Automotive Stirling engine development program

This is the ninth Semiannual Technical Progress Report prepared under the Automotive Stirling Engine Development Program. It covers the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth quarters of activity after award of the contract. Quarterly Technical Progress Reports related program activities from the first through the thirteenth quarters; thereafter, reporting was changed to a Semiannual format. This report summarizes the study of higher-power kinematic Stirling engines for transportation use, development testing of Mod I Stirling engines, and component development activities. Component development testing included successful conical fuel nozzle testing and functional checkout of Mod II controls and auxiliaries on Mod I engine test beds. Overall program philosophy is outlined and data and test results are presented

Automotive Stirling engine development program

The major accomplishments were the completion of the Basic Stirling Engine (BSE) and the Stirling Engine System (SES) designs on schedule, the approval and acceptance of those designs by NASA, and the initiation of manufacture of BSE components. The performance predictions indicate the Mod II engine design will meet or exceed the original program goals of 30% improvement in fuel economy over a conventional Internal Combustion (IC) powered vehicle, while providing acceptable emissions. This was accomplished while simultaneously reducing Mod II engine weight to a level comparable with IC engine power density, and packaging the Mod II in a 1985 Celebrity with no external sheet metal changes. The projected mileage of the Mod II Celebrity for the combined urban and highway CVS cycle is 40.9 mpg which is a 32% improvement over the IC Celebrity. If additional potential improvements are verified and incorporated in the Mod II, the mileage could increase to 42.7 mpg

Automotive Stirling Engine Development Program

Development test activities on Mod I engines directed toward evaluating technologies for potential inclusion in the Mod II engine are summarized. Activities covered include: test of a 12-tube combustion gas recirculation combustor; manufacture and flow-distribution test of a two-manifold annular heater head; piston rod/piston base joint; single-solid piston rings; and a digital air/fuel concept. Also summarized are results of a formal assessment of candidate technologies for the Mod II engine, and preliminary design work for the Mod II. The overall program philosophy weight is outlined, and data and test results are presented

Salsalate treatment improves glycemia without altering adipose tissue in nondiabetic obese hispanics.

ObjectiveSalsalate treatment has well-known effects on improving glycemia, and the objective of this study was to examine whether the mechanism of this effect was related to changes in adipose tissue.MethodsA randomized double-blind and placebo-controlled trial in obese Hispanics (18-35 years) was conducted. The intervention consisted of 4 g day(-1) of salsalate (n = 11) versus placebo (n = 13) for 4 weeks. Outcome measures included glycemia, adiposity, ectopic fat, and adipose tissue gene expression and inflammation.ResultsIn those receiving salsalate, plasma fasting glucose decreased by 3.4% (P < 0.01), free fatty acids decreased by 42.5% (P = 0.06), and adiponectin increased by 27.7% (P < 0.01). Salsalate increased insulin AUC by 38% (P = 0.01) and HOMA-B by 47.2% (P < 0.01) while estimates of insulin sensitivity/resistance were unaffected. These metabolic improvements occurred without changes in total, abdominal, visceral, or liver fat. Plasma markers of inflammation/immune activation were unchanged following salsalate. Salsalate had no effects on adipose tissue including adipocyte size, presence of crown-like structures, or gene expression of adipokines, immune cell markers, or cytokines downstream of NF-κB with the exception of downregulation of IL-1β (P < 0.01).ConclusionsFindings suggest that metabolic improvements in response to salsalate occurred without alterations in adiposity, ectopic fat, or adipose tissue gene expression and inflammation

Vertex--IRF correspondence and factorized L-operators for an elliptic R-operator

As for an elliptic $R$-operator which satisfies the Yang--Baxter equation, the incoming and outgoing intertwining vectors are constructed, and the vertex--IRF correspondence for the elliptic $R$-operator is obtained. The vertex--IRF correspondence implies that the Boltzmann weights of the IRF model satisfy the star--triangle relation. By means of these intertwining vectors, the factorized L-operators for the elliptic $R$-operator are also constructed. The vertex--IRF correspondence and the factorized L-operators for Belavin's $R$-matrix are reproduced from those of the elliptic $R$-operator.Comment: 25 pages, amslatex, no figure

Optical Properties of Iron Silicates in the Infrared to Millimeter as a Function of Temperatures and Wavelength

