bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CANDU 6 Severe Accident Prevention and Mitigation Features
Authors: Ford Steven , Lekakh Boris , Choy Ed , Verma Kamal , Ghelbereu Sorin 
Published: October 2013

The CANDU 6 design includes features, both engineered and inherent, that act as barriers to prevent and mitigate severe accidents at progressive stages of a beyond design basis event such as that which occurred at Fukushima in March 2011.
CANDU 6 has ample design margins including multiple layers of defense. Large inventories of water slow down any accident progression to severe accident conditions, even when multiple failures are assumed; giving operations staff more time to manage the event.
Ongoing improvements to operating plants, and enhancements made to future evolutions of the CANDU design (including the Enhanced CANDU 6) improve upon these inherent features, further strengthening the CANDU 6 design to withstand severe core damage accidents.
Failure of Modern Generators
Authors: Maughan Clyde V. 
Published: October 2013

Making generators at lower cost has had a significant negative impact on the current fleet of generators, units less than about 30 years old. A number of factors have come into play, including the “reinventing old problems”, designs that push duties to higher and uncharted levels, and pressures to manufacture new machines more quickly and with less costly materials and processes.
Couple these competitive market realities with reduction in number of engineers in OEM organizations and the loss of institutional knowledge as elders have retired, and it is not surprising that some machines are failing much sooner than historically expected. This paper will present examples of some of the more critical missteps for various 3600 (3000) and 1800 (1500) RPM generators and propose practical maintenance approaches for power plant engineers.
Power Distribution and Fuel Centerline Temperature in a Pressure-Tube Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactor (PT SCWR)
Authors: Peiman W. , Saltanov Eu. , Grande L. , Pioro I. , Rouben B. , Gabriel K. 
Published: October 2013

SuperCritical Water-cooled nuclear Reactor (SCWR) designs are one of six nuclear-reactor concepts being developed under the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) initiative. A generic pressure-tube SCWR consists of distributed fuel channels with coolant inlet and outlet temperatures of 350 and 625°C at 25 MPa, respectively. Such reactor coolant outlet conditions allow for high thermal efficiencies of SCW Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) of about 45–50%. In addition to high thermal efficiencies, SCWR designs provide the means for co-generation of hydrogen through thermochemical processes such as the Cu–Cl cycle.
The main objective of this paper is to determine the power distribution inside the core of an SCWR by using a lattice code - DRAGON and a diffusion code - DONJON. As a result of these calculations, heat-flux profiles in all fuel channels were determined. Consequently, the heat-flux profile in a channel with the maximum thermal power was used as an input into a thermal-hydraulic code, which was developed in MATLAB in order to calculate a fuel centerline temperature for UO2 and UC nuclear fuels. Results of an analysis showed that the fuel centerline temperature of UC was significantly lower than that of UO2. This paper also studies effects of energy groups on multi-group diffusion calculations and proposes nine energy groups for further neutronic studies related to SCWRs.
Experimental Investigation of Nucleate Boiling on Capillary Tubes Under PWR Specific Subcooling and Flow Parameters
Authors: Schneider C. , Hampel R. , Traichel A. , Hurtado A. , Meissner S. , Koch E. 
Published: October 2013

During full power operation of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR), heat transfer phenomena of subcooled nucleate boiling may occur on the surface of the fuel rods. Despite high subcooling, this behavior results from the high heat flux up to 100 W/cm2 where vapor bubbles condensate when they are detached from the rod surface. In case of an accident with disturbance of cooling during transition from bubble to film boiling the critical heat flux (CHF) can be reached.
This paper outlines the experimental investigation of heat transfer during subcooled flow boiling on a capillary tube. To investigate the heat transfer processes under these boiling conditions, a test facility for flow boiling with access for optical measuring methods was constructed. The temperature is measured with a thermocouple inside the tube while boiling bubbles are generated on the outside. For different subcooling and flow velocity the heat flux is increased in a range from zero up to approximately 115 W/cm2. The major aims of these investigations are to generate a database for modeling of these dependencies in computational fluid dynamic (CFD) codes and enhance the knowledge of phenomenological effects of subcooled flow boiling. This provides a contribution for the prediction of the critical heat flux with simulation codes.
Use of Risk-Management Methods in NPP Safety Regulation
Authors: Taranovski A. V. 
Published: October 2013

