed-cycle system that incorporates an electrically heated reactor core module, turbo alternator, recuperator, and gas cooler. Nuclear fuel elements in the gas-cooled reactor design are replaced with electric resistance heaters to simulate the heat from nuclear fuel in the corresponding fast spectrum nuclear reactor. The thermodynamic transient behavior of the integrated system was the focus of this test series. In order to better mimic the integrated response of the nuclear-fueled system, a simulated reactivity feedback control loop was implemented. Core power was controlled by a point kinetics model in which the reactivity feedback was based on core temperature measurements; the neutron generation time and the temperature feedback coefficient are provided as model inputs. These dynamic system response tests demonstrate the overall capability of a non-nuclear test facility in assessing system integration issues and characterizing integrated system response times and response characteristics.

Testing of an Integrated Reactor Core Simulator and Power Conversion System with Simulated Reactivity Feedback

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Hervol, David S.; Godfroy, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

A Direct Drive Gas-Cooled (DDG) reactor core simulator has been coupled to a Brayton Power Conversion Unit (BPCU) for integrated system testing at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio. This is a closed-cycle system that incorporates an electrically heated reactor core module, turboalternator, recuperator, and gas cooler. Nuclear fuel elements in the gas-cooled reactor design are replaced with electric resistance heaters to simulate the heat from nuclear fuel in the corresponding fast spectrum nuclear reactor. The thermodynamic transient behavior of the integrated system was the focus of this test series. In order to better mimic the integrated response of the nuclear-fueled system, a simulated reactivity feedback control loop was implemented. Core power was controlled by a point kinetics model in which the reactivity feedback was based on core temperature measurements; the neutron generation time and the temperature feedback coefficient are provided as model inputs. These dynamic system response tests demonstrate the overall capability of a non-nuclear test facility in assessing system integration issues and characterizing integrated system response times and response characteristics.

Simultaneous biodegradation of three mononitrophenol isomers by a tailor-made microbial consortium immobilized in sequential batch reactors.

PubMed

Fu, H; Zhang, J-J; Xu, Y; Chao, H-J; Zhou, N-Y

2017-03-01

The ortho-nitrophenol (ONP)-utilizing Alcaligenes sp. strain NyZ215, meta-nitrophenol (MNP)-utilizing Cupriavidus necator JMP134 and para-nitrophenol (PNP)-utilizing Pseudomonas sp. strain WBC-3 were assembled as a consortium to degrade three nitrophenol isomers in sequential batch reactors. Pilot test was conducted in flasks to demonstrate that a mixture of three mononitrophenols at 0·5 mol l -1 each could be mineralized by this microbial consortium within 84 h. Interestingly, neither ONP nor MNP was degraded until PNP was almost consumed by strain WBC-3. By immobilizing this consortium into polyurethane cubes, all three mononitrophenols were continuously degraded in lab-scale sequential reactors for six batch cycles over 18 days. Total concentrations of ONP, MMP and PNP that were degraded were 2·8, 1·5 and 2·3 mol l -1 during this time course respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that each member in the microbial consortium was relatively stable during the entire degradation process. This study provides a novel approach to treat polluted water, particularly with a mixture of co-existing isomers. Nitroaromatic compounds are readily spread in the environment and pose great potential toxicity concerns. Here, we report the simultaneous degradation of three isomers of mononitrophenol in a single system by employing a consortium of three bacteria, both in flasks and lab-scale sequential batch reactors. The results demonstrate that simultaneous biodegradation of three mononitrophenol isomers can be achieved by a tailor-made microbial consortium immobilized in sequential batch reactors, providing a pilot study for a novel approach for the bioremediation of mixed pollutants, especially isomers present in wastewater. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Reflux cooling experiments on the NCSU scaled PWR facility

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

Doster, J.M.; Giavedoni, E.

1993-01-01

Under loss of forced circulation, coupled with the loss or reduction in primary side coolant inventory, horizontal stratified flows can develop in the hot and cold legs of pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Vapor produced in the reactor vessel is transported through the hot leg to the steam generator tubes where it condenses and flows back to the reactor vessel. Within the steam generator tubes, the flow regimes may range from countercurrent annular flow to single-phase convection. As a result, a number of heat transfer mechanisms are possible, depending on the loop configuration, total heat transfer rate, and the steam flowmore » rate within the tubes. These include (but are not limited to) two-phase natural circulation, where the condensate flows concurrent to the vapor stream and is transported to the cold leg so that the entire reactor coolant loop is active, and reflux cooling, where the condensate flows back down the interior of the coolant tubes countercurrent to the vapor stream and is returned to the reactor vessel through the hot leg. While operating in the reflux cooling mode, the cold leg can effectively be inactive. Heat transfer can be further influenced by noncondensables in the vapor stream, which accumulate within the upper regions of the steam generator tube bundle. In addition to reducing the steam generator's effective heat transfer area, under these conditions operation under natural circulation may not be possible, and reflux cooling may be the only viable heat transfer mechanism. The scaled PWR (SPWR) facility in the nuclear engineering department at North Carolina State Univ. (NCSU) is being used to study the effectiveness of two-phase natural circulation and reflux cooling under conditions associated with loss of forced circulation, midloop coolant levels, and noncondensables in the primary coolant system.« less

A small, 1400 K, reactor for Brayton space power systems.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lantz, E.; Mayo, W.

1972-01-01

An investigation was conducted to determine minimum dimensions and minimum weight obtainable in a design for a reactor using uranium-233 nitride or plutonium-239 nitride as fuel. Such a reactor had been considered by Krasner et al. (1971). Present space power status is discussed, together with questions of reactor design and power distribution in the reactor. The characteristics of various reactor types are compared, giving attention also to a zirconium hydride reactor.

Advanced Reactor Passive System Reliability Demonstration Analysis for an External Event

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

Bucknor, Matthew D.; Grabaskas, David; Brunett, Acacia J.

2016-01-01

Many advanced reactor designs rely on passive systems to fulfill safety functions during accident sequences. These systems depend heavily on boundary conditions to induce a motive force, meaning the system can fail to operate as intended due to deviations in boundary conditions, rather than as the result of physical failures. Furthermore, passive systems may operate in intermediate or degraded modes. These factors make passive system operation difficult to characterize within a traditional probabilistic framework that only recognizes discrete operating modes and does not allow for the explicit consideration of time-dependent boundary conditions. Argonne National Laboratory has been examining various methodologiesmore » for assessing passive system reliability within a probabilistic risk assessment for a station blackout event at an advanced small modular reactor. This paper provides an overview of a passive system reliability demonstration analysis for an external event. Centering on an earthquake with the possibility of site flooding, the analysis focuses on the behavior of the passive reactor cavity cooling system following potential physical damage and system flooding. The assessment approach seeks to combine mechanistic and simulation-based methods to leverage the benefits of the simulation-based approach without the need to substantially deviate from conventional probabilistic risk assessment techniques. While this study is presented as only an example analysis, the results appear to demonstrate a high level of reliability for the reactor cavity cooling system (and the reactor system in general) to the postulated transient event.« less

Advanced Reactor Passive System Reliability Demonstration Analysis for an External Event

DOE PAGES

Bucknor, Matthew; Grabaskas, David; Brunett, Acacia J.; ...

2017-01-24

We report that many advanced reactor designs rely on passive systems to fulfill safety functions during accident sequences. These systems depend heavily on boundary conditions to induce a motive force, meaning the system can fail to operate as intended because of deviations in boundary conditions, rather than as the result of physical failures. Furthermore, passive systems may operate in intermediate or degraded modes. These factors make passive system operation difficult to characterize within a traditional probabilistic framework that only recognizes discrete operating modes and does not allow for the explicit consideration of time-dependent boundary conditions. Argonne National Laboratory has beenmore » examining various methodologies for assessing passive system reliability within a probabilistic risk assessment for a station blackout event at an advanced small modular reactor. This paper provides an overview of a passive system reliability demonstration analysis for an external event. Considering an earthquake with the possibility of site flooding, the analysis focuses on the behavior of the passive Reactor Cavity Cooling System following potential physical damage and system flooding. The assessment approach seeks to combine mechanistic and simulation-based methods to leverage the benefits of the simulation-based approach without the need to substantially deviate from conventional probabilistic risk assessment techniques. Lastly, although this study is presented as only an example analysis, the results appear to demonstrate a high level of reliability of the Reactor Cavity Cooling System (and the reactor system in general) for the postulated transient event.« less

Enhancement of electricity production in a mediatorless air-cathode microbial fuel cell using Klebsiella sp. IR21.

PubMed

Lee, Yun-Yeong; Kim, Tae Gwan; Cho, Kyung-Suk

2016-06-01

A novel dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria, Klebsiella sp. IR21, was isolated from the anode biofilm of an MFC reactor. Klebsiella sp. IR21 reduced 27.8 % of ferric iron to ferrous iron demonstrating that Klebsiella sp. IR21 has electron transfer ability. Additionally, Klebsiella sp. IR21 generated electricity forming a biofilm on the anode surface. When a pure culture of Klebsiella sp. IR21 was supplied into a single chamber, air-cathode MFC fed with a mixture of glucose and acetate (500 mg L(-1) COD), 40-60 mV of voltage (17-26 mA m(-2) of current density) was produced. Klebsiella sp. IR21 was also utilized as a biocatalyst to improve the electrical performance of a conventional MFC reactor. A single chamber, air-cathode MFC was fed with reject wastewater (10,000 mg L(-1) COD) from a H2 fermentation reactor. The average voltage, current density, and power density were 142.9 ± 25.74 mV, 60.5 ± 11.61 mA m(-2), and 8.9 ± 3.65 mW m(-2), respectively, in the MFC without inoculation of Klebsiella sp. IR21. However, these electrical performances of the MFC were significantly increased to 204.7 ± 40.24 mV, 87.5 ± 17.20 mA m(-2), and 18.6 ± 7.23 mW m(-2), respectively, with inoculation of Klebsiella sp. IR21. The results indicate that Klebsiella sp. IR21 can be utilized as a biocatalyst for enhancement of electrical performance in MFC systems.

Inter-stage thermophilic aerobic digestion may increase organic matter removal from wastewater sludge without decreasing biogas production.

PubMed

Hafner, Sasha D; Madsen, Johan T; Pedersen, Johanna M; Rennuit, Charlotte

2018-02-01

Combining aerobic and anaerobic digestion in a two-stage system can improve the degradation of wastewater sludge over the use of either technology alone. But use of aerobic digestion as a pre-treatment before anaerobic digestion generally reduces methane production due to loss of substrate through oxidation. An inter-stage configuration may avoid this reduction in methane production. Here, we evaluated the use of thermophilic aerobic digestion (TAD) as an inter-stage treatment for wastewater sludge using laboratory-scale semi-continuous reactors. A single anaerobic digester was compared to an inter-stage system, where a thermophilic aerobic digester (55 °C) was used between two mesophilic anaerobic digesters (37 °C). Both systems had retention times of approximately 30 days, and the comparison was based on measurements made over 97 days. Results showed that the inter-stage system provided better sludge destruction (52% volatile solids (VS) removal vs. 40% for the single-stage system, 44% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal vs. 34%) without a decrease in total biogas production (methane yield per g VS added was 0.22-0.24 L g -1 for both systems).

Thermal analysis of heat and power plant with high temperature reactor and intermediate steam cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fic, Adam; Składzień, Jan; Gabriel, Michał

2015-03-01

Thermal analysis of a heat and power plant with a high temperature gas cooled nuclear reactor is presented. The main aim of the considered system is to supply a technological process with the heat at suitably high temperature level. The considered unit is also used to produce electricity. The high temperature helium cooled nuclear reactor is the primary heat source in the system, which consists of: the reactor cooling cycle, the steam cycle and the gas heat pump cycle. Helium used as a carrier in the first cycle (classic Brayton cycle), which includes the reactor, delivers heat in a steam generator to produce superheated steam with required parameters of the intermediate cycle. The intermediate cycle is provided to transport energy from the reactor installation to the process installation requiring a high temperature heat. The distance between reactor and the process installation is assumed short and negligable, or alternatively equal to 1 km in the analysis. The system is also equipped with a high temperature argon heat pump to obtain the temperature level of a heat carrier required by a high temperature process. Thus, the steam of the intermediate cycle supplies a lower heat exchanger of the heat pump, a process heat exchanger at the medium temperature level and a classical steam turbine system (Rankine cycle). The main purpose of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of the system considered and to assess whether such a three cycle cogeneration system is reasonable. Multivariant calculations have been carried out employing the developed mathematical model. The results have been presented in a form of the energy efficiency and exergy efficiency of the system as a function of the temperature drop in the high temperature process heat exchanger and the reactor pressure.

