Concert performed at the UNT College of Music Concert Hall.

Concert performed at UNT College of Music Concert Hall.

The gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR) is one of six advanced nuclear energy systems being studied under the auspices of the Gen IV International Forum (GIF). In a bilateral International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (I-NERI) project French and U.S. national laboratories, industry, and universities are collaborating on the development of the GFR. This effort is led by the ANL in the U.S. and the CEA in France. Some of the attractions of the GFR include: (1) Hard spectrum and core breeding ratio, BR {approx} 1. These features allow minimal waste production, improved transmutation capability, optimal and flexible use of natural resources, potentially better economy (because of use of higher power density relative to current thermal gas-cooled systems), and improved non-proliferation (no fertile blanket); (2) Temperature resistant fuel and structure elements that are favorable to tight fission product confinement and system operation at high temperature; (3) High temperature and transparent helium (He) gas coolant that allows a high thermodynamic conversion efficiency, other energy applications (e.g., hydrogen production), and ease of in-service inspection and repair; and (4) Possible direct energy conversion cycle leading to a simpler design, increased conversion efficiency, and lower investment costs. The French strategy for advanced systems includes the development …

An assessment of the potential role of Generation IV nuclear systems in an advanced fuel cycle has been performed. The Generation IV systems considered are the thermal-spectrum VHTR and SCWR, and the fast-spectrum GFR, LFR, and SFR. This report addresses the impact of each system on advanced fuel cycle goals, particularly related to waste management and resource utilization. The transmutation impact of each system was also assessed, along with variant designs for transuranics (TRU) burning. The base fuel cycle for the thermal reactor concepts (VHTR and SCWR) is a once-through fuel cycle using low-enriched uranium fuels. The higher burnup and thermal efficiency of the VHTR gives an advantage in terms of heavy-metal waste mass and volume, with lower decay heat and radiotoxicity of the spent fuel per electrical energy produced, compared to a PWR. Fuel utilization might, however, be worse compared to the PWR, because of the higher fuel enrichment essential to meeting the VHTR system design requirements. The SCWR concept also featured improved thermal efficiency; however, benefits are reduced by the lower fuel discharge burnup. The base fuel cycle for the fast reactor concepts (SFR, GFR, and LFR) is a closed fuel cycle using recycled TRU and depleted uranium …

The thermochemical database of species involved in combustion processes is and has been available for free use for over 25 years. It was first published in print in 1984, approximately 8 years after it was first assembled, and contained 215 species at the time. This is the 7th printed edition and most likely will be the last one in print in the present format, which involves substantial manual labor. The database currently contains more than 1300 species, specifically organic molecules and radicals, but also inorganic species connected to combustion and air pollution. Since 1991 this database is freely available on the internet, at the Technion-IIT ftp server, and it is continuously expanded and corrected. The database is mirrored daily at an official mirror site, and at random at about a dozen unofficial mirror and 'finger' sites. The present edition contains numerous corrections and many recalculations of data of provisory type by the G3//B3LYP method, a high-accuracy composite ab initio calculation. About 300 species are newly calculated and are not yet published elsewhere. In anticipation of the full coupling, which is under development, the database started incorporating the available (as yet unpublished) values from Active Thermochemical Tables. The electronic version now …

This thesis is dedicated to the study of the first data taken by the D0 detector during the Run II of the Tevatron. Supersymmetric particles have been search for in proton-antiproton collisions, with a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV. In the framework of supersymmetry with R-parity violation, I have studied the pair production of Gauginos, leading to a pair of LSP ({chi}{sub 1}{sup 0}), each one decaying into ee{nu}{sub {mu}} or e{mu}{nu}{sub e} with a {lambda}{sub 121} coupling. The final state contains at least two electrons: I have thus paid special attention in this work to the methods concerning identification and mis-identification of electromagnetic particles, as well as reconstruction, triggering, and correction (of the reconstructed energy). In a selection of trileptons, with at least two electrons, and some transverse missing energy, we observed 0 event in the 350 pb{sup -1} of analyzed data, for 0,4{sub -0,05}{sup +0,35}(stat) {+-} 0,16 (sys) expected from the Standard Model contributions. In the signal considered in this analysis, the selection efficiency is around 12%. Results have been studied in two models: mSUGRA and MSSM. In mSUGRA model, limits on m{sub 1/2} and lightest gauginos's masses have been obtained, with tan{beta} = 5, A{sub …

DER-CAM Developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), is an optimization tool for DER technology selection. However it can not be simply applied to the Japanese case because of the different climate and the utility tariff. This research aims to develop an optimization tool for distributed energy for Japanese buildings using GAMS, a high-level modeling system for mathematical programming and optimization. This paper describes how we apply and demonstrate the tool to the energy center at Kitakyushu Research city, where has installed a fuel cell and a gas engine. An analysis has also been conducted to see how the utility tarriff and the equipment efficiency can affect the operation of the DER system.

