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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,513 records · Page 84

Full core LOCA safety analysis for a PWR containing high burnup fuel

For economic reasons, the US nuclear industry is renewing efforts to build a technical basis to extend peak rod average burnup limits above the current regulatory burnup limit of 62 GWd/MTU. The primary driver of these efforts is to economically increase pressurized water reactor (PWR) cycle lengths to 24 months, reduce the number of fresh fuel assemblies, increase time online, thereby reducing number of outages and their associated cost, higher fuel utilization, and possibly reduce core design constraints. In order for US nuclear utilities to leverage these economic efficiencies, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will likely require nuclear power plants (NPPs) to analyze a number of potential operational occurrences and their potential consequences with each new core design prior to resuming normal operation. Potential operational occurrences can be divided into three primary regimes: (1) normal operation, (2) anticipated operation occurrences (AOOs), and (3) design basis accidents (DBAs). Normal plant operation is an operating regime in which the plant operates within specified operational limits until the end of the cycle, whereas AOOs are events that result in the NPP deviating outside the normal operating regime. A key attribute of an AOO is that the occurrence should be expected. However, by definition, the occurrence of an AOO does not result in significant impact to critical safety functions. The last potential operational occurrence is a DBA. From the fuel performance point-of-view, DBAs can be subdivided into two bounding categories: (1) loss of coolant accidents (LOCAs), and (2) reactivity insertion accidents (RIAs). Unlike AOOs, DBAs may result in fuel rod failure. The NRC imposes fundamental acceptance criteria to minimize radiological consequences to the public and onsite staff. Furthermore, safety criteria are typically linked to the fulfillment of other acceptance criteria related to reactor safety equipment designed to mitigate DBAs.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Using temperature and flow fields to detect gas leakage from canisters containing spent nuclear fuel: Applications to RAMM-TM

The multi-physics STAR-CCM+ code has been used to simulate the temperature and flow fields in canister gas leakage experiments conducted by using a 1/4.5-scale model storage cask. The simulations were conducted at Argonne National Laboratory’s Laboratory Computing Resource Center, utilizing high-performance computing resources. Development of STAR-CCM+ simulation models for the 1/4.5-scale model cask is described herein, followed by validation of the simulation results against experimental data. Canister depressurization and thermal response during gas leakage are discussed, along with analyses of the leakage path and allowable leakage rate. The insights gained from the STAR-CCM+ simulations and leakage analyses will help guide future experiments and actual industry applications of Argonne’s Remote Area Modular Monitoring system for canister surface temperature measurement (RAMM-TM) to enable effective aging management of spent fuel during extended dry storage, as well as help reduce risks to public safety and health and protect the environment.

Canister gas leakage↗

Search for electroweak production of charginos and neutralinos at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV in final states containing hadronic decays of WW, WZ, or WH and missing transverse momentum

This Letter presents a search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos via electroweak interactions. The results are based on data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb -1 . The search considers final states with large missing transverse momentum and pairs of hadronically decaying bosons WW, WZ, and WH, where H is the Higgs boson. These bosons are identified using novel algorithms. No significant excess of events is observed relative to the expectations from the standard model. Limits at the 95% confidence level are placed on the cross section for production of mass-degenerate wino-like supersymmetric particles $\widetilde{χ}_1^±$ and $\widetilde{χ}_2^0$, and mass-degenerate higgsino-like supersymmetric particles $\widetilde{χ}_1^±$, $\widetilde{χ}_2^0$, and $\widetilde{χ}_3^0$. In the limit of a nearly-massless lightest supersymmetric particle $\widetilde{χ}_1^0$, wino-like particles with masses up to 870 and 960 GeV are excluded in the cases of $\widetilde{χ}_2^0$→Z$\widetilde{χ}_1^0$ and $\widetilde{χ}_2^0$→$\widetilde{χ}_1^0$, respectively, and higgsino-like particles are excluded between 300 and 650 GeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for pair-production of vector-like quarks in lepton+jets final states containing at least one b -tagged jet using the Run 2 data from the ATLAS experiment

A search is presented for the pair-production of heavy vector-like quarks in the lepton+jets final state using 140 fb -1 of proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector. The search is optimised for vector-like top-quarks (T) that decay into a W boson and a b-quark, with one W boson decaying leptonically and the other hadronically. Other vector-like quark flavours and decay modes are also considered. Events are selected with one high transverse-momentum electron or muon, large missing transverse momentum, a large-radius jet identified as a W boson, and multiple small-radius jets, at least one of which is b-tagged. Vector-like T-quarks with 100% branching ratio to Wb are excluded at 95% CL for masses below 1700 GeV. These limits are also applied to vector-like Y-quarks, which decay exclusively into a W boson and a b-quark. Isospin singlets with B(T→Wb:Ht:Zt)=1/2:1/4:1/4 are excluded for masses below 1360 GeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for pair-produced higgsinos decaying via Higgs or Z bosons to final states containing a pair of photons and a pair of b -jets with the ATLAS detector

