Integration of the CMS regional calorimeter Trigger hardware into the CMS level-1 Trigger

The electronics for the Regional Calorimeter Trigger (RCT) of the Compact Muon Solenoid Experiment (CMS) have been produced and tested. The RCT hardware consists of 18 double-sided crates containing custom boards, ASICs, and backplanes. The RCT receives 8-bit energies and a data quality bit from the HCAL and ECAL Trigger Primitive Generators (TPGs) and sends it to the CMS Global Calorimeter Trigger (GCT) after processing. Before installation, integration tests were performed. Data was successfully received from the TPG electronics and read out with a RCT Jet Capture Card. These tests, other tests involving more trigger subsystems, their results, and the RCT installation will be described

Demonstration of Technology for the Production of High Value Materials from the Ultra-Fine (PM 2.5) Fraction of Coal Combustion Ash

Three types of chemically and functionally different thermoplastic polymers have been chosen for evaluation with the fly ash derived filler: high density polyethylene (HDPE), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The selections were based on volumes consumed in commercial and recycled products. The reference filler selected for comparison was 3 {micro}m calcium carbonate, a material which is commonly used with all three types of polymers. A procedure to prepare filled polymers has been developed and the polymer/filler blends have been prepared. Selected samples of filled polymers were subjected to SEM analysis to verify that the fly ash derived filler and the calcium carbonate were well dispersed. Material taken from a utility ash pond was classified using a novel combination of hydraulic and lamellar classifiers to produce an ultra-fine ash product. This product was dried and used in a series of tests to determine its potential as a filler in plastics. The general properties of the ultra-fine ash from several runs are as follows: D{sub 50}: 3-5 {micro}m; Specific gravity: {approx}2.41; Loss on ignition: 2-3%; Carbon content: 1-2%; Color: dark grey on content: 1-2%; and Morphology: spherical. The addition of fillers increased the modulus of the HDPE composite, but decreased both the offset yield stress and offset yield strain, showing that the fillers essentially made the composite stiffer but the transition to plastic deformation occurred earlier in filled HDPE as stress was applied. Similar results were obtained with TPE, however, the decrease in either stress or strain at offset yield were not as significant. Dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) were also completed and showed that although there were some alterations in the properties of the HDPE and TPE, with the addition of CaCO{sub 3} and fly ash, the alterations are small, and more importantly, transition temperatures are not altered. A utility patent on the design of the hydraulic classifier, described extensively during our last reporting period, was written and filled with the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office during the period

The relationship between evaluation and regulation in higher education: keys for the debate

To promote the quality of higher education, several countries came up with policies of institutional evaluation, in the eighties. Those policies, aiming at identifying potentials and obtaining subsidies to overcome deficiencies, follow different concepts and procedures of higher education supervision policies (regulating measures), promoted by State initiative and destined to establish minimum rules/criteria for the functioning of the institutions. Nonetheless, the distinction between evaluation and regulation policies and actions is not always very clear, even for governmental agents involved in their elaboration and implementation. This article analyzes the relation between evaluation and regulation in Brazil, in the light of evaluating agencies in France, Spain, Portugal and Argentina. For that purpose, it uses the main dimensions involved in the evaluation process performed by said agencies, denominated external evaluation. Those are as follows: i) bases and foundations of external evaluation; ii) the operational dynamics of the process; iii) elaboration of reports and assessments. Hence, some considerations can be established regarding the cases analyzed, in order to point out challenges for the materialization of an evaluation policy in Brazil.Com o objetivo de promover a qualidade da educação superior, diversos países elaboraram, na década de 80, políticas de avaliação institucional. Estas, com o objetivo pedagógico de identificar potencialidades e obter subsídios para superar deficiências, seguem concepções e procedimentos diversos de políticas de supervisão da educação superior (chamada regulação), promovidas por iniciativa do Estado e destinadas a estabelecer regras/critérios mínimos para o funcionamento de instituições. No entanto, nem sempre a distinção entre políticas e ações de avaliação e de regulação é clara, até mesmo para os agentes governamentais envolvidos na sua elaboração e implementação. Este artigo analisa a relação entre avaliação e regulação no Brasil, à luz da experiência de agências avaliativas da França, Espanha, Portugal e Argentina. Para tanto, utiliza as principais dimensões envolvidas no processo de avaliação feito por tais agências, denominado avaliação externa. São elas: i) bases e fundamentos da avaliação externa; ii) operacionalização do processo; iii) elaboração do relatório e pareceres. Desta forma, são feitos alguns apontamentos a partir dos casos descritos, a fim de identificar desafios para a efetivação de uma política de avaliação no Brasil.8910

A relação entre avaliação e regulação na Educação Superior: elementos para o debate

