Search results for "RADIATION"

Absorption equipment for energy savings: A case study in Sicily

2013

Abstract This paper considers a feasibility study on the recovery of the reject heat available from an electric utility with two units operating with 120-MW gas turbines; these units have a heat recovery system that feeds the district heating pipeline of an industrial consortium. Thus, feeding the expeller of the absorption equipment installed in a cooling plant for foodstuff stocking represents an opportunity for the feasibility study. This plant operates at both 0 °C and −18 °C. The feasibility study covers two aspects: (1) the technical feasibility of a suitable absorption cooling plant that uses two separate pieces of absorption equipment working with the pair ammonia–water and (2) the …

Electric Power Quality Evaluation in the Presence of Electromagnetic Emissions

2013

The measurements for the assessment of the electric power quality are often carried out in hostile electromagnetic environments. The aim of the paper is analyzing if and how both radiated and conducted electromagnetic emissions can disturb the measurement system used to quantify these disturbances. To achieve the target, an experimental approach is proposed, which, by means of a simple and fast test, allows establishing if the real electromagnetic environment, where power quality analysis is performed, can alter the measurements. © 2013 IEEE.

Patient-specific plan QA in active pencil beam scanning with proton and carbon ion beams: A new software solution to support treatment planning workf…

2016

Memory irradiation measurements for the European SMART-1 spacecraft

2005

Three different types of memory circuits, that are intended to be used on board of the European satellite SMART-1, have been radiation hardness tested according to ESA's specification. Since the satellite is equipped with an electric propulsion engine, the spacecraft will be exposed to radiation during a long time when passing the radiation belt of the Earth. A standard DRAM circuit from SAMSUNG will serve as building block of the mass memory of SMART-1, and has been tested for total dose and proton induced single event upset (SEU). The DRAM memory showed surprisingly good resistance against radiation. The proton SEU cross sections for the radiation tolerant SRAM and FIFO circuits have also…

Determination of boundaries between ranges of high and low gradient of beam profile

2016

Abstract Aim This work addresses the problem of treatment planning system commissioning by introducing a new method of determination of boundaries between high and low gradient in beam profile. Background The commissioning of a treatment planning system is a very important task in the radiation therapy. One of the main goals of this task is to compare two field profiles: measured and calculated. Applying points of 80% and 120% of nominal field size can lead to the incorrect determination of boundaries, especially for small field sizes. Materials and methods The method that is based on the beam profile gradient allows for proper assignment of boundaries between high and low gradient regions …

Photovoltaic plant array reconfiguration: Design of a new device

2014

An efficient strategy to improve unequally irradiated PV plants performances is based on the reconfiguration of the connections between the modules. In this paper, an algorithm, for this purpose conceived, is presented. Moreover, the design, realization and finally also the set up of a new reconfiguration system device is fully shown and discussed. The algorithm conceived simulates several possible series-parallel connections under varying irradiation conditions, and determines the optimal modules connection in order to get the maximum output power. In this way, the reconfiguration system may set up the reconfiguration strategy. The reconfiguration system prototype set up, basically consist…

The "Livio Scarsi" X-Ray Facility at University of Palermo for Device Testing

2015

In this work, we report on the characteristics of the Livio Scarsi X-ray facility at University of Palermo. The facility is able to produce low energy X rays, within the energy range of 0.1-60 keV, with fluence rates ranging from 105-108 photons/mm2 s. The laboratory is equipped with an innovative digital detection system, based on semiconductor detectors (Si and CdTe detectors), able to provide accurate and precise estimation of the fluence rate, the energy and the exposure of X rays, even at high counting rate conditions. Instrumentation for electrical characterization (DC-AC) of semiconductor devices, for both off-line and on-line (i.e. during the irradiation) measurements, is also avail…

Clean and Sustainable Biodiesel Production

2015

To date, the majority of world's primary energy is derived from fossil fuels. However, the fossil fuel recourses are in an inevitable decline as energy demand continues to grow exponentially with population growth, urbanization, and improved standards of living. Crude oil prices have recently risen several times and their current annual volatility exceeds 30%. The potential scarcity of fossil fuels has prompted a global search for alternative energy resources. Biodiesel fulfills the major requirements for production of alternative fuels such as feedstock availability, technical feasibility, and economic competitiveness. Together with other renewable biofuels, the use of biodiesel as a subst…

HEMT for low-noise microwaves: CAD-oriented performance evaluation

1995

This paper shows how a graphic processing of low-noise HEMT's small signal parameters, allows evaluating and comparing the actual performance obtainable in front-end applications. HEMT's tradeoff charts which solve tradeoffs among the basic low-noise amplifier performance are reported. Figures of merit for microwave low-noise HEMT which represent a fast way of evaluating HEMT in actual working conditions and of selecting the proper transistor, are defined. As an example, the tradeoff charts and the figures of merit of two HEMT's (Fujitsu FHR02FH, Sony 2SK677) and a pseudomorphic-HEMT (Celeritek CFB001-03) are reported and compared with the data sheets. © 1995, IEEE. All rights reserved.

Design, manufacturing and testing of a fast disconnecting system for the European target assembly concept of IFMIF

2013

The International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) will be equipped with a lithium target assembly to produce the required neutron flux for the irradiation of candidate fusion materials up to a damage rate of 100 dpa (cumulated damage in five years). The present European target assembly design is based on the so called replaceable backplate bayonet concept that was developed with the objective to simplify the maintenance operations for its refurbishment/replacement and to reduce the material for disposal as well. To this purpose it was also conceived to be attached to the lithium pipes and to the beam line by means of remotely operated connections based on clamped flanges with …