SOCTESQA - Solid Oxide Cell and Stack Testing, Safety and Quality Assurance

Many research facilities and industrial companies worldwide are engaged in the development and the improvement of solid oxide fuel cells/stacks (SOFC) and also of solid oxide electrolysis cells/stacks (SOEC). However, the successful application of fuel and electrolysis cells/stacks in real world conditions requires reliable assessment, testing and prediction of performance and durability. Therefore the EU-project SOCTESQA will start at the beginning of May with the aim to develop uniform and industry wide test procedures and protocols for SOC cell/stack assembly. The paper presents the main objectives, the project consortium, the structure, the work packages and the workflow plan of the project. The project builds on experiences gained in the FCTESTNET, FCTESQA series of projects taking up the methodology developed there. It will address new application fields which are based on the operation of the SOFC cell/stack assembly in the fuel cell and in the electrolysis mode, e.g. stationary SOFC μ-CHP, mobile SOFC APU and SOFC/SOEC power-to-gas systems. The test procedures will include current-voltage curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and long term tests both under steady state and dynamic operating conditions. The project partners are from different countries in Europe: French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Joint Research Centre – European Commission (JRC) from Belgium, European Institute for Energy Research (EIFER) from Germany and German Aerospace Center (DLR). All of them have long-term experience in the development, testing and harmonization of solid oxide cells/stacks. The project will have a clear structure based on an initial definition phase, the development of generic test modules, the corresponding experimental validation phases and the review of the test procedures. Several of these validation loops will result at the end of the project in final test modules, which will be confirmed by round robin tests. Moreover, the project will address safety aspects, liaise with standardization organizations and establish contact with industrial practice. This collaborative project will essentially help to accelerate the development and the market penetration of hydrogen and fuel cell (H2&FC) energy systems in Europe

D.3.1 Test Matrix Document

The present document defines the test matrix, i.e. a list of test modules relevant for different applications. According to the project objectives the applications are SOFC (stationary and mobile), SOEC (H2- production) and combined SOFC/SOEC (electricity storage via H2). These test modules can be combined to form test programs in order to realize application-oriented testing. This test matrix has been created based on a brief review of results from the precedent project - FCTESQA dealing with cell/stack/system testing procedures for three types of fuel cells (PEMFC, SOFC and MCFC) and the on-going project STACKTEST dealing with testing procedures for PEMFC stacks. Industrial stake holders who are developing SOFC/SOEC products have been contacted to gather information regarding the required operation modes during the lifecycle of the product for each application. Feedbacks from industrial stake holders have also been integrated

The Salmonella Genomic Island 1 Is Specifically Mobilized In Trans by the IncA/C Multidrug Resistance Plasmid Family

BACKGROUND: The Salmonella genomic island 1 (SGI1) is a Salmonella enterica-derived integrative mobilizable element (IME) containing various complex multiple resistance integrons identified in several S. enterica serovars and in Proteus mirabilis. Previous studies have shown that SGI1 transfers horizontally by in trans mobilization in the presence of the IncA/C conjugative helper plasmid pR55. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we report the ability of different prevalent multidrug resistance (MDR) plasmids including extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) gene-carrying plasmids to mobilize the multidrug resistance genomic island SGI1. Through conjugation experiments, none of the 24 conjugative plasmids tested of the IncFI, FII, HI2, I1, L/M, N, P incompatibility groups were able to mobilize SGI1 at a detectable level (transfer frequency <10(-9)). In our collection, ESBL gene-carrying plasmids were mainly from the IncHI2 and I1 groups and thus were unable to mobilize SGI1. However, the horizontal transfer of SGI1 was shown to be specifically mediated by conjugative helper plasmids of the broad-host-range IncA/C incompatibility group. Several conjugative IncA/C MDR plasmids as well as the sequenced IncA/C reference plasmid pRA1 of 143,963 bp were shown to mobilize in trans SGI1 from a S. enterica donor to the Escherichia coli recipient strain. Depending on the IncA/C plasmid used, the conjugative transfer of SGI1 occurred at frequencies ranging from 10(-3) to 10(-6) transconjugants per donor. Of particular concern, some large IncA/C MDR plasmids carrying the extended-spectrum cephalosporinase bla(CMY-2) gene were shown to mobilize in trans SGI1. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The ability of the IncA/C MDR plasmid family to mobilize SGI1 could contribute to its spread by horizontal transfer among enteric pathogens. Moreover, the increasing prevalence of IncA/C plasmids in MDR S. enterica isolates worldwide has potential implications for the epidemic success of the antibiotic resistance genomic island SGI1 and its close derivatives

Adaptations métaboliques et hormonales chez le rat anti-obèse Lou/C (influences du régime alimentaire et de l'activité physique)

