摘要:
An improved method of selecting and planning the performance of various maintenance activities on a facility such as a nuclear power plant includes determining the net present value of a number of future net savings that are expected to result from performance of the maintenance activity at a given time, and selecting and planning the maintenance activities in a fashion that maximizes net present value. The method includes, for each of a number of components and a number of time periods, determining a change in the probability that a component will fail within a time period, with the change resulting from an assumption that a maintenance activity is performed. The change in probability is multiplied with the losses associated with a failure in order to determine a gross savings from which costs are subtracted to determine net savings. The probabilities of failure may be determined from a probability failure model that has been derived from multiple sets of failure data that are characterized by Weibull distributions and are mathematically combined according to Bayes' Theorem. The maintenance activities may also be optimized according to a number of budget figures. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.
摘要:
A semiconductor structure consistent with certain implementations has a crystalline substrate oriented with a {111} plane surface that is within 10 degrees of surface normal. An epitaxially grown electrically insulating interlayer overlays the crystalline substrate and establishes a coincident lattice that mates with the surface symmetry of the {111} plane surface. An atomically stable two dimensional crystalline film resides on the epitaxial insulating layer with a coincident lattice match to the insulating interlayer. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
摘要:
A dielectric barrier plasma discharge device consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention has a pair of electrodes spaced apart by an electrode gap. A dielectric is disposed between the electrodes. The electrode gap is provided with a gas at a specified pressure. A rapid rise time voltage pulse generator produces a voltage pulse across the electrodes to cause an extreme overvoltage condition, wherein the rapid rise time is less than a plasma generation time so that the extreme overvoltage condition occurs prior to current flow across the electrode gap. Due to the high voltages and high current densities, the product yields an extremely high instantaneous power density. This extreme overvoltage condition is also believed to lead to production of shock waves and runaway free electrons. The resulting plasma can be utilized to carry out many potential tasks including, but not limited to etching, deposition, and sterilization. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
摘要:
A gas-fired water heater is provided with a combustion shutoff system which precludes further combustion within the water heater's combustion chamber in response to a combustion temperature therein reaching a predetermined level correlated to and indicative of a predetermined, undesirably high concentration of carbon monoxide present in the combustion chamber. In various illustrated embodiments thereof, the combustion shutoff system is operative to terminate further combustion air inflow to the combustion chamber, or terminate further fuel flow to the burner portion of the water heater.
摘要:
Polymer nanocomposites with improved resistance to high energy ionizing radiation. Certain embodiments involve methods for providing a nanocomposite material with resistance to high energy ionizing radiation using nanodiamond, zinc oxide and mixtures of these nanoparticles with other nanoparticles dispersed within the matrix. Other embodiments relate to methods of delivering and dispersing the nanoparticles through the material or a surface layer. Other embodiments include methods of forming chemical bonds between the nanoparticles and the material. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
摘要:
A method of generating a glow discharge plasma involves providing a pair of electrodes spaced apart by an electrode gap, and having a dielectric disposed in the electrode gap between the electrodes; placing the electrodes within an environment, wherein the electrode gap can be provided with a gas or gas mixture containing carbon at a specified pressure; and applying a rapid rise time voltage pulse across the electrodes to cause an extreme overvoltage condition, wherein the rapid rise time is less than a plasma generation time so that the extreme overvoltage condition occurs prior to current flow across the electrode gap. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
摘要:
A stable colloidal suspension of carbon-based nanomaterials in a solvent has a stable colloidal suspension of nanodiamond particles having at least one additional carbon nanomaterials disbursed and agitated into the solvent to produce said suspension. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
摘要:
A semiconductor structure consistent with certain implementations has a crystalline substrate oriented with a {111} plane surface that is within 10 degrees of surface normal. An epitaxially grown electrically insulating interlayer overlays the crystalline substrate and establishes a coincident lattice that mates with the surface symmetry of the {111} plane surface. An atomically stable two dimensional crystalline film resides on the epitaxial insulating layer with a coincident lattice match to the insulating interlayer. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
摘要:
A stable colloidal suspension of carbon-based nanomaterials in a solvent has a stable colloidal suspension of nanodiamond particles having at least one additional carbon-based electromagnetic radiation attenuating nanomaterial nanomaterials disbursed and agitated into the solvent to produce said suspension. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.