Continuous Monitoring of Information on Anode Current Distribution as Means of Improving the Process of Controlling and Forecasting Process Disturbances

За последние десятилетия система АСУТП электролиза достигла больших возможностей по улучшению сбора и обработки сигналов, которые обеспечивают основу для регулирования питания, теплового баланса и магнитогидродинамической (МГД) стабильности. Несмотря на значительное развитие, постоянно растут потребности в датчиках контроля, которые могут распознавать и реагировать на возникающие изменения. C 2008 г. на электролизерах опытного участка РА-400, расположенного в опытно-промышленном корпусе электролиза ОАО «РУСАЛ Саяногорск», эксплуатируется система непрерывного мониторинга информации о распределении тока по анодам, интегрированная в АСУТП СААТ-2. На протяжении промышленных испытаний система мониторинга постоянно совершенствовалась в части достоверности информации, обеспечения работоспособности оборудования в условиях агрессивных сред, а также при выполнении технологических и ремонтных операций на электролизере. Полученная информация о распределении тока по анодам позволила разработать алгоритмы, прогнозирующие на ранней стадии отклонения в питании глиноземом электролизера с последующим перераспределением по точкам автоматической подачи глинозема (АПГ), прогнозирование и распознавание технологических нарушений на подошве анодов («конуса»)The aluminum reduction process control system in recent decades has given great opportunities for improving the collection and processing of signals that provide the basis for the adjustment of feeding, thermal balance and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability. Despite considerable development, there is a growing need for control sensors that can detect and respond to emerging changes. Since 2008, the cells operating in the RA-400 pilot area inside the Pilot Potroom at OJSC RUSAL Sayanogorsk have been using a system for continuous monitoring of information on anode current distribution. The system has been integrated in the ‘CAAT-2’ control system. In the course of industrial tests, the monitoring system was continuously improved – in terms of information reliability, and equipment operability in aggressive environments and during pot tending & maintenance operations. The obtained information on anode current distribution allowed for developing algorithms to detect, at an early stage, variations in cell alumina feeding, including further alumina re-distribution between feed points, and forecast and detect anode bottom problems (“spike”

A population of gamma-ray emitting globular clusters seen with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

Globular clusters with their large populations of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are believed to be potential emitters of high-energy gamma-ray emission. Our goal is to constrain the millisecond pulsar populations in globular clusters from analysis of gamma-ray observations. We use 546 days of continuous sky-survey observations obtained with the Large Area Telescope aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to study the gamma-ray emission towards 13 globular clusters. Steady point-like high-energy gamma-ray emission has been significantly detected towards 8 globular clusters. Five of them (47 Tucanae, Omega Cen, NGC 6388, Terzan 5, and M 28) show hard spectral power indices $(0.7 < \Gamma <1.4)$ and clear evidence for an exponential cut-off in the range 1.0-2.6 GeV, which is the characteristic signature of magnetospheric emission from MSPs. Three of them (M 62, NGC 6440 and NGC 6652) also show hard spectral indices $(1.0 < \Gamma < 1.7)$, however the presence of an exponential cut-off can not be unambiguously established. Three of them (Omega Cen, NGC 6388, NGC 6652) have no known radio or X-ray MSPs yet still exhibit MSP spectral properties. From the observed gamma-ray luminosities, we estimate the total number of MSPs that is expected to be present in these globular clusters. We show that our estimates of the MSP population correlate with the stellar encounter rate and we estimate 2600-4700 MSPs in Galactic globular clusters, commensurate with previous estimates. The observation of high-energy gamma-ray emission from a globular cluster thus provides a reliable independent method to assess their millisecond pulsar populations that can be used to make constraints on the original neutron star X-ray binary population, essential for understanding the importance of binary systems in slowing the inevitable core collapse of globular clusters.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. Corresponding authors: J. Kn\"odlseder, N. Webb, B. Pancraz

Fermi Large Area Telescope Constraints on the Gamma-ray Opacity of the Universe

The Extragalactic Background Light (EBL) includes photons with wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared, which are effective at attenuating gamma rays with energy above ~10 GeV during propagation from sources at cosmological distances. This results in a redshift- and energy-dependent attenuation of the gamma-ray flux of extragalactic sources such as blazars and Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). The Large Area Telescope onboard Fermi detects a sample of gamma-ray blazars with redshift up to z~3, and GRBs with redshift up to z~4.3. Using photons above 10 GeV collected by Fermi over more than one year of observations for these sources, we investigate the effect of gamma-ray flux attenuation by the EBL. We place upper limits on the gamma-ray opacity of the Universe at various energies and redshifts, and compare this with predictions from well-known EBL models. We find that an EBL intensity in the optical-ultraviolet wavelengths as great as predicted by the "baseline" model of Stecker et al. (2006) can be ruled out with high confidence.Comment: 42 pages, 12 figures, accepted version (24 Aug.2010) for publication in ApJ; Contact authors: A. Bouvier, A. Chen, S. Raino, S. Razzaque, A. Reimer, L.C. Reye

Gamma-ray and radio properties of six pulsars detected by the fermi large area telescope

We report the detection of pulsed γ-rays for PSRs J0631+1036, J0659+1414, J0742-2822, J1420-6048, J1509-5850, and J1718-3825 using the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (formerly known as GLAST). Although these six pulsars are diverse in terms of their spin parameters, they share an important feature: their γ-ray light curves are (at least given the current count statistics) single peaked. For two pulsars, there are hints for a double-peaked structure in the light curves. The shapes of the observed light curves of this group of pulsars are discussed in the light of models for which the emission originates from high up in the magnetosphere. The observed phases of the γ-ray light curves are, in general, consistent with those predicted by high-altitude models, although we speculate that the γ-ray emission of PSR J0659+1414, possibly featuring the softest spectrum of all Fermi pulsars coupled with a very low efficiency, arises from relatively low down in the magnetosphere. High-quality radio polarization data are available showing that all but one have a high degree of linear polarization. This allows us to place some constraints on the viewing geometry and aids the comparison of the γ-ray light curves with high-energy beam models

