Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein enzyme has its own internal RNA template that elongates telomeres and stabilizes chromosome structure. The mayority of hepatoma express high levels of human telomerase template RNA ( hTR ) that is essential for cellular telomerase activity. In this study, we examined whether hTR¡Bantisence hTR and IFN£\ gene had a telomerase activity inhibitory effect on J5 hepatoma cell line, through transfection via an expression vector . The expression of mRNAs for hTERT¡BhTR¡Bc-myc¡BIFN£\¡Bp16 and p27 were also detected. The results suggested that inhibition of telomerase activity and overexpression of hTR gene were observed in FhTR-treated J5 cells. The expression of mRNAs for hTERT¡Bc-myc¡BIFN£\¡Bp16 and p27 genes were not changed whether telomerase was inhibited or not. In addition, genomic DNA fragmentation was observed in telomerase inhibited J5 cells indicating that apoptosis was undergoing in these cells.

Accurate knowledge of the neutron flux distribution in a nuclear reactor has many tangible benefits. Perhaps the most important are the contributions to reactor safety. Detailed knowledge allows reactor operators to identify off-normal conditions quickly before they cause serious complications. Furthermore, reactor safety margins can be accurately quantified. As advanced reactor types are proposed, new sensor systems should be developed together with new algorithms for neutron flux reconstruction. This thesis develops neutron flux reconstruction methods for in-core sensors placed in HTRs. Sensor systems developed for current generation reactors cannot be used in HTRs. The high temperatures inside HTRs preclude the use of existing in-core sensors, and complex flux phenomena arising from the inner reflector and three-dimensional fuel block arrangements suggest that new flux reconstruction methods should be developed as well. Computer simulations were run to generate detailed in- core neutron flux distributions representative of HTRs. Next, this data was used to test two different flux reconstruction algorithms. It was found that the reconstruction algorithm based on the proper orthogonal decomposition performed better than the algorithm based on linear interpolation.

Der VHTR als Weiterentwicklung des HTR gilt als eines von sechs aussichtsreichen Reaktorkonzepten für Kernkraftwerkte der Generation IV. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wird ein CFD-Modell des HTR-Moduls entwickelt und durch die Simulation eines postulierten Lufteinbruchszenarios die Anwendbarkeit unter Beweis gestellt. Zunächst wird eine Bestandsaufnahme bestehender HTR-Rechenprogramme vorgestellt und die Methodik CFD in ihren Grundzügen erläutert. Anhand der Grundgleichungen werden die zur Berechnung des Störfalls zu modellierenden, HTR-spezifischen Parameter diskutiert, die verwendeten empirischen Korrelationen vorgestellt und die umfangreiche Validierung des entwickelten Modellansatzes zusammengefasst. Anschließend wird die Anwendbarkeit des HTR-Modells auf ein konkretes Lufteinbruchszenario eines HTR-Moduls gezeigt. Dabei werden die einzelnen Phasen des Szenarios anhand der Simulationsergebnisse intensiv diskutiert. Abschließend erfolgt eine Diskussion der Modellunsicherheiten und der numerischen Fehler.

