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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.

Abstract The increasing energy demand in developing countries has jeopardised energy security, necessitating the employment of solar energy to augment conventional energy sources. It is important to assess the annual performance parameters of solar power plants to understand its place in energy generation. This study analyses the performance and economic viability of a large-scale solar power park located in India. A 50 MWp Solar Photovoltaic Power Park (SPPP) located at Sakunala, in the State of Andhra Pradesh, is one of the largest solar power park in India, and the site receives an average solar radiation of 5.5–6.0 kWh/m2/day. The design, performance analysis, economic feasibility, and greenhouse gas mitigation of the 50 MWp SPPP is presented. The energy yields, performance ratio (PR), capacity utilization factor (CUF), and losses are assessed based on the IEC 61724 standards for two consecutive years (2018–2019 and 2019–2020). The performance results obtained are compared with the PVsyst simulation results. The PR, CUF, and energy yields are estimated as 0.779, 0.24, and 107,326.4 MWh in 2018–2019 and 0.691, 0.22, and 96,707.336 MWh in the year 2019–2020, respectively. The PVsyst simulator evaluates the PR, CUF, and energy yields as 0.80, 0.24, and 106,022 MWh, respectively. Further, the effect of power curtailment policies on solar PV projects is also discussed and the effect of curtailment policy on the economy of the solar power park in terms of payback period and emissions are analysed. The performance of the SPPP is also compared with those of other PV plants installed all over the world.

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 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 Severe accident analysis of a reactor is an important aspect for evaluation of source term. This in turn helps in emergency planning and severe accident management (SAM). Analyses have been carried out for VVER-1000 (V320) reactor following LOCA along with station blackout (SBO) to generate information on these aspects. Availability and unavailability of hydro-accumulators (HAs) are also considered for this study. Integral code ASTEC V1.3 (jointly developed by IRSN, France, and GRS, Germany) is used for analysing the transients. The predictions of different severe accident parameters like vessel rupture time, hydrogen and corium production and radioactivity release to containment have been compared for a spectrum of break sizes to provide information for probabilistic safety analysis (PSA) level-2 and severe accident management (SAM) guidelines.

Abstract This paper deals with a Distribution STATic COMpensator (DSTATCOM) for balancing of source currents, power factor correction and harmonic mitigation in three-phase, three-wire distribution system supplying delta connected load under various source voltage conditions. The control strategy applied to the DSTATCOM play a major role in its performance. A novel approach based on an improved instantaneous active and reactive current component (IARCC) theory is proposed for generation of three-phase reference currents for DSTATCOM. A three-phase voltage source converter with a dc bus capacitor is employed as DSTACOM which will track the reference currents in a hysteresis band scheme. The performance of DSTATCOM is evaluated under sinusoidal, unbalanced sinusoidal and unbalanced distorted source voltage conditions. Variation in load current, variation in magnitude and harmonic content in source voltage has been considered. Delta connected linear as well as non-linear load conditions have been considered. The performance of the DSTATCOM using the proposed control strategy is demonstrated using simulation results in MATLAB/SIMULINK software. Simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of proposed scheme for the control of DSTACOM.

Using both HEM and TEDFM the steady-state behaviour of a rectangular uniform cross section two-phase closed NCL has been studied through one-dimensional approach. Uniform heat flux for heating as well as cooling has been considered along with the constant physical properties, uniform pressure inside the loop and water-steam as the working fluid. For the given operating range and loop geometry, the circulation velocity lies in the turbulent regime. The flow rate monotonically increases with the loop height. However, with heat flux it initially increases, reaches maximum and then falls. This implies that the surface heat flux should match the loop geometry and other operating parameters to produce the maximum flow rate. It has also been observed that the cooling and heating lengths and the temperature of the liquid at the entry of the heating section have to be selected optimally to generate the maximum mass flow rate.