Archive for the ‘Physical Science’ Category

Map of nuclear power in France

Sunday, August 22nd, 2010

centrales-nucleiaresWith 58 reactors in 19 power plants, France is ranked first among the
European nuclear power and second in the world behind the U.S., which account
for 104 nuclear reactors.

76.9% of the electricity in France comes from nuclear. But it represents only
17% of total French energy.

Overview of the 19 French nuclear plants still operating.

centrale-bellevilleThe plant is located in Belleville Lere in the Cher. Built in 1980, this
nuclear facility was commissioned in 1988-1989. With two Pressurized Water
Reactors (PWR) with an output of 1,300 megawatts (MW), the Belleville site was
produced in 2008, according to EDF, close of 16.03 billion kWh or 4% of national
production electricity from nuclear sources.

The site was not chosen at random. The proximity of the Loire allows to pump the
water needed for cooling facilities. According to the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA), the site should not stop his activity before 2025.

centrale-blayaisLocated 60 km from Bordeaux on the Gironde estuary, the nuclear Blayais
covers an area of 8000 hectares in the heart of a swamp. The plant operates with
4 REP 900 MW. The waters of the Gironde, collected via submarine pump, cool the
reactors.

Commissioning June 21, 1981, the plant supplies the Aquitaine region in nuclear
power. In 2008 it produced 27.8 billion kwh which is 1.5 times the annual needs
of its region with electricity.

Highly exposed to risk of flooding, the site should undergo Blayais work to
improve internal and external protections

centrale-bugeyThe plant located 40 km east of Lyons employs about 1,200 people. It covers
100 hectares near the Rhone. The river cools PWR; aéoréfrigérantes towers
measuring 128 meters high.

The site produces a year about 25 billion kWh which is roughly 40% of the
electricity consumption of the Rhone-Alpes. Should be 5.3 million tonnes of oil
to satisfy this demand for energy.

centrale-cattenomThe central nuclear electricity production (NPP) is Cattenom nuclear site
located near the borders of Germany and Luxembourg, 5 km from Thionville in
Lorraine.

The plant is equipped with four powerful engines of 1300 MW each. Each year they
produce 35 billion KWh which is about 8% of national electricity production, EDF.
Cattenom is so central to the 7th World

The Moselle River supplies water to the center so as to cool the reactors. The
artificial lake Mirgenbarch (Cattenom) and Pre-old Lake (Vosges) also provide
water for cooling towers.

chinonIt’s not just the wine that makes the reputation of the town of Chinon! On
the banks of the Loire, the nuclear power plant was located in the middle of
Natural Park Loire-Anjou-Touraine, 50 km from Tours.

In 2008, she returned with her four PWR reactors of 900 MW over 24 billion kWh.
A unique feature of this building which employs 1281 people is the height of its
cooling towers: they do not exceed 28 meters high.

In October 2002, a report by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has highlighted
the fragility of the reactor cooling system in case of earthquakes exceeding a
magnitude of 4 on the Richter scale.

centrale-choozOn the banks of the Meuse, the Chooz nuclear power station stands between
Charleville-Mezieres (France) and Dinant (Belgium). This site is divided into
two stations: Chooz A and B. The Chooz Chooz Site A is currently being
dismantled. With the first PWR reactor, the plant was discontinued in October
1991. The dismantling is expected to continue until 2020-2025.

The site is Chooz B, meanwhile, has two PWR 1450 MW of power. The first two
units are the precursors of the draft European Pressurized Water Reactor, or EPR.
This new technology should allow for better site security, analysis and rapid
diagnosis.

centrale-civauxAt the heart of Poitou-Charentes, NPP Civaux consists of two units of
electricity production 1500 MW each. According to EDF, they are equipped with
engines, turbines and control rooms the most modern of all the French nuclear
facilities, like the central Ardennes Chooz.

The plant, built on the banks of the Vienne, has a peculiarity: the impressive
size of its cooling towers: they are around 178 m high.

In 2008, the site has produced 21.2 billion kWh in 2004 and has acquired ISO
14001 certification for environmental management.

cruasaaaSpread over an area of 148 hectares on the right bank of the Rhone, the
plant-Cruas Meysse (Ardèche) product through its four reactors of 900 MW PWR
typing each about 500 billion kilowatt-hours since its commissioning in April
1983 . In one year, the site produces about 40% of the electricity consumption
of the Rhone-Alpes.

