A sample holder for the measurement of nuclear heating in a nuclear reactor, comprises: a body configured to contain a heat-sensitive sample along a longitudinal axis; and means for removing heat from the body to the exterior of the sample holder, wherein the means for removing heat from the body to the exterior of the sample holder comprise: a peripheral structure located on the periphery of the body; and a central structure mechanically linking the body and the peripheral structure, the central linking structure being configured to transfer heat radially, i.e. perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, between the body and the peripheral structure. A calorimeter cell for the measurement of nuclear heating in a nuclear reactor, comprises: at least one sample holder; a seal-tight casing in which the sample holder is placed; and temperature-measuring means.

An adiabatic concrete calorimeter includes a thermal chamber and a heat well subassembly for being positioned in the thermal chamber. The heat well subassembly includes a test cylinder container and a test cylinder mold adapted to be positioned in the test cylinder container for defining the shape of a concrete test specimen formed in the test cylinder mold. Temperature sensors determine the temperature of the concrete test specimen, and transmit temperature data from the temperature sensors to a controller. Electrically-energized heaters are positioned on a surface of the test cylinder container for applying heat to the test cylinder container. A controller determines heat loss of the concrete test specimen and outputs data to the heaters whereby the heaters supply heat to the concrete test specimen sufficient to compensate for heat losses to an ambient environment and maintain the heat of hydration of the concrete test specimen.

An adiabatic concrete calorimeter includes a thermal chamber and a heat well subassembly for being positioned in the thermal chamber. The heat well subassembly includes a test cylinder container and a test cylinder mold adapted to be positioned in the test cylinder container for defining the shape of a concrete test specimen formed in the test cylinder mold. Temperature sensors determine the temperature of the concrete test specimen, and transmit temperature data from the temperature sensors to a controller. Electrically-energized heaters are positioned on a surface of the test cylinder container for applying heat to the test cylinder container. A controller determines heat loss of the concrete test specimen and outputs data to the heaters whereby the heaters supply heat to the concrete test specimen sufficient to compensate for heat losses to an ambient environment and maintain the heat of hydration of the concrete test specimen.

Described is a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) instrument capable of performing analyses of multiple samples at the same time. Some embodiments of DSC instruments described herein include a thermal substrate that provides a substantially uniform temperature across a surface of the substrate. A plurality of DSC units is in thermal communication with the substrate, for example, by mounting the units directly to the surface of the substrate. Each DSC unit includes a second thermal substrate for further thermal isolation, and a reference platform and sample platform to receive a reference cell and a sample cell, respectively. A thermoelectric device is disposed between each platform and the second thermal substrate. Optionally, the reference and sample cells may be disposable chips that can be discarded after measurement are performed, thereby reducing or eliminating the need to clean instrument components to prevent cross-contamination for subsequent instrument operation.

A device for measuring a heat transfer rate according to the present invention includes: a first layer provided with a first material portion and a second material portion disposed in parallel in a surface direction of an object; a second layer provided with a third material portion disposed in parallel with the first material portion in a thickness direction of the first layer and having the same thermal conductivity as the second material portion, and a fourth material portion disposed in parallel with the second material portion in the thickness direction and having the same thermal conductivity as the first material portion; and a temperature measurement layer to measure a temperature difference in the surface direction between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the temperature measurement layer includes: a thermocouple portion provided with a first contact between the first material portion and the third material portion, and a second contact between the second material portion and the fourth material portion; and a noise detector having a shape corresponding to the thermocouple portion. Accordingly, an amount of electric noise can be detected and removed, thereby improving accuracy.

A device for measuring a heat transfer rate according to the present invention includes: a first layer provided with a first material portion and a second material portion disposed in parallel in a surface direction of an object; a second layer provided with a third material portion disposed in parallel with the first material portion in a thickness direction of the first layer and having the same thermal conductivity as the second material portion, and a fourth material portion disposed in parallel with the second material portion in the thickness direction and having the same thermal conductivity as the first material portion; and a temperature measurement layer to measure a temperature difference in the surface direction between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the temperature measurement layer includes: a thermocouple portion provided with a first contact between the first material portion and the third material portion, and a second contact between the second material portion and the fourth material portion; and a noise detector having a shape corresponding to the thermocouple portion. Accordingly, an amount of electric noise can be detected and removed, thereby improving accuracy.

A heat flow rate measurement method for use with a differential scanning calorimeter sensor is provided. The method includes calculating a heat exchange between a plurality of sample containers and a reference container placed on a plurality of sample calorimeter units and a reference calorimeter unit, respectively, and determining a heat flow rate of samples within the sample containers using the calculated heat exchange between the plurality of sample containers and the reference container. A multiple sample differential scanning calorimeter sensor and calorimeter system are also provided.

A differential scanning calorimeter includes a temperature-controlled heat source and a sensor arrangement with sample- and reference-side pan support regions and measurement regions. Measurement region sensor(s) output a differential heat flow signal representative of a difference between heat flowing across the sample- and reference-side measurement regions and a sample- and reference-side local heater arrangement. A sample and reference pan are arranged on the sample and reference-side pan support region, respectively. A volume surrounding the pans is filled with a measuring gas. A steady state situation of a desired temperature is created, and once reached, heating power is applied to one of the pan support regions using the respective local heater arrangement. A second calibration factor is determined based on a ratio of a differential heat flow signal (U) and a differential heating power.

Methods of preparing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposites by in situ polymerization with a zirconocene catalyst, a methylaluminoxane cocatalyst, a calcium zirconate nanofiller in a solvent. The calcium zirconate nanofiller, which is dispersed across the polyethylene matrix, is found to enhance catalyst activity, and other properties of the HDPE nanocomposites produced, including but not limited to flame retardancy, crystallinity and surface morphology.

Methods of preparing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposites by in situ polymerization with a zirconocene catalyst, a methylaluminoxane cocatalyst, a calcium zirconate nanofiller in a solvent. The calcium zirconate nanofiller, which is dispersed across the polyethylene matrix, is found to enhance catalyst activity, and other properties of the HDPE nanocomposites produced, including but not limited to flame retardency, crystallinity and surface morphology.