Autonomous Control of Nuclear Power Plants

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

Basher, H.

2003-10-20

A nuclear reactor is a complex system that requires highly sophisticated controllers to ensure that desired performance and safety can be achieved and maintained during its operations. Higher-demanding operational requirements such as reliability, lower environmental impacts, and improved performance under adverse conditions in nuclear power plants, coupled with the complexity and uncertainty of the models, necessitate the use of an increased level of autonomy in the control methods. In the opinion of many researchers, the tasks involved during nuclear reactor design and operation (e.g., design optimization, transient diagnosis, and core reload optimization) involve important human cognition and decisions that maymore » be more easily achieved with intelligent methods such as expert systems, fuzzy logic, neural networks, and genetic algorithms. Many experts in the field of control systems share the idea that a higher degree of autonomy in control of complex systems such as nuclear plants is more easily achievable through the integration of conventional control systems and the intelligent components. Researchers have investigated the feasibility of the integration of fuzzy logic, neural networks, genetic algorithms, and expert systems with the conventional control methods to achieve higher degrees of autonomy in different aspects of reactor operations such as reactor startup, shutdown in emergency situations, fault detection and diagnosis, nuclear reactor alarm processing and diagnosis, and reactor load-following operations, to name a few. With the advancement of new technologies and computing power, it is feasible to automate most of the nuclear reactor control and operation, which will result in increased safety and economical benefits. This study surveys current status, practices, and recent advances made towards developing autonomous control systems for nuclear reactors.« less

New reactor technology: safety improvements in nuclear power systems.

PubMed

Corradini, M L

2007-11-01

Almost 450 nuclear power plants are currently operating throughout the world and supplying about 17% of the world's electricity. These plants perform safely, reliably, and have no free-release of byproducts to the environment. Given the current rate of growth in electricity demand and the ever growing concerns for the environment, nuclear power can only satisfy the need for electricity and other energy-intensive products if it can demonstrate (1) enhanced safety and system reliability, (2) minimal environmental impact via sustainable system designs, and (3) competitive economics. The U.S. Department of Energy with the international community has begun research on the next generation of nuclear energy systems that can be made available to the market by 2030 or earlier, and that can offer significant advances toward these challenging goals; in particular, six candidate reactor system designs have been identified. These future nuclear power systems will require advances in materials, reactor physics, as well as thermal-hydraulics to realize their full potential. However, all of these designs must demonstrate enhanced safety above and beyond current light water reactor systems if the next generation of nuclear power plants is to grow in number far beyond the current population. This paper reviews the advanced Generation-IV reactor systems and the key safety phenomena that must be considered to guarantee that enhanced safety can be assured in future nuclear reactor systems.

Catalytic Reactor for Inerting of Aircraft Fuel Tanks

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-06-01

Aluminum Panels After Triphase Corrosion Test 79 35 Inerting System Flows in Various Flight Modes 82 36 High Flow Reactor Parametric Data 84 37 System...AD/A-000 939 CATALYTIC REACTOR FOR INERTING OF AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS George H. McDonald, et al AiResearch Manufacturing Company Prepared for: Air Force...190th Street 2b. GROUP Torrance, California .. REPORT TITLE CATALYTIC REACTOR FOR INERTING OF AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS . OESCRIP TIVE NOTEs (Thpe of refpoft

Fission control system for nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Conley, G.H.; Estes, G.P.

Control system for nuclear reactor comprises a first set of reactivity modifying rods fixed in a reactor core with their upper ends stepped in height across the core, and a second set of reactivity modifying rods movable vertically within the reactor core and having their lower ends stepped to correspond with the stepped arrangement of the first set of rods, pairs of the rods of the first and second sets being in coaxial alignment.

Statistical Exposé of a Multiple-Compartment Anaerobic Reactor Treating Domestic Wastewater.

PubMed

Pfluger, Andrew R; Hahn, Martha J; Hering, Amanda S; Munakata-Marr, Junko; Figueroa, Linda

2018-06-01

  Mainstream anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater is a promising energy-generating treatment strategy; however, such reactors operated in colder regions are not well characterized. Performance data from a pilot-scale, multiple-compartment anaerobic reactor taken over 786 days were subjected to comprehensive statistical analyses. Results suggest that chemical oxygen demand (COD) was a poor proxy for organics in anaerobic systems as oxygen demand from dissolved inorganic material, dissolved methane, and colloidal material influence dissolved and particulate COD measurements. Additionally, univariate and functional boxplots were useful in visualizing variability in contaminant concentrations and identifying statistical outliers. Further, significantly different dissolved organic removal and methane production was observed between operational years, suggesting that anaerobic reactor systems may not achieve steady-state performance within one year. Last, modeling multiple-compartment reactor systems will require data collected over at least two years to capture seasonal variations of the major anaerobic microbial functions occurring within each reactor compartment.

Using thermal balance model to determine optimal reactor volume and insulation material needed in a laboratory-scale composting reactor.

PubMed

Wang, Yongjiang; Pang, Li; Liu, Xinyu; Wang, Yuansheng; Zhou, Kexun; Luo, Fei

2016-04-01

A comprehensive model of thermal balance and degradation kinetics was developed to determine the optimal reactor volume and insulation material. Biological heat production and five channels of heat loss were considered in the thermal balance model for a representative reactor. Degradation kinetics was developed to make the model applicable to different types of substrates. Simulation of the model showed that the internal energy accumulation of compost was the significant heat loss channel, following by heat loss through reactor wall, and latent heat of water evaporation. Lower proportion of heat loss occurred through the reactor wall when the reactor volume was larger. Insulating materials with low densities and low conductive coefficients were more desirable for building small reactor systems. Model developed could be used to determine the optimal reactor volume and insulation material needed before the fabrication of a lab-scale composting system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Employing ISRU Models to Improve Hardware Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linne, Diane L.

2010-01-01

An analytical model for hydrogen reduction of regolith was used to investigate the effects of several key variables on the energy and mass performance of reactors for a lunar in-situ resource utilization oxygen production plant. Reactor geometry, reaction time, number of reactors, heat recuperation, heat loss, and operating pressure were all studied to guide hardware designers who are developing future prototype reactors. The effects of heat recuperation where the incoming regolith is pre-heated by the hot spent regolith before transfer was also investigated for the first time. In general, longer reaction times per batch provide a lower overall energy, but also result in larger and heavier reactors. Three reactors with long heat-up times results in similar energy requirements as a two-reactor system with all other parameters the same. Three reactors with heat recuperation results in energy reductions of 20 to 40 percent compared to a three-reactor system with no heat recuperation. Increasing operating pressure can provide similar energy reductions as heat recuperation for the same reaction times.

NEUTRONIC REACTOR SYSTEM

DOEpatents

Treshow, M.

1959-02-10

A reactor system incorporating a reactor of the heterogeneous boiling water type is described. The reactor is comprised essentially of a core submerged adwater in the lower half of a pressure vessel and two distribution rings connected to a source of water are disposed within the pressure vessel above the reactor core, the lower distribution ring being submerged adjacent to the uppcr end of the reactor core and the other distribution ring being located adjacent to the top of the pressure vessel. A feed-water control valve, responsive to the steam demand of the load, is provided in the feedwater line to the distribution rings and regulates the amount of feed water flowing to each distribution ring, the proportion of water flowing to the submerged distribution ring being proportional to the steam demand of the load. This invention provides an automatic means exterior to the reactor to control the reactivity of the reactor over relatively long periods of time without relying upon movement of control rods or of other moving parts within the reactor structure.

Thermally Simulated 32kW Direct-Drive Gas-Cooled Reactor: Design, Assembly, and Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godfroy, Thomas J.; Kapernick, Richard J.; Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.

2004-02-01

One of the power systems under consideration for nuclear electric propulsion is a direct-drive gas-cooled reactor coupled to a Brayton cycle. In this system, power is transferred from the reactor to the Brayton system via a circulated closed loop gas. To allow early utilization, system designs must be relatively simple, easy to fabricate, and easy to test using non-nuclear heaters to closely mimic heat from fission. This combination of attributes will allow pre-prototypic systems to be designed, fabricated, and tested quickly and affordably. The ability to build and test units is key to the success of a nuclear program, especially if an early flight is desired. The ability to perform very realistic non-nuclear testing increases the success probability of the system. In addition, the technologies required by a concept will substantially impact the cost, time, and resources required to develop a successful space reactor power system. This paper describes design features, assembly, and test matrix for the testing of a thermally simulated 32kW direct-drive gas-cooled reactor in the Early Flight Fission - Test Facility (EFF-TF) at Marshall Space Flight Center. The reactor design and test matrix are provided by Los Alamos National Laboratories.

A Gas-Cooled-Reactor Closed-Brayton-Cycle Demonstration with Nuclear Heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipinski, Ronald J.; Wright, Steven A.; Dorsey, Daniel J.; Peters, Curtis D.; Brown, Nicholas; Williamson, Joshua; Jablonski, Jennifer

2005-02-01

A gas-cooled reactor may be coupled directly to turbomachinery to form a closed-Brayton-cycle (CBC) system in which the CBC working fluid serves as the reactor coolant. Such a system has the potential to be a very simple and robust space-reactor power system. Gas-cooled reactors have been built and operated in the past, but very few have been coupled directly to the turbomachinery in this fashion. In this paper we describe the option for testing such a system with a small reactor and turbomachinery at Sandia National Laboratories. Sandia currently operates the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) at steady-state powers up to 4 MW and has an adjacent facility with heavy shielding in which another reactor recently operated. Sandia also has a closed-Brayton-Cycle test bed with a converted commercial turbomachinery unit that is rated for up to 30 kWe of power. It is proposed to construct a small experimental gas-cooled reactor core and attach this via ducting to the CBC turbomachinery for cooling and electricity production. Calculations suggest that such a unit could produce about 20 kWe, which would be a good power level for initial surface power units on the Moon or Mars. The intent of this experiment is to demonstrate the stable start-up and operation of such a system. Of particular interest is the effect of a negative temperature power coefficient as the initially cold Brayton gas passes through the core during startup or power changes. Sandia's dynamic model for such a system would be compared with the performance data. This paper describes the neutronics, heat transfer, and cycle dynamics of this proposed system. Safety and radiation issues are presented. The views expressed in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect agreement by the government.

An approach for coupled-code multiphysics core simulations from a common input

DOE PAGES

Schmidt, Rodney; Belcourt, Kenneth; Hooper, Russell; ...

2014-12-10

This study describes an approach for coupled-code multiphysics reactor core simulations that is being developed by the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA) project in the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light-Water Reactors (CASL). In this approach a user creates a single problem description, called the “VERAIn” common input file, to define and setup the desired coupled-code reactor core simulation. A preprocessing step accepts the VERAIn file and generates a set of fully consistent input files for the different physics codes being coupled. The problem is then solved using a single-executable coupled-code simulation tool applicable to the problem, which ismore » built using VERA infrastructure software tools and the set of physics codes required for the problem of interest. The approach is demonstrated by performing an eigenvalue and power distribution calculation of a typical three-dimensional 17 × 17 assembly with thermal–hydraulic and fuel temperature feedback. All neutronics aspects of the problem (cross-section calculation, neutron transport, power release) are solved using the Insilico code suite and are fully coupled to a thermal–hydraulic analysis calculated by the Cobra-TF (CTF) code. The single-executable coupled-code (Insilico-CTF) simulation tool is created using several VERA tools, including LIME (Lightweight Integrating Multiphysics Environment for coupling codes), DTK (Data Transfer Kit), Trilinos, and TriBITS. Parallel calculations are performed on the Titan supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory using 1156 cores, and a synopsis of the solution results and code performance is presented. Finally, ongoing development of this approach is also briefly described.« less

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.