A search is presented for the pair production of higgsinos $\tilde{X}$ in gauge-mediated supersymmetry models, where the lightest neutralinos $\tilde{X}^{0}_{1}$ decay into a light gravitino $\tilde{G}$ in association with either a Higgs h or a Z boson. The search is performed with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider using 139 fb -1 of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13TeV. It targets final states in which a Higgs boson decays into a photon pair, while the other Higgs or Z boson decays into a $b\overline{b}$ pair, with missing transverse momentum associated with the two gravitinos. Search regions dependent on the amount of missing transverse momentum are defined by the requirements that the diphoton mass should be consistent with the mass of the Higgs boson, and the $b\overline{b}$ mass with the mass of the Higgs or Z boson. The main backgrounds are estimated with data-driven methods using the sidebands of the diphoton mass distribution. No excesses beyond Standard Model expectations are observed and higgsinos with masses up to 320 GeV are excluded, assuming a branching fraction of 100% for $\tilde{X}^{0}_{1}$ → h$\tilde{G}$. This analysis excludes higgsinos with masses of 130GeV for branching fractions to h$\tilde{G}$ as low as 36%, thus providing complementarity to previous ATLAS searches in final states with multiple leptons or multiple b-jets, targeting different decays of the electroweak bosons.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Recycling of a post-industrial printed multilayer plastic film containing polyurethane inks by solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation

The recently reported Solvent-Targeted Recovery And Precipitation (STRAP) strategy is used to deconstruct multilayer plastic packaging films into their constituent resins by selective polymer dissolution. To broaden the applicability of STRAP, we demonstrate the process with a flexible post-industrial printed multilayer plastic film used for food packaging. The material was a reverse printed film composed of polyethylene (PE), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyurethane (PU)-based inks. Removal of all colors was observed with biomass-derived gamma-valerolactone (GVL) and the recovered polymers possessed comparable properties to the corresponding virgin resins. A technoeconomic analysis indicates that this STRAP process could be economically feasible at a processing capacity of 6,000 tons per year. Furthermore, the production of plastic films with materials recovered by this STRAP process can have a lower climate change impact than the production of films from virgin polymers.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Characterization of 3D printing filaments containing metal additives and their particulate emissions

Polylactic acid (PLA) filaments are widely used in fused filament fabrication (FFF) processes (3D printing). Filament additives such as metallic particles incorporated into PLA to modify functional and aesthetic features of print objects are becoming increasingly popular. However, the identities and concentrations of low percentage and trace metals in these filaments have not been well described in either the literature or product safety information included with the product. Here, we report the structures and concentrations of metals in selected Copperfill, Bronzefill and Steelfill filaments. We also report size-weighted number concentrations and size-weighted mass concentrations of particulate emissions as a function of print temperature for each filament. Particulate emissions were heterogenous in shape and size with airborne particles below 50 nm diameter dominating the size-weighted particle concentrations and larger particles (approximately 300 nm) dominating the mass weighted particle concentration. Results indicate that potential exposure to particles in the nano-size range increase when using print temperatures above 200o C. Because inhalation exposure to nanoparticles has been linked to adverse health outcomes, we suggest that using lower print temperatures for specific metal-fill filaments may reduce their operational hazard.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Role of NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 inflammasome in the activation of pancreatic stellate cells

Highlights: • NLRP3 inflammasome was activated with the extension of activation time of PSCs. • LPS triggered PSCs activation through activating NLRP3 Inflammasome. • Inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome mitigates the activation of PSCs. • NLRP3 inflammasome activates the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway in PSCs. NLRP3 inflammasome activation plays an important role in the development of pancreatic fibrosis. However, it is unclear whether the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is directly involved in the activation of Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). The aim of this study was to investigate the role and mechanism of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the activation of PSCs. In vivo, a rat model of chronic pancreatitis (CP) was induced by intravenous injection of dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC). In vitro, rat primary PSCs were isolated from pancreatic tissues and incubated with the NLRP3 inflammasome activator LPS, the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950, or NLRP3 siRNA. The results showed that the expression of NLRP3, pro-Caspase-1, Caspase-1 and IL-18 was increased in the rat model of CP and during PSCs activation. LPS increased the protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 accompanied by the upregulation of α-SMA, Col I and FN expression. Moreover, MCC950 or NLPR3 siRNA decreased the expression of α-SMA, Col I, FN, TGF-β1 and p-Smad3. Furthermore, MCC950 reversed the LPS-induced upregulation of α-SMA, FN and Col Ⅰ expression in PSCs. This study revealed that the NLRP3 inflammasome is directly involved in the activation of PSCs in vivo and in vitro. Inhibiting NLRP3 suppresses the activation of PSCs through the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