Re-evaluation of Radiation-Energy Transfer to an Extraction Solvent in a Minor-Actinide-Separation Process Based on Consideration of Radiation Permeability

ABSTRACT

Absorbed-dose estimation is essential for evaluation of the radiation tolerance of minor-actinide-separation processes. We propose a dose-evaluation method based on radiation permeability, with comparisons of heterogeneous structures seen in the solvent-extraction process, such as emulsions forming in the mixture of the organic and aqueous phases. A demonstration of radiation-energy-transfer simulation is performed with a focus on the minor-actinide-recovery process from high-level liquid waste with the aid of the Monte Carlo radiation-transport code PHITS. The simulation results indicate that the dose absorbed by the extraction solvent from alpha radiation depends upon the emulsion structure, and that from beta and gamma radiation depends upon the mixer-settler-apparatus size. Non-negligible contributions of well-permeable gamma rays were indicated in terms of the plant operation of the minor-actinide-separation process.     

Contribution of metal vapor mass at periphery part of pulsed arc to electromagnetic force in weld pool

The arc welding has been used in various welding methods because it is inexpensive and high in strength after welding. However, it is a problem that accidents such as collapse of the bridge occur because of the welding defects. The welding of low cost and high productivity is required without the welding defects. The pulsed TIG welding is inexpensive and capable of high‐quality welding. The electromagnetic force contributing to penetration changes because the transient response of arc temperature and iron vapor generated from anode occurs. However, the analysis of pulsed TIG welding with metal vapor has been elucidated only metal vapor concentration near anode with transient phenomenon and heat flux. Thus, the theoretical elucidation of penetration depth with control factor has not been researched. In this paper, the contribution of metal vapor mass at the periphery part of pulsed arc to the electromagnetic force in the weld pool is elucidated. As a result, the iron vapor mass at periphery part decreased with increasing the frequency. The iron vapor was stagnated at axial center within one cycle. The electromagnetic force to the penetration depth direction in weld pool increased at axial center. Therefore, the metal vapor mass at periphery part plays an important role for the electromagnetic force increment at axial center.     

Effect of pitting corrosion on strength of web plates subjected to patch loading

Pitting corrosion is typical corrosion observed on coated hold frames in way of cargo holds of bulk carriers, which exclusively carry coal and iron ore. Extensive survey on the effect of pitting corrosion on structural strength under a wide variety of loading conditions is necessary to clarify the relationship between pitting intensity and residual strength in detail. In the present study, a series of tests has been conducted on structural models which consist of web, shell and face plates to investigate the effect of pitting corrosion on strength of web plates subjected to patch loading. In these tests, artificial pitting was made on the web plates and two equal concentrated loads have been applied vertically at the one third points of simply supported models. It was found that web crippling behavior is strongly affected by the pit distribution on the web plates. According to the FE-analyses following the experiment, ultimate strength of the web plates with pitting under patch loading is a little smaller than or almost the same as that of the web plates with uniform corrosion in terms of average thickness loss.     

Recording of bridge damage areas by 3D integration of multiple images and reduction of the variability in detected results

Machine learning models have been developed to perform damage detection using images to improve bridge inspection efficiency. However, in damage detection using images alone, the 3D coordinates of the damage cannot be recorded. Furthermore, the accuracy of the detection depends on the quality of the images. This paper proposes a method to integrate and record the damage detected from multiple images into a 3D model using deep learning to detect the damage from bridge images and structure from motion to identify the shooting position. The proposed method reduces the variability of the detection results between images and can assess the scale of damage or, conversely, where there is no damage and the extent of inspection omissions. The proposed method has been applied to a real bridge, and it has been shown that the actual damage locations can be recorded as a 3D model.     

Construction of Cellulose Binding Domain Fusion FMN-Dependent NADH-Azoreductase and Glucose 1-Dehydrogenase for the Development of Flow Injection Analysis with Fusion Enzymes Immobilized on Cellulose