One-step synthesis of pyridines and dihydropyridines in a continuous flow microwave reactor

PubMed Central

Fusillo, Vincenzo; Jenkins, Robert L; Lubinu, M Caterina; Mason, Christopher

2013-01-01

Summary The Bohlmann–Rahtz pyridine synthesis and the Hantzsch dihydropyridine synthesis can be carried out in a microwave flow reactor or using a conductive heating flow platform for the continuous processing of material. In the Bohlmann–Rahtz reaction, the use of a Brønsted acid catalyst allows Michael addition and cyclodehydration to be carried out in a single step without isolation of intermediates to give the corresponding trisubstituted pyridine as a single regioisomer in good yield. Furthermore, 3-substituted propargyl aldehydes undergo Hantzsch dihydropyridine synthesis in preference to Bohlmann–Rahtz reaction in a very high yielding process that is readily transferred to continuous flow processing. PMID:24204407

VERAIn

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

Simunovic, Srdjan

2015-02-16

CASL's modeling and simulation technology, the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA), incorporates coupled physics and science-based models, state-of-the-art numerical methods, modern computational science, integrated uncertainty quantification (UQ) and validation against data from operating pressurized water reactors (PWRs), single-effect experiments, and integral tests. The computational simulation component of VERA is the VERA Core Simulator (VERA-CS). The core simulator is the specific collection of multi-physics computer codes used to model and deplete a LWR core over multiple cycles. The core simulator has a single common input file that drives all of the different physics codes. The parser code, VERAIn, converts VERAmore » Input into an XML file that is used as input to different VERA codes.« less

Single-reactor process for producing liquid-phase organic compounds from biomass

DOEpatents

Dumesic, James A.; Simonetti, Dante A.; Kunkes, Edward L.

2015-12-08

Disclosed is a method for preparing liquid fuel and chemical intermediates from biomass-derived oxygenated hydrocarbons. The method includes the steps of reacting in a single reactor an aqueous solution of a biomass-derived, water-soluble oxygenated hydrocarbon reactant, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, and Au, at a temperature, and a pressure, and for a time sufficient to yield a self-separating, three-phase product stream comprising a vapor phase, an organic phase containing linear and/or cyclic mono-oxygenated hydrocarbons, and an aqueous phase.

Single-reactor process for producing liquid-phase organic compounds from biomass

DOEpatents

Dumesic, James A [Verona, WI; Simonetti, Dante A [Middleton, WI; Kunkes, Edward L [Madison, WI

2011-12-13

Disclosed is a method for preparing liquid fuel and chemical intermediates from biomass-derived oxygenated hydrocarbons. The method includes the steps of reacting in a single reactor an aqueous solution of a biomass-derived, water-soluble oxygenated hydrocarbon reactant, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, and Au, at a temperature, and a pressure, and for a time sufficient to yield a self-separating, three-phase product stream comprising a vapor phase, an organic phase containing linear and/or cyclic mono-oxygenated hydrocarbons, and an aqueous phase.

Methods and strategies for future reactor safety goals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arndt, Steven Andrew

There have been significant discussions over the past few years by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS), and others as to the adequacy of the NRC safety goals for use with the next generation of nuclear power reactors to be built in the United States. The NRC, in its safety goals policy statement, has provided general qualitative safety goals and basic quantitative health objectives (QHOs) for nuclear reactors in the United States. Risk metrics such as core damage frequency (CDF) and large early release frequency (LERF) have been used as surrogates for the QHOs. In its review of the new plant licensing policy the ACRS has looked at the safety goals, as has the NRC. A number of issues have been raised including what the Commission had in mind when it drafted the safety goals and QHOs, how risk from multiple reactors at a site should be combined for evaluation, how the combination of a new and old reactor at the same site should be evaluated, what the criteria for evaluating new reactors should be, and whether new reactors should be required to be safer than current generation reactors. As part of the development and application of the NRC safety goal policy statement the Commissioners laid out the expectations for the safety of a nuclear power plant but did not address the risk associated with current multi-unit sites, potential modular reactor sites, and hybrid sites that could contain current generation reactors, new passive reactors, and/or modular reactors. The NRC safety goals and the QHOs refer to a "nuclear power plant," but do not discuss whether a "plant" refers to only a single unit or all of the units on a site. There has been much discussion on this issue recently due to the development of modular reactors. Additionally, the risk of multiple reactor accidents on the same site has been largely ignored in the probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) done to date, and in most risk-informed analyses and discussions. This dissertation examines potential approaches to updating the safety goals that include the establishment of new quantitative safety goal associated with the comparative risk of generating electricity by viable competing technologies and modifications of the goals to account for multi-plant reactor sites, and issues associated with the use of safety goals in both initial licensing and operational decision making. This research develops a new quantitative health objective that uses a comparable benefit risk metric based on the life-cycle risk of the construction, operation and decommissioning of a comparable non-nuclear electric generation facility, as well as the risks associated with mining and transportation. This dissertation also evaluates the effects of using various methods for aggregating site risk as a safety metric, as opposed to using single plant safety goals. Additionally, a number of important assumptions inherent in the current safety goals, including the effect of other potential negative societal effects such as the generation of greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) have on the risk of electric power production and their effects on the setting of safety goals, is explored. Finally, the role risk perception should play in establishing safety goals has been explored. To complete this evaluation, a new method to analytically compare alternative technologies of generating electricity was developed, including development of a new way to evaluate risk perception, and a new method was developed for evaluating the risk at multiple units on a single site. To test these modifications to the safety goals a number of possible reactor designs and configurations were evaluated using these new proposed safety goals to determine the goals' usefulness and utility. The results of the analysis showed that the modifications provide measures that more closely evaluate the potential risk to the public from the operation of nuclear power plants than the current safety goals, while still providing a straight-forward process for assessment of reactor design and operation.

ICP-MS analysis of fission product diffusion in graphite for High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Lukas M.

Release of radioactive fission products from nuclear fuel during normal reactor operation or in accident scenarios is a fundamental safety concern. Of paramount importance are the understanding and elucidation of mechanisms of chemical interaction, nuclear interaction, and transport phenomena involving fission products. Worldwide efforts to reduce fossil fuel dependence coupled with an increasing overall energy demand have generated renewed enthusiasm toward nuclear power technologies, and as such, these mechanisms continue to be the subjects of vigorous research. High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors (HTGRs or VHTRs) remain one of the most promising candidates for the next generation of nuclear power reactors. An extant knowledge gap specific to HTGR technology derives from an incomplete understanding of fission product transport in major core materials under HTGR operational conditions. Our specific interest in the current work is diffusion in reactor graphite. Development of methods for analysis of diffusion of multiple fission products is key to providing accurate models for fission product release from HTGR core components and the reactor as a whole. In the present work, a specialized diffusion cell has been developed and constructed to facilitate real-time diffusion measurements via ICP-MS. The cell utilizes a helium gas-jet system which transports diffusing fission products to the mass spectrometer using carbon nanoparticles. The setup was designed to replicate conditions present in a functioning HTGR, and can be configured for real-time release or permeation measurements of single or multiple fission products from graphite or other core materials. In the present work, we have analyzed release rates of cesium in graphite grades IG-110, NBG-18, and a commercial grade of graphite, as well as release of iodine in IG-110. Additionally we have investigated infusion of graphite samples with Cs, I, Sr, Ag, and other surrogate fission products for use in release or profile measurements of diffusion coefficients.

World Energy Data System (WENDS). Volume XI. Nuclear fission program summaries

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

Not Available

1979-06-01

Brief management and technical summaries of nuclear fission power programs are presented for nineteen countries. The programs include the following: fuel supply, resource recovery, enrichment, fuel fabrication, light water reactors, heavy water reactors, gas cooled reactors, breeder reactors, research and test reactors, spent fuel processing, waste management, and safety and environment. (JWR)

A study on using fireclay as a biomass carrier in an activated sludge system.

PubMed

Tilaki, Ramazan Ali Dianati

2011-01-01

By adding a biomass carrier to an activated sludge system, the biomass concentration will increase, and subsequently the organic removal efficiency will be enhanced. In this study, the possibility of using excess sludge from ceramic and tile manufacturing plants as a biomass carrier was investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of using fireclay as a biomass carrier on biomass concentration, organic removal and nitrification efficiency in an activated sludge system. Experiments were conducted by using a bench scale activated sludge system operating in batch and continuous modes. Artificial simulated wastewater was made by using recirculated water in a ceramic manufacturing plant. In the continuous mode, hydraulic detention time in the aeration reactor was 8 and 22 h. In the batch mode, aeration time was 8 and 16 h. Fireclay doses were 500, 1,400 and 2,250 mg l(-1), and were added to the reactors in each experiment separately. The reactor with added fireclay was called a Hybrid Biological Reactor (HBR). A reactor without added fireclay was used as a control. Efficiency parameters such as COD, MLVSS and nitrate were measured in the control and HBR reactors according to standard methods. The average concentration of biomass in the HBR reactor was greater than in the control reactor. The total biomass concentration in the HBR reactor (2.25 g l(-1) fireclay) in the continuous mode was 3,000 mg l(-1) and in the batch mode was 2,400 mg l(-1). The attached biomass concentration in the HBR reactor (2.25 g l(-1) fireclay) in the continuous mode was 1,500 mg l(-1) and in the batch mode was 980 mg l(-1). Efficiency for COD removal in the HBR and control reactor was 95 and 55%, respectively. In the HBR reactor, nitrification was enhanced, and the concentration of nitrate was increased by 80%. By increasing the fireclay dose, total and attached biomass was increased. By adding fireclay as a biomass carrier, the efficiency of an activated sludge system to treat wastewater from ceramic manufacturing plants was increased.

Developments and Tendencies in Fission Reactor Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamov, E. O.; Fuji-Ie, Y.

This chapter describes, in two parts, new-generation nuclear energy systems that are required to be in harmony with nature and to make full use of nuclear resources. The issues of transmutation and containment of radioactive waste will also be addressed. After a short introduction to the first part, Sect. 58.1.2 will detail the requirements these systems must satisfy on the basic premise of peaceful use of nuclear energy. The expected designs themselves are described in Sect. 58.1.3. The subsequent sections discuss various types of advanced reactor systems. Section 58.1.4 deals with the light water reactor (LWR) whose performance is still expected to improve, which would extend its application in the future. The supercritical-water-cooled reactor (SCWR) will also be shortly discussed. Section 58.1.5 is mainly on the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), which offers efficient and multipurpose use of nuclear energy. The gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR) is also included. Section 58.1.6 focuses on the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) as a promising concept for advanced nuclear reactors, which may help both to achieve expansion of energy sources and environmental protection thus contributing to the sustainable development of mankind. The molten-salt reactor (MSR) is shortly described in Sect. 58.1.7. The second part of the chapter deals with reactor systems of a new generation, which are now found at the research and development (R&D) stage and in the medium term of 20-30 years can shape up as reliable, economically efficient, and environmentally friendly energy sources. They are viewed as technologies of cardinal importance, capable of resolving the problems of fuel resources, minimizing the quantities of generated radioactive waste and the environmental impacts, and strengthening the regime of nonproliferation of the materials suitable for nuclear weapons production. Particular attention has been given to naturally safe fast reactors with a closed fuel cycle (CFC) - as an advanced and promising reactor system that offers solutions to the above problems. The difference (not confrontation) between the approaches to nuclear power development based on the principles of “inherent safety” and “natural safety” is demonstrated.

Flow reversal power limit for the HFBR

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

Cheng, Lap Y.; Tichler, P.R.

The High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) undergoes a buoyancy-driven reversal of flow in the reactor core following certain postulated accidents. Uncertainties about the afterheat removal capability during the flow reversal has limited the reactor operating power to 30 MW. An experimental and analytical program to address these uncertainties is described in this report. The experiments were single channel flow reversal tests under a range of conditions. The analytical phase involved simulations of the tests to benchmark the physical models and development of a criterion for dryout. The criterion is then used in simulations of reactor accidents to determine a safemore » operating power level. It is concluded that the limit on the HFBR operating power with respect to the issue of flow reversal is in excess of 60 MW.« less

Modeling and simulation of enzymatic gluconic acid production using immobilized enzyme and CSTR-PFTR circulation reaction system.

PubMed

Li, Can; Lin, Jianqun; Gao, Ling; Lin, Huibin; Lin, Jianqiang

2018-04-01

Production of gluconic acid by using immobilized enzyme and continuous stirred tank reactor-plug flow tubular reactor (CSTR-PFTR) circulation reaction system. A production system is constructed for gluconic acid production, which consists of a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) for pH control and liquid storage and a plug flow tubular reactor (PFTR) filled with immobilized glucose oxidase (GOD) for gluconic acid production. Mathematical model is developed for this production system and simulation is made for the enzymatic reaction process. The pH inhibition effect on GOD is modeled by using a bell-type curve. Gluconic acid can be efficiently produced by using the reaction system and the mathematical model developed for this system can simulate and predict the process well.

