The LAGUNA design study- towards giant liquid based underground detectors for neutrino physics and astrophysics and proton decay searches

The feasibility of a next generation neutrino observatory in Europe is being considered within the LAGUNA design study. To accommodate giant neutrino detectors and shield them from cosmic rays, a new very large underground infrastructure is required. Seven potential candidate sites in different parts of Europe and at several distances from CERN are being studied: Boulby (UK), Canfranc (Spain), Fr\'ejus (France/Italy), Pyh\"asalmi (Finland), Polkowice-Sieroszowice (Poland), Slanic (Romania) and Umbria (Italy). The design study aims at the comprehensive and coordinated technical assessment of each site, at a coherent cost estimation, and at a prioritization of the sites within the summer 2010.Comment: 5 pages, contribution to the Workshop "European Strategy for Future Neutrino Physics", CERN, Oct. 200

The LAGUNA design study- towards giant liquid based underground detectors for neutrino physics and astrophysics and proton decay searches

The feasibility of a next generation neutrino observatory in Europe is being considered within the LAGUNA design study. To accommodate giant neutrino detectors and shield them from cosmic rays, a new very large underground infrastructure is required. Seven potential candidate sites in different parts of Europe and at several distances from CERN are being studied: Boulby (UK), Canfranc (Spain), Fr\'ejus (France/Italy), Pyh\"asalmi (Finland), Polkowice-Sieroszowice (Poland), Slanic (Romania) and Umbria (Italy). The design study aims at the comprehensive and coordinated technical assessment of each site, at a coherent cost estimation, and at a prioritization of the sites within the summer 2010

STUDY OF SOME INSULATING OILS AGING BY THERMAL CYCLING

The By gravimetric measurements and coupled thermal analysis techniques (DTG+TG+DTA) the aging of different sorts of insulating oil was studied by thermal cycling between -400C and 850C. The experimental results showed that, during the thermal cycling of the investigated mineral oils, their composition changes due to the volatilization of the volatile fractions (mass losses between 3.9% and 5.8%), unlike the investigated vegetable oil that showed a mass increase of approx. 0.66%. It has also been found that the mineral oils can be ensure a safe operation, without significant changes up to a maximum of 1000C, as long as investigating vegetable oil can be used without degradation risk up to 2000C

A REVIEW ON COUNTER-ROTATING WIND TURBINES DEVELOPMENT

On a dynamic energy market characterized by the constant energy demand increase and economic as well as environmental constraints, the study and development of efficient conversion systems of wind’s energy has been approached by a considerable number of researchers. Given the modern economic and environmental challenges regarding the energy production and consumption, an advance in the research of innovative or improved wind energy conversion solutions has been registered. The objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive, but not exhaustive overview of research achievements in counter-rotating wind turbine systems development, characterization and use. The review presents the first theoretical results that led to the counterrotating wind turbines development as well as the related methods used for investigating their performance. Valuable results have been found within various studies, which are carried out for different testing systems and conditions. Furthermore, there is still need of extensive studies, taking into account that the counter-rotating wind turbines have to prove their reliability in real operating conditions

GASSING OF THE ELECTRICAL INSULATING FLUIDS - A DETERMINANT FACTOR OF THE TRANSFORMERS SAFETY IN OPERATION

The influence on the quality of the electrical insulating fluids on the safety in operation of the transformers has been evaluated. After processing the comparative experimental data obtained by gas chromatography technique on 5 different sorts of electrical insulating fluids (a sort of vegetable oil with high oleic content and with addition of 0.5% antioxidant "functional model" - compared with two commercial sorts of mineral oil, 1 mainly vegetable commercial oil, 1 commercial synthetic ester), thermal aged in contact with electrical insulating paper and copper for electrical use, at 110 ± 3 °C for 1000 hours in closed vessels (limited access to atmospheric oxygen) it has been found that at the transformers filled with mineral oils, the risk of explosion and fire is approx. 10 times higher than those filled with synthetic or vegetal ester. It has also been found that the ageing of the insulation paper is approx. 15 times slower in the synthetic and natural ester than in the mineral oils normally used in transformers

The LAGUNA project: Towards the giant liquid based detectors for proton decay searches and for low energy neutrino astrophysics

A next generation European deep underground neutrino observatory is considered within the LAGUNA design study. Three detector options are presently considered: GLACIER liquid argon Time Projection Chamber; LENA liquid scintillator and MEMPHYS water Cherenkov. It will provide both: the high statistics measurement of neutrinos from variety of sources, and high sensitivity searches for matter instability. To accommodate such giant detectors a new underground laboratory is required. The LAGUNA design study considers the following seven candidate sites in Europe: Boulby (UK), Canfranc (Spain), Fréjus (France/Italy), Pyhäsalmi (Finland), Polkowice-Sieroszowice (Poland), Slanic (Romania) and Umbria (Italy). The three detection techniques and summary of the physics potential of proposed detectors are discussed in this short paper

The LAGUNA design study- towards giant liquid based underground detectors for neutrino physics and astrophysics and proton decay searches

The feasibility of a next generation neutrino observatory in Europe is being considered within the LAGUNA design study. To accommodate giant neutrino detectors and shield them from cosmic rays, a new very large underground infrastructure is required. Seven potential candidate sites in different parts of Europe and at several distances from CERN are being studied: Boulby (UK), Canfranc (Spain), Fréjus (France/Italy), Pyhásalmi (Finland), Polkowice-Sieroszowice (Poland), Slanic (Romania) and Umbria (Italy). The design study aims at the comprehensive and coordinated technical assessment of each site, at a coherent cost estimation, and at a prioritization of the sites within the summer 2010