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Abstract For fast reactor design and analysis, our laboratory uses, amongst others, the ERANOS code system. Unfortunately, the publicly available version of ERANOS does not have the most recent nuclear data. Therefore, it was decided to implement an integrated processing system to generate cross sections libraries for the ECCO cell code, as well as covariance data. Cross sections are generated from the original ENDF files. For our purposes, it is important to ascertain that the ECCO cross section libraries are of adequate quality to allow design and analysis of advanced fast reactors in an academic context. In this paper, we present an analysis of the MZA/MZB benchmarks with nuclear data from JENDL-4.0, JEFF-3.1.2 and ENDF/B-VII.1. Results are that reactivity is generally well predicted, with an uncertainty of about 1% due to covariances of the nuclear data. Reaction rate ratios are satisfactorily calculated, as well as the flux spectrum and reaction rate traverses. Some problems remain: the magnitude of the void effect is not satisfactorily calculated, and reaction rate traverses are not always satisfactorily calculated. On the whole, the ECCO libraries are sufficient for design and analysis tasks in an academic context. For high-precision calculations, such as required for licensing tasks and detailed design calculations, data adjustment is still necessary as the “native” covariance data in the ENDF files is not accurate enough.

Bioplastics are alternatives of conventional petroleum-based plastics. Bioplastics are polymers processed from renewable sources and are biodegradable. This study aims at conducting an environmental impact assessment of the bioprocessing of agricultural wastes into bioplastics compared to petro-plastics using an LCA approach. Bioplastics were produced from potato peels in laboratory. In a biochemical reaction under heating, starch was extracted from peels and glycerin, vinegar and water were added with a range of different ratios, which resulted in producing different samples of bio-based plastics. Nevertheless, the environmental impact of the bioplastics production process was evaluated and compared to petro-plastics. A life cycle analysis of bioplastics produced in laboratory and petro-plastics was conducted. The results are presented in the form of global warming potential, and other environmental impacts including acidification potential, eutrophication potential, freshwater ecotoxicity potential, human toxicity potential, and ozone layer depletion of producing bioplastics are compared to petro-plastics. The results show that the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, through the different experiments to produce bioplastics, range between 0.354 and 0.623 kg CO2 eq. per kg bioplastic compared to 2.37 kg CO2 eq. per kg polypropylene as a petro-plastic. The results also showed that there are no significant potential effects for the bioplastics produced from potato peels on different environmental impacts in comparison with poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid and polypropylene. Thus, the bioplastics produced from agricultural wastes can be manufactured in industrial scale to reduce the dependence on petroleum-based plastics. This in turn will mitigate GHG emissions and reduce the negative environmental impacts on climate change.

Abstract In hot and humid climate such as in Japan and south east Asia, dehumidification in summer is really important for air conditioning. Temperature and humidity independent control (THIC) of air conditioning system can handle sensible heat and latent heat separately, and provide good indoor environment and achieve energy conservation. Desiccant air handling unit is one of the major solution for THIC of air conditioning system. It needs hot water to regenerate sorbent which absorbs moist in the air. Combined heat and power can supply hot water at almost constant temperature for desiccant air handling system and also contribute to the business continuity plan of commercial buildings. However, there are still uncertainties about the factors which affect energy performance of desiccant air handling unit and the optimum design and operations in hot and humid climate. The objectives of this paper are to prove factors which affect energy performance of desiccant air handling unit by measurement analysis and show optimum condition of the desiccant air handling unit under various room conditions by simulation. Measurement analysis shows that energy performance of desiccant air handling unit depends not only on the inlet air condition to dehumidification wheel but also on designed supply air humidity. Furthermore, simulation results show the optimum inlet air condition entering dehumidification wheel under various supply air absolute humidity which is determined by design room conditions. These results provide useful information of desiccant air handling unit during design and operation phase of buildings in hot and humid climate.

Abstract This paper deals with the control of the series FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) devices for the coordination between their transient stability controller and POD (Power Oscillation Damping) controller in multi-machine power systems. The design aspects and their implementation in form of fuzzy-logic coordination controller are presented. Furthermore, ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System) is employed for the training of the proposed fuzzy-logic controller. The local signals of the FACTS devices are applied to achieve the coordination objectives. Digital simulations of multi-machine power system subjected to a wide variety of disturbances validate the efficiency of this approach. The proposed control scheme is not only robust, but also simple and easy to be realized in power systems.