Design of virtual SCADA simulation system for pressurized water reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wijaksono, Umar; Abdullah, Ade Gafar; Hakim, Dadang Lukman

2016-02-01

The Virtual SCADA system is a software-based Human-Machine Interface that can visualize the process of a plant. This paper described the results of the virtual SCADA system design that aims to recognize the principle of the Nuclear Power Plant type Pressurized Water Reactor. This simulation uses technical data of the Nuclear Power Plant Unit Olkiluoto 3 in Finland. This device was developed using Wonderware Intouch, which is equipped with manual books for each component, animation links, alarm systems, real time and historical trending, and security system. The results showed that in general this device can demonstrate clearly the principles of energy flow and energy conversion processes in Pressurized Water Reactors. This virtual SCADA simulation system can be used as instructional media to recognize the principle of Pressurized Water Reactor.

Browns Ferry-1 single-loop operation tests

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

March-Leuba, J.; Wood, R.T.; Otaduy, P.J.

1985-09-01

This report documents the results of the stability tests performed on February 9, 1985, at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 under single-loop operating conditions. The observed increase in neutron noise during single-loop operation is solely due to an increase in flow noise. The Browns Ferry-1 reactor has been found to be stable in all modes of operation attained during the present tests. The most unstable test plateau corresponded to minimum recirculation pump speed in single-loop operation (test BFTP3). This operating condition had the minimum flow and maximum power-to-flow ratio. The estimated decay ratio in this plateau ismore » 0.53. The decay ratio decreased as the flow was increased during single-loop operation (down to 0.34 for test plateau BFTP6). This observation implies that the core-wide reactor stability follows the same trends in single-loop as it does in two-loop operation. Finally, no local or higher mode instabilities were found in the data taken from local power range monitors. The decay ratios estimated from the local power range monitors were not significantly different from those estimated from the average power range monitors.« less

Computer simulation of magnetization-controlled shunt reactors for calculating electromagnetic transients in power systems

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

Karpov, A. S.

2013-01-15

A computer procedure for simulating magnetization-controlled dc shunt reactors is described, which enables the electromagnetic transients in electric power systems to be calculated. It is shown that, by taking technically simple measures in the control system, one can obtain high-speed reactors sufficient for many purposes, and dispense with the use of high-power devices for compensating higher harmonic components.

Application of the Enabler to nuclear electric propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, Bill L.

This paper describes a power system concept that provides the electric power for a baseline electric propulsion system for a piloted mission to Mars. A 10-MWe space power system is formed by coupling an Enabler reactor with a simple non-recuperated closed Brayton cycle. The Enabler reactor is a gas-cooled reactor based on proven reactor technology developed under the NERVA/Rover programs. The selected power cycle, which uses a helium-xenon mixture at 1920 K at the turbine inlet, is diagramed and described. The specific mass of the power system over the power range from 5 to 70 MWe is given. The impact of operating life on the specific mass of a 10-MWe system is also shown.

Emergency heat removal system for a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Dunckel, Thomas L.

1976-01-01

A heat removal system for nuclear reactors serving as a supplement to an Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) during a Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) comprises a plurality of heat pipes having one end in heat transfer relationship with either the reactor pressure vessel, the core support grid structure or other in-core components and the opposite end located in heat transfer relationship with a heat exchanger having heat transfer fluid therein. The heat exchanger is located external to the pressure vessel whereby excessive core heat is transferred from the above reactor components and dissipated within the heat exchanger fluid.

Bioregenerative technologies for waste processing and resource recovery in advanced space life support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamberland, Dennis

1991-01-01

The Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) for producing oxygen, water, and food in space will require an interactive facility to process and return wastes as resources to the system. This paper examines the bioregenerative techologies for waste processing and resource recovery considered for a CELSS Resource Recovery system. The components of this system consist of a series of biological reactors to treat the liquid and solid material fractions, in which the aerobic and anaerobic reactors are combined in a block called the Combined Reactor Equipment (CORE) block. The CORE block accepts the human wastes, kitchen wastes, inedible refractory plant materials, grey waters from the CELLS system, and aquaculture solids and processes these materials in either aerobic or anaerobic reactors depending on the desired product and the rates required by the integrated system.

Advanced shield development for a fission surface power system for the lunar surface

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

A. E. Craft; I. J. Silver; C. M. Clark

A nuclear reactor power system such as the affordable fission surface power system enables a potential outpostonthemoon.Aradiation shieldmustbe included in the reactor system to reduce the otherwise excessive dose to the astronauts and other vital system components. The radiation shield is typically the most massive component of a space reactor system, and thus must be optimized to reduce mass asmuchas possible while still providing the required protection.Various shield options for an on-lander reactor system are examined for outpost distances of 400m and 1 kmfromthe reactor. Also investigated is the resulting mass savings from the use of a high performance cermetmore » fuel. A thermal analysis is performed to determine the thermal behaviours of radiation shields using borated water. For an outpost located 1000m from the core, a tetramethylammonium borohydride shield is the lightest (5148.4 kg), followed by a trilayer shield (boron carbide–tungsten–borated water; 5832.3 kg), and finally a borated water shield (6020.7 kg). In all of the final design cases, the temperature of the borated water remains below 400 K.« less

Thorium Fuel Utilization Analysis on Small Long Life Reactor for Different Coolant Types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Permana, Sidik

2017-07-01

A small power reactor and long operation which can be deployed for less population and remote area has been proposed by the IAEA as a small and medium reactor (SMR) program. Beside uranium utilization, it can be used also thorium fuel resources for SMR as a part of optimalization of nuclear fuel as a “partner” fuel with uranium fuel. A small long-life reactor based on thorium fuel cycle for several reactor coolant types and several power output has been evaluated in the present study for 10 years period of reactor operation. Several key parameters are used to evaluate its effect to the reactor performances such as reactor criticality, excess reactivity, reactor burnup achievement and power density profile. Water-cooled types give higher criticality than liquid metal coolants. Liquid metal coolant for fast reactor system gives less criticality especially at beginning of cycle (BOC), which shows liquid metal coolant system obtains almost stable criticality condition. Liquid metal coolants are relatively less excess reactivity to maintain longer reactor operation than water coolants. In addition, liquid metal coolant gives higher achievable burnup than water coolant types as well as higher power density for liquid metal coolants.

Optimization of on-line hydrogen stable isotope ratio measurements of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organic compounds using elemental analyzer-chromium/high-temperature conversion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS).

PubMed

Gehre, Matthias; Renpenning, Julian; Geilmann, Heike; Qi, Haiping; Coplen, Tyler B; Kümmel, Steffen; Ivdra, Natalija; Brand, Willi A; Schimmelmann, Arndt

2017-03-30

Accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organics has not been possible with traditional high-temperature conversion (HTC) because the formation of hydrogen-bearing reaction products other than molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) is responsible for non-quantitative H 2 yields and possible hydrogen isotopic fractionation. Our previously introduced, new chromium-based EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS (Elemental Analyzer-Chromium/High-Temperature Conversion Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry) technique focused primarily on nitrogen-bearing compounds. Several technical and analytical issues concerning halogen- and sulfur-bearing samples, however, remained unresolved and required further refinement of the reactor systems. The EA-Cr/HTC reactor was substantially modified for the conversion of halogen- and sulfur-bearing samples. The performance of the novel conversion setup for solid and liquid samples was monitored and optimized using a simultaneously operating dual-detection system of IRMS and ion trap MS. The method with several variants in the reactor, including the addition of manganese metal chips, was evaluated in three laboratories using EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS (on-line method) and compared with traditional uranium-reduction-based conversion combined with manual dual-inlet IRMS analysis (off-line method) in one laboratory. The modified EA-Cr/HTC reactor setup showed an overall H 2 -recovery of more than 96% for all halogen- and sulfur-bearing organic compounds. All results were successfully normalized via two-point calibration with VSMOW-SLAP reference waters. Precise and accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis was achieved for a variety of organics containing F-, Cl-, Br-, I-, and S-bearing heteroelements. The robust nature of the on-line EA-Cr/HTC technique was demonstrated by a series of 196 consecutive measurements with a single reactor filling. The optimized EA-Cr/HTC reactor design can be implemented in existing analytical equipment using commercially available material and is universally applicable for both heteroelement-bearing and heteroelement-free organic-compound classes. The sensitivity and simplicity of the on-line EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS technique provide a much needed tool for routine hydrogen-isotope source tracing of organic contaminants in the environment. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Space nuclear power systems; Proceedings of the 8th Symposium, Albuquerque, NM, Jan. 6-10, 1991. Pts. 1-3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

El-Genk, Mohamed S. (Editor); Hoover, Mark D. (Editor)

1991-01-01

The present conference discusses NASA mission planning for space nuclear power, lunar mission design based on nuclear thermal rockets, inertial-electrostatic confinement fusion for space power, nuclear risk analysis of the Ulysses mission, the role of the interface in refractory metal alloy composites, an advanced thermionic reactor systems design code, and space high power nuclear-pumped lasers. Also discussed are exploration mission enhancements with power-beaming, power requirement estimates for a nuclear-powered manned Mars rover, SP-100 reactor design, safety, and testing, materials compatibility issues for fabric composite radiators, application of the enabler to nuclear electric propulsion, orbit-transfer with TOPAZ-type power sources, the thermoelectric properties of alloys, ruthenium silicide as a promising thermoelectric material, and innovative space-saving device for high-temperature piping systems. The second volume of this conference discusses engine concepts for nuclear electric propulsion, nuclear technologies for human exploration of the solar system, dynamic energy conversion, direct nuclear propulsion, thermionic conversion technology, reactor and power system control, thermal management, thermionic research, effects of radiation on electronics, heat-pipe technology, radioisotope power systems, and nuclear fuels for power reactors. The third volume discusses space power electronics, space nuclear fuels for propulsion reactors, power systems concepts, space power electronics systems, the use of artificial intelligence in space, flight qualifications and testing, microgravity two-phase flow, reactor manufacturing and processing, and space and environmental effects.

Reference reactor module for NASA's lunar surface fission power system

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

Poston, David I; Kapernick, Richard J; Dixon, David D

Surface fission power systems on the Moon and Mars may provide the first US application of fission reactor technology in space since 1965. The Affordable Fission Surface Power System (AFSPS) study was completed by NASA/DOE to determine the cost of a modest performance, low-technical risk surface power system. The AFSPS concept is now being further developed within the Fission Surface Power (FSP) Project, which is a near-term technology program to demonstrate system-level TRL-6 by 2013. This paper describes the reference FSP reactor module concept, which is designed to provide a net power of 40 kWe for 8 years on themore » lunar surface; note, the system has been designed with technologies that are fully compatible with a Martian surface application. The reactor concept uses stainless-steel based. UO{sub 2}-fueled, pumped-NaK fission reactor coupled to free-piston Stirling converters. The reactor shielding approach utilizes both in-situ and launched shielding to keep the dose to astronauts much lower than the natural background radiation on the lunar surface. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide a 'workhorse' power system that NASA can utilize in near-term and future Lunar and Martian mission architectures, with the eventual capability to evolve to very high power, low mass systems, for either surface, deep space, and/or orbital missions.« less

Flow reversal power limit for the HFBR

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

Cheng, L.Y.; Tichler, P.R.

The High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) is a pressurized heavy water moderated and cooled research reactor that began operation at 40 MW. The reactor was subsequently upgraded to 60 MW and operated at that level for several years. The reactor undergoes a buoyancy-driven reversal of flow in the reactor core following certain postulated accidents. Questions which were raised about the afterheat removal capability during the flow reversal transition led to a reactor shutdown and subsequent resumption of operation at a reduced power of 30 MW. An experimental and analytical program to address these questions is described in this report. Themore » experiments were single channel flow reversal tests under a range of conditions. The analytical phase involved simulations of the tests to benchmark the physical models and development of a criterion for dryout. The criterion is then used in simulations of reactor accidents to determine a safe operating power level. It is concluded that the limit on the HFBR operating power with respect to the issue of flow reversal is in excess of 60 MW. Direct use of the experimental results and an understanding of the governing phenomenology supports this conclusion.« less

Plasma reactor waste management systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ness, Robert O., Jr.; Rindt, John R.; Ness, Sumitra R.