The object of research is risk management method in nuclear power plant (NPP) safety regulation.
Regulations, which are functioning in Ukraine, are based on the deterministic approaches and criteria. They proved themselves in the period of lack of experience and knowledge about mechanics of material aging. Despite the fact that such regulations are providing necessary safety levels, sometimes deterministic approaches are leading to redundant conservatism of specifications. This is driving to safety-related negative consequences, which are equipment-accelerated deterioration and increased radioactive influence on operative and maintenance staff. Now there is a situation, when new requirements, based on the increasing experience, are arising. So the costs are rising for getting compliance of those requirements.
From this point of view, an urgent problem is what tools and methods of safety analysis we need to use regulating safety levels of nuclear facilities. This work is aimed to improve safety, reliability, and efficiency of NPP operation. It is supposed, that the goal will be achieved by developing and adjusting risk-management methods for the NPPs in Ukraine.
The Screening Methodologies and/or Achievement Evaluation in Japanese FR Cycle Development Program With the Changing Needs for Evaluation
Authors: Shiotani Hiroki , Uto Nariaki , Kawaguchi Koichi , Shinoda Yoshihiko , Ono Kiyoshi , Namba Takashi 
Published: October 2013

This paper argues the characteristics evaluation of Fast Reactor and fuel cycle concepts in the FS “Feasibility Study on commercialized fast reactor cycle systems” and the achievement of the performance evaluation conducted in FaCT (Fast Reactor Cycle System Technology Development) project in Japan.
At the beginning of FS phase-I (JFY1999), a combinatorial number of candidate concepts with innovative technologies were screened. After the FS phase-I evaluation, the several promising FR cycle concepts were selected to achieve consistency between FR system and fuel cycle system.
Analytical evaluation methodologies were developed to compare candidate FR cycle concepts in the FS phase-II (JFY2001 to JFY2005). Finally, the main concepts were decided mainly based on the technical summary (a kind of qualitative evaluation) of FR cycle concepts besides quantitative evaluation in FS phase-II. Sodium cooled FR combined with simplified pelletizing fuel fabrication, and advanced aqueous reprocessing was selected as “main concept” after Japanese government review.
In the FaCT phase-I (JFY2006 to JFY2010), the achievement toward the performance criteria / design requirements for the conceptual design of the commercialized facility developed in the FaCT phase-I was also evaluated. However, the objectives of the evaluation were to confirm the direction and the problems of R&D plans, development targets and design requirements. No aggregation methodologies were used in the FaCT final evaluation. Since the design requirements were set as challenges to achieve higher performance, although some items of respective facilities showed an insufficient achievement, a comprehensive evaluation determined that the performance criteria set by the JAEC were achieved in general.
The appropriate methodologies to evaluate the total FR and related fuel cycle system varies at different periods, according to our experience in Japanese FR cycle development program. This paper argues the way of methodologies with the changing needs and objectives of evaluation.
Study on Saturated Flow Boiling Heat Transfer Under Vibration Conditions
Authors: Fujiyama Yoshitaro , Ohtake Hiroyasu 
Published: October 2013

The ability to predict void formation, void fraction and critical heat flux —CHF— in flow boiling under oscillatory flow and vibration conditions is important to the safety technology of nuclear reactor during earthquake. In the present study, the onset of nucleate boiling —ONB— and CHF on saturated flow boiling under vibration conditions were investigated experimentally.
Steady state experiments were conducted using a copper thin-film and saturated and subcooled water at 0.1 MPa. The liquid velocity was 0.25, 1.38, 3.20 and 4.07 m/s, respectively; the liquid subcooling was 0 K and 20 K. A heater was made of a printed circuit board. A test section was a rectangular flow channel of 10 mm width and 10 mm height. The test heater was heated by Joule heating of d.c. current from a low-voltage high-current stabilizer. The heating rate of the heater was determined from supplied current and voltage. The temperature of the heater was obtained by referring to the measured electric resistance. The test section was arranged for horizontal position facing upward and for vertical position, respectively. For the vibration condition, the test section was set on a vibration table. The ONB was decided as an occurrence of the first boiling bubble. The critical heat flux was determined as that immediately before the heating surface physically burned-out.
The CHF on saturated flow boiling under vibration conditions were investigated experimentally.
The Effects of Cycling on Generator Rotors
Authors: Moore Bill 
Published: October 2013

