Design study and evaluation of a hypergolic engine for a space power system, phase 2 Final report, 1 Jul. 1964 - 10 Feb. 1966

Design feasibility of hypergolic engine for space power syste

Evaluation of present thermal barrier coatings for potential service in electric utility gas turbines

The resistance of present-day thermal barrier coatings to combustion gases found in electric utility turbines was assessed. The plasma sprayed coatings, both duplex and graded types, were primarily zirconia-based, although a calcium silicate was also evaluated. Both atmospheric burner rig tests and high pressure tests (135 psig) showed that several present-day thermal barrier coatings have a high potential for service in gas turbines burning the relatively clean GT No. 2 fuel. However, coating improvements are needed for use in turbines burning lower grade fuel such as residual oil. The duplex ZrO2.8Y2O3/NiCrA1Y coating was ranked highest and selected for near-term field testing, with Ca2SiO4/NiCrA1Y ranked second. Graded coatings show potential for corrosive turbine operating conditions and warrant further development. The coating degradation mechanisms for each coating system subjected to the various environmental conditions are also described

AGC-1 Irradiation Experiment Test Plan

The Advanced Graphite Capsule (AGC) irradiation test program supports the acquisition of irradiated graphite performance data to assist in the selection of the technology to be used for the VHTR. Six irradiations are planned to investigate compressive creep in graphite subjected to a neutron field and obtain irradiated mechanical properties of vibrationally molded, extruded, and iso-molded graphites for comparison. The experiments will be conducted at three temperatures: 600, 900, and 1200°C. At each temperature, two different capsules will be irradiated to different fluence levels, the first from 0.5 to 4 dpa and the second from 4 to 7 dpa. AGC-1 is the first of the six capsules designed for ATR and will focus on the prismatic fluence range

Advanced ceramic coating development for industrial/utility gas turbine applications

The effects of ceramic coatings on the lifetimes of metal turbine components and on the performance of a utility turbine, as well as of the turbine operational cycle on the ceramic coatings were determined. When operating the turbine under conditions of constant cooling flow, the first row blades run 55K cooler, and as a result, have 10 times the creep rupture life, 10 times the low cycle fatigue life and twice the corrosion life with only slight decreases in both specific power and efficiency. When operating the turbine at constant metal temperature and reduced cooling flow, both specific power and efficiency increases, with no change in component lifetime. The most severe thermal transient of the turbine causes the coating bond stresses to approach 60% of the bond strengths. Ceramic coating failures was studied. Analytic models based on fracture mechanics theories, combined with measured properties quantitatively assessed both single and multiple thermal cycle failures which allowed the prediction of coating lifetime. Qualitative models for corrosion failures are also presented

A study of atmospheric neutrinos with the IMB detector

A sample of 401 contained neutrino interactions collected in the 3300 metric ton fiducial mass IMB detector was used to study neutrino oscillations, geomagnetic modulation of the flux and to search for point sources. The majority of these events are attributed to neutrino interactions. For the most part, these neutrinos are believed to originate as tertiary products of cosmic ray interactions in the atmosphere. The neutrinos are a mixture of v sub e and v sub micron

How Farm Families Make Decisions

A.E. Res. 79-

Cytosolic Phospholipase A2α and Eicosanoids Regulate Expression of Genes in Macrophages Involved in Host Defense and Inflammation

Acknowledgments: We thank Dr. Robert Barkley and Charis Uhlson for mass spectrometry analysis. Funding: This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health HL34303 (to C.C.L., R.C.M. and D.L.B), DK54741 (to J.V.B.), GM5322 (to D.L.W.) and the Wellcome Trust (to N.A.R.G. and G.D.B.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Graphite Technology Development Plan

This technology development plan is designed to provide a clear understanding of the research and development direction necessary for the qualification of nuclear grade graphite for use within the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) reactor. The NGNP will be a helium gas cooled Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) with a large graphite core. Graphite physically contains the fuel and comprises the majority of the core volume. Considerable effort will be required to ensure that the graphite performance is not compromised during operation. Based upon the perceived requirements the major data needs are outlined and justified from the perspective of reactor design, reatcor performance, or the reactor safety case. The path forward for technology development can then be easily determined for each data need. How the data will be obtained and the inter-relationships between the experimental and modeling activities will define the technology development for graphite R&D. Finally, the variables affecting this R&D program are discussed from a general perspective. Factors that can significantly affect the R&D program such as funding, schedules, available resources, multiple reactor designs, and graphite acquisition are analyzed

NGNP Graphite Selection and Acquisition Strategy

The nuclear graphite (H-451) previously used in the United States for High-Temperature Reactors (HTRs) is no longer available. New graphites have been developed and are considered suitable candidates for the Next-Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). A complete properties database for these new, available, candidate grades of graphite must be developed to support the design and licensing of NGNP core components. Data are required for the physical, mechanical (including radiation-induced creep), and oxidation properties of graphites. Moreover, the data must be statistically sound and take account of in-billet, between billets, and lot-to-lot variations of properties. These data are needed to support the ongoing development1 of the risk-derived American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) graphite design code (a consensus code being prepared under the jurisdiction of the ASME by gas-cooled reactor and NGNP stakeholders including the vendors). The earlier Fort St. Vrain design of High-Temperature Reactor (HTRs) used deterministic performance models for H-451, while the NGNP will use new graphite grades and risk-derived (probabilistic) performance models and design codes, such as that being developed by the ASME. A radiation effects database must be developed for the currently available graphite materials, and this requires a substantial graphite irradiation program. The graphite Technology Development Plan (TDP)2 describes the data needed and the experiments planned to acquire these data in a timely fashion to support NGNP design, construction, and licensing. The strategy for the selection of appropriate grades of graphite for the NGNP is discussed here. The final selection of graphite grades depends upon the chosen reactor type and vendor because the reactor type (pebble bed or prismatic block) has a major influence on the graphite chosen by the designer. However, the time required to obtain the needed irradiation data for the selected NGNP graphite is sufficiently long that a preliminary selection was necessary in 2005. A further downselect was made in 2006, reducing the number of candidate graphites to two, with two reserve grades. Since then additional information has been obtained from potential NGNP vendors and graphite manufacturers. Therefore, the NGNP graphite selection strategy has been reassessed. New recommendations, and the rationale for these recommendations, are reported and discussed here