1992-01-01

The University of North Dakota is developing a plasma reactor system for use in closed-loop processing that includes biological, materials, manufacturing, and waste processing. Direct-current, high-frequency, or microwave discharges will be used to produce plasmas for the treatment of materials. The plasma reactors offer several advantages over other systems, including low operating temperatures, low operating pressures, mechanical simplicity, and relatively safe operation. Human fecal material, sunflowers, oats, soybeans, and plastic were oxidized in a batch plasma reactor. Over 98 percent of the organic material was converted to gaseous products. The solids were then analyzed and a large amount of water and acid-soluble materials were detected. These materials could possibly be used as nutrients for biological systems.

Expert system for surveillance and diagnosis of breach fuel elements

DOEpatents

Gross, K.C.

1988-01-21

An apparatus and method are disclosed for surveillance and diagnosis of breached fuel elements in a nuclear reactor. A delayed neutron monitoring system provides output signals indicating the delayed neutron activity and age and the equivalent recoil area of a breached fuel element. Sensors are used to provide outputs indicating the status of each component of the delayed neutron monitoring system. Detectors also generate output signals indicating the reactor power level and the primary coolant flow rate of the reactor. The outputs from the detectors and sensors are interfaced with an artificial intelligence-based knowledge system which implements predetermined logic and generates output signals indicating the operability of the reactor. 2 figs.

Expert system for surveillance and diagnosis of breach fuel elements

DOEpatents

Gross, Kenny C.

1989-01-01

An apparatus and method are disclosed for surveillance and diagnosis of breached fuel elements in a nuclear reactor. A delayed neutron monitoring system provides output signals indicating the delayed neutron activity and age and the equivalent recoil areas of a breached fuel element. Sensors are used to provide outputs indicating the status of each component of the delayed neutron monitoring system. Detectors also generate output signals indicating the reactor power level and the primary coolant flow rate of the reactor. The outputs from the detectors and sensors are interfaced with an artificial intelligence-based knowledge system which implements predetermined logic and generates output signals indicating the operability of the reactor.

Multi-Purpose Thermal Hydraulic Loop: Advanced Reactor Technology Integral System Test (ARTIST) Facility for Support of Advanced Reactor Technologies

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

James E. O'Brien; Piyush Sabharwall; SuJong Yoon

2001-11-01

Effective and robust high temperature heat transfer systems are fundamental to the successful deployment of advanced reactors for both power generation and non-electric applications. Plant designs often include an intermediate heat transfer loop (IHTL) with heat exchangers at either end to deliver thermal energy to the application while providing isolation of the primary reactor system. In order to address technical feasibility concerns and challenges a new high-temperature multi-fluid, multi-loop test facility “Advanced Reactor Technology Integral System Test facility” (ARTIST) is under development at the Idaho National Laboratory. The facility will include three flow loops: high-temperature helium, molten salt, and steam/water.more » Details of some of the design aspects and challenges of this facility, which is currently in the conceptual design phase, are discussed« less

Nuclear thermal propulsion engine system design analysis code development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelaccio, Dennis G.; Scheil, Christine M.; Petrosky, Lyman J.; Ivanenok, Joseph F.

1992-01-01

A Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) Engine System Design Analyis Code has recently been developed to characterize key NTP engine system design features. Such a versatile, standalone NTP system performance and engine design code is required to support ongoing and future engine system and vehicle design efforts associated with proposed Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) missions of interest. Key areas of interest in the engine system modeling effort were the reactor, shielding, and inclusion of an engine multi-redundant propellant pump feed system design option. A solid-core nuclear thermal reactor and internal shielding code model was developed to estimate the reactor's thermal-hydraulic and physical parameters based on a prescribed thermal output which was integrated into a state-of-the-art engine system design model. The reactor code module has the capability to model graphite, composite, or carbide fuels. Key output from the model consists of reactor parameters such as thermal power, pressure drop, thermal profile, and heat generation in cooled structures (reflector, shield, and core supports), as well as the engine system parameters such as weight, dimensions, pressures, temperatures, mass flows, and performance. The model's overall analysis methodology and its key assumptions and capabilities are summarized in this paper.

Results from a scaled reactor cavity cooling system with water at steady state

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

Lisowski, D. D.; Albiston, S. M.; Tokuhiro, A.

We present a summary of steady-state experiments performed with a scaled, water-cooled Reactor Cavity Cooling System (RCCS) at the Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison. The RCCS concept is used for passive decay heat removal in the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) design and was based on open literature of the GA-MHTGR, HTR-10 and AVR reactor. The RCCS is a 1/4 scale model of the full scale prototype system, with a 7.6 m structure housing, a 5 m tall test section, and 1,200 liter water storage tank. Radiant heaters impose a heat flux onto a three riser tube test section, representingmore » a 5 deg. radial sector of the actual 360 deg. RCCS design. The maximum heat flux and power levels are 25 kW/m{sup 2} and 42.5 kW, and can be configured for variable, axial, or radial power profiles to simulate prototypic conditions. Experimental results yielded measurements of local surface temperatures, internal water temperatures, volumetric flow rates, and pressure drop along the test section and into the water storage tank. The majority of the tests achieved a steady state condition while remaining single-phase. A selected number of experiments were allowed to reach saturation and subsequently two-phase flow. RELAP5 simulations with the experimental data have been refined during test facility development and separate effects validation of the experimental facility. This test series represents the completion of our steady-state testing, with future experiments investigating normal and off-normal accident scenarios with two-phase flow effects. The ultimate goal of the project is to combine experimental data from UW - Madison, UI, ANL, and Texas A and M, with system model simulations to ascertain the feasibility of the RCCS as a successful long-term heat removal system during accident scenarios for the NGNP. (authors)« less

Utilization of the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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

Selby, Douglas L; Bilheux, Hassina Z; Meilleur, Flora

2015-01-01

This paper addresses several aspects of the scientific utilization of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). Topics to be covered will include: 1) HFIR neutron scattering instruments and the formal instrument user program; 2) Recent upgrades to the neutron scattering instrument stations at the reactor, and 3) eMod a new tool for addressing instrument modifications and providing configuration control and design process for scientific instruments at HFIR and the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). There are 15 operating neutron instrument stations at HFIR with 12 of them organized into a formal user program. Since the last presentationmore » on HFIR instruments at IGORR we have installed a Single Crystal Quasi-Laue Diffractometer instrument called IMAGINE; and we have made significant upgrades to HFIR neutron scattering instruments including the Cold Triple Axis Instrument, the Wide Angle Neutron Diffractometer, the Powder Diffractometer, and the Neutron Imaging station. In addition, we have initiated upgrades to the Thermal Triple Axis Instrument and the Bio-SANS cold neutron instrument detector system. All of these upgrades are tied to a continuous effort to maintain a high level neutron scattering user program at the HFIR. For the purpose of tracking modifications such as those mentioned and configuration control we have been developing an electronic system for entering instrument modification requests that follows a modification or instrument project through concept development, design, fabrication, installation, and commissioning. This system, which we call eMod, electronically leads the task leader through a series of questions and checklists that then identifies such things as ES&H and radiological issues and then automatically designates specific individuals for the activity review process. The system has been in use for less than a year and we are still working out some of the inefficiencies, but we believe that this will become a very effective tool for achieving the configuration and process control believed to be necessary for scientific instrument systems.« less

Influences of Excess Oscillation of Voltage Pulse and Discharge Mode on NO Removal Using Barrier-Type Plasma Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadowaki, Kazunori; Suzuki, Yoshiaki; Ihori, Haruo; Kitani, Isamu

This paper presents experimental results of NO removal from a simulated exhausted-gas using a barrier type reactor with screw electrodes subjected to polarity-reversed voltage pulses. The polarity-reversed pulse was produced by direct grounding of a charged coaxial cable because a traveling wave voltage was negatively reflected at the grounding end with a change in its polarity and then it propagated to the plasma reactor at the opposite end. Influence of cable length on NO removal was studied for two kinds of cable connection, single-connected cable and parallel-connected cables. NO removal ratio for a 50m-long cable was lower than that for much shorter cables in both single and parallel connections when the applied voltage became high. Energy efficiency for NO removal also increased with decreasing the cable length. This was because excess discharges during the voltage oscillation caused by the large stored energy in the long cable resulted in reproduction of NO molecules. Energy efficiency was further improved by changing the discharge mode from dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) to surface discharge (SD). Energy efficiency was up to 110g/kWh with 55% NO removal ratio and 34g/kWh with 100% NO removal ratio by using a single 10m-long cable in SD mode.

A bounding estimate of neutron dose based on measured photon dose around single pass reactors at the Hanford site.

PubMed

Taulbee, Timothy D; Glover, Samuel E; Macievic, Gregory V; Hunacek, Mickey; Smith, Cheryl; DeBord, Gary W; Morris, Donald; Fix, Jack

2010-07-01

Neutron and photon radiation survey records have been used to evaluate and develop a neutron to photon (NP) ratio to reconstruct neutron doses to workers around Hanford's single pass reactors that operated from 1945 to 1972. A total of 5,773 paired neutron and photon measurements extracted from 57 boxes of survey records were used in the development of the NP ratio. The development of the NP ratio enables the use of the recorded dose from an individual's photon dosimeter badge to be used to estimate the unmonitored neutron dose. The Pearson rank correlation between the neutron and photon measurements was 0.71. The NP ratio best fit a lognormal distribution with a geometric mean (GM) of 0.8, a geometric standard deviation (GSD) of 2.95, and the upper 95 th % of this distribution was 4.75. An estimate of the neutron dose based on this NP ratio is considered bounding due to evidence that up to 70% of the total photon exposure received by workers around the single pass reactors occurs during shutdown maintenance and refueling activities when there is no significant neutron exposure. Thus when this NP ratio is applied to the total measured photon dose from an individual film badge dosimeter, the resulting neutron dose is considered bounded.

SP-100 reactor with Brayton conversion for lunar surface applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, Lee S.; Rodriguez, Carlos D.; Mckissock, Barbara I.; Hanlon, James C.; Mansfield, Brian C.

1992-01-01

Examined here is the potential for integrating Brayton-cycle power conversion with the SP-100 reactor for lunar surface power system applications. Two designs were characterized and modeled. The first design integrates a 100-kWe SP-100 Brayton power system with a lunar lander. This system is intended to meet early lunar mission power needs while minimizing on-site installation requirements. Man-rated radiation protection is provided by an integral multilayer, cylindrical lithium hydride/tungsten (LiH/W) shield encircling the reactor vessel. Design emphasis is on ease of deployment, safety, and reliability, while utilizing relatively near-term technology. The second design combines Brayton conversion with the SP-100 reactor in a erectable 550-kWe powerplant concept intended to satisfy later-phase lunar base power requirements. This system capitalizes on experience gained from operating the initial 100-kWe module and incorporates some technology improvements. For this system, the reactor is emplaced in a lunar regolith excavation to provide man-rated shielding, and the Brayton engines and radiators are mounted on the lunar surface and extend radially from the central reactor. Design emphasis is on performance, safety, long life, and operational flexibility.

Small reactor power systems for manned planetary surface bases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, Harvey S.

1987-01-01

A preliminary feasibility study of the potential application of small nuclear reactor space power systems to manned planetary surface base missions was conducted. The purpose of the study was to identify and assess the technology, performance, and safety issues associated with integration of reactor power systems with an evolutionary manned planetary surface exploration scenario. The requirements and characteristics of a variety of human-rated modular reactor power system configurations selected for a range of power levels from 25 kWe to hundreds of kilowatts is described. Trade-off analyses for reactor power systems utilizing both man-made and indigenous shielding materials are provided to examine performance, installation and operational safety feasibility issues. The results of this study have confirmed the preliminary feasibility of a wide variety of small reactor power plant configurations for growth oriented manned planetary surface exploration missions. The capability for power level growth with increasing manned presence, while maintaining safe radiation levels, was favorably assessed for nominal 25 to 100 kWe modular configurations. No feasibility limitations or technical barriers were identified and the use of both distance and indigenous planetary soil material for human rated radiation shielding were shown to be viable and attractive options.

Passive decay heat removal system for water-cooled nuclear reactors

DOEpatents

Forsberg, Charles W.

1991-01-01

A passive decay-heat removal system for a water-cooled nuclear reactor employs a closed heat transfer loop having heat-exchanging coils inside an open-topped, insulated box located inside the reactor vessel, below its normal water level, in communication with a condenser located outside of containment and exposed to the atmosphere. The heat transfer loop is located such that the evaporator is in a position where, when the water level drops in the reactor, it will become exposed to steam. Vapor produced in the evaporator passes upward to the condenser above the normal water level. In operation, condensation in the condenser removes heat from the system, and the condensed liquid is returned to the evaporator. The system is disposed such that during normal reactor operations where the water level is at its usual position, very little heat will be removed from the system, but during emergency, low water level conditions, substantial amounts of decay heat will be removed.

