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Comparative analysis of the dispersion modeling and dose projection results performed under BARCO international project
No full textRadiological assessments on zones to take protective actions in case of a nuclear or radiological emergency involve a series of real-time forecasts of radiological impact on the public at various distances from the release point, using actual weather or forecast data, information on the source term or facility status, and primary radiation monitoring data. This practice is implemented during the operation of emergency centers around the world in order to promptly report the occurrence and possible consequences of radiological accidents in the country and abroad in the event of a possible transboundary impact. Since the Chornobyl disaster, a lot of emergency exercises, research programs and projects, in particular, benchmarking, have served as international platforms for improving modeling capacity in atmospheric dispersion. This activity is carried out both on the basis of past severe accidents with significant atmospheric releases and corresponding radiological consequences, and on the basis of specific conditional (hypothetical) events that are developed in accordance with the purpose of the study. The paper is focused on the comparison results performed under the international project “Benchmarking on Assessment of Radiological COnsequences” (BARCO) conducted in 2020–2021 between five technical support organisations – members of the European Technical Safety Organisations Network (ETSON). The work contains a short overview of relevant international activity conducted in the past, a description of the BARCO project and its objectives, a list of participants, project tasks, initial data (source term, meteorology, list of benchmarking quantities, approach to data exchange, codes used). The study presents some of comparative analysis results obtained via two techniques such as code-to-code analysis (CTCA) and matched-pair analysis (MPA). The results discussion concentrates on the overall recommendations for code users. Conclusions provide the main outputs of the project
Restyling del logo ENEA. Strategia, implementazione e risultati
Get PDFIl presente rapporto tecnico presenta il risultato del lavoro di restyling del logo di ENEA - Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l'energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile. Dopo un focus sulla storia del logo, con particolare attenzione sulla sua evoluzione fino alla versione più recente, nonché sui valori che esso intende comunicare, il report esamina più nel dettaglio le esigenze che hanno portato al lavoro di restyling. Tale attività è partita da un’analisi circa i motivi per i quali si è reso necessario il lavoro di modernizzazione del logo, con un focus specifico sui problemi della vecchia versione, soprattutto alla luce delle mutate esigenze di comunicazione che sempre di più avvengono nella dimensione digitale. Il report descrive, quindi, i diversi step seguiti nel processo di design, partendo dall’analisi dei trend progettuali esistenti e dalle ispirazioni provenienti da altri enti di ricerca e universitari. Vengono presentati i concept iniziali realizzati, nonché la versione definitiva adesso in uso. Di quest’ultima sono descritti, nel report i diversi elementi strutturali, quali: composizione e proporzioni, colori utilizzati e modalità d’uso, elementi tipografici. Particolare importanza viene data alle declinazioni applicative. Il rapporto si conclude con un focus sulle attività future, in particolare orientate alle strategie da implementare per aggiornare gli attuali materiali e canali di comunicazione, nonché i benefici che ci si aspetta grazie al lavoro svolto.This technical report presents the outcome of the redesign work on the logo of ENEA - Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy, and Sustainable Economic Development. Following an overview of the logo’s history, with a particular attention to its evolution up to the latest version, and the values it intends to communicate, the report examines in more detail the needs that led to the redesign work. This effort began with an analysis of the reasons for the necessary modernization of the logo, with a specific focus on the issues with the previous version, especially considering the changing communication needs that are increasingly digital. Then the report describes the various steps followed in the design process, starting from an analysis of existing design trends and inspirations from other research institutions and universities. Initial concepts created, as well as the final version now in use, are presented. For this final version, the report details the different structural elements, such as composition and proportions, colors used and usage guidelines, and typographic elements. Special importance is given to application variations. The report concludes with a focus on future activities, particularly oriented toward strategies to update current communication materials and channels, as well as the anticipated benefits from the work done
Analisi dei risultati ottenuti con il tool SIMUL applicato alla Comunità Energetica di Lignano Sabbiadoro (UD)
No full textSi analizza nel presente Rapporto Tecnico una possibile Comunità Energetica che include 88 utenze a Lignano Sabbiadoro (UD). L’analisi dei risultati, realizzata utilizzando dati relativi all’anno 2022, è svolta attraverso il codice di simulazione SIMUL, sviluppato nel laboratorio TERIN-SEN-CROSS (ENEA). I risultati riguardano principalmente i consumi (2,26 GWh), la produzione (1,18 GWh), l’autoconsumo diretto, pari a circa il 19% dell’energia prodotta dalla comunità energetica, l’energia condivisa, pari a circa il 57% dell’energia prodotta, ed il tasso di autosufficienza che risulta prossimo al 40%. Le analisi sono state svolte per l’intera comunità energetica, ma anche in dettaglio per tutte le singole utenze. Questo documento è stato realizzato nell'ambito delle attività previste dal progetto “Tecnologie per la penetrazione efficiente del vettore elettrico negli usi finali” della Ricerca di Sistema Elettrico - Piano Triennale 2022-2024 e in collaborazione con la cooperativa Part-Energy e LEGACOOP, secondo gli accordi di collaborazione esistenti
Getting (ECO)Ready: Does EU Legislation Integrate Up-to-Date Scientific Data for Food Security and Biodiversity Preservation Under Climate Change?
Get PDFEuropean policies on climate change (CC), food security (FS), and biodiversity (BD) represent the EU’s commitment to a sustainable agri-food system, highlighting the interdependence between environmental health and food security. By analyzing key drivers and indicators, the present study evaluates the effectiveness of existing measures and identifies gaps in the policy framework. A Scoping Group activity facilitated dialogue between policymakers, industry, and farmer representatives to gather feedback and strengthen the data–policy link. The results highlight progress in areas such as promoting sustainable agriculture and biodiversity, while pointing out unresolved issues like the challenges faced by smallholder farmers. The study emphasizes the need for real-time monitoring tools and tailored solutions to address the complexities of the agri-food system. It also encourages the integration of emerging technologies, such as IoT and AI, to enhance the sustainability of agricultural practices. Ultimately, the findings call for a landscape-specific approach to maximize biodiversity gains, mitigate climate impacts, and ensure food security within the broader context of the EU’s ecological and socio-economic challenges
Exploring the Hubble tension with a late time Modified Gravity scenario
No full textWe investigate a modified cosmological model aimed at addressing the Hubble tension, considering revised dynamics in the late Universe. The model introduces a parameter c affecting the evolution equations, motivated by a modified Poisson algebra inspired by effective Loop Quantum Cosmology. Our analysis includes diverse background datasets such as Cosmic Chronometers, Pantheon+ Type Ia Supernovae (with and without the SH0ES calibration), SDSS, DESY6 and DESI Baryon Acoustic Oscillations, and background information of the Cosmic Microwave Background. We find that the model alleviates the Hubble tension in most of the dataset combinations, with cases reducing discrepancies to below 1σ when including SH0ES. However, the model exhibits minimal improvement in the overall fit when compared to ΛCDM, and Bayesian evidence generally favors the standard model. Theoretical foundations support this approach as a subtle adjustment to low-redshift dynamics, suggesting potential for further exploration into extensions of ΛCDM. Despite challenges in data fitting, our findings underscore the promise of small-scale modifications in reconciling cosmological tensions
Combined Experimental and Numerical Approach for the Thermal Heat Exchange Investigation of Li-Ion Cells for Automotive Applications
No full textLithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is an advanced technology in the field of electrochemical energy storage, but its management constitutes one of the most intriguing challenges for electric vehicles. Many parameters need to be controlled and managed and many aspects need to be optimised. This work presents a methodology for laboratory characterization of Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Lithium-Ion batteries suited for automotive applications. The purpose consists of obtaining a detailed description of the electrical and thermal behaviour of a single battery cell to provide an accurate model (static, dynamic, and thermal) that could ensure optimized real-time battery management by a management system for several battery packs. A battery testing system was built using a bidirectional power supply and a software/hardware interface was implemented within the National Instruments LabVIEW environment that monitors current, voltage and temperature sensors. This dedicated laboratory equipment can be used to apply and report charging/discharging cycles according to the user-defined load profile. A bidimensional CFD dynamic condition/transient simulation in the Ansys FLUENT environment was performed to study the heat thermal fluxes generated by a determined current value in the battery cells, and the results have been compared to the experimental data for validation
Raman Microscopy Identification of Secondary Spurious Phases in Molten GdSr2RuCu2O8-δ Superconductor for Photonics and Plasmonic Applications
No full textPlasmonic and Photonics applications of superconducting materials, suggested at first by the necessity to minimize the dissipative losses of conventional metals in the high frequency ranges, are topics of growing interest in Optics. In this perspective, GdSr2RuCu2O8-δ (Gd1212) Rutheno-Cuprate Superconductor presents very promising properties, showing both superconducting and magnetically ordered phases coexisting in the same cell. To investigate its features, the fabrication of macroscopic crystallographically oriented samples is necessary. The use of melt texturing techniques has shown to be among the most effective ways to achieve the best characteristics, although the fabrication of high-quality Gd1212 samples is intrinsically difficult. To reach a better understanding of Gd1212 incongruent melting reaction, a series of bulk samples annealed at temperatures below and above the melting temperature was prepared. Raman Microscopy and Mapping performed on molten and re-solidified samples revealed the presence of different phases, corresponding to those identified in our previous studies. These observations were also confirmed by XRD, TGA-DTA, and SEM+EDS characterisations. Secondary phases formation showed a strong dependence on the temperature of the annealing treatments. Susceptibility and magnetization measurements show both superconducting and magnetic transitions and a contribution of different spurious magnetic phases as suggested by EDS
A Smart Large-Scale Synthesis of Na1.0Li0.2Ni0.25Mn0.75O2 as Cathode for Na-Ion Batteries
No full textSodium-ion batteries (NIBs) represent one of the alternatives to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), especially for large-scale energy storage. The interest in these batteries arises due to the intrinsic characteristics of sodium: it is cheap, abundant and, above all, environmentally friendly. Among the possible Na-based materials that could be used as cathode in NIBs, it was decided to investigate the performance of Na1.0Li0.2Ni0.25Mn0.75O2 (NLNMO) spinel. NLNMO is a P2-type layered oxide and has attracted great attention as a cathode for NIBs. Despite its presenting some critical issues, especially regarding stability at high working voltage, it proved to be the most promising candidate among the materials belonging to this family. The activity carried out in the work envisaged the production of 1 kg of NLNMO suitable to be used as a cathode material in NIBs. The fundamental requirement was to obtain a high-quality material, at least equal to that synthesized on a laboratory scale. The most critical steps of the synthesis were studied for the possible scale-up step, namely the mixing of the reagents and the heating step. The laboratory scale synthesis was studied in terms of feasibility and scalability and the most critical points for a large-scale transition were analysed. In particular, the quantity of water to be added in the dissolution phase and the operating conditions of the heat treatment were optimized. To validate the performance of the NLNMO obtained on large-scale, it was used to prepare electrodes that were tested in battery. The electrochemical performances of these electrodes were then compared with those exhibited by the material prepared by laboratory-scale
Photoluminescent colour centres in lithium fluoride film imaging detectors for monochromatic hard X-rays
No full textPassive solid-state detectors based on the optical reading of the visible photoluminescence (PL) emitted by radiation-induced F2 and F+3 colour centres in lithium fluoride (LiF) have been successfully tested for X-ray imaging. They are characterized by high spatial resolution, wide dynamic range, large field of view, non-destructive readout capability, and simplicity of use. Optically-transparent polycrystalline LiF films of increasing thickness (0.5 and 1.1 μm) grown by thermal evaporation on glass and Si(100) substrates were irradiated with monochromatic 7 keV X-rays at several doses from 13 to 1.4 × 103 Gy at the SOLEIL synchrotron facility. For all the LiF films, the spectrally-integrated visible PL signal intensity was found to depend linearly on the irradiation dose, with films grown on Si(100) substrates exhibiting up to a 50% higher response compared to those grown on glass. The minimum dose of 13 Gy was detected, despite the low thickness of the irradiated films. A spatial resolution of (0.54 ± 0.02) μm was obtained in edge-enhancement imaging experiments conducted by placing an Au mesh in front of the LiF film detectors
A comparison of Italian and UK guidelines on the vulnerability assessment of bridges
No full textThe vulnerability assessment of bridges has proven to be a challenging task: as of yet, there is no universal approach for carrying out the assessment; besides, in spite of recent technological advances, it still greatly relies on visual inspections, hence with a certain degree of subjectivity, and the assessment outcome may be affected by some factors that are not obvious, such as full accessibility of the bridge and presence of latent defects. This paper compares the structural vulnerability assessment of existing highway bridges included in two national guidance documents, namely the well-established UK Design Manual for Roads and Bridges and the recent Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport’s Guidelines. Both documents present risk-based methods for assessing the structural vulnerability of bridges, while exhibiting fundamentally different approaches. For instance, the Italian assessment defines a vulnerability class, to be combined with hazard and exposure classes in order to determine a structural risk rating; then, the overall rating affects the actions that need to be taken, e.g. subsequent inspections, structural assessment or monitoring. On the other hand, the UK guidance uses a risk scoring system, which also includes some parameters not strictly related to vulnerability, in order to determine whether the interval between principal inspections may be increased from the minimum requirement of 6 years; some input data for such risk scoring are also used to determine whether a structural assessment is required. Finally, both vulnerability assessments are applied to two sample bridges, highlighting similarities and differences between the two guidelines. The presented comparison may allow for a better understanding of the factors governing the assessment outcome, for potential improvement of guidelines, and ultimately for more effective intervention prioritisation