Effect of dc-power-system reliability on reactor-shutdown cooling. [PWR; BWR]

The DC power systems in a nuclear power plant provide control and motive power to valves, instrumentation, emergency diesel generators, and many other components and systems during all phases of plant operation including abnormal shutdowns and accident situations. A specific area of concern is the adequacy of the minimum design requirements for DC power systems, particularly with regard to multiple and common cause failures. This concern relates to the application of the single failure criterion for assuring a reliable DC power supply which may be required for the functionability of shutdown cooling systems. The results are presented of a reliability based study performed to assess the adequacy of DC power supply design requirements for currently operating light water reactors with particular attention to shutdown cooling requirements

Value-impact assessment of alternate containment concepts

A value-impact assessment is made of alternate containment concepts for commercial light water reactor power plants. Several alternate containment concepts are evaluated and compared considering their potential for reducing public risk and their construction cost. The results and methodology of the Reactor Safety Study (WASH-1400) are used as a basis for determining potential risk reductions that could be realized by alternate containment designs. Among the alternatives considered, filtered atmospheric venting appears to offer the greatest potential for reducing public risk for the least impact

Photolithographic Patterning of C2C12 Myotubes using Vitronectin as Growth Substrate in Serum-Free Medium

The C2C12 cell line is frequently used as a model of skeletal muscle differentiation. In our serum-free defined culture system differentiation of C2C12 cells into myotubes required surface-bound signals such as substrate adsorbed vitronectin or laminin. Based on this substrate-requirement of myotube formation, we developed a photolithography-based method to pattern C2C12 myotubes, where myotubes formed exclusively on vitronectin surface patterns. We have determined that the optimal line width to form single myotubes is approximately 30 μm. In order to illustrate a possible application of this method, we patterned myotubes on the top of commercial substrate-embedded microelectrodes. In contrast to previous experiments where cell patterning was achieved by selective attachment of the cells to patterned surfaces in a medium that contained all the factors necessary for differentiation, this study illustrates that surface patterning of a signaling molecule, which is essential for skeletal muscle differentiation in a defined system, can result in the formation of aligned myotubes on the patterns. This technique is being developed for applications in cell biology, tissue engineering and robotics