The development of high temperature heat exchangers will play a vital part in the success of High Temperature Nuclear Reactors (HTRs). Manufacturing such heat exchangers from metals is becoming increasingly difficult as the operating temperatures keep rising. Above 1000'C most metals loose their strength and have high creep rates, while certain ceramic materials (including graphite, in the absence of oxygen) are able to operate at these temperatures. A literature study was done in order to identify the major problems regarding the use of graphite for heat exchanger construction as well as to investigate to what extent graphite has been used for heat exchanger construction in the past. Following from the literature survey, it was decided to design and manufacture a Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) from isotropic graphite to gain experience regarding the use of graphite as a heat exchanger material. This heat exchanger was then tested in order to learn about the operation of a graphite heat exchanger and to determine its effectiveness. A model ofthe heat exchanger was also constructed in order to determine what the performance of such a heat exchanger should theoretically be. It was found that the single greatest hurdle standing in the way ofgraphite being used as a heat exchanger material is its high gas permeability. This causes mixing between the two fluid streams as well as leakages to the environment, which have a negative effect on the heat exchanger's heat transfer capability. The methods used to establish a seal between the consecutive plates of the PCHE are also affected by the permeability of the graphite. Coatings on the surface of the graphite might be able to reduce its permeability and can also inhibit the high temperature degradation of graphite in the presence of oxygen. Manufacturing very small flow channels for the PCHE is limited by the availability of small enough end mills. Alternative manufucturing techniques is needed to economically construct a graphite PCHE. It was also found that the heat transfer effectiveness of the heat exchanger is influenced negatively by heat losses to the environment through the outer surface ofthe heat exchanger. Effective insulation around the heat exchanger or a graphite material :vith higher heat conductivity perpendicular to the flow direction might solve this problem. This study concluded that if diffusion bonding techniques, effective coatings and a graphite material with increased heat conductivity perpendicular to the flow direction are used, manufacturing a printed circuit heat exchanger from graphite is feasible. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Nuclear Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010

The development of high temperature heat exchangers will play a vital part in the success of High Temperature Nuclear Reactors (HTRs). Manufacturing such heat exchangers from metals is becoming increasingly difficult as the operating temperatures keep rising. Above 1000'C most metals loose their strength and have high creep rates, while certain ceramic materials (including graphite, in the absence of oxygen) are able to operate at these temperatures. A literature study was done in order to identify the major problems regarding the use of graphite for heat exchanger construction as well as to investigate to what extent graphite has been used for heat exchanger construction in the past. Following from the literature survey, it was decided to design and manufacture a Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) from isotropic graphite to gain experience regarding the use of graphite as a heat exchanger material. This heat exchanger was then tested in order to learn about the operation of a graphite heat exchanger and to determine its effectiveness. A model ofthe heat exchanger was also constructed in order to determine what the performance of such a heat exchanger should theoretically be. It was found that the single greatest hurdle standing in the way ofgraphite being used as a heat exchanger material is its high gas permeability. This causes mixing between the two fluid streams as well as leakages to the environment, which have a negative effect on the heat exchanger's heat transfer capability. The methods used to establish a seal between the consecutive plates of the PCHE are also affected by the permeability of the graphite. Coatings on the surface of the graphite might be able to reduce its permeability and can also inhibit the high temperature degradation of graphite in the presence of oxygen. Manufacturing very small flow channels for the PCHE is limited by the availability of small enough end mills. Alternative manufucturing techniques is needed to economically construct a graphite PCHE. It was also found that the heat transfer effectiveness of the heat exchanger is influenced negatively by heat losses to the environment through the outer surface ofthe heat exchanger. Effective insulation around the heat exchanger or a graphite material :vith higher heat conductivity perpendicular to the flow direction might solve this problem. This study concluded that if diffusion bonding techniques, effective coatings and a graphite material with increased heat conductivity perpendicular to the flow direction are used, manufacturing a printed circuit heat exchanger from graphite is feasible. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Nuclear Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010

The high temperature reactor (HTR) requires a completely new fuel design as it operates at around 1000°C in normal conditions and can reach up to 1600°C in case of an accident. The fuel and its cladding consist fully of ceramic materials, which precludes the possibility of a core meltdown and thus ensures inherent safety. The integral part of all HTR core designs is the tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) particle, which encapsulates the fissionable materials in succeeding coatings of pyrolytic carbon and silicon carbide (SiC). An exceptional mechanical integrity of the silicon carbide layer in all conditions is required to ensure full fission product retention. Within this work simulated TRISO fuel has been fabricated by fluidized bed chemical vapour deposition and was annealed in protective atmosphere up to 2200°C for short durations. Subsequent mechanical tests showed only minor reductions in the fracture strength of the SiC up to 2000°C. Substantial weight loss and crystal growth were observed after annealing at 2100°C and above. Raman spectroscopy identified the formation of a multi-layered graphene film covering the SiC grains after annealing and scanning electron microscopy revealed significant porosity formation within the coating from 1800°C onwards. These observations were attributed towards an evaporation-precipitation mechanism of SiC at very elevated temperatures that only slightly diminishes the hardness, elastic modulus or fracture strength, but might still be problematic in respect to fission product retention of the SiC layer. The new technique of high temperature nanoindentation was applied to measure the elastic modulus and hardness of SiC in-situ up to 500°C in argon atmosphere. The elastic modulus was found to be only slightly reduced over the measurement range, while the hardness showed a significant drop. Investigations of the deformation zone beneath the indenter tip executed by transmission electron microscopy showed slip and deformation twinning. On specimens that had been subject to neutron irradiation an irradiation hardening effect was noted. The elastic modulus showed only a minor increase compared with the non-irradiated samples. Oxidation experiments were carried out in air up to 1500°C. Analysis of the oxidation layer showed the formation of amorphous silica and cristobalite for the highest temperatures.

