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A prototype air cycle cooling system, designed for forced cooling of HPOF pipe-type cable, was built under an EPRI contract. Its main components are a turbine and compressor operated on a single high speed shaft and a compact cable. oil to air heat exchanger. Air cooling is supplemented by a spray water system. Tests were conducted on the prototype unit at the EPRI Waltz Mill Cable Test Facility to evaluate its performance and operating characteristics. This paper briefly describes this equipment and presents the results of the test program.

We have investigated the microelectrical properties of CdTe thin films using scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM) and scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM). Two films with the configurations of substrate and superstrate were subjected to the characterization studies. The electrical potential and resistance were properly mapped with the substrate film but not with the superstrate film because the underlying CdS/CdTe junction largely impacted the characterizations. The higher SKPFM potential on grain boundaries (GBs) of the substrate film than on the grain surface indicates positively charged GBs and upward band bending around the GB; therefore, the GBs are either depleted or inverted. The SSRM resistance mapping on this film shows nonuniformities and features that are associated with the grain structure and facets. However, the GBs do not exhibit distinct characteristic resistance. Comparing the low resistance channel along the GBs of high-performance CIGS films, the SSRM mapping of CdTe supports depletion of the GBs. In SSRM measurement, it is critical to adequately indent the probe to the film, and to apply a bias voltage larger than the onset voltage of the probe/film barrier, so that the contact resistance is minimized and that the local spreading resistance of CdTe film beneath the probe is measured.

Chromium (Cr) exposure during gestation causes malformations in animal experiments. In this multicenter case-control study, we initially involved 130 orofacial clefts (OFCs) and 260 controls to assess the association between Cr concentration and risk for OFCs. Then, umbilical cord serum (49 vs. 119) and cord tissue (84 vs. 142) were used to validate the association between Cr and OFCs. We found that maternal serum Cr concentrations in OFC cases were significantly higher than those in controls. Compared with the lowest tertile of maternal serum Cr concentration, the highest tertile of Cr increased the risk for OFCs [OR = 2.14 (1.14-4.05)]. In the validation cohort of umbilical cord serum and tissue, higher concentrations of Cr were associated with increased risks for OFCs in a dose-dependent manner (all Ps for trends <0.05). Cr concentrations in maternal serum and cord serum showed a positive correlation. The Cr concentration in cord serum was inversely correlated with egg and milk consumption frequencies, and the Cr concentration in cord tissue was positively associated with indoor coal burning. In conclusion, prenatal Cr exposure is a risk factor for OFCs, and indoor coal burning during pregnancy may be one of the sources of Cr exposure.

Abstract In this paper, the authors present a method for collecting data on household energy-use behavior. Open-ended interviewing is supplemented by the use of a self-recording system to compensate for a persistent problem in data-gathering on behavior, namely, the gap between what people say they do in interviews and what they actually do. The authors developed and field-tested a self- recording diary which is simple to both use and analyze. Results of that field test are discussed, together with an analysis of who in the household used (or controlled) each of the energy systems in the house. We also compare self-recorded data with interview data to point to differences between reported and recorded behavior. We believe that both the method and the insights into the separation of energy tasks within the household should be of paramount interest to energy planners.

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.

Abstract The effects of ethanol and pentobarbital on flurothyl seizure susceptibility were studied in two lines of mice that were derived by selective breeding with respect to ethanol sleep time. Short-sleep mice (SS) were more susceptible than long-sleep mice (LS) to flurothyl-induced myoclonus, but there was no line difference in susceptibility to clonus. Low doses of ethanol or pentobarbital increased seizure latencies in both populations, and there was no difference between the lines in the effect of these drugs. The lack of difference in response to ethanol in the two populations indicates that the genetic mechanisms which determine sensitivity to ethanol's anticonvulsant action are not identical with those which determine sensitivity to its depressant action.

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.

This research examines the economic implications of different designs for a national low carbon fuel standard (NLCFS) for the road transportation sector. A NLCFS based on the average Carbon Intensity (CI) of all fuels sold generates an incentive for fuel suppliers to reduce the measured CI of their fuels. The economic impacts are determined by the availability of low carbon fuels, estimates of which can vary widely. Also important are the compliance path, reference level CI, and the design of the credit system, particularly the opportunities for trading and banking. To quantitatively examine the implications of a NLCFS, we created the Transportation Regulation and Credit Trading (TRACT) Model. With TRACT, we model a NLCFS credit trading system among profit maximizing fuel suppliers for light- and heavy-duty vehicle fuel use for the United States from 2012 to 2030. We find that credit trading across gasoline and diesel fuel markets can lower the average costs of carbon reductions by an insignificant amount to 98% depending on forecasts of biofuel supplies and carbon intensities. Adding banking of credits on top of trading can further lower the average cost of carbon reductions by 5%–9% and greatly reduce year-to-year fluctuations in credit prices.

The division of return stroke current among the arresters and groundings of two unenergized test distribution lines, one horizontally configured and the other vertically configured, was studied at the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing in Florida. The division of return stroke currents for the vertically configured line was initially similar to the division on the horizontally configured line: at the time the return stroke current reached peak value (after one microsecond, or so) the two closest arresters/grounds on both lines passed about 90% of the total current. However, the time during which the return stroke current flowed primarily through the closest arresters to the neutral conductor was significantly shorter on the vertically configured line. On that line, the arrester current was about equally divided among all four arresters after several tens of microseconds. The arrester current division as a function of time measured on the vertical line was successfully modeled using the published VI-characteristic, while the division on the horizontal line after some tens of microseconds was only successfully modeled if the residual voltage of the two arresters closest to the current injection point was reduced by 20%. Based on the triggered lightning current division observed on our line, the minimum energy absorbed in each of the two arresters closest to the strike point during a typical natural first stroke is estimated to be 40 kJ.