This site has unfortunately made the headlines with several incidents: in 1999,
an evacuation of staff had been ordered due to radioactive discharges. In 2004,
tritium, a radioactive element, was found in samples taken in the groundwater.

Last failure to date: a cooling problem with one of four reactors in December
2009.

centrale-dampierreIn operation since March 23, 1980, four production units of 900 MW each
generate annually 24 billion KWh of electricity or 5% of national production and
7-10 times the consumption in the Loiret.

This plant has been aging incidents identified by different ratio of the ASN. On
April 2, 2001, an employee has made mishandling caused an unloading of the heart
of the reactor No. 4.

Another highlight: EDF has launched an emergency plan on the night of 9 to 10
April 2007. An emergency generator has helped fuel the reactor No. 3 private
outside its supply system. This failure has claimed for weeks that reactor
shutdown.

centrale-fessenheimAlong the Grand Canal of Alsace, Central Fessenheim locates 20 km north of
the city of Mulhouse. Equipped with two reactors of 900 MW ERP, the site has
occurred in the space of thirty years of activity around 320 billion kWh.

Fessenheim is the oldest site of French nuclear facilities. Two reports ASN
dating from the 70 evaluated his life, safely, at age 40. Yet other plants of
this kind in the world show a very good aging infrastructure and growing further
postponement of closure Fessenheim. A decision that triggers a burst of
anti-nuclear region.

centrale-flamanvillePosted in the shelter of a granite cliff 70 meters high, 30 km south-west of
Cherbourg, near the reprocessing plant at La Hague, Flamanville occupies the
central place of an old iron mine underwater.

Two production units of 1300 MW issue, each year, 18 billion kilowatt hours on
the national grid.

Flamanville should welcome the draft European Pressurized Reactor, or EPR. This
future reactor power 1650 MW unsurpassed should enter service in 2012 but
construction is delayed by two years according to the “Le Figaro in January
2010. This is nothing compared to the site of EPR in Finland which will be four
years late!

centrale-golfechLocated between the towns of Agen and Toulouse on the banks of the Garonne,
the two production units in central Golfech respectively were begun in 1991 and
1994. These pressurized water reactor nuclear power show 1300 MW producing an
average annual 17.08 billion kwh of electricity in 2008. This is equivalent to
the power consumption of the Midi-Pyrenees.

On 13 and 14 June 2003, when the heat wave, the central Golfech rejected for
several hours in the water too hot, is thereby offense.

centrale-gravelinesThird largest producer of nuclear energy in the world, the Gravelines power
plant camped at nearly 20 km from Dunkerque and Calais in the north.

With 6-PWR reactors of 900 MW, this site produces annually an average of 37.6
billion kilowatt-hours is the annual consumption of electricity in the
Nord-Pas-de-Calais.

Gravelines is the second most powerful central Europe, behind Zaporizhia,
Ukraine.

Number of Units: 6

Commissioning: 1985

Production of electricity per year: 38 TWh

Power: 5400 MW

Stop activity planned site: 2020-2025

centrale-nogentThe Nogent-sur-Seine is housed at 110 km southeast of Paris, in
Champagne-Ardennes. The site consists of two production units, each comprising a
nuclear reactor, PWR 1300 MW Cooling towers and a 165 m high.

The central issue of the fourth year in electricity consumption of the
Ile-de-France is 16 billion kWh. The waters of the Seine in good working reactor
coolant.

Several unannounced inspections of the ASN in 2001 highlighted the failure of
the site in terms of fighting against fire. Forty-five minutes were required for
the response team arrives on the scene.

centrale-paluelEmployees of the Central Peluel Norman enjoyed a panorama with views over the
sea Located near Fecamp and Le Havre, the site features four pressurized water
reactors of 1300 MW with an annual production in 2008 of 37 2 billion kWh, about
7% of the total electricity generated by EDF.

The plant has experienced some incidents, the most notable are:

the influx of algae in the filters of the pumping station cooling system driven
by the storm in the Channel 23 June 2004. Result: the reactors were shut down.

centrale-penlyWith 70 hectares munching on the sea, the central Penly could become
operational by 1990. His two ERP reactors generate 1,300 MW between 17 and 20
billion kilowatt hours of electricity to the national grid.

The site Penly 1 and 2 will expand and accommodate Penly 3. In January 2009, EDF
has confirmed the decision to build a second EPR on French soil after the
Flamanville site.