Cycling can cause accelerated deterioration in generator rotors. EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) states that “Cyclic operation can result in an increase in forced outage rates, higher operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, and further wear and tear on components…” Most industry references do not differentiate between speed cycling and load cycling. Speed cycling is the worst kind of cycling, leading to cracking and fatigue failure of many generator rotor components.
The outline of the paper will include the following major topics:
• Definition of Cycling
• Focus on Speed Cycling versus Load Cycling/Load Following
• Low Cycle versus High Cycle Fatigue -
• Fatigue progresses to cracking; cracking to failure, failure to forced outages, schedule delays, additional costs
• Key Generator Rotor Components Affected by Low Cycle Fatigue
• Rotor Forging Shaft including the rotor bore, tooth tops, snap ring groove cracking
• Rotor Field Winding including pole crossovers, J-straps/terminal studs, bore copper, conductor end turns
• Support Components including slot wedges, retaining rings
• Preventative Action by Investigation and NDE/DE
• Conclusions and Recommendations.
Severe Accident Analysis for BWR With Containment Outer Pool
Authors: Yoshimura Koki , Hisamochi Kohei 
Published: October 2013

Newly designed plants, e.g., next-generation light water reactor or ESBWR, employ a passive containment cooling system and have an enhanced safety with RHRs (Residual Heat Removal system) including active components. Passive containment cooling systems have the advantage of a simple mechanism, while materials used for the systems are too large to employ these systems to existing plants. Combination of passive system and active system is considered to decrease amount of material for existing plants. In this study, alternatives of applying containment outer pool as a passive system have been developed for existing BWRs, and effects of outer pool on BDBA (Beyond Design Basis Accident) have been evaluated.
For the evaluation of containment outer pool, it is assumed that there would be no on-site power at the loss of off-site power event, so called “SBO (Station BlackOut)”. Then, the core of this plant would be uncovered, heated up, and damaged. Finally, the reactor pressure vessel would be breached. Containment gas temperature reached the containment failure temperature criteria without water injection. With water injection, containment pressure reached the failure pressure criteria. With this situation, using outer pool is one of the candidates to mitigate the accident. Several case studies for the outer pool have been carried out considering several parts of containment surface area, which are PCV (Pressure Containment vessel) head, W/W (Wet Well), and PCV shell.
As a result of these studies, the characteristics of each containment outer pool strategies have become clear. Cooling PCV head can protect it from over-temperature, although its effect is limited and W/W venting can not be delayed. Cooling suppression pool has an effect of pressure suppressing effect when RPV is intact. Cooling PCV shell has both effect of decreasing gas temperature and suppressing pressure.
Dynamic Analysis of Elastic Structures on Spreadsheet
Authors: Rambach J.-M. 
Published: October 2013

It is recalled the interest of modal analysis of heavy structures on stick model with reduced number of degrees-of-freedom (DOF), at every age of the structure: at the presizing stage, at the design stage, for assessing the results given by large tridimensional Finite Element (FE) models, and at every further seismic review (Seismic Margin Assessment studies, Seismic Probabilistic Safety Assessment studies).
This article indicates a practical means for a simple programing of a modal analysis based FE code on spreadsheet able to handle up to 50 DOF. The beams, of Timoshenko’s type, are supposed moving along a vertical plane, with 2 DOF per node: the horizontal translational DOF and the rotational DOF around the horizontal axis perpendicular to the vertical plane. The analysis follows the classical steps of any FE code.
The programing of such dynamic modal analysis on a spreadsheet is besides quite easy and provides a very convenient tool i) for the intimate understanding of the dynamic behavior of structures ii) for any accurate modal analysis and iii) for any sensitivity studies.
Parametric Study of MISTRA M5 Test Using Lumped Parameter COCOSYS Code
Authors: Povilaitis Mantas , Urbonavičius Egidijus , Rimkevičius Sigitas 
Published: October 2013

Gas distribution in the containments of nuclear power plants in a case of severe accident currently is a high priority safety issue. One of the topics in this issue is a formation and break up of stratified conditions inside the containment. CEA (France) performed M5 test in their MISTRA test facility, to form a stratified atmosphere, which later was destroyed during MASP tests that followed. During M5 there was formed vertically stratified atmosphere using steam jet release. Application of lumped parameter codes for simulation of jet release is complicated due to limitations inherent in the lumped-parameter approach. However, measures exist which can be used to take these limitations into account when using lumped parameter approach.
This paper presents simulations and parametric study of M5 test, i.e. only formation of the stratified atmosphere. Presented simulations of the experiment were performed using lumped parameter code COCOSYS. The aim of the work is to investigate the capability of the code to simulate correctly jet release and formation of the stratified atmosphere in the M5 experiment and the impact of several parameters to the simulation results.
Erlotinib, Gefitinib, and Vandetanib Inhibit Human Nucleoside Transporters and Protect Cancer Cells from Gemcitabine Cytotoxicity
Authors: Damaraju Vijaya L. , Scriver Tara , Mowles Delores , Kuzma Michelle , Ryan Anderson J. , Cass Carol E. , Sawyer Michael B. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractPurpose: Combinations of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) with gemcitabine have been attempted with little added benefit to patients. We hypothesized that TKIs designed to bind to ATP-binding pockets of growth factor receptors also bind to transporter proteins that recognize nucleosides.Experimental Design: TKI inhibition of uridine transport was studied with recombinant human (h) equilibrative (E) and concentrative (C) nucleoside transporters (hENT, hCNT) produced individually in yeast. TKIs effects on uridine transport, gemcitabine accumulation, regulation of hENT1 activity, and cell viability in the presence or absence of gemcitabine were evaluated in human pancreatic and lung cancer cell lines.Results: Erlotinib, gefitinib and vandetanib inhibited [3H]uridine transport in yeast and [3H]uridine and [3H]gemcitabine uptake in the four cell lines. Treatment of cell lines with erlotinib, gefitinib, or vandetanib for 24 hours reduced hENT1 activity which was reversed by subsequent incubation in drug-free media for 24 hours. Greater cytotoxicity was observed when gemcitabine was administered before erlotinib, gefitinib, or vandetanib than when administered together and synergy, evaluated using the CalcuSyn Software, was observed in three cell lines resulting in combination indices under 0.6 at 50% reduction of cell growth.Conclusions: Vandetanib inhibited hENT1, hENT2, hCNT1, hCNT2, and hCNT3, whereas erlotinib inhibited hENT1 and hCNT3 and gefitinib inhibited hENT1 and hCNT1. The potential for reduced accumulation of nucleoside chemotherapy drugs in tumor tissues due to inhibition of hENTs and/or hCNTs by TKIs indicates that pharmacokinetic properties of these agents must be considered when scheduling TKIs and nucleoside chemotherapy in combination. Clin Cancer Res; 20(1); 176–86. ©2013 AACR.
C-reactive protein after stroke in arterial hypertension
Authors: Berezin Alexander E , Lisovaya Oxana A 
Published: October 2013