In the heating sector, borehole heat exchangers have become popular for supplying renewable energy. They tap into the subsurface to extract geothermal energy for heating purposes. For advanced applications, borehole heat exchangers require insulation in the upper part of the borehole either to meet legal requirements or to improve their performance. A priori numerical heat transport models of the subsurface are imperative for the systems’ planning and design. Only fully discretized models can account for depth-dependent borehole properties like insulated sections, but the model setup is cumbersome and the simulations come at high computational cost. Hence, these models are often not suitable for the simulation of larger installations. This study presents an analytical solution for the simulation of the thermal interactions of partly insulated borehole heat exchangers. A benchmark with a fully discretized OpenGeoSys model confirms sufficient accuracy of the analytical solution. In an application example, the functionality of the tool is demonstrated by finding the ideal length of a borehole insulation using mathematical optimization and by quantifying the effect of the insulation on the borehole heat exchanger performance. The presented method allows for accommodation of future advancements in borehole heat exchangers in numerical simulations at comparatively low computational cost.

AbstractBei der Reaktion Aluminium und Wasser bilden sich nach kurzen Reaktionszeiten Hydroxidschichten mit schwammiger Struktur. Mit zunehmender Reaktionszeit werden die Hydroxid kompakt, und es entsteht ein zusammenhängender Filme mit poröses Oberfläche. Bei Reaktionszeiten größer 4 Stunden bilden sich bei 98°C kristalline Formen aus.Während der anodischen Oxydation von Aluminium in Citronensäure werden dünne Hydroxidschichten, die vor der anodischen Oxydation aufgebracht wurden, in die Sperrschicht eingebaut. Hingegen wird bei der Formierung in aggressiven Electrolyten die Hydroxidschicht aufgelöst. Es kommt zur Ausbildung einer Eloxalschicht.Die Morphologie von Oxidschichten ist bei der Formierung ohne Hydroxidvorschicht in heißer Citronensäure stromdichteabhängig. Bei hohen Stromdichten wächst eine Sperrschicht, bei niedrigen eine Duplexschicht mit stark porösem Elexalschichtanteil auf.

Abstract This paper is about measurements, analyses and evaluation of residential PV systems in the Japanese Monitoring Program, on which JQA was subsidized by NEDO (New Energy Development and Industrial Technology Organization) that is currently proceeding [NSS R&D] from FY1997 to FY 2000. The aim of this investigation refers, through the data evaluation and analyses, to obtain knowledge required for optimizing design of PV systems, such as system performance, characteristics and regional dependency under practical operation and to develop the system evaluation technology on the design parameter method.

In a former study, a German lignite extract exhibited toxicity to Danio rerio and Caenorhabditis elegans and was shown to have mutagenic and dioxin-like activity. Besides the comparatively low content of known toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), highly intensive peaks of m/z 274 and m/z 324 were observed during the chromatographic analysis. These compounds are assumed to be alkylated chrysenes and picenes (3,3,7-trimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrochrysene, 1,2-(1'-isopropylpropano)-7-methylchrysene and an isomer of the latter, 1,2,9-trimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropicene and 2,2,9-trimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropicene). These compounds are intermediates in the diagenetic formation of chrysene and picene from triterpenoids. Due to their general high abundance in lignites and the toxicity observed for the lignite extract, the mechanism-specific toxicity and bioavailability of these compounds were investigated in the present study using the approach of effect-directed analysis. After the separation of the compounds from other PAH, their mutagenic activity (Ames Fluctuation test) and dioxin-like activity (EROD activity) were studied. Both, mutation induction factor (up to 2.9±2.7) and dioxin-like activity (Bio-TEQ of 224±75 pg/g; represents the amount (pg) 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin per g coal that would provoke the same toxic effect) were rather low. Bioavailability estimated by the bioaccumulation test with Lumbriculus variegatus was also very limited. Based on the obtained results, the environmental risk of the highly abundant alkylated chrysenes and picenes in lignites is concluded to be low.

A novel exciterless- and brushless-type commutatorless motor driven by a voltage source inverter is presented, and the analysis of the characteristics and the test results are reported. In the commutatorless motor, the stator armature winding is connected electrically with the secondary winding of a transformer. An AC exciting current flows in the armature winding simultaneously with the load current. The ratio between the number of poles made by the load current and the number of poles by the AC exciting current is 2 or 1/2. Thus, the motor can be made exciterless and brushless. Since the rotating direction of the rotating field made by the AC exciting current is opposite to that of the rotor in this commutatorless motor, speed control in a low-speed range is possible, because a large current can flow in the field winding even if the rotor rotates in a low-speed range. As a result, the motor can be controlled in a wide range, from high speed to low speed. It has been found from the analysis and the test results that a shunt wound characteristic between the speed and the torque and other characteristics can be obtained. >