Research into Excited Long Lived 0.6-6.0 keV Energy Levels in the Cathode Solid Medium of Glow Discharge by X-Ray Emission Registration

X-ray emission from metal cathodes in glow discharge （current is up to 300 mA, voltage is 1,500-4,300 V） experiments in the spectral range from 700 eV to 6 keV has been observed. The effect has been seen with a variety of different metal cathodes （including AI, Sc, Ti, V, Ni, Nb, Zr, Mo, Pd, Ta, W, and Pt）, as well as with different gasses （including D2, H2, Kr, Ar, and Xe） at low pressure （3-10 Torr）. We present results from a variety of diagnostics, including： pinhole camera imaging; thermo luminescent detector measurements; time-resolved scintillator measurements; and a curved mica spectrometer to register X-ray spectra. Both diffuse and collimated X-ray emission have been observed.. Diffuse emission occurs in bursts of X-rays; with up to 10^5 bursts per second, with up to 10^6 photons per burst during the discharge. Collimated X-ray emission appears in the form of beamlets directed normal to the cathodes surface with a very small angular divergence; with up to 104 bursts per second, and up to 1013 photons overall up to 20 h after discharge switch off. Based on these experimental results we propose a phenomenological model of processes.

Study of spatial and temporal evolution of Ar and F atoms in SF6/Ar microsecond pulsed discharge by optical emission spectroscopy

The study of sulfur hexafluoride(SF6) discharge is vital for its application in gas-insulated equipment. Direct current partial discharge(PD) may cause SF6 decomposition, and the decomposed products of SF6, such as F atoms, play a dominant role in the breakdown of insulation systems. In this study, the PD caused by metal protrusion defects is simulated by a needle-plate electrode using pulsed high voltage in SF6/Ar mixtures. The spatial and temporal characteristics of SF6/Ar plasma are analyzed by measuring the emission spectra of F and Ar atoms, which are important for understanding the characteristics of PD. The spatial resolved results show that both F and Ar atom spectral intensities increase first from the plate anode to the needle and then decrease under the conditions of a background pressure of400 Pa, peak voltage of-1000 V, frequency of 2 kHz, pulse width of 60 μs, and electrode gap of 5-9 mm. However, the distribution characteristics of F and Ar are significantly different. The temporal distribution results show that the spectral intensity of Ar decreasesfirst and then increases slowly, while the spectral intensity of F increases slowly for the duration of the pulsed discharge at the electrode gap of 5 mm and the pulse width of40-80 μs.

Optimization of the Performance of Marine Diesel Engines to Minimize the Formation of SO_x Emissions

Optimization procedures are required to minimize the amount of fuel consumption and exhaust emissions from marine engines.This study discusses the procedures to optimize the performance of any marine engine implemented in a 0D/1D numerical model in order to achieve lower values of exhaust emissions.From that point,an extension of previous simulation researches is presented to calculate the amount of SOx emissions from two marine diesel engines along their load diagrams based on the percentage of sulfur in the marine fuel used.The variations of SOx emissions are computed in g/k W·h and in parts per million(ppm)as functions of the optimized parameters:brake specific fuel consumption and the amount of air-fuel ratio respectively.Then,a surrogate model-based response surface methodology is used to generate polynomial equations to estimate the amount of SOx emissions as functions of engine speed and load.These developed non-dimensional equations can be further used directly to assess the value of SOx emissions for different percentages of sulfur of the selected or similar engines to be used in different marine applications.

Aspects of the upstream region in a plasma jet with dielectric barrier discharge configurations

A plasma column with a length of about 65 cm is generated in the upstream region of a plasma jet using dielectric barrier discharge configurations. The effects of experimental parameters such as the amplitude of the applied voltage and the driving frequency are investigated in aspects of the plasma column by the optical method. Results show that both the plasma length and the propagating velocity, as well as the discharge current, increase with the increase in the applied voltage or its frequency. The discharge mechanism is analysed qualitatively based on streamer theory, where photo-ionization is important. Furthermore, optical emission spectroscopy is used to investigate the electric field intensity of the upstream region.

