Abstract: A base for use with scaffolding. The base includes side support members and cross members. The side support members have scaffold receiving members provided at ends thereof. The cross members extend between the side support members and are rotatably mounted to the side support members. Wheels are mounted to the cross members. As the cross members are rotated from a first position to a second position, the wheels are moved from an initial position in which the wheels are spaced from a ground or floor surface to a second position in which the wheels are positioned in engagement with the ground or floor surface.

Abstract: One aspect of the application can provide a system and method for replacing a failing node with a spare node in a non-uniform memory access (NUMA) system. During operation, in response to determining that a node-migration condition is met, the system can initialize a node controller of the spare node such that accesses to a memory local to the spare node are to be processed by the node controller, quiesce the failing node and the spare node to allow state information of processors on the failing node to be migrated to processors on the spare node, and subsequent to unquiescing the failing node and the spare node, migrate data from the failing node to the spare node while maintaining cache coherence in the NUMA system and while the NUMA system remains in operation, thereby facilitating continuous execution of processes previously executed on the failing node.

Abstract: A nuclear fuel assembly is constructed with fuel assembly components that are wire wrapped and positioned in hexagonal rings within a fuel assembly duct. The fuel assembly components positioned in an outermost ring of the fuel assembly are wire wrapped with a pitch that is shorter than fuel assembly components positioned at an interior ring of the fuel assembly. The shorter pitch at the outer ring of the fuel assembly increases pressure drop of a coolant fluid at the edge and corner subchannels and thereby reduces the temperature gradient across the fuel assembly, which provides a higher output temperature of the nuclear reactor without substantially increasing peak temperature of the fuel cladding.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor is constructed in sub-modules and super modules which are manufactured, packaged, and shipped to a construction site. At least some of the modules are packaged in suitable shielding containers or portions of containers, which may be steel. The modules are assembled on-site, and some of the modules remain within their respective shipping containers after assembly. One or more of the shipping containers may be used as concrete forms to support the pouring of concrete in between selected modules. The concrete may be used for structural support, shielding, or both.

Abstract: A nuclear fuel assembly is constructed with fuel assembly components that are wire wrapped and positioned in hexagonal rings within a fuel assembly duct. The fuel assembly components positioned in an outermost ring of the fuel assembly are wire wrapped with a pitch that is shorter than fuel assembly components positioned at an interior ring of the fuel assembly. The shorter pitch at the outer ring of the fuel assembly increases pressure drop of a coolant fluid at the edge and corner subchannels and thereby reduces the temperature gradient across the fuel assembly, which provides a higher output temperature of the nuclear reactor without substantially increasing peak temperature of the fuel cladding.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor is constructed in sub-modules and super modules which are manufactured, packaged, and shipped to a construction site. At least some of the modules are packaged in suitable shielding containers or portions of containers, which may be steel. The modules are assembled on-site, and some of the modules remain within their respective shipping containers after assembly. One or more of the shipping containers may be used as concrete forms to support the pouring of concrete in between selected modules. The concrete may be used for structural support, shielding, or both.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor is designed to allow efficient packing of components within the reactor vessel, such as by offsetting the core, and/or vertically stacking components. The in-vessel storage system can be separate from the support cylinder and these components can be fabricated and shipped separately and coupled together at the construction site. Furthermore, the in-vessel storage system can be located adjacent to the core rather than being located circumferentially around it, and may also be located beneath the heat exchanger to further improve packing of components within the vessel. Through these, and other changes, the delicate components can be manufactured in a manufacturing facility, assembled, and shipped by commercial transportation options without exceeding the shipping envelope.

Abstract: A nuclear fuel assembly is constructed with fuel assembly components that are wire wrapped and positioned in hexagonal rings within a fuel assembly duct. The fuel assembly components positioned in an outermost ring of the fuel assembly are wire wrapped with a pitch that is shorter than fuel assembly components positioned at an interior ring of the fuel assembly. The shorter pitch at the outer ring of the fuel assembly increases pressure drop of a coolant fluid at the edge and corner subchannels and thereby reduces the temperature gradient across the fuel assembly, which provides a higher output temperature of the nuclear reactor without substantially increasing peak temperature of the fuel cladding.

Abstract: A safety system for a nuclear reactor includes a first containment structure and a second containment structure. The double containment configuration is designed and configured to meet all design basis accidents and beyond design basis events with independent redundancy. The remaining systems that control reactivity, decay heat removal, and fission product retention may be categorized and designed as business systems, structures, and components, and can therefore be designed and licensed according to an appropriate quality grade for business systems.

Abstract: A gas-cooled pressure tube nuclear reactor is described that uses a room temperature and pressure gas as a primary coolant and a liquid moderator as a secondary coolant. The primary coolant, which may be maintained in a supercritical state, is circulated through fuel columns in a pool of the liquid moderator. The primary coolant removes the heat generated by fission from the nuclear fuel. The heated primary coolant is then passed to one or more turbines to generate power. The primary coolant is then repressurized by one or more compressors using some of the generated power from the turbines. Several modified Brayton cycle configurations are described that are uniquely suited to the operating conditions of the gas-cooled pressure tube reactor.

Abstract: A duct for a nuclear fuel assembly includes a tubular body and an elongated member. The tubular body has a sidewall with an inner face and an outer face and is configured to contain nuclear fuel within a fuel region. The elongated member extends from the outer face along at least a portion of the fuel region and has a contact surface configured to stabilize the duct during operation of the nuclear fuel assembly.

Abstract: Technologies for managing device functions of an ingestible computing device include determining whether adaptation of a device function of the ingestible computing device is required based on sensor data generated by the ingestible computing device. If device function adaption is determined to be required, the ingestible computing device determines a new device function to be performed, obtains program code modules to perform the new device function, and locally compiles the new program code modules to generate executable code. The ingestible computing device may execute the executable code to cause the ingestible computing device to begin performing the new device function. The ingestible computing device may obtain the program code modules from a local function database or via an authenticated wireless communication.

Abstract: In response to a change in a thermal operational parameter in a nuclear fission reactor, reactivity is controlled by driving a neutron absorption parameter modifying material to or from a region of the core of the nuclear fission reactor. The apparatus includes a driver material disposed in a first reservoir portion and a second reservoir portion of a first reservoir and connected by a first conduit. A high-Z material may be distributed in the driver material. The neutron absorption parameter modifying material is disposed in both a second reservoir and the second reservoir portion of the first reservoir. A portion of the neutron absorption parameter modifying material is in physical contact with a portion of the driver material in the second reservoir portion. The neutron absorption parameter modifying material is driveable by the driver material between the second reservoir portion and the second reservoir through a second conduit.

Abstract: A duct for a nuclear fuel assembly includes a tubular body and an elongated member. The tubular body has a sidewall with an inner face and an outer face and is configured to contain nuclear fuel within a fuel region. The elongated member extends from the outer face along at least a portion of the fuel region and has a contact surface configured to stabilize the duct during operation of the nuclear fuel assembly.

Abstract: A component for an electrochemical cell comprises a thermally and electrically conductive core with an active area substantially covered by an electrically and thermally conductive polymeric composite, wherein the conductive polymeric composite is adhered to the core by an adhesion promoter. The electrically conductive polymeric composite preferably comprises a thermosetting polybutadiene- or polyisoprene-based resin system and an electrically conductive filler. The component is resistant to chemical attack and hydrolysis, and has excellent mechanical strength and toughness. Components may be manufactured having a volume resistivity of about 0.500 ohm-cm or less and a thermal conductivity of at least about 5 watts/meter ° K,. In addition, the component is economical to produce due to inexpensive starting materials as well as the use of conventional processing equipment.

Abstract: Video display apparatus having multiple processors for operation in parallel, each processing a respective complete video image in the sequence of video images (fields or frames) which form a video picture, the processing being in accordance with a selected signal processing algorithm. The algorithm may be one which simulates a signal processing circuit design which is to be evaluated, so that the effect of changes in circuit design can be displayed in real time. The signal data for each of the sequential video images is assembled into data packets in successive equal time slots, which are transmitted downstream on a data bus along which are a succession of data processors. The headers of the packets for a given image identify a serially corresponding processor to which such image is assigned, and such packets are processed by the assigned processor in accordance with the selected algorithm.

Abstract: A hashing data storage and retrieval arrangement whose storage capacity is unaffected by collisions. A first memory serves as a hash index table, for storing pointers at each address location corresponding to a hash value generated by hashing a key data word. Each pointer is the address of a location in a second memory, which has a separate storage location for each key data word, its associated data, and a further pointer which is the address of the next key data word resulting from a collision during hashing. Preferably a pipeline register between the two memories permits hashing of a subsequent key data word while accessing of the second memory is still in progress.

Abstract: A data repacker utilizing a multiplexer, one intermediate register, two shifters, and a control for these circuits. The multiplexer output is connected to the intermediate register, which has a storage length greater than the size of data words to be repacked. The first shifter receives the output of the register, and its output can be concatenated with an input data word to form one input to the multiplexer. The output of the register is provided as another input to the multiplexer. The second shifter also receives the output of the multiplexer, and has an output which is the repacker output. Information representing the number of bits in and the number of bits out is used to determine the most and least significant bits of the intermediate data which will be stored in the intermediate register, and to control the shifters.

Abstract: A programmable digital signal processor usable in a variety of configurations and controlled by stored coefficients and control words which are addressable to be provided to a plurality of processing sections as often as once per clock cycle. The processor arrangement is suitable for use as a decoder of multiple analog component (MAC) television signals.

Abstract: A method for scrambling and descrambling television programs in which the horizontal synchronizing information is suppressed at a CATV supplier's head-end and then regenerated at the subscriber's converter. The pulse frequency is multiplied by a factor N/M, in which N and M are integers thereby generating a synthesized pulse stream which is, in turn, encoded with data identifying the values for N and M. This encoded pulse stream is modulated onto the audio subcarrier wave in the TV video signal and transmitted to the converter. The converter then demodulates and recovers the encoded pulse stream, decodes the same to recover the identifying data, using this data to obtain the correct values for N and M which have been transmitted separately on a digital data channel. The converter then multiplies the synthesized pulse stream by M/N regenerating the horizontal synchronizing pulse stream and inserts the same into the TV video signal at the proper phase.