A time-of-flight neutron spectrometer based on the Time-Of-Flight Enhanced Diagnostic (TOFED) concept has been designed and is under development for the Large Helical Device (LHD). It will be the first advanced neutron spectrometer to measure the 2.45 MeV D-D neutrons (DDNs) from helical/stellarator plasmas. The main mission of the new TOFED is to study the supra-thermal deuterons generated from the auxiliary heating systems in helical plasmas by measuring the time-of-flight spectra of DDN. It will also measure the triton burnup neutrons (TBNs) from the d+t reactions, unlike the original TOFED in the EAST tokamak. Its capability of diagnosing the TBN ratios is evaluated in this work. This new TOFED is expected to be installed in the basement under the LHD hall and shares the collimator with one channel of the vertical neutron camera to define its line of sight. The distance from its primary scintillators to the equatorial plane of LHD plasmas is about 15.5 m. Based on Monte Carlo simulation by a GEANT4 model, the resolution of the DDN energy spectra is 6.6%. When projected onto the neutron rates that are typically obtained in LHD deuterium plasmas (an order of 1015 n/s with neutral beam injection), we expect to obtain the DDN and TBN counting rates of about 2.5 · 105 counts/s and 250 counts/s, respectively. This will allow us to analyze the DDN time-of-flight spectra on time scales of 0.1 s and diagnose the TBN emission rates in several seconds with one instrument, for the first time in helical/stellarator plasmas.

Spark discharge (SD) laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a technique suitable to overcome the low energies of lasers by reheating the plasma, increasing the emission intensities and to perform single-standard calibration. A calibration method called one-point and multi-voltage calibration (OP-MVC), which requires two different voltages applied to both the standard and the sample, is proposed for use with SD-LIBS. The performance of this method was compared to that of the one-point and multi-lines calibration (OP-MLC) and the slope ratio calibration (SRC) methods for LIBS determination of Al in certified reference plant leaves and P in commercial fertilizers. No statistical differences at the 95% confidence level were observed between the Al and P concentrations determined by OP-MVC LIBS for the Al certified values and the P values measured by high-resolution continuum-source flame atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS FAAS). The limit of detection (LOD) for P was 0.60 wt% P2O5 and 35.1 mg kg(-1) for Al. The relative standard deviation (n=3) was typically 7% for Al and in the 4 - 10% range for P.

The investigation of two different photocathodes (PCs) based on nanodiamond (ND) layers, irradiated by a KrF nanosecond excimer laser (wavelength, lambda=248 nm; photon energy, EPh=5 eV) is reported. The ND layers were deposited by means of a pulsed spray technique. Specifically, the active layer of each PC consisted of untreated (as-received) and hydrogenated ND particles, 250 nm in size, sprayed on a p-doped silicon substrate. The ND-based photocathodes were tested in a vacuum chamber at 10-6 mbar and compared to a Cu-based one, used as reference. All the photocathodes were irradiated at normal incidence. The quantum efficiency (QE) of the photocathodes was assessed. QE values of the ND-based photocathodes were higher than that of the reference one. In particular, the hydrogenated ND-based PC exhibited the highest QE due to the negative electron affinity that results from the surface terminated by hydrogen. Additionally, the photocathode surface/local temperature and the multiphoton process contribution to the electron emission were studied.

A design of experiments analysis was performed to investigate the effects of pilot quantity, combustion phasing and exhaust gas recirculation on performance and emissions in a gasoline partially premixed combustion to find out the optimal combination of the all varied parameters. The experimental activities were performed on a light-duty Volvo Euro 6 diesel engine. The test was performed under steady-state operating conditions, nine test points were chosen inside the operating area of the New European Driving Cycle and the Worldwide Harmonized Light vehicles Test Cycles. A fractional factorial analysis in partially premixed combustion on the single and combined effect of the main engine calibration parameters and a global comparison between partially premixed combustion and conventional diesel combustion on the engine performance and emissions adopting the optimal calibration parameters obtained from design of experiments analysis for both combustion modes analysed were presented. The purpose was to obtain the calibration parameters setting that permits to achieve high efficiency and low emissions as well. The partially premixed combustion results show the highest efficiency and lowest NOx emissions adopting a high exhaust gas recirculation rate combined with advanced combustion phasing and lower pilot quantity. Higher efficiency, up to 2.0% units, was obtained in partially premixed combustion with respect to the conventional diesel combustion due to the lower heat transfer loss. Lower soot (about two times) and NOx (about -0.5 g/kWh) levels with partially premixed combustion were obtained and compared to conventional diesel combustion at the same exhaust gas recirculation level. A reduction of about 5% of CO2 and fuel consumption with a 50% of reduction on NOx and soot simultaneously were obtained for partially premixed combustion on the New European Driving Cycle estimation results with respect to the diesel combustion. The information derived from this work are useful to develop and calibrate a light-duty engine that operate in gasoline partially premixed combustion mode achieving NOx close to the Euro 6 limit without adopting any after treatment system.

