Enertechnix (United States)

The rate of particle removal from a surface by air jet impingement has been evaluated for 3 different types of trace explosives. Samples of research development explosive (cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine), trinitrotoluene, and C-4 were each transferred to glass surfaces and then subjected to a short burst of air from a jet with varying diameter, standoff distance, and backpressure to achieve a range of shear stresses at the surface. TNT was observed to be easiest to remove, while C-4 required the greatest shear force to resuspend. An analytical model has been developed to predict removal of spherical particles as a function of particle diameter and nondimensionalized downstream distance from a gas jet. This model was fitted to experimental data from the removal of ceramic microspheres of various sizes. The removal rate of these ceramic microspheres was observed to be much greater than that of the 3 types of explosive particles, despite the particles’ similar sizes. Copyright 2012 American Association for Aerosol Research

The use of inlets for transferring aerosols from the environment to instrumentation can introduce uncertainty in the measurement of aerosol properties. Aerosol loss during this process is a non-negligible issue that may bias the subsequent measurements. These loss mechanisms include aspiration at the inlet head and deposition/evaporation/condensation during transport through the sampling lines. Coarse-mode aerosol is significantly impacted by the aspiration and inertial loss mechanisms within an inlet system. This work uses wind tunnel experiments to investigate aerosol losses through the Storm Peak Laboratory’s (SPL) new aerosol inlet system. The inlet is used extensively for both intensive field campaigns and long-term aerosol monitoring. The results of numerical simulations of the SPL aerosol inlet sampling efficiency are provided at several wind speeds, and experimental results demonstrate the system has a 50% cut off for the coarse-mode at an aerodynamic diameter of approximately 13 μm and wind speed of 0.5 m s−1. This investigation will lead to improved accuracy of in situ aerosol measurements at SPL and this system can be replicated at other atmospheric stations.Copyright © 2019 American Association for Aerosol Research

Aerosol sampling and identification is vital for assessment and control of particulate matter pollution, airborne pathogens, allergens and toxins, and their effect on air quality, human health, and climate change. Assays capable of accurate identification and quantification of chemical and biological airborne components of aerosol provide very limited sampling time resolution and relatively dilute samples. A low-cost micro-channel collector (μCC) which offers fine temporal and spatial resolution, high collection efficiency, and delivers highly concentrated samples in very small liquid volumes was developed and tested. The design and optimization of this μCC was guided by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. Collection efficiency tests of the sampler were performed in a well-mixed aerosol chamber using aerosolized fluorescent microspheres in the 0.5–6 μm diameter range. Samples were collected in the μCC and eluted into 100 μL liquid aliquots; bulk fluorescence measurements were used to determine the performance of the collector. Typical collection efficiencies were above 50% for 0.5 μm particles and 90% for particles larger than 1 μm. The experimental results agreed with the CFD modeling for particles larger than 2 μm, but smaller particles were captured more efficiently than predicted by the CFD modeling. Nondimensional analysis of capture efficiencies showed good agreement for a specific geometry but suggested that the effect of channel curvature needs to be further investigated.Copyright 2014 American Association for Aerosol Research

A rectangular slit micro-aerodynamic-lens (μADL) aerosol concentrator operating at atmospheric pressure has been developed. A single stage version has shown concentration ratios of up to 40:1 for 1 μm aerosol particles while particles larger than 2 μm can be concentrated by more than 100:1 in a single stage. The design of this device has been guided by unsteady 3D CFD modeling using detached eddy simulations (DES), and has been validated experimentally using polystyrene spheres and salt crystals of known aerodynamic diameters. The pressure drop in the device does not exceed 1.5 kPa in the major flow and 0.3 kPa in the minor flow at a total flow of 10 slpm. Copyright 2014 American Association for Aerosol Research

This paper focuses on recent advancements in the areas of imaging technology and flue gas temperature measurement which are providing new insights for plant engineers into combustion conditions and operation in Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facilities. The paper describes how Covanta Energy, an operator of over 30 EfW facilities and Enertechnix, a manufacturer of advanced combustion products and services, are developing new technologies in these following areas: Infra-red (IR) imaging using a mobile camera to provide active viewing of the boiler and combustion conditions; Digital recording of images of slagging, waste stream movement, and refractory inspection; Online inspection in back pass convection areas with a video camera that extends up to 20 feet into boiler. Furnace Exit Gas Temperature (FEGT) measurement integrating proven acoustic pyrometer technology to replace inherently inaccurate contact temperature methods such as thermocouples. The paper examines how each of these technologies is being introduced into EfW facilities operated by Covanta Energy. Actual results are used to evaluate the potential these new methods have for improving combustion, reducing maintenance costs and providing plant operators with useful tools for operating EfW facilities. Video images of the furnace and convection sections will be provided and discussed. FEGT data from comparative technologies is presented. The data is interpreted in order to compare the accuracy of the acoustic pyrometer measurement against other methods. Potential and determined benefits are presented and outlined. The paper attempts to provide a framework to help facilities understand the importance and impact of accurate FEGT measurement in the combustion process.

