[en] The glass industry, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), undertook a project to significantly improve temperature measurement in glass melters, thereby reducing energy usage through improved process control. AccuTru International determined that a new kind of protective sheath would improve the life and range of applications of the temperature measuring thermocouples. In cooperation with Corning, Inc., the University of Missouri-Rolla ceramics department conducted tests on a proprietary alumina sheath technology, which shows significant promise. In addition, AccuTru obtained DOE funding to develop a self-verifying sensor. The new sensor, with alumina sheath, was tested at a Corning facility, and the results exceeded expectations. Areas for additional development efforts were identified

[en] A self-verifying temperature sensor that employs advanced contact thermocouple probe technology was tested in a laboratory-scale, joule-heated, refractory-lined glass melter used for radioactive waste vitrification. The novel temperature probe monitors melt temperature at any given level of the melt chamber. The data acquisition system provides the real-time temperature for molten glass. Test results indicate that the self-verifying sensor is more accurate and reliable than classic platinum/rhodium thermocouple and sheath assemblies. The results of this test are reported as well as enhancements being made to the temperature probe. To obtain more reliable temperature measurements of the molten glass for improving production efficiency and ensuring consistent glass properties, optical sensing was reviewed for application in a high temperature environment

[en] Stereo data collected by the HiRes experiment over a six-year period are examined for large-scale anisotropy related to the inhomogeneous distribution of matter in the nearby universe. We consider the generic case of small cosmic-ray deflections and a large number of sources tracing the matter distribution. In this matter tracer model the expected cosmic-ray flux depends essentially on a single free parameter, the typical deflection angle θ _s. We find that the HiRes data with threshold energies of 40 EeV and 57 EeV are incompatible with the matter tracer model at a 95% confidence level unless θ _s > 10 deg. and are compatible with an isotropic flux. The data set above 10 EeV is compatible with both the matter tracer model and an isotropic flux.