This paper presents results of an experimental investigation on a flexible port dual fuel injection using different ethanol to gasoline mass fractions. A four stroke, two cylinder turbocharged SI engine was used for the experiments. The engine speed was set at 3000 rpm, tests were carried out at medium-high load and two air-fuel-ratio. The initial reference conditions were set running the engine, fueled with full gasoline at the KLSA boundary, in accordance with the standard ECU engine map. This engine point was representative of a rich mixture (?=0.9) in order to control the knock and the temperature at turbine inlet. The investigated fuels included different ethanol-gasoline mass fractions (E10, E20, E30 and E85), supplied by dual injection within the intake manifold. A spark timing sweep, both at stoichiometric and lean (?=1.1) conditions, up to the most advanced one without knock was carried out. Engine performance, gaseous exhaust emissions, particle size distribution and particulate matter were measured and the results were compared to the gasoline reference case. The main results showed that the E20 and E30 ethanol mass fractions, allowing advanced spark timings, achieved the same engine load as the gasoline case with a significant increase in thermal efficiency (?10%), in spite of alcohol's lower energy content. Compared to gasoline, E30 or E85 attained a significant reduction in particle number emissions as well a cut of the particulate mass (60-80%), particularly significant for the lean case (90%).

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PM emissions from a BR basin and impact assessment on air quality

The present paper describes the results of a research activity aimed at studying the potential offered by the use of Hydrocracked fossil oil (HCK) and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) blends as premium fuels for next generation diesel engines. Five fuels have been tested in a light duty four cylinder diesel engine, Euro 5 version, equipped with closed loop control of the combustion. The set of fuels comprises four experimental fuels specifically formulated by blending high cetane HVO and HCK streams and oneEN590-compliant commercial diesel fuel representative of the current market fuel quality. A well consolidated procedure has been carried out to estimate, for the tested fuels, the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) vehicle performance by means of the specific emissions at steady-state engine operating points. The procedure included combustion, emission and fuel consumption analysis at seven steady state partial speed/loads test points which are representative of the urban and extra-urban part of the engine homologation cycle (NEDC) and at high speed/high load engine operating condition outside the NEDC area. The results of the experimental activity proved that HCK-HVO blends give several benefits when used in modern Euro 5 automotive engines. While Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emission are mainly controlled by the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) level, all other engine emissions and comfort parameters can be significantly improved significantly by using specific fuels tailored blended for light duty engines

Mercury emissions from biomass burning are not well characterized and can differ significantly from year to year. This study utilizes three recent biomass burning inventories (FINNv1.0, GFEDv3.1, and GFASv1.0) and the global Hg chemistry model, ECHMERIT, to investigate the annual variation of Hg emissions, and the geographical distribution and magnitude of the resulting Hg deposition fluxes. The roles of the Hg/CO enhancement ratio, the emission plume injection height, the Hg(g) 0 oxidation mechanism and lifetime, the inventory chosen, and the uncertainties with each were considered. The greatest uncertainties in the total Hg deposition were found to be associated with the Hg/CO enhancement ratio and the emission inventory employed. Deposition flux distributions proved to be more sensitive to the emission inventory and the oxidation mechanism chosen, than all the other model parametrizations. Over 75% of Hg emitted from biomass burning is deposited to the world's oceans, with the highest fluxes predicted in the North Atlantic and the highest total deposition in the North Pacific. The net effect of biomass burning is to liberate Hg from lower latitudes and disperse it toward higher latitudes where it is eventually deposited.