In 1988, a symposium abstract titled “Reactor Transmutation, a Utopian Solution?” first formulated a boundary condition for waste-motivated transmutation: transmuting minor actinides (Np, Am, Cm) cannot materially reduce the long-term hazard of spent fuel unless plutonium is assessed and managed within the same system. The abstract also identified two pragmatic constraints: insufficient worldwide reprocessing capacity and the need for successive recycling, which increases circulating plutonium inventories and creates short-term operational risks. This boundary condition was subsequently developed with quantitative analysis in a 1990 peer-reviewed paper in Radioactive Waste Management and the Nuclear Fuel Cycle. The 1990 result was obtained under a pragmatic technology horizon—roughly 416 operating civil power reactors worldwide, almost all thermal-spectrum, while fast reactors were marginal and not programmatically available—and using an ingestion-hazard/radiotoxicity metric propagated over geological time. Under the realistic options available at the time, reactor transmutation was not feasible as a practical waste-management strategy. This article reconstructs the subsequent 35-year policy trajectory through that 1988–1990 lens. We track ~€12 billion (1994–2025) in global spending attributable to transmutation narratives—detailed project-level data for Europe and Japan (~€5.2 billion) supplemented by programme-level estimates for the USA, Russia, China, and other countries (~€6.8 billion). Applying the observed composition statistically, approximately €4 billion (33%) corresponds to projects created for partitioning/transmutation and ~€8 billion (67%) to projects that adopted transmutation as an additional justification for fast-reactor programmes facing operational or economic difficulties. We argue that programme persistence reflects institutional momentum and legal lock-in more than the resolution of the boundary condition. Five independent post-1990 assessments—OECD/NEA syntheses and national technical reviews—triangulate the boundary condition and confirm that, under inventory-based hazard metrics, meaningful waste-motivated claims require keeping plutonium inside the assessed boundary. Repository-performance metrics (e.g., peak dose) add supplementary constraints but do not replace the boundary-condition logic. Updating fleet and inventory benchmarks through 2026 does not change the conclusion: at inventory scale, the separations–fuel-fabrication–fast-reactor stack remains economically prohibitive and introduces additional risk burdens (worker exposure, circulating plutonium inventories, sodium-reactor incidents, proliferation concerns) that have not been systematically weighed against claimed benefits. We conclude with governance recommendations: explicit “boundary-condition checks”, portfolio-level accounting that separates transmutation-attributable spending from legacy-infrastructure costs, and clearer separation between (i) keeping technical options open and (ii) claiming near-term waste-management benefits. Keywords: Nuclear transmutation; Plutonium management; Partitioning and transmutation; Technology governance; Policy lock-in; Waste radiotoxicity; Risk assessment

In 1988, a symposium abstract titled “Reactor Transmutation, a Utopian Solution?” first formulated a boundary condition for waste-motivated transmutation: transmuting minor actinides (Np, Am, Cm) cannot materially reduce the long-term hazard of spent fuel unless plutonium is assessed and managed within the same system. The abstract also identified two pragmatic constraints: insufficient worldwide reprocessing capacity and the need for successive recycling, which increases circulating plutonium inventories and creates short-term operational risks. This boundary condition was subsequently developed with quantitative analysis in a 1990 peer-reviewed paper in Radioactive Waste Management and the Nuclear Fuel Cycle. The 1990 result was obtained under a pragmatic technology horizon—roughly 416 operating civil power reactors worldwide, almost all thermal-spectrum, while fast reactors were marginal and not programmatically available—and using an ingestion-hazard/radiotoxicity metric propagated over geological time. Under the realistic options available at the time, reactor transmutation was not feasible as a practical waste-management strategy. This article reconstructs the subsequent 35-year policy trajectory through that 1988–1990 lens. We track ~€12 billion (1994–2025) in global spending attributable to transmutation narratives—detailed project-level data for Europe and Japan (~€5.2 billion) supplemented by programme-level estimates for the USA, Russia, China, and other countries (~€6.8 billion). Applying the observed composition statistically, approximately €4 billion (33%) corresponds to projects created for partitioning/transmutation and ~€8 billion (67%) to projects that adopted transmutation as an additional justification for fast-reactor programmes facing operational or economic difficulties. We argue that programme persistence reflects institutional momentum and legal lock-in more than the resolution of the boundary condition. Five independent post-1990 assessments—OECD/NEA syntheses and national technical reviews—triangulate the boundary condition and confirm that, under inventory-based hazard metrics, meaningful waste-motivated claims require keeping plutonium inside the assessed boundary. Repository-performance metrics (e.g., peak dose) add supplementary constraints but do not replace the boundary-condition logic. Updating fleet and inventory benchmarks through 2026 does not change the conclusion: at inventory scale, the separations–fuel-fabrication–fast-reactor stack remains economically prohibitive and introduces additional risk burdens (worker exposure, circulating plutonium inventories, sodium-reactor incidents, proliferation concerns) that have not been systematically weighed against claimed benefits. We conclude with governance recommendations: explicit “boundary-condition checks”, portfolio-level accounting that separates transmutation-attributable spending from legacy-infrastructure costs, and clearer separation between (i) keeping technical options open and (ii) claiming near-term waste-management benefits. Keywords: Nuclear transmutation; Plutonium management; Partitioning and transmutation; Technology governance; Policy lock-in; Waste radiotoxicity; Risk assessment