This choice has caused a demand for public debate before the National Commission
which was accepted. He is currently taking place since March 24 and ends July 24
next. If this debate gives birth to a mouse, the construction of the EPR should
start in 2012.

centrale-saint-albanThe St Alban is located in the heart of the Isère, 50 km south of the city of
Lyon. 12% of the electricity consumption of the Rhone-Alps, or 16.5 billion kWh
produced by the two huge reactors PWR located along the Rhone.

The central Golfech not only during the heatwave of 2003 to reject the water too
hot in the river that borders it. The ASN said on its website in August 2003
that the site of St. Alban exceeding the temperature in terms of water discharge
on July 14 of that year.

centrale-saint-laurentLocated on the left bank of the Loire, halfway Orleans and Blois, the
St-Laurent-des-Eaux has two PWR reactors of 900 MW.

Two more reactors are gas-graphite type currently being dismantled which is not
without problems. Indeed, the National Association of Local information hairpin
mismanagement of 2000 tons of graphite shirts in two silos site. These compounds
are highly radioactive.

centrale-tricastin2008: anus horibilis for Tricastin site. In addition to the reported
incidents at the plant, the site located south of the Drome, on the right bank
floodway of the Rhone, had a uranium leak at a tank cleaning.

A subsidiary of Areva, the Socatri, has officially announced that 224 kg of
uranium were overwhelmed and had reached 74 kg and the Lauzon River Gaffiere.

Images of Iron

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

sciences-images62 The cathedrals of steel industry worldwide:

Alain Pras has traveled the world for 30 years for photographing plants and industrial landscapes. Photos that have enabled him to publish a book and opened his gallery “Images of iron. Here, blast furnace Hayange, Lorraine, a symbol of the French steel industry.

sciences-images63Coils of steel on the departure:

On the Fos sur Mer (Bouches-du-Rhone), owned by ArcelorMittal, are made of flat steel, mainly used by the automotive industry. The plates from 1.5 to 22 mm thick are “wrapped” coils of 20 tons, which will be shipped to end customers.

sciences-images64 In anticipation of the departure to Hong Kong:

This photo was taken from the top of a huge building where goods are stored from all over China by truck. The goods are then placed in
containers before being shipped by boat or airplane in the world.

sciences-images65Spheres for storing gas giant:

The Etang de Berre is a mecca for the petrochemical industry. This place focuses indeed third of national hydrocarbon production and the Bouches-du-Rhone has 40 institutions under the Seveso Directives.

sciences-images66An open pit mine in Germany:

This huge excavator 240 m long and as tall as a 30-story
building can clear 240,000 tons of lignite per day, a sedimentary rock that
contains 50-80% carbon. The conveyor belt at the bottom of the craft carries the
ore to the nearby power plant.

sciences-images67Chain of Chinese cars:

More than 200,000 cars each year out of assembly line plant
in Nanjing in China. Nanjing Automobile is the oldest Chinese carmaker. It was
acquired in 2005 the assets of the UK group MG Rover for an amount of 53 million
pounds.

sciences-images68Tons of recycled yarn:

This photo was taken in 2008 in the steel Gandrange, who died
in March 2009. Rolls of wire do not comply are cut before being reintroduced
with other scrap in the manufacturing process.

sciences-images69It is activated in the Baltic:

The towering cranes of the port of Klaipeda, Lithuania, load
and unload tons of fertilizer tirelessly. Ideally located on the Baltic Sea,
Klaipeda is the starting point of raw materials from Russia. The port has seen
pass 30 million tones of cargo in 2008.

sciences-images70The plastic in the heart of metal:

This gigantic maze of steel pipes is one of the largest
plants in the world of plastic resins used to manufacture polystyrene. The site
belongs to Total Petrochemical USA, is located in Carville, the United States.

sciences-images71Infirmary TGV:

The Technicentre SNCF Lyon TGV maintenance was inaugurated in
2009. It is designed to cope with the increased number of trains and will
address in particular the line Rhine-Rhone, whose commissioning is scheduled for
2011.

sciences-images72In the land of Tata Steel:

Jamshedpur, in the north-east India, is nicknamed "City of
Steel". It is the cradle of the Tata empire and the first industrialized city in
Indian history. The giant steel mill is located in the heart of the city,
chimneys emerging above the houses.

sciences-images73The long road to the sea:

In Saint-Nazaire, all roads lead to the sea warehouses and
factories succeed in the port, mainly dedicated to the import of fruit and food
for livestock and grain exports , oil and chilled products.