Submitted by Isaac Francisco de Souza Dias (isaac.souzadias@ufpe.br) on 2016-02-16T18:00:16Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Tese_completa_portugues_Jesus - Final_B1.pdf: 4458139 bytes, checksum: 1ccef01f0261985c1f30824dd4c94ae6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-16T18:00:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Tese_completa_portugues_Jesus - Final_B1.pdf: 4458139 bytes, checksum: 1ccef01f0261985c1f30824dd4c94ae6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-05-18 / CAPES / A sustentabilidade da energia nuclear dependerá, entre outros fatores, da capacidade de redução dos inventários dos resíduos nucleares de vida longa. Com esse objetivo, desenvolveu-se a nova geração de reatores nucleares, com seis protótipos que se destacam por sua segurança, resistência à proliferação e a gestão dos resíduos. Dentro dessa nova geração de reatores, encontram-se os reatores de temperatura muito alta (VHTR), pela capacidade de produzir energia e a obtenção de altas temperaturas na saída do refrigerante, para seu uso em aplicações de alta temperatura como a produção de hidrogênio. Os ADS (Accelerator Driven Systems), que podem ser projetados como VHTR, são sistemas projetados para a redução dos elementos transurânicos provenientes dos LWRs (Light Water Reactors). O TADSEA (Transmutation Advanced Device for sustainable Energy Applications) é um ADS do tipo leito de bolas, projetado para atingir uma queima profunda dos elementos transurânicos, a produção colateral de energia e a obtenção de altas temperaturas para produzir hidrogênio. O presente trabalho têm como objetivo realizar melhoras no projeto conceitual do TADSEA, através da simulação geométrica detalhada do combustível, para o qual foi desenvolvida e avaliada uma metodologia para a modelagem computacional detalhada da dupla heterogeneidade do combustível em um leito de bolas, usando o código probabilista MCNPX. Foram incluídos novos elementos no projeto como a blindagem, as barras absorvedoras para garantir a segurança do sistema, e foi avaliado o desempenho na redução dos resíduos e sua radiotoxicidade associada, assim como a produção de energia. / The sustainability of nuclear energy will depend of the capability reduction of the inventories of long-lived nuclear waste. With this goal, it was developed the new generation of nuclear reactors with six prototypes, which stand out for their safety, proliferation resistance and the waste management. Within this new reactors generation, there is the very high temperature reactor (VHTR), designed to produce energy and to obtain high temperatures in the coolant, for their use in high temperature applications such as hydrogen production. The ADSs, which can be designed as VHTRs, are systems designed to reduce the mass of transuranic elements coming from the LWRs. The TADSEA is an ADS, pebble bed type, designed to achieve deep burning levels in the fuel, the power generation, and to obtain high temperatures to produce hydrogen. The aim of this study is to make the TADSEA conceptual re-design, by means of a detailed fuel geometric simulation, for which it was developed and evaluated a methodology for the detailed computational simulation of the fuel double heterogeneity in pebble-bed nuclear core, using the probabilistic code MCNPX. New design elements such as the shield and absorbers bars were included, and the performance in the reduction of nuclear waste and their associated radiotoxicity as well as the energy production were evaluated.