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Using data from the fixed target charm-photoproduction experiment, Fermilab FOCUS/E831, they studied the asymmetric production of the mesons: D{sup 0}, D{sup +} y D{sub s}{sup +}. Even when the asymmetry in the production of charm particles, defined as the ratio between particles and antiparticles, at next leading order in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) is almost zero, in data we observe asymmetries probably associate dto the fragmentation processes. Since these are the less understood phenomena in QCD, the results in the present work could be of great importance to understand them. We found asymmetries in the production of the mesons D{sup +} and D{sup 0} (statistic significant), for the D{sub s}{sup +} we only observed an asymmetry not conclusive. We also report a study of the production asymmetries vs. the kinematic variables: p{sub T}{sup 2} (square transversal momentum of the particles), p{sub L} or p{sub Z} (longitudinal momentum), x{sub F} (Feynman x) and E{sub {gamma}} (photon beam energy).

This report documents the results of analyses with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and selected area electron diffraction (ED) of samples of metallic waste form (MWF) materials that had been subjected to various corrosion tests. The objective of the TEM analyses was to characterize the composition and microstructure of surface alteration products which, when combined with other test results, can be used to determine the matrix corrosion mechanism. The examination of test samples generated over several years has resulted in refinements to the TEM sample preparation methods developed to preserve the orientation of surface alteration layers and the underlying base metal. The preservation of microstructural spatial relationships provides valuable insight for determining the matrix corrosion mechanism and for developing models to calculate radionuclide release in repository performance models. The TEM results presented in this report show that oxide layers are formed over the exposed steel and intermetallic phases of the MWF during corrosion in aqueous solutions and humid air at elevated temperatures. An amorphous non-stoichiometric ZrO{sub 2} layer forms at the exposed surfaces of the intermetallic phases, and several nonstoichiometric Fe-O layers form over the steel phases in the MWF. These oxide layers adhere …

Reports in the Argonne National Laboratory Nuclear Data and Measurement Series present results of studies in the field of microscopic nuclear data. The primary objective of the series is the dissemination of information in the comprehensive form required for nuclear technology applications. This series is devoted to: (a) measured microscopic nuclear parameters, (b) experimental techniques and facilities employed in measurements, (c) the analysis, correlation and interpretation of nuclear data, and (d) the compilation and evaluation of nuclear data.

The OSMOSE program (Oscillation in Minerve of isotopes in ''Eupraxic'' spectra) is a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique (CEA). It aims at measuring integral absorption rates of minor actinides by the oscillation technique in the MINERVE experimental facility located at the CEA Cadarache Research Center. The OSMOSE program also includes a complete analytical program to understand and resolve potential discrepancies between calculated and measured values. The OSMOSE program began in 2001 and will continue until 2013. The Argonne National Laboratory has developed Monte Carlo and deterministic calculation models of the MINERVE facility to determine core and safety parameters such as axial and radial fission rate distributions, control rod worth, spectral indices, and the reactivity worth of oscillated samples. Oscillation samples include calibration samples with different uranium enrichments and boron concentrations and the OSMOSE samples--separated actinides including {sup 232}Th, {sup 233}U, {sup 234}U, {sup 235}U, {sup 236}U, {sup 238}U, {sup 237}Np, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 239}Pu, {sup 240}Pu, {sup 241}Pu, {sup 242}Pu, {sup 241}Am, {sup 243}Am, {sup 244}Cm and {sup 245}Cm. Seven different neutron spectra will be created in the MINERVE facility: an overmoderated UO{sub 2} matrix (representative of a fuel processing …

The APS photoinjector drive laser system has been in operation since 1999 and is achieving a performance level exceeding the requirement of stable operation of the LEUTL FEL system. One remarkable number is the UV energy stability of better than 2% rms, sometimes less than 1% rms. This report summarizes the operation experience of the laser system and the improvements made along the way. We also outline the route of upgrade of the system and some frontier laser research and development opportunities in ultrabright electron beam generation.

Recording of Thomas Gerwin's Le tour du monde en 280 secondes. This is a work for electronics that explores sounds around the world. The composer compares it to the concept of travelling into the future: "a nearly imperceptible floating or gliding from one space to another".