Com o objetivo de promover a qualidade da educação superior, diversos países elaboraram, na década de 80, políticas de avaliação institucional. Estas, com o objetivo pedagógico de identificar potencialidades e obter subsídios para superar deficiências, seguem concepções e procedimentos diversosde políticas de supervisão da educação superior (chamada regulação), promovidas por iniciativa do Estado e destinadas a estabelecer regras/critérios mínimos para o funcionamento de instituições. No entanto, nem sempre a distinção entre políticas e ações de avaliação e de regulação é clara, até mesmo para os agentes governamentais envolvidos na sua elaboração eimplementação. Este artigo analisa a relação entre avaliação e regulação no Brasil, à luz da experiência de agências avaliativas da França, Espanha, Portugal e Argentina. Para tanto, utiliza as principais dimensões envolvidas no processo de avaliação feito por tais agências, denominado avaliação externa. São elas: i) bases e fundamentos da avaliação externa; ii) operacionalizaçãodo processo; iii) elaboração do relatório e pareceres. Desta forma, são feitos alguns apontamentos a partir dos casos descritos, a fim de identificar desafios para a efetivação de uma política de avaliação no Brasil.To promote the quality of higher education, several countries came up with policies of institutional evaluation, in the eighties. Those policies, aiming at identifying potentials and obtaining subsidies to overcome deficiencies, follow different concepts and procedures of higher education supervision policies (regulating measures), promoted by State initiative and destined to establishminimum rules/criteria for the functioning of the institutions. Nonetheless, the distinction between evaluation and regulation policies and actions is not always very clear, even for governmental agents involved in their elaboration and implementation. This article analyzes the relation between evaluation and regulation in Brazil, in the light of evaluating agencies in France, Spain,Portugal and Argentina. For that purpose, it uses the main dimensions involved in the evaluation process performed by said agencies, denominated external evaluation. Those are as follows: i) bases and foundations of external evaluation; ii) the operational dynamics of the process; iii) elaboration of reports and assessments. Hence, some considerations can be establishedregarding the cases analyzed, in order to point out challenges for the materialization of an evaluation policy in Brazil

The development of an integrated multistaged fluid bed retorting process. Annual report, October 1, 1992--September 30, 1993

This report summarizes the progress made on the development of an integrated multistage fluidized bed retorting process (KENTORT II) during the period of October 1, 1992 through September 30, 1993 under Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC21-90MC27286 with the Morgantown Energy Technology Center, US Department of Energy. The KENTORT II process includes integral fluidized bed zones for pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion of the oil shale. The purpose of this program is to design and test the KENTORT II process at the 50-lb/hr scale. The PDU was assembled, instrumented and tested during this fiscal year. Along with the major activity of commissioning the 50-lb/hr retort, work was also completed in other areas. Basic studies of the cracking and coking kinetics of model compounds in a fixed bed reactor were continued. Additionally, as part of the effort to investigate niche market applications for KENTORT II-derived products, a study of the synthesis of carbon fibers from the heavy fraction of KENTORT II shale oil was initiated

Alite calcium sulfoaluminate cement: chemistry and thermodynamics

Calcium sulfoaluminate (C$A) cement is a binder of increasing interest to the cement industry and is undergoing rapid development. Current formulations do not contain alite; however, alite calcium sulfoaluminate (a-C$A) cements can combine the favourable characteristics of Portland cement (PC) with those of C$A cement while also having a lower carbon dioxide footprint than the current generation of PC clinkers. This paper presents two results on the formation of a-C$A clinkers. The first is a thermodynamic study demonstrating that the production of a-C$A clinker is possible without the use of mineralisers, doping with foreign elements, or using multiple stages of heating. It is established that a-C$A clinker can be readily produced in a standard process by controlling the oxygen and sulfur dioxide fugacity in the atmosphere. This allows for the stabilisation of ye’elimite to the higher temperatures required for alite stability. The second result establishes that when using fluorine to mineralise a-C$A clinker production, the iron content in the clinker is also an important variable. Although the exact mechanism of alite stabilisation is not known, it is shown that alite formation increases with the combination of calcium fluoride and iron (III) oxide in the mix

Calibration and Characterization of the IceCube Photomultiplier Tube

Over 5,000 PMTs are being deployed at the South Pole to compose the IceCube neutrino observatory. Many are placed deep in the ice to detect Cherenkov light emitted by the products of high-energy neutrino interactions, and others are frozen into tanks on the surface to detect particles from atmospheric cosmic ray showers. IceCube is using the 10-inch diameter R7081-02 made by Hamamatsu Photonics. This paper describes the laboratory characterization and calibration of these PMTs before deployment. PMTs were illuminated with pulses ranging from single photons to saturation level. Parameterizations are given for the single photoelectron charge spectrum and the saturation behavior. Time resolution, late pulses and afterpulses are characterized. Because the PMTs are relatively large, the cathode sensitivity uniformity was measured. The absolute photon detection efficiency was calibrated using Rayleigh-scattered photons from a nitrogen laser. Measured characteristics are discussed in the context of their relevance to IceCube event reconstruction and simulation efforts.Comment: 40 pages, 12 figure

Reticular synthesis and the design of new materials

The long-standing challenge of designing and constructing new crystalline solid-state materials from molecular building blocks is just beginning to be addressed with success. A conceptual approach that requires the use of secondary building units to direct the assembly of ordered frameworks epitomizes this process: we call this approach reticular synthesis. This chemistry has yielded materials designed to have predetermined structures, compositions and properties. In particular, highly porous frameworks held together by strong metal-oxygen-carbon bonds and with exceptionally large surface area and capacity for gas storage have been prepared and their pore metrics systematically varied and functionalized.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62718/1/nature01650.pd