Browsing by Subject "Portable"
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Item Determination of Optimal Process Flowrates and Reactor Design for Autothermal Hydrogen Production in a Heat-Integrated Ceramic Microchannel Network(2012-07-16) Damodharan, ShaliniThe present work aimed at designing a thermally efficient microreactor system coupling methanol steam reforming with methanol combustion for autothermal hydrogen production. A preliminary study was performed by analyzing three prototype reactor configurations to identify the optimal radial distribution pattern upon enhancing the reactor self-insulation. The annular heat integration pattern of Architecture C showed superior performance in providing efficient heat retention to the system with a 50 - 150 degrees C decrease in maximum external-surface temperature. Detailed work was performed using Architecture C configuration to optimize the catalyst placement in the microreactor network, and optimize reforming and combustion flows, using no third coolant line. The optimized combustion and reforming catalyst configuration prevented the hot-spot migration from the reactor midpoint and enabled stable reactor operation at all process flowrates studied. Best results were obtained at high reforming flowrates (1800 sccm) with an increase in combustion flowrate (300 sccm) with the net H2 yield of 53% and thermal efficiency of >80% from methanol with minimal insulation to the heatintegrated microchannel network. The use of the third bank of channels for recuperative heat exchange by four different reactor configurations was explored to further enhance the reactor performance; the maximum overall hydrogen yield was increased to 58% by preheating the reforming stream in the outer 16 heat retention channels. An initial 3-D COMSOL model of the 25-channeled heat-exchanger microreactor was developed to predict the reactor hotspot shape, location, optimum process flowrates and substrate thermal conductivity. This study indicated that low thermal conductivity materials (e.g. ceramics, glass) provides enhanced efficiencies than high conductivity materials (e.g. silicon, stainless steel), by maintaining substantial thermal gradients in the system through minimization of axial heat conduction. Final summary of the study included the determination of system energy density; a gravimetric energy density of 169.34 Wh/kg and a volumetric energy density of 506.02 Wh/l were achieved from brass architectures for 10 hrs operation, which is higher than the energy density of Li-Ion batteries (120 Wh/kg and 350 Wh/l). Overall, this research successfully established the optimal process flowrates and reactor design to enhance the potential of a thermally-efficient heat-exchanger microchannel network for autothermal hydrogen production in portable applications.Item Development of a portable neutron coincidence counter for field measurements of nuclear materials using the advanced multiplicity capabilities of MCNPX 2.5.F and the neutron coincidence point model(2009-05-15) Thornton, Angela LynnNeutron coincidence counting is an important passive Nondestructive Assay (NDA) technique widely used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of nuclear material in bulk samples. During the fission process, multiple neutrons are simultaneously emitted from the splitting nucleus. These neutron groups are often referred to as coincident neutrons. Because different isotopes possess different coincident neutron characteristics, the coincident neutron signature can be used to identify and quantify a given material. In an effort to identify unknown nuclear samples in field inspections, the Portable Neutron Coincidence Counter (PNCC) has been developed. This detector makes use of the coincident neutrons being emitted from a bulk sample. An in-depth analysis has been performed to establish whether the nuclear material in an unknown sample could be quantified with the accuracy and precision needed for safeguards measurements. The analysis was performed by comparing experimental measurements of PuO2 samples to the calculated output produced using MCNPX and the Neutron Coincidence Point Model. Based on the analysis, it is evident that this new portable system can play a useful role in identifying nuclear material for verification purposes.