Optical Emission Spectroscopic Measurement of Hydroxyl Radicals in Air Discharge with Atomized Water

Effects of discharge mode, voltage applied, size of the nozzle discharge electrode and flow rate of water on the generation of hydroxyl radical were investigated in air discharge with atomized water, by using optical emission spectroscopy （OES）. Water was injected into the discharge region through the discharge nozzle electrode, and a large amount of fine water drops, formed and distributed in the discharge region, corona discharge was more effective to generate were observed. It was found that negative DC the hydroxyl radicals in comparison to positive DC corona discharge or negative pulsed discharge. A larger outer diameter of the nozzle electrode or a stronger electric field is beneficial for hydroxyl-radical generation. Moreover, there is a critical value in the flow rate of atomized water against the discharge voltage. Below this critical value, hydroxyl-radical generation increases with the increase in flow rate of the water, while above this value, it decreases. In addition, it is observed that OES from the discharge is mainly in the ultraviolet domain. The results are helpful in the study of the mechanism and application of plasma in pollution-control in either air or water.

A comparative study on the spectral characteristics of nanosecond pulsed discharges in atmospheric He and a He+2.3%H_(2)O mixture

Nanosecond pulsed discharges at atmospheric pressure in a pin-to-pin electrode configuration are well reproducible in time and space, which is beneficial to the fundamentals and applications of low-temperature plasmas. In this experiment, the discharges in helium(He) and He with 2.3%water vapor(H_(2)O) are driven by a series of 10 ns overvoltage pulses(~13 k V). Special attention is paid to the spectral characteristics obtained in the center of discharges by time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy. It is found that in helium, the emission of atomic and molecular helium during the afterglow is more intense than that in the active discharge, while in the He+2.3%H_(2)O mixture, helium emission is only observed during the discharge pulse and the molecular helium emission disappears. In addition, the emissions of OH(A-X) and Hα present similar behavior that increases sharply during the falling edge of the voltage pulse as the electrons cool down rapidly. The gas temperature is set to remain low at 540 K by fitting the OH(A-X) band. A comparative study on the emission of radiative species(He, He_(2), OH and H)is performed between these two discharge cases to derive their main production mechanisms. In both cases, the dominant primary ion is He^(+) at the onset of discharges, but their He^(+) charge transfer processes are quite different. Based on these experimental data and a qualitative discussion on the discharge kinetics, with regard to the present discharge conditions, it is shown that the electron-assisted three-body recombination processes appear to be the significant sources of radiative OH and H species in high-density plasmas.

Impact of exterior electron emission on the self-sustaining margin of hollow cathode discharge

Hollow cathode researches used to focus on the inner cavity or downstream plume,however,rarely on the gap between the throttling orifice plate and the keeper plate(T-K gap),which was found to impact the self-sustaining margin of hollow cathode discharge in this paper.Near the lower margin,the main power deposition and electron emission and ionization regions would migrate from inner cavity and downstream plume to the T-K gap,in which case,the source and destination of each m A current therein matter for the self-sustaining capability.Changing the metal surfaces in the T-K gap with emissive materials proved effective in lowering the lower margin by supplementing auxiliary thermionic emission,compensating electron loss on cold absorbing walls and suppressing discharge oscillations.By doing so,the lower margin of a 4 A hollow cathode was lowered from 1 to 0.1-0.2 A,enabling it to couple with low power Hall thruster without extra keeper current.

Effect of building energy efficiency standards on carbon emission efficiency in commercial buildings

The building sector plays a crucial role in the worldwide shift toward achieving net-zero emissions.Building energy efficiency standards(BEESs)are highly effective policies for reducing carbon emissions.Therefore,exploring the provincial variations in carbon emission efficiency(CEE)in the building sector and identifying the effect of BEESs on CEE is crucial.This study focuses on commercial buildings in China and applies a difference in differences model to evaluate the impact of BEESs on the CEE of commercial buildings.The slacks-based measure–data envelopment analysis model is employed to assess the CEE of commercial buildings in 30 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2019.Furthermore,heterogeneous tests are used to explore how climate characteristics and economic conditions affect the efficiency of BEESs.The results indicate that BEESs positively influence the CEE of commercial buildings.Specifically,a 1%increase in the intensity of BEESs causes a 0.1484%increase in the CEE of commercial buildings.Moreover,the impact of BEESs is particularly pronounced in the southern and western provinces.This study provides valuable scientific evidence for governments to enhance BEESs implementation.