Design of an ammonia closed-loop storage system in a CSP power plant with a power tower cavity receiver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdiwe, Ramadan; Haider, Markus

2017-06-01

In this study the thermochemical system using ammonia as energy storage carrier is investigated and a transient mathematical model using MATLAB software was developed to predict the behavior of the ammonia closed-loop storage system including but not limited to the ammonia solar reactor and the ammonia synthesis reactor. The MATLAB model contains transient mass and energy balances as well as chemical equilibrium model for each relevant system component. For the importance of the dissociation and formation processes in the system, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation on the ammonia solar and synthesis reactors has been performed. The CFD commercial package FLUENT is used for the simulation study and all the important mechanisms for packed bed reactors are taken into account, such as momentum, heat and mass transfer, and chemical reactions. The FLUENT simulation reveals the profiles inside both reactors and compared them with the profiles from the MATLAB code.

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

Peterson, Per F.

A high-temperature containment-isolation system for transferring heat from a nuclear reactor containment to a high-pressure heat exchanger is presented. The system uses a high-temperature, low-volatility liquid coolant such as a molten salt or a liquid metal, where the coolant flow path provides liquid free surfaces a short distance from the containment penetrations for the reactor hot-leg and the cold-leg, where these liquid free surfaces have a cover gas maintained at a nearly constant pressure and thus prevent high-pressures from being transmitted into the reactor containment, and where the reactor vessel is suspended within a reactor cavity with a plurality ofmore » refractory insulator blocks disposed between an actively cooled inner cavity liner and the reactor vessel.« less

76 FR 70331 - List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: MAGNASTOR ® System, Revision 2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-14

... various boron-10 areal densities for use with Pressurized Water Reactor and Boiling Water Reactor baskets... add various boron-10 areal densities for use with Pressurized Water Reactor and Boiling Water Reactor....1.1 to add various boron-10 areal densities for use with Pressurized Water Reactor and Boiling Water...

10 CFR 50.46 - Acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems for light-water nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... light-water nuclear power reactors. 50.46 Section 50.46 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC... reactors. (a)(1)(i) Each boiling or pressurized light-water nuclear power reactor fueled with uranium oxide... evaluation model. This section does not apply to a nuclear power reactor facility for which the...

10 CFR 50.46 - Acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems for light-water nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... light-water nuclear power reactors. 50.46 Section 50.46 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC... reactors. (a)(1)(i) Each boiling or pressurized light-water nuclear power reactor fueled with uranium oxide... evaluation model. This section does not apply to a nuclear power reactor facility for which the...

10 CFR 50.46 - Acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems for light-water nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... light-water nuclear power reactors. 50.46 Section 50.46 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC... reactors. (a)(1)(i) Each boiling or pressurized light-water nuclear power reactor fueled with uranium oxide... evaluation model. This section does not apply to a nuclear power reactor facility for which the...

78 FR 64027 - Preoperational Testing of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for Pressurized-Water Reactors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-25

...The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a revision to regulatory guide (RG), 1.79, ``Preoperational Testing of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for Pressurized-Water Reactors.'' This RG is being revised to incorporate guidance for preoperational testing of new pressurized water reactor (PWR) designs.

Reactor technology assessment and selection utilizing systems engineering approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zolkaffly, Muhammed Zulfakar; Han, Ki-In

2014-02-01

The first Nuclear power plant (NPP) deployment in a country is a complex process that needs to consider technical, economic and financial aspects along with other aspects like public acceptance. Increased interest in the deployment of new NPPs, both among newcomer countries and those with expanding programs, necessitates the selection of reactor technology among commercially available technologies. This paper reviews the Systems Decision Process (SDP) of Systems Engineering and applies it in selecting the most appropriate reactor technology for the deployment in Malaysia. The integrated qualitative and quantitative analyses employed in the SDP are explored to perform reactor technology assessment and to select the most feasible technology whose design has also to comply with the IAEA standard requirements and other relevant requirements that have been established in this study. A quick Malaysian case study result suggests that the country reside with PWR (pressurized water reactor) technologies with more detailed study to be performed in the future for the selection of the most appropriate reactor technology for Malaysia. The demonstrated technology assessment also proposes an alternative method to systematically and quantitatively select the most appropriate reactor technology.

Top shield temperatures, C and K Reactors

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

Agar, J.D.

1964-12-28

A modification program is now in progress at the C and K Reactors consisting of an extensive renovation of the graphite channels in the vertical safety rod ststems. The present VSR channels are being enlarged by a graphite coring operation and channel sleeves will be installed in the larger channels. One problem associated with the coring operation is the danger of damaging top thermal shield cooling tubes located close to the VSR channels to such an extent that these tubes will have to be removed from service. If such a condition should exist at one or a number of locationsmore » in the top shield of the reactors after reactor startup, the question remains -- what would the resulting temperatures be of the various components of the top shields? This study was initiated to determine temperature distributions in the top shield complex at the C and K Reactors for various top thermal shield coolant system conditions. Since the top thermal shield cooling system at C Reactor is different than those at the K Reactors, the study was conducted separately for the two different systems.« less

Monte Carlo Analysis of the Battery-Type High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grodzki, Marcin; Darnowski, Piotr; Niewiński, Grzegorz

2017-12-01

The paper presents a neutronic analysis of the battery-type 20 MWth high-temperature gas cooled reactor. The developed reactor model is based on the publicly available data being an `early design' variant of the U-battery. The investigated core is a battery type small modular reactor, graphite moderated, uranium fueled, prismatic, helium cooled high-temperature gas cooled reactor with graphite reflector. The two core alternative designs were investigated. The first has a central reflector and 30×4 prismatic fuel blocks and the second has no central reflector and 37×4 blocks. The SERPENT Monte Carlo reactor physics computer code, with ENDF and JEFF nuclear data libraries, was applied. Several nuclear design static criticality calculations were performed and compared with available reference results. The analysis covered the single assembly models and full core simulations for two geometry models: homogenous and heterogenous (explicit). A sensitivity analysis of the reflector graphite density was performed. An acceptable agreement between calculations and reference design was obtained. All calculations were performed for the fresh core state.

Technical Requirements For Reactors To Be Deployed Internationally For the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

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

Ingersoll, Daniel T

2007-01-01

Technical Requirements For Reactors To Be Deployed Internationally For the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership Robert Price U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC 20585, Daniel T. Ingersoll Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6162, INTRODUCTION The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) seeks to create an international regime to support large-scale growth in the worldwide use of nuclear energy. Fully meeting the GNEP vision may require the deployment of thousands of reactors in scores of countries, many of which do not use nuclear energy currently. Some of these needs will be met by large-scalemore » Generation III and III+ reactors (>1000 MWe) and Generation IV reactors when they are available. However, because many developing countries have small and immature electricity grids, the currently available Generation III(+) reactors may be unsuitable since they are too large, too expensive, and too complex. Therefore, GNEP envisions new types of reactors that must be developed for international deployment that are "right sized" for the developing countries and that are based on technologies, designs, and policies focused on reducing proliferation risk. The first step in developing such systems is the generation of technical requirements that will ensure that the systems meet both the GNEP policy goals and the power needs of the recipient countries. REQUIREMENTS Reactor systems deployed internationally within the GNEP context must meet a number of requirements similar to the safety, reliability, economics, and proliferation goals established for the DOE Generation IV program. Because of the emphasis on deployment to nonnuclear developing countries, the requirements will be weighted differently than with Generation IV, especially regarding safety and non-proliferation goals. Also, the reactors should be sized for market conditions in developing countries where energy demand per capita, institutional maturity and industrial infrastructure vary considerably, and must utilize fuel that is compatible with the fuel recycle technologies being developed by GNEP. Arrangements are already underway to establish Working Groups jointly with Japan and Russia to develop requirements for reactor systems. Additional bilateral and multilateral arrangements are expected as GNEP progresses. These Working Groups will be instrumental in establishing an international consensus on reactor system requirements. GNEP CERTIFICATION After establishing an accepted set of requirements for new reactors that are deployed internationally, a mechanism is needed that allows capable countries to continue to market their reactor technologies and services while assuring that they are compatible with GNEP goals and technologies. This will help to preserve the current system of open, commercial competition while steering the international community to meet common policy goals. The proposed vehicle to achieve this is the concept of GNEP Certification. Using objective criteria derived from the technical requirements in several key areas such as safety, security, non-proliferation, and safeguards, reactor designs could be evaluated and then certified if they meet the criteria. This certification would ensure that reactor designs meet internationally approved standards and that the designs are compatible with GNEP assured fuel services. SUMMARY New "right sized" power reactor systems will need to be developed and deployed internationally to fully achieve the GNEP vision of an expanded use of nuclear energy world-wide. The technical requirements for these systems are being developed through national and international Working Groups. The process is expected to culminate in a new GNEP Certification process that enables commercial competition while ensuring that the policy goals of GNEP are adequately met.« less

Computer optimization of reactor-thermoelectric space power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maag, W. L.; Finnegan, P. M.; Fishbach, L. H.

1973-01-01

A computer simulation and optimization code that has been developed for nuclear space power systems is described. The results of using this code to analyze two reactor-thermoelectric systems are presented.

Dual annular rotating "windowed" nuclear reflector reactor control system

DOEpatents

Jacox, Michael G.; Drexler, Robert L.; Hunt, Robert N. M.; Lake, James A.

1994-01-01

A nuclear reactor control system is provided in a nuclear reactor having a core operating in the fast neutron energy spectrum where criticality control is achieved by neutron leakage. The control system includes dual annular, rotatable reflector rings. There are two reflector rings: an inner reflector ring and an outer reflector ring. The reflectors are concentrically assembled, surround the reactor core, and each reflector ring includes a plurality of openings. The openings in each ring are capable of being aligned or non-aligned with each other. Independent driving means for each of the annular reflector rings is provided so that reactor criticality can be initiated and controlled by rotation of either reflector ring such that the extent of alignment of the openings in each ring controls the reflection of neutrons from the core.

Sensitivity Analysis of Algan/GAN High Electron Mobility Transistors to Process Variation

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-01

delivery system gas panel including both hydride and alkyl delivery modules and the vent/valve configurations [14...Reactor Gas Delivery Systems A basic schematic diagram of an MOCVD reactor delivery gas panel is shown in Figure 13. The reactor gas delivery...system, or gas panel , consists of a network of stainless steel tubing, automatic valves and electronic mass flow controllers (MFC). There are separate

Regenerative Carbonate-Based Thermochemical Energy Storage System for Concentrating Solar Power

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

Gangwal, Santosh; Muto, Andrew

Southern Research has developed a thermochemical energy storage (TCES) technology that utilizes the endothermic-exothermic reversible carbonation of calcium oxide (lime) to store thermal energy at high-temperatures, such as those achieved by next generation concentrating solar power (CSP) facilities. The major challenges addressed in the development of this system include refining a high capacity, yet durable sorbent material and designing a low thermal resistance low-cost heat exchanger reactor system to move heat between the sorbent and a heat transfer fluid under conditions relevant for CSP operation (e.g., energy density, reaction kinetics, heat flow). The proprietary stabilized sorbent was developed by Precisionmore » Combustion, Inc. (PCI). A factorial matrix of sorbent compositions covering the design space was tested using accelerated high throughput screening in a thermo-gravimetric analyzer. Several promising formulations were selected for more thorough evaluation and one formulation with high capacity (0.38 g CO 2/g sorbent) and durability (>99.7% capacity retention over 100 cycles) was chosen as a basis for further development of the energy storage reactor system. In parallel with this effort, a full range of currently available commercial and developmental heat exchange reactor systems and sorbent loading methods were examined through literature research and contacts with commercial vendors. Process models were developed to examine if a heat exchange reactor system and balance of plant can meet required TCES performance and cost targets, optimizing tradeoffs between thermal performance, exergetic efficiency, and cost. Reactor types evaluated included many forms, from microchannel reactor, to diffusion bonded heat exchanger, to shell and tube heat exchangers. The most viable design for application to a supercritical CO 2 power cycle operating at 200-300 bar pressure and >700°C was determined to be a combination of a diffusion bonded heat exchanger with a shell and tube reactor. A bench scale reactor system was then designed and constructed to test sorbent performance under more commercially relevant conditions. This system utilizes a tube-in tube reactor design containing approximately 250 grams sorbent and is able to operate under a wide range of temperature, pressure and flow conditions as needed to explore system performance under a variety of operating conditions. A variety of sorbent loading methods may be tested using the reactor design. Initial bench test results over 25 cycles showed very high sorbent stability (>99%) and sufficient capacity (>0.28 g CO 2/g sorbent) for an economical commercial-scale system. Initial technoeconomic evaluation of the proposed storage system show that the sorbent cost should not have a significant impact on overall system cost, and that the largest cost impacts come from the heat exchanger reactor and balance of plant equipment, including compressors and gas storage, due to the high temperatures for sCO 2 cycles. Current estimated system costs are $47/kWhth based on current material and equipment cost estimates.« less

Fusion reactor pumped laser

DOEpatents

Jassby, D.L.

