Modern Power Industry Research Articles

Wind turbine concept market penetration over 10 years (1995–2004)

AbstractThe aim of this article is to investigate the market penetration and share of different wind turbine concepts during the years 1995–2004, a period that represents the maturational era of the modern wind power industry. A detailed overview is given based on suppliers' market data and concept evaluation for each individual wind turbine type sold by the Top Ten suppliers over the selected decade. The investigation is processing information on approximately 160 wind turbine types from 22 different manufacturers that have featured in the Top Ten list of wind turbine suppliers during 1995–2004. The analysis is based on comprehensive data covering approximately 97% of the cumulative wind power installed worldwide at the end of 2004. The article also provides an overall perspective on contemporary wind turbine concepts, classified with respect to both their speed control ability and power control type. Current and future trends for wind turbine concepts are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley &Sons, Ltd.

Acoustic method for investigating the parameters of gas in reactor fuel elements

Fuel element reliability is still a priority in the modern nuclear power industry. The manufacturers have programs for achieving defect-free operation of fuel. The quality control programs provide for, as a rule, quality control of the finished product at the factory and detailed examination of irradiated fuel assemblies for the purpose of revealing unsealed jackets. In the present paper, we analyze the possibility of using the method of acoustic spectroscopy for investigating the parameters of the gaseous medium in reactor fuel elements. The acoustic method was developed in an earlier work by the authors, and tests suggested the possibility of using an acoustic thermometer in a thermophysical method for investigating the parameters of the gas in reactor fuel elements. The results of this investigation demonstrated that the combination of acoustic spectroscopy and the thermophysical method described herein is adequate for measuring the gas pressure in fuel elements when monitoring the purity of helium during the manufacturing process or for investigations of the composition of the gaseous fission products in irradiated fuel elements.