Submitted by Rafael Santana (rafael.silvasantana@ufpe.br) on 2018-02-01T18:17:15Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Leorlen_TeseDout_Final.pdf: 6669399 bytes, checksum: 4f46335bd7455730a36a93a7e27b55a5 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-01T18:17:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Leorlen_TeseDout_Final.pdf: 6669399 bytes, checksum: 4f46335bd7455730a36a93a7e27b55a5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-10-20 / CAPES / A tecnologia VHTR (do inglês Very High Temperature Reactor, Reator de Temperatura Muito Elevada) representa o próximo estágio na evolução dos reatores HTGR (do inglês High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor, Reator de Alta Temperatura Refrigerado a Gás). Moderados a grafite e refrigerados a hélio, os sistemas VHTRs podem ser usados para a cogeração de calor e de eletricidade com temperaturas de saída entre 700 e 950 ºC, e potencialmente com mais de 1.000 ºC no futuro. A temperatura do combustível durante toda a operação do reator é um aspecto muito importante para a segurança dos reatores nucleares, no projeto deseja-se que seja menor que um valor limite para garantir a integridade dos materiais do elemento combustível evitando a liberação de produtos de fissão. O TADSEA (Transmutation Advanced Device for Sustainable Energy Applications) é um VHTR do tipo leito de bolas, projetado para atingir uma queima profunda dos elementos transurânicos, a produção colateral de energia e a obtenção de altas temperaturas para produzir hidrogênio. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo o desenvolvimento de uma metodologia para a análises termoidráulica do núcleo de reatores do tipo leito de bolas de muito alta temperatura, baseada no uso de uma abordagem realística com um código de Dinâmica dos Fluidos Computacional (CFD). Inicialmente, usando o modelo realístico da coluna com altura inteira do reator HTR-10 com células FCC e BCC, foram comparados os resultados obtidos com dados experimentais e de simulação para a primeira tarefa de referência do HTR-10 disponibilizados pela IAEA (2013) para validação do modelo. No reator TADSEA, foram comparados resultados dos projetos inicial e atual do núcleo com uma coluna com a altura completa do reator na região de maior potência. A partir dos resultados o projeto inicial não tem margem de segurança suficiente para casos de perda de refrigerante. Nas simulações do projeto atual do TADSEA as temperaturas máximas atingidas foram muito inferiores ao limite. E os resultados de casos de perda de refrigerante mostram que com 45% do fluxo mássico é atingida uma temperatura apenas 30 K abaixo do limite. / The VHTR (Very High Temperature Reactor) technology represents the next stage in the evolution of reactors HTGR (High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor). Moderated by graphite and cooled by helium, VHTRs systems can be used for cogeneration of heat and electricity with outlet temperatures from 700 to 950 ºC, and potentially more than 1.000 ºC in the future. The fuel temperature during all the reactor operation is a very important issue for the safety of nuclear reactors, in the design is desired that it is smaller than a limit value to ensure the integrity in the materials of the fuel element preventing the release of fission products. The TADSEA (Transmutation Advanced Device for Sustainable Energy Applications) is a VHTR pebble bed type. It is designed to achieve deep burning levels in the fuel, the power generation, and to obtain high temperatures to produce hydrogen. The aim of this study is the development of a methodology for the core termohydraulics analysis of pebble bed reactors with very high temperature based in the use of a realistic approach with a code of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). First, using the realistic approach with an entire column height of HTR-10 reactor using FCC and BCC cells, the results obtained were compared with experimental and simulation data of HTR-10 Benchmark available from IAEA (2013) for model validation. In TADSEA reactor were compared the results of initial and current core designs with a column with the full height of the reactor in the higher power region. From the results of the initial design, it does not have sufficient safety margin in case of coolant loss. In the simulations of the current TADSEA design the maximum temperatures were much lower than the limit. And the results of coolant loss cases show that with 45% of the mass flow is achieved temperatures just 30 K below the limit.

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