1987-09-04

A nuclear pumped laser capable of producing long pulses of very high power laser radiation is provided. A toroidal fusion reactor provides energetic neutrons which are slowed down by a moderator. The moderated neutrons are converted to energetic particles capable of pumping a lasing medium. The lasing medium is housed in an annular cell surrounding the reactor. The cell includes an annular reflecting mirror at the bottom and an annular output window at the top. A neutron reflector is disposed around the cell to reflect escaping neutrons back into the cell. The laser radiation from the annular window is focused onto a beam compactor which generates a single coherent output laser beam. 10 figs.

Fusion reactor pumped laser

DOEpatents

Jassby, Daniel L.

1988-01-01

A nuclear pumped laser capable of producing long pulses of very high power laser radiation is provided. A toroidal fusion reactor provides energetic neutrons which are slowed down by a moderator. The moderated neutrons are converted to energetic particles capable of pumping a lasing medium. The lasing medium is housed in an annular cell surrounding the reactor. The cell includes an annular reflecting mirror at the bottom and an annular output window at the top. A neutron reflector is disposed around the cell to reflect escaping neutrons back into the cell. The laser radiation from the annular window is focused onto a beam compactor which generates a single coherent output laser beam.

Modelling of MOCVD Reactor: New 3D Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raj, E.; Lisik, Z.; Niedzielski, P.; Ruta, L.; Turczynski, M.; Wang, X.; Waag, A.

2014-04-01

The paper presents comparison of two different 3D models of vertical, rotating disc MOCVD reactor used for 3D GaN structure growth. The first one is based on the reactor symmetry, while the second, novel one incorporates only single line of showerhead nozzles. It is shown that both of them can be applied interchangeably regarding the phenomena taking place within the processing area. Moreover, the importance of boundary conditions regarding proper modelling of showerhead cooling and the significance of thermal radiation on temperature field within the modelled structure are presented and analysed. The last phenomenon is erroneously neglected in most of the hitherto studies.

Operators in the Plum Brook Reactor Facility Control Room

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-03-21

Donald Rhodes, left, and Clyde Greer, right, monitor the operation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Plum Brook Reactor Facility from the control room. The 60-megawatt test reactor, NASA’s only reactor, was the eighth largest test reactor in the world. The facility was built by the Lewis Research Center in the late 1950s to study the effects of radiation on different materials that could be used to construct nuclear propulsion systems for aircraft or rockets. The reactor went critical for the first time in 1961. For the next two years, two operators were on duty 24 hours per day working on the fission process until the reactor reached its full-power level in 1963. Reactor Operators were responsible for monitoring and controlling the reactor systems. Once the reactor was running under normal operating conditions, the work was relatively uneventful. Normally the reactor was kept at a designated power level within certain limits. Occasionally the operators had to increase the power for a certain test. The shift supervisor and several different people would get together and discuss the change before boosting the power. All operators were required to maintain a Reactor Operator License from the Atomic Energy Commission. The license included six months of training, an eight-hour written exam, a four-hour walkaround, and testing on the reactor controls.

Improved Nuclear Reactor and Shield Mass Model for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robb, Kevin

2004-01-01

New technologies are being developed to explore the distant reaches of the solar system. Beyond Mars, solar energy is inadequate to power advanced scientific instruments. One technology that can meet the energy requirements is the space nuclear reactor. The nuclear reactor is used as a heat source for which a heat-to-electricity conversion system is needed. Examples of such conversion systems are the Brayton, Rankine, and Stirling cycles. Since launch cost is proportional to the amount of mass to lift, mass is always a concern in designing spacecraft. Estimations of system masses are an important part in determining the feasibility of a design. I worked under Michael Barrett in the Thermal Energy Conversion Branch of the Power & Electric Propulsion Division. An in-house Closed Cycle Engine Program (CCEP) is used for the design and performance analysis of closed-Brayton-cycle energy conversion systems for space applications. This program also calculates the system mass including the heat source. CCEP uses the subroutine RSMASS, which has been updated to RSMASS-D, to estimate the mass of the reactor. RSMASS was developed in 1986 at Sandia National Laboratories to quickly estimate the mass of multi-megawatt nuclear reactors for space applications. In response to an emphasis for lower power reactors, RSMASS-D was developed in 1997 and is based off of the SP-100 liquid metal cooled reactor. The subroutine calculates the mass of reactor components such as the safety systems, instrumentation and control, radiation shield, structure, reflector, and core. The major improvements in RSMASS-D are that it uses higher fidelity calculations, is easier to use, and automatically optimizes the systems mass. RSMASS-D is accurate within 15% of actual data while RSMASS is only accurate within 50%. My goal this summer was to learn FORTRAN 77 programming language and update the CCEP program with the RSMASS-D model.

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

Rouxelin, Pascal Nicolas; Strydom, Gerhard

Best-estimate plus uncertainty analysis of reactors is replacing the traditional conservative (stacked uncertainty) method for safety and licensing analysis. To facilitate uncertainty analysis applications, a comprehensive approach and methodology must be developed and applied. High temperature gas cooled reactors (HTGRs) have several features that require techniques not used in light-water reactor analysis (e.g., coated-particle design and large graphite quantities at high temperatures). The International Atomic Energy Agency has therefore launched the Coordinated Research Project on HTGR Uncertainty Analysis in Modeling to study uncertainty propagation in the HTGR analysis chain. The benchmark problem defined for the prismatic design is represented bymore » the General Atomics Modular HTGR 350. The main focus of this report is the compilation and discussion of the results obtained for various permutations of Exercise I 2c and the use of the cross section data in Exercise II 1a of the prismatic benchmark, which is defined as the last and first steps of the lattice and core simulation phases, respectively. The report summarizes the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) best estimate results obtained for Exercise I 2a (fresh single-fuel block), Exercise I 2b (depleted single-fuel block), and Exercise I 2c (super cell) in addition to the first results of an investigation into the cross section generation effects for the super-cell problem. The two dimensional deterministic code known as the New ESC based Weighting Transport (NEWT) included in the Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation (SCALE) 6.1.2 package was used for the cross section evaluation, and the results obtained were compared to the three dimensional stochastic SCALE module KENO VI. The NEWT cross section libraries were generated for several permutations of the current benchmark super-cell geometry and were then provided as input to the Phase II core calculation of the stand alone neutronics Exercise II 1a. The steady state core calculations were simulated with the INL coupled-code system known as the Parallel and Highly Innovative Simulation for INL Code System (PHISICS) and the system thermal-hydraulics code known as the Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program (RELAP) 5 3D using the nuclear data libraries previously generated with NEWT. It was observed that significant differences in terms of multiplication factor and neutron flux exist between the various permutations of the Phase I super-cell lattice calculations. The use of these cross section libraries only leads to minor changes in the Phase II core simulation results for fresh fuel but shows significantly larger discrepancies for spent fuel cores. Furthermore, large incongruities were found between the SCALE NEWT and KENO VI results for the super cells, and while some trends could be identified, a final conclusion on this issue could not yet be reached. This report will be revised in mid 2016 with more detailed analyses of the super-cell problems and their effects on the core models, using the latest version of SCALE (6.2). The super-cell models seem to show substantial improvements in terms of neutron flux as compared to single-block models, particularly at thermal energies.« less

Switching power pulse system

DOEpatents

Aaland, Kristian

1983-01-01

A switching system for delivering pulses of power from a source (10) to a load (20) using a storage capacitor (C3) charged through a rectifier (D1, D2), and maintained charged to a reference voltage level by a transistor switch (Q1) and voltage comparator (12). A thyristor (22) is triggered to discharge the storage capacitor through a saturable reactor (18) and fractional turn saturable transformer (16) having a secondary to primary turn ratio N of n:l/n=n.sup.2. The saturable reactor (18) functions as a "soaker" while the thyristor reaches saturation, and then switches to a low impedance state. The saturable transformer functions as a switching transformer with high impedance while a load coupling capacitor (C4) charges, and then switches to a low impedance state to dump the charge of the storage capacitor (C3) into the load through the coupling capacitor (C4). The transformer is comprised of a multilayer core (26) having two secondary windings (28, 30) tightly wound and connected in parallel to add their output voltage and reduce output inductance, and a number of single turn windings connected in parallel at nodes (32, 34) for the primary winding, each single turn winding linking a different one of the layers of the multilayer core. The load may be comprised of a resistive beampipe (40) for a linear particle accelerator and capacitance of a pulse forming network (42). To hold off discharge of the capacitance until it is fully charged, a saturable core (44) is provided around the resistive beampipe (40) to isolate the beampipe from the capacitance (42) until it is fully charged.

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

Hua, Xin; Yu, Xiao-Ying; Wang, Zhaoying

The first results of using a novel single channel microfluidic reactor to enable Shewanella biofilm growth and in situ characterization using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) in the hydrated environment are presented. The new microfluidic interface allows direct probing of the liquid surface using ToF-SIMS, a vacuum surface technique. The detection window is an aperture of 2 m in diameter on a thin silicon nitride (SiN) membrane and it allows direct detection of the liquid surface. Surface tension of the liquid flowing inside the microchannel holds the liquid within the aperture. ToF-SIMS depth profiling was used to drill throughmore » the SiN membrane and the biofilm grown on the substrate. In situ 2D imaging of the biofilm in hydrated state was acquired, providing spatial distribution of the chemical compounds in the biofilm system. This data was compared with a medium filled microfluidic reactor devoid of biofilm and dried biofilm samples deposited on clean silicon wafers. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) was used to investigate these observations. Our results show that imaging biofilms in the hydrated environment using ToF-SIMS is possible using the unique microfluidic reactor. Moreover, characteristic biofilm fatty acids fragments were observed in the hydrated biofilm grown in the microfluidic channel, illustrating the advantage of imaging biofilm in its native environment.« less

Towards microfluidic reactors for cell-free protein synthesis at the point-of-care

DOE PAGES

Timm, Andrea C.; Shankles, Peter G.; Foster, Carmen M.; ...

2015-12-22

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) is a powerful technology that allows for optimization of protein production without maintenance of a living system. Integrated within micro- and nano-fluidic architectures, CFPS can be optimized for point-of care use. Here, we describe the development of a microfluidic bioreactor designed to facilitate the production of a single-dose of a therapeutic protein, in a small footprint device at the point-of-care. This new design builds on the use of a long, serpentine channel bioreactor and is enhanced by integrating a nanofabricated membrane to allow exchange of materials between parallel reactor and feeder channels. This engineered membrane facilitatesmore » the exchange of metabolites, energy, and inhibitory species, prolonging the CFPS reaction and increasing protein yield. Membrane permeability can be altered by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition to tune the exchange rate of small molecules. This allows for extended reaction times and improved yields. Further, the reaction product and higher molecular weight components of the transcription/translation machinery in the reactor channel can be retained. As a result, we show that the microscale bioreactor design produces higher protein yields than conventional tube-based batch formats, and that product yields can be dramatically improved by facilitating small molecule exchange within the dual-channel bioreactor.« less

Fuel loading of PeBR for a long operation life on the lunar surface

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

Schriener, T. M.; Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Dept., Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; El-Genk, M. S.

2012-07-01

The Pellet Bed Reactor (PeBR) power system could provide 99.3 kW e to a lunar outpost for 66 full power years and is designed for no single point failures. The core of this fast energy spectrum reactor consists of three sectors that are neutronically and thermally coupled, but hydraulically independent. Each sector has a separate Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) loop for energy conversion and separate water heat-pipes radiator panels for heat rejection. He-Xe (40 g/mole) binary gas mixture serves as the reactor coolant and CBC working fluid. On the lunar surface, the emplaced PeBR below grade is loaded with sphericalmore » fuel pellets (1-cm in dia.). It is launched unfueled and the pellets are launched in separate subcritical canisters, one for each core sector. This paper numerically simulates the transient loading of a core sector with fuel pellets on the Moon. The simulation accounts for the dynamic interaction of the pellets during loading and calculates the axial and radial distributions of the volume porosity in the sector. The pellets pack randomly with a volume porosity of 0.39 - 0.41 throughout most of the sector, except near the walls the local porosity is higher. (authors)« less

Towards microfluidic reactors for cell-free protein synthesis at the point-of-care

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

Timm, Andrea C.; Shankles, Peter G.; Foster, Carmen M.