The Optical Properties of Astronomical Silicates with Infrared Techniques (OPASI-T) program utilizes multiple instruments to provide spectral data over a wide range of temperature and wavelengths. Experimental methods include Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTS) transmission, and reflection/scattering measurements. From this data, we can determine the optical parameters for the index of refraction, \textit{n}, and the absorption coefficient, \textit{k}. The analysis of the laboratory transmittance data for each sample type is based upon different mathematical models, which are applied to each data set according to their degree of coherence. Presented here are results from iron silicate dust grain analogs, in several sample preparations and at temperatures ranging from 5--300 K, across the infrared and millimeter portion of the spectrum (from 2.5--10,000 \mic\ or 4,000--1 \wvn).Comment: Revised manuscript submitted to Ap

Technology and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: An IntegratedScenario Analysis

This report describes an analysis of possible technology-based scenarios for the U.S. energy system that would result in both carbon savings and net economic benefits. We use a modified version of the Energy Information Administration's National Energy Modeling System (LBNL-NEMS) to assess the potential energy, carbon, and bill savings from a portfolio of carbon saving options. This analysis is based on technology resource potentials estimated in previous bottom-up studies, but it uses the integrated LBNL-NEMS framework to assess interactions and synergies among these options. The analysis in this paper builds on previous estimates of possible "technology paths" to investigate four major components of an aggressive greenhouse gas reduction strategy: (1) the large scale implementation of demand-side efficiency, comparable in scale to that presented in two recent policy studies on this topic; (2) a variety of "alternative" electricity supply-side options, including biomass cofiring, extension of the renewable production tax credit for wind, increased industrial cogeneration, and hydropower refurbishment. (3) the economic retirement of older and less efficient existing fossil-find power plants; and (4) a permit charge of $23 per metric ton of carbon (1996$/t),l assuming that carbon trading is implemented in the US, and that the carbon permit charge equilibrates at this level. This level of carbon permit charge, as discussed later in the report, is in the likely range for the Clinton Administration's position on this topic

SCC Initiation in Alloy 600 Heat Affected Zones Exposed to High Temperature Water

Studies have shown that grain boundary chromium carbides improve the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance of nickel based alloys exposed to high temperature, high purity water. However, thermal cycles from welding can significantly alter the microstructure of the base material near the fusion line. In particular, the heat of welding can solutionize grain boundary carbides and produce locally high residual stresses and strains, reducing the SCC resistance of the Alloy 600 type material in the heat affected zone (HAZ). Testing has shown that the SCC growth rate in Alloy 600 heat affected zone samples can be {approx}30x faster than observed in the Alloy 600 base material under identical testing conditions due to fewer intergranular chromium rich carbides and increased plastic strain in the HAZ [1, 2]. Stress corrosion crack initiation tests were conducted on Alloy 600 HAZ samples at 360 C in hydrogenated, deaerated water to determine if these microstructural differences significantly affect the SCC initiation resistance of Alloy 600 heat affected zones compared to the Alloy 600 base material. Alloy 600 to EN82H to Alloy 600 heat-affected-zone (HAZ) specimens where fabricated from an Alloy 600 to Alloy 600 narrow groove weld with EN82H filler metal. The approximate middle third of the specimen gauge region was EN82H such that each specimen had two HAZ regions. Tests were conducted with in-situ monitored smooth tensile specimens under a constant load, and a direct current electric potential drop was used for in-situ detection of SCC. Test results suggest that the SCC initiation resistance of Alloy 600 and its weld metal follows the following order: EN82H > Alloy 600 HAZ > Alloy 600. The high SCC initiation resistance observed to date in Alloy 600 heat affected zones compared to wrought Alloy 600 is unexpected based on the microstructure of HAZ versus wrought material and based on prior SCC growth rate studies. The observed behavior for the HAZ specimens is likely not related to differences in the environment, differences in surface stress/strain between the various specimen regions (weld, HAZ, wrought), differences in surface residual stress, or differences in the microstructure of the various specimen regions (weld, HAZ, wrought). The behavior may be related to differences in the creep behavior of the various weld regions or differences in the surface area of the various materials (weld, HAZ, wrought) exposed to high temperature water

Classes of fast and specific search mechanisms for proteins on DNA

Problems of search and recognition appear over different scales in biological systems. In this review we focus on the challenges posed by interactions between proteins, in particular transcription factors, and DNA and possible mechanisms which allow for a fast and selective target location. Initially we argue that DNA-binding proteins can be classified, broadly, into three distinct classes which we illustrate using experimental data. Each class calls for a different search process and we discuss the possible application of different search mechanisms proposed over the years to each class. The main thrust of this review is a new mechanism which is based on barrier discrimination. We introduce the model and analyze in detail its consequences. It is shown that this mechanism applies to all classes of transcription factors and can lead to a fast and specific search. Moreover, it is shown that the mechanism has interesting transient features which allow for stability at the target despite rapid binding and unbinding of the transcription factor from the target.Comment: 65 pages, 23 figure