SUBSTATIONS OF DISTRICT HEATING SYSTEMS WITH PULSE COOLANT CIRCULATION

Abstract. Objectives The aim of the study is to generalise the results of the application of technologies and means for organising pulse coolant flow within a district heating system in order to increase its energy efficiency based on the organisation of local hydraulic shocks and the subsequent use of their energy to ensure the purification of heat energy equipment, intensify the heat transfer process and realise the possibility of transforming the available head from one hydraulic circuit to another. Methods Substations connecting the thermal power installations of consumers with heat networks via dependent and independent schemes are analytically generalised. The use of pulse coolant circulation is proposed as a means of overcoming identified shortcomings. Results Principal schemes of substations with pulse coolant circulation for dependent and independent connection of thermal power installations are detailed. A detailed description of their operation is given. The advantages of using pulse coolant circulation in substations are shown. The materials reflecting the results of the technical implementation and practical introduction of this technology are presented. Conclusion Theoretical analysis of the operation of the basic schemes of substations with pulse coolant circulation and the results of their practical application, as well as the materials of scientific works devoted to the use of the energy of a hydraulic impact and the study of the effect of pulse coolant flow on thermal and hydrodynamic processes, have yielded a combination of factors reflecting technical and economic rationality of application of pulse coolant circulation

Continuous Monitoring of Information on Anode Current Distribution as Means of Improving the Process of Controlling and Forecasting Process Disturbances

За последние десятилетия система АСУТП электролиза достигла больших возможностей по улучшению сбора и обработки сигналов, которые обеспечивают основу для регулирования питания, теплового баланса и магнитогидродинамической (МГД) стабильности. Несмотря на значительное развитие, постоянно растут потребности в датчиках контроля, которые могут распознавать и реагировать на возникающие изменения. C 2008 г. на электролизерах опытного участка РА-400, расположенного в опытно-промышленном корпусе электролиза ОАО «РУСАЛ Саяногорск», эксплуатируется система непрерывного мониторинга информации о распределении тока по анодам, интегрированная в АСУТП СААТ-2. На протяжении промышленных испытаний система мониторинга постоянно совершенствовалась в части достоверности информации, обеспечения работоспособности оборудования в условиях агрессивных сред, а также при выполнении технологических и ремонтных операций на электролизере. Полученная информация о распределении тока по анодам позволила разработать алгоритмы, прогнозирующие на ранней стадии отклонения в питании глиноземом электролизера с последующим перераспределением по точкам автоматической подачи глинозема (АПГ), прогнозирование и распознавание технологических нарушений на подошве анодов («конуса»)The aluminum reduction process control system in recent decades has given great opportunities for improving the collection and processing of signals that provide the basis for the adjustment of feeding, thermal balance and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability. Despite considerable development, there is a growing need for control sensors that can detect and respond to emerging changes. Since 2008, the cells operating in the RA-400 pilot area inside the Pilot Potroom at OJSC RUSAL Sayanogorsk have been using a system for continuous monitoring of information on anode current distribution. The system has been integrated in the ‘CAAT-2’ control system. In the course of industrial tests, the monitoring system was continuously improved – in terms of information reliability, and equipment operability in aggressive environments and during pot tending & maintenance operations. The obtained information on anode current distribution allowed for developing algorithms to detect, at an early stage, variations in cell alumina feeding, including further alumina re-distribution between feed points, and forecast and detect anode bottom problems (“spike”

Heteroplasmic Variants of Mitochondrial DNA in Atherosclerotic Lesions of Human Aortic Intima

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are likely involved in atherogenesis. Since the mitochondrial genome variation can alter functional activity of cells, it is necessary to assess the presence in atherosclerotic lesions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmic mutations known to be associated with different pathological processes and ageing. In this study, mtDNA heteroplasmy and copy number (mtCN) were evaluated in the autopsy-derived samples of aortic intima differing by the type of atherosclerotic lesions. To detect mtDNA heteroplasmic variants, next generation sequencing was used, and mtCN measurement was performed by qPCR. It was shown that mtDNA heteroplasmic mutations are characteristic for particular areas of intimal tissue; in 83 intimal samples 55 heteroplasmic variants were found; mean minor allele frequencies level accounted for 0.09, with 12% mean heteroplasmy level. The mtCN variance measured in adjacent areas of intima was high, but atherosclerotic lesions and unaffected intima did not differ significantly in mtCN values. Basing on the ratio of minor and major nucleotide mtDNA variants, we can conclude that there exists the increase in the number of heteroplasmic mtDNA variants, which corresponds to the extent of atherosclerotic morphologic phenotype

Search for gamma-ray emission from magnetars with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

We report on the search for 0.1-10 GeV emission from magnetars in 17 months of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) observations. No significant evidence for gamma-ray emission from any of the currently known magnetars is found. The most stringent upper limits to date on their persistent emission in the Fermi energy range are estimated between ~10–12and10–10 erg s–1 cm–2, depending on the source. We also searched for gamma-ray pulsations and possible outbursts, also with no significant detection. The upper limits derived support the presence of a cutoff at an energy below a few MeV in the persistent emission of magnetars. They also show the likely need for a revision of current models of outer-gap emission from strongly magnetized pulsars, which, in some realizations, predict detectable GeV emission from magnetars at flux levels exceeding the upper limits identified here using the Fermi-LAT observations.Peer reviewe