A series of homoleptic copper(I), silver(I), and gold(I) complexes of two bisphosphine ligands {1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene, dppb; bis[2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]ether, POP} have been prepared. Whilst all three [M(dppb)(2)]BF4 complexes are tetracoordinate, this geometry is found only for the silver(I) complex with POP. Instead, [Cu(POP)(2)](+) and [Au(POP)(2)](+) adopt a trigonal coordination geometry with an uncoordinated phosphorus atom. A close inspection of the P-M bond lengths reveals an interesting trend. From the copper to silver and gold complexes, a substantial elongation is found. On the other hand, from the silver to gold compounds, a decrease in the M-P bond length is found. Indeed, gold(I) has a smaller van der Waals radius than silver(I) as a result of its peculiar relativistic effects. Electrochemical investigations revealed two oxidation processes for all of the [M(dppb)(2)]BF4 and [M(POP)(2)]BF4 complexes. The first oxidation is likely metal-centered, whereas the second one corresponds to ligand-centered processes in all cases. The emission properties of these compounds in solution, in frozen rigid matrices at 77 K, and in the solid state at room temperature have been systematically investigated. Although all of them are weak emitters in solution, remarkably high emission quantum yields were found in the solid state, in particular for [Cu(dppb)(2)]BF4 and [Ag(dppb)(2)]BF4. Finally, these two compounds were used for the fabrication of light-emitting devices. Interestingly, both the copper(I) and the silver(I) complex afford quite broad electroluminescence spectra with white light emission.

Global mercury emission inventories include anthropogenic emissions, contributing via current use or presence of mercury in a variety of products and processes, as well as natural source emissions. These inventories neglect the contribution of areas contaminated with mercury from historical accumulation, which surround mines or production plants associated with mercury production or use. Although recent studies have shown that releases of mercury from these historical sites can be significant, a database of the global distribution of mercury contaminated sites does not exist, nor are there means of scaling up such releases to estimate fluxes on a regional and global basis. Therefore, here we estimated for the first time the contribution of mercury releases from contaminated sites to the global mercury budget. A geo-referenced database was built, comprising over 3000 mercury contaminated sites associated with mercury mining, precious metal processing, non-ferrous metal production and various polluted industrial sites. In the assessment, mercury releases from these sites to both the atmosphere as well as the hydrosphere were considered based on data available for selected case studies, their number, the reported extent of contamination and geographical location. Annual average global emissions of mercury from identified contaminated sites amount to 198 (137-260) Mg yr-1. Of that, 82 (70-95) Mg yr-1 contribute to atmospheric releases, while 116 (67-165) Mg yr-1 is estimated to be transported away from these sites by hydrological processes. Although these estimates are associated with large uncertainties, our current understanding of mercury releases from contaminated sites indicates that these releases can also be of paramount importance on the global perspective. This is especially important as it is known that these sites represent a long-term source of releases if not managed properly. Therefore, the information presented here is needed by governments and NGO's in order to re-focus resources in making decisions regarding mitigation and remediation strategies on a global level.

The modelling system RAMS/CALMET/CALPUFF was used to simulate the atmospheric dispersion and deposition of dioxins emitted from industrial sources over the Province of Lecce (Italy). Comparison between data and predictions shows that the model reasonably simulates the deposition patterns. Dry deposition of PCDD/F extends mainly downwind of the sources following the prevailing wind direction. Wet deposition of PCDD/F is limited to the neighborhood of the emission sources and is associated with the highest PCDD/F deposition values.

In this work we report the enhancement of the 3C-SiC band edge luminescence induced by the SiO2 shell in a SiC/SiO2 core/shell nanowires (NWs) system. We demonstrate that the shell enhances the SiC near band edge luminescence and we argue the formation of a type-I quantum well between the SiC core and the SiO2 shell, with the consequent injection of carriers from the larger band-gap shell to the narrower band-gap core.

We report on electromagnetically induced transparency in a radio-frequency discharge of metastable helium atoms. We show that a large effect can be observed in spite of the discharge regime needed to produce the metastable helium and in spite of its Zeeman degeneracy. We discuss the mechanism and the conditions for the observation of such a phenomenon in a helium discharge.

The interaction of lower hybrid waves with a toroidal plasma is expected to develop high-energy tails in the electron distribution function. In the present paper a ray-tracing emission code for electron cyclotron waves is employed to study the possibilities, offered by the measurements of their emission and/or absorption, of obtaining different kinds of information about such distribution functions.