Online Measurement Of The Working Fluid Mass Repartition In A Small-Scale Organic Rankine Cycle Power System

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the working fluid charge repartition in a 2kWe ORC (organic Rankine cycle) test bench. To this end, an online measurement apparatus is built and fully calibrated to evaluate the charge enclosed in the three heat exchangers and the liquid receiver of the ORC unit. By changing all the system boundary conditions (including the charge enclosed in the test rig), an experimental database of 304 steady-state points is gathered and post-treated. The charge inventories obtained by online measurements demonstrate promising results on average but experience high uncertainties when considering each point individually (i.e. the uncertainty on the global inventory is around ± 2.5 kg for a total charge of 31.2 kg). Deviations of the evaporator mass measurements are identified at high temperature of the heat source and discussed in details. A reconciliation method is applied to the raw measurements in order to retrieve consistent charge inventories while accounting for the different sources of uncertainty. Ultimately, the paper analyses the impact of increasing the charge in the ORC and how this parameter influences the thermodynamic state of the system

Chaotic motion of charged particles in toroidal magnetic configurations

We study the motion of a charged particle in a tokamak magnetic field and discuss its chaotic nature. Contrary to most of recent studies, we do not make any assumption on any constant of the motion and solve numerically the cyclotron gyration using Hamiltonian formalism. We take advantage of a symplectic integrator allowing us to make long-time simulations. First considering an idealized magnetic configuration, we add a non generic perturbation corresponding to a magnetic ripple, breaking one of the invariant of the motion. Chaotic motion is then observed and opens questions about the link between chaos of magnetic field lines and chaos of particle trajectories. Second, we return to a axi-symmetric configuration and tune the safety factor (magnetic configuration) in order to recover chaotic motion. In this last setting with two constants of the motion, the presence of chaos implies that no third global constant exists, we highlight this fact by looking at variations of the first order of the magnetic moment in this chaotic setting. We are facing a mixed phase space with both regular and chaotic regions and point out the difficulties in performing a global reduction such as gyrokinetics

Experimental Investigation Of An ORC System For A Micro-Solar Power Plant

Because of the depletion of fossil fuels and global warming issues, the world energy sector is undergoing various changes toward increased sustainability. Among the different technologies being developed, solar energy, and more specifically CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) systems are expected to play a key role to supply centralized loads and off-grid areas in the medium-term. Major performance improvements can be achieved by implementing advanced control strategies accounting for the transient and random nature of the solar heat source. In this context, a lab-scale solar power plant has been designed and is under construction for experimental purposes and dynamic analyzes. The test rig includes an ORC unit, a field of parabolic trough collectors and a thermal energy storage. This paper presents the results of an experimental campaign conducted on the ORC module alone. This power unit, designed for a 2.8 kW net electrical output, consists of two scroll expanders in series, an air-cooled condenser, a recuperator, a volumetric pump and an oil-heated evaporator. The ORC engine is constructed using standard mass manufactured components from the HVAC industry, this practice reducing considerably the system cost. The overall unit performance and components effectiveness are presented in different operating conditions and relevant empirical correlations are derived to be implemented in a steady state model of the ORC unit

L’enquête SET97 sur la santé, l’éducation, et les transferts à Antananarivo.

L'enquête SET97, réalisée à Antananarivo en 1997, est, comme l'enquête 1-2-3 sur le secteur informel, une enquête en plusieurs phases associée à l'enquête sur l'emploi. Elle a été élaborée dans le but d'analyser la santé et l'éducation, et d'étudier les transferts, monétaires et non monétaires, entre les ménages. Cet article présente les principes de l'articulation entre les différentes phases d'enquête et le tirage de l'échantillon. Il analyse le questionnaire utilisé en référence aux objectifs de l'enquête et à la méthodologie retenue. Enfin, un bref examen des principaux résultats tirés de l'exploitation des données fournit un aperçu des vastes possibilités d'analyse.Enquêtes; Éducation; Santé; Pauvreté; Coût et niveau de la vie; Ménages; Madagascar;