Objective To evaluate the relationship between plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level and the risk of recurrent coronary and cerebral ischemic events after ischemic stroke in patients with arterial hypertension. Methods 102 patients with mild-to-moderate arterial hypertension (67 male, aged 56–68 years) were enrolled in the study. Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was determined on study entry only. Clinical interviews were performed every 3 months during 1 year after blood sampling. Clinical events included confirmed ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, coronary ischemic events, sudden death, diabetes mellitus, and all cardiovascular events including chronic heart failure and hospitalization. Results Patients in the highest quartile of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels had a significantly higher adjusted odds ratio for clinical events compared to those in the first quartile (odds ratio = 7.46, 95% confidence interval: 1.55–19.6, p = 0.001). A receiver operating characteristic curve detected a plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein cutoff level of 5.58 mg·L−1 (76.7% sensitivity, 80.3% specificity). A Cox regression model identified high-sensitivity C-reactive protein >5.58 mg·L−1 as an independent predictor of further cardiovascular events (hazard ratio = 7.14, 95% confidence interval: 1.15–12.6, p = 0.009). Conclusion We suggest that high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels >5.58 mg·L−1 strongly predict increased risk of cumulative cardiovascular events after ischemic stroke in hypertensive patients.
Managing Cancer And Living Meaningfully (CALM): Phase 2 trial of a brief individual psychotherapy for patients with advanced cancer
Authors: Lo Chris , Hales Sarah , Jung Judy , Chiu Aubrey , Panday Tania , Rydall Anne , Nissim Rinat , Malfitano Carmine , Petricone-Westwood Danielle , Zimmermann Camilla , Rodin Gary 
Published: October 2013

Background: Advanced cancer brings substantial physical and psychosocial challenges that may contribute to emotional distress and diminish well-being. In this study, we present preliminary data concerning the effectiveness of a new brief individual psychotherapy, Managing Cancer And Living Meaningfully (CALM), designed to help individuals cope with this circumstance. Aim: To test the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of CALM to reduce emotional distress and promote psychological well-being and growth. Design: CALM is a brief, manualized, semi-structured individual psychotherapy for patients with advanced cancer. This study employed a phase 2 intervention-only design. The primary outcome was depressive symptoms and the secondary outcomes were death anxiety, attachment security, spiritual well-being and psychological growth. These were assessed at 3 months (t1) and 6 months (t2). Multilevel regression was used to model change over time. Setting/participants: A total of 50 patients with advanced or metastatic cancer were recruited from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada. Results: A total of 39 patients (78%) were assessed at baseline, 24 (48%) at t1, and 16 (32%) at t2. Analyses revealed reductions over time in depressive symptoms: beta = −0.13, confidence interval (CI.95) = (−0.23, −0.022) and death anxiety: beta = −0.23, CI.95 (−0.40, −0.061); and an increase in spiritual well-being: beta = 0.14, CI.95 (0.026, 0.26). Conclusions: CALM may be a feasible intervention to benefit patients with advanced cancer. The results are encouraging, despite attrition and small effect sizes, and support further study.
Incentives for improving human resource outcomes in health care: overview of reviews
Authors: Misfeldt Renee , Linder Jordana , Lait Jana , Hepp Shelanne , Armitage Gail , Jackson Karen , Suter Esther 
Published: October 2013

Objectives To review the effectiveness of financial and nonfinancial incentives for improving the benefits (recruitment, retention, job satisfaction, absenteeism, turnover, intent to leave) of human resource strategies in health care. Methods Overview of 33 reviews published from 2000 to 2012 summarized the effectiveness of incentives for improving human resource outcomes in health care (such as job satisfaction, turnover rates, recruitment, and retention) that met the inclusion criteria and were assessed by at least two research members using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews quality assessment tool. Of those, 13 reviews met the quality criteria and were included in the overview. Information was extracted on a description of the review, the incentives considered, and their impact on human resource outcomes. The information on the relationship between incentives and outcomes was assessed and synthesized. Results While financial compensation is the best-recognized approach within an incentives package, there is evidence that health care practitioners respond positively to incentives linked to the quality of the working environments including opportunities for professional development, improved work life balance, interprofessional collaboration, and professional autonomy. There is less evidence that workload factors such as job demand, restructured staffing models, re-engineered work designs, ward practices, employment status, or staff skill mix have an impact on human resource outcomes. Conclusions Overall, evidence of effective strategies for improving outcomes is mixed. While financial incentives play a key role in enhancing outcomes, they need to be considered as only one strategy within an incentives package. There is stronger evidence that improving the work place environment and instituting mechanisms for work-life balance need to be part of an overall strategy to improve outcomes for health care practitioners.