A novel double dielectric barrier discharge reactor with high field emission and secondary electron emission for toluene abatement

Dielectric barrier discharge(DBD)has been extensively investigated in the fields of environment and energy,whereas its practical implementation is still limited due to its unsatisfactory energy efficiency.In order to improve the energy efficiency of DBD,a novel double dielectric barrier discharge(NDDBD)reactor with high field emission and secondary electron emission was developed and compared with traditional DDBD(TDDBD)configuration.Firstly,the discharge characteristics of the two DDBD reactors were analyzed.Compared to TDDBD,the NDDBD reactor exhibited much stronger discharge intensity,higher transferred charge,dissipated power and gas temperature due to the effective utilization of cathode field emission and secondary electron emission.Subsequently,toluene abatement performance of the two reactors was evaluated.The toluene decomposition efficiency and mineralization rate of NDDBD were much higher than that of TDDBD,which were 86.44%-100%versus 28.17%-80.48%and 17.16%-43.42%versus 7.17%-16.44%at 2.17-15.12 W and 1.24-4.90 W respectively.NDDBD also exhibited higher energy yield than TDDBD,whereas the overall energy constant k_(overall)of the two reactors were similar.Finally,plausible toluene decomposition pathway in TDDBD and NDDBD was suggested based on organic intermediates that generated from toluene degradation.The finding of this study is expected to provide reference for the design and optimization of DBD reactor for volatile organic compounds control and other applications.

The Characteristics of Dielectric Barrier Discharge and its Influence on the Excimer XeCl Emission

In this work, the influence of discharge modes on the excimer XeCl emission (308 nm) has been studied by adding helium gas into the xenon and chlorine mixture. It is found that the transition from filament discharge to glow /filament - combined discharge leads to the decrease in excimer emission. We are the first one to use a flowing water film as an outer transparent electrode, and achieve a higher UV intensity, compared with the case by using a metal mesh as the outer electrode. The influence of the gas temperature both in the reactor Tg and in a discharge channel Tc on the excimer emission has been analyzed preliminarily. Finally, it has been expected that the replacement of chlorine gas Cl2 by another chlorine gas may reduce the heat generated in the discharge processes and give rise to the excimer XeCl* radiation.

Temporally-Resolved Emission Spectroscopic Diagnostics of the Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge in Helium

Temporally-resolved spectroscopic diagnostics of dielectric barrier discharges （DBDs） in atmospheric-pressure helium was carried out to study the discharge mechanism. Using an intensified charge-coupled device （ICCD） and a grating spectrometer, we obtained the emission spectra of homogeneous discharges and presented them in 3D graphs. We also studied the time variation of typical emissions from He, 0 and first negative bands of N＋_2. The results showedthat the spectral lines do not develop synchronously as-N_2（B_2∑U＋x2∑＋G,0～0,λ=391.4nm）and N＋2（B2∑＋u→X2∑＋g,0～1,λ=427.8nm） appear earlier and last for a longer time than He（3_3S1→2_3P1,λ=706.5nm）and O （3_P→3_5S,λ=777.4nm） A certain number of He metastables produced in the initial stage of discharge. Even between adjacent pulses, the emissions from N＋2 can still keep certain intensities while those from He and 0 extinguish. Since long-lifetime Hemetastables are produced and exist in the discharging space, it is the Penning ionization thatkeeps the long decay of N＋ emissions.

Study on the transition from filamentary discharge to diffuse discharge by using a dielectric barrier surface discharge device

Discharge characteristics have been investigated in different gases under different pressures using a dielectric barrier surface discharge device. Electrical measurements and optical emission spectroscopy are used to study the discharge, and the results obtained show that the discharges in atmospheric pressure helium and in low-pressure air are diffuse, while that in high-pressure air is filamentary. With decreasing pressure, the discharge in air can transit from filamentary to diffuse one. The results also indicate that corona discharge around the stripe electrode is important for the diffuse discharge. The spectral intensity of N＋ （391.4nm） relative to N2 （337.1 nm） is measured during the transition from diffuse to filamentary discharge. It is shown that relative spectral intensity increases during the discharge transition. This phenomenon implies that the averaged electron energy in diffuse discharge is higher than that in the filamentary discharge.

The Study of Active Atoms in High-Voltage Pulsed Coronal Discharge by Optical Diagnostics

In this study, the emission spectra of active atoms O (3p5P → 3s5S20 777.4 nm), Hα (3P → 2S 656.3 nm) and N (3p4P → 3sαS0 742.3 nm, 744.2 nm, 746.8 nm) produced by the positive high-voltage pulsed corona discharge (HVPCD) of N2 and H2O mixture in a needle-plate reactor have successfully been recorded against a severe electromagnetic interference coming from the HVPCD at one atmosphere. The effects of the peak voltage, the repetition rate of pulsed discharge and the flow rate of oxygen on the production of those active atoms are investigated. It is found that when the peak voltage and the repetition rate of the pulsed discharge are increased, the emission intensities of those active atoms rise correspondingly. And the emission intensities of O (3p5P → 3s5S20 777.4 nm), Hα (3P → 2S 656.3 nm) and N (3p4P → 3s4S0 742.3 nm, 744.2 nm, 746.8 nm) increase with the flow rate of oxygen (from 0 to 25 ml/min) and achieve a maximum value at a flow rate of 25 ml/min. When the flow rate of oxygen is increased further, the emission intensities of those atoms visibly decrease correspondingly. The main physicochemical processes of interaction involved between electrons, neutrals and ions are also discussed.

Influence of the Gas Mixture Ratio on the Correlations Between the Excimer XeCl Emission and the Sealed Gas Temperature in Dielectric Barrier Discharge Lamps

For dielectric barrier discharge lamps filled with various gas mixture ratios, the correlations between the excimer XeCl* emission and the sealed gas temperature have been founded, and a qualitative explication is presented. For gas mixture with chlorine larger than 3%, the emission intensity increases with the sealed gas temperature, while with chlorine about 2%, the emission intensity decreases with the increase in the gas temperature, and could be improved by cooling water. However, if chlorine is less than 1.5%, the discharge appears to be a mixture mode with filaments distributed in a diffused glow-like discharge, and the UV emission is independent on the gas temperature.

Assessment of incidental focal colorectal uptake by analysis of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography parameters

BACKGROUND Colon and rectal cancers are among the top five cancers worldwide in terms of their incidence and mortality rates.As the treatment options for cure include surgery even in specific advanced-stage cases,the early detection of lesions is important for applying active treatment methods.Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose(F-18 FDG)positron emission tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT)is an established imaging study for many types of cancers;however,physiologic uptake in the gastrointestinal tract is a frequent finding and may interfere with lesion identification.Nevertheless,as unexpectedly observed focal colorectal F-18 FDG uptake may harbor malignant lesions,further examination must not be avoided.AIM To assess the clinical implications of unexpected focal colorectal F-18 FDG uptake by analyzing FDG PET parameters.METHODS A total of 15143 F-18 FDG PET/CT scans performed at our hospital between January 2016 and September 2021 were retrospectively reviewed to identify incidentally observed focal colorectal FDG uptake.Finally,83 regions showing focal colorectal FDG uptake with final histopathological reports from 80 patients(45 men and 35 women with mean ages of 66.9±10.7 years and 63.7±15.3 years,respectively)were eligible for inclusion in the present study.Each focal hypermetabolic colorectal region was classified as malignant,premalignant,or benign according to the histopathological report.PET parameters such as maximum and peak standardized uptake value(SUVmax and SUVpeak),metabolic tumor volume(MTV),mean SUV of the metabolic tumor volume(mSUVmtv),and total lesion glycolysis(TLG)were measured or calculated for the corresponding hypermetabolic regions.Parametric and nonparametric statistical comparisons of these parameters were performed among the three groups.Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to identify cut-off values.RESULTS The detection rate of incidental focal colorectal uptake was 0.53%(80/15,143).Of the 83 regions with unexpected focal colorectal hypermetabolism,28.9%(24/83)were malignant,32.5%(27/83)were premalignant,and 38.6%(32/83)were benign.Overall,61.4% of the regions had malignant or premalignant lesions.SUVmax,SUVpeak,and mSUVmtv differentiated malignant and/or premalignant lesions from benign lesions with statistical significance(P<0.05).mSUVmtv3.5 differentiated malignant from benign lesions,with the largest area under the curve(AUC)of 0.792 and a cut-off of 4.9.SUVmax showed the largest AUC of 0.758 with a cut-off value of 7.5 for distinguishing between premalignant and benign lesions.Overall,SUVmax with a cut-off value of 7.6(AUC:0.770,95% confidence interval(CI):0.668-0.872;sensitivity,0.686;specificity,0.688)was a superior parameter for distinguishing between malignant/premalignant and benign lesions or physiologic uptake.No parameters differentiated malignant from premalignant lesions.Moderate or weak positive correlations were observed between the long diameter of the malignant lesions and PET parameters such as SUVpeak and some mSUVmtv.CONCLUSION Approximately two-thirds(61.4%)of incidental focal hypermetabolic colorectal regions were malignant/premalignant lesions,for which SUVmax was an independent diagnostic parameter.Unexpected suspicious focal colorectal FDG uptake should not be avoided and consideration for further evaluation is strongly recommended not to miss the two-thirds.

Analysis of Effects of the Arc Voltage on Arc Discharges in a Cathode Ion Source of Neutral Beam Injector

A hot cathode bucket ion source is used for the EAST（experimental advanced superconducting tokamak）neutral beam injector.The thermal electrons emitted from the surface of the cathode are extracted and accelerated by the electric field formed by the arc voltage,which is applied between the arc chamber of the ion source and the cathode.This paper analyzes the effects of arc voltage on the arc discharge in a hot cathode high current ion source.

Diagnostics of Argon Inductively Coupled Plasma and Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma by Optical Emission Spectroscopy

An experimental setup was built up to carry out radio frequency (RF) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), and to depict the optical emission spectra (OES) of the discharges. OES from argon ICP and DBD plasmas in visible and near ultraviolet region were measured. For argon ICP, the higher RF power input (higher than 500 W for our machine), the higher degree of argon plasma ionization. But that doesn't mean a higher mean electron energy. With the increase in the power input, the mean electron energy increases slightly, whereas the density of electron increases apparently On the contrary, argon DBD discharge behaves in the manner of a pulsed DC discharge on optical emission spectroscopy and V-I characteristics. DBD current is composed of a series of pulses equally spaced in temporal domain. The Kinetics of DBD emission strength is mainly governed by the frequency of the current pulse.

Mixing Zone Guidelines Application in a Smelter in Northern Sweden with Discharge to the Baltic Sea

This pilot study intended to investigate the application of Mixing Zone Guidelines in northern Sweden. The EC （European Commission）-Mixing Zone Guidelines were applied to seven effluent discharges. The effluents were from industrial processes used in the Ronnskar smelter, in northern Sweden. Each outlet in the smelter area discharges water into the Bothnian bay of the Baltic Sea. Cadmium （Cd）, mercury （Hg）, nickel （Ni） and lead （Pb） were the primary substances present in the effluents. A ＂Tiered Approach＂ was followed for mixing zone assessments in each of the discharge points. Discharge Test was used at Tier 2 and CORMIX （Cornell Mixing Zone Expert System model）, version 7, at Tier 3. At each discharge point, the AA-EQS （annual average-environmental quality standard） for each metal was met within a distance of 500 m from the outfalls. This distance was exceeded to meet the MAC-EQS （maximum allowable concentration-environmental quality standard） criteria at points 1 and 3 for total Hg concentrations. However, for the proper application of Mixing Zone Guidelines, a version of the Discharge Test for coastal waters should be developed and used. The decision at which tier the dissolved metal concentration should be compared with EQS values could depend on the effluent characteristics. For Swedish coastal waters, some consideration should be given to the background concentration of metals.

Challenges from the New Emission Standards for SO_2 and NO_X

The Emission Standards of Air Pollutants from Thermal Power Plants (GB 13223-2011) prescribe a stricter limitation to air pollutants than ever before. As set in the new emission standard, the limitations of SO2 and NOX for sensitive areas under normal conditions are 50 mg/m3 and 100 mg/m3, respectively. The objective analysis and suggestions are proposed. The recent status and operational experience of desulfurization and denitrification equipment are discussed. From the discussions, thermal power plants face a huge challenge to satisfy the new emission standards. For further reducing of the emission concentrations of SO2 and NOX, three methods were introduced, including: seriously implementing the emission standards, improving treatment equipment, and increasing the efficiencies of desulfurization and denitrification.