Protective Action of Resveratrol in Human Skin: Possible Involvement of Specific Receptor Binding Sites

Background: Resveratrol is a plant-derived polyphenol with purported protecting action on various disorders associated with aging. It has been suggested that resveratrol could exert its protective action by acting on specific plasma membrane polyphenol binding sites (Han Y.S., et al. (2006) J Pharmacol Exp Ther 318:238–245). The purpose of this study was to investigate, in human skin, the possible existence of specific binding sites that mediate the protective action of resveratrol. Methods and Findings: Using human skin tissue, we report here the presence of specific [ 3 H]-resveratrol binding sites (KD = 180 nM) that are mainly located in the epidermis. Exposure of HaCaT cells to the nitric oxide free radical donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 0.3–3 mM) resulted in cell death which was reduced by resveratrol (EC50 = 14.7 mM), and to a much lesser extent by the resveratrol analogue piceatannol (EC 50 =95 mM) and epigallocatechin gallate (EC 50 =200 mM), a green-tea derived polyphenol. The protective action of resveratrol likely relates to its anti-apoptotic effect since at the same range of concentration it was able to reduce both the number of apoptotic cells as well as mitochondrial apoptotic events triggered by SNP. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings suggest that resveratrol, by acting on specific polyphenol binding sites i

Tyrosine-based rivastigmine-loaded organogels in the treatmant of Alzheimer's disease

Faculté de PharmacieOrganogels can be prepared by immobilizing an organic phase into a threedimensional network coming from the self-assembly of a low molecular weight gelator molecule. In this work, an injectable subcutaneous organogel system based on safflower oil and a modified-tyrosine organogelator was evaluated in vivo for the delivery of rivastigmine, an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Different implant formulations were injected and the plasmatic drug concentration was assayed for up to 35 days. In parallel, the inhibition of AChE in different brain sections and the biocompatibility of the implants were monitored. The pharmacokinetic profiles were found to be influenced by the gel composition, injected dose and volume of the implant. The sustained delivery of rivastigmine was accompanied by a significant prolonged inhibition of AChE in the hippocampus, a brain structure involved in memory. The implant induced only a minimal to mild chronic inflammation and fibrosis, which was comparable to poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) in situ-forming implants. These findings suggest that tyrosine-based organogels could represent an alternative approach to current formulations for the sustained delivery of cholinesterase inhibitors.IRS

Green Edge ice camp campaigns : understanding the processes controlling the under-ice Arctic phytoplankton spring bloom

The Green Edge initiative was developed to investigate the processes controlling the primary productivity and fate of organic matter produced during the Arctic phytoplankton spring bloom (PSB) and to determine its role in the ecosystem. Two field campaigns were conducted in 2015 and 2016 at an ice camp located on landfast sea ice southeast of Qikiqtarjuaq Island in Baffin Bay (67.4797∘ N, 63.7895∘ W). During both expeditions, a large suite of physical, chemical and biological variables was measured beneath a consolidated sea-ice cover from the surface to the bottom (at 360 m depth) to better understand the factors driving the PSB. Key variables, such as conservative temperature, absolute salinity, radiance, irradiance, nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll a concentration, bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance and taxonomy, and carbon stocks and fluxes were routinely measured at the ice camp. Meteorological and snow-relevant variables were also monitored. Here, we present the results of a joint effort to tidy and standardize the collected datasets, which will facilitate their reuse in other Arctic studies

EUROfusion Integrated Modelling (EU-IM) capabilities and selected physics applications

International audienceRecent developments and achievements of the EUROfusion Code Development for Integrated Modelling project (WPCD), which aim is to provide a validated integrated modelling suite for the simulation and prediction of complete plasma discharges in any tokamak, are presented. WPCD develops generic complex integrated simulations, workflows, for physics applications, using the standardized European Integrated Modelling (EU-IM) framework. Selected physics applications of EU-IM workflows are illustrated in this paper