Le meilleur moyen de lutter contre l'obésité est d'associer une diminution des apports caloriques à une augmentation de la dépense énergétique. Ces conditions sont réunies simultanément chez le rat Lou/C, une souche encore mal caractérisée. L'objectif de ce travail était de préciser certaines caractéristiques du rat Lou/C dans les conditions d'élevage standard et d'étudier ses réponses métaboliques et hormonales lors de variations de la dépense énergétique (exercice aigu) ou lors de modifications des apports alimentaires (régime enrichi en lipides). Les divers résultats obtenus indiquent qu'en conditions basales, le rat Lou/C, comparé au rat Wistar, présente les caractéristiques d'un rat résistant à l'obésité. Le Lou/C présente une glycémie de base réduite, ainsi qu'une accentuation du métabolisme des lipides qui se traduit par une plus faible accumulation de gras corporel. Ces caractéristiques ne sont cependant pas essentiellement dues à la réduction spontanée de la prise calorique de cette souche. Dans des conditions d'exercice, les rats Lou/C sont capables de maintenir leur glycémie stable tout en préservant leurs réserves en glycogène hépatique. Ces résultats suggèrent la mise en jeu d'autres voies métaboliques (néoglucogenèse et/ou utilisation des lipides). Soumis à une diète hyperlipidique, les rats Lou/C présentent, une accumulation de lipides réduite par rapport aux rats Wistar. Cependant, ils présentent une augmentation des AGL plasmatiques, une accumulation des triglycérides hépatiques et une détérioration de la tolérance au glucose indiquant qu'ils ne sont pas mieux protégés contre les effets délétères de cette diète. Les différents résultats obtenus pourront permettre de mieux appréhender les mécanismes impliqués dans la régulation pondérale. De plus, ces données suggèrent que les individus résistant à l'obésité ne sont pas forcément mieux protégés que les individus prompts à devenir obèses, contre les effets néfastes des régimes hyperlipidiques.LYON1-BU.Sciences (692662101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Test Module 14: Thermal Cycling

This test module deals with thermal cycling of solid oxide cell (SOC) either as a fuel cell (SOFC) or an electrolyser (SOEC), composed of several start-up/shut-down occurring for the overall SOC lifetime. It is a general characterization method that can be used in SOC R&D and for quality assurance

Test Module 13: Operation under varying current

This test module deals with solid oxide cell (SOC) operation either as a fuel cell (SOFC) or an electrolyser (SOEC) under varying current under galvanostatic conditions to determine performance at relevant (intermittent) load profiles. It is a general characterization method that can be used in SOC R&D and for quality assurance

Multiround Distributed Lifetime Coverage Optimization protocol in wireless sensor networks

International audienceCoverage and lifetime are two paramount problems in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this paper, a method called Multiround Distributed Lifetime Coverage Optimization protocol (MuDiLCO) is proposed to maintain the coverage and to improve the lifetime in wireless sensor networks. The area of interest is first divided into subregions, and then the MuDiLCO protocol is distributed to the sensor nodes in each subregion. The proposed MuDiLCO protocol works in periods during which sets of sensor nodes are scheduled, with one set for each round of a period, to remain active during the sensing phase and thus ensure coverage so as to maximize the WSN lifetime. The decision process is carried out by a leader node, which solves an optimization problem to produce the best representative sets to be used during the rounds of the sensing phase. The optimization problem formulated as an integer program is solved to optimality through a Branch-and-Bound method for small instances. For larger instances, the best feasible solution found by the solver after a given time limit threshold is considered. Compared with some existing protocols, simulation results based on multiple criteria (energy consumption, coverage ratio, and so on) show that the proposed protocol can prolong efficiently the network lifetime and improve the coverage performance

Régime riche en graisses de courte et longue durées sur le fonctionnement cardiaque ex vivo en association avec le stress oxydant et le métabolisme énergétique

National audienc

Distributed lifetime coverage optimization protocol in wireless sensor networks

One of the main research challenges faced in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is to preserve continuously and effectively the coverage of an area (or region) of interest to be monitored, while simultaneously preventing as much as possible a network failure due to battery-depleted nodes. In this paper, we propose a protocol, called distributed lifetime coverage optimization protocol (DiLCO), which maintains the coverage and improves the lifetime of a wireless sensor network. First, we partition the area of interest into subregions using a classical divide-and-conquer method. Our DiLCO protocol is then distributed on the sensor nodes in each subregion in a second step. To fulfill our objective, the proposed protocol combines two effective techniques: a leader election in each subregion, followed by an optimization-based node activity scheduling performed by each elected leader. This two-step process takes place periodically, to choose a small set of nodes remaining active for sensing during a time slot. Each set is built to ensure coverage at a low energy cost, allowing to optimize the network lifetime. Simulations are conducted using the discrete event simulator OMNET++. We refer to the characteristics of a Medusa II sensor for the energy consumption and the computation time. In comparison with two other existing methods, our approach is able to increase the WSN lifetime and provides improved coverage performances

Perimeter-based coverage optimization to improve lifetime in wireless sensor networks

The most important problem in a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is to optimize the use of its limited energy provision, so that it can fulfil its monitoring task as long as possible. Among known available approaches that can be used to improve power management, lifetime coverage optimization provides activity scheduling which ensures sensing coverage while minimizing the energy cost. In this article an approach called Perimeter-based Coverage Optimization protocol (PeCO) is proposed. It is a hybrid of centralized and distributed methods: the region of interest is first subdivided into subregions and the protocol is then distributed among sensor nodes in each subregion. The novelty of the approach lies essentially in the formulation of a new mathematical optimization model based on the perimeter-coverage level to schedule sensors' activities. Extensive simulation experiments demonstrate that PeCO can offer longer lifetime coverage for WSNs compared to other protocols