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) is a powerful technology that allows for optimization of protein production without maintenance of a living system. Integrated within micro- and nano-fluidic architectures, CFPS can be optimized for point-of care use. Here, we describe the development of a microfluidic bioreactor designed to facilitate the production of a single-dose of a therapeutic protein, in a small footprint device at the point-of-care. This new design builds on the use of a long, serpentine channel bioreactor and is enhanced by integrating a nanofabricated membrane to allow exchange of materials between parallel reactor and feeder channels. This engineered membrane facilitatesmore » the exchange of metabolites, energy, and inhibitory species, prolonging the CFPS reaction and increasing protein yield. Membrane permeability can be altered by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition to tune the exchange rate of small molecules. This allows for extended reaction times and improved yields. Further, the reaction product and higher molecular weight components of the transcription/translation machinery in the reactor channel can be retained. As a result, we show that the microscale bioreactor design produces higher protein yields than conventional tube-based batch formats, and that product yields can be dramatically improved by facilitating small molecule exchange within the dual-channel bioreactor.« less

Coupling DAEM and CFD for simulating biomass fast pyrolysis in fluidized beds

DOE PAGES

Xiong, Qingang; Zhang, Jingchao; Wiggins, Gavin; ...

2015-12-03

We report results from computational simulations of an experimental, lab-scale bubbling bed biomass pyrolysis reactor that include a distributed activation energy model (DAEM) for the kinetics. In this study, we utilized multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to account for the turbulent hydrodynamics, and this was combined with the DAEM kinetics in a multi-component, multi-step reaction network. Our results indicate that it is possible to numerically integrate the coupled CFD–DAEM system without significantly increasing computational overhead. It is also clear, however, that reactor operating conditions, reaction kinetics, and multiphase flow dynamics all have major impacts on the pyrolysis products exiting themore » reactor. We find that, with the same pre-exponential factors and mean activation energies, inclusion of distributed activation energies in the kinetics can shift the predicted average value of the exit vapor-phase tar flux and its statistical distribution, compared to single-valued activation-energy kinetics. Perhaps the most interesting observed trend is that increasing the diversity of the DAEM activation energies appears to increase the mean tar yield, all else being equal. As a result, these findings imply that accurate resolution of the reaction activation energy distributions will be important for optimizing biomass pyrolysis processes.« less

The recovery of zinc from hot galvanizing slag in an anion-exchange membrane electrolysis reactor.

PubMed

Ren, Xiulian; Wei, Qifeng; Hu, Surong; Wei, Sijie

2010-09-15

This paper reports the optimization of the process parameters for recovery of zinc from hot galvanizing slag in an anion-exchange membrane electrolysis reactor. The experiments were carried out in an ammoniacal ammonium chloride system. The influence of composition of electrolytes, pH, stirring rate, current density and temperature, on cathodic current efficiency, specific power consumption and anodic dissolution of Zn were investigated. The results indicate that the cathode current efficiency increases and the hydrogen evolution decreased with increasing the cathode current density. The partial current for electrodeposition of Zn has liner relationship with omega(1/2) (omega: rotation rate). The highest current efficiency for dissolving zinc was obtained when NH(4)Cl concentration was 53.46 g L(-1) and the anodic dissolution of zinc was determined by mass transfer rate at stirring rate 0-300 r min(-1). Increase in temperature benefits to improve CE and dissolution of Zn, and reduce cell voltage. Initial pH of electrolytes plays an important role in the deposition and anodic dissolution of Zn. The results of single factor experiment show that about 50% energy consumption was saved for electrodeposition of Zn in the anion-exchange membrane electrolysis reactor. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design of virtual SCADA simulation system for pressurized water reactor

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

Wijaksono, Umar, E-mail: umar.wijaksono@student.upi.edu; Abdullah, Ade Gafar; Hakim, Dadang Lukman

The Virtual SCADA system is a software-based Human-Machine Interface that can visualize the process of a plant. This paper described the results of the virtual SCADA system design that aims to recognize the principle of the Nuclear Power Plant type Pressurized Water Reactor. This simulation uses technical data of the Nuclear Power Plant Unit Olkiluoto 3 in Finland. This device was developed using Wonderware Intouch, which is equipped with manual books for each component, animation links, alarm systems, real time and historical trending, and security system. The results showed that in general this device can demonstrate clearly the principles ofmore » energy flow and energy conversion processes in Pressurized Water Reactors. This virtual SCADA simulation system can be used as instructional media to recognize the principle of Pressurized Water Reactor.« less

RELAP-7 Level 2 Milestone Report: Demonstration of a Steady State Single Phase PWR Simulation with RELAP-7

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

David Andrs; Ray Berry; Derek Gaston

The document contains the simulation results of a steady state model PWR problem with the RELAP-7 code. The RELAP-7 code is the next generation nuclear reactor system safety analysis code being developed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The code is based on INL's modern scientific software development framework - MOOSE (Multi-Physics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment). This report summarizes the initial results of simulating a model steady-state single phase PWR problem using the current version of the RELAP-7 code. The major purpose of this demonstration simulation is to show that RELAP-7 code can be rapidly developed to simulate single-phase reactor problems. RELAP-7more » is a new project started on October 1st, 2011. It will become the main reactor systems simulation toolkit for RISMC (Risk Informed Safety Margin Characterization) and the next generation tool in the RELAP reactor safety/systems analysis application series (the replacement for RELAP5). The key to the success of RELAP-7 is the simultaneous advancement of physical models, numerical methods, and software design while maintaining a solid user perspective. Physical models include both PDEs (Partial Differential Equations) and ODEs (Ordinary Differential Equations) and experimental based closure models. RELAP-7 will eventually utilize well posed governing equations for multiphase flow, which can be strictly verified. Closure models used in RELAP5 and newly developed models will be reviewed and selected to reflect the progress made during the past three decades. RELAP-7 uses modern numerical methods, which allow implicit time integration, higher order schemes in both time and space, and strongly coupled multi-physics simulations. RELAP-7 is written with object oriented programming language C++. Its development follows modern software design paradigms. The code is easy to read, develop, maintain, and couple with other codes. Most importantly, the modern software design allows the RELAP-7 code to evolve with time. RELAP-7 is a MOOSE-based application. MOOSE (Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment) is a framework for solving computational engineering problems in a well-planned, managed, and coordinated way. By leveraging millions of lines of open source software packages, such as PETSC (a nonlinear solver developed at Argonne National Laboratory) and LibMesh (a Finite Element Analysis package developed at University of Texas), MOOSE significantly reduces the expense and time required to develop new applications. Numerical integration methods and mesh management for parallel computation are provided by MOOSE. Therefore RELAP-7 code developers only need to focus on physics and user experiences. By using the MOOSE development environment, RELAP-7 code is developed by following the same modern software design paradigms used for other MOOSE development efforts. There are currently over 20 different MOOSE based applications ranging from 3-D transient neutron transport, detailed 3-D transient fuel performance analysis, to long-term material aging. Multi-physics and multiple dimensional analyses capabilities can be obtained by coupling RELAP-7 and other MOOSE based applications and by leveraging with capabilities developed by other DOE programs. This allows restricting the focus of RELAP-7 to systems analysis-type simulations and gives priority to retain and significantly extend RELAP5's capabilities.« less

Combustion engine system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houseman, John (Inventor); Voecks, Gerald E. (Inventor)

1986-01-01

A flow through catalytic reactor which selectively catalytically decomposes methanol into a soot free hydrogen rich product gas utilizing engine exhaust at temperatures of 200 to 650 C to provide the heat for vaporizing and decomposing the methanol is described. The reactor is combined with either a spark ignited or compression ignited internal combustion engine or a gas turbine to provide a combustion engine system. The system may be fueled entirely by the hydrogen rich gas produced in the methanol decomposition reactor or the system may be operated on mixed fuels for transient power gain and for cold start of the engine system. The reactor includes a decomposition zone formed by a plurality of elongated cylinders which contain a body of vapor permeable, methanol decomposition catalyst preferably a shift catalyst such as copper-zinc.

Combined on-board hydride slurry storage and reactor system and process for hydrogen-powered vehicles and devices

DOEpatents

Brooks, Kriston P; Holladay, Jamelyn D; Simmons, Kevin L; Herling, Darrell R

2014-11-18

An on-board hydride storage system and process are described. The system includes a slurry storage system that includes a slurry reactor and a variable concentration slurry. In one preferred configuration, the storage system stores a slurry containing a hydride storage material in a carrier fluid at a first concentration of hydride solids. The slurry reactor receives the slurry containing a second concentration of the hydride storage material and releases hydrogen as a fuel to hydrogen-power devices and vehicles.

Source Term Estimation of Radioxenon Released from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Reactors Using Measured Air Concentrations and Atmospheric Transport Modeling

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

Eslinger, Paul W.; Biegalski, S.; Bowyer, Ted W.

2014-01-01

Systems designed to monitor airborne radionuclides released from underground nuclear explosions detected radioactive fallout from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in March 2011. Atmospheric transport modeling (ATM) of plumes of noble gases and particulates were performed soon after the accident to determine plausible detection locations of any radioactive releases to the atmosphere. We combine sampling data from multiple International Modeling System (IMS) locations in a new way to estimate the magnitude and time sequence of the releases. Dilution factors from the modeled plume at five different detection locations were combined with 57 atmospheric concentration measurements of 133-Xe taken from Marchmore » 18 to March 23 to estimate the source term. This approach estimates that 59% of the 1.24×1019 Bq of 133-Xe present in the reactors at the time of the earthquake was released to the atmosphere over a three day period. Source term estimates from combinations of detection sites have lower spread than estimates based on measurements at single detection sites. Sensitivity cases based on data from four or more detection locations bound the source term between 35% and 255% of available xenon inventory.« less

CO2 capture by means of an enzyme-based reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowan, R. M.; Ge, J-J; Qin, Y-J; McGregor, M. L.; Trachtenberg, M. C.

2003-01-01

We report a means for efficient and selective extraction of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) at low to medium concentration from mixed gas streams. CO(2) capture was accomplished by use of a novel enzyme-based, facilitated transport contained liquid membrane (EBCLM) reactor. The parametric studies we report explore both structural and operational parameters of this design. The structural parameters include carbonic anhydrase (CA) concentration, buffer concentration and pH, and liquid membrane thickness. The operational parameters are temperature, humidity of the inlet gas stream, and CO(2) concentration in the feed stream. The data show that this system effectively captures CO(2) over the range 400 ppm to at least 100,000 ppm, at or around ambient temperature and pressure. In a single pass across this homogeneous catalyst design, given a feed of 0.1% CO(2), the selectivity of CO(2) versus N(2) is 1,090 : 1 and CO(2) versus O(2) is 790 :1. CO(2) permeance is 4.71 x 10(-8) molm(-2) Pa(-1) sec(-1). The CLM design results in a system that is very stable even in the presence of dry feed and sweep gases.

Pulse-density modulation control of chemical oscillation far from equilibrium in a droplet open-reactor system

PubMed Central

Sugiura, Haruka; Ito, Manami; Okuaki, Tomoya; Mori, Yoshihito; Kitahata, Hiroyuki; Takinoue, Masahiro

2016-01-01

The design, construction and control of artificial self-organized systems modelled on dynamical behaviours of living systems are important issues in biologically inspired engineering. Such systems are usually based on complex reaction dynamics far from equilibrium; therefore, the control of non-equilibrium conditions is required. Here we report a droplet open-reactor system, based on droplet fusion and fission, that achieves dynamical control over chemical fluxes into/out of the reactor for chemical reactions far from equilibrium. We mathematically reveal that the control mechanism is formulated as pulse-density modulation control of the fusion–fission timing. We produce the droplet open-reactor system using microfluidic technologies and then perform external control and autonomous feedback control over autocatalytic chemical oscillation reactions far from equilibrium. We believe that this system will be valuable for the dynamical control over self-organized phenomena far from equilibrium in chemical and biomedical studies. PMID:26786848