The transition to a sustainable energy system drives the need to develop new more efficient and cost-effective networks. Cable systems that are commonly used in medium voltage networks have had minimal changes in decades. The proposed Capacitive Transfer System (CTS) delivers a substantial change in power system design while providing significant benefits to grid owners, including power loss reduction, improved power factor, lower voltage drop and potential reduced sheath loss in comparison with the existing conventional cables. Enertechnos while working with a UK distribution network operator proposed an innovative cable design for 33kV connections. This paper explains the concept of CTS and its benefit applied in distribution systems. Case study results are given for a real 33kV grid situation to demonstrate quantitatively the advantages of CTS over conventional cable.

Abstract (EN)Nuclear transmutation has been investigated since 1990 as a strategic option for managing long-lived high-level radioactive waste. This study presents a consolidated estimate of global research investment in nuclear transmutation for 1990–2025, excluding industrial demonstration and infrastructure costs. Based on analysis of CORDIS, OSTI, IAEA-INIS and institutional reporting (OECD/NEA, DOE, JAEA), we estimate approximately 350 research institutions have contributed significantly, representing ~3,500 unique individual researchers and a cumulative R&D investment of €8.1 billion (range €6.5–10.5 billion). The uncertainty range reflects conservative sensitivity testing of the main reconstruction parameters (documented in Appendix A). These results provide a benchmark for evaluating long-horizon nuclear R&D governance.Résumé (FR)La transmutation nucléaire est étudiée depuis 1990 comme option stratégique pour la gestion des déchets radioactifs de haute activité à vie longue. Cette étude propose une estimation consolidée de l’investissement mondial de recherche en transmutation sur la période 1990–2025, en excluant les coûts d’infrastructure et de démonstration industrielle. Sur la base des sources CORDIS, OSTI, IAEA-INIS et des rapports institutionnels (OCDE/AEN, DOE, JAEA), nous estimons à environ 350 institutions les contributeurs significatifs, représentant ~3 500 chercheurs personnes-physiques uniques, pour un investissement cumulé de R&D de 8,1 Md€ (fourchette 6,5–10,5 Md€). La fourchette reflète une analyse de sensibilité conservatrice des paramètres de reconstruction (documentée en Annexe A). Ces résultats fournissent une base de référence pour l’évaluation de la gouvernance des programmes de R&D nucléaire de long terme.Keywords (EN) : nuclear transmutation; partitioning and transmutation; public R&D investment; portfolio reconstruction; research governance; reproducibility; accelerator-driven systems (ADS); fast reactors; minor actinides; nuclear fuel cycle; radioactive waste management; cost accountingMots-clés (FR) : transmutation nucléaire; séparation et transmutation; investissement public en R&D; reconstruction de portefeuille; gouvernance de la recherche; reproductibilité; systèmes pilotés par accélérateur (ADS); réacteurs rapides; actinides mineurs; cycle du combustible; gestion des déchets radioactifs; comptabilité des coûts

Abstract (EN)Nuclear transmutation has been investigated since 1990 as a strategic option for managing long-lived high-level radioactive waste. This study presents a consolidated estimate of global research investment in nuclear transmutation for 1990–2025, excluding industrial demonstration and infrastructure costs. Based on analysis of CORDIS, OSTI, IAEA-INIS and institutional reporting (OECD/NEA, DOE, JAEA), we estimate approximately 350 research institutions have contributed significantly, representing ~3,500 unique individual researchers and a cumulative R&D investment of €8.1 billion (range €6.5–10.5 billion). The uncertainty range reflects conservative sensitivity testing of the main reconstruction parameters (documented in Appendix A). These results provide a benchmark for evaluating long-horizon nuclear R&D governance.Résumé (FR)La transmutation nucléaire est étudiée depuis 1990 comme option stratégique pour la gestion des déchets radioactifs de haute activité à vie longue. Cette étude propose une estimation consolidée de l’investissement mondial de recherche en transmutation sur la période 1990–2025, en excluant les coûts d’infrastructure et de démonstration industrielle. Sur la base des sources CORDIS, OSTI, IAEA-INIS et des rapports institutionnels (OCDE/AEN, DOE, JAEA), nous estimons à environ 350 institutions les contributeurs significatifs, représentant ~3 500 chercheurs personnes-physiques uniques, pour un investissement cumulé de R&D de 8,1 Md€ (fourchette 6,5–10,5 Md€). La fourchette reflète une analyse de sensibilité conservatrice des paramètres de reconstruction (documentée en Annexe A). Ces résultats fournissent une base de référence pour l’évaluation de la gouvernance des programmes de R&D nucléaire de long terme.Keywords (EN) : nuclear transmutation; partitioning and transmutation; public R&D investment; portfolio reconstruction; research governance; reproducibility; accelerator-driven systems (ADS); fast reactors; minor actinides; nuclear fuel cycle; radioactive waste management; cost accountingMots-clés (FR) : transmutation nucléaire; séparation et transmutation; investissement public en R&D; reconstruction de portefeuille; gouvernance de la recherche; reproductibilité; systèmes pilotés par accélérateur (ADS); réacteurs rapides; actinides mineurs; cycle du combustible; gestion des déchets radioactifs; comptabilité des coûts

In 1988, a symposium abstract titled “Reactor Transmutation, a Utopian Solution?” first formulated a boundary condition for waste-motivated transmutation: transmuting minor actinides (Np, Am, Cm) cannot materially reduce the long-term hazard of spent fuel unless plutonium is assessed and managed within the same system. The abstract also identified two pragmatic constraints: insufficient worldwide reprocessing capacity and the need for successive recycling, which increases circulating plutonium inventories and creates short-term operational risks. This boundary condition was subsequently developed with quantitative analysis in a 1990 peer-reviewed paper in Radioactive Waste Management and the Nuclear Fuel Cycle. The 1990 result was obtained under a pragmatic technology horizon—roughly 416 operating civil power reactors worldwide, almost all thermal-spectrum, while fast reactors were marginal and not programmatically available—and using an ingestion-hazard/radiotoxicity metric propagated over geological time. Under the realistic options available at the time, reactor transmutation was not feasible as a practical waste-management strategy. This article reconstructs the subsequent 35-year policy trajectory through that 1988–1990 lens. We track ~€12 billion (1994–2025) in global spending attributable to transmutation narratives—detailed project-level data for Europe and Japan (~€5.2 billion) supplemented by programme-level estimates for the USA, Russia, China, and other countries (~€6.8 billion). Applying the observed composition statistically, approximately €4 billion (33%) corresponds to projects created for partitioning/transmutation and ~€8 billion (67%) to projects that adopted transmutation as an additional justification for fast-reactor programmes facing operational or economic difficulties. We argue that programme persistence reflects institutional momentum and legal lock-in more than the resolution of the boundary condition. Five independent post-1990 assessments—OECD/NEA syntheses and national technical reviews—triangulate the boundary condition and confirm that, under inventory-based hazard metrics, meaningful waste-motivated claims require keeping plutonium inside the assessed boundary. Repository-performance metrics (e.g., peak dose) add supplementary constraints but do not replace the boundary-condition logic. Updating fleet and inventory benchmarks through 2026 does not change the conclusion: at inventory scale, the separations–fuel-fabrication–fast-reactor stack remains economically prohibitive and introduces additional risk burdens (worker exposure, circulating plutonium inventories, sodium-reactor incidents, proliferation concerns) that have not been systematically weighed against claimed benefits. We conclude with governance recommendations: explicit “boundary-condition checks”, portfolio-level accounting that separates transmutation-attributable spending from legacy-infrastructure costs, and clearer separation between (i) keeping technical options open and (ii) claiming near-term waste-management benefits. Keywords: Nuclear transmutation; Plutonium management; Partitioning and transmutation; Technology governance; Policy lock-in; Waste radiotoxicity; Risk assessment

In this paper we present the findings of an effort to create a millimeter-wave radar system to image the internal structure of a kraft recovery boiler as well as measure the dielectric coating on the pipes. A kraft boiler is used by the paper industry to reclaim inorganic salts used in the pulping of wood. The bio-mass and salt structure of the fuel combusted in the boiler causes rapid deposition on the boiler pipes reducing the efficiency of the heat-transfer mechanism. A large portion of the generated steam is used to mitigate the build-up of the salts (using sootblowers), commonly referred to as saltcake. The steam used for maintenance consumes a substantial portion of the energy generated in the boiler. A millimeter-wave radar system capable of measuring the saltcake could add a feedback path for an intelligent sootblower mechanism. We investigate the optimal center frequency as well as required bandwidth for an effective imaging/measuring device.