The cellulose binding domain (CBD) of cellulosome-integrating protein A from Clostridium thermocellum NBRC 103400 was genetically fused to FMN-dependent NADH-azoreductase (AZR) and glucose 1-dehydrogenase (GDH) from Bacillus subtilis. The fusion enzymes, AZR-CBD and CBD-GDH, were expressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta-gami B (DE3). The enzymes were purified from cell-free extracts, and the specific activity of AZR-CBD was 15.1 U/mg and that of CBD-GDH was 22.6 U/mg. AZR-CBD and CBD-GDH bound strongly to 0.5 % swollen cellulose at approximately 95 and 98 % of the initial protein amounts, respectively. After immobilization onto the swollen cellulose, AZR-CBD and CBD-GDH retained their catalytic activity. Both enzymes bound weakly to 0.5 % microcrystalline cellulose, but the addition of a high concentration of microcrystalline cellulose (10 %) improved the binding rate of both enzymes. A reactor for flow injection analysis was filled with microcrystalline cellulose-immobilized AZR-CBD and CBD-GDH. This flow injection analysis system was successfully applied for the determination of glucose, and a linear calibration curve was observed in the range of approximately 0.16–2.5 mM glucose, with a correlation coefficient, r, of 0.998.     

Thermodynamic Properties of Ionic Semiclathrate Hydrate Formed with Tetrabutylammonium Propionate

The phase equilibrium temperature and dissociation heat of tetrabutylammonium propionate (TBAPr) hydrate are reported. TBAPr hydrate is a type of ionic semiclathrate hydrates and also could potentially be used as thermal energy storage material. The temperature‐composition phase diagram of the TBAPr hydrate was determined in a defined range of mass fractions. Considering the dissociation heat of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements, multiple peaks of heat flow were observed in the TBAPr‐water system at the TBAPr mass fraction lower than 0.35, and there was a single peak at the mass fraction higher than 0.37.     

Optimal Digital Controller Design for a Servo Motor Taking Account of Intersample Behavior

A continuous‐time plant with a discretized continuous‐time controller does not yield stability if the sampling rate is lower than some certain level. Thus far, high‐performance electronic control has made use of expensive hardware needed to implement discretized continuous‐time controllers; low‐cost hardware generally does not have a sufficiently high sampling rate. This technical note presents results comparing performance indexes with and without intersample behavior, and provides some answers to the question of how a low‐specification device can control a plant effectively. We consider a machine simulating wafer handling robots, which is an electromechanical system driven by a direct drive motor, at a semiconductor factory. We illustrate the controller design for the robot with and without intersample behavior, and present simulations and experimental results using these controllers. Taking intersample behavior into account proves to be effective in improving control performance and makes it possible to choose a relatively long sampling period. Controller design in terms of the performance index with intersample behavior makes it possible to deal with situations in which a sufficiently short sampling period may not be employed, and freedom of controller design may be widened, especially regarding the choice of the sampling period.     

Phytochemical Constituents,Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Analysis and Antimicrobial Activity of Four Plant Leaves Used for Preparing Rice Beer in Assam,India

Phytochemicals content and antimicrobial activity of Artocarpus heterophyllus, Cyclosorus extensa, Oldendia corymbosa, and Alpinia malaccensis were investigated. Maximum alkaloids and terpenoids were found in A. heterophyllus; tannins and saponins in C. extensa; flavonoids, polyphenols, and phytosterols in O. corymbosa and anthraquinone, glycosides, and anthocyaninin A. malaccensis. Aqueous, methanolic, ethyl acetate, and hexane extracts were prepared from all the leaves. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometric (ATR-FTIR) analysis revealed that alkanes and alkyl halides were prevalent in all the extracts and the ethyl acetate extracts contained comparatively higher number of functional groups, which were also more effective against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. The minimum inhibitory concentration values of A. malaccensis against the tested pathogens were found to be lesser than the other species.     

Influence of Profile of Blast Furnace on Motion and Stress of Burden by 3D-DEM

 The objective of the present investigation is to analyze the influence of profile of blast furnace on the burden motion and stress field through 3D-DEM (three-dimensional discrete element method). It is clarified that the decrease of shaft angle speeds up the velocity of burden descending and decreases normal stress between particles or particle and wall. This change is good for the smooth operation of blast furnace. However, ore and coke would be mixed for the too small shaft angle (75°), which would influence the permeability in blast furnace. Thus, the appropriate shaft angle is around 80°. Decrease of bosh angle prevents the burden descending motion and increases normal stress between particles and bosh wall. Meanwhile, maximum normal stress acting on the wall moves from belly wall to bosh wall in the case of 68° bosh angle, which accelerates abrasion of refractory in bosh by friction force between particles and wall. Although burden descends smoothly in the case of 88° bosh angle, room is not enough for the ascending heated gas flow. Thus, the appropriate bosh angle is about 78°.