sciences-images74A monster of red steel for unloading containers:

On the docks of Shanghai, this porch is ZPMC maneuver. ZPMC
is the leading global manufacturer of port equipment. One of these gates can
unload up to 100 containers per hour, is the most efficient in the world.

sciences-images75Half German, half-Chinese:

This huge petrochemical complex, located near Nanjing, China,
is a joint venture between the German group BASF and Sinopec. It covers nearly
220 hectares (the equivalent of two thirds of a city like Bordeaux) for an
annual capacity of 1.7 million tons of chemicals.

sciences-images76The storm rages on the refinery:

This landscape of tangled pipes contrast with the many
windmills that account Denmark. The Kalundborg refinery is the largest in the
country, with an annual capacity of 5 million tones of gasoline and other
petroleum products.

sciences-images77Slump:

This train of oil were discharged in the port of Kaliningrad.
He returns empty in Russia via Lithuania and Belarus. Kaliningrad is a Russian
enclave sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania. It is at the heart of
geopolitical friction since the breakup of the Soviet Union.

sciences-images78Louisiana Manufacturing acid:

The plant Uncle Sam, the Mosaic Company, USA, produces
potash, nitrogen and phosphate. It also recycles sulfur from refineries located
on the banks of the Mississippi between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

sciences-images79A thermal power plant on the banks of the Loire:

In business since 1970, this power plant located Cordemais
works in oil and coal. This is the biggest French site thermal generation: in
2006 it produced 5.3 TWh, or 30% of the power consumption of Pays de la Loire.

Virtual tour Minerals Museum of Paris

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

a63The National Museum of Natural History opens the doors of his gallery of mineralogy at the numbers to celebrate the International Year of Planet Earth.

a64This yellow apatite weighs 39.4 carats no less or slightly more than 8 grams. His name in Greek means “deceit” because it is often confused with other gems.

a65This sample comes from King Solomon’s mines near Eilat in Israel. It is composed of malachite green, azurite blue and blue-green chrysocolla.

a66Here we see a cross section of stalactite containing rhodochrosite, a mineral described in 1813 rose by German mineralogist Johann Friedrich Hausmann. This sample was formed by the presence of manganese in the fluids.

a67Peter’s favorite women, the diamond is in this case in the rough, that is to say, not yet cut. Discovered in the mines of Cape Town, South Africa, this diamond is an octahedron, an eight-sided gem.

a68This stone is the “big Sapphire of Louis XIV” also called “Ruspoli” in the name of the holder of the Romanian family jewels before the throne of France. This gem weighs over 135 carats, for transparency, we are seeing quite the opposite sides.

a69The vanadinite takes its name from the chemical compound that is, vanadium. It is reddish orange and was excavated at Mibladen in Morocco.

a70The chemical symbol for gold is Au for his name in Latin is “aurum”. This stone has been extracted from the mine Donatia California. This sample is deposited in layers on quartz.

a71Orpiment derives its name from its yellow-orange color that is not unlike that of gold. This gem was discovered in a pool to Shimen, China. It is surrounded by white calcite.

a72
The celestite is slightly blue and placed on a piece of calcite. The sample appears as fibrillar and has a pearlized. The stone was found near Saint-Pons in the Alpes de Haute Provence.

a73The rutile is a stone that is distinguished by its red color blue. Hematite, yellow, has a growth similar to that of rutile which gives this aspect of the star piece. This sample comes from Ibitiana deposit in Brazil.

a74This sapphire comes from the gross area of Sri Lanka Monaragala. It measures 4 inches long and 2 inches wide. Its shape is bipyramidal. The hardness of sapphire is 9 on a scale of 10.

a75Cinnabar is a stone recognizable by its blood red color and low hardness between 2 and 2.5. Its name comes from medieval Latin “cinnabar” itself from the name “zinjifrah” in Persian and it means “dragon’s blood”.

a76

No need to ask why this gem called verdélité. This variety of elbaite comes originally from the island of Elba. This piece comes from a
prismatic granitic Salinas de Barras in Brazil.

Copper nail and a piece

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

a24The objective
Cover with a steel nail copper foil, a chemist working?

Not at all! A simple mixture and the metal is deposited alone.

You need
” 2 steel nails
” Sandpaper
” 4 copper coins (5 cents)
” Vinegar
” Salt
” Spoons
” Glass

a25Shine the nail
1 / Rub a nail with sandpaper. It must be brilliant.

a26Saltwater
2 / In the glass, pour vinegar (half fill).

3 / Add salt to saturation of the mixture and stir with a spoon to dissolve.

a27Mixing metal
4 / Place the nail rubbed and coins in the glass containing the vinegar solution.

a28Copper layer
5 / Let stand overnight. Then remove the nail and coin glass.

6 / Incredible: compared to a nail that has not soaked in the solution, the nail became orange, and coins shine.

SeaOrbiter: the marine station tomorrow

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

a29Project
Our globe is covered at 70% of oceans and yet we know virtually nothing about this medium. The pioneer Jacques-Yves Cousteau was the first to be interested in it and launch missions aboard the Calypso.

The architect Jacques Rougerie is far from being a novice in the field of marine architecture. For thirty years he designs homes underwater in any genre. He led for several years a draft marine mobile station can move with ocean currents, SeaOrbiter.

This impressive vessel of the seas will allow scientists to observe and understand this world that is so foreign and yet nourishes and regulates the Earth’s climate. The extent of its biodiversity is still largely unknown to biologists.

a30Mission
This amazing marine vessel can accommodate 18 permanent crew members, mostly scientists of all stripes, to conduct extensive research.

- Explore the marine environment and furthering knowledge on marine species and extent of biodiversity.

- Understanding the implications of oceans in regulating Earth’s climate. There are many ocean-atmosphere exchanges are not without consequences for the climate. The oceans are also the stock giant CO2 its study is crucial at this time of global warming

- Conduct research on the physiology and human psychology in confined and extreme. Future astronauts could stay on board to train before their stay in the cosmos where conditions are similar.

a31Dimensions
Jacques Rougerie has designed a device to 51 m high with a tip part is (20 m) and another submerged (30 m) to perform underwater observations necessary.
Some technical data

Dimensions

Total length: 31 m

Hull length: 10,35 m

Overall Width: 23.80 m

Width of hull: 6.12 m

Design

Hull Material: Aluminum

Propulsion

Main: adrift in ocean currents

Extra two electric thrusters

Speed: 4 knots (equivalent to 7.4 km / h)

Crew

Capacity: 18 persons including 8 aquanauts saturation.

a32Modules
The originality of this structure SeaOrbiter lies in the assembly of two modules, one pressurized under the sea level and another pressurized air located outside the water.

For the first time, men and women can stay and watch the continuous silent world oceans. Not so quiet that, since scientists can record the sounds emitted by marine organisms and spread by water.

Current tests conducted in Norway take place without hooked. The vessel fits snugly to his environment and does not move even if the ocean is raging. A perfect symbiosis takes place.

a33Party emerged
The 20 meters from the camera placed above the water are dedicated to receiving communications and navigation equipment. This module includes atmospheric pressure:

Communication antennas.

A crane.

A bridge located at 13.20 m high to allow a panoramic observation.

The engine room placed 6 meters in height so as to be out of reach of waves.

A dive center with a decompression chamber and diving equipment.

The control center is located 3 m high. He is responsible for the navigation of the ship, its good positioning in the ocean currents and management of potential obstacles.

Reservations and refrigerators are 50 cm above the water.

a34Submerged
The part under water is fully pressurized, it measures nearly 30 m high and houses:

The captain’s quarters and the four individual VIP booths, but also the media center. Guests can observe the spectacle of magical marine world at 2 m depth.

Under 4.5m of water, the science lab will allow direct analysis of samples and data collected on site. A huge observatory will serve as the census of marine biodiversity. At this level, there will be berths for eight crew members.

Kitchens, food reserves but also the huge panoramic observatory is 7 m deep. They will be the focus of the ship where the crew will meet.

An airlock allows access to the area since the pressurized atmosphere Shed subsea equipment located nearby. The Aquanauts staying in this area under 9.35 m of water.

Berths for aquanauts are just below their home to 11 m deep.

A huge platform includes the stabilization of oil reserves and ballasts.

The ballast helps maintain the structure.

a35Premiere
Currently, the prototype Sea Orbiter is in testing phase and ongoing validation of operational protocols. The big jump for the scientific platform is expected in 2011. She will do a drift in the Mediterranean, then towards the famous Atlantic current, the Gulf Stream currents and finally the Pacific and Indian Ocean.

For now, the bidding with a budget of 35 million euros have been issued for the construction of SeaOrbiter. This project is supported by the Minister of Ecology Jean-Louis Borloo with the Grenelle of